Black Friday Is Almost Upon Us!

  

          Thanksgiving is upon us!  And with Turkey Day comes the just as well known Black Friday. And every year it seems stores try to one up each other with earlier opening times and better deals. If you are brave enough, crazy enough, and savvy enough, you can take advantage of some great bargains on this day. Let's look at some tips that may help you out.

            You've decided to shop Black Friday. Mmake sure you pick up your Thanksgiving Day paper. This usually has all the store ads showing their deals, opening times, etc.

            Now that you have your paper, don't read it!  Before you crack it open take a few minutes to make a list of what you need, want, and what gifts you intend to purchase this year for Christmas (or at least the price range for each person on your list.)  Once you open the paper you'll find great deals on items you didn't know you could live without!  Knowing your budget, and an idea of what you want will help you focus on one or two stores you want to visit Friday.

            Now open your paper and find those deals!  Take time to double check prices against other retailers. You can find information on most stores' websites. If you find that the Black Friday deal is truly a great deal on a product you really need or want then make plans to head out to that store. For deals that are promoted in the ads, quantities could be limited. Find out what time the store opens and plan to be in line earlier than opening time. Sometimes lines can stretch around the corner of the store and people get in line extremely early. So if you plan on being in line dress warmly and prepare to wait!

            Another idea is to share your Black Friday shopping with a friend or family member. You can each head to different stores to pick up items on both your lists. With limited quantities this strategy can better your chances and save you time.

            If you don't have a particular item in mind to buy, you can plan on browsing some of the stores at a more reasonable time (after 8 am). A lot of good deals and some unadvertised deals can still be found for the late shopper. There are still a lot of crowds out and about but the lines are usually gone by then.

            Enjoy your Thanksgiving!  And if you decide to shop on Black Friday decide now that you will stay within your budget and stick to your list. Make it a day that you enjoy not one you end up regretting when you get home and add up all those receipts.  

  

            Until next time, keep your eyes open, because savings abound!

            -Stephanie

Make the Most of Your Loyalty Cards

    Grocery shopping, I would guess, doesn't top anyone's list of favorite chores.  Not only does it require getting out of the house (usually, when you really just want to stay home), you also have to spend that hard-earned money.  But since we all must eat, we might as well try and save a few dollars while doing so.  Let's take a look at two grocery store loyalty cards: Kroger Plus and Meijer Mperks.

      Kroger Plus Card

      Most people know about using the Kroger Plus card.  You scan your card at the register (or enter your alternate ID).  And most are familiar with the discounts at the Kroger fuel pumps for using our loyalty cards.  For every dollar you spend, a reward point is added to your account.  When you spend $100 on groceries (certain restrictions and within a month's time frame) you can earn $0.10 off per gallon at the pump during one fill up (up to 35 gallons).  For most prescriptions filled, you get 50 points per prescription, added to your card.  When you purchase a gift card (with some restrictions), you earn double points.  Not bad.  We all have to eat, and if you have a vehicle so does your car!

       Coupons! If you have a smartphone, you can download the Kroger app.  If you don't have a smartphone, you can set up a user name and password at Kroger's website.  That way, you will still be able to download their digital coupons.

     This is a great way to save on items you are going to buy anyway.  Take a few minutes before your shopping trip to go online (or to the app) and see if there are digital coupons attached to any items you may need.  Simply select the coupon from the list, and it is added to your Kroger Plus card.  At checkout time, your digital coupons will automatically be applied.

    This is an awesome tool.  You don't have to worry about remembering your coupons or double-checking them for size, quantity limitations, or expiration dates; it's all done for you!  One thing to remember: if you are using a manufacturer's coupon and have a similar digital coupon, the register will accept the digital coupon first, and you won't be able to combine both coupons for one item.  For example: you have a digital coupon for $0.25 off Dawn dish liquid.  You also have a paper coupon for $0.50 off Dawn dish liquid. When you purchase this item, you will receive the $0.25 off.  The paper coupon cannot be combined with the digital coupon for that one item.  However, if you have two Dawn dish liquids in your basket, you can then use both coupons (one for each item.)

      Also, look for Kroger's Free Friday Download.  Most Fridays, Kroger adds a digital coupon for a free item.  You have to add this coupon to your card that day, and the coupon is usually good for a couple of weeks.  Since this item is free, it often flies off the shelves quickly.  I find if I wait for a few days, it gets restocked and is easy to find.  If the free item isn't something you like or would enjoy, pick one up anyway.  Maybe it can be a blessing to a friend or relative.

       Check out Kroger's website for a full list of what's available: the details, rules, and exceptions.

       Meijer Mperks

       Let's move on to Meijer and its Mperks program.  Meijer doesn't have a tangible loyalty card to scan.  Instead, you go to their website and sign up.  You will have an Mperks number and PIN.  When you check out at the register, select the Mperks icon on the screen and enter your Mperks number.  You will then be directed to enter your PIN on the key pad. You will need to do this each time you go to the checkout. 

       The Meijer loyalty program is set up differently from Kroger.  Most sale items you see in the store, you don't need your Mperks number to receive.  Meijer uses rewards.  Go online or download their app.  At the beginning of each month, you will be able to choose three different rewards to work toward.  For example, this month, I selected $5 off your total purchase when you spend $20 or more in produce, $5  for $20 or more spent in Beauty Care and Cosmetics, and $5 for $20 or more in apparel. 

     Once you select your rewards, you have the whole calendar month to meet that goal.  You can even see your progress online (it usually updates within 24 hours).  After you meet your goal, you will receive a digital coupon as your reward.  For example, once I spend $20 in produce, I will receive a coupon for $5 off my next purchase, which I can add to my Mperks account.  Not bad for shopping I would do anyway!

     Meijer also has pharmacy rewards and baby rewards.  These don't show up on the app.  You will need to go online to their website to sign up.  The baby reward is a wonderful money saver!  For every $100 you spend on baby items (some restrictions), you will receive a reward of $10 off any subsequent purchase.   Not bad when you are buying diapers, wipes, formula and baby food.  The costs add up quickly and so do the savings!

      Meijer has digital coupons as well.  To use these, you go online (or to the app) and add them to your Mperks account.  They will automatically be used at the register when you enter your Mperks number and buy the qualifying items.  As with Kroger, the digital coupons will take precedence over paper coupons.

     Both Meijer and Kroger have great added ways to save on things you buy anyway.  It's worth the small amount of time and effort to go to their apps or websites and clip the coupons or sign up for the rewards.  The time you spend can equal money you save.  For a while when shopping at Meijer, I didn't bother signing up for the baby rewards.  I told myself I was just running in, “to buy one or two items, so why bother?”.  Well, those one or two items added up and I could have saved a lot if I had taken a few moments to look into the Mperks program.

     I know this has been technical, but I wanted to provide some details and real-life examples into what is available out there.  Remember to check out the Kroger and Meijer websites (kroger.com, and meijer.com, respectively).  They will have all the accurate facts and exemptions for their programs.  I am writing this to the best of my knowledge, you need to review the terms and conditions posted on their websites.

     Christmas is coming, so next time, we'll talk about some money-saving tips for this year, and tools to help you save for the next year!

      Until then, keep your eyes open, because savings abound!

            -Stephanie

What Do You Pay for Allowances?

Two recent studies about childhood chores and allowances show that old-fashioned ideas about gender roles are still in effect, even in the 21^st century.

A 2009 study of 3,000 kids, conducted by University of Michigan economists, found that girls, on average, were given two more hours of chore responsibilities than boys. That same year, Highlights magazine, a children’s publication, surveyed its readers and found that 75 percent of girls had chores, while just 65 percent of boys did. 

And to make the disparity even worse, it turns out that girls are paid less for the chores they do than boys are. The theory is that when boys are given chores like mowing the lawn or raking leaves it is perceived as harder work than doing chores girls are more likely to be given like laundry or dishes.

So here’s my question to you. What chores did you do as a child? Did you have siblings? What did your brothers and sisters do for chores?

I grew up in the 60s and 70s and the chores my brother and sister and I were given really did reflect traditional gender roles. I set the table at dinner, my sister cleared the table and my brother mowed the lawn. Even after my brother went off to college, my sister and I were not asked to mow the lawn even though we were both athletes and certainly strong enough. I was in my twenties before I mowed my parent’s lawn and that was only because they were out of town for 2 weeks.( In my father’s defense, I did make a mess of it that one time I mowed!)

Now that I have teenage daughters of my own I find that my husband is reluctant to ask them to mow.  My youngest is certainly strong enough, but I can guarantee you she won’t be doing it any time soon. So my girls help with laundry, trash and the dishes. How 60s of us!

What chores do your kids do or will they do when they are older? Do they follow traditional gender roles?

How Much Does the Tooth Fairy Pay?

From our UK student intern Sam Rogers:

     As little kids, the whole world is filled with magic! From Santa Claus, the man with a little round belly that shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly, flying around the world delivering presents to children, to the Easter Bunny, decorating our lawns with colored eggs filled with chocolate and coins, the Tooth Fairy had to be one of my favorites.

     Having money magically appear under my pillow was one of the coolest things ever. Nothing was as exciting as leaving a small, pearly white under my pillow at night and finding a  bright, shiny silver dollar the next morning; I would squeal in excitement and run to my closet to store it in my special bank hidden on the highest shelf (I doubt even the Tooth Fairy knew where it was).
 

     But, according to Visa, the Tooth Fairy (a.k.a. Mom and Dad) the price of a tooth is on the rise. According to a national survey, most parents left an average of $3 under the pillow per tooth this year. That’s a 15 percent increase from $2.60 a year ago.

     “The tooth fairy may be the canary in the economic coal mine,” said Jason Alderman, Visa's senior director of global financial education.

     How much kids are getting from the Tooth Fairy also depends on where they live. Kids in the Northeast are raking in the dough, according to the Visa study, at $4.10 per tooth. In the west and south, kids received $3.70 and $3.60 per tooth, respectively. Midwestern kids received the least, at $3.30 a tooth.  Forget the stock market and Wall Street; we should all start investing in our kids’ teeth! 

     Visa is also promoting a downloadable smartphone app called the Tooth Fairy Calculator. It’s designed to help parents determine the going rate of a tooth by showing what the Tooth Fairy is leaving under the pillows of other children. 

     By entering information into the free app, including gender, education, state, age, family size, marital status and household income, you can get a better idea of how much parents in your age group, income bracket and education level are giving their kids, says Alderman. 

     Looks like the Tooth Fairy is more popular than ever! How much are you shelling out for those pearly whites? Comment below!