Becentsable, Author at Becentsable

Posts by Becentsable:

Back To School Tips: Save Money On School Supplies

July 9th, 2017

Back to school time can be very expensive and stressful! Use these back to school tips to save money on school supplies.

Back To School Tips:

Recycle Supplies from Last Year:

Not all school supplies need to be brand new. Have your child(ren) go through their old supplies and see what will work for the upcoming school year. Is their pencil box still in good shape? Do they really need a new backpack? What about that slightly used box of crayons? Not only will you save money, you’ll be teaching your child an invaluable lesson about being a good steward of what they have.

Price Match:

Use all the hot back to school sales and price match at places like Walmart and Target. This saves you time because you are not driving all around town to get the deals. Instead, the deals virtually come to you! Read more here about Price Matching and find a list of store that Price Match.

Use Coupons:

Some back to school items like tissues or hand sanitizer often have coupons that can be used in conjunction with a sale to get the best deal. Don’t forget, store coupons can be stacked with manufacturers coupons! Check store websites and sign-up for e-mail clubs to get in-store coupons, online codes and online coupons.

Use Store Incentive Programs:

Some stores offer rebates. You’ll pay for your purchases at the register, but you’ll get money back by mail when you submit your rebate for certain items. Most stores also offer store coupons. Another incentive program retailers like CVS and Target offer is store credit. You’ll pay for your purchase in full at the register, but these stores often offer money off your next visit in the form of Extra Care Bucks at CVS and gift cards at Target. To maximize your savings, combine as many incentives as possible on one purchase. For example, you might be able to use a store coupon in conjunction with a manufacturer’s coupon, a rebate and/or store credit to cut your final cost significantly.

Calculate the Final Price:

For example, crayons might be on sale at one store for $0.25 but on sale at a second store for buy one at $1.99, get two free. At first glance the second store may appear to have the better deal, but you would end up paying $1.99 for three boxes of crayons instead of $0.75 at the first store.

Shop the Dollar Store:

While not the top of the line, certainly good enough to help your children throughout the year. Some Dollar Stores are great, and others are not so much. Search your area and see where the best ones are, and stick to them. The inventory changes, but you can score big savings when the other stores have stopped caring about Back to School.

Keep it Simple:

Students will lose fancy markers, planners, binders, etc. These fancy items cost money. Save the money for something they can keep at home and you don’t have to worry about having money go down the drain.

Shop on Tax Free Days:

Many states offer tax-free deals, some lasting a day, others a whole week. Plan your shopping around this time and you will save lots. This will definitely help you save the most money on high end products like laptops, scientific calculators, iPads, etc…

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School Organization

July 1st, 2017

When we were little the first day of school was a BIG deal in our house! I LOVED school and was always very excited to start the new year.

Here are some tips to help keep things organized and flowing smoothly for your family during the school year.

:: Designate a spot in the house for all school related things (bags, homework, notes, etc) . I picked a spot near the door and hung up some Command strip hooks for jackets and backpack, shoes, hats, etc. I also had a small basket I kept for storing artwork, notes, news, etc and would toss these items in when we got home and go through it later!

:: Implement a strict rule that bags must be emptied as soon as possible after arriving home. If they sit full of stuff, most likely things will be forgotten.

:: Schedule times to review homework, read notes, prepare for the next day…even if it’s only in your head. The kids will start to follow the routine with you.

:: Use baskets or other containers for your children to keep their books, papers, folders, etc in. Once they are older, this is more necessary. A crate or basket in their room or in a family area might keep things from ending up all over the house. They can move it from room to room as necessary and when they have a project that takes more than one night to complete, they know exactly where it will be.

:: Invest in a good family planning calendar! There are several varieties to choose from so finding one won’t be hard, it’s finding the “right” one for your family that poses a challenge! Most have multiple columns for planning activities for 4-6 family members. The calendar needs to be in a spot viewable to everyone and have plenty of space for everyone’s activities. The hard part about the calendar is remembering to fill it in! I’ve listed some options below:

:: For smaller children with after-school activities, laminate a 3×5 index card with a reminder for the teacher, “Joey has science club on Wednesday” and attach it to their backpack each week! This way the child doesn’t have to remember to keep track of a note in their bag and you don’t have to write it over and over each week…just keep it with your basket of school notes or near the calendar and clip it on each week!

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Eagle Creek Packing Cubes

May 17th, 2016

We had the opportunity to review some packing cubes from Eagle Creek. Packing cubes can save you money, time and stress when traveling.

Image credit Eagle Creek

Packing cubes can help save you money because most airlines are charging big bucks to check your luggage. Investing in some one-time packing tools can help save you money every time you travel.

My favorite product is the Compression Cube Set. These cubes will expand to fit a large amount of items and then you compress them down to fit in your luggage. It’s amazing how much you can fit in these!

I also suggest a Garment Folder. This will save you space and keep the wrinkle to a minimum. This is perfect for our upcoming cruise because we have to pack light but have dress clothes for dinner.

We are also using packing cubes to organize our cars and our backpacks. Don’t forget, you can use these cubes around the house when you are done with them. They can organize off-season clothes, your closets, dressers (the ideas are limitless)!

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Regal Cinemas Summer Movies 2016: ($1 Movies)

May 16th, 2016

The Regal Cinemas Summer Movies 2016 program is about to start! These summer movies for kids will be playing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Regal Cinemas Summer Movies 2016:

Admission to the Regal Cinemas summer movies are only $1 and a portion of the proceeds goes to the Will Rogers Institute. Visit your local theatre for more information.

Regal Cinemas Summer Movies 2016 Schedule:

Week 1
The Lego Movie
Max
Week 2
Goosebumps
The Iron Giant: Signature Edition
Week 3
Pan
The Smurfs 2
Week 4
Despicable Me 2
Home
Week 5
Minions
The Peanuts Movie
Week 6
Alvin & The Chipmunks: The Road Chip
Curious George
Week 7
The Book of Life
Hotel Transylvania 2
Week 8
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2
Shaun The Sheep
Week 9
The Croods
Dr. Suess’ The Lorax

Are you looking for some free or cheap summer movies for kids? If so, check out these summer movie programs at Showcase Cinemas, AMC, Regal and Cinemark.

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Scholastic Summer Reading Program

May 13th, 2016

The Scholastic Summer Reading Program has just started. This is a free summer reading program for kids. Read and log your minutes to earn rewards!

The Scholastic Summer Reading Program 2016:

Starts May 9, 2016
Ends September 9, 2016
Read & log minutes all summer
Unlock stories & earn rewards
Enter for a chance to win Klutz books
Sign up here.

Here is a list of FREE Summer Reading Programs for kids! Use these FREE Reading Programs to help keep your kids reading all summer long. Read More