Show us Your Life- Money Saving Tips

I am participating in Kellys Korner Show Us Your Life this week.

I do cut coupons and check about 4 blogs for the deals that link up with the coupons I have. If you don't get the Sunday paper, in our state, if you go to Kum N Go and buy $15 in gas, you get the paper for free, check your local gas stations for deals like that.

But what I would like to share is buying for the next season. Most of us all have kids and who doesn't love buying things on clearance!!

I have 3 children(almost 4) and I always buy for the next season. Some people say, "thats really hard to do I don't know what size they are going to be in!" I have always estimated and it has worked out perfectly. I know from buying at certain stores, some run smaller and some run bigger. When my son was 1 it was the spring, he was born in March and I was overwhelmed with not having any spring clothes for him and had to buy a ton of stuff just to get him through the spring and summer. So I saw a clearance rack and just thought ok, he is in 18 months now, so by fall I need to be looking at 24 months. So I bought 24 month stuff on clearance at Gap, Old Navy, Target, Kohl's, etc. and when fall came I had a whole closet full of clothes that I paid almost half price or less for! It was wonderful so I have done the same thing with all of my kids. If you are in between sizes and aren't sure, then buy a little of both of the next 2 sizes if they are too big for one, you will be able to use it the next time. But for the most part, if you have a 2 year old in 3T clothes, you can guarantee that next year at this time they will be in 4T, unless they have a growth stunt. If something isn't going to work, then you didn't spend an arm and a leg on it, it was on clearance and if you are going to have more kids, save it for your future ones, sell it at a garage sale, or resell it on ebay. Stuff with tags on it sell for probably twice of what you paid for it on clearance!

The mistake people make is shopping on the weekend. Most of the stores listed above mark stuff down on Tuesday or Wednesday. If it hasn't sold they mark it down every 2 weeks more and more. I have gotten numerous things at Old Navy and Gap for $1.99 and $.99. You have to shop at the right time too. The most things are on clearance at the end of a season. The best time to shop for summer clothes for next year is August. Beginning to the mid of August. Stores are trying to get their fall stuff out and all their summer stuff gone.

Make it a habit to check the clearance stuff every time you are in a store or go by a store. You never know either is someone might have returned something and it is marked way down because it is the end of that style or ready for a new season. Don't be tempted to buy something on clearance that is only marked down a couple dollars. Hold out and check again the next week and the next week and look for it to keep coming down in price. Sometimes the deals aren't great, so you have to wait it out a little and be patient.

My last advice is to check other mom blogs and sign up for your favorite stores email lists. You will be notified of all of their specials right away. I am signed up for Children's Place, Old Navy, Gap, Gordmons, Kohls, and Target. I get emails all the time notifying me that you can take an extra 50% off clearance items or for 2 days only get an extra discount on something else. If you don't like a full inbox then open up another email account just for those emails and check them every few days!

Here are some of the mom blogs I check too for extra deals and specials and even freebies!
www.freebies4mom.blogspot.com
www.moneysavingmom.com
www.free2befrugal.blogspot.com
www.wantnot.net