8 Tips to Avoid Drowning in Deals

Tough financial times call for smarter shopping measures. For some of us this means going to extremes and cutting up credit cards. For others, it just means clipping coupons and unplugging appliances.

No matter what your money-saving solution, merchants are catching on to these smart shopping tactics. Stores are constantly developing their own methods to make sure we keep buying. Many times, this comes in the form of a sale that looks great on the surface, but actually ends up saving next to nothing.

In fact, recent studies suggest that plenty of shoppers are overwhelmed with the flood of daily deals they receive. With so many special offers flying around, here are eight tips to help you avoid drowning in deals.

1. Unsubscribe from Newsletters
Signing up for email newsletters from favorite merchants will keep you informed about their special offers. However, these mailings are still promotional materials intended to make you spend money. If you find yourself exasperated by the breadth of deals and discounts, try following stores on Facebook and Twitter. You still get access to promotions, but they're not always being waved in your face. Instead, you can access the information only when you want to see it.

2. Set a Time to Review Deals
The urgency to get a bargain before time runs out can be a distraction. When you find yourself getting sidetracked checking each offer as it comes in, set aside a time where you can review them all at once. Sure, you might miss the occasional Groupon, but at the end of the day it's cash that's still in your pocket. Reviewing deals all at the same time lets you think out purchases more clearly, compare offers side by side, and prioritize those that best meet your needs.

3. Technology is Your Friend
Your smartphone is a surprising savings tool. Some apps like GasBuddy can help you track down the lowest gas prices, no matter where you are. The Coupon Sherpa mobile app lets you locate and scan coupons directly from your phone. Using your cell in this way allows you to find special offers specific to your shopping needs.

4. Weigh Credit Card Options
Cashiers frequently encourage you to open a store credit card, promising healthy savings if you do. While there may be a good initial offer or incentive, like a regular discount on all purchases, this is another tactic to keep you spending. It's best to just have one of these cards specifically for expenses like gas and food. You'll have to spend on those needs either way, so you might as well get a discount. At NerdWallet.com, they have a comparison of the top 18 store credit cards to help you make an informed decision.

5. Track Your Deals
Ah, the agony of a missed expiration date for a voucher. It gets in your head and makes you regret dollars down the drain. To avoid getting mixed up and missing deadlines, keep a calendar of when offers expire. This helps you track the good ones and keep an eye on how your spending matches up with your budget. You can even do it digitally at CityPockets.com. They organize all the deals you've already purchased, send you expiration reminders, and even allow you to sell unused deals.

6. Eating Out is a Trap
Restaurants are filled with drink specials and dollar menus to encourage buying. While a double cheeseburger and fries from McDonald's costs just over $2, the nutritional value is low and you'll soon be hungry again. It's surprising how much you can save buying groceries and making meals at home, instead of eating fast food. If your culinary muse has failed to inspire you, AllRecipes.com has plenty of Quick and Easy Recipes to consider.

7. Use Coupon Sites
Despite the sufferings of deal-of-the-day sites, coupon sites continue to grow, making it a good thing for shoppers. Sites like CouponSherpa.com have coupons organized by product category and retailer name, so finding a good discount is easy. The best part is, their services are offered for free; credit card information and personal details aren't required. The savings are there at your leisure with no strings attached.

8. Price Comparisons
Seeing a deal with numbers like 50-percent off can lead to an itchy mouse-clicking finger. Resist the urge to act now and shop around a little instead. Often, similar retailers are aware of their competitors' deals and will offer something comparable. Also, try to shop at stores with low-price guarantees. This way, if you find a better deal after you buy, you can still get reimbursed for the difference.

This article was written by Andrea Woroch. Woroch is a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc. She is available for in-studio, satelite or skype interviews and to write guest posts or articles. view recent interviews or for more savings tips visit AndreaWoroch.com or follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Give Kids the Fuel They Need with Good Nutrition

Summer is coming to an end and kids are about to get back into the swing of school. Now is the time to take a closer look at what kind of fuel they are starting each day with. The type and variety of foods that children eat can affect their academic and physical performance, mood, behavior, and overall well-being. The bottom line is children need good, healthy food in order to perform at their best.

Foods to avoid

Think twice about giving your children foods with labels listing food additives, colors, preservatives, or chemical names you can’t pronounce. Also to be excluded:

• MSG
• Artificial sweeteners and high fructose corn syrup
• Genetically modified foods
• Trans fat and hydrogenated fat
• Fruit juice from concentrate
• White and/or bleached flour products.
• Roasted or sugar coated nuts

Healthier options – getting back to basics

Think real food! Start offering your kids whole fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, grains and unprocessed meats. Choose foods that have not been altered from their natural state. Whether your child is 2, 12, or 22 it is never too late to change the way you think about food. Here are some healthy lunch and after-school snack choices for your family that offer flavor and variety along with nutritional benefits.

Lunches:

• Turkey roll up: A whole grain, rice, or corn pita, no nitrate lunch meat, lettuce or other leafy green, sliced tomato and hummus or whipped avocado as a pita dressing.

• Almond butter sandwich:
• 2 pieces of whole grain, sprouted grain, or gluten free bread
• 1-2 Tablespoons of raw almond butter
• ½ cup of mashed fresh berries or an all natural/low sugar fruit preserve

Snacks:

• A piece of fruit or vegetable slices with raw or natural nut butter
• Trail mix: mixture of raw nuts and dried raisins, cranberries and pineapple
• Mixed berries
• Rice crackers and all-natural nut butter
• Veggie bag: snow peas, green beans, carrots
• Fruit leather, dried fruit slices, or fresh fruit
• Greek yogurt and dehydrated veggie chips

This article was contributed by: Chicago Healer's Tiffany Triner, Assistant Nutritionist at Nutrition Connection Balance, LLC. About ChicagoHealers.com-Chicago Healers (www.ChicagoHealers.com) is the nation’s pioneer prescreened integrative health care network, offering a comprehensive understanding of each practitioner’s services, approach, and philosophy.

Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine Announces Discount Program for Readers and Follows.

After years of positive feedback from our readers on the great products we feature in the pages of our monthly print magazine, we are happy to announce a special new program that will allow you to enjoy the products and services you see at a special Tampa Bay Parenting discount!!  We are working directly with the companies to secure discount codes and special offers.  All items will be announced here on our blog throughout the month so be sure to check back often.

It is our way of saying Thank You for your continued Support! Enjoy!

Our very FIRST company to be featured is Mine for Nine, who is offering a 10% discount. This company has been personally reviewed by one of our Social Moms Rachel, please see her post below about her experience, and we feel confident you will love their concept as well. Enjoy and be sure to share you experiences with us on this blog or Facebook.

About Mine for Nine

There's a smart, new way to shop for stylish, make-you-feel-good maternity clothes. It's called Mine for Nine, and it's one of those revolutions that your best friend and sister will say "I wish they had that when I was pregnant.” MINE offers pregnant women an alternative to purchasing an expensive maternity wardrobe or supplements the one they already have. Find the perfect business suit for that important business meeting or a spectacular evening gown for the black tie affair you were just invited to. And when you're done, no need to store clothes you may or may not wear again -- just ship them back.

www.minefornine.com 

10% off USE CODE: tampabay2011 

Valid September 1st through September 30th

Mine for Nine Maternity Clothing

I am on my third pregnancy in 5 years. For my first pregnancy, I refused to buy many clothes and instead borrowed from friends and family. The result was not pretty. I wore clothes years out of date that didn’t fit correctly. For my second pregnancy, I decided to purchase clothes on the cheap from Target and other big box stores. The result was better, but I didn’t find many clothes that I could wear out on date night or with my friends at a price that I was willing to pay for only a few months of wear. Which brings us to pregnancy number 3. Since this is my last pregnancy, at least the last planned one, I wanted to go out with a bang, but who has the money to spend on clothing that a couple of months from now will be passed on to another pregnant woman?
In stepped Tampa Bay Parenting Magazine and Mine For Nine with a unique opportunity. I was given $200 to try out a company that allows you to borrow designer maternity clothes at a fraction of the cost of purchasing them. Instead of wearing jeans and a maternity top every day, I borrowed cute tops and skirts to boost my self esteem at a time when I don’t look my best. I am not one of those beautiful pregnant women out there. I get big everywhere! Fortunately, I discovered styles from Mine for Nine that helped minimize the negatives of my growing body and maximize the positives. Every month I have the option of shipping back the items I have or borrowing them for another month. I found a skirt that I have kept for three months, which is still much less expensive than purchasing it.
The process is very simple and if you have any problems Mine for Nine has phenomenal customer service. The two times that I contacted customer service for help I received a phone call within an hour from the owner/creator of the site, Marisa. The first step is to visit the site http://minefornine.com and pick out the items you would like to borrow. You may also buy items, but they are pretty pricey, so I stuck with the borrowing option. You pick the size that you think would fit you the best based on the sizing suggestions. While pregnant I am pretty hard on clothing, because all food seems to fall on my enormous belly, so for people like me there is optional cleaning insurance for $5 per item. If you are a reasonably neat person, there is no need to purchase insurance and you just have to ship the clothing back without any obvious stains. Mine for Nine will dry clean the clothing for the next borrower. The second step is to put in your credit card information and then the package with your clothing should arrive within the week. Also, there is a special gift for each mom included with her first order. The hand knitted blue cap that I received is precious and endeared me even more to the company.
When your clothing arrives, if it doesn’t fit correctly you can return it as long as you make sure to keep the security tag attached, contact the company within 3 days and put the clothing in the mail within 7 days. I didn’t have to return any of the items because they didn’t fit, but it was very reassuring to have the option. If you love the clothing you just need to take good care of it and ship it back by the date you are given using the label included in the package. I wrote the date the clothing needed to be postmarked by on my calendar, but most people would appreciate an email reminder, which is not provided.
If you want to get through nine months of pregnancy without committing to a size for the entire time, spend a fortune on clothing or get bored with wearing the same clothing day in and day out Mine for Nine is the company for you!

Can You Treat Depression Without Prescription Drugs?

Doctor Reveals How to Manage Depression Without Resorting To Anti-Depressants

In the past, people suffering from depression were often given two choices – medicate it or deal with it. One expert, however, believes there is a third option.

“Those suffering with depression were considered to be self-indulgent and self-obsessed,” said Dr.Gregory Jantz, a licensed mental health counselor and author of Living Beyond Depression (www.drgregoryjantz.com). “Their dark moods were responded to with little patience or understanding. People with depression were often counseled to just ‘cheer up!’ When the ‘get-over-it’ method didn’t seem to work, increasing numbers of sufferers turned to medication. The use of Prozac and other anti-depressant medication has recently skyrocketed. But there is another way, and it doesn’t involve prescription medication, or any of the other age-old ‘remedies,’ such as alcoholism, drug abuse, promiscuity, eating disorders, self-mutilation, and other compulsive behaviors. It is also far more enlightened than just telling yourself to get over it. It involves objectively examining your life, and rebuilding it little by little until you are reintegrated as a whole person.”

Jantz’s method does not revolve around just going to see a therapist and talking about your problems. It’s about getting to the root of the disease of depression and fighting it with the same emotions that fuel it. He calls it the Whole-Person Approach, and it incorporates getting a handle on the following concepts that make up the key elements of our lives:

• Emotional Influences – We are emotional beings, and we choose to acknowledge or express those emotions in outward forms. We are never far from our feelings and emotions. They trip us up when we are stressed or tired. They sneak up on us at unexpected moments. They support our expectations, fuel our disappointments, and energize our victories. When depression settles into a person’s life, emotions become confused. Minor daily irritants can become major life hurdles. The joy of others can become a gloomy reminder of inner insecurities. Even if life appears to be going well, our emotional balance can become tilted toward depression.

• Environmental Influences – We live in a world where complexity greets us every morning. What are we going to wear? What are we going to eat? How are we going to arrive at work? Which task are we going to complete? What call are we going to deal with first? Should we answer our cell phone, our home phone, respond to our email, reply to our voice mail—and in what order? From the moment we awake, the assault begins. We are overwhelmed. The assault demands a response, and retreating into depression can be that response.

• Relational Influences – We constantly use relationships to determine our position in life. We observe the world and people around us and make decisions about who we are based on how we believe others perceive us. We define our position by the people with whom we interact. We use this information to triangulate our state of well being, factoring in what we’ve learned or observed in the past, a view of our present circumstances, and the potential outcome for our future.

• Physical Influences – In the past, the answer to a broken-down spirit was a pharmaceutical “fix” that relaxed the physical body. But as we learn more and more about the inter-working of mind, body, and spirit, we are learning that the potential exists for our bodies to act as partner in recovery instead of an opponent.

• Spiritual Influences – Wrestling with questions of worth and purpose are spiritual issues. Who am I? What is my purpose? Where is joy? When will this be over? Why is this happening? How did I get this way? The spiritual component of a person’s life can provide direction toward both the right questions and the needed answers.

Why Shouldn’t I Spank My Child?

Abuse Survivor Offers Tips For Alternative Punishments

Esther Joseph doesn’t need to read studies or statistics to understand the problems of child abuse. She survived it.

Joseph, an advocate against corporal punishment in the home, spent her childhood alternately suffering physical abuse from her mother and emotional abuse from her father. But she doesn’t consider herself a victim.

“I’m a survivor of child abuse,” said Joseph, author of Memories of Hell, Visions of Heaven—A Story of Survival Transformation and Hope(www.unityinherited.com). “In overcoming the damage of an upbringing riddled with violence, I was adamant that I would not grow up to be an abuser, as well. I know the dangers of striking a child to discipline them and then explaining that you’re doing it for their own good and because you love them. All that does is teach the child that violence is an acceptable part of love, and as they grow up, they accept violence in their adult relationships because they’ve been taught that it’s completely normal.”

Joseph believes that discipline is important, but that it can be delivered without making violence an acceptable part of life.

“No matter how out of control a child may be considered, a beating is never an effective way to get their attention, obedience or respect,” she added. “Parents must understand that there are other disciplinary measures, less violent and degrading methods that will garner the results they seek, while raising children to become emotional health and fulfilled adults.”

Joseph offered a few simple tips for alternative means of helping children behave. They include:

• Be a Good Example – Parents must live by example, allowing their actions and not just their words to exemplify the kind of person they would like their child to become.

• Be One Step Ahead – Don’t wait until your child has done something “wrong” to have a talk with them. Parents can circumvent many foreseeable challenges by addressing them before they become an issue.

• Be Creative – One type of punishment does not work for every child. Parents must figure out and utilize a form of reprimand that would work best for their child’s particular temperament.

“Every spanking, no matter how mild, has an impact,” Joseph said. “Parents should be aware that a spanked child becomes a emotionally crippled adult who goes out into the world and plays this handicap onto others, perpetuating the idea that abusive relationships are just a normal part of life. Now, I understand that people justify it by thinking, ‘I was spanked as a child and I turned out okay,’ but that equation doesn’t work for everyone. When we begin to justify violence as a part of our children’s lives, it becomes a slippery slope when we try to determine how much is too much? A spanking every once in a while? Using a belt or a hairbrush instead of a hand if a child is really misbehaving? At what point do you say it’s too much? The bottom line is that once is too much, because it makes a second, third and 20^thtime that much easier to rationalize. But for those who have been abused, no matter their pasts, it does not define them nor does it determine their future. Everyone can break the bonds of their past experiences and find their way to the life and future they crave.”

About Esther Joseph

Esther Joseph was born and raised on the tiny Caribbean island of Saint Lucia. She moved to the U.S. at the age of 16 with her mother and two older bothers. She holds a Master’s Degree in international affairs from New York University. Her goal is to help others still in the grips of abuse and violence to break the cycle and find a way to a place of healing.

Money Doesn't Grow on Trees

“Money doesn’t grow on trees.” This saying may seem obvious, although today’s youth seem to think the opposite. Who can blame them though – unlike the baby boomers the new generation of youth have grown up in a time of economic prosperity and are used to being coddled by their parents. In 2011 alone, over 85 percent of college graduates will be moving back home (Huffington Post).

Recently, the recent economic situation has shown us that anything can happen at any given moment and we (and our children) need to be prepared. Though it may not be possible to teach a pre-schooler the complexities behind 401Ks and credit cards, it is possible to start teaching children the importance of money at an early age. Chicago Healers Practitioner Julie Murphy Casserly (CLU, ChFC, CFP) stresses the importance of instilling good money habits in children as early as possible and offers easy conversation topics to address the issue at every age.

· Pre-School
Yes, money patterns begin to formulate during the pre-school years. You can start talking to your child about money when they are 2 or 3 by explaining that everything costs money – from the food they eat, the clothes they wear, to the house they live in. These talks need to go beyond the necessities too. Explain that new toys, accessories or video games are things your family can live without. Introduce new toys to them a few at a time, rather than showering them with an over-abundance of playthings. This will help them get used to the fact that they don’t need a heap of toys to be happy.

· School-Aged
By the time your child is 6 or 7 years old you can start teaching them about prioritizing their money. For example, when you are at the toy store, instead of letting them pick anything off the shelf, try giving your child five dollars and letting them choose something that fits within this price tag. For parents who buy their children anything and everything, the child will expect this treatment later on in life, giving them a sense of entitlement. Ask yourself, is this the reality I want for my child 15 years from now?

This is also the point in time to show your child that money is the result of hard work. Work out a plan with a family friend or neighbor where your child will do housework or yard work for $5-$10 cash. Then give them the power to choose how they want to spend or save their hard-earned money.

· High School
At this time, it is critical to create a financial collaboration with your son or daughter. Encourage them to get a part-time job to help pay for their car insurance, their gas or portions of the monthly car payment. Children should be held accountable for sharing some of these costs with their parents. Once they get that paycheck, establish guidelines on how it should be dispersed — 1/3 goes towards that car payment, 1/3 goes towards their future college fund and 1/3 can be spent on whatever they choose.

During this age, it’s also important to highlight the importance of living a quality of life, rather than the quality of things that you own. Help your children understand that material things like a brand new car when they turn 16, are often a source of immediate happiness, but sooner or later, this happiness fades and they will be left searching for deeper self-fulfillment.

· College
Your child is an adult now. Have an adult conversation with them about their finances and make sure they understand how credit works. Tell them about your experiences with credit card use – the good, bad and the ugly. Once kids are on their own, temptations will always arise and children in this age bracket will more than likely consider opening a credit card to fund some of these temptations. Explain how credit cards can bring a false sense of financial reality. They make us less conscious of where our money is flowing and how much we are spending. Talk about how the constant struggle to earn cash to pay off debt can take a physical and emotional toll.