packing and storing, any tips?

A mommy blogger is up to her elbows in detergent, septic tank cleaner and vacuum bags to clean up her home for an impending visit from her sister whom she hasn’t seen in years. She says her house is overrun with bags of her children’s old clothes. I suggested she might also use those big green garbage bags which are what I use. The trick is to press down on the clothes to squeeze out all the air so the package will be smaller and take up less storage space. Do you have any tips to share on how to put away clutter which you can’t part with, yet ?

a little effort can save you money

Like it or not, a car gets us places and for those of us with families, owning a car has become a necessary expense. Luckily there’s now the convenience of being able to get cheap auto insurance quotes online from the comfort of our own home.

All it takes is a little effort on our part to surf around a little bit and compare rates. In fact, some of the better insurance sites will provide auto insurance comparisons between their own and their competitors’ rates, which makes it even easier for us to compare since everything is on one page.

The problem though is that most times, we tend to stick with the same insurance company and it doesn’t strike us that there may be cheaper options out there that could save us money. Chances are, with a little research, we can always find a better rate and more savings.

on a trying spree

If you have a birthday coming up and are wondering how to celebrate it  with your friends without blowing your budget, well, here’s something the girls and I have found rather enjoyable.

We go window-shopping with no intentions whatsoever to buy anything. When we see something we like, we try it on instead of buying it. Okay, that’s not always easy especially when you try it on and it looks really good on you.

The trick is not to carry too much cash or better yet, leave your credit card at home. That way, you can have fun, yet not spend a dime.

go skinny on your wallet

There are so many sales on and they’re oh so tempting that there’s a real danger of busting that credit card and breaking the bank. The thing with most people is that the more money they have in their wallet, the more they tend to spend. It’s a fact. So what do you do?

Bring less money, of course. By that, I don’t mean to be such a Scrooge that you have to borrow from your friends or go hungry. Just try not to have too much spare cash in your wallet. Leave your ATM card at home if you can. That way, you will tend to be more careful about what you spend on.

Bring just one credit card, or better yet, leave that at home too. But being the practical person that I am, I won’t suggest you do that. After all, you’re out to take advantage of the sales and save a few bucks. It won’t make sense to see something that’s a real bargain and not be able to buy it.

Before I buy something, I ask myself these 3 questions: Do I need it? Can it wait? Is there another option? These 3 questions have stopped me in my tracks and made me think twice about impulsive buying (which I’m very prone to ). So shop but do it wisely, and most importantly, have fun!

tips for shopping at warehouse sales

Warehouse sales are great. I love them. Warehouse sales are commonly aimed to clearing:

• Old stock
• Outdated product lines
• Irregular or slightly defective items (maybe)
• Display items

So be sure you check:

• Expiry dates
• Condition of product (e.g. missing or defective parts)
• Condition of packaging for edible items (e.g. dented cans, missing seals)

celebrate good times, come on!

I’ve been attending so many weddings in recent months that I’m beginning to think I could be an expert on weddings. Weddings are so exciting not only to attend but even more so, to organize.

I know many couples seem to think it’s too much of a hassle or they don’t have to confidence to do it themselves. So they farm it out to a wedding event management company to do the donkey work.

But the organizing is actually half the fun right there. Yes, it involves endless running around but hey, it’s a once in a lifetime.

In the days before the internet, it might have been a little harder to get things organized because you have to ask around and run around and make mistakes along the way.

But now if you’re thinking Bridal Showers, for instance, you can organize it yourself but with all the help you need online. Celebrations.com is the resource you can count on to throwing the most unforgettable and interesting celebration you ever wished for.

You can get party ideas, find out how to get the party going, throw in an outdoor twist if the weather is right, find the best caterers, the works!