In this uncertain economy we can all stand to save a little cash. There are tons of resources available on the web that enable you to do just that. I tend to do a majority of my shopping online. It saves me time, money and patience. I never ever, ever , ever, place an order for anything without searching for a coupon code. The easiest way to do that is to just enter the name of the website and the word ‘coupon’ into your favorite search engine (I use Google). Usually this will give you results for various website that may have coupon codes that you can use. The trick is finding a code that is still valid. A majority of the time I can at least find a coupon for free shipping and often time for a percentage off the total order. There are lots of sites that offer coupons, codes and savings. Here are a few of my favorites:
1. RetailMeNot- Enter the name of the website into their search box and view the results. They also give you a success rating of others who have used the codes. They also offer local vendor coupons and grocery coupons.
2. Coupons.com- Enter your zip code and chose which coupons you want to print, some you can print multiple times. Redeem them at your favorite grocery store. You no longer need to get your Sunday paper to have access to coupons for your favorite national brands.
3. Shop It to Me- A friend of mine turned me on to this cool site. You sign up and tell them your sizes and favorite brands. Every day they will send you an e-mail filled with sale items that fit into your profile selections. You can also refer friends and earn gift cards for every 10 friends that sign up.
3. UPromise- Upromise lets you save money on your purchases and add to your kids’ college funds at the same time. Participating vendors give you back a percentage of your total purchase. That amount goes into your account and you can transfer it to your children’s 529 college saving account. If you don’t have a 529, you can sign up with one through UPromise. They often have exclusive deals and coupons from the participating vendors.
4. eBates- eBates works in the same way as UPromise. The big difference is the money back from vendors is sent to you via check quarterly. So if you don’t have a 529 or would rather have the cash in hand, this is a great alternative. You do have to have at least $5 in your account before they send you your cash
Sometimes it’s tough to sort through all the websites out there that are marketed to our kids. It seems that every TV show, channel, and toy has a website. Often these site are nothing more than glorified advertising for their product. We all want our kids to enjoy their time online, but it is an added bonus when they can learn something at the same time. So, I put together a list of 5 excellent educational sites that your kids will enjoy and that you will approve of.
- Starfall : A great resource to supplement what your kids are already learning in school. Filled with fun and educational games and activities.
- FunBrain: Fun games and parent resources for kids of all ages
- PBSKids: Games and activities from your kids’ favorite PBS characters.
- Kids’ National Geographic: Explore the world of National Geographic with games, stories, videos and activities.
- Discovery Kids: Fun and interactive science themed games.
Fisher Price Fun-2-Learn Cool School
The Cool School is an educational toy that is sure to capture your child’s attention. I came across it last year in a magazine and it looked really interesting. So we made the purchase and have loved it ever since. In our house we judge a toy by how long the kids are amused by it, and I’m happy to say that we’ve owned this toy for over 6 months and our kids are still thoroughly entertained by it. It teaches them letters, numbers, music, drawing, and many other skills all in the form of fun games featuring their favorite cartoon characters. Favorites in our household include Scooby Doo and Spongebob.
How does it work? Plug it in to a computer via a USB connection. Kids use the keyboard and stylus pen to interact with the games.
What software is available? The Cool School does come with one software title out of the box. Additional titles are available for about $16 a piece. Available titles include Spongebob, Scooby Doo, Dora & Diego, Clifford and Elmo. Each disc comes with unique games, activities and stories.
We all love a good bargain. Woot.com offers just that. Every day they offer one item for sale at a bargain price with a flat $5 shipping rate. They feature vibrant product descriptions that will surely make you laugh. The items are limited in quantity, so there is a chance that it may sell out before you get a chance to purchase it. The item changes daily at 12 AM Central time. They have also recently added Kids Woot, which features items geared for your little ones(toys, car seats, crayons etc.). I warn you, it is a little addicting. You will find yourself logging on daily to see what new item is featured on Woot . Periodically (about once a month), they will feature a Woot Off where products are listed immediately one after the other. It usually last 24-72 hours and it will give your F5 key quite a work out. So go forth and enjoy, and let us know what great bargains you discover!
Welcome to the new Gadget Mommy site. Once I get everything up and running, I hope to use this site to inform everyone about family friendly technology and products. I’ll be drawing from my experience as a mom to twins and also as an avid user of electronic toys and gadgets. Let’s face it we all use technology in our daily lives and as our kids grow up in the era of the internet we’ll need to know how to navigate that world along with them. I hope you come back to visit often and I’m always open to feedback and requests.
Thanks!
Trish
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