summer

TMR Tip: Get Back to School for Less

/ abschilling / Leave a comment

Ah yes . . . just when summer really gets rolling, it comes to an abrupt halt. Time for school!

And back-to-school shopping.

That task alone is enough to send some of us into hiding. Or a panic. I, personally, don’t like shopping of any kind. My motto: Get in, get it, and get out! Which is why I’m always looking for shortcuts. You too? These tips might help . . .

  1. Figure out what you actually need. My kids sort all their unused supplies and check them against their new supply lists. They highlight only the things that they need. That instantly reduces how much I’m going to spend at the store. Why buy things we already have?
  2. Check out all the ads. Every retailer has deals on school supplies. Glance through the ads to find the best prices. (By the way, Gregory Karp of the Chicago Tribune says that if a store puts a limit on how many you can buy, then it’s a really good deal.)
  3. Spread it out. I usually favor the once-and-done tactic, but if I find a great deal at another time, I buy it. Not everything goes on sale the same week and some weeks I can find better deals than others. You just need to keep an eye out for them.
  4. Use coupons and/or discounts. Whether you clip coupons or subscribe to a retailer’s email program, use them to your advantage. Find the best deal, then break out the discounts.
  5. Look where you least expect to find a deal. Karp suggests looking at places that aren’t on the typical back-to-school radar. He says places like Menards can have awesome deals on supplies that end up being free after the rebate.
  6. Take advantage of your smartphone. There’s at least one app (and I’m sure a few more) that lets you scan the bar code on an item and instantly compare prices as you’re standing in the store. My hubby thinks this is really cool and has a little too much fun with it.
  7. Get it tax-free. Many retailers are offering “tax-free” days. You can load up on school supplies and save money simply by not paying sales tax. Check the papers and online ads to find out which stores participate.

Hopefully these tips will help alleviate some of the anxiety that comes with shopping for school supplies – and clothes, for that matter. Apply these same strategies when trying to dress your children for the next big step. Happy shopping!

Tuesday’s Tip: Membership Pays

/ abschilling / Leave a comment

Well, summer has officially begun! It’s the time of year we dream of during the cold, winter months when the skies are bleak and gray. It’s a time that brings about cherished memories of summers past. A time we eagerly anticipate as the world begins to thaw and spring to life once again. A time to venture out of our homes, to explore the wonders that surround us . . . but do you ever find yourself wondering: What should we do? There are so many different options during the summer months but, while we’d like to do all of them, there just doesn’t seem to be enough time . . . or enough money.

So consider this: a membership.

If there’s a particular place you enjoy visiting, or a certain activity you engage in frequently, then you may want to consider becoming a member. But the cost of membership seems so expensive! you might think. It’ll never pay for itself. Ok. Valid concern. Let’s take a closer look at it . . .

Let’s say you love going to the zoo. You have a family of 5. To park your car, that’ll cost $10. General admission is $30 for 2 adults, and $31.50 for your 3 kids under age 11. The subtotal, so far, comes to $71.50 – just to walk in the gate. Now your kids are begging you to see the dolphin show. That’s another $7.50. Oh! And there’s a super cool special exhibit, for this summer only, that your kids are dying to see. That’s an additional $19. That brings our total to $98. And now they’re thirsty. And hungry. And there’s an awesome something-or-other at the gift shop that only costs $10 . . .

Oh! I’m sorry . . . is your head spinning? Breathe. Take deep breaths. In through your nose. Out through your mouth.

Ok. Same scenario – but as a member. The cost of a family membership is $115. That includes unlimited admission and parking for a year, plus a free guest, 4 tickets to the dolphin show, 4 tickets to ride the tram, some free passes you can give to your family or friends, admission to the children’s play zoo, and discounts on everything from food to merchandise to special events and exhibits. So, if we do a little math (don’t panic!) we see that, even if you choose to simply walk around, skip all the extras, and buy absolutely nothing, the total cost of 2 visits is $143 – which means the membership will have already paid for itself. If you return several times throughout the year, you’ll save hundreds of dollars just in admission and parking fees alone. For example, if I paid $71.50 for each of 5 trips to the zoo, I’d pay a total of $357.50. If I buy a zoo membership for $115, I’d save $242.50 over the course of the year. Want to get really nuts? $115 divided by 5 visits means that the cost per visit would only be $23. For the whole family. That’s a lot better than $71.50.

What else can you do? Who else offers deals and memberships? Ask around. Look up your favorites online. If you enjoy swimming, check out the cost of a pool pass. Do you like museums? How about amusement parks? Or maybe camping? Local sporting events? Golf? Whatever the case may be, do a little research. Find out what’s included in the cost, what the perks are, and if it’s something worth doing. Calculate how much it would cost you for multiple visits and then compare it to the cost of a membership. Or, you can take the cost of the membership and divide it by the number of visits you could realistically make and see what the cost per visit is. Either way, you may just find that being a member can be a very economical way to do the things you enjoy most.