POSTS WITH TAG: budget finds

Home & Garden Eye Roll

J.C. Penney Scares Away Coupon-Loving Moms & Loses Millions (VIDEO)

Posted by Mary Fischer
on May 21, 2012 at 9:34 AM

J.C. PenneyIf any major retailer shows just how out of control the phenomenon known as "extreme couponing" has gotten, it's J.C. Penney. In the first quarter of this year alone, the store reported losing a whopping $55 million, all because of couponing moms.

And it wasn't highly discounted coupons that were to blame for the drastic drop in sales. Nope. It was the fact that in February, J.C. Penney announced its plans to get rid of coupons for good. But unfortunately, they also managed to get rid of deal-seeking moms altogether as well.

Even though they lowered their prices by as much as 40 percent when they ditched the coupons, basically eliminating the need for them altogether, moms still went elsewhere to shop. If anything, their exit only helps to prove what a huge addiction shopping with coupons can be. Extreme couponing moms don't care about the price tag -- it's all about the thrill of seeing additional money taken off at the register.

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Home & Garden Mom Moment

You CAN Save for the Future When You're Struggling to Make Ends Meet (Really!)

Posted by Jacqueline Burt
on May 1, 2012 at 10:43 AM

piggy bankIt's the financial equivalent of being stuck between a rock and a hard place: How can you build your family's savings when you're barely making ends meet as it is? Or when you're struggling to get out of debt?

Theoretically I should have two college funds going right now, one for each of my kids ... but I figure it's probably more important that they're fed and clothed in the meantime.

(The electric bill is a priority too, as I can't imagine doing homework by candlelight would do much for their academic future, either.)

If you're like me and getting your family's finances under control feels like an overwhelming, if not impossible, task -- take heart. And take one step at a time. 

Here are a few easy ways to get started ...

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Home & Garden Inspiring

5 Backyard Tents That Make Shady, Lazy Summer Hideaways

Posted by Gabrielle Blair
on Apr 27, 2012 at 1:41 PM

I don't know about you, but as a kid, I loved any chance I got to "camp out" in the backyard with my siblings and friends. Usually, this meant sleepovers on the trampoline. We had so much fun!

Wouldn't it be awesome to construct a backyard tent setup like the one pictured above? My kids would go crazy for something like that! Truthfully, I think I'd be the one sneaking away to read a good book (or maybe take a nap!) in there as often as I could. 

A backyard tent doesn't have to be elaborate. So in that spirit, I've gathered 4 more fun tent inspirations below.

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Home & Garden Style Savvy

Create a Beautifully Simple Spring Garden With Wooden Wine Boxes

Posted by Gabrielle Blair
on Apr 12, 2012 at 5:26 PM

If you want to test out your green thumb but don't have a lot of ground space, check out this inventive container garden Linsey and her family made out of wooden wine boxes for their patio in downtown Houston. I love their creativity in crafting a working garden for their urban lifestyle by re-purposing a common item and making it function inside their space. 

See a few more images of this clever little garden project below:

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Home & Garden OMG

Family's Tiny 168-Square-Foot House Makes Me Claustrophobic (VIDEO)

Posted by Mary Fischer
on Apr 10, 2012 at 3:19 PM

tiny house

Plenty of people have found themselves in sticky financial situations due to the economy over the past few years, and some are obviously dealing with the hardships much better than others. Take Carl and Hari, for example. After losing their business, they made the ultimate sacrifice by moving out of their comfortable, 1,500-square-foot, 3-bedroom home, and settling into a much smaller pad with their two kids.

And when I say much smaller, I mean much much much smaller. Like smaller than your average NYC hotel room (which is next to invisible). Their "Tiny House," as they so lovingly call it, is a only mere 168 square feet. Can you imagine trying to maneuver around 168 square feet by yourself, let alone as a family of four?

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Home & Garden Say What!?

Your Coupons May Not Be Saving You Any Money

Posted by Amy Keyishian
on Apr 7, 2012 at 11:00 AM

CouponI hate it when I get to the store -- like the Carter's outlet near me -- and find that I had to have signed up for their email updates to get a discount. Of course, being a frugal consumer (read: cheap bee-yotch), I am happy to take 10 minutes to step away from the register, sign up for the emails using my smartphone, and present my coupon like I'd planned to do that all along.

Never mind the irony of being a cheapo with a smartphone. I'd sooner give up my dishwasher.

There's just one problem with the money-saving emails: Sometimes the time you spend unraveling the exact deal, and how much you can actually save, costs more than the savings. And sometimes, if you really look, you aren't saving anything. When did my money-saving email deals turn into spam-scams?

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Home & Garden Inspiring

9 Simple & Satisfying Splurges for the Home (That You Totally Deserve)

Posted by Sheri Reed
on Mar 29, 2012 at 7:45 AM

fresh flowers canning jars tableYou're a good person, and you work hard for your family. So, of course, you deserve the best around your home! Sadly, the best can be awfully expensive, can't it? Well, not to worry. Some of the dreamiest "little luxuries" in life are totally doable on a budget and can make home life all the more satisfying.

Fresh flowers, crazy soft cotton sheets, those pricey but amazing-smelling candles -- today we're celebrating 9 simple, super-satisfying splurges for the home. After all, every household needs at least one guilty delight.


Top image via Amanda Soule

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Home & Garden Style Savvy

Say Yes to Stripes in the Nursery!

Posted by Gabrielle Blair
on Mar 15, 2012 at 11:24 AM

I think soothing is what most people go for when it comes to creating a nursery, and soothing is exactly what designer Lindsay Brier managed to achieve with this space for her son, Hawken. Its neutral base with bright pops of orange could definitely work for either gender. But she also used stripes!

See more about how she decorated her baby's room, below.

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Home & Garden LOL

Wyoming Town for Sale Will Make Our Dreams Come True

Posted by Adriana Velez
on Mar 14, 2012 at 7:54 PM

buford wyomingSo I couldn't help noticing today: There's an entire town for sale for $100,000. A whole freakin' town in Wyoming! And while I don't exactly have $100K sitting here in my back pocket, I can't believe how cheap that is. Do you know what $100K will buy you in my neighborhood? A bathroom. Maybe a parking space.

Can I please buy this town?

I have so many ideas! I mean, sure it's way out in Wyoming and there's only three houses, a gas station/convenience store, and a post office, plus one inhabitant. But I see soooo much potential here. I almost want to set up a whole new Pinterest account just to help me decorate my new town I'm about to buy.

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Home & Garden LOL

Stores Crack Down on Coupon Lovers -- and They Should (VIDEO)

Posted by Mary Fischer
on Mar 14, 2012 at 3:37 PM

Are you one of those people who is obsessed with saving as much money as you can at supermarkets and grocery stores by clipping coupons? If so, then you may not be too happy after hearing that some larger retailers such as Walmart, Target, Kroger, and Rite-Aid have wised up to the phenomenon know as "extreme couponing," and they are starting to implement stricter policies when it comes to using coupons.

I'm not gonna lie -- I'm not a couponer. I just don't have the discipline or time to clip and organize coupons at all, let alone come up with an entire strategy for shopping with them. And I'll even take it one step further -- I'm "that girl" standing behind coupon lovers in the check-out line rolling my eyes and sighing heavily. Shameful, but true. And from my perspective, stores cracking down on couponing is a huge relief.

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