Do you hear that?

Do you hear that? It's fall knocking on your door - and what follows fall?

The culmination of Halloween parties, field trips, Thanksgiving dinners and BLACK FRIDAY BABY!

As school is well under way we find a resurgence of organization; agendas dusted off, menus prepared, home lunches packed, homework checks, and a further litany of daily activities. It is the perfect time to re-visit your Christmas Shopping List. It is up to date? We've reattached our handy spreadsheet to help you.  Also, as fall kick into high gear revisit your budget and potential gift receivers - has anyone new come into your life? Teachers, aides, afterschool helpers? Neighbors..does your daughter have a bestie now? Or your son has a BFF this year? Can't forget them...

To avoid high pressure buys and the "I just need something..." moments, get ready ahead of time. Making a list (whether on our spreadsheet or somewhere else) is the easiest way to make sure everything is planned out. Won't it be nice to be the envy of your friends this year?

If you’re a techy (I'm willing to admit - I LOVE my iphone!) consider keeping your list on your phone. Those last 20 minutes of your sons soccer practice is the perfect time to make a note to yourself, write down a quick thought or add to your list. By the end of the week, you've got your list up to date and you didn't have to carve out "extra" time to get it done.

Lastly, you need to be thinking about with which friends you are going to be shopping. If you travel during Thanksgiving, or you rotate houses with in-laws, figure out what town you are in this year and make a plan of who wants to be on the trip. Don't get over zealous. Three friends, maybe 4 are perfect. More than that, and there's not enough room in the car for the people and the purchases!

Keep posted to us as we move into our Black Friday Frenzy. This can be done my friend. We'll help you all the way

Nature Calls

The craziness of spring time, our new favorite hobby, COUPONING, and numerous little league practices have kept us away from our computers. But, let's take an hour and focus on SHOPPING! Black Friday is coming up. Have you checked out your Black Friday List in the last month? Any new additions to your list?

We've discussed the art of making a good list. We discussed planning, getting organized (more to follow when we get closer!) and recruiting friends. We've outlined break times and sustenance.

But, what about potty breaks?

It really happens. Unlike your favorite fiction novel where no one EVER uses the restroom, in the real world - at some point (an hour after the Starbucks stop??) it is going to be neccessary.

Theanswer seems simple enough if you are shopping in a group (another great reason to go with friends)while waiting in the check-out line, take turns visiting the restroom while a line holder maintains the spot. The moments it takes to use the restroom will make the difference in getting that screaming deal, or being left looking at an empty shelf! It has happend to me a time or two!

Being the line holder has perks as well. It is a great chance to review shopping plans in anticipation of the next stop/store. It's also a swell time to evaluate purchases: Did you get everything wanted at this store? Did you find a better idea? Or did you miss out on something, and need to peruse the ads for a replacement? If there are multiple people on your team, take turns as the line holder, and help gather items on the teams lists.

Another perk of being the line holder is chatting with other shoppers. Often you will see something fun in their cart and consider it as a replacement gift rather than the one on your list. Or, you might have headed in with no ideas for a person and be inspired by another shopper. If you have gone in with matching apparrel (check out our Pink Camo sweatshirts! Other merchandise will be available for purchase in the late summer) it will spark discussion with other shoppers.

Lastly, it is a good idea to have one team member hold the place in line upon entering the store if it has a very long line. Last Novemeber, we arrived at Kohl's at the same time as another team: They got in line right away and we didn't. We were stuck in line for 2 HOURS and they waved as they headed for the next store!!! A simple plan in our group as we walked in the door would have saved us time, energy and momentum.

Happy Shopping!!!

Snack Attacks...

            I know I am watching too much of the Food Network, but I am inspired for this week’s blog post.  Planning your meals for big shopping days is essential!  Black Friday can start anywhere from Midnight, or 4 A.M., or at Noon based on your personal shopping enthusiasm.  Jaime was in the checkout line at Toys R Us somewhere around midnight this year!!  The early bird gets the worm - or in this case the perfect present!
            Back to the food….  It is a good idea to have a protein packed breakfast to give you lasting energy for a great day of deal hunting.  I personally like the portability of an egg sandwich on an English muffin with Canadian bacon or real bacon.  I can wrap it in a paper towel and hit the road running.  If you want to delegate responsibility on the Big Day, assign a buddy to make the sandwiches for the group. 
                No matter how great your breakfast is, eventually the hunger pains are going to rear their ugly mood busting heads, so ward them off by packing sensible snacks.  Almonds, cheese sticks, and trail mix are all good ideas, but in being honest, a sugar pick me at some point in the day is important too, so don’t forget your favorite candy or cookies!
                Along with snack you are going to need refreshment.  Your best bet is water, but you can pack a cooler of whatever floats your boat.  The important thing is that you have everything you need so that you don’t need to take an untimely break from what’s most important here, the shopping! You might consider planning a Starbucks run in between stores. Plot it in there, or be flexible saying "in between stores A and B or B and C we will make a run." This way, everyone stays hydrated and harmonious.
                Even with all of our preparedness, the girls and I like the break for lunch when our shopping time is waning.  Sometime around 1 P.M. many of the door buster sales are over and hopefully you have snagged every hot ticket item on your list, so it is a great time to mull over your conquests and a margarita! 
                Watch for meal deals at local restaurants.  One year we snagged a free appetizer by swinging by a local radio station’s broadcasting in s store’s parking lot, yay us!! 
                Post your great meal deals or ideas here to share with other super shoppers like yourself!  

Why pink camouflage…

Ok some of you die hard Black Friday shoppers might be thinking that matching sweatshirts is an ingenious idea while  you other more faint-of-heart shoppers think it is an over-the-top gesture.  We love the idea - and it’s practical! Read on!

 

The inspiration came from Sherrie’s family.  Hector and Brandy had their 'uniform' laid out the night before the big shopping day -  Sherrie had a good laugh, but as the shopping day progressed she found it was easy to spot Team Garnica in their red hoodies, blue jeans, and white tennis shoes.  This was frustrating and yet amazing to Sherrie since she had some challenges finding her own team partner, Marcie, who is nearly 6 feet tall!  Sherrie and Marcie’s team could not be

coordinating with Team Garnica - so they took their time over the next few months to seek out the perfect uniform.   

 

Yet again, Brandy explained to Sherrie’s new husband, an outdoor enthusiast, that shopping was Sherrie’s kind of hunting trip.  After that, it was pink camouflage all the way!  Conveniently, Marcie’s grandmother has an embroidery machine and we were able to have our team logo stitched into our snazzy new sweatshirts, “Hunting for a Deal”.

 

Jaime thought Sherrie and Marcie were nuts at first but she quickly got into it.  She wanted a sweatshirt that had and arrow on it that said “I’m with them!” 

 

Now adorned with our unique sweatshirts, we hit the sales every year as a trio, and the practicality of our team sweatshirt makes it easy to spot each other in the crowds!!  Even for Sherrie, who can barely see over the shopping cart…just kidding.

 

Many people comment to us about what a good idea the sweatshirts are and this year I saw more groups getting in to the festivities with their own creations.  One of our favorites was a group of women called the “Black Opts” and the each wore a t-shirt with one of the letters on it so together it spelled out their team name. – Love It!

 

What are your great sweatshirt ideas? Watch our website this summer, for more great ideas, and sweatshirts and team logos that will be available for purchase.

Foxy Pocket Time

Jewel 7  “Sherrie, stick this in your Foxy Pocket,” Marion told Sherrie as she was gathering up her things to head back to school after a weekend visit to the mountains.  "My what? What the heck is a Foxy Pocket?" Sherrie questioned.  She was surprised that she had not learned this pearl of wisdom:  Every woman should have a few bucks, that her husband doesn’t know about, to do with as she pleases.    Ah, understanding...  Sherrie continued listening to Marion's stories of heading to town for monthly grocery shopping, and before returning home they would stop in a local tavern for a little nip of something before the 30+ mile trek home.  Sherrie died with laughter, but this was serious business to Marion.  A gal should always have few extra bucks tucked away in a secret fold of her wallet, or under the lining of her shoe for those times when you want something special for yourself, or you just want to let your hair down.   Sherrie may have laughed when she first heard Marion, her godmother’s, stories, but she took the words to heart.  Ten years later She still has a Foxy Pocket.  It’s not much, just $10 to $50, but she feels closer to Marion and her grandmother knowing that she is carrying on their tradition.  Plus, let’s be honest, those couple of buck lets women be just a little more independent. Cheers to wise women!

Start your own foxy pocket! Tuck away $5, $10 or $20 a month in a special account or secret place. It doesn't have to be a secret..Jaime's husband knows where hers is, but he doesn't have access to the account. It's the money we ditch away for when we really are craving something and a birthday or holiday is not nearby. Sometimes, you need the YAY ME! buy.

Show Me Whatcha Working With!

Jewel 6

GAWD, we’re tired. Seriously, all this happy, happy, I love you business. The kids are on a sugar high, and are coming home with red hearts and coloring pages. Yes, honey, it’s lovely. LOL

We are gearing up for Spring: begging for some nicer weather and with that comes, what Jaime refers to as, “The Busy Season.” Sports start up again, fundraisers kick into high gear (would you like to buy a chocolate bar?) and we are so bogged down with our lives, the furthest thing from your mind is saving money. So, we’ll digress with you.

Stress.

What? Never heard of it?

Liar.

Shame on you. 

How are you dealing with yours?

Send us your ideas. I certainly need some new ones.

So far, We have chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. Alright, so yeah, we all bought some of the damn chocolate bars from the annoying girl in the neighborhood. In fact we bought a few. Hey, our lives are stressful.

So, help us out. Show me whatcha working with!

Cash in your pocket!

Jewel 5
As February rolls in, the last thing on your mind is Black Friday. Right now its Valentine’s for your kids’ classroom, or doing something nice for your honey. Jaime heard a radio commercial that says Valentine’s Day isn’t about “I love you”, but rather “I love us.”

We loved this thought – it takes a team effort. Black Friday shopping is similar. Going by yourself involves exhausting trips to stores, standing in long, unwavering lines, and endless searching for that “perfect gift.” Shopping with friends takes the edge and pressure off of the “find” because it has become just a fun time out with the girls. Ignore the stereotypical media bash you hear about Black Friday, just come out, laugh with the rest of us in line and enjoying saving money!

Saving the money is the key. Aren’t you tired of hearing “in this economy...” What a downer. We're tired of hearing about “12 easy ways to lighten your budget” or other cheesy clichés that have goofy advice like, use less laundry soap, which will add up to a savings over the course of a year. Seriously? WTH? Use less laundry soap? We suppose it’s a good idea, but it’s certainly not going to be any cash into our pocket right now!

Therefore, we’ve developed a few ideas that might actually put cash in your pocket BEFORE the end of this month. At this point, you’ve already done your budget and have a good idea of how much money you need to save each month.  (If you haven’t already done your budget, do so now!) These tips will help you meet this monthly goal without taxing your regular budget.

In January & August – These months are great for selling used textbooks online.  Classes start in these months and you can generally get a decent price. Try amazon.com to sell your books. OR, they even have a program now that allows you to sell your books to a 3rd party vendor anytime of the year (at a cheaper price that you might earn yourself though).

Anytime is a good time to sell something online. Dig through your kitchen cabinets, closets and see what you want to get rid of. As well as helping clean out your stuff, you might find things of value that you are ready to give up – take a picture and put an ad up on Ebay, Craigslist or whatever local sales website you have. Take a few hours to set this up – and over the course of the next few months, you could make a few dollars without a lot of hard work. This is hardly a get rich quick scheme, but rather just an idea to create some of your Black Friday budget.

Think about what you are good at: Are you really good in Math? English? Dancing? Painting? Consider making some flyers and leaving them at schools to be a tutor. Pass the word with friends in your area. Or, hey, take an ad out in the paper, post it online…blah blah blah, you get the drift.  Even in tough times, we take care of our kids. A child could take lessons or receive tutoring from you: Make your prices reasonable-you want people to come back more than once!

Crafting: If you are good at one of these (scrapbooking, crocheting, hair bow making card-making WHATEVER) consider putting together a few bundles of things and selling them to friends/family or online for holidays (Valentine’s, St. Patrick’s, Easter, Summer, 4th of July, etc).

If you have more ideas, post them here! Or send us an email at moneysavingjewels@gmail.com

Week 4 - Jewel 4

As the final days of January are rapidly approaching, thoughts of Christmas become distant memories. Yet, the jewels offered here will support you throughout your gift giving year: Christmas, Anniversaries, Birthdays or otherwise.  We are a creative and hands-on group of gals that are always ready for a challenge!  To supplement our shopping strategies we also do some home-made gifts.  Over the years we have made an array of home made crafts from sewing projects to wreaths, that are always fun to construct and truly treasured by the receiver, but one of our newest endeavors has been making homemade jam together. 
 
Our History: Four years ago Marcie’s bought a new home which included a small orchard.  The bounty of apricots, plums, peaches, cherries, and apples have since kept us busy making delicious sweet creations.  Before Marcie’s home with fruit trees, Jaime was the only one who had ventured into the mysterious world of home food preservation.  All of our grandmothers had canned out of pure necessity, but why would this group of modern gals ever need that skill?  Marcie was about to go crazy with too much fresh fruit to consume, we decided we could make jam - maybe it would turn out and we could give it as gifts at Christmas! 
 
Since then, the three of us have logged countless hours picking, pitting, and preserving!  Some batches turned out perfectly, some not as much, but we have learned so much about the time honored tradition of preserving summer’s bounty for a cold winter’s day!  We made enough jam for our family for the coming year as well as enough for gifts.  Jam is a perfect gift for teachers, the kid’s bus driver, or co-workers.  A single jar can be eloquently wrapped (raffia – cheap and beautiful!) and given alone, or combined with other home made treats in a festive holiday basket.  Any way you do it: this gift is a welcome surprise at Christmas or any other time!
 
In the current economy, more and more people are trying to get back to basics – or find creative ways to acknowledge people and events without breaking the budget. As you are settling in with your New Year’s Resolutions, consider adding your own special talent to the mix. I’m sure you have one: You just need to tap into how to create a great gift. 
 
Your Turn: Maybe making jam isn’t your thing (yet!) but we encourage you to think of some skill you posses that you could use to make something beautiful to add to your gift giving repertoire.  Find something that serves double duty, excess fruit made to jam, that we can eat during the year (savings!!) and that serves as a delectable gift.  Most importantly do this project with a group of friends, as we have found it makes any job less daunting and so much more fun!
 
What is your special talent? Maybe you have several. Crochet? Knit? Card Making, Scrapbooking, wood-working, gardening, music, singing, drawing/painting, photography?
 
Here is a list of several ideas to get your home-made gift giving a try. Think of what you are good at – and then get creative of how to give it away!
Crochet/Knit
            *Make a scarf, blanket or sweater vest depending on your skill level. Make pot holders – or teach your children how to do simple stitches and have them make pot holders for their grandparents or aunts and uncles. Christmas yarn might still be on sale or on clearance! AND, you have all year to work on them. Winter is the best time to work with yarn, especially with blanket and afghans because it keeps you warm while you work!
Card Making
*Develop a small collection of cards (8 or so) that could be used for different holidays. Buy a nice pen and wrap them up together as a simple, useful and beautiful birthday, anniversary or just thinking of you gift. Or get some done and put them away as gifts on your Christmas list.         
Scrapbooking
            *Create ready-made pages for a friend. Maybe someone is having a baby – create ready-made pages that they can slip photos into, or glue on for quick and easy bragging and album pages.
            *Buy several sheets of paper, ribbons, pens and create a simple basket (or bag) of goodies for a photo happy friend.
Wood-working
            *Create a simple planter, and add a package of seeds.
            *Make a shelf with your friend in mind! Do they like to hang quilts? Add a bar at the bottom. Do they want one in the bathroom? Add some hooks for towels.
Gardening
            *Some simple pails with dirt and bulbs in them make a wonderful gift. Most people love enjoying them in their house, then transferring them outside. If you are giving it to someone who is not a green-thumb, be sure to include a card with directions.
            *Put together a basket of gloves, seed packets and a new shovel. Or tie a gift card to a local nursery onto a gardening tool
Music
            *Create a recording of you playing or singing favorite songs of your friend. Record this to a CD and pass it along. If you are unsure how to record, find your closest friendly high school student – most of them are capable or have the ability on their laptops.
            *Invite a friend to a play, concert or evening out enjoying music you both share an interest in. This way you get to spend time together doing something you both love!
Drawing/Painting
            *Draw or paint an image of a scene or picture your friend would enjoy.  A simple frame and you have perfected another gift!
Photography
            *Take a photo your friend adores and have it put on a canvas. Many Costco and other stores will do this for a reasonable price.
            *Take photos at the next event you are together. Then create a collage – or save the photos, and find the perfect frame on a Black Friday sale to put them in.
            *If you are a pretty good photographer with a decent camera, offer to come out and take family portraits as their gift. Provide the set up, suggestions on background, colors, offer the time they want, groups, individual shots, etc. Then develop the prints and return them with the negatives.  
If you have a great idea that we haven't suggested above - leave it in your post for others to view. Together, we are brilliant!

Week 3 - Jewel 3

Memories from the corners of our minds:

                In 2003, Sherrie worked on her first Black Friday at Kmart.  She was just starting out in the world: had finished college, moved to Oregon, and had a place of her own.  Those were the days!  Remember how great it was to be on your own for the first time?  She had camping chairs and milk crates for furniture!  Since she's always been cheap, she wouldn't turn on the heat - her ability to save even a few cents began then, and blossomed into a Black Friday Frenzy. Regardless of those meager beginnings and being scheduled to work, Sherrie hit the stores at 4am prepared to shop.  She ran all over town all by herself (really not as much fun though - get some friends to go with you!) collecting the hot ticket items she longed for.  She didn’t even have a list - scorn!  By 9am she was sitting at her work desk, yet daydreaming about her purchases - AND her savings.

                A couple years later when Sherrie had moved back to California, had a better job (and better furniture) she was still willing and even eager to stand in line on a chilly morning in search of that great deal.  In 2005, Marcie and Sherrie went Black Friday shopping together for the first time, though Marcie was still a bit skeptical about the entire concept. Jaime just laughed at the thought. Jaime's mother always preached that going out at O'dark-thirty was ridiculous - so since that is what Jaime grew up - it's what she thought.  Regardless, Sherrie and Marcie bought the newspaper. EEK! It was the wrong one! The ads come in the paper THANKSGIVING MORNING! In today's world there are lots of websites (www.blackfriday.info) that have the ads plastered early - so it's even easier in to create your shopping list.  Nonetheless, that year, they combed through the ads over and over, in order to have a game plan for the big day - and thus, our traditions began to take hold.

                Despite the fun, each year presented a new reason why NOT to shop on Black Friday: Marcie went just a few short weeks after giving birth to her son.  As a nursing mother she sat in the back seat and pumped as we drove up the freeway in the middle of the night because she didn’t want to waste time at home doing it!  In 2008 Sherrie was in a serious car accident and broke her neck in two places on November 9^th but miraculously she was able to recover enough to go shopping!  She still got up at 3am to be in line before her favorite stores opened.  She had on a neck brace and used her cart as protective armor.  You think other shoppers might have cut her some slack, but you would be wrong!  She slept the entire next day to recoup but she thought it was worth it after all! Jaime lived a few hours away, but our shopping trio was not complete without her so she has to drive up a few days ahead of time to be a part of the action. 

                It wasn’t until 2009 we really had things figured out we were all together, we were armed with our budgets, lists, cash, and matching sweatshirt.  Each year our Black Friday traditions bring us together for the sake of laughter, spending time with friends, and let’s not forget SAVING MONEY!

        Chat with your friends now! Make a pact to go shopping on Black Friday - use the tips in the past weeks, to sort out a budget, make a plan and stick with it. This is a new year! New things can happen! Make a decision now, so that in November, when you are feeling swamped, and your coworkers and friends are feeling pressured, you can happily sit back and think, I've got this all under control!

 

If you would like to know more about the more about the origins of Black Friday check out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Friday_(shopping)

Week 2 - Jewel 2

Getting it DONE!

Kids are back to school, the routine is back in order and it is the perfect time to reflect on holiday shopping to take a few minutes to update your running list of ideas.  Download the excel spreadsheet for budgeting – there’s a sample (you can look at it, and then delete) to get an idea of what to do: Then make it very basic. Anything too complicated and it might be hard to stick with it. Identify who you’d like to shop for and figure out how much you want to spend on each person. Your total number divided by 11 (11 months until Black Friday) is how much you need to be squirreling away each month until then. We will give you ideas of how else to add to that foxy pocket as the year progresses.

Things to consider when budgeting for gifts:

1)      Write down anyone you may have accidently overlooked this past Christmas.  Every year Sherrie’s sister-in-law brings her father to our family Christmas and she always forgets him.  She vows not to forget him this year by writing him on her list now -no more awkwardness for her! 

2)      Review your budget: Sherrie realized she is spending too much on her nephew because he lost interest in the gifts, and simply wanted to play with what he had already opened. So, next year she pares back on his budget and opens up room for additional people (like a new niece!)

3)      Consider birthdays, anniversaries or other events that fall shortly after Christmas. Jaime has several birthdays for friends and family in January. She adds them to her shopping list on Black Friday. She gets a better deal, or she gets something that goes with the Christmas gift. AND it sure makes January easier.

4)       Make sure to create a budget space for this separate gift as well.

Create a separate tab on your spreadsheet to help with gift ideas. Having a running list makes shopping so much easier next season.

Things to consider when creating a running list:

1)      Have the same people from your budget list. What items did you get that they really seem to love?

2)      Delete items that might already be on your list that they have received from other people and add new ideas based on what they seem to love right now. You can continuously maintain this list all year long (might also help with birthday ideas!)

3)      Consider what gifts they received this year: Are there accessories that can add to that gift? Get the information, website or store where you can purchase those things. Add it in next to that person – that way next year, you know exactly where to find it! Sherrie bought her mom a quilting table, and this year she was able to buy the cutting mat accessory.  She was so easy to shop for this year thanks to this jewel of a tip!

Things to shop for now:

1)                          January is the perfect time to find Christmas decorations, cards, and even gifts at deeply discounted prices.  This last year Marcie sent out Christmas cards that she bought discounted 11 months before!  They were regularly $5 per box of 18 cards, but marked down 75% off and ultimately paid $1.25 for the box!  Pack them away in the box of Christmas decorations you generally open first. That way you will be sure to find them.

2)                           Also, another idea would be to write yourself a note in your planner (paper or electronic), put a note in the month of November.  That way when you turn to November, you have a reminder that you made the purchase and where you stashed it!! 

3)                          Other items to purchase after Christmas include strings of lights (that Marcie wanted for a spring wedding).

4)                          Toys that are packaged for Christmas will be discounted substantially after the first of the year. If you were unable to get something on Black Friday, you might go looking now.

5)                          Random household items:

a.      Extension cords: Green ones are sold for outdoor Christmas lights, and are discounted after the holidays! 

b.      Timers: These can be used in the yard or for house lights inside to turn on at a specific time. (Isn’t it nice to come home at night and have a house light already on? Also, it’s nice for when you are on vacation to have lights that automatically come on - making it appear someone is home).

Week 1 - Jewel 1

Money saving jewels are the tips that we consider essential. Some seem logical and even easy, but it is the culmination of all jewels together than provide an easy, laughter filled holiday shopping season. We will post one new 'jewel of a tip' each week that contains new and exciting ideas that will help you prepare for your Black Friday Frenzy!

This weeks focus is on setting up a budget. Consider how much money you spent this past year - BE HONEST! Don't forget to include the teacher, baby sitters, and co-workers or those extra gifts you might keep handy for the "you shouldn't have" people. Make a tally of it all, so you have an idea what you should save to be prepared. If you blew the budget in 2010, then our ideas are just the thing that you need! Start by making a pre-planned budget part of your New Year's resolution!

Create a Christmas or Holiday account at a place that is not part of your regular banking - otherwise the temptation to spend it will be too easy!  It doesn't have to be an account, you can just have an envelope in your safe! Depending on your will power, consider what will work for you - some banks or credit unions have accounts just for this purpose, with automatic with-drawl - or consider an online interest earning savings account.

Whatever you decide - stick to it. Don't be tempted to use it! You will be so happy you saved when November arrives.

Pay attention to upcoming posts on budgeting! We will discuss how to make a budget, provide a template for your use, and give out tips on money saving options! Check back with us soon!

Your Best Jewelers,

MSJ