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2010/08/11
The end of summer vacation is fast approaching which means for many it is time to start planning their next vacation. For our family, our next vacation may be a Disney World vacation in the spring. Poppy and I are also thinking about where we will want to spend our 40th wedding anniversary. The cost of available vacation rentals and the included amenities will be a big deciding factor in determining our destination.
Our son has suggested we look into renting a villa in Florida and wherever we celebrate our  anniversary. A villa! Living in luxury, even for just one week, would certainly make a vacation special. But, oh the cost! I’m sure a hotel would cost much less. He assured me that staying at a villa would not be more expensive…in fact, a villa vacation rental would be the way to save money. I’m always the skeptic, so I got on my laptop and googled Florida villas.
Here’s an example of what I found: 3 bedroom villa that sleeps 8 and is just 15 minutes from the theme parks rents for $668 a week. The villa includes everything you would need for the week – private covered pool included. The cost of a luxury villa in the Disney World Resort is over $300 per night! Really!
If you’re looking to save money on your next vacation, I’d recommend comparing the cost of staying at a villa to the cost of staying in a hotel.
So, now…about our 40th anniversary (2 years away)…where would I love to stay? I might want to choose from villas in France, Ireland, California, or stay close to home at the Jersey Shore.
2010/07/29
Online Coupon Savings
As we move through the halfway mark of the summer season, we can take advantage of the many savings opportunities that come with online coupons including summer clearance sales and back to school sales, often back-to-back and overlapping. Summer for many of us means completing home improvement projects for both inside and outside along with getting ready for the next school year. By planning and researching for both, we can take advantage of the savings found online.
Save with Coupons: Home Improvement
If you prefer to shop at the large home improvement centers, you can find their current savings offers online, such as Home Depot coupon codes, which will save you both time and money from the comfort of your own home. Projects don’t always have to be large and expensive. Top decorators recommend replacing a few inexpensive decor pieces such as throw pillows, lamp shades, picture frames, and curtains found which can be purchased from these retailers online. Also try rearranging collectibles into groupings. By doing these small changes, we can give both our home and our spirit a lift in a time of economic stress.
Save with Coupons: Computers
For back to school and home, too, computers are a must. Computers and their accessories make organization and communication much simpler with homework, email, filing, budgeting, and keeping in touch with family and friends. We also use our computer to keep in touch with our grandkids and to store family photos. If you search the Internet, you’ll find many offers on popular coupon sites such as Savings.com Dell coupons or Hewlett-Packard HP coupon.
By taking the time to search for online printable coupons and promotional discounts, you’ll save yourself money…which means more to spend on the grandchildren! Happy summer savings!
2010/06/29
Starting Your Own Business? You’ll Need Business Insurance
Today’s economy calls for creativity. How so? Many of us are finding a reduction in our income due to layoffs, less overtime, or definitely an increase in expenses. Being creative can get you out of debt. One family in jeopardy of losing their home, made and sold “mortgage bread.” It became very popular and now is a home based business. They even took online orders. They got out of debt and saved their home from foreclosure. Another family I know took a chance, pulled their resources, wrote a business plan, contacted the small business administration for help, and bought a local daycare that the owner needed to sell due to family care needs. It is now a family run business and no one has to worry about losing their job…at least not for the next two years – they have a waiting list.
Small Business Ideas
Others in need of added income have kept their day job and started their own home business. Small business ideas include car repair, painting, lawn care, tutoring, dog walking, web development, computer repair, or an internet business. If you find you have a need and you can’t find what you are looking for, then that might open up a niche for your small business opportunities. The possibilities of business ideas are endless.
Small Business Insurance
When starting your own business, there is an important aspect to its startup that must be considered after you have your business plan. Most states require business insurance to cover liability. The business insurance regulations in New Jersey may be different from those for business insurance in Hawaii. It is always good to look carefully into what insurance is required before you start your business, no matter how small or large. Liability covers a broad range of issues. (more…)
2009/11/17
18 Tips to Having a Killer Black Friday
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, so chances are you are creating your “to do” list for a memorable holiday dinner. Don’t forget that the day after Thanksgiving marks the official beginning of the holiday shopping season with Black Friday sales. Black Friday falls on November 27 this year, and to help consumers save as much money as they can, Ask Coupon Sherpa has released 18 Tips to Having a Killer Black Friday.
“With the economy still slow and many Americans on a strict budget, retailers are going to be offering a lot of great deals this holiday season,” said Luke Knowles, co-founder of Coupon Sherpa, a comprehensive resource where consumers can find free online coupons, printable coupons and grocery coupons along with a free, downloadable iPhone application that provides access to mobile coupons. Ask Coupon Sherpa is the site’s blog that publishes money-saving tips. “The Black Friday sales day is an ideal time to take advantage of deep discounts.”
Among the 18 Black Friday Sales Tips in the Ask Coupon Sherpa article are:
Buy the newspaper: There’s a reason the Thanksgiving Day newspaper is the fattest newspaper of the year. Advertisers annually stuff this paper with coupons and circulars promoting their best Black Friday ads. You can increase your savings with online coupons. Just make sure they can be used in combination with in-store Black Friday sales or newspaper coupons.
Do your research: If you have your eye on a particular item, surf the price-comparison Web sites for their Black Friday ads and record the prices for reference while shopping. Don’t forget to add any fees to the price. Some stores allow you to place an order online for in-store pickup the next day which saves you the cost of shipping. You’ll still want to hit that store pretty early, however, and bring your printed-out receipt as sales clerks may not focus on filling online orders when pressed by throngs of shoppers.
Develop a game-day plan: After searching through the Black Friday ads, draw up your shopping list and establish your priorities before you hit the stores. Decide which stores you want to shop and in what order.
Are all parts included? Is the sale item stripped down or sold with all necessary parts? For example, some stores will low-ball the price on a computer printer but not include a printer cartridge, which can run to a pretty hefty figure. As a matter of fact, you should always check the price of printer cartridges before buying a printer. A $50 printer isn’t a great deal when the cartridges cost $50 each and run out quickly.
Hitch a ride: Parking on Black Friday is a nightmare and can waste precious time. This is one instance, however, when biking or taking the bus doesn’t make sense as your arms will be weighed down with packages at the end of the day. Ask a friend or relative to drop you off and pick you up.
Stick to your list and budget: In the tumult of Black Friday, it’s easy to wander off target, so make sure you stick to your list. Bring the Black Friday ads with you just in case you lose your list. And NO personal shopping. Wait for post-Christmas sales to treat yourself.
18 Tips to Having a Killer Black Friday is a prime example of the engaging content that is found on Ask Coupon Sherpa, which was introduced by brothers Luke and Jesse Knowles. It was the Coupon Sherpa iPhone application that sparked the idea for the expanded Coupon Sherpa web site in August and the Ask Coupon Sherpa blog in September. Launched in April, the Coupon Sherpa iPhone application allows iPhone and iPod Touch users to access in-store coupons from their mobile device and present that coupon to the cashiers at participating merchants.
The Knowles received such an overwhelming response to the iPhone application that they decided to expand Coupon Sherpa into a one-stop online destination for coupons. The Ask Coupon Sherpa blog reflects the Knowles’ commitment to making the Coupon Sherpa site an engaging and fun community for cost-conscious consumers.
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Coupon Sherpa is a comprehensive resource where consumers can find accurate and up-to-date online coupons, printable coupons and grocery coupons along with a free, downloadable iPhone application that provides access to mobile coupons. With the iPhone application, consumers can present the coupons (on their mobile devices) to the respective store’s cashier and receive the applicable discount. Merchants can post an unlimited amount of coupons on the application for free. For more information, visit www.couponsherpa.com.
2009/08/01
Two weeks ago I was honored to finally meet in person a super granny, Sally Wendkos Olds who is also known to her five grandchildren as Oma Sally. On February 17, 2008, when Nana’s Corner was relatively new, Sally responded to a post I had published about the Legacy Project as a way to celebrate Grandparents Day. We have been communicating ever since and when the opportunity to meet came about, I didn’t want to miss it. I am so very glad I did. Sally is a very accomplished woman and loving wife and grandmother. I don’t know where she finds the time!
Sally has written 20 books, published many articles, helped residents of a village in Nepal start a library…just a few among her many achievements. She is also a lecturer, active in the second wave of the women’s movement, avid traveler, and so much more. Two of Sally Wendkos Olds’ books are included in my unique baby shower gifts recommendations for expectant moms and grandmoms below – all of which I have in my own grandmother’s book collection in my office (except the breastfeeding one):
Books for Expectant Moms:
- We enjoyed the first edition, our daughters can now enjoy this updated edition.
- The updated edition became available July 31, 2009.
- Written with professional advice and warm, understanding support.
- A busy mom’s guide to losing weight and looking fabulous!
- The authors are registered dietitians who share sound advice and weight loss tips that both new moms and grandmoms can use.
- You’ll find helpful ideas on how to have a healthier life while maintaining a busy life.
- Both my daughter and I have been following their nutritional and fitness advice.
- 40,000 names divided into 200 alphabetized lists.
- It’s easy to use and helps to take the stress out of choosing the right baby name.
- My daughter and son-in-law used this book to help them decide on name choices for their baby. She liked it better than the other books she looked at.
- After Luke was born, I gave the book as one of the baby shower gifts I gave to a fellow teacher who was expecting twins.
Books for Grandmoms:
- Great stuff to do with your grandkids.
- Grandmothers share quality activities they experienced with their grandchildren.
- One of her ideas, using Makit to create a family memory keepsake, is something I will begin to do with my grandkids. Her youngest granddaughter was designing one for this year while I was visiting with them. (I just ordered one for our next vacation week for Kaitlin to design while she is visiting us.)
- NanasCorner.com is listed on page 208 under “Grandmother Blogs.”
- A family chronicle to be prepared by grandparents and shared with generations who follow.
- Grandmom can create a loving record of a long-complete extended family or an unfolding work-in-progress with suggestions to help you along the way.
- The paper used in the album is lignin-free and acid-free, meaning it won’t yellow over time not damage the photographs.
- Included are adhesive photo corner holders and Exploring Your Family History, A Simple Guide to Tracing Your Roots.
- My son, Erik, and his new wife gave me this keepsake album for my recent 60th birthday. I’ve been researching our family tree and now I have a keepsake in which to extend our history to the present by including memories about our own family.
Books for Expectant Moms and the New Grandmoms:
- Gives parents and grandparents opportunities to bond with baby while building a closer relationship from the start – we refer to it every time we visit. It also helps us make up new activities to keep Luke stimulated and entertained.
- A developmental chart covering the first year is the guide for the many simple games and experiences to develop babies’ physical, social-emotional, and intellectual development.
- Recently awarded two prestigious parenting awards: iParenting Award and National Parenting Publications Gold Award.
- Helps you unlock the power of baby’s brain with simple activities that don’t require expensive toys.
- These are easy and fun – I do them with our new grandson, Luke.
- Teaching sign language to baby beginning at about 6 months of age can help baby communicate needs, emotions, and wants which gives parents and grandparents earlier and more meaningful interactions with baby.
- Beginning words are more, eat, and milk – these will help your baby tell you his needs.
- Many clear illustrations help you easily learn the signs.
- “Research shows that children who sign also have academic advantages, including better literacy skills.” (p 28)
- Kaitlin and Emily used sign language as infants and toddlers as they were transitioning from baby talk to understandable language.
- As a teacher, I teach my students the signs that they can use in class to let me know their needs instead of calling out and interrupting others.
I hope these books have given you some unique baby shower gift ideas…they are gifts that will last longer than the use of that adorable little outfit you can’t resist buying for a baby gift. Oh, before your give them as baby shower gifts, take time to read them for yourself.
Enjoy!
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anniversary. A villa! Living in luxury, even for just one week, would certainly make a vacation special. But, oh the cost! I’m sure a hotel would cost much less. He assured me that staying at a villa would not be more expensive…in fact, a villa vacation rental would be the way to save money. I’m always the skeptic, so I got on my laptop and googled Florida villas.