Dilemmas of a Coupon / Green Addict

In preparation of buying and dividing our first local, grass-fed cow amongst several families, I needed to buy a new scale. Nothing fancy, just reliable. When I purchase anything, I consider two costs: the initial one and the long term costs. I would rather pay more upfront if it's going to last longer. But then my couponing excitement sets in, and I'm eager for the best deal. Not even buying a scale is easy for me.

My first thought was buy the least expensive one at Bed Bath and Beyond and use the 20% off coupon. But EVERY scale in that $20-$30 price range got slammed in the reviews for not being reliable or not being able to put a new battery in it.

Not wanting to buy something that will be junk in three years, I turned to Kohl's because I had $30 in Kohl's cash to use. Their cheapest one was $40, but the company boasted "150 years of reliability." I decided on the LED version, hoping it would last the longest.

Of course, I was having internal turmoil because it was my husband's birthday and I could have gotten him two polos for free instead. Scale, shirts, scale, shirts. Ugh!!! I opted for the scale and went on my merry way.

But then two days later, I get a 15% off coupon I could have used AND that scale went on sale for $36--meaning I could have gotten it for less than a buck. Grrrrrr! I don't know Kohl's policy of matching a price within a given time period of your purchase, but I'm certainly not making a trip just for that. If you know, please leave a comment.

Going green and saving green is not always easy.

$34 shorts for 22 cents

I used to hear about women getting these amazing deals on clothes and thought, "That would never happen for me." But today it did. I purchased a pair of ladies shorts from Kohl's that originally retailed for $34 for only 22 cents. I was giddy excitement. Here's how.

After signing up for the Kohl's emails months ago, I receive something from them about once a week. The subject line: "$10 Gift to celebrate your newly remodeled Knoxville West Kohl's store" particularly caught my eye. Tip: If you sign up for the Kohl's emails, you'll get $5 off your next in store purchase. After reading all the fine print, this was truly $10 off anything in the store (sales items not excluded) but you had to spend at least $10 before tax, it had to be redeemed by today and I could only use it once. So my mission became how close can I get to $10?

My first plan was to get some new Bakugans for Bobby's birthday next month. I was excited to see that all toys were were B1G1 half off. I found them for $5.99 and $9.99. But then I decided to check the clothes clearance racks just in case. A few months ago I had bought a Dockers skort here that I wear all the time (was wearing it today) and thought it would be great to have one in another color. Though I didn't find a skort, I did find similar Dockers shorts...in my size...70% off. I was stunned to see the marked down price was $10.20. It fit like a dream and I was sold. Since they only charged me sales tax on the $.20, my total after the coupon was just $.22! That's a savings percentage of more than 99%!

Now that I've revealed my secret to my friends, they will probably tease me when they see me wearing my $.22 shorts, but I can handle it. And since I splurged on myself today instead of my kids, please let me know if you see any great deals on Bakugans before Oct. 2. Thanks!

Note: I do not have any affiliation with Kohl's and was not compensated in any way for writing this post--I just like passing on great bargains.

Back to School Clothing: Go Green Save Green

Last night I wrote about ways to go green and save green on school supplies. Tonight I figured I'd share my two cents for how to do the same with clothing.

There are different ways to consider what makes clothing green. There are those made with organic cotton. Some clothes are even made from recycled materials. It's also green to buy at consignment sales or garage sales because it's giving clothes another life. Personally, we do most of our kids "shopping out of a box"--boxes of clothes passed down to us from friends and family. Free is good! Finally, green might just mean purchasing better quality from the start so that the clothes will last longer.

When I say "quality," I don't mean you have to buy boutique or froo-froo. Kids need to feel free to play and get dirty in my opinion. But this is a lesson I've learned the hard way with shoes. When the boys were really young, Wal-mart and Target were my go-to for shoes. That was fine since they out-grew them before they out-wore them. As they got older, I turned to Sketchers bought at Kohl's. They worked fine for about three months, when stitching began to pop and holes started appearing. When I asked my friends Amy and Shannon where they bought shoes, they unanimously said, "Stride Rite. Yes, they're more expensive, but one pair will last all year."

So today I checked the Stride Rite website and saw that everything in the store is buy one, get one half off 'til August 29; no coupon necessary. We hopped in the car. The prices for boys' sneakers ranged from $30 to $55. Each of the boys got identical shoes and I saved $25. Tip: You might wait to shop during the tax free weekend (Friday, August 6 - Sunday, August 8), but last time I went to Stride Rite on a tax free day, there were 25 customers in front of me. No thanks.

Though fine chocolate has nothing to do with clothing your kids, one principal of green shopping is clustering your trips. Since the Godiva store is only two shops away from Stride Rite, I went in for my free piece of chocolate. I signed up for the free rewards club months ago, which lets you pick one FREE piece of chocolate every month (no purchase necessary), but this was my first chance to try it. I picked one of the incredible truffles and each kid got a taste. Heaven!

If you make it to West Town Mall tomorrow (7/31), you might check out The Children's Place sale. With these coupons, you could save up to 30%. Thanks, Coupon Katie.

We then headed over to Kohl's since I had several ways to save:

A. It's the mega 2 day sale.

B. It was during power hours (tomorrow they are from 7am -1pm).

C. I had a coupon for an additional 15% off everything in the store.

D. I had a $10 coupon emailed to me (no minimum required) for shopping in the newly renovated Morrel Road sotre.

E. If I spent $50 (after all these savings), I could earn $10 Kohls cash.

My plan was to get just enough underwear for the boys to pay little out of pocket. "I don't want underwear! I want a watch!" Bobby whined. "You don't need a watch. You need underwear." I was being sensible and frugal! Then we walked past the backpacks. "Look, Mom, Bakugan! It's perfect! Can I get it?! Please!" I rarely give in to my children's requests in the store, but there's a part of me that knows the joy of starting each school year fresh and new. Nothing does that better than new shoes and a new backpack. Though the greener choice is to stick with a backpack til it falls apart, I relent on this one. Devin was elated at the Buzz Lightyear pack with a 3-D image. At least they were half off and I saved an additional 15% and $10 off my total.

Another place to consider for backpacks if you're out tomorrow is OfficeMax. They have a sale (through 7/31) that gives you the full price of up to two backpacks in MaxPerks Bonus Rewards. If you need other office supplies, this is a way to get free backpacks.

I'll close with a suggestion for all those old sneakers hiding in the crevices of your closets. Don't throw them away! Donate them instead to Nike ReUSE a Shoe and they will be recycled into rubber surfaces for playgrounds, basketball courts, and tennis courts. You can drop off up to 10 athletic shoes (any brand) at the Nike Factory Store in Sevierville or host a group shoe drive. I'm hoping to make a trip to the Smokies with the kids before school starts. Thanks to Couponing in Critical Times for the tip.

What ways do you go green and save green on back to school clothes?

Buying a Swimsuit: So Much to Consider

It must rank on up there with one of the least favorite shopping activities for women: trying to find the perfect swimsuit. It was actually easier when I was pregnant because I enjoyed showing off my bulging belly. Now I'll do everything I can to flatten it. But finding the right fit is just the beginning of finding a great suit.

First is the task of deciding where and when to shop. I don't know who decided swimsuits should debut in February and dwindle down to size 2's and 16's by Memorial Day, but I'd like to have a chat with them. Personally, I don't want to try on skimpy clothing if a coat is required from the car to the store. Can't they give us til at least July 4 to put swimsuits on clearance?

I thought this morning would be a great time to snag a deal at either Kohl's or Old Navy. Old Navy was having 50% off clearance items and through an email alert from Kohl's, I learned swimsuits would be 50% off and I could use a printable coupon for 15% off that. I was certain to get a good deal!

I started at Kohl's since they open earlier. At first glance, they seemed to have a good selection. I suppose it all depends on your size and preference for style. I go for the sportier two pieces. I want something I can swim laps or wakeboard in. Two pieces also let me get a smaller size up top than on bottom and they work better with my long torso. Another benefit is you can sometimes buy pieces that mix and match. I did find some styles I liked but only the tops or only the bottoms were in my size. A matching set was not to be found.

I begrudgingly looked near the suits that looked more suitable for grandmothers and found a Nike style that seemed like it was just thrown on the end. My eyes began dancing when I found a top and bottom in my size. Now we enter the stage: will it actually hide & flatter? Does it lift the ta-tas, cinch the waist, and forgive my child-bearing hips? Will it fit without being too tight? Is this something I'm willing to sport in public?

When I tried them on in the dressing room, I was delighted and disappointed at the same time to realize the top was too big. Running short on time and patience, I darted out still wearing the swimsuit and searched for another top. I didn't trust the sizes on hangers and checked every suit. I was starting to loose faith when on the last one, a light shown down and angels sang. Ok, of course that didn't really happen, but I was elated. I tried it on and decided to buy it.

Now, I hadn't even looked at the price yet. But at this point, I think I would have paid just about anything for it. Half off, it was $40. Do people really pay $80 for this suit? That's crazy! With my coupon, that made it $34, and buying a pair of shorts I desperately needed (the last pair of non-maternity shorts I bought were before I had kids--no kidding!), I was going to exceed the $50 to get $10 in Kohl's cash. Hopefully I can use that for a cover-up in a couple of weeks. So I was good with the price.

But wait, that's not really all the factors in deciding a swimsuit. Subliminally, I was checking quality all along. I'd rather spend more for something that lasts longer, both from an environmental stand-point and because I'd like to put off the task of doing this all again for as long as I can. Quality: check.

Then there's the issue of sun protection. Does this have any UV protection? Well, no, but none of the suits I saw in the store noted that. On the days when I really need extra protection, I'll wear my Dakine swim shirt that is UVF 50 protected. I suggest getting these online.

Are we done yet? Not quite. It occurred to me only when I was home to think of where the suit was made. Was I contributing to another overseas sweat shop? I was afraid to look. The tag said "Made in Indonesia." Is that good? Is that bad? I don't know. I wish it were made in America but we can't have it all I suppose.

Yes, the picture is the one I picked with the exception of a skirt style bottom, but I don't look nearly as good as the model. I wish I had found a few other pieces to mix and match, but at least I have SOMETHING. Let the summer games begin.