Binky Fairy

Binky Fairy

This happened in our home a few weeks ago; I hope it will help other parents going through the same ordeal:

It’s a developmental milestone, a right of passage, a time in his life I’ve been eagerly anticipating and dreading at the same time. Tonight the Binky Fairy will visit Devin and take all his pacifiers (which he calls na-na’s) to the little babies who need them. In return she will leave him a very special toy he picked out for just this occasion. Now that he’s nearly three, he must say farewell to his beloved companions forever.

8:02pm Devin comes downstairs with a binky in his mouth and four others in his hands. Dad encourages him to leave them on the fireplace and to “pitouey” the last one. He hesitates but spits it out and carefully lines them up. Dad non-chalantly leads him upstairs.

8:28pm Dad tries to leave the boys’ room as usual, but Devin asks in the voice of an angel for his na-na’s; he sounds pitiful.

8:44pm Devin is now screaming, “I want my na-na’s!” Dad reassures him he’s a big boy, that he doesn’t need them, and how great the Toy Story Moving Day Adventure Pack will be. He refuses to be consoled.

9:10pm I go into his room. Surprised to see me, he politely asks me for his na-na’s. I tell him I know it’s hard but he’s a big boy and he can do this. I’ll stay next to him to help him settle down.

9:22pm No longer tight like a ball, his body is all stretched out and his breathing is more relaxed. I’m doing a victory dance in my head when I start to slink out of the room. That’s when he pops up and starts flashing his flashlight. He begins pleading for his na-na’s and Daddy again. I leave him crying and screaming.

9:34pm Dad goes up to his room to lie next to him. Devin finally settles down again.

9:50pm Dad comes downstairs--triumphant that Devin is asleep.

10:10pm The Binky Fairy gets busy working on a special note with stickers and glitter, thanking Devin for his bravery and contribution for the babies of the world. The special toy is left on the fireplace and the binkies are tossed into the trash. I couldn’t cave and give Devin a binky now if I wanted to. It’s a little hard knowing one day these are essential to our existence, our sanity, our peace. Now they’re nothing more than garbage.

11:33pm Just as I nestle under the covers, Devin begins crying. Dad is able to settle him down.

11:41pm Devin cries again; Dad pops up.

11:49pm Repeat above scenario for another HOUR. My presence only makes it worse. I lose count of how many different techniques Dad uses to break the cycle of unhappiness. Oh, this really sucks!

1:05am Devin finally asks if the Binky Fairy had come yet. He and Dad go downstairs to discover she has indeed taken the binkies and left the much-anticipated toy. Exhausted but elated, he settles into his bed clutching Buzz, Woody, and the rocket.

The Day After BF

6:05am After such a stressful night, I’m hoping the boys will sleep in. Nope. Devin is already pressing the button non-stop that repeats, “This isn’t flying; it’s falling with style.” Devin asks if he can keep the toy and get the na-na’s back. “Sorry, pal.”

6:50am His older and wiser brother Bobby knows what Devin is going through. The Binky Fairy visited him 3 ½ years ago. “You know she will never, never, never, never bring your binkies back,” he confides. I’m waiting for a trail of tears to begin, but Devin responds, “I know.” Maybe we’re over the hump.

All morning: I do my best to keep him busy and hide all of his little sister’s pacifiers. Since they’re a different style, I doubt he’ll confiscate them for his own, but I don’t put it past him.

1:45pm It’s nap time and Dad takes him upstairs. Normally he would have a na-na in his mouth before he climbs into bed. Devin sheepishly asks him for a na-na, to which Dad responds, “Do we have any na-na’s?” He answers sadly, “No” and lets it go.

Night time seems to go easily; he slips into our bed during the night but no crying.

Two Days After BF

Devin has school for 5 hours and seems exhausted when I pick him up. A small misunderstanding puts him into a tailspin of anger and frustration. In the old days he would have settled down quickly with a binky, but those days are gone. Now I have to just listen to the crying until he passes out. Thankfully he takes a long nap, not once waking to ask for a na-na.

At Bobby’s baseball game, Devin is pushing the envelope of obedience. When Dad says, “One more time and you’ll lose your bedtime stories,” I cringe. Please don’t do it, please don’t do it. He does it. Dad has no choice now but to take away the last soothing aspect of going to bed.

7:45pm When he remembers his punishment, Devin pleads for his books but Dad stands strong. Consistency, consistency, consistency. Devin becomes hysterical. A na-na would have shut this behavior down, but we march forward.

9:15pm Devin finally settles down and sleeps in his own bed all night without a peep.

The Two Weeks After BF

From this point on, the days blend together: some good, some bad. Just when we think we’re in the clear, Devin cries inconsolably from 2-3am. But there have been no more requests for his beloveds and he even proudly fetches a binky for his little sister when needed. There are moments when I literally ache from the growing pains Devin has endured recently. But then he blows me away with his newfound confidence and independence. He no longer hides his radiant smile behind a piece of plastic. It’s there for everyone to see that he has earned his new standing of a BIG BOY.

Ok, I know I said I was done with the savings rant. If you can bear one more, here are three of the best deals I found at Kroger today (my total savings: $45.88).

There are several items that can earn you discounts on future trips (within two weeks)--like Walgreens register rewards. I bought 4 Pillsbury pizza dough tubes, got $1 off from Cellfire.com and $1 off from Shortcuts.com, and earned a $2 reward. I could have saved another $.40 from a coupon I printed online, but my printer was running low on ink and it wouldn't scan.

Another good deal I thought was Ziploc bags: buy 3 boxes and get a $2 reward. I'm now going to send in for a rebate from SC Johnson and will get $5 back. Since you can get 50 sandwich bags for $2.29, it's like getting three boxes for free. And if you have manufacturer's coupons, you can even make some money. May I suggest the Ziploc Evolve version (same price as the regular) but it's better for the environment because it uses 25% less plastic and is made with wind energy. With this deal, you get to be a Super Mom on several levels!

Finally, I stocked up on sodas because of the free Cheezits promotion: buy 3 12 packs or Cokes / Sprites on sale for $12 and get 2 free boxes of Cheezits (worth $5.58). Even though I've seen Cokes cheaper at Target, if your kids like Cheezits, this is the better deal.

Super Savings

For those of you wondering if I'll ever get off this penny pinching spree, I will give it a rest on the blog after this entry. I just couldn't resist sharing my latest triumphant savings spree at Walgreens. I got two bottles of lotion, two rolls of dental floss, and one box of band aids for FREE and I saved $26 on diapers. Here's how I did it.

First I bought a bottle of Vaseline Sheer Infusion Lotion ($7) and a Walgreen's children's activity book ($1) that has lots of coupons in the front of it--Devin got a new book and I got additional savings good through March. With a $1.50 coupon for the lotion that I printed online, my total with tax was $7.22. I was also given a $7 register rewards for the lotion.

I then scanned two bags of GoodNite diapers (regularly $11.50 each, on sale for $9 each), used my $7 RR, and scanned two $2 manufacturers coupons I printed online. I also purchased a box of bandaids for $4 but used the in store flyer coupon for $2 and a $2 coupon from the children's activity book. Therefore, this item was free. My total with tax this time: $8.65 and I got a $4 RR for buying two packs of diapers.

Now that the cashier is getting into my savings scheme, I used my $4 RR to buy another bottle of lotion and I purchased a roll of dental floss (spend $2, get $2 RR). My total with tax: $5.82 and I'm given another $7 RR and a $2 RR.

Now I scan two bags of night time pull-ups (also on sale for $18/2) and another dental floss. After my $7 RR and two more manufacturer's coupons worth $4, my total is $10.85. I'm given another $4 RR and $2 RR that I can use on future purchases.

I could have saved even more if I had bought four activity books, but I don't need four of the same. I was also in such a flurry that I forgot to use one of the activity book's coupons, and I could have used one of my $2 RR on the other pack of diapers. However, as I've said before, I'm still getting the hang of this.

So in summary, I spent $32.54 for goods that regularly would have cost $82.40. And I have $8 RR to spend next time. It feels good to be a saver.

Bargain Hunting 101

I am a rookie bargain hunter. I thought I was clever at finding sales, but I now realize I have much to learn. So after some guidance from Coupon Katie (www.couponkatie.com), Knoxville’s savings queen, I’m on a quest for big savings and what I can get for free. On her website, Katie usually details the best deals each week at three of my new favorite stores: Kroger, Target, and Walgreens. She’s done the work of finding the deals and even links to where to print additional coupons; how hard should this be?

My first stop is Kroger. Before I leave for the store, I load a $3 Huggies coupon from www.cellfire.com onto my Kroger card. Since Huggies are on sale for an additional $.78 savings, my total for a pack of diapers should be $5.21. However, at check-out I realize the cellfire coupon had not loaded yet and I don’t get the big savings I was expecting. I suppose I need to give the system more than two hours next time; ugh. However, I do score one free item here. In the 10 for $10 clearance bin, they have lots of small tubes of Colgate toothpaste and I have a $1 off any size Colgate manufacturer’s coupon. After digging in the bin to find the kind I like, I’m triumphant.

Next stop: Target. The promotion that has caught my eye in this week’s flyer is “buy two bags of M&M’s for $2.50 each and get a free cloth shopping bag” (worth $1.99). With an additional coupon for $1/2 that I printed from Target.com, my total will be $4. Since I’m all about avoiding plastic bags and my kids will do anything for M&Ms, I’m on the hunt.

I start in the candy section; sounds reasonable, right? But they don’t have the specific bags of M&Ms advertised here. An associate directs me to the Halloween section, all the way across the store of this Super Target. When I scour those shelves, I can’t find it there either. Another associate gets on the walkie talkie and finds the candy is on the end of aisle 16 (how would I have known to look there?) and the free bags (if they have any left) are back in the candy section. Determined, I hoof back across the store, pick up the chocolates, and grab the LAST free bag. I suppose next time I should plan my trip earlier in the week.

As for a freebie at Target, I had printed an online Target coupon for $1 off any size Chex Mix, hearing that they usually stock small bags (that sell for a dollar) at check-out. I scurry past all 20 something aisles and don’t see a single bag of Chex Mix. Are you kidding me? When I bug yet another associate, she goes to one aisle, gets down on her hands and knees and reaches back for what must have been the last small bag of Chex Mix left in the store. Was this really worth it?! At least it was free.

The next morning I resume my quest for bargains at Walgreens, hoping to squeeze this errand in between school drop offs. Only after I have two of my kids out of the car do I realize this store doesn’t open til 8am; it’s 7:39am. Back in the car we go to the 24-hour Walgreens 8 minutes away. Since I’m not familiar with the store, it takes me 30 minutes to try to locate all the fabulous register rewards items Coupon Katie had highlighted. Someone else nearby must follow her tips too because they’re all out of the toothbrushes, lotion, soup, chapstick, and cough medicine that I’m looking for. I leave the store discouraged and empty handed.

After the second school drop-off, I decide to try my luck one more time at another Walgreens in the name of research. My main goal is to test out this Register Rewards program. In the weekly flyer, you can find which items are marked register rewards and what those rewards are. For example this week, if you buy Vaseline Sheer Infusion Lotion for $7, you get a $7 reward that you can use like cash on a future purchase. The key is that what you buy with that reward must be at least $7; you can’t gather 10 items that equal $7.

At this store, I notice they don’t label the products that earn register rewards. You would only know if you had searched the weekly flyer. Maybe that’s why I do find the soup, toothbrush, and lotion that I’m seeking. I’m hoping these goods will still ring up the register rewards, but I’ll only know if I buy them. Sigh.

With a coupon in the flyer and a coupon I printed online, I get two cans of chicken noodle soup for free. I get two toothbrushes for free as well (spend $3, get $3RR). With $1.50 online coupon and the register rewards (spend $7, get $7 RR), I actually make $1.50 on the lotion. I use my register rewards to get Halloween candy and paper towels (also on sale). In summary, I spend $19.48 on goods that regularly would have cost $42.53. It was a bit of a hassle, but I’ll definitely do this again.

My final two places where I’ve recently scored free stuff are Brewster’s Ice Cream Shop and Premiere Athletics. In the library coupon books they earned from summer reading, there is a free kid ice cream sundae at Brewster’s. Since one of the boys is still less than 40 inches tall, he gets a free cone there any time. And because I have three coupon books, I can get free ice cream for the boys two more times. My biggest freebie this month can be found in the school coupon book: Premiere Athletics is offering a month of free classes for new students til the end of 2009 (value: $56). I’ve signed my youngest boy up for this to see if he likes it and so far, so good.

Thus far my experience as a rookie bargain hunter has been tiring and sometimes disappointing, but with a few lessons learned, I’m getting the hang of it. So if you have any tips for other ways I can get free stuff or discounted goods I haven’t thought about, please comment below. Save on!

How Low Can You Go?

It all started with my latest trip to Sam’s Club to stock up on some basics. Lately I’ve been going about every three months for those essentials I buy in bulk. I was feeling great about all the money I must be saving when the cashier said: $722.97. What?! Something must be wrong. Have prices sky rocketed when I wasn’t looking? Is my strategy of buying in bulk not all that it’s cracked up to be?

That’s when I decided to get out my calculator, scour several stores for prices, and figure out how to get the best bang for my buck on everything I buy. I broke down each item by price per pound, price per ounce, or price per unit. I chose to compare prices for select items at Sam’s Club, Kroger’s, Ingles, Target, and Walgreen’s. What I discovered is that there is no one store that’s the golden ticket to savings, but with a little work I could save a lot of money. I now have a new mantra: how low can you go?

I had always thought the grocery chains Kroger’s and Ingles were comparable in prices; not anymore. When I compared nearly 50 regular grocery items, Kroger’s almost always came out cheaper. Ingles won out on a few sale items, but those could easily go on sale at Kroger’s the next week. So even though Ingles is the most convenient grocery store for me, it’s off my regular errand list for now.

When I compared the regular prices for items at Sam’s against the other stores, Sam’s was the clear winner on most goods. So for people who aren’t interested in waiting for sales or clipping coupons, this is probably the best store for them. However, I’m up for the challenge of saving the most money--however I have to do it. I’m convinced if I’m crafty, I can get lots of groceries for less elsewhere.

Here’s an example. The “big rolls” of Bounty paper towels at Sam’s work out to $1.42 a roll. I found the same product at Target on sale for $1.25 a roll. If I found a Target coupon and a manufacturer’s coupon (usually $.25 each), I could bring it down to $1.20 a roll.

Since the regular Kroger’s price is $1.84 a roll, I have my work cut out for me to save money here. For Kroger’s to win out on the price wars, I’m going to have to find $4.69 savings through sales and coupons on a pack of 8. The advantage of Kroger’s though is that thanks to websites like www.cellfire.com, www.shortcuts.com, and www.PGEsaver.com, I can load specific coupons electronically onto my Kroger’s card for free. There is no paper waste, the savings appear automatically at check-out, and they can be used with manufacturer’s coupons for additional savings (a process called “stacking”).

After all my comparisons, I discovered the surprising winner on this particular product is Walgreen’s. Flipping through this week’s flyer (available in the newspaper and online), I found they are selling 12 big rolls for $12; that’s $1 a roll. Armed with my coupon in the weekly flyer and a $7 register rewards I got for buying a $7 item, the total for all those paper towels is $5 before tax (regularly $18.49). If I’d had a manufacturer’s coupon or if they’d had extra savings in their monthly coupon book, I could have saved even more. The young check-out girl is stunned by what I just accomplished and says, “How did you do that?!” I direct her to the real savings expert, Knoxville’s own Coupon Katie (www.couponkatie.com). I’ll write more about register rewards and how to get free stuff in a future blog.

In summary, there were some clear winners at Sam’s that I will continue buying: cheese, fresh salsa, fish sticks, chicken nuggets, frozen blueberries, chocolates, olive oil, potato chips, pure maple syrup, and their yummy cookies. I had been buying all my meat and fish at Sam’s but discovered I could get most of that for less on sale at Kroger’s. At Kroger’s, I’ll be buying most of my fresh food: produce, breads, dairy, and meats. I’ll also see where I can stack coupons and wait until those items go on sale. I’ll be checking the Walgreen’s flyers for sales and register rewards items; I hear they’re great for cleaning supplies and hygiene goods. At Target, I’ll be looking for what’s on sale or in the clearance bins and checking their coupon books as well. Their sale price for canned cokes was the lowest I found from all the stores.

The key is that I’m now armed with prices, which I plan to put on a cheat sheet where I store my coupons. I’ll know what’s a good deal and not impulsively buy something because “it’s on sale.” It all seems so obvious; I’m embarrassed that I’m only now figuring this out. Better late than never, I suppose. I’ll check back in to report on my savings after a few weeks. So let the games begin—how low can you go?

Treasure Chest Cake

I can't believe I forgot to post a picture of the fabulous treasure chest cake. Thank you, Bert Slattery, for your creativity.