Emotional Shopping

Recently I was feeling really overwhelmed at home, and decided that I needed to get out of the house. I got in the car and headed down the street, feeling the urge to go shopping, which is fun and relaxing for me. I realized that I was getting excited about the prospect of finding some good deals, and I felt my stress and anxiety turn to happiness and excitement as I drove towards the shopping center. I also thought that maybe after I went shopping, I could go pick up a cupcake at the bakery on the way home. "That will make me feel better!" I thought. But this time was different. I felt really strongly that I needed to turn around and go the other way; I needed to go park the car in front of a park by my house. Normally I would just ignore this "sense" and keep driving, but I couldn't do that this time. I felt like I really needed to go park at the park.

So, this time I listened. I drove to the park and sat in the car. It was silent. I wondered "What am I doing here?!" As I sat in the silence in the warmth of my car, my emotions swept over me and I started to cry. I allowed myself to feel what I had been trying to push away. I felt overwhelmed. I felt sad. I felt angry. I felt tired. So I just sat in the car and cried. Definitely not what I had been planning to do. Then I prayed. I prayed for a long time. I prayed through all of my emotions, I asked God my tough questions, and I sat in the silence. After awhile, for the first time in a long time, I felt peace.

God spoke to my heart that day in the car. He reminded me that I was seeking pleasure and fulfillment through my "shopping spree" instead of going to Him. I realized that I do that a lot. Many times when I'm feeling stressed and overwhelmed, right when my husband gets home, I will jet out of the house for some "alone" time and go shopping. I spend money on things I don't really need, including food that I think will help me feel better, and try to cover my emotions with temporary pleasure.

Just like there are emotional eaters, there are also emotional shoppers. Many people do both (including me - note the reference to CUPCAKES?!) :) Next time you feel the "need" to go shopping, just stop. Ask yourself if you are feeling overwhelmed, depressed or tired. Is that why you are going shopping? If so, turn that car around and find a park. You may find more peace and joy than you ever would at the store. You will also save your pocketbook! :)

Coupon Clipping

If you are a coupon-clipper, you probably already heard that Ralphs is no longer doubling coupons that are $1.00 or more. This is sad news to those of us who have religiously planned out our shopping adventures so that we can fill our carts with numerous free items every week. Vons stopped doubling coupons about two years ago and then did an about-face shortly after they lost thousands of customers (including myself) for doing so. So, I guess it is back to Vons for me.

Clipping coupons is not fun for some people, but for those who take the time to do it for about 10 minutes once a week, it is well worth it. Some people don't clip because they feel they will end up with a bunch of items they don't need, but I only clip coupons for things I do need, unless I will get it for free (if I know it is about $2 and I have a $1 off coupon that can be doubled).

If you would like to get the MOST out of your coupon clipping, you might want to try visiting The Grocery Game website. This is a site where you pay for a monthly subscription to the store of your choice (Ralphs, Vons, etc...) and they do the work for you. They tell you what coupons are coming out each week, where your best savings will be, and what you can stock up on. I have done a trial subscription to this site and it was pretty amazing. However, I do most of my shopping at Trader Joe's (where they don't take coupons), so I don't really need a subscription. My shopping at Ralph's has been mostly supplemental. Check it out! It pays to use coupons! When I do shop at Ralph's I regularly save 40-50% on my total bill by using coupons.

Need a Drink?

This Tuesday, June 24th from 4-5pm, the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf will be giving away free Yogurt Ice Blended drinks (size small).  They are available in mango, original and strawberry.  YUM!

Saving on MAKEUP!

Tonight a friend of mine told me about a website where they sell all makeup for only $1!  I checked it out and it looks great.  There is even a coupon code floating around online that lets you save $7.50 so you can get free shipping ("carolina" - not sure when this expires).  E.L.F. has been featured in O magazine, Real Simple, Marie Claire, and many other magazines.  It has also been featured on many TV programs like the Style Network and CNN.  I am placing my first order this week!  

E.L.F. Makeup

Buying the "Unmentionables"

I just read an article in Consumer Reports magazine about purchasing bras (see article here). Basically it says that when they ran tests on expensive bras, they found that the BEST bra was actually one for $11 from Target.  Even a lingerie designer with more than 50 years of experience wore a $14 bra herself.  

Lesson?  Victoria's Secret is just a brand.  It doesn't mean quality.  (So I guess this just confirmed what I already thought.)   Go Target!!

If you are looking for great prices on bras, underwear and lingerie (besides going to Target), try going to TJ Maxx or Ross.  These stores have name brand bras for so cheap.  I just bought two name-brand bras, both normally between $30-40, for $7.50 and $9.99.  

Cheap Children's Clothes!

I am finding that as my boys get older, the hand-me-downs come less. That's probably because older kids (boys especially) run down their clothes so fast! My oldest son is now in size 3T and so I have been on the hunt for cheap (but quality) children's clothes. Here are my top 5 picks for cheap children's clothing stores:

1) Children's Orchard - the clothes here are quality, clean, ironed, and cheap. Shirts run about $1.99 each and shorts are about $2.99 each. This is even cheaper than Goodwill sometimes! But the BEST part is - you can sell clothes here too and get store credit. You have to make an appointment, which I did for last Friday, and they bought $32 worth of clothes from me. I had a lot of unused clothes that had been given to me for my youngest, who has outgrown those sizes. I took my $32 of store credit (or they would have given me $24 cash), and I bought my 3 year old's entire summer wardrobe (well, almost!). I got 3 shirts, 4 pairs of shorts, 2 pairs of pants, and one pair of shoes. Some of the items were brand new with the tags on them! I went over by .12 cents, so I I got ALL of that for .12 cents! Here is a picture of everything I got:



2) Mervyn's - sometimes they have the greatest sales. I have been there twice when they had these $1 and $3 sales, and I got fanstastic deals on clothes. Those sales are usually at the end of the season.

3) Kmart - while I generally don't like shopping at Kmart (for oh, about 100 reasons), they have great sales on kid's clothing. One time I saw shirts on a clearance rack for .25 cents! They also frequently sell kids shirts and shorts for under $3.

4) Walmart - same reasons as Kmart. Check the clearance racks in the children's section.

5) The 99Cent Store - Okay, I know what you're thinking: Either "What?!" or "Ew!", right? :) Well, I was there last week and they had collared polo shirts for boys for only .99 cents each! They were from a chain store - I couldn't tell which one - but I know I have seen clothing there before from Kmart and Walmart. You can either check the baby section or the aisle where the underwear and socks are - they sometimes have a rack of kid's clothes there. Surprised?! I was!!

Hurry In!

If you are looking for some CHEAP presents for birthdays or even Christmas, hurry in to Bath & Body Works because they are having an amazing 75% off sale. You can get some great lotions, shampoos, soaps, body scrubs, gift baskets, and candles for around $2-3 each. I don't know when the sale ends, so hurry in now!!