Shop Smarter - Save Money

Boker, boker (morning, morning) everyone! I'm up, bright and early, because there's a few doggies in my life that will not stop barking. Seriously, they've been barking for the last 25 minutes. I had a hard time falling asleep last night. I got quite a few emails from yesterday's post on menu planning. Someone asked me if you can ever deviate from your menu and that got me thinking about today - I'm totally deviating. Deviating is OK - but keep it simple and make sure that you use things already found in your house.

This week's theme is really about saving you money. We all know to use coupons - my local grocery store allows me to store their coupons virtually. It helps us save money on things I may use this week or next. Still, what do we really know about coupons? When I shop at Target, I can usually get double-coupons (meaning I can use their store coupons AND a regular coupon on an item). I'm not as savvy as those women who run to CVS and actually come home with more money in their pockets than they left with (I also think that stores are catching on to this and making it harder to do). But I do shop for coupons at places like Coupon Mom, Coupons.com, and a few others. Yes, it IS shopping (it takes more time for me to find the coupon I want than it does for me to find something cute at H&M) but it saves me money.

Shopping Smarter by hillarylynneglaser featuring shoulder bags

Grocery shopping aside, I think it's time we start shopping for real stuff like pros. I know we can't always shop with coupons (like the time Craig and I found out we had bugs in our mattress - we bolted to the nearest mattress store and paid highly for a new mattress). But, when we know we're going to be shopping for things like shoes and clothes (our biggest impulse buys!!), it's important to stop, think, browse for deals, and then shop.

Browsing for deals can mean going online to your favorite online discount site (I like JoeShopping.com and RetailMeNot.com right now) - look for printable discounts for the stores you like and print out their coupons for when you want to go shopping. Think of it like this, pretty soon I'm going to need some new clothes - it's a planned thing for me and I'll have $200 to spend on it. I know I'm not a size 2, so stores like Forever 21, Express, and even the Gap aren't meant for me. Still, I have H&M, the Limited, and Macys that have clothes I like. I can go to one of the sites listed above, search for coupons at each store, print them out, then shop responsibly.

I plan out my shopping excursions. If I know I'm going to be in an area with an Old Navy, I'll bring an Old Navy coupon with me because there's a good chance one of us needs something from there. I also know to be realistic with coupons. Some of them are $25 off $75 or more. Am I going to spend $75 at Old Navy - probably not. Will I spend that at the Limited? You betcha and, if I play my cards right, I may only spend $50-60 on something there instead of $75-85. You should also read the fine print because that coupon may exclude clearance items or selected seasonal items.

Speaking of clearance, it's a great place to find stuff like tshirts and jeans that were from last season and will carry over to Summer 2013 but you may not get to wear them until them. Shop smartly - I don't shop for next Summer's clothes until next Summer. Why? Because that's about a year away and my fashion taste changes. I WILL shop for my son's clothes this way but not for my own. I prefer to shop clearance for things that are timeless - you know, things I KNOW won't be going out of style for a while. Two years ago, before we made a trip back to Detroit, I found a great coat on sale from $50 down to $20. In Israel, it was already hot as hell but I knew it would be cold in Detroit - so I bought it. I still have it, I still wear it, and I still get compliments on it.

I also plan this way:

Effortless Chic by hillarylynneglaser featuring skinny fit jeans

By visualizing what I want to get, I have a better chance of sticking to my plan.

In short, here's what you need to do to save money when shopping at the mall:

• Be realistic about how much you want to spend - then set your budget
• Look for coupons/discounts
• Plan what you want to get and from where
• Don't forget to look in at clearance items once you're there

What are your tips for a successful shopping trip?

Menu Planning 101

Good morning! On my other blog, I wrote about our current menu plan. Today, I want to write about WHY menu planning has changed my life and how it can save you money.

I'm not one of those bloggers who can stand for hours on end and cook once a month (I wish I could but I like being creative in the kitchen and I'm less creative when I'm standing for long periods - I get cranky). Menu planning is something the hubby and I started when we lived in Israel because food prices are SUPER high over there - so having a plan made things easier. I started by planning each day out a week in advance and then decide to scrap that, plan five different dishes along with five different side dishes - then mix and match.

Either way, it saved us a lot of money! We were living on a tight income, so something needed to be done. Now, we're living in America (land of opportunity, coupons, and preservative-fortified food) with my parents. We're still on a fixed income and things are tight but we have coupons! So here's what I do:

• Every Sunday, look through the newspaper for deals at the local grocery stores (meat, produce, extras)
• Write down what meat is on sale and where, then buy double
• Do the same for produce and other things you need (like yogurt)
• Start searching for coupons for extra things you need (coffee creamer, sugar, flour...etc.)
• Start to plan meals based around the things you found on sale

The other day, I saw a blogger who bought 16 meals worth of food for $125. I was shocked and impressed but when I looked at what she bought, I didn't see a single vegetable. I saw a lot of ground beef, a lot of things that contained starch, but not a single veggie. Gross.

When I find veggies on sale, I buy them in bulk and freeze them to make roasted or steamed veggies (things like cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini). I do the same thing for fruit but I make them into compote, apple sauce, or use it in my yogurt-fruit shakes. I used to visit farmer's markets and fruit/veggie farms to buy fresh produce in bulk (for cheap!) but Michigan hasn't seen the greatest crops this year (it's too cold, too hot, and then either too rainy or not rainy enough). It was a lot easier to do that in Israel since there were farms at every mile.

Try living near this, I did! Image: Chubeza

Once I've scoured the paper for deals, and I've found all the deals I want at my local grocery store in their circulars (both on and offline), I search online for more coupons to bridge the gaps in what I've missed. Sometimes I score big, sometimes I don't but if I find coupons for frozen veggies or other staples I use, I print 'em and clip 'em anyway because I'll use them for future meals.

Now I head to Costco. There's a convenience for me in buying some things in bulk - things I know I'm going to use a lot of (like cucumbers, carrots, potatoes, squash) or things I want to add to my menu (like soup). You can find some amazing deals at Costco but if you're not going to use them daily or, at minimum, four days a week - don't bother. Look for better deals at the grocery store.

Here's why I buy some things in bulk - it saves me money on my future shopping trips. If I can buy 4 lbs. of apples one week for what it will cost me to buy 1 lb. of apples in two weeks, I'll buy those apples now and freeze the rest.  The same goes for meat. Last week I bought 2.5 lbs. of flank steak for $13.50, and a large salmon filet for about $20. I used half of the flank steak last week and I'll use half this week. We used three pieces of the fish last week and I have six pieces left over for next week.

It looks a lot more complicated than it is but, trust me, it's worth it.

You can use a downloadable menu planner like this one:

You can find it at Penny Pinching Diva and download it.

You can do what we do and write it up in notepad, then print it. Once I have my plan, I write out all the ingredients, check off what I already have, then make another list of what I need - next to those items I write down what I have coupons for. Then I head to the stores (sometimes it's more than one).

The end.

Potty Talk

My sister and I were talking about my future home - ya know, the one we get when we're done living with my mom. I was talking to her about what I'd do differently than what we've had in the past but I also told her about this one amazing sink in one of my old apartments in Israel. I had a pedestal sink and I fell in love with it! It was so Roman looking - it had a column-like base and a round sink, wow, I just LOVED it!

So, when she and I were talking about remodeling a bathroom, I keep insisting on having a pedestal sink. Craig seems to think it may not be such a great idea since we may be lacking organizational space - as we are now. But Waterworks has some amazing pedestal sinks (well, sinks in general) so I may be able to talk him into it.

When I was doing some basic remodeling (I was in my early-20s), I fell in love with warm and dark colors, as well as classic fixtures like Roman columns and smooth porcelain. Now, imagine a bathroom that's super inviting with a vintage-looking bear claw tub, a pedestal sink, and tiles in midnight blue and white? That's what I want!!

Feminism and My Life

There's a lot of talk lately about the status of Women in America. I saw it on Kveller. I read something in the Atlantic. And I wanted to strangle a few 'journalists' for their views.

Credit: AltraPoint.com

I'm a feminist. I'm not the bra-burning, protesting, anti-deoderant kind of feminist. I AM the full time mother and office slave monkey worker kind of feminist. I'm so SICK of hearing that I can't have it all because I have a kid. I'm so sick of hearing that I'll never be a good mom because I work full time. I'm disgusted with my fellow women. Who are YOU to tell me what I can and can't do?!?!

I've read quite a few stories that tell me that men are better at working because they take family out of the equation. Yet, I work for three men who drop everything (including their important investor meetings) to talk to their children when they call. If a child is sick, it's THEIR job to be at home because parenting is a 50/50 thing.

Growing up, my Mom busted her ass. She went through college while I was just a kid and worked endlessly to prove to herself that she wasn't limited in what she could do. She didn't HAVE to be a housewife (this was the 80s people!) and she was ahead of her time. My Mom didn't rush home to make dinner or make sure my lunch was packed before I went to school. Dinner was made by my oldest sister (who was old enough to cook) or by my Dad (who grilled REALLY well). Lunch was made by me (with my dad's supervision). My Mom worked her tail off to make her dream come true and she taught me independence in the process.

I can't say that everything in our house was fine and dandy, it wasn't. But my Mom tried to best never to miss a play, recital, swim meet, or choir concert. She taught her three daughters that YOU make your destiny. YOU have a choice in where you go and what you do. When I got pregnant, Craig and I talked at length about how we wanted to raise our kids. It was very a much a 'WE' and not something I do singularly.

When my parents divorced, I learned to cook and take care of myself. I was only 10 but even at such a young age, I got annoyed with people saying 'oh, you poor thing!' because I was as self-sufficient as a 10 year old could be.

Credit: NorthernSun.com

Like I said earlier, I'm irritated with my fellow women. Who are we to judge the stay-at-home-mom who may leave her kids with a nanny to go do yoga or play the occasional game of tennis? She made a choice - who are you to judge that choice. Who are we to judge the women who has three kids who stay at home with dad while she pulls in 60-hour work weeks? Who are we to judge the Mom who wanted to stay at home and instead became a work-at-home-mom because one income wasn't enough? Who are we to judge the 40-year-old woman who chose not to have children so she could put her career first?

We are NOT to judge any of these women.

You want to call yourself a feminist? Work towards making things better for us - just like we do for you. WE break glass ceilings. WE put other people first. WE make better employees. WE make better wives. WHY? Because we understand what 'solidarity' means.

Women who knock down other women for their choices are just as bad as the men who think women can't do anything because we have boobs and a vagina.

Friday Roundup - Beauty Edition

Hi Friends! If you're reading this, I'm likely getting my groove on at a wedding. I originally posted that I was going to wear a black dress with some cool heels ... until my friend Sarah read the post and reminded me that black is for funerals (although I do have some picture of us at weddings with her wearing black...) so I decided to switch it up and wear a long green dress.

In honor of my friend's wedding, I decided to dedicate this Friday Roundup to all things beauty-related! As someone who holds a degree in cosmetology - some of the stuff around the web grabs my attention - I hope you enjoy it!

The Daily Muse gives you 7 No-Fail Hairstyles for a Bad Hair Day! Now you have no excuse not to look like a rock star (says the woman wearing a crappy ponytail at work).

Your Stylist AJ is a fun and perky blonde - the kind you love to hate but I really don't want to hate her! Her unique braided up-do post is PERFECT for any wedding you have coming up!

I love anything DIY, so when I found this DIY Sea Salt Spritz for your hair - I decided I HAD to try it and I LOVE IT. It gives my already curly hair a really fun texture!

Ready for some makeup? Jess Craig from IRockSoWhat created this SUPER easy tutorial on how to do the cat eye eyeliner PERFECTLY! Jess also has some other great tutorials that are worth checking out!

On a side note, when I get reincarnated, I want to look like this:

Source: outfitidentifier.com via T on Pinterest

For real...

Back to the make up... I found a really awesome Summer Make Up Tutorial on Pinterest:  

Source: youtube.com via Julie on Pinterest

Happy Friday everyone!! Have a GREAT weekend!

Wordless Wednesday - Doggy Style

It's 86 degrees outside and someone REFUSES to give up his blankets.

Six Years of Being a Chutzpanit

Holy shiznit, y'all ... this Midwestern girl has been in Israel for SIX YEARS!! I've been a full fledged, passport-carrying, chutzpah-spewing, harif-eating Israeli for six years now. Among the Anglos, we call this day an "Aliyah-versary". Aliyah literally means to ascend in Hebrew but it also means to immigrate in the common language. I'm still a no0b (olah hadashah - new immigrant) but I've finally started to learn the ropes on how to get shit done here.

Fresh off the boat airplane!

Yesterday I got a phone call that Yoav's eye appointment was being switched to today from Thursday because the ocuplastic surgeon was going to be in surgery all day on Thursday. My Hebrew isn't that good and the woman on the phone was in a rush so I barely understood her. I handed the phone to one of my Hebrew-speaking chevre (friends) and he told me the gist of the situation. I called the hospital this morning to confirm everything and what they told ME wasn't what they told HIM. I had two choices:

• Get pissed and start yelling.
• Get pissed and ask more questions.

I did not start yelling. I killed 'em with kindness. They can't get mad at you for asking questions if you act all sweet and polite. My friend, Sarit, would argue this logic but it's worked for me in the past.

A lot of us complain that being here means fighting for everything and, in some respects, it's 100% true. However, this country is still small and as long as you know someone who has a cousin who works at the place you need to get through to, you're fine. Somehow, I think that no matter how this country grows, it will always be about WHO you know and not WHAT you know. I also secretly believe this is how I got into college in Israel.

I cried like a baby during graduation ... and found out 4 days later that I was pregnant.

Israel gave me a lot of room to spread my wings and fly. I met a boy, fell in love, had my heart crushed, fell in love with someone else, moved home, came back, met a guy who I swore was really 12 (but turned out to be 24) - fell in love with him, married him, and had his baby. I also became employed in something I would have never chosen as my career - fell in love with it and then found my passion through what I do.

Welcome to the world Yoav Rubin Glaser!

Now we're moving back State-side so I can pursue my passion. What's my soul-centered vision? Changing the way kids are taught Holocaust History. How f*ckin' cool is that?! That's what I want to do with my life - and that's what I'm GOING to do with my life. Israel gave me the strength to do it. This country gave me roots and gave me my sense of self.

His future's so bright, he's gotta wear shades!

So, it's six years later - what have I learned the most? I'm capable of doing anything I set my mind to. Ain Li Eretz Aheret (I have no other country) - Israel will always be my home, no matter where I physically life.

Am Yisrael Chi y'all.