Kids Ain't Cheap

But They Sure Are Worth It

I am Home; Where is My Lightsaber!

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light saber

Image from DeviantArt

Last week I went on a business trip to Chicago.  I was gone for a full 7 days and the schedule and work load was absolutely brutal.  My wife travels quite a bit for work but it’s rare that I do so when I am gone for such a long stretch, the kids just freak out.  They don’t know how to deal with it.  It’s kind of odd that it’s mommy that they usually want but they deal with her being away much better than they deal with me being away.

Last year when I went away on a similar trip, I found these little plastic lightsabers that light up and brought them home as “prizes” for my two boys.  I made the mistake of using that trip as a reference point when I explained why Daddy was going away and what I was going to be doing.  I started the conversation off by telling them I was going away and saying “remember when Daddy left last year and came back with those two lightsabers?”.  Their first comment was that they remembered and those lightsabers broke because they played with them too hard.  They had sad little faces until the light bulb finally went off and they realized I was going to the same convention again this year.  Suddenly the sad little faces got happy and they started yelling that they were getting new lightsabers.  From that point on I could have told them I was going to China for 6 months, it wouldn’t have mattered, visions of lightsabers were dancing in their heads.

I created a monster!

I split up the drive out to Chicago to two days because we (me and one of my employees) weren’t able to leave until the afternoon of day 1.  At the end of  day 1, we stopped at a hotel and I called home.  First thing out of Sean’s mouth was “did you get our lightsaber yet!”.  I had created monsters!  They were more concerned with their potential prizes than they were they I had gone away.  Oh well, it was still pretty cute and once we got past that, they were genuinely excited to hear from me.

The rest of the week started off the same way but something really sweet happened half way through.  By the time day 4 rolled around, all they wanted to do was talk to me, find out what I did that day and tell me what they did.  It was really sweet and it made being away from home both easier and much more difficult.

When I finally returned home brandishing their brand new lightsabers (among other things) their first question was “Did you get us a lightsaber” and the second question was “did you get us anything else”.  Haha, oh well.  Finally by the third or fourth question they started asking me about my trip and how I was and their true excitement to see their daddy home started shining through.

Do your kids expect presents when you go on trips?

10 Ways to Save on Your Next Grocery Bill

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Save money when filling your grocery bagWe are all looking for ways to make our dollar stretch further. I shared some ways to save money at the pump a few weeks ago; today we’ll look at ways to save even more money but in a different area of your budget. Are you saving all you can on your grocery bill? Do you clip coupons, and shop sales, but still feel like there might be some other ways you could still save? I have some some tips to share that I hope will help you spend less and save more.

1. Have a snack before heading out

You can save money at the grocery store simply by eating, before you go. You are less likely to pick up items that are not on your list, or items you don’t need, if you have a full tummy!

2. See if your favorite store price matches

If you go to the grocery (or any other store for that matter) and know that an item is less expensive elsewhere, many store will honor the competitors price. This is fantastic because it saves time and fuel — so just ask!

3. Plan your meals and make a list

Okay —  this tip consists of two things, but they do go hand-in-hand. If you plan your meals in advance you will save later on. Maybe you won’t see the savings at the grocery store, but during the week you won’t be eating out, or making unnecessary trips to the store — where you’ll end up spending even more money. After you plan your meals, if you make a list and stick to it, that will also help you to remain focused on the items you do need — then you be less likely to over spend.

4. Buy fruits and vegetables that are in season

We all know that fruits and veggies that are not in season usually cost a lot more and often times, they don’t taste as good as when they are in season. If you want something that isn’t in season, buying it in the freezer section is the next best option.

5. Buy in bulk — but be sure to compare prices

Sometimes buying in bulk can save you money. We actually buy pasta, rice, and spices in bulk and we save a lot of money this way. If you buy at the big club stores like Costco or Sam’s Club, be sure to compare what you are getting there with what you find at your regular store. Often times you can save money but sometimes, it can actually cost you more. Another thing you should always do is to look at the price per unit on the grocery self. This lets you know if buying the bigger bag is really the best deal. It also helps you compare prices between different brands. When buying meat you want to compare price per serving and not price per pound.

6. Go meatless a couple of times a week

If you can make a couple of meatless dishes during the week, that can help save money too. Need some yummy ideas? Delicious Vegetarian Recipes

7. Say no to drugs

Of course you should, but I’m talking drugstore items. Many times over the counter drugs, cosmetics, shampoos, etc. are more expensive at the grocery store; so do your research before buying those items.

8. Cut out soda and cut back on juice

For kids, you can water down their juice – which is better for them anyway – and it makes the juice last twice as long. Cutting back or cutting out soda is good for your budget and your health. Drink more water and if that bores you to death — put a lemon or cucumber slice in it for a tasty addition.

9. Do it yourself

Instead of buying grated cheese, sliced and peeled carrots, cookies, muffins, etc.  – if you have the time – do it yourself. It can save a lot of money in the long run.

10. Buy store brands

Store brands have come a long way. Many of them are just as good as some of the higher priced name brand products BUT some are not so proceed with caution. It’s worth a try though because you can save quite a bit if you do end up switching.

How do you save on groceries?

Throw a Party – Help a Friend – Get Free Stuff

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Pampered Chef is a direct sales companyHave you been wanting some new decor for your home? Is your candle supply running a little low? Need a new kitchen gadget or recipe ideas? Would you like to update your cosmetics, or get some new clothes? Of course! Who doesn’t — right? Well, if you are low on extra money; I have a great way to make you feel like you splurged, without spending too much.

Most of us have heard of Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, Tupperware, Home Interiors, Party Lite, etc. Maybe you have a friend or two that earns extra money, or has built a successful business through one of these direct sales companies. You can support her  – and earn yourself some goodies in the process – by hosting a party. There is a direct sales company for just about everything!

Before we begin, I think it’s important for me to mention that I am not affiliated with these companies in any way, other than I have attended and/or had parties for one of their consultants. When I realized that I would be an at-home Mom I tried my hand at a couple direct sales businesses but it just wasn’t my thing.

Is direct sales for you?

First of all, I was my own best customer (a very bad thing if you want to make any money at all) and secondly, while I love attending these parties — but I didn’t really want to be the one running the show. I do however, know many people who are in direct sales and are absolutely fabulous at it.

Now, what was I talking about before I got all side tracked? Oh yes of course… FREE STUFF!

As I was saying, many of these companies offer their hostesses fantastic rewards for hosting a party. Sometimes free stuff, discounted items, hostess only specials and more.

So how do you host a direct sales party anyhow?

The first thing you need to do, is to decide which company you want to party with — and there are many to choose from. Next, you will want to find a consultant, if of course you don’t already know one. You can also book your own party during shows that you attend — which helps the host, the consultant and you.

Once you decide what type of party you would like to have – and you have booked a party – you need to start getting the word out to all your friends and family about the event.

Get the word out

Social media is such a wonderful tool for this. You can tweet about it, create an event on facebook to invite some – or all – of your Facebook friends, and of course mention it in your status updates. You can also send e-mails to people and of course, there’s always the good old postal service. Remember, the more people you tell about your party, the more successful it will be, and the more free and discounted stuff you will get!

Most companies even have the ability for people to participate in your party online and don’t forget about the catalogs! Carry around current catalogs and order forms wherever you go. You might get a few orders this way as well. Make sure you are aware of any specials for the month, so you can pass this information on. Don’t forget to send out reminders a day or two before the party!

The day of event make some treats for your guests. You don’t have to spend a lot, to let people know you appreciate their participation. Most consultants will also have drawings and giveaways for your guests as well.

I actually just had a party on Saturday for one of my friends who just became a Thirty-One consultant. She gave me a fabulous lunch tote (pictured above), just for hosting. Plus, I was able to order two items that I really wanted — for half the retail price. I also had a lot of fun, with some of my favorite ladies!

Have you hosted a successful direct sales event? What did you do to get the word out? What is you all time favorite direct sales company and what is your favorite item?

The Best Deal Sites

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With a title like that, I would be remiss to mention that I love the features on KidsAintCheap and use both the family coupon directory and parents shopping directory regularly but this article is not about my own site.  This article is about other sites that I use. It’s about the Best Deal Sites that I know of.

Groupon.comGroupon is a popular deal site

Groupon.com – It’s tough to have not heard of one of the fastest growing companies in the United States.  While much of the rest of corporate America is standing still, this company is growing at an unbelievable rate and it’s not hard to see why.   Groupon specializes in local deals.  You sign up and every day Groupon delivers a new deal directly to you for your local area.  Most of the deals end up being 40% – 60% off.

The service is addictive and the savings can be HUGE.  Ever since I missed out on a huge savings on movie tickets at my local theater(the deal had sold out) I have become obsessed with checking to see what my local daily deal is first thing in the morning on my iphone.  The trick is to not jump on something just because it’s exciting, the trick is to jump on something you would have spent money on even if you didn’t have the coupon.  Of all of the new sites that have cropped up, this is most certainly one of the best daily deal sites.

You can check them out at Groupon.com

Living Social

LivingSocial.com – Living Social is similar to Groupon.  It’s not as big so it isn’t as available in as many areas but they are still a major player and as such have some great local bargains.  I make it a habit to check Groupon and Living Social every morning.  I must admit, I have purchased more from Groupon than I have from Living Social but it’s still a great site to get a good deal.  The key, as with all of these places, is to not buy something you don’t need or can’t use.  While not as big as Groupon, it is still impressive and deserves to be on the best deal sites list.

You can check them out at LivingSocial.com

Restaurant.com

Restaurant.com – We don’t go out to eat very often, it’s one of the things we eliminated as we work todays becoming debt free.   When we do splurge and go out to someplace night, we almost always refer to Restaurant.com first.  The savings are amazing and there are a lot of participating restaurants.  The way it works is you find the restaurant you want to eat at and you purchase a gift certificate to that restaurant at a significant discount.  Most of the discounts I have come across are 50% – 60%.  The thing to be careful about is the fine print.  There are almost always stipulations, the most common being a minimum amount that must be spent at the restaurant in order to use the coupon.  Choose your deal carefully.  As long as you pay attention to the conditions, it is one of the best deal sites online.  I have had some really great meals, really cheaply.

You can check them out at Restaurant.com

Woot!

Kids.Woot.com – Woot has several different sites but the one I check regularly is their kids web site.  It’s an Ecommerce site but it’s unique in that they only sell one item per day.  Each day they post an item at a set price and you have the opportunity to buy it until they run out.  I have only ever jumped on a deal from Woot once so I can’t say I have a lot of experience with them but the experience I had was good.  They were selling something I had already planned on buying for a gift but I got it cheaper than I would have been able to get elsewhere.

You can check them out at Kids.Woot.com

Craigslist

Craigslist – Okay, so this one is a no-brainer.  I have had mixed results with Craigslist but for the most part, my experience has been positive with both buying and selling.   Whenever I am looking for a larger item I look to Craigslist first.  It’s the monster of all classifieds site and you can get a great deal if you are smart.

You can check it out at Craigslist

ebay

ebay.com – This one is another no-brainer.   You would have to be living in a very remote corner of the world to not know about ebay.  It’s the biggest and best auction web site online and there is a massive amount of product being sold on ebay every day.  You can find some great deals as long as you don’t get carried away with the bidding.   The key is to not bid until you have a concrete number you aren’t willing to go over.  ebay works so well because it works people up into bidding frenzy and inevitably some people will spend more than an item is worth because of it.

You can check it out at ebay.com

Other Coupon Sites

If the KidsAintCheap family coupons directory doesn’t have a coupon for a site that I want to buy something at, I do a search to see if one of the other coupons sites does.  It’s fairly easy and a good percentage of the time I find a coupon I can use.  I simply search for SITE NAME coupon in google to see what comes up. Obviously, I replace SITE NAME with the actual web site name so if I am looking for a coupon to use on Amazon I search for Amazon coupon or Amazon coupon code.  Try it out before you hit the check out button next time you buy something online.

Okay, those are the best deal sites that I check and use on a regular basis.

What is your favorite coupon or deal site?

Use Video Baby Monitors With Caution

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Summer Infant Video Baby Monistor

via CPSC

On February 1, 2011, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in conjunction with Summer Infant Inc, Woonsocket, R.I., issued a warning about a strangulation hazard. Young babies and children are getting tangled in the cords of video baby monitors and two children have died.

Strangulation hazard from cord

There has also been a report made of a child becoming tangled in the cords but had been freed safely.

What the CPSC is advising that no cords be within three feet of the crib. If a baby or child can reach the cord it is too close. The report also states that the monitors had been placed on the rail, on the wall and on a dressing table attached to the crib.

Summer Infant Inc, has also started a campaign where the company is now putting labels on all of their video monitors. There has been over 1.7 million of these types of monitors sold.

We as parents always want to do the best for our children and of course we want to keep an eye on them when they are sleeping. Having a camera in the room is a great way to keep an eye on what is going on. But, on the other hand we do not want to risk having something terrible happen either. By using due diligence with anything that is placed near a baby crib risks will be lowered.

Best rule is to never put anything near a baby crib where the child can become entangled. Although there is only one company named in this report there are other brands of baby video monitors on the market. Anything with a cord should never be put near the crib.

Do you use this device or anything similar? How far away do you keep the cord?

I Finally Caved — We Have Some New Pets (sort of)

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Quite the assortment of Disney pillow petsPillow Pets. When I first saw the commercial and heard the tag line, I’m pretty sure that I rolled my eyes.  “It’s a Pillow! It’s a Pet!  — It’s a Pillow Pet!”

For real? Apparently so. Once my boys saw that commercial they were hooked and each expressed interest in owning one. However, they only ever mentioned the pillow pet, right after seeing the commercial. I didn’t think it was something they really wanted.

Found at Amazon: Pillow Pets

As Christmas time approached, Pillow Pets invaded just about every store we visited. I would know the store had these snugly creatures, long before I ever laid my eyes upon them.

We would walk through the front doors, of whatever store we were at, and – in stereo – I would hear “Pillow Pets! Mommy loooook! Pillow Pets.”  To which I would reply, “Oh yeah, Pillow Pets. Awesome.”

Do they really need another stuffed animal?

Truth is, I didn’t think they were awesome. I thought they were silly. I mean our boys have so many stuffed animals already and they insist on filling their beds with them.

My husband holds “drafts” once a month or so, where he allows the boys to choose 4 or 5 stuffed animals. That lasts a few days and before long, more stuffed animals creep into the boys’ beds. By the time the next draft rolls around — the number has doubled. So the thought of adding another stuffed animal to the mix – a big stuffed animal at that – didn’t really appeal to me.

When I asked the boys what they wanted for Christmas they never said “A pillow pet.” If they had, they would have gotten one. I just didn’t think it was that big of a deal to them.

After Christmas, they began mentioning Pillow Pets more and more. They didn’t really say they wanted one, they would talk about them.

I told my husband we would be getting the boys Pillow Pets for Valentine’s Day and he thought it was a really good idea. I hadn’t anticipated how excited I would be to give the boys their pillow pet — but I really was.

They got pillow pets!

The day before Valentine’s Day I explained to my husband that I thought we should give the boys their gift early because 1.) he wouldn’t be here to see their excitement and 2.) if we waited until he got home from work, it would be hard to get them to eat their dinner and settle down for the night.

We presented the boys with their Pillow Pets February 13th at 8:36am and they have been completely thrilled with them!!!

Had I known how much their faces would light up when they saw them, or how much they would adore them, or how many times they would spontaneously thank me – I would have had a little more respect for these pillows which are also pets. They really are pretty great!

I also had to know if they were really as comfy as they look — and you know what? They totally are!

Do your children have pillow pets?

Discounts for Parents of Twins and Multiples

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having twins is expensive!Having twins is wonderful but it is also pretty expensive!  Well,  having children is expensive but when you are blessed with two or more babies at one time, things add up really fast. The good news is there are several companies who understand this and are willing to give parents of twins and higher order multiples a break. Some companies will send you freebies or really great coupons. Be aware that in some cases, you will be asked to provide the babies’ birth certificates, to prove that you do have multiples.

Here is a list of discounts parents of multiples can receive and for even more money saving tips check out my post on tips for buying for twins. I will do my best to update this list from time to time but you will definitely want to check with each of these companies to make sure they are still offering their multiple birth programs, discounts or freebies. If you know of a multiple birth program that is not listed, please let me know I’d love to add it! 🙂

American Baby Magazine

(possible) Free 1yr Subscription

When I called I was told that you just need to enter your name, due date and number of children and when they see you are expecting multiples you will get the discount. I don’t know for sure if this works but it’s worth a try and if it doesn’t automatically apply the discount I would call customer service 1-800-678-1208

Please let me know if you do try it and whether it works or not. Thanks!

Babies R Us

10% discount to parents of multiples (in-store)

This discount applies when buying two or more large items such as, furniture, high chairs, swings, pack-n-plays, strollers (I am told this also applies to a double stroller), etc. Be sure to ask before making your purchase since these discounts can change at any time.

Baby Depot

(part of Burlington Coat Factory)

20% discount on anything in the baby department when you buy two or more identical items.

This could be a substantial savings, especially if you are buying furniture. Be sure to ask in your local store about the discount because discounts can change and possibly vary by region.

OshKosh and Stride Rite

Provides discounts for parents of twins, as do many other national retailers.

Carnation Good Start Formula

The Carnation Company will send you six containers of its formula. Send a copy of the babies’ birth certificates to: P.O. Box AW, Wilkes Barre, PA 18703. Address it “Attention: Nestle Infant Nutrition.”

Pampers

Call 1-800-726-7377 to request a freebie package as part of their Pampers Multiples Birth program. They’ll also send you coupons.

Luvs

Call  1-800-665-3257 for a freebies package from the Luvs Multiple Birth program. You’ll get coupons for diapers and wipes and product samples.

Huggies

If you call the Kimberly-Clark Company at 1-800-Tel-Scot, you will be sent free mailing labels to send in your babies’ birth certificates. Then you will receive coupons for free diapers.

(I recommend contacting all three companies. I used all three brands for the boys. Luvs were my favorite because they worked well and were the least expensive but I used pampers or huggies at night because they both carry and overnight diapers which help prevent leaks)

McNeal Consumer Products

(The makers of Tylenol)

Free welcome packs for your twins
Call 1-800-962-5357 ( option #5) and make sure you tell them you have multiples.

Tomy ~ First Years, Learning Curve, Boone and more

(Free baby gift package)

You must submitt a birth announcement, birth certificate or some other proof of multiples by fax or mail.

1-800-533-6708 ph | 1-563-875-8263 fax

Tomy

Attn. Multiple Birth Program
2021 9 St. SE
Dryersville, IA 52040

Once the kids are older you’ll want to ask if there is a multiple child discount for preschool, lessons (swimming, art, music), and sports. Most will automatically offer it but if they don’t be sure to ask.

I hope this has been helpful. Please pass it along to anyone expecting twins! 🙂

Is Audible Worth It? Here’s How to Make The Most of Your Membership

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is audible worth itI have been seeing and hearing ads for Audible.com for well over a year now but always ignored them.  I love to read and audiobooks never interested me so consequently the ads never interested me.  Over this past year, a lot has changed.  I subscribe to a lot of podcasts.  Some are entertaining and some are educational.  I listen to a few podcasts every day at the office and love the portability of taking them with me on my iPhone and listening to them in the car or when I exercise.  For some reason, I never saw being entertained or educated via a podcast as the same thing as listening to an audiobook. My overall change in attitude got me wondering, “Is Audible worth it?”

Why I Considered Audible

Additionally, my favorite news radio station has suddenly become very hard to tune into consistently.  It must be my car as it works fine in my wife’s car but I no longer have that as an option.  Sure, there are music stations that I like and I always have all of the stuff on my iPhone to listen to but I was still disappointed to lose that radio station.

Finally, I have a 30 to 35-minute commute to work every day and it just started feeling like more and more wasted time.  With two kids and a busy work schedule, I don’t have nearly as much time to read as I once did.

One day this past November, I was listening to one of my favorite podcasts and an ad came on for Audible.  It just somehow clicked this time.  They were offering 50% off their Gold membership plan for the first 3 months.  I will give you a rundown of the membership plans a little later in this article.  With that initial trial, I downloaded Stephen Kings The Gunslinger, it’s the first book in the Dark Tower series.  It’s a series I have always been meaning to read but never seemed to get around to it.   The audiobook normally sells for $19.93 but with this membership offer, I got it for $7.62.  It’s less than a hardcover book but a little more than the paperback would have cost me.  That seemed pretty reasonable to me knowing that they had to pay a voice actor to read the book.

This was my first exposure to an audiobook and it did not disappoint.  The process of signing up with Audible was simple as was the process of purchasing the audiobook and putting it onto my iPhone.  Audible offers a download manager that takes care of all of that.  The voice actor did an excellent job, his voice matched the tone of the story and it wasn’t rushed.  I looked forward to my commute to and from work so I could listen to the next part of the story.  It took me about 2 weeks to get through it which is a lot faster than it takes me to get through a regular book nowadays (mostly due to time).  I had joined with the intention of getting a book, trying it out but most likely canceling before the 3-month trial expired but I have changed my mind, I am an Audible and audiobook convert!

Is Audible Worth It?

After getting that first book, I decided that it would be a good way to accomplish several goals:

  • Get caught up on books I have wanted to read just for the fun of it
  • Get caught up on the business and personal finance books that will help me improve my financial situation and grow as a businessman
  • Find some books in the Audible for Kids section for my boys and see if works as a way to keep the kids occupied on long car trips

With what seemed like the makings of an actual plan forming, I got a new book in December called Freakanomics.  It’s a book that asks strange questions and really makes think you about the economics of life.  I decided that I would alternate.  My membership plan with Audible gives me one free credit every month that I can use towards the purchase of any book.  Since I can’t afford to spend more than I am already spending on the membership, I will get myself one book a month and alternate between pure entertainment and books that will also educate.  I enjoyed Freakonomics but didn’t learn as much from it as I had hoped.  It was more a collection of essays that got you thinking that it was a lesson in economics.  Still, a worthwhile read/listen but probably not one I would recommend as a must read.

January came around and I got the second book in Stephen King’s Dark Tower series but I also sprang for a second book (it was only $6.49).  The Audible for Kids books are pretty inexpensive if you are a member and I really wanted to see if my kids would enjoy listening to something in the car.  My son is in Dinosaur mode.  It’s all he talks about, thinks about and plays with these days so when I saw the Magic Tree House, Book 1: Dinosaurs Before Dark I had to get it.  It’s meant for longer car trips like the one we are taking in a week to see some family but I tested it out on the drive to daycare and to my surprise, there wasn’t a peep out of either of my boys on the whole ride.  They sat there with mouths open listening to the story.  When we got to daycare, they said they liked it but weren’t ecstatic about it nor have they asked to listen to it again so I got a bit of a mixed review from them.  I think the real test will come from that hour-long cart trip we are taking next week.

Audible Membership Plans

Before deciding whether or not Audible is worth it for you, you should know there are several membership options. Before you sign up, it’s important to know what you are going to get with each one.

No Membership

This isn’t really a membership plan but it should be mentioned as an option.  You do not have to become a regular recurring member to buy from Audible.  If you only think you are going to want a few audiobooks a year, this is the way to go.  You will have to pay full price for that audiobook but it’s better than committing to a monthly membership plan.  To participate, simply go to Audible.com and buy a book.

Audible Listener Gold

This is the plan I am on.  This plan costs $14.95 a month but with that, you get 1 free credit every month and with that credit, you can get any book you want.  They key here is books on Audible range from $4.95 up to $35 so if you are going to subscribe to a plan like this make sure you are using that credit to buy a book that costs more than the plan.  It doesn’t make sense to spend $14.95 for the month and then use that free credit to get a book that would have cost you $4.95.  Most books are more than $14.95 so you will have plenty to chose from.  As a gold member, you also get 30% off anything that is not purchased with a credit, free audio programs and a complimentary subscription to the audio version of the New York Times or Wall Street Journal.  You can get the same deal I did and click the following link to get 50% off your first 3 months at Audible

Audible Listener Gold Annual

This is the same as the plan above but you pre-pay for the entire year.  When you do this, your cost per credit goes from $14.95 per credit to $12.46 per credit.  Worthwhile savings if you know you are going to stick with it for a year.  If you aren’t sure, it’s better to play it safe and go month to month.  You can still get the same discount on the first three months, just go to 50% off at Audible.

Audible Listener Platinum

This is similar to the Gold plan that I am on except it costs $22.95 a month and you get 2 free credits every month.  This brings the cost of those credits down from the $14.95 I pay to $11.48.  A better bargain if you think you will get through 2 every month.  I am not sure I can so I am sticking with the gold plan for now.  They don’t have any special offers that I am aware of with the Platinum level so sign up by going to Audible.

Audible Listener Platinum Annual – This is the same as the plan above except you pre-pay for an entire year.  This will bring your cost per credit down from the $14.95 per credit I pay to $9.56.  Pretty cheap if you know you are going to go through 24 audiobooks in a year and can afford to lay it out all at once.  Sign up by clicking here to go to Audible

Summing it Up

Audible isn’t for everyone.  If you aren’t big on books or don’t have a lot of quiet time to spend listening to these books, it’s probably not worth it but for me, they make my commute into work a lot more enjoyable.

Do you use Audible? What do you think of audiobooks in general?

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Over 10,000 Products in our Price Comparison Portal

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It’s a small milestone when you compare it to other shopping comparison engines but it’s a pretty significant milestone for us and we are proud of it.    We have 336 Brands with over 10,000 products listed in our shopping portal as of today.  We are going to continue to plug away and add more and more product so if you try a search and the product you are looking for isn’t in there, don’t give up on us!

Kids Ain't Cheap now has a price comparison portal

Our shopping comparison engines is a specialized portal, we only list product from merchants that we respect and who carry products for the family.  If you haven’t checked it out yet, you to KidsAintCheap Shopping Comparison Portal

Consignment Shop; Lesson Learned

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Consignment stores are tricky!Last week I posted about ways to get rid of unwanted stuff. One of the things I talked about was consignment shops. We have a great consignment shop in the area, they carry quality stuff at great prices but they are so popular it often takes months to get an appointment with them. I decided to try out a new consignment shop that opened across from where I work. I wanted to try them because it was convenient, they could take the stuff right away and they were not very picky.

Consignment store isn’t in it to make a huge profit

I made the mistake of letting them price out the merchandise I dropped off. Since we split the money 50/50, I assumed that it would be in her best interest to get the most she could for some of this stuff. I was wrong, she sold all of the good stuff in the first couple of days which had me pretty excited but then I found out how much she sold it for. We had a $200 stroller that we bought when we had our second child. It had room for the baby upfront and a place for our toddler to sit in the back. We only used it for about a year and it was in fantastic shape. She sold it for $15! She sold that, a high chair, a pack and play and some clothes which made me a whopping $16.50. I could have gotten a lot more using ebay or Craigslist and probably should have just tested the new shop out with one or two big items and a box of clothes.

Oh well, live and learn. I can feel good that a family that needed a new stroller and high chair at a very cheap price, it’s no longer taking up room in my house and I got a tiny bit of money for it.

Have you ever sold at a consignment store? What was your experience?