Pecked by Ducks

Classy Mommy, is holding a Flip video camera give away and has asked:

I totally want a flip video camera (saw gregoryng’s at his house last weekend) and I figured, I’ve got some good tips, so I started writing. And writing… and writing. Pretty soon I had all kinds of wacky tips and tricks, so I decided to post them here for you. This is what I wrote in her comments.

For online shopping, before I check out, I always google the store + coupon. So for example “llbean coupon”. I can usually always find at least free shipping, if not 5% - 20% off. Sometimes you can even combine and get free shipping AND a percentage off.

I also only buy recycled content/soy ink wrapping paper/cards etc so I buy them and real ribbons whenever they are 75% off or more and save them for when I need em.

I also shop almost exclusively at www.etsy.com for gifts. I am a jewelry designer, so I make a lot of my gifts, but when I don’t, etsy is the place for me. The prices are crazy good, you are supporting artists and SAHMs and the variety and selection is shockingly good. Disclaimer: I also have a shop on etsy. You are of course welcome to shop there (Karen’s Kitsch) but I am talking about the site in general. I particularly like a shop called babypop, for children’s birthdays. A personalized, handmade superhero cape for $13 and $3.25 S&H. The best gift at the party for under $20.

I also try to always bring my own bags to the grocery store, but when I forget, I ask for paper. I cut the bags and use them for wrapping paper. I watch for crazy good real ribbon sales and collect them. Brown with lime green ribbon or fucha is super mod looking. Also, the kids can decorate the paper themselves for friends and you don’t have to get a card (which is more $ and might get lost) plus it is super personal. This has always been a great crowd pleaser.

Another way I saved money and the environment this year was by doing something a little different for the goody bags for my son’s birthday parties. Generally, I hate when they get goodie bags. I have to go through them and throw out the candy and then watch all those junky toys like a hawk for breakages (like 1 or 2 days max) and then throw those away too. Plus to make them costs like $5 - $10 a pop (for the cheap junky ones) to buy the bags, the candy and the plastic toys. So instead, I bought 64 count boxes of crayola crayons ($2.89 each @ Target) for my 5 year old’s friends and 8 count crayola washable markers ($3.49 each @ Target) for my 3 year old’s friends. I wrapped them in recycled/soy print paper I had purchased at 80% off (less than 1 roll for all) and made stickers (Avery 8233) on my computer with each child’s name, thanking them for coming. Yes it took a little time to design the stickers, but I think it was a gift that was actually appreciated, and I didn’t feel like I was spending too much or selling out by buying all that plastic junk.

This is what the sticker looked like.

Here was the spread. We had pizza, greek salad, fruit salad, a ladybug carrot cake for Max and a monster Chocolate cake for Quinn.

Close-up of the gifties.

Max’s Ladybug cake.

Quinn’s Monster Cake.

See? All sorts of fab tips and tricks!