Giving Back

One of the charities that I enjoy giving to is Cradles to Crayons based in Quincy, MA. They held a drive in Weymouth recently at the local high school. I was glad that it was so close, as it saved me a trip to Quincy to drop items off. This charity is all about giving to local children and families. They only take gently used items and they appreciate things that are new. Their philosophy is that these children get enough "junk", they deserve something new or nearly new. Two of the items that they are always in need of are socks and underwear.

These items must be new, for obvious reasons. Whenever I see them for a decent price, I pick them up and stash them away in my "giving inventory". January is a great time to pick these items up as they are usually on clearance. If you're looking to get more involved, they are always looking for volunteers in their "giving factory" located in Quincy. In some cases, you can even bring your (elementary age and older) children.

Thanks for reading!

Sweet Deal

My BFF is expecting her third child in June. She and her husband have been blessed with two little boys so far and they recently found out that this one is a GIRL!! We are beyond excited. Since I heard the great news, I've been looking for sweet little bargains. Now that we know it's a girl, it makes shopping a lot easier.

I found this little shirt at Baby Gap. It's a short sleeve 0-3 month. It will look cute with some white shorts that I found on sale at Old Navy. Usually when I go into a children's store, I head straight to the clearance rack. You can usually find one or two (or more) pieces that are just adorable.

Check out the price:

Happy Feet

After teaching kids yoga classes I realized something... my feet do NOT look happy. During the summer I keep up with pedicures, either done at home or the salon. Once the cool weather hits, the pedicures stop. I decided to treat myself to some happy feet. Using a gift certificate that I received for Christmas, for a manicure, I was able to enjoy this treat at a low cost. Thank you Mrs. R.

Before:

After:

Children's Place

As I was strolling through the mall yesterday I saw a sign that caught my eye: 50% OFF MARKDOWNS! My heart starts to race at the sight of a sign like that. I dashed into the store to get a look at their markdown items. They were pretty decent. I bought my two little nephews a few things. I got them some soft, comfy long sleeve shirts. I also got the little guy (B-age 4) some cargo pants with an elastic waist. These pants are great for kids at potty time, no zippers/snaps/buttons. The cargos were $7.99 and the half off that. The shirts were $6.99 and half off that. As I was waiting in line, one of the workers came by and handed out coupons for an additional 15% off your purchase. I walked out of there with a big bag of stuff for $20.

Happy shopping!

Target

Last night on my way home I decided to stop at Target for a few necessities. Dodging raindrops I walked briskly into the store as I heard seagulls above. After browsing around for a while I noticed a wet spot on my purse. Thinking it was a raindrop I wiped it away with my hand. Well, it wasn't rain. It was green and it was smelly. Realizing that it was bird poop, I quickly got a wipe out of my purse and went about cleaning it up. I shopped around for another 30 minutes or so and headed to the checkout line. After making my purchase and chatting up the cashier she said to me, "I have to tell you...you have something on your forehead." After mildly freaking out and practically shrieking "what is it??" I grabbed a wipe and cleaned it off. It was green and it was smelly. Yes, it was bird poop. I walked around Target for over an hour with bird poop on my forehead.

The good news is, I found a ton of great items on clearance. The best deal of the day is below. A pair of kids sweatpants for 98 cents. I haven't decided if I'm going to donate them or keep them for a friend who's expecting a baby. Check out the photo below:

January Clearance

One of my favorite things about winter is the clearance sales in January. Most people think that they happen right after Christmas, however, if you're patient you can get even better deals.

Old Navy is having their semi-annual 50% off clearance sale. All of their markdowns are an additional 50% off.

I paid a total of $65.35 for everything you see here:

Most of this stuff will go to a children's charity. I wait all year for sales like this to restock my "giving inventory". When I buy things to give to charity I usually try to stay in the $1 range. I'm happy to report that nothing I bought for giving was over $1.98! Thank you Old Navy!

I did, however, pick up this for myself. It's a beautiful knee length wool coat. It originally sold for $99.50. It was marked down to $38.99. Final price $19.49!

Happy Shopping!

Welcome

Hello and welcome. A little bit about me: I'm a single gal living in the 'burbs just south of Boston. I adore my family and friends. I also like my job(s). I am a part-time nanny and part-time children's yoga teacher. There are two things in life that I am absolutely addicted to: chocolate and shopping. To have chocolate while shopping is bliss! When I am shopping it is important to me to find a bargain. And boy can I find them! I can sniff them out like a bloodhound. If there is a bargain to be had, I will find it. I also love sharing my bargains. I love giving to charities and I have a couple of local favorites that I give to regularly. I've decided to start a blog to share my adventures of bargain hunting and hopefully pass on ideas about bargain hunting to you. Oh, I'll also throw in any other adventures I find myself involved in. Check back often to see what I've been up to.

Cheers!