I LOVE looking through designer magazines and model homes at the all beautiful furnishings and amazing decorating. But rarely can I ever afford any of it. I often try to re-create the same things that I see for much less.

I love this classic and clean look for a dining room, although mine is usually covered in school work and sewing stuff, this is how I imagine it in my dreams 🙂

Lowes:
allen + roth Harpwell 6-Light Oil Rubbed Bronze Chandelier $159.00

Target:

Smith & Hawken Glass Dome Cloche – Prices starting at $19.99
Threshold™ Lennox Nailhead Dining Chair – Set of 2 $135.99
Safavieh Aram Area Rug $279.99

Pier 1:
Nolan Extension Trestle Table $549.99

Bed, Bath & Beyond:
Shatterproof Martini Glass $3.99

Thank you, Money Saving Sisters!

I LOVE looking through designer magazines and model homes at the all beautiful furnishings and amazing decorating. But rarely can I ever afford any of it. I often try to re-create the same things that I see for much less.

This is a beautiful kids room with the ever so popular Owl theme, re-created for much less!

Walmart: 

Finley-Twin-Headboard-White-Finish $99.99
Sauder Shoal Creek White Nightstand $69.00

Target:
Circo Love N Quilt Set $69.99
Nayeli’s Charm Oval Rug $99.99
Cocalo Baby Plush Owl $19.99
White Resin Table Lamp $38.99

Pottery Barn Kids:
Sabrina Toy Chest $99.99

Free Download:
8×8 Butterfly Wall Art

Thank you Money Savings Sisters!

I discovered Ed Emberley books quite a few years ago when I was doing a lot of ceramics. They are some of my kids favorite books and my favorite gifts to give my kids friends and teachers. THEY KEEP KIDS BUSY!

I also use the ideas to make cute pots for gifts…

This year I wanted to make Herb Gardens for the Teacher’s with kids handprint art on the pots. They turned out DARLING and I think we will be doing them again!

Anyway, the Ed Emberley books are on sale today REALLY discounted, like as low as $3.96!!!! Which is an unheard of price for his books! Go HERE to check them out!

Calendar Kids Handprint Art Quilts – Marcia Layton

Ed Emberley’s Complete Funprint Drawing Book – Ed Emberley

Ed Emberley’s Fingerprint Drawing Book – Ed Emberley

Happy Hands and Feet: Art Project’s for Young Children – Cindy Mitchell

Tonight at 8:00pm CST we are having a Grocery Saving discussion in a  Google+ Hangout. If you are not on Google+ you can join and give it a try! It is easy (not scary at all!) and easy to setup. It will only be about 30 minutes long and we will have some great tips on shopping smarter and saving money!

Go HERE to join!

If you are like most people, you probably got at least one gift card this holiday season. If not, I am sure your kids did! You don’t want to let that money go to waste or forget to use those cards. Did you know that many times if you have less than a 10% balance on the card, you might be able to just cash it out at the store for cash? Check and see what your states cash back laws are and get your money from your card! PLUS you can check your state to see how they rank as far as consumer protection. Sadly Texas ranked poor 🙁

Know your rights: 

In 2010 many states saw a change in their “gift card” laws, meaning as the consumer you have more rights to the value of the card.

• Dormancy, inactivity, and service fees can only be assessed for a gift certificate or card if there has been at least one year of inactivity on the certificate or card
• No more than one such fee is charged per month
• The consumer has to be given clear and conspicuous disclosures about the fees.

Here are a few things that you can do to get the most out of your gift cards:

• Know the amount on the card and when you can, spend it all. Don’t get stuck with $4 on a card and never use it.
• Sell unwanted cards at places like Cardpool, Giftcard Granny, Plastic Jungle and even EBAY.
• Register your card in case you lose it. Check the back of the gift card for the phone number or the website where you can go to register the card. Many times it is not activated until it is registered.
• You can donate unwanted cards at Giftcard Giver which is an organization that collects unused and partly used gift cards for charitable causes.

Also one really cool thing you can do, is buy gift cards from stores that have a “Gold” rating with consumers. You can find more information on which stores do, HERE.

I get tons of questions all the time about is it ok to sell your stockpile? The answer is NO, for a few different reasons. I am sure if you sell your sister a bottle of shampoo for $.50 because she doesn’t want to go to the store, you are not committing the crime of the century. But, there are a lot of reasons why you should not be selling itmes online, at garage sales and reselling to friends. Honestly, that was my example, I would just give my sister a bottle 🙂

Here are a few: 

• You don’t have a resale license or charging tax (I am assuming)
• Coupons state “not for resale” – That is pretty clear

Check out what the coupon information center has to say about it: 

Reselling Stockpiles. Coupons are intended to give individual consumers a good deal, not provide a method for people to set up unauthorized grocery stores or flea markets in their garages, basements or backyards. Such sales usually violate the terms and conditions of the coupons themselves and may be in violation of local health codes. As a consumer, do you really want to buy a product that has been stored in a stranger’s basement for weeks, months or even years?

Still thinking about it? Check out what happened when a couple in cahoots with a Walmart cashier was caught selling items out of their home… Oh, and committing coupon fraud and basically stealing from Walmart to sell items from their “black market store” the police call it.

“This is the result of a months-long investigation with our department working hand-in-hand with Wal-Mart security, who did an excellent job on this case,” Johnston said.

The ring worked with a cashier and used coupon fraud and deceptive price switching to bilk the W. Michigan Avenue store out of thousands of dollars. Detectives believe the merchandise, mostly personal care and hygiene products, was then sold on the black market. How much was sold before detectives busted the operation is not yet known, said Detective Sgt. Chris Boulter.

The unsold products, confiscated during two search warrants conducted Monday, now occupy most of a fire truck bay at the Blackman-Leoni Township Public Safety Station on Parnall Road. There are thousands of dollars in vitamins, razors and toothbrushes. Shampoo, shaving cream and deodorant are lined up in rows.

Read the rest of the story HERE.

Well guys… if we could all pat ourselves on the back we should. Remember the coupon app that I talked about HERE that was promoting coupon fraud and just didn’t care?

TARGET MADE THEM REMOVE THEIR COUPONS FROM THE APP!

Awesome!

When people don’t coupon the right way, and do fraudulent things, it hurts all of us. Way to go Target for demanding that they do the right thing. I am guessing that Kroger will be right behind!