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Have You Ever Gone RVing?

*This post is sponsored by Annville Auto Center in Annville, PA**

It’s only mid-February and I’m already dreaming of summer vacation. One reason is just thinking about the warmer weather, the other reason is because because it’s nice to just get away from the norm for a while. For a family of 6 a vacation where we actually go somewhere can get pretty expensive when you consider where you’re staying, what you’re doing, food, gas, souvenirs and any other expenses that might incur depending on when you go. We only take an actually vacation every 2 years. The years in between we just do a staycation or maybe do some small things scattered throughout the summer like parks, swimming pools, summer events, etc.

This is the year we take our actual vacation. We narrowed it down to a couple locations. I already started pricing out options for stays: hotels vs renting a condo, renting a condo vs renting a beach house, staying at a resort, etc. 3 years ago (yea it’s been that long, last years was supposed to be our year to go but we ended up having the baby) we went to Myrtle Beach, SC and we loved it.

This year though since our youngest will only be about 16 months old or so when we go we thought we’d go somewhere closer. Maybe Virginia Beach or Ocean City, MD. I found that if you can book your stay before April, the prices a better. Seriously when I book our condo at Myrtle Beach it wasn’t too bad at all. Only about a week after when I looked back at the site I noticed the prices had gone up nearly $200 a night!

When I started searching for affordable stay ideas I came across the idea of a motor home or RV or whatever you call them. Honestly I never used one myself. I went with a friend to a local lake for a week one time and they had a camper set up at a camp ground. That’s my idea of camping. I’m not outdoorsy at all. I came across this one coach on http://www.annvilleautocenter.com only 42,000 miles on it and $17,000. I realize that’s a lot upfront but I thought, wow in the long run if it lasted it could save a lot of money vacation wise. Even with my frugal spirit and planing our vacations end up costing a few thousand which is why we can only go every couple years. I realize the one on that site isn’t big enough for a family of 6 but it really got me thinking. I realize there’s other expenses involved but not sure what all it entails.

Do you go RVing? Do you want to share your RV trip tips? Any fave places you like to go?

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Saving Money with a New Baby

Luv Saving Money partnered with Baby Value Factory Outlet on this post

Saving money with a new baby, I know it almost sounds like an oxymoron. Babies are expensive, but obviously money well worth spending. I have some advice coming from a mom of 4 to new moms when it comes to preparing for baby.

1. Research your options

There are lots of options with baby: nursing or bottle feeding, disposable diapers or cloth diapers, pacifier or no pacifier. Many options are a personal choice. Depending on how you will do things will help you plan ahead and prepare for baby. You can even plan these things as you trying to conceive not just when you’re pregnant. Knowing your options with the path you want to take can give you an idea of supplies you’ll need, how much they cost, and where you can get them. Another idea, making your own baby food. I have some posts on how to do that here: https://luvsavingmoney.com/2013/10/making-homemade-baby-food-applesauce.html

2. Buy ahead of time

I did this option a lot. Some things you might not be able to buy right away like gender specific clothes or things with expiration dates but you can buy things like diapers, wipes, neutral blankets, crib, changing table, etc ahead of time. Allowing yourself time lets you look for sales and coupons and stock up when you see them. If you know you’re having a baby shower putting gift cards on your list along with the other things is always a good idea too. That way you can buy supplies like diapers, wipes, formula, nursing pads, etc after baby is born. Don’t be afraid to ask advice on where to get affordable items from like-minded moms and family members. Even as a mom of 4 I’m still finding out about great places to grab a deal from friends and family.

3. Baby Reward programs

Some stores have baby reward programs out there. I know one in particular that has a “baby VIB” program where you can earn free or discounted baby needs when you buy so many. A lot of stores have special offers. Sign up for baby store newsletters to get additional coupons and notice of sales. Another fave reward program I like is Amazon mom, it’s free and gives you 3 free months of Amazon Prime shipping if you are new to Amazon Prime.

4. Decide what you really need for your budget

Some things are really nice to have but aren’t necessarily a “need”. Changing tables can make the job of changing a little easier and give you some storage space but I didn’t even own a changing table until I had my 3rd son. I got a reusable changing mat and would change him on the floor, couch, or wherever was convenient at the time. There are tons of gadgets like wipe warmers and bottle warmers for instance that are more of an added luxury thing. Honestly I did get a wipe warmer with my first son but it ended up drying out the wipes pretty quickly.

5. Check discount stores and consignment stores

I know, when I had my first child I wanted everything new, new, new. As I saw how fast my son grew out of clothes and then we had another child I realized there are many items out there that are still in good shape from consignment stores. I actually bought a gently used Vera Bradley diaper bag at a consignment sale for $6 when my daughter was born!

An infant might only wear clothes for 3 months until they grow out of them and it’s not like they’re playing football in them or going to the gym in them. Also if you do want new, sites like Baby Value Factory Outlet: www.babyvalue.com.au offer new, brand name baby needs for discounted prices. (PS they also have a newsletter to let you know about sales and coupons)

6. Talk to Family and Friends

Is your friend done having kids? Did your sister’s child grow out of some of their things? I know when I had my kids family and friends were happy to give or lend me items their kids had outgrown. Just a courtesy though, ask if they are going to want them back or if it’s ok to pass them on to someone else. If you have friends or family with kids you can even trade and pass around clothes, shoes, car seats, etc. As one has a baby give them the items you’re not using, you have another baby, they give items back plus what they might have bought. I’ve passed on plenty of outfits, shoes, blankets, etc to friends and family.

7. Know that you don’t have to have everything right away

Certain things you’ll need right away like a rear-facing car seat, probably a stroller, diapers, etc. But other things like doorway jumpers, baby gates, baby utensils can wait a month or two. Those gift cards you put on your baby registry, take baby out when you’re feeling up to it and you can pick up those things then.

Do you have tips for saving money with a new baby? Feel free to share

Winter Driving Tips from a PA Mom

**This post was sponsored by Caitlin Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in Jenkintown, PA**

Living in Pennsylvania we see everything from 98 degrees and sun in the summer to -15 with wind chills of -30 and feet of snow. This past week has been pretty nasty for us here in south western, PA. Sunday night the roads were iced then we got several inches of snow, cold temps and some sleet on tip. It was a mess. My normal 20 minutes drive to work took 40 minutes. Wednesday had ice everywhere and drove past the scene of an accident where a truck had flipped on it’s roof. Which brings me to the point of this post, winter driving tips.

People that aren’t around snow and ice as often and surprisingly even people around here have a misconception that if they have 4 wheel drive or an SUV they won’t have too much trouble getting around. That might be true when it’s just snow but when it comes to ice, any vehicle can lose control.

Prepping for the drive

Allow yourself plenty of time to get to your destination. You’ll need to drive slower. If it’s bad like it was here on Wednesday there’s a chance you’ll run into delays like car accidents or fallen branches on the road. If you give yourself extra time you don’t feel rushed and you’re not tempted to hurry or be impatient.

Have your cell phone handy and charged or keep a car charger adapter in your vehicle. Some have service subscriptions like on-star that are great too. This way if you do get into an accident or your vehicle is stuck you can get help. I’ve also had to use my to call my work and let them know I was running a few minutes late.

Stock your car emergency kit before the weather starts

When the bad weather season is approaching make sure you have some things in your car to help you with icy weather. Keeping a small bag of kitty litter in your vehicle in the winter can help you if you’re vehicle gets stuck on ice. Ironically this just happened to me on Wednesday in in my all wheel drive suv. Pour some kitty litter around the front and back of the tire(s) that are stuck. then try advancing your vehicle. If it still doesn’t work, try “rocking” your vehicle by attempting to back up then pull forward. You might only move a little bit at a time but that’s ok.

Things like road flares, emergency signs, or flashers can alert other drivers that you might need some help and also makes drivers aware to slow down.

Make sure your spare tire is in good shape and you have a tire iron or some tool available if you would need to change your tire in an unlikely spot. Keeping a flashlight, especially a hand crank or shake flashlight that will last longer will help if this happens at night. Also could be used to help signal for help if needed.

Keeping vehicle emergency phone numbers handy like your insurance company, a tow service, or an automobile service like AAA will ensure you can get help faster when stranded in the cold weather.

I personally keep a first aid kit in my car. With 4 small children I’d rather be over prepared then under. I have a family travel kit that that has things like bandaids, burn ointment, gauze, and scissors in it among a number of other items.

For parents, having activities in the car like books, travel games, etc is a good idea anyway but if something would happen you’re vehicle was stuck and you had to wait for a tow, these things could be a sanity saver to keep your kids entertained and calm until help arrives.

Have your vehicle checked before the start of the season

Ensuring your have enough anti-freeze, windshield washer fluid, oil, etc in your car will keep your car running smoothly. I’d never want to run out of windshield washer fluid with the salt and splash I get on my car. Checking your battery is always a good idea too. Do you need new tires? Check your treads. Also having the appropriate tires help too. Whether you use all season, winter tires, or studs, make sure they’re in place before the weather gets too bad.

For negative temps

Give yourself time to warm your vehicle up, not only for you and anyone riding with you but for your vehicle too. When you start your vehicle you can also clean off the roof, windows and hood to make sure you have full view when driving. This is where making sure your have a good battery is really going to pay off. When it’s extremely cold you can even start your car and leave it run for about 10-15 minutes to make sure the battery doesn’t freeze.

Last but not least, is your car going to make it through the cold weather

Believe me I know cars are not cheap. I keep a vehicle that’s been good to me as long as possible. But if you’re car has been nickel and diming you, shutting down on you, etc. in the good weather, it’s gonna be worse in the winter. When you’re vehicle is misbehaving give yourself time to shop. For example, check out: http://www.caitlinchryslerdodgejeepram.com/ and go through and see, if you were buying a vehicle right now, what is your budget? What is available on the market now? Compare gas mileage, features, and vehicles. When I bought my vehicle I shopped around for months trying to find the best fit for my family of 6 AND fit in our budget. I also knew I wanted something that would be dependable in the winter, comfortable for my family, and wasn’t going to break the bank to fill up the gas tank.

What are your winter driving tips?

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What is this Hot or Not App All About?

There are a lot of free apps out there, apps for just about anything: banking, coupons, rewards, games, even an app that turns your phone into a flashlight. Seriously, my hubby used that for a while. If you’re someone who just NEEDS to know if people think you’re hot…or not, you can check out the Hot or Not! app.

Hot or Not! is a free app available for iPad, iPhones, and PC via facebook. For this post I’m going to focus on the iPhone app because that’s what I tried out. The app downloaded quickly on my iPhone 4s. When I first opened up the app it displayed a picture to vote on. I couldn’t really find the directions at first but it seemed to be pretty self explanatory. There’s a heart if you like the pic, an “X” if you don’t. I tried to vote to test it out. I couldn’t vote until I added my own picture(s). This is my tip when using the app, there is a deselect button at the top. When you go to add your pictures, all your pictures are selected. I personally would not want pics of my kids or other family member in this app. I deselected all then selected one of just me. Here is a screen shot of this. I circled the deselect button in pink. I was trying to manually deselect pics until I saw that button.

Ok once you choose your photo you go into the app. You put in info like your first name, age, and if you’re male or female. That’s the only things I had to input. It automatically had me rating guys I’m assuming because I had put in that I was female. Most of the pictures were legitimate but there were a few funny ones thrown in there. I’m guessing they don’t want that in that but it made me think for a minute. I chose a screen shot of one of those pics mostly because I didn’t want to be posting someone else’s picture on my blog without their permission.

If you’d like to try the Hot or Not App for yourself you can download it free here: http://www.tryhotornot.com/ Hot or Not! is also holding a sweepstakes where you can win $1000! Who couldn’t use that right?! Enter the sweepstakes for yourself: http://www.apptism.com/sweepstakes

My initial apprehension was, I’m happily married and really the only one I care thinks I’m “hot” is my husband. I also had to wonder about the self esteem of some, that might get more “nots” than others. In the end though you can only hit the heart or the “x”. There doesn’t seem to be a way to see who hearted or “x”‘d your picture. There doesn’t seem to be a way for people to contact you either which was another concern I had. I didn’t want date invites or mean or vulgar comments sent my way but those worries were alleviated when I saw that the app is pretty simply, a voting system.

**This post was brought to you by Hot or Not! app**

Why Choose a Comfortaire Mattress

**This post is sponsored by Comfortaire. Any opinions expressed are my own**

When my husband and I first got married and moved into our house, we were lucky enough to have family give us furniture to start with. Through the years some things have been upgraded and added. One of the things we received was a queen size bed and mattress set. The Mattress set had been around for a few years. Honestly I couldn’t even tell you how long and not sure I really want to know. When I was pregnant with my 3rd son I noticed I was having trouble sleeping and was getting up in the morning with my back hurting, shoulders hurting, and neck hurting. Initially I blamed it on being pregnant but when my husband started having the same complaints I realized we needed a new mattress.

People don’t always realize that when buying a mattress it’s really an investment in your health. The problems that can occur from lack of sleep can really take a toll on your health. I’ll be the first to admit, mattresses are expensive but when you consider the way they are made now a good mattress can last you for at least a decade or more. Comfortaire is the original air bed company making luxury mattresses.

Comfortaire mattress are not too hard and not too soft. The air chambers of the mattress make sure their are uniform pressure in all areas from head to toe. This reduces stress at typical pressure points like your bum and shoulders but support your back to help with back-pain relief. Comfortaire mattresses are also greener. The mattress covers are made 100% from bamboo pulp fibers. As you might know, bamboo is an easily renewable resource. It also makes the cover biodegradable. Bamboo also help wick away moisture and make your bed temperature comfortable for any season. Even the mattress foam is made from soy which is also a renewable resource.

One hot feature in mattress is to be able to adjust for the comfort of more than one person. My hubby prefers a firmer mattress, me, if I could sleep on a cloud, I think I would. Comfortaire makes adjustable beds so that you and your partner can sleep in your own personal comfort. With the adjustable feature you still get the comfort of the air mattresses.

I love the idea that Comfortaire has found a way to combine comfort and eco-friendly features! Check out the reviews on the site. Almost every one I see is 5 star or 4 star out of 5.

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