Why Is My Husband Out of Control?

I'm not sure what's going on, but my husband has been out of control lately.  It's not what you think...no crazy things...

It all started when I stayed with my family around the holidays.  My husband was home alone for 3 days.  In those 3 days he did some damage...to our credit card.  

We had this really old t.v. in our room.  I mean a huge tube t.v. that would fade in between black & white and color.  We knew that we would need to get a new t.v. eventually, but apparently eventually was sooner than I thought.  I came home to a flat screen.  He said he got it on a super sale.  Ok.

Then after two days at home, I went back to see my family for 2 days.  So again, he was alone.  This time he bought my birthday present.  An exercise bike for my room.  Before you judge, I did ask for a spinning bike.  But, it was still another big purchase.

It's not over yet.

This time I wasn't away per se...just at work.  I came home to a huge flat screen in my family room.  WTF?  In his defense our family room t.v. did just unexpectedly die, but why doesn't he talk to me first?

Does anyone else have the same problem?  I feel like when I want to make a big purchase like...I don't know, anything...he has to hear the reasons why, how much, where, etc.  But when he wants to make a big purchase, he doesn't need to even tell me!  Double standards?  I think so!

I'm not saying I'm not using all of these big purchases, I just want to at least be in the loop!  


Alexis

BJs Wholesale Club ~ The Go-To Place For Back to School

Where did the summer go?  I'm not ready to leave "Summer Stay at Home Mom" routine to get back to the grind!!

With summer almost over, the back to school shopping season is upon us.   It's the time that the sales for pencils, crayons, and backpacks start showing up in the stores.  Did you know that I LOVE new school supplies?  A fresh notebook and cool pens are so fun!  I know I'm weird.


Having two school-aged boys in the house really takes a toll on my wallet at this time of the year.  They both need everything to get ready for school, so I try to save money and stay sane at every turn.  Not to mention being a teacher also hurts the wallet a bit because there are certain supplies that I need and want for the classroom. 

Crayons & pencils & pens, OH MY!

What better place to stock up on the supplies that we all need for school than BJs Wholesale Club?  BJs is a one-stop shopping destination for name brand, high-quality food and merchandise.  BJs has everything you need to cross off the items on your back to school list.  



Both boys need multiple pencils, folders and glue sticks.  Why not get it in bulk?  They also need tissue boxes, wipes and Ziplocs.  It's a no-brainer!

Everything we need to get ready for school lunches!

A pack of 3 bins?  Perfect for organizing my classroom!

You can't forget about school lunches.  BJs offers many of the lunch items that my kids love.  From sandwich items to snacks, I can get it all!  Check out this BJs Backstage Sandwich Palooza video on how to make-over your lunch using all items from BJs.  

Why didn't they have these when I went to college...so retro!

And don't even get me started on all the items for the college aged kids.  Wow!  They didn't have this cool stuff when I was leaving for college.  Maybe I should go back....

Don't forget to use the BJs coupons for extra savings!

Did you know that BJs is the only wholesale club to accept manufacturer's coupons?  That's one of the mains reason I joined.  Who doesn't love to save money?  You can also partner your manufacturer's coupons with BJs in house coupons as well.  OH YEAH!  Check out their coupon policy here.

And BJ’s offers discounts on gift cards.  Many of the major retailer $25 gift cards that they sell go for $23.99.  That’s right, you’re payling less than the value of the card.  Perfect gifts for your child's teachers....hint, hint!




If you like to save money & you’re not a BJ’s Wholesale Club member, you can get a free one day pass here and start shopping.




Disclaimer:  I was a guest blogger at a local BJs Wholesale Club for their Back to School promotion.  All opinions expressed are my own.

 Alexis

Staying Sane While Holiday Shopping

OH MY GOODNESS!!  It's 48 days until Christmas!  I haven't started shopping and I haven't even begun to make my list.  What's a girl to do?  

I absolutely LOVE to shop!!!  This time of year is my favorite time because it's an excuse to shop and my husband can't say no!!

I follow a few simple steps in order to move sanely through the holiday shopping time:


1)  Make a list.  Oh yeah, the lover of lists has a HUGE list for my holiday shopping!  I start with my easiest recipients:  the kids.  They are easy because they will explicitly tell me what they want.


2)  Set a spending limit.  I try ("try" being the operative word) not to go over a certain price limit per person. 


3)  Online shopping.  For some of my shopping, I go online.  Especially for those people who are hard to buy for.  
See Tech Savvy Mama's 7 Tips for Safe Online Shopping


4)  Slowly but surely.  Oh yeah, it helps win the race.  I try to do a little bit each week.  This way I'm not stuck shopping at the last minute.  (Can't stand the crowds...)


5)  Buy myself a little something.  YES I DO!  Just a little something.  How can you be surrounded by so many new things and not?  


How do you stay sane while holiday shopping?


Alexis