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To Clip is Hip!

Getting kids involved with coupons can be fun.

Being the inventor of The Couponizer, I decided to offer to my kid's elementary teachers a lesson on coupons and saving money to each class. After they enthusiastically accepted, then I went to work figuring out a way to make this fun and educational at the same time for the kids. My inspiration comes from my girls, they love to help me with my coupons. When they were preschool age, they were still learning fine motor skills and would more than likely cut off the bar code if I did not supervise them but now that they are school age, things are different. I notice they really enjoy going through the process of selecting, clipping, sorting and shopping with coupons. It may be they enjoy being together whatever we are doing, however I'll take the help any day!

To make this whole experience fun and engaging, I created SNIPPER, the Coupon Clipper, a character that will teach the kids all about coupons and how to help select, clip, sort, shop and save with coupons. I created a SNIPPER puppet to use while teaching so it was not so much me talking but SNIPPER talking to the kids. It was thrilling to see the kids in the classroom interact with SNIPPER! They loved him and could not wait to get home and share with their Mom's what they had learned. I donated Couponizer to each child in the class to take home and share with their Mom...just in time for Mother's Day!

If you are interested in this learning module for your school, please let me know. I will find a way to make it available to all kids!

Extra Savings for Families of Multiples!

Atlanta Triplets and More is a group of 100+ moms in the Atlanta area. They are a support network of families who have or are expecting triplets or more. Their purpose is to provide support and advice to each other and to develop new friendships as well as provide network opportunities within the Metro Atlanta area.

Saving money is a top priority for these families since they are hit with triple or more the expenses associated with a newborn. If you are a mother of multiples or know someone who is or is going to be; the Atlanta Triplets & More website has compiled a list of companies that will extend families with multiples special discounts and coupons.

I have the pleasure of being the guest speaker at the Atlanta Triplets & More group this month and hope to share more ways to maximize savings through using coupons.

Summer Fun Can Cost Less!

By Connie Jennings, Marketing Director

Summer vacation is finally here and we are faced with the question of what to do with all that time. Or more like, how do we entertain the kids so they do not get so bored? Here are some helpful outdoor and educational ideas that won’t cost you an arm and a leg and take very little planning.

OUTDOORS

• Start some type of collection – bugs, coins, marbles, etc.
• Bird watch – record and catalog information. What type of birds have they spotted? This can also be done with wildflowers, animals, bugs, etc.
• Visit the zoo. Take drawing paper and let your child draw the animals and family at the zoo. You can frame the artwork and remember this day for years to come.
• Go to the park – Pack a picnic lunch, invite some friends, fly a kite and have fun.
• Go fishing – Dust off that old fishing pole and take the family fishing.
• Go hiking – Hit those trails and start walking. Most areas have a great state park or recreational park. Don’t forget the bug spray.
• Go to the local farmer’s market or one of those pick-your-own produce farms.
• Go camping – there’s nothing like the smell of the campfire and cooking over the fire. It’s a great time for family bonding and the memories will last a lifetime.
• Play board games and/or learn a new card game – play outside on a blanket

EDUCATIONAL

• Go to your public library - summer reading clubs expand your child’s horizons and it is air conditioned on those hot summer days.
• Teach your child to cook. Maybe cook some of those fresh picked vegetables or fruit from the market or farm. The greatest reward is eating what you made!
• Do community service work – Pick up litter in a park, work in a shelter, etc.
• Visit your state capital and find out the history about your state. Any literature they have available, will come in handy during those social studies classes in the next few years.
• Take a trip to a factory or manufacturer that offers tours. Learn how they make products, how they are distributed, how they are marketed, the history of the business and the importance of it to the community.
• Find out what there is to do in your state. You can go on-line, go to the library or contact the Chamber of Commerce to see what’s in your area. There are many neat things to do in each state if you take the time to search, you may find a hidden treasure.

The above ideas may or may not work for your family. Whatever you do just spend time together. They really need you at any age! Always add laughter to whatever you do, it’s so healing and good for the soul. Tell them how important they are – even if they know it, they need to hear it!! Enjoy this time – it goes by so fast!

Kids Can Clip…COUPONS!

Getting your kids involved is a great summertime activity. My oldest daughter helps me clip and stack just as my Couponizer of the Month's daughter gets involved as well. In fact my daughter got into clipping at an early age...read on...

A few years ago when I was getting going with my coupons I was in a rush to get to the store. I had a few great coupons but they were not clipped and I did not have time to do it at home. So, I decided to cut the coupons in the mini-van in the parking lot before going into the store. While my baby and toddler were strapped in their car seats, I turned on some of their favorite music and took a minute to get coupons clipped and organized before shopping. I put the scissors on the dash board and in the store we went.

After shopping and feeling great about how much money I had just saved, I allowed my oldest daughter play around in the car while I unloaded the groceries and got my baby situated in her car seat. I was not paying much attention to what she was doing and when I looked up to strap her in her car seat, I saw blonde hairs floating in the air. She had swiped the scissors from the dash board and cut off all the hair on the top of her head!! True Story!

It seems funny now, but not at the time! Anyway, from that day forward my kids have always loved to get involved when the coupons come on Sundays and now they are old enough to go on a treasure hunt to find the items in the grocery store. My hope is to pass on to them the art of shopping for deals. When they see how excited I am to save money, they can't help but be excited too.

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