Cookie's Kids Solves Your School Uniform Problems

When I registered Noah for Kindergarten, I found out that he has to wear a school uniform.  Wearing a uniform is no big deal because a lot of schools have switched to it for different reasons. When I was in school it was a huge deal if your school had a uniform policy, mine never did. I started looking for polo shirts and shorts because after all we do live in Florida and it isn’t that cold here.  When I started shopping I had no idea that it would turn in to a quest. I went to seven stores to find bits and pieces of uniforms. I wanted to have five complete uniforms so I wouldn’t have to laundry in the middle of the week unless I absolutely had to.  I went to all the children’s stores, department stores, and big box stores and they were pretty much wiped clean.  We live in a huge school district and while not all the schools require a uniform a lot of them are.  We even had family members and went out of state and looked there. We were finally able to find enough shirts and some shorts for Noah. It was definitely a stressful experience for me because I didn’t want him to get in trouble for being out of dress code. I thought about calling the school and asking but I figured they would either offer to give me old uniforms, which someone else could really need or send me to a store I had already been to. It wasn’t their job to find me uniforms. My poor friends had to listen to me whine about the uniform situation.  I was lost and his size was really hard to find. They either had small stuff or like 10/12 sizes.  I didn’t want to get him white polo shirts because he would mess them up like the first week.  He does have art class and he has come home with paint on him. 

  

I was so relieved to have the clothes crisis solved and then about a month ago I noticed his powdered blue polo shirts were starting to look worn. The school year is half over and well, he is six and his shirts were definitely starting to need replaced. They weren’t ragged or full of holes but I dreaded starting this process again.  I had kind of been looking thinking they might have some in his size later in the year, I guess those other kindergarten parents are in need of new uniforms too. Then something happened, I learned about Cookie’s Kids.  If only I had known about Cookie’s Kids in August there would have been no stress.  Cookie’s Kids specializes in school uniforms and other kid’s clothing. They have any style you could want. They have many different brands, big brand names.  They also have long sleeve polo shirts, which was something I really wanted for Noah on the cooler days.  Cookie’s Kids also has a bunch of different colors. 

Here is the story behind Cookie's Kids:

In 1972, a young man named Cookie and his brother Marvin went into business together. They rented a 1600 square foot store in Jamaica, Queens, fixed it up, bought inventory and Summer and Fall, and opened a day after Thanksgiving with a full stock of holiday toys. The toys were a success and they put the extra money toward buying children's clothing for the next season. When that did well,they bought more clothing. The business was on it's way. As, he brothers Cookie, Marvin and Sonny, who had come in as a third partner in the business, began to open new stores in new locations, inventory expanded. Besides the latest fashions, our customers wanted shoes, toys, backpacks and accessories and we were prepared to deliver. By the late 1990's there were six superstores throughout the NYC area, and though they previously had different names, by that time they were all named Cookie's Kids. Also in the late '90s came an important addition to Cookie's Kids' inventory: school uniforms. It was the steady success in uniform sales that paved the way for founding CookiesKids.com in 2007, which originally sold uniforms and soon after the entire Cookie's Kids Inventory. 

I was amazed at the prices. I love a good bargain and their clothes are so inexpensive. They don’t have the department store mark up. I was so impressed with ordering. It was really easy to find what I wanted.  I didn’t have any trouble checking out and it was a breeze. The shipping is only $5.95. I hate when I am shopping online and the shipping is the same price or more than what I am ordering.  I am sure you are wondering what I ordered.  I ordered 2 powder blue polo shirts, 1 long sleeve navy polo shirt and 1 long sleeve powder blue polo shirt. I got all of that including shipping for 29 dollars. They have great sale prices too. If you sign up for the newsletter, you can learn about the sales and special coupon codes. Right now you could possibly win an iPad by just receiving their emails. I will continue to use Cookie's Kids to purchase uniforms  for the rest of Noah's elementary school days. 

Take it from me; check out Cookie’s Kids for all your uniform needs. Bookmark it. You have enough stress with your child starting school; their uniforms should be a breeze and with Cookie’s Kids relax and breathe and save all your tears for the first day of school. Cookie’s Kids have 7 stores in the NYC area in Bronx, Brooklyn and Jamaica as well as online.

Please check out my Google + Story for more photos

I am a member of the Collective Bias™ Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias™ and CookiesKids.com #CBias #SocialFabric All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Here's to Mom MasterCard Post Holiday Shopping

Now that you have finished your holiday shopping, and spent all your money you will have to figure out a way to buy the necessitates that you need to survive. I know sometimes you can find better deals for some grocery items online. Really, you can buy pretty much anything online.  Remember that you can use your MasterCard to earn a reward for buying those purchases online.  to sign up all you have to do is enroll your MasterCard card, do some of your holiday shopping online and after spending just $200 you receive a $20 MasterCard gift card! Remember that this deal expires on 12/31/2011, so if you haven't already sign up HERE. I look forward to seeing you all in 2012. Have a wonderful and save New Year.

I am participating in this MasterCard Promotion and I received a complimentary special Here’s to Mom kit for my participation. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Are You Really Getting A Deal?

I consider myself a very savvy shopper. I try and use coupons whenever I can, I shop sales and match up coupons with sales. I get a rush when I get a great deal. A lot of stores do ten items for ten dollars sales that you can mix and match or buy ten for ten dollars get the eleventh free. They seem to be popular sales from what I can gather but now a warning. Be careful; make sure the deal is really a deal and not something that they put up to make you think you are saving money when you aren’t. I wanted to share with you these two instances where I was in fact not getting a deal, one of them being that I was essentially paying more.

Back when Noah was still eating baby food, I would buy him the two pack fruits and veggies. A local store always included them in the buy ten for ten dollars get the eleventh free. I must have done it ten times before, until I noticed something. The baby food was 88 cents not on sale. I am not sure why I looked at the actual price; maybe I was looking to see where a certain food was supposed to be using the price tags on the shelves. I started thinking of all the times I had bought baby food during those sales. Was I really paying 12 cents MORE during the sales? Was I really getting one free with my other items? I tracked down an employee who was as dumbfounded as I was. I mean it happened all the time that they were on sale like that. Were they sticking it to the consumers with babies and making an extra 12 cents? Noah doesn’t eat baby food anymore so I am not sure if they are still running that sale. Be sure to check the original price with the sale price to make sure you are really getting the savings it sounds like. If it something I buy all the time and don’t pay attention to the non sale price, how would I know the item was not actually on sale and inflated?

Another time I have noticed things are not on sale are when they try and say it is when it really only costs $1.00 to begin with. For example 4 packs of pudding are $1.00 and they are often included in the 10 for $10 sales. I know you can mix and match but if you are raising a bunch of pudding monsters and buy the 10 for $10 you think you are getting a deal when you aren’t. In this case you aren’t paying more but you aren’t saving either. You are paying the same as you were if it was on sale or not on sale. It makes me wonder if we put too much faith in those sale price tags. I am sure not everyone takes the time to make sure they are getting a deal. I know that some people see the sale signs and decide to stock up. I know I have been known to do that as I am sure you have at some point in time. Most of the time you do get a deal, but occasionally there is no deal in sight. You have to also make sure you are getting a good deal.

How to Get Cheap Contact Lenses

If you are a contact lens wearer, you already know how expensive buying new lenses can be. Just because your optometrist wrote the prescription and happens to sell contact lenses does not mean you have to buy yours from his or her store. Shopping for contact lenses online has become a much cheaper alternative. All you need is your lens prescription and you can buy from one of the many online stores that offer cheap contact lenses.

Whether you need disposable, bifocal, color, toric, vial or novelty contact lenses, you can easily find them with a simple Google search, at a price far lower than you’ll find at your local eye doctor. Each online lens retailer is a little different, but the purchase process is basically the same for each. Simply supply them with your prescription information, including your doctor’s information and you’ll have access to whichever lens brands you want.

How is it these online stores are able to offer such low prices? Simple, the vast majority of online contact lens stores are strictly online, meaning they have no storefront property to purchase. In addition to those cost savings, many of these lens stores do not carry a physical inventory. They are simply affiliated with a supplier, and all lens purchases are fulfilled by the supplier, further decreasing the cost of operation. All of these cost savings are passed onto the customer in the form of lower prices, bulk purchase rebates, and free shipping offers.

With all that in mind, the key to maximizing your savings is to buy online and purchase your replacement contact lenses in bulk. By doing so, you will nearly always get free shipping, and many times become eligible to receive a substantial rebate on your purchase. Each store’s rebate offer will be different, so shop around to make sure you are getting the most for your money. Couple these options with web based stores’ already lower contact lens prices, and you can see how easy it is to save a lot of money. So, next time you’re in need of replacement contact lenses, get online, search for the brand you want, and remember to buy in bulk.

Ameda Purely Yours – A Hygienic Breast Pump

For new breastfeeding moms out there looking for a quality breast pump, the Ameda Purely Yours offers patented technology that makes pumping much safer than competing brands.

All breast pumps provide the same basic function nursing moms are looking for, but one of the most important factors that many new moms do not consider is the hygienic qualities of their breast pump.

In years past, all breast pumps worked on the same basic principle of suction cycles, which were intended to express their breast milk quickly. Needless to say, newer, more efficient breast pumps began branching out with their own proprietary technologies to provide higher levels of customization, making them more effective, efficient and easier to use. However, one factor that was left overlooked by many manufacturers for many years was the prevention of contamination.

After various research had been completed, it was determined that most breast pumps on the market did not prevent milk and other contaminants from entering the pump mechanism itself. Over time this issue could develop mold on the interior of the pump, leaving it contaminated and impossible to clean. Any milk expressed by a breast pump with this level of contamination could be rendered unsafe for consumption, thereby making the use of the breast pump a health risk for your child.

Certain breast pumps manufacturers like Ameda took this research very seriously and in turn developed what they call a closed-system milk collection kit for their line of Ameda Purely Yours breast pumps. The resulting product eliminates the risk of milk contamination and also makes cleaning their breast pumps much simpler than other manufacturer’s models. This technology has become standard on all hospital breast pumps, but has yet to become the norm for many personal-use breast pumps in today’s market.

Taking all this into consideration, if you are thinking of purchasing a breast pump you may want to seriously consider investing in a closed system breast pump like any of the Ameda Purely Yours breast pumps. Ameda offers 4 different models of their Purely Yours breast pump, each containing different accessories depending on your pumping needs. These include the Ameda Purely Yours, Ameda Purely Yours with Carry All, Ameda Purely Yours with Backpack, and the more robust Ameda Purely Yours Ultra Breast Pump.

Can I get a Price Check?

I get very excited when I find items I use a lot are on sale. You really have to check and make sure it is in fact a deal. One of my local grocery stores often has a sale buy 10 for 10 and get one free. You can mix and match so it is usually a good deal. One day I was shopping for baby food and I saw in the flier that it was 10 for 10 and get the 11th free. Great, awesome right? Yeah I thought so, until I realized that the item only cost 88 cents to begin with! So, I was thinking they want me to pay an extra 12 cents? I don’t think so. We pointed out the mistake to an employee and they kind of thought I was dumb for pointing it out. I thought it was kind of deceitful to act like it was a better deal when it wasn’t. I often wonder how many times we think something is on sale because the sign covering the price says so.

I always have a million things going on while I am at the grocery store. I don’t check every sale price with the original price every time. I have started to remember to do so. I hope you will remember to make a point to check out prices when you shop and make sure just because it sounds like a good deal that it really is.

Coupon Confessions

You all know how much I love coupons right? I have a confession; I used to clip coupons that weren’t worth clipping. I was on a coupon train for a while and I would clip every single coupon even for things that I would think others might need. Some of them were for unique items, that only a select few would use. I would also get really excited about triple coupons and dollar doubles it was like my Christmas seriously. I would clip coupons for things I would never get unless it was free, then I would try and donate them if I could. For a while I had a huge collection of deodorants, ketchups BBQ sauce etc. Whatever I could get for free was like a gift to me. My cabinets and drawers became over run with free things I got from those sales. My mom and I used to joke about how many armpits we would need to use all the deodorant we had in our annex. You need to know when a coupon might not be worth clipping.

I try and use coupons whenever I shop if it is possible. I usually look for printables online if it is for a specific store. I also try and find coupon codes if I am shopping online. There are tons of printable coupons and coupon codes out there if you know where to look. I really like shopping at The Children’s Place for clothes for Noah and I am always looking for Children’s Place coupons. I like to get more bang for my buck. It is like a hunt for me. Do you like to shop with coupons? What are some deals that you have gotten that stick out in your memory?

What I have learned from Dollar Stores

I love shopping at dollar stores. Everything is a dollar or under. No need to check price tags or ask how much something is. It’s really easy to go crazy in them though. I have been known to come out with 13 rolls of double sided tape or other random items that they sell. They always seem to have that hard to find candy like Now and Laters or Ring Pops. Throughout my many years of dollar store shopping I have learned some things I thought I would share with you all.

1. Just because it is a dollar doesn’t mean you have to buy it just to buy it. I have stopped doing that now. I used to find things I thought I would want and then never ended up using like picture frames.

2. Everything looks so much cooler in the dollar store. I think it is the lighting but once you purchase something and get it home or out in the sun it loses it’s wow appeal and you realize that wasn’t as cool as you thought.

3. You can find some really cute stuff sometimes at the dollar store. When Noah was born or heck I might have been pregnant with him I went to the dollar store and bought a package of plastic squeaky whales. They are some of Noah’s favorite toys. I have many pictures of him when he was a baby chewing on them. I wish I would of bought more.

4. The merchandise is always changing and varies from location to location. If you go and look for something and find it, it might be a good idea to get it while it’s there.

5. Just because it claims to be a dollar store, that might not be the case at all. There are stores out there that say they are dollar stores like Deals but not everything is a dollar. I classify stores like Deals, Dollar General and Family Dollar as discount stores. So, be careful when you go in to a store that claims to be a dollar store. It’s better to get clarification and know what you are getting in to. I didn’t do that the first time I went in to Deals and I looked like an idiot. So, I am saving you my disgrace.

6. This is the most important one of all. All dollar stores smell the same. They have their own Dollar Store odor. It is as if it is pumped in through the vents like an air freshener. It stinks. It doesn’t matter how old the store is, it can be the store’s grand opening and it still smells that way. It doesn’t matter if they are a Dollar Tree, a Dollar palace or a Mom and Pop locally owned Dollar store. It doesn’t matter where it is, even in other states dollar stores stink. Even the ones in malls. I have no idea why that is. It’s weird. I could be blindfolded and have on ear muffs and I would still know if I were in a dollar store.

I hope my post about what I have learned from Dollar stores will help you on the next trip you take to one. I think I will start wearing nose plugs because the smell gives me a headache. I remember my old best friend and I would go to the dollar store all the time and before we went in we would take a big breath of fresh air. If you have any other dollar store tips I would love to hear them so leave me a comment!

Flirty Aprons Coupon Code Update.

I posted several days ago about a Flirty Aprons 30% off coupon and since they are having such a great response, they decided to extend it.

As a special thank you from Flirty Aprons for your support you can use the coupon code 30Coupon to save 30% off your order. Just put it in the coupon code section when you check out. The coupon has been extended until March 4, 2009 at Midnight. So make sure you jump on this deal. The aprons are awesome.

Another TJ Maxx Shopping Trip!

I am excited to share with you all, that I had the opportunity to take part in another TJ Maxx campaign like I did a couple months ago. You can read about my past shopping trip here.

I love TJ Maxx. I love the fact that the products are always changing. There is always something new and fun to buy there. I have said this before and I will say this again. TJ Maxx has a bad rep from some people. TJ Maxx isn’t less quality it is just over stock or discontinued merchandise. The only thing that could be considered “dysfunctional” about clothing at TJ Maxx is that they take a marker and draw a line on the tag. They do that so a customer can’t take it back to a high end store and try and be dishonest and return it. It doesn’t affect the quality or the brand. They do it protect the designer and the stores. I completely understood when I figured out why they did that.

I am so happy to have the chance to share my latest deals I picked up at TJ Maxx. Here is what I got all for under 50 dollars total. Noah loves puzzles; he can put his 12 piece puzzle together backwards without looking at the picture. So, I thought it was time to get him something a little more challenging. I got him a 24 piece Very Hungry Caterpillar puzzle that he absolutely loves. It’s definitely a challenge but he will figure it out with some practice. Noah’s new puzzle was $3.99.

I also got a huge soft blanket. I like to have a blanket when I sit on the couch and Noah will take his blanket away from me when I use it. I love my new blanket. It is so pretty and definitely one that I can snuggle up in and be fully covered vs. a little blanket that barely covers me. What a cozy thing to buy myself! My blanket was $12.99! This is a deluxe blanket. I totally got a great deal.

I bought some Dearform Slippers too. If you guys haven’t figured out I am all about comfort when I am at home. I really needed new slippers the soles were really worn out. The bottoms were full of holes. My new slippers were $6.99. My last pair of slippers was $12.00 on clearance at another store. That is almost half price!

I love garlic so I got some Garlic infused oil. It is gourmet oil and you can see the chunks of garlic in it. It seems like the gourmet foods section has more options this time. It might be because it’s getting close to Thanksgiving and Christmas. The shelves were over flowing with interesting products most of them brand names that I have heard of. My delicious garlic infused oil was $3.99

Not sure exactly why I bought Funnel Cake Mix. I love funnel cakes and I bought a funnel a while back. I used to have a “funnel cake maker” but instead of buying another I decided to just do it myself. I haven’t had time to look up a recipe so I figured the mix was the best way to go. I can’t wait to make some delicious fresh funnel cakes. Noah really likes them too. The funnel cake mix was $2.99.

I got a set of small paring knives. They are really cool. They come with little covers and one of them is a Santoku knife, which is my favorite kind of knife. They are the ones with the circles or oval indentations in the blade. I love to cook and chop up garlic and onions so good knives are a must for me. I scored my set of 2 knives for $6.99

I picked up some panty hose too for those formal occasions. I don’t really have much to say about those. They were $4.99 which is a good price in my opinion.

Ever heard of Reindeer Corn? It is holiday gourmet candy corn. I used to get little packs of it at another store around Christmas. When I saw it I was so excited because it has been a while since I have had any. My TJ Maxx has lots of cool Christmas things everything from decorations to DVD's to specialty holiday foods like Panettone Cake. My Reindeer Corn was $3.99. A little bag would cost 99 cents at that other store and this bag is large so what a great deal.

So for less than FIFTY dollars, I got a puzzle, a huge blanket, a set of knives, panty hose, slippers, garlic oil, funnel cake mix, and Reindeer corn all at TJ Maxx. If my first shopping trip didn’t get you to go to your nearest TJ Maxx then maybe this one will. Just think of the bargains you could get!

Thank You to TJ Maxx for the opportunity to participate in this wonderful campaign.