Money
Let websites find deals
“Where to buy almost anything” in the March 2012 issue of Consumer Reports () spotlights feedback from more than 26,000 survey respondents on the nation’s major retailers. When rated on quality, selection, value, service, layout and the like, has the most fans among the average American consumer, according to Consumer Reports. But the article also includes this handy deal-hunting tidbit: “Sites like BizRate (), DealTime (), MySimon (), Price Grabber (), and spare you from having to go to dozens of stores to collect prices. They scour the Web or their own massive databases for the items you want, then provide a list of the prices and places to buy. They’ll even let you set alerts that reveal when the price of an item drops.”
Time
Family-corralling challenges
A recent Smucker’s query of busy moms and dads illuminated the obvious: Families have to hustle to get ready in the morning, and to capitalize on after-school, after-work and midweek evenings. These ideas for undercutting the morning dash in particular are posted at .
Grab and go: Have clothes, breakfast and lunch ready. Fold the kids’ clothes as a set with everything from socks to tops. Keep wholesome ready-to-go snacks including bags of grapes and pre-cut carrots.
Trick your brain: Setting clocks ahead by 10 minutes can ensure you are always on time.
Put yourself first: Parents can gain a step up on the day by getting ready in the morning before the rest of the family wakes up. This can help busy moms and dads feel more in control, enjoy a good breakfast, and avoid having to drive kids to school in pajamas.
Elana Ashanti Jeffeson
