Mama-press: March 2012

7 Tips for Eating Healthy on a Budget

The following is a guest post by Jenny Ellis, a freelance writer

and regular contributor for aupair jobs.

In a world that is dominated by fast food restaurants on every corner and convenience foods in every grocery aisle it’s easy to get swept up in picking up food on the go and incorporating less than stellar eating habits. A lot of people are swayed by the higher price tags that tend to accompany the foods labeled “health foods” and opt for cheaper, processed options instead; however your family’s health is one of the most important things you can invest in. The good news is it is possible to eat healthy on a budget. All it takes is a little planning.

Grow your own herbs
Instead of relying on store-bought herbs that come in such large portions that they rarely get used before going bad, grow your own herbs. Being able to pick the right portion straight from the plant will save you from throwing out large quantities of pre-picked herbs, which is essentially the same as throwing away money. Not to mention you’ll have a certain satisfaction gained from growing them yourself.
Shop mid-week
A lot of grocery stores will mark down vegetable trays, various produce, dairy products, and even meats mid-week when people are less likely to shop because they need to get rid of last week’s shipments in preparation for the upcoming ones. This means you can snag some great deals on products you’d be buying anyways. Another benefit of going mid-week: the kids are usually in school so you don’t have prying hands grabbing every treat they see.
Plan your meals ahead of time
Going to the grocery store without meals planned out and a grocery list written is a recipe for disaster that almost always results in over-spending. When you go equipped with a list you’re much more likely to stick to it and use up everything you buy instead of throwing out fresh produce that you thought you’d use but ended up not. Sit down with the family once a week and get meal ideas from everyone so that you have a varied list that makes everyone happy.
Buy from a local farmer’s market
Not only will the produce and meats be fresher, but they’ll also probably be cheaper than their grocery store counterparts and healthier to boot since most produce at farmer’s markets are organic and free of preservatives. Plus you’ll be supporting local growers, something everyone can feel good about.
Incorporate meatless Monday’s
Meat is one of the pricier items at the grocery store, so if you can incorporate one day or more each week of vegetarian fare you’ll significantly slash your grocery bill. By including vegetarian meals rich in fruits and vegetables you’ll also be providing your family with healthier meals. You can create many vegetarian meals so rich with flavor that your family probably won’t even notice the absence of meat.
Don’t overbuy organics
Some people get hooked on the idea of buying organic and start buying anything and everything organic. In theory this is a great idea, but in reality it’s probably just tacking on extra dollars to your weekly spending. Stick to the “dirty dozen” of organics so that you get the most organic bang for your buck. For everything that doesn’t fall on the dirty dozen list just buy the regular versions – your health won’t suffer and your wallet will thank you.
Stick to seasonal eating....

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Marketing Mix: P is for Place

This is the final installment in my Marketing Mix Series: P is for Place. Place refers to where you will sell your product, as well as the distribution system used to get it there. For most products, the persons involved are the manufacturer, the wholesaler, and the retailer. The primary places (or methods) to sell your product are:

Brick-and-mortar shops. Retail business with store fronts...in other words, a physical structure (made with "brick and mortar"). You physically walk into this type of shop to buy products.
Online retailers. Businesses who operate solely from a website. There is no store front. Sometimes these businesses warehouse products and ship directly from their warehouse to the end consumer. However, they also may drop-ship items...which means they relay the order to the manufacturer, and the manufacturer ships the order to the end consumer. A benefit of this business model is the online retailer has much less overhead in that they do not need to own a warehouse, or buy lots of product inventory.
Distributors and wholesalers. A wholesaler buys product in bulk from a manufacturer for a discount. Sams' Club and Costco are great examples to which most of us can relate. They buy wholesale, then the consumer buys from them. A distributor buys goods from a wholesaler or manufacturer, then distributes them to retailers, or to smaller distributors. A distributor is akin to a middle man, helping to get the product from point A to point B.

Once you've perfected your product, you must determine in which venue you will sell your product. For moms creating handmade products from home, their typical options are online marketplaces (i.e. Etsy, Artfire, etc.), via a Facebook business page, via a personal website or blog, or through a brick-and-mortar shop. The online options are much easier to set-up on one's own. However, there are SEO (search engine optimization) and keyword strategies that must be taken into consideration. The brick-and-mortar option may seem more intimidating and stressful at the outset, as it would involve research, marketing, cold-calling, or emailing to potential shop buyers. Once you have evaluated your small business goals and your cost structure, if you consider trying to sell your items wholesale to brick-and-mortars, check out Sourcing Handmade to assist you in this process. Also, refer to my previous posts in this series P is for Promotion, P is for Price, P is for Product, and The 4 P's of Marketing.

I'd love to hear any advice, comments, or lessons you've learned while determining the right place to sell your product.

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7 Big Don'ts of Disney World

We just returned from Florida, including a few days' stay at Walt Disney World. It's a very magical place even for an adult...it is the "happiest place on earth," right? Yes...but not when the kids are crying during shows, terrified of fireworks, and asking "can we leave now?" I'm going to cut through all the tour book nonsense, and give it to you straight from a mom of 2 young kids.

Rides are scary. Many books assured us that certain rides are 100% suitable for young children, and are not frightening in the least. Really?! Tell this to my kids who were terrified of "It's a Bug's Life," making us leave during the show. Tell this to my 3 year old who was crying while on the Buzz Lightyear ride when it stopped midstream for 5 minutes due to a malfunction, with her facing Zurg with very loud laser beams shooting around her head. Tell this to little kids watching The Little Mermaid show, when big, scary octopus Ursula comes up threatening all the evil she can summon on Ariel. Key takeaway: if you think your child might be sensitive or frightened of any of the characters in the show, or any of the action, skip it!
Disney World is loud! From the resort buses taking you to the parks, to the fireworks, to the music in the restaurants, it is very loud. There is probably a psychological connection between loud, happy music, and the amount of money one is willing to spend on souvenirs. You can't really escape it, it's just how it is.
The food leaves much to be desired. The few nicer restaurants (those with a $$$, or even a $$ ranking in the guide books) have nice menus. Other than that, be prepared for hot dogs, chicken fingers, hamburgers, and french fries...and the fat, calories, and cholesterol that comes with them. The odd thing is...the hot dogs aren't even very good. I don't think the extensive walking done in the parks can offset the amount of calories consumed with this type of food. Oh, and if you're gluten free...be prepared for a bunch of Caesar salads, because there is not much else for you. Disney's next investment should be on some healthier food options.
Skip Hollywood Studios if your kids are <6. What?! I know, some people love it, but we spent a couple of hours there with our 3 and 5 year old, and it was a big waste of time. My son did get to see Lightening McQueen and Mater, but that was the only highlight. I highly recommend skipping this park unless your kids are really into the Disney TV shows and really want to meet those characters.
Do not rent a car. If you are staying on property, there is really no need to rent a car. The park transportation is great, so eliminate the parking fees and hassle of driving yourself, and bus it...or ferry it...or monorail it.
Do not trade pins you buy in the park. If you are into pin trading as we are, buy some pins off ebay for around 60 cents each, and trade those. I overheard a woman state she bought some pins in a shop to trade. No...that's not the way to go. However, the problem with buying off ebay is you may inadvertently buy scrapper pins...but that is a whole other post in itself...and I'll leave that to the professional pin traders.
Don't buy a big balloon your last day. We bought each of the kids one of those big, huge helium balloons our first day in the park. This was fine. Just be sure not to buy it on your last day because you cannot take it home on the airplane.

Disney World is a great place that everyone should visit at least once in her life. So, I'll end my list at 7, but feel free to add your own words of wisdom in the comments below. Thanks...and have a magical day!

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Guest Post: 4 Things to Consider Before Buying a Pet

The following is a guest post by Nadia Jones who blogs at accredited online colleges. Her bio proceeds the article.
Are your kids begging for a pet?
As parents, we often try to think of different ways we can instill in our children the values that we want them to learn as they grow. Of course, some parents are content with merely extolling the virtues of different personality traits like responsibility and honesty, but the best way to teach a child anything is not by saying but by doing. In my personal experience raising kids, getting a pet for your child is one of the best ways to teach your child several different values. If you are considering getting your child a furry or feathered friend, here are a few things to think about:

Select a pet based on your child's maturity.

Different children mature at different rates, so it really depends what your child will be ready for in terms of a pet. It's important to understand that all pets deserve significant attention, but dogs tend to be considerably more time-consuming. If you feel your child is too young to handle taking an animal on walks, bathing it, and training it, then it's better to start off with a low-maintenance animal like a hamster.

Help your child restructure her schedule to make time for her new friend.

No matter what kind of pet you eventually decide on, your child will have to make time to care and attend to her new friend. Help your child figure out a new schedule that makes time for the pet. If the dog needs to go on daily walks, have you and your child wake up earlier to squeeze in half an hour before the school day starts. Conversely, you can schedule walks or play time later in the day. Just be sure that the pet becomes a priority for your child.

Make sure that your child spends plenty of time with a prospective pet before choosing one.

It's important, especially if we're talking about a dog or a cat, that your child's personality meshes well with the prospective pet. If your child is quiet and likes to spend time doing calm activities, then getting an energetic terrier would be a terrible idea. In the same way, if your child is active, consider getting your child a pet that can keep up with her energy. The best way to make sure that your pet and child will get along well is to spend time with each other before bringing the animal home. Most shelters, pet stores, and breeding kennels provide ample time for a potential owner to do this.

Monitor your child and her interactions with the new pet to avoid dangerous situations.

Even though one of the motivating factors of getting a pet for your child is to ostensibly teach her responsibility, you should know that, especially for young kids, you should supervise the time your child spends with its pet. Young children are often unaware of boundaries, and may inadvertently harm the pet, causing the animal to retaliate. For more information on kids and pets, check out this ASPCA webpage. Good luck!

Author Bio:
This is a guest post by Nadia Jones who blogs at accredited online colleges about education, college, student, teacher, money saving, movie related topics. You can reach her at nadia.jones5@ gmail.com.