Saturday, November 19, 2016

Family pajamas on sale at Target

I am a sucker for family pajamas and every year I search high and low to find s nice set to suit my family. We do wear them all year so it's not like we just buy them for Christmas :). I have been fortunate to find some great pieces every year but I usually have to scrounge around the internet to find something.

Well, stress no more because Target now offers family pajama for every member in your family and they are so affordable. Even better, they are currently on sale for buy one get one half off. Who doesn't love a good sale. I am not getting paid to share this awesome information with you guys, I just love a good sale, matching pajama and Target :).

I love that they have a great selection (more than 16 to chose from), the only annoying thing is that the sizes start at 2T so it's hard to get everyone a matching set if you have a baby. Here are some of the styles that they have available


So if you are in the market for matching family pajamas that are affordable, check out Target.

Monday, October 17, 2016

Amazon Prime: why you need to have it

If you are like most people these days, you probably shop online all the time. With 4 young kids, I almost never go to malls anymore, I do most of my shopping online. That is where Amazon prime is one of the best tools to have on your side. No matter what you are looking for, Amazon has it, most of the time cheaper than retail stores, and with Amazon prime you can get it delivered in 2 days.

Seriously, if you haven't joined Amazon prime yet, you absolutely have to give it a try. We've been prime members for over 4 years and we have loved everything about the membership. From our kids being able to watch free videos anywhere in the U.S. to receiving free 2-day shipping, the possibilities are endless.

I cannot begin to tell you how many times I needed a gift for a birthday party and waited to the last minute but I wasn't worried because Amazon prime was there and the gifts always arrived on time. Whenever I am looking for something, I look on Amazon first because Amazon has everything, literally :). We've bought mattresses for the kids room, toys for the kids, clothes for the whole family, personalized jewelry, water filters for the fridge dvd players for the car, and so many more.

Amazon prime does cost $99 (or $49 if you have a student account) a year but it is so worth it for the 2-day free shipping when you shop often and all the videos that you get to stream for free. We have 3 kids and this is such an amazing feature, particularly when we are traveling.

One thing that I have purchased consistently on Amazon over the last 3 years has been our family Halloween costume. I am not good at DIY but I can always find what I am looking for on Amazon. Check out our awesome costumes from the past 3 years

The Incredibles
 A family of Spider
Family of bones
This year's Halloween costume is also courtesy of Amazon. I love that I can shop in the comfort of my home and get things delivered so fast without ever leaving the house. Amazon is simply the best place to find anything you need in life and with the added benefit of free 2-day shipping, prime makes it the absolute best deal. So if you haven't joined Amazon prime, go do it and enjoy the awesome benefits like all of us.

Thursday, October 13, 2016

The best double stroller - BOB Revolution

When I got pregnant with my 2nd child, I knew that a double stroller was in our future. I shopped around for one but I wasn't really picky, the price tag was my number one requirement. I purchased a stroller that seemed to be a good fit but it failed me right away because it was just way too big and most importantly couldn't fit through a single door. Imagine going out with your kids by yourself and always needing two people to open doors for you, absolutely not practical

I decided to go for a more compact stroller but it proved to be even worst because it was so uncomfortable and the kids couldn't really sleep on the go. Our family is always on the go so that was a complete no no. Also, my then 3 year old could literally pull himself out of the stroller while I was pushing.

I went back to the drawing board and after doing plenty of research, I came back to the BoB revolution double stroller. It was the stroller that I wanted initially but it was just way too expensive. After trying 2 strollers that didn't work, I was willing to give it a try. It had everything I wanted in a stroller (except it lacked cup holders): easy to maneuver with heavy kids on it, comfortable for sleeping on the go, can go through a single door, and easy of use.

Well, after 3 years of using this awesome stroller, let me tell you it's the best stroller you will ever need if you have 2 or more kids.

This stroller is easy to take on trips because you can easily tie the kids down and they won't go anywhere
Though it's a double stroller, it's easy to take places with 3 kids
Easy travel and ease of use, win win
It's a perfect place to sleep, the back is padded and comfortable so the kids can nap in there at anytime. On vacation with our 3 kiddos and the stroller is doing a fabulous job
Nap time on the go is so easy in this stroller

We rotate all the kids around. Even the big boy who is 6 now can still sit in the stroller comfortably
We took the stroller to Disney World and it was magical :)

Even now with 4 kids it's still the best stroller. We took it to the beach many times and it's still the best. My big boy sometimes sits in the front where there is the lip and I can push all 3 easily
Because this stroller was so expensive, I shopped around for months. When I finally found it on Amazon on sale for $200 less than the original price, I jumped on it. I joined the revolution you guys and became the proud owner of a BOB revolution duallie and I never look back.  It's truly the best double stroller. Now they need to add cup holders so that we don't have to buy extra pieces just to hold our drinks :)

Do you have a stroller that you absolutely love, double or single? Please share.

Tuesday, October 4, 2016

Do you Ebates

I have a little Ebates Icon on my side bar and will get paid a referral fee if you sign up for Ebates through my blog. All opinions are my own from using Ebates over the last year and a half.

I do a lot of online shopping, heck I almost exclusively shop online now that I have 4 kids to care for. Going to the mall with everyone is not really an option anymore. As an online shopper I am here to tell you that you need to sign up for Ebates before you do your next online transaction so that you can earn cashback for all the transactions you make online. I have made over $500 cashback by using Ebates before any online purchase. It is simple and won't cost you a thing.

I am sure you are thinking that this is not possible but let me tell you it is. A lot of companies pay Ebates a referral fee so that they can drive traffic to their sites and Ebates just share that fee with you. When you sign up, they will give you a $10 giftcard of your choice. After that, before you start shopping online, you go to ebates first and click the link for the site and voila. Ebates will give you a percentage of that money back. It's that simple.

Ebates also has a list of valid coupon codes for the sites that they refer and they don't need a credit card or anything like that to sign up. All you provide is a mailing adress where they can send your check. It's a no brainer, if you shop online then go sign up for Ebates and start collecting some cash back.

Friday, September 30, 2016

Tips on traveling with young kids

Before having kids, we loved to travel. We took every opportunity possible to go see the world. We always had a budget and a plan of action but everything was pretty flexible. Since our days traveling on our own, we've added 4 little ones 6 and under to our brood. We have decided that traveling is still important to us so now we have to be really organized to make it happen and keep it affordable.

Traveling to Berlin, Germany before we had kids

Here are my top 10 tips for making traveling with kids affordable and fun.

1) Embrace the fact that traveling with kids will be completely different and bring about a huge amount of challenges so don't let the meltdowns slow you down. Also pick destinations that are easier with kids

All inclusive vacation in Cancun, Mexico with 1 kid

2) Plan everything down to the details but also be flexible because things don't always come together as planned with kids in tow

Pregnant with baby #2 at a wedding in California
3) Start making plans ahead of time and shop around for tickets and hotels so that you can get the best deal and not feel rushed

Paris, France with 2 kids
4) Pay a little more for convenience like direct flights, comfortable cars, closer location to your attractions, etc

All inclusive vacation in Cancun, Mexico with 3 kids
5) Bring the things that make your life easier with you or make arrangements to get them at your location, kids love familiarity and respond well to that in a complete foreign environment

Toronto, Canada with 4 kids

6) Think about sleeping arrangements and make sure that whatever plan you make is easy for you and your kids

Traveling with a baby that is too little to co-sleep
7) Plan to have activities that are fun and interesting for the kids so that while you are on travel, you are doing things that they want to do too

Hanging out at Brittania Beach in Ottawa, Canada
Chuck E Cheese is always a sure bet no matter where you are
8) Do plan to visit the important monuments, I am sure your kids will love to look back on these awesome memories someday

Letting the kids run around near city hall in Toronto, Canada

9) If you are on a road trip, plan to make multiple stops to feed, go to the potty and entertain the kids. Your trip will be longer for sure but things will definitely be easier

Pit stop for some fun and of course letting the kids do something they might like
10) Most importantly, have fun and enjoy the ride, they are not going to be little forever.

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

First Post

Hello and welcome to loving life on a budget.

I am excited to start sharing with the world how we are living and loving life while sticking to our budget.

Join us in this journey