Thrifty Thursday: Saving for College at the Grocery Store
Thursday July 9, 2009
The next time you stop by the supermarket with your preschooler, wouldn't it be great if, along with picking up some eggs and milk, you were able to set aside some money for your little one's future college costs?
That the idea behind eCoupons, a program from Upromise. Instead of clipping coupons, offers are programmed into your grocery store frequent shopper card. And instead of getting money off a product, the savings are directly deposited into your Upromise account.
For example, this month, if you buy a package of Huggies diapers, you'll get $1.50 deposited into your child's college fund, rather than money off the price. Other participating companies include Kimberly Clark, Procter & Gamble and Reckitt Benckiser.
I like this program a lot and use it often. Although it certainly would be nice to see some savings off the bottom line of my grocery store receipt, I do like knowing that with my purchases, I'm putting money aside for the future without having to do much more than shop.
Have you started saving for your preschooler's college education?
More on Saving for College:
Giving Preschool Parents Credit When Saving for College | 2009 Brings More Latitude to 529 College Savings Accounts
More Thrifty Thursday on the About.com Parenting Channel:
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Turn the Page Tuesday: John Deere Dig! Lift! Push!
Tuesday July 7, 2009
What is it about big trucks that are so interesting to preschoolers (and many grown-ups)? There may only be very few words on each page of John Deere Dig! Lift! Push! (compare prices), but coupled with the awesome full-page, full-color images of construction trucks at work, the book gets the message across: trucks are cool!
John Deere is an obvious authority on all things trucks and this book, part of a popular series, is a showcase of their spectrum. As you turn the pages with your little one, talk about the name of each truck and what it does. The book might not be as cool as a trip to an actual construction site, but it's pretty close.
What does your preschooler like to look at?
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Book cover image © Parachute Press, DK Publishing (USA), John Deere
Recent Recalls: Simplicity Cribs, Sweatshirts, Loungewear, Outdoor Gliders
Monday July 6, 2009
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has recently announced a number of recalls including Simplicity drop-side cribs due to risk of death from suffocation.
According to the CPSC, the cribs, which were sold as early as January 2005 through last month, "feature plastic hardware which can break or deform, causing the drop side to detach. When the drop side detaches, it creates space between the drop side and the crib mattress. an roll into this space and become entrapped which can lead to suffocation."
There has been one reported death and 25 incidents due to the drop side becoming detached from the crib. If you have one of these cribs, stop using it immediately and return it to the place of purchase for a full refund.
Unfortunately Simplicity, has a long history of recalls, dating back to May of 2005. According to the CPSC, SFCA, the company that purchased the assets of Simplicity Inc. after it was foreclosed, is not responding to phone calls, letters or e-mails. If you have had a problem with a product from Simplicity or any other product, you can contact the CPSC and filling out an incident report.
Other recalls:
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1973 and charged with protecting the American public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction. To report a dangerous product or a product-related injury, call the CPSC hotline at 1-800-638-2772.
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Got Bored Preschoolers? Visit the Carnival!
Friday July 3, 2009
I am not a camp director. In fact, aside from a few ill-fated days that included rain, poison ivy and a stomach bug, I've never even been to camp. But around this time of year, my kids seem to think it's my sole responsibility to entertain them. School's out, they are bored and they are looking to mommy for fun and games.
If you have run out of ideas on how to keep your little ones entertained this summer, take a quick trip over to the About.com Mid-Summer Madness Blog Carnival, hosted by Jennifer O'Donnell, the Guide to Parenting Tweens. You'll find some terrific tips on how to keep everyone busy -- from participating in community service to fun computer games.
So stop on by and be sure to share your own no-fail mid-summer madness tips in the comments below.
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