written by: Sari Holtz

Let’s face it – the challenge of taking your children to a store (ANY store!) is extremely overwhelming. From the whining and begging to the bathroom breaks and fast breaks away from you, taking your child to a store is a task that isn’t for the faint-of-heart. And in your rush to get out of the store, you may inadvertently throw so much stuff in your cart that you may need local movers to help you get home. Fortunately, the invention of the internet has made it possible to shop for your children without taking them to the store. Here are four children’s items that are highly worth buying online so that you can save both money and sanity.

1. Clothing. Children become fashion-conscious from a young age, and if your son or daughter loves getting new clothing, taking him or her to the store can become quite expensive. Instead, sign on to your favorite store (or stores) and browse the clearance sections for items that are in your budget and that you think your child will like. Don’t forget to look for online coupons to maximize your savings. You can also sign up to the newsletters of your favorite stores to get exclusive online deals that will make saving even easier. Once you’ve narrowed down your options, allow your child to choose from the items you’ve selected – you’ll be amazed at how quick and painless the experience can be.
2. Shoes. If you think that it’s too hard to buy shoes online without trying them on, think again. With children, chances are good that if they’ve outgrown their current shoes, they’ll advance to the next size – and that it’ll probably fit just fine. Dragging your child to the store to try on 15 pairs of shoes is a time-consuming, hair-raising experience that can easily be avoided by shopping online. If you order from a local chain retailer you can often return the shoes in the store to avoid return shipping charges. And, oftentimes shoes are cheaper online than they are in the store, so even if you must pay for shipping, you still won’t be overpaying.
3. Dinner. If you’re planning on a family dinner, a great way to save money is to order in. Not only will you avoid paying a steep tip, but you’ll avoid a scene as your child begs you for an expensive desert or can’t make up his mind about which entrée to order. Since most restaurants now offer free delivery and menus online you should have no trouble placing an order and enjoying your dinner at home.
4. Books. Your children either love reading or hate it. But whether they’re begging for every book in the store or refusing to accept any of them, a trip to the bookstore is just asking for trouble. Purchasing your books online can save you big money, especially if you purchase used editions. Make sure you factor shipping costs into the price of the book to ensure that you’re still getting a good deal. When you’re finished, sell your books back and use the money to purchase more books for yourself or your children.

Aloha Friday! Thank goodness the weekend is finally here. This weekend is extra special because it's a long weekend. There were quite a few coupons offered for this Labor Day weekend, so it was actually quite difficult to hand-pick just a few of the coupons to share with you. I will say that most of the coupons offered this Labor Day are good for at least 20-30% off. This is far better than in years past, which further exemplifies the state of the current economy. With that said, the consumers end up being the winner, with even better coupons than before. All of these coupons end either the 5th or the 6th. Hope everyone has a safe and fun Labor Day!

1. Nautica - Save 30% off your entire purchase at Nautica when you enter SAVE30 into the promotional code box. This promotional code works on all items including those on sale. Shipping is a flat $8 on every order. Expires 9/6
2. Golfsmith - Get $15 off $100 or more, $50 off $300 or more, or $100 off $500 or more. You'll also get free shipping on your entire purchase. Just enter EPS034LAB into the promotion code box. The following are excluded from this promotion: Callaway, TaylorMade, Cobra, Nike, FootJoy, Prince, Wilson, Head, Dunlop, adidas, K-Swiss, Yonex and Volkl. All items from the following brands are excluded: Sky Golf, PING, Titleist, Mizuno, Oakley, Under Armour, Zero Restriction, Luxilon string and Babolat. Does not apply to tennis balls, ball machines, tennis restringers, and do-it-yourself putting greens. Expires 9/6
3. Orbitz - Up to 40% off select hotels throughout the US. Some examples include 25% off New York hotels, 35% off Miami hotels, 40% off California hotels, and 25% off Atlanta hotels. There is no promotion code needed for these offers. Expires 9/5
4. ShopEcko - Take an extra 20% off all clearance items. Free shipping is also available for any purchase over $100. Just enter WORKIT into the promotion code box during checkout to receive the 20% off discount. It's good for all of their brands. Ecko Unltd, Ecko Red, Marc Ecko, and MMA. Expires 9/6
5. Jack's Surfboards - Get 20% off any purchase. Shop all of their surf and outdoor apparel. Then enter LABORDAY into the coupon code box for the 20% off discount. Works on everything, including sale items. Expires 9/6

Since many of our children are running about our neighborhoods celebrating their last hoorah before gearing down for yet another school year, it is easy to forget that some districts are down to only a couple of weeks remaining before the first tardy bell rings. The amount of essentials that we are required to provide for our children nowadays may seem ridiculously extensive to some, but in this current economy the school budgets simply do not have enough to provide some of the basic essentials that they once could. It is important for parents to realize that any time your child goes to school without one of those required items their teacher will most likely provide it for them, and the funds for that item came straight from the instructor’s already diminished salary. This week Coupon Shack will focus on all of those school essentials that you need to be sure and pick up before the 2010 school year begins; and we will also help you find some of them at fantastic discounts.

1. The Basics
   The requirement list for student purchases normally varies by school districts and instructors also usually have a few requests of their own. For this reason alone, it is often a good idea to call or visit the actual school campus to obtain the list of items that need to be purchased, and many districts also post this type of information on their websites as well. Although we could not possibly name every item you’ll have to pick up over the next few weeks, here are most of them:
   • A sturdy backpack
   • notebooks
   • college rule notebook paper
   • Black and red pens
   • #2 pencils
   • highlighters
   • A ruler
   • A binder
   • a pencil sharpener
   • Index cards
   • A calculator
   • Sticky Notes
   • Graph paper
   • Gym clothes
   • a combination lock
   • Scissors
   • Scotch tape
   Of course, we also know about the huge back to school sales that the major retail stores like Walmart and Staples have each year, but one thing that you probably didn’t know is that these seasonal blowout prices are also available on their websites. This means no standing in line, fighting your way down crowded aisles, or searching for sold out items; just follow the above links and you’re done in minutes.
   
   
2. The Teacher
   We’ve already mentioned that your child’s instructor has several out of pocket expenses that the school board does not reimburse them for each year, and every classroom has a number of essentials that are constantly in need. Items to look out for on sale are:
   • Tissue paper
   • hand sanitizer
   • pencils
   • Construction paper
   • newspaper
   • staples
   • Crayons
   • mid-day snacks
   • seasonal decorations
   Be sure to ask the teacher if volunteers are needed as well, because many educational and leisurely field trips end up cancelled because of this reason. Also, if you breed small animals (fish, hamsters, etc) it would be a great idea to inquire if a small cage habitat could be placed inside the classroom for all of the students to enjoy.
   
   
3. Looking Cool
   If I could have just one wish granted by the Tooth Fairy or some magical genie that was once trapped within a lamp, I would probably spend it requesting that every single child throughout the entire world would have a new outfit to wear for the first day of school. This may not seem like a tremendously big deal to some, but that first day sets the tone for the entire year and new clothing makes us shine with confidence. Websites like Gap and Macys practically give their merchandise away during back to school sales, and the closeout styles on their websites can often be found at an even greater discount.
   
   
4. Tackling Homework
   Let’s face it; most of us rarely ever even open a magazine or a newspaper anymore because our cellular phones and office PC’s keep us constantly connected to the web, and if you’re not yet utilizing high speed internet for studying at home it should become a priority for your children. Of course, many of you probably have a great internet connection when it actually works, and that system you purchased a few years back could be humming and growling like it’s definitely on its last leg.
   
   One thing that absolutely robbed all of your computing power was viruses and spyware, and if you purchase a new system from Dell their award winning customer support team will make sure that never happens to you again. Their prices have become so competitive over the past few years that there really is no longer a reason to purchase anything but a Dell since they are the top manufacturer of computers on the planet, and if you shop their refurbished section there are steals to be had every single day.
   
   
5. Play Time
   Heading back to school isn’t only about studying; and of course your child will probably make several friends on the very first day that will introduce them to countless little games or activities that they had never before even dreamed of before. Dicks Sporting Goods carries most of the equipment your child may come home talking about, and not to be outdone by their competitors they are also having a back to school sale on everything from their licensed sports jerseys to sporting equipment and roller blades. Reward good study habits with great incentives like outdoor games and events, and your child is much more likely to take their studies seriously.
   
   Then again, if play time in your family means that it’s time to break out the band, we have found you some savings there as well. A website named Sam Ash is known to carry only the highest quality musical instruments, and since several of our children are active in their school bands we have worked out several exclusive discounts with them that can not be found anywhere else on the internet. Simple click the link above and use the coupon codes at checkout.
   
   
6. Attitude/ Diet
   One thing that many of us tend to forget is the actual peer pressure that is present within literally every school in the world, and as parents it is our responsibility to show positive reinforcement whenever possible when it comes to education. Get your young one to bed early several days before the first day of school so they can begin to get back on schedule, make sure to personally check their homework daily, and give them a great warm breakfast before heading off on the first school day. All of these things will help boost their spirits as well as their attention span while inside the classroom, and even though they make take most of it for granted it small changes like these help reinforce how important we value the entire learning process.

For those of you who haven’t noticed, over the past two years our electrical bills have steadily increased at a rate of a few dollars per month and this trend is nowhere near ending anytime soon. While it is difficult to gauge the increases from one month to the next, these rate hikes add up to a substantial amount of money over the course of a year and can often be compared to the compounding interest that many of the worst credit card companies are currently trying to charge. In some states, electrical bills are as high as 50% more than this time last year while the usage has remained the same or decreased, and this is an alarming problem that has to be addressed. Although as consumers we can not yet survive completely without the power company, there are still a few ways to beat them at their own game. This week, Coupon Shack will focus on reducing your energy bill without making drastic sacrifices. Of course, at Coupon Shack our expertise is saving all of you money while shopping online; and truth be told we knew very little about shaving dollars off of our electric bills. In order to gain this type in insight we turned to one of our partner stores, AJ Madison, since their online showroom educates customers everyday on ways to conserve power. After sitting down and spending some time with one of their department managers, here’s what we found out-

1. Solar and Wind Power
While both of these technologies are a viable option if you have about $10,000 to spend, the price point just isn’t quite low enough to be considered worth adding onto an existing home. If you’re on the market to purchase a home and can combine the cost of solar energy into your mortgage though, that extra fifty dollars per month will be offset by having little or no electrical bill at all. Wind turbines work best in areas that receive a steady wind speed of 10 MPH or greater, while solar panels rely on the proper positioning of your home and the surrounding terrain so you can capture as much sunlight as possible. The best news is that these sources of power can be harnessed directly into your local power company’s lines, so if there is electricity left over at the end of the month they will send a check to your mailbox for the difference.
2. Energy Efficient Light Bulbs
While I personally was not convinced that the new compact fluorescent light bulbs were true energy savers, the math certainly does not lie. Each bulb you replace within your home will save approximately $5 per year off of your electric bill, which in itself does not seem like a lot but the average home has thirty or more lights. The savings grows even bigger when comparing larger, more powerful outside lights so be sure to change those right away. Even though these types of light bulbs may cost more for the initial purchase, each one will last for years which makes up for the difference in cost all by itself. The savings is not massive, but a switch to all CFL bulbs within your home should shave about $10 per month off of your energy bill.
3. Air Conditioning/ Heating
This is the main topic of discussion since we have to remain comfortable within our home environments, and air conditioning is also where most of us make the biggest mistakes. Central air is expensive to have installed (around $3000 to $5000 for the unit and labor) but if you look at your energy usage when using multiple fans and window shakers, it is very likely that your residence is using in excess of $50 per month of similarly sized homes with built in A/C. Now, that $600 per year that you are wasting may sound a lot better than several thousand, but between the government incentives on Energy Star units and the tax rebates; it is entirely possible that the $50 per month being thrown to the wolves will come close to making your entire purchase if you opt for short term financing. Like we mentioned above with the solar panel advice; if you’re purchasing a new home be sure to get this purchase included within the contract for instant savings. Home Depot runs periodic specials where their credit card holders will receive 0% financing for twelve months on any purchase over a few hundred dollars, and since they both sell and install A/C units this is a very smart way of tackling your home energy bill. Newer Energy Star units can use as much as 40% less power than a central air conditioning system that was installed 10+ years ago, and if you’re relying on fans and window units you can realistically cut your entire electric bill in half. Another tip from AJ Madison is to change out your air filters monthly since this can increase efficiency by as much as 20%. Also remember that central air reduces the overall humidity which literally makes you more comfortable, while portable units just blow cold air. Changing your home from fans and smaller units to a new Energy Star system can save as much as $70 per month off of your electric bill.
4. Hot Water Heater
For many of you this part of your electric bill probably rivals air conditioning expenses, and heating your water accounts for the vast majority of this cost. Tankless hot water heaters are undoubtedly the way to go; they are inexpensive, heat water on demand, and shut off when not in use. The average tankless hot water heater will reduce your monthly electrical expenses by 20% or more, and it also benefits your dishwasher and laundry machines. AJ Madison has a great selection on tankless hot water heaters at the lowest prices anywhere on the internet, and they are very easy to install yourself.
5. Appliances
Other appliances around the home also chug down their fair share of power, and one of the leading culprits is the refrigerator. If your unit is twenty years old it uses double the energy that modern units require, and making this change could easily save $10 to $15 per month off of your overall bill. Dishwashers and are nowhere near as costly when it comes to comparing older and recent models, but an average of 25% improved efficiency can be expected with each of them. Modern stoves require about the same amount of power, but since they heat so quickly they are only in use for a fraction of the time so it still saves a good bit of electricity. If you switch out each of your major home appliances that savings could result in as much as 40% less overall power consumption, while making your life a whole lot more comfortable. Many of these appliances also carry government incentives, but the instant savings will disappear by the end of the summer since Congress is re-allocating much of this money towards other projects. Home Depot applies for these rebates on the spot when you make your purchase, so if you act fast then you’ll definitely be able to get in on the incentives.

Happy Friday everyone! I’ve hand picked some great coupons to help get your weekend off on the right foot. Each of these coupons specific to this weekend only. The first one that caught my eye was one from Priceline. For 3 days only you can save $50 on a 4+ night vacation to 5 star hotel in Hawaii. There’s no promotion code needed here. This is a Pricebreaker promotion. Total packages (flight + hotel) for 4 nights are as low as $971 per person. Book by August 29th and complete your stay by October 15th.

Staying on the Hawaiian theme, here’s a coupon from Kona Sports that will save you 15% off any order of $150 or more. All you need to do is enter KONA150S into the coupon code box during checkout to receive the 15% off discount. Shop everything from clothing to outdoor gear. Place an order of $74 or more and you will also get free shipping. Just do it by August 30th.

Thinking of doing something crafty? Check out the 20% off coupon from Fabric.com. Start in the clearance section where fabric is discounted up to 65%. Then enter UNDER810 into the coupon code box during checkout for an additional 20% off. Plus, place an order of $35 or more and you’ll get free shipping too! This Fabric.com coupon expires August 30th.

For the eco friendly couponer, check out VivaTerra and their $20 and $100 off coupons. Just enter the VivaTerra coupon code BIRTHDAY20 for $20 off any purchase of $100 or more OR enter BIRTHDAY100 for $100 off any purchase of $500 or more. Both of these coupons expire August 30th.

Are you into SPORE, the video game? Here’s a 33% off promo from EA Store. No coupon code is need for this deal. It’s an automatic discount and is available on all gaming platforms. Just click here for the discount.

Finally, how about a coupon for Halloween? Whoa! Way too early for Halloween right? Well not if you are a deal hunter. Shop Spirit Halloween this weekend for buy 1 get 1 25% off on all Halloween costumes and decorations. Just enter SPH25 into the coupon code box during checkout to receive the 25% off discount. Sorry no free shipping available here. Just order by August 30th.

Hope everyone has an Aloha Friday!