News Moms Need

The holiday shopping season is here, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, can help you get ready. Whether you’re shopping at the mall, online, or by phone or mail, these tips can help you shop smart and stay on budget.

Make a list and set a budget. List the people you plan to buy gifts for, the type of gifts you plan to buy, and how much you plan to spend. Include the cost of cash gifts, holiday travel, extra food, wrappings, decorations, greeting cards, and postage. If it relates to the holiday season and it costs money, add it to your budget.

Shop around. A “sale” price isn’t always the “best” price. Some merchants may offer a sale price on the item you want for a limited time; other merchants may offer items at a discount everyday.

Look for price-matching policies. Some merchants will match, or even beat, a competitor’s prices.

Go online. Check out websites that compare prices. If you decide to buy from an online merchant, keep shipping costs and delivery time in mind.

Carefully consider bargain offers that are based on purchases of additional merchandise. For example, “Buy One, Get One Free” or “Free Gift with Purchase.” If you don’t really want or need the item, it’s not a deal.

Clip coupons. Coupons are useful when they save you money on what you’re already planning to buy. Check coupons for any restrictions. For example, do expiration dates apply, or do you have to spend a certain amount before you can use the coupon? Some retailers will accept expired coupons, and even coupons from their competitors. Check with the retailer before you leave home to learn their policy.

Ask about sale adjustments. If you buy an item at regular price and it goes on sale the next week, can you get a credit or refund for the discounted amount?

Consider layaway. Layaway purchase plans are designed for people who want to buy merchandise without using credit or paying the full price immediately. When you use layaway, you typically make a deposit – usually a percentage of the purchase price – and pay over time until you have paid for the item in full. In exchange, the retailer holds the merchandise for you. To avoid problems, get the store’s layaway policy in writing.

Keep an eye on your wallet. Don’t flash cash. Keep an eye on your credit or debit card during transactions, and get them back as quickly as possible. If your cards are lost or stolen, report the loss or theft immediately to the card issuers.

Use credit and debit cards with care. Save your receipts. You need them for returns and exchanges. Check credit and debit card sales and return receipts against your monthly bills and statements, and report any problems to the credit card issuer promptly.

Ask about refund and return policies. Many merchants may have different refund and return policies for sale items. For example, clearance merchandise may be on final sale, meaning no refunds or exchanges.

Keep good records. Whether you’re ordering by mail, phone, or online, it’s important to keep detailed information about the transaction, including your order number, shipping costs and dates, warranties, and refund and return policies.

Ship early. If you’re sending gifts to out-of-towners, factor in extra time for shipping. If you wait until the last minute, you may pay a hefty price for express or overnight shipping.

To learn more about money management and shopping wisely, click here .

In case you missed it, check out Pam’s post from last week on cord blood.  I find the whole thing fascinating. I’m not talking about the potential benefits of stem cell research either. I’m talking about the business behind it. Now that I’m expecting I’m targeted with advertisements on a regular basis to save my baby’s cord blood for personal use. Whether I’m flipping through a pregnancy magazine, shopping at a maternity store or watching TV, I can’t seem to escape the image of that little baby looking down at her belly button.

I’ve done a lot of reading (not including the pamphlets dropped in my shopping bag) and talked to my provider about it. Based on our family medical history, my husband and I decided against storing our babies cord blood in a private bank. We are very much in favor and interested in donating the cord blood however.

There is no cost to parents who donate their baby’s cord blood to a public bank. However, this option is not available everywhere. The National Marrow Donor Program provides a complete listing of participating hospitals; the program’s phone number is (800) 627-7692. Parents who choose to donate their baby’s cord blood must complete a lengthy parental health and disease questionnaire. The mother also must have blood tests for diseases such as hepatitis and HIV. In some cases, parents may have to pay for these tests if their insurance does not cover them.

If you’re planning to have a baby now is the best time to examine your household earnings and expenditures. I’m learning first hand that having a baby can really put a dent in your wallet. Our little one isn’t due for another two months and I can’t believe what we’ve spent so far.

Getting the nursery ready included new paint, carpeting, decorations and furniture. Maternity clothes — from sweaters and jeans to PJs and office wear (holy cow…have you ever seen maternity underwear!?! Not good.) I treated myself to a full body pillow and a couple of extra cleanings at the dentist. Books for both me and my husband on baby names, breastfeeding and baby care. We registered for a childbirth education course and hired a doula to help us during labor and delivery. We’re ordering close to seventy birth announcements not including postage.  Little newborn under shirts and onesies, diapers, wipes and just a ton of unexpected accessories. And how much is college tuition going to cost in 18 years?

According to Rosetta Jones, a vice president at VISA USA, “the smartest thing you can do is sit down before you have your baby and map out a financial plan.” Click here to check out their baby budgeting calculator. If you plan ahead, these new costs will be easier to manage.

Remember my girlfriend who had the twins? Those little monkeys are now four and half months old and are absolutely precious. Well, I’m meeting her with the babies at the mall this Sunday for a work-out. You read correctly! We’re not browsing or window shopping, but going for a brisk walk to get the heart rates up. Hopefully, we’ll arrive before it gets crowded to avoid plowing into shoppers with the double stroller! 

Let’s face it…the holidays are stressful. The financial strain, coping with family drama and the pressure to make everything appear picture perfect is down right draining.   Managing stress with high-calorie, holiday meals is not a great coping strategy either. Trust me…I tried to do this with mashed potatoes and gravy. I’m still paying for it.

It’s getting chilly outside and our activity level may change, but don’t abandon the importance of physical fitness during the holiday season (especially if you’re pregnant). Be creative. Buddy up with a friend. With twelve weeks left until my due date, I can’t let up either and need to stay in shape for the big day.

Click here to watch a video on managing stress during pregnancy with Dr. Dolan.

My sister and mother-in-law are going to kill me. I just made a huge impulsive purchase online. I bought the entire crib set, including the mobile, valance, wall hangings…you name it I bought it. Right down to the little giraffe night light. Wait until my husband gets a hold of the AmEx bill. DOH! I don’t know what came over me. I was innocently searching for baby names when I came across decorating tips for nurseries. Well, one thing led to another. Before I knew it I was starring right at the order confirmation number. I thought about returning some of the things because I know my family will throw me a shower, but I really don’t want to. It was the first time any of this seemed real and I felt really close to my baby. I shouldn’t feel guilty about that, right? How does that sound? Hopefully my husband will accept that explanation. Shopping is fun…woo hoo!!

I was thrilled to receive the invitation to my cousin’s baby shower. I went right to the computer and RSVP’d.  Then I pulled up her gift registry. Via ultrasound she was told she was having a girl and consequently registered for every single pink item available in the store. One hundred and seventy four items to be exact. Diaper bag, spit clothes, safety gates, monitors, crib set, car seat, high chair, stroller, teething rings, toys, humidifier, and don’t forget the hooded towels! I started to click away.

On the day of the shower I arrived at my aunt’s house and couldn’t believe the mountain of gifts in the living room. This was all for one kid? It was so much fun to watch her open all of the things she had hoped to get for her baby.  There were a few things I had never seen before. Little gizmos and gadgets for practically every baby need imaginable. All sorts of accessories to enhance motherhood, and not to mention style.

When I got home I quickly glanced around our one bedroom apartment. I took a deep breath, sighed and thought to myself, “babies need a lot of stuff. We have to move.”