Confessions of a Dealaholic

Old Navy is having a promotion on all of their dresses. Maternity dresses start at $19, women’s from $15, and girl’s from $10. My 4 favorite picks for maternity are:

1. A Little Black Maternity Dress will come in handy for sure and the ruffles add a feminine touch.

2. The Gathered-Front Jersey Dress which is also $19 in black. The reviews are strong at 4 out of 5 stars. It is 100% rayon and hits above the knees.

3. I love dots and think this dress is fun – you can’t wear solid colors all the time!

4. This Elastic-Yoke Tank Dress is a fun color for spring and the gathering is very flattering  for a bump.

*Shipping is free if you spend at least $50. Returns are free which I love because it makes them risk-free.

Saving with Online Shopping

I love going to the mall but I save the most money with ONLINE shopping thanks to coupon codes. Not only do I save gas and time – I usually get a better deal. I don’t mean every day things like toilet paper and toothpaste – that’s what Target and Walmart are for. I am talking about diapers, wipes, kitchen items, gifts, toys, books, clothes, shoes and more.

So if online shopping has some of the best deals – how do you save even more? Coupon codes! I never shop online without checking for a coupon code first. Stores that usually have a code include Kohl’s, Gap, Old Navy, Target, Victoria’s Secret, Bed Bath and Beyond, Bath and Bodyworks, Macy’s, and sometimes even travel websites like Expedia. Don’t get discouraged if you find expired codes in the beginning, keep looking and you’ll most likely find something that works.

Finding Coupon Codes

I usually start with a google search for a coupon code. For example, I would type “Kohl’s coupon code 2013” or “best buy coupon code 2013”  in the search box. I also check my favorite coupon websites such as Retail Me Not or Coupon Cabin. Amazon also has a coupon page that can make steep savings even steeper.

Another great way to find coupon codes is to subscribe to emails from your favorite websites. For example, I subscribed to Buy Buy Baby emails and got a 20% coupon in my inbox immediately. Most websites will encourage you to shop on their website by emailing you discounts that you might not be able to find anywhere else. So make a list of all the websites you shop on and then one by one, sign up for their emails. If you don’t want your inbox flooded, just set up a filter so that they will automatically be filed in a folder that you can look at when you are ready to shop.

You’ll be amazed at the savings you get if you research just a minute or two before making your purchase! Free shipping, $10 off $50, 20% off and all kinds of great deals. So check for a coupon code before you checkout!

Target Price Matching

Target price matching has begun! During the 2012 Holiday season, Target announced that it would price match online websites – even Amazon! This was pretty huge news and although they said it would only be during December for holiday shopping, they ended up making it permanent.

So if you don’t want to wait for something to arrive in the mail, bring your smartphone to Target and show them the online deal you found on Target.com, Amazon.com, Walmart.com, BestBuy.com, ToysRUs.com, or BabiesRUs.com and they will match it! YES!

Here is an example of how Target price matching can work for baby stuff – although it works for any category. Perhaps you are shopping on Amazon and you see that the Little Snugabunny Swing is on sale for $99 but you just saw it at Target for $127. Run to your nearest Target with your smartphone and after confirming Amazon’s price they will match it and sell it to you for $99. This is especially great for certain items that you just don’t have time to wait for, especially if they are out of stock or take extra processing time.

Fine Print

Here is the fine print from Target’s corporate page about their price matching policy:

• The item must be the identical item, brand name, size, weight, color, quantity and model number.
• Limit of one competitor online price match per identical item, per guest.
• Price must be valid at the time the price match is requested.
• Retail price must be shown on the website or print ad. Online prices will be validated by a Target team member.
• Competitor online items must be in stock at the time a price match is requested.
• Competitor catalogs can be matched as long as the catalog displays a current date, retail price and meets all other competitor ad match qualifications.
• If item is not available in a Target store, a rain check will not be issued to match the online price or competitor’s print ad.
• We reserve the right to verify a competitor’s advertised price and the availability of the item.

I am a big supporter of Target and I think this was a very smart move on their part. I think they will increase their sales and come out on top with this low price guarantee. And competition is great for consumers because we will get lower prices!

I just received an email from Amazon alerting me that they’ve dropped their price on the Kindle Fire HD 8.9′ from $299 to $269. A $30 price reduction is pretty nice and now it is $130 dollars less than the iPad. I am guessing their motivation for lowering the price on the Kindle Fire is competing with the popular but pricey Apple products.

This 16 GB tablet comes with special offers which are basically coupons and deals available through Amazon. I have the regular e-ink Kindle with special offers (for $69) and I have gotten several baby related coupons. You can see the offers directly on your kindle and choose to have any interesting deals emailed to you. You usually get some kind of one-time use coupon code. I don’t find the offers annoying at all – they are just your screen saver. Speaking of my Kindle, I need to dust it off and try and finish Game of Thrones – Book One!

If you shop the Amazon baby store, use the Amazon baby coupon code 15BABY15 to receive an additional 15% off these baby items. The code is good until March 31, 2013.

There are 5 pages of items eligible for this discount in the Amazon baby store to look through and a few popular items included are the My Brest Friend Deluxe, Chicco Keyfit 30 carseat, Chicco Cortina Travel System, and a super cute Petunia Picklebottom diaper bag.

Amazon Mom

If you’re not familiar with the Amazon Mom program, here are the details.

• Sign up for Amazon Mom with Prime for $79 dollars a year
• Save up to $140 a year on diapers and wipes.
• Receive 20% off diapers and wipes in the Amazon Baby Store
• Receive FREE 2-day shipping on millions of items
• Get unlimited instant streaming of thousands of movies and TV shows
• Borrow a Kindle book for free every month
• Get access to exclusive deals and discounts such as an Amazon baby coupon code

Amazon Mom is not just for moms. It is open to all caregivers of babies and young children so grandparents, fathers, and childcare givers can sign up too. If you already have prime, you don’t have to pay again. You can be an Amazon Mom member for free but you will only receive one benefit which is access to exclusive deals and discounts.

In my experience, you can almost always get a cheaper price on baby stuff on Amazon especially with an Amazon baby coupon. I have price compared many items with Target, Babies R Us and Walmart and Amazon almost always wins. Because of their deeply discounted wipes and diapers I believe that this program is worth the $79 a year because it pays for itself with all the savings you will receive. Plus the free 2 day shipping is extremely convenient.