Showing posts with label Shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Shopping. Show all posts

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Our Groceries

Review by Mr Spencer from Mummybrain ~ The How-Not-To-Do-It Guide of Marriage Miscarriage Children Divorce Step-Children


Image Credit

When the missus and I first had smart phones we thought to ourselves, there must be a better way of keeping track of shopping lists.

We tried a few solutions but the best by far was our groceries.

This is available on your computer, iphone or android (maybe others too?) and updates an online list in real time. You can have your own lists and/or shared lists, you can categorise items and you can add recipe's.

Categorising is fantastic, the first time you buy something add a category of what isle it's in, next time you go to buy it you know exactly where to go. Now that we have everything categorised we can just go to the isles we need and never miss anything or have to go back to the other end of the shop for that blasted thingee that was hiding at the bottom of the list.

Recipe's are great too, you add all the ingredients to your recipe then when you want to make that item you simply go through the ingredients and tap to add to the list.

Real time updates are invaluable - I'll go to the supermarket and the missus can add things while I'm on the way or while I'm in the shop and they appear straight away. For a bit of fun, start at opposite ends of the shop and meet in the middle, watching the items fly off both ends of the list :)

I think one of the best features is the convenience, damn, I used the last of the peanut butter - take my phone out of my pocket, tap our-groceries, type the first few letters and tap the item on the list to add it. Used the last of your at work snacks, no problem, no need to wait to get home, just update the list and the item appears by magic (amazing shopping machine aka partner, not included).

Our groceries has made things so much easier for us, shopping no longer requires a half hour "what do we need" conversation, I don't have to call before I drop in to the supermarket on the way home, it's all just there.

Awesome app, everyone should use it :)

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Christmas Shopping Guide for Those Who Can't Rely on Santa


BY SIMONE FROM GREATFUN4KIDS

In the land of Facebook there are Urban Legends... people telling of Christmas Shopping 70% complete. Others who have even wrapped 80% of their 70%... {ahem. Yes. That would be me}

If you haven't started yet, don't worry.
Those of us who have accomplished so much by the end of October... we are freaks of nature. Nerds. And Crowd-a-phobes.


I am a fan of online shopping. I love the one-day deal websites etc etc. So I thought I would start up a linky on a post so we can all share our fav Christmas Shopping sites with those who are a little... er... behind?

I'll link up my favourites and then you link up yours... and leave a comment telling us why you love that website, OK...

Just follow the instructions (it's easy, don't be shy now)...

Friday, October 29, 2010

Loving Lenses Online

BY SIMONE FROM GREATFUN4KIDS


For well over a year now I've been getting my contact lenses online from... Lenses Online!

The reasons are simple...
  1. It's cheap. Way cheaper than going to my optometrist. Who doesn't want cheap, right.
  2. They are the exact same product I get from my optometrist. And they work perfectly.
  3. It's convenient. I click on what I want, put in my credit card details and they turn up on my doorstep (and I am lazy and try to avoid getting off my butt to go anywhere if I can possibly help it)
  4. It's quick. I order them. They dispatch them. My contacts always arrive the next day. Always.
What else do you need?? Oh, the web address of course.
I honestly love this site. Mainly because so many times I have run out of lenses right before a holiday or a party and have frantically ordered them... and had them arrive just in the nick of time.


They do free shipping on orders over $100. So if you got 2x90 packs of disposable lenses @$57 each, that would be $114, FREE shipping. That's what my 30-packs used to cost from my optometrist. It's really a no brainer.


I always get the same thing... Focus Dailes 30-pack (I really should plan ahead, order in bulk and get that Free Shipping) but you can also get:
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I totally recommend this website for contact lenses!

Lenses Online
https://www.lensesonline.co.nz/

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Avoiding the Christmas Shopping Frenzy

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STORY BY SIMONE AT GREATFUN4KIDS

Can you believe the shops have got their Christmas displays up already??? Ahhh who am I kidding??
Of course they've got their Christmas stuff out. It's October. Only sixty-six shopping days left did you know??!!

It's already time to buy buy buy. Spend spend spend.

I hate the Christmas shopping frenzy.
The crowded malls filled with stressed out people rushing from store to store looking for bargains while Jingle Bells plays to get us all in the mood.

A few years ago now I decided that if I wanted to actually enjoy Christmas, I'd have to plan ahead. And spread out the shopping. And grab bargains when I spotted them. Wrap presents and hide them as I go etc

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I've been getting a lot of bargains on this online site, 1-Day (I get the emails straight to my inbox so I don't miss a good deal; I've gotten some great stuff for the kids already at some amazing prices).

And this site The Sniff, has a list of all the One Day deals (which is very handy and worth checking out).

Snapfish recently had a 40% off deal on their Calendars, so I've ordered those early for the grandparents etc. They are awesome, 12-pages spiral bound and printed on great quality card. They look amazing. I collect photos for the calendars all year. Their Photo books are amazing too. Gorgeous (if you sign up as a new customer you get 30 free prints - there's some free marketing for them!)

Then I spotted these My Story Boxes from Parents Inc. $39.90 instore or $49.90 incl p&p (down from $63). Today I picked up one each for the kids for Christmas. I plan to fill their boxes with little memory-treasures, photos & even print out some of my blog stories for their books. A worthwhile present, that. {You can get them online here}

And Omigosh I am LOVING Felt! The New Zealand crafters online store. Too lovely. So much to choose between. So many possibilities. Love that they are all unique handcrafted gifts made locally!

Someone said to me the other day they were sticking to the buying guide:

"Something you want, something you need, something to wear, something to read..."

I love that. Gives it all a structure and means we'll hopefully end up with less plastic fantastic throwaway rubbish.

I mean, Christmas has become all about the gifts and the shopping which is not what it's meant to be about.
Don't get me wrong - I love presents, I'm the biggest kid of all when it comes to Christmas surprises. Me and the hubby both are. I love Christmas Eve and seeing the piles of wrapped gifts under the tree. I love Christmas morning, ripping paper, happy shrieks, shining eyes and thankyou kisses.
But I hate the greed fest.

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So my list will include for each one...

  • The My Story Box & Book
  • New swimming togs, Beach towel, Sunhat & Jandals
  • Christmas Clothes
  • 4-5 Books for Summer Reading
  • A DVD or PS2 game
  • Something for their Room
  • Something to Play With
  • Our traditional Christmas Eve PJs
  • A stocking full of yummies & little bits

There. I think that's enough don't you? More than enough actually.

So what's your Christmas plan? Are you a last-minute rush kinda person or a planner-ahead?
Have you started thinking about gifts yet, or like me... even buying some??


Or right now are you wishing I would shut up and go away with all my Christmas talk??!!

Share with us your Christmas Shopping secrets and tell us about any bargains you've found...!

Thursday, September 23, 2010

No Longer Sceptical about Online Spectacles

STORY FROM ANGELA NOELLE (STRIKING KEYS).


I am wholly converted to ordering glasses online (that is, spectacles, not "tink tink" glassware).

I have known for some time of the great NZ optometrist robbery, but was reminded of how this bothered me when I had my eye exam some time ago. (I hadn't had my eyes looked at for 7 years, and they said I couldn't keep re-ordering contact lenses without having someone see me. I decided this was fair.)

"So, about how much will glasses cost me, now that I've had an exam?" I enquired, bracing myself for the response, but resolving to reveal nothing in my reaction.

"Well, that all depends on the frame, but if you want a non-reflective coating, and a mid-price-range frame, you're looking at approximately $450.00." I had just swiped my card to pay $70.00 for these folk to ascertain my needs, and even though I had mentally budgeted a similar amount, seeing the receptionist's lips form this dollar amount caused me to tip my head sideways.

"Hmmmm," was all I mustered. I smiled, left, and upon arriving home, promptly emailed my dear sister. I knew Mariah had recently ordered some glasses online, and although I'd been skeptical initially, I decided it was time to explore options.

Friday, September 17, 2010

Get Fudged in Northland


STORY BY KRISTY (PAISLEYJADE) IN WHANGAREI

After our exciting afternoon yesterday we decided to stop off in Paihia for a coffee fix before our long drive home, and this is where we discovered the most yummiest new shop around called, "Get Fudged".

Imagine a coffee shop that also has rows and rows of lolly jars on shelves (in every colour and flavour imaginable), delicious deli slices as well as a cabinet full of the most divine looking fudge ever - and there you have this delightful shop we discovered.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

A Whole New World (Mt Roskill)

The other day I had a stand-out great experience at a new grocery store. For years I have been a lazy and happy online shopper, but our family's recent entrance into the world of Gluten Free has exposed the limitations of my beloved Online Shopping (with a rubbish GF range).

So I thought I'd give the brand new New World in Mt Roskill a go. And oh boy, I am a convert. This is a shiny new store with acres of gluten free goodies in all the right places (GF pasta with the other pasta, GF cookies with the other cookies etc; all highlighted with a bright green sticker). Lovely.