There are two types of people: The “Planner” type who grocery shops on a schedule and preps their meals and the “Quick Trip” people who grab what they need when they need it. No matter your style, we found some quick money-saving hacks – without having to understand the coupon game.
Hack 1: Frozen Seafood
Items at the seafood counter are typically the same products you can find in the frozen section…for less. Making a trip to the frozen seafood section will save almost 40%. Even if you’re an on-the-go family, thawing seafood doesn’t take much time at all.
If you’re worried about how to thaw your seafood, Bon Appetit walks us through a simple way to not only save money on buying frozen but how to thaw it quickly and safely before dinner tonight!
Hack 2: Small Shopping Cart
Typically, there are three choices at the store. You can grab the basket (does anyone really do this?), you can grab the “I’m here for about 20 things” cart or you can grab the full-size shopping cart. Stick with the middle cart and only get what you need. Often, when the large cart is chosen, shoppers work to fill the cart and get unnecessary items which can mean unnecessary spending.
Hack 3: Look Up and Down
The items the supermarket is trying to sell or are paid to place at eye level are typically the higher-priced (and recognizable) brands. If you’re not a brand loyalist, go for the store-brand item.
Hack 4: Shop the Perimeter
Most of the things a shopper needs are on the outside aisles of the store. Simply put, don’t go to the inside!
Did you know there’s a psychology to how our grocery stores are laid out? Real Simple reveals the secrets grocery stores don’t really want us to know. It’s how we spend more money than we had planned.
Hack 5: Solo Effort
Go shopping alone (if it’s possible). Throw in some headphones and listen to music and get that shopping done without any distractions or little ones asking for things that are not on the list. A lot of extra spending is a result of impulse buys.
Hack 6: Clearance Section
This is Gabriel’s favorite section. When we came up with the name “Data Driven” it wasn’t just a catchy name, it’s quite literally what makes Gabriel the man he is. Looking at numbers and figuring out data is in his blood.
The clearance section is something we all do naturally do at every other store so this should be simple. There are several of them around the grocery store so keep your eyes peeled. There’s a meat section, a bakery section, a shelves section (often found near the yogurts and cheese.
Hack 7: Simple Math
For those who start to sweat at the thought of math, don’t worry, this is easy. Take a look at the tag on the food item you want. Your first focus is the price per unit. Often times, the price will be a bit higher but you’re actually getting MORE! Grocers are sneaky so zero in on this number before the price. Then take a peek at the price and decide if it’s something you’d like to spend on.
Hack 8: Shop Full
Ever notice that when you go grocery shopping while you’re hungry, everything you’ve ever even imagined eating ends up in your shopping cart? Eat a meal or even just grab a snack before you go grocery shopping. This super simple life hack will drastically reduce extra spending.
Did we miss any tips you’re dying to share? We would love to know your tips for saving money at the grocery store!
WANT MORE QUICK TIPS?
Are the kids still sick? Wanting to avoid whatever the heck seems to be going around? We have some quick cleaning tips to rid your home (and your family) of those nasty germs!
The season between the holidays and spring seems to be when this never ending sickness takes over our homes. When one kid gets sick, the rest of the family follows like dominos.
The question we all have is: What is going around? This National Cold & Flu Map helps show what’s going around in our specific area. Click the link and then click on Idaho. From there, you can narrow it down to your neighborhood. This explains why we hear everyone coughing everywhere we go!
As parents, we long for quiet moments when the kids are all snuggled in bed. When the kids are snuggly and quiet because they don’t feel good – that’s the worst. It is in those moments where we wish for the crazy kids that wear us out. Let’s get them back to that monster running around the living room that we all know and love.
In order to keep the germs from spreading, use this checklist of 10 things to clean when the kids are sick.
Sick Kid House Cleaning Checklist
Open Windows: It’s cold. We know this. Also, the whole “we’re not heating the outdoors” saying comes to mind when making this suggestion but hear us out. The goal is to bring some fresh air indoors and put the air in motion. 15 to 20 minutes of airflow will do.
Clean Handles and Knobs: This is far more than just a wipe down. We’re talking disinfecting wipes to the door handles, the toilet handles, the sink knobs, the drawer pulls, the cupboard handles – anything that has been touched by germs in the past 48 hours. This process may seem a bit tedious but it will be worth it when your little one is feeling better and everyone is healthy.
Replace Toothbrushes: This is one of the germs’ favorite places to live. If you have a toothbrush disinfector, definitely take advantage of the features. If not, perhaps getting some cheap toothbrushes to use for a couple of days and then use a fresh toothbrush when the kids are healthy.
Wash Bedding: The washer and dryer will get a bit of a workout. A tip is to wash bedding on hot. Germs can survive on cold and even warm cycles.
Disinfect Phones: Have you heard that cell phones have 10 times more germs than most toilet seats? Makes you want to wash your phone all the time, doesn’t it? The phone is a must-clean item for when there are germs inside the home. If you have an iPad, go ahead and give that a quick swipe as well.
Wash Hand Towels: A super helpful tips is to designate a “sick” hand towel. Everyone else can use a different one. Keep the sick towel clean and continue to replace it.
Wash Hands with Antibacterial Soap: It seems like the obvious answer but what often happens is hands are washed but not with anti-bacterial soap. Be sure to look for “antibacterial” on your hand soap to ensure that you’re washing those germs away.
Disinfect Surfaces: Avoid sponges or towels. Instead, use disinfecting wipes for surfaces, bathroom counters, and even tables. Some surfaces rarely get wiped down so this is a great time to get ahead on some cleaning.
Disinfect Remotes: Just like our phones, remotes hold all types of germs. It’s a super simple and quick step in the cleaning process to grab a disinfecting wipe and make sure the remote has been cleaned. Don’t forget game controllers as well
Disinfect Stuffed Animals & Favorite Blankets: In a lot of cases, this is a challenge for us to be on our game. Perhaps when the kids are sleeping, you swoop in and grab that favorite blanket or stuffie and throw it in the washer and dryer. Just like with the bedding, wash on hot in order to kill the germs.
With the weather being so mild (and on some days not mild), you can still winterize your home. If it feels better to call it pre-spring cleaning, we would be a fan of that, too.
Just as you pack up your summer clothes in favor of winter pieces, the colder weather calls for a switch in the way you care for your home. Winterizing your home can save you thousands in potential repair costs as well as lower your heating bills for the season. And honestly, most of these items are simple, easy changes! Run through our list below to winterize your home.
1. Reverse Ceiling Fans During winter, ceiling fans should run with the purpose of distributing the warm air that collects near the ceiling. Run them at a slow pace with the air blowing upwards, which pushes the warm air down the walls so it can circulate throughout the room. The blades should be running clockwise.
2. Clean Vents and Replace Furnace Filters Your vents should have as much access to open air in your home as possible. Warm air cannot flow efficiently through your home if it’s being blocked by furniture. Give all your vents a thorough dusting and replace your filters to maximize efficiency.
3. Breakout the Blankets There’s no reason for your thermostat to be set at 80 degrees in the winter. We know you want to be warm, but keeping a furnace running constantly to keep up with your high temperature setting is a no-no. Break out the blankets and keep them easily accessible, and dress for the weather. By this we mean don’t lounge around in underwear, but rather sweat pants and a long sleeve shirt.
4. Blow Out Sprinklers Sprinklers should be blown out before the first overnight freeze (or shortly there after). Freezing water in the pipes and sprinkler heads can damage the internal parts of the system and even cause cracking in the pipes. Prevent hundreds of dollars worth of damage and get this done ASAP by contacting a lawn care company or renting an air compressor and getting the job done yourself.
5. Close Foundation Vents In the summer, keeping foundation vents open allows air to circulate underneath your house. This helps keep the crawlspace dry and free of moisture. In the winter, closing these vents is important to prevent pipes from freezing and helps retain heat in the house. Newer vents have a lever to flip, much like floor vents inside, to be flipped to “close.” If you’re having trouble, you can also seal them from the outside with a piece of wood to cover the vent. While you’re there, inspect each vent’s screen/film to make sure critters haven’t decided to make your crawlspace their new home. Super easy!
Remember, if you need referrals for an HVAC company or lawn care service please reach out to Gabriel at (208)972-6240. He will put you in touch with one of Data Driven‘s preferred vendors.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Accept or you may choose to opt out. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
