Category Archives: Reviews & Deals

Family Life, Parenting, Reviews & Deals

6 Easy Ways To Save Money On Your Back To School Shopping

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It’s back to school season, and you’ve got a lot to buy. Whether it’s new clothing, school supplies or, computers, just thinking of all of the money you may have to spend can send your stress levels through the roof.

But with some careful planning, and these simple tips, you are sure to save some dollars on your back to school budget.

Please note that this post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.

How To Save Money

Re-use supplies from last year

Before you plan your shopping trip, take a look at last year’s school supplies, and see if they are in good condition.

Backpacks, lunchboxes, sporting equipment, binders, and other supplies can often be reused this school year.

During your search, you may even find unopened packages of pencils, ink pens, crayons, markers, and other useful items that you may have forgotten about.

 

Black Boy Going Inside School

 

Purchase items in bulk

You can multiply your savings by purchasing supplies in bulk. When items go on sale, purchase extra items and set some aside to use later in the school year. I like to purchase extra’s for the next school year as well.

 

Use coupons and cashback apps

Save extra cash by using paper coupons, or online coupons. If clipping coupons isn’t your thing, maximize your savings by using cashback apps like Ibotta.

This back to school season, Ibotta is excited to be giving away FREE items to send kids back to school the right way. That’s right – 100% cash back on a variety of school snacks and supplies. Ibotta has teamed up with some of our favorite brands to celebrate the new school year.

When you download the Ibotta app or browser extension, get 100% cash back on back-to-school essentials to start your kid’s year off right with full backpacks and lunchboxes!

How Ibotta’s Back to School Free-for-All works:
  1. Download Ibotta to start earning cash back on things you buy every day. Get the app on your phone or the browser extension for your computer (better yet: both!).
  2. Choose where you want to shop for school supplies: Walmart Pickup & Delivery, Target Online, HEB Online, Instacart, or Shipt.
  3. Link your retailer account, then add back to school offers to your list (from the browser extension window).
  4. Shop and check out like you always do. You’ll get your 100% cash back 24 hours after your grocery order is picked up or delivered!

Using apps will give you cash-back just for signing up and shopping! Rakuten and Ibotta are a couple of my favorite apps to use, and the cash back savings really add up.

 

Buy generics or store brands

Swap those expensive brand names for generic or store brand products whenever possible. Generic doesn’t automatically mean less quality. The quality of store brands is typically as good as brand name products, and you can save several coins.

 

Recycle those clothes

What child doesn’t want new clothes when they head back to school? But before spending money on an all-new wardrobe, take inventory of what’s in your child’s closet. If clothes from last school year fit comfortably, they can wear those at the start of the school year.

Remember that prices typically go down around September, so you may want to put off shopping for new clothes until then. Simply purchase one or two outfits, along with accessories for your kids to wear when school starts.

Another way to save is to check out your local thrift stores and consignment shops. You can often find good quality clothing at really low prices.

Lastly, recycle clothing among siblings. If one child has outgrown certain items, simply pass them down to the younger ones.

 

Take advantage of tax-free weekend

If your state participates, take advantage of the tax-free weekend for your back to school shopping. Below is a list of tax free days by state, along with the items that you are allowed to purchase.

  • Alabama: July 16-18, 2021 (clothing, computers, school supplies, and books)
  • Arkansas: August 7-8, 2021 (clothing and accessories, electronic devices, school supplies, art supplies, and instructional books)
  • Connecticut: August 15-21, 2021 (clothing and footwear)
  • Florida: July 31-August 9, 2021 (clothing and accessories, footwear, school supplies, and computers)
  • Iowa: August 6-7, 2021 (clothing)
  • Maryland: August 8-14, 2021 (clothing, footwear, and energy star products)
  • Massachusetts: August 14-15 2021 (most purchases under $2,500)
  • Mississippi: July 30-31, 2021 (clothing, footwear, and school supplies)
  • Missouri: August 6-8, 2021 (clothing, school supplies, computers, and energy star products)
  • New Mexico: August 6-8, 2021 (clothing, computers, computer equipment, and school supplies)
  • Ohio: August 6-8, 2021 (clothing and school supplies)
  • Oklahoma: August 6-8, 2021 (clothing and footwear)
  • South Carolina: August 6-8, 2021 (clothing, school supplies, and computers)
  • Tennessee: July 30- August 1, 2021 (clothing, school supplies, computers, food, food ingredients, and prepared food)
  • Texas: August 6-8, 2021 (clothing, backpacks, and school supplies)
  • Virginia: August 6-8, 2021 (clothing, school supplies, and energy star products)

 

With some or all of the tips that I’ve outlined above, I’m sure you’ll find a few ways to save and cut down on your back to school shopping bill.

Wishing you and your family all the best this school year!

 

Reviews & Deals

Persona Personalized Vitamins | A Review

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Over the past few months, I have been deliberately making small changes regarding my health. One of those ways, for instance is by adding vitamins to my daily routine.

“I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinion. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.”

 

 

For years, I have typically taken vitamins or supplements off and on. But, when I was introduced to Persona Vitamins, I was intrigued. I want to make sure that my body is getting the proper nutrition that it needs, and Persona is helping me to do just that.

Persona offers vitamin packs that are personalized to your specific needs. Game changer! I have been using them for a month now, and I am really impressed.

Save 30% on your first two orders by using my link.

Persona is a personalized, high-quality supplement subscription service that delivers vitamin packs to your doorstep every 28 days. Each vitamin and supplement are recommended for you based on your individual needs.

Persona offers 85+ high-quality supplements including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs, and other botanicals.

 

Box Of Prescriptions

Getting Started

Because nutritional needs vary from person to person, Persona vitamins are personalized to help you find the nutrients you need to reach your wellness goals.

There is a simple three step process to follow:

1. Complete a confidential questionnaire. This questionnaire takes into consideration things like your health goals, your lifestyle,diet, any allergies you may have, and the medications you take to build a wellness profile that maps your unique needs.

2. You’ll receive a personal supplement plan tailored to your individual needs.

3. Lastly, you will receive custom daily supplement packs delivered to your door each month with your subscription.

The questionnaire was very thorough, without being too lengthy. After completing the questionnaire and confirming my recommendations, I waited a few days and my vitamins were delivered right to my doorstep!

My personalized box included a brochure detailing each vitamin received, a dispenser box, and a roll of vitamin packs with each packet labeled for either morning or evening dispensing.

Another great thing about Persona is that you have access to their staff of nutritionists who are there to help with any questions you may have.

 

Woman With Vitamins In Hand

My Experience

During my online assessment, I specified my desire for better sleep at night and increased energy during the day time.

Within the first week of taking my vitamins, I noticed an improvement in my sleep. Not only was I able to fall asleep quicker, but the quality of the sleep that I get each night has improved.

Around my second week, I was able to notice an increase in my energy levels. I wasn’t hitting that mid morning slump and reaching for a second cup of coffee every day.

One of the great things about Persona is the option to change your vitamins before your next shipment.

You can change out one supplement for another, and even add additional supplements if you choose. You can always call and speak with a nutritionist if you have any questions about the vitamins that you are taking.

One Last Thing

With Persona’s subscription service, you can always pause your shipments when needed. Just log in to your online dashboard, or contact their customer service and pause your subscription for however long you choose.

You can also cancel your subscription at any time if you feel that this service is not a good fit for you.

Give Persona a try for yourself. They have offered my readers a generous discount. Save 30% on your first two orders.

Click HERE to start your very own subscription.

 

Food, Reviews & Deals

Add Flavor And Nutrition To Your Favorite Meals With Enspice

10 Comments

I enjoy preparing meals for my family. But that can be a bit of a task when dealing with a picky eater. Thanks to Enspice whose spices are enhanced with 21 plant-based vitamins and minerals, I can ensure that my family’s meals are not only delicious, but also nutritious.

“I received this product for free from Moms Meet (momsmeet.com) to use and post my honest opinion. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.”

 

What is Enspice?

Enspice is a new line of premium spices that are made to be better for you. Each of their spices are plant-based, and contains 21 vitamins and minerals from 10 organic plant sources. Every teaspoon of Enspice contains 50 percent of the FDA daily recommended value for many nutrients.

Their nutrients are extracted from natural and organic plant sources through a process that protects them from water and heat. Those nutrients are then combined with tasty spices to help make your meals more healthy and flavorful!

Try Enspice for yourself. Get 10% off enspice seasonings & spices with code MOMSMEET
Offer expires 12/30/20

3 Bottles Of Seasoning Spices

 

Enspice seasonings are available in six tasty blends that go well with the foods my family and I enjoy:

Black Pepper
Cape Cod Seasoning
Chipotle BBQ Seasoning
Seasoned Salt
Sri Lankan Cinnamon
Taco Seasoning

Our top three spices are Taco Seasoning, Cape Cod and Sri Lankan Cinnamon.

The Cape Cod seasoning really enhances the flavor of fish. And the Taco Seasoning has been a game changer for taco Tuesday. I’ve been adding a dash of the Sri Lankan Cinnamon to my coffee every morning – yummy.

 

Mission of Enspice

The mission of Enspice is to fulfill the universal need for nutrients by putting them into the most universal application, seasonings and spices.

For every jar of spice purchased, Enspice donates one nutritious meal to a child in need through their global partners. So far, Enspice has donated over 22,000 meals.

To learn more about Enspice’s mission and to purchase your own nutritious spices, visit Enspice online.

Which delicious spice are you looking to try first?

Parenting, Reviews & Deals

PAW Patrol: Jet to the Rescue DVD Giveaway!

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Hosted By: Love, Mrs. Mommy

 

Winner Will Receive a:  

 

PAW Patrol: Jet to the Rescue DVD! 

 
 
 
 

About the Prize!

 
PAW Patrol: Jet to the Rescue episodes: 
Jet to the Rescue
Pups Save a High-Flying Skye
Pups Save Skye
Pups Save a Flying Kitty
Pups Save an Ace
 
 
 
 
PAW Patrol: Jet to the Rescue synopsis: 
 
Get ready to zoom back to Barkingburg with the pups in this all-new TV movie. When the scheming Duke of Flappington steals a powerful levitation gem from the royal castle, it’s up to the PAW Patrol to jet to the rescue before the town is lost forever. Then, join the PAW Patrol for even more high-flying adventures where they’ll save a stunt pilot, one of Mayor Humdinger’s kittens and even Skye when she breaks her wing flying to Jake’s Mountain.

 

 
 
PAW Patrol: Jet to the Rescue fast facts: 
Amazon Street Date: September 3, 2020
National Street Date: September 8, 2020
Running Time: 1 hour, 32 minutes
 
 
 
 
 
Open to entrants from the United States only! Must be 18+ to enter.

 

Giveaway Dates ~ 9/5 9:00AM EST through 9/30 11:59PM EST

Click on entry form to enter giveaway.

Entry-Form

 
 

 

Best of luck! I certainly hope you win.

 
 
 
Disclosure: Love, Mrs. Mommy and all participating bloggers are not held responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill their prize obligations. This giveaway is in no way endorsed or sponsored by Facebook or any other social media site. The winner will be randomly drawn by Giveaway Tools and will be notified by email. Winner has 48 hours to reply before a replacement winner will be drawn. If you would like to participate in an event like this please contact LoveMrsMommy (at) gmail (dot) com.
Reviews & Deals

TV Store Online $60 Gift Card Giveaway

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Sponsored By: TV Store Online

Hosted By: Love, Mrs. Mommy

Winner will receive:

Any item of their choosing up to a $60 RV at TVStoreOnline.com!

 
Read Love, Mrs. Mommy’s TV Store Online Review!
TV Store Online “started with a dream to provide everyone near or far with access to cult classic memorabilia with the click of a button. The love of pop culture and all of its genres (TV, Movies, Comics, Music) helped sprout this dream. TV Store Online developed from an idea to a reality starting in 2004 out of our basement.”And 15 years later, they have grown into a 42,000 sq ft warehouse with hundreds of thousands of retail products! There’s truly something for everyone here. Read More…

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
Previous TV Store Online winners are excluded from winning another giveaway. 
Please do not enter if you have already won a TVSO Giveaway.
Open To US entries and must be 18+ to enter

Giveaway Dates ~ 10/24 9:00 AM EST through 11/24 11:59PM EST

 
 
 
 
 
 
Disclosure: Love, Mrs. Mommy and all participating bloggers are not held responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill their prize obligations. This giveaway is in no way endorsed or sponsored by Facebook or any other social media site. The winner will be randomly drawn by Giveaway Tools and will be notified by email. Winner has 48 hours to reply before a replacement winner will be drawn. Previous TV Store Online winners are excluded from winning another giveaway. Please do not enter if you have already won a TVSO Giveaway. If you would like to participate in an event like this please contact LoveMrsMommy (at) gmail (dot) com.

Lifestyle, Reviews & Deals

An Affordable Alternative To Cable TV

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In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of people cutting the cable TV cord. I mean why pay for all of those channels that you don’t actually watch? My husband and I have been cable free for a little over 7 years now, and we haven’t regretted cutting the cord one bit.


The average family spends about $96 each month for cable TV (source). That can really take a toll on an already tight budget.

* This post contains affiliate links which means that I may make a small commission if you choose to make a purchase using my link.  Read my full disclosure here. 


There are a number of options available that can help you save money by getting rid of cable TV, yet still allowing you to enjoy many of your favorite movies and shows. Our #1 choice by far is Hulu.


What is Hulu, you might ask. Hulu is a premium internet based streaming service that offers you some of the latest and greatest in TV shows, movies and more. If you have a newer smart TV, the Hulu app is usually pre-installed, so you should be able to connect to the service without any issue.


If you do not have a smart TV, you will need a streaming device such as a Roku player, FireTV Stick, or Chromecast to connect to Hulu. Make sure you read up on the product before purchasing, to ensure that you have the right equipment.

 

 

Why I Love Hulu

 
Though there are several options available as far as streaming services go, Hulu is definitely my family’s favorite.
Not only do they offer original content, but you can also view shows from local channels and some cable networks soon after they air. That means I get to keep up with my favorite shows even though I no longer have cable.


Hulu also gives you the option to choose commercial-free viewing for an additional charge. So if you are one who likes to enjoy TV without ads or commercials, you can pay a few bucks more to watch TV free of ads. Sweet!
Recently Hulu also added a live TV plan. That means you can catch the game in real time!


Lastly, the monthly cost is affordable (can’t really say the same for cable). You can choose from several options:

Hulu                                    $ 5.99 Month
Hulu (No-Ads)                    $ 11.99 Month
Hulu + Live TV                  $ 44.99 Month
Hulu + Live TV (No Ads) $ 50.99 Month

Hulu Premium Channels

In addition to add-on channel packages, Hulu + Live TV also offers premium subscription services. You can customize your Hulu service with additional add ons like HBO Max, Showtime, Cinemax, Starz, and Disney + for an additional fee.

You also have the option to add services like DVR and unlimited screens.

For example, you can choose an HBO Max subscription at $15 per month as a part of your monthly Hulu + Live TV bill. That content would be available to stream on your Hulu app alongside the content from your base subscription.

Here’s a sampling of the premium channels or services that are available through Hulu + Live TV:

HBO Max
Showtime
Cinemax
STARZ
Disney+


If you are a fan of Disney, Pixar, and Marvel, you may want to consider getting more bang for your buck by choosing the Disney+ bundle.


We have saved so much money by cutting the cable cord and switching to Hulu. And if I can be honest, I don’t miss having cable at all. Why, you might ask. Because all of the shows I love are available on Hulu.

Favorite Shows

 
An Affordable Alternative To Cable TV
 

Right now, you can give Hulu a try FREE for seven days. Once your 7 day trial has ended, you will pay only $5.99 per month. Here are a few of the current shows and movies that they offer:
 
Little Fires Everywhere
Modern Family
This Is Us
The Masked Singer
Blackish
Grey’s Anatomy
Homeland
Law and Order
Killing Eve
The Good Doctor
The Handmaid’s Tale
Chicago PD

False Positive
The United States vs Billie Holiday
Bad Boys For Life
Jumanji : The Next Level
The Upside
Grownish
Brooklyn Nine Nine
Manifest
The Snow Fall
And so many more.

Head on over to Hulu now, and get registered for your own free 7 day trial offer!
 

Reviews & Deals

Best Car Travel Items For Kids Giveaway – 12 Prizes!

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Sponsored By: 

Kids Bright Toys, The Pencil Grip, Zulay Kitchen, Whiskware, Sugar Mountain PR, and Lori T’s Gifts and More

Hosted By: Love, Mrs. Mommy

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Be sure to read Love, Mrs. Mommy’s article that this giveaway is based on: 

“Best Car Travel Items For Kids!”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Winner will receive a HUGE Prize Pack of *12* goodies! Some are winner’s choice options!

Included items:

Kids Bright Toys Travel Tray – Winner’s Choice of either purple or blue tray! ($30) Kwik Stix – Set of 12 Classic Colors ($12) Zulay Kitchen Kids Bento Box ($20) Whiskware DC Comic Stackable Snack Packs – Winner’s Choice of TWO snack packs! ($26) Sugar Mountain PR CDs – Suzi Shelton, Kira Willey, and Katherine Dines ($37.50) Lori T’s Gifts and More – FOUR Sticker Puzzle Books ($21)

Kids Travel Tray:
With this Kids Bright Toys travel tray your kids won’t have to balance toys, coloring books, food, crayons, or anything else on their lap in the car anymore! This tray has pockets for crayons, markers, tablet, toys, and much more! Comes in two colors: Purple and Blue!
Kwik Stix:
Kwik Stix are made of solid tempera paint that dries super quick! They come in a variety of bright, beautiful colors that can be overlapped, masked and mixed to create any color your child wants!

Zulay Kitchen Kids Bento Box:
This handy lunch box comes with 5 perfectly proportioned kid-size compartments, sealed with a leak-proof lid, and secured with kid-friendly latches. It’s sturdy and has silicon edges for non-slip grip. 
Whiskware DC Comic Stackable Snack Packs:
These snack packs feature officially licensed DC Comics; Batman, Superman, The Flash, and Wonder Woman! Their interlocking system keeps everything together, or you can easily separate a container when your little one is hungry. BPA and phthalate-free!

Suzi Shelton:
Suzi’s 5th album “Hand in Hand”is an upbeat, eclectic pop family album with a modern edge.
Kira Willey:
Kira’s fifth album, “Every Voice”, has catchy tunes with sing-along choruses to inspire and empower kids to be their strong and capable selves. 
Katherine Dines:
Katherine is a Grammy-nominated independent family music artist. She just released a new album of 13 songs with interesting stories and facts about how people around the world celebrate holidays.
Lori T’s Gifts and More – Ultimate Puzzle Sticker Book Bundle:
These 32 fun puzzle pages with 840 stickers (!!!) will keep your kids entertained for hours! They will unscramble the stickers to create surprise pictures of their favorite characters! 
Open To US entries and must be 18+ to enter
Giveaway Dates ~ 10/2 9:00 AM EST through 11/6 11:59PM EST
Disclosure: Love, Mrs. Mommy and all participating bloggers are not held responsible for sponsors who do not fulfill their prize obligations. This giveaway is in no way endorsed or sponsored by Facebook or any other social media site. The winner will be randomly drawn by Giveaway Tools and will be notified by email. Winner has 48 hours to reply before a replacement winner will be drawn. If you would like to participate in an event like this please contact LoveMrsMommy (at) gmail (dot) com.

Food, Reviews & Deals

Review: Once Again Organic Amore Almond Spread With Milk Chocolate

10 Comments

Sweet treats are a favorite in our household. I especially love any treat that involves chocolate. When Moms Meet gifted me this Once Again Organic Amore Almond Spread With Milk Chocolate, I was really excited.


I have to be honest and say that I can be a tad bit finicky when it comes to trying new foods. But I was not disappointed with this almond spread. It really satisfies my sweet tooth.

After trying it, I started trying to come up with different foods that I could drizzle it over. It turned out to be a big hit with my husband and son as well. I mean, this spread actually makes any dessert into a gourmet treat!

Once Again Organic Amore Almond Spread With Milk Chocolate

“I received this product for free from Moms Meet to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this page may contain affiliate links.”

What is Once Again Nut Butter?

Once Again Nut Butter is an employee-owned company that has been manufacturing nut butters, seed butters, and honey.

Their nut and seed butters are all Certified Gluten-Free, Non-GMO Verified, Certified Organic, and vegan. Once Again Nut Butter follows Fair Trade and Sustainability standards for their farm partners, suppliers, and prices.

Fun Fact:
The Once Again logo features a raccoon because four baby raccoons, also known as kits, grew up on the factory grounds. The Once Again Family adopted them and even named one Rocky.

They were eventually returned to the forest where they belonged, but to honor their little friends they used an image of a raccoon in their company logo.

Once Again Organic Amore Almond Spread With Milk Chocolate

 

My Opinion

Once Again Organic Amore Almond Spread is an organic, non-gmo, and gluten-free treat that my family really enjoys. It is sustainably made and sourced, which makes it healthier than other dessert butters.


Being that I am a chocolate fiend, I couldn’t wait to try it. It has a nice chocolatey flavor that is not overly sweet. It adds an extra oomph to your favorite fruits.

My son and I dip our apples in this almond spread and my husband loves it on frozen bananas. It’s also great on toast for a nice midday snack or for dipping your strawberries in. I think my favorite though is having it drizzled over my ice cream. Yum!

Since receiving this product, I have found myself reaching for it almost every night (hey, don’t judge me). I try to incorporate healthier options into my family’s diet as often as possible so the fact that this spread is organic and gluten-free makes me happy.

Almond Amore Topped Ice Cream

Are you interested in purchasing your very own jar of Amore Almond Spread? You can find it in a store near you, or by visiting their website. It typically retails for $9.95 a jar. It’s a treat that my family and I will look forward to indulging in every now and then.

Once Again Nut Butters

In addition to this delicious spread, Once Again has several nut butters that are available in a variety of flavors. We love peanut butter in our household, so along with the almond spread, those have become our top two favorites.

Which flavor are you interested in trying?

Beauty, Reviews & Deals

Sincerely Silver Co Custom Initial Jewelry

2 Comments

I love all things beauty and fashion, and jewelry is no exception. The Initial Necklace that I received from Sincerely Silver is absolutely gorgeous. I chose the sterling silver option and because of its simplicity, I think it looks great with pretty much anything that I wear.

You can wear it individually or layer it with other initials. It makes a perfect addition to your outfit.


Sincerely Silver necklaces are available in sterling silver, gold and rose gold on an 18-inch chain. I absolutely love having customized jewelry for myself, but I also love that they have so many pieces that you can give as gifts. You can even have jewelry customized with your very own handwriting.

I received this product for free in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Sincerely Silver Co Custom Initial Jewelry
Sincerely Silver Co Custom Initial Jewelry

 

 
 

 

Sincerely Silver offers a wide variety of styles, along with customization.


Here are just a few of the styles that they offer:


Signature Collection – Which includes a variety of unique pieces from lariat necklaces to beautiful soundwave jewelry.
Handwriting Jewelry – They can use your message in their own handwritten font or your actual handwriting can be used for a distinctive piece of jewelry.
Soundwave Jewelry – Sincerely Silver can transform the words you say, hear, or hold close to your heart into a meaningful piece of jewelry.
Quote Jewelry – Allows you to hold a meaningful quote close to your heart.


I highly recommend Sincerely Silver for their gorgeous designs, and high quality, budget-friendly prices!


You can have your own customized piece of jewelry from Sincerely Silver. Use the code SINCERELY15 to receive 15% off of your order at www.sincerelysilver.co.
 

Which necklace will you be adding to your jewelry collection?

Family Life, Lifestyle, Reviews & Deals

5 Tips to Finding The Perfect Car For Your Family

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Thank you Cars.com for sponsoring this post.

Are you in the market for a new car? Car shopping can be a seemingly daunting task. Besides being a large purchase, it is also something you and your family will be using daily for years to come. This is especially true if you have kids.

Being that my family and I are looking to purchase a new car soon, I thought I would share some of my tips on finding the perfect car for you and your family.

*This is a sponsored post on behalf of Cars.com. As always, my opinions are 100% my own and in no way influenced by the brand. Any claims or statistics should be confirmed with the brand. Please read my full disclosure here.

Determine Your Needs

When you’re in the market for a new vehicle, one of the first things you will need to do is determine exactly what it is you need in a new vehicle.

For my family, we need a lot of back seat and trunk space. Even though we are a small family, we need lots of room in the back seat. Groceries take up a lot of space in our trunk, not to mention all of the extra things that I like to keep stored in my trunk. Know ahead of time everything you need and/or want.

Set A Budget

You will want to make sure that you have a set budget before you step foot on a car lot. You know exactly how much you and your family can afford, not the car salesman. If the sales person really wants to sell you a vehicle, he/she will make it work for you.

Always keep in mind that there are plenty of car dealerships around, so don’t be pressured into a situation that you are uncomfortable with. If the sales person is unable to meet your needs, it is perfectly okay to walk away.

Do Your Research

Now that you’ve determined what your exact needs are in a vehicle, and set your budget, it’s time to do your research.

Cars.com makes it super easy to find exactly what you’re looking for. Start with the desired body style, and Cars.com will show you everything you need to know about many different vehicles – pricing, mileage, seat capacity, and safety ratings to name a few.

On top of that Cars.com offers expert and consumer reviews, as well as recall information.

Features

This may seem a bit trivial to some, but the features in a car are very important. If you spend a lot of time in your vehicle (running errands, kids after school activities, etc.) like I do, you want to make sure that the vehicle comes equipped with the things that you want.

Whether it’s blue-tooth capability, a sunroof, or a remote start, be sure that the necessary features are available in the vehicle that you are eyeing.

Go For A Test Drive

Lastly, you will want to take a test drive of the vehicle of your choice. You may have multiple vehicles that you are eyeing, but honey test drive them all! You need to get a feel for the car, and play around with all of its features.

Test driving is your opportunity to get a feel of what it would be like if you actually owned the car.

Final Thoughts

Car buying can be an exciting time and when you’ve been driving the same car for a long time (like me!), it’s hard not to make a rush decision.

Know that your new vehicle is an investment – one that you will likely be paying for over the next several years. With that being said, you don’t want to make a hasty decision and wind up driving a vehicle you really don’t like, or one that ends up not being what your family needs.