What Every Mom Can Use... Time Savers!

If you could not tell from my previous posts, I am part of a wonderful community called Social Moms. Todays prompt was one that I enjoy. Time savers! I mean, what mom (or dad) could not use a few good tips on saving some time. We all have such busy lives nowadays, so every little bit helps. Right? I'm a stay at home mom, but I do have a busy life with the kids to keep up with. So time saving cutting corners, but not cutting quality out of my day, is something I strive to do daily.

1. Pack the day before (Notice, I did not say the night before!). If you have a trip at the zoo planned out, or doctors appointments that will keep you out all day or over night, the morning before, plan out a list of everything you need. During the day when you have some down time, start at the top of the list and pack what you'll need. It's not only frustrating when you are trying to run out the door, and still have to grab things and go. It's a time loss too.

2. Buy in bulk. Not only will you save money on the prices of meats and other grocery needs, you'll save gas going back and forth to the grocery store, and you save your precious time. You can spend some quality time with the kids! This leads me onto my next tip...

3. When you are making meals during the week, make extras to freeze or store for later in the week. You can easily freeze pancakes after they have cooled off. You can save chicken that you cooked before to make soups or main dishes for dinners or lunches later in the week. Not only do you save time cooking, you won't be tempted to order take out when you come home and feel tired. (Saving money is always awesome!) Just pop the food in the oven to heat up, and you can quickly make a side dish for dinner too!

4. Online shopping is one of my favorite time savers. No having to load up the kids and diaper bag into the car. No more having to deal with melt downs from tired kids who need a nap desperately. You can find amazing deals online, and you can shop in your pajamas! You don't even have to search extensively for the deals either. There are so many sites that are dedicated to finding you the best deals, and people share what they find.

5. Couponing! It takes a few days to prepare for, before it seems like a time saver. But with a binder, you can quickly flip to the coupons you need, which saves you some time while grocery shopping. You'll save a lot of money, and you can stock up on things that you regularly use around the house. That will prevent you doing the running to the grocery store every week for little things.

6. During the school year, try to grocery shop during school hours. The stores are not as crowded and you can think while you shop. During the summer time, try to go out later in the evening. I love shopping at night since the stores are quiet, and since the stores are stocking at night time, I can usually find everything I need! More perks to this :).

7. Sometimes it is ok to ask for help to get the job done. It's alright to ask if someone will watch your kids for a few hours to get shopping done, or just to simply regroup after a long morning. The job moves along so much faster when you have help, and a friendly face to talk to as you work!

8. Set up a chore chart for the kids. It sets them up for a well rounded life, and it can give mom a break too. It may take mom a few times to help them, but your child is gaining values and responsibility.

9. Take time to relax. The less stressed out parents are, the day moves easier. Spend naptime just sitting on the couch with a fan blowing on you and your eyes closed. Or read and extra book or two at bedtime.

10. Go to sleep at a decent time. Your body needs rest, and setting up a routine for bedtime helps so much. You wake up refreshed and ready to tackle the day. And no lagging! Thats the best part!!

I hope these tips help you get some time saved through out the day. Every mom needs some time to her self, so why not try to prioritize your time!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Starbucks blogging program, for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here http://starbucksmobile.socialmoms.com/about