Checking out drop-in centres is worth it

So I don't know about you, but I get stir-crazy when I stay indoors for too long. And this really sucks in my case because my husband and I have one car! So when I do have the car, I'm so relieved but ... where do I go with an active tot? I am very fortunate to live by a number of Ontario Early Years Centre drop-ins, which have been amazing lifesavers. So if you are expecting or you haven't considered visiting an OEYC, I highly recommend checking it out. Other benefits? Well, at the centres I've been to, I've been able to reap these rewards:

-Free toys that the centres don't need anymore
-Extra Heinz or Gerber coupons that are available when coupon boxes are at the front desk
-Free issues of ParentsCanada or Canadian Family
-Mother Goose classes
-Take-home nutrition and health guides (which helped me when I started my daughter on solids and when she had her first cold!)

Moreover, I've had the privilege of meeting other moms and swapping advice. Not that I don't appreciate my kid learning how to talk, but sometimes a conversation with another adult makes my day. Plus, my daughter gets to learn how to interact with other children while exploring toys we don't have at home.

In my area, the OEYCs are free, though I've heard that some locations outside of Mississauga do require registration fees for courses.

For more info on drop-in centres, check out this Today's Parents article, which was published in the March 2012 issue.

The one thing I hate about couponing ...

So I've been able to save money with coupons, but here's one thing I DESPISE about this "hobby": I have to clean out my coupon book! I was waiting in the car to pick up my husband from work and I did a quick spring-clean of my coupon holder. Ack, I found many that expired in 2011! So I guess I've learned that it helps to be organized if you're going to be an avid coupon clipper. I usually sort my coupons by alpha order and category (i.e. baby, grocery, pet, paper, etc.). However, I've been getting a little lazy — I find myself stuffing coupons into any divider, crossing my fingers that my memory will remind me to organize later.

What have I learned here? Well, couponing is fun at first, but keeping it up isn't easy! However, just trying your best to save money in general (i.e. shopping around for prices, price matching, forgoing a few luxuries), will still go a long way.