Lifestyle Choices

The Internet has opened the entire world up to moms at the press of a button on their computer or Blackberry. Women and moms are flexing their well-toned-at-the-gym, buying muscles online. So, what, exactly, are our purchasing habits in the online world?

Moms of today are more into technology as opposed to our own moms were. But it bears mentioning that Baby Boomer moms such as myself are catching up in that department. While we are comfortable with surfing for information on the Web and listening to podcasts and watch videos, navigating social sites is still new to many of us.

According to the 21st Century Mom Report from BabyCenter, LLC, 91% of moms are using cellular phones as a way to manage our hectic lives. These same moms are almost 350% more likely to use our cell phone to access the Internet. This means managing banking accounts and also shopping.

It was just a matter of time before forays into the online world would lead to online purchases. It begins as surfing or participating on social sites and ends with shopping for deals on the things that moms need to care for their families.

I am just as apt to shop for a Victoria ’s Secret Sweaterdress as my daughter, who’ll be starting a new job as a Teaching Assistant.

According to Jupiter Media Metrix, women without children (about 63%) are more likely to buy online with or without a sale being an enticement. Only about 50% of moms would purchase the same types of items. It’s more likely that moms would buy online when there was a sale going on for items they wanted or needed. That figure is around 41 percent.

Why? The report from BabyCenter, LLC reports that 85% of women say that having a child changes their spending criteria. Whereas extra money from the paycheck could be spent on personal items such as a new business wardrobe or travel vacations for one thing – now there’s another person to consider.

Of the moms surveyed for the report, 73% said that their purchasing criteria has changed. As a woman without children, they may have shopped for quality and fashion with price coming in third overall. As a mom, items for their children require quality, safety and durability for value. More criteria is taken into account when a child is considered.

Be mindful that brands change too. Sixty-two percent of women changed the brands they used after becoming moms. Women without children are more likely to maintain brand loyalty according to Jupiter Media Metrix.   For 20% of them, the brands reflect their personal style.

Whether a mom or a woman without children, you’re using the Internet as a vehicle for making purchases. How much and what you buy is greatly influenced by whether or not you have children in your life.

Online Buying Habits of Moms and Women is a post from: Moomettes Magnificents

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Today, more than 12 million children in the United States do not know when their next meal will come. Unfortunately, this number continues to rise as these difficult economic times are leaving more and more people jobless, without homes, and unable to provide food for their families.

As Moms, What can we do?

1. Sign-up to host a bake sale: http://www.GreatAmericanBakeSale.org/vgabs

2. Buy the virtual Great American Bake Sale eBook:
http://StolenMomentsCooking.com/virtual-gabs

3. Post a ChipIn widget or banner on your blog:
http://www.GreatAmericanBakeSale.org/bloggers

Make a difference in a child’s life by signing up and purchasing a virtual cookbook today! 100% of the proceeds from this eBook will benefit Share Our Strength’s Great American Bake Sale, which is a national effort that encourages Americans to host bake sales in their communities to help end childhood hunger. Funds raised support summer and after-school feeding programs in your community that thousands of kids depend on.

Once you have purchased your virtual Great American Bake Sale cookbook, double your impact and use the recipes to host your own Great American Bake Sale! Hosting a Bake Sale is a fun and easy way to make a big impact! To register your Bake Sale or for more information, please visit: Great American Bake Sale

Related:

Recipe and Kitchen Tips:  Grand Launch of Moomettesgram’s Favorite Recipes Blog

Online Buying Habits of Moms and Women is a post from: Moomettes Magnificents

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Are you trying to cut down on credit card debt and expenses? I know I am. Although the country is in an economic downturn that will hopefully pick up within the next year, it’s always good to have at least one credit card for emergencies.

Over the weekend, my sister-in-law announced that she rented a condo for 2 months this winter in Florida ~ and she invited me down for a few days!

Now, I consider that an emergency! I need some R & R, and actually haven’t had a winter vacation where I relaxed down South since I was a teenager. No winter breaks for me!

To fund this little road trip, I’m going to Apply for a credit card that issues rewards for every time I use it. I’m also looking for one that is unsecured and has a low regular rate, and no annual fees. Cardhub makes it easy for me to find exactly what I’m looking for.

Do you have any ‘emergencies’ that you might like to have a card on-hand for? Check them out! It’s an awsome site!  They’ve covered every option to help you out ~ search capabilities, saved searches ~ the only thing they need to improve on is making the print larger for these Baby Boomer eyes!

Can you say “Early Bird Special?”

Online Buying Habits of Moms and Women is a post from: Moomettes Magnificents

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If you are involved in a lawsuit or claim, it may take months, or even years to receive the highest possible settlement. When your ability to work is affected, the longer your case lasts, the more difficult it becomes to pay everyday bills.

Have you ever been involved in a car accident?  Hopefully many of you will say no.  As a Paralegal by profession and having worked in law offices for over 20 years, I’ve seen my share of accident cases awaiting settlement.

Just waiting to get on the docket can take years! If you’re out of work, that could prove disastrous!

LawMax is available to help you with a lawsuit finance during the duration.

LawMax can help you avoid financial crisis, including home foreclosure, eviction, bankruptcy and ruined credit. Don’t settle for less just because you are in desperate need of money. LawMax has money available today, so you can receive the settlement you deserve!

Best of all, LawMax shares the risk with you. Make no payments, until your case settles. If there is no recovery, you keep their investment and owe them nothing! There are no credit checks, employment requirements, or monthly payments.

Online Buying Habits of Moms and Women is a post from: Moomettes Magnificents

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Today is Tuesday Toot Day!

What does that mean? Well, it means every Tuesday, you get to post an accomplishment that you have done. As moms sometimes, we are quick in praising our kids and others about their accomplishments but we are “shy” when it comes to our achievements so … here is our chance.

Tuesday Toot ~ Contests, Freebies ~ Giveaways
Round Up Feature

As a new feature on Moomettesgram’s Musings, I’m going to be offering various contests and tips on where to get Free products you can use, as well as Giveaway information!  There’s a new tab up above the first post, captioned “Contests.”  (I can’t seem to get ‘Giveaway’ to fit in there.)

You’ll find links to various favorite sites where you can enter contests and giveaways, and hopefully have some fun and save some money to help out in today’s downswing economy!

I might possibly do a Weekly Roundup post to include in there if I get enough notices!

Let me know if you have a contest or giveaway going on, either now or in the future, and I’ll be happy to add it to the weekly roundup.

So whether your a Mom of a young family, or a Baby Boomer, Senior or Retiree ~ Good Luck!

Online Buying Habits of Moms and Women is a post from: Moomettes Magnificents

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This weekend we’re going to be helping Charming Son-in-Law’s mom celebrate her 50th birthday. It’s going to be so much fun!

Yes, turning 50 is a milestone. This Baby Boomer still thinks like a 30-year old, but parts of me are telling me I’m hallucinating.

Take for example my eyes. I started wearing glasses in my 20s. Within the last year, I’ve gone through 3 pairs of glasses. I have trifocals and special readers that I use just for the computer so I won’t have to tip my head when looking at the screen.

Glasses can be very expensive, especially if you’re not covered by any health insurance.

ZenniOptical.com sells stylish prescription glasses online!  Zenni Optical $ 8 Rx Eyeglasses offers you a  huge selections of frames, with single vision lens, sunsensor (potochromic) lens, tinted sunglasses lens, bifocal lens and progressive lens. The Secret to Zenni’s Low Prices is that they sell only their own manufactured frames direct to the customer, with no middlemen and virtually no advertising budget. Wow, Zenni Optical was on FOX news!

Think I’ll head on over and pick up some Incredible Stylish New Frames From Zenni for almost every outfit!

Online Buying Habits of Moms and Women is a post from: Moomettes Magnificents

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Does it ever seem to you that when it rains, it pours?  This seems especially true when it comes to automobile expenses.

As a typical American multi-car family, we have our share of auto woes.  My youngest college-age daughter puts on more miles and wear and tear on her car than Magellan did circumnavigating the globe.   I basically just use mine for commuting back and forth to work.  While this isn’t a great distance, I do add miles doing my daily errands and chores.  My husband uses his vehicle for work and travels throughout the state.

When we take extended car trips, we use my car.  This past year, we have had to replace two of the vehicles.  My husband needs to replace his, but unfortunately, he’s on the waiting list.  To do otherwise would be a financial nightmare.

While up in Vermont this past weekend at a cookout, we spoke with several guests who indicated that layoffs were occurring at their companies. It seems like everyone is trying to pinch pennies and save on expenses.

One of the ways our family members were able to avoid adding additional Credit card debt over the weekend was by staying overnight with family, rather than booking a room at a hotel or motel. The birthday celebration was a backyard barbecue, rather than being hosted in a restaurant or being catered. It was tremendous fun, and everyone was able to dress casually, rather than spend extra money for formal or special occasion clothing.

If you’re family is experiencing financial problems in today’s economy, Bills.com may be able to assist you Consolidate debt. Bills.com has all the debt help resources and information you need to start tackling your debt. They have a Debt Help Savings Center that will help you find the best solution for, whether that is Debt consolidation, credit counseling, debt settlement or other forms of debt help. Bills.com will help identify what options you have and which ones are best suited to help you tackle your debt. Browse through their articles, debt help guides, and Debt relief tips and get all the information you need to get Debt help.

Online Buying Habits of Moms and Women is a post from: Moomettes Magnificents

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Wow!  Now here’s a good tip of the day!

Walmart has a section on their website where you can get Free Samples!

You read right!  You can get Free Samples of products ~ everything from Baby Products, Health Products, Home Goods & More!  You can get Huggies diapers, Playtex tampons, Towelettes, Fiber Supplements, Food items!

Every young family and even Baby Boomers such as myself can use a little something extra to help out with the finances!

Looks like I’ll be spending a lot of time on this site!

If you know of any others, let me know too!

Online Buying Habits of Moms and Women is a post from: Moomettes Magnificents

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Depression Bread Lines

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’
Or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’.

Bob Dylan

I’m probably hot-flashing again, dear readers, as I’m getting into one of my moods where I feel I must speak up. I’m posting this on my Musings Blog, rather than my “fun” Mama Mentor Blog, because ~~ this is not a fun topic.

Part I

I belong to several social networking forums. One in particular, a Mom forum, has been heavily debating the State of the Union and the economy, and whether anyone thinks it’s affecting their WAHM business. As the posts are moderated ~ well, you can understand that many do not get through. Personally, I’m getting a little tired of that forum. Thank goodness I blog, so I can expound and get on my high horse.

Many of the Mom members are young. I have nothing against being young ~ I was there myself once long ago.

But I cannot agree with their comments that the economy is rosy, things are great, and that the media is just making things out to look badly. Forum comments reflect the position that the economy is only bad to those whom are personally affected by it. Yes, and no. There’s a maxim that the “personal becomes the political.” I can agree with that.

However, I just didn’t fall off the apple cart. I’m a Baby Boomer and I’ve been married for 34 years, and have obviously lived through the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. Never have I seen things looking so bad for this country.

As many of you know, I live in New England. I filled up my car today. I’d been riding on fumes, and have an American made car. We don’t wear the US flag on our sleeves, but DH insists we do buy American when we can. It cost me $64 to fill up today. I’m saving that gas receipt, just for ha ha’s. I used to have a 2002 Malibu that we bought new. In 2002, it cost me $12 to fill, which I thought was great, since it replaced the 1995 Windstar mini-van that I had.

Methinks that the young moms are looking at the world through rose-colored glasses. Just because you’re perhaps not personally affected, doesn’t mean the rest of the country isn’t. We’re what I consider, or used to consider middle class. I’m a college grad. I have a DD who’s a college grad, and another who’ll graduate in May 2009. My DH spent time at Marquette University in Milwaukee, and now owns his own business.

I read over 20 national newspapers a day because of my cubicle job. One of my favorite columnists is Debbie Solomon from the Burlington Free Press in Vermont. Her recent post sums up my feelings better than I can express them. Read it here. I hope this link continues to work.

Kiddos, things are going to get much worse before they get better. Hold on to your hats, you’re in for a ride.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of my rantings and ravings on this subject. Comments appreciated.

Online Buying Habits of Moms and Women is a post from: Moomettes Magnificents

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Museum Pass

Looking for something interesting to do with the kids, grandchildren or visiting guests over the weekend or during school, holiday or summer vacations? Check out how to be frugal, save money and get museum passes for your family for FREE!

With the cost of gas continually rising every day in today’s economy, many families are watching their finances and looking to cut corners and save money. By doing some Day Tripping with the kiddos or grandchildren, there are still many ways to have quality family-time together, while soaking up a little culture or entertainment in the process!

Check out this easy money saving tip on How to Get Free Museum Passes for a Family Daytrip and vacation close to home!

Happy Trails to You!

© 2008 C. Matthews

Online Buying Habits of Moms and Women is a post from: Moomettes Magnificents

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