Power in Planning

Events are coming up in our family...Mother's Day, my son's 4th birthday, and our 9th wedding anniversary are all within the next month.  I love to recognize these special events, but if I don't plan well, the stress of what to do and how to celebrate turn into last minute quick decisions. Quick decisions tend to be costly.  So bring on the planning!  Prizes and goodies have been stored away in my closet from the awesome endcaps of clearance I find at Target to use as goody bags for my son.  Our anniversary dinner has been planned out and we will splurge at the restaurant we had our reception at, since we haven't been back since the weekend we married.  But this week, is Mother's Day, and that means it is time to plan.  My family will want to make me a nice meal--and frankly, I will want to eat it!  Strolling through Sam's Club, I saw ribeye steaks, reduced for quick sale....$28.xx is still pricey for a single meal, but it could save me from a pricey restaurant trip (with five of us, a meal out is a minimum of $40 at a sit-down fast food) AND will be a meal I couldn't afford at a restaurant anyways (sit-down steak restaurants for our family would be pushing $100).  I also have a Groupon to use for a portrait studio, so I can treat myself to a new pic of my kids (appointment scheduled for Thursday!) which I only paid $25 for.  I also have my own mother's gift planned and paid for---but my mom reads my blog so that is all I can say about that for now. If you are a mom, or treating your mom this Sunday, take some time to plan something out of the ordinary to set the day apart.  Saving money is great, but truly moms are better!