75% off Java at Gloria Jeans Holiday Coffee Sale

Here's a deal we can definitely drink to:  Right now, Gloria Jean's Coffee shop online is having a Holiday Coffee Sale, offering up to 75% off. 

Great time to stock up on on some fabulous brew.  Even with shipping, this adds up to tremendous savings for coffee lovers.

Click here for more details:  https://www.gloriajeans.com/c-78-holiday-coffee-sale.aspx

U.S. Stamp Price Increases Today – Should You Invest in Forever Stamps?

The price of a stamp went up a penny today to 45 cents. Mailing a post card will now cost an extra three cents, up to 32.

Forecasting ahead, it’s likey we’ll see another rate increase within the next year or so, and the question arises, is it a good idea to start investing in some “Forever” stamps?

As a MomDotCom reader, you know we are all about saving every penny, but will the potential savings be enough to bother with the investment? With online billing and the decline in personal mail, we just aren’t mailing that many letters anymore.

Let’s say you use a book of twenty stamps per month. That’s 240 stamps a year or the equivalent of a $2.40 savings if you were to purchase “Forever” stamps to use for the year (assuming stamps rise by another penny next year to 46 cents.)

Consider that you’ll be locking up over $105 in spending money per year of stamps purchased, to save less than one percent per stamp. But, if you spend more on stamps each year or ship packages regularly for business-related purposes and want to take advantage of the flat rate pre-paid Priority mail “Forever” stamps, it may be worth an investment to help you curb future costs.

What do you think?

Did you invest in “Forever” stamps prior to the rate increase?

Money Earning Idea: Turn Baking into Business

Love to bake? Do friends and family rave about your baked goods or decorating skills? 

You can turn that passion for food into a profitable business off and online. Here’s what you need to make it happen.

How Does an Online Bakery Make Money?

An online bakery makes money simply by selling baked goods. Like any business, it pays to specialize. You might specialize in a type of baked good or you might specialize in an event or holiday.

For example, you could become the birthday baker. Or you might make the best gluten free vegan cookies on the planet. Specialize and you can create a name for yourself It’s much easier to market a specialty.

What Do You Need to Get Started?

To start your own online bakery you’ll need:

* A business plan
* Equipment to make your product
* Photos of your baked goods to use on your website
* A website or online store (you can sell your products on sites like Foodzie.com)
* A means to accept payment and ship your product
* A marketing plan – who is your audience and how will they learn about your business?
* A computer with an internet connection

You’ll also want to investigate your local legal requirements. Do you need a sales tax certificate? Do you need to be certified by your health department? Do you need insurance?

10 Things You Can Do Right Now to Become an Agent of Change

Nope, not the change in your pocketbook (though, we think monitoring that is grand, too)... but the change that can come about when we get actively involved in bettering our world. 

There are endless possibilities when it comes to being an Agent of Change but to make it easy, Lonesome George & Co. is sharing with MomDotCom readers- 10 small things you can do right now to jump-start your decision and make changes toward a better tomorrow:

1. Don't just wait for the future to happen, SHAPE it – even something as simple as turning off the water while you’re brushing your teeth can save up to 5 gallons of water every time you brush.

2. Work at understanding your SYSTEM (tribe, family, neighborhood, office, community) – carpooling not only spares the environment from unnecessary pollution, but it also gives you the opportunity to form new bonds of friendship with the people you are riding with.

3. Look for the variables within your system that INFLUENCE your surroundings – unplugging your appliances and other electronics when not in use eliminates unnecessary energy use when they are not actively serving a purpose.

4. Reduce, reuse, RECYCLE – even through the simple act of recycling one soda can, you can save enough energy to watch 3 hours of TV and in turn be responsible for creating a better future for our natural environment.

5. Learn, ADAPT and evolve – Unfortunately, there are products that have been created that cannot be recycled but you can still eliminate unnecessary use of resources by Upcycling. Upcycling is taking an unrecyclable product and turning it into a product of greater value, such as license plate purses and gum wrapper wallets.