Mashup Mom in 2017 -- and beyond
Please take a few minutes to read about changes to Mashup Mom, now and into the New Year -- I'd like to take a moment to explain why I'm making these changes, and what to expect. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and for being a part of the Mashup Mom community! I truly do feel thankful, grateful, and blessed for all of you.
Mashup Mom turns 8 in January 2017
Call this a belated seven year itch...
It's been a crazy 8 years, and those of you who have stuck around since 2009 have been through some pretty significant changes in the art of couponing since then. While we still see the occasional great deal, these are fewer and further between -- and they're not, by and large, deals I'm picking up myself any longer.
The changes you'll see on Mashup Mom over this coming year largely reflect the changes in my own shopping patterns and interests. Where 5 years ago I might have trekked to three different Walgreens to clean up on a Register Rewards deal, now I'm more likely just to keep us stocked with toothpaste and toiletries by visiting CVS every 2-3 weeks to roll ECB. Where 5 years ago it was fun to play the grocery game between Jewel and Dominick's, now I'm more likely to hit ALDI and Pete's Market without coupons and call it a day. Where 5 years ago I'd stockpile with high value coupons and cyclical sales + promos, now I'm more likely to stock up on household basics with Amazon's subscribe & save and be grateful for deliveries to my door at decent prices.
When I'm more excited about $.59 avocados at ALDI than free toothpaste at CVS, I'm not necessarily the right person to keep telling you about free toothpaste. It's making less sense to keep talking about chasing after an ever shrinking number of deals, and moving to talking about how to shop and live frugally as an overall lifestyle is much more interesting to me. There's an opportunity cost to anything we do, and all that time spent chasing deals is time we no longer have available to spend with our families, with friends, on hobbies.
I hope you stick around on the journey towards reclaiming some of that time.
You've probably already noticed some changes lately
Sorry about that...
I apologize for starting the changeover and moving around menu items before writing up an explanation and announcement. I know that resulted in Who Moved my Cheese moments for some of you, and that wasn't my intention. Please be aware that you will be seeing more changes to the menus and sidebar as these evolve to reflect the shift in content on the site.
Hope you're enjoying the newer features
The weekly ALDI meal plan, Work-at-Home Saturday, and other newer features will continue into 2017. Older features, such as Frugal Homemade, will also be making a more regular comeback.
What you will see on Mashup Mom in the New Year
Moving forward, Mashup Mom will focus on frugal living rather than strictly couponing and deals
What does that mean? Here's what you'll see more of:
- Meal planning
- Frugal homemade how-tos
- Make it or buy it?
- Recipes
- Healthier eating on a budget
- Frugal living tips
- Fitting frugality into a busy lifestyle
- Chickens and bees and gardening and organizing
- Thrifting
- Book reviews
With a sprinkling of Amazon deals, because I enjoy them so, as well as a roundup of some of the day's best deals each morning. 😉 Overall: You'll see more longer posts, more reflection, and more "evergreen" tips and topics as opposed to one time deals.
Time to evolve or fade away
I was recently going through some old PowerPoint slides from talks I use to give to librarians... way back in a different lifetime... 🙂 I ran across this "Perfect is the enemy of the good" slide, and it pretty much sums up the last year of this site. I've been waiting to make changes until I could get everything "just right," but life doesn't work that way. The evolution of Mashup Mom in the New Year will be a process, and I don't expect it will look exactly the same by the end of 2017 as it will at the beginning. I look forward to making this journey with you!
What you won't see on Mashup Mom in the New Year
Matchups are going away
The biggest change here: This is the last day for matchups on Mashup Mom.
Where can I find matchups now?
- Find CVS matchups at Hip 2 Save.
- Find Jewel matchups on Jill Cataldo's site.
- Find Meijer matchups at The Shopper's Apprentice.
- Find Menards matchups at Jill Cataldo or The Shopper's Apprentice (see above).
- Find Target matchups at Totally Target.
- Find Walgreens matchups at Wild for Wags.
One shot deal posts are largely going away
One shot deals are by their nature ephemeral, and Mashup Mom will be focusing more on evergreen topics in the new year.
Where can I find deals now?
- You'll find a little roundup of some of the best deals in the Morning Mashup post every day.
- You'll find additional deals, including some of the one shot deals that used to appear here as separate posts, in the Hot Deals group on Facebook.
I understand that some of you are not Facebook fans, and I respect that. This is the easiest way, however, for me to continue providing some deal content (and for you to share deals and photos) as we move into the New Year, and to build on the nascent community in the group. I hope to see more of you over there to continue the community that's grown up around Mashup Mom.
Yes, this is a shift in direction
Time to face the strange ch-ch-changes...
I truly do hope that many of you stick around through these changes -- I'm excited about bringing you new content and features in the New Year, and I treasure the community you've helped build over at Mashup Mom. Thanks for listening, and now: Onward!
Rachel, you have built such a great community with this blog. I have been so thankful for years, for all the help you have given us. I was never one who could go to 20 stores or buy lots and lots of one item, but still benefited so much from “Mum.” Your humor, friendliness, organization, and ease of use, just made this the best place to be. I’m hoping that you might keep tabs for “Print coupons” and even “Reader Deals,” but I know you have to do what works for your new vision. I’ll miss the Jewel and CVS matchups as well. Anyway, kudos to you, for creating this place when you needed to, and now creating something new again. You are the best.
Congratulations on changing course, it takes courage to do something new. Couponing has indeed changed dramatically in the last several years and we need to change along with it.
You've saved my family countless dollars these last few years and helped me learn the "art" of saving. My hat is off to you and I wish you all great success!
I have been following you for years now and feel you have followed the times and needs perfectly! I also changed the way I shop and added Goodwill to the mix. I LOVE amazon oddities! I have ordered several and am always thankful for the giggle. I appreciate the recipes and frugal lifestyle advice. You are an important part of my day and I thank you!
I'm liking Aldis and Pete's as well. Yesterday Aldi had fresh boneless skinless chicken on sale for about .80 cents per pound. It is very hard to find boneless skinless chicken breasts any place that cheap. They had great dates and it was only for Tuesdays meat sale. With their double back guarantee there is nothing to lose. Pete's is a great place to buy smoked turkey wings, drummettes, any smoked meats for soup, stews, etc, often on sale for .99 cents per pound. The manufacturers are too stingy with their printable coupons, they could at least let you print 2 per month on the same computer. Nope two and you're done especially if its a bricks or coupons.com coupon. I'd rather shop at a place that has great deals to begin with, coupons aren't needed.
I am VERY sad! You were my favorite couponing site and I will truly miss you! Thank you for the years of deals. The store matchups/Reader Deals were why I visited your site several times a day. I'm not big on Facebook and will have to look into your Hot Deals group. Your new site sounds interesting and I wish you good luck on your new direction.
Here's another Chicagoland couponing site: Couponing For 4
I want to take a moment and thank you for all you have done in making me a more frugal shopper! I love couponing! It's me against the store mentality 🙂 I will continue your blog...because I so enjoy your quirky sense of humor 😉
DITTO!
Rachel, you have been a continuous blessing and mentor. I have been only couponing for 18 months and you were my first, and constant mentor. However, my shopping habits and priorities have changes as well. I respect and admire your decision and new direction. I hope to hear more from you about Amazon deals, Aldi's & Petes. I wish you the very best in your new ventures, AND I will be cheering you on! On another note, what are your thoughts about Krazy Coupon Lady, worth following?
I'm definitely staying put during your switch to a new format and beyond.
Your blog is the best! Your content is always interesting and fun, no matter what the subject matter!
You have a gift; thanks for sharing : )
Rachel, thank you for teaching me how to stack coupons and sales to save money on groceries and health and beauty items. Recently, I was thinking about letting my Sunday newspaper subscription lapse because I just don't use the coupons anymore and can't keep up with reading the paper. In addition, I don't keep up with reading couponing blogs as much as I used to because the savings aren't as large as they used to be. Good luck and I'll be around to support the changes in the future!
Thank you Rachel, you've helped my family so much over the past 8 years. I enjoy your posts and agree the deals are not there, other things like family are more important. Being careful with your spending and being thrifty are the way to go. Thank you again for your hard work, looking forward to the new changes.