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!
I totally agree with you as I have stopped running to the stores for all the "deals". Most of the time you are just spending money as in I have a $10 coupon but you have to spend $30 to use it so I now have a drawer full of my favorite Jockey undies!! Many of these sites are just about shopping - yes, all those good deals- and they encourage you to spend money. I am looking forward to your new concepts and writings. May 2017 be filled with health and happiness for you and all your readers.
That is EXACTLY the reason I had my financial 360 classes. I covered a ton of stuff in 2 hours. I really need to do another. I did them free (never charging for my appearance). I made them fun, & passed out a bunch of cool stuff in addition to guides, so you could focus on me & not be writing everything down. Someday when I have time again I supposed...
Time is one thing I don't have enough of, even if I am a pretty organized person.
I'm one of those people who get mad when I see others waste money & waste opportunity.
Especially when shopping, & you see someone buying a ton of stuff at full price.
If enough people are willing pay full price, chances are that store will have less sales & keep prices higher making more profit.
Less opportunity for the rest of us...
-Mark
Thank you, Rachel, for all you do. I am one who doesn't take change well. That's my little problem, though. I understand that change is constantly happening and that the change of focus is something you want to do for yourself. To be honest, my couponing habits have changed also and I'm not rushing out to grab a deal unless it is something I really need or use constantly. But your shift of focus catches my attention because I am interested also in the new articles you will be posting about. I enjoyed reading about your chickens and would like to get some of my own, unfortunately they are not allowed in my town. And you mentioned bees. Are you beekeeping? I'm interested in hearing about that. I'm also a gardener, so I love hearing about the veggies you have used in your recipes. So, different focus but still lots of great things to read about in the new year. You go girl!
I guess I have been tracking with you all along and didn't realize we were on the same page with so many topics! (My comment on book reviews the other day was prophetic! LOL!) I have enjoyed this site for more than coupons and match ups the last 8 years. Your wit and humor along with interesting reviews and topics has brought me back year after year, day after day. I look forward to your new format and have enjoyed the journey here tremendously. I am looking forward to 2017 and the new content . You are a blessing to me and my family, Rachel. Thank you!
You're the best, Rachel! Your tips and tricks helped my family during some tough financial times. Once those great grocery deals started to dry up I, too, stopped running around on Sunday mornings. Like you, I find myself doing Amazon - a reasonable price and shipped to my door is better for me. I do like those Amazon oddities (where else can you find a Sylvia Plath finger puppet?) and will continue to read your posts throughout the new year. Congratulations on taking this next next step in the evolution of Mashup Mom!
Thank you so much for all your time, energy, & tips over the years! Happy New Year!
Thanks, Rachel! I've enjoyed your blog for several years now, and will continue to do so. You run a useful blog that encourages readers to interact and share with one another - I've learned from you and other readers.
I've also noticed the downward trend of deals available. While it is disappointing, I try to stay positive and thankful I got so many great deals while they were still available. After all, nothing is guaranteed. Instead of saying "no fair" I focus on the fact that I learned valuable skills and apply them every time I shop. My kids have also benefited from this logic, as I have passed on my coupon/deal-seeking knowledge to them.
Thanks again for your hard work, and your straightforward note about changing content is much appreciated.
Happy New Year!
I will REALLY miss your Jewel and CVS match-ups. I've been using your website to help my family save money almost since you started it. Couponing is not what it use to be, but we still have to buy groceries and household products, and I now shop mainly at Jewel, Aldi (produce) and CVS. Your match-ups saved me so much time! Please know that I appreciate all your efforts over the years. You always found a way to make things fun and easy to read. I wish you well in your new endeavors Rachel. And yes, I will continue to follow your website; I look forward to watching it grow into its new direction.
I was wondering if you could put at the top of your blog where you have the go to features, titles, or headings (I'm sorry...I don't know what you call it) a title for the go to places for Hip 2 Save - CVS, Totally Target - Target, etc. Or can you tell me how to find these sites? I don't know how to find these sites otherwise. I still like looking at what the deals are and deciding if I want to do them or not. I've always known how to find simple deals but you've taught me how to find even more or to find them better. I'm going to miss going to one blog to find it but I guess we'll get used to doing it different. Thank you!
I'll have to see how I like your site from now on. I don't do Amazon or the recipes as we have our own way of cooking and eating. I sure have enjoyed your site in the past and how funny you are! I do understand you want more family time and it is your blog so you can do what you want. Since you live in the Chicago area and I live in Central IL, I do have to be selective on what you post because your items don't match what we have here.
Each of those is linked in the post above where I give alternative suggestions for matchups. Just click and bookmark. 🙂
Rachel,Best of luck to you in your further endeavors. I'm disappointed that you're discontinuing the match-ups. Sorry,but I love chasing deals and beating retailers at their own game. Food tastes better when it's heavily discounted or free. 🙂 You've saved me a lot of money over the years and I am forever grateful. Unfortunately the new path here will be of little interest to me.
You still rock Rachel. We all evolve and if we don't, survival of the fittest! I'm with you...stopped running around a LONG time ago. Target, Aldi, Jewel, Amazon, and CVS get my money. I hardly hit anywhere else. Life is too dang short. I'd rather be reading a book or spending time w/my family, when I have cherished free time.
PS Belated Happy Hanukkah and Happy New Year!