This weekend kids shoes at Stride Rite are up to 60% off. I landed 5 pairs of sneakers for my kiddo for $49.95. $9.99 a pair of stride rite sneakers. I have 3 of the same and 2 aurora princess sneakers all different sizes.

But what happens if her foot grows? Well keep receipt and they honor exchanges. I stick it in the box until we use it. But for now with a kid in 10.5W I have sizes up to 1W. I am set for a long time and I finally got it a price I can swallow. Typically I hate paying more than $20 a pair and usually I try to score $10 or less for stride rite. Amazingly I've been lucky and done so for the most part.

Another savings is do the survey on the receipt for $5 next purchase and go back the next day and buy more. I'm doing that this weekend to buy for the younger one. I find that my kid's feet grow slowly but with the return policy I find it worth it no matter what. And I don't buy anything but sneakers at a deal price. Because kids feet do grow. But sneakers at least for us are used year round as playground or indoor play shoes.

As an only child with three step siblings, and the knowledge my dad will predecease my mom, I worry about my mom. I know that she'll have more than enough money.

But I also know that my parents have always made bad financial decisions but out earned stupid. No matter what bad decisions they've made they've always earned enough to not worry about it. They've leased cars, taken trips every month and lived a great life. But they've never done any home repairs and literally gotten rid of cars because they didn't want to fix it.

My dad still works at 83 and has been forced to take RMD from his IRAs and SS. My mom has a pension and is collecting now SS. With everything they are making too much to qualify for Roth IRA which my mom still does since my Dad still works. So financially good.

The real bad? Well here are a couple of examples. First my mom finally sold a house in July 2012 after it sat empty for 3 years because she had to "clean" it and have it recarpeted and new window treatments to sell it. The people who bought it flipped it in less than a year for $50k more. Sigh. I told her to just dump it and stop worrying about it. She refused and said she had to "fix" it to sell.

Second my parents have a large house they live in part-time. Large as in 5000 sq ft. I worry about my mom trying to clean it, they no longer have a cleaner come in since the one we had got too old. My mom doesn't trust anyone else so she's been trying to clean the house herself. I try to suggest finding someone new but she said they "steal". This house is literally leaking in the roof. When we were there for Christmas we were using buckets all over the house and my DH considered getting up there to hammer in shingles himself.

So my mom promised to fix the roof. I went back earlier this month and it still hasn't been done because she's too busy and it has to be coordinated with tenting for termites and re-roofing. I suggested calling and organizing for her, or even coming back to do it, but she said she has to "clean" and pack up everything. I suggested hiring an organizer/cleaner. But she says they steal and wouldn't do it right.

It's not about the money. She told me that she has $80k in her checking account waiting to do the roof and termites. But how can anything be done if you live in perfect weather and yet almost 6 months later a roof can't be done?

I want to hire someone to come in and just start cleaning the house up. I suggested getting a dumpster put outside so she can stop saying she has to drive to the dump.

This doesn't account for the fact that my parents have a condo they live in part-week as well. Stuffed to the brim. Everytime I visit I am lucky to fit a gallon of milk in the fridge. I have a photo I took as proof of salmon in my mom's freezer from 2001. Yes it's dated. For 2 people they have 2 refrigerators and a freezer.

Every time I suggest downsizing I'm told they can't sell the house it's not sellable. They have to clean it up first.

Mind you my mom had physical therapy for her rotator cuff in the past year so I'm worried about her cleaning toilets, lifting heavy things, etc. She's in overall great health and so is my dad, but seriously? Why do they need 3 cars for 1 driver?

I read on another blogger talking about taking over the checking account. So I worry. I wonder when do the roles reverse and the child starts taking on parental roles?

Pack your lunch. Sounds dumb right? But seriously I lid you not most of my stay at home mom's working husband's eat lunch out everyday. Most of my Dr coworkers buy lunch daily. Many of my sahp buy lunches when we go out. Yep eating out is prevalent and honestly easier.

But with a little planning you can save a lot of money. Assume a $5 foot long from subway is all you have or a six inch sub with chips and a drink. Want to do that for less than $110/month? 22 working days on average or 176 hours a month is normal payroll. Buy a big bag of chips, loaf of bread, and luncheon meat and cheese and throw it in office fridge for week and you are set. Even better put in five sodas and you are having a full meal. Seriously my DH did this throughout graduate school including the soda. Always brought in five on Monday for the week and 12 packs were $2 a case. His meals for the week were maybe $10? I did the same or if I didn't have a fridge I'd make a sandwich.

I also usually cook enough for dinner and lunch the next day or two. Leftovers are great. No microwave? But a thermos and it'll keep. Buy a lunch bag and ice pack. And chill your soda the night before in the lunch bag in the fridge.

I can't take credit for this behavior. But our parents behaved this way and we grew up only knowing you always pack your lunch even the soda you'd want but couldn't fathom paying vending machine prices.

But seriously I doubt most people only spend $5 a day on lunch if they are eating out. More like $20 after the morning breakfast, Starbucks Coffee in morning and afternoon. And it does add up fast.

Do you buy or bag it?