Image: David Reber’s Hammer Photography, Flickr

I know many moms who swear by saving with coupons. I can’t say I’ve ever been really successful at this game, but I have witnessed a happy moment or two at the grocery store register. Just has never happened to me, which I tend to think is because I don’t buy a lot of the boxed stuff, and there never seems to be much savings out there for fresh produce, meats, and such. Or, maybe it’s because I don’t seek out coupons. Hard to save when I don’t clip, right? Well, I guess I could start trying harder by checking out printable coupons? And visiting coupon blogs. And … what else should I do? Please share your tips and tricks!

Lots of moms are out there blogging about all matters kid-related, but where are all the dads who surely have some details to share? Here’s one (Rand Cooper), and he authors Dad on a Lark Blog. It’s really good. His most recent post, Parenting Books vs. Common Sense, will probably strike a chord if ever you’ve battled with a 3-year-old over something that in the long run really doesn’t matter — like who uses the grown-up umbrella and who uses the kid one.

Says Cooper about himself: I began as a fiction writer (my first novel, “The Last to Go,” was made into a really bad TV movie, starring Tyne Daly), then branched out to other writing. By now I’ve written for over 50 magazines, including “Glamour,” “The New York Times Magazine,” “Bon Appetit,” and “Commonweal.” Away from my writing desk, I’m a chess fanatic and hopeless basketball addict. Oh yeah, I’m also the family cook.

Get to know more about him here.

Photo: bredgur, Flickr