Bargain Grocery Shopping

Even if your lifestyle hasn't changed much with the economic downturn, you may find yourself looking for bargains more often than before and even resorting to cutting coupons in order to save money. Many people are finding ways to cut their grocery bills. A few ways to save money without changing your eating patterns too much are mentioned below.

Shopping at warehouse stores often gives you lower prices by buying in quantity. Those items you buy often or need in large quantities will cost less per serving this way. But, do your price comparisons ahead of time since you may not save money on everything.
- Costco
- Sam's Club

Shopping at retailers for food has become more common practice as these retailers have added food to their assortment and even supply their store brands at a lower cost than many brand name food products. Since you are often shopping there for other things, it is easy to pick up milk, yogurt, bread, cereal along with your diapers, shower gel, greeting cards etc.
- Target (my favorite)
- Walmart

Shopping at drug stores for food items sometimes works. Oftentimes, drug stores have certain products on sale to draw in customers, such as milk or ice-cream or even canned goods and tea. I don't necessarily recommend going there to satisfy most of your grocery needs, but you can save money on items you buy at the supermarket if you are there anyway.
- Rite Aid
- Walgreens
- Longs
- CVS

Shopping at the farmer's market is a great way to save money, eat green and often organic and save the environment by supporting local growers vs. transporting fruits and veggies across country. There are many farmer's markets in the area. To find the one closest to you, click here and enter your city or zip code.

Shopping with online coupons is all the rage these days. There are several sites that allow you to download coupons and print them out based on the products you frequently buy. Some provide you with the specials in the supermarkets that you frequent as well. This way, the coupons and specials "come to you" vs. having to sort through the Sunday paper and "go to them". Some sites to check out:
- http://www.mygrocerydeals.com/
- www.onlinecoupons.com/
- www.anycoupons.com/Food_&_Grocery.html
- www.couponsurfer.com/
- http://www.coupons.smartsource.com/
- http://www.couponcorner.net/
-http://www.couponmom.com/

Swine Flu Concerns

It is hard not to worry about Swine Flu, now called H1N1, when everything you hear on the news, radio and on the internet is about this new type of flu. Health concerns always take priority in the family. It is now at a stage 5 of 6 due to the spread to several countries and face masks and anti-bacterial gels are selling out all over. Should we pull our kids out of day care and school? Should we treat this as with SARS and bird flu as a pandemic? Or will small steps such as hand washing, staying home if sick and monitoring symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat and headach be enough? The good news is that there is an anti-viral medicine available for this flu - Tamiflu which can shorten the length of the flu. That makes me feel a little better. My philosophy with everything is do your research and balance the information and the source. Then, you make your best decision and judgments based on your maternal instinct with this info. That way, you know you are doing what is right for you and your family.

For additional information, see the links below:

http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/features/swine-flu-what-parents-need-to-know?ecd=wnl_nal_042909

http://www.pandemicflu.gov/

Family Car Stickers

We have all seen them around and I have even contemplated getting them -the cute little family car stickers that are on the back window of many vans, station wagons, SUVs and even some sedans. Everyone is proud of their family and this is one more way to show that. But, you need to be careful when you disclose information about your family too. Not to make you paranoid, but you need to remember that there are bad people out there ready to take advantage of any information you give them about your family. No names should ever be used on these stickers and even showing the age appropriate relationships in the family can put you at some risk. If someone saw you and your children coming out of the car, they would know how many children in the family, if there are pets, sometime what sports are played. Someone trying to make contact could use this info to try to act familiar with your family and especially your kids. It takes one moment of your son or daughter running back to the car with friends to wait for you while you finish talking to the coach or teacher for someone to approach and use this info. And, if you have a school bumper sticker also, that will help them even more. Again, be proud of your family, but be safe and remember how this information can be used.

Another blog with this same information which quotes a news update from Fox News:

http://simplesahm.com/2008/10/warning-vinyl-car-stickers-may-be-a-safety-hazard-for-families/

Summer Movies

Summertime is almost here! It is often fun to beat the heat and see a movie. It is a great summertime activity. How can you save money when you go to the movies?

1. You can save money by buying tickets in bulk at Costco for the adults ($7.50 each when you buy 5)

2. Several theaters including Regal Theaters, offer movie club cards, when you purchase tickets in advance

3. The entertainment book sold by many schools includes coupons for movies.

4. If your kids don't mind seeing the same movie again in the theater, you can look some of the special programs that theaters will have for kids.

- Cinemark has a summer club house starting June. Movies are offered every Wednesday at 10 am for 10 weeks at the very low price of $1 each! And, if you buy ticket for all 10 weeks up front, you pay only $5 for 10 MOVIES! What a deal! For info, see http://www.cinemark.com/summermovieclubhouse/index.htm. They are offering Space Chimps, Horton Hears a Who, Madagascar 2, Shrek the Third and Tale of Despereaux to name a few.

- AMC is offering a summer movie camp. All movies are $1 and they have special "snack packages" too. For more info: http://www.amctheatres.com/smc/

Some fun kids movies that are coming this summer (though not all are appropriate for all kids -(remember to check them out first on http://www.commonsensemedia.org/) - Ice Age 3, Disney's Up Movie, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Alice in Wonderland, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs...

Earth Day is Wednesday!

April 22nd is Earth Day. This is a great day to remind yourself and teach your children about the values of recycling, conservation and generally taking care of the planet. Quite a few organizations take the opportunity to schedule a clean-up around this time and it is a fun and active way to involve the whole family and reinforce Earth Day values. We went out and helped the SF Wildlife Refuge in Fremont on Saturday and we got a guided tour of the wetlands, the birds and other wildlife as we helped clean up around the bay and refuge. Try the below sites or simply do a search on Earth Day Clean-ups and find out the best way to help Mother Earth and teach a valuable lesson to your kids!

http://www.calparks.org/programs/earth-day/

http://my.nature.org/earthday/

Summer Camps & Activities

Hard to believe, but it is that time again...time to think about summer activities and summer camps! Where do you start?! The Camp Fairs have already taken place in March and many of the camps "early bird discount" offers have expired.

Well, first of all, you can start with your local parks and recreation guide. You will find lots of summer day camps and activities for a relatively low price and they are pretty tried and true. Click here for the Fremont Parks and Rec Guide or check out your city's guide.

YMCA is another good choice for a lower-cost option that has great programs and includes extended care for full-time working parents. It not only has day or week long camps, but also has family camps where families can camp together and enjoy time together while learning crafts, meeting new people and enjoying the outdoors.

East Bay Regional Parks has lots of activities year round and has many hikes, nature walks, nature classes etc to check out for the summer.

Of course, swim, tennis, soccer, golf, baseball are all sports that are popular in the summer since they are outdoor sports. Again, check out the parks and rec guide for your city for lots of options for classes that are age-related. There are also specialized organizations which run week long camps for kids such as:

Soccer:
FC Fremont Soccer Club -http://www.fcfremont.com/
Kidz Love Soccer - http://www.kidzlovesoccer.com/
AYSO Soccer - http://soccer.org/home.aspx
Striker's Den Soccer Academy: http://www.strikersden.com/

Tennis:
Golden Gateway Tennis and Swim Club - http://www.ggtsc.com/
Bay Area Tennis Lessons by Jeff Randolph - http://bayareatennislessons.com/
Local tennis organizations directory - http://dir.yahoo.com/Regional/U_S__States/California/Metropolitan_Areas/San_Francisco_Bay_Area/Recreation_and_Sports/Tennis/?o=a&skw=bay+area+tennis

Swim:
Splash Swim School - http://www.splashswimschool.com/
Happy Fish - http://www.swimhappyfish.com/
Fremont Swim School - http://www.americanswimacademy.com/fss/
West Coast Aquatics - http://www.westcoastaquatics.com/
Silliman Center - http://www.newark.org/play/recreation.html

Golf:
Pruneridge Golf Club - http://www.pruneridgegolfclub.com/
Nike Golf Camp - http://www.ussportscamps.com/golf/

Lacrosse:
Atherton Lacrosse Camp for beginner and intermediate levels and starts at age 5.

Baseball:
Rob Andrews Baseball Camps - http://www.robandrewsbaseball.com/index.html
SF Giants Baseball Camp - http://www.campchannel.com/summer-camps/San-Francisco-Giants-Baseball-Camps-1972.html

Many sports, including more unique ones like fencing, are represented on http://www.bayareakidfun.com/pages/sportslessons.html

Other interesting options to check out:

http://www.campunique.com/
http://www.huskyhouseforkids.org/
Adventure Day Camp - http://www.adventuredaycamp.com/
http://www.sfgokids.com/
JCC Summer Camps - in contra costa county: http://www.ccjcc.org/ or in oakland: http://www.jcceastbay.org/
Crystal Springs Uplands School camp - http://www.csus.org/

SF Zoo camps: http://www.sfzoo.org/
Bay Area Discovery Museum Camps: http://www.baykidsmuseum.org/
Chabot Space and Science Center: http://www.chabotspace.org/

Youth Science Institute: http://www.youthscience.org/
Mr. Shargel's Science Adventures: http://www.shargelscience.com/
The Explorers Club: http://www.eckidsclub.com/
Destination Science: http://www.destinationscience.org/
Camp Galileo: http://www.galileo-learning.com/

Renaissance School in Oakland: http://www.therenaissanceschool.org/
Children's Musical Theater: http://www.cmtsj.org/
Kids Culinary Adventures: http://www.kidsculinaryadventures.com/
Little Star Cafe: http://www.littlestarcafe.com/

Girl Scout Camp (you don't have to be a girl scout to register): http://www.camprocks.org/
Calero Ranch Stables: http://www.caleroranchstables.com/
Rawhide Ranch: http://www.rawhideranch.com/

UPDATE: If you are looking for some tips to get your kids into camp and overnight camp links, check out this article that came out today, 6/3/09 from todayshow.com.

Good Luck!

Easter is almost here!

People who celebrate Easter have different traditions. They go to church, they spend time with family and friends, they go on Easter egg hunts, they paint hard-boiled eggs, they exchange Easter baskets and the list goes on. As any holiday, the important thing is to take time with your family no matter how you wish to celebrate it. This lays the foundation for traditions that your children will always remember. I remember going to church, going to a neighborhood Easter egg hunt and having ham for Easter dinner. During the holidays, such as Easter, my mom always made sure to invite those who did not have family or friends nearby or in town to spend the day with us so that they could enjoy that sense of familiar tradition too. Whatever you do for this weekend, remember to enjoy the moment! See below for a few activities going on around the Bay Area, if you need any suggestions.

Moraga Commons Park - Spring Egg Hunt, Saturday, April 11th at 9 am
West San Jose Community Center - Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 11th at 10 am
Glenmoor Gardens Easter in the Park at Meyer Park - Saturday, April 11th at 11 am
Little Vikings - Shoreline - Saturday, April 11th - Easter Egg Hunt at 3pm
Mosswood Park - Oakland - Saturday, April 11th - Easter Egg Hunt at 11 am
Newark Mall Farmers Market - Sunday, April 12th - Easter Egg Hunt

For more events, see http://upcoming.yahoo.com/ or http://www.when.com/.

Low Cost Options for Children's Clothes

It is tough making ends meet these days. And, as we know, children grow out of clothes and clothes grow out of them quite quickly. What is the best way for saving money and still having your children well clothed? There are several options to consider.

Low-cost Retailers:

Target - This is my favorite retailer for kids' clothes. If they grow out of them quickly, get ruined or in some cases, just don't seem to fit well, then you won't feel guilty for spending too much money. And, the clothes are often cute and colorful!

Sears - They all used to have Lands End clothes, which I love. But, I think only a limited number of Sears stores carry this label now. They have good sturdy shoes.

Kohls - My next favorite retailer for kids. They often have mid-week sales and lots of basics like tops and tights or shorts. Good selection of almost everything and also carries shoes.

Walmart - I have bought the basics here too like t-shirts, underwear, socks etc. I don't seem to find as much as I do at Target, but there are definitely bargains to be found here.

Resellers:

TJ Maxx, Ross, Marshalls are all good for finding a few things here and there. But, since their selection is all limited on what they get in as overstocks, don't count on them for basics. I have found high quality shoes there though.

Consignment:

Since we don't have any local consignment stores, I don't often shop at consignment stores. But, I love the idea of recycling, especially when they are younger and there is little wear and tear. Please see a list below of some of the current consignment stores. And, most likely this is a market that will grow this year, so keep your eyes out for others...

A Wee Change - http://www.aweechange.com/ - in Walnut Creek
Grove Stree Kids - http://www.grovestreetkids.com/ - in Berkeley
Small Fry Shop - http://www.smallfryshoppe.com/ - in Danville
Chloe's Closet - http://www.chloescloset.com/ - in SF
Snickerdoodles - http://www.eastbaysocial.com/ - in Danville
The Kidz Shoppe - http://www.thekidzshoppe.net/ - in San Jose

Online Bargains:

Craigslist and ebay can give you some great deals on even new kids clothes.
http://www.craigslist.org/
http://www.ebay.com/

But, don't overlook http://www.overstock.com/ as well. They have lots of stuff and it is easy to search their site.

Other good options are http://www.hannaanderson.com/ and http://www.landsend.com/ when they have sales. I get high quality clothes through these sites when they have specials and buy for the next year, if the sale is seasonal.

Snow Activities for the Family

Now is the time to head out with your family and go enjoy the snow! We have recently had so much rain and snow, that it is a perfect time to enjoy it as a family! Whether you ski, sled, ice skate or simply build snowmen and make snow angels, it is great to enjoy the snow together as a family. It is another way to bond, get away from life's hassles and get some good exercise. Many resorts want families to visit and try to make it easy with daycare, low price ski tickets for young children and great package deals. You can find warm clothes either through consignment, Target or borrow from friends. And, to make some of the deals even better, you can rent a condo with another family or two and split the costs and make it very reasonable to stay overnight. It is a great family activity. See below some of the places to visit for snow fun below.

http://www.diamondpeak.com/ - I have not visited this resort, but it actually advertises that it is "your tahoe place for kids". Kids 6 years old and under ski for free and they have interchangeable parent's passes for $49 for the day. However, it is a bit further away and on the NV side.

http://www.sugarbowl.com/ - We visited this ski area prior to having children and enjoyed it then. It is one of the closest resorts and offer "signature kids' programs". Children 5 and younger ski free. This resort also advertises to have other snow activities such as sledding and snow play and snowshoe tours.

http://www.sorensensresort.com/ - We often drive by this resort on our way to ski at Mammoth and often want to stop. But, we have not done so yet. It is small, cozy and very appealing with its activities such as cross-country skiing, sledding and snowshoeing. They have cabins, a restaurant, a small gift shop and lots of open landscape for winter sports.

http://www.squaw.com/ - this world-class resort has not only great skiing, but lots of activities for non-skiers. They offer ice-skating, snow tubing, snowshoe tours and a wonderful top-of-the-mountain spa. It is a bit pricier than the other resorts, but with the amenities, it is worth it.

Other places to check out:

http://www.northstarattahoe.com/
http://www.sierraattahoe.com/
http://www.skiheavenly.com/
http://www.skihomewood.com/

Happy Snow Fun!

Presidents' Day Activities

This Monday is Presidents' Day and that means the schools are out and the kids are home. If you are having a hard time coming up with some fun activities at home, check out the following web sites that have some great ideas for projects that teach your children about the presidents while they have fun.

http://www.apples4theteacher.com/holidays/presidents-day/ - has coloring pages, word searches, putting the presidents in chronological order and fun facts about the presidents. This site is for school aged children.

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/presidentsday/ - this site has crafts that are appropriate for preschool, kindergarten and elementary school children and includes lots of patriotic fun crafts.

http://www.alphabet-soup.net/hol/president.html - this site has word searches, a cookie recipe, coloring pages and some fun trivia.

http://fun.familyeducation.com/presidents-day/entertainment/32937.html - this site has puzzles, coloring pages and quizzes. It seems to be a great resource site for lots of holidays.

Enjoy your presidents' day with your children!

Peanut Recall Concerns

The news is appalling. The Peanut Corp. of America was forced to close both the Georgia and Texas plants due to the outbreak of salmonella in peanut products produced in its plants that is believed to have caused up to 600 to get sick, half of whom are children, and nine to actually die from salmonella-tainted products. After one of the biggest recalls ever, more information has been revealed about this company - rodent droppings, cockroaches and a leaking roof onto processing equipment. The company knew all of this and continued to process its products. It is believed that they also knew of the salmonella tainted products. Where is the moral compass in corporate America these days? It makes me realize that we all need to be our own food advocates which includes buying locally and organically instead of from the big manufacturers that allow such unbelieveable lack of quality control and extreme negligence.

For more information, see the latest article on NBC Washington: http://www.nbcwashington.com/health/resources/The-List-Peanut-Butter-Products-Recalled.html where they also have a link to the most updated FDA list of recalled products.

The fact that the Peanut Corp of America had to file bankruptcy this week is the only consolation in all of this. They claim the recall has hit them too hard economically...well, hopefully being hit in the wallet will teach this company not to be remiss in maintaining the quality of their product in the future and jeopardizing the health of the public.

Ongoing Parenting...

Just when you thought you had gotten through to your child or children on the rules and consequences of breaking them, they seem to challenge you again. It is always a surprise, especially when they get older and are supposed to understand the concept of cause and effect. But, the stages of development are many and beyond my relatively limited parenting expertise. But, as they say, parenting is a life-long role. It never stops. So, what do we do? We talk to friends with children and learn about their experiences and what they have tried. We read books (I am a big fan of books and have a wide collection of these!), we watch tv shows (sometimes helpful, sometimes not - Everytime I watch Super Nanny I think I have the most well-behaved children ever!) and we attend classes. I am including a few of these below, but it is only a partial list as we know. Good luck and never stop learning about how you can be the best parent ever!

Books:

Have a New Kid by Friday by Dr. Kevin Leman - http://www.booksreadall.com/books-Have-a-New-Kid-by-Friday-How-to-Change-Your-Child-s-Attitude-Behavior-Character-in-5-Days.html

I Break for Meltdowns by Michelle Nicholasen - http://www.amazon.com/Brake-Meltdowns-Exasperating-Behavior-5-year-old/dp/0738211672/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233503690&sr=1-1

Setting Limits with your Strong-willed Child by Dr. Robert MacKenzie - http://www.amazon.com/Setting-Limits-Your-Strong-Willed-Child/dp/0761521364/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1233503651&sr=8-1

These books (and more on the subject) are available at Amazon.com.

Classes:

Parenting for Peace is a class taught in the East Bay which is supposed to be very effective. They have workshops, seminars and individual counseling. http://www.peaceparenting.org/

Putting Kids First online classes - http://puttingkidsfirst.org/parentingclassinformation.html

Positive Parenting in Ojai has a newsletter and book store that could prove helpful. http://puttingkidsfirst.org/parentingclassinformation.html

Life Matters - a good site for online classes, videos and other resources. Worth perusing. http://www.lifematters.com/parentn.asp

Online Articles:

Kidsource.com has quite a few articles to check out - http://www.kidsource.com/kidsource/pages/parenting.general.html

More News on BPA

Most of us are quite conscious of green products and those that may have health concerns. And, we are very aware about BPA or Bisphenol A these days - the additive used in many plastic products to make them shatterproof - and the health concerns related to it. But there is a new study that not only shows it gets stored in the body, but stays stored for longer than first believed. The researchers now say that we are either getting BPA from many more sources than anticipated and/or our body is storing the BPA and therefore, cannot get rid of it as quickly as first thought. We now have alternative products available for us without BPA as well as some affirmation from the FDA on the potential dangers of BPA which are both huge steps. It is still amazing to me that the FDA errs on the side of conservatism when it comes to their reputation but not when it comes to the safety of our population and especially small babies. But, it has taught me not to assume the FDA knows all, but that I need to read and research on my own for the health of my family. For a great site on BPA free products, see the earlier post: Concern of BPAs.

Free Museum Days at Bank of America

It is nice when you don't have to do ANYTHING to get something for free. If you bank at B of A, this is true! They have free museum days the first weekend of every month through April. All you have to do is show your Bank of America credit card or debit card with your CDL. How easy is that?! We have not participated in this yet as I have always had plans the first weekend, but in March, we plan to take advantage of this great opportunity. There is a list of museums that are a part of this program - not all museums participate. But, still, there are a few big ones that make it worthwhile - Tech Museum in San Jose and deYoung in San Francisco as examples. Check out this link for more info: http://promotions.bankofamerica.com/museums/

Candy Buy Back

Have too much left-over candy after Halloween?? Who doesn't? And, let's face it, we end up eating it...so that our children won't have unfortunate results at the dentist...do we really need to add extra LBS to our current diet, especially knowing that the holidays are just around the corner? If you want to get rid of your candy and get a few bucks out of it while supporting the troops with the donations, check out this link that shows the participating dentist offices for a Candy Buy Back! Not bad, huh? For more information on these local events, check out: http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com/

Tagless May Inflict Rashes

There seem to always be new issues raised that lead to health concerns. On October 24, 2008 the Consumer Product Safety Commission sent out an advisory warning that they have received reports of rashes related to tagless "heat transferred" labels including brands such as Carter's. The raised label can irritate sensitive newborn and infant skin specifically. If you notice a rash related to tagless clothing, the CPSC advises to use the link - http://www.carters.com/corporate/tagless_message.aspx or visit the CPSC web site for additional information - http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09023.html.

Healthy Halloween Handouts

Healthy Halloween Treats are really a no-brainer. But, I think we are so conditioned to buy the candy we see in all the stores that I thought I would include a quick note on this...You don't have to be too creative to come up with these and more, but hopefully, this list will give you ideas and save you some time.

Crayons, stickers, colored pencils, colored chalk, bookmarks, fancy erasers, glow bracelets (can even be used while trick or treating!), temporary tattoos, tiny bubble bottles (one of our favorites) individual fishes crackers bags, fruit leathers and granola bars. You can even have a variety of things and include some candy to let the kids decide. Most likely the big kids will want candy, but the little kids will think colorful erasers and crayons and bubbles are more fun!

Have a safe and fun Halloween!

Fun Runs with the Kids

We just participated in the Fremont Happy Fish Fun Run at Lake Elizabeth in Fremont yesterday and had a great time. It is a benefit run for the Guy Emanuele Sports Fund which supports children's after school programs. It is the 4th year and it was a lot of fun for the whole family. 4-6 year olds run a 1/4 mile and 6+ get to participate in a 1/2 mile race. It is all fun but they still make it realistic. The kids all feel like winners and get goodie bags with their ribbons. The adults can run 10K or run/walk a 5K. While mom and dad are running, they have a supervision area for the kids. They have a few booths and they have some entertainment. Check it out next year! Otherwise, look for the following upcoming runs to do with the whole family and get active in this passive and computer-using, tv-watching, video game-playing society!

Sun, Nov 2 -Apple Hill Harvest Run - http://www.applehillrun.org/ or 916-492-8966
Sun, Nov 9 - Monterey Bay Half Marathon and 3K kids fun run - http://www.bsim.org/
Sat, Nov 22 - Davis Turkey Trot - 5 and 10Ks and kids' fun runs - http://www.changeofpace.com/

For current running calendars with local events for family activities, check the following sites:
The Schedule - features running race schedule nationwide with additional resources and tips for runner.
Youth Runner Magazine
California Running Races
Run the Planet
California Track and Running News
with the Runner's Schedule Calendar
And a blog that is a great overall resource for runners: Complete Running and site for training and diagnosing aches and pains associated from running: Cool Running

Happy Running!

Pumpkin Patches Galore

Have you been to the pumpkin patch yet? Headed to Half Moon Bay for their annual pumpkin festival? This Festival is this weekend on Oct 18 and 19th from 9-5 on Main Street and with the many pumpkin patches on Hwy 92 on your way there. However, there are many people who head out to Half Moon Bay. If you are looking for something more local, check out this web site: http://www.pumpkinpatchesandmore.org/CApsanfran.php. We found a great patch - G & M Farms in Livermore. Not only do they have a ton of pumpkins, they have pony rides, a great corn maze, some good ol' cooking like corn on the cob and peach cobbler, a cow train ride and a fun corn kernal play box! Check it out or visit one of the other local areas. Happy Halloween!

Q-tips No Longer Recommended

I think all of us have grown up with Q-tips being used in our ears as kids to clean out the ear wax. However, these days it is definitely not recommended by the medical community and can lead to health concerns such as poor hearing and in rare cases, a punctured ear drum. I know that our pediatrician said "nothing larger than an elbow" should be put in the ear. I have to admit I do use a tissue on my fingertip on the outer part of the ear. However, I have never used Q-tips as there is really no control over how far we can push them in and I just don't want to do any damage. There are also over the counter kits to help with ear wax if there is a lot of build up or your doctor can remove it safely in his/her office. Here is an article from web MD to help provide you with some additional info. But, feel free to do your own research. That is always the best proof! http://blogs.webmd.com/all-ears/2006/01/earwax-good.html