A dollar well spent!

If there is one thing I have learned about an infant/toddler, it is that shopping and running errands can be a total nightmare. I'm sure anyone with kids would agree. How you can do it with two or more is beyond me. In my short time as being a mom, and especially now that Dax is completely against the cart and very vocal about what he wants (i.e "I want down!", "All done!", "I wanna walk!" and so forth) I have started to become very creative when packing my purse for a trip to the supermarket, mall, JoAnns, road trips and anywhere we need a stroller. Well, the same ol' snacks and toys don't quite have the entertaining effect they once did and I find that he does a lot better if I buy him something new. You can imagine how expensive that can get. So, I have limited myself on those days to spending only $1 on a bribing technique, and I gotta to tell you...it has saved my behind...and my wallet! I made a little list of all those dollars well spent that has kept Dax the little Prince Charming that he is and my shopping experience a lot more successful!!!

$1 Popcorn- Target is always on the list of places that I can be at for hours and hours. One day I bought the popcorn and drink combo for .99 cents and we shopped for almost two, yes, TWO hours! Dax didn't spill the popcorn, throw it, or grab anything with buttery fingers. He barely made a peep. I don't even think I spent more than 20$ on that trip, I just couldn't get myself to leave because he was being so good and he was barely half way through the bag of popcorn!

$1 Chap Stick- Who knew giving a kid a tube of chap stick could entertain him half way to Seattle? I learned to turn to tube low and showed him how to "apply it" (Austin is so proud!)Now he pretends to put it on everyone in the room, flight attendants and all!

$1 Balloon- I don't know about you, but Dax LOVES balloons. I joke that for his birthday we could fill a room up with balloons and call it a party. He loves them and when we are anywhere that has them I almost always buy him one because he is it makes him so happy.

$1 Hot Dog- This one costs a tiny bit more, but the hot dog and soda combo at Costco is the best $1.50 ever. I always feel geeky walking in the exit door straight to the food stand, but the hot dogs are huge and I just hand it over to Dax and he thinks he is in hot dog heaven!!

$1 Hot Wheels- I can say that girls love this too! Driving a new car along a cart handle or on the tray of your stroller is really magical for my little guy. It works every time!

$1 Spray Bottle- This summer when ever we tried to go to soccer games or anywhere outside that was blistering hot, I brought along a squirt bottles I bout on a whim at Walgreens one day. Dax adopted that thing and thought it was such a great time to spray himself and everyone else around. The great thing was we didn't mind!

$1 Baby Pumpkins- I grabbed one of these for Dax at the beginning of the month on our way into the grocery store and he called it his baby the entire trip. It was a cute little white one and he loved it. Every time we've been to the store the month I've gotten him one, (they are like 30 to 50 cents) and he has been so content in his cart. Now they are cute center pieces on my table!

Now I need your help! This isn't the longest list and I need some more ideas! What do you do for your kids when you are out running around that is cheap and full of entertainment?? And how the heck do you keep more than one child entertained??