Money-Saving Pyro Tip for the Day: Don't Wait 'til the Last Minute!!!

Before I begin this post, I'd like to remind you of our ongoing free firework giveaway!  Details are found in the previous post!!!!!!  Now on to today's tip:

From 2010-2012 I worked at a seasonal retail fireworks location here in Independence.  One of the most common "mistakes" I saw people make was waiting until the last minute to purchase their fireworks.  They thought that things would get cheaper the closer you got to the 4th....

THIS ISN'T ALWAYS TRUE!!!

Independence allows sales from June 27th thru July 4th each year.  They allow residents to shoot fireworks only on July 1-4.  The fireworks stands need a way to get you in there EVERY DAY they're open so that you spend the most money possible... even when you can't shoot what you just bought.  How do they do this?  In a word, sales!

Bottom line is they KNOW you'll be in as the Fourth draws near and you start planning your backyard pyro party.  Contrary to popular myth, you simply won't find as many $40.00 500g cakes for 1/2 price on the day of the 4th as you will on the 27th of June.  End of story.  They need a "losing leader" to get you into the store.  Period.

How to best take advantage of this?  Play their game!  Go in everyday... but try to focus ONLY on the sale items for that day.  At least through the end of June... in the Indy location where I worked, all bets were off once the 1st of July hit and everything went back to normal retail pricing.  There was no incentive needed to get people in because it was now legal to shoot and people would need to restock on a regular basis.

The takeaway?  Don't wait 'til the last minute relying on the mythical "80% off Sale at 9pm on July 4th," 'cause it simply doesn't happen around here...

Free Fireworks Giveaway!!!!!



http://www.sizzboomfireworks.com



Welcome back!  In my efforts to help you have the best possible 4th of July, I'm teaming up with my wife, Emmalee, and with Sizzboom Fireworks to give you $15 in FREE FIREWORKS!!!!

There are multiple ways to enter, and a winner will be chosen on July 1st.  For some great ideas for 4th of July crafts, food and fun be sure to check out my wife's blog, http://www.thehoggatthomeschool.com/.  Remember, you can earn entries from her blog as well, and the more entries you have the better your chances to win!



Before you enter please read the following terms/conditions:

The gift only has value at the Independence Kansas Sizzboom Fireworks tent located in the Marvin's grocery parking lot. Offer valid only during the 2013 4th of July season. The Hoggatt Homeschool, Fireworks by Donnie &/or Sizzboom Fireworks hold no liability for any injury or accident associated with fireworks purchased with gift amount. Winners will be notified by email. You will have 24 hrs to respond before a new winner is selected. We hope you all have a safe and responsible fireworks season!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Bang for the Buck--Day 2: Stand Out From The Others In The Night Sky!

We aren't all the same people.  We don't wear the same clothes.  We don't drive the same cars.  We don't live in the same types of houses.  We don't drink the same wine.  Why, then, should we all buy the same fireworks???

Growing up, we always shopped at the same fireworks stand every year.  It had great prices, reliable product and awesome selection--from one major brand.

Don't get me wrong... it was a great brand, and I still use a lot of their stuff.  But over the last few years, I had noticed that most of the people who shot fireworks around me all had the same stuff.  Well, everyone except one family. They lived down the street from my brother, and they always had some really, really unique stuff.

I didn't know if they had relatives from out of town that brought different "stuff," if they had made a run to somewhere in a neighboring state, or what... I just knew their stuff looked, well, DIFFERENT.

Fast forward a few years, and I've come to know and love many more fireworks manufacturers.  They all have their own areas of expertise, and they DON'T all look the same!  Some use more crackle.  Some use more glitter.  Some use a lot of strobing effects.  Some use different colors--lemon and purple instead of red and green, etc...

Most people who buy fireworks on even the most occasional basis have heard of Black Cat.  Most of us here in Southeast KS have probably bought a lot of World Class or Red Rhino products.  Some may have done some fundraising for TNT fireworks.  These are all excellent brands, and you could do shows with their product without feeling in the slightest bit slighted.  But let's face it... almost everyone is buying from the same brands, so almost all the fireworks in the sky on the 1st-4th of July around here start looking very similar.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY FOR YOUR SHOW!!! :)  

Have you tried Fireworks Over America (also known as Showtime)?  They have excellent colors and some great glitter and strobe effects. They have a GREAT product line endorsed / advertised by the Time Bandit crew from Deadliest Catch.  

How about Golden Bear brand?  They make some roman candles called Comets Over America that are the best I've seen in the consumer class.

Brothers Pyrotechnics?  They have a large-breaking "3 inch" cake named Whacky Tobacky that's absolutely gorgeous.

Winda is the company that makes what is perhaps my current favorite consumer effect.  It's called L.O.L. and the picture accompanying this post is a screenshot of one of its breaks from a birthday show I did for my girls last fall.

There are many, many more out there.  Spirit of '76, Boomer, Power Source, and Pyro Predator just to name a few...  and you can find a lot of these products right here in Independence, KS.

Tour all the stands.  Watch some videos of the available products on YouTube.  You might just find that next big thing that no one around here has been informed or brave enough to buy!  You might be the person down the street who draws attention away from all the other shows in the area, because your stuff is somehow... well... different!

Thanks for stopping by, and happy fireworks hunting!  Check back soon for more tips to make this 4th of July display your best one yet!!!! :)

Bang for your Buck... Tip No. 1: Online Coupons

So it's officially a mere 2 weeks until the 4th of July, which means it's only a week until fireworks stands open for business here in Independence, KS!

As a long-time lover of all things pyrotechnic, it has been my pleasure over the last few years to work for Jake's Fireworks here in Indy.  This year, I have moved on to purchasing my fireworks wholesale instead of retail, and am firing my first computer-fired pyromusical this year at hour house.

That's not to say that I don't still LOVE shopping at all the local tents and stands, and it DEFINITELY isn't to say I don't still love helping people stretch their hard-earned fireworks dollars!  To do so, I will be posting several tips to help you be a savvy pyro consumer.

The first tip?  Sign up for online discounts!  The way the vast majority of places do this is that you go on a seasonal e-mail list.  Both Jake's Fireworks and TNT Fireworks are some of the local places who offer e-mail coupons.  Let's look at Jake's, as I'm most familiar with their process:

This is probably the most painless coupon system I've encountered, and one that I signed up for LONG before I worked for the company.  You simply go to www.jakesfireworks.com and look at the top banner for the VIP Club.  You click on that, insert your name, address and e-mail address, and you will quickly begin receiving daily coupon specials in your inbox.

It's pretty slick, actually.  You only get them during fireworks season, then they leave you alone for the rest of the year! :)  In fact, I just got my first one of the year today.

Each daily coupon is for a different item, and some of the savings are really really good.  Today's was for $5.00 off any item regularly priced $9.99 or higher.  THAT'S 50% OFF!

When the season's over, you simply stop receiving e-mails.  The next season, you get them again.  I've been doing this for 5 years or so now, and have never had any issues at all.  Plus, no passwords to remember or signing in to redeem coupons.

If you have it on your smartphone, you don't even have to print it off with you.... just show them the e-mail.

It really is THAT simple.

So there's the first one... keep checking my blog (or better yet follow me!) to see other ways to make this 4th of July's fireworks the most memorable and affordable yet!

this year's show

The following is a link to our 2012 4th of July shoot at our house.  Couple of things I would have changed (louder music, better cue timing on my part, etc.) but all in all a great first electrically-fired show!

2012 hoggatt family show

Fireworks on a Budget

So you want to celebrate the Fourth with some fireworks but you don't have much to spend?  I might be able to help!!!

Having loved fireworks all my life, and having worked for Jake's Fireworks in Independence, KS for the last few seasons, I've learned a few tricks to help get the most bang for your buck--literally!

1. First off, check out online coupons!!!  Jake's Fireworks, for example, has a "V.I.P. Club" where you can sign up to receive free daily coupons via e-mail during the fireworks season.  Some of these deals are pretty good, too!  (And as a note... even if you're reading this on the day of the 4th, it's still not too late to sign up!!!)
2. Don't forget the little stuff!!!  Items like snap pops cost much less than a dollar per box, yet kids LOVE them!  Plus, they take a fair amount of time to do... 
3. Don't get trapped in the "500g Cake" zone!!!  Yeah, they're cool... but are they cool enough to blow your entire budget on?  Probably not!  Check out the 200gram cakes instead (ask a sales associate if you have questions as to what, exactly, 200g means).  There are some cool ones to be had for less than $3!  Some of my favorites (these are going to be world class items, mostly) in this VERY inexpensive category are Dark Ghost and Luna Chick.  These are much better quality than the old 36 shot Happy that are over $4.  These small cakes have breaks that are slightly smaller versions of the 500g cakes' bursts.  But don't forget they're also lower to the ground when they break so they LOOK bigger than they are.
4. RELOADABLE MORTAR KITS.  If you're looking for good, loud, beautiful fireworks, these are the way to go.  They are shot one at a time, too, so they last much longer than sending 10 or 20 shots up in 11 seconds in a cake.  While the "black box" cheap artillery aren't the most breathtaking, they are still a decent value for fireworks fun.  And if you're looking for the huge canister shells (again, ask a sales associate for help if you're not sure what that is!), most retailers are now offering smaller boxes (6-8 shots) of these premium shells instead of the gigantor assortments that cost $70 or more.  This lets you get the quality without breaking the bank!
5. Roman candles.  Yeah.  I'll say it again.  Roman candles!  They're a classic that almost everyone likes.  Much like sparklers, they also let everyone get in on the fun!  While you can get really cool effects out of some of the premium candles, you can also get basic ones for around $1.50 for a six-pack.
6. Small fountains.  Kids love them, and most grown-ups do too--even if they won't admit it!  While there are some classics like Teapots, there are some really cool newer small fountains for under a dollar as well.  Check out Zen Masters and Kicks from Jake's, for example.
7. Assortments aren't always a bad idea.  I recommend them with a word of caution, but if you kinda know something about fireworks feel free to do the math... you can usually save 10-15% and some stands will give discounts on even mid-range assortments.  (Same with the larger artillery shell kits, by the way)  Don't be afraid to ask!
8. Finally, don't be afraid to take your kiddos!  While they can add to the pressure ("Can we get ____?" Please please please!!!") they can also help you get free stuff every once in awhile.  Jake's in Independence usually gives a small assortment to each little kiddo that comes through the checkout lines.  Not a lot of stuff--a few smoke balls, some sparklers, some snap pops and some champagne poppers--but it can last awhile, can give the kids something to call their own and, especially if you have several little ones, the value can add up quickly!

There you have it!  I hope this helps take some of the anxiety out of your 4th of July celebration, from one budget-limited pyro enthusiast to another!!! :)