Been on a roll lately

I spent the morning reorganizing and fixing things and cooking. I spent the afternoon and evening cleaning, switching out toys that the kids do play with for ones that they don't right now to give them some variety, and reducing some clutter while making a new storage area for myself. That is one thing I love about this old house. Although we are very limited in closests, kitchen cupboard and cabinet space and general convenient storage areas, we have a lot of really neat nooks and crannies that are excellent for storage. A couple examples, the suspended ceiling in the laundry room is perfect for lightweight item storage (toilet paper and paper towel), the basement pantry is perfect for cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, and most HBA stuff. The cupboards outside the bathroom are excellent for tampons, pads and were perfect when I was using them for HBA until I found a better solution (the basement built in pantry). Tonight while I was cleaning I realized that the little shelves just inside the basement door would be perfect for.....well anything really. Overflow canned goods, my boxes of tampons, toothpaste and toothbrushes, candles, bath stuff, bathroom cleaners...wow pretty much anything. So my mind got to working and I took all the canning jars that were there and put them in a box to give to my father in law and proceeded to move my boxes of tampons and toothpaste and toothbrushes. There is still a lot of room so I am in the process of deciding what else to put there. I do have a small stockpile of scented oil candles that I think might go there but I will still have room. hmmmm...so much room now.

I will update tommorrow with stockpile pics once again as I have added a bunch of garnier fructis to the stockpile as well as my other trips this week and my reorganization of my stockpile stuff is almost complete!

super doubles again at Kmart

1/11/09- 1/17/09

you can check your local store here Click on the weekly ad link, enter your zipcode. The ad that pops up will show you right on the first page if your Kmart is. If it is there will be a big red banner on the bottom of the first page.


Super doubles is doubling all manufacturer coupons up to and including $2. You can find some good deals. Not sure yet if I will be going or not. All depends on what coupons come out this weekend. :)

Not wasting food

So yesterday while cleaning the freezer I found a pie crust and a loaf of bread dough. I have no idea how long the bread dough was there but I can tell ya that I know I have not bought any since O was born. Well I tried to make bread with it today but it would not rise. Since I am on this not wasting food plan, I made indian bread with it. I am not sure the correct name for it but I grew up with it being called indian bread. It is little pieces of bread dough, fried in vegetable oil, covered in butter and/or honey. The kids LOVED it with honey. I also made the pumpkin pie this morning. We are currently going to try to use up everything in the freezer so be prepared for some odd meal combination posts in the coming months.

I think I found a secret Weapon for Walgreens shopping

and her name is K and she is 3. LOL that girl could charm anyone I swear. I went in today and wanted to get 2 more Garnier leave in conditioners for K so I let K hold them and put them on the counter and hand the mean lady the coupons and that woman was sooo nice to K. Even decent to me so whether is was the day she got yelled at that made the difference or the fact that my 3 year old is a charmer IDK but it worked. LOL I think K is going to be my coupon partner from now on.

The pup is home.

Sheena got Spayed yesterday. I got to bring her home this morning. The trek to the vet's house was less than thrilling. We got 2-3 inches and it is still snowing. Normally no big deal, but the county/city have been using less sand/salt on the roads and not plowing backroads well to cut costs. Unfortunately, our vet lives on a backroad with a wonderful steep hill coming right off the main road. I took the jeep though and made it through just fine. The bill was $101 for spaying, claws clipped, and her rabies vaccination, and we will get $100 back from the Animal Shelter. So I am just happy she is done going to the vet now, she has to go back in 10 days to have her stitches removed and hopefully that will be it for awhile.

Free Suze Orman Book download

http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20081119_tows_bookdownload Good until 1/11.

The financial guru similar to Dave Ramsey, Suze Orman has her own show that I occasionally watch at night. I do not completely agree with everything she says but I think she gives some pretty straightforward advice.

READ this!! well whatever part you want...LOL

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09086.html

http://blogs.tampabay.com/breakingnews/2009/01/consumer-produc.html



The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), was created with the intent to toughen safety standards (particular with regards to lead and phthalates). It's key points are (in very abbreviated form as it is a 67 page law):* Ban phthalates in all durable child care items for children under 3.Progressively restrict lead in all children's items (includes all child equipment, toys, books, school supplies, electronics, clothing, shoes, etc) that is for use by children under 12.* As of February 10, 2009, the amount of lead may not exceed 600 ppm.* As of August, 2009, the amount may not exceed 300 ppm.* As of August, 2011, the amount may not exceed 100 ppm (unless the CPSC determines it is technologically unfeasible, in which case further guidance will be given).Beginning in November, 2008, all manufacturers were required to self-test all their skus, by batch or lot, and issue General Certification of Conformity (GCC) to accompany all imports or sales to distributors and retailers, regardless of where the product originates (domestic & foreign).* As of February 10, 2009, no items that do not pass these tests (or were not tested) may be manufacturered, sold, or distributed.* As of August, 2009, all children's products will be required to have permanent labels affixed to them showing manufacturer information and tracking information so batches and lots can be identified.* Also as of August, 2009, all children's products will be required to be tested by a third party accredited lab. No exceptions have been provided for. There are currently 18 accredited labs in the US.While I support higher safety standards and required testing of potential lead-containing items, this law is seriously flawed in ways that are devestating to all sectors of our society. The major unintended consequence of the law is that all products legally made prior to November, 2008, will be assumed "hazardous" unless they were tested and the manufacturer can produce a GCC to prove it.The CPSC's "Falvey Opinion" interprets the CPSIA to mean that the law with respect to lead is retroactive. This means unless a person or retailer can prove through testing that their child's item has less than 600 ppm lead as of February 10, 2009, it will be illegal to sell. Then in August, items legally made to contain less than 600 ppm of lead will be illegal to sell as the standard will be reduced to 300 ppm. This mass illegalization of children's products will again occur in August of 2011 when the standard changes to 100 ppm.This will affect as examples only (not all inclusive):* All hand-crafters, work at home manufacturers, and small run manufacturers who will not be able to afford testing, which is estimated to cost between $150-$4000 per component tested, with an average cost of $500. As an example, a cloth diaper may have three components: inner fleece, outer lining, and velcro. At a cost of $500 per component, that would cost $1500 for one batch of cloth diapers using the same materials. Change the color or start on a new bolt of material and testing is required again.* Daycare providers as they are required by law to provide "safe" items for the children they care for as defined by the CPSC. As the CPSC's interpretation of the law is that untested items are unsafe unless proven by testing as safe, daycare providers will either need to obtain proof of testing from the manufacturer, test their items, or buy new items. However, they'll be forced to go through this again each time the law reduces the allowable level as the GCC provided doesn't say what the level is.* Thrifts, Consignments, and Charities that sell used items will not be able to resell used items without the GCC.* You will not be legally allowed to sell your own items on eBay, Craiglist (or any other site), or even hold a yard sale without providing a GCC to the buyer to prove their children's items are in compliance. You will not even be legally allowed to donate or give away these items, even to foreign countries as it is explicitly forbidden to "export" items not proven safe.* Hotels, hospitals, and any public play area will have to ensure all their child-related items are tested or replace them as they are provided to the public.* Libraries will have to ensure their children's books have been tested or replace them.New & Used book stores will likewise have to ensure their books for children are safe or discard them.* Schools will have to examine all their child-related items and supplies from books, to science equipment, to paper clips if they are to be used by children 12 and younger. Items not proven tested, will, by CPSC's interpretation of the law, have to be tossed as well.* PTA fundraisers that involve handmade crafts for kids will be forbidden.* Holiday craft bazaars by your local church will likewise be forbidden for children's products.* Trade shows for vintage Barbies, Star Wars Figures, Hotwheels, among others will be illegal.* Families looking to save money or be environmental friendly by reusing and recycling children's items will no longer be able to. Does this sound extreme? Perhaps, but (as the fine for violations is $100,000 per offense and up to 5 years in jail) I am not willing to risk it and neither should you. As ignorance of the law is not often a good defense, it is vital that the word about this law and the CPSC interpretation of the retroactivity of it be spread far and wide to ensure it is fixed before more irrepairable harm is done.

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/save_handmade_toys_from_the_cpsia

http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html


From the LA times~

"Barring a reprieve, regulations set to take effect next month could force thousands of clothing retailers and thrift stores to throw away trunkloads of children's clothing.

The law, aimed at keeping lead-filled merchandise away from children, mandates that all products sold for those age 12 and younger -- including clothing -- be tested for lead and phthalates, which are chemicals used to make plastics more pliable. Those that haven't been tested will be considered hazardous, regardless of whether they actually contain lead.

"They'll all have to go to the landfill," said Adele Meyer, executive director of the National Assn. of Resale and Thrift Shops.

The new regulations take effect Feb. 10 under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which was passed by Congress last year in response to widespread recalls of products that posed a threat to children, including toys made with lead or lead-based paint.
Supporters say the measure is sorely needed. One health advocacy group said it found high levels of lead in dozens of products purchased around the country, including children's jewelry, backpacks and ponchos.

Lead can also be found in buttons or charms on clothing and on appliques that have been added to fabric, said Charles Margulis, communications director for the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland. A child in Minnesota died a few years ago after swallowing a lead charm on his sneaker, he said.

But others say the measure was written too broadly. Among the most vocal critics to emerge in recent weeks are U.S.-based makers of handcrafted toys and handmade clothes, as well as thrift and consignment shops that sell children's clothing.

"We will have to lock our doors and file for bankruptcy," said Shauna Sloan, founder of Salt Lake City-based franchise Kid to Kid, which sells used children's clothing in 75 stores across the country and had planned to open a store in Santa Clara, Calif., this year.

There is the possibility of a partial reprieve. The Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is responsible for enforcing the law, on Monday will consider exempting clothing and toys made of natural materials such as wool or wood. The commission does not have the authority to change the law but can decide how to interpret it.

But exempting natural materials does not go far enough, said Stephen Lamar, executive vice president of the American Apparel and Footwear Assn. Clothes made of cotton but with dyes or non-cotton yarn, for example, might still have to be tested, as would clothes that are cotton-polyester blends, he said.

"The law introduces an extraordinarily large number of testing requirements for products for which everyone knows there's no lead," he said.

Clothing and thrift trade groups say the law is flawed because it went through Congress too quickly. By deeming that any product not tested for lead content by Feb. 10 be considered hazardous waste, they contend, stores will have to tell customers that clothing they were allowed to sell Feb. 9 became banned overnight.

These groups say the law should be changed so that it applies to products made after Feb. 10, not sold after that date.

That would take action by Congress, however, because the Consumer Product Safety Commission's general counsel has already determined that the law applies retroactively, said commission spokesman Scott Wolfson.

The regulations also apply to new clothing. That won't be a problem for large manufacturers and retailers, industry experts say, but it will be a headache for small operators such as Molly Orr, owner of Molly O Designs in Las Vegas.

Orr has already produced her spring line of children's clothes. She says she can't afford the $50,000 it would cost to have a private lab test her clothing line, so she's trying to sell her inventory at a steep discount before Feb. 10. After that, she is preparing to close her business.

"We have a son with autism, so we are all about cleaning up the toxins that our children are exposed to," she said. "But I think the law needs to be looked at more closely to see how it is affecting the economy in general."

Thrift store owners say the law stings because children's garments often come in new or nearly new, because children typically outgrow clothing quickly.

Carol Vaporis, owner of Duck Duck Goose Consignment in New Port Richey, Fla., said her store stocks barely used brand-name clothing from places such as Limited Too and Gymboree.

"We really provide a service to the community to help people get clothes for their children they otherwise couldn't afford," she said.

Families have been bringing more clothes to consignment stores, where they get a chunk of the proceeds, to earn a little cash this winter, she said. She plans to contact her congressional representatives and senators to ask them to amend the law but says there's not enough awareness about the repercussions of the law to force anything to change.

Many retailers and thrift stores appear to be unaware that the law is changing. Of half a dozen Southern California children's thrift stores contacted by The Times, only one had heard of the law. Organizations such as Goodwill say they're still investigating how the law will affect them because there is so much confusion about what will be banned.

Cynthia Broockman, who owns two consignment stores and a thrift shop in Virginia, recently stopped accepting children's products for resale. That raised the ire of a man who was trying to sell his son's castoffs there and had not heard of the new rules.

"I think it's not understood by people how sweeping and far-reaching this is," she said. "The ripples that are going to go forth from this are just astonishing."

******************************************************************

I am so confused. Am I not going to be able to buy secondhand items for the kids anymore? Not even clothes? What about garage sales? Selling at Garage sales? How am I going to clothe my kids? So everything I have now is "junk"? I cannot afford to buy new everything for the kids as they grow and can you imagine how much the prices in stores are going to rise. UGH! this sucks! Email your congress ASAP! this law is supposed to go into effect 2/10/2009!!
I am all for making products safer for kids but I think this law is absurd in its scope and the ramifications.

Why? and the rest of my day....

Why does it seem I have been shopping like there is no tommorrow?

well....During November and December I did very little shopping. Very little. Like almost none! During that 2 month stretch we ate a lot at home and well the cupboards were getting bare of essentials, canned veggies and fruits especially. So me, being the hoarder, stockpiler, whatever, that I am, that is just unacceptable to me. So over the last 4 days I have gone a bit crazy with the shopping but we are stocked again on essentials and I can back off and start concentrating on my deal finding more. Oh don't get me wrong I was still a deal finding machine while I was on my 6-day-a-week-working-couponing-shopping-hiatus and the last few days with the restocking mission but now I can concentrate more on the things that we don't have but might not need or that we need but not right now...kinda thing. Yeah....I am rambling again. We have also had a bit extra money the last couple of weeks because the sitter had a death in her family and has not been able to take the kids so this has forced my laid-off hubby to have to keep the kids all the time and not get the 2 little 4 hour breaks he was getting by taking the kids to the sitter about noon and having me pick them up after work at 4. So those 8 hours a week not paying the sitter saved us $32 each week...not a lot but enough that I could spend the extra money getting the house replenished. OK so maybe that $64 should have gone to my car and getting that debt gone, or even to hubby's credit card but in the grand scheme of things, using that $64 for food is better in my mind. IDK maybe it isn't but the car payment is paid 6 months ahead and we sent a bunch of money to the card already so...whatev. I feel better now that the essentials are replaced and that is what matters to me.

*******************************************************
So the sitter calls today....said she would like to have K for a bit this afternoon.
GREAT! gives me a chance to go to my last resort stocking up on canned goods store, Aldi. Why are they my last resort? I know the prices there and I try to get my veggies cheaper than .49/can...hard to do usually so I buy what I can at the bent and dent and I get the rest at Aldis. I stock up on veggies and fruits three times a year. I buy enough to last that long and I try to get them here and there on sale or at the bent and dent. Sometimes I am successful sometimes not. But I don't worry too much about it because Aldi's price is a good price...I am just cheap...ummm thrifty.... So I ended up spending $32 at Aldi, 12 cans of carrots, milk, generic velveeta for us and 1 for father in law as well, french fries, onion rings, parmesan cheese (because K loves broccoli with parmesan cheese on it...yuck in my opinoin but she loves it) and a few other essentials. I don't buy much at aldi, mostly canned goods, and baking supplies that I can get cheaper there than I can elsewhere, even with coupons.

After Aldi was a quick stop at Walgreens for the glade scented oil refills...40 cents each 3 pack after my coupons, their sale, and their rebate and I scored more Garnier...because it was free. The Beauty advisor at this particular Walgreens (not my normal one) had $1 off garnier coupons ON THE SHELF right by the product...oh joy, oh happy happy day!!..so I was not greedy...I only grabbed 4 more conditioners. I am going to trade them with Josh, I think. He was saying he wanted to get more so free is a great trade on my part. IDK what we will trade for yet but I am sure I will need something done considering we are supposed to get 3-6 more inches of snow tonight and into tommorrow...wink, wink. I am sooo devious sometimes. SO I spent $14.44 at walgreens and saved $22.96 and will get $6.60 in rebates on the candles so I actually saved $29.56 once I get that rebate money back. I got a few other small things and I found out that Angel soft TP 4 packs are on special through 1/10 so I am planning on going to the not so nice Walgreens today to get a couple of those as well on my way to pick up K. I also got a paper for a free DVD rental from Redbox because that particular Walgreens has a redbox outside. SWEET! Another free movie night!

Oh yeah and I mailed out my rebate from yesterday on the palmolive dish soap and I reorganized the big freezer and will do the little one tonight. I am trying to get the same items in the same spots/same freezer so we have less waste and less duplicate buying. I have a good idea of how much we have of any particular item at any time BUT sometimes I think we have more than we actually do and other times it is the opposite and even worse...sometimes I think we ran out of something when in fact it is buried in the freezer...hence my plan to make a pumpkin pie tonight...before the crust is freezer burnt. LOL

Too poor to be proud?

I heard a elderly lady say that to her husband this afternoon. It made me sad but it also made me think. Am I too poor to be proud?

I don't consider myself poor. Sure we don't have a lot of money but I am able to buy what we need when we need it, if it is a genuine need and not a want. I don't take handouts but if I were in the position to need a handout to keep my kids fed and a roof over their heads, damn right I would take a handout. But that person would be getting that back and more once I was able to get back on my feet. I would think that being poor (and we were very very poor when I was young) pride is the one thing you have left. I don't know. I know that I will not ask my parents or anyone else for money. I would rather go without for myself until the next payday than to borrow from someone. There is a huge difference though when it comes to the kids. I would beg, borrow, steal, cheat and lie to provide for my kids. They shouldn't have to suffer because of a shitty economy, a bad decision R and I made, or whatever else. But suffering is far fetched. There is a big different between needs and wants. I would do the above to provide for their NEEDS but wants....no. Sorry. K does not understand the difference between need and want...ok maybe she does but it is always "but momma I need it" it generally being a candy bar, chocolate milk, a new toy, or clothes...things she has plenty of. She does not lack for clothes, milk, small treats, and the kids have a room in the house that is a toyroom/ O's bedroom...yeah they don't NEED toys.

But anyway I did not hear the entire conversation between the elderly couple but that one phrase still sticks in my head. Probably will for quite some time. I wish there had been some way I could have helped them...maybe I should have...but we are living on a dime as well. Great...now I made myself feel guilty for not helping them.

Since this area is saturated with

Bent and Dent grocers, I stopped at one in town while waiting for my hair appointment and I got freezer paper, 13 cans of fruit for the kids, taco shells, bacon bits, and salsa for $12.65, Nice!! I didn't take a picture of my haul but it was nice.

my new coupon organizer

While I haven't actually bought one yet, I think I decided on something that will work. I have heard lots of others talk about an organizer with baseball cards holders in it, the sheets kind. I am so excited about it. It should make it alot easier to find my coupons without having to dig them all out and I can pull them out as needed at the stores. Yup, folks, this is getting serious!

how is the debt free coming?

pretty good actually. I owe just under $2500 on my car now. We one a paltry $200 on hubby's credit card and I used mine at Walmart today but will pay it off as soon as it shows up on the statement. I am using each of mine once a month so that they do not lower my limit again and to keep the accounts open but I am making sure that when I use it, the purchase is an amount I have available at that moment and can pay off as soon as it shows up on my statement. So we are doing pretty good. We are on track to end 2009 with no debt except the mortgage (which IMO is a debt but not a debt because we have to have someplace to live and a mortgage is a good debt). Next step is getting 6 months of our combined wages in savings. Since my income varies so much I am shooting for $500 for me and $1800 for DH's income for a total of $13,800. That is a large amount to shoot for, I realize but we actually only need to save $10,000 because we already have some in savings. I also want to build up an emergency fund of $1500. Dave Ramsey says $1000 but we would like to have a better cushion because we have an old fridge, freezer, and tv. The jeep will need tires so we need to save for that, my car needs a new muffler and will need at least 2 new tires in the fall so more to save. Car insurance is due in February, K's life insurance in March, LP prebuy in August, Car insurance again in August, yep...it just keeps on coming. :sigh:

our day...a couple good deals

I loaded Dad's new Ipod last night and he wanted it back ASAP so the kids and I ran to their house and dropped it off. Since we were already out and about on this cold snowy day we went to walmart. Below is a pic from that trip


Captain Crunch $2-used 50 cent off coupon
Hungry Jack potatoes 96 cents/box...used $1 off 2 coupons making these just a bit more than B1G1F
Green giant broccoli $1.23-used .50/1 (2 Q) making them .73 each...wish I would have had these Qs when they were on sale for $1/bag
Palmolive dish soap $2.77-used .75 Q and I have a mail in rebate which will make this free.
3 luminair flameless candles $4.97-used $5/1 Q making this free and .03 cents overage on each
White chocolate holiday chips $1.00-clearanced
Toaster Strudel $1.98-used .35/1 coupon but we don't have any strawberry ones here so we splurged a bit
3 decorations for cookies,etc $.50 each-clearanced
chichi's salsa $1.50-used .55/1 Q
Tyson chicken breasts $6-used .55 Q
Disney Camera $5-clearanced-Niece's birthday present
and the best deal of the day...even better IMO than the free candles was ground chuck 5 lb tubes normally $10.68 each...reduced to $5 each. I bought 5 for me and 2 for mom. It is not the greatest tasting ground beef ever but we used it in hamburger helper, meatloaf, etc and it is not bad at all.

And since we were already out there....we stopped again at the bent and dent. Found a new item. Organic mini waffles $1/box. I bought the 2 they had left.
Toaster Strudel $1/box...bought 5 again
2 containers welch's juice $1 each
and 1 big can of fruit cocktail $1.
$10/ total...... comparable cost at Walmart $19.54

Whenever I shop

I am always on the lookout for deals to make my coupons with...clearance, cheap prices for high dollar coupons, etc. Well I found a doosy today... some friends and I had one of my own...sent me $5/1 air wick luminair things and I saw them today at Walmart $4.97. Sweet...overage again...and mom said they clearanced out some infusium stuff at her walmart and I have a $3/1 coupon...possibly more overage? And mom uses infusium so good there. So I am probably going back to walmart tommorrow. Maybe, IDK yet. I really don't need to but I would kinda like to get away from the house for a bit and I want to get my hair cut. So we'll see.

yeah stupid me did not take my coupons with me today because we did not intend to stop at Walmart but we did. I almost always have my coupons with me...but I have stopped since my coupon organizer is crappy. Definitely time for a new one. Going to scope that out tommorrow too!

trip to the bent and dent today.

Once we all get ready to go, I think we are going to take a trip to the bent and dent. Maybe 2 of them. I will post back later with my deals if we go.

We went. I have some comparison pics. The first pic is what $11 will get you at Walmart and the second pic is what $11 will get you at the bent and dent.





The toaster strudel was $1 a box-normally $2 at the grocery store
The canned veggies were 40 cents for the bigger cans and 25 cents for the dora corn at walmart they are 75 cent to $1.25 each
The Motts applesauce $1.50 at the bent and dent-$2.50 at Walmart
The ortega taco dinner $1.50 at the bent and dent $3.50 at our local grocery store
the refried beans 75 cents at the bent and dent-$1.75 at our local store...for the generic.

Walgreens RANT

I have just about had it but I *think* I might have made some head way tonight. I went in tonight to get glade scented oil refills (for the rebate), palmolive dish soap, and soft soap hand soap...that is all. No garnier or anything else. Well that old bat cashier from the other day was there. Oh I didn't see her when I went in, the manager was working the register so I thought good this is going to be a good day....yeah so did not happen. I grab my things and go to check out..it's THAT lady. Is she always there?

So I get in line. I am 3rd in line and the old bat sees me and yells out to me...I told you that you can't buy any more garnier. I yelled back call your manager NOW! (I didn't even have garnier and she was waiting on other people...highly uncalled for). So it gets to be my turn and the manager comes up and says to the old bat whats the problem? the old bat says...she was in here sunday morning and cleared the shelves of garnier (which did NOT happen....I bought 8,8 freaking bottles is all!!!!) and I told her she couldn't get anymore this week and now she is back (meanwhile I am about dying laughing inside because I don't have any at all : ) The manager says there is not limit on how much garnier a person can buy...there is no limit in the ad and none of the shelves so she can get more if she chooses to. The old bat says...well she knows how to get it free and that is just not fair. The manager (to my utmost shock) says well we get paid for the coupons she uses so there is no problem. Then the manager looks in my little hand basket and flips out. Did you EVEN look in her basket? she doesn't even have any Garnier products!!! I told the manager you know what...keep it...I will take my business elsewhere...I will NOT be treated like a criminal by someone because I choose to use my coupons here. Sorry. The manager comes around the counter and starts to follow me out the door. She says I must apologize. I told the cashiers to be on the looking for people using fraudulent coupons and it is probably my fault she has singled you out. I will talk to her and she will be reprimanded for what occurred tonight. So I told the manager about what happened Sunday and all the questions she asked me and the manager was flabbergasted. She said this problem will be dealt with immediately. If you would still like to purchase your items, please come back in and I will wait on you. Well I did go back in and I did purchase my 4 things and the manager paged someone to the front as I was walking out and I heard her tell the old bat to go to her office NOW!

but I saved $7.73 and spent $4.46

went back and got 2 more...

of the leave in conditioner. Turns out K and I love it and I wanted to get more while it is so cheap. We were going to go before we stopped at a friend's house but it was early and the mean cashier from before was most likely still there so we went to the friend's house first and I am glad we did. She had 2 more coupons for the garnier for me. So I got 2 more free.

When we went back the meanie was gone and we checked out at the beauty counter. There were other people in line in front of me...getting the same brand of items I was and they had the coupons too. LOL.

K had a conversation with the Beauty Advisor and it went like this:

K: Momma has coupons. Momma likes coupons, she gets the good stuff for me really cheap and this stuff is gonna be free. Just wait and see.
BA: well then your momma is a very smart shopper.
K: this stuff makes my hair beautiful so we have to get it cheap or momma gets the cheap stuff.
LOL I love that kid

Then this morning I was putting stuff away in my stockpile cupboard K was helping and said "momma are these your deals" yep I tell her. You have a lot of deals huh? yep sure do! Is that so I can have good dinners and nice tuff. Yep. K that's why. Do you use the coupons for this? yep I did. Oh...walks away...comes back a minute later....can I help cut out coupons? Sure Baby, as soon as I am done here. I am so happy that she is aware of what I am doing and why.

Making good on something I said I wanted to do

So far I am doing really well at not wasting any food. That is something I said last year and I wanted to do and I was doing well but then I started working 6 days a week and R started staying home with the kids and we got a little lax.

I do not believe in making the kids eat everything on their plates however I do require that K tries two bites of everything on her plate. In my opinoin (right or wrong) filling up a kid's plate and making them eat it all whether they are hungry or not can lead to eating issues later. I experienced that first hand. I attribute some of my eating issues to that rule my parents had. But I do give them small enough portions so they can ask for seconds if they are still hungry. It doesn't go to waste either because O is a big eater and K is not so O usually finishes up K's leftovers. But K also knows that if she does not eat dinner, she does not get a dessert or treat later.

My goal for this year is to by the end of the year not have any food go to waste. So far it is going pretty well. I am making smaller portions of main dishes and using veggies as filler, which is also healthier. I save the leftover veggies and serve them to O if we have something that she can't eat or for her snack. She loves veggies so it is a nice treat for her.

got my walgreens stuff today and had the RUDEST cashier ever

Oh my. I am still deciding whether I should contact the corporate office regarding this woman. She was so incredibly rude and I know the store manager will be no help at all as she has the same thought regarding couponing as this woman. :sigh:....I thought walgreens was in the business of selling stuff but evidently they would rather sell 1 or 2 items to lots of people than 8 items to me. Jerks. It won't stop me though. I used to not go in on Sunday morning because of this woman and I will just do that again if I have to.

Anyway, I go in and the store is dead. Not a soul in there. Great. I rip out my in ad coupon for the foil and I get my garnier and the foil, eggs, and a newspaper.

I go to check out and see this woman. UGH! I just knew it was going to be a hassle as everytime I am in there with multiple coupons and multiple items she gives me a hard time but I am getting this stuff regardless. She scans 3 garnier and then asks if I have the easy saver coupon. YUP. I had it to her. She says I can only allow one. I said no it says one per coupon and I will gladly take 7 more books and rip the coupons out of them if you would like but I thought it would be easier this way because I know that coupon will take $2 off each one and you all just toss them anyway, but I will do whatever you would like to make this transaction smooth. So she scans the coupon...it takes off $6. Well this is just not right she tells me but she continues scanning my garnier...5 more. Then she scans the coupon again....takes off $10. I can't believe you can get away with this. I just kinda ummph at her. Then she scans the rest of my items. I hand her the in ad coupon for reynolds wrap, Then the kicker...I got out all my manufacturer coupons for the garnier and the reynolds wrap. She KNEW this would make it all free and she had a FIT. This is just not right. How can you do this? You know this is all free for you don't you? Did you copy these coupons? Where do you get all the coupons? It is illegal to copy them! Did you clear the shelves so no other people can get this stuff? What are you going to do with all this stuff? My answers: because I am trying to take care of a family of 4 with a partime job and a laid off husband and I am trying to save money. Yes I know it is free that is why I got it. No I did not copy the coupons. My family saves them for me and friends save them for me as well. I did not copy them. I do not clear the shelves I think that is wrong unless the item is on clearance then I will take it all. I am going to use it, what does it matter to you.

And then she has the gall to ask if I know the lady that was in there previously and bought 20 bottles. Are we reselling this stuff together? WTF! No I do not know her! Just because I coupon and someone else does doesn't mean that we are BFF and have a plan to bring down Walgreens. WTF?

but anyway I got 8 bottles of garnier stuff and 2 reynolds wrap, eggs for $1.89, and a paper for $1.75 and my total came to $4.96. Total savings of $35.40

But my good deal buzz was short lived. I refuse to let her ruin my day however and as I put the Garnier products in my stockpile I am going to BE HAPPY that I got it all FREE and will laughing while I add it to my Walgreens savings ticker!

My ticker

To the side you will notice a new addition to my blog. A ticker. It is tracking my Walgreens savings for this year. I have set a goal of saving $1000 by shopping walgreens. I am taking the total savings from the bottom of my reciept and adding them to the ticker each time I shop. I don't exclusively shop at Walgreens but since I get my shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toilet paper, and cleaning stuff there for so cheap I thought I would keep track.

overage lesson

ok here is how overage works:

I went to walgreens and I purchased
$2.19 1 garnier fructis treatment conditioner thing (clearanced)
$2.19 1 garnier fructis melting conditioner (clearanced)
$4.00 1 quilted northern TP
$2.50 1 gallon of milk
______
$10.88
.46 tax
______
$11.34
-1. Garnier MFG Q
-1. Garnier MFG Q
-4. walgreens Q for Garnier
_____
$5.34 total

the overage comes in because the coupons for the Garnier totaled $6 in savings but the actual cost of the items was only $4.38. That makes $1.62 in overage which applies to other items that you bought. The store still gets the full face value of the coupon. Win Win!

My total savings today was 11.08 because of the TP being on sale, the milk being on sale, the conditioner being on clearance and the coupons.

Thrifty dining chair hunt

so one of our hand me down dining chairs broke...badly. The other 3 are close to breaking and not at all sturdy. We toured the thrift shops today trying to find chairs we didn't find anything that we could agree on. I liked the back on one set but it wasn't cushion and the back was short but looked cool. We tried the whole tied on cushion thing before and that sucked. So we knew we wanted a cushioned chair. At the other store we like the same style and it was cushioned but it was $89/chair (not a thrift store). Yeah....ummm not. So finally on a whim we stopped at Bargain Barn in town and we found chairs we both liked but they only had 2 in stock $59/chair. More than we wanted to spend (we were thinking $100 ish total for 4 chairs but yeah after seeing the prices we were thinking that is sooo not going to happen). The salesman said he could order us 2 more and could have them by Tuesday. OK.. So we take the 2 in stock and we go to order the other 2 and they can't get them for 3 weeks. so of course we already paid for all 4 but I told him I was not paying for chairs that I could have right now (yeah I am wierd like that ) So he voided my first transaction then tried to call the company to see if they could expedite two for me...nope. So then he just charged me for 2 and ordered the other two for me and I could stop back if I still want them in 3 weeks. Then on the way home we stopped at the other thrift store again and I found a perfect wooden chair for K for $6 and they had another one...not matching... that is perfect for O but I couldn't get it in the Jeep so I will have to go back tommorrow and see if it is still there since they are closed now. So once again we don't have matching furniture but I don't care...at least we have good chairs again.

coupons on Sunday

Gonna be an AWESOME Sunday for coupons!!! check this out. Credit to Taylortownpreview.com for all the work in putting this out!!


SMARTSOURCE
562338335334 Air Wick Scented Oil Refill, any $1 on 2 (2-15-09)
562338334016 Air Wick Warmer Unit FREE up to $3.19 wyb Scented Oil Refill (2-15-09) .25 each
525866113768 Aleve, any 20 ct.+ $1 (3-31-09)
525866120766 Aleve-D Product, any $1 (3-31-09)
516500300767 Alka-Seltzer Plus Product, any $1 (3-31-09)
553100320764 Aquafresh Premium Toothbrush, any $1 (4-18-09)
553100120753 Aquafresh Premium Toothpaste, any 5.6 oz.+ .75 (4-18-09) .10 each
553100130745 Aquafresh White Trays or White Trays Pro-Gentle System $5 (3-31-09)
512843410767 Bayer Aspirin, any 24 ct.+ $1 (2-28-09)
FORM Bayer Special Half Price Offer up to $10 Refund (mail-in) (1-18-09)
541383461762 Beano Product, any 30 ct.+ $1 (3-31-09)
541383460505 Beano To Go Product, 12 ct. only .50 (3-31-09)
514500555828 Birds Eye Steamfresh Meals for Two Variety, any $2 (2-14-09)
514500550359 Birds Eye Steamfresh Vegetable or Rice Variety, any .35 (2-14-09)
541679130082 Boost Glucose Control Nutritional Drink, any $3/2 Multipacks (2-15-09) .15 each
541679151827 Boost Kid Essentials Nutritionally Complete Drink Multipack, any $2 (2-15-09)
541679100511 Boost Nutritional Energy Drink, any $2/2 Multipacks (2-15-09) .10 each
551000110225 Campbells Chicken Noodle and Tomato Condensed Soup, any .40/4 (3-31-09)
551000120248 Campbells Chunky Healthy Request Soup, any .50/2 (3-31-09)
551000113226 Campbells Condensed Cooking Soup, any .40/4 (3-31-09)
551000111222 Campbells Condensed Soup, any except Chicken Noodle Tomato and Creams .40/2 (3-31-09)
551000110225 Campbells Condensed Soup, any 26 oz. .40/2 (3-31-09)
551000110225 Campbells Healthy Request Condensed Soup, any .40/2 (3-31-09)
551000120248 Campbells Select Harvest Healthy Request Soup, any .50/2 (3-31-9)
551000122242 Campbells Select Harvest Soup, any .50/2 cans (2-15-09)
500024110766 Campho-Phenique Product, any $1 (3-31-90)
550000140331 Carnation Instant Breakfast Product, any $1 on 2 (2-15-09)
500068992762 Citrucel Product, any $1 (2-5-09)
516500992764 Citrucel Product, any except Creamy Bites $1 (3-31-09)
500068653823 Citrucel with Smartfiber Soft Chews, 60 ct. $2 (2-5-09)
536632400135 Dannon Frusion, any 7 oz. bottle $1 on 4 (2-28-09)
536632200131 Dannon Yogurt, any 6 oz. Single Serve Cup $1 on 10 (2-28-09)
917000190338 Dial Body Wash, any except trial size $1 on 2 (3-31-09)
917000100351 Dial Multibar Pack, Liquid Hand Soap or Foaming Hand Wash, any .35 (3-31-09)
577975600769 EatSmart All Natural Snack, any 3.5 oz.+ $1 (3-31-09)
557145800878 Fiber Choice Fiber Supplement, any 90 ct. $3 (2-1-09)
552700100847 Finish/Electrasol Powerball Tabs, Gelpacs or Quantum, any $2.50 (2-1-09) .25 each
516500460768 Flintstones Multivitamin Product, any $1 (3-31-09)
515000550764 Gerber Cereal with DHA $1/1 canister or two boxes of Gerber Infant Cereal (3-31-09)
515000590098 Gerber Graduates for Preschoolers Snacks or Meals, any $2 on 6 (3-31-09)
515000590098 Gerber Graduates Snacks or Lil Entrees Selections, any $2 on 6 (3-31-09)
515000510133 Gerber 2nd Foods Purees, any 2-pack $1 on 4 (3-31-09)
541757110555 Laughing Cow Cheese Wedges or Light Gourmet Cheese Bites, any .55 DND (3-31-09)
519200211760 Lysol All Purpose Cleaner Pourable, any $1 (3-2-09)
519200200764 Lysol All Purpose Cleaner Trigger, Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner or Lysol Plus Bleach, any $1 (3-2-09)
519200300754 Lysol Bathroom Cleaner, any .75 (3-2-09) .10 each
519200110766 Lysol Disinfectant Spray, any 12 oz.+ $1 (3-2-09)
519200340767 Lysol Disinfecting Wipes, any $1 (3-2-09)
529200300754 Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner, any .75 (3-2-9) .10 each
517400600506 Minute Rice Product, any .50 (3-28-09) .10 each
529200000288 Muellers Pasta, any .55/2 DND (2-28-09)
529200000554 Muellers Whole Grain Pasta, any .55 DND (2-28-09)
500024210763 Neo-Synephrine Product, any $1 (3-31-09)
528000150766 Nescafe Tasters Choice, any 5.3 oz.+ $1 (4-5-09)
550000130509 Nestle Coffee-Mate Liquid or Powder Creamer, any .50 (4-5-9) .10 each
528000310245 Nestle Juicy Juice Product .50/2 (4-5-09)
500766500009 Nicorette, Nico Derm CQ or Commit $15 (2-2-09)
516500410763 One A Day Adult or Teen Multivitamin Product, any $1 (3-31-09)
512843520763 Phillips Colon Health Probiotic Supplement, any $1 (3-31-09)
510158000338 Polident or Poligrip Product, any $1 on 2 (3-38-09)
516000430247 Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn, any .50/2 boxes (2-15-09)
519200130764 Resolve Product, any $1 (2-15-09)
520525140741 Schiff Move Free, any 80 ct.+ $5 (3-31-09)
510158778756 Sensodyne ProNamel Toothpaste .75 (3-31-09) .10 each
510158770750 Sensodyne Toothpaste, any except trial size .75 (3-31-09) .10 each
577975700766 Snyders of Hanover Multigrain Snack, any 5 oz.+ $1 (3-31-09)
574030140758 Sorrento + Plus String Cheese, 6 or 8 oz. only .75 (3-31-09) .10 each
574030144756 Sorrento String Cheese, any 24 oz. only .75 (3-31-9) .10 each
574030140505 Sorrento String or Stick Cheese, any 6 oz.+ .50 (3-31-09)
562338110504 Spray n Wash Product, any .50 (2-15-09)
551000410509 V8 100% Vegetable Juice, any 46 or 64 oz. or 5 or 5.5 oz. 6-pk. .50 (3-31-09)
PUBLIX
541646212759 Celentano Meatballs, any 28 oz. .75 DND (2-28-09) .10 each
544500000332 Hillshire Farm Sausage product, any $1 on 2 (2-28-09)


SMARTSOURCE #2
541167514820 Act Restoring Mouthwash, any 33.8 oz. $2 (3-1-09)
541167513762 Act Restoring Mouthwash or Fluoride Rinse, any 18 oz. $1 (3-1-09)
547865000825 Airborne $2 (3-1-09)
537480220760 Atkins Shake 4-pack, any $1 DND (3-31-09)
537480100338 Atkins Single Bar, any $1 on 2 DND (3-31-09)
576808400330 Barilla Plus Pasta, any $1 on 2 (3-1-09)
552200130143 Beech-Nut Cereal Product, any B1G1F up to $1.75 (4-30-09) .20 each
552200200761 Beech-Nut Lets Grow Product, any $1 (4-30-09)
552200110138 Beech-Nut Stage 2 Jars, any $1 on 10 (4-30-09)
552200114136 Beech-Nut Stage 3 Jars, any $1 on 5 (4-30-09)
500067530828 Benefiber Product, any $2 (3-31-09)
500067539821 Benefiber Stick Pack Product, any $2 (3-31-9)
564144100212 Chef Boyardee Can or Microwave Pasta, any .35/3 (2-28-09)
535000500750 Colgate Adult or Childrens Toothpaste, any 4 oz.+ .75 (1-24-09) .10 each
535000610756 Colgate Adult Manual Toothbrush, any .75 (1-24-09) .10 each
535000550762 Colgate Total Advanced Whitening, Clean or Fresh Toothpaste, any 4 oz.+ $1 (1-24-09)
543000260505 Cool Whip Whipped Topping in a Can, any .50 (2-1-09)
515098163877 Drinkables Liquid Joint Care, any $3 (4-30-09)
515098002824 Drinkables Liquid Supplement, any $2 (4-30-09)
500025110840 Equal Packets, 100 ct.+ $2.50 (4-4-09)
500067430760 Excedrin Product, any 20 ct.+ $1 (3-31-09)
500067430821 Excedrin Product, any 80 ct.+ $2 (3-31-09)
580793000253 Fuze On-the-Go, any .25 (4-30-09)
580793000765 Fuze On-The-Go, any 6 pack $1 (4-30-09)
503084130767 Garnier Nutritioniste Cleanser or Moisturizer, any $1 (4-30-09)
500043600767 Gas-X Product, any $1 (3-31-09)
543168550364 GE Energy Smart Compact Fluorescent Lighting Product $1.50 on 2 (3-31-09) .10 each
570074320781 Glucerna Product, any $1.50 (3-1-09)
570074320088 Glucerna Product, any $3 on 2 (3-1-09) .15 each
541167373762 Gold Bond Ultimate Healing or Softening Lotion, any $1 (3-31-09)
541167373823 Gold Bond Ultimate Restoring or Smoothing Lotion, any size $2 (3-31-09)
550100240368 Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers, any $1.50 on 2 (3-31-90 .10 each
530900992759 Healthy Ones Meat Sliced Fresh from Deli or Deli Pre-Sliced, 1 lb. .75 (3-31-09) .10 each
530900100758 Healthy Ones Packaged Lunchmeat, Franks or Smoked Sausage, any .75 (3-31-09) .10 each
544100341767 Hood Simply Smart Milk, any $1 (2-28-09)
541167400765 Icy Hot, Aspercreme, Capzasin, Sportscreme or Flexall Product $1 (4-4-09)
543000200501 Jell-O Pudding Snacks or Gelatin Snacks, any .50 (2-1-09)
577782300357 Johnsonville Smoked Turkey Sausage .35 (3-1-09)
536000500504 Kleenex Facial Tissue .50/3 boxes or one Bundle Pack (2-28-09)
536000510404 Kleenex Lotion Facial Tissue .40 (2-28-09)
500067200783 Maalox Product, any $1.50 (3-31-09)
541789500355 Maruchan Yakisoba Flavor, any .35 (3-31-09)
500088992841 Os-Cal, any $2.50 (5-2-09)
546500181141 Oust Surface Disinfectant & Air Sanitizer, any B1G1F up to $4.25 (2-28-09) .40 each
535000350256 Palmolive Dish Liquid, any .25 (1-24-09)
535000370759 Palmolive Pure + Clear Liquid Dish Soap, any 20 oz. .75 (1-24-09) .10 each
518000040228 Pillsbury Golden Layers or Grands Jr. Biscuits, any .40/3 (3-28-09)
543000126337 Post Shredded Wheat Cereal, any $1 on 2 (2-15-09)
549000150402 Powerade Zero, 32 oz. .40 (2-15-09) .10 each
571691700765 Rubbermaid Easy Find Lids Premier or Produce Saver Container, any $1 (3-31-9)
571691300767 Rubbermaid Tote or Clear Tote, any 12 quart+ $1 (3-31-09)
546100300508 Sargento Natural Cheese Snack, any 5 oz.+ .50 (3-31-09) .10 each
543002106504 Snapps Product, any .50 (6-30-09)
523400400503 Soft Scrub Product, any .50 (3-1-09)
574182110357 Softsoap Liquid Hand Soap, any 7.5 or 12 oz. .35 (1-24-09)
522200115143 Speed Stick 24/7 Antiperspirant/Deodorant, any except .5 oz. B1G1F up to $3.99 (1-24-09) .40 each
574405100554 Spot Shot Instant Carpet Stain & Odor Eliminator Product, any .55 (4-30-09)
500043420785 Theraflu Product, any $1.50 (3-31-09)
516000730750 Total Cereal (Whole Grain, Raisin Bran, Honey Clusters, Cranberry Crunch, etc.) .75 (2-14-09) .10 each
500043100762 Triaminic Product, any $1 (3-31-9)
523700232767 Tyson Frozen Chicken or Beef Strips $1 (4-5-09)
523700710555 Tyson Refrigerated Chicken or Steak Strips .55 (4-5-09)
541800620550 Welchs Squeezable Jam, Jelly, Spread, any 22 oz. or Reduced Sugar Spread, 18.8 oz. .55 (3-31-09) .10
563948440876 Whole Body Cleanse $3 (4-4-09)


SMARTSOURCE #3
516000440246 Betty Crocker Fruit by the Foot, Fruit Gushers, Roll-Ups, or Fruit Stickers, any .50/2 (2-28-09)
516000420248 Betty Crocker Fruit Flavored Shapes, any .50/2 (2-28-09)
516000531258 Betty Crocker Potatoes, any box or pouch except Potato Buds .25 (2-28-09)
516000457503 Fiber One Chewy Bars, any .50/1 box (2-28-09)
516000507604 Fiber One Complete Pancake Mix, 28.3 oz. .60 (2-28-09) .10 each
516000700425 General Mills Cereal, any $1 on 3 (2-14-09)
520000313400 Green Giant Frozen Bagged Vegetables, any 19 or 24 oz. only .40 (2-28-09)
520000310249 Green Giant Frozen Boxed Vegetables, any .50/2 (2-28-09)
520000312502 Green Giant Just For One Vegetables, any .50 (2-28-09)
520000331503 Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers Frozen Vegetables, any .50 (2-28-09) .10 each
516000450504 Nature Valley Granola Bars, any .50/1 box (2-28-09)
518000159258 Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls, any .25 (3-28-09)
518000550406 Pillsbury Frozen Grands Biscuits, Cinnamon Rolls, Dinner Rolls, etc. any .40 (3-28-09)
518000555555 Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls or Mini Cinnamon Rolls, any .55 (3-28-09)
518000000307 Pillsbury Sweet Rolls or Grands Sweet Rolls, any .30 (3-28-09)
518000811354 Pillsbury Toaster Strudel Pastries, any .35 (3-28-09)
541196110246 Progresso Soup, any .50/2 (2-28-09)
570470920509 Yoplait Kids Cup Yogurt or Yogurt Drink, any .50 (2-28-09)
570470920325 Yoplait Go-Gurt Yogurt, Fizzix Yogurt, Smoothie, or Trix Multipack Yogurt, any .75/2 (2-28-09)
570470920356 Yoplait Go-Gurt Yogurt, Fizzix Yogurt, etc. Kids Cup Yogurt or Yogurt Drink .35 (2-28-09)
570470900228 Yoplait Yogurt Cups or Smoothie, any .40/6 (2-28-09)


VALASSIS (RED PLUM)
508004100332 Carefree Product, any 34 ct.+ $1 on 2 (3-1-09)
599866000748 Flex-a-Min Product, any $5 (Winn-Dixie)
503084121765 Garnier Fructis Shampoo, Conditioner or Treatment, any except trial size $1 (5-1-09)
503084122762 Garnier Fructis Style Product, any except trial size $1 (5-1-09)
508137000769 Johnsons Baby Product or Johnsons Buddies Product, any except trial size $1 (3-31-09)
538000551333 Kelloggs Special K Cereal, any 11.4 oz.+ $1 on 2 (2-15-09)
538000840338 Kelloggs Special K Cereal Bars or Bliss Bars, any 5 ct.+ $1 on 2 (3-1-09)
538000400334 Kelloggs Special K Protein Product, any multi-pack, 4 ct.+ $1 on 2 (3-1-09)
508004992876 KY, Tucks or Soothing Care Product, any $3 (7-1-09)
552800500766 Lubriderm Body Lotion or Cream, any 5 oz.+ $1 (4-5-09)
552800500766 Lubriderm Intense Skin Repair, any 16 oz. Lotion or 5 oz. Cream $1 (4-5-09)
542300100764 Ludens Throat Drops, any 30 ct. $1 (4-4-09)
508004992937 Monistat Yeast Infection Treatment or e.p.t. Product, any $4 (1-1-10)
500045010762 Motrin Product, any except trial size $1 (3-31-09)
574312000763 Natures Bounty Product, any $1 (2-19-09) (Winn-Dixie)
508004300763 o.b. Product, any except trial size $1 (3-1-09)
553885120009 One Touch Ultra Smart Blood Glucose Monitoring System $30 (1-31-09)
553885380748 One Touch Ultra Soft Lancets $5 (2-28-09)
553885120009 One Touch Ultra 2 or Ultra Mini Blood Glucose Monitoring System $20 (1-31-09)
530768000870 Osteo Bi-Flex Product, any $3 (2-19-09) (Winn-Dixie)
516837992765 Pepcid, Mylanta, Lactaid, Rolaids, or Imodium Product, any except trial size $1 (3-31-09)
516837992000 Pepcid, Mylanta, Lactaid, Rolaids, or Imodium Product, any except trial size $4 on 2 (3-31-09) .20 each
500045992761 St. Joseph Product, any except trial size $1 (3-31-09)
574170992767 Sally Hansen Nail Product or La Cross Implement, any $1 (3-31-09) (Walgreens)
522776100550 Splenda No Calorie Sweetener Product, any .55 (4-4-09)
522776111556 Splenda No Calorie Sweetener with Fiber Product, any .55 (4-1-09)
508004900017 Stayfree Product, any B1G1F up to $7.50 (3-1-09) .75 each
530768000764 Sundown Naturals Product, any $1 (2-19-09) (Winn-Dixie)
500045992846 Tylenol Childrens, Childrens Plus, Childrens Motrin, or Pediacare, no trial $2.50 on 2 (3-31-09) .15 each
500045992761 Tylenol Cold, Sinus or Allergy Product, any except trail size $1 (4-4-09)
500045992761 Tylenol Extra Strength, 8 Hour, or Arthritis Product, any $1 (3-31-09)
500045992846 Tylenol Infants, Infants Motrin or Simply Soothing, excludes trial size $2.50 on 2 (3-31-09) .15 each
500045992761 Tylenol PM or Simply Sleep Product, any except trial size $1 (6-15-09)
500045453767 Viactiv Flavor Glides Dietary Supplement, any $1 (2-28-09)
500045451763 Viactiv Soft Chews Dietary Supplement, any $1 (2-28-09)
574300992766 Visine Product, any $1 (6-30-09)
530501992820 Visine Tears, any $2 (6-30-09)


VALASSIS (RED PLUM) #2
511111139782 All Liquid Laundry Detergent, any 96 load+ $1.50 (2-22-09)
511111100409 All or Surf Laundry Detergent, any .40 (2-22-09)
530000300331 Aunt Jemima Mix or Syrup, any 24 oz.+ $1 on 2 (3-31-09)
529943140937 Blink Tears or Blink GelTears Lubricating Eye Drops, any $4 (2-28-09)
500005510875 Caltrate, any except 30 ct. $3 (3-31-09)
530000220509 Captain Crunch Cereal, any .50 (3-31-09)
500005411875 Centrum, any except 30 ct. $3 (3-31-9)
500005470872 Centrum Cardio, any $3 (3-31-09)
500005412872 Centrum Kids, any $3 (3-31-09)
500005461870 Centrum Performance, any $3 (3-31-09)
500005421874 Centrum Silver, any except 30 ct. $3 (3-31-09)
527333132765 Complete Blink-N-Clean Lens Drops or Blink Contacts Lubricant Eye Drops $1 (2-28-09)
527444186829 Complete Multi-Purpose Solution, any 12 oz.+ $2 (2-28-09)
551500937759 Crisco Puritan Canola Oil with Omega-3 DHA, any .75 DND (3-31-09) .10 each
599866000748 Flex-a-Min Joint Care Product, any $5 (2-15-09)
523100830501 Goodlife Recipe Cat Treats .50 (4-5-09)
523100810763 Goodlife Recipe Dog Treats $1 (4-5-09)
523100800825 Goodlife Recipe Dry Cat or Dog Food $2 (4-5-09)
544500610555 Hillshire Farm Deli Select Lunchmeats, any 8 oz.+ .55 (2-15-09)
551500540423 Jif Peanut Butter Product, any $1 on 3 (3-31-09)
571249600820 LOreal Facial Skincare Product, any $2 (3-29-09)
571249800824 LOreal HIP Eye or Lip Product, any $2 (3-29-09)
571249230751 LOreal Kids Product, any .75 (3-29-09) .10 each
571249840820 LOreal Lip Product, any $2 (3-29-09)
571249860873 LOreal Makeup, Powder, Blush or Concealer, any $3 (3-29-09)
571249810823 LOreal Paris Eye Product, any $2 (3-29-09)
571249111821 LOreal Preference, any $2 (3-29-09)
571249210760 LOreal Vive Pro Shampoo, Conditioner or Treatment, any $1 (3-29-09)
572745450766 Perdue Short Cuts, any $1 (3-8-09)
549826000073 Pure Protein High Protein Bars, any $1.50 on 3 (2-28-09)
530000510334 Quaker Chewy Granola Bars, any $1 on 2 boxes (2-28-09)
530000128768 Quaker High Fiber Instant Oatmeal, any $1 (3-31-09)
530000120700 Quaker Instant Oatmeal, any .70 (3-31-9) .10 each
530000210333 Quaker Life Cereal, any $1 on 2 boxes (3-31-09)
530000260505 Quaker Oatmeal Squares Cereal, any 16 oz.+ .50 (3-31-09)
530000138552 Quaker Oatmeal to Go Breakfast Bars, any .55 (3-31-09)
530000110602 Quaker Old Fashioned or Quick Oats, any 18 oz.+ .60 (3-31-09) .10 each
530000544766 Quaker True Delights Granola Bars $1 (2-28-09)
572440000822 Real Simple Magazine $2 (2-8-09)
515300100133 Rice-A-Roni or Pasta Roni, any $1 on 4 (2-28-09)
500031410767 Robitussin Product, any $1 (4-30-09)
508346200776 Slim-Fast Bars, any Multi-pack $1.25 (3-31-09) .15 each
508346000055 Slim Fast Ready-to-Drink Multi-Pack or Powder Canister, any $1.40 (3-31-09) .15 each
554502000872 Slim Shots Liquid Appetite Controller, any $3 (4-30-09)
551500100351 Smuckers Jam, Jelly, Preserves, or Fruit Spread Product, any .35 (3-31-09)
551500510556 Smuckers Natural Peanut Butter Product, any .55 (3-31-09)
551500260550 Smuckers Uncrustables Sandwiches, any .55 (4-30-09)
580000700167 Star Kist Pouch Product up to 4.5 oz. B2G1F up to $2.10 (2-28-09) .10 each
537000711785 ThermaCare Arthritis HeatWraps, any except trial size $1.50 (3-1-09)
537000711761 ThermaCare HeatWraps, any except trial size $1 (3-1-09)
548500100337 Tropicana Pure Premium Juice Product, any 64 oz. $1 on 2 (3-31-09)
541000249339 Wish-Bone Dressing, or Western Dressings, 16 oz.+ or Bountifuls, 9.5 oz. $1 on 2 (2-28-09)
541000242750 Wish-Bone Salad Spritzers Dressing, any 7 oz. .75 (2-28-09) .10 each
Copyright © 2008 Taylortown

What a way to start of the new year!

So I stopped at Walgreens today for my dawn dish soap that is on sale because I got my coupon from FIL today. While I was in there I was perusing the garnier fructis that is on sale next week to pick out what I wanted and check stock on it (reconnaisance mission) and I found a bunch of Garnier hair products on clearance for $2.19. By using the $2 coupon in the easy saver catalog I was able to get them at 19 cents per bottle!!!

Here is what I got at Walgreens today for $4.21 including tax.




A great way to start out the New Year...saving a ton of money $43.05 to be exact...
or my biggest savings precentage EVER....91%. If this is any indication of how the next year will play out...it is going to be a FANTASTIC money saving year for me!

role reversal...

So back in May of 2007, I was let go from my job during my pregnancy with O. I was not actually "terminated" (what an endearing term :eyeroll:) from my employer until August, but was told I had to take Medical Leave due to my restrictions during my pregnancy. Although I cannot say for sure (but it is obvious to just about everyone), my employer at that time KNEW that I would not have delivered O by the time my medical leave ran out, and then they could terminate me. August 3rd, I met with the HR rep, my medical leave was running out on that Friday and they offered me a 7 week extension, which put me at one week past my surgery date at HAVING to return to work or being terminated. After discussing this with the HR rep and telling her that there was no way I could return to work 1 week after a c-section with no restrictions, as they required for my return, they terminated my employment that day. It was a bittersweet day, as I knew I would miss a lot of my co-workers but I was so happy to be done with that employer. I gave up a lot during the almost 5 1/2 years I worked there. I loved my job but I did not like the stress and I did not like the way some things were handled. I was often singled out because I was not shy about telling the bosses what I thought about certain situations. In retrospect, I think that is why they wanted me gone. They wanted "yes" men and women and if you know me, you know that is not me. Oh, I would do the work they asked and then some, but when I thought something was ridiculous, I was not afraid to take the issue up with those in charge and tell them why I thought it was ridiculous and what I thought could be done better. Most companies and/or bosses like that, but not there. I think that is why I like my current employer. If I have an issue, I can tell my boss and she will look into it or at the very least tell me that my idea has been tried and didn't work because of this reason or that. She doesn't get mad, she explains and she doesn't take credit for an idea that I have that is implemented. She gives credit where it is due.

Ok enough about that....The real reason I am writing this is because during the time I was not working, I was getting short-term disability payments from my employer's insurance company. It was nice but not as much as if I had been working. Not complaining though, as I did not have to pay for K to be at a sitter since I was not working, so it pretty much evened out. But the day I was forced to take leave, R and I sat down and figured out our bills, we owed on his car, my car, more than a couple grand on my credit card, a grand on his credit card, and mounting medical bills. Plus we did not stockpile and used disposable (name brand even) diapers on K. I did not garage sale very often, R and I only bought new clothes for ourselves-never thrift store stuff but we did buy for K from the thrift store. Never used the bent and dent grocery, never used coupons, didn't stockpile gifts, basically everything I do now, I didn't do before. We figured that we owed $32,000 not including the mortgage. Currently, just 18 months later we owe $2700, just over $200 on a credit card and $2500 on my car!! WOW!! While I was not working and before my disability checks started to come, R covered all of our bills including my credit card payments and car payment. Ok to most this is the way it is supposed to be but we have seperate accounts, which I believe I have touched on a bit in a previous post.

The role reversal~
Now that R is laid off and I am working, I have been paying off his credit card. We don't owe on his vehicle so I can't help out there but I have been paying on his card like he was on mine 18 months ago. He has become very watchful of HIS spending and our combined spending, whereas before I was the one watching the spending and telling him if we could or could not afford to do something. I still take care of all of our bills but R is more aware of the financial situation in the household than he ever was before. It is nice in a way but I have also found that I am more lax. Not lax in watching every dime, but more lax in saying, dang it, I work hard for my money, I want this shirt or I want to buy the kids a toy. It doesn't happen often but it does occaisionally. That is how R used to be and now the tables have turned and it is soooo nice having him on the same financial page as me.

a couple things for cheap food...

angel food ministries. check the website for a distributor in your area. Basically you order a box of food for a set amount and pick it up. Cheaper than grocery stores but I have heard that the quality from here is not that great, IDK because we don't have one local.

www.sharewi.org. you buy the box of food for $25 and it is supposed to be 35-50% cheaper than grocery store prices. There is one local to use and I think I might try it for Feburary. Lots of meat and fresh produce. Supposed to be good quality food.

what's in store for 2009?

I don't know...I hope that we can continue to make it.

I want to keep working on the stockpile.

I want to come up with a better way to organize my coupons.

I want to find more ways to get the things I use/need cheap and especially free.

One thing I am excited for in 2009 is paying off my car. Yep that is the goal for this year. I will have that car PAID IN FULL by the end of 2009. One more step toward being debt free.

I just paid off my credit card again. I had charged a bit and just sent the payment in for that to be paid off once again. Dh's balance will be paid off next month. His balance is from paying his life insurance in full so we could get the discount on that which saves more even figuring in the interest from charging it. While paying off my credit card feels fantastic each and every time, nothing can compare to the time I paid it off completely after working on it for months and months. Now the little bit I charge is paid off within a month (sometimes 2) and it feels good but not as good as the initial payoff. At one point my credit card balance was over $3000. I know a lot of people have more than that but to me that was just crazy. It took a lof of discipline to not charge and to get that sucker paid off. I can only hope (ok well I guess I know) that paying off my car will give me such an adrenaline rush of accomplishment, especially that I will be paying it off early.

One thing that kinda hurts the budget but not kills it, is the fact that our bank was bought out this year and our payment will go up on the mortgage due to their escrow requirements. They are requiring more of a cushion in the escrow account than our previous bank did so our mortgage payment is going up by $16 a month. That is really not a budget killer because I put away an extra $30-$40 a month anyway and I budgeted all of our other bills high so we do have extra saved for emergencies or in case one bill is higher than I budgeted for. I am going to have to adjust the budget though by $5 a paycheck because I want to keep putting away that little cushion.

This is what our budget looks like:
Mortgage $580 (including taxes and insurance)
cell phones $95 (actual bill is $92)
Electric $125 (actual bill is $72-$105 normally..this includes our water and sewer as well)
cable and internet $100

household bills $900/month

Our new house payment will be $596/month so I will adjust what I deposit each week from our paychecks up by $5/week and we will be set.

We used to budget out for our car insurance and LP fuel for the winter and we still do but we don't do it monthly anymore. We use our yearly tax return for that $1000-$1200 for fuel, and $650 for our car insurance for the year also we try to pay our life insurance premiums each year out of the tax return. Whatever is left from our tax return each year goes into savings for a home improvement project or for something else.

We have talked about adjusting our withholdings and getting more money back throughout the year from our paychecks but we enjoy the little "windfall" in the spring so we will keep doing it how we are for now. I will look at it again this year at tax time and see if we should adjust.


I am hoping to hit garage sales again this year but not so much for the kids. I need smaller clothes for me and I am hoping to find some good bargains. I will again be holding a garage sale during the city wide sale weekend but I will also hit sales that weekend because my brother and I are taking shifts at my garage sale so we can each hit the other sales. I have already collected 6-8 boxes of stuff for my own garage sale. Stuff the baby has outgrown, clothes that are too big for me now, dishes that I don't use, toys the kids don't play with, clothes that are too small for hubby now, and miscellanous things from the house.

Coupons tommorrow...

just P&G insert...check out taylortownpreview.com for a list.

Upcoming Walgreens Ads...

Easy Saver Catalog for January Starts 12/28

12/28-1/3 ad
Dawn dish soap is a good deal if you have the 50 cent/1 coupons use two and the in flyer coupon and get 2 bottles for 99 cents


Glade scented oil candle kit for $2.99 after rebate. I have a $2/1 coupon and by using my WAGS reloadable gift card. I will get back $1.10 and pay $.89 for one kit.

on page 12 the gillette fusion razor with the RR might be a good deal depending on the coupons that come out that week. Also page 14 the gillette body wash or shampoo depending on the coupon might be a good deal.

1/4-1/10
Garnier Fructis on the 1st page will probably be a good deal possibly free, with the coupons that might come out that week or the week before and the easysaver coupons.
Glade on page 7 might be a free or cheap item depending on coupons you might have. There are $1/1 coupons out making this FREE!! I just got 10 so you KNOW I am going to be stocking up. Passed the deal along to my brother who is super excited about it as well.

According to the ad...Suave will be having coupons out that week soooo if you need deodorant the best deal I have found is using the coupons at Walmart on the small size that is 94 cents and getting deodorant for pennies...depending of course on the coupon. That is where I will be using my coupon for Suave.

1/11-1/17

Cottonelle on page 1...use the flyer coupon and the .50/1 ( I have to check the expiration date on that though) Get 4 double rolls for $2...not a stock up price for me but decent enough if you need TP.

1/18-1/24
Dawn dish soap again

but the pepsi deal!!! awesome!!!

Here is my math on that deal:

Spend $20 get $10

so I will get 7 12 packs of pepsi products for $21 + tax and get $10 back!!!
After RR the cost would be $1.57 per 12 pack...That is a definite stock up price.






I will post more deals as I see the coupon previews and things that interest me.

As always...these ads are courtesy of Hot coupon world. Check them out if you haven't already done so...

my shopping day ~after Christmas sales

I got quite a few things...3 gillete gift sets for men $5 each, bod body spray for $1.50 (like 8 bottles total), bath stuff for me, bath stuff for the kids, a t-shirt from Old Navy for $2 something and a movie for K for $5. Including food for the pets I spent about $90 but $25 was from a gift card and $25 was for the pet food so I did pretty good. Gifts for the men in my life, gifts for the ladies and gifts for the kids. I am set for Birthdays and holidays this year and I have a good jump on Christmas for next year.

2008 Reflections

2008 was a good year for us. We had some hard times, who didn't though, and we had some good times.

In 2008 I was hired on year round at my Seasonal employer, my husband was laid off more than once, we paid off a vehicle, we paid off our credit cards, I got a chance to be a SAHM for awhile, I learned couponing, I learned a lot about saving money. We realized that we took a paycut of over 50% from previous years but we would be ok. We found ways to survive that we did not even know existed. We made sacrifices and we worried but everything turned out ok. 2008 brought us a lot of changes, good and bad, but we grew stronger as a couple and a family, IMO.

One of my favorite memories of 2008 was our family hike and ferry ride.









One of the scariest times of 2008 was being seperated with my older daughter from my hubby and baby by flooding and the closure of the main bridge, our only route home. Taking his vehicle left him here with no vehicle he was able to drive to get out and no way for me to get home. After a brief moment of panic, I got my head together and K and I set off. 2 hours, lots of backtracking and trying alternate routes and we were finally able to get home to them. It was scary. I am happy that I was able to get calmed down enough to get home. We evacuated that night and it was very scary not knowing if we would even have a home to come back to but we did and I am grateful for that!

Here is a look at our June Flooding...pictures are worth more than what I can write. The pictures don't show the emotions involved seeing the town I have called home for years pretty much destroyed but we survived.

In 2008, we did a few home projects ourselves. Hubby and my brother reinsulated our attic which is saving us money in heating costs. We also sealed a bunch of cracks in our foundation ourselves. Hopefully that will help during the spring thaw and keep water from getting into our basement again.

2008 brought us extreme weather. From over 100 inches of snow to the threat of Tornados and tornados just missing us, massive flooding, and very hot for this area conditions.

In 2008 we started our first garden, we adopted Sheena, I rediscovered my love of garage saling, I was able to provide a nice christmas for the kids and my family on a small budget.

all in all I have to say 2008 was a pretty good year!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas every one....I hope your day is filled with love.



Tommorrow I will rise early and head out for the deals with my friend who is home from the military and as a Christmas gift my husband is keeping the kids home so I can better scope out the sales. YEAH!

Old Navy deals today...

I figured I would wait until AFTER Christmas and send my friend a gift to where she is stationed (she is in the military). Well, she decided to take a short leave and come home for Christmas and I need to have a gift for her like RIGHT NOW! So the kids and I went to Old Navy outlet. I got her a full zip fleece pullover for $7.80 and a fleece throw blanket for $3. I also got a fleece blanket for our neice for her birthday in January which I will take to work and monogram with her name on it. I got myself a fleece V neck shirt for $5. Good scores today!!

thrifty surprise...

I cleaned the carpets today and I left the bottle of renuzit spray open after I dumped some in the shampooer. I didn't even think about it until later. I was thinking gosh the house smells great. Then I walked in the livingroom and it didn't smell as nice. hmmmm.... So I figured out I left the bottle open with just a few drops in the bottom. Like a nice air freshner, the house smells like the renuzit spray so I moved the bottle into the bathroom. I think from now on when the bottles are empty I will leave them out in a hidden spot for a couple days and let the fragrance fill the house. Cheap and great smell way to freshen up the house!

a quote

But Massachusetts Democratic Rep. Barney Frank argued that failure to act "will cost us even more."

"This economy is in the worst shape since the Great Depression and if we do not respond in a very firm way, it gets worse and worse and feeds on itself," he told CNN.

I couldn't agree more!! Since my lifetime began anyway, I don't remember a harder time in this country and I am not yet 30 so maybe there was and I don't remember it. We had hard times growing up but I don't ever recall such a widespread hard time.

What excites me more than Christmas?!?

The day AFTER christmas sales. Oh boy! I get so excited over them. I hit Kohls (sometimes), Walmart, and this year a new one SEARS!! with my discount I should score BIG there. I love getting a nice bunch of gifts for holidays and birthdays for the next year at 1/2 off regular prices. The day after Christmas shopping is a tradition in my family. It is my mom's birthday so we all get together go to Walmart in the morning and then out for breakfast and then we all go our seperate ways to the store we each want to hit. Usually my brother and I stick together and get some bigger stuff 1/2 off. Not sure if he is going to go with us this year but I still am. I also get paid that day so I set a limit and will shop, shop, shop. YAY!

how does a thrifty momma get rid of almost a foot of snow?

with a shovel? nope. With a snowblower? yes but not just any snowblower. A piece of junk snowblower. One that is older than she is and runs like crap but this thrifty momma also knows a bit about making things work so when it would not staying running because the carburetor is messed up, this momma took some scrap wire that was in the garage and wired the choke into the on position, wide open, and blew the snow out of the driveway. There were flames coming out of the side of the snowblower, more like long sparks, but I was not shoveling our 150 ft driveway or our 2 sections of sidewalk, nor the end of the driveway that had a good 4 ft of snow in it from the snowplow. I maybe thrifty and I am definitely not lazy but I am not stupid either. LOL.

*********
free 8X10 pic from walgreens through tonight...use code freegift at checkout. no other purchases necessary. Ordered mine for my parents as a christmas gift. good for one hour photo too.

*********
no coupons for the next two sundays. Boo! but on the other hand it gives me a good chance to get my coupon organizer cleared. I did a good job of that with the walmart trip the other day but there are a few more things that I need to clear out of there and then I am redoing my system for 2009. I hope to get a baseball card organizer for coupons for Christmas. It is on the wishlist!

************
Have you been reading the financial news lately? It saddens me. Some reports are not expecting a turn around to the economy until 2011. oh my!! It scares me. Last night I had a long chat with a single male friend of mine. I don't generally discuss my couponing, etc with guys because they just don't get *it*, but I talked to him about it last night because he is concerned about us, with hubby being laid off and he heard some pretty dire things about the company my hubby "works" for. The things he said were not a shock to me as I always anticipate the worst so when what other people consider the worst actually happens, I think it is pretty good and not as bad as I thought. That is just a wierd quirk I have, but it gets me through times when others would be completely lost. So anyway, I told my friend about my stockpile of food and other essentials and I'll tell you his response came as a HUGE shocker to me. He uses coupons as well. OMG! But the biggest shocker, he was not at all surprised by my thrifty-ness. He was actually pretty impressed by it and asked me to give him some pointers and maybe even join in on our barter system with my brother. Way cool! He is a mechanic, self and school taught, so I am thinking this barter thing may really pay off for us and for him as well. Like most men, he despises shopping but considers it a necessary evil, so if I can do the shopping for him and he will change the oil in our vehicles, or say put a new muffler on a certain thrifty woman's car that so badly needs one, we can work out a pretty good trade I think :)

the nice thing about my stockpile is.... (and other random things)

I never have to worry about having something here for dinner. The problem is WHAT to have for dinner. It is not a bad problem to have but sometimes gets boring. We eat seasonally generally speaking. Meaning that the foods that you see on sale in the winter are what I have stocked now, in the summer we have a lot more summerish foods stocked.


I talked to my boss about coupons the other day. She is a thrifty gal as well and knows how to stretch a buck however she doesn't stockpile. I explained stockpiling in layman's terms and she asked if it was because of my hubby's layoffs (my boss and I have a good communication, I tell her when Hubby is laid off so by some miracle if there are more hours available she will ask me to work them or call me first). I told her I started because I did not anticipate being asked to stay on year round where I work now as it was just a seasonal job and I was told it is really hard to get hired on year round (it is!!) and my unemployment was running out and I wasn't sure that we could afford everything if something unexpected came up like a vehicle repair, emergency room visit, or something like that so while I had the money I wanted to get us a little ahead of the game but my wanting to get us ahead and save money turned into stockpiling because that is the best way to save money. She didn't get it right away but I explained how using the coupons she uses now when something is on sale at the lowest price it will be at and using multiple coupons to buy multiple items (enough for 4-6 months) would ensure that she would never pay full price for that item and if she did run out she would know for next time and be able to buy more with the coupons next time and maybe only have to buy 1 at full price. I told her sales are cyclical and once you figure out the sales cycle for what you stockpile it is a piece of cake to buy for a stockpile. She was intrigued and pretty impressed by my knowledge. I think part of what impressed her is my young age (relatively speaking) and the fact that I figured this all out.

You see, the last time I told her that hubby was getting laid off she was worried I was going to quit and go work full-time elsewhere to pay the bills. She was worried that our income would not pay our bills and I would have to leave to make more money but once we talked and she figured out that I know how to stretch a dollar like it is a rubber band, she calmed down. She enjoys sharing her coupon scores with me and I like to tell her about Walgreens deals or the Kmart super doubles a couple weeks ago that she had no idea was going on. She is of the opinoin that taking the sales ads from other stores to walmart and price matching and using her coupons is best but once I told her a bit about walgreens and some other tricks I learned, she is quite happy to make a stop at walgreens after work.

Since stockpiling I have had people ask if we use more because we have more and honestly no. We don't eat anymore than we ever did. We still get every last drop out of a bottle of shampoo or conditioner, I still use my deodorant until there is none left. Hubby may waste a bit more but I trick him sometimes too. He refuses to go into our basement (long story) so I keep the supplies down there (not for that reason alone, just so I can keep them neat and organized and out of view of people who think I am nuts or think the stockpile is fair game since I "never pay for that stuff anyway so why do I care if they take deodorant, toothpaste, a toothbrush, shampoo and conditioner..oh and we are out of laundry soap. Gee thanks for saving me a trip to the store. You are so nice!" (catch the sarcasm there, please!!!) So anyway, I will just *forget* to get out a new bodywash or deodorant for hubby, knowing full well that he can get one or two or five more uses out of the one he has already so why toss it? I don't always do this but there is no sense in wasting stuff, even if I got it free or very cheap.

Updated stockpile pics

Preparedness...

As I have written before preparedness is my "security blanket". Because I KNOW next week is my last full week of work until June and because I KNOW that my hubby's layoff is going to last for a while and also because I had 5 1/2 hours of OT this week, I went on a shopping spree. Not a shopping spree though like most people have a shopping spree. I went on a grocery shopping spree. We are stocked and once I get reorganized I will post new stockpile pics.

anyway tonight I went with my mom grocery shopping and used my coupons and bought everything I wanted and needed and a few "extras". Here is a partial list:

cat litter (generic)
cat food (2 bags) (had $1 off coupon for one bag, bought generic for the other)
dog food
5 cases of diet coke
5 cases of mt dew ($1 off coupon on each!)
8 packs of gum (b1g1F coupon)
generic frozen fries
2 bags chips
1 bag tortilla chips
9 boxes betty crocker potatoes (1 $1/2 coupon and 7 $.35/1)
4 packages hot dogs (4 $.25/1 coupons)
Ham
ham steaks
chicken breasts
cookies
chocolate animal crackers
2 toaster strudel
1 bag frozen broccoli (FREE with $1/1 coupon)
chocolate chips
bag of carrots
gravy mixes
sliced pineapple
4 bags bliss chocolate (2 $2.50/2 coupons)
suave deodorant (.75/1 coupon making this .19)
5 tag body sprays (5 $1/1 coupons)
2 packs rayovac batteries (.94 cents each and $1/2 coupon)

I ended up using 34 coupons today. WOW! All on stuff I was going to buy anyway so I wasn't buying not needed stuff (well except the 5 body sprays but 2 are gifts and the others are to add to hubby's stockpile :)

My total before coupons was $211 (this also included moms stuff but I didn't write that above) after the coupons and a discount the total came to $168. Mom's stuff came to about $30 ish. So really I only spent $138 and 50 of that was soda and another $25 was on the pets.

welcome home Sheena!!

we got our dog. I will post pics and her homecoming story soon!!