Start Planning for Christmas In January!
Most people know to go ahead and plan on buying Christmas stuff on clearance (50-75% off) now to save for next year. That is a great idea and can help with the little items you may need then… wrapping paper, small candles, ornaments, etc. But I have no idea what certain item my children or parents will want or even need next year! Right now, my son is really into Buzz Lightyear, but maybe next year he will love Cars. Would it do to buy a bunch of Buzz stuff now only to have him not like it next year? Or maybe I could buy a bunch of clothes for my daughter now, only to have her grow or not grow as I expected. What to do then? I have a bunch of gifts that I intended to save me money but only are wasted (or donated which would not waste, but not save as much as intended).
I came up with a plan last year, implemented it and saw it through. There are a few things I will tweak this year, but it seemed to work really well. Basically, it is just saving for Christmas. Simple as that.
One thing we have is our credit card. My husband and I go back and forth on the merits of a credit card. Does it cause us to spend more than we intend? I don’t think so; we use a budget for most things. We always pay the card off at the end of the month. That’s a rule. And our credit card gives us points that we can spend to get gift cards. (I know there are some credit cards that will pay you cash back too, like discover.) But instead of spending the points monthly, we save them up throughout the year. I trade them in November for visa gift cards! Last year I was able to get $175 in gift cards. Just by doing nothing, shopping like usual.
Second thing I started doing last year is online surveys. There are a lot of survey sites to get involved with, but be careful because many are scams. If you have to pay to join, it is a scam. You should never have to spend money to make money. Surveys are easy to do when the kids are watching Sesame Street or napping. Many will only take a half hour or less to complete. Companies want your opinions on things! I have done diaper surveys, where the companies will send me a pack of diapers to try out on my son, then pay me for trying them! Have you ever been paid to change your kid’s diaper? I’ve also been sent laundry detergent. People can do surveys for lots of different items. It’s crazy!
My favorite survey company is Opinion Outpost. This company sends me invitations for surveys most every day. These are all online surveys (I’ve not been sent items to try from this company.) The drawback is many times you will go through have the survey only to find you do not qualify for the survey (which I do have a problem with!) But they send you so many that you can sit down and for the half hour complete at least one survey. You will get paid anywhere from 1.50-3.00 a survey. This isn’t a lot of money but it adds up. You can then request a check when you get $5 or more. They send you a check in about 2 weeks. Last year I tried to request a check each time I reached $10. This ended up being at least once a month, usually twice.
After you get your checks, it would be really easy to just stick them in the bank and spend them. Which is ok, you could really lower your grocery budget that way. But I chose to save them in a high-interest earning account. (If you are interested in finding one, let me know, I have someone that can help) We have one with a bank that is not local, so we actually have to send the money in. This way it is harder to get the money out (and thus, easier to save for Christmas). Last year I saved $250, just from doing surveys alone. I could have done a lot more, but hey, it was my first year doing it. My goal this year is to set aside $30 a month in that account for Christmas next year.
A word of warning though: Surveys can become addicting. They also can get really frustrating at times. I found sometimes I was doing this when I should have been spending time with the kids. If this becomes the case, stop for a week or so. I took the whole month of December off. Remember it isn’t your most important job to do.
Other survey companies I used and received actual money from are: ipsos I say and my opinion. I recommend checking out nicole's nickels to get started. Again, never pay to get started with a company!
One other idea I have to save for Christmas next year is to do the coupon shopping thing. I will not get into the specifics of couponing, but if you do it for a bit, you will end up with a stockpile of “stuff”. Some of the “stuff” may include cleaning supplies, food, medicine, bath and body products and makeup. Now giving one person a bunch of cleaning supplies may not be the most awesomest present, but for another it would be great. Imagine giving your cousin who just got married in November a basket full of cleaning supplies. (that only cost you, maybe $5 to buy throughout the year!) How great would that be? Or, imagine filling a stocking for a teen with makeup? (that you bought on clearance for next to nothing.) Or, making a food basket for your grandmother? (with lots of non perishable goodies you got for free!) The possibilities are endless! (a white elephant gift of laxatives, geriatric vitamins, and depends!) I know from personal experience receiving a gift bag full of snack items my family will use (but I might not buy for ourselves) is so much better than getting a tacky sweater!
So yes, start now, in January, getting ready for Christmas next year. Start saving. Start that high interest earning account. Start doing a survey a day. Start the coupon shopping, and start your stockpile. You will hopefully find that next Christmas, instead of freaking out about where the money will come from, you will be able to relax and remember what it is really about: Christ coming down to earth to save us.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Friday, June 18, 2010
Awesome week for groceries
My favorite deals this week:
Found at Publix:
Pantene shampoo and conditioner on clearance 1.75 each. used one $2 and one $1.50 coupon sent from Vocalpoint. Free for both or they paid me 25 cents for one and i spent 25 cents on the other... whichever sounds better!
Publix eggs- used 2 Food lion printables for $1 off. 2 dozen eggs for 19 cents each (38 cents for two)
Bailey's creamer- used two yellow advantage coupons 55 cents each, used two $1 IPs. They paid me 50 cents each.
Old El Paso dinner kits- used 60 cent IP- 85 cents
Tombstone Pizza- used 2 Food lion printables for $1 off- $1.90 each
Muir Glen Tomato sauce- used $1 IP- they paid me 11 cents
Kroger-
Pepperidge Farms Goldfish- used two 35 cent IP- doubled- 55 cents each
Sweet Goldfish (chocolate and vanilla)- used two 75 cent IP- 50 cents each
Rozoni Smart taste pasta- used two $1 from Parents Magazine- Free
Post Honey Bunches of Oats- two for $3. I didn't have any coupons, but they say they are out there. But this is Brandon's favorite cereal, and i thought this was the best price on this kind of cereal i've seen in a while. so i bought 8 boxes.
CVS-
I was running low on diapers:
2 packs of Huggies diapers- 8.49 each - two $3 IPs and one $3 Q from the magic box- $3.99 each
2 Old Spice body wash- bogo Q- $4 for two
1 covergirl lip gloss- $1 from PG booklet- 3.99
5/$25 purchase Q and got back $4 and $3 ecb total oop $4 and change.
Found at Publix:
Pantene shampoo and conditioner on clearance 1.75 each. used one $2 and one $1.50 coupon sent from Vocalpoint. Free for both or they paid me 25 cents for one and i spent 25 cents on the other... whichever sounds better!
Publix eggs- used 2 Food lion printables for $1 off. 2 dozen eggs for 19 cents each (38 cents for two)
Bailey's creamer- used two yellow advantage coupons 55 cents each, used two $1 IPs. They paid me 50 cents each.
Old El Paso dinner kits- used 60 cent IP- 85 cents
Tombstone Pizza- used 2 Food lion printables for $1 off- $1.90 each
Muir Glen Tomato sauce- used $1 IP- they paid me 11 cents
Kroger-
Pepperidge Farms Goldfish- used two 35 cent IP- doubled- 55 cents each
Sweet Goldfish (chocolate and vanilla)- used two 75 cent IP- 50 cents each
Rozoni Smart taste pasta- used two $1 from Parents Magazine- Free
Post Honey Bunches of Oats- two for $3. I didn't have any coupons, but they say they are out there. But this is Brandon's favorite cereal, and i thought this was the best price on this kind of cereal i've seen in a while. so i bought 8 boxes.
CVS-
I was running low on diapers:
2 packs of Huggies diapers- 8.49 each - two $3 IPs and one $3 Q from the magic box- $3.99 each
2 Old Spice body wash- bogo Q- $4 for two
1 covergirl lip gloss- $1 from PG booklet- 3.99
5/$25 purchase Q and got back $4 and $3 ecb total oop $4 and change.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
American Idol
Reading in the Old Testament, I’ve always found the Israelites dumb. I mean really stupid. They have just seen God do HUGE miracles right in front of their face, even seeing God speak. Exodus 20:18-19 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance and said to Moses, “speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do now have God speak to us or we will die” These people saw God! They were afraid of Him! But what do they do? They go and make an idol out of their old jewelry.
So many times I’ve wondered what was going on in their brains. One day they have the necklace around their neck and then the next they decide they need to worship it. Let’s get all the jewelry together and make a cow and that can save us! Doesn’t make any sence to me. No sence whatsoever.
What’s worse, is later on, the Israelites get so engrossed in worshiping their idols, they sacrifice their own bodies, their own CHILDREN to these things. King Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28: 1-4), one of the most respected in the country was sacrificing his sons to idols. Killing them. For what?
So I thought this was dumb. So glad we are civilized and don’t do that today. I would never worship an idol, how dumb is that. Why, that’s a no duh, even for people who don’t believe in God. Right?
I’m currently doing the Breaking Free study by Beth Moore. Week 3 she states, “Anything we try to put in a place where God belongs is an idol.” Since God wants us to be complete in him, to find satisfaction only in him, anything else we use to find that satisfaction, to fill that hole, is an idol. Woah.
Isaiah makes fun of the idol makers in Is. 44:9-20. Vs. 12 says …(the idol maker) gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint while he is making the idol. How many times do we put aside the good, healthy things for us do in search of the dream? I just finished reading a book in which a man was starting his own buisness. He got so obsessed with the business that he put aside his wife, his children, everything that he was starting the buisness for. Did he kill them in fire over a stone? No… but he sacrificed them to the idol.
How many times do you hear of people losing their children because they are alcholics. How many times do you see people spending all of their time at work, and not focusing on their relationships, and divorse occurs? Sacrificing loved ones to idols.
But, ANYTHING we put in a place where God belongs, anything we use to find that satisfaction only God can give us. Could worry be an idol? Yes, when I spend waking nights tossing and turning going over in my mind what should be done, what I can’t even change. I should be lifting that to God. Could chocolate be an idol? For me, yes, when I am so frusterated and should be lifting my frusterations to God, I go and eat 6 hershey kisses. Could reading a Christian novel be an idol? Yes, when I use the reading as an escape for reading the word of God. Could being on the internet be an idol? Could watching tv? Could anything?
Psalm 63: 3-7 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live and in your name I will lift up my hand.My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods (Chocolate), with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you,(not worry) I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I will sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you, your right hand upholds me.
This is something I’m thinking about. So maybe I’m just as dumb as those Israelites, huh?
So many times I’ve wondered what was going on in their brains. One day they have the necklace around their neck and then the next they decide they need to worship it. Let’s get all the jewelry together and make a cow and that can save us! Doesn’t make any sence to me. No sence whatsoever.
What’s worse, is later on, the Israelites get so engrossed in worshiping their idols, they sacrifice their own bodies, their own CHILDREN to these things. King Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28: 1-4), one of the most respected in the country was sacrificing his sons to idols. Killing them. For what?
So I thought this was dumb. So glad we are civilized and don’t do that today. I would never worship an idol, how dumb is that. Why, that’s a no duh, even for people who don’t believe in God. Right?
I’m currently doing the Breaking Free study by Beth Moore. Week 3 she states, “Anything we try to put in a place where God belongs is an idol.” Since God wants us to be complete in him, to find satisfaction only in him, anything else we use to find that satisfaction, to fill that hole, is an idol. Woah.
Isaiah makes fun of the idol makers in Is. 44:9-20. Vs. 12 says …(the idol maker) gets hungry and loses his strength; he drinks no water and grows faint while he is making the idol. How many times do we put aside the good, healthy things for us do in search of the dream? I just finished reading a book in which a man was starting his own buisness. He got so obsessed with the business that he put aside his wife, his children, everything that he was starting the buisness for. Did he kill them in fire over a stone? No… but he sacrificed them to the idol.
How many times do you hear of people losing their children because they are alcholics. How many times do you see people spending all of their time at work, and not focusing on their relationships, and divorse occurs? Sacrificing loved ones to idols.
But, ANYTHING we put in a place where God belongs, anything we use to find that satisfaction only God can give us. Could worry be an idol? Yes, when I spend waking nights tossing and turning going over in my mind what should be done, what I can’t even change. I should be lifting that to God. Could chocolate be an idol? For me, yes, when I am so frusterated and should be lifting my frusterations to God, I go and eat 6 hershey kisses. Could reading a Christian novel be an idol? Yes, when I use the reading as an escape for reading the word of God. Could being on the internet be an idol? Could watching tv? Could anything?
Psalm 63: 3-7 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live and in your name I will lift up my hand.My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods (Chocolate), with singing lips my mouth will praise you. On my bed I remember you,(not worry) I think of you through the watches of the night. Because you are my help, I will sing in the shadow of your wings. My soul clings to you, your right hand upholds me.
This is something I’m thinking about. So maybe I’m just as dumb as those Israelites, huh?
Monday, April 26, 2010
Four Minutes
In the sermon on Sunday, John King encouraged us to write our testimony. He referenced I Peter 3:15- “…Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope you have… And used Paul’s testimony in Acts 26 as an example. He timed the chapter to about 4 minutes. His challenge was to write 4 minutes of how we came to Christ, and how our lives are different from where we were before. I don’t know if my testimony would take 4 minutes. (and in my brain, Madonna’s song: “We’ve only got 4 minutes to save the world…” it’s actually hilarious how the lyrics perfectly fit giving your testimony… but I digress…)
My testimony isn’t something special. Not something that most people would say “AH!” about. Except God has done so many things, worked so many miracles right in front of my face. There is no denying that He is alive and moving in my life.
My dad is an elder at the church in which I grew up. I have always gone to church. Every Sunday, Wednesday night, etc. I went to an awesome non-denominational Christian school, in which I was taught a lot of “Non-Church of Christ” beliefs. (Not wrong beliefs, in fact a lot of stuff I would never have heard/learned otherwise) Because of this, I “asked Jesus into my heart” when I was six. I was baptized when I was 10. Even with all this, I was a kid, riding on my parent’s beliefs.
I went on many mission trips when I became a teenager. Went to New Orleans and taught VBS when I was 14, 16, and 18. This was with my youth group, and was awesomely fun, and we did good things. But not life changing. When I was 15, however, I went with my dad and another older couple to Africa. We went to Uganda and Malawi. I went asking, what am I, a 15 year old going to be able to do?
Jer. 1:6. Ah, Sovereign Lord, I said, I do not know how to speak, I am only a child. But the Lord said to me, DO not say I am only a child, you must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you, declares the Lord.
As we were going into Malawi, we were sneaking in drugs. Not the bad stuff, but medical supplies for the people there. But we had no government allowance to do this. And we had to pass through not just America’s customs, but get this… out of USA, in and out of England, in and out of Uganda, in and out of Kenya and into Malawi. We went in knowing that we had to trust God to do this for us, because we could have been thrown into prison in any of these countries. Or at least have the stuff taken from us. Miracle after miracle we saw on the trip there. The most amazing one was in Kenya, when these armed guards with Uzis, (big scary guys) saw all our boxes we were traveling with. They were coming for us. Then something happened where their attention was drawn away. We ran out of there. No one checked any of our bags. As we came into Malawi, they asked us what was in all of the bags; we just said supplies for our mission work here. And they let us in. I can’t tell you how many people were touched over those few weeks we were there. I just know one of the girls that I talked with about God’s love was baptized. We talked about keeping yourself pure and saving sex for marriage, which is huge in preventing the spread of HIV and AIDS.
God used me, a 15 year old kid. And then he did it again when I was 17 and went back alone, without my dad. But He was doing it, no denying it saying I was.
So when I went to college, I wanted to be a youth minister’s wife. I knew that was what I was supposed to do. (I thought that was what I was supposed to do. “Hear that, God, I want to do good things for you, wanna come along for the ride? ) I met a Christian man who wanted to be a youth minister, and we married, got through college, and even had an awesome youth ministry job. Great kids, great church. Had a lot of programs. Brandon and I were doing great things.
Then one day, poof. Crazy crazy situation out of the blue, elders come over and tell us we are fired. They don’t want us anymore. We did nothing wrong, they just don’t like us anymore. We were devastated. For half a year, we tried to get another job. Every job we applied for, we ended up in the top two, and then lost it to the other guy.
I could say I just jumped up and went on. But I didn’t. God did though. He was merciful, and gracious, and gave us another job. Not in ministry. At least not in church ministry. He said, “Yes, I want to use you, just not in that way. I have a better plan” Brandon’s new job was downtown, and he was able to bless so many people, many more people in that environment than he ever was working in the church.
I thought that was great, but I was just working to survive. (this isn’t true, as I now see). God was using me in my job too. He was working. Using my life as a ministry. But he is still teaching me that if I am not letting him do the work, if I am not in His Word, I’m not going to get anywhere. We weren’t asking God what He wanted us to do, were just went ahead and thought we were doing it. Now I know. It is all about God, not about me.
One more miracle God did in front of my face, and I’ll be done. When Bethany was born, she was jaundiced, and would not suck, not even from a bottle. I thought I was nursing her, but I wasn’t really, because she wasn’t sucking. So 6 days old we ended up at Vanderbilt, severely dehydrated. It was crazy, but I promise this is how it happened; some of the people from our church came to visit. While there, they prayed over Bethany, that she would start to eat. Not 20 minutes after they left, we tried the bottle, just the same as we had been doing before, and she did it. Sucked down 20 oz.
What has God taught me? What is he teaching me? That’s the better question. My life doesn’t have a “I was horrible, and then poof! I had a life changing moment and this is perfect me now”. I’ve never been as the world thinks “bad”, but just slowly growing. I am still a sinner, saved by God's grace alone. God is working through my life, and constantly changing me and drawing me closer.
Why do I believe what I do? Because I have seen with my own eyes what God can do. If I did not have God in my life, I don’t know where I would be. And I don’t want to find that out.
My testimony isn’t something special. Not something that most people would say “AH!” about. Except God has done so many things, worked so many miracles right in front of my face. There is no denying that He is alive and moving in my life.
My dad is an elder at the church in which I grew up. I have always gone to church. Every Sunday, Wednesday night, etc. I went to an awesome non-denominational Christian school, in which I was taught a lot of “Non-Church of Christ” beliefs. (Not wrong beliefs, in fact a lot of stuff I would never have heard/learned otherwise) Because of this, I “asked Jesus into my heart” when I was six. I was baptized when I was 10. Even with all this, I was a kid, riding on my parent’s beliefs.
I went on many mission trips when I became a teenager. Went to New Orleans and taught VBS when I was 14, 16, and 18. This was with my youth group, and was awesomely fun, and we did good things. But not life changing. When I was 15, however, I went with my dad and another older couple to Africa. We went to Uganda and Malawi. I went asking, what am I, a 15 year old going to be able to do?
Jer. 1:6. Ah, Sovereign Lord, I said, I do not know how to speak, I am only a child. But the Lord said to me, DO not say I am only a child, you must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you, declares the Lord.
As we were going into Malawi, we were sneaking in drugs. Not the bad stuff, but medical supplies for the people there. But we had no government allowance to do this. And we had to pass through not just America’s customs, but get this… out of USA, in and out of England, in and out of Uganda, in and out of Kenya and into Malawi. We went in knowing that we had to trust God to do this for us, because we could have been thrown into prison in any of these countries. Or at least have the stuff taken from us. Miracle after miracle we saw on the trip there. The most amazing one was in Kenya, when these armed guards with Uzis, (big scary guys) saw all our boxes we were traveling with. They were coming for us. Then something happened where their attention was drawn away. We ran out of there. No one checked any of our bags. As we came into Malawi, they asked us what was in all of the bags; we just said supplies for our mission work here. And they let us in. I can’t tell you how many people were touched over those few weeks we were there. I just know one of the girls that I talked with about God’s love was baptized. We talked about keeping yourself pure and saving sex for marriage, which is huge in preventing the spread of HIV and AIDS.
God used me, a 15 year old kid. And then he did it again when I was 17 and went back alone, without my dad. But He was doing it, no denying it saying I was.
So when I went to college, I wanted to be a youth minister’s wife. I knew that was what I was supposed to do. (I thought that was what I was supposed to do. “Hear that, God, I want to do good things for you, wanna come along for the ride? ) I met a Christian man who wanted to be a youth minister, and we married, got through college, and even had an awesome youth ministry job. Great kids, great church. Had a lot of programs. Brandon and I were doing great things.
Then one day, poof. Crazy crazy situation out of the blue, elders come over and tell us we are fired. They don’t want us anymore. We did nothing wrong, they just don’t like us anymore. We were devastated. For half a year, we tried to get another job. Every job we applied for, we ended up in the top two, and then lost it to the other guy.
I could say I just jumped up and went on. But I didn’t. God did though. He was merciful, and gracious, and gave us another job. Not in ministry. At least not in church ministry. He said, “Yes, I want to use you, just not in that way. I have a better plan” Brandon’s new job was downtown, and he was able to bless so many people, many more people in that environment than he ever was working in the church.
I thought that was great, but I was just working to survive. (this isn’t true, as I now see). God was using me in my job too. He was working. Using my life as a ministry. But he is still teaching me that if I am not letting him do the work, if I am not in His Word, I’m not going to get anywhere. We weren’t asking God what He wanted us to do, were just went ahead and thought we were doing it. Now I know. It is all about God, not about me.
One more miracle God did in front of my face, and I’ll be done. When Bethany was born, she was jaundiced, and would not suck, not even from a bottle. I thought I was nursing her, but I wasn’t really, because she wasn’t sucking. So 6 days old we ended up at Vanderbilt, severely dehydrated. It was crazy, but I promise this is how it happened; some of the people from our church came to visit. While there, they prayed over Bethany, that she would start to eat. Not 20 minutes after they left, we tried the bottle, just the same as we had been doing before, and she did it. Sucked down 20 oz.
What has God taught me? What is he teaching me? That’s the better question. My life doesn’t have a “I was horrible, and then poof! I had a life changing moment and this is perfect me now”. I’ve never been as the world thinks “bad”, but just slowly growing. I am still a sinner, saved by God's grace alone. God is working through my life, and constantly changing me and drawing me closer.
Why do I believe what I do? Because I have seen with my own eyes what God can do. If I did not have God in my life, I don’t know where I would be. And I don’t want to find that out.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
deals i got away with!
I'm sorry it has been a bit since i've posted, and even this post isn't all that meaningful... except to show how sales can be used for good.
I'll start with the Rite-aid deal. As i was walking out of the store, i thought to myself, how on earth do they allow such craziness!
I bought: 2 packs jumbo Huggies size 3 diapers and 2 box Huggies Sensitive Wipes. Diapers were on sale for 8.99 each, and wipes 2/$5. I spent... $9.23 including tax. THEN i have submitted for $2 in rebates. So total, $7.23. cheaper than even one pack of diapers. Details on how i did this here.
The CVS deals are a little more complicated, but details are here
It all started last sunday, and i noticed last week, you could get 6 degree deoderants on sale for total $6. so after church, we stopped at smyrna's cvs- they were sold out. so we went to lavergne's- sold out there, too. sigh, sad, oh well. then i found out they restock on fridays. we happened to be out on friday evening anyway, so i ran over to check it out. they had the deoderant. (details here) So, i walked out with 4 men's and 2 women's deoderant and a $5 ECB for $7.46 with tax. The lady there, super nice, told me that their store switches weeks and will honor sunday's ad on saturday. So, i said, ok, i'll be here tommorow.
Saturday morning was hectic to say the least, but what i ended up with:
transaction one: Crest pro-health mouthwash (3.99) and Colgate toothpaste (3.99) , used my $5 ECB from Friday night, and total oop was $.78 (tax). then, i got a 3.99 ecb and a 2 ecb.
transaction two: three reeses easter candy bags (2.5 each) three hershey kisses easter candy bags (1.97 each) one dawn dish soap (.96), two packs of 12 easter eggs (.50 each), 2 covergirl foundation ($6 each) 2 Pampers cruisers jumbo pack (8.97 each) and one pack of hair bows that bethany fell in love with (weakness!) (3.99) I used lots of coupons, biggest one, and the main one i had to go by was a $10 off of $50. i had basically $6 in ECB that i used... Subtotal before coupons was $49 and change something... after it all, i spent oop $22.64. (i figure i would have spent that much on the diapers and two packs of candy) and, i have $12 ecb to spend next week. Total i have spent this week at CVS- $30.88 for a whole lot of stuff. what craziness!
couponing is hectic, it takes a lot of work, coordination that i don't sometimes have, but obviously it works. :)
I'll start with the Rite-aid deal. As i was walking out of the store, i thought to myself, how on earth do they allow such craziness!
I bought: 2 packs jumbo Huggies size 3 diapers and 2 box Huggies Sensitive Wipes. Diapers were on sale for 8.99 each, and wipes 2/$5. I spent... $9.23 including tax. THEN i have submitted for $2 in rebates. So total, $7.23. cheaper than even one pack of diapers. Details on how i did this here.
The CVS deals are a little more complicated, but details are here
It all started last sunday, and i noticed last week, you could get 6 degree deoderants on sale for total $6. so after church, we stopped at smyrna's cvs- they were sold out. so we went to lavergne's- sold out there, too. sigh, sad, oh well. then i found out they restock on fridays. we happened to be out on friday evening anyway, so i ran over to check it out. they had the deoderant. (details here) So, i walked out with 4 men's and 2 women's deoderant and a $5 ECB for $7.46 with tax. The lady there, super nice, told me that their store switches weeks and will honor sunday's ad on saturday. So, i said, ok, i'll be here tommorow.
Saturday morning was hectic to say the least, but what i ended up with:
transaction one: Crest pro-health mouthwash (3.99) and Colgate toothpaste (3.99) , used my $5 ECB from Friday night, and total oop was $.78 (tax). then, i got a 3.99 ecb and a 2 ecb.
transaction two: three reeses easter candy bags (2.5 each) three hershey kisses easter candy bags (1.97 each) one dawn dish soap (.96), two packs of 12 easter eggs (.50 each), 2 covergirl foundation ($6 each) 2 Pampers cruisers jumbo pack (8.97 each) and one pack of hair bows that bethany fell in love with (weakness!) (3.99) I used lots of coupons, biggest one, and the main one i had to go by was a $10 off of $50. i had basically $6 in ECB that i used... Subtotal before coupons was $49 and change something... after it all, i spent oop $22.64. (i figure i would have spent that much on the diapers and two packs of candy) and, i have $12 ecb to spend next week. Total i have spent this week at CVS- $30.88 for a whole lot of stuff. what craziness!
couponing is hectic, it takes a lot of work, coordination that i don't sometimes have, but obviously it works. :)
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Entering contests...
I have a bunch of other websites i follow to find out great deals. Right now a bunch of them are having contests, so i am entering them by blogging about them. You can enter too...
Coupon Geek is giving away diapers and a clutch! i need that! :) here
Frugal Find is giving away a Quiznos gift card here
I heart Publix is giving away a $25 gift card here
I will post others if i see them!
Coupon Geek is giving away diapers and a clutch! i need that! :) here
Frugal Find is giving away a Quiznos gift card here
I heart Publix is giving away a $25 gift card here
I will post others if i see them!
Monday, February 15, 2010
When is a deal not a deal?
This is a thought i've been thinking on for the past couple of days. This week, there wasn't anything spectacular on sale at the grocery stores. I really didn't need much but cereal, bread, and milk. (thanks to stocking up two weeks ago!) Still, i found myself scouring the websites, searching through my coupons, getting super frusterated because i couldn't find anything. That's when i said, ENOUGH! Every week doesn't have to be spectacular. Maybe i don't need to use coupons on everything. Funny thing is, i used the few coupons i had found deals with, and bought only the things we needed. i spend $37 of our 60 budget. and i feel ok about it.
So anyway, back to when a deal isn't. I've shopped alot at ALDI. Since Brandon and i first got married, i've been shopping there. Off and on, i've done most of my shopping there. But, lately i've been realizing something. They say their prices are the best. But their customer service is the worst. (once, when Ben was itty, the lady threw the groceries on top of his carseat!) You can't call the store if there is a problem. You have to put a quarter in the cart in order to use it. (how many times have i gone, only to find i don't have a quarter!) (and, try doing that with TWO babies in your arms) Their store is dirty. Or at least it seems that way. Plus, i have to go out of my way to get there.
Is all that worth it in order to save 25 cents on milk and eggs? Sometimes it is, but most of the time it is not. I save much more watching the coupon blogs and checking out the ads myself.
But, sometimes even using coupons is not worth it. just because i save 25cents off this certain brand does not make it a good deal. What if i don't even like the item? is it worth all the trouble just to save? no.
Is it worth my time? Sometimes. One night i spent over an hour getting all the coupons and all the deals written out and put together. the next day the shopping trip was a breeze! (and that is the thing i hate most about it all, the actual trip to the grocery store!) That night was totally worth it. But then, sometimes when Bethany and Ben are fighting and messing and i'm trying to find everything to get ready for the store and i'm just giving myself a headache- totally not worth it.
So yesterday, when i gave up trying to find all the deals and just went to the store, it was ok. I saved a little money, was smart about what i bought. Made it under budget. All is good.
So anyway, back to when a deal isn't. I've shopped alot at ALDI. Since Brandon and i first got married, i've been shopping there. Off and on, i've done most of my shopping there. But, lately i've been realizing something. They say their prices are the best. But their customer service is the worst. (once, when Ben was itty, the lady threw the groceries on top of his carseat!) You can't call the store if there is a problem. You have to put a quarter in the cart in order to use it. (how many times have i gone, only to find i don't have a quarter!) (and, try doing that with TWO babies in your arms) Their store is dirty. Or at least it seems that way. Plus, i have to go out of my way to get there.
Is all that worth it in order to save 25 cents on milk and eggs? Sometimes it is, but most of the time it is not. I save much more watching the coupon blogs and checking out the ads myself.
But, sometimes even using coupons is not worth it. just because i save 25cents off this certain brand does not make it a good deal. What if i don't even like the item? is it worth all the trouble just to save? no.
Is it worth my time? Sometimes. One night i spent over an hour getting all the coupons and all the deals written out and put together. the next day the shopping trip was a breeze! (and that is the thing i hate most about it all, the actual trip to the grocery store!) That night was totally worth it. But then, sometimes when Bethany and Ben are fighting and messing and i'm trying to find everything to get ready for the store and i'm just giving myself a headache- totally not worth it.
So yesterday, when i gave up trying to find all the deals and just went to the store, it was ok. I saved a little money, was smart about what i bought. Made it under budget. All is good.
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