Homecoming parade

Got up, went to Walmart to get a few necessities, took the kids to school, cleaned a house, went to Gulfport to find shoes for Moo for homecoming, came home, took Moo to school to march in the parade, watched the parade, made dinner... 7 pm.  Beat.  My sweet husband wanted me to meet him at the pier after the parade to fish.  I just can not do it.  I have to wake up and redo this all over again tomorrow. 

Agenda tomorrow:  wake up, take the kids to school, clean a house, grocery shop, pick up kids, clean my own house, make dinner, work the concession stand at the football game and then it will be 10 pm.  Saturday morning I have to take Moo to a dance competition in the morning then come home and get her ready for homecoming.  Then I have to go shopping to get Joe's homecoming outfit.  His homecoming is in 2 weeks! 

Pooh is registering for her first soccer team Saturday morning with daddy!!  My baby is growing up.  It makes me a little weepy. 

I think I am going golfing Sunday.  I need a little me time before I start all over next week!  I can not believe September is over.  Where is 2010 going!?!?! 

Thank you Taylor for helping out so much with your brother and sisters while I try to stay on top of things!  I love you so much and am so happy you decided to come home this year and take classes before you leave to Southern Alabama next year!  I couldn't do it without you!!! 

Bittersweet day

One friend is burying his son and another is celebrating becoming a father at 2:38 am today. 

RIP baby William

(picture from funeral home website)

Quickie to Rite Aid

I needed laundry detergent BAD!  So I just put together a real quick deal and I don't know what happened but coupons weren't working and had to be entered in manually... it was a mess but in the end I got what I needed. 

Will do a break down later but I did the P&G deal.  Buy $30 and get $10 back.  This was my 3rd time this week and it worked so I am not sure if there is a limit on this deal.  I am thinking of planning another one for Thursday.  I have to make dinner real quick and get to Margaret's last volleyball game...

So real quick here is what I used for the deal today ....  Tide I used a $2 off from a magazine, a $1.50 off and for the Gillette Body wash I used 3 $2 off coupons and for the deodorant I used 3 BOGO body wash free coupon.  .... oh wait that might be why it wasn't working.  The body wash was already free and you cant take $2 off free??  Well she manually entered it and I got it in the end.  oops...

So then I used $7.50 in + ups.
and a $5 off $25 coupon. 

TOTAL due $1.98 + tax.  OOP = $4.15
total saved $47.94

Another horrible loss...

I am up late tonight waiting on my husband to get home from work.  There was an accident at work and when things break down he has to work long hours.  He has been there 15 1/2 hours, but I got a call from him that he is leaving now.

I was laying in bed crying.  An old friend from high school lost his 3 year old son this weekend.  We aren't close now, I see him around every once in awhile and say "hey" but that's it.  But when you hear about these things you want to find them and just hug them.  I wont.  I probably wont go to the funeral.  We just aren't close friends and I have been to way too many funerals this past year.  I just don't think I want to see another baby in a coffin. 

I pray I never know that pain.  My husband knows it all too well and I see how hard it is for him, but I don't really know the pain and emptiness.  I cant really feel the aching that would be in your heart every day for the rest of your life.  So tonight I am praying for Paul, Lea and their other 2 sons.  I pray they can find some peace in their lives and one day, happiness again.  Such a sad terrible loss.  Such a beautiful little boy gone in an instant from his family here who will suffer and feel horrible guilt over this.   My heart is breaking. 

Definitely Fall this morning on the Mississippi Gulf Coast!!

BRRRR it feels like fall this morning!  I turned off the AC and opened all the windows.  It is 65 degrees with a cool breeze and after about 30 minutes I broke down and put on a sweatshirt haha  But I am sure by noon it will be at least 85.  I am enjoying the open windows and fresh air!  Hope y'all are having a nice crisp cool fall morning too! 

I am going to plan a Walgreens trip and another Rite Aid trip this morning for later in the week.  I should be getting a $10 gift card in the mail this week from the oral care rebate!  Tomorrow I am meeting with client #5 and hopefully cleaning her house on Wednesday!  Thank you God for answering my prayers.  God is so good! 

Wishing I had more cash today!! Rite Aid 9/26 was amazing!

Ok, I only had $15 on me and I really wanted to go to Walgreens, but that will have to wait until another day.  Sam had to order a new cash card because the magnetic strip got damaged and we have no access to any money UGHHHH  well I could write a check, but I can wait.  I am not going in there and writing 8 different checks for 8 transactions!  I will wait until I can get some cold hard cash to do this.  Hopefully the shelves wont be bare!! 

Like I said I only had $15 cash left after I went out and bought 6 papers.  Yes, 6.  The coupons are too good to only buy 4.  So afterwards I was only able to do 4 of my 6 transactions at Rite Aid because I ran out of cash.  Which completely bums me out!!  I had some really sweet deals worked out.  But transaction 5 was more cash than I had left at the end so I had to stop with #4.  I have to go back soon because transaction #5 was the laundry detergent one and we only have 1 bottle left!!  I was going to get 3 bottles of Tide and a couple Olay body washes to do another P&G deal but like I said no cash.  ok on to what I did have cash for today...


Transaction #1 - 1 + up and a $5 GC to start

1 Olay Regenerist Eye Roller - $21.99
1 Olay Night cream moisturizer  - $8.99
1 Olay Complete day moisturizer - $8.49 (BOGO 50% off) - $4.25

Total - $35.23

Coupons used

1 wyb 2 Olay moisturizers get a free eye roller up to $19.99 -   $19.99 off
2 - $1 off Olay moisturizers
1 - $5 off $25 RA coupon
1 - $1 + up
$5 gift card

total due $1.98 + $2.10 tax = $4.08 OOP
earned  $10 + ups
Total Wellness savings - $4.50
Total coupon savings - $27.99


Transaction #2

2 boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios - $5.00
1 Crest Pro Clinical toothpaste - $3.49
1 Crest Pro Health mouth wash (1 L) - $4.99
1 box Gas X 20 ct - $4.99

total - $18.47

coupons used

1 - $1 off wyb 2 Cheerios (manu)
1 - $1 off wyb 2 Cheerios (RA V V - sept)
1 - $2 off Crest Pro Health mouthwash
1- $1 off Crest toothpaste
1 - $2 off Gas X
1 - $1 off Gas X (RA V V sept)
$10 off + up rewards from above transaction

total due - $0.47 + $1.29 tax = $1.76 OOP
earned $8.50 in + ups
total Wellness savings - $8.08
total coupon savings - $18.00



Transaction #3

1 Olay Regenerist Eye Roller - $21.99
1 Olay Night cream moisturizer - $8.99
1 Olay Complete day moisturizer - $8.49 (BOGO 50% off) - $4.25

Total - $35.23

Coupons used

1 wyb 2 Olay moisturizers get a free eye roller up to $19.99 - $19.99 off
2 - $1 off Olay moisturizers
1 - $5 off $25 RA coupon
1 - $1 off wyb $10 in skin care RA Wellness Q
$6 + up from previous transaction

total due $0.98  + $2.03 tax = $3.01 OOP
earned $10 + ups
Total Wellness savings - $4.50
Total coupon savings - $33.99



Transaction #4

2 bags of RA Gummy Worms (for the kids) - $3.00

1 Crest Pro Clinical toothpaste - $3.49
1 Crest Pro Health mouth wash (1 L) - $4.99
1 box Gas X 20 ct - $4.99



total - $16.47


coupons used

1 - $2 off Crest Pro Health mouthwash
1- $1 off Crest toothpaste
1 - $2 off Gas X
$10 off + up rewards from above transaction


total due - $1.47 + $1.15 tax = $2.62 OOP
earned $9.00 in + ups
total Wellness savings - $4.08
total coupon savings - $15.00


Total value of merchandise (based on Rite Aids pricing) - $123.14
Total spent before tax - $7.00
total OOP (after tax)  - $13.57
Total savings - $116.14! 

WOW Rite Aid!  I spent more than I wanted to but really WOW!!  I still have $11.50 in + ups to use when I go back, AND I will go back this week... at least once!

Unplanned trip to Rite Aid

So, I stopped in to Rite Aid today just to do a little pricing for tomorrow's new ad.  I was not prepared to purchase a thing.  My coupon book was safely tucked away inside my car!  Well I strolled around the store after being greeted by my friendly Rite Aid associates.  They are really getting to know me too well.  haha

So anyway... I am casually stolling around the store and I notice 2 bags of Starbucks coffee clearance priced to 75% off!!!  $9.49 regular price.  I grab those 2 babies!  I mean whats $5 for 2 bags of coffee??  So I remember thinking I have some Starbucks coffee coupons.  Dang.  I have to grab my coupon book!  I could sweeten this deal to $1.37 a bag!  But the coupons weren't for that particular kind of Starbucks.  Oh well, $2.37 a bag was too good a deal to pass up!  Then I noticed on the other side of the aisle the Campbell tomato soup and tuna marked down 75% off too!  SCORE!  I grabbed the last 3 soups and 6 cans of tuna.  Actually a tuna melt with a bowl of soup sounds really good right now... ok back on track.  Let's see I start thinking... I might as well go ahead and use my $5 + ups to pay for this, but then I really should buy something to replace my + ups, I was planning on using them for tomorrows deal!  So I start looking around and grab a flyer. 

I decided to look in the little clearance area.  I found a Neutogena bronzer that my daughter would love marked down to $6.25 and I have a $3 off coupon  and I realized I could use that with some Garnier facial products and get my $5 back!  So I grab 2 coupons and 2 facial washes.  I am feeling pretty good now and realize I am probably really close to $25 so I could use my $5 off $25  if I just grab a few more things.  Then I remember I have been promising to pick up some make up for Moo.  So I look through my coupons and find a Rite Aid VV coupon for $2 off $6 of Wet & Wild.  Not my first choice in make up, but heck she is only 15!  And I had a manu coupon for $5 off $10 in Wet and Wild!  Ok so that's $7 off $10, yeah that's good! 

I am standing in line waiting to check out and my phone rings.  It's Moo.  She says, "Mom where are you???  I need you to come get me from dance!!"  crap.  Has it really been an hour and a half??   I told her sit tight I was about to check out.  She sighed.  Ok hurry lets get this done I have a daughter waiting for me!  So I get it all rung up and there is no $5 + up at the end.  AND it was over $52 before coupons ... so of course I am thinking "crap I could have split this in 2 and used another $5 off $25 ughh.  So I am asking for my $5 + up and they are looking at the receipt trying to figure out why it didn't print.  She calls the Wellness program.  I am starting to sweat thinking about Moo waiting on me.  So I said here just keep all this here I will be back in a few minutes.  I jump in my car and call Moo to tell her I am on my way, and she says she got a ride!  Opps bad mommy.  I told her I got her a bunch of new make up.  She is happy, and I am feeling like the worlds worst mom, using make up to try to make the fact that I forgot my daughter at the school all better!  haha oh well it worked. 

So I go back inside and the Wellness people tell her to give me a gift card.  Oh did I mention I got a $1 +up on the soup??  woo hoo... so she cant figure out how to do a gift card without actually getting cash for it.  Ten more minutes pass.  But I am trying to stay cheerful.  We finally get it straight and I am out the door.  Feeling not great that I spent so much on things I wasn't planning on buying.  But all in all it was a great deal.  Here is the break down.  

BOGO 50% off 2 Garnier facial wash - $8.98
2 Starbucks coffees 75% off - $4.74
3 Chicken of the Sea chunk white tuna 75% off  @ $0.47 each = $1.41
3 Chicken of the Sea solid white tuna 75% off  @ $0.54 each = $1.62
3 Campbells tomato soup bowls 75% off @ $0.54 each = $1.62
4 Wet & Wild cosmetics (foundation, mascara, eyeliner, eye shadow) - $11.96
1 Neutrogina bronzer 50% off  - $6.25
2 Dulcolax Balance - $7.99each - $15.98
3 Halls cough drops sale - $0.99 each - $2.97

total - $49.28 (oops maybe the $52 I saw on the screen was after tax)

coupons used

$5 off $25 Rite Aid
$5 + ups
2 - $1 off Garnier facial cleanser coupons
1 - $2 off  $6 Wet & Wild Rite Aid VV coupon (Aug)
1 - $5 off $10 Wet & Wild coupon
1 - $3 off any Neutrogina cosmetic coupon
2 - $8 off Dulcolax Balance coupons
1 - $2 off 3 Halls coupon

$40 in coupons and + up.

total due - $15.60 + $3.54 tax = $19.14

saved $34.63 with my wellness card and $40 in coupons

TOTAL SAVED - $74.63

I walked out with a $1 + up on the soup and a $5 gift card! 

So, $90.23 for $15.60. 

I feel disappointed lol ... I really am getting spoiled!!

I am really getting excited about this weeks Rite Aid deals though! 

Saved $12.96 at Walmart.

It's so disappointing.  I spent $52 and saved almost $13.  I read blogs and see people saving $100 and paying $25.  What am I doing wrong?  Well my daughter's boyfriend is stationed at Keesler Air Force base and he said he would get me a visitor pass and I could try my skills at the store on base.  They have lower prices and I can use coupons plus no sales tax!  But they have some sort of fee for shopping there, I think like 5% fee added on, but still less than sales tax.  I think the biggest trick to saving money grocery shopping is just finding a store that has double coupons, then only buy the fantastic buys that week and buying those things in bulk.  Unfortunately I don't seem to find and amazing deals on things we need and I really don't have the extra $$$ to buy things just for the sake of saving money on them.  I know I talk about driving to Gulfport and testing my theory out at Food Giant on a weekly basis, but it's hard to find the time to go all the way out there.  Not to mention the possible wasted gas if it doesn't pay off.  I have been hesitant but curious now for 2 months.  I should just do it and get it over with haha. 

Will I ever outgrow my clumsiness

I sprained my ankle yesterday morning walking from the front door to my car door.  I am 40 years old and I have sprained my ankles more times than I could possibly remember.  Today the swelling has gone down about 50% and I have no work, so that is good.  But yesterday I was on it until 2 pm and I am sure that didn't help the situation.  My scraped up knee hurts more than my ankle today, but my ego is most bruised.  It's embarrassing to be so clumsy.  Really, walking is like an extreme sport to me.  Very dangerous.  I count my blessings each day I don't fall and injure myself.  lol 

I just picked up the paper and am going to compare grocery stores.  I spent so much at Walmart yesterday I need to scale back my spending this week on groceries.   I don't need meat this week, so I may not buy any.  It will have to be a deal I just cant pass up!  But Margaret & Joe needed more contacts yesterday and my insurance only pays for 6 months worth.  So the rest of the year its on me.  So that was $60 for 1 box each!!!  I may look into that 1-800-CONTACTS.  If anyone has any feedback on that program let me know ... good or bad!  I also needed a few grocery items and didn't have my coupon book with me.  I really couldn't think about going back out to the car to get it either with my ankle looking like a baseball and barely limping around.  The only items I bought that I could have used coupons for were dog food and cereal.  The absolute most I could have saved was like $5 anyway and totally not worth the pain of going back out to the car.  So yesterday I spent like $100 on nothing which bums me out.  I mean yes, the kids need contacts, they refuse to wear glasses.  Margaret cant dance or play volleyball in glasses and Joe just hates them.  So its one of things I have given in to. 

Ok, time to look at ads, plan what I need, and then cut some of the coupons I have printed but never actually got around to cutting.  Happy Wednesday!

If I was given the chance for one "do over"...

I was sitting here thinking if I was given the chance for 1 "redo" in life what would I choose?  I have made SO many mistakes in my life.  I mean A LOT!!!  Lots of things started popping in my head.  But then I thought real hard about it and I have found the answer.  If I could redo 1 thing in my life I would have made my children work harder.  That's it.  Out of all my mistakes I think that one is the one thing I would choose.  I have tried to shield my kids as much as I could from reality.  My sister would definitely say otherwise, and maybe compared to her children, my kids have had too many doses of reality.  But I look at my oldest daughter and wonder where I went wrong.  Deep in my heart I know.  I tried to do everything I could to give her what she wanted and never told her she had to work for what she wanted.  Since I have been a single mom most of my life, she hasn't had the easiest life.  Guilt has definitely played a big factor in why I have tried to give her so much and never really made her face the consequences of her actions.  But when I had something I gave it to her.  I never made her work for anything.  Now she is 20 and has no clue how the real world is.  She is struggling.  She cant hold a job.  She is barely a sophomore in college and should be a junior.  She wants to party and sleep all the time and expects us to pay her way for everything.  And its my fault.  So my one redo would most definitely be to teach my daughter hard work pays off.  That nothing in life comes easy and you have to work hard and prove yourself if you want to succeed.  Out of all my many mistakes, this is the one I wish I had not made the most.  I love her so much and look at her now and know I didn't do her any favors. 

She is struggling.  I think back and I had my first job the day after I turned 15.  I have worked most of my life and it definitely did not hurt me.  I mean I have still made plenty of mistakes in my life, but I know how to work and work hard.  When my 15 year old was talking about getting her license and a car I told her she would have to get a job.  She needed to start saving and planning on paying 1/2 her insurance.  She looked at me funny and blew it off.  Then later she said something about needing money for one thing or another.  I told her, Mar, you really need to start looking for some sort of a job if you want money for extras.  She said "OMG mom really?  Where?  And I don't even have a car to get to work!"  I said, "I can drive you to work."  She looked at me like I was crazy.  She said "There is no where to get a job!"  I said, "You can apply at a fast food restaurant."  Again, another crazy look shot my way and she says, "OMG really mom?  Really?  I am NOT working at McDonald's or any other fast food!!" 

I seriously have made a mistake.  My kids think they are too good to work and that everything should be given to them.  I really am trying to figure out how to reverse this way of thinking.  Of course it's thrown in my face that Taylor has never had to work for anything so why should she have to.  I really need to sit down and have a heart to heart and explain things to Margaret.  I think Taylor is finally starting to see that she does need to finish school.  We aren't giving out the money anymore and she has hated being broke.  But she is having trouble even getting a job, much less holding on to one.  The last job she had was for about 2 weeks.  Then Mardi Gras came along and she had to go to New Orleans with her friends and lost that job.  She doesn't take her responsibilities seriously.  I wish more than anything I could redo this.  Start very early in life teaching them that they have to earn what they get. 

I know I am not alone in giving everything I can to my children and making life as cushy as possible.  I know many parents that do this.  We all had to work as teenagers and had to earn our way, so now we want to make life "fun and easy" for our kids.  Give them the life we feel we missed out on!  Well, I can see that this way of thinking is wrong.  We are doing our kids a huge disservice.  We are teaching them that things should come easy and you don't have to work for what you want.  We are raising lazy selfish kids. 

So that is my do over.  That is what I would change.  And do you know that my mother told me this when Taylor was 3?  17 years ago she told me that one day I would regret giving her everything.  And as Taylor got older and my mom saw me doing everything I could to make her life easy and giving her no responsibilities at all, she told me I was making a huge mistake.  She told me not to do this and I didn't listen.  Why are moms always right?  I wish I had listened to my mom. 

I love my kids with all my heart.  I pray that they will be ok and learn that hard work is the only way to make it in this world, despite the mistakes I made trying to give them anything and everything without working for it or learning that they had to wait and earn it. 

WOO HOO! I have hit another goal!

I have reached my second set goal of 50 followers!!!  Thanks all!  :)  ok goal #3 will be to hit $1000 in savings ... which I may just do today if I end up at CVS lol!!  So I might as well announce goal #4 and 5 while I am here.  My new goals are to reach 100 followers and save $3000 by the end of 2010.  Totally obtainable right?  I am also going to invest in baseball card holders for my coupons.  If I am going to be serious about this ... I need some serious tools.  My envelopes are in a sad state!!  lol 

Cleaning a house this morning then off to get dog food, Margaret's new contacts and a few things we run out of during the week... tea, milk, apples, oranges and cereal!  I might possibly go to Gulfport to try this double couponing thing too.  I know I keep saying it every week, but I really really hate driving so far away.  Especially not knowing for sure that I am actually saving money by going.  I am not familiar with their everyday prices.  BUT I REALLY REALLY WANT TO TRY IT!!!  haha

Ok, so I woke up at like 3:30 and forced myself to stay in bed.  By 4:15 I gave up and got out of bed.  My tummy hurt.  I made this AWESOME dinner last night, but way too rich!  I think I over ate.  I don't normally really eat.  I pick.  Pick a little here and there and then at dinner time take a little tea plate and put some food on it.  Well not last night.  My first serving was more than normal but still a moderate size .  I inhaled it.  I did and then I went back for more.  I feel horrible!!!  oh well ... that's what I get for being such a great cook  ;)  lol 

No court this year.

I got a text from my beautiful Moo.  All it said was, "I didn't"  :(  Oh well.  We knew she may not, I just hope she isnt too upset and that fake friend didnt get it either.  But something inside tells me she did.  Maybe I have to make some good soul food tonight.  I text Sam and said "Moo didnt make the court"  his response was quite harsh.  He loves her so much and would give her the world.  He wasnt too happy.  Oh well.  At least the wait is over.  :)  Back to reality lol

Nothing super exciting to discuss.

Cleaning my 4 year old daughters bedroom today!  It looks like a tornado went through it!  Those Air Wick iMotion fresheners I bought yesterday are awesome!!!  My house smells great!  lol ... usually I can smell my dog when I get up and I hate that!  This morning I smelled freshness  :)  it was a welcomed change lol

I was told by my daughter that homecoming court will be announced today.  So waiting for her to text me the news.  But she also told me that they had students and teachers do the nominating this year and there was 36 sophomore girls on the list and they each voted for 2.  haha Thats spreading the votes pretty thin.  I hope she realizes it wont be easy.  I mean really someone could win with just 10 votes lol.  They don't have a big class.  There could be a 5 way tie with 5 votes each and have to do a run off lol.  Well I am sure she will be disappointed if she doesn't get it but definitely not devastated.  I think more than wanting to actually be on it she just doesn't want a certain girl on it lol.  Its funny how fake high school kids can be, especially girls.  She really doesn't like this girl at all anymore.  They used to be joined at the hip a couple years ago, but well teenage girls are fickle that way.  So anyway this weekend she says "UGHH  omg "unwanted homecoming court girl" wants me to come over tonight!  I really don't want to but she is begging me."  Just tell her I said you cant you might have pink eye... which was totally true, but ended up being a cold in her eye....  So I am pretty proud of Margaret for recognizing who she wants as friends and who aren't "worthy".  ps:  this girl has stabbed her the back numerous times and ditched her for "a better time"  on more than one occasion.  She also thinks she has this in the bag, which she might, but really do you go announcing it before the results are announced?  lol

ohh well.  Here's hoping for a whole new set of fresh faces on the homecoming court this year!

tv.blogdig.net

Rite Aid Trip 9/19

Let me start off by saying I wasn't overly excited by this weeks ad, and as you can see from my previous post the newspaper's coupons and ads were disappointing as well. 

ok on to the savings!  I started the day with $9 in + ups

Transaction #1

2 Garnier facial wash - B1G1 50% off - 1 @ $6.29 and 1 @ $3.15 = $9.44
1 Garnier Conditioner - sale price - $2.99
1 Garnier styling product - $5.19 (I thought it was on sale for $2.99 but just saw that they charged me $5.19 - I will go back and check this out.  I may have a $2.20 + $0.15 tax refund coming)
1 John Freida Frizz Ease Shampoo and 1 conditioner - sale price - 2/$10

coupons used

1 $5 off $25 Rite Aid V V coupon
2 $1 off Garnier face wash manufacturer coupons
1 $2 off Garnier face wash Rite Aid V V coupon
1 $1 off Garnier shampoo Rite Aid V V coupon
1 $1 off Garnier shampoo manu coupon
2 $2 off John Frieda products
$9 in + up rewards

TOTAL due :  $2.61 + $1.23 tax = $3.84
Total saved in coupons and + UP = $25.00
Total saved in using my Wellness membership card - $7.43
earned $8 in + UP

(just called Rite Aid and they told me that it was a mistake and they will refund my $2.35!!  woo hoo!!  So this transaction cost me $0.41 + tax!!) 


Transaction #2 -  I did not do this transaction to earn more + UPs - I did it to use a couple of high value coupons on some clearance priced items! 

3 Airwick iMotions compact air freshener - reg priced $9.99 - 50 % off with wellness card - $14.97
3 bags of Halls cough drops (needed now in this sick house)  - sale priced $0.99 each
2 bags of M & M's (used to bribe my 4 yr old to let me go alone to Rite Aid) - sale - 2/$1.00

coupons used

3 $4 off Airwick iMotions air fresheners
1 $2 off when you buy 3 bags of Halls cough drops
$3 + up

TOTAL due - $0.94 + $1.33 tax = $2.27
Total saved in coupons and + UP = $18.00
Total saved in using my Wellness membership card - $18.76
earned $0 in + UP


total OOP today =  $1.35 + $2.41 = $3.76
total savings for today = $71.54

 (since the cashier told me I was overcharged for the Garnier!!  I will go back up there before she gets off to get my refund!  Prices above reflect the money I will get when I go back up to get the money!! ) 

Walked in With $9 in + UPs walked out with $5 in + UPs - spent $3.76

In advance ... I am sorry.

So I have decided after almost 2 months of writing this blog to share it with people that want to continue reading about my couponing, I am not posting it on facebook anymore.  I am nervous to give this out to my friends and family.  You just never know who you are going to piss off by what you say.  So here goes nothing.  Please accept any apologies in advance if I have said something in this blog to upset you.  I really mean no harm, just trying to stay a little sane in my insane world. 

ok, here goes nothing.  Time to share.  Well after I post my Rite Aid savings today lol


UPDATE:  I TOOK THE LINK OFF FACEBOOK.  I DONT THINK I AM READY TO SHARE JUST YET  LOL

Please read and share ideas

I wrote this post before I had a singler follower.  I am hoping now that I have some followers that you will take a few minutes to read the post that was the real reason I started this whole blog.  My husband.  After reading the post, please share your thoughts and ideas on how I can generate money with my blog.  I really, really would appreciate it!  Thank you!! 

http://avacationgenerator.blogspot.com/2010/07/life-of-tragedies-and-perseverance.html

What happened to my Sunday paper??

My paper was a huge disappointment.  There were 2 inserts but the Red Plum had only a couple small coupons.  Nothing spectacular to make it worth my time really.  And certainly not worth the $6 I just paid for newspapers.  There were 4 ads in the entire paper.  FOUR.  Seriously.   1 Rite Aid, KMart, Best Buy and JC Penny.  That's it.  In the entire paper.  I looked through all 4 thinking maybe the ads fell out or something.  But all 4 were exactly the same.  Bare.    Not even a Walgreens or CVS ad.  What is up with that?  Their sales change today.  Why don't they have their insert in the paper?  Not the way I want to start my Sunday morning. 

Last night around 10 pm, my husband's phone rang.  He was in the living room and had fallen asleep on the couch.  I looked at the screen and it said Trevor (work).  So I ignored it and rolled back to my side of the bed.  He is friendly with the guys at work.  Sometimes they golf and fish together so I was thinking it could be that.  But in the back of my mind I kind of thought there was an ER at work and they were calling him in.  Well 3 minutes later that thought was confirmed when his phone rang again.  I rolled over and ignored it.  For a few reasons really... 1 - its not my phone.  (lame I know)  2 - it was 10 pm and Sam was sleeping.  He took Nyquil and was in no shape to operate heavy equipment.  3 - I don't want him working a night shift anyway.  That means they would send him home after 12-16 hours to sleep and I do not want to walk around on eggshells trying to be quiet all day so he can sleep.

Well I woke up around 5 am and Sam said work had called around midnight (I didn't hear that call) and needed him to come in.  (I failed to mention they called twice before that and I ignored them) He told them he couldn't make it til morning due to the Nyquil but would be there at 6 am.  5:30 am the a$$hole boss called again.  Cripes he is coming!!!  CALM DOWN!!!  They act like they own their employees.  I mean OT is awesome.  But once he is there they really do own him.  I may not see him again for a few weeks.  When the plant goes down its a nightmare.  Plus they were about to do a shut down anyway to clean lines etc... and that's a mandatory 12-16 hour days 7 days a week for up to 8 weeks!!  Always nice before Christmas, but I never see my husband and I am a single mom for a month or 2.   Thank you to my wonderful husband for being such an amazing husband, daddy and provider!  I know it's not easy!

SEC football all day!

My husband is in football heaven right now!  LSU vs MS State.  Ole Miss vs Vanderbilt ... a few other too.  he will be glued in front of the tv all day.  I guess that's why he was out washing cars, doing yard work, vacuumed the rugs and then swept and washed the floors!!  He wants no distractions!  Too bad Pooh (4 yr old)  is in his face singing the Barney song and Twinkle Twinkle haha

I made my famous sausage, cream cheese and rotel dip and fried fish.  He is set for the afternoon! 

Taking Moo to Urgent Care for what looks like a possible eye infection and then Joe to his little girlfriend's house so they can go to the movies today.  3 weekends in a row??  Should I be nervous?

Walmart and price matching

Ok I am really desperate for a good grocery store to open in town!  Preferably one that doubles coupons!!  This price matching can take a toll on you mentally!  I went to Walmart and saved $33.25 by price matching the 4 stores in surrounding cities ads, and saved $11.99 in coupons.  So grand total savings today = $45.24.  I got $151.39 in groceries for $106.15.  I like that!! 

I only bought food (no paper products or toiletries) and my freezer is busting at the seams with pork!!  Let me tell you there is a lot of pig slaughtering going on because pork is super cheap right now.  I have probably enough pork, chicken, fish, ground beef and 1 chuck roast to last me 40-50 dinners.  The only way I am buying meat for the next 2 weeks is if they are practically giving it away free.  Or if they have a great deal on beef roasts or steaks!  I would like a few of those! 

Oh and by the way, if you shop at Walmart for groceries, does your Walmart take BOGO computer printed coupons?  Mine doesn't.  :(  Now I need to find somewhere to go to use these 4 coupons they wouldn't let me use tonight.  Very upset.  The coupons say "Smart Source" right on the bottom, I don't see the problem. 

Juggling too many balls

Do you ever feel like you are about to drop everything and everyone will find out you really don't know what the heck you are doing?  That's how I have felt for the past year.  I feel like I am juggling one too many balls and I am about to lose control.  I don't know why really.  It's not like I was some sort of super mom before and all of a sudden lost it.  I suppose I have been juggling for the past 20 years and am now more aware how close to the edge I have always been.  Turning 40 this year made me more wise ;)  lol

So today I think my Moo finds out if she made homecoming court.  I think.  I am confused at the whole process really.  They make it into some sort of really big deal when really its not.  Its a lot of work for the parents and about 15 minutes of fame for the children lol.  But it means something to her this year so it means something to me.  More than anything I just don't want to see her disappointed if she doesn't get it.  She has been nominated and the voting is today, I think???  I don't know.  Or maybe the nominating results are being announced today?  Its all so complicated really.  Back when I was at this school 25 years ago... if you were somewhat pretty and involved in activities and your boyfriend was a football player you were on.  No just kidding, sort of.  I mean the players voted back then, so really it was sort of that way.  Now the teachers nominate and your class votes.  So the sophomore class will be voting on 2 homecoming maids (or maybe the new politically correct term would be attendants) that were nominated by the teachers.  But she said she isn't sure if she is eligible to be on the court because she got in school suspension last week for kissing her boyfriend at the end of the day on school grounds before he got on the bus for football.  so  we shall see. 

Cleaning my only house for the week this morning and then going to try to head out to CVS in Gulfport and get some good deals if the shelves aren't bare.  Then HOPEFULLY going grocery shopping.  Time permitting.  I am starting to think it is pig slaughtering season because the past 4 weeks the pork has been marked down at incredibly low prices!  I don't really need more ... but how can you pass up $0.98 a lb pork chops, $1.48 lb for country style ribs ... etc... tons of low prices on pork.  My poor family is going to be so sick of it!!  Thankfully I still have chicken in the freezer from when that was really low!  And my freezer is getting replenished on fish too!!  We caught 60 fish in about 3 hours this past weekend.  And my husband caught 20 more last night.  They are plentiful!  The freezers are filling up fast and I am so grateful!! 

Congratulations!

I want to send out congratulations to 2 winners last night!  Michael Grimm won on America's Got Talent and is from right here, my hometown!!  He is 32 years old and has been performing since he was a teenager.  Started at local bars and parties and has performed at festivities around the country.  I believe he has a few CD's as well, but still virtually an unknown artist.  He won $1,000,000 last night!  Good job!

http://www.sunherald.com/2010/09/15/2481132/grimm-wins-1m-in-americas-got.html#storylink=fb

And congratulations to Whitney Miller from Poplarville MS (about 50 miles from here) for winning Master Chef last night on Fox!  I didn't even know we had a local competing!  I wish I had known!  I don't normally watch tv but would have liked to watch her.  She is 22 years old and this was a national competition!  Very impressive!!  A prize of $250,000 and her own cookbook published!  Congrats! 

http://www.sunherald.com/2010/09/15/2481136/whitney-miller-claims-masterchef.html?ref=nf

Thank you!

I have hit $4.00 on Ad Sense!!  :) 

Ok, on a more serious note.   I read in the paper this morning about another tragic death of a toddler left in the carseat all day yesterday while the parents were at work a few towns away.  It always triggers anxiety in me.  I, too, am guilty of forgetting my youngest daughter once.  She was not in her carseat.  I forgot her at home.  With 4 kids we are always running.  I ran too fast that day.  She was almost 9 months old.  She was sleeping in her crib and I was late for my son's baseball game.  My oldest daughter, 16 at the time, asked me to go pick her up some Taco Bell for dinner and was skipping the baseball game.  I jumped in my car with Moo and was about 1/2 mile from home when I realized I forgot Pooh.  I called Tay and told her not to leave the house that I had forgotten the baby.  I drove to Taco Bell, picked up her food and got home as quickly as possible.  In my mind I knew she was safe because she was there with Tay but I couldnt believe I just forgot her, it made me feel very panicky!  My husband and son were already at the baseball fields.

 About half an hour later we received the phone call that our house was on fire.  For over 3 years now I have had nightmares about leaving her at home and her dying in the house fire.  My husband's son (from a previous relationship) died in a house fire in 2003.  I will never get over the guilt and anxiety of forgetting her.  Thank God nothing bad happened, but when I see stories like this it triggers the anxiety all over again.   My heart aches for this family. 

Bay St. Louis, MS

I really love my town.  It's so nice to live in a small town.  The drawback would be not having a grocery store.  But I complain about that so much I forget to say how wonderful it is to live here.  Bay St. Louis and Waveland are wonderful! 

We have beautiful sunrises and sunsets!

We lost so many of our beautiful trees in Katrina... but here is a survivor!!

(pictures borrowed from my FB friend Melanie)

Up to $3.99!!

ok. I am up to $3.99 on Ad Sense today!!  Let's see if I can hit $4!! :)  Seriously though I think I got 4 new followers yesterday!  In one day!  That is crazy!  Wonderful, but crazy!  All from MBC! 

So last night my 15 year old comes in my room and tells me that she was nominated for homecoming court.  I am so happy for her she really wants this.  Sam on the other hand would rather not put on a suit and walk her out on the field lol... but its quite an honor in these parts of the woods  :) 

She is such a good girl, and I know she is true to her core.    She said well now (a friend) is being nice to everyone trying to get the court.  Oh well... all I could tell her was "just be yourself, people love you because you are real, baby.  If you make it great, if not at least no one can say you were only being fake to make the court."  haha it's funny how things like this are so important in high school and in a few years mean absolutely nothing ... but explain that to a 15 year old.  

And last night SHE SLAMMED at the volleyball game!!  They won the game!  She was slamming them way back by the out line but still in bounds... then everyone on the other team backed up the next time she was about to slam it over the net, so she tapped it and they got the point!  I love this little girl!  My kids have brought me so much joy over the past 20 years!  My oldest daughter won state championship in volleyball for 3 years!  Her senior year she was chosen for the All State team!!  Quite an honor for a little all girls catholic school!!  Moo goes to the public school in town and its a little bigger, but not much!  They don't have the same amazing coaches as the other school, but they have some real good talent!  I wish she had the chance to play under the same coaches that Tay did, but we chose the public school for some reasons beyond sports for Moo.  Both great schools, but sometimes small Catholic schools don't cater to everyone's individual learning style and needs. 

Moo getting ready to serve!  Watch out!! 

Quick run to Rite Aid... my new favorite store!

Ok, so I have passed the germs on to my children and have 2 sick kids at home that can not breathe through their nose!  I had to run up for nose spray last night! So I got 3 more free items from Rite Aid last night.  tampons, Listerine strips and J&J Baby shampoo.  I used my $10 rebate check that came in the mail yesterday, 1 + up and $1.60(ish) in cash.  I got $7 back in + ups ... Not too bad considering the nose spray is $5 and I had no coupon for it!  I am really loving this new found passion for saving money!  With my rebate check, coupons and wellness savings that was $18.79 saved! 

I am about to hit the grocery store again.  Not as easy or fun as Rite Aid, but a necessity, I suppose.  I just wish we had Publix or another store that I could actually really see my savings add up.  Walmart is just not that fun. 

It's time to do some Rite Aid bragging!!!

First I started with $10 in + up rewards from last week. And I walked out of the store with $12 in + up rewards!! I spent $4.30 OOP (out of pocket) which includes tax. I split this trip into 3 separate transactions to maximize my savings and + up rewards.


I spent $0.78 for everything, and $3.52 in tax! (there's no getting around paying tax ... unless you owe -$0.03 on the first transaction and they DEDUCT $ 0.03 off your tax owed!! woo hoo!!!)


TRANSACTION #1

3 - Garnier Herbashine hair boost - $7.99 - wellness card sale price - $5.99 each = $17.97
1 Tampax Gentle Glide tampons - $ 5.29 - wellness card sale price $ 4.00

total $21.97

coupons & + up used
3 - $3 off Garnier hair color product coupon (manufacturer)
1 - $2 off Garnier hair color product Rite Aid video value coupon (sept)
1- $2 off Playtex Gentle Glide coupon (online)
1- $5 off $20 purchase Rite Aid coupon (recylce.com coupon)
$4 + up reward

total due    -$0.03 + tax $1.19 (- .03 overage) total OOP $1.16

total saved by using wellness card - $7.29
total saved with coupons and + up - $22.00

TOTAL SAVED - $29.29
earned - $8.00 in + up for next visit


TRANSACTION #2

3 - Garnier Herbashine hair boost - $7.99 - wellness card sale price - $5.99 each = $17.97
1 - Maybelline Anti Age foundation - $12.29 - wellness 40% off disc - $7.37

total due - $25.34

coupons & + up used

3 - $3 off Garnier hair color product coupon (manufacturer)
1- $2 off any Maybelline foundation (All You magazine- sept)
1 - $2 off any Maybelline product (Rite Aid video values - sept)
1- $5 off $25 Rite Aid purchase coupon
$7 in + up rewards

total due - $0.34 + $1.42 tax = $1.76 OOP

total saved by using wellness card - $10.92
total saved with coupons and + up - $25.00

TOTAL SAVED - $35.92
earned - $5.00 in + up for next visit



TRANSACTION #3

2 Suave lotion - $3.69 each - wellness card sale price - 2/$4.00
2 Cheer laundry detergent - $6.99 each - wellness card sale price - $4.99 each = $9.98
1 - Reach Multi Action toothbrush - $4.49 - wellness card sale price - $2.99
1 - Playtex gentle Glide tampons - $5.29 - wellness card sale price - $4.00


total due - $20.97

coupons & + up used

1- $1 off Reach toothbrush coupon (rite aid video value - sept)
1 - $1.50 off Playtex tampons (online)
2 - $2 off Cheer laundry detergent (9/12 Sunday paper coupon)
1 - $4 off $25 Rite Aid purchase (rite aid video value coupon - sept)
$10.00 + up rewards


total due - $0.47 + $0.91 tax = $1.38 OOP


total saved by using wellness card - $10.17
total saved with coupons and + up - $20.50


TOTAL SAVED - $30.67
earned - $7.00 in + up for next visit

TOTAL SPENT OOP INCLUDING TAX - $4.30
TOTAL SAVED - $95.88

I HAVE $12 IN + UP REWARDS TO USE TOWARDS MY FUTURE PURCHASES.

SINCE I STARTED WITH $10 IN + UP AND LEFT WITH $12 IN + UP THIS TRIP REALLY ONLY COST ME $2.30 ... WHICH IS LESS THAN I OWED IN TAXES. DEFINITELY A SUCCESSFUL TRIP TO RITE AID THIS MORNING!!

today's visit was for me and the girls. We are all in need of a hair boost! So I got 2 for each of us. We need lotion and always need tampons... and I needed some foundation. It feels good to get some girly things FOR FREE! :)

My Rite Aid trips today

Ok, I got up and brought the kids to school and headed out to clean my final house for the week, other than my own of course!!  After I finished cleaning I went to Rite Aid because they were supposed to get the Schick razors in yesterday that are on sale for $5.99.  I still have 2 $5 off coupons!  Plus I wanted to get some more of the Bio True contact lens solution ... isn't that the name??  Anyway it's $4.99 with $4 + up and I had 3 $2 off coupons!  I got one Sunday but really wanted to get 2 more since 2 of my kids wear contacts! 

I went in got the 2 Schick 5 blade razors, 2 A&H Sonic toothbrushes (not for the $5 + up, I already got that Sunday and didn't want to spend $20 just to get $5 and couldn't get anymore toothpaste coupons!!) because I had 2 $2 off coupons and its BOGO free!  That's 2 power toothbrushes for $4.99 ... awesome deal!  and the contact lens solution.  After my $5 off $25 and all other coupons it came to like $6.47 or something.  I went in to get $5 in +up coupons and they were gone!!!  I couldn't find my $8 in + up anywhere.  I was so upset.  I reluctantly paid the $6.50 took my stuff and left.  I left with over $42 worth of stuff for under $6.50 and I was disappointed.  HAHAHA 

I searched high and low and couldn't find my + ups!  I felt like I had lost a million dollars.  lol  I texted my husband at work and told him and he said "it will be alright baby"  but I didn't feel like it was going to be ok.  Do you know how much stuff I could get with that $8.  It's not like regular money!  It's magical!  You can roll it!  lol ... well I know all you people that coupon and roll your register rewards understand.

So, at 2:20 I leave to pick my kids up and school and am sitting in the car line.  I am opening my free samples that came in the mail waiting for my daughter to get out.  Tampons and pads today... nothing fun.  Then I start tearing apart my wallet just in case I missed it the first 4 times I looked.  And guess what I found my rewards!   WOO HOO!!  I felt a huge rush of relief.  So sad.  haha

When we got home Margaret comes up to me and says,  "mom can you go online and see if you can find a coupon for some hair nets, my last one ripped and I need it for dance tonight."  OMG hahaha I can not even believe she asked me that.  So knowing of course I will not find a coupon for hair nets, I said "oh it's ok, I will run up and get them, I don't need a coupon."  But you better believe if I thought for one minute I would find a coupon online I would have searched for it  :) Anyway, I grabbed my register rewards, another coupon for contact lens solution and headed to Rite Aid.  $4 for the dang hair nets ughh but I did get the $4 + up for the solution so I didn't feel too bad and picked up some make up remover wipes on clearance for $0.50.  After rewards and the coupon I spent a little over $2 because the cashier rang up the $1 rewards first and I couldn't use the last $2 reward.  That's fine.  I spent OOP $9.11 today on everything from both visits and saved over $40.  I cant remember the exact amounts and this week has knocked me on my butt so I am not going to go searching for everything... but it turned out to be a good day at Rite Aid.  I now have $10 in + up rewards to spend on Sunday and I know I will be stocking up on those free tampons!!  All those $3 ups will be great!!

Needing some prayers...

ok, what is that prosperity prayer?  I need to pray it.  I don't often pray for money, but times are tough and we are needing some about now.  I am not asking to win the lottery or anything like that, just a few more cleaning jobs and maybe one person to pay for a year upfront so we can get caught up hahaha. 

Seriously, I could use a little Holy intervention here.  I never thought I would be unemployed for 6 months and yet, here I am.  I am so grateful for the 3 houses I am cleaning, but I am pulling in a month what I need to be making in a week.  That doesn't cut it.  So if we could all do some serious praying that I am able to get some more steady jobs that would be very much appreciated!!  Thanks all!  Now I am going to tidy up my house before I head off to clean another and maybe go grocery shopping!  I looked at the ads yesterday and there weren't any amazing buys, but I have a few things I must get ... cereal of course.  We have already gone through 9 of the 10 boxes I bought in the last week or so!  Yes, I have a cereal eating family! 

If you could pass along my prayer request I would be most appreciative!  Happy Thursday ... oh and I am in conflict over the Thursday night football game!  Not because half my roots are from New Orleans and the other half from Minnesota.  Simply because I have been watching Brett play football forever and I love watching him play.  No matter how big a diva he is, he is still my favorite player of all times.  But I live in Who Dat nation and it's hard not to get swept into it all.  My husband LOVES the Saints and has spent the off season making Saints stuff and decorating the outside of our house ... Moo (my 15 yr old)  says "Mom, OMG out house looks so ghetto with all this black and gold all over!!"  I just looked at her and said  "talk to your daddy"  ... it does look a little ghetto lol

Why do head colds knock you on your a$$?

Ok I have been fighting this cold since last Thursday and its been taking every ounce on energy I have to make it through the day.  Friday I got a call from my friend asking if I could PLEASE go to her house and clean her floors and do her laundry.  I was hesitant.  This is definitely one of my best friends we are talking about and I really don't think mixing business and pleasure is a good idea.  But I really need the $$$ and she really needed the help.  Her husband just had surgery and cant help out and her hours at work have been killer.  So after I finished my Friday AM cleaning I headed over there. I thought my floors were bad with 1 dog!!  Try 4 dogs.  Well needless to say it took me about 4.5 hours to really clean the floors good and do 5 or 6 loads of laundry.  She paid me well though and we decided I would come back and finish up the house for her and do maintenance cleaning every other week for her.  So I finished it up yesterday... another 6 hours of deep cleaning!   So excited she wants me to come every other week!!  Maybe she will miss me every other week and ask me to come weekly!  :)

Oh well.  Another old friend asked me to come help with once a month cleaning.  She wanted dusting and floors.  Well I am sorry, I can not go out once a month and dust your house and clean your floors for $20 ... really.  I gave her my pricing and what it includes and haven't heard back from her.  I am not going to drive 15 miles to your house once a month and cater to your needs for pennies just because we were sort of friends 25 years ago.  I mean I am desperate for work, but I am not going to be taken advantage of.  My prices are really low.  I mean LOW.  But I decided to double my price for initial cleaning because no one seeks out a cleaning lady until their house is REALLY bad... and I am not going to go in for 8-10 hours busting my butt for minimum wage.  So double it is.  Then if they want maintenance cleaning once a week its pretty cheap.  Every other week I add $15 (figuring an extra hour will be needed)  and once a month an extra $35 added on for a couple extra hours in addition to my set fee ... which is rock bottom.  $65-$80 for a 3 bdrm 2 bath house.  $85-$100 for 4 bdrm 3 bath house ... really depending on size, but that's a basic guideline.  So far just charging the minimum since I am starting out and trying to get my name out there. 

So if someone has a problem paying me that ... well really I feel they are trying to take advantage of me. 

Ok, I am going to try to go get some more contact solution at Rite Aid today.  It was a $2 money maker and coupons.com let me print out 2 more coupons!!!  Hoping they still have some in stock!   I needed to vent a little today :)  Now I have to clean my own house!  Have a great Wednesday!

My very successful Rite Aid trip on 9/5

ok so it didn't turn out EXACTLY as I had planned, but it was a good haul for the $$$ spent OOP.


I started the day with $5 in + up from last week.

Transaction #1 -

2 Arm & Hammer Rechargeable Spin toothbrushes - BOGO free - $14.99
2 Arm & Hammer Brilliant White toothpaste - BOGO free - $5.49

used:
1 - $5 off $20 Rite Aid purchase coupon
1- $3 0ff A&H sonic rechargeable toothbrush RA Video Value coupon
2 - $4 off A&H sonic rechargeable toothbrush (manufacturer coupon)
1- $1 off A&H toothpaste coupon (could have used 2 but my printer ran out of ink dang it which is why it wasn't $0.48 ... I couldn't use the coupon the bar codes were cut off due to black ink being too low )
1 - $2.00 + up reward coupon

total due - $1.48 + $1.08 (tax) = $2.56 OOP
(earned $5 in +up rewards)
total saved - $39.48


Transaction #2 - this is where I figured wrong and had to throw in some toilet paper on sale to make up for too many coupons (which I had in the cart already for transaction #3 so no big deal)!

2 - 4 packs of Angel Soft toilet paper - sale $0.99 each - $1.98
1 Dove Shampoo - $3.50
1 Dove Conditioner - $3.50
2 - Oral B Cross action toothbrushes - sale $2.99 each - $5.98
2 - Right Guard Total Defense deodorant BOGO free - $4.49
1 - Biotrue Contact Lens solution - $4.99
1 - Airhead candy (filler) - $0.20

used
1- $5 off $20 RA purchase coupon
1 - BOGO free Oral B toothbrush coupon
1 - $0.75 off Oral B toothbrush coupon
1- $2.00 off Biotrue coupon
1 - $1.50 off 2 Dove products coupon
1- $3 off Right Guard deodorant when you buy 2 coupon
$8 off RA + up reward coupons

total due - $0.40 + $1.30 tax = $1.70 OOP
(earned $9.00 in + up rewards)
total saved $ 38.51


Transaction #3

2 - Pledge Multi Surface cleaners - 2/$6 (sale)
2 - 4 packs of Angel Soft toilet paper - $1.98

used
1- BOGO free Pledge Multi Spray cleaner coupon
$4 off RA + up rewards


total due $0.98 + $0.56 tax = $1.54 OOP
(earned $1 + up rewards)
total saved $13.78


(remember Rite Aid everyday prices are high, so my total saved seems high for the amount of stuff I actually get, but totally worth the out of pocket $$$ in the end after shopping with coupons and all their rewards!!)

TOTAL SPENT OOP TODAY (INCLUDING SALES TAX) - $5.80
TOTAL SAVED - $91.77


I also have $8 in + up coupons to use at my next visit and a one time 10% off total purchase coupon! AND 2 more chances in the $10,000 giveaway on 12/17!!

And 2 rain checks to get my Schick razors when they come in stock for $0.99 each!! A savings of about $18.00!!

HAPPY BELATED 13TH BIRTHDAY TO MY SON!!

I have been sick since Thursday and spent all day cleaning 2 houses on Friday! Plus, my sister and her family came in town this weekend from NC for her 20 year class reunion soo I have not really been in the mood to post, but I feel horrible I did not post on my son's birthday! 

My baby boy is now a teenager ... all I can say is wow where has the time gone??  He turned 13 on Saturday!  I love this little guy so much!  I can't believe he is 13 and has his first "girlfriend"!  If nothing else makes you feel old, your children hitting these milestone birthdays will! 

Happy Birthday to my only son!

Walmart...

No pictures today lol ... I went to Walmart and price matched (no one dared get behind me in line hahaha) and saved a total of $42.73.  $8.30 in coupons and $34.43 in price matching!  Total spent was $99.57.

So I got $142.30 in groceries for $99.57 ... you have to like that!  I have said over and over that I don't buy very much junk food or processed foods.  So I really cant save on my grocery bill like many people do.  I do not buy frozen dinners or many boxed items.  Most of my coupon savings come from cereals and things like salad dressing, peanut butter etc...

The bulk of my savings is from price matching on the meats.  Today I did well again on the pork.  Hoping beef is marked way down next week!  Last week was pork and the week before that was chicken ... so I am pretty well stocked up on that for now! 

Nothing to really talk about...

I haven't been posting, not because I am so busy I cant find the time, but simply because there is just nothing interesting to say right now.  Pathetic, right?  haha.  The cleaning job I was supposed to do this week cancelled too so one more boring day on the agenda.  FML right now.  seriously.