You know it's been a long time when...

So quite a few people have asked me how I've been doing with couponing as I haven't posted anything in a while. Honestly - not that bad. March was a bad month. My heart just wasn't in it...but I still managed to spend under $1000 for groceries...which is about $200 less than we were averaging last year. After a very successful shopping trip yesterday morning (Total OOP $53.63, Total Savings $109.56), two things happened: 1) I got re-invigorated by the whole thing, and 2) I did bookkeeping for our family and compared spending to date from this time last year. So far in 2011 I've saved our family $1100 compared to what we spent last year! If that is all I ever do...If I can save $1000 per quarter...that is $4000 a YEAR!!! However...as I said - I really didn't do very good in March. So I still think I can make a bigger difference going forward. Speaking of making a difference - I stumbled upon a great website. Zeal for a Deal takes the weekly ad with coupon match-ups and figures out how by spending only around $3, you can provide $20-35 worth of groceries to those in need! I started thinking about what I've said in this very blog...about donating things that I don't need or want, but can get either free or at a good price. However - I haven't been great about doing that lately... Unless I could get it free or "make money" on the deal - I really didn't give it a second look. In other words - if it didn't take any extra effort on my part, then I was willing to buy and donate. However - at my church we are currently studying and having a sermon series (in addition to small group bible studies on the same matter), a book called "The Hole in Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns. (see more about it here - I highly recommend it if you want to challenge yourself) It is an amazing book that questions how we as Christians actually "walk the walk" rather than just "talking the talk"...or rather - how we haven't been doing that. So - my plan is to now be more deliberate when I'm doing my grocery planning, and deliberately buy OOP $5-10 per week items for the hungry/needy in our community...regardless if it is items that I can use myself in my family. For example - my coupon websites that I frequent in doing my planning, have some GREAT deals not only on Crest toothpaste, but also on Oral-B toothbrushes. Great enough that I should be able to "buy" 10 tubes of toothpaste and 10 toothbrushes. Do we need that many in our family? Sure we will someday go through them...but we don't need 10! So - I'm going to "buy" 10 of each...and donate 8. Another great deal is Mueller's pasta. It is BOGO (starting on Thursday), and with a coupon I have, I can buy two boxes of pasta for only $0.39. At this point - we really don't need any more pasta in the house...but I plan on buying at least 6 or 8 boxes and donating them. Also - Wish Bone salad dressing is BOGO. I wish I could say that my family eats a lot of salad...but we don't...so that is something I would normally have overlooked. However, with coupons and the sale, I can buy 4 bottles for less than the regular price of one. Imagine if all of us used the free resources that are out there and really tried to do this. The food banks would be busting at the seams with food...needy families wouldn't be turned away from the shelters when they are looking to eat...and it would only cost each of us $3-5 a week!!! What a difference that would make!!!

$2.60!!!!

First of all - let me preface this by saying that I pretty much look at rebates/gift cards as "free money." I know that typically you had to spend money out of pocket in order to get the rebate...but I do not ever actually count on getting the money until it is in my hand. So - that being said...my total OOP today on my groceries is because I had a rebate gift card for something I mailed in last year (December 2010).

Here is my fantastic shopping trip (skip ahead if you don't want to see every last thing):

4 boxes Aunt Jemima frozen pancakes
14 boxes Green Giant frozen veggies
1 loaf of bread
4 boxes Yoplait Gogurt
4 packages Ball Park Bun Size Franks
4 bottles Sundown Vitamin B-6 (50 mg, 150 ct)
1 gallon milk
4 packages Hershey's Milk Boxes
6 28oz cans Hunts Tomatoes
8 boxes Totino's Party Pizza
2 bags Dunkin Donuts Whole Bean coffee
4 packages Progresso Bread Crumbs
4 cans Progresso soup
4 boxes Progresso 100% chicken broth
4 jars Bertolli Pasta sauce
2 jars Crisco 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 bag Dog Food
1 package Pull-ups
3 2lb Pork Tenderloins

Total Savings - $147.22 ($56.54 of that was just on Publix's BOGOS and special sales...which makes another $90 in coupons!!!); Total rebate gift card - $84.69; Total OOP - $2.60!!!!

I'm thrilled!!!! Even if you take the gift card out of the picture - I had over a 63% savings today!!! With it...I'm at a 99% savings!!!!

How are you all doing with your coupons and savings? Isn't this fun!!!!

Rushing and Rushing and Rushing

Now that Carson has been in his new school officially a week (Wednesday last week through today), we are starting to get into a little routine of sorts:

5:30am - Jeff's alarm goes off (meaning the radio or iPod starts), and the coffee grinder on our coffee pot (Cuisinart Grind and Brew) goes off
5:45am - Carson wanders into the room carrying floppy (his lovie) and whatever toy he went to bed with the night before (Jeff and I think that the coffee pot wakes him up)
6:00am - either myself or Jeff stumbles into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee for each of us, make juice for the kids, give our oldest dog his medicine (he has to get it twice a day 1 hour before he eats), check and see if the paper is here yet (9 times out of 10 it isn't). ALSO - Kendall's alarm (radio) goes off
6:15am - I realize what time it is and that I'm not even dressed yet...so I race into the bathroom to throw on my clothes and try to make my face and hair look decent. ALSO - Kendall's alarm (buzzer) goes off
6:35am - as Jeff is just getting into the shower (or just getting out) I urge Carson out of our room and to the other side of the house to get him dressed. I open Kendall's door, and despite the alarm going beep-beep-beep, she is still sound asleep. So, I turn on the light, touch her to wake her up and then run into Carson's room. As I'm getting Carson dressed...or rather trying to encourage him to do it himself...I'm yelling over to Kendall to get out of bed and start getting dressed because we are now running late (always???)
6:40am - Carson is now dressed, and I continue to gently (yeah right...) urge Kendall to get dressed.
6:45am - Jeff is typically coming into the kitchen now, and either starts to make breakfast for the kids or comes into help me get Kendall dressed.
6:50am - Kendall is FINALLY dressed and I run a brush through her hair real quick as we run into the kitchen to eat whatever Jeff has made
7:05am - Tell kids for the 100th time to stop talking and eat their breakfast while I am cleaning up the kitchen and making sure all the beds are made
7:10am - Finally done (or at least most of the way done) with breakfast, I usher the kids into the bathroom to brush teeth, then change Carson's diaper, encourage Kendall to use the potty, etc. Realize we haven't fed the dogs yet and rush to try to get that done
7:15am - we are throwing on our coats/jackets and walking out the door with bags and lunchboxes in hand, and a to-go cup of coffee for me
7:45am - arrive at Carson's school and walk him to his room
8:00am - arrive at Kendall's school and walk her in
8:01am - BREATHE!!! (then do whatever little errands I need to do all morning long or go home and sleep...yeah right...)
12:50pm - pick up Carson at school
1:00pm - pick up Kendall at school
1:30pm - arrive at Gainesville Health and Fitness Center and check kids into kids club, then head to bathroom to change into workout attire then head up to the treadmill
2:40pm - pick up kids from kids club, where I've been paged at least 2 times because Carson has a poopy diaper
3:05pm - get home and put Carson down for a nap
6pm-6:30pm'ish - Jeff gets home from work/dinner
7pm'ish - clean up from dinner and make lunches for the kids for school the next day
7:45pm - realize what time it is and put the kids to bed
8:15pm - kids finally in bed...45 minutes after we really wanted them there...and we collapse...

To fill in all the blank spaces of time...there is grocery shopping, laundry, bookkeeping, etc. I feel like every day is packed! On the days that we don't have to rush out of the house (which is rare) I don't want to do anything at all... Then, of course, there are days that we are eating breakfast in the car... I think I sometimes eat more meals in my car than I ever do at home! Is every one's life like this?? Really?? Wow...

Last week's coupon deals

Thought I got so wrapped up in Carson that I forgot about couponing huh??? Wrong!!! Haha

Last week was okay. No outstanding deals that made me really excited. But - I did do pretty good I think. Total OOP $163.68, Total Savings $92.32. Again...if I can consistently save $100 a week...then I'm happy!!!! PLUS this included a run to Target for a couple things and I didn't have my coupons with me or get them ready before I left. Shock! I can't tell you how hard it was for me to buy Cover Girl foundation when I KNEW I had a coupon at home...but because of everything happening with Carson...I didn't have time to find it. Argghhh Plus - we ate out a few more times last week than we have since the beginning of the year.

This next week I am excited about one deal...making money on something I don't need again... Sominex or Vivarin is $3.19 per 16 count package. There is a Publix store coupon in the Green flyer (usually in the big kiosk that turns) for $5 off of 2 items (has a picture of Citrucel, OsCal Ecotrin & Gaviscon). PLUS - there was a link to print a $2 off of 1 box of Sominex coupon and a $2 off 1 box of Vivarin coupon. So...I'm "buying" 2 boxes of Sominex and 2 boxes of Vivarin (total of $12.76), with my 2 Publix coupons that is less $10, and my one coupon per box of medicine that is less $8...which means I will actually be able to apply $5.24 BACK to the rest of my grocery bill...and I will have 2 boxes of Sominex and 2 boxes of Vivarin to donate somewhere. Pretty cool huh???

A new direction

If you are one of my friends on facebook, I have been placing "cryptic" (per a good friend) messages in the last few days in regards to something that is happening with our family. I had wanted to get more information before I spoke in length about this - but it still may be several more days to even weeks...months...years...before we have all the answers. So - here is my story:

Last December (2009), we had our youngest, son Carson, evaluated through Early Steps for a speech delay. At the time we didn't know if Carson was actually delayed in his speech, or if his older sister was so advanced, that Carson (being normal) seemed delayed in comparison. When the people with Early Steps came out to evaluate him, they measured ALL areas of his development. At the time, he was normal in ALL areas, including communication. He was in the low end of normal for communication, but still normal.

Jeff and I were still not happy...but a friend told us that when he turned three, he would be eligible through FDLRS (Florida Diagnostic & Learning Resources System) to be evaluated again, and that their "normal" levels are set at a different criteria. So, in July (2010) when Carson turned three, we called FDLRS and got a packet of information sent to us. After answering about 1001 questions as to Carson's development, we sent the packet back in and awaited the reply. In August we received a letter that said that he qualified for further evaluation, and that someone would call us to set up our "Team Speech Evaluation". Come October, we still hadn't heard anything...so I called the number at the bottom of the letter every day for two weeks until I finally got a live person on the phone. Carson was scheduled for his evaluation on January 6. Anxious but happy we finally had an appointment, Jeff and I waited (non)patiently for his appointment date.

The day of the appointment, Jeff, Carson and I drove across town to Metcalf Elementary School, where all the evaluations are completed. As Jeff and I sat down at a round table and answered another 1001 questions about all stages of his development, Carson sat down at a little table with four women around him asking him questions and having him do simple tasks. About 30-40 minutes into the evaluation - Carson pretty much quit and wouldn't cooperate at all. A week later, they called me and asked me to bring him back in for more evaluation because they felt like they didn't get enough information from him to feel comfortable with their assessment. So, on January 18, Carson and I went back. This time, Carson sat down with only 2 ladies as I sat at the big round table and watched. Another 30-40 minutes and he was done...meaning he didn't want to cooperate at all.

This past Wednesday, the 26th, Jeff and I went back yet again and were given the results of his evaluation. Let me say that all I expected was that they would tell us that he did in deed qualify for speech therapy and would be approved for a couple of times a week. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that they were going to tell me that Carson is Developmentally Delayed with a speech and language impairment, and that they were recommending full time placement in the Pre-K ESE department with the Alachua County School District. I felt like I had been punched in the gut. Jeff asked them if Carson gets his speech problems fixed, would the rest of the delay sort itself out. The child psychologist at the table said that although a lot of the delay would be corrected, she really felt like there is an underlying reason behind the delay. Although she wasn't ready to make a diagnosis, she suspects that Carson either is ADD or Autistic.

On Thursday I showed the mountain of paperwork with their findings to another good friend, C, who has a Doctorate in Special Education, and has worked in a Pre-K ESE Department in Leon County. After looking over all the paperwork, and trying to be as objective as possible since she has known Carson since birth, she says that she agrees with the child psychologist. She agrees that Carson should be in a full time program, and that she also thinks that just solving the speech isn't going to solve all of Carson's issues.

As much as we respect C's opinion...Jeff and I are actually going to go one step farther. Another friend, A, is a very good and respected child psychiatrist in town. She suggested that we have him evaluated by an M.D. (such as herself). An M.D. would actually be able to pin down the diagnosis and either a) confirm our fears that he is autistic or b) confirm our hopes that getting his speech caught up will solve all the problems. However, she is afraid she wouldn't be objective as she is close to us and our family, so she is referring us to an M.D. in Ocala that she respects and trusts greatly. On Monday we will call him and set up an appointment for another evaluation (which will probably not be for another 1 or 2 weeks), and hopefully some more answers.

Until then, we plan on going along with FDLRS findings, and get him registered in a local elementary school in the Pre-K ESE department. We are currently assigned to Terwilliger Elementary School, but we are hoping to get re-assigned to Talbot Elementary School for three reasons: 1) Kendall is going to pre-school (literally) right around the corner from Talbot, 2) Jeff's office is just down the same road that Talbot is on, and 3) my real estate office is just down the road from Jeff's office. Essentially, Talbot would be so much more convenient for us. Jeff and I are meeting the Pre-K ESE Department head on Monday morning to not only talk about the delay in getting Carson evaluated in the first place, but also about getting his school reassigned.

So - as I said above - I still feel like we have more questions than we have answers. But...here are a few truths that I know with every ounce of my being: Carson is a very happy and healthy child with an amazing spirit. I had a very hard time getting myself to the point that I could talk about this without crying...heck...even thinking about it got me crying. I think that when you have all these plans in your head for your children, and this comes out at you from seemingly no-where...I had a hard time getting around what I had planned, and what it is now. I am trying not to think too much about the future at this point...just take it day by day until we have more answers. If the M.D. says that Carson is autistic...then I'll buy every book on autism that I can find and soak up as much information as I can so that I know what I'm talking about when we talk to other professionals or doctors. If the M.D. says that Carson is ADD...then I'll do the same thing. If the M.D. says that Carson is perfectly normal and just needs to get his speech figured out, then I'll find the best speech therapists I can and learn what they do so that he can get to normal as quickly as possible. Regardless of what the M.D. says...or anyone else for that matter... my son is the most wonderful boy in the world and I'm lucky to have him in my life. That I know without having to be evaluated.

Potty training 101

I apologize in advance...because this is going to be a venting more than a posting...

As anyone that knows me and knows my family, or even anyone that has been reading this blog for a while can tell you...I am not a successful potty trainer. Some would say that it is my kids...that my kids are the ones that aren't successful potty learners and not the other way around. Regardless of the fact - my children refuse to be those kids that learn how to potty train at 18 months or even 2 years old...or even 3 years old for that matter.

Kendall didn't get fully potty trained until she was 4 1/2!!! She knew how to control her potty movements...but chose not to for whatever reason. We tried EVERYTHING! Charts, positive reinforcement, negative reinforcement, NO reaction at all, TONS of reaction each time, bribery, withdrawal, even play therapy with a licensed therapist!!! It was only when she decided that she wanted to do it that she did it. We even had a relapse over Christmas break...and after an enema and daily doses of Mineral Oil in Grape juice - she once again decided to take control of her problems again. To say that her lack of potty training success was a stressor in our house is an understatement. I think that had she had a physical developmental delay, I wouldn't have been as stressed over the whole affair...but it was an actual unwillingness to do what needed to be done in the place it needed to be done in...it was a behavioral problem. She know how...she knew the "signs" that she needed to go...and she just simply refused. Thankfully - I think the worst of it is past us...but I still say silent prayers anytime I bring her someplace new or have someone that doesn't know her very well watch her... I am so afraid that she might start messing her underwear again that I am still on guard sometimes.

Anyway - that is Kendall. Then...there is Carson. We haven't even really begun trying to potty train him. He has sat on the potty and even done both kinds of business - obviously proud of himself and promising that he'll do it again. But - he hasn't learned how to control it yet, so there is no stress involved yet for me. That is...until I encounter a situation where because he is 3 1/2 (and/or because he is the size of a 5 year old), he is expected to be potty trained. I did briefly start potty training him during Christmas break...and then Kendall's relapse happened...so I decided one issue at a time... I am so over charts after making one after another after another unsuccessfully with his sister... I honestly am not even sure how to tackle potty training Carson. Do I make one more chart...bribe him with Hershey's Kisses...give him an M&M every time I do a "quick check" to see if he is clean and dry? All of the above?? I really am at a loss...because although I know his sister is the one that determined when she would finally use the potty...I still feel like a failure. There is a part of me that says that when he is ready, he will make himself abundantly clear and it will happen...but he is also at that age that a lot of pre-schools (or even our Sunday school at church) require that he be potty trained to be in the class. I admit - I'm tired of carrying around a change of pull-ups and wipes with us everywhere we go. I'm tired of the expense of diapers and wipes...wow...at least $16 a week... He is WAY too big for the changing tables at the restaurants...so changing him when we are out and about is a huge problem... But - I also think (am afraid) that if I try to push him before he is completely ready...we'll have another problem like we had with Kendall...

I know that he will be potty trained before he is in college...but there is honesty a HUGE part of me that hopes that I'll wake up one day and it will magically be done. Isn't there a Potty-Training Fairy???

Not as good...but still happy.

I think I need to rename my blog...to "Coupon Times" or something...that is all I've written about for over a week... ah well...

So today was one of my first big shopping trips without kids where I could really concentrate. Let me first say that I wasn't as excited about the sales and coupon match-ups this week as I was last week (in other words - not a lot of stuff that was "free" or "cash back"). BUT...this week every single thing I bought I will use - whereas last week I've got a bag full of Maalox and Vitamin D and baby lotion that I'll never use currently sitting in my laundry room. So - for those of you that are willing to read my grocery list - enjoy...otherwise - skip to below:

2 Gallons Milk
1 bag shredded Mexican cheese
1 block Colby/jack cheese
4 packages of milk boxes
4 boxes Mrs. Paul's Fish Sticks
4 bags Bird's Eye Steamfresh veggies
2 tubes of Colgate toothpaste
2 boxes lunchables
2 4-packs of YoPlait Yo-Plus yogurt
2 packages Perdue chicken breasts
1 package boneless pork chops
1 package beef cubed steak
2 whole chickens
2 bags of Halls Cough drops
1 bag Dunkin Donuts whole bean coffee
4 boxes Taco Bell taco dinner kit
2 bottles Aunt Jemima Syrup
2 jars Tostito salsa
4 jars Ragu pasta sauce
1 bottle Niacin
8 bags Kraft Homestyle Mac n Cheese
2 packs make-up remover towels
6 bags Idahoian instant mashed potatoes
3 bottles Mott's Apple juice
2 bags Fresh Express salad
1 bag Romaine Hearts
1 package Tortillas
1 5lb bag of potatoes
3 Tomatoes
2 Sweet onions
1 package zucchini
2 red bell peppers
1 garlic
1 package of Pull-ups
1 package of Viva paper towels.

Just in store savings alone - there was $75.55 - this is before I even gave them a coupon! So this is on the BOGOs and sales on veggies and meat, etc. Then...I had another $42.16 in coupons! So - total OOP $147.29 (ouch...), total savings - $116.71. Not as impressive as before - but seeing as I plan on using each and every thing I bought - I'm happy. I have a spreadsheet that I've been using to track my total percentage of savings now that I'm doing this. So far for the year - I'm averaging savings at 65%!!! I would guess I only did 15-20% last year...so I'm thrilled just at that!

On Sunday when I get the inserts - there is supposed to be a coupon for Hunt's canned tomatoes - so I'll be buying 12 of them for only $3.30 (with a total savings of $12.90 between BOGO and another coupon I have for them.) And...beyond that...I don't have any plans on heading back to the store this week. I think that today's trip took care of us for another week... Since I used the emealz.com service this week to plan 4 dinners from Sunday night through Saturday night next week, I don't think we'll need anything else at the store.

I'll keep you posted (as usual...)

This saving thing is addicting!!!

Okay - so I've been to the grocery store more this week than I've ever been in one week before in my life. BUT....when I consistently save more than I spend every single time I go...I can't help myself!!!

Yesterday - I stopped by for a few things:
2 Loafs of Bread
2 Bottles of coffee creamer
4 boxes of Splenda packets (50 ct)
2 bottles of Maalox

Total OOP - $4.95, Total Savings - $27.17

Today - again...just a few items...
1 bag of Dog food
6 boxes of Kleenex
1 bottle shampoo for my kids
1 bottle of Tide
2 jars Peter Pan Peanut butter
1 jar Nutella
4 bottles of Vitamin D

Total OOP - $31.05, Total Savings - $44.04

Just this week alone (from the 13th until today) my total OOP is $164.53, and my total savings is $214.08!!! I am getting the hang of this...that is for sure!!! There is still a lot of work to be done - but already in this week alone I have saved about $90 from what I typically spend in a week of grocery shopping. If this is as good as I ever get...then in a year I'll save over $4600!!!

Next week I'm going to try combining the couponing with meal planning. There is a link to the right of my posts for E-mealz. It is a service that for $15 a quarter, it will give you a weekly meal plan based on what is on sale that week at your local grocery store. You can choose a variety of meal plans - I chose a low-fat plan for a family of 4 from Publix. I've been a member since July - but haven't used the service that much. I hate planning meals more than anything...and since this tells you what to cook and what ingredients you need to cook it...then it does makes it really easy. It also gives you your shopping list so you buy only what you need for the meals. I really think that if I combine the two ideas - then not only are my meals planned for the next week, but I'm still saving tons of money...

I'll keep you posted!!!

And the results are in...

So yesterday was my big shopping day to see if I could successfully save money using the coupon system my friend and mentor, J, has shown me. What I didn't plan on, however, was:
1) That I would have a side kick with me all day - which makes trying to really focus and be a savvy shopper next to impossible. Carson woke up yesterday morning with pink eye (which we confirmed with his doctor on the way to taking Kendall to school), so he got to hang with Mom all day long...
2) That going to a different grocery store for the very first time when doing this kind of shopping isn't a very good idea. Why can't they make every single Publix a clone of the next one? I ended up walking around like a nincompoop tyring to figure out where everything was...I do want to go back next time - so I haven't ruled it out at all.

Anyway - between those two things above...and two important phone calls while I was shopping that I HAD to take (one from my Broker about a listing and one for the Junior League)...my focus was less than stellar to say the least. Also - my grand idea of getting x number of this and x number of that didn't work out either...because either I couldn't find the item in question or they didn't have as many as I needed...

All of that being said - here are my purchases (from two different stores on the same day):

Dog food
Milk
2 Bags Potato Chips
4 Aunt Jemima Waffles
2 Yoplait Gogurt
Clorox 2
Philly Cream Cheese
Kraft American Singles
Hillshire Farms Turkey Breast lunch meat
2 Honey Nut Cheerios
2 Fruity Cheerios
4 Uncle Bens Whole Grain White Rice
3 Mott's Apple Juice
Parm Reggiano block of cheese
Horseradish Sauce
Strawberries
Blueberries
2 Bags of Baby Carrots
3 Johnson & Johnson Baby Lotion
Red Grapes
7 Maalox
4 First Aid Travel Kit
Pull-ups
2 Ben Gay
8 Lysol Air Sanitizing Spray

Total OOP (out of pocket) = $115.80
Total Savings = $117.35
Success I think!!!

Now - I will admit that there was about $42 in items in the "total savings" column that I "bought" (for free...no cash out of pocket for them) that I will NEVER use and plan on giving away/donating. However - that still means a savings of over $75 on items we DO use and DO buy on a regular basis!!! That is better than I've ever done before!

I still am looking forward to seeing what happens in the next few weeks, especially when stuff is on sale and I have coupons for things like laundry detergent, dog food, body wash, etc... stuff that we use every single day. Jeff is thrilled...and I'm still cautiously optimistic. Will I ever get to the total of $60-70 average a week...hmm...lets hope!!!

And away we go...

Tomorrow the sale starts at Publix. BUT...the websites all had the sales and coupons that can be applied today... So - for the last several hours (mainly because I'm still getting used to what I'm doing...) I've been pouring over the website, figuring out how many of something I want... And...if I'm right - I should be able to spend well under $100 tomorrow for everything (including fresh produce, lunch meat and sliced cheese, dog food, dishwasher soap, etc.), plus SAVE more than that. "How?" you ask??

Well...take Maalox for example. Jeff and I don't regularly use Maalox...but it is currently priced at $4.49, and there is a manufacturer's coupon for $5 off of any Maalox product...which means that I will get an overage of $0.51 applied to my bill... So...I'm buying 9 of them (for a credit to me of $4.59), and I'll donate them to somewhere (not sure who would take it as a donation...but I'll figure that out later).

Then...there is the Futuro Wrist Wrap, priced at $3.79. Neither Jeff or I really need a wrist wrap...but...there is a store coupon for $2.00 of each one, AND a manufacturer's coupon for $3.00 off of each one...which means I will be credited $1.21 for each one I buy... I'm buying four (only because that is all the coupons I could print/get), for a credit to me of $4.84. Again - we'll donate them somewhere - I'm sure someone could use them.

Or...take my biggest "saver", SunDown Vitamin D. It is priced at $2.99 per bottle right now. There is a store coupon for $6.00 off of 2...right there each bottle is now FREE. BUT...there is also a manufacturer's coupon for $3.00 off of 2. That is a credit of $1.51 per bottle I buy using those two coupons...so I am buying 8 of them for a total credit of $12.08!!!

That is only a couple of the deals that are a credit to me. BUT...what about the Lysol Neutra Air Sanitizing Spray. Priced at $3.59, it is actually BOGO this week at Publix. So..that with a manufacturer's coupon of $1.50 off each one...means I'm only paying $0.29 EACH can. So...I'm buying 8 of them for only $2.36...which is less than ONE typically costs! And...I shouldn't have to buy any Air Sanitizing spray again for at least a year!

Wow...I can see how this can get addictive!!!

I'll let you know tomorrow how my trip went and how successful I actually was! :) :) :)

A Clarification & Apology

Unfortunately - in my excitement to get my last post done before I collapsed in bed at 9:30pm...I made it sound like my friend and mentor in couponing didn't respond at all to me. When I went to bed...she hadn't. But - there was a lengthy text sitting on my phone when I got up in the morning, offering me encouragement and letting me know not to be discouraged...and where to find the Sunday paper with inserts this week if I ended up not finding one at all. You see - unlike myself - when she is with her husband and adorable children - she turns her cell phone off. She actually devotes ALL of her attention to the family...something that I need to aspire to!

J - please take this as a very public apology!!! If I in any way offended you or made anyone think that you weren't responsive I am truly sorry! I am lucky to have a friend that is willing to hold my hand through this endeavour, when she herself is crazy busy with her own commitments and family. I am thrilled that you are willing to walk through this new challenge with me, and promise that I will try not to be flippant with my words in the future.

Whew...it was a close one.

As I mentioned in my prior post, part of me doing the new couponing...is to get multiple copies of the coupons each week. Luckily - my newspaper delivery guy gave me my coupon inserts BOTH on Saturday and Sunday...then, my mother-in-law kept her inserts out for me. So - just to start the day I had 3 copies. But...that isn't enough... So - after the kids were in bed this evening, I ran off to the store to get a few more copies.

First stop - Publix by (about a mile from) my house - plenty of papers...no inserts. 2nd and 3rd stops - CVS and Walgreen's about 2 miles from there...same thing. "UGGGHHH" I thought. "Here I am trying to get the whole process started and I'm stalled before I even begin." So - I sent a text to my mentor in all of this...and before she answered (which she never did...but how many people actually have their cell phones by them at 8:30 on a Sunday evening???) I decided to run down to another Publix and CVS that are about 3 miles from there. Thankfully - the papers were at the Publix and I never had to check the CVS. But - when the guy showed me where they keep their papers...I literally squealed a little bit! I was so excited after being shut out three other times...I almost felt like a kid in a candy store!!! And all of this over coupon inserts... I can't wait until I have my first receipt where I saved the same as or more than I spent!!! I think I'll be doing back flips out of the store... haha

Oh - and to try to reinforce what I'm going to be practicing...I signed up for a class that the wife of an associate pastor at my church teaches. She teaches essentially the same thing, but also uses CVS and Walgreen's a lot more than my friend. It is a one night a week for three weeks class, and I hope that the reinforcement of what I'm learning, along with three more weeks of instruction, will keep me going in these next few weeks when things are bound to be slow as I'm getting everything together.

I'll keep you posted! :)

My one resolution this year.

By even putting this in writing, I risk sabotaging my success in it. It seems like just as I make my resolutions or goals know to the world via this blog or facebook, I become destined to fail in it. I'm not sure why I do that...but I hope I can change this trend this time.

So - first up - an admission. I pay full price for my groceries most of the time. **GASP** Sure I try to take advantage of BOGOs (Buy One Get One sales)... I dutifully cut out coupons each week and put them in a pretty little carrier that typically stays right where I put it when all the coupons have been filed according to type of food. I cringe each time I check out and see how much I spend...and how little I save (Publix is so nice to put that on their receipts). But I quickly forget...until we look at our budget at the end of the year and see how much we've actually spent on groceries for our family of four. Do I dare put it in writing?? Uggg...this is going to hurt. We average approximately $250 per week on groceries...that is over $13,000 PER YEAR!!! Is everyone else getting as sick as I am getting right now???

Second - what am I going to do about it? I am very fortunate to know several women that are pretty much experts at using coupons and sales to pretty much pay NOTHING for their groceries. I know a woman that said that if she HAD to say what her weekly budget was for groceries, she would say $40 a week....but that it probably wasn't even that high!!! Another friend that I sat down with a few days ago said that she probably spends about $60-70 per week on groceries...with SAVINGS of between $200-300 per week!!!

"Sure" you say..."but they can only buy junk food and no meat and fresh produce can be included in that bottom line." WRONG!!! The number above includes meat, fresh produce, toiletries, DIAPERS for her 1 year old...EVERYTHING!!!

"Time then" you say..."they must be putting in hours upon hours upon hours at the store and researching" WRONG!!! She actually works on her grocery list/plan about 2 hours each week...then goes to the grocery store on average 3 times a week for only 20-25 minutes for each visit.

So what is the negative? Well...storage... You see - the trick is to "stockpile" the items your family uses on a regular basis to last through the sale cycles (usually around 6 weeks) or in some cases, to last for a year if you want... Which means, in some cases, 8 jars of peanut butter...10 boxes of cereal...etc.

Also - getting multiple copies of the Sunday paper each week so that you get multiple copies of the coupon inserts to be able to have ready and available to take advantage of. Oh- and knowing how the coupons work (for example, you can use BOTH a manufacturer's coupon AND a store or competitor coupon for EACH item that is BOGO). This means....if a $4.00 item is BOGO, then essentially each item is $2.00...then if you have a manufacturers coupon for $1.00, and a store coupon for the same item for $1.00...then you "buy" two BOGO items with 4 coupons...and they are free. So...if you can get two items free...why not 4 or 6 or 8 if you have enough coupons? And then you hold on to them and you won't have to buy the item again until it is on sale again and you have coupons again. Clear as mud?

Am I going to be as successful as my friends? I don't know...but I'm sure going to try. IF I can do as well as my friends above - then I can expect my grocery bill at the end of the year to only be around $3500!!! However - just starting out I don't plan on setting my goal to be THAT high... So - my goal is that by the end of the year - using this technique - that our grocery bill budget will be only $8000. That is a savings of $5000 a year...or about $100 a week. I think that is VERY doable...and I hope it can be more...but I also realize that my life is pretty busy...and I can get lazy...

I plan on putting updates on my blog as to my success in this endeavor...but it will be a while before I start to see any big changes, as I don't have a "stockpile" of coupon inserts yet... But - it is only a matter of time...

Back to the routine

Today was the last day of the Christmas vacation from the kids pre-school. Am I saddened by the fact that I won't have the kids with me 24/7? Am I disappointed that I won't have their smiling faces with me when I go to the grocery store the next time I go? In a word....NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!! I discovered long ago that I am one of those moms that NEEDS the time away from the kids... Honestly - I've done pretty well...considering it has only been the last 3 or 4 days that I have been up to here (*holding my hand by my forehead*) with them. BUT...they are tired of each other too I'm sure! Today they have been all over each other constantly...and actually needed to be separated for 10 minutes... Anyway - I am going to miss the leisurely mornings...staying in my PJs until noon... But there is something to be said about a schedule. As much I can and do get frustrated in the mornings trying to get us all out of the house with the house actually looking somewhat decent before we leave...it does keep me busy and motivated to get stuff done. I have done next to nothing this vacation... Part of me feels guilty...but part of me needed the break...which is why I think it has only been the last 3 or 4 days that I've felt cabin fever and very restless... So - tomorrow the kids will head back to pre-school, I'll go to my weekly Mom's Bible study...and we'll try to get back on some sort of routine... *fingers crossed*

Happy New Year!

As I write this, we are WELL into 2011 (it is almost 5:30pm), and I am only now beginning to feel human again after last night's revelry. Jeff and I were able to go out with some very good friends (thanks to my folks who came down and watched the kids), and after 2 cosmopolitans, 2 glasses of red wine, and one (double) vodka and cranberry...lets just say that I wasn't feeling all that well. Jeff was the smart one between us and decided to be the designated driver, and didn't have even one drop of alcohol. BRAVO!!! I have wondered many times today if the fun I had last night was worth the feeling I have had all day... Not so much I think...

The kids are outside in the back yard playing. Jeff and I are so happy with how close they seem to be with each other. They of course have their moments when they need to be separated before one of them kills the other...but overall they are good friends and love to be with each other. I sure hope that they continue to enjoy each other and stay good friends all their lives! Here are a few recent pictures of the family. Enjoy!

Carson (& floppy) at his first dentist appointment.

The next several are from one of our frequent trips to Orlando/Disney World

Mom and my sister, Dee and her husband, Chris with the kids at Magic Kingdom.

Carson filling up a pail of water at Mom and Dad's

Kendall...is she really only 5???

At the Jacksonville Zoo...again...only 5???

Carson striking his normal pose....haha

The kids right before we went trick-or-treating on Halloween

Kendall & Carson getting prepped at Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique.

The final product - a brave night and a beautiful princess.

Daddy & his girl.

Mommy and her little man.

Yummy...ice cream....

Petting zoo at Animal Kingdom.

For a kid that doesn't like his picture being taken that often...he sure is a knock-out!

An update in pictures only...

As said in the title above...see below. :)

Beginning of a new chapter

One of the things I've struggled with for the last 5 years of being a stay at home mom, was the fact that for the first time in my adult life, I wasn't working or going to school or looking for a job. I have a job. The most important job in the world...being a mom to the two most precious children in the world (not that I'm biased...).


However, I've never gotten over that feeling that I needed to be doing something else to financially help the family. Yes yes I know...taking care of the kids and the house is a financial benefit to the family...but I mean actual cash in hand kind of financial help. I am very helpful at spending the money that Jeff bring in...I always wanted to be helpful in raising money as well.


Anyway - while I was pregnant with Carson and for about 6 months after he was born, I struggled and felt this (false) urgency that I HAD to know what I was going to do with my life when the kids were in school. hmm... really??? Boy was the evil one working on me!!! So...I prayed and prayed and finally got the peace that I wanted knowing that when God was ready to show me my path, I would know.


Flash forward to when Carson was just over a year old, I took my first class at Michaels for cake decorating. I LOVED it. It lets me tap into the creative side of me that I haven't really touched in a long time. However...it is really more of a money sucker than a money maker. At least it was in the first year. This year I am on a slight profit...but not by much. Especially when you consider I am making well less than minimum wage in regards to my labor. I really do enjoy doing the decorating...but the baking...it is pretty much a means to an end at this point. My friend Maria told me a while ago that she wouldn't want to own her own bakery/cake decorating business - because it would then become a J.O.B. and not a passion or a hobby. I pooh-poohed her and thought I would never get there. Well...I'm there. When I have a cake that I think turns out just like my imagination hoped it would...then it is a passion. When I have a cake that I'm just ho-hum about or not happy with at all...then it is a J.O.B. My imagination of getting my cake decorating into my own store-front business is pretty much dissipating...but I am still doing one cake a week and plan on continuing that as long as people call me to do cakes.

Anyway - that being said one thing that you may not know about me is that I have a LOT of experience in the real estate industry. When I was married to my ex, he was a mortgage broker at one point and I not only went on appointments with him, but also helped him process his files. I worked at a title company doing loan closings when I was with my ex. When I left him, I got a job at a bank doing post closing and just a very wee bit in customer service. Then I got a promotion and worked as a Mortgage Loan Closing Specialist...which means I prepared the closing documents, reviewed the HUD-1 Settlement Statement and issued funding numbers. When I moved to Gainesville to be with Jeff, I worked at a title company doing basic title searches, clearing title issues and assisting with closings when necessary. In brief - I have a LOT of experience with everything around real estate transactions except actually being the real estate agent. Well...that will all be changing soon.

I hope to have my licence and be a fully functioning (although part time hours) real estate agent no later than mid-August! My plan is to only work 10-15 hours per week while the kids are in school and my goal is to have a minimum of 3 to 4 closings per year. No...that isn't a lot...but at this point any income I can make is just gravy! My friend and owner of the real estate firm I'll be working at, Julie Cole at Cole Development and Realty, LLC, thinks that I should be able to do a LOT more than that.

I'm really excited about the opportunity that lies ahead for me! I'm confident that with my background, my passion for homes and real estate, that I will be a good agent. Plus, if I am diligent with keeping my priorities straight (family first, etc.) my kids will benefit too.

So - stay tuned to what will be sure to be a fun ride!!! :)

Long time no see

Okay okay...so I've been horrible at updating my blog. But now with facebook...who needs a blog? haha Just kidding!!!

Its definitely been a busy few months for our family, and me personally. Between Junior League commitments, my steady cake business, car-pooling the kids around, trying to keep food in the fridge and dinner on the table...I'm exhausted and ready for a vacation! Oh right...we had one... The second week of May our little family went on an Eastern Caribbean cruise (with stops in Nassau, St. Thomas US VI, and St. Marten.) As much as I'd love to post pictures of that adventure on here...for some reason blogger won't let me add any more pictures than the ones below. So...if you are my "friend" on facebook - all the pictures are there. The cruise was incredible though, the kids were very well behaved, and we all had a blast! In fact, for almost the first 30 minutes after getting off the ship, Kendall cried because she didn't want to leave. Neither did I!!! (who would...all you can eat ice cream and pizza's 24/7????)

Beyond that big adventure, we have gone to Disney the end of February/first of March with my folks, then to their house in Jacksonville over Memorial Day weekend. Now that summer is officially here (at least with the kids being out of school), my goal each day is not to lose my mind and try to keep the kids entertained. Tall order....

Here are just a few pictures of our last few months:

Memorial Day weekend we went to the beach. One of the first time's we've done so when it was nice and hot outside...and the kids had a ball!!!! I really hope we get an opportunity to go to the beach every time we are in Jax - the kids were fearless of the ocean! Which is more than I can say for myself...I'm still a mid-westerner at heart and really only like lakes and rivers (those in the mid-west that don't have gators in them at least...)



Carson just LOVES LOVES LOVES his Grandpa! Here - Grandpa was starting to play with some airplanes that Gma and Gpa had gotten him.


On Sunday we went to the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine. So much cooler than I remember!!! Could be that I'm looking at it from the eyes of my 4 & 2 year old now... but still tons of fun!!!

On one of our MANY trips to Cracker Barrel (one of Kendall's favorite restaurants), I caught a few pictures of the kids in a rocking chair. Boy...are they growing up fast....

At the end of February/first of March, Jeff had a meeting in Orlando - so Mom and Dad met us down there and we made a weekend of it. Jeff had to work the whole weekend...but Mom and Dad and the kids and I played at Disney! :)

Kendall acting like she is holding a bouquet of flowers...have I mentioned that she is a drama queen??? I guess this is so in more ways than one...

Grandma and her boy!

One of the things the kids and I like to do on days where there isn't much going on at home, is to go on long walks. Like 2-3 miles minimum...2 hour long walks. Mainly because, though, the kids like to stop and see things along the way... Here are a few pictures from one of our walks:

As said in almost every previous post of the last 6 months...I will try to be more diligent about posting pictures and stories. Can I possibly reach the goal of once a week??? Hmm...I'll try....