Ways I saved money last week

COUPONS!

I had BOGO coupons for the Pantene and free coupons for the popcorn and Breakfast On The Go. Yay! (retail value $13.96)

I bought a few Crest coupons online and saved them for the $1.00 per tube sale. (paid about $1 for them) My store still doubles....so 8 free tubes of toothpaste! I still have 3 left from my last stock up, so I will share the wealth. I had 2 $2.25 coupons off of 2, for the vitamins and they were BOGO, so 4 vitamins for $13.50. (retail $36) Thats 200 days of vitamins so this will last a good while! (just in time for cold season) :-)

While I was running errands, I stopped at Arbys with my free drink coupon. Yay.

I went to the thrift store, looking for new work clothes, and used a 50% coupon on one item and a 25% coupon on another.

I found stocking stuffers, on clearance, at Hobby lobby. (at 50% off) I am now done with stocking stuffers!

I found a great gift for a good friend there as well. She and I both know we shop clearance sales for gifts, so I don't even have to hide the sale tag on the gift! That makes three people I'm done shopping for. Come on Christmas! Sweet!

future empty nest syndrome

After raising a few kids, which includes LOTS of mess and stress, I'm missing the chaos.

I have just one more at home.

It's too quiet.

Luckily I get my grandbaby once or twice a week.

That little booger can sure make a mess. I remember how upset I would get at my kids destroying the house I had just cleaned.

I wish I hadn't done that.

I need a time machine. I want a do-over.

I feel like empty nest syndrome is going to destroy me.

Ways I saved money last week:

* I had class all day and was too tired to cook. Family wanted take out. I went to Arby's with a coupon. I bought 4 sandwiches and 3 fries for $9.68. (saved $6.76 with the coupon) They were happy. I got to go home and just sit! ☺
* I went grocery shopping and spent $98, I saved $28 with coupons.
* I had planned to meet a friend for lunch, but she had to cancel. I saved the gas and the money I would've spent on lunch. {eating at home alone, not as fun but much cheaper!}
* all of these were free, with a coupon. Actual value $5.50

*These were free, after a buy 3 get three 3 coupon.

OH MY GOSH.....

.....ITS ALMOST CHRISTMAS!!!!!!

photo credit: vanderbilt.edu

Have you started to prepare? I have started my Christmas crafting. And it will cooler here this week. {whew, finally!} Perfect time for the seasons to start to change, right when I'm preparing for my crafting. The cooler weather really gets me in the mood for holidays!

Coupon savings so far

While I am in no way an "extreme couponer", I do love to use coupons. There's nothing better than saving money! I keep track of my monthly savings, in an effort to beat the previous years' total saved. A personal challenge. When I beat it, I high five myself! LOL

In 2010, I saved $1,053.92

In 2011, I saved $1,656.51

In 2012, I saved $1,468.99 (didn't improve that year, sadly)

These are my totals so far:

Jan $213.21

Feb $79.90

Mar $131.50

Apr $78.62

May $162.81

Jun $99.35

Jul $174.51

Aug $162.10

Total so far: $1,102.00

I don't count savings from store loyalty cards, only coupons that I've clipped or loaded onto my grocery card. (ecoupons)

I count not only grocery coupons but retail, eating out, auto, entertainment etc. (Anything that I clip or add to my coupon binder) I think I'm on track to beat last years' total! Sweet!!

My new favorite laundry soap

My new favorite laundry soap!

I have tried several of the homemade recipes and my laundry never really got as clean as I'd like. And my whites turned yellow! I gave up until I found this recipe. Not only does it smell amazing, my clothes are so clean!

The cost to make it came in under $25 and should last 1 year. {I will keep track of that} I strongly recommend that you shop for ingredients, at Walmart. I priced them at my grocery store and this would have cost over $5 more!

Very pretty new laundry soap!


Laundry soap

1- 4 lb 12oz box Borax
1-3lb 7oz box Washing Soda
1-3lb tub Oxyclean
2- 14.1 oz bars Zote or Naptha soap
1-4lb box baking soda
1-2 55 oz bottles of Crystals fabric softener (I used one)
Grate soap and add ingredients, in layers to help mix, into a large tub. {I reused a laundry soap tub from Sam's Club} Store in a cool dry place. Use 1-2 tablespoons per load.



the ingredients for the yummy smelling soap

UPDATE: This is the most amazing soap I have ever used! My hubby's stinky work clothes are no longer stinky! Until he wears them again, of course! I highly recommend it!

What $35 will buy you

In my previous post, I discussed receiving $35 in checks from the grocery store. This was our quarterly reward for using their credit card. Sweet! This is what clearance sales, e coupons, paper coupons and 5 free checks totaling $35 will buy you! I'm a very happy lady! (the soda was free with an e coupon and both Yakisoba bowls were free after doubling my coupons) I tend to add coupons to my store loyalty card, that I don't normally buy. In this case it paid off {literally} since I found 2 gluten free waffle packages on clearance and I had an ecoupon loaded. Normal value for both boxes was $4, I spent $1.49. I call that a success!

I also had coupons for the Pizza rolls, making 4 of the boxes only $0.59 each, normally priced $2.49! The potatoes were clearance priced at $1.49 and I had a $1 coupon...and so on...

So, in conclusion...I paid nothing for all of this! I really stretched out those rebate checks!!! :-)

Why I have a credit card

I finally gave in and agreed to apply for a Visa credit card...kicking and screaming! Hubby thought the benefits would be great for us. It was a grocery store card and the brochure promised us free groceries. Nearly every time we shopped, the clerk would point out the application. Okay!!! You win. We applied for the card.

The first month we received a discount on gas and some extra store coupons. I was able to stack them with manufacturer coupons. A small savings, true but I felt it was unremarkable. Did we make a mistake? I really felt uncomfortable using the card.

Before applying for the card, we agreed to use it only for gas and groceries and always pay it off before due.

It's been a few months now and I may have changed my point of view. You see, I just opened our quarterly statement and found 5 checks totaling $35!!!!! Oh. My. Gosh. They are paying us $35 to use their card! They also sent more store coupons which I will once again stack with manufacturer coupons. I am going to have so much fun grocery shopping tomorrow! I will stretch that $35 until it screams! I even told hubby that we should use the card for all of our spending to greater impact our point balance.(which amounts to free food!) As long as we don't spend more than we already have budgeted to spend! Of course!

I've been busy...sorry

*Where have I been? Are there any readers left? I've noticed that I've lost a few. That's okay, I haven't really been here. It makes sense.
*I have been working at a job I love! I have been taking care of my grandbaby a few days a week. I ve been learning. I've been studying for a test. Once I pass I'm on my way to a job promotion! I'm pretty excited. I've needed to finish this schooling, for quite some time. No time like the present!
*The extra income will help us to reach our financial goals. I really want to pay off this mortgage. Buying a new car set us back a bit, but it was really needed. We plan to pay it in full, in a fraction of the time.
*So, you see I haven't had much time for the internet. {except for research and studying} I'll try to stop by more often. The last post was drafted in Dec 2012. I just saw it and published it. That's how long its been. Wow!
*I have become a Vegan. I've been a vegetarian and am now dairy free. It really saves on the grocery bill! There are a lot of Mason jars, in my pantry, full of beans and legumes. I have a freezer full of cooked beans and vegan meals. My garden veggies will be in the freezer really soon! I can make 5 days' worth of vegan dinners for just a couple of dollars. I feel amazing.
*I've also used a small greenhouse for the first time. I grew veggies all through the winter! It was amazing to go outside, sweep off some snow, and snip some lettuce for dinner!

That's free? Yes, I will have it.

My family likes to tease me endlessly. I'm okay with that.
They have many valid reasons, but today I'll tell you about my obsession with *free*.
If I go to the bank, and they have a dish of free lollipops, I take one. I currently have 10 lollipops in my car. I'll eat them eventually. They also give away the local newspaper. That sells for $.75 and I do actually read that one.
I subscribe to blogs, that scour the internet for freebies, and I request them. There's nothing like checking the mail, and finding a sample of shampoo or lotion. It's like Christmas and someone is sending me a gift! Yay! It's a win-win. I gets samples, and the post office makes a small profit. See? I'm helping the economy.
I don't clutter my home with freebies. I don't take random items at people's curbs, marked free. I only take freebies that I know I will use. So, what's the harm really? Honestly, I just think my family likes to tease me for sport. Ha ha.
Have a happy day.