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.

Why I coupon

I started clipping coupons way before it was the cool thing to do. My family would tease me to no end. I was, and still am okay with that!

I might spend a couple of hours, per month, clipping coupons and checking sales flyers. The pay off is so very worth the time spent.

I also "buy" coupons from Ebay. I watch for coupons on items I use quite often buy extras, and stock up. The most recent example is Yakisoba. My family loves those things! At $1.29 each, I'm not always a fan. So, I bought 20 coupons for $2.00, and waited for the sale. (I've noticed they go on sale soon after the coupon comes out) They are now on sale for $1.09. I'm saving $1.00 per box, then add in the $.10 to buy the coupon, and I'm now spending $0.19 per box of Yakisoba. A much better deal.

I will never be an "extreme couponer", I just dont have a desire to hoard groceries. I do love a good deal, and love to save money. I just don't want to be obsessive.

This week, I bought $302.00 worth of groceries. (2-3 weeks worth) I spent $249.00, meaning my clipped coupons saved me $53.00. (I didn't calculate the actual original price, the price shown is after store card reductions) I'm okay with this amount, it's right at budget.

I once tried to be the crazy coupon lady, but found it to be too stressful. I like how it is now.

Have a happy day!

Year round veggie gardening!!!

With the hot, dry, garden killing summer I was pretty sad about the very small harvest. I did go to the farmers market so we have some veggies in the freezer, but it just isn't the same. Besides paying for food I normally grow for free,(we have an irrigation well to water, so we just pay for seeds) I miss the actual ritual of the harvest.
. It is just so satisfying to pick and pull up the food that you have grown. I have a special basket just for this purpose. Nothing else ever goes into this basket. It sits all year, in silent anticipation, waiting for it's turn to be used. I like to take pictures of the days haul. Pretty pictures with carrot tops and herbs falling over the top of the basket. *sigh*
. The hardest part of watching your veggies wither and die? The fact that most of them were grown from seed, right here in my kitchen. Lovingly watered, talked to and fed. *another sigh*
. Well, enter loving hubby! I just finished with a new book by Niki Jabbour called The Year-Round Vegetable Gardener. Wow! I loved it! So full of info and beautiful photos. My sweet hubby has decided to build a cold frame for me. The book has all of the instructions. He's been researching frugal ways to accomplish this. I'm so proud! This is the right time to plant a fall garden, but we are expecting snow this weekend, so he'd better get a move on! Ha ha.
. Have a happy day!

Happy Fall Y'all

In the past 4 months, I have:
*Bought a new car...I know, not very frugal, and Dave Ramsey would say not to buy it...but...I plan to have it paid off in one year. So far, we have paid $5900 towards the balance. Not too shabby! And I LOVE it! My first brand new car. Yay!!!
*Learned a new craft. I am making gifts for my kids, for Christmas. Can't say what the craft is, or the gift just yet!
*A brand new family member. I'm a grandma!!!! My son and daughter in law are amazing parents!
*Not really stayed on budget, but we are getting back on track.
*Went on our first family vacation in 10 years!!! Fully funded by savings, no debt!
*Survived the hottest, driest Spring/Summer on record. My garden, however did not. I had a very small harvest. I just planted some seeds hoping to have a fall harvest. *fingers crossed*.
*Taught my kids the joys of couponing...again, and they are finally getting involved! Yay! My dil saved $40 on her first grocery shopping trip.
*Have a happy day.