My trip was icky in so many ways. My 21 year old brother came along because he had an eye doctor appointment. He ruined the whole trip because of his um…for lack of a better “clean” word to use…jerk-ness. It was miserable. As I said, I’m not really loving much right now. I also found out today that my 89 year old grandmother is in the hospital AGAIN for the zillionth time in the last 6 years and although each time she goes it and the doctor says she won’t make it to (her next birthday, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, the end of summer…whatever season it happens to be) she always pulls through growing weaker and weaker. Well, this time it’s looking quite grim. That made my life a little less loveable as well.

However, for fear of annoying my readers by posting ANOTHER coupon post I contemplated not writing a TILT post this week. But I so wanted to. I’m meeting so many great people through these linky days and I’ve read so many wonderful blogs. So I’m going to share my coupon story because it really brought light to my awful shopping trip. For starters, I want to tell you that I saved $13.59 cents and spent $20.77. I think I did pretty good. Here’s what I bought.

My first stop was Walmart to do a price check on the Gerber food ($1.20 a pack) and get a deal on some Rollbacks. I used no coupons but this is what I bought.

Walmart:
Angel Soft Bath Tissue
Copy Paper
2 Pk Baskets (These WERE on my list even though I had never seen them. I needed something for sorting cleaning supplies)

$8.73 before tax. Paid Cash.

Target was a different story. I went there with intentions.

*Baby food was on sale for $0.89 a pack. I had 3 coupons (2 $1 off 4, 1 $0.75 off 3). Making them another $0.25 off each. This baby food at regular price is $1.25. Total saved per pack: $0.61. This made me SO happy.

*Dial soap. I went in with two coupons for each bottle. $1/1 Target store coupon (limit one per transaction) and $1/1 Manufacturer Coupon. I know the regular price on these is $4.99. I expected to save just $2 on each and spend $2.99 each. Just my luck, an unadvertized price cut of $1!! I saved $3 on each and spent only $1.99 on these. ($2.20 after tax) The first transaction I used my debit card (Baby food and 1 bottle soap) $9.03 before tax and paid cash on the second $1.99 before tax. Overall it was a great shopping trip.

Saving money is one of the few things I love this Thursday.

See what everyone else loves this Thursday at The Diaper Diaries.

I would like to make a note that I LOVE my family, darlings I’m not forgetting you, it’s just inevitable that I love you. Someday I’ll dedicate this to you. Someday.

Also..is there a way I can transfer all my history to blogger? Or would I just have to make my first post on there a link back to here?

Help! Advice? Please comment!!

Update: I took the plunge and switched. I’m not going to be uploading any posts from here to there but I’ve linked in my first post from there to my last post here.

My tip to staying awake during an 18 hour day:
Water, lots and lots of water. To learn why…read on.

I find it difficult to be wordless. I really do. I’m a very opinionated and talkative person. This is usually not beneficial to social relationships, but it’s my personality.

So while pondering whether to post a photo today and call it “Wordless Wednesday” or write a bit lengthier post and linking up to Works for Me Wednesday, well naturally due to my inability to shut up I cannot participate in Wordless Wednesday. Actually, that’s just my excuse. I’m an awful photographer. You pick the reason.

So today the only thing that really works for me is my reusable water bottle.

An Easter gift from my mother,  you heard me, I only received it just 3 days ago. Or perhaps you’re confused as to why I’m still receiving Easter gifts from my parents…ugh and I digress… Anyway. Yesterday I attempted to do something I never do. Ever. I woke up at 6:30 a.m. I know that’s a shocker to some people that wake up at that time or earlier every day but as a stay at home/work from home mom with a son that will sleep through the night until 8:30 or 9:00 a.m. sometimes I usually find it really hard to get out of bed before my son.

So yesterday I set my alarm to 6:15 and 6:19 and I only hit the snooze twice! (One for each alarm) and woke up just before 6:30. I had no idea how to make it through the day without a nap, but I know I needed to if I intended on regulating my sleep schedule. That’s right, I am attempting to turn over a new leaf as maybe you’ve noticed in recent blog posts about couponing, saving money, etc. I’m taking each baby step 2 days at a time and yesterday I started my early morning routine. 

Anyway, to conclude, this little baby, my water bottle, is really the only thing* that helped me through the long day. I made the promise to myself to drink at least 70 oz of water and this bottle is a 32 ouncer. Fill it 3 times and I’m covered. While promising myself to drink this much water, I’m obligated to have it with me at all times and take a sip at least once every 10 minutes or so. No naps for me ladies (and gents). This one’s got me covered. And that… is what works for me.

View what works for others at Works for Me Wednesday over at We are THAT Family. (**Sorry it took me so long to link up! I had an unexpected run of events today.)

*No coffee. Just ask my friend Dave…I don’t drink coffee. Never. Ever.

Okay. So the deal we made was that every extra cent I save using coupons would be put in our coin jar to be saved “for a rainy day.” If we don’t experience a “rainy day” within one year, we would decide as a family (or rather, a couple since our son isn’t capable of making many decisions on his own, but in a year…who knows?) what we would use it for. Be it a vacation, big item, etc. I also threw in the clause that after counting our savings at the end of that year, we would put 1/2 of it into a High Interest CD or Savings Bond. We do intend on sending our children to college or at least buying a home in the Florida Keys after they move out.

One more thing before the big reveal, I must ask you to withhold from laughter if you can. Our coin jar is not quite a jar. And it’s something my husband got as a gift in his teens (his sister got one too) and it really is (really!) meant to be a piggybank so I promise we didn’t just decide to use it as one, it really is one.

Without further ado. Our savings jar.

That’s right. It’s a jumbo Budweiser bottle. Please note: It never contained any alcoholic beverage. I promise. 

One more thing before I sign out for the day. I’m getting a bunch of incredible deals through a website called SavingsAngel. I’ve looked at my next shopping list and on the first 4 items on my list I will spend approximately $19 on $29 worth of products. That’s right. Next time, I’ll save at least (more, I’m sure once I get the rest of my list done) $10 on my next shopping trip. I can’t wait!! So check out Savings Angel and cut your grocery bill in half! I must let you know, that if you sign up using that link, I will get a little bit of credit, but I promise you, once you start using Savings Angel, you’ll want to refer it to your friends too (and you’ll also get credit!!)

Here’s my list so far of things to pack.

1) Abel’s clothes for the next 8 months. Many of these are already in a totes marked 9-12 mos and 12-18 mos.

2) My clothes. I have a feeling this will be a small box as most of my clothes are so OLD they need to be thrown away! The worst is though, is it cheaper to pack/transport clothes that are falling apart or just buy new ones. I think we all know the answer.

3) Jon’s clothes. Yes, he does have some clothes in Mississippi where he’s living and it’s true that he won’t even be living WITH us in MS, but at least once a week since he’s been there he begs me to send some “civies” and now I won’t have to!

4) Pots and Pans…and pie plates…and woks….you get the idea. Since we moved into a furnished etc. apartment here, I can pack this stuff up right away and just unbox and use the stuff that was here when we got here.

5) Silverware, knife blocks, etc. Also, I’ll just use what was already here.

6) Pictures and other things that are on walls/shelves around here. Also known as: Sentimentals.

7) Blankets. And also, a note to pack away the millions of extra blankets of Abel’s to just store here in MN until this fall.

8 ) Pantry items I won’t be using. I’m sure I’ll pack at least a few boxes even after I’ve given away several things to the food shelf here.

9) My cookbooks. I’m sorry babies, but I need to pack you away. I promise I’ll let you see the light of day, or at least the new kitchen, as soon as we arrive.

10) My glassware. Oh I dread packing this for fear of breaking. I don’t have a lot of glassware, but my lovely pink martini glasses MUST make the trip or I’ll cry!!!

Sorry this was such a boring list. Please forgive me and check out more [exciting] Top Tens at Oh Amanda.

I know I told you the other day that I stumbled. Well, I’ve been doing it every so often and I found out that another blog I love Stumbles as well. She actually has a MckLinky so I can link up this blog post with her post about stumbling!!! Many of the links I’m posting were found through the Stumble Upon website, however a few were referred to me by friends.

So here’s where I stumbled.

A better understanding of “Total Eclipse of the Heart.”

Mint.com: I’ll first need to admit that I haven’t explored every inch of this website, it does look like something I’ll be looking into further.

This next one, The Arrow of Time is a bit strange and I didn’t take the time to see the point of it, I did look at the entire thing and it intrigued me enough to earn a spot in “This week in Stumbles”

Ever wonder the difference between men and women? Well…here’s Life Explained by Cliff Pickover

An maybe you didn’t know it, but National Flags Never Tasted This Good!

My friend Carmen posted a link to the Best Band-Aid Packaging Ever on her Facebook page this week and I had to check it out.

And for all you couponers, here’s a link to a (yes legitimate) coupon for $1.00 off Dial Nutriskin Bodywash at Target Stores. Print it as many times as you like, but know that you can only use one per transaction.

Where do you stumble? If you blog about your favorite links, go ahead and link up to Saturday Stumbles by Mandi.

 I apologize for the blurry photo.
Here’s the results of this first shopping trip.
Total before store discounts: $69.42
Total before coupons: $67.77
Total paid: $64.47
Saved $4.95

Now I realize this is small change to those major couponers so please remember I’m just starting
I’d also like to note, that I also saved about $15 on formula by buying the store brand.

Please note the following: There are 3 cups of yogurt missing, when I got home I accidentally dropped them on the floor and the lids leaked a little bit so I put them in the refridgerator right away along with the milk, 64 oz container of Old Orchard Juice and a container of Orange Juice. Also, one can of spaghetti o’s is missing. I was hungry. And one jar of baby food is missing because that went straight to the baby’s tummy. Lastly, the cantelope is missing. I forgot it on the kitchen counter when I set the picture up. 

Let me outline my savings.
The Nestle water was on sale AND I had a coupon!! It was $3.48 per pack and is usually $3.88. I had a coupon for $1 off two. Saved a total of $1.80 on two packs.
Rice cereal was not on sale however I had a coupon for 55 cents off two boxes.  Saved 55 cents.
Gerber Apple juice. Coupon for $0.75 off two. Saved 75 cents.
Baby food was $0.46 per jar and is usually $0.53. Saved 7 cents per jar for a total savings of $0.49.
Yogurt was on sale AND I had a coupon!! It was only $0.50 per cup and is usually $0.56. I had a coupon for $0.50 off 6. Saved a total of $0.86 on 6 cups.
I also saved $0.50 on the container of Old Orchard Juice (not pictured) by using a coupon.

If you’re looking for more ways to save (and I ALWAYS am) check out Savings Angel. They really helped me save!!

Thanks also to my fellow bloggers, you inspire me!

Butterfly Kisses and Tasty Dishes
Mary Potter Kenyon
Where the heart says ahh… 

If anyone has any advice for me or if you also blog about couponing and saving $$ on groceries, COMMENT! I will gladly check out your blog!

I need to set one thing straight. I’m a first time mom with a 7 month old son. My husband is being held hostage (not literally!!) by the US Air Force and is living 1400 miles away from us. By many standards I’m a single momma. But I need to make in clear that I don’t know everything and I’m constantly seeking advice from others. This is obvious by an earlier post asking for help about cloth diapering and offering the chance to win a $10 Babies “R” Us Giftcard in exchange. 

–2–

If your baby has never had a diaper rash and is still in diapers, don’t assume he/she will not get one. My son has had 0 diaper rash problems since he was born. That being said, this week..he got one. A major one. (Or rather two if you count both cheeks.) The pain I feel for my baby is not equivalent to the pain he feels when he’s wiped/patted/or held by his bottom. 

—3—

If you ever need help, it’s there, and there, and there. It’s everyone. Really. Your mom, your mother-in-law, your father-in-law (really!) and this lovely invention called internet social groups. I’m part of several private and public forums for moms, consultants of the same business as mine, coupon junkies. Help is there, you just need to ask for it. 

—-4—-

Cloth diapers really are worth the effort. This comes from someone who uses disposables. I use them because I always feared the work it would take to use cloth diapers. And the disgusting cleaning job. But in the past few months and way more in the last week, I’m leaning toward switching to them. Or at least trying them out. If anyone has had experience using Fuzzi Bunz diapers, let me know anything I should know about them. But comment in this post so that you can get an entry into my giftcard giveaway. 

—–5—–

When your baby talks. Listen. Even if all you hear is “Bwaaah neau shhhhhuuu bu bwa thhhu pfff.” Because I promise you, if you can carry on a conversation, one day it will pay off when you’re trying to tell them about “the birds and the bees” because they’ll already know you’re willing to listen. 

——6——

Coupons can be amazing. I’m blessed to have found two website that have been so beneficial to my fight to financial freedom. http://www.huggies.com and Savings Angel. I joined the Huggies Baby Network back when I was about 8 month pregnant with Abel. Every month since then (count em…that’s about 8!) I’ve been getting coupons in the mail. It’s always the same 3 coupons but I look forward to them. Why? You can’t beat two coupons for $3.00 off diapers. You really can’t. 

And Savings Angel has been great because it’s an online community of couponers who share links to printable coupons (I printed 22 today, for a savings of $26.80.) and the best feature about the website, they highlight the current sales at many leading grocery stores including Walmart, Target, Kroger, Publix, Rainbow…and so on so that you can know the store deals without buying the newspaper or waiting until you get to the store. So you can plan your list accordingly and get the right coupons BEFORE you head out the door! 

——-7——-

As I close out this edition of Quick Takes, I want to take a quick moment to thank my husband. He does so much for us and sacrifices so much. It’s been almost 4 long months since he left for basic training. It’s been almost 1 month since he graduated from BMT and moved to Mississippi for job training. He’s missed over half of his son’s life. Why? Because he’s supporting his son, his wife, and most of all, he’s supporting all the sons, wives, daughters, mothers, fathers, etc in this country. I love my husband and I couldn’t imagine life without him. That said, I’m excited to announce that in just 2 weeks, my son and I are moving to Gulfport, MS so that my brave husband doesn’t have to miss another weekend with our baby. Wish us luck! We’ll need it! 

Just a note. Conversion Diary isn’t hosting an official 7 Quick Takes this Friday, however I’m still linking to her main page. 
And…I’m providing a Mister Linky list for you to post a link to your 7 Quick Takes this week! Don’t worry, I’m not hosting this full time, I’m just taking it on for this week. The Mister Linky may be a bit different than normal, please bear with me…I’m not an expert

“Fighting Store Pricing Crime, One Coupon at a Time”

“I will no longer feel embarrassed for hanging up the check out line for a measly 20 to 60 coupons being scanned. I will feel sorrow for the grumpy people behind me who are insensative to me on what it means to BE FREE of financial grocery bill burdens. In turn I rejoice in knowing I am sharing a blessing by my example and hopfully , they will get it! “

“Now , get out and shop!”

Be inspired like I was by this! It’s okay to be free of debt. Use your coupons. Every penny you save, is a penny you’ve earned. Throw it in the savings account and see what you’ve got in there a year later.
Consider this post to be the jumpstart to MY financial freedom. Look forward to post detailing my savings using coupons.