Sunday, December 28, 2008
Abort! Abort!
Okay, so apparently it is next Sunday... sorry for the confusion! I bought my standard 2 today, and next week it's 5!! I hope I didn't cost anyone extra money...
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Extra! Extra!
Just a head's up for anyone endeavoring to begin this hobby of couponing-tomorrow's Sunday paper is reportedly the biggest one of the year for coupons. I've been told that you will want 5 of them, so buy one, check it out, and then buy the appropriate amount of papers. *Before you buy a billion papers, go through one to see the total value of coupons-Remember, I'm new at this and am only reporting what I've heard about this Sunday's paper.*
Also, this site-the Grocery Game is an awesome resource! Using an extensive database, they track a 12-week cycle of coupons and prices. Each week, they post lists of all of the stores in your area and their sales and correlating coupons. It is a very comprehensive list that tells you what items are on sale, for what price, what coupon to use with it, the final price, and a percentage of sales. They are color coded so that you know how good the price is. If it is green, it is FREE. If it is blue, it is considered a 'rock-bottom' price and you should stock up now. Black means that it is a good price, but buy it only if you need it now. This is immensely helpful because it does all the work for you. Your grocery lists are made up itemizing your coupons and prices per store. It even tells you where to find each coupon. Couldn't be easier. It is a subscription service, but they offer a 4-week trial for only $1 total. With the trial, you can select every store they offer in your area. (I selected 7!) They are very clear about when you need to cancel or modify your subscription to avoid being charged again once the 4-week trial is over. This is totally worth it! Even if you don't subscribe beyond the trial, it is worth getting a feel for the process and identifying the best prices in your area. In short, if you want to coupon, do this almost-free trial to learn the ropes. If you find it worth it, subscribe to one or more stores beyond that. There are other sites (see my sidebar) who do similar services for free, but I haven't found anything as comprehensive or clearly laid out as this one.
If you sign up, be sure to use my email as a referral! Jessietaylortanner@yahoo.com.
Happy clipping!
Also, this site-the Grocery Game is an awesome resource! Using an extensive database, they track a 12-week cycle of coupons and prices. Each week, they post lists of all of the stores in your area and their sales and correlating coupons. It is a very comprehensive list that tells you what items are on sale, for what price, what coupon to use with it, the final price, and a percentage of sales. They are color coded so that you know how good the price is. If it is green, it is FREE. If it is blue, it is considered a 'rock-bottom' price and you should stock up now. Black means that it is a good price, but buy it only if you need it now. This is immensely helpful because it does all the work for you. Your grocery lists are made up itemizing your coupons and prices per store. It even tells you where to find each coupon. Couldn't be easier. It is a subscription service, but they offer a 4-week trial for only $1 total. With the trial, you can select every store they offer in your area. (I selected 7!) They are very clear about when you need to cancel or modify your subscription to avoid being charged again once the 4-week trial is over. This is totally worth it! Even if you don't subscribe beyond the trial, it is worth getting a feel for the process and identifying the best prices in your area. In short, if you want to coupon, do this almost-free trial to learn the ropes. If you find it worth it, subscribe to one or more stores beyond that. There are other sites (see my sidebar) who do similar services for free, but I haven't found anything as comprehensive or clearly laid out as this one.
If you sign up, be sure to use my email as a referral! Jessietaylortanner@yahoo.com.
Happy clipping!
Lost Documentation
I wanted to recap Christmas with some photos, but alas, my memory card seems to be corrupted and I can't get the images or video from it. I took video of Bella running out to her stocking and exclaiming 'He came!' as well as pictures of her enjoying her toys in unorthodox ways, and Timm and I enjoying our new gifts. They seem to be lost forever in the abyss of digital images that now exist only in theory, rather than on my pc or better yet, printed or posted to my blog. When I got out an old memory card to use instead I checked it for existing pictures and it contained a bunch from the hospital when we had Fiona.
I took this one from the hospital bed as we waited for the amnio test results to come back. Apparently I have a lot of freckles in the summer!
Bella enjoyed a good Christmas, and I think Timm and I (er, I mean, Santa...) hit upon a good balance this year. I only bought her a few items from the Dollar Spot for her stocking because she received such generous gifts from other family and we had presents we'd reserved from last Christmas when I was afraid she was getting too many things! We saved them through the last year and used them this Christmas, making for an affordable and reasonable Christmas. Her main gift (from us) was a train set, which she is thoroughly enjoying in the usual and unusual ways, as you might imagine. For the last 3 days Timm and I have played at least one game a day of one of our favorite gifts, Ticket to Ride, which we received from Timm's parents. (Anyone who is a fan of Settlers of Catan will probably enjoy this as well.) Timm had played it with Hannah and Linc before, but it was brand new to me. Over the next few days I will highlight some of our gifts as we enjoy them. We are very blessed and have received many wonderful things from many people that we would otherwise never enjoy, as well as several amazing handmade things, which are probably my favorite items.
I took this one from the hospital bed as we waited for the amnio test results to come back. Apparently I have a lot of freckles in the summer!Bella enjoyed a good Christmas, and I think Timm and I (er, I mean, Santa...) hit upon a good balance this year. I only bought her a few items from the Dollar Spot for her stocking because she received such generous gifts from other family and we had presents we'd reserved from last Christmas when I was afraid she was getting too many things! We saved them through the last year and used them this Christmas, making for an affordable and reasonable Christmas. Her main gift (from us) was a train set, which she is thoroughly enjoying in the usual and unusual ways, as you might imagine. For the last 3 days Timm and I have played at least one game a day of one of our favorite gifts, Ticket to Ride, which we received from Timm's parents. (Anyone who is a fan of Settlers of Catan will probably enjoy this as well.) Timm had played it with Hannah and Linc before, but it was brand new to me. Over the next few days I will highlight some of our gifts as we enjoy them. We are very blessed and have received many wonderful things from many people that we would otherwise never enjoy, as well as several amazing handmade things, which are probably my favorite items.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Sweet Baby
Ah, this little girl is just about pure cuteness and sweetness right now. With the colic and reflux apparently resolved, she is just as pleasant as can be. I never thought she was 'bad', or even 'difficult' since it was so clear that she was sick or in pain- in other words, I never faulted her for her fussiness. Still, it is a relief to know that she is just as sweet as can be, and so far at least every bit as easy as Bella was. Is.
She only mildly fusses to communicate hunger or fatigue, which are easily remedied. Her face instantly reveals the sweetest gummy smiles upon any interaction with her. With little effort you can almost always illicit giggles, or at least coos that seem like genuine attempts to communicate. Since she is now sleeping in her crib with little trouble she is that much easier. It also appears we may have a self-soother on our hands. When I put her down for a nap she usually fusses a bit while I attempt to calm her with pats to the back. When that doesn't work I leave her to work it out for herself, coming back intermittently to reassure. Almost every time she starts to calm, sucking her little fists, until she puts herself to sleep. Sometimes she awakes from a nap and does the same thing. Such a wonder. A joy to behold, a true miracle, a sweet little spirit entrusted into my care. 3 times now.
I marvel that just over 3 months ago she was a mere fetus, and can't wait to discover more about who she is and who she will become.
Coupon Conversation
Timm: Hand me a couple of those granola bars, will you?
Jessie: A 'couple'?
T: How much did you pay for that box of granola bars?
J: Um...$1.50.
T: And how many are in the box?
J: 10.
T: Okay, hand me 30 cents worth of granola bars.
J: Timm, they only cost $1.50, but we have to eat them like they're $3! (handing over one small granola bar.)
Jessie: A 'couple'?
T: How much did you pay for that box of granola bars?
J: Um...$1.50.
T: And how many are in the box?
J: 10.
T: Okay, hand me 30 cents worth of granola bars.
J: Timm, they only cost $1.50, but we have to eat them like they're $3! (handing over one small granola bar.)
Monday, December 22, 2008
Anti-Coupon Moms
{I've dubbed us the 'Anti-Coupon Moms' because we're going to put a new face on this 'hobby' of sorts. Or at least Molly is- my face is still...eh.}
This morning Molly and I went out early to hit a great sale at CVS. It was only a two-day sale, and it started yesterday, so by the time we got there at 8:30 am the other local coupon ladies had cleaned out most of the good stuff. And when I say 'good', I mean 'FREE.' See, CVS has this little promotion dealie where they give you "extra care bucks" for certain items that change with their weekly specials. ECBs are essentially store credits printed from the register like coupons, and when combined with manufacturer coupons you can actually make money. So you pay a little out of pocket to begin with, then you just continue to 'roll' your points to buy new things each week, so you shouldn't have to pay much or anything out of pocket if you choose the right things. Since I'm just starting out, I had a bit to pay out of pocket, but as you will see the benefits are clearly worth it.
(This SP is a testament to my new found love of couponing- Molly always looks great. Always. She is lithe and thin, with clear skin, a great smile and flat (in a good way) hair. Anything looks good on her, and she always looks put together and refined. Then there's me. I look good if I am at an appropriately thin weight (which I am not), have carefully applied hair and makeup and am shot from just the right angle with forewarning to pose for the camera. Sigh. I hate to be the fat friend, but that's just the way it is right now. I feel like telling people, 'I haven't always looked like this! I have problems! I'm aware and I'm going to fix it...sometime.' But I digress.)
Okay, I had some ECBs to start with, about $19 worth that I put towards my purchases. We made 2 trips to CVS, and one to Walgreen's and this was the loot:
Summary:
I paid out-of-pocket ('oop') : $40.13. Amount I got back in store credits to both stores: $43.54.
I saved: $108.67.
This morning Molly and I went out early to hit a great sale at CVS. It was only a two-day sale, and it started yesterday, so by the time we got there at 8:30 am the other local coupon ladies had cleaned out most of the good stuff. And when I say 'good', I mean 'FREE.' See, CVS has this little promotion dealie where they give you "extra care bucks" for certain items that change with their weekly specials. ECBs are essentially store credits printed from the register like coupons, and when combined with manufacturer coupons you can actually make money. So you pay a little out of pocket to begin with, then you just continue to 'roll' your points to buy new things each week, so you shouldn't have to pay much or anything out of pocket if you choose the right things. Since I'm just starting out, I had a bit to pay out of pocket, but as you will see the benefits are clearly worth it.
(This SP is a testament to my new found love of couponing- Molly always looks great. Always. She is lithe and thin, with clear skin, a great smile and flat (in a good way) hair. Anything looks good on her, and she always looks put together and refined. Then there's me. I look good if I am at an appropriately thin weight (which I am not), have carefully applied hair and makeup and am shot from just the right angle with forewarning to pose for the camera. Sigh. I hate to be the fat friend, but that's just the way it is right now. I feel like telling people, 'I haven't always looked like this! I have problems! I'm aware and I'm going to fix it...sometime.' But I digress.)Okay, I had some ECBs to start with, about $19 worth that I put towards my purchases. We made 2 trips to CVS, and one to Walgreen's and this was the loot:
Summary:I paid out-of-pocket ('oop') : $40.13. Amount I got back in store credits to both stores: $43.54.
I saved: $108.67.
Let me break that down for you in case it's not clear. Essentially, they paid me $3.41 to take all this stuff off their hands.
What I bought:
2 bottles of Listerine
1 Rightguard Clinical Strength deodorant
1 Coke Zero
1 Clorox Green Works bathroom cleaner
1 Clorox Green Works cleaner
1 bag of Hershey's Kisses
1 bag of York Peppermint Patties
1 bag of Rolos
2 bags of Russel Stover chocolates
1 Maybelline liquid foundation
1 box of Russel Stover chocolates
1 package of Hello Kitty band-aids
1 package of Hall's NAturals throat lozenges
2 Sally Hansen nail polishes
1 pack of BeneFiber drink mixes
2 boxes of Granola bars
1 Gillette Fusion razor with shower gel and shave gel
1 ConAir hair dryer
1 20-count Excedrin Gels
1 Loreal eyeshadow duo
1 bottle Complete contact solution.
Whew! This is good stuff.
Every time I coupon I learn something about it to change or tweak for the next time. For instance: this time there were about 3 coupons I threw away because I thought, 'I will never use that, even if someone gives it to me.' What I failed to realize is that they can still make me money. Example: I threw away a coupon for Sleepinal, a sleep-aid. It was on sale for free at CVS, and with my $1 coupon, it would have deducted that from the rest of my total, so it would essentially just be $1 off my purchase, beyond the sleeping pills! Does that make sense? I could've just sent the pills to my dad and I would've made a buck! This happened with about 3 different things today, so my lesson learned is keep every coupon. They could be worth $1 each or more.
I derive an inordinate amount of pleasure from doing my little scavenger hunts matching up deals, sales, and coupons. I will have to start being more aggressive with the shopping and get there early!
2 bottles of Listerine
1 Rightguard Clinical Strength deodorant
1 Coke Zero
1 Clorox Green Works bathroom cleaner
1 Clorox Green Works cleaner
1 bag of Hershey's Kisses
1 bag of York Peppermint Patties
1 bag of Rolos
2 bags of Russel Stover chocolates
1 Maybelline liquid foundation
1 box of Russel Stover chocolates
1 package of Hello Kitty band-aids
1 package of Hall's NAturals throat lozenges
2 Sally Hansen nail polishes
1 pack of BeneFiber drink mixes
2 boxes of Granola bars
1 Gillette Fusion razor with shower gel and shave gel
1 ConAir hair dryer
1 20-count Excedrin Gels
1 Loreal eyeshadow duo
1 bottle Complete contact solution.
Whew! This is good stuff.
Every time I coupon I learn something about it to change or tweak for the next time. For instance: this time there were about 3 coupons I threw away because I thought, 'I will never use that, even if someone gives it to me.' What I failed to realize is that they can still make me money. Example: I threw away a coupon for Sleepinal, a sleep-aid. It was on sale for free at CVS, and with my $1 coupon, it would have deducted that from the rest of my total, so it would essentially just be $1 off my purchase, beyond the sleeping pills! Does that make sense? I could've just sent the pills to my dad and I would've made a buck! This happened with about 3 different things today, so my lesson learned is keep every coupon. They could be worth $1 each or more.
I derive an inordinate amount of pleasure from doing my little scavenger hunts matching up deals, sales, and coupons. I will have to start being more aggressive with the shopping and get there early!
Friday, December 19, 2008
Sights of the Season
(All color-coordinated ornaments courtesy of my mom, of course.)
(As well as the color-coordinated presents under the tree!)
(Bella and Sebastian in the background.)
(Bella's bedside table.)
(Bella's tree with vintage ornaments.)At Last
I think we're on to something.Last night Fiona slept in her crib for the whole night for the first time. Not through the night, mind you, but all night nonetheless.
Until this point, Fiona would only sleep in the swing during the day and occasionally at night, and only in my arms in bed at night. I swear.
When she was so tiny I didn't feel okay letting her cry it out and leave her somewhere to sleep that felt so vast and foreign to her. I believe that it is impossible to spoil a newborn. However, at some point good sleep habits have to be developed for everyone's good, baby most importantly. I hemmed and hawed trying to decide what point that would be as she approaches 4 months, the age when Bella could put herself to sleep. Last night it was decided for us. Our swing has been on the fritz which is not surprising since we bought it second hand at Kid 2 Kid for Bella. Yesterday it finally ceased to work after several maddening instances where it would stop swinging while she was sleeping, thus waking her up. So, I fed her and rocked her just into a delirious and drunken, though barely awake state and then transferred her into her crib. She stirred and began to cry. I patted her for a few minutes, then left her with the static from her baby monitor on, serving as a white noise backdrop to lull her to sleep. I timed her for 5 minutes when Timm went back in to pat her belly for a minute. She fell asleep and slept for 3 hours. That's all it took: 5 minutes. Done. I was amazed. She went down at 7pm, then woke at 10pm, 1am, 3am, and 6 am to eat. Good heavens! Now I anxiously await the next month when she will probably be old enough to go through the night without eating. I can't believe it was that easy. It makes me feel stupid that I didn't do it earlier, though who knows if I would have had the same results when she was younger. But I am making a note to self that it was so much easier than I thought and not to wait if there is ever a next time! (I say the day after, before we have proved it another night...)
Today she has taken two naps in there with similar results, so it's looking good. My baby's growing up!
Until this point, Fiona would only sleep in the swing during the day and occasionally at night, and only in my arms in bed at night. I swear.When she was so tiny I didn't feel okay letting her cry it out and leave her somewhere to sleep that felt so vast and foreign to her. I believe that it is impossible to spoil a newborn. However, at some point good sleep habits have to be developed for everyone's good, baby most importantly. I hemmed and hawed trying to decide what point that would be as she approaches 4 months, the age when Bella could put herself to sleep. Last night it was decided for us. Our swing has been on the fritz which is not surprising since we bought it second hand at Kid 2 Kid for Bella. Yesterday it finally ceased to work after several maddening instances where it would stop swinging while she was sleeping, thus waking her up. So, I fed her and rocked her just into a delirious and drunken, though barely awake state and then transferred her into her crib. She stirred and began to cry. I patted her for a few minutes, then left her with the static from her baby monitor on, serving as a white noise backdrop to lull her to sleep. I timed her for 5 minutes when Timm went back in to pat her belly for a minute. She fell asleep and slept for 3 hours. That's all it took: 5 minutes. Done. I was amazed. She went down at 7pm, then woke at 10pm, 1am, 3am, and 6 am to eat. Good heavens! Now I anxiously await the next month when she will probably be old enough to go through the night without eating. I can't believe it was that easy. It makes me feel stupid that I didn't do it earlier, though who knows if I would have had the same results when she was younger. But I am making a note to self that it was so much easier than I thought and not to wait if there is ever a next time! (I say the day after, before we have proved it another night...)
Today she has taken two naps in there with similar results, so it's looking good. My baby's growing up!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Deals
Our Nissan is in the shop, leaving me carless during the day so when Timm got home tonight I was off to do a couple of couponing errands. First I went to Walgreen's, or Wags, in the couple world. Still a rookie, it takes me a little while to navigate the stores I am not used to shopping at, looking for products I am not accustomed to looking for. While I do enjoy the scavenger hunt aspect, I am looking forward to speeding up my times a bit so my part-time job doesn't turn out to be more like a full-time job. Still, I enjoy getting some sweet deals. I have only been seriously been doing this for about 2 or 3 weeks, and I already have more toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner than I know what to do with. It's not just food storage- it's toiletry storage too. As I got to the register and turned over all my coupons, the woman behind me said, 'Oh, she has coupons.' with a derisive tone. I turned and muttered 'Sorry', with a smile, and not a thing. Not an 'It's okay', not a smile in return, nothing. Rude! My first coupon-related discrimination. Beotch. She's just jealous. Or she should be. She would be if she knew what was good for her. Moving on. Then the cashier wouldn't accept my internet coupons, jerk, so I had to have her void several tubes of toothpaste that I otherwise would have made money on. On my way out of the store one of my bags broke and cans rolled under the car so I am on my hands and knees on the wet pavement picking them up. On to CVS. Some more sweet deals. I go through the same routine, go to pay, ask for a rain check on M & M's, question the cashier, check prices and coupons, then shuffle off to the side to verify my receipt. In the same parking lot there is a jack in the Box, so I went through the drive-thru to reward myself with an Eggnog shake. I pull up, open my door since my window doesn't work, hand my money including sticky change to the cashier all the while my van squeaking because of the belt that needs replacing.
Am I white trash? Am I selling my soul for coupons?
Nevertheless, here a couple of awesome deals I got this week, so judge away full retail-paying woman behind me in line.
Harris Teeter- Total value $44.36. I paid...Wait for it... $4.18. That's right. Free items: 5 tubes of toothpaste, 2 toothbrushes, 1 tube of Blistex, and one can of cat treats. Everything else was next to free, since my total was $4.18. Take that Spazzy McGee!
Total shopping trip stats: 3 stores-Bi-Lo, Harris Teeter, and Lowe's. Total value: $134.80. I paid: $34.89. I saved: $99.91. Free items besides the aforementioned: a box of rice and 2 packs of Mento's gum. The cereal was .58 cents a box- a personal best so far. Hence, the 10 boxes that are now in my linen closet. 58 cents!!
My freezer. We battled for about 10 minutes while I tried to get it to close.
Items falling out as I take the picture.
Am I white trash? Am I selling my soul for coupons?
Nevertheless, here a couple of awesome deals I got this week, so judge away full retail-paying woman behind me in line.
Harris Teeter- Total value $44.36. I paid...Wait for it... $4.18. That's right. Free items: 5 tubes of toothpaste, 2 toothbrushes, 1 tube of Blistex, and one can of cat treats. Everything else was next to free, since my total was $4.18. Take that Spazzy McGee!
Total shopping trip stats: 3 stores-Bi-Lo, Harris Teeter, and Lowe's. Total value: $134.80. I paid: $34.89. I saved: $99.91. Free items besides the aforementioned: a box of rice and 2 packs of Mento's gum. The cereal was .58 cents a box- a personal best so far. Hence, the 10 boxes that are now in my linen closet. 58 cents!!
My freezer. We battled for about 10 minutes while I tried to get it to close.
Items falling out as I take the picture.Which leads me to this. I really want a freezer. Really bad. I have searched Craig's List and found several for under $100, and that is the next big ticket on my wish list! How much of a dork am I? I am missing out on so many great deals just because I have no more freezer space! As soon as we can we have to get a freezer, which means we have to wire the garage for power as well. I am dreaming of a freezer. Upright, chest, whatever. I also need room in the garage for my food storage! I already commandeered what space I could in the linen closet, and now I'm out. We need room for food storage in the garage. I've said my peace.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Fiona at 3 Months
Ignore the fact that Fi is wearing a Halloween outfit. It still fits, so I took these a couple of days ago, at 3 months.
I'd say this last month has been a good one. About 2-3 weeks ago, Fi's colic symptoms seemed to have vanished! A heaven-sent blessing, to be sure. It was only intense for 4-6 weeks, so I was able to maintain my patience and keep a tenuous grasp on sanity. I always feared that colic was an indicator of personality, and if one of my kids displayed it, it would mean I was doomed to a difficult and contrary child. Luckily this does not seem to be the case at all with Fi. She is a happy child, usually only giving to tears if tired or hungry. She has started smiling spontaneously and even giggling within the last week or so. How I love those smiles and giggles! Just one of those little miracles can dissolve any stress, sadness or distress momentarily. Truly magic.
She is growing at a steady clip, although I still need to take her in to have her weight checked for this month. I also haven't yet gotten her first vaccines, which she was supposed to receive at 2 months- Oops! Her sleeping is still a bit of a torment. During the day she largely sleeps in her swing, and does fairly well at that. She seems to do best when we are out and about in the car, doing errands. Night, however is a different story. She is only happy sleeping in my arms, in bed with us. Sometimes I love this sweet embrace between mother and child. She sleeps so soundly, and it is gratifying to be able to soothe her so completely and so quickly. I love to hold her close to my body and gaze down at her sweetly closed eyes and steady breathing. I love the closeness that I feel between us, this symbiotic relationship that exists now outside of the womb.
However, I do wish she would sleep in her crib, that she would be soothed in places other than my arms. I wish that I had the option- I would still choose to cradle her and sleep with her at times, but also be able to lay her down in the crib and be productive with full use of my hands as well as enjoy a peaceful solitary sleep. Shortly we hope to begin sleep training, letting her learn to fall asleep and soothe herself. Up until this point I have not felt comfortable letting her cry herself to sleep, but shortly she will need to learn this skill. Why is sleep training so difficult- emotionally and physically for both mother and child? (as well as everyone else in the house...)
Her reflux also seems to be on the mend. She doesn't spit up nearly a much, nor does the burning seem to bother her as often. Hallelujah!
We have no such thing as a schedule, and parent her on demand. Bella was the same way- try as I might to regulate a schedule she resisted it until about 9 months old, so until that time we just demand-fed. Although, by 4 months old Bella was sleeping from 7pm-7am every night. I hope we can do the same with Fi just one month from now!
She seems to be growing so fast now, leaving the stage of infancy for a quickly-developing baby. It is a bitter-sweet experience to see your baby grow and change so quickly. How is it that we have only had this sweet girl for 3 months? What did we do before her?
I'd say this last month has been a good one. About 2-3 weeks ago, Fi's colic symptoms seemed to have vanished! A heaven-sent blessing, to be sure. It was only intense for 4-6 weeks, so I was able to maintain my patience and keep a tenuous grasp on sanity. I always feared that colic was an indicator of personality, and if one of my kids displayed it, it would mean I was doomed to a difficult and contrary child. Luckily this does not seem to be the case at all with Fi. She is a happy child, usually only giving to tears if tired or hungry. She has started smiling spontaneously and even giggling within the last week or so. How I love those smiles and giggles! Just one of those little miracles can dissolve any stress, sadness or distress momentarily. Truly magic.She is growing at a steady clip, although I still need to take her in to have her weight checked for this month. I also haven't yet gotten her first vaccines, which she was supposed to receive at 2 months- Oops! Her sleeping is still a bit of a torment. During the day she largely sleeps in her swing, and does fairly well at that. She seems to do best when we are out and about in the car, doing errands. Night, however is a different story. She is only happy sleeping in my arms, in bed with us. Sometimes I love this sweet embrace between mother and child. She sleeps so soundly, and it is gratifying to be able to soothe her so completely and so quickly. I love to hold her close to my body and gaze down at her sweetly closed eyes and steady breathing. I love the closeness that I feel between us, this symbiotic relationship that exists now outside of the womb.
However, I do wish she would sleep in her crib, that she would be soothed in places other than my arms. I wish that I had the option- I would still choose to cradle her and sleep with her at times, but also be able to lay her down in the crib and be productive with full use of my hands as well as enjoy a peaceful solitary sleep. Shortly we hope to begin sleep training, letting her learn to fall asleep and soothe herself. Up until this point I have not felt comfortable letting her cry herself to sleep, but shortly she will need to learn this skill. Why is sleep training so difficult- emotionally and physically for both mother and child? (as well as everyone else in the house...)
Her reflux also seems to be on the mend. She doesn't spit up nearly a much, nor does the burning seem to bother her as often. Hallelujah!We have no such thing as a schedule, and parent her on demand. Bella was the same way- try as I might to regulate a schedule she resisted it until about 9 months old, so until that time we just demand-fed. Although, by 4 months old Bella was sleeping from 7pm-7am every night. I hope we can do the same with Fi just one month from now!
She seems to be growing so fast now, leaving the stage of infancy for a quickly-developing baby. It is a bitter-sweet experience to see your baby grow and change so quickly. How is it that we have only had this sweet girl for 3 months? What did we do before her?
Am-A-zing!
Thanks to Molly, I have a new hobby. A hobby that ordinarily would make me a freak, but since Molly was doing it I figured it couldn't be too bad. While I reside very close to the line of freakish and weird, Molly does not. I reason that if she can do it, it must mean that it can be done and one can still remain normal. That hobby is couponing. It is the first hobby I have had that actually saves us money instead of drains it. I never 'wasted' time couponing in the past because I thought it was just that- a waste of time. I figured that coupons were always for things I wouldn't normally buy anyway, so I would spend more money purchasing something I otherwise would have avoided just to save 25 cents. Factor in all the time spent clipping coupons, time spent visiting various stores, money spent on Sunday papers, and it all seemed like quite a waste. Turns out, I just didn't understand the process.
The key points of couponing are these: you combine coupons with things that are already on sale to maximize savings. Shop at stores that offer double coupons, and you save even more. Most grocery stores in my area always double coupons up to 99 cents, and offer special promotions to triple coupons. When you combine your doubled coupons with good sales, you can get some unbelievable deals. Even if it's something that you wouldn't otherwise buy, if it's practically free, it's still worth it. For instance: If my grocery store has a deal for Buy 1 Get 1 free cereal, I can also use 2 coupons. Even though I am receiving one item free, I can still use a coupon for it. (You can always use 1 coupon per item, unless it specifies otherwise.) So- if Rice Krispies are usually 4 dollars each, but they are B1G1, it is a total of 4 dollars for both boxes. If I have 2 manufacturer coupons for $1 off each box, I use 2 coupons, and reduce the price to $2 total. That takes me from $4 a box to $1 a box. This is a deal I just did. Except I rounded up to make the example easier. I actually paid 87 cents per box. Sweet.
Always double your coupons! Most stores that double will double up to 99 cents per coupon. That means that anything over 99 cents it taken at face value and not doubled. ( So a .75 coupon would double to $1.50, whereas a $1 coupon is just $1.)
You also change your perspective on shopping. You stockpile items you regularly use at the best price you will find. You might not need it now, but you will need it eventually, and you probably won't find it any cheaper than these rock-bottom prices. Erase your previous notions of whether you 'need it', just because you are not currently out. This will save you money in the long run.
For best results, buy or subscribe to 2 Sunday papers. It is totally worth the money you will spend at $1.50 per paper. When there is a particularly good deal, you will wish you had as many coupons as you can acquire. (For instance, a couple weeks ago I was able to buy Del Monte canned vegetables for only 9 cents a can! However, since I was still very new to couponing, I only had one coupon and thus, could only buy one can at 9 cents. Too bad. They regularly sell at $1.19.) There are also a plethora of internet coupons available, and most stores honor them.
Don't buy it unless it is on sale and/or you have a coupon for it. Preferably both. At first this might be difficult because you will want and need things that do not fit this criteria, but if you keep at it for long enough, you will be able to acquire it, and at a much better price, possibly free. That's right- FREE! Because you will stockpile those coveted items, you should have a good supply to last you until the next good sale. For instance, this week I accumulated 14 boxes of cereal in my pantry because I bought them all between .87 and $1.15 a box. (Half of them were Smart Start which are usually more than $4 a box.)
You can even get things for FREE! These are the best deals you will get! Some things I have recently gotten for free include Daisy sour cream, Maybelline lipstick and lipgloss, Knorr rice and pasta sides. Completely free, I didn't pay a cent. Well, sales tax for some of them.
Usually when you are trying to save money, you purchase the largest size available because your cost per until will be less. The opposite is true of couponing. If you have a coupon for .75 off of any size of Daisy sour cream, that doubles to $1.50. If you purchase the smallest size, you get it for completely free. If you purchase the largest size, you might get less than half off. Purchase the smallest amount necessary per coupon, for the best price.
Even if you wouldn't usually buy it, sometimes it's still worth it. For instance, I recently bought several Knorr side dishes that I have never even looked at. I got them for only the price of the sales tax, so it is worth it to me to have this shelf-stable item, even if it is only for food storage purposes. I got some Green Giant frozen vegetables that usually retail at $2 or more per box, but at .25 a box, it was worth it for me to buy several. Timm loves it because this has allowed him to enjoy several things I wouldn't otherwise have bought, like sausage or frozen pizza.
Shop at as many stores as you need to. I had to come to terms with this, but it is necessary to really save money as sales and prices vary widely from week to week and store to store.
This is only my latest trip, and by no means my most profitable. All of this cost me about $62, and I saved $74. Last week I spent a total of $85 and saved $115. In other words, I purchased $200 worth of groceries for only $85.
This lipstick and lipgloss were totally free. CVS had a sale for B1G1, and I had (2) $4 coupons from last Sunday's papers. Even though 1 item was technically free, I could still apply a coupon to it. My total at the register came out to -.84, so I bought a candy bar to bring my balance to a positive of 26 cents. Hello?!
So here is my process, keeping in mind that I have only been doing this for a couple of weeks. On Sundays I get 2 papers from the coin-operated machines. Obviously you can also buy them at the store, or subscribe. Don't wait until Monday to purchase them, or you may have a very hard time finding them in stock. On Mondays I clip the coupons, and organize them in a binder filled with plastic sheets used to organized baseball cards. (search for 'Coupon Binder' on YouTube for video instructions-) Wednesdays the new grocery ads come out, so I look up my stores online and search their ads. (I shop at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Bloom, Bi-Lo, Lowes, CVS, and Walgreen's. Not all of them all the time, however.) I look for the best sales, and compare them to things I also have coupons for. Once you start collecting and organizing coupons you will start to have a general idea for what you have. I write down what is on sale, what my coupon is for, and what my final cost will be. When I make out my lists, I also include the amount of items I will purchase. Once I have made my lists, I move the necessary coupons over to a small, purse-size coupon organizer that I have divided into all of my separate stores.
Of course this does take some time, but I view it as my part-time job, as my way of helping our family. The shopping part can be difficult with 2 small children, but otherwise I think it's kind of fun! It's like a scavenger hunt, looking for specific items, making sure I have the correct thing and correct coupon, waiting to see the register tape and how much I spent versus how much I saved. It's exciting and it satisfies a shopping urge I cannot otherwise indulge. It would be much easier for those without small children because you could complete the shopping much faster without carting small children in and out of stores.
I never thought I could save this much money with coupons, or that I would enjoy it like I do. I like the thrill of getting amazing deals, filling our pantry with food and also stockpiling food storage. Right now I am spending approximatetly the same amount that I normally would on groceries, but acquiring at least twice the amount of food, stockpiling and building my pantry. You could easily cut your food budget in half if you approached it as just a week-to-week purchasing of only what you need at the time.
The biggest adjustment for me will be to make recipes and meal plans based on what I buy on sale, and try to maintain healthy choices that I can 'point-out' and not merely eat conveneince foods that are often found at good deals. ( However, I do use these items occasionally, and they are still great for food storage.)
So that's my summary of couponing, and I owe it all to Miss Molly.
On my sidebar I have added a running total of my grocery totals and savings, as well as several sites that will help you navigate the couponing world. Many of these sites offer lists of stores and their sales and coupons available, essentially doing the homework for you. If you live in Utah, the Penny Pinching site is an invaluable resource. Luckies!
If anyone else is a more seasoned couponer than I, please offer any advice, tips, and suggestions! Questions welcome as well. Anyone who doesn't coupon, but still receives coupons is more than welcome to send them to me!
Hannah, Diana, Rachelle-you other young mothers would be great at this!
The key points of couponing are these: you combine coupons with things that are already on sale to maximize savings. Shop at stores that offer double coupons, and you save even more. Most grocery stores in my area always double coupons up to 99 cents, and offer special promotions to triple coupons. When you combine your doubled coupons with good sales, you can get some unbelievable deals. Even if it's something that you wouldn't otherwise buy, if it's practically free, it's still worth it. For instance: If my grocery store has a deal for Buy 1 Get 1 free cereal, I can also use 2 coupons. Even though I am receiving one item free, I can still use a coupon for it. (You can always use 1 coupon per item, unless it specifies otherwise.) So- if Rice Krispies are usually 4 dollars each, but they are B1G1, it is a total of 4 dollars for both boxes. If I have 2 manufacturer coupons for $1 off each box, I use 2 coupons, and reduce the price to $2 total. That takes me from $4 a box to $1 a box. This is a deal I just did. Except I rounded up to make the example easier. I actually paid 87 cents per box. Sweet.
Always double your coupons! Most stores that double will double up to 99 cents per coupon. That means that anything over 99 cents it taken at face value and not doubled. ( So a .75 coupon would double to $1.50, whereas a $1 coupon is just $1.)
You also change your perspective on shopping. You stockpile items you regularly use at the best price you will find. You might not need it now, but you will need it eventually, and you probably won't find it any cheaper than these rock-bottom prices. Erase your previous notions of whether you 'need it', just because you are not currently out. This will save you money in the long run.
For best results, buy or subscribe to 2 Sunday papers. It is totally worth the money you will spend at $1.50 per paper. When there is a particularly good deal, you will wish you had as many coupons as you can acquire. (For instance, a couple weeks ago I was able to buy Del Monte canned vegetables for only 9 cents a can! However, since I was still very new to couponing, I only had one coupon and thus, could only buy one can at 9 cents. Too bad. They regularly sell at $1.19.) There are also a plethora of internet coupons available, and most stores honor them.
Don't buy it unless it is on sale and/or you have a coupon for it. Preferably both. At first this might be difficult because you will want and need things that do not fit this criteria, but if you keep at it for long enough, you will be able to acquire it, and at a much better price, possibly free. That's right- FREE! Because you will stockpile those coveted items, you should have a good supply to last you until the next good sale. For instance, this week I accumulated 14 boxes of cereal in my pantry because I bought them all between .87 and $1.15 a box. (Half of them were Smart Start which are usually more than $4 a box.)
You can even get things for FREE! These are the best deals you will get! Some things I have recently gotten for free include Daisy sour cream, Maybelline lipstick and lipgloss, Knorr rice and pasta sides. Completely free, I didn't pay a cent. Well, sales tax for some of them.
Usually when you are trying to save money, you purchase the largest size available because your cost per until will be less. The opposite is true of couponing. If you have a coupon for .75 off of any size of Daisy sour cream, that doubles to $1.50. If you purchase the smallest size, you get it for completely free. If you purchase the largest size, you might get less than half off. Purchase the smallest amount necessary per coupon, for the best price.
Even if you wouldn't usually buy it, sometimes it's still worth it. For instance, I recently bought several Knorr side dishes that I have never even looked at. I got them for only the price of the sales tax, so it is worth it to me to have this shelf-stable item, even if it is only for food storage purposes. I got some Green Giant frozen vegetables that usually retail at $2 or more per box, but at .25 a box, it was worth it for me to buy several. Timm loves it because this has allowed him to enjoy several things I wouldn't otherwise have bought, like sausage or frozen pizza.
Shop at as many stores as you need to. I had to come to terms with this, but it is necessary to really save money as sales and prices vary widely from week to week and store to store.
Is it worth it?
Here is my proof:
Here is my proof:
This is only my latest trip, and by no means my most profitable. All of this cost me about $62, and I saved $74. Last week I spent a total of $85 and saved $115. In other words, I purchased $200 worth of groceries for only $85.
This lipstick and lipgloss were totally free. CVS had a sale for B1G1, and I had (2) $4 coupons from last Sunday's papers. Even though 1 item was technically free, I could still apply a coupon to it. My total at the register came out to -.84, so I bought a candy bar to bring my balance to a positive of 26 cents. Hello?!So here is my process, keeping in mind that I have only been doing this for a couple of weeks. On Sundays I get 2 papers from the coin-operated machines. Obviously you can also buy them at the store, or subscribe. Don't wait until Monday to purchase them, or you may have a very hard time finding them in stock. On Mondays I clip the coupons, and organize them in a binder filled with plastic sheets used to organized baseball cards. (search for 'Coupon Binder' on YouTube for video instructions-) Wednesdays the new grocery ads come out, so I look up my stores online and search their ads. (I shop at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Bloom, Bi-Lo, Lowes, CVS, and Walgreen's. Not all of them all the time, however.) I look for the best sales, and compare them to things I also have coupons for. Once you start collecting and organizing coupons you will start to have a general idea for what you have. I write down what is on sale, what my coupon is for, and what my final cost will be. When I make out my lists, I also include the amount of items I will purchase. Once I have made my lists, I move the necessary coupons over to a small, purse-size coupon organizer that I have divided into all of my separate stores.
Of course this does take some time, but I view it as my part-time job, as my way of helping our family. The shopping part can be difficult with 2 small children, but otherwise I think it's kind of fun! It's like a scavenger hunt, looking for specific items, making sure I have the correct thing and correct coupon, waiting to see the register tape and how much I spent versus how much I saved. It's exciting and it satisfies a shopping urge I cannot otherwise indulge. It would be much easier for those without small children because you could complete the shopping much faster without carting small children in and out of stores.
I never thought I could save this much money with coupons, or that I would enjoy it like I do. I like the thrill of getting amazing deals, filling our pantry with food and also stockpiling food storage. Right now I am spending approximatetly the same amount that I normally would on groceries, but acquiring at least twice the amount of food, stockpiling and building my pantry. You could easily cut your food budget in half if you approached it as just a week-to-week purchasing of only what you need at the time.
The biggest adjustment for me will be to make recipes and meal plans based on what I buy on sale, and try to maintain healthy choices that I can 'point-out' and not merely eat conveneince foods that are often found at good deals. ( However, I do use these items occasionally, and they are still great for food storage.)
So that's my summary of couponing, and I owe it all to Miss Molly.
On my sidebar I have added a running total of my grocery totals and savings, as well as several sites that will help you navigate the couponing world. Many of these sites offer lists of stores and their sales and coupons available, essentially doing the homework for you. If you live in Utah, the Penny Pinching site is an invaluable resource. Luckies!
If anyone else is a more seasoned couponer than I, please offer any advice, tips, and suggestions! Questions welcome as well. Anyone who doesn't coupon, but still receives coupons is more than welcome to send them to me!
Hannah, Diana, Rachelle-you other young mothers would be great at this!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
I didn't mean it, I swear!!
In short, Smegel is dying.
(Everything I want to express has to be in short, since I have no time for anything else. In order to avoid letting the little details of my life slip away I am going to at least try to record them, albeit fleetingly and vaguely.)
We got Smegel because he was a carrier for a heart condition called HCM, or Hypertrophic Cardio Myopathy. The chances of him actually developing the condition were slim, and I didn't think much of it the last 5 years.
Then about 2 weeks ago he started sneezing. Not little faint kitty sneezes. Big sneezes with a wide spray. Then he started coughing these unearthly coughs that sounded like pieces of his lungs were trying to make their way through his esophagus. I noticed he was getting a bit lethargic and not eating much. I commented to Timm that Smegel was really sick, and he reminded me of this possible condition. I promptly googled it, and it seems Smegel is exhibiting most of the symptoms of the advanced stages of this disease. Sadly, at this late stage there is not much that can be done, and he probably has less than 3 months, although I have a hard time imagining him lasting that long. For now I am trying to make him comfortable, love him as much as possible, and watch. As long as he seems no more than uncomfortable I will enjoy the time left. If he deteriorates than I will have to consider euthanasia.
I feel really bad about this. I was really frustrated with the cats after Fiona was born, but I still love them. In fact, Smegel is my favorite pet I've ever had, and I've had a lot of pets.
He is wheezing, I can hear him from across the room. He probably has fluid in his lungs and possibly around his heart. I am trying to comfort him, but I couldn't help but feel guilty after I realized his diagnosis.
I love this little guy, dirt and all.
Even when he claws the furniture. Ack!!
When he inexplicably throws up on the carpet.
He 'smegelizes' my clothes.
He smells like scrambled eggs.
He sweats.
I have to bathe him.
He has undulating fat rolls and kitty cleavage.
I really love him, and I will really miss him.
(Everything I want to express has to be in short, since I have no time for anything else. In order to avoid letting the little details of my life slip away I am going to at least try to record them, albeit fleetingly and vaguely.)
We got Smegel because he was a carrier for a heart condition called HCM, or Hypertrophic Cardio Myopathy. The chances of him actually developing the condition were slim, and I didn't think much of it the last 5 years.
Then about 2 weeks ago he started sneezing. Not little faint kitty sneezes. Big sneezes with a wide spray. Then he started coughing these unearthly coughs that sounded like pieces of his lungs were trying to make their way through his esophagus. I noticed he was getting a bit lethargic and not eating much. I commented to Timm that Smegel was really sick, and he reminded me of this possible condition. I promptly googled it, and it seems Smegel is exhibiting most of the symptoms of the advanced stages of this disease. Sadly, at this late stage there is not much that can be done, and he probably has less than 3 months, although I have a hard time imagining him lasting that long. For now I am trying to make him comfortable, love him as much as possible, and watch. As long as he seems no more than uncomfortable I will enjoy the time left. If he deteriorates than I will have to consider euthanasia.
I feel really bad about this. I was really frustrated with the cats after Fiona was born, but I still love them. In fact, Smegel is my favorite pet I've ever had, and I've had a lot of pets.
He is wheezing, I can hear him from across the room. He probably has fluid in his lungs and possibly around his heart. I am trying to comfort him, but I couldn't help but feel guilty after I realized his diagnosis.
I love this little guy, dirt and all.
Even when he claws the furniture. Ack!!
When he inexplicably throws up on the carpet.
He 'smegelizes' my clothes.
He smells like scrambled eggs.
He sweats.
I have to bathe him.
He has undulating fat rolls and kitty cleavage.
I really love him, and I will really miss him.
Monday, December 08, 2008
Cliffs Notes
Lately it seems I have no time. Between a baby who seems only capable of being comforted by me and not her dad, the Thanksgiving holiday and company, the business of Christmas, a busy 3-year old and teaching Joy School last week and this week, trying to maintain a relatively clean home... I try to fit a nap in when I can since Fiona still sleeps in our bed?!$@* and eats every 2-3 hours, so that leaves me with little to no time for anything but the aforementioned, including blogging. I have a ton that I want to write about, but lacking the time I will at least try to record some photos. So here's Thanksgiving in photos, and no words. It's something.
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