Gratitude

Today I did my weekly shopping trip to my local King Soopers and walked out filled with emotion.

My first emotion was happiness and excitement. My total cost this week was $59.78 with a savings of $156.40. And just so you can see what just under $60 worth of groceries and personal care items look like in my house here it is...

Yes, this is my entire trip...all the way down to my gallon of milk (I usually buy 2 but we had a little extra left from having house guests last week). Quite a few of the items were a part of the sales going on this week but some of things I picked up weren't hot items...just things I needed to buy. So this isn't full on "extreme" couponing because, well, I live in the real world where buying 40 bottles of mustard just won't cut it for the week.

Ok...I'm digressing.

The point is, shortly after my elation, my mood shifted. I felt tears forming in my eyes and I started crying. What I realized is how blessed I feel. It is just unbelievable that I can do so much for my family with just a little effort. It really is SO easy! That's what I kept telling my daughter as we were leaving the store (ya know, because I have conversations with my 10 month old while she's in the cart and then it doesn't look like I'm just talking to myself)....it's just too easy! 60 bucks!! All of this...a trunk load of items...for 60 bucks!

I don't mean this to come off as bragging. I'm not. I wish I could really explain to you how fortunate I feel that I found the resources online to help me save what I do. I can't imagine my life without coupons and (I know I've said it before but...) I will never go back to shopping without them...ever! As long as those crazy little scraps of paper are being printed (or I can print them myself) I will use them.

I know I point to Bargain Blessings frequently as where I turn to find my deals and I'll do it again. Jennie and her team are fabulous and I owe a lot of my success to them. Jennie has said that one of the best ways we (as readers) can thank her is by spreading the word about the site, so that's exactly what I'm doing.
If you live in the Denver area, she is one of the best resources for local savings. Even if you don't, she posts about online deals that anyone can get in on. If you haven't done it yet, PLEASE go to her site and check it out. You can also follow her on Facebook so make sure to do that as well.

If you want to try and save money to help your family, or just yourself (man I WISH I knew about what I could be capable of by using coupons when I was single and struggling) please reach out and find the resources you need to be successful. There is SO much out there and I am willing to help as well. Want to get some friends together for a couponing class? I'm happy to! I'm no professional, so I would never charge money to do it, I just want to get out there and help other people make that change in their lives. I want YOU to know how it feels to walk out of a store with items for FREE and save $156 off your bill. It's a-MAY-zing!

My cup overflows. Have your filled yours. :)

Love and greatfullness,

Stephanie

It's Time To Get Busy

I'm happy to say that my kids do a darn good job of entertaining themselves. With that said, I definitely need to help feed their creativity some times. I broke down and finally got my act together and made some Busy Bags. The main reason I thought to make them now was because we recently purchased an RV (more on that later) and I wanted to have some things for the kids to do while we are traveling instead of just wanting to watch DVD's.
So I took some inspritation from Pinterest and made some Busy Bags and put together a few other activities. All of these ideas can be found on my Pinterest board "Activities With The Kids" so you can hop over there if you want to learn more, or to find some other ideas of your own.

First off, I found a plastic storage bin that most of these bags will fit in so it should be great for traveling. Just grab the box and go!

The first bad is really simple. Large colored paperclips. Threading them together helps with motor skills and you can do activities like matching colors, putting together patterns, etc. I found a box of 80 at the Dollar Tree and there are probably 25 in the bag (5 of each color).

The next set were actually a gift Nora received a couple years ago. She didn't play with them very well then so they ended up stashed away. I was happy to find them and I think they are perfect for her now. "Carrie" is one of 3 little magnetic dress up dolls and the kids should have fun playing with those.

I received the clothespin letters as a part of an activity exchange I did with a couple other gals last year. The strips of paper are lamenated so, with dry erase markers, the kids can practice their writing and they can also use the clothespins to match the letters and spell out the words.

Bead stringing is just basic motor skills. I had some pony beads with my craft stuff so I grabbed a couple handfuls along with some different colored pipe cleaners and they can have fun mixing and matching those together.

 

 

The animal stringing came about when I found these plastic animal beads stashed away. I put them away so I wouldn't have to worry about my (now) 10 month old getting a hold of them. But I went ahead and grabbed them back out and the kids can just play with the animals or string them onto some embrodery floss I found.

My oldest daughter has been asking if she could make some bracelets with beads so I grabbed the rest of my pony beads and some odd embrodery floss I had stuffed away and she can have at it.

 

I found these two card sets at the Dollar Tree so I stuck them in the box.

 

The next playset was from Pinterest...using toy cars and a print out of a city picture so the child can just drive the car around. Cars were, again, from Dollar Tree (the set of 3) and I just did a Google image search, found a picture I liked, lamenated it and voila!

 

 

These next 3 sets came from that same inspiration. I found these little plastic animals stashed away (are you noticing a theme...I have a lot of stashes thanks to hand me downs, thrift stores and garage sales), I seperated them by type of animal, did the Google image search, lamenated and fun was made! My kids found these 3 sets before I could get them put away and they have played with them multiple times over the last couple days.

 

This last one I just made yesterday. It was my most time consuming but worth it. The kids saw it while I was cutting out the pieces and they loved it! I mean, seriously, who doesn't love to build your own cupcake?? The website I found had all the templates you need and I had different colors of felt in my craft room so I used what I had and Build a Cupcake was born!

 

 

I mean, really? Look at those smiling faces!

 

 

I had one more thing I made up for the kids for our trip(s) and I show you that in another post. :)

 

I have had a lot of fun putting these together and I already have plans for more, when I have a little more time. I'm not in a rush though. I think it would be better to introduce some of these gradually instead of all at once. 

 

I hope you have been inspired to put together some activity bags for your kids. As you can see, some of mine were SUPER simple to throw together. So get your brain a working and see what you can have fun with!

 

Love and busy bodies,

 

Stephanie

 

Garage Sale-ing 101

It's that time of year again and I'm so excited! I love garage sales as much, if not more, than thrift stores. Mainly because the prices are cheaper but also because there is just something about the thrill of the hunt. I love meeting the people who I'm buying the used item from and knowing that I did the leg work to find it.

If you aren't up to speed on the art of garage sales then I'll share with you a little bit of my experience.

#1. Where do I find them? - Of course you could just drive around and look for signs but if you really want to plan our your journey then it's best to try a few resources first. Out in my small town area we have a local paper and people post some in the Classifieds....so you can check the newspaper. I like to do a search on Craigslist as well so see who posted there. There are also websites like Garage Sale Tracker and Yard Sale Search which can help you find sales close to you. I LOVE Community/Neighborhood sales so always keep an eye/ear out for those. It's an easy way to cover a lot of houses without a lot of driving.

#2 - When are they held? - Most garage sales happen on Fridays and Saturdays which an occassional roll over into Sunday. Believe it or not Friday garage sales are pretty common and can be busy so, if you don't work during the week, don't shrug off Friday as a day to go hunting. It can be one of the best days of the week!

#3 - Is there a best time of day to go? - That depends. If you are looking for anything specific you want to get out there as soon as they open. A lot of sales start at 8am, sometimes 9am. Bargain hunters are out early so don't miss out on finding that perfect item because you slept in. If you are just out to browse and find a few bargains then head out whenever your heart desires. A lot of sales will close up in the early afternoon (2-3pm seems to be fairly standard) so watch the weather (they may close up early if it starts raining) and hop on out after lunch. Close to closing time people are more apt to make a deal (they don't want to box their things back up) so you can haggle a price down more later in the day, if you so desire.

#4 - What can I really find? - A LOT! My husband jokes with me, when I mention hitting garage sales, and asks me "What? Are we low on junk?" Ok, yes, it's true...you can find a lot of junk out there. It really is amazing the stuff that some people put out, thinking someone else will buy it. One man's trash is another man's treasure....but sometimes one man's trash is just trash. That being said, I have found some amazing items at garage sales. Some items are like new (some brand new) that people just don't need anymore! In fact, the high back, swivel, wood bar stool I'm sitting on right now is a part of a pair that I picked up at a sale a few years back. They are perfect and I only paid $25 for the 2 of them! Garage sales are an amazing place to find baby/kid items so if you are in the market head out and stock up!

Here are just a few of the items, in varying categories, I've picked up in the last couple weeks (some just this morning!)

Arts and Craft Supplies! - If you are a crafter, and/or do them with your kids, it's a great place to find supplies. I bundled these items together and picked them up for $2. The Portfolio folders are new in plastic and are even on my daughter's school supply list.

 

A staple gun has been on my "I really want to buy" list for a while. I found this one (with a half package of staples) for only $3. Also, a few weeks ago, I found a glue gun for $1. Mine broke just a few days earlier so I was really excited. The lady running the sale plugged it in for me (so I knew that it worked) and I was on my way!

 

Clothing! - On the whole, adult clothing doesn't sell quite as well as kids clothing but it's out there and I always take a peek. Even when it's really hot outside, I try to open my mind and look at the coats and sweaters.

I found this Gap shirt for only .25!

 And this sundress for .50!

Holiday items - you can ALWAYS find holiday items at sales. You may not be thinking about Christmas or Halloween when it's 90 degrees out but you should. Last Christmas I realized that I didn't have any festive paper napkins on hand and I refused to pay $5 on some at a store. I found this large (there's probably 30 in there at least), brand new package for only .50! I just stashed them away with my Christmas items and I'm all set when December rolls around.

 

Kitchen and household items - Another common group of items are household items. Dishes, plastic containers, utensils, candles, knick knacks...you name it! If you are just starting out and need to set up an apartment this is definitely the way to go! I found these like new springform pans for only .50 each (I see cheesecake in my future) and the loaf pan for $1. These are all things that I've been wanting to add to my kitchen so I'm thrilled!
I also purchased 46 wide mouth mason jars for only $2! You can easily spend $15 on a dozen of them so this was a huge score. They did not have lids so I will have to purchase those but I'm really happy with them. I see some Pinterest ideas take shape right now, lol.

Storage Items - It makes sense...people are selling there things, so they don't need as many containers to store their stuff in! These are my treasures! I paid $5 for all the drawers below.

And I paid only $2 a piece for these 96 gallon Rubbermaid, snap top storage bins. You could easily pay $15 or more for the same bins at a store so this was a heck of a deal! Always check to make sure there are no cracks and that the lids close.

And how can you resist this guy?!? Only $1 for a 13" tall Godzilla! Seriously! He's awesome!

 

Of course, there is so much more out there so have fun hunting! Honestly, if you haven't been out garage sale-ing before, now is the time to start!

 

 

Love and the thrill of the hunt,

 

Stephanie



What to do with those freebies!?

I can't even fathom a time when I didn't like picking up something for free. Whether it was a free sample, free product, free gift with purchase (you have to watch out for those tricksters)....I love them all. Today I grabbed some great freebies at King Soopers.

 

The Pampers wipes are a part of the Buy 5 get $5 off Mega Event that started this week. On sale for .99 (when you buy 5 participating items) and then just hop over to coupons.com and print out the .50 off coupon (which will double to $1) and that makes FREE!

Bic Razors - regular price of $2.79 and then I used the $3 off coupon from the 3/17 Sunday paper and those were FREE!

There was a coupon for FREE Duncan Hines Frosting Creations (no stings attached!) also in the 3/17 so that was a no brainer.

And lastly the Clif Mojo bars are free using the .50 off coupon (that will, again, double to $1) with their regular price being $1 everyday!

 

So, you ask, do I use all these items...nope, I don't. The wipes, OH YES! I have an 8 month old! The bars? Yep I plan to try one. And the frosting...well, those look like fun. The razors? Those go straight to donation. You see, that's the great thing about freebies...even if you don't use them yourself, think about other people you can help. Do you know a friend or family member who you could pass them onto? If not, take them to a local church or food bank. I know they will be thankful.

 

Another note: if you didn't know, fuel points at King Soopers (and possibly Safeway as well but don't quote me on that) are added to your account based on your total BEFORE coupons! So that means anything you purchase, that will later end up being free, will give you fuel points! That's a win/win situation in my book!

 

Sharing the love with freebies!

Stephanie



High End Clothing In MY Budget??

Today I popped into ARC thrift store to return a couple items and did a bit of looking. It is amazing what you can find at a thrift store!! If you take just a little time to look there will be treasures right under your nose.
Like what, you ask? Like 7 For All Mankind jeans! I've never understood paying $180 for a pair of jeans, so I don't. But I'll pay $9!

I also found American Eagle skinny jeans! I looked on their website and similar jeans go for about $40...mine were $9.
For tops, I picked up a Banana Republic blouse for $4 (regular price of similar ones were about $70) and I almost fell over when I found a Marc by Marc Jacobs t-shirt for only $3 (I looked online and found other t-shirts from his line for sale at Nordstrom for $80!!)

 

With those gems, along with a couple other finds in my cart, I went to the register with a $10 off of $30 purchase coupon (thanks to a sweepstakes they have going on right now) and got some amazing items for next to nothing.

If you've never gone thrifting before, I think you would be pleasantly surprised at what you will find. Just a tip...if you go to ARC, make sure to go on a Saturday because most items will be 50% off!

Love and the ultimate recycling,

Stephanie 

Under $1 this week!

 I haven't been the best at updating but I do think about posting here frequently. This week was pretty fun at King Soopers so I just wanted to show you some of the best find in my grocery trip.

Here's the breakdown...

Skintimate Shave Cream - .50 each
Palmolive dish soap - .59 each
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter - $1 each (I've picked them up for less in the past but I grabbed a couple anyway)
Steamfresh frozen vegetables - .50 each
Mariani Banana Chips - .49 each
Dial liquid hand soap - .30 each
Mountain High Yogurt - FREE!
Yoplait GoGurt Twisted - FREE!
Yoplait GoGurt (regular) - .50 each
Coke 12 pack - FREE! (I used points from my My Coke Rewards account to get a coupon for a free 12 pack)
Betty Crocker potatoes - .50 each
Duncan Hines Red Velvet cake mix - .25 each

I won't go through all the matchups for the deals...I'll let the professionals do that. As I've mentioned before, I use Bargain Blessings to prep myself for my shopping trips. Jennie, and her team, do an amazing job with letting you know how to find the best deals in the ad. And I always check the comments for unadvertised deals that other followers find.

My total for all the items pictured above was $16.83. My total for the week was $77.20 which included a spiral cut ham (which is going in the freezer), beef from the meat dept, Pull Ups for my son, cereal, milk and a few other odds and ends. My savings were $132.85 which is 64%!!

Between this week and last, we are stocked up on yogurt for a while. I made sure to check the expiration dates and get the oldest items I could. Some can go in the freezer and I'm going to use some to bake with but, even if it just stays in the refrigerator, most of what I bought is good through mid-late May!

I was super excited about the Palmolive deal because I was nearly out of dish soap in my stock pile. I had been hoping a good deal would pop up and I don't think it can get too much better than .50 for those huge bottles!!

I hope you are having success with your shopping trips. If not, let me know and we can get together for a chat!

Love and buying things with just some change,

Stephanie

Honoring the Presidents with Savings!

As you know my frugality stretches far past just coupons at the grocery store. I like to think I live an all around frugal lifestyle. I try to reuse, repurpose and upcycle as much as I can and I'm always looking for a discount or a good deal. I shudder at paying full price for anything. And I LOVE thrift stores and garage sales!

Monday I drove over to ARC Thrift Store to take advantage of a sale day. Usually, every Saturday ARC has 50% most items (not on sale is the newest color sale tag) but with it being a holiday weekend they had a 50% off sale on Monday! Here's what I scored!

I LOVE finding organizational items second hand. Obviously you have to make sure there aren't any cracks or broken pieces but once you check them over, toss those babies in your cart! As you can see from the picture above I found some metal racks/shelves (I love these!) and a few plastic bins for the kids' toys (MUCH sturdier than dollar store bins and I only paid $1.50 each for them). The 2 canisters seal tight and are perfect for pantry storage and I picked up a little glass jar that I'm using to put my makeup brushes in (thank you Pinterest for that idea...just add those cheap glass marbles and your brushes stand right up!). I found some various wrapping paper and a kids educational product (brand new!!) and a little wooden sign with the Irish Blessing on it.
One of my big scores was the metal drawer you see in the upper left. My Keurig coffee maker sits on top the storage drawer holds the k-cups! These run about $25 on Amazon but I got mine for $3.50!!

I had a time limit that day so I couldn't do all the clothes shopping I wanted but I did a quick run through of the long sleeved shirts and did a peek for a couple kids items I needed. Here's what I picked up...

I needed one more warm sleeper for Leona and I also found a pair of "slippery pants" for Nora (that's what she calls those slick track pants and she loves wearing them). For me, I picked out 10 shirts. Hey, I just recently lost all my baby weight (although I'm still trying to tone up), I deserve some new clothes!! A couple of the tops are lightweight cardigans and the rest are just cotton tops. The dark colored one on the bottom, in the middle, is from Banana Republic so, yes, you can find some quality items if you do a little looking. The total cost of all 12 items pictured above came to just under $27!

My biggest item of the day was this glass punch bowl set.

 

This set matches a set of antique dishes that I have called "Star of David". My mother and grandmother both have these and I've starting adding pieces to my own collection. The punch bowl with 13 cups (and one odd little bowl that was also inside) came to a grand total of $6.50! WOW!! I was so excited to find this and add it to my collection.

 

My grand total of my shopping spree came to $64, after rounding up my change for the ARC Angels. I had so much fun and found some really great pieces.

 

 

My advice for the day. Don't let thrift stores scare you. Some of them are disorganized and dirty but when you find the clean, organized ones frequent them often and do some treasure hunting of your own!

 

Love and "new" treasures,

 

Stephanie 

My Big Savings Day

This week the sales at King Soopers are amazing! Some times their Mega Events (Buy 10 participating items and get $5 off your total) aren't overly exciting...this week I'm blown away!

I walked into the store with my King Soopers loyalty card, a little money left on a gift card and cash in my pocket totally around $100...that's it. I picked out the few items that we needed for the week(milk, eggs, vegetable oil, toliet paper...a new night light), snagged all of my Mega Event items I was planning on PLUS found a few other deals than I didn't know about and my cart filled up. As I unloaded my groceries onto the belt I didn't dare look at the screen. I was too nervous to see the total. You see, I don't scan my Soopers card until the end. I love swiping my card through and watching the total drop...then handing over my coupons and watching it drop even further. I'm a little twisted like that.

When the cashier was finished scanning my items I looked at the screen...$280!!

O

M

Gravy!

I had $100 in my pocket and that's it!

I was starting to sweat...my heart was racing...I thought I'd have to run out to my card and grab my bank card...how embarressing!

The cashier scanned my loyalty card and the total dropped to $150...just like that! $130 off just because I bought the sale items!

Then came the coupons....

I redeemed $52 in coupons that day.

My grand total for the day.....(drum roll please)

$97.97!!

WHAT!?!?!

AAAAHHHH!

From $280 to $98!????

That is definatly my best trip EVER!

I really wanted to take the time to take a picture of my haul but I came home just in time to get lunch for my kiddos and needed to get these goodies put away. I did take a picture of my receipt though...

That's a grand total of 94 item for $98....

Besides my "needed" items for the week my purchase included...

4 bottles of laundry detergent
4 bottles of fabric softener
8 boxes of kleenex
8 boxes of Hefty slider storage bags
1 package of Pull Ups
1 box Hefty trash bags
3 packages of Energizer batteries
3 tubes toothpaste
4 bags of pasta
4 cups of Easy Mac (sort of a filler to get the next multiple of 10...but my kids do like them)
4 boxes of Capri Sun (which I need to get my $1 iBotta refund taken care of yet...so there's even more savings!)
4 cans Progresso soup
8 cans of Rotel
4 cans Bush's beans
3 jars of Mt Olive pickles
3 bottles French's Spicy Mustard
2 frozen pizzas
2 packages of sliced ham
4 packages of Kraft singles
and a couple odds and ends....

These are all things we use, including some things that I needed to stock back up on! And it wasn't just junk...laundry soap, fabric softener, Pull Ups, plastic bags....fabulous!! Could some of it be considered excessive? Possibly. But when you can get storage bags for .25 a box, why wouldn't you stock up??

I had a smile on my face for a couple hours afterwards. I even asked the cashier if it was ok if I did a little dance at the register. When she checked my receipt for my savings she even gave me a fist bump.

I have to give a HUGE thanks to Jennie and her team at Bargain Blessings. They got the King Soopers match-ups out on Monday so I was able to plan my trip and get to the store on Weds, the first day of the sale. Luckily, Mega Events usually run 2 weeks so you'll have plenty of time to hop over to the store and get in on some of these deals yourself. Besides her original match ups post, Jennie has posted about many more deals she found at King Soopers. I guess I may have some more treasures to pick up next week. :)
You'll just have to watch out for the stores running out of products. With deals like this, I wouldn't be surprised to find some empty shelves. If they are empty, try and find out when a new shipment might arrive. Since the items are a part of a Mega Event you cannot get a rain check for that sale price.

I'd love to hear about your successful trips over the next couple weeks!

Love and happy dances at the register,

Stephanie

An extra trip = extra savings

With having company the last few days I ran out of milk sooner than normal so I had to make a quick run into King Soopers.

As usual I can't just run in and grab one thing. I always have to check all of the markdown areas and I also wanted to go ahead and grab a couple freebies I heard about.

I can't get my picture to load up but here's what I picked up today...

Colgate toothpaste - FREE with 10/$10 sale and the coupon from last Sunday's paper
Colgate toothbrushes - FREE with 10/$10 sale and the coupon from Sunday's paper (Note: the coupon excludes 2 varieties of the toothbrush so make sure you grab the one that is not excluded)

I found a couple things in the markdown bin including .79 Marshmallow fluff (can you say fudge?!) and .99 cans of Apple Pie filling.

They also have Rubbermaid Hydration water bottles on sale (BPA free). There was a $1 off coupon in Sunday's paper for those so I picked one up for $3.99. I'm trying to drink more water and the bottle that I have been using is getting a little worn down. It was my little splurge...

So between those deals, sliced cheese, some BOGO free strawberries, and my milk I spent $25.22 and saved $33.41.

There are some great deals going on and watch for close-out markdown specials through out the store. It seems like there are a lot of those that can make for some pretty sweet deals, especially when paired with coupons.

Love and unexpected trips,

Stephanie

Happy New Year!

It's been a while, I know. I intended to post on New Years Eve but since we celebrated one of our family Christmas' that day I was just too wiped out to do it.

December seemed to fly by so fast! Where did the time go? I think a lot of us feel that way sometimes but, honestly, how is time going so quickly? It seems like just yesterday that we were celebrating Christmas and telling our families that we were going to have another baby. Now here it is, a year later, and we have a 5 month old!

We had a really wonderful holiday season. It was filled with activites and gatherings that lasted until just a couple days ago. I'm just now getting Christmas decorations taken down and trying to get back on track with things that have taken a backseat.

Goals for the new year? Of course I have them. They are probably just like most resolutions that people make....get more organized, be a better mother and wife, get in shape...yada yada. Specifically....I need to get rid of some of the "stuff" around this house and what I am keeping needs to be better organized.
I do want to work on being a better mother and wife. I've decided that being "just fine" is not ok with me. I want to be better than fine, better than average....I have high expectations for myself. The problem with that is that if I fall, I fall that much farther but I'm willing to raise the bar anyway.
I want to spend more time educating my children and playing with them. I want to get them involved in things around the house...things they already yearn to do such as cooking and help with chores. I plan to challenge myself with my cooking and learn to make more things from scratch and be better with freezer cooking and meal planning. I owe it to not just my children and husband but to myself.

As for my body, these last few months I did the Body By Vi 90 Day Challenge. My challenge goal was to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight by Christmas. With all of the holidays, and some slacking off, I didn't quite make my goal by Christmas, however I did make it by New Years. Yep, according to the scale, I am back to my weight when I became pregnant with Leona! Woohoo!
Unfortunatly, as many of us know, muscle weighs more than fat so the scale isn't the best representation of how I look and I am what I like to call "skinny fat". I'm slim, and back in my size 4 jeans, but I am really soft and...well, still fat. So my next 90 day challenge goal is to get into better shape....lose that fat and gain some muscle.

All in all, life is good. I'm very blessed and I have so much to be thankful for. This last year was a real eye opener for me in many ways. I feel like I learned a lot about myself...what I want, what I need, who I really am. Now that we are done having children I am ready to take my completed family and do the best I can for them, and for myself. Even though I haven't been consistant with my blog, I hope you continue the journey with me. I plan to be better with updating this as well. :)

Love and being slimmer and better,

Stephanie

What happens when you are stocked up?

Days like today happen when you are all stocked up!

I braved the store on a Saturday, with my 3 kids (yes, a double whammy) but walked out feeling rather good and the kids even got a penny pony ride.

Because I took advantage of the great catalina deals and mega-events over the last few weeks, I was VERY happy to just pick up a few things this week. My bill was only $45.60 with a savings of $76.51!! Ok, wait, I did go to Sam's club yesterday and picked up milk and banana's so if I add that to my bill then I spent around $51 total this week.

I could have got by with even less but I used a few expiring coupons to pick up some deals to, again, stock up. Here's my entire haul from King Soopers today...

 

I'll give you a quick rundown of my prices after sale and coupons, in no particular order...

 

P&G promotion (Buy 4 participating items and get $4 off) -

Pampers wipes = FREE

Scope mouthwash = .50 each

Old Spice deoderants = .29 each

Secret deoderant = .29 each

 

Out of the markdown bins -

Swanson's Chicken broth - .49

Chocolate covered pretzels - .49 each (great for snacks and they also go into a holiday snack mix that we make every year)

Danimals smoothies - $1.59 (a splurge for the kids)

 

Buy 4 participating items and get milk free! -

Yoplait yogurts - the kids' were $1.50 each and the other (with granola) were $1.29 each

Gallon of milk - FREE

 

Other deals -

Ocean Spray Cranberries - $1.24 a bag

Baker's chocolate - $2.49 each

Kraft cheeses - $2 each (blocks and shredded)

Kroger veg. broth - .60 each

Country Crock spread - $1.49

Sara Lee pies - $1.99 each

Ground beef - $12.17 - eCoupon for $3 off $10 meat purchase = $9.17 for 3 lbs

Carefree liners - FREE

Blistex lipbalm - FREE (perfect stocking stuffers)

So there you go! Check out all of those great deals, especially the items that were under .50...plus 4 freebies!!

I hope you've been taking advantage of some of the fabulous deals that have been around lately. I am pretty well stocked up for all the holiday meals. :)

Love and low weekly bills,

Stephanie

The day has finally come

Tomorrow I am doing my first couponing talk. Eeeeek!

As you have seen from my blog, I've always offered to do a little class, or even one on one time with people to help them learn more about couponing and saving money but I've never had anyone seriously take me up on it until now.

I belong to a MOPS (Mother's of Preschoolers) group here in Strasburg and they asked me to talk at our meeting tomorrow. I mentioned to one of the other mom's one day that I coupon, in passing, so between that and some of the other gals seeing my posts on Facebook they decided they'd like me to talk.

I feel a little weird because all I'm doing is passing along information that I learned from other  money saving bloggers. Heck, I'm even promoting their sites! But what the hey, I'm happy to help other people save a buck or two...or $100...and if I'm just the messenger than so be it. :)

Even though it's a topic that flows out of me, I had to sit down and type out notes so I don't get up there and stutter around (which I may do anyway). I love sharing this kind of stuff but I'm not the best public speaker. I just have to remember to breathe!

Hopefully the information I picked out to share will be helpful to everyone. I only have about 30-45 minutes to talk and I'll definatly be pushing the limits of my time frame and I feel like I'm barely scratching the service.

I'll pop on and let you know how it goes. If you're a MOPS mom and are reading this, please leave me feedback. If it's good you can just comment below...if it's bad send me a private message, lol.

Wish me luck!

Love and spreading the word,

Stephanie

Hot off the Printer

I woke up the morning...ok, so my 3 month old woke me up this morning...and I decided to hop on the computer. Since it's the first of the month (yes...I know it's technically the 2nd) coupons.com resets and brand new coupons arrive. So I warmed up the printer and put it to work!

Once you've been couponing a while you'll realize what coupons are pretty common and which ones are rare. Right now, there are some fabulous Kraft coupons including ones for cheese, jet-puffed marshmallows, and Stove Top stuffing (very seasonal so stock up for the holidays). A lot of these items are on sale at King Soopers/Kroger this week so they will make for some amazing deals. Deals like FREE marshmallows and .30 Stove Top!


Two quick tips when using coupons.com...

Remember that you can go back and print out 2 of each coupon. After you've printed one time, just click on the "go back to coupons" link and print more! Coupons you've printed once will show up at the bottom of the coupon list.

With their (somewhat) new layout, you can't just hop to the last page, which is a pain. However I learned a little trick that helps a bit. After you click on the "show more coupons" bar hit the space bar on your keyboard a few times. It will make more "pages" of coupons load up. :)


I'm off to King Soopers today to hit up some of the hot deals this week. Hope you have a successful week too!


Love and loading more printer paper,

Stephanie

The 90 Day Challenge

I've had a few people ask me about the Challenge I'm currently on so here I am and I'm happy to tell you all about it!

A little over a month ago I started the Body By Vi 90 Day Challenge. I heard about it from a friend of mine who started doing the Challenge to lose weight and Visalus has totally changed her life! I knew that once I was done having children I did not want to keep hold of that extra baby weight. I wanted to get back into my pre-pregnancy jeans and look better than ever! So I contacted my friend Tiffany, got some more information and decided to give it a go.

I'm now 37 days into my Challenge. I've lost 4 pounds and an inch around my hips. I know those numbers aren't mind blowing but I feel like I'm really getting into the swing of it all now. Part of losing weight is making sure you are getting enough calories so your metabolism doesn't slow down, but not getting too many calories so you do lose weight. I've been working on that balance (as well as my water intake which I've never been great with and not eating that Halloween candy that taunts me so) and once I actually start exercising I'll be unstoppable!

 Even more than the pounds I've lost, I've noticed another HUGE difference in me. I was notorious for having a late afternoon crash. Around 4pm I would just hit a wall and just feel tired and worn out. That feeling wouldn't go away for a few hours and I'd probably perk back up aorund 8-9pm. That was horrible for me, especially when I had/have kids to take care of, dinner to fix and...well, a life to live. Since starting on the shakes I do not get that "crash" anymore. Even with having 2 toddlers and a 2 month old I feel great. Yes, I do feel drained by the end of the day, but when my body just keeps on trucking until bedtime THAT is a great feeling.

There are TONS of resources out there to give you information about the Body by Vi Challenge. I'd love for you to hop over to my Body By Vi site and watch the video to find out more because it can explain it to you much better than I can. You can also search YouTube and find an insane amount of resources and testimonies regarding the Challenge. If this video doesn't get you pumped to join the Challenge I don't know what will!

But here are the basics...

Although many people use the 90 Day Challenge to lose weight, there are quite a number of people who take the Challenge, and use the Vi-Shape Shake Mix to be in better shape, get fit or build lean muscle.
"» The shake mix provides complete nutrition – fast
» Helps control appetite
» Provides bone-healthy calcium
» Provides heart healthy, low fat protein
» Helps promote & maintain lean muscle mass
» Supports protein digestion and nutrient absorption
» Helps support healthy energy levels while cutting calories
» Provides fiber benefits for health protection
» Includes two unique fibers for health, and for hunger control
» Supports a low glycemic lifestyle
» Supports healthy metabolism
Each protein has been specially processed to remove fat, remove lactose, and remove carbohydrates. In addition, we have processed the soy to remove the isoflavones, so there is no estrogenic affect. The “shake mix that tastes like a cake mix” is hard to beat."

You use the shake mix as meal replacement, 2 meals a day (most people have it for breakfast and lunch), have 2 healthy snacks and a sensible dinner.

Now, I NEVER thought I would be someone who would drink shakes for a meal replacement. I love food and I did not want to give that up. HOWEVER, the shake mix is awesome. It has it's own sweet cream flavor so you don't even have to add much to it for it to taste great but there are pages and pages of recipes out there where you can create your own shakes (strawberry, blueberry, Almond Joy, Butterfinger, Peanut Butter Cup!....). It's nice to have such a variety of options so you don't feel like you're drinking the same thing over and over again.

The cost...it all depends on which kit you buy. There are multiple options but I picked up the Shape Kit because I felt like that would be best in my situation. I haven't had anyone join me on the Challenge yet (it's always best to do things like this with friends, right?) but if I get 3 people to join with me then I can get my kits for FREE!!! And so can you! Now that definatly makes it affordable. Who doesn't like FREE? (and you know me...I'm ALL about free, lol)

What I think is cool is how many celebrities are on the Challenge. Because, again, it's not just about weight loss. Many people use the shake mix to just maintain their weight, get that extra protein boost and just get themselves into better shape. Personal trainers, gym owners and fitness professionals promote the Challenge because of the results. There are many professional athletes doing it as well. Even rocker Chris Daughtry tweets about his Challenge here and check THIS out!

No, the shake mix isn't going to give you a 6 pack but it's all a part of a lifestyle of being the best YOU that you can be. I'm getting there...I'm not a gym rat but I do love to dance so I'm hoping to get out and get some fitness on doing Zumba.

So that's my rambling. If you want more information about ViSalus Sciences and the Body By Vi 90 Day Challenge I encourage you to contact me. If I don't have the answer I am a part of an amazing team of people, with my fearless leader Tiffany, who can help you out.

And just for the record...this is my official "before" shot...

It's oh so flattering, I know...but it's me...at least that was me 37 days ago.

Love and challenging myself,

Stephanie

Back in the Saddle

I know it's been a long time since I've done a post. Having 2 toddlers and a newborn does take it's toll on my computer time. lol
I feel like I'm online a fair amount but it's usually on my iPhone. The time I do spend on my laptop is usually one-handed, or I know I only have a few minutes before someone wakes up. As I type I have a wee one on my lap...and she's starting to squirm.

I never really took a break from couponing, although my coupon binder gets a little neglected, from time to time, and I have to play catchup. I fully intended on not getting to the grocey store during those first few weeks post-partum, but I guess I'm too controlling when it comes to my grocery shopping. lol My mother went with me the first week and my mother-in-law helped/joined me on a trip a couple weeks later so I never skipped a week.

I've been keeping up with King Soopers deals but that's usually about it because I don't have the time to head out to other stores and do much shopping. Today, I had my oldest daughter with me while I was running errands and we made a stop at Albertsons.

I didn't take a picture my purchases because I had put all the cold stuff away as soon as I got home and didn't feel up to dragging it back out for a picture. But here's what I grabbed...

Albertson's has a Buy 8 items, Get $4 off sale this week so here's what I picked with that sale...

3 Hamburger Helper - .99 on sale + .75/3 coupon = .74 each
Keebler Vanilla Wafer cookies - 1.99 on sale (no coupon...just had a hankering)
Langers Juice - .99 on sale (no coupon)
Zatarain Rice - .69 each (I guess there is a coupon out there but I must not have clipped it)
2 Magnum Ice Cream bars - 2.49 on sale + $1 coupon (printed online a while back) = $1.49!

Other items:

Broccoli - .88/lb
Banana's - .55/lb
2 Milk - 1.97 gallon
2 Doritos - BOGO free + the $1/2 coupon from this last week's paper = 1.64 each
4 Old Orchard Juice (frozen) - $1.50 + $1/4 coupon (printed online) = $1.25 each
Keebler cheese and crackers - $1.99 (no coupon but my kids love these and that's a decent sale price)
Precious Mozzerella - 3.99 on sale + $1 coupon = $2.99 (I've been loving this lately...eating it with cherry tomatoes from my garden, oil, balsamic vinegar an basil...yum!!)

and 2 Brachs autumn mix candy - $1.50 on sale + $1.50/2 coupon = .75 a bag

My grand total was $30.10 with a savings of $38.51.

Yes, I know, I bought some junk food but you have to treat yourself sometimes, especially when you are getting some good deals! You can't go through life depriving yourself just for sake of your budget. Get a few goodies now and again! With all the couponing I do I feel lke I deserve it (like that justification?) As you see, nothing I picked up today cost over $2 (oops...ok, the mozzerella but that's normally $9.99!!).

I hope you are having some great store experiences! If not, let me know! I'd love to help!

Love and treats in my pantry (and freezer),

Stephanie

I'm Not Baby Friendly?

While still pregnant I had registered on the website of 2 different formula companies to recieve free samples, coupons and mailings. In one of the offers, I received in the mail, was a card to take to the hospital. You were supposed to ask for a gift bag that would have a formula sample as well as some other coupons, etc. It did say, on the card, that they were available at "participating" hospitals so I knew there was a chance that my hospital might not have it.

On my day of my release I asked my nurse if they had either gift bags from these companies. She proceeded to tell me that they are a "baby friendly hospital" (yes, those were her exact words) which meant breastfeeding, so they did not give out formula. She told me that she would be happy to make me up a plastic bag with some diapers and wipes instead.

Now, my disclaimer is this...I have absolutely no negative opinions regarding breastfeeding. I admire women who nurse their children and I do think it's the best way to go if you are able.

I have had difficulties nursing my children so I need to use formula. There is a protein in my milk that does not agree with my children. It was a problem that my mother had with nursing me, and a problem that my grandmother had as well. I struggled for 3 months nursing my oldest daughter, only to have an extremely fussy baby. Many, many nights of sleep (and sanity during the day) were lost because she was crying and in pain. After 3 months I caved in a tried formula with her. It was like a switch was flipped and she was noticeably better within 24 hours.
After 2 weeks, with my son, we started noticing the same fussiness and discomfort. I did not hesitate to make the switch. My baby girl is now 3 weeks old and I've been formula feeding her for over a week now.

I have no regrets.

Do I agree that breastfeeding is a better choice for most babies? Absolutely! But is it the best choice for my babies? No.

I could struggle and struggle trying to change every little thing in my diet and it probably would not make a bit of difference. Even if it did, would that make me super mom? Probably not. It would probably make me a really unhappy, grumpy mom and is that a good mom? No.

So that means I'm not baby friendly?

Because I formula feed, I am some sort of heathen?

My children are happy and healthy. They aren't obese, they don't have major medical problems and I felt like I bonded with them really well during those times when I bottle fed them. In fact, I felt like I bonded with them more than I did when I nursed.

When I nursed, it was usually painful and I was usually exhausted. They were facing towards my chest and sometimes, when out in public (or when we had people over), they were concealed by a nursing cover so I couldn't see them at all.
When I bottle feed they can look up at me and I can stare into their eyes (or just stare at them when their eyes are closed). My daughter even has this sweet way of grabbing onto my bottle holding hand. She holds my thumb with one hand and my pinky with their other. Oh how I love that.

I love being with my children, but I also love that I'm not attached to them all the time. I love that other people have the opportunity to feed them when the time comes. My mother-in-law just left  today, after staying with us for a while to help, and she was able to spend a fair amount of time with her newest granddaughter by doing some of the feedings. I know it was a really special time for her and I'm glad she was able to experience it.

Even though switching to formula was a neccessary move for me, it turned out to be a blessing. I'm a happy formula feeding mother.

I contacted both formula companies to let them know about my experience at the hospital. I'm sure that I'm not the only person who has written them and said they weren't able to receive their offer. I received responses with 24 hours from both companies and I've already received some things in the mail (and my understanding is that there is more to come).

Here is what I recieved from Enfamil today...a nice tote bag, an insulated bottle holder and cold pack, a sample of Bourdeaux Butt Paste (with a coupon attached), a can of Gentle formula (which all my kids have needed) and a cute Fisher Price turtle toy.

 

There was a card inside saying "Thank You" for contacting them. Well, thank YOU Enfamil for making me feel loved and for making me feel baby friendly...because I am.

Love and no regrets,

Stephanie

Welcome To The World

Wednesday, August 1st, our family of 4 became a family of 5.

Miss Leona Lee Bloomfield was born at 2:33pm via c-section. She was 7lbs 9oz and 19 1/2" long.
Here she is about 3 hours after birth.

The delivery went well. I have an amazing OB doctor (he delivered Emmett as well) and the entire staff at Sky Ridge was wonderful. Even though it wasn't my first c-section, it's still scary going into it. The unknowns can always make me nervous...not just about the health of the baby but how I will handle the procedure. Luckily we both came through with flying colors.
Since I have a history of endometriosis, the doctor did some looking around while I was opened up. I did not have any active endometriosis in me...which was a relief since I did have some when Emmett was born, but I did have a lot of scar tissue (which can be caused by endo). So much so that my bladder (and another organ which I forgot) were slightly attached to my uterus and even more scary was that my left fallopian tube was completely closed off with scar tissue. That means that this determined little one made her way into our lives with only one open tube to try and go through.

Nora and Emmett came to visit later that day along with my parents, who were taking care of them while we were at the hospital. They just couldn't get over their new little sister. Well, actually Emmett was more concerned about seeing the doctor and they both wanted to see my "owie".

Here we are the next day after I had a chance to get up out of bed, brush my teeth and feel a little more human.

 Here she is with a rare shot of her eyes open. She really is so precious.

If you're wondering where Leona came from, it's sort of a funny story. As you noticed from our other kid's names, we like the older sounding names....not just the older names that are popular now but some that are a little off the beaten path.

Nora was the name of a great aunt of mine, who I loved dearly. Her middle name is Marie, which is my middle name along with my mother and grandmother (technically her middle name is Maria but it's close enough).

Emmett was my husband's pick. It was just a name he liked and I thought that since it was a boy he could have more say in the name. It actually took me a while to be ok with it but I'm glad I agreed on it. It's a sweet name. His middle name is James, after my husband.

And then there is Leona (pronounced Lee-O-nuh)...
When talking about names that we liked, we weren't having much luck agreeing on something. Jim brought up the name Leona. He didn't know anyone by that name and just liked the sound of it. As soon as he mentioned it I smiled. That was the name of my Great Grandmother (my maternal grandmother's mom). Jim didn't realize that it was a family name which makes it really funny.
Even though it was a name close to my heart (I do remember my great grandmother a little...bits and pieces) it was a name that had to grow on me. It was a name that just sounded old...probably because it does remind me of my great grandmother.
Over time I took to it, knowing that it would be even more special because of family tie in. The name Leona also means "Lion" and Leona was born under the astrological sign Leo so that just seemed perfect. Leona's middle name, Lee, is Jim's mother's middle name.

We are over the moon with this little one. She has been so good. She doesn't cause too much ruckus unless she's hungry. The main issue is that she wants to be held when sleeping at night (she does fine sleeping on her own during the day) but the last couple nights she's had longer stretches of being on her own so I think we are making progress.

Thanks for reading my story...

Love and little Leona,

Stephanie

One last minute trip

I thought last Friday was going to be my final shopping trip before the baby comes but, after I took my kids to play school this morning, I couldn't resist one last stop into King Soopers.
There were some good coupons in this last Sunday's paper so I had snag a few of the deals. Here's what I picked up...

Everything above (plus a second box of Gogurt that I had already put away and a $2 greeting card for my husband...shhh, don't tell) cost a grand total of $16.90. My reciept says I saved 60% but it was quite a bit more than that because some of the items were markdowns and at closeout prices and -those are not figured into the savings.

Here's the breakdown -
- The Pirate's Booty was in the markdown bin for $1.89. A bit of a slurge but it sounded good. :)
- Snoopy fruit snacks were not on sale but we are out so, at $1 a box, the Kroger brand will do us just fine until the next big sale.
- Gogurt - on sale 2/$4 + a $1/2 coupon = $1.50 each. My kids love their "squeeze yogurt" and we needed some more so it went in the cart.
- Colgate - On sale for $1 + the coupon from yesterday's paper = FREE
- Suave - On sale for .99 + the coupon from yesterday's paper = FREE
- Bananas - just needed them
- Starkist tuna - I paid .18 for both cans by using a catalina I recieved last week after purchasing Hamburger Helper (I purchased 6 boxes). It was for $2 off any hambuger, chicken or tuna purchase. I went with the tuna, which was on sale for $1.09 each.
- Good and Natural bars - there was the one variety on closeout for .64 each + 2 BOGO free coupons = .32 each
- Zone Perfect bars - regular price of $1 + .50 coupon (which doubles, of course) = FREE
 - And lastly, the Skinny Cow candy - There is a new BOGO free coupon from yesterday's paper but also one from a previous week, (which is expiring tomorrow). The candy is currently on sale B2GO free, at a sale price of .89 each. I was just trying to figure out if there was a way to have recieved a better deal on those (working the BOGO system) but my brain isn't functioning at high speeds right now so I'll just tell you what I did.
I had 5 coupons so I picked up 3 packages to go along with each coupon. Even though the coupon is BOGO free, the sale is B2GO free. So I recieved one free from the store sale and one free from my coupon, meaning I only paid .89 (the cost of one) for all three. Does that make sense? So 15 candy bars for only $4.45, or .30 each. These are SUPER good and, yes, they are still candy/sweets but since I will be trying to lose baby weight soon (and have a big sweet tooth) I thought that picking up some 110-120 calorie sweets wasn't such bad thing. ;)

I really do think this is my last trip before the baby comes (on WEDNESDAY...EEK!).

I hope you are having luck finding some good deals right now because there are definatly some to be had.

Love and Skinny Cow goodness,

Stephanie

Pregnancy Update

I'm down to single digits now...only 9 days until the arrival of this little baby girl (unless she decides to come early).

I remember the last few weeks being rather uncomfortable with my first two pregnancies, but I have to say that this one has really taken the cake.

All the things that I boasted over are now coming back to bite me.

When I told people my due date I always heard the "Oh, pregnant in the summer!" comment. I always brushed it off because I was pregnant in the summer with my last two (born in early September and late October)...well this year has been different. With record setting heat and drought conditions I have definatly felt a difference. Thank goodness for the invention of the air conditioner but that does mean that I've ended up staying inside more than I'd like to.
The heat has also caused extra swelling in my feet and ankles...something I really didn't deal with the first two times. When it first started (just a couple weeks ago) I would notice it later in the day and evening but the last few days I have woken up feeling a bit of the tightness and having the swelling within a couple hours of being up and about.

The last few days have been especially hard with discomfort....back pain, belly pain and all those cute little kicks are not so cute anymore. About a week ago I realized I was unable to sleep flat in my bed and I have officially moved into sleeping in the recliner....which still isn't that great but at least I'm getting some sleep in between getting up and going to the bathroom.

With all of that said, my husband made a comment last night that really struck me. I don't remember his exact words but basically making the referance that this next week and a half will be my last...ever.

That's really stayed with me and, even through the pain and discomfort, I am trying to enjoy these last 9 days of pregnancy because it won't happen again. We are done having children (at 36 years old and a third c-section it's time to call it quits) so this is my last pregnancy.
Besides the last few weeks, I do enjoy many things about being pregnant. I love knowing that I'm helping form a new human being. I enjoy the comments I receive from strangers, wishing me well. I like not worrying about having to suck in my tummy when taking a photograph. I will miss the baby nudges and hearing that little heart beating when I'm at the doctor's office.

I can't wait to have this little girl in my arms and out of my enormous belly but I feel ever so blessed to have gone through pregnancy three times. Some times I look at my children and wonder how I could have possibly brought them into this world. They are beautiful and amazing and I can't wait to see what kind of people they will become.

As for my last daughter...my baby...I can't wait to meet her. I am excited to find out if she will be the spitting image of my other 2 kids (blonde hair and blue eyes) or if she'll end up with her daddy's brown hair or mommy's brown eyes. Only time will tell and that time is getting shorter and shorter.

Love and waddling through 9 more days,

Stephanie