Super Couponing

As many of you know, I have delved into the world of couponing. In fact, I saw a segment on Nightline about a week ago called, "Super Couponing". While I don't think that I have quite arrived at that juncture, I have been using coupons up the wazoo lately, trying to save my family a bundle of money.

And it is working to say the least. I started couponing mid-March, and in two weeks, I bought $442.38 worth of products for just $154.95. Not all of that was using coupons. Some things, like cantaloupe, are just bought because they are on sale at Walmart. And I wouldn't say that regularly, I would buy $442.38 worth of products in just two weeks. But the fact that I have enough Windex to last me a year, nearly 20 boxes of cereal in my pantry, and enough pasta to feed a local football team is a good trade off. Many items, like my Ronzoni pasta, I actually got paid to purchase, due to a sale, a manufacturer coupon and a store doubler coupon. Not bad. I like free.

So, here is a picture of my last shopping trip, which did include regular shopping at stores like Walmart and the Grocery Outlet, where I didn't use coupons:

 

And here, a picture of Baye with the really nice photo book that I scored for free online (paid just $8.99 for shipping and it was done and delivered in 3 days).

 

All in all, on this trip, I spent $74.63 and purchased $206.29 worth of products. I got a sweet deal on the diapers and cereal and the pasta was free.

Now, there is a trade off. I dream in coupons. Seriously. I think about couponing all day long, and when I finally get to bed, I dream about it there too. I am going through ink on my printer faster than ever before, printing online manufacturer coupons. I only want to buy something if I have a coupon for it. Tonight, I used the last of our wheat bread. We are almost out of peanut butter and dish soap. But since I don't have a coupon, I don't want to buy these items anywhere that I have to pay full price. This is not necessarily a good thing. I don't HAVE to drive to Redmond just because there is a good deal, though I am planning on going tomorrow because there is a REALLY GOOD DEAL...and who doesn't need a year's worth of shampoo, conditioner, and vitamins for merely $8.00? (That's at Walgreens, by the way) Plus, I need to learn the ropes of Walgreens, and have my couponing friends willing to go with me to show me how to do it right. It is a science, you know...

Couponing is addicting, and I need to make sure that I come up with a way to have some balance with it.

Climbing to new heights...

As I was folding laundry and talking to a friend on the phone in our bedroom, Bailey was "hiding in the closet". Now, Bailey loves doing this...if I don't know where she is, I can usually find her in our closet on the floor. So, when Jeff came in looking for Bailey, he expected to find her on the floor in the closet. But instead, a "Where's Bailey?" question yielded a giggle that was about 6 feet HIGHER than usual. She climbed to the top shelf in our closet!

 

Where, oh where, did my baby go, and who is this monkey that has taken her place?

Choices Choices

 

If you look closely, you will find an undecisive 2 1/2 year old girl behind those cereal boxes. This is how she often times, picks out what she wants to eat for breakfast. She lines up all her cereal and then carefully chooses the winner for the day. Today, it was rice chex. Tomorrow could be Strawberry Frosted Mini Wheats. Who knows? At least she is eating, right?

Birthday Love from the Fam

Yesterday, for my birthday, my little family baked me a strawberry cake with cream cheese frosting. The Bug loves to help out by stirring the batter. And, if you look closely, you will notice that Bailey and Daddy are wearing our famous matchng aprons, handcrafted by my friend Karen Ortwig! Jeff looks especially handsome with the waist belt tied around the front of his tummy, don't you think?

 

In the end, I had a great day. It is quite apparent to my family (and my facebook world) that I am currently into gardening, because both my mother and husband bought me things for the garden. My mom got me a beautiful blue crackled glass bird bath and my husband got me gardening supplies, seeds, a water can, potting soil (as well as a home spa kit).

Now that the birthday is over, I have GOT to find a way to get rid of the rest of this yummy birthday cake! It just shouldn't all go in my belly.