Saving Young

Thrifty Thursday

2010-02-25T05:00:00.000-06:00

Have you ever had a drawer that you wanted to organizer better, but didn't want to spend $3-$5 on small baskets or trays that may or may not actually fit in your draw? This was a problem that I had with a small drawer in my bathroom. The drawer is rather shallow and is used to hold things like tweezers, toothpaste, finger nail clippers, chap stick, floss, etc. I just couldn't justify myself spending money on trays to organize a draw that contained items that I either got for free or for very cheap (nor did I want to spend the money).

My solution, homemade trays that were created out of re-purposed empty cereal containers. I figured that companies include the cost of packaging in the price that they charge the consumer, so why not get some use out of what I have paid for. Once a particular cereal was empty, I simply cut the end off the box that was unopened. You can use utility scissors or box cutters to make the "tray" whatever height you like and voila, instant drawer organizers. This project cost me nothing since the boxes were left over packaging that I normally would have recycled.

Talk About it Tuesday: Calzones

2010-02-16T05:00:00.000-06:00

I would have to say that my favorite weekend food to eat is calzones. I have been making these for years now, but had previously always used box pizza dough kits. Since I started making my own pizza dough several months ago, I decided to try making my own calzone dough as well. Here is how I made these fabulous calzones last weekend for dinner with a recipe I found somewhere on the internet.

Calzone dough recipe:

1 TBS dry yeast (or 1 package)

3 TBS sugar

1 1/2 C warm water

4 to 4 1/2 C flour

1) Dissolve the yeast & sugar in warm water.

2)Add flour to yeast mixture, knead (I did this in my Kitchen Aid mixer for about 5 minutes on speed)

3)Place dough in greased bowl, cover, & allow to rise until doubled in size.

4)Divide dough in fourths (we like big calzones) and roll out. Fill with desired ingredients (we like using combinations of motzerella cheese, pepporoni, spinach, ground beef, black olives, and mushrooms).

5)Fold dough over & seal. Then I like to brush melted butter on top, then sprinkle calzones with garlic salt. Bake at 450 degrees for 15-20

Thrifty Thursday: More Steals & Deals - Kroger

2010-02-11T05:00:00.004-06:00

I went to Kroger yesterday & made out like a bandit! I was able to purchase everything in the picture for $20.97 and I received two $4 catalinas to use on my next purchase! This week Kroger is running a special, buy 10 participating items receive $3 off at checkout instantly (I have heard this sale will last two weeks). There is also a catalina deal on Purex through March 3rd (buy 2 get $4, buy 3 get $5) and on select Pillsbury items through February 21(buy 4 get $2, buy 5 get $3, buy 6 get $4). So you can bet your button that I will be back at Kroger before the sale is over to rack up big again & use the catalinas I earned today.

I live in the DFW area of Texas, so be sure to check your local ad for all prices. To get a full listing of sale match-ups and available coupons, checkout your local Kroger forum at HotCouponWorld.

Here is the break down of how I scored big on this trip to Kroger.

2 Wholly Guacamoles $3.99/ea
2 Ritz Crackers $2.49/ea
4 Banquet Sausage links $1.00/ea
1 Orville Smart Pop $1.99
1 Oreo Golden Double Stuff $2.97
2 Pillsbury Simply Cookies $2.49/ea
2 Purex Laundry Detergent $2.49/ea
6 Pillsbury Grands biscuits $1.29/ea
2 Ragu sauces $1.95/ea
1 Softsoap $0.88
1 Gallon whole milk $2.48
1 Half gallon chocolate milk $1.99
2 Maruchan noodles $0.99/ea
Subtotal $50.85, Used the following coupons:
2 $3 off instant savings
$5 off $30 purchase (mailed to me from Kroger)
$2 off 2 Ritz crackers
$1 Orville Smart Pop
Free Oreo Golden Double Stuff (deducted $2.97)
2 $0.35 Purex (both tripled)
2 $1 Pillsbury Simply Cookies
2 $0.30 off 3 Pillsbury Grands (both tripled)
2 $0.30 Ragu (both tripled)
$0.50 Softsoap (deducted full price of item $0.88 after doubling)
2 $0.50 Wholly Guacamole (both doubled)
Free half gallon of chocolate milk when you purchase whole gallon of white milk (deducted $1.99)
2 $0.50 Maruchan (deducted full price of item $0.99 after doubling for both items)
Total OOP $20.97, Earned $8 in catalinas

Weight Loss Wednesday

2010-02-10T07:04:00.000-06:00

This week for Weight Loss Wednesday, I actually feel like I have been making some progress towards my goal of losing all my "baby weight. " I got on my Wii fit to weigh myself (it tracks your weight & BMI on a graph) & it says that I lost 1 LB!!! Great right? Well, after it says I lost a pound it also pointed out that I weighed myself around mid-day where as last time I weighed myself in the late afternoon & that body weight can fluctuate up to 2 LB depending on the time of day you weigh yourself....so does that mean I could have gained weight? Either way I have felt great all week.

I worked out 4 times since last Wednesday morning. This week my work outs included 3 times at the gym and 1 home work outs. The best part is that I actually felt a little sore in my muscles after some of my workouts, which for me is a good sign that I am really pushing myself. Though I tried really hard to eat well, I still had a few "slips." I had pork BBQ sandwiches on game day (& I don't feel sorry about it because those are my fave & pork BBQ is hard to come by in Texas). Oh well, I ate really well pretty much every other day.

Target Steals & Deals

2010-02-10T07:02:00.001-06:00

So I made a quick trip to Target yesterday to check out the clearance section. To my disappointment I only saw clearance clothes in the juniors section, but I did manage to find a few other great deals.

I paid $30.71 for:

50 LBS (10 bags) of Gold Medal, unbleached all purpose flour clearance price $0.98/ea
2 Buddies soap bars $0.97/ea (used 2 $1 Johnson & Johnson coupons)
1 Jumbo pack of Huggies diaper wipes (216 wipes) $5.99 (used $1.50 Target coupon & $1 Huggies coupon)
1 case of Pampers cruisers, size 3 (96 diapers) clearance price $25.48, outside box was damaged (used $1 Target coupon & $2 Pampers coupon)
Also used $5 gift card that I earned a couple weeks ago during a diaper promotion

So this wasn't the best deal in the world, but far better than what I would normally pay. I personally thought the flour was the best deal. The cheapest I was able to get it previously was around last Thanksgiving at $1.50 a bag without coupon or $1.00 a bag if I had a printable coupon. I only picked up 10 - 5LB bags (they had much more) because we are going to be moving soon since my husband is in the military & we have a weight limit on how much we are allowed for the move. :-(

My CVS Deals this Week

2010-02-09T07:18:00.000-06:00

This is what I went to CVS for this week. I spent at total of $13.38 for everything in the picture. I spent higher than normal, but I really needed the Excedrin, I really wanted the tanning lotion (I'm going on vacation soon & don't want to scare anyone with my terribly pale skin) and it was late and I didn't feel like trying to ponder the best transaction scenario to get the lowest price. Here is a breakdown of what I bought and what I paid for it:

Transaction 1:

1 Excedrin Back & Body 24 ct $4.79

1 Excedrin Tension Headache 20 ct $5.39

1 Excedrin PM 20 ct $5.59

Subtotal $15.77, I paid with the following

2 $2 off printable Excedrin coupons (I printed this from the Coupons.com banner on the left side of my site)

1 $0.75 Excedrin coupon

$8.59 in ECB's earned last week

Total OOP: $2.43, earned $7 in ECB's

Transaction 2 (It was late in the evening so I asked if I could do 2 transactions):

2 Reach Total Care Floss $3.99/ea

1 Loreal Hip Eye Shadow Cream $2.99 (this was 75% clearance)

2 Nivea gradual tanning lotion $7.99/ea

2 Oust Air Sanitizers $3.99/ea

Subtotal $34.93, Paid with the following:

1 B1G1 Reach floss (deducted $3.99)

1 $1 Reach floss coupon (didn't know if this coupon would be accepted since I used the B1G1, but it was)

1 $3 Loreal coupon

1 $5 off 2 Nivea lotions

1 B1G1 Oust coupon (deducted $3.99)

$7 in ECB's earned in 1st transaction

Total OOP $10.95 & earned $15 in ECB's ($4 from Reach, $5 from Nivea, & $6 from Oust)

Talk About It Tuesday: Home-Made Baby Food

2010-02-09T05:00:00.000-06:00

As you might recall, last Friday I discussed ways I saved money on feeding my baby in Part III of my mini-series "Having a Baby for Less." One way I mentioned that I save money is by making my own baby food. This is not only less expensive than purchasing pre-made baby food, but it is extremely simple and easy enough for anyone to do (including myself).

Before I decided to make any food at all, I watched a couple videos on YouTube just to make sure that I knew what I was doing. Once I discovered that making baby food is as simple as what most people think it is, boiling or steaming vegetables and fruits, I knew that I was ready. You don't need to do watch any videos, but I found it encouraging and helpful.

Now the first thing you need to do is make sure you have the right equipment. I use very inexpensive items such as plastic ice cube trays that can be purchased at Wal-Mart or the Dollar tree, a blender, and a potato masher. Sounds fancy, huh?

Next, you need to decide what type of food you want to make. I knew that I could make things like apples or sweet potatoes, but what else could I make? So I searched the web and stumbled across an absolutely wonderful site called Wholesome Baby Food. This site is dedicated to teaching people how to make home made baby food, what types of food your baby can eat and at what age, how each food is stored best and much more. This site has most definitely been a guide for me when trying to decide what I should make for my baby.

Now, you are ready for the actual preparing of the baby food. I have found that boiling or steaming food is the way to go for me and is very easy. So wash, peel & cut up your vegetable or fruit of choice into small pieces (the smaller the pieces the easier it is to puree). Then either steam over boiling water or place in a pot with just enough water to cover. (Total hands on time, approximately 4-5 minutes depending on how much you are making.)

Once the vegetable or fruit is very tender, drain the food but do not throw out the liquid (this contains the nutrients that escaped during the cooking process). Mash up the food with a potato masher & then place in your blender or food processor. Add just enough of the saved liquid to puree the food. This part may take a few minutes depending on the appliance you are using. (Total hands on time, approximately 2-3 minutes depending on how much you are making.)

Now that the food is prepared, you have two options for storage: store in refrigerator for 2-3 days or freeze and store for 2-3 months (the amount of time that it can be stored varies, so be sure to check with your pediatrician). I have always chosen to freeze my baby food because it is so convenient. I simply take a small scooper (or a spoon) and fill up a couple ice cube trays. (One cube is equivalent to one ounce of baby food.) Then, I place the trays in the freezer. After food is frozen (usually I just let it set all afternoon), pop the food cubes out & place in dated plastic container or baggie. If the food cubes don't want to come out, simply run some warm water on the backside of the trays and the food will pop right out. (Total hands on time, approximately 2-3 minutes depending on how much you are making.)

Finally, now that your baby food is frozen simply take out how much you need at each feeding and reheat. You can reheat the food in a bottle warmer, on the stove or in the microwave. Personally, I heat the food in the microwave by placing the cubes in a microwave safe bowl and heating until thawed & slightly warm. Then I make sure to stir it good to prevent any hot spots and check the temperature of it before feeding it my baby. (Total hands on time at each feeding, approximately 1 minute depending.)

When I plan on being away from home during feeding time and need to take the baby food with me, I simply select how many cubes I need. Then I place the cubes in a very small plastic container with a lid or an old baby food jar. Then I either thaw the food in the microwave (if I'm not going far or won't be out long) or I allow the food to thaw as I am out. This is a very convenient way to bring your own food with you instead of having to bring store bought food.

So that's it, you're done! Can you believe that it only took about 10 minutes of total hands on time to make your own baby food? As always, be sure to check with your pediatrician before making any changes to your baby's diet and find a method to make your own baby food that is safe and right for you.

Sunday Spiritual

2010-02-07T05:00:00.000-06:00

Well another week has gone by & I am that much closer to my goal of reading the Bible in 90 Days. This week has definitely been interesting to say the least. This week's reading was part of 1st Chronicles all the way through part of Job. My original plan was to get ahead on my reading for the weekend because I had lots of plans; however, it was all I could do just to keep up with my reading, let alone try to get ahead. While I would like to get ahead on my reading during the weekend so that it's not so stressful during the weekend, I figure just staying on schedule will have to good enough for now. Hopefully things will go better next week and I won't feel so burnt out from all this reading.

Financial Friday: Having a Baby for Less, Part III - Feeding Your Baby

2010-02-05T06:00:00.002-06:00

As you may remember, Part I of "Having a Baby for Less" discussed how I saved money while pregnant and preparing for our newest family member. Part II of this little mini-series discussed how I saved money on clothes and small baby items. This next portion of "Having a Baby for Less" is all about how I have managed to save money on feeding my baby.

Since many of you may think of me as a frugal person, this may come as a shock to you....I did not breast feed. I know that many people have very strong opinions about breast feeding vs. bottle feeding and I will admit that breast feeding is the most economical choice, but this was a personal decision and I chose to bottle feed. With that being said, there are several ways that I have saved money over these last few months ranging from buying in bulk, to freebies, and even making my own baby food.
First, when I decided to bottle feed I had to choose what bottles I would be using. I wanted to pick something that was not only good for the baby, but was easy to use as well. Based on online reviews and recommendations by friends and family, I decided to use Playtex Vent-Aire Advanced bottles. I was able to purchase packs of three on sale at Target for around $9 a pack and I also used a couple coupons that I had received in the mail from Playtex. I purchased 2 packs of 6 oz bottles and 2 packs of 9 oz bottles, totaling around $35-$40 after coupons and tax. While the upfront cost of the bottles was expensive, I tried to look at it as more of an investment. My daughter will use these bottles for up to a year and any future children will be able to use them as well.

Next, I had to decide what type of formula to use. This by far has been the most expensive decisions that I have thus far. Since I was choosing not to bottle feed, I opted for the higher quality formula. I used Similac Advance with Early Shield, which runs approximately $22.99 for a 23.2 oz tub at most national chain stores. I figured, I wasn't choosing to bottle feed to save money so I was going to get what I thought was the best for my baby. My decision to use Similac was based on several factors: doctors recommendation, hospital recommendation, online reviews/comparisons, and various promotional items from Similac. Before even coming home from the hospital, I had received 5 free cans of Similac (in the mail and from my doctor) and had also received numerous ready to use individuals bottles from the hospital and our pediatrician (literally, I received probably 50-75 of these 2 oz bottles). Also, I had signed up online for Similac Strong Moms program and constantly received instant $5 rebate checks good towards the purchase of any Similac formula.

Once I had my bottles and brand of formula picked out, I was able to begin stocking up on formula. If you remember from Part I of "Having a Baby for Less," I had saved money monthly prior to delivery because I knew that things like formula would cost a fortune. This allowed me to purchase formula in bulk and on sale whenever I saw a good enough price. I knew that my baby would be using formula for the first year, so I could buy as much as I wanted (or could afford at any one period) without having to worry about it going to waste. I started off by combining my $5 instant rebate checks with various sales at places like Target and Wal-Mart to get the lowest possible price. This usually netted about $7-8 in savings per tub of formula. Also, UPromise had offered various $5 e-coupons for the purchase of Similac in previous months, which added to the amount of formula savings.

When I no longer had any rebate checks remaining and there are no great sales or coupons available, I looked for low prices on bulk purchases online. Twice I have purchased formula online in bulk and have been very happy with my results. The first time I purchased the formula from Amazon and after using gift cards that I earned from Swagbucks, I was able to buy 12 tubs at approximately $19 a tub. The second time I purchased in bulk was from Diapers.com and I was able to get 6 tubs at approximately $21 a tub (not a huge savings, but every dollar counts). The thing I liked the most about Diapers.com was that they will price match any other online price and you can mail in your coupons, which will then be applied to your future purchases. (If your interested in Diapers.com, enter referral code SAVI6635 at checkout and you'll get an extra $10 off your first order of diapers with a $49 minimum purchase.) As of right now, I actually have enough formula to last for at least 2 more months. This has allowed me to wait for the best price on formula before purchasing since I don't have to worry about running out at home.

Finally, when it came time for my daughter to begin eating baby food I decided that the most economically choice would be to make my own. For a fraction of the price, I have been able to make nearly all of my own baby food, including infant cereal. In the beginning, I made infant rice and oat cereal from scratch, but ultimately decided that those items were cheap enough at the store to not have to make at home (though my daughter loved the home-made version much better that store bought at first).

As for actually baby foods, I have made everything from applesauce, to carrots, to squash, to sweet potatoes and broccoli. Not only is it extremely simple to do, it is far less expensive than purchasing baby food from the store. For instance, my homemade version of sweet potatoes cost approximately $0.0146 cents per serving to make (not including the small amount of electricity used for boiling) and took only 10 minutes of actual hands on time. Compare that to the same store bought version which runs anywhere from $0.47 for a two serving jar to $1.97 for four servings! As you can see, the savings has been substantial. Despite the large amount of savings in homemade baby food, I have purchased a few jars when I was able to get them free or nearly free after coupon. When this occurred, I purchased the flavors that I would not be making at home such as peas or mango. (Be sure to check out my post this coming Tuesday when I will share how I make my baby food from scratch!)

In the end, I have had some ups and downs when trying to save money on feeding my baby. While I saved money by using coupons, buying in bulk, and making my own baby food, none of this has really off set the cost of choosing to bottle feed. That however, was a choice that I made a long time ago and was fully aware of the financial consequences that I would incur by doing so. Luckily for me, I was able to save money in the beginning and have not had to worry about the cost of the formula.

Thrifty Thursday

2010-02-04T06:58:00.000-06:00

Look at this great stroller that I was able to purchase on Craigslist for only $15!!! Sure it needs a little cleaning, but other than that it works perfectly fine and is in excellent condition. My husband has been asking me for a few weeks now to get a smaller stroller (we currently have a behemoth full size stroller that I personally love) so that he can push the baby around more easily when we go to the store or mall. Well, who is going to argue with a man that wants to take the baby? So I have been on the look out for a light weight stroller that reclines, has a tray, a canopy, and a basket. It took me a couple weeks to find one that I thought was a low enough price, but patience pays off in the end. I don't even want to know how much this stroller would have cost me new....

Weight Loss Wednesday

2010-02-03T05:00:00.000-06:00

Another Wednesday goes by and I have yet to lose anymore weight, but I am still trying. My husband & friends say I look great, but I'm using my pre-maternity clothes as an incentive to keep trying to lose the last 10 LBS.

I had been unable to go to the gym during the week for the past 3 weeks now due to either myself being sick or my baby being sick, but I have not let that discourage me from working out.
Over the last couple weeks I have done exercises at the park, work out videos, and the gym when I could go by myself. Since last Wednesday, it has been cold here (upper 30's to upper 40's) so I worked out mainly at the house. I did a work out video twice, which really killed my glutes and quads, and was able to go to the gym once while my husband watched the baby on Sunday. So three workouts in one week isn't so bad, right?

Okay, time for the confession part of this week's post. When I was pregnant I used my Wii Fit all the time, literally several times a week. I would do yoga, work out, and graph my weight. Well I decided to go on it & see what my weight was when I first started using it.........and was I in for a shocker. My first recorded weight was when I was 3.5 months pregnant & I actually weighed 4 LBS less than I do right now. How is that for motivation?!?! I decided I really need to make a commitment to losing these last few pounds and try to focus on core (abs, glutes & thighs) since this is where all my extra weight is lingering.

Sunday Spiritual

2010-01-31T07:02:00.000-06:00

I can't believe that I am already over 1/3 of the way through my goal of reading the Bible in 90 days. It seems like I just started reading, but the reality is I have gotten so far in just a short amount of time. As you may remember, my New Year's resolution was to read the Bible. So I discovered a program online that has a schedule of daily reading set up that allows you to finish the entire Bible in only 90 days by reading one hour a day.

This last week I read from 2 Samuel all the way through most of 1 Chronicles. While I am thrilled that I have made it this far, it hasn't been without it's ups and downs. A few weeks ago there was a time when I was 4 days behind on my reading and I thought that I would never catch up, but I did. I just made myself stick with it and did a little extra reading each day until I was where I was suppose to be. The one tip I would give others just starting out is to either do your reading first thing in the morning or schedule a specific time to do it every day and do not deviate. I found that if you put off your reading during the day, always saying I will do it in a couple of hours, the next thing you know it is bed time and you haven't done it yet.

So for everyone out there participating in my New Year's resolution or reading the Bible on your own keep up the good work and remember your ultimate goal: To know God through his word.

Super Savings Saturday

2010-01-30T08:19:00.000-06:00

If you want to know how I scored all of the above for only $28.26, check out my post about the Kroger Mega Event & my CVS trip. Also, be sure to read about my amazing trip to Target, where I was able to great some great steals & deals, including an Eddie Bauer comfort infant carrier for 75% off!

Financial Friday: How to Have a Baby for Less, Part II - Clothing Your Baby

2010-01-29T06:00:00.003-06:00

This is part II to a small mini-series on how my family managed to avoid going into debt while having our first child. Part I discussed some of the aspects of how we saved money and avoided debt during my pregnancy; this post will discuss how we made it through the first few months after delivery without spending hardly any money on clothes for baby.

Before my sweet, little baby was born last summer, I was sure that I had things down pat money wise. Somehow, I had managed to spend very little prior to the baby being born. Granted I did have to spend money to buy some necessities and major items, but we had saved for them and I priced shopped to find the best deal. Little did I know that the last month before delivery and the months to follow after, my hormones would sky rocket and I would find myself constantly thinking that I just had to have something else for the baby….. I found myself thinking that I “needed” extra clothes that I really didn’t or that I had to have something because it would be best of the baby or (my favorite) it was just too cute. How did I manage to overcome this unexpected obstacle of wanting everything?
First and foremost I should start off by stating that I personally don’t see the point in always having new clothes for a baby when they will just outgrow them or spit up on them anyway. Every now and then new clothes are fine, but I tend to shy away from splurging and an expensive new wardrobe for baby. Now I’m not against new clothes, just expensive new clothes and when I say expensive I mean it in the most frugal sense of the word. For me, $4 is way too high of a price for a baby shirt and $10 for a pair of baby pants is ridiculous. In fact, the last paid of pants I bought myself I purchased for $6.50 (after clearance & coupons of course). So you can see the potential dilemma I was facing? This is where my secret advantage came into play… friends, family, thrift stores, and bargain shopping.

As far as friends and family goes, I am very fortunate I know several people with little girls who were born in the same season as my daughter and still had many of their old baby clothes. I had told everyone that I knew prior to my delivery that I had no problem receiving hand me downs or second-hand items so long as they were reasonably clean. While I received some new clothes, mostly all for newborn and all extremely thoughtful, I received countless quantities of used items from a sister, cousin, and friend of mine for a wide range of sizes. All of the items were super cute, clean and wonderful. I received items that were from size 0-3 all the way up to 24 months! Needless to say, my daughter will be very well dressed in the months to come.

When it comes to thrift stores, I have found they can either be your best friend or your worst nightmare. I absolutely hate sifting through junk at thrift stores that aren’t organized, dirty, or don’t carry any quality merchandise. On the other hand, I do love finding good deals at reputable, well-maintained thrift or consignment stores. I made it my mission to check out prices at children consignment stores and the nicer thrift stores in town before making purchases for baby items. For me, this led to substantial savings on many items ranging from a boppy with cover for only $6 to 10 onesies/shirts and two maternity shirts for only $12. When I shop at a thrift or consignment store, I treat it just like every other store, I check out the sales and clearance items. Remember just because you buy something used doesn’t always mean it’s a good deal (this rule applies to all sales at regular stores too).

Lastly, I love to bargain shop for rock bottom prices at some of the name brand stores as well as places like Target. Stores like Children’s Place, Gymboree, and various department stores offer multitudes of indescribably cute clothes at a ridiculously high price. One time I remember shopping for baby clothes and when I glanced at the price tag I though, “I didn’t even pay that much for my own shirt so why would I spend it for a baby shirt?” Though I have no problem buying used, I also don’t see the point in paying for something that is used if I can buy it new for less money. This is why I shop for rock bottom prices when I shop for new items for my baby (and for nearly everything else). I have found that at are times when the sales are low enough (usually a sale combined with a coupon) you can find high quality, new baby clothes at reasonable prices. I am lucky enough to live near a mall that carries a Children’s Place outlet. When their monster sale is happening and I have a coupon (these are often in parenting magazines, available online or through the mail), I can often times find great deals on clothes. Also, Target and JCPenny have been good stores for deals on baby clothes when the items are marked down 75% or a coupon is available.

So between friends, family, thrift stores and bargain shopping I have spent very, very little on baby clothes. I definitely have counted my blessings in this area and am grateful for all that we have and all that we have been given. Remember, the next time you want to purchase clothes for your baby ask yourself, “Does she really need this? Can I get this from a friend? Can I find it cheaper elsewhere? Is the price tag worth since she will be out growing in just a couple of months?”

More Savings at The Limited

2010-01-29T05:59:00.001-06:00

Guess what arrived in my mail yesterday? A savings card from The Limited. Just like the printable coupon that came out last week, this card offers $15 a $15 or more purchase; however, this one is valid from February 1st to March 3rd. It looks like I might score some awesome deals on clothes over the next month and half if I play my cards right!

Great Deal at the Limited

2010-01-28T15:44:00.000-06:00

If you ever read my blog in the past, you will know that I loved getting a good clothing deal. Well the Limited is offering a printable coupon for $15 off your $15 or more purchase! When you first look at the coupon you will notice it states $50 off $150 purchase or more and you might be thinking, "Geez, that's not such a good deal." It's only when you go on to read the details that you will notice you can receive the $15 any purchase of $15 or more.

Now, there is one catch; the coupon cannot be used towards the purchase of sale items or accessories, which greatly limits what you can purchase in the store. I know from personal experience that there are very few full priced items below $30 at The Limited. However, I'm hear to tell you my friends a little secret I learned a couple years ago. Promotional prices are not included as sale items! This means if you wait until there is a promotion running to use your coupon, you will be able to get an excellent deal.

In the past, I have used coupons like this one that were mailed to me to get a large assortment of top quality clothes. I used numerous coupons during 40% off events that enabled me to get beautiful tops and pants for as low as $1.50!!!

The coupon is valid from now through February 3rd, so you will have plenty of time to watch for those promotions. I'll keep you posted if I see any that are good enough for me to take the baby to the mall.

Kroger Mega Event

2010-01-28T07:00:00.001-06:00

I was able to purchase everything in the picture for only $18.88 at Kroger yesterday!!!! Right now they are having their Mega Event Mix & Match going on. Basically, purchase 10 participating items & receive $5 off instantly at checkout. I had 30 participating items & received $15 off at checkout. Plus, I used coupons for everything I purchased with the exception of the milk & the spinach. For a complete match-up of Mega Event Items in your area, check out HotCouponWorld or see your weekly Kroger ad for participating items in your area.

Ann Taylor Loft Sale

2010-01-27T07:15:00.000-06:00

Right now Ann Taylor Loft is having a huge sale; take an extra 50% ALL SALES items!!! This sale is only valid in stores & I'm not sure how long it will last for, but if you need some clothes or want to shop for an upcoming season, now could be a great time to stock up. Some of their clothes get heavily discounted once they reach the final sale mark & with an extra 50% off you could easily walk away a couple hundred of dollars worth of clothes for less than $25.

Weight Loss Wednesday

2010-01-27T07:00:00.041-06:00

Weight Loss Wednesday is a new topic that I would like to make a once a week thing. My hope is that by talking about my weight loss goals, exercising & eating habits, I will be more likely to stick to my plan and lose all of my post "baby" weight. To start things off, this is a picture of me (and the hubby) during the summer of 2008 at Six Flags just a couple of months before I got pregnant.....

And this is me in early labor, literally about 11 hours before delivery (my husband thought it would be great to capture the "memories" of my labor pains.

That was 42 pounds (yes, I am admitting that I gained 42 during my pregnancy) of extra "baby" weight that had consumed my body. Now, during the year prior to becoming pregnant I somehow, mysteriously lost about 5 pounds when I wasn't even trying. So I normally weigh about 5 lbs more than what I do in the first picture.

Now the crazy thing is that I actually enjoy exercising. I love going to the gym (but hate running), love being outside, and love the "feel good" feeling that happens after a good work out. I was the girl in the gym doing 14 pull ups and making everyone sick over how many inclined sit ups I could do; guess those days are gone for now. I never truly have dieted, but I do try to eat in moderation. Typically, I will eat healthy or lower calorie during the week if I know that I will be eating out on the weekend. Or if I know that I am having a very fatty dinner and dessert, I will try to eat stuff that's lower calories earlier in the day to compensate for it. I do try to eat fruits/vegetables and eat small low fat snacks a couple times during the day.

Now for everyone wondering, when I say, "I eat lower or less calories," I just mean that I cut the calories when I can and in what I can. For instance, instead of tea I will drink water or instead of an egg sandwich for breakfast I will eat cereal. I have never actually been a fan of tru dieting, because I always cheat and have assumed that I will gain the weight back when the diet is over. So for that reason, I try to just eat a diet that is healthy enough for me and eat the things that I enjoy.

Despite the fact that I don't diet, there is one thing I always try stick to and is that I don't eat out during the week hardly ever (mostly because I'm cheap). It is a real treat for me when I do and I try to keep it either somewhat healthy or a slightly smaller portion. Also, I don't eat leftovers too often for lunch because dinner is typically my highest calorie/fat content meal of the day. So, if I eat leftovers for lunch, not only am I consuming two higher calorie meals on that particular day, but I tend to over eat as well. So I simply try to stick to either sandwiches, things I can easily make at the house, or the smaller, healthier parts of the leftovers (like just the vegetables and rice with no meat or gravy).

With all that being said, I have only lost 75% of my baby weight. I actually lost the first 20 LBS in less than 3 weeks, so I really haven't done all too well the last six months. I know the old saying, 9 months to put the weight on, 18 months to take it off. In fact, I use to always tell that to my friends, but secretly I didn't think it was going to apply to me. I've always been a good size and since I love to exercise, I honestly thought that I would be back to my normal size within 4 to 6 months maximum. So I was quite surprised when the weight didn't start dropping off the moment I started exercising again.

In order for me to get back to my normal weight, I need to lose approximately 5-7 LBS and to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight I need to lose a total of 10-12 LBS. In terms of sizes, I need to lose 1 pants size to get to my normal weight & 2 to get back to my pre-pregnancy pants size. Now this doesn't sound like a lot, but let me tell you it is. I think it has been hard because all my weight that I gained was only in my thighs/hips, butt, & stomach (like most women) and of course those are the hardest places to lose weight.

My goal is taking things one pound at a time. Yes, I would love to fit into all my old clothes again, but at this point I realize that it is going to take time. I am going to update my progress every Wednesday and will try to include how many days I exercised, what I did, any major challenges and any major (or minor) victories that I faced in the world of weight loss. I hope that this will encourage everyone out there reading my blog to become more active and hopefully we will all hold each other accountable. Kind of like our very own weight loss support group. Please feel free to post any tips, comments, suggestions or weight loss progress of your own.

Talk About it Tuesday: My Bible Adventure

2010-01-26T08:39:00.001-06:00

This year I decided to take on a new adventure; my New Years resolution for 2010 was to read the Bible. This all started when I saw program online that talked about reading the Bible in 90 days and I thought it sounded like a good idea. I will admit, I am 26 years old Christian and have never read the Bible from start to finish. I go to church, I was an AWANA leader last year, have been baptized, but never read the Bible. You see, I've tried to read the Bible before, but never made it very far. Now that I have a child, I have thought, "How can I teach her about something that I myself have not read? How can I counsel her or others on coming to God and accepting Christ if I do not know the scripture?" Plan and simple, I realized that I make time for everything else in my life from cleaning to exercising to family time, the very least I could do was spare one hour a day for God.

What I like about this program is that it actually gets you through the entire Bible in 90 by reading for about 1 hour a day. It tells you what pages to read each day and I have found all sorts of helpful information and guides at another blog called MomsToolBox. For me, this is fantastic because I actually feel like I will succeed. The reading only takes me about 45-60 minutes each day and I don't feel tired or worn out by it. I started my reading on January 1st 2010 and am proud to say that I am already in 1 Kings!

Though this program can be completed with any Bible, I went ahead and purchased the recommended Bible (The Bible in 90 Days: Cover to Cover in 12 Pages a Day) which is an NIV (New International Version). I liked the idea of having the pages already marked for me each day so that I know exactly where to start and where to stop. Also, this Bible is in slightly larger print, which makes for much easier reading. Now I will admit that I thought the program's website price of $14.99+shipping was a tad pricey, so I bought mine used from Amazon and paid about $12 after shipping.

The blog site I mentioned earlier, MomsToolBox, has been a great blog for me to checkout every day and follow along in the process of reading the Bible. It offers tips, prayers, observations and reading schedules. I hope that some of you will join in and participate in this program. Even though you may have not started January 1st, it's not too late. Even if you don't have an hour a day, you could do half the reading each day and finish the Bible in 6 months. For all of you out there that do not need a new Bible (I actually was looking to purchase a new one anyway which is why I bought one), you can check out a reading schedule from MomsToolBox and see what pages to read each day.

I will try and post my progress every Sunday and hope that you join in the program too. The more of us that know the word of God, the more of us that can spread it.

Target Steals & Deals

2010-01-25T08:14:00.001-06:00

This week there are awesome deals on baby stuff at Target. Not only is there baby items on clearance for at much as 75% off, but there is also a special on diapers and formula as well. (Also, I found these 3M Command Hooks clearanced for 75% off and here is a printable coupon for $1 off). Right now, if you buy 3 jumbo packs of select Huggies or Pampers diapers or training pants for $8.99 you will receive a $5 Target gift card. Similarly, if you buy 2 tubs of select Similac Formula at $22.99 each you will also receive a $5 Target gift card. While this is an okay deal on its own, here is how you make it even better.

If you use manufacturer or store coupons to purchase the diapers or formula you will still receive the gift card. Then you can use your gift card towards the purchase of more formula or diapers that will then earn you another gift card (this is called "rolling" the deal).

For instance, I purchased 3 packs of Pampers diapers at $8.99 each and used 3 $2 Pampers coupons and 2 $2 Target coupons. My total before coupons was $26.97 and my total after coupons was only $16.97 and I still received my $5 gift card.

Now, I have already been to Target once this week and managed to walk away with some incredible stuff. In addition to my diaper purchase, I also purchased an Eddie Bauer Comfort Support Infant Carrier originally priced at $52.49 for only $13.12 and a pack of Gerber Sleep & Play infant suits originally priced at $9.99 for only $2.24.

I plan to go to Target at least 2 more times this week to "roll" my diaper gift card. Instead of doing multiple transactions at once, I like to go a couple different times during the week and I do this for several reasons. First, it gives other shoppers the opportunity to get good deals too. I absolutely hate going to buy a deal and find out that someone completely bought them out already, so by going on different days it gives others the opportunity to make their purchases and the store has time to restock before I come again. Secondly, Target is right across the street of the gym I go to, so it doesn't cost me any extra money in gas to make multiple trips. Finally, it gives me a chance to get out of the house with the baby to do something she & I both like (she just loves riding around in a shopping cart).

Awesome Advance Auto Parts Deal

2010-01-25T06:53:00.003-06:00

Right now, if you go to the Advance Auto Parts website you will see the details for an amazing deal that is running from January 25th through the 27th. Spend $100 when shopping online today and you will receive a coupon via e-mail for $50 off your next $50 or more purchase! This would be a great time to order any parts needed for future repairs or stock up on items needed for regular scheduled maintenance that you might be able to do yourself.

I plan on checking out the site to see what I can get accessory wise for our new (new to us) vehicle that we purchased & paid cash for last November. I will update this post with any new information or great buys from the website.

CVS Trip

2010-01-24T09:30:00.001-06:00

This is what I purchased at CVS today. I had two transactions and my total OOP (out of pocket) was $9.38 after tax. I used ECBs (Extra Care Bucks) from a previous transaction along with coupons to pay for my items. So for any of you shopping at CVS for the first time, you will have a higher OOP because you will not have any ECBs to lower your total; however, after today (or after your first transaction) you will be able to start rolling your ECBs (use ECBs earned from one purchase to pay for items on a second purchase that earn you more ECBs).

This is my break down for any of you interested on how I accomplished this:

Transaction 1:
4 Oust Air & Surface Sanitizers $3.99 ea
2 three packs Ivory Soap $0.99 ea
1 Revlon $1.19 (this item was 75% off)
subtotal $19.13, then I used the following coupons
2 B1G1 (buy one get one) free Oust
2 $1 off Ivory soaps
1 $1 off Revlon
used $8 in ECBs
Total OOP after tax $0.25, & I earned $12 in ECBs

Transaction 2:
3-40 count Tampax Pearl Tampons $7.99/ea
2-20 count Tampax Pearl Tampons $5.19/ea
subtotal $34.35, used the following coupons
2 B1G1 tampax (buy one 36-60 ct get a 16-20 ct free)
1 $1.50 off tampax pearl compact
used $2 ECBs from last week
used $12 ECBs from transaction 1
Total OOP $9.13 after tax, earned $6 in ECBs that I will use next week

**As a side note to all anyone who is wondering how I keep track of all of the coupons I use or how I sort them, I will be doing a post later this week on my coupon organizer & my couponing system**

Big Lots Coupon

2010-01-23T10:45:00.001-06:00

I heading out to Big Lots today with the hubby to see if we can score any major deals using this printable 20% off coupon. The coupon is valid in stores only from today (January 23) through January 31st. For me Big Lots is usually a hit or miss, but with 20% off I would suspect that I might be able to score a few good deals.

UPDATE -- Just got back from Big Lots and they did have a few good deals. I was able to purchase 3 six packs of the Quilted Northern Double Rolls for $8 ($10-$2 from coupon) & there was quite a bit of food on clearance for $1 (all of which I checked the sell by dates) so I was able to get several boxes of different types of Quaker snack bars for $0.80 (after coupon).

Financial Friday: How to Have a Baby for Less, Part I - Pregnancy

2010-01-22T07:21:00.004-06:00

I want to start a little mini-blog series on which I will explain a few portions of how we managed to have our child without incurring any debt. I will do a small post about it each Friday and will describe to you my expience. First, I want to discuss my pregnancy and how I managed to make it through those nine months without losing my mind or my wallet.

The day I discovered I was pregnant was a blessing, but little did I know that I was in for a long and potentially expensive adventure. I am a planner and a dweller by nature. When I start to think about something I will make myself crazy thinking up various "what if" scenarios. So when I became pregnant I became obsessed with all the possibilities of things that could happen financially, mentally, and emotionally. I was very conflicted in that at one moment I was worried about not having enough money, but another moment I was wanting to spend money on "making myself feel good" with new maternity clothes, and in yet another I was worried about my soon to be child not having enough.

This is when I decided that I needed to get a grasp on the situation and be logical. Yes, I would need money for the baby. Yes, I would need maternity clothes. I would money for lots of things, but I decided to treat the situation as any other event for which I needed money.....I shopped around for deals and saved money whenever I could.

First, I decided to focus on setting up a small "baby fund". My husband & I are blessed with wonderful insurance, so I knew that the delivery would not be a financial issue; however, I knew that there would tons of things that I would need for the baby after delivery and I wanted to make sure I had money for all of them. I began to set aside money every month in a savings account to cover expenses for the baby for the first few months. I figured I should save money for formula, diapers, clothes, bedding, furniture, basically anything I could think of. Since I worked all through my pregnancy this was not too much of a challenge.

Secondly, I decided to focus on maternity clothes. I knew that I would want to feel good while pregnant & look "cute," but I also knew that I did not want to spend an arm and a leg doing it. So from the moment I found out I was pregnant I began searching for clearance maternity clothes. I was fortunate in that it was early fall and many summer clothes were on sale at stores like Ann Taylor Loft. Whenever I had a coupon or a major sale was going on (like take an extra 40% off sale prices) I combed over the maternity clearance items. I also looked at stores like Target, who seemed to have maternity clothes go on sale each month once a new style was out. In the end, I purchased approximately 75% of my clothes at Ann Taylor Loft and paid no more than $12 for anything. By the time I was 4 months pregnant I had my entire maternity wardrobe purchased, which included dress, work, and casual clothes. I would also like to note that every time I purchased clothes, I used money from "spending envelope" and never charged anything. In the end, I had a beautiful collection of paid for maternity clothes that will surely last several pregnancies.

Finally, during my pregnancy I decided to begin stocking up on things that I knew I would need. Now everyone told me not to buy formula in advance (I will discuss my choice of bottle feeding in the next post of the series) because the baby may not be able to use the formula that I purchase. Also, I did not want to buy clothes or baby items yet because I was unsure of what I would receive from friends, family or the baby shower. So what did that leave me with to stock up on?

Diapers, and boy did I stock up! Every time I saw diapers on clearance & I had coupons I stocked up. Each pay check I set aside a couple of dollars (literally only $10 or $20 bucks) of any money left over after bills and savings for diapers. Then when I saw a deal on diapers I had the money on hand to purchase them. People thought I was crazy, but I had enough size 1 and 2 diapers to last me for about 4 or 5 months. In fact, my husband & I only had to go to the store to buy diapers during the first two weeks after the delivery to get newborn size diapers (I did not stock up on these because I did not know how long the baby would be in them) and even then we did not pay full price. My wonderful husband actually used the coupons I would give him everytime he went to the store during those two weeks to buy diapers. So, despite the comments of others who thought I should not stock up on diapers I did so anyway during my pregnancy and was happy than ever with my choice.

Next week, I will talk about the choices my family made during the last months before and the first couple months after deliver that truly helped us save money and stay out of debt.