Why I love my hubby!!
I balanced his checkbook last night and the balance was lower than we like to see. Not overdrawn but pretty low. I looked back and realized I have spent over $100 at our local grocery store in the last week. OUCH!
I told hubby what his balance was and he was fine with it. He asked what I bought. I told him about all the sales and how I stocked him up on soda and bought more meat that was super cheap. He said he was ok with that. He said he likes to see his balance higher but if I spent the extra money stocking up on groceries he is fine with that. We talked and the last time we bought anything unnecessary was November for him and December for me. Wow! I couldn't believe it but yeah, it's true. In December I got my concert tickets and in November he got a new video game.
I love that my hubby does not freak out over money or what I spend. I do not have to account for where the money goes. It is fantastic.
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shopping. Show all posts
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Homemaker
God how I hate that title. I prefer Stay at home mom or household CEO but whatever.
Anyway I bring this up because as of late I have run into many people that I have not seen in many years. Maybe because I am out and about more because I have cabin fever, who knows. We get to chatting and inevitable the question comes up about what I am doing now, am I using my college degree, etc etc. So I proudly say I am a stay at home mom. Most of the older women and men that I talk to (you know, old teachers, parents of friends, older previous co-workers) are pretty excited for me. Most think it is wonderful that I have this opportunity. Alot of them though were also SAHP at some point in their childrens' lives. They tell me how much better it is for the children and being poor at this point will really not matter in the future. I agree. I just wish that some of my old friends, now known as acquaintances, could see the value and importance in this decision. They tell me I am wasting my degree. They ask how I can be satisfied just serving my husband and raising children. They ask if I get bored. They ask if we are rich or something. They think (although it is not spoken, I KNOW they are thinking it) that I am LAZY. These people generally do not have kids. They don't realize how much I actually do or how I have to be creative with meals and with budgeting. They can't imagine how I can do this every day and we are not buried under a heap of debt. I can tell you my secret. I don't bother to explain to the others because they don't get it and probably won't at least until they have children of their own and even then some will not understand.
My secret: BUDGETING! and watching sales
That's it. We budget. I lived very frugally the 2 1/2 years it took me to earn my associates' degree in Business Management. I worked 60 hours a week at 3 jobs plus went to school full-time. I honestly believe that even though I don't use my degree, the college experience and my life experience from that time helps immensely in this. I do not regret going to college at all. While working and going to school I only had myself to support (except for 4 months during which I supported my brother as well). I had tuition to pay, books to buy, plus all the regular living expenses. I figured out how to budget. I learned how to feed myself and my brother on $20 a week on some occasions. The $400 we budget for groceries now...HA that's a breeze and most months I can feed the 4 of us on $250 or less( this does not include soda however because Hubby takes soda in his lunch everyday and it must be Mountain Dew. Although I have been sneaking in a generic orange or grape lately and he hasn't complained). Then the extra money gets put in savings for emergencies or when there is a really great sale on something we need.
Shopping sales.
First of all, you must figure out if it is something you will actually use. No sense in buying that name brand ketchup on sale for $1, if you usually use the generic and it is normaly 85 cents for the same size. Sure it is only 15 cents but that 15 cents saved on numerous items will add up. Check out your local grocery store. My biggest money saver is on meat, particularly ground beef. I watch when they have it on sale. They always have too much after the sale is done and it is perishable so they must get rid of it or throw it out. I check on Sundays in the evening. If there is a lot left I check the dates. Expiring the next day or in a couple days? Cool! I know to go into my local store at about 9 AM the day it is expiring and it will be marked down to 99 cents a pound. I usually buy $20-$25 worth and repackage and freeze it. Of course you have to be a little careful and check it out. If it is really brown and not red anymore, I pass on it. When I get home to repackage it, I smell it. If it has a bit of an odor ( it is hard to explain this odor but meat that is about to go bad has a distinct smell to it) I use it right away that day. One thing that will preserve it a little longer is to brown it and then freeze it. You can use the crumbled browned meat in casseroles or other dishes that call for it and you will have saved yourself a step.
Shopping at a discount grocer.
One other way I save money is to shop at Aldi's. If you are not fortunate enough to have an aldi's near you, I feel for you. Aldi's is fantastic. They sell their brand of food, generic, basic, pantry staple type stuff, as well as milk, meat, vegetables, etc. We generally only buy freezer stuff and noodles, soups, canned vegetables, etc there. My basic pantry stuff. They have special buys sometimes but I usually ignore them because A. we don't need it B. It sometimes costs more there than if you were to buy it at Walmart.
I do a lot of my shopping at Walmart as well. Aldi's and Walmart are in the same town, about 20 minutes away. I make a once a month trip. I hire a sitter for the kids and I go. It is much easier and cheaper to bargain shop without the kids. If I have to take the kids, I take a break with them in between stores and we will go to McDonalds' (it is a treat for K to eat at McDonald's and it doesn't happen often and usually comes from the dollar menu.). My once monthly trip is very involved but saves money in the long run. I get enough diapers for K for the month (ouch! we use cloth on O but not at night so she usually only requires one package to Kait's two packages), I get all of our paper goods, cleaners, all the cat food, cat litter and anything else we will use for the next month, with the exception of bread and milk and fresh fruit and vegetables. Those items I get enough for a week and then shop my local store for those items when needed.
We also have a bent and dent grocery in the area. I generally go there for canned veggies only. They are the cheapest by far and have name brand veggies. I go once every 3-4 months and get a case of 60 cans of veggies (mixed to my liking) for $18. Can't beat that!!
A few other tips:
Use generics when possible. Of course there are some things that you just want or like better in the name brand (we do too) so we buy them but most things there is little to no difference between generic and name brand.
Clip coupons. Granted they are only helpful when you actually use the item. On occasion I have had coupons that make the name brand cheaper than the generic version but usually that is not the case.
Watch sales.
Don't shop on an empty stomach.
If you don't need it or use it, don't buy it. Even if it is a great price.
Make a list of what you need before you go, if it is not on the list don't buy it. Of course there are exceptions to this but it is a general rule that I follow.
Most of these tips have been preached over and over but they work well for me. I am sure there are more I use that I haven't thought of but I am getting long winded.
The reason I went off on this is because I got thinking after talking to a lady I knew last night. She said it must be really hard to live on one income and no really, it is not for us. We set ourselves up for it when I got pregnant with O so we are in good shape. We have enough money to live on for at least 3 months if something catastropic were to happen. We used our extra money when I was working to pay down our debt so my car is almost paid for, the SUV is paid for (with a little help from changing jobs), we have less than $1000 in credit card debt (which will be paid off this month). We only have the mortgage, utilities, and our living expenses (groceries and gas) to pay each month so we are doing pretty well for ourselves.
ONE more thing:
I do NOT advocate getting free stuff from the government but I will say that if you are eligible for WIC or other assistance, by all means, you should look into it. We get WIC for the kids. We are eligible for other assistance which we did not accept. We did not need the heating assistance as we pre-bought our heating fuel for the winter and felt the money should go to those in more need than us. We did not accept the food stamps we were offered because we are not in need currently. If at some point in the future we are in need, we will look into it.
Judge me if you must but honestly, my feelings are that my husband and I have both worked for years full-time, we paid our taxes, we volunteered time, we donated to the food pantry. We helped when and where we could. If a time comes where we need the help, I will not feel guilty taking it because I have paid into the system for all of my working years and my husband is still paying in. The programs are there to help people that need it. Of course, you may think well go get a job. But then someone else will be raising my children for the way less than minimum wage I would be make after taxes and childcare costs. who wins (or loses) then? In the way we are doing things now, the children win. And in reality, isn't that the most important thing?
I also want to add that we by no means live in a mansion. We live in an older house. We drive older vehicles. Not extremely old but older. We do not have big screens TVs or fancy electronics. We do not have any "toys" such as motorcycles. I hear so much about people who take advantage of the system while earning 6 figure incomes. That is NOT us. We buy our clothes at the thrift store, not the mall. I do not own a prada or gucci or coach anything. My kids wear old navy, baby gap and other name brands ( as well as $2 walmart clothes) but that is because I buy them at garage sales or the thrift store, not the actual store.
Why do I feel the need to defend myself and my actions? Simply put, Judgemental people. I am judged by some people that I once considered friends because of my decisions. These people have not walked in my shoes, nor know what we have been or are going through. Most of them cannot fathom the amount of planning and discipline it took to make this decision and be able to do it. Those are the people that will never understand me. I shouldn't have to explain myself to them but to those that don't know me, many things could be inferred from my decisions and if there are any questions, I am willing to explain. I do not hold back. I do not lie. I just tell it like it is, for better or worse.
Anyway I bring this up because as of late I have run into many people that I have not seen in many years. Maybe because I am out and about more because I have cabin fever, who knows. We get to chatting and inevitable the question comes up about what I am doing now, am I using my college degree, etc etc. So I proudly say I am a stay at home mom. Most of the older women and men that I talk to (you know, old teachers, parents of friends, older previous co-workers) are pretty excited for me. Most think it is wonderful that I have this opportunity. Alot of them though were also SAHP at some point in their childrens' lives. They tell me how much better it is for the children and being poor at this point will really not matter in the future. I agree. I just wish that some of my old friends, now known as acquaintances, could see the value and importance in this decision. They tell me I am wasting my degree. They ask how I can be satisfied just serving my husband and raising children. They ask if I get bored. They ask if we are rich or something. They think (although it is not spoken, I KNOW they are thinking it) that I am LAZY. These people generally do not have kids. They don't realize how much I actually do or how I have to be creative with meals and with budgeting. They can't imagine how I can do this every day and we are not buried under a heap of debt. I can tell you my secret. I don't bother to explain to the others because they don't get it and probably won't at least until they have children of their own and even then some will not understand.
My secret: BUDGETING! and watching sales
That's it. We budget. I lived very frugally the 2 1/2 years it took me to earn my associates' degree in Business Management. I worked 60 hours a week at 3 jobs plus went to school full-time. I honestly believe that even though I don't use my degree, the college experience and my life experience from that time helps immensely in this. I do not regret going to college at all. While working and going to school I only had myself to support (except for 4 months during which I supported my brother as well). I had tuition to pay, books to buy, plus all the regular living expenses. I figured out how to budget. I learned how to feed myself and my brother on $20 a week on some occasions. The $400 we budget for groceries now...HA that's a breeze and most months I can feed the 4 of us on $250 or less( this does not include soda however because Hubby takes soda in his lunch everyday and it must be Mountain Dew. Although I have been sneaking in a generic orange or grape lately and he hasn't complained). Then the extra money gets put in savings for emergencies or when there is a really great sale on something we need.
Shopping sales.
First of all, you must figure out if it is something you will actually use. No sense in buying that name brand ketchup on sale for $1, if you usually use the generic and it is normaly 85 cents for the same size. Sure it is only 15 cents but that 15 cents saved on numerous items will add up. Check out your local grocery store. My biggest money saver is on meat, particularly ground beef. I watch when they have it on sale. They always have too much after the sale is done and it is perishable so they must get rid of it or throw it out. I check on Sundays in the evening. If there is a lot left I check the dates. Expiring the next day or in a couple days? Cool! I know to go into my local store at about 9 AM the day it is expiring and it will be marked down to 99 cents a pound. I usually buy $20-$25 worth and repackage and freeze it. Of course you have to be a little careful and check it out. If it is really brown and not red anymore, I pass on it. When I get home to repackage it, I smell it. If it has a bit of an odor ( it is hard to explain this odor but meat that is about to go bad has a distinct smell to it) I use it right away that day. One thing that will preserve it a little longer is to brown it and then freeze it. You can use the crumbled browned meat in casseroles or other dishes that call for it and you will have saved yourself a step.
Shopping at a discount grocer.
One other way I save money is to shop at Aldi's. If you are not fortunate enough to have an aldi's near you, I feel for you. Aldi's is fantastic. They sell their brand of food, generic, basic, pantry staple type stuff, as well as milk, meat, vegetables, etc. We generally only buy freezer stuff and noodles, soups, canned vegetables, etc there. My basic pantry stuff. They have special buys sometimes but I usually ignore them because A. we don't need it B. It sometimes costs more there than if you were to buy it at Walmart.
I do a lot of my shopping at Walmart as well. Aldi's and Walmart are in the same town, about 20 minutes away. I make a once a month trip. I hire a sitter for the kids and I go. It is much easier and cheaper to bargain shop without the kids. If I have to take the kids, I take a break with them in between stores and we will go to McDonalds' (it is a treat for K to eat at McDonald's and it doesn't happen often and usually comes from the dollar menu.). My once monthly trip is very involved but saves money in the long run. I get enough diapers for K for the month (ouch! we use cloth on O but not at night so she usually only requires one package to Kait's two packages), I get all of our paper goods, cleaners, all the cat food, cat litter and anything else we will use for the next month, with the exception of bread and milk and fresh fruit and vegetables. Those items I get enough for a week and then shop my local store for those items when needed.
We also have a bent and dent grocery in the area. I generally go there for canned veggies only. They are the cheapest by far and have name brand veggies. I go once every 3-4 months and get a case of 60 cans of veggies (mixed to my liking) for $18. Can't beat that!!
A few other tips:
Use generics when possible. Of course there are some things that you just want or like better in the name brand (we do too) so we buy them but most things there is little to no difference between generic and name brand.
Clip coupons. Granted they are only helpful when you actually use the item. On occasion I have had coupons that make the name brand cheaper than the generic version but usually that is not the case.
Watch sales.
Don't shop on an empty stomach.
If you don't need it or use it, don't buy it. Even if it is a great price.
Make a list of what you need before you go, if it is not on the list don't buy it. Of course there are exceptions to this but it is a general rule that I follow.
Most of these tips have been preached over and over but they work well for me. I am sure there are more I use that I haven't thought of but I am getting long winded.
The reason I went off on this is because I got thinking after talking to a lady I knew last night. She said it must be really hard to live on one income and no really, it is not for us. We set ourselves up for it when I got pregnant with O so we are in good shape. We have enough money to live on for at least 3 months if something catastropic were to happen. We used our extra money when I was working to pay down our debt so my car is almost paid for, the SUV is paid for (with a little help from changing jobs), we have less than $1000 in credit card debt (which will be paid off this month). We only have the mortgage, utilities, and our living expenses (groceries and gas) to pay each month so we are doing pretty well for ourselves.
ONE more thing:
I do NOT advocate getting free stuff from the government but I will say that if you are eligible for WIC or other assistance, by all means, you should look into it. We get WIC for the kids. We are eligible for other assistance which we did not accept. We did not need the heating assistance as we pre-bought our heating fuel for the winter and felt the money should go to those in more need than us. We did not accept the food stamps we were offered because we are not in need currently. If at some point in the future we are in need, we will look into it.
Judge me if you must but honestly, my feelings are that my husband and I have both worked for years full-time, we paid our taxes, we volunteered time, we donated to the food pantry. We helped when and where we could. If a time comes where we need the help, I will not feel guilty taking it because I have paid into the system for all of my working years and my husband is still paying in. The programs are there to help people that need it. Of course, you may think well go get a job. But then someone else will be raising my children for the way less than minimum wage I would be make after taxes and childcare costs. who wins (or loses) then? In the way we are doing things now, the children win. And in reality, isn't that the most important thing?
I also want to add that we by no means live in a mansion. We live in an older house. We drive older vehicles. Not extremely old but older. We do not have big screens TVs or fancy electronics. We do not have any "toys" such as motorcycles. I hear so much about people who take advantage of the system while earning 6 figure incomes. That is NOT us. We buy our clothes at the thrift store, not the mall. I do not own a prada or gucci or coach anything. My kids wear old navy, baby gap and other name brands ( as well as $2 walmart clothes) but that is because I buy them at garage sales or the thrift store, not the actual store.
Why do I feel the need to defend myself and my actions? Simply put, Judgemental people. I am judged by some people that I once considered friends because of my decisions. These people have not walked in my shoes, nor know what we have been or are going through. Most of them cannot fathom the amount of planning and discipline it took to make this decision and be able to do it. Those are the people that will never understand me. I shouldn't have to explain myself to them but to those that don't know me, many things could be inferred from my decisions and if there are any questions, I am willing to explain. I do not hold back. I do not lie. I just tell it like it is, for better or worse.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Have I ever mentioned?
That I love Online shopping. Oh yeah... I do. The girls are in need of shorts. Yup I am thinking about summer already. Granted we still have at least 3 months until it is shorts weather here but once it hits the thrift stores get down to a very limited selection on warm weather attire. So I perused oldnavy.com tonight and ordered my girls some shorts,3 pairs for K and 2 for O, for $3.90 each. Can't beat that. Add in oldnavy.com's $5 shipping and I got myself a deal, at least I think so. I used to buy K all name brand stuff, usually from the thrift store, but occaisionally I would splurge and buy her new name brand stuff. I used to be able to afford to when I worked but now brand new clothes only come when they are on sale, meaning clearanced, and limited even then. No matter, my kids are happy and healthy and clothes, as the saying goes, don't make the man (or kid) in this case.
updates
Did my once a month shopping trip on Friday. I hired a sitter for the kids and I went. Walmart had an awesome clearance sale on kids clothes so I got K some shirts and a couple pairs of pants in the next 2 sizes. They had everything clearanced out for $1 each. I got O a couple things as well but not a lot because she has so many of K's outgrown clothes to wear. I went to the thrift store and go myself a pair of knit type pants with stripes on the sides for working out. I also got O a shirt and 2 pairs of pants from the 5 cent bin. I also got a bunch of other things we have been needing but did not have the extra money to get.
I am feeling better although I had another chest pain attack last night. It hurt so bad. I ended up taking 1 800mg ibuprofen and 1 vicodin. I slept well and felt better this morning.
I hope I can slowly work back into exercising by the end of this coming week. We will see how I feel first.
I am feeling better although I had another chest pain attack last night. It hurt so bad. I ended up taking 1 800mg ibuprofen and 1 vicodin. I slept well and felt better this morning.
I hope I can slowly work back into exercising by the end of this coming week. We will see how I feel first.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
well there goes my get motivated plan
My regular doctor informed me that I am not to exercise or do any strenous activities until my sickness is better. No weightlifting, no cardio, no shoveling, no snow blowing, limited horsing around with K, etc etc etc. So I am basically stuck in the house doing as little as possible. Most people would probably love this (hubby would) but I get bored so easily. I have plans to do my big monthly trip to walmart and the discount grocery sooo I will have to see how I feel tommorrow before I plan on going. So today the plan is laundry and keeping the house picked up and maybe cleaning the bathroom.
I already cleaned the carpets. I made this awesome purchase last night. I went to the grocery store for a couple on sale things but I needed some dish soap. The plan was to buy a little bottle for $1 to get me through until I can get the usual stuff from Walmart. So I perused the dollar section and found a big bottle, cool. Then I looked a little more. We needed those bath poof things. K, hubby and I all use them. They had a 3 pack for $1. Sweet. Then I saw this foaming carpet refresher. hmmmm well for $1 if it doesn't work no big deal. Tried it this morning. I LOVE it. The house smells so fresh and clean. 1 can did the whole house including the living room and the laundry room twice. The laundry room has the cat litter pans and the cloth diaper pail so that room tends to get a little rank at times. It only took about 10 minutes to completely dry and the foam had already disappeared from downstairs when I came back down from doing the upstairs.
K is loving the grapes I bought. They are on sale this week. We have not been buying any, although we love them, because they have been almost $4 a lb.
I already cleaned the carpets. I made this awesome purchase last night. I went to the grocery store for a couple on sale things but I needed some dish soap. The plan was to buy a little bottle for $1 to get me through until I can get the usual stuff from Walmart. So I perused the dollar section and found a big bottle, cool. Then I looked a little more. We needed those bath poof things. K, hubby and I all use them. They had a 3 pack for $1. Sweet. Then I saw this foaming carpet refresher. hmmmm well for $1 if it doesn't work no big deal. Tried it this morning. I LOVE it. The house smells so fresh and clean. 1 can did the whole house including the living room and the laundry room twice. The laundry room has the cat litter pans and the cloth diaper pail so that room tends to get a little rank at times. It only took about 10 minutes to completely dry and the foam had already disappeared from downstairs when I came back down from doing the upstairs.
K is loving the grapes I bought. They are on sale this week. We have not been buying any, although we love them, because they have been almost $4 a lb.
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
This NEVER happens...NEVER
Hubby is going grocery shopping with the kids and I this weekend. It is only happening because he is getting some work done on the SUV and doesn't want to sit at the dealership while they are working on it. We are doing our once-a-month pantry stocking. I am so glad he is going. He can see what it is like to try and grocery shop with 2 kids in tow. It will be nice for me to have the help and for him to be able to pick out some things for his lunch. I never know what to get him because he doesn't like things like cakes and cookies. He will eat an oatmeal creme pie every now and then but he really would rather not.
_____________________________________________________________
My weight flucuates so much. UGH! I am glad that I have taken to only counting one weigh in a week. Yesterday my weight was at 245.2. Today it is back up to 246.2. Still a bit of a loss for the week. I am feeling unmotivated this week. I don't feel like working out, my right shoulder is so sore I have been doing the weight lifting motions but not using any weight. I am hoping that going through the motions will loosen it up so it stops hurting. I have been feeling like just giving up lately. I know I cannot but I feel like doing so. I am not overdoing it. I just think that I am bored with winter and I need a change.
_____________________________________________________________
My weight flucuates so much. UGH! I am glad that I have taken to only counting one weigh in a week. Yesterday my weight was at 245.2. Today it is back up to 246.2. Still a bit of a loss for the week. I am feeling unmotivated this week. I don't feel like working out, my right shoulder is so sore I have been doing the weight lifting motions but not using any weight. I am hoping that going through the motions will loosen it up so it stops hurting. I have been feeling like just giving up lately. I know I cannot but I feel like doing so. I am not overdoing it. I just think that I am bored with winter and I need a change.
Friday, January 4, 2008
Hubby
I Love him so much. He is so great. He could tell that I was stressed out so just before we put K to bed he told me to just go away for awhile by myself. I left at 8 and just got back. I went and powerwalked around Walmart and did a little shopping. I was going to wait until I had lost 10 lbs to buy myself some decent workout pants and a good sports bra. But he said I was close enough so I should go ahead and get them now. So I did. I got 3 pairs of knit pants that have a drawstring waist, 1 gray and 1 blue for $3 each and 1 black with pink stripes for $10. I got a pink sports bra that is kinda like a regular bra. I also got some regular cotton underwear for working out because I don't like to wear my "good" underwear during my workout. I got myself 2 3lb hand weights. I already have 5 and 10 lb ones but I wanted some 3 lb ones for the bicep exercises because my biceps are already big. I don't want them to get much bigger, just more defined. I got some candy for hubby as well and a few grocery things that I needed. I have a bunch of recipes I want to make but I lacked some of the spices. I tried to figure out the last time I was by myself for more than a couple minutes without either kid and not having to work, do housework, or go to an appointment and it was awhile ago. So long ago that I can't even remember when it was. So anyway I am feeling much better and hubby said that he wants to figure out some sort of schedule were I can get a couple hours to myself once a week or over a couple days. I think that is wonderful of him considering that he goes to work all day (not that I don't work here) and then comes home and gives me a break. I couldn't ask for a better hubby really. He said that I have the harder job out of the 2 of us and I deserve a break. He said that he gets breaks everyday and I should at least be able to get a couple hours a week. I love that man. He totally gets it!!!
What had me so stressed out was K's little attitude today. She didn't like anyone or anything. She was hitting, kicking, throwing toys at all of us and just doing everything that she knows she is not supposed to, stuff that she NEVER does. She ended up getting put in her crib (luckily we never took it down after we moved her to the toddler bed) for a time out. I spanked her twice for throwing her toys and hitting her sister. She was deliberately hitting her sister. I don't like to spank her but you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes. I am not against spanking as a form of discipline but I try not to use it. I have and I will continue to do so. I do not feel that 1 swat on the butt is child abuse. I know that some of the "parenting gurus" will have you believe that spanking your child will damage them psychologically, but I can tell you that I was spanked, often with a belt, and I turned out fine. I will not use a belt on my child however. Counting does not working with K because she will just finish the count for me (GRRRRR!!), time outs do not work because she likes being by herself. Taking toys away does not work because she just doesn't care if I do that.
What had me so stressed out was K's little attitude today. She didn't like anyone or anything. She was hitting, kicking, throwing toys at all of us and just doing everything that she knows she is not supposed to, stuff that she NEVER does. She ended up getting put in her crib (luckily we never took it down after we moved her to the toddler bed) for a time out. I spanked her twice for throwing her toys and hitting her sister. She was deliberately hitting her sister. I don't like to spank her but you gotta do what you gotta do sometimes. I am not against spanking as a form of discipline but I try not to use it. I have and I will continue to do so. I do not feel that 1 swat on the butt is child abuse. I know that some of the "parenting gurus" will have you believe that spanking your child will damage them psychologically, but I can tell you that I was spanked, often with a belt, and I turned out fine. I will not use a belt on my child however. Counting does not working with K because she will just finish the count for me (GRRRRR!!), time outs do not work because she likes being by herself. Taking toys away does not work because she just doesn't care if I do that.
Saturday, December 29, 2007
retail therapy
I got a little retail therapy today. I took Kait and we went to use our gift cards. I bought mostly groceries but I did get myself a new pair of pj pants and hubby a lined denim shirt jacket. He has been wanting a new one since he wears his old one to work all the time and it smells. I have washed it but the smell just won't come out. The pants were on sale for $6 and the jacket was $15.
We hit some pretty good grocery sales. We got potatoes for $1.39 for a 10lb bag. 3lbs of onions for 79 cents, bananas for 39 cents a lb., Mountain Dew for $4.48 a case (with coupon), and a bag of boneless skinless chicken breasts for $6. There were 7 huge breasts in the bag. I got honey turkey lunch meat for $1.98 a lb. I repackage and freeze lunchmeat for Hubby. Laundry Detergent for $5 for a huge container. We got a bunch of other things we needed too.
I only ended up paying $42 for all I got because we had $35 in gift cards left. That was great.
Because the price of cigarrettes is going up by $1 a pack on the 1st, I got hubby some cartons at the discount shop too. He wants to quit too but is starting by cutting back first.
We hit some pretty good grocery sales. We got potatoes for $1.39 for a 10lb bag. 3lbs of onions for 79 cents, bananas for 39 cents a lb., Mountain Dew for $4.48 a case (with coupon), and a bag of boneless skinless chicken breasts for $6. There were 7 huge breasts in the bag. I got honey turkey lunch meat for $1.98 a lb. I repackage and freeze lunchmeat for Hubby. Laundry Detergent for $5 for a huge container. We got a bunch of other things we needed too.
I only ended up paying $42 for all I got because we had $35 in gift cards left. That was great.
Because the price of cigarrettes is going up by $1 a pack on the 1st, I got hubby some cartons at the discount shop too. He wants to quit too but is starting by cutting back first.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
I love thrift stores
I readily admit that I am addicted to thrift stores. I love going in not even looking for anything and coming out with clothes and toys for the kids, work clothes for hubby, and lots of stuff that I didn't even know I needed. If I had to guess, I would say that all of the girls' clothes cost me maybe $100. When K was a baby I bought her new clothes sometimes but now everything, except socks, comes from the thrift store. I bought her a paid of baby Gap jeans last week for $2. I didn't even notice they were baby gap until I got home and went to wash them. I don't care if they are name brand or not but they were incredibly cute.
Today I went and while I didn't find any clothes for the girls, I did get Kaitlin a giant Dora doll for $1.50 and a smaller stuffed Dora for 60 cents.
I would rather go to a thrift store to shop than to go to the mall. I get better deals and there is always something new. I LOVE it!!
Today I went and while I didn't find any clothes for the girls, I did get Kaitlin a giant Dora doll for $1.50 and a smaller stuffed Dora for 60 cents.
I would rather go to a thrift store to shop than to go to the mall. I get better deals and there is always something new. I LOVE it!!
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
coupons again
So I asked the kids' sitter if that store always does double coupons. I didn't know because I rarely shop there. She said they do it like once every 3-4 months for a week. So I went back after I picked up the girls and got the formula. I could have used the coupons at Walmart and it would have been about 20 cents cheaper a can with the coupon but by the time I would drive there, I would have lost that savings. True I go to Walmart once a month at least but I NEVER remember to use my coupons there.
I have learned....
The sheer joy of double coupon days! Today I got a case of soda for hubby for work. Check this out:
$4.99 mountain dew sale price
-$1.00 manufacturer coupon
-$1.00 doubled coupon
--------
$2.99 for a case of mountain dew!!!!
I have a bunch of $1 off coupons for formula so I am going to use them at that store!
I don't generally use a lot of coupons because we don't use a lot of name brand things. We eat generic food mostly, but there are a few things that we buy name brand: soda (for hubby, I drink generic), formula (we get WIC for the kids so we just use what they give us and fill in when we run out with the same kind), deodorant, and hubby HAS to have wonder bread. I figure that is a small price to pay to actually have him take lunch to work.
$4.99 mountain dew sale price
-$1.00 manufacturer coupon
-$1.00 doubled coupon
--------
$2.99 for a case of mountain dew!!!!
I have a bunch of $1 off coupons for formula so I am going to use them at that store!
I don't generally use a lot of coupons because we don't use a lot of name brand things. We eat generic food mostly, but there are a few things that we buy name brand: soda (for hubby, I drink generic), formula (we get WIC for the kids so we just use what they give us and fill in when we run out with the same kind), deodorant, and hubby HAS to have wonder bread. I figure that is a small price to pay to actually have him take lunch to work.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
produce sale and more
We needed milk so K and I did make it to the produce sale. It wasn't spectacular and the samples were gone but we did get some apples, pears, and bananas on sale. She already ate a banana and wants to eat a pear. The kid loves her fruit.
I shop at 1 particular store for our produce and our meat but I also get my soda there. Their store brand tastes like diet coke but is only $2 a 12 pack. I LOVE that. I drink quite a bit of soda. I shouldn't but I do. I MUST have a soda in the morning. Some people require coffee to function, I require soda.
I added a slideshow to the bottom of the page. Check it out. Just some of my favorite pictures of the kids and one of me. I hope to eventually be able to post a picture of me where I am much smaller.
I shop at 1 particular store for our produce and our meat but I also get my soda there. Their store brand tastes like diet coke but is only $2 a 12 pack. I LOVE that. I drink quite a bit of soda. I shouldn't but I do. I MUST have a soda in the morning. Some people require coffee to function, I require soda.
I added a slideshow to the bottom of the page. Check it out. Just some of my favorite pictures of the kids and one of me. I hope to eventually be able to post a picture of me where I am much smaller.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
