FREE ePattern Download

I came across this great deal online this morning thanks to MoneySavingMom. If you post a link to Sense and Sensibility's e-Patterns, they will send you a FREE pattern. I actually have had my eye on this Girls' Regency Dress Pattern for a while, but knowing that I dedicate about an hour a month to sewing, I didn't think that it was realistic that I would get to making a dress any time soon. But a FREE pattern is a FREE pattern, especially since I was considering buying this pattern when it was listed at $12.95!

If you want to take advantage of this free offer. Just post about Sense and Sensibility's e-Patterns (using the link to the e-Patterns that I used), then fill out the form on the Contact page noting in the comment section the free e-Pattern you would like and also a link to your post dedicated to Sense and Sensibility's new e-Patterns.

Buying stock

It has been really nice to enjoy foods that I get for great deals and that we would normally not buy.

As I was finishing up a Fiber One yogurt and getting ready to eat a little bowl of Fiber One cereal, I said, “I guess I should have bought some stock in Fiber One.”

Jimmy replied, “That may not be the best idea since you are getting it for free.”

It took me a minute, but then I got it. Quick thinking, Baby! :)

The dirty work of shopping for deals...

The other night I caught up on clipping coupons (only two or three weeks worth!) and weeding out expired coupons. After 2 hours of cutting and filing (and watching Discovery Health), this is what my floor looked like (all scraps and expired coupons). I have coupons coming out my ears, but it actually does cut our grocery bill significantly so I will keep it up as long as I can.

Shopping Deals

CVS Deals: CVS paid me about 4 bucks to take all of this stuff!
Note: I did spend about 2 dollars out of pocket but increased my Extra Care Bucks from $7 to $13.



Walgreens Deals: Walgreens paid me about 10 bucks to take all of this stuff!
Note: I spent NO money out of pocket. I used my Walgreens gift card that is reloaded each month with the rebate items I purchase. These were all free after rebate items...plus I had several coupons. This month's free after rebate items were pretty lame...but free is free!

Shopping Date with Jewel

Last night I took Jewel shopping with me. We went to the library first then to Family Dollar (to look for Cilantro in hopes I wouldn't have to go to Wal-mart...they don't have it, but they DO have cheap spices!) Target, Walgreens, Wal-mart, and CVS. We had such a fun time shopping together. At our first stop, I got Jewel a little thing of candy (an off brand tic-tac thing). She was so excited. Her first question after thanking me several times was, "Mommy, is this healthy food?" I said, "No, it is full of sugar, but on special occasions it is fun to have a little candy." She had a great time with that little container. She stored it in her pocket and enjoyed the shaking sound it made as we walked through the stores.
When we got home, she wanted to show Jimmy her "little container of candy" (as she kept calling it). I didn't realize that she had saved two pieces, one of Daddy and one for Jane. She told Jimmy, "I shared one with Mommy, a lot with me, and then one's for you and one's for Jane!" As she handed Jimmy his piece she said, "It's NOT healthy food. It has a lot of sugar. But it's OK to eat a little bit!" Since Jane was already asleep she had to wait until this morning to give Jane her piece. This morning I heard her running to find her "little container" and then go straight to Jane's crib to give it to her. She said, "Jane, look what I have for you! Mommy bought it for me. What do you think about that!?! It's not healthy food. You like it, Jane? What do think about that!?!?" It is so cute to watch the girls interact with each other.

Grocery Shopping

So after a few months of buckleing down and shopping the grocery advertisements and using coupons, I am finally falling into a routine that works for me.

Here is what I do:

1. Clip and file coupons. A friend from church brings me her coupons every Wednesday. Occasionally, if it is convenient, I will stop by the store a pick up a copy (or two, if I know there are really good coupons that week).

2. Check moneysavingmom.com daily for tips on good online coupons to print and alerts of good deals at the grocery and drugstores that are in my area. I print out good coupons immediately so that I don't forget to go back and do it.

3. Check the grocery store advertisements. Check Albertsons website on Wednesday (when their new ad comes out). Check Publix and Winn Dixie on Thursday when the grocery lists are updated at couponmom.com.

4. Pair up coupons with sale items. I will pick out coupons that will work with each store's sale items, and put them in a envelope for that grocery store (this really helps when I am shopping with Jewel and Jane!).

5. Make my grocery list. Throughout the week, I jot down items we are out of. Then I list all of the sale items that I plan on picking up.

6. Plan my meals. I roughly sketch out a meal plan for the week with what I have on hand and what I plan on purchasing. It is best to do this BEFORE shopping so that you won't forget a key ingredient.

7. Go grocery shopping! I will usually pick one day to hit two or three stores. Lately, I have just been going every other week. Because the new weekly sale comes out midweek, I can usually figure out if it is worth my time to go shopping. I always know that I can still take advantage of the sales through the next week. I usally go shopping on Friday. This works for me because the advertisements come out Wednesday and Thursday for me stores. That gives me a little time to shop the ads and get my coupons in order. Every other week or so I go to Wal-mart to get the items that seem to NEVER go on sale and that are cheaper at Wal-mart.

**And, yes, that IS my grocery store receipt! You read it right, $85 dollars worth of groceries for 25 bucks! THAT makes all of the clipping and planning worth it!