Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
What's New?
I have been enjoying my 4 day weekend like no other and am not looking forward to a long day at work tomorrow :( Oh well, this whole being an adult thing demands it. I definitely go through phases with my hobbies and this blog including both couponing and crafting. I do not coupon as much as I was most of last year but I do definitely enjoy some good deals. I don't get any newspaper coupons right now so it's strictly store deals, mailer and printable coupons, and clearance. Here's a couple of brag example shops lately.
Rite Aid last week:
4 Edge Shave Gels (1 is hidden by the other 3 in the picture) $3.49 each
Snack Catcher $4.99
Hot Bath Ducky $2.99
2 coupons for the shaving gel (Buy 1, Get 1 Free) printed from coupons.com via swagbucks.com
20% discount off of all prices listed above for my gold member discount (means I spend a lot there :P)
Spent: 11.96 before tax
Got back $13 in +UP rewards for future merchandise!!!
Notes: We're now good on shaving gel for at least 1-2 years. And no kiddo announcements, I just like to plan ahead when they're an awesome deal! I almost exclusively get our milk from Rite Aid because we can use the +UPs to buy it.
Target tonight:
20 pack chips + 2 pretzel packs (6.99 regular) clearance $2.09
2-38 oz ketchups $1.99 each
2 goo gone $1.00 each
4 bags of M&Ms ($3 each regular) clearance $1.74 each
Breathe Right Strips 10 ct $4.84
3 packs of little rules, etc from Valentine's clearance .90x2, .45x1
$.05 discount for using a reusable bag
2-$2 off ketchup Target printable coupons
2-$1.50 off M&M Target printable coupons
2-$1.50 off M&M printable coupons from coupons.com via swagbucks
1 Free Breathe Right Strips Target catalina coupon
5% discount from using Target debit card
Total including tax: $7.03
Savings shown on receipt: $32.40!
Notes: We don't buy chips often but they're nice for my sweetheart's lunches at less than $0.10 a bag. The ketchup will probably be donated as we already have lots free from an Albertson's deal a few months ago. The Goo Gone was in the $1 area and couldn't be resisted, I want to try it on the glue residue from glass jars that I want to reuse.
I had fun with Valentine's (as I do with most holidays). I started by a breakfast of muffins, eggs, and oranges and a note that said "An eggstra special breakfast for my stud muffin, orange you glad you married me?"
I packed my husband his lunch with each items having a special notes (i.e. some peanuts: "I'm nuts about you" a pear: "I'm peary glad I married you".)
I painted a poster and hung it up in front of the door (written in Polish)
I went to where he parks his car (park and ride to school) and put up signs that said "This Valentine is Taken" and put this pack of tissues in the car.
It was awesome :D As a side note, I put several of boxes of crayons to use for the kiddos at church that my hubby and I teach, I got them for a quarter each during last year's back to school sale.
And last but not least, a couple of bracelets I made not too long ago out of scrap fabric and empty tape rolls. A little hand stitching and some fray check and here are the beauties :D
Rite Aid last week:
4 Edge Shave Gels (1 is hidden by the other 3 in the picture) $3.49 each
Snack Catcher $4.99
Hot Bath Ducky $2.99
2 coupons for the shaving gel (Buy 1, Get 1 Free) printed from coupons.com via swagbucks.com
20% discount off of all prices listed above for my gold member discount (means I spend a lot there :P)
Spent: 11.96 before tax
Got back $13 in +UP rewards for future merchandise!!!
Notes: We're now good on shaving gel for at least 1-2 years. And no kiddo announcements, I just like to plan ahead when they're an awesome deal! I almost exclusively get our milk from Rite Aid because we can use the +UPs to buy it.
20 pack chips + 2 pretzel packs (6.99 regular) clearance $2.09
2-38 oz ketchups $1.99 each
2 goo gone $1.00 each
4 bags of M&Ms ($3 each regular) clearance $1.74 each
Breathe Right Strips 10 ct $4.84
3 packs of little rules, etc from Valentine's clearance .90x2, .45x1
$.05 discount for using a reusable bag
2-$2 off ketchup Target printable coupons
2-$1.50 off M&M Target printable coupons
2-$1.50 off M&M printable coupons from coupons.com via swagbucks
1 Free Breathe Right Strips Target catalina coupon
5% discount from using Target debit card
Total including tax: $7.03
Savings shown on receipt: $32.40!
Notes: We don't buy chips often but they're nice for my sweetheart's lunches at less than $0.10 a bag. The ketchup will probably be donated as we already have lots free from an Albertson's deal a few months ago. The Goo Gone was in the $1 area and couldn't be resisted, I want to try it on the glue residue from glass jars that I want to reuse.
I had fun with Valentine's (as I do with most holidays). I started by a breakfast of muffins, eggs, and oranges and a note that said "An eggstra special breakfast for my stud muffin, orange you glad you married me?"
I packed my husband his lunch with each items having a special notes (i.e. some peanuts: "I'm nuts about you" a pear: "I'm peary glad I married you".)
And last but not least, a couple of bracelets I made not too long ago out of scrap fabric and empty tape rolls. A little hand stitching and some fray check and here are the beauties :D
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Some of the recent projects-More Busy Bags!
My evening routine is pretty predictable-my hubby and I eat dinner, watch our favorite sci fi shows, and I craft while he writes/draws stories he's working on. Someday I'll have time to blog about all of my fun creations :) Here are some more busy bag activities I made.
Straws and Pipe Cleaners-Cut the straws into beads and they can thread them on. If they wanted, they could turn these into bracelets.
Pom Pom Stuffer-I cut a hole in the top of this container (it looks like a medicine bottle but isn't, the lid pops right off). I read on a few different blogs that these are a hit with kids.
Button Snake-Connect a button to a strip of ribbon and glue or sew a bit of felt on the other end as a stopper. Cut out pieces of felt and make slits in the middle for the button to pass through.
Cupcake Counting- I cut out 12 chocolate cupcakes and stitched numbers on them. Each has a white cupcake liner and frosting. Each frosting has anywhere from 1-12 beads/sequens stitched to them. They have to match up the number on the cupcake with the number of sprinkles on the icing. This one took quite a bit of time and to be honest, the fronts are cute but the backs are ugly from the stitching. I could have spent twice as much time prettying up the backs but chose not to.
I now have 2 milk jug boxes, each having 5 busy bag activities. I had fun with my niece and nephew over last weekend too and got to test out some of the items. The 3 year old enjoyed the busy bag stuff while the 5 year old was too preoccupied with the wii system. Both of them however enjoyed the fishing game quite a bit :D They played it several times!
I now have 2 milk jug boxes, each having 5 busy bag activities. I had fun with my niece and nephew over last weekend too and got to test out some of the items. The 3 year old enjoyed the busy bag stuff while the 5 year old was too preoccupied with the wii system. Both of them however enjoyed the fishing game quite a bit :D They played it several times!
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Putting Priorities First
I've been struggling lately, and I know it's not just the winter blues. It's guilt. I'm not reading my scriptures daily, I'm not taking my vitamins daily, I'm not finding time for exercise. I'm not taking care of myself physically or spiritually and when I assess my time, I just don't know where to find it?! I'm a busy woman!
But then I'm honest with myself. The first thing I do when I log onto the computer is catch up on Facebook. Not for hours, but at least 15-30 minutes. I check on other couponing blogs at least 1x daily, and lately, I waste an hour, or 2, or more daily on Pinterest. I don't have time to take care of myself? Really?
So this is part of my "resolutions" or goals for 2013-put priorities first. I told my husband so he can hold me accountable, and you can too :) I cannot get onto Facebook until I have read my scriptures. I cannot get onto coupon blogs until I have taken my vitamins. And I cannot get onto Pinterest until I've exercised at least 10 minutes.(exception being if I have a recipe pinned I want to make for dinner, but no dilly-dallying). Does that sound fair? I've done it so far yesterday and today. Yesterday, I could not get onto Pinterest because I was too busy with other things and didn't get around to exercising. Tough luck. Today, I've earned my Facebook and coupon blogs. No Pinterest yet, but I will shortly after finishing this post up.
But some small part of my brain is whispering "You won't last...it's like a diet...eventually you'll indulge and it will all be for naught". Will I slip? Yes I will. So, let's think reward and punishment. For every week that I follow the plan, I get a massage from my husband. He doesn't know yet that he will administer the reward, I just decided. Each time I slip up, I will be punished by...50 crunches. We'll see how this works out. How do you find time for things that are important but somehow get pushed to the side?
But then I'm honest with myself. The first thing I do when I log onto the computer is catch up on Facebook. Not for hours, but at least 15-30 minutes. I check on other couponing blogs at least 1x daily, and lately, I waste an hour, or 2, or more daily on Pinterest. I don't have time to take care of myself? Really?
So this is part of my "resolutions" or goals for 2013-put priorities first. I told my husband so he can hold me accountable, and you can too :) I cannot get onto Facebook until I have read my scriptures. I cannot get onto coupon blogs until I have taken my vitamins. And I cannot get onto Pinterest until I've exercised at least 10 minutes.(exception being if I have a recipe pinned I want to make for dinner, but no dilly-dallying). Does that sound fair? I've done it so far yesterday and today. Yesterday, I could not get onto Pinterest because I was too busy with other things and didn't get around to exercising. Tough luck. Today, I've earned my Facebook and coupon blogs. No Pinterest yet, but I will shortly after finishing this post up.
But some small part of my brain is whispering "You won't last...it's like a diet...eventually you'll indulge and it will all be for naught". Will I slip? Yes I will. So, let's think reward and punishment. For every week that I follow the plan, I get a massage from my husband. He doesn't know yet that he will administer the reward, I just decided. Each time I slip up, I will be punished by...50 crunches. We'll see how this works out. How do you find time for things that are important but somehow get pushed to the side?
Frugal Fun :D
Yesterday was a family birthday party for a young lad (turned 10). Hitting the double digits! Being more strapped for cash than usual due to not working during Christmas break (one of my jobs is for a local school district, whatcha gonna do?), we made sure we made something from items we already had at home.
Behold: The Pom Pom Shooters
Cups + Balloons + Pom Poms + Milk Carton + shoe box + newspaper comics + tape + foil + cereal box + paint
The pom poms I actually got yesterday at Michael's during their 90% off sale (about a penny a piece for the 15 of them).
It was fun to see him and his friend leave their cake and ice cream to play.
Also, another fun and frugal experience was cutting my husband's hair for the first time. After a year of sending my husband to his parents' place to ask his mom to cut his hair, I got the hint that his mom was done cutting it after they got us a set for Christmas. No bald spots or anything :) I can't imagine spending $ on hair cuts. We always grew up with my mom doing ours-her dad was a barber. I also am growing my hair out to sell it anyway. I've donated it a few times before, but decided this time to try selling it (people buy hair for wigs and extensions) and then I can have money to both help with bills and donate to a cause of my choice :)
Behold: The Pom Pom Shooters
Cups + Balloons + Pom Poms + Milk Carton + shoe box + newspaper comics + tape + foil + cereal box + paint
The pom poms I actually got yesterday at Michael's during their 90% off sale (about a penny a piece for the 15 of them).
It was fun to see him and his friend leave their cake and ice cream to play.
Also, another fun and frugal experience was cutting my husband's hair for the first time. After a year of sending my husband to his parents' place to ask his mom to cut his hair, I got the hint that his mom was done cutting it after they got us a set for Christmas. No bald spots or anything :) I can't imagine spending $ on hair cuts. We always grew up with my mom doing ours-her dad was a barber. I also am growing my hair out to sell it anyway. I've donated it a few times before, but decided this time to try selling it (people buy hair for wigs and extensions) and then I can have money to both help with bills and donate to a cause of my choice :)
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