Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Big Savings!!

I have started to get a handle on coupon shopping. This past Saturday a grocery store I don't want to name, I'll discuss later why, had a super awesome promo.
They were doubling coupons up to $1!! So if you had $1 off Dannon Danimals and they were $1.88 you got them FREE!! FREE!! FREE!! From one of my coupon blogs I found a spreadsheet! That totally cracked me up, that some one took the time to create a spread sheet, pretty much section by section of the grocery store, had the price of the item pre coupon, the amount the coupon was for, then the post coupon price. WAIT, it didn't stop there! It told you where to find the coupon!! OMG! Talk about out of control. Most of the blogs have a system that will tell you the coupon provider and what date the coupon came out on. It's an easy system once you understand it. I was so excited!! Carson could not wait to go with me. She loves to Black Friday shop, too!~ Let me just Thank the Lord right here, for a girly girly that loves to shop with her mama!
I thought I would let the first round of crazy coupon folks go first and then I would hit the store. We got there at 7:30 am, a little over 2.5 hours later we emerged... I had saved $104 !!!! Yee-ha. My out of pocket was $90. Here is where I can add, anybody want some yogurt? haha I did get many free items, 4 packs of energizer batteries for .71cents, tons of free mustard (about 6 bottles) and I thought I had gotten a good deal on some Grands biscuits. After the adrenaline wore off, I looked over my receipt and thought... hmmm, I kinda expected it to be less out of pocket. Sure enough, I went through it and my biscuits all rang up at regular price!! arrrr! I went back to the store and customer service was closed. They only had one register opening so they asked if I could return the next day. The manager was very nice and polite. I went back the next day and to make a
L O N G story short, this butt head of a manager would not give me the difference!!
I was so upset. He was rude and belittling and I thought Carson was about to go off on him! She was just as upset as I was when we left the store without or money. During our heated discussion (ahem, notice I omitted all those details) I asked the manager if he would prefer I take the matter to corporate since he was being such a jerk. He said, sure! So I did! Corporate kindly credited my customer card the $20!! I was excited to have prevailed over Mr Rudeness, but more so, over the fact that it brought my saving to $124!!! Out of pocket only $70!! The funny thing, is it doesn't seem like I got lots of food in the house?! Go figure. I did get some good deals on deo, shampoo, TP, paper cups and things like that. I am going to start tracking how much money I save in one year. I don't even have an idea of what it might be.
On another happy note, I lost 6 lbs!! GLORY, GLORY, Hallelujah....
Umm, not the right song. Haha Anyway, I'm totally hyped. Yeah, whatever! I think it is from the stress of pulling together curriculum for home schooling.
Speaking of, I'm still a few things short so I'm off out in cyberspace once again, searching for books. I have some coming from Aurora, CO. So cool! I don't shop EBAY, I shop craigslist. Anyways...... I'll gracefully exit on a high note.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

It's 3am, what should I be doing right now???

I know I should not be posting on my blog, that's for sure! Ever since my brother passed away my sleep schedule has been, ummm, non-existent. I can't fall asleep, when I do fall asleep, I only sleep for a few hours... You would think that I have lots accomplished during my wake time in the wee hours of the morning. NOPE! Today, I had breakfast already... cereal... clipped coupons... took a shower.. and now here I am. I did try the laying still and quiet and just resting... makes me more restless.
I was doing better (with my sleep issue), but then I found out my mother is having episodes of "falling" again. She ends up laying on the floor for hours! Crazy, stubborn, Mexican woman! She refuses to move in with anyone. Heavens forbid she go to a nursing home!! Don't you know in our culture that is right up there with abandonment. That is where family members go that you don't want around anymore (at least in her mind). She cracks me up sometimes. Seriously, I don't know what is going to become of all of it. She has not been the same since my brother passed. Having a son, I can't imagine what she is going through. A mother should never have to bury their child, no matter what age! I've asked her to come live with us, but we have no family here and that would make a very difficult transition. She doesn't want to move in with my sister.. Well, that about eliminates all her choices. I need to give it to God. Okay, let me do that.. here goes..
Hmmm, we'll see how long that lasts?!
I am finally hitting the excited stage about homeschooling. It is becoming a reality. I am sure reality will slap me in the face come August 17!! Actually, I don't know when we will begin school? I still have some lose ends to tie up. I can do this! I know I can! Not only that, but my gollie Ms Mollie, I am gonna be darn good at it! (Was that a run on sentence, with incorrect grammar? haha)
I checked my email before cruising over to my blog and got a message from a pen pal of mine. Hmm, I guess I can't technically call her pen pal... let me think. From a ...computer pal? Internet pal? cyberspace pal? Either way. We write to each other and have never met! It's so cool! I'm lost now. Oh yea... she mentioned chai tea. Mmmm, have not had some in forever. I think I'm going to go make myself a cup of warm organic green tea. Maybe that will do the trick.. sure do hope so!!