Sunday, September 25, 2011

Sunday Savings 9/25

Today, I made my weekly couponing trip to Walgreens. I have been trying to go on Sunday or Monday so that there are still products on the shelf. But I will be honest, I have been basing the time of my trip on when my favorite cashier is working. Felicia has been working at Walgreens for 5 years and couponing for 3 years. So she knows Walgreens inside and out and she helps fellow couponers so that you get the most for your money. She helped me get the GAIN laundry detergent deal a couple of weeks ago. 6 GAIN liquid laundry detergent for $7. You simply CANNOT beat that!

I got several deals this week. Sadly, I missed out on most of the coupon deals. I don't like printing out a bunch of coupons in advance which sometimes means I miss out on getting internet coupons while they are available. However, it's ok because I don't like going through a lot of paper and ink. I also missed out on some deals because we didn't get some of the coupons in our region. Pensacola got them, but Mobile didn't. Imagine that!

I use Couponing to Disney and Wild For Wags for most of my Walgreens coupon matchups. If you are new to couponing at Walgreens, Kristin at Couponing to Disney explains it very well here.

I got 3 packs of W Maxi's. They were on sale for $2 and I got $2 RR back on each of them. FREE!
Note: the first pack I bought spit out a $1 catalina coupon, the second a $0.50 coupon and the third another $1 coupon. I could only use the $0.50 one on this deal though because of size requirements.

I bought 4 Remington King of Shaves Razors. They were on sale for $4.99 with $4.99 RR. FREE!

Colgate Optic White toothpaste and toothbrush. 2/$7.98 and get $6 RR when you buy 2. I had one $1.50 off Colgate Optic White toothpaste coupon left. That made the toothpaste and toothpaste $0.24 each!

Balance Bar $1.59 and get $1.59 RR. FREE

I purchased 2 Zarbee's nighttime cold and cough drink. They were on sale for $5.99 with $5.99 in RR. FREE!

BREAKDOWN:
Total pre-discounted and coupon value: 97.42
Total RRs used from previous weeks deals: $8
Total Paid Out of Pocket: $18.56
Total RRs towards next purchases: 17.00

How I calculate my savings? 8 + 18.56 = 26.56 -17 = 9.56
Savings Percentage: 90%!

A couple of notes:
1) I got several fillers so that I could use my RRs on purchases. I got 3 Nabisco cookie packs(great for lunches or snacks!) $0.59/each, 2 pints of walgreens ice cream $1/each and one halloween scooby tumbler cup $0.13. Sometimes it just makes more sense to buy a cheap item just to be able to use an additional RR. In the case of the tumbler, I added $0.13 and got to use another RR for $2 bringing my total for the transaction to only $0.78 rather than a dollar something.
2) I calculate my savings by adding my OOP(Out of Pocket) and any RRs I used from previous weeks and subtracting any new RRs. This gives a more true reading of savings. If I simply took the OOP amount and subtracted any new RRs then next weeks savings wouldn't be accurate.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

My New 101 in 1001


ME
1)      Identify 100 things that make me happy
2)      Find a group of friends in Mobile
3)      Develop a morning/beauty routine
4)      Update my blog at least once a week (0/143)
5)      Comment on blogs more regularly
6)      Go to bed before 10pm every night for a week

MY WARDROBE
7)      Only buy clothes that I really want & are flattering, not just because they are on sale/clearance
8)      Buy 10 vintage dress patterns
9)      Make 15 outfits from these patterns
10)    Invest in atleast 5 pairs of staple heels/dress shoes

HEALTH AND FITNESS
11)    Try and condition my body to run- prove the neurologist wrong =)
12)    Find my abs
13)    Give up caffeine for a month
14)    Give up sweets for a month
15)     Learn a foreign language
16)    Take vitamins and supplements daily for a month
17)    Workout 3 times weekly(minimum) (0/143)
18)     Walk Coach around the neighborhood 3 times a week (0/143)
19)    Go 3 months without eating out (does not have to be consecutive)
20)    Finish a whole bottle of multi-vitamins
21)    Reach and maintain my ideal weight/size
22)     Participate in some form of organized fitness (zumba, yoga, spin, etc)

HOUSEKEEPING
23)     Create a custom recipe book of my favorite recipes
24)    Daily put up clothes/laundry for one month
25)     Create a laundry schedule and stick to it
26)     Fold and put away all laundry as soon as it is done
27)    Make a housekeeping schedule
28)     Go to sleep with a clean kitchen every night
29)    Go through my "Treasure Boxes"
30)     Get any/all paperwork organized
31)     Make a weekly menu (0/143)
32)     Detail my car once a month (0/33)

FINANCE
33)     Get at least one couponing deal every week (0/143)
34)     Buy Sunday newspapers at Dollar Tree - twice as many papers/deals
35)    Put $5 away for every task I complete
36)    Pay off credit cards

MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL HEALTH
37)     Complete 3 Beth Moore Bible studies
38)     Read the Bible through in one year
39)     Find a church home

JUST FOR FUN
40)    Buy foot for my sewing machine
41)    Complete a 365 day photo challenge
42)    Complete a coloring book
43)    Recover dining room chairs
44)    Start playing my violin again
45)     Get professional photos done
46)     Decorate for every season, not just Christmas
47)     Become confident driving a standard
48)     Learn how to parallel park
49)     Try a completely new hair style
50)     Carve a pumpkin
51)     Find a new hobby

FAMILY, FRIENDS AND OTHERS
52)    Host a dinner party
53)    Influence a person to make a 101 in 1001
54)    Go on a family Disney vacation
55)    Record an "album" with Winnie
56)    Write 50 encouraging notes to others (0/50)
57)     Pay for the person behind me at a drive-thru
58)    Call a friend I haven't spoken to recently once a week (0/33)
59)     Go on a mission trip
60)     Teach someone a skill
61)    Get Coach fixed 

BOOKS
62)     Get a library card
63)     Read at least 50 (new) books (0/50)
64)     Trade in unwanted books at used bookstore to get new books to read
65)     Spend one afternoon a month reading at the park (0/33)

MOVIES
66)    Buy 1 Disney movie a month(12 a year) to build my collection (0/33)
67)    Watch 26 movies I've never seen starting with each letter of the Alphabet
68)     Go to a movie by myself

PERSONAL CHALLENGES
69)    Spend one weekend with only my music, art and books. "Unplug"
70)    Go TV free for a week
71)     Be social media free for a week


ADVENTURES AND EXPERIENCES
72)    Sleep under the stars
73)    Build a snowman
74)    Dance in the rain
75)     Ride in a hot air balloon
76)    Go on a cruise
77)    Go to the zoo
78)    See a drive-in movie
79)    Have a gourmet dinner by candlelight
80)    Go to 5 different museums
81)     Take a dance class
82)    Watch a meteor shower
83)    Go to a Broadway show
84)    Travel by train
85)    Go to New York City
86)    Visit 5 states I've never been to
87)    Go camping 3 times
88)    Hike to the top of a mountain
89)    Go repelling
90)    Stay up and watch the sunrise on the beach
91)     Visit Ponchatoula for Christmas
92)     Visit Ponchatoula for the Strawberry festival
93)     See Paul Overstreet in concert again
94)     Go to Bellingrath at Christmas
95)     Kiss someone under the mistletoe
96)     Take 6 weekend mini vacations
97)     Visit Amish country
98)    Go on a New England lighthouse tour
99)     Go on a trip with the Normals
100)   Go white water rafting
101)   Go kayaking or canoeing

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Disney Movie Love

Life and your body has a way of slowing you down when you least expect or want it to. I have had a busy couple of weeks adjusting to being a manager, celebrating my birthday and going out of town, and trying to check things off of my forever growing to do list. About 2 weeks ago, around the time Tropical Storm Lee came to visit us, my allergies started bothering me. It was just sneezing and an occasional runny nose but it got really bad the last few days. I have had a constant sinus headache since I woke Wednesday. This morning I struggled to make my 2 egg whits and piece of toast. It's not rocket science by ANY means and I definitely shouldn't have been struggling. I went into work for a few hours and then one of the girls replaced me so I could go to the doctor's office. Thankfully, Rachel road with me and we got to visit, the wait was short at the clinic and we got to hit Sonic Happy Hour(which makes everything better, of course).

It is just a sinus infection but considering the doctor said "oh wow" when she looked at my throat and nose, I am guessing it is pretty. ha So, I left pumped with steroids and armed with an antibiotic. I won't even talk much about the issues that the prescription involved. I got it but I have to go back on Monday to take care of the insurance part because they were unable to process it. My fault for getting sick on a Friday and the 16th which is payday/refill day for many. ICK.

SO, I am resting/sleeping off and on. When we were younger we would always watch the Anne movies(Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea) in my parents bed when we were sick. I MISS THOSE DAYS. I don't have my own copies and since I am currently living 4 hours from home, the movies of choice when I am sick are Disney movies. I know them well enough that I can dose in and out while watching and not miss much of anything.

Tonight I have watched Swiss Family Robinson, One and Only Genuine Original Family Band and (currently) Summer Magic.

I have pulled these from my DVD shelf in the living room and have them in my bedroom so they will most likely be watched over the weekend.
To add to the Disney movie love, my mom and I ordered some movies from Disney Movie Club. I am a member and once or twice a year we make a movie order. Always when they have the 60% off deal, where if you purchase one movie at regular price, you get the rest for 60% off. I won't say what Mom ordered since some are Christmas presents but this is what I nabbed.
This was my regularly priced movie which I pre-ordered. I have NEVER seen the Lion King. I know. Shame, Shame... and I call myself a Disney Fan. ;-) I have waited several years for it to be re-released in theaters and I am so excited to see it for the first time in theaters(haven't decided between 2D and 3D).
I watched Tangled for the first time on Netflix a couple weeks ago. I LOVED it!! (*I know it says Repunzel is the title. I only wanted to use one source site and they didn't have the US cover. haha*)
Bambi came with a free VIP pin. Sweet!
And apparently Freaky Friday came with a free pumpkin carving kit? I have no clue. Haha
That's it for this order. I also have a bunch of Disney Movie Rewards points but I am not sure if I want to get more DVDs with them or save them for something else.

There is my Disney movie love for the weekend. I need to post an updated list of what I own towards my unobtainable goal of own "all" Disney movies. :-) Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Saturday, September 3, 2011

Musings of an Old Soul

This image may very well be something I am clinging to right now. But my house will be in order soon. I cannot handle a dirty house. Until then, this will make me feel a tad bit better. haha

Anyone who knows me knows that I was born wrong time period. I love all things vintage and the style of music I listen to and movies I watch reflect my old soul. It makes me ridiculously giddy! I seriously wish I could design clothes and sew because my wardrobe would be 40s-60s feminine chic. No lie
.
 If only I could pull off outfits like this...
I've spent entirely too long browsing Patterns from the Past looking for patterns.
 
 





I'm pretty sure that is enough picture overload. For now. But seriously, I want a wardrobe like this.
Ok, so maybe it needs a bit of modernizing but I love the overall feminine shapes and forms. 
 I kind of like the coats of the 60s better though. Yes, I know I am weird. I don't care if I look ridiculous. Atleast I will be classy, feminine and modest. I will make this happen. :-) In fact, I am going to be re-doing my 101 in 1001 goals and that might be one of them!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Blogger's New Interface & More

What better way to get back into the swing of blogging than to be thoroughly confused by Blogger's new interface? I love a challenge. ;-) I might like it and exploring everything. We shall see!

It has been a weird few days around here, schedule wise. My body and brain are not in sync with the actual days of the week. I had Sunday off(the first weekend day I have had off since Memorial day weekend), worked Monday, had Tuesday off, worked Wednesday and had Thursday off. So weird. I am "on a break" from my second job(as a caregiver). It was too much working 70-80 hours a week, mixing working full-time during the day and 2-3 overnight shifts. My body and brain hated me for it. :-) Though it was nice to not have to worry about things financially, it added too many other problems. Thankfully, I got a small raise and a promotion with YDB. I am now a manager. The raise won't make up for the money I made from having a second job but it's better than nothing! And I think I might enjoy only having one job. I can actually get my house under control and have a life. Whatever that means. HA!

I am considering re-doing my 101 in 1001 goals. So much has changed since I originally did it and it pretty much got shoved to the back burner. But I love lists and I think goals are good. So I might give it another go. I am open to thoughts and suggestions for goals or categories for goals.