Marriage Challenge~~~ I'm In!

I am following this new challenge that I saw on DeNeice's homemaking blog. I know that I am guilty of not treating my dh like maybe he should be treated. So I am on this wagon with the others that are following......http://womenlivingwell-courtney.blogspot.com/search/label/Marriage%20Challenge

I also love how outgoing Courtney is when she talks. I have never saw her blog before but now will add to my bloglines.

Click on the link and see for yourself!

CVS Trip: 11-16-09: $1.27 OOP

I did great this trip here is what I got:

- 4 jars of Rag spaghetti sauce
- 3 jars Skippy peanut butter
- 2 cans of black olives
- 1 bottle of Dry Idea powder fresh deodorant
- 3 toys (Christmas gifts)

I paid OOP (OOP means out of my pocket) $1.27 that was with tax included and then got back $8.00 ECB back(ECB means Extra Care Bucks) Looking forward to hopefully good deals this upcoming weekend!

CVS- 11-12-09- $1.79 OOP (out of pocket)

I bought:
- 2 bottle of John Freida Root Awakening shampoo and conditioner for dry hair.
-3 boxes of Halloween temporary tattoes for next Halloween to give instead of candy.
- 4 packs of Razzles gum (stockings)
- 4 packs of Wonka Kazzoozles (stocking -1 I had to try in "Yota")
- 1 pack of chewy sweetarts (John's stocking)

Paid: $1.79 with tax included and got back $5.00 from the John Freida ECB's (Extra Care Bucks) to use on next weeks deals. All candy was 90% off!

Giant PA Trip : 10-17-09

This was last weeks Giant trip that took until Saturday evening to do. I was pretty pleased for what I got especially the Hatfield hot and sweet sausage. The store brands I have tried have they all had those chewy yucky pieces in them. So I'll make some sausage sandwiches with peppers and onions and also use for cajun red beans and rice which was a recipe I tried a few months ago that we really liked a lot!

Oh and I love Ronozi smart taste pasta it's my favorite. It has a nice texture when cooked.




Total before store deal and coupons: $58.46
Saved with store deals and coupons: $32.69

Total spent: $26.11























Renee~

Underneath it all

Underneath everything that has come our way we are so grateful to just be here together as a family. No obstacle can break our spirit down. Setbacks, economy, very slow business, long term illness all can bring my spirits down. But in order to survive the bare basic necessities are all we need.

FAITH
FAMILY
FOOD
CLOTHING
WARMTH

A newer car, nicer clothes, and better things are just a drop in the bucket right now and are the least of my worries. I hold my husband tight, my children close and be thankful everyday like it is the last.

With Spring air in the midst of my day new cells of thinking are on their way. What can I do is the most of my thoughts....

What can I do to make my home nicer without spending?

What can I do to make my husband feel how grateful we all are for his efforts in providing for our family?

What can I do to make my children feel special, what is on their minds right now?

What can I do to better myself and think of ideas of how to bring extra money at home yet still be at home with my children?

There are so many more things that have recently come up in this mom brain of mine. Curious what some of you have been thinking recently about your lives, or what is in store for you in the next few months?

Blessings:: Nay

I'm Here... Really!

Don't you worry my friends I am here still alive, breathing the fresh Autumn air. The past two months have been chaotic here in the family household. When I do have time I will post some more and visit so many of the blogs that I have missed these past few weeks.

Family comes first then computer. Life happens with all the twists and turns. Note to myself what really needs to be done this week:

- Send out way over due little girl clothing to a special lady with two little girls.

- Send out money to get health insurance to kick in (hoping very soon) My knee needs to be operated on once again and I can not tolerate this pain much longer.

Our home is getting pest-ified today- mice in the attic and it bothers me the pitter patter of little rodent feet. Our home is also getting carpet upstairs and downstairs so everything is in bunches in the rooms that are not getting carpeted.

It's a tornado like moving week yet everything does not go into another home it goes right back in each room. Taking everything downstairs from the three rooms upstairs has really irritated my arthritis laden knee so I had to ask for help...hard for me but did.

One thing I have to say for all the no credit card lovin people we saved money for the carpet with no debt to come out of this.

This fall my husband and I decided to put some hay that is stocked in our shed for our great dane Shane and we put it in the utility wagon. We either use the riding tractor the ATV and slow like a turtle pull the children around the mountain. They love it! And it's great seeing all the changing leaves and also the wildlife around here.

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Menu plans for the week include: homemade pizza with salad, crockpot beef roast with corn and mashed potatoes, roasted chicken with scalloped potaoes and green beans, mini meatloves with buttered rice and glazed baby carrots, stuffed peppers with garlic noodles, homemade chicken pot pie since we will have leftover chicken this week.

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What else are you cooks coming up with for the week?

~ Saving and Tips ~

Saving money has been on mind a lot lately. With prices going up on everything no wonder why I have taken saving money to the extreme. Some ways we personally save money as a family are:

- Get a local library card. We can rent 3 movies at a time for a week. There are many DVD's and VHS movie titles to choose from. Also there are many educational shows, exercise, and language titles as well.

- We shop at the local grocery stores that have gas savings attached. Buy items that we need, or can use for cheap since we use coupons then reap benefits of having money taken off at the gas pump on each gallon.

- Take inventory of your families household needs and wants. Keeping track of everything on paper/notebook really helps only to spend what is needed. Clothing inventory each season is a top lister on our agendas. Also just the everyday items like toilet paper, shampoo, and laundry items.

- Shop at thrift stores. My favorite is the Salvation Army. I outfitted our family of six very well with a lot of name brands for cheap. I strive for $1.00 or under for each item. And we go on Wednesdays since every tag but one is 50% off. Savings is great in the fact that even on new- clearance store clothing never reaches the savings on things we NEED at that time.

- Put all electrical items on a power strip. Not only are you saving your expensive electronic items from going caput during a storm, but you save money if you turn the power strip off while not in use. A lot of people do not know that even though they turn off an item that it still draws power. Using the power strip button makes a halt to the electricity.

- Pre-treating laundry stains before laundering your clothing. For us we get so many stains but with being frugal means using all kinds of inexpensive laundry detergent. So I don't take a chance that the detergent will get the stains out and I pre-treat and let sit awhile. Also use less laundry detergent and do not go by the back of the bottle. Fabric softener sheets cut in half, or use less of the liquid softener. Vinegar plus adding a few drops of EO (essential oils) is a great alternative to commercial softeners.

- Re-use your plastic bags from shopping for your little trashcans in the bathroom, or other areas in your home.