My never ending way to organize

my coupons has led me down the path to a NEW coupon box. I spent over 5 hours at my beloved sil's helping her get her box set up (and we are going CVS shopping tomorrow night) and I liked how we did hers so much I am redoing mine. Also it is a good time to 'purge' being that it is almost the end of the month. Yippie!

I have been working alot this week and will get to blogging more later on after I go shopping.
Blessings to each and every one of you!
Mari

PS I HAVE FIVE FOLLOWERS~ I am pumped! And believe it or not, none of them are my 'local' friends who read this (Tammyk, tammyf, Michelle, Kateena)... love ya'll and appreciate you reading this!~

Shopping is a full time job??

A few weeks ago I had a friend tell me I turned shopping into a full time job... and it got me to thinking. If I looked at what is in my stockpile right now (not counting what I had just given away in the last 2 weeks) of ONLY my HBA items... then yes, I do consider it a full time job. When, as this week happens, we have too much week to not enough cash, I am fulfilled in the knowledge we won't starve, need HBA items or medication (cold, tylenol, etc) and I know that the money in our checking account WILL get us through this short week. Because of my savy shopping and money saving I am able to provide for my family in weeks to come, in emergencies and alot of times I am able to help others. Am I arrogant, boasting? Am I in need of a bigger hat? Nope, it isn't like I shout it from the roof tops "I HAVE 59 ROLLS OF TOILET PAPER". I know that by planning ahead and couponing and saving money I am in a way working another full time job. So yes, dear Virginia, I have turned shopping into a full time job. In a job you love you do your best, you fulfill your duties and you feel good about yourself. In this I do say that shopping for my family is a full time job. I love it, I enjoy it, and most of all it is a nice way to share myself with others.

Now, I have been asked for 'what' is in my HBA stockpile... I just counted it so you can know it is current (not counting what is currently in the bathrooms or kitchen)..

I have 59 rolls of tp
femine product for gurl 53
deodrants 29
body wash and soap 63
Shampoo and conditioner 38
Razors and toothbrushes 22
Toothpaste and mouthwash 36

All in all a good stockpile for a family of four. Also all of my things are 'brand name' I really don't like to purchase store brand.. NOT that there is anything wrong with store brand rather that they rarely give out coupons. So like the pads are all always and the tampons are playtex and tampax. Shampoo everything from Pantene, Head and shoulders to Suave and whiterain. Deodrants are also a range from suave to rightguard. (having two teenagers in the house I need ALOT of deodrant). So you can see that while I don't 'shop' full time (40 hours) the benefits I have are unmeasurable. I do believe this is a job I will be keeping for a while. Also like my beloved sister in law says 'you don't have to feed it'.. meaning it isn't costing you anything to sit on your shelves waiting to be used.

Now, if this friend just saw my food stockpile....wowsie!

I did it~

I went shopping! LOL!
Actually it was a quick run into my local cvs and they didn't have anything that I really wanted to I just scanned my card at the scanner and a $5 off of $15 popped out.. well that is TOO GOOD to pass up. So I decided to think 'logically' and see what they had that offered ECB's for under $15 and was something I could add to the stockpile and not have to worry about expiring dates. Guess what!~ They have cottenelle tissue 20 packs for 12.97 with a 4 ecb back.....so.. two transactions later I have this to add to the pile of goodies
40 packs of toilet paper
2 pk of Johnson and Johnson swabs
sno-caps (my hunger twinge)
and some david sunflower seeds...

Total spent..
Now I do warn you it wasn't my best ever deal but I do think it is ok..top 20 maybe....
spent $4.35 oop (rest was ecb's and coupons)

SAVED $30.95

YTD savings $82.51
Left to spend $1453.22

great new giveaway from my muse

http://jane4girls800dollarannualbudget.blogspot.com/

Go here and register for her great giveaway. A nice way to get some free goodies and read up on her awesome year of spending less than $800 a year for a family of four~

To get this to the top

and keep it 'fresh' in my mind...


savings to date $251.56
Left to spend $1457.57

oh also....

I have had no caffeeine (sp?) since Sunday and I love it. No cokes, no sweet tea....I was worried about what would I 'find' to drink when I was working, but I just took a powerade (from Kroger sale long time ago) and was good to go. Also when we went to McDonalds yesterday I had an orange drink with a refill of powerade. I LOVE that! No headaches, no weird cravings for salt (last time I gave up caffeeine I craved salt like a mad woman and normally I can't stand the taste of it). All in all this is doing good. Thank you for all of you who have shown support and encouragement.

Ok, ok, ok, ok

I know it has been a few weeks since I did ANY shopping.. but I promise to update you all on my CVS buys this week. I am pumped up for savings. We really have been eating our stockpile or just fasting a meal here and there. Nothing much to report.. Manbear is doing great with his Daniel diet and we both weighed at publix yesterday and found out that we are only 3 pounds difference. Seems a bit weird, but ok...hehehehehe

Oh yeah, not having church on Saturday evenings mean my CVS runs can be earlier rather than 9-10 pm. I love being able to go earlier. Although if I go in the evenings I get to see my 'buds' who work there, and they are sweet.

I received alot of credits from work and was able to bless at least 7 people even before passing it on to the food bank. I feel good about that. Plus I did a purge of my HBA stockpile and held a 'come and get it' to a few friends and family. It has taken a good week and a half but I am finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnell with that too...

So my second day of my four days off in a row (yippie) will be spent doing laundry and planning my cvs run of the week. Good day to all of you and I PROMISE to get to shopping so I can share my good deals with all of you.

Blessings,
Mari

ps... manbear and I did go out to eat at Mcdonalds yesterday but he had a gc from CHRISTmas to use so it was free.. and then we went to goodwill to buy Bigboy some sweat pants for school PE class. So it was a 'fun' day for us together...

IT is a whopping 28 degrees here at 6 am.. too cold for Georgia~~~!!!!!

P.s. I still have a Starbucks gc burning a hole in my pocket if anyone wants to come with me tonite to CVS and get deals and tea~ hint hint Tammy~