Mummy says...

77% Savings at Kroger!

Kroger is having one of their Mega 10 Sale where you get $5 when you buy a (mix & match) selection of 10 items. If you buy 20, you get $10, and etc. Basically it takes $0.50 off each item. My store doubles coupons up to $0.50

This what I got:

4 Chex Mix (various)
2 Swiss Miss hot chocolate, 10 ct
4 All Free & Clear, 32 loads
2 Welch's Juice, 64 oz
1 Frank's Hot Sauce, 12 oz
4 Carnation Evaporated Milk, 12 oz
2 Dole Mandarin Oranges, 12 oz
2 Dole Tropical Fruit, 12.25 oz
8 Fudge Shoppe Cookies (don't judge me)
2 Snuggle Liquid Fabric Softener, 32 load
2 Ore Ida Frozen French Fries
2 Dial 3-pack soap
2 Pepperidge Farm Orange Milanos
2 Pepperidge Farm Snack Crackers
1 I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spreadable

Items not part of Mega Sale
1 Kroger Hamburger Buns
1 Kroger Wheat Bread
1 Tyson Chicken Breast Tenderloin
1 Ground Beef (about 1.3 lbs)
1 gallon Whole milk
1 gal skim milk
1 1/2 gallon chocolate milk (still $0.99 from Tuesday's big sale)

Coupons Used:
-$0.50 Chex mix mfg coupons (x4)-which were doubled; paired them with 4 coupons from cellfire and shortcuts for $0.50 each (made all 4 free)
Swiss Miss -$0.50 from writing manufacturer (x2) which were doubled (total of $1.00 overage)
All Free & Clear, -$1.00 (x4)(RP 08/02, SS 10/04, printable)
Welch's Juice, -$1.00 (SS 08/16, printable here or here) (x2)
Frank's Hot Sauce , -$0.50 (SS 10/04 or printable) which were doubled
Carnation Evaporated Milk , -$0.50 (SS 09/27 or printable) (x2) - made all 4 free after doubling Dole Mandarin, -$0.50 printable (x2) which were doubled (giving $0.82 overage)
Fudge Shoppe Cookies, -$1.50/2 printable (x4)
Snuggle Liquid Fabric Softener, -$3.00 (RP 10/04) (x2), making both free!
Ore Ida French Fries, -$1.50/2 (SS 09/27 or previously available printable)
Dial multipack soap, -$0.35 (SS 10/04) (x2) which were doubled
Pepperidge Farm Products, -$0.50 from writing manufacturer (x4) which were doubled
-$0.50 Beef which was doubled
-$3.00 catalina that printed two weeks ago from Pillsbury offer (I had bought 5 products)

Grand Total: $32.81
Total Saved: $107.09

Savings of 77%! Wanna' see?

Hugely long receipt
Here's the total I paid (in bold). Note number of items sold is 47.
Savings:
Mfg Cpn Savings: $33.70
Bonus Cpn Savings (amount that was result of doubling): $9.18
Kroger Plus Savings (Store Sales): $64.21
Total Savings/Coupons: $107.09
Now my explanation to you about my purchases:

The Chex Mix was free and will do great for lunches. Swiss Miss was free with overage and will go to the church pantry. Detergent is our brand, so I decided to stock up while the gettin' was good. Juice is for current need. Frank's purchase is to replace our "stand by" in the pantry since the last one just went to the fridge when opened. I will use 2 of the evaporated milks during the upcoming holidays; the other two will go to the church pantry. The canned fruit is some of Patrick's favorites. The cookies will last us a while and are a guilty pleasure. The fabric softener I got only because it was free--it will go to the church pantry. The fries will keep in the freezer for a while and since they were such a good price ($1.25 each), they will get used later. Soap was for stockpiling due to good prices. Pepperidge Farm products were just good prices for indulgences; I have no good excuse. The spreadable butter was a current need. The buns, chicken, beef, bread, and milks were all current needs (we usually have chocolate in the house but although not a need, it was just too good a price to pass up).

Huge thanks to Southern Savers and Coupon Mom who pointed me to most of these coupons!

Friday Faves - No Wonder Men are Happier

A cute email sent to me some time back.

Men Are Just Happier People-- What do you expect from such simple creatures?
Your last name stays put.
The garage is all yours.
Wedding plans take care of themselves.
Chocolate is just another snack.
You can be President.
You can never be pregnant.
You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.
You can wear NO shirt to a water park.
Car mechanics tell you the truth.
The world is your urinal.
You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.
You don't have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.
Same work, more pay.
Wrinkles add character.
Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental $100.
People never stare a t your chest when you're talking to them.
New shoes don't cut, blister, or mangle your feet.
One mood...all the time.
Phone convers ations are over in 30 seconds flat.
You know stuff about tanks.
A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.
You can open all your own jars.
You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.
If someone forgets to invite you, he or she can still be your friend.
Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.
Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.
You almost never have strap problems in public.
You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.
Everything on your face stays its original color.
The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.
You only have to shave your face and neck.
You can play with toys all your life.
One wallet and one pair of shoes -- one color for all seasons.
You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.
You can 'do' your nails with a pocket knife.
You have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.
You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.

No wonder men are happier.

Have a great weekend!

Merck Manual Home Health Handbook - Review and Giveaway! - Closed

I was recently asked to review the new Merck Manual Home Health Handbook for this blog. Since I could see the value in owning such a book myself, I decided to give it a shot.

This volume of medical information is from the most popular name in medical information literature. Compiled of information from over 300 different doctors, this book offers a plethora of medical information that most of us do not normally have access to readily.

The book is well organized, beginning with a section entitled "Fundamentals" that covers general health and biology type topics including health care and prevention of diseases. The section and largest section is a collection of diseases and disorders arranged by organ or organ system, offering information on both common and very rare disorders. Additional sections are divided into Men's health, Women's health, children's health (by age) and health of the older community. Yet another section deals mainly with first aid and poisoning. This section alone is needed in every household in America. The final section of the book focuses on special subjects such as clinical trials, hospital care, alternative medicine and herbal remedies and other topics.

Additional features of this book include cross references included throughout the book to help find other topics that are related to the one at hand. There is drug information included as well as, my favorite, "Did You Know" bubbles throughout the book with helpful and interesting information about the topic at hand.

It also has very up-to-date information including the famous H1N1 virus! You can read more about this book yourself here.

So what did I think?

I certainly have found a LOT of information contained in these pages. I can see this offering a HUGE help in reading up more on disorders and diseases that either you've discussed with a doctor or that you know is running in your genes and you want to investigate. The index and table of contents are easy to use and make finding a specific subject very easy.

The downside? It may not be as "everyday language" as they feel it is. It probably seems that way to people who speak medical jargon all day, but to a vast majority of the public who might need this information, it might be hard to understand. I definitely would not recommend it to someone who is not well-educated or at least studious.

Overall? I am happy to now own this book to have this wealth of information on hand. I would certainly suggest that if you have any health issues that you want to read further into or if you'd just like to have the information on hand for addressing issues with your children, you should get this one.

And now I'm giving one of you the opportunity to own it yourself!

How? I'm giving one away thanks to the kind people at Merck who asked me to review it.

How do you win? Easy....

For your first chance to win simply leave a comment on this post telling me why you'd like to own this medical volume. If your email is not tied to a visible blogger id, leave your email address in the comment as well. This entry is required before any others are accepted.

For additional entries, leave a comment for each of the following:

• Leave a comment anywhere else on my blog (up to 5 posts) and come back here and tell me where you did so (leave a comment for each here so you get an entry for each). - for my faithful commenters, let me know other posts that you've previously commented on.
• Follow me via reader or RSS (see top just under the header) - 1 entry
• Get two entries if you ALREADY are a follower! Thanks! - 2 entries
• Blog about this giveaway (3 entries) and/or leave it on a Mr. Linky about giveaways (leave the link to the post in the comments) (1 entry per Linky)
• Add me to your blogroll - 2 entries
• Email someone about this giveaway and Bcc me (at mrsnespy at hotmail) - one entry per email address - all addresses may be combined into one email.

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. Multiple entries of the same variety will be deleted. Giveaway is open to US residents only. The giveaway ends 11/08/09 at 11:59 pm EST. Winners will be announced (and emailed) on 11/09 and has 48 hours from time of email to reply with shipping address before new drawing is held. Winners will be chosen by random number generator.

Thanks and good luck!

I was approached by a marketing company for Merck Manual for this review. The only payment I received was a free copy of the book for my review and to keep after the review. I requested an additional copy for this giveaway, which they sent as well. No other compensation was given. This review is my honest opinion of this product; you may experience different results.

WFMW - Boil Water Faster

I must give all credit for this hack to my hubby. He is brilliant at times, and this is one of those moments for him to shine. =)

You want to know how to get water to boil faster?

Easy--put the lid on it.

Yes...the process is easier if you have a glass lid and can therefore see that the water is boiling so you can proceed with whatever task made you boil the water. But seriously...the process happens more quickly when you put a lid on it.

Why? The lid traps the heat inside, making it hotter inside the pot and therefore encouraging the water to reach boiling temperature faster.

No, it doesn't cut the time in half or anything, but there is a noticeable difference to me.

It's that simple.

And that works for us at our house. Go over to We Are THAT Family to see what works for everyone else!

Photo credit: canonsnapper

Great Prices on Video Games!

As the holidays approach, I will be noting some great prices on possible gifts for your family. I don't typically do these "blurb" type posts, but this will only last through the holidays. There are just too many offers out there not to share.

If this is a duplicate of something you've already seen, just pass by...but I figured that someone might need to see it for the first time!

Gamefly has many Used Video Games on sale for $19.99 or less with free shipping. (thanks, slickdeals!)

Wii

• Under $10
• $10-$20

PS3

• Under $10
• $10-$20

Xbxo 360

• Under $10
• $10-$20

Tuesday Free For All

Another Tuesday Free for All rolls around today. Make sure to enter any links for great giveaways that you know about (they don't have to be yours!).

Also...go thank all of the people listed at the bottom of the post who put together all of these awesome freebies each week!

Here we go....

FREEBIES:

• Get a FREE copy of The Purpose of Christmas, written by Rick Warren.
• Free recipe holder from Viva HERE.
• Free sample Dentaburst HERE.Free baby samples HERE.Free Yo Crunch yogurt when you send in Halloween candy wrappers HERE.Free sample to the first 4,000 John Frieda
• Frizz Ease HERE - select the CLICK HERE link under NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.Still available: free Nestle calendar filled with coupons HERE.
• Free cologne - Mute your speakers first!: Click "Get a sample" along the bottom to print a certificate good for a free sample of CKfree perfume.
• Free Taco on Halloween: Come into Taco Bell on Halloween night and get a free taco.
• Free diapers: Get a free sample of Pampers Extra Protection diapers.
• Free copy of Retirement for Dummies: Register here to get a free copy of Retirement for Dummies.
• Neutrogena Advanced Acne Treatment: Register here and get a coupon good for $5.00 off Neutrogena Advanced Acne Treatment.
• Free air sanitizer: The first 10,000 people to sign up will get a free sample of Oust Air sanitizer.
• Free bagels: Print this reusable coupon good for free bagels at Noah's Bagels.
• More free bagels: Use (and re-use) this printable coupon at Einstein Bros. on Fridays before 11am and you'll get a FREE bagel through November 3, 2009.
• $1 off Scotch-Brite sponges: Print this coupon good for $1.00 off Scotch-Brite sponges.
• Free photo portraits at Target: Print these coupons good for free photo portraits at Target.
• This freebie was available a few weeks ago but they ran out of stock. If you didn't have a chance to request yours then, it's available again. Sign up here for a free sample of Oregon Chai Tea Latte Mix.
• Go here and click on the banner to get a free sample of a Kashi TLC Granola Bar.
• Go here to request a free sample of Prilosec OTC.
• Email publisher@thehomeschoolmagazine.com to request your free frugal ebook from The Old Schoolhouse Magazine. This ebook includes 100 pages of frugal gift ideas, recipes, and more. You do not have to be a magazine subscriber in order to receive it.
• Sign up here for your free copy of Cooking with Stock. This is a brand-new and updated edition.
• Get a Free Panty from TeenFreeWay on 10/29 – Everyone Gets One! You pick the size, color and style! Here’s how to get yours: Complete the form here. Become a TeenFreeWay Fan on Facebook Log into your Facebook account on 10/29 to get your Free Gift!
• Free Sample of L’Oreal Everpure – must log in or register.
• Free Sample of Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew.
• Free Sample of Lorac’s TANtalizer Baked Bronzer, or a Mini Couture Shine Liquid Lipstick in Glam with coupon at Sephora inside JCPenney.
• Request a FREE Sample of Olay Total Effects Anti-Aging Body Wash HERE!
• Get a FREE portrait collage at Sears plus no sitting fee by scheduling an appointment HERE.
• Get a free digital subscription to VIV Magazine and a free usable tote bag when you join the community. To get a free membership, use the code freeviv. There is no need to enter your credit card information. U.S. only.
• On Veterans Day, November 11, 2009, Sam’s Club will be giving away 25,000 Hugo canes to United States Military Veterans in need of mobility assistance. Quantities are limited per club. Available while supplies last. Sam’s Club Membership is not required but proof of military service may be required.
• Come into Toys R Us on Saturday, October 31, 2009 from noon to 3pm to participate in Geoffrey’s Trick “R” Treat parade. Children age 3 and up will receive a complimentary reusable bag which they can fill up with goodies and giveaways as they parade around the store. Call first to make sure your store is participating.
• Sam’s Club is offering a free one day pass good until November 7, 2009. A 10% service fee applies on all purchases made with one day memberships (not applicable in CA, SC or Elmsford NY).
• Get a free DVD rental at Blockbuster Express kiosks when you use the code BM99A. Code expires 10/31/09. Click here to find a location near you.
• Get a free DVD rental from Publix when you use this code, PUBLIX1. Also, rent one, get one DVD free using code, PUBLIX2. Both codes expire 11/25/09.
• Enter the Oliveri Pasta For A Year Contest and receive a free Oliveri Recipe Book and Coupons. Make sure to check the box at the bottom of the form. U.S. and Canada only.
• Send your friends (or yourself) a Sharis Pie-Gram. The Pie-Gram includes a coupon for a free slice of pie. Limit one coupon per person. Cannot be combined with any other offers.Click here to find a location near you.
• Enter the Airwick Frangrant Homes Club and receive rewards for entering in product UPCs and doing certain activities on the site. Use your rewards to enter giveaways, print coupons, request samples and more. Available to the U.S. only.

SWEEPSTAKES:

• Retro Pillowcases Sweepstakes: Add a little retro flair to your boudoir with this '80s inspired design from Snooze City Designs
• Magisso Cake Server Sweepstakes: Serve your desserts in style with this elegant kitchen tool
• RECO Jeans Sweepstakes: Enter to win the Jade Vine jean Number of prizes: 1 Expires: Tuesday November 03 2009 ARV: $160.00
• Urban Decay Sweepstakes: Enter to win $99 worth of Urban Decay beauty products Number of prizes: 1 Expires: Monday November 02 2009 ARV: $123.50
• Renée Rouleau Sweepstakes: Enter to win a Renée Rouleau skincare set Number of prizes: 1 Expires: Monday November 02 2009 ARV: $123.50
• Win a Profile In ELLE and a Hugo Boss Wardrobe!: Enter for the chance to win a profile in ELLE and a BOSS Black wardrobe valued at over $1,500! Number of prizes: 1 Expires: Friday October 30 2009 ARV: $1,500.00
• Lauren Hutton Naturals Face Disc Beauty Giveaway: Enter to win Lauren Hutton's all-natural circular palette featuring 11 makeup must-haves (everything except mascara) in an all-in-one kit Number of prizes: 10 Expires: Saturday October 31 2009 ARV: $70.00
• Casa Velas Hotel, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Getaway Giveaway: Enter to win an all-inclusive four-day, three-night stay for two at the Casa Velas Hotel in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Number of prizes: 1 Expires: Wednesday October 28 2009 ARV: $1,700.00
• Vivabox Fragrance Collection Giveaway: Enter to win 10 irresistible designer fragrances, five for women and five for men Number of prizes: 10 Expires: Sunday November 01 2009 ARV: $55.00
• Lug Puddle Jumper Bag Giveaway: Enter to win a Puddle Jumper bag from Lug Number of prizes: 10 Expires: Monday November 02 2009 ARV: $75.00
• Pier 1 Imports Dinnerware Prize Package Giveaway: Enter to win four place settings of the Carynthum Dinnerware Set from Pier 1 Imports Number of prizes: 10 Expires: Tuesday November 03 2009 ARV: $45.00
• Omni Hotels Fort Worth, TX, Getaway Giveaway: Enter to win a four-day, three-night stay for a family of four at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel Number of prizes: 1 Expires: Wednesday November 04 2009 ARV: $2,000.00

GIVEAWAYS:

*Huge thanks to my sources: Thunder Fap, PointClickHome, Woman’s Day Magazine, The Freebie Blogger, Money Saving Mom, Couponing 101, Centsible Sawyer, Sisterly Savings, "Deal"icious Mom, The Good Deal Gal, & Better Homes & Gardens

Photo credit: ammcf

8 Free Family Fun Activities

Today is the beginning of a new series I am naming "Monday 8s" where I talk about 8 of something. Really clever, no? Some of these will be about frugality, some about family life, some about general information, and some about random things.

I know, not too specific is it? Well, that's the fun of it I guess.



Today's Monday 8 will fall into the realm of frugality since it is the kick-off post.

So here's to a new series beginning!

8 Free Family Fun Activities

1. Visit local park/playground. Most towns/communities/neighborhoods have some form of local park or playground to visit. You can find anything from playground equipment to picnic tables to walking trails to tennis and basketball courts. This one is a "no brainer."
2. Library. The library has drastically changed since I was a child. Now you can find lots of good and free reading material as well as movies, books on tape/CD, magazines, and free internet usage. Most also have some type of playstuff set up in the children's area like a train table or such. Just remember to keep your voices low. =)
3. Nature Walk/Bike Ride. Get outdoors with the entire family. Ride your bikes to explore (semi) far away places together and get some great exercise. Or for something closer to home, take a walk and look at birds, bugs, leaves and flowers on your way. My son is one to collect rocks, so there are always plenty on the trip to occupy him. And a walk with a handful of rocks is always an adventure to him!
4. Picnic. This one is a fun one. You don't even have to go to a park for this one. Just set up a blanket in the yard and have a meal together on the ground. Fighting off the ants is part of the fun. Or even if it is raining, have a special indoors picnic. We VERY OCCASIONALLY have had the treat of eating on a quilt in front of the TV while watching a family-friendly movie. It's always a treat!
5. Play hide-and-seek/tag. That's right...get outside and run around like you were 8 years old again. You're not too old for it...and your kids will love it!
6. Camping. Sure you can go all out and do this at a campsite, but I was thinking something even more simple...like your own yard. Set up a tent or just put some sleeping bags out on a porch. You can be within a few feet of the house, but your kids' minds will be far away getting to enjoy this specialty!
7. Playing Board Games. There are so many good board games out there for kids now. Some emphasize learning (counting) or skills (money) while others are just outright silly. They are all fun though and just a few dollars invested once can create memory after memory for your children.
8. Sing/Dance. That's right...just turn up the music and let loose! Your kids naturally love music and they don't care if you have rhythm or can carry a tune. They care about fun...so go have some!

So even when our purse strings are tied tight, there are still lots of fun things to do in order to create a lifetime of memories for your children.

Photo credit: theophine

WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Today's the big day...winners are announced for the Vaseline Sheer Infusion giveaway!

First of all, thank you for all of the participants! I loved getting to me several new faces and I hope you stick around!

Sadly there was one late entrant (after midnight last night) that I could not enter. So sorry!

So...get on with it, right?

Well, using random.org as my random number generator, I came up with the following winners:

lilshuga2001
bettycd
Julie

I will be contacting you via email to let you know. Please respond within 24 hours with a physical address so I can get them out. Per the giveaway rules, if I haven't heard from you with an address in 24 hours from the time of the email, I will draw another winner.

Thanks again for playing!

Weekend Round-Up #16

You know, it's honestly hard to do a round-up every weekend. Oh, not because there isn't enough good writing going on. On the contrary, it is hard to narrow down my findings. Honestly, if I wanted to take your entire weekend up, I could send you to 200+ posts that I feel you should read. But who has that kind of time (other than me, obviously)?

So I will just give you the brightest and best from this week, as determined by me. =)

Frugality:

• 6 Ways to Save While Shopping Online at FiLife offered some great tips to use this upcoming holiday season!
• 10 Attributes Of The Perpetually Broke over at Bible Money Matters is a very honest and open look at overspenders. Now, looking at that list, can you see yourself anywhere in it?
• Extreme Couponing 101: Burnout over at Southern Savers offers both advice and reassurance to those of us who have hit a wall when trying to save on groceries. It's okay--you're not alone, and here are some tips on overcoming it while staying on track!
• Does a Bad Economy Equal a Sad Christmas for the Kids? at Being Frugal offers a refocus of priorities during a time that is very tough financially for many families. Regardless of your financial state, definitely worth the read.
• What NOT to Do When You are Behind on Your Bills at Suburban Dollar. I thought this might be a great read for many who are finding themselves in this situation presently.
• 5 Ways Spending More is Actually Frugal at My Dollar Plan is proof that you really can enjoy new things while being frugal.
• Avoid The Pressure To Spend is another post from Bible Money Matters that I am suggesting because I feel too many people spend money just because they feel they should.
• Beware Credit Card Skimmers and How to Spot Them at Money Under 30 was a real eye-opener for me. I knew to beware of restaurant servers/waiters/waitresses but had no idea some people actually attached these to machines!
• 10 Free Online Budgeting Applications at Lazy Man & Money is a great resource. We have just started using Mint ourselves but from here you can see a collection of great tools available.

Family/Home:

• Clean out your wallet is part of Poorer Than You's focus on this week being National Protect Your Identity Week. Go over there and check out the whole series for some great info.
• flu and cold season: 15 ways to fight the flu at The Centsible Life reminds us of some obvious, and introduces us to some not-so-obvious ways to battle the upcoming cold/flu season.
• Raising Content Kids at The Happy Housewife is an awesome post. Starting this when their young helps prevent them from becoming another selfish entitled person to deal with when they grow up (sorry...did you notice a bit of not so subliminal commentary there?)
• Be Safe This Halloween! at Because I Said So is a suggestion for a great product for both this Halloween and any family outing in your future. Go check these things out! Patrick would LOVE them just because of what they are.
• What Kindergarten Homework Taught Me by Billy Coffey and posted at The Higher Calling Blogs was heart-warming, reassuring and real. Billy really knows what to say to me.
• Oh, the Joys... at Call Her Blessed had me cracked up. Seriously...this is so something that would happen to me.
• Frugal Fun: Card Games For Those Rainy Days at Frugal Family Fun is a great list! This is a new site on my blogroll and I am loving it. Some of my fondest memories of childhood involve a deck of cards, so this one touched home.
• Doing The Math by Shaun Groves invoked true sympathy for him and others who are missing that special someone. And I count my blessings.

Faith:

• The Boy Made of Post Its at Flowerdust is seriously worth your click through. Anne is an awesome writer and I love her blog, but the photo there is amazing. And make sure you stay around for her commentary after the photo. Love her!
• Getting mad when someone interrupts your quiet time with God at Stuff Christians Like is yet another great read from Jon.

Fun:

• Bride/Baker Communication 101 at Cake Wrecks is just one of the jewels you can find at that site. It's only on my "fun" list because it was not my cake.
• Grocery Store Musical at Improv Everywhere offers yet another great production from this group. I cannot fathom the shock of actually being there when it broke out.
• Can’t See The Forest For The Airborne Trees at Not Always Right definitely made me smile. However, if I think about it too long, I might consider crying.

Favorite New Site of the Week:

• Students Say the Darndest Things: It's a collection of quotes from members of youth groups from various youth pastors. Some are those "had to be there" type of humor, but many are really stand along funny...especially to those who are regularly exposed to the chaos that is the teenage mind.

Photo credit: eddiemcfish

Friday Faves - Lizard Attack

Watering Down Frugality

If you go by the dictionary’s definition of frugality, you will find that it is “1.) economical in use or expenditure; prudently saving or sparing; not wasteful and 2.) entailing little expense; requiring few resources; meager; scanty”.

However, some confusion comes into play with a basic definition. To people “on the outside,” the word has a connotation usually associated with “cheap,” “tightwad” or “miser.” Those who live frugally know it to be a completely different lifestyle than those words bring to mind. Frugality is about being smart with your spending. Whether that means buying less, buying better quality, buying on sale, or not buying at all depends on your level of frugality.

You see, there are different degrees of frugality, and I believe all should be applauded. Everyone making an effort to improve their quality of life while making changes in their spending habits is using their resources more wisely. Sometimes people start slowly and continue to make changes as their comfort level is altered. Some people dive in to the deep end from the beginning and take a “sink or swim” approach. Some decide to “up” their level of frugalness after they learn new and exciting ways to save money without compromising what is truly important to them.

To go along with the “sink or swim” analogy I used above, I am dividing people into 6 categories. Let’s examine them now:

SUNBATHERS: This category is filled with people who are aware that there are people swimming out in the water, but are not interested in participating. These are people who like to spend money. They put little to no thought into trying to save money or look for a bargain. If they find a sale, it is counted as a “bonus” incentive for buying the product, but are not deterred if the item is full price. They are not interested in pursuing a frugal lifestyle for some reason (reason does not really matter).

SIDELINERS: This group is the spectator group. These are people who like to find things on sale and may even shop with the intent of finding a good sale but still seem surprised when they find a good bargain, as if it is an abnormality. They know people are finding great deals and wonder how. They worry that their lifestyle will be compromised by living any more frugally than they do, but often wonder if they could pull it off themselves. They search coupons hoping to find their favorite products. They want to get into the water are afraid the water might be too chilly for their tastes.

TOE-DIPPERS: These are people who are beginning their journey into a frugal lifestyle cautiously. They do not want to compromise their quality of life or just are not confident in their ability to really make enough changes to have an impact. They are proceeding carefully…looking for sales harder, researching prices for items on the internet, shopping around stores for the best deals. They begin to consciously keep coupons and use them regularly at the store. They may “downgrade” from an expensive-to-maintain car to an easily serviceable model to cut costs. They have become content with the temperature of the water, but are not sure about its depth. Some are content to walk through and just get their feet wet and others are building up their courage to wade out a little deeper. Unfortunately many get side-tracked here because they buy cheap rather than frugally. When this happens the sting of the water is too cold and they run back ashore.

WADERS: This group is waist-deep in the frugal lifestyle. They are comfortable with being open about their savings-based lifestyle and are not afraid to let others see them out in the water. They have conquered the initial steps and are usually familiar with how to get the best grocery prices, how to utilize coupons on a regular basis, and have made efforts to reduce home energy costs by efforts like turning off utilities when not in use. They only order water at restaurants because they refuse to pay for another type of drink. They are encouragers to the toe dippers, offering, “Come on in! The water’s fine!” They have learned the difference between buying smart and buying cheap. They know that it is okay to pay more for quality. They usually know items that it is okay to go “cheap” with and when quality truly matters to them. Many people are content to stay here and jump as the waves roll in. Others are heading deeper to where they can no longer reach the bottom and are forced to test their swimming abilities.

SWIMMERS: These are those who are swimming about and truly enjoying their frugal lifestyle. It is very much a part of their everyday lifestyle, and they are comfortable with their place in the water. This group “works” grocery store and pharmacy sales and coupon policies. They menu-plan based on store sales. They often stockpile non-perishables and toiletry items. This group refuses to pay full price for anything and often uses coupons, sales, bartering, negotiating, and other tactics (or any combination of them) to purchase for themselves and their families. They share their tips with others although sometimes the others cannot understand how swimming works. This is the group who has people standing behind them in line at the store who fall into three categories: 1.) those who wonder how in the world they learned to swim so well, 2.) those who are annoyed by the fact that swimmers get in the way of their fancy yacht, and 3.) those who feel pity by the fact that these swimmers obviously do not have the means to walk.

DIVERS: This group is full of those who are one with the ocean of frugality. They enjoy home-made or home-grown items. They use cleaners made exclusively of baking soda and vinegar. They have mastered the efficiency on their utilities. They often do without the conveniences that society has grown to depend on (cable tv, multiple phones, super texting plans, new vehicles, high speed internet, convenience foods, fast food). They squeeze every mile they can out of their gasoline when they have to drive places but often find other ways to get to their destination, such as biking, walking or public transportation. Meals are cooked from scratch. They all, I would think, have a large pantry and/or a deep freezer. This group understands that there is a world underneath that being able to dive allows them to appreciate that those on the shore will never get to experience themselves unless they too begin to get in the water.

It’s funny…those on the shore are soaking up the rays and wondering what the fascination is with the water. They often pity that those diving in the water, as they are not enjoying the sunlight as they are. Those diving however, understand that that sunlight warms their water and appreciate it for how it works for them. They pity those on the shore for missing out on the ocean life.

The thing is, as long as you have gotten your feet wet, I feel you should be celebrated. There is nothing wrong with your particular level of frugality. If you are comfortable there, you should be applauded for doing what you can to enjoy the water. Not everyone is a strong swimmer. Not everyone wants to encounter the sealife that can only be seen when you dive. Not everyone wants to wade any deeper than their ankles for fear what is swimming around their feet. The point is, celebrate what you are doing and enjoy it. If you want to go deeper, it is okay to go at your own pace. Most of us have gotten to where we are by slowly wading out deeper and deeper and finding our own comfort level.

Of course, these are stereotypes, and with all categorizing, many will not fit easily into one specific category. But you probably know where you fit the best. I am somewhere between a wader and a swimmer. I am swimming, but I’m not yet a strong swimmer. Sometime I get scared and drift back to where my feet can touch. I’m working on it and getting more and more confident daily.

So what about you? Where do you fall? Leave a comment letting me know if you are content with your current category or what you want to change in order to take that next step.

Photo credit: kerryvaughan

Second Week of Rite Aid Blowout!

Here's the breakdown of this awesome deal:

1 Neilmed Nasal Mist: reg $14.99; sale $9.99; used -$2 printable coupon; I paid $7.99
1 Neilmed Nasogel: reg 7.99; sale $5.99; used -$2 printable coupon; I paid $3.99
1 Chloraseptic Kids Grape Spray: reg $6.69; sale $4.49; I paid $4.49
1 LittleColds Mucas Relief: reg $8.29; sale $5.49; I paid $5.49
1 LittleColds MultiSymptom Cold: reg $5.99; sale: $3.99; I paid $3.99
1 ColdCalm Pellets: reg $10.99; sale $7.99; used -$1 printable coupon; I paid $6.99
1 Sambucol Lozanges, 30 ct: reg $12.99; sale $7.99; I paid $7.99
1 Zantac Cool Mint Tablets: reg $9.99; sale $8.99; used -$5 printable coupon; I paid $3.99
1 Blink Tear, 15 mL: reg $10.99; sale $7.99; used -$1.50 printable coupon; I paid $6.49
1 Kellogg's Corn Pops: reg $4.49; used free Kellogg's product up to $5 coupon from Kellogg's (due to reporting poor packaging and thus ruined Eggo waffles); FREE
1 Kellogg's Froot Loops: reg $4.49; sale BOGO; FREE

Used -$5/$25 coupon

Regular Retail Total (before tax): $97.89
Total after Sales (after tax): $52.44
Used $22 Single Check Rebate check from September

Total Out of Pocket: $30.44
Rebates Due: $62.91 (all items except cereal have full price rebates)

Before using SCR to pay: $10.47 overage!

WFMW - Using Trip Meter on Car

For today's Works for Me Wednesday, I will share with you what I use the trip meter of my odometer on my car for.

I have a Trip A and a Trip B. I utilize them both.

Trip A is reset every time I refill my gas tank. I use this mileage and divide by the amount of gas I put into the tank to get my (rough) miles per gallons performance. It's not an exact science, of course, but it's a good estimate. By doing this I have found out which weeks of speeding have done the worst damage on my mileage and which gas stations have gasoline that gives decreased performance (and thus avoid those stations).

Trip B has a different purpose. Because Chip typically changes our oil at home, I reset this one with each oil change. That way I can keep up with when the next oil change is coming up and remind him (since I'm the one who sees my odometer frequently).

So, plain and simple, I know. However, we get good use out of our Trip Meters in helping us maintain our vehicles.

That is what works for our household. Head over to We Are THAT Family to see what works for other people!

Photo credit: nateOne

Tuesday Free For All

Back for another weekly installment of the Tuesday Free for All where you can get a new list of internet Freebies, Sweepstakes, and Giveaways from across the country. Don’t forget to enter your (or someone else’s) giveaway in the Mr. Linky below to let others know about it. Also don’t forget to visit MY GIVEAWAY, which will be ending before another edition of the Free for All returns.

Enough jabbering…go out there and get those deals!

FREEBIES:

• There's a new link here for a free Home Made Simple coupon booklet which contains over $35 worth of coupons in it for cleaning and household products.
• Free Always Flexi Style liner
• Free Luggage Tags
• Free Tena samples
• Free Stayfree sample
• Free Carefree sample
• Free download: Social Media Marketing: 12 Essential Tips for Success
• Free reusable grocery bag (residents of IL, KS, MI, MN, MO, OH, OK, and WI only)
• Free Blister Prevention Patches
• Is your vehicle ready for Fall? Make sure your car is in tip top shape by getting a FREE Seasonal Prep Evaluation (worth $29.98) at Pep Boys. This coupon is valid until October 31, 2009, limit one per customer.
• Free pet safety cards: Get free cards with your pets information that you put in your car. If you are in an accident it lets someone know to care for your pets.
• Free Joint Solution: Get a free bottle of Joint Solution supplement.
  Request a Free sample of Seventh Generation Free & Clear Liquid Laundry Detergent here.
• Right now, FujiFilm “SeeHere Photos” is giving new customers 100 Free* 4×6 Prints with promo code: prints – *Shipping Not Included . Just enter code prints at checkout.
• Free energy drink: Get a free sample of Real Energy Drink.
• Free dog food: Get a free sample of Birkdale Pet Mix.
• Free Download of “The Most Relaxing Classical Music In The Universe” CD from Amazon.
• Get a coupon for a free package of any Happy Baby Organic product here. Click here to find a retailer near you. This coupon expires November 10, 2009. (one per customer)
• Free family reading night planning kit here.
• FREE Wallpaper Samples
• Get a free appetizer at Smokey Bones when you use this printable coupon. Expires November 17, 2009. Click here to find a location near you.
• FREE Pink Panty from Victoria's Secret
• Receive a free 21st Century Career Guide from DeVry University. This offer is available to U.S. residents.
• Free Kefir coupon: Register here to get a free coupon for Kefir drinks.
• http://gooddealgal.blogspot.com/2009/10/free-boo-ritos-chipotle-all-stores-oct.html
• FREE E-BOOKS FROM BARNES & NOBLE

SWEEPSTAKES:

• Joey Roth Sorapot Sweepstakes: Enter to win this award-winning (and long lasting!) home appliance.
• Tea Time Vivabox Sweepstakes: Enter to win an array of serenity-inducing teas and a gift card for an additional tea-inspired gift
• Honeywell Energy Smart Whole Room Heater Sweepstakes: Enter to win a money-saving Honeywell heater for your home
• FIESTA Baking Bowls Sweepstakes: Spice up your kitchen with a set of colorful baking bowls from FIESTA Dinnerware
• Mrs. Meyer’s Cleaning Kit Sweepstakes: Enter to win a copy of Mrs. Meyer’s Clean Home and Holiday Hand-Care Set
• Coby Electronics SNAPP Digital Camcorder Sweepstakes: Capture your favorite memories with a SNAPP CAM4000 portable, handheld digital camcorder
• Amazon Kindle Cover from M-Edge Accessories Giveaway: Enter to win an M-Edge Icon Jacket for the Amazon Kindle Number of prizes: 20 Expires: Tuesday December 15 2009 ARV: $79.99
• Belkin Wireless Travel Mouse Giveaway: Enter to win a sleek wireless mouse from Belkin Number of prizes: 20 Expires: Saturday October 24 2009 ARV: $24.99
• The Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk, Tampa Bay, Florida, Getaway Giveaway: Enter to win a four-day, three-night stay for two at the Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk hotel Number of prizes: 1 Expires: Wednesday October 21 2009 ARV: $1,700.00
• Serenlipity Lip Tint Giveaway: Enter to win a Serenlipity brand shimmery lip sheen with SPF 15 Number of prizes: 30 Expires: Tuesday October 20 2009 ARV: $11.00
• Oreck Halo Vacuum Giveaway: Enter to win the germ-killing Oreck Halo vacuum Number of prizes: 2 Expires: Sunday October 25 2009 ARV: $599.99
• Paul Labrecque Hair Care Product Prize Giveaway: Enter to win a four-piece Paul Labrecque hair care prize package Number of prizes: 10 Expires: Monday October 26 2009 ARV: $112.00
• RoC Multi Correxion Skin Renewing System Giveaway: Enter to win a RoC Multi Correxion Skin Renewing System Kit Number of prizes: 20 Expires: Tuesday October 27 2009 ARV: $49.99
• AIR WICK® "Celebrate Your Senses" Sweepstakes: Five (5) winners will receive a prize package consisting of a FreshMatic Ultra i-motion starter kit, a FreshMatic Ultra refill, a FreshMatic Compact i-motion starter kit and more! See official rules for complete details.
  One entry allowed per household It ends: November 9, 2009
• Better TV Daily Giveaway: Enter for your chance to win great prizes, plus a grand prize!
  One entry allowed per day It ends: January 15, 2010

GIVEAWAYS:

*Huge thanks to my sources: Thunder Fap, PointClickHome, Woman’s Day Magazine, The Freebie Blogger, Money Saving Mom, Couponing 101, Frugal Living TV, Sisterly Savings, "Deal"icious Mom, The Good Deal Gal, & Better Homes & Gardens

Photo credit: my dog sighs

They Say the Truth Will Set You Free...

Confession is good for the soul, right?

Well…here it goes….




We are in a financial hole.





Yep. Here I am blogging about my frugality while we continue to be slaves to our debts.

That is changing, and you, my internet friends, are going to be my accountability partners in this endeavor.

In 2006 we paid off all debts we had except for our mortgage and a time-share that we are buying.

Today…just over 3 years later, we have acquired a sizeable amount of debt again. I will not reveal how much, just because I haven’t discussed doing so with my hubby, and I don’t want him to be embarrassed as I am.

How did we do it? Honestly, I don’t know…and that is the scary part. That is the part that drives me currently to pay off the credit cards and stop using them for spending.

I know we bought storm doors for our house. I know I had to have a new transmission and catalytic converter for my car. I know that we bought some furniture for our house when we moved to Savannah. I had no idea we ACQUIRED so much debt in the process.

This is where we stand:

• We own (yes, paid for) three vehicles. The total expense of own one more vehicle than we can drive at one time is approximately $40 a month. We can cut this out if we need to, but that car is Chip’s fun-time convertible. For $40/month, we are currently keeping it for his sanity.
• Chip recently lost his job. There are promising prospects on the horizon, but until the hiring paperwork is completed and the first paycheck rolls in, we are short one income in our household.
• We want to refinance our mortgage with a really great program that VA loans are running right now, but until Chip has an income, we don’t want to apply for anything new. If we are able to do this, we will free up several HUNDRED dollars a month.
• We are paying for a timeshare that we struggle to use but cannot seem to get rid of.
• We pay for childcare.
• We pay monthly HOA fees.
• We have life insurance policies that we pay for monthly in addition to the coverage I get at work. It’s a payment we’re willing to keep.
• Chip does as much as our auto maintenance as he can learn using manuals. He’s quite good at it and has saved us hundreds of dollars.
• We have some outstanding hospital bills from Abigail’s birth. We are slowly paying these off, but they are still looming over us.
• We eat out far too much.
• I attempt to do super frugal shopping to offset some spending.
• We owe a LOT of money to credit card companies.
• We have two prescriptions in our household that are current necessary. One will stop when I no long breastfeed. The other will stop when we can afford to get Chip “fixed.” =)

What we are planning to do about it:

• I have started the makings of a new budget. It is a little skewed right now because I’m trying to get a handle on what our needs really are and what we truly can live with. This spreadsheet tallies up the difference in our income and our spending. Any extra will be allotted to medical, savings, or credit cards each month and tracked accordingly.
• I have also opened a mint.com account. I am going to weigh it against my spreadsheet and see which is more helpful to us, but I must admit that it has a lot of bells & whistles.
• We collectively have 4 credit cards. Two have smaller balances and those will be attacked first. The larger-balance cards will follow.
  -Card #1 will be the smaller balance card with rewards and a larger interest rate. We will keep it open for now for the perks to see if we use them. It will not be used to charge.
  -Card #2 will be the other smaller balance card. It will be closed once it is paid off.
  -Card #3 will take a long time. It will be left open as our stand-by card once this is over.
  -Card #4 will take a longer time. This is our oldest single account and the one with the biggest limit. I desperately want to close this card because 1.) I prefer Card #3 as our “keeper” card and 2.) the creditor recently did horrible things with our rates because we are reliable customers. My fear in paying this one off is that the creditor will immediately close the account and those drastically reduce our debt to available credit ratio and kill our credit score. Hopefully by the time this card is paid off, we will have time behind the other cards and not need the age and experience of this account much longer.
• I would love to sell the timeshare, but that’s not terribly easy, so we’ll just enjoy the time we can use it and hopefully find a way to sell it in the meantime. If we cannot sell it, I would at least like to rent the time out to recoup some of that money! Update since writing post: We have contacted a possible source for selling the timeshare, but are cautiously optimistic. Help us pray for this one!
• Seriously cut back on eating out. We do this as a standby sometimes when we don’t have good dinner plans laid out. This is an easy fix if we just put some effort into it. We will not eat out without planning on it.
• Seriously cut back on our quick stops and tiny spending trips. Seriously…we need to use our own coffee maker rather than buying one at a store. We need to stop buying a soda at the grocery store just because the condensation on the glass of the cooler makes them appear so very appetizing.
• I will use credit cards for two purposes alone:
  --For true money emergencies (until our savings is built back up)
  --To pay for items online. Caveat: I will not use my debit card online, as I don’t trust it security-wise. I will use credit cards to pay for something only when I can IMMEDIATELY transfer the money from our bank account to the card to cover the full expense.
• Bump up my frugal shopping to another level. There is always more to be saved!
• Buy children’s clothes only from the consignment shop where I have store credit. Exception: Shoes, as I only want to buy new shoes for them.
• Loose weight so I can fit into the clothes I already own rather than needing to buy new ones.
• Chip has just sold some trumpets he had that he was not using/wanting. This netted us almost $2000
• I am starting to do some "work" on the side to hopefully provide additional income. I'll let you know how that is going.

Short term goal: No eating out for lunch for me for the remainder of October. We’ve already passed our eating-out budget for the month and I’m not going to further perpetuate that one.

Mid-term goal #1: Pay off Card #1 Update: Actually did this on 10/16/09 right after writing this post!

Mid-term goal#2: By the beginning of 2010, I want to have a better established, reasonable budget that is aggressive, yet livable. Until then I will be tracking our spending as if our budget is set in stone to see where our money is really going.

Long term goal: Pay off Card #2


So…will you help us? Will you keep us accountable?

I will need some cheerleading something. However, I will also need some tough-love sometimes. When you see my report show us spending where we should be saving, tell me so.

Here we go…the first step is the hardest, right?

Friday Faves - I was part of the 98%

At the end of this message, you are asked a question. Answer it immediately. Don't stop and think about it. Just say the first thing that pops into your mind.

Give it a try, then leave a comment letting me know how you did - 98% or 2%. You'll understand what that means after you finish taking the 'test.'

Now - just follow the instructions as quickly as possible.

Do not go to the next calculation before you have finished the previous one.

You do not ever need to write or remember the answers, just do it using your mind. You'll be surprised.

Start:

How much is: 15 + 6














21






3 + 56



















59






89 + 2


















91





12 + 53






















65






75 + 26




















101




25 + 52

























77





63 + 32






















95



I know! Calculations are hard work, but it's nearly over..

Come on, one more!


123 + 5























128
















QUICK! THINK ABOUT A COLOR AND A TOOL!




















Scroll further to the bottom....

















A bit more...








































You just thought about a red hammer , didn't you?

If this is not your answer, you are among 2% of people who have a different, if not abnormal, mind. 98% of the folks would answer a red hammer while doing this exercise.

I have no idea why.