Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Coupons, Coupons, Coupons


coupon cutter
Originally uploaded by ladyphoenixx_1999.
Let me show you part of what I've been doing with my computer time.

I've joined a coupon group. I am really saving lots of money with coupons and rebates.

Today I went to Harris Teeter and bought $60.00 worth of groceries but only pail $17!!! Yes, $17!!! I'm not doing as good as some of the ladies on the group, but wow I'm learning a lot. (I got fruit, milk, refrigerator bread, frozen veggies, chicken, Pepsi, rice - not just a lot of non-usable stuff.)

Here are a couple of sites I've been using.

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/smartspending

This is the best couponing group, they are very patient in their teaching and share all good deals they find.

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/smartspending

I've found a lot of rebates on this group for free items.

http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/index.php

You can read a thread of whatever grocery store or drug store you use. It's great and updated with the weekly sales.

I've spent a lot of time learning but have saved so much. Consinder it better than spending money on an outside couponing class. Just sense the beginning of Feb - I've gotten these things complete free:

Purina Cat Food Naturals
No Time for Colds - 18 count - $5.99
Fruitis Shampoo - 25.4 oz - $6.99
Viactiv Multi-vitamin - 50 count - $6.99
Maybelline Cream Matte Foundation - $5.99
Maybelline Lipstick - $6.99
Huggies Wipes - $2.50
Theraflu - $5.99
Comtrex - $5.99
Success Whole Grain Brown Portabella Mushroom Rice - $1.00
Nexus Shampoo - $15.99
Nexus Conditioner - $4.99
Reach Toothbrush - $2.50
Robitussin Cough Medicine - $4.99
Dasani 6 pack Lemon Water - $3.33
Gordon's Shrimp Scampi - $6.99
Prego - 3 lbs - $2.50
Rayovac 4 AA Batteries - $2.52
3 - Grands Biscuits - $1.25
2 - Pillsbury Bread sticks - $2.19
4 mahatma yellow rice - $.69
microwave singles - hamburger helper - $3.19

That's almost $100 worth of stuff free. Now normally I wouldn't be buying Nexus shampoo, I'd be buying Suave or VO5 or something generic, but to get it free - I can suffer through using name brand!! :-)

These are from store rebates, product rebates, and couponing. That's not even counting the items I've gotten for $.25 and $.40. I also got three gifts cards from pharmacies - Eckerds, Walgreen's, and CVS for either transferring or starting a new prescription for $20, $25 and for $30!!! That helped pay for the free things I bought and then got reimbursed for.

I've found that the more expensive stores have better sale items and products you can get much cheaper than generic often.

I'm trying to hit a store each day between - Harris Teeter (my new favorite - I drive 25 minutes to get there once a week), CVS, Wal-Greens (my new favorite drug store), Ingles, and Food Lion. Then I supplement everything else not on sale at Aldi's.

We were spending so much money on food I just had to find something to help.

The new rebate forms for Walgreen's and CVS are just starting if anyone wants to check them out for the month. If you save any money, let me know. It's been fun for me - kinda like a secret treasure hunt that's nationwide - and we get lots of treasure even in the little town of South Carolina.


Pike Place Market, Seattle

Well, Artie ended up not able to go to the Space Needle but he did get to go to :Pike Place Market. Oh, definitely my kind of place. It's a Farmer's Market that sells produce, fish, flowers, jewelry. I would love to get to go there and shop one day with Jessica!!

Thursday, February 22, 2007

Space Needle and Seattle


Space Needle and Seattle
Originally uploaded by kenofseattle.
Artie is visiting/working in Seattle this weekend. He is having a seminar with work and then spending his evenings with our neice, Jessica and her family. This is Artie's first time going across the country. He is excited about seeing the Pacific and riding up in the Space Needle. I'm excited about him coming home!! :-)

Friday, February 16, 2007

U-Promise


upromise.png
Originally uploaded by Brando1333.
I signed up with U-Promise today. Every time I buy items marked with the U-Promise brand I will get money saved in an account for the childrens' college. As much food as we buy, it can't do anything but help!!

Thursday, February 15, 2007

What I've Done Today

* ironed Artie's clothes for work
* checked calendar for the day
* got all children bathed and ready for school (except Stephen is home sick today)
* took Emily and Bobby to school
* took Troy to school
*got a special breakfast for Terry, Stephen, and myself from McDonalds
* matched a million pairs of socks while listening to the Waltons
* gathered dirty clothes from the living room and bedroom
* hung out a load of sheets on the clothesline
* washed a load of colors
* washed another load of colors
* washed bathroom rug
* folded four loads of laundry from yesterday
* put up two loads of clean, folded clothes
* took Artie's work shirts to the cleaners
* cashed a check at the bank
* picked up and swept the living room
* checked on Artie's new Yahool group
* checked mail


Still a lot to do today. I'm off to work in the family room and kitchen.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Happy Valentine's Day Artie!!


Ten Things I Love that Begin with "P"
I saw this meme at http://dawnathome.typepad.com/by_sun_and_candlelight/2007/01/ten_things_i_lo.html#comments - By Sun and Candlelight, where Dawn listed the Ten Things She Loves that Begin with the Letter R. Dawn very kindly assigned me the letter P, and so, here's my list:

1. Pizza

2. Princess our cat (the cat formally known as Prince, until we found out Prince was a girl!!)

3. Fried Potatoes with ketchup

4. Popsicles

5. Pillows made of foam

6. Photos of our family

7. Pictures drawn by my children

8. Pink

9. Picnics

10. Pepsi

Little Lord Fauntleroy's Castle


Eastnor castle ledbury 02
Originally uploaded by dogndub.
I found a new site that recomment family movies by seasons and holidays. I love movies and I love things divided by seasons, so it doesn't get much better than this for me.

We watched our first pick a couple of weeks ago. It was Francis Hodgson Burnett's classic novel Little Lord Fauntleroy. We watched the version that was brought to the small screen by BBC1 in 1994. Here is it's description:

Largely taped on location at Eastnor Castle in Herefordshire, England, the familiar story concerned an outwardly all-American lad named Cedric (Michael Benz), who at the behest of his crusty, aristocratic grandfather (George Baker), was separated from his widowed mother and ensconced in rural England under the new title Lord Fauntleroy. Eventually, Cedric's down-to-earth goodness and sincerity melted the heart of his dour grandpa, and also served to confound a group of fortune-hunters who intended to sack the estate of its wealth. First shown in England in 1994, the six half-hour episodes of Little Lord Fauntleroy were seen on American cable TV in the summer of 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Having my friend, Phillipa, in England makes watching movies filmed there that much more fun. Hey Phillipa, do you know Little Lord Fauntleroy?

2006 Year in Review

Time moves fast!! I wish I had been blogging all through out the year. Since I didn't start until June, I decided to do a year in review for our family's memories. God has been so good to us!! Hope you all enjoy.

(Yeah, I know it's the middle of February - it took me a while to get this all together)

Year End Review - January

Emily turned 6 and celebrated with a family bowling party.

Artie ended his job with Palmetto Air and Water Balance.

Troy was involved in a Discipleship Group on Sunday nights through the First Baptist Church and attended the youth group on Wednesday nights.

Brenda attended a rubber stamping class once a month as part of her Keepers at Home course and took a Tapp/Jazz dance class on Monday evenings. She was also active in GA's.

Year End Review - February

Artie started his new job at Newcomb.

Year End Review - March

Brian, Troy, and Brenda went and saw the Rebeca St. James concert at the high school.

Brian and Troy attended the Impact Weekend at several church members' homes.

We all went to the Clary Family Reunion/luncheon.

Our nephew Jude had major surgery and came out wonderfully.

Year End Review - April


DSC01010
Originally uploaded by artiequinn.
April Fool's Day - Terry turned 3. We celebrated by going to see the Curious George movie with Granny and had pizza. It was Terry's first movie and he loved it!!
We enjoyed a few days off for Spring Break.




Sisters





























Brenda was in the Easter Kids Choir Musical - Easter Lily - at church. She was a flower.



Brenda, Emily and I attended the Gaffney Little Theatre's version of Little Women. It was the first time we had seen it acted out.
Artie, Brian, Troy and Uncle Bryan went to a car show at Brian's school.

The Barefoot Gardener


DSC00861
Originally uploaded by artiequinn.

Brenda and the shovel


DSC00862
Originally uploaded by artiequinn.

Square Foot Gardening


DSC00891
Originally uploaded by artiequinn.

Brenda's Garden Walkway


DSC01100
Originally uploaded by artiequinn.

Brenda's Growing Garden


DSC01322
Originally uploaded by artiequinn.

Year End Review - May

Brenda had her Tap/Jazz Dance Recital. It was a lot of fun. She danced two dances - one was to the Chattanooga Choo Choo.
Brenda and Shebrea had a lot of fun together.
They danced in the finally to Dancing Queen.


We spent Mother's Day with Bobbie. We all went to church with her at Restoration and then had lunch at SoupRSalad.

We all also got to visit with the Burgess family for Andrew's graduation party. Our niece Brandi also graduated.










Brian turned 16 - ready to drive his new car!!!

Friday, February 02, 2007

Year End Review - June

I attended a Charlotte Mason conference at Gardner Webb college. This was the first time I've been away for the weekend since Emily was born. It was a great weekend and I learned so much!!


Stephen and Bobby turned 5!!! We took a family with the Cockrans to the Water Park in Simpsonville to celebrate. Cassie was having her birthday party too!! Everyone had so much fun.










We started the day with a picnic, Superman cupcakes and presents. The rest of the day was spent at the water park and ended at the playground with more picnicing!!



Troy finished 7th grade at Granard and Brenda, Emily, Stephen & Bobby finished up our homeschooling year. It was a great school year.
Church Events
Emily, Stephen & Bobby attended the children's summer program at First Baptist Church on Monday's. They went swimming, hiking, watchen movies and had play time in the Jim. Terry is looking forward to being old enough to go next summer.
Brenda went to Carowinds and swimming with the fourth and fifth graders.
All the children from Troy to Terry loved Bible School.
AND ...
Troy made a new friend this summer. Her name is Hannah and he met her at the library across the street from our house. He went and saw her perform in the Little Theatre version of Aladin.