CVS....101

I have become a really big "teacher" on CVS-ing! I didn't know how it worked, but now that I have figured it out there is no turning back! I can't believe I hadn't been doing this for ever, so I thought I would give a little lesson. CVS has extra care bucks, ECB. ECB are given on certain items during the week. Most items are things everyone uses, so that's even a bigger incentive. First you need to have a CVS card, they are free and you can get them at any location. When you make your first trip remember you will be out of pocket money, if you have coupons for items you will be purchasing it will be less. Look at the ad for any items that you can earn ECB on. Nine out of ten times it will be on products used by most people. Aspirin, soap, toothpaste, things like that. You will want to buy products you can earn the most on. When you walk in the store the first thing I do is find the scanner at the front of the store for your CVS card. I seem to always have some kind of coupon from them, so it's a good thing to check first. My first trip I bought 1-shampoo, 1-conditioner, 1-pack of razors, and 1-box of toothpaste. The shampoo and conditioner gave me 2 ECB each, the razors gave me 2 ECB as well as the toothpaste. Total was 8 ECB, plus I received another 4 off 20 coupon. I bought a few other items but they didn't offer any ECB, but I needed to spend at least $20, since I had already received a 4 off 20 coupon. Since I am an serious couponer, each item I bought I had a coupon for, which saved me more money. My first visit I was OOP (out of pocket) $17.00. This past Saturday when I got the CVS ad, I started my research. I found items that I could earn ECB on. They where having a great sale anyway on items that you didn't earn ECB on, but I had coupons so it was worth it. I circled the items I wanted to buy, and went ahead and pulled my coupons out and paper clipped them to my ad. I always carry my coupon notebook with me, so I brought it in as well. I'm glad I did, they had items on sale that I hadn't seen in the ad, (they where there I guess I looked past them since I was really looking for ECB!) Any-who, I had coupons for them, so I whipped out my "handy dandy notebook." I bought 22 items and had a coupon for each one. Since I stock pile my coupons I have multiple coupons for one item. They had dish soap on sale this week for .99 cents, I had 3 coupons for that soap so I bought 3. On most items there is a limit on how many you can buy so just make sure you look for it. If you have a 4 off 20 you will want to use that coupon first, if you use your ECB and coupons first most of the time it will be less than $20, and you won't be able to use the 4 off 20 coupon. Then hand over your ECB and coupons, and watch the amount due fall! It's such a great feeling. Remember all of your ECB will print on the end of your receipt, so make sure you cut them off and save them for your next visit! If you have any questions let me know, I want everyone to save A LOT money!!

Happy Monday!

We had a BEAUTIFUL weekend. Crazy to think just one week earlier we had 4 inches of snow and now it is sunny and 64 degrees outside. That’s Georgia weather for you! Saturday was a relaxing day at home, my hubby worked so it was just the kids and I. We even hit the car wash, which was packed out! Even at 10 in the morning. Sunday is our day to spend as a family; it’s the only day during the week that we are all together, all day. We always run around and just enjoy being together. We met Michael’s brother, his wife and son over by the Mall of Georgia for lunch…..yummy Provinos! It was nice catching up and just enjoying the company. We hit our normal Target, it seems like we are there every Sunday for some reason or another. One the way home, I did my weekly CVS-ing. I must say I totally rocked it this week. I had gotten the paper on Saturday so I had time to go over what was on sale and what I could earn ECB on. The kids where asleep so I just ran in and got what I needed. I guess I misplaced some extra bucks so I only had $6 bucks and one 4 off 20 purchase, but I don’t think it mattered. Everything I bought I had a coupon for, so I was able to make my money stretch even further. After everything was said and done, I was able to stock more of my hall closet and say a boat load of cash. After all was done I walked away spending, $7.47 and saved……….wait for it……. $59.82 plus gained $11 ECB and another 4 off 20 purchased! HOLY COW!! Again I purchased items that I use, I might not need them right now, but I will use them.

CVS this week was awesome!! I came out of the store, and told Michael I think I did the best I have ever done! I took the time to look over the ad in the paper so I would know what products they where offering ECB on. Plus they where having a killer sale and with my coupons I really scored! I have had a few people ask about getting started, and the run down, so one day this week I will let you know. Until then, have a great Monday!!

Deal of the Week.....

It's Friday, thank goodness! Even thought I have only worked 4 days this week! I got an awesome deal that I must share! I have recently started having a "shoe fetish" all thanks one of my besties, Sandra. So I am always looking for really cute, or hot shoes. A pair you can wear with anything, skirt, slacks, or even a jeans. It's something that you don't have to get all dressed up, but add really cute shoes and it has made the outfit. Last weekend my mom and I were out shopping and stopped at DSW. I love that place, they have so many types of shoes, and a killer clearance rack! I found a pair of shoes that caught my eye and fell in love with, but not the price. $69.95 with 30% off, making them $48 bucks and some change. Now I love a good shoe but don't like paying that much for them. So, I walked away. All week I thought about them! Since we where off this past Monday for Presidents day, I met my best fiend Jennifer at the Mall of Georgia, she was looking for a pair of boots so I said "let's go to DSW." In the back of my mind hoping my shoes where still there! Well, I walked in went straight back to the clearance section and found them! Still sitting there, but quickly notice the sticker change from green to purple. Could it be, purple meant 70% off!! I did a double take, tried them on again and decided to get them! As I checked out I was SO excited when they rang up for $20.65!! So with out further a do here are my HOT new shoes...............



They have a black 4 inch heel, are a suede like material....they are made by Jessica Simpson too!!

(Sorry about the back ground they where sitting on the kitchen counter!!)

I love a good deal! What good deal have you found??

CVS-ing

So now that I am completely hooked on couponing, I have decided to venture out into the "CVS-ing" world. I'll explain, CVS gives extra care bucks when you purchase certain items. This week, for example, it was Aussie shampoo, $2.99 but when you purchase it you get $2.00 ECB, (extra care bucks) so it's like paying $.99 cents! I also had a coupon for $1.00 off any Aussie product, so technically I got it for free and earned $.01! How crazy is that?!?! When you first start you will be out of pocket money, but you should buy items where you will get the most ECB back. I had a coupon for $4 off a purchase of $20 or more that I used, along with my other coupons I had for the items I purchased. With all the items I bought, I earned $10 ECB and another $4 off $20 purchase I can use next time. I spent a total of $17.15 out of pocket, but saved $22.80, about 57% savings if you don't include the ECB I earned, 82% off if you count ECB. Next week I'll purchase more items that are on sale, that I have a coupon for, but also have ECB attached to them so I can continue the cycle. Most items that you can earn ECB on are personal items, so it's something you will always need. I have cleaned out a shelve in my hall closet to start storing all my items, hopefully FREE items. Walgreen's has a very similar program, and once I feel comfortable with the CVS-ing thing, I will visit my local Walgreen's, to see how much money I can save!

Things I purchase:
1- Aussie Shampoo
1- Aussie Conditioner
1- Desitin Diaper Cream
1- Johnson and Johnson Baby Shampoo
1- Johnson and Johnson Baby Lotion
1- 10 Pack Disposable Razors
1- 2 pack Colgate toothpaste

(Not every item I earned ECB on, but everything I bought I had a coupon for. I needed to spend at least $20, before coupons to use my $4.00 off. If you have one of those use it first, and then use all your other coupons.)

Valentines Day 2010

We had a great Valentines day! Michael got me flowers, and we where able to spend the whole day together. My parents offered to keep the boys so we could spend some time together, and we took full advantage of it. We headed over around lunch time and dropped them off. My mom fix lunch for them, and had a couple of fun activities for them all to do! We headed out for lunch and a little shopping! We headed to Atlanta for lunch and ended up at the Varsity! Not to exciting, but we never get there to eat and they have the best onion rings and I could not resit a frosted orange! YUMMY!! After lunch we headed over to Ikea! I love that place, and it was the first time we had been there with out the boys, so we where not constantly getting on to them about touching everything. We where able to take our time and pick up a few things for the house, and a couple of things for the boys!

We got Christian a chair for his room, where he can play his Leapster or read a book. It hangs from the ceiling so he thinks that's awesome!


We got Colin his own table and chairs since he can't stay out of our kitchen chairs or the table!


We left and picked up the boys and spent the rest of the evening at home as a family! It was a great Valentines Day!!

Snow Day in Georgia!!!

For the second time this year we had snow in Georgia! Crazy! I was at work when it started and after sitting and watching it fall for a couple of hours, we decided to close early and head home. Christian was so excited when I picked him up, Colin didn't really get what was going on. It snowed until 11 o'clock that night, so by the morning we had a good 4 inches!

(This is the street we live off of)



(This is the street we live off of)



(Downtown Grayson)



Christian could not wait to go play in it. I bundled up the boys and headed out for some fun! The snow came up to Colin's knees so he had a little trouble walking around, but still had fun. He didn't know what to do at first and just walked around. It was a little hard to pack the snow, so we had a hard time building a snowman. That afternoon when the roads cleared up a little bit, we headed to my parents, so they could play outside with Jordan and Jadon. We had a great snowy afternoon!

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

It's Friday.....and it's Snowing!!!

It's Friday and I am very excited! Three day weekend...thank you Presidents day! Even more exciting is that as I sit here and look out the window it is SNOWING!!! I can't believe we are getting snow in Georgia! They say we could get up to 2 inches, I know it's not a lot but here it is! It is supposed to snow up until tonight, so hopefully the kid will have something to play in come morning time. Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Wordless Wednesday.......

Guess who got a hair cut.........

Obviously Christian, since I can not bear to get Colin's cut. Even though he needs one, since you can pull the hair on the back of his head into a pony-tail.....I know when I cut his hair he won't look like my little baby! Also, because when Michael cut Christian's hair he immediately aged a few years!

BEFORE:



DURING:



AFTER:

I touched on coupon a little bit in one of my post last week, and I thought I would go a little more in detail since seeing what Shelli wrote. I started couponing this past November, I saw the “coupon mom” on Good Morning America, and saw she would go to her grocery store and buy over $100.00 worth of grocery’s for .25 cents! Amazing, right? Well I thought why can’t I do that, and so that was it, I started to embark on the coupon band wagon. I found websites that were full of information and tips to help you get started. I could not believe how many people out there do this and more importantly how many people don’t! I had always cut coupons and kept them in a expanded able folder, either to forget to use them, have them expire or hold them out but forget to hand them to the check out person! I knew there had to be a better way to organize them so you could find one easier, and quicker in the middle of the store. One website recommended the note book way, using a 3 ring binder .



Each category is separated by section, you can divide it up as detailed or not as you would like. (example: frozen food, health products, beauty, etc…) In each section will be you coupons, in baseball card holders. They fit pretty good, and are clear so you can see each one.



The key is to stock pile coupons so when an item goes on sale you can buy multiple items and store them. I place the one to expire first on top and the rest behind. Now it is easier to see what you have and easy to pull them out. Plus, the notebook fits perfectly in the grocery cart seat.

To get the most for you money is to buy things when they are the cheapest. I shop at Kroger and they are always having 10 for 10 sale. When things are at the lowest price, and you have coupons you buy as many as you can and stock pile. Kroger also doubles my coupons up to $1.00. (example: box of hot chocolate 10 for 10, you don’t have to buy 10 to get the price. I have 4 coupons for .50 cents off one box, which Kroger doubles to $1.00. 4 boxes of hot chocolate $4.00, 4 coupons that will double to $1.00=4 boxes of FREE hot chocolate!) Exciting, huh?!?! I have the Sunday paper delivered to my house every week, but on Saturday I purchase 2 or more papers, depending on the coupon inserts. That is the way to have duplicate coupons for 1 item. I have singed up to online coupons, and I am able to also print a lot off line. I go to websites and sign up to have coupons sent to me in the mail. I know when you do that they send you a lot of spam emails, so sign up to have a free email account and only use that address when signing up for the deals, then every once in a while go clean out your inbox. Now you primary email account wont be full of spam!

I already have gotten my sister hooked, as well as a couple of co-workers. I think my mom is starting to get interested in it as well, she has been asking me a few questions about it.

It’s become a game, to see how much I can save. I get to the register and once they ring up all my items I LOVE to see the price drop. Having a grocery bill start at $170.00, and with my store loyalty card and my coupons bring it down to $97.00, that’s a savings of $73.00!! That’s almost a full tank of gas!! The best I have ever done was a starting total of $76.00 worth of grocery’s and I walked out paying $25.00, it ended up being 76% off! How crazy it that? Who wouldn’t want to save that much money?? Michael laughs at me, because he says I get giddy every time I grocery shop. I hope one day to be able to stay at home with my kids, and knowing how to make our money stretch now will only help when that day comes. Plus, my 5 years old can eat almost as much as my husband!!

I am all about have things organized, so much so that I have an Excel spreadsheet for just about everything, I know dorky! It helps me! I have found a spreadsheet where you enter how much you spent for the week and savings and it will track it for you the whole year. It’s nice to be able to look at it and see how much you have saved.

There is a whole other world when it comes to CVS extra bucks and Walgreen's rapid rewards, I am still learning about those so if anyone has mastered that let me know.

Try it, once you start you won’t be able to quit! I promise!

Happy Firday!!

I guess they can play nice together.................

What happened to Customer Service???

That is the question...."What happened to Customer Service?" I mean it's not that hard. I work in Customer Service and trust me there are time's I just want to yell at a customer but I fake it and I am nice. I work for a company that has been around a while, over 104 years to be exact, and we have built a wonderful reputation based on our customer service. When I go to a place and have awesome customer service not only will I return, but will refer anyone I know there. That is a great way to grow your business. Any-who, on Tuesday I had my breaking point with my children's pediatrician's office. When you have a child it is very important to feel 100% comfortable with their doctor since you will be there a lot the first couple of years with well appointments but also sick appointments. When Christian was born this was the office on call at the hospital and I figured I knew people who used them, never heard any bad stories so why not give them a try. The first couple of years was fine, a few flaws but it's bound to happen. Once Colin was born, the problems started. It was little things, I had an appointment say at 9 I would bet there about 5-10 mins early but would have to wait for about 45 min to even be called to the back. Slowly over the next year it got worse, so much that in October when I took him because he had gotten sick, my appointment was at 9 and I didn't leave for 3 hours. I only saw the doctor for about 20 mins during that time, the rest of the time I spent in the waiting room. I would complain and never did anything about it. Fast forward to now, I have been trying to get a copy of his immunization record for almost 3 months. I have called 3 times to have them fax it, but never worked. So on Tuesday I called and told them I would be there that afternoon to pick it up. After work I drove out there, told the nurse I needed to pick up the form. She asked me who I talked to, I don't remember I was on hold for 11 minutes and spoke to 5 different people! Once they figured out who I talked to, and having to go to another office, the lady refused to give it to me! WHAT!! I called this morning and you said it would be ready! Apparently his last appointment was his 12 month appointment and since he had not has his 15 month appointment it was considered incomplete and I couldn't have it. I told her I have never been to a pediatrician office and had this many problems ever, and that I had found a new doctors office, and his 15 month appointment was there in 3 weeks. She said, then have them give you one! (Note: she didn't have a very nice tone with me.) AAHH, I was pissed! After saying a few other words, leaving the office only to got back in and say a few more words I finally left. (Don't worry I kept it clean!) She didn't even care, which was a great sign that I made the right decision to move. They have gotten so big, they have forgotten about simple customer service. Just be nice, call me and tell me I can't have it before I drive up there. I am excited about the change and hope the boys are too! I tell you what having 2 kids in a small room waiting for a doctor for over an hour doesn't work, trust me!

Moral of the story we all have bad days, we all don't feel like doing anything but just by be nicer can make someones day.

I'm now done venting my anger!!!

On another note, I was asked to show a picture of my new organized closet, so here it is:

Do we have another Einstein???

I am a proud parent, what can I say???

I must say Christian is a very smart boy! I know, I might sound bias because he’s my child, but he really is. He has always had a great imagination and is very curious. He ask about a million questions a day, sometimes to the point when I ask “why do you ask so many questions” only to get a response of because I don’t know the answer. Duh, huh? Last year while he was in pre-k his teacher would always say, “he’s very smart, you can tell him to do something one time, and not only will he do it first but it will be right.” Some kids you tell them to do something and they will do it, but maybe not always right. I took that as a great complement , and keep encouraging him to keep doing great. Don’t get me wrong, he still has a lot of 5 year old boys tendencies when it comes to behavior, but what boy doesn’t? Summer came and went and it was time to start Kindergarten. I was exciting about all the new things he would be learning, but once I attended the first curriculum night I started panicking. We are known here for our great schools in Gwinnett County, and to actually see and read everything that the must accomplish by the end of the year frightened me, a lot. Christian knew his numbers, shapes, alphabet, and basic things, but being able to read 30 words in one minute, learning geometric shapes, subject-verb agreement in speech, just to name a few. Come one, I don’t remember learning that in Kindergarten, what happened to nap time, play time, snack, coloring? You really didn’t start writing until 1st if not 2ND grade. Well those day’s are gone. This past November was our first parent-teacher conference, I was a little worried about what she was going to tell me. I knew she would go over him having a hard time listening, and sometimes he thinks he doesn’t have to do what the rest of the class was doing, he would do what HE wanted to do. Which she did, but also about how much he is learning. Of course there are areas that needed a little help, but overall he was doing great. Work on counting too 100, and learning about quarters, nickels, dimes and pennies, but was showing great progress. I could not have asked for anything better. He was going to school, and for the most part, paying attention and learning! This morning I went to our second and final teacher conference, and again was a little worried about what she had to say. I was blown away!! Mainly because she said having students like Christian in her class was the main reason she became a teacher, and why she loves going to work. She called him her “Christmas student,” once they come back from Christmas break they just take off. She was so impressed about everything he does. Christian can be told something and grasp it and apply it to what he is working on, as well as apply it to other things. He is writing much better, and instead of writing sentences, which is what they are learning to do, but he is able to write a story. Not just any story but one with detail and so in-depth. So much that she says he is writing on a first grade level! What, really!?!?! What a surprise, but it could not make me any happier. She enjoys him as a student and she gets excited about things he does. She even told me that at the end of his 1st grade year, we should really consider having him tested for the FOCUS program, which is an advance class. His mind works in ways that other five years old minds don’t. His creativity and imagination is out of this world. There is a little joke that we have about him with our family, he constantly it thinking out of the box we say “he is going to be an engineer!” Which I hope he does, but hopefully by the time he gets ready to go to college UGA will have a better engineering program, because he will not go to Georgia Tech!! (Just Kidding!) What ever he does he or where ever he goes, he will do great! Michael and I are so proud of him, and are amazed by him everyday!

Weekend Update!

I can't believe that it is already February!!! In an attempt to become a better blogger, I have to start somewhere so..here's a recap of our weekend.

Michael and I have been talking about re-doing our closet and to become more organized for some time. Well Saturday Lowe's was having a sale on all there closet organizers so we went ahead and decided to fix it. Our closet had the white wire shelves in there and rods, but since we don't have a dresser we were stuck with clothes either folded on the floor or stack on a shelf. Neither was working. So now we have cherry cabinet with matching hangers and all....it's very pretty and very organized. We also took the time to clean out all of out clothes that we no longer wear or don't fit.


Saturday night I had a girls night out...and had a BLAST!! We met up for dinner at Longhorn's and then headed to the movies to see "When in Rome." It was a cute movie, plus it had Josh Duhamel in it so you couldn't go wrong. It was a great night out, with lots of laughs.

Sunday as we tried to get our closet back into order we went to mom and dad's for lunch to celebrate Jordan 13Th birthday. I can't believe he's 13, and now an official teenager, and even harder to believe that in a couple more years he will be driving!! He already has his eyes set on my dad's truck, and thinking about all the changes he wants to make to it. I can't see why, I mean what teenage boy would not love to have a purple truck?!? He got some money, a gift card, and the new Michael Jackson movie. Last summer his baseball team was invited to play in a tournament in Cooperstown Pennsylvania, and while there each team traded teams pins, they got a signed ball and bat. Leigh and Kenny had been trying to think of something to display all of it in, so my dad built a shadow box to hang in his room. I think it turned out well, and he was excited.



All in all it was a great weekend!!!

Goals..

I'm stealing this from Shelli, but I thought it would be neat to set a couple of goals for the month. We all have goals we want to meet, but in my opinion we set really high ones and when we don't meet them we get discouraged. So I thought I would set a few little ones, and once I meet them move on to other goals. Plus when you meet a small goal you get excited and feel good about your self and are encouraged to keep going.

So my goals for this month are:

-Loose 5 pounds (I started loosing weight back in October, and have lost about 16 pounds. I would like to lose about 30 more over all, so 5 for this month should be OK.)

-Wake up early enough to do the elliptical for 30 minutes in the morning Monday-Friday. (I'm taking the weekends off!)

-Beat my record of cutting my grocery bill (I am currently averaging 50% off, but have gotten as much as 76% off!)

-Finish our taxes

-Work on taking more photos

-Start planning our vacation for July (we are headed to Disney World again)

I'll start there and hopefully will be able to meet all of them, but if not get pretty close.