Couponing 101

When I was little I remember my mom couponing. When I was home last I asked if she still used her old coupon box.

Mom:NOPE!

Lindsay:OK, then can I have it?

Mom: Sure

Here is what it looked like BEFORE

I guess she hasn’t used it in a while…these coupons below are OLD, they are so OLD that they have NO EXPIRATION date as their exp. date- they don’t make them like that any more

I also found this car wash coupon that expired in 2004!

My mom is GREAT at a lot of things, however couponing may have skipped a generation… Love you mom! I did enjoy looking through the old dividers and finding my handwriting from when I was little, I guess I must have helped her!

When I got home I began the re organization process of my coupons. I equate this feeling to a 5 year old being told they get to go to Chuck E Cheese’s.  I was elated!

I sorted out expired from non-expired. I have found that Meijer is really great at taking expired coupons! I then set up a system I can use on a weekly basis to organize my coupons quickly! Fran likes this part too, she kept lying down on the job!

Then I inserted them into the coupon box – holding expired coupons and the flower photo album- holding the current coupons.

Today I hit up Meijer basically stealing cleaning supplies. I got these 28 products for $19.xx out of pocket!

Retail price would be: $83.21

sNoW dAy

Yesterday- March 23rd- we had a SNOW DAY! Hip Hip Hooray!

I had all intentions of taking photos and posting them on the blog and well it is now 10:50 the next day and I haven't done it yet!

I'm horrible at blogging. I love the concept I just wish I could think a blog post into existence! Is there an app for that?

When I get where I’m going….

When I was in high school it was always my goal to go to a 4 year college and attempt to graduate before the 4 years was up. Starting my college adventure at Cornerstone, I thought that is what my diploma would read. 3 colleges and 6 FULL years later I graduated from Grand Valley State. I had changed my major multiple times all within education and finally graduated with a Social Studies Education Major.

When I dreamed of teaching I always thought I would teach at the same school for many years and be that old teacher that says she’s been at the same school for 35 years. Well, this is my 3rd year teaching- all at different schools. I think I am staying at Concord this year though!

I never imagined that after I got married I would move rentals 6 plus times in a period of less than 4 years, with one move being out of the country.

If I had my way this may be how my life turned out: 4  year degree from Cornerstone, in debt up to my eyeballs, with a degree in Math. I would have never married Marvin or adopted the little fuzz bag- Fran. I may not have lived out of the country and most importantly I would have missed out on the wonderful adventure my Lord had planned for my life.

"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the LORD. "And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.” Isaiah 55:8

You see, it’s GREAT, that things haven’t worked out the way I planned or I dreamed…it’s been even better! Each day I am so thankful for the Lord’s blessing in my life. It is so wonderful to be a chosen child of God.

Gone Granola

For the past 2 weeks I've been attending a couponing class with another friend. The class meets at a ladies house and usually involves a short devotional. There are about 15 women that attend, both new to couponing and old pros (like myself). Usually there is a semi organized discussion of the night and then we get around in a circle and look at all the extra coupons people bring to share. I equate this time to lions eating after a long hunt, and there is never enough to go around. I feel like I have found my place in life. I came home after the first night and told marvin that I found a lot of people just like me! Organized, frantic about deals, and very bossy! It's fabulous! :)

Last week our main discussion hovered around homemade products to save money. Our leader made homemade granola. It was very good! I got one of the few recipes that lay in the feeding pile at the end!

I hop for IHOP

In honor of National Pancake Day, you can snag a FREE short stack of pancakes on Tuesday, March 1st, from 7AM-10PM at participating IHOP restaurants. Even better, if you have a good deed to share, head on over here to enter the “Stacks for Good Acts” contest and you could win FREE pancakes from IHOP for an entire year!

~ Courtesy of Hip2save