Couponing for the Newbies

FOR THE NEWBIES...This is how I do my couponing first I am really into it so I get 4 Sunday papers and then I check to see if there are any good printables on the sites on my blog. Then I look at all the ads compile a list of stuff I need by the ad and what coupons I have. I don't like to buy anything without a coupon and I have saved thousands from when I started doing it. Looking at the blogs on my site help a lot they tell you a lot of good deals and where to get them. If you get the ads then you can always take them to Wal-mart and they will ad match anything that is the same product. This makes it nice if you are in a hurry and only want to hit one store. And Always I mean Always take advantage of the Double coupons when they come out for Albertsons you can get so much stuff for FREE.
In the picture above...
I spent $23.00 and saved $29.00
I got 3 little bottles of sunscreen for free
4 travel size edge shaving gels for $3
2 Velveeta Dinners For $1
4 velveeta shells and cheese cups for $1
3 oust surface and air $3 and on these they were on sale at k-mart for $3 each so I ad matched at wal-mart and then used my 3/$2 off one so I only paid out the $3 total.
Now on the Armor all my Husband is in LOVE with it and he loves to shine on his Truck so I got it for him. The only reason I got so much of it is because I had 3 if you spend $10 you get a $5 rebate. So I did it all three times and will be getting back $15 and spent $15
I got 5 tire foams (Husbands Must Have)
3 armor all wipes
1 glass cleaner
At least Cody will love this shopping trip. I love you Honey.

I learned to do the couponing thing because living in Fillmore every time I went to the store for my basics I spent $80. That was at least 3 times a month which was adding up to be too much with everything else. I try to do a lot of my shopping when I go to Cedar to visit my Mom and Dad but when I do shop here I always shop by the ad and what coupons go with it. I hope this helped a little to anyone trying to start the coupon thing. Oh and Stores like Target, Walgreens, Albertsons ect if they send out a coupon in the ad that isn't a Manufactures coupon you can use that one plus a Manufactures coupon. Now go out there and get a little CRAZY saving money.

{ BABY BIRD }

So Yesterday while drive down the road the kids spotted a bird that didn't fly off the road so we stopped and it was a baby. Well the kids didn't want a cat to eat it so we took it home. We have been feeding it worms I bought up at Pioneer Market and water with a shotter. I am pretty sure it is a Robin and when it can fly we will let it go.

Today we took it outside and let it hop around on the grass you can see the cats eyeing it just wanting a SNACK.

Saydee and Gavin went and found little bugs and put them in a cup and then fed them to it one by one.

Gavin love to hold it on his finger and last night he picked it up looked at it and said hi I am Gavin it was so cute. The kids are already pretty attached to it and I know it will be a big thing when we have to let it go.

Grandpa Hare stopped by for a minute and played with the kids and asked how the camping and fishing went. The kids always love it when he comes over and they always beg him to stay.

Gavin was wanting Sherry to lift him up to hang on every branch in the tree and this one was to high for her so Cody help get him up there.

Camping With the Fam and Lots of Pictures

Over the Holiday we went to Otter Creek and Camped with the whole Family. A picture of Gavin and Cody Fishing.

We had a little party for Cody, Chloe, and Mom for their Birthdays. Happy Birthday everyone.

One night we played monopoly just Me, Cody, Gav and Sayd. I had a picture of Me and Sayd but it didn't come up for some reason.

Grandpa (Dad) let the kids reel in a fish on his pole the girls were busy playing but Gavin was all about the fishing.

Gavin was having fun climbing on all of the rocks.

Everyone just sitting around talking once the rain went away and the sun came out.

Great Grandma gave the kids bubble wands and they were having a blast.

So I sat down by the lake for like an hour and then both of the kids at different times needed the use the bathroom so up to the trailer I went and left my pole in by Cody. When I got back from taking Gav Cody had reeled in this big fish on my pole and it was the only one we caught that day before we left to go home.

Sayd wanted to hold it too the funny thing is that every time we caught a fish Gav wanted to poke its eye. On Saturday we caught quite a few fish despite the rain but I forgot to get a picture of them.

Grandpa (dad) was the big hit by the lake all of the kids just crowded around him and I don't think he was able to really fish very much. Gavin, Saydee, and Chloe had to see what he had in his tackle box.

Grandma (mom) trying to get some fishing in but the kids were all over her.

Then we let them get in the water Saydee didn't last long before she wanted out. Gavin was all about it he was finding egg shaped rocks and getting them out. I was afraid that he was going to be wet all the way to his head.

This was our good fishing day and it rained most of the day we had to go buy some ponchos we were looking pretty cute in those.

Cody catching a big fish I wish I would of got a picture of the fish too. Well all in all we had a blast and had a lot of Family time together. I hope we can all get together again soon. Thanks everyone for everything and the fun Camping trip.

Changing the Wire Harness

When Cody put the new engine in everything was running great all except the temperature gauge wouldn't work. He needed to switch the wire harness so on the Wednesday before our camping trip he took on the task of changing it so we could pull the trailer and feel good about it not over heating. To work on the big truck he had to pull the ugly truck up to it so he could stand on the side. The ugly truck looks so small next to the Ford.

This is the mess he was in would you even know where to start I wouldn't. Everything went great and when he was done everything worked like it was suppose to great job Honey.

One Year Home To The Day...

Exactly one year ago Cody came home from Iraq. We are so glad that he came home safe to our little family and we are all together. It has been a fun year we have done a lot of catching up and just being together as a family. I love you so much Honey and I am glad you are home with the Family that was a long year away.

Little Gavin giving his Daddy a big hug when he got home.

Saydee missed her Daddy so much and would always draw pictures for him.

You are our Hero and we are so blessed to have you in our lives.

The day you came home I just couldn't believe it was happening that you were really going to be home. I love you so much and I hope we don't have to go through that again. You are the Greatest Husband, Dad, Brother, Son, Uncle, Grandson, Son-in-law, and Brother-in-law anyone could ever ask for we all LOVE you so much. Thanks for always being there when anyone needed you.

Shopping Trip and Fun at the Lava Tubes...

So Today I decided to hurry and make a trip to Cedar City to use my Albertsons doublers and some coupons that were going to expire before I made another trip here is most of what I got.

• 2 best foods mayo after in-ad coupon and a doubler on a MFC $.68 each
• 3 Betty Crocker Frosting $.25 with doublers on MFC
• 6 craft salad dressing 1 @$.08 and 5 @ $.58
• 8 Kraft BBQ Free plus $.02 overage
• 6 Velveeta shells & Cheese cups $2.88 for all 6
• 8 Kraft Mac & Cheese cups $3.36 for all 8
• 3 V8 V-Fusion $4.44 for all 3
• 9 jello (small ones) $1.50 for all 9
• 4 OFF bug repellent clip ons $13.76 for all I had BOGO Free so this is half what you would normally pay
• 2 Refills for the OFF Clip ons 3.98 for 2
• 3 Boxes Velveeta shells and cheese $1.50 for all 3
• 2 Packs of Extra Gum BOGO FREE $.96 for both

All in all I think I did a pretty good job getting the stuff we use at a low price. And this is only about a 3rd I just didn't want to list everything. I spent $38.92 for everything and saved $54.42 half of what I spent was on my bug repellents but I needed those. I saved over what I spent that's what makes it worth it. You should of seen the people behind me when I handed the checker a half inch stack of coupon but to save $54.42 in 5 extra minutes why not.

On Saturday We Went to the LAVA TUBES...

Saydee had found this lava rock in the yard and was asking questions and Cody told her that maybe later in the day we could go out to the Lava Tubes so we did. On the way out to them we stopped and picked up all the glass bottles we could find so that on the way back we could stop somewhere and shoot them with the .22.

This is a picture of a big lizard we saw on the way into one of the Lave Tube.

Inside it got pretty dark the kids just loved it. Saydee wanted to take home every rock even though they all looked the same.

This is the opening that we climbed down through.

Going through to the end where we could see light but we had to use a flash light for quite a ways. We had to be careful not to hit our heads in this part the top was pretty low.

On the way back after we had shot the .22 and ran the dog Gavin fell fast asleep no wonder it was so quiet then.

Saydee was just busy taking care of her doll. This was the end of a fun day before we went out there we had worked in the yard for hours and the kids just loved playing outside. We do want to go out another day and spend more time going through more of the Lava Tube we only went into one that day. So next time we will have to pack a lunch and stuff.

***My First Garden***

So this year I decided to plant a garden and hopefully it will all be worth it. I did it all by hand and it took several hours the first day and today I was out there 1 1/2 hours.

Don't look at all the tall weeds around it I will get to those later. I made 4 rows and here is the break down.

#1 both sides of this row I planted tomatoes

#2 the right side has onions and hot peppers the left side has more tomatoes

#3 the right side has radishes, beets and bell peppers the left has all my herbs, 2 different kinds of lettuce and squash

#4 cucumbers and pumpkin

I think that is everything now I hope it doesn't freeze again and kill everything because I think that would be the end of the garden for me this year.

JUST A LITTLE CATCHING UP TO DO...

Cody went and got the Tractor to make me a Garden spot in our back yard. We also got a spot ready to plant grass.

Saydee was looking for bugs most of the time we were out there. She found a little furry Caterpillar.

Gavin was loving the tractor and rode with Cody almost the whole time we had it.

Saydee had her end of year tumbling thing and did awesome.

She did everything she was suppose to and she was so excited because Great Grandma Barb came to see her.

That night after the tumbling thing was her Preschool end of year Graduation. These little kids sang their hearts out it was pretty funny but really cute also.


Happy Birthday Tae Tae we love you...

Tiff and Brandon's little girl Taelor turned one and she is such a doll.

She seemed to not want to get dirty but she ended up digging in anyways. That a girl Tae eat that yummy cake.

That was a big bite what a cutie.

At Great Grandmas Aunt Tia planted Saydee, Taelor and Gavin in a pot and told them they were flowers.


OFF I WENT TO THE STORE TO GET SOME GREAT DEALS

So this is my Target trip in total with tax I spent $10.97

• 3 bags of bliss chocolate normal price $2.99 I stacked 2 coupons and got each bag for $.99
• 4 purel hand sanitizers FREE plus $.04 overage
• 1 cover girl makeup set on clearance for $6.28 I had a $1 coupon so I paid $5.28
• 1 3.5lb kitten food for $1.70

In the end I saved $14.99

WAL-MART, STAPLES and WALGREENS

I will start with my Staples trip

• 1 bag of chocolates FREE with mail in rebate ($3.99)
• 2 reams of Hp paper 500 ct. $1 each after mail in rebate($6.29)
• 2 12ct. bic ball point pens FREE with coupons
• 2 Casio Label makers $19.99 each but was FREE with mail in rebate

That was a great trip I got every thing there for $2. I would of spent around $61.00 without the rebates.

Walgreens

• 3 2.5 oz bottles of aveeno lotion for $2.61 all together
• 1 8oz bottle of aveeno lotion for FREE

I was suppose to get some kind of aveeno kit for purchasing the 3 little bottles that I had good coupons for but they were out so they gave me the big lotion for FREE.

WALMART

• 3 mens sure deodorant $.62 each after coupons
• 2 3.5lb purina cat food $1.47 each after coupons
• 2 banana boat sunscreen $.97 each after coupons
• 1 vitamin water FREE
• 2 boxes of Kotex panty liners FREE
• 2 bottles of sierra mist $1.48 for both after BOGO free coupon
• 2 pks wet ones FREE
• 2 boxes capri suns $.97 each after coupons

Total was $10.16 savings of $20.25

Easy Mac and Velveeta Shells and Cheese at Walmart

• 10 easy mac $3.50 for all
• 4 Velveeta shells and cheese $1.00 for all

spent $4.50 and saved $7.50

Well that is the end of this long post with all the fun we have been having.