So for my first week in the 2010 Budget Challenge I didn't do too badly.
The budget consists of $25.00 per person. So I have a $100.00 weekly for my family of 4.
This week I had some learning challenges with CVS, but I think I am starting to get the hang of it! I will be heading out to Albertsons today to see what deals I can get there.
Here is a snap shot of my money spent so far:
CVS: $96.41 (this does include the big mistake of the $74 purchase)
Eating out: $5.81 (I was starving!)
Fresh and Easy: $29.45
-----------------------------
$114.53
I know I am already over budget and I still need to pick up a few items today. But for the most part, on average I was spending about $250 a week on groceries and eating out. This week we didn't eat out once! I had to on Wednesday night because I work late and everyone else had already ate and was at church. But I got a kids meal and didn't eat the whole thing...Walt finished it for me. So technically that's a savings since it fed 2 people!
I am going to try preparing some items ahead....since I killed myself this week to make dinner every night and we were practically eating before bed time. That made me crazy!
Here's a neat book I saw on Amazon!
Friday, January 8, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
So...I'm Kinda starting to have a crush on CVS
I am starting to develop a crush on CVS.
There I said it.
My first day with trying to understand the CVS Extra Bucks (or store credit) was a hot mess. I had a complete miss understanding of how these thingy's worked.
I had a brief training session with my PCC (Personal Coupon Consultant - miss " Pinch this, Stretch that") the next day and was informed of my many errors.
I didn't realize I could break up purchases ( and the gals at CVS are sweet to do so!).
To start your EBC's look at the CVS Store add and pick out a few of the items that have a great ECB return.
Since I made so many purchases my first day I had about...12 ECB's to spend towards my next purchases.
So my PCC tells me to get my Oust! Coupons out and get my butt to CVS. I take the deal of buy 1 get 1 free and I get 6 ECB's for doing that! And I have 2 coupons for the Oust! ....so you know that means I get another 12 ECB's!
I am way excited.....
I end up breaking my purchases into 2 seperate transactions.
1. Transaction:
*Buy 1 Get 1 Free OUST! (2 bottles)
*1 bottle of Loreal's new Shampoo (on sale for 6.99 and I had a 2$ coupon)
*1 GE Energy Light Bulb on sale for 99 cents
This transaction before my coupons and ECB's was 23$. I paid $8.42 and earned another 6 bucks of ECB's
2. Transaction:
*Buy 1 Get 1 Free OUST! (2 bottles)
*1 Rimmel Mascara - 75% off
*Eyeliner sharpener - 75% off
*5 Rimmel eyeshadows - 75% off
*Revlon Lipgloss - 75% off
This transaction before my coupons and ECB's was 75$. I paid $8.82 and earned another 6 bucks of ECB's. The reason I saved so much is my make up purchases were less then 1.50$ each. WHAT A DEAL!!
So YES - CVS
I will be visiting you again.....I have a feeling our relationship is just starting!
There I said it.
My first day with trying to understand the CVS Extra Bucks (or store credit) was a hot mess. I had a complete miss understanding of how these thingy's worked.
I had a brief training session with my PCC (Personal Coupon Consultant - miss " Pinch this, Stretch that") the next day and was informed of my many errors.
I didn't realize I could break up purchases ( and the gals at CVS are sweet to do so!).
To start your EBC's look at the CVS Store add and pick out a few of the items that have a great ECB return.
Since I made so many purchases my first day I had about...12 ECB's to spend towards my next purchases.
So my PCC tells me to get my Oust! Coupons out and get my butt to CVS. I take the deal of buy 1 get 1 free and I get 6 ECB's for doing that! And I have 2 coupons for the Oust! ....so you know that means I get another 12 ECB's!
I am way excited.....
I end up breaking my purchases into 2 seperate transactions.
1. Transaction:
*Buy 1 Get 1 Free OUST! (2 bottles)
*1 bottle of Loreal's new Shampoo (on sale for 6.99 and I had a 2$ coupon)
*1 GE Energy Light Bulb on sale for 99 cents
This transaction before my coupons and ECB's was 23$. I paid $8.42 and earned another 6 bucks of ECB's
2. Transaction:
*Buy 1 Get 1 Free OUST! (2 bottles)
*1 Rimmel Mascara - 75% off
*Eyeliner sharpener - 75% off
*5 Rimmel eyeshadows - 75% off
*Revlon Lipgloss - 75% off
This transaction before my coupons and ECB's was 75$. I paid $8.82 and earned another 6 bucks of ECB's. The reason I saved so much is my make up purchases were less then 1.50$ each. WHAT A DEAL!!
So YES - CVS
I will be visiting you again.....I have a feeling our relationship is just starting!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
I'm not loving CVS
Okay so I am trying to start this new project this year.
We as a family are not going to purchase any items unless we have a coupon for it! It's going to be a strange challenge. Definitely going WAY out of our comfort zone being in the " I want it now, got to have the newest things" generation.
I have been encouraged by a friends blog http://pinchthisstretchthat.blogspot.com/. She's got some amazing tips and tricks and I find great advice there.
Well tonight I think I was over zealous and highly ambitious thinking I was going to conquer CVS and take advantage of these ECB's!
How come I walked out of CVS spending $74 dollars and using $14 dollars in coupons? I got a bunch of these "extra bucks" on my receipt that printed out. But I didn't get to enjoy these dollars on this purchase! So apparently I am not learning anything about how to enjoy this "free" money.
Now I have these $12 in ECB's...but what do I do with them?
The only happy purchase I got tonight was my laundry detergent. I purchased 3 (32 load) bottles of All. CVS had them on sale for $3.99 each. I had a $1.00 off coupon plus a $3.00 off coupon with the purchase of 2. So I basically paid $2.99 each for these 3 bottles of detergent. I am tempted to get more since that will be an easy item for me to stock pile up.
I am not giving up....but am determined to learn about this great ECB mystery!
We as a family are not going to purchase any items unless we have a coupon for it! It's going to be a strange challenge. Definitely going WAY out of our comfort zone being in the " I want it now, got to have the newest things" generation.
I have been encouraged by a friends blog http://pinchthisstretchthat.blogspot.com/. She's got some amazing tips and tricks and I find great advice there.
Well tonight I think I was over zealous and highly ambitious thinking I was going to conquer CVS and take advantage of these ECB's!
How come I walked out of CVS spending $74 dollars and using $14 dollars in coupons? I got a bunch of these "extra bucks" on my receipt that printed out. But I didn't get to enjoy these dollars on this purchase! So apparently I am not learning anything about how to enjoy this "free" money.
Now I have these $12 in ECB's...but what do I do with them?
The only happy purchase I got tonight was my laundry detergent. I purchased 3 (32 load) bottles of All. CVS had them on sale for $3.99 each. I had a $1.00 off coupon plus a $3.00 off coupon with the purchase of 2. So I basically paid $2.99 each for these 3 bottles of detergent. I am tempted to get more since that will be an easy item for me to stock pile up.
I am not giving up....but am determined to learn about this great ECB mystery!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Chickens are annoying sometimes
Today was the first time I considered making some home made fried
chicken!
We got 8 baby chickens in September if 2009 and they have been pretty
awesome so far. Lately we have been letting them wonder about the yard.
Well today I was going out to give the chickens some salad left overs
and one of the rhode island reds is up on my brand new patio racing
towards me.
At first I think this is adorable! Then I realize .... Oh he after
the food. And then the little bastards does the unthinkable. He
stops mid strut , looks right into my eyes, and proceeds to drop a
hot , steamy pile of chicken pooh a few inches from my foot!! It was
so gross!!!!!
Now I have to figure out how to keep chickens off my patio!
TTFN!
Sent from my iPhone
chicken!
We got 8 baby chickens in September if 2009 and they have been pretty
awesome so far. Lately we have been letting them wonder about the yard.
Well today I was going out to give the chickens some salad left overs
and one of the rhode island reds is up on my brand new patio racing
towards me.
At first I think this is adorable! Then I realize .... Oh he after
the food. And then the little bastards does the unthinkable. He
stops mid strut , looks right into my eyes, and proceeds to drop a
hot , steamy pile of chicken pooh a few inches from my foot!! It was
so gross!!!!!
Now I have to figure out how to keep chickens off my patio!
TTFN!
Sent from my iPhone
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Ready for the New Year!
We had such a busy holiday season from end of October until now. I haven't had time to sit down and blog about anything of importance.
The Thomas Family had a fantastic Thanksgiving! We deep fried a turkey and it came out fabulous! We had lots of yummy food, lots of games were played and of course falling asleep due to the "turkey hormone". I'm not going to try to spell it!
We of course being the over achieving and ever procrastinating family we are (isn't that an oxymoron?) started ANOTHER building project on our old house. Of course it was much needed.
Our old deck was falling apart. It literally had a hole and was partially collapsing on one side. It was dangerous. So we decided to suck it up and spend what little we had in savings to build a new deck!
Out with the old:
And in with the new:
This was Walt's Christmas present to me. The new deck is amazing. He's had help from family (which has been awesome!). They are cheap labor and will readily let me feed them my experimental food! LOL
The deck is just about complete.....I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! I've even gone as far as trying to pick out some patio furniture. I am determined to have a winter BBQ!
The kids had an awesome Christmas. I think they got everything on their Santa list...and then some. We were very blessed this year and are thankful for EVERYTHING. This has been a rough year and we have been lucky and blessed.
As the new year approaches I hope everyone has a healthy and safe New Years Eve!
The Thomas Family had a fantastic Thanksgiving! We deep fried a turkey and it came out fabulous! We had lots of yummy food, lots of games were played and of course falling asleep due to the "turkey hormone". I'm not going to try to spell it!
We of course being the over achieving and ever procrastinating family we are (isn't that an oxymoron?) started ANOTHER building project on our old house. Of course it was much needed.
Our old deck was falling apart. It literally had a hole and was partially collapsing on one side. It was dangerous. So we decided to suck it up and spend what little we had in savings to build a new deck!
Out with the old:
And in with the new:
This was Walt's Christmas present to me. The new deck is amazing. He's had help from family (which has been awesome!). They are cheap labor and will readily let me feed them my experimental food! LOL
The deck is just about complete.....I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! I've even gone as far as trying to pick out some patio furniture. I am determined to have a winter BBQ!
The kids had an awesome Christmas. I think they got everything on their Santa list...and then some. We were very blessed this year and are thankful for EVERYTHING. This has been a rough year and we have been lucky and blessed.
As the new year approaches I hope everyone has a healthy and safe New Years Eve!
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