$3 Walgreens Trip (3/20)

I have been staring at the list over at southernsavers the last few weeks. I figured since Walgreen's doesn't require a card to scan I'd give it a shot & see how it rates compared to CVS. I have to say I am impressed.

I got all of this for $5 after coupons & I got a $2 register reward, so that makes my total $3 bucks for $13 worth of merch.


Want to score the same deal? Here is how:

* Plackers 90 count floss piks (i use these religiously!!) = $2
no coupons, but you get back a $2 register reward so it's like FREE

* Old spice deoderant $4.99 + old spice body was $4.99 = $8.98
use buy one old spice deodorant get one old spice body wash free
SO, 8.98-4.99 = $4.99
**STORE sale, buy one old spice get second @ 50% = 4.99/2 = 2.49

* Reach Crystal Clear Tooth Brush= FREE
clip walgreens advertisement coupon that says this tooth brush will be 99 cent
go online and print this coupon for $1 off any reach product:

= FREE

TOTAL OUT OF POCKET = $2+$2.49=$4.49 + tax
Get a $2 register reward = like getting it all for 3 BUCKS!!

Not even Wal Mart can top this:)

$2 CVS Trip (3/20)

My Cvs trip would of been better, except they were pretty much out of EVERYTHING that was earning extra bucks in two of the local stores. Sheesh, people are either catching on, or CVS is getting stingy with their advertised deals:)

Basically I paid $5 out of pocket for everything here after coupons, because I made back $3 extrabucks it's like $2, or less than 30 cent each :)

Here is how to score the same deal *if you have extrabucks* If not you will be paying 9 out of pocket & get 3$ back so it will be like $6 for you. (gotta get started somewhere to save, right?) lol.

ANYWAY, here we go:

CVS has a sale stating if you purchase $12 in participating Suave items (see store add for items) you will earn $3 extra bucks back.

To make the $12 limit I purchased:

* 3 body washes @ $2 each = $6
* 3 kids shampoos @ buy 3 for = $5
* 1 suave deoderant invisible care for $1
My total before coupons is $12

Now break out Sunday's coupon inserts and clip these

* Buy 2 suave body washes get one FREE (-$2 at cvs)
* 50 cent off suave deoderant
* 50 cent off any two kis suave items.

$12 total - $3 in sunday paper coupons = $9

I used my $4 in extrabucks last week so my total was $5 (i actually used a gift card from visa rewards so i didn't even pay a dime out of pocket).

Anyway you get back $3 in extra bucks so $5-$3 = like paying $2 for everything which is less than 30 cent EACH :)

Who loves CVS?! MEEE!

Sock Monkey Toddler Room..FINALLY painted!

**UPDATE** Here is a daytime photo as promised. I plan to paint the baseboards white, the 60's wooden door is getting replaced w/ a modern paneled one, and i hope to add crown moulding**


If you have been following my progress on my sons room (it has taken MONTHS). Well, since the start and fruition of the idea/theme. My son has never had a bed room. He will be 2 on April 11th. It is my goal to have it done before them (crosses fingers).

Things have been so chaotic with kids, house, home, relationship, family. etc. So things like my projects get put behind A LOT. Especially where money is concerned. (shakes head).

That and my random bursts of no energy and non motivation have caused me to be a slacker.

Well tonight I got the ball in motion and on the move. I not only painted our dresser white..

I also painted Ethan's room.

(Please ignore the small photo/shoddy quality, I am using my old cam bc my new ones batteries are charging).

Yes, as the picture says, I always do my cutting in last. (the area around the windows, ceiling, baseboards etc).


The paint is still drying so you'll have to excuse the un eveness of it all.
It's really beautiful in person, and I hope to take a better LARGER photo in the morning. Good night readers:)

Hello, warm weather!

I really wish I could get into the swing of blogging daily like I used to. I would like to think I'll have something to look back on when the kids are older. Yesterday was pretty busy. MiMi recieved a bounty of nice gifts from my sister in California. One of them was sidewalk chalk. Of course it was stripped of it's wrapping paper and we were all outside in the driveway no more than 3 minutes later coloring it up.

This one was actually 3d chalk, and even bubby had to try on the glasses. He gets all of his true nerdisms from his mother (me).


I even thought to snap some nature shots with the new camera since the weather finally permitted. May I just say WOW! New camera is so detailed I no longer have to edit color, every single photo is STRAIGHT out of camera no editing what so ever.
I LOVE THIS!

These are blossoms from my maple trees. I never knew the blossoms for the leaves were actually pink. Yay for zoom lens!
And another shot

Spring is beautiful to me, because it's when the dead of the winter starts to be reborn into all things beautiful. Sure, I will miss my cool chilled air. But, even I have to admit the sunshine and new plants make me smile and lift my negative nature some:)

about 10 minutes after these photos the whole neighborhood shows up to play in the yard. Yes, I unknowingly volunteered to a large crowd of children..(large for me). 8 kids (10 counting my own) showed up). I don't even know how that happened but it did. Needless to say 2 hours later I was exhausted. When Doug got off work I took it upon myself to mow the lawn.

I hate to admit this (I really do). But winter got the best of me and I put on some extra chub. ugh, I know, shame on me. I really think my love for all things food is disturbing. I will probably eventually go to an OA meeting (not even kidding). I have got to get a grip on my life. I need to focus my bad emotions on something other than food. Yes, food, you are lovely, but you are just as bad as any other drug, you just take longer to kill a person.

*sigh* I hope everyone is enjoying spring:)

$1.60 tax included CVS trip

$13.88 worth of merchandise for $1.60 + tax included out of pocket!

Here is how:

*gain dish soap on sale for 97 cent used two $1 off manufacturer paper coupon from weeks ago = 2 for free buy one

‎*Clean & clear morning burst body wash on sale for 2.99, used 2 off internet coupon from clean and clear.com = 99 cent

Right Gaurd body wash on sale for 3.99 each, bought two used a buy one get one free coupon from sunday (3/13) paper = 3.99 for two Total before coupons =$13.88 - all coupons shown and a 5 extrabuck I got = 89 cent + tax = 1.60 out of pocket:)

96 cents OUT OF POCKET for 12 + in merch. & earned 4 extrabucks - CVS (3.13)

So, last week I earned 7 extrabucks..this week I grabbed the CVS circular to see what items were earning extra bucks. Remember, to always save ROLL your extra bucks, by spending them on items that earn extrabucks! (go to my links on the right and look up cvs to see past posts to explain).

So here is what I got this week, with a subtotal of ZERO bucks and only paid 96 cents out of pocket:

Here is my proof (some people don't disclose the full amount they pay out of pocket on couponing sites bc they count hte extrabucks as part of that, but i disclose ita ll)

Here is the break down of this receipt so you can score the same deal
**I am using 7 extrabucks from last week, THIS is why it is important to roll your extra bucks no matter what**

* herbal essence shampoo/conditioner store sale 2 for 5.97, THIS sunday's paper (3/13) has a buy one
get one free coupon, so 5.97 - 2.99 = 2.98 *YOU WILL EARN 2 extra bucks for buying to also*

* 16 oz bottle of irish spring body wash *only buying this to roll extrabucks*
on sale $2.99 (if you have a coupon use it, i didn't) it will also earn you 2 extrabucks

* Clean and Clear Morning burst body wash 16 ounce. on sale for $2.99
go to cleanandclear.com and download the 2 off printable coupon it will be 99 cent out of pocket

SO the first coupon subtracted you see is 2.98 (that is the buy one get one free herbal essence one)
The next coupon is the $2 off clean and clear
THEN I am rolling my 7 extrabucks form last week, one was $3 the other was $4, but my total
was 3 cent less so they price adjusted it to 3.97

Using ALL my coupons and extrabucks you see my subtotal is ZERO out of pocket
ALL I am paying is 96 cent sales tax (can't avoid taxes folks hehe)

So 96 cent out of pocket AND i got back a total of $4 in extra bucks (2 for the herbal essence and 2 for
the irish springs).

I also scanned my cvs rewards card and earned a 5 extra buck coupon at the coupon machine
for every 50 i spend in beauty purchases (this total is before coupons also)
so say i spend 50 net worth in products and only pay 10 bucks bc i had coupons - I STILL get that
5 extra bucks :)

This is what the extrabucks I earned today look like (they print on your receipt so gaurd them as if they were cash, bc THEY ARE cash, well, CVS cash) :)


Fantastic, right?! 96 cent OUT of pocket and I earned 4!! - to get started on something like this YOU will have to spend out of pocket first to earn extrabucks! But once you keep rolling them over you will be getting freebies and dirty cheapies in not time at all when you combine coupons :) Have a great week cvs'ing:) I am going to roll my 9 extrabucks more either tomorrow (since it's on the way home) or later on in the week to earn more!

6 already??

My daughter will be 6 on March 10th. It's bittersweet. I love watching her grow and I love that I have been able to be there non stop except for the one break I had when I went to see my neice be born this past July.

I remember the uncertainty that came with an unplanned pregnancy. I remember the shock. I remember how, even though I was 21, I was still afraid to tell my own parents. In my heart I knew I was pregnant right away, but I was in denial. I'd go to work and do my job and I even went to New Jersey to visit family for the 4th of July, thinking "I am so tired, I wonder if I am pregnant"?

Before I officially knew, my sister, her ex boyfriend and I walked all over New York for MILES and MILES on end. It was beautiful. I remember going to Seaside Heights and the board walk. I remember I even got hit on. All the while I was pregnant, but not certain.

It wasn't until I came back from Jersey that I took a test. I didn't know what to feel, it was a hard time. I went through every possible emotion. Yes, EVERY SINGLE ONE.

Eventually Doug was the first person I told and he was very supportive. It was a long and hard pregnancy with MiMi. I was throwing up all the time, right on into the 26 week mark. I wondered sometimes if I would ever stop being sick. I had a whole barrage of health issues as well, Pre Eclampsia being one of them. I blew up HUGE in the end (I've never been my old size since).

I was let go from my job with no real reason, and I knew inside it was because the office broker in charge at the time had her reservations about me being an unwed mother. She made it clear from the get go with her snarky comments.

Some how I survived it all, and went into be induced on March 9th, my sister's birthday. It was a very long induction and a very long and painful back labor that no amount of epidural helped. It was hard. VERY HARD. Eventually after a near full day of laboring, and MiMi's heart rate plummeting and the doctor's realizing she was stuck at her shoulders, I was rushed for a c section. She came out. Alive, crying, but I dont' remember seeing her because they quickly knocked me out.

My first c section was the most painful thing in the whole world. How Ethan's was a slice of cake, i will NEVER know. MiMi's was horrible. I am going to guess because I labored so long first.

The first time I seen MiMi was sometime after recovery, they wheeled her to me. She was so beautiful. She had a button nose, chubby cheeks, blue eyes and she was cooing. It's funny how the thing I remember most about MiMi was her cooing. I was so in love with this little girl that I had been waiting to meet since I first found out I was pregnant. She was so special and important to me.

We didn't have a lot of things because we were starting out, we had just bought our home, but MiMi was so very loved by everyone. It's hard to believe my little miracle baby is going to be 6 now. SIX YEARS. I started Motherhood very young, and this year I will be 29 and have my first signs of crows feet :) Something I never noticed is that you start the journey young and when it's all over you are an old woman. Right now I am stuck somewhere between and it doesn't even matter.




Some people search there whole lives for meaning and purpose. I do daily, but one thing I have that I will never take granted of is my children, my MiMi has changed me into the best person I could possibly be. Through her I have learned so much about myself and changed so much to be the mom she needs me to be.

I love you MiMi! Happy ALMOST 6th Birthday, princess!!