Thrifty Thursday #1: My Latest Money Savings Adventure

Since this is my first entry for Thrifty Thursday: My Latest Money Savings Adventure, I'm going to talk about all of the great deals I've had so far this month. And I couldn't have done them without all those bloggers out there (note the buttons on the left side of the screen) who help match up coupons with sales. So THANK YOU to them!

My grocery store had a Mega-sale event, and I went in with so many coupons and match ups that I was stoked to see how much money I was going to save at the end of the trip. The cash register receipt is literally longer than I am, all 5'5" of me, and I had so many coupons that a manager had to come over and put a key in the register to show it was OK. I saved $279.75 (45%) that trip. A week later I went in and saved $71.59 (41%), not great, but considering that I won't need to go grocery shopping for 2 or more months(except for milk and produce), this is all FANTASTIC!

This week I got a great deal at Target, thanks to LittleMissKnowItAll, and got some items that I will not name because I'm giving them as Christmas gifts, though I'm tempted to keep some for myself. Anyway, before coupons and rebates, the total was somewhere in the $40 range, and after coupons and rebates, I only spent $8. How awesome is that!?!

So this is just the beginning of my journey with money saving adventures. What are you saving money on? Hello...hello...hello? Anyone out there...out there...out there?

Wednesday's Wish #1

Lately I've been tossing around the idea of bringing a bit more structure to my blog. I know you're thinking, structure? You? No way! (Did you note my sarcasm?) Anyway, I think I'm going to start posting some of my wishes on Wednesdays, thus the title "Wednesday's Wish." I'm also considering other weekly posts that will probably have content containing things about being a mom, "Mommy's Monday Madness" and my adventures of money saving, "Thrifty Thursdays - My Latest Money Savings Adventure." If you have any ideas or suggestions for me, please chime in!

So, for my first Wednesday's Wish:
I am hoping for a sunny day this week or weekend so that I have the opportunity to take good pictures of my kids for our Christmas cards. (HUGE shout out to Freebies4Mom for the chance to get 50 free Christmas cards!!)

Letting the Green Tea Take Me Away

During the absolute chaos that is my everyday life with my 3 and 1 year olds, and the other 1 year olds I watch, I'm often reminded of the phrase, "Calgon. Take me away."

It's during these moments when I'd like to sit in a quiet house, probably during nap time, and drink a hot cup of green tea with honey. I began drinking green tea in 2005 after I suffered through a miscarriage. It became my daily ritual - I'd come home after work and enjoy a cup of hot green tea and honey. I guess I stopped drinking it when my heart was mostly healed. I say mostly because a heart never fully heals from that kind of loss, but it does mend. It just leaves a scar. And until recently, I hadn't thought of that ritual of drinking green tea.

I won't say that my heart needs healed again, but with being a mom, wife, and day care provider, it's fairly easy to forget who I am or to wrap myself up in those roles. By beginning my green tea ritual again, I'm hoping that I'll be able to sit down, relax, and reflect about myself and how I can improve while also admiring my strengths and accomplishments. It's the latter part of that last sentence that I struggle with the most. What mom/wife/working woman/female doesn't?

So here it is: Breathe in. Breathe out. It's almost nap time, (HALLELUJAH) and I'm about to let my green tea take me away.

Ok, so I may have two cups since WC just managed to rip off two keys from the laptop keyboard and then get the cat's pooper scooper while I tried putting them back on.

Tip of the Day: You may want to buy stock in Liptons.