4/7 Expressions

Today, in the mail, was a 50% off code from Coldwater Creek. The code is SPRINGSALE and is good through April 12th. I love their stuff, but wait until a 50% (I think once it was 60% - and there may have been a 50% plus free shipping a time or two) or better code comes out. I only shop the outlet. I went through ebates for an additional 4% back and of course I used my cash back credit card. I shopped the Spring Clearance items this time and got a couple of nice skirts and sandals. Also in the mail from AARP was a pack of Marigold seeds and "Money Plant" :) seeds. Never heard of them before, but they look like a pretty white flower. I will plant them this week - somewhere. May plant the Marigold near/in the "garden" - because I read somewhere that bugs stay away from them/the area they are planted in. I also got other coupons in the mail that I won't be using. Sometimes, when I get a coupon that I won't use - but know is "desirable", I go to refundcents and trade it. What do I trade the coupons for? Usually people trade their coupons for other coupons - but I trade mine for Box Tops for Education or Cambell's Labels for Education. These days, every little bit helps.

4/6 Expressions

Lucky for me, my daughter has caught the "Designer" bug by watching a design show. I love to sew, but just don't make the time to do much any of it. I have patterns that I purchased during the $1 sales. So, she found one she likes - a hoodie - and she found 2 advertising t-shirts we really don't need. She has cut the hoodie pieces out of the 2 t-shirts. Now, we need to drag the machine out to begin the sewing. We may wait until next weekend for that part. I did my grocery shopping for the week today. I hit Dollar General Market and got their bananas in a bag for $1 - looked for the largest bag. The 2 lbs of carrots for $1 and 3 more packs of the their 12 oz bacon for $1. Then to Kroger. They have extended their buy 10 of certain items and get $5 off. Of course I got other things, mostly items with coupons - I got e-mailed a link for a .50 off a 2 lt of Pepsi and was able to to print 2 - so, I got 2 of those - on sale for 4/$5. I also used up the rest of my Philly Cheese coupons for free 1/3 Fat Cream Cheese and the Thomas Bagels. I ended up spending $10.67 at Kroger and according to my receipt, I saved 76% with coupons and store savings in the amount of $28.21. I will also be sending in a rebate for $2.50 on that Kroger total. Then off to CVS. I was able to print off $2 coupons for any Excedrin at a coupon site. It allowed me to print 2. At CVS, they are on sale for $1.99 and you get $1 back in extra care bucks. They were also having a buy $10 in Febreeze products and get $5 back in ECBs and I had a $24.95 ECB for buying 5 Soft Soap Body Wash last week. Since CVS doesn't give change on the ECBS, I purchased 4 12 packs of Diet Pepsi for the Pepsi-a-holic in the family. After coupons, I spent @.14 out pocket, $1.46 was tax. Anyway, I got $7 back in ECBs and will be sending in a rebate for $6.99. Also, with all of Pepsi purchases, my husband has been diligently loading the points in at the Pepsistuff.com website. He also has enough to order a DVD set. Next, on to Publix. I got a lot of stuff there. The best deals were their - but the brand name item and get the Public brand free on several organic products. I also couldn't pass up the General Mills Brownies - they were BOGO and they had codes on them to get a free movie ticket. Actually, the max was 2 movie tickets - so, I bought 10 boxes. I went to the website to load the codes - but, it doesn't "open" until this Thursday. So, cheap entertainment for family and I will be donating brownies for any office, school, holiday functions for a while. There were also 10 cent Box Tops for Education tabs on these brownies - so, those will be donated to my daughter's school. Although the brownies are the healthiest things to eat in the world, we will enjoy a box or two ourselves. All said and done, I saved 33% at Publix using a competitor's $5/$30 coupon and some manufacturer coupons at Publix. The 1 cent mystery item here was a loaf of Publix brand bread. All of these stores are within a "loop" for me. Round trip was less than 10 miles.

4/5 Expressions

Today was a lazy, hazy day and easy on the wallet since we did not leave the house. I did call and make an appointment for my daughter and I to get a mani/pedi and cut/style at a local beauty college next weekend. The prices seem to be half of what "regular" places charge - and I cut a 20% coupon off all services from the paper.

4/4 Expressions

Today, I made cream of pumpkin soup. The pumpkin was from Halloween last year - baked and pureed and frozen. It was okay - can't say it was great and no one else in the family tried it. We have a Dollar General Market in the area. They have started advertising in the local paper. Today we stopped and got eggs $1 for a dozen large w/coupon, limit 2. They also had bacon for $1 (12 oz). So, I am trying some of it also. Also got a $1 movie to watch this evening. I am baking a crustless cheesecake (freebie cream cheese from the Philly win) and I got the recipe from recipezaar. It smells wonderful and was very easy to make.

4/3 Expressions

What did I do that was frugal today? I made laundry detergent by slowly boiling soap shavings and water in a ex-coffee can and dumping the concoction into an "old" laundry soap container.

4/2 Expressions

As I am sure I have mentioned before, I am eligible to retire early on 4/1/09 - no joke. Not "regular" retirement - but if my employer offers an early retirement - I will have enough time - and although the pay-out won't be all that great - it will be nice to be "retired" as a "forty-something" :). So, the only debt we have - other than what we charge on the credit cards and pay-off immediately when the bill arrives, is the mortgage on our condo - yup, that cutie linked on the right. I want to pay it off ASAP - so, I am thinking - I opened an on-line account a couple of years ago when the interest rate was pretty good. Now, the interest rates aren't so hot - although they beat the local ones. There's not much in it, but, I think it is time to close it out and start an all out campaign to pay that mortgage off.

4/1 Expressions

Sorry, no April fool's joke for the day :) But, the stock market ended the day nicely. At lunch, I drove to the nearby library and participated in their bookfest. I received 2 free books and some nice refreshments. Then I headed to the consignment store on the next street over. I picked up my first consignment check for $22.89 - as the cashier said - enough to fill my tank - and my house is a bit less cluttered for it. Then I hit the post office - yup, my wonderful husband finished our taxes early and I was happy to mail them out!