Coupon-ing failure

Failure might be too harsh of a term. But, I tried it out. I was full of this Sunday's coupons plus some online coupons. I was all excited-- until I got to the store and realized everything I needed wasn't really in my coupons. Silly me- you think I would have paid attention. I did get some really good deals- on pasta and cheese. But I still spent a whopping 72 dollars (rather that 89). I didn't even get meat!

So yeah. I need to re-study up on this. Check the webpages better, get more coupons. And NOT BUY THINGS just because I have the coupon for it!

Haven't written in a few

I haven't really had a good thought to write on- I've thought about little things off and on, but nothing of substance. Nothing that people would care to know :)

I've been trying to ID where a smell is coming from in my house. It's in the kitchen. I completely cleaned my fridge and freezer- where I thought it could be from. Still there. I'm thinking I need to bleach the two drawers and my trash can- I can't think of anywhere else it could be! I had my husband check the fridge pan, under the fridge, under the oven.... nothing! It's really frustrating and makes me not want to get laundry and cooking done!

My husband keeps all his mail/papers he gets. In case they are important. It drives me mad!! We don't need all these piles of seemingly-trash sitting around! I got us a file cabinet (thank you craigslist) and Saturday we have decided to devote to filing all the papers. That means he has to go through them!! We can file bills, pay stubs, important papers. We can throw out the old stuff.

Question: How long should you keep bills and pay stubs? One year? 3 years?



I'm also feeling  better about money- for the first time... ever. We are still in a good bit of debt, but now at least we see positive numbers to start paying debt off! I'm excited about this and about to work on an excel chart to give us goals. I'm also planning on using Quicken to help us figure out where we are spending our money (and how much!) in order to budget more accurately. I'm also hoping doing couponing will help us with cutting some of our food budget!

I should be working harder on getting a job, but there isn't much here. I really enjoy substituting, teaching flute lessons, and staying home- to make a nice home for my husband and I. I know this is keeping us in debt longer. I feel kind of bad.... I don't know what I should do!

Coupon-ing

I went to CCW (Council of Catholic Women) this week for the first meeting of the "year"(it runs August-July). I am by far the youngest woman there- it's weird. They do a lot of service projects, and I'm excited about stuff that's coming up. They have different speakers each month, and this month a lady from the church talked about coupon-ing. I was unsure about it at first but now I am really excited about it!

http://www.time2saveworkshops.com/ is the main webpage I'm looking at using. For example, If I shop at Publix, I can look at the Publix list. I can see what sales are going on- and what coupons you can use. For example, Publix lets you use 1 manufacturer coupon, 1 store coupon (or competitor coupon, and they double coupons worth up to 50 cents.)
So...
"Krusteaz Pancake/Waffle Mix $2.27 ($1.14)
Use $.50/1 from 8/22 SS
Get $.50/1 in Upromise Savings
(makes it $.14 plus Upromise savings!)"
So... the mix is usually 2.27, on sale for 1.14. I can use the 8/22 coupon from SS (southern saver I think) for 50 cents off of one. Publix will double it so it's a dollar off. So I would pay 14 cents for this mix!

I'm excited about using this to shop for us. I think about the Proverbs 31 wife. 

"13 She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar."

"16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard."

"18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night."

 

I think part of it- she goes out- she finds good deals, she shops. She earns money for her family- and/or saves her family money in her work (coupon-ing can take 2-4 hours a week, but well earned!) 

I want to study more about how to be more like the P31 wife... and to apply it now, before having children. Then, when we have children, hopefully I will be disciplined and more Godly- and be able to pass on my knowledge to my children.

More on P31 I'm sure.