Couponing Deals of the Day - Third Post Today

I am getting good at this coupon thing:

I went today to use my double coupons (they double any coupon) because they expired today.  I read up on the websites I use and discovered the deals that were to be had.  We needed toilet paper (I had previously bought Scott one-ply and we have discovered that that brand of TP ought to be reserved for people in prison).  Today I made up for it by getting 2 -12 packs of Cottonelle.  The Scott package you see in the picture is paper towels.  The soup, deodorant, granola bars, mustard, gatorade and juice were all free except tax.  The lotion was $1.74 and I had $1.00 off coupons making that .74 cents plus tax.  The TP and paper towels were on sale if you spend $20.00 on them you get a $5.00 coupon to used on your next shopping trip.

I spent a grand total of $20.92 ($2.13 tax)  for all my loot, plus I still have a $5.00 coupon for next time.

Shoshone Falls - Second post of the day

Last Sunday was Stake Conference and we had church from 10:00-12:00 we were done with lunch by 1:00 and had the whole day ahead of us.  Ken had heard that Shoshone falls was supposed to be at it's highest that day so we hopped in the van with snack and cameras to go look.  When we got to the beginning of the road that leads to the road that goes down to the falls we realized that many other Idahoans had a similar plan.  We waited in line for about an hour to get all the way to a parking space.  It was bumper to bumper the whole time.  Eventually we got to walk around and enjoy the falls.  It was stunning!

I love the rainbow!

The kids all in a line were looking over the rail at a lizard and a ground rodent.

Brady and Lisa posed for me.

Ken was in heaven taking pictures.

Brady Loves Soccer

Last Friday Ken and I took Brady to the park.  As we were walking home Brady spotted some cones and ran around them.  Then a soccer ball bounced out to him and he kicked it back to the kids that were playing with it.  He kicked really well and seemed to have fun kicking the ball over.  A guy walked up to Ken and I and asked if Brady wanted to join a soccer team.  We had just been discussing that when he mentioned it.  We stayed at the park another hour while Brady practiced with the team.  The first game was the next morning.  I got some cleats, shin guards and socks before the game and Brady is now on the team.  

Brady was wearing jersey number 8 but he will get his own jersey soon.  He loved it.  Brady is not shy of the ball and seemed able and willing to kick it anytime it came his way.  

Brady practicing with the coach, learning to kick into the goal.

Couponing

I found a new hobby recently. I read a blog called The Consumerist.  I love the things they have to say about my rights as a consumer and the stories they tell of the consumer triumphing over store/company.  I find links to other blogs there and I usually follow links that tell about money saving ideas / frugality.  I found two great sites a few weeks ago and began to follow their advice about collecting coupons and then using then in combination with the store's sale price and /or store coupon.  Many times this ends up with the product being free or really cheap.  The problem I have had in the past was that I never new how to match things up the right way to make all the effort pay off.   I found a site by a lady that lives around here.  She told me exactly what I needed to do and where I needed to go to get the deals.  Through that first site I found others like this one , this one and this one.  I now read several blogs and I usually know about a sale before it is going to happen.  I also learned how to get those coupons that the register seems to spit out randomly.  In my research I have found blogs that talk about stores that I do not have locally.  Apparently a store in the midwest called Aldi's is amazing.  There are also stores throughout the country that double and triple coupons.  

A few of my recent deals was getting four bags of Hershey's Kisses for free, 62 boxes of Post cereal for .67 cents a box (yeah we like cereal), four containers of body wash for free, and just today two full size Kraft salad dressings for .08 cents each.  I also have had the total of the receipt be less than the amount of coupons used.  

There is a little work involved.  I spend about an hour clipping the coupons each week.  I organize them into a binder and I print out blog posts of where I need to go and how exactly I need to work the deal.  In the past month I have gotten our years supply of mayo, pasta sauce, shampoo/conditioner, body wash, bar soap, peanut butter and air freshener.  I probably have at least a year's worth or cereal too.  

This pastime may not be for everyone but I have time at this point in my life and I enjoy finding the bargain.  I know many other are searching for ways to live on less.  The economy is terrible and everyone is suffering.  Some of the frugality blogs make me laugh.  They recommend shopping at second had stores and consignment shops and clipping coupons.  Many tout the benefits of doing things that you once paid someone else to do (i.e.: yard work, housekeeping, cutting your kids hair).  I think I have done all of these things for years.  The couponing thing is new, I used to look at all the ads and then go to Wal-Mart and make them match the lowest advertised price.  I must say that getting things practically free/free is better.

 

Halfway (Multi-Post Day)

The weekend of March 20th I knew we would be kid free so I planned a little get away for Ken and myself. I packed up a bag and surprised Ken when he got home from work that Friday evening. I had planned to get away that night to Ontario, Oregon and stay that night in a bed and breakfast. We had a computer problem and couldn't leave right away and the Inn in Ontario never called me back about my reservation. We ended up leaving early Saturday morning. We drove out to Baker (2 hours away) and ate brunch and the Sumpter Cafe. I love that place because of the miniature train that goes by every table. If you are ever traveling through there stop, you won't regret it. After that we shopped a little (tax free) at the Bi-Mart nearby. We drove north after that to the town of Halfway, Oregon. The town was so tiny that I think the cows outnumbered the people 10 to 1. Everyone waves to everyone else. It was a very nice little town. We stayed at the Inn at Halfway. This is a picture of the outside of the place. We were the only guests. The inn has about 10 rooms and all were lovely. We chose a room on the second floor that would face out to the left of the above picture. We toured the whole property.

This thing was attached to the barn and it appears to be some kind of phone.

This is a cast iron cow and just behind it is a pond that is stocked with fish for the guests to fish for. In the winter the pond can be skated on. We arrived at a time that the pond was available for neither.

The house on the property is over 100 years old. It has been completely renovated to at least the year 2000 standards. The inside is 100% modern in every way. In the rear of the home is an outdoor kitchen used to keep the house cool in the summer months and was used for all the canning and cooking. They still use it some today. Inside the home is a huge professional kitchen that they make their own preserves/jams/jellies out of. They also cook meals on demand for guests. These pictures are of the barn just behind the house. It has really rugged rooms that the owners are fixing up for people who want to rough it. They would be more camp style.

Dad- What are those?


This picture is what you see out the west side of the house. It really is out in the middle of nowhere. They have their own fruit trees and berries that can be picked in the summer. They also had a room that would fit our whole family for $150.00 a night. We want to go back in the summer with the kids.

After checking in we drove up to the Hells Canyon Recreational Area.


It was beautiful there. I had never been there so I was awed by the depth of the canyon.

That evening we had dinner at a small cafe and went back to the inn for cookies and hot chocolate. There is no television there so Ken and I read and sat in front of the fire before heading off to bed early.

The next day we enjoyed a yummy breakfast of bagel and yogurt then left the inn. We tried to drive north to Joseph and Enterprise but the road isn't maintained in the spring and it was snowy. We turned around and went back to Baker. We toured historic downtown Baker and the Geiser Grand hotel. (I want to stay there next time). We then drove south to Sumpter and scouted out some things we want to do in the summer. They have a railroad we want to take the kids on and in the summer they have a flea market that is cool (we heard). We tried to drive beyond Sumpter (further south) but it began to snow again so we headed back to Baker. After that we drove home. It was a really nice getaway. We celebrated (early) for our anniversary (April 14).

Wow, I didn't post at all last month... Multi-Post Day

Brady has been attending a preschool this year. It was two days a week at my friends house and in exchange for him going I watched her youngest daughter. The school ended on the 17th of March and I took some pictures of the group. He really loved going. To keep Brady entertained now we do a trading play group with the same kids and one other. I have play group at my house every third time and we do that twice a week.

Just after the preschool ended Brady flew (all by himself) to Salt Lake to visit his dad for two weeks. He had a ball and he even missed me. Usually he doesn't. This was Brady's first time flying on the plane all by himself and he did great. I am sure he talked to the person(s) sitting in either side of him the entire flight. Hopefully he wasn't too annoying.

Just after Brady left I attended another of my monthly food classes. This time I learned to make Gluten. It can be used as a meat substitute and made into cereal. I learned how to make it (from wheat). I tried many things that were made from it and I can't say I would make it at home (with two exceptions). I learned to make it ground and it can be used in two ways. One way was baked then used as a cereal and it was really good covered in chocolate or butterscotch chips as a dessert. The other way was baked and ground up and added to cooked hamburger to extend it. When I had it this way I could NOT tell it wasn't real beef. If I was in a crisis situation I could eat the gluten made in other recipes, it would fuel my body just as well.

I have my food class again tonight and I will learn how to make my own yogurt, sweetened condensed milk, whip cream, cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar cheese spread and many other things made with nonfat dry milk. Apparently these things can be home made for way cheap. I will report later.