Sales, Coupons, and Saving Money

So now that the holidays are over with for a year, I'm looking forward to the next set and looking at our finances. While they didn't cost as much this year as years past thanks to Anjie's Deals (http://www.freelancebyu.com/) but I'm really trying to get a more strict budget into play for a lot of things as we continue to work on paying down our debt and start saving towards a down payment. Part of that is going to be me making a strict budget for the kids presents and sticking to it. It's not like they don't have enough toys and more is just that, more (see FLYLady, I'm learning).

The other thing I know we could be a lot better on is our grocery budget. We don't have stores that double coupons around me. In fact, my choices within a 5 mile radius are Safeway and Safeway with a few local mom & pop stores that are super expensive thrown in. I do shop at Costco but I keep hearing about these awesome deals you can get if you do some couponing. Unfortunately, the last time I tried couponing, it required hours and was just a lot of work for what didn't seem like much in the way of savings. This time tho, I've signed up for the 4wk trial with The Grocery Game (www.grocerygame.com). I printed out their list and bought 3 Sunday papers. I'll be clipping tomorrow morning while Jonathan is at therapy and getting things organized for my Tuesday shopping trip. Part of this is also getting back on track with my menus. I really fell off that wagon pretty hard starting in November and my budget and waistline have both suffered as a result.

So on to saving more in 2008! I've already kicked it off by getting 5 pairs of shoes at Payless for $41. Nico's feet grew again (like everything else with that boy LOL) and I wanted Jon and Matt to have a pair of shoes besides their Heelys. I found a pair of Cars shoes for Nico for only $5 (too bad they didn't have more in bigger sizes!) and another cute lace-up pair for $6 with flaming dinos on them. Jon got a pair of spiderweb hi-tops for $5 and flame dragon hi-tops in a size bigger to grow into for $7. Matt is sick so wasn't with us but I managed to find a pair of slip-ons gray with guitars with red frets to make him happy for $15. With prices like those, it made mommy happy too.

Now if only the world would stop so Nico could show everyone his Cars shoes so he would be happy. LOL

As you can see, he likes them so much, they even have to go to bed with him! (I did manage to sneak them off his feet once he was good and asleep, any sooner was met with whimpers of "Uh-uh NO!") As if this child needed something heavier to stomp on his brothers with. Poor Matthew. Running a fever and a baby brother with new shoes. What could be a worse combination??? Of course, this being Matthew, he would fall ill just in time for school to start back up. *rolling eyes* I don't know how he manages it but I know he planned it somehow. LOL




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State of my sink: Shiny!