Free Mail Call:

Well the one great thing about coming home from being on vacation (hence the lack of blogs) is the freebies collected in the mail. 

I'm not going to lie, I was hoping for a little more but still very pleased with what I received.

Everything from free coupons and travel size samples to a free 12 month baby onesie!

Definitely makes mail worth it!!

Crazy day...

Got to love going away on vacation, except the days leading up to vacation anyways. Cleaning the house, running errands, packing, basically running around like a crazy person getting everything in order. If you're like me anyways. I always have to leave with a clean house, fresh linens, and as many clean clothes as possible. I mean, come on, you know when you get back you'll be swamped with dirty laundry and who wants to go grocery shopping immediately and what better feeling is there then sleeping in your own bed and the sheets are brand spanking clean.

So, that's what I did today. On top of my daughter having her 9 month check up, I cleaned the house, went to CVS (spent $14, saved $30), swung by The Cross (College of The Holy Cross - where coach works) to drop off banana bread and a sympathy card (the head coaches grandmother passed away earlier this week) but I also managed to go to the grocery store where I paid $24 and saved $50, yahoo!!

I do have a bittersweet relationship with the day before leaving. Never is there a day where you can feel more accomplished (still have to pack Nik, myself, daisy and the car, cook dinner, give Nik a bath and put her to bed) but running around like a mad woman is exhausting.

Last Shaw's Update:

So, first thing is first. The cashier was a stickler for the $15 minimum requirement after all rewards and coupon discounts. So plan accordingly. Have 4 $1.00 coupons and make sure that your total after your coupons and discounts is $18.01 or more. Once it hits $14.99, they won't use the $1.00 doubler coupons.

The good news is there were some additional sales.

Campbell's Chunky Soup (no coupons that I know of) were 50% off Reduced to Clear - While Supplies last.

Another Reduced to Clear 50% while supplies last is Garnier Fructis Fortifying Shampoo & Conditioner. Some prices $3.99, $6.99, $4.99 and $7.49, plus there are 1/$1 coupons in the 6/5 and 5/1 RedPlum (RP). So depending on your store and what you buy, you could in theory with the doubler pay as much as $1.75 to as low as FREE!!!

Crystal Light drink mixes are on sale for $1.99 or $2.79 (on the go). Use the 6/12 SS coupon for 1/$1 and the doubler and you could get them for free!!

Shaw's update:

The Mt. Olive pickles have a coupon attached for 2/$1 so if you don't have the coupons mentioned earlier, you may get lucky at the store.

'Going to Shaw's, gonna save some money, hey la, hey la...'

Bad news is I haven't found to many websites, actually none, that have breakdowns on the weekly deals for Shaw's Supermarkets.

The good news is, I'm going to give it a shot and try and help some of us out.

First thing is first. If you haven't already signed up for the Shaw's weekly emails do so now. They were, and believe they still are, running a promotion that if you sign up you will receive a $5.00 coupon off a $25.00 order. Plus, if you email your friends and they sign up, you get an additional $5.00 coupon and so do your friends. They are also running a promotion that if you 'like' them on facebook, you will receive access to 4 $1.00 doubler coupons. There is a catch. You do have to spend a minimum of $15 (not bad) and the coupons you are doubling have to be exactly $1.00, no more no less. The fine print also states that the $15 minimum has to be after rewards savings and other eligible coupons. I plan on testing that out today. I'll let you know how it goes.

So, here are some this weeks deals:

2 for $6 - Skintimate or Edge shave gel or cream - use 2 of the 1/$1 (some areas reporting $.55/1) Skintimate Shave gel coupons from 6/26 SmartSource (SS) and 2 of your doubler coupons from facebook = final price as low as $2 for 2 shave gels.

2 for $5 - Mt. Olive Pickles - use 2 of the 1/$1 Mt. Olive coupon (some areas reporting $.75/1 or $.55/1) from 6/26 SmartSource (SS) and 2 of the doubler coupons = final price as low as $1 for 2

$1.98 for Gerber Graduate Puffs or Lil Entrees - use 2 or all 4 doubler coupons with the recent www.coupons.com 1/$1 Gerber Graduate Lil Entrees coupons = final price all free!!

$4.99 for Bic Soleil Bella Disposable Razors - use the $2/1 printable coupon from smartsource.com (http://coupons2.smartsource.com/smartsource/index.jsp?Link=4GJ6RQ5APBVJ2) some areas are reporting this is a $3/1 coupon but mine came out as $2 = Final price as low as $1.99

$.99 for Gulden's Mustard - use the 2/$1 coupon from 6/26 SS and 1 doubler coupon (I'm not sure how Shaw's will treat the 2/1 coupons but I would assume they have to double) = final price as low as free for 2 or $1 for 2.

$1.99 Palmolive - use the 2/$1 coupon from 6/26 SS and get 2 for the price of one (if using doubler)

I hope everyone has some luck:)

Make sure you sign up for the Shaw's emails https://www.shaws.com/account/signup.jsp  and 'like' them on facebook http://www.facebook.com/Shaws?ref=ts!

Got to love coupons...

I just paid $.58 for all of this. It may not look like much but the Zyrtec 5 pack alone costs $5.27.
If you use Zyrtec or have a need for it I recommend going to walmart's website. They have a $5.00 off coupon. http://see.walmart.com/zyrtec/ You can print two and pay just $.54 cents for both.
The Tic Tac's were originally $1.04 but I used a $1.00 off coupon from a Sunday newspaper.
If you'd like to look up which Sunday paper, I suggest using coupondivas.com. They have a great database that let's you know when each product was listed in the paper and where to find it.

Coach is home for a day...kind of

Ah, you got to love July. It's still knee deep in recruiting season, with the 2nd leg getting ready to kick into gear. Coach just came home, almost finished with the first leg. Gone from the 6th, he returned late last night and should be home for most of today before he heads out for two or three more days.

To celebrate the half way mark, I plan on making some flank steaks on the mini BGE (Big Green Egg - a wonderful and amazing ceramic grill that is green and shaped like an egg). I'll probably make classic baked potatoes as well. Not sure what the veggie will be, but who likes concentrating on those anyway:)

I know one thing, I am certainly looking forward to pulling out the egg and grilling. I prefer to grill only when the whole family is here, so anytime I can in July is a treat. Coach will be home, I believe, all weekend before he heads out next week for 10 days. I'm hoping that means tons of out door activities and grilling.

America: Our Country

So I am going to deviate a little today from my usual discussions. Today I just want to thank my country and family. I am watching a documentary on HBO on becoming a citizen. It's amazing how we take our everyday rights and freedoms for granted everyday. So many people flee their homelands to come to our country just for the slightest chance of independence and freedom.

It's hard to imagine that so many years ago members of our own families left their countries for a new start. Think of where you are today and how it could be so different if years ago your ancestors didn't take that scary and courageous leap. Some of them may not have had the choice, many were forced but I have no doubts their troubles should be and are your success and future.

Embrace what we are so lucky to have, our freedom. Embrace our new neighbors, try and help them. Try and remember that your family was once in their position.

God Bless America.

So just a few random thoughts for the day...1. The emails I sent out complimenting and requesting coupons did not work. Which means I have to try a new strategy. So assuming, tomorrow, I will still be avoiding the sheets I have to wash, I will be looking up and writing actual letters. I know crazy, crazy concept, going old school;)

With this bump in the road, it means stage two of my spending/saving money plan is going to be delayed. But that's okay, its a work in progress...step 2 is research. That's the fun part, the part where you don't have to spend any money just come up with ideas and dream of all the ways you can play and spend.

By the way, today and tomorrow only Walgreens will allow you to purchase one 8.5 x 11 linen photo book for the cost of shipping. Regularly priced at 19.99 plus shipping, you use code 'createbook' and get it for 6.99. Go get one!

While the husbands away, the wife will save..

Okay, Coach has left and will be gone for most of the month of July (he'll be home in spurts, but not enough to count). My goal is simple, save, save, save! Now of course in order to save you must also purchase items or it doesn't really count.;) So in order to tackle my goal, I have formulated a plan. Today, is step 1.

Step 1. Create a list of my favorite companies, scour the internet for their contact information and request coupons. Now to help you out, I will be putting a list of my favs on this blog, so if you want to contact them you can. There is no guarantee that they will send coupons, but it never hurts and besides who wouldn't want to know that they are loved...

Companies:
1. St. Ives - http://www.stives.com/Contact-Us/
2. Biore - http://www.biore.com/usa/ContactUs.aspx
3. Pampers - http://babycare.custhelp.com/app/ask
4. Betty Crocker - http://consumercontacts.generalmills.com/ConsolidatedContact.aspx?page=http://www.bettycrocker.com&js=True

Let me know if these links don't work. It will be the start of many more. If you have companies you want me to look into, just leave me the name in the comment section.

One of the toughest things about being a coach's wife is the time apart. All around the country right now, coaches are getting ready for one of the biggest recruiting months of the year. Which means a lot of unhappy families. As a new mom, my job is trying to figure out a balance. How do I keep my sadness hidden and keep my daughter entertained ad oblivious to the fact her daddy is gone. Right now, it's not so hard, she's only 8 months old but later down the road what will I do?!

I think starting a tradition would be helpful. A pre-leaving tradition and post-leaving tradition. This is something that we will probably do at the beginning and end of each season.

Thankfully, for now I have the wonderful world of baby and coupons to distract me.

The wonderful world of technology...using my phone to blog:)