I Love to Save

Okay, who doesn't love to save money?  Even the wealthiest of people have a frugal streak.  Saving money has become an addiction of sorts for me.  

Some people have asked me all the various ways that I save.  There are certainly people out there who are better at saving than I am, and many of my "tricks and tips" have come from those people.  

Hopefully you'll find something here the may be helpful for you.

We mostly shop at Target, but depending on the deal I sometimes go to CVS and Publix.  

Publix takes competitor coupons, but those competitor coupons will count as your Publix coupon.  So, you could use a manufacturer coupon and a Target coupon, but not a manufacture, Target, AND Publix.  Also, each Publix store varies on which competitor coupons they will take so check with your local store.

Saving money at TARGET. 

• I scope out websites like Totally Target and I Heart Target to find out what deals other people have found.  
• I use Target coupons that I've gotten from register purchases, and I click on links to other Target coupons from the above websites.  Different parts of the country offer different Target coupons, so if you type in a different zip code from Target then what you have access to can vary.  
• I also use the Cartwheel app, which has extra percentage savings off many times in Target.  You can combine cartwheel offers with Target and manufacture coupons!  I am signed up to receive Target coupons on my cell (Text OFFERS to 827-438 to receive them via text!) I then add my Cartwheel and Target mobile coupons to my Passbook for easy scanning at the register.
• My husband and I have a Target credit card which saves us an additional 5% every time we shop.  We don't let anything accumulate on it and always come home to pay right away.  These days Target has a debit card, which is deducted directly from your account, but at the time we signed up for this program that wasn't offered. We've just kept the credit card because we always pay it right away anyway.  No interest fees for us. :)
• Each week Target will have a gift card program where if you buy a certain number of items then you'll receive (usually) a $5 or $10 gift card.  These are AWESOME to take advantage of when you combine with manufacturer coupons, Target coupons, Cartwheel AND Target credit card.  

Now, there are a couple of other apps I use in conjunction with all of the above, that don't show savings right away but will over time.  

• Shopkick-an app that you open each time you enter a store.  It uses a GPS to find your location, and  gives you points for entering, and extra points for scanning (taking a picture with your phone) on certain items.  Accumulate points and redeem points for store gift cards! I use for to gain Target gift cards. ;) (45 kicks for walking into a Target).

• ibotta-with ibotta, you simply take short surveys on products that you would purchase in store.  You earn cash for each product, then when you purchase that product you simply take a picture of your receipt, and scan the product you purchased.  You have instant cash which can be transferred to a paypal account.  I let the money accumulate before I cash out. 

• Receipt Hog-simply scan pictures of your receipts (from certain stores).  Depending on the amount of money you spent, you will earn coins.  Redeem coins for cash or an Amazon gift card.  That easy!  

Other apps I love:

• Pampers Rewards-Pampers products come with a rewards code.  I use the app to quickly enter my code.  Points add up to redeem prizes and products. I use mine for extra free diapers. ;)

Huggies also has a rewards program, but no app.  I use the internet to log in and type in my code.  The Huggies one is more of a pain, because the page runs slowly.  I prefer the Pampers app.  

(Of course, I only buy Pampers when I have coupons.  Don't pay full price.  It's not worth it! If I need diapers and I don't have coupons, then I just buy the Target brand.)

• Coupons.com app-makes clipping coupons online easier.  I just clip on my phone, email to myself and print.  Or if you have a wireless printer it's even easier!  

• Retail Me Not-has coupons from different stores that can be scanned directly from your phone.  Stores like Bath & Body Works, Aeropostale, etc.  

PUBLIX

I take advantage of Publix BOGO (Buy One Get One) sales.  They're AWESOME when you have TWO coupons because you also save money on the "free" item.  

Example:  Let's say Ragu pasta sauce was on BOGO, and one jar cost $1.00 (we'll make it easy), and I have two coupons to save  .25cents on each jar, then I get 2 jars for .50cents.  AND if I have a coupon to save .25cents on TWO jars then I can use all 3 coupons, to get both jars for .25cents.

Now, let's say you have a Buy One Get One coupon on the Ragu pasta sauce, and they are also BOGO at Publix, then you get both jars for free!  And you could also use the coupons I mentioned above to EARN money toward other purchases.  So if we had a Buy One Get One coupon, two .25cents off one jar, and .25cents off two, then we've just EARNED .75cents toward our other groceries.

I hope that wasn't too confusing!

I'll leave things there for now. I have many other apps that I use, but I know this is overwhelming enough.

Feel free to ask any questions, and feel free to share ways that you save money! 

Hope this is helpful! 

We've Made It This Far

I am saddened to see how long it's been since I've updated.  I really wanted this to be a blog where I would chronicle every aspect of motherhood often (and truthfully.  That bit hasn't really been an issue!).   It's hard juggling being a new mom, working full time, maintaining a home (okay, so I did cheat a little there by hiring a maid. Don't judge.), and trying to be the best wife I can be.  (Admittedly, I'm not doing so well in the wife department.  Must work on this!) You moms out there who have multiple children, my hat is off to you. You're probably reading this and rolling your eyes because I only have one.  I'm sorry.  You're probably right…

Blake has a ped appointment on Tuesday.  He's not quite reached his 4 month mark yet but we are desperate to have his Zantac increased.  We simply can't wait until March 7, though it's only around the corner.  He's started to cry during feedings again, and is spitting up quite a bit.  I also want to bring up some skin concerns I have.  At first he started with a rash on his forehead and cheeks that would come and go.  Now he's got rashes all over his arms and legs, and it's quickly spreading.  His skin is very sandpaper-like to the touch.  It doesn't seem to be bothering him, but I know this isn't normal.  Friends have told me that it could be baby eczema, which can go away on its own, but I'd still like to have it examined.  Tonight I bathed him with Aveeno Eczema body wash, upon recommendation, and followed up with the Aveeno lotion.  Hope this helps to settle the redness and bumps.  Skin allergies run in my family so not that I'm jumping to eczema conclusions, I'm thinking it could be an allergy to something.  We use Dreft laundry detergent (well, Target brand because it's cheaper….hmm, could that be it?)

I'm a little late on starting this, but tonight we put rice cereal in his bottle before bed.  I know, I know, I should've started this earlier I hear.  Oh well.  I bought the organic Gerber kind that has a probiotic.  You know us, we love our probiotics!  I think a probiotic was part of the lifesaver for us!  Or at least the sanity saver. Ahhh, remember those days?  So thankful to God we are past the 6 hours of screaming.  It all seems like it was a dream now (not because it isn't fresh in my mind, but because exhaustion made it so foggy.)
I still bounce him often on the yoga ball.  I no longer have to do it between 5 and 7 hours a day anymore, but I'm down to about 2.  He's not a fan of the glider in his room.  He's definitely a bouncer.  It's the only way I can get him to sleep at night.  My legs and lower back have gained a lot of strength in 4 months!

He seems to have started teething.  Sir-Slob-A-Lot (that poor kid has so many nicknames from us!) goes through many bibs a day!  He chews on anything he can gets his hands on…um, including his hands! He hates the freezer teethers.  I guess they're too cold.  He's pretty much thrown in the towel on a pacifier at all.  He wants nothing to do with one.  Totally not complaining here!  He took to Sophie the Giraffe for a short stint but hasn't wanted it recently.  I don't actually see any teeth coming through but he's exhibiting the signs.  I hear this could keep up for months before one actually breaks through.  We did purchase an amber teething necklace from Green Mommy Diapers.  I have it on him at all times, except when he's sleeping or bathing.  I'm not really one of those people who is into natural healing remedies, but there are certain times when I'm willing to try just about anything.  The first signs of teething was one of those times. He was waking up every hour in the middle of the night, yelling out.  Haven't had that problem since he's been wearing one all day. Coincidence?  Don't know. Don't care.
And just to extend and prove my "I'm a new mom and really don't know what the hell I'm doing", I posted in my last entry that I was hesitant to order the necklace because he wasn't old enough to grab and chew on it.  Yeeeaaaaaah, it's for wearing.  Just wearing.  Not to chew.  I figured this out when I got it in the mail and saw how short it was.  It fits like a (loose) choker. I pulled it out of the packaging and wondered how in the world he was going to be able to have any room to chew on it when there was no give in the length.  So then I thought there were different lengths to order and I'd ordered the wrong one.  Thankfully I did some online research and realized my stupidity.  So if you're a new mom and are reading this, and you're as clueless as I am, you can learn from my "mommy newness."  You're welcome.

Thanks to a sweet co-worker, I have been introduced to Baby Led Weaning.  You can read more about it here. Here's the copy and paste version from the website, because I'm too tired to paraphrase.  It requires too much thinking right now.  (I got 2.5 hours of sleep last night.  And yes, here I am updating my blog.  What's wrong with me?)

Baby Led Weaning, quite simply, means letting your child feed themselves from the very start of weaning. The term was originally coined by Gill Rapley, a former health visitor and midwife.

According to the most recent research most babies reach for food at around six months, which is also the time that mothers are being encouraged to wean* by their Health Visitors, in accordance with the WHO guidelines.

The distinct advantage of weaning at around six months is that by then, our children are developmentally capable of feeding themselves proper food, in other words – no more mush!

You just hand them the food in a suitably-sized piece and if they like it they eat it and if they don’t they won’t. (But they do, really they do… check out the baby with the pork chop).

That’s the essence of Baby Led Weaning. No purees, no ice cube trays, no food processor, no potato masher, no baby rice, no weird fruit and veg combos… just you and your child, eating food that you enjoy with you and your family.

Studying up on this now so that when it comes time I will know exactly what to do. Gotta be ahead of the game!  Maybe it'll be the one thing I can be an expert on BEFORE it happens.  I'm talking to you GERD. And colic. And food allergies.  And breastfeeding. And teething. And to every other future issue that will arise that I will be totally ignorant on WAAAAY too late in the game.

I look back at the past 4 months and think "man, I really wanted to be awesome at this whole mommy thing." Then God tells me "you can never plan on these things. You just have to trust me and lean on me."  He continues, "You're awesome to Blake", and while I don't feel that way, (see earlier posts) I know God knows more than I do.  And then I reply back to God "of course he thinks I'm awesome.  I'm all he knows.  He doesn't know any better." And God says, Stop it. I know what he needs. He doesn't need to know any better." And I suddenly realize my selfishness in being so hard on myself and thinking I'm such a failure. Woe is me, woe is me.  Someone slap me in the face!

And I shut up. What do you say to that? Nothing. God does know best, and he's always right.

I love you, God!

I Survived My First Three Months of Motherhood

Three Month Mommy Survival "Kit"
-Doctor on speed dial
-A good set of swaddles
-eReader for those middle of the night feedings
-Coffee (even if you don't like it)
-A house maid.  Yes, we broke down and got one.  Awesomeness!
-Yoga ball
-A mom who will rescue you when you need a break
-A supportive husband who will clean and wash bottles
-A guest bedroom next door to the nursery (when you have a 2 story house this comes in handy)
-Chocolate
-328,420 baby blankets
-Stuffed animals (for throwing, of course)
-Friends who will pray for you when you're feeling your worst
-Lots of hugs and kisses to give out ;)
-And last but certainly not least, God.

Blake was born three months ago today.  I feel like I'm a part of the "I survived the first few months of motherhood" club.  Does that exist? Because if not, then I just made one up.  If you're a mom, you're in the club now too.

I look back and it all seems like a big blur. I'm sure I can blame this on exhaustion.  Maybe God plans it that way because he doesn't want you to remember how bad things can really be.  Kind of how babies don't remember being babies. What a blessing that is.
It seems like a blur, yet I remember it well.  I realize there's not much sense in that but there it is.  People told me that things would get easier. It's good advice, but I felt like those voices of people talking to me were muffled and talking to me 50 miles away.  Things were too rough to look that far into the future to view the silver lining.

I still have my tantrum moments.  I almost wrote a blog post about it last night but thought I was just in the wrong frame of mind to be writing because my post would've looked something like this…

23QUIWEFLWAJF!!!!!!!!!  WTF!!????  34Q902RJFAWJF! FJJF!!!!!!!!!!!!!????? ????????? ?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $H!T
Yep, a bunch of mumbo jumbo for the jelly that was spilling into my brain. I felt useless last night because I was so tired.  I was angry.  I was mostly angry at myself for letting myself get angry. Ha! Try to make sense of THAT.  I was back to the good old days of bouncing on the yoga ball at 3am. When that failed, I strapped him in his carseat and drove around town to get him to fall asleep.  I was so tired that I got in the car with a t-shirt, my robe (no pants), no shoes, and forgot my purse.  Ugh. There was an officer running radar.  Thankfully I was going the speed limit. THAT would've been embarrassing.  He screamed in the car.  So, I did what I seem to do best during those moments…..I screamed too.  Sometimes I feel like the worst mom on the planet.
I talked to God as I drove down the road and asked him why he gave Blake to me, because sometimes I feel like he doesn't deserve me as his mom.  I feel like there are so many other awesome moms out there who don't lose their shit like I do sometimes.  I ended up driving past my grandparents' house, the house I grew up in, and that's when I heard God say "He's right where he needs to be."  I don't know what that means, or why, but I'm every bit thankful to have Blake.  I just feel like such a failure sometimes.


So I cried all the way until I pulled into my driveway.  I cried carrying him up the stairs to place him in his crib, as he was sound asleep.
This doesn't happen as frequently as it used to, but I get so upset with myself for allowing myself to get that way.
Last night was a good reminder of how it used to be…

His GERD has been acting up the past few days. I think it's time for his dosage to be increased, because the dosage is based on height and weight and he's grown within the last 4 weeks.  So, I was up from 1am-5am with him.  That, and we're nearly certain he's teething. Excessive drooling, chewing on his hands, fussiness.  I really want to purchase one of those amber teething necklaces but he hasn't yet learned to hold onto anything, so I don't think it would serve any purpose at the moment.
Still hoping he grows out of this, but until then it seems we are going to have our ups and downs as he grows and we play with the dosage.

It has been difficult returning to work. Before when he was up I could bank on the fact that I could get my rest the next day when he was sleeping.  Can't happen anymore.  I took off work today and my mom watched Blake while I slept.  I was so tired from staying up that I had a terrible headache.

Celebratory moment, colic is over! Thank you Jesus. Aaaaaand that's all I have to say about that.

 I really do want to end by saying that things are worlds better than they were. (Despite this being one of THOSE posts.)
And to all the new moms out there, or moms to be,  please do believe me when I say that things really do get better.  You may want to punch me in the face right now for saying that (I know I felt that way sometimes when others said it), but it really is every bit true.
I'm not naive though. I know there are still going to be good days and bad.  And babies are constantly growing and experiencing aches and pains.  I know.
Maybe one day when he's 2 years old we can throw a tantrum together and I'll remove myself from being a parent for the moment and enjoy throwing myself on the floor right along with him.  And then one day we can just laugh about it all because I'll look back and think myself ridiculous for being the big baby around my baby.

He's sleeping right now and I'm watching him on the baby monitor.  He melts my heart.  I could literally watch him sleep for hours.  I sang this song to him the other night as he fell asleep in my arms.

So Mr. Blake, looks like you're stuck with me for a mom. God said so.  I wish I could be perfect for you, but since I know that can't happen, I can promise to love every part of you, every moment, of every day, from now until forever.
You and me, Kid.  Oh, and daddy too. He's pretty great to have around so we'll keep him.