Accomplishing Something

I feel so *accomplished* lately.

Shopping used to make me feel defeated and discouraged--my husband and I don't have much money to work with--our budget is very very tight. God has always provided for us but at times I've felt powerless--like I was spending $130 a week between groceries/target to get the things we needed. Our cupboards would be full for 4 days and every single Tuesday--the week wouldn't be halfway over--I would look in my cupboards and they would be bare. 

It was beyond discouraging to spend so much of our money and to feel like we weren't getting anything!

Enter the coupons 

and our cupboards are more full then they have ever been and I'm spending HALF as much money. 

That's why I can't stop talking about coupons--it really has changed our lives! Yes, it's a bit more work but I feel like the ball is back in my court. I'm in charge and the stores have to play by my rules!

I've been rolling this catalina deal at Acme this week--buy $20 worth of general mills products rec. $7 off your next trip. Well, the first time I did it I gathered up my coupons and got boxes and boxes of cereal, fruit snacks, brownies, potatos and spent $15 for about $40 pre/sale, $20 on sale worth of stuff. I got my $7 back and did another trip--this time for $7 I rec. the same amount of stuff and I got $10 back for my next trip (they are running a deal where you get $3 back if you buy 4 boxes of fruit snacks which also qualify for the $7 catalina.) I'm planning on doing the deal one more time because my girls will ONLY eat plain cheerios or lucky charms (both of which are part of the deal) and it's always good to have fruit snacks and brownie mix in the house =) So I'll be paying $4 for $20 of stuff and getting another $10 back!!! I also did a Rite Aid run--and got $25 of stuff for $6 with $1 coming back to me in rebate!

All this for $14, with $11 back!