Super Saving Saturday!

The items on the left I got at Walgreens.

Transaction 1 :

Gillette Fushion Phemon Razor $9.99

- Manufactures Q -4.00

Total with tax 6.69

- Gift card from previous rebates5.50

Total paid $1.19

Register Reward Received $6.00

Transaction 2:

2- 26 oz Tide @ 2.99 each.

- Register Rewards $6.00

Total paid with tax 40 cents!

CVS (Items on the right)

2 Kotex $5.00

1 Lip Balm .79

1 Gillette Razor 9.99

1 Sunsilk Shampoo 4.49

1 Sunsilk Styler FREE

1 Brownie .35

1 Shortcake .35

-CVS Q Kotex 1.00

- Kotex Q 2.00

- Sunsilk Shampoo Q 1.50

-Sunsilk Cream Q 1.50

-CVS Sunsilk 1.50/2 1.50

-CVS Gillette Q 2.00

-Gillette Q 2.00

-EB 6.00

-EB (extra buck) 3.29

Total paid with tax $1.69!!! It actually could have been less if we had skipped the treats and the lip balm. I just couldn't figure the number of coupons vs. products. You are only allowed 1 manufacturer coupon and one CVS coupon per item purchased. So I tossed in the extras not realizing I didn't need them.

Thanks to Crystal at www.moneysavingmom.com for the great tips on frugal shopping!

Doing the Happy Dance!

Whoo-hoo! Our $1000 emergency fund is finished! It took just about a month to finish with only starting with $100 in savings! We are so excited!!!

I first blogged about the emergency fund here ( http://happyinthehome.blogspot.com/2008/01/credit-cards-credit-scores-debt-free.html ) and here ( http://happyinthehome.blogspot.com/2008/01/dave-ramsey-and-emergency-fund.html )

Dave Ramsey says it's important to get this in place in a month or less. I new we could do it because our tax refund would be coming; but this is really cool..... we don't have the tax refund yet!!!! We did it (With the LORD's help of course) without the tax refund!

When our tax refund comes we will owe less than $3000 on anything except the house!

What is truly amazing though since we put these goals in place is that my hubby is HAPPY! It has taken such a weight off his shoulders! He feels so free knowing we aren't taking out any more debt and we have an emergency fund in place! This whole last week he has been so much at ease. Things that normally bothered him he just takes in stride!

Dave Ramsey and the Emergency Fund

We're still listening to the Dave Ramsey tapes. They are definately worth the while and probably the price, but I inter-library loaned them!

His first step is create the "emergency fund". $1000 to start with and you are supposed to be intense with this to try to get it in the first month. We figured we would get this when the taxes came, however we have been intense in our efforts and have just saved $450. $200 from Hubby's paycheck, $200 from my business and $50 from Hubby putting a cabinet together for someone! We have not yet had to sell anything off to get here, but I have a set of McGuffy Readers that I could sell, and lots of cloth diapers that would help.

Something that Dave was very good at explaining was what an emergency fund is and is not. I love how he sounds when he says in a really deep voice, "Christmas is not an emergency, it comes at the same time every year!". The last 2 years we have had an emergency fund, but have always spent it when we wanted, or thought we needed something; including Christmas presents.

We also never put any effort into paying it back when something was used out of it. The point according to Dave is to put everything else on hold (purchases and extra debt payments) till the emergency fund is put back.

Here's to changing our thinking for the better! To no longer being servants to our lenders! Once we have the emergency fund funded I will post our debts and update as we pay them off.

Blessings,
Stella

Just stopping in to say, "Hi"

I've been really busy. We've changed how we do school. We're making a more concentrated effort to work hard on a little, instead of spending time hurrying through lots of work. I will probably explain more later if it works out like I think it should.

I have been tremendously busy with my home business. I found a way to buy wholesale less expensively on the same quality material I've been using by buying from another manufacturer whose remnants are just the size I need! I've been working hard to purchase a bulk order which will save me tremendously!

We are also listening to Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover. He starts out sounding sort of ornery, but I think the effect is to try to get us to understand that debt is bad. I especially like how he asks you to consider the risk before you purchase something on credit. I never thought of this before. We have taken advantage of Same as Cash purchases, knowing that we would always pay them off before the promotional end date, because we knew that interest would be tacked on from day 1 if we didn't. However, we never considered the risk of a payment getting lost in the mail or otherwise delayed. What if Hubby's business made a mistake with the payroll checks? It's never happened before, but what's to say it wouldn't?

We're not going to spend any time worrying about that now, what's done is done. (We've got one to pay off next month-LORD willing!) However, just the idea should stop us from taking part in those "deals" again.

Well, I hope everyone is having a blessed week!
~Stella

Credit Cards, Credit Scores, Debt-Free Living

Thank you Mrs. C for the heads-up on the credit score. I did some research this morning and found that you are partially correct.

Cancelling credit cards can lower your credit score, if....

• the card is long standing say more than 10 years
• there is a balance on the card
• several cards are cancelled all at the same time

We were told by the mortgage company 4 years ago that we had an outstanding credit score. I am actually more concerned about getting another late payment comment on my credit score than having a note saying customer canceled card. We have cancelled cards in the past and apparently it has not hurt us.

Hubby made the decision yesterday that we would indeed be cancelling all credit cards in the near future. We have 3 major credit cards and one store card. Only one of these carries a balance, which was a same as cash deal that will be paid off in February. One of these can be cancelled immediately as it was never actually activated, but was used last year for a balance transfer to "pay off" a same as cash deal. It was paid within a couple of months and never used again. The other card needs to have some monthly bills taken off and transferred to a debit card.

We do not intent to take out any more loans or use credit cards any longer. We are going to put our faith in the Lord with patience and trust when we need something. Thinking back on our credit card use, it was never used for emergencies, but rather for splurges or times when we didn't want to wait to save the money.

I need to do a little more research, but apparently a debit card can be used anywhere a credit card can. For instance, monthly payments for internet use, or for purchasing something on the internet. Many companies are also starting to accept paypal, which is great for me because I always have money in my paypal account from my business.

We will not be without emergency money. The cards will not all be canceled until we have at least $1000 saved, which will be shortly.

If at any time we find we need to borrow money, our payment history on our mortgage should be sufficient. We also have plenty of collateral. We also do not intend to immediately go to a bank if we need money. Hubby's mom has loaned to us in the past, and I'm sure would not hesitate to in the future if a need arose. I also think asking family is harder than going to a bank and borrowing money or getting a credit card, because it is more "personal" and you have to do more "explaining". We also could sell some of the "wants" we have accumulated over the years. We are not without options.

We no longer wish to be servants to our lenders. as Proverbs 22:7 says, "The rich ruleth over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender". Rather we would rather serve our brothers and sisters in love.

Blessings,

~Stella

Not Happy with the Credit Card Company

We've been working on getting out of debt, and rarely use the credit cards. We had a few things on one for Christmas, including Meg's sewing machine that was $20 less if we put it on the card. We put the sewing machine on just for that reason, even though we had the cash on us.

We don't carry a balance on the card, so no interest. We thought that was responsible use of the card. We paid our bill and forgot about it.

Well, Hubby had a purchase that hadn't been delivered so he decided to check with the credit card to see if the item had been charged. Uh-oh, big balance that shouldn't have been there. Apparently they had not gotten our payment and charged us a late fee $39 and interest. He explained that we paid and gave them the date sent. They said to call back on Monday to see if it came and if there was anything they could do then.

Well, Hubby called back yesterday. The automated voice said they had received our payment. However when he tried to talk to a live person they accused him of fraud. My husband has sinus problems and has lately been called ma'am because of his voice. The lady on the phone was actually yelling at him, that it is a federal offense to impersonate someone and try to use their credit card. Saying, "I can make a quick call and the feds will be at your house in minutes." She said "I'm turning you over to the fraud department right now." He said, "Please!"

ERRR. Well they asked if he was at home and could they call him back. Well that took care of the problem and they apologized. However, when they sent him back to the billing department they were also rude about the late fee. They said he needed to mail it 10-12 days before the due date. But the due date is only 19 days after the end of the billing date and we sent it just a few days after receiving the bill. There is also the option of calling in the payment, or using the Internet but there is a fee for that.

They did refund the $39 late fee but not the interest. When the bill comes we are canceling the card. There is no reason for a man (or anyone) to be treated like that.

A friend of mine is listening to some finance advice and has learned that some credit card companies are purposely delaying sending statements and opening received payments so they can charge late fees and interest to make more money.

I guess there is no responsible use of credit cards. A lesson learned at least for me. I don't know what Hubby will do, he only mentioned canceling this card. We'll see what he says when he thinks on it more.

A Few Good Deals

I didn't keep track of my shopping this week, but I did get a couple of good deals from our local grocer.

*Crispix cereal was on sale for $1.88. I had a $1 off coupon. Total 88cents.
*Hamburger Helper on sale for 99cents. I had a 75 cent off three coupon.
*Store coupon buy 4 Hamburger Helper get $1 off hamburger. Bought 1# hamburger on sale for $1.99. Paid 99cents.
*Store coupon $2.00 off any Sundown Vitamin. Bought the 100 ct. 500mg Vit C at $2.59 paid 59cents.

Saving my coupons and watching for store sales has really helped me to get some good deals. Before moneysavingmom I would not have thought to use both the Hamburger Helper coupon and the hamburger coupon together. Actually I probably wouldn't have thought to clip the coupons at all.

Check it out: http://www.moneysavingmom.com/

Super Saving Saturday (CVS Long Distance)

Hubby used his card and an ECB he had.

3 Puffs 2.97
2 Candy Cane 1.76
-Puffs coupon - .50
-ECB -3.99
Total oop .29

My Transaction

CVS Shave gel 1.99

CVS transparent tape .99

CVS Chewable Vit C 100ct 5.39

CVS Chewable Vit C 100ct 2.69 bogo 50%

2 Sprint Prepaid 143 min 9.99 bogo

-$3 off $10 CVS purchase -3.00

- ECBs -16.36

Total oop $1.81

I had not intended to use ecbs for the phone cards. We use them for long distance anyway. However I didn't get the Benefiber and Gax-ex I had intended to which put my total lower. After they gave me my total they told me I wasn't supposed to use ecbs for the cards. I feel somewhat guilty now. I don't want to abuse the system. I could have thrown in some batteries or something, but I don't think well on my feet. kwim

Anyway, my transaction did not generate any ecbs, but I am still pleased to have lots of things that we can use. Next weeks deals include Tide and cough drops. The sale price on each is what I would normally spend on sale and will generate ecbs. So I will be back in the game.

On another note: When we got home when had a gift package with goodies for the kids, including unsweetened applesauce, juice boxes, canned ham, barbequed pork, and fruit snacks, and peanut butter! Praise the Lord!

Want to participate in Super Saving Saturday? Visit Crystal at http://www.moneysavingmom.com/

Super Saving Saturday! Black Friday

Super Saving 1: Black Friday

Our main goal on Black Friday was to score big at the Fabric Stores. We hit JoAnns and Hancock. Both places have quality flannel on sale for 99cents a yard! Hancock even allowed another 10 % coupon on top of that. I made one mistake though. I didn't check the name on the bolt and ended up paying $8 a yard for one print. Got 5 yards of that one. I ended up with 156 yards of flannel averaged at $1.17 a yard. I also picked up some fleece at a great price, and a couple of presents at these stores!

We also stopped at Walgreens and CVS as you can see in the picture. 3 rolls of wrapping paper and 2 boxes of Hersheys Pot of Gold boxed chocolates are missing from the picture.

Walgreens:

3 Rolls wrapping paper

Latex free bandaids

Polident Cleaner (for my dad)

Blistix

Total oop after gift card for last months FAR: 1.26

CVS Transaction 1

Hersheys Xtra Dark 2.99

CVS Freezer Bags 1.79

Johnson's Soft Lotion 5.69

Soft Soap Body Wash 3.99 (This will go in the hand pumps for company)

-$1 Johnsons coupon

-$1 Soft soap coupon

-$2 off $10 purchase

- 9.98 ECB

=total oop 65 cents

Recieved 14.46 back in ECBs

CVS Transaction 2

Excederin 3.79

2 CVS Freezer Bags 3.58

2 Candy Canes (bogo) .99

Bic Soleil Razor 6.99

2 Hersheys Pot of Gold 9.00

-Excederin Q 2.00

-Bic Q 2.00

-ECB from Transaction1 14.46

Total oop $ 6.58 Which is slightly less than I was going to pay for the 2 Pot of Golds at another store. We were in a hurry to get to another sale, which is why I didn't do a 3 rd transaction and get these for free.

Got back 16.36 in ECBs

We were also given a pasture fed turkey, and 2 1/2 dozen eggs. Praise the Lord for all his provisions!

You can see other great deals at http://www.moneysavingmom.com/

I Almost Threw My Walgreens Card Away

Alright, the couponing thing is driving me crazy. I don't like paperwork. I've made a decision, if coupons are not filed by Monday, they are going in the trash. Not only do we get a paper on Sunday for filling up with gas, but my MIL gives us hers from 2 papers. I appreciate the coupons, but I don't like clutter. Ahhh.

Walgreens gives a gift card with 10% extra for mail in rebates. For the first time they send the card, there after they just recharge it. It was supposed to be sent out on the 2nd. Well, amonst all the coupons, store adds, and junk mail I almost missed it. It came early last week. There was nothing on the envelope to suggest Walgreens, so I put in the open and shred pile. When I was opening the junk mail today, I got quite a surprise. There was my card. I could have gotton my free after rebate items yesterday since we were in the area. Oh, well, I will have it for Black Friday.

Yesterday, I went to CVS and they chuckled that my coupon book was 'so small'. I can hardly shut my purse, but apparently another lady comes in with a coupon book the size of a real photo album!

Later, I have a sick boy who will wake up soon. Thanks Bellamama for the suggestions for cough, I'll have to try those today!

Only spent $62.44 in Groceries for the Week for 6 People!!!

Check out these pictures! I am so pleased to have a full pantry again! I was feeling a little "thin" in the food department these last few weeks. I like to have so easy foods to make for those days I'm really busy; to keep us from eating out!

Everything in both pictures..... Drumroll please.... $33.75!!!

My Best Deals are in the picture. Apparently I hit the salvage store right after they got a new truckful. My new strategy is to pick through all the items and get the best prices. They usually have tuna marked 40cents, but I noticed one marked 30 cents. I picked through and found all the 30cent cans. (There was no difference and nothing was even close to expiring!)

I also found one can marked free because it didn't have a label. Hubby laughed and said it was probably cat food. (we have a cat, so no problem there) It was tuna!

I found the same price difference with the cereal. The six boxes of cereal I bought were marked $1.00 and $1.25 each. Some of the same brand, size, expir. were marked $1.50 and $1.75.

The noodles are organic; 40cents each one pound bags. 3 bags macadamia nuts 25cents each. 2 bags walnuts 25cents each.

My favorite find..... Coconut oil $1.00! We use this instead of shortening and sometimes butter. It is usually $2.89 at Walmart.

Not pictured oranges, lettuce, mayo, milk, eggs, peanut butter, catfood, and a 16# Turkey!

Oh, yeah; Hubby bought 2 bags of Doritos.

I'm very pleased with this week. We also traded sewing for organic hamburger and were given almost 2 quarts of goat milk! All total we spent $62.44. $57.56 left for next week.

Want to see our goal and previous weeks shopping? http://happyinthehome.blogspot.com/search/label/Frugal%20Living

Want to know more about shopping for Super Saving Saturday? Visit Crystal at www.moneysavingmom.com

Thanks for stopping by!

Super Saving Saturday

Yes, I know it's Monday! Read my next entry to find out why I didn't get this done on Saturday.

Here is my best deal this week. I got all this for $1.06 at CVS.

500 ct. Cotton Swabs $3.19

80 ct. Baby Wipes 2.79

- ecb - 4.99

Total with tax $1.09

Printed off 2 ecb and a coupon worth $2.50 off a pain reliever.

My husband thought it was a good idea to use the coupon. So I went back in and got:

24ct. ibuprofen $ 2.89

40ct. envelopes 1.59

minus coupon -2.50

minus ecb -2.00

Total 0.00 Free WHOO-HOO

Aldi had butter on sale for $1.69 each! As we don't use shortening or margarine, this was a great deal. We bought 7 of them!

Super Saving Saturday-LOTS OF TP

Last Saturday I posted my goals for shopping: $60 per week averaged over the two week pay period for Hubby (This is for 6 people). I did it last week with $2 to spare. Here's how we are faring this time. We are just finishing the first week of the payperiod.

Here are some of the great deals from this week:

Trip to Kmart: This sale is still going on.

Toilet paper, toilet paper, toilet paper. Flyer came out for Charmin Basic 12 Big Rolls (325 sheets per roll-double rolls) $3.99 limit 5. I got my limit of 5 and used 3-25 cent off coupons. 7up was 79cents. Spent $22.39 My bedroom closet is now full of toilet paper (and papertowels from a shopping trip several weeks ago!

At the salvage store I found Herb Ox boullion (no msg) for 50 cents a box-I bought 5! They also had one can of goat milk-30cents, brown rice-45cents. 2 boxes of Organic cereal $1 each. Everything in the picture on the right $12.65!!!!

Great use of an instore coupon for vitamins: Our local grocery store had a coupon for $2 off any one Sundown vitamin. I found the smallest bottle of Vit. C-100 tables for $2.59- 59cents!!!! I also bought organic bananas for 19cents/#.

Walmart had Silk soymilk for $2.89. I used a $2.25 coupon 64 cents!!!

We also bought 2 gallons of milk, 2 bags of softener salt, liquid hand soap, 2 bags of Doritos (at full price-Hubby went shopping) Shredded cheese, chocolate chips, Tangerines, Cough drops (BOGO) , Peanut butter, chicken strips, sour cream, and romaine lettuce.

Total spent $76.42; Left for next week $43.58 I think we did pretty good!

Praise God - Finances

We have been blessed three times this week when it comes to finances! Opportunities have all of a sudden come Hubby's way! He agreed to do some interior work for a lawyer in town as trade for him making a will for us. Well, yesterday Hubby stopped to give back the building key, and he handed Hubby a check for $300. He said that Hubby's work was worth more than the will and he will still do the will also!!!

Also, an elderly lady friend of ours drove out by her country property and realized all the junk that had been left there. She asked Hubby to load it all up and take it to the landfill. Well, he found someone to take the metal, someone else to take the pallettes, and someone else to take the broken landscaping blocks. He had a little garbage to pick up, but not enough to take to the landfill. She had someone drive by and saw how nice it looked. She gave him a check on Sunday for $200.

Two checks this week that we didn't expect! And payday is this Thursday with overtime of around $160. He usually is not allowed overtime unless there is an emergency on Saturday, well a watermain broke and he had to stay at work to make sure the chillers kept running until the city got it fixed.

God is so good, this will be a huge help in getting us out of debt.

Super Saving Saturday-My Shopping-My Goal

To see what Super Saving Saturday is all about visit Crystal at http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ .

My goal: To spend $60 a week on groceries for my family of 6 (2 adults, 3 big kids, 1 toddler). This is going to have to be an average of 2 weeks as that is how my hubby gets paid. Our budget up until this last 2 weeks was $60 per week for food plus $30 per week for paper, soaps, cleaners, etc. None of this includes our meat as we buy that in bulk twice a year. I intend to fit all of this into our new goal of $60 per week (all groceries plus some left over for the meat purchase)

Yeah! Goal met this two weeks. Spend $75.40 last week and $41.89 this week. Total $117.29. Left for meat $2.71-have to do better here.

Here are some of my great deals for this week:



This picture shows $11.34 shopping from 2 stores both of them Amish. At the bulk store I bought 7 # of oatmeal for $2.89 and 1# Aluminum-free baking powder $1.78. The other is a salvage store. The best deals here were 5# flour 50 cents, Organic rice milk 40 cents, Organic sauce 65 cents.

This picture $8.89 shows Walgreens and one grocery store.

Best deals: Free bread (coupon), Eggs 1 doz at 77 cents from one store (limit 1 with coupon) 3/$3 for the others (raincheck Walgreens) Chili Beans 3/&1 (coupon limit 1 offer). VO5 conditioner buy 2 at 99c get 1 free.

The rest of the groceries I bought included 7# bananas, apples, lettuce, crackers, applesauce peanut butter, tortillas, cheese, juice. I also bought a couple of things that we needed for our snack duty at 4H that I normally would not buy paper plates, cups and the pretzels.

My God bless your shopping in the coming week (and mine too)