Hey, everybody! No, I am not dead and I didn't decide to abandon you guys and my blog. But I am having a lot of trouble with my laptop at home to access the internet. So, I usually access my email at work during a break or a slow day. Because I work at a university, today is a very slow day because all the students have vacated the campus. But the work still goes on, so here I am.

Anyway, I have a bounty of coupons that I would like to share and hope that someone has some that I can use also.

Here are the coupons I have:

Colgate Toothpaste
Orbit Gum
Chuck E Cheese's
Betty Crocker Seasoned Skillets or AuGratin Potatoes
Hamburger Helper Microwave Singles
Egg Beaters
Fleischmann's
Slim Jim
Ore-Ida
Reddi Whip
Orville Redenbacher
Frank's Red Hot Sauce
Banquet Boneless Chicken
Act II Popcorn
Crunch N Munch
Sara Lee Products (Dillon's Coupon)
Air Wick
Lysol
Edward's Key Lime Pie
Energizer batteries
Soft Scrub
Hunt's Snack Pack
Betty Crocker Frosting
Betty Crocker Cake Mix
Glass Plus
Off! Outdoor Candle
Nestle Coffee Mate

Coupons I Would Like to Have:

Oscar Mayer Lunchmeat
Hellman's
any kind of wheat bread
Cheerios
Life Cereal
Heinz ketchup
Star Kist Tuna
Manwich
Folger's Coffee
toothbrushes, any brand
Floss
Tom's of Maine Toothpaste
Kraft or Velveeta Macaroni and Cheese

If you would like to work out a trade, please send me a message with your email address in it, so we can exchange mailing addresses.

Howdy, friends and neighbors.

I just got back from the grocery store and I have to tell you about some really weird stuff about my shopping trip. I wasn't really looking for any special bargains. I did take a long some coupons that I got from Kashi, but I just put it out the universe that whatever I needed would be provided to me. For once, I didn't really concern myself so much with the cost, but whether I got everything I needed. I didn't bring a calculator and didn't stand around debating the per unit cost of anything. Everything I needed was on sale. I just got what I needed and would up spending under my allotted amount for the week.

I had a coupon for $1.00 of 2 packages of Farmland sausage. Farmland sausage was on sale Buy One Get One Free, so I got 2 packages of sausage for $1.29 total, when they normally are $2.29 each. I also had a $.40 cents off coupon for 2 cans of Manwich. Manwich, which is usually $1.31, was on sale for $1.00 per can, so I basically got 1 can free. I had 2 $1.00 coupons for Hungry Man or Swanson dinners. Swanson dinners were on Closeout for $1.79 each, so I got two dinners for $0.79 each.

The other weird stuff is that I am one week from payday and I have approximately $300 in my checking account. I just got a hospital bill in the mail. I think I will go ahead and make a payment. This is so weird, but I am not knocking it.

Ever since I started with the Secret Challenge, money seems to be multiplying in my checking account. I am not doing any really extraordinary, just thinking about it differently. I don't allow myself to worry about credit card debt. I just pay it like I would any other bill and get on with life. I am not allowing myself to worry about money anymore, like whether we will get a house or not. Does everyone need a house? Not really. I am just turning all of those stuff over to the larger powers in the universe and allowing them to decide how it is all going to come out.

At my work the other day, I saw an email where a group is collecting canned goods for the poor. I have decided to share in my bounty and buy some extra canned goods and take them to the group.

Howdy, all.

Well, the end result with my $20 Challenge is a surprising $18.50. Not bad, I say, seeing as I started it on Dec. 26th, I think. I had budgeted $100 to the cc, so I sent that plus this $18.50 to the cc. I'm feeling really jazzed.

Add on top of that the fact that the college I work for has health insurance, which we only have to pay for twice a month. Since I got 3 paychecks in the long month of December, I have about $27.00 extra in my account. I am putting that on my $20 Challenge for January. Wow. That's cool. I've already met my $20 Challenge for January. I'm not stopping there, though.

I went grocery shopping this morning and saved $14.55 with store specials, my store card, and using my own bags.

I also made regular deposits to my Dream Account and Short Term Savings Accounts.

My husband will get his first paycheck, probably about $250, from his new job on Tuesday. It is the first step to getting our truck fixed so we can drive it. In the meantime, our car is also not very reliable, as we think it may have something wrong with the transmission. I have been riding my bike to work for the last 2 weeks (yes, it has been very cold, and some days, very warm here in the midwest) which has not only save me a lot of gas money, but has given more strength and stamina. (I have asthma, so this is important.)

Despite the car and truck problems, I feel really fortunate and blessed to be a part of this group that shares ideas about how to save money, the struggles to pay off debt, and create a better life. I want to wish the best for all of you and your families for 2007.

I don't usually like shopping, especially right before a holiday. I hate crowds, waiting in line, and everything that goes along with it. But today was a great day.

To start the day off, I went and cashed in my lottery ticket and got $7 cash. Whoopee.

I took that $7 along with $5.50 in rolled coins to the bank. It's going straight to the credit card later today. Yes, I know that $12.50 doesn't sound like much, but it is something.

Then, I went to Walmart. I don't usually shop at Walmart because I hate walking through a huge store just to buy one thing I couldn't buy at some other store. I bought Vive Pro shampoo with a $1.00 off coupon, two boxes of Chore Boy scour pads with 2 $0.75 off coupons. I also bought a very small can of hairspray for those cold days when my hair is full of static when I get to work.


Next, I went to the grocery store and got everything I need for about $62.00. I saved over $15.00 between the coupons I used, my store card, and bringing my own bags.



I also went to three different thrift stores to look for a thermos with a glass liner. My doctor has told me to, if at all possible, avoid cooking in microwaves and avoid plastic food containers. Well, I wasn't able to find a thermos with a glass liner, but I did get a thermos. I will keep looking for another one and upgrade when I do. I also snagged a couple of coffee mugs for $0.19 each.

I am a happy camper. Now to update my spreadsheets and send my online payment to the credit card.

Howdy, friends and neighors.
Well, I went out into the big, bad world of shopping during Christmas season today. I have decided to only buy a couple of gifts this year. I bought one "gift" for an employee I supervise (I bought her pezz candy because she loves it) and a gift bag to put it in. I also bought some special pecans for my mother, which I will mail to her. I will also buy my uncle a sweatshirt from the school where I work.

When I used to live in major metro city, shopping, even for groceries, during Christmas was a complete nightmare. People thought nothing of slamming your cart, grabbing something out of your hand, and just being plan obnoxious and rude. Well, I live in a smaller town now, and it's a lot calmer here, but it's still not pleasant. So, I have decided that that's all the Christmas shopping I will do. Christmas doesn't really seem to be about family and togetherness anymore. It seems to be about who can buy whom the best or biggest gift.

Oh, on my trip to the grocery store today, I saved $13.32 between coupons and store specials with my store savings card.

My husband just found out yesterday that he will a local store manager for a tax preparation service office. We discussed what we are going to do with his pay. First, we are going to get the truck running again. (The mechanic has not looked at it yet, but based on our description of what happened, he thinks we need a new transfer box, a part that costs about $500 from a salvage yard.) After that, we want to pay off our credit card debt and set aside money for down payment and closing costs on a house.

These are my haves:
Coleman Natural - any product
Malt O Meal
Red Baron Pizza
2 bags of M&Ms, Starburst, Skittles, Twix, or Milky Way
Red Lobster
Cheerios
Pillsbury Sweet Rolls
General Mils Oatmeal Crisp Cereal
Taco Bell
Pam Cooking Spray
Pillsbury Shape Cookies
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
JCPenney Portrait Studio
Swanson Canned Chicken
Excedrin
Jergens Moisturizer
Blockbuster Movie/Game Rental (2)
Triaminic Infant Thin Strips
Triaminic - any product
Any Annie's Homegrown product
Theraflu - any product
Lenscrafters
Glade Air Infusions Spray
Glade Plugins Scented Oil Light Show Starter Package
Glade Plugins Scented Oil Refills
D-Con - any product
Rolaids - any variety
Pillsburg Oven Baked Biscuits
Maalox - any product
Gas-X - any product
Ex-lax - 2 24-ct products
Armour - good on Star Chili, stew, hash, or sloppy joe sauce
Comtrex - any product
Glade Carpet and Room Odor Eliminator
Any Flavor Yoplait Trix or Yoplait Kids Yogurt multipack
Pillsburg Oven Baked Dinner Rolls or Mini Loaves
Grands Flaky Supreme Cinnamon Rolls
Enova oil
Pillsbury Italian Meal Breads

I have tried listing these in the coupon trading forums on the main site, but have gotten no response and I just hate to see them go to waste. So, I thought I would try listing them in my blog. I want to trade coupons with someone, so that I can get some coupons I need, too. If you would like to part with any coupons, I need coupons for Oscar Mayer lunchmeat, Camel cigarettes, Hillshire Farm sausage, Jimmy Dean sausage, whole wheat bread, Smuckers Peanut Butter, and any kind of tea. I have a lot of others that I did not list, so if you are looking for something, let me know. Please send me a private message with your wants and mailing address and I will be happy to send them right out to you.