Friday, December 31, 2010

Excuse # 5,892

My blogging has been rather poor! I truly enjoy having a way that I can connect with all of you and air my opinions, concerns, gripes, and just life in general. I find it sort of theraputic, since Brad knows everything that is going on and I NEED to be able to talk to someone else (rather talk at) it works well with me. I try to be positive most of the time and be entertaining as well as realistic. I'm trying to help you all with your coupon ventures as well (but this is not and will not be the source of my blog).

The last month has been incredibily difficult for me, both emotionally and obvisouly physically. Although I have been through the whole not being able to do anything before (July- late September) this time has been so much harder on me. I am so thankful for the church we are attending, because those gracious souls took one more stress away from us! I can not say thank you enough for your help!

I have finally accepted the fact that I have been quite depressed through this and honestly just didn't want to be where I was. (I did have a lot of GREAT memories through the month, with the holidays and family visits, but they were difficult to be get to a place I was comfortable.)
I am starting to feel better about everything now knowing that on tuesday I can start the process of getting back to my normal life.

With this I didn't feel comfortable enough to really blog about anything, I didn't want to air every grievance, or just whine and pout and be negative. I want this to be a happy place and somewhere that you can come and get a quick laugh and then move on with the rest of your day. I plan on finishing my coupon posts here in the next 2 weeks or so (as long as everything continues to get better), but have not done any grocery shopping since thanksgiving, so I'm pretty much going to have to start from scratch again, so we can start again together, just remember to be patient! I'm also planning on on posting about the last month (possibly year) in the near future.

I have several goals for the new year;
1. Be more family oriented, plan fun things to do with the kids, go on more dates with my hubby, and enjoy each other.
2. start walking (and hopefully eventually running again) for nothing else but enjoyment and to feel better about myself.
3. become more frugal so that we can pay things off and provide a better life for our family. Be able to do the things we want to do,whenever we would like.
4. Blog atleast every other day.
5. become more active in our church and community!

These are all goals, not promises, things that I want to work on for me to be a better person. I know that they will take time to get in the habit of doing them, but I think they are all worth it. I am going to be realistic that I am going to fall off the band wagon, but I will just climb back on and try as hard as I can!

I hope that you all have a great year and get everything you hope for! Thanks for sticking with me through all my excuses and rants!

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Life sometimes not so fun

We all know that life has its ups and downs, and most of the time everyones life is like a roller coaster. We all have times when it seems like we are on that great climb to greatness and then we kind of sit at the very top for a while before we start to take that plunge to the bottom, only to start climbing again.

I feel like Im starting that accelerated downfall after the 3 month climb to the top. The last 2.5 to 3 months have been very good to the Warren household. We started with Brad getting an AMAZING new job in mid september. We were lucky enough to find a house that was close to his work, in a great section of town and move in 3 weeks later about a month before we had planned, a huge blessing considering we were living 150 miles apart. We were lucky enough to not have to move our stuff alone and had a moving company move and pack all of our stuff, nerve racking but great all at the same time. Brad and my relationship has been so much easier since we have been here, so much less stressed! I feel like we are finally where we are supposed to be! Life has been good!

Then I had surgery on December 2nd and I was looking down that steep fall! I was so lucky to have my mother in law keep the kids for several days and then come help take care of me! I can't tell you how much that meant to me, I missed my kids, but KNEW I was not going to be able to take care of them yet by myself. Tammie helped in so many ways, making meals, bathing the kids, playing and keeping them occupied, getting me food,meds and ice, and other menial tasks (this is not to sound degrading, it just by definition fits so many things I talk about, housework, mothering etc). Sadly though she had to leave! And the actual turn downward began.

I am so lucky to have a great hubby, he loves the kids and works so hard to provide for us. He works hard and comes home and works even harder. The last week has been very trying on my patience, just because I am crabby and set in my ways. Although Brad has been great and done so much, I like things done in my time and my way. I get anxious when the floor is not vacuumed as often as I see fit, and if there are dishes in the sink. I can deal with a messy house as long as those two things are done, but if they are not done the way I do it, then I flip out! I try to keep my mouth shut so that I'm not complaining and make him feel like hes not doing a good enough job, because he is!

With this flip out comes bitterness, anger, guilt. and frustration. I have had a really hard time emotionally with the fact that I can't do anything, I get frustrated that I can't take care of the kids the way I need and want to during the day, and that I can't carry things from one room to another or at all. The guilt that I feel about being able to take care of my kids and do the work that is my responsibility has overwhelmed me. I'm apprehensive about telling Brad what needs to be done, because I know that he is tired and is doing more than his fair share, but I feel like so much is not getting done, and I can not crawl around on my knees and vacuum the whole house, or stand on my foot to put up the dishes. I know his priorities are different than mine, he gets antsy when there are toys all over the floor, or the trash is stuffed in the trashcan too full, or there are coke cans left on my night table.

I understand he is under just as much stress as I am, I understand that he is trying to make sure that everything is getting done and he just like myself just physically can't do it all. He is worried about me and my healing correctly and quickly. He is worried about the kids being taken care of and loved and played with. He is worried about having to do the grocery shopping, driving me around for atleast the next 4 weeks as well as everything else! I know I need to give him a break because he is doing a fabulous job, but im so tired of having to rely on everyone else! I wish I could just do that jeanie thing and nod my head and it would all be over so that we could get back to normal. I just want to be able to take care of my family and go back to our normal routine! I just want my sanity back! I don't want to be so stressed that every word we say to each other is snippy and spiteful meaning it or not. I don't want to dread the return from work because I know the stress is overwhelming on both our parts. I want to rely on me and only me! I want to be able to get back to the normal. I want to smile and not bitch anymore, and with that I am calling this quits, enough for one day, actually for a lifetime, bt i'm done with this!

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

A break from coupons for what is really important

When Brad and I moved to Nashville in mid October we were expecting to have to go to several different churches before we found one that we would be able to settle with. We figured that it would take us several months to find somewhere we wanted to call our church home. Boy was I wrong! I mean I was TERRIBLY wrong! 1 visit and we were comfortable!

We started going to this church after we took the kids trunk or treating there, after all we had just moved and it was literally just down the street. We ended up missing the majority of the "treating" but that was okay, the members that remained immediately came to us and invited us to join them, much like any church would do, but this is not what has amazed me about them.

As most people know I grew up in the Episcopal Church, my dad is a priest so we were always very active in the church for obvious reasons. I enjoyed several things about this church, especially as a child, but then as I have gotten older, and been able to see the "behind the scenes" way the church is SOMETIMES run, and honestly how snooty it CAN be, I have decided that although the service itself is comfortable, this is not necessarily the way I want to raise my kids. I appreciate more than I can explain the people that I have met and continue to stay in contact with, everyone of them has had an undeniable influence on the person I was and still am. I have met so many amazing people, but most of that was because of the position my dad was in and not for who I was, I can not tell you how many times I was introduced to people as " this is Bryant Kiblers daughter", not really allowed to be my own person, or discover who I really was. Once I had been around people for a while I could sort of let go, but unfortunately when you are a priests family member your whole life is a public spectacle. Never once can I remember someone coming to the aid of my family, whether someone was sick, or when my mom had surgery when we were preteens, or when we (I) just needed someone to be there.

Now I am 29 years old, I have tried the Baptist church and felt like I was going to hell after each service I attended. Some of them not as bad as others, but I always felt guilty for having a glass of wine here, or not tithing 10% of gross income when I could not even pay all of our bills. I'm sorry but I know where a lot of this money goes to, I can't give if I can't even provide for my family, and I'm sure that God would not condemn me for that. So I stuck with what I was comfortable with, the key word was stuck. I knew the church, how the "seasons" worked, I knew what it stood for, and felt comfortable with that, this left me to only have to worry about the people part.

So when we got here my anxiety about finding somewhere that I felt comfortable with just so that the kids could grow up in a church and get the information Brad and I could not remember was important. But just somewhere as a filler was important, I was not expecting to find what I have always wanted, especially so fast and in such a big city. We started attending the Crievewood United Methodist Church down the street from our house, and just like the trunk or treating, people sought us out! I sort of expected a small amount of this, but I NEVER expected to have the amount of warmth, welcoming, and hospitality that was shown to us, it was like we were the only new family in a church of 10, where there is no way not to know you were new.

We immediately began attending Sunday school, and that is where my heart just melts. Within that very first meeting I had the contact information for all the moms in the class to contact with any questions I had, and an open invitation for play dates. I was so excited to know that there were kids in the neighborhood that were the same age as my munchkins, but that would also grow up with my kids in school and church! I was comforted to know that several of these families had grown up in this church and neighborhood and loved it so much that they either never left or returned after being away for a short time.

As we all know I had surgery at the beginning of the month, this was shared with my Sunday school class as I had asked for prayers for patience and a speedy recovery. We have been to this church MAYBE 2 months, we are not members, have not mentioned that we would like to become members, but I am eternally greatful! These families, that barely know us, have taken time out of their busy days, and schedules to help us! The class has setup a meal chart for us, so that we have a hot healthy meal every other day or so. Although 1 meal does not seem like a lot, let me tell you how much stress it takes off of myself and Brad, since I can't place ANY weight on my right foot for the next 3-5 weeks. Brad is having to do pretty much everything, kids, cleaning, cooking, shopping, etc so that meal we just have to heat and serve is a TREMENDOUS help to us. Every time I think about the generosity of these kind hearts, I literally get a lump in my throat and hold back the tears.

This is the way I want my kids to be raised, to know that we help ANYONE that we can, no matter how menial the task may seem. I want them to understand, that being a good Christian is not about just going to church and saying you believe, its in the way you conduct your life and the actions OUTSIDE the church your participate in. I want them to know what being a good steward is truly all about, and just after this short time in Crievewood UMC I have seen this, I know that I have found a home that I am not settling with, but completely comfortable with!

Thank you Crievewood UMC for giving me what I have always been looking for, yet never able to find! Thank you for opening your heart to my family and making us feel so very comfortable and welcome. Thank you for making us feel like we are part of the Crievewood family and that we matter! I can't thank you enough!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

couponing: what I use to help me

Howdy readers,

I am sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you. I am finally off pain meds and able to concentrate without my head falling off from dizziness.

Over the years I have tried to use coupons, and like most people that I have talked to did not save any money and honestly spent more on items I normally would have and gotten products that I never used. I wasted a lot of money, I did not understand how to get the most out of the coupons. I had decided that it was just a waste of time, and I knew I spent more money than I saved, by a lot!

Now I knew that manufacturers and retailers still made a profit after the use of the coupon. I understood the cost of production and how that works, and how it relates to actual price of the product. See most people don't think about all the things that go into making a product. There is of course the things that everyone thinks of, the actual product, and packaging, but most people don't think about everything else that goes into making a product. We forget about, the cost of products to actually make the product being sold, the labor costs to make, package, load, and deliver said product. We forget that the company is having to pay for the utilities to make that product, the electic, water, trash, gas, rental of truck and mileage to and from store. There is a lot that goes into the price of a product. I know more info than you care to know.

But what I did not know was that you don't just use a coupon to use a coupon. Couponing is as some people say an art, the art of stacking coupons on an item that is already on sale, when you do this you can get items for very little or even free. I did not know how coupons actually work, meaning I did not know that the manufacturers, pay the price of the coupon back +$.08 to the retailer, as long as they are used correctly. So to me, it is actually better for the store to use those coupons, they make more money in the long run, however if you do not use them correctly, that is fraud and illegal, and the store does not get reimbursed.

The very first thing I suggest you do to become an avid couponer is to pick one store and one store only to start with. When you pick more than that, I feel that you become so overwhelmed with all the stores different policies and procedures, and finding the deals, that you are more than likely to get burnt out and just give it up. So start small with one store. Get online and research your stores coupon policy, this is very important to your success and feeling good about what you are doing. If you can't get the polocy online, go talk to your stores customer service manager, they are generally more happy to help you in the beginning than have to someone that doesnt understand trying to rip them off because they don't know what is going on. Remember just because the register allows a coupon, does not mean that you are using it correctly.

I also recommend that you find a few (no more than 5) blogs to read and help you find those good deals that are out there. I say no more than 5 because once again you will get overwhelmed, and honestly a lot of the blogs repeat the same information. Some of my favorites are; hip2save.com, addictedtosaving.com, freebies4mom.com, Iheartpublix.com (she also has one thats called Iheartkroger.com, but I haven't used or looked at this one since I prefer publix), and totallytarget.com . I subscribe to these through an rss feed in my google reader (you have this if you have a gmail account, its just called reader on the top left of your screen when signed into your account.) With this being said, I would go ahead and set up an additional email account that you use only for signing up for freebies, and your couponing "stuff."

Obviously, you can get coupons from the sunday paper, but there are several websites that post coupons as well; coupons.com, redplum.com, smartsource.com, and of course you can go to manufacturer sites to see if they have any promotions going on. Facebook also has manufacturer pages, where they have samples and/or coupons. (I have also added my favorite blog sites to my friends on facebook, they post lots of deals there as well)

I'm starting to get unfocused, so I'm going to stop here. Next time, I will pick up where I left off and go into organization of the coupons you have.

Good luck with couponing, until then next time!


Saturday, December 4, 2010

Coupon Abbreviations.

Coupon abbreviations that you should know. You will see most of these on blogs that you are/will follow.

  • $1/1,$2/1, $1/2 etc.= This means the amount of discount compared to the number of products to obtain that discount. for example $1/1 is $1 off of 1 item, $2/1 is $2 off of 1 item, $1/2 is $1 off of two items. With this you have to purchase the number specified to recieve discount.
  • AC= After Coupon
  • AR= After Rebate (you pay out of pocket, send reciept in and get a check back to you)
  • BC= Before Coupon
  • Blinkie= a machine that dispenses coupons in the store, usually in front of the product. There is usually a red light on the side that blinks.
  • BOGO, B1G1, B1G1F= Buy one get one free
  • B2G1= Buy 2 get 1 free
  • BFTE= Box tops for education, These get sent in and the school you designate gets a so much money per "top"
  • B&M= Bricks and Mortar, refers to a store building as opposed to an online store
  • CAT or Catalina= coupons that print out of register after your purchase, usually based on what you purchased. (whatch expiration dates)
  • CPN or Q= coupon
  • CRT= cash register tape, your receipt
  • DCRT= dated cash register tape
  • DND= do not double
  • ECB= extra care bucks from CVS, this is money that can be used on your next purchase that prints after you purchase that day. They do have expiration dates.
  • ES= easy saver, Walgreens montly coupon/rebate book, located in store.
  • ETA= edited to Ad
  • ETS= Excludes travel sizes
  • EX or X= expires on
  • FAR= free after rebate, (pay out of pocket and then get reimbursed )
  • Filler= items you buy in order to meet required amount to use coupons or get a deal
  • FS = free shipping
  • FLIP= food lion internet printables
  • GC =Gift cards
  • GDA= good deal alert
  • GM= general mills
  • Hangtag= coupon that is hanging from a tag around a bottle or jar
  • HTH= hope that helps
  • IP or IPQ= internet printable
  • IVC= Instant value coupons, walgreens monthly or weekly coupons
  • JEDI= The cashier that you want, knows what is going on
  • MFG or MFR= Manufacterer
  • MIR = mail in rebate (pay out of pocket and get reimbursed)
  • MC or MQ= Manufacturer coupon
  • MM = money maker, making money after coupons
  • NED= no expiration date
  • NWPN= no wine purchase necessary ( Publix coupon)
  • ONYO= on your next order
  • OOP= out of pocket
  • OVERAGE= money you earn when coupon exceeds price of item ( store specific to whether they allow overages)
  • PEELIE= coupon that is stuck to a product like a sticker. intended to be used then
  • P&G= procter and gamble
  • PSA= price starts at
  • POP= proof of purchase (upc code)
  • Q or CPN= coupon
  • REGIONAL= deal in only specific area
  • RC= Rain check, out of sale item, store allows you to get item when restocked at sale price
  • RP= red plum insert in paper
  • RR= Register rewards, walgreens money coupon after a purchase to be used towards next purchase, has CLOSE expiration date.
  • SCR= single check rebate, rite aid
  • SP = stock pile
  • SS= smart source insert in paper
  • STACKING= using more than 1 coupon example, 1 manufacter coupon, 1 store coupon, 1 competitor coupon on 1 item.
  • TEARPAD= pad of coupons placed in the store usually in front of the item.
  • TMF= try me free, (usually pay first and then get rebate, can be stacked with coupons for even more savings)
  • TRIPLE= tripling a coupon in value
  • UPC= universal product code, bar code
  • UPR= up rewards, a catalina coupon to use at rite aid
  • WAGS= walgreens
  • WSL= while supplies last
  • WT= wine tag (publix wine club)
  • WYB= when you buy
  • V= valassis coupon insert found in sunday paper ( same as red plum, smart source, etc)
  • X= expiration date
  • YMMV= your mileage may vary, may not be worth the deal based on mileage you have to travel.

Coupons 101



We have all seen coupons in some form or fashion over the years, but coupons have started to come in many more forms in the last few years.

When I think of a coupon I typically think of the traditional coupon which I find in the newspaper, or is sent in the mail by a manufacturer.

Do not print this coupon it is for demonstration purposes only and is NOT valid!
(Thanks to BlueDogBakery.com for this image)

However, coupons come in many forms and can be tangible or just codes. Here are a few types of coupons you will likely see;
  • manufacturer coupon- typically by a brand for a specific product, coupon will say manufacturer coupon
  • retailer or store coupon- a coupon offered by a store for specific item or amount off a product(s)
  • peelie coupons- a coupon that is stuck to a product like a sticker to try to get you to buy item right then
  • printable coupons- coupons that are online that you can print out and redeem at a store for a specific item, typically a manufacturer coupon. (I will post websites I use for these at the end)
  • catalina coupons- coupons that print from the register after your purchase, usually based on your purchase.
  • electronic coupons- coupons that can be loaded onto your loyalty card (i.e. Kroger card, cvs card etc.) from the Internet.
  • loyalty cards (Kroger plus card, cvs card)- discounts that are typically automatically deducted from the price of an item if you buy the allotted amount.
  • mailers- coupons sent you via snail mail for a specific product.
  • online coupons/promotional code- usually a code (series of letters and/or numbers) that you would enter upon checkout of an online purchase.

The definition of a coupon according to wikipedia is a "ticket or document that can be exchanged for a financial discount or rebate when purchasing a product."
Coupons are typically used by a company and/or retailer to try to entice you to purchase a specific product. The coupon by itself is not always a good deal, as the coupon alone usually specifies a specific brand/size/amount that you have to purchase to get the discount allotted. The savings come when you learn to look for sales and stack those coupons to get even better deals.

How a coupon works.

We are going to use the coupon I posted at the top again to understand how to look at coupons.

The most important thing about a coupon is understanding what that coupon is saying. There are 5 main things that I look for when looking at a coupon;
  1. Whether the coupon is a manufacturers coupon or a store coupon, you can see that this one is a manufacturers coupon. (You will want to know this based on your stores coupon policy, I know I can stack a store AND manufacturers coupon for even more savings.)
  2. When the coupon expires, I look for this so that I know how much time I have to find a good deal. (From what I have seen so far, most coupons will be good for about a month)
  3. What the coupon actually is for, and how many items I have to purchase to obtain the discount. This coupon is for $1.00 off of 1 (or $1/1) bag of dog treats.
  4. I also look for a minimum size on the purchase, I am learning, that I can get somethings for free, because of the no size exclusions. (I get trial sizes of deodorant/laundry detergent for free because most do not excluded trial/travel sizes)
  5. In the middle there are usually guidelines on how to use the coupon, whether you can pair (stack) it with another coupon or not. It will also say how many coupons can be used per transaction (total purchase) or purchase (one item).
***I want to remind you all that I am still learning and am not trying to give you incorrect information. To the best of my knowledge, I am giving you correct and authentic information. Once again, make sure that you do your own research, and check with your stores on their policies!***

This next part we are going to go through how the coupons actually work. I want to to give credit for this to Hip2save and AccuGraphix both for content and graphics. We will be using this bar code for the next explanation (this has probably been the most important info I have used)
UCC prefix (NSC) - This number will always be a 5 or a 9. These numbers have to do with doubling if you store will allow.
EAN UCC prefix- These numbers tell the register what type of coupon it is. (whether this is a peelie or an insert coupon, although I have not looked at this)
UCC Company prefix (EAN UCC company prefix)- positions 2-6 (3-8) this group of numbers identify the manufacturer (brand), these must match the product you are purchasing and is how the computer validates your coupon.
Family code- The next 3 numbers are the family code. For example, I'm going to give you two different groups of numbers, from two different coupons. Both for Pampers products, but one for wipes and one for diapers

ucc prefix UCC company code Family code value code (we haven't gone over yet)
wipes
5 37000 462 50
diapers box
5 37000 481 82

As you can see Prefix code is 5 both could be doubled, if your store allows
UCC Company Code is the same both are PAMPERS brand
family code is different, this shows what the exact product is that can be purchased.

Value Code- The last two numbers in the group are the value of the coupon, what you need to purchase to get said amount. These numbers do not necessarily tell you the exact amount off, as they are a code and there are more than 100 codes for a full list of the values go here or here.

Check Digit- This is the very last number, and is somehow calculated by the rest of the digits in the bar code system. It will change but I do not really understand the purpose of this number!

I highly recommend you visit Hip2Save Be A Confident Shopper post and her coupon newbies info. (She is one of my favorite bloggers and I use Collin's help A LOT!!!!! She is very funny and realistic) as well as AccuGraphiX "The Bar code people" which is where I got a lot of my information.

Please remember, that I am still learning and I am to the best of my knowledge giving you correct information, to aid in your ability to get the most out of your couponing. Please check with your store(s) to get their policy. Just because you can ring up a coupon, does not mean that you should! Make sure to do your research!

Thanks again to Hip2Save, Accugraphix, and bluedogbakery for your help!