My successful matchup shopping trip.

Today I hit Walmart with my extra large coupon binder and a 2 page 
list of store items to check out and seeing if it's the best deals 
(or sometimes not).

I had a lot of fun and each time learn quite a bit each time. 

All went very smoothly without incident as my previous adventure was.

Also, had Haylee with me, (which is a fab life lesson for our homeschool hours),
so she uses one cart to have regular priced items/and coupons matches only, 
and I have a basket with price matchups and/or coupons.

I had very close to $60 of coupons.  And LOTS of price matchups.  

Many weren't but a few cents here and there but all adds up.

Here is a list of a few of my fav's.

(please keep in mind, I live near Heber Springs, AR 

so these are prices near my town)

General Mills cereals (up to 13 oz)  
Wm - $2.82-$2.98  = Edward's Food Giant - $1.48 + -50c. coupon.

Oscar Meyer bacon (1 lb pkg) 
Wm $4.48 = Knight's Super Foods - $1.99 ea

Bush's baked beans (28oz) 
WM $1.98 = Edward's Food Giant - $1.78 + - 50c. coupon

Angel Soft bath tissue (24 roll) 
WM $ 10.97 = Cash Saver@Newport $5.45+10% = $6.05

Paper Mate Ink Joy pens (8ct)  
WM $3+? = Staples - $1.00/pk

Planters Peanuts 16 oz - 
Wm $3,50 = in store coupon from Family Dollar insert $3.00

And remember - like I stated earlier,  I had LOTS of coupons and many small matchups that add up really quickly!

Also, I NEVER buy anything with or without a matchup with coupon and sale if I wouldn't already purchase it or want to try it anyway!

A hint to help a LOT when you get to the register that will make things run SOOO much smoother, is make sure to carry the smalles size of  "post it" notes, and write where you are matching and the price, and stick it to the items.  

When I saw on a site to do that - it helps sooooo much!

Also, I try my best to group all my "like" items together as I set them on the belt, and try to seperate the price matches seperate from the regular priced items.

You will be amazed at how easy, and how much fun it could be to play this.

And you save money at the same time.  

With all the coupons and price matchups I had along with using Ibotta (a phone app)
I think I saved approximately $136.00 in all.

It's like getting free turns on the board of Monopoly and landing on Free Parking.

Remember, have fun!  

KNOW the rules!  

Play fair and enjoy!!!

New updated list of stores I price match to:

I have updated my list for online viewing of all the main stores 

I like to try to price match to my local Wal-mart store.

(There are a few more, but they don't always 

post sales in the local paper and/or online.)

Remember - play the game of coupon-ing and price-matching by the rules. 

Know all the rules and stick to them and when you are very certain you are right - Stand your ground.  

Corporate makes these rules to bring in our business. 

If our local store wants our business as much as Corporate does - they will 

play by the rules the same as we are suppose to.

And remember - Bring your PROFESSIONAL attitude!!

What Can You Freeze? How to freeze 30 Foods

Great post with lots of clickable links to find out what you can freeze and the best ways to do so.  

Be sure to check them out and plan to purchase an extra this and that to build a stock of many of your regularly used products that you can find on sale and with coupons for even more savings (along with the convience of not running out when you are wanting to make your extra special dish at the last minute.  :)

(link below)

Thanks to Stockpiling mom's for another great post to help all of us.  :)

Link is:

What Can You Freeze? How to freeze 30 Foods

Knowing When and How to Stockpile Groceries

Great article on creating a home stockpile when you are using those coupons and price matching.

Here are couple of pics of my lil beginnings of a stockpile from sales matchups and coupons.



Thanks stretcher.com for a great article.

Link is:
Knowing When and How to Stockpile Groceries

Creating a work/play/craft room

My darlin' hubby has been working on helping make a room of my own as a computer, crafty, office, couponing, playin', quiet time-getaway and create room.

I have never had all my crafty items all in one place, usually tucked here and there all over the house.  From sewing machine and accessories, in one room, to painting and accessories, scattered here and there along with all the little craft accessories to do with Haylee.  

Even added my computer and files to call it a bit of an office.  (So I could say I was "working" not playing)  lol!!

We even added a little work area for Haylee to spend time in here coloring, lil crafting projects, etc.  So much for the quiet part of this.  lol!!  

Well, I have almost got all of it worked out and now trying to organize and come up with some touches of color here and there.  

I keep leaning toward turquoise - that is after figuring out the difference between turquoise and teal.  Very close - yet very different.  If not careful, I keep leaning to teal then correct myself.  :P

I have had a heck of a time coming up with several things to try to add to my new room.  One of them is flowers.  Can't seem to find any type of turquoise flower that might work.

So after my frustration, a light came on  - Ding!!!  

Paint some flowers.  So off to Wal-mart to get simple white flowers and some turquoise craft paint.  

Here are a few of the pics I took of the process.  Actually had a blast making them.  May try my own colors from now on instead of the so called not perfect - perfect manufactured ones that never quite work.  :P

First step - take the flower apart

I mixed just a little water to the paint so it would spread easier

Start in center and apply pretty thick.  Then gradually pull outward with your brush

as far as you want it to go.  

I brought paint out almost all the way to the ends on the under large layer of the flower

Don't reload brush with more paint, just drag from center - outwards.

The top large layer of flower, I didn't bring paint out as far so tips would be more white.

Repeated the same thing with the very center of petals of flower - leaving tips white to accent it.

Now the hard part - wait for it to dry a little bit.  

Then just put petals back onto center stem and replace onto sticks of 

the original bunch of stems and leaves and WA - LA.  

Original flowers just as nature intended.  None exactly precise, but

perfect in it's own way.  :)

Add a Headphone Wrapper to Your iPod Case with Two Buttons [DIY]

Such a cool and simple idea.  Headphones are always a problem and getting tangled!  

Add a Headphone Wrapper to Your iPod Case with Two Buttons [DIY]: "

With just a few buttons and a bit of thread, you can add a built-in cable wrapper to any gadget case to keep your headphones close by and tangle-free. More »

FlyLady - My lil' Purple Herone

FlyLady is my lil purple heroine!

I have been "fluttering" for a couple of years.  

I get sidetracked very easily with the hectics of life, 

but I try to keep at least the little things in mind at 

all times that FlyLady writes about.