"I'm Back" ...& Sharing my Latest Obsession

"I'm back!" ...returning to my second blog that is!

Leaving blogging was a result of many factors, lack of time being a primary one. But I've come to realize over the last few weeks, I really missed the creative outlet it provided me. So for the sake of withholding a whole lot of jibberish, let's just say, I'm back...I'm declaring blogging much needed "me time," and I'm taking it! {"smiles"}

"So, what's new in my life," you may ask. Well, I too have fallen into the newest craze of COUPONING!

I am an amateur couponer by all standards!!! I do not hoard products by the thousands I purchased for nearly nothing--excluding my hefty stash of toilet paper. Nor do I spend hours and hours each week searching for coupons and planning my shopping trips. Although I am in awe of those that do, and the money they save-they have my upmost respect!

And I have not graduated to a binder to house my coupons. But I have upgraded from a single white envelope, to organized sandwich baggies contained in a larger gallon sized ziploc bag.
And I have been spotted most every Sunday morning in the last month, 7 a.m. sharp at the convenient mart down the street, buying a Sunday Paper or two--in my PJ's, before I even brush my teeth or hair. That may be little on the extreme side, I admit!

And by breakfast, my newspaper is an utter mess!

But I do love a bargain! For years, I've purchased store brands to cut the cost of our grocery budget, with the exception of toilet paper, sliced cheese, and sodas. Everyone deserves a few (name-brand) luxuries in life--these three are mine! {"smiles"}

With couponing, I can sample, (and enjoy), namebrand products for less without breaking the bank, so to speak!

For my first couponing trip, spurred by watching several episodes of Extreme Couponing, on TLC, I scoured the internet for printable coupons, clipped some from the newspaper, and hit the Triple Coupon Weekend at Harris Teeter. I was a little intimidated by the seemingly convention of women, armed with a binder or two, parading into the store on a mission with determination and dollar signs in their eyes--dollar signs of savings. That trip, I spent around $95, but saved $65. I was hooked!

Unfortunately I don't save that much every week. This past trip, I spent $95, and only saved $30 with coupons and instore sales. ....I'll take $30, $30 is good! {"smiles"}

So, back to the new products I am able to try at a great price, that I otherwise never would have...

These are a few that I've purchased on sale, with coupons, and I love them! ...can't remember the prices or savings, but highly recommend them...if a coupon is available, of course!

~glade, Tough Odor Solutions, Clear Springs --Smells heavenly for weeks after it is used and vacuumed up!

~Lysol Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner with Lime & Rust Remover --States that it "Destroys Hard Water Stains," and does it ever! Best toilet bowl cleaner I've found!

~Scrubbing Bubbles Mega Shower Foamer --Spray this product on, and let it do the work for you! Great on soap build-up and grease (my husband's hobby is restoring tractors and cars-cleanup makes a mess in the shower). The only complaint I have, is that our showers are large, and the can doesn't seem to go very far.

~Soft Scrub Total Kitchen Cleaner --I have used the bathroom cleaner "brother" to this product. I liked it because you can turn the bottle upside down and it still sprays product. But the Kitchen edition is even better. The lemon scent is really nice and leaves my white countertops sparkling clean!

I've also tried new foods, two of which I really enjoyed are pictured above. Both purchased with coupons! The "Emerald Breakfast on the go!" was on sale, 2/$4.00 at our local Food Lion, which is where I do most of my grocery shopping. I had a coupon for $1.00 off, so I purchased one box for $2.00, and ended up paying $1.00 for it after the coupon was redeemed!

After holding on to an Era coupon for weeks, I redeemed it for a bottle that was on sale for $3.97, and after $1.00 off, only cost $2.97.

That's pretty exciting, huh? Saving money sure is "music to my ears." And while I am by far no expert, nor will TLC be calling me for their new hit series, Extreme Couponing, I'll share a few more of the things I've found that work for me in a future post.

For now, I'll be finishing off my bag of Newtons Fruit Thins, Chocolate Raspberry flavored, and enjoying every morsel! {"smiles"}