Sleepless night ramblings

So my family and I have officially been in Texas for two months.  I would say that we are relatively settled.  The four of us have a down a daily routine which consists of the hubs going to work, and the girls and I sleeping to 8 am.  We have really been able to to catch up on school work because of the lack of social life that we have here.  I did not realize how much we had going on back in Vegas until the first month we were here I did not have to put gas in my car.  I have also noticed that Baby has started to play with imaginary friends with names of people she knew in Vegas.  Its actually quite sad.
Part of the reason for the lack of social life is that for the past 8 years, my life revolved around my church and my church family.  For the first 4 years that hubby and I were married, we were overseas in Italy.  Well, being so far away from family, we had to make friends that would become our family.  That was what happened at our church their.  Then when we moved to Vegas, we did the same thing.  We both were extremely active in the churches.  All my friends were members of those churches.  Because of that, my girls' friends were the children in the churches.  They never had friends outside of church.
This is presently quite a problem here in Texas because after two months we still have not found a church to call home.  At this point in time, I am extremely discouraged and the problem is not the lack of churches here.  As we are in Texas, there are tons and tons of churches to choose from.  We have visited 4 churches in the area and none of them have truly felt like the Lord is telling us that is where we belong.  The first two churches were just not what we were looking for in a church.  The third church showed potential.  My husband liked it the first time we went.  And we continued to go for a month.  And after a month, I still did not know the name of the people in the church (this was not a very big church at all.  There were roughly 30 adults that would show up.)  Not even that after a month, I had no idea who the Pastor's wife or family was. Being part of a church plant has taught me a lot about making guests feel welcome.  I realize that gong to church should not be purely social.  We are to go to learn God's word but we are also to go to fellowship with other Christians.  And I was not getting that and still am not getting that.  It is so important as a Christian to fellowship with other Christians.  Having a brother or sister in Christ to lean on, to encourage each other and just to have a good time with, and to grow with is so important.  Yes we are to have our daily time alone with Christ but we are to also fellowship with fellow believers.  Because of this lack of fellowship, I still do not feel like this is home.  My church home and church family is back in Vegas and miss them dearly every Sunday.  I have gone off on a tangent.  But because of this feeling of not really belonging even after a month of attending, we decided to try a new church today.  Well, the church we attended today was huge compared to what we are use to.  Several hundred people in just the service we attended.  They had two services at two different locations.  I actually really enjoyed the worship time and the teaching.  The church took communion today since it was the Sunday before Easter, which was fine.  Well, when the plates came around our entire row was skipped when it came to the juice.  So my husband and I had our bread but no wine.  And in a room of over a hundred people, it is kind of hard to get someone's attention to correct this situation.
I know that I may be judging these churches too harshly but I truly am discouraged over the fact that after two months of looking, we still have not found a church home.  I know that the Lord has the place for us and I need to wait for His timing.  It might even be at one of the places that we have already visited and I am not allowing His will to work.  I guess I am ready to find a place that we can serve and continue to grow.

On another note, I am thinking of starting a new blog.  This blog would only be about couponing.  I haven't decided if I want to do that or not.  I was thinking of creating a couponing blog that targeted the area that I live because there is not one right now.  I have noticed that the grocery circulars do not match completely with the ones I am finding on line.  I thought it might be cool to start one for the weekly deals for the Kroger, HEB and also Village Foods which is a local grocery store.  And of course it would have the national retail stores on there as well.  Please let me know what you guys think in the comments.

Shopping week of 3/17

Here is my shopping results for this week.  I have been fighting a cold since Tuesday so I feel that I didn't do as good as I could have.  I also had planned on going to Walgreens but didn't make it.  They have a new system of Balance Rewards that I haven't quite figured out yet.  But for this week I just went to Target and CVS.

CVS:
Bought:
     Transaction 1:
          Buy $20  Glade products get $10 Extra Bucks
          3 Glade Expression starter kits   reg. $5.79 on sale for $2.89
          2 Glade sprays   reg. $1.99
          1 Glade oil warmer reg. $2.49
          1 Glade twin pk refill    $7.29
           used:
              (2) 2.00/1 Glade expression starter kit
              (1) .55/1   Glade room spray or Glade Expression starter kit
              (1) 1.00/1 Glade plugin twin refill or two refills
              (1) 2.00/2 Glade Spring Collection items
              (1) 1.00/1 Glade Plugin Scented Oil warmer
       Total: $13.88 + taxes got $10 EB
     Transaction 2:
         Buy $15 of select candy and get $5 Extra Bucks
         6 Whopper Robin Eggs  reg. $2.99 on sale for $2.00
         2 Jolly Rancher Jelly Beans  reg. $2.99 on sale for $2.00
         4 Dentyne gum reg. 1.57 on sale B1G1 free
         2 20 pk CVS brand AA batteries  reg. 10.49 on sale for B1G1 free
         used:
           (2) 1.00/2 Dentyne or Trident gum SS3/17
           (2) 2.00/3 Whoppers, Hershey's kisses, Reeses, SS3/17
           (1) 1.00/2 Jolly Ranchers SS1/27
     Total: $22.63 used $10 EB from Trans 1 and $4 EB from last week = $8.63 + taxes

Target:
Bought:
    12 Bounce Sheets 34 ct     reg. $1.97
    4  L'Oreal SH 1.7oz  reg. .99
    2 Lean Cuisine Salad Additions reg. $2.99 on sale for $2.39
    1 Disney Princess toy keys  reg. $2.55
    1 Speedo swim googles 3 pairs reg $14.99 on sale for $13.49
     used:
         (4) $3.00/3 Tide, Tide Boost, Downy or Bounce   P&G 3/3
         (4) $3.00/3 Laundry care items Target coupon
         (4) $1.00/4 L'oreal advanced hair care treatment  RP3/17
         (2) .75/1 Lean Cuisine Salad Additions
         (1) 1.00/2 Lean Cuisine Target coupon
         (1) 30% Disney Princess toy
      Total: $17.15 used $5 GC from previous trip = $12.15

Total OOP: $34.66 - $5 EB = $29.66 + taxes
Retail value: $133.43
Savings: 78%

I could have done better if I hadn't bought the googles or the batteries.  I didn't have coupons for them but that is what happens when you bring children on the shopping trips with you.

Here is a break down of what I would have spent and saved if I didn't buy those two extra items.
CVS:
    Trans 1: $13.88 used $4 EB from last week = $9.88 get $10 EB
    Trans 2: $12.14 use $10 EB from Trans 1 = $2.14 get $5 EB
Target:
     Total: $3.66 used $5 GC. No OOP money.  $1.34 left on GC.
Total OOP: $7.02
Retail value: $97.46
Savings: 93% !!!!!!!  (This would have been a first for me to save that much.  Oh well kids will be kids.)

I also will be writing a post that explains how I get my coupons and where I go to match the deals with the coupons for maximum savings.  I will also include the different store policies and rules that go along with couponing.  Let me know in the comments what other questions you guys have.  Also let me know if you guys would like a shopping list in the beginning of the week so you know what I plan to buy.

My two goofballs with their new goo goo goggles.

 
                 

Couponing Again

Its been a long time since I have seriously couponed.  Before we moved I just felt there was no need to stock up and then have to move everything.  It would have costed us more to move all of it then what I saved.  Since the move, I have found a lot more time to get back to couponing.  Here are the shopping details of the past week.  I went to CVS, Walgreens, Target and Dollar Tree on 2 different days.

CVS and Walgreens trip

Here is the break down of that trip.  

Walgreens:

Bought:

    6 Kraft Mac & Cheese      $.79 sale price 

       used (2) 1.00/3 printable coupon = .46 ea

    4 2 ct Lever 2000 bar soap $2.49 B1G1 free sale

       used (2) 1.00/1 wash or bar soap  = .75ea or .37 per bar.  (I should have only bought 2 and used 2        coupons.  This would have made it .25 ea or .06 per bar.)

    4 Nivea Shave Gel  $3.59 B1G1 free sale

       used (2) 2.00/2 shave gel = .80 ea

    10 packs ID gum  .99 sale price

        used (5) 1.00/2 from SS 2/10(exp 3/24) = .49 ea

Total: $13.80 for $44.57 worth of stuff.  That's a 69% savings.  

CVS:

Transaction 1:

Bought: 

    1 Suave almond and shea butter shampoo 28oz  2/$6 

    1 Suave almond and shea butter cond. 28oz 2/$6

    1 Suave mango mandrin lotion 18oz 2/$6

        used (1) buy 2 suave professional items get lotion free

    1 Suave deodorant  1.00 sale 

        CVS promotion: Buy $10 of Suave products get $3.00 Extra Bucks = $1.00 ea

    1 Gold Emblem jelly beans .99 

        CVS promotion: Buy 1 get .99 Extra Bucks = free

    1 Di Gel  5.00

       used 3.50/1 SS 1/20 (exp 3/15)

       CVS promotion: Buy 1 get $2.00 Extra Bucks = .50 moneymaker

    1 Almay eyeliner $6.49

    1 Almay concealer $7.79 

       used $5.00/2 Almay cosmetic product

       and $3.00 off any Almay purchase from magic coupon machine

       CVS promotion: Spend $10 on Almay product get $4 Extra Bucks = 1.14 ea

Total: $15.77 plus $9.99 extra bucks

Transaction 2:

Bought:

     2 Edge Shave Gel $3.49

        used (1) B1G1 free up to $3.00.

        CVS promotion: Buy 1 get $2.00 Extra Bucks = .99 ea

     2 Angel Soft 12 ct $5.00

        CVS promotion: Buy 2 get $2.00 Extra Bucks = $4.00 ea (not the best deal but really needed toilet paper.)

Total: $13.98 use $9.99 Extra Bucks = $3.99 plus $4.00 Extra Bucks (so these transaction because free.)

Grand total: $19.76 plus $4.00 Extra Bucks = $15.77 for $58.86 worth of stuff.  That's a 73% savings.

Dollar Tree:

Bought:

   2 Olay bar soap $1.00 

       used $2.00/2 Olay Bath Bars, Body Washes or In-Shower Body Lotions = free

Total: free

Target:

Bought:

    2 Suave Moroccan Infusion Color Care Shampoo $3.49

    2 Suave Morocaan Infusion Color Care Cond.      $3.49

       used (2) B1G1 free Suave Keratin or Moroccan product = .99 ea (the register took $5.00 per coupon so $10 total.)

    2 8x10 photo frame $2.99

       used (2) 2.00/1 photo frame (any photo frame $2.00 and up) Target coupon = .99 ea

    2 PAAS Egg dying kit $1.50

       used $1.00/2 PAAS Easter Kit = $1.00 ea

    2 Market Pantry Pasta Sauce $1.37 

       used $1.50 Target coupon = .62 ea

    4 TGI Friday Honey BBQ Wings 3/$9

       used (2) $1.00/1 TGI Friday snack item

       plus (1) $2.00/3 TGI Friday snal item

       Target promotion: Buy 3 get 1 free = 1.25 ea

    2 2pk Degree Deodorant $3.99

    2 Clear shampoo $4.99

        used (2) B1 degree item get 1 Clear shampoo free

        Target promotion: Buy 4 Unilever product get $5 gift card = 1.02 moneymaker (the register took $6.99 off per coupon so $13.98 total.)

Total: $21.10 plus $5 gift card = $16.10 for $65.10 worth of stuff.  That's a 75% savings.

 

All the totals are before tax.  I know that every states has their own sales tax so your total out of pocket expense is going to be different than mine.  Hope this starts you on your own couponing adventure.  I truly enjoy finding the deals and then coming home and telling my husband about the money that I saved.  If you have any questions feel free to comment below and I will try and answer any questions.