New phone.

John found a good deal on new phones this week. So now I won't sound like I'm underwater when someone calls us. It was getting annoying. Now it's all good.

Sick.

The first week of summer break is not working out exactly as I had planned. My plan was that I would use this time to organize myself and prepare for the next few months of being at home every day with the girls. By the way, if Miss Erica is reading this, Audrey says she wants to go back to daycare for a day so she can make you happy.

We have made up a list of fun activities and we've made a daily routine, which we are doing well following. Quiet time (1-3p; don't call us then!) is awesome -- it really refreshes me. Even though yesterday the girls were begging to play with each other. I let them and they did it quietly and without the tv, so that's cool. In fact, tv watching has fallen off greatly. They could have it on right now, but they are just playing in the playroom. This itself is a major accomplishment for the summer. And I am patting myself on the back for following the routine pretty well. I know that my discipline in that regard is what keeps us all on track.

The downside is that someone has been sick-ish nearly every day this week. Today, John is home with a cold (he got very little sleep last night) and I have the same cold. My head is killing me and I feel worn out. I have some work projects that really need my attention. Hoping to get to them this afternoon.

We do have an event-free weekend coming up, so I'd like to use some of that time to get back on track. I really want this, the last summer before both girls are in school fulltime, to be great. I'm not letting a week of setbacks change that.

Page 48!

This is a recently released idea book from Memory Makers, and it's my first time in one of their publications. I submitted a layout from my CK Hall of Fame entry from last year, and it features photos of a friend's baby. It is one of my all-time favorite layouts.

Time for the tally.

I went to Kroger on Monday and I've finally started to see my grocery bill drop (I think I'm on week 7). I spent $94 and saved $55 (38%) off shelf price. I'm finally getting under $100 for the big shop. I was late getting to Walgreen's this week, but I finally made it tonight. I spent $17 and saved $27 off shelf price. I also picked up a few specials at Target, which totaled $8.

I decided to go ahead and add up my spending for May. Here's how it looks:

Kroger
Spent: $497
Shelf price: $831
40% savings

Walgreen's
Spent: $72
Shelf price: $294
75% savings

Compared to last month, I spent slightly more ($14) on $18 more at Kroger. The Grocery Game says to give the program 12 weeks before you start seeing drastic savings. I'm hoping this will happen soon. I do know that we've cut our dining out costs because we always have so much food in the house. Also, we had Margret's birthday party this month, and fed 25+ people.

I did see really big savings at Walgreen's. By combining sales and coupons and my rebates from last month, I spent $141 less than last month. I did buy products worth about $100 more in shelf price last month. So for May, my rebates are only about $15. No worries. I'm well stocked for most personal care items.

When I look at spending overall, Kroger and Walgreen's combined for May was $569 (49% savings), which beats April's spending of $696 (43% savings). I find it hilarious that I'm detailing all this because I'm so not a numbers person. But now I am clearly obsessed with examining every dollar and every savings. Which is not a bad thing, in this economy.

Quiet time worked!

We got started a little late for our two hours of quiet time yesterday, but overall I'd say it was a success! Audrey chose to work on puzzles and draw with markers in the playroom. She came out once or twice, but for the most part stayed busy. Margret wanted to put together her Build-a-Bear project she received at her birthday party. I set her up, but she had to come back to me repeatedly for help. I didn't mind. She was doing such a good job and she was very focused. I worked on some projects for Cupcake Scrapshop. I still need to finish them up, which I'll try to do today.

Of course, my grand plans for a daily schedule didn't quite work out today. I spent part of last night puking, and Margret started in with it this morning. She's better now (me too), but I'm way behind on getting the house picked up and the rest of the things I planned on doing.

It's okay. I know that I can't plan every day, especially with kids around. Life is unpredictable, and we've had a rather healthy year. So I'm not complaining. I'll just try to get us back on track today, and tomorrow is another day.

ETA: I forgot to say the truly best thing about quiet time. Once it was over and we had a snack, the girls never asked for the tv to be turned back on!

Hello, summer.

I walked outside yesterday and discovered that summer had arrived in Tennessee. Or rather, the season we refer to as "Humidity". But that's okay. School's out and I'm ready to begin Lambert's Summer of Fun.

This morning the girls and I made a long list of things we want to do and places we want to go. We did this last year, and although we didn't get them all done, we did do many things on our list. I expect the same this year. I'm also trying something new: a daily routine. It's not set in stone, but it's basically a schedule based around mealtimes and snacks. In the morning we'll clean the house and do errands. And after lunch, I've scheduled two hours of "quiet time". That means no tv, computer, Leapster, etc. You can read, play quietly (alone), do puzzles, write in your journal, color, scrapbook. As long as it's quiet and you don't ask Mommy for anything, you're good.

Quiet time goes for Mommy as well and I will try to use it for scrapping and reading, rather than returning emails or working. Although some days it may be my work time. Since it's quiet time right now, I'm going to hop off the computer and do some Cupcake scrapping. See you later.

Freeloading.

We were out of town this weekend (at a wedding in Nashville) and I was reading a magazine article that had tips about saving money while on vacation. One of the tips was "freeloading off friends". Let me tell you: I had that down to a science. John left here on Thursday, to meet up with his friends for the bachelor party. In order for us not to have two cars up there, I asked another friend who was going to the wedding if we could bum a ride with him and his daughter on Saturday (we couldn't leave before then because Margret was still in school). After we squeezed three carseats in his back seat, we took off.

The girls and I had eaten breakfast at home and I packed snacks for all three kids. We made one pit stop and I bought a Diet Coke. When we got to Nashville, we met up with John and the four of us went to Wendy's for lunch. Cheap. John had to go get ready for the wedding, so the girls and I crashed our friend's hotel room for a few hours. Actually, Audrey crashed and took a nap there. Margret was having a big hissy over something so she and I sat in the hotel lobby (where I read the freeloading article).

I did pay for the lot where my friend parked his car and I had intended to give him some additional gas money but didn't get to it (but I will). I also paid for John to park our van in the same lot. Later in the afternoon we walked over to the wedding (no additional parking expense) and happily watched our friends get married. And then we ate their delicious, free food. And their cake. And their beverages. Free free free.

John walked back to get our van and the four of us headed north a few miles to stay at another friend's house. They weren't part of the wedding contingent and when they heard we were coming to town they graciously offered to host us. We plopped into our beds and were served breakfast and lunch the next day, with offers of money for the takeout pizza refused. Then we went to a neighborhood party with them and once again scored an awesome free dinner. Back at their house, we spent another night.

This morning we said our goodbyes, and stopped to pick up a fast food lunch. Along the way we also bought some snacks for the girls and drinks for us. And even though John went up early, he still got a few meals (breakfast at a friends' house, rehearsal dinner) for nothing. He did pay for two nights in a hotel, but he had found a good deal.

Gas was certainly a pricey part of the trip, but we had expected that. All in all, we didn't do too badly for a vacation. We had such a good time at the wedding and were treated like royalty by our hosts that it truly felt like a vacation. The only downside? I didn't take a single photo. I guess I'll have to check out the wedding photographer's site and freeload off him.

Haircuts.

We finally managed to make it over to see Miss Emma. Both girls wanted shorter haircuts for summer, and I approve. Shorter hair is happier hair at bathtime. Margret really wanted her hair even shorter and I think we will do that at her next trim. She also wants to grow out her bangs. Any ideas, other than barettes and hairspray?

The Grocery Game Guide, part 5: final thoughts.

Read part 1 here.
Read part 2 here.
Read part 3 here.
Read part 4 here.

Hmmm. If you’ve read my past four posts on the Grocery Game it sounds like a lot of work, doesn’t it? For me it’s worth it. I’ve reduced the amount of money we spend and increased the amount of food we buy. I’ve increased the variety of food we buy. I no longer struggle to come up for dinner ideas and leftover night has turned into a buffet. I love having a stocked freezer and pantry (it’s a good thing I have tall cabinets in my kitchen; I’m finally filling them up). I used to think that coupons were just for packaged stuff full of chemicals, but I’ve gotten a lot of good food too (can anyone say free whole wheat pasta?). And the Grocery Game has been a big help in showing me when to buy produce and meat at low prices. And I haven’t even covered the whole area of household cleaners and health & beauty items (that’s coming later).

As you get into your routine, you’ll spend less and less time on the organization. Also, as you build up your stockpile of items, you won’t need to shop for as much each week. The Grocery Game recommends playing for a full 12 weeks to see the benefits of shopping this way. After six weeks, I’m spending about the same as I used, but I’m getting so much more for the money. I do expect to see my weekly bill drop in the next month or two.

One more thing to consider: if you start stockpiling, you’ll need a place to store all your stuff. I’ve heard that some members use their initial savings to buy a deep freezer. I’d love to have one, but I truly have no place to put one. So I sometimes repackage freezer items to fit better in my side-by-side fridge. I’ve learned to cram quite a bit in there. Also, my kitchen cabinets go all the way to the ceiling so I have some extra space at the top that I’m using for the stockpile. I also have a closet that holds my washer and dryer and I store cleaning items in there. My bathroom closet holds personal care items. And my next step will probably be to clear out a shelf in the hall closet for additional storage. If you are lucky enough to have a big pantry, garage or basement you should be fine.

And last, a word of caution. These lists contain great deals every week, but resist the urge to buy just to buy. You’re only saving money if you buy the things your family uses. It’s okay to try new products, but don’t go overboard and buy a dozen of something that your family hasn’t tried yet. Buy one, then go stock up if it works for you. The lists give great information, but you need to make them work for your situation.

Do you have any other questions? Please leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer them. I’m planning another post – on Walgreen’s – coming up next week.

The Grocery Game Guide, part 4: going shopping.

Read part 1 here.
Read part 2 here.
Read part 3 here.

Matching up coupons to my Grocery Game list can take a little time, but it is so worth it. Especially when I can find multiple coupons on a really good deal (this is the reason I buy extra papers and pay a clipping service). I transfer my GG items to my preprinted shopping list and paperclip the coupons to the back of it. I also keep a copy of the sales flyer for Kroger because the list prices are not always a perfect match (stores have the authority to make price changes at the local level). While I’m shopping, I check the shelf price to make sure it matches my GG list price. This does take extra time so for the most part I do the shopping without the kids.

Sometimes I can’t find a deal that’s on my list. Sometimes the store doesn’t carry the item or they are completely out of one they normally do carry. I like to keep track of coupons as I pick up the item, so when I don’t find an item, I move the coupon(s) back to my holder. Before I go to the checkout, I take a minute to go through the coupons to make sure I’ve bought the item and the right quantity. And I hold them in my hand so I won’t forget to give them to the checker. After I get my receipt, I like to gaze lovingly at the part that tells me how much I’ve saved. Not unlike the runner’s high that some people have experienced.

In addition to all this, I usually take a peek at the Kroger flyer that comes in the mail on Tuesdays for the sale that begins on Wednesday. If I see some really good prices (and I’ve gotten better at knowing what a “good” price is) and I have some coupons, I’ll make a mini-trip on Wednesday. I mostly use my internet coupons because I want to save my Sunday insert coupons for when the list says to use them. You may notice a sale on an item that has a coupon in the paper that week. But if the list doesn’t say to use it, hold on to it because chances are that the price will drop before that coupon expires. Also, Tuesdays are a good time to place a clipping service order, because they should arrive before the sale is over the following week.

This week I scored a fabulous deal by combining sales, printed coupons and e-coupons. I bought two Cover eye shadows (on clearance), two Cover Girl mascaras and a Cover Girl blush. I had e-coupons for B1G1F (buy one get one free) on the eye shadow and mascara, and I had two coupons for $2.50 off two CG items. I had a third coupon for a free blush when you buy three CG products. I spent less than $3 on $24 worth of makeup. That's a 90 percent savings. Convinced yet?

Coming up next: final thoughts.

Tiny dancer.

Audrey had her ballet recital last night. Remember how I said she dances with wild abandon in class? She does on the stage as well. We were sitting in the third row, and this is when she spotted us.

The first dance was from Coppelia. They pretend they are dolls and they move stiffly. And they all watch the teacher who is doing the dance in the wings.

At this point I'd like to say that I always hate the way they light performances at this venue. The lights on stage are way too harsh and I can never get a good exposure. At least I never have time to get a good exposure while my kid is up there. And on this night someone kept messing with the lights, turning them down too much, then back up again. I even heard the videographer asking for the lights to be readjusted. Sucks.

But then we got to see the C-A-T dance which is jam-packed full of charm. Audrey was hyper-happy and kept running in place frantically. Which made everyone laugh. And at the end she ran across the stage and led the other girls in a big swirl and then offstage, all of which was what she was supposed to do. But she was so hyper about it I'm sure the other parents thought she was just being nuts! They got the most laughs and biggest applause, and that's show biz for you. I really hope she wants to continue performing in some way.

After the show, Margret and John went ahead to pick up some flowers for the star and get a table at Perkins for us. Audrey mostly just wanted me to take photos of her second year ribbon. So I indulged her.

After dinner, I made Margret pose a bit. Every year at the end of school, I do this double-take when I look at her and I realize she's growing up so fast. She looked so grown up in this outfit and she's decided she wants her bangs to grow out, so I did her hair in a ponytail, with hairsprayed bangs. Friday is haircut day and she wants it cut to her chin. You know I'll post pictures.

Look at that face. That beautiful, beautiful face! It's not just the clothes and the hair. This kid is really growing up. I keep waiting for her to ask me about sex (which I am sure she will not believe is real) and alternately hoping she won't so I can protect her innocence a bit longer.

I'm not a mom who mourns her children's babyhood. I love seeing them grow up and learn and do more. But I sure wouldn't mind freezing a day here and then just so I could revisit my sweet little girls.

The Grocery Game Guide, part 3: finalizing my list.

Read part 1 here.
Read part 2 here.

Each week when I get my Grocery Game list for Kroger (usually Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning), I select the things I’m going to buy and I print it out. When you sign into your account, you can view your list as a database. You can select only the items you are going to buy and print those out, instead of printing the whole list.

Then I start looking for the coupons I need. Most coupons are in my holder, but a few may be in my envelopes filed by insert date. Let me just add here that it will be advantageous if you can become a little more flexible in your product usage when you are Grocery Gaming. I have a favorite type of shampoo, but if I can get another brand for $.25, I’m going for it. Also, I used to only buy Smart Start cereal for myself. But I have recently discovered that I love Multigrain Cheerios more. Plus I was able to buy them for less than $1 a box. I used to buy a lot of Kroger brand items, but now, with sales prices and coupons I can usually get brand names for much less than the store brand. I don’t mind making that change.

While searching for coupons to use that day, I also go through each envelope of coupons looking for ones that are about to expire. I may add those items to my list in case I can find a good price at the store. At this time I also add in non-list things that we buy each week.

I have several internet sites bookmarked where I can print grocery coupons, so I may also pull some of these out and match them to products that may be much cheaper with them. The Grocery Game only tracks Sunday insert coupons, so I’m on my own with these. Here are a few sites I use:

SmartSource
Boodle
Coupon Bug
Betty Crocker
Coupons, Inc.
Coupon Mom

You can also sign up to have e-coupons loaded onto your Kroger card (this is probably available for other stores, but I only know about Kroger). These coupons are tied to your card and can be used in addition to paper coupons. So when something's on sale, it's great to be able to have this additional savings. These e-coupons don't double, but they are automatically credited when you buy the product. You don't have to do a thing once you load them. I believe that there is a limit of about 20 e-coupons at a time. They don't drop off until you use them or they expire. So only pick what you think you will actually buy. Here are a few sites:

Kroger/P&G eSaver
Unilever
Shortcuts

Keep in mind that the Grocery Game list doesn’t just show you items to buy with coupons. It also lists produce, meat and dairy so you can see if those sale prices are really good prices. In the case of meats, I will buy as much as my freezer will hold when there is a good sale. And I plan menus around the sales on produce and meat. Basically I plan menus around the whole list. If my favorite bread is on sale, there may be a French toast night in our near future. Or I may pull some ground beef from the freezer and use it with tortillas that are on sale.

I write out my dinner menus on our big calendar in the kitchen so I know I have the week covered. But I also know I have to be flexible. Last week at Kroger steaks were on sale and I was going to buy them for that night's dinner. But I didn't like the looks of them once I got there and decided not to buy. Luckily, I have a stocked freezer so I was able to make a substitution. Remember, you need to have some flexibility in order to make the most of this way of shopping.

Coming up next: going shopping.

Field Day 2008.

It must be said that Lamberts are not known for their physical prowess. Yet we try. Last week Margret had Field Day at school and I decided to come for part of the day. Field Day in concept is always soooooo much better than Field Day in reality.

Margret was so happy when I arrived. She hugged me and wanted me to hold her hand as the class made their way to the hurdles. Margret was one of the five kids in her class competing against the other first grade classes. I honestly have no idea who won because the rules are totally sketchy and they messed up the competition at first and had to redo it. Whatever.

I was just happy to get a photo of Margret in mid-air. At this point she was still enjoying herself. As the moments worn on (having to wait around for the next competition area, rules still being unclear, the air becoming warmer) the class began to wilt. And moan. And flop.

We sat on the ground waiting for our turn at the sack race, when the teacher (who is eight months pregnant) made the call to just skip it and go back to the classroom. Suddenly the children were able to hoist themselves off the ground and head back in to the air-conditioned building. And I told them stories of a world where schools and houses didn't always have AC. Let me tell you, they were stunned.

The teacher turned on a video for the kids. They still had about 90 minutes before school got out. Thank goodness I was able to sign Margret out for the day. Because then I got to see this face again:

The Grocery Game Guide, part 2: managing coupons.

Read part 1 here.

Each week I cut out nearly all the coupons from the Sunday inserts and I made two stacks: one goes into my coupon holder, the rest are set aside (I usually buy 1-2 extra papers in addition to my home delivery paper). The “set aside” coupons go into a loose envelope that is labeled with the date. I put them into alphabetical order and write the brand names on the front of the envelope. Chances are I won’t use them, but if some great deal comes up I can get to them easily (remember, the Grocery Game list tells you the insert date of the coupon – that’s why these are filed by date). Some people just clip the coupons they will use and hold onto the whole inserts in case they need to go back a grab a good one later. I clip mine just so I don’t have the bulk of full inserts. It’s easy for me to do when watching tv.

Some GGers recommend that you get at least one set of inserts per family member. I find that two or three sets is fine for our family of four. I’ve recently discovered coupon clipping services to fill in gaps. Technically, you can’t buy coupons, but you can pay someone to clip them and send them to you. Here and here are a few different sites that I have used. I have ordered multiples of things I know my family likes and uses (bread, salad in a bag, dressing, OJ, chips, batteries, CFLs, and shampoo). I check expiration dates and only get as many as I think I’ll use before they’re done. Right now I have enough salad and bread coupons to last for about 8 weeks. Those are things that we use every week, but I can’t really stockpile them. It's worth paying $.05 a piece for them.

I’m sure you are wondering how I organize all these coupons. Right now I use a bunch of envelopes bound together. I put them in order of my store layout (produce, breads, meats, cereal, etc.). I also have a shopping list set up in the same order in a word processing program; I print it out and check off what to buy. It’s just what works for me so I don’t have to backtrack much. Some GGers swear by the binder method for storing coupons. They use baseball card holders in a binder and sort by product type or alphabetically by brand. The upside is that you can easily see what you have; the downside is that binders can get awfully big. My coupon holder is getting a bit thick now and it can take time to pull a wad of personal care coupons out just so I can find the one Suave I need. But I’m not ready to make a change yet. You’ll need to figure out a system that’s comfortable for you.

Coming up next: finalizing my list.

And the achievement in gymnastics award goes to...

Margret Lambert!

Last night was her end-of-year program for the gymnastics program she takes after school. She made the switch from ballet this year and I think she's enjoyed the change.

And since the blog has been so word-heavy lately, I thought we could all use a picture-heavy post.

I've shot many, many photos in the school gym this year and I can't believe I forgot to bring my other lens.

I did remember to bring Audrey, who is not always so great at sitting still during Margret's performances.

I think Margret has definitely improved her skills. Our ballet teacher friend, Erin, always tells me how great Margret's feet are -- she can arch her foot and point her toes very well.

I was happy to see that she showed no fear in any of the exercises she did.

I call this shot "I lightened Audrey's eyes too much but I'm too lazy to go back and fix it." Besides, that devilish look matched her mood.

I admit I'm terrified whenever I see my kids placing any kind of pressure on their necks. Is it just me?

Margret received a lovely trophy for her year's work. And it was really fun to watch all the kids work on their skills.

And I think she's ready for the year to come to a close. I know I am. Starting next week, the Lambert's Summer of Fun begins.

The Grocery Game Guide, part 1: getting started.

Ready to get into my favorite obsession? I heard about the Grocery Game from another scrapper/blogger friend of mine. I checked into it, but at the time they didn’t have a list for Kroger, which is where I prefer to shop. A few months ago, I checked back and was thrilled to see they had added Kroger and Walgreen’s. I signed up for my $1 four-week trial. After about six weeks, I’m completely hooked. And very well stocked. And saving a lot of money. I thought I’d write about the way I use the Grocery Game, in case you are interested in getting started.

The first thing you need to do is sign up. And I’d love it if you would use me as your referral (marci@makearteveryday.com). Sign up for all the lists in your area. Before your trial period ends, you’ll be able to narrow it down to the stores you use most. I only have two lists. That’s just as much running around as I want to do. If you have more time and want to be more aggressive about savings, you may choose more lists. After your trial ends, you’ll pay $10 for one list for 8 weeks. It’s another $5 for each additional list.

Lists are published at different times. Kroger’s sales run Wednesday to Tuesday, but I don’t get that week’s list until Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning. So I do my shopping on Sundays. The list comes out then so that you can take advantage of the coupons in the Sunday paper. Walgreen’s sales start on Sunday and the list is available that day. I shop there on Sunday or Monday. I’ll do a separate post about Walgreen’s shopping.

The Grocery Game lists are very comprehensive (you can see a sample here). The list will show you items that are free (with coupons) and at a rock-bottom price (with coupons). For instance, there is a name brand mustard that goes on sale at Kroger for $1 that also frequently has a $.50 coupon circulating. My Kroger doubles coupons, so mustard becomes a free item. My favorite whole wheat bread went on sale recently and combined with a doubled coupon it was about $.25. So the list will tell you an exact brand/size item and it will tell you where to find the coupon (i.e.: “Red Plum insert from 5/4”). The list includes all items in the sales flyer, plus some unadvertised specials, and shows you percentages of savings so you know if something is truly at a good price. Just because an item is in a sales flyer doesn’t make it a great price.

Anyone can clip coupons and get some savings, but the key to the Grocery Game is to use coupons when a product is at its lowest price. Grocery stores and drug stores tend to have 12-week sales cycles, so while products may go on sale a few times, there’s probably only one time that the product is at its truest low price. That’s what the Grocery Game finds with its proprietary tracking database.

Once you’ve signed up for your lists, you need to make sure you are getting the largest circulation Sunday newspaper in your area. Coupons vary from region to region, and generally the biggest paper gets the best coupons. I get home delivery of the Sunday paper, and I usually buy a second (or sometimes third) paper. When you buy a paper, check first to make sure the coupons are in it. The Grocery Game lists will let you know how many coupon inserts should be available each week. Most weeks have two or three. Holiday weekends, like Memorial Day, may have no coupons at all.

You can always ask friends, family and neighbors for their coupons if you know they don’t use them. I’ve even heard that some people dumpster dive in recycling centers just to get coupons. I’ve thought about tossing Audrey over the side of one, but I don’t think she would cooperate. So I go ahead and pay for an extra paper or two.

Coming up next: managing coupons.

Pet coupons: everyone's a winner.

Since I only got two responses for the pet coupons, I've decided to just split them up and send a stack to both Jessica and Laura. Ladies, please email your mailing addresses to me at marci@makearteveryday.com. And get ready to save.

The Pink Palace is free for the summer.

This just in from my dear friend, Toni: The Pink Palace Museum is giving away FREE three-month memberships for the summer. Here's what you get:

- Invitation to Treasure Exhibit Preview
- Invitation for Prehistoric Sea Monsters IMAX Film Preview
- Unlimited Museum Admission
- Unlimited Planetarium Admission
- Unlimited Lichterman Nature Center Admission

Call Membership at 901-320-6406, press 0 and give your contact information and they'll mail it to you. The promotion ends May 22nd.

***

I just called myself and signed us up. I had to keep redialing, though, so don’t give up. I think the Pink Palace will be a great place for the Lambert's Summer of Fun.

Random thoughts.

Our birthday party for Margret yesterday was a great success. Only one kid didn't respond and one kid was sick. All the rest (15) showed up. And had a great time. I overheard a few squabbles but they ended up working themselves out. As they should. I haven't uploaded photos yet, but I didn't take many. I was having too much fun with my guests.

You still have time to enter the drawing for my pet food coupons. Leave a comment here by midnight Sunday.

I've been posting much more often on my other blog, HouseSmart. Feel free to stop by.

I went to see a friend of mine in a dance production this afternoon, so I had to work fast to get my shopping done this morning. Luckily, my Grocery Game lists were up yesterday evening so I was able to go through them and make my own lists and pull coupons. I will write more about the Grocery Game later this week. For now, here's how I did:

Kroger
Shelf price: $177
I paid: $111
39 percent savings (and a $3 off next order coupon)

Walgreen's
Shelf price: $40
I paid: $23
43 percent savings

I'm in my sixth week of shopping this way and the cool thing is that I'm stocking up on items in multiples that I won't have to buy for a while. I picked up very inexpensive salad dressing, chocolate syrup for milk, hairspray, detergent, tube yogurt (I'm putting it in the freezer for frozen yogurt pops), hot sauce (it was free with my double coupon), brownie mix (for Audrey's party), more soft drinks, hot dogs, more cereal, Kleenex, and dishwashing liquid. I also got fresh fruit and vegetables for dinners this week. My freezer is completing full. Completely. Like I'm afraid if I open it something will fall on my foot. But I'm not complaining.

Do you want frugal tips?

One reader commented that she'd like to know more about the Grocery Game, and I will post more about that in the coming days. Today I went to Michael's and the Dollar Tree to buy stuff for Margret's birthday party goodie bags. I spent $14 total for about 18 kids.

Part of that was being very thoughtful about what I was buying (I put a few things back after some consideration). Part of it was using a Michael's 50% off one item coupon (from 5/11 Parade magazine in the newspaper) and putting the balance of $24 on a gift card. I try not to go overboard with gift bags -- just a few little trinkets and some candy. And not much candy. I picked up Tootsie Rolls and Starburst on sale earlier, and I added prepackaged animal crackers and Tootsie Pops from the Dollar Tree.

Margret wanted a butterfly theme, so we will decorate the plain white bags I bought today with butterfly stamps. We'll add $.25 wooden butterfly shapes along with an assortment of butterfly and flower foam stickers, a Tinkerbell pencil, a glow bracelet and a packet of flower seeds (butterflies like flowers, right?). Each kid will also get to take home a butterfly helium balloon (just $1 each at the Dollar Tree; I'll get them in the morning).

The party itself is simple: kids playing in the backyard. We have been doing this for the past two years for both girls and it works out beautifully. I still need to bake some brownies and buy some fruit, chips and ice cream, but all the beverages are bought. My mother-in-law always makes the cake. She is a master at it and everyone always raves.

Audrey's birthday is in late June and we'll plan to party it up sometime in July. If I can get her to pick a theme soon, I'll start shopping for it. I know I'll have some drinks put aside for it. I'll just keep watching the deals to see if I can pick up a little here and there.

When I first started staying home (about six years ago), I was extremely frugal. As John's salary has increased and we added that other kid, I've let things slide. But the economy is pretty sucky right now and I want to beat back some credit card debt, so I'm returning to my old ways. I'd love to pass along other ways we save money. Leave a comment and let me know if you are interested.

Who wants some pet coupons?

While I've been clipping coupons that my family uses, I've also been setting aside a big bunch of pet coupons. We don't have pets (because we have people with pet allergies here). So our loss is your gain. Leave a comment below if you'd like to be entered in a random drawing for these coupons. They are from the last several weeks' coupon inserts and include dog and cat food and other pet care products. Enter by midnight Sunday (CST) and I'll mail them on Monday. Good luck!

I do more than just go to Kroger.

I'm house blogging again. Check it out.

More savings.

You know I can't go more than a day or two without talking about grocery savings. I got the Kroger flyer in the mail on Tuesday and quickly looked to see if there were any good deals that I also had coupons for. On Wednesday morning I dropped Audrey at school and bought four 12-packs of Coke products, two 10-packs of Capri Sun, four 6-packs of water, two boxes of pasta, two boxes of Pasta Roni, two boxes of brownie mix, three bottles of Nesquik, and a bottle of Softsoap.

Shelf price: $49
I paid: $24
53 percent savings

Most of the above will be used at the girls' birthday parties this summer. I'll still need to pick up a few things for Margret's party this weekend (like goodie bag stuff), but I'm hoping to use the balance on my Michael's card to pay for that. And we always get about 20 helium balloons at the Dollar Store. Basically our birthday parties are just backyard fun. We have a beautiful playset (courtesy of John and my dad), and we set up a slip-n-slide and other water stuff and let the kids run wild. Then we fill them with snacks and cake and send them home. It's awesome. And I'm getting excited about it!

And the other kid.

Audrey had her last ballet class of the season yesterday and parents were invited to observe. I totally forgot to tell John. But he'll be at the recital next week.

Here's Audrey with our friend and teacher, Erin. They adore each other. And Erin tells me things like how Audrey is so into ballet.

Yeah. I know. She "practices" at home all the time. Otherwise, how could she get all that air on this amazing jump?

And this is pretty much her face during the whole class. She is freakin' happy to be there.

This is one of the dances they'll do at the recital. That's a C-A-T up there. She does this one at home too.

Audrey approaches ballet exactly the way I think she should: with wild abandon. She may have real talent, or it may just be a hobby that fades in a few years. Either way, it's fine with me. I'll just keep watching this kid no matter what.

From the kid who made me a mom.

Margret made this lovely little book for me at school. To the right is a packet of chores that I may pick from and she's supposed to do without argument. Um. Yeah. Let's see how that goes.

She also wrote sentences about me in the book part. While the statement "Her favorite thing to eat is ice cream with Magic Shell" may be quite true, I'm thinking that the above may be a reflection on the writer rather than the recipient. [By the way, I'd like to publicly thank my sister-in-law, Martha, for introducing me to the joys of Magic Shell. Thanks to her and my coupon stash, we now have several bottles in our cupboard.]

But I can't argue with this kid's heart. Here's how she ended the book. Sweet, sweet girl.

Just about seven years ago from this minute, I had my first baby in my arms. I went through a time in my life when I thought I'd never have kids. I wanted to; the situation just wasn't right. But then I met John and all was right with the world and suddenly I had a baby girl with a thick head of dark hair and little blond tips on the end. And a little strawberry birthmark on her hand that's now faded. I just couldn't stop looking at her.

That first night in the hospital I slept with Margret in the bed with me (nurses don't really like that). I put the head of the bed up and laid my baby next to me and put my arm around her protectively. At one point, late in the night, I opened my eyes and looked down at my girl. At the exact same moment, she opened her eyes and looked up at me. Sort of like we were both checking to make sure the other one was still there. Then we both closed our eyes again.

This morning I woke my big kid up and gave her breakfast and got her backpack ready for school. She got dressed quickly and we had enough time to snuggle in bed while John got ready. And all I could think about was holding her for the very first time. And how it's still so wonderful to wrap my arms around that kid.

OMG! It just keeps getting better.

I swear the Grocery Game is not paying me per post. But I just got back with my haul from Kroger's and I'm so excited. And not just because I got to go by myself.

Shelf price: $222
I paid: $117
$104/49 percent savings

So I've made two trips today and paid $118 for $276 worth of stuff. Now that's a happy Mother's Day for me.

Happy Mother's Day!

I thought I'd be able to sleep in this morning, but my eyes popped open at 6:37a and that was the end of sleep. Of course, I ran to my computer so I could start making out Grocery Game lists. When the three other members of the household got up, they went out on a secret mission while I continued to clip coupons. They came back with doughnuts, flowers, an extra paper (I really needed another set of coupons) and the makings for a special lunch and dinner! Perfect!

After breakfast, I made a run to Walgreen's. As usual, I couldn't find everything on my list. But I did quite well. Cereal (4), paper plates (2), plastic spoons (2), shampoo, conditioner, body wash, single serve desserts (2), pints of ice cream (2), flushable wipes (2) and lemonade to-go sticks cost me just $1.37 after coupons, Register Rewards and my gift card. And the shelf price was $54. I'm not kidding. John is totally amazed. This is working out quite well.

Pages 46, 64 and 86!

I am thrilled to be in this brand new book by the mother of modern scrapbooking, Lisa Bearnson. First of all, the very first book on scrapping that I bought was written by Lisa, who is also the founder of Creating Keepsakes magazine (and empire). Second, they requested three of my layouts for this. I was so happy (and stunned) to get those emails. Third, during production of the book, one of the editors emailed me and told me how moving and thoughtful one of my layouts was. Again, stunned. I've never had anything like that happen before. Fourth, I'm in the company of so many wonderful scrappers. I love the playful tone of the book and I think it's very inspiring. It may be the jumpstart I need to do some scrapping this weekend. If I ever find the time again.

Stamp Out Hunger.

No one should go hungry in this country of abundance, especially kids. Please consider putting a bag of non-perishable groceries by your mailbox this Saturday. US Mail Carriers will pick them up and deliver them to your local food bank. This is a great time to go through your pantry [not "panty" as I wrote earlier, unless that's where you keep your extra stuff] and look for things that may expire soon. I've already got a bag waiting to go and it's full of some of my recent bargains, including toiletries. And yes, cereal. I'm very happy to be able to share.

$.89 milk.

I seriously have nothing else to talk about. Last night we were about to run out of milk, and I had heard about a deal at Walgreen's earlier in the day. So after we ate our "brinner" (breakfast for dinner, a true favorite around here; we had whole wheat pancakes and bacon), we hopped in the car. I bought a gallon of milk, two packages of Oreos and two boxes of granola bars for $13.89. I gave the cashier a $10 Register Reward from earlier in the week, and paid $3.89 in cash. Then I got another $3 Register Reward. It's the Oreos that generate the $3. They are on sale for 2/$5 and you get $3 back, making them $1 each. I just happened to need milk, and I bought the granola bars to bring my total up over $10 so I could use my $10 RR. Confused? Sorry. This is my way of life now.

In other news, I have won the battle of wills against the doves. I have made a dessert to take to the PTO meeting tonight. I have put envelopes of money into Margret's school binder to take care of Field Day food tickets, a field trip and the end-of-year party. I've bought Margret's birthday presents and handed out party invitations to her class. I have not done enough laundry. And I'm still slightly behind on photo editing for clients. So I think I'll run now.

Hanging Flower Baskets of Death.

So a few weeks back I was talking about the lovely doves that have taken up residence in our yard. I may have said something about how I love it when doves come to roost and how I think they are sweet yadda yadda yadda. I have also talked about these hanging baskets and how I'm having trouble with getting the phlox to grow well. I replaced the liners and added some salvia and they are doing much better -- the phlox is starting to bloom again.

Unfortunately, the doves have noticed the hanging baskets.

And they think they are some type of dove condo, perfect for settling in and perhaps laying a few eggs.

I disagree.

I do not want doves nesting in my hanging baskets. One morning I had watered one basket, then John called. I detailed how I had seen a dove in the basket earlier and now I was watering because I thought they wouldn't like to sit in wet dirt. I hung up, stood up and came eye to eye with a dove who had been sitting in the second basket the whole time.

I yelled at her. I clapped my hands. She blinked her eyes.

Audrey came over and gave the basket a good shove. The dove vacated.

But then she came back. Several times that day. So thank goodness for the internets because I asked them what to do about birds in hanging baskets. They told me that this is very common and that I should take wooden skewers and stick them in the baskets, creating an inhospitable environment. So that's what I did. I created the Hanging Flower Baskets of Death. Sorry doves. But I did tell you to get out.

This is the moment I've been waiting for.

I made a trip to Walgreen's this morning (they do have some great deals this week) and even though they were out of a few things, I'm particularly happy with my score. Here's why:

Shelf price $72.04
I paid $27.12 - $20.21 gift card = $6.91 cash
62% savings

I also received $26 in Register Rewards (I used $6 above) and will get $3 in rebates. So the way I figure it ($27.12 - $26 RR - $3 rebates) I just got paid about $2 to shop. I still have $20 in RRs and $20 left on my gift card. I think it will be a good month.

My Kroger trip yesterday was okay:
Shelf price $152
I paid $103
34% savings

I'd like to knock the overall spending down some more, but I think that will come in time.

And the winner is...

Catherine said...

I did a little shopping today, mainly stocking up on cardstock (black and kraft). I did pick up some Hambly rubon owls - too cute!

Sat May 03, 06:39:00 PM

Catherine, please email your mailing address to me at marci@makearteveryday.com so I can send you a prize pack from Hambly. Hope you all had a wonderful, creative day yesterday.

My first month with the Grocery Game.

So instead of scrapping on this fine National Scrapbooking Day, I went back through all of my Kroger and Walgreen receipts to see if the Grocery Game is really making a difference in our lives. Here's what I found:

Kroger (April)
Shelf price $813.97
What I paid $483.48
40% savings

Walgreens
Shelf price $412.39
What I paid (includes rebates) $155.04
62% savings (actually this should be higher because I didn't track how many Register Rewards I used)

To complete the comparison, I pulled out Kroger receipts from March. I probably don't have them all, but it's still a good comparison:

Kroger (March)
Shelf price $ 629.26
What I paid $561.11
10% savings

I could only find one receipt for Walgreen's since we have rarely shopped there before now. But there were several Target receipts which included the type of things I'm now getting at Walgreen's.

So from the data I have, it looks like overall I spent about $75 more in April than I did in March, but I have much, much more to show for it. My freezer is stocked, as is my pantry. As I gather more coupons and work on stockpiling I expect to see my out-of-pocket costs continue to go down. I'm already seeing that with the Walgreen's receipts. Early on I was spending $30-40; now I'm spending in the $10s and $20s. So I'm sticking with it!

If you would like to try the Grocery Game for $1 for 4 weeks, please use me (marci@makearteveryday.com) as your referral. If you can get a little organized and be flexible when you buy, it can probably work for you too.

Combining my passions.

Here's one of my projects for Cupcake Scrapshop. I used the paper, label and Thickers letters from the kit, but I made my own coupon holder from a box of envelopes, some chipboard and my Bind-it-All. And I have to say I love it.

Don't forget to add a comment to the post below to be eligible for the Hambly giveaway. I'm loving all your answers!

May Day! May Day!

If it's the beginning of the month, there must be new Cupcake Scrapshop to talk about, right? I would load one of my pages but my internet connection has gotten a little screwy this week. I'll try again later.

So since I can't show you some scrappiness, how about if I share some goodies? In honor of National Scrapbooking Day (May 3) I have a lovely pack of Hambly to share. It some of the new stuff and it is lovely (again, I'd love to post a pic; maybe later).

Just leave a comment on any topic: are you going to celebrate NSD? What's your favorite Hambly pattern? Do you love May Day? What's your favorite color? Which celebrity would you like to smooch? Or anything else you can think of. Make sure you leave your comment by midnight Saturday night (I'm on Central time). Good luck!