Bedtime Routines

I'm starting the making your home a haven challenge hosted by Tammy at TammysRecipes.com.
This past week was the bedtime challenge. I vow to start my bedtime routine no later than 11pm. Meaning that by 11pm I will begin brushing my teeth, taking out my contacts, etc. Usually this routine takes about 10 minutes, then I say my prayers and jump in bed. If I can stick to this bedtime I should be able to get up at 7am everyday. I am much more productive in the morning than at night so it is better for my work as well as my health!

March Financial Round Up

Well here are my totals for March....

Food: 415
Gas: 288
Vehicles:425
Medical: 0
Cats: 116
Gifts: 35
Clothes: 40
Misc Things/Other: 715

Here are February's totals again:

Food: 331
Gas: 151
Vehicles: 0
Medical: 462
Cats: 281
Gifts: 0
Clothes: 96
Misc Things/Other: 683

So we did the worst in the Food category. We ate out a few times and that really blew the budget. The Misc Things category was also really high this month, but that was because I had to book a hotel and flight for a conference next month. April's misc category will also be high because I have another conference in May which I will need to book a flight and hotel for. Our truck needed repairs and that's why the Vehicles total was high this month. No medical bills this month and our kitty expenses went down too! Gas was high because it was spring break week and I took two day trips and we took another day trip together. Hubby has also been fishing and doing his volunteer work which requires him to drive 45 minutes one way. Not a great month, but not our worst either!

Great soda deal at CVS!

I went back to CVS to get the pepsi 8-packs that are on sale for 4/$10 and you get $2 in ECBs. So that makes it $2 an 8-pack. I also used 3 of the $2 off one pepsi product coupon from the pepsi/frito lay superbowl rebate. I tried to use 4, but it kept beeping at the cashier. I told him just to give me the coupon back because I'm sure I'll be able to use that coupon another time.

Total - $10
minus $6 in coupons
minus $1 in ECBs from Dawn Dish soap deal
plus tax
equals 3.61 out of pocket plus $2 in ECBs!

Free dish soap at CVS!

CVS has Dawn dish soap on sale for $1. Buy 2 and get $1 in ECBs. There are also .50/1 coupons that were in the Home Made Simple coupon books (some websites are reporting $1/1 coupons, but I don't have any of those).

2 bottles of dawn - $2
minus coupons - $1
minus ECBs - $1
Equals FREE!

For more CVS deals, check out the CVS forums at HotCouponWorld!

Birthday Freebies!

We started using my husband's birthday freebies today. First we went to Moe's Southwest Grill for a free entree.

Sign up for the Moe's Birthday Club

Then we went to Coldstone Creamery for a free Like It size creation.

Sign up for the Coldstone Birthday Club

We still have a Denny's free dessert with a purchase of an entree to use.

Sign up for the Denny's Breakfast Club

We are still waiting for the Firehouse Subs Birthday email for our free sub...

Sign up for the Firehouse Birthday Club

Anybody know any good Birthday freebies I'm missing?

Great Publix Run!

Publix in central FL has some great deals this week! I spent 17.86 and saved 40.02! I bought:

2 Trop 50 orange juice - B1G1 at 3.79 - minus 2 $1/1 coupons = 1.79 for 2!
2 Smart Balance spread - B1G1 at 3.09
2 Smart Balance milk - 3.59 each -minus free milk when you buy 1 Smart Balance spread
4 TGIF Skillets - B1G1 at 7.99 - minus 4 $2/1 coupons = 2 each!
2 Publix chunk cheese - on sale for $2 each

February Financial Wrap Up

February just blew by! It was supposed to be a low spend month for us but here are my totals:

Food: 331
Gas: 151
Vehicles: 0
Medical: 462
Cats: 281
Gifts: 0
Clothes: 96
Misc Things/Other: 683

It was an ok month for us. Medical expenses were high because I paid off an emergency room visit co-pay from the fall and hubby went to the dentist. Miscellaneous was high because I had to register for a conference (220) and pay part of my fees to the university (250). Oh and cats was so high because we adopted a new baby, Cally, and took her to the vet!

Here are my January totals for comparison:

Food: 530
Gas: 114
Vehicles: 177
Medical: 62
Cats: 40
Gifts: 44
Clothes: 82
Misc Things/Other: 792

Miscellaneous was high in January because of a Playstation 3 that happened to be at the Circuit City going out of business sale. Now since I don't play PS3's I wonder who bought that? Hubby did sell his PS2 on ebay, so in reality it wasn't that bad I suppose.

My March goals is to be under $300 for food, closer to $250 if possible. Miscellaneous will be high next month because I have to purchase plane tickets for two conferences coming up. I also have to pay the University the rest of my fees. Tomorrow is another fresh start....

First Post!

I've had so much fun reading other people's frugal blogs that I've decided to start my own! Please join me and my family as we prepare to pack up our lives and move across the country for my dream job, while trying to be as frugal as possible and not go crazy!