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So a new Rite Aid opened up by us and was I found two coupons in a flyer, one for free lightbulbs and one for free motrin. When I got to the store I realized that I could get four packages of light bulbs for free with one coupon, and two containers of motrin for free with one coupon.
I also tried out the single check rebates that Rite Aid offers, and was able to get a lot of things for practically free. After you claim your rebates on-line they say it takes 2-3 weeks to receive your check. Walking out the store I sort of felt like I was doing something wrong because my totals were just unbelievable.
Paid out of pocket- $22.76
Rebates back- $21.16
Total for shopping trip= $1.60!!
Items Purchased:
Hershey’s Bliss Chocolate 2.99
Oral B Cross Action Toothbrush 3.19
Jane Be pure mineral makeup-5.99
Anti-Monkey Butt Powder- 5.99 (I know sounds wierd, but free! My husband got a kick out of it!)
G.U.M toothbrushes 2 pack- 2.00
AdvilPM- 3.99
5 pkgs. 4 count light bulbs- 1.50 each
4-24 count Motrin- 2.50 each
I have finally been able to quench my love of shopping, and not kill our budget at the same time!
I made another trip to CVS in hopes of using some extra care bucks, my goal was to virtually spend no money. I read on another blog that there was an unadvertised deal with M&M’s. If you bought 2 bags, you received $3 ECB back. Now they were being advertised for buy one get one free, as well. And with the purchase price of only $3.29 each. I bought two bags for only $3.29, and received $3 in ECB’s back. As I was leaving the store I looked at my receipt and tried to see what the limit was. It didn’t say how many attempts I had left, so I took my $3 ECB and went back in to buy 2 more bags, this time using my $3 ECB I only had to pay .29 cents out of pocket for two bags of M&M’s.
When I got to my car I started thinking what could I use M&M’s for? Is it worth going back in, feeling a little silly and buying more until my limit is reached? OF COURSE— I wish I had a picture to share of the cashiers face as I paid for 6 more bags, in three different transactions, each time ripping off the $3 ECB on the bottom of the new receipt. I do though have a picture of my shopping trip… with a grand total of $1.45 spent out of pocket!!
Before heading home I did however need to come up with how to explain to my husband how we can use this excessive amount of chocolate……reward for son’s potty trips, secretary’s day is wed, friend sick in hospital, daily survival reward for self!!
So our church has just begun a new campaign, in which we are piloting a new program for Focus on the Family, called “Focus on YOUR family”. Focus on the family is seeing a growing trend of kids walking away from their faith after growing up in a Christian home. The campaign is centered around helping parents disciple their children, and not outsourcing it to other places, people, and religious institutions. We actually got to go to Colorado and visit the campus and get trained to be family champions. Not that I think we actually qualify to be called family champions because we are far from winning the war with our 2 year old. Most days I think he is the champion, and I have been defeated by exhaustion, worry, and stress once again.
However, we are dubbed “family champions” and accept the challenge to teach those the skills we learned at Focus on the family training. So many things come to mind but the quick thought I had for today is to be intentional about teaching your children things. Make goals for the year of what you want your children to learn, and what your family can do together to grow closer to God. Whether it be memorizing a verse a month, or if your children are little like ours, reading through a children’s bible in a year. We decided this year to focus on teaching them how to pray, what it means to pray, and how to worship the Lord through music. For our family we want to make it a point to have some type of outing together once a week. It doesn’t have to cost money, like tomorrow we are visiting a couple who has a dairy farm. Just being together and creating memories. I seem to find that my son appreciates things more when its not a big deal, like going on a hike or to the park.
I felt so blessed to have been able to go out to Colorado and get this training, because my husband and I are just starting down this journey or parenting. We want to be intentional with our kids, and make sure that they understand the spiritual truths that are laid out in the scriptures. It’s our job to teach them, not the churches, not their future Sunday school teachers or youth pastors. Are we doing the job that God intended us to do?
I have stumbled somehow on to a immense supply of CVS blogs, and slowly started to become addicted to reading how these people are shopping at CVS and saving tons of money. For a couple weeks, I was tempted but couldn’t believe it was actually possible to get things that cheap or even free. CVS has a extra care buck (ecb), that they give out sometimes for certain products. It’s just like a gift card for the store. Combining these ecb’s and coupons is how people get free stuff.
So this week I was off to CVS with my coupons on hand, and CVS flyer, and began searching for my hidden deals. I found that Excedrin was on sale for $1.99, even though there was no sign, only stated in the flyer, and that I had a $2.00 off coupon, and for every Excedrin you bought you got $1 ecb. So all in all, after being allowed to get five, I received 5 bottles of Excedrin for $0, and got $5 in ecb back.
CVS actually paid me to buy Excedrin!!! Unbelievable! I am officially addicted to finding bargains, and am taking the belief that there is a coupon out there for everything, if you only look hard enough. This new venture I have begun actually aligns well with our new frugal lifestyle. I am still in shock, and if you came to my house you would see the receipt on my fridge!
When my husband and I moved, I joined a Bible Study at our church. I love my small group and the women have welcomed me with open arms. Sadly, our study on the Master’s Life is coming to an end. This passage was in the last devotion, the author is a young African pastor.
I’m part of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I’m a disciple of His. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still.
My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, mundane talking, cheap living, and dwarfed goals.
I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on His presence, walk by patience, lift by prayer, and labor by power.
My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my Guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, lured away, turned back, deluded, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity.
I won’t give up, shut up, let up, until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up, paid up, and preached up for the cause of Christ. I am a disciple of Jesus. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. And when He comes for His own, He will have no problem recognizing me —my banner will be clear.
My hearts longs to be totally committed to Jesus, just like the pastor describes in this passage.
I finally gave in to my husband and started a blog. I sort of feel a little silly, or kind of like I am jumping on the band wagon, in participating in this new generation x type of therapy. I am however hoping that this new way of journaling will help aide me in achieving a small portion of peace and serenity that I had during my pre children era. Which wasn’t that long ago but seems like a lifetime ago. I want this new journey to document my discoveries, my failures, and my achievements in motherhood, marriage, and life, but also provide tips to surviving the chaos the world throws our way.
What does selah mean? The word “selah” is used frequently throughout the Psalms, and some scholars think it means ‘pause’ or ’silence’. My desire is to start pausing and reflecting on what my current stage of life is teaching me. Being a mother can at times bring out so much love, but at times it can bring out so much filth. I want my kids to grow up remembering their days filled with love, not filth. Take a selah and embark on a new journey for what life is intended to be, not what the world tells us it is.
