No coupons this weekend!!

Because of the holiday weekend there will be NO coupons!!! Enjoy your holiday weekend! I hope its great and everyone is safe :)

Some thoughts--Our Journey

I by no means have it all together. I make mistakes EVERY single day... especially financial ones. We all do. What's important is realizing those mistakes. "Knowing is half the battle" is VERY true... but remember, it's only HALF! :)

I have realized that couponing takes so much time! Keeping my book in order and getting all of the coupons clipped, organized and then spending the time to compare the other stores is almost more than I can do! My job keeps me VERY busy, my 5 year old keeps me VERY busy, I have a husband in there somewhere and I DO enjoy just living life :) For me, I had to tone it down some. You've probably noticed from the lack of posts lately. I'm trying to do better. I haven't MESSED up, or screwed up my plan NOR have I lost sight of the "Big financial picture".. I just had to pick and chose what I was going to save money on.

It's all over the web how stores are REALLY cracking down on us couponers. They want to make it impossible to save money... so you have to keep that in mind. BUT... you also can't lose sight of what you are doing! The goal isn't to get 40 bottles of ketchup. It's to get how many you NEED at a cheaper price than what the tag says. That can STILL BE DONE! don't get down because the coupon policies have changed... you just may be forced to revamp your strategy.

I've said it before and I will say it again... if I can save on SOME things, I am happy. Household products, shampoo, deo, etc, if I can save on those then I am happy. I don't need or want 50 bottles of anything but the ones I have I would like to pay less for.

I've learned that I CANNOT do it all, but what I do chose to do I have to work at it. It's hard to save money especially when your full time job involves working outside the home.

It's time for me to wipe the slate clean and start over. Not on everything, but I need a new strategy. I haven't figured out exactly what that will be, but when I do, you will be the first to know. :)

What about you? How is this journey going for you?

FULL size bottle of PANTENE GIVEAWAY!

This is AWESOME and you all have you to do is "LIKE" Pantene on facebook by clicking HERE. Fill out your info and you will recieve a confirmation that says if you made the cut off or not and if so you will get a coupon in the mail in 4-6 weeks. AWESOME PANTENE! You have made me VERY happy :)

Interesting article on couponing

THIS article is a must read for anyone in the coupon world. :)

I noticed pretty quickly after I got into couponing that Kroger tightened down on their allowance of coupons and now it appears that Target has done the same thing. It's a shame, really, because the show was made in good faith to help make our world MORE full to the brim of reality tv AND to help portray to us regular folks that saving money CAN be accomplished!

What do you think about all the coupon changes? Do you think they are related to TLC's show??

Interesting...

I love it when YAHOO posts awesome articles. Not those silly ones about how to save money... I think the posts about how if we cut down on our cell phone bill and lower our cable have been COMPLETELY over done!

Anyway--this one is a good one and though you may have already seen it, well, I am posting it anyway :)

ENJOY!

What are your thoughts?

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/5-money-rules-meant-broken-creditcards-2778398742.html?x=0

Purchasing my fall wardrobe...in June?

You heard my right!! I am already beginning my search for my fall wardrobe!! Now is the PERFECT time!

yesterday I had a few spare minutes so I ran down the road to a consignment shop that I don't often visit but for some reason yesterday I do!

Of COURSE when you walk in the door there is all kinds of adoreable summer dresses, tops, shorts, and sandles...but I headed for the back. And guess what I discovered?? I think its fair to say that 99% of their fall/winter stuff was half price!!! Here's the unfortunate part... I found nothing. :) BUT the best part is that the time I LOVE has arrived!!

Consignment shops as a general rule do not start taking next seasons items until about 30 days before. So this is prime time to buy those leftover fall/winter items from last year!!

Before you start looking for fall/winter items you need to....:

*Take inventory of what you already have
*Try EVERYTHING on (i know it stinks, but it's a must)
*Make a list of what you have(not individual shirts but write down how many long sleeved shirts you have total, how many black pants, black boots, etc.)
*THEN decide what you DO need. You may discover that you need nothing and that would be GREAT! :) But if you do realize you need something it's time to start looking.

I discovered that I do not own khaki pants. I know that's a STAPLE item...but i do not have a single pair so that is the FIRST thing I put on my list. I also looked at my sad little black boots and realized they have run their course... so that's yet another item on my list.

What about you? What is on your list?

Cara...the slacker!

Folks I must apologize. I have NOT been the blogger I have needed to be lately. My life has been insane! thank you to my faithful readers. I am still getting lots of hits each day and I appreciate that so much... so again i'm sorry for being a SLACKER!

Let's see... my sister is getting married this weekend! VERY exciting... :) Lots of family in town so its just been simply wonderful. Work is good, just super busy this time of year. Which is AWESOME i'd like to add, but still just throws in something else in the mix! Not complaining though...

I have learned something over these past few weeks. When I don't blog about finances, saving money, coupons, etc... I tend to fall off the wagon. It's sad, but true. It's as if this blog is my "sponsor" to make sure I don't fall off the deep end. :) That being said I MUST GET BACK INTO BLOGGING!!!!

I need a few things to clear up in my money saving world. I have my coupons still cut and in order but I have been at the store 3 times over the past few weeks and have LEFT the coupons at home. Seriously? That is so irritating... then I become mad when I see how much I have spent and then I think "forget the whole saving money thing." WRONG ANSWER! But sometimes we can't help how we feel!

I'm back on a shopping ban! NO MORE SHOPPING! It's not as if I have spent a lot or but tons of things I didn't need, but I have definitly been much free-er with my spending and that ain't good!

So what about you? How do you feel about your progress? Are there any changes you need to make?

GIVE AWAY ANNOUNCED!!!!!

This is soooo exciting for me!!!!!! :) :) I hope you are pumped as well!

My amazing friend Sarah has an awesome ETSY store that has the CUTEST items you will ever see. Check out what she has available by clicking HERE to be connected to her ETSY store and HERE to see her Etsy facebook page.

Twirly Whirly is owned by Sarah Floyd. She makes some GREAT items that you MUST check out and see for yourself!

The give away is this....

1 pin/brooch
1 headband

YOU pick the fabric of your choice. The headband will be on a black band. Here is a few examples but again you MUST check out her ETSY shop to see ALL of the great options!

As an added bonus for being a blog reader of mine, now until June 10th if you purchase anything from Sarah's ETSY shop you can type in the code BARGAINMOMMY and recieve 15% off!!! WHAT a great deal!!!

HOW YOU WIN:

I'm going to make this as SIMPLE as possible. To win, you must:

**comment on THIS blog post sometime between TODAY(June 2nd) and Wednesday (June 8th).

**LIKE Twirly Whirly on facebook

THEN with an awesome program called number generator I will randomly select a winner that gets to pick out her FAVORITE fabric and ultimately win the give away :) How fun is this?!

Be sure and check out Twirly Whirly on facebook and Etsy

My FIRST giveaway!

I am VERY proud to announce that in a matter of days I will be posting my very FIRST giveaway! It's been in the works for a while and I am super pumped about it!

So stay tuned for details on how to win something super awesome :)

Oh, and I am sorry for being MIA lately.... I have so much catching up to do its insane and i'm working on that NOW... promise :)

GIVEAWAY coming! Stay tuned!