Swiffer: Not Just for Floors Anymore

Suffice it to say, I miss my washer and dryer. No, I didn't have to give them up when we gave up the house. But after a year of paying storage fees of over $100 per month, I gave them up. Along with many other niceties that I had accumulated over the years.

The apartment complex where I live doesn't allow washing machines or dryers. And those that did didn't allow dogs. So we chose to keep our beloved little pooch over the convenience (not to mention affordability) of washing our clothes and other soft goods whenever we needed to and from the comfort of our own living space. 

A total of $4.00 per load to wash and dry can really add up. And with Christmas literally breathing down our necks, I had to get creative with the sheets, which really needed washing. Sure, I'm no stranger to handwashing a few items here and there, the occasional sweater, once even my husband's work pants - only one pair alloted per employee for his seasonal job delivering packages for Fed Ex.

Of course the bathtub was the only real choice to wash the king sized bed sheets, in some water good and hot, and some nice fresh smelling liquid laundry detergent. The swiffer as an agitator was a last minute brainstorm, borne from the need to save my back and hands trying to stoop over and reach through the shower door enclosure, which I knew from experience trying to clean said bathtub would be painful, to say the least.

It actually works quite well. As I write this I am letting them soak a little longer, and have determined I can probably also use the Swiffer as a sort of water extractor, stamping them down rather than wringing. Though there will no doubt be some wringing involved eventually.

The laundromat across the street has large dryers for 25 cents per 8 minutes, so if I can scrounge a few quarters, I may be able to dry them quickly. If not I will try hanging them in the bathroom with the space heater as I've done other times with smaller items I needed to dry quickly. Wish me luck.

Hope: 2G

 

What a difference a few years can make.

Trying to Pull My Head Out of the Sand

Okay, so it's been a while. But getting distracted and losing focus isn't completely a new thing for me.  And well it's been kind of a rough couple of years. Losing the house, losing a breast, then losing my dad. Not long after my dad's passing we moved again. Not much of a move and to a somewhat nicer (though not much bigger place.) We've been a here a few months now and I think I am finally starting to feel settled. Trying to bond with the place as best as I can, even though it is a rental. It's hard to bond with a rented space after you've owned. But we've pretty much decided this is where we're going to stay for awhile so I'm trying to make it feel like home. And that, of course, starts in your head and your heart.

It's tough to make an apartment seem cozy. White walls, white trim, white blinds, beige carpet, beige linoleum. This place is a little strange as the doors are a deep brown which is really stark compared to the white walls and trim. So I've spent most of my time here just thinking about what I want to decorating wise rather than actually doing it. Part of the reason is I want to do what I can to make things seem ordered and consistent rather than slap dash. And of course the other part of that is funds available for such efforts, or a distinct lack thereof. Luckily I am pretty handy, but even the most handy person needs materials to work with.  And finding what you want, staying focused and consistent on a tight budget is a challenge. To say the least.

So far I've found some really great fabrics to work with and have spent a lot of my time deciding how to use them. My prize find was 4.5 yards of this Thomas Paul Arboretum in Chocolate fabric for $9.00 per yard

If you click on the image and follow the link you will see what a bargain I really got. And it is totally worth the full price of $55, a gorgeous heavy linen and such and amazing print. So I was torn between selling the fabric in my Etsy store, which I have been ignoring also, and using the money to buy some cheap drapes, or using it myself. In the end inertia (and my spouse) got the best of me, and I made some very pretty drapes for our bedroom. They match perfectly with this king size comforter set purchased on clearance at Target for a mere $30.

I had originally hoped to do the bedroom in sage to sort of flow with the living room. But this set was so beautiful and the quality is really nice. Plus at the the clearance price I couldn't resist. And already having the chocolate fabric in a similar theme it just seemed like fate.

So at least the bedroom is starting to come around. We had to buy a new king size bed when we moved, meaning we no longer have our beautiful oak shaker style queen size head board and foot board, which we gave to a very appreciative good friend. In fact we have no head board at all. So for now I've hung a vintage white popcorn chenille bedspread until I can find something a little more permanent. I'm thinking maybe a piece of plywood covered with some foam and the vintage chenille bedspread? Or an antique door. Whichever comes first.

Kiki's New Kicks

Okay, so I know I'm always talking about saving money. But you know, sometime a girl has just gotta splurge! And who better to splurge on than your super cute and very appreciative teen daughter?  Besides, when I saw these I just had to have them, but God knows I would look ridiculous in them!

Plus as any market researcher will tell you, even in a down economy mom's will still find ways to spend money on their kids.  And really, what is the point of saving all of this money yourself and things you and the family needs if you can't spend a little something once in a while on your precious little (even not so little) offspring? 

So since Kiki just had another great and amazing report card (all A's and B's - yay Kiki!) I rewarded her with these super cute Converse Cutaway Sandals in Navy.  Okay, so they were on sale at JC Penney for $26.99. But I didn't even use one coupon!

How To Make $100K!

Over my decade or so on the web, I've had so very many ideas for websites, blogs, and other money making "schemes." Most which remained simply that, ideas and pleasant pipe dreams. One of them was an interactive blog which would simply ask the question, "How to Make $100K!" Which would hopefully elicit ideas from readers how I could go about making this sum (to help pay off my then house mortgage.) I could then try the most viable (as well as perhaps kooky and entertaining) advice and ideas and report the results. 

I was reminded this morning of this idea via an email from Groupon, following the link to their website, then finding out about their "Groupawn" project, where Josh Stevens was challenged to live only off Groupon for one year. Apparently he succeeded and was awarded the sum of, guess what, $100K!

I had to ask myself, how on earth did said "Groupawn" find out about this opportunity? And why do I never hear about this sort of thing until AFTER the fact??  Do I not already spend enough of my life on the internet? I've "doubled." I've done Etsy, Ebay, and any number of auction or sale site wannabees. I've been a web guide, an affiliate, started ebooks, written articles, entered sweepstakes. Do I need to spend even more time online?  If I had started the $100K blog (and promoted it it properly), might some reader have alerted me to the Groupon project? And what is out there right now that I don't know about?

It's a little like hearing someone else has won the super lottery jackpot. Yes you feel great for them. But you always question, did they play religiously? Or are they one of those flukes that just bought one random ticket on a lark and hit it big? Making you wonder, is luck and success something that is random and predetermined, or is it really something that can come to those who think about it, plan for it, intentionally work for it, and/or seek it out? 

Questions for the ages.  But perhaps it still isn't too late. The house may be long gone, but there are other fish in the sea. And we certainly haven't lost the need for a place to live. So maybe I will make this "project" under my Nestish umbrella. Only now I think my goal will be $250K. Which would be just enough (maybe) to buy us a small 2 bedroom starter home or cottage where we live, with a small yard for our daughter and her pets, a laundry hookup for our washer and dryer (ah, no more coin op!) and a basement for all of the stuff we have now in storage. Which is really all we are looking for. 

But, you know. $100K wouldn't hurt either!

Extreme Couponing Dead Zone

So is it just me, or has there been a huge lack of interesting coupons, and lucrative deals to pair them with. I can't help but wonder if it has anything to do with the TLC reality series "Extreme Couponing."

If you haven't seen it, the show takes couponing to the extreme, and beyond. And this is not without controversy. There have been all sorts of accusations by viewers of fraud against the participants, and complicity within TLC.  So it is entirely possible that manufacturers have taken note, as well as supermarkets large and small, and have begun adjusting their policies.  Or it could just be my imagination, and my typical wanderlust i.e. me becoming bored with the whole business.

Regardless, I am still making an effort to get some decent deals. And while I'm not lugging home cartloads of hot sauce and French's yellow mustard (because who doesn't need that!) I have been able to get a few things since my last posting, including:

10 packages of Orbit gum for $.15 per pack (yes, we do like our gum!)
4 - 2 liter bottles of Sierra Mist for free
12 Oral B toothbrushes, between $.50 and free each
2 bottles of Purex detergent, $.99 each
4 packages of 4 count Gillette Sensor Disposable Razors, $1.35 each
Lots and lots of Always and Carefree liners, between $.50 and free
8 rolls of Small Steps paper towels, $.50 each

I'm sure there's more, but these are the ones that stick most in my mind.  It's gotten so I'm finding I need to start getting some extra storage, since things are getting pretty cramped here.  So my current project is finding some sort of shelving unit (for cheap or DIY) for the kitchen. If you have any ideas, please feel free to share!

Fabulous Fabric Find!

I'm so excited about this fabulous new fabric I found shopping recently.  I've been feeling "nestish" lately, itching to do some spring cleaning, and really wanting a few new things for my house. I am so lucky that I live in close proximity to some great outlet malls, so when I had some spare time, I took the drive over the Piscataqua Bridge over to Kittery, Maine for a little window shopping and "off price" retail therapy.  While I was there I stopped into one of my all time favorites, the Crate and Barrel Outlet Store, where I found this little gem.

I only realized on my previous trip to the Crate and Barrel Outlet Store that they carried fabric, and for the bargain price of $5.00 per yard. And while I didn't find anything there on that trip, this time I scored 7 yards of the above Marimekko fabric, which normally retails for $39.00 per yard.  Marimekko has long been one of my favorite (yet so elusive!) fabrics and I couldn't believe my luck. Pus I love the colors. Talk about exciting!

I'm still not sure what I will do with it, and it remains uncut. My first thought was a shower curtain. But I began looking at my sad and depressing bedroom and realized it has been virtually untouched since our move.  I don't have quite enough to make curtains and a duvet. But if I pair another fabric and use this as an accent center panel on the duvet, I may have just enough.  I will let you know what I decide and will hopefully post some pics when I am through!

MOB Mentality

It's true, I've joined a mob! "Mom's on Bikes", that is. And while I don't ride a Huffy, I have recently rejoined the many mom bike riders in the world.  I don't even mind that Huffy is trying to capitalize on this movement. Or that some have said their ads are sexist. Because hey, life is too short. And the more bikes there are in this country at least, the less cars there will be. And that can only be a good thing.

Plus I really like their logo! It kind of adds a little cool that the pithy (and alleged sexist) tag lines take away. Here it is, borrowed it from their Facebook page, which I've "liked" so that I can keep up with what they are doing. Who knows, maybe they will have a contest and I can win a brand spanking new Huffy. Which may or may not be better than the old school (used) Murray 5 speed cruiser I picked up at the bike shop. (Which coincidentally replaced my old 90's Huffy mountain bike that I lost in the move, and had very good luck with over the years, btw.)

I know for sure that Kiki would love it and try to steal it from me! Yes, she is like that. (Weren't you when you were her age?) And it would be so much more appropriate than her older brother's childhood hand me down 90's Dyno VFR BMX. 

Hint hint, Huffy - what do you say? Here, I'll even drop a link to your Facebook page. ☺

Free Carefree Sample

I've found another one! This time I found it looking for a Carefree liners coupon ... to go with a nice Rite Aid deal. Apparently there was one in the flyers a few weeks ago, but that was the week that my dad had passed, and understandably, I wasn't out buying Sunday newspapers. My mom gets hers delivered so I did get one from her flyers, the sweetie, as even then she saved her flyers for me. ♥

So the sample itself is for their new Acti Fresh thin body shape liners. I've seen them in the store and the package is teeny tiny, even though the amount in the package was the same as the originals. So I am anxious to try them. I'm not sure if they are included in the Rite Aid deal, which is buy 2 for $5.00 with your Rite Aid Wellness card.  When you buy two you get $2.00 back in +UP rewards making the price comparable to 2 for $3.00.  I now have two coupons for $.50 each, so my cost will be 2 for $2.00 or $1.00 each.  Not too shabby.

I had heard there were some $1.00 peelies floating around on some of the packages, but I didn't find any the other day. So I am going back today hoping there are still two packages left for me. This would definitely be something I would like to stock up on. But couponing has been kind of low on my list of priorities since my dad's death as there are so many things to sort out on my mom's end, not to mention all the emotional stuff. But people go through this sort of thing every day and they get through it, so I guess we will too.

Hope you enjoy the free sample, and happy saving!

Not So Extreme Couponing

So they are at it again, this time the so called krazy coupon ladies today on the Nate Berkus Show. I admit, I get a little frustrated with these types of segments on popular shows like Nate or GMA because as most people who coupon know, the results these new wave coupon "celebrities" get don't always reflect the realities of couponing for everyone for a couple of reasons. In the case of this Nate Berkus Show episode, a shopper's $400 grocery bill being brought down to the low double digits.

Reason #1: Coupon doubling

Not all supermarkets double coupons. In my area none do and haven't for probably a decade. So if your supermarkets don't double it can extremely difficult to get extreme savings, free items, or money/credit back in overages, even if you shop with the sales.

Reason #2: Coupon Overages

Much of the savings these extreme couponers are able to claim comes from coupon overages i.e. when the money value of the coupons are higher than the actual price of the item you are buying. Again this rarely happens if your store doesn't double its coupons. And as it happens, many stores that don't double coupons also don't award overages on coupons. So say that you have coupon for $1.00 and your item is $.99. They will take the coupon and write in the actual amount of the item, in this case $.99 giving you no overage on the coupon. On the Nate Berkus example the overage of the coupons helped to pay for the shoppers produce.  Of course wonderful if your store gives them, but many don't, including mine.  The result is no free produce in my shopping basket.

Reason #3: The Coupons Themselves

I've found that finding the best coupons isn't always easy. Different coupons come to different regions. For example, the above example I gave of a $1.00 coupon for an item costing $.99. I had five of these, but I didn't get them in my local circulars. The ones that came for that item (Marcal toilet paper) were for $1.00 when you buy two. Still a great deal, but even those coupons were only in certain circulars and out of five different newspapers, I only got two. The ones that had the "free" coupon I got in a trade from someone in Michigan.  I live in New Hampshire.

In other words, finding the good coupons isn't always just a matter of opening your Sunday paper and clipping. There is some work involved, such as getting extra newspapers, asking family and/or friends to let you have the coupons they don't want for themselves, sometimes trading for them, and sometimes even purchasing them.  Yes, this is true. Some people who claim the most "free" merchandise don't always get it for free at all, since they are either spending money on extra newspapers to get more circulars, bartering in some way for more circulars, spending money on gas to get them, postage, and/or sometimes paying a coupon clipper to provide them with large amounts of the best coupons.

Now this is not to say that couponing can't be fun, or that it can't save you money. But 90% as in the Nate Berkus and other "extreme couponing" examples? That, in my experience, is like the harmonic convergence of couponing, where all of the stars and factors align  in such a way depending upon what you are buying, when you are buying, and probably most importantly where you are buying regionally. In terms of actual food items I think the most I have been able to save has been 25%, and that is shopping with sales, changing my buying habits, changing what I buy, changing brands etc. Nothing to sneeze at, but certainly nowhere near 90%. I've been able to save a little more on some non food items, but in every case I've had to switch brands in order to realize the most savings, and buy things not so much when I needed them but when they were offered.  Which didn't seem to be the case in the "suprise the lady at the check out line" example who got everything she was shopping for (and more!) for 90% less.

So I guess for many of us, when watching these types couponing segments or reading about them, we have to remember that possibly not everything in the example will apply to you. Which they don't tell you on these shows, but definitely should!  Or as they say at one of my favorite couponing social websites Hot Coupon World, ymmv. Which when translated means, your mileage may vary. Which is more the reality of it for most of us.

Happy Saving!

Shout for a Free Sample!

Grab yourself a free sample of Shout Color Catcher sheets. Kiki found mine at my local Walmart store, but you can get one online as well. Just follow the bouncing ball - errr logo below.

 PS: If you are lucky enough to find the in store sample, it also contains a 55 cent off coupon for a future purchase. Happy washing!

Surf's Up!

Okay, not quite. But yesterday was the first day of spring!  So to celebrate, I bought a new swimsuit. I know, I know, only the ultra fashionable ladies who want to pay full price buy their swimwear this early in the year. Or do they? I'm not sure as I haven't seen any swimsuits out in the stores yet anywhere around here. Many are still trying to unload their winter clearance merchandise and are just starting to bring out the spring stuff. 

So why buy so early, you ask? Well I happened to notice in one of my flyers (while searching for sales to match my coupons) that a store called Ocean State Job Lots had swimsuits on special for $15. I have been in there a few times and have found the odd article of mid brand clothing that sells at Macy's. And since they also had "mall store" tops advertised for $5-10, and as I am in desperate need of tops (though not so much swimsuits,) I thought I would at least see if I might find myself a new top.

Since the flyer had come out the week before, I wasn't expecting too much in the way of selection, and I was right. I did manage to find one kind of cute top from JJill (the aforementioned "mall store", I imagine) for $10. Which wasn't exactly $5, but it was the style I like and a light knit cotton sweater vs. a tee, so I splurged.  JJill is one of my favorite brands and usually their clothes last a good long time, so I was able to justify the purchase.

While my daughter was looking at seeds and planting materials, I decided to check out the swimsuits nearby. They looked like pretty decent qaulity and I found something that I liked in my size. A tankini most like the photo above only with a more halter type than bandeau top, and white, turquose, orange, and white stripe with a turquoise hipster bottom.  I snuck it into the bathroom for a quick try on and while it did look pretty cute, I had a hard time justifying a bathing suit at this time of year and left the store with only the JJill top and an herb garden starter kit for my 14 year old.

But as sometimes is the case, the thought of the swimsuit didn't leave me, and I went back on Sunday to buy it. Which worked out well because Kiki (dd's nickname) needed more seeds. The suit was still there and it looks just as nice on at home as it did in the icky bathroom at Ocean State Job Lots.  The brand is a quality one, Captiva by Christina, and feels so much better on than the several LLBean suits I wore when I had breasts to support. Because they are now smaller I can wear a somewhat normal suit like this and feel covered, but still a little youthful. A worthwhile purchase, I think. 

FREE Purex Complete

I saw this promotion advertised on television the other day. So in case you missed it, I'm including the link to sign up so you can get your own free sample! Just click on the image below.

I don't know if it will be a full sized sample (like the Coffee Mate Facebook promotion, for example.) But it is free so it is worth a shot.

There were actually some great $3 Purex coupons in the inserts last month. But I used mine on the Purex 3 in 1 laundry sheets. A great idea, might I just say. I'm actually washing with them right now, and so far I love them. Great scents too! 

So I will be thrilled if this promotion is a coupon for a full sized trial since I was kind of disappointed that I didn't buy at least one of the Purex with Zout.  A full size is so much better than those itty bitty foil packages which frankly just aren't enough to get anyone really "hooked" on anything. Like I just might be once my free (quite ample mind you) bottle of Italian Creme Coffee Mate is empty. Just sayin'. 

Ahh, a New Bra

Just a quick little note. If you're like me, you've seen something called the Ahh Bra on television. I've had a couple of scares with breast cancer and some pretty extensive surgery on both breasts. And finding a comfortable bra has been a small nightmare. Who can afford $50 or upwards to buy a bra? Also my size was compromised (one implant and one reduction) so that while I am a slightly larger girl, my breasts (or what is left of them) are now disproportionately small.

I don't know how many hours and days I spent searching for a decent, affordable, comfortable bra after my surgery last spring. Then the other day I saw it in Walmart. Go figure. It is a bra made by Barely There, who actually makes a few of the bras I wound up purchasing last year. They also made a leisure bra that I would have liked to buy, but they looked a little small. Enter Walmart, who probably had them size it up a bit.  Apparently Barely There is part of Hanes, who has been selling bras at Walmart for years. The bra I bought is probably most like this one, but mine was a slightly different model, a little softer, and pink and white striped.

For a mere ten dollars, it is super comfortable and even kind of cute. It still feels a little binding to me, but that is probably more due to my surgeries and previous radiation; I am super sensitive. But even though they were out of the XL in most of the colors, I plan to buy at least one more (if they still have them.) And I won't even have to pay shipping.

Dangerously Low on Toilet Paper!

This is what is left of the 19 packages I bought from Rite Aid during the free toilet paper extravaganza back in January, I believe. (They are double stacked on the bottom, in case you can't tell by the photo.)

This photo was actually taken last week. My Dad was ill and in the hospital and sadly passed away March 10, my Mom's 75th birthday. I took the photo just to have something to post, uploaded it, but forgot to publish it.

The funeral was this past Monday and after mountains of laundry, I was able to get out today for some couponing. My Dad made sure my Mom saved their coupons for me and loved hearing about all of my coupon deals, even encouraging me to start this blog. So here you go, Dad.

Today I used a total of $49 in coupons. Some of the best deals I got included 5 four packs of Marcal toilet paper to add to my stock above (free!), 4 packages of Gain dryer sheets (29 cents each), 4 packages of Purex Complete laundry detergent sheets ($1.99 each), and 2 packs of Mentos candy (25 cents each.)

Hello Kitty (litter)

My car (and husband) finally came home this afternoon, so at long last I was able to get out and grab a few things.

First stop was the pet shop for dog food. I decided to try switching brands (again) for my horribly allergic Lhasa Apso. We are now trying the California Naturals herring and sweet potato. This is after the Natural Recipe fish and sweet potato, which we found had a small amount of rice in it after my dogs tummy started turning pink. Of course she is allergic to rice. We though about switching to the EVO variety which has lots of fruits and veggies in it, which she loves. But it contains egg, also an allergen for us so the California Naturals it was.   $9.99 for a small bag - ouch!  But I did feel somewhat lucky since the EVO was $10 more than that.

Our second stop was Walmart where I fared a little better. I don't love Walmart and boycotted it for several years. But now that the damage is done and the economy is ruined, I consider it a necessary evil for certain things I can't get easily elsewhere. I just got my coupons for kitty litter and Bounty paper towels, plus 2 for White Cloud toilet paper gained in swaps with other couponers.  My haul:

8 ten pound bags of kitty litter  $1.77 each, after $1.50 coupon ~ $.27 ea.
reg price: $14.16  net cost:  $2.16

6 Bounty Basic paper towels  $1.00 each, with $1 off  2 coupon ~ $.50 ea.
reg price: $6.00    net cost:  $3.00

2 White Cloud 4 packs  $2.00 each, with $1.00 off coupon ~ $1.00 ea.
reg price: $4.00   net cost:  $2.00

Cost before coupons:  $24.16      Final cost: $7.16

Not too shabby. And I have plenty of coupons left.

Dude, Where's My Car?

Okay, so it's Thursday and I can't wait for my car to come home! Oh, I mean my husband. No, really, I mean my car. It's only been gone since Tuesday, but it seems like a lifetime.

Day one was okay. Kiki (my 14 yo) had an orthodontist appointment. I thought it would be a great time to experiment and use the city bus/trolley for the first time. But as the day approached, anxiety began to set in. What if I missed the bus? How would I get to the appointment on time then? What if it came too late, how long would we have to stand out in the cold waiting for it? What if what if what if? So by Tuesday morning I was on the phone with my mom, who graciously picked up on my probably not so subtle cry for help and offered to drive us. Kiki is on vacation this week and grandma was supposed to come spend the day with us one day anyway, so she said we could switch it to Tuesday. I gratefully accepted!

By day two I was feeling a little more adventurous and suggested Kiki and I walk to one of the stores nearby. We did this once before and and it sounds like no big deal. But the part of the small city where we live (a) has no sidewalks, and (b) has no crosswalk to get from one side of the narrow but busy business lined road.  But it was a fairly nice day so I thought we would give it another shot, having learned a thing or two from the first time and developing a strategy of sorts for safer crossing. I hadn't accounted for the snowbanks, though, which seemed to take up even more walking space. But Kiki wore her rainboots and country bred girl that she is walked on top of the 4 foot frozen walls of snow most of the way.

Just as we got halfway through the store parking lot, it began to rain. Wouldn't you know? And I thought well maybe it's just a shower and will stop by the time we come out. We did a little shopping, and I price checked a few things that I had just gotten some new coupons for. Which of course made me crazy since I couldn't buy them and carry them to my house. Because well, I didn't have my car! This was starting to get serious. A girl can hardly be expected to amass great deals without a car to lug them home in.

When we came out of the store it was snowing. Hard. I remembered the bus and checked my cell phone for the time knowing that it would be coming by sometime before the top of the hour. We hurried to the bus stop and sure enough, the bus was due in 3 minutes. We waited in the snow and wind, and it was like all my worries and fears come to life. Would the bus come? Did we just miss it? Would we have to go back in the store for another hour for the next bus? Then out of the snow it emerged, our shiny vehicle of rescue - hallelujah! It was clean, comfortable, and not crowded at all - plus it was warm and dry. I felt a little silly because our stop was so close, but because we are at the end of the line and our stop on the other said, we stayed on as the bus looped around until we got there. And in that sort span of time the snow stopped and the sun came out. It wasn't a blizzard as we thought, just a silly little squall. We walked home from the bus laughing at ourselves for panicking. But in New England you just never know what is going to happen. It's never smart here to gamble on the weather. Especially when you don't have your car.

Couponapalooza!

Okay, so as I briefly mentioned in the first entry, I've recently been bitten by the coupon bug. Yes, it's true. I'm an unashamed newbie who jumped on the coupon bandwagon amid all the recent media buzz and hype about "extreme couponing." I think I saw my first news feature on it last spring or so, and I was mildly curious. Then after a virtual media blitz on it around the winter holidays, I was determined to find this magic formula for using coupons to get things free or next to free.

I suspected that for many coupon doubling had something to do with it, and I was right. I briefly dabbled in coupons when supermarkets started doubling them in this region eons ago. But my interest died out with the doubling. Plus I found that the stuff you could buy with coupons wasn't really the stuff I used. And it wasn't really saving money if I was buying things I normally wouldn't buy. Fast forward to now, doubling does help, but what I found was the really big secret to using coupons was to clip the coupons you think you might want and then hold on to them. Yes, that's it. You see (after the coupon doubling stopped) I used to think - well if I can at least find enough coupons to justify the price of the newspaper, it will be like getting it (the paper) for free. And look through the fliers to find coupons to use that week. Oh no no, I found. This isn't the way to do it at all!

Instead you hold on to your coupons and wait until your favorite store (and that is a relative term with couponing) offers you the best deal. Because a coupon paired with a great store sale or promotion, and sometimes even a store reward program can net you some really fabulous savings. Sometimes you can even get an item for free. But what good is say a free tube of toothpaste, especially when there is a lot of time and legwork involved. Okay, maybe not a lot. But what about 5 free tubes of toothpaste?  That means you may not need to buy toothpaste for 5 months. Cross that off your list and the money you would have paid for toothpaste is freed up for something else.

The basic premise is stocking up when prices are good, which many of us tend to do anyway. This just takes it to another level because you get to add your coupon onto the money you would save when you bought that item on sale anyway. For some it saves money to use on other things. For others it allows them to buy things more easily that were tough on their pocketbooks and may have done without (raises hand.)

In the short time I've been couponing I've stocked up on some items I need and got some things for free that I didn't necessarily need  but do appreciate having. So now when I clip a coupon I don't think in terms of "do I need that?" I think in terms of "would I like that if I got it for free or close to free?" As a result, I clip a lot more coupons than I used to, and my mind is much more open in terms of things I will buy or try.  My cupboard is full, my freezer stocked, and my bathroom storage area - don't ask! Hopefully I'll get around to organizing it soon.

Plus I have to admit, it's fun. Especially when you haven't got a lot of extra money lying around, coupons are like money. They have dollar amounts and values, so the act of clipping, sorting, storing, and planning feels a lot like the feeling you would have if it were actual dollars. Coupons may not ever make you rich, but they can make you feel like you are! And then there is the whole waiting for that one great deal. It's a little bit like going to Vegas without the plane fare, flashing lights, and alcohol. You clip your coupon. You know that a great deal is right around the corner.  You could use the coupon now or wait for something better, or lose out altogether if another couponer (or several) beats you to it.  There is anticipation, an adrenal rush if you score your deal, even disappointment when you don't.  The "thrill of victory and the agony of defeat," as it were.

Which is why maybe a lot of couponers won't tell you how much they enjoy their couponing. It's a guilty pleasure, and well, maybe even a little embarrassing.  I mean, get a life already! But why not. As long it doesn't become a compulsion or addiction (and oh it can, I have seen it), as long as there is balance in your life, and you, your family, the stores and the manufacturers win, who is to say?

ISO

So I've been without a car (for the most part) for a week or so. My husband just started back to his early spring seasonal job (before his summer contracting business starts up.) But since we've recently moved, we are now an hours drive from where he works. Which is ironic since one of the reasons we decided to move was to be closer to "things", primarily work! Anyway, he gets up in the wee hours which is much too early for me to drive with him there then the hour back just to have a car for the few days he is gone. So I thought, what better time to start a blog.

Starting a blog for me has always been problematic since I have so many interests that have never seem connected to me. I paint, I sew, I'm a parent, I like to cook, I like fashion and design/decorating, and most recently I started couponing. And while none of these things really seem to fit together, in one way they do. I've always been a bit of a homebody. Starting when my youngest was born 14 years ago, but more so in the last several years. We were living in a rural part of the state of NH and getting anywhere was at least a 30 minute drive. And when gas prices went up in 2008 or thereabouts, driving became a luxury reserved mostly for necessities. Hearing over the last few years that gas prices would be on the rise again, we moved a little closer to civilization last fall. And just in time too!  I chose our new place as close to the small city bus line as possible knowing we would also be dumping our second car (at least temporarily) along with our not so expensive but too expensive for its location home of 10 years.

And here we are. DH has only been able to get part time work in the time we've been here, so transportation hasn't been a problem. And I'm used to staying at home for the most part. But today is the first day of 3 whole days with no car or access to one at all since he is out of town.  DD just happens to be on school vacation and has her first appointment at the orthodontist today. This means we are going to try the bus for the first time.  Which should be interesting since she has never been on a city bus and I haven't ridden one since I was in high school. I just hope it runs on time!

But back to Nestish. I figure the things that I am interested in and involved in mainly revolve around home life and home activities, however it isn't really a blog about being an uber homemaker or super mom, extreme couponer or extreme anything. I am in RL anything but extreme.  Hence the term Nestish. It is a little bit about all of these things, but hopefully as much about me, you, people, and life in general.  Home to me being what or where you make it, not who you are.