Yes, I cut coupons!

That is right, I cut coupons. It seems like a lot of work at times, but really it is worth the time. Back in June I had a revelation, well at least it seemed that way to me. In addition to taking care of the house, staying home with our children, and cooking meals, I realized that I could do even more as a stay at home wife.

We took Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University back in the February 2007. For me, a lot of it was familiar because my Dad had taught use the envelope system when my sister and I were younger. But it's not just about about the envelope system, it's about being financially free. That involves having an emergency fund, paying off debt thru the debt snowball, investing in your retirement, paying off your house, and this is a lifestyle change. You don't do all of these at once, you take baby steps.

Back to my revelation...I was sitting next to Mason's bed one night, waiting for him to drift off to sleep (this was before we put the baby gate in front of his door and right after he moved into his toddler bed), and while I sat I started thinking about our plan to be completely debt free in 4 more years. I was trying to think of ways to shorten the time, if that were possible, and it hit me that I could start using coupons.

We don't get the Sunday paper, so I started looking online to see if I could find any sites that listed coupons. As I have mentioned before, I don't buy something unless we use it, otherwise you end up spending money on items you never use. I found a website and I found items that I buy all the time and printed them off. It wasn't a whole lot of money, but every bit counts. I think I saved about $12 in coupons that month.

We were out of town all of July, so I didn't do any coupon hunting while I was gone, unless you count the coupons I collected from Carters. When I returned home in August, my friend Marissa told me about how one of her friends knew someone that ran a website that lists coupons and ideas on how to save money. I couldn't wait to get that site from her.

I only go to the grocery store for my major grocery shopping twice a month and go back once a week for milk and bread only. I always check the weekly ads whenever I plan on going, so I know where the best deals are. Well, when I found this website Save At Home Mommy, I was thrilled. Not only does she list all of the great deals, she has links to coupon sites and tell us how you can find the best deals. (Turns out, the lady that runs this site is in our new Sunday School class at church...small world)

Like I said, it does take a little time, but once you get the hang of it, it won't take as long and it is so worth it. I made my grocery list Friday and then went to Target and Winco and wrote down all the prices for each item. I then went thru my coupons and sorted them based on store. I also searched thru the weekly ad at Vons. I will give you an example from today. Here are my grocery lists:

Vons (Safeway)

Axe Shower Gel (coupons)

Safeway Hot Dog Buns (coupons)

Jimmy Dean Bacon

Ball Park Franks (coupons)

Green Seedless Grapes

Gala Apples

__________________________________
Vons Club Card Savings: $12.78
Coupon Savings : $3.80
Total Savings: $16.58

Target

Huggies Diapers (coupons)

Up & Up Diapers

Up & Up Wipes

Aveeno Baby Wash (coupons)

Boost Kids Essentials (coupons)

Desitin (coupons)

Johnson & Johnson Head to Toe (coupons)

Up & Up Allergy Relief (c0upon)

Gerber Baby Bottles (coupon)

Johnson & Johnson Baby Oil (coupons)

Coffeemate Creamer (coupon)

Yogo Bites (coupon)
Betty Crocker Brownie Mix (coupons)

Kudos Variety Pack (coupons)

Hillshire Farms Lunchmeat (coupons

General Mills Cereal Cups (coupons)

Johnson & Johnson Budie Soaps (coupons

_________________________

Total before coupons: $83.68

-Coupons: $34.54

Total after coupons: $49.14

I also shopped at Winco today and saved $8 in coupons, so in grand total, I saved $59.12 today. We normally budget $125 every 2 weeks for groceries and $40 every 2 weeks for toiletries. I only spent $90 on groceries and $30 on toiletries. That makes it worth it to me. I came away with a lot of free items, and some that cost me less than $0.50. Also, I usually make a menu ahead of time so I know what I'm cooking for the next two weeks. Before I do that, I go thru my pantry, freezer and fridge to see what I already have, so that I'm using what I have first before I buy anything I don't need.

I took a picture of my purchases from Target. I am so excited that I got all of this stuff for $49.14!

So much love to give

My son would run around without any clothes if we let him. However, he insists on wearing his shoes.
Last night I was putting Mason down for the night and asked for a kiss. He ignored me and I proceeded to act like I was sad. Immediately he gave me a hug and layed his head down on me and began patting and rubbing my back. My cup runeth over! I love his heart. Btw, I did get my kiss!

Baby Food

When Mason was a baby, I purchased all of his baby food. I thought it was convenient and saved me time. However, I think I spent about $25/week on baby food, because he loved to eat. If you consider how long they eat baby food, it adds up. I never even considered making baby food for him.


This time around, I had several friends that made baby food when their kids were babies and I thought I would give it a try. I have heard it's relatively easy and just as convenient. The only things I needed to purchase were ice cube trays, and the food. I had the blender.


I decided to start with Avocado, Banana's, Sweet Potatoes, Peas, and Carrots. One of my friends told me about this great website that gives great recipes, tips and nutritional information. I was thoroughly surprised at how easy and how quickly my supply of baby food began to build up. I probably have about 3 months worth of baby food in my freezer right now.

Whenever I am ready to feed Taylor, all I need to do is take out a cube and place it in a container to thaw out. I can put it in the diaper bag in the morning on my way out to run errands and by lunch time, it's ready to eat. If I need it quickly, I can pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds and serve it. I don't know why I didn't do this with Mason, but I will continue to do this for Taylor and for any future children we have.

Banana's

Avocado

Saving Money

Up until I had my children, I can always remember working. I started babysitting at a very young age and had "regulars" almost every weekend. It was a great way to build my savings account up and allowed me to buy the extra things that I wanted, without having to ask my parents for money.

A month after I turned sixteen, I began the job search. I immediately applied at Randall's for a cashier position. A lot of my friends also worked as cashiers, sackers or stockers, so I couldn't wait to have a "real" job. I remember taking the Saturday morning training class and having to memorize all of the produce codes. If you didn't pass, then you would have to repeat the class and I wouldn't have been able to start on my scheduled first day of work. Luckily, I passed.

I put on my navy blue slacks, long sleeved button down shirt and my apron and headed into work for my very first day. I felt important, even if I was only a cashier. I will never forget that day, because it began my journey of receiving my first real paycheck. I only worked at Randall's for a couple months and moved onto Fashion Park Cleaners, where I worked throughout the rest of High School and during the summer of my first year home from college.

I might not be earning a paycheck, but I still have a job, a full-time job. I get up early, like everyone else, and I start my work day before I ever even get the chance to head out the door. I work long hours and there have been a couple of occasions where I work a 24 hours shift. On those days, I run on adrenaline and pray that God will get me thru the rest. My paycheck comes in the form of hugs and kisses. My bonus structure appears when my children listen and show me that they are learning and growing into wonderful little people.

Adam & I joke that he is the CEO and I am the CFO of our household. Really, we both are the CFO's of our house, but I take care of the day to day needs. As CFO, I like to make sure that we are being stewards of what the Lord has given us and part of that means being economical and saving money.

I love saving money! I'm sure everyone does, but I actually get a high from a really good deal when I go shopping, or when I come way under budget after buying groceries. It sounds silly, but when our goal as a family is to be financially free of debt, it means I am that much closer.

I have a coupon holder, and I make sure to cut and save as many coupons that I know we will use in our family. I never save any coupons that I don't normally use, because I never want to feel like I have to buy something, just because I have a coupon.

A few months ago, I decided to Google "coupons" and see what I could find. Oh my goodness, there are a ton websites and ideas on how to save money. I was able to print coupons online and that meant savings for me.

The key isn't just coupons alone. We have a budget and stick to it. The hardest part for most people is sticking to it, but if you want to learn how, visit Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University and you will have a whole new outlook on finances and life.

Because we do have a budget, I know how much is allotted towards groceries, toiletries, gas, clothes, or entertainment each month. Some people choose to spend whatever they don't use, or save it for the next pay period. We are choosing to put the extra that is left over (if any, and usually there is if you make it a priority), and put it towards our savings and paying off our debt.

My parents were excellent examples at being responsible with your finances, and I wish I could say that I followed in their footsteps early on. However, I was a big spender back in the day and not always smart when it came to money. Looking back, it was just me being selfish and wanting instant gratification. It wasn't until I was out of school and started living on my own that I needed to make a change. So, I say all of this to point out that I haven't always had this mindset.

My tips for saving money:

1) Save coupons. I know it seems time consuming, but it is so worth it in the end. I have a friend of a friend that bought an entire months worth of groceries for $100 because of coupons.

2) Make out a menu for your meals. Mark which days you will be eating leftover or eating out. Making a menu ahead of time, allows for you to go in the grocery store with a purpose and you aren't purchasing anything you don't need.

3) Look thru you Grocery Store ads. You can even make your menu for the week based on these ads. You can go to more than one grocery store to get a good deal. I know it takes a little more time, but some stores might have a better deal on produce and another on meats.

4) Make a budget and save the difference. I don't see a budget as restraining when I plan on saving the difference. In the end, you win.

5) Cut those credit cards! You don't need them. Between interests rates and finance charges, you always pay more for an item then it actually cost you.

6) Pay cash or use your debit card.

7) Take Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. It is worth the investment.

8) Keep a record of all of your expenses. At the beginning of this year, I decided to save all of my receipts for a year. This allows me to see where I am spending money and where I can save money. It's very eye opening.

9) Pay yourself first. Before you begin to pay your bills, set the money aside for your savings first.

10) Buy a used car instead of new. We have yet to do this, but plan on doing this with all of our future cars. A vehicle depreciates in value the minute it's driven off the lot. You can get a great deal on a fairly new used vehicle and if you choose to buy thru a dealership or CarMax, then you are able to get a warranty with most cars. I also suggest never leasing. You are throwing money away and in the end you have nothing to show for it.

11) Make your coffee at home. If you are like me and love coffee, you know how costly it is to buy a latte out. Adam calls it $4bucks. You can spend about $6 to $8 for a pound of coffee and make it at home all month long.

12) Date Swap Night. If you have children and so do your friends, you can swap date nights and have the other couple watch your children while you go out and the next time you swap and watch their children. It saves a ton of money on babysitting and you know your children are with someone you trust. You can also do this during the day for you stay at home mom's so you can run your errands without your kids.

13) Take an at home vacation. Instead of going out of town, stay at your house, which doesn't cost you any additional money, and explore your current city. It's going to be much cheaper, and you get the joy of sleeping in your own bed and saving money. It's not as exciting as traveling, but you can make memories anywhere. You obviously live in your city for a reason and hopefully you like it enough to live in it, so this allows you to remember why you love it so much.

14) Go in on Vacation Rentals with another couple. If you plan on going out of town of vacation, consider staying at a vacation rental property. More privacy, and usually more space for your dollar. If you go in on it with another couple or a group of people, you will save even more money. Adam & I stayed at a vacation rental on our honeymoon in Hawaii and I would highly recommend it to anyone. For the same price we would have paid at a Hotel, we had our own space and privacy and didn't have to worry about the crowds or noise of the Hotels.

Adoption Update

Here is the update I received this morning from my parents regarding their Adoption process:


In late July, Debra and I submitted an inquiry to CPS in order to obtain more information on Kristofer . DePelchin received an email today from Kristofer’s case worker stating “Let the Coverston family know that I am excited to learn more about their family”. This is very exciting news for Debra and I and we are requesting that you pray that God will open the necessary doors if it is His will that we adopt Kristofer. Please pray that all parties involved (Debra and I, Kristofer, CPS staff, DePelchin staff) will receive clear guidance from the Holy Spirit as to whether Kristofer is the child we should adopt. Thank you for your support and prayers.

Please feel free to forward to others who are willing to pray for us during this matching process.
Greg & Debra


Kristofer's TARE Information

Personal Profile
Kristofer is an intelligent and funny child. He does not take life too seriously and has a great sense of humor. He has a way of always letting you know what is on his mind. He is generally a straight "A" student and is popular with his peers. He is an active member of Boy Scouts and would like to work on being an Eagle Scout. Kristofer went to the NASTAR 2009 Ski and Snowboard Racing National Championships this year in Colorado. Kristofer placed 8th in the championship! He enjoys watching television, sleeping, playing dodge ball, chess, board games, and video games. Many days he can be found reading a book.
Desired Family Profile
Kristofer needs an active family who enjoys the outdoors. He wants to have siblings, preferably an older sister, and he would like to be in a rural area. He likes both cats and dogs. It is important that Kris's family be open about having Kris remain in contact with his older sibling. Kris needs a family who will provide structure and stability.

10 Things I love about Bakersfield

10 Things I love about Bakersfield:

1. The people. Ever since we arrived in Bakersfield, we have been welcomed with open arms. Everyone is very friendly and it makes the transition that much easier. We have some great friends here in Bakersfield.



2. Dry Heat - It gets to 116 degrees sometimes in the middle of the summer and while it's hot, that is nothing compared to the humidity in Houston. I can handle dry heat any day.


3. The location. Bakersfield is only about an 1.5 from the beach and 1 hour from the mountains. You could literally go surf in the ocean in the morning and ski in the afternoon (in the winter time).

4. Jake's Tex Mex - Don't let the name full you Texan's, it's more like BBQ, there is nothing Tex Mex about it. However, they are known to have the best Chocolate Cake in town. You can't go there without getting a slice. Delicious!

5. The Parks - My goodness, there are so many parks in Bakersfield alone. We have one within walking distance by our neighborhood and the next one isn't even a mile away.

6. Country Boy - Our friends Ray & Marissa got me hooked on this place, but it's an old whole-in-the wall restaurant that makes some good food.

7. The Weather - It only rains in Bakersfield about 32 days a year on average. I do miss the occasional thunderstorm, but the rest of those days are nice and sunny. It's easy to wake up in a good mood each morning, when the sun is shining.

8. It reminds me of Katy a bit, at least the Northwest and Southwest side of town. It has a small town meets big town atmosphere. However, if you are looking for "night life" you will need to drive to LA.

9. The current housing market. You can purchase the average home for about $150,000 right now. Given that you are living in California, that is a fantastic price.

10. It's our home. It's cliche, but "Home is where the heart is." We have made our home here in Bakersfield. I still consider Katy our home too, but you can always have room for more.

Just Taylor

Everyone loves the Exersaucer

While I was in Houston, I asked Adam to pull out the Exersaucer and clean it up. It has been a very long time since it's been put to good use, but that was all about to change. He placed it in Taylor's room for the time being, until we were ready for her to try it out. Every time I go in her room to change either of their diapers, Mason always notices it.




One morning I was changing Taylor's diaper, and when I told Mason come on lets go, I looked over and saw he had climbed in it. I couldn't help but laugh and had to run to get my camera. I remember when his legs didn't even touch the bottom and now his knees touch the bottom.

Mason will stop at what he is doing to pose for pictures.

Yesterday, I decided I wanted to see Taylor's reaction the exersaucer. I brought it out into our living room and placed her in it. Not only did her feet touch the bottom, but she was already starting to play with the toys. The first time we put Mason in it, his feet didn't touch the bottom (as mentioned above), and he was almost 6 months old. Taylor isn't even 5 months yet.



Taylor got the hang of things pretty quickly.

Mason playing with his sister.

We're home

We finally made it back to Bakersfield. After waiting day after day throughout the past weekend, we were able to get three seats on a flight out on Sunday afternoon. My dad flew back with us, because there was no way I was going to fly with two kids by myself. I'm just not ready to take on that adventure.

Neither Mason or Taylor had taken a nap that day, so I was a little worried how well Mason would do. I knew Taylor would sleep the entire flight, but Mason would most likely fight taking a nap on the plane. He did very well for the first hour and then he hit a huge wall. He wanted to be held, but then he would get mad. It went back and forth like this for about 20 minutes. Eventually, he fell asleep in his Granddad's arms.

The plan was for my dad to catch a flight back to Houston immediately after we landed. It's always hard to say goodbye for me, whether it's quick or not, it's never easy. Adam met us in baggage claim and we were all so excited to see each other. Thank you Daddy for flying back with me. I couldn't have done it without you.

Once we got home, Mason had a second wind of energy and ran around the house exploring all of his toys again. I was able to unpack all the bags and get Taylor down for bed, while Mason got out his extra energy. Both kids slept great that night and weren't bothered by the time change, thank goodness. It's good to be home.

Mason still walks around our house and asks for his Mimi & Granddad all the time. I guess after living with them for a month, he thinks that we all live together and they will be wherever he is. Good thing technology has come a far way and we can communicate on a regular basis.

Weeks 3 & 4 - Houston Trip

We are still in Houston. Unfortunately, it's hard to get a flight out to LAX from Houston this weekend and since we are flying standby, it makes it even harder. Hopefully, we will be able to get a flight out tomorrow, otherwise we will have to come up with a new plan.

These are a random group of pictures from the past two weeks. We started Taylor on cereal and she isn't a big fan of it. I would say she tolerates it. I know she is hungry, because every time I place the spoon in front of her mouth, she lunges towards it. Then she realizes it is cereal and makes a funny face. It's okay, we will start her on Avocado soon.


Every time I come home, I always try to see everyone I can during my visit. Do you know how hard that is, especially when you have family and friends that live all over town and you are at the mercy of two children who have schedules of their own? So, if you are reading this and we didn't get to see you, hopefully we can make it happen in November.

Taylor sleeping. See her bald spot? She had a full head of hair when she was born and now it's all falling out. It is still very blonde.


Trying cereal for the very first time.

I love this picture of her piggies. It was her first time in the bumbo.

She always has her hands in her mouth.

My little Aggie. This was his hair spiked before he got a haircut.

He prefers to eat with his hands over using his spoon. However, he still loves to at least hold the spoon while eating. Most of his dinner did end up in his mouth.

All cleaned up and eating a cookie.

Yes, ladies, David is holding a baby. One of my oldest and dearest friends holding Taylor for the first time.

David invited us to have lunch at his office and Mason & Taylor had so much fun. He is a natural with my kids and they love him!