Monday, January 28, 2013

It has been forever...

Yes I know it has been quite a while since I have last posted on my blog. I would really like to get back into it and am interested in hearing about what you would like to hear about. I would love to write about my couponing and saving money (and I still will) but most stores have changed so many of their policies because of "extreme couponing" that it is near impossible to get things as cheap as you have seen me do in the past. I am still couponing for groceries and saving us money as much as possible. If you know me than you know I am the bargin queen and can find those clearance racks a mile away...

God is teaching me new things this year. I stayed very busy in 2012 with appts, volunteering, kids, messes, and so on..but God is teaching me to slow down and listen. How can we hear God's voice if we are so busy our heads are spinning. It doesn't matter if the things we are doing are all good things, it can become a distraction from God and his true plan for our lives. In Psalm 46:10 it says, "Be still and know that I am God".  In this world of fast moving, busy people it can be difficult to be still. But being still and listening or even talking to God in the still can make a huge difference in your day, your year, in YOUR LIFE! What is he saying to you in your quiet time?

We are counting down the days...next week we are taking the kids on our first ever (in 10 years) family vacation. We have taken trips with family and such but never just us, we are going for only a few days but I pray it will be a freshing and exciting time for all of us. Only 9 more days....Myrtle Beach here the Modicas come!!

Love sharing some of my heart with you...More to come! :)



Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Yes We have Body Wash!! LOL


Today's shopping trip with my Mom and Hubby was lots of fun and saved a lot of money!!
Here is how I did it:

We went to Walgreens First... At Walgreens they have a sale going on with the Gillette Fusion Razors where they are on sale for $10 plus I had a $4 off coupon but when I buy it I got a $5 RR for purchasing the razor so with tax it only cost me .89 cents per razor!!
Suave body wash was bought at both Walgreens and Target...
They were pretty much free..The body wash was on sale for $1.89 and I had a B1G1 Free coupon with took $3 off of my purchase so it was only about .90 for every two!
Then at Target The BBQ sauce was on sale for $1.20 and I had a $1/1 coupon which made each one only .20 cents!!
The other things were found on the clearance rack at Target and I had coupons to match up to the clearance price!
Some really good finds today!! Make sure that you are signing up for free samples when you see them advertised on facebook, I got 4 coupons in the mail this week for 2 free suave hair products, 1 free bag of sweet potato french fries and 1 free container of wipes!!
It is worth a couple minutes to fill out your address! Also visit allyou.com ..they have a new free
sample everyday!!

Hey, don't forget that you do NOT wanna miss out on Whitley/Bridge Church this week..JJ Weeks Band will be there!! First service is tomorrow night at the Bridge at 7pm! See you there! :)

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

About 30 coupons later...

No one in my family can say they need some DO for their BO...

Walgreens was the place to be this morning, Greg and I were super savers today..It was soo
much fun!! We got 36 Deodorants for only $6 and that was only tax!!


I think the cashier was amazed!! These Deos were $4.49 a piece and I got all of them for $6!!
Remember if you have a B1G1 Free coupon you can match it with a B1G1 Free sale and only pay
tax for both items...Well when you have several of the same coupon..this is what you get! :)
I bought 20 of these coupons on Ebay for $5 so I bought one and got 35 for FREE!!

Leaving excited about our shopping trip, we went on to Food Lion to pick up a few things..
I got to the cash register with a total of $115 and after my MVP card and the coupons I had..
My final bill was an even $38!! Food Lion has really been changing things and making their items
way more affordable! You can check out the new flyer that starts tomorrow at www.foodlion.com

For $38 I got 14 bottles of BBQ sauce, 10 boxes of pasta, 3 jars of pasta sauce, 1 gallon of milk, 6 corn on the cob, 2 large heinz ketchup, 2 containers of bryers ice cream, 4 cans corn, 4 cans green beans, 2 cans of peas, 1 bags of dog food and  3 cans of beefaroni!

I think we had a great day of sales!! I am very excited that I can do this for my family and being able to share with others families that need it!



Thursday, May 26, 2011

I heart the mart!!

Whew..Walmart did not see me coming this morning but oh boy did I save some money today!!
I was very excited to say the least, after I realized just how low my bill had gotten..You gotta see this!
Okay first here is a picture of the stuff I purchased..


So here is how it went..

6 Wisk Laundry Soap on Sale for .98 + $2/1 = $1.02 money maker on each one!!

4 Wet Ones hand wipes .98 + $1/2 = 2 for $1

4 Care Free Pantyliners + Free coupons = Free!!

7 Pull ups baby wipes $1.67 + $1/1 = .67 each but my overage from the Wisk paid for them so they were free!!

2 Worcestshire sauce $1.36 + $1/1 = .36 each

2 Sweet baby ray's dipping sauce $1.98 +$1/1 = .98 cents each

2 packages of bandaids $1.00 + .50/1 = .50 each

Okay you will not believe the total unless you see it so here I will show you...





Yes You read it right.. My total was $36.34 and after coupons the total was $3.27!!!
Wooo Hooo a victory for this couponista!! Remember most of these coupons can out of the
News and Observer (Raleigh).. I can not stress enough how important it is to get one (or four like me) if you wanna get some of these deals!

After a great day at Walmart...I am very excited to be going to the Bridge tonight!! If you do not have plans or if you do have plans..the Bridge is the place to be!! Come as you are and prepared to be Loved!! The Bridge Church starts at 7pm and is in the same shopping center as Delmas Hardware on Berkley Blvd. I hope to see some new faces there!! 
Have a great Thursday all!!

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Late but worth the read!

Today maybe kinda funky for me but yesterday was definitely worth hearing about!!

Greg and I went to Walmart yesterday to pick up a few things for dinner and oh boy did we
find some amazing things while we were there!!
First thing, I found a hidden clearance section in Health/Beauty sections and you won't believe
what I found in there...

A Adidas Christmas gift pack...probably the only one left in the store...the price was kinda scratched so Greg went to scan it for the price. Can you believe it rang up for only 2 cents!! Yep that's right I paid only 2 cents for this gift set!! I did not even use a coupon..It was definitely the deal of the day!


Here are a couple other deals I picked up..

Suave Deo was on sale for .97 + .50/1 coupon = .47 cents

Pull Ups Wipes $1.67 + $1/1 = .67 cents

Wisk Laundry Soap $4.97 + $3/1 =  $1.97

2 Captn Crunch cereal $1 + $1/2 = I bought two so it was B1G1 Free

We also got some London Broil on sale that my sweet hubby grilled for dinner last night! We got some corn on the cob but Food Lion has a much better deal this week..they have it on sale for 6 for $1!!  I know what we will be eatting this weekend, grilled corn is yummy!!

So...on the way out the door guess who stops us...none other that Uncle Yammy himself from Uncle Yammy's Ribs across the street! He and his wife have just started selling their new BBQ sauce and he bought us a bottle to try! How cool is that? We grilled our London Broil with it and it was amazing!!
You have got to get some!!  Sweet and Savory with a kick!

Just hanging out with the kids tonight...Very excited the Greg is off this weekend!! Thinking about going camping, the kids would love it!!

Happy Wednesday Everyone!!

Couponing is more than a hobby for me..

Couponing is more than a hobby to me becasue I look at it as the way I can contribute to the money
needed by our family. I have Rhuematoid Arthritis and Fibromyalgia, I am unable to hold down a full time job but over the years I have learned that there are ways that I can be helpful without actually have a job. Do you know what RA is..Here is some info so you can better understand me or someone you know who has RA..

First let's discuss exactly what RA is.  Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease.  What that means is that my body's immune system overacts and thinks that my joints are enemy cells, and attacks them.  This causes a whole bunch of not-fun symptoms including, but not limited to, bilateral stiffness, joint pain, migratory pain, swelling, redness/hotness of the joints, chronic fatigue, fevers, soreness, rashes, bruising of the joints, muscle pain, loss of mobility (ex: grasping a fork, combing hair, holding a cup, etc.), loss of appetite, depression, anxiety, anemia, cold and/or sweaty hands and feet, sensitivity to cold, etc.  On top of that add the side effects of many of the medications prescribed to treat RA: nausea, vomiting, heartburn, hair loss, weight gain, dramatic weight loss, moon face, mouth sores, migraines, increased vulnerability to illness, and too many more to list.
RA is a disease with no cure.
Rheumatoid Arthitis comes with "flares" and "remissions".  When I'm hurting, I'm "flaring".  When I feel okay I'm in "remission".  Flares can be brought on for no good reason at all.  But sometimes they do have a cause, such as changes in the weather, over-doing it, cold weather, and stress.
I know what you're thinking, "man she's so young to have this."  Wrong!  Most people with RA are diagnosed in their 20's.  In fact, there are some kids with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis that were diagnosed at just months old.
Needless to say all of this affects my life pretty dramatically.  Sometimes I have to cancel on fun stuff to stay home in bed because the pain is too bad or I'm too fatigued.  At one point the fatigue was so bad that I couldn't take a shower without needing a nap. 
Does this mean I can't go out and have fun?  Absolutely not.  In fact, normally if I feel well enough to go out, I make sure I have the best time possible since I can't always go out. 
There are some things that are different between me and a healthy 30 year old.  For instance, I walk a bit slower than most.   I prefer a more laid-back life.  A more "stop and smell the roses" kind of fun.  As Lily Tomlin said, "For fast-acting relief, slow down."
Does having RA make me less of a person?  NO!! In fact, the pain & struggle does nothing but make me STRONGER.  I am constantly surprised at the stuff life throws at me that I end up surviving!
Hope this helps those of you that aren't familiar with the disease.  Below are some more facts and some other websites that you can check if you'd like to read more about RA.  I particularly suggest the "spoon theory" if you really want to have an impression of what it's like to live with a chronic disease.  And as always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask me!  I'm very open & upfront about RA, and I have no trouble answering questions, no matter how trivial they may seem.

Seven Facts of Rheumatoid Arthritis That You May Not Know:
1.)  RA affects 1% of the population and is three times more common in women than in men.
2.)  One of most common reactions I get after telling someone that I have RA is, "You're so young to get that."  This is really just a good testament to the average person's ignorance to the disease.  RA normally affects people aged 20-50, but in cases of Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis it can affect babies only months old.
3.)  In addition to affecting the joints, rheumatoid arthritis may occasionally affect the skin, eyes, lungs, heart, blood, nerves or kidneys.
4.)  Unlike "old people's arthritis" (or osteoarthritis), rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease.  Osteoarthritis normally stays content attacking only the joints that have worn away, where rheumatoid arthritis will cause not only bilateral stiffness*, joint pain*, migratory pain*, swelling*, redness/hotness of the joints*, fatigue*, fevers*, soreness*,  rashes, bruising of the joints*, muscle pain*, loss of mobility (ex: grasping a fork, combing hair, etc.)*, loss of appetite*, depression*, anxiety*, anemia, cold and/or sweaty hands and feet*, & sensitivity to cold*.  On top of that add the side effects of many of our medications: nausea*, vomiting, heartburn*, hairloss*, weight gain*, moon face*, mouth sores*,  migraines, vulnerability to illness*, and too many more to list.
[*'s indicate symptoms I've encountered]
5.)  About one-fifth of people with RA develop nodules which are lumps of tissue under the skin (normally near the elbows). 
6.)  A symptom that differentiates RA from other forms of arthritis in diagnosis is symmetrical pain.  This means that if the left wrist hurts, the right wrist probably hurts too.  This is a strong indicator of RA.
7.)  Doctors look for many different things to diagnose a person with RA.  One major clue is the "RA Factor".  This is a genetic marker called HLA-DR4, which is a marker that plays a significant role in helping the body distinguish between its own cells & foreign invaders. This isn't a fool-proof way of diagnosing RA, considering that 20% of the 2.1 million people with RA do not have the "RA Factor" in their blood (like me).
Some other resources you might try:
http://www.arthritis.org/ The Arthritis Foundation puts on annual events, you can enlist with your local chapter & get information on local support groups, volunteering events, magazines, and tons more.  It's a great resource & fantastic charity.
http://butyoudontlooksick.com/spoons.htm "The Spoon Theory" is a popular site among RA Sufferers online.  I've found that by sharing "The Spoon Theory" with friends, family, etc. they understand my RA better.  The lady in the story has lupus, but RA has very similar symptoms.  The Spoon Lady (as she is lovingly referred to) also has merchandise such as "Arthritis Sucks" t-shirts, mugs, hats, and also has alot of links to information.  
http://groups.myspace.com/SufferingWithRA If you're a member of http://www.myspace.com/, you are more than welcome to join the Rheumatoid Arthritis online message board group.  This is a great place to talk about things and get feedback from many different members that also suffer from RA.

I hope this info is helpful to you and I am always up for questions to help you!!

Monday, May 23, 2011

Freebies for the week!

Target and Walmart have awesome freebies every week. Here are all the free items for the week of 5/22-5/28:

Here are the freebies this week at Target!

Aquafresh Kids Training toothbrush – $1.99
$1/1 Aquafresh Kids dental training items Target printable
$1/1 Aquafresh Kids toothbrush – 4-17 RP
Final Price = FREE after coupons
Better Oats oatmeal – $1-$1.34
$1/1 Better Oats printable
Final Price = as low as free!
Carefree Acti-Fresh pantiliners (20-22 ct) – $.97
$1/1 Carefree pantiliners – 5-8 SS
Final Price = FREE after coupon
Reach dental floss – $.97
$1/1 Reach floss – 10-10 RP, 4-17 SS
Final Price = FREE after coupon
Similac Sensitive 1 quart formula – $3.86 (on price cut through 7/2)
$5/1 Similac – 4-3 SS
$3/1 Similac – 4-3 SS
Final Price = as low as free after coupon
Up & Up Ibuprofen (24 count) – $.97
$1/1 Up & Up pain reliever Target printable
Final Price = FREE after coupon
To see the rest of the Target Match Up, please visit Melissa’s Bargain Blog! Thanks Melissa!

Here are the freebies from Walmart:

Carefree Pantiliners $.94 
Use the $1/1 coupon from the 5/8 SS
Final cost FREE + $.06 overage!

Huggies Pull Ups Flushable Wipes (42ct) $1 
Use the $1/1 Huggies Flushable Wipes coupon from the 5/15 SS
Final cost FREE

Wilkinson Sword Razors (4pk) $1.97 
Use the $2/1 on Coupons.com (zip 90210 as needed)
Final cost FREE + overage

Dial Travel Size Lotion $.97 
Use the $1/1 coupon here (Facebook)
Final cost FREE + overage

Just my Size Sportswear (on clearance as low as $3) 
Use the $5/1 Just my Size Sportswear coupon from the May All You Mag
Final cost FREE + OVERAGE!

Sensodyne ProNamel Toothpaste (trial Size) $.97 
Use  the $1/1 Sensodyne ProNamel Toothpaste from the 4/10 RP
Final Cost FREE + $.03 overage
Maruchan Yakisoba $.48 
Use the $0.50/1 Maruchan Yakisoba from the 3/13 SS (Expires 5/31)
Final Cost FREE + $0.02 overage
Arm & Hammer 8oz Baking Soda $.48 
Use the $1/2 Arm & Hammer Product coupon from the 4/10 SS
Final cost FREE + $.04 overage

Similac Ready to Feed, Organic, and Soy $3.84 
Use the $5/1 Similac Product coupon from the 4/3 SS (Expires 5/31)
Final cost FREE + $1.16 in overage

Reach Floss $0.97 
Use the $1/1 Select Listerine or Reach Products coupon from the 4/17 SS
Final cost FREE + $.03 overage
Ivory 3-Bar Soap $0.97 
Use the $1/1 Ivory bar coupon from the 5/1 PG (Expires 5/31)
Final cost FREE + $.03 overage
Noxema Bikini Razors $1.97 
Use $2/1 Noxema Razor coupon  from the 5/1 SS
Final cost FREE + $.03 overage
Advil (Travel Section) $0.97 
Use the $1/1 Any Advil coupon from the May 2011 All You mag
Final cost FREE + $.03 overage
Black Flag Fly Paper  $0.98 
Use the $1/1 Black Flag Product coupon from the 4/10 RP
Final cost FREE + $.02 overage
Black Flag Fly Swatter $.98 
Use the $1/1 Black Flag Product coupon from the 4/10 RP
Final cost FREE + $.02 overage
Thanks to FFF for the deals!! You Rock!!