Military Appreciation

As a military wife I see daily the sacrifices those in the service make along with their families. The sacrifices can be big or small; living far away from the ones you love, missing special events for family members, being in a war torn country for months on end, raising children alone while spouses are away, and the list goes on and on. It always touches my heart when others recognize these sacrifices and show their gratitude. There are many times at our church that they ask those who serve our country and their families stand for recognition, then the rest of the congrigation puts their hands on these families and prays over them. These special moments always make me so emotional because I am so very proud of not only my husband but all the other families in the room.

There are certain days throughout the year that we thank our service members and it fills my heart with joy. I know that most of you must have a service member or military family that you are so incredibly proud of, so I wanted to create a place for you to do that. Once a week I will honor a service member or family based on nominations from my readers.

If you have someone you want to nominate please send me an email with a photo of the person or family along with why you believe they deserve to be the Member/Family of the week. Also include anything else you would like; a special message for them or just any additional information!

God bless our troops!

Homemade Multi-Purpose Cleaner

There are many things in the grocery store that are just purely a waste of momey. Some of you are thinking, wait a minute- my wonderful Name Brand cleaner is definitely not a waste of money! I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but that close to $5 spray bottle more than likely is made up of a good amount of water! Then add in some harmful chemicals, fragrance, and sometimes coloring and you have your amazing cleaner. Sounds worth the money doesn't it? Not. So here's a really simple recipe that will give you the same exact cleaning experience for less than $.50 a bottle! All the ingredients for this I also use in other types of cleaners around the house so it works great.

What you'll need:

Old Spray Bottle

2 tablespoons Distilled White Vinegar

2 teaspoons Borax

Hot Water

Couple drops of Mild Dish Soap

Few drops of Lemon Juice (Optional-gives scent)

How to mix:

1. Fill your old spray bottle half way with hot water, add in the vinegar and Borax.
2. Place the top on your spray bottle and shake well- about 30 seconds so the Borax dissolves.
3. Remove the top and fill the bottle the rest of the way with more hot water. Once full add a couple drops of dish soap and your lemon juice. Instead of lemon juice you could also use any type of fragrance oil.
4. Replace top, give a little shake, and your ready to clean!!

Enjoy :)

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Building A Stock Pile

A lot of people measure a couponers success not only by the amount they save on their receipt, but also by the stock pile of food in their house. I mean seriously, have you seen those stock piles on TLC's show 'Extreme Couponing?!' Some of them absolutely make my jaw drop, but they also make me wonder how in the world these people use all that stuff before it expires?? What I hope to accomplish today is helping you build a stockpile that is just right for your family, no need to start converting your spare room into a space that ultimately resembles a mini grocery store.

You'll notice that your shopping trips begin to look much different- you'll have multiples of a certain item instead of a huge variety of different items:

First, its important to understand that Store Sale Ad Circulars run in cycles. Depending on the store it usually is around every three months or so (give or take depending on your store). For example, if pasta sauce is on sale this week it will be on sale again about three months. Understanding this time frame allows you to determine how many sauces you should buy- you want to figure in how many people are in your family and also how often you use pasta sauce! Since its only my husband and myself- I would need less than a family of four. Today I stocked up on sauce- I bought 8 jars so I am positive I won't need to purchase it again until its on sale. That is the whole idea of stock piling- buying enough of an item so that you won't have to purchase it again until its on sale. If you still have some items left over three months from now when the item goes on sale again- fantastic- now you don't have to buy as many this time around.

Second, there are also specific times of the year that prices are going to be cheaper for certain things. If you really think about our shopping habits there are definitely times of the year where we buy specific things; Thanksgiving= turkey, Easter= ham, Summer= grilling out, and so on. What happens in the stores is actually very beneficial for us, the demand for these things is high so the prices drop. You would think that it would be the other way around, but when we think carefully about it, it makes complete sense. Stores realize that you are going to be needing these things so they place them at rock bottom prices in their ads to lure you into the store. They are willing to take a loss in profit because they realize that once you step foot in their door you buy that cheap item PLUS items that are over priced- which compensates for the item thats on sale. Since you're now a couponer- you realize exactly what they're doing and only grab the item thats a great price and get yourself right out of there! Sorry store, can't trick us anymore :)) It's pretty easy to figure out the times of the year when things will be on sale, but to get your mind thinking heres a pretty basic list.

January
New Years Resolutions- Special K, Healthy Choice, Yogurt, Etc.
Super Bowl time- Chips, Salsa, Soft Drinks
Cold/Flu Season- Medicines and vitamins

February
Valentines Day- Candy and Chocolates! (Yum!) Especially after the 14th-rock bottom prices!
Chinese New Year- Soy Sauce, Noodles, Stir Fry

March
Frozen Food Month- Veggies, Meals, Etc.

April
Easter- Ham, Eggs, Food Coloring

May
Memorial Day- BBQ Sauce, Charcoal, Chips, Paper Products

June
Beginning of 4th of July Sales- Hotdogs, Hamburgers, Condiments
National Dairy Product Month- Dairy Products

July
4th of July sales continued

August
Back to school- Snacks, Juice, Back to School Supplies- makes it a good time to get a new binder!

September
Back to school continued

October
Halloween- Candy

November
Thanksgiving- Turkey, Stuffing, Potatoes
Baking Goods- Sugar, Flour, Baking Powder, Etc.

December
Christmas- Egg Nog, Gravy Mixes, Cranberry Sauce

I'm sure you can come up with many other items to add to the list, but there's the basic idea of how it works.

Since it's just my husband and myself our stock pile is not huge, but it gets us to the next sale. When you first start stock piling you may find yourself spending a little more, because you are still buying items that you have run out of. After a couple months you will see a dramatic decrease in your spending because instead of running to the store to grab something you need for a recipe- its right in your pantry.

Here is some of our stock pile.

DIY Craft Table

Alright, I just have to start by saying this so far is my all time favorite DIY- mostly because I so desperately needed a craft table. My husband is super excited too because now my crafts won't be over taking the kitchen table! I needed something really big and also something that gave me a good amount of storage options. I think you may just be a little impressed with what we came up with :))

Eeekk! I just love it so much! Let me back up a bit and give you the step by step.

Supplies: 

I am by no means a carpenter so please do not laugh if I do not use correct terms :)

2- 9 Cube Closetmaid Cubeicals (purchased ours at Lowes for about $80)

4- 2*6*10 ft wood cut into 55inch pieces (once again they did this at Lowes for me, thank you Lowes)

Screws

Screw Gun

Paint

The cubeicals come in boxes, with all the materials you need and also directions! It couldn't get much easier (well unless of course you have a hubby that will put them together for you). 

After you have the cubeicals all set up you will want to space them apart and lay your boards across the top. You will only need 7 of them and the two outside boards will be over the edges of the cubeicals a little bit. Make sure you line up the ends of every board so they are even with the cubeicals on BOTH cubeicals. Don't fret, if your anything like me this may take a good deal of time to get them lined up just perfectly!

Once you have them just right, you want to screw each board in from underneath the cubeical. If you do it from the top you will have the screw indents and it will take more time to fill them. Finally, once everything is screwed in place you can paint your table top! I decided on white because I also wanted to add some detail to the table top later. Let me give you a helpful hint- it may be easier to paint all the boards before attaching them to the top, I just got too excited and wanted to see it all together! 

Ta-da!!! Simple and it looks fantastic! 

Now as I mentioned before I wanted to add some detail on top- I had seen a fantastic tutorial on putting words on wood over at the fabulous Handy Housemom Blog-- you can see her tutorial here.

Proverbs 31:25- "Strength and honour are her clothing, and she shall rejoice in time to come."

Doubling?! Stacking?! And finding your new BFF store!

So once you've got the very basics of couponing (if you don't you should probably read my first post, hint hint) its time to move forward with learning how to really use your coupons to save you even more money! I've heard a lot of people say; "Coupons are usually worth less than a dollar, why waste your time?" Well sugar, when you know the right way to use these 'less than a dollar' pieces of paper the savings will add up fast! Let's begin by talking about two of the best couponing practices: doubling and stacking- we're not talking about hamburgers here. If you decide not to really take any of my other advice about couponing, that's fine, but if you want to be successful READ THIS POST CAREFULLY! I can't stress how important these two small concepts are, so here we go!

Doubling- Coupon doubling is a policy that each individual store may or may not allow (which is why its important you know your stores policies). There are stores that allow coupon doubling, but may have specific requirements to the doubling, for example they will only double a coupon that is under a certain value. You will find that most stores will only double coupons that are $.50 or under, so what this means is a $.50 coupon is really worth $1 because the store doubles the value. Since the stores policy is only to double under $.50, a coupon with a face value of $.55 would not double! If a store allows doubling than you can basically not even pay attention to those coupons that say 'Do not double.' It is the stores choice if they want to double coupons or not since they take it out of their own profits. The store is not reimbursed from the Manufacturer so it is their own profit that they take the extra $.50 out of. Once again, make sure you know your store's policies to find out whether or not they will double coupons.


Stacking- Stacking coupons is also determined by each individual store. By now I'm sure you have at least looked at some different coupons since you are trying to learn how to become better at the whole 'couponing adventure,' and I'm sure you have noticed the two different types of coupons. Almost always in the top left hand corner of any coupon there will be a little box with either 'Manufacturer Coupon' or 'Store Coupon' in that box. This is VERY important to pay attention to! 'Store Coupons' are designed specifically for the store you are shopping in and generally can not be used at other stores (however, some stores will accept competitor coupons- check your store policy). For example, if I have a Walmart store coupon I can not use it at Kroger. Stacking coupons is when your store allows you to use a 'Store Coupon' AND 'Manufacturer Coupon' on the same item! So I have a Manufacturer Coupon for $.50 off any carefree product and a store coupon for $1 off any carefree product. Let's do the math real quick- the cost of a pack of carefree pantiliners is $1.59, my manufacturer coupon doubles to $1 and then I can use my $1 store coupon too which equals $2 off! So now the store is actually GIVING me $.41 to get those pantiliners :))).

Here is a store coupon for the Commissary and then a Manufacturer coupon.

Finding your new BFF store- You probably always head to the same grocery store to get your items, but prepare to find a new store if the coupon policy isn't beneficial for you. To get your ultimate maximum savings you need to find a store that allows the following things- decent sale prices (stores that offer buy 1 get 1 free deals or 10/$10 deals are a couponers dream), coupon doubling, coupon stacking, and they accept competitors coupons. For those of my Southern readers- Publix allows all of these things! For my Northern readers- sorry I'm not aware of which stores allow these things, but if you send me a store coupon policy book I can help you figure it out! 


If you have any questions always feel free to leave a comment and I can try my best to help you out :) Don't be discouraged if your not saving tons or money yet, it takes time! 

DIY Photo Canvas

There are so many ways to save money for your household and this includes doing things yourself! I absolutely love creating things (just because I love it doesn't mean it always turns out the greatest), and of course Pinterest feeds my addiction!

I am always trying to maximize my savings, but sometimes events come up and you need to get gifts for others! I've always thought that homemade gifts were the best to receive, so I try to give them as often as possible. Not only can you save money, but you can give something unique and personal. One of my favorite projects of all time is a DIY Photo Canvas, they are always a big hit!

Supplies:

• 8*10 Canvas- used a coupon at Micheal's and got the canvas for less than $3
• 8*10 Photo- also used a coupon at Walgreen's so less than $2
• Scrapbook paper
• Mod Podge
• Paint
• Paint Brush

Step 1: Cut your scrapbook paper into strip that will cover the outside edges of your canvas. Apply Mod Podge to the back of the paper and attach it to the canvas. With your paint brush, Mod Podge a layer over top of the scrapbook paper. 

Step 2: Apply a coat of Mod Podge on the back of the photograph and attach it to the canvas, smooth out so that you don't have any air bubbles. 

Step 3: Apply a coat of Mod Podge over the photograph- it will appear white and cloudy, but no need to fret it will dry clear!

Step 4: Take your paint and blot with a spongey paint brush around the edges of the photograph- it helps blend the photo with the scrapbook paper. 

Step 5: Let dry and enjoy!

Couponing 101

Learning to coupon can be described in two simple words; an adventure. I believe that the reason most people fail at couponing is they believe that it is all just going to come to them, they won't have to spend time learning the ins and outs of how it works. Once you learn the very basics you will be well on your way to saving thousands (yes, I said thousands) of dollars a year for your family! This post absolutely does not contain all the ways you can work on saving your family money, there are many more posts to come, but it does contain the very basics of couponing. Following each step below can set you up for very successful future grocery shopping trips.

Step 1: Organization

• To set yourself up for a long future of being successful you MUST begin your coupon adventure by creating a system of organization. Trust me, this step in the beginning will save you hours of work later!
• The easiest and most efficient way I have found to organize myself is using a binder system. You'll need just a few things for this; a binder (can be any size, I started out with just a 1 inch but now I've have to upgrade to a 3 inch), page protectors, baseball card sleeves, and finally print outs of your different categories. There is no need for you to come up with the categories on your own, simply click here and you can print or download my binder categories.
• Once you have printed out your categories, place them in page protectors and fasten them into your binder. Behind each category place baseball card sleeves, these will be holding your coupons. 

Step 2: Get Coupons

• There's no way to coupon without coupons! There are so many different places to get coupons, but one of your absolute best sources is going to be your Sunday newspaper. Save yourself the trouble of getting out every Sunday morning and sign up for delivery. You will maximize your savings with the more papers you get every Sunday, if your serious about saving money I would 3 or 4 papers every Sunday. Don't worry about the money you spend on the papers, you will save way more than it costs you for those papers. I would also ask family and friends to set coupons off to the side for you if you know they don't plan on using them. 
• Coupon printing from websites. The best website for coupon printing is coupons.com. Please be aware that there are limits to the quantity of coupons you are allowed to print. Do NOT break these rules, you can be criminally charged for it. 
• Extremely Important: buying and selling coupons is completely ILLEGAL. I would never think of trying it! Please don't do it, it really is not worth it!

Step 3: Learn The Policies

• Before you ever make a trip to the store you need to learn that store's coupon policies! You can do this several ways; check the stores website, contact their corporate office, or simply call the store and ask where you can get a copy of their coupon policy. I would strongly suggest obtaining a paper copy of the policy and putting it in your binder, there may be times you visit the store and the cashier is unclear of their coupon policy so it helps to have it with you and be familiar with it so you can kindly show the cashier.
• Once you know the policies, don't ever intentionally try to break the policy! Once again this is illegal. If you are unsure about a certain policy, just ask someone in the store, they are usually willing to help and will be able to give you a clear answer.

Step 4: Learn The Language

• One of this things that people find most difficult is all the different terms you will find in the coupon policies and also the terms on the coupons themselves. 
• Here are some of the very common terms and abbreviations when it comes to couponing;
• One per purchase- This simply means you can only use one coupon per item you are purchasing.
• One per customer- You may only use one like coupon for your entire shopping trip.
• B1/G1- Buy one get one 
• Save $1 when you purchase 2- Some coupons will have certain requirements, like you must purchase a certain number of items to use the coupon.
• Save $5 when you spend $25- To use these coupons you must meet the requirements. It generally can be used before all other coupons as long as you have spent the specific amount indicated on the coupon.
• Do not double- This is actually instructions for the store, it is telling them not to double the value of the coupon. Some stores however do double coupons that are under a certain amount. For instance, several stores here will double coupons that are 50 cents or under. So really a coupon for $.50 is really worth $1. Check your stores coupon policy- if you are able to you should shop at stores that double, it will maximize your savings.

Step 5: Plan Your Trip

• Throughout your couponing experience this will always be the most important step! Even the most experienced couponers still sit down and carefully plan their trip.
• Now that you have your coupons and know the policies, you need to sit down with the weekly sales ad and plan your trip. The key to couponing is the following; only buy things that are on sale AND you have a coupon for. This is the best piece of advice I can give to you, if you start buying things just because you have a coupon- you will not save, but instead you will be spending more!
• I will be posting more on planning your trips and what to look for in order to save the most.
• Don't forget to be checking prices of store brand foods, sometimes they are still the cheapest.

Step 6: Head To The Store

• When beginning to coupon it is important to head to the store when you have some time to spare, your first trips are going to be time consuming even though you planned. Try to minimize your distractions- for me this means leaving my husband at home! I love him very much, but he can quickly mess up my whole trip by throwing random things in the cart! 
• Make sure you are thoughtful of other shoppers- don't clear shelves (this is incredibly rude) and also if you have tons of coupons kindly inform the person behind you that your check out will take longer than normal because of coupons. 
• Enjoy your savings!

Like I said in the beginning- this is just the very basics of couponing, now that you know these things we will gradually build off of it. In future posts I will go deeper into coupon policies and how to plan out your trip! I'm sure these steps will keep you busy for a couple days :)

Your coupon trips will begin to look like this- paid just $16.78 for all that.

Modern Day Proverbs 31 Wife

Proverbs 31:10-31
10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family    and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,    and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate. 


Wouldn't it be wonderful to be as noble as a Proverbs 31 wife? It seems almost impossible to live up to all of those expectations now a days. Just over six short months ago I took on the title of being a "Mrs." and it already has been such an adventure. I pray often that I am being the absolute best wife that I can be for my husband, he doesn't complain too often so I guess I'm not failing too miserably. Growing up, I never realized all the work that goes into helping run a household, it seems like there's always something that needs to be done; cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, managing money, and so on. Place all of this on top of strengthening you marriage (which can be a full time job in itself), and it can quickly become overwhelming. People ask me all the time how I have time to accomplish everything in my days between working full time, going to school, and taking care of my household. I hope to share my secret with you and make life a little easier for your busy household. You don't have to be married to know the challenges of being in charge of a house so I pray that even single women can find helpful hints throughout this blog.

Please join me on this adventure of serving the Lord and becoming the best possible wife. Im not sure I could ever live up to the expectations of a Proverbs 31 wife, but I'm sure going to try.