Great Deal

I know it's been a couple of weeks since I've posted anything so I thought I'd break my silence and share about a great deal I recently scored!  Since I will be starting my new job on Monday (eek! I can't believe it's already here!) I needed some new clothes, work clothes. I have been getting the daily emails from Ann Taylor Loft and thought that I would see if I found something that would 1) fit and 2) was something that I liked. As it turns out... I for lots of clothes that fit both requirements 1 and 2 AND was able to get it for less than the marked price. 

After my first trip, I received several cards that could be used like cash, each card was $25 off a $50 or more. Today, I was able to use one of those cards and 20% off of my total! That made each of the two shirts I bought waaaay less than the original price! This is the shirt I bought today. I know, I said I bought two shirts, and I did... I bought it in both black and white! I thought it was a basic, classic staple that I would get a lot of wear out of for a long time. 

{credit}

I'm really excited about my job! And I've been having a great time buying some pretty new clothes to go with the new job! 

Busy time and a Faithful God

Well, I think we can safely say that I was pretty good at blogging throughout the summer but now that school has started I'm not doing such a great job. Sorry. I'm hoping that you understand because you are busy like me. This brings me to some big news... ..... I got a job! A job, as in a grown-up- big-girl-go-to-the-office job!!!!! We, the Husband and I, have been praising the Lord along with family and friends for His faithfulness to us. 

If you don't already know, I am a Judaic Studies Major (Judaic= Jewish). No, I'm not Jewish. (Yes, I knew you were going to ask) This was not the program I thought I'd be in when I graduated from high school but I love it and the only way to describe why this is my field of study is to say the God orchestrated all of it. I know that may sound crazy but I truly believe that God has always know what I would to in college (an knows what I will do for the rest of my life) and He has made it clear and made a way for it to all happen.

This new job doesn't actually have anything to do with my major (I knew you would ask that too) and I'm ok with that. I have struggled with not having a work field that correlates to degree. There have been times I have wondered if I made the right choice. I have been worried. I have been scared. I have questioned the Lord's plan. All of these reactions are normal, I know but that doesn't make them the correct response. I should not have worried or allowed fear to grip my heart like that. But I did and God once again proved Himself faithful to me.

His Providence doesn't always come the way we expect it to, though. Over the next two and a half months, I will be working full-time and be a full-time student. This will be C-R-A-Z-Y at the least but totally worth it in the end. I know that it will be the hardest thing I have ever done thus far in my life. This was not a decision I took lightly. I prayed, sought wise counsel and considered all angles possible before making my decision. I know there will be times when I wonder what I was thinking. I know there will be times when I wonder if I can make it through to graduation (December 17!!!). I also know that the God who called me will give me what I need (not what I want or what I think I need) to compete the task He has set before me. I know that my God will supply all my needs. I know that my God is faithful and will not leave me to walk this path alone.

I am nervous. This is a big step but I am excited. I am excited to see what the Lord has planned in all of this and how He used it in my life. I am excited for the possibilities it holds for my little family. More than all of this, I am thankful to serve a faithful, loving God who provides for all my needs in His own way and in His own time.

More coupons love

Sorry I've been such a "Nancy No-poster" this week. I promise, it's not because I like not posting anything but because 1) I've been having a hard time coming up with things to post, and 2) I've been in (and still am in) the process of making a big decision. So if you would, pray for me to have wisdom and clarity as I finish up the decision making process :) Thank you much :D 

In other news...

{from Cascade's website}

I got 3 of the trial size bags for FREE this week using a coupon! It made me happy, very VERY happy! I know that a 3 count isn't very big but that's ok. I look at it like this: even if I have to buy more dishwashing detergent it's ok because those things were free! Actually, I made 3 cents off of each bag giving me a total of 9 cents that was deducted to the total purchase, making the subtotal of the other thing I was buying 9 cents less than the marked price! Kinda pleased with myself, not gonna lie :) 

{from my twitter page}

There were plenty of things that I bought with coupons and got on sale but this is the "free stuff" pile. It makes me (and my husband) smile really big! 

Accidental savings

Well, I'm finally feeling better! That cold was particularly nasty and decided to stay for a full week! Gracious I hate being sick! Anyway, now I'm back and can continue with my regularly scheduled life, which includes this blog.

Yesterday, I went shopping for my weekly groceries and household products. I forgot a couple coupons and had to make a second trip to the store to buy dish soap. I am proud to say that I bought two bottles of Dawn dish soap, regularly priced $1.49 each, for a grand total of $0.66! I was thrilled and had to try really hard to not looked shocked or confused in the store.

Here's what happened: I walked into the store with two coupons each worth $0.50 off 1 bottle of Dawn. Realizing that this made them the same price as the soap I had currently been using also made me happy (the Man of the House had told me before I left to make sure the Dawn wasn't more expensive than the other stuff). I went to the register and handed over my store loyalty card, scanned my items and coupons and the total was $0.66! What I forgot was that I had an e-coupon on my store loyalty card and it scanned with the card. In addition to this, my other coupons doubled to $1.00 each.

Here's the math of it all:
$3.00 in product
- $2.00 in paper coupons
$1.00 remaining
- $0.50 in e-coupon
$0.50 remaining
+ 0.16 tax
$0.66 total bill

I wish I could say that I planned it that way but I didn't. Oh well. It doesn't really matter since I saved over $2.00! Yes, it was a satisfying purchase!

Sick day

I'm sick. All of those lovely little summer colds have been going around and one finally found me. I'm not pleased with it but when can be done? Nothing. Nothing but resting and drinking lots of fluids. I hate being sick. Being sick ruined my lunch plans today.

Today, I was going to make either zucchini latkes (zucchini pancakes) or sweet potato fries and it was going to be wonderful. But I'm sick so those plans got put on hold while I decided between noodles or condensed veggie soup. The soup won out. It was good. Perfect for a sick day.

{barefootcontessa}

Do you know the best thing to eat when you're sick? Mamma's Homemade Chicken Soup. The picture isn't one of my mom's chicken soup but I'm sure it will be a close second. 

{barefootcontessa}

Tasty Tuesday

Well, I didn't get the menu for this week posted yesterday, so I'm doing it today. Welcome to Tasty Tuesday! On the menu this week we have the following:

Monday: Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin with mustard roasted potatoes and onions

Tuesday: Italian Beef Sandwiches with Nanny's Italian Tomatoes and roasted green beans

Wednesday: dinner at church

Thursday: I'm working so Hubby is on his own

Friday: Enchiladas and Tex-Mex Rice with black beans

Saturday: Beef Stroganoff with egg noodles and broccoli

Sunday: Nanny's Macaroni and Cheese adapted for the crock pot

If you will notice, there are a couple meals listed that were also on last week's menu.... that's cuz we went out of town and I didn't get them cooked. It makes planning meals so much easier when that happens :)

You know what makes a foodie like me happy? If you answered "food" you are incorrect. Yes, I like food (especially the cooking part) but that's not what makes me happy right now. The correct answer is "a new knife"! Hubby bought me a new chef's knife! We were at his Uncle and Aunt's house and were admiring their knife block (I know, we're weird) and I mentioned that I didin't have a chef's knife and would like one, so he bought one for me! I love love love it! Good knives make all the difference when working in the kitchen, and they are safer to use than dull knives. I know that may sound crazy because a dull knife can't cut through the skin of a tomato easily but because of the extra pressure you have to use it will easily cut through the skin of your finger. Lesson here: a sharp knife is a safe knife.

{Photo Source}

Sunday

Yesterday was Sunday. Sunday mean a very full day. Sunday means time with our church family and our family family. Sunday means my weekly paper. And my weekly paper means... COUPONS! Yes, you guessed it I L-O-V-E coupons! No, I'm not like one of the people on TLC's "Extreme Couponing" but I do like to find ways to save us some money and couponing falls into that category. I can typically save us 25% of our total bill with coupons alone, add to that sales, store loyalty cards and knowing which stores generally have the best prices on what items, and we save probably closer to 40% off out total (although I haven't actually calculated that out, it's an estimated figure).

On a typical Sunday, I buy one paper but if the coupons are really good then I will buy two. However, yesterday I bought three papers because the coupons were AMAZING! We are talking $200+ in coupons in each one! This only happens about once a quarter so I got it while I could. I haven't clipped them yet, but it's on my list of things to do today/this week.

I love using coupons because it is my way of helping to provide our little family with what we need while being a good steward of what God has given us. This also means that I don't spend all my time couponing, time is a God given gift too and we have to spend it in a conscious manner too.