Week 5 Savings

This was another bad week.  We spent a lot but some of it will be beneficial in the future.  Such as I paid for a camping trip.  When we go I will just have to pay for gas and food.  I bought Easter shirts for the boys and that does not happen but once a year.  I have the girls outfits already.  I still need pants and shoes for the kids but no doubt payless will have a BOGO going on.  It is funny I used to hate that store and through fits when my parents would take me there.  Still am not that fond of there shoes but last time we were there we got awesome deals on socks!  Cute socks too.

My splurges
Sickness has been running through the home.  I have been working with the girls on no more baby stuff.  Faith has been out of diapers for over a year and baby is now working towards it too.  Once a child turns 3 they have no more bubas (sippy cups) I took binkies (pacifiers) away form Faith somewhere around Christmas and once we lose them I was not replacing them, plus I am trying to ween baby off them too.  We were down to 3.  And they are always lost and I search for just 1.  With baby being so sick and non stop crying for days!!!  I caved and bought 2 more binkies.  -$7
New Sheriff Callie Birthday necklaces for the girls for Gracie's  Cowgirl Birthday, from etsy -$23
Paid for the reservation for a Labor day camping trip with our neighbors to Raytown Lake!  -$150
(non refundable!  so lets pray for great weather and good health!!)
Since I sat in front of the computer so much, I found out that Walgreen's had an "EGG"tra special deal everyday this week.  Recently we hast years of pictures.  Births of babies, holiday, the little moments.  This is the second time that has happened.  I took advantage of their free 8x10 collage picture deal.  And the I ordered a duplicate for my mom made another one too and got prints of all the pictures I used.  It cost me -$23 but is really priceless.
Surprises for my kids.  But from a thrift store.  They loved them -$6
Drive through one morning -$3
Easter shirts for the boys.   -$46

Jay
Still he eats out constantly.  I made him food and had it bagged up ready to take and 1 day he forgot it, the next he did not have time to eat it, the following day "well it was to old to eat". And other things  -$65
He is still trying to figure out his smoker.  Bless his heart he is trying but with no success.  Everything he makes takes like wood.  Yes like you are eating rubbery bark.  Our grocery bill is high because he decided he was going to try to smoke brisket.  Brisket that was not on sale, brisket that tasted ....not that good.  He also tried to grill wings one night they were horrible!  And the chicken you saw last week smoking well eating it as a chicken was bad but mixing into other dishes worked better.  However I am trying to stay optimistic.  He will eventually get it and it will be good, hopefully.

Unavoidables
Groceries -$300
Gas -$143
Dr office co payment -$14

Savings
Family Savings Jar +$20
Pellet/Propane savings Jar +$20

Other Awesome Accomplishments

• Made a menu plan and stuck to it.  (Jay did not)
• vacuumed out my car parents in under 4 minutes with time to spare.  Only cost me a buck!

• did not buy coffee this week but took advantage of McDonalds free coffee promo
• Got my first paycheck from the YMCA
• PA is a clothing tax free state so on the boys shirts I found a 15% off coupon, free shipping, and it was tax free, and they were on sale  It took the Ralph Lauren shirts from $150 to the affordable $46
• My parents took the boys out to see Mr.Peabody and Sherman, no cost to me-Thank You!
• I had sent the boys to their house to stay a few days with groceries and the boys came back with even more.  again thank you.  I won't be buying hot chocolate for a year.
• Jay had a few extra $$ in his pay check which made some of that camping trip possible

Advice
I heard this on a radio show (I am a talk radio junky) but they said sit and shop.  Add what you want to the cart but don't buy it.  You will feel satisfied enough at the end that you don't feel the urge to buy.  I have done this for some time now.  Especially lately with the girls getting bigger I want to buy them ever piece of American girl I see.  Sometimes I spend to much time on the site and look around fill up my cart to the best deal possible but then I walk away.  I don't order (usually) and buy the time I distance myself from the website I think why would I spend that much on buying my daughters dolls clothes??!!  It is great advice because often you find great deals but when they are erased by the shipping it makes you not want any of it that much anymore.

If we invite you over form a smoker meal, just pass.  For now at least, just pass.  Or bring over a bunch of delicious sides :)

Goals
Cleaning.  I wanted to have my house Easter ready by now.  In cleanliness, decoration, spiritual preparation, plans, menus, everything, and nothing is done.  So I want to spend time this week cleaning and maybe I can find some treasure to sell.  However I did get 10 pounds of Matzos for FREE from grocery store deals!


And as always check out the other savers HERE