TUNE IN TUESDAY -- or "Coming out of the closet (pantry)"

This post could also be titled "I got a part time job!" or "You gize aren't gonna believe this" or even "What was I THINKING!". You see I'm just going to cut right to the advice this week. No beating around the bush.

Good Advice#1: USE. COUPONS. I know what you're thinking. Cuz I used to think the same things too. Why would I waste my time and energy on finding/cutting/clipping coupons when I can just go to the store and buy the generic brand for less? OR It just makes people buy stuff that they normally wouldn't buy otherwise, hence spending MORE money. OR my favorite Coupons are for nerds. I've asked myself those same things for years now. Turns out.....I am a nerd. I’m just being honest here. I feel it’s important at this stage in our relationship.

Long story longish--Shed has local business owners once a week on his radio show. About a month back he had this loverly lady on who has a little internet business being a coupon guru. Started in our humble little town of Bake-O and is now having brazillions of hits every month all over the country. Shed comes home telling me about how amazing this concept was, how much money this lady saved, how she was having a seminar for other mommy-nerds in town a couple weeks from then, blah, blah, blah. I did what I always do...balk at the idea of coupons, and in fact, get offended at such a ridiculous idea, since I am such a good keeper of our budget and stuff. Reasonable right? I made faces, arguments and the like. Cut to a few days later and I'm secretly coupon shopping. It only took me one transaction at Target to see those minuses coming off the register and I was hooked.


So, now my pantry looks a little like this:

And something like this:

And not a single item there cost me more than $1. Most of them more like $.50. So, I proceed to sign up for said seminar and, in the meantime, lo and behold my other "couponers" are appearing!! JennyESP turns out, is an avid couponer. Maybe she had mentioned before but I failed to take note since that wasn't in my vocabulary. She's now not only my cousin-by-marriage and eBFF but now she is also my cBFF (coupon BFF). I'm filing for full custody of her as my blood sister first thing tomorrow. She introduced me to this Krazy Coupon Lady who has a whole coupons database in there!!



Bottom line, if you do it right you get stuff so cheap you wanna cry or stuff like this for F-R-E-E.

You know, now that I mention it. Not only did I get this stuff for free but they paid me $1.50 for that lotion, $.75 for that toothbrush, and $1.oo for that razor. (Note that I've marked these things with a sharpee. I don't wanna take for granted my skillz as I'm lathering my skin with lotion. I want to remember it always.) I felt like I should really take it off their hands. It's like stealing! But instead of shame and possible jail time you get to keep your temple rec!! I'll admit it, the money saved is good. It's really good. But the "game" or "sticking it to the man" is really what floats my boat. My sailboat full of food.

Good Advice #2: Sign up for, or contribute money to, the Defeat ALS Walk for this upcoming Saturday!! Uncle Visor will be too cute to miss in his wheelchair of fire and Diet Beverage hat that looks something like this. <<<that part might not be true but it's worth a shot suggesting it to my dad right? Anyway, even a few bucks would be awes. They haven't met their goal yet. Plus, it would be really sweet if we could find a cure so other totally cool families like mine didn't have to go through this crappy disease. Plus, I'd like to secure my status as their favorite kid. Which isn't really a secret, I mean, everybody knows that. And don't forget my mom (Aunt Visor) will be passing out T-shirts. It's time to diem the carpe you gize.



Now that you are sufficiently exhausted, it's your turn to ask me stuff. Lay it on me cuz I've gained 10 IQ points this week already.