Easy excess

i have a lot of "stuff" for one person.

one petite person.

i know this.

but it's not just me.

i love shopping for others.

(my love language must be gifts. i cherish what others give to me. 
if only you could have seen how happy i was when Jbear got me a box of white cheddar cheez-its yesterday. haha.

i especially like giving gifts i know people will use. even if it's someone i don't know.
i know diapers are not as cute as stuffed animals but parents will for sure use them!)

most of all...

i love opportunities to share.
(maybe you are running low in money,
but maybe you have extra time, skills, clothes, childrens' toys, food, etc.?)

if you feel the same, here are some for you!

Hip2Help Tour
A couponing site that April introduced me to is traveling on a mission to help four families! Many families have lost their homes and everything inside those homes to those crazy tornadoes touring the US. Time to clean out those closets. That sweater that has been collecting dust in your closet for a year can be used and appreciated by someone right now. I love how members of the community stepped up to organize for each other. And one of the girls in need of clothes is my size! Score!

Find more here.

Reece's Rainbow
It's easy to take family for granted. There are many orphaned children in the world that have possible new forever families waiting with open arms but must first overcome that initial financial burden. I am shocked by the enormity of adoption fees.

Today, Love is asking each person to donate just $3 for little Anika.
A few dollars from a lot of people can be a BIG help.

Thank you!
Do you see it too?
Changing someone's world can be easy.

Smelling Roses

This past week's bible study topic was

SLOW DOWN AND CELEBRATE

We have a disease.

It's called "Hurry".

We are always hurrying everywhere, all the time.

If you are a person, when approaching a red traffic light with one car already in each lane, you try to judge which car will be faster based on make, model and year of both cars...
you might be infected with Hurry Disease.

Apparently I am.

Experience has taught me not to underestimate the speed of UPS trucks.

What is the point of being so rush?

Why cause yourself anxiety?

Over a few minutes.

Take time to smell the roses.

God commands JOY!
Rejoice always.

Why waste a few minutes fuming over a telemarketer interrupting dinner?

Sing.

Dance.

Be silly.

I decided to take pictures of things that made me smile.
AT THE MALL

these top shoes are covered in faux fur.

why? i have no idea. do people enjoy petting their feet?

some of us just aren't blessed with feet hairy enough to warrant petting.

squiggle shoes!

in all colors.

banana runts were my favorite.

back when i truly enjoyed eating pure sugar + artificial flavoring.

AT WORK

Sbux Cupyard. Vinyl Toys. Pet Rock (she's happy today).

RANDOM

My Iron Man. Salad(/ hand-washed clothes) Spinner. Pork BBQ Skewer.

Challenge:
For every one thing you complain about,
think of 3 things you are thankful for.
Good Luck!

Mission Peak = FAIL

What happens to a plan deferred?

Does it get pushed to another day?

Replaced by a free waffle cone from tcby?

Not today. 

Once again my coupon gets turned down because the image did not print.

I need a new printer.

-.-

But I did get a nice walk around Great Mall.

My feet are now sore.

I wish I had worn a pair of these

Reebok's new Zig Pulse shoes

aka Squiggle Shoes!!!

They make me smile.

Just looking at them

makes me

^________^

I added them to my Amazon Associates store.

You can access is under a few of my favorite things.

I think is someone purchases something through the store I get something, but I like how its so convenient to add pictures to my blog and pick out things I like. If you do visit, beware it is a rather random assortment of goods. I was thinking of important themes and ended up with entertainment, fitness and disaster preparedness. Amazon sure does have all their bases covered.

Does everyone but me know what to get their mothers for Mother's Day?

Confessions of a Coupon Shopaholic

First,

It started with a dare.

A dare in the name of Lent. 

He got me where it hurt the hardest. 

You know that habit you hate the most?

I. will. stop. 

I was thrilled.

Name your price.

I had to give up 

*gasp* 

online shopping

 ouch. 

It was how I started my day. My inbox stuff with marketing emails and sample sale updates. Hours wasted staring at things I would never purchase. And dollars wasted on return shipping for the things I did. I'm a terrible judge of size and things never look the same in person. This could be a good thing...

I can buy my contact solution in an actual store. So what if drugstore.com is having another sale? I don't need to price compare everything before purchase or look for cashback deals. Driving to an actual store (where I run the risk of getting hit by other cars) means I don't have to look for free shipping codes. I think I can make this.

 I was serious.

I removed over 20 email subscriptions.

Reason for removal?

"I am giving up online shopping for Lent. Don't worry I will be back."

Then,

April introduced me to coupon sites. 

This is totally my favorite.

website

facebook

People are so creative! They stack manufacturer coupons on top of in-store deals with rebates so they end up paying next to nothing or even making money back. 

This just CANNOT be right!

So I tried it for myself.

First I got a coupon organizer to be super official (and its hard to keep track of everything).

Attempt #1 : RiteAid : toiletries

Jane got me totally hooked on John Freida Root Awakening shampoo. 

It smells yummy and makes my hair soft.

Its cheaper than Fekkai but still pricier than Pantene.

The Plan:

Get a up to a $6.99 Single Check Rebate #4 (must purchase a John Frieda Frizz-Ease styler AND a shampoo/conditioner; SCR will be equal to the cost of the shampoo/conditioner)
Get a $5 Single Check Rebate #41 (limit 3) when you buy $15 worth of Jergens Natural Glow or Moisturizers, Biore Facial Care Products, Ban Antiperspirant Deodorant, John Frieda Hair Care Products or Curel Moisturizers

Deal Scenario (based on on-line prices):
Buy 1 John Frieda Frizz-Ease Curl Boosting Mousse $5.49
Buy 1 John Frieda Frizz-Ease Shampoo or Conditioner $5.99
Buy 1 Biore pore strips $7.99
Buy 1 Biore Facial Cleanser $7.99
Total $27.46

Use the $5/$25 Rite Aid coupon found here (use zip code 43666) or here (PDF coupon)
Use the Buy any Deep Cleansing Pore Strips and Get 1 Cleanser free coupon from the 3/7 SS
Use the $1/1 Rite Aid Video Values Biore coupon found here
Use the $2/1 Biore Strips coupon found on most Biore products
Use the $2/1 John Frieda styler coupon from the 3/7 SS
Use the $3/1 John Frieda shampoo/conditioner coupon from the 3/7 SS
Use the $1/1 Rite Aid Video Values John Frieda coupon found here
Pay $5.47
Get back a $5.99 SCR #4 (i.e. the cost of the shampoo/conditioner that you choose to purchase) AND get back a $5 SCR #41
Final Cost FREE + a $6+ moneymaker!

What I actually did:

 

Purchased shampoo, detangler (next to the styling products), Biore strips, 

and a bottle of coke for Jbear (for putting up with my experiment).

Used $5 off $20.

Use the $1 off Rite Aid Video Values coupon for John Freida

Use the $1 off Rite Aid Video Values coupon for Biore

I don't know what SS means so I didn't have any of those.

I can get the $5 rebate.

Apparently the leave-in-conditioner/detangler spray <> styling product.

So no $6.99 rebate.
Darn it. Why do detangler sprays always smell so weird?

Attempt #1 = FAIL.

Attempt #2 : Toys R Us : games 

Every Easter I woke up to find a giant Easter basket filled with toys and candy that my mom purchased from the grocery store. Then at night she hid hard-boiled eggs from the fridge around the house and made my brother and I try to find them because if we did not they would end up smelling up the house. I didn't get a new Easter dress because my mom dressed me as if every Sunday was Easter when I went to church. 

This was our Easter tradition.

This year I decided to make lilB the best Easter basket ever! 

My goal is to make the total cost of the basket < the cost of a cool soccer basket I saw at Walgreens ($15.99). He doesn't need candy because with all his operations he has the most expensive teeth ever and I figured if he got board games it would keep him away from the TV and I can play too. haha.

 

The Deal

Buy Elefun Hungry Hippo Game Game $12.99

FREE plush elephant ($9.95 value)

Use $4 off Hungry Hippo coupon here

Get $3 mail-in rebate 

 

Buy Operation $8.99

Use $5 off Operation coupon here

Get $3 mail-in rebate

Pay around $15

After rebates around $9

Get back a $5 Toys R Us gift card for spending $20 (before coupons)

Final: $4 for 2 games, 1 plush elephant

What we actually did: 

forgot to pick up the mail-in rebate form

 I think I can salvage this one

Attempt #2 = Semi-FAIL

Attempt #3 : Toys R Us: DVDs

Andy is going to college and Woody & Buzz are devastated. How are they going to deal?

Yes I am talking about Toy Story 3. I am going to see it in theaters because I love Pixar. 

I saw Wall-E 3x in one week and Up on opening day. I love Pixar. A lot. Could you tell?

Toy Story and Toy Story 2 were both released on Blu-Ray and include and offer for a free movie ticket.

I've been holding onto my $10 off Disney Movie Reward coupons. 

While I was at Toys R Us semi-failing with the Easter basket games I found the bestest deal I could!

(Costco had DVDs $24.99 each and $10 off if you buy both but Costco only takes Costco coupons. Haters.)

Buy Toy Story and Toy Story 2 ($29.99 each)

Toys R Us deal buy 1 DVD get 1 50% off

Also, buy both get $10 off

Total = $35

Not bad.

What I actually did:

Sign up for Disney Movie Rewards here.

Use codes 786936294507 and 786936294521 in the Enter Code section.
Get $10 off coupons for each.
Final Total = $15


Final: $15 for 2 blu-ray DVD combo packs, 2 movie tickets for Toy Story 3

Attempt #3 = WINNER!!!

As for the no online shopping bet?

I made it to Palm Sunday. 

What got me?

 This.

 My bro and I bought my dad a Wii like 2 years ago to get him to exercise.

Unfortunately Wii Fit was always sold out. So poor Wiibi sat and collected dust.

EA Active has good reviews but always sells for around $60.

It was on sale for $43.54

Used $20 off $40 Promo Code: PAXEAST842 

Free Shipping

Total = $23.54

So Lent was a fail but I hope my dad likes his new fitness trainer.

His contract ends this month so he will have lots of free time and I better see some sweat! Hmph!

Jillian Michaels working it.

I don't know if I want to online shop so much after Easter. Sample sales are rather stressful.

After all this coupon madness, I may never pay full price for anything again. 

Except maybe staples like milk or oranges. 

(Did anyone else totally take advantage of the 5lb cuties for $2.97 from Safeway?)

wow this took way too long to type.