Not Going to Hit My 55% Savings Goal

Well, today is March 31st, the last day of the month. I did a lot of hounding over the weekend to catch up to make my 55% goal, but it's NOT going to happen, unless a miracle happens. I've been tallying up my weekend hounding savings, but right now, I'm at only 46%! The beginning of the month killed me because I stocked up on a ton of fruit and meat, which on the receipts when it's at rock bottom, doesn't come up as a sales price. It's mostly at Shop Rite where I do my big grocery shopping. I'll go to A & P or Pathmark for REALLY good sales only. Ah well. Can't win em all right? I'll shoot for 55% again for next month.......

April Budget

So I had a few extra minutes at work to work on my April budget. I had to watch the front desk in case someone came in or called. So I figured I'd make the best of my downtime and do the budget for April. I actually did it all in one shot. Normally I start, get stressed out/frustrated, and I stop and go back and finish. I did it in one sitting and had a few bucks left over at the end of the month. It's about time!!!!!! There is now more money at the end of the month! Hopefully this is not an April Fool's joke for me.......

Stockpile Organization, Here I Come!!!!!

DH and I bought a HUGE cabinet to store my 'stockpile' stuff and he put it together last week, and put the finishing touches on it on Saturday. We got some shims to make it level as our spare room is not level, and he nailed it to the wall so it will not come crashing down on us. I took a pic of it yesterday, empty. Then I'll take a pic of it full and post it on here. Right now, my cabinets are full and my linen closet is full of toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, women items, etc. If you move one thing, it will all come crashing down (just like the freezer!). This week, piece by piece I'll be filling it all up, so I'll take before and after pics. I'm soooo excited! We went to AC yesterday, and I was at the point I wanted to stay home and fill up the cabinet! I also have to post my deals at Target and WAGS!

Maryland Bound

Tomorrow, I'll be Maryland bound for a few days. It's a big conference type thing that I got invited to from the big wigs at work. Should be interesting. Hubby Mike is coming with me, as always. We talked about that the other day, why I can't go alone. My parents go to week long work functions or family stuff alone sometimes and it's no big deal. However, Mike says that his parents would never go somewhere without the other, it's just the way his family does things, so he does the way he sees fit. Um, okay. I just figured he didn't trust me LOL. But it's cute that he doesn't want his wifey all alone in some big city :)

Today, we went out and ran a ton of errands and did NOT get to the SA Parade :( I was bummed that we didn't get to booze it up, but I'm better off not having a hangover while hanging w/ the big wigs at work tomorrow in Maryland. Since we decided not to move out of the condo anytime soon, we decided we wanted to renovate a bit, so we got a new kitchen sink (it's only 6 inches in depth and if you wash a plate or something, it's like waterworks over here...I get drenched and the whole counter gets soaked, so we got a 10 inch depth one), vertical blinds for the spare room (there are custom made ones in there now, but they are horizontal and it's got two of them on there b/c the windows are so wide, I've been wanting to get verticals for a long time, now I said that if Hubby gets his sink, I get my blinds!), and we also got a big organizer type closet to put my stockpiled stuff!! YAY! Took Hubby awhile to get it out of the shelf at the Depot, it weighed so much! We had to have my neighbor come over to help carry it in. So that's Hubby Mike's 'project' the next few weeks. I'm sure my dad will probably do the sink himself. He tried to tell Hubby Mike how to do it, then said 'Oh, well I'll probably just do it myself' My dad is Mr. Handy, and Hubby Mike is complete opposite! LOL

So, this will be my last post until I return on Tuesday!

February Totals!

Okay so I'm a few days behind....sorry!
Here are my February totals, and I hit my goal of 50%!!!!

Number of items: 171
Total before savings: $485.25
Store Savings: $133.56
Coupons: $129.49
Number of Q's: 104
OOP: $219.94 (BELOW budget of $300 for the month!)
Total Savings: $265.31 or 55%!!!!!

I think for this month, I'm going to aim for 55%!!!!! I know I did one trip last week when I was sick, and didn't do so well, most was necessities, so no Q's really...so we'll see! Wish me luck!

Bye Bye Capital One!

Here is my Dear John letter to Capital One (idea stolen from Dhunny)

Dear Capital One:

Well, we've had some good times, and over the past few years, DH and I have used you a lot. You've always been there for us when we needed you, or even those times we just wanted you. When we wanted to go to a nice dinner, there you were, just sitting there looking up at us saying 'It's okay, use me!' You were great at Christmas time too. We used you to earn 3 points for every dollar spent, but we paid that portion off quickly thanks to saving up last minute for the gifts.

I hope you will not be too offended that I'm making this break from you. It's better for me and DH and I'm sure there is someone else out there that will use you until your hearts content, and until your rate skyrockets.

It will be hard to go shopping with you not around, but that's better. I hardly wore any of the clothes I bought with you and ended up giving them away, tags still attached.

I was just on your website and I just paid you off, for good. Yes, our EZPass is still on there, but I will pay that $25 each month in full, so at least I'll still get to take advantage of your 3 points for every dollar spent. That's 75 points each month! I may keep you in my wallet for emergencies, but just to let you know, that you will be paid off in full each month in the rare case I'll use you.

Paper is much better for me and the environment then plastic is.

I sure will miss you!
Beth and DH

My next Dear John letter will be to Chase.....

A & P Triples....YAY BABY!

So, I went to A & P on lunch Friday for the kickoff to the Triples weekend there! I had all my Q's ready to go and here's what I got:

Kellogg's Rice Krispies: 3.79 - 1.29 SS - .70Q tripled = .40
Kellogg's Froot Loops: 4.59 - 2.09SS -.70Q tripled = .40
Trident Gum (2): 2.58 - 2 .75 Q's tripled = FREE!
Betty Crocker Warm Delights (4): 8.76 - 2.09 SS - 4 .50Q's tripled = .67/4 = .17 each!
Yoplait Yogurt (10): 9.90 - 6.10 SS - .40 Q tripled = 2.60/10 = .26 each!
Poland Spring Water 24 pack: 5.99 - 2.11 SS = 3.88

Total: 35.61
# Items: 19
Store Savings (SS): 13.68
Q's: 13.98
Tax: .11
OOP: 8.06
Total Savings: 27.55 or 77%!

2/25/09 Shop Rite Trip

I started to get away from posting my good deals that I got, so now it's back! With pics and all for this one!

Kleenex Cottonelle TP 12 pack: 9.09-2.09 SS - 1.00Q=6.00

Lipton Soup Mixes (8): 14.32-6.32SS-4.8Q= 3.20/8=.40 each!

Lipton Knoor Beef Noodles (2): 2.50-1.50Q=1/2 = .50 each! (and received $5 Catalina ONYO for buying 9 Lipton Products)

Sssips: 1.49

Explodo PopCorn (2): 3.98-1.00 SS - 2Q's = .98/2 = .49 each!

Bic Razors (5): 29.95-15.00 SS - 10Q's= 4.95/5 = .99 each!

Red Delicious Apples; 1.28

Quaker Rice Cakes: 1.67

Maier's Italian Bread: 1.50

Bananas: 1.90

Shop Rite Reusable Bag: .99-.99Q = FREE!

Random ONYO Q from last purchase $3

Total: 68.67

# Items: 24

Store Savings: 24.41

Q's: 23.29

Tax: 1.22

OOP: 22.19

Totals savings: 46.48 or 68%!