Is it really March already? SERIOUSLY?

Sorry I haven't posted in so long. Ongoing health issues keep me just trying to survive some days. As a bit of an update, we have a lead on a possible diagnosis for what is the root issue of my health problems. When we know more I will post about it. For now, my doctor is looking into finding the "right" doctor/specialist to send me to for this possible diagnosis.

Thanks to all of you who took time to leave comments! I so appreciate that! What I have ended up going with is Visions Glass Cookware by Corning. It is quite expensive on Ebay or to buy at the few places that still sell new pieces (they no longer produce this line), but God has blessed me greatly and I have found several pieces at my local Goodwill for very little money! I am still using my Stainless Steel large cook pot, which is so-so,(it doesn't have a flat bottom and so doesn't work well/heat evenly on my flat top stove). I also was able to find some non-aluminum deodorant on clearance at Walgreen's for like $0.70 each. So, I stocked up on several of those. Once those are gone I will look into some of the other options you wonderful readers have mentioned. =)

So, besides all that STUFF, what is going on around our household? Perhaps the biggest new thing is my goal to really work at saving money this year by lowering my grocery, household supplies and toiletries bill. I have learned a lot through many wonderful websites and blogs, especially about coupon shopping. I'll be sharing more on this in a future post. Let's just say just the thought of the Sunday paper coupon inserts set my heart a'flutter these days! LOL!

With following a stocking up while items are at their lowest prices plan I have saved some serious money! I have stayed away from Costco almost entirely, because as it turns out, most of the items I buy there, though not all, can be bought for less when those items are on sale when you have a coupon to go with them. Also, finding really good deals (and knowing what a good deal is) has allowed me, for instance, to buy 80/20 hamburger meat at Safeway on sale for $0.99 per pound (this was still from the butcher block and not those somewhat strange "tubes" of hamburger meat - I have an aversion to buying meat I can't SEE). As a comparison, I was (blindly) buying 88/12 hamburger meat at Costco for $2.59 per pound. I say blindly because I had it in my mind that Costco always has the best prices. Wrong.

I'll admit, I was skeptical at first. So, I took the time to go through Costco and make a list of all the items I usually buy there, price per pound/ounce/etc. so that I can refer to that when I look at grocery ads each week. That has really helped!

I also made a change in what I buy for chicken. To save time, ahem, I have bought the skinless/boneless chicken breasts at Costco for years, which turns out costs $2.31 per pound. Well, I am now buying whole chickens and finding them on sale, and then stocking up on them (my full size freezer is getting quite the workout now!) for $0.68 per pound! Yes, more work and with the chicken breasts there isn't any waste, but the savings is significant! It is also better for my kids to stop being so picky about white meat and thinking dark meat is unhealthy or such. LOL.

I will admit that finding enough coupons to make it worth it for a family of our size was a challenge at first. But, I swallowed what little pride I have (let's face it, people offer us their hand-me-downs pretty often, and the first time they do they are always afraid of offending,but I say who cares if they are hand-me-downs, bring them on!), lol, and starting knocking on neighbors doors (well, two of them) and now one neighbor gives me all their coupon inserts each week! Plus I asked a friend who I knew gets the paper if she used hers and so when we see each other she gives those to me. AND, my wonderful husband even asked around at work and I usually get 1-2 sets of inserts and food day grocery store ads (that gets me extra Safeway doubler coupons and coupons, which I use one set at Safeway and another at Albertson's - they take any grocery store competitor coupons) each week. Plus, if there is an especially GREAT coupon insert Sunday paper I can always buy an extra paper for $1.50. That is a small cost when coupons are saving me over $100 or more each week.

I am also learning lots about Register Rewards, Easy Saver Rebates, Single Check Rebates and Catalina's.

I also find myself with lots of coupons we won't/don't use. Two of my sisters are swapping coupons with me that we have extras of, but I'm thinking of a more organized way to do that. I just read about a coupon "train" and it sounds interesting.

Leave me a comment if you are interested in hearing more about coupon saving shopping, if you are already doing this and how you like it, and if you are interested in a coupon train (you need to already be doing coupon shopping and clipping the Sunday newspaper inserts each week).

I hope to make a post full of great links for everyone to explore; from the beginners basics, to online grocery coupon printing sites (yes, these are totally legal and the grocery stores take them), freebie sites, and MORE!

Happy March!