*Update: I've added a few more blogs to my reader and I've included them below.

I've been reading more frugal blogs lately hoping to pick up tips on ways to cut our food costs. Since our mortgage went up we're really feeling the pinch. All the sites I read advocate coupons. I use coupons whenever I can, but have never tried all the price matching scenarios because it seemed like so much work.

I figured it wasn't worth the hassle to save a dollar or two. Why burn the gas? Why buy things we don't eat? Man, how I wish someone had smacked me upside the head! Or that I'd met Erin, Erin and Alyssa sooner (met them at General Mills, more on that later). Done right, the savings can be way more than a few dollars, especially if the items go toward building a stockpile (that's frugalista lingo for a huge stash of non perishable foods, toiletries and household items).

Since it's been so. damn. hot. here, this past Saturday I decided to put some of what I've read recently about the Kroger Mega Event into practice and take advantage of the air conditioning (here in So Cal we go to Ralph's). I printed all the coupons I needed, loaded others onto my Ralph's Club card and left the boys here to swelter.

And I returned home with all of this:

Before coupon total: $117

You'll never guess how much I paid for it. Go on, guess.

Nope, try again.

Ooooh, that's close!

You're getting warmer!

Give up? (just tell me the damn total already!)

I only paid $43.95!!!

I know! I was impressed with me too. I think I could have done a little better though. I didn't make a list and I'm pretty sure there was something I forgot. Part of the Mega Event is an in-store promotion where purchasing 10 eligible items automatically took $5 off. Looking at my receipt on the way to the car I had 27 items. If I had counted before checkout adding another three items may have paid off even more.

(Our Armageddon Stash stockpile)

Between my anal compulsive-ness and my competitive-ness, it's totally grocery game on! I even put a note on our mailboxes asking all my neighbors to give me their coupons if they're not going to use them. Tomorrow is trash night and I'm not above doing a little digging in the paper recycling bins.

I will admit that this took a long time. I was on the PC (for printing) and had my new! laptop next to me and I was cycling back and forth between blog posts and the coupon printing sites. But, I have a feeling it will get easier as I get used to when the coupons reload, which sites I like best, what stores I like, a better system for organizing my coupons and which blogs I find most helpful. Hmm... that still sounds like a lot of work...

If you're new to all this too, here's a list of what I've found most helpful so far:

Print coupons from*:

Smart Source

Red Plum

Coupons.com

P&G eSaver (Proctor and Gamble)

Simple and Delicious (ConAgra Foods)

A Full Cup (you can print Target coupons here)

Cool Savings

Unilever

Smart phone options:

Cellfire.com (I loaded coupons straight to my club card but I'm also going to try the free app for my iPod Touch)

Blogs to read:

$5 Dinners (Erin, I totally stalk her, but she's cool with it)

Keeping The Kingdom First (Alyssa)

Mommy Snacks

Deal Seeking Mom

Jane 4 Girls, $800 Annual Budget (Erin, and no, that's not a typo!)

Newly added:
Couponing 101
Save At Home Mommy
Stretching A Buck

Buy extra coupons from:
The Coupon Carryout (for when you know of a great sale price and coupon match, affiliate link)

Clip coupons from:

Sunday paper (Smart Source and P&G)

Red Plum mailer (I've been tossing this in the recycle since the coupons are bundled with other junk, sob!)

All You magazine (sold at Wal Mart, but I'm going to subscribe)

If there's something you know that I don't please share! Does anyone match coupons for Albertson's? And if you've picked up any good tips spill those too, this is all so fascinating to me!

*I did have to register at many of the sites but so far no Spam (photo credit from here)

First Day of School: My Baby's in Second Grade!

A special breakfast

Surprises in his lunchbox

The walk to campus

One last hug goodbye

Mom, you can leave now

Breast Cancer 3Day: Pamper Yourself, Help Fund a Cure

On September 15, select Massage Envy locations will donate $10 from a $35 50-minute massage to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. They hope to raise $500,000 in one day with Massage for the Cure. So far, they've raised over $800,000! A full-body massage is not a bad way to help a great cause!

*I am an online and media ambassador the San Diego 3Day. Help me reach my fundraising goal by donating online at my personal page.

**Massage Envy didn't give me anything for this, I saw it in a magazine and wanted to pass it along. I have had a massage there and it was fab.

Missed Flight, Ramblings and My $2 Outfit

I should be on a plane. I missed my flight to Minnesota for the Eat and Greet. I've never missed a flight before! But, lemons to lemonade. It's a beautiful day and I took advantage by taking a walk. The San Diego airport is across from San Diego bay. I walked along the bay, over the bridge into Point Loma and now I'm using the free WiFi at Starbucks.

I'm bummed I have to go straight from the airport to dinner since I got a great dress and new shoes. Which reminds me, I actually made money on the dress. It's not an interesting story, but I have much time to kill.

Monday night I went to Loehman's on a whim. I only had half an hour until closing so I was doing the shopping bee (flitting from rack to rack) and spotted a cute dress. I didn't have time to try it on but figured for $26 I could always take it back.

At the register, I remembered I had a store credit. But, it had been in my wallet so long all the ink was gone. The salesperson was so nice, holding it up to the light and asking someone to help read the impression. Because of the credit and my birthday month discount, I got $3 back!

Combine that with the shoes I was going to wear (from Payless) and my outfit was only $2! I will definitely be entering that outfit into the Bargainista challenge @SDBargainMama and @bargainbabe have going.

Well, that didn't take much time. Anyone have news to share? I've still got an hour.

Oh, To Be A Kid Again

"While we try to teach our children all about life, our children

teach us what life is all about." -Angela Schwindt

The Road to A Perfect Smile Part 2

I'm so hungry! I had four more teeth pulled Friday and it's still hard for me to eat real food. Pudding, smashed bananas, cut up buttered noodles and peanut butter straight from the jar? No problem. An El Pollo Loco chicken bowl? Problem (please learn from my mistake and stick to the baby food).

While the pain is not nearly as bad as when I got my wisdom teeth out, it's still no walk in the park. And I've decided I have to write a letter to the corporate office. The policies they seem to have in place, which create a "turn 'em and burn 'em assembly line", are horrible for patient care and comfort.

Walking back to my chair before the procedure, there were bloody tools from previous patients lying in the open and the trash can in my cube was full of bloody gauze. I started to put my purse and book on the floor, and the guy getting me set up told me to put it on a chair instead "because the floor is pretty dirty." Cool, thanks. I'll hold my purse in my lap when I pee in a public restroom if the alternative is putting it on the floor.

But, when he started to ask me questions for the consent forms, he sat down in the chair and moved my stuff and put it on TOP of tools they were using in the next cube!!! So much for a sterile environment. And, again, when they were finished, they took me from my chair to the car via the storage room.

I like the people in the office. They're competent and are really good with kids and patient with my loathing of needles. I don't really blame them. But the money I've paid for two oral surgeries could (and probably did) finance a new car. I shouldn't have to bring my own blanket for cripes' sake!

And*, because my wonderful husband is at work allowing me to stay at home with Tyler, I can't take full advantage of the lovely pharmaceuticals provided for me. Half a Vicodin is like putting ice on blue balls, it helps but it's not what you really want. (thanks Deb!)

Anyhoo, I'm off to get ready for my trip on Wednesday (will the cabin pressure make gums explode?) and Google 'treatment for dry socket.'

*How many times can I start a sentence with and? And, is it really that hard and fast a grammatical rule?

(photo from here)

Wordless Wednesday: Missing My Hometown

For more Wordless Wednesday visit: 5 Minutes for Mom, Mom Dot, What's That Smell