I'd Like to Introduce You to My New Best Friend.....

......my new coupon binder!!! I put it together Easter weekend and have already used it several times.



In the front zipper pocket, I have a pair of scissors, a magnifying glass (for those tiny Ex. dates!), and tape--I don't cut very straight!




In the inside pocket, I keep a small notebook with a few extra dollars, and several pens. There's also an address label with my name, address and phone numbers. I can't take a chance of not getting the coupons back if I lose the binder.



I have several sections such as HBA, cleaning products, Frozen foods, etc. Some are divided more such as Revlon, Maybeliene, and Loreal. I wanted to use both sides of the photo album refill pages, but I didn't have any index cards. I did, however, have some large paint sample chips! They work great and add some nice color to the binder. I used the 4X6 album pages because I couldn't find the baseball card protectors at Wal-Mart.




I have a "Giveaway" page for Qs I want to share. My Grocery Challenge friends from http://moneycentral.msn.com/community/message/thread.asp?threadid=179799&boardname=Hide&header=SearchOnly&footer=Show&linktarget=_parent&pagestyle=money1&forumid=18&board=womeninred&BoardsParam=page%3d2772%26HIPDelay%3d1%26PostID%3d37523342
and my new friends at www.weusecoupons.com have a spot for their coupons to go. DBF even has a spot. Those are the people that I normally give coupons to.



I don't really have a method for the arrangement of the tabs. I did put frozen in the back since I get that last so everything's not thawed by the time I leave the store. I also have a spot at the front of the binder for receipts, and one for each store I shop at to put Qs in that I will use there.

It's not picutured, but I keep complete inserts in page protectors in the back of the binder. The accordian folder in the front holds Qs that need to be filed and sales ads.

I'm sure this is only the first binder. I will eventually move up to a Case-IT binder with a strap. This one is getting full very quickly

Coupons + CVS = :)

I went to CVS tonight just because I had coupons! Me---with coupons? Imagine that! LOL I had just printed 4 $5 coupons from Nature's Bounty vitamins' "Healthy Rewards" site. I'd found codes on a fellow bloggers site to print the coupons. A $5 coupon cost five hundred points, BUT you can hit the back button and print more for no additional points.

At CVS, I purchased everything you see above for a whopping $1.70!! And I didn't even have to use ECBs to get my total that low. Here's a run down of the deal:

(1) B12 vitamins $8.49
(1) B2 vitamins $8.49
(2) D Vitamins $9.98
(1) Tampax 40ct. $3.49 CLEARANCE
(1) Tampax 20ct. $3.89
(1) Colgate7.6oz $3.99 RAINCHECK
_____________________________
Before discounts and coupon Total = $40.61 w/tax

The vitamins were BOGO, plus I had a $5 Q for each. That alone took $33.48 off my bill. I also had a $1 Q for the Colgate. Then I had a Q for free 20ct. Tampax with the purchase of a 40ct. ($3.89). That made a total of $24.89 just in coupons! I just realized that my subtotal after all of this was NEGATIVE 4 cents! With tax my OOP=$1.70!! AMAZING!!! I'm going back tomorrow! I still have 2 more $5 Q for vitamins. :) I love being able to add more things to my stockpile. BTW...I'm working on more stockpile pictures!

Speaking of picture: CVS has prints for only 9 CENTS each until Saturday!!! This is for the one hour service not the ones that print from the machine. You can upload your pictures at the store or online. At this late date, I'd do it at cvsphoto.com....use the promo code: 9cents There's no limit to how many you can print!

Spring Break

The school where I work a two week long spring break. I thought I would get so much done....and I was WRONG! I've been so lazy!! I have gotten some things accomplished: taxes done, finally got new glasses--it's been 3 1/2 years. Today I'm waiting for the plumber to come back..yesterday didn't get my drains unclogged. Apparently I've got tree roots keeping water from leaving the house effiently. Great...there goes the extra tax refund I was getting back. It's not enough to have to call the plumber---he has to make TWO visits (please God, only two!). I planned on getting my house a good spring cleaning and get three reports done or close to it for work....have I done either? Uhhhh....not really. OK..time to get off here and get something done!

Great Deals at CVS!

CVS has Pampers this week for $8.97 (reg. $11.99). You get 3 ECBs back AND there's a $2 Q in the March 14th Red Plum coupon insert. There's also a $1.50 (maybe $2) coupon in the February 7th Proctor and Gamble insert. The limit for the Pampers is 3 per card, but you can't get all three in one transaction. After ECBs and coupons it ends up being $3.97 per package! (I think Easy Ups are also part of the deal).

I started out yesterday with 5 ECBs (on DBF's card) and none on mine. I spent a total of $24.70 and 10 ECBs (rolled 5 from 1st deal into 2nd)....now I have 20.5 ECBs. Not bad for 2 Bayar meters, 3 packages Pampers, 1 Crest ProHealth, 2 pack Stayfree pads, and a gallon of milk.



And NO, buying diapers doesn't mean I have an announcement to make...just preparing a gift for a friend who is expecting. If it was me, I'd be begging for coupons so I could do the deal 3 more times! LOL

I Love Surprises!

I was very surprised Friday at work when I found thsee in the office. I was not expecting them at all. Especially when we were going out of town to his parent's farm and not celebrating Valentine's Day until 2/20. Aren't the pretty?

A Fifth Grade Poem

As most of you know, I teach special needs students at an elementary school. The fifth grade class wrote a poem in honor of a plane crash that occurred near our little town fifty years ago. Their teacher (she was my 3rd grade teacher) wanted my opinion. With her permission, I'm sharing it with my readers. In order to remain somewhat anonymous, I will not put the name of our county in the poem and use *** instead. Everything else it just as it was written. Please leave a comment to let us know what you think!

Tears Came Falling Down From Heaven

It's still winter here
at this peaceful place
As rain fall gently
Like tears falling down from Heaven
Let us remember when.......

It happened one March day
The 17th in the year 1960,
When tears came falling down from Heaven
There was loss a plenty.

Sixty-three souls together
Came to this solemn place,
And tears came falling down from Heaven
Like teardrops down a face.

Where did they come from?
Does anyone know?
The tears who came falling down from Heaven
on this silent field of snow.

Their origins were many,
Their futures were so bright,
These tears falling down from Heaven
It just doesn't seem quite right.

This place was quiet and restful
We couldn't understand
When tears came falling down from Heaven
Quite peaceful was the land

Heavy were the hearts of
the people who came to help
Their tears came falling down from Heaven
Such sorrow that overwhelmed.

For there was no one they could aid
Not a soul was there in sight,
As tears came down from Heaven
No way to help their plight.

All of ******** County came together
With love, support, sympathy, and comfort
When tears came falling down from Heaven
All helped in any way they could.

Those sixty-three innocent souls
Who came to rest at this peaceful place
Those tears that came falling down from Heaven
Our minds will not rease.

Their spirits lift on and on,
Lifting off the clouds of sadness today,
No longer tears falling down from Heaven
They give us hope for each new day.

Here we have a memorial to remember
Each man, woman and child--don't fret,
Now they all dwell in beautiful Heaven
And we will never forget!

by *********** Elementary's 5th Grade Class.

2010

Happy 2010! I'm looking forward to a great year. I started counting calories again. I'm hoping to lose at least 30 pounds this year. I've been busy with work, so no time to post all my deals. I've had a little drama with the WAGS I shop at, but I've been able to get some good deals. I took a Big Lots ad to Wal-Mart to comp All the other day. I bought (6) 32 load bottles for $1 each after the $2.50 ad and a $3 off 2 coupon. I'll have to post new pictures of my stockpiles soon. Now back to writing reports for work!