mom-from-missouri's Journal

OK, so April 13 was my first day of little or no grocery shopping, to force myself to get the two pantries, and all 4 freezers cleaned out. Tonight will be day 5, and tonights supper will be salmon patties and either shrip or crab. So far all I have had to buy was 3 green peppers, so we could use up the leftover over chicken for quasadias. I had some green peppers already diced up in the freezer, but not enough.

So far, the top laywer has revealed the makings for meatloaf, chicken alfrado (then turneed into last nights qusadias), BBQ steaks.

Sunday we ate out with our minister and his family. So, we are one day behind on the menu I had made up. Our local chinese place has a buffet special on Sundays and they had a coupons we could use on top of that. So, anytime we can feed 3 teens all you can eat for $6, eating out, its a good deal.

Tonight, from the freezer I came up with some steaks, which I BBQ'd. Daughter #5 made some home made tapioca to go with it, and we used up some left over veggies from the fridge.

No groceries needed and none bought.

I need to use up my stockpiles so I can refill them. Once a year I do this as I buy items by the case and in bulk.

Usually I do this right before winter, so that I have a large stockpile in date incase of bad weather. But we had so many funerals and deaths in the family the past few months, I never did it.

So, will try to limit shopping to milk for as long as possible. I think it will take 3-4 weeks at least for the pantries, or possibly as long as 6 or more weeks for the deepfreeze.

When I am about 60% down, I will start buying 2 case items a week.

Somehow a mystery bag of wheat flour appeared. Weird. Its a 50 lb bag, like I normally buy, but it wasn't there, now it is there. No one in the family admits to having moved it anywhere or back to where it belongs....but oh well! better than finding a full bag empty I guess!

I don't normally work full time. I don't need to and I don't want to. I have in the past, but right now my number one priority is my children. My husband supports us very well. If he didn't, I'd be out there working daily.

That being said, I don't just sit around and eat bon bons (although some of my inlaws seem to have that idea, as they don't understand why I can't do things at the drop of a hat.) I hate it when someone asks what I do, and I tell them I am a sahm. I had a career and it paid very well. I gave it up by choice, and I didn't give up my IQ--only my job.

I do volunteer work, mentor with families who have issues with finances or parenting, (on the volunteer level and also on the state DFS level). We homeschool our children, I teach one day a week, have daycare kids 18 hours a week, sub teach and run my own business of which I control the hours and clients. If we have family issues, such as sickness, field trips, company, or worse-we just had a family member pass from cancer, I can lesson my business. If I decide to increase it, I can quickly increase it by opening up days I had blocked for family.

Sometimes I go out for my business (I teach cpr, health and safety classes) sometimes they come to me (we use our homeschool class room).

I have rental property--it adds to our family income as well. This month I have been teaching much more than usual--I picked up some classes due to the flu going around as other instructors were sick and I wasn't. Between my rental and class income I have either brought in or invoiced over $4000 this month. By Friday n Saturday night I will have taught 9 classes just this week alone... and, I will be out of town with the kids for 8 days doing volunteer work from tornado damage.

Yet, some of the inlaws....and a few others, constantly badger me asking when I intend to get a "real job". So far I evidently haven't found the correct response, as I keep getting asked again and again.

Do other small business owners or sahm get asked this?? what defines a real job--a paycheck from someone you are dependent on to schedule your life for you and pay your only what they think you are worth?? (I'd rather have my families kisses and hugs for payment any day of the week).

Next Sunday after church I am taking another group of homeschoolers down to Joplin to work for a week. I am excited to see how much Joplin has rebuilt or cleaned up since our last trip down.

This time I have going 5 other adults (besides myself, which is interesting because last trip one of those now adults was not an adult but a kid helper--she had a birthday). We have 13 kids going as well.

We will be doing painting, yardwork if the weather is nice, sheetrocking, sanding, siding, helping people move in if the current home is done, roofing--a little of everything.

Orginally this trip was a pay as you go trip, with each kicking in around $40-$50 for food and gas for the week. But this morning at church we were told of a $300 donation, and groceries also being donated for our trip, so that will be a huge help. Some of the kids going actually have 2 or 3 in their family plus a parent going, so they will really feel the impact of the donations.

Our lodging is free, as there is a church that sponsors the program we work thru, that lets us sleep in the building. There have been shower houses and laundry buildings built behind the church for us to use all at no charge.

A friend of mine lost everything in the tornado and his house was started last week. He had been laid off and had his home paid for, so he let his homeowners insurance go, like many others. And, lost it all. But, when it comes to eating, electric, buying fuel or paying insurance, insurance kind of ranks last.

Went to mail a package at Office Depot, and got some other things as well. The total seemed a little high, so I questioned it. They charged me $16.51 to overnight a envelope......Not what I asked for. I only wanted it mailed regular mail. Took her 10 minutes to rering it, and then it only cost $1.67 to mail. (I bought the envelope from them as well to mail the documents)...What I was mailing was documents back that I received in todays mail--the company sent me the wrong ones. Glad I checked that out before I signed and passed it on.

Then we went to radio shack to replace 3 phones that were due to regrade. AT&T actually moved our regrade date up, as they moved the tower out of our area, and left those of us with older phones out of service. So we now have 3G phones and they waived the activation fee as well. I first tried to do all this at the AT&T store, but even though it was noted on the account the regrade activation fee was supposed to be waived, the AT&T store kept trying to charge me $268. So, I left. Radio Shack read the notes and said ok-here are your choices, and I walked out only paying for some batteries I bought there and a new car charger as my old one bit the dust after 11 years.

Last stop was to Lowe's to get some conduit. I priced it there yesterday at $1.69 per 10 ft length. Home Depot was by the Radio Shack store, so I checked their price and they wanted $3.69 for the same item. So, we headed back to Lowes about a mile down the highway. Not only was Lowe's cheaper, but I also used some gift cards I had earned from MyPoints, so only paid around $6 out of pocket. Bill started out at $42.

And, Lowes now has a rewards program as well. It stores all your paint recipes and items bought. Since I have a rental house, this is ideal for me as they can print it out at any time for your records.

Yesterday, it was in the low 70's, and I worked inside all day, teaching cpr..... Today, we now have sleet and snow and its cold, and of course, was planning on working outside today. I had arranged for a couple of teen boys from our 4h and homeschool gang to come help me finish the fencing of the chicken pen this afternoon. It is to the point where I can't do it anymore on my own. The bottom layer of fence is done, now we have to put the top layer of fence up (about 5 foot of the ground), then we will fence the top.

This chicken pen has been a 3 year project. I had an estimate for someone else to do it and they wanted around $4,000. So far I have around $700 into it.

My husband and bro in law put in the croncrete pad, I bought one hen house (display model from Lowes) for $300 at the end of the season, and the other one was free from craigslist. It is taking about $200-$300 of fencing. I found on ebay a poultry net that will cover the entire top of the pen for around $125.

Adding it up, it is far cheaper than the %$4000 estimate I had. My hens have been free ranging during the day, but we have had a hawk carry a couple off and a coyote come help himself in broad daylight, so on days we are not outside, they will have a pen to stay in. It is a pretty large pen, 25 by 75, so they will have lots of room, and I can subfence the inside for babychicks and their momma's if I want and house them in one coop by themselves.

Nice weather, no heat on again today!! Our premie calf is doing well, thought we were going to loose it for awhile, but its up running around, and doing great!! And, yesterday I got a $100 check for adsense from my homeschooling blog that I was not expecting for at least another month. I am putting that into the Christmas 2012 envelope.

Sold more on ebay, but again, they have not paid. Whats with people that don't pay after an auction Never had an issue with it until about a month ago, and now this is the third one. And, ebay won't let you give them negative feedback anymore for it. That really stinks.

Tried to give away a free sofa and loveseat in fairly good condition. Got stood up 4 times, then number 5 came to see it and wanted me to deliver it, for free...nope....no more takers. So, now I have it listed for $25 and a string of people want it. I can't figure people out at all.

wow, It was in the upper 60's today, so we turned the heat off and opened the windows. Was wonderful!!

Also spent some time outdoors planting flower bulbs, adding compost and fertlizer to the raised garden beds, removed 2 dead trees from the orchard, staked a cherry tree that started to lean and played with a new baby calf (it likes to play chase and tag).

I hope a lot of people got out today, to help put an end to the flu that is going around here,as it is bad. Several school districts have closed their doors on either a Fri or Mon hoping students would have a longer weekend to all get well.

I am a stay at home, homeschooling mom, by choice. I do like to help contribute to our income. I have a rental property, but that mostly stays in the rental account.

So, I do some as needed childcare for a couple of nurses, and also teach American Heart CPR, First Aid and a few more classes.

Some months its nothing, but THIS month, which is not yet over, has been good. So far, $210 in childcare and $530 for CPR and first aid classes......

i'm not complaining!

If we can make it a few more days, we will have gone 8+ weeks without having to use the AC or heat!!! Yeah! I think this will be the first year since we have been married we made it through April and May without either. That should make for a nice electric bill.

I miss her posts. Am I just overlooking them??

Last week we had a night where it dropped below freezing. I had my plants in the cold frame and thought they would be ok (cold frame is made of bales of hay, with an insulated window top). But, they still froze (was supposed to get to 40, not 31)....so, I have to start my seeds all over again...Bummer.

Got in line behind a lady complaining she couldn't get her grocery bill down, and she was going to try and "extreme coupon" the next time she shopped.....

Since I coupon, that perked my interested, as I watched her be rung up I understood her problem.

Her "food items" consisted of booze, cigarettes, chips, candy, gum, paper plates, paper towels, Styrofoam cups, 409, laundry soap, dog food, cat food, a music CD, wrapping paper, card, and soda.

Meanwhile, my cart was $69 before coupons, $30 something after, and had milk, 5 lbs of rice, 10 lbs of potatoes, salt, meat, fruit, veggies, oatmeal, cereal, tea bags, and frozen bread dough.

I'd rather eat whats in my cart than hers....

Why do people call their pet food, papergoods, and cleaning supplies part of their food budget?? You don't eat them, AND the grocery store is the most expensive place to buy those items.

At the $1 store, I can get a 14 ounce bottle of arm and hammer laundry soap for $1. Minus the $1 coupon, its free. The grocery store doesn't have 14 ounce bottles, but they have the 32 ounce one for $8.99. Do the math....

Dollar General has colgate toothpaste for 75 cents, less the 75 cent coupon from the paper, is FREE. grocery store price for the same tube, is $3.09...Do the math.

Shop, compare, and complain about your food budget when you are buying nonfood items!!

2 months and my new car is paid off. Its the only new vehicle I have ever had (all others have been used). That will leave us with a land payment, and dh now has a credit card (work required) but it gets paid off monthly--in fact it only has a $400 a month credit limit, as that is more than enough to cover any business expenses until he gets reimbursed. Yee ha.

Yeah!! Got a nice unexpected refund coming from the fed. I try to adjust dh with holdings, so it zeros out so we can use the money during the year. But we had some unexpected medical, tution for a class I didn't plan on taking, and had to replace the roof and furnace and went with energy eff, so we got that credit. Then, my rental house sat vacant several months, and I didn't do childcare while I was in class full time. So, it all added up to a nice federal refund.

But as usual, we owe the state. No matter how we do it, we always always owe the state, even if we have extra taken out.

Actually our state tax would have been less, had one of my dh family members cooperated. While I was in class, I had to do some overnight clinicals on the same nights DH had to work nights. So we paid her to come spend the night here. I added it up, and it added up to around $250 we paid her for childcare over the 5 month period. So, I called her to get her ssn so I could claim it. (you can't claim child care anymore with out the providers ein or ssn). She said she would rather not give it to us even when I told her we could not claim the child care without it. Then she told me she wasn't even sure we paid her or if that was last year or the year before...(I had it all documented for taxes). So, we won't be using her again!

April 12, and I just bought the turbo tax today...Normally I have it all done by February, but not this year. I loaded it on the computer tonight, and did the basic information inputs. Tomorrow I will input the rental info, hubbys W2, my freelance writing stuff, and the investment info and be done with it. With 2 days to spare!

Last year I had him adjust his with holdings because we were getting too big of a refund. I am anxious to see how we ended up as a result. But, we may still be getting a refund, as we replaced an exterior window, furnace and put on a new roof--all of which will give us some energy credits. Also, since I went to school last year, I had some tuition that my volunteer job never has reimbursed me for (and most likely won't). I also had to pay for a couple new uniforms.

On the plus, I received my state license yesterday, and found out today 2 places are interested in hiring me PRN. I don't want to work more than 1 day every 1 or 2 weeks, and that was ok with them (for an EMT a day is 24 hours, which, being a homeschooling mom is about all I want at this time) I would earn around $300 for each shift so even 2 shifts a month are fine with me. Funny about getting my license, I have been watching my mail for it and was starting to worry as to where it was. Then today, I found it in my email. The state emails them out now. I had no idea that was how it would arrive.

I also joined our states emergency medical disaster team. That means I can be called in to work floods, large fires, hazmat issues, bus, train or plane accidents, storm or tornados....I also put down I would go out of state for up to 14 days at a time. Will be interesting to see what I may get called up for.

We have dropped the house phone and dialup internet that was through the land line. Savings is $79 a month.

Now, we have wireless at $49 a month, that is high speed.


Savings is now $30 a month. We can now have 2 computers on line (should be able to have 3, but one is being stubborn). Makes it sooooooo nice since we homeschool, we can have more learning resources. And, we can watch videos!!

Its a little ma and pa company, with great customer service. And, if someone else in NW Missouri signs up and gives my name, I get a month free!

I won 3 contest in the last 3 weeks at Thriftyfun.com, netting me a total of $75. Earned another $10 off of Helium, received back an overpayment of $45 for an event I paid for that was postponed (I will have to pay that again later when it is rescheduled, should I go), a friend had successful surgery to remove a brain tumor, and I have earned another $100 from adsense for clicks from my blog. Also, I was contacted by a company to receive some free kitchen items. I have to use them then give an honest review on my blog. Then, they may or may not elect to have me be a "regular" product reviewer. I have received the first of three items to review. The first was a stainless steel cakepan. We made a cake in it today, and after it is emptied and cleaned, I will post that review. (I want to see how well it cleans up first). Then I have coming a stainless dipper, and a stainless bread pan.

I hope this string of good happenings keeps happening!

I have been wanting to add some college credits in emergency management, safety, fire, and EMT to my college transcripts. Even though I hold certificates in these areas, college credits/hours usually carry more weight. However, they are often 300+ per credit hour, and since I am already certified I hate spending that much money to repeat my learning.

Last night, I was taking a CE class, offered free, online through the university of MO in collaboration with FEMA. Bingo. I can pay only $76 per credit hour to have my certificates and CE classes I have already taken converted to college credits and be added to my college transcript. (I get to take my CE's for free, so I would not be double paying).

I went through the list, and I have almost 200 CE's. I compared that to those that were marked they would convert into 1, 2 or 3 credit hours. It looks like 40 of them would convert. After they are converted, it seems I would have to take 2 classes, and would then have an associates in emergency management. And, the 2 classes I need to take are only available on campus, but as weekend workshop classes--and they are FREE. I don't think $3040 is too bad for another degree???

Right now, I am a volunteer fire fighter and EMT. With the Assoc., I could go up to officer with a paid district and get paid, or, even teach some of these classes.

Right now, I teach fire safety classes, CPR and first aid. Some classes I teach are free, as PR for our dept, and for other groups who contact me directly and are out of our fire district, I charge, but only to cover any materials I have to purchase.

Sooooo.........I guess I have some thinking to do now!

I'm tired of it, and more is coming down now, mixed in with rain. We have 20 inches in the yard now, and are getting more now and again on Wednesday.

I have 2 kids I watch on Mondays, and I hope this doesn't prevent me from watching them this coming week. The roads and our driveway aren't in the best shape. I kind of like that extra $70 a week I make watching them!

Yesterday I went to Walgreens. It was $47 before coupons and store coupons. It was $22 after. I stocked up on toothpaste (like 12 tubes worth), lunch meat (good deal-2 packs on sale for $5 but I had coupons to get them down to 50 cents a package), deodorant, shampoo, razors, drink mix, and some other items. And, I have reward coupons for $8 off my next trip.

Today, I stopped by CVS. My coupons and store bonus bucks totalled $73.41. Yep, my bill started off close to $100 and then with the coupons and CVS bucks it came down to $27.10 with tax. Also, I earned more bonus bucks for my next trip. I got several items for free today, including cereal (8 boxes), 3 boxes of granola bars, and free irish spring bath wash. They were free because they were on sale, and I had coupons for the sale amount.

For 50 cents I got more cereal, crest pro health 1 liter bottle, stayfree and 2 tubs of huggies babywipes. Then I had several items that after the sale price and coupon I only had to pay a dollar or less for, including deodorant, dish soap, pop tarts and paper towels (which I rarely buy as rags are reusable).

I have also noticed that the CVS store (which isn't in our town, but in the next town over where we go several times a week) the milk is about 75 cents a gallon cheaper for the same brand we normally buy. So, I have started buying some of my milk at CVS. On todays receipt I noticed if I buy 1 more gallon I will earn another $3 of bonus bucks, and if I use my green bag tag 1 more time I get another $1.

They guy in line behind me was impressed. He wanted to either marry me, to which I told him no, so then he wanted me to come home with him and teach his wife how to shop. I gave him my blog address and thriftyfun.com as well as savingadvice.com. Wonder if they will use it??

I called Dish Network to cancel. We received an ad in the mail from Direct TV that was much lower.

Talk about an ordeal. The guy at DN called me and my husband liars, said no ad ever came from DTV at that low rate...blah blah blah. It made my husband mad, so he has for a supervisor then went up one more level. Finally we got a lady supervisor who put us on hold and actually called DTV, who tole her yes, this mailing at this special rate went out to our zipcode, because they are new to our area. (why the first guy didn't call htem I don't know...)

Anyway, she apoligized half heartedly, and then lowered our rate by $15 a month for the next 12 months in order to keep our business.

DH says since the DTV ad offer is good for 12 months, we will call back in 11 months and possibly see if DN will extend their offer. If not, we will switch at that time.

I wish we could pick and only pay for the channels we acutally use. Most of the package we don't use, but the only way to get the channels to buy the entire package.

That has been my motto for a very long time. Why buy it if you can make it?

A few weeks ago I was in a teachers supply store (one of many I visit) and as usual, about fell over from the prices they want for some items.

I wanted to create a science box. Basically a tool box with science type items. To buy one?? The one I really really wanted ? Sit down, it is around $340.

So, I now have for $11 a rubber made type tool box. Same size, although I still need to mount the periodic table in the lid as theirs was....

Magnet set? The one I really wanted that came with objects to pick up and objects that cant be picked up (for comparison) was $19. (was also the same as the one in the kit that I wasn't about to buy)

I bought 2 large paddle magnets for $2 each.

I then went to the hardware store and bought a handfull of large 3 inch washers for 75 cents.

That puts me up to $15.75

Magnifing glasses at the teacher store are $5.99 each.

$1 store they are $1 (duh, that was a gimmie wasn't it??)

Now I have spent $16.75

Hubby raided the trash at work, and brought home lead wire of copper and fiber optic, connectors, conduction plates of copper, zinc, titanim, stainless steel .... his work won't use scraps if they are below a certain size, and they trash them, so that was all free.

Speciman bottles--FREE--from Grandpa's old medicine bottles. Most are amber colored, but a few are clear.

Petri dishes--in the kit they were prefilled, which ment they were dated. I found some sterle empty ones on ebay and we will either make our own augar or buy the powered to mix it as we need it--don't have to worry about it going out of date.

We already have microscopes, (but do need new bulbs, which I forgot to get). A retired science teacher gave me 1600 slides--about half are prepared and the other half are not--so that should set us for.....life?

I need to hit the dollar store again, as I forgot about tweezers and I'd like to add another couple flashlights.

We already have tons of other science stuff that won't go into the kit, such as posters, body models, books, bug kits, weather instruments (in fact we have an indoor and outdoor weather station), rock and mineral samples (lesson learned here, store on bottom shelf, they bowed my top one!!)We also have test tubes and a burner already.

Anymore ideas what to put in it?? I forgot what was in the one I really really wanted, may have to make a trip back to look at it again.

Oh--it had litmis paper, which I got at Hobby Lobby a week before for much much less--in fact we have already used a good part of it.

Now, if I was one of those impulse buyers...well, glad I'm not!!!

I used to get the KC paper for 99 cents. Now I pay $2.15. I had someone ask me if it was worth it. YES. I use the coupons in it, and often you find coupons in the paper itself, in areas other than the inserts (which are coupons you can also print off line for free). Plus, some of our stores don't take self printed coupons.

Last week, with using coupons from the paper, I received free, 2 tubes of toothpaste, 1 shampoo, 1 conditioner, 2 chapsticks, 1 package of cheese and 3 candybars. Then I spent $7 at CVS and Walgreen, but earned $12 bonus bucks for my next visit. With that $7 I bought 2 packages of rechargeable batteries and some soap. The batteries started out at $9.99 a package, but I used my bonus bucks from previous visits to bring the price down to only $7 out of pocket. I also paid $2 after rebate for a diabetic meter which I will donate.

I also find in the paper useful articles, such as the free days at various attractions such as the art gallery, and free programs put on at various community centers and libraries, and lots of neat articles--all which we can use for homeschooling.

So, for me, yes I save buyin that Sunday paper, and even turn it into a profit!

And tomorrow, it is supposed to be -30. Yes, that is 30 below 0. That is cold.

We are stocked up (as usual). People laughed when I moved here and created a huge pantry in the basement. I did it because we are so far from a grocery store. In the past it has come in handy several times and I think it will again this week.

A fire is going, the heat is set at 63. The living room (where the fireplace is at, is 71 with the fire going).

Todays tip is barter when you can. We get all our firewood for free. It comes off our farm, but we have someone else cut it on shares. The other guy cuts and splits it. He keeps 2/3 and we get 1/3. Between our 2 farms, we have enough wood on the ground from recent storms and a tornado to last both houses probably 3 or 4 winters.

We do the same thing with our hay. We grow and fertilize it. 2 other farmers cut, rake and bale it. From the first cutting they get 2/3 and we get 1/3. For each additional cutting we split it 50/50. (A good year yeilds 3 cuttings of hay).

In years past I have bartered/traded several things, such as child care for piano or swiming lessons, had my house cleaned for mending.....just exchange your talent for someone elses.

Today I received by fed ex, my scanner for the Neilson Homescan. I got it all set up this evening, and entered a couple of items DH bought today at the grocery store.

It came with a gift catalogue. Providing I enter shopping and send in weekly, I earn points. Then I can redeem the points for gift items.

My mom did this several years ago and said it was kind of fun. At the time she did it, she earned cash.

I had been on a waiting list, and was rather surprised that it arrived so quickly. I was only on the waiting list for about 5 weeks or so.

Actually, this is yesterdays lesson from my 13 year old. She and my DH had gone to town on a fire call, and afterwards called and asked if I needed anything. I asked her to get some trash bags.

When she got home she was all excited over what she bought. There were 38 in the box, and there was another brand that only had 16 in the box for the same price. She said these may not be made as well, but afterall, we are going to just use them to burn the trash, so that is what she got.

I am so proud of my kids for paying attention to the prices and sizes.

In the afternoon, she and DH "worked" outside in the snow and 12 degree weather. He got vehicles stuck, then had her unstick them. Being on the fire dept they have pulled numerous people out of the snow lately--most of which ended up in the snow stuck because they didn't know how to drive in it. She is learning how to rock a vehicle out, turn into a slide and such. She is just 13, so if they "practice" this every winter, she will have a lot of experience under her belt when she gets her license, and it will save her money from not having to pay for a tow. He also is teaching the girls how to change the oil, change tires, serpentine belts and other basic auto mechanics. According to DH, no daughter of his will be stuck by the road waiting for a man! For our homeschooling, we are counting this as "votech" hours.

I'm getting tired of it. It is pretty, but it's getting old. And, we are supposed to get more this week and colder temps.

I stopped at the grocery store on the way home to get milk. $148 later.....we walked out. But, they had some really good sales that I could not pass up. Things that I normally buy and that stockpile good.

Then, they had the after Christmas specials--things I normally don't buy, but did at these prices--such as Duncan Hines cake mixes and frostings for 75 cents each--nice buy since I also had some 75 cent off coupons--so some I bought for free. They also had stuffing mix (normally I make from scratch) for 49 cents a box, so I got several of those. 7 up for 79 cents a 2 liter, so I bought several, and OJ for half off. Also rice that was going out of date for 19 cents a bag (really, how can dried rice go out of date...)

My goal is to teach my kids a tip a day, so what I pointed out to them today was the sales carts next to the bread aisle. This is where they put the short expiration dates, dented cans, sliced cereal boxes (even though the waxed lining is intact). Best part here is, the still accept coupons on these items--so I often get from here for free. DD#5 thought that is was pretty neat that we ended up with some free deoderant from the carts (packing change-so on sale for $1 with a $1 off coupon).

Between todays trip and what we have, I have ingredents for meals for almost a full month. Two weeks ago I spent around $140 at Aldi and that should last us till Feb. So for 6 weeks worth of groceries, my total is $240--plus anymore milk we buy. That is for 5 people full time, and 7 people part of the time plus 2 babies that I sometimes sit here at my home.

Our high today was 7 above. This morning it was -7.

My money saving tip for today is on weddings--mainly from one we attended today::::

We went to a wedding today--it was a different and very fun one. Two of our firefighters got married, so the wedding was at the fire station. She wore the traditional gown, but the groom and attendants wore bunker gear.

Both had been married before (mid 30's couple) and didn't really need anything, so for their wedding, instead of a gift, they asked their guests to bring a covered dish. After the wedding, we had a sit down potluck dinner.

An uncle performed the cermoney, the location was free, food was free, centerpeices were borrowed. Dress was under $50. Music was provided by a CD player.

Total wedding cost, $50 for over 100 people.

It was too cold to do the traditional hosing down of the bride and groom and the fire truck ride. But it was fun. We finally left around 6 (it started at noon). We did help clean up--all the department pitched it and we had it cleaned up fairly quickly.

On the way home the kids and I discussed that yes, you can have a nice fun wedding without spending enough to buy a house.