Kind of a Big Deal

.. and by the I mean the money I saved at Albertsons, not me personally (although you can draw your own decisions about that).

Yesterday evening, after plotting my deal getting Thursday, I hit Albertsons and Walgreens.

My plan for Walgreens was to score the following:

Two revlon lip glosses (by one get one free, plus full Walgreens rebate)
Fructis conditioner (two $1 coupons -- one in store, one from the paper -- and full Walgreens rebate)
2 jumbo packs of Walgreen diapers ($6 in coupons, plus the possiblity of $2 register awards which I didnt end up getting, plus the fact that they were on sale already).

I spent $24.07 out of pocket. I'll get $9.99 for the lipgloss and $3.99 for the hair stuff back via a Walgreens gift card (which Ill use to buy more/get more back ... essentially get stuff for free ... later).

When you factor that all in I got 80 diapers for about 12 cents each (really cheap), two things of lip gloss that, while I didnt need, I will use, and hair stuff that I wouldve bought anyway in a week or two.

So that was Walgreens.

Next I hit Albertsons. Under their by 10 select products get $10 in Albertson's money back (which I'll spend there later, no doubt about it ... I frequently go there to get the stuff the commissary doesn't have, like buttermilk, for example) deal and a bunch of coupons (at least one for each item) I was able to buy the following stuff for a total of about $5.50:

-- 3 boxes of lucky charms (Luke food)
-- granola bars (more Luke food)
-- toaster strudle (Luke food, again)
-- two boxes of brownie mix (can anyone say potluck!?)
-- A thing of ready made icing
-- two rolls of pillsbury grands (using in a recipe or two I plan to make when Luke gets home)

Needless to say, I am very proud of me.

Today I got diapers on diapers.com under a first time user deal and rebate (which I'll apply for after they come in a few days) for about 8 cents each. Since diapers dont really go on sale that often for that cheap, stock piling them now is a good idea, I think.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm really enjoying this whole couponing thing. Part of the reason probably is that this makes me feel like I'm contributing to our finances without actually making money. I hate feeling like I'm just taking all of the time, even though I know gearing up to be a mom and supporting Luke and all that is important. It just ... doesn't feel important.

So being the most frugal shopper physically possible is the best way I know how to contribute in a tangible way that feels like something real.

Frugal, not stingy, mind you. The more we have the more we can give. I love giving people gifts -- well, not gifts so much as spending time with them doing something, like taking them out to lunch, for example. The more I can save in other areas, the more I can give in that area.

The truth of the matter is that we are not poor nor even struggling financially -- the Army makes sure of that -- when I know so many people are. But just because we are not doesn't mean we can't take care of what we have.

I keep thinking back to Proverbs 31, wondering how this example of godly woman did it. I mean, check out the impressive accomplishments of this chick (as translated by Amy):

-- Works joyfully with her hands
-- Goes the extra mile to get good food or whatever
-- She is disciplined and caring
-- She is enterprising and thrifty, using whatever means she has to earn money
-- She is energetic, not lazy
-- She is influential

.. surely she did not feel useless. Maybe that's all Prov. 31 is ... a guide for people who do not have traditional careers to not feel boring and useless.