Sometimes, I Cheat

And use prepared items when cooking because it saves me time.  I only buy items when I can get them at a good price on sale coupled with a coupon which, lowers my out of pocket costs further.   For example, I purchased 15 boxes of Uncle Ben's and 12 Medicated Blistex chapsticks for $8.50 -- we eat lots of rice.  Remember buy things on sale at the lowest cost per unit and use coupons to further reduce costs.  One box of this rice with either ground meat, beans, and say corn; you have a complete meal in one pan. 

Never -- ever, get behind me in the check out lane because, I am a heavy coupon user.  My best time ever was at Wal-Greens last year, my total rang up to $92 and I walked out only paying .91 cents out of pocket.   The store manager was amazed, and I have enough stuff to fill five reusuable shopping bags of personal hygiene items for our older children as gifts.  

OH! One more thing for those with (health) Flexible Savings Accounts, no longer after 1 Jan 2011, will you be able to be reimbursed for Over The Counter medications unless you get your doctor to write a prescription for said item.

I spent Sunday cleaning the carpets upstairs with some help from hubby and Lisa.  What a difference a turn with Rug Doctor makes -- $18 rental, yeppers I used a coupon to reduce the cost.  I did not buy carpet shampoo just used plain hot water and it worked out well removing all the dirt.  We (I) plan on cleaning the carpets once again after the holidays and I still have a $10 off coupon for the rental.  SWEET!

Broccoli thriving, one of the plants is taller than my knee cap.

Same with the cabbage, it's spreading out nicely.

Can you believe we still have a few tomato and peppers plants this time of the year? We will have to keep a close eye on them though if a hard cold front moves this way. 

Are ya'll excited about the holidays?  I am, I love to bake and cook.  I will be baking two each buttermilk, pecan, and sweet potato pies for Thanksgiving on Wednesday.  Lisa and I have been cleaning the house and making room for the Christmas tree I plan on putting up next week.  This year will be our first non table-top Christmas tree since, the cats moved over to Mrs. Lily's house.  Topsy and Turvy would tear down the tree if we were not in the room with them.  (Little Fur Monsters)

Now, I will begin to purchase the last of the Christmas gifts for the boys.  I have Lisa's taken care of already.  I usually wait until almost December to finish up the boys gifts because, they change so much during the year.  Oh! I have ordered a new camera using my cash back points with Discover Card so, no dent in the budget --- Wooo Hooo. 

So how are Ya'll ushering in the holidays at your home?