Friday was good!

For those who wonder what a stay at home mom does all day here one of your answers:

Friday was a little busy for me. I had dd babysit for me so that I could concentrate on this run. We have a new Target in our area so it had many great deals that were for this store only. Between sales, its mailer coupons, Target website coupons, internet coupons, and manufacturer's coupons from the paper I did done good! I won't go into the details of each individual deal since there were just too many to list and just give you the total savings for each transaction.

Transaction #1:

The above purchase is good at any Target. When you buy 5 Quaker qualifying products you receive a $5 gift card. These were on sale for $2.50 a piece and I had 5 $1/1 internet coupons. So I spent $7.50 and received a $5 gift card back.

Transaction #2:

This one took two pictures because the kids forgot to bring in the chip bags from the vehicle! So the above two pictures were both from Transaction #2. Total before coupons was $91.03. After coupons and the $5 gift card from Transaction #1, I paid $28.96. (24 pk of 16.9 oz water was $1...crazy!)

Since my new Target is not a Super Target I then headed over to our Super Target 5 miles down the same road (Health Food store and ALDI were on the way on the same road)

Transaction #3:

This transaction at Super Target before coupons was $42.10. After coupons I paid $2.55!!!

Now off to Wal-mart for some more deals and for things that I can't get anywhere else.

Transaction #4:

Total before coupons was $102.62. After internet and manufacturer's coupons from the paper this transaction was $22.54!

Altogether I saved $186.30. That means I earned $31.05 an hour for a 6 hour day. (I also went to the library and some price checking at Walgreens) Most people working 40 hours a week on minimum wage take home what I saved so that is how I justify having enough time to do all this.

I clip coupons while I'm sitting there watching a documentary or my favorite show. If I have to wait for someone in the car or at an appointment I file my coupons in my book. I grab moments here and there that would otherwise be wasted.

Yes, it takes some time. But these days I can't afford NOT to have time. If I don't have time to SAVE money because I am too busy SPENDING money (lessons, sports, classes) then I don't have my priorities in order for our household budget.

While I was taking my photos for this blog one of my children asked what I was doing. Another of my daughter's pipes up with, "She's taking pictures for her blog so she can brag to her friends." That comment really hurt my feelings (and I let her know it) because I do not have the intent of bragging. I want to share with all of you who have ears to hear so that I may be encouraging that even in this economy one-income families can still make it.

If I have inspired you and you want to learn what I do then please visit http://www.moneysavingmom.typepad.com/ . This is where I get much of my information. Just read it for a couple of days to follow what she is saying and explore her site as she has many links that will teach you these processes.