Happy New Year readers! I have started the blog over for 2010 and decided to make it my personal blog as well as an insight on where you can find the fun, the deals, and the scoop on whats going on right here in White House! I wasn't able to keep up with both my personal blog and my White House Mommy blog, so combining the two seemed logical! I really do hope that I get to update more this year! I know that some of you became regulars and then I let you down, with good reason though (I promise)! Hopefully this year will be a little less stressed, and I'll be able to focus on my 20 minutes of blog-time at night. Maybe even eventually being able to separate the blogs again, but for now...this will do, I hope!

As most of you know I have always loved a good bargain and was quick to share, but I put myself to shame today! I decided to try extreme couponing. With the loss of my husbands job, and money being super tight, I had to do something! It was a lot of work, but when the grocery shopping was done, I was very pleased! I managed to buy $156 dollars worth of groceries at Publix for $65. I also purchased $70 worth of items for $11 at Rite Aid. At the checkout I was an instant winner of $10 cash back! $1 for $70 in items...I'll take it!! I know my savings doesn't come close to those who have been doing this for a while. I thought you all were crazy, but now I see- you're just smart!

For those who have not done this method of shopping before you may be wondering how I did it...Well...I got some help! SouthernSavers.com is a GREAT website that I couldn't be more pleased with! You can see the items that are on sale for multiple grocery stores. I checked Publix, Kroger, Rite Aid, WalGreens and CVS. You then print coupons or clip them from the Sunday Paper and your savings begin. It really wasn't hard, just a bit time consuming. I'll be doing it again next week for the sake of saving my family a ton of money! I didn't buy anything I wouldn't have bought normally, other than, I may have bought the actual name brand item because it was a ton cheaper than the store brand.

My favorite deals of the day were...

Publix had Fiber One yogurt B1G1 Free. Originally 2.50 for a 4 pack making them $1.25 each on sale. I then had 4 coupons for $1 off 4 packs, so I bought 4 and only paid .25 cents for each 4 pack! They also had Quaker Oats B1G1 Free. Originally 2.64 making them $1.32 each. I had 4 Foodlion coupons for $1 off (Publix accepts competitor coupons). I bought 4 of them for .32 cents each. Alone, that is $20.56 worth of food for just $2.28. WOW! This is just 2 of the deals, check out Southern Savers for items you may be able to stock up and save on!

Also, don't forget that Holiday packaged food is on sale now everywhere! Most places are at 75% off and will get lower if it doesn't run out. This includes items such as Rits Crackers, 75% off just because they have a snow flake on the box. So when you're at the store, it's worth it to go look and see what they have. I was able to get Vaseline lotion, Oil, heated slippers and gloves, candy, candles, and crackers for nearly nothing just because of the packaging it was in.

Last, Right now, Rite Aid has Niviea Lip Balm (reg. 2.99) on sale for B1G1 free. In the RedPlum coupon section of the Sunday paper (tomorrow the Sunday paper is 1/2 off) you can get a coupon for B1G1 free making both balms FREE. Since I had 4 Sunday papers, I was able to get 8 chap sticks for nothing except the sales tax! I don't usually wear nivea balm, but for free- I will!

(you know of any free or nearly free savings? Share with us!!)

Monday I should have the new free movie code for RedBox as well as the 80% off code for Resturants.Com.

Until tomorrow,

Jill

He has given much to the poor. His right-standing with God lasts forever. His horn will be lifted high in honor.Psalm 1 12:9