The World is Alive with the Sound of Crafting

I had been longing to get back into crafting action and I decided that a trip to my favorite store was in order.  Watch out Michaels, here I come and I have no children to hold me back.  Plus, because I registered with Michaels.com I receive emailed coupons...soooo I had a coupon for 25% off your entire purchase INCLUDING sale items.  Those of you that frequent Michaels know that usually the coupons are for 40% one item (not including sale items, clearance, etc) so you can imagine my euphoria.   

After loading up on clay for my upcoming project (Isabella's babies), I began wandering the aisles of Michaels.  Something I had wanted to do was decorate those wreaths, those ones that look like they are made out of branches...when...what to my wandering eye should appear.... I discovered that they are on sale for $3.99!!!!  Less 25% as well?!?! I decided now was the time to venture into this endeavour.  But how would I decorate it....I had never done this before. 

Seeing how I do not have much money and considering my budget for things like this is largely funded by frequenting the bottle depot, I would have to devise something that would look great....but cost next to nothing to make.  Challenge accepted.

Across the parking lot is my second favorite store...Dollarama!  Dollarama has an amazing selection of floral pieces and decorations and they are $1.00 a piece.  Sure, there are a few that look a little...special....but for the most part, most of the flowers there are really cute.  I picked up a few extra bits and bobs to add to the wreaths while I was there.  I have been messing with it for two nights now between running up and down the stairs for the little princess who appears to be teething perpetually....so...tired....

Anyhoo, back to the wreath, here is a picture of the wreath before decorating:

I purchased two of them and I have to say...they turned out GREAT! 

I bet you are wondering what the total cost to make a wreath was?  Be sure to read tomorrow to see the pictures of the final products (and I will tell you the cost) and you can judge for yourself!

Oh, and don't forget to get back on those coupon sites....P & G Brandsaver just added a ton!  So much that they wouldn't let me get all the ones I wanted because you can only get 32 coupons at a time....NO FAIR!!!  Websaver.ca also added some, but I don't think Save.ca did.

Happy couponing!

Great finds and MAKE-UP COUPONS!!!

For those of you that are make-up lovers like me, I stumbled upon this site powered through websaver.ca where you can order more coupons for make-up products through LÓreal!  I love Lóreal products so I am pretty tickled because if you get coupons here and you get coupons at the Superstore so you can double coupon like I did, you are looking at saving at least $4.00 on a product and if its on sale, than it will feel like you are committing a crime! Check it out:

http://websaver.ca/en_ca/portal/lorealparis/

I tried to escape the house this weekend to catch see what deals were out there (though I was only temporarily freed on a day pass) and as I searched I decided that I can now see how the dreaded stock pile could happen.  Though I initially refused the idea of the stock pile, getting the extreme deals in the stores makes me feel like I am high on a drug called Charlie Sheen.  I can't see straight....my palms are sweaty...I just haven't lost any weight :(

My most incredible deal this weekend was at Save-On Foods, where I located a box of Brown Minute Rice on sale for $3.69 and I had a coupon for $2.00 off!  $1.69 for a box of rice?!?!  Unreal!!!!

Last week I located two other great finds at Sobey's being bag of Pampers Baby-Dry which I got for $10.99 (generally at least $17.99 or more) and the bag with 3 packages of Pampers Sensitive wipes for $4.99 (usually $9.99). 

I also had a coupon for $3.00 off blue recycle bags since Edmonton is too cheap to provide us with those big lovely bins we had in Calgary for our recyclables.   (C'mon Edmonton....get with the times!!!)Nevertheless, I located a box of the blue bags also on sale which was great since my coupon was going to expire on the 31st!

Remember to check back in on Websaver.ca, save.ca, brandsaver.ca, etc. on a regular basis and add them to your favorites.  New coupons are being added all the time.  I seem to be now receiving and using a steady stream of coupons....I just need Irish Spring and Lady Speed Stick to go on sale so I can begin my stock pile collection...I wonder if Canadian Tire has coupons...mama needs some shelving.

The Superstore (what was I thinking)?

I awoke the other day with a new ambition...to brave it to the Superstore.  This gave me a chance to buy my son a "Rescue Squad Mater" which was on sale, but also to check out the Superstore in my neck of the woods.  I have been tainted by horrible memories of the Superstore in North East Calgary and the prospect of venturing willingly into my most hated place seemed almost overpowering...but the prospect of getting the toy and scoping out the prices allured me slightly more.  I decided to venture forward with my plan.

I should have known things would be difficult taking the kids but I figured it was bearable.  I stopped at the coupon wall and was quite tickled to find a variety of coupons for all sorts of great items.  I could tell this trip could cost me, but at the same time, Superstore is also a location that will accept the double coupons and I wanted to try this for myself!

Venturing through the Superstore takes time and a great deal of patience.  If I did not have the kids with me, particularly the boy following me around going are we done?? and how much longer?? and my personal favorite does anyone know that I'm ready to go home now??,  I might have noticed the catch with the Superstore earlier.  

While it appeared to me that they really did seem to have some great in-store specials on and I used a ton of coupons and got to double coupon on one item...I couldnt help but feel ripped off slightly.   I looked at the receipt.  Sure enough, items were priced way higher than they should be.  So I wandered back through the store later to verify and there was things like Mr. Noodles for $0.22 but if you read the teeny tiny printing beside it,  it says "when you buy multiples of 36"....who the hell buys 36 packs of Mr. Noodles???? So if you need multiples of an item, there is the definite chance to save there....but make sure you ALWAYS read the fine print....also...don't take the kids...and bring your own bags.  I totally forgot mine. 

Oh AND don't forget the scanning code I discussed in my previous blog because sure enough, those bastards scanned two items wrong and they came up at $9.99 when they were tagged on the shelf at $6.99.  Technically I should have received one of them free and received the discount on the other item...BUT they refused to do that based on some BS.  Well, thats what I got out of it...but I am debating on contacting the 1-866 number I previously referenced to get their input...I'm curious, but I am wondering if I am that cheap.  They did refund a portion of the money...but I want the satisfaction of sticking it to the man.

Nevertheless, here are some of the deals I made off with using in store sales with coupons:

Hamburger Helper (don't judge me!!) - $1.66 box has a coupon attached for $3.00 off the purchase of ground beef, nice!

Club Pack Yogurt Tubes - $6.66 (making them $2.22 per box!)

Jarlsburg Cheese - $5.99

Covergirl Compact - $5.99

Lóreal Makeup - I was able to double coupon to get $4.00 off!

Two free 2lb Strawberries - value of $7.76

Rice Krispie Squares box - $1.24

And there were loads of great in-store deals, the lines to pay were INSANE.  Would I go to Superstore again you ask?  Sure.  Great deals for bulk purchases.  Great chances to double coupon.  Would I bring the kids again?  NEVER.  You cannot make me.  I will not do it.  I will would rather venture out in the cold when the gang is asleep so I can take my time and scope things out...we will see how that goes!

Freebie!!!

Emergen-C is giving out free samples of their product.  Click the link below to get your free sample!

http://www.vitascorb.com/samples.html

Free Baby Swag (for babies 3 months or younger)

Apparently you can get a bunch of freebies through Shoppers Drug Mart when you join their Very Important Baby program.  See the link below for details!

http://www1.shoppersdrugmart.ca/en/Shoppers-Optimum/All-Optimum-Offers/vib-contest.aspx

Random Musings about Treehouse shows (warning...this rant is not politically correct by any means and is PG13!!!)

Oh life.  One day I am hobnobbing with my work buddies and having LOADS of people to talk to and the next I am couped up in the house daily during the winter that will NEVER END!!!  I saw grass in Calgary on the weekend.  I am beginning to think the only grass we will see in Edmonton is the kind of grass that comes in a baggie.

Nevertheless, I enjoy parenthood.  Sometimes.   I mean.  Lets be honest.  It certainly isnt the most glamourous job I have ever had.  No one at the office ever asked me to wipe their ass...well, at least not literally.  No one at the office ever peed on my floor, deficated on my floor or projectile vomitted on me.  I do find some of the things we do here enjoyable though.  However, ones mind tends to wander while watching hours upon hours of mindless thought numbing shows on Treehouse all day.  Shows like Dora, Diego, Yo Gabba Gabba, Max and Ruby...and so much more.  Here are the musings of my mind during a day of Treehouse TV.  Enjoy...

Max & Ruby - A lovely cartoon about people sized bunnies that appears to take place in the 1950s.  Perhaps when 2012 happens the giant talking bunnies will be the next up to take over the world...who knows!?!  Max appears to have some sort of developmental disorder where he only says one word per episode.  Ruby, who has more patience than Job, never gets angry with Max even when he is clearly acting like an idiot.  Does anyone else wonder where their parents are??!!  Gramma lives down the street since she can't handle living in the house with these two.  If Ruby acted like any normal sister, Max would have been skewered or stewed by now.

Yo! Gabba Gabba - Here's a show with a giant DJ who is some sort of puppet master of odd looking critters who sing songs and dance with the likes of many a washed up celebrity such as Jack Black, Elijah Wood (you know..the Hobbit guy) and Sarah Silverman.  I think you need to need to be high or drunk to have anything to do with this show....the bright colours, the giant puppets...tripppppyyy.  They should see if Charlie Sheen is available for a guest appearance.  Perhaps his F-18s could deploy his ordinance to Yo! Gabba Gabba for an hour. 

The Cat in the Hat (Knows a Lot About That) - Martin Short...great.  Good voice work.  Buuuuutttt....Am I the only one that wonders about this show?   I mean, a boy and girl playing alone and then poof a giant cat is there trying to convince them to go with him to Kalamazoo Forest to meet Busy Bear Balloo...."Your mother will not mind at all if you do".  Um.  Is he trying to convince these children to go into the forest with him without asking their mom....can you say pervert??  12 years without the possibility of parole for sex offences???  The Cat in the Hat Knows a Lot About That!  To the thingamawhizzer!

The thing I wonder most about the shows on Treehouse is where the deliniation is made between which animals can talk and which ones can't.  Why is it that on Franklin all the animals can talk....but when he went to get a pet he could get a fish...or a cat...or a dog...or a hamster...cuz those don't talk.  Why is Franklin called "Franklin"? All the rest of his friends are named by species.  Bear.  Goose.  Beaver.  Franklin should be named Turtle.  That would make more sense.

Don't even get me started about Toopy and Binoo and the Wiggles.  Time to change the channel to Teletoon Retro??  Oh no its not....oh YES it is!

Scanning Code of Practice - Useful Information

A good friend of mine recently emailed me regarding the Scanning Code of Practice, which is something that I was completely unaware of until now.  When I mentioned it to another friend of mine, she confirmed a similar story. 

My friend advised that she went to Walmart and went to purchase a pair of shoes that were on clearance for $9.00 but when she went to check out they didnt come up on sale at the check out so she wound up getting her shoes for free.  My other friend advised that she went to Superstore and purchased a box of Multigrain Cheerios which were on sale for $4.99 a box, but they didnt come up with the proper price as well, so she wound up getting the box for free!

What is the Scanning Code of Practice?

The Scanning Code of Practice is a voluntary code that nearly every major retailer in Canada adheres to. It promises the customer accurate price scanning at the register on all UPC scanned or Price Look Up (PLU) merchandise. If an item scans in at a price higher than the shelf price the customer gets it for free (or $10 off if the item is more than $10)

The scanning code is endorsed by The Competition Bureau of Canada was created from the collaborative efforts of the Retail Council of Canada, the Canadian Association of Chain Drug Stores, the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers and the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors.

At participating retailers you should see this sign on the entrance doors and at the till that reads:

Scanning Code of Practice If the scanned price of a non-price item is higher than the shelf price or any other displayed price, the customer is entitled to receive the first item free, up to a $10 maximum. If a Code of Practice problem cannot be resolved at the store level, please call 1-866-499-4599 to register your complaint.

Let this be your lesson to always make sure your items come up at the proper price at the check out...it could be very worth your while to check.  I have been advised that the Superstore is one of the biggest offenders for this.  Always check your receipts!

GREAT BARGAINS!!

Well I'm off to Calgary tomorrow and what better way to start of my trip then by getting great deals!

I was on my way to Walmart when I decided to turn around and go to Sobey's instead as I only needed a few things (just baby food, milk and toilet paper) and lo and behold I had coupons for tons of stuff that was on sale in the store.  For instance, Pampers diapers were on sale for $12.99 a pack (UNHEARD OF!!) and I also had a $4.00 off coupon when you buy wipes as well, so I check and sure enough the wipes are on sale too!  Even though I didnt REALLY need diapers, I couldn't believe my luck!

Next up, aisle 9...toilet paper.  Once again, it was on sale!  My Royale coupons came in quite handy in saving me an additional dollar off (they don't double coupon...I asked).

I didnt have a huge list of items to get, but I did notice some other things on sale that I had coupons for (and if you have coupons off the websites I mentioned before you probably have the same coupons as well), such as, Old El Paso Taco kits, Loreal products, mayo, etc. 

If you have a lot of grocery shopping to do and lots of coupons, Sobey's could be the place for you this weekend!

Not looking forward to the 15 cm of snow I am heading toward!

Double Couponing in Canada eh?!

My mom let me know that there was a story on Global News Calgary about double couponing, but I searched the website and I cannot find that particular story, so I did a LOT of researching and thus far this is what I have come up with.

In the west, London Drugs will accept double coupons but only if you have two DIFFERENT coupons for the same product.  For instance, I have two $3 off coupons for Lóreal Hair dye.  One is from brandsaver.ca and the other is an actual coupon I found in the store.  In this instance I would be able to use the coupons to double coupon (or stack) them against the products, but if I had two coupons from brandsaver.ca I wouldnt be allowed to use them. An easy way to tell is to check each coupon's bar code, usually in the lower right corner, and if it has the same number, you will not be able to use it.  If the bar code numbers are different then you can use it to stack the coupons to get the savings.

The other store that appears to do something similar is Superstore.  I know...I know....going to Superstore is like going to hell.  Bagging your own groceries.  The chaos!  Screaming children everywhere....but apparently the potential to double coupon could be incentive for some to go there (just don't forget to bring your own bags!!!).

From what I have read, in order to double coupon at Superstore you can use one of your own manufacturer's coupons and one of their in-store coupons that are located at the main entrance on that giant board when you come in.  This way you can still achieve double coupons but it has to be in conjunction with one of their own coupons as well.

I'm still researching this topic and will see what I can come up with!  If the policy for double coupons (for the stores that actually do this) is for all of the coupons to be from different sources I think that would be kind of tricky to do.  I sorted through all my coupons to see what ones I have doubles of and I can only double coupon on the one product...hair dye.  Nothing else.  When it comes to double savings, Superstore might be the place to go so long as they are having specials on the same items as you have coupons for....is it worth it to venture to the Superstore to check this out...I'm not sure...you be the judge!

If its free, its for me!

Want a free sample of a Lacoste Fragrance?  Click on the link below to get yours.  You can choose from a couple different scents as well (scents for men and women):

http://www.lacoste-parfums.com/free-sample/

Much Ado About Couponing!

Many of you have now taken the time to check the sites I recommended on my previous blog entry. For the past few days I have received even more coupon bundles in the mail, reminding me that its time to discuss more places for you to check for MORE SAVINGS!

Remember, the coupons I am getting arent even junk coupons, they are coupons I selected personally for items I will use (remember my goal is to not amass a stock pile!). Prior to receiving this bundle of coupons I had over $90.00 in savings in my coupon bundle with very few duplicate coupons for everything ranging from grocery items to makeup items. I even have coupons for hair dye and when you need two boxes of hair dye to cover your head, two $3.00 coupons are definitely handy. You just wait for the dye to go on sale and then pounce like a wild jungle cat catching it's first meal of the day.

Lets begin....

Firstly, below are two additional sites that you can use to have coupons selected and mailed to your house:

 www.save.ca/livewell - this is an additional site on TOP of save.ca, which I just discovered

www.gocoupons.ca - the coupons arent always great, but its a good place to check and there are loads of toilet paper coupons there!
Once again I will reiterate the NEED for a coupon organizer if you want to be serious about saving money. I didnt think I would need one...but then the coupons were brimming out of my purse...getting crumpled...irritating the crap out of me. The organizer keeps me sane and it will keep you sane as well so you arent THAT person at the cash register digging through your purse and pockets looking for your pile of coupons only to find out they expired last month. Don't be that person. Nobody likes that person.

Next I will point you in the direction of interesting sites to check out to see if you can scope out any other good deals. You have to really check things out on these sites though because they often have coupons that are not valid or need to be printed on your printer.

 www.coupons.redflagdeals.com

 www.smartcanucks.ca - has everything from forums to coupons, to freebies. Just beware. Not all freebies come. Try to be careful who you are giving your information to or your email inbox will be over run with junk mail!

Also of note, when checking on these other sites, many of them have coupons that link you right to the sites that were on my previous blog (save.ca, brandsaver.ca and websaver.ca). If you have already ordered certain coupons you are not eligible to re-order them again for a certain period of time but they will usually indicate the number of days before you can re-order the coupons.

If you do not get your flyers delivered to you (and even if you do), two great resources to check for flyers are
www.flyerland.ca and www.flyerscoupons.ca which lists out every store imaginable and the coupons/deals associated with that store.

If you are into getting daily deals, check www.groupon.com which helps you "enjoy your city at 50-90% off."
 
 Lastly I will recommend www.canadianfreestuff.com, which also has loads of information on getting freebies, as well as additional coupons that we might not otherwise be aware of.
As an aside and worthy of mentioning, Websaver.ca (mentioned in my previous blog entry) donates 5 cents from every coupon redeemed to Breakfast for Learning. Saving money and helping children in need is a win-win for everyone involved!

What are you waiting for??? Happy hunting my bargain shoppers!

Be Grateful!

I spent a great deal of time on the phone last night with a very dear friend whose 6 week old baby passed away.  The most tragic and unspeakable horror a parent could ever face.  Each day she is left wondering why.  How this could happen.  Why would God allow this to happen to her child and her family.  How will they begin to move on yet at the same time, why is everyone moving on without her?  Do they not realize the pain she is going through.  Do they not realize the life that is being missed right now?

A mother that will never know the favorite colour of her child.  Will never hear the sound of her child's laughter.  Will never get to hold her child again and tell her that everything will be alright and all the pain of the world will be taken away.  How can life continue on without her?

Take a moment and think about the people in Japan.  Having everything going for them and in the blink of an eye it is all gone.  They are left with nothing but the clean up and wondering where their loved ones are.  If they are alright.  Wondering if there is another tsunami rising up to unleash havoc upon the once powerful nation. Not knowing how they will rebuild the lives that they once had but knowing that life must continue and they must rebuild.  But how?

In the midst of the tragedies and the wars that have brought unspeakable pain to so many families, take a moment to think of your own family.  Spend every day like it is your last.  You never know what curve balls life is going to throw at you.  Make sure your family knows how much you love them.  I tell those I care about that I love them every day.  Every phone call.  Whenever I can.  If something horrific was to happen to me, I would want everyone close to me to know how much I loved them and to never question my love for them.  Hug those close to you and make sure they know how much you care.  We are so very blessed to live in Canada and we are so very blessed to have family and friends who accept us for who we are and love us with all they can.  When you are standing in line at Starbucks complaining, just remember all those who are far less fortunate than you and who don't have a lot to be grateful for.

To my friends and family, I love you more than anything in this world and would do anything for you.  We are lucky to have one another and all the blessings our lives have.  Don't ever forget that.

Freebie Alert

Click on the link below and answer a few questions (that have zero relevance to cereal) and get your free sample of Kelloggs Fibre Plus cereal...and you can choose which kind you want! 

http://www.fibreplus.ca/en/Share/?q=378f3822-f8ca-459c-86bc-fba540d27874&BackgroundColour=orange

When you finished requesting your free sample, share with your friends on facebook in order to obtain an additional $2.00 off coupon!

Enjoy!

Two Inexpensive and Delicious Receipes for Supper

Keeping your grocery bill low and feeding those hungry mouths is starting to become much harder than it once was! Luckily, there are loads of inexpensive options to keep their tastebuds watering and coming back for more.

Firstly, if you havent invested in a slow cooker, do so (use some money from your Kijiji sales)....the food is amazing and moist and you have to do such little work (though cleaning it can be a bit of a pain). Once of my favorite things to do is make a roast dinner in the slow cooker. All you need is:

Roast (any cut that you can afford but not too fatty)
3 or 4 peeled potatoes
a few handfuls of mini carrots (which go on sale at the store all the time!)
One can of beef broth
One can of cream of mushroom soup

You simply put in the can of broth and the can of mushroom soup and mix them up. Add the roast and surround it by the peeled potatoes and carrots and let it cook all day on low. At least 8 hours. The roast will come out incredibly tender and delicious and then you use the broth and soup combo to make your gravy (or use the soup combo as the gravy itself either way tastes great).

For those of you that do not have a slow cooker and that have a bit of a sweet tooth, something I like to do is go to my local grocery store (the Save-On by my house has amazing bulk packed meat offers though I hear Walmart Supercenter also has great prices on bulk packaged meat) and get a package of pork chops that usually has nine pork chops (not bone-in, only costs $9), I stick a few in the freezer and then I use the rest to make this incredible pork receipe that is cheap to make and delicious to eat!

You will need:
5 or 6 pork chops
2 or 3 apples (I like to use Gala apples - they are sweet and inexpensive)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup cinnamon
1 package of shake & bake pork

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F;
2. Mix sugar and cinnamon in bag that comes with shake and bake (dont add shake and bake yet);
3. Chop apples into slices and shake in cinnamon/sugar mixture;
4. Place sugared apples on bottom of baking dish;
5. Add 3/4 of the package of shake and bake pork chop mix to the cinnamon/sugar mixture - mix well;
6. Shake pork chops in the mixture and place on top of the apples in the baking dish
7. Bake at 375 for 50 minutes (or until pork is no longer pink).

Its amazing! Tastes like melt in your mouth pork chop apple pie. Who wouldn't love pork chop apple pie. :) My receipes may not be the most healthy but they sure taste great and there are definitely ways to cut calories in both receipes. If you are cooking the roast, get the low fat version of the mushroom soup and select a cut of roast that has the least amount of fat. If you are making the pork chops, use the cinnamon and sugar mixture on the apples only and ensure fat is trimmed from your pork chops prior to cooking.  Or serve the meals with brown rice (you can get your coupon for brown rice on the sites I blogged about previously), and a nice salad.

Give these receipes a try. They are quick, tasty and relatively inexpensive to make. Plus (depending on how big your household is) there is usually lots leftover for future meals! I like to buy a nice big roast to ensure roast sandwiches for the family for a couple of days. Also, if you keep the gravy you can also make hot roast beef sandwiches from the leftovers. Enjoy and happy cooking!

Ways for the Stay Home Mom (or anyone) to Make Some Extra Money!

I began my maternity leave moving from Calgary to Edmonton with finances somewhat lined up to for us to survive until the government maternity leave benefits kicked in, however the bug extermination fees really hit hard and the cost of the move left things very tight.  When I gave birth to my beautiful baby girl I couldn't help but wonder how much longer until the government cheese would arrive.

As things began to get tighter and tighter, my brain began to work harder and harder as to how or what I could do to earn additional income until we could get on our feet.

Two kids in tow (and recovering from a c-section) I began to make trips to the bottle depot.  While this was a great way of earning a bit of money right off the hop, it was not nearly lucrative enough.  The money from the bottle depot was enough to get a bunch of those plastic rollers from Dollarama which enabled me to roll up all of our change.  You would be surprised at how fast the change adds up.  In order to roll the change and exchange it for dollar bills at the bank you must have them rolled in the proper papers or rollers or the bank will not accept them (don't just roll them in white paper and hope the bank takes your word for it...they won't).  If you don't have the money to buy any rollers, just go to the bank and ask for them.  Most banks will give them to you free of charge and you can ask for as many as you like!

The next thing I began to do was make almost daily trips to the children's consignment stores.  Trust me...its tempting to hang on to those clothes because you might need them again one day.  I did that.  They sat in my basement for 4 years.  I decided it was time to give them up.  Places like Once Upon a Child (http://www.onceuponachild.com/) will pay cash for your gently used childrens items on the spot.  This can also add up quickly, particularly if your child's clothes are in great condition.  They will not accept "Simply Basic" (I think that is from Zellers) nor will they accept "Teddy's Choice" - the old Superstore line of clothes.  Once Upon a Child will take clothes two bins (or boxes) at a time.  Do not take your items in plastic bags though or they will not be accepted.  Gently used toys are also accepted. 

The added bonus of doing this is, it gets you out of the house and interacting with other grown up people!  Its easy to fall into a depression being stuck in the house on your maternity leave with a baby that needs to feed every three hours.  Pushing yourself to gather up the items every time you have two bins will make you feel a sense of accomplishment as well for getting out and earning a few extra bucks, even if you just use that money to go to 7-11 for a slurpee.  Job well done!

Another fantastic source of generating a bit of extra revenue is selling your used items on Kijiji (http://www.kijiji.ca/).  All you need to do is have a user ID (which you can easily obtain for free with an email address).  Listing your items on Kijiji is always free.

Those of you that know me well (or who have had the unpleasant experience of helping me move) can say that my basement looked like something straight out of Hoarders.  I began selling everything on Kijiji you can imagine.  I even sold things that were broken (one mans trash is another man's treasure right??).  The kids clothes that were not purchased by the consignment store I then put into bundles (or "lots") and sold each lot for around $20.  Some days I would make upwards of $100 just selling items on Kijiji.  That is enough to get some groceries in the house!  If your items don't sell right away, don't be discouraged.  Take them off Kijiji and wait a week then re-post them, you will have a whole new list of viewers and better chances to sell.

The added bonus of selling items on Kijiji is, once again, it helps to get you interacting with people that do not soil themselves and expect you to change them.   Also, it really helps to eliminate clutter.  Anything that does not sell on Kijiji can always be sold by my final way of making some extra cash...

The Garage Sale.  Sure...its a pain.  Having to police your garage while strangers peek through your belongings takes some getting used to, but people are always out to look for a bargain and if you price your items right, you can stand to make a good haul having a garage sale.  This is also a good way to sell some of the kids items you are no longer using along with getting rid of anything you have in your home that you were hoping to get rid of anyways.  Games, clothes, toys, furniture, you name it.  Someone is out there looking for it.  The key to having a successful garage sale is to make sure your signs are clearly visible.  If you cannot buy yourself the actual "Garage Sale" signs, just buy some bright coloured paper and a black marker from your local dollar store and use big bold letters so everyone can see...and put the signs on busy streets but make sure they point in your direction!  :)   Oh, and advertising your garage sale on Kijiji certainly doesn't hurt either!

Remember if finances are tight, they will improve it just takes time...at least...that's what everyone keeps telling me!  The final bonus of doing all of this work is that it is certainly a lot of exercise.  Exercise releases endorphins...endorphins signal feelings of happiness and well-being.  If the exercise doesn't make you feel happy, having a few extra dollar bills in your wallet certainly will!

Be Careful Getting Your Taxes Done!

Like many Canadians, the temptation of having the guaranteed maximum refund H & R Block offers (along with walking out cash in hand) is too much to pass up....but unlike most Canadians, I went to H & R Block having done my own taxes for both myself and my husband.  Nothing fancy.  Just calculated them myself using the calculator on my cell phone and those forms you pick up at the post office.  This way I had at least an idea of what type of refund I could expect. 

Upon attending the local H & R Block, I had dreams of walking out of there much richer than when I had arrived.  Those dreams were shattered when the lady advised me that I would be getting back a MUCH smaller refund than that which I had calculated, also...my husband would be getting a refund (which my way he was not getting one, but I was getting one that could pay off his debt and have money left over to purchase that much awaited bed).  As she reviewed her numbers with us, I nearly bit my tongue off.  Could this be right?  Could I really be that stupid???  The difference in the numbers was a difference of thousands of dollars.  I decided I needed to speak up.  It just so happened that I had brought my funny little post office tax forms with me along with all my paper work.  I advised her that I just couldnt understand the descripancy in the numbers and asked if she could take a look.  She looked amazed.  Could this be right??  As she began to calculate the numbers she called in additional workers to help her.  Apparently there is some new software they are using at the H & R Block which is supposed to be more efficient.  Her co-worker assured me that the other employee was competent....sure....I felt much better after that.  More co-workers poured in.  Phone calls were made.   My husband and I looked on in amazement.  Sure enough, my calculations were on par.

Let this be your lesson....though H & R Block guarantees the maximum refund, this may not always be the case and it could be beneficial to you to check your taxes and crunch the numbers yourself prior to attending H & R Block or any other tax establishment.  All it takes is a trip to your local post office for a set of forms, some patience, a calculator and lots of time.  Takes awhile to do them yourself but it could save you tons of heartache and thousands of dollars!

Coupons....the final frontier......

Captain's log...star date...3112011...set fazers to save!

If you are like me,  you are attempting to cut costs any way you can and couponing is a great way to cut down on those costs if you are diligent and do your work.

Unlike Extreme Couponing on TLC, couponing in Canada is...of course....different.  I have learned that you cannot stack coupons or double coupon in Canada to get those crazy deals (though I am still trying to learn more about that), the key to couponing in Canada is to keep your eyes on the flyers to see where the products are the cheapest that you have the coupon for...then use the coupon against the in-store special and you could potentially walk away saving tons on your grocery bill.

When I first began looking into this, I did not own a printer so I needed to find sites that I could select the coupons and they would be mailed out to me.  Here are a few of my favorite sites for doing this:

http://www.websaver.ca/
http://www.brandsaver.ca/
http://www.save.ca/

On all of these sites you just select the coupons you wish to use and in a few weeks you receive them in the mail....just like that.  I would suggest going to Walmart and spending $4 on a coupon organizer.  I have my coupons organized into several categories:

Recreation, Baby, Grocery, Personal Maintenance, Home, Cat and Toilet Paper.  Yes.  Toilet paper gets its very own category because there is a TON of toilet paper coupons to be had out there.

Unlike the Extreme Couponers, I am trying to do this to save money on my grocery bill and only plan to use the coupons that are needed and that I will use....having said that, we will see if I start to amass my very own stock pile.

There is a little tidbit to get you started.  Get loads of coupons and check my blog again later because there is so much to be shared in the world of spending, saving and couponing....I just need to find more time!

The New Bed!

For those of you that know me well, you know that I have had the worst luck when it comes to places to live.  Lets see.  There was the place that was surrounded by water pipes...oh...there was the place that the water pipes froze...the place where ants started pouring out of my walls, the place with the mouse infestation (and yes, all of these places were in very nice areas of town in Calgary's south west) and most recently the bed bug infestation.  Thats right.  I uttered those two dirty little words no one ever wants to utter...bed bugs.

Bed bugs are disgusting critters and I was horrified to discover that my house had become infested.  The bug that caused the original outbreak had hitched a ride from Edmonton on someone's clothes that had come to visit.  I was pregnant and just thought I had a funky leg rash.  Words cannot begin to express the way you feel when you find out that tiny insects have been feasting on your chubby little legs while you sleep.  I have attached a link so those of you can see what these nasty critters do.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bed_bug.  I took our bed out of the room and had it treated twice along with two exterminations of the house.  I still had nightmares about the bed and elected to store it in the garage until we moved at the end of June.  I slept on an air mattress on my then three year olds floor as luckily the infestation was confined to only my room.  Once we moved (and I had no income as I was off on maternity leave at this point) I decided we had to use the bed as I refused to recover from a c-section while laying on an air mattress, so we bought the old mattress a nice cover and recovered the box spring using a sheet and a staple gun, but the damage was done...the months of storage in the garage had caused my amazing pillow top bed's stuffing to all shift to one side.  We folded a piece of foam and stuffed it in place so we could have a bed that was almost level...almost...not quite.

Due to a lucky tax break, I was finally able to replace the bed after nearly a year since the infestation.  I bought a super nice sealy posturepedic and did a LOT of comparison shopping.  We went to Ikea, Mattress Mattress, the Brick and Sleep Country Canada.  The difference in prices in staggering.  The Brick is by FAR the most expensive, followed by Ikea, Mattress Mattress and Sleep Country.  As you are all aware I am on a major budget and could not exceed $600 for a bed and box spring.  I happened upon the mix and match sale at Sleep Country (http://www.sleepcountry.ca/?gclid=CMnb-ZT7xacCFYvsKgodpj64EA) and got an amazing deal on a pillow top mattress with box spring AND free delivery and still came in on budget.  The equivalent bed at the Brick costs over double!  Sure, the store smelled a little bit like musty old cigar stank, but while I lay on the new bed I was about to get, it didnt bother me a bit.

Welcome to my Misadventures in Saving Money!

There was a time when I had a nice paycheque, and the bills were never too far behind.  The phone never rang with the cranky voices of bill collectors wondering where their money was and I didnt have to pay for groceries with change.  Yes, those were the days.  But now, due to a negligent error, my plan to stay afloat while going off on maternity leave was shattered when I did not receive any maternity leave benefits for over four months, leaving my husband to pay for everything...the phone calls started coming...and the wheels started turning.  How can I make additional money??  My husband (who definitely has ADD) had decided a while back that he would start sculpting clay and purchased all of the tools necessary to do it...weeks later the clay and all the tools sat idle...waiting for someone to use them to make a masterpiece....or something along those lines.  I decided that person would just have to be me.  I began to sculpt little figures.  I gave them to family who really liked them.  My aunt suggested I try to sell them.  I thought that was a GREAT idea.  I began tinkering with the clay until finally I found some things that worked for me...I even enlisted my neighbour (also a stay at home mom struggling to make money) and we even managed to sell a few pieces....but the orders slowed and the passion isnt the same...how do struggling artists get a good start for free?!? So until I can have a big clay figure business, I must find additional ways to save money...I was hoping that I wouldnt have to return to work and I would be able to generate enough income to stay home with the kids....though this could be a pipe dream I will attempt to make it a reality!  On this blog I will discuss all the things I am trying to do to get extra income, including our adventures in sculpting clay, but you will also find tips and tricks about couponing (which I am starting to learn about), and just about anything I can find to generate some sort of additional pocket change along with my everyday misadventures in life.   I can hardly wait to get started!