I wouldn't really call anything we got free, but we did get some close to free items. Gas and time is not free anyway.

CVS: 2 body washes, 2 toothbrushes for a total out of pocket of 3.68, bringing back 6 ECB's.

No I didn't really make money, because we had to use ECBs to bring the total down to 3.68. And those we had to pay for, but all is rolled back in, and the 'net' out of pocket is pretty good.

Walgreens: shaving gel, flossers, 2 sunscreens. Paid 1.23 with RR of $8. I guess it is a net profit? Though the RR must be used at Walgreens.

Rite aid: 3 lotions, total = .78 earns back $5 SCR.

That one we really are making money on. SCR is a monthly mailed check, that can be used like a check. Though I have to actually go online and get the check.

This weekend we are back to GS camp for JC and I. So I needed a few high protien snacks.

String cheese, and granola bars conveniently had sales and coupons this week. Not free, but all reasonable. Of course making my own granola bars would be cheaper and healthier, but......I would actually have to make them.

Also have some tuna pouches that were acquired a month or so ago at nearly free coupon plus sale price.

Plus we bought lots of fruit...lots, fortunately most was on sale.

Looked at a few things with coupons and sales, would have been pretty cheap for donation, and decided not to get them.

Mainly because we went to the dentist right before hand, paid a HUGE sum for three kids cleanings/checkups, one set of x-rays, and two cavities. Not happy.

Not sure if saving the $3, in donations, really makes any difference though. I think I was just being cranky.

Today is grocery store day.

Fortunately for us, many things we need are on sale
grapes broccoli, mushrooms, chicken, and lemons.

Unfortunately no one has coupons for those items .

Ah well, I have gotten several interesting samples lately, including a free granola bar, and some emergenC stuff. Plus a few diapers to stockpile for baby, and plenty of coupons for them.

Many folk upon learning we have a savings account suggest we hide that money so we can qualify for food stamps and other federal programs.

Look I am not turning down money the govt gives me, but I am also not going to cheat my way into more!

Besides, I wouldn't know what to do with all that food stamps....I eat whole wheat and lots of fresh produce, I still would have trouble spending the 900 a month they would send me. (plus WIC)

It was nice to learn the tax return will restock the EF. And though we will have some extra medical expenses with the baby, we still shouldn't run out of money till sometime after unemployment runs out (if it does, they keep extending that)

Honestly I am glad we have always been rather frugal, and I am glad for the super lessons we have learned. Unemployment covers almost all our bills. We could make it cover all if we went back to white pasta and the like.

No idea what the future holds, but whatever, I am not worried. I meet lots of folk who still hold out we must be able to do this because we are rich. I only need about $50 from the EF a month beyond unemployment, how is that rich?

We are not able to do this because we were/are rich. We are able because we have really low bills.

I have a largish strip of cloth that needs hemmed, but I do not have a sewing machine. I can hand sew, but I am not very straight.

So what to do? Well a good part of me wants to wait for the 'perfection fairy'. You know the perfect solution that gets things done just right? Yeah I haven't really met her, but I keep hoping she will come along.

The rest of me knows full well the cloth needs done, and my best is going to have to do.

I am often faced with situations where I know I wont do a job well enough, but honestly. It is more important that it get done.

It took me a long time to realize I had a perfectionist hiding inside me, keeping me from starting things because 'they wouldn't be done right'. I credit flylady for pointing her out. Now that I know she is in there, I can firmly tell her to shush up and let me get on with getting things done.

At least sometimes.

Managed one nice trip to the store, using coupons to get several items free and some really cheap. Plus a whole lot of normal priced (well some sale, but not amazingly so) food. Somehow clementines, apples, and my brand of yogurt do not have coupons.

Will be donating half of it, using the other half.

So I need a recipe with sour cream.

Made some Alfredo type sauce today. No the recipe doesn't call for sour cream, but it worked out really well. (what recipe? I just started with some butter, some spices, some flour, milk, sour cream, cheese, and called it Alfredo)

Was planning on Stroganof, but I don't have any beef or mushrooms.

Also husband went to the store today and bought our usual bread....but we have for some strange reason not eaten the usual amount. So I now have 12 loaves of bread in the house! (6 for a week is usual). So planning some French toast, grilled cheese, and....something else.