Hi guys,
For one of my classes, I had to create a podcast on the subject of my choice, so, I’ve decided to share how I became a work-at-home mom. Enjoy! And if you have any thoughts, I’d love to hear them. π
Food, DIY, Chicago Mom Blogger
Hi guys,
For one of my classes, I had to create a podcast on the subject of my choice, so, I’ve decided to share how I became a work-at-home mom. Enjoy! And if you have any thoughts, I’d love to hear them. π
by Sandra 6 Comments
I was asked to write up my testimony for our church. I think I may have to share it in front of the congregation in the future. :-0 (I know I’ll be fine.) But I thought I’d share it with you guys, too.
I was first introduced to God by my grandmother at an early age, and from there I grew up in the Catholic religion. My grandmother would take us to church, make us memorize prayers, and had us complete other regular Catholic rituals β like our first communion and confirmation. I would say at this point that I had a knowledge of God, and I certainly believed that there was a God and His name was Jesus, but I didnβt truly KNOW GOD.
By the time I was about 17 years old, I was no longer attending the Catholic church or any church for that matter until I met the person who is now my husband, Ruben. He invited me to attend the Christian church his family attended, and from the first time that I attended, I loved it. The worship was vibrant and alive, and the preaching was biblical and unlike anything Iβd ever experienced in the Catholic religion. Ruben and I stayed in that church for about three years thinking that we were both Christians. He thought that he had been converted at a young age, and I thought that I had become a Christian while attending that church for some time.
It wasnβt until the early months of 2003 that weβd come to realize we were not truly saved and truly were not converted all of those years. It happened during a trying time in our lives where we began to pray and ask the Lord if He was real and if soβ¦to reveal Himself to us. We prayed this over and over, and in this time, we also committed to reading the book of Revelation together.
Well, after reading Revelation, you can imagine the questions that we had. Thatβs when Ruben happened to pick up a book he found at his motherβs house that was written specifically written about the book of Revelation.
We both decided to read the bookβ¦.and that was the beginning of God opening our eyes and removing the veil. Besides finding out the meaning of some of the difficult scriptures in Revelation, the Lord showed us through that book that we were not truly saved, we were living for the world, and our lives did not reflect a desire for God or a true knowing of Him. From that time on, my life has been forever changed. I repented of my sin and put my faith in Jesus Christ. I began to pray regularly and seek the Lord and His will for my life. He, in turn, began to radically change my desires by His Holy Spirit, and we started on the journey to living a holy life for the Lord.
After finishing the book about Revelation, we quickly started reading Godβs Word and have not left it since. Why would we? π
And thatβs my testimony. To God be the glory.
by Sandra 2 Comments
We took a walk to Walgreens this week (I love having a Walgreens within walking distance.), and here are the deals we got:
$0.69 each for Walgreens aluminum foil with in-ad coupon
$1.99 Crayola Color Explosion (we chose this one because it had 5 sheets in it for the kids to share)
-$1.00 mfgr. cpn. from 4/3 Smart Source insert
=$0.99
$2.99 Nexcare Bandages
-$3.00 Mail in Rebate on the box
-$0.55 mfgr. cpn. from 4/3 Smart Source insert
=FREE plus overage after rebate!
$4.99 Luster White Toothpaste (I won’t use this because we try to keep our toothpaste fluoride free, but it’ll be perfect for a gift bag.)
-$4.00 Register Reward when you buy one
-$1.50 mfgr. cpn. 4/3 Smart Source insert
=FREE Β plus $0.51 overage after Register Reward!
I had register rewards from previous to keep my out of pocket low, and we may take another walk to Walgreens later today for a couple more things.
Update: I made a trip to Jewel this morning. Here’s what I picked up.
I ended up paying only $15.18 for everything. Here’s the breakdown:
$1.00 for blue Chicago Bears bath sponge (50% off)
$0.99 birthday table cloth (50% off – Nathan’s b-day is coming up and while we don’t have parties, a table cloth will make the occasion a little more special for him)
$1.69 Organic saltine crackers (on clearance)
$1.99 for 5lb. bag of potatoes
$2.50 for Donkey chips tortilla chips (so good!)
$2.99 Schick Quattro Titanium Trimmer
-$3.00 mfgr. cpn. from 3/20 Smart Source insert
=FREE (I found this on the clearance shelf, and if I can find more coupons, I may go back later for more.)
$1.99 Xtra Laundry Detergent
-$0.50 mfgr. cpn. from 3/6 Smart Source insert
=$1.49
$5.00 for Marcal toilet paper
-$1.00 mgfr. cpn. from 4/17 Red Plum
=$4.00
Did you get any great deals this week?
by Sandra 4 Comments
It’s no fun going to the store without a plan. Seriously, that can be a recipe for stress – if you are taking your kids along – and for overpaying for things you KNOW you could have gotten cheaper if only you had a plan and prepared before stepping foot into the grocery store.
In order to keep from going to the store without a plan and walking out frazzeled, here are some simple things you can do before leaving the house:
::Β Make a list. Look at the store(s) weekly ad, find out what is on sale, read blogs (My Favorite thing) with your stores deals, and then create a plan. Make a menu for that week based on what is on sale, what you already have, and what you will pick up at the store.
::Β Prepare your coupons. Go through and get out or clip the coupons you know you will be using based on what is on your list. You don’t want to find yourself in the middle of a grocery aisle trying to corral children and sort through coupons at the same time. No fun.
::Β Print any online coupons. This is a big one for me since I shop at Whole Foods and Trader Joes for items that you don’t normally find coupons for in the Sunday newspaper inserts. When I use coupons at those stores, they’re normally internet printable coupons that I’ve found by reading blogs that share the deals for those stores. Also, check your store’s website to find out if they offer coupons that you can print off of their site. You can also checkΒ Coupons.com andΒ Smartsource.com to find out if there are any printable coupons there you could use. And make sure to find out if you can combine your stores online coupons with manufacturer’s coupons for more savings. For example, I can combine a Whole Foods store coupon with a printable manufacturer’s coupon.
::Β Load coupons onto your store loyalty card. There are a number of different online websites that allow you to load coupons onto your stores loyalty card so that when your card is scanned, the coupon comes off your total bill. The nice thing about loading the coupons is that you will probably only do it once a month, and those coupons are good all month. Just register with the site that has e-coupons available for your store, and load them onto your loyalty card. Here are a few I know of:
:: Pack snacks for the kids. This will help to keep your child happy and help you to avoid opening up that bag of snacks before you pay for it.
::Β Make sure you have everything before you leave the house. List, coupons, snacks for kids, and a plan for which stores you are going to shop at.
::Β Shop and save. Save time by having a plan and money by being prepared. π
How do you make your grocery trips easier to manage?
For more Frugal Friday tips and ideas, please visit Life as Mom.