Bring on the Rain...

Ok...so I'm not really happy with all the rain, BUT it has washed ALOT of pollen away which is a good thing in my world. So now that I am getting a little bit better it's time to turn my attention on better things...like moving. We are scheduled to move sometime at the end of next month into Brandon's grandparents house. I seriously doubt that it will be that soon but with my spring break being next week, I am planning on doing some packing and cleaning out. I want us to move with very little stuff that we don't need. I also have to find a way to get rid of some "holy" clothes of Brandon's as well.

The job situation is still about the same. Right now we are waiting to see if our numbers will go up. If not, I will sub and finish my master's degree next year. A job would be great but the idea of staying at home sounds pretty good as well.

The couponing is going ok. Some weeks are better than others. This past week was still a good savings week but I had to buy alot of stuff that didn't have coupons. So far my average savings is around 30.00 each time. I've worked it out to where I only go once a month for a BIG trip and then make little trips here and there.

We did really well not going out to eat when we had no money but now we have to learn to live like that when we get paid too!!

I'm ready for this upcoming month and all that it has in store...Spring Break, J-Day, Easter and Dancing with the Teachers just name a few.

Hope everyone is healthy and happy!

What is wrong with me...

I am sick for what seems like the 100th time in a row. It's another stinking sinus infection. I don't know what I can do to make these things go away. Any suggestions?

Crystal Ball

I really wish I had a crystal ball right now. I want to know what the plan should be for next year. I just wish I had an answer. But I don't have one, and I guess that's what faith is and how it gets stronger.

Happy St.Patrick's Day!
I'll leave you with this.

An Irish Prayer
May God give you...
For every storm, a rainbow,
For every tear, a smile,
For every care, a promise,
And a blessing in each trial.
For every problem life sends,
A faithful friend to share,
For every sigh, a sweet song,
And an answer for each prayer.

Local Folks

Savvy Shopper this week has some incredible deals for local places to eat.

Subway has 2 free sub coupons for 6inch subs right now. The cool thing is that right now a 6 inch sub is only 5.00 anyway. So that's 2 subs for 5.00. Can't beat that!

Cabos has buy one entree and get one free. Best Mexican resturant ever!!

Taco Mac has buy one get one free.

*It's our mission to try and not ever pay for two entree's again. Ok..for a while anyway. So if you want to go out to eat with us...we are picking the place!*

Updates and a new fun game!!

Sit down. Grab a cup of coffee...it's going to be a long one!

For those of you who didn't get my frantic text on Thursday...as of right now my contract for next year will not be renewed. The county that I worked in had trouble producing the number of students that it had projected and as a result I got cut.

So let me answer some questions and fill you in on the latest.

1. How are you? To say that I am not mad is a lie. I have worked my butt off doing jobs that no one is standing in line for at this school. However, some of it is my fault for being stupid in math and science and not having the certification for it. My principal is a very godly man. I trust his judgement. Many people have been through worse, are going through worse, and will go through worse than this news. I continue to believe that the Lord is faithful and have been blessed by his provision this far. I still have my health, my husband and my home! As my precious father in law said...our family still has their health and each other...what more can you need??!!

2. What are you going to do??
Well...that is not so clear right now. Here are the options that we are weighing...
Option #1. There is are a couple of positions that could come available back in Gwinnett county, which is where I was a para-professional at for 2 years. I am not looking high and low in Gwinnett simply because the county is HUGE. There is a room in particular at my old job that I would love to be able to teach. If it's meant to be it will happen.

Option #2. My principal informed me when he told me the news that I would be the first rehired if our numbers at Davis increased. So...if the Gwinnett job does not run out, I will wait, which could be till August to hear from Davis.

Option #3. Sub next year and finish my master's degree.

Option #3 is what led me to my new fun game of COUPONS!!

My friend Jennifer has been doing this game for a while but it wasn't until recently that I found out just how much fun this can really be. While Brandon does not bring home the BIG bucks he does bring home enough to support us. It wasn't until there was no job for next year that we ever really sat down and saw that we really could live off of his salary if we were willing to change how we live. There are some sacrifices that will have to come with this new adventure should we choose for me to start staying at home. No more eating out for breakfast (me usually), lunch (him usually) and dinner (both). No more spending just because we have it. No more buying when we have it at home or not being careful with or wasteful with what we have. At this point we are planning to start living off Brandon's check and saving mine just to see how well we can really do this. We are going to turn off the cable, lose the gym memberships (Look at a recent picture of us and ask if we have been going...) and find the other ways our money is being blown.

The new addictive form of this lifestyle though has come in the form of coupons. I use to think that you clipped a few out of the Sunday times and took them with you when you thought about it. I had no idea until recently that there are people out there that live and breathe this until recently when Jennifer started posting the coupon sites on her blog. Right now I am just a beginner, but just in case you are just starting out let me tell you what I have done.

First...(stole this from Jennifer) I went and purchased a dollar photo album. I took some post it notes and started labeling categories of things I would need a coupon for. I started thinking of the layout of my favorite store (Publix) and just started jotting down the categories. Then as I clipped my first Sunday newspaper worth of coupons I added categories that I had forgotten. I take them with me to the store and when I see one that I will use I take it out and put it in my wallet next to my debit card.

Second...Jennifer has hooked us up with some great websites that teach you the trick of the trades. There are some INCREDIBLE things that you can get for FREE at places like Walgreens and CVS. It's all about taking some time to get familiar with what they are saying on the blogs and then just going out to do it. Learn the words Buy One Get One Free and love them!!

Here are the ones that she suggest...

http://www.beingfrugalisfabulous.com/
http://www.couponsavingfamily.com/
http://fiddledeedeeblog.blogspot.com/
and www.coupons.com


Third...I heard Kate from Jon and Kate plus 8 say..."if we don't have a coupon we don't by it." That's our new mentality in Peevy land. Now of course there are some things that won't...but for the most part we stick to that...or the theory that if it's not on sale we don't buy it.

Fourth...If we don't have a coupon we don't eat there. What once was junk mail is now a hidden treasure. Instead of throwing away all those sales papers I dig to find fun surprises. A LOT of local restaurants have buy one get one free! We have some fun new places to go this month...not the same ol' same ol!

SO...how did I do...

Well for my first real coupon experience I went to Publix...

Over 7.00 in Vendor Coupons
Over 4.00 in Store Coupons
Over 30 something dollars in Buy One Get One Free

For a total of 44.00 in savings.

Plus I shopped smart and got three weeks of lunch and breakfast combos and 2 weeks of dinners for the both of us. I hope to be able to share with you my savings each week as a way to get you pumped about this and to keep me accountable to the process. I will also post the fun restaurants that I find for all those local people looking to be frugal about where they eat out at!

So that's the update. Thank you for your words of encouragement and prayers for Brandon and myself. We are going to be just fine!!