Layout:
Home > Category: A Penny Saved

Viewing the 'A Penny Saved' Category

New Carpet

February 27th, 2007 at 11:57 pm

DH and I decided back in October or November that we would spend our tax refund on carpets for the bedrooms. We went to 3 different stores to compare and Home Depot was the best. ($2,000 for 720 sq. ft of carpet). We held off on ordering for 2 weeks because it is difficult to get to the store together working opposite shifts. When they entered all the information in the computer, one of the salespeople remembered a meeting they had a few days before about a new promotion not yet being advertised....free padding and 10% off the carpet...brought the total to $1,300!!!! Sooooo glad we waited. Big Grin
They are coming Thursday and Friday to do the installation.

First Addition to the $20 Challenge & Saving by Not Spending

January 14th, 2007 at 05:45 pm

I got a $7 rebate from Scott's in the mail yesterday so that will go into my challenge.
New total = $27.00

Went grocery shopping last night, and walked away with a little over $10 worth of free items. Two cartons of Egg Creations (bzzagent coupons worth $2.99/each) and a Nestle Choclatier Baking Chocolate bar from a coupon I requested online (worth $4.29). All my groceries were paid for from a GC that my employer gave out as a Christmas bonus. YAY!

Friday morning DH called me from work to tell me that a coworker's brother is selling a 52" TV and stand for $1000. He is moving to South Carolina because he can no longer to afford to live in this area. We have wanted a big screen TV for a looong time so we came very close to buying it. Being the mature adults that we are, hehe, we decided we NEED a new refrigerator and we don't NEED a big screen TV. Hoping we don't regret it later. Smile

Last night we went to look for a 'big boy' bed for DS. We found a really awesome bunk bed with a desk on one end, a bookshelf on the other and a cabinet in the front. AND it matches the rest of the furniture in his bedroom too. We took measurements in his room this morning, and there isn't anywhere in his room to put it and have access to both ends. His room is HUGE but with 3 closets, 3 windows and built in drawers there just isn't enough wall space for a bed like that. So we 'saved' another $1000 on the bed and a mattress.

While we were there, I decided to try out a Serta Perfect Day mattress...It was heaven. Sigh. Truly the most comfortable mattress I have ever laid on. Cost = $3100!!!! DH really wants it though, so I think we will probably buy it when the store offers 5 years with no intrest..they do that a few times a year. It will cost about $50/month that way. Our old mattress is only about 7 years old, but we both toss and turn all night on it.

Electric bill is WAY down!

October 13th, 2006 at 08:51 pm

I opened my electric bill today and it was $67.80!! That is the lowest it has been since moving into this house 2.5 years ago. The highest was $153 this past August.
Its nice to see my effort paying off. I've been turning off lights, the computer, using the air dry cycle on the dishwasher, and unplugging quite a few things when they are not being used.

Coupons

October 2nd, 2006 at 10:32 pm

I noticed I am using fewer coupons lately, but I am also spending less at the grocery store.
Part of the reason is that I am doing a lot more shopping at PriceRite, a store that has very low prices, but does not accept coupons. The other reason is that I am using fewer 'convenience' foods. (Rice and pasta mixes, packaged and ready to bake cookies, frozen meals, etc.) I have been cooking more from scratch and buying big bags of rice and potatoes for side dishes. I don't buy things that I normally wouldn't 'because I have a coupon', unless it is something new that I have to try out. Smile
When I would get competitors store coupons for $8 off if you spend $80, I would go to the store and spend $80 just to get the $8 savings. I would buy a bunch of stuff I did not need.
I am down from about $70 a week for groceries to maybe $40 most weeks.
I also don't shop unless I need to. I used to go every week, and now I go every 11-12 days or so, and sometimes longer.
I still regularly use coupons for household cleaners, diapers, cat food and litter.