Coupons, Coupons, Coupons

With money getting tighter and the economy falling more each day, I've been paying more attention to what we're spending as a family and trying to save where we can. So, I started clipping coupons and shopping more carefully. I've started shopping mostly at Albertson's now - usually they have the highest grocery prices out of any store, but when they have a sale, it's awesome. Especially when you combine it with coupons.

This is what I bought last week.

6 Bottles Shampoo/Conditioner ($2.79 ea)
4 Jars Skippy Peanut Butter ($3.29 ea)
10 Bottles All Small & Might Laundry Detergent ($6.49 ea)
6 Betty Crocker Cake Mixes ($2.19 ea)
6 Betty Crocker Frosting Tubs ($2.29 ea)

I spent just over $60 on all that - between sales a coupons, I saved over $60. When I bought all of that stuff (it's stuff I'd have normally bought anyway, just in bigger quantities), I got 6 $5.00 off Catalina coupons. I used them this morning and got all of this:

1 Bag Malt O Meal Cereal ($3.59 ea)
2 Gallons of Milk ($2.50 ea)
14 Lean Pockets ($2.99 ea)
2 quarts Breyer's Ice Cream ($6.39 ea)
2 Sara Lee Frozen Pies ($6.39 ea)
1 Bottle of Johnson's Lotion ($3.99 ea)

GRAND TOTAL = $0.15 plus tax! ($1.17 total)

Sure, it's not stuff I'd usually buy (except the Lean Pockets, I love those things for lunch when Oliver doesn't give me three seconds to eat), I shopped the ads to see what I could get for as cheap as possible with sales and coupons. I think I did a pretty good job.

Car Seat

I have to rant about something... I hate when parents put their babies in infant carseats that they are too big for. I see it all the time, especially at the store. Babies are only supposed to be in infant carriers/car seats if they are 5-22 lbs AND less than 29" tall. This applies to nearly every infant car seat. Oliver grew out of his infant car seat already. Yes, he's only barely 17 lbs, but he's at least 29" tall and that's too tall for it. Besides, he loves his new car seat anyway. We just got the Cosco Scenera from Walmart for like $45 and it's awesome! No need to spend a ton of money, it got awesome safety reviews. And you can't beat the price.

That's all... I'm just grouchy today.

Halloween

Oliver was a dragon for his very first Halloween - he was so cute! He didn't mind his costume at all, except that it got a little too warm because it was like 70 degrees outside!

Oliver and his Elmo pumpkin Great Grandma Pettley made for him.

"Look at me, mom! No hands!"

He's such a pain to get him to take a good picture. I have no idea where he gets it from.

The Sunday after Halloween, Deanna and I dressed the boys up again because we didn't get a chance to take their pictures on Halloween. They were so cute!

Oliver and Trevor kept looking at eachother and laughing, they are funny little babies.

"I'm gonna kiss your face off, Trevor!"