Couponing My Way To The Islands!

Monday, January 31, 2011

~Restaurant.com 80% Off!~


GET $25 GIFT CERTIFICATES FOR ONLY $2!
Enter Promo Code: MEAL

Today is the FINAL day for this sale.

*I'm hoping to get my grocery deals up later today.

Happy Monday!
SHO

Saturday, January 29, 2011

~FREE Bath & Body Works Candle!~


Get a FREE 1.6 oz candle from Bath & Body Works! Go HERE to print coupon. No purchase necessary. While supplies last.

*These FREE items make GREAT teacher gifts!

Happy Saturday!

SHO

*Thanks Thrifty Mom!

Friday, January 28, 2011

~4 Coupon Inserts Scheduled!~


There are 4 coupon inserts scheduled for the Sunday paper:

*2 RedPlum
*1 SmartSource
*1 P&G

Happy Clipping!
SHO

Thursday, January 27, 2011

~CVS ECB Return ~


How do I return something that I got an ECB on at CVS?

Be honest! I purchased some Loreal mineral concealer last week and got a $3 ECB back on it. Once I tried it, I was not a fan. So, I made sure to NOT spend the $3 ECB until I was sure of my purchase. When I returned it, I explained that the $3 ECB was still on the receipt and they took it all back. It would have been dishonest of me if I would have already spent the $3 and then returned the item.
My advice is if you purchase something that you might return (make-up, etc.) be sure to NOT spend the ECB until you are positive that you are keeping it. You don't ever want them to question everything you do because they thought you were running a scam. Honesty is always the best policy.

Hope this helps!

SHO

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

~FREE James Dobson Book!~

Don't miss your chance to get "Dads & Daughters" FREE book by James Dobson. I'm exited about this book! Go HERE to sign up.

This book would make a nice Father's Day gift too! Planning ahead pays off :)

Blessings~
SHO

*Thanks Marci for emailing me this deal :)

~How to Save Money~Part 3~


Hair
*Confession-I do get my hair professionally done. It is worth it to me. Until my husband got out of school (7 years ago), I was coloring (highlighting) my own hair. When I needed it cut, I went to the mall and got a $12 haircut and never had a bad experience.
*My tip here would be to get as close to your natural hair color as possible so that you don't have a great deal of upkeep. I only get my hair done every 12 weeks.
*I cut my husband's hair each month which saves us $180-$200 annually (that is for a cheap haircut even!)

Do It Yourself!
*If you get manicure's & pedicures on a regular basis, cut them out. Unless I have a gift certificate, I do it myself and save lots of money!

Salon/Spa Packages:
Call ahead to see if a salon is offering any package deals. Often (around holidays) you can get some really great deals. Plus, they can be used anytime throughout the year! My husband usually gets me spa packages as gifts (they are my fav). He has learned to call ahead and see what deals are being offered. I was not impressed with the mani/pedi that was part of the package last time, so my husband spoke with the owner to see if she could not include that service with the new package deal and just deduct it from the price. Sure enough, she was glad to offer the other 2 services at the special package price and take off the mani/pedi. Don't be afraid to ask.

Bundle Package Deal:
Some people offer HUGE discounts if you purchase a package of 3 or 5 in advance. I bought a package of 5 massages and saved $75 for buying them all at once, instead of individually. Most massage therapist offer these types of deals. Again, don't be afraid to ask. Often times these deals are not advertised.

Ask about a loyalty card/program:
Some people do these, some don't. Be sure ask either way! Some people offer a punch card that when you complete so many services, you get the next one FREE!

Swap Services:
If you do something or make something to sell, try to swap services for salon services. Believe it or not, this happens often! I have swapped merchandise that I made for haircuts. A friend of mine swapped out a photography session for a cut & color. Maybe you could offer childcare in exchange for a service, swap cleaning a house, running errands, etc. Try to think of something that would be a good value for both of you. Think outside the box and try to find new ways to save money!

Hope you all are enjoying this series!

Wednesday Blessings~
SHO

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

~Family of 6 Dines for Less Than $9!~

How to feed a family of 6 for less than $9 out to eat!

Today I spoke with a lady who has 4 children about eating out inexpensively. She told me that they get the bag of burgers special (2 children split a burger) at Braum's and then buy 2 fries (to split) and all drink waters for less than $9! I was so impressed and wanted to share with you this tip for your Tuesday.

Blessings~
SHO

Monday, January 24, 2011

~Menu Monday!~

This is our first week off the Daniel Fast. As you can see we are eating meat again! We are still fasting sugar, sweets & sodas for at least 40 days (total). We are going to continue to try to not eat nearly as much processed foods either. This is my menu for the week:

Steak, baked potato & spinach salad

Roast, potatoes & carrots

Shredded Roast tacos, queso & pinto beans
*Re-purposing the leftover roast!

Brown rice, chicken, pinto beans & green pepper dish

Chicken/Veggie Soup

Hamburgers w/ ?

What's cookin' at your house?

Hope you have a blessed Monday!
SHO

Saturday, January 22, 2011

~Pier 1 90% Off!~

Pier 1 Imports has their Christmas items for 90% off! I went in there yesterday and purchased some really nice candles for .90 each. They also had a large selection of pretty diffusers to choose from. These would make GREAT Christmas gifts for next year! This is the time to stock up on teacher gifts, etc. I'm sure these will go fast, so get there soon!

Happy Saturday!
SHO

Friday, January 21, 2011

~Catalina Update!~


UPDATE! I did this same deal at Kroger again today, but it printed out $3.50 this time instead of $2.50 like last time. Plus, I had a couple of ecoupons come off making my total even less! See below for details. Woohoo!

BELOW is the deal that I posted a few days ago:

Right now there is a catalina printing at Kroger (I've also read this is printing at Walgreens & Tom Thumb too. I'm only confirming Kroger):
Buy 3 & Get $1.50
Buy 4 & Get $2.50
Buy 5 or more & Get $3.50

PLUS, Kroger has a deal running if you buy 4 participating General Mills items, you get the new Cinnamon Cheerios FREE ($2.95 value)

Here is how it all went down:
Purchased 4 Nature Valley Bars
$2.84 (Reg. price)
$2.49 (sale)
-.50 q (doubled)
=$1.49 per box

Total Today
$5.96
-.50 ecoupon
-.75 ecoupon
-$3.50 catalina
=$1.21 for everything in photo (after catalina)!

Retail= $14.31
*That is a savings of 91%!

*Catalina is a coupon good off your next order (just in case you were wondering).

Have a great weekend!
SHO

~2 Coupon Inserts Scheduled~


There are 2 coupon inserts scheduled for the Sunday newspaper:

*1 RedPlum
*1 SmartSource

Happy Clipping!

SHO

Thursday, January 20, 2011

~How to Save Money~Part 2~

How to save money: Part 2

Today I have a few money saving challenges for you. Are you up for it? Are you willing to get creative to save big? I am! The following pantry and freezer challenges along with menu planning are key to me staying on budget & saving money. Plus, it is a fun way to try new things!


Pantry Challenge
*Challenge yourself to only eat off of what is currently in your pantry. You may have to get creative! Use the internet to find new recipes for the items you have already. This is fun to create new things and to also clear out your pantry. The week that you do the pantry challenge, only plan to purchase milk, eggs, bread, etc. at the store. This is a way to save big one week out of each month! This would be fun to challenge yourself to a pantry challenge one week per month!
If you saved $50 one week per month out of your grocery budget, that would be a savings of $600 annually!



Freezer Challenge
*Commit to not purchasing any meat until you have eaten down your stock (unless you are low and it is at the rock bottom price). We all know that meat is expensive (even on sale). Again, get creative and see what you can make! When the meat & chicken that we like goes on sale, I buy enough of it so that there is enough until the next sale.
I would love to hear from those of you who plan to take the pantry or freezer challenge :)


Menu plan
*This really does save time and money. Each week I plan my menu off of what I have in my pantry & freezer. I also look at the sale circular and plan from there. Having a plan is key to eating at home!
*We have committed to not eating out at a restaurant for 21 days during the Daniel Fast. Having a menu plan has made it so much easier! Each day we look over our options and choose what I will prepare.
*There is nothing like looking into the fridge & pantry trying to figure out what you can throw together at 6 pm! No fun!
*Having a menu planned out makes for a much more peaceful dinnertime. Without a plan I always feel rushed and a bit stressed. With a plan, dinner is much more enjoyable!

Figure the Cost
This step is VITAL to staying within your grocery budget! Figure out how much each meal cost you to make. If you can feed your family for less than $3, you should probably put that meal on a regular rotating schedule. If a meal cost you $12 to make, it will need to be a special meal and not something that you make on a regular basis. I'm not saying never eat it, just don't eat it as often. I have been amazed at how economical making the correct portions can actually be! My goal is to only have enough leftovers to take for lunch the next day.

I'd love to hear from those of you taking the challenges!

Happy Thursday!
SHO

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

~Menu Wednesday!~


This is our last week on the Daniel Fast. The menu looks very similar to last week. We've only found a few things that we want to eat more than once. Here is a menu of what we are eating this week:

Tuna melt w/ mushrooms & spinach on whole wheat
(shown above in photo)

Whole Wheat Pita Veggie Pizza w/ Spinach Salad

Loaded Spinach Salad
Baked Potatoes

Garlic Roasted Potatoes
Chicken & spinach on whole wheat bun

Tuna, refried beans & avocado on whole wheat wrap

Black bean, cilantro, garlic, onion burrito on whole grain tortilla

Stuffed pepper w/ brown rice & veggies

When we are finished with the 21 day fast, we will not have eaten at a restaurant in 21 days! It can be done! That was actually harder than anticipated for all of us. We really enjoy Taco Bueno on a weekly basis ;) Having a menu and a plan has been key for us! It has been more work, but has been an enjoyable process at times. I'm not going to lie and say that cooking (some from scratch) twice a day has been a joy, because it has been a drag some days. However, knowing that I can do things that I normally don't was a great feeling. Knowing that we made a commitment to God and have honored it has been AWESOME!

Hope you are having a blessed day!
SHO

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

~How to Save Money~Part 1~


How to Save Money in 2011: Part 1
Everyone gets excited about saving money, but then they realize that change MUST take place or the same outcome will happen. Yes, it takes determination and a plan. After all, I've never heard of anyone saying "I accidentally saved $100k". Sort of along the lines of never hearing a husband complaining about his wife saving him tons of money by using coupons! It just doesn't happen! :)

Today I'm listing just a few things that I did to insure we were able to hit our 2010 savings goal.

Steps to hit your savings goal in 2011:

Spend Less
*I realize this is not breaking news. However, if you simply spent $25 less per week at the grocery store you could save $100-$125 per month! You can easily do this by having a list and sticking to it. Try to go to the store and ONLY purchase what is on the list.
This would be a $1200-$1500 savings annually!

Budget
*Set a budget! This MUST be accurate. Take time to have a budget meeting with your spouse and discuss all purchases. I know this doesn't sound very fun and sometimes it isn't! However, being on the same page financially is one of the best ways to bless your marriage. Even though my hubs completely trusts me with our money, I still let him know about all purchases or check with him if a purchase is more than the norm. Anytime anything is needed outside of our budget, I ALWAYS speak with him and make sure we are in agreement of how we want to spend our money. To me this is more of a RESPECT thing than a budget concern.
*Stick to the budget! A budget only works if you stick to it.
*Document EVERYTHING you spend (even the little items...they add up!) Be sure to keep your receipts and keep up with your budget. If you wait until the end of the month to document things, you've probably already gone over budget and didn't even realize it!
*Budget down to $0.00 each month. This means that every dollar and every dime is accounted for. Any money left over does NOT get spent, rather it goes into SAVINGS!
*Keep the lines of communication open with your spouse. There may be mistakes, but talk about them and try to figure out a plan to avoid the same mistake again.

Don't Go There!
*If you have issues with spending money and buying things you don't need every time you enter the mall, Target, TJMax, etc...DON'T GO THERE!
This is a 100% effective way of not overspending :) So many people I talk with say they can't walk out of a certain store without spending $20-$50. However, if they never enter the store, it can be done!

Hope this helped someone today! I promise, you can do it! You can save money (even if you never have before). Many more parts to the "How to Save Money" series coming soon!

Tuesday Blessings~
SHO

Monday, January 17, 2011

~Great Catalina Deal!~


This is a sweet deal!

Right now there is a catalina printing at Kroger (I've also read this is printing at Walgreens & Tom Thumb too. I'm only confirming Kroger):
Buy 3 & Get $1.50
Buy 4 & Get $2.50
Buy 5 or more & Get $3.50

PLUS, Kroger has a deal running if you buy 4 participating General Mills items, you get the new Cinnamon Cherrios FREE ($2.95 value)

Here is how it all went down:
Purchased 4 Nature Valley Bars
$2.49 (sale)
-.50 q (doubled)
=$1.49 per box

Total $5.96
-$2.50 catalina
=$3.46 for everything in photo (after catalina)!

This catalina deal is good until January 23rd!

*Catalina is a coupon good off your next order (just in case you were wondering).

Happy MLK Day!
SHO

~My Kroger Trip~


Nothing overly exciting during this trip to Kroger. We are still on the Daniel Fast, so we are not purchasing our "normal" groceries. Here is a list of a few good deals I got on this shopping trip:

Dole Salad
$1.39 (Manager's Special)

Kroger Canned Veggies
.50

Nature Valley
Reg. $2.84
Sale $2.49
-.50 q (doubled)
=$1.49 per box

Cheerios
Reg. $2.95
Sale $2.49
*PROMO Deal (Buy 4 participating General Mills items, Get Cinnamon Cheerios FREE!)

Softsoap
Reg. $1.59
Sale .88
-.35 q (tripled)
=FREE!

Maruchan Noodles (These are a great thing to donate!)
.99
-.50 q (doubled)
=FREE!

Monday Blessings~
SHO

Saturday, January 15, 2011

~How to Save Money Series Coming!~


Starting next week I'm going to be doing a series on "How to save money". During the series I will detail the steps that I took to save 35% of our income in 2010. I'm super excited to also share with you a guest post on how she has saved big and is continuing to save big in 2011. I love to read and learn how people go about changing things up and saving money. I'm always inspired by other's success!
So, get excited and stay tuned!

Have a blessed weekend Sassy Savers!

SHO

Friday, January 14, 2011

~2 Coupon Inserts Scheduled~


There should be 2 coupon inserts in the Sunday newspaper:

*1 SmartSource
*1 P&G

Did you set any coupon goals for 2011? One of my goals is to get the coupons clipped and put away faster. I'm trying to be better with my time management in 2011! My goal is to get the coupons clipped and in the binder on Monday of each week. So far, so good :)

Happy Clipping!

SHO

~Kiwi Magazine for $2 Per Year!~


Looking for a magazine that covers green living & organic food?
If so, this is a great deal for you! Mamapedia is offering a 1 year subscription to Kiwi Magazine for $6.
If you use the promo code 1YEARKIWI2 it will bring the price down to $2 for 1 year.

You can also sign up for 2 years for $4 by using code 2YEARKIWI4 !

~Splenda Coupons!~

Looking for coupons for Splenda products? Go HERE to print!

I was excited to see a $2 coupon! You will have to fill out some information before printing, but it only takes a few seconds.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

~Restaurant.com 80% Off!~

GET $25 GIFT CERTIFICATES FOR ONLY $2!
Enter Promo Code: SPOON

This is a great way to save big at a restaurant!

Thursday Blessings~
SHO

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

~Menu Wednesday!~


One of my 2011 goals is to get back to sharing my menu more with you. Here is a menu of what we are eating this week:

Whole Wheat Pita Veggie Pizza w/ Spinach Salad

Loaded Spinach Salad
Baked Potatoes

Garlic Roasted Potatoes
Brown rice & broccoli casserole

Tuna, refried beans & avocado on whole wheat wrap

Pinto beans & corn bread

Whole grain tostada w/ refried beans & spinach

Leftovers

What's cookin' at your house?

Hope you have a wonderful Wednesday!
SHO

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

~My CVS trip~


Cottenelle Wipe
Reg. 3.89
Sale $2
-$2 coupon (from catalina)
=FREE!

Kleenex (3 count box)
Reg. $4.29
sale $3.00
-.50 q
=$2.50
(not the greatest deal, but I needed a $3 purchase to make it to $25 for the $10 ECB)

Scott Paper towels
Reg. $13.99
Sale $10
-$2 q (for paper towels & t.p)

Scott t.p.
Reg. $13.99
Sale $10

Total=$20.50
-$10 ECB back
=$10.50!

*I have another transaction, but it got messed up and I need to go back and get my ECB. I was in a hurry before church and didn't check my receipts until I got home. This is the one time that I didn't check and 3 items rang up the wrong price! Oh well, I'll get it worked out and try to post a pic :)

Tuesday Blessings~
SHO

Monday, January 10, 2011

~Daniel Fast Groceries~

Good Monday Morning Sassy Savers!

We started the Daniel Fast on January 1st, so this is what my groceries looked like this week. Very different than usual! Typically, I try to only go to the store one per week. However, on the fast we need fresh items and I had run out by Wednesday. I ended up going to the store a couple times and then Sprouts over the weekend. I'll be posting my menu tomorrow of what we have been eating.

apples
clementines
grapes
cantaloupe
bread
Whole grain Pita bread (I'm going to do a post on pita pizza soon!)
Green Pepper
corn meal *(I'm going to attempt to make corn chips from scratch! I'll let you know how that works out.)
peanuts
sunflower seeds
broccoli
spinach
bananas
mushrooms
cucumbers
carrots
whole wheat brown rice cakes
Think Thin nut bar $1.69 (FREE w/ coupon)

TOTALS:
Sprouts= $13.49
Kroger/Wal-mart= $24.48

Happy Monday!
SHO

Saturday, January 8, 2011

~My Savings Goals Explained~

The savings goal...


Several of you have asked me to explain my savings goal that we hit in 2010. My goal was to save 25% of our income. We ended up saving 35%! This was all done by having a plan, saying NO to unnecessary things, sticking to our budget and being creative. We still did many fun things including: island vacation, several little trips over the summer, a weekend retreat this fall and traveled to a BIG 12 football game. We were able to do those things because we did not over spend on our groceries, eating out or anything else that was not in our budget. If a bill was less than we budgeted for (praise God!), we would not go out and spend that money. Instead we would put that extra money straight into savings. Putting the money into savings at the start of the month (or whenever you get paid) is KEY! If you wait until the end, it won't be there (as we all know too well). It is the same as tithing, you give your tithe first and then live on the rest.
In 2011 our goal is to save 25% again. We refinanced our home to a 10 year mortgage, which made our payment go up considerably. So, I'm going to be happy with the 25% saved in 2011.

Stop for a moment and think about how much 25% of your income would be. Think about what you could do to achieve financial FREEDOM in 2011 if you were able to save it! Many of you could pay off all of your debt, pay CASH for a car, pay off student loans, pay off medical bills, create a true 6-9 month emergency fund, take a vacation, etc. One year could change your entire financial forecast!

January is a perfect month to get started. You can do it! If you think 25% is out of the question, aim for 15% or even 5%. I encourage you to aim high. Set your goals high. Great success takes great determination and discipline. If you cut out some of the extras, I promise you will be able to save and reach your goal in 2011! I can't wait to hear about your success!

Have a blessed weekend Sassy Savers!

Financial Blessings~
SHO

Friday, January 7, 2011

~Printable Organic Coupons~

Coupons.com (on my sidebar) has some healthy & organic coupons that some of you are wanting. Here are a few that I found today:

Atheno's Greek Yogurt
Horizon Organic Eggs
Muir Glen Products
So Delicious Coconut Milk
Simply Organic

Be sure to click on the Coupons.com link to get to the printable coupons.

Have a great Friday!
SHO

~3 Coupon Inserts Scheduled~


There should be 3 coupon inserts in the Sunday paper:

*1 RedPlum
*2 SmartSource

Happy Clipping!

SHO
*We jump for coupons around here! :)

Thursday, January 6, 2011

~Crocs Sale!~

Crocs is having a sale up to 70% off! Go HERE to shop their site. I know some of my readers swear by these shoes for your kiddos. This would be the time to buy with these discounts!

Blessings~
SHO

~Words for 2011!~


Each December I start to pray over our dreams & goals. Each year God has given me words that we have claimed as our words for the year. In 2010 it was "Victory, Honor, Glory & Power". Those were pretty easy for me to understand. Victory was for us to be victorious with our goals. Honor is for us to be honorable in all of our actions. Glory was to give Him 100% glory for everything. Power was a tough one for me to really understand. Then I started to think that if we were going to be VICTORS, HONORable, giving him all GLORY that is due...that would be POWERful!
2010 was a great year! Speaking those words over our finances has changed things. I love speaking those words over my husband during prayer. As a teacher & coach, he needs to be all of those things each day!
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that we were all of those things each day. We fail just like everyone else. However I am saying that we tried and it was a good year. God honored our attempts :)
There really is life and death in the power of the tongue.


My words for 2011 are "Dream It, Believe It, Achieve It!". Those are the words that will be spoken over our lives. I have many goals in 2011 for myself, my family and our finances. I've already DREAMED it. I'm BELIEVING it! Now I just need to ACHIEVE it!


My hope is that this post blesses someone and encourages you to set goals. 2011 is a new year and could be a fresh start for many people. Do you have any words that you claim each year for your family?

I pray that you are the head and not the tail, above and not beneath, the VICTOR and not the victim of your financial situation.
May God bless you in 2011!

In His Grace~
SHO

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

~Looking for Coupons?~

Go HERE to sign-up for a coupon booklet with $35 worth of coupons from Home Made Simple for the following brands:

*Febreeze
*Mr. Clean
*Dawn
*Swiffer
*Cascade
Plus many more! I've been getting these booklets for a while now and really like having the extra coupons when something goes on sale. I've also been able to get some items for FREE when I combined the sale with these coupons!

The best part is it is FREE!

Be sure to hurry, these offers don't last forever.

SHO

~FREE Blockbuster Movie!~

Enjoy a FREE Blockbuster Express movie!
Simply use code XU14A
good for one free rental.

*Offer valid until January 7, 2011.

I heart FREE!

Wednesday Blessings~
SHO

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

~Photobook for only $1.99!~

5x7 Photo Book for only $1.99! This is such a good deal!

Here is how to get the deal:

*Create or sign in to an existing account with Kodak Gallery.

*Choose a 5×7 Photo Book to customize.

*At checkout use coupon code TGTFREEBOOK to get the price of the book ($9.99) taken off.
You should only pay $1.99 in shipping costs.

Offer is valid through January 9, 2011.

These types of books make such great gifts! I made a couple of books as Christmas gifts and they were a hit. Sadly, I paid a large amount in shipping from another company. At this price, it pays to plan ahead!

Tuesday Blessings~
SHO

Monday, January 3, 2011

~Christmas Cards Recycled!~

After looking at my door with a portion of the Christmas cards from this year, I was trying to figure out what to do with them.


Then I got excited as I looked closer and realized that I could make something!



These will make such cute package labels for next year!

A couple of them would even look cute glued on a candle.

This is a fun way to recycle what you already have and doesn't cost anything!

Happy Monday!
SHO

~2011 Preview!~

I'm pondering what we are wanting to accomplish for 2011. We are setting the same savings goal as 2010. Now that we know we can achieve it, I don't think it will seem like such a tall mountain to climb. We have been looking into a newer, more fuel efficient vehicle also. Never fun to have to purchase a car! After much looking and discussion, my cute hubs decided he would like to wait it out. He likes having money in the bank and isn't ready to drop a large sum of cash on a car when his is working just fine. Gotta love a sensible man! I LOVE that I'm married to man that is not defined by the car that he drives! A man that is not afraid to be who he is in any situation, even if that means being different. I wanted to marry someone who believes in himself and in me and I did just that. I'm constantly saying (singing) to him "When God made you, He must have been thinking about me".

Whatever 2011 holds for us, I'm believing it is going to be wonderful! We started 2011 with the Daniel Fast and boy is this stretch for us. Whew! I usually give up sugar for this, but this year we are trying to modify everything. I've spent hours researching recipes to make within the guidelines. I've almost got my 21 day menu finalized. We are on day #3 and are feeling it! It is a hurt like no other. Sort of "hurts so good". The more my body aches and detoxifies from the junk I've been polluting it with, the better my spirit feels. Make sense?

It felt so good to go to the grocery store and not purchase chips, soda, snack bars, candy bars, sugary cereal, etc. I have been treating my body more like the TX State Fair than a temple as of late!
We are excited to see what God has planned for us over the next 3 weeks!
More to come on that later.

2011 Blessings~
SHO

Saturday, January 1, 2011

~2010 Year End Review~



2010 was a good year. For the first time I set some very hefty financial goals for my family. The savings goal was something that I knew we would absolutely have to stay course or it would not be attainable. We stuck to our plan and worked the system. I'm happy to report the system will work, if you are willing to work it!

Were there setbacks? Sure! There were a few things that came up unexpectedly (out-of-state funeral, etc). Luckily, we were able to re-arrange in some other budget categories and it all worked out. So many people face setbacks and then just throw in the towel. I strongly encourage you to look at the big picture, keep your eye on the financial goal, re-arrange some things and keep moving forward. Life happens and sometimes there is no budget category for it!

The best part of 2010 was not hitting my savings goal. Instead it was giving in a way that I've only dreamed of giving to those in need. Giving like it wasn't a sacrifice. Giving because I was doing exactly what God was asking of me. Giving to try to make an impact and make someones life a little easier.

I learned a very valuable lesson....It really is true that giving blesses the giver as much as the receiver. I'm so blessed to have my friends, family and Sassy Savers join me in helping a family this year. I've said it before and I meant every word...I am honored to have people around me that I can count on to pray and offer up money, food & supplies to those in need. Thank you!

To my readers~
Thank you for blessing me with your sweet words this year. Your emails, comments and conversations keep me going. I love sharing what I do with you. I'm just a 1 girl show, so there isn't anything fancy going on here. I'm trying to explain how we operate on a teacher/coach salary and live in the overflow for the first time ever. Attempting to write about how it all works. Turns out, those are the things you want to read after all. So, thank you for tuning in and reading this little blog about a girl who coupons her way to the islands. Yes, we are already planning our 2011 island trip!
2011 is going to be extra special because we will be celebrating our 10 year anniversary!

Happy New Year!

Praying you have a very blessed 2011.
In His Grace~
SHO