My newest addiction

Okay. . . confession time . . . addictions . . . I have more than I can count on one hand. Here's a sample version

• coffee - I drink 4 to 5 cups per day. My doctor has just informed me that I've got to cut back. So far I've been very noncompliant. I really haven't even tried. I have a friend who told me she'd keep me accountable . . . but, I haven't aggressively pursued it . . . I just don't want to give it up. Maybe when I get back from vacation?
• blogging - for any of you reading this that blog yourself . . . 'nuff said.
• reading - I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to read. Thankfully we've been working on our house, but it is almost finished. I hope to resume my love of reading very soon.
• scrapbooking - I started out the year with a bang . . . but I'm behind . . . starting with the month of March . . . but I refuse to let it discourage me. . . I will hop on that train again . . . one day soon.
• running - I just frankly love to sweat . . . makes my pores feel clean . . . weird, I know. . . but Jon says the same thing . . . so at least I'm not weird all by myself. I love the way running makes me feel.
• approval - yep, I hated typing that one. But, it is what it is. I really like for everyone to like me . . .and my feelings are hurt if they don't. . . I'm breaking free of it though . . . and it all started with that confrontational real estate call I had a few weeks back . . . doesn't even bother me that girl doesn't care for me.

Enough of that . . . the list could really go on and on . . . but I wanted to share my newest addiction - COUPONS!! Oh me, oh my. I've been playing the coupon game for a few weeks now. My friend, Stephanie, taught me how to do it. I've been saving money but it wasn't until this week that I actually met my goal . . . to save more than I spend. Ready for the outcome?

I got $236 worth of groceries for $85. Can you believe that? I literally got enough to feed a small army. I bought 18 packs of hot dogs!!!! Why, you ask? Well, Alec's birthday party is coming up in a few weeks. Now, we're not having THAT many people here . . but once the house is finished I do want to have several get togethers . . . and hot dogs are just great for the kids. With my coupons plus the sales, they were just cheap enough to go ahead and stock up. Here are some of my other deals.

• 4 pints of Starbucks ice cream . . . know what I paid? I didn't!! They actually paid me $.80. I have no idea what I'm going to do with these because I could take or leave ice cream. It doesn't temp me. Jon is the ice cream fan . . . but he doesn't like coffee. He's already tasted one. Gifts maybe?
• Mrs. Edwards sliced pie (individual slices) - $0.29. Oh WOW! I really don't want this poison in my house (ha!ha!). . . by my FIL loves Key Lime . . . so I stocked up for him. I did keep a few for the family though.
• 2 jars of spaghetti sauce for $0.01 . . . even though I'm sick of spaghetti I couldn't pass this deal up.

I have actually hated grocery shopping for a long time. I've always said I spend too much money and have absolutely no fun doing. Now with this coupon game . . . I can't wait until I go grocery shopping again!!! For any of you who are interested in playing with me go to http://www.couponmom.com/. She explains how to play very thoroughly.

Jon and I have put ourselves on a really tight budget. We have some things that need to be paid off and . . . we really want a golf cart. I think we are probably the only people in our neighborhood that doesn't have one. But. . .we want to be wise and frugal and just put it off until we have some debt paid off. That means . . . no new clothes, shoes, or accessories for Mama in High Heels right now *wink*wink*.