Stockpile Update

I started to coupon in Jan of 2011.  I started out really slow, and as time went on I slowly changed the way I couponed.  In August of 2011 I made the decision to start stockpiling.  When I made that decision we really started to notice the savings.  My husband, the accountant actually said at one point "I can't believe how much we are saving and how much we have, we have way more now then we ever did, and we're spending a lot less".  I have gotten a lot better about finding the deals, and knowing when to buy and when to pass over the last almost 2 years also.

Fast forward to August of 2012...1 full year of actively working on my stockpile.  We just had a phenomenal sale on P&G products at Food 4 Less, along with having some GREAT P&G coupons this month (several high dollar coupons!).  This sale really pushed me up and over, and I am at the point that I can say that we are ready to live off our stockpile.  Obviously there have been several times over the last year that we have taken needed items from our stockpile to use.  When I say "live off my stockpile" I mean, not buying more items to add to it.  I do still need to buy food items, etc.  But 'most' household and personal hygiene items are now on my 'don't need to buy list'.

Here's my list of items that I don't need to buy.....unless of course I can get it for FREE!  Ok...I probably have enough shampoo I would pass up on it, even if it was free....unless I was planning to donate it (I just got a ton of free shampoo!)

Shampoo
Conditioner
Toothpaste
Toothbrush's
Floss
Laundry Detergent (liquid and packs)
Stain Remover
Sun Block
Dish Soap
Stainless Steel Cleaner
Air Freshener
Mens Deodorant
Women's Deodorant
Body Wash
Hair Gel (for Austin)
Hair Stylers (for Jaidan)
Mouthwash
Household Cleaners
Purex Laundry Crystals
Shaving Cream (mens and women's)
Razors
Disposable Razors
Allergy Meds
Hand Soap
Panty Liners
Tampons
Toilet paper


Phew!! That's a long list!!!  I may have left 1 or 2 things out too, I did this from memory thinking of what I had and where I had it stashed LOL.

I am excited to save even more money and live off my stockpile.  Our grocery bill is going to drop even more now, since I won't be buying a lot of stockpile items.  Even with buying stockpile items, our grocery bill dropped from $500-$700 a month down to $150-$300 a month....for a family of 6!  Now that number is going to drop even more!

June & July Savings!!!

Wow, I went to go do my post for July savings, and I realized I hadn't done my June savings post!  Sorry about that!  So, I will just combine the 2 right here.  On a side note, since we are moving this month to North Carolina, I am not tracking my August savings, it would just be too much work, and hard to keep track of through a move.

So here we go...June savings....

$653.63

That is a great number!!  It does not include the $209 I saved while on vacation in San Diego, using coupons to see different attractions!  Why pay more on vacation if you don't have to?

Now, July was a fabulous month!  All the back to school sales started and I had some mad savings, and several rebates too!  here's my July savings!!

$1,018.79

Yeah!! That is fantastic!  I'm really excited to see such good savings for July.  We have a great school supply stockpile enow, I'll be able to donate to my kids school to help them and still have supplies for our crafts box and for next year too.

Like I said, I won't be keeping track of my August savings (Tho I have had some phenomenal savings so far, especially on P&G products!).  I am excited to start tracking again in Sept tho, I will be in North Carolina and they double coupons there!  I will have to learn all the quirks for all the new stores, but it shouldn't take me too long.

Summer #BlogChallenge #36 What is a holiday tradition I have in my family?

We don't really have too many traditions around the holidays.  Though we do have a few.

I remember growing up I always wanted to open 1 present on Christmas Eve.  So i said when I had a family, that would be a tradition that I started.  Well, my oldest's birthday is Christmas Eve, so we don't do that tradition LOL.  I don't want to take anything away from his birthday, since he is already sharing it with Christmas, so he is the only person who opens presents on his birthday.

I always make a traditional dinner.  We have a Turkey, stuffed with my Great Grandma's stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top, gravy and biscuits.  We always have cookies that my mom makes and sends us, they are either my grandmother, or Great grandma's recipe.  We also always have Mom's special eggs (except now that I have kids, I call them Grandma's special eggs lol) for breakfast on Christmas morning.

Those are the only traditions that I can think of.  I think part of that is we haven't always 'stayed home' for Christmas.  We have gone to family member's houses (both in state and out of state) quite a bit.  Last Christmas we went to Arizona for Christmas at my Mom's, since my Brother came back to the states from Norway for Christmas and was able to bring his daughter with him.  It was the first Christmas we had with my brother and I and all of our kids together.  It was a lot of work tho, coordinating Christmas for 4 kids (and a birthday) in another state!  So Hubby and I have decided from now on, no more traveling for Christmas for us!  People can come see us for Christmas LOL.  Hopefully this means we'll be able to come up with some more traditions for our family.

Do you have any family traditions during the holidays?

Summer #BlogChallenge #35 Talk about a fear I have

Today's prompt is to talk about a fear you have.  I really only have 1 BIG fear, and it scares the crap out of me too.  I fear Death.  Of course I think a lot of people do.  I don't know if it's the fear of the unknown that is with it, or what, but I don't like to think about it.at.all.  If I spend too much time thinking about it, I actually start to have a panic attack and I have to start to think about something else.

It didn't use to be something that really bothered me.  I mean, how often do you think about death, right?  But after my Dad passed away in Jan 2009 it really started to bother me.  His death hit me a lot harder then I ever thought it would.  I don't really go out of my way to think about it, but when I do, it really bothers me.

So there you have it, my biggest fear.  Do you have a big fear?