La Montanita Co-op

Today I went to Santa Fe for a whirlwind shopping trip. Thankfully, my mother was able to watch one of the boys! In regards to the other one, all I have to say is that bribery does work (when only used once in a while, of course)!

One of my new-to-me favorite stores is La Montanita Co-op. The prices are quite reasonable, especially the specials, and the atmosphere is laid back and pleasant--a welcomed stress-free grocery store! While shopping for produce I usually consult the Dirty Dozen/Clean Fifteen lists. For me, this helps with prioritizing what organic produce I buy while staying within my budget. If you happen to be in Santa Fe, I highly recommend stopping by La Montanita. Organic apples are on sale for $1.29/pound (beat Smith's $1.89/pound!), and I also picked up two-five pound bags of organic potatoes at $2.49 each. Both potatoes and apples are on the Dirty Dozen list, so this trip was well worth it!

Blessings,
Katie

Farmers' Market

I love Fall. It is by far my favorite season. The weather is gorgeous, I start drinking hot tea again, I bring out the families' knits, the smell of roasting green chile is in the air, and there is just an overall feeling of coziness and anticipation of the winter ahead.

Once a week little brother and I head to the Farmers' Market to purchase fresh produce, hot cider, perhaps a scone or other baked goody, and enjoy our mother/son time together. He plays at the playground, then we go to the library. We see friends, I talk with former students and their parents, and we meet new people (who usually stop to comment on my boy's cuteness, and of course, I have to agree!) as we make our way around the stalls. Then, to top it all off, we get to drive home with fresh fruits and veggies! I believe our Farmers' Market will only be open for a week or two longer, so I'm going to savor these visits until next spring.

Hamming it up on the playground:

On Sunday we spent much of the day outside. We went exploring at Bandelier National Monument. The boys loved playing in the river, running along the path, and Big Brother went up the ladders into the caves with his Papa (Little Brother and I were having some nursing time in the car). Again, it is such a beautiful time of year! :)

I Heart CVS

Lately I've been getting some fabulous deals at CVS. It is by far my favorite drugstore, and right now it even tops Target for me (gasp!). If you're not familiar with CVS, there are currently two Santa Fe locations:

195 Paseo de Peralta (next to Sunflower Market in de Vargas Center)

511 West Cordova Road

I honestly have only gone to the CVS at the de Vargas Center since it's in a very easy and central location. All of the employees there have been helpful and friendly, and none have batted an eye when I pulled out my couponizer loaded with coupons. :)

If you're new to CVS, here are some tips to get you started:

1. Before making any purchases, be sure to sign up for an ExtraCare Rewards Card. It's free, and you'll get rewards equal to 2% of your total purchases quarterly. It also enables you to take advantage of sales that reward you with Extra Bucks.

2. Always scan your card at the CVS machine, usually located in the front of the store. Paper coupons will print out, usually for use that day. Today I received a coupon for $10 off my entire purchase, as well as free candy corn! :)

3. Purchase a green tag for $0.99 to attach to a reusable bag. Each time you shop, be sure to have the cashier scan your tag. Each scan gives you a $0.25 credit, which very quickly compensates for the purchase of the tag.

4. Be sure to check out weekly ads. Sometimes they come in the Sunday paper, but sometimes they don't (here in northern New Mexico). I haven't figured out any pattern to this, but sometimes I can't find the ad anywhere. When that happens, though, I just look online at www.cvs.com. There are usually FREE deals (after Extra Bucks) each week! I will try my best to keep my favorite deals for the week updated here.

To give an example of why CVS is my current favorite, I'd like to share today's trip:

Jergens Overnight Repair lotion: $6 (reg $6.99)
Purchased two, then used two $2/1 coupons from 10/10 Smartsource insert. Received $3 Extra Bucks.
Final price: $2.50/each

Colgate Total Advance White: $2.99 (reg $3.69)
Purchased two, used two $1/1 coupons, received $5.98 Extra Bucks
Final price: $2 money-maker!

Softsoap Body wash: $4.49, B1G1 free
Puchased two, used one $1/1 and one 0.75/1 coupons
Final price: $1.37/each

Brach's candy corn: $0.99
Purchased two, used two $0.99 coupons printed from CVS
Final price: FREE!

Batteries: $6.49, B1G1 Free
Puchased two
Final price: $3.25/each (pack of 10 AA)

After using my free and effortless $10 coupon, my grand total (including tax) was $12.71, with $8.95 Extra Cash. This essentially makes my total $3.93! I HEART CVS!

The Beginning of my Coupon Adventures

As I've mentioned before, the town I live in is quite small. There is only one grocery store, the nearest Walmart and Walgreens are 35 minutes away, CVS is 45 minutes, and Target is about an hour. Well, why does this matter? Lately, while I've been looking at coupon/frugal blogs, I am often envious of all the great "deals" others in larger towns can get by frequenting the sales at various stores. Then I remember that:

1. I often get stressed out while shopping on my own
2. I always get stressed out while shopping with my one year old and three year old
3. I'm not particular fond of driving 45 minutes to Santa Fe in order to get in and out of the car numerous times

I am, however, always looking for a great deal! :)

One of my solutions has been to focus of what is nearby, and that is Smith's. Like all stores, most products are overpriced, but since I've been paying closer attention to the weekly ads, clipping my coupons, and keeping a price book, I've been able to stock up on the bargains and forgo the rest (most of it, at least). For my local readers, I'd like to start posting weekly about my top finds in order to help out my fellow homemakers, as well as anyone who would just like to save some of their hard-earned money! :)

So, I'll be focusing on Smith's as well as CVS (the closest is located at the de Vargas Mall), my favorite drugstore. I'll occasionally be listing deals at Walgreens and Target. I haven't been to Walmart since I almost stepped on a dead kitten in the parking lot...I'd just rather not go there!

I currently have quite a stockpile of coupons, and it did take time to build it up. Here in northern New Mexico we may get coupons the following ways:

1. Sunday papers. The Monitor always has Smartsource, but for the P&G and General Mills inserts, you'll need to purchase (or borrow from a friend who doesn't coupon!) the Santa Fe New Mexican or Albuquerque Journal.
2. Red Plum: these are delivered in the mail each Tuesday or Wednesday. Most people throw these away as "junk," but there are some great coupons in them!
3. Online: try coupons.com, smartsource.com, redplum.com
4. You may also load digital coupons onto your Smith's rewards card--just fill out your card info, then select the coupons you would like.

I'll try to keep this little space updated as much as my life allows, so stay tuned... :)

Blessings,
Katie

Home

The above picture was taken last week when I was driving home from Santa Fe. Both of the boys were asleep in the car, for once I had my camera with me, and the sight was so breath-taking that I just had to pull over. I often forget, or perhaps just ignore, what a beautiful part of the world we live in--wide open space, gorgeous skies, little pollution or litter, and NO strip malls. Since both my husband and I grew up here in northern New Mexico, we sometimes fantasize about moving somewhere else--no where in particular, just someplace different. Then I stop for a moment (or pull the car over) and realize that we're in just about the perfect place, especially for this time in our lives. I feel not only content, but extremely blessed.

Mid-August Garden

Lots of green beans and zucchini, the tomatoes are starting to ripen, and the pumpkin vine has really taken off...






We spent most of the day outside enjoying God's creation.

Blessings,
Katie

Frugal Blogs

Typically, when I find myself having a little free time (ha!) I enjoy surfing around the 'net checking out all the great crafting blogs out there. Lately, however, I've found myself in new territory: frugal/thrifty/coupon blogs! I've been introduced to some fun sites and great ideas, although I do get a bit tired of the same ol' advertisements...

One of my favorite "discoveries" has been to this site: www.jasmere.com

Directly from the site:
"Jasmere seeks out lesser-known specialty retailers that deserve national attention. Our team of New York, Los Angeles and Washington, DC- based shopaholics personally tests every product we feature, using jasmere's negotiating power to offer you an exclusive discount. But don't let the low prices fool you. Every merchant we feature on jasmere meets our highest standards of quality. You may not have heard of these websites, but you can be sure their products and services are the best around. We guarantee it."

Basically, vouchers are given at a huge discount, and the more people who purchase the vouchers, the steeper the discount. Credit cards are not charged until the sale has ended. I've already seen the price for today's sale go down within the past couple hours. So, check out this fun site, and if you're so inclined, purchase some vouchers for Maple Landmark Woodcraft. I've already bought a couple!

$50 Maple Landmark Woodcraft Gift Certificate for only $19 (and price may still drop)! Deal ends at noon tomorrow!


Here are some of the blogs I especially like:
Savings and Stewardship
Just Frugalicious
Two Frugal Friends

Many blessings,
Katie