I'm a Lookiloo...How 'bout You?

I found this new website: http://www.lookiloos.com/ and I thought I'd share it with you. It's the opportunity to peek inside some of the best decorated homes in the Bay Area. I love open houses and getting decorating ideas that way and now I don't even have to leave the house to do it!

I especially loved the tour of "A Decorator's Daughter" in Willow Glen. From the curving walkway that welcomes you to the ivy covered front porch to the subway tile in the kitchen, this house is beautiful. My favorite feature of the kitchen was this little chalkboard. So cute! I'm trying to think of a way to work something like that into my kitchen.

Lookiloos is a great place to visit if you are looking for some decorating inspiration!

Oh, Walgreens...

I'm disappointed. Now it's $5 off $25 instead of off $20? Hmmm. I'm trying really hard to stay in my budget this month and I'm doing so well. I'm not sure if I'll take Walgreen's up on their offer, especially since I'd like to take Whole Foods up on theirs.

But if I were to use that coupon, here's what I might do:

2 Zout b1g1 free $3.79
2 Hefty gallon size storage bags b1g1 free $3.29
2 Glade gel warmers $1.99 each
Rimmel foundation $7.49
3 Walgreen's ibuprofen 3/$10
Infinity pads $4.99

subtotal $33.54

Use the following coupons:

2 $0.55 off Zout (from 8/10 inserts)
B1G1 free Glade warmer printable
$1 off peelie from Glade warmer
$1 off Rimmel cosmetic product (can't remember insert date)
$2 off Infinity pads (P&G insert, 10/12)

new total: $26.45, minus $5 off equals $21.45
Get $1 in RR's and $14.49 in rebates. Send in for Zout MIR of $3.99

Total out of pocket = $1.97

Affordable Organic?

Did anyone else watch Oprah the other day on the difference between caged animals and cage-free or free-range? I have read some books on the subject, but seeing it was a whole different story. I started wondering how much extra I would really have to pay if I bought organic produce, milk, and eggs. (I already buy organic milk for the babies at $5.99 a gallon. Yikes!)

I do my grocery shopping mostly at Safeway and love that they have (most) items online. It helps me to plan out my shopping list more precisely. I started to lay out the items I buy most often and noticed that the price for organic wasn't that much more, in most cases.

On a whim, I thought I'd check out Whole Foods' website to see if they had any specials (even though I don't usually shop there). Lo and behold, I saw a coupon! That's right! Whole Foods has coupons good for $5 off your purchase of $25 or more. Get yours here. Now if that's not a good incentive to buy some healthy stuff, I don't know what is!

I was already planning on going to Trader Joe's, which is nearby, so I thought I'd stop in and do a little price comparison of Whole Foods. I was happy to see that while Trader Joe's was definitely the least expensive option as far as organic produce goes, there wasn't a big price difference between them and Whole Foods. And with a $5 coupon to boot...

It gets better from here...Whole Foods has always had a flyer near the door with recipes and their weekly specials. The one available now is sixteen pages of ways to make more affordable meals, including recipes by Martha Stewart herself! And there are over $40 worth of coupons inside.

I've been making the old excuse that organic food is too expensive for awhile now...and I've just had that excuse taken away from me. Fine by me!

Tight Times

Husband and I had a conversation last night that is making me think...and think and think. It wasn't an argument at all, rather a "meeting of the minds". I came in with a picture of a beautiful headboard I had found online at Pottery Barn that was on sale for $299. I have been desperately wanting a headboard for awhile now and this seemed like a great opportunity. He expressed concern that there were other things that we needed (like a new, properly working car for him) on which the money would be better spent. I told him I agreed, but also wanted a bedroom that felt like I had taken some time to put the elements together (and for goodness sakes, get rid of his Rubbermaid "dresser" in the corner!).

We've been talking a lot recently about ways that we can cut back and we have decided to let those thoughts simmer until we have a "board meeting" in January. Husband gets his raise then and it will be time to revamp the current budget as well as a time to more fully implement our money saving strategies.

In the meantime, I've been looking for things that I can do right now to ease the strain. I was happy to see this post over on Money Saving Mom by guest blogger Jennifer Duenes from Life From the Roof (who is also in the Bay Area). What I took away from her post was to be content with what you have and not get new things just to "have" them.

So I have decided to try to spruce up our bedroom without buying the $300 headboard and make the best of what we've got. I'm going to make a design plan for the bedroom from start to finish so that I can add things along the way instead of making a large purchase all at once. I'll update my progress as I go and maybe you can help out with some tips of your own.

Medicine Cabinet Time

Rite Aid has some crazy good stock-ups this week and I am excited to get them! The best thing about it is many are all free after rebate. Whoo-hoo! I am most looking forward to:
1. Theraflu Warming Relief $3.99 (free after rebate) (There is a printable coupon, but I've heard Rite Aid's don't take printables, so that's a bummer.)

2. Bee M.D. Natural Cough Drops $2.49 (free after rebate) (I've been a Hall's fan for awhile now, but it's always nice to have a change.)

3. Little Noses Saline $3.99 (free after rebate) (We use this a lot when the girls get stuffed up!)

4. SoftLips Lip Conditioner $2.99 (free after rebate) I've always wanted to try this stuff.

There are lots more if you want to stock up on things for your medicine cabinet. Don't forget that you must purchase these items this week (ending 10/18) in order to qualify for the rebate.

Babies R Us Super Sale

Babies R Us' Super Sale ends today (10/13) and there are a few noteworthy items:

1. Save $3 on any 3 Johnson's, Aveeno, or Desitin items, no coupon needed. Combine that with the coupon for $2 off when you buy three of the above items, and you get an even sweeter deal!

2. Good Start Formula (yeah, the kind that I'm now weaning my daughters off of?) is on a sweet deal: Save $8 when you buy 2 of the 24.5oz. or larger. Usually those are $24.59 each. Look for the Bonus 20% more cans of the regular Good Start (in the orange can). Those cans have 30oz. for the same price.

3. Pampers and Huggies diapers (big boxes) are $5 off with coupon. I think it's less expensive to get them at Walgreen's, Target, or Rite Aid though, even with the coupon. Check out Baby Cheapskate for a chart that shows the cost per diaper for each of the different sized packages.

Pumpkins in the Park

A friend sent me this link about "Pumpkins in the Park" in Downtown San Jose at Discovery Meadow this Saturday. This event will feature a big pumpkin patch as well as children's entertainment. There will be booths offering fresh pressed apple cider (yum!) and other goodies.

The fun starts at 10am and goes until 4pm. Parking is available nearby, but there is also easy access from the light rail. Admission is free.