what can $20 buy these days?

that depends on WHO you are and WHERE you spend it!



in my super thrifty cheapskate world, $20 can go a loooooong way.



take my target gift card from sissy for my birthday...what to buy...what to buy? i browsed the aisles looking for just the perfect thing...not a candle (though i love them so) because it would burn and be gone. not clothing because at the rate i am pigging out (thank you stress) nothing will fit for very long LOL. and then i stumbled upon them. two crumpled up plastic bags with the red sale sticker on them. i wasn't even sure what they were...had to take them out of the bag...because i'm nosey like that :) and low and behold (mark, if you're reading this, 'beholes!!!!'), it was two PERFECT curtain panels for my window-treatment deprived master bedroom. $8 each instead of $34.99 each!!!! add the cheapy hardware for $5 and...okay, okay...so it was $21.00. but LOOK, LOOK, LOOK at how fabulous they are. THANK YOU SISSY.

and the thriftiness doesn't end there, my friends. oh no. how 'bout a rousing round of the grocery game? if you haven't heard of it and your heart beats at the thought of stretching your dollars, go here: http://www.thegrocerygame.com/ and if you decide to join, please be kind and use me as your referral :)


anyhow, it rained allllll day. so i didn't get to go til after the kids were all tucked in bed. much as i was ready to climb into my raggy jammies (um, maybe i should have skipped the curtains and gone for new pjs instead????), i COULDN'T miss out on this week's deals.

12 cans of chicken noodle soup

4 boxes of chex mix cereal bars

3 boxes of cheerios

3 boxes of cinnamon toast crunch

3 boxes of cocoa puffs

3 bags of birdseye veggies & pasta

a partridge in a pear tree (hee hee...just checking to see if you're still with me)

and a FREEEE (yes, FREE) glade soy candle...



the total before my savings: $65.91


what i paid: $21.90




(yeah, yeah...i know...it's $21 again...maybe i should change the title of this entry LOL).


OH, AND GET THIS...not only THAT, but i also got coupons at check out for THREE FREE BOXES OF CAPRI SUN JUICE BOXES for my next visit. that's like another $6.00.



i can go lay down in my curtain-flanked bed and sleep tight now. i think i've earned it!

and p.s. if you're concerned that all my children are getting to eat this week is dry cereal and chicken noodle soup, please be advised that i also went to kroger. i only saved 45% there but still got out with enough food to MORE than last our family a week for under $50.

p.s.s. if you had told me 20 years ago that someday this would be the stuff that made my heart skip a beat, i probably would have just ended it all right then. LOL.