Becoming an "Extreme Couponer"

I recently decided that I want to be an "extreme couponer". 

I’ve never watched the TLC show, but I had a long conversation with a friends mother yesterday about the rush she gets when she walks out of a store having gotten products for free. For free! I’ve decided since my budget is so tight... a.k.a. I still don’t have an income and I have a long list of bills that will be due soon so I cannot spend money. Ever. I need to learn how to get things for free.

She told me to check out these two websites:

http://thekrazycouponlady.com/

and http://www.couponcabin.com/

Haven’t had a chance to really explore the sites yet- hopefully I’ll be able to try them out and post some reviews.

Some other advice she had:

-Buy the Sunday paper each week. I asked if I should buy more than one but she said one should have all the coupons for the week.

-Check out JobLot. Never been there, and when I looked up locations there are only two in the near area. I’m wondering if I could get the same kinds of deals at a place like Sam’s Club, which is down the street from my apartment?

-Sign up for a card at the chains I shop at. I already have a CVS Extracare card which is fantastic because not only do 2% of all my purchases come back to me as Extrabucks, which is basically money to spend anywhere in the store, there are often deals in the store where if you are buying certain products or a certain amount you can get money back in Extrabucks. Also- a bit of advice for those with CVS Extracare cards- don’t forget to swipe your card at the coupon machine in the store for daily deals! I’ve gotten some free candy bars and little things like that just by swiping my card.  I also have a Stop and Shop card, but I’m not sure that it’s benefitting me as much as the CVS card, because while it provides me with the sale prices in the store the only thing coming back to me is money off on gas, which you have to go get at a specific gas station.

-Combine store and manufacturer coupons from online and the paper... that’s how savings really add up!

So I’m going to give this couponing thing a go... I can’t wait to see how much I can save!

xoxo,

T

Apartment? Check.

Went ahead and got an apartment. My friend and I have about three months paid for. Deposit was only 99 dollars because our credit was so good. (WHAT A STEAL). We move in October 15th. We may have committed fraud by saying we still work at The Pharmacy (we don't really- we are just still in the system) and I may not actually have an income yet.

The call that was supposed to come today about my job in insurance didn't so I was of course going out of my mind. I had a two hour interview/evaluation last Thursday which of course for no reason at all I thought I botched. The branch manager said she would give me a call on Tuesday so by four pm I was going to pass out from being tense and anxious for four and a half days. So I called, and the branch manager explained she hadn't made a decision yet pertaining to the position and would call either Thursday afternoon or FRIDAY MORNING. I CANNOT TAKE THIS.

Anyway... I have bills to pay. Lots and lots of bills. I'm going to have to look for a couple of jobs to get them paid. BUT. I have a place to live. That's a HUGE step forward. I don't really have any options in terms of where I can live, and while jumping ahead of the job to get an apartment might seem crazy, the bottom line is we have three months rent covered. That's fantastic.

Next on the list is a car. That has been quite an exhausting decision process...

xoxo

T

JOB. LIMBO. GOING. CRAZY.

I'm pretty sure I've been in limbo for the past month. No job, hoping for a job, trying not to freak out, compulsively checking my "work" e-mail. I'm pretty sure that my boyfriend thinks I'm a total stress case at this point and is probably growing a little concerned about my ability to handle the roadblocks life throws at you.

In any case, I think that everyone around me probably wants me to get a job just as much as I do, if only to put a stop to my random outbursts. They go something like this: "I can't take it! I can't wait two days for a phone call!"  "No one wants meeeee!" "I'm homeless!" "I'm a charity case!"

I have wild fantasies of strolling into an office and saying, "No need to look any further for this position- I'm here." And then of course, it being a fantasy, he/she/the person in charge glances down at my resume and shakes my hand, saying "Welcome to our team."

On the one hand I know I have to support myself no matter what, as living at home or any kind of support from the parents is never happening, so I do understand that I might have to go back to the pharmacy chain that was only tolerable for the first hour of an 8 hour shift. On the other hand I have a bachelor of arts degree from a pretty good school. I was super involved. I have work experience. I'm put together, personable, a good writer, organized, responsible.... Is it too much to ask for a job that is not miles below my qualifications?

xoxo
T