Sage Advice for Newly Married Men or Those Contemplating the Estate of Marital Bliss

After 25 years of marriage, I thought I might pass along some things I have learned.

One is, you guys need to realize in marriage every once in a great while you will need to do a thing called "shopping". Yeah. The store thing.

There is one thing about this whole business I keep having to learn over and over again because I shop so rarely. That is, when you are married, often if you have to get stuff at the store, the stuff will often comprise more than what you can hold in your two arms/hands. You single guys gotta believe me on this. It's really true. Honest!

But fear not! Stores have things called "shopping carts", or, "buggies" as they are called in the deep south. These are four-wheeled pushable vehicles suitable for putting stuff in. (They are also good for riding on if you happen to have a downslope in the parking lot. Heel down on left rear wheel to turn left, heel down on right rear wheel to turn right. Both heels down to brake.) A key thing to remember about "shopping carts" is you have to remember to get one *as you are entering the store*. Yes, I know this is unnatural, strange, and difficult. After all, at that critical juncture you are steeling your mind to getting in, bagging your quarry, and getting out in record time, all while taking a minimum of enemy fire. You are out to take no prisoners. You are focused on nothing but total, devastating, awe-inspiring victory. But Dude, you gotta cool the jets enough to get one of those carts. Trust me. For some reason, they just don't have them strategically located throughout the store for you to grab once your arms are full. Why, I'll never know.

I was reminded of this because I was in Wal-Mart today, and before I knew it I was carrying around something like four or five things. I had to balance them all on my knee in order to thumb through a cool spiral-bound 2008 Rand McNally Road Atlas I've had my eye on. Yes, it was another "Oh, yeah, the shopping cart" moment. I still have 'em.

Oh, and fellas, no one will think you are un-manly for getting a shopping cart. What do you think baseball caps and sunglasses are for?


Photo by 0|0|0 at flickr.com

Popoften

My babies can read!

Yep. It's true. I taught two of my most recent babies to read using the book, How to Teach Your Baby to Read by Glenn Doman. You can be sure that with eight other children in the house, I didn't spend much time on it. That's because it doesn't take long sessions - just a minute or two a day!

My 8th born was born with down syndrome. In my research to find ways to help her i came across the Doman method for teaching reading. he claims that not only does it teach them to read but also multiplies their intelligence. His method is based on joyfulness and love and absolutely no pressure. He stresses that you should ***always*** stop before they want to stop. That way it is always fun for them! I figured what did we have to lose? We started the program with her and within just a few weeks she was reading some of the words we'd covered. She loved, loved, loved the program, too!

With her younger sister, we started the program when she was just 3 months old. It was too cute to see her little arms and legs flailing in excited anticipation when i would get out her word cards! Now she is 5yo and reading at about the fifth or sixth grade level.

I've been so impressed with this method that I've given seminars on how to do it and established a yahoo group for those who want some support. Come have a look! www.groups.yahoo.com/group/teachyourbabytoread/

Here's a video of 13MO reading. It's obvious how she enjoys it. Note that her father is not pressuring her at all.

I love this video because of the little 17MO accent!

Understand that what you see on these videos is way longer than the reading sessions I did with my children. We only did 5-20 words at one time.

It is my firm belief that most babies could easily learn to read if their parents taught them.


Momoften

Shoppers Food & Pharmacy Deals 04-24-08 thru 04-30-08

Here are this week's deals at Shoppers’ Food & Pharmacy for The Grocery Gathering, where each Monday and Thursday morning the “gatherings” of the best deals are posted.




NOTE: Shoppers Food & Pharmacy has changed when their weekly circular comes out. It will now be good from Thursday through Wednesday.


Shoppers Food & Pharmacy Deals
Prices Good from April 24 through April 30

Stock Ups

Tyson’s Boneless Chicken Breast Tenders 1.99/lb Stock-up price!!!
Zone Perfect Nutritional Bars 10/$10 $1/1 (03-30-08SS) Final Price: FREE Definite stock-up price!!!
OR B1G1 printable (coupons.streamright.com) final Price 10/$5
Smoked Picnic Ham $0.99 Stock-up price!!!

Other Notable Prices

Utz Potato Chips large bags 2/$3
Breyers Ice Cream 2/$5
Lawry’s Marinades 2/$4 Use $0.50/1 (04-06-08RP) Doubled, Final Price: 2/$2Perdue Oven Stuffer Roaster 1.19/lb
Sirloin Pork Chops bone-in 1.49/lb
Chicken Leg Quarters $0.99/lb
Kraft American Singles 2/$5 Use $1/1 Peelie Final Price 2/$3
Kraft Salad Dressing 2/$4
Colgate Toothpaste 2/$5 Use $1/1 (03-30-08SS) Final Price 2/$3
Ensure Nutritional Supplement Drinks 6pk 6.99ea $1.85/1 printable at www.ensure.com (can also be used on a single) or $1/1 (02-10-08SS or 03-30-08SS) Cheapest Final Price $5.14 $0.87/bottle

Happy shopping!
Momoften

This Weeks' Deals at Shoppers

Here are this week's deals at Shoppers’ Food & Pharmacy for The Grocery Gathering, where each Monday and Thursday morning the “gatherings” of the best deals are posted.




NOTE: Shoppers Food & Pharmacy has changed when their weekly circular comes out. It will now be good from Thursday through Wednesday.


Shoppers Food & Pharmacy Deals
Prices Good from April 17 through April 23
*Bob Evans Roll Sausage 16 oz 2/$5 $.50/1 02-24-8 SS Use 2 doubled coupons. Final Price 2/$1.00!! STOCK UP PRICE!

*Pepsi 2L $0.88ea Final Price $0.38
Diet Pepsi Max 2L $0.50/1 Printable bricks.coupons.com
Diet Pepsi Max 2L $0.50/1 Printable www.hotcouponworld.com

*Yoplait 4-6 oz cup 10/$5 Final Price as cheap as $0.25 each STOCK UP PRICE!
Yoplait Whips Yogurt, Any Up To $0.94 B4G1 04-13-08 SS
Yoplait Yogurt cups $0.50/6 Printables at www.pillsbury.com and www.bettycrocker.com OR www.hotcouponworld.com
Yoplait Yogurt Cups, Any $0.40/6 02-24-08 SS OR 03-30-08 SS
Yoplait Yogurt, Any Go Gurt, Go Gurt Fizzix, Or Go Gurt Smoothie $1/2 03-16-08 SS2

*Hunt’s Spaghetti Sauce 26.5 oz 10/$10 $0.40/2 (All You magazine 5/08 issue 4) use 5 doubled coupons Final Price 10/$6.00 $0.60ea STOCK UP PRICE!


PRODUCE
California Strawberries 2 1-lb $4
Mangoes 10/$10
Florida Juice Oranges 4lbs/$7

MEAT
*Esskay Chicken or Super Meat Franks 16 oz 10/$10
*Armour Small Lunchmakers 10/$10
*Fresh Chicken Breast (Split with Ribs) 1.69/lb 3+ lbs

OTHER
*Charmin Ultra Big Rolls 12 roll Bath Tissue 7.99 $0.25/1 (04-06-08 P&G) Final Price $7.49 $0.62/roll
*Purina Meow Mix 7 lb 6.85 use $1/1 (03-02-08 RP) Final Price 5.85
*Kraft 3Cheese Mac & Cheese Dinner 10/$6
*Hawaiian Punch 10/$10 64oz

Momoften

Shoppers Food & Pharmacy Deals

Here's are this week's deals at Shoppers’ Food & Pharmacy for The Grocery Gathering, where each Monday and Thursday morning the “gatherings” of the best deals are posted.



Shoppers Food & Pharmacy Deals
Prices Good from April 12 through April 16

Fresh Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast 1.99/lb wyb 3+ lbs
Shady Brook Fresh 85% Lean Ground Turkey 1.59/lb

Mazola corn oil 1 gal 10.99 $1/1 02-03-08 SS Final Price $9.99Angel Soft 12 dbl roll bath tissues 2/$11 $0.50/1 03-30-08 RP Final Price 24 rolls/$10.50 $0.43/roll
Arm & hammer Liquid Detergent 110oz 2/$7 $1/1 Printable http://www.armandhammer.com/ Final Price 2/$5
Frito Lay 24ct Variety Pack 6.49 $1.50/1 insert in area newspapers Final Price $4.99
Kraft American Singles 2.99 $1/1 03-09-08 SS Final Price $1.99
Folgers Classic Ground Coffee 3.75ea $0.25/1 04-06-08 P&G Doubled to $0.50 Final Price $3.50
Ocean Spray Cranberry Drinks 2.89ea $1/1 on Any O.S. Diet Juice 01-20-08 RP Final Price 1.89
Stouffers Corner Bistro 2.89ea $1/2 Printable www.stouffers.com Final price 1.89
Neosporin Antibiotic Ointment 4.45 $1/1 printable www.neosporin.com or $1/1 03-16-08 SS2 or 01-20-08 RP Final Price $3.45
Land O Lakes Butter 3.79ea Cheapest Final Price $3.04
$0.30/1 03-16-08 SS2 OR
$0.55/1 03-16-08 SS2 OR
$0.55/1 Printable Printable: www.coupons.smartsource.com OR
$0.75/1 Printable www.landolakes.com

Kraft BBQ Sauce 10/$10
Gillette Good News Disposable Razors 7.69 $1/1 04-06-08 P&G Final Price $6.69

Florida Strawberries 2 lbs/$4
Idaho Potatoes 2 5-lb bags/$5
Yellow Onions 2 3-lb bags / $5
Cucumbers 2/1.25
Green Bell Peppers 2/1.25
Colored Bell Peppers 1.98/lb
Hass Avocadoes 4/$5
Asparagus 2 lbs/$3
Fresh Pineapples 2.98ea

Happy shopping!


Momoften

Shoppers Food Warehouse

Wouldn’t it be great if you someone else would tell you which deals are the best at your local stores so that you wouldn’t have to carefully search through their weekly ads? I’m happy to share with y’all that I will be participating in what’s known as The Grocery Gathering, which will do just that! Each Monday and Thursday Morning the “gatherings” of the best deals will be posted. I’ll be posting the current week’s deals at Shoppers’ Food Warehouse . Here are this week’s deals:



Shoppers Food Warehouse Deals
For the week of 04-05-08 through 04-11-08

Sparkle Towels 8 roll pk 2/$10 Buy 6/$30 Use 6 $1.00 coupons + 2 coupons from the weekly circular. Final price 6/$24. $4/pkg $0.50/roll PLUS $8 off any cleaning products! [ $0.55/1 from a Blinkie, $1.00/1 from All You Magazine, May 2008. $4 off any cleaning product WYB 3 pkgs Sparkle paper Towels 8 reg roll coupon from weekly circular.]

Edge Shave Gel 2/$5 Buy 1 using $1.00 coupon [from a Home Mailer]. Final price: $1.50each

Shoppers White Bread 20 oz 0.50ea

Angel Soft 12 double roll 2/$10 0.42/roll

Sunsilk shampoo or Conditioner 12 oz 2/$6 Buy 1 using $2.00 coupon. Final price: $1.00 Save 66%! [$1.50/1 or $2.00/1 from 02-24-08 RP insert.]


MEAT

Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs 3+ lbs .99/lb

Pork Picnic Shoulder .99/lb

Jamestown Sausage Roll 1 lb 10/$10

Dietz & Watson Peppercorn Ham 5.99/lb

Chicken Leg Quarters 10 lbs $7.90 .79/lb

Split Chicken Breast (w/ ribs) 3+ lbs 1.89/lb

Oscar Mayer Wallet Pack Lunchmeats 10oz 2/$5 Buy 6 using $2/3 coupon. Final price: $1.83each [$2.00/3 from Kraft Flavorful Living booklet]


PRODUCE

Mangoes 10/$10

Asparagus 1.99/lb

Strawberries 2 1-lbs pk/$4

Fresh cauliflower 10/10


I spoke to a SFW customer service representative about their coupon policies. Here’s what I found out:
1. Coupons are doubled up to and including $0.50.
2. If you are using a B1G1 coupon you can use a cents off coupon for the second item as well.
3. Internet coupons are not accepted.

Happy Shopping!

Momoften

How to Get Free Groceries Using Coupons

Years ago I dismissed the use of coupons as a way to save money. I concluded that it took too long to cut out the huge number I needed, sort and file them, then find the deals in which to use them. But now, with the development of the computer and the internet, it's finally attainable for the busy mother. I’m delighted to share with you how we get some of them free or close to free.

Momoften