Christmas Gifts And Cookies

I have been thinking lately that I need to get a list together of all the ingredients I need to make Christmas cookies this year.  Last year, December kind of snuck up on me, and I never made a single cookie.  I was sad about it, too, because the kids and I usually get together with my mom and sister to have a "cookie day", where we each make our favorite cookies, and then we share them.  I also like making tubs of cookies to give out as gifts to friends who I don't buy real gifts for.

I am stressing buying gifts again this year, because there never seems to be enough money.  Now that I am repaying the loan my boss gave me to fix my car, I bring in $100 less every month. My kids are older now, and they want electronics, which are expensive.  I need to check out Geek Magazine for some ideas.  I keep telling them to make me lists, but they forget.  I really want to be able to get the girls laptops (Ryan already has one) but I may need more than Apple promo codes to be able to afford them.  I might have to wait until February and get them when I get my tax refund.  I'm hoping they will give me some ideas for cheaper gifts, that way I can use a Target promo code and do a little shopping online.

For now, though, I am going to go through my cookie recipes, and decide which ones we are going to make this year.  I don't want December sneaking up on me again.

Kinda Scary

After my sister gave birth to her fourth son, she developed a blood clot in her leg.  It wasn't a nuvaring blood clot though, it was a result of her c-section.  I was here in South Carolina, and she was in New York, but I remember the struggles she faced, and is still facing every day, as a result of the clot.  Thankfully, there was a surgeon in the hospital at the time who was able to remove it before it did serious damage to her body.

The risk of blood clots is what keeps me away from hormone based birth control.  Right now, there is a nuvaring lawsuit going on that scares me.  I mean, no one knows what the long term side effects are of all these forms of birth control, and I refuse to put my body through that.  I would rather rely on condoms, and not put extra hormones into my body.

School Supplies

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Dollar General for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

It's that time of year again, where I spend hundreds of dollars getting my kids ready to go back to school.  Between clothes and shoes and school supplies, it can get very expensive buying them all the things they need.  Thankfully, I am a good shopper, and when I find a good deal, I jump on it.  I usually shop sales, but at Dollar General, I don't have to wait for sales.  They have great prices everyday, so shopping there just makes sense.

There is a Dollar General right up the street from where I live, and with gas prices so high, having somewhere to shop close by is a blessing.  My kids still need the basic things like pens and binders, and I can find those and more at Dollar General for great prices.  Right now, they have a QR code you can scan (or you can text "bts" to 34898) to save even more money.

I love that I can also use my EBT card there, which means I can stock up on snacks and drinks for Brandi to take in her lunch box.  I have spent many hours trying to convince her to buy lunch at school, but she refuses.  If she would, it would not only be easier on me in the mornings, but it would save me money since my kids qualify for free lunch.  Back to School Saving from Dollar General will make going back to school a little easier and less expensive, and I love that.

Back To School Shopping

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Famous Footwear for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

I look forward the the kids getting out of school for summer break every year.  Then two weeks into the summer, I start looking forward to them going back to school.  Thankfully, that time is fast approaching, and I can not wait!  I love the routine we fall into with homework and bedtimes, and I can not even tell you how tired I am of hearing the kids complain about being bored. The only thing I don't like about them going back to school is the amount of money I have to shell out for school supplies.

This year, all three of my kids need new sneakers.  In South Carolina, physical education is not a yearly requirement like it was when I went to school in New York.  That said, this just happens to be a year where all of my kids have gym first semester.  They usually wear flip flops, sandals, or even boots to school, so I hardly ever buy them sneakers.  Now that they need them, they have all outgrown the ons they have.  THankfully, Famous Footwear is having a great back to school shoe sale, where I can use a BOGO + 15% off Famous Footwear Coupon to save money.

They also offer a FREE rewards program, and signing up can save me an additional 5% off my total purchase.  The rewards prgram also gets me i point for every dollar I spend, and I can save those points to get up to $100 in certificate each year.  Becoming a member also gets me special discounts and perks, and I love that!  they have hundreds of name brand shoes in their stores, so I am sure my kids will find something they like.  Plus, by taking advntage of the BOGO, I can get myself a new pair of shoes, which is something I hardly ever do.  The coupon is good until August 18th, and if I can't find the time to get to one of their stores, I can shop online, which is awesome.  

And after I get them shoes, the only things left to buy are pens and pencils and bookbags and notebooks and rulers....the list goes on and on and on.  Wish me luck!