Confessions of a Stay at Home Mom: Jan 5, 2009

Walmart Weekly

Buy Green Giant Steamers $1.50
Use $.50/1 Print HERE
Total OOP $1

Buy Centrum Multivitamin Bonus Pack $6.97
Use $1/1 Print HERE
Total OOP $5.97

Buy NicoDerm CQ $39.84
Use $7/1 PRINT HERE
Total OOP $32.84

Buy Slim Fast Optima $5.48 (Bonus of 2 extra cans!)
Use $1.25/1 Print HERE
Total OOP $4.23

Quaker Instant Weight Control Oatmeal $2.50
Use $1/1 Print HERE or HERE or HERE
Total OOP $1.50

Buy Ensure 6 Pack $6.97
Use $3/1 Print HERE
Total OOP $3.97

Buy Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal, $2.62
Use $2/1 Print HERE
Total OOP $.62

Buy Nestle Hot Chocolate Sugar Free or Fat Free $.97
Use $0.75/1 Print HERE
Total OOP $.22

Buy (2) Hungry Jack Pouches of Potatoes $1.84
Use $1/2 Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes (RP 11/09)
Total OOP $.84 or $.42 each

Buy Welch's fruit snacks $2.36
Use $1/1 from (SS 11/16)
Total OOP $1.36

Buy Seapak Shrimp Poppers $1.25
Use $1/1 Print HERE
Total OOP $.25

Buy Whole Wheat Gold Medal Flour $2.76
Use $1/1 Print HERE
Total OOP $1.76

Buy Coffee-Mate $1.98
Use $1/1 Print HERE
Total OOP $.98

Buy Kashi crackers $2.50
Use $2/1 Print HERE (Newsletter signup)
Total OOP $.50

Buy Purina Cat Food or Puppy Chow 3lb.’s $3.97-$4.83
Use $4/1 Print HERE (one time only, newsletter signup and survey)
Total OOP FREE -$.83

Buy Wet Ones $.97 (Trial Size Section )
Use $0.75/1 Print HERE
Total OOP $.22

Kroger Weekly

Note: P&G Esaver, Shortcuts, and Cellfire coupons are loaded directly onto your Kroger Card. They can be used in conjunction with manufacturer’s (paper) coupons at most stores, but can not be used together with other e-coupons (directly loaded to your card).

Buy Yo-Plus Yogurt $2.49
Use $1/1 Shortcuts
Use $1/1 Print HERE
Total OOP $.49

Buy Suave Deodorant $1
Use $.75/1 (RP 11/16)
Total OOP $.25

Buy (2) Suave Shampoo or Conditioner $1
Use $1/1 (RP 11/16)
Total OOP $1 or $.50 each

Buy Suave Body Wash $1.67
Use $.50/1 (RP 12/14)
Total OOP $1.17

Buy Colgate Toothpaste 6.4 oz $1.50
Use $.75/1 (SS 1/4)
Use $1 via Cellfire
Total OOP FREE

Kicking the Habit

Everyone has at least one bad habit. It can be something annoying like biting our nails, smoking, smacking our gum, or something not so noticeable like constantly licking our lips before talking or checking the front door 12 times before bed even though we know it’s locked. Not everyone may think the habit is “bad“, but to oneself it may be a constant source of tension or self consciousness.

Whatever the case may be, there comes a point in time where we all promise ourselves we are going to “kick the habit“. But we have to remember that habits are formed over time, and we can’t necessarily get rid of them overnight. It takes at least 21 days of repetition for a habit to form. So reversing that, it should take no longer than 21 days to kick the habit. Right? Depends. How many people do you know that have done something for years, can just stop on a whim? I personally don’t know of many. So the question is, “What can we do to ensure success?”.

One way is to identify all of your obstacles before starting. Then come up with ways around those obstacles. Someone who is constantly late and has a really important meeting early the next morning, may set double alarms, a cell phone alarm and schedule a wake up call from an early rising friend. They’ve already laid their clothes out and took a shower the night before. They identified a possible obstacle---oversleeping---and then found a way to lessen the probability of it. They also planned ahead in case it did happen and they had to jump right up---they already had their shower and outfit out of the way.

It also makes sense to make a pro and con list. Most bad habit’s con’s will by far outweigh the pro’s. I mean what pro’s are really there for smoking (I know, I know, my smoker’s can probably name a couple…lol), yet I can think of more than 10 con’s. With a list, it’s easier to remember why we are wanting to stop, and the rewards we will reap once we actually kick it.

Last, but not least---don’t give up! I’ve always heard that success is picking yourself up just one more time than you fall down, and it’s a great motto to live by. Don’t get discouraged by failure. Think of it as eliminating all of the wrong ways first, so that when you do win, the success is that much sweeter.