The Super Saver Quest

While trolling the blogs, Pinetrest, and Facebook,  I began pondering how easy some people make a tidy, organized, money saving life seem. We've all seen the sites where a mother of ten kids gets her groceries for free and then shows you a hyper otganized, color coded pantry ready for world war 3. How does she do that? Yes I've watched super coupon shows. I get the premises,  but realistically I don't have the time, patience or gumption to go that gung ho into clipping coupons to save money.

On the other hand, I have been looking at the Gagnon family budget (in part because I want a new car and in part because I want to travel and the hubbs really does need a tractor) to see where all our money goes. The prices for food and gas are outrageous,  not to mention health care costs! All this money reflecting has motivated me to at least try looking like the other women I see on the Internet making it work in an organized,  fiscally sound manner. Besides, the money I save can fund my running addiction.

Today's mission was grocery shopping. A chore I dread in part because it's expensive and in part because I get pissed off when a women dressed in designer clothes, handbag and luxury vehicle whips out her ebt card to pay for her groceries. The lines at Wal mart irritate me too so, I've decided to start shopping at Publix.  Much better customer service, and thanks to an article I read this morning I have an app that doesn't require me to clip coupons, or slave over store flyers to find deals. I was even able to make my grocery list using the Publix app and it told me what aisle items were on. Money and time saver equals winning! I was able to save 95.00 and spent less than 300.00 on groceries for a family of six!

I still haven't managed that hyper organized pantry, but when Josie saw all the groceries she decided the pantry needed organization.  My daughter likes to organize anything but her room so, I guess I'm on my way my way to an organized, money saving life. At least until the rest of the family gets home!

Swimsuit Shopping

This weekend Josie and I went shopping for swimsuits.  Being only three hours from the ocean means we will be going to the beach.  Now I know that I have put on 20 pounds from the Hashimoto's, but being a size 8 I really didn't think that there would be too many issues getting a swim suit, that was age appropriate, for a reasonable price.  I was wrong....so wrong.

Six Wal-Mart suits that Josie, nor I could fit in

Use to be that I could walk into Wal-Mart, pick a swim suit in the appropriate size and walk out. 30.00 tops!  As I am almost 40, and have a little bit of a gut, I currently am not comfortable in a bikini.  The stretch marks and tendency to burn in the stomach region also always make me think twice about the one piece/two piece debate.  Josie and I quickly realized that those cute triangle tops were doing nothing for our C and D cup chests.  At first I thought trying on the larges would be a hit to my self esteem, which it was when I couldn't pull it up over my hips, but then I had Josie try on the bathing suits.  Guess what?  She couldn't get them up over her hips either and she's a size 6 if we push it.  We moved to some two pieces in hopes that we were weirdly constructed, but even with a extra large top, neither one of us were covering the top half.  The bottom half wasn't working either.  I'm not sure what Wal-Mart is thinking in its stock of bathing attire, but I'm on the small size for Wal-Mart's average customer!

Round I forget!

Our Wal-Mart fiasco behind us, we figured we could find something at the mall.  We both found two pieces, but I'm not about to pay 120.00 for a bikini!  I even found a one piece that promised to make you look ten pounds lighter!  That one will set you back 150.00 and for that much I'll just continue to look fat!  We went to four different stores!  Finally found a two piece for 28.00, for Josie in Old Navy.  I on the other hand had to continue to look because my D cup check has now morphed into and extra large top size at Old Navy.  Wow!  Magically overnight my breast have grown to extra large status!  My husband will be so happy!  Finally ended up at Penny's where thank GOD they were having a sale!  Normally priced at 50.00 and up I was able to find four suits that would cover necessary body parts, without looking like something my grandmother wore in the 20's.  Of the 10 bathing suits I tried on that day, only two met the requirement of covering items that need to be covered!  The suit was originally 80.00 but since I like to stay married I was thankful that it was on sale for 56.00.  That is still more than I have ever paid for a swimsuit and guess what?  My husband was unhappy that it was a one piece!  I'm not ready for another battle, so he'll just have to pretend he likes my new swimsuit for awhile!

My husband unhappy about a one piece!