January in Review

Hopefully all of you have come to the end of January feeling like the year is off to a good start!  I know that around here January both felt like the longest month and at times the shortest in a long time.  I suppose this is what happens when you're getting the finishing touches in place for a nursery and know that there could be a little person in your home any week now.

Coupon Without The Crazy: Stockpiling With Sanity

How did this past week go for you?  Are you still seeing some savings?  Starting to figure out what the process might look like for you?  Don't be afraid to try something, scratch it, and try something else!  If you missed the first part about downloading coupons you can find that here, if you're wanting a refresher course on paper coupons that can be found here, and if you're feeling totally confused as to how to put those into practice you can find practical ideas on how to create a grocery list here.

So stockpiling.  I can just imagine many of you telling me how you don't have space, you don't have the budget, you have reasons that you can't stockpile.  Remember how we're trying to do this whole coupon thing without going crazy?  Well that includes stocking up!  Since I've been using coupons The Husband and I have lived in two different apartments neither of which has had a ton of storage space and I have the pictures to prove it!

But let's start at the beginning.

Coupon Without The Crazy: Efficient Shopping Made Easy

How are you all doing this week?  Are you starting to see some savings by shopping normally with a couple of coupons or at least seeing the potential?  I hope so!  If you missed the first part about downloading coupons you can find that here, if you're wanting a refresher course on paper coupons that can be found here.

So now that you have a couple weeks behind you of downloading coupons and you've got some printed out the next step is to use them.  This should be the easiest step right?  Almost!  As with the previous two weeks I'm only walking you through what I do and the things that have made this the easiest for me.  Take what you find and mold it until it works for you.  Let's go!

Coupon Without The Crazy: It's All About The Paper

How did grocery shopping go for everyone this past week?  Were you able to save a bit just by looking for online coupons?  If you missed last weeks post on downloading coupons you can find that information here.  This week I want to focus on paper coupons.  This can easily be the part of couponing people find overwhelming, time consuming, and generally hate inducing.  Just like last week my only goal is to walk you through my own process and give you one example of how to do it.  Shall we begin?

Coupon Without The Crazy: Where To Start?

Last year, shortly after the new year began I started fooling around with the idea of using coupons.  I was already pretty good at looking for online coupons for free shipping and such but I had never delved into paper coupons and the grocery store.  I spent many days reading different how-to's and other bloggers experiences with couponing, learning different ways to organize it all, what the lingo meant, and watching episodes of Extreme Couponing on Netflix.  To be honest it all seemed a little crazy and intimidating.

I've now been using coupons for almost a year and have saved over $600 in the last 4 months alone.  I want to spend the rest of January sharing my process with you.  I won't have every possible place to find coupons or every way to store them and your groceries but you will see exactly what I do every week to make grocery shopping easy without taking up a lot of time or space.  My hope is that you'll come away at the end of January inspired to put your own spin on things and figure out what works for you without going crazy in the process.

November In Review

November always feels like a busy month but this year with Thanksgiving falling so late and the immediate transition into Christmas the whole month feels as though it's whizzed on by even faster than usual.  Despite this, or maybe because of this, it's difficult to remember exactly what went on over the course of the month but I'll give it my best shot.

September & October In Review: Or Why Haven't There Been Any Posts?!?!

Hello.  Perhaps some of you are still here and reading?  Or perhaps after a solid two months without a new post you've all gone away, moved on with your lives.  I wouldn't blame you.  Let's just say the last two months have not exactly been relaxing around here.  But as today marks one year since I started this blog what better day to get off my lazy (crazy, hectic, insane, relatively pregnant) butt and put this blog into gear again!

Let's dive in to what life has had in store over the past couple of months shall we?

August In Review

I can never decide if I like the month of August or not.  On the one hand it can start to feel a tad like fall, kids are getting ready to go back to school, parents are ready for a change of pace, and life becomes totally hectic as people squeeze in every last bit of summer fun they hadn't done yet.  On the other hand the summer heat can start to feel oppressive and makes a person irritable, stores are shouting to get kids ready for school, parents can seem a bit ragged from chasing kids all summer long, and life becomes totally hectic because what if we miss that one perfect opportunity for that one family memory we'll all remember for the rest of our lives.  And so I'm left wondering, is August a good month or a bad month?

June In Review

For many people June marks the end of school, the "real" beginning of summer, the start of relaxation and the start of busyness.  Our June was filled with fun and in a way just a simple warm-up for July, let's recap. :)

 

 

One of the constants throughout June was watching our herbs grow and even using some of the mint and oregano in dinner and drinks.  We did end up altering the planter's orientation slightly to allow for more light which has done wonders!

Wedding Album Wonders

This past Sunday marked one year since The Husband and I were married.  A lot can happen in one year and for us a lot did.  The Husband got a new job resulting in our move across the country, I stopped working, we both went about the daunting process of finding a new church, a new group of friends, learning how to get around, all while working hard on our still new relationship.  At times it's been rough, but other times it's been fantastic and those are the ones that I strive to remember the most.  Now, as we close on our first year of marriage it feels that we have a bit of a routine, we're learning more and more about how we think and react, things seem to fall into place more frequently without needing a shove from us.  The year ahead fills us with hope and joy to see how God will continue to work in us and through us.  It was with my brain reeling with these thoughts that I knew it was time to finally sit down and work on our wedding album.

May In Review

I thought I'd try something a little different today.  As this blog was created with the intent of staying in touch with family and friends on the East Coast after The Husband and I moved to the West Coast in October I have decided that perhaps the content should occasionally span things other than foods and crafts, just a thought.  And so, I am now promising to do my best to provide a monthly recap so as to actually fulfill the intent of The Geeky Loft.  Without further ado, I present to you, May!