In A Remix

I have yet to post anything super personal on my blog, so I am not sure how this will go. If you're willing (or simply interested), keep reading and we will see what the Lord will have me write.

Last Wednesday, I tried out a new Bible Study at the church Matt and I have been visiting since we got married. The study is the newest material written by Beth Moore, called "Children of the Day" and is based on 1 and 2 Thessalonians. It is a video series, so for this first session we watched the introductory video. In it, Beth Moore set the scene for when 1 Thessalonians was written. She focused her talk on the three writers of the Thessalonians letters: Paul, Silvanus (Silas), and Timothy, and how they came together. You see, when Paul wrote these letters with these men, he had just come through a challenging time in his life. Previously, Paul had been traveling and preaching with a different man named Barnabas. Of course the journeys were not always easy, but they were grateful to be together serving the Lord. Then in Acts 15, something changed. Paul and Barnabas had a HUGE disagreement over whether or not another man should come with them on their trip. In fact, they were in such conflict that they parted ways and Paul began his journey with Silas and then Timothy joined later. Now, even though it was God's will that Paul and Barnabas be separated, I highly doubt it was a clean break. I bet there was some hurt and brokenness due to the change in that relationship. Beth Moore referred to this incident as a "remix." Paul and Barnabas were in God's will, working together and sharing the gospel, and their ministry was experiencing astronomical growth. Then suddenly, it all had to change, whether they liked it or not. Paul was living "in a remix" that God had orchestrated in order to move him to where God intended him to be, whether he wanted to go or not.

While I sat there watching that video, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Everything I had been experiencing and struggling with in the last three and a half months had been described in one word: Remix. Literally EVERYTHING in my life has changed. I have left my hometown, my family, my best friends, my incredible church family, my jobs, my school, my ministry (which was growing in amazing ways), my community, everything. Plus I got married, which means that my day-to-day life and my very status has changed. All this change has been much harder than I ever imagined it would be. College was an easy transition for me. I embraced the changes it brought my freshman year and I loved every minute of living that new adventure. So of course, I thought I would handle other changes well too. In short, umm no. Not at all. For those of you that know me, I am not usually much of a crier. I cannot count the number of times I have cried in the last few months. And just so I've said it, I personally hate crying. It doesn't make me feel better.

Reflecting on being "in a remix", I am still very much in the midst of it. I have yet to come out on the other side and be able to say, "Wow God, this is what You wanted to give me. This is so much better than what I had. Thank you!" Nope, not there yet. Although things have gotten better over the past few weeks, it is still hard. There are still lots of things I feel like I am missing out on by not living in Raleigh anymore. I miss having friends to hang out with, I miss grad school (although hopefully I can take more classes in January), and I miss my old church and the comfort and familiarity it provided. However, I can already sense how much the Lord has grown me since June. I have seen Him provide for Matt and I beyond what we ever imagined was possible, and I am starting to get excited about the new church we have been attending. Although it still makes me sad to be away from people and a place I love, I look forward to what God has for me on the other side of this "remix."

And a word of encouragement to those of you that might feel as though you are going through a time of "remix" in your own life, I know how hard it is and how hurt and angry you can feel because of it. However, I also know that this is not my first rodeo with a remix. I have gone through difficult changes before, and I promise that one day you will look back and see that at least some of the changes were good. By no means are these changes easy, but they are good. And sometimes, we need to have a remix for the Lord to teach us something important that we will carry with us for many years to come. Quoting an old famous church line, "God is good all the time, and all the time God is good." May sound cliche', but I find it to be truthful. We have to learn to live beyond our feelings and not let our emotions trap us in self-pity and anger. If we choose joy, it will be much easier to see the good in our changes. I say this for myself as much as anyone else. So readers, if you get anything out of this post, let it be this: change is hard, but we must make the conscious decision to choose joy. If we don't, we will feel even more lonely and we will become more bitter. If we do, we will catch a glimpse of the glory of our Lord and we will begin to see what marvelous plans He has laid out for us.

 Until next time.

Helpful Article on Grocery Shopping

Hey everyone!

It's been a while since I posted but I came across this article and wanted to pass it on to y'all. This is an article from the Raleigh News and Observer website and it's a great reference tool for knowing what you should spend on groceries. When you start off with trying to save money and Couponing, it's sometimes hard to know what is actually a good deal, especially if you are young like me and are still learning how to grocery shop well! Anyway, I hope this is helpful!

http://www.wral.com/price-book-best-prices-for-groceries/7385543/

Banana Bread Recipe

So for those of you who saw my picture that I posted of my "late-night baking" last night, here is the recipe!! I found it on Pinterest a while ago, and it was advertised as "The BEST Banana Bread", and I must say, it is pretty impressive! The recipe makes one 9x5 loaf, but I wanted to use the 4 mini-loaf pans I got as a wedding gift instead. The batter fit perfectly in those four pans, and I even sprinkled some chocolate chips in two of the pans for an added sweetness. :) Anyway, below is the recipe. Enjoy!

THE BEST BANANA BREAD

Serves: 1 loaf (or 4 mini-loaves)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 eggs
• ⅓ cup buttermilk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 1 cup white sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1¾ cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Sprak a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk and oil until well beaten together.
3. Add in mashed bananas, both sugars and vanilla and mix well.
4. Sift in flour, baking soda and salt and mix in nicely, do not over mix.
5. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake at 325 degrees F for about an hour (mini-loaves take less time so check at 25 minutes). Check at an hour by doing the toothpick test. Bake longer as needed until cooked through.

Comparing Chocolates: Trader Joe's Specialty vs. Theo

Hey Everyone!

I was able to get my hands on some more dark chocolate this week, so I figured I would post my thoughts on it! This chocolate is getting more expensive, so for those of us who are on a tight budget, this is a very special treat! Both Trader Joe's specialty and Theo come in various flavors, but these were the ones I picked out. As you can probably tell, I'm a big fan of sea salt in dark chocolate. It helps bring out the sweet amongst the bitter edge in dark chocolate that is 70% cacao or more.

The Trader Joe's chocolate itself was thinner because of the layer of caramel inside it. This made for a much sweeter chocolate bar. The sea salt wasn't as strong because the caramel was such a strong taste, but it was still very tasty. The bar was about $2.69, so a bit pricey, but not too bad.

Theo chocolate is based in Seattle, WA and is sold in Whole Foods Markets everywhere. However, since there are a ton of flavors to choose from, Whole Foods doesn't sell all of them, and the types sold can vary by store. This particular flavor that I wanted to try, salted almond, was not sold at the Whole Foods in Winston Salem, but it was sold in Raleigh. This dark chocolate bar was more bitter, but it was much easier to taste the sea salt in this bar. For me, it was the perfect bitter-sweet combination. Plus I absolutely love almonds in dark chocolate. This bar was $3.49, so it is much more expensive than Trader Joe's. However, you are also paying for high quality chocolate. 

Overall, each bar has something very different to offer. Trader Joe's is better for someone who likes caramel and craves a sweeter bar, while Theo is for someone looking to indulge their bitter-sweet tooth. I loved both, but am more likely to treat myself to Theo in the future. Even though dark chocolate is somewhat healthy, I would not recommend buying it often, since it will take up calories and steal away your hard-earned cash, but a little sweetness every so often can help brighten up a hard day and it can make running errands a little bit better! 

Happy Treating!

HARRIS TEETER SUPER DOUBLES RESULTS

Hey Everyone!

Wanted to post a picture and a list of my results from my adventure with Harris Teeter Super Doubles EARLY this morning.

Here in Winston Salem, people are CRAZY about Super Doubles. Matt and I got there at 6:50 AM and several items were already gone and women were lined up to check out with full carts. We meant to get there at 5:50 AM but my alarm didn't go off...oops! And one of the ladies in the line told Matt that she was there at 6:00 and there were already people there. One of these days, I WILL get everything off my list!!

Here is the list of the items I purchased:
2 bags Fisher Nuts Trail Mix
4 Muller Corner Yogurts
4 pouches Starkist Tuna
2 6-pack Mott's Applesauce
1 bottle Simple Eye Makeup Remover
1 box Annie's Cheddar Bunnies
2 bottles illy Issimo iced coffee drinks
1 carton International Delight Mocha Iced Coffee
2 boxes Fiber One bars
4 Balance bars
1 box Tampax Pearl
2 4-pack GoGoSqueez Applesauce
1 Wholly Salsa
2 Dole Shakers Smoothies

Total before sales/coupons: $76.99
MY total: $10.25

What a difference, huh? :)

And in case you're wondering, here is a rundown of how much each item cost:
Trail Mix: FREE
Yogurts: $.50 each
Tuna: $.50 each
Mott's: $.79 each
Makeup Remover: FREE
Cheddar Bunnies: $.50
illy Issimo coffee: FREE
International Delight: $1.49
Fiber One bars: $.88 each
Balance bars: FREE
Tampons: FREE
GoGoSqueez: FREE
Wholly Salsa: $.49
Dole Shakers: FREE

This is why I love doing what I do! The two items I missed were Mitchum deoderant (would be free) and Domino Quick Dissolve Sugar (would be free). I plan on checking with the store when they plan to restock and going back for those when they are available.
If you ventured out this morning, let me know what you got!

Happy Money Saving!!

SAVINGS ALERT: HARRIS TEETER SUPER DOUBLES EVENT TOMORROW

Sorry this post is so much later in the day, but tomorrow at 7 AM starts Harris Teeter Super Doubles! This means that coupons up to $2.00 will be doubled!!!! Here is a link to a great website that has a list of the best deals. Get there EARLY or the good stuff will be gone!

http://www.wral.com/updated-harris-teeter-super-doubles-list-with-ad-deals-/13878327/

Happy Couponing!

Comparing Chocolates: Trader Joe's vs. 365

Not sure if you know this about me, but I LOVE dark chocolate. It isn't as sticky sweet as milk chocolate, but it has a smooth taste that makes even a fast eater like me savor every small bite. The fact that it has loads of antioxidants is a nice added plus as well. Now, I cannot call myself a true dark chocolate lover because I don't like 85% cacao,  but I'm trying to work up to that eventually. But while I was out running errands today, I decided to stop by Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Market and get some of their store brand chocolate to test it out. I don't have extra money to spend on the expensive brand name organic chocolate, but one day I hope to test them all. But for now, this is what I started with.

The Trader Joe's chocolate comes in a 3-pack and it costs $1.91 with tax. Not a bad price. There are several different types of this chocolate, one of them being 72% cacao dark chocolate. This chocolate does not advertise it's cacao percentage, but it is 56% cacao. Now onto Whole Foods 365 brand chocolate. It is also 56% cacao and it also comes in 39% cacao milk. I must give Whole Foods credit. They sell a large chocolate bar for $2.69 plus tax, but this little guy was only $.33 plus tax. Very clever, especially if you aren't sure you'll want a whole bar.

Taste results: I personally prefer the Trader Joe's. You get a lot more chocolate for your money, and I thought it tasted better. The 365 tasted more like milk chocolate to me and was too sweet, whereas the TJ had that smooth dark taste I crave. Also, something to note: the best dark chocolate is the kind that does not have sugar as its first and main ingredient. This means there is more cocoa than sugar. TJ's first ingredient was cocoa mass; 365's was cane sugar. This was probably why it tasted too sweet to me.

In the future, I plan to test out and try Theo Chocolate (tried it before and it was heavenly), Alter Eco, Lily's, Endangered Species, Equal Exchange Chocolates, Salazon, and any others I can get my hands on. If any readers have recommendations and/or advice, please send it my way! And happy chocolate eating. :)

HOW TO COUPON

Hey there everyone! Here is the coupon blog I have been promising. All of this information comes from a packet I made when I was an RA in college. I taught a program on how to coupon, and this was the resource I gave to all my students. I hope they learned something. :P I started off with referencing the infamous show, "Extreme Couponing." I debunked several of the myths associated with the show, and then used it to lead into the rest of the "How-Tos."

To give a bit of backstory, I started couponing when I was in high school. My mom was the one that started getting into it due to the recession. Since my father is a real estate attorney, it hit us first and it hit us hard. So in order to save money, my mom found a couponing class and went from there. Once she saw how great it was, she started getting me into it. Since I could drive, and since I was the oldest child that was always willing to run errands, she started giving me coupons and telling me exactly what to do. It started making sense after a couple months, but I didn't start doing it on my own until I was a senior in college. By then, I was tired of eating campus food and I had my own room for the first time, so I had plenty of space to stockpile! What a blessing it was for me to learn this skill early. It has REALLY helped in my marriage since we have been unemployed, but it's also been something I enjoy. I enjoy the thrill of waking up early and going to the store to get stuff for free. I enjoy knowing that I have a "secret" whenever I shop. I enjoy knowing that I never have to pay full price for laundry detergent, toothpaste, shampoo, and cereal, just to name a few. And, as my blog states, I think it's important to find joy in everyday chores so that I can better serve my family with a happy heart. And if I can enjoy weekly grocery shopping, that makes things a lot better for both my husband and me!

Feel free to holler if you have any questions!

Things to Know when Watching Extreme Couponing:

1) Most stores limit the amount of coupons per person per day.

·     Grocery stores such as Harris Teeter and Lowes Foods limit each customer 20 coupons per person per day.

2) Most stores limit the amount of identical coupons a person can use.

·     Many grocery stores only allow each customer to use up to three identical newspaper coupons and two online coupons.

3) Stores rarely give you money back.

·     If there is going to be a negative amount due back, registers will often round the number up to $0.00

HOWEVER…

·      There is still lots to learn about couponing from the show. They give lots of tips on organization and storage of coupons and food.

·      Plus it’s just plain entertaining, so enjoy cautiously! 

To Get Started…

1)   Sign up for the savings cards at grocery stores

·      VIC at Harris Teeter

Ø  Go online to harristeeter.com and sign up for E-VIC for even more savings

·      My Lowes at Lowe’s Foods

·      Kroger Plus at Kroger

·      MVP card at Food Lion (please note: FL does NOT double coupons)

·      And many more!

·      Just go into the grocery store and request a savings card and they’ll set you up

2)  Make a habit to get the Sunday Paper

·      Make sure it is a newspaper of a big city because those typically have the coupons

·      Newspapers are sold in front of and inside Harris Teeter and Lowe’s Foods.

·      I would recommend getting two to start off with and maybe get up to three once you really get into it

·      Make sure you have quarters if you are getting them out of a dispenser!

·      CHECK THE PAPERS BEFORE YOU BUY THEM!

Ø  You usually have to buy them out of the old traditional pull-machines, so check the papers before you close the machine to make sure the coupons are there. People sometimes steal them.

3)  Get your coupon organizer!

·      I am a big fan of using the accordion folders to organize my coupons.

·       Some people cut them out and put them in a binder in trading card page protectors. I don’t because I lack the time and patience, but that is also an option!

Once you’ve done these things, you’re ready to go!

LEARN THE LINGO!

BOGO: Buy one, Get one [free!]. You do NOT have to buy 2 in order to get this deal unless it specifically says below the price tag.

WYB: When you buy

RP: Red Plum. This is one of the types of newspaper coupon inserts.

SS: Smart Source. Another insert.

P&G: Proctor and Gamble. Another insert.

Buy 2, Get 3 Free: Harris Teeter has this promotion as well as Lowe’s Foods sometimes. If you buy two items at full price, you get three free. You MUST buy all 5 to get the deal. Can be an awesome deal.

Meal Deal: a Harris Teeter promotion. Can get all items involved in deal for a listed price. Can use coupons in addition. Usually a good deal, but not always.

Super Doubles: Coupons up to $2.00 are doubled. This means that you can save up to $4.00 on an item!

Triples: Coupons up to either $.99 or $1.00 are TRIPLED. If there is a triple event going on, call the store and ask for more details. That one penny can make a HUGE difference!

.75/1: This is the way to know what coupon value you are looking for. This means the coupon is 75 cents off 1 of the particular item.

1.00/2: 1 dollar off two of particular item.

E-VIC Special: You can get an additional discount if you are signed up for E-VIC. TOTALLY worth it!

Gas Rewards: Lowe’s Foods promotion. For every certain amount you spend in a month, you can get $.05 off of gas at participating Wilco Hess Gas stations.

E-Offer: Lowe’s Foods promotion. Same as E-VIC at Harris Teeter.

GROCERY DEALS RUN WEDNESDAY-TUESDAY SO SHOP ACCORDINGLY

How To Look at a Coupon

ALWAYS check expiration date. And read the fine print- is it off 1? 2? Is there a limit on the amount of coupons of this type you can use?

Look for DO NOT DOUBLE OR TRIPLE- this could mean you won’t get the deal you’re hoping for…

 How Drugstore Deals Work

1)    Get rewards cards for each store

·      Walgreens: Balance Rewards

·      Rite Aid: Wellness +

·      CVS: ExtraCare

2)    Learn how each store handles rewards back

·      Walgreens: Walgreens has two forms of rewards back. There are Balance Rewards Points (BR) and Register Rewards (RR). Balance Rewards Points load right to your card and are available to use upon your next purchase if desired. 1,000 points=$1.00. Register Rewards print off at the bottom of your receipt. Treat them like CASH; store them in your wallet until use. These are in dollar values.

·      Rite Aid: Rite Aid uses +UP rewards that are in dollar values. These will automatically go on your card for use upon your next visit. However, you can request for them to print at the bottom of your receipt. Just ask the cashier. I personally prefer them this way.

·      CVS: CVS has ExtraBucks. These print at the bottom of your receipt and are also in dollar value.

3)    Use coupons in conjunction with items that give you rewards back and shop away!

Important things to Note:

o   Drugstores do not double coupons. They are just taken at face value.

o   Store rewards have expiration dates, especially the print ones. Make sure you use them!! You’re literally wasting money if you forget them.

o   Drugstore deals run SUNDAY-SATURDAY, so shop accordingly.

o   Drugstore deals will cause you to spend more in cash for the items, but you will get back store rewards (basically store credit) so if you make a point to shop at drug stores, you really are saving a lot of money.

o   To give a quick example, let’s say CVS is running a deal on Tide Detergent, making it $6.99 on sale, with $3 ExtraBucks rewards. This means that you would hand the $6.99+tax in cash to the cashier and you would receive $3 rewards back. So in reality, you only spent $3.99. Now say that you have a coupon that gives you $2.00/1 that you also use on the detergent. This will make the price you pay the cashier $4.99+tax, and you will still get the $3 rewards, making it $1.99 total spent!!

Various Resources and Websites:

Centsible Saver: http://blogs.newsobserver.com/centsiblesaver/home

Smart Shopper: http://www.wral.com/5onyourside/smartshopper/

Southern Savers: http://www.southernsavers.com/

Online Coupons: http://www.coupons.com/

Saving Star: https://savingstar.com/

Yet Another Celebration of Marriage

I'm back! Sorry it's been a while since I posted. My BROTHER got MARRIED!!! SO of course, Matt and I were very busy with everything pertaining to that. The wedding was in Northern Virginia, so it was a bit of a hike for us North Carolinians, but the drive was nothing but farms, mountains, and horse country. I'll take that drive any day. :)

I intentionally did not bring my camera because I wanted to enjoy the celebration and fully be a part of it, but here are a few pictures from other people.

Bachelorette party with my almost sister!

The newlyweds and the nearlyweds ;) 

They're hitched!

And they're off!

Since their wedding was an afternoon wedding, my entire family (both sides!!) all went out to dinner together and hung out at the hotel afterwards. This was more of a blessing than I ever could have imagined. We had seen everyone at our wedding two months prior, but this time we got to actually spend time with all of them. SO much fun.

Cousin photo!

The Freemans and the Wibles :)

Next post is about couponing! I'm working on it now and will have it up hopefully in a few hours.

SAVINGS ALERT: MILK AND EGGS

Hey Readers;

Just wanted to post a quick note to let y'all know that there is an EXCELLENT sale on milk and eggs at Walgreens that runs from today (7/27) until Saturday (8/2). This deal requires NO COUPONS, just a Walgreens rewards card that is free to sign up for. With your Walgreens card, milk is $2.99 a gallon (usually it is $3.50 or more) and one dozen large eggs are $.99 (!!!). The limit on each of these items is 2 per customer/cardholder.

Wait....Walgreens sells groceries?? Why yes, yes they do. And oftentimes they are cheaper than grocery store groceries.

In order to get these prices, all you have to do is 1) walk into Walgreens, 2) sign up for a card if you don't have one, 3) grab your milk and eggs, and 4) check out!

See how easy that is? I plan on posting a LONG post about how to start couponing in the next week or so, but I wanted to post this deal since no coupons are necessary. :)

Happy Shopping!

~CA

Beginning a New Journey

Confession: I have never been a good blogger. I have tried to blog before, and I simply did not keep up with it. So with this blog, I am not making many promises. I might be inconsistent, or I might not blog at all after this first post. But I do promise that I will try! 

So to tell you a little about myself, my name is CarrieAnn (yes, that is one word now that I am married), and I just got married on May 31st to my best friend, Matthew. I know I'm biased, but I think he is perfect. Perfect for me. And somehow, through all my flaws and imperfections, I am perfect for him.

 I also like to think we look good together, but what bride doesn't think that? :)

Now, before you get the wrong idea, this blog will not exist for me to merely brag about my fairytale life and make all readers jealous. Because guess what? As wonderful as my life is, it is nowhere near a fairytale. There are definitely moments that feel like they have glimpses of magic and fairytale endings, but those never last. Do not think I am a pessimist; I am simply someone who is grateful for the life she has been blessed with, but who has also experienced suffering and sadness in life enough to know that God holds us through all of life's moments and often teaches us the most during the rough patches. 

What this blog WILL be about is my journey. The word "journey" is one of my favorite words. It actually hangs on on our apartment wall. Because I believe that's what life is; a journey to both earthly and eternal destinations. We get to make the choice as to which ways we go, and that means we accept the consequences and roadblocks along the way, both the expected and unexpected ones. I will use this blog to share what I am learning about being a wife. I will share life lessons, thoughts, recipes, couponing tips, and hopefully some funny stories. :) So if you're willing to hang with me, let's start this journey.