A little indulgence...

So... I want to start this by saying I am really awful at spending money.

Anyone close to me can tell you- it takes an act of God to make me actually make it from the aisles of the store to the check out counter to actually make a purchase. If it's necessary things- groceries and the like, I'm all about it!! Things like random shopping, I cannot do it! That being said... Thursday's adventure was very out of character for me.

Back in April I posted about a particular camera that makes my mouth water. I've been saving for this camera since March. I just always find something else that the saved money is better suited for! I've paid off credit cards, afforded apartment deposits, paid my taxes- all on separate times I reached the saving goal to actually go get said camera. I was relaxing at home on thursday, blogging about window shopping and very successfully NOT spending my hard earned money. As I normally do on my days off, I started to peruse all of my favorite blogs, commenting and drooling as I went. I am not blind to the fact that my iPhone photos, while phenomenal in the realm of cellular photography, look seriously lame-o tucked into my blog. Enough is enough people! Time for a big change around here...

I was trying so hard to assert myself. Just get off the couch, get in your car, and go get it! I had priced the camera everywhere, even considered going through ebay, and as much as it pained me, the cheapest place to buy was *dun dun dun* Walmart. This place is a great money saving grocery store/shopping extravaganza alternative but to be frank this place scares the crap out of me, I avoid that place like the plague... I just prefer Target. Honestly, I in no way judge other people who shop there (unless you've ended up on peopleofwalmart.com, in which case I judge, laugh, and forward to everyone I know!).

**Ok, I have to admit, I just took a break because I got stuck looking at those pictures... hilarious! They get me everytime!**

The point is- I wouldn't hate my life so intensely every time I have to venture to Walmart if my encounters were a little less like the adventure I'm about to unfurl. 

When I finally got up the nerve and arrived at the Walmart that had the camera in stock, I had the pleasure of meeting a lovely mart of walls employee. I waited in the photo section for a solid 15 minutes while she helped other customers and possibly because I'm so pint sized, she failed to notice me and walked away when she was done with them... But I'm sure people stand in front of the locked camera case for 15+ minutes all the time without actually needing assistance. Totally not her fault... (Is the sarcasm oozing yet?) I called her back over and I politely asked her why the listed price was so much higher than the online price. I mean, we're talking an extra $60! I always try to be really sweet to employees because I assume it'll make them more inclined to want to help me. Nay in this case. She just said- "Yup! That's how it is. Like, a convenience fee or something," and she proceeded to walk away again. What the?! 

Luckily, a coworker of hers was in ear shot and he came right over and let me know that their website allows you to do same day pick up and that way I'd be able to get the camera at the online price. SCORE! I popped a squat in the photo section, pulled out my handy dandy iPhone, and went to the Walmart website. Maybe another 10 minutes later, my camera was paid for via the internet and I had a confirmation email. I went to look for the friendly employee again and he came back over to help me "complete my transaction." So- this is a new service for the store. So new that none of them knew how it worked. He tried calling the managers over to assist and for whatever reason they weren't responding to the pages. After waiting a while he decided it would probably be best to go get the manager... I was left to hold down the fort when a line of disgruntled customers formed... Not fun! When he finally returned, he informed me that unfortunately, the 2 systems are not in sync and I wouldn't be able to take the camera until the store got the notification of the order...which could take up to 4 hours... and it was 8...

Long story short...errr... not as long as it could be? I treated myself to dinner at Crispers (delicious steak and blue flatbread!! Yum!) and returned after killing time talking to my best friend... The nice employee had gone home and the original girl was back manning the section. Oh goodness, cross my fingers and wish for luck. She was very quick to say I'd have to come back tomorrow and then bing! "Oh there it is. Here you go." I left Walmart at about 9:40 pm, new fancy camera in tow.

BAM!!! My new baby- the Nikon D3100

I didn't get to play with it the first night but I definitely roamed around the apartment the next day just messing with it. In true "me" fashion, I read all the instructions before I'd let myself play with my new toy. Not that reading it made me any more prepared to take on a little hobby I know nothing about...

It was still a whole lot of fun though.

He loved playing model for the afternoon... I sure am one of those people that takes pictures of their pets...

Much, much more to come. I haven't been able to take pictures in the real world because I don't have a case yet. *Wah wah* Maybe next payday! I still can't believe I actually bought it... Is it still considered an impulse buy if you've been saving for it for 5 months?

Till next time...

A feeble couponing attempt...

Before I get into this latest adventure, I want to, as I do every now and then, take a second to acknowledge how much I love my job. I was doing shows this weekend, as I normally do, loving on the kids in the audience, just sort of having fun as I go along. As I walked around the theatre in one of the 5 shows I do a day, an older gentleman in the audience grabbed me by the arm and said "Excuse me, do you know what you're doing up there? You're making hundreds of children unbelievably happy! You're doing a wonderful job." I swear I could've broken down into tears right then and there. But! The bubble machine needed tending to! So I thanked him and was on my merry way. But he was absolutely right. Not about how well I was doing, that would just be obnoxious and I'd require a swift kick in the bum if I was ever that conceded. I mean about the number of kids affected show to show. I really only get to talk to a few kids a show but there's so many more out there that I try to make eye contact with and make a connection with throughout each performance, and for them, seeing these "stars" on stage is as exciting as it gets. I get to be a part of that. :)

Any hoot- Now to what I really wanted to touch on today-my first attempt at couponing!! I should tell you, I did not do this completely right. I should've thought ahead and bought the sunday newspaper and I'm sure my success would've been even greater than it was. All I had to work with were those sort of lame-o coupons they put in your mailbox that usually go straight into the trash, online coupons, and the Publix sales for the week. I looked through The Krazy Coupon Lady's site and the Coupon Teacher's site and pretty much just went for it! I highly recommend these sites, they have an insane amount of information. I still plan on going back and reading much, much more.

After reading up on some of the rules that my local grocery store set (in my case, it was Publix) I really just sat down and planned my grocery trip. In essence that's really what I would consider it, more so than actual couponing. I looked at the list of things that needed to be purchased and made a grocery list from those things. Then I went through this weeks specials at Publix- did any of the things we need have sales, BOGO's, or coupons offered? Was there anything on sale that we were running low on? 

Once I added to my list and specified what would be a store coupon or a BOGO, I sat down to do some online detective work. This was my favorite part!! I searched online via sites like Coupons.com and found that a lot of these sites run the same coupon at once. I clipped and printed any of the coupons that pertained to the things on my list. Then I went through and searched specifically for coupons on the brands I would be purchasing. SO MANY brands offer printable coupons right on their websites. Look for them! From Coffeemate to Mueller's Pasta to Pillsbury to V8- loads of coupons are just sitting out there, waiting for you to save money! 

This common sense tip to a seasoned couponer was brilliant news to me- if you have a coupon that requires the purchase of 2 of a product, buy one get one free counts as purchasing 2. So you're really only paying a discounted price of one for 2 of that product. Yes, that may be couponing 101 but I had no clue so I thought this was sheer genius!

I walked into Publix with my little stack of coupons and my very carefully planned list. I may have looked like a crazy person but I was on a mission! In the end, I saved $34 on that trip. I was so proud!

I wanted to put up this post because I feel as though all these couponing shows are making it seem like you have to buy 100 deodorants if you want to save any money. I believed that to be true! I found out yesterday that it's really not the case! I have so much more to learn about this coupon business but I think for my first attempt I didn't do too shabby. It was actually fun. Just set aside half an hour to do a little online searching, you'd be amazed what's out there. I don't know that I'll ever try grocery shopping without atleast a couple coupons. It's easy to think "what's $.50 going to change?" but when you have a stack of coupons, each saving you $.50- it adds up! Give it a shot and let me know how it goes! 

Couponing aint just for old ladies any more! No offense to the old ladies, of course.