I know we’ve got lots of new readers to the site and sure, you can read the footer and learn a little bit about me, but that doesn’t really cover it. I thought I’d just take a minute and share who I am with all of you!
Before I was married, I wasn’twise with my money. I lived paycheck to paycheck and quite honestly, used credit cards to cover household needs. Yeah – not smart. Of course, when you are twenty-something, you think you know it all. Little do you realize that you’ve got a lot to learn. I learned that one the hard way by having to declare bankruptcy. I’m not proud that I had to do it, but it happened and I have to live with that.
Shortly before my banktruptcy was finalized, I met my husband. We were married on June 7, 2003. The following September, our first daughter was born. We both had talked about me not working once we started our family. In fact, we agreed that we would do what we needed to so that I could stay home and be there for our children. It was a challenge and we had to really stretch our dollars. There were times we had to “rob Peter to pay Paul.” Then, to add to the financial strains, we added another child (or son) in March 2007 [our last child, Charlotte, was born in 2008]. By that fall, we realized that we had to take control of our finances.
We didn’t have a horrible amount of debt…mostly auto and a home equity loan. But, it still was causing us some financial struggles. In November of 2007 we began our financial journey with Dave Ramsey and by February 2010, we were proud to declare that we were debt free.
Between having declared bankruptcy and becoming debt free, I learned some great lessons. I learned that we (my husband and I) were responsible for our financial picture. We couldn’t blame the bank for the loans nor the credit card company for the card. It was up to us how to spend our money. I truly believe that is the first step to financial independence – taking ownership for your actions.
I also learned how to really save when I shopped. I did research, clipped, snipped and put together deals. As I started to do this, I shared them with some on-line friends. They “convinced” me to start a blog and the rest, I guess you could say, is history.
So, why am I telling you this? To me, it is important that you all know me more than just another money saving blog. I want you to understand who I am and my personality. I wanted to remind you that I am very busy with 3 kids and household to run, which is why there may be an occasional typo or incorrect link. I wanted you to understand if a post is short and to the point. I do my best.
I love and appreciate my readers so much. Without all of you, I’d be a mom sitting in my easy chair and typing deals that disappear into the blogosphere and help no one. The best THANK YOU I can ever receive is you sharing what you’ve learned with others. That’s what this is all about after all — saving money to help you live the life you want!
Emily says
I can completely sympathize. One of my military mom friends started sending me links on facebook one day to all these freebies and now it’s kind of become an obession. I’m a relatively new mom and want the best for my daughter…however, we are in a money hole we don’t know how we’ll ever dig ourselves out of. I’m glad you started this site. I follow yours and a few others for the best deals 🙂
Karalyn Kennedy says
I am new to your blog, and I love it. Thank you for sharing your journey and yourself with us. You are an example of courage and faith. May God bless you (and your family) and continue to bless your blog as much as you have blessed us!!! Thanks for all you do!
Mary says
Loved reading this. I am impressed with ur journey.
Thank you for sharing.
I too have found tons of amazing deals for the last 15 years or so. Always share them with friends & family. It is fun!
I hate it when I leave the house without a coupon.. I feel like I left my wallet at home! Lol
Thanks for sharing all your amazing deals & stories.
~ 🙂
myriam says
Thank you for sharing. There’s hope for me as I feel like I am drowning in student loans, mortgage, and credit cards. I wonder how I got into it all.
kristine says
i can really relate to this. I am a stay at home young 21yr old mom of 2 and it gets expensive we were doing the whole paycheck to paycheck thing right around the time my second was due between feb and may and it wasnt easy for me my mom struggled with my brother and i growing up and had to work 2 jobs until she married my step dad and then things went better but i didnt want my children to go without and have to cut back on buying things we needed until the next paycheck if we could fit it in so i started looking into couponing and saw the amazing things you can do with it. i now have a nice stock of diapers pull ups wipes cleaning supplies bottles formula washing detergent and shampoo and body wash i stocked up on this for security purposes just incase we needed money else where it was cheap and we could use it for months without having to buy anymore of it this is whjy i told you that visa gift card couldnt have come at a better time i think what you do is great you really have helped me learn about deals and where is the best place to save and spend money so thank you so much for helping me learn and in return helping my family
Tracie says
Thanks Kristine. I am no different then anyone else – and want everyone to know that you can do this. It is all doable – you just have to work hard and know what you want. I am so thrilled that the gift card will help…..and would love to see how far you can make it stretch. I can tell you’ve leraned a lot and have no doubts you’ll turn that money into much more!
Crystal says
Thanks so muc for sharing your story an blog! It has helped me be a SAHM an Ive passed site on to many others an try to help them out as well.
Maggie Jiles says
Thanks for sharing! I enjoy following your blog and hope to be just as coupon savvy as you are one day. I live in Olathe and follow several other bloggers, but I especially enjoy having you on my Facebook feed, since you are in the Kansas City area.
Michelle says
I really appreciate your blog. It has helped my family save a lot of money. I was excited to learn that you live in my area.
Gena B says
You’re one of my favorite blogs to read and Facebook page. Mainly because of the way you interact with everyone on FB and for those occasional typos. =) You rock and I appreciate all the savings you show me that helps me to save money for my family.
Donna says
I love your blog I follow it everyday and have enjoyed getting into couponing the last year and saving more money. Keep up the great work!
Korinne says
Thank you so much for sharing! Our lives sound very similar except my 3rd baby is still on the way and I’m starting my Dave Ramsey journey! I’d love to stay home some day and I admire people like you who made it happen. Our biggest road block is that we spend over $1000 a month in food and eating out and that’s just plain silly so I’m really working on saving when I can. I appreciate all the knowledge you share. I appreciate typos and missing links too! You are human and I like that!
Jenna says
Thank you for everything you do- my family and I really appreciate it.
Jenny says
I appreciate every effort you put into your site. It has truly helped me and my family! I understand where you are coming from and appreciate all your help!
Chris says
So that’s great that you’re debt free – especially on the home mortgage – so in 3 years time (2007-2010), you got it all paid off? Impressive!
Tracie says
OH so sorry that it came across that way — it was just our “other debts”…..we still owe on the house. However, that one should be gone in about 5 yrs as well!
Patti says
Just wanted to say it is so refreshing reading how quickly you and your hubby learned such valuable lessons about managing finances and like you said taking responsibility for your actions and choices at a young age. We too had to file bankruptcy 25 yrs ago and it was truly devastating to me personally, but my husband and I did learn about those “choices” too. There should be classes before we are allowed to go out on our own. Love your info and offers. We’re on SS and Medicare now with it even more important for us to save whenever possible. We too at the end of raising kids and in this tough economy need the tools to live as well as we can after giving our best to the workplace! Thank you for all your great tips! I’m learning new skills!
Anna says
Hello = ) Thank you for sharing your story. Sometimes you have to learn the hard way in order to better understand things. My husband kept getting laid off but I still had my job. Then the bottom fell out….I lost my job. He finally found a job (paying a lot less than his previous job). I have taken on odd jobs here and there. I really started looking at ways to save the little bit of money we had. I found your web site and found some great information (which I have passed along, I have a web site where I share web sites and/or information that I find). I figured I would help out others, that needed to stretch their money too.
Tina says
I just want to say again how much of a blessing your site has been. My sister told me about this site about a year ago. It wasn’t until about March of this year that I really started to follow your site. I HAVE SAVED A TON since then. I get so excited when I get free toothpaste or free pasta that I share the news with all of my family and friends!
These savings have helped me and my fiance a lot. We are trying to pay down $10,000 in debt before we get married next May. So far, we have paid down $2,500 and about to take another big chunk out of it (making it nearly $4,000!). Of course, not all of this is savings from coupons. We have also been very conscience of the budgeting we set.
Thanks for taking so much of your very precious time to share these great deals with all of us.
Charlotte Varner says
Thanks for sharing I really enjoyed reading!! Thanks for doing what you do and saving all of us money!! Plus you have a great taste in baby names!! =)
Christine says
I just wanted to thank you for doing this blog. Money has always been tight for my husband and I and for a long time I didn’t know that something like this [blog] existed! Now I diligently check my inbox for your email updates and I’m sure to take advantage of the deals and coupons. In fact that’s one of the reason I’m able to stay at home with my son. So thank you again for your hard work- I appreciate it.