Congratulations.....And Welcome to the Poor House!

You may remember I ranted about Hubs letting Daughter apply to 5 colleges a week or so ago.
5 schools meant 5 application fees of between $30 and $55.
Ouch.

Five applications for a teen who may not even go to college now and enlist in the Air Force instead.
One day she can't wait to go away to school.
The next day she can't wait to go to boot camp.
The one common thread seems to be the "wanting to leave here" part.
Hmmm.....If I was the sensitive sort I'd take an affront to her wanting to leave us.

Quite the mercurial child, she is.
And no, it's not the alien teen life form hormones at play.
She came out of the womb not being able to make up her mind.

I can just see her now, after making her parents shell out $200+ to apply to schools, and getting into all 5 schools, and she ups and says forget it and joins the military.

After all, she took the Armed Forces Aptitude Test(the ASVAB)that indicates if you are smart enough to enlist and what jobs or career paths you qualify for.  The minimum score to join the AF is 36......a 36 won't be flying planes however. ;-)

And she scored a 93 out of 99 on it so she qualifies for about 98% of the jobs in that branch of the service.
So now she's trying to decide between dropping bombs from the plane she is piloting or performing neurosurgery at the US Air Force Academy Hospital for a living.
She still has the physical fitness test to take before she can sign up to be a Jr. Birdman, er....woman however.  The getting in-shape part is proving to be the harder side of things.


Unlike #1 son, who waited to apply to schools until Feb.(not one to jump right on a task, is he?), Daughter got motivated to apply to her choices by the end of September.  I think it was more of a "let's get this over with and fast" kind of deal with her rather than a 'get up and go' attitude.
And late last week, she heard back from the 1st of the 5 schools.....the University of Pittsburgh(PITT).

She was accepted into their Pre-Med program for 2011!

Not this Pitt....

This one....

It's no Harvard but the freshman acceptance rate is quite low so we are proud of her.
4 more schools to hear back from plus the Air Force keeps beckoning to her.
But if she decides to go to PITT, you can come visit me at my new address--

Sluggy
c/o The Poor House
13 Broke Lane
ArmPitt, PA

It could be worse.  Yes, Pitt is a public university but it's a lot pricier than the one #1 son attends.  Daughter will still need $$ after we kick in what we have set aside for her education.  Crossing the fingers she gets some academic scholarship monies or she'll have a substantial student loan debt when she graduates.

But Daughter has that all figured out too.  If she attends college first, she'll enlist after college and get the Air Force to repay her loans for her in exchange for her service in the armed forces.

That's my girl.....always thinking of a way to save money!
Now if I could just get her to fold her own laundry and put it away.....

Sluggy

Starting Late This Week at Rite-Aid...But Catching Up Fast!

Well, I didn't get out to stop by Rite-Aid until Tuesday afternoon.
This store was completely out of Scott TP that is on sale....dangit!  But I found some other things to buy.....

 2 x Old Spice Body Wash on sale $3=$6.00  *BOGO Old Spice Body Wash ManuQ=$3.00
2 x Old Spice Deodorant/Spray on sale $3=$6.00  *BOGO Old Spice Deo/Spray ManuQ+$1/2 Old Spice items(used on the 2 items that weren't BOGO with the other Q)=$4.00
1 x Clearasil Face Wash w/20% disc.=$4.39  *$2 In-Ad Q+$2/1 IPQ=$4.00
1 x Simply Saline on sale=$3.99  *$1/1 ManuQ=$1.00
3 x Hormel Compleats on sale $1.99=$5.97  *$1 AdPerks/VV Q+$1/3 IPQ=$2.00
SubTotal....$26.35   *Coupon Total....$14.00
$26.35-$14.00=$12.35


Subtract the $5 off $25 Purchase Q sent to my wellness acct...$12.35-$5=$7.35

Used $7 +Up Rewards.....$7.35-$7.00=$.35+$.15 tax=$.50  Out of Pocket put on a free Rite-Aid gift card

Received back $7 in +Up Rewards(2 x $2 Old Spice wyb 2 items, 3 x $1 Compleats)=$7.00
Plus I'll get $3.99 check back for SCR#30.

Spent $7+Ups and $.50 on gift card, earned $7 +Ups and get $3.99 cash back.

Then I stopped by another Rite-Aid on the way home.....

2 x Old Spice Body Wash on sale $3=$6.00  *BOGO Old Spice Body Wash ManuQ=$3.00

2 x Old Spice Body Wash/Spray on sale $3=$6.00  *BOGO Old Spice Deo/Spray ManuQ+$1/2 Old Spice items(used on the 2 items that weren't BOGO with the other Q)=$4.00

1 x Scott 12 roll TP on sale=$7.49  *$2.50 IPQ+$1/1 AdPerks/VV Q=$3.50
1 x Thermacare on sale=$2.99  *$1/1 ManuQ+$1/1 AdPerks/VV Q=$2.00

2 x Pepsi singles w/wellness disc. $1.27=$2.54  *BOGO AdPerks/VV Q=$1.27

SubTotal....$25.02   *Coupon Total....$13.77
$25.02-$13.77=$11.25


Subtract the $5 off $25 Purchase Q sent to my wellness acct...$11.25-$5=$6.25

Used $6 +Up Rewards.....$6.25-$6=$.25  Out of Pocket put on a free Rite-Aid gift card
Received back $6 in +Up Rewards(2 x $2 Old Spice wyb 2 items, $2 Scott TP)=$6.00
Plus I'll get $2.99 check back for SCR#23.

Spent $6+Ups and $.25 on gift card, earned $6 +Ups and get $2.99 cash back. 

And while I was out yesterday, guess where I went?lol

Yep, you guessed it......

1 x Scott 12 roll pack TP on sale=$7.49  *$2.50/1 Scott TP IPQ=$2.50
1 x Oscillococcinum Children's Cold Medicine on sale=$4.99  *$2/1 Oscill. IPQ+$3/1 AdPerks/VV Q=$5.00
1 x OralB Vitality Electric Toothbrush on clearance=$12.49  *$10/1 OralB Vitality Tbrush ManuQ+$1/$10 Oral Care products Wellness Q=$11.00
2 x Hershey Candy Bars on sale 2/$1=$1.00  *$.25/2 AdPerks/VV Q=$.25
SubTotal....$25.97    Coupon Total.....$18.75

$25.97-$18.75=$7.22


Subtract the $5 off $25 Purchase Q sent to my wellness acct...$7.22-$5=$2.22

Used $2 +Up Rewards.....$2.22-$2=$.22  Out of Pocket put on a free Rite-Aid gift card
Received back $2 in +Up Rewards Scott TP)=$2.00
Plus I'll get $4.99 check back for SCR#25.

Spent $2+Ups and $.22 on gift card, earned $2 +Ups and get $4.99 cash back.

THESE TRIPS Total Spent....$.97(put on free Rite-Aid gift card)
Value of Items....$126.56
SCR qualified for...$11.97
Gift Cards earned....$0.00
+Up Rewards earned...$15.00
+Up Rewards spent...$15.00

GRAND TOTALS so far-October Rebate Period

Number of Transactions......14
Total Spent....$4.71 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$645.22
SCR qualified for....$44.92
Other Cash....$1.94 cash refund
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....2 x $5.99NasoGel(Mfg. Rebates 1 for me/1 for BIL)=$11.98


So far this month, I've spent nothing out of pocket and I'm getting back $56.90 in cash and have $645.22 in products. 8-)

+UPS Totals for Oct. SCR Period
+Up Rewards carryover from last trip....$24.50
+Up Rewards spent....$15.00
+Up Rewards earned....$15.00
+Up Rewards left....$24.50


Sluggy

Mmmmmm.....Bacon! + Price Chopper=Love

Well the Couponing Powers-That-Be heard my whining last week about the price of bacon and the lack of any deals for said porcine goodness.

Price Chopper and Hormel have come to my rescue!!  *see Sluggy bat her eyelashes furtively at her heroes*

I don't have a picture but yesterday after hitting up Rite-Aids I cruised into Price Chopper to start the ball rolling, er, I mean the Cat rolling.
I bought 4 packages of Hormel bacon and half a dozen fresh bagels.
Not only is the bacon part of the Cat deal but did I mention it's on sale for BOGO?
So 4 packages of bacon was $10.98(reg. price $5.49)after the sale.  Unfortunately there are NO Hormel bacon coupons currently....*sniff*.
The bagels are on sale Buy 3, Get 3 free this week so my bagels cost $1.99 for 6.
Grand Total for my 1st transaction at PC was $12.97.  For this transaction the bagels cost me $.33 each and the bacon was $2.75 a package.  Even at that price it was pretty darn good.....but now it would get much MUCH better!


Because the machine spit out a precious $7 OYNO Cat Q for buying that bacon.
Yay!

So I cruised over to Price Chopper this afternoon to roll it....

Transaction #1
4 x Hormel Bacon on sale BOGO=$10.98
1 x 6 Bagels on sale 1/2 price=$1.99
2 x Grands! Biscuits on sale $2=$4.00
SubTotal....$16.97

Coupons Used
2 x $1/1 Instant Store Q on the Grands!=$2.00
1 x $7 OYNO Cat Q=$7.00
Coupon Total....$9.00

$16.97-$9.00=$7.97 OOP
And I received another $7 OYNO Cat Q.


Transaction #2

4 x Hormel Bacon on sale BOGO=$10.98
6 x Libby's Veggies on sale $.67=$4.02
SubTotal....$15.00

Coupons Used
2 x $1/3 Libby's Veg. ManuQ=$2.00
1 x $7 OYNO Cat Q=$7.00
Coupon Total....$9.00

$15.00-$9.00=$6.00 OOP
And I received another $7 OYNO Cat Q.

Basically with spending $14.00, the bacon & whack biscuits were $1 a package, the veggies & bagels were $.33 a can/a piece.
Plus I've got the $7 Cat to keep rolling into more cheap bacon. ;-)

But first I need to clean out the freezer a bit so I have a place to put it all.

Sluggy

Monsters Revisited....

Remember the Youtube Video I shared awhile back?....This one HERE.

Well I found out this group of guys is a bonafide student a capella group affiliated with the U. of Oregon. 
They are called "On The Rocks".
And they have been around for some time.
They have released a few records....ok, I guess you don't call them records because they don't make records anymore, so they have released albums or recorded music or whatever the terminology is nowadays. ;-)

They also re-recorded this particular GaGa video with actual production values.
So if you liked these Monsters the first time, go have a listen to this version....



I still say one of the lead singers, the one in the baseball cap, looks a bit like a young Seth Rogen....

And I'm having a debate over which video is better with a friend.
Do you prefer the impromptu one or the cleaned up "professional" version?
Leave a comment and let us know which side you weigh in on!

P.S.
I so hate you Joe because you have tickets to the tour!

Sluggy

Simplifying the Holidays...How to Get off the Santa Express

Do you dread the approaching of the Month of December?

Do you tense up and stress out over all the extra work that is expected of you during the Holidays?

Do your kids turn into Self-absorbed Robots at this time of year, demanding a neverending list of toys?

Maybe you need to consider stepping off of the Madison Avenue Christmas Express and start destressing, reducing and simplifying how you celebrate the Holidays!

That American Popular Culture Christmas Express train you are on, makes stops in the State of Exhaustion, the Land of Disappointment, and ends up delivering you right to The Poor House in January when those bills come rolling in.
Make this season the one where you change up the game and play it by Your Rules, not Madison Avenues!

I'm going to do a little series about Simplifying the Holidays.  Each Week I will post about some aspect of the Winter Holidays where you could make changes in your life and in how you celebrate this year.

If anyone has any thoughts, questions or some aspect of simplifying your holiday season you would like to see me cover, just leave your ideas in the comments and I'll work them in and address them in subsequent posts in this series.

Sluggy