WOW!!! REALLY!!!

Several weeks ago, I went to a yard sale and bought some baby toys. I had planned on putting these in the box at Mark's parents house for the great grands. I did put a few in there, but decided to sell the rest on Ebay. In this lot of toys(ages 6 months & up), there were a few Disney, Fisher Price, Playwell and a lot of no name brands. I paid $8 for all the toys even the few I put in the toy bucket. I thought if I just double my money, I would be happy. Then I did calculating shipping (you put in how much it weighs & it calculates for the zip code of the customer), and I was shocked to see that to ship it within my own zip code was almost $8. I figured that I would ever double my money with shipping being so high (those toys weighed a lot). The bidding on the toys ended today and they sold for (drum roll please) $40.99. I couldn't believe it. There were over a dozen toys in this lot. They are in very excellent used condition, some looked brand new. Altogether the buyer is paying a little over $51 for these toys. Which I found out is a real bargain...one toy retails for $20 by itself. I am teaching a class on how to sell on Ebay soon at my church, so if you are planning on attending get in that attic and see what you have. You never know how much someone is willing to pay for your nice junk...I mean stuff. LOL

I'd Do It All Over Again!!!

18 years ago I said two little words that changed my life forever. "I Do". I would say them again in a heart beat to Mark. Thanks for loving me and for a wonderful 18 years.

Heritage!!!

I have spent the better part of the day scanning pictures. I scanned a lot of Mark's baby's pictures today, so I can make him a childhood book. I also scanned pictures of my family. These were old pictures, and some really told a story. I loved not only looking at the people in the photos, but also the surroundings in the photo. There were old cars, tobacco fields, hand pumps and beloved pets. My biggest regret is that I was too young to take advantage of their stories. I love listening to stories of the olden days. I am not sure that I would have made it living back then. I love the internet and AC. I love the closeness of family and neighbors helping neighbors back then. I scanned several pictures of my great grandmother today. I was only 8 when she died, too young to relish in her stories. She was born in the 1800's, and I would love to hear how she dealt with technology changing. We each have a heritage that we are proud of. I am just trying to preserve mine through pictures and what stories I do know.

Cleaning Out!!

After all the couponing I have done this past week, my house is over flowing. That gave me the perfect reason to get rid of some things. My friend Amanda takes stuff to the local consignment shop. So I gathered up a box of items and took it over to the shop. The thing I like is that they tell you whether they will or will not take an item and why. She took all my items except 2 things. Then I realized I had clothes in the car that I was going to get rid of, and she took them as well. I named over more things I had at home, and she was interested. I can't wait to bring another box to the shop. All these things are too hard to sell on Ebay. I don't like to ship breakable items. Well, this weekend I will clean out and bring more to sell

Filled to the Rim!!!

This past week, I have been couponing like crazy with Harris Teeter doing super doubles. My coupon queens have taught me well. I have a refrigerator full of yogurt that I got free. My pantry is so full that I am going to have to put some canned goods in a tote. Besides saving money, I am trying to get stocked up for the winter. We don't go out and eat much in the winter. We stay home and eat lots of soup. Also, I didn't want to have a big grocery bill around the holidays. Our finally tally this week is that we spent $100 for $402 worth of groceries. I even did well at Food Lion this week with using my coupons at face value. Some things were at a close out price and using the coupon at face value made it free. I am going to give some to the food bank. I don't like some stuff I got, but it was free. I also found out today that Food Lion pulls produce that is going out of date, and donates it to our local soup kitchen. That is wonderful. I am a novice when it comes to couponing, but I am learning.

Box of Veggies!!!

I got my first box of fall veggies yesterday.  I was really pleased with what I got.  They asked if I wanted to swap anything out, but this was my first box and I wanted to keep everything.  Everything in the box is something that I like.  We got:  bib lettuce, 2 bell peppers, 5 apples, 5 peaches, 2 tomatoes, 3 white sweet potatoes, 3 regular sweet potatoes, 1 lb of grapes and an acorn squash.  May not sound a lot for the money I spent, but I spent $3 on 3 apples at the grocery store last week.  I think it is a good deal, plus we are helping our local farmers.  I can't wait to roast that squash and those sweet potatoes.  I am happy :-)

My vegetable and fruits from my co-op box







Making a Living!!!

On September 10th, I blogged about the things that I found at a yard sale, to put on Ebay to make some money. I spent $1.75 for all the items, and my profit was $16.75. My vintage dutch shoe didn't sell, which suited me find. I kind of wanted in for my collection. Neither one of the games sold either. That is fine as well. The Discovery Toys games will be added to the toy bucket here at Peepa's, and the music game will be a Christmas present. I mean, it is still sealed and brand new. A Christmas present for a quarter is hard to beat. You see, everything doesn't always sell. In a good economy that vintage shoe would have done well, but people aren't spending money for non essential items anymore. The Fisher Price Little People was the winner in this lot...sold for over $16. Plus the Tupperware Cruets did very well also. Ebay still brought me a nice profit even though everything didn't sell. I am only out .30 (which I took out of my profit total) in Ebay listing fees for my items that didn't sell. Still not a bad way to make a living.

Angels!!!

On this day 16 years ago, the Lord looked down and decided He needed 2 more beautiful angels in heaven. He took two precious babies home with Him, our twin girls, Hannah and Faith. They have been missed, but never forgotten. I often wonder what they would have looked like now, or whose personality they would have. I wonder how different our life would have been if they had lived. There's a lot of wondering going on at times. There is one thing I am certain of though, that I will see them again in heaven. I just hope God will let me hold them just for a little while.

Hannah Hope & Faith McRae
September 15, 1994

Ebay Update!!

A week ago I blogged about finding 3 children's DVD's at the thrift store for $1 each. They sold today, and my profit was $18.09. That is after the ebay fees, paypal fees and of course my $3 that I paid for them. Just another testimony that selling on Ebay can make you some extra cash.

Mission Accomplished!!!

For almost 18 years, okay maybe not that long, but ever since DVD' came out; I have wanted my wedding video put on a DVD. That was finally accomplished this week. Mark put our wedding video on a DVD. We watched the whole ceremony. I probably should wait and blog about this on our anniversary (the 26th of this month), but I want to talk about it now. I loved looking at the people who attended our wedding. Some are no longer with us anymore. I remember the nervous feeling I had that day, plus the excitement I felt. We both laughed at things in the video, or how long the song we picked out ended up being. My favorite song that was sung, "Forever's As Far As I'll Go" by Alabama. One verse says, "when there's gray in my hair and age around your eyes...". How appropriate now (that is not so funny). It was a lovely thing to do, watching yourself commit to one another almost 18 years ago. We told each other that we still loved and cherished the other. I am so glad to have to have this memories preserved again.

Mistakes & Errors!!

I often write my blog in the wee hours of the morning when I suddenly find myself awake. Also, about 80% of my blogs are written on my blackberry, which has very tiny keys. I say all this because as I reread my post, I see lots of mistakes and errors in them. Some misspelled words and some have missing words. I have also realized that even though I know the difference between "there" and "their", my writing doesn't reflect it at all times. There are probably some mistake (or more) in each post.

That is the way my life is as well. I make mistakes everyday. I say things I shouldn't, do things I ought not to do and in general just flub up. Not sure that flub is a word or that I have it spelled correctly. Also, let me say that I don't do things intentional, but I am human. I am not without mistakes and errors, but I serve a God who is perfect. Even though I strive everyday to be more like Him, I fail miserably, but that doesn't mean that I just give up. I just try harder everyday. Watch me closely and I will stumble and fall, but I serve a God who is there to pick me up. I love it as I sing, "I'm just a sinner saved by GRACE.".

Loving it!!

We left the early service at church today with all intentions of going to Hardee's and getting a biscuit. Well, plans are made to be changed. We found ourselves at Cracker Barrel, and boy was I glad we went. They were having their annual porch sale going on...80% off. I was so elated. I started picking up everything that I saw. Some beanie babies, DVD'S, jewelry and lots more. All of it going on Ebay this week after shopping, we went in and ate. We had the Sunday fried chicken and it was delicious. What a nice surprise to find all those bargains. Can't wait to start listing things on Ebay.

NEVER FORGET!!!

I will never forget where I was at the day that changed our nation for the first time in my lifetime.  We were pastoring Midway in Columbus, NC.  We had The Today show on, and I thought I had heard Katie and Matt wrong, but I didn't.  I remember the fear I had, and later the feeling of unity as our church came together and prayed.  May we never forget those who died that day, nor their families who still suffer a loss.  That day I lost a little security, but I still have my loved ones.

Pennsylvania 9/11...."Let's Roll"

The Pentagon

World Trade Center, NYC

MAY GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!!

Went out to Eat, and hit the Jackpot!!!

This evening we decided to go out to eat at one of our favorite restaurants.  We went early, because on Friday night you can't move in that restaurant.  Well, I am so glad we did.  Mark's aunt was having a yard sale, and did I load up. Not only for things to sell on Ebay, but things for me as well.  I got a bible cover and one of those pocket books with the bible verse on the front for .50 each.  We also got new porch lights still in the box for $7...I wanted brass, but for $7 these black ones will do real nicely.  Then after eating Mark's second or third cousin was having a yard sale.  We stopped really more for Mark's dad, who has dementia, to get to visit for a while.  I hit pay dirt again.  More Ebay items.  I came home and started listing like crazy.  Everything pictured below cost me a grand total of $1.75.  I will blog and let you know how it did on Ebay.  WOOHOO!!! I hit the jackpot tonight.

Dutch Style Shoe made in Japan.  Things made in Japan are usually a great seller.  She threw this in for FREE.

16 Vintage Fisher Price Little People.  Came in a bag with wooden blocks....all for a quarter

Brand New Ultimate Music Quiz Game for a quarter

Discovery Toys Opposite Pairs Game for a quarter

Two Vintage Tupperware Cruets...never used for $1

Great Finds!!

We have been in Moore County now for 2 hours, and I have already hit the thrift store. I didn't expect much since I didn't arrive on the day they opened. They open up for the week on Wednesday, and that is the day you can find the best stuff. I did find 3 kids DVD's. They were marked $2 each, but the lady let me have them all for $3. I came right home and put them on Ebay. I will let you know how they did. I also got Mark a nice pair of dress pants. The lady was taking them out of a dry cleaning bag. They were only $2. What some great finds.

Yucky Yuck!!!

I am still at home thanks to the yucky yucks. Mark has been sick again. This is the third time he has gotten sick. Each time is when we have been home a few days. I don't know what else to do. We have washed all bedding, changed tooth brushes, sprayed Lysol every where and used Clorox clean up every where. Whatever this germ is, it seems to stick around. Praying that Mark feels better and we get back on schedule.

Profitable!!

Several blogs ago, I showed you three things that I bought at the thrift store to resell on Ebay. Well, here is how those things did this past week.

Toddler Shoes-bought for .50. Sold for $5.01.

Mary Kay Cleanser-bought for $1. Sold for $9.

2 bottles Clinque Lotion-bought for .20. Sold for $1.98.

I spent $1.70 on these items at the thrift store and all together they sold for $15.99. Not a bad profit for about 10 minutes of work looking through the thrift store. You don't always find resell items everyday, but I have found some nice things for us. I bought 2 new wooden shutters for our kitchen one time for $2 each, and they were new in the box. I wore a pair of pink sandals Sunday that I found for $3. They were new in the box as well. There is some really good things at the thrift stores. Some days you find junk, but then sometimes there are real treasures to be found.

Prayers!!!

I ask everyone who reads this blog to pray for my friends son, Jonathan Paluck. He is in pediatric ICU at Chapel Hill. He has had bleeding in the lungs and kidney failure. Things changed during the night and he is critical. Please pray for him and his family. There is power in prayer.

Savings + Birthday!!!

Now I have become obsessed with coupons. I went to Dollar General this weekend and bought only cleaning supplies. I saved $22.50. I now have lots of washing detergent, softener, dish detergent and air freshener. Then I went to the grocery store for milk, and ribeyes were on sale; so I bought some. Since I had already broke my challenge of not shopping this month, I decided to shop a little. I saved $29.45 in coupons at Food Lion. I used my internet coupons with no problem. Okay, now I am on a roll.

Yesterday was my mom's birthday. Since one of her presents from me and Mark was a gift card from Belk's, I thought we would go shopping before dinner. Once again, the Red Dot sale didn't disappoint. Mom found lots of things as well as myself. I do think that Belk's in SP had marked things down cheaper than in Wilmington. Don't be fooled, that didn't stop me from buying. I found a cute pair of sandals that were regular $39.00, but rang up $2.98 (I had to double check my receipt). I got Mark tee shirts for less than $3. I was definitely in my element.

After shopping we took mom to Midtown Seafood (her choice), and I was glad. We ate an undisclosed amount of crab legs. She and I already planned on getting the crab legs, and they were so yummy. Key Lime pie for dessert finished us off.

It was a great birthday celebration that was full of savings.

Busted!!!

I lost my own challenge about not going to the grocery store this month. I lasted 3 whole days. I went today to get some milk and these ribeye steaks just fell into my buggy and begged to come home with me. Oh well, I tried...just not very hard. LOL

Armed, Organized and Ready!!!

Okay, I know I have talked about coupons all week long, but I was just so thrilled over my victory this week with them.  I have spent the better part of the week getting organized and buying my supplies to get organized.  It was kind of expensive for me to get organized....I always seem to gravitate to the more expensive things in the store.   I got a lime green binder...it has lots of little nooks and crannies for things...I loved that about it (that might be why the binder was $10...YIKES!!)

I put things into categories according to how I shop and we eat.  Like cereal and snacks are a category.  The reason for this is because we eat a lot of dry cereal (we look like over grown toddlers with our Fruit Loops LOL) and we eat cereal as a snack at night.  Very rarely do we eat it for breakfast.  I also made a tab for restaurant coupons and store rewards, such as register rewards at Walgreens and Care Bucks at CVS.  I am forever losing these.  I am also thinking about making a category for receipts...that way I can take advantage of rebates.  I am not sure about this yet as my binder has several pockets that these could go into. 

Anywho, I am now armed, organized and ready to take on the grocery stores, drug stores and whoever else takes coupons.  I even printed off every stores coupon policy and put it in my binder...oh yeah, I am ready for you.

My lime green binder

My tabs....I am getting organized

Look how nice and neat those coupons are

Didn't Last!!

I just got an email from HT with my e-vic items listed. Let's just say that I will be breaking my rule of no grocery shopping for the month of September sometime this weekend. The savings is unbelievable plus I have coupons. The spirit was willing, but the flesh is soooo weak.

Bargains Everywhere!!

Yesterday was my great day of bargain hunting.  I started off at the Whispering Pines Thrift store, where I spent a cool $6.  I got Mark 2 Ralph Lauren shirts (they look brand new), a brand new ice cream scoop, New Mary Kay Cleanser, 2 new bottles of Clinque Clarifying lotion, toddler shoes, a cookbook, 2 mysteries and a box of cards.  The Mary Kay Cleanser, Clinque lotion and toddler shoes are all on Ebay. 

Toddler Shoes...for a quarter

Clinque Clairfying Lotion...20 cents

                                            Mary Kay Cleanser....$1

Then it was off to Walgreens where I had some coupons from their flier and some that I printed off the internet this morning.  My challenge this month was not to go grocery shopping, and so far I haven't been in the grocery store, so technically I think that I am still okay. 

These are the items I got at Walgreens.  Somehow, I got the reuse bag free...not sure why though.   Every thing was free after coupons and register rewards except one roll of tape.  My final bill was $1.06.  Plus I got $3 in register rewards.  I even got me some more tabs to organize my coupons in this load.  I am pretty much stocked up on packaging tape now....I have 10 rolls. LOL

After leaving Walgreens, I decided to stop in at Belk's....so glad I did.  They went to 80% off today in Southern Pines.  I had blouses ringing up $1.98 and skirts for $4.98.  I spent a total of  $31.72 and saved $354.65.  I got 5 blouses and 2 skirts.  I would show you a picture, but they have already been packed.  My Pender County friends, you will see these clothes at church the next several Sundays.  LOL  I was so excited as the cashier rang my items up...she kept shouting, "oh my, that was only $1.98."  She was kind of more excited than me at some point.

All in all, not a bad day in my shopping word and I didn't break my challenge and go grocery shopping.   Can't wait to see how much my finds will make me on Ebay...will let you know.

In General!!

It is around 2:30 am as I write this blog, so who knows where this will lead. LOL. I have been scrolling around on the old blackberry trying to find out what hurricane Earl is going to do. That is the bad thing about traveling back and forth...figuring out the weather at each place. With the weather, you never know. I just hope that he doesn't make landfall and the weather people are correct in their assumptions.

I went to Walmart yesterday and bought my binder, pages and tabs
to organize my coupons. I spent much of the evening getting those organized and I still haven't finished. I went through and cut more coupons. I still don't cut out the ones that we won't use, which seems to be a lot. We are not going to be using an ept pregnancy test nor kool aid coupons. So now I am armed and ready. I also picked up a cute pair of winter shoes while at Walmart.

Then I was off to Bed Bath & Beyond. I was armed with a 20% off coupon, courtesy of Paula Deen's magazine. I picked up a nice set of hand towels for our bathroom. I also found some nice fall leaf place mats. I browsed through the clearance bins, but nothing jumped out at me.

I finally ended up at Walgreens to buy packaging tape. They have a coupon this week for it, making it .99 a roll. I use so much of this with ebay. I got 3 more rolls (I went Sunday and got 3 rolls). I have another coupon, so I may go again tomorrow.

I plan later today to take some books and magazines to the library to donate. I have several books in the series I am reading now waiting on me there. I am reading the Penn Dutch Inn series by Tamar Myers. I love it, but lately other things have been occupying my time.

I am suddenly getting sleepy, so I won't fight it any longer. Tootles!!!

Trying it Again!!!

Coupons!!! I know they work, Amanda is living proof they work. I mean how else can you get $160 worth of items for less than a quarter. Even this past week I bought 5 bottles of dish detergent, 1 bottle of washing detergent and 1 bottle of fabric softener for $3.75 after coupons. These items would have normally cost me $17.35 without the coupons. So you see, I know using coupons work to save money. I just don't keep this strategy of saving money very long. Anywho, now for my big news. I am buying a binder and sheet pockets (or whatever the heck they are called. I know them when I see them) and start organizing my coupons. I ran into a couple of chicks (Angie & Kelly, I thought chicks made us sound cool) from my church at CVS this week. She had her binder out all organized and looked ready to attack those bargains. So I decided to quit stalling and get organized to save some money. I have a whole month since I am not going to the grocery store the whole month of September. I doubt I will keep that challenge (I will let you know when I break down). So wish me luck as I save tons of money on groceries and other items.