GIMME!

You know how I'm always talking about ways to save money and still have fun? And do you recall how awhile back I did a post on winning things? Well, for years I have wanted one of these Silhouette craft cutting machines- I see it on tv and start getting very needy and want-y. Now one of my favorite blogs, Thrifty Decor Chick, is having a Silhouette giveaway! GET OUT! So I really want to win it. And posting about it here was one way for me to enter. And I really want to win it. So I'm posting about it here. Because I really want to win it.

Did I mention that I really REALLY want to win it?

K, just checking. So go check it out! SOO awesome!

A Summer Transformation

This time last summer, our dining room looked like this:

It was dark, it was moody, it was elegant, it was....hardly ever used. The white chair cushions made it impractical for everyday dining, and on formal occasions when guests were joining us it rarely provided enough room for everyone to squeeze in. We usually preferred to dine in the kitchen where the table would seat eight with the leaf in, and cleanup was a snap.

So I begged. I pleaded. I argued. I rationalized. And finally I convinced my husband that our neglected dining room would much better serve our family as a bright and happy playroom! So after much creativity and hard work, by the end of the summer it looked like this:

See how happy the kiddos are playing in there?

Well, it was quite the transformation, but it was done on a budget, and over the next week or two (or three, depending on how often I get around to posting) I will share how we did it without breaking the bank.

I am delighted to report that this room is now used and enjoyed by all members of our family, and it is one of my favorite rooms in the house thanks to the bright cheerful colors and clean finishes. The main thing I learned in doing this transformation is that you have to make the space you have work for you. My husband was so ingrained with the idea that we HAD to have a dining room, and it took a lot of persuasion to get him to realize that a dining room just wasn't working with our lifestyle right now. I felt like the square footage in that room was just dead weight that wasn't serving our family. So we cut ties with the idea of a dining room (for now) and created a fun, functional space that serves our needs.

Is there a space in your house that isn't serving your family? How can you transform it to reflect your needs and wants without spending a lot of money? Leave a comment and share!

Could Rite Aid be my new best friend?

$1.01 at Rite Aid...

I ran into a couponing buddy yesterday at Wal-Mart and I bemoaned the fact that I just hadn't been seeing any good deals around lately. She said she'd been frequenting Rite Aid and finding lots of good deals, and she told me about a few, specifically, a deal on Pampers wipes. So when I got home, I did some research of my own and this is how my trip went today!

**NOTE: All prices listed are only good with your Wellness card**

- 4 boxes of Pampers wipes $2.49 each

- 2 bottles Old Spice Body Wash 2/$7

- 3 packages of Carefree pantiliners $0.99 each

- 1 bottle of Lubriderm lotion $3.99

- 1 bottle of Dawn dish soap $0.99

I used these coupons:

- 4 $2/1 Pampers wipes

- BOGO Old Spice Body Wash

- 3 $1/1 Carefree product

- 1 $3/1 Lubriderm (in-ad Rite Aid coupon)

- 1 $2/1 Lubriderm printable

- 1 $0.25/1 Dawn

- 1 $5/$25 Rite Aid coupon

I ended up paying $1.01 out of pocket, and I got a coupon on my receipt for $4 off my next Rite Aid purchase, so I made $3 today! Not bad for my couponing comeback!

For those of you who haven't heard, Rite Aid is now doing a new program that appears to be just like the CVS Extra Bucks program- that's what that $4 coupon on my receipt was for (from the body wash deal).

Glad to be back in the game! Have you been couponing lately?