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July 12, 2011: Publix and Bi-Lo Shopping Results

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In keeping up with the sales to maximize my savings, our family went grocery shopping together on the last day of the sale. (Hey, we still get the sale prices even if I wait until the last day of the sale. :-)) Here are the results of our trip:

Bi-Lo Purchases:

2 salad dressings

2 bags of chicken fries

2 X-14 toilet bowl cleaners

Subtotal: $22.24

Used the following coupons:

2 – $.50 off salad dressing (doubled to $1 off for each)

2 – $1 off chicken fries

2 – $.55 off X-14 products (doubled to $1.10 off for each)

New Subtotal: $4.90

Tax: $.02

Total: $4.92

On this trip, we received $22.24 worth of groceries for $4.92 which is a savings of 78%. I also received a rain check for the out-of-stock Orville Redenbacher popcorn to be used on a later purchase at the sale price. 🙂

Publix Purchases:

2 salad dressings

1 yogurt 4-pack

3 Bagel bites

2 sponges

Subtotal: $16.83

Used the following coupons:

2 – $1 off Publix coupon for salad dressing – (If I had had a manufacturer’s coupons, I could have stacked them. This means I could have used a store coupon and a manufacturer’s coupon together to maximize my savings. But I only had the store coupon to use.)

$.50 off yogurt that doubled to $1 off

$1 off Bagel bites

$2.21 off Bagel bites from Publix coupon (buy 2 and get the 3rd for free)

2- $1 off sponges

New subtotal: $4.18

Tax: $.12

Total: $4.30

For this transaction, we received $16.83 in product for $4.30 which is a savings of 74%. I also requested a rain check for the Welch’s yogurt snacks for a future purchase since the shelves had been cleared.

There is a downside to shopping on the last day of the sale with some items being out of stock. However, the rain checks allow you to still grab that deal at a later time. If you are short on coupons, then the rain check is a great option. You can get the rain check for the sale price and then wait for coupons to maximize your savings.

These are my shopping results. How are your savings adding up? Leave a comment sharing your savings.

RSS: Feed Reader – Part 5 of 5

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Photograph Credit: Wikipedia

Since I have not received any comments regarding setting up Google Reader and the subscriptions to my feed have increased, I am assuming all the instructions are accurate, and your reader is working great. If this is the case, then fantastic! I love it when directions work the first time. 🙂

If you have missed any sections to this series, these links can bring you up to speed: Part 1 – RSS explained, Part 2 – Google Reader setup, Part 3 – Adding subscriptions, and Part 4 – Customizing. Today, I hope to finish this series by answering the following 4 commonly asked questions:

1.     How do I get to the post’s web site from the reader?

A: Click on the title of the post. Each title is a link to the original post on the web site. After clicking the title, you will be directed to that post on that web site. You can then maneuver through the web site as needed.

2.     Why are some words or phrases highlighted in a different color?

A: Those words indicate an embedded link. When you click on those words, you will be directed to a post, web site, or blog related to that information.

3.     How can I change the format, so I can see the entire post on one screen without scrolling down?

A: Instead of scrolling down and then clicking NEXT ITEM to jump to the next post, you can view your posts in Reader Play.

To view posts in Reader Play:

  1. While in Google Reader, select ALL ITEMS in the left sidebar.
  2. In the menu bar on the right side, choose View settings.
  3. From the drop down menu, click the last option VIEW IN READER PLAY.
  4. The Reader Play will then open in another window or tab (depending on your browser settings).
  5. You can still use the keyboard shortcuts to STAR items for later.
  6. To close out, just close the window or the tab.

4.     How can I change the posts with excerpts to show the full post?

A: You cannot change this option. The author of that site has selected partial feed rather than full feed of his posts. If you are frustrated with this option, you are not alone. There are two blogs I read, because their content is great, but they choose partial feed over full feed. In contacting them to vent my frustration, I received a response explaining their choice. Since there are unscrupulous individuals who steal original posts and claim them as their own, some authors protect their writings by limiting the content through the RSS feeds. Though I understand their choice, the partial feeds annoy me because I have to click through to their web site to read the rest of the article. By clicking through, I am using up precious time.

If you subscribe to a web site that shows partial articles, consider commenting on a post or contacting the author to express your frustration. Sometimes the author is not aware of the setting. If they discover unhappy readers, then the author may consider changing to full feed. It never hurts to ask.

These are the questions I have either asked or answered regarding Google Reader. If you have additional questions, please leave me a comment. I will do my best to give you an answer.

In concluding this series on using an RSS feed reader, I hope you have found this information helpful, accurate, and worth your time. I value both my reader’s and my time. You have plenty to do, so keep using your time wisely! Happy organized reading!

Recognize your Limitations

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After planning and hosting an event, I crash. The size of my crash is determined by how much energy I exerted to execute the plan. Since I pour 100% of myself into every task I undertake, I can quickly crash when the adrenaline ceases and the party or event is complete.

Having help with cleanup is not only a blessing, but a necessity for me. Thankfully, my husband Paul helps out. He can usually be found washing dishes after a Dinner with Friends event or sweeping the floor of the gym after a Sunday School Pizza Party and Gym Night.

Knowing that I need time to rest and re-energize after an event, I accept help that is offered. My children have learned that Mommy needs help, and they are willing to assist when asked to do so. On one such occasion, some friends came over to our house for a play date. All the kids played and had a great time. The older kids played down the hallway while the younger ones stayed in the living room playing with the kitchen and younger toys. During the play date, one of our infant guests enjoyed chewing on our plastic toys for the play kitchen. He was teething and forgot to keep the toys out of his mouth.

After our friends thanked us for a fun afternoon, they left. I needed a few minutes to unwind from the afternoon. My children had picked up a number of toys before I realized that I needed to clean all the kitchen items. Since my baby chews on the fruits and vegetables and silverware associated with our play kitchen and our friend had also put his mouth on them, I knew a good cleaning needed to be done. I was resting and came up with a great project for my two older children: wash the items and work together.

When I asked them to help with this project, they both were really excited. So, I prepared for their task:

  1. Gathered the supplies. One child retrieved the washing container while the other put all the kitchen items in the laundry basket. I then filled the container with warm soapy water.
  2. Prepared the floor. I setup their washing station with a towel on the hardwood floor.
  3. Gave specific instructions. Each child was to take a turn. On each turn, he or she was to pick one item, dip it in the soapy water, rub it clean, and place it on the towel.
  4. Demonstrated the process. As I explained the project, I washed the first item.
  5. Oversaw the progress. I allowed each of them to complete one turn.
  6. Allowed for execution. Once they each completed one turn correctly, I left them to work together.

When they finished this first part of the project – washing the items, I prepared for the finished product:

  1. Gathered the supplies. I rinsed out the container, refilled it with clean water, and gave them each a clean, dry dish towel.
  2. Prepared the table. Making sure they had plenty of room in which to work, I placed the water container in the middle and emptied the clean items from the towel into the water.
  3. Gave specific instructions. Each child was to choose an item, rinse it in the water, dry it with the towel, and place it away from the container of water.
  4. Demonstrated the process. I showed them how to rinse, dry, and place one.
  5. Oversaw the progress. After the demonstration, they each completed one item.
  6. Allowed for execution. I gave them space to complete the project.

When all items had been washed and dried, we all put the toys away. It was a win-win resolution at the end of an event. Besides practicing teamwork and sharing, my children giggled, laughed, splashed, and enjoyed working together. I was able to oversee the project without being directly involved, and we all enjoyed the afternoon.

Knowing my limitations and working through them has helped me to use my time wisely by preparing in advance to cope with the crash I experience at the end of an event. Do you experience a lack of energy after an event? If so, recognize your limitations and prepare in advance for clean-up help to give you time to re-energize.

Organizing: Dining Room Bookshelf #1

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Though unconventional, I have 2 bookcases in my dining room. These bookcases hold cookbooks, arts and crafts, puzzles, projects, and toys. Since we work on our crafts at the dining room table, the best place to house our craft supplies is in the dining room. The farther away the supplies are to the work area, the more time I have to spend carting the supplies from one area to another. To use my time wisely, I have bookshelves to hold these items in my dining room.

During my recent deep cleaning project, the first bookshelf was in need of organization. From getting used, some items had made it to the wrong shelf, were not needed, and took up too much space in the current arrangement.

BEFORE:

The 6 shelves held the following items on the corresponding shelf:

  1. Handmade gifts collection and cookbooks,
  2. Science encyclopedia, cake decorating books, and recipe box,
  3. Crayons, paper, paint, Model Magic, and a puzzle,
  4. Play-Doh and Moon-Doh,
  5. Puzzles, and
  6. Bags, lunch boxes, and toys.

In following the 10 steps to organizing a bookshelf, I was able to donate some of the unused books, place similar items together, and open up more space.

AFTER:

Now the 6 shelves hold similar items on their corresponding shelf:

  1. Handmade gifts collection and cake decorating books,
  2. Coloring books, paper, science encyclopedia, and practice books,
  3. Craft supplies: paint, crayons, stamps, and Model Magic,
  4. Play-Doh and Play-Doh supplies,
  5. All puzzles, and
  6. Bags, lunch boxes, and toys.

Taking the bookshelf one shelf at a time breaks down the big project into small manageable sections. Start small (one shelf) and continue until your project (entire bookshelf) is complete. I was thrilled with the results: a clean bookshelf with similar items together and some empty space.

How about you? Do you spend 10-15 minutes a week organizing? Try it. Start small, and come back to report your progress in the comments.

Home Ownership: Deeds

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Having completed the first two categories: Credit Report/Card Documents and Important Personal Documents in our filing system, it is time to focus on the third category: Home Ownership Documents. Since the first two categories took up file slots one through seven, the home ownership documents begin in the eighth slot in my accordion filing system (pictured).

In case you are thinking, “I don’t own a home, so I can skip this section,” hang in there. When I setup our filing system, Paul and I were living in a rented townhouse. Though we did not own a home, we still had documents housed in this category. Then when we built and purchase our first house (about 1.5 years later), I knew exactly what documents I needed to keep and where to place them. So, hang in there through this category. If you plan to own a home at some point in your future, then this section can help you prepare for that day.

Here is the checklist from the Protection Portfolio system by Suze Orman:

  • Deeds
  • Promissory Notes*
  • Homeowner’s insurance
  • Co-ownership property agreement*
  • Fire insurance
  • Copy of survey
  • Copy of title policy
  • Appraisals and evaluations of valuable items such as jewelry, art, and antiques

Items with an (*) are additional records Suze Orman suggests for this category that I do not have in my file.

Having researched mortgages and purchased one home, I will share with you my experiences. In no way am I offering advice or suggesting that you follow the path Paul and I have trod. If you are looking for information on mortgages, insurance, or other items dealing with home ownership, then please consult a highly recommended professional in the field.

Located in this eighth file slot under Home Ownership, I have the following 4 documents paper clipped together:

1. Recorded Deed. To the best of my knowledge, this document was sent to me from the Register of Deeds about a week after our closing. Our deed is an original 2-page document.

2. HUD Settlement Statement for Mortgage. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) requires this standardized form for federally related mortgages and is a financial overview of our closing. This 4-page document included the sale price, sellers’ costs, buyers’ costs, and all payments. I consider this document my receipt for our mortgage.

3. HUD Settlement Statement for Line of Credit. This document is a 3-page receipt for our line of credit account.

Though you may or may not agree with our choice for home mortgage, we did a lot of research before building and purchasing our home. Our best option was an 80/20 loan. We chose a mortgage to cover 80% of our contract price, and a 20% line of credit to cover the remaining balance.

By splitting the amount into two loans, we avoided paying PMI (private mortgage insurance) which is insurance for the lender and cannot be claimed on taxes. This choice has and continues to work well for us, and I have no buyer’s remorse.

4. Copy of check and receipt from attorney’s office. At our closing, we were refunded for our escrow amount. When Paul and I contracted with our builder, we paid a lump sum up front. Then about 5-6 months later at our closing, we received a check for the balance in that account. In this file slot, I keep the copy of the check with the receipt.

Since Paul and I only own one home, our filing system holds one set of these documents. If you own multiple properties or homes, then you will want to keep separate file slots for each property. If you have many properties, then another accordion file or system may be in your future. 🙂

This set of documents is housed in the eighth file slot of my accordion filing system under the third category: Home Ownership Documents. The next item in Suze Orman’s checklist is Promissory Notes. Since I keep another filing system for our home documents, I do not have our promissory notes or mortgage and line of credit paperwork in this filing system. Therefore, I am not going to write a separate post for them. If you do not have a “home” for your promissory notes and closing documents, you might consider housing them in this file.

Though I will not post about promissory notes next week, I will share my homeowner insurance documents housed in this category. I hope you are successfully organizing your important documents to help you use your time wisely for years to come. Happy organizing!