I am finally re-employed again though...and back at the University of Washington again to boot! Hooray! They have awesome benefits and the pay isn't actually that bad compared to what I could have been paid now that I know what else is out there. I'll have my first almost full week starting on 5/31. They told me I get paid for the holiday too. How radical a start to work is that!?
Anyway, I actually wanted to get out of the department I was working in for a few years prior to my layoff so it was a bit of a blessing in disguise. And a pretty good lesson on how to live frugally too. I've had that lesson a few times in my life, but never while living on my own and supporting three of my kids at the same time.
It's been tough, but I've managed. I could have been a bit more frugal by using more coupons. I've been watching my best friend, Cynthia cut back on her family budget and she's learning all about clipping coupons, and saving big time. And she's just an awesome person to know in general. That link you see there goes to her facebook business page. Check her out, she's pretty amazing!
Speaking of coupons, there is now an Extreme Couponing show on television where people save between 80% and 100% on their shopping trips. It totally fascinates me and I wish I could do that in this lovely city of Seattle. Of course, they can use more than one coupon for a single item and can double their coupons too. Not something that the stores in Seattle allow, unfortunately. The coupons I get say "do not double" and "not valid with any other offers". (insert sad face)
Please, do tell me if I'm wrong - I'd absolutely love to hear that - and hear where to get doubling coupons for this area too if they exist!
So, I actually wrote all of the above last night and then today, I've done a ton of research and (re) discovered The Krazy Coupon Lady. I actually knew about this website for at least the last four years now, but for some reason, I've never really read it. I guess I just got discouraged because so many people told me that it is so hard to coupon in Seattle and that it takes hours upon hours of planning and I just did not have the motivation to do it.
Well, I do now! There is a specific reason that I will read through The Krazy Coupon Lady website: it has a beginners section where they have a ten day program to teach you how to get started. Frakking cool! Not only that, but they say that they really don't spend the hours I thought I needed to do this ... maybe two hours a week is what Joanie said she spends. And, she was featured on that Extreme Couponing show too.
So, I'll be starting that as of today...I'll just fit it in between all the other things I have on my to-do list for today. I'll actually probably read through day one tonight after the kids are in bed.
And now I'm off to get "breakfast" done. I put that in quotations because we've all actually eaten something but I promised the kids my homemade waffles with homemade strawberry syrup so we will be eating that for lunch I guess. But I'm still calling it breakfast. (grin)
Until Next Time,
JessicaInSeattle
