Someone once said to me that an easy step to feeding your family more healthy food is to only shop on the perimeter of the grocery store. That is because the perimeter consists of meat, produce, dairy, and refrigerated perishable items, while the inner aisles consist of processed, preserved and frozen foods. However, when I read articles or see stories about these “uber”coupon clippers”I have to wonder how someone can possibly accomplish such amazing savings if you DON’T shop in those inner aisles?
For one thing, health foods (and when I say health foods I mean real health foods, not “whole grain goldfish”) never offer coupons. I don’t pretend to be a big coupon clipper, but I am a big coupon looker, and I NEVER see coupons for “real”health foods.
Secondly, markets will have price cuts on meats and produce, but rarely do they offer them on organic products. I suppose you could go non-organic to save a few bucks, but do you want to buy fish that’s on sale? Pass! If a store is wanting to dump meat or fish, I’m suspect. Produce wears it’s age on it’s skin, but with meat you don’t know it’s bad until you the next day when your stomach muscles are sore from throwing up and your butt hurts from…well…you know!
When the New York Times did a feature story on the women who run FabulesslyFrugal.com , I couldn’t help but notice that all of the products pictured in the woman’s kitchen were processed big brand names foods which I know have mile long ingredients lists.
That brings me to the other old adage about eating better. Besides the shopping the perimeter rule, the other health rule is never to buy packaged food with more than 5 ingredients. The longer the list of ingredients, the more preservatives, salt, chemicals, and artificial things are contained within.
So what are those of us to do if we want to feed our kids healthy foods, but want to save money? It seems the only way to feed your family organic on a budget is to grow it yourself. There are a lot of things green in my house, but my thumbs are not one of them!
And if you want to take this even further into Ridiculand, considering how we are all sharing the healthcare costs of each other via insurance rates and healthcare reform, I’ll be paying for the medical bills of those coupon clipping, aisle shopping, money saving folks, regardless!
Okay! I know! I’m going on a bit of a rant. I’m actually quite in awe of those people who can shop for free. It’s sort of like they’ve figured out how to win at the lottery. For me this is really about the quandary between coupons vs. healthy eating. I wish that somewhere out there a marketing executive for a health food company is reading this and realizing that they are under serving their health seeking consumers by not jumping deeper into coupon world. Maybe if they did,they’d see that it has just as much to do with promoting their brand as it does with passing on savings to consumers. In the meantime, I can at least save on laundry soap,unless of course you want to talk about coupons for those wanting to go green!!
All I can say is that mom is right,a lot of the time!
After complaining his lacrosse bag was way too heavy,I insisted that my son clean it out. He fought me tooth and nail,and yelled that there was nothing in his bag but his equipment. After placing a $1 wager that I would find more than equipment,I dove into the bag….
Aha!
18 bottles of empty,half-empty and full drink bottles. I rest my case!
My daughter and her friend wanted to do some shopping after their last volleyball tournament. Hey,rather than fight traffic,we said ok! As soon as we walked into the store,the girls made a bee line for the shoe department. They were on the hunt for some high heels and boy did they find them. Check out these two just trying to stand in these monsters heels!
beauty queens!
The funny part about the whole thing was that people in the store were looking at them pretty strangely based on the outfits they had on. Those tight little shorts along with the high heels,folks in the store thought they were models,it was hysterical! They must have tried on at least a hundred pairs and had a ball doing it.
So,here’s some mom advice,if you have teenage girls that are bored one day,just bring them to try on shoes,you can kill about an hour,easily! It was like a free fashion show,we all had so much fun.
Ghost smelter factories existed long ago but,what remains of those factories in neighborhoods across our country is baffling. I urge you all to take 5 minutes to watch this video below by USA Today,after a 14 month investigation,what was uncovered in the soil where these factories once stood can pose a risk to the surrounding neighborhoods.
To learn more about these ghost factories and to see an interactive map of the former factory sites,click here.
The scary thing here is that this particular report only deals with smelters,what about all the other factories that released toxic materials into the ground?
I was sitting on the floor folding laundry last night when I heard two of my boys start an argument. At the time,I wasn’t quite sure what the argument was over but,I figured it was harmless since I heard some laughing taking place. Quickly,the argument started to turn ugly. I heard louder yelling and stuff being thrown around. It was time for mom to intervene.
By the time I got to my feet,a loud boom was heard from the bedroom where everything was taking place. Now,there was screaming and bumps against the wall. By the time I walked into the bedroom,they were in an all out fist fight,throwing each other around the room. I thought I was watching a round of MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) in my own house.
Mom separating the beasts!
Let me tell you,getting in the middle of two boys that are the same size as me is not that easy. I was finally able to separate them and make them sit on opposite sides of the room to get to the bottom of the battle.
Once I got the boys calmed down I cleaned up a small bloody nose which resulted from the fight, I asked with happened. I come to find out,one of the boys wore a pair of the other one’s socks.
“Really,all this over a pair of socks,”I asked. They both let out a little chuckle and I stormed out of the room.
All I can say,is that my house is a zoo. Calgon needs to take me away!
To date,we have spent hundreds of hours cheering on the sidelines for our kids. Unfortunately,these days,one has to be politically correct when it comes to shouting out anything at all,otherwise you may feel the wrath of a ref,a coach,a kid,a field monitor or another parent come down on you or worse yet,being asked to leave the field or court.
It seems that the only ones that can get away with any unwelcome comments that may slip from their mouths are the grandparents. They,for sure,grew up in another era,feeling comfortable speaking or shouting whatever is on their minds. We joke about it all the times at games how the grandparents have no filters on the words coming out their mouths and see nothing wrong with anything that they are saying to whomever!
I can remember my grandmother on the sidelines ringing her cow bell and her “for goodness sakes,open your eyes ref,are you blind”and “blow your whistle out your a*##”comments!
A friend of ours has gone as far as not even telling the grandparents when the games are so they don’t show up with their unfiltered comments. Other times,they will only allow grandma but not grandpa in the stands since they seem to be a little more vocal when they are both there at the same time. It’s just hysterical how they keep the grandparents on a small leash and only allow them back to see another game if they have been good in the stands!
I’ve sat next to my mother-in-law in the stands and I just have to laugh at her. She gets so dang mad and freely vocalizes her frustration. My husband gets mad at her but I sit there and enjoy it since I know that I can’t get away with it.
If you have never experienced the unfiltered grandparents,I urge you to take notice in the near future. I guarantee those grandparents will make you laugh,as they sit there proud as can be enjoying the game!
For one thing, health foods (and when I say health foods I mean real health foods, not “whole grain goldfish”) never offer coupons. I don’t pretend to be a big coupon clipper, but I am a big coupon looker, and I NEVER see coupons for “real”health foods.
The UNFILTERED Grandparents
It seems that the only ones that can get away with any unwelcome comments that may slip from their mouths are the grandparents. They,for sure,grew up in another era,feeling comfortable speaking or shouting whatever is on their minds. We joke about it all the times at games how the grandparents have no filters on the words coming out their mouths and see nothing wrong with anything that they are saying to whomever!
I can remember my grandmother on the sidelines ringing her cow bell and her “for goodness sakes,open your eyes ref,are you blind”and “blow your whistle out your a*##”comments!
A friend of ours has gone as far as not even telling the grandparents when the games are so they don’t show up with their unfiltered comments. Other times,they will only allow grandma but not grandpa in the stands since they seem to be a little more vocal when they are both there at the same time. It’s just hysterical how they keep the grandparents on a small leash and only allow them back to see another game if they have been good in the stands!
I’ve sat next to my mother-in-law in the stands and I just have to laugh at her. She gets so dang mad and freely vocalizes her frustration. My husband gets mad at her but I sit there and enjoy it since I know that I can’t get away with it.
If you have never experienced the unfiltered grandparents,I urge you to take notice in the near future. I guarantee those grandparents will make you laugh,as they sit there proud as can be enjoying the game!
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