The Student Mom Chronicles

It has taken me 3 years to get to this point in my college career...and I'm not going to be a junior until next year! I left my job last year as a Special Education Assistant so I would have more time to devote to studying and homework, as well as leaving the option open for day classes if night one wasn't available. While I was working, I enjoyed a small income, but a lot of household duties were neglected (or not done to my nitpicky standards). Now, being at home during the day has its benefits, but the homework, online classes, and evening classes basically replaced the time I spent at work. So...how can a full-time student and mom meet the demands of college AND family? Well, for me it means prepping food when I need a break from studying (today I'm dicing potatoes for the freezer and baking bagels). It helps to have a master list that you can add to and cross off anything you'd like to get done. For me, this would include anything from cleaning the cat box out, crafts, baking ideas, and special projects. Then, I create a simple list that can be made each week, with a couple of things for each day. I like to include at least 3 baking ideas each week, and include at least 2 household projects each week (today I scrubbed my crock pot inside and out because it had dried split peas soup all over it). More to come tomorrow on preparing quick dinners!

Coupon Basics: Getting Started, Part 2

Getting started with couponing and creating a stockpile can look like a daunting task when you realize how long it takes to clip an entire coupon insert with the assumption that clipping them will save you time. For me, clipping them takes so much time because I buy multiple Sunday newspaper issues, which can turn into hours of unnecessary time away from my family, college course work, and other demands of being me. It took me an incredibly long time to figure out a system that worked for me because I just thought that all coupon pros clipped all of their coupons. My search for a good system sent me to forums, searches, and websites selling their coupon products. I ended up designing my own binder system and have received many compliments on it while shopping, as well as from other pros. I was still clipping all of my coupons though, and spending a lot of time doing it...still. I was pulling my hair out at the end of the Sunday nights when I realized that I didn't get anything done on my to-do list and that I still had to go to bed and get some needed rest for work the next day. I had dreams of clipping coupons, sorting coupons, matching coupons, building coupon scenarios. Coupons were becoming my nightmare! I didn't want to give up though, so I kept at it and slowly but surely I am developing a system I've had in place now for about 6 months. I had to take stock of all my types of coupons (inserts, homemailers, booklets, peelies, etc.) and decide how I could best store them in an accessible way that would not require pre-clipping them. I gathered up some supplies I had already laying around the house, and organized them according to type. I wrote on the top of each insert with a Sharpie (first making sure I'm not writing on the back side of a coupon on the reverse side of the page), and grouped them together by date. I store all of my other types of coupons in an expandable file box. My coupon binder still gets used too, since I can use it for loose coupons, such as peelies, wine tags, and coupons I clipped intending to use, but ended up not using once I got to the store. I have a coupon center...sort of. Actually, it's my craft, card-making, textbook, school supply, coupon center. But hey, it's my center, and it saves me time...and money.