Cheap Is Good But Free Is Better!

Healthy Soul and Body...how did that become the title of my blog? My husband asked, "Why do you want to blog? What defines you and what do you want to share?" Oh, honey....so many things! I want to share my heart in regards to spiritual matters. Not that I have all the answers or that I have 'arrived', but maybe...just maybe, what the Lord showed me will help you in some area of your life. Perhaps the Lord is purging the same things in our lives so that we can encourage each other on our journey to getting to know the Lord and His will better.

Home schooling experiences are sure to land on this site - the good, the bad and the ugly! I also have a passion for eating and cooking healthy foods for my family, so recipes will be leaping from my cookbook to your inbox with practical, easy ways to ooh and aah your family -- hence the name, 'Healthy Soul and Body'.

However, my biggest adventure the last 4 years has been the art of couponing.

Since there is always more to people than meets the eye, I want to share a part of myself that can be quite alarming and sometimes disturbing at times! I am a wife, mother and home school teacher but wait...my alias is FRUGAL MOM!

I can not even begin to express with verbal skills or the pen and paper how my adrenaline bubbles when I find a good deal - especially when I land the item for free! Whether you are on a tight budget or just love the thrill of the hunt, couponing can be a way of life that is actually very rewarding for your pocketbook! I do not golf, hunt, go to movies or scrap book - couponing is my hobby!

I will be writing more on this topic later, but let me just share what exciting things that have happened this week...my son just came home from the mall and brought me a FREE Orange Julius. I never buy them (because of the cost and amount of sugar in each one) but we'll take a free one once a year! I received a full size box of Kashi cereal in the mail - FREE! I have a $10 off coupon for DSW Shoes since we registered for their awards card. My plan of attack is to find some socks for $10.01!! Visited Mimi's Cafe on Sunday for my son's birthday - had a coupon for a free appetizer (saved $8.99) and a $5 off coupon - they took both of them! Plus my son was presented with a free Chocolate Moose Cake for dessert! I LOVE Spicy Pickle but even better when I received a free bag of baked chips and a drink when I bought a salad...and the excitement goes on and on and on....

How does this all happen? (I think I heard you ask that!) Because I sign up for every rewards card and email list I possibly can! The amount of freebies that land in my inbox each week is amazing. I have signed up each family member's birthday for all the restaurants we patronize and some we don't! I am shocked how many email coupons come our way for free meals - they all want our business! Every time we dine at Bravos, I take 10 minutes the next day to do the online survey since the $5 off validation code is well worth my time. Last week, I picked up a free energy bar from GNC, free chips from Homeland, free Herbal Essences shampoo from CVS and free broccoli from Target!

I hope I have peaked your interest in this arena of saving money. At least enough for you to tune in tomorrow as I give you websites to join, stores to shop and tips to get the most mileage from the money the Lord has entrusted to each of you! Until then...healthy living and happy shopping!