Semi-Extreme Couponing

One of my colleagues shared this website with me last week, and it has seriously revolutionized my life:

http://www.krazycouponlady.com/

Ever watch "Extreme Couponers" on TLC and think to yourself, "I don't have enough time to devote to something like that!"? Yeah, I used to as well. This website is like a cheat sheet for extreme couponers, and we have nabbed some amazing deals already. For example, did you know that Walgreen's, CVS and Target allow you to "stack" in-store coupons and manufacturer's coupons? Yeah, I didn't, either, until last week. If you find the item on clearance, you can often nab it for free or earn in-store credit if the coupons create an overage.

Below are just a few of our deals last week:
"Fall" Glade candles on sale at Target for $1.25 each. I had a $1.50 in-store coupon and $1 manufacturer's coupon for two Glade candles. With the coupons, I got them both for free!

Yesterday at Walgreen's
Brach's candy corn on sale for 2 bags for $3. I bought them for a pumpkin carving party and earned $1 "Register Reward" at Walgreen's. Their canned tomato sauce was on sale for 3 for $1, so I separated out the transactions (Brach's, then the tomato sauce), and got all three cans of tomato sauce for free with my register reward!

I only spend an hour (maybe two) each Sunday coordinating the deals and scoping out Krazy Coupon Lady. We have already saved a ton of money! Don't worry, we haven't created a "stockpile"...yet. :)

It's getting crafty in the Freudenburg household.

During the wedding planning process, I became absolutely obsessed with crafting. What's funny is that I never knew I enjoyed crafts so much, at least as an adult. Growing up, my Mom always had us doing a craft of some sort, whether bird houses, ceramics or painting classes. When I started using Etsy for wedding decorations, I started wondering: Could I do that--for a fraction of the cost? In many cases, the answer was yes!

I'm hoping to use my new-found love for crafting to decorate our apartment and future home. While we were on our honeymoon in Montreal, I couldn't get over the beautiful Fall leaves and wanted to encapsulate them for us to remember. I picked up a few of the most beautiful leaves at Mont Royal and just finished this craft project:

I absolutely love how they turned out! I love DIY blogs and thought I'd share my trick. You will need:

-Fall leaves - Free!
-Three frames (always 50% off at Hobby Lobby) - $6 each for $18 total
-Mod Podge (with 40% Hobby Lobby Coupon) - $3
-Sponge applicators - $.99
-Linen paper - $.33 each for $.99 total
 -Total: Approx. $23 and the best honeymoon souvenir ever!