I have been pretty much couponing my entire adult life and most of my teen years (started when I was 15).  Along the way, I would try to teach others the value in that piece of paper-as well as the value in shopping sales in their cycles, using stores that doubled and stores that used Store Coupons as well and so on.  So, when Social Media (Facebook and Twitter) became really popular, it was Heaven for me!  Finally, I realized I wasn’t the only one who shopped this way and immediately started following blogs and picking and sorting between my favorite ones.  I soon began sharing the posts and deals I was finding myself and those from Blogs and flooding my personal Facebook page with deals I was finding.  I think I was getting on a lot of my friends nerves because I was constantly posting a freebie I had found.

I secretly thought: I could do what they are doing.  I know how to do matchups.  I know how to recognize a freebie.  But, there’s no way I can afford to start my own site.  I have no idea how to design a page.  I have no idea about Domain Names and what I would even call it.  Plus, I was working 40 hours a week, had 2 kids a husband and very little free time as it was.  So, I did what I thought was a Happy Medium.  I created another Profile on Facebook (Michele Dealsforyou) in which I could still post all of the freebies, deals and matchups I knew of-without irritating my personal friends.  If someone was a Friend of mine on there-it was because they wanted to see the deals and I could keep my personal life personal-and still help others save money too!!  Then, I got a Friend Request from someone who had heard about me from someone who was a Friend on Facebook.  She wanted to know if I could give her detailed ins and outs for shopping-without charging her for it.  Ummm, back up a minute.  That’s right-if I could share the info without charging her for it.  Why would I charge for it?  I had been sharing tips, matchups and so on for months for free.  I basically assumed all of the deal blogs were free and if they weren’t, there are so many that are-why would anyone pay for it?  I admit, I was taken aback.  I had never even thought about charging for face to face lessons before so I was completely shocked.  Of course, I would meet with her and help her for free.

So, we met up at KFC and had lunch on my lunch break and I got the scoop from her.  There were a couple of individuals who were teaching Coupon Classes in town and were charging for it.  Somewhere in the neighborhood of $15 for a Beginner’s Class; $15 for an Advanced Class; $10 for the Walgreens Class; $10 for the Target Class and $10 for the Kroger Class.  Don’t quote me on the exact costs because that really isn’t the point.  However, you do the math.  It’s quite a bit of money for people at the time that were considering this to be their hope for being able to keep food on the table in their homes.  The really sad thing is-one of the women that was teaching the classes had been pretty good friends with me for a long time.  In fact, I had given her almost all of the information she was now using to teach the Kroger portion of the class.  So, I was torn between wanting to stay friends with her and wanting to help someone whom I thought was very nice and legitimately wanted and needed my help.  She had already paid for 3 of the classes and didn’t want to spend any more money and didn’t really feel like she had learned enough from them to invest any more money into it.  In my heart, I knew I had to help her.

Another week passed and another phone call.  This time, my new friend had asked me if I would be willing to teach a coupon class with her.  She had gotten a facility free of charge and food would be provided and so on.  Sounded good to me.  I could do a one time class to help others in my community out.  Didn’t exactly turn out that way.  The series of events basically went down like this:  The other Coupon Teachers raised a stink with the Group that was going to pay for all of the supplies for the class, snacks, refreshments, binders with the class notes in it and so on and they felt compelled to no longer sponsor the class.  However, the two women did offer a discount to let them pay to have them teach the class instead.  Anyone who knows me well knew that sent my blood boiling.  I then felt it was my mission to get the class done.  So, Jamie (my new friend and organizer of said event) and I put together Matchups, found plenty of freebies and raided our stockpiles to put together the class.  My husband and kids worked with me for 6 hours to put together the materials for the class.

The class went pretty well all considering up until then I had always been behind a computer screen instead of in front of 200 eyeballs scrutinizing my every syllable-all without Air Conditioning in 100 July Arkansas weather!!  I was immediately asked when we could hold more classes and that’s basically where it went from there.  We held classes and relied on donations accepted at the classes to help fund the next class.  At one time, we were doing classes every other week-some more than 2 hours away!!  It was amazing to me how many people really wanted to learn how to shop using coupons…

I bet you wanted to know where the whole Blog came into the picture?  Almost there-I promise.  Remember the Coupon Teachers who charged upwards of $50+ to learn how to shop like a pro?  Well, they had been doing pretty well locally so they decided to take their Show on the Road.  They decided to start a Website dedicated to Matchups-all for the low cost of $10 per month (to save you hundreds)!  Remember my blood boiling?  It was doing it again!!  Not necessarily because they were going to charge for it.  (Honestly, people should at least research that and know you can find it at hundreds of other sites-for FREE!!)  My main issue was: by this time, I knew what Affiliate programs were (that will be another Lesson) and knew they would also be earning money that way.  When I questioned one of the women about why they would charge when so many others didn’t.  I was told it was because of how much it was going to cost them to start up their site and maintain it and blah, blah, blah. I knew the Start Up Date for their site and knew I had to do something quick.  I had to figure out if it was really that much money and how to continue helping those locally who needed it.

So, I set out to figure it out.  I am by no means a computer wizard and didn’t have money to hire someone who was.  So, I went to my favorite sites and blogs and looked them over.  I then looked at the bottoms of all of their pages to see who did their Web Hostings, Designs and so on.  I found that a lot of them used WordPress.  So, I Googled WordPress (you will find me saying that a lot on this Journey) and what do you know?!  They offered a FREE Web Hosting option!!  Nothing really fancy and I did have to agree to a bunch of things-like not being incentivized (basically at that time I couldn’t use Affiliate links according to their terms-again another Lesson).  Whatever, no problem.  I just wanted to be able to do Matchups, help others and-prove a point. I did need to pay a very small yearly fee of less than $10 for my Domain Name (unless I wanted to worry about someone buying it up on any given day).  So, what would my name be.  I pondered over it pretty hard for about a day.  Every name that seemed decent to me was already taken on Facebook as a Page and I wanted to be able to be the only one.  I wanted when someone said: “X’s Facebook Page” they would know which one.  I wanted Money Saving Mom but that was already taken.  I followed another Page “Money Saving Mindy” and thought that was really neat and my name (Michele) is spelled differently so that would set me apart…and guess what-not far enough apart because she is already out there too!!  Then I happened to look up at my Facebook Profile: Michele Dealsforyou and thought about how I am always looking out for Deals of all sorts.  Not just groceries, clothes or household items.  I look for Deals for Everything and am always coming up with creative ways to earn stuff for FREE!!  That was it…Money Saving Deals was born.

Everyday, I am learning something new and hopefully, over the next few weeks, I will get to share with you just how much and how I did learn it!!

Feel free to ask any questions or leave any comments

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You can find out more about the truth behind Puppy Mills and what you can do to stop it by clicking HERE.  Personally, all of my pets growing up and as an adult have been rescues so I totally agree with adopting pets from Shelters.

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For Memorial Weekend, we had decided we were going to take a trip to Chicago with my family and my mom.  Being frugal, I thought it was a great idea to use a small local airline service (if you have ever seen the show “Wings” think Sandpiper Airline here, that’s how small) for our flight to St. Louis and then taking Southwest from St. Louis to Chicago.  The flight from Jonesboro to St. Louis was less than $40 per person per way and the tickets from Southwest were $88 each person one way and less than $100 each person back.

On our flight up there, there were very few problems.  We did have an 1.5 hour delay in St. Louis waiting on our Southwest plane to get in because of a weather delay from where it was coming from.  That really wasn’t a big deal because they were honest with us and its only a 41 minute flight from St. Louis to Chicago and the people from Southwest were very apologetic and courteous and went out of their way to accommodate passengers.

We had a pretty good time on our trip and my kids got a lot of new experiences: first time on: planes, boats, trains and public buses!  Not even mentioning the amazing things we saw and all of the shops I got to go in that I haven’t seen in years because the town I live in is so small!!

Our trip back is another story.  We were supposed to fly back on Southwest from Chicago at 3:35 and then a flight from St. Louis to Jonesboro from 7-8:30.  Not only did we all have work Tuesday but my kids had school as well so we would be tired but manage.

At 2:44, I got a text message from a co-worker who was flying the same small airline I was except her flight was supposed to be at 2:35, letting me know she had seen posted where our 7:00 flight to Jonesboro was cancelled and hers was delayed.  Of course, the first thing we all did was look up at the television and see a storm almost at St. Louis but obviously not significant.  I then got my phone out and pulled up the Weather App and it showed rain but down to 0% by 5:00 on.  I asked her if she was sure (like she couldn’t read but panic was setting in) and she said yes she was sure.  We called the Airline Service 1-800 number and said she was wrong, it was another flight and ours was only delayed.  My co-worker insisted what she was reading was still on the board.  So, I called the local airport in Jonesboro and he told me the same thing, only delayed for weather and assured me we would get a phone call if the flight was cancelled.

At 3:15, my mom called the 1-800 again and this time they confirmed the flight was cancelled due to weather and we could either send us back 1 at a time over the course of 2 days or wait until Wednesday evening (2 days) for us all to fly back at once with no accommodations from them whatsoever.  The problem with this solution was-I am not sending my 4 yr old or 9 yr old on any plane by themselves and I am not keeping them in an airport for 2 days either.  So, we had to rent a car and drive 4 1/2 hours home (in great weather I will add) costing us more than $200 for the rental car.

On top of all of that, the airline has continuously lied to us since then about the details and why the flight was cancelled.  We were first told it was because the plane we would have been on was stuck in Chicago because of weather.  We informed them we were in Chicago and no bad weather at all.  Then our plane was in Decatur, Ill stuck because of bad weather.  By that time I had pulled all of the flight plans and knew there was no scheduled flight to St. Louis at all.  Then, I realized the flight to Jonesboro my coworker had taken back (which by the way did leave out at 3:45 and flew IN the rain) was supposed to travel back to St. Louis and get us.  So, then according to them they had cancelled 2 flights from Jonesboro to St. Louis because of bad weather there…which there was none and their schedule only showed 1 flight that late afternoon back.  Now, they have come back with our flight was cancelled at 4:00 while it was raining in St. Louis-which again is a lie and I have the phone calls and text messages left proving we were confirmed at 3:15 to be cancelled.  The biggest kicker of all…they won’t refund the tickets.  They have given us vouchers to fly one way…from St. Louis to Jonesboro and 6 months to use them.  So, they want us to give them more money to fly back up there to get home free as if I travel all the time.  (This was my first vacation in 4 years)!

The point is, if we would have just spent $60 more per ticket on the front end with Southwest, we could have avoided the headache, lies and extra time by the time it was all said and done.  The flight would have still had a layover and connecting flight and we would have had to drive to Little Rock or Memphis-but at least with them I know now that if something does happen, they will take care of us-plus earn points for FREE flights.

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I know that sometimes shopping at Walmart (especially with coupons) is often frustrating, but Mary Frances Alday took it to a whole new level!!!

Here’s the story from The Smoking Gun

MARCH 4–Angered that a Walmart employee refused to honor a “dollar-off” coupon, a Florida woman allegedly retrieved a handgun from her car and waved the weapon at several store employees, police allege.

The confrontation at the Crawfordville store began Friday afternoon when Mary Frances Alday, 61, sought to use an Internet coupon. Alday became “extremely upset” when a Walmart assistant manager, Tracy Stockslager, told her of the retailer’s policy not to accept such online coupons, according to a Wakulla County Sheriff’s Office report.

After having her coupon bid rejected, Alday allegedly called Stockslager “a bitch and other foul names” and intentionally struck the worker with a shopping cart. As Alday was escorted out of the store, she reportedly warned Stockslager, 48, not to follow her. The Walmart worker replied that “she was going to get her vehicle license plate number.”

“If you follow me, I have something in my car for you,” Alday warned.

As several Walmart employees watched from the store’s entrance, Alday appeared outside her car “waving the gun in the holster,” reported investigators. Alday then removed the weapon–a loaded Smith & Wesson .38 Special–from the holster and pointed it “at all the store employees and stated ‘I have something for Y’all.’” The Walmart workers “retreated back inside the building due to being in fear for their lives.”

Alday, who fled the Walmart parking lot in a 2011 Ford Escape, was subsequently pulled over by a sheriff’s deputy who asked if there was a firearm in the SUV. “Yes, I have a concealed weapons permit, and you are not taking my gun.” Asked about the gun’s location, Alday replied, “You’re not taking my gun.”

Alday twice refused the deputy’s request to exit the auto, and was tasered when she “reached over the console for something in the passenger seat.” Alday was then dragged from the car and handcuffed. The gun was found in the vehicle’s center console.

Seen in the above mug shot, Alday was charged with four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of battery. She was booked into the county jail, where she remains in custody in advance of an initial court appearance.

Sheriff’s reports do not indicate the Walmart item for which Alday was seeking to save a dollar. (4 pages)

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Have you heard the news?  Office Max and Office Depot are merging.  Read all of the details here.  Do you think it will be a good or bad thing-or no change at all?

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HOT!  Head to Office Depot for a look at the Christopher Lowell  Computer Desk with hutch for $80 now from $200, saving you 60%!

It’s priced at $199.99 but you get an instant $100 off.  PLUS use code 7a9fh6sayr8oob to get another $20 off, bringing your total to $79.99!

The Shore Mini Solutions Collection combines the best of both worlds — bold modern colors plus detailed styling with a hand-carved look! Its soothing finish and attractive hardware will welcome you every day with a dash of pizzazz. Furniture is made of durable engineered wood to last for years. Each piece is sold separately. Easy assembly instructions are included. Backed by the manufacturer’s 5-year limited warranty.

Get it shipped free when you choose to pick it up in-store.

Head to Office Depot for a look!

***Go through Ebates to earn 2% cash back PLUS get a FREE $10 gift card to a retailer of your choice if you are a new member of Ebates!!  To help you find it quicker when you get to Office Depot’s site, the item # is: 616100

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I found this recipe online and thought it would be perfect to try!!!  This also fits in nicely with my $5 per dinner budget because there would be plenty to eat the next night as well!!!

2 10 3/4oz cans of cream of chicken
1 10oz can of dice tomatoes and green chilies
12 6in corn tortillas
3 cups of cooked chicken
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Thanks Home Making Challenged!!!

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Back in the spot where she belongs!  Her hair seemed to stay looking good longer because of the detangler.  Of course, we are dealing with a two year old so it doesn’t stay neat for long.

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