Southwest corner of Kelly & Covell in Edmond.

Simple Saving Savvy

When I switched to using the select & print plugin to create check-able shopping lists for my weekly match ups, I removed the print friendly plugin mainly to keep my posts neat & tidy but also because too many plugins on a site can bog down the site.

However, I know that many of you like to have an easy way to print other types of posts as well so my intention was to add the print friendly feature to individual posts as needed, BUT sometimes I  forget.

So if you haven’t already, consider adding the print friendly bookmarklet on your browser bookmark toolbar. This will enable you not only to print pages from SSS but will also make ANY page you’re viewing on the internet print friendly.

Simple Saving Savvy

I just had to share this. Powerful.

Simple Saving Savvy

Focus can be used as a noun (a central point, as of attraction, attention, or activity) or as a verb (to concentrate).

It has many synonyms like effort, attention, concentration, motivation, application, single mindedness emphasis.

When it comes to this blog, I am not lacking in focus. It is my central point of attraction, attention and activity. I devote an amazing amount of effort, concentration and lots of application to keep it updated. I go after it with single minded emphasis. No, I am not lacking in focus.

What I have been lacking is VISION.

Vision, in the way I am choosing to use it, is defined as “the act or power of anticipating that which will or may come to be“.

When Simple Saving Savvy was born, it was envisioned to be a blog about stewardship. About teaching and helping families to view their resources as God-given, to save, spend wisely and give to others. It was supposed to be about intentional and purposeful living with an emphasis on money, time and organization within the home. Wise stewardship of all our resources.

Somewhere along the way it become about the deals. About getting more for less. About giving readers as many deals as I could possibly post in a given time frame. It became about keeping up with other bloggers. It became a distraction from my family, my home and my own stewardship.

I became a hoarder. Not this kind of hoarder but a hoarder of posted deals. A hoarder of pride. A hoarder of time. I completely lost vision. More importantly, I lost HIS vision.

That being said, I am so thankful that God never lets me get too far down the wrong road before He puts an obstacle in my path that forces me to turn around. And I am so grateful that His mercies are new every morning, or in my case, at every U turn.

So in 2012 you can expect to see a change in direction. I’ll still bring you the top deals and coupons to help you spend your money wisely, but I’ll also be bringing you alot more content that will focus on intentional living with the vision of helping us become better, well-rounded stewards for His glory!

Simple Saving Savvy

As we head into the new year, some of us wandering, some of us rushing head first……

Some of us setting goals, some of us making New Year’s resolutions we may or may not keep….

I wanted to share this blog post from Gypsy Mama with you…

And thanks Amy for sharing it with me via Facebook!

Simple Saving Savvy

Simple Saving Savvy

Last week I posted about the FREE $10 credit you could get for signing up with sneakpeeq, the world’s largest social shopping company.

Unfortunately, it was a little difficult to follow the steps and get the $10 credit. Bloggers helping to promote this offer, including myself, made our concerns known and sneakpeeq listened and made changes.

Now, when you can click HERE to sign in with your Facebook account and you will instantly get the $10 credit.

For the next 24 hours, with the $10 credit you can get 5 Indaphoria Cosmopolitan Chocolate Bars for $2 with the credit and FREE shipping!

Also, this is a social networking marketplace… it’s a bit different than the standard online shopping marketplaces.  It was just voted a Top 10 Social App yesterday , right up there with Pinterest.

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This post contains an affiliate link. For more information, read my disclosure policy.

Simple Saving Savvy

We finally celebrated our family Christmas last night.

We had our very first sit down Christmas dinner with simple fare…cornish game hens, wild rice and green beans with pumpkin and chocolate cream pie for dessert.

The kids thought it extremely awesome that they got to drink out of “fancy” (dollar tree) goblets. And the  hens were a hit! My favorite part? A simple dinner meant simple clean up AND I wasn’t in the kitchen all day long.

Our festive table took only a few minutes to put together, although the items used were products of a few years of frugal after-Christmas shopping and clever bargain hunting.

Here’s the breakdown:

◊Red table cloth (Walmart Christmas clearance) $2.50
◊Green pedestal candle holder (garage sale) $1
◊Poinsettia candle ring (Hobby Lobby Christmas clearance) $1.75
◊Candle (Hobby Lobby Christmas clearance) $1.75
◊8 white dinner plates (Dollar Tree) $8
◊8 goblets (Dollar Tree) $8
◊8 mini stockings (Dollar Tree $4)
◊Flatware (Swagbucks/Amazon) FREE
◊Red paper napkins (Dollar Tree) $1
◊8 green napkin rings (Walmart Christmas Clearance) $1
◊6 green/blue serving dishes (Dollar Tree) $6

♦Total: $35

I’m very happy with the bottom line, considering the total didn’t come out of my pocket all at once, is at least 75% less than regular price AND I’ll use the items again and again in different ways and for different purposes.

Simple Saving Savvy

I often find myself overwhelmed at this time of year. Not by parties and shopping and house guests as some might assume. But rather, completely overtaken by what it meant (and means) for I AM to take on flesh.

A few years ago, I added something to my traditional Christmas decor. Each year, I place a nativity in every room. And each nativity includes a cross as a reminder that this holiday isn’t just the celebration of the birth of a special baby, but rather looking ahead to the ultimate purpose for which this babe was born:

“The Son of God Became the Son of Man that the Sons of Men May Become the Sons of God” – Calvin

Merry Christmas to you and yours as you celebrate all that HE IS!!

Simple Saving Savvy

We’re having a family outing today to shop for our adopted families so I won’t be around much!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Simple Saving Savvy

In case you haven’t noticed, it’s that time of year again.

Yes, every couponer needs a break once in awhile. And that goes double for deal bloggers. That’s why I take bit of  a blogging break during the month of December.

I understand this may be an inconvenience for some of you. Good thing there are hundreds of other deal bloggers out there.

I’ll still stay on top of the Homeland & Crest Deals. I’ll even bring you a few deals in between, but the blogging schedule for December won’t look anything like the rest of the year.

What will I be doing on my break?

• Enjoying  the Christmas season with my family.
• Christmas shopping.
• Planning and writing posts for Fruitful Friday (December 9).
• Doing some behind the scenes work on the blog to help me be more efficient throughout the year.
• Taking time to meditate on what God would have me do to bring Him the most glory in 2012.
• Setting goals for Simple Saving Savvy in 2012.

I hope you’ll consider taking a break this month as well.

Simple Saving Savvy

H.R. 3261 could affect deal bloggers like me in a very personal way. What it boils down to is government censorship with no checks and balances. Although I strive to publish only legitimate, ethical information, this bill would make it very simple for SSS to be shut down  without any due process of law.

For example, if this bill passes and:

• I post an opinion about a brand, or copyrighted product that the company disagrees with or does not like
• a reader leaves a comment on a post that negatively impacts or infringes upon a copyrighted product
• a local grocery store decides they don’t like me posting their match ups
• I link to a banned site (even unknowingly)
• I spell a trademarked name wrong

…all the so called “wronged” company has to is make a CLAIM, and this site could be shut down. No trial, no due process, no nothing. It’s a horrible  bill that could create a cloud of censorship on the internet like we’ve never seen and give the entertainment industry and the government more control than they need, not to mention hinder our right to freedom of speech.

The bill comes straight from Hollywood (the entertainment industry) and is supposed to protect them from infringement. But the very vague wording leaves the door open for all kinds of abuse and will end up hurting the little guys (gals) like me. Not to mention it totally violates freedom of speech.

The good news? This bill is still in committee so now is the time to contact our congressmen and let them know that we are NOT in favor of this bill.

Simple Saving Savvy

You may have wondered (or not) why you haven’t seen much about Black Friday around Simple Saving Savvy.

My answer is somewhat cliche in that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” or I could go with “no sense trying to reinvent the wheel”. My point being that there are many other, much better sources for finding your Black Friday deals.

I did, however, want to offer a few Black Friday shopping tips.

1. Make a List

It’s so easy to get caught up in the shopping frenzy and the opportunity for great savings and wind up overspending or with items you don’t really need. So make a list beforehand of items you are looking for and/or the people for whom you need to buy.

2. Research

Gather all the ads, newspaper or online, to check out all the available deals. Online is great because the ads are leaked early and this gives you more time to do some comparison shopping. Once you know what you’re buying and from where, map out your route.

3. Take Rations

You don’t want to waste precious time searching out beverages or snacks. Take along a backpack with a thermos of coffee or hot chocolate and protein bars for keeping warm, fighting off hunger and re-energizing.

Now consider this thought; you may be able to avoid the chaos that is Black Friday altogether. Because of the state of the economy, retailers are competing for your business big time, which means that Black Friday is being stretched beyond the customary one-day shopping extravaganza. You might be able to:

1. Shop Another Day

Avoid the crowds by shopping another day besides Friday. Many stores actually start their sales on Thanksgiving Day. Some stores are even doing a series of sales which emcompass Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Check the ads and see if you can get the things you need without braving the mobs. And don’t forget Cyber Monday.

2. Shop On-line

Many retailers offer their Black Friday deals on-line AND offer FREE shipping. You could score the same deals without ever getting out of your pajamas. You will still have to get up in the wee hours though.

I’m not sure if hubby and I will be braving the mad crowds this year or not. If you do, have fun, be safe and happy shopping!

Simple Saving Savvy

Welcome News 5 Viewers! I am so blessed to have you here. If this is the first time you’ve visited Simple Saving Savvy, here are some tips for finding your way around the site.

You can find the very best deals on Thanksgiving Dinner  at Crest Foods and Homeland. We do all the coupon match ups for you!

Save even more with Printable Coupons from Coupons.com, Coupon Network, Target and more!  Just look for the “Coupons” tab at the top of the page and select from the drop down menu.

If you’re new to using coupons and need a few tips, check out all the resources under “The Basics” tab.

Looking for ways to give back this holiday season? Check out the “Blessing Others” tab.

Sign up for our daily emails so you don’t miss a deal or you can also follow Simple Saving Savvy on Facebook and Simple Saving Savvy on Twitter.

You can also receive deals in real time by installing the Simple Saving Savvy Toolbar. It will give you immediate updates on store deals, printable coupons and many other savings as well as access our Oklahoma Insert Coupon Database.

If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact me via the contact tab at the top of the page.

Thanks for visiting and have a blessed day!

Simple Saving Savvy

Hey everyone! I didn’t want to take up space on the blog for this so I posted first on Facebook, but I only received a few responses so I have no choice.

With the help of other bloggers,  I’ve been posting themed  round ups for the past few weeks. I’m sure you’ve noticed. The themes have been:

• Natural & Organic Printable Coupons
• Baby Printable Coupons
• Mail In Rebate Offers
• Retail Printable Coupons
• Household Cleaning Supplies Printable Coupons (first post was today)

My question is, what are your thoughts on these? Do they help you? Do they just make it harder to get to the posts you need? Is there one ( or some) you favor ?

I can’t please everyone but I really want the items I’m posting to be pertinent to the majority of needs. So please take a moment to leave a comment and tell me what you really think. Thanks!

Simple Saving Savvy

Simple Saving Savvy

and the winner is…..

Dina Steenerson

Dina and a friend will be going to the Women of Faith conference compliments of Simple Saving Savvy!

Simple Saving Savvy

I just received an email from Zaycon Foods (at 10:16 pm, Saturday night).  They have 15 more boxes of Chicken Breast up for grabs for the Edmond area.

If you would like to snag one of these boxes, head on over to Zaycon.com and sign into your account. Or create a new account and order.

The boxes will be available for pick up at Faith Bible Church on Tuesday, November 8 between 11am – noon.

Simple Saving Savvy

This is the new blog card Maria designed for me. Isn’t it awesome?

If you would like to have some to pass out, just use the contact tab to email me your mailing address. I’ll send you some when they come in.

Simple Saving Savvy

I’m sure you probably noticed the new layout of the Homeland Match Ups for this week. If you didn’t, then go take a peek.

That’s right! We have a new print list feature. Now you just check the deals you want

Then click on “print my list” at the bottom and it’ll take you to a screen that looks similar to this:

Click “print my list” on this page and it’ll do just that, minus the ads. You’ll get only your list of items. How cool is that?

Simple Saving Savvy