They are going to BAN me!

So last week was a bad week. For everyone I know. It started off with me forgetting my wallet at home, and not realizing until I was in the grocery checkout with my cranky kid. It ended with me bringing our car in for repairs and spending the day at a nearby mall changing the Doodle's outfit 3 times (don't ask) and walking around with a soaked shirt and bra and a kid who learned how to climb (don't ask). Uggh. Only to find out they couldn't fix the car and I have to bring it in again this week. There was a WHOLE lot of little things in between too. Yeesh, bad. So that week is over, and this one is new. And it is a fabulous week already!

If you have checked my blog out at all previously, you have probably picked up on the fact that I am a wee bit frugal. Not where it really matters, I am very particular about the brand toilet paper we buy, and I do have weaknesses, like my nice make-up. However, most of the time I am looking for a way to maintain our lifestyle on as little money as I can. Sometimes I do a bang up job, and sometimes I make a mistake and inadvertently fall off the wagon.

This has been a good week so far. I picked up 2 grocery carts of food from Publix for $150, including diapers and diaper cream. I saved $100 at the grocery store using coupons and shopping sales! My freezer is full, my pantry is full, I have fresh vegetables, and plenty of meals. I was a super happy lady walking out of that store. It's embarrassing to admit, but I actually called my husband at work to tell him. Yep, embarrassing.

So then today I got this from The Picture People, http://www.picturepeople.com/:


I am gonna make you read a little longer before I tell you how much I paid for it. It is a 12 by 24 double matted picture frame with the prints included. The middle is an 8 by 10, flanked by two 5 by 7's. I am not crazy about the white frame, but they were out of black. They said I can exchange it for black when they get more in, which I probably will. That's why the packaging is still on.

If you're still reading this, I paid exactly $0 for it. Not a single penny. Nada. SERIOUSLY. I will post a photo of the receipt if you don't believe. Dare me, I am almost itching to do it! I looooooove this place because of the promotions they run and the fact that they take nice photos of squirmy kids. What I don't love is how expensive they are. All prints are $18 each. Ouch. And that darling frame with matte and photos will run you about $100 if you buy it there. Ouch, ouch, ouch! There is no way in the ever foreseeable future that we could afford that. I mean, that's almost 2 grocery carts of food! And I likee my food, so do the boys.

So how did you get that thing free? I told you about their Free Photo Package earlier this month, and they did it a few months ago too. I took advantage of it and then they did something called a Passport to Savings. Basically, you get a sticker for each session you have there. Once you get 2 stickers, you can cash them in for a free Trilogy frame. Crazy! So I worked the system and grabbed my Passport and a sticker for the free photos I just had taken. Only one more session to go until Free Frame with Photos! Then they sent me a coupon for Buy 1 Sheet, Get 2 Free. I figured it was worth it for the frame, and I was able to get some special birthday photos on his actual birthday. I bought my one, I got 2 free, and then ended up with that beautiful frame. Yippee :)

So for $18 total I received:
One 10 by 13
Two 8 by 10's
Six 5 by 7's
Six 4 by 6's
Eight wallets
A Trilogy Frame, matted with and 8 by 10 and Two 5 by 7's

Not too shabby. I just hope they don't BAN me!!! I loooooooove them :)