Extreme Couponing: Insane Yet Motivating

I have heard mixed reviews of the new show on TLC called Extreme Couponing. My mother and I called our coupon adventures extreme couponing long before the show came out, but we are nowhere as insane as the ladies on this show. They devote entire rooms in their home to their stockpiles, including any other spare room anywhere else in their homes. They talk about spending sixty hours a week couponing and some even watch houses in their neighborhood to be foreclosed on so they can take their newspapers for their coupon inserts. One comment the latest show I watched said made me a little frustrated. The woman featured said that she spends over sixty hours a week doing this and that anyone who said they are spending less than ten hours a week is lying.

This is exactly the type of thing that scares away people who are nervous about trying couponing! I spend less than ten hours a week almost weeks on my couponing from start to finish. There are weeks that I spend more time on it because there are an unusually large quantity of deals, or if I feel like spending more time trolling the aisles for other deals such as clearance and closeout deals that aren't advertised.

So if you have watched Extreme Couponing and feel like using coupons will turn you into a fanatic, don't be afraid. Couponing can be simple and easy, and it often is. If you want to spend an few hours a week saving money, you can. You don't have to fill six grocery carts and house a stockpile big enough to feed the US Army in your garage to save money.

Stay tuned for my next post for the quickest way to implement coupon savings into your regular shopping trips.

Crochet Amigurumi Bunny

I am a big fan of crocheting, it's one of my favorite hobbies. It is something that can be very inexpensive, can be shared with my friends and family, and it saves me a lot of money around the holidays because my homemade crocheted gifts are much cheaper than anything I would buy for my family.
I made this bunny to put into my hope chest which used to hold things for when I moved out on my own but now keeps things for my future children. It did not make it to the hope chest though because my when I showed it to my mother she asked jokingly if I made it for my little brother, Daniel. I love making things for Daniel because he is just so cute. At first he was actually afraid of it, but after a few days he grew to love it and now plays with it daily.
I love this pattern because I don't have to worry about any limbs getting damaged. I made sure to secure the ears on extra well to make sure they would not come off during a rough play sessions. The pattern isn't mine, and unfortunately I can't find the original. I suppose I will just have to do the next one from memory.