Peeks At My Life — Moms Need To Know ™

Confession of a Lapsed Couponer: Taking Stock and Starting Over

By Mindi Cherry on May 9, 2011
in Coupon 101, Peeks At My Life

I have a confession to make: I haven’t been couponing for the last year!

Oh sure, I have used coupons here and there when I was doing my weekly shopping…but I haven’t been using coupons anywhere NEAR the level that I used to use them. And aside from a few deals here and there…I haven’t worked the Drug Store deals for more than a year.

Why? Well, there are several reasons:

1. When I first started using coupons on a large scale, I went overboard. I WAS one of those “shelf-clearers” that now annoy the heck out of me. Because of that, our Health & Beauty stockpile got out of control. I made the decision to “use down” our stockpile until I had no more than a 12-week supply of toiletries. That point finally arrived about 3 weeks ago.

2. We have been eating from the stockpile. Like my health & beauty stockpile, my “food stockpile” was out of control as well. Rather then go out and snag great deals to add to the stockpile, I have been forcing us to use what we have, get rid of the junk and get to the point where I can restock our pantry with only foods that I would be proud to serve my family (or the foods that, if I try to eliminte them entirely, my family will stab me while I sleep…like Cocoa Puffs and Cinnamon Toast Crunch)

3. We have changed many of our eating habits. I have been making more foods from scratch, buying more organics (which I usually find the best deals for on Amazon.com), I bought a quarter of a cow, etc.

4. Lack of time: the past year has been quite a whirlwind. This site went from a little site that pretty much paid my electric bill, to a full-time job. Time management has never one of my strengths and I was so busy finding deals to post on this site (and not using my time effectively enough to do so) as well trying to maintain a family and personal life, that couponing (and many other things, but that’s another story) fell to the side.

So why am I telling you this?

Because I miss using coupons. I miss getting the deals. I miss the feeling of connection that I had with you guys when we were all getting the deals together. Oh yeah – and I was down to my last bottle of shampoo and the thought of paying for shampoo again was killing me!

Yesterday I went and did some deals at Rite Aid and Walgreens…and I realized how much I DID miss it…how much I enjoyed it…and how much I want to do the deals and share them with you in pictures.

Will I be “Extreme Couponing” like you see on the TLC program? Absolutely not. What I will be doing is rebuilding my stockpile in a sane and rational way…buying only things that we need and sharing the deals along the way.

Care to join me?

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Happy Easter!

By Mindi Cherry on April 24, 2011
in Peeks At My Life

Just wanted to take a moment to wish all of you a Happy Easter!

As I do every year, I am heading down to my sisters house in Baltimore, so whatever posts I can get done in the car on the way down to her house and once we get back late this evening will likely be it for the day. Regular posting will resume on Monday.

I hope you all have a wonderful and Blessed day!

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A Few More Words About My $6 Per Pound Beef

By Mindi Cherry on April 14, 2011
in Coupon 101, Peeks At My Life

I have received a bunch of questions on the post about me buying 168 pounds of grass-fed beef. Many of the questions were the same, so I thought, instead of repeating myself over and over in the comments (and taking the chance that some of you wouldn’t check back for a response), I would put them all together in one post!

:: Where did you buy your cow?

I bought it from Wholesome Dairy Farm and I only bought 1/4 of a cow. It was a very large steer and the “hanging weight” of that 1/4 cow was 168 lbs. I ended up paying just over $675 for a BUNCH of meat!

I thoroughly enjoyed working with Mark (and just FYI – he is one of the few farmers in PA licensed to sell Raw Milk), but I get the feeling that he only has a steer available every few months. I purchased through him on the recommendation of my friend/whole-foods-guru Jo-Lynne. My husband is ready to send out a lynch-mob after her (he still hasn’t forgiven her for our first foray in to organic foods..what will forever be known as “The Organic Salsa Incident”), but I love her.

If you are looking to buy organic local meats (or any food) in the Philadelphia area, I highly suggest that you check out Eat Local Philly to find a supplier near you! If you live outside of the Philadelphia area, check out Local Harvest

:: How much room do you need to buy that much meat?

As Diane said, I needed room for about 2 laundry baskets of meat. However, as I mentioned, I only bought 1/4 of a large steer and she purchased a half-steer. The “hanging weight” of the share of my cow was 168 pounds……use this as a guideline.

:: How is it packaged?

This is going to vary from vendor to vendor, but in my case, everything was packaged in the perfect portions for a family of 4 (1 lb of ground beef, enough of a roast for 1 night family dinner, etc) and was vacuum-sealed. Check with your vendor to see how they are packaging it!

:: You are buying a pig?????

I have no desire to recreate “Babe” in my back yard. I just want to buy a pig (post butchering) from a local farmer. Aside from the fact that my Homeowners Association Board would likely have a heart attack if I kept a pig as a pet, I have no intention of having my kids get “attached” to their food supply! I try to teach them from where their food comes (and that it doesn’t just magically appear in the supermarket wrapped in plastic), but I am not going to have my 4 year old ride her next source of pork chop dinner around the back yard! I am SO not ready for that conversation!

Did I miss any questions or do you have another? Leave them in the comments!

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Why I Recently Paid $6 Per Pound For Beef

By Mindi Cherry on April 12, 2011
in Coupon 101, Peeks At My Life

$6/lb? Are you kidding Min?

Nope – not kidding.

Last week, I drove 45 minutes and purchased 168 lbs of grass-fed organic beef. The “hanging weight” was $4.10 per pound (that includes bones and yucky stuff…although I DID take the tongue and the liver because they were free and I have 2 different neighbors who told me on Facebook that if I couldn’t figure out what to do with them, they would be happy to take them. But still…ICK!). When you figure out the actual price I paid for the beef that is now in my freezer, it works out to about $6 per pound.

I would hope it would come as no shock to you guys that I don’t take advantage of every deal that I post on this site. My job is to post the best deals at the Grocery Stores as well as the Drug Stores, regardless of if they are on my shopping list for the week. Those of you that have been following this site for more than 6 months know that I have been making a VERY gradual (due to family resistance) move towards more whole and organic foods. This has kicked in to high-gear now that I have a daughter (concerns about hormones in the meat/dairy-related products..an ENTIRELY different post!)

So why am I telling you this? Is it so that I can gloat “HaHa! I had $700 in my account to write a check for a buttload of beef!”? Absolutely not. There is NO gloating here!

But I want you to know this….

Because I haven’t paid for basic toiletries and have been saving 50-95% on my groceries for quite some time, I WAS able to pay for things that truly matter to me….like buying organic pastured meats.

So couponing isn’t just about paying nothing for groceries and toiltries. It’s is about saving money on the things that don’t matter to you, in order for you to be able to spend money on the things that DO matter to you!

Now I just have to break the news to Brad that I want to buy a pig…….

What are you doing with the savings that you are getting from saving on groceries and toiletries (note: saying “being able to pay the rent/mortgage and NOT getting evicted” is still a great response. We all have different situations and I have received enough emails from readers to know that this is EXACTLY the case. There is NO shame in that!)

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We Interrupt This Blog For a Personal Note

By Mindi Cherry on February 22, 2011
in Peeks At My Life

Last night, I found out that one of my college boyfriends had died.

This is someone who “put me through the wringer” (in a 19-year-old-everything-is-the-end-of-the-world-way), but at the end of the day, he was a NICE guy, with problems.

Twenty years went by and I can honestly say that I only thought of him a few times. Then, he Friended me on Facebook about 6 months ago. He was living in sunshine, married to a beautiful woman and seemed happy. We had a bunch of email conversations about the past, present and future. Every bad thing that I had blamed him for in our past relationship was gone. We were grownups now. We became friends.

And now he is dead.

I don’t know HOW he died, but I can tell you from almost 42 years of living, that you can read VOLUMES in to an obituary. Someone requests donations to the American Cancer Society or American Lung Association? It’s a fairly good bet that they died from cancer or lung disease. So when I see that my friend is requesting donations to a local mental-health program…what am I to assume?

PLEASE – I have lost peripheral family members and friends to mental health issues. If you know anyone suffering from depression…do what you can.

Mental illness is, in many cases, a biological problem and we can’t save everyone. But I have friends and family members who are kicking themselves because they deemed a friend or family member “too high maintenance”..and then they were dead.

If you love someone..tell them that EVERY day. If you see someone in need…TRY to help them!

:: To Bob:

The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
…The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.

RIP Bob – you will be missed!

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Superbowl Predictions? Go Steelers!

By Mindi Cherry on January 23, 2011
in general, Peeks At My Life

As many of you know, I am a HUGE Steelers Fan. As I am writing this, there is still another 5 hours until the Steelers/Jets game to see who goes to the Superbowl and I can.not.wait!

I’m hoping for a Steelers/Packers Superbowl.

Who do YOU want to see in the game on February 6th?

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2010: The Year That Was…..

By Mindi Cherry on December 31, 2010
in general, Peeks At My Life

As the final hours of 2010 draw to a close, I am sitting down for the first time and really thinking about the year that was 2010.

I kicked off the year by heading to New York City with some local blogging friends to attend the Martha Stewart show about blogging. We spent a fun night partying in NYC before getting up at the crack of “Oh My God It’s Early!” to shiver outside. Watching Martha in action was so much fun (and we especially had fun with the producer/stage manager who didn’t seem to know the difference between a blog and a Tweet)

Just a few weeks later, I was off to Nashville to attend the Blissdom conference. That conference changed my entire outlook on this site and helped me refocus on what I wanted to do here. It was also at this time that I really got to know some of my favorite Frugal bloggers. We had so much fun running around and learning from each other. As an added bonus, we got to head to Dave Ramsey’s headquarters, get a personal tour of the building and MEET DAVE! That trip ended up being an extra day…if you remember, that was the same weekend that the entire East Coast got hit with a blizzard and the airports all shut down!

In March, I learned what I was REALLY made of…and that is steel. I came under attack by one of the most vicious groups on The Internets (these are the same people who have hacked government websites, Sara Palins site and many many more). The Frugal Blogging community rallied around me and saved my behind. I have to tell you, it gave me great joy to know that, in the end, I won!

In April, I was asked to speak on a panel for a Philadelphia-area bloggers event. We had a great morning mingling and talking about how to take your blog to “the next level”. I am still in shock that so many people seem to look to me for advice!

That same month, we had The Great Hamster Escape of 2010. I thought that sucker was gone for good, until 3 days later when I was sitting on my sofa and looked up and saw him looking at me! (FYI – he has since gone to the Great Habitrail In The Sky!)

April 16, 2010: my favorite date of the year….that is the day that Elizabeth said to herself “I think I will try to use the bathroom”. About 10 days and only a few “accidents” later, my days of buying diapers were over. I had been buying them every.single.week since May of 2001. I was MORE than ready to be done!

The Friday of Memorial Day Weekend, I woke up literally unable to move. Three hours later, I was in the hospital crying in pain. It took an unGodly amount of drugs to manage the pain as well as correct the problem (and I still have no idea what caused it) and I pretty much ignored this site for 3 days…and you guys didn’t leave me. Thanks for that!

The summer went as normal…until I received an email from the people at Subway inviting me AND my boys to Los Angeles. The entire event was centered around Subway and their support for Little League. My boys got their first airplane ride and their first chance to see the Pacific Ocean. To this day, they describe it as their favorite vacation!

Then we got Coupon…my beloved dog and the official Moms Need To Know mascot!

Oh – and who can forget BlogHer and me running around New York City with some of your favorite Frugal Bloggers?

And then there was Chicago. I was once again invited to be a Savings.com DealPro. I have been a huge fan of Savings.com and this trip brought out the ultimate geek in me! I learned so much about the “geek side” of blogging (I am a PROUD geek) and I got to spend time with some of my favorite other bloggers…AND I got to get felt up by Robert Knepper!

And then there was the Cookie Swap That Changed My Life. I still get misty thinking about the children of the Milton Hershey School. I have been on many Brand/Blogger Trips, but none of them have affected me as much as this one did.

And here we are….New Years Eve.

As I reflect on the events that changed me this year, no list would be complete without YOU. That you continue to visit this site each day both amazes and humbles me. Who am I? Just Mindi Brown who married a great guy and became Mindi Cherry and because I had 3 kids, I needed to save money. In my wildest dreams, I never thought that my needing to save money could affect so many people.

And your comments and emails inspire me every day.

So thank you…and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

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Mea Culpa

By Mindi Cherry on November 15, 2010
in general, MNTK press, Peeks At My Life

Me, Crystal Collins from The Thrifty Mama and Robert Knepper (AKA T-Bag from Prison Break and a bunch of other shows. He was SO nice! I think it speaks volumes for a mans acting ability that he can play such scumbucket roles and be a sweetheart!)

I know that you people are waiting on the grocery and Rite Aid posts this week, and I am SO sorry that they have yet to be posted.

If you have friended me (don’t do this unless you like a WHOLE lot of talk about Chardonnay and non-prissy thangs) or Like Me on Facebook, you know that I was in Chicago from Thursday morning until Sunday night with Savings.com. I got home in the late afternoon on Sunday and then had to be downtown Philly first thing Monday morning to get ready and rehearse a live segment on CBS Philly.

The best part? I got some clarity while I was in Chicago and realized that I have been traveling too much. I get invited to a bunch of events and believe me, they are fun. But I decided this past weekend that “Fun is nice, but unless the trip adds true value to my site, I’m not doing them any longer“.

Oh – except you see that picture above and the picture below? I DO get to meet some amazing people!

So I am trying to catch up….please bear with me. On the off chance that I don’t get all stores done this week, please know that they will be on-time going forward.

Smoochies!

Ukee Washington is quite possibly one of the nicest people you will ever meet!

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Where does the time go?

By Mindi Cherry on September 25, 2010
in Peeks At My Life

I spent most of the day today at the Bat Mitzvah for a wonderful 13-year old girl that I have known since she was just a zygote.

Her mother and I met when we moved in to our development. Neither one of us had children at the time. In the almost 14 years since, I have shared so much with this woman. I have seen her struggle to remain pregnant, her joy at having her baby girl, the wonder of watching her infant daughter grow in to a lovely young woman who embraces her faith with a passion that is seldom seen in children.

I got through most of the service (hey – it was 3 hours long and 90% in Hebrew…give me some credit!), including the time that the parents talked to their daughter directly, without crying. But then the girl (who has a voice like an angel) did a solo singing act at the luncheon…and I was in tears. This little girl, who I remember holding at just a few days old…was a “woman” now (according to her faith).

It’s HUGE.

It goes so fast. It seems so long and hard and tiring and never-ending…but it really isn’t.

Cherish every moment. Before you know it, they are grown up and gone!

(note: no – there is NO deal in this post. It’s just me. And no – I’m not drunk….yet!)

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Why I Do This

By Mindi Cherry on September 20, 2010
in Peeks At My Life

This post is not about finding a deal. It’s not about saving you money. It’s about me….and you.

I don’t know if I have said this before, but starting and maintaining this site has been life-changing for me. At first, it started as a way to not have my couponing ways take over my personal blog (that one is long gone…don’t bother trying to find it). Then it turned in to a “Wow! People are really interested in this stuff?”. Then it progressed in to a career. A career that helps people. That has to be a good thing!

And make no mistake, Moms Need To Know is now my career. A 7-day-a-week-365-days-per-year-you-only-don’t-feel-guilty-for-not-updating-the-site-one-day-when-you-are-laying-in-the-hospital-on-an-unGodly-amount-of-morphine career.

Don’t get me wrong…I am NOT complaining. I spend 7-10 hours per day on this site and through various affiliate links, I am compensated for my time (mostly) while keeping all the information that I provide completely free to you. Assuming you read other frugal/deal blogs, know that I am not a rarity. Most of us make money from our sites (as we should, for the amount of time that we put in to them) But it’s not about the money.

I’ve made no secret of the fact that I am HORRIBLE at emails. Actually – “horrible” is putting it nicely. Even my mother complains that I never answer emails.

But I READ every.single.one of them. Today, I decided to clear out my Outlook and finally get my unread emails to under 500….and the emails that I have missed and not responded to just warmed my heart (and if you are a Facebook Fan, you know that I have had a bad few days…I REALLY needed to read those emails). These were emails thanking me for my site, telling me how much I helped their family..thanking me for making a difference in their lives.

And I was humbled. To know that me, just a mom of 3, wife of 1 and lover of Chardonnay has made such a difference in so many lives? Quite frankly, it’s a little surreal.

So that is why I do it. Brad may think it is all about the money (he’s “cute” that way), but for me it is also about those emails and comments. When I was a teen, I said that I “just wanted to make a difference in the world” (where “making a difference” = “bring about World Peace”…isn’t the hubris of youth cute?). Now, I am just happy that the “difference” is one family at a time.

So thank you thank you thank you. You may be thinking “No – thank YOU”, but knowing that I am helping people keeps me going.

It’s a good thing!

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