School Supply Shopping On A Budget

Tis the season!! It's time to get those school supplies again. How did we get to the end of the summer already?!

As the mom/step-mom, I'm always the one that buys all three kids' school supplies in our house. Sometimes I have to ask for help because some years it gets a little ridiculous ($$$). This year, it turns out that it's not too bad, but let's be honest we are all on some sort of budget.

Here are my top tips for school supply shopping on a budget:

1. Shop early!
The early bird gets the worm. I started my school shopping a few weeks after the supplies were out, but about 6 weeks before school started. This means you get first pick of ALL supplies because no one else is shopping yet. When I went to Target, there was only one other Mom in the whole school supply section. Get out there, y'all!!!

2. Cartwheel!
I used the Target Cartwheel app this year to get some good deals also. I took advantage of a coupon they had where if you purchased $25 in supplies, you got a $5 gift card!

3. Check the ads! This seems like a no-brainer, I know, BUT you have to check the ads weekly. Some stores have better deals than others on different weeks. If you are seriously on a budget, you have to check the ads. I know it seems like a lot of work (ain't nobody got time for all of that!! at least I don't), but I was able to get Crayola crayons for 50% off at Dollar General recently by doing this. And when you have three kids to purchase for, these savings really add up!!

4. Dollar stores aren't always best.
This goes along with the above - the dollar stores don't always have the best deals! Some products are a steal for a dollar, but I actually had more success shopping at Walmart or Target. I found the supplies there were normally way under a dollar (except for pencil pouches).

5. Make sure the school supply list is right. 
This is kind of joking, but also kind of true. I had my step-son's school supplies completely purchased... OR SO I THOUGHT!!! Until a teacher let me know via Facebook that we had the wrong list. Well, that was the list they sent with the registration information so I figured it was accurate but apparently not. Real life?!!!!

What is the best school supply shopping tip you have??

Open House

Last Wednesday, we went to Cameron's school's open house. He begged me to come so I promised I would. I also invited my mom, and his dad came along as well. 

Kindergarten has been a struggle for Cam. He has really had a tough time transitioning to his new school from the private pre-school he used to go to. He missed his friends and didn't know any of the teachers. He has had a lot of behavioral problems, even though he is thriving as far as academics go. His grades are perfect, yet his behavior - not so much! We have tried SO MANY things. Things from lists on the table reminding him what to do to pictures of him making a "be quiet" face taped to the table. Recently, his teacher has allowed him to bring a small stuffed tiger to school. He seems to be doing really well with his tiger as his companion and is focusing much better recently.

He was having issues socially too early in the year. And just when it seemed like he had found a good friend, the one good friend moved. It's been exhausting trying to keep him on track. Finally, we decided it would be a good idea if he went weekly to visit the behavior/social counselor once a week. It seems to have helped him and he is slowly warming up to this new group of kids. (Just in time for school to be out in a few months! I hope some of his friends are in his first grade class!)

Finally, it seems we are having somewhat of a breakthrough with him. Transitions of any kind have always been hard for Cam so I wasn't surprised, but I was surprised at how long it took for him to accept this new school and all the new people. 

At the open house it was so good to meet everyone Cameron interacts with, besides his primary teacher. One of my favorite visits was with his librarian. That boy has a deep love for books, and I just love that. When I was young, I loved going to the library and checking out books, and I'm so happy he shares that same passion. His librarian said "boy, he sure does love cats". Oh yes, he sure does. She told us all about his library routine and how great he does at story time. 

It seems we are on the downhill side of this new school transition. Here's hoping the upcoming spring break doesn't completely throw us off!

Linking up with Mommy & Me Monday at Really, Are You Serious?

A New Chapter

Cameron and I are starting a new chapter in our lives and I wanted to document it somewhere. It has become really hard for me to do anything (namely work on my project life) except go to work, figure out dinner and do some house work before I go to bed and do it all over again.

Since I have started working a lot of changes have taken place in our household. A new job, a new car, new friends, etc. Most of the time, I am able to keep myself together. I've actually felt very confident and peaceful throughout this period.

There is no easy way to tell people about the new change I am going through though. There is no easy way to tell your family and friends you are getting a divorce. (It could be part of the reason why I'm not into my project life scrapbook right now.) I am accepting that it is all part of God's plan for my life though. I have had a few 'moments', but I've been okay with it for the most part. I've known it was coming for quite a while.

I am doing really well at my new job and have been told so by the people I've worked closely with for the past month. I really love where I work and it feels so nice to be appreciated in the workplace and have normal work hours without being called in constantly. It's something I haven't experienced in a long time.

I'm enrolled in classes to finish my degree and am beyond excited to hopefully have my Bachelor's degree in a few years.

Yes, this new chapter will be hard but it will be so worth it. At the end of the day I remind myself why I'm doing it and I don't even question myself for a second:



I am having faith.