Last link to my youth

Over the weekend I watched the last link to my youth graduate from high school. She was born on the day of my senior prom and she has been a part of my life ever since. I was a big part in her and her sisters life as they were both growing up. I was their babysitter who grew into their friend. (Two years ago, her older sister went off to college at Ball State, where she used to come visit me when she was little.) It was very strange watching her do something that I just did 18 years ago when she was a newborn. (yes becaise I am refusing to think it was really THAT long ago). She is no longer a little girl and is getting ready to start the next journey in her life. The part where she leaves the little girl behind and lets the woman she has become go off to college!!! I am so proud of her and wish her the very best in the next chapter in her life.
I am hoping to start stacking those coupons and deals this week so if there is anything to report on that front, I will provide an update.
Jake is still gone for another week. There is a funeral for the family this week and I still need to do a lot of work on the house. I am hoping things start to change soon in regards to my social life and work is really boring. Now that we are all caught up, everyone enjoy your day!!

My week so far:

I have been able to print almost $70 in coupons and I can't even remember how many freebies I have signed up for. Facebook, For the Mommas and Deal Seeking Moms are my 3 best sources for deals, freebies and samples. Facebook has given me numerous coupons for free bagels, samples, freebies and tons of coupons. Kraft has a great program where they either send you new food products to sample or coupons for a free item from the store. I have friends who are able to go to the grocery store buy over $100 in groceries and actually walk out of there with them paying my friends to basically take the groceries. I am nowhere near that savy but I can find free or low cost movies, meals, deals at Pennys or Bath & Body Works and Target. I know pretty much within a 30 mile radius where my kid can eat free and how to go to a brand new release movie and spend less than $15 for 2 people, including tickets and snacks. But with all that aside and I will post more specific info to these deals as they come along or as my blog progresses but my purpose for this evenings blog is a rant.
I have a son who is almost 11 years old, totally self sufficient and can take care of himself but since I am a single mom with limited income I need a sitter for him for the summer, I cannot afford camps or programs and started looking for a sitter online thru Craigs list or one of those sitter sites.. They all want $10-12 an hour... OK so do the math with me.. a teenager.. getting tax free cash.. 10 hours a day for at least 3-4 days a week... So avg of 330-440 a week for at least 6 weeks ( he spends half the summer with his dad) .. Are you kidding me?? Am I in the minority her to think that is INSANE??? I can see that for smaller children or for a job thats only 2-4 hours but at 10 hours a day?? I am basically playing someone to play video games and hang out at the pool all day and I am supposed to do that at $10 an hour?? No thank you!!!!

Welcome to my Blog

Hi- this is my first blog post ever and I have a few ideas of the direction I want to go with my blog but we shall see how things go. Most of the things I will be posting on here are great deals, coupons, freebies, and local savings. However, on occasion I may throw a blog or 2 in here about Bopolar disorder, ADHD, Anxiety and how my 11 year old son (who is affected by all these things) and I deal with them on a daily basis. I may interject a few blogs about how it sucks being single and the crap I come across in trying to meet new people. I may not submit an entry every day but I will try to keep this up and make sure that you are all getting the appropriate dosage of All Things Blogtastic. If you want to know more about a topic or suggest a topic for me to write about or research, please feel free to comment.
Have a great day!!!