over 200 books listed!

I have been busy, busy, busy. Only 9 more auctions up tonight, but they were box lots and had to be photographed and then listed, and I mean listed as in long lists of books. Several of them should do very well. Last nights listings all have watchers and a 3 of them have bids. One of the ones I just put up, the Diana Palmer books, already has an opening bid. I think every box of her books that I have put up have gone to the United Kingdom. Interesting, because they are Texas based cowboy type contemporary romances with silent men and mostly naive young women. I pick them up when I see them because I know of box of hers will pull almost $2 a book, and I can usually get them for .10-50 each.
Not my cup of tea though, I love me some regency! That isn't my auction, but I do have most of the Mary Balogh books, and a lot of them go that high.

Harry Dresden- Wizard

I had just changed the bulbs, and the fan was running. Silly boy really wanted to catch a blade!
Mica was busy cleaning up her bald belly. No stitches, because they glue them back together these days!

This will be the auction to watch this week. I sold the first 8 books in paperback last month, and these are brand new hardback anthologies with the complete series up to this point. The 10th is coming out in hardback soon. Harry Dresden is a wizard in Chicago and had his own series on the Sci Fi channel. I put up 5 box lots tonight as 5 day auctions. I will get 5 more up tomorrow as 7 day auctions. Taking advantage of the .01 listing sale.

cvs and mt. dew

Super Saving Saturday

It wasn't a great week for me, but I did do the Mt. Dew deal, 4- 12 packs for $12 with 3 ecbs back, and added a Mach 3 razor to put me over $15 so I could use my 5/15. I had a $3 coupon for the razor, and I don't have my receipt right here, but I didn't use up all of my gift card. I still have .91 left on it! I did order another $25 card from MYPOINTS. So far, since February 1st, I have spent less than $20 cash, and am getting more than that back in rebates. Next week we will get ECB's printing out based on our spending for the winter quarter. I am interested to see how that works, since this is my first time.

See how much better everyone else did by clicking the Super saving saturday title at the beginning of this post.

Zzzzzzzzzzz

I guess my Poison Ivy itch interrupted enough of my sleep, when I finally decided I needed a nap yesterday, my body shut down and I didn't wake up till my alarm went off this morning. That's right, I didn't even have to make a bathroom run in the middle of the night. I was a little confused at 4:45 am, but finally figured out that it was morning, not afternoon, and I had better get my hind end out of bed. As soon as the alarm went off the cats started hollering outside my door.
I am a day behind on my menu, so I get to eat Sweet and Sour Chicken next week, it just feels like a grilled cheese kind of day. It has been cloudy all day, but the rain hasn't dropped on our heads yet.
I need to get some book lots photographed and up the next few days, 'cause EBAY is running a promotion for those of us with good feedback numbers, .01 listings for auction items starting at .99 or lower. I only use those prices for lots that I know there will be multiple bidders on. I will let you know how it goes!

Dilated Eyes on a partially cloudy day

Well, my cataracts haven't gotten worse, and I actually did better on the eye exam this year compared to last year. I guess I have learned to focus around them. I do have some floaters in my right eye, but nothing to be done about those. So, no new prescription. It isn't really sunny out, but sure seemed like it driving home. I picked a few daffodils to take into work tomorrow. Love to have my flowers with me. I don't think I will be reading myself to sleep tonight. This computer screen is almost too white to look at for long. We will play catch up tomorrow!

Menu Plan Monday2

I actually stuck pretty close to last weeks menu, except for Saturday's stew, so let's give it another go!

Once again, oatmeal for breakfast, tuna salad for lunch during the week. Snacks in the morning are usually a hard boiled egg and low fat string cheese. I eat alot of apples and oranges this time of year. Bananas have a very small window of opportunity for me. I don't like them too hard and green and can't stand them mushy.
I am eating out of the pantry this week, trying to use up some stores.

Dinners-
Monday- Baked potato, ham from yesterday
Tuesday- Omaha Steaks hamburger on the george foreman grill, baby carrots
Wednesday- Sweet and Sour Chicken and white rice
Thursday- Grilled cheese sandwich and soup
Friday- Big salad with the fixin's
Saturday- Try to get the stew going one more time!
Sunday- Leftovers and clean out the refrigerator!

See what other people are eating at Menu Plan Monday-

People love their horse stories!

My $7 investment in horse story paperbacks last week turned into $96 this week. Last summer I bought a set of 20 some hardback books with dustjackets from the 40's, 50's and 60's. They were horse stories, I think 10 were Black Stallion books by Walter Farley. There were Golden Stallion and some pony books. I paid $1 each and sold them all for over $200 when it was all said and done. Pick up those horse stories when you see them, if they are in good condition. No one wants a ratty old book!

spring

In my front border. 2 days after the official first day of Spring! These are the earliest of my daffodils, but I will have many species opening up over the next month. A few hardy tulips, dutch and bearded iris, woodland hyacinths and many others. I am a little fearful of the cleanup still needed out there, since I am covered with poison ivy from the latest attempt. Got to do it though. It's a jungle out there!

Mica's Close-up

Her light side.

Ebay and books

Last week on my way home from work I stopped at a little thrift shop. They usually have paperbacks for .25, or 5/1.00 so I like to browse regularlly. The little library next door also has .25 books in the back room, so I combine the stops. I found 22 books in a series for young adults about horses, 2 sets of 4 books each, again about horses, and a last set of 3. The 22 looked like they had been read, but the other 3 sets were pristine. I took them home for about $7 and photographed them and got them up on ebay on Sunday night. They are doing pretty good, 2 have bids and the other two have watchers, so hopefully they will all sell.

Sometimes I will find partial sets, and that is when I get on BookMooch and try and fill them in to sell.

It seems that things sell out of my ebay store in cycles. A week ago I had several sales, then none until last night. 3 weeks ago I had a bunch go at once, then a stall for 2 weeks. I don't get it, but enough moves that I am not tempted to shut it down. Yet.

I do need to spend some time prepping and photographing some clothing items tonight so I can have them listed tomorrow evening.

This Week at CVS 3-16 to 3-22

This was over the course of several transactions, some on the same visit. I don't have a picture of the first transaction, which was only good on Sunday and Monday. I bought

1. $8.99 Maybelline Superstay Lipcolor Or Gloss $8.99 ECB free after ECB
2. $4.99 Hershey's Pot Of Gold Premium or Nut Asst. 7.7-12oz $4.99 ECB Limit 2 free after ECB
3. $.99 Confectionary Lane Jelly Beans 9oz $.99 ECB Limit 2 free after ECB

Total=15.96-5/15 -9 ECBS= 2.03 out of pocket and earned $15.96 ECBS

The Dove body wash was buy $15 get 5 ecbs and the Garnier Fructis was buy $25 get 10 ecbs.
I split them up into several transactions because the GF was $12.99 and I wanted to get the best use of my 5/15 coupon. So
#1-----one Dove-3.99+ GF 12.99=16.98- 5/15 -3 in coupons- 8.98 ecbs = .22 out of pocket
#2-----3 Doves -11.97 + toothbrush 4.99=16.96- 5/15 -5 coupons-6.96 ecbs = .36 out of pocket ( toothbrush gave 4.99 ecbs and dove deal 5 ecbs back)
#3----GF 12.99 + poison ivy stuff 6.49=19.48- 5/15 -11.99 ecbs=2.55 out of pocket, earned 10 ecbs for the Garnier deal.

summary so far-----3.13 spent out of pocket---10 ecbs left.

The other deal I wanted to work this week was a bayer deal, buy $20 get 5 ecbs, which doesn't sound so good, but there is also a rebate form for $4.50 when you buy 3 of the different items in this deal, and there are coupons, which makes this worth my while. I thought I had it figured out perfectly, but one of the items didn't have the sales price on the shelf, so I missed my $20 by 84 cents! I have to buy another Aleve and my 5 ecb will print out. I did find two LYPSYL which is one of the March deals I haven't been able to track down, so I grabbed them.

#1 2 Bayer @ 4.99=9.98+ 1 Aleve 2.99+ 1 Milk of Mag. 6.19=19.16 -5/15 - 3 coupons - 10 ecbs=1.21 out of pocket but no ecbs printed and I am out!

#2-Bic Soleil refills-5.99 + Venus razor-9.99 +Crest Pro Health Mouthwash-3.49 +2 Lypsyl- 5.98 + Mt. Dew 1.49=26.94- 5/15 -6 coupons =17.29 I paid in cash!!!!!! However, I did get $18.47 back in ECBS so tomorrow I will finish up the Bayer deal and still have plenty to start the next week off with.


I am so glad it is FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Check out how more people are saving at Money Saving Mom!

Rush to nowhere.

So I get off work and rush home to pack up some packages for the post office, 3 Ebay, 5 bookmooch, and hurry, hurry , hurry because I have an appointment at the Eye Doctor for 4:00. I am hoping that he will say my cataracts are at the point where we can do surgery and get this over with.

Nope, no Dr. in the office today. I should have been notified that my new appointment is next Tuesday at 2:30. Dang. I was ready TODAY! I want them to correct my vision while they are at it, which is supposedly not so hard to do these days. I may have to wear reading glasses afterwards. Heck, I have trifocals now and still take them off when the print is really small. Practically have to stick the small print in my eye, but I can read it, up close.

This is one of my biggest fears, that someday I may not be able to read. I HAVE to read. I don't watch TV, don't listen to the radio, except NPR on my way to work in the morning. It is all too much noise for me. Too much chatter and nonsense. I am listening to cd's on learning Spanish while in the car driving to and fro. NO, don't test me. I am listening, not learning. Not yet, anyhow.

This series of pictures just cracks me up. Who broke wind?

Wet and Wild, okaaaay, Mild

See, here is the ditch in front of my house last night. Crab Orchard Lake is as close as I have seen it in 29 years to coming up over highway 13. Crazy wet out there. My yard is a swamp. However, my daffodils and iris are coming up, so spring can't be far behind. Like tomorrow!
Across the street you can see the little motocross course my lawn mowing neighbor kid has been on every dry day. He's 12 now, and has had little motorized vehicles since he was 3.

Hey, be happy I am not making you look at pictures of my Poison Ivy rash!

Kitchen Tip Tuesday!

I love my hard-boiled eggs, especially deviled!

My kitchen tip this week is about boiling eggs. Make sure they aren't fresh, fresh eggs are too hard to peel. Once they are several days old they separate from the membrane much easier. The second part of this tip is from my Mom. For hard boiled eggs, once they have set up, drain the water and put the lid back on the pan and shake them up to crack the shells and loosen them. They should slip right out! See more hints by clicking on the image above.

It is a very rainy day today, and supposed to continue all week. We are expecting up to 6 inches. The ditches along the roads are already full. I spent some time after the last rain working in the front border and ended up pulling up some poison ivy. I have it on my neck, my right hip and behind my left knee, in the fold. Misery. I was wearing long pants, so I don't know how this happened. I need a shot. Okay, I am done moaning and groaning. Maybe. Till Tomorrow.

Menu Plan Monday

My menu doesn't vary much for Breakfast and Lunch. I usually have a bowl of steel-cut oatmeal with cinnamon and honey for breakfast, and for lunch I have a can of albacore tuna, a couple of sweet pickles cut up in it and 2 tablespoons of Miracle whip. I eat it on a pita or dip it with Triscuits. Both of these are eaten at work.

Dinner is usually small snacks through out the evening, not a big meal. I deviled 8 eggs yesterday, so they will be snacked on two at a time. I made a Chicken and madarin orange salad with walnuts and raisins and Poppy seed dressing. That will be three servings. I bought a bag of baby spinach, so the chicken salad will be tossed on top of those.

Monday- Chicken Salad early evening

Tuesday- Omaha Steak Hamburger, deviled eggs

Wednesday- Baked Potato with sour cream

Thursday- Chicken Salad

Friday- Eggs, fried potatoes, baked beans

Saturday- Stew in the Crockpot, which I will be freezing in serving sizes, lunch on Chicken salad, if there is any left.

Sunday- Ham and mashed potatoes

See what everyone else is eating this week by clicking on the banner above!

Mica gets selfish.

Package for Troops

My package for the female troops in Afghanistan. I am also throwing in a couple of romance books as requested, but I have to make sure they are not too explicit and that the cover photo is innocent. I had a little extra room so I used the Curves bars as packing material! Everything above came from CVS, the bars were from Kroger with a coupon. Now I need to write a note and it will be in tomorrows mail.

Ebay and bookmooch

It is raining again. I had to go out to the shed and hunt up two books that sold out of my EBAY store yesterday, and Jean-Claude has convinced himself that there is something really interesting OUTSIDE!!!! I finally just picked him up and carried him to the shed, and he explored while I rearranged and grabbed the two books I needed. When I called him to leave he came right up, so that worked out ok, I was afraid I would be chasing him down.



I also had 7 books to ship off of Bookmooch, which is a very good thing, because I had mooched so many myself in the last week and needed to get my numbers back up. Bookmooch allows me an opportunity to move books that aren't worth listing on EBAY by adding them to my inventory and if someone "mooches" it I get a point, which I can then search everyone else's inventory for a book I want. I pay the shipping for any book leaving my house, and the other person pays to ship a book I want to me! If you mooch a book from any other country, it costs you two points, but they get three points for shipping internationally.



Now I have to make a run out to SAMs Club for some more padded envelopes. I really go through those and Sams has the best price around.

I am just throwing this picture of the room I slept in in Scotland, because, you know, there is a book thing going on in this post!





I am working on some sort of weekly format for the bloggy thing. There are so many things you can participate in on a weekly basis, and some of them are right up my alley, so you may be seeing some changes as this developes.

Jean-Claude's Close-up

Jean-Claude is a whiskery boy.

I had to go back to my Marion store today, since I had found the BEFINE packets there and haven't seen them anywhere else. I was able to buy 3 more for my limit of 5. I also needed some copy paper and it was on sale for $3.49.

2 reams of paper = $6.98
3 BeFines $5.97
1 Colgate TP $2.99
one tuna $1.00
----------------------------
16.94
-5 off of 15 and $1 colgate coupon=10.94
-10 ECBS
+ .08 tax=$1.02 which I paid for with the remaining .63 on my old card and .39 on my new card. I received 9 ecbs for the BeFines and 2.99 for the colgate for a total of $11.99.

Spent 10 ecbs and $1.02 =11.02 so I made .97 this trip.

This week-end I will photograph the items I am sending to Afghanistan, before I pack it all up.

It WORKED!!!

I turned ECB's into a Gift Card! Ok, little bit excited there. I bought two RX essentials for people who use painkillers like Ibuprofin. Hello! That would be me. They were $14.99, but buy one get one free. I also have a rebate form for the total cost of one, so will be sending that in immediately. I also had two $5 coupons for them that I was able to use. I also bought two BE FINE facial packs for $1.99 that were giving back $3 in ECB's each. Then I added the $10 CVS gift card. Soooooo...

14.99 RX essentials (2)
3.98 BeFine Facials (2)
10.00 Gift Card
__________
28.97 minus-12.99 in ECBS (leaving me only $4 ecbs left, but getting more w/this transaction)
=$15.98- 5 off of $15
= 10.98- two $5 coupons
=.98 +.01 tax

Out of Pocket=.99

S0, I spent .99 + my $12.99 in ECBS. =13.98

I will get back $14.99 in rebate check for the RX essential. I have a $10 gift card and I got $6 in ECBS. The secret was paying the ECB's first and coupons last.

This was my best trip yet. Basically a $17 profit, minus the cost of a stamp. You can see how other folks are saving at Money Saving Moms Super Saving Saturday!

CVS will be reinbursed for the coupons, and the b1g1 free deal by the manufacturers. In answer to yesterdays response, they can stay in business because very few people go to the trouble to figure it all out. I have had people tell me they just throw those cash register coupons away. MONEY, people.

Also, if you pay the normal price for stuff there, it is more expensive than say, Walmart, but my point is to avoid paying those prices and use the deals to pay for the other stuff I want or need.

March 12, 2008

I have less than a dollar left on my CVS gift card, so I am going to try to roll it over into a new $10 gift card today. I can't pay for a gift card with ECB's but I can buy it with manufacturer's coupons. I have two $5 coupons for RX Essentials, and they are buy 1 get one free this week, and I have a rebate form to get $14.99 back on one, so today is the day. I will let you know how it goes. Did I confuse you again, 7?

This week at CVS 3-9 to 3-15

Garnier Fructis hair stuff on sale for $2.99 and giving back $2 ECB's, limit of 2.
Alavert on sale for $7.99 and giving back $3 ECB's and a $4 printable coupon here.
Colgate is a monthly deal, $2.99 and giving back $2.99 ECB's, plus I have a $1 coupon.



So, 5.98 for GF, 7.99 alavert, 2.99 colgate=16.96-5 off of 15 CVS money off coupon -4 coupon -1 coupon= $6.96 paid with two $2.99 ECBS, and the second one had to be adjusted down to 2.96. Out of pocket I paid .12 tax. I got $4 ECB, $3 ECB and $2.99 ECB. So in conclusion, I used 5.98 in ECBS and got back 9.99 ECBS, for a difference of 4.01 -.12 tax.
3.89 is basically what I was paid to take this stuff home.

This sets me up for my next deal. Uh huh, uh huh!

February at CVS

I visit websites from emails and use MYPOINTS as my shopping portal on-line so I rack up points pretty quickly there. In January I used 6750 of them to order a $50 gift card at CVS. I got it in time to start out the month and put all my purchases on the card. I had no ECB's to start the month out. At the end of the month I still had $12.17 left on the card and $5 in ECB's so I spent a total of $32.83. This is a list of what I bought. Some of it goes in a box to be mailed to ANYSOLDIER in Iraq and some will go to the local Women's Shelter.

1. 1 GB San Disk thumb drive
2. 1 large Johnson's Lotion- anti-stress
3. 3 chewable CVS 81mg aspirin
4. 2 pkg Stayfree minipads
5. 2 90ct Benefiber Chewables
6. 3 pkg NutriTrim Gum
7. 1 8pk Viva towels
8. 3 Palmolive dishwashing soap
9. 2 12roll Cottonelle tp
10. 1 Venus razor
11. 1 box Kleenex
12. 3 pkg Kotex pads
13. 1 Gillette Phenom Razor
14. 1 32 ct box Bayer Aspirin
15. 1 8 roll Charmin
16. 2 Mt. Dews
17. 2 Maybelline Eye Shadow
18. 1 Sambucol -flu relief
19. 5 Boost Smoothies-raspberry!
20. 1 can tuna
21. 2 100ct Excederin
22. 2 Theraflu

The thumb drive was $19.99 and the two razors were $9.99 each. After I get my flyer for next week in tomorrows paper, I will line up my deals and share them with you.

cvs part 2

CVS -Part 2

First let me say that this is my new treasure hunt fun. For the past 8 years I have been selling clothing and books on EBAY and thrift shops and yard sales have been my treasure hunts. However, I have so much current inventory that hasn't been listed that I can not justify buying anymore until I clear it out, sooooo, I needed something else to satisfy the scavenger in me. This is it.

ECB- Extra Care Bucks

When you sign up for your extra care card, you begin earning money on your first purchase. You get 2% of the total you spend at CVS back in ECB's quarterly. Since our goal is to spend as little as possible, this won't amount to much.

However, CVS also has Monthly and Weekly ECB deals. This month, when you buy a certain size of CVS vitamin C, a specific size of Colgate Total toothpaste or Lypsyl lip moisturizer, you get ECB coupons worth the same amount you paid for those items. Every month the deals change. They also have deals like buy $20 worth of Benefiber, get $10 ECBs. These print out at the bottom of your receipt when you have fulfilled the terms of the deal. It doesn't have to be in one transaction, but does have to be in the same week or month. The links I have posted above also list whatever manufacturers coupons have come out for these items that are not expired.

After you have been using your CVS card for a few weeks, CRT's or Coupon Register Tape coupons will start printing out for items you have bought previously. You can combine CVS Crt coupons and manufacturers coupons for the best deal. When you combine the ECB deals with double coupons and the money off coupons we talked about in part 1, the savings will amaze you. Next time I will line out the deals I will be working next week, so you will see how it all works.

Jean-Claude and Mica

Okay, how cute is this?

and this?

cvs part 1

I hope you are ready to learn something new. At least it was new to me. There are three CVS pharmacies in the vicinity these days, and I had never been in any of them. Until January 21st. That is the day it all started. I am not sure now how I found out about it, but I did. If you are not brand loyal-I am Not, and you have room to stockpile, you can save mucho bucks with the current CVS system. I really don't care where you currently buy the following list of items, you can save doing it this way.

• Toilet Paper, paper towels, tissue
• Laundry soap, dish soap, dishwasher detergent, cleaning supplies
• Body lotion, shampoo, conditioner, razors, blades, bathing supplies
• Toothpaste, tooth brushes, dental floss
• Vitamins
• Aspirin/painkiller, cold medicine, fiber supplements

Even if you are brand loyal, if it is a brand carried by CVS you will probably have opportunities to save big time.

You need to get a CVS ExtraCare card. You can do it online or at the store. If you fill out the form at the store you can start using it immediately. Once you have a card, you sign up online for the email offers and they send you an email with a $4 off of $20 purchase coupon. You can make multiple copies of this and use it until it expires. There will be others later, but this is your first MONEY OFF coupon. This month, March 08, there is a $5 off of $15 available on various websites.

Tip #1- Try and keep your total purchase above but as close to the amount of your money off coupon as possible. This is your total before coupons.

Tomorrow I will talk about ECB's or Extra Care Bucks. Here is what I got for 24 cents today. I actually really like the benefiber chewables!

Ice Ice Baby

3:00pm--It didn't go away, but I don't think it is here to stay. It is supposed to be sunny tomorrow and up to 44 so it will all disappear. This is my poor lilac, by my front porch. You notice the ice and snow isn't really sticking to the ground. That is because two days ago it was in the high 60's and the ground is too warm. It hasn't started to stick to the roads yet either, which is a good thing because I still need to get to the Post Office and drop off some packages and then to Sam's for some printer ink.

Alrighty then. Maybe I spoke too soon.

The picture above was taken at 3pm when I got home from work, and the picture below is at 4:30pm, after running errands. I think the ground has cooled down somewhat, don't you?

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Here's my little boy, Jean-Claude and doesn't it look like his front legs are reversed and should change places? He always brings his eyes to half mast when he sees the camera. He knows all about that darn flash!! And check out his sisters markings. She is a beautiful tortoiseshell.

Ok, so it's raining right now, supposed to start sleeting (wintry mix) by 6:00pm and then snow in the morning. Snow on top of an icy base. Where have we seen this before? Oh yeah, two and three weeks ago. I will be sure to check the SIU webpage when my alarm goes off tomorrow. Maybe they will shut the University down again. Doubtful.

I have become a CVS treasure hunter, making the most of those ECB's and coupon deals. I have been a member of MYPOINTS for ages and had enough points saved up to cash in for a $5o gift card at CVS so I used that as my starting point. I just finished figuring out my February purchases and as soon as I can come up with a readable format I am going to detail them here.

Cinnamon and Honey

My mom sent me an email about the health benefits of Cinnamon and Honey. Since I have been having more and more problems with my knees, I decided I will give it a try. She tried the mixture in a hot tea but had problems with the cinnamon settling. I will give it a try on toast. I am starting today, so we will see how I feel next month!


It is a beautiful day today, supposed to get up in the 70's, but down to the 50's for a high tomorrow and chance of snow on Tuesday. What a winter this has been. The University has been closed three days so far for the ice storms, which hasn't happened in a long time!



My kittens are almost 8 months old and I actually caught Sassy snuggled up with Jean-Claude the other day, which is a first, other than photo shoots I arranged!