Snip, Clip, Save..

Today I spent almost 3 consecutive hours of my life in a freaking grocery store... with a very hyper, talkative, and easily distracted 4-year-old boy. Standing in front of the cart while I am in the middle of a busy grocery store intersection, doing pull ups on the cart, asking questions constantly, playing 'ninja turtle kicks bad guy butt' on a shelf of canned food, accidentally knocking down said canned food, constantly asking questions that are meant to fry a mom's brain, etc. I'm sure it sounds like he's a misbehaved kid- he's really not. He just hit the '1 1/2 hours in the grocery store' mark and couldn't hold his energy in. I really don't blame him!

I let him bring a ninja turtle, a bad guy, and even his Leapster, and he STILL found a way to frazzle my brain to the point of a stimulation-induced fibromyalgia headache. Although, it doesn't seem to take much these days! I feel so bad because he's SO excited to talk to me about everything. But he's equally, if not more so, ready to whine and complain. I actually miss the days when my child was more physically exhausting rather than mentally exhausting! I say that now, but when I have another child and go through those phases again I'm sure I will take that back, haha. But it really does seem like I've lost more of my memory, patience, and articulation since he's been 4!

Anyway, lately (since I've been a SAHM), I've been SUPER focused on couponing to save money. It's so addicting!! I don't religiously watch the show Extreme Couponing, but I don't COMPLETELY live under a rock and have seen it. I am envious of the people on there who leave the grocery store paying almost nothing or even getting PAID to buy things. How the heck do they do that?! Although, I don't think they go shopping for EVERYTHING they need. I don't go shopping for just sports drinks, toilet paper, or razors. I'm trying to save on everyday items that I have to purchase no matter what. I'm just learning the ins and outs of coupons and what the fine print means, and I don't understand how it can be possible to cut back on 90% of your normal household grocery spending. Shoot, I did a little dance to celebrate that I reached my goal of 12% savings today!! Woo-woo! Haha. I know that probably seems pathetic compared to some people, but that was the most I've ever saved during a big grocery shopping trip and I'm excited.

Here are the main ways I save money on groceries...

• Sunday paper. I get SO happy on Sundays because I get to clip new coupons- I'm so thankful that my husband doesn't put me away when I smile like a freak looking at that pretty orange plastic bag in our driveway. I actually found a code online that made my paper $0.19/issue for a year!! I was paying over $15/8 weeks! I am not freaking kidding you. If you pay full price for your Sunday paper right now, keep looking for online codes that could give you a HUGE discount. It may not always work, but the first one I found did and I am so grateful I checked.
• Online coupons. Heck yes. I finally restocked my ink the other day and I have been looking on every coupon and manufacturer's website to find coupons. The main coupons sites that I have found mostly have the same coupons, but if you look hard enough you will probably be able to find coupons for the food you actually buy.
• Sales! You're obviously going to save more when you use a coupon on a sale item. Booyeah! Look out for the sales on certain items, stock up on coupons, and use those coupons during the sale to drop down the price. If you know you will use that product, build a stockpile at that time so you won't have to buy that product again for a while. If you're going to pay anyway, you might as well pay NOW and pay LESS when you do so. Common sense, I know, but a lot of people I know still don't do this.
• Rebate apps!! Rebate apps! If you have a smartphone, you are SO blessed. Get these free applications NOW- Checkout51 and Ibotta. I have made more using Checkout51, but there is a higher minimum payout amount ($20). Once you reach that amount, you request a payout and they will send you a check right to your home and you can start earning all over again. With Ibotta, you only have to rack up $5 and they will transfer it to your Paypal account. They do have other payment methods, though. They both work basically the same way- they have different offers that sometimes expire (Checkout51 updates new offers every Thursday). You buy those exact items they have listed, upload a receipt (with Ibotta you have to also verify the barcode of the item you purchased) from the time those offers were available, and you can earn rebates from the products you might already purchase. Milk, eggs, bread, oatmeal, yogurt, fruit, veggies, Glade candles, Dole fruit juice, cleaning supplies, noodles, olives, vitamins, chips-- these are all things that I have earned money on with Checkout51. I HAVE found out, though, that the more you use the app, the more offers you get and brands to choose from. So don't get frustrated when you don't earn that much the first couple of times you use it.
• Rewards cards. Whatever stores you shop at the most- get a freaking rewards card. You will save more than you think. If you keep procrastinating, thinking, "Oh, yeah, I should do that. But it's just a card, and I use coupons. How much more could I really save?" A lot. Get one. Stop putting it off and get one, because when coupons fail, sometimes that rewards card will be your saving grace. I still give my rewards card to the cashier every time to run even if I don't think there are any coupons or specials on it, and just about every time I was surprised that it did actually save me more money. Many stores have phone apps that you can get coupons from that load it directly to your rewards card. Talk about convenient!!

If anyone has more money-saving tips for groceries, PLEASE share! I'm learning more about this couponing thing every day and would love to get some advice because I'm soaking it up like a sponge.

And if you're one of those walk-out-of-the-store-with-all-your-cash-because-your-coupons-paid-for-everything people, I'm DYING to know your secret. I'm begging you.

Happy saving!

Living With Fibromyalgia

I've experienced the pain of fibro since I was a young girl. It would hurt to walk and I couldn't explain why, and my muscles and joints hurt or were fatigued for no reason. My pediatrician didn't know enough about the condition and thought it was something I would grow out of, so I didn't do my research until later on when it began affecting me more. There are many more extreme cases than mine, but it still does impact many of my activities at times and I would like to provide some information I've learned about it over the years. Every body and every fibro patient is differently, though, so what hurts me may not hurt you, and what helps me may not help you.

What is fibromyalgia?

It is a musculoskeletal disorder that causes widespread pain and fatigue. Basically, it affects the way your brain processes pain. Even though nothing is damaging your body, painful sensations are amplified immensely and can be impossible to ignore.

The Symptoms:

• Widespread pain and fatigue. There are many tender points that help doctors diagnose fibromyalgia (see right). These points, however, may not be the actual areas you are having the most pain. My muscle pain occurs mainly in my legs and left arm. It is a sharp pain at times, but usually I describe it as a constant, dull ache that flares up worse if I don't take it easy. There is also joint pain that makes me feel like I'm a fragile, brittle woman beyond my years, and a "bone" pain (to me, it feels like my bones are breaking). One of the worst pains associated with fibro, in my opinion, is the stinging skin. You know that feeling when your foot falls asleep and as it starts reviving you feel that horrible tingling? It's kind of like that, plus getting the chills that hurt when you have the flu... but worse. Everything that comes in contact with your skin stings- water, towels, certain clothing, hugs, air, etc. I have found that hot (like, hot tub hot) baths help about 60% of the time, and other times I just need to bundle up in the softest, non-scratchy clothes I have and let myself do nothing until the pain subsides a little.
• Cognitive problems. "Fibro fog." This is my most disliked symptom and in addition, or probably because, this one has the most impact on me. This includes difficulty with concentration, attention span, and memory. I think this is the hardest symptom to find an accurate and elaborate description of online. Measly, everyday tasks can become overwhelming and incapacitating because of not being able to focus, multitask, or to even be aware of my surroundings. Simple questions about my feelings are a challenge because I mix up words and am sometimes unable to formulate sentences. I know what I want to say in my head, yet when I try speaking it feels like my entire vocabulary just evaporated into thin air. It is frustrating when it's a crucial conversation and you can't get it together. Over-stimulation enhances the cognitive symptoms tremendously.
• Migraines
• Stiffness
• Numbness/tingling/muscle twitches
• Sleep problems. This can be anything from insomnia to waking up not feeling refreshed or rested. 
• Poor balance/coordination. I will admit that I run into corners of walls... a lot. Learning to laugh it off helps!
• Sensory overload. I feel this often. If there is too much stimulation around me, I freeze up and cannot concentrate. Certain fluorescent lights do this, as well as too much background noise, or changes to the pressure, temperature, and/or humidity. 
• Tendency to cry easily
• Bruising easily
• Popping/cracking of bones. All. The. Time.

There are more symptoms and details, but I listed the major ones that I deal with. Some of these have broken my self esteem down. I can't lie, it made me feel like less of a person because I was unable to recall important things, handle stimulation or pressure, or be as articulate as I know I can be. It still makes me feel selfish when I have to rest and am therefore not productive throughout the day because I feel pain that originates in my brain. I am getting better at pinpointing my triggers and knowing when to just take care of myself so I can bounce back more quickly. If I overdo it, it will only make it worse.

Finding Relief: Improve Your Lifestyle

Now, I know hearing these things gets old, but there is a reason everybody keeps saying them. It works. Taking care of you body and the most basic, physical level of existence is a major key to feeling better on the inside. Not getting enough sleep, a poor diet, and stress can knock you down and keep you there. That being said...

• Get a good night's sleep. Now, I know feeling well-rested isn't really a fibro patient's forte and no matter what anybody says about trying to improve the quality of sleep we get, realizing that quality sleep won't ever be guaranteed for us is probably something that we need to come to terms with. But there ARE ways to make the best of the sleep you get.
• Go to bed at a decent time. For me, I get the best results if I go to sleep between 9-10pm. I know for many people that is not possible, and even though it helps me I don't do that everyday because I enjoy giving in to my night owl tendencies. Just don't fight sleep until 1am every day and expect to not have full-on fibro fog and a migraine when you wake up.
• Assign a regular bedtime and wake-up, get-up time. Aiming to sleep around the same time every day really does help.
• Avoid caffeine a few hours before that bedtime.
• Eat right. Don't eat junk all the time. The difference you will feel is amazing. I'm not talking about becoming vegan or gluten-free (if that is your personal choice, good for you- I'm not inclined to do so, but I'm not against the concept), I'm just talking about avoiding processed foods. Eating fresh fruits and veggies and lean meats. If you like cow's milk, drink skim. Little adjustments here and there in your diet will greatly affect your overall health and you WILL notice a difference. You don't have to swear away all fast food places for the rest of your life, but you really are what you eat.
• Manage alcohol consumption. By manage, I mean reduce. Sometimes I like to relax with a few glasses of wine, but if it happens more than a couple days a week I notice it takes a toll on my body and mind. I feel more fog, pain, and stiffness.
• Exercise. I have tried so many different exercises over the years, and my body could not handle many. Don't overdo it, but don't completely stop. Find a balance. I found mine with pilates, yoga, and stretching. Stretching alone works wonders on days that you don't think you can exert yourself during a pilates workout. 
• Don't take on too much, and be easy on yourself. Learn how to say "no." Learn boundaries. Don't isolate yourself, but also realize it's okay to decline an outing because you're not feeling well. Don't try to multitask all the time and understand you might have to complete tasks one at a time, slow and steady. That's okay. Don't feel that you are selfish because you have sensory overload and need some quiet time.
• Find a support system. I am blessed to have such a wonderful husband. He does his best to understand what I go through to the point of researching it himself. He does what he can to help me and listen, but he also doesn't let me "play victim" because of my pain. Build a support system of people who are willing to listen to you. There are so many forums online of wonderful people in the same position as you, going through the same things. Reach out.

There is no cure, but we can and will learn to live our lives to the fullest. We can't let fibromyalgia win and steal our quality of life. If these things help for you as well, I am thrilled. Of course, always talk to your doctor about all of your concerns and symptoms. Learn to love and take care of yourself in the best way. You are NOT fibro.