For the week of August 16, I’m just going to point you in the direction of the best coupon matches. The deals aren’t very good and I’m still in a wee bit of pain…OK, lots. I have posts coming to you for a few days while I attempt to recover, and of course I’ll post any great deals as they pop up.

Without further ado (for once )

Moms By Heart: Walgreens

Southern Savers: CVS

Mommy Snacks: Kroger

Stretching a Buck- Rite Aid, Target

Deal Seeking Mom- Walmart

Coupon Cravings: Kmart Super Double Deals

I want to thank all these wonderful ladies for spending the time to do these matches. They honestly are labor intensive and detail oriented tasks, and I couldn’t do all of those!

It looks like today is gonna have to be my “off day” because I have an 8 a.m. MRI that will most likely take all morning, and then render me useless for the rest of the day. I’ve been having back problems for about 6 months and we’re still trying to figure out if it’s from the Spina bifida or if it’s another issue that can be fixed without constant medication. I used to think I was pretty tough when it came to pain but the older I get, the wimpier I get I’m tellin’ ya. Or maybe I’m just smart enough to realize I don’t have to put up with pain. Either way, here are a few great blogs you can get some great deals with.

Coupon Cravings- Erin always has the latest and greatest freebies!
Bargain Briana- Briana has your match ups for Whole Foods, Kroger, Meijer, Aldi and more!
Being Frugal is Fabulous is the place to go for all things Northern California!
Budget Help$- This is THE spot for finding out about the newest printable coupons.
Money Saving Tips for the Keeper at Home- Rachael is just awesome! She did my sweet blog header, she has 2 adorable babies, and she reviews some awesome children’s/family products!

Those are my top 5 for the week! I don’t want to keep you so busy you forget about me

I will be back as usual tomorrow, God willing, and I’ll still have a few more posts up today that you might find interesting. Thanks for continuing to understand! My goal is to get 100% healthy so I can give you 200%!

This week’s blog of the week is one that I mentioned in this post about e-coupons, Chief Family Officer. I’ve been reading this blog for probably about a year (one of my first), thanks to Erin at Coupon Cravings, but Chief Family Officer has been around since 2005.

Cathy, the author, is an attorney who is married with two absolutely adorable kids. How she makes time for blogging is beyond me, but I’m happy she does. Chief Family Officer got my attention because it was different from the “deal blogs” I’d been reading (and still do!). While Cathy does write about finances, and saving money for her family in many ways, she writes about so much more. She shares with us her family life, including great parenting stories. Cathy also posts product reviews and product recalls. It is especially necessary for the safety of your children to learn about product recalls, and they can often be hard to find. Cathy takes the work out of it for you by posting these recalls.

I like the fact that Cathy participates in personal finance carnivals, and also reads and comments other blogs. I was honored (I’m a total geek) when she left a comment on my blog! It makes me (and I’m sure many other bloggers) feel really good when you have someone you consider quite successful stop by and read what you write.

When I discover a blog I really enjoy, I often will sit in front of my computer one day and read from the beginning to learn more about the author and their blog. I like to read series that are created by the blog author, whether it’s short-term or a weekly posting (like my Tool Box Tuesday). At Chief Family Officer, I found the Giving Challenge. Started in 2008, the series focused on giving away one item a day for 29 days because “to see the world change, we have to do something to change the world”. Being able to give more freely is one reason many of us practice frugal living.

I recommend bookmarking CFO or subscribing so you always stay up to date on the latest products and recalls. Cathy also hosts giveaways of some really awesome products, so you really want to read often and enter the giveaways.

To get the latest from Chief Family Officer, consider subscribing to posts via a reader or e-mail. You can click on the link in my blog roll to get there, as well.

What do you look for in a blog that keeps you coming back for more? For me, it’s originality and consistency in posting. It didn’t take me long to realize how important it is to post new things often, because I recently lost interest in a couple of blogs I read because nothing was posted for many days at a time. Please let me know if you have any requests, comments or suggestions. I’m always happy to try to oblige.

I’m going out to do a few deals of my own today and hopefully be reminded of the joy I used to derive from couponing, because I’ve been seriously lacking lately . Hopefully I’ll be able to hit Target, Walgreens, CVS, Publix and Rite Aid while we are out. This article by Deal Seeking Mom- Back to Homeschool on a Budget- is full of great tips for you homeschooling parents who don’t want to spend a fortune!

I have a couple of things scheduled for the day, but will be out of town so I won’t be posting throughout the day like normal. Here’s a few things you might be interested in, and I’ll be back Tuesday for more deals and fun!

Visit Bargain Briana to learn how to get over 500 free song downloads from Amazon, including one from Brooke White of AmericanIdol fame. While you’re there, get the info on a free book download from Colum McCann called Let the Great World Spin.

All Things Frugal 4 You and Me has the scoop on a new activity/coupon book at Walgreens, and you’re going to want to read carefully because there’s a hot deal possibility 8/9 when you get that book!

“Cents”able Momma does a Prescription Coupon update each week to let us know what sales ads have coupons for gift cards available with a new and/or transferred prescription.

It’s Hip to Save has a scenario for a hot moneymaker at Walgreens!!

Last but not ever least, Money Saving Mom has a cute guest post on creating some family playtime fun!

There are probably a few of you who haven’t signed up for Swagbucks. Well, you should!

Visit Mike’s World, and take a look at all of the great things you can get with your Swagbucks, just for searching the internet. You’ll do that anyway, why not get rewarded for it?

Cheesy title, right? Sorry! If you’ll remember my post on Twittering your way to saving money, you should remember that you can often find out about great sales, coupons and promotions by following your favorite brands on Twitter.

All You has a Daily Savings blog with all kinds of tips and tricks to help you save money. This list of hot companies to follow on Twitter will definitely get you started on your journey to saving money by using Twitter.

I read a lot of blogs; so many that I can (and have) sat down in front of my computer, started reading, and when I looked up at the clock several hours had passed. Since most of you probably do not have the time available to you that I am blessed with, each week I am going to highlight one of the many blogs I read and enjoy. There are probably at least 100, so I won’t finish any time soon. Blogs I mention will not all be “deal blogs” or consumer oriented. They will be enjoyable and informative, and do more than just repeat information you can find on any blog you read. A lot of deal info is often repeated, which is fine, but a good blog also has original content and the writer shares with us a part of his or her life. Well, a good blog for me meets those qualities. I’m still striving to get mine to that point.

I have told you about some blogs already, so I’ll start with one I have not mentioned. All Things Frugal 4-U and Me is a fun blog to read. She shares her family life with us from cooking to managing a lot of children (and I do mean a lot), and talks about faith, surviving loss of the worst possible kind, and is probably the most up beat person I’ve ever seen. If you don’t think you can possibly cope with 2 kids on a bad day, she’ll make you feel better (or maybe worse, because she’s got the patience of Job I believe).

There are a lot of deals that are had by this family, as you can tell by the major shopping photos she posts, which feed her large family. What some of you may find refreshing is her life with her autistic child. While certainly not easy, she takes the good and the bad and makes life work the way it’s supposed to for them.

Take a while to visit this family, and accept her words as a ministry to show how great life can be, how great God is, even in the worst of circumstances. I’m so happy to have “met” them.

One of the greatest perks of living frugally and bargain shopping is the ability to share your abundance with others. However, it can still be difficult to have dinners and shower others will meals when they need them when you’re trying to stick to a tight budget. Money Saving Mom has a great guest post on practicing hospitality on a budget, and it’s full of wonderful tips to help you realize that you can save and still share with others.

Target’s toy clearance is in full swing, with lots of toys at 75% off now! I was just in there and couldn’t believe the deals. If you are going to need toys soon, visit It’s Hip to Save and take a look at all of the great toy info.