Looking For One More Single Mom!

So, if you keep up with the blog at all, you know about the Mom2Mom program that was rolled out earlier this month. The program was designed for moms in the Bay Area to connect with eachother to see about becoming roommates or swapping childcare.

Well, through the program I actually met an awesome mom who has two children close to the age of my sons, who was looking to live in Sunnyvale, like me. We both were interested in swapping childcare, and our schedules synced perfectly to where we were available to watch eachother's kids on the times and days that we needed, it couldn't have worked out better!

So we were talking and both of us agreed that if we could find another mom who is looking for the same things as we are, then the three of us could afford a house as opposed to an apartment, and it could just be a great opportunity for everybody, all around!

So, if you are a mom who is interested in living in the Sunnyvale/Cupertino/Mountain View area and looking to move around February 1st, shoot me an email with what you're looking for and how much rent you can afford, and I will get in touch!

Hope to hear from you soon!

mysingleseason@gmail.com

Time For New Year's Resolutions!

New Year's Eve is upon us, and I don't know what that means for you, but for me it means: NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS!!!

I LOVE making my list of resolutions, and I love the feeling of a fresh start at the beginning of the year. I'm really hoping that 2012 can make up for 2011... and especially 2010, which was the worst year of my life...

Four days into 2010 my brother Ryan committed suicide. It was the most awful thing I had ever experienced, and it essentially set the tone for the 12 months that followed. I developed a drug habit as an attempt to cope with the pain and then it was all downhill from there...

So today, just four days away from welcoming 2012 with open arms, I am anticipating my best year yet. Here are a few of my mile long list of things I plan to do differently in 2012:

• Start saving money
• Get back on the diet that I let fall by the wayside as soon as Thanksgiving rolled around
• Have my kids in bed by 9 (or 9:30, if I'm being realistic)
• Have myself in bed by 10:30
• Avoid Drive Thru restaurants at all costs
• Develop and stick to a routine
• Blog at least once a day
• Exercise
• Think about quitting smoking
• Buy a more economical car
• Move out of our one bedroom "cottage" and into a place where we're not tripping over eachother
• Get back into my couponing groove
• Stop buying scratch off lottery tickets

I would keep going but my lunch break is over and I'm already exhausted from realizing the big job I have ahead of me in even reaching three of the above mentioned goals...

Do you have any helpful resolutions that I may have left off my list?

Here's to making 2012 the BEST year so far!!!

A Second Chance at a Bank Account

As I mentioned before, I am in ChexSystems and unable to have a traditional bank account at a bank like Bank of America or Chase. For the most part it's okay because there are other options available, such as AccountNow which I talked about here, but if you ever find yourself in a position where you need to rent a car, for example, it can be nearly impossible without a debit card from a "Brick and Mortar" bank.

If you are in the same position and unable to open a checking account for whatever reason, you should register for Bank on San Jose. The program is run by United Way of Silicon Valley, and if you sign up and attend one of their financial classes you will receive a certificate that you can take to one of the participating banks or credit unions and they will help you open a "Second Chance Account".

Opening an account at a credit union is a great idea, especially if you anticipate trying to get a car loan in the near future. They usually have the best rates on loans, so I would suggest signing up for this program at yout earliest convenience. The website has the class schedule (they are all held in the evenings for the most part), the list of participating institutions, as well as the answers to just about every question you might have.

Make 2012 your year of financial independence!

Merry Christmas!

I just wanted to take a moment to wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas! I know my postings have been pretty sporadic (or non-existant) lately, but it's only because of the holiday chaos. I plan to be updating regularly again once things have calmed down. So stay posted, bare with me, and have a great Christmas everyone!

Waitlist Open For Ohlone Court Apartments In South San Jose

If you are looking for affordable housing in San Jose the Ohlone Court Apartments have opened their waitlist. Ohlone Court offers 1,2,3 and even 4 bedroom apartments, and based on the information I found online the rent for a four bedroom starts at just $1,323 a month.

If you are a single mom and feel like you could benefit from living with another single mom, you could probably qualify for one of these units and only pay a very reasonable amount of rent every month. If you want to meet other single parents you can always leave a comment with a little info about yourself on this page and if everything goes as planned another mom will see it and the two of you can start communicating!

Another Site Dedicated to Helping Those In Need

If you are struggling with a problem that other services listed on this blog can't really accomodate, you may want to check out ModestNeeds.org.
It is similar to 2hands.org, the site that I mentioned earlier today, in that it offers a platform to express a need to people all over the country who may be willing, and in a position, to help.
I was browsing the site today to get an idea of the types of assistance that they generally help fund, and I saw everything from financial help in order to get utilities restored, assistance in paying next months rent, assistance for car repairs and even purchasing a car altogether. There are also a lot of requests for help with costly medical procedures.
Sites like this always require patience on the behalf of the person requesting help, but if you have a genuine need people will realize that and there are people out there who want to help.

Just In Time For Christmas - This Program Sounds Amazing...

Since I have spent the majority of my twenties scouring the internet trying to find websites with information on programs and resources I sometimes feel like I have seen them all... So I am always really excited when I come across something new that I can share with the people around me.

Last night I received an email from a reader suggesting that I look at 2hands.org. I checked it out and was immediately blown away at this program, along with the fact that I had never heard of it!

The site describes itself as a "platform" for those in need to reach out to those in a position to help them meet that need. I read through some of the success stories and was almost brought to tears. Apparently this website is run by three volunteers, and naturally they are very busy this time of year, but they do say that they are dedicated to addressing every person who contacts them.

So whether you need a little help getting that one toy on your child's Christmas list, or God has really blessed you this year and you are in a position to do the helping, go ahead and take a look around the site, it's pretty amazing!

**A special thanks to Debbie N. who forwarded this information along, I am always open to suggestions!!!***

CoAbode - Interesting Resource for Single Moms

The other day I happened to stumble across CoAbode , a website dedicated to pairing up single moms with the same preferences, lifestyles and incomes to become roommates. The website claims that the program can cut living expenses by as much as 50% and that two single moms raising their children together have a much higher chance at success than those struggling alone...

So I just wanted to throw that out there, it may be something worth looking into!

Tips For Finding Housing on Craigslist

If you have spent any amount of time on Craigslist looking for your next apartment, chances are you have encountered at least one fraudulent ad. These ads are usually believable, in that they provide beautiful photos, and in a lot of cases a legitimate address that you could drive by and look at. They are written in perfect English and can even offer details on school districts that the home is located in.

The point of these ads is to get you to respond expressing your interest in this unbelievable deal. Once you have responded the poster will get back to you explaining that the unit is still available and all you need to do is send them money to some faraway land that they happen to be located in because of some misfortune that they are experiencing. Once you send them the money they will send you the keys and the place will be yours. How AWESOME is THAT?!

Just thinking about the people who post these ads makes my skin crawl. The worst part about it though is that people are falling for this every day! I have actually met people who have sent thousands of dollars to some friendly stranger and then been shocked weeks later when they realize that they not only don't have a place to live, but they just got cheated out of the money that should have gone to finding a real place.

Here are some no fail guidelines to using Craigslist to find your next dream home without getting robbed by these disgusting thieves:

1. If it sounds too good to be true, it is. There is no such thing as a 5 bedroom for $900, no matter how pretty the pictures on the ad are, simple as that.
2. If there is no phone number listed, don't bother. This is one rule that I stick to pretty religiously. Anyone interested in legitimately renting their home out is not going to limit their inquiries to people with email access.
3. If there is a toll free number, I usually don't bother... This one isn't so much related to the scam as it is to another problem on Craigslist which is people trying to get you into a "Rent to Own" property which ends up costing you more in the long run, or they try to sell you a list of foreclosed properties that they claim you could buy with the amount you would be spending on rent.

So yeah, I guess those are my three main tips on avoiding wasting time on Craigslist. It can be a valuable tool in locating your next home, but only if you can dodge the scammers.

Know Your Rights As A Renter

I think that the majority of the people who read this blog probably currently rent their living quarters. Some people have great relationships with their landlords, and some only dealt with them when they were signing their lease and then never had to deal with them again since. Regardless of your personal relationship with your landlord, property management company, etc., there may come a time when an issue arises and you suddenly feel like you're fighting a giant.

For me this was the case back in March when my roommate moved out and we no longer had the number of occupants necessary to stay in the three bedroom apartment that we were renting. There were other issues as well and long story short I came home one day to find a Three Day Notice to Vacate.

Three days is not enough time to do ANYTHING, let alone find a new place, pack up your old place, and get everything moved from one location to another. I was so stressed and I had no idea where to turn for help.

I contacted Project Sentinel in Sunnyvale and went in and talked to them and explained my situation. They explained that one of the services that they offer is "Tenant-Landlord Mediation". They contacted the leasing office of the apartment and managed to get them to give me until the end of the month (an additional three weeks in this case) to find somewhere else to live. Not only that, but they also negotiated the whole incident not to be reflected negatively on my credit report. They helped me out a lot!

So regardless of what the issue, if you are having a problem and you are a renter, contact Project Sentinel to find out if you are being treated fairly and see how they suggest you resolve the situation.

Got Free Time?

If you like to help people and have some free time on your hands, volunteering is great. Not only does it give you a great feeling, but it can actually benefit you during a job search because volunteering can (and should!) be added to your resume.

While I was between jobs I spent two afternoons a week volunteering in the kitchen at CityTeam Ministries in San Jose. They always have plenty of spots available, and the people there are absolutely amazing. I don't think it's possible to leave there in a bad mood!

So if you are looking for a constructive way to pass your time, could use some more "meat" to add to your resume, and like to help people in need, CityTeam Ministries is a great volunteer opportunity!

Another List of Affordable Housing Providers in Santa Clara County

I came across another list of affordable units today while I was browsing around online. You can look at the list Here .

If you haven't already taken advantage of the original list of available housing resources in our area, you can see the first post about it Here .

Need a New Car?

Who doesn't? I am definitely in the market for a new car... I have a Jeep Grand Cherokee that I love, but it's pushing 250,000 miles and it's a V8 which means gas alone costs me about $100... Ugh, I don't even like thinking about it...

If you are looking for a newer model car and can commit to pinching your pennies until February 8, 2012 then the California State Vehicle Fleet auction might be the answer! These auctions are held in Davis, CA every six weeks (except the next one is a little ways out, two months, but it gives us time to save up!) and they feature "retired" state vehicles. They are mainly American made cars (Chevy's, Ford''s, etc.) and the majority of them are pretty recent models... These cars were once owned by such departments as the Department of Fish & Game, correctional officers, and other state agencies.

Here is a list of the cars that are going to be available at the auction in February, and to give you an idea of the unbelievable prices that these cars go for I've included the list of the results from the most recent auction Here .

A 2002 Chevy Cavalier for $2,100? I'll take it! A 2009 Dodge Charger (once owned by the CHP no less!) for $4,800? Can't beat that!

Not many people are aware of these auctions, but they are open to the public and anyone can go! Just show up at 7:30 on the auction day with your money in hand and be prepared to drive home your new awesome ride!

Another Random Deal You Should Get In On This Week...

I drink a lot of coffee... Like a LOT... So any time a good coffee deal presents itself, I just have to share it in case there are any other coffee fiends that might benefit from it.

Right now at Target, if you buy three bags of Starbucks ground coffee in one transaction you get a $5 Target gift card. What makes the deal even better though is that you can go online and fill out a redemption form Here and you will get a $5 Starbucks gift card in the mail! $10 in gift cards for buying some great coffee...

I bought three bags of the Caramel coffee and have switched it for our regular coffee here at the office... Just my way of doing my part to brighten the day of my coworkers!

My Video Debut - Why I Tithe

As I've mentioned about 500 times, I love my church. Without them I might be laying in a gutter somewhere, I honestly believe that. So when they asked me to shoot a video on the topic of Tithing, I was honored!

Below is my viral video... Check it out!



Adria Testimony from South Bay Church on Vimeo.

Finding a Job in 2012

Unemployment is a huge problem right now, and not to mention one of the most stressful and frustrating situations to ever find yourself in. Below I have outlined a few of the resources that I found to be valuable during my time in the "unemployment line":

• The first thing that you should always do is apply for Unemployment, I know a lot of people who assumed that they weren't eligible, only to find out that they actually were once they applied. The easiest way to start a claim is online.
• Get registered for Job Seeker Services. I know I focus a lot on programs and things that are available in Sunnyvale, it's because not only am I a current resident, but even when I lived elsewhere in the Bay Area I would make my way out to Sunnyvale to take advantage of the great programs that they have available. One of the programs is the Job Seeker Center . It's located at 505 W. Olive (by the library) and the programs that they have are awesome. They can help you resolve issues with the Unemployment Office, they have classes on interviewing and other skills, they have a bunch of computers available to make a resume and search for jobs online, and you can meet with a job search counselor who will review your resume, assess your goals and help you determine a plan of attack in finding a great job that makes you happy.
• Get registered with a temp agency... Actually, let me just be completely honest, don't register with a temp agency, register with Kelly Services. When I was unemployed I literally spent hours registering with every staffing agency that I could find online and in the Yellow Pages that I kept in the passenger seat of my car. And out of all of the companies I registered with, Kelly was the only one that provided me with steady work, which ultimately ended up resulting in the full time job that I currently have. You can start by emailing your resume to: 1421@kellyservices.com , once you've sent it to them give them a call and set up a time to go in and register. Their phone number is: (408) 392-9369. (All of the contact info that I provided is for the San Jose location, since that is the office that helped me out so much.)
• Look into other free programs available. For instance Goodwill has some great programs available, and CalWORKs has a great program that helps get people back to work.
• Find out if you're eligible for CalWORKs. CalWORKs is a state program for people with children. They provide childcare resources, job seeker services, and will help you with college. To find out if you are eligible, you will need to meet with a worker at the Social Services office. Generally if you call and set up an appointment it can take at least a month before you are seen. Your best bet is to arrive at the office by 7:30 one morning and ask to get on the waiting list, you could be seen that day. The best Social Services office, in my opinion, is the one in Mountain View (100 Moffett Blvd.) the staff is friendly, I've never seen a line out the door, and they just seem to have it together. You can also reach them by phone at: (650) 988-6100
• If you are considering applying for college and think that you might be eligible for financial aid, you can find out by filling out and submitting the FAFSA

I know there are things that I'm forgetting, and I will continue to add them as I remember, but the bottom line is just stay busy! Don't let yourself get into a funk because it's going to set you back. The best advice that I read about getting employed was from someone who said that "being unemployed needs to become your new job, you need to spend eight hours a day working on it, the same way you did at your previous job. You need to keep the same 8:00-5:00 hours, dress to impress, and just always be on the lookout for a potential opportunity."

If anyone has anything else to add, please don't hesitate to share!

Sunnyvale BMR's - The Waitlists May Be Shorter Than You Think!

Today I spent my lunch hour dropping off applications to put my family on the waitlist for Below Market Rate units in Sunnyvale. I was really surprised to hear that there were only a couple of people on the waitlist ahead of me, so I'm really happy I got them turned in when I did!

If you want to get on the Sunnyvale waitlists you just need to go by the properties and drop off the filled out application. It's only two pages and you can pick one up at the any of the participating complexes leasing offices.

If you aren't able to go to the complex I can email you a copy of the form and you can print it, just email your request to: mysingleseason@gmail.com .

The easiest thing to do is print one application out, figure out how many of the complexes you want to apply for, fill out one form and make that many copies of the filled out form. It's a real time saver! Then just drop them off and tell them you'd like to be added to the list!

You can find the list of properties, the income guidelines, and any other necessary info Here .

Good luck and let me know what you find out!

Pretty Much the Best Idea I've EVER Had...

So this Christmas is going to be my first Christmas as a single mom where I am not relying on my mom to make it magical.

Usually on Christmas Eve my brothers and I bring our kids over to my mom's house and spend the night there. Once we manage to get the little ones to go to bed we all stay up and fill stockings, arrange presents, etc. Then in the morning all the kids get up at the crack of dawn and wake us up and run downstairs and there is a big Christmas fiasco with shredded paper flying up in the air and fights between them over presents, and then a huge Christmas breakfast courtesy of St. Grandma.


Unfortunately, this year Grandma is having surgery on the 22nd and the rest of us are being forced to pull off Christmas on our own. At first I was kind of bummed... Our "house" is about 500 sq ft and barely holds the three of us, let alone a Christmas tree and presents. I was racking my brain trying to figure out where the kids would hang their stockings and how I would make Christmas morning any different from every other chaotic morning of the year...


Then it hit me! We could stay in a HOTEL! Not just any hotel of course, a hotel with a fireplace for them to hang their stockings, and a separate bedroom where I could put the kids to bed and then sneak out of to leave proof of Santa's visit.


So I called The Grand Hotel in Sunnyvale and booked one of their "Bungalow Suites" which is like a one bedroom apartment, complete with a kitchen, a separate bedroom, and of course a fireplace! Not to mention a complimentary breakfast buffet, which beats having to cook and then do dishes! It did cost me $129 for the night, but that actually isn't that bad and plus, can you really put a price on a great Christmas?


I'm going to get there an hour or two before I bring the kids over and set up a little Christmas scene, with a pre-lit tree, some garland, etc. I'm so excited about it and I think (depending on how well it goes) that this may be a tradition that we keep... At least until we get our own place with a fireplace!

Great Deal on a Wii!

If your kids are clammoring for a Wii, and you are one of the four people (including myself) who don't already own one, you can get a great deal on the black one at Best Buy right now, and if you go through Ebates you can make the deal even sweeter cause you will automatically be qualified for the $10 gift card offer that is going on through 12/31/11. The bundle includes the Wii console, the new Super Mario game, and a CD! Here's how to score on this deal:

• Go and sign up for Ebates (it literally takes 15 seconds)
• Search for Best Buy
• Click on Shop Now
• On the BestBuy.com website, search Nintendo Wii Mario Bros
• The first item to come up in the search should be the Wii bundle, click on it to open it in the window
• Look for the line item “FREE $20 Gift Card: Find Out How” under the price of the game; click on it
• Add both the system and the $20 gift card to your cart
• Select in store pick up or ship it to your home (the gift card will automatically be shipped)
• Your grand total is around $162 including tax (since we live in CA). You will get $1.62 in cash back plus a $20 gift card. And if you are new to Ebates, you'll get the $10 gift card for signing up!

If You're in the Market for New Foundation...

I always have to get new foundation in the Winter, because that is about the time my sun kissed glow wears off and I go back to being the pasty pale girl that God intended for me to be.

So yesterday I went into Walgreens, and as I was walking in I noticed they had a little Christmas catalogue over by where they keep the ads, and it said that there were $25 of coupons inside. So I grabbed one, naturally, and looked over all of the coupons which are mainly for cosmetics and hygiene products.

I noticed there were several neon orange clearance tags all over the cosmetics department, so I went over to browse around for some good deals. I was shocked to see Almay's Clear Complexion Make-Up for $3.29 (down from $13!). What really made my day though was the fact that there was a $1 off any Almay product coupon in the back of the Walgreens coupon book I had just picked up!

So I grabbed two bottles (the Walgreen's coupons will automatically take $1 off for each one that you buy, even if you just use one coupon!) and got each one for $2.29. Imagine if you found an Almay manufacturer coupon to stack on the Walgreen's one, we could be talking $1.29 for a bottle of $13 foundation!

I found this sale available at both the Milpitas Walgreen's (on Calaveras) and the Sunnyvale Walgreen's (at El Camino and Sunnyvale). You may want to move fast before they're all gone!

Don't Make Me Call Santa!

One of my favorite things about December is that my kids only need to be reminded once that "Santa is watching!" to whip them into shape real quick any time their behavior is less than desireable. I can't tell you how many times I have texted one of my brothers a heads up that "Santa" was about to get a phone call to report bad behavior. Two minutes later their phone would ring and they would know to answer, "North Pole, Santa speaking" in their jolliest old man voice...Right now there are some free Santa communications available that you can use to get your kids in the Good Behavior Spirit:

• Go Here to download your free letters to and from Santa
• Go Here to send a free call from Santa to your phone (you can send three calls a day, and you can choose from three different messages. My favorite is: "You better watch out!")
• This site lets you upload a picture of your little angel and then it creates a free video to show your child where Santa lets them know whether they've made the Naughty or Nice list this year!
• And Here is another free video builder

Wishing all of you a Merry Christmas, and a month of well behaved children!

Great Toilet Paper Deal on Amazon!

I know this is super random, but my household goes through toilet paper like it's water, so I am always looking for a great deal on some high quality TP!

Right now on Amazon there is a great deal on 24 MegaRolls of Charmin Ultra Strong (which is the equivalent of 96 regular rolls!) for $21.80 when you clip the 25c coupon on the page and select Subscribe and Save at checkout. That works out to about $0.23 per regular roll which is a great price!

New to Subscribe and Save? Amazon often offers discounts if you sign up to receive auto shipments (which can be canceled at anytime). I often select that I want to receive the item every 6 months and once I receive it, I go to “My Account” and click on “Manage Subscribe and Save” to cancel it. Don’t forget!

Great Starbucks Deal Going on NOW!

Right now if you order four gift cards from Starbucks and pay with a Visa card, you get a $5 Starbucks gift card free! So buy four $5 gift cards and get a free $5 gift card! These are good to give as gifts to coworkers, or if you're anything like me, spend to feed your own coffee addiction!

Don't have a Visa? Sign up for an AccountNow and get a prepaid one with no credit check! I have used AccountNow for years and can't say enough great things about them!

Got My Free Target Gift Card From Ebates Today!

Now through December 31st, if you sign up for Ebates (it literally takes 15 seconds) and spend $25 through one of their participating stores you can get a free $10 gift card to the store of your choice! You just have to sign up by December 31st, and as long as you spend the $25 by February 2012 you get the gift card!

I was a little skeptical at first, but I needed to get some Christmas gifts for my coworkers at the Body Shop anyway, so I went through Ebates to the Body Shop website and bought my gifts just like I would have if I had gone to the stores site directly. Not only did the purchase qualify me for the gift card offer, but I also got 10% of my purchase back and free shipping when I used a free shipping code I found on the Ebates website.

That was all I needed to do, easy as that, and today I got my $10 Target gift card in the mail! I'm going to hang onto the card until January when just about everything in the store is on clearance...

Let's Coupon Together in 2012

Since the Christmas season is pretty hectic I've been giving a lot of thought to the best time frame to start posting coupon deals for all of you to use.

When I first started to familiarize myself with couponing, through the use of the millions of blogs that are dedicated to the topic, it was frustrating because in the beginning so many of the deals that they mentioned involved using coupons that I didn't have because they were distributed prior to me starting to collect them. I think that deters a lot of people from trying it because they don't know where to jump in and start.

I know there are lots of people in the Bay Area interested in utilizing coupons as a means of saving money, and I know from first hand experience that when you're first starting out you need to start with baby steps until you get more familiar and comfortable with the process. Since lots of you may not have a coupon stash on hand, I want us all to be able to start on the same page so that all of us can get in on the hundreds of deals available every month without anybody feeling left out.

So I decided that my "Weekly Deals" section will begin the first weekend of January 2012 and will only involve deals that use coupons that become available that week and then going forward all you have to do is keep up with the coupons as they are released.

I hope you'll all join me in making 2012 a year of penny pinching! In the mean time, here are some things that you can do to prepare:

• Sign up for Sunday Delivery with the Mercury News by calling: 1-800-870-6397 (for whatever reason I can't seem to find a way to do it online) - OR - Familiarize yourself with the stores around you that sell them (Walgreens sells them at a discount)
• If you don't already have one, get yourself a cheap printer to print coupons on (they have Deskjets at Walmart for less than $40 that come with the ink)
• Download any of the coupon printing software that you will need in order to be able to print any online coupons that I mention
• Keep checking this site weekly, and make room in your house for the stockpile you're on your way to building!

I don't know about you, but I for one am excited! I guess I will mark this down as New Years Resolution #1 of about 500 that I make for myself every year!

Catholic Charities - A Great Local Resource

The Bay Area has a lot of great resources available to it's residents. Once you have an idea of where to look you will realize that you have a lot of options!

One of the best resources that we have available to us is Catholic Charities. They have so many programs available, from employment seeking to housing programs.

Once a few years ago when I was looking for work Catholic Charities made me an appointment to visit their "Career Closet" where you go through this huge assortment of business attire to pick out some clothes that would be suitable for interviews. They are awesome!

PG&E Offers Programs for Low Income Households

If your home uses gas or electricity, you are probably familiar with PG&E.

If you use PG&E, I just wanted to make sure that you were aware of the numerous programs that they have to assist low income households with their utility bills. They have programs that lower your bill by a certain percentage each month as well as programs that can do a one time credit on your bill if there ever comes a time that you encounter financial hardship and can't pay your bill that month.

If you struggle to keep your power on, or are just interested in learning more about the types of programs that are available, you should check out the PG&E Website!

Comcast Internet for just $10!

If your child receives free school lunches you might qualify for Comcast's new "Internet Essentials" program. The program assists low income households with fast internet service for just $9.95, with no price increases, installation, or equipment rental fees!

If you want some more information on this awesome program you can visit Internet Essentials or if you just want to call them and get signed up you can call 1 (855) 846-8376 to request an application!

Wow! Check out Target's printable coupons!

If you are looking to save some money at Target I suggest making your way over to their website ASAP and printing off any of their coupons that might appeal to you.

They even have one for 10% off of an Ipod! I don't believe I've ever seen a coupon for an Ipod!

And do you know what one of the best things about Target coupons are? You can stack them! If you aren't familiar with the lingo, let me translate:

Say there is a Target coupon that you print for $1 off a particular brand of toilet paper (you can tell the difference between Target coupons and manufacturer coupons because it will say "Target Coupon" on the top when you print it), if you find a manufacturer coupon, either a printable one from the area down below or in the sunday paper, for the same item for $2 off, then you could use both coupons together for a total of $3 off the item. Yay!

In the near future I will be posting the weekly deals for stores in our area, and Target will more than likely be included in the list, so you should familiarize yourself with it now.

Today's Revelation

Last night my boys managed to get ahold of my spare change jar that I keep in the kitchen, and next thing I knew my younger one had thrown it around the living room like confetti. Sometimes if I have one dollar bills in my pockets at the end of the day I will toss them in the change jar as well, and so among the change that littered my carpet there were also two or three crumpled dollar bills.

I only caught the tail end of this activity, but rather than flipping my lid about the mess like I usually do I actually took a step back and learned a very important lesson from what was going on at that moment in my living room.

As adults (specifically adults who carry the weight of supporting a family on their shoulders alone), it is easy to become obsessed with money. Not in a greedy Scroogey way, but just because we almost have to in order to get all of the bills paid, keep food on the table, and keep a roof over our heads. Single parents learn to become independent fairly early on and so often that independence turns into complete self reliance. I think we all have varying degrees of the "I'm the only one who won't let myself down" mentality.

The only problem with this outlook though is that this self reliance can get us so wrapped up in looking out for ourselves that we don't have room for God in our lives.

Watching my son throw loose change and dollar bills around as if they were legos made me realize that he places absolutely no value on money, whatsoever. It means nothing to him. If I offered him a $5 bill or a brightly colored sock he would probably go for the sock because the money means nothing to a child. Children have no need to worry about money, because they come into this world believing that they will be taken care of and provided for no matter what. It is hardwired into them, and they don't even question it.

It made me wonder how different all of our lives would be if we placed that kind of expectation on our Father. If we never worried or even thought twice about if we would be okay, because we just knew that God would provide for all of us the same way that our children just know that we are always going to provide for them.

Being independent is wonderful, don't get me wrong, but just don't be too independent to turn to God. He will jump at the opportunity to help you out! He knows what each of us needs and is just waiting for us to ask...

You Might Have Unclaimed Money!

Did you know that the state of California is currently sitting on over $6,000,000,000 (yes, billion!) worth of unclaimed property? The money usually derives from things like old bank deposits, uncashed checks, all kinds of random things.

There is actually a website where you enter your name and they tell you right away if they're holding on to something that's yours, and if so there is a claim form you print off the website and send to them. I have personally spent hours on this site, looking up just about every single person I had ever met in my life to see if they had any unclaimed property. I kid you not, at one point I entered the name of one of my elementary school friend's parents and found out that the state of California owed her dad $37,000!

So yeah, if you have some time on your hands you may want to try your luck on the California Unclaimed Property site! Let me know if you find out they owe you anything!

Arm Yourself With Coupons!

At the bottom of this blog there's an area where you can choose coupons and print them. The first time you try to print them you will need to download the printing software, it downloads super fast and it's totally worthwhile.

I'm going to be posting weekly deals for stores in our area that will help you get the most bang for your buck, and a lot of times these deals will involve coupons that are found in the area below. A lot of printable coupons have a set number that are available, so if you see one that you think you might need you may want to snatch it as soon as possible to avoid missing out.

Other great places for getting coupons that will assist you in getting the great deals that will be featured are:

San Jose Mercury News Sunday Paper
All You Magazine (only sold at Walmart, but an EXCELLENT coupon resource)
RedPlum
SmartSource

If I ever catch wind of any deals that involve a coupon located somewhere other than the places mentioned above, I will be sure to point you in the right direction!

You're Invited... To My Church!

Since the day I got baptized (March 13, 2011) I have seen a lot of miracles happen in my life.

When I stumbled into the church I currently call my home church, I wasn't even sure what I was doing there. I had come in on a whim (it was actually more of a divine intervention than anything else), and I had come in broken.

I was unemployed, I was recovering from a number of addictions, I was about to be evicted, I had no money and I was feeling more hopeless than I had ever felt. I think if I hadn't been as bad off as I had been that day I might not have realized my need for God in my life. Isn't it strange to actually be thankful to God for letting you ruin your life on your own?

If you are feeling hopeless, or are wanting to build a relationship with Jesus Christ and don't know where to start, you should check out South Bay Church. They are the most friendly God loving people that you will ever meet. When I walked in that Sunday so long ago I was so afraid that the people inside would judge me but no one did. I walked through the door and was greeted by smiles and open arms. I love my church and the relationship that they have inspired me to seek out with God, I invite you to stop by and see what they're all about!

Ebates

Are you familiar with Ebates? Basically what it is is a website the gives you a percentage of your purchase price back any time you go through their site to shop on another site like Target, Victoria's Secret, pretty much any store you might want to shop at online.

If you ever buy the Entertainment books for your area, those coupon books with all kinds of Buy One Get One Free coupons and discounts to different entertainment venues in the area, you could go through Ebates right now and get one for $25 with free shipping, and then Ebates will refund you 40% of your $25! That's $10 back, so essentially you're getting the 2012 Entertainment book for $15, I think it will save you more than $15 by the time you've used two of the coupons!

If you do any online shopping and haven't signed up with them you might want to, I mean if you're spending the money anyway you might as well get something back for it, right?

Save Money Shopping Online...

If you ever even think about shopping online, I suggest signing up for nomorerack, even if it's just to look around at some of their crazy deals. On a normal day they have nine sales going on that last for 24 hours, things like designer clothes, make-up, toys, tools... Basically things you need. Their prices are just crazy! Most things that they feature are at least 70% off, and a lot of things are as much as 90% off!

Did I mention that one out of the nine deals every day is FREE though? I've actually see them give away quite a few really cool free things, I'm not going to lie, there are times when the free item kind of makes you go, "Huh?", but for the most part they are pretty generous with their freebies. At the moment I am kicking myself because I waited until 4:00 in the afternoon to check out today's deals and apparently they were selling an XBox 360 bundle for $100 (75% off!), but it had obviously sold out by the time I got around to checking them out.

The other cool thing about the site is if you sign up for their referral program and get any of your friends to just sign up (as in they don't have to actually make a purchase) you can start earning some really REALLY cool things. So if you know a lot of people, I suggest signing up and asking everybody you know to do the same!

The Dreaded "B" Word... Budget!

One issue that a lot of people have is momey management. I personally have dealt with the issue of compulsive shopping, or "Retail Therapy" if you will...

As I mentioned before, I am in Chexsystems, which means that no bank wants anything to do with me. Because of this, I was forced to figure out a less traditional means of managing my money and making sure that when the time came to pay rent I had it.

If you have tried budgeting in the past and have failed (don't feel bad, I've been there!), don't give up, just try this method out and I am confident that you will succeed this time around.

First off, start by writing down all of your monthly expenses. This is my list to give you an idea:

Church Offering
Rent
Loan from Mom
Gas
Cell Phone
Car Insurance
You get the picture... Once you have your list, write down the amounts due each month next to each expense. Depending on how often you're paid (daily, weekly, semi monthly, etc) divide each expense by that amount.

So, for instance, when I was working through a temp agency I was getting paid Thursday of every week, so I went down the list and divided each one by four (just for the sake of math I always estimate that there are four weeks in a month). Now that I am permanent I get paid on the 15th and the last day of each month, so I would divide each expense by two.

Some of you reading this might be working in a job where you get tips, like as a waitress for example. If you work five days a week, for four weeks a month, you would divide each expense by 20 because that is how many times a month you receive money.

Depending on what you prefer, either take several envelopes (one for each expense), or a little coupon organizer with tabs (they have them at Dollar Tree, and sometimes in the "Dollar Spot" section at Target). Write each expense name either on the designated envelope or tab.

Whenever you get paid take the cash and separate the amounts into the designated envelope/tab. Use the amounts that you got when you divided each expense by number of pay periods. Once you have "deposited" the money into each expense's "account", put your bank away where you won't be tempted to touch it until you either have more money to add to it or until it's time to pay the bill itself.

Any money that you have left outside of what you put into your mini accounts is yours to either spend, save, or anything else, but at least you can feel confident in knowing that your bills will be paid when the time comes, without worrying about the possibility of overspending and accidentally dipping into money that needed to go to next month's rent.

Kidspark - A Single Mom's Best Friend!

Have you heard of Kidspark? It's pretty much God's gift to single parents... If you aren't familiar with them, and ever find yourself in a position where you could use a little "Me Time", I suggest you look into it.


Kidspark is a drop in hourly child care facility. They are reasonably priced, the staff is super friendly, and my kids LOVE going there.


They have two centers in the Bay Area. One is located across from Valley Fair Mall and the other is across the street from Oakridge Mall.


They care for children between the ages of 2-12 and are open until 10 PM on weekdays, 12 AM on Friday and Saturday nights, and on Sunday they are open from 1-6. The hourly rate for one child is $7.50, if you have two kids the second child is only $4 an hour, and if you have three or more any additional children are only $2 an hour!


Another great thing about them is that if you ever need to leave your kids there for more than six hours (say if your regular day care is closed and you have to work) you only pay for the first six hours and any additional hours are free! They provide snacks, and if you want your kids to eat the dinner they provide it's only about $3 per child.


I took my kids there for about an hour and a half last week just so I could take a shower without having to get out halfway through to break up a fight or solve a toy crisis... I can't say enough good things about them! Check out the site here if you're interested: Kidspark Website
Try them out and let me know what you think!

Have You Considered Applying for Assistance?

Throughout the years I have had my ups and downs. During the low points I really felt like I had no other option other than going on Welfare in order to be able to feed my family and keep a roof over our heads.

With the economy the way that it is even those of us who are employed are often underemployed. I think a lot of people are under the false impression that if you work at all you aren't eligible to receive any kind of assistance, but that actually isn't the case.

Aid generally falls into four categories: Cash, food, Medi-Cal, and child care. Each one has it's own income limits but if you are struggling financially you may want to at least look into it and see if you are eligible for any programs. If you have children and have no medical coverage available to you you should definitely look into Medi-Cal for them and yourself. There are even child dentists that accept it, so really think about getting it for your family.

If you visit this website you can go through this short questionnaire to get an estimate of what programs you might be eligible for, and it's all anonymous: CalWIN Site

Another great thing about aid is the child care aspect. I don't know about you, but if I wasn't receiving subsidized child care it wouldn't even really be worth it to work, because the amount I would be paying out for care would be about the same as what I was making. If you are receiving, or within the last two years have ever received, cash aid then you are eligible for 4C's. It is an excellent program that assists with paying for child care. You can visit their site here: 4C's Santa Clara County

Even if you are not eligible for cash aid, or have never received it, you should at least go on the 4C's site and get your name on the Centralized Eligibility List. If you contact the numbers on the site they will walk you through it. It is a waiting list for parents who aren't eligible by the cash aid standard, but who are still considered low income. When there are funds available they will start enrolling people from the list and assisting them with child care costs.

I know that being on Welfare has a lot of negative connotations. There are people who assume it's for people who are too lazy to go out and get a job, or are too busy sitting around having kids to go out and support themselves. It's just not true! The bottom line is this, if you are struggling to support yourself right now you need to do what you need to do. That's it. If government assistance is the route you need to take, then take it, and don't feel ashamed!

Your #1 priority is keeping your kids happy and healthy, and if getting help makes it easier for you to do it, then there is no shame in that.

Know Why I Smile? Cause It's Worth It...

I love to laugh... Sometimes when my kids stress me out, or I feel overwhelmed by my situation, the only way to keep myself upbeat and positive is to watch something funny on the internet.
Last night my boys were having an unstoppable Kung Fu session on the pull out sofa bed, and no threat or increase in volume in my voice could get them to chill out and just sit down. So rather than let my spike in blood pressure give me a stroke, I went out front and sat on our patio chair and watched "Marcel the Shell with Shoes On" on my phone... Afterwards I was able to approach my Karate Kids with calmness and serenity...

I remained in my state of harmony for about four minutes, at which point the cushions from the pull out sofa were dragged into a pile in the middle of the living room and my two and seven year old were using them as a target for their spin kicks and front flips as they launched themselves off of the arm rests of the sofa.
So I returned to my meditation spot in the front yard and was very relieved to know that "Marcel the Shell with Shoes On" had a sequel, and that I could count on it to be the silver lining of my evening...

Finding Affordable Housing in the Bay Area

As I'm sure you are well aware, the housing costs in the Bay Area are out of control. There is affordable housing available, you just need to know where to look and also have some patience.

The first thing you need to know is that most apartment complexes don't advertise the fact that they have BMR (Below Market Rate) units available. If you want to find one, you need to be prepared to do your research. Often times you will call and find out that the complex offers BMRs, but that they have a waiting list to get into one. If you get nothing else from this blog, please at least listen to this: Regardless of the length of the waiting list (a lot of times they will tell you two to three years), GET ON IT!

When a unit becomes available, they will start going down the waiting list. Even if you are #100 on the list, by the time they have eliminated people ahead of you either because they can't get a hold of them on the phone number they have on file, their situations have changed and they are no longer eligible, they have since found a living arrangement that they are satisfied with... Whatever the reason, you could be a lot closer to the top of the list a lot sooner than you think.

The other reason you should always get on the waiting list regardless of the length is because even if you aren't bumped to the top of the list, and you do end up waiting two years to be called about a vacancy, the chances that your situation might be similar to what it is now is kind of likely. Think about it, unless you have a Master Degree right around the corner that is going to start earning you a six figure salary, or you are positive that you have a large inheritance coming your way, the likelihood that you will still be in the market for affordable housing two years from now is pretty high... Just keepin' it real.

When I was six weeks pregnant with my younger son I started getting my name on BMR waiting lists anywhere where they would let me. All of them had about a two year wait list estimation. I received probably about five calls from different complexes over the next two and a half years, and a couple came within two or three months of getting on the waiting list.

On the other hand, one call from a complex came right at about the two year mark, and at that point my situation was much worse than when I had initially placed our names on the waiting list. A little patience scored me a 1200 square foot 3 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment in one of Santa Clara's nicest communities for $1210 a month. The regular rent on the same size units was $2895. So all I'm saying is have a little patience.

If you are looking for a place now, below are a few of the resources that I use when I am in the market for a new living space:

San Jose Affordable Housing
San Jose (Cont'd)
Sunnyvale Affordable Housing
Mountain View Affordable Housing
Santa Clara Affordable Housing
Santa Clara (Cont'd)
Morgan Hill Affordable Housing
Palo Alto Affordable Housing
Santa Clara County Housing Search
Santa Clara County Housing Search (Cont'd)

Another suggestion you might want to try which sometimes results in finding hidden gems, is to flip through an Apartment Guide (free in Safeway, 7-11, etc.), find an apartment complex that you really like and just call and ask if they offer any BMR units... You never know, and since they don't advertise the units you might be looking at a much shorter waiting list.

Let me know how your search goes and good luck to all of you!

Mail - The Highlight of My Life

Mail is one of my favorite things in life. As the Corporate Receptionist at a decent sized company here in the Silicon Valley, I get to deal with mail in large volumes on a regular basis. The downside to that is that the majority of it isn't for me, but I still get a thrill as I'm going through all of the piles, just from knowing that something might be for me.

Four days out of my work week I would say I walk away from the mail delivery empty handed, however there are those days every once in a while that I come across something and realize that it is in fact addressed to me. Those are my best days... Today was one of those days!

As my pal, the mailman, set down the USPS crate I noticed the box on top of the pile immediately. There, on the very top of the enormous mail delivery sat a little box, and along the edge of the box I could read the words I had been longing to see on a box for the last six days: "Vitacost".

Six days ago I stumbled on a little website called Vitacost. This website is now an obsession of mine. If you are going to check it out you should check it out here: Vitacost Website because when you register through this link we both get $10 to use on the site, awesome, right??

Now, I don't really do a lot of online shopping, mainly because most of the things that I purchase outside of the categories of food and diapers are all impulse buys that I am convinced I need to have in my life at that second, so I buy them at the store. The reason I am so obsessed with this website is because not only do they have a TON of things that you would never even really expect to see on a health product website, but their prices are amazing. When I got my $10 credit I was able to get two full size Atkins products for FREE, all I paid was $4.99 shipping.

Atkins is the diet apple of my eye right now. I have lost 20 lbs in about 6 weeks and that's the longest I've ever stuck with a diet plan. The only downside is the fact that the Atkins products themselves are like $9 a box at the store, and their stock is usually really limited. Vitacost to the rescue! I could not believe how many things they had from Atkins, and at about half of what the stores charge. Christmas just came early for me!

If you decide to check it out, be sure to leave a comment and let the rest of us know what goodies you scored on the site!

Saving Money on Groceries

As I have mentioned before, I love saving money with coupons. Since none of the stores in our area seem to double coupons we are at a bit of a disadvantage, but I have discovered a little trick that has actually saved me way more in the long run than doubling coupons ever could.

I only shop at Safeway. I realize that their prices can be a little bit higher than some of the other stores in our area, but you can solve that problem by following these simple steps:

1) Go to Safeway and ask to sign up for a Safeway card

2) Sign up there, and they should give you your card at that point

3) Go online and sign up for "Just For U"

4) Once successfully signed up you will be able to load e-Coupons onto your card, there are lots, and I load them all, even if I don't think I need them just because you never know

NOW, all of that seems pretty self explanitory, in fact there are probably lots of you reading this who have already done steps 1-4 and are currently using e-Coupons, but did you know that 99% of the coupons offered as loadable coupons on the Safeway website are available as printable coupons on coupons.com?

What does this mean for us? Well I will share one of the recent deals I got using this method just to show you an example:

eCoupon on Safeway.com : $3 off 1 Hormel Party Tray
Printable coupon on coupons.com : $3 off 1 Hormel Party Tray

Purchased Hormel Party Tray @ $8.99
eCoupon automatic deduction  -  $3.00
Paper Coupon deduction         -  $3.00

Total Amount Paid: $2.99! Pretty cool, right? Try it out... I dare you! And let me know about your little come ups using this method...

Another little tidbit of information: On the coupons.com website there is a tab in the left column that says "Savings Card", this one is a little more hit or miss, but I have had times when I have had a loadable coupon for coupons.com, a loadable coupon from Safeway.com, and a paper coupon all go through for the same product, which is pretty awesome when it happens! Try it out, I want to hear all about your shopping adventures...

143 To Do List!

If you are anything like me, you are probably somewhat familiar with To Do lists... In fact, if you're anything like me at all, you and your To Do list just might be BFF's...
There is never a moment in life when I don't have a To Do list running. I have one on my desk at work, one in my car, one in my purse, one at my house... You get the point. I need to have it that way because if I ever have an ingenious idea, realize that there is some looming homework assignment that my son has due sometime in the near future, or remember that super important food item that needs to be purchased immediately, and I don't have a notebook within arms reach, the moment will pass and so will the important thing that I needed to do.
When I meet people, or even just witness people, who just shift effortlessly from one priority to another, without ever staring off into space for a few moments randomly, or slowly spinning their desk chair around in a circle while they try to figure out what they had been doing just moments before, I don't like them. In fact, I find them a bit creepy, but then that's just me...
Do you keep a To Do list? Do you have some other method of keeping your "crazy" at bay? If so, I would love to hear them! Maybe you have some tools that I can add to my mental tool shed!

Can't Get a Bank Account?

So I'll admit it, I have made some financially irresponsible decisions in my time. So much so that no bank will allow me to open a bank account. When I started my new job I found out that I had to be paid via direct deposit.
I looked around online and I found AccountNow. There is no credit check, you can set up direct deposit onto it, and my favorite thing about it is that you can set it up to issue a check to pay your bills automatically for free!
There is a monthly fee of $9.95, but if you take into account the fact that one overdraft fee runs around $35, it might be worthwhile to use AccountNow even if you are able to get a traditional bank account.
If you use this link to sign up the first time you deposit money onto the card we will both get money deposited into our accounts. A win-win for both of us! Sign Up Here!

Daily Adventures

Until I became the sole provider and only parent of my two sons, there were several things that I had never experienced or even thought twice about having to do.
I had never picked up a tool, thought about an oil change, or had to worry about finances. I don't think I had ever even taken out the trash (don't judge me!).
Once a household dynamic changes as much as it does when a two parent family suddenly becomes a single parent family, all of these things become a harsh reality. This page is where I share those realities and attempt to shed some light on what you can do if ever confronted with a similar situation.
As with every other page on this blog, I hope that others will share their wisdom, funny stories, or plans of attack, so that we all walk away a little more empowered!

Saving Money

There are tons of ways to keep extra money in your pocket, one of my favorite ways is by using coupons.

Don't get me wrong, if you don't know what you're doing using coupons can end up costing you more, but armed with a little coupon knowledge you too can benefit from this valuable resource.

Unlike just about every other place in the country, no stores in the Bay Area double coupons (at least none that I am aware of!) But if you'll let me teach you a couple of the work arounds that I have been forced to develop, you will see that we can all still benefit!

Inspirations

I attribute all of my successes to my relationship with God and the impact that
my church has had on the lives of me and my children.

As single parents we all have our lows, and unfortunately these lows can seem to go on forever.
Developing a relationship with God, and getting involved in a church family, can
be life altering. All it takes is the tiniest amount of faith.

Low Income Resources

Being a single parent is a lot of work, but luckily there are plenty of resources available, you just need to know where to look. Here I have compiled several of the programs that I have utilized to get me to where I am today.

If you have one to contribute, or if you are looking for something you don't see, please feel free to comment and I will do my best to gather the information you need!

Hi, My Name is Adria, and I'm a Single Parent...

I have been brainstorming all of the elements of this blog for about two years now. Of course when I first got the genius idea to create a blog, things were different... A LOT different.

I was first inspired to create a blog in 2009, while on maternity leave after the birth of my second son. Money was tight because I was only receiving state disability, and my husband was working in construction so his work wasn't exactly consistent.

I decided to look into couponing. I started doing a little research online and next thing I knew I was propelled into this seemingly underground world of couponing blogs. Everyone posted their little pictures of all of the things they had managed to get for free by pairing coupons with sales and shared all of their secret info on upcoming sales and when to buy what where... I was instantly hooked.

The thing that I started to notice though, was that most of these blogs were being written in places across the country that I have never even been to, let alone needed to shop in. I tried looking for money saving blogs that were geared towards the west coast, specifically the San Jose/Bay Area, but to my surprise I found nothing...

If no one else was going to keep all of us Bay Area residents up to date on deals in stores that we had actually heard of, then maybe I needed to step up to the plate. I had the desire, I knew there was a need for it within the community, but between work, being a wife, and being a mom I just didn't have the time.

So fast forward to 2011, I found myself single, unemployed, and completely responsible for my two little offspring. I guess you could say I found myself at one of the lowest points I had ever been in in my whole 28 years on this earth.

As I was laying in bed one day (at 4:30 in the afternoon BTW), feeling sorry for myself and wondering if there was any reason to even go on, it occured to me. I had two choices. I could keep hiding under the covers hoping my problems would just disappear, or I could get up, get it together, and do something about it...

I think it's obvious which one I chose. In just eight short months I turned everything around. I embraced being a single mom, I got on a little Girl Power kick, I got a job, I got a place to live, and I got (or at least realized that I HAD) the freedom to do whatever I want. So now I am doing what I have wanted to do for two years, I've started a blog geared towards all of us single parents here in Sunnyvale, San Jose, Santa Clara, the Bay Area as a whole.

Do I hope I become one of those blogs with like 500,000 followers? NO, I have ADHD and that would be waaaaay too much pressure to stay on track all of the time... Anything short of 500,000 would be fine though. I realize it doesn't have as much to do with popularity as it does with reaching a hand out to the people in my area who are struggling with their situation, and who just need someone to tell them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Trust me, if I can do it, you can do it... and probably better.