Thank you for following me as I redesign my new home office, but this week I am taking a little break to tackle a virus.  So instead I am sharing with you my frustration over expired coupons.

A huge part of simplifying your life is to let others do the work for you, and for you to take the credit! This may sound horrible, but it’s true. How many of us create our own recipes from scratch every night? No! We usually take someone else’s creation and take the credit for whipping up a wonderful meal.

A Birthday rolls around or Christmas is just around the corner, and we start fretting over what to get that special person.  Have you been listening to the hints during the year?

I spend a big part of the month of January getting organized for the year ahead. It may take a little time upfront, but then the rest of the year is less complicated with trying to remember what I forgot! I am big on lists or what I like to call logs. One of my favorites is my Special Occasion Gift Log. This simple log with columns is a perfect tool to tell us who, when and what!

Consider the following tips when shopping for groceries:

• Shop with a well planned list.

• Eat before you leave for the grocery store which prevents impulse buys.

• Carry a small calculator with you to figure unit prices. Bigger is not always better—it may not be the best price.

• Check the dates on perishable foods. They usually place the freshest towards the back of the case.

• Before taking the first item from the shelf, check behind for lower prices and newer expiration dates.

• Reweigh produce and meat that have been pre-packaged. You may find a discrepancy in weight that will affect the price. Request that it be remarked with the correct weight and price.