The Comp List: Comp List 3/27-4/02

Hello, everyone!

Whenever I run into someone and they find out that I am the "Comp List Lady", they always ask me the same questions. So I thought it would be fun to do a "Comp List Lady FAQ's" section this week. Haha.

Frequently Asked Question #1: How long does it take you do to the list?

Answer: This one is always a hard one to answer. I spend a lot of time on it every single day- I usually don't have too much of a chance to sit and work on it all at once. So, I spend a few hours each day adding people to the list, trying to figure out my email issues, responding to questions, etc. Then, Tuesday evenings I get as much ready as I can for the next day. I look up all of the ads that started on Sunday (like Walgreens, CVS...) and get as much put on the list as I can. I also create a lot of the ads myself so I usually do this Tuesday evening as well. I would say on Tuesdays I spend probably about 5 hours getting that stuff done. Wednesday is the BIG DAY so I wake up at 5:30am and get started. It takes me 5 hours to look up the ads and get the list ready. This doesn't include getting it sent! I can't estimate how many hours I spend actually sending the list- I would say another 5 on Wednesdays and several on Thursday and Friday. So, if my math is correct, I spend approximately 4,326 hours per week on the list.

Frequently Asked Question #2: How do you find time to do the list?

Answer: I have no idea. I have no clue how I have done it before now, either. I was going to school full-time at ESU, working full time, had a part time job, volunteering and trying to find time with my family. That just sounds crazy now! Now, I am still working full-time (I work 10hr days Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and take Wednesday "off"), finished my degree and graduated in December, I had to give up my part-time job (insert sad face here- I love that place!) so I could spend more time with my little ones, and found some more volunteer work to do. While I should technically have more spare time, I don't! lol

Frequently Asked Question #3: Have you ever thought about charging?

Answer: Yes. Every day I think about it. Who wouldn't?!? We struggle with finances the same as everyone and so thinking about having some extra each month is quite enticing. But every single day I talk myself right back out of it- I like helping people save money. And charging just doesn't "feel" right. I keep telling my husband that good things will come to us! (And I keep hoping that one of you guys will win the lottery and donate a million dollars to the comp list lady. Ok, I don't really need a million. $100,000?)

Frequently Asked Question #4: So this isn't really a question but people usually don't know much about me so I get all kinds of funny messages (like mentioning that I am retired, or that they met my sister {I don't have a sister}, etc.). While I find these messages humorous (or confusing- especially when people say "oh I met so and so" yet I have no idea who they are talking about), it makes me feel a little like the elusive sasquatch. You catch brief glimpses but can never quite get the full picture.

Answer: My bio in 75 words or less: I am 29, married, and have 2 children (ages 4 and 2). We live in Ottawa, KS and love it here. My absolute favorite thing to do after work is go out for dinner with my husband and kids (sometimes its almost as cheap as making something at home! Ok, not always but it is certainly easier). And I am tired of snow. And the cold. The end.

Frequently Asked Question #5: Why do you put THIS item on the list but not THIS?

Answer: Just because. No, I really just include the deals that I think are the best. We don't have a lot of time and we have 2 small children so I put lots of cookies on there and things for easy meals. I try to include a little of everything but I just don't know the prices on some items to know if they are good deals or not. I would love to include everything but then the list would turn out to be 1,000 pages long. Not cool. Anyway, I started the list out just with the items that we use personally. It has grown from there but a lot of the stuff is just based on personal preference.

Anyway, I am going for the record for the world's longest email message this week. So here is some more info on other ways to find the list and the rules for the giveaways:

Each week, I will post one or two ads in the regular ad section (at the end of the comp list). These special ads will have a little sign on them that says "Email "(a code word)" to emy330@yahoo.com to enter". The code word is located on the ad. Just email that key word to me (put it in the subject line) and you will be entered! The item in the giveaway will be something from the business that the ad is for but you have to enter to find out what it is! There are some GREAT items! If there is more than one giveaway you want to enter for that week, you MUST send me separate emails for the different items. Please only enter one time for each drawing. I will try to respond to each entry so you know I got it! I think I will also post some of the special ads on my blog randomly throughout the month so check there to see if there are any current giveaways on there! These may or may not be "flash" giveaways that only last a day or two so keep checking. Winners will be announced in the comp list on Wednesdays!

The drawing for this week (on the comp list ad, anyway) will close on Tuesday, April 2nd at 7:00pm! So please enter before then! (THERE ARE 2 THIS WEEK!)

Also, I am STILL having email issues. If you are needing the list before I can get it sent out, here are your options:

** You can access the comp list by joining my Yahoo! Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/thecomplist/

- This will email it to you automatically. If you join this group, let me know so I can take you off of the list I have to manually send out!

You can see it each week by accessing it on my blog: http://www.gravespartyof4.blogspot.com/

I post it on Facebook each week- you can find me at: https://www.facebook.com/emy330

And I also post it on Twitter- I am @CompListLady

HAPPY EASTER!

Emily Graves
http://gravespartyof4.blogspot.com/

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Comp List 3/27-4/02 (PDF)

Comp List 3/27-4/02 (Excel)

Grocery List Template