Until the last few days, I didn’t really realize just how much I depend on my computer. You see, last Sunday my Macbook died on me. Technically speaking, the hard drive went out.

Thankfully, my husband was able to recover all my files before replacing the hard drive. (It had been a while, or should I say way too long, since my last backup.) Lesson learned.

Anyway, back to my point.

I keep so much of my life on my computer -

• Recipes
• Photos
• Music
• Notes
• Calendar

- and spend too much time on the computer.

I can hardly remember what life was like before I became so dependent upon technology for many aspects of life. Just for the record, I admit I wasn’t without a computer, my husband left his so I would have one to use, but it just didn’t have all my stuff on it.

You know what I mean.

• The saved passwords for some of my favorite sites were not on his computer.
• My email accounts  and RSS feed subscriptions were not set up on his computer.
• My Swagbucks toolbar was not at the top of the browser on his computer.

I could still get to most of all this stuff, but it was definitely more of a hassle.

So, you’re probably thinking this is sounding pretty drab about now, all about me missing my computer.

Well, the truth is I learned something from this whole ordeal. Since it was more difficult to do some of the things I take for granted on my computer, I just stayed away from the computer more the last few days.

By staying away, I actually was able to accomplish more around the house and I spent a little more time with the kids too. I learned that it’s not going to kill me if I only check my email or facebook twice a day, instead of 10 times a day. It was actually nice to take the break.

Maybe my computer dying was really a blessing in disguise.

What would you miss most on your computer if it wasn’t there tomorrow?

Related posts:

1. Guest Post at Organizing-Life No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth. I went on a week long vacation and didn't have...
2. Guest Post at Hearth Management Come and join me today over at Heart(h) Management for my guest post You're Gonna Miss This. I'm sharing my...

Well, this last week didn’t go quite like I had planned. I ended up curled up on the couch with a stomach virus and had to rearrange my menu slightly. That’s okay though, we’ll just be having one of last week’s meals (the steak meal) this week.

~Here’s what’s cooking this week~

Monday - Mini Meatloaves, Macaroni and Cheese Casserole, Steamed Broccoli

Tuesday - Steak, Cracker Barrel Green Beans, Honey-Oat Pan Rolls

Wednesday - Ham & Cheese Sandwiches

Thursday - Santa Fe Soup (We didn’t have this one either last week because we ended up going to a birthday party and they fed us. Yay!!)

Friday - Homemade Pizza, Salad, Brownies

Saturday - Crockpot Chili, Mexican Cornbread (I haven’t tried this chili before, so we’ll see how it turns out.)

Sunday - Eat Out

Hope everyone has a great week!!

For more cooking inspiration, check out Menu Plan Monday at I’m an Organizing Junkie.

Related posts:

1. Menu Plan Monday (2/15 - 2/21) I'm super excited about finally participating in Menu Plan Monday. I've enjoyed trying recipes and meal ideas from other participants...
2. Menu Plan Monday (3/8 - 3/14) I've got an exciting week planned. Today, I'm teaching my first couponing class for some of the ladies from my...
3. Menu Plan Monday (3/1 - 3/7) Well, I finally got my steak last week and it was so yummy. The kids and I also got to...

I didn’t until a few weeks ago. I’m signed up online at Walgreens to receive email alerts for special offers, weekly ads and such. Well, I got an email from them with a coupon code for 10% off plus free shipping on a contact lens order. At first I disregarded the email just assuming the contacts were probably more expensive than 1-800-Contacts, which is where I normally place my order.

However, curiosity got the best of me and I am so glad it did. Not only was the coupon code for 10% off going to pay off, but the contacts were actually $2 cheaper per box than ordering from my usual place. But that was not all. I checked on Ebates and found out that I could get 4% cash back from my Walgreens’ order. There is no cash back for 1-800-Contacts.

What is Ebates?

Well, it’s a site you’ll definitely want to consider becoming a member of if you do online ordering. There are over 1000 stores on the Ebates site that you can earn cash back on your purchases just simply by going through Ebates. In addition, there are online coupon codes for most of the stores. It’s completely FREE and easy to use. Plus, you get a $5 sign up bonus right off the bat. I love it!!

Okay, back to the contacts…

So as you can see there was no way 1-800-Contacts was going to win me over on this one. I ended up saving about $18 total on four boxes of contacts. I’ve heard that 1-800-Contacts will match the price if you find a better deal elsewhere, but I bet they won’t give you the extra cash back.

I guess you could say the moral of this story is to be sure to check out all your options rather than just assuming you know what the cheapest place is going to be for buying anything. I mean, take me for example. It almost cost me $18 extra bucks.

Important Note: I’m not saying that buying from 1-800-Contacts is a bad choice. Using them in the past, I’ve never had any problems, and they are still way cheaper than going through most doctors’ offices. In this particular case, it just wasn’t the best option for me. In the future, if I can get them cheaper there, that’s where I’ll be ordering them from.

Related posts:

1. Dining Out on a Budget As much as I love to eat home-cooked meals, sometimes, I just want a break from cooking. It's a nice...