I love a good love story, don't you?  Well, if you share your love story with Fox Wilmington, you could be crowned Wilmington's cutest couple!

It's very simple.  Send in your pics and your love story... then you could win a $500 prize pack.  Dinner for two at Sienna Trattoria, a $100 gift card to Magnolia Greens Golf Course, a $100 gift card to Jasmine Diamond in Independence Mall, a carriage tour and roses and chocolates from Tasteful Creations are all part of the prize pack!  What are you waiting for?

My love story is pretty simple...I met my husband, Jim, at a TV station in Missouri.  He was a photographer, and I was a reporter.  After nearly five years, we were both celebrating job promotions and a wedding in Honolulu.  We chose Hawaii because it is one of the most friendly and diverse places on the planet.  Never in my life have I seen such a mixture of Asian cultures.  It is bascially... the bomb!  And though we got married in a tropical climate, we actually had our ceremony in one of the oldest cathedrals (in continual use) in the country.  A year later, we got re-married.  To each other.  In South Korea.  The picture below is with my sister and her husband.  We had a dual ceremony!  It was my hubby's first trip to my birthland.  And it was lifechanging.  We miss our family in Korea all the time. But we are still writing our story!  Lots more ahead for our little family.

I am interested to see the trickle down effect of Governor Perdue's decision not to seek re-election, including how it will factor into President Barack Obama's re-election campaign.

If Rep. Mike McIntyre runs for her position, then what will happen to Ilario Pantano?  Will another democrat be able to take on Pantano?  McIntyre today said he'd be open to running for Perdue's position.

Then, New Hanover County Commissioner Jonathan Barfield said he'd be interested in running for McIntyre's seat if he should abandoned his re-election campaign.  Barfield is also the lone democrat on the NHC commission.

[READ MORE ABOUT HER RESUME, RESPONSE AND REACTION]

So far, we've got a lot of names being tossed in the ring, but only a couple officially.  Lt. Governor Walter Dalton has officially said he'll run.  So has Republican Pat McCrory said he'll run, too.  Other names include Erskine Bowles, Bill Faison and Anthony Foxx.

Should make an interesting Democratic National Convention now that the governor's race is wide open and since it's in Charlotte.  I think it will be an interesting few weeks, don't you?        

I don't know about you, but I do a decent portion of my shopping on the Internet.  I guess it's because I have weird hours and can't make it to the stores.

I recently came across the site Ebates.  I know it's been around for a few years, but I didn't really consider using it before.

Ebates is a website that gives you money back just for shopping online.  It gets commission from companies for referring you to their site.  Then you get a portion of that commission.  It's pretty cool because there are a lot of retailers that work with Ebates.

After three months, you'll get what Ebates calls a "big fat check."  You have to have more than $5.01 in rebates to get a check.  If you don't meet that criteria, then your money will be held until the next period.

I was skeptical because I had read some mixed reviews, but since I was already spending the money, I gave it a shot.  And low and behold, I got my first check in the mail this week.

Another cool thing is that you can get your payment in the form of a check, a credit in Paypal or a donation to your favorite charity.  I like getting a real-life check because it's just more fun to feel like I'm getting paid.

I'm going to talk a little more about Ebates today on WECT News at 6... you'll get to see how it actually works.  You'll also hear from Southern Savers founder Jenny... about all the great deals at the grocery store this week on Fox Wilmington News at 6:30.  We'll tell you why we can thank a little football game for giving us big savings!  Keep following on Facebook to see what's coming next!  And ask your questions about money, too!

Sometimes it's nice to just get in the car and drive.  I can't tell you how blessed we are to live in such a beautiful part of the country.  I mean, you could be halfway to Charleston by the time you get done running to the grocery store.  There are endless mini-road trip possibilities.

This year we were fortunate enough to go to Charleston with some friends during the first week of January.  We had an incredible time exploring the city, whether we were taking on delinquent spirits at the haunted jailhouse or taking on our own demons with a morning jog to The Battery.  As pretentious as it may sound, we had a very lovely time.

Aside from Charleston, there are some really incredible 30-minute drives around the area.  My parents and I recently took a little drive down to Southport.  We fed the seagulls, walked the pier (burrr) and ate at a little waterfront cafe.  We didn't have any particular plans-- we just plugged a generic address into our GPS... and ended up at 123 Main in Southport.  I highly recommend it.

So... where will your GPS take you?  

I vowed I wouldn't be one of those people who live at the beach and never go, but recently I've found myself asking my husband, "When was the last time we went there for a walk?"  My resolution in 2012 will not only be to get healthier and save money, it will also be to make myself enjoy life more.  Whether it's braving a new dive or plugging in 123 Main Street on my GPS... this is the year!  

This is almost too good to believe... partly because I was looking for this magazine!

My friend Vicky told me about the deal, and I'm ever so-thankful.  The magazine is actually put together by Walmart, but it usually has a ton of coupons inside each one.  It is a southernsavers.com recommendation.

If you buy the magazine in Walmart, it will cost $2.50.  But, now because of a deal on We Use Coupons, you can get it for $1 an issue!  The magazome pays for itself and then some!

[GET 6 FOR $6 RIGHT NOW]

Also, another ongoing deal for All You via Southern Savers to tell you about-- you can get the subscription through SS, but it will cost you a little more.  However, you can subscribe for a longer period (up to 24 months) at $1.66 an issue.  AND, some of the proceeds will go back to North Carolina food banks!

So either way, they're both deals to consider!  If you get the We Use Coupons deal now, you can always get the Southern Savers in six months!

Jenelle Evans is currently in jail for violating a domestic violence protection order.  She was thrown in jail tonight after 7 p.m.  This is the second time in less than a week she's been arrested.  But, she still manages to keep a smile on her face. 

Her last tweet [@PBandJenelley_1] came down around 5:45 that said, "SO AGGRAVATED".

This just came down from the Brunswick County Sheriff's Office: 

This week there are several stores that are going to give you a free (or really darn cheap) Brita water pitcher.

How?

Well, if you picked up a Sunday paper, there should be a coupon in it for $4 off any Brita product.  Most 5-gallon water pitchers are a between $9 - $17.  Then, if you send in a $10 rebate, you'll get it for nothing.  OR, you'll even get paid for it.

WHAT IF MY SUNDAY PAPER DIDN'T HAVE THAT COUPON?  Well, at least you're not alone.  Though Smart Source inserts made their way across the country, not all Smart Source inserts are equal.  It depends on where you live.  Since I live in a smaller town, I didn't get the insert.  But, aha, there is a solution.

1.  You can print off the $5 coupon from Target.
2.  Buy the pitcher for about $16.99
3.  Send in the $10 rebate. (Thanks to southernsavers.com for posting it in a nice pdf for us)

Can't say I love rebates, but this isn't bad!

Unfortunately or Fortunately, some stores are cheaper... and so, if your city is big enough to give you the coupon insert that includes the Brita pitcher, then you can actually make a couple of bucks off the purchase.  But, as far as I know... this is the best deal for people who don't have access to it.  I still don't mind paying $2.

I really must have been inspired after my Southern Savers workshop.  After several weeks, I think it's starting to click for me at Harris Teeter... now I want to learn how to save at other stores.  CVS and Lowes Foods are next.  Afterall, I don't want those stores to think I'm neglecting them.  I know so many offer great savings for their customers, but I've had to build up my brain power and confidence to even consider moving on. 

First of all, there is a disclaimer.  My brother-in-law and his family have great careers at Nestle-Purina, based in St. Louis.  When they found out we were buying another brand (a more expensive brand allegedly suited for my big-breeded-sensitive-stomached fur baby), they told us we were wasting our money and convinced us to switch because of the ingredients in Purina's big breed formulas.

Oh, yeah... and they gave us coupons.  (And this was WAY before I even thought of using coupons.)

So, this week we got an awesome stack of coupons in the mail.  It was for a FREE bag of Purina, up to $31... so that is what makes this shopping trip a little more impressive.

Aside from that, here's what else I got:  frozen veggies ($.24) each, Oil of Olay face wash ($.83), FREE toothpaste, toothbrushes and Starkist tuna.  I had to pay $2.33 in taxes, which was more than my subtotal of $1.55)

The best thing?  I literally spent 15 minutes in the store.  I knew what I wanted, I brought in only the coupons I needed (so no binder - though I really love mine) and it was like an undercover couponing trip!  I bought meat last week on sale and have produce already, so I'm pretty good for next week!  

TOTAL SPENT THIS WEEK (From 1-7 to 1-14) = $17.46 on $162.67 worth of stuff!  That's a little more than a tenth of the retail value!

**Not everything will be on sale when you go shopping, but you won't feel as guilty for buying when you make up for it like this!**
Also... please be ethical when couponing.  Know the store policy, don't clear a shelf just for a good deal, don't do anything illegal like dumpster diving, and don't tamper with your coupons.  I feel like I owe it to people to share that for a while since a lot of people who are reading this are new to whole coupon concept.  Happy shopping!

My boss recently suggested I go to a Southern Savers workshop... and it was honestly the best decision of the week!  Not only is Jenny my newfound hero, she's clearly a savior to a lot of shoppers in the South!

Jenny founded Southern Savers a few years ago.  She said she went from a point to asking her husband NOT to eat lunch... to saving about $400 a month!  She now has more than 175,000 followers on Facebook.  I actually use her as a resource practically everyday.

Nearly 250 people showed up at her coupon workshop in Shallotte.  Jenny taught us a lot more than I could have imagined.  Some people even made the drive from Fayetteville! 

And, thank you so much for coming up and introducing yourselves!  I met two awesome bloggers in the Wilmington and Southport areas.  Check them out!  Amanda is from the Frugal Beach Bum and Melissa runs Money Mojo!  Happy shopping!  And don't forget... CVS starts its new deals tomorrow (Sun), and if you went to the workshop, don't forget about your homework!

Thanks to We Use Coupons, I found a great deal on a magazine subscription!  They've negotiated a deal with Charleston-based Garden & Gun magazine to get a full year for just $3.50!  That's at least a 93% savings off the cover price!

If you bought it off the stands, it would cost you close to $50 a year.  Even if you ordered a subscription, it would normally cost about $20.

If you enjoy reading about southern life, this is for you.

[GET THE DEAL - LASTS THROUGH SATURDAY]

The funny thing is that I didn't realize how wildly popular G&G was until I went to Charleston this last week with some friends.  For all of you newsies out there, even Poynter shared an article from Women's Wear Daily about the magazine's greatness:

"[Garden & Gun] attracts a readership so avid that many of them pay an extra $500 a year just to be a part of its “secret society.” And what do said members receive? A weekend tote bag, a decal and, like an invitation to the lavish wedding of a distant but admired relative, the opportunity to spend another $5,000 to attend an annual weekend retreat with the magazine’s writers,
editors and contributors at Blackberry Farm in Tennessee."

[READ ABOUT OTHER HOT DEALS THIS WEEK]

Over the summer, the magazine won a National Magazine Award and a James Beard Foundation Award.

Pretty snazzy.