Rita's Money Saving Efforts!

Target 6/19

2009-06-19T16:50:00.003-05:00

I love Target. We need milk, bread, and lunch meat. They had some great deals that included all 3 of those!

Deal 1: Buy 1 Skippy peanut butter (1.79) and 1 Welch's grape jelly (1.79), get free Orowheat bread, .40 MC for Skippy 2.99 taken off for bread

Deal 2: Buy 3 boxes of Kelloggs cereal (2.99, 2.99, 2.34), get free milk; used B1G1 free coupon for Frost Mini Wheats 2.99, 1.00 MC, 3.59 taken off for milk

Deal 3: Buy 1 Oscar Mayer lunch meat (2.79) and 1 Kraft singles (2.79), get free Oscar Mayer lunch meat; 1.00/2 MC, 2.79 taken off for lunch meat

I did all of those, plus I bought:

YoPlus cherry yogurt 2.09, 1.00 MC

2 Quaker 90 calorie chewy granola bars 1.02 each (clearance), .75/2 MC

Kashi waffles 1.99, 1.50 MC

Del Monte Fruit Chillers 1.92, 1.00 MC

So I got all that for 15.88. There are 5 coupons in the Frosted Flakes box for 1.00 off future boxes of cereal and a free sandwich container offer on the bread!

I just love Target!!!

Target 6/13

2009-06-13T09:21:00.003-05:00

Total OOP: 17.60

Here's the breakdown:
2 Soft Scrub cleaners 3.49 each, B1G1 MC
3 Resolve Pet Stain Spot Cleaner 2.08 each (clearance), 1.00 MC
4 Planters Peanut Bars 1.48 each (clearance), 3 - 1.00 MC, .75 MC
Newman's Own Dressing 2.99, .50 MC
Ziploc sandwich bags 1.77, 1.00 Target coupon, .40 MC
Kashi waffles 1.79, 1.50 MC
Green Giant Shoepeg corn 1.19
Wooden Placemat 1.24 (for use as a lap desk!)
Velveeta Shells and Cheese 1.52, 1.00 MC

Taking into account the original prices of clearance items, plus coupons, I saved $41.46. We use those cleaners a lot, so I'm so glad to get them at such a good price. We were in need of some kind of granola bar type things for Jason's lunch, so the Planters bars at that price were an awesome deal. I love paying .29 for Kashi waffles and .37 for Ziploc bags too. I was needing something to put my notebook on while I was taking notes and reading the chapters in my class, so I was so excited to find that wooden placemat marked down so much. It will get much use this summer! All in all, a great Target day!

Meal Plan

2009-06-11T18:28:00.002-05:00

I'm trying to go ahead and meal plan today because I have yet to go to the grocery store this week. Here is what's on sale and what I'm hoping to use in my plan:

H.E.B.
Whole Chickens .67/lb
Center-cut pork chops 1.77/lb
Bacon 2/$4

Kroger
1lb carrots .97
Kraft cheese 3/$5
Boar's Head turkey breast 6.99/lb
5lbs russet potatoes 1.99

Here's my plan based on that and what I have on-hand:

Sunday:
We are having a cookout, so I'll be picking up my free Oscar Mayer hot dogs and putting together baked beans and some yummy salsa.

Monday:
Pork Chop Casserole with homemade bread

Tuesday:
roast chicken, fresh green beans from the garden, baked or mashed potatoes

Wednesday:
Turkey Club sandwiches with homemade fries

Thursday:
leftovers

Friday:
bacon, eggs, hashbrowns, toast

Saturday:
Homemade pizza

2009-06-11T16:44:00.004-05:00

I *NEED* to get back into couponing, so I'll try to start posting again!

Here are a few things to get us all started back!

Save $1 on Edge shave gel. These do go on sale at CVS and Walgreens sometimes, so hopefully we can use it to get a good deal!

Free sample of Crest Pro-Health Enamel Shield and Tampax Pearl samples are now available at Walmart.com, as well as a few others

Be sure to print off any coupons you might need from Coupons.com and SmartSource.com. RedPlum.com has a few coupons but they are higher value ones, so go print the few they have!

If you haven't signed up for Vocal Point, I really suggest it! I've gotten lots of coupons for Kashi products through it! If you go here, you can sign up and print a $1.50 off their soft baked bars!

2009-05-20T17:54:00.004-05:00

Hey all. I just don't seem to be as into all this as I was, but I'll try to post every now and then until I get back in the groove.

Receive a coupon for free Oscar Mayer hot dogs in the mail when you register here. (This caps at 1 million, so not sure how long it will last!) If you haven't signed up for the Kraft community, be sure to do it now while they have all the awesome coupons available to print!

Huggies now has a rewards program, so be sure to sign up and enter your codes! Here are a few to get you started.
BBRJH-WHDPT-JZPGB
BGZQZ-JCXFC-HZPGB
JXBQX-LWHPP-HPPGB
I'll try to post more as I find them.

Free sample of Playtex Gentle Glide. For more samples like that one, be sure to check out Walmart's sample offers.

Free Chocolate

2009-05-15T16:18:00.001-05:00

Mars is giving away free chocolate every Friday until September. Go there and request your coupon! They only give away so many each week, so if they are out for this Friday, try next week!

Target and Kroger 5/14

2009-05-14T11:30:00.002-05:00

Here are my deals and steals for the day. I hope I am finished shopping for the week!

Kroger:
2 Healthy Choice Pizza Breads 1.88 each, 1.00/2 MC
5 Kraft BBQ Sauce 1.09 each, 5 - 1.00 MC earned 2.50 on my next trip
2 Kroger hashbrowns 1.25 each
Finish Orange dishwasher tabs 2.99, 2.50 MC
SoftSoap Hand Soap 1.09, .35 MC tripled to 1.05
Ken's Light Honey Dijon dressing 1.49, 1.00 MC
Samy Shampoo/Conditioner 7.99 each, B1G1, Try Me Free Rebate
organic carrots 1lb .97
Horizon Organic FF Milk (markdown) 2.99
Total OOP: 20.97; got $2.50 to spend on my next purchase, will get 7.99 back on the shampoo rebate! I'm excited to have gotten $8 a bottle shampoo and conditioner for free!

Target:
Scrubbing Bubbles Foaming Cleaner 1.68, .75 MC
2 Ball Park White Turkey Franks 2.64 each, 1.00/2 MC
3 Annie's Mac N Cheese 1.00 each
Natures Own 100% Whole Wheat bread 2.59
Gold Medal Whole Wheat flour 2.79
fuji apples 1.42lbs 2.40, 1.00 TQ
2 Gold n Plump 20oz pkgs chicken 3.49 each, 2 - 1.00TQ
2 Kraft Dressings 2.14 each, 1.50 MC, 1.00 MC, 1.00/2 TQ
2 Kraft Cheddar Cheese blocks 1.52 each, 1.00/2 MC, 1.00/2 TQ
Total OOP: 21.79
That didn't seem like that great of a trip for some reason. :(

2009-05-13T23:48:00.002-05:00

Thanks to Deal Seeking Mom for this one: Get your free All-Bran Sample pack by registering here.

2009-05-13T18:14:00.001-05:00

Kashi 50% Off! at Amazon today! If you love their products as much as I do, be sure to go place your order before the prices go back up!

Freebies and Coupons

2009-05-12T19:44:00.004-05:00

Be sure to visit here or here to get some get Kraft coupons! They match up well with some of the Target printable coupons right now!

Request a free sample of Taster's Choice Coffee. I love the coffee samples! My adopted soldier requested coffee so I pass on all the samples to him. It is nice to offer a variety because I have no idea what kind he might like. You can also print coupons for it here.

There are always so many samples of feminine care products.... the latest is Always Infinity. You can also get a sample of Cottonelle.

Sam's is offering a sample of Triple Flex vitamins. Wal-Mart has a free sample of Sun Crystals, a new sweetner. You can also print a coupon for it here.

If you like Aveeno, try their new hair care products!

If you love Kashi products, print a coupon for $1.50 off their waffles here. I LOVE them and they are on sale for $1.79 at Target. Can't beat .29 a box!

Weekly Shopping: Kroger and Target

2009-05-08T15:41:00.002-05:00

It's been a bit since I had posted a picture of my weekly shopping, so I figured why not? I wasn't able to get a clear shot of everything, but that's the gist of it. Here is a breakdown of my trips:

Target:
Glade Fabric Spray 2.50, 2.00 TQ attached to product
Lysol Mildew Remover 2.25, .75 MQ
2 Lysol Toliet Bowl Cleaner 1.69 each, 1.00/2 MC
Arm & Hammer Cleaner (clearance) 1.78, 1.00 MC
Garbage Disposal Care 2.49, .55 MC
Celery 1.49
Welch's Reduced Sugar Jelly 1.69, .55 MC
Kraft BBQ Sauce .99, .75 MC
Stove Top 1.69
2 Pastorelli Pizza Sauce 1.59 each
Market Pantry Parmesan Cheese 2.69
Kangroo Pitas 1.99
Beef Roast 8.61, 3.00 TQ
Beef Stew Meat 5.18, 2.50 TQ
Fuji Apples 2.30, 1.00 TQ
2 Kashi Waffles 1.99, Free Product Coupon, 1.50 MC
2 Kraft Naturals Cheddar Blocks 1.52 each, 1.00/2 TQ
2 Fiber One Honey Clusters cereal 2.39 each, .75 MC and .50 MC
Fiber One Poptarts 1.79, .50 MC
Fiber One Yogurt 1.88, 1.00 MC
________________________
Used 5 gift card from Glade candle deal
Total OOP: 32.58, got a $5 gift card for Fiber One deal
saved 31.18

Kroger:
2 Kelloggs Raisin Bran 1.99 each, 1.00 MC
Angel Soft bath tissue 1.22, .50 MC
3 Blue Bell ice cream 3.33 each
Stokes Green Chile Sauce (for chili recipe) 1.97
4 Community Tea Bags 1.50 each, .55 peelies on each
1 lb Boars Head ham 7.79
Softsoap hand soap .99, .35 MC
1.12 lb Laura's lean ground beef (markdown) 3.88, 1.00 MC
Horizon Organic FF Milk (markdown) 2.99
Suave Deodorant .99, .50 MC
Total OOP: 31.63
saved 25.49, or 44% (doesn't include original price of markdowns so actually higher)

Total for the Day: $64.21, earned $5 gift card!

The lady behind me at Target was amazed and was asking lots of questions! :o) I think everything is fairly healthy, so I'm glad I am able to coupon shop and buy things that are good for us.

P & G Samples and Coupons

2009-05-07T20:29:00.002-05:00

If you haven't signed up over at P&G, go now. You can request samples and print a few coupons. They have Crest coupons, which do come in handy at CVS to get free toothpaste. I just requested a sample of Head & Shoulders and Charmin Freshmates!

2009-05-07T15:17:00.000-05:00

Need some fast, easy recipes? Give Kraft Foods a try!

Freebies and Coupons

2009-05-07T06:10:00.005-05:00

Sorry I haven't been posting as much here lately. My passion for couponing is not the same as it was before...

I just got my copy of the cooking for 2 booklet this week and the recipes look delicious. I can't wait to try some of them. Be sure to sign up if you need some cooking ideas!

Quaker Chewy Delights: $1 printable coupon (I love these!)

Check out the latest sample offers on Walmart.com to see if any interest you. I requested the Cottonelle one in hopes that it comes with coupons!

If you love Coke, here is a coupon you can print. It is rare to find a coupon for soda, so get it before it is gone! I think there is even an ECB deal at CVS this week on Coke, so that makes it even better! (I might grab some for the next family get together)

Free sample of Caress body wash. I just got mine in the mail this week but haven't had a chance to try it yet. (Remember these samples are great for out of town guests too!)

$1 coupon on Stayfree products; $1.50 off 2 boxes of Kraft/Velveeta Shells and Cheese.

Finally, go request this coupon booklet! If nothing else, it will get you a free bottle of ketchup when it arrives in the mail!

One last deal: All You (1-year) magazine is only $10 a year at Amazon.com right now. If you have never heard of it, go check it out. It is full of great coupons and articles. I have purchased a few issues just for some of the coupons but paid over $2 for each issue. I was glad to see the deal on the 1 year subscription; now I'm just waiting on my first issue to get here!

Walgreens Deal!

2009-05-06T21:42:00.003-05:00

Heads up on a good deal!

If you have a Walgreens near you, the refills for most Swiffer products are on sale for $4. That is a great price, but if you purchase $10, you get 2 RR, if you purchase $25, you get 6 RR. Once you buy them, you can submit the receipt for this rebate!

I will be getting 6 boxes of refills for what 2 normally run when not on sale! How great is that?

Even if you don't have a Walgreens near you, buying the refills and submitting the rebate will still save you some money if you normally use the products, which we do.

Meal Plan Monday

2009-05-04T22:51:00.002-05:00

Meal Plan Monday:

We are trying to eat better so here goes:
Monday: leftovers!
Tuesday: hamburgers with all the fixings, oven fries (we use a very low fat ground beef and whole wheat bun)
Wednesday: grilled steak, baked potato, steamed broccoli
Thursday: soup and sandwich
Friday: pita pizza, salad
Saturday: (Astros game) hopefully we can find something healthy!

Lunches will be sandwiches and baked chips
Snacks: granola bars, grapes, apples, popcorn

2009-04-30T10:34:00.001-05:00

Sorry for the lack of posts this week. It has been a tough week for us.

CVS 4/29

2009-04-30T10:25:00.005-05:00

I had a great surprise at CVS yesterday. We went to pick up Jason's medicine and I found some Adidas deodorant on clearance for $1.25. I had a 1.00 MC, so I decided to purchse one. I guess it must be a monthly ECB deal because it gave me 2 ECBs back! I found two more coupons and bought 2 more to max out on the deal! So 3 deodorants at $1.25 each, minus 3.00 in MC is .75 OOP, earned 6 ECBs! Awesome! I used the first 2 ECBs to buy the 2 additional ones, plus a bottle of Fructis mousse. The 2 deodorants plus the mousse was .50 OOP and I have 6 ECBs left for next week!

What a great trip! I was very unhappy about the lack of $1 Bandaids, but this made up for it!

Kroger Trip

2009-04-24T06:40:00.005-05:00

We have decided to start eating better, so I have been trying to use my coupons and knowledge to buy healthier options! While organic milk is in no way cheap, we love it so much better that we have decided to go back to buying it. Here was my Kroger trip yesterday:

1 Kroger reusable bag (free)
2 Barilla Pastas 1.39 each (2 - .50 MC doubled to 1.00)
4 Center-cut all natural bacon 2.69 each
2.75 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts 8.28*
1.25 lbs lean pork for stir fry 2.65
Centrum Vitamins 130 count 4.19
2 Lawrys Marinades .99 (1.00/2 MC)
1 Welch's Reduced Sugar grape jelly 2.29 (.55 MC)
1 McCormick Garlic/Onion Grill Mates .99 (.25 MC tripled to .75)
3 Green Giant Corn .99 each (1.00/3 MC) + 2 - .50 shortcuts.com coupons
3 Hormel Natural Honey Ham pkgs 2.49 each
1 Dole Mixed Greens salad mix 1.79
1 Borden Organic Milk 4.99 (1.00 MC)
1 Nature's Own 100% Whole Wheat Bread 2.00
Total OOP: 45.76
*the pkg was supposed to be 5.51, so I will be going back to get my money back!

I know it doesn't look like I can make meals from this trip, but that's what my stockpile is used for; I can add this and pull from things I already have and put together a lot of meals!

Freebies, Coupons, etc

2009-04-22T11:38:00.003-05:00

Sorry I didn't post the freebies yesterday. It was a bit of a rough day here.

Here are some good deals, freebies, and coupons for today!

Rachel at Surviving the Stores has a great way for you to get some Free Soy Candles from Glade. I'm excited about picking up these! I LOVE candles!

Free sample of John Freida Root Awakenings: I requested this one in hopes that it will come with a coupon! I used all of my JF coupons this week and got free shampoo, conditioner, and mousse at CVS!

If you have a four-legged friend (well, dog), he/she might appreciate this free sample of dog treats!

In honor of Earth Day, go request this sample of Huggies Pure and Natural diapers. Of course cloth is a better choice, but less chemicals are always better if you are going the route of disposables!

Aveeno is offering a sample of their newest products, hair care!

If you love free samples, I would highly suggest you go sign up as a member of Vocalpoint! You will find surprises in your mailbox and be able to print coupons on certain campaigns! I was able to get a lot of free Starkist Tuna because of coupons I received through this program!

Finally, go here to get some very high dollar Aveeno coupons! You can print them off and then head to CVS to get some pretty cheap sun care products!

Menu Plan Monday 4/20/09

2009-04-20T07:00:00.002-05:00

I am trying to get back to doing Weight Watchers now, so I hope my menu plans begin to reflect that. Be sure to click the picture to go to Org Junkie for more meal ideas!

Monday: baked chicken, sweet potato, salad
Tuesday: chili, cornbread
Wednesday: hamburgers, oven baked fries
Thursday: pita pizza, spinach salad
Friday: beef tacos, black beans, rice
Saturday: pork roast, steamed veggies, potatoes or rice
Sunday: whole roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls

Chili: My Version!
Ingredients
1/2 lb lean (90/10) ground beef
1 can Campbell's Tomato Juice (low sodium if available)
1 can low sodium V-8 Vegetable Juice
1 can low sodium diced tomatoes
1 can chili beans, drained and rinsed
1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 pkg McCormick reduced-sodium chili seasoning
1 onion, diced
Preparation
Brown and drain ground beef; set aside. Saute onion in dutch oven until soft. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer for 30 minutes. (fast and easy!) You can add more veggies if you have some on hand that you like.

CVS 4/19: Wow!

2009-04-19T11:10:00.005-05:00

I think this might have been one of my best trips EVER! I am still excited about it. :o) It did take me 3 transactions, so here they go:

Transaction 1:
John Freida Shampoo, Conditioner, Mousse $5 each
coupons used:
3-2.00 off any John Freida MC
3/15 CVS coupon
2/10 any beauty CVS coupon (Fitness magazine)
4 ECB
Total OOP: ZERO
got back 5.00 ECB

Transaction 2:
Maalox Mint 5.49
Gas-X gels 5.79 each
Benefiber Chewable 6.49
Coupons used:
2-$1 off any Gas-X MC
1.50 off any Maalox MC
2.00 off Benefiber MC
3.00 off any Benefiber CVS coupon
5.00 off any 2 Maalox, Gas-X CVS coupon
3/15 CVS coupon
5.00 ECB, 2 ECB
Total OOP: .06
got back 10 ECBs

Transaction 3:
2 Revlon lipsticks 7.99 B1G1
2 L'Oreal HIP products 8.49 B1G1
NYC eyeliner 1.99
1 Sally Hansen Nail Polish 2.79
coupons used:
10/20 CVS cosmetics coupon
2-$2 off Revlon MC
2-$2 off L'Oreal HIP product MC
.50 Sally Hansen MC
2.89 ECB
Total OOP: came to -.13, so my cashier just fixed it so I didn't owe or get back anything.
no ECB earned

I don't usually do that, but I was tired and didn't feel like looking for a cheap filler item. I had planned on paying cash for this purchase and saving my ECB, but decided to go ahead and use it. I have the 10 ECB from transaction 2 to work with next week. I haven't been doing as much shopping as I have in the past, so that will be plenty for me. I think today was a great day for me. Now I have to get myself to actually WEAR the makeup!

I LOVE CVS! Be sure to check out The "Cent"sible Sawyer for more CVS savings ideas!

CVS & Walgreens 4-18

2009-04-18T23:14:00.005-05:00

CVS

Pantene Shampoo, Conditioner, Mousse 3.50 each

Edge shave gel 2.89

Crest Pro-Health 2.88

coupons used:

CVS 3/15

3.00 off Pantene shampoo and conditioner

3.50 (free style product wyb shampoo & conditioner)

.75 off Crest Pro-Health

5.00 ECB

total OOP $1.02

got back 2.00 ECB for Pantene, 2.89 ECB for Edge, and 2.00 ECB for Crest

Walgreens

Bic Soleil 4pk refills 1.79 (clearance)

Scunci Hair bands 2.00

Colgate Max White Toothbrush 3.29

Russel Stover creme egg .12

Schick Quattro Razor 9.49

coupons used:

.75 Colgate toothbrush

4.00 MC Schick Quattro

4.00 WG coupon Schick Quattro

3.50 RR

2.50 RR

Total OOP: 2.08

I should have gotten back 3.29 RR for the toothbrush and 2.00 RR for the hair bands. I'm not sure why they didn't print, but I will call the company tomorrow and see what's going on. I hate when that happens. :(

UPDATE: I called the CATALINA company today and they are sending me the 2 RR for the hair bands. I learned something new today. I had used a RR from a previous Colgate purchase, so I was not eligible for the RR on the toothbrush because of that. I didn't know that, but I will not make that mistake again! I will chalk this up as a learning trip and be happy that my actual OOP will end up being 8 cents. CVS is so much easier to shop; I don't know why I still attempt to go to WGs.

Thrifty Meals

2009-04-16T19:02:00.004-05:00

The USDA has an online brochure with healthy, thrifty meal ideas. As our economy continues to tighten most of our budgets, getting the cost of food down is a priority for many of us. Be sure to go check it out: Recipes and Tips for Healthy, Thrifty Meals

Another idea is to try Once a Month or Once A Week Cooking. I like that idea, but I would hate to do all those dishes!

and finally, you might want to bookmark this website that shows you how to make dinner for you family for only $5!

Great Red Sauce Recipe!

2009-04-16T18:40:00.004-05:00

Best Basic Red Sauce
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 (28-ounce) cans whole peeled tomatoes
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 cups water
1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. †Add the onions, garlic, salt, basil, oregano, and pepper, and cook, stirring, until soft, about 5 minutes. †Place the tomatoes in a large mixing bowl and squeeze with spoon or hands to break them into small pieces. †Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, water, and sugar to the pot with the onion and stir well. †Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. †Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally with a long-handled wooden spoon.†Using oven mitts or pot holders, remove the pot from the heat and use the sauce as needed. You can store this sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or freeze it for up to 3 months.†Yield: 10 cups (2 1/2 quarts)†

I love this recipe! I divide it up and freeze it, thawing it out as I need it! I highly recommend it! It is a great way to save money on pasta sauce!

Tuesday Freebies and Coupons

2009-04-14T20:42:00.002-05:00

Here are a few freebies for the week:
Glad Force Flex Bag: I haven't tried these yet, so I'm excited to get one and check it out!

If you have a little one, sign up to get American Baby magazine for free! (thanks to the free sample blog for this one)

Earthbound Farms has a free recipe brochure you can request. You can also take their organic farming quiz for a chance to win a $1 coupon.

Organic Valley has several printable coupons you can print and use on their products! I rarely find coupons for organic dairy products, so this is a great find for me! Here is another website with some printable organic coupons too. If you use Brown Cow brand, here is a website with printable coupons for them too.

Other coupons: $1 off Dreamfields pasta when you sign up for their newsletter.

Sign up for Laura's Lean Beef newsletter and get an instant coupon. I love this brand and they carry it at both Target and Kroger!

If you use Nature Made vitamins and supplements, go sign up and get coupons from them. They also had a program where you can enter codes from your bottles and earn more valuable coupons!

and finally... Stonyfield Farms has e-coupons that you can print too. Just sign up and be ready to hit print!

Deals and Steals

2009-04-12T21:17:00.003-05:00

I had some great shopping trips last week! My best finds were Gillette Fusion Power Razor and shave gel for $2 OOP at Target, free Stride gum at Kroger, 2 Schick Intuition refill packages for 2.89 OOP at CVS, and free Colgate toothpaste at Walgreen's! If you managed to find some good deals or free stuff, be sure to post and let me know!

Today we had a great Easter dinner that was so inexpensive to make! I have a great stockpile of items that make it easy to do a great dinner for a very good price! We had ham, (bought on sale after Christmas for less than half price), mashed potatoes ($1 a bag on sale w/ coupon), green beans (free after coupon), baked beans, deviled eggs, and rolls (on sale w/ coupon). It was great and we have lots of ham leftover for other meals! I plan on cooking beans with the ham bone tomorrow!

I really love shopping this way. It saves us so much money! It is great to be stocked up on almost everything so that I never have to pay regular price for anything. I can't imagine going back to actually paying for toothpaste again. They seem to give it away at least every other week!

2009-04-12T21:07:00.001-05:00

Be sure you pick up your Softsoap bodywash and Colgate toothpaste or toothbrush that are free after ECBs this week at CVS!

2009-04-11T15:32:00.000-05:00

Wednesday Recipe

2009-04-08T21:56:00.002-05:00

Crockpot Sausage and Potatoes

Ingredients
1 1/2 pound sausage; smoked, sliced thickly
2 pounds hash brown potatoes ,not thawed
5 green onions, sliced
black pepper, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 cup milk

Directions
Combine sausage, hash browns, green onions, pepper and garlic powder in well-buttered crockpot. Stir gently to mix. Whisk together soup and milk. Pour over ingredients in crockpot. Cook on low for about 6 to 8 hours.

I love to make this and put it in individual containers so Jason can take just grab it and put it in his lunch kit! It is yummy and super easy to make!

Tuesday Samples and Coupons

2009-04-07T00:35:00.003-05:00

Coupons, Samples, etc

If you like Aveeno products like I do, go print off this coupon to save $2 off your next purchase!

Sign up for the Jergens newsletter to get samples and coupons. I did this at some point and was chosen to be a Jergens Ambassador. I received a full size bottle of lotion to try, along with samples and coupons to pass out to friends. I LOVE the lotion they sent me; it works but is not greasy like some products I have tried!

If you like to try new snacks, check out the Quaker Rice Snacks offer! While they are not my favorite snack, I do end up getting a few bags free every now and then on sale.

One last sample... If you have a dog, request this free sample of Rachel Ray's dog food! I love the free pet food samples; we use the cat food samples as treats for our kitties!

Meal Plan Monday 4/6

2009-04-07T00:22:00.002-05:00

Monday: Ballpark food! We will be at the Astros Opening Day!
Tuesday: Pulled pork sandwiches, sweet potato fries
Wednesday: Grilled chicken, baked potato, green beans
Thursday: Pita pizza, oven-fried potatoes
Friday: spaghetti, salad, garlic bread
Saturday: Pizza night! (homemade)
Sunday: Easter dinner: Ham, mashed potatoes, baked beans, corn, rolls

Be sure to visit orgjunkie for more ideas!

Misc Thrifty Ideas and Favorites

2009-03-27T14:10:00.002-05:00

There are a few new freebies on the Wal-Mart sample page, so be sure to check it out and see if there's anything of interest for you.

If you are looking to save money by making your coffee drinks at home, get started with the recipes from Folgers! You can download this recipe booklet from Eagle Brand Milk to find a tasty treat to go along with it! (and be sure to invite me over)

Be sure to check restaurant.com for local restaurants in your area. The Certificates are 70% off right now, so you can buy a $25 dinner certificate for $3. Just be sure to read the rules/restrictions for each restaurant. These do work; we have used them ourselves!

One final thing: I love products that are kind to our environment and I found a great one yesterday. I purchased an Evolve showerhead and not only does it work, but it feels great too. I had looked at them before and got lucky and found one at our Tuesday Morning. I purchased the "tulip" for 24.99; it is listed for 79.95 on the website, so I feel great about the deal I got! It senses when the water is hot (95 degrees) and will slow down to a trickle to alert you that it is ready. This will save many gallons of water at our house because I turn the shower on and then work around a bit in the bathroom until I think it is ready. Now I know that it is and if I can't get in right away, the water is only trickling, not at the normal flow. The massage spray pattern feels great on my sore back, so I'm really appreciating my new purchase!

Tuesday Freebies 3/24

2009-03-24T09:49:00.002-05:00

Here are a few freebies I found today:

Softsheen-Carson, a leading maker of ethnic hair products has introduced Roots of Nature, a new brand of hair care products that include some organic ingredients designed to strengthen and repair damaged hair.

If you are looking for a new, less expensive toilet paper for your household, try this free sample of Cottonelle. There are usually coupons out there that make it almost free at Kroger (and maybe other stores that double/triple coupons).

Free sample of Kotex feminine care products
Free sample of Greenies, an awesome pet treat
Free sample of True Lemon

Meal Plan Monday

2009-03-23T11:13:00.001-05:00

We have been eating out too much again lately, so this week I vow to follow my plan!

Monday: Green Chile Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
10 medium tortilla, flour, fat-free
4 oz chopped green chilies
3 oz fat-free or reduced-fat cream cheese
1 cup onion(s), diced
1.5 cups shredded cooked chicken breasts
1 can green enchilada sauce
1/4 cup Reduced fat Mexican blend shredded cheese
1 cup salsa or picante sauce
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 and spray a 9x 13 pan with cooking spray. Add a little enchilada sauce to the bottom of the pan. Cook onion in a medium pan until soft. Add chicken, green chilies, salda, and cream cheese. Mix well. Spread mixture down the middle of tortilla and roll up. Place seam side down in pan. Continue until all tortillas are used. Spread any remaining mixture over the top of tortillas. Pour remaining green enchilada sauce over all and bake 30 minutes, covered. Sprinkle with cheese last 10 minutes. Serve with spanish rice and/or black beans.

Tuesday: baked pork chops, steamed broccoli, roasted potatoes
Wednesday: homemade burgers, sweet potato fries
Thursday: slow cooker beef stew*, homemade bread
*be sure to request your coupon for a free bottle of Country Bob's Sauce when you visit the website
Friday: pita pizza, salad
Saturday: beans cooked on ham bone, cornbread, "fried" potatoes

Be sure to go over to org.junkie to get more meal plan ideas.

Friday Favorites

2009-03-20T10:28:00.003-05:00

When I started couponing, I lost a lot of my love for Target. I would go walk around and shake my head at the prices. Now I have found that I can get some great deals there too!

This week they have a Quaker products sale going on; most of the cereals, bars, and oatmeal are 2.50 each. If you buy 5 of those products, you get a $5 Target gift card. If you are like me and have a binder full of coupons, you could use 5 - 1.00 MCs and only pay 2.50 OOP for 5 boxes of granola bars! I think that's a pretty good deal!

In addition, they always have clearance items scattered all around the store. I found Ken's Italian dressing marked down to $1.14; I had a 1.00 MC, so it cost me 14 cents. I LOVE clearance. I found some cute "thank you" cards marked down to $1. There are sometimes good deals to be found in the toiletries section too. It all depends on how much your Target is shopped; the less people shopping the more deals you'll find!

Other great buys:
Mott's Applesauce .64 after using a 1.00 Target printable coupon
Brita Water Pitcher $13 after $5 printable coupon (We needed this and it was on sale, plus the coupon)

Wednesday Recipe/Thrifty Thursday

2009-03-19T12:10:00.004-05:00

One of the big expenses in making dinner is the cost of meat! One great way to save is to have one night of a meatless dinner (or more nights if you can). There are also many great vegetarian recipes out there now; it should be easy to find something your family will love.

Here are some recipes to try:

7-layer Meatless Tortilla Pie: I think that looks pretty kid-friendly/picky eater friendly.

Sweet Potato Burritos: interesting, seems to get good reviews!

Roasted Vegetables: would be a great side dish any night of the week.

Spicy Slow Cooker Black Bean Soup: not vegetarian, but can be just be using vegetable broth instead of chicken broth

Italian Vegetable Soup: sounds YUMMY (not vegetarian); I'm putting this on my to-make list for sure. I love soup!

and finally, my favorite soup, Minestrone Soup! I think this paired with a salad would make an amazing dinner.

Tuesday Freebies

2009-03-17T12:24:00.002-05:00

Want to try out a new toothpaste? Aquafresh is offering a sample of their Extreme Clean toothpaste for you to try. (this is a printable coupon, so be sure to have a printer hooked up to your computer before requesting!)

Gooseberry Patch is offering a free cookbook that features recipes using raisins and dried fruits.

Jiffy Mix is offering a cookbook that will give you ideas on using their product in different recipes.

How about a free sample of Stetson Cologne? :o)

CVS & WGs 3/15

2009-03-16T10:59:00.002-05:00

Walgreens
3 Reach toothbrush pkgs 3/$9, earn 6 RR (3 1.00 MC) FREE after coupons and RR
Colgate Advance toothpaste 3.49 (2.50 IVC coupon, 1.50 MC) .51 money-maker
Maalox chewable, clearance 2.79 (2.00 IVC coupon, 1.00 MC) .21 money-maker
Paid with 10.00 in coupons, 2 RR from yesterday, and $3.11 OOP, earned 6 RR to spend later, so I actually MADE 2.89 on this deal.

I am really bad at Walgreens shopping. I find it so much harder to do than CVS because you have the IVCs (instant value coupon) that are in the rebate book, coupons in the sales ad, monthly rebates, AND register rewards. It makes my head hurt. Here is an article explaining all of those from Wags to Riches, and a little more on it at Money-Saving Mom.

CVS:

Irish Spring Body Wash 4.99, get 4.99 ECBs (.50 MC from yesterday's paper) .50 money-maker

Aveeno Shave Gel 4.99, get 2 ECBs (2.00 printable coupon)

2 Rolaids at 2.19 each (4.00/2 MC)

Theraful 5.99, get 2.00 ECBs (2.00 CVS coupon, 2.00 MC) .01 money-maker

Planner, clearance, .19

Total: .04 OOP (10.50 in coupons, 10 ECBs), got 9 ECBs back for next week

If you are new to CVS shopping, you can read up on the how-to at Deal Seeking Mom. or "Cent"sible Sawyer. It takes a few months doing it to learn all the tricks, but I keep getting better as time goes on!

Menu Plan 3/16/09

2009-03-16T10:34:00.004-05:00

Monday: Hopefully my anniversary dinner at Taste of Texas, if not, one of the meals below and anniversary dinner will be Tues or Wed
Tuesday: pulled pork sandwiches, sweet potato fries
Wednesday: grilled chicken breast, mashed potatoes, green beans, crescent rolls
Thursday: BBQ grilled chicken salad
Friday: breakfast for dinner (YUM)
Saturday: homemade pizza

This week, Meal Plan Monday is being hosted at another great blog you might want to check out, $5 dinners!

Gorilla Glue - Register for newlsetter and receive free samples, savings offers and valuable tips.

Saturday Savings: CVS & Walgreens

2009-03-14T19:09:00.003-05:00

This was my CVS trip for today. I paid .33 OOP for all of this and got 12 ECBs back to spend next week!

I have not yet figured out how to get a low OOP at Walgreens. This trip cost me 4.77 and I got 2 RR to spend later. Not bad considering I needed coffee creamer and would have spent $4 on it at the store anyway.

Friday Freebies.... YAY!

2009-03-13T19:05:00.005-05:00

Here are some freebies again this week!

If you are a fan of Diet Dr. Pepper, be sure you request your coupon for a free 2-Liter or 20oz bottle!

Metamucil is offering samples of their pink lemonade and berry burst flavors. I am not a fan of fiber products, but I think I'll give this one a try!

If you have a laundry care tip to share, Surf will send you a sample of their detergent if you share it and they pick it for their website.

If you know someone who wears a hearing aid, Energizer is giving away batteries to show off their new packaging.

And finally, Total is giving away a sample of their cereal. I love most of their products, so give them a try!

Being frugal AND healthy!

2009-03-12T18:59:00.002-05:00

I have heard people using the excuse "It's too expensive to eat healthy" and I wanted to do a post on how UNtrue that can be.

On my Target trip today I purchased Mott's Natural Applesauce for .22 a six-pack, Kashi bars for .29 a box, and broccoli and cauliflower for .50 each. I think that's pretty cheap AND healthy!

You will need to have a printer to print out some online coupons in order to do it. Target.com has grocery coupons listed on their website every week for different products. I had printed out coupons for 1.00 off each of the items I had listed. In addition to the Target coupon, you can also use a manufacturers coupon.

Motts: 1.76 each, used 1.oo Target printable, .55 Mott's printable
**note: I did not have any clipped coupons for Motts, but I always like to check company websites for printable coupons before I go shopping. I have found several coupons that way!

Kashi: 3.29 each, used 1.00 Target printable, 2.00 Kashi printable (those are no longer available, but you can get a free Kashi entree coupon mailed to you!)

Broccoli, Cauliflower: 1.50 each, used 1.00 Target printable

A great website that lists all the hot deals at stores all around the country is www.hotcouponworld.com If you register there, they do have all the current Target coupons on there and you can print as many of them as you want!

Thursday Thrifty Tip

2009-03-12T10:54:00.003-05:00

This morning I have been searching for a generator. We definitely want to purchase one before the next hurricane season starts because life without one after Ike was not good. I have spent too much time stocking up for freezers to lose it all again! I love coupons and discounts, so of course I don't want to pay full price for one! My solution to that is searching sites like Craigslist, and if you are a "local", Kingwood Yard Sales. I have already found several that are still in the box, but are being sold for a few hundred dollars cheaper than buying new! I have used Ebay to get a few things at a discount, but it is so easy to get caught up in the fun of outbidding someone and end up paying more than you planned. :o) Always be on the lookout for ways to get around paying full price! I think the bartering system is quickly making its way back so start making a list of your skills and look for ways to trade them for things you need!

HUGGIES!!!

2009-03-11T22:27:00.001-05:00

If you use Huggies and have a printer, be sure to click on the blue coupons.com bar over on the right side of my blog. They currently have one coupon for 3.00 off and another for 5.00 off! Walgreens is having a great sale on them this week, so use those coupons there and save even more!

Wednesday Recipe: Baked Ziti

2009-03-11T22:10:00.007-05:00

We had a great dinner tonight! I love pasta and baked ziti is one of my very favorite dishes. Here's the recipe I used:

1/2 box Barilla Plus penne pasta, cooked (I know, but I didn't see ziti)
1 jar Ragu spaghetti sauce
1/2 lb lean ground beef, cooked and crumbled
8 oz ricotta cheese
6 oz shredded mozzarella cheese
Italian seasoning

Mix first 5 ingredients together. Top with 2oz shredded mozzarella cheese and Italian seasoning. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Serve with salad and garlic bread!

It is a very easy recipe to change; you can double it, substitute different pastas or sauces, or add more cheese or meat (Italian sausage would be great in it)! Allrecipes.com has so many recipes you can search for and adapt; I use it all the time! Here is a baked ziti recipe from there that sounds YUM!

I just found another Betty Crocker newsletter that is giving away a freebie when you sign up! Click below to join and get your sample of the very delicious warm delights!

Tuesday Freebies!

2009-03-10T16:13:00.002-05:00

It's Tuesday! Time for some freebies!

If you are looking for a formula that is cheaper than the big brands, maybe request this sample of the Wal-Mart store brand and try it out and see if it works for you!

Nature's Bounty is offering a sample and coupon for their Fish Oil Supplements. They are supposed to have some positive effects on the the body, so why not try it out...free!

The Dove shampoo offer is still up and running, so if you haven't requested it yet, go! I love Dove's products and I use these samples for trips or to put out for guests!

Menu Plan Monday: 3/9

2009-03-09T22:02:00.005-05:00

Jason is working OT this week, so with him only being home tonight and Wednesday night, I am not planning out a menu. I do want to make something easy that he can take for lunch, but I haven't decided what that is yet. We had spaghetti tonight, and I'm going to try to make baked ziti on Wednesday for our family dinner night. I got a recipe from the Kroger coupon printer and I am going to make it too! I'll share that instead of a menu!

Polynesian Sunshine Pie
Ingredients:
1 can (15oz) Dole Mandarin Oranges
1 graham cracker crust
1 banana, sliced
6 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tub (8oz) Cool Whip, thawed
2/3 cup flake coconut, toasted, divided
1 can Dole Tropical Mixed Fruit, drained
1/3 cup apricot jam, melted
Preparation:
Drain oranges; reserve 2 tbsp syrup. Place half of oranges in bottom of crust. Top with half of banana slices; set aside.
Beat cream cheese, reserved syrup, and vanilla until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Stir in 1/3 cup coconut. Spread mixture over fruit in crust. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Arrange tropical fruit, banana slices, and remaining mandarin oranges over filling. Drizzle jam over fruit. Sprinkle remaining coconut over pie.

Wednesday Recipe meets Thrifty Thursday!

2009-03-05T15:39:00.004-06:00

I am behind a day, as usual. I did want to share a recipe that I love and is actually pretty cheap to make if you shop the right way. At one of our local stores, HEB, they have bulk bins where you can purchase spices, grains, granola, and tons of other things. I LOVE buying my spices there. A bottle of spices in the the spice aisle will probably cost you $5 and up and you might just need a teaspoon for one recipe. If you find a store with the bulk option, you can buy as little or as much as you want! I buy 10 cents worth of some spices because that's all I need. It is a great way to make those higher end recipes with lots of ingredients without all the cost!

This BBQ sauce has a quite a few spices and salts, but buying the spices from the bulk bins and using other ingredients that you probably already have make for a cheap and GOOD! sauce.

Kansas City Barbecue Sauce
Thick, tomato-rich Kansas City sauces are sweeter than those from other barbecue regions. While commercial renditions can overdo the sugar, this version (inspired by the scrumptious Gates Original) balances sweet with spice.
This recipe goes with KC-Style Potato Salad, Kansas City Barbecued Chicken
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons ketchup
1 cup water
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons molasses
3/4 teaspoon ground celery seed
1/2 teaspoon smoked salt (such as McCormick)

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer 25 minutes or until slightly thickened.
Yield: 2 1/2 cups (serving size: about 2 tablespoons)
CALORIES 31 (3% from fat); FAT 0.1g (sat 0.0g,mono 0.0g,poly 0.0g); IRON 0.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 0.0mg; CALCIUM 12mg; CARBOHYDRATE 7.8g; SODIUM 198mg; PROTEIN 0.3g; FIBER 0.2g Cooking Light, JULY 2007

I have to say that I hate potato salad, but the one that uses this recipe is very different and I love it!

Tuesday Freebies!

2009-03-03T08:36:00.004-06:00

My favorite day of the week!
Here are some freebies and coupons for you today:

Start Making Choices has a little starter kit to help us all get started eating a little healthier. It comes with a sample of popcorn, as well as some coupons to use on other products!

I can't remember if I posted this one already, but it is so good that it needs to be posted again anyway. Quaker has some amazing new granola bars that are SO yummy. I got mine in the mail yesterday and it came with a $1 MC too! They also have an offer to sample their rice snacks; not quite as good, but still not a bad snack.

Kashi is offering a coupon for a free frozen entree! That's close to a $4 value, so be sure to request that one.

For your little ones, Earth's Best has coupon offers if you sign up for their newsletter.

Similac Savings

2009-03-02T15:39:00.002-06:00

If you have a little one, you know how important it is to save on formula and get feeding ideas! Sign up for Similac Strong Moms program to get some great savings!

Meal Plan Monday 3/2

2009-03-02T15:18:00.003-06:00

Monday: Pita Pizza (I love them on the nights when its just me)
Tuesday: Dijon Mustard Chicken Fricassee (from last week's menu), roasted potatoes, corn
Wednesday: Chili, cornbread
Thursday: Tostadas, Mexican rice
Friday: biscuits, sausage, eggs, hashbrowns
Saturday: homemade pizza, cheese sticks

Be sure to check out orgjunkie for more meal plan ideas!

Pedi Visits and Lysol

2009-03-02T08:31:00.003-06:00

If you are in need of cleaning products and your little one has a doctor visit scheduled this month, consider buying Lysol products (with coupons of course) and submitting them for this $5 rebate!

I have been doing a lot more rebates lately and I love them! I have managed to find several products to try free as well as rebates on our cat food! I love this website, which as tons of rebates listed! Look over them and see if any of them apply to products you use on a regular basis!

2009-03-02T08:13:00.002-06:00

I was printing out my coupons this morning and decided that I really should share how wonderful my printer is. This was my birthday present last year and I have to say, I LOVE it. It is wireless, so I can print from both the laptop and desktop. It does a great job printing out our photos. The ink is relatively cheap. I have yet to find any reason to not like it. I haven't used the scanner yet, but that's next on my list. If you are in the market for a new printer, definitely consider it! Epson Artisan 700 Photo All-in-One Printer (Black) (C11CA30201)

Helpful sites and coupons

2009-03-02T07:50:00.002-06:00

If you have clicked on the coupons.com bar over on my sidebar, but sure to do it soon. There are some awesome coupons on there, including $5 and $3 off Huggies! Most coupons that good don't stay up very long so print them while you can.

Be sure to visit www.shortcuts.com, www.cellfire.com, and www.pgesaver.com to load coupons to your Kroger card! You can also load "coupons" via the UPromise website; when you purchase those products at registerd retailer (usually CVS, Randalls, or Kroger), they will deposit the coupon amount into your UPromise account!

For those of you who like to read... I found a cool website, www.dailylit.com, that will email you daily installments of books! I know it is sometimes hard to find time to read, but this breaks down the books into smaller, more manageable sections, and it will be in your email when you find some extra time. Some of the books are free, while others do require payment. I signed Jason and I up to read the Big Read of the month, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button! Check it out and let me know if you like it!

I'm working on my meal plan, so I'll post that later.

Swag Bucks!

2009-02-26T09:36:00.002-06:00

I am so excited about Swag Bucks! I joined back in December and use it as my search engine when I need to look up something online. This week I exchanged the Swag Bucks I had earned for four $5 gift cards to Amazon! I would totally recommend the site. All I did was add the toolbar to my browser and type my search string into it instead of Google or Yahoo. It has definitely paid off too! $20 might not seem like a lot, but as a coupon/savings person, I know a little can go a a long way!

Tuesday Freebies 2/24...more added!

2009-02-24T23:15:00.004-06:00

Here are a few freebies for this week:

14 day supply of Nature's Made Calcium Supplements

Quaker Dark Chocolate Raspberry Almond True Delights.... there are AWESOME, so go request this one before they run out!

Wal-Mart still has some good samples you can request on their website. These always come, so be sure to check the website often to see if they have any new ones!

Free small sub from Quiznos... Jason and I used ours today for lunch!

Try Touch Of Gray(tm) FREE! The first men's hair treatment that lets you comb away a little gray, but not all. Let everybody see your energy AND your experience. Great for job-hunters, too. Try it FREE! Click Here to sign up!

Monday Menu Plan

2009-02-23T08:29:00.004-06:00

Monday: salmon, rice, steamed broccoli
Tuesday: Chicken Fricassee, mashed potatoes, mixed veggies
Wednesday: Quizno's subs (free), chips, and homemade cookies
Thursday: Potato Soup or Chili
Friday: Pita Pizza (YUM)
Saturday: Burgers, oven fries or sweet potato fries
Sunday: cooking together day (menu to be determined)

Be sure to visit OrgJunkie to get more menu plan ideas!

Coupons and Recipes

2009-02-21T14:51:00.007-06:00

A great way to save money and get some recipe ideas is to sign up for one of the Betty Crocker or Pillsbury newsletters. They will send you recipes and coupons to give you some ideas on meals for your family. I know it makes it easier for me to plan my shopping trips to have meal ideas along with coupons for the ingredients. I'm going to put a few links here, so be sure to go sign up to get the newsletters coming! Most of them will mail you a coupon book for joining too!

2009-02-20T11:43:00.001-06:00

Save Money on Groceries, Over 100,000 members. Join AFullCup.com. Click Here to go to the website.

A Few Special Offers!

2009-02-19T15:35:00.003-06:00

Request a Coupon to save on Pampers!

Shop Markdowns and Clearance

2009-02-19T07:19:00.003-06:00

One great way to find good deals is to pair up coupons with items that have been marked down or on clearance. I have found some quality products at very low prices and snagged them for almost free after using the coupons I had on hand. I bought razors for .09, face wash for free, and cleaning supplies for a third of the original cost. It does take a little time to shop for these items, but I just stop and get a coffee and then walk around the stores looking for clearance or mark down tags. I always have my coupon book with me now so if I find a tag, I can flip through my book and quickly see if I have a coupon match. It works great and I am building up my donation pile by doing this!

Another way to save is looking for specials on meat. Our Kroger has two levels of markdowns on their meat: a few days before the sale-by-date they do Manager's Specials and lower the price by a few dollars, but on the sale-by-date, they mark down even more. I usually stick with the manager's specials; the products are usually looking a little scary by the sale date and I don't like to take chances with meat. I think I get some pretty good deals; I now have a good stockpile of chicken, pork, and ground beef, so I can wait on sales to buy more!

Making New Recipes

2009-02-18T08:47:00.005-06:00

If you are like me, you always have a few items in your 'fridge that were needed for recipes, but maybe only half the container was used. I found some of those last week and decided on a new plan... I will come up with at least one recipe a week that will use up some of those things before they go bad. Here's what I had last week: ricotta cheese and cottage cheese left over from a lasagna recipe. Now I have a new recipe that I kinda made up last week to use them up...

Pasta Bake

Ingredients:
cottage cheese
ricotta cheese
1 lb ground beef
1 jar spaghetti sauce
pasta
shredded mozzarella

Preparation:
Brown the ground beef; drain off any fat. Combine beef, sauce, and cottage cheese and let warm on the stove. While this is simmering, go ahead and cook your pasta. I used penne that I had gotten on sale that week. When pasta is almost done, drain. In a casserole dish, layer as follows : sauce, noodles, ricotta, shredded cheese, and repeat until you run out, ending with shredded cheese. I did two layers, but only had enough ricotta for one layer. It was still pretty yummy and it used up items I had on hand as well as those that were on sale last week! Can't beat that!

I challenge you go try this in the next week or so! Go through your 'fridge and see what you find. If you end up with a yummy recipe, be sure to come back and post it!!

Kroger 2/17

2009-02-17T17:24:00.005-06:00

I got a few good deals at Kroger today. Instead of typing it out as usual, I'll do the item, cost, and my coupon amount in ( ).

1 gallon Border Milk 3.99 (.75)
Country Bobs All Purpose Sauce 3.39 (3.39)
3 Chef Boyardee Pastas .88 each (.35/3 tripled)* donate
Lean Pockets 1.59 (.40 doubled)
4 Pillsbury Grands Biscuits 1.27 each (.40/2 doubled x 2)*
---a cellfire coupon for .50 also come off for these
Country Crock 2.44 (.25 tripled)*
3 Maruch Noodles 1.00 (.35, adjusted to 1.00 x 3) FREE donate
1.25lbs 90/10 ground beef for chili 3.51
2 Multigrain CHeerios 1.67 (.75 x 2)
Cinnamon Toast Crunch 2.49 (1.00)*
Blue Bell Ice Cream gallon 3.99 (1.00)
Sure Clinical Deodorant 5.99 (2.00) has rebate to send in and get free
5lbs Russet Potatoes 1.99
Nivea Lip Balm 1.99 (1.00)
Cheerios Banana Nut 2.49 (.75)*
Blistex 1.09 (.35 tripled)
Mrs Bairds Bread 2.00 (1.00)
2 Hershey's candy bars .50 each (B1G1 .89)
10 Starkist Tuna pouches 1.00 each (B2G1 1.49 x 3)
-----------------------------------------------------
*Dayton Event Product, buy 10, get $3 off, so I got an additonal .30 off each of those items.
Total OOP: 32.21 Saved 51.18 (61%)
I only bought 9 of the tunas, so I will see if they will fix that when I go back.
I also got (2) 1.00 off my next order coupons, as well as several catalinas to use later! I will also get 5.99 back when I send in the rebate for the Sure.

I love Kroger!

One thing I have noticed is that buy 1 get one coupons give you the non-sale amount at Kroger, so even if it is on sale, you get a break. The Hershey's candy is a good example of that... they were 2/1.00, I used a B1G1 coupon, which took .89 off. The same thing happened with the tuna; they were on sale for 1.00 each, but the B2G1 coupon gave me 1.49 off.

CVS...again.

2009-02-17T17:11:00.005-06:00

I was bored today so I got out and went looking for some deals. It makes me use my brain for something besides grieving. Here is the breakdown on this transaction:

Colgate Total Advance 2.99 (earn 2.99 ECB)
Herbal Essences Shampoo, Mousse 2.99 each (earn 2 ECB)
Sudafed PE Sinus Headache (clearance) 2.75 eacg
Clean & Clear Morning Burst Face Wash (clearance) 1.75
Rolaids 3 pks 2.19 each
----------------------------------------------------
$3 off $15 CVS coupon
1.00 Colgate MC
(2) 1.50 Sudafed PE MC
1.75 Clean & Clear MC
4.00 off 2 Rolaids MC
3.00/2 Herbal Essences MC
----------------------------------------------------
Total OOP: 1.86 Earned 2, 2.99 ECBs

Tuesday Freebies

2009-02-17T08:24:00.006-06:00

Here are a few freebies for you guys to enjoy! I love getting mail, so free samples are great if you feel the same way...plus there are usually coupons in there too!

All You Magazine is offering a free trial issue. It is a magazine found only at Wal-Mart that has some great articles as well as coupons scattered throughout the issue. I just received my free issues and I think I am going to subscribe now!

A few other Wal-Mart samples (these ALWAYS come, so got request them!)

Viva Paper Towels: I had never used this brand before, but got a great deal on them around the holidays at CVS. I am now a loyal fan...they are BY FAR the best paper towel I have used.

Huggies Baby Wipes: Again, the best of the brands. I would recommend Huggies over every other brand out there. They are thicker and softer than the other name brand baby wipes.

Here are a few others:
Dove Hair Care

Gevalia - 3 Boxes for $3 + Free Mug + Free Shipping.Click Here for more information.

Get your FREE sample of Crystal Light, Purell, Blistex, plus many more samples from REMEDY Magazine just for joining REMEDYLife. In addition to FREE healthy samples you'll get coupons and special offers absolutely FREE. Click Here to join today!

Cheap is good…but FREE is better! Join FreeFly’s and get FREE samples of name-brand products! Click Here to join today!

CVS 2/16

2009-02-17T07:56:00.005-06:00

This was a quick trip yesterday; I plan on going back today. I just wanted to get the paper towels because they are on my list of charity donation items. I have decided to keep up my blog to show how much you can get to donate with very little out of pocket. I'll also try to be better about sharing some non-shopping related tips, recipes, etc.

I had spent all my ECBs, so this was starting with ZERO of those!

Scott 8 pack paper towels (2 day sale) 4.99
Colgate Advance toothpaste 2.99
Always Infinity 18 count 5.99
Hershey Kisses (markdown) 1.49
-------------------------------------------
$3 off 15 CVS coupon
$2 Always Infinity CVS coupon
Scott $1 MC
Colgate $1 MC
Always Infinity free 18 count MC (5.99)
Hersheys Dark $1 MC
--------------------------------------------
Total After Coupons: $1.42
Earned 2.99 ECBs

You can join CouponMom.com to get an easy resource to find coupon matchups! Here is a YouTube video about the site.

Charity Work

2009-02-06T13:22:00.001-06:00

I'm trying to work on collecting items to donate to Ronald McDonald House. If you are interested in helping out, watch for sales and pick up some of the following. I would also appreciate any coupons that would help me get these at a better price. :)

Batteries
Laundry Detergent (liquid)
Xerox Paper
Scotch Tape
Postage Stamps
Disposable Gloves
Ice Tea Makers
Paper Products - towels, napkins, plates, cups, utensils
Travel Size Toiletries- shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, shaving cream, deodorant
Fruit - Fresh or individual servings
Popcorn (bag)Pudding - Individual servings
Ramen noodlesTuna/Salmon - Individual servings
Breakfast Items - Danishes, muffins, POP Tarts, granola/breakfast bars, oatmeal (individual wrapped)
Snacks - cheese/peanut butter crackers, cookies (individually wrapped)
Baking Mixes (cookies, muffins, brownies, cakes)
Gift Cards - H-E-B, Kroger, Target, Wal-Mart

Free Samples

2009-02-06T10:16:00.004-06:00

Here are a few freebies I found out today. I have been getting quite a few in my mailbox and I love it! Free products, plus extra coupons! If you have certain brands and products that you need or can't live without, check their websites. Many times there are sample offers or at least a coupon offer on the websites; if not, email them and let them know you love their products. I have gotten a few coupons in the mail that way too!

AquaFresh is offering a sample of their Extreme Clean toothpaste.

If you are a fan of hot tea, Yogi Tea is offering a sample pack of their blends.

Total is offering a sample of their new Cranberry Crunch cereal. I can't wait for this one; I love anything cranberry!

Hylands is offering two different samples, one for leg cramps and another for their sleep aid.

Enjoy!

Kroger 2/5

2009-02-06T09:55:00.002-06:00

Kroger has another deal this week that if you buy 10 of the select items, you get $3 off. The number of participating products aren't nearly as good as the Mega Sale, so I did one set of these and will stop at that. I marked my participating items with an *.

Multi-Grain Cheerios (6 boxes) 1.67 each
Yo-Plus Yogurt 2.00
Pepperidge Farm Garlic Bread (2 pkgs) 1.47 each
Pepperidge Farm Cheese Bread 1.87
Ball Park Turkey Franks (4 pkgs) 2.50 each
Ground Chuck (1lb) 2.69
93% Lean Ground Beef (1.16lbs) 3.61
80% Lean Ground Beef (1.01lbs) 2.63
*Pillsbury Honey Wheat Grands biscuits (3 cans) 1.27 each
*Ragu Pasta Sauce (4 jars) 1.53 each
*Betty Crocker Cinnamon Swirl Muffin Mix 1.99
Ocean Spray Cran-grape juice 1.99
*Gatorade G2 drinks (2 bottles) .89 each
5lb bag potatoes 1.99
Health Ones Honey Ham (4 pkgs) markdown 1.19 each
Lysol Wipes 2pk markdown 2.74
Clorox Wipes (105 count) markdown 3.49
-------------------------------------------------------
Total OOP 38.89 saved 52.06, 57%

Randalls 2/5

2009-02-06T09:36:00.004-06:00

I did some serious shopping yesterday in order to get some meat while it was on sale. Jason and I are getting ready to start Weight Watchers back again soon, so I will be spending a bit more on produce and meat than we were before.

Randalls:
(I don't usually shop at Randalls, but they had some good deals this week. If you love making Frito Pie, Fritos are 1.00 a bag this week)
Cheetos Puffs 1.00
Fritos Twists BBQ 1.00
Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice 1.99
Kelloggs Raisin Bran (2 boxes) 1.99 each
Kelloggs Pop Tarts (8 boxes) 1.00 each
Nature's Own 7 Grain bread 2.59
Nature's Own White Wheat Hot Dog buns 2.00
93% Lean Ground Beef 1.19 lbs (3 packages) 3.56 each
Sanderson Farms Chicken Breast Tenders (2.99/lb) 6.43
Green Grapes 2.38lbs (.88/lb) 2.09
Fuji Apples 3.53lbs (1.00/lb) 3.53
Baby Carrots 1lb pk (2 pkgs) 1.00 each
----------------------------------------------
Total OOP 38.89 Saved 42.27, 52%

CVS 1/31

2009-01-31T21:02:00.004-06:00

I combined a few deals from this week with some new ones for next week. I love Saturday nights! I wanted my ECBs from the Almay and I wanted to use the Electrasol 2.50 coupons before they expire tomorrow.

Almay eye shadow 7.49
3 Electrasol Gel tabs 2.99 each
Butterfinger Valentines heart .50
-----------------------------------
3/15 CVS coupon
8.50 in MCs
5 ECB
.49 OOP (on gift card)
-----------------------------------
Received 5 ECBs for Almay, 3/15 coupon

If you have last weeks Walgreens and CVS ads, be sure to keep those prescription coupons! I used the CVS one at CVS this week to get my $25 gift card when I filled my prescription. My store accepts their own coupons, so I still have one more of those, plus my two Walgreens to use!

CVS 1/26

2009-01-31T20:50:00.003-06:00

I spent a little more than usual on this trip but we were sick and needed some cold medicines, plus they had marked down some of the Tylenol Allergy Medicines to half price so I used my coupons to get those at a good price. I learned something new on this trip though... Clearanced make-up doesn't count towards the amount needed to earn ECBs!

Almay Pure Minerals Powder 6.65 (clearance)
3 Advil Cold & Sinus 5.00 each
2 Gillette for Men Shampoo 4.99 each
2 Tylenol Allergy & Sinus 3.65 each (clearance)
Almay 1 Coat Mascara 3.99
Kleenex bonus back 3.69
Alka-Seltzer Plus Day/Night cold medicine 6.59
------------------------------------------------
Used 10/50 CVS coupon
14.50 in MC
1.00 CVS Kleenex coupon
19.98 EBCs
8.72 OOP (on Gift Card)
-----------------------------------------------
Received 5 ECBs for Advil, 6.98 ECBs for Gillette, 1 ECB for Kleenex
(I was trying to get the 5 ECBs for the Almay but didn't know clearance didn't count)

Savings Information

2009-01-31T17:26:00.003-06:00

Several people have inquired about the ECBs and other coupon terms, so I wanted to use today to try to answer some of those questions. Instead of trying to type out information that is on so many other websites, I'm just going to provide links to those sites so you can read the information as you have time.

ECB Information
CVS Shopping for Newbies
Walgreens Shopping

To find all of the deals for the week for most stores, including drug stores and grocery stores, check out this pretty comprehensive list. If you don't want to spend the time tracking down all the information on blogs, you might want to consider going the Grocery Game or using Coupon Mom to find everything already put together for you. A few other tips along with stores can also be found here.

For me, I buy 2-3 newspapers a week so that I have more than one set of coupons to work with. You will still save in the beginning, but the real savings come once you get a good stockpile. Once you have most of the items you use already on hand, you can wait for them to go on sale again to maximize your savings. I try to buy meat when it is on sale too and stock my freezer up as much as I can. If you don't have a stand alone freezer, I would really recommend getting one. It will save you so much money in the long run. If not, you'll be running out and buying meat at the non-sales price to make that recipe you just have to have that week. Same goes for frozen veggies and other snacks. My freezer is full right now thanks to the current Mega Deals at Kroger! I also bought an extra turkey at Thanksgiving while they were cheap and got a ham after Christmas at a great discount! If I didn't have my freezer, I couldn't have done that.

Another great way to save that I have discovered lately is Kroger closeouts. I bought some razors just today that were normally 4.99, but were on closeout for 2.09. I had $2 coupons for them, so they were only .09 each. I also got some good deals on cleaning products the same way. I went early this morning and made my way down each aisle looking for markdowns and closeouts that I had coupon matches for. It took a little time, but I enjoy saving so it was fun for me.

A great way to keep up with deals and sales is to sign up for Google Reader and subscribe to several money saving blogs. You can then go read any new posts on a daily basis and find any special sales as well as the weekly store sales. I follow around 8 or 10 of them myself and put together all the information to do my deals each week.

As far as other terms and abbreviations I use on the blog, there is a list over on the sidebar that you can use as a reference.

Wednesday Recipe

2009-01-28T10:43:00.003-06:00

Instead of a dinner recipe, I thought I'd share a great recipe I made this week. I wanted something sweet, so I looked through what I had on hand and what was on sale and decided on this recipe. I have an abundance of oatmeal right now, so I wanted to use some of that up. The only thing I did not have on hand was fresh blueberries; they were on sale for .99 last week, so I didn't mind buying those. I did not have raspberry preserves, but I substituted strawberry, which I did have already.

Looking over what you already have and then finding recipes will save much more than finding a recipe and then seeing what you need to make it.

I'll just post the link instead of typing it all out. I thought it was good; let me know if you try it and what you think!

Very Berry Breakfast Cake

Tuesday Freebies!

2009-01-27T20:57:00.006-06:00

If you are like me, you would love to try some of the whitening strips but hate to pay so much for something you aren't sure about. Wal-Mart is currently offering a free sample of Crest Whitestrips, so go take advantage of the opportunity to try these out for free!

Attention Smokers: Quitting smoking is tough but it doesn't have to be brutal. Instead of going cold turkey, NicoDerm CQ helps you quit successfully through a balanced approach. Along with the sample you will also receive a $7 coupon on your next purchase. Answer some questions and fill out the form to get your free sample. Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.Click Here

Nature's Bounty is giving away a free sample of their Fish Oil supplements. Jason takes these on a daily basis so I'm happy the sample comes with a coupon too!

Kroger 1/25

2009-01-27T20:49:00.002-06:00

Yeah, I know.... 3 trips, but this one was more to hang out with a friend. I just took my coupon binder along and got a few more deals too.

Fiber One Granola Bars (2 boxes) 2.69 each
Cheerios Snack mix 2.19
Hormel Bone-In Spiral Ham (markdown) 8.19
Hormel Turkey Chili (2 cans) 1.00
Yo Plus Yogurt 4 pk 2.59
Sargento Cheese Sticks (2 pkgs) 3.99 each
Blueberries 1 pnt .99
Nature Valley granola bars (2 boxes) 2.69 each
Kroger Sour Cream 8 oz .99
Nabisco Wheat Thins (2 boxes) 2.39
Nestle TollHouse Brownies 2.50
____________________________
23.88 OOP, saved 27.06 or 52%
13.90 in MC savings

Kroger 1/24

2009-01-27T18:51:00.004-06:00

I tend to hit the mega deal sale several times, so here was my second visit. I bought a few items on special or markdown in addition to the mega deal items.
Prices are before the $5 off:

Captain Crunch Cereal (3 boxes) 2.49 each
2 pk GE Energy Smart light bulbs (8 packages) 4.70 each
Glade Aerosol Spray (6 bottles) .96 each
Orville Redenbacher Natural Popcorn (3 boxes) 2.19 each
Kraft Cheese (5 packages) 1.99 each
Pace Picante Sauce/Salsa (2 bottles) 1.76 each
Kens Salad Dressing (2 bottles) 1.99 each
French's Mustard (1 bottle) 1.49
Nature's Bounty Melatonin 9.09
Nature's Bounty Biotin FREE (B1G1)
Quaker Simple Harvest Oatmeal (2 boxes) 2.69 each
Tostino's Pizza Rolls 40 ct (2 bags) 2.99 each
Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers (4 bags) 1.49 each
Loreal Men's Facial Cleanser (markdown) 3.49
Quaker Mini Rice Cakes (2 bags) 1.00 each
Pork Chops (managers special) 3.61
Dove Shampoo (markdown) 2.45
Coffeemate Peppermint Mocha creamer 1.00
Starbucks dark chocolate grahams (2 packs) .65 each
-------------------------------------------------
Total OOP 66.03 saved 96.31 0r 59%
I had $38.00 in MC savings!

Kroger 1/22

2009-01-23T00:24:00.004-06:00

I love the Kroger Mega Events!
I'll try to list all that we tonight, as well as a website where you can get the coupon match-ups.

Transaction #1: (prices before the $5 off)
2 40 count bags Tostinos Pizza Rolls 2.99 each
1 Gordons Fish Fillets 2.99
1 Pace Picante Sauce 1.76
1 Kleenex w/ lotion 1.59
2 Glade Warmers 1.49 each
1 Glade gel refills 2.09
2 bags Farm Rich Mozz cheese sticks 4.99 each
12.21 OOP; saved 25.39 (67%)

Transaction #2:
1 Quilted Northern tissue pk 6.99
2 Kleenex w/ lotion 1.59 each
1 Fructis wax (closeout) 1.79
1 Cottonelle 4 pk 1.19
2 Bounty Basic paper towels (closeout) 1.03 each
2 Suave shampoos (closeout) .77 each
4 Juicy Juice 2.53 each
2 Betty Crocker boxed potatoes 1.67 each
2 Orville Redenbacher popcorn 2.19 each
1 French's Worcheschire sauce (closeout) .79
2 Ro*tel tomatoes .90 each
3 Fiber One granola bars 2.69 each
3 Nature Valley granola bars 2.69 each
2 Quaker Simple Harvest oatmeal 2.69 each
2 Powerade singles 1.00 each
2 Tropicana Orange Juice 2.69 each
1 Borden's FF organic milk 5.49
2 French's mustard 14oz 1.49 each
1 Kraft Miracle Whip Light 2.99
4 Kraft 2% Singles 1.99 each
1 Hillshire Farms lunchmeat (markdown) 2.09
2 Chex Mix snacks 2.19 each
2 Quaker Quakes 1.00 each
1 Nestle cookie dough 2.46
1 Horizon Chocolate milk single 1.00
Total OOP 46.85 saved 75.54 or 61%

There is an awesome printable list here if you need coupon match-ups! I love this sale!

Kroger 1/19

2009-01-19T23:04:00.002-06:00

I didn't really have a good plan in mind for Kroger today. I had a few things on my list that we could use at home, plus I wanted to pick up some items for the local food pantry.

3 BC Hamburger Helper meals $1 each
2 Rice-a-Roni $1 each
2 Pasta Roni $1 each
1 Cottonelle bath tissue 4 pk $1.19
3 ACT II popcorn (3pk) $1 each
1 Horizon Organic Milk single $1
3 Dial bar soap 3pk $1 each

Coupons:
$1/3 Hamburger Helper IP
$1/4 Rice-a-Roni or Pasta Roni 1/4 RP
3 - .40 ACT II 3 pk or larger 12/14 SS
.50 Cottonelle 4-pk (not sure of insert)
.25 Horizon Organic milk single 1/11 SS
3 - .35 Dial 1/4 SS
$3 credit from P&G for ecoupon that didn't work a few months ago

Total OOP: 5.71 saved 18.87, or 77%

CVS 1/19

2009-01-19T22:54:00.003-06:00

It took me a long time to get my thoughts straight to even try to go to shop today. I finally went just to get out of the house. It is so hard to deal with all that has happened over the past few weeks. Anyway, here was my deal:

4 12pks of Pepsi Products $12
3 bags Lays Chips $9
2 Excedrin Migraine $1.99 each
2 Puffs tissues .99 each
1 RS marshmallow heart .50

Coupons:
2 $2 Excedrin IP coupons
2 .25 Puffs MC 1/18 PG insert
22.50 ECB

.46 OOP, got back 10 ECB
will submit receipt for $15 Pepsi/Lays Superbowl Rebate

2009-01-15T23:25:00.002-06:00

Sorry it has been a while since I've posted. My 5 month old son passed away yesterday so it may be a while before I get back to blogging over here. I will one day, so please check back. I plan on using some of new money saving abilities to help out some causes that have now become close to my heart.

Walgreens 1/6

2009-01-07T10:15:00.002-06:00

Transaction 1:
4 Kelloggs cereals 2.50 each
*buy 4 get 3 RR
used 4 - $1 MC
Total OOP: $6, got back the 3 RR

Transaction 2:
1 Electrasol Gel Tabs 3.49
2 Splenda 100 count pkts 4.49 each
3 Quaker Oatmeal 10 pks 4.00 each
1 Garnier Fructis Hairspray 2.99
2 Reynolds aluminum foil 1.59 each
2 Ben & Jerrys ice cream pints
-------------------------------
2 $3 Ben & Jerrys IP coupons
1 $2.50 Electrasol MC
3 $1 Quaker Oats IP coupons
2 $1 Reynolds MC
1 $1 Garnier Fructis MC
1 $1.50 Splenda MC
3 RR from Trans 1
In-ad coupons for Reynolds, Quaker, and Splenda took off $10.23
$2 Easy Saver coupon for GarnierFructis
-------------------------------
Total OOP $5.32 will send in rebate to get 1.50 back on Electasol

Tuesday Freebies

2009-01-06T15:50:00.002-06:00

Gold Bond Lotion: helps soothe irritate skin, even for those of us with sensitive skin. Even though we do not have harsh winters to deal with down here, we do lose much of our humidity. My skin is always such a mess during the colder months so I'm looking forward to trying out this sample.

Dunkin' Donuts still has their free coffee sample available! I can't imagine a better time of year for hot steamy coffee!!

For those of you who use Lactaid, they are offering a free sample of their product.

That's all I have for today; things are still touch and go here at home, so I'll try to keep blogging when I have the chance. I did a Walgreens run today that I will try to post details of later tonight or tomorrow.

Coupons!

2009-01-05T21:23:00.004-06:00

If you haven't signed up for your coupon book from Home Made Simple, go do it! P&G currently has a promotion on their products; if you buy $50 before the end of the month, you can get $120 in coupons. I don't know if I'll make it, but these coupons will come in handy to get me to that goal! I love Cascade and Febreze, so I know I will use those coupons out of this booklet!

Meal Plan Monday 1/5

2009-01-05T19:53:00.002-06:00

Things are still kinda crazy here, but I would like to have a plan of some type to try to get through the week....

Monday: chicken strips, hashbrown casserole, rolls, broccoli cheese casserole

Tuesday: Lasagna, homemade bread

Wednesday: sub sandwiches, homemade fries

Thursday: pinto beans, corn bread, fried potatoes, pork chops or chicken

Friday: homemade pizza

Saturday: burgers/fries (take-out)

Off Topic, but SOOO Important...

2009-01-03T22:06:00.003-06:00

I want to ask my readers to please pray for my 5 month old son, Eli. We are facing a possible diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and need all the prayers and good thoughts we can get.

CVS 1/3

2009-01-03T19:54:00.003-06:00

When things get rough and you need a break, go CVSing! I took my brother to teach him the ropes and here's what we did:
2 Old Spice Deodorants
1 Colgate Max Fresh toothpaste
1 Colage Max Fresh toothbrush
4 Stayfree feminine care products
1 Garnier Shampoo
1 Bandaid assorted pack
1 Rohto eye drops
2 Nature's Bounty Potassium B1G1
1 Bodiheat heating pads 3 count
_____________________________
.75 Colgate Maxfresh toothpaste MC 1/4 insert
.75 Colgate Maxfresh toothbrush MC 1/4 insert
1.00 Garnier shampoo/conditioner MC
2.00 Rohto eye drops MC
2 B1G1 Stayfree MC
2 - 2.00 Nature's Bounty IP coupons
1.00 Bodiheat peelie
2.00, 3.00, 3.99, 4.00, 5.00, 10.00 ECB
_____________________________
.47 OOP (on gift card)
Got back 3.00, 10.00, 2.00, 1.00, 2.00, 2.00 ECB
*************************************
I tested to see if Sunday's ECB were working by buying 2 Speedstick, used B1G1 MC, and 3.00 ECB. Zero OOP, earned 3.00 ECB. After seeing that it worked, I did the transaction above to buy everything else.

CVS 1/2

2009-01-03T10:33:00.005-06:00

I decided to go to CVS yesterday to help take my mind off things here at home. I think my mom was a little impressed with my shopping. :)

______________________________________________

Pantene Shampoo $3.50

Pantene Hairspray $3.50

Schick Intuition Plus Razor $8.99

Nature's Bounty Calcium $11.99

Nature's Bounty Potassium $4.99 (free with the B1G1 deal)

Excedrin Back & Body $4.79

Excedrin PM $4.99

Excedrin Geltabs $5.39

Excedrin Express Gels $5.39

____________________________________________

2 Excedrin $1 peelies

2 Excedrin $2 MC

1 CVS $2 CRT pain relief coupon

$3/2 Pantene MC

2 Nature's Bounty $2 IP coupons

$2 Schick Intuition MC

$3/15 CVS coupon

2.59, 2.99, 2.99, 2.99, 4.99, 12.00 ECB (total was -.01)

___________________________________________

ZERO OOP!

Blog on Hold

2008-12-29T21:44:00.002-06:00

We are going through some very tough and trying times right now, so I will not be updating or posting. Our son is in the hospital and very sick so my time will devoted to caring for him. Thanks to everyone who has been kind enough to follow my efforts. Hopefully things will improve soon and I will get a chance to blog again.

Friday Favorites 12/26

2008-12-26T20:32:00.002-06:00

For this week's favorites, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite blogs!

The Bargainist lists deals and sales from all over the internet. I have managed to find some great sales and free samples by having this blog in my reader.

The Consumerist has many articles about issues customers have had with various companies and services. It is a great place to get ideas on which stores/companies have good customer service and others that do not. I know it made me feel better last year to know that I wasn't the only person having issues with our cable tv provider and gave me the courage to switch to Dish Network.

parent hacks has parenting tips from real parents! It lets you search by age, so you can read only those tips that pertain to you if you are short on time.

If you love recipe blogs that include step-by-step pictures, check out Creating Post it Notes! Just looking at all the pictures makes me hungry!

Amazon Deals 12.26

2008-12-26T18:17:00.003-06:00

Have some gift money that you need to spend now that Christmas is over? Check out these deals on Amazon!

Rubik's Cube $4.99, regularly 12.99. I would love to have one of these! It was a favorite toy of mine during my childhood and I have fond memories of peeling off the stickers when I became very frustrated with it. :)

Monopoly Here and Now World a new twist on a classic game that uses a digital banking device and credit cards! Normally $39.99, it is on sale for $14.99. Trivial Pursuit Digital Choice is also an updated version of a classic game. The questions are all digital and you can download extra questions onto the device; normally $49.99, it is currently $14.99.

Buy 2 Wii games, get 1 free! (select titles) If your kids got a Wii for Christmas, you might want to take advantage of this deal to add to their game collection!

Cuisinart DCC-1200 12-Cup Brew Central Coffeemaker is on sale for $62.79! It is normally $150, so what a steal! I love that it has a timer on it so you can set it and have hot coffee waiting on you when you get up in the morning!

Band of Brothers [Blu-ray] is on a great sale right now for $37.49 for the 6 disk set.

Wednesday's Recipe

2008-12-24T20:48:00.003-06:00

My favorite thing lately is a Starbucks peppermint mocha. I LOVE 'em, but at almost $4, it is getting rough on my budget. I was looking over one of my favorite blogs, A Year of Crockpotting, and found a crock pot recipe to make these at home! I am excited to try them and I sure wish I had the ingredients on hand to do it tonight. I will try it out this weekend and let you know how it goes! If you have a favorite drink/meal but get tired of spending so much money on it, search the internet for copycat recipes and try to make your own version at home and save your money for something else!

Merry Christmas!

Tuesday Freebies 12/23

2008-12-23T06:51:00.002-06:00

Here are a few random freebies for you to enjoy.
Free sample of Astroglide. (I know, I know, but hey, it's free!) On that same note, you can also request a free condom from Trojan. I found one more along these lines... Vaginal Contraceptive Film, which is advertised as an alternative to birth control pills.

After the holidays, this sample of Metamucil Berry Burst just might come in handy!

If you are a fan of Dove products, you can get some coupons here, or request a free sample of their hair care products here. I love their bodywash and am going to try my shampoo sample today!

Get a FREE Guide to Controlling Diabetes Click Here If you have a family member affected by this disease, consider requesting this for them, or if you are suffering, get it for yourself. It is so important to get diabetes under control as soon as possible to minimize its effect on your health!

Downy is offering a coupon for their new Total Care line. You can also get $120 in coupons from P&G if you buy $50 worth of their products, so save those receipts!

Walgreens has been kind enough to offer a free sample pack of Kotex products. I just got mine in the mail this week and it some with samples and a coupon!

Meal Plan, Christmas Week

2008-12-22T15:46:00.005-06:00

Monday: Spaghetti with homemade sauce, garlic bread

Tuesday: Hot dogs, tater tots

Wednesday: assorted appetizers: ham rollups, crockpot lil smokies, pigs in a blanket, cheeseball, small sandwiches, cheese dip/chips

Thursday: ham, turkey breast, mashed potatoes, assorted rolls, hashbrown casserole, broccoli cheese casserole, green bean bundles, homemade baked beans, deviled eggs, pumpkin bread, hello dollies

Friday: maybe out for Mexican food, if not, leftovers

Saturday: homemade pizza

Go check out many other meal plans at orgjunkie.com

CVS 12/21

2008-12-21T14:05:00.003-06:00

I'll be back later to list out all the details, but here's what I got today for less than $4. I messed up my first transaction because they were out of one of the items in my plan and I didn't do a very good job replanning at the store. I hate when that happens, but oh well. There was another lady in there shopping and she grabbed the last 3 of the Thermacare wraps, which totally messed up my whole plan for the day! I still did okay though and have plenty of ECBs to spend for the next few weeks.

Saturday Savings Tip 12/20

2008-12-20T17:05:00.003-06:00

Today's tip is LISTS! Before I really got serious about saving money, I would go to the store and randomly pick up things up and down all the aisles in the grocery store, never really having a plan of what to do with them. Some of that stuff has probably been thrown out because it expired or went bad, which is a big waste of time and money. Now I always plan out my menus (VERY IMPORTANT), and make a plan of what I want to get at the store. I only deviate from my plan if I find a deal that I did not know about or find some clearance items that I know we can use. I don't always have all my coupons with me, so sometimes I make a note of the unadvertised sale and come back later with my coupons in hand. I do not spend nearly as much money now and am actually using most of the items I buy. Some go into my stockpile and will be used later.

So, start making your Monday Meal Plan using items you have on hand, as well as what is on sale for the week. Make a shopping list, and stick to the list!

I even make out my Walgreens and CVS lists before I go there, just do I remember what I need and have coupons for! Tomorrow is an awesome day at CVS so I will spend time tonight planning and clipping coupons. If you haven't looked over the sale yet and made up your plan, go check out the deals at Deal Seeking Mom!

Friday Favorites 12/19

2008-12-19T13:47:00.004-06:00

I really can't say enough about coupons.com. I have printed out so many coupons and saved so much. If you don't want to go through the trouble of buying a Sunday paper but still want to get started saving money, go check them out. The coupons change frequently, so be sure to check back often.
If you are looking for some free magazines that are related to your job, go and see what trade pub has to offer. There are magazines related to almost every type of job and they are FREE! I have ordered a few science related ones in the past and never received a bill!
Swagbucks has become my new favorite thing on the 'Net. In less than 3 weeks I have earned enough to get a $5 GC from Amazon.com. I just use it as my search engine now and earn bucks as I search! I love it! (I love free stuff!)

Amazon Deals!

2008-12-19T10:45:00.003-06:00

Amazon has more great deals today if you are trying to finish up your holiday shopping!

The Fisher-Price Puppy Grows and Knows Your Name White is on sale for $17.99, normally $59.99!

If you have a Hannah Montana fan on your list, check out this Hannah Montana G2 Deluxe TV Game that is on sale for $9.99, normally $49.99!

If you have a budding artist on your hands, they would really love this Melissa and Doug Deluxe Standing Easel that is currently $24.99, normally $59.99. I love all the Melissa and Doug products and this seems to be a well-loved item at the store where I work. It is definitely a steal at this price, so be sure to get it before the price goes up!

There are currently 2 games on sale that would make great gifts for any Seuss fan on your list: one features Horton Hears a Who! - You to the Rescue! , the other Cat in the Hat - I Can Do That! .

For those smaller ones on your list, check out this Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube. It is on my son's wish list and has awesome reviews! It is currently $19.99, normally $29.99.

A Thrifty Christmas

2008-12-18T21:11:00.004-06:00

Here are a few articles of how to be thrifty at Christmas time... If you aren't finished shopping and need a few ideas for those hard-to-buy for people, you may get some ideas from the articles that are inexpensive, yet nice. They also include some ideas for enjoying the season without spending money, as well as tips for after Christmas.
Thrifty Tips for Buying Christmas Gifts
A Thrifty Christmas
7 Thrifty Tips for After Christmas
Christmas on a Budget
Making the Most of After-Christmas Sales