Cheap Mama

Tomorrow Only

2010-11-30T05:57:00.000-08:00

Walgreens has a coupon for 15% off everything you buy tomorrow and 20% off if it is Walgreens brand! You should totally take advantage of this one:

Walgreens Coupon

Toys R Us Deal!!!

2010-11-09T10:56:00.000-08:00

Toys R Us is offering a GREAT deal right now. They have a lot of their games on sale, and if you spend $35 (original price) on Hasbro games, you will get a $10 gift card. A lot of the games also qualify for mail in rebates. Here is what I did:

I purchased:

1. Chutes and Ladders: Orig. $8.99 on sale for $3, after $2 mail in rebate = $1

2. Candyland: Orig. $8.99 on sale for $3, after $2 mail in rebate=$1

3. Hi Ho Cherrios: Orig $12.99 on sale for $5, after $2 MIR=$3

4. Memory: Orig $9.99 on sale for $5, after $2 MIR=$3

5. Trouble: Orig $12.99 on sale for $10.99, after $3 MIR=$7.99

6. Cootie: Orig $9.99 on sale for $5, after $2 MIR=$3

7. Ants in My Pants: Orig $9.99 on sale for $5, after $2 MIR=$3

8. Guess Who Extra Electronic: Orig $24.99 on sale for $10, after $3 MIR=$7

Total Original Price: $98.92

Total Sale Price:$46.99

Total Price after MIR's:$29.99

Total Price after $10 gift card:$19.99

So, I paid $19.99 for 8 games!! That averages only $2.50 per game!!

There are many scenarios you could do, so be creative and go get some games!!! We are using some of these as gifts for our kids, and some as birthday gifts, etc. So exciting!! I may have to go back and do it again!!

Actual CVS trip

2010-08-01T08:34:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I am not going to post details, but I got EVERYTHING on my list from yesterday and because of some sales, I actually got it all for $20.78! Two dollars cheaper than I though I would! Hooray!

My CVS plan for tomorrow

2010-07-31T19:29:00.000-07:00

Well, some of you are asking that I show you my plan for how I will save my money, so here is my attempt. I will visit CVS in the morning and I hope to get all of these deals:

Gillette Fusion Razors are on sale for $9.79. They have a $5 ECB and I have a coupon from the PG 8/1 for $4. So, this will be $0.79

CVS also has an offer where when you buy $25 (before coupons) worth of specific products (on front of sunday flyer), you get a free 8pk of Bounty paper towels. Here is what I am going to do to get this deal:

*Dawn is on sale for $0.97. I have a $1 coupon from the PG home mailer so my total will be an $0.03 overage.

*Charmin 16pk toilet paper on sale for $9.99. I have a coupon from a home mailer for $1.00, making it $8.99

*Pampers Diapers are $9.99. I have a coupon from a home mailer from Pampers for $3.00 off, making them $6.99

*Tide is on sale for $5.94. I have a coupon from PG 8/1 for $1.00 off, making it $4.94 for 40 loads

SO, all of that (before coupons) = $26.89, which means I will get the Bounty, worth $7.99 for FREE! Also, because you can scan in the Bounty FIRST, I can also use a $1.00 coupon that I got from a home mailer for the Bounty, giving me a $1.00 overage on the Bounty.

The next thing I am going to get is a pack of Pamper Wipes costing $3.49. I have a coupon that was on another wipes container worth $1.00. CVS also had a coupon a couple of weeks back for $4 off when you buy diapers AND wipes, so since I am buying both, I will get the wipes for an overage of $1.50.

SOBE's are on sale B1G1 free. I have a coupon from their website for B1G1 free. That will cancel each of them out making them both FREE.

Revlon has their stuff on sale B1G1 1/2 off. I am going to get some mascara worth $7.50 and use a $1 coupon from the 7/11 SS and an eyelash curler worth $5.99 and use another $1 coupon from same flyer. The curler will be $3 after the 1/2 off and after the two $1 coupons, I will get them both for $8.50. Still seems like a lot but I need them both.

Finally, because I am signed up to receive emails from CVS, I got a $5/$30 purchase in my email this week.

My total before that coupon will be: $27.68. Then minus the coupon, my grand total will be: $22.68!!

So, for $22.68, I will get:

2 SOBES

1 180 ct Pampers Wipes

1 30 ct Pampers Diapers

Revlon Mascara

Revlon Eyelash curler

1 10.3 oz. Dawn dish soap

1 8pk Bounty Paper Towel

1 16pk Charmin Toilet paper

1 Gillette Fusion Razor

1 40 load Tide

I'll let you know tomorrow how well I did!

CVS Trip

2010-07-18T16:52:00.000-07:00

Although I didn't get much today.....I got some good deals. I had a coupon for $5 off a $30 purchase after coupons and before ECB's.

CVS had Coke products on sale $13/4, and then you got one free. So...basically, $13/5 making them only $2.60 per 12 pack.

The Diet Mt. Dews were on sale last week for $0.88, but they forgot to take down the sign, so I got them for that price this week. I bought three for a total of $2.64

I had bought enough of the Mt. Dew to bring me over my $30 limit. So, I "applied" my $5 toward the sodas, basically making the Mt. Dews all free and bringing the total of my Coke products down to $10.64 for 5 packs, or only $2.13 each....CAN'T BEAT THAT!!

The CVS pantyliners were on sale $1/2 with a $1 ECB if you bought two....making them both FREE

The Huggies were on sale for $8.99 with a $3 ECB. I also had a coupon for $1.50, making them $4.49. This isn't an exceptional deal, but I will show you how I made it a better deal in a second.

I got this Green Tea that was $7.99 with a $7.99 ECB plus a $2 online printable coupon, making it an OVERAGE of $2.00

So....now that I had an overage on that, I "applied" it toward my diapers making them $2.49 or about $0.09 each.

The last thing I got was two packs of Dentene gum. They were a new flavor, so I was interested in trying them. They were $1.29 each, with a $1.00 coupon for each, making them a total of $0.58 for both.

What is impressive, is that my goal was to make it to $30 after coupons but before ECB's. That amount equaled: $30.70!!

However, my grand total for all the stuff up top was only: $13.71

CVS Trip

2010-07-15T10:25:00.001-07:00

So, I have been out of it the last few weeks, but I did make it to CVS last night. Although I do not have a picture, here is what I got:

Neutrogena Facial Cream for $34.99. I printed a coupon from their website for $5 off. They are also offering a full purchase price MIR this week only, so my total for this was an OVERAGE of $5.

I also got an electric Gilette Fusion razor. It was on sale for $9.97 with a $5 ECB. I also had a $4 coupon from the PG 6/6. My total was $0.97 Normally, this is an item I would wait to get unless it was free but it is Brent's favorite kind of razor.

I got two John Freida shampoo that were on sale for $10/2, with a $5 ECB. I had two $3 coupons which made the amount an OVERAGE of $1.

Lastly, I got three 8 packs of Mt. Dew for $8. Then, I got a free bag of Tostitos for buying three boxes.

My total at CVS last night was: $2.97. HOWEVER, the last time I was at CVS, I received $13 of ECB just because I am a card member. They will often just send you free ECB based on how much you have "spent" in the store over a period of time. So.......I actually paid nothing, and still have $10 worth of free ECB to use next time!

Target Trip Today

2010-06-26T15:24:00.001-07:00

Although I didn't need anything but shorts today, I got a few good deals on a couple of other things.

The SOBEs were on sale for $1.00. I bought 10. If you bought 10, you got a $5 gift card, making the total $5/10. Then I had four B1G1 free coupons subtracting another $4, making the final total $1/10!

The shorts were clearanced for $2.80 each, so $8.40/3.

The QTips were $1.34

I had a coupon for a free Suave shampoo. The Suave was on sale for $1.65 and somehow I got $3.00 off with the coupon making the total an overage of $1.35.

The Scrubbing Bubbles Shower Sprayer was on sale for $6.99. I had a Target coupon for $3 and a manuf. coupon for $5, so I got it for an overage of $1.01

The Huggies were on sale for $8.99. I had a Target coupon for $1.50 and a manuf. coupon for $3, making my total $4.49.

My grand total for everything you see in the picture is: $12.87

Walgreens Trip

2010-06-20T13:11:00.000-07:00

So, instead of waiting on the military discount on Tuesday, I decided to do my shopping today while Brent was playing Father's Day golf. It seems that by the time Tuesday rolls around, a lot of the stuff is gone....plus, I have heard it through the grapevine, that the military discount is going away at the end of June :(

Ok....so here is what I did:

The Gillette and Old Spice Body wash were on sale for $4.50 with a $4.50 RR per transaction.

-Transaction #1: One Old Spice at $4.50 with $4.50 RR and I used a coupon from PG 6/6 that was B1G1 free, so I got two for free

-Transaction #2: One Old Spice at $4.50 with a $4.50 RR and I used a coupon from PG 6/6 that was B1G1 for a free deodorant. So, I got a body wash and deodorant for free

-Transaction #3: One Gillette at $4.50 with a $4.50 RR, so it was free.

The Finesse was $3.99. I had a coupon for $1.00 off (not sure which week or ad it was from) and it also had a $3 MIR attached in the ad. So, I got it for free

The Schick Hydro 5 was on sale for $7.99. It had a $4RR and I had a $5 coupon from the SS 6/23. I also have a MIR form for the purchase price, so I got razor and got an overage of $9.00

The Tena pads were not on any sort of sale, but I had an online coupon for $2.50 off and a MIR for up to $12.99. The pads were $12.99, so I got an overage of $2.50

The Colgate Total was actually from CVS, but it was the only thing I got, so I added it to this list. It was on sale for $2.99 with a $2.00 RR and I used a $1.00 coupon from the SS 6/6, so I got it for free

The Zegreid OTC antacid was on sale for $11.99. I had a coupon from the SS 6/20 for $4 off. That same ad has a MIR for up to $12.99. So, I got them for an overage of $4.00

The Brilliant PH Tampons were on sale for $5.99. They had a RR for $5.00. I had a $1 online coupon, so I got these for free.

The Renu contact solution was on sale for $7.50 with a $7.50 RR. I had an online coupon for $1.00 off, so I got this for an overage of $1.00

My grand total today was: OVERAGE of $16.50

**If I had purchase all of this, even at the sales prices, without coupons, register rewards, and mail in rebates, this stuff would have cost me: $76.50!

Target Trip Today

2010-06-10T10:22:00.000-07:00

Target purchases:

This was a full blown trip today....not just a coupon trip, so there is quite a bit of stuff that I needed.

1. Pampers Wipes: $2.39-$2 coupon from the PG 6/6 insert=$0.39

2. Johnsons Baby Wash $2.99-$0.75 Target coupon-$1.00 coupon from..not sure=$1.24

3. Scrubbing Bubbles Power Sprayer $6.99-$3.00 Target coupon-$5 manuf. coupon from their website= -1.01

4. Tostitos=$3.00

5. Quaker Granola Bars $1.92 x 8=$15.36-$3.84 because it was B3G1 Free. I also had $0.75/2 coupon from..not sure=$10.77 for 8 boxes

I also had a coupon that if you bought 5 boxes of the granola bars, you got $3 off fresh fruit. So, I bought some bananas and 6 apples that totaled $3.86, so I got the fruit for $0.86

6. I had a coupon that was $5 off the purchase of $20 worth of frozen food (before coupons). So here is what I did:

Tyson Chicken Strips were on sale for $5.99. I had a coupon for $1.00 off, making them $4.99.

Eggos were on sale for $1.75 and I bought 3 to =$5.25-3 $1 Target coupons=$2.25

Lean Pockets were on sale $5/3. I bought 4 to =$6.66

Total for all: $13.90-$5 coupon=$8.90 or about $1.10 each

7. Green onions=$1.19

8. Refried Beans=$0.99

9. Salsa=$1.43

10. Ronzinni Pasta was on clearance for $0.64 each. I bought two to = $1.28

11. Classico (our favorite pasta sauce) 24 oz was on sale for $1.84. I bought two to =$3.68-$1.00 coupon=$2.68 for both

12. Classico 48oz was on sale for $3.59. I had a $1.50 coupon to =$2.09

13. Bell pepper=$0.99

14. Sour cream 8oz. with coupon=$1.19

15. Cream cheese=$1.42

16. Reb Baron pizzas were on sale for $2.89-$1.50 coupon making it $1.39

17. Amorall Glass cleaner on sale for $2.69-$2 mauf. coupon=$0.69

18. Olay Body was was on sale for $3.54-$4 coupon from PG 6/6 insert= -$0.46

19. Purina Dog food on sale for $16.99-$2 Target coupon= $14.99

Grand total: $54.02

Not anything to scream about, but it is pretty good since I saved $38.50 just on coupons....and I needed a lot of stuff....

Walgreens and Target trip from LAST week

2010-06-09T21:40:00.000-07:00

Walgreens:

1. The Kotex pads were on sale for $2.97. I had a $1 off coupon that I printed off line and there were $2 in register rewards, making my total for the an overage of $0.03

2. Rejuvacare Hair/Skin Capsules on sale for $8.49. They had a $10 RR so I got them for an overage of $1.51

3. The Walgreens A to Z Capsules were on sale for $1.70 with a $2 RR making them an overage of $0.30

4. The Luster White toothpaste was on sale for $4.25 with a $5 RR making it an ovearage of $0.75

5. The Nievia Men's shower wash was on sale for $2.12 and I have a $3 coupon so it was an overage of $0.88

6. Finally, the Reach floss was on sale for $0.85 and I had a $1 coupon, so it was an overage of $0.15

My total amount at Walgreens was: OVERAGE of $3.62

Target:

All I bought at Target last week were SOBE Life waters. They were on sale $10/10. If you bought 10, you got a $5 Target gift card. I also printed 5 B1G1 free coupons online, so I spent ZERO because I paid for 5 and got the other five free, then got the $5 gift card toward the $5 I spent on the five that I paid for! Man, that's a lot of 5's!!

My Actual Target Trip

2010-05-28T13:25:00.001-07:00

So..I got all but three (mascara, honey mustard, and corn) things from my list last night, but I added a few more things....of course, this is Target we are talking about :)

What I actually got:

1. Scrubbing Bubbles Power Sprayer Starter Kit is on sale for $8.69, which is $0.30 less than I thought.

I used one $5 off coupon that I printed and I used the coupon that earned me a $5 gift card that I got out of the 5/23 Smart Source Insert

I also printed the coupon for a free refill when you buy a Scrubbing Bubbles Starter Kit

So, I got the sprayer and a refill for an overage of $1.31

2. Tide 1 Load Travel Box for $0.97

I used the $1/1 Tide from the 5/2 Proctor and Gamble Insert to make it an overage of $0.03

3. Bounty Single Roll for $0.99

I used the $1/1 Bouty from the 5/16 Red Plum, but because it was a target coupon, they gave it to me for free and I didn't get the $0.01 overage.

4. Lysol Wipes were slightly more than my plan sale price. Instead of $1.89 each, they were $2.19, but I got them anyway.

I bought 2 and I had 2 coupons for a $1/1 each that I printed. So, I got them for a total of $2.38 or $1.19 each

5. GE Reveal Bulb on sale for $2.14

I printed the $1.50 coupon from Targets website coupons

I got another coupon from the 4/18 Smart Source insert for $1/1

I got them for an overage of $0.36

6. Reach Dental Floss in on sale for $0.97

I printed the $1/1 coupon giving me an overage of $0.03

7. Pedigree Dentastix are on sale for $3.54

I used the $1/1 Target coupon that I printed

I used the $2/1 coupon that I got from the 4/25 Red Plum Insert

This made them $0.54

8. A 7 pack of Bic Pens was on sale for $0.99

I used the printed coupon and got it for an overage of $0.01

9. I got the Listerine Whitening on sale for $1.98.

I used the coupon I printed online for $2/1 giving me another overage of $0.02

10. I got one box of strawberries on sale for $1.49

11. I actually got two pounds of ground beef for $4.89 because it was a little cheaper per pound than the 1 pound.

12. I got the Mac and Cheese delux valued at $3.99 for FREE and a Cheese Deli Delux valued at $3.50 for FREE as well

13. Kraft Dressing was actually on sale for $1.50, not $2.29 each!

I had the coupon from some random mailer for $1/1 (Target coupon)

I had 2 $0.55/1 coupons from the 5/2 Smart Source Insert

And I had the B2G1 Free from Target's website

I got three Dressings for $.90 or $0.30each!!!

Some additional items I purchased: (these were not great sale items, but they are things I needed/wanted)***

14. I got two Huggies refill wipes 76ct for $2.39 each or $4.78 total

I had a printed coupon for $2/2, so I got them both for $2.78 or $1.39 each

15. I got six bananas for $1.15

16. I got a six pack of Jello for $2.79

17. Cool Whip was on sale for $1.19 each.

I had a coupon for B3G1 free so, I got four tubs for 3.57 or $0.89 each

18. I bought two Campbell's Soups for $1.89 each or $3.78 total

I had a $1/2 coupon making them $2.78 or $1.39 each

19. I used the $5/$20 (before coupons)purchase

My grand total for everything you see above was: $16.51

***If I had stuck with my original plan, my total would have only been $3.44, but this is a good lesson to show us how much stuff adds up when you do not plan for it! Those last few items I threw into my cart turned into $13.07 of my total!!

My Target Plan for Tomorrow

2010-05-27T19:27:00.001-07:00

Here is what I plan to buy tomorrow:

1. Scrubbing Bubbles Power Sprayer Starter Kit is on sale for $8.99

I will use one $5 off coupon that I printed from here: PRINT

I will also use a coupon that will earn me a $5 gift card that I got out of the 5/23 Smart Source Insert

I also printed this for a free refill when you buy a Scrubbing Bubbles Starter Kit

So, I will get the sprayer and a refill for an overage of $1.01

2. Tide 1 Load Travel Box for $0.97

I will use the $1/1 Tide from the 5/2 Proctor and Gamble Insert to make it an overage of $0.03 (the coupon is about to expire, so why not get a free load with it?)

3. Bounty Single Roll for $0.99

I will use the $1/1 Bouty from the 5/16 Red Plum to make it a $0.01 overage (same deal with the coupon expiring)

4. Lysol Wipes are on sale for $1.89

I am going to buy 2 and I have 2 coupons for a $1/1 each that I printed from here. This will make them $0.89 each

5. GE Reveal Bulb on sale for $2.14

I printed a $1.50 coupon from Targets website coupons

I got another coupon from the 4/18 Smart Source insert for $1/1

I will get an overage of $0.36

6. French's Honey Mustand Dip on sale for $1.49

I have a coupon from the 4/11 Smart Source for $1/1 making it $0.49

7. Rimmel Mascara is on sale for $2.24

I have a $2/1 coupon that I printed from here (you'll have to search to find it) making it $0.24

8. Reach Dental Floss in on sale for $0.97

I printed a $1/1 coupon from here giving me an overage of $0.03

9. Pedigree Dentastix are on sale for $3.54

I will use a $1/1 Target coupon that I printed from the website

I will use a $2/1 coupon that I got from the 4/25 Red Plum Insert

This will make it $0.54

10. A 7 pack of Bic Pens is on sale for $0.99

I will use this and get it for an overage of $0.01

11. Some Targets have Listerine Whitening on sale for $1.99.

I have a coupon that I printed here online for $2/1 giving me another overage of $0.01

12. Strawberries are on sale for $1.49

13. Ground Beef $2.49

14. 8 Ears of sweet corn for $2

15. I signed up to get some freebies from Kraft, so they sent me two coupons to get a free Mac and Cheese delux valued at $3.99 for FREE and a Cheese Deli Delux valued at $3.50 for FREE as well

16. Kraft Dressing is on sale for $2.29

I have a coupon from some random mailer for $1/1 (Target coupon)

I have 2 $0.55/1 coupons from the 5/2 Smart Source Insert

I have a B2G1 Free from Target's website

I will get three Dressings for $2.48 or $0.83 each

17. I have a $5/$20 (before coupons)purchase that was randomly mailed out in a flyer (you may have this)

So my PLAN** total for tomorrow: $5.05!!!

CVS and Walgreens Deals

2010-05-25T15:39:00.000-07:00

So, I got a few good things today at Walgreen and a couple of things on Sunday from CVS, but it wasn't a spectacular week. Walgreens was out of a lot of my "money makers" but here is what I got:

At CVS, I got two Gillette Body Wash (no picture), 12 oz. They were on sale for $4 each with $4 worth of Extra Care Bucks for each one. I also used a coupon for $4 off the purchase of two Gillette Body wash from the Proctor and Gamble insert from 5/2. So, it was $8-$8 in ECB-$4 coupon. My grand total was: FREE with a $4 profit!!

At Walgreens, I bought 2 sets of Ouchless barrettes for $2.54 each. They each had a $3 register reward, so I got them for FREE with a $0.92 overage.

I also bought 6 Oscar Meyer Deli meats that were $2.12 each, making it a total of 12.72. I had two $1/2 coupons and two $1/1 coupons, so that brought my total down to $8.72/6 packs or $1.46 each.

I bought two Kraft Cheese slice packs for $2.12 as well.

I bought 2 Oscar Meyer Weiners that were B1G1 free. So, I paid $2.54 for 2, then I also had a $1/2 coupon, bringing my total to $1.54 for both or $0.77 each.

My total for the food was: $12.38. It was all Kraft Brand foods, and when you spend $30 BEFORE coupons, you can send in for a $10 rebate. Even though this wasn't quite $30 yet, I am close.

With the rebate, this food would only cost me $2.38. That is $2.38 for 10 items!!!

I bought two 27ct packs of Huggies diapers at $15.30/2. They also had a $3 RR when you purchased two. I also had two $3 coupons, bringing my total to $6.30 for two or $3.15 for a pack OR $0.12 a diaper, which is important to me because the best "regular price" deal I have ever found is $0.24 each! NICE...very happy about this.

I bought some contact lens solution that was on sale for $6.79 with an $8 RR. I also had a coupon for $2 off from the Red Plumb insert from 5/16. My total for this product was FREE with a $3.21 OVERAGE!

The last thing that I bought was some Huggies swimmers that were on sale for $5.94. Walgreens had a coupon for $2 off and I had a printable coupon for another $1.50 off making them $2.44. They are normally $8.99 a pack!

So....my grand total for Walgreens was: $6.99!!

CVS and Walgreens

2010-05-19T11:25:00.000-07:00

So..I have been a bit out of it the last two weeks because of illness and family in town. However, I wanted to share my deals from the week. I did not get any pictures so this is just the run down.

CVS:

I got 2 Dunkin Hines brownie mixes. They were on sale 12/$10 so I paid a total of $1.67

I got a 9.5 oz Dawn dish soap which was on sale for $0.84. I had a manuf coupon for $0.50, so I only paid $0.34

I got a 12oz bottle of Herbal Essense shampoo and a 13.5 oz bottle of Aussie Shampoo. They were on sale for $2.99 with a $2 RR (limit 2). I also had a coupon for $1 off the Herbal Essense and $2 off the Aussie, making my total for both FREE with a $1.02 overage.

I also got a razor and blade set for $6.99 that had a RR of $6.99, so it was FREE.

My total at CVS was: $0.99

Walgreens:

I got two Old Spice 18 oz body washes. They were originally $4.49. I had a B1G1 free coupon and a RR for $4.50 when you buy one, so I got them both for FREE with a $0.68 overage.

I also got two Gilette 12oz body washes. They were the exact same deal, so I got them both for FREE with a $0.68 overage.

I got two Right Guard Deodorants. They were $4.49, but they were B1G1 free. I also had a $3/2 coupon. So, I got them for $0.82 or $0.41 each!

I decided I would like to try the new Off brand clip on mosquito repellant. They are normally $10 each. They were on sale for $8.99. I had a B1G1 free coupon, a $2/1 manuf. coupon, and a $2/1 WG coupon (which deducted $4 total since I "bought" two even though I got the one for free). So I got both clip ons (a $20 value) for $1.64 or $0.82 each.

My grand total was: $1.10!! I was pretty happy with that!!

CVS on Mother's Day

2010-05-09T13:14:00.001-07:00

Ok...so the stores are not having GREAT sales this week, but I did snag a few things from CVS today.

The 2 liter cokes were $0.88 each

The face wash was B1G1 50% off, so they were $7.18 total, or $3.59 each.

The Huggies were on sale for $8.49, with a $2 Register Reward, and I had a $1.50 coupon, so I only paid $4.99

The U Kotex panty liners were on sale for $4.99, and they had a $4.99 RR. I also had a $1.00 CVS coupon, and a $1.00 manuf. coupon, so I got these for free with a $2.00 OVERAGE!

I got two Right Guard Deodorant for $2.49 each. They each had a $2 RR and I had a $3/2 manuf. coupon, so I got these BOTH for free and a $2.02 OVERAGE.

The crest toothpaste and mouthwash were on sale for $3.50 each. They each had a $3.50 RR, and I had a $0.75 coupon per item, so I got them BOTH for free with a $1.50 OVERAGE!

Finally, I got the Carefree panty liners for free because they were on sale for a $1 and I had a $1 manuf. coupon.

So, my grand total was: $9.29

Mother's Day Extravaganza: The New 16 GB Apple iPad

2010-05-06T18:09:00.000-07:00

Thrifty Mama:

Mother's Day Extravaganza: The New 16 GB Apple iPad

Mother's Day Extravaganza: 10 $10 Amazon.com Gift Cards

2010-05-06T15:53:00.000-07:00

Thrifty Mama:

Mother's Day Extravaganza: 10 $10 Amazon.com Gift Cards

Mother's Day Extravaganza: 2 $25 Gift Cards from Subway

2010-05-06T14:33:00.000-07:00

Thrifty Mama:

Mother's Day Extravaganza: 2 $25 Gift Cards from Subway

Mother's Day Extravaganza: $50 Gift Card to The Vintage Pearl

2010-05-06T13:35:00.000-07:00

Thrifty Mama:

Mother's Day Extravaganza: $50 Gift Card to The Vintage Pearl

Mother's Day Extravaganza: $35 Jiffy Lube Gift Card from MotorOilMatters.org

2010-05-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

The Thrifty Mama is giving away all kinds of great stuff:

Mother's Day Extravaganza: $35 Jiffy Lube Gift Card from MotorOilMatters.org

Walgreens Deals!

2010-05-04T10:33:00.000-07:00

Ok, so here is the run down.

Cascade was on sale for $3.40 for a 60oz box. If you bought $10 worth, you got $2 register rewards. I bought three and had one $0.25 coupon, so the cascade was $7.95 for three or $2.65 for two, after my military discount.

Next, the Swiffer wet jet pads refills were on sale for $4.13 after military discount. and the refill fluid was on sale for $3.49. Walgreens had a deal where if you bought $10 worth, you would get a $2 register reward. So, I split them into two transactions so I could get two $2 register rewards. Also, Swiffer is giving a $10 rebate when you spend $20 on their products. So, I got five pad refills and one fluid refill for a total of $10.14 or $1.69 each. They are normally $6.80 a piece people!!! and WE LOVE SWIFFER!!

Then, we have the Kellogs 2/$5 deal. With my military discount, they were $2.12 each for an 18 oz box. Then, I had a $1.00 off two boxes and you got $2 register reward, so I got them for a total of $1.24 or $0.62 per box!

Next, Irish Spring Body wash 18 oz. was on sale for $2.99. You got a $2 register reward and I had a $0.50 coupon, so after my military discount, it was only $0.04!

I bought myself and Brent some Pert Plus Shampoo 12 and 13.5 oz (2 bottles). Each was on sale for $1.99. I had one $1.50 off coupon and one $1.00 off coupon, so after everything they were $0.88 total or $0.44 each.

SURE deodorant was on sale for 2/$3. I bought two and had two coupons. One for $1.50 and one for $1.00 making them $0.05 total or about $0.02 each!!

I was out of sunscreen and we were on our way to the fountains, so I bought two because they had them B1G1 50%. I got them both for $8.78 or $4.39 each. Sunscreen is so expensive!!

Finally, I got Brent two containers of Oxy Max Pads that were B1G1 Free. They were $4.24. I had a $1.00 coupon. So they were $3.24 for two or $1.62 each.

The grand total for today's shopping trip was: $32.32.

I am not completely thrilled with not getting anything for free with overages this week, but some weeks are going to be better than others. We use everything I bought A LOT and it was on some really good deals, so I could not pass them up. If you think of it this way....one swiffer refill is usually $6.70, and I bought six swiffer refills for LESS than two at normal price, I suppose Im happy :)

Target and CVS Deals!

2010-05-03T09:39:00.001-07:00

Today, I went to CVS. I got these three things and they paid me $0.27. The depends (which are for a pregnant friend who is about to have two babies) were FREE plus a $2.00 overage. This is because they were $6.99 with a $6.99 Register Reward. The Listerine was on sale for $3.99 with a register reward of $2.00 and I have a coupon for $0.50 off making it $1.49. The Colgate was on sale for $2.99 with $2.00 RR, with a $0.75 coupon making it $0.24.

Then I went to Target and got all of this for $16. Bertollis are on sale for $5.89 each, and when you buy 3, you get a $5 gift card. I also have two $1 coupons for the Bertolli that I printed from www.coupons.com. So, I got all three for $10.67 or $3.56 each. This will make for some pretty cheap quick meals the next few weeks. The Vaseline Sheer Fusion lotion was on sale for $4.79. I had a coupon for $3.75 off and then a Target coupon for $1 off, so I got the lotion for $0.04! The Nievea body was was on sale for $3.99 and I had a coupon for $4.00 off, so I made $0.01 from it! Now, some Targets are offering a $5 gift card for the Scrubbing Bubbles power sprayers, but my did not. However, it was still pretty cheap. It was $7.99 on sale, and I had a coupon for $5 off. Then there is a coupon on the Scrubbing Bubbles website that will get you one refill bottle for free with the purchase of the first power sprayer. So, I got the sprayer and refill for $2.99. If your Target was offering the gift card with purchase, you would get the sprayer and refill and make $2.01!!!

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for my finds from Walgreens!!!

YUMMO

2010-04-29T06:53:00.000-07:00

This is a new recipe from $5 Dinners. Try it out. Let me know what you think!

http://www.5dollardinners.com/2010/04/baked-black-bean-salsa-chicken.html

WALGREENS DEALS OF THE WEEK!

2010-04-27T09:31:00.000-07:00

The Ziplocks were on sale 2/$5, so with my military discount and a coupon for B1G1 free, they were a total of $4.19. However, I also have a B3 get a $5 rebate with SC Johnson, so that makes them ALL FREE with a $0.81 overage. Now to the Stayfree Maxi pads. They were on sale for $2.99 with a $3 register reward. I also had a manuf. coupon for $1.00 off, so with the military discount, coupon and register reward, I got them for FREE with a $1.46 overage. Next, I got 2 60oz Skintimate shave gels on sale for $2.99 with a $3 register reward on each. So, after the military discount and register rewards I got them BOTH FREE with a $0.92 overage. The hair trimmer was on sale for $4.99 with a $5 register reward, so I got it after military discount for FREE plus a $0.76 overage. The Progresso Chicken Soup was on sale 2/$3 and I got four. I had a $0.25 coupon off one, so after military discount I got them all for $4.85 or $1.21 each. I got the potting soil for $2.54. I got the flossers for $2 on sale with a $2 register reward. So, after military discount they were FREE plus a $0.30 overage. This brings my grand total to....drum roll please.....$3.14 plus tax!!!!!! HOORAY!!!

Deals for the day!

2010-04-25T18:50:00.000-07:00

So, after my couple of hours of prep, I set out for several stores today!

My first store was CVS. Although they didn't have several things I went in for, I was able to get 2 Oral B toothbrushes for $0.50 each. CVS had them on sale for $2.99, with your CVS card, with a $1 register reward for each. Then, I had a B1G1 free coupon, so I only paid for the 1 brush at 2.99, but still got both reward bucks, bringing the total down to $0.99 for both, roughly $0.50 each!

My second store was Target. Now..I will say this...when it comes to paper towels, I am kind of a brand snob. I like my Bounty. So, Target had it on sale for $9.99 for 8 Giant rolls. But, if you bought two packs, you got a $5 gift card. So, I bought 2 making it $19.98, I had a $0.75 coupon, along with the gift card, so I paid a total of roughly $15 for 16 Giant rolls. That is a pretty darn good deal for Bounty.

The next store was Aldi....and although you can't use coupons, their stuff is so cheap, I can't help but post about all the stuff we got for $22!

Here you go: 5 bananas, 2 dozen eggs, 2 64 oz apple juice, 4 boxes of mac and cheese, 4 cans of green beans, 2 gallons of milk, 2 bags of rice cake snacks, 1 box of hot pocket, 3 cans of sliced carrots, 2 cans of assorted beans.

The last place on our list was Publix......Publix and I have a love hate relationship. They are super expensive but if they have a good sale, it is worth a try. I spent $10 and got a 12 pack of jello (used a publix coupon and manuf. coupon), 4 cans of Campbells Chunky soup (B1G1 free plus manuf. coupon), 2 boxes of pasta (B1G1), and a bottle of McCormick Pinch of Spice (publix coupon and manuf. coupon).

We made a second trip to Publix because Brent forgot the Scrubbing Bubbles the first time. They were B1G1, so we got four for a total of $6.60. SC Johnson has a $5 mail in rebate on some of their products right now, so that brought my total down to $1.60 for four Scrubbing Bubbles or $0.40 each. Can't beat that!

All in all, a good day. We will see what kind of money making I will do at Walgreens on Tuesday!

CVS savings LAST week

2010-04-25T18:42:00.000-07:00

Using my coupons and CVS rewards, I was able to get some Cover Girl Mascara, Cover Girl Concealer, Rimmel Mascara, and Rimmel Foundation ALL for $8!! Pretty exciting.

Turkey Chili with Black Beans

2010-04-25T18:41:00.001-07:00

This was a VERY VERY good and easy chili. It was pretty cheap too. Try it with your family!

Turkey Chili with Black Beans

Posted using ShareThis

Vera Bradley 20% off Sale Items

2010-04-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

http://www.verabradley.com/category/Category/Sale/729/pc/638.uts?utm_source=LinkShare&utm_medium=Affilaite&utm_campaign=extra20offsale&siteID=a4t3jqItZRg-oCYJf5R8gjFftf9vRyYjdA

World MArket: $10 Off $30 Printable Coupon

2010-04-21T10:57:00.000-07:00

World MArket: $10 Off $30 Printable Coupon

Meal Plans

2010-04-21T10:37:00.000-07:00

4/19-Rotersserie Chicken, green beans, and mac and cheese=$4.75 meal!!

4/20-Scrounge

4/21-Turkey meatballs with spaghetti and asparagus-$6.00 meal

4/22-Pot Roast-$6.00 meal

4/23-Grilled Chicken and asaragus-$8.50 meal

4/24-Turkey meatloaf-$6.00 meal

4/25-White Chili-$4.00 meal

4/26-Leftovers

4/27-Grilled Chicken and green beans-$3.50 meal

4/28-Hamburgers and salad-$6.oo meal

4/29-Tacos-$7 meal

4/30-Grilled Chicken, green beans, and mac and cheese-$4.00 meal

5/1-Lasagna and salad-$9 meal

5/2 Leftovers

Total: ~ $65 for two weeks worth of dinners!

Free Color Grabber: Keeps Color Clothes Looking Bright

2010-04-21T10:33:00.000-07:00

Free Color Grabber: Keeps Color Clothes Looking Bright

How I do this stuff....

2010-04-20T16:45:00.000-07:00

FIRST AND FOREMOST: I am still learning and am no expert. Second, I cheat a lot using the websites from the top right on my blog here. My goal: feed my family and have all the miscellaneous items we need for under $800 a month. This also includes eating out and all other random little expenses that fall under "misc." It is basically $200 a week for everything we could possibly need. I would LOVE to get it lower as I learn more on how to save money, but for now..I feel as though this is a good goal.

So, the paper comes on Sundays (which I pay like $0.69 for). I go straight to the weekly adds from Walgreens, CVS, and Target. Then, I go to the websites listed at the top of my blog and a lot of them basically tell me what to do. They will say stuff like "match this weekly add deal with this coupon from a specific sundays paper, so you have to save your coupons each week. I didn't use to keep coupons of stuff I do not regularly use or think I would need, but now that I am getting all this random stuff for free, I am keeping all the coupons until they expire. You never know when they are going to offer something for such a good sale that using a coupon will EARN you money. So, I match the coupons with the weekly adds. Then I have a binder that has slots for each store that I visit. I keep everything organized in there.

I ALWAYS pull out the coupons and weekly sales that will make me money because of overages, and even if I do not need the product...who cares, it was free and I earned money getting it. Someone I know will use it. However, all the other items that I use a coupon for are things we actually use. I do not buy something just because I have a coupon if I will not use it.

These weekly flyers will also tell you about "register rewards" that their particular store offers. Register rewards are little pieces of paper that you will get when you check out that are as good as money on your next purchase.

Target, in my opinion, never really has great sales and their stuff is more expensive, but sometimes if you can get a Target and manufacturer coupon together, you can save more and make it worth it.

I also shop at Aldi. Google if you have one in your area, and then rush out the door and check it out. Their stuff is DIRT cheap. It is no frill and very basic. No name brands and not a TON of stuff, but almost all the necessities. I get a TON of staple items and every bit of the kids snack foods, milk, yogurt, bread, and eggs there. Almost everything is cheaper than even the commissary!

I shop at Sams for meats and dog food mostly...haven't decided if I think it is worth it or not.

I get all of the food that I do not get at Aldi (veggies, meats, fruits, sodas, etc.) at the commissary. They have military coupons for certain things and they accept manufacturer coupons.

Basically, my week consists of this: Spend about two hours sorting and organizing coupons on Sunday.....go to Aldi, go to commissary to get everything else I need for the week, go to get anything random that Target has on sale that I need, go to Walgreens on Tuesdays to get all their good sales AND military discount (only Tuesdays), then go to CVS later in the week. If you do not do the really great sale items early in the week, it is fairly likely that you will not get the deals, because all of the products will be gone. Everyone wants the free or almost free stuff, so it goes quickly. Try and get all of your shopping done at the beginning of the week.

I meal plan. That way, I can buy more in bulk and only buy foods that will get eaten before they expire. I buy the meats that are on mega sale or "managers specials" and plan my meals around them. This saves us money.

I know all of this is in no particular order, but this is how I do a lot of it. I will update more as I learn more.

Hooray!

2010-04-20T15:46:00.000-07:00

Today, I got all this at Walgreens for a whopping $7.38!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! All I can say is HOORAY :)

I saved 89% using store sales, military discount, register rewards, and coupons!!! Now, just so you know, only $11.00 of that was military discount, so the other $50 can be accomplished by ALL of you!!

Here's the loot:

3 bottles of windex: $0.12 each, Hydrogen Peroxide: $0.63, 2 Huggies 36 ct.diapers: $4.64 each, 2 boxes of Kotex pads: FREE plus $0.45 overage on each, Dawn dish soap: $ 0.34, Vitamin D Vitamins: FREE plus $2.50 overage, Colgate Pro Health toothpaste: FREE plus $0.46 overage, Colgate Total toothpaste: $0.24, Bic Razors: $0.29, and finally two bags of gummy bears: $0.05 each=$7.38

Pineapple Chicken from $5 Dinners-a HUGE hit in my house

2010-04-16T10:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.5dollardinners.com/2010/04/grilled-pineapple-orange-chicken.html

Our meal was closer to $6.5o because I did a fresh fruit salad instead of the baked beans. YUMMO. And, the leftovers were GREAT as a salad topper today!

We should all strive to be this good!

2010-04-15T17:47:00.001-07:00

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/36415638#36415638

Neat Couponing Article

2010-04-15T17:46:00.001-07:00

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SmartSpending/blog/page.aspx?post=1742520&ocid=twmsnss

Weekly Meal plan

2010-04-13T12:09:00.000-07:00

4/12-Steak, Corn on the Cob, Asparagus

4/13-Chicken Parmesan, Salad

4/14-Meatloaf, Green beans

4/15- Pineapple Chicken, Asparagus, Grapes

4/16-Lasagna Soup, Salad

4/17-Chicken enchiladas, Carrots, Grapes

4/18-Leftovers or sandwiches/soup

Another major success!!

2010-04-13T10:55:00.000-07:00

So, today, I went and did some shopping at Walgreens! Remember military peeps, that you get 15-20% off on Tuesdays (at least you do here in FL). I bought 19 items, spent $19.90 and saved $22.28! That is a savings of 53%!! I know that wasn't a coupon savings, but I count it because I did a lot of work to save that much. I used coupons, weekly ad deals, and bought specifically on Tuesday to save the military discount! If we just count coupons, then I saved 29%! The two best deals of my day were:

Pepsi products were on sale, 2 liters for $1.00 and then I got the 15% off, so each 2 liter was only $0.85. That is like at least $0.20 cheaper than the commissary...I know...I just checked!

They had a sale on Right Guard deodorant, 2/$5. I got the two, downloaded two coupons for a total of 2.50 off, then got the military discount, so I only ended up paying $ 0.87 EACH. They are normally $3.50 each at Walmart!!

$3 Huggies Printable Coupon!!!!

2010-04-13T05:50:00.001-07:00

Click here: Huggies Coupon

Another success!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-04-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

So, I have been working really hard to find a way to save more than my 11% on groceries and misc items. And today I DID IT!!! I saved 25% in coupons today. A total of $32 in coupon savings!! I spent $91 and got this:

2 56ct boxes of Huggies overnights

1 112ct box of Huggies regular diapers

1 80ct box of LUVS

1 Johnsons baby wash medium size

1 20 oz soda

42 big rolls of Quilted Northern

2 Benadryl anti-itch ointment (i actually got these for free with a 42 cent overage thanks to http://moneysavingmom.com/2010/04/free-benadryl-itch-relief-sticks.html)

How did I do this, you ask?

I had gotten several Huggies $3 off coupons from Money Saving Mom a while back, and stacked them with actual Target coupons. I did this same thing with the LUVS and Johnson Baby wash.

And, right now at Target, if you buy two qualifying diapers, you get a $5 Target gift card. I also had a coupon for the Quilted Northern and another coupon for $5 off if you spend $20 on qualifying items that I got from the newspaper coupon book.

I got the Benadryl anti-itch by using the $5/2 Benadryl items coupon from this weeks paper. Each one was $2.29, so $4.58, total, leaving me with the $0.42 overage which just went toward the total purchase!!

SUPER EXCITED!!

Success

2010-04-10T19:33:00.000-07:00

I FINALLY got up to an 11% savings on my large grocery trip today. I have not been able to get more than about 10% off using coupons, but today, I did! I saved $25 in coupons! HOORAY. I know that doesn't seem like much, but I am getting there. Not to mention that most of the stuff that I bought was on sale, which cannot be reflected in a coupon. Something I had forgotten about the commissary is that they have military coupons for certain things that I can stack with a manufacturer coupon, so I got several things for dirt cheap!! PLUS, they had a managers special on chicken today, so I racked up! $1.69/lb for fresh breasts. Even my great Sams can beat that! I have been devoting more and more time into online coupon research, so if I find something new I will pass it on. I did add two new reference links, so check them out!

The long awaited Crock Pot Recipes

2010-03-01T15:54:00.000-08:00

**Please see bottom for a hint**

Friday's Soup:

I call it this, because a friend, we'll call her Friend Friday, gave me this recipe!!

1 Can of Cream Corn

1 Can Regular Corn

2 Cans of green beans

1 Can of Okra and Tomatoes

1 Can of Sliced or Diced Potatoes

1 Can of Diced Tomatoes

1 Can of Lima Beans

1 Can of BBQ Pork

1 Can of BBQ Beef

I usually add a little salt and pepper....but just dashes of each.

**I rarely use the canned meat, because I do not love it, so I either use nothing or fresh beef chunks.

Dump it all in the crock pot and either cook it on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 or really anywhere in between.....it basically just needs to heat.

This will feed a family of four for at least three good meals, if not more. Corn bread is really good with this!

Taco Soup/Chili

This recipe comes to me from "Sister Click" and not sure where it originally came from.

2 lbs ground beef browned

4 cans beans (you can use any beans) I used 1 Kidney, 1 Pinto, 1 Black beans & 1 Great Northern Bean

3 Cans Shoepeg Corn (little Sweet Corn)

2 Cans Mild Rotel (can use a spicier one if you want to)

1 Lg can crushed tomatoes

1 pkg taco seasonings

1 pkg dry ranch dressing

Put in the crockpot and cook for a few hours. If you don't have a crock pot I think that you could put it over the stove in a big pot and just stir it more often.

Also makes several meals.

Chicken Parmesan

This comes from one of my favorite websites, www.5dollardinners.com. Here is the link:

Chicken Parmesan recipe

**I add about half a box of frozen spinach to mine about an hour before it is finished!

Chili

This recipe comes from McCormick's website. Here is the link:

Chili Recipe

We always add frozen corn and about a 1/4 to 1/2 of a green pepper.

BBQ Pulled Beef

Also from McCormick's website.

Recipe

Beef Stew

Recipe

Mexican Chicken Mix

This is just a concoction that I made that is easy to have for lots of mexican dishes including tacos, nachos, burritos, etc.

2 or 3 chicken breasts

2 Cans of rotel

2 T of cumin

2 T of chili powder

1 Cup of frozen corn

1 Can of black beans

1 green pepper

Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4--chicken does NOT have to be cooked ahead of time, just put it in.

Add this mixture to your favorite mexican sides and it freezes great

Hint: As long as you have the space, you can double EVERY one of these, triple them even.....they all freeze great and frozen meals make easy meals down the road. The more you cook at once, the less work later, and the cheaper it is in the long run!!

Keeping up with the Jones

2010-01-31T13:29:00.001-08:00

You know.....I am so tired of keeping up with the Jones. First off, why do I think I need to be a Jones? I am only 28 years old, and have more than a lot of people my age. We are in the military, and I am a stay at home mom, and we still seem to live a privileged life!! I listened to a gal last night on a blog talk about how we always want more. No matter how much money we have, we think we need the NEXT best thing. We are always searching for things out of our grasp. Maybe we should try finding that value in something other than monetary things. Does Savannah need to be the best dressed girl at school? Do I need to have the coolest car in pick up line? Does our family need to take big extravagant vacations? HECK NO! What is that going to accomplish? What is that going to teach our children? I need to teach them how to give back. I want my children/family to be known for being giving and selfless and lovers of Christ. I want people to look at us and say, "Man, they have it together. They are truly blessed." And when they say "blessed," they mean blessed by the riches we have gained through loving Christ and giving back to others, not because of a big house or huge diamond on my finger. How do I accomplish that goal? How do I find peace with what we have and not feel the need to live up to someone else's standards? I mean, the real answer is, if these Jones families or friends do not like us because we cannot keep up with them, then they are not the kind of friends we need anyway. I want to find ways to give more of myself and my money. The more I save, the more I have to do that.

Hold me accountable friends....hold me accountable....

Wowzer....

2010-01-30T17:05:00.000-08:00

So it has been a long time since I have posted on this website. I am not sure anyone even reads this thing, but I am going to start (at least try to) this thing back up.

So..I have meal planned for the next two weeks. Here is my plan:

Jan. 31-Chimichangas/Nachos

Feb.1-Small group-bringing mashed potatoes

Feb.2-Chili/Hotdogs

Feb. 3-Left over Chili/Hotdogs

Feb. 4-Awards Banquet

Feb. 5-Home made pizza

Feb. 6-Chicken Stew

Feb. 7-Super Bowl snacks

Feb. 8-Chicken Parmesan

Feb. 9-Feb. 11-Scrounge/Leftovers/Soups/Sandwiches--Brent will be gone

Feb. 12-Chicken Parmesan

Feb. 13-Seafood

Feb. 14-Valentines Dinner

So...there you have it. I am hoping not to have to go back to the store for anything except bread and milk. We should be able to make it!!! I spent $118 on food for breakfast, lunches, and dinners, which totals out to $9.80 a day (this does not include the cost of the banquet food or the Valentines Day dinner). I am still struggling to save more than 10% in coupons, but since I get the commissary discount and the prices of a discounted grocery store (Aldi), I guess it is ok.

I tried out a new place today...I am sure you have heard about it. It is called Aldi. I have heard you can save LOTS of money by shopping there and I SURE did! They have LOTS of staple items, which i stocked up on. They have lots of vegetables for me to use in my recipes for dirt cheap. I was very impressed with what they had. They even had a few brand names. Most of it was just off brand, but I saw several brands that I recognized. I am not too proud to shop there. Heck no...I left with THREE bags full of groceries for only $23!! The rest of the stuff I bought at the commissary. I still haven't decided if I can get better deals at Walmart or the commissary. It seems like I can get more canned goods or anything that has a Walmart brand cheaper at Walmart, because the commissary doesn't have a brand...but if I have to by an actual brand name or meat, the commissary is cheaper.

I will pass on my knowledge as I find it :)

For now....

Big Savings!

2009-11-24T17:19:00.000-08:00

So, today I went to Walgreens and saved 39% off my bill. Wanna know how?? Every Tuesday, the Walgreens on Viera Blvd/Murrell offers military a 15-20% discount AND I used Walgreens and Manufacturer's coupons! I got aluminum foil for 0.09!!! I saved $1.60. If you look through the Walgreens circular and your coupons and match them up and then go (if you're military) on Tuesdays, you can save big! WAHOO!!

YUMMY CHIMICHANGAS!!!!!

2009-11-19T15:00:00.000-08:00

Another $5 hit in the Mundie household. I doubled this recipe so I could freeze a second portion. We made five chimichangas and We will have enough for lunch leftovers. I spent a little less than $10 and it will make at least two hefty meals. Here is the recipe. REMEMBER: I doubled the recipe to freeze.

BEEF AND BEAN CHIMICHANGAS

**This recipe and picture come from www.5dollardinners.com

VERA VERA HERE I COME!!

2009-11-18T12:05:00.000-08:00

Vera Bradley is having a great sale today on their Tic Tac Totes. They are normally $55 and they are down to $19. You can also use coupon code 10offsale and get another 10% off! Pretty darn good deal and great Christmas ideas. Here is the link: VERA DEAL!

Steak dinner

2009-11-15T14:00:00.000-08:00

So, here is just a run down of how much money we can save eating at home versus going out for the same meal. Clearly steak is not quite as frugal as chicken or ground beef, but it is ok to splurge every once in a while. Tonight, we are eating a steak dinner which includes steak, of course, green beans for kids, mac and cheese, and salad for the adults. This will also include milk for the kids and a soda for each adult. I did not keep an exact count, but we are going to spend roughly $10.oo for the entire meal. How, you ask? Well, I buy in bulk. So, all the sides, except the salad are bulk items and the steak was on sale so for enough steak to feed our whole family, I did not even spend $6.oo.

Next, I will give you an example of how much it would cost us to to eat at a local steak joint. And, this place is one of the cheaper steak places, not Ruth Chris or anything outrageous. For us to eat, which would include TWO steak dinners and TWO kids meals usually, four drinks, tax and tip, would cost roughly $48!! So, we have just saved ourselves almost $40!! I will be giving more examples of this as we take this journey together or feel free to share your great eat in deals versus eating out.

However, I will say this. I LOVE to eat out because there are no dishes to clean afterward, so this is a challenge for me. BUT, how can you resist the "extra" $4o, which for us, helped send us to Disney one day this weekend!

Coupons

2009-11-15T13:55:00.000-08:00

I have "trash" coupons to give away if anyone wants them. Remember, my "trash" coupons are just coupons that our family does not use that will go into the trash if no one wants them. Either leave a comment on here, email me, or facebook me if you want these coupons. I will set them aside for you. I will only keep them until Tuesday morning if I haven't heard from anyone.

Lesson 2-Meal Planning

2009-11-13T12:40:00.001-08:00

So, after you get your coupons organized, you can shop. However, if you want to take it to another level, meal planning is your goal. There are PLENTY of cheap recipes out there, but I have been finding some awesome ones on 5dollardinners.com. You will DEFINITELY save money by planning your meals and buying all the ingredients at once. You will save even more if you can buy enough of a meal to make double and save some for later. Not only will you save money, but time as well, because you can just pop a frozen dinner in the oven and be ready to go! You will learn really quick that I do not like to spend too much time in the kitchen, so most of my meal suggestions on this blog will be simple with normal ingredients that can be cooked fairly quickly with little effort.

So, I have started deciding what we will have for about two weeks worth of dinners. I do not cook 14 dinners most of the time because you have to take into account leftovers, dinners out with friends, and the nights you get to just pop in the frozen second meals you have made earlier in the process. I pick the meals, write out a grocery list, and then look through my coupons. I pull out all coupons that I know I will use and put them in the front pocket of my folder, so I can pull them out easily.

I think that is all for meal planning...

Heavenly Italian Stuffed Shells for less than $5/meal!

2009-11-13T12:17:00.000-08:00

If you follow this recipe exactly, you will get at least 2 hearty meals out of it. This made four meals for our family. You will want to make it in two 9x13 containers and freeze the second container for a later date. They reheat splendidly.

Here is the link: http://www.5dollardinners.com/2009/10/italian-stuffed-shells.html

Quick Post

2009-11-13T12:12:00.001-08:00

Before I forget, when you are shopping, look in the meat section labeled "quick sale" or "reduced price." You can usually get really great deals on meat that is getting ready to reach its "sell by" date. For example, today I was able to get chicken for $0.14 cheaper than the regular price because I bought the reduced rate. Some grocery stores also sell reduced dairy and bakery items.

First Post

2009-11-12T06:32:00.000-08:00

So, I am starting my second blog today. Instead of emailing out my money saving ideas to my friends, this will be an easy way for you to look at updates and recipes, etc. that I have found throughout the week.

So, first, a little history......

For the most part, we have always been able to buy whatever we want (within reason) when we want. However, since we have moved, and now own our home, the money doesn't seem to stretch quite as far. After the initial move in, I KEEP finding stuff I need or want to buy for the house that we have not budgeted for. Luckily, a sweet friend got me a job at her company working part time from home, so I am able to buy what we need out of that! However, I began to try and find ways to save money here and there so that we would have more cash to play with.

When we moved in, a young girl came to our house offering us a ridiculous price for the Orlando Sentinel. We signed up for the Sunday paper, figuring we could use some of the coupons out of it! This is what started my money saving journey. I started clipping coupons for items that we often use, but stayed away from keeping every coupon or from buying items just because I had coupons for them. After that, I started finding websites that helped find good deals, which lead to websites for cheap dinners, and websites to save money on online purchases. I believe it has now become a game to me! How much money can I save!!??

I am, by no means, great at this, but I figured we could all learn together. If you find a good way to save, share it on the post comments, so the group can benefit from what you have learned!

So....here we go!

FIRST STEP: find a local paper who has coupons. Subscribe to it. Like I said earlier, I subscribe to the Orlando Sentinel, but I am sure there are plenty out there to choose from. I get the Sunday paper for less than $1 a week!
a) Separate the coupons into "trash" and "useful". Do not worry about cutting them right away. For some of us locals, we could pick a day to swap our "trash" coupons. That way, if we all use different stuff, would could benefit from each others coupons! Just a thought!!
b) Next, find a good coupon website. I used www.couponmom.com. You can find even more coupons for free that you can print out from your computer!! There are not nearly as many as in the paper, but they do usually have a few different ones to choose from.
c) Discard the paper and the "trash" coupons, and set the "useful" coupons aside and clip them while you are watching tv or something. The clipping is pretty mindless.
d) You will need to find a coupon organizing system that works best for you. I just have a little coupon folder, that has slots in it for all the different kinds of coupons (dry food, cold food, cereal, baby, health and beauty, paper and plastic, meds, misc., and finally in the very back, I keep store coupons...like bed bath and beyond and restaurant coupons).
e) Remember, only keep coupons for things that you use. There is no reason buying things just because you have a coupon for it!
f) I like to flip through my coupons about once a month or so and just take out expired ones so that I do not get mounds and mound of paper in there.
g) Once you are organized, each week will get easier to just sort, clip, and shop!

***An optional step is to go to a website called Money Saving Mom. She is always announcing where you can find great deals, and which coupons (from Sunday papers) to use at what stores to get the best deals. I plan to post things that I find on her website, too, as we go along!