Monday, January 31, 2011

Shopping Trip 1/31

I made my weekly shopping trip this morning (I did hit Walgreen's yesterday).  Target, Walmart, and the Bakery Outlet were on my list.  I intended to get pictures of all of my purchases, but put them away before I remembered.  I did remember photos of Walgreen's and the bakery outlet.

Here is the rundown:

Target

Breathe Right Strips 10 ct. @$3.99 (free with register coupon I received a few weeks ago)
2 EL Fudge Keebler Cookies on price cut @ $1.99/each (used $1/2 Keebler Target coupon)
   final price $1.49/each
2 Kraft shredded cheese advertised @ $2/each (used $1.25/2 Target coupon)
   final price $1.37/each
1 gallon milk @ $1.79
  
total spent: $7.52
total saved: $6.32


Walmart

Tortilla chips @ $1.50
Potato chips @ $1.98
Eggo waffles @ $1.92
2 Lunchables @ $1.25/ech
Minute Rice @ $1.96 (used $.50 coupon from 1-30 RP)
  final price $1.46
Caprisun @ $1.97 (waiting for a good deal on these)
Velveeta Spicy Buffalo cheese 16 oz. @ $2.53
PF Goldfish on rollback @ $1.66 (these were $1 at Albertson's a while back, hoping for a stock up sale soon)
Sandwich bags 50 ct. @ $1.32
2 GV canned green beans on rollback @ $.48/each
Del Monte Mexican Stewed tomatoes @$1.08
Organic fresh carrots @ $.88
2 bananas @ $.28
green bell pepper @ $.68
Yobaby Yogurt 4 pk @ $2.28 (used $.50 coupon printable here)
   final price $1.78
GV sour cream @ $.88
Huggies wipes @ $2.37 (used $.75 coupon (no longer available) - there may still be a coupon here)
  final price $1.62
Oscar Mayer Carving Board Turkey @ $3.48 (used $1 coupon printable here)
  final price $2.48
Butterball Smoked Turkey sausage @ $2.36
GV frozen peas @ $.96
18 eggs @ $2.46 (won't need these all this week, but need them for 1st birthday cupcakes)
2 Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta on rollback @ $1.08/each (used $1/2 coupon printable here)
  final price $.58/each
Lipton tea bags 24 ct @ $1.50 (used $.60 coupon from 1-30 RP)
  final price $.90
Parkay margarine @ $1.22


Total spent: $36.95
Total saved: $5.15


Walgreen's







You can read about my shopping trip to Walgreen's HERE.

Total spent: $6.79
Total saved: $58.16


Bakery Outlet






Have I mentioned how much I love the bakery outlet?  If you have never shopped at one, I urge you to give it a try (as long as you have freezer space for all your loot!).

3 loaves Mrs. Baird's Whole Grain White @ $.85/each
1 loaf Oroweat Potato bread @ $.50 (you never know what you will find on the $.50 table!)
1 package Tia Rosa flour tortillas 10 ct @ $.85
2 packages Mrs. Baird's Brown and Serve rolls @ $1.19 (we can easily get at least 4 meals out of these)
1 package Thomas Bagel Thins 8 ct @ Free (1 free item when you spend $6)

Total spent:  $6.28


I double bag my bread in plastic grocery bags (labeled) and store it in my chest freezer.  It thaws quickly when needed and has always tasted great!  (I usually only pull out what we need for that meal and leave the rest in the freezer until we need it again.)






Grand total for the week:  $57.54!


I am sure that I will make a trip to Brookshire's at the end of the week for reduced meat, but other than that I am done for this week.  If I see any other deals, I will pass them on!  Let me know how you did this week!

Menu Plan Monday 1/31

Here are my dinner plans for this week!

Monday - Pork chops, cream gravy, potatoes, green beans (from last week -ended up not having on Sat.)
Tuesday - Shredded Beef over rice, roasted carrots
Wednesday - Smoked turkey sausage, mac & cheese, peas
Thursday - Chicken Veggie Quesadillas
Friday - Cheeseburger Macaroni, honey cornbread, veggie
Saturday - birthday dinner at parent's house
Sunday - leftovers/super bowl party with friends

Sunday, January 30, 2011

CVS Deals Week of 1/30

New to shopping at CVS?  Start here!

Here are just a few of my favorite deals this week at CVS!  Thanks to Cheryl at Simply CVS for allowing me to share them with you!

ECB Deals:

Get $5 ECBs when you buy $15 in select Coke or Kraft products (limit 1)
   12 pk coke  @ 3/$9
   Planters mixed nuts or Cashew haves  @ 2/$6
   2 liter Coke products @ 2/$3
   Fuze, Samrtwater, Vitamin Water, Honest Tea or Poweraid @ 2/$3
  Wheat Thins/Ritz @ 2/$4

Get $5 when you buy Gillette Proglide razor AND Cartridges (limit 1)
   $4/1 Proglide (P&G 1-30)
   $2/1 Proglide 4 ct+ cartridge (P&G 1/30)

Get $5 ECB when you buy these Unilever Products
   Ragu @ 3/$5
     $0.30/1 Ragu (RP 1/30) Some areas may have a higher value such as $1/2
  Skippy @ 3/$5
     $0.50/1 Skippy (RP 1/30) Some areas may have a $0.75/2
  Lipton Tea @ 2/$5
    $0.60/1 Lipton Tea bags (RP 1/30)
    $0.75/2 Lipton Tea bags, Lipton To Go or Ice Tea mix (RP 1/30)
  Ben & Jerry's @ 2/$6
  Hellman's Mayo @ 2/$6
    $0.40/2 Hellman's (RP 1-30)


You can see the rest of the ECB deals at Simply CVS here.  You can also see more deals on this post from Simply CVS!

Walgreen's Deals Week of 1/30



If you are new to shopping at Walgreen's start here!

Here are a few of my favorite deals this week!  Thanks to Erica at I Heart Wags for allowing me to share them with you!

There are quite a few freebies!


Arnicare Pain Relief Gel 2.6 oz.  $5.99 get $6 RR
  - use $2/1 printable coupon here

Blink Eye Drops .33 or .5 oz.  $7.99 get $8 RR
 - use $1/1 coupon from 1/2/2011 SS

Butterfinger Snakerz  $0.39 with in ad coupon
  - use $1/2 printable here  (make sure you print the one valid for Walgreen's)

Icy Hot No-Mess Vapor Gel 2 oz.  $3.99 get $3 RR
  - use $1/1 coupon from 1/2/2011 SS or
  - use $1/1 coupon from 1/30/2011 SS


Register Reward (RR) Deals:

Advil/Thermacare  buy 2 get $5 RR
   Advil 40/50 ct, Advil pm 16/20 ct, or Congestion Relief 10 ct.   $4.99
   Thermacare Heatwraps 2-3 pks.  $5.99
    - use $3/1 Thermacare Wrap, 2 ct+ printable
    - use $2/1 Advil printable
    - (I noticed several Advil coupons in my paper inserts for 1/30)

Dove 4/$15 get $5 RR
    Dove Hair Care 1-12 oz.
    Dove or Degree deodorant or body mist
    Dove Body Wash 12 or 13.5 oz.
    Dove Active Clean Shower Tool


My Scenario:  1/30
Beginning RR: $5 total
Trans #1
 Arnicare @ $5.99
 Icy Hot @ $3.99
 (3) Jello Pudding @ $0.59 (in ad Q)
 edited to add: 2 Reese's Eggs @ 2/$1.50 (save for V-Day)
  Total:  $13.25
  - $0.55/3 Jello Pudding
  - $2/1 Arnicare
  - $1/1 Icy Hot
  - $2.50 RR
  - $2.50 RR
new total:  $4.70 out of pocket
RR received: $6 for Arnicare and $3 for Icy Hot

Trans #2 
1 Thermacare @ $5.99
1 Advil Congestion @ $4.99
2 Butterfinger Snackerz @ $0.39 (in ad Q)
edited to add: 1 Gerber Graduates for $1.79 (forgot dinner for my son at church, oops!)
total: $13.55
  - $3 Thermacare coupon
  - $2 Advil coupon (from 1/30 insert)
  - $1/2 Butterfinger Snackerz coupon
  - $6 RR from Arnicare
new total: $1.55 (got some overage from Butterfinger, only paid for Gerber)
RR received: $5 from Thermacare/Advil

Trans #3
1 Blink tears @ $7.99
2 Butterfinger Snackerz @ $0.39 (in ad Q)
edited to add: 1 Butterfinger Egg @ $0.59 (put back for V-Day)
Total:  $9.36
  - $1/2 Snackerz coupon
  - $3 RR from Icy Hot
  - $5 RR from ThermaCare/Advil
new total $0.36
RR received: $8 from Blink

Trans #4
Gillette Fusion Razor @ $9.99
Cottonelle Lrg Roll 12 pk @ $5
1 valentine pencil @ $0.19 (in ad Q)
Total: $15.18
- $4/1 Gillette Fusion (P&G 1-30)
- $2/1 Cottonelle printable
- $1/1 Cottonelle Wags coupon from Feb. coupon book
- $8 RR from Blink
new total:  $0.18
RR recieved: $4 for Gillette

Total of all items:  $51.34 (@sale prices)
Total spent:  $6.79 out of pocket
Total savings:  $58.16 (according to receipts, includes advertised savings)
RR remaining: $4

You can see the rest of the deals at I Heart Wags!  If you need multiple coupons, you can always order them from a clipping service.  I use My Coupon Hunter.  You can go to her site through the button on my sidebar!

Friday, January 28, 2011

Sunday Coupon Preview

  The Sunday Coupon Preview is up for 1/30!  It looks like there will be 3 inserts in this Sunday's paper:  Smartsource (SS), P&G, and Red Plum (RP).  It looks like there may be several good coupons!  You can go here to see a preview!

Please remember that coupon inserts can be regional.  There is no guarantee that you will get every coupon listed and some coupon values may differ.

It's Mega Swagbucks Friday!

Search & Win


Today is Friday, and that means it's Mega Swagbucks Friday!  This means the odds are better for winning bigger Swagbucks!!  Not familiar with SwagbucksSwagbucks are digital dollars you earn by doing things like searching the web.  These digital dollars can be cashed in for rewards included Amazon and Target Gift Cards.  I just used some of my Swagbucks to purchase diapers from Amazon - absolutely FREE!!!  The money I save can go to to other things!  All I did was search the web using the Swagbucks toolbar!  You can go here to learn more and to sign up!! 

Thursday, January 27, 2011

CVS $/$$ Coupons!

Make sure you check your email today.  I checked mine and had a $5/$25 CVS coupon!  The only catch is that it's only good through Sunday.  I haven't checked the deals for next week yet, but I'll try to do that soon!  It might make for a great deal if you are able to use it!

Homeade Chicken Stock - New Recipe

I posted my recipe a while back for making homeade chicken stock.  It's super easy and tasty but I don't generally make soups out of it. I've been wanting to find a more rich stock recipe for that purpose.  I think I may have found it!  Laura, from Heavenly Homemakers ,shared her recipe for making chicken stock here.  I can't wait to try it next time I buy chicken!!  She has a ton of other yummy recipes that I can't wait to try.  Go check it out!!

Groupon - Bath & Body Works 50% off!!


If you haven't yet signed up for Groupon, you can head here to do so.  Then you can purchase a Bath & Body Works online certificate for 50% off.  You can get $20 for $10 or $30 for $15!  I don't normally post Groupon daily deals since the closest city to me is Dallas.  However,  this one is only good online so it will work anywhere!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Couponing Workshop - Tyler Public Library

A friend let me know that the Tyler Public Library is offering a FREE Couponing Workshop on Saturday, February 19 at 2 pm!  It will be held in Taylor Auditorium at the library!  It's free but you need to register.  Go here to get more info or to sign up!! 

Thanks Kim!

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

High Value Schick and Huggies Printables

Here are a couple of high value coupons you might want to go ahead and print.

There is a $3/1 Schick Women's razor at coupons.com.  CVS often has ECB deals that include Schick, so this would be great to have on hand.

There is also a $3/1 Huggies (60 ct +) printable.  You can find it here (man. coupon on the Target site) or here.  Target does gift card deals occasionally on Huggies.  (This might be great to get a good deal at Albertson's!)

Printables can reach print limits at any time and will no longer be available.  Get them before they are gone!


Thanks, Passion for Savings and Money Saving Mom!

Local Store Deals for the week of 1/26

Here are a few of the deals for the Tyler area Brookshire's and Super 1 stores.

Brookshire's

The Tyler area Brookshire's stores do not double coupons but they offer a $0.05 credit for each reusable shopping bag.

Chicken leg quarters   $0.39/lb (sold in 5 lb bag)
Ground Beef   $1.59/lb. (sold in 5 lb bag)
Food Club canned veggies (select varieties)  2/$1
Dorito's   BOGO free
Food Club Salsa  (16 oz)  10/$10


Super 1 Foods

cauliflower  $0.98/each
Fritos or Cheetos  $1.98
Hamburger, Tuna, and Chicken Helpers  $0.98/each
   Idea:  buy 3 and use $0.75/3 printable coupon
  $0.73/each after coupon
5 lb. bag Russet potatoes  2/$4

My Shopping Trip 1/24

I don't have any photos of my purchases this week.  It honestly wasn't a very exciting week!

Here is how it went:

Target

Oscar Mayer lunchmeat on sale @ $2.79
3 Oscar Mayer Pizza Lunchables on sale @ $1.14 (didn't realize Walmart had them for $0.95...)
2 Chef Boyardee on sale @ $0.80
Eggo frozen waffles @ $1.92 (Walmart has been out of these the past 2 weeks)
Skim Milk on sale @ $1.79/gallon
Borden 1/2 gallon chocolat milk (FREE with milk purchase coupon - no longer avilable)
Block cheddar cheese @ $2.15
2 packages Kraft shredded cheese @ $2.04/each
  - used $1.25/2 printableTarget coupon here
1 package Up&Up liners @ $0.87
  - used a catalina register coupon I recieved on a previous trip for $0.75
  there is also a $0.50/1printable Target coupon here

total spent :  $16.62

*I also received another catalina for a free 12 ct. package of Breathe Right Strips ($7.49 value)*

CVS

Purchased Crest Pro Health Rinse @ $3.99
 - used $4 ECBs, received $3.99 ECBs
Purchased 5 12 pks. Diet Coke @ 5/$15
 - used $12 ECBs, received $5 ECBs

total spent:  $3.26

Walmart

Nothing special here today.  Bought a few things ahead for my son's 1st birthday cupcakes so I don't have to buy it all at one time, perishables and baby food.

Total spent:  $23.82

Brookshire's

Picked up a round roast for $3.54 and boneless, skinless turkey breasts for $2.59.  Both of these went into the freezer.  I love shopping Brookshire's for reduced meat!

Total spent:  $6.13


Total for this week:   $49.83!

I am really hoping for some good sales and coupons in time for the Super Bowl!  If you are local to the Tyler area, I stopped in Albertson's to check the markdowns and they have not changed.  Hoping for a big markdown soon.  The store is still pretty stocked.  The baby aisle is beginning to dwindle, however.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Menu Plan Monday 1/24

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Here is my dinner menu this week!

Monday - pancakes, bacon, fruit (breakfast for dinner!)
Tuesday - Slow Cooker Enchiladas, pinto beans, corn
Wednesday - leftover Hamburger Vegetable Soup
Thursday - grilled chicken and cheddar sandwiches, chips, fruit
Friday -Chicken Tettrazzini, broccoli, garlic bread
Saturday - skillet pork chops, cream gravy, potatoes, green beans
Sunday -  dinner event at church

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Target Deals for 1/23



My favorite site for all things Target is Totally Target!  Go here to see the ad with coupon matchups and all the unadvertised deals for this week!  Be sure to check the Cheap Finds and Price Cut tabs too!!

Walgreen's Deals for 1/23

Here are a few of my favorite deals at Walgreen's this week!  Thanks to Erica at I Heart Wags for allowing me to share them with you!

Gold Bond Body Wash  $4.99, get $3 RR
     $1 printable coupon here

Nivea For Men  $3.99, get $3 RR
    (look for coupon display in store)

Pedia Care Cold Relief  $5.99, get $4 RR
**it has been noted that this RR may not be printing**
   (Search the coupon database for a $1 coupon)

Pantene  2/$7m get $2 RR

You can see the rest of the deals this week here!

CVS Deals for 1/23


Sorry for the delay in posting these!  There are a few good deals this week.  Here are a few of my favorites. Thanks to Cheryl at Simply CVS for allowing me to share them with you!

Extra Laundry Detergent  $1.49

Crest Pro Health Rinse  $3.99, get $3.99 ECBs
     FREE after ECBs!!

Various Coke Products -  12 pks included @ 5/$15 - Spend $15, get $5 ECBs

Clean and Clear Products - Spend $15, get $5 ECBs
     there are numerous printable coupons here!

You can see the rest of the deals at Simply CVS here!!  Be sure to look at her other postings for this week for more!!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Sunday Coupon Preview



The Sunday Coupon preview for 1/23 is ready to view!  It looks like there will be 2 inserts and there are quite a few good coupons.  You can take a peek at Sunday Coupon Preview here.

**Remember:  some coupons may be regional.  There is no guarantee that you will recieve every coupon listed.  Coupon values may differ as well.**

If there is a particular coupon you want, or you need multiple copies, you can always order from My Coupon Hunter, or another clipping service, if you don't want to buy a newspaper.  I have used My Coupon Hunter and have never had a problem.  Keep in mind that will take a few days (it takes 3 to get to me in Texas) so check to make sure it won't expire before you can use it.  You can access My Coupon Hunter's site from the sidebar.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

How I Save Money On My Grocery Bill

Buying Ahead or Stock-piling

Since I started using coupons and really watching for deals, I have been able to keep my grocery expenses at about $50 per week.  I have a slightly higher budget than that, but rarely use it all.  My total budget also includes toiletries.  How do I do this?  By buying ahead and stock-piling.  In other words, I do not buy just what I need for that week, but also things I will use later on.  And no, I do not have a garage full of stock-piled items! :)  I do not buy more than my family can consume before the expiration date.  I always allow $10 per week of my budget for buying ahead and stock-piling.  If I have extra in my budget, I will buy more, if I find anything at the right price.  I found several good deals on meat this week.  I am not planning to use it this week, but will freeze it for another week.   By buying this meat ahead, I saved 50%.  I do stock up on things when they are at, what I think, will be the lowest price.  (I  know about what the prices are on the things I buy often so I have a good idea of a good price when I look through the sale ads).  By planning my weekly menus around what I have on hand, for the most part, I can cut my grocery bill.  So far, I have cut it more by more than 25% of what I would spend previously.  Some weeks, I save as much as 50% of my original budget.  And we have more food in the pantry!  I usually only buy milk, bread (only if I don't have it in the freezer), fresh produce, and things that I do not have stockpiled yet.  My shopping trip is also much shorter, since my list is much shorter.  I am constantly adding to my stockpile each week by allowing for it in my budget. If I don't use my entire budget, I can roll it to the next week if I choose to.  Or I can save that money and not spend it at all.


Menu Planning
I plan my dinner menu for one week at a time.   By planning my menu ahead, I don't have the need to run back and forth to the grocery store for things that I do not have.  I try to make one trip a week, early in the week.  If a new deal comes up that I do not want to pass up, I will go when I am close to the store or when I go to pick my son up from school.  I try not to make extra trips.  I live in the country, so to speak, and do not live close to the major stores, so it is a bit of a drive if I am not already going.  I love knowing what is for dinner and not having to worry about it at dinner time.  This also allows me to know when to take things out of the freezer to thaw.  I do not plan breakfast and lunch menus.  It is generally only me and my 11 month old at home for lunch, so there is not need.  Breakfast we keep simple, such as cereal, oatmeal, frozen waffles and pancakes, cinnamon rolls or biscuits, and eggs.  If I were to go to the store without a plan, I would end with a cart full of nothing and would pay twice as much.  Now, I understand that this plan is not for everybody, but it is what works for my family.  It keeps things simple, and saves money at the same time.  And if we have a freak snowstorm (very rare here) and everyone runs to the store, I don't have too!  If you have a plan that works for your family, or you have a tip you would be willing to share, please leave a comment!

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Tyler Albertson's Markdowns as of 1/19

Here are the liquidation markdown's as of today.  Not huge savings yet.  They will still take coupons and there are things on sale as well as some clearance items.  I saw several BOGO free items too.  If you have some good coupons you might could get a decent deal on some of the sale items if you don't want to wait on a deeper discount.   There is no printed sale advertisement that I am aware of.  You'll just have to haul all of your coupons with you!  I am not sure if they are still doubling coupons.  I would think that they wouldn't, but you never know.

  • Fresh meat, seafood, packaged meat, produce, bakery, deli   5% off
  • Dairy (excludes milk)  5% off
  • Groceries  10% off
  • Frozen  10% off
  • Greeting Cards  50% off
  • General merchandise, health & beauty care (including baby)  25% off
  • Cosmetics and Fragrances  30% off

The employees I talked to were not sure when the next markdown would be.  If you see a change, please let me know!

Local Store Deals - Tyler,TX Week of 1/19

Here are my favorite local store deals this week. There was no Albertson's ad this week.  I have heard that the liquidation is beginning today with a store closing date of February 20th.  I doubt we will see any more ads from them. :(



Super 1 Foods
Food Club Tomato sauce $0.19 with in ad coupon (limit 8)  **stock up price**
Food Club eggs, medium 18ct. 2/$3 with in ad coupon
Lay's Potato Chips  $2.48


Brookshire's
Our local Brookshire's stores do not double coupons.

Totino's Party Pizza or 15 ct. Pizza Rolls 10/$10
Coca Cola or Diet Coke (2 liter) 4/$5
Oscar Mayer Lunchables (select varieties) 10/$10  *hint:  price match at Target and use with $1/2 Target coupon here.
Weight Watchers Entrees (select varieties) 2/$3 *hint: price match at Target and use with B5G1 Target coupon here.
 - also use $4/10 coupon you can get for taking a very short, easy survey here.
Food Club sandwich, storage or freezer bags  (selected varieties 15-50 ct)  10/$10
Pillsbury Grand's biscuits (10.2 oz) or Cinnamon Rolls (7.3 oz) 10/$10
 - use $1/2 printable coupon  **(biscuits)      (thanks Money Saving Mom for the link)
 - and use $1/2 printable coupon **(cinnamon rolls)
**this link works but you have to find the right link once you get there to sign up.  The link on the main page will take you to an error page.  On this page is a list of options. At the bottom of the 2nd column is a link for register.  Click this and it should take you to the sign up page.  All the other buttons that I found to sign up took me to the error page.  I just had to play around with it for a while. **

(There may be insert coupons as well.  You can search in the coupon database to locate them.)


If you price match at Target, you have to check out at the service desk and be sure to take your ad with you.  At Walmart, price matching is done at the regular register but take your ads with you.  Keep in mind that you can price match other store brands with the Walmart store brand and Walmart has changed it's coupon policy to allow you to price match an in ad coupon. Price matching just saves me a lot of time not having to go to 5 different grocery stores.  I am not loyal to any particular store.  At either store, it never hurts to print out and take a copy of the coupon policy with you, just in case.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

CVS Trip 1/18

I really wasn't planning to buy anything at CVS this week but I was made aware of a Pepsi deal that I had overlooked.  We don't normally drink Pepsi but will for this price!

Here is the deal: (through 1/22)

Spend $20 and get $10 extra bucks when you buy any of these Pepsico products (limit 1)
Pepsi 12 oz. cans 12 pk. @ 3/$10
Amp 16 oz. cans 4 pk. or Frappuccino 9.5 oz bottles 4 pk. @ $4.99

Pepsi 2 liter, Thirst Quencher Gatorade 32 oz. or Lifewater 20 oz. selected varieties @ 5/$5
Aquafina Pure Water 12-16.9 oz. 12 pk., 24 oz. 6 pk., or Lipton tea 128 oz. @ 2/$6
Doritos or Lay's potato chips 10.5 oz. - 13 oz. selected varieties (excludes Baked) @2/$5




Trans #1
Purchased (13) 2 liters @ $1/each
Purchased (2) 12 packs @ $3.33/each
Total:  $19.67 before tax (the deal still worked since it was close to $20)
Used $10.89 ECBs
Paid $9.50 (including tax) out of pocket and received $10 ECBs back!


Trans #2
Purchased 1 Tom's deodarant @ $3.99, received $3 ECBs
Purchased 1 Boiron Homeopathic Cough Syrup @ $5, received $5 ECBs
 - used $1 coupon (printable here)
Purchased 2 Crest Toothpastes @ $2.99/ each, received $4 ECBs ($2/each)
 - used $0.75/1 Crest 4 oz. or larger (12/26 P&G)
 total:  $13.33 (pretax)
- used $10 ECBs from trans #1
= $3.29 out of pocket (tax included)
received $12 ECBs back!!  

So, add this to my weekly total from yesterday and it comes to: $56.56!!

Monday, January 17, 2011

My Shopping Trip 1/17

I made purchases at Walmart, Walgreen's, Drug Emporium, and Brookshires this week.  Target and CVS were not on my list so far this week.

Walmart
I did the majority of my shopping at Walmart this week.  It was an aggravating trip since the cashier forgot to scan my coupons and I didn't catch it until it was too late.  After a short wait at Custmer Service, I got the money back for those coupons, in cash.  I had one little hassle with one of my coupons.  Just a case of the cashier not being properly trained on coupons.  If I had a copy of Walmart's coupon policy with me, I probably could have avoided the situation.  I will stick it in with my coupons from now on.  It worked out in the end.

Total spent:  $37.99

A few deal highlights -
Found a large package of chicken thighs reduced to $3.
Bought 2 cans GV diced tomaotes on roll back for $0.48, down from $0.63.  I don't need these until next week but figured I'd grab them at the sale price, just in case.
Bought 4 Hormel Compleats Kid's Meals @ $1.66 each and used 4 $1/1 coupons on each.  You can find the printable coupons here.  So I picked these up for $0.66/each.
Bought 2 boxes (15 ct.) Totino's pizza rolls @ $1.50 each.  Used a coupon for $1/2.  I picked these up for $1 each.  (which I'm not sure is still available).

I won't bore you with the entire list.  The rest was produce, staples and a few things for recipes this week.


Brookshire's

I hadn't planned on shopping at Brookshire's this week but I needed to run into our bank branch in the store.  I decided to take a peek in the meat department for any markdowns.  I'm glad I did because I got two more deals for the freezer.

Found a package of tenderized pork chops for $2.04 and a package of boneless, skinless turkey breasts $3.74.  Both of these were about a 50% savings.

Total spent:  $5.78


Walgreen's

There was only one thing I planned on buying at Walgreen's this week.
I had a RR coupon for $2 to use.
Purchased a Thermacare trial size heat wrap for $2.50 and received a $2.50 RR back.
I used a $1 coupon (printable pdf here).  I needed a filler item (since I had 2 coupons) and had an extra $0.50 on my original RR to use so I grabbed a can of chicken gravy on clearance for $0.50. 
Used my $2 RR.

Total spent:  $0 and got back a $2.50 RR. 
I still have another $3.50 left from last week.  Hopefully there will be some good deals next week before they expire.


Drug Emporium

This was also not a planned stop.  I had some time to kill while waiting to meet someone so I went in just to look around at the health food store.  I found a large back of sesame snack mix for $3.15 so I picked that up as a treat. 

Total spent:  $3.15

Grand total this week:  $43.77!

I still have $6 RR and $10.89 ECBs left for a later purchases.  Maybe next week?!

Pass along any good deals you found this week!

Do it Yourself Ideas

I enjoy cooking and enjoy trying to cook healthy things.  In an effort to cut out as much of the unhealthy "stuff" as I can I have started making some of my cooking ingredients myself.  Not only is it healthier, but saves money too.  Just thought that I would share a few ideas with you.

Homeade Chicken Stock

I do not really use a recipe for this.  I just kind of do it my way.  I normally buy a larger quanity of chicken every couple of months to stock in the freezer.  I cook and debone the meat, saving the bones.  The meat goes into freezer bags in 1/2 lb. servings.  I put those leftover bones into my slowcooker and cover with cold water.  I add salt (about 1/2 t.), pepper, carrots, celery salt (or celery), onion powder (or onion), dried parsley and garlic powder (or chopped garlic).  I just sprinkle some in (a good amount).  Just use your judgment.   My slow cooker is pretty full at this point.  Turn the slow cooker to high and let it simmer for several hours.  I usually just let it go all day.   At the end of cooking, pour the liquid through a strainer into a large bowl to get out all the bones and veggies.  Now it needs to cool in the fridge.  I usually just leave it in the fridge overnight.  The next day, all of the fat will have collected at the top.  Scrape this off and discard it.  Now you can divide up the stock into freezer bags.  I put 1 c. per bag.  This makes a good bit of stock and saves a ton of money. 

Taco Seasoning

We use a lot of taco seasoning in our house and you can make it healthier and cheaper by making it yourself.

Here is my recipe:
1 part of each of the following (I normally do 2 T. of each for a batch)  Use to taste:
chili powder
garlic powder
onion powder
cumin

Store in an airtight container.

I do not add salt to the mix.  I just add it to taste when I cook.

Cream of Chicken Soup

I use a lot of cream soups in recipes and this is a great alternative.  It tastes great in casseroles.  I don't think it would be that great eaten by itself as a soup.  I will tell you that the dry milk is a little pricey, but one box goes a LONG way and should last a long time.  It also has a long shelf life.

One recipe makes the equivalent of  9-10 cans of condensed soup.

2 c. dry milk
3/4 c. cornstarch
1/4 c. chicken boullion granules
1/2 t. thyme
1/2 t. basil
1/4 t. pepper
1 T. onion powder
1/2 t. garlic powder

Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container.  To use:  Mix 1/3 c. of mixture with 1 1/4 c. wate in a small pan.  Heat on low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.  Use the same as a can of soup.  You can add cooked, chopped mushrooms to make it a cream of mushroom soup.


One thing that I am going to begin working on this spring,  is a hay bale garden.  I have always wanted to grow my own vegetables (without the room for a full garden), so we have been doing our research on a hay (or straw) bale garden.  I will document my progress here.  I am excited for warm weather so I can get started!

Menu Plan Monday


Menu Plan Monday

Here is our dinner menu for this week!

Monday - Chicken and Veggie Fried Rice (Cooking Light - Super Fast Suppers Cookbook)
Tuesday - french bread pizza (beef), green beans
Wednesday - chicken taquitos, corn
Thursday - Chicken Zucchini Casserole, wheat rolls
Friday - dining out
Saturday - husband working so we will be eating leftovers
Sunday - Hamburger Vegetable Soup, wheat rolls

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Sunday Coupon Preview - 1/16



It looks like there will be 2 coupon inserts in this Sunday's paper.

You can view the Smartsource insert coupons here.
You can view the P&G insert coupons here.

Please keep in mind that inserts can be regional so there is no guarantee that you will get every coupon.  Some coupon values may differ as well. 

You can always order insert coupons from a clipping service such as My Coupon Hunter.  I normally order my coupons (and get multiples) for less than the cost of 1 Sunday paper in my town.  Just keep in mind that it takes about 3 days to get them so don't wait until you won't be able to use them!  And be sure to check the expiration dates!

CVS Extra Buck Deals 1/16 - 1/22


If you are new to shopping at CVS, you can start here to learn how it works!


Here a few of my favorite ECB this week at CVS.  Thanks to Cheryl at Simply CVS for allowing me to share them with you!  Check out here site for the rest of the deals this week!

Spend $25 on the following P&G products, get $10 ECBs  (limit 1)
     Charmin toilet paper, 16 pk   $9.99
     Bounty paper towels, 12 pk  $9.99
     Duracell Batteries (various)   $9.99
     Puffs tissues  $0.99
There are several insert coupons available for these items.  You can check the coupon database to find them.

Crest, Oral B ProHealth, 3D White Vivid W Scope Outlast toothpaste, ProHealth rinse or Satin floss  $2.99
Get $2 ECBs  (limit 2)
   $1/1 Crest 12/26 P&G or 1/16 P&G
   $.75/1 Crest 12/26 P&G
   $.50/1 Crest  12/26 P&G

Spend $15, get $5 ECBs when you buy ANY Maybelline Cosmetic product  (limit 1)
   $1/1 Maybelline New York Mascara  1/9 RP

Valentine M&Ms  2/$5, get $1 ECBs (limit 1)

If you don't have any coupons or need more coupons, you can use a clipping service.  I recommend My Coupon Hunter.  You can go directly to her site using the button in the sidebar.


You can see the rest of the deals HERE!  Let us know what deal you get this week!!

Friday, January 14, 2011

Free Blockbuster Express Rental

Here is a new code to get a free rental at Blockbuster Express. (I used the code tonight so it worked for me!)
Here is the code:  14CHD2X

This is good through January 20th.  Remember, that you have to return the movie by 9 pm the next day or you will be charged for a 2nd night.

You can go here to locate a kiosk near you.

Thanks, My Frugal Adventures!

Office Depot - 10 Reams of Copy Paper for only $5.97!!!



Update:  My husband went to Office Depot for me this morning and had no problem with this deal!!
Used the coupon and got the rebate form on the receipt!!  I'll be set for a VERY long time with paper!

You have to act fast on this one!  It is only good through tomorrow, January 15th!!

Here is how you score 10 reams (5000 sheets) of copy paper for only $5.97:
   
     Head to Office Depot (not online) and grab the HP 8.5" x 11" Multipurpose Paper (10 reams) ($42.99)
 
    use this 40% off printable coupon which brings the total down to $25.79
 
    a $20 rebate (prepaid visa card) will print at the register making the total (after rebate)  just $5.97!!


Disclaimer:  I have not verified that this works but I may head there tomorrow if I get a chance and try to pick some up. You can view the online ad here

Thanks, Mojo Savings


   

Bakery Outlet

I can honestly say that I have never shopped at a bakery outlet.  I have no idea why, other than I haven't really thought about it.  Today, I decided to head there and see what it was all about not really sure what I would find.  I was amazed at the deals and I could not tell the difference at all between the items there and the identical items at the grocery store.  Everything looked and felt very fresh ad wasn't expired.  Granted the expirations were not far out but it's going into the freezer anyway.  (Double bagged)

Here is what I got:
2 loafs Mrs. Baird's Whole Grain White Bread @ $1.19 (1 was FREE - see bottom)
2 12 ct. pkgs. Kroger brown and serve wheat rolls @ $0.78/each
1 6 ct. Oroweat plain bagels @ $0.78
2 pkgs. Mrs. Baird's cinnamon rolls @ $1.00/each (these were mix/match 4/$4)
2 pkgs. Mrs. Baird's Grab N Go Donuts @ $1.00/each (part of the $4 mix/match)
2 pkgs 6 ct. Oroweat English Muffins @ $0.50/each  (They had an entire table of $0.50 stuff - bagel thins, sandwich thins, bread, etc.)

Plus, I got to choose a free item for spending $6, so I got another loaf of Whole Grain White Bread for FREE!

Total spent:  $8.53!!  and you get a punch card that earns you 2 more FREE items when you spend $30 total!

I plan on going back at least once a month to stock my freezer with bread, rolls and tortillas.  (They were low on tortillas this week but had an entire section for them.)  I know that there is cheaper bread at the grocery store but I always buy the whole grain white or wheat bread which runs at least $2 if it's on sale.  The cinnamon rolls and donuts are something that I buy every now and then as a treat but at a much higher price.  I won't buy them every time, but both my 8 yr. old and my husband love them so I'll throw it in occasionally. :)  I am sure that the stock changes, so it will be interesting to see what they have next time!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

What I'm Reading Now

"America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right on the Money" by Steve and Annette Economides "puts meeting your financial goals - and living well at the same time - in reach for every family."

The family also has a website available:  http://www.americascheapestfamily.com/.

I just began reading it, so I haven't gotten very far into it.  But, so far, I am loving it and really excited to put some of their ideas into practice!

I believe that the book is also available as an eBook.

The best part is that I got this book totally FREE, including shipping! (and Amazon's price is already well below the list price!)
How?  By using Swagbucks to earn digital dollars just for searching the web. I use these dollars to cash in for great prizes, including Amazon gift cards!  And shipping is free with Amazon Prime, a subscription service that you can try free for 3 months.  Just be sure and log in to your Amazon account and cancel the service after you receive your first order.  It will not actually cancel until the 3 month trial has ended. 
Not familiar with Swagbucks?  You can read this post to learn more and you can sign up at the bottom of the widget on the sidebar.

Another book worth checking out: "Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half With America's Cheapest Family."

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Zulily - A Daily Deal Site for Moms

Save up to 70% for moms, babies and kids

If you're a Mom, or soon will be, you need to become a member of Zulily!  Zulily is a daily deal site offering fantastic savings on top-quality items for Mom, babies and kids.  They even have maternity items!  Membership is required and you can click on the link below to sign up for FREE! 

                                                   Zulily Daily Deals - Members Only!

30% Cashback on diapers at Diapers.com

30% Cash Back on Diapers! Cash back usable on both Diapers.com & Soap.com

For a limited time, Diapers.com is offering 30% cashback on diapers for new customers.  And shipping is free for orders $49 or more.  Just enter code GET30BACK at checkout.  The cashback can be used at both diapers.com and soap.com.  Happy shopping!

Monday, January 10, 2011

My Shopping Trip 1/10

I made my weekly trek to Target and Walmart today and decided to go ahead and hit CVS and Walgreen's while I was at it.  I normally don't do all of the stops in one day but I figured I'd just get it out of the way.  I am glad I did and I got some really great deals!  (Sorry my pictures aren't great.  I have temporarily misplaced my good camera.)

Here is how it went:

Walmart and Target
Total Spent:  $43.42 (Walmart) $3.75 (Target)
Not a huge savings at either place but I did find Great Value canned veggies for $0.48, down from $0.67.  I went to Target looking for a couple of things that I didn't find, so it wasn't a great trip this week.



CVS
Spend $25 on Scott, Cottonelle, or Kleenex and get $10 ECB

I bought:
1 24 ct. Scott toilet paper @ $10
1 10 ct Scott paper towels @ $10
3 Cottonelle wipes    @ $6
1 Dove chocolate bar @ $0.89  (get $0.89 ECB back)
Total:  $26

Used:
- 2  $1/1 Scott toilet papers or paper towels
- 1  $1/2 Cottonelle wipes or refills 
- $0.50/1 Dove chocolate bar (this printed at the card scanning machine)
- $10 ECBs from last weeks purchase

total paid out of pocket:  $14.49 
Recieved $10.89 ECB back!
Net OOP:  $3.60!!



Walgreens
I had $10 RR that I needed to use this week before they expired.  I was so glad I came across this deal!!

(I did not see this deal advertised and it was not marked in my store so I took my chances that it would work out.  But it did!!  For me, at least!!)

I bought:
5 boxes of Nature Valley Granola bars @ $10 receive $3.50 RR
- used 3 $0.50/1 (here or here) and 1 $1/2 coupons (here)
total: $7.50 after coupons

I needed something to cover the other $2.50 of my RR so I purchsed the EOS lipbalm @ $2.99 and received $2 RR. (this was advertised and marked in the store)

I used $10 RR and paid $0.49 OOP and received $5.50 RR back!  A $5.01 moneymaker!


Remember that at Walgreen's you have to have one item per coupon so make sure you grab some fillers if you need them! (Register rewards count as coupons!)

(Be sure to search the coupon database for coupons you can use if I haven't provided a direct link!)


Let me know what you find this week!!

Another Walgreen's Deal

Here is a great deal I ran across on Money Saving Mom.  You can view her post here.

Here is the deal:

Buy 5 boxes of Nature Valley Granola Bars @ $2 each, receive $3.50 Register Rewards
Use 5 $0.50/1 coupons which you can get here or here
Pay $7.50 out of pocket ang get back $3.50 RR
That works out to $0.80 per box!


I headed there in a bit to stock up!

Thanks, Money Saving Mom and Passion for Savings!

Menu Plan Monday

Here is my dinner menu for the week of 1/10:

Monday - Chicken, bacon and cheese sandwiches, baked beans, chips
Tuesday - white chicken chili, cornbread
Wednesday - popcorn shrimp, mac and cheese, peas
Thursday -Meaty Calzones (Cooking Light SuperFast Suppers cookbook), broccoli
Friday - tacos
Saturday - Cinnamom Scones for breakfast (you can get the recipe here) - Husband is working so we will eat leftovers for dinner
Sunday - sandwiches/ leftovers

Walgreens Deals for the week of 1/9-1/15

Here are a few of my favorite deals at Walgreen's this week.  Thanks to I Heart Wags for allowing me to share them with you.

Register Reward (RR) Deals:

Buy go! Kids's Multivitamin Gummie $5, receive $5 RR

Buy EOS lip balm or shaving cream $2.99, receive $2 RR

Buy household cleaners 2/$5 receive, $1 RR
        Fantastik
        Scrubbing Bubbles
        Windex spray or wipes
        Shout
        Glade Fabric & Air Oder Eliminator

Buy Lysol Healthy Touch Hand Soap System  $11.99,  receive $7 RR
    - use $3/1 coupon here (sign up required)


You can view the rest of this weeks deals at I Heart Wags here.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

CVS Deals for 1/9-1/15

New to Shopping at CVS?  Read this post to help get you started.  


Here are a few of my favorite deals at CVS starting on Sunday.  Thanks to Simply CVS for allowing me to share them with you.  You can see the rest of the deals here.

Spend $20 on Lysol, Finish, or Airwick and receive $10 ECB (limit 1)
    Lysol Neutra Air 10 oz., toilet cleaner, all purpose cleaner, wipes, Jet Dry Rinse, Gelpacs or Finish tabs $3          
    Lysol Spray $4
    Airwick refills, Freshmatic refill, or Imotion refill or kit  $5
    Lysol Neutra Air or Airwick Ultra Freshmatic starter kits   $6
There are a lot of insert coupons available for these products.  You can see them at Simply CVS or order from a clipping service, such as My Coupon Hunter.

Spend $25 on Scott, Kleenex, or Cottonelle and receive $10 ECB  (limit 2)
   Scott 10 pk. paper towels  $10
   Scott 24 pk. toilet paper   $10
       $1/1 Scott printable here
   Cottonelle toilet paper 18 pk  $10
       $.50/1 Cottonelle printable here
   Cottenelle wipes or refill  $2
       $1/2 Cottonelle wipes/refill printable here
   Klennex 3 pk  $3
       $.50/ 3 singles or 1 3 pk printable here

Deal idea:
Buy (1) 10 pk Scott paper towels  @ $10
Buy (1) 24 pk Scott toilet paper  @ $10
Buy (3) Cottonell wipes/refills  @ $6
or (2) 3 pk. Kleenex @$6
total:  $26
- use (2)  $1/1 Scott coupons
-use (1) $1/2 Cottonelle wipes/refills or (2) $.50/1 Kleenex coupons
= pay  $23.00 out of pocket and receive $10 ECB making it just $13 for all 4 or 5 items!!
**If you got a $/$$ coupon in an email you can use that to get an even better deal but keep in mind that they expire on 1/9 so you'd have to use them Sunday!**

All Revlon Custom Eyes Shadow and Mascara $7.99 get $2 ECB

Get $10 ECB when you purchase Crest Whitestrips (limit 2)
   $5/ Crest Whitestrips (P/G 12-26)
   $7/ Crest White Professional Effects or Advanced Vivid (RP 12/12)

Remember that printable coupons can become unavailable at any time so hurry and print them before they reach their print limit.  If you need more insert coupons try a clipping service such as My Coupon Hunter.  (see sidebar button). I have ordered from this service and I highly recommend them!  Coupons take about 3 days to get by mail, so keep that in mind when you order!  Leave a comment with your deal scenarios this week!

Friday, January 7, 2011

2nd CVS Shopping Trip

When I got home from my wasted CVS trip yesterday, I checked my email to find a $4/$20 coupon (they send them out periodically to Extra Care Card members).   I decided I would just hang on to it until next week and see what the deals I could get then.  However, when I checked my mail today, I had the FREE Excedrin coupon that I had been waiting on!!  So I headed to CVS to grab a couple of good deals.

Here is how it worked out:
I started my trip with $6.50 ECBs.
Trans #1:
(Deal : Purchase 2 Revlon Beauty tools or products and receive $7 ECBs)
I purchased 2 pkgs of Expert Nail Shapers @ $3.19/each = $6.38 (I lost a few cents of my ECBs. oh well!)
- used $6.50 ECBs
= $0 out of pocket
received $7 ECBs (a $0.50 moneymaker!)

Trans #2:
(Deal:  Spend $20 on Excedrin Products and receive $10 ECBs)
Purchased 2 24 ct. Excedrin Migraine @ $5.29/each = $10.58
Purchased 2 20 ct. Excedrin Extra Strength Express Gelcaps (these included a free 8 ct. box of Excedrin PM) @$5.39/each = $10.78
- used my $4/$20 CVS coupon
- used 2 FREE Excedrin products coupons (you may still be able to request them here) (- $10.58)
- used 2 $1/1 Any Excedrin Product (see if they are available here)  (- $2.00)
= $4.78
Threw in a 5 pack of mechanical pencils for my 8 year old @ $2.57 (as a filler - didn't want to lose any ECBs)
- used $7 ECBs
= $0.46 out of pocket
received $10 ECBs for another deal!  (a $9.54 moneymaker!)

I'll post the CVS deals for next week over the weekend!

Thursday, January 6, 2011

CVS Week of 1/2

Well, I ran by CVS hoping to get a couple of good deals.  None of them worked for me without spending more out of pocket than I wanted to, however.   I planned on doing the Special K cereal deal but the ones my store stocks were not ones that we would eat.  I decided to pass on the Excedrin deal since I haven't gotten my other free product coupon yet.  Oh well, maybe it will work for you!   I still have $6.50 in ECBs.  Maybe next week?

BTW, I heard that there is going to be a coupon in this Sunday's (1/9) paper for a free, full size Aveeno product.  I have no way of kowing if it is true or not but it wouldn't hurt to check it out!

Brookshire's Shopping Trip

My local Brookshire's was having a BOGO for 1 cent sale this week (with a Thank You Card).  I normally don't shop these kinds of sales (unless I have really good coupons) because I am sure that they inflate the prices before the sale.  I glanced through the ad and found one thing that I thought I could get a good deal on depending on what the price was at my store.  So I made the trip today.

Here is what I found:
Jose Ole Boxed Appetizers were priced $5.69
(I don't think that my Walmart carries this brand, but an equivalent brand is around $4.50).
I had 3 $2/1 Jose Ole Appetizers that I printed some ago (they had an expiration date of 1/15).
So I picked up 6 boxes (taquitos, mini tacos, and mini chimichangas).

Pre-sale total:                 $34.14
thank you card savings:   $ 17.04
coupon savings:              $6.00
total spent:                      $11.10 or $1.85 per box

Not a bad deal!  I buy this kind of stuff often since it is a quick, easy meal to keep on hand.  So this will last us a goo while.  I don't know if you can still get the coupon but you can search the coupon database and see what you can find.  My weekly grocery total is still under $50 and I have gotten tons of stockup things this week.  (See this post for the rest) I'm headed to CVS after naptime to check on a couple of deals so I'll let you know how that goes.

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

FREE Personal Finance Software




logo_noreflect.jpg
I just wanted to let you know about a FREE personal finance software program that I came across.  I started using it, and it is by far one of the easiest that I have ever used.  It links to your financial accounts and keeps track of your spending, your budget, your savings, your loans and more!  You can go here to learn more and to sign up.  And yes, it is totally free!!

Blogging Schedule

One of my new year's "resolutions" this year was to spend more quality time with my family.  When I made the decision to start this blog, I honestly had no idea how time consuming it would be.  I don't want to take time away from my family, but I want to continue with the blog.  Therefore, I have come up with a schedule of what I blog about and when.  Here it is:

Sunday:  Links to CVS, Target and Walgreen's Deals (I will share my favorites)
Monday:  My Weekly Menu Plan
Tuesday:  My Weekly Shopping Trips
Wednesday: TBA
Thursday: links to local store deals (Brookshire's and Albertson's)
Friday: TBA
Saturday:TBA

I will try post the Amazon deal of the day, IF it is something that I think you might be interested in.

I will post any REALLY good deals that I come across.  Most of these will posted in the morning.  I don't want to give you more info than you care about and frankly, I don't want to sit in front of the computer all day.  I will try to let you know about any new high value coupons as well.  Hopefully, this will simplify things for me as I am beginning to be a little overwhelmed with trying to keep up with it all!  Thanks for supporting me!

More New Printable Coupons

There are more new coupons out for you to print!

$0.75 off Yoplait Yogurt
$0.50 off Pillsbury Toaster Strudel
$0.50 off Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
$0.50 off Fiber One Chewy Bars
$0.50 off Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks
$0.50 off Nature Valley Granola Bars
$0.55 off Cinnamon Toast Crunch
$0.40 off Yoplait Yogurt
$1.00 off Cheerios
$3.00 off 2 Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers
$1.00 off 1 Balmex Diaper Cream
$1.00 off any Weight Watchers Bakery Item
$0.75 off Rhodes Warm N Serve
$1.00 off Garnier Fructis Shampoo or conditioner

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Neilsen Home Scan Consumer Panel




Here is an interesting offer that I wanted to let you know about.

Join the Neilsen Home Scan Consumer Panel and earn points which can be used for electronics, household items, toys, gift cards, and much more!  All you have to do is scan the items that you purchase with the provided scanner and submit it back to Neilsen electronically.  I know that my 8 year old would have a blast doing this! 
For more information or to sign up:
If you have a landline, click here.
If you have a cell phone only, click here.

Weekly Grocery Shopping Trip

I made my weekly grocery shopping trip to Walmart and Target this morning.  Thanks to all the stockpiling I've been doing and the amount of food in my freezer, I didn't need much.  I ran to Walmart and grabbed the few staples we needed (milk, bread, produce, etc.)  I grabbed a frozen pizza to have this week since I had a $1 coupon for a Red Baron Pan Pizza.  These are priced at my Walmart at $4.98 so I got it for $3.98.  Not a huge savings since they weren't on rollback but $3.98 for an entire meal is not bad.  I also had a $2.50 coupon for Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sandwiches (which I would never buy unless it was a REALLY good deal).  These are priced at $4.98 for 4 sandwiches so I picked them up for $2.48 or $0.62 per sandwich.  Not a bad deal.  I had to grab baby food too and it is VERY rare to get a great deal on baby food.  There are usually not any coupons out there.  He is mostly on finger foods, but I still grabbed a few containers of fruit.  My total at Walmart was $28.35.  And by the way, milk is still on rollback at my Walmart for $1.78.  It's been that price for a while and I sure hope it stays that way!

Then, I ran over to Target.  I can usually get some great deals at Target and this is the store where I do a lot of stockpiling.  Since I didn't spend much of my grocery budget this week, I figured I would take advantage of the price cuts and get a few things that I didn't necessarily need this week but would use later on.  I allow around $10 a week of my normal budget for stockpiling but only if I find a good deal.  I only stockpile an item if it is at a super low price.  For example, PF Goldfish crackers normally run about $2/ bag.  They were on sale at Albertson's for $1/bag a few weeks ago.  I price matched them and grabbed 10 bags for $10.  Hopefully, they will last until the next sale rolls around.  Here is what I found at Target:

  • Christmas Clearance is now at 75% off and it looked like they still had quite a bit left.  I didn't need anything but thought that I'd let you know.
  • Gerber baby clothes (onsie's, pj's, bibs, etc) are on clearance at 30% off.  They had 2 pk fleece blanket sleepers on clearance for $4.98 (half price) which equals out to only $2.49 per pajama.   I grabbed a pack of these. (Although, I may go get more later.)
  • Ortega Taco Shells were on price cut for $1.25 for a box of 10.  There is a printable coupon for $1 off of any 2 Ortega products which equals out to $0.75 each when you buy 2 boxes.
  • Several types of Market Pantry bags of frozen breaded chicken were on price cut for $4.  There is a printable Target coupon for $3/2.  This makes them only $2.50 per bag.  I grabbed chicken tenders and chicken patties.
  • Kraft shredded cheese was on price cut for $2.  I used a $0.75 printable Target coupon to get it for $1.25.  I've seen it cheaper, but $1.25 is not bad.  This is not a stockup price, however.
  • I forgot the bread at Walmart so I grabbed it here for $1.89.  About the same price as Walmart. 
My total spent at Target was $14.62 before taxes (but only $9.64 was groceries!).

My grand total on groceries this week: $37.99 for a family of 4!!

I plan on going to CVS and Walgreen's later today to check out the deals there.  I'll let you know what I find!

Did you find a great deal at Target this week?  I would love to hear about it.  Please share it in a comment below!

Monday, January 3, 2011

New Coupons for January

Here are some of the new coupons this month at Coupons.com:

Buy any Stayfree 14 ct-24ct get one free
$0.75 off Hormel Compleats meals
$1.50 off Ziploc brand containers
$0.55 off one Hillshire Farm Lower Sodium product
$1.00 off Ziploc brand bags
$5.00 off any Weight Watchers Scale by Conair
$5.00 off any Leapster Explorer learning game
$5.00 off any Leapster learning game
$0.55 off any one Dannon DanActive 4 pk
$0.50 off any one Dannon Light & Fit 4 pk
$0.50 off 3 pk or bundle of Kleenex
$1.00 off 2 Jell-O Gelatin, Pudding or Mousse 6 pk
$1.00 off any Citracal
$3.00 off any Citracal and Bayer Aspirin Product
$1.00 off any One A Day and Flintstones
$1.50 off any Bayer Aspirin Product
$0.75 off Wheaties or Wheaties Fuel Cereal
$0.75 off Frozen Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits
$1.00 off Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookie Dough
$0.40 of Pillsbury Italian Meal Breads
$1.50 off Wanchai Ferry Frozen Entree
$0.50 off Yoplait Kids Yogurt
$0.50 off Chex Mix Bars
$0.40 off Pillsbury Sweet Rolls

New Wholly Guacamole Coupon - High Value!!

There's a new $2/1 Wholly Guacamole coupon out.  You have to sign up to receive it.  This is a high value coupon and if you have never tried Wholly Guacamole products they are fantastic.  The guacamole sells in my area for around $4 - $4.38.  So with the coupon that's about half price.  Print it now before they aren't available.  The coupon is only good until January 8th!  FYI, it freezes very well (I have 3 boxes in my freezer now) but only lasts a day or so in the fridge after it's been opened.

Amazon: Fitness DVDs starting at $7.99!

Amazon has several fitness DVDs offered right now starting at only $7.99.

Jillian Michaels: Shred-It With Weights is just one that caught my attention.  There are many more to choose from!  Just head on over to amazon and check it out!

More CVS Deals - Week of 1/2

New to shopping at CVS?  Start here to learn more.

Here are a couple of toothpatse deals at CVS this week that I thought were worth mentioning.  (Special thanks to Cheryl at Simply CVS for putting them together and allowing me to bring them to you.)

Buy 1 Colgate Total, Total Whitening, Cavity Protection or 2 in 1 MaxWhite or MaxFresh @ $2.99 get $1 ECB (limit 2)
use $1/1 colgate coupon in SS (smartsource) insert on 1/2
or $1/1 colgate total, maxwhite, maxfresh, or sensitive in SS 1/2

.99/each after coupons and ECBs


Spend $10 on the following Listerine, Rembrandt or Reach products and get $5 ECBs (limit 2)
Listerine Total Care, Zero, Advanced 1 liter or Smart Rinse $5
Listerine Whitening or Rembrandt Rinse or Toothpaste $7
Reach Total Care toothbrush 2 pk or floss $3

There are a number of coupons out there:
Printables
$2/1 Listerine Whitening Rinse
$1/1 Listerine Total Care plus Whitening
$2/1 Listerine Zero
$1/1 Rembrandt Toothpaste or Rinse
Several found here

Inserts (if you don't have them you can order from a clipping service, such as My Coupon Hunter)
$2 Listerine Zero Mouthwash (Redplum 9/19)
$1 Listerine Total Care, Plus Whitening, Anticavity or Restoring Anticavity  (Redplum 9/19)
$1 Listerine Smart Rinse or Agent Cool Blue or Reach Kid's Toothbrush (Redplum 10/10)
$1/1 Listerine Whitening Rinse or Rembrandt Whitening Mouthwash (Redplum 1/03 )
$2/1 Reach Total Care plus Whitening Floss (Redplum 10/10)
B1G1 Free Reach Total Care plus Whitening Toothbrush up to $4.99 (Redplum 10/10)
B1G1 Free Reach Total Care Dental Floss up to $3.99 (Redplum 1/03)

You can always search the coupon database (located in the sidebar) to see if there are more.  To see the rest of the deals this week at CVS, go to Simply CVS here.