Savings from Store, to Home, and Beyond

Budget Update

2010-02-10T21:25:00.000-08:00

Still no word on the apartment so for now (crossing my fingers something opens up) here is the updated $100/2 week budget in which I get paid this Friday (2/12/10):

Money spent 1/29/10-02/10/10:
Subtotal before coupons: 108.32
Coupons/RR: (32.42)
Discounts: (7.78)
Taxes paid: 9.30
Total OOP: 77.42
Left to spend (until 02/12/10):
$22.58 in cash
$16.50 in RR (Walgreens)
$13.00 in ECBs@CVS

Disney Outlet Savings--extra 20% off ends TODAY!

2010-01-31T12:24:00.001-08:00

Today would be a wonderful day to do some online shopping at the Disney Outlet if you have the need since there is an additional 20% savings. I was able to pick up 3 items for $12 including s/h and tax (2 birthday gift items for my nieces (March/April) and a Cars lunch tote for my son who starts school in August). Since I did this through my Ebates account** I am also going to pick up an additional 3% back! All things I would be buying anyway but it will be that much LESS stress around their birthday times!

**If you would like to get started with your own Ebates account just click here! Ebates $5 just for signing up and Ebates will also give me $5 for doing so. It's free to join and they will pay you by either check or paypal. It's a win/win! (Thank you in advance)

Walgreens Addict...I Believe

2010-01-13T20:01:00.001-08:00

I didn't realize I liked Walgreens as much as I do. I used to be addicted to food buys at Homeland but now I realize more and more of my trips are to "Wags." I hope to find a balance at some point but for now I am enjoying it. I made my trip to Walgreens today and yesterday so how did I do? Well, no pic to post (mostly because I am too lazy this evening) but I did get $46.78 in retail items for $15.71. Not great but not bad. Here's the scoop:

2 Colgate Max Toothpaste 2.99 ea - .75/1 Q = 2.24 (receive $2 RR ea)
3 Thermacare Heat Wrap Neck/Arm 2.49 - $1/1IP = 1.49 (receive $2.50 RR)
3 Tresemme Shampoo/Conditioner 3/$12 (receive $5 RR)
2 Windex Spray Items 2/4.29 (B1G1 Free) - $1/1 Q (x2) = 1.15 ea
1 Tuf Trash Bags 2.99

Note: I did another transaction but used my FSA card to get 2 Triaminic and 1 Thermacare Wrap which is not part of my $100 budget but it got me an additional $7.50RR. : )
Breakdown:
Subtotal before coupons: 46.78
Coupons/RR: (22.50)
Discounts: (11.77)
Taxes paid: 3.20
Total OOP: $15.71
Total Savings $34.27 (73.3%)
Left to Spend (until 01/15/10)
$11.78 in cash
$22.00 in RR
$7.00 in ECBs @ CVS

Saving for an apartment...again

2010-01-10T17:34:00.000-08:00

Okay, we all remember moving for college, right? We remember how much that wonderful trip to Walmart, Target, or other large store cost. The fridge, the extra long California twin bedsheets/padding, microwave, food, necessities, etc.

Then there is the first apartment spend...ich! I remember my roommate from college and I filling a basket as two young 20 year olds moved that barely rolling cart (so full items were literally falling out) to the front of the store on that unforgettable day. I don't know if the looks we got were from the over $300 we each spent or the fact that we were 120 lbs a piece and they were wondering how long it would take for us to eat all that we got. Either way I remember there was barely any room for us to fit in the car on the way home.

Next there was moving out after college once I got a regular job which meant another large trip to the (unnamed) store but this time my two baskets cost me over $700 and did I mention I moved into a ONE bedroom apartment?!

Okay, so that sets up the story. If you have read any of my blog you will know that I have gone through some major changes in the past year (living wise, financial, and emotional) and this time I want to be ready for that eventful day. I am watching my pennies and living on a budget so let's just say there is not enough wiggle room in the budget to allow for such expenditures. I have been spending now what I will spend when I move out but since I am living at home I am spending the money on shelf stable items (food, cleaning, household, and toiletry related) to train myself to my budget as I adjust in my new place. I am hoping that the only thing I have to spend when I move out is on food related items that are refrigerated which aren't the greatest to "stockpile."

Where am I in the stockpiling? Well my goal was to have one of everything I needed (razors, deoderant, shampoo, canned goods that I normally use, etc.) but I seem to be buying more of items I don't need as often but the deals are just too good to pass up! I have stopped being "brand loyal" but I have bought one of my normal items (like my Caress Daily Silk Body Wash I have used for YEARS) in case I get a rash/breakout from the stockpile items. You never know. I also emailed Caress to see about coupons because I LOVE my soap but I usually don't catch it on sale.

Well, here I go on my $100/2 weeks budget. So far so good. Let's see how I fare after next payday (01/15/10).

Purex 3-in-1 Printable Coupon...$1/1

2010-01-10T16:55:00.000-08:00

I found this wonderful coupon online that I would like to share:

$1/1 Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets (click here) UPDATED (click "get a coupon")

I love these sheets! I tend to find myself doing laundry at the laundry mat when it becomes overwhelming and I cannot emphasize enough how much I dislike hauling laundry detergent, softener, and dryer sheets (mostly because I always end up forgetting one of the three at home and they seem to weigh a ton). I also can't tell you how many times I have done the bottle "shake" to determine if I have enough (or turn the lid upside down to get every last drop...please tell me you understand). With these little sheets I know exactly how many loads I have left before I will need to refill and they are much easier to transport (both weight and space wise). Go ahead...give them a try!

Ebates...give it a try

2010-01-09T19:33:00.000-08:00

I thought I would give Ebates a try since I wanted an "online rebate" for purchases. Well, guess what? In the month of December for the few things I had set on buying online anyway I made $5 just for signing up and then made a little over $8 on the purchases I had already set myself up to do. I coupled this with free shipping deals that were going on online. I am hooked. Would you like to earn $5 and in the process give me $5 just for being a reference? (fyi...I'm using any rebates money to pay off my debt...every penny counts). Just click here!

$308.31 in Groceries...$72.51 OOP...saved $235.80

2010-01-09T18:12:00.000-08:00

Since I do my shopping in smaller, more frequent trips (as I get better at this couponing thing I am going to attempt to go less times to the store) I always seem to have a few items missing from my photos. The following items are missing fom the above photo:

1 box Valentine Transformers Cards

1 box Special K cereal

1 gallon milk

3 Christmas pencils (filler items)

2 boxes Nabisco Chips Ahoy cookies

1 bottle Wishbone Italian dressing

3 bottles International Delight creamer

2 I Can't Believe It's Not Butter tubs

Where I shopped:

Homeland

4 Wishbone Italian dressing

15 Del Monte canned tomatoes

3 International Delight creamer

2 I Can't Believe It's Not Butter

1 Velveeta

Walmart

2 Downy Wrinkle Releaser

2 Dove Deoderant

1 Razor

Walgreens

3 Christmas Pencils (.25 ea...filler items)

22 Nabisco Chips Ahoy (Valentine's gifts for my 3 yr old son's daycare class)

1 Oreo Double Stuff (.99 sale...for Hunter)

6 Neosporin Lip Health (2/$8 w/$3RR and used IP...overage)

4 Special K cereal (2/$5 - IP)

6 Honey Nut Cheerios (2/$5 - IP)

4 Cinnamon Toast Crunch (2/$5 - IP)

3 Cottonelle TP (on sale $5 used RR to get for stockpiling)

4 St. Ives Body Wash (1.49 ea (30% extra) used raincheck)

6 Hefty One Zip Bags (2/3.29 and they had .20/1 peelies)

2 Johnson & Johnson Body Wash trial size (free w/IP)

2 John Frieda Weather Works (1.69 ea w/$5 RR when you buy 2)

3 Sally Hershberger Shampoo/Cond/Gel (clearanced for 2.39 and 3.19)

4 Electrasol Tabs (3.49-$2.50/1 w/$1 RR)

Breakdown:

Subtotal before coupons: 308.31

Coupons used: (126.96) includes RRs

Discounts/sales: (124.72)

Taxes paid: 15.88

Total OOP: 72.51

Savings: 235.80 (76.5%)

Left to Spend:

$27.49 in cash

$14.00 in RR from Walgreens

$7.00 in ECBS from CVS (just started with CVS in December)

New Year...New Me

2010-01-09T18:06:00.001-08:00

I decided that with the new year I would stick to my budgeting plans for 2010. What are those plans? Well, most of the plan includes me only spending $100 every two weeks for food/household items. This averages $50/week but with coupon shopping we all know that there are some weeks that are good and some bad. That being said as long as I remain within my budget for the two weeks I will be happy. I downloaded a new coupon savings spreadsheet from a fellow blogger and will be using this to track my progress. The one I used last year was a good one but this one is a bit more simplified so with my adjustments (like wanting to track how much I spend on items vs. tax I think I am good to go). So, how have I done so far? Well, that post is coming up next. : )

Financial Update

2009-10-17T07:32:00.001-07:00

Okay, so while living with my parents I have chosen to focus on debt from my marriage (that almost seems like a cliche in today's society...move home with the parents and try to clean up the past in more than one way). So, although I am not ready to say that I am "debt free" yet I can say that of my personal debt I have been very focused, because let's face it, staying with the parents (as loving as they are) is no picnic when you condense yourself into 1/10 of a space you had been living in. So, where am I at with my debt? Well, here's a run down...I paid off one debt immediately after moving in with my parents and one more a month after that (so that pretty much sums up the summer months).

In the month of August my credit card company got in touch with me and we negotiated a much smaller amount of pay off since the account was so large (given the circumstances I jumped at the opportunity). So, I have been focusing on paying near $1k a month on that debt for the past 2 1/2 months and I am pleased to say I will be debt free on this account November 6th! That was my HUGE headache of a credit card so I am very pleased to be near done with it.

For another credit card I have been throwing every additional penny I have at it and am pleased to say that I will be making the final payment on it October 23rd! That's 2 debts down JUST LIKE THAT!!!

My other huge accomplishment was a credit card that I made a phone call to and discussed with them the situation and my ability to focus on debt and through that phone call we were able to lower my monthly payment as well as lower my APR by nearly 1/5 of what it previously was. Yes, it had gotten this bad but I am okay admitting it because I am doing what I can to CORRECT the situation. So, I am able to cut my payment to this card in half and use that money to focus on a credit card with a much higher interest rate (I am skipping Dave Ramsey's theory on paying off the smaller balance first because of the interest rate issue).

So, with these above situations where will that put me? Well, I will have 4 of 7 personal debts that I will have completely paid off as of 11/06/09. I will post the amounts off all of this debt after I am paid off but I will say that so far I have nearly paid off over half of my debts. This will help me stay focused. I should be able to have one more paid off by the end of the year which will be WONDERFUL. I will keep this posted as I update my amounts. It's okay to admit you have lots of debt...most all do.

Oh Where Oh Where Have I Been?

2009-07-21T08:26:00.000-07:00

In a nutshell the past few months have been crazy but I am still here. I have changed my living condition to now living with my parents. Why is it that when we have a major change in our lives we feel like we need to move home for a few months, sort things out, and then step back into the world? I have been ready for this change but with my things in storage and my head held high I will be okay.
So, on to more important things. I haven't even been shopping that much lately. I haven't gotten a Sunday paper in months and I have donated my "stockpile" to the parents while I am living here. So, since they haven't had much storage on their shelves I have been paying out of pocket for meals more than I like but NO MORE! I have refigured my budget to be back on track. Look for more posts as I work my way back into "normalcy."

Homeland Shopping 03/01/09

2009-03-01T09:45:00.000-08:00

All of the above cost me $34.68 after tax (this was 122.66 before tax and coupons/sales).

This was mostly my pre-planning I listed in an earlier blog plus a couple of extra items.
Items not noted anywhere else in this blog are:

Formula 409 2.50SP - 1.00 MQ (todays paper) = 0.50 ea

Amount remaining for March $80.93 (I will have to deduct about $12 once I repay a friend for some chicken she bought me at Sam's this weekend. I would have needed it this month anyway). It was $1.97/lb.

I still need to buy some trash can liners, light bulbs, and some dog food so we are going to be using most of our budget VERY early this month!!! Good thing I have another $5/25 purchase coupon that is good on 03/11/09. I checked Homeland's circular (came in the mail yesterday) and it is slim pickings on coupon savings for my family next week so that will help since I don't need to be spending anyway...~~WHEW~~

March...My Birthday Month!

2009-02-26T17:00:00.000-08:00

I love my birthday (don't we all) and in the past I haven't ever really gotten the chance to celebrate it. So this year I at least want to take advantage of all the lil rewards when having a birthday so I have listed a few things below that I have compiled (more as I find them) to enjoy as much of a birthday as possible!

Food Related
Baskin Robins - free ice cream cone Click Here to sign up for their birthday club
Lonestar Steakhouse - free $15 coupon on your birthday. Just sign up for their e-club.
Red Robin - free burger on your birthday
Marble Slab Creamery - free birthday surprise (ice cream of sorts)
Joe's Crab Shack - free appetizer w/purchase
Macaroni Grill - join the mac pack (possibly free dessert w/purchase)
On the Border - free food?
Red Lobster - $5 food coupon
Quiznos - free cookie
Orange Julius - free food (their nachos looked good on the site)
Buffalo Wild Wings - free dessert
Fuddruckers - free shake w/purchase
Schlotsky's - free sandwich

Non-Food Related
Sephora - 2 wks before/after your birthday stop in with this printout and pick up your gift

That's a good start. If you know of any more please add them as a comment (thanks) and I will add them to the listing I have... :)

Homeland Mini Shopping Trip...02/25/09

2009-02-25T19:42:00.001-08:00

What can you get for $4.47 after tax??? All the above.

2 Hellmann's Light Mayo 2.99 SP - $1/1 IP = 0.99 ea
1 Dole Romaine Salad Mix 3.19 Reg P - 2.19 (reduced) = 1.00
1 Fritos 2.00 SP (needed for dinner)
1 Roma Tomato for salad 0.24 Reg Price
3 Del Monte 50% Less Salt Veggies 1.35 Reg P - 0.75/1 IP = FREE
3 Kotex Liners 1.29 Reg P - 0.75/1 MQ = FREE
6 Campbell's Cream Soups 1.00 SP - $1/2 IP = FREE

In total I got 17 items for $4.47...not bad.
Add in the $1.00 off your next shopping order catalina that was on one of the closed self checkouts on my way out the door after one of my transactions (my 2 year old stumbled across it) and you have a pretty great deal!

Don't know if anyone noticed this or not but I have a TON of Kotex Pantiliner coupons that I need to use by 03/07/09 (somewhere around 30). One problem with buying coupons on Ebay is that you have to be committed to actually go to the store that many times within the expiration period. It is harder than you think. I have made several trips to buy pantiliners and I am almost half way done with my stack. I figured I would buy them and then donate some to the W.I.S.H. (Women in Safe Homes) in my town but oh my gosh is this more work than I realized! I am still dedicated though...

Money left for February $3.36

$125 a Month Update

2009-02-24T20:23:00.000-08:00

Many of you may have noticed the "lack thereof" of posting for February...I'm SORRY! The truth is I have had so many things going on that I just never actually got in front of the computer for long enough to make a post. Ah! So, the other failure on my part was not keeping a total of my February expenses until my update tonight. I was kind of scared to add it up because I could only imagine what the numbers would be...but to my surprise I actually did quite well not having a clue where I was in spending for the month. I did manage (by a technicality) to stay under budget for February. I know if you see my total to the side of $252.27 you will say (um...maybe your math is off) but let me explain.
I did have to stop in for a few things this afternoon and one of them was (dun dun dun) pull-ups. I was just going to buy one package but then decided that I needed two of them to get the "good deal" (save $2 when you buy two before my $2/1 coupons) so I bought two and split the amount between February and March (since I didn't really need them anyway but couldn't justify paying a higher price of $1 per pkg just to keep under budget). This was a judgement call on my part and only now after adding up the month did I decide that my decision (with myself) was a good one. So, I am actually under for February by 7.83 and have used 9.40 of March money. My rules were $125 a month but this was only a guideline so I am still within reason even if I count this in my total. I might still have a receipt somewhere that hasn't been counted in but I am crossing my fingers that I don't.

Amy's Pasta Salad Recipe

2009-02-24T18:56:00.000-08:00

A co-worker of mine made a similar version of this so I dolled it up a bit for my family's taste. I love recipes like this because you can just throw in whatever you have around the house!!! :)

Ingredients:
1- 14.5 oz can Petite Diced Tomatoes (0.25/can)
1- 40z can sliced mushrooms (1.29/can) Not purchased on sale
1/2- can black olives, sliced (1.49/can so 0.75) Not purchased on sale
1- medium zucchini, sliced and quartered (0.84)
1/2 onion, diced (maybe .10- purchased 6 per bag for 1.25 not too long ago)
1 large chicken breast (got this free from a neighbor- farm raised...yum)
1 box Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta- Rotini Shape (FREE)
1/2 cup mayo (after this next purchase this would be about 0.15)
1/2 cup Italian Dressing (1.00 for bottle so maybe 0.25)
1/2 cup shredded cheese (0.63? 2 cups per bag)

Directions:
1. Cook pasta and drain pasta. Set aside.
2. Saute together zucchini and diced onion in pan with maybe 1 Tbsp butter. Set aside.
3. Grill chicken and let rest before dicing.
4. Mix separately with a whisk the mayo and Italian Dressing (you may only need 1/3 cup of each--to taste)
5. Place all ingredients together and combine until well mixed.
6. Top with shredded cheese and then let cool.

This pasta is great served right then after cooling in the fridge with a slight chill. It is even better the next day for lunch. This makes quite a bit and is filling so it may be something you want to take to a family gathering this summer. The thing I love best about this pasta is that it is versatile. Add what you want and delete out what you don't like of my ingredients. Enjoy!

Planning for Homeland Trip on Sunday 03/01/09

2009-02-24T18:47:00.000-08:00

In the past I have always shown what I am have purchased but since I had the time and got my circular early I am going to post the things that I will be buying this weekend at my Homeland. Hope this helps to everyone wanting to plan their shopping trip early! (I will update this particular blog as I find more deals worth noting)

HOMELAND:
Cascade Action Packs 3.99 SP - $1/1 P&G Mailer or $1/1 Feb P&G MQ = 1.99 ea
Keebler Sandies Cookies 3.00 SP - $1/1 IP= 1.00 ea *
Frito Chips/Bean Dips 2.00 SP - $1/2 (not dbld) store catalina = 3.00 (1 chip and 1 dip)
Ronzoni Bistro 2.45 SP - $1/1 IP = 0.45 *
Ronzoni Bistro 2.45 SP - B1G1 Free (comb w/above) = FREE
Egglands Cage Free Eggs Doz 1.99 SP - .50/1 MQ = 1.00
Hellman's Light Mayo 2.99 - $1/1 IP = 0.99 (GREAT Deal) **
Kotex Lightdays Liners 1.29 Reg P - .75/1 MQ = FREE
Post Cereal 1.67 ea - $1/2 MQ = .67 ea
Chex Mix 1.69 SP - $1/1 IP = FREE *
Hiland Butter Sticks 1.69 SP (just a good deal)
Era Laundry Detergent 3.99 SP (just a good deal)
Borden Cheese Slices 1.59 (just a good deal)
Campbell's Cream Soups 1.00 SP - $1/2 IP = FREE ***
Del Monte 50% Less Salt Veggies 1.35 RP - 0.75/1 IP = FREE ***
Rubbermaid Containers 2.31 Clearanced - $1/1 IP = 0.31 ****

*I looked but these coupons are not availabe for Internet Printing anymore...
** Got this off of http://www.afullcup.com/ under the Homeland Forum for this weeks timeframe
*** Got this off of http://www.moneysavingmom.com in one of her blog notations this week
****I think this is at www.rubbermaid.com (I will ty to post the exact location later)

This is what I have found so far. I may be doing multiples of the cookies and cascade since I have the extra coupons. I try to send the cookies overseas to my brother and the dish soap is always a necessity. I also have a $5/$25 transaction so I will get as much as I can for this amount. I have another one that is good starting 3/11 so I am excited about this. I seem to get these coupons 1-2 times per year and its always like Christmas when I do. I think I do enough business at Homeland using my One Card so they mail them to me. I also love when I get coupons in the mail from Braums. I still have hamburger meat leftover as well as a bit of chicken so we should be good to go. Always could use more so I hope to find some marked down... :)

Homeland and Walgreens Shopping...02/24/09

2009-02-24T18:22:00.000-08:00

Items Not Pictured (as usual): 1 can sliced mushrooms, 1 can black olives, 2 cans crescent rolls, 1 2-liter Pepsi, 1 half gallon chocolate milk, 1 fresh zucchini

I went to the store in 4 transactions to get the above. Here is the breakdown of the prices I paid:

HOMELAND:
Sara Lee Bread 1.79 SP (bought for trxn below)
Hiland Half Gallon Chocolate Milk 1.69 SP -1.00 Tearpad Q (comb w/bread) = 0.69
Chex Mix 1.69 SP - $1/1 IP = FREE
Country Bob's 1.99 SP - Free Coupon in Mail = FREE
Aquafresh Toothpaste 1.00 SP - .75/1 IP = FREE
Campbells Cream of Chicken Soup 1.00 SP - $1/2 = FREE
Ronzoni Bistro Pasta 2.45 SP - $1/1 IP = FREE
Ronzoni Bistro Pasta 2.45 SP - B1G1 FREE (comb w/above)= FREE
Lightdays Pantiliners 1.29 Reg P - .75/1 MQ = FREE
Dawn Soap 1.99 Reg P - $1/1 P&G Mailer = FREE
Cascade Rinse Aid 3.69 Reg P - FREE P&G Mailer = FREE
Keebler Cookies 2.50 SP - $1/1 IP = 0.50
Olives 1.49 Reg P (needed them for dinner- new recipe)
Sliced Mushrooms (canned) 1.29 Reg P (recipe)
Borden Shredded Cheese 2.49 SP (recipe)
Daisy Sour Cream 1.00 SP (just needed)
Nabisco 100 Cal Oreo Cakesters 2.50 SP - $2/2 = 1.50 ea
Hormel Pepperoni 1.00 SP - .35/1 MQ = 0.30
Crescent Rolls 2.47 SP (reduced down for dating) = 0.99
Earthgrains Wheatberry Bread 2.59 SP - .55/1 MQ = 1.49
Fresh Zucchini 0.84 (recipe)
Williams Chili Seasoning 1.00 SP - .25/1 MQ = 0.50
Pepsi 1.25 SP (hubby wanted)

WALGREENS:
2 pkgs Huggies Diapers 11.49 ea or 2/20.98 - $2/1 for each pkg = 8.49 ea

(I will be so happy when we are finally potty trained)

My Dad Loves Me!

2009-01-29T20:53:00.000-08:00

I went to Homeland today to meet my dad since we were having a family dinner at their house and like always there are a few 'last minute' items to pick up. While waiting for him to arrive I wanted to go ahead and make use of my $6.03 that I had left since I had the time. So, I looked around and picked up a few things, paid, took them to the car, and decided to come back in and fill up again using my coupons. I decided to go ahead and dip into my February money I debated and although some may disagree I was completely okay with it...I would rather make use of the time rather than make a separate drive back out later with my almost 3 year old in tow. Anyways, I got the following:

So, the great thing about this is that I paid for my first transaction of almost $7.00 (I went over just a hair but under $1.00)--will fill in the exact amount as soon as I remember where I put that silly receipt. :) The second transaction I had all ready to go (complete with Pull-ups and Goldfish crackers...that mysteriously ALWAYS go missing from my pictures...) and then my dad proceeded to tell me that groceries were free for daughters today...isn't that soooo sweet!!! The total of the items he bought me ended up being $22.20 ($11.00 of which was the stinkin' Pull-ups). The breakdown of the receipt is that I/he saved $30.35 (60% off). I am not including this in my monthly total as it was a gift even with my coupons.

Chinet Plates SP 2.50 - $1/1 IP= 0.50

Pillsbury Savorings SP 2.99 - $1/1 IP= .99

Farm Rich Battered Mushrooms SP 5.99 - $1/1 MC= 3.99 (I LOVE these but they are usually 8.19!!!)

Pepperidge Farm Bread SP 2.50 - $1/1 IP= 0.50

OR Popcorn SP 1.66 - $1/1 IP= FREE

Olay Ribbons Body Wash SP 2.99 - $1/1 MC= .99

Kotex Lightdays RP 1.29- $.75/1= FREE

Ocean Spray Light SP 2.50 - $1/1 IP= 0.50

Puffs SP 1.00- $0.25/1= 0.50

There were a couple of other things that he paid for but I sent home with him even though I used the coupon. Its about helping everyone out so I am so thankful that he did unexpectedly. I am now only a few cents over my budget although I was already planning to dip into February Money!

Homeland In The Snow/Freezing Rain/Ice!!!

2009-01-27T19:29:00.000-08:00

I was at work today with all the Snow (err..freezing rain/ice) that fell here in Oklahoma and headed home when I remembered that Homeland had Hamburger Meat on Sale for $1.69/lb!!! So, (it was already on the way I swear) I stopped in to pick up a few pounds for freezing. Not a lot because my budget said "no" but I got what I needed until I find it again. So, here's what I got:

Item Missing: 12pk Dr. Pepper (this always happens when I do pics)

Breakdown OOP 12.84; Savings 23.82
3lbs Hamburger Meat @ 1.69lb
Colgate Toothpaste SP 1.50 -.75 MC (x2)= FREE!
LD Crispy Treats SP 1.45-.55 IP (x2)= .35
Suave Shamp/Cond SP 1.00ea- 1.00/2 MC (x2)= FREE!
Raisins 14 mini pkgs SP 1.00ea- 1.00/2 MC (x2)= FREE!
Fiber Plus Bars SP 2.00-.75 IP (x2)= .50
BC Scalloped Potatoes SP 1.00- .40 IP (x2)= .20
TGIF Spinach Dip SP 3.95-1.50 Catalina Coupon= 2.45
12pk Dr. Pepper SP 2.96

I always feel like I have to justify each purchase so I bought the pop for storage at my desk at work (canned pop is .65 ea) and lately I have been having crazy Dr. Pepper cravings (NOT pregnant) but this will still save me money vs. "the machine." The TGIF was a complete impulse buy but at least I had a coupon. I am a sucker for Alfredo based Spinach Dip and with our budget there is not much eating out so I am satisfying a craving without experiencing 2 year old at a restaurant issues (you all know what I mean- I used to wait tables and OH the stories). I think the raisins would be a good Valentines Day Party treat for my lil' mans 2 year old daycare class and at FREE, why not? The crispy treats at 0.35 will get shipped overseas in my brothers Valentines Day Care Package. Part of having is giving, right?

Money Spent for January: 118.97
Money left in Budget for January: 6.03 (only 4 days to go!!)

Packages to Afghanistan...My Brother!!!

2009-01-27T18:23:00.000-08:00

My brother just left to go overseas on the 8th of this month for his deployment so I made a promise to him and a goal to myself to send him a care package every two weeks when I get paid. So, here is package #1! By the way couponing is so great. Most of the items I am sending I got really inexpensive so I am just mostly out the shipping (which keeps going up)!!!

Here are most of the items before packing:

My two year old (almost three) wanted to help with the packing. It is so important he is a part of this. He actually asked if he could send Bubba (his uncle) some of his snack he got at the store (the oatmeal creme pies)...
Here we are packed to go, with shipping at $11.95 for the box I try to stuff it as best I can. We are going to do another box this weekend for Valentines Day. Shipping time is approximately 7-10 days so if I ship on Monday the 2nd it should arrive in plenty of time :)

RR's Chili Dip

2009-01-27T18:09:00.000-08:00

Named after a co-worker who brought it to me. I would have NEVER tried this if I saw the recipe out there but it is GREAT so here it is. I am thinking Superbowl Sunday...

Ingredients
1 80z pkg Cream Cheese (softened)
1 can Hormel Chili (preferred brand but up to your preference)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or blend)

In a shallow dish (I usually use an 8 inch clear pie plate) spread the cream cheese along the bottom, follow with the chili, and then top with shredded cheese. Place this in the microwave until the shredded cheese on top is melted (or do so in the oven) and then serve with tortilla chips.
*Note: this can be made ahead (cover with saran wrap and place in fridge) and then just wait to heat until you are ready to enjoy!

$6.03 Left...4 Days To Go...Can I Make It???

2009-01-27T17:14:00.000-08:00

I ran by the store today to pick up some Hamburger Meat as discussed previously as well as a 12pk of Dr. Pepper (not usually a HUGE pop drinker) but at $0.65 per can at work I thought I'd better go ahead and get it while it was on sale. After tallying todays spend (above) I am down to $6.03 in my budget to last me the next 4 days. This wouldn't be too bad except that when I got home my hall light and spare bedroom light bulbs burned out and of course I went to get new ones from the storage area to find out that....I'm out. Dang the luck! I also forgot to pick up the dish detergent which was not a good thing. We are having an ice storm here so if I get stuck in tomorrow I will either have to load the presoaked dishes to await the soap or wash them all by hand...well, I do have some old styrofoam plates as well as Chinet plates so maybe we can use those instead. :) I did okay on the items I bought becaue they were mostly free but the big ticket items (Dr. Pepper 12pk, Hamburger Meat, and the impulse buy Spinach Dip (I had a coupon though!!)) brought my total to $12.84.

No more shopping for me unless it is light bulbs but I think they can wait until Sunday when I get my next months budget started (I borrowed bulbs from the bedroom light fixture which was a bit bright anyway). I have some Hellman's Mayo Coupons that expire on the 31st so I will be debating this purchase (better to stay under budget or to stock up when a coupon expires?). I will wait to debate this one amongst myself.

01/22/09 Update

2009-01-22T20:32:00.000-08:00

I have been spending some more money stocking up on certain key items that were on sale and since I only have $34.85 left for my budget this month (the next 9 days) I am going to try and pick up some hamburger meat at Homeland (10.00 after tax should get me 5 lbs of meat to cook and store in my freezer). This should last me until the next time it is on sale.

I also got some coupons in the mail today for Kotex Lightdays Pantiliners (I bought them on Ebay) but this is because I can now figure my OOP (out of pocket) expense will only be the tax for each pkg so its a good deal even for the $3.00 I spent for the coupons on Ebay. I will have enough pantiliners when this is all over said and done to last me over a year (maybe 2) and I will be able to donate some at the end of the year as well...GOOD deal.

Well, beyond that I am going to have to get some dish soap for the dishwasher and I also might need to pick up some more Huggies Pull ups as well as milk. I am going to try and strech this last bit of money to make it. It is only FREE items for me until next month unless it is a necessity.

Grocery Budget for 2009

2009-01-18T22:40:00.001-08:00

Okay, I am setting my family with a $125.00 a month grocery budget for the entire year of 2009. That is $1500 for the year...can we do it???? I am hoping we can and I think by blogging it I can hold myself accountable so here goes nothing!!!

What does our $125/month budget call for??? It calls for groceries, necessities, toiletries, hygiene, our sons pull-ups, dog food, and mostly anything that we would normally have to get at Wal-mart. This does not count underwear, my regular make-up (I will include special buys but I use a particular make-up and will not change this so it is in a separate budget line), clothing, etc.

Will I go over some months? I will try my ABSOLUTE BEST to not go over this budget while trying to stockpile for certain things. If there is a great deal I may but it will be minimal and I am sure some months will be a bit under so it is not exact but pretty darn close.

Where will I get my coupons? Well, most of them are from the internet because stores I shop at allow them. I do buy (not religiously but I am doing better) a Sunday Paper each week (this does NOT come out of my budget). Also, if it is an everyday item that I can get for free or near free I have felt it okay to purchase coupons on Ebay, etc. I know some people are against this but I also know that those people MAY purchase more than one Sunday paper. Since I don't want to spend $1.50 per copy to get the paper and only use 2-3 coupons out of each I would rather spend the $3-4 on the internet and get 1-2 sets of coupons for the things that we use most often.
ex: I (like most other women) use pantiliners. Now, most of us know that these things for a fairly decent box at Wal-mart are like $7.00 (guesstimate here). I would rather spend $3.00 on the internet purchasing 30 or more coupons to get 0.75/1 any size box coupon. This coupon will allow me to get the 22ct box at my Homeland (which doubles coupons up to $1.00) for free. So, now I can get 660 or more pantliners for $3.00 or so. This works for me but ONLY on free products that are shelf stable and we use in our home regularly...not just because I saw it. It is easy to get crazy with the Ebay thing...trust me.

I am hoping to put posts in here for Monthly updates on what we got as a sum so I hope I stay consistent!

Homeland and Walgreens Shopping...

2009-01-17T21:28:00.001-08:00

I am so happy I have wonderful Homeland and Walgreens Stores in Muskogee! I can get soo many great deals there! Today I was able to pick up all of these items for $18.01. Not quite so happy for me? Well, considering the Huggies and TP purchases (wish we had a Kroger) it was GREAT! See below for the breakout!

Walgreens OOP $15.23

2 Cottonelle TP Sale w/WG coup 2.50 -.50 ea pk= 2.00 ea

Milk on sale 2.79

Huggies Pullups on sale 9.99 - 2.00 sunday coupon -1.00 catalina*=6.99

*My WG accidentally marked it early (starts tomorrow) so they let me do it. We have a VERY nice mgr :)

Homeland OOP $2.78!!!!!

2 Egg Beaters 3.29 on sale 2.29- 1.00/1 (dbld) = 0.29 Get Here!

Wholly Salsa 3.49 on sale 1.50 - 1.00/1 (dbld) = FREE Get Here!

2 Toaster Strudel 2.79 on sale 1.99 - 1.00/1 (dbld) =FREE Get Here! (expired now)

2 Healthy Choice 4.09 on sale 1.99 - 1.00/1 (dbld)= FREE Get Here!

Birdseye Vegs 2.09 on sale 1.00 - .35/1 (dbld)= 0.30 Sun Coup

Splenda 2.99 - 3.00/1 =FREE Get Here!

Kotex Lightdays 1.29- 0.75/1 (dbld)= FREE Sun Coup

Softsoap 1.59 clear 1.31 - 0.50/1 (dbld) = 0.31 Sun Coup

I will be trying to do a few more of these deals (as my coupons allow) from Homeland until the new ad comes out!

Homeland Savings 1/11/09

2009-01-11T20:27:00.000-08:00

One item missing from the picture above- one package of Wholly Salsa. This always seems to happen around here! So, here is what I got for $5.12!!!!

8 cans Red Gold Tomatoes ($0.74 ea. -$1.00/4 coupons purchased off Ebay)

3 pkgs Wholly Salsa (Mgr Special $1.49 less $1.00/1 (dbld)) Get Here!

3 pkgs E.L. Fudge Keebler Cookies ($1.74 less $1.00/1 (dbld))

4 pkgs Lightdays Pantiliners 22ct. ($1.29 less $0.75/1 (dbld)) Get Here!

Campbells Select Harvest Soup ($2.64 less FREE coupon got on cell phone)

Era Laundry Detergent (Originally $5.99 but erroneously posted as $2.79!!!)

Rubbermaid Premier 1.25 cup container (clearanced to $2.31 less $1.00/1 (dbld)) Get Here!

3 lbs. Mild Yellow Onions (regular 2.49 on sale for $1.14 filler item)

I did 4 separate transactions to get the items but it was well worth it for an after tax total of $5.12!!!

I have been doing the Rubbermaid Coupon, Red Gold Coupon, Lightdays Coupon, and Keebler coupons for the most part this week so that is where a good portion of my spend has been! Those Rubbermaid Containers are $15.00 at Walmart for a set of just a few so $0.31 for one is GREAT!!!

Taco Soup

2009-01-11T11:25:00.000-08:00

I love this recipe!

Ingredients:
1 can Whole Kernel Corn (drain off water and refill can...reduces sodium)
1 can diced tomatoes w/green chilis
1 can chopped green chilis
1 lb. Hamburger Meat, cooked and crumbled (from the freezer)
1/2 onion diced and sauteed, optional
1 can Petite or Regular Diced Tomatoes
1/2 can black olives, sliced
1/2 pkt. Taco Seasoning
1/2 pkt. Dry Ranch Dressing Mix
2 cans (30 oz) water or broth (I usually do a combo)

Toppings (our preferences):
Tortilla Chips of any kind (crushed)
Salsa
Sour Cream
Shredded Cheese (cheddar blend)
Remaining Sliced Black Olives
Tomatoes if we have them

Directions:
Combine all ingredients (except Hamburger Meat) into pot on stove. Let cook to a slow boil and reduce to simmering for 15-20 minutes. Add in Hamburger Meat and let simmer another 10 minutes. Let rest a couple of minutes then serve with the above toppings or see below.

Common Substitutions we do:
2 cans tomates w/green chilies instead of additonal can of green chilis and tomatoes
Some people like diced avocado on top of their taco soup
If you like it hot I suppose you could add Jalapeno or Chipotle Chili but with this one we don't so its kid friendly.
Add/Substitute all you like...we just do what we feel like each time!

Corn Casserole...Cheap and EASY!

2009-01-11T11:18:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe that I got from my mother-in-law but I basically think of her as my second mom. They make this every year for the holidays. I have since added it to our listing of recipes to make often.

Ingredients:
2 boxes Jiffy Cornbread Mix (around $0.45 a box)
1/2 cup Milk
1 Tbsp Vinegar (sometimes I omit this)
1 can Cream Corn
1 can Whole Kernel Corn (drained)

Directions:
Mix all ingredients above and place into oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour 10 minutes.

I usually make this once a month since it is so cheap and easy! More if it is a tight budget month.

2009 Goals...Post 1

2009-01-03T09:38:00.000-08:00

Labeling this as "Post 1" because there are always things that cause us to add, delete, and/or modify our current goals. Here is a start:

Personal
1. Make time for myself at least once a month. I need a break and have overlooked treating myself in the last 3 1/2 years (pregnancy, motherhood). I need this for my sanity.
2. A lunch date at least a month with my girlfriends whom all work different schedules.

Family
1. Potty train my 2 1/2 year old before his 3rd birthday in mid April.
2. Play outside more in the warmer days. I kept my little one in quite a bit for his immune system before now and I think it is time to evolve a bit more. Make a park play date at least twice a month.
3. Read more to my little one. We started Charlotte's Web on New Year's Day. I would like to read him at least 10 books this year similar to this.
4. To go with #3, my son loves the library. I would like to make a commitment to take him there at least twice a month (once a week if we can fit it in).
5. I make dinner most of the time because I like to cook so I am going to set my goals to cook once a day 5 days a week.
6. Send my brother a package to his station in Afghanistan (he just left Jan. 8, 2009) once every payday (biweekly). I already have the boxes and custom forms ready. I will try to get my parents to do my off week so he is receiving items regularly plus he will hopefully have enough to share the wealth. One man with Toilet Paper could very well be the best friend of another man...or so my theory believes. :) Good thing I am doing couponing to be able to afford all these packages (26 of them)!!!
7. Write down one thing my son does each day that amazes me, funny things, not so funny things (messes mommy gets to clean up) and share a few of these with my brother so he can not feel left out when he gets back home. My son is 2 1/2 now so by the time my brother gets home he will be 4. They grow up so much in that timeframe.

Finance
1. Work out my annual cashflow budget (just my finances) down to the penny of what my salaried check will be. I have this done two ways. One for my monthly spend for each of my bills. Then I broke this down by paycheck so I know exactly what I am paying and when. (I finished this on the first and got paid on the second...it was SOO nice to have this laid out because my brain is usually fried at the first of the month. Because of the above I will now be able to do the following in 2009 (pending no major changes):

--Pay off my car in May 2009 (this is when it was set to finish anyway)
--live on our budget of $125.00 a month on average of food/toiletries expenses for 2009.
--Pay off one credit card, most of another, and 1/2 of a third in 2009. (see a few lines down..may be able to finish off all three)
--Save and actually keep my savings this year rather than spend on other things.
--Because of above I have actually set up two additional savings items this year: Emergency Fund and Car Maintenance/Repair Fund.
--I have a flex spending account for health care as well as dependent care (day care) so I do not have to factor health care amounts into my spending. Doctor visits and medicine are not included in my budget because of my plan. I have factored in regular payments to my sons daycare as if I were not being reimbursed for half of it. I will try to use the reimbursements ($2,500 or so for the year) from dependent care to cover more credit card bills or place into savings. Either would be nice.
--I would like to save some of the above money to fly to meet my brother when he returns home to his base in NY in 2010 but that is only if I can afford it. Hoping I can!!!

2008 Grand Summary...dundundun

2009-01-03T09:18:00.000-08:00

Okay, for 2008 I didn't actually set any goals so now I am going to sum up the highlights/lowlights of the year:

My Brother joined the Military (did this once already but had to discharge due to injury at Basic)
---He will leave for Afghanistan on January 9, 2009, please pray he will have a safe and life fulfilling time learning and being more wordly overseas.

My sister moved home with my parents. She has two beautiful daughters and this move caused them to go to our Alma Mater High School...good thing. :) Our dryer died just before she moved out so rather than buy one we "borrowed" hers until she gets a place of her own again.

Our son started potty training (officially) on December 31, 2008...

My husbands sister had an eventful year (leaving it at that) but it appears she has found happiness through the storm by the end of 2008.

We used up our savings throughout the year on the small things that kept hitting us. We did fix the dryer before it died again, got a pen out of the toilet (early potting training lesson for our 2 year old), recharged the Air Conditioner, fixed the hot tub partially (needs a bit more work and TLC but it is a start), repainted/remodeled (wallpaper removal and mudding) the first bathroom as well as the kitchen, started our son in daycare 14 weeks earlier than our budget planned for ($$$$), and I am sure a few other things that I either forgot about or blocked from my memory.

My work building was damaged in the storm on July 3rd so we relocated to our warehouse until remodeling was complete the week before Christmas. Total remodel and it looks GREAT!

This just about sums up the year for us. My 2009 goals will be posted just after this one. :)

I'm Still Here...Homeland Updates

2008-12-26T09:18:00.001-08:00

I have been quite busy in the past month so I am sorry! I have gotten some great deals but with everything that I have going on (work, family, holidays...the usual) I have not been posting. There are a few deals that I have gotten at Homeland in the past month and some that I am looking forward to doing this week (post holiday). Here are the pre and post holiday deals I have had/been working on.

Pre-Holiday Homeland:
Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta (FREE-coupons purchased on Ebay)
Red Gold Diced Tomatoes (FREE)
Kelloggs 12 ct Pop Tarts (.54 after sale and coupon)
Bertolli Pasta Sauce (1.31 clearance one and 2.19 reg ones)
Keebler Cookies (.99 after sale and coupon)

Post-Holiday Homeland:
Welch's Juice (.50 coupons from Ebay)
Continue Ronzoni Deal- Stockpile
Continue Red Gold Deal- Stockpile
Continue Bertolli Deal- Stockpile a few and hope for a sale!
Wait for another Keebler Deal

I will hopefully have another update soon! Keeping an eye out for the deals!

French Toast Muffins

2008-11-13T08:46:00.000-08:00

These are great when money is tight! The recipe uses staples you keep on hand all the time. They will need to be stored in an airtight container or I guess you could freeze some of them...they don't make it that far in our house!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4-1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease regular size muffin pan or line with liner.
Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Make well in center of mixture (using the measuring cup just move it in a circle in the center of your bowl until you reach the bottom).
In a separate bowl stir the lightly beaten egg, milk, and 1/3 cup melted butter (heat and then let cool to room temp).

Place these wet ingredients into the well that you created in bowl #1. Gradually incorporate the wet and dry ingredients.

Bake in oven for 20-25 minutes (will depend on your oven but I always use the toothpick method).
Remove from oven when done and make the following items:
Bowl A. Melt 1/3 cup butter in a bowl
Bowl B. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp cinnamon
Dip either top only or all of your muffins (depends on preference) in Bowl A and then Bowl B.
Serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container to keep them moist.

Hamburger Meat Tips

2008-11-13T08:17:00.000-08:00

1. Always look for sales on Hamburger Meat so that you can stock up and freeze these items. I usually buy items in 5 lb packs for our family of 3. If I get a really good deal I try to buy more depending on what my budget allows for.

2. When you get home with your purchases PLEASE fight the temptation to put them in the freezer. This will only cause you frustration later. Either place the items in the refrigerator for a day or two or continue to #3.

3. Grab that huge pot you only use a couple of times a year for large family gatherings. Place all the meat you purchased (okay, be realistic and don't overflow your pot) into the pot. Begin to cook. I like medium heat for this but use your own judgment. Why do this? It is much easier and a better use of your time to cook all the meat rather than freeze, thaw, and then cook later on. Keep reading you will enjoy.

4. Watch this so you don't burn the bottom and keep stirring. Once cooked I use a colander and pour my meat in there to drain off all of the fat. Then, if I feel like it, I actually rinse my meat. Some people don't prefer to do this and that is okay. It is your personal preference.

5. Next I wait until the meat is cool enough to handle and get my regular sandwich size ziploc (or Walmart brand) bags out. I date the outside of the bag with a permanent marker just so I will know. I measure 2 cups (not an exact science so a bit heaping is okay) and place this into the bag.

Note: If you use a higher fat content than 80/20 you may need a bit more than 2 cups but this measurement works fine in our household.

6. I then place as many bags as I can into a Gallon Size Ziploc or Hefty Freezer Bag (a good brand is needed on this to keep it from freezer burning). By doing many smaller bags into one large freezer bag I am saving cost because lets face it those freezer bags aren't cheap. I then place these bags into my freezer for future use. You can usually keep these in your freezer for up to 3 months. I try to use mine in 2 but I usually don't have a problem using it in 1.

The Day I need it:

Rather than thinking about that frozen solid mass of hamburger meat you normally have in the freezer try coming home happy because you can just pull out one of those bags and cut it open, place it in either the microwave or on the stove, and warm it up. It will be as if you had just cooked it. You can go ahead and add in the rest of your ingredients, add it to a soup (you can actually do this without even thawing if you let it sit in an already hot soup), or add it to spaghetti sauce (same, no need to thaw). It will break apart just as it was when you first cooked it.

Trust me, I can come home and have a nice pot of Taco Soup on and done in 20 minutes including simmering. I will NEVER freeze raw hamburger meat again...EVER! Spaghetti??? Piece of cake...although I usually use my frozen homemade meatballs for this one.

Hello from the Kitchen

2008-11-12T14:21:00.000-08:00

When I work in the kitchen I try to do a number of things that save me time. I worked at a restaurant in college and then sold food as an independent distributor for a while. While I don't do those things anymore the concepts that I learned have greatly improved how I view my kitchen. What I hated worse than anything was the 4:00 p.m. timeframe sitting at my desk at work running through a number of recipes in my head trying to picture what was in my cabinet and what I had in my freezer. I almost always thought of something that included some kind of meat that was usually frozen solid, raw in my freezer. That was the past and I hope this blog will help you to understand how to better manage your time in the kitchen because the less time you spend in front of the stove, microwave, etc. the more money you will save in the end.

On the side of my blog are Labels. Please look at the Kitchen Tips and Recipes Sections for Items that I think are great. For the recipes some are ones I have created and some are internet inspired.

Homeland Buys 11/09/08

2008-11-09T19:50:00.000-08:00

I love my Homeland! Okay, so I left a couple of things out of the pic again...family food/usage. Here is what's left out: 1 bag Chex Mix Snack Mix (2yr old found them), 1 Jumbo Bag Huggies Diapers, 1 Box Stove Top Stuffing Mix, and 1 can Hunt's Diced Tomatoes.

Kraft Bagel-fuls on sale 2.35 ea - $1/1 (dbld) = 0.35 internet

Kellogg's family size cereal on sale 2.74 ea - $1/1 (dbld) = 0.74 internet

Progr. Broth on sale 1.49 ea - .50/1 (dbld)= 0.49 internet

Welch's Juice on sale 3.09 ea - $1/1 (dbld) = 1.09 Sunday Coupons

Knorr Sides on sale 1.39 ea - .60/1 (dbld) = 0.19 www.knorr.com

Chex Mix on sale 1.49 ea - .60/1 (dbld) = 0.29 internet

Chex Cereals on sale 1.84 ea - $1/2 (dbld) = 0.84 ea Sunday Coupons

Carnation Ev. Milk 0.83 ea - $1/2 (dbld) = FREE (no overage just $1.66 off)

Huggies Diapers 10.99 ea - $1/1 (dbld) = 8.99 not great but needed them

Bread, Stove Top, Bertolli's Alfredo, and Hunt's were all on sale but no significant savings.

So, in total I bought $151.82 (pre-tax) worth of goodies for $38.58 (post tax)...not bad.

Quick Update

2008-11-08T18:45:00.000-08:00

I am soo happy to report that I have been trying to follow some blogs today and have located several that will work to my benefit in couponing. One I just recently came across is at http://www.allthingsfrugal.net/. There are some great posts out there and this one in particular is having a giveaway. What a great idea! Have a post, save some money, and share the wealth. Of course I will have to learn how to make enough money to support a payout to bloggers but there is always a start!

Weekend Update 11/2/08

2008-11-02T18:24:00.000-08:00

I stopped at Homeland this weekend and got some good deals on the above items. Here's the breakout:

Bagelfuls on sale 2.00 less 1.00 coupon doubled= FREE (better than last week)
Kraft Cheese clearanced out at 0.99 no coupons (was 2.91 originally)
Chex Mix $2.00 used 0.50 coupon doubled= 1.00
Ekrich Sausage 2/5.00 -1.00/2 (dbld) =3.00
Welch's Juice 64oz reg 4.39 on sale 3.09 less 1.00 coupon (dbld)=1.09
Era on sale 3.50 (cheaper than Walmart) so I got it
Biz on sale 5.39 less 1.00 coup (dbld)= 3.39 still not too bad and we needed it
Meat near sale date so it was on sale saved 1.19 on it
Lever 2000 was 2.39 less 1.00 coup (dbld)= 0.39

So, I bought $50.32 in items and paid $20.86 (considering $6.89 of that was detergent I needed this wasn't too bad).

Historical Items up to 11/1/08

2008-11-01T09:41:00.000-07:00

I started my tallying about a week ago before starting this blog so in the last week here is what I have gotten so far. I make multiple trips to the store by my preference as the stores are not out of my way. We have eaten/used a few items so the items missing from the picture are:

Breyers Yogurt Crunch (reduced item due to date), French's Yellow Mustard Squeeze bottle, Yoplait Yo-Plus Yogurt Pack, 2 packs of Kraft Bagel-fuls, Hiland 8oz French Onion Dip (reduced item due to date), Arm & Hammer Liquid Laundry Detergent, 2 pkgs Huggies Jumbo Pack Diapers, Northern 9pk Toilet Paper, 2 pkgs Twix Mini Candies (Halloween), and Lifesaver Gummies candy (Halloween). I realize most of the items are missing but after a week things are bound to start being used. I will try to be better about the pics later.

This gets you up to date with what I have and where my OOP (out of pocket) has gone to. Diapers are a big portion of my spend and even with coupons they are still pretty expensive. I dropped about $14.00 on these two packs after coupons and a discount. Details on the savings will come with future blogs but all the above items cost me $43.02 after discount, coupons, etc. I have the detail just not listed here.

No rebates for any of these items but I did get a Catalina coupon for the 2 Twix which I used on the Lifesaver Candy. The real savings came from the Kelloggs Cereal which ended up being $0.66 a box and the Bagel-fuls were $0.35 a box (free this week so my last two coupons will go there). These were from Homeland Grocery Store. There were no coupons used on the Toilet Paper but it was a necessity item.

Getting Started

2008-11-01T07:46:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have always wanted to do coupon shopping more regularly. I have used coupons in the past and have had success but now I want to actually keep track of what I am saving. I am hoping that this blog will allow me to do so.

I think the best I have done to my minds knowledge is the time I went to Albertsons in town while they were having an 8 hour sale plus doubling coupons at the same time. The goal when I went was to stockpile a few things because I was 7 months pregnant so I didn't have to leave the house so much during those first few weeks. I took my trusty coupons which was not a large stack by any means. I went down each of the aisles and compared the coupons I had with what was on sale. If after the coupon it was what I was willing to pay for the item I grabbed it. I think I tried to stay under $1.00 or so (this was a couple of years ago so bear with me). Two hours later I finally made my way to the checkout (the excercise was good) with my coupons in tow. The lady added up my total and it was $170.00 and then the 8-hour sale prices kicked in and it dropped to somwhere around $80.00. This was not too bad. Then I handed over my coupons. The lady made me feel kind of bad for having coupons and the comment under her breath made me feel bad (what's so wrong with free money???). Anyways, the joke was on her and I felt elated to discover that my originally $170.00ish total was now a mere $35.00. HA! I saved $135.00 in one trip to the grocery store!

My husband had to help me unload the items when I got back because my trunk and back seat were stuffed. We lived in an apartment at the time so we all know how much kitchen space they have. By the time my son arrived we only had to hit the store for milk, bread, and eggs (the usual- which my husband gladly did for me during those first few weeks).