Sunday, March 28, 2010

Menu Planning Madness

 Here is this week's plan:

Sun - Over baked Bar-B-Q Chicken Quarters
Mon - Gymnastics so something quick on the way
Tues - Leftover chicken or maybe Bar-B-Que Chicken Salad
Wed - Sandwiches before soccer
Thur - Tacos, Beans, and Rice
Fri - Shrimp Scampi Pizza and Salad
Sat - Something grilled
Sun - Easter Brunch

I hope everyone has a great week!

Saturday, March 13, 2010

It is Spring

Or atleast that is what I am saying.  I have decided that I am done with winter and ready to move on to Spring.  To help celebrate, today I:

Switched out some of my daughters' clothes to the warmer weather clothes (yes I left some jeans)
Truly enjoyed my daughter's soccer game after I lathered both girls in sunscreen
Spent multiple hours pulling weeds (and I am only half way through the front yard)
Started drooling over our first three strawberries that are blooming off last years plant
Would not let me daughters go into the house between nap and dinner. 

I am now looking forward to:
Weekend days outside all day long (except during Spring Showers)
Fruit picking (come on Blueberry season)
Longer days

Are you ready for Spring??

Friday, March 12, 2010

Kroger March To Savings

I finally won!!!  It only took 9 entries but I won a $5.00 store credit.

If you are not sure what I am talking about it is a very easy instant win game.  All you need to do is go to Kroger.com and register your card.  Once it is registered, click on the March to Savings banner and get ready to play.  Just click the basketball to try your shot.  There is a wide variety of instant prizes.  I am so excited for my $5.00 store credit (as if you can't tell from the first sentence).

Best of luck!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Randall's Frozen Food Month

I normally shop at Kroger, but it is Randall's Frozen Food Month (but $25 of specially marked items get $10 off your next purchase).  It is not as good as last year, but my freezer has way too much room right now, so I am trying to take advantage of it.  Here are my two transactions from last night:
Transaction 1:
12 Weight Watcher's Smart Choice Meals at 2/$5.00
Used an IP coupon for $5/10 (not sure of the link but there is also a $3/10 in 1/31 RP)
Used Get 1 free SC breakfast with the purchase of 5 (RP 1/31)
Used Get 1 free Flatbread Sanwich with the purchase of 5 (RP 1/31)
TTL is $20 with IP ($23 w/insert) get $10 off next purchase

Transaction 2:
Bought 4 Contessa Meals (at $5.99 each)
Bought 2 Green Giant boxed veggies (at $1.68 each)
used $2.00 Contessa coupons (I can't remember which insert) and Green Giant insert and EQ
TTL was about $6 with coupons and the $10 cat from the 1st transaction and I got another cat

I don't believe the Green Giant is still that price, but there are plenty of other fillers and don't forget your coupons and your EQ's from shortcuts and cellfire.

Tonight and tomorrow night I am getting together more coupons for another trip before the weekend starts and if I can stay organized, I will let you know what I get. 
Happy Randall's Shopping!!!

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Menu Planning Madness

Menu Planning Madness

I want to start this entry with a huge success from last Friday.  I made a shrimp pizza.  My original intentions were to make the crust from scratch as well as make the pizza.  However, I got busy and could not find a way to get it done and get the pizza made and have us eat before 10:00 pm, so I cheated and used Pillsbury refridgerated pizza crust.  So here is what I did:

Sauted cooked shrimp, green peppers, and red onions in olive oil, garlic powder, and basil.  Then on the pizza crust I added a little spaghetti sauce (had some left over), the sauted items, and then covered with italian cheeses.  I baked it based on the instructions on the Pillsbury packaging.  Then I took my another pizza crust and brushed on olive oil and covered with cheese to make cheesy bread.  My MIL's response "You can cook this every Friday night during Lent.  Actually you can cook this every Friday night".  I love when my experiments go right!!!

Here is this week's Menu:
Sunday - Brats, Salad, and Mac and Cheese
Monday - Something light due to gymnastics
Tuesday - Taco Salad and refried beans
Wednesday - Sandwiches before soccer
Thursday - Pork Tenderloin, Mashed Potatoes, Green Veggies
Friday - Trying to decide between shrimp pizza again or lazy man's lasagna
Saturday - Hamburgers, veggies on the grill (I am hoping to go to a local Farmer's Market)
Sunday - Roast a chicken in hopes for good leftovers!

Leftovers is something I am working on this week.  I did not have good leftovers for lunches last week, and we bought too many at work!  I am going to really try and cook enough each meal for each of us to have lunch atleast once!!!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Kroger's Instant Win Game

Have you played Kroger's Instant Win Game? 

It is very easy.  Just make sure you have signed up on Kroger.com and play!!! 
You can:
Play once a day
Each time you play you are entered in the Grand Sweepstakes
Win 2 items (I have heard of people winning $5 off next purchase, free CPK pizza, free coffee)
Even after you have won two items you can continue to play to be entered in the Grand Sweepstakes.

Good Luck!!!

Finding time to Exercise

Or maybe I should title this "Finding time to catch up with friends".

Two of my big struggles are finding time to exercise and finding time to catch up with friends.  However on Monday night I was reminded of a way to do both.  A great friend of mine and I have decided to start walking twice a week.  We would love to do it more, but there are only so many hours in a day.  We met at 9:00 pm and walked for almost an hour.  I was amazed at easy it was to walk at a brisk pace when you are catching up with a friend. 

Even though we see each other a few times a  month, it is usually during playdates.  This was our time to talk about what ever we wanted and we did!!  When I got home, my husband asked what we talked about and there were so many random topics he just smiled and nodded. 

I had posted this on my facebook status and one of friends who is a trainer in Austin responded with "I tell my clients this all the time! Even chatting on your cell makes the time go by much faster." 

What a great idea.  Do you have a friend (or two) that you really want a good 30 minute conversation once to twice a week?  Schedule a walking date.  Even if they don't live close - we all have cell phones.  Just grab your tennis shoes and your cell phone (or your friend) and head out walking!  Thanks Karen!!!

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Menu Planning Madness

Here is this week's menu (in which I already had everything in my kitchen):

Monday - Gymnastics so something quick
Tuesday - At a resturant to celebrate Texas Independance Day with co-workers and friends.  If nothing else, the girls should have a great time!
Wednesday - Soup and Sandwiches since we have soccer
Thursday - Homemade Veggie Pizza (if I have time to make the dough on Wed night) and a salad
Friday - Baked Talipia, rice, and green veggies
Saturday - Maybe Ribs since I opted for going out on last Sat night instead of having the ribs

Hope everyone has a great week and Happy Menu Planning!!

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Go Texan Day

Tomorrow is Go Texan Day.  For those who do not live in Houston, this is the kick-off of the Houston Rodeo.  Almost every company and school in town (and the neighboring cities) celebrate this "holiday".  Any guesses on how we celebrate?  We deck out in our best Texan gear of course!

Normally I try to be a very frugal person and plan ahead for days like this.  However, this year I was very much behind the curve.  I did not realize my new department has a team competition based on how "Texan" our outfits are.  Now there was a time in college when I had a wardrobe of this attire.  However, this was many years and many pounds ago.  Normally I just use this day as an excuse not to wear a suit and to wear jeans.  However, not this year.

If I had planned properly, I would have been looking for correct attire (hat, boots, and a great shirt) at garage sales last fall.  Instead I spent the weekend going from Goodwill to Goodwill.  I did find a shirt and jacket that I think will work well.  I will be wearing my husband's boots and I have a few friends bringing hats for me to borrow tomorrow.  Needless to say I am hoping to not hinder my team too much!

Also, I should have been shopping for my girls.  I know that each school has a western day on Go Texan Day.  If I had properly planned I could have two girls completely decked out for little money.  Maybe next year I will plan a little better!

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Kroger Feb 14th - March 2nd

It’s time to get all your Kellogg’s coupons together, or atleast the ones for the following items:

Frosted Flakes, Apple Jacks, Fruit Loops, Rice Krispies, Corn Pops, NutriGrain Bars, Special K Bars (there are some cookies and crackers as well but I am pretty well stocked on those)

Buy 4 of the above listed items for $10 and get two free gallons of milk (must be purchased at same time)

YEAH!!!! And to make it even better (yes I said this gets better) there is a coupon for $1.00 off of 3 in the 2/7 RP and check out the Catalina deal:

Buy Select Kellogg's cereals between 2/10 & 3/10/2010
Buy 3 & Get $1.00 ... or
Buy 4 & Get $3.00 ... or
Buy 5 or more & get $4.00 ...
Coupon off your next shopping order.

And to think I was just saying to my husband we were getting low on cereal….. If I schedule this right I can get our milk for a minimum of two weeks for free. Also, you can freeze milk if you have the room in your freezer.

Other good deals with the 10 items for $10:

$1 Blistex 0.21oz = Free w/Coupon
  • $0.35/1 1/17/10 SS
$ 1 Carefree = Free with coupon
  • $1 mailer
  • $1 coupon in Shape and Parents March (I have not looked in mine yet)
$1 Green Giant vegetables frozen, select varieties 7-10 oz (pictured are the boxed) = MM with coupons and loadables
  • .50/2 Green Giant Boxed Vegetables cellfire
  • .50/2 Green Giant frozen boxed shortcuts
  • .50/1 IP
$1 StarKist Tuna Pouch 2.6oz = Free with IP
  • $1 IP
  • $1/2 insert 2-14 RP
$1 Tennessee Pride Sausage Gravy = Free with insert
  • $1 insert 1-24 RP
  • .50/2 IP
$ 1 1lb bags of mini carrots (we love these in our house!)

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Randall's P&G Deal

Randall’s Stop Today
Today I stopped into Randall’s to see what I could do with the P&G buy $25 Participating Items get $10 OYNO Catalina and here is what I did:
Charmin 24 Rolls
4 Mr. Clean with Febreze
1 ½ pounds of grapes
Pampers Diapers (not part of the P&G Deal)
Used:
Charmin - $1/1 from P&G Mailer and $1/1 e-coupon
Mr. Clean - (4) $1/1 Febreze Item from P&G Insert (yes it works on these)
 (These are priced at $3.50 each but when you buy atleast 3 they drop to $1.99)
Pampers - $2/1 Cruisers from P&G Insert and $2/1 e-coupon
$10.00 Catalina (bought Iams dog food over the weekend)

Spent about $13.00 and got another $10.00 Catalina to use this week.  I will also use this receipt towards my Thank You Mom $100 Coupon Book.
If you are just hearing about the P&G deal at Randall's – don’t worry as it continues through the next week!

Why you need to know what is in your stockpile

Until today I felt like I had rebuilt my pantry stockpile to a respectable level.  However, my oldest daughter would disagree. 

Here is a little history.  In September, I came down with multiple viruses.  It had something about doing too much and not taking care of myself.  By October I was wiped, and grocery shopping did not occur except for necessities.  It was great to be able to do this, but it was the first time I could see shelves in my pantry in months which was very weird.

Since December (when I start shopping again), I have been trying to rebuild my stockpile. 

Fast forward back to today.  My daughter stayed home from daycare today due to a stomach virus (God Bless my MIL!!!!).  My daughter only ate a few bites of toast all day.  I left a message for my MIL saying I would be late coming home from work, since I wanted to stop by HEB for the cheap shrimp deal, and to make chicken noodle soup for dinner so my daughter could try and eat.  So far so good right.  That is what I was thinking, as I have a full two rows of soups.  All different kinds of soups, even chicken and stars.  However, there was no chicken noodle. 

I did not learn this until after I had left the HEB parking lot.  The only store between my car and home was Walgreen's.  So, $4.00 and three cans of soup later, my daughter got her chicken noodle soup.

The lesson I learned - there is no such thing as too much chicken noodle soup in the house!!!  What is the one item you need to make sure you have plenty of in your house?

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Rebates

Remember the excitement of getting the mail from the mailbox each day growing up? I remember it, but until recently I only felt dread or boredom getting my mail. Between the bills and the junk mail, why get excited. Since I started doing rebates and actively looking for freebies worth my effort, I now have found that excitement. Here is a list of some of the items I have gotten this year so far:

Free 1 yr subscription to Shape
Free 1 yr subscription to Weight Watchers
Free 1 yr subscription to Working Mother (or atleast I have requested it and have all my fingers crossed I will start getting it!!)
Rebates:

SC Johnson $10
Kellogg’s $10
Caregiver’s Market Place $24.75
Staples over $100 in rebates and Cash Back
I have just started the rebates and I am hooked. I am hoping to keep up the effort as some of them are really worth the effort!

FYI - Everything I purchase is within my monthly budget.  The rebate money will either go back into the budget to help on a month where I need some help or it will go to our vacation fund as we are saving for Disney in 2011!!!

Menu Planning Madness

Menu Planning Madness
Saturday – Tacos (I realize this was suppose to be Friday’s meal of last week then I remembered it was the first Friday of lent – I can’t believe it is lent already!) I know I was suppose to try a new recipe but it was a crazy day. Instead, I baked a new white bread recipe for sandwiches this week.

Sunday – Beef Fajitas – We cooked up the Kroger Mega Deal. Not a great deal, but with a $3.00 off chicken or beef coupon from the Old El Paso Catalina deal, dinner was under a $1.00 per person.

Monday – Gymnastics so something on the way

Tuesday – Pork thrown into the crockpot with potatoes, carrots, and other seasonings

Wednesday – Leftovers before soccer

Thursday – Baked Chicken, mac and cheese, and green beans

Friday – Shrimp Scampi as long as I can get to HEB for the $3.99/lb shrimp!!!

Saturday – Hoping for ribs on the grill!!!

Hope everyone has a great week!

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Combining Family Fun and Exercise

When I started looking at my priorities at the end of last year, I realized "I" was not getting enough attention.  One of those areas was exercise and my health.  As moms, there are so many items we can use as excuses (and I use most of them).  However, today my family took advantage of the beautiful weather while having a great time and getting some exercise.

We all decided to climb on our bikes (with the youngest in a bike stoller) and rode to the neighborhood park.  I am sure those who know me are in shock right now as I have not been on a bike in over 15 years.  I had some bad accidents and gave up bike riding.  However, I always felt a pain of regret when I watched families riding their bikes together.  So, when I heard Target had bikes on clearance a few weeks ago I took the plunge and bought a bike and helmet for under $50.  True - it is a men's bike and is kind of funny looking, but I figured this was my chance.  And I am so happy I did.  Today I got to be part of that family taking advantage of the beautiful day as we all rode to the park together.  Then we spend over an hour at the park, where my husband got the best exercise chasing the girls and playing games like Red Light Green Light and freeze tag.  Yes, this does count as excercise. 

I really hope the Spring brings more wonderful weekend days like today!!!

Menu Planning Madness

I am doing a better job of planning my meals, but still not a great job staying on schedule.  I have also slacked in trying a new recipe each week as you will be able to tell by this week's menu. 

Sunday - Pork Chops, Rice, Asparagus, Brocoli (for the girls incase they did not like asparagus)
Monday - We have gymnastics so something quick
Tuesday - Red Beans and Rice w/sausage (requested by my MIL)
Wednesday - Leftovers
Thursday - Crockpot Chicken (from last week as I never did make it)
Friday - Tacos (Need to start using the Taco Shells and Seasonings from the Kroger Catalina Deals)
Saturday - A new recipe (even though I have no idea what is yet!!)

I hope you are doing better at your Menu Planning goals than I am this year!  I do believe all my portions this week will be large enough for my husband and I to bring lunch each day!!!

Friday, February 12, 2010

Free Family Fun - Watching the Olympics

As a recovering tv junkie, I nomally try to keep tv viewing to a minimum.  Especially when the girls are awake.  However, that will be different over the next 17 days.  It is time for the Olympics and I love the Olympics.  If nothing else, watching the Winter Olympics gives me a chance to see snow and sports I would never see living in Texas!

Seriously though, even for non sports fanatics, the Olympics is a great thing to watch with your family.
 - You are supporting your Country and those who are representing it.  When was the last time you chanted USA, USA, USA?  You should try it.  It is fun and brings a huge smile to the face.
 - You can use the athletes as examples of hard work and dedication
 - During the Opening March you can talk about all the countries and the flags.  My oldest was very interested in why some countries had only one person and others had many more.
 - There is such a wide range of sports that most of us may not see in our normal lives.

Plus I know my daughters will love the ice skating!!!

I also want to express my sadness to the Georgian Team and the family and friends of Nodar Kumaritashvili for their loss today. 

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Valentine's Day

Do you have any big plans for Valentine's Day Weekend?  I do.  Atleast they are big for me.  My husband and I are going out to dinner on Saturday night with some friends.  While to some this may not sound like a big deal, however I forgot to mention - we are going childless!  We have only been out a few times without children since our last was born 15 months ago.  And I can not remember the last time we went out with friends without the children.   

So what are we doing with the children?  Our oldest is going to Parent's Night Out where she takes gymnastics.  It is a great deal in our mind.  For $15 she will be participating in gymnastics and activities for a few hours and then relazing watching a movie for the last hour or two before we pick her up.  Yes, the $15 covers 4 hours of entertainment for her.  Plus, she will be going with atleast three if not five of her friends from the street.  My MIL is being wonderful as usual and watching our youngest.  My goal is to have her asleep before I leave the house on Sat night.

We are not sure where we are going, but none of us really care.  Instead we are all looking forward to a few hours of spending time together and relaxing and not having to chase our kids!

Kroger Deals 2/10

The Mega Deal Sale is over but never fear as it is time for Daytona. Now the deals are not nearly as good (in my mind) but when you purchase 10 Daytona items you get $3.00 instant savings at the register. TO make things easier – just subtract .30 from the price.
Here are some of the deals that caught my attention (all prices have been reduced by the .30):
~ Gatorade Sports drink (32 oz)
   - $.70/each - free after coupon if you have any left (.50/1 G2 - 1-10 RP)

~ Pillsbury Grands Biscuits - $.99/each
   - $.54/each after coupon (when you buy 2!) ($.30/2 Pillsbury Grands 12-6 SS, 12-13 SS, 1-3 GM)

~ Purex laundry detergent - $2.19/each
   - $1.14 after coupon (.35/1 Purex laundry detergent - 1-10 RP)

~ Banquet Entree or Brown 'N Serve Sausage - $.70/each

~ Campbell's Chunky soup - $1.29/each
   - $.79/each after coupons when you buy 2 ($1/2 Campbell's Chunky Healthy Request - 1-3 SS $.50/2 Campbell's Chunky Healthy Request - 2-7 SS)

~ Chef Boyardee pasta - $.70/each
   - $.50/each after coupons when you buy 5 ($1/5 Chef Boyardee cans or microwave bowls - 1-10 SS)

~ Diet Coke, Sprite, or Coca Cola classic 2 liters - $.95/each (We will be loading up on these in my house. One of these days I will kick my addiction – maybe)

~Hot, Lean or Croissant pockets - $1.69/each
   - $.69/each after coupon (.50/1 Hot Pockets SideShots - 1-31 RP)

And most importantly (in my husband’s mind)
SATURDAY (2/13/10) specials only (valid 8 am-10 pm):
Blue Bell half gallon ice cream - $2.99 (Limit 1 w/ additional $10 purchase) - $1.99 after coupon on Blue Bell’s site!

Friends & Family Discount | Walgreens

Friends & Family Discount Walgreens

Print the above coupon to use tomorrow (Friday) for 15% and 20% off select items. This includes the following "deal" items:
Huggies Diapers (YEAH)
Fusion Razor
Dove Men's Body Wash
Garnier Hair products (remember the total for the Register Reward has to be after the 15% off)

Happy Shopping!

Monday, February 8, 2010

Menu Planning Madness

I am sorry that I am posting this so late, but here is our week:
Sunday - Brought Frank's RedHot Buffalo Chicken Dip (crowd favorite and requested) and a Strawberry Cake with Cream Cheese frosting and sprinkles made by my oldest (and boy was she proud) to a Super Bowl Party
Monday - Gymnastics - sandwiches
Tuesday - Lazy Man's Lasagna
Wednesday - Crockpot Chicken (a very simple Weight Watcher's Recipe)
       Place frozen skinless/boneless chicken breasts in the crockpot with 1 can of fat free (or as close to as possible) Cream of Chicken and 1 can of Cream of Mushroom soup and a can of rotel (drained).  Cook on low while at work or running errands.  When you get home place it on rice with a side of vegtables.
Thursday - Going out for pizza to celebrate a friend's 1st birthday
Friday - Leftovers
Saturday - Parent's Night Out (TBD)

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Frugal week or not a frugal week

At the beginning of the year I was trying some new things to help save some money and become a little more frugal. The first was I wanted to reduce some of my not needed purchases. I was doing ok until Target had their 75% sale. Well, you have seen the pictures....
Then I set the goal of only eating at work two days a week. I have done killer on that. I had been averaging $5 to $10 a week in our cafeteria. That is until this week. For some reason this week I have not been able to get my breakfasts and lunches together. My dinners did not give me the best of leftover selection and I seemed to have a lazy week and could not pull anything else together.
So I am already planning to get back on board next week:
1) Cook larger meals to increase leftovers
2) Premake a loaf of PB&J sandwiches and place them in the freezer (yes this does work very well - they thaw out by lunch)
3) Give myself an extra 10 minutes each evening to pack the breakfasts (just milk as I leave box of cereal at work) and lunches.

I think I am going to be able to do this, if I can just find that extra 10 minutes..... Anyone else have any other ideas?

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Toy and Game Coupons and Deals

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? You probably think I am kidding, but I’m not. As long as you have room to store extra gifts, it is never too early to start Christmas shopping or picking up birthday party gifts. Having two small children in daycare, I never know how many birthday party invites we are going to get a year. So it is always nice to stock up early.  This increases the savings account and reduces stress and time shopping when you run out last minute for a birthday party gift.  In my life those are never fast trips!
Here are some of the best deals for the coupons:

Target:

Card Games
Pictureka ~ $5.24
$5/1 Coupons
Final Price = $.24
Monopoly ~ $5.24
$4/1 Coupon
Final Price = $1.24

Scrabble Slam ~ $5.24
$4/1 Coupon
Final Price = $1.24
Sorry Revenge ~ $6.99
$4/1 Coupon
Final Price = $2.99

Mini Game
Monopoly Get Out of Jail ~ $7.99
$4/1 Coupon
Final Price = $3.99

Wal-Mart
My Little Pony ~ $5.00
BOGO Coupon
Final Price = 2/$5.00
(I will be stocking up on these!!!)

Let me know if you find any great deals!

Monday, February 1, 2010

New Month = New Coupons

Excitment in the house as the month rolls around and the new coupons are released.  Ok - maybe it has been a very long day.  Still, there are some amazing coupons released today at Coupons.com.  I am excited the $1/2 Kraft Cheese has been reset.  I love $1 cheese and cheese freezes very well.  I am not kidding here!  I freeze bags of shredded cheese and then pull them out the night before I need them in a recipe!

Grab the coupons quickly as some of them may run out!!!

Also don't forget about loading up your store cards with electronic coupons from cellfire.com and shortcuts.com.  I always get a kick out of the "extra" amounts taken off my bill at the register!!!

Essentials of Couponing - Coupons

Essentials of Couponing - Coupons

Different types of Coupons:
1) Inserts – These are the ones that come in the paper on Sundays
     a. Each week could be different on which ones come
     b. Usually there will be none on a Sunday after a Holiday
     c. Procter and Gamble (P&G) comes the first Sunday of the month

2) Internet Printables (IP’s) – These are the ones that you print off your computer
    a. There are many sites including:
          i. My Points
         ii. Red Plum
        iii. Smart Source
       iv. Coupons.com
       v. Manufacturer Websites
    b. They usually allow two prints of each coupon
    c. Normally you have to download a coupon printer software but I have yet to have issues with them

3) Tearpads – These are exactly what they sound like. They are pads of coupons you will see around a store where you can tear off coupons to use

4) Wine Tags – These coupons are found hanging around the wine bottle neck. There are some parts of the country (not Houston) that always seem to have a large selection of these for meats, cheeses, and breads. Most of the time they do not require a wine purchase, but read the fine print just in case.

5) Peelies – These are found on the items are easily peeled off to be used when purchasing that product.
Rules:

Do Not Copy Coupons - this is illegal.  Even if the coupon is printed from the computer - it is not to be copied!!!

Most coupons have an expiration date. In most stores they have to be used by this date. I have heard of some stores that will take expired coupons, but I do not know of any. I do know that Commissaries located overseas will take coupons up to 6 months past expiration date. If you know anyone stationed overseas they can use your expired coupons.
If you look at your coupons you will see the barcode number has a 5 or 9 on the far left. If it is a 5 the coupon will double if you are at a store that doubles coupons. If it is a 9, the coupon will not double (like Wacky Mac’s)

Is it a store or manufacturer coupon? The words Manufacturer coupon will be printed near the expiration date for these coupons. If it is a store coupon you will see the literal store coupon or it will list the name of the store. Some coupons will say manufacturer coupon, but have the logo of the store. These are manufacturer coupons and can not be stacked with another manufacturer coupon.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Menu Planning Madness

Last week's menu went ok, except the brisket ran out before I was planning on it so it reduced the leftovers.  On the other hand it means my experiment with the brisket went well.  All I did was throw the following into a crockpot and let it cook while at work:
Brisket
1 can of tomato soup
1 can of french onion soup
water

The only thing I would have done differently is add more french onion soup instead of water if I had any on hand.

Here is this week's menu:
Sunday - Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup (using the broth made from my roasted chicken last week) and homemade bread
Monday - Gymnastics so something quick
Tuesday - Red beans and rice with sausage
Wednesday - Beef Enchiladas, spanish rice, and refried beans
Thursday - Left Overs
Friday - Baked Chicken, rice, and vegtables
Saturday - Porkchops and left over sides (hopefully it will stop raining so we can grill)

I did not do well bringing leftover lunches last week, so the goal this week is to cook large enough to feed the family dinner as well as have enough for 2 lunches per meal. 

What are you planning this week?

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Free Milk Coupon

This link will take you to Why Milk? which is currently running a contest and giving away free milk for a year.  If you register for it, you will see a link to print a coupon.  The coupon is for a free gallon of white milk with a $100.00 purchase.  That should not be hard to hit (pre-coupons) this week at Kroger's!!!

Happy Shopping!

Monday, January 25, 2010

Kroger Mega Deals

Here is a preview of the Kroger Mega Deals in Houston. When you purchase 10 of the Mega Deal items, you will get $5.00 off automatically. The numbers include this discount (.50/item). (This is not the full list, but instead things that caught my attention as a great deal)


Dixie Napkins, Bowls or Plates or Solo plastic Plates or Cups 1.49
• Solo Cups, Plates or Bowls, Any - 12-06-09 SS $1.00/1 x02/28/10 Insert

Electrasol Finish powder or tabs 2.99
• $2.50/1 Electrasol insert 1-3 SS

I can't believe its not butter select varieties 7.5-15 oz or Land O Lakes Butter or Margarine 8-16 oz select varieties .99 Free
• I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Product (Bricks) $1.00/1 IP
• I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Product, Any - 11-15-09 RP $0.50/1 x02/07/10 Insert
• I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Sticks, Any - 11-15-09 RP $1.00/1 x02/07/10 Insert

Kraft Cheese Singles select varieties 12 oz, Kraft Shredded or bar Cheese select varieties 5-8 oz 1.49
• 1.00/2 Kraft or Cracker Barrel Cheese insert 1-24
• $1/2 any Kraft or Cracker Barrel Natural cheese printable

Philadelphia Cream Cheese 8 oz tubs or bars .99
• 1.00/4 IP

Capri Sun 1.49
• 1.00/2 IP

Sara lee pie or Bites 1.99
• Sara Lee Cheesecake And/Or Pound Cake Products, Any - 12-06-09 RP $1.50/2 x02/28/10 Insert
• Sara Lee Frozen Dessert, Any $1.00 IP
• Sara Lee Simple Sweets Pie, any - Limit one coupon per purchase. DND-5/DNT-5. - 10-25-09 RP $1.00/1 x01/31/10 Insert
• Sara Lee Bites, any - Limit one coupon per purchase. DND-5 or DNT-5. - 10-25-09 RP $1.00/1 x01

Pillsbury Toaster Strudels $1.77
• .55/2 Pillsbury toaster Strudel loadable
• .35 insert 1-3 GM
• $1 off Toaster Strudel Pastries printable 

Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers $1.49
• Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers Frozen Vegetables, Any - 01-03-10 GM $0.40/1 x02/27/10 Insert
• Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers Frozen Vegetables, Any - 01-03-10 GM $1.00/2 x02/27/10 Insert
• Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers Frozen Vegetables, Any (BettyCrocker.com) $0.50/1 Rolling Printable - Coupons from Betty Crocker

Quaker Quakes .50 Free or Money Maker
• Quaker Rice And Multigrain Snack, Any - 01-10-10 RP $0.75/1 x02/28/10 Insert

Chex Mix, Bugles or Gardettos Snack Mix 7-8.25 oz 1.49 Free with Coupon and Loadable
• .50 Chocolate Chex Mix Loadable
• .50 Chex Mix Loadable
• .50 Chocolate Chex Mix IP


Kelloggs Fruit Snacks or Quaker Chewy Granola Bars 1.49
• $1/2 Quaker Chewy Granola bars printable
• Quaker Chewy Granola Bars, Any Box - 01-03-10 RP $0.55/1 x02/13/10 Insert 

Pepsi or Diet Pepsi Products 2 liters .79 – I just love this price!

French's mustard 12-14 oz 1.19
• .50 French's mustard 1-24 SS
• French's mustard $0.50/1 IP

Franks Red Hot Sauce 12 oz 1.19 (I hope this includes the Wing Sauce)
• Frank's Redhot Sweet Heat BBQ Sauce Or Hot Buffalo Sauce, Any - 10-04-09 SS $1.00/1 x02/07/10 Insert
• Frank's RedHot sauce, any $0.50/1 IP
• Frank's RedHot Original Buffalo Wings Or Cattlemen's Honey Barbecue Wings, Any (HomeSolutions) $0.50/1 IP

Cattlemans BBQ Sauce 16oz 1.19
• Cattlemen's Barbecue Sauce, Any (HomeSolutions) $0.50/1 IP

Nature Valley Granola Bars or Fiber One Bars 2.19
• .40 Nature Valley loadable
• .40 Fiber One bars loadable
• .40 Fiber One Insert 1-3 GM
• Fiber One Chewy Bars, Any Box $0.40/1 IP
• .40 Nature Valley IP

Essentials of Couponing - Acronyms

Here is a short list of acronyms and coupon terminology.  This list was taken from Hot Coupon World and adjusted.  This should help as you enter the coupon world.

BLINKIES - instore coupon dispensed near product, usually from red blinking box
BOGO or B1G1F = Buy one get one free
CAT or Catalina = coupon dispensed at register after purchase, usually has a red border
Cellfire = a webpage that allows you to store electronic coupons to you Kroger or Randall’s cards
DND = Do Not Double (the coupon is not supposed to be doubled)
DOUBLE COUPON = coupon that a grocery store doubles in value
ECB - CVS Extra Care Bucks earned for purchases
FREE ITEM COUPON = A coupon that allows you to get the product completely free
HBA = The health and beauty aid section in the grocery store
HCW = Hot Coupon World (My favorite website)
HT or HGT = Hang tags for refunds or coupons hanging on a product
IP = Internet Printable
MIR = Mail In Rebate
NED = No expiration date
NBPN = No Beer Purchase Necessary (On coupons located near beer displays)
NWPN = No wine purchase necessary (On wine tags)
OOP = Out of Pocket
OYNO = On your next order
P&G = Proctor & Gamble Sunday supplement coupons
PEELIE = coupon that you peel off the package
RP = Red Plum Sunday Supplement Coupons
RR = Register Rewards (Walgreens)
Shortcuts.com = a webpage that allows you to store electronic coupons to you Kroger or Randall’s cards
SS = Smart Source or Sunday Supplement coupons
STACKING = Some stores allow the use of more than one coupon per item, IF the coupon itself does not restrict such usage.
SUPER DOUBLES or DOUBLES = coupons that are doubled $1 + in value (ie, a $1 coupon = $2, etc) – I have only seen this once at Kroger
TEAR PAD = A pad of refund forms or coupons found hanging from a store shelf or display
TRIPLE COUPON = a coupon that a grocery store triples in value
WINE TAG = coupon, usually for $ off any meat, cheese or produce.
WPN = Wine purchase necessary
WT = winetag
WYB = When You Buy
YMMV = Your Mileage May Vary= success of the attempt may vary at your store

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Saving Money at Work

For the first three weeks of the year, we have been doing very well at not throwing away our money at work.  Our goal for the year is to bring our breakfast and lunches atleast three times a week.  In doing this, we will save over $60 a week.  I have been doing even better than my goal.  So far I have spent $17 at work in the last three weeks.  Prior to this year, I could spend that in two days.  This is how we are doing it:

We bring a box of cereal and leave it at our desks for breakfast.  Even if I eat two boxes a week (I snack on it as well), that is $2.00 I have spent for 5 breakfasts versus $2.50 for one breakfast.

Lunches - We try to pack up our lunches at dinner to save time and make sure it gets done.  We also have cans of soup that are easy to grab on the way out the door in the morning.

Snacks and other expenses - We are bringing our sodas to work.  Also, we are taking advantage of the free water and coffee at work.  This reduces the $2.00 a day I would spend on soda.
I have also tried to bake a sweet item at the begining of every week.  By placing a bit of this in our lunches each day, it has helped reduce our sweet tooth.  And by doing this we no longer by desserts at work.

Look around at what you spend each day/each week at work.  See if there is a place where you can cut back or a small change you can make.  It is amazing how fast it will add up!

Menu Planning Madness

Last week was not as much of a success as I wanted, however each week is a learning experience.  For example, the family really likes the lazy man lasagna.  However, I forgot to purchase the cheese.  So I have put it off until next week, since cheese goes on sale this week at Kroger with the Mega deals.

Here is this weeks schedule:
Sunday - Roasted Chicken, potatoes, and carrots  (tomorrow I will make chicken broth with the bones)
Monday  -Gymnastics Day so sandwiches
Tuesday - California Pizza Kitchen frozen pizza
Wednseday - Crockpot Briset
Thursday - Leftovers
Friday - Grill
Saturday - Sandwiches or somethig else easy

Have a great week!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Girl's Day tomorrow

Since my daughters are not in school yet, I try to take their birthday's off from work and spend the day just the two of us.  This is what I am doing tomorrow and my daughter is on cloud 9.

To make this day special for the two of us and still try and stay frugal this is what we are doing:

 - We are going to JC Penney's to have her birthday pictures done.  We have a membership, so we don't have to pay a sitting fee and I am using a coupon to reduce the prices.  I am also going with a list of who I need pictures for so I don't over buy.

- Then we are heading to the zoo with our picnic lunches.  The Houston Zoo allows you to bring in food and drinks.  This makes a day at the zoo very affordable.  Especially since we are members ($80 for the year and we usually have it paid for in 6 months) so we won't be paying to get in. 

If you put your mind to it, I believe it is possible to come up with inexpensive great family outings.

Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy


This website/blog uses third-party advertising companies to serve ads when visiting this site. These third parties may collect and use information (but not your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, you can visit Google's Advertising and Privacy page.If you wish to opt out of Advertising companies tracking and tailoring advertisements to your surfing patterns you may do so at Network Advertising Initiative.Google uses the Doubleclick DART cookie to serve ads across it's Adsense network and you can get further information regarding the DART cookie at Doubleclick as well as opt out options at Google's Privacy CenterPrivacyI respect your privacy and I am committed to safeguarding your privacy while online at this site makemoneyforbeginners.blogspot.com The following discloses how I gather and disseminate information for this Blog.RSS Feeds and Email UpdatesIf a user wishes to subscribe to my RSS Feeds or Email Updates (powered by Feedburner), I ask for contact information such as name and email address. Users may opt-out of these communications at any time. Your personal information will never be sold or given to a third party. (You will never be spammed by me - ever)Log Files and StatsLike most blogging platforms I use log files, in this case Statcounter. This stores information such as internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, internet service provider (ISP), referring, exit and visited pages, platform used, date/time stamp, track user’s movement in the whole, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. IP addresses etc. are not linked to personally identifiable information.CookiesA cookie is a piece of data stored on the user’s computer tied to information about the user. This blog doesn't use cookies. However, some of my business partners use cookies on this site (for example - advertisers). I can't access or control these cookies once the advertisers have set them.LinksThis Blog contains links to other sites. Please be aware that I am not responsible for the privacy practices of these other sites. I suggest my users to be aware of this when they leave this blog and to read the privacy statements of each and every site that collects personally identifiable information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this Blog.AdvertisersI use outside ad companies to display ads on this blog. These ads may contain cookies and are collected by the advertising companies and I do not have access to this information. I work with the following advertising companies: Google Adsense, Amazon Associates, and Coupons.com Affiliated Business Partners . Please check the advertisers websites for respective privacy policies.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Walgreen's Pepsi Deal

Walgreen’s Deals


This week Walgreen has a few good deals. The one I have done a few times is the Pepsi one. Purchase $20 of Pepsi and Frito Lay Products and get $10 is Register Rewards.

My visits:
5 12 packs = $15.00
2 bags tortilla chips = $5.00
OOP is $20 plus tax (except the first time where I used 7 $1 RR from Electrasol)
Get $10 in RR

I will be using my RR next week for the Huggies Deal:
Purchase $25 in Huggies Products get $5 in RR
Perfect time for me as we are out of Pull-Ups!

*Remember you can not roll a RR from one product for the same product.  If you use it another RR will not print.  For example, you can not use a RR from the Pepsi deal on your next Pepsi deal. * 

Essentials of Couponing - Brand Loyalty

The Essentials of Couponing

Short Quick Lessons to help you get started in Couponing

There are many different ways to coupon. The first step you need to take is to decide your goals. (Do you need to live in a smaller budget, are you trying to save money, are you trying to redirect some of your funds?)
If you are not sure, which most of us are when we start, then start simple. Even though couponing can be easy, it can also be very overwhelming and time consuming if you are not careful.

Hopefully that last sentence did not scare you away as I am going to help you by making it simple, easy, and fun. To me saving money and getting a great deal is always fun!

Brand Loyalty
First question to ask yourself, are you Brand Loyal on any items? By this, I mean do you always buy the same brand of an item? If so make a list of these items (toothpaste, diapers, soda). Now, review your list and ask yourself if you are willing to be more open-minded about any of these products. The answer will help you decide how to start couponing.

If you answered I am completely brand loyal to most the products I buy, you can still coupon. What you will do, is look for the coupons for those brands. When you get the coupon inserts, go through them and cut out all the coupons for these brands. You will want to carry these with you to the store each time you go. (I will discuss organization systems next week). What you are doing is looking for your brands to be on sale (many times there are unadvertised sales) or on clearance. If you have your coupons, you can take advantage of these situations and get your favorite items for great prices.

If you answered, I am willing to try some new products, but there are some that I have to have – then you have a little more freedom with your coupons. You will also want to cut out your loyal brands each week and carry them with you to the store. However, you also want to keep your eye out for the great deals on the items where you are willing to be more open. Next week I will discuss a few options for organizing the coupons for the brands you are not loyal to, but are willing to try.

If you answered I am loyal to the deal, then you have a few options. Next week I will discuss the differences between cutting all coupons when you get the inserts versus storing the inserts whole, but you do not want to lose any coupon. Instead, you want to keep every coupon you come across.  You never know when a great deal will happen. I have been amazed at how many brands we now love thanks to coupons. Even if you are always looking for the deal, I am sure you have a few favorite brands. You will want to have these coupons with you each time you walk into the store. I still give myself a hard time for not having my ALL laundry detergent coupons with me about a year ago in CVS. True, $.75 per bottle is a great deal, but $.50 is much better!

Spend the next week deciding which style fits you and your family (though I am always hunting for the deal, there are few items I will pay for). Then start collecting coupons and reviewing the ads. This will help you build up your price knowledge.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Menu Planning Madness

The menu from last week was a huge success. We had enough "real" meals (like port chops) and enough easy meals (like leftovers) that dinner did not seem too stressful. Also, the buffalo wing sauce drumsticks were a huge success. I had made enough for lunch leftovers - or so I thought. I was lucky to even get some.

All I did was:
Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil (easier to clean) and spread the drumsticks out
Bake at 500 degrees for 40 minutes
Put the drumsticks in a large salad bowl and poured about 1/2 cup of Frank's Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce (I was not asked to review or recommend this product. It is a staple in our house) over the drumsticks and used tongs to mix it up.
Add as much or little sauce as you like. My Mother-in-Law took the bottle of the sauce to the table to add a little more on hers.

Here is this week’s menu:

Sunday - Slow Cooked German Short ribs (http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooked-German-Short-Ribs/Detail.aspx). I realize that I don't want to use slow cook recipes that require the extra step like browning the meat. However, I heard so many good things about this recipe I am trying it on the weekend as no one wants me to brown anything at 5:00 am. I also have 2 large sets of ribs as I will be freezing one for another meal.

Monday - Leftovers as it is gymnastics

Tuesday - Lazy Man's Lasagna

Wednesday - Hamburger Helper

Thursday - Leftovers

Friday - Sandwiches and soup (I froze about half of the tortilla soup I made last week with the left over fajita meat)

Saturday - Chicken - I will be cooking a whole chicken in the Crockpot and then using the juices and bones to make more chicken stock as I used all mine for the tortilla soup
I hope everyone has a great week!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Target 75% Clearance

TARGET 75% OFF CLEARANCE

Well I broke down and hit the 75% clearance sales and did not do to shabby (though my credit card may not agree).   Below are pictures of most of the items purchased (some of the duplicates are not shown as I only had so much room on my counter.  I bought all of this for under $200.  I now have a huge dent in my Christmas (yes, I am already planning for Christmas) and Birthday shopping. 







I really need to be better next week!

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Target 75% Clearance

I am on the Target Toys 75% clearance hunt. What about you?

Ok - so I said I was going to be good this week and I am trying very hard. I have made great progress with bringing my food to work. However, I can't resist 75% off!

I went today to see if the Target by work had marked their toys down yet, but no luck. Since I left work for an early lunch to check, I figured I would see if I could find anything else on sale. I found a pile of girls shirts marked to $1.74. And as luck would have it there were the right size for my daughter for next year. I also found a really cute leotard for just over $8.00 (it was such a hit, she wanted to sleep in it tonight and was disappointed that I wanted to wash it before gymnastics tomorrow).

So I am still on the hunt and I hope you are having better luck than I am. On the other hand - I am very happy with the shirts and my daughter is beyond thrilled with the leotard!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Organizing our Office - The Two Touch System

How much paper is piled on your desk or workplace? Over the last year, I could not even see my desk. Instead, I saw a pile of papers, coupons, and newspapers and figured somewhere under all it was a desk. I was pretty sure I use to have a desk under all of it.

The question was whether or not I would ever find it and if I found it could I keep it clear. Over the last two weeks, my husband and I have been working hard clearing the desk. Now that we have the desk cleared, we are working on it keeping it clear which means we have started the two touch rule.

This is our version of the one touch rule. Every piece of paper can only be touched twice. We will try to put every piece of paper in its place the first time we touch it (one touch). If we can’t, it is allowed to go into our in box which we will empty once to twice a week.

This means we have to address everything as it comes to us. We can no longer just pile paper up all over the desk. Instead we have to take the minute or two minutes to address each item. This will save us time over all and it will reduce our headaches and stress with a clean work area. Anyone want to make bets on how long this lasts.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Tracking Rebates

Do you use rebates as part of your plan to save money? I have never really done so previously (other than Caregivers Marketplace), so this year I am giving it a go. I have already filled out my first 3 forms of 2010.

Currently, SC Johnson has a rebate where you receive $5.00 in rebates with the purchase of three listed items. You are able to do this rebate 3 times per household giving you the ability to get up to $15.00 back. I figure this is a great start to rebates!

The keys to saving money with rebates is doing them correctly (reading the small print) and submitting them. I know this sounds very obvious, but that is why the manufacturers can offer so many rebates. People purchase the items with the best intentions, but then forget to send in for the rebate. So here is what I did today:

1) Printed my rebate forms when I gathered my coupons
2) Made filling out the rebates the first thing on my todo list for when I get to my desk tonight
3) Filled them out all the way
- this means the form is filled out, the envelope is addressed and stamped and it will go into the mail tomorrow.

Now tracking. This I am not sure what to do. For now, I built a simple Excel spreadsheet with:
Company, date purchased, date due back, date received, amount due, amount paid, and a comment area. We will see if I can continue tracking them over the year.

(I do not count rebates as part of my Out of Pocket expenses. When the rebates come in, I will put them to my spending budget if needed, or add it to our vacation budget.)

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Menu Planning

It's the weekend which means Menu Planning and Grocery Shopping. This week I am again trying to cook out of my freezer/pantry (since I have already spent more this week than I wanted and it is only the second day).

Here we go:

Sunday - Having friends over for beef/chicken fajitas, refried beans, and Spanish Rice
Monday - Gymnastics so quick dinner of sandwiches
Tuesday - Leftovers from Sunday (I love this meal as DH has Fajitas, MIL has nachos, and girls have whatever they want but it is very little cooking)
Wednesday - Pork chops, Mashed Potatoes, Corn on the Cob, and a green veggie
Thursday - Breakfast Food - eggs, bacon, and pancakes (another favorite and I have all the eggs from the deals this week)
Friday - Leftovers
Saturday - Buffalo Chicken Drumsticks since they were on sale at Kroger's and I had a Tearpad coupon for $1 off of chicken with the purchase of Velveeta and 2 Rotel (which we needed for dinner on Sunday night)

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Walgreen's John Frieda and Kellogg's Deals

Here are two pretty good deals if you have the right coupons:

John Frieda Frizz-Ease Hair Care
2/$10
$5 Register Rewards
$3/2 Coupon (Tear Pad - I found mine in Kroger)
--------
2/$2 - Not free but still a good deal

Kellogg's (Select cereals, Special K Bars, Nutri-Grain Bars, Fiber Plus Bars)
2/$5
$2 Register Rewards
$1/2 coupon on cereal and/or bars (1/03 Red Plum)
--------
2/$2 - Again not free, but a good deal - also it's an even better deal of you have some of larger coupons that are out there!

Electrasol at Walgreen's

Don't forget to use your Electrasol coupon from Sunday's paper this week at Walgreen's.
Electrasol is on sale for $3.49 a box (it is not marked at my store - but it's on sale) and use your coupon for $2.50 off plus you get a $1.00 back in Register Rewards. So you are getting it for free!

What are Register Rewards you ask? They are like coupons to be used on your next purchase. One per item will print per transaction (for example, I did three transactions since I had three coupons). If you buy multiple of the item in one purchase, only 1 register reward will print. Also, you can not roll them for the same item (or many times for the same brand). Using tonight's example again, I did not use any of the register rewards to purchase any of the other boxes of Electrasol. If I had - a register reward would not have printed. I may roll two of these into the John Frieda or Special K deals later this weekend.

** Disclaimer on multiple transactions. Please check with your cashier and remember coupon etiquette. I try to go at odd hours when there won't be a line like tonight. If there is a line, please do a transaction (or possibly two if they are really small and really fast) and then go to the end of the line. **

Easy Crockpot Meal

So I already had to change the menu for this week. It seems we do not have any chicken breasts in our freezer. It's kind of hard to do crockpot chicken without chicken. So at 10:00 at night I am staring in my freezer waiting for an inspiration. I knew we had to work late, so I needed an easy meal. I got creative with a pork roast.

For most people getting creative is a good thing, however that is not always the case with my cooking. Luckily this one was a hit.

The next morning before leaving for work I placed the frozen pork roast in the crockpot with a can of beef broth and 4 cups of homemade chicken broth I pulled out of the freezer the night before. I realize this sounds like a lot of liquid, but my crockpot is not that great of one and we have had a few burned meals. Not this one. The meat fell apart to the touch, was very juicy, and flavorful. Not only that, it reheat very well for today!!

Not bad for an easy inexpensive recipe. The pork roast was bought on sale as was the beef broth (Later this year I will be trying to make my own beef broth). The chicken broth cost me close to nothing to make. We added instant potatoes and frozen vegetables I had purchased for free a few weeks ago.

Monday, January 4, 2010

Bad news for Couponers in Houston

It seems that the Hosuton Chronicle has increased the price of their newspaper. Due to this, the .99 store has suspended selling them.

This past weekend I had to pay double for my extra coupons. I had serious doubts about doing this, but the coupons were too tempting. The question is - what will I do next weekend????

Small Frugal Changes

As I posted earlier - I am trying to save money this year. The first thing I need to know is where I am throwing it away. An obvious answer to that is lunch at work. When I get lazy, I don't bring any food to work for breakfast or lunch.

During the last two months I averaged @2.25 for breakfast each day and almost $7.00 for lunch. I am not talking about anything fancy here, instead my normal lunch is a sandwhich, chips, drink, and cookies. If we total that up, we are looking at almost $50 a week or $200 a month - ouch!!!

So here is my first New Year's goal - to bring my food atleast 3 days a week. Using the numbers above, that will save me over $1,440.00 a year!!! Now, what will I do with an extra $1400 in December???

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Shortcut to getting lab work done

We all hate having to wait at the doctors or getting lab work done. Luckily most of our family doctors run very efficient offices and do not believe in overbooking their day so the first issue is not usually an issue for us. However, I do not have any control over the labs when I need to get blood drawn - or do I??

On Thurs I had to get blood drawn for an enzyme test. I knew the lab would close early as it was New Years Eve. Also, I knew it would be busy as it was the last day of the year and deductibles start over on the next day. This is why I had to go on Thurs. I had already hit my deductible for the year.

My doctor sent me to a Quest Lab. If you did not know this, Quest takes appointments. Made on-line or through a phone call. It is very simple. On Thursday morning I made an appointment for 11:20. When I got there and signed in (on the second sign in page) I was one of three with an appointment. I was called in under 5 minutes. There we 30 other people in that waiting room. Making that appointment saved me 2 hours.

So, if you need lab work - check and see if your lab takes appointments. Even if you are on your way to the lab - that phone call might save you valuable time!

Menu Planning

One of the best ways to stay on budget and help the waistline is to utilize menu planning. A few months ago I had no idea what this meant or how to do it. However, as I learned how easy it is, I am really addicted. All it takes is deciding what you want to eat for the week over the weekend. This way you can get you know what you need at the grocery store before the week starts and your ready to go.

This reduces the fast food trips on the way home from work, the last minute (expensive) trips to the grocery store, and living on the same boring recipes week after week (what I am very guilty of).

Over the last month or so I have gotten away from them and fallen back into some old (bad) habits. So to start the year, I am back to menu planning. I will try to post every Sat as inspiration for you to get yours done before the weekend starts. Here it goes:

Sun - Grill hamburgers and hot dogs, green beans, corn
Mon - DD gymnastics so hopefully I will plan ahead and bring sandwiches so we don't get fast food
Tue - Ravioli, steamed veggies
Wed - Crock pot chicken, Spanish rice, black beans
Thur - Activity at work (that involves food)
Fri - Grilled Salmon with left over rice and veggies

A few good things about this menu:
1) Easy meals to cook after dinner
2) Wide range of food
3) Most meals will have leftovers for lunches for DH and myself
4) I had everyone of these items already!!!

Friday, January 1, 2010

Happy Frugal New Year

So the New Year has started and I am really trying to make it a frugal one!!! This is also the time that everyone sets resolutions and goals. Do you have yours in mind? I do, but I have not had the time to write them out. The reason is I want to make sure you can track and attain them.

Now why would I want to do that - better chance of meeting them. I do want to save money and lose weight. However, how much do I want to lose and how much do I want to save. Those are the questions in my mind right now. Also, how am I going to do it??? Hopefully by the end of the weekend I will have answers.

Before I sign off tonight I want to remind all my frugal readers to finish filling out your Caregivers Marketplace rebates for 2009. They need to be postmarked by Jan 31st and if you are like me - you have not started. On the other hand, I will like that check when it gets here in a month or two. Also they have added 2010 to their website, but warning before you read it - no Huggies products.... There goes our rebate next year.

Happy New Year and start working on your goals for this year. Maybe next year we will be organized enough to have them done prior to the New Year ringing in!