Tuesday, August 31, 2010
20 New Pampers Gifts to Grow Points
Add 20 Gifts to Grow points to your account when you use code HangOn2Summer20.
Thanks Common Sense with Money!
Free Sample: Kashi Cracker, Granola, or Cereal Bar
Go here to request a free sample from Kashi. You get to choose between granola bars, cereal bars, or crackers.
Thanks Cha-Ching on a Shoestring!
Freebie: Energizer Recharge Batteries
Remember on when I wrote on Friday about rechargeable batteries? Well, you have a chance to get a coupon for a four pack of Energizer Recharge AA batteries when you "Like" Energizer on Facebook. Offer is limited to the first 30,000 requests.
The site is running awfully slow, but if you keep refreshing, you should hopefully get it to work.
Thanks For the Mommas!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Monthly Spending Summary (August)
Last month I had mentioned that I had a boatload of rebates that I was hoping would come and help "bail me out" this month. Well, I still haven't gotten most of them! I thought I had requested my Rite Aid Single Check Rebates and hadn't, so I won't get them til this month. But the good news is that this month I should receive roughly $100 in rebates so that will really give me a boost.
Anyway, enough of all that.
Monthly Grocery/Household Budget: $190
Total Spent: $206.62
Total Saved with Coupons/Sales: $403.46
Week 1: $41.72
Week 2: $75.88
Week 3: $50.61
Week 4: $38.41
Other Expenses: $83.85
- 1 1/2 bu. peaches: $47.85
- 1 1/2 bu. beans: $36
Credits: $25.78
- Mostly from rebates
Ending Monthly Balance: $264.69 (over budget by $74.69)
Balance carried from Jan.-July: $77.82
Ending Annual Balance: $3.13
- In case you are confused, this is the amount I have left from previous months when I was under budget. I kind of tried to plan ahead for the extra expense of fruit and veggies that I buy to can and freeze. So basically I am ahead by $3.13 for the year. Such a small amount doesn't really make me feel very comforted, but at least I'm not over budget I guess!
How was your month? Feeling good about it? Or were you like me and went over budget once again?
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Weekly Spending Summary
Total Spent: $38.41
Total Saved with Coupons: $66.99
Total Saved with Sales: $47.91
Total Saved: $114.90
Rite Aid: $15.91
Saved with Coupons: $38.00
Saved with Sales: $26.02
CVS: $0 (gift card)
Saved with Coupons: $10.99
Saved with Sales: $7.00
Had I not used a gift card I would have spent $1.57. I also used $7.99 in Extra Bucks and got $11.99 back.
Giant: $9.50
Saved with Coupons: $18.00
Saved with Sales: $14.89
Okay, to try to explain this sale in detail would be REALLY confusing, so let me just say that I had a rain check for the JIF and Smucker's that involved a $5 catalina. I also had another $5 catalina coupon so $10 of my coupons were catalina's.
There were $5 rebates (when you buy 2) on the Sorrento cheese a while back and you could submit 5 rebates per household. So I plan to submit two rebates and get $10 back there.
Centerville Bulk Food: $13.00
My honey stopped and got me oatmeal, rolled oats, brown sugar and fresh fruit. I suddenly realized I was totally out of both kinds of oatmeal and almost out of brown sugar. So much for planning ahead! Seems I've been doing rather poorly at that lately.
How did you do this week? Get any amazing deals?
Friday, August 27, 2010
For What It's Worth: Using Rechargable Batteries
We don’t use batteries as much as many folks do, but it still always galls me how fast we can go through them. One of the main things that hogged batteries for us was our digital camera. Several years ago I decided to invest in an Energizer battery charger and let me tell you, it has saved us SO much money since then.
The one we have is like the one pictured above and charges 4 AA or 2 AAA batteries. It is super fast at charging and I love that I can have 2 batteries in my camera and 2 batteries in the charger ready to swap out when the batteries in my camera die. To me there is not much more frustrating when you are trying to take pictures only to have your batteries die and realize that you have none to replace them with!
And really, battery chargers are rather inexpensive when you think about it. Amazon has them listed for anywhere between $12-$20 and many of them come with batteries too. (And of course if you really want to save, you can always use your Swagbucks to pay for them.) Obviously, it would only take you several packs of batteries to spend that amount and then you just have to throw them out when you are done using them!
So there you have it, for what it’s worth.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Target Gift Card and Prize Pack Winner
Hurray! We have a winner for the $25 Target gift card and prize pack. Random.org said #24 was the winner and that was s_peachey who said she is a follower of this blog.
Congratulations Susan! Just respond to the email that I sent you within 48 hours and I'll work at getting your prize to you.
Thanks to all of you that entered. I know this is trite, but I really do wish I could give you ALL something!
$2/1 Ball Park Hot Dogs Coupon
Thanks Common Sense with Money!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
25 New Pampers Gifts To Grow Points
Here are 3 new codes worth 25 points total to add to your Gifts to Grow account.
GTG5FREEPTS0810 (5 pts.)
GTGCOUPONPOINTS (10 pts.)
CAREFORNEWBORNS (10 pts.)
Thanks The Frugal Girls!
Free Sample: Breathe Right Extra Nasal Strips
Thanks Cha-Ching on a Shoestring!
Free Sample: Aveeno Nourish Shampoo & Conditioner
Go here to request a free sample of Aveeno Nourish shampoo and conditioner. Or if you prefer, you can request a coupon instead.
Walmart: Olde Hearth Bagels for $0.28
Heading to Walmart soon? You might want to print out the coupon for $1/1 Olde Hearth Bagels since they are reportedly $1.28 at Walmart right now. Remember, Walmart prices do vary quite a bit so there is a chance you may not find them at this price at your Walmart.
Thanks Centsable Momma!
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
30% Off at Gap, Old Navy and Banana Republic
Thanks Saving with Shellie!
Tasty Tuesday: Strawberry and Feta Cheese Salad
Strawberry and Feta Cheese Salad
1 bag baby spinach
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 c. feta or blue cheese, crumbled
1/2 c. sliced almonds, roasted
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
1 c. sliced strawberries (I've also used mandarin oranges, canned)
Dressing*:
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. olive oil
1/2 c. cider vinegar
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. chopped red onion
Assemble salad ingredients in a large bowl. In a blender, place dressing ingredients; blend until smooth. Just before serving, pour dressing over salad and toss until well coated.
Yield: 8-10 servings
*We like lots of dressing, but I have found that there is still plenty of dressing with only using about 2/3 of this recipe.
For other great recipe ideas, check out Balancing Beauty and Bedlam's Tasty Tuesday, Blessed with Grace's Tempt my Tummy Tuesday, and All the Small Stuff's Tuesday's at the Table.
Weekly Spending Summary
Anyway, on to the breakdown of my spending.
Total Spent: $50.61
Total Saved with Coupons: $53.75
Total Saved with Sales: $32.26
Total Saved: $86.01
CVS: $o (gift card)
Saved with Coupons: $36.75
Saved with Sales: $13.76
I used $9.99 in Extra Bucks and got $22.99 back. I think my challenge is going to be using them all up before they expire!
Rite Aid: $3.04
Saved with Coupons: $14.00
Saved with Sales: $18.50
I'll get $8.99 back in Single Check Rebates for this purchase. Oh, and the Nivea was bought with a raincheck that I had.
Aldi: $19.37
I'm going through sugar like crazy with all the canning and freezing I've been doing. I still have applesauce to do so I thought I might as well start buying some for that. Oh and the feta cheese, strawberries, and spinach are for this awesome salad I'm planning to make for a get together with friends. Maybe I'll have to post the recipe and revive my Tasty Tuesday again. :)
Giant: $1.19
I purchased a dozen of eggs.
Walmart: $10.26
Target: $0
Saved with Coupons: $3.00
Dollar Tree: $2.00
I'm going to try making my own Windex with these ingredients plus dish soap and water. I've gotten really tired of using the Windex brand (and other brands too for that matter) and having streaks despite the streak free shine claim. One of my friends says this homemade version is the absolute best. Guess if I like it, you'll be seeing a recipe on here eventually.
Misc.: $14.75
Cash for produce at market.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Walmart: Free Dryel After Rebate
Want to turn this into a moneymaker? Use this $2/1 coupon.
Thanks Hip2Save!
$1/1 Wheat Thins Coupon (Reset)
This is a great coupon because the small boxes frequently go on sale for $1 at CVS which would obviously make them free.
Thanks Saving with Shellie!
Saturday, August 21, 2010
RecycleBank Code Update
You know that 15 point RecycleBank code that I posted yesterday? Well it looks like you can add it to your account up to 5 times for a total of 75 points!
You can also do this to earn additional points. And don't forget to check the "Earn Points" option. You might find some other good ideas there!
Friday, August 20, 2010
For What It's Worth: Freezing Cookie Dough
Did you know that you can freeze your own cookie dough? I finally gave it a try and am hooked. Simply mix up your favorite cookie dough, then roll the dough into the appropriate size balls and place in a freezer safe container. When ready to make, just pop the amount of frozen dough balls on a cookie sheet and bake as usual. The only thing you might have to do differently is bake them a little longer.
Two Tips:
1. Place the dough balls on wax paper to eliminate sticky dough residue in the bottom of your container. Also, place a layer of wax paper between each layer of dough balls.
2. Refrigerate the dough before rolling it into balls. It just is less sticky and makes the job much easier.
I love this for several reasons. (1) It keeps us from having a huge amount of already made cookies on hand or in the freezer, making it easy for me to sneak them throughout the day. (2) It is incredibly handy for those times you need a quick snack when someone stops by or even a quick dessert for dinner. (3) You get to enjoy warm, fresh-from-the-oven cookies whenever you want them!
So there you have it, for what it's worth.
Have you ever frozen cookie dough? Do you have any other tips that would be helpful? Please share!
RecycleBank: 15 New Points
Remember the CVS and Rite Aid coupons I posted about recently from RecycleBank? Well, I have great news for you. You can add another 15 points to your account to use towards one of those coupons or hundreds of other rewards. Just enter THETHRIFTYFR15 at RecycleBank.com and select 'RecycleBank Insiders' before August 31, 2010 (upper right hand corner).
If you're not yet a member, register and you'll receive 25 points at registration plus the 15 points with this code for a total of 40 points to use towards rewards.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Incredible Amazon Diaper Deal
Instead of posting the whole deal, I just direct you over to Money Saving Mom's detailed instructional post. However, her link to the coupon section isn't working so here is a good one. Oh and please don't forget to cancel your subscription once your diapers arrive. Put on your calendar or something so you remember!
T.G.I.Friday's: $3/$10 Coupon
Michael's: 40% Off Coupon
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Free Subscription: Parenting Early Years
Go here to request a free subscription to Parenting Early Years. Hurry, these offers usually go fast!
Thanks For the Mommas!
Athenos Feta Cheese: Buy 1 Get 1 Free Coupon
Go to Athenos Facebook page and click on the coupon tab for a rare Buy 1 Get 1 Free Feta Cheese coupon. It appears that the coupon has about a one month expiration date.
Thanks Hip 2 Save!
$25 Target Gift Card and Prize Pack Giveaway (Now ENDED)
And now for the giveaway. MyBlogSpark and General Mills has generously offered to give away a prize pack to one of my readers. The prize pack includes a $25 Target gift card, 25 Bonus Box Tops, an Avery Binder, Betty Crocker Fruit Gushers Variety Pack, Hamburger Helper Cheeseburger Macaroni, Hefty CinchSak Trash Bags, Honey Nut Cheerios, Juicy Juice 8-Pack Juice Boxes, Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars, and Welch's Concord Grape Jelly.
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Monday, August 16, 2010
Upcoming csnstores.com Product Review
Recently csnstores.com contacted me and asked if I would do a product review- any product of my choice within a certain price range. I was excited since they have everything from games, to toys, to crock-pots, to upholstered headboards, to bath towels. You name it, they pretty much have it.
The biggest problem is that I have spent WAY too much time browsing their site! But anyway, I think I finally am narrowing down my options and hopefully in a couple of weeks you can have fun reading a product review.
Oh, and stay tuned. Because later on this week I have a great giveaway coming up! I think you'll all like it.
Weekly Spending Summary
Total Spent: $75.88
Total Saved with Coupons: $43.71
Total Saved with Sales: $14.91
Total Saved: $58.62
CVS: $0 (gift card)
Saved with Coupons: $28.96
Saved with Sales: $12.82
Rite Aid: $1.69
Saved with Coupons: $1.00
Saved with Sales: $1.10
Saved with Coupons: $2.00
My yogurt making has stopped for the time being. It just kept getting weird the last few times and I finally decided maybe the humidity had something to do with it. I don't know. But at any rate, we really miss it and until I start making it again I will probably be buying some.
Giant: $3.49
Saved with Coupons: $11.75
Saved with Sales: $0.99
Vince forgot to stop and get milk at the farm we buy it from so I had to purchase some at the store. Wow, when that happens I am always reminded how much we save by normally getting it for the $1.50/gallon that we do.
I had a $10 catalina from last week that I used to purchase these items. Then for buying the sour cream I got another $5 catalina.
Glenwood Foods (local discount grocery): $26.56
Had to stop here in a kind of emergency to get a few things that I needed for making pickles. But I also scanned a few of their other items that I know are usually priced really low and grabbed some of those things as well. My favorite purchase was the juice for $1.39.
I was so busy the day I stopped here (had bought corn to do that day) that I didn't even bother to take a picture. So just think of lots of bulk food items and some fresh fruit and cheese. :)
Misc.: $0.48
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Printable Coupon Round Up: Campbell's, Huggies, Muir Glen
* $1/1 Campbell's Select Harvest Soup (Thanks Money Saving Mom!)
* $2.50 Huggies Pure and Natural
* $0.75/1 Muir Glen Product (sold at Walmart for just over $1)
* $2/1 Huggies Little Snugglers
T.G.I. Friday's: $5/$15 Purchase Coupon
JCPenney: $10 off $10 Purchase Coupon
Anyway, I finally figured out how others can sign up to receive these fliers too. Go here and sign up for the JCPenney list. This offer is through Eversave, so after you complete the JCPenney offer there will be a bunch of other offers that pop up. I'd highly recommend just closing the tab once you've completed the personal information for JCPenney.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
I'm Up to My Ears
In corn that is. Yes, we are doing corn today. My sweet husband picked us about 400 ears this morning and now my mom, dad and I are working at getting it into the freezer. For those of you that never have frozen corn, it is quite a process. But it is one that is so worth it. There is NOTHING like homegrown frozen corn.
Anyway, I will probably be on here very little or not at all since we are going to be quite busy for the rest of the day. Hope you all enjoy your day doing whatever your busy with!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Free Sample: VitaFusion Gummy Vitamins
Thanks Cha-Ching on a Shoestring!
Weekly Spending Summary
Total Spent: $41.72
Total Saved with Coupons: $79.37
Total Saved with Sales: $64.56
Total Saved: $143.93
Rite Aid: $12.64
Saved with Coupons: $42.14
Saved with Sales: $26.32
I didn't notice until I got home that the cashier missed using my one +UP Rewards coupon. I can't remember how much it was for either. But I guess I make enough money at Rite Aid I shouldn't complain, right?
Giant: $3.49
Saved with Coupons: $20.00
Saved with Sales: $32.09
Okay, promise not to laugh at the huge quantity of crackers and waffles that I purchased. Here was the deal. There was a catalina and instant savings promo going on that when combined with coupons I was actually able to make money purchasing both the Keebler crackers and the Eggo waffles. I normally wouldn't buy Eggo's but since I could roll the catalina from the Keebler crackers I figured I might as well. They'll make a quick lunch when I'm in a pinch and Vince will enjoy them occasionally as something different in his lunch too.
Basically, the Cheez-It's and Twix were filler items (because I planned poorly and forgot about the overage I would have-had I planned I would have bought grapes instead). I used a $5 catalina that I had from last week and I still have a $10 catalina coupon to use on a future order, so really in the end, all of this will be free.
CVS: $0
Saved with Coupons: $6.77
Saved with Sales: $6.15
Aldi: $9.70
Walmart: $2.17
I had $10.17 on a gift card from a previous return and I used that to help pay for this purchase.
Target: $1.98
Saved with Coupons: $10.46
Sharp Shopper: $4.98
Bought vinegar and cottage cheese.
Misc.: $6.76
Used to buy canning lids etc.