Weekly Spending Summary

This was a fun week of getting lots of stuff for a little bit of money. Not much more to say than that!

Total Spent: $39.57
Total Saved with Coupons: $80.70
Total Saved with Sales: $41.48
Total Saved: $122.18

CVS: $0 (gift card)
Saved with Coupons: $1.98
Saved with Sales: $0.60


I have a gift card that we earned through our credit card rewards program that I use to pay for my CVS purchases. Had I not used that gift card, I would have paid $0.27 for this purchase.

In retrospect, I am wondering why I even bothered to go to CVS this week. I mean, do I really need free jelly beans and Cadbury eggs? I think not! And I could have easily done without the free panty shields too. Oh well, I wasn't really thinking when I planned that trip!

I got the CVS panty shields free with a coupon from the CVS coupon machine.

Rite Aid: $1.17 (+$0.68 loose change)
Saved with Coupons: $58.80
Saved with Sales: $22.93



I made $3.02 on the Benefiber. I was excited to be able to get some Huggies for $2.99. I kind of have this rule of thumb that I try not to pay more than $3 for a package of diapers. Usually I am able to do that, although lately the diaper deals have been a bit slim at Rite Aid, which is usually where I can get them for this price.

I had a rain check for the Excedrin and the Betty Crocker cookie mix. (Side note, the cookie mix cracked me up. It says "10 Minutes to Homemade" on the front. A mix is homemade?! Okay, whatever!)

Giant: $7.78
Saved with Coupons: $6.92
Saved with Sales: $10.39

I was excited about this little trip to Giant. I was able to get the Zone bar, Sobe and Krunchers free with FREE product coupons. Actually, the Krunchers chips were on sale BOGO and I had a coupon for a free bag which made both bags free. I had been holding onto that coupon for a sale like that, but had about given up. It really does pay to wait and use those FREE coupons strategically!

I also got both boxes of Perdue Shortcuts chicken free. There was a rebate in the coupon inserts for a FREE box after rebate. The Shortcuts were on sale this week at Giant for BOGO, so other than the cost of the postage stamp, both boxes are free! Now free meat isn't something I'm able to get very often, so I was pretty tickled.

Target: $2.79
Saved with Coupons: $6.00
Saved with Sales: $3.37

I got the Finish free after coupons...one of these days I'll have to post a picture of my Finish stash! The bleach was only $0.27 after a coupon.

Weis: $6.18
Saved with Coupons: $7.00
Saved with Sales: $4.19


Well, I actually ran out of eggs on Monday- an unheard of thing for me. So I guess it was good that I could stock up again at Weis! I had a raincheck for the Eggland's Best eggs and got them for $0.99/doz. I used this coupon to get the Weis brand eggs for only $0.69/doz. The toilet paper was free after coupon and the rice was just a good price after coupon.

Aldi: $8.23
Centerville Bulk Foods: $13.42

I stocked up on a few items I was needing.

Misc.: $0
My sister-in-law generously gave me some tuna and salmon that she got for free. They just don't eat that much of it and she knows that we love it. Wasn't that sweet of her?

Michael's: 40% Off Coupon

Use this coupon to save 40% off any single regular priced item at Michael's.

Thanks Saving with Shellie!

$0.50/1 KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce Coupon

Go here to print a coupon for $0.50/1 KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce or marinade. You know the deal...this should make for inexpensive BBQ sauce if you have a store that doubles coupons.

$1/1 Hidden Valley Farmhouse Dressing Coupon

Go here to request a coupon for $1/1 Hidden Valley Farmhouse Originals salad dressing.

Our Weekend

Okay, so I know this blog is primarily about saving money, but occasionally I just can't help including other things too. I always figure two things. 1. It is my blog so I can blog about what I want to. 2. You can always skip over the post if you really don't want to know about it. So anyway, with that cleared up, let me tell you just a little bit about our weekend. :)

I had heard about Family Life's Weekend to Remember for years and always thought it would be fun to go to if I got married. Well, I got married but somehow we just never got it done. So I was pretty excited when I heard that there was a Weekend to Remember Marriage Conference in Hershey (which is really close to us). I got a flier about it and strategically left it lying on the counter where I hoped Vince would spot it. And sure enough, he did. I saw him looking at it and held my breath, hoping he would be the one to initiate going. "This looks interesting", he said. "Yeah, I thought so too," I casually replied. And then I couldn't contain my excitement when he asked, "Would you like to go?" I grinned sheepishly and told him that was kind of why I left the flier lying on the counter. We both had a good laugh.

Anyway, to make a long story short we attended the Weekend to Remember Marriage Conference this past weekend. And what a wonderful time we had! Seriously, I can't say enough good about the conference. It was fun, it was challenging, it was inspiring, and it gave us lots of ideas of how we can continue to grow and improve our relationship with each other. Here are a couple of things that really stood out to me:
* During conflict, anger needs to be directed at the situation not the person.
* Everyone has annoying traits that get on your nerves, so why shouldn't it be your spouse's annoying traits? (In other words, just moving on to another person isn't really going to help the situation.)
* We are to teach and train our children and support our husbands, not the other way around.
* Marriage is not a 50/50 relationship...we each have to give it 100%.

If you are married, I would highly recommend that you attend a Weekend to Remember Marriage Conference. It doesn't matter if your marriage seems to be falling apart or if it seems like it's as good as it can get, I guarantee you will be challenged and will find it helpful in strengthening your marriage. In fact, Family Life has received lots of testimonials from couples who were on the verge of divorce and went to a Weekend to Remember as a last resort- and it was instrumental in keeping their marriage together.

Oh and since this is a money saving blog, I can't help but give you a tip on how to save money if you go. Each conference has people that try to get a group together to go...and anyone can join that group. The great part about joining a group is that you can get into the conference for 50% off! What I would recommend doing is putting something like this in a search engine:
Baltimore Weekend to Remember. You could always add the word "group" to your search too. But that should help you find a group that you can join and get the 50% off. Oh, and no worries. Being part of a group doesn't mean anything other than getting a discount. Make sense?

Have you ever been to a Weekend to Remember? Care to tell us about your experience?

I was not asked to blog about our experience and neither did I get reimbursed for this post in any way. I simply wanted to share about our experience because we enjoyed it so much.

Free Sample: Kirkland Diapers

Head over to Costco's website and you can request a free sample of Kirkland brand diapers. No membership necessary.

Thanks Saving with Shellie!

End of the Month Reminder

It's the end of the month and that means that some of the coupons over at Coupons.com might disappear soon. If there are any that you wanted to make sure you have, I'd recommend printing them now.

$1/1 Kettle Chips Coupon

Go here to print a coupon for $1/1 Kettle Baked chips. I honestly have no idea what price these normally run around here, but most chips go sale at Giant for around $2 so I'm pretty sure you should be able to get some inexpensive chips with this coupon.

Thanks Saving with Shellie!

Plum District: Refer 2 Friends, Get $10 California Pizza Kitchen Gift Card

Today's deal at Plum District, another daily deal site, is a $10 California Pizza Kitchen gift card when you refer 2 friends.

Sign up now and then refer 2 of your friends to get your own gift card. If I get my 2 referrals, I will post that here and then you all can list your referral links in the comments section if you'd like.

Oh and hey, if I get a $10 gift card I plan to use it at a blog giveaway!

Thanks For the Mommas!

Recyclebank: 50 Points= $2/1 Naked Juice, BOGO Ruby Tuesday and More

Head over to Recyclebank and sign up or login. Then click the "Earn Points" tab and look for the Saw us on TV pictured above. Follow the instructions there to add 50 points to your Recyclebank account. Then if you want, you can redeem those points for some of the special following offers:

* $2/1 Kashi product (50 pts.)
* $2/1 Naked product (10 pts.)
* BOGO Free Ruby Tuesday's Entree (10 pts.)
* $2/2 Earthbound Farm Organic Products (10 pts.)
* $1/1 Honest Tea (10 pts.)
* $1/2 Ziploc bags (10 pts.)

There are lots more great offers you can redeem your points for, these are just some of the limited time special offers right now.

Winners of the Arby's Combo Coupons

Yay! We have our winners of the Arbys Free Combo Coupons. I have emailed both winners and they have 48 hours to respond before I pick other winners. Thanks to all of you who entered!

#17 - Winner number 1 gets three coupons
Ashley (email address: hewella1) said...

I like the regular roast beef.

#25- Winner number 2 gets two coupons
Joy said...

I'm an Arby's extra member!

Free Sample: Soy Joy

Head over to Facebook and get a free SoyJoy bar.

Thanks Mojo Savings!

$0.45/1 Hunts Pasta Sauce Coupon

Go here to print a coupon for $0.45/1 Hunts Pasta Sauce. I'm thinking this should get you some free pasta sauce at a store that doubles.

$1/1 Red Baron Pizza or Pasta

Go here to print a coupon for $1/1 Red Baron Pan Pizza or Pan Pasta.

Thanks For the Mommas!

Is Shopping at Aldi Worth It?

I recently had a friend ask me that question: "Is shopping at Aldi worth it?" She was asking this primarily because she lives about 25 min. away from an Aldi store and was trying to decide if it would be worth her time to go once a month or so and stock up on some things. Guess what I told her. Yes. A loud yes (especially because she doesn't use coupons)!

My experience has proven that overall, Aldi is almost always less expensive than other grocery stores. And if you don't want to take the time to use coupons, then Aldi is definitely the store to shop at to save money! No, they don't usually have name brand items but I've been very pleased with the high quality of the Aldi brand items. And what's even better is that most if not all their items have a money back guarantee. So if you really don't like an item for whatever reason, you can take it back and they will refund you your money.

And even if you do use coupons, there are always those items that you just haven't been able to find a good deal on. That's when I head to Aldi.

To help you see the savings yourself I made up a little price comparison chart. Check it out:

	Aldi’s Price	Other Store’s Sale Price (store brand)
1. Saltines	$0.79/ box	$1.29/ box (this week @ Weis)
2. Peanut Butter	$1.39/ 18 oz.	$1.59/ 18 oz. (this week @ Giant)
3. Canola Oil	$2.29/ 48 oz.	$2.49/ 48 oz. (this week at Giant)
4. Sour Cream	$1.19/ 16 oz.	$1.39/ 16 oz. (this week at Giant)
5.Cream Cheese	$0.89/ 8 oz.	$1.00/ 8 oz. (this week at Weis)
6.Cottage Cheese	$1.99/ 24 oz.	$1.69/ 16 oz. (this week @ Weis)
7. White Vinegar	$0.79/ 32 oz.	$1.00/ 32 oz. (this week at Weis)
8. Shredded Parmesan	$2.49/ 8 oz.	$1.00/ 3 oz. (this week @ Weis

And just for further reference, here's some of the regular prices of other items at our local Aldi:

1. $2.49 Sugar 5lbs.

2. $1.18 Brown Sugar 2lb.

3. $1.18 Confectioner's Sugar 2lb.

4. $1.69 Semi-sweet & milk chocolate chips 12 oz.

5. $0.89 Pineapple, crushed 20 oz.

6. $1.99 Salmon, canned 14.75 oz.

7. $1.19 Graham Crackers (reg. size box)

8. $0.79 Whipped Topping (small)

9. $0.55 Black & Northern Beans, canned 15.5 oz.

10. $1.29 Plastic Wrap 200 sq. ft.

So, do you shop at Aldi? What is your impression of the pricing/savings?

Swagcode Alert!

Head over the to Swagbucks blog to get a code worth 15 Swagbucks. Hurry, the code is only good until 2 pm. (PST) which is 5pm. (EST) if I'm not mistaken.

New to Swagbucks? Sign up now! You'll earn "bucks" for doing something you already do- searching the web (think Google). Then you can redeem those "bucks" for great things like Amazon.com gift cards, $5 cash via Paypal and more!

Thanks Rachel!

$1/1 Miracle Whip Coupon

You can print a $1/1 Miracle Whip coupon when you tell Miracle Whip what you really think about them (on Facebook).

Thanks Money Saving Mom!

Rue La La: $20 Credit

Right now you can get a $20 credit to the daily deal site Rue La La when you sign up through this Paypal link. The credit should show up in your account within 48 hours.

I would highly recommend signing up for this credit even if you aren't sure if you'll use it. They had a similar offer last fall that I passed up and regretted numerous times that I did as there were several really good deals that I could have gotten with it. If I see great deals for Rue La La I will try to let you know.

Thanks Money Saving Mom!

You Might Enjoy....

http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/08/couponing-an-investment-in-our-family.html

http://homejoys.blogspot.com/2011/09/whats-so-wrong-with-sugar.html

http://beautyandbedlam.com/wilting-roses/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+beautyandbedlam%2FMCXv+%28Balancing+Beauty+and+Bedlam%29&utm_content=Bloglines

http://alphamom.com/family-fun/crafts/build-a-felt-cupcake/\


http://eatathomecooks.com/2010/04/seasoned-salt-make-your-own.html

http://bakingbites.com/2009/01/homemade-girl-scout-cookie-recipes/

http://kwavs.blogspot.com/2011/05/blessing-bags-how-to.html?showComment=1314905058930#c8683374595882881109

$0.75/1 Starkist Tuna Coupon

Sign up or login to the Starkist community to be able to print two $0.75 coupons for Starkist tuna. I'm guessing the Yellowfin Tuna will be more expensive than just the regular tuna pouches.

Thanks Hip2Save!

Why I Buy Things I Won't Use

Sometimes I buy things that I won't use. Yes, I know, it sounds like it would be wasteful right? Well, let me explain just why I do this (and why I'd encourage you to do it too.)

Sometimes there is an item that I can get and actually make money on but it is an item that I personally don't use. Typically I will go ahead and buy it anyway for two reasons.

1. I can make money on the product which means more cash in my grocery budget. Who doesn't like to get paid to shop?!

2. I can then give the item to a friend that can use it or I will donate it to our local homeless shelter. Who doesn't like to be able to help someone else out?!

Here's an example. This week Benefiber is on sale at Rite Aid. I don't use Benefiber and don't know of anyone who does, but I bought it anyway and plan to give it to our local shelter.

(2) Benefiber Sticks $11.98 (with 20% discount-not everyone gets this discount)
Get (2) $3.00 Single Check Rebates
use $7.00/2 Benefiber Coupon
$1/1 Benefiber Product Rite Aid printable (Jan.)
$1/1 Benefiber Product Rite Aid printable (Feb.)
Free after plus $3.02 profit after coupons and rebates

So not only did I make some money that I can use on other grocery purchases, I also have an item that I can pass on to someone else in need.

$0.50/1 Starkist Tuna Pouch Coupon

There's a coupon here for $0.50/1 Starkist Tuna Pouch. If you have a store that doubles coupons, you should be able to get free or nearly free tuna with this coupon.

Thanks Hip 2 Save!

T.G.I.Friday's: $5/$15 Coupon

Save $5 off a purchase of $15 or more at T.G.I. Friday's. Coupon expires 3/7/11.

Thanks Koupon Karen!

Weekly Spending Summary

This was a fun week. I did quite a bit of shopping and got lots of great deals. I'm so thankful for a little guy that is a great sport when it comes to shopping. Actually he begs to go on days that we stay home. :)

Total Spent: $15.25
Total Saved with Coupons: $52.80
Total Saved with Sales: $37.16
Total Saved: $89.96

Rite Aid: $3.52
Saved with Coupons: $15.00
Saved with Sales: $7.98

I finished using up a gift card on this purchase, otherwise my out of pocket would have been $2.34 more.

I kind of goofed on the Oreo purchase. I had seen on another blog that they were on sale and were supposed to be $0.50/each after coupons etc. Well, I failed to notice that that particular started the following week (2/20 to 2/26). So I actually paid $0.79/each. Still not a bad price, but if I had only been paying attention I could have saved another $0.58!

CVS: $0 (gift card)
Saved with Coupons: $25.99
Saved with Sales: $8.11


I had a FREE product coupon for the Ruffles. And imagine this...I paid FULL PRICE for the cashews. I've been wanting them for a dish that I like and finally decided to just go ahead and buy them and skip waiting for a sale. It actually was kind of fun to just buy them, no coupons, no sale, just because.

Walgreens: $4.99
Saved with Coupons: $4.00
Saved with Sales: $8.99

I haven't been in Walgreens for ages, but they had a really good diaper deal on and I've heard rave reviews about their diapers so I thought I'd try them out.

Giant: $0.49
Saved with Coupons: $2.00
Saved with Sales: $0.58

I was needing a good excuse for a walk last week when the weather was absolutely gorgeous and spring-like. And so when I saw that I could get Scotties tissues free at Giant, I took that as my sign that I was to go enjoy some exercise and sunshine and walked to our closest Giant store.

Target: $2.30
Saved with Sales: $4.81
Saved with Coupons: $11.50

I had fun grabbing a few grocery items for cheap at Target this week. The Finish was just $0.25/box after coupons! Oh and I can't wait. Starting March 1 we will have a Super Target instead of just a regular Target. I'm hoping that means more deals for us!

Walmart: $0 (gift card)
Saved with Coupons: $1.00


I would have spent $2.68 had I not used a gift card (that I got for returning some merchandise) on this purchase. I love saving money by using dried beans.

Misc.: $3.95
- potatoes

Free Sample: Kirkland Shampoo & Conditioner

Go here to request a free sample of Kirkland Shampoo & Conditioner. You do not need to be a Costco member to request this sample.

Thanks For the Mommas!

Free Sample: Miracle Whip

Go here to request a free sample of Miracle Whip.

Thanks Michelle!

Recycle Bank: $2/1 Kashi Cereal Coupon for 50 Points

Right now you can get coupons for $2/1 any Kashi product for only 50 points at Recyclebank! Just sign into or create an account and click the "Get Reward" tab.

I love getting these coupons and using them when the Kashi cereal goes on sale. I am often able to snag free or nearly free cereal at Giant with this coupon.

If you are trying to get more points, check out the "Earn Points" tab.

$0.50/1 Duncan Hines Brownie Mix Coupon- New Link

Go here to print a coupon for $0.50/1 Duncan Hines Brownie Mix. These frequently go on sale for $1 so you'll likely be able to get free brownies with this coupon.

Don't forget about the other Duncan Hines coupon.

Thanks Cha-Ching on a Shoestring!

Giveaway: Arby's Combo (2 Winners!)

GIVEAWAY ENDED!

I'm not a big fan of fast food, but I have to confess that Arby's is one of my favorites. Want to know my Arby's weaknesses? Jamocha shakes, mozzarella sticks, and curly fries. Oh and I love their chicken tenders and chicken sandwiches too. Recently Arby's came out with a Value Menu with items starting at $1, which includes the following:

* Jr. Roast Beef
* Jr. Ham & Cheddar Sandwich
* Value Curly Fries
* Value Soft Drink
* Value Shake
* Turnovers
* Jr. Deluxe
* Jr. Turkey Ranch

I'm not sure if this whole Value Menu is a good thing or not. I'm afraid it's only going to tempt me to stop by more often for a quick treat!

I also recently discovered Arby's Extras. When you become a member of Arby's Extras you'll receive special email offers and coupons one of two ways: local promotions emailed to you from your preferred Arby's location, and national offers that are sent out periodically from our Corporate Marketing team. Hey, I'm all for more savings, so what's not to like about that?

Arby's was gracious enough to offer me five coupons for FREE combos. I will pick two winners- the first winner will receive 3 FREE combo coupons and the second winner will recieve 2 FREE combo coupons.

You have five different ways to enter the give away and each thing counts as a separate entry. Please leave your email address with each entry! The giveaway will end 2/24/11 at 8 a.m. (EST) and the winners will be chosen via random.org. I will then notify the winners by email and they will have two days to respond before the next winner is chosen.

1. Leave a comment telling me your favorite menu item from Arby's.

2. Become a follower of this blog (see top left hand corner of blog). If you are already a follower, give yourself an extra entry by posting that in a comment.

3. Subscribe to this blog (see top left hand corner of blog). If you already subscribe, give yourself an extra entry by posting that in a comment.

4. Tell other about the giveaway via Facebook, Twitter, or your blog and leave a link to your post in your comment.

5. Become an Arby's Extra member and then come back here and let me know that you did.

$0.85/1 Chex Cereal Coupon

Go here to print a coupon for $0.85/1 Chex cereal- any kind.

Thanks Clever Housewife!

$1/2 Tropicana Orange Juice Coupon

Print a coupon for $1/2 Tropicana Orange Juice. This definitely isn't the best coupon I've ever seen for orange juice, but if it is something you purchase anyway, you might as well save $1.

Thanks Koupon Karen!

Free Sample: Ocean Spray Sparkling Juice

"Like" Ocean Spray on Facebook and you'll be able to sign up for a free sample of their Sparkling Juice. Hurry though, they only give away a certain amount each day and they are in the process of doing today's giveaway now!

Thanks Hip 2 Save!

$0.50/1 Scotties Facial Tissue Coupon

Go here to print a coupon for $0.50/1 Scotties Facial Tissue. (Remember to use your browser's back button to print two!).

This is one of my favorite coupons because it helps me get free tissues at Giant. This week Scotties are only $1 at Giant. Use this coupon and you'll get them free!

Thanks For the Mommas!

Freebie: Aunt Jemima Breakfast Item

EXPIRED!!!

Head over to Facebook, "like" Aunt Jemima and watch the video under "Our Kitchen". You will then be able to print a coupon for a free breakfast item.

Thanks For the Mommas!

Printable Kraft Coupons: Miracle Whip, Ritz, Velveeta and More

There are seven new Kraft coupons available:

* Save $1.00/2 Crystal Light Coupon
* Save $1.00/1 Maxwell House Coffee Coupon
* Save $1.00/1 Kraft Mac & Cheese 5 Pack
* Save $.75/1 Miracle Whip Coupon
* Save $1.00/2 Ritz Crackers Coupon
* Save $1.00/1 Velveeta Cheese Coupon
* Save $1.00/2 Oreo Spring Cookies Coupon

Even though these say Supercenter on them, they are manufacturer's coupons and can be used anywhere.

Thanks For the Mommas!

Dunkin Donuts: Free Beverage

Sign up for Dunkin' Donuts Perks and you'll get a free medium beverage when you sign up. In addition, you'll get a free medium beverage on your birthday too if you give them your birth date. Sounds yummy to me!

Weekly Spending Summary

After weeks of spending more than I probably should have, it felt good to not have much out of pocket this week.

Total Spent: $6.72
Total Saved with Coupons: $49.99
Total Saved with Sales: $34.40
Total Saved: $84.39

Rite Aid: $0 (gift card)
Saved with Coupons: $44.50
Saved with Sales: $22.81

Loved getting towels for $0.25 or $050 each (can't remember any more)! The Halls and Mentos were free after coupons. The cold care items were free (and some moneymakers) after Single Check Rebates and the Finesse was $0.50 a bottle. I bought those for my in-laws.

Just a side note, I never used the Children's Chestall until this past week. Logan got sick and was coughing pretty badly so I pulled the stuff out of my donate box. I was really impressed! It took about 15 min. to kick in each time that I used it, but it took his cough away. So just in case you were wondering if it was worth anything, it is! Oh and it's all natural ingredients too.

CVS: $0 (gift card)
Saved with Coupons: $5.49
Saved with Sales: $10.59


My out of pocket would have been $0.99 had I not used a gift card. The Trident and Excedrin was free after coupons. The Garnier Fructis was free after Extra Bucks and I bought the calculator and batteries because I needed them and they were a good price and they used up some of my Extra Bucks that were going to expire.

Aldi: $1.73
- forgot to take a picture of this purchase...can't remember any more what it was and I'm too lazy to go look at my receipt! :)

Misc.: $4.99
- this was for some tea I purchased at Ross and also some bagged spinach I purchased on markdown at Giant. I am kind of addicted to this salad and so we've been going through lots of spinach.