Well, I plan to do some shopping today. Hopefully. I'm pretty tired and there is always a good possibility that when I lay down to give Alex his nap, that I might too fall asleep. Hope not.
This is the first time my KMart has doubled coupons, and I'm even worried that the flyer might be wrong because it's not a Super K. The flyer says it'll be doubling. We'll see.
I also plan to stop at the Thrift store to pick up wool sweaters for a Christmas wreath craft I'm working on.
Any other good deals this week? I'm fairly pleased with Meijer's ad. I haven't really shopped at Meijer for a few weeks because of Kroger's great sales. But, they seem to have lots of things on sale that we need right now.
Maybe I'll go drink some coffee.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Friday, November 21, 2008
MAJOR Walgreens overage!!
Did I miss something about the Bic Soliel refill cartridges at Walgreens this week??
It's huge!
I went to Wags to pick up some Hershey's chocolate, which I chickened out on getting BTW. More on that later. Plus, I had some requests from my husband for various items like wart remover and shower loofahs and things I didn't want to actually pay cash for. So, I decided to pick up the Bic Soliel refill cartridges because the IVC coupon expires soon. There were only 4 left, so I got 3 because I always feel guilty whipping them out.
I get to the checkout and the guy says "You might want to grab another one of these, they are B1G1Free." Um, WHAT?!! So, I run to the razor aisle and grab the last one.
Then I get all nervous about how my coupons are gonna work. Now that we've had the discussion over them being B1G1, is he gonna not allow me to use coupons for the items that are "free"? Are we gonna have to go through that whole song and dance about coupon policy, blah blah?
Nope!
So, here's how it went down
(4) Bic Soleil Refills - $27.96 (or $6.99 each)
Minus -$13.98 for B1G1 sale
Minus -$12.00 for the IVC in the November ES Catalog ($3.00 for each item)
Minus -$12.00 for the MFQ I had ($3.00 each)
Thats $10.02 in overage people!!!!!
Whoa. He gave me my total and I was thrilled. I paid $5.xx on my gift card because of my various other high value items.
Tickled. Completely tickled. I don't know if this is YMMV? Was it just that Walgreens having the B1G1 sale? There was nothing on the shelf about it.
If Alex is in a good mood we're heading to the other walgreens to see if I can do the deal again.
Oh, and I chickened out on the hersheys because the MFQs I had said they had to be 11 oz bags and the sale bags were only 8.5 oz. It probably would have worked regardless but I don't condone using coupons for items they aren't intended for.
It's huge!
I went to Wags to pick up some Hershey's chocolate, which I chickened out on getting BTW. More on that later. Plus, I had some requests from my husband for various items like wart remover and shower loofahs and things I didn't want to actually pay cash for. So, I decided to pick up the Bic Soliel refill cartridges because the IVC coupon expires soon. There were only 4 left, so I got 3 because I always feel guilty whipping them out.
I get to the checkout and the guy says "You might want to grab another one of these, they are B1G1Free." Um, WHAT?!! So, I run to the razor aisle and grab the last one.
Then I get all nervous about how my coupons are gonna work. Now that we've had the discussion over them being B1G1, is he gonna not allow me to use coupons for the items that are "free"? Are we gonna have to go through that whole song and dance about coupon policy, blah blah?
Nope!
So, here's how it went down
(4) Bic Soleil Refills - $27.96 (or $6.99 each)
Minus -$13.98 for B1G1 sale
Minus -$12.00 for the IVC in the November ES Catalog ($3.00 for each item)
Minus -$12.00 for the MFQ I had ($3.00 each)
Thats $10.02 in overage people!!!!!
Whoa. He gave me my total and I was thrilled. I paid $5.xx on my gift card because of my various other high value items.
Tickled. Completely tickled. I don't know if this is YMMV? Was it just that Walgreens having the B1G1 sale? There was nothing on the shelf about it.
If Alex is in a good mood we're heading to the other walgreens to see if I can do the deal again.
Oh, and I chickened out on the hersheys because the MFQs I had said they had to be 11 oz bags and the sale bags were only 8.5 oz. It probably would have worked regardless but I don't condone using coupons for items they aren't intended for.
What to do with all those chickens??
Being the frugal wife that I am, I tend to always pick up whole chickens when they are marked down at Kroger. My husband, who is a TOTAL food snob and for the most part dislikes chicken unless it's deep fried, found this receipe on foodnetwork.com. It's a Tyler Florence recipe... and it's AMAZING. In fact, my husband even muttered "I never knew chicken could taste this good".
What makes it even better, is that it turns into delicious chicken noodle soup! We tried the same chicken noodle soup recipe with a pre-roasted chicken from the store, and it wasn't NEARLY as good as when we used our Tyler Florence chicken.
Here it is:
1 (4 to 5 pound) free-range chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, halved
1/4 bunch each fresh rosemary, thyme, and parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
11/2 pounds red new potatoes
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Rinse the chicken with cool water, inside and out, then pat it dry with paper towels. Season the cavity with salt and pepper, and then stuff the lemon, garlic, and herbs inside. Place the chicken, breast-side up, in a roasting pan. Tie the legs of the chicken together with kitchen twine to help hold its shape. Toss the potatoes around the chicken. Season the whole thing with a fair amount of salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Roast the chicken and potatoes for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Don't forget to baste the chicken with the drippings and rotate the pan every 20 minutes or so to insure a golden crispy skin. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer says 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (the legs of the chicken should wiggle easily from the sockets too.) Remove the chicken to a platter and let stand for 10 minutes, so the juices settle back into the meat before carving. Serve with the roasted potatoes on the side.
We usually do it without the potatoes, but have done it with and they are delicious as well. We have found that when basting every 20 minutes, we tend to have to add chicken stock because sometimes there aren't a whole lot of drippings.
This recipe is SOOOOO good. And fairly frugal. We tend to use dried spices except for we always somehow manage to have fresh parsley on hand as it is (convenient for our soup recipe as well).
What makes it even better, is that it turns into delicious chicken noodle soup! We tried the same chicken noodle soup recipe with a pre-roasted chicken from the store, and it wasn't NEARLY as good as when we used our Tyler Florence chicken.
Here it is:
1 (4 to 5 pound) free-range chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, halved
1 head garlic, halved
1/4 bunch each fresh rosemary, thyme, and parsley
1/4 cup olive oil
11/2 pounds red new potatoes
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Rinse the chicken with cool water, inside and out, then pat it dry with paper towels. Season the cavity with salt and pepper, and then stuff the lemon, garlic, and herbs inside. Place the chicken, breast-side up, in a roasting pan. Tie the legs of the chicken together with kitchen twine to help hold its shape. Toss the potatoes around the chicken. Season the whole thing with a fair amount of salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Roast the chicken and potatoes for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Don't forget to baste the chicken with the drippings and rotate the pan every 20 minutes or so to insure a golden crispy skin. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer says 165 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (the legs of the chicken should wiggle easily from the sockets too.) Remove the chicken to a platter and let stand for 10 minutes, so the juices settle back into the meat before carving. Serve with the roasted potatoes on the side.
We usually do it without the potatoes, but have done it with and they are delicious as well. We have found that when basting every 20 minutes, we tend to have to add chicken stock because sometimes there aren't a whole lot of drippings.
This recipe is SOOOOO good. And fairly frugal. We tend to use dried spices except for we always somehow manage to have fresh parsley on hand as it is (convenient for our soup recipe as well).
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Well, I didn't get as much shopping accomplished as I had hoped. I made a trip to Kroger and perhaps later tonight Alex and I will venture to Walgreens. I believe they have a good deal on cheese? Or was that last week? Anyways we need milk regardless and I'd rather put it on my Wags giftcard than pay full price at Kroger... they didn't have any manager mark downs today.
Some highlights of my Kroger trip
(4) Duncan Hine's Carrot Cake Mixes = $1.00 each, used (4) -$1.00 MFQs = FREE!
(2) Idahoan Potatoes = $1.00 each, used (2) -$0.40 IPs that doubled = $0.40 for both (Smartsource has these available to print)
(1) B.C Frosting = $1.67, used (1) -$0.50 MFQ that doubled, plus a -$0.55 Shortcuts coupon = $0.12
(1) B.C Pouch Instant Potatoes (didn't know they had pouches! they were cheaper than the boxes) = $1.00, used -$0.35 MFQ that doubled, plus -$0.35 Shortcuts coupon = -$0.05!
(3) Cottonelle 4-Packs = $0.99 each, used (3) -$0.25 MFQ that doubled, plus (2) -$0.50 Shortcuts coupons and (1) -$0.50 Cellfire coupon - FREE!
(1) Active Lifesyle Oatmeal = $Not Sure, used a FREE coupon loaded with Cellfire = FREE!
(1) Kroger Brand Shredded Cheese = $1.67, used -$0.50 Shortcuts coupon
I also got Whole Wheat flour that I had been waiting to go on sale... never did and my coupon expires today, so I bit the bullet and picked it up. At least I got $1 off. Alex loves strawberries and will eat them no matter how sour, so I paid $2.99 for those (anything to make a toddler eat!)
Speaking of which, he's waking up from his nap. Off I go!
Some highlights of my Kroger trip
(4) Duncan Hine's Carrot Cake Mixes = $1.00 each, used (4) -$1.00 MFQs = FREE!
(2) Idahoan Potatoes = $1.00 each, used (2) -$0.40 IPs that doubled = $0.40 for both (Smartsource has these available to print)
(1) B.C Frosting = $1.67, used (1) -$0.50 MFQ that doubled, plus a -$0.55 Shortcuts coupon = $0.12
(1) B.C Pouch Instant Potatoes (didn't know they had pouches! they were cheaper than the boxes) = $1.00, used -$0.35 MFQ that doubled, plus -$0.35 Shortcuts coupon = -$0.05!
(3) Cottonelle 4-Packs = $0.99 each, used (3) -$0.25 MFQ that doubled, plus (2) -$0.50 Shortcuts coupons and (1) -$0.50 Cellfire coupon - FREE!
(1) Active Lifesyle Oatmeal = $Not Sure, used a FREE coupon loaded with Cellfire = FREE!
(1) Kroger Brand Shredded Cheese = $1.67, used -$0.50 Shortcuts coupon
I also got Whole Wheat flour that I had been waiting to go on sale... never did and my coupon expires today, so I bit the bullet and picked it up. At least I got $1 off. Alex loves strawberries and will eat them no matter how sour, so I paid $2.99 for those (anything to make a toddler eat!)
Speaking of which, he's waking up from his nap. Off I go!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Oddly Excited...
My mom came over yesterday so we could do some Christmas shopping together. She must have felt bad for me as I was frantically trying to finish sweeping the floors as we headed out the door, because she called and offered to watch Alex for awhile tomorrow so I can do WHATEVER.I.WANT.
Whoa.
Ofcourse, WHATEVER.I.WANT actually means "a lot of things I would rather not do"... like clean. Uh. I feel like I am ALWAYS cleaning. But, this also includes shopping. I plan on making the rounds tomorrow. Fingers crossed!
Maybe I'll even take pictures this time.
But, boy am I excited to have a few hours to get things done without my little helper!
Whoa.
Ofcourse, WHATEVER.I.WANT actually means "a lot of things I would rather not do"... like clean. Uh. I feel like I am ALWAYS cleaning. But, this also includes shopping. I plan on making the rounds tomorrow. Fingers crossed!
Maybe I'll even take pictures this time.
But, boy am I excited to have a few hours to get things done without my little helper!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Just keeping track, plus CVS
My mom and I are in charge of a donation drive going on at my dad's restaurant/bar. It'll be two weeks long. I will be periodically taking things into work each time I go, as well as sending things with my husband when he works. I could just wait until the end and dump my big stash when the truck comes to pick up our donation barrel... but I think it's important to show customers and coworkers that I am taking the time to donate and they should too. I hope that if others see me physically putting my items into our barrel, they will be reminded to do the same.
So far:
(4) Dishsoap
(5) Buddies Bars
(1) B.C Warm Delights
(4) Carnation Evaporated Milk
(2) Cans of tuna
(2) B.C Instant Potatoes
(1) Cornstarch
(2) Quaker Oats
(6) Nailsaver Sponges
(3) Toothpastes
And it has hardly made a dent in my donation pile. I have some things I might hold off on donating until the very end for fear that drunk college students might sift through the barrel and take some of things out (deodorant, razors, body wash, etc).
Anyways, I did two transactions at CVS today which is a lot for me! I've been cutting back on shopping at CVS because it was becoming too stressful and too time consuming. I just don't understand how mother's of toddlers can manage successful CVS transactions!
I made some major mistakes though. I was in a hurry being that I had Alex with me. I knew exactly where I was going and what I was getting. I arrived at the batteries and noticed a sign that had them priced at $5.29 which go me excited! I though "Hurray! For once my CVS has prices lower than most others". I was expecting the prices to be $5.99. Well, apparently they were $5.99... on the other side of the display. The batteries I scooped up were still part of the ECB deal, but had 1/2 the amount of batteries the $5.99 packs have!
UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Needless to say, my OOP for the days was only like $0.90 and I still have one battery transaction remaining... so you can bet I'll be getting the $5.99 packs.
I am such an idiot.
So far:
(4) Dishsoap
(5) Buddies Bars
(1) B.C Warm Delights
(4) Carnation Evaporated Milk
(2) Cans of tuna
(2) B.C Instant Potatoes
(1) Cornstarch
(2) Quaker Oats
(6) Nailsaver Sponges
(3) Toothpastes
And it has hardly made a dent in my donation pile. I have some things I might hold off on donating until the very end for fear that drunk college students might sift through the barrel and take some of things out (deodorant, razors, body wash, etc).
Anyways, I did two transactions at CVS today which is a lot for me! I've been cutting back on shopping at CVS because it was becoming too stressful and too time consuming. I just don't understand how mother's of toddlers can manage successful CVS transactions!
I made some major mistakes though. I was in a hurry being that I had Alex with me. I knew exactly where I was going and what I was getting. I arrived at the batteries and noticed a sign that had them priced at $5.29 which go me excited! I though "Hurray! For once my CVS has prices lower than most others". I was expecting the prices to be $5.99. Well, apparently they were $5.99... on the other side of the display. The batteries I scooped up were still part of the ECB deal, but had 1/2 the amount of batteries the $5.99 packs have!
UHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Needless to say, my OOP for the days was only like $0.90 and I still have one battery transaction remaining... so you can bet I'll be getting the $5.99 packs.
I am such an idiot.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
How I will be saving money during the Holidays
This post will be a work in progress as I think of, and come up with new ways to save money.
1) I will not be purchasing any new decorations. I have enough already. I did "buy" a cute glittery star to hang on the outside of the house, but I used my Pier 1 gift card, so it was free!
2) We do not have any electrical plugs on the outside of our house! We just discovered this and I think it's kind of strange. At any rate, we won't be using extra electricity to light the outside of our house.
3) A generous woman from the internet mailed me the stash of Christmas cards she received last year and I will be using those, along with the ones I received, to make Christmas gift tags.
4) Gift cards. Over the course of the year I receive lots of gift cards. Although I know the givers intend for the cards to be used to purchase something nice for myself, I often use the cards to buy nice things for others. I don't feel bad about it at all. In fact, many times there is enough money on the gift card for me to buy myself something as well. And it brings me joy to give to others and know that I'm not stressing myself out at the thought of spending too much money.
1) I will not be purchasing any new decorations. I have enough already. I did "buy" a cute glittery star to hang on the outside of the house, but I used my Pier 1 gift card, so it was free!
2) We do not have any electrical plugs on the outside of our house! We just discovered this and I think it's kind of strange. At any rate, we won't be using extra electricity to light the outside of our house.
3) A generous woman from the internet mailed me the stash of Christmas cards she received last year and I will be using those, along with the ones I received, to make Christmas gift tags.
4) Gift cards. Over the course of the year I receive lots of gift cards. Although I know the givers intend for the cards to be used to purchase something nice for myself, I often use the cards to buy nice things for others. I don't feel bad about it at all. In fact, many times there is enough money on the gift card for me to buy myself something as well. And it brings me joy to give to others and know that I'm not stressing myself out at the thought of spending too much money.
Monday, November 3, 2008
More Kroger freebies (body wash, shoelaces)
So, I went to Kroger today and spent almost $50. Youza! But, I got a lot of things that we needed that weren't on sale. Like $10 in deli meat (we hate the pre-packaged sliced deli meat) and $6 in apples. Alex has recently discovered how great apples are... plus my husband continues to tell me how much he loves Honeycrisp apples (he refuses to eat any other kind).
Anyways, I picked up some freebies:
-Carnation condensed milk
-Tylenol PM (look for a coupon that is for "Simply Sleep" a Tylenol product I've never heard of... it states you can use it on any "Simply Sleep" or Tylenol PM product. Can't remember insert, sorry! It's for $2 off making the 24 cts free)
-Mini Scotch lint rollers (actually, these give you $0.50 overage)
-Quacker Oats
-Bic Silky Smooth razors (I don't like these as I have tried them before, but my mom uses these plus I can always donate)
-Herbal Essence (still on sale for $2.49 so I uploaded coupons to my husband's card)
-Olay Ribbon's Body Wash!! (Excited for this one because it's my husband's favorite body wash... it retails for $3.99, if you buy two and use the B1G1 uploaded to your Kroger card plus (2) $2 Olay body wash coupons, both are free!)
-Kiwi Shoelaces (didn't actually buy these because I didn't have those coupons clipped... but I'll be going back to Kroger later this week to use the rest of my freebie coupons and I will scoop these up!)
Anyways, I picked up some freebies:
-Carnation condensed milk
-Tylenol PM (look for a coupon that is for "Simply Sleep" a Tylenol product I've never heard of... it states you can use it on any "Simply Sleep" or Tylenol PM product. Can't remember insert, sorry! It's for $2 off making the 24 cts free)
-Mini Scotch lint rollers (actually, these give you $0.50 overage)
-Quacker Oats
-Bic Silky Smooth razors (I don't like these as I have tried them before, but my mom uses these plus I can always donate)
-Herbal Essence (still on sale for $2.49 so I uploaded coupons to my husband's card)
-Olay Ribbon's Body Wash!! (Excited for this one because it's my husband's favorite body wash... it retails for $3.99, if you buy two and use the B1G1 uploaded to your Kroger card plus (2) $2 Olay body wash coupons, both are free!)
-Kiwi Shoelaces (didn't actually buy these because I didn't have those coupons clipped... but I'll be going back to Kroger later this week to use the rest of my freebie coupons and I will scoop these up!)
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