CVS lip balm trip 2/18

So I went in for the glorified free vitamins with that lovely $5/1 160ct+. Sadly I had no luck with there only being one bottle of vitamins that would fit the budget for those freebies. Then another CVS had four of them, and I modified it briefly to still reach the moneymaking status. After I got in line there were beeps, then the manager read the coupon [which I didn't do bad couponer me] to see that it was only one per order. Disheartening. The manager worked with me and said she would take three of the coupons, but that would still make it out of pocket for me. At this point I heard the comments "You are so cheap," "You will get a gift card," "blahblahblah," the deal just wasn't good enough for me to pay $15. Yes six bottles of glorious vitamins, but I am sure without a shadow of a doubt I can still get them for free. Man alive I ♥ the word free it makes me smile like a Cheshire cat! Enough rambling....

8 Nivea lip balm 2.50=20.00-[4]3.00mq=8.00
received $6.ooecb
Total 2.00/.25

I missed the boat on the freebies at Publix for these, but I couldn't find them anywhere!!! Someone beat me to them! So .25e is fine with me the chickas here just are googly about them!

Aldi's Can't be over $20 trip 2/19

This was a mission that I had to accept budgetwise ;) Out of my budget for this week I used a good chunk at Publix last week, so I decided to go into Aldi's with $20, and call it a day. Seeing as I had the troops with me I know [and you probably know] this is a feat in itself! After years of being a soda drinker I quit. I just don't even like it anymore honestly sometimes I will have a jonesin for some Barq's rootbeer, but all in all it is just terrible for you. Rambling...so here is our trip including DH additions[really he always does, but he wants to go so how can I not lol].

2 gallons milk 5.78
2 cream cheese 2.89
2 cheese puffs [DH addition, but compared to 3.00 in the store he is learning ;)] 1.98
1 bag M&M [DH :S] .99
1 bar milk chocolate [DH I am so weird that I don't care for chocolate much lol] 1.49
1 dz eggs .74
4 soda 2.36
1 glorious spiral ham 5.49
Total 21.72
Over my $20, but I had change in my purse...does that count ;)

Now let me say something. I wasn't going to buy that ham. I really wasn't [I swear!], after all I only have twenty bucks! Needless to say that ham has given us 3 dinners, and 2 breakfast meals. So dinner on a budget....gotta love it! ♥

How did you do this week? Any lovely guilty pleasures? Any recipes for a ham bone other than soup? Making pot beans tonight, but with the leftovers I carved off the bone. Really Phoebe [our baby yellow lab]is eyeballing it on the counter making me a bit nervous.
 

Quick produce trip for the week ☼

Well happy day! Not to much for shopping this week [so far] trying to use up goodies in the house. Nothing on the markdown rack either worth my while so tada here is my little trip!

8 navel oranges 2.00
1 jalapeno .08
Total 2.08

Oranges are a fixture, but made some jalapeno cornbread for this weeks meals. What goodies did you get at your green/produce market this week? Recipes or ideas are always appreciated! I adore to try new things!

Publix 71% savings Kellogg's cereal event 2/18

Could have done better didn't notice couple of the coupons were expired. Extremely frustrating with my budget this week.

2 Jenny O' Turkey hot sausage 3.49=6.98
4 bags Sweethearts 1.19=2.38
5 Nestle Creamers 2.39=11.95-1.85MQ-1.10MQ=9.00/1.80
4 Wishbone dressings 2.89BOGO=5.78-[2]1.50TQ-[4].65MQ=.18/.05e WOWwwie!
2 Mueller angelhair pasta 1.59 BOGO-1.00MQ=.59/.30e
4 Kraft cheese 3.49 BOGO=6.98-[2]1.00TQ-[2].50MQ=3.98/1.00e
1 Kellogg's Special K 2.20-.70mq=1.50
4 Mueller penne pasta 1.59 BOGO= 3.18-[2]1.00MQ=1.18/.30e
7 Kellogg's Krave 2.00=14.00-[4]1.00TQ-[7].70MQ=5.10/.73e [JUST NOTICE $5/5 COUPON.COM]
4 M&M  [2/1.89]=3.78-[2]1.50MQ=.78/.20e
2 I ♥ U chocolates [DH had to have these *sigh*][2/1.99]1.99
1 Publix cat litter 2.69
1 Udi cinnamon bun 5.59
2 Mentos gum 1.49=2.98-[2].55TQ-[2]1.00MQ=  -.12MM
1 Publix vinegar 3.15
5 Fels-Naptha 1.19=5.95
2 Washing soda 3.19=6.38
1 Baking soda 2.89-.50MQ=2.39
1 pk sterno....[DH!!!! :S] 4.79
2 Minibones 3.59BOGO -1.00MQ=2.59/1.30e

other q's $5/$30
$15GC wys $100

Total after deduction of GC & coupons $45.42
Savings of $112.62 or 71%

Sorta bummed as I had some coupons that expired! How embarrassing since I cleaned out my satchel last week, but they expired on 2/15 so I was like oh great. The Kraft cheese publix q's for 1.50 expired which was another lesson for me. I meant to buy another couple Minibones, but messed up and bought another Washing soda....which I won't need for some time O:
Came home and found the $5/5 Kellogg's coupons...more sighing. I will just hold onto them with hopes of more sales since my troop eats more cereal than an army!!! How did you do this week?!?!?!

Homemade Laundry Softener

Well I was on a roll today. So I figured to make this laundry softener. Rather amusing story if I do say so. I began to wing this which I will seriously advise you read the directions first. Needless to say 3 soaked towels later I went to read the directions. Water, then baking soda MIX. Slowly add vinegar. Nice go me LOL. Instead of a scent profile I used the last bits of the softener in the bottle. I will add a scent the next time.

Ingredients needed:
Bottle
Spoon
Water
Baking Soda
Vinegar
Essential oils, or natural scent of your choice.

In the previous photo I added the pic of the baking soda, vinegar which was supposed to be for this experiment.
Vinegar 3.15
Baking Soda 2.89

Enough to fill a regular sized Snuggle container [64oz][24 loads]
Total amount to fill container
Vinegar .39
Baking Soda .36
Water.....[really I have no clue how I would figure this?]
Total .75/.03 a load

Know here comes honesty. We all consider ourselves good shoppers, but can we get softener for .75? If we had double coupons here...certainly I am sure I could, but it has been a long time since I have gotten softener for less than a buck...that I like. So another experiment this is. We have an HE machine, and it always smells horrible after towels. I hope this will work on getting the scent in the basin down, and some more cost!

RESULTS TO COME......

Experiment #2 Homemade Laundry Soap

Oh boy welcome back I was out most of the week with food poisoning! For Valentine's I got stone crabs for DH as a treat. Man I think I will stick to something else or another fish market because I don't appreciate spending most of the week in bed or *cough*potty*cough* So at long last I am trying out a recipe for homemade laundry soap that I found here. We are die hard Tide fans I won't lie on a budget you have to have some sorta vice, and laundry is mine. DH was allergic to some sort of laundry soap so Tide did the trick! Even with coupons the best I have seemed to get was $3.99. Which to me still isn't a good enough bargain. Sick I know I am getting a bit anal about cost lately. So I figured to do a cost experiment.

Here it goes!

5 Bars Fels-Naptha 1.19e=5.95
1/3 box washing soda 1.06
1/4 box Borax .87
I am going to get some lavender/rosemary to add to the mix 1.00
Grand total=$8.88 nice round number

Okay so as the recipe from the website you use 1T per load. I am going to experiment by letting the kids play in mud then let it dry and so forth to see how this works [will update as they are more than eager to help out with this brigade.]

So my breakdown if 1T is enough than this amount will make for 368 loads of wash. Equal to say 53 weeks in this house maybe less I just do it anymore and don't count lol. If this experiment is in fact on the money than this laundry soap will last a year, and in fact cost .02 a week on laundry soap. Sounds too good to be true....you be the judge.

Results to come!

Update: Just for my baby sis I decided to go with an alternate scent profile. Since lavender isn't in season, and doesn't grow here I found a shop that I could get a plant for $3.99, but I think the alternate will fit my fancy better! Dundundun orange/rosemary! Famous oranges you never fail me! We all adore oranges, and I have been drying the peel to make fireplace goodies for my mum, but there will be more oranges!!! Using the food processor I took the oranges down to a chipped look, then to the coffee grinder and made it some grains. There is still water inside so I put it in the oven with some rosemary to get excess moisture out. My grand total will be less now to about $8.13 or so.

♥ Target Valentine's Trip ♥

Happy belated Valentine's Day to you and yours. Any day to celebrate love I am all for it. Sadly I think we might be sick because of the stone crab claws we splurged on. I still have a tummy ache yuck! Well here is a short trip because I needed borax for an experiment much like the previous hot chocolate experiment [still perfecting that one.]so onto the deals!

1 Borax [experiment coming soon!] 3.49
3 everything bagels 1.37=4.11
2 multi grain Cherrios 3.84-1.75MQ=2.09/1.05e
4 Activia yogurt 2.00=8.00-[2]2.00TQ-[4]1.00MQ=0.00 FREE
2 Iams cat food trial 3.00=6.00-[2]3.00MQ=0.00 FREE
2-5lb red potatoes 4.99=9.98-bogo mq[up to 4.50]=5.48/2.74e .55lb
1 Marantha Almond Butter 5.66-2.00MQ=3.66 [I was corrected by DD Walmart was cheaper ;) interesting...]
2 Foaming soap [for the pumps lol]1.57=3.14
2 Nature Maid Omega 3 oil vitamins 7.00-1.00TQ-3.00MQ=3.00/1.50e
3 lb mozzarella 4.69=14.07-[3]1.00=11.07/3.69lb
1-8oz Cheddar 2.39
1-8oz shredded Italian cheese 2.39-1.00TQ wyb chunk/shreds combo-1.00MQ=.39

Total 38.82
Savings PRICELESS ;) 46%

Not a stellar trip, but cheese is high these days and my q's were going to expire. I think they were burning a hole in my pocket. Mercy. Cheese was 1/3 of that store trip LOL. From a thingie I found on Money Saving Mom those foam dispensers will be a money saver in the end! Did someone say money saving??? I am all for it! Happy week everyone feel free to link below.