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.

Have you Ever......?

Weird week this week. I have been keeping up on my coupons, the deals are there, but I have no inkling to go shopping! DH is still home till probably March, and I am trying to watch the bucks. We have a small stockpile. Nothing worthy of those "Extreme" shows which out of curiosity I watched once, but comfortable. DH is a hobbyist which is he love EVER hobby known to man. He has been pretty good, but lately I just feel like I am watching every dollar. It is kinda maddening, and makes me feel like I am losing it at times to watch every dollar like a bloodhound. Well Happy Valentine's Day to you and yours. I have a menu tonight to give everyone a bit of what they want. DH, crab legs because he is my "main squeeze", DS potato skins because he is my "sidekick", DD brownie cupcakes because she is a "sweetheart." I choose the veggie which I haven't done yet, but again those swirling dollars are giving me a headache lol. How has your week been? What are you doing for the grand ole Valentine's?

Produce Market LOVIN PRODUCe

Can't help myself I enjoy fresh ingredients. I am sure I spend most of my savings on fresh produce, but in my opinion it is a must!

4 Sweet Potatoes 3.32
1 Spaghetti Squash 1.69
3 corn 1.25
10 mini zucchini .43
1 lb Perciatelli .99
3 Parsnips/3 Turnips 1.35
1.55 lbs Brussel Sprouts 2.31
1 bunch Kale .87
1 bunch of Asparagus 1.00
3 peaches .23
5 garlic 1.00

 Total 14.44

I made some roasted veggies [they never go to waste here!] last night with many of these ingredients. What sort of veggies do you roast? Any recipes to share?

Aldi's dealios 2/9

Not to much, just wanted to show a friend Aldi's and needed milk [like usual eh?] So here is the bit of goodies we found this week!

2 Milk 2.89= 5.78
1 Sour Cream 1.29
2 Cream Cheese 1.19=2.38
1 dz eggs .74
3 pints blueberries 1.29= 3.87
1 pk mixed peppers [1lb] 1.59
1 cucumber .55
1 pk Artisan salad 1.29!!!
1 qt strawberries 1.29
2 cans cream corn .55=1.10

Total 19.88

Going to freeze those blueberries and make some pancakes and other goodies later. I seriously adore fresh produce! nomnomnom. Hope your day is a bright one! ☼

Swagbucks 2/10

Watch video here and click for ad when it ask you to in the beginning [I didn't get one :S] Then answer one question for 3 Swagbucks!

8 Swagbucks for completing a video/question about Prius If that doesn't work go to the main page :D Happy day!

Coupons.com 2/9

A few more goodies that I haven't seen before decided to share. Hope you day is full of sunshine!

Whole Foods 2/7 53% savings

After this trip I will need a box of beano in this house. Seriously. Not sure why the men in our house find that so humorous? Well off to the deals!

The deals this week I noticed I could have saved more money if I bought the more widely found beans, but I really adore garbanzo beans, and cannelli beans so for fifty cents I figured the savings would be more useful for our home.

4 Organic Garbanzo dried beans [4lbs] 2.79= 11.16-[4]1.00WF=7.16/1.79e
2 Organic Black Beans 2.29=4.58-[2]1.00WF=2.58/1.29e
2 Organic Cannelli beans 2.99=5.98-[2]1.00WF=3.98/1.99e
4 Garden of Eden Organic blue chips 4.99BOGO=9.98-[4]1.00WF-[2]1.00MQ= 3.98/1.00e

Total OOp: $17.70
Savings: 53% $21.98

On a larger scale there is a bigger price savings compared to canned beans. The prices are insane over canned beans. Even on sale they are .50-.75e. So I stuck them in the freezer[kill bugs if there are any!], then the into the pantry until my mind wraps around some recipes.
Any other Whole Foods shoppers out there? How did you do this week? 

In the Kitchen this Week 2/8

Hope this reaches you and yours for a fabulouso week! We are having a better week, and lo and behold I have been in the kitchen. My second favorite place no doubt! A wonderful friend of mine gave me some lemons, yes those are indeed lemons! I have never seen lemons bigger than my hand before so of course my mind was reeling with uses for these big beauties. Since I have been on an orange kick lately. [Too many researches on healthy eating I think LOL] With the 10lbs of oranges from our Aldi's trip last week 
I used five oranges. Yep just five oranges, one of those pretty lemons [too much I found out later], 3.5lbs sugar, water, six mason jars later we it orange marmalade. Now since I am a beginner at this canning stuff sometimes our kitchen is like a testing zone. After I tasted my supposed perfect jam I notice that huge lemon made the jam pucker your lips up like a pucker fish. So another 1.5lbs sugar, and more water I adjusted this once botched jam. I added the rinds because the flavor is out of this world.

The lesson I took with me is don't use monster lemons in your jam, and taste, taste, taste...which is my fatal flaw when cooking. Today we had our marmalade on toast and it was tasty! What is going on in your kitchen this week? Any pointers for a canning newbie?

Oh also canned a lovely tomato chutney if you will it is just very different concoction that my DH adores. Well off and away...the kitchen is calling. ;)

Publix 88% Woohoo $10GC!

Yep new website still working out all the kinks! Blogger just is more versatile. That and Java which is pretty well everyday these days. Here is our Publix shopping trip for this week. Yep we did two this week! Both out of this world!

2 Avocadoes 1.29 BOGO -1.00mq=.29/.15e
4 Tena pads 5.19=20.76-[4]5.19mq=0.00 FREE
12 Mur Glen diced tomatoes 1.69=20.28-[4]2.00pq-[6]1.00mq=6.28/.52e
6 Nivea Men Aftershave 5.99= 35.94-40%off 14.38=21.54-[6]2.00mq=9.54/1.59e
2 Dreamfield Lasagna 1.67= 3.34-[2]1.00mq=1.34/.67e
4 Cascadian Farms granola bars 2/$3.99= 7.98-[2]3.00pq-[4]1.10mq= -2.42MM
8 Barilla Grain pasta 1.65 BOGO= 6.60-[4]1.00=2.60/.33e
4 Kraft Miraclewhip 5.18 BOGO=10.36-[2]bogomq [I just noticed she only did it for 3.25e ouch]=3.86/.97e
6 Planters Peanuts 4.39 BOGO=13.17-[3]1.50mq=8.67/1.45e
-$5 competitor coupon
$10 Publix GC when you spend $100!

Total w/tax $21.02!!!!!
Savings of 88% $151.30 saved!

How did you all do this week on your ventures?

Publix 1/31 Cereal, Cereal, and more Cereal

Basket full of groceries this week, and great savings! Man I was sure with my stack of coupons the cashier would run for the hills. I went to a Publix that gives me dirty looks because of q's. DH was not on his best day so I stayed closer to home. Here is what we found!

 



4 Tena pads 5.19=20.76-[4]6.00MQ= -3.24MM

1 Kraft Cheese 4.99-1.00MQ wyb1lb -1.00PQ=2.99

3 Rotel Tomato Sauce .79=2.37-[3]free sauce wyb tomato=0.00 Free

1 Publix pop tart [DH] 1.99 ouch

6 Rotel diced tomatoes bogo 1.39=4.17-[2].55PQ=3.07/.51e

3 Coffeemate creamers 2.39=7.17-1.85MQ-1.50TQ=3.82/1.27e

6 Sominex 3.19=19.14-[3]5.00PQ -[6]1.00MQ= -1.86MM

6 Fiber One Cereal 2.50=15.00-[6]2.00PQ-[3]1.75MQ= -2.25MM

4 Cocoa Puffs 3.99=15.96-[4]2.00PQ-[2]1.75MQ=4.46/1.12e

10 Sambazon Acai Berry Smoothies 1.99=19.90-[9]2.00MQ-[1]free= -.09MM

Grand Total w/tax  9.83

Savings 93% $129.25!!!!!

This is possibly the best shopping trip ever. I have been getting better and better and the results are showing! I am so tickled about this I got in the car, walked around with this huge grin on my face saying I spent less than $10! How did you do this week?

Cascadian Farms Organic Granola Bars---MM@ Publix

 

Till 02/03 You can make these granola bars a MM.  On sale this week Cascadian Farm Organic Granola Bars, 6.24-17 oz for$2.49e. Paired with the $3 off 2 Publix coupon in the yellow Advantage Buy flyer and printable coupon for $1.10/1. Those lovelies pair together will make a beautiful deal.

4.98-3.00PQ-[2]1.10=  -.22MM!

Find any good deals @ Publix today?

Tofu Jerky

Most of my family has added their opinions on my newest Tofu experiment which comes at you from all directions. Most of the responses end in laughter, but I have them thinking. I have left the seed so to speak. Now I can rant and rave all I want about healthier eating, but tonight I ate a lovely Skinny Bar and to be honest not feeling so skinny. All in all this tofu was something I knew I could get DH to try. So here is the low down..



All day I heard this "Man that smells good", "Is it done yet I want to try it." After the eight hours of loving this tofu got did it pass the test?

 

Straight from the oven, and I mean straight still steaming DH began to chow. This is as if another revelation in this household. My husband thinking this was meat! [Just like the Splenda I have been mixing in the sugar for years? The sugar-free candy I used to pass off as the real thing.] Oh yes this was looking good. So all in all this recipe looks great. I need a bit of tweaking with the recipe because to me it needs a bit more oomph. Teriyaki flavor is a serious possibility. For now I am going to let this get a bit less sticky and try it again. Also I have a convection oven and I am not sure I needed those 8hrs I could be wrong.

Anyone have any tofu recipes that have made their family in awe?

To Sarah....still as yet that is some killer looking tofu jerky. I will save some for ya. Maybe can it? ;)

In the Kitchen this Week

With DH still home I find that much of my day is either cooking, or the usual more cleaning. [I still have no idea how the floors dirty themselves daily lol.] So here is a look at some of the happenings of the kitchen this week.

A wee bit of canning this week as I found a couple daikon in the produce market to pickle.

Felt the urge to use up a bit or oranges that were on there last leg. What better way than Chocolate Cheesecake?

The next recipe I will add a bit more info in the next post, but had some tofu which I haven't found a recipe that our family adores. This jerky recipe was interesting. I modified it to our taste, and a bit of different ingredients and voila!

Make anything different this week you want to share?

BJ Wholesale Smorgasbord of Deals 1-30

Another day in virtual paradise when you can save money! Here are a couple of goodies we got at Bj's Wholesale club because we were in serious need of Toilet Paper!



4 Snikiddy 3.59=14.36-[4].75mq=11.36/2.84e

1 --2pk V8 splash 3.29

1 Vitamin C 10.99-3.00BJQ=7.99

1--5lb Organic carrots 3.99

1--48pk AA batteries 7.99

1 container black pepper corns [will last a year if not more ;)] 6.99

1 Kitchen Aid grater marked down 5.90

1 organic applewood bacon 10.99/3.66lb

2 pk Chourico which I can't find here on a deal so I didn't care of the price much! I will freeze this off for a good while sooo tickled! Anyone else ever had this Portugese favorite? 27.74/4.49lb 15sticks

1 gorgeous top 4.00

1--45 Giant roll Charmin 23.99-3.00BJQ-[4].25MQ=19.99/.44 roll 3.00pk [this will last us 6 months hopefully!]

Total 110.23

Savings $10 in coupons, but to nickle and dime it would be vast. TP alone is $10 savings. Chourico is at least $8 surely more. Bacon is priceless that bacon is my treat time and again! Pepper is slim pickings compared to the store prices these days! Carrots $2 savings. Vitamins $40 savings. V8 $3 savings. Snikiddy's well those in whole foods are the same price and this a 16oz 2/3 larger than the WF version.

In my modest opinion this deal was 51% in the very least, but hard to tell with current grocer prices.

Aldi's Terrific Trip 1-30 Citrus Galore!

There are times when I walk into Aldi's and the heavens open and the savings angels sing praises to money in our pocket! With our orange fascination we were more than elated to find a bag of oranges at this price! How did you do this week?

 



2 bags Navel Oranges 1.98/.99e

10 Grapefruit 1.50/.15e!!!!!

4 Green Peppers 2.58/1.29e

1 qt strawberries .99!

2 cola [DH] 1.18

1 pretzel 1.29

2 milk 5.78/2.89e

3--5lb sugar 6.42/.43lb [I have been trying to get Domino sugar at Wags/CVS, but no luck and we were down to the bottom of the barrel. On our trip to BJ's Wholesale $3/5lbs. Not a great steal, sooooo happy to find this nice deal!]

2 dz eggs 1.48/.74

Total 23.28

Savings I have no idea, but I can tell you that I would have paid double surely in a store in the very least.

Chocolatey Delightful Target trip 1/29

Happy day everyone and thanks for taking the time to sit a spell and check out deals we found this week at Target.

Great clothing deals this week! Hope you found some too!



 

1 Merona tee [b;ack]4.48-3.00TQ=1.38

1 Merona [blue] tee 4.00-3.00TQ=1.00

1 snakeskinned looking tee [Sarah? Donna?]6.58-3.00mq=3.58

1 Merona ruffle shirt [fushia] [Donna? Sarah?] 5.38-3.00=2.38

8 Hershey chocolate 6.32-bogo q on air chocolate=3.16/.40e

2 Up Biotin vitamins 2.49=4.98-[2]1.00TQ=2.98/1.49e

1 up paper towel .99-.99TQ=FREE

2 clearance water bottles 2.96/1.48e

2 clearance water bottles 7.16/3.58e

4 Skinny Cow wafer chocolates [THEY ARE SO TASTY!!!! NOMNOMNOM] 3.99=15.96-[2]BOGO mq=7.98-[2]3.00TQ-[2]1.00mq=  -.02 MM

Total 24.58

savings $34.13 58%

I rarely buy things like water bottles, but these are a good quality, and the Rubbermaid bottles I bought years ago are making a huge mess in there lunchboxes...so this is a nice investment instead of endless plastic water bottles from the store.