Grocery Savings

I did some major "ad matching" today at No Frills Supermarket. I got some great deals, too!

They had Our Family Brand cereal on sale with an in-store coupon, 3 for $3.00 reg $3.39 each,( I went back in 3 times LOL).

Rotella's Honey Nugget Wheat bread reg $2.55 each , ad matched from Fareway for $1.29 each ( I actually bought 5 loaves not just the 2 shown)

Pizza Crust Mix reg 74¢ each, ad matched from Fareway 3 for $1.00

V.C. Pork & Beans reg 79¢ each, ad matched from Hy-vee $2 for 88¢ - 30¢ coupon , I paid 37¢ each

Ball Park Franks reg 2.99 each, ad matched Hy-Vee 99¢ each - 75¢ coupons , I paid 24¢ each

Charmin reg $5.98 each, ad matched Hy-Vee $3.97 - 25¢ coupons , I paid  $3.72 each

Sunny D reg $1.79 each, in-store surprise sale 99¢ each - 25¢ coupons I paid 74¢ each
Dole Lettuce reg $3.29 each,, ad matched Hy-Vee 3 for $5.00 ($1.67 each)
Our Family Brand cheese reg $2.29 each, ad matched Hy-Vee store brand 3 for $4.00 - $1.00 coupons> I paid $1.00 each

                                                     Total Value $93.77 > I paid $38.33

If your store carries the Our Family Brand they have their own website and you can print off coupons for their products. Here is a link:  Our Family Brands


Organizing:

I organized my pantry today and printed out some inventory sheets so I can keep better track of our food. Several things I found will need to be used up in the next month as they are about to expire. I will be working our menu around them this next week. LOL.
This is a great place to get free inventory sheets for your pantry and freezer. It's called Organized Home.

Have a good evening!

Last Minute Target Run!

I love the fact that Target is 1 mile from my house!
I was skimming through some of my favorite blogs and discovered some more match-ups and coupons! I also discovered they were expiring today! So I got everything printed off and checked my coupons and we (my son and I) headed over to Target! 

Spaghetti O's reg 99¢ each, on sale 50¢ each - coupon 50¢ off 2 > I paid 25¢ each

Campbells Harvest Soup reg $1.79 each, on sale $1.50 each - coupons $1.50 >  2 cans FREE

Snack Packs reg $1.02 each, on sale 84¢ each -coupons 1.30  > I paid 41¢ each

Right Guard 97¢ each - both FREE after coupons

Degree 97¢ each - both free after coupons

Clean & Clear Face Wash 97¢ - after coupon I made 3¢

Tide to go's are 97¢ each - after coupons  I made $1.62

Toms Toothpaste reg $4.17, on sale $2.59 after coupons > I paid 59¢

Chefs Micheals Dog Food 87¢ > after coupon FREE

Total worth $24.37 > I paid $2.82

Once again I must thank TotallyTarget for her blog. She spends a lot of time I'm sure, doing the research for these match-ups. I can't thank her enough for sharing!

I have another great deal to share.

If you are into scrapbooking or have wanted to try it check this out

FREE Download of Digital Scrapbook Artist

a $49.99 value

I have downloaded it myself and it is for real!

Zero! Zilch! Zip!

So here is the link FREE digital download of Digital Scrapbook Artist

I have downloaded free stuff from Amazon before and can attest they do not charge for their free stuff or hit you up to buy something else, etc. I have gotten several albums of downloaded music in the past, this is the first software I have gotten.

Have a good evening!

36 Coupons Used At Target

I handed the cashier 36 coupons at Target today! LOL. Most of them she had to enter manually since they would not scan. The people behind me seemed disgusted and moved to another register! LOL. So what I saved $47.38!

Most of this was free and some I got paid to buy LOL.

9 First Aid Travel Kits  97¢ each - coupon $1.00 each,  made me 27¢

6 Hello Kitty Band Aids 97¢ each - coupon $1.00 each,  made me 18¢ 

5 Clean $ Clear Face Wash 97¢ each - coupon $1.00 each, made me 15¢

Reach Floss 97¢ each - coupon $1.00 each, made me 6¢

4 Right Guard Deodorants 97¢ - coupon $1.00 each, made me 12¢

Chef Boy Ar Dee reg $1.02 each, on sale 78¢ each - coupon $1.00 each , made me 44¢

Campbells Soup reg $1.79 each , on sale $1.50 each - $1.50 coupons = free

Wishbone Dressing reg $1.89 each, on sale $1.50 - $1.50 coupons = free

Suave reg $1.09 each, on sale 89¢ each - coupon 75¢ =  14¢ each

Snack Packs reg $1.02 each, on sale 84¢ each - coupons $1.30  = 41¢ each

Vaseline lotion $2.99 each, - $2.50 coupons = 49¢ each

Gillette Mens Body Wash $2.99 - $2.00 coupon = 99¢

Ragu Pasta Sauce reg $1.87 each, on sale $1.50 each - $1.10 coupons = 95¢ each

Bic pens one pack was free.

Total Value $51.67 > I paid $5.38

A BIG THANK YOU to Totally Target for the match ups!

A trip to the grocery store today to buy only "sale items" and "weekly needs" was a pretty good deal too!

Del Monte Ketchup reg $1.98 each  - ad matched 68¢ each (Fareway)

Golden Delicious Apples reg $1.79 lb - ad matched  79¢ lb  (Fareway)

Skinner Spaghetti reg 99¢ each - ad matched 50¢ each (Super Saver)

Tostito's reg $3.29 each - ad matched for $1.98 each (Super Saver)

Rotella's Wheat Bread reg $2.69 each - ad matched 88¢ each (Super Saver)

CH Brown Sugar reg $2.38 - ad matched $1.58 (HyVee) - coupon 50¢ = $1.08

Spin Blend reg $2.69 - on sale $1.88 - $1.00 coupons = 88¢ each

Total Value $31.38 > I paid $13.14

My son and his girlfriend stopped in and I sent them home with a First Aid Kit for the car and some Band- Aids! LOL

Have a good evening!

We moved the "curb find"!

I am exhausted!
Having my cabinet from "the curb" in the dining room was just annoying me! It just did not "fit in" there.
 So today we measured and I decided I would like to see how it would look in the kitchen. I was worried that it would be too "foreboding", (this is where Dave said "too what?"). LOL! First we put it on one side of the refrigerator. Dave said "I think it would be better on the other side". I said "I guess we can try it".
You need to understand that at both places the refrigerator had to be moved and it has a water line hooked to the back of it (umm yea!).
He moved it too the other side and it just didn't "feel" right to me and was very "foreboding". LOL! So my wonderful man ( I helped as best I could) moved the refrigerator , again, and moved the cabinet back to the first spot. After some minor adjustments I found the "right spot" and it also looks great!
( If you are noticing that the cabinet looks different than yesterdays picture, that would be because Dave discovered when we were moving it > that it was upside down! LOL! What a hoot!! LOL.

Now my cookbooks are protected from dust and my appliances are easier for me to get to. It also matches my cabinets ( at least until they get their makeovers).

I am exhausted because, after we pulled out the old bookshelf, another cabinet and the refrigerator I said "oh yuck".

You see we have 3 cats and a dog. Other pet owners probably at this moment are shaking their heads because "they know"! DUST BUNNIES FROM HELL!

So it was time for a good sweeping and mopping. At this point I also discovered the walls could use a washing. So I climbed up there with my rag and bucket and set to work!

 That was the only side of the kitchen I got to today. Tomorrow, if I can get out of bed, lol, I will hopefully get the other side done.

Have a good evening!

Another Curb Find!

If you read my Monday blog you know about the cool handmade bookshelf I found on the curb. Well the next day as we were driving by this same "curb" (lol) I found this:

Also handmade and OMG is it heavy!! They used quality wood. LOL and it too smelled like Pledge (but was not slippery). Although it is quite nice looking it does not fit my decor, so I believe I may be painting it.
I have to put it in the dining room and that is where my dilema is. I want it to store my appliances in, but if I put it in the kitchen it will just be too crowded. I don't really want my guests seeing all my appliances through the glass doors - in the dining room! I have thought of maybe putting a lace curtain on the inside of the doors.

Any thoughts or comments?

I am blog hopping today. I've read a lot of cool new blogs. Just click a button and you can too!

Monday Monday

Today is the last day of the summer vacation for my son. He will start high school tomorrow. Time does fly by! I took a vacation day and we spent it doing some last minute shopping and had lunch at our favorite place Hu Hot Mongolian Grill.

I received a coupon the other day from Kohl's for 30% off my entire order, so we headed there to check the clearance racks.

I found this top for myself reg price $38.00 >I paid $5.32

My son found these Reebok shoes reg price $59.99 > I paid  $24.49

Total worth $ 97.99 > I paid $29.81

We stopped in at Wal- mart for a few things and I got 2 cans of cat food for free!

Total value $1.34

We then stopped by Dollar General. I do not normally shop here but I am on a mission to find a black ruffled shower curtain, I was hoping they would have one - but no such luck.

I did get these deals though

This 56oz Dawn reg price $3.50 on sale for $2.75 > I had a $1.00 coupon making it $1.75!

The Scrubbing Bubbles reg price $3.25 each on sale for $2.50 each > I had a coupon for $2.00 off 2 making them $1.50 each!

Total value $10.00 > I paid $4.75!!

                                                                Curbside Find
We were driving down the street and found this on the curb!!

Very solid and sturdy ( I think it was handmade) and it was a bit slippery (it smelled like Pledge).

I just happen to need a bookcase! LOL!

I have found a black ruffled shower curtain on Amazon.com!

I have cashed in some of my "swagbucks" for two $5.00 gift certificates. As soon as they load to my account I will be ordering the shower curtain. Yahoo!!

$10.00 free just for using the "swagbucks" search engine.

Thanks for stopping. Have a good evening!

Sunday Deals

I am still only buying the sale items and weekly needs, since I am trying to dwindle our "stockpile" before it gets too old.
So today was minimal at the grocery store but still BIG savings.

Folgers reg price $8.98 each > I paid $4.98 each

Skippy reg price $1.98 each > I paid 98¢ each

Farmland sausage reg price$1.78 each > I paid $1.00 each

Total worth $29.04 > I paid $15.92

We did a Target run this evening (it is only 1 mile from our house).

Pillows reg price $4.99 each > I paid $2.00 each

Bagel Bites I paid 24¢

Bic pens 2 packs - free

Tide 2 packs they paid me 3¢ each.

Total worth $16.14 > I paid $4.24

These Tide singles I have been accumulating and putting away for our next vacation. They are great! They are flat and can slip into your baggage and take up no room like a bulky bottle will. We did a lot of laundry last year when we went to ocean, that sand gets into everything. Next year I will be prepared with my "freebies"!

                                                              From the Garden
Yesterday I noticed this yellow finch on my Zinnia's. I had to take the picture from the bathroom window through the screen. It wasn't too clear.

I went into the living room to try and get another picture with the zoom on my camera through our picture window (that has no screen). I looked out and to my dismay it was gone and as I started to put the camera down I realized it was right in front of me!

It was like it came up and posed and then left.

Because of the tint on the window the picture is dim.

That's it for today.

Good Evening!

Sunday deals and recipe

I made a trip to the store today to pick up the "sale items" and the weekly regulars (milk, fresh veg's,etc).
No Frill's had a store coupon for $5.00 off 10 participating products.  I combined it with some coupons I had for the products and got some great deals! Plus I ad matched some things too.

Grands reg. $1.98 each on sale for 98¢ > I paid 33¢ each

Cereal reg. $3.68 each on sale for $1.98 each > I paid  93¢ each

Cake mix reg. $1.48 on sale for 98¢ > I paid 48¢

Frosting reg. $1.99 on sale for $1.48 > I paid 98¢

Smuckers Jam reg. $1.78 each  > I paid 97¢ each (ad match - Fareway)

Pizza Rolls reg. $3.68 each on sale $2.88 > I paid $2.10 each

I also got :

Cat litter 25lb bags reg. $4.98 each > I paid $1.99 each (ad match - Fareway)

Charmin toilet paper reg. $10.63 on sale $5.98 > I paid $4.98

Vidalia onions reg. $1.69 lb > I paid 69¢ lb (ad match - Fareway)

Carrots 2lbs reg. $1.79> I paid 69¢ (ad match - Super Saver)

Total worth $55.58 > I paid $26.14

I had a few other items in the cart too.

My coupon total was $9.25

Today I made granola and granola bars. They are awesome!

A big "Thank you"  to Megan at Daily Essentials and Deals  (she has great step by step pictures).

Recipe

Mix in a bowl:

4 cups quick rolled oats

1 cup wheat germ

1/3 cup flax seed (ground)

1/2 - 3/4 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1-2 cups mini chocolate chips (opt.)

other options (I did not use these)

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup almonds

In another bowl mix:

1/3 cup canola oil

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup water

Then put wet ingredients into the dry and mix well.

Preheat oven to 300* and spray pans with cooking spray.

For this batch I spread 1/2 onto a cookie sheet loosely for cereal

and pressed the other 1/2 of the batch into a 8 1/2 x 11 baking dish (press firmly to make granola bars).

Bake the loose batch until lightly brown on the bottom about 25 minutes. Lightly stir one time halfway through baking.

For the bars in the baking dish leave in a little longer about 35 minutes. Until lightly brown around edges.

Once the bars cool, just cut and store sealed!

Ovens vary so you will want to keep an eye on them to make sure they are not overcooked.

Next time I believe I will add some pecans. This is so yummy I can't wait til breakfast!

Gasp! We picked more tomatoes today (2 plants are now officially dead though). I have enough to put up 3 more quarts of Spaghetti Sauce which I will do after work tomorrow ( at least that is the plan, lol). I am feeling better that my garden has not been a total bust!
I did find that I have 1 pumpkin growing ( out of 12 plants) and 1 acorn squash (out of 6 plants). Ho-hum! LOL. I don't foresee me canning lots of pumpkin this fall as I had hoped.

Back to work tomorrow - Ugh! I actually have to work the whole week. I was enjoying having a day off a week (sometimes 2). (I have next Monday off though he-he ,)  School starts Tuesday Aug. 17.

I timed this just right to finish up before my show -
"The Gates" is about to come on. LOL.
Good Evening!

The Truth Is......

I have found that their are some misconceptions about frugal/thrifty people. Or at least there are about me and why I am frugal and thrifty.
First let me say that we are far from wealthy nor are we poor or struggling to get by (although I will say "been there done that").
I drive a 2010 vehicle, we own a "Harley", we have a modest but nice home.  I have all of this "because" I don't spend frivolously, rarely pay full price, use coupons, shop at yard sales and thrift stores.
Used is not always a bad thing and who will know unless you tell . When I do buy new  - I buy "quality".
 I call myself "cheap" because I am unwilling to "spend" my hard earned money on full price (which is always too much).
As I say we do not "struggle to make ends meet". We pay cash for everything. Sometimes that means we have to "save up" before we buy.
I do not flaunt or brag about what I have. I am not jealous of what others have or obtain. I keep to myself and I guess that leads others to believe I am jealous and "poor".
I do like to brag - about saving money! That is why I have this blog and to share with others how they can too with a bit of perseverance, self control and frugality.
I would love to have comments from others on the subject and how they have been perceived by others for their frugal - thrifty ways.
Have a good evening!

Tax Free Friday!

Today and tomorrow my state does not charge taxes on clothing. My son and I got up early to hit some stores. We left about 8:00 a.m. only to find that most the stores we wanted to shop at were not open until 9:00 a.m.
We never waited in any lines and parking was even close.We were actually surprised that there was no "mad rush" at any of the stores. I expect that will happen this evening when people have their checks and are off work. Tomorrow will probably be the worst.

First stop - Kohl's! Before leaving the house I checked my e-mail and "sure enough" there was one from Kohl's with a coupon for 15% off my entire purchase!

Tek Gear athletic shorts (orig price $20.00)> $8.00

 Atari shorts (orig $14.00) >$2.80 

 Apt 9 shirt (orig. $24.00)>  $4.80

Black shirt (orig $10.00) > $3.00

 and Tony Hawk shirt red (orig 30.00) > $17.99

Total value $98.00 > I paid $31.10 (my coupon was worth $5.49 and no sales tax which would have been $2.18)

All were on the clearance racks except the Tony Hawk shirt - it was "on sale".

On to "gordmans". Here is where we bought the most stuff and saved the most.

Black athletic shorts (orig $20.00) > $7.00

 Mecca Black shorts w/belt (orig $40.00) >$16.00

 Mecca Denim shorts w/belt (orig) 40.00 > $14.00

 Mecca jeans (orig $44.00) >$18.00

  purple shirt  (orig $28.00) >$11.00

 green shirt (orig 24.00) > $12.00

 Tap out shirt (orig $24.00) > $7.00

 Tap out shirt (orig $24.00) > $7.00

All were on the clearance racks!

                 Total worth $244.00 > I paid  $92.00 and no sales tax which would have been $6.44

They also gave me a card for 15% off any single item AND a $10.00 gift card!

That was it for clearance racks but we hit some great sales.

At K-mart we bought:

 a pack of Hanes t-shirts (reg $9.99) > $8.50

Rte 66 denim shorts (reg $22.99) > $11.49

Total worth $32.98 > I paid $19.99 no sales tax which would have been $1.40

To Shopko:

Airwalk shoes (reg $25.99) > $19.99 no sales tax which would have been $1.40

Target :

Hanes socks (reg $7.98) $5.00 but I paid $4.00 since I printed off the coupon from their website!

no sales tax which would have been a whopping 28¢! LOL

Hot Topic:

Buy one shirt get 2nd 1/2 off

Total worth $$35.00 > I paid $27.50

no sales tax which would have been $1.93

The total sales tax I saved today was $13.63

It may not seem like much but I'd say it paid for my gas and part of our lunch.

New Design

Yes I have changed the design again. I have just not been able to find something that fits me, other than the black. I think the black made it to hard for people to read so I changed to this. Let me know your thoughts.

It's Blog Hop Friday

I am checking out some new blogs today. It's fun to find new blogs. Try it just - click on a button.

                                                                I'm going to read some new blogs now. Have a good evening!

It's Already August!

It's already August and what a disappointing Fall it will be with so little from my garden this year. I know I am not alone though, as others in the area have said the same of their gardens.

I managed to get a little less than 3 quarts of spaghetti sauce canned from the few tomatoes we got. I even have a couple tomatoes for our BLT's too.

Mailbox finds

It's been awhile since we had many "free samples" come to the mailbox. This week we started getting some again.

My son has become somewhat disinterested in this mailbox freebies though. LOL. It seems all I get anymore is feminine product samples. I got a diaper , Lanacane, Olay body wash, and some water flavorers too. 

 

The plumbing is done. Actually it was done on Tuesday night. It is so great to have water pressure. They also ran plumbing for the new bathroom we are putting in the basement. We will start on that next year.

The weather has still been nasty humid. I would love to get back to working on the landscaping in the front. I have decided to go ahead and do the landscaping blocks after all. It just makes for a nicer look.

The mower broke again (after my last report  of it breaking and Dave fixing it).

We had to end up borrowing a mower today. The lawn has not been mowed in 2 weeks and though it hasn't grown all that much it was starting to look unsightly.

 Flipping It For  $$ 

Bought at thrift store for 98¢ sold on ebay for $6.00

 Brand New never used - got it off freecycle (for free ) sold on craigslist for $5.00

 paid 20¢ for unopened vintage kit at thrift store sold on ebay for $8.47

 It's back to work tomorrow so I will say Good Evening!