Thursday, November 10, 2011
Free Sample of Woolite Extra Dark Care
Go on over to the Woolite Facebook Page where you can sign up to receive a FREE sample of Woolite Extra Dark Care. Just "like" them and click on the "dark Friday" tab to find the form. You'll also be entered into a drawing for a black Friday shopping spree!
Thrifty Thursday 11/10
We didn't need much this week thanks to a few recent "stock-up" trips, so I went to a some stores that I don't always have time to go to...including the Goodwill store and Ollie's Bargain Outlet. I know it's not grocery related, but I LOVE to go to the Goodwill to look for books for my kids. At $0.35 a piece, it's an inexpensive way to treat them! I found some bargains today...including books by Tommie de Paola and Eric Carle, plus a hardcover Fancy Nancy book! Ollie's didn't have much except for Betty Crocker fruit snacks for $0.99 a box. We were out and my husband LOVES fruit snacks, so I bought a few boxes.
My best deal of the day was at Walgreens where I got 2 cans of Clabber Girl baking powder for FREE after coupons! (Well, I paid $0.03 for tax, but that's about as close to free as you'll get!) :)
I also went to Kroger for one set of Mega Sale items (Kleenex, Nestle water bottles, Doritos -a sick present for my hubby-, and a carton of half & half) and some veggies, milk and eggs.
And, unfortunately, I was FORCED to go to Walmart for a few non-grocery related items, so while I was there, I picked up a bottle of honey. :)
Here are my totals for the day...
Total value of all purchases (22 items from 4 stores - not including Goodwill) : $56.53
Total amount spent oop after sales and coupons : $34.63
Total amount saved : $21.90 or 39%
My best deal of the day was at Walgreens where I got 2 cans of Clabber Girl baking powder for FREE after coupons! (Well, I paid $0.03 for tax, but that's about as close to free as you'll get!) :)
I also went to Kroger for one set of Mega Sale items (Kleenex, Nestle water bottles, Doritos -a sick present for my hubby-, and a carton of half & half) and some veggies, milk and eggs.
And, unfortunately, I was FORCED to go to Walmart for a few non-grocery related items, so while I was there, I picked up a bottle of honey. :)
Here are my totals for the day...
Total value of all purchases (22 items from 4 stores - not including Goodwill) : $56.53
Total amount spent oop after sales and coupons : $34.63
Total amount saved : $21.90 or 39%
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Money (& Time) Saving Idea: Make Your Own Baking Mixes!
Recently, I was reading a post on HeavenlyHomemakers, and came across an idea that I had never thought of before but was such a great money-saving and time-saving idea!
If you're a person who likes to bake often, or if you've ever needed to whip up a quick batch of cookies or brownies or muffins and didn't have a boxed mix on hand, (or if you just don't like boxed mixes) then this tip is definitely for you!
Take some of your favorite baking recipes (I've listed a few of mine below), and place all of the dry ingredients that you need for the recipes in individual freezer-safe zip-top bags. Label the bag with all of the wet ingredients you need to finish the recipe and baking directions. Throw it in your freezer and, whala!, you have your own baking mixes that are ready to go when you need them. Not only will it save you time and money, but you will have less dishes to wash and these recipes will more than likely be much healthier than the ones you buy in a box!
I would put together several mixes at once to save you time later on. Or, if you're planning on making something anyway, while you already have the ingredients out, go ahead and make 2 or 3 bagged mixes. Here are a few of my favorite baking recipes:
Whole Wheat Cocolate Chip Oatmeal Pancakes
Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins (This is one of my daughter's favorites!)
Cocoa Brownies
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
On Bag, Write...
Add 1/2 cup oil, 2 eggs and 1 tsp vanilla to dry ingredients. (Mix in nuts or chocolate chips if you wish.) Pour into an 8x8 in pan (or mini muffin tin) and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 min. (Baking time will be less if using muffin tin.)
Basic Muffins
Dry Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
On Bag, Write...
Add 4 tbsp melted butter, 1 large egg, and 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp milk to dry ingredients. (Add in berries or chocolate chips.) Pour into 10 muffin cups and bake at 400 degrees for 18 - 24 minutes.
If you're a person who likes to bake often, or if you've ever needed to whip up a quick batch of cookies or brownies or muffins and didn't have a boxed mix on hand, (or if you just don't like boxed mixes) then this tip is definitely for you!
Take some of your favorite baking recipes (I've listed a few of mine below), and place all of the dry ingredients that you need for the recipes in individual freezer-safe zip-top bags. Label the bag with all of the wet ingredients you need to finish the recipe and baking directions. Throw it in your freezer and, whala!, you have your own baking mixes that are ready to go when you need them. Not only will it save you time and money, but you will have less dishes to wash and these recipes will more than likely be much healthier than the ones you buy in a box!
I would put together several mixes at once to save you time later on. Or, if you're planning on making something anyway, while you already have the ingredients out, go ahead and make 2 or 3 bagged mixes. Here are a few of my favorite baking recipes:
Whole Wheat Cocolate Chip Oatmeal Pancakes
Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins (This is one of my daughter's favorites!)
Cocoa Brownies
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
On Bag, Write...
Add 1/2 cup oil, 2 eggs and 1 tsp vanilla to dry ingredients. (Mix in nuts or chocolate chips if you wish.) Pour into an 8x8 in pan (or mini muffin tin) and bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 min. (Baking time will be less if using muffin tin.)
Basic Muffins
Dry Ingredients:
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sugar
On Bag, Write...
Add 4 tbsp melted butter, 1 large egg, and 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp milk to dry ingredients. (Add in berries or chocolate chips.) Pour into 10 muffin cups and bake at 400 degrees for 18 - 24 minutes.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Walgreens Deals 11/6 - 12
There are a few nice freebies at Walgreens this week!
Get $1.99 RR wyb Blistex Revive & Restore Lip Care, .4 oz @ $1.99
*makes it FREE!
Get $1 RR wyb Crest Toothpaste, 6.4 oz @ $1.99
-$1 mc (PG 10/30) (This coupon has restrictions, and I have not been to the store yet to see if any of them apply to the toothpaste on sale, so make sure you read the fine print before using it!)
*makes it FREE!
Clabber Girl Corn Startch, 6.5 oz @ $0.50 w/ in-ad coupon
-$0.50 mc printable (no longer available?!)
*makes it FREE!
You can see the rest of the Walgreens weekly deals here.
Get $1.99 RR wyb Blistex Revive & Restore Lip Care, .4 oz @ $1.99
*makes it FREE!
Get $1 RR wyb Crest Toothpaste, 6.4 oz @ $1.99
-$1 mc (PG 10/30) (This coupon has restrictions, and I have not been to the store yet to see if any of them apply to the toothpaste on sale, so make sure you read the fine print before using it!)
*makes it FREE!
Clabber Girl Corn Startch, 6.5 oz @ $0.50 w/ in-ad coupon
-$0.50 mc printable (no longer available?!)
*makes it FREE!
You can see the rest of the Walgreens weekly deals here.
CVS Deals 11/6-12
Here are my favorite deals at CVS this week...including Jif peanut butter for $1 with no coupons needed and more FREE greeting cards! Yay!
Get $3 ECB wyb (3) Hallmark or American Greetings cards (limit 1)
-If the $0.99 cards are inluded, makes 3 FREE!
Get $3 ECB wyb (2) Jif Peanut Butter, 18 - 20 oz @ $2.50 ea (limit 1)
-makes it $1 each!
Get $10 ECB why $20 worth of select Playtex and Schick Products:
Buy (2) Schick Slim Twin Disposable Razors, 10 pk @ $7.99 ea
-B1G1 mc (SS 11/06)
Buy (2) Edge Shave Gels, 6 - 10oz @ $2.19 ea
*Pay $12.37, get back $10 ECB....makes it $0.59 each!
Libby's Canned Pumpkin $1.50
-$1/2 mc (RP 8/28)
*makes it $1 each!
Softsoap Liquid Hand Soap, 5.5-8.5 oz @ $0.99
-$0.75 mc (SS 10/30)
*makes it $0.24!
You can see all of the other CVS deals here. Let me know if you find any other bargains!
Get $3 ECB wyb (3) Hallmark or American Greetings cards (limit 1)
-If the $0.99 cards are inluded, makes 3 FREE!
Get $3 ECB wyb (2) Jif Peanut Butter, 18 - 20 oz @ $2.50 ea (limit 1)
-makes it $1 each!
Get $10 ECB why $20 worth of select Playtex and Schick Products:
Buy (2) Schick Slim Twin Disposable Razors, 10 pk @ $7.99 ea
-B1G1 mc (SS 11/06)
Buy (2) Edge Shave Gels, 6 - 10oz @ $2.19 ea
*Pay $12.37, get back $10 ECB....makes it $0.59 each!
Libby's Canned Pumpkin $1.50
-$1/2 mc (RP 8/28)
*makes it $1 each!
Softsoap Liquid Hand Soap, 5.5-8.5 oz @ $0.99
-$0.75 mc (SS 10/30)
*makes it $0.24!
You can see all of the other CVS deals here. Let me know if you find any other bargains!
New Kroger Coupons in my Mailbox = FREE stuff!
Have you gotten any new coupons from Kroger in the mail recently? If not, be watching your mailbox! In the past week, I have gotten 2 mailers from Kroger including 5 FREE product coupons! Yay!! I'll be getting free eggs, frozen veggies, frozen fruit, and Pepperidge Farm cookies! (Not that we need cookies after all of the halloween candy the girls brought home...)
In addition to the FREE product coupons, I also recieved some great manufacturer coupons for things I buy on a regular basis. If you do not yet recieve coupons in the mail from Kroger and want to start getting them, you can sign up for an account here.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Weekly Menu 11/6-12
Unlike last week when I hardly cooked at all, this week I will be cooking almost every night! But, I'm planning on making the most of it by making double batches of a few things!
Sunday
Breakfast: breakfast basket
Lunch: Out!
Dinner: spaghetti & meatballs (from the freezer) / salad / garlic toast
Monday
Breakfast: muffins (from the freezer)
Lunch: PB&J / chips / fruit cup
Snack: Brownie Bites (from freezer)
Dinner: Country Fried Steak / mashed potatoes / steamed broccoli
Tuesday
Breakfast: cereal
Lunch: Lunchable (from recent Kroger sale) / yogurt
Snack: apple slices (from local orchard!) w/ peanut butter
Dinner: Chicken Empanadas (using bread recipe from here -I'm planning on making extras to freeze. If it goes well, I'll let you know!) / steamed corn / salad
Wednesday
Breakfast: scrambled eggs / toast
Lunch: turkey sandwich / pretzels / applesauce
Snack: Mudballs (we never got around to making these last week!)
Dinner: Out with family!
Thursday
Breakfast: pancakes
Lunch: school lunch
Snack: Peanut Butter Honey Bars (from freezer)
Dinner: chilli (making a double batch to freeze - of course!) / baked potatoes
Friday
Breakfast: potato cakes (from freezer)
Lunch: school lunch
Snack: Mudballs
Dinner: Out!
Saturday
Breakfast: cinnamon rolls (from recent Kroger sale)
Lunch: sandwiches / pretzels / fruit
Dinner: Chicken w/ garlic sauce / green beans / seasoned rice
Freezer Cooking Plan
applesauce bread (using homemade applesauce)
mini chicken meatballs (didn't get around to making these last week either!)
whole wheat oatmeal chocolate chip pancakes
Sunday
Breakfast: breakfast basket
Lunch: Out!
Dinner: spaghetti & meatballs (from the freezer) / salad / garlic toast
Monday
Breakfast: muffins (from the freezer)
Lunch: PB&J / chips / fruit cup
Snack: Brownie Bites (from freezer)
Dinner: Country Fried Steak / mashed potatoes / steamed broccoli
Tuesday
Breakfast: cereal
Lunch: Lunchable (from recent Kroger sale) / yogurt
Snack: apple slices (from local orchard!) w/ peanut butter
Dinner: Chicken Empanadas (using bread recipe from here -I'm planning on making extras to freeze. If it goes well, I'll let you know!) / steamed corn / salad
Wednesday
Breakfast: scrambled eggs / toast
Lunch: turkey sandwich / pretzels / applesauce
Snack: Mudballs (we never got around to making these last week!)
Dinner: Out with family!
Thursday
Breakfast: pancakes
Lunch: school lunch
Snack: Peanut Butter Honey Bars (from freezer)
Dinner: chilli (making a double batch to freeze - of course!) / baked potatoes
Friday
Breakfast: potato cakes (from freezer)
Lunch: school lunch
Snack: Mudballs
Dinner: Out!
Saturday
Breakfast: cinnamon rolls (from recent Kroger sale)
Lunch: sandwiches / pretzels / fruit
Dinner: Chicken w/ garlic sauce / green beans / seasoned rice
Freezer Cooking Plan
applesauce bread (using homemade applesauce)
mini chicken meatballs (didn't get around to making these last week either!)
whole wheat oatmeal chocolate chip pancakes
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
FREE Sample of John Frieda Hair Care!
Right now, you can get a FREE sample of John Frieda Full Repair Full Body shampoo and conditioner here.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Dollar Tree Deals
The next time you're in your local Dollar Tree store (probably buying your Sunday paper or items for a Busy Bag!), you may want to take a stroll down the food/snack aisle! Lately, I have been finding lots of great snack items - especially things that have been nice to have for my daughter's lunchbox and for after school snacks!
And, of course, you can't beat the price!! :)
Here are a few things I've found recently:
In addition to these items, I have also seen 10 ct. bags of Snyder's mini pretzel twists AND Nature's Own bread (loaves, buns, sandwich things, bagel thins, etc.)!
Just another reason why I LOVE my Dollar Tree store!
And, of course, you can't beat the price!! :)
Here are a few things I've found recently:
In addition to these items, I have also seen 10 ct. bags of Snyder's mini pretzel twists AND Nature's Own bread (loaves, buns, sandwich things, bagel thins, etc.)!
Just another reason why I LOVE my Dollar Tree store!
Money Saving Tip: Make your own reusable Swiffer Sweeper cloths!
I don't know about you, but I love anything that saves me time (and effort!) when I'm cleaning the house. It is, of course, one of my least favorite things to do!! That's why I LOVE my Swiffer Sweeper. I have had it for years and it still picks up dust and dirt off my floor better than anything else I've tried.
The only bad thing about my Swiffer is that the dusting cloth refills are so darn expensive!! I refuse to buy them unless I find them on a great sale, which means that I run out a LOT! Recently, however, I had one of those "aha!" moments and realized I could make my own Swiffer cloths that I can wash and reuse!
Here's what you do...
First, head to one of my favorite stores...you guessed it....the Dollar Store!!!! Look in the kitchen section for any kind of microfiber dusting cloth. (I've tried several times to upload a picture of the one I bought. It isn't happening...sorry. They had several different kids to choose from.)
Next, attach the cloth to your Swiffer Sweeper just like you would one of the dry refills, and start sweeping!!
See how much it picked up?! (WOW! My floors were dirty!)
At this point, I usually shake the cloth over my trashcan to get rid of all the large clumps of fuzz, hair, etc. Then, I throw it in the washing machine and it's ready to use all over again!
No more need to buy expensive refills! Hooray!
Have any money-saving tips of your own? I'd love for you to share them!
The only bad thing about my Swiffer is that the dusting cloth refills are so darn expensive!! I refuse to buy them unless I find them on a great sale, which means that I run out a LOT! Recently, however, I had one of those "aha!" moments and realized I could make my own Swiffer cloths that I can wash and reuse!
Here's what you do...
First, head to one of my favorite stores...you guessed it....the Dollar Store!!!! Look in the kitchen section for any kind of microfiber dusting cloth. (I've tried several times to upload a picture of the one I bought. It isn't happening...sorry. They had several different kids to choose from.)
Next, attach the cloth to your Swiffer Sweeper just like you would one of the dry refills, and start sweeping!!
See how much it picked up?! (WOW! My floors were dirty!)
At this point, I usually shake the cloth over my trashcan to get rid of all the large clumps of fuzz, hair, etc. Then, I throw it in the washing machine and it's ready to use all over again!
No more need to buy expensive refills! Hooray!
Have any money-saving tips of your own? I'd love for you to share them!
Monday, October 31, 2011
FREE Greeting Card from CardsDirect.com!
Right now, when you "like" CardsDirect on Facebook, you can choose to receive either a thank you card, birthday card, or congratulations card with matching envelope shipped to you for FREE!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
FREE Kleenex Cool Touch sample!
Sam's Club Members can currently get a FREE Kleenex Cool Touch sample here!
Weekly Menu 10/30 - 11/5
This is going to be kind of an odd week for us. I planning on cooking dinner only three nights as we have several evening activities going on this week.
This week, I decided to add in my afternoon snack plan in addition to my usual breakfast, lunch, and dinners. Every day, my daughter gets off the bus starving, and I have found that it makes my life much easier if I plan out ahead of time what to feed her every day! (It also allows me to make healthier choices instead of grabbing the first thing I find in the pantry!) I don't plan snacks for Saturday or Sunday because our weekends are so crazy, we usually don't end up needing them.
So, with that said, here's what we'll be eating this coming week! (Remember, the lunches listed are only for my daughter who is in elementary school. My younger daughter and I usually just eat what we find in the fridge!)
Sunday
Breakfast: Breakfast Basket (I keep a basket filled with breakfast items - cereal bars, poptarts, fruit, etc. that the kids can choose from when we're in a hurry. Usually things I've gotten on recent sales at Kroger!)
Lunch: (Out! A Sunday tradition!)
Dinner: (Out with Dad - I have a workshop Sunday night)
Monday
Breakfast: Potato Cakes (from the freezer)
Lunch: PB&J / chips / strawberries / fruit snacks
Snack: microwave popcorn / yogurt smoothies (from a recent Kroger sale)
Dinner: (Chilli & Grilled Cheese at in-laws house. A HALLOWEEN tradition!)
Tuesday
Breakfast: muffins (from freezer)
Lunch: Lunchable (from a recent Kroger sale) / yogurt
Snack: Mudballs
Dinner: "Easy Bake" pork chops / roasted asparagus ($0.99 at Kroger through Satuday) / hashbrowns (from freezer)
Wednesday
Breakfast: scrambled eggs / toast
Lunch: Turkey & cheese sandw. / pretzels / applesauce / candy (from Halloween stash)
Snack: apple slices w/ peanut butter
Dinner: (Out! This is my birthday so I'm not cooking!)
Thursday
Breakfast: cereal w/ milk
Lunch: school lunch (we allow our daughter to buy lunch twice a week)
Snack: Mudballs
Dinner: Spaghetti with meatballs (from the freezer) / salad / rolls (from the freezer)
Friday
Breakfast: pancakes (from freezer)
Lunch: school lunch
Snack: Homemade cheese crackers / yogurt smoothies
Dinner: (Out! Another birthday dinner!)
Saturday
Breakfast: muffins (from freezer)
Lunch: (Birthday party)
Dinner: Turkey Sloppy Joes (from freezer) / baked french fries / left over salad
Freezer Cooking Plan
Hashbrowns
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
Chicken Meatballs (Found in a recent magazine article. Will let you know how they turn out!)
Homemade Cheese Crackers
This week, I decided to add in my afternoon snack plan in addition to my usual breakfast, lunch, and dinners. Every day, my daughter gets off the bus starving, and I have found that it makes my life much easier if I plan out ahead of time what to feed her every day! (It also allows me to make healthier choices instead of grabbing the first thing I find in the pantry!) I don't plan snacks for Saturday or Sunday because our weekends are so crazy, we usually don't end up needing them.
So, with that said, here's what we'll be eating this coming week! (Remember, the lunches listed are only for my daughter who is in elementary school. My younger daughter and I usually just eat what we find in the fridge!)
Sunday
Breakfast: Breakfast Basket (I keep a basket filled with breakfast items - cereal bars, poptarts, fruit, etc. that the kids can choose from when we're in a hurry. Usually things I've gotten on recent sales at Kroger!)
Lunch: (Out! A Sunday tradition!)
Dinner: (Out with Dad - I have a workshop Sunday night)
Monday
Breakfast: Potato Cakes (from the freezer)
Lunch: PB&J / chips / strawberries / fruit snacks
Snack: microwave popcorn / yogurt smoothies (from a recent Kroger sale)
Dinner: (Chilli & Grilled Cheese at in-laws house. A HALLOWEEN tradition!)
Tuesday
Breakfast: muffins (from freezer)
Lunch: Lunchable (from a recent Kroger sale) / yogurt
Snack: Mudballs
Dinner: "Easy Bake" pork chops / roasted asparagus ($0.99 at Kroger through Satuday) / hashbrowns (from freezer)
Wednesday
Breakfast: scrambled eggs / toast
Lunch: Turkey & cheese sandw. / pretzels / applesauce / candy (from Halloween stash)
Snack: apple slices w/ peanut butter
Dinner: (Out! This is my birthday so I'm not cooking!)
Thursday
Breakfast: cereal w/ milk
Lunch: school lunch (we allow our daughter to buy lunch twice a week)
Snack: Mudballs
Dinner: Spaghetti with meatballs (from the freezer) / salad / rolls (from the freezer)
Friday
Breakfast: pancakes (from freezer)
Lunch: school lunch
Snack: Homemade cheese crackers / yogurt smoothies
Dinner: (Out! Another birthday dinner!)
Saturday
Breakfast: muffins (from freezer)
Lunch: (Birthday party)
Dinner: Turkey Sloppy Joes (from freezer) / baked french fries / left over salad
Freezer Cooking Plan
Hashbrowns
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies
Chicken Meatballs (Found in a recent magazine article. Will let you know how they turn out!)
Homemade Cheese Crackers
Busy Bag Idea: Fuzzy Marble Scoopers!
The first time my oldest daughter saw a pom-pom ball, she called it a "Fuzzy Marble," and the name has stuck ever since! So, that's why I call my newest Busy Bag creation "Fuzzy Marble Scoopers!" I sometimes struggle to come up with busy bags that keep my 2 year old occupied for very long, but she LOVED this one and has played with it several times since I first put it together.
This busy bag is super simple to create and can, once again, be made using items you probably already have or can purchase at your local dollar store.
Makes me wonder why we spend so much money at Christmas.....
Here's what you need:
2 plastic bowls (of any kind/size)
pom-pom balls
plastic spoon
small tongs (I added chopsticks later and the kids love those too!)
gallon size zip-top bag
Here's what you do:
Place the two bowls out for your child. Fill one up with pom-pom balls. Give your child the spoon or the tongs/chopsticks and have them transfer the pom-poms from one bowl to the other. THAT'S IT! When they are done, store it in the zip-top bag.
I told you it was simple! You will be amazed at how long your child will do this!
My 5 year old even got in on the action one day!
If you missed my original post about Busy Bags, you can check it out here. These are a life-saver for me when I'm cooking dinner in the evenings!!
Have you had any great ideas for Busy Bags? I'd love to hear about them!
This busy bag is super simple to create and can, once again, be made using items you probably already have or can purchase at your local dollar store.
Makes me wonder why we spend so much money at Christmas.....
Here's what you need:
2 plastic bowls (of any kind/size)
pom-pom balls
plastic spoon
small tongs (I added chopsticks later and the kids love those too!)
gallon size zip-top bag
Here's what you do:
Place the two bowls out for your child. Fill one up with pom-pom balls. Give your child the spoon or the tongs/chopsticks and have them transfer the pom-poms from one bowl to the other. THAT'S IT! When they are done, store it in the zip-top bag.
I told you it was simple! You will be amazed at how long your child will do this!
My 5 year old even got in on the action one day!
If you missed my original post about Busy Bags, you can check it out here. These are a life-saver for me when I'm cooking dinner in the evenings!!
Have you had any great ideas for Busy Bags? I'd love to hear about them!
Upcoming Walgreens Deals 10/30 - 11/5
Walgreens has a couple of FREEBIES and other good deals coming up next week. Here are my favorites!
Get $2 RR when you buy Ricola Dual Action Crops, cherry, 19ct @ $2
-FREE Ricola 19-30 ct bag wyb Dual Action, max 43.99 (SS 10/02)
*makes 2 bags FREE!
Get $5 RR when you buy (2) Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste, 4-4.1 oz, or Oral-B CrossAction Toothbrush at $3.50 each.
-$1 off Crest toothpaste (PG 10/30)
-$1 off Crest toothpaste (PG 10/02 - EXP 10/31)
*use (2) $1 coupons, makes both FREE!
Get $1 RR when you buy Advil LiquiGels, 20 ct., or Tablets or Caplets, 24 ct. @ $2.99
-$1 off Advil or Advil PM 32 ct+ (Kroger Home Mailer)
*makes it $0.99!
Get $2 RR when you buy Nivea Body Wash Touch or Men's, 16.9 oz @ $3.99
-$1 off Nivea Body Wash (RP 10/30)
*makes it $0.99!
Viva Paper Towels, 6 rolls @ $5.99
-$1 off Viva Paper Towels, 6 pk (November Walgreens in-store coupon booklet)
-$2 off Viva Paper Towels, big roll + (September All You magazine)
*use both coupons, makes it $2.99! LOVE these paper towels!
SoBe Lifewater, 20 oz @ $1
-$1/4 SoBe Lifewater (November Walgreens in-store coupon booklet)
*makes it $0.75 each!
Domino Confectioners or Light Brown sugar, 1 lb @ $0.99 w/ in-ad coupon
-$0.50/2 Domino Brown or Confectioners sugar (RP 8/28 or 10/16)
*makes it $0.74!
Campbell's Chicken Noodle or Tomato Soup, 10.75 oz @ $0.59 w/ in-ad coupon
-$0.40/4 Campbell's Chicken Noodle or Tomato Soup (SS 9/11 or 10/02)
*makes it $0.49 each!
You can see the rest of the weekly deals here.
Let me know if you come across any great deals when you're shopping at Walgreens next week!
Get $2 RR when you buy Ricola Dual Action Crops, cherry, 19ct @ $2
-FREE Ricola 19-30 ct bag wyb Dual Action, max 43.99 (SS 10/02)
*makes 2 bags FREE!
Get $5 RR when you buy (2) Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste, 4-4.1 oz, or Oral-B CrossAction Toothbrush at $3.50 each.
-$1 off Crest toothpaste (PG 10/30)
-$1 off Crest toothpaste (PG 10/02 - EXP 10/31)
*use (2) $1 coupons, makes both FREE!
Get $1 RR when you buy Advil LiquiGels, 20 ct., or Tablets or Caplets, 24 ct. @ $2.99
-$1 off Advil or Advil PM 32 ct+ (Kroger Home Mailer)
*makes it $0.99!
Get $2 RR when you buy Nivea Body Wash Touch or Men's, 16.9 oz @ $3.99
-$1 off Nivea Body Wash (RP 10/30)
*makes it $0.99!
Viva Paper Towels, 6 rolls @ $5.99
-$1 off Viva Paper Towels, 6 pk (November Walgreens in-store coupon booklet)
-$2 off Viva Paper Towels, big roll + (September All You magazine)
*use both coupons, makes it $2.99! LOVE these paper towels!
SoBe Lifewater, 20 oz @ $1
-$1/4 SoBe Lifewater (November Walgreens in-store coupon booklet)
*makes it $0.75 each!
Domino Confectioners or Light Brown sugar, 1 lb @ $0.99 w/ in-ad coupon
-$0.50/2 Domino Brown or Confectioners sugar (RP 8/28 or 10/16)
*makes it $0.74!
Campbell's Chicken Noodle or Tomato Soup, 10.75 oz @ $0.59 w/ in-ad coupon
-$0.40/4 Campbell's Chicken Noodle or Tomato Soup (SS 9/11 or 10/02)
*makes it $0.49 each!
You can see the rest of the weekly deals here.
Let me know if you come across any great deals when you're shopping at Walgreens next week!
Upcoming CVS Deals 10/30 - 11/5
This weeks looks to be a little better at CVS as far as the deals go with several freebies! Here are all of my favorite deals that start Sunday, Oct. 30!
Get $3 ECB when you buy (3) American Greetings or Hallmark Greeting cards (limit 1)
*makes $0.99 cards FREE if they are included!
Get $1 ECB when you buy Crest Complete Toothpaste, 4.2 oz @ $2.99 (limit 1)
-$2 off Crest Complete toothpaste (SS 9/11)
*makes it FREE!
Get $4 ECB when you buy Schick Quattro for Men or Women Razor Refill, 4 ct. @ $8.99 (limit 1)
-$4 off Schick quattro for Women refill (SS 9/25)
*makes it $0.99!
Get $2 ECB when you buy Listerine Zero, Advanced, or Total Care 500 ml @ $3.99 (limit 2)
-$2 off Listerine Total Care Zero (RP 10/09)
*makes it $0.99!
All Cover Girl Cosmetics B1G1 50% off, starting at $3.49
-$8/2 Cover Girl face products (PG 10/02 - EXP 10/31)
*makes all items $4 and under FREE!
Jif Peanut Butter, 18 oz @ $1.67
You can see the rest of the CVS weekly deals here!
Let me know if you come across any other good deals in store!
Get $3 ECB when you buy (3) American Greetings or Hallmark Greeting cards (limit 1)
*makes $0.99 cards FREE if they are included!
Get $1 ECB when you buy Crest Complete Toothpaste, 4.2 oz @ $2.99 (limit 1)
-$2 off Crest Complete toothpaste (SS 9/11)
*makes it FREE!
Get $4 ECB when you buy Schick Quattro for Men or Women Razor Refill, 4 ct. @ $8.99 (limit 1)
-$4 off Schick quattro for Women refill (SS 9/25)
*makes it $0.99!
Get $2 ECB when you buy Listerine Zero, Advanced, or Total Care 500 ml @ $3.99 (limit 2)
-$2 off Listerine Total Care Zero (RP 10/09)
*makes it $0.99!
All Cover Girl Cosmetics B1G1 50% off, starting at $3.49
-$8/2 Cover Girl face products (PG 10/02 - EXP 10/31)
*makes all items $4 and under FREE!
Jif Peanut Butter, 18 oz @ $1.67
You can see the rest of the CVS weekly deals here!
Let me know if you come across any other good deals in store!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Weekly Menu 10/23 - 29
Here's a look at what we'll be eating this week!
Each week, I like to post what we'll be having so you can see that, even if you're couponing and shopping store sales, you CAN eat normal meals!!! I try to feed my family healthy food, though we do splurge every now and then - yes, we even let our daughter buy lunch at school every once in a while! I also like to make meals we like in bulk and put them in the freezer to save cooking time later on! Each week I plan to make a few things just to go into the freezer for future meals!
Sunday
Breakfast Basket (kids choose something for themselves out of a basket I keep filled with cereal bars, poptarts, fruit, muffins, etc.)
Lunch out!
Marinated Baked Chicken Breast / Baked Potatoes / Corn on the Cob
Monday
Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Lunchable (from recent sale at Kroger) / Yogurt
Lasagne Casserole (from the freezer) / Salad / Bread (from the freezer)
Tuesday
Cinnamon Rolls (from recent sale at Kroger)
PB Sandwich / Pretzels / Banana / Cookies
Chicken Nuggets / Macaroni & Cheese (This is a kids-only meal. Hubby has a ballgame so I won't be cooking a "family meal.")
Wednesday
Cereal
Turkey Sandwich / Chips / Cheese Stick / Fruit Roll Up
Dinner out! (Kids have a late appointment for a hair-cut, so we're going to eat while we're out. Anyone know where kids eat free on Thursdays?!)
Thursday
Scrambled Eggs / Toast
School Lunch
Roast Sausage (from the freezer / Green Bell Peppers & Onions / Hashbrown Potatoes (from the freezer)
Friday
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins (from the freezer) / Fruit
School Lunch
Dinner out! (A Friday tradition for us!)
Saturday
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pancakes (from the freezer)
Hotdogs / Chips / Fruit
Dinner at Halloween Party!
Freezer Cooking Plan
Meatballs
Taco Meat
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins (adapted from Tuesday's bread)
Each week, I like to post what we'll be having so you can see that, even if you're couponing and shopping store sales, you CAN eat normal meals!!! I try to feed my family healthy food, though we do splurge every now and then - yes, we even let our daughter buy lunch at school every once in a while! I also like to make meals we like in bulk and put them in the freezer to save cooking time later on! Each week I plan to make a few things just to go into the freezer for future meals!
Sunday
Breakfast Basket (kids choose something for themselves out of a basket I keep filled with cereal bars, poptarts, fruit, muffins, etc.)
Lunch out!
Marinated Baked Chicken Breast / Baked Potatoes / Corn on the Cob
Monday
Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Lunchable (from recent sale at Kroger) / Yogurt
Lasagne Casserole (from the freezer) / Salad / Bread (from the freezer)
Tuesday
Cinnamon Rolls (from recent sale at Kroger)
PB Sandwich / Pretzels / Banana / Cookies
Chicken Nuggets / Macaroni & Cheese (This is a kids-only meal. Hubby has a ballgame so I won't be cooking a "family meal.")
Wednesday
Cereal
Turkey Sandwich / Chips / Cheese Stick / Fruit Roll Up
Dinner out! (Kids have a late appointment for a hair-cut, so we're going to eat while we're out. Anyone know where kids eat free on Thursdays?!)
Thursday
Scrambled Eggs / Toast
School Lunch
Roast Sausage (from the freezer / Green Bell Peppers & Onions / Hashbrown Potatoes (from the freezer)
Friday
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins (from the freezer) / Fruit
School Lunch
Dinner out! (A Friday tradition for us!)
Saturday
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Pancakes (from the freezer)
Hotdogs / Chips / Fruit
Dinner at Halloween Party!
Freezer Cooking Plan
Meatballs
Taco Meat
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Muffins (adapted from Tuesday's bread)
Friday, October 21, 2011
Easy and CHEAP Chore Chart!
While I was looking around at moneysavingmom.com today, I saw a post about an adorable ice cream cone chore chart for kids. I thought this was a great idea and something that could be done very inexpensively! I am definitely planning on making this, but, instead of fabric, I'm going to use posterboard and laminate the pieces. That way, I can use a dry erase or overhead marker to write the chores on the back of the "scoops." They can then be easily erased and changed when needed.
I'm also thinnking I'll attach magnets to the back of the pieces so the kids can "build" their ice cream cones on the refrigerator!
Don't need a chore chart? Think about using it as a behavior chart (child earns a "scoop" for good behavior) or as a way to track achievements (child gets a scoop for each Bible verse or multiplication fact they learn), etc.
Any other ideas for how we could use this cute idea?
I'm also thinnking I'll attach magnets to the back of the pieces so the kids can "build" their ice cream cones on the refrigerator!
Don't need a chore chart? Think about using it as a behavior chart (child earns a "scoop" for good behavior) or as a way to track achievements (child gets a scoop for each Bible verse or multiplication fact they learn), etc.
Any other ideas for how we could use this cute idea?
Thrifty Thursday 10/20
I have to admit that this wasn't the thriftiest Thursday I've ever had. My Kroger trip included only 2 coupons! (I know, I can hardly believe it myself!) And, I made a quick trip into Big Lots for some bath mats and ended up splurging on some treats for the kids which threw my budget off quite a bit. However, my CVS trip and a few Food Lion deals helped to make up for it!
CVS had Almay cosmetics on sale this week, and I happened to have a $5/2 Almay Cosmetics CVS coupon AND a $3/1 Almay Cosmetics CVS coupon AND a $3/$10 cosmetics purchase coupon, so I had quite a money maker on my hands this week! I used the extra ECBs I earned plus a $5 store coupon to buy some pull-ups and diapers!
Total value: $43.72
Total spent oop: $1.82
Total saved: $41.90 or 96%!
(I used $4 ECBs on this purchase and got back $12! A $8 money-maker!!)
I also made a trip to Food Lion yesterday. I am beginning to find that I like Food Lion's produce section much better than Kroger's. Plus, they tend to have a lot more meat marked down than Kroger does. This week, they happen to be having their "cart buster" event - which is basically the same as a "mega sale" at Kroger. When you buy 10 things, you get $5 off your total purchase.
One GREAT deal they had was on single rolls of Brawny paper towels. They were on sale for $1 and, if you purchase 10 participating "cart buster" items, you get them for $0.50. There happened to be a $0.50 coupon for Brawny paper towels in the 9/25 SmartSource insert, which made them FREE! I ended up getting 9 rolls (I only had 1 other "cart buster" item I wanted to buy) & I had coupons for 4 of them, making it $2.50 for 9 rolls of paper towels! Not bad!
Total value of all purchases at Food Lion: $59.59
Total spent after sales and coupons: $26.38
Total saved: $33.31 or 56%!
How did you do on your shopping trips this week?
CVS had Almay cosmetics on sale this week, and I happened to have a $5/2 Almay Cosmetics CVS coupon AND a $3/1 Almay Cosmetics CVS coupon AND a $3/$10 cosmetics purchase coupon, so I had quite a money maker on my hands this week! I used the extra ECBs I earned plus a $5 store coupon to buy some pull-ups and diapers!
Total value: $43.72
Total spent oop: $1.82
Total saved: $41.90 or 96%!
(I used $4 ECBs on this purchase and got back $12! A $8 money-maker!!)
I also made a trip to Food Lion yesterday. I am beginning to find that I like Food Lion's produce section much better than Kroger's. Plus, they tend to have a lot more meat marked down than Kroger does. This week, they happen to be having their "cart buster" event - which is basically the same as a "mega sale" at Kroger. When you buy 10 things, you get $5 off your total purchase.
One GREAT deal they had was on single rolls of Brawny paper towels. They were on sale for $1 and, if you purchase 10 participating "cart buster" items, you get them for $0.50. There happened to be a $0.50 coupon for Brawny paper towels in the 9/25 SmartSource insert, which made them FREE! I ended up getting 9 rolls (I only had 1 other "cart buster" item I wanted to buy) & I had coupons for 4 of them, making it $2.50 for 9 rolls of paper towels! Not bad!
Total value of all purchases at Food Lion: $59.59
Total spent after sales and coupons: $26.38
Total saved: $33.31 or 56%!
How did you do on your shopping trips this week?
Busy Bag: A Cheap and Easy Way to Entertain the Kids!
A couple of months ago, I was introduced to the idea of "Busy Bags." Immediately I had one of those "why didn't I think of that?!" moments. (That happens to me a lot, actually!) :)
Have you ever been cooking dinner...at the last minute....when you're supposed to be somewhere in an hour....when all of a sudden your kids melt down? In my house, the kids usually play together BEAUTIFULLY until the very minute the pasta boils over or something HAS to come out of the oven before it burns. You've been there....It's like the minute you step into the kitchen, a fight breaks out, a boo-boo needs attention, or a drink is spilled, etc.
This is EXACTLY when a Busy Bag can save the day! They are, in a nut shell, zip-top bags filled with simple, inexpensive, and age-appropriate activities that will keep your child busy for a short period of time! Since I learned about them, I have been creating Busy Bags and placing them in a plastic tub in the floor of the kitchen. Then, if I'm in the kitchen and the kids start to get rowdy or bored, I tell them to choose a Busy Bag to play with. They go to the box, pick out a bag, and sit at the table and play with it while I finish cooking dinner. I mean, just the sound of the bags being pulled open is like hearing a giant "SIGH" in my home!
Can you hear it?! :)
Even if you think you're not a crafty or creative person, you CAN make your own Busy Bags! Most of the ones I have made include materials I either already had in the house or that came from the Dollar Store.
Let me give you an example...
The newest Busy Bag I made was for "Lacing Shapes." All of the materials I used for this Busy Bag came from the Dollar Store.
Here's what you need:
-foam shapes (I found rectangle and flower shapes at my store. If you can't find the foam shapes, you can buy a piece of posterboard and cut it into shapes yourself.)
-shoelaces (I found a package of 8 sets of shoelaces in the "beauty" aisle at my Dollar Store)
-a hole punch
Here's what you do:
-Use the hole punch to punch holes all around the edges of your shapes.
-Take the shoelaces and tie a knot in one end of each one that is big enough so the laces can't be pulled through the holes.
-Place the hole-punched shapes and the knoted shoelaces into a zip-top bag.
-When your child is ready to play, show them how they can pull the laces through the holes.
INSTANT FUN!
Here's how mine turned out...
I'll be bringing you some more busy bag ideas in the future. In the meantime, if you have any ideas for fun, kid-friendly activities, I'd love to hear them!
Have you ever been cooking dinner...at the last minute....when you're supposed to be somewhere in an hour....when all of a sudden your kids melt down? In my house, the kids usually play together BEAUTIFULLY until the very minute the pasta boils over or something HAS to come out of the oven before it burns. You've been there....It's like the minute you step into the kitchen, a fight breaks out, a boo-boo needs attention, or a drink is spilled, etc.
This is EXACTLY when a Busy Bag can save the day! They are, in a nut shell, zip-top bags filled with simple, inexpensive, and age-appropriate activities that will keep your child busy for a short period of time! Since I learned about them, I have been creating Busy Bags and placing them in a plastic tub in the floor of the kitchen. Then, if I'm in the kitchen and the kids start to get rowdy or bored, I tell them to choose a Busy Bag to play with. They go to the box, pick out a bag, and sit at the table and play with it while I finish cooking dinner. I mean, just the sound of the bags being pulled open is like hearing a giant "SIGH" in my home!
Can you hear it?! :)
Even if you think you're not a crafty or creative person, you CAN make your own Busy Bags! Most of the ones I have made include materials I either already had in the house or that came from the Dollar Store.
Let me give you an example...
The newest Busy Bag I made was for "Lacing Shapes." All of the materials I used for this Busy Bag came from the Dollar Store.
Here's what you need:
-foam shapes (I found rectangle and flower shapes at my store. If you can't find the foam shapes, you can buy a piece of posterboard and cut it into shapes yourself.)
-shoelaces (I found a package of 8 sets of shoelaces in the "beauty" aisle at my Dollar Store)
-a hole punch
Here's what you do:
-Use the hole punch to punch holes all around the edges of your shapes.
-Take the shoelaces and tie a knot in one end of each one that is big enough so the laces can't be pulled through the holes.
-Place the hole-punched shapes and the knoted shoelaces into a zip-top bag.
-When your child is ready to play, show them how they can pull the laces through the holes.
INSTANT FUN!
Here's how mine turned out...
I'll be bringing you some more busy bag ideas in the future. In the meantime, if you have any ideas for fun, kid-friendly activities, I'd love to hear them!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
DIY: Ranch Salad Dressing and Dip!
The hubby and I have been watching our diets as of late and I've found that often times I miss just being able to MUNCH on something without having to think about how many I ate or how many calories it was.
That's why I was so excited to find this Ranch Dip recipe! It's simple to make and very healthy for you! In fact, if you're on the Weight Watchers diet plan, you can have 2 tablespoons of this with veggies for 0 points! (And, for dip, 2 tablespoons is a lot!)
And, of course, it's CHEAP to make! :)
Here's what you do:
Ingredients
5 tbsp dried minced onion
7 tsp parsley flakes
4 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
-Mix all the ingredients stogether and store in an air tight container. (I used a small jar I had on hand.)
To make dip:
Mix 2 tbsp dry mix with 2 cups fat free sour cream. Allow to chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving so all flavors blend well.
To make salad dressing:
Mix 2 tbsp dry mix with 1 cup mayo and 1 cup buttermilk or sour cream. Allow to chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving so all flavors blend well.
What a yummy, healthy, and CHEAP treat! It's great to keep on hand as something you can easily whip up when company is coming over. Plus, you can make as much or as little at a time as you like, so half of it doesn't end up being wasted!
I also think this would make a super cute gift for family, friends, teachers, etc. Just tie a tag around the jar with directions for how to make the dip or salad dressing!
If you try this recipe, let me know if you like it! You can see the original recipe here.
That's why I was so excited to find this Ranch Dip recipe! It's simple to make and very healthy for you! In fact, if you're on the Weight Watchers diet plan, you can have 2 tablespoons of this with veggies for 0 points! (And, for dip, 2 tablespoons is a lot!)
And, of course, it's CHEAP to make! :)
Here's what you do:
Ingredients
5 tbsp dried minced onion
7 tsp parsley flakes
4 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
-Mix all the ingredients stogether and store in an air tight container. (I used a small jar I had on hand.)
To make dip:
Mix 2 tbsp dry mix with 2 cups fat free sour cream. Allow to chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving so all flavors blend well.
To make salad dressing:
Mix 2 tbsp dry mix with 1 cup mayo and 1 cup buttermilk or sour cream. Allow to chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving so all flavors blend well.
What a yummy, healthy, and CHEAP treat! It's great to keep on hand as something you can easily whip up when company is coming over. Plus, you can make as much or as little at a time as you like, so half of it doesn't end up being wasted!
I also think this would make a super cute gift for family, friends, teachers, etc. Just tie a tag around the jar with directions for how to make the dip or salad dressing!
If you try this recipe, let me know if you like it! You can see the original recipe here.
FREE Seventh Generation Dish Soap Samples!
You can currently head on over to the Seventh Generation Facebook Page to request 4 FREE dish soap samples!
I love to hang on to these kinds of samples and take them on vaction with us!
I love to hang on to these kinds of samples and take them on vaction with us!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
FREE Halloween Greeting Card from Tiny Prints!
Right now, you can get a personalized Halloween greeting card shipped to your door for FREE from Tiny Prints! Just create an account or login on the Tiny Prints website, choose a Halloween card, personalize it, and enter code Autumn11 during checkout!
If you want the card to be shipped directly to the recipient, you can pay $0.44 extra.
If you want the card to be shipped directly to the recipient, you can pay $0.44 extra.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Barista Prima K-Cup Samples!
Here's a great FREE sample for all you coffee lovers!
Head on over here to get a FREE Barista Coffeehouse Prima K-Cup sample from Target!
Head on over here to get a FREE Barista Coffeehouse Prima K-Cup sample from Target!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
FREE Batteries this week at Staples!
This week at Staples, get 100% back in Staples rewards when you buy AA or AAA Duracell Batteries 16/pack! (limit 2)
To make this deal even better, there is a coupon in this week's ad for $5 off a $25 purchase!
**Deal Scenario**
Buy (2) AA or AAA Duracall 16 ct. packs @ $14.29 (based on online price).
-use $5/$25 Staples coupon from the weekly ad.
*Pay $23.58
*Get back $28.58 in Staples Rewards!
You've got yourself a money maker!
To make this deal even better, there is a coupon in this week's ad for $5 off a $25 purchase!
**Deal Scenario**
Buy (2) AA or AAA Duracall 16 ct. packs @ $14.29 (based on online price).
-use $5/$25 Staples coupon from the weekly ad.
*Pay $23.58
*Get back $28.58 in Staples Rewards!
You've got yourself a money maker!
Office Max Deals on ink and paper this week!
If you're in need of paper or ink to print out any great coupons, then you may want to head out to Office Max this week!
First, the paper deal...
Buy Office Max Multiuse Copy Paper, 10-Ream Case at $42.99 and get back $42.98 in MaxPerks Bonus Rewards, making the whole case only $0.01! And, to make it even better, this deal has a limit of 2!
And, the ink...
Use the "Save 20% on your ink, toner or supply purchase" coupon in the weekly ad to save in-store or online! (Excludes HP ink and toner.)
Sounds like a great deal to me! Especially if you are a regular Office Max customer!
First, the paper deal...
Buy Office Max Multiuse Copy Paper, 10-Ream Case at $42.99 and get back $42.98 in MaxPerks Bonus Rewards, making the whole case only $0.01! And, to make it even better, this deal has a limit of 2!
And, the ink...
Use the "Save 20% on your ink, toner or supply purchase" coupon in the weekly ad to save in-store or online! (Excludes HP ink and toner.)
Sounds like a great deal to me! Especially if you are a regular Office Max customer!
My Favorite CVS Deals 10/16 - 10/22
Well, it seems to be a boring week this week at CVS, with no real exciting deals to speak of. Don't forget about the $10 gift card promotion. When you buy $30 worth of select items (BEFORE coupons), you will receive a $10 gift card. If there are things your family needs, this might be something you want to take advantage of!
Here are the few good ECB deals I see this week...
Get $8 ECB when you buy Lysol Healthy Touch Antibacterial No-Touch Hand Soap System @ $11.99 (limit 1)
-use $3 Lysol Heathy Touch Hand Soap System printable coupon (previously available)
*makes it $0.99 after ECBs!
Get $4 ECB when you buy Almay intense i-Color shadow, liner or mascara @ $5.99 (limit 6)
-use $1 Almay color cosmetic product mc (Walmart coupon insert 10/09)
*makes it $0.99 after ECBs!
If you find any other great deals, please share them!
You can see the full CVS sale list here.
Here are the few good ECB deals I see this week...
Get $8 ECB when you buy Lysol Healthy Touch Antibacterial No-Touch Hand Soap System @ $11.99 (limit 1)
-use $3 Lysol Heathy Touch Hand Soap System printable coupon (previously available)
*makes it $0.99 after ECBs!
Get $4 ECB when you buy Almay intense i-Color shadow, liner or mascara @ $5.99 (limit 6)
-use $1 Almay color cosmetic product mc (Walmart coupon insert 10/09)
*makes it $0.99 after ECBs!
If you find any other great deals, please share them!
You can see the full CVS sale list here.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Baked Apple Chips - an easy and CHEAP snack!
First of all, I realize it's been quite a while since I've posted on here, but I'm glad to be back and hope to be posting more regularly now!
One thing I'd like to do on this blog is not only provide you with deal information, but also give you information on cheap and easy ways you can better manage your home. (Not that I'm an expert in this is ANY way, but I'm trying...)
With Fall upon us, I've been doing a lot of baking (I know my close friends and family are shocked by that comment!) and have been really craving those traditional fall flavors - pumpkin, apples, etc. Apples especially can be picked up so inexpensively and you can make so many things with them!
One recipe I came across recently was for Homemade Baked Apple Chips. I'm always on the lookout for a healthy, crunchy snack, and these looked so easy to do, I decided I would try them! They really were simple to do, though I did revise the original recipe a tad.
Here's what you do...
1. Take as many apples as you like (I used 2 medium sized apples and it was enough to fill up a regular baking pan - I used a baking stone), cut them in half and cut out the core. Then, slice each apple half into very thin slices.
2. Lay the slices individually on the baking sheet. You can sprinkle them with a little cinnamon if you like. I tried them both ways, but preferred the ones that were plain.
3. Bake the apples in the oven for an hour at 275 degrees. At this point, take them out, peel them off the pan, and flip them over. Let them sit for just a minute. If they are crispy enough for you, go ahead and leave them out of the oven. If you want them crispier, you can put them back in the oven for a while. (The thicker your slices, the longer they will need to cook. My slices only needed an hour and they were plenty crisp!)
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!
This is a super simple, super CHEAP, and super healthy snack! What a great after school treat for the kiddos or something different for their lunch box!!
Let me know if you try them and how they turn out!
One thing I'd like to do on this blog is not only provide you with deal information, but also give you information on cheap and easy ways you can better manage your home. (Not that I'm an expert in this is ANY way, but I'm trying...)
With Fall upon us, I've been doing a lot of baking (I know my close friends and family are shocked by that comment!) and have been really craving those traditional fall flavors - pumpkin, apples, etc. Apples especially can be picked up so inexpensively and you can make so many things with them!
One recipe I came across recently was for Homemade Baked Apple Chips. I'm always on the lookout for a healthy, crunchy snack, and these looked so easy to do, I decided I would try them! They really were simple to do, though I did revise the original recipe a tad.
Here's what you do...
1. Take as many apples as you like (I used 2 medium sized apples and it was enough to fill up a regular baking pan - I used a baking stone), cut them in half and cut out the core. Then, slice each apple half into very thin slices.
2. Lay the slices individually on the baking sheet. You can sprinkle them with a little cinnamon if you like. I tried them both ways, but preferred the ones that were plain.
3. Bake the apples in the oven for an hour at 275 degrees. At this point, take them out, peel them off the pan, and flip them over. Let them sit for just a minute. If they are crispy enough for you, go ahead and leave them out of the oven. If you want them crispier, you can put them back in the oven for a while. (The thicker your slices, the longer they will need to cook. My slices only needed an hour and they were plenty crisp!)
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!
This is a super simple, super CHEAP, and super healthy snack! What a great after school treat for the kiddos or something different for their lunch box!!
Let me know if you try them and how they turn out!
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Impromptu Shopping Trip = HUGE Savings and LOTS of Free Items!
Yesterday, my mom and I decided to take the girls and go out to a few stores and see what kind of deals we could get. We knew there were coupons in this past weekend's paper that would make for free items at some stores, so we decided to try our luck! I was surprised at how much we were actually able to get!!! I had gotten extra papers this week since I knew the coupons were going to be good, so I was able to stock up on several things that we use on a regular basis for FREE!!! Here's a picture of everything I got:
We decided to go to a new Family Dollar - well, not a new store, but new to us! I found the L.A. Looks hair gel for $1.75 and had $1 coupons (from this past weekend's paper). My husband uses this stuff every day. And they also had 5 ct. packs of Zyrtec on sale for $4.50 with a $1 in-store coupon and I had $2 manufacturer coupons (printed online weeks ago), making them only $1.50 each!
Dollar General had a great deal on the Air Wick Freshmatic air freshners - on sale for $4 and I had $4 coupons, making them FREE! These will be on sale all week if you can find time to swing by there!
We also made a trip in to Food Lion to get FREE Marcal paper towels (with $1 coupons from this past weekend's paper) and FREE Splenda Essentials (with $3 coupons from this past weekend's paper). (This sale is now over.)
Kroger has Ivory body wash and Crest toothpaste free this week after coupons from this past weekend's P&G insert.
I also went into Walmart where they have 3-packs of Cascade action packs on sale for $.97 - $1 coupons from this past weekend's P&G insert made them FREE! Plus, I found Gillette Fusion Proglide packs (with one razor, small body wash, and two other trial sized products) for $4.97. After the $4 coupon from this weekend's P&G, I got them for $.97 each!
The box of Cherrios and can of Ocean Spray juice were mailbox freebies that I decided to throw in the picture! :)
All in all, I ended up with 45 items totalling $95.40 in value for only $9.49! Not bad for a quick morning of shopping!!! :)
Have you all picked up any good freebies this week? I'd love to hear!
We decided to go to a new Family Dollar - well, not a new store, but new to us! I found the L.A. Looks hair gel for $1.75 and had $1 coupons (from this past weekend's paper). My husband uses this stuff every day. And they also had 5 ct. packs of Zyrtec on sale for $4.50 with a $1 in-store coupon and I had $2 manufacturer coupons (printed online weeks ago), making them only $1.50 each!
Dollar General had a great deal on the Air Wick Freshmatic air freshners - on sale for $4 and I had $4 coupons, making them FREE! These will be on sale all week if you can find time to swing by there!
We also made a trip in to Food Lion to get FREE Marcal paper towels (with $1 coupons from this past weekend's paper) and FREE Splenda Essentials (with $3 coupons from this past weekend's paper). (This sale is now over.)
Kroger has Ivory body wash and Crest toothpaste free this week after coupons from this past weekend's P&G insert.
I also went into Walmart where they have 3-packs of Cascade action packs on sale for $.97 - $1 coupons from this past weekend's P&G insert made them FREE! Plus, I found Gillette Fusion Proglide packs (with one razor, small body wash, and two other trial sized products) for $4.97. After the $4 coupon from this weekend's P&G, I got them for $.97 each!
The box of Cherrios and can of Ocean Spray juice were mailbox freebies that I decided to throw in the picture! :)
All in all, I ended up with 45 items totalling $95.40 in value for only $9.49! Not bad for a quick morning of shopping!!! :)
Have you all picked up any good freebies this week? I'd love to hear!
Weekly Menu 8/4 - 10
Well, you may have noticed that I never posted my menu last week. One reason is, my computer was in the shop! :( The other was, our schedule has been super hectic the last few weeks with my husbands new job, so I knew I probably wouldn't be sticking to the menu I made, and I was right!
But, I'm back on track this week and have a full menu planned for the coming week. The hubby is going to be doing lots of traveling this month, so I won't have many family meals planned after this coming week, BUT, because he's going to be gone, I'm hoping to get some freezer cooking done!
Okay, here's what we'll be eating starting 8/4:
Breakfast
(breakfast at Grandma's house)
yogurt / toast
muffins (x2)
poptart or cereal bars
scrambled eggs / bacon
pancakes (from the freezer)
Lunch
(lunch at Grandma's house)
lunchmeat / cheese / fruit (x2)
pb&j sandwiches / pretzels / fruit
(lunch out)
spaghettios / fruit
grilled cheese / soup
Dinner
Parmesean Tilapia / rice / baked potatoes
Breakfast for Dinner: biscuits, waffles, eggs, gravy, etc.
(dinner out)
Meat balls (from freezer) w/ gravy over egg noodles / rolls / frozen veggies
Herbed Pork Chops / rice / green beans
frozen pizza / salad
(dinner at Grandma's house)
(dinner at Grandma's house)
Freezer Cooking Plans
Next week, I plan on making a few dinners that I can use this month on nights when the hubby actually WILL be home so we can have some family time and I will not have to spend all night in the kitchen! Here is what I'm planning on making:
Lasagne Casserole (x2)
Southwest Roll-Ups
Barbecue Meatloaf
Low-Fat Whole Grain Waffles
If any of these turn out to be good, I will share the recipes with you!
But, I'm back on track this week and have a full menu planned for the coming week. The hubby is going to be doing lots of traveling this month, so I won't have many family meals planned after this coming week, BUT, because he's going to be gone, I'm hoping to get some freezer cooking done!
Okay, here's what we'll be eating starting 8/4:
Breakfast
(breakfast at Grandma's house)
yogurt / toast
muffins (x2)
poptart or cereal bars
scrambled eggs / bacon
pancakes (from the freezer)
Lunch
(lunch at Grandma's house)
lunchmeat / cheese / fruit (x2)
pb&j sandwiches / pretzels / fruit
(lunch out)
spaghettios / fruit
grilled cheese / soup
Dinner
Parmesean Tilapia / rice / baked potatoes
Breakfast for Dinner: biscuits, waffles, eggs, gravy, etc.
(dinner out)
Meat balls (from freezer) w/ gravy over egg noodles / rolls / frozen veggies
Herbed Pork Chops / rice / green beans
frozen pizza / salad
(dinner at Grandma's house)
(dinner at Grandma's house)
Freezer Cooking Plans
Next week, I plan on making a few dinners that I can use this month on nights when the hubby actually WILL be home so we can have some family time and I will not have to spend all night in the kitchen! Here is what I'm planning on making:
Lasagne Casserole (x2)
Southwest Roll-Ups
Barbecue Meatloaf
Low-Fat Whole Grain Waffles
If any of these turn out to be good, I will share the recipes with you!
Saturday, July 30, 2011
8 Fun Freebies you can request right now!
Speaking of mailbox freebies, here are a few that you can request right now!!
FREE 5-pack Sample of Tampax Pearl Tampons! (You do not need to be a Cosco member to request this freebie!)
FREE Sample of Kirkland Signature Supreme Diapers! Will arrive in 2-4 weeks. (You do not need to be a Cosco member to request this freebie!)
FREE Sample of either Kashi Cinnamon Harvest Cereal or Kashi TLC Peannutty Dark Chocolate layered granola bar! Will arrive in 4 to 6 weeks.
FREE U By Kotex Sample Pack! Includes 3 freebies and money-saving coupons!
FREE Depend Sample Pack! Says will arrive in 7 to 10 business days!
2 FREE Issues of Family Circle Magazine! (completely free - you will NOT receive any kind of bill)
FREE Samples of John Frieda Frizz Ease Smooth Start Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner plus Original Strength Serum! Will arrive in 8 to 10 weeks.
FREE One-Week Sample of Align Probiotics! (You do not need to be a Cosco member to request this freebie!) Will arrive in 4 to 6 weeks.
Enjoy!
FREE 5-pack Sample of Tampax Pearl Tampons! (You do not need to be a Cosco member to request this freebie!)
FREE Sample of Kirkland Signature Supreme Diapers! Will arrive in 2-4 weeks. (You do not need to be a Cosco member to request this freebie!)
FREE Sample of either Kashi Cinnamon Harvest Cereal or Kashi TLC Peannutty Dark Chocolate layered granola bar! Will arrive in 4 to 6 weeks.
FREE U By Kotex Sample Pack! Includes 3 freebies and money-saving coupons!
FREE Depend Sample Pack! Says will arrive in 7 to 10 business days!
2 FREE Issues of Family Circle Magazine! (completely free - you will NOT receive any kind of bill)
FREE Samples of John Frieda Frizz Ease Smooth Start Repairing Shampoo and Conditioner plus Original Strength Serum! Will arrive in 8 to 10 weeks.
FREE One-Week Sample of Align Probiotics! (You do not need to be a Cosco member to request this freebie!) Will arrive in 4 to 6 weeks.
Enjoy!
Mailbox Freebies!!
This week was a GREAT week for mailbox freebies!!! I have been so excited about what all I got in the mail this week, I just had to share them with you!
First, yesterday, I received a package from Tide that had all of this inside...
I remember signing up for a free sample of Tide Stain Release, but didn't think it would include a 10-pack bag!
Then, today, I received a coupon booklet with several coupons inside - including 3 FREE product coupons! Along with it came a $2 rebate check I had been waiting on also!
I don't even remember signing up for this one!
Once again - just goes to show you that it pays to sign up for free sample offers!
Have you gotten any great freebies in the mail lately?
First, yesterday, I received a package from Tide that had all of this inside...
I remember signing up for a free sample of Tide Stain Release, but didn't think it would include a 10-pack bag!
Then, today, I received a coupon booklet with several coupons inside - including 3 FREE product coupons! Along with it came a $2 rebate check I had been waiting on also!
I don't even remember signing up for this one!
Once again - just goes to show you that it pays to sign up for free sample offers!
Have you gotten any great freebies in the mail lately?
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Thrifty Thursday! 7/28
Today was a full day of shopping for me! I made it to Target, CVS, Kroger, Dollar Tree, and Food Lion!
My goal at Target was to pick up some clearanced toys. Unfortunately, I didn't find any that I wanted or that were "cheap enough." (Most things were only marked down 25 - 50%.) I did, however, find some great deals on children's clothes and picked up a few things for my kids to wear this fall and next summer! Here's what I got:
Total value: $70.80
Total amount spent out of pocket after sale prices: $25.33
Total saved: $45.47 or 64%!
Next, it was on to CVS. At first, I was disappointed b/c they were either sold out of what I wanted or the deals ended up not being as good as I thought. However, as I walked around the store, I came across a few clearance and sale items that made for a few good buys!
The Tide Stain Release was on clearance for $3.36 and after a $3 coupon, cost me only $0.36! Plus, the cereal was on sale 2/$4 and I had (2) $1.25 coupons, making them only $0.75 each! The Crystal Light were coupon match-up deals - on sale for $2.50, I had a $1 CVS coupon from the coupon machine and a $1 manufacturer coupon that made them $0.50 each! Plus, the soap was FREE after a CVS coupon I had!
Total value of 8 items: $23.80
Total spent after sales, coupons, and ECB's: $2.93 (I used $2 ECBs on this transaction)
Total saved: $20.87 or 88%!
Total ECB's received: $1.99
My trip to Kroger today wasn't all that thrilling. I bought a $14 package of pull-ups that drove my total up. They were totally out of all the cereal that I wanted from the mini mega-sale, though I did find some cereal / treat bars that were part of the sale that I decided to buy. I ended up with mostly staple items - milk, yogurt, produce, fruit, lunchmeat, etc.
The Golden Grahams Treat bars above were $1.49 (if you bought 4 items in the mega sale). I used (2) $0.50 coupons from the 7/10 SS to get them for $0.49 each. The cereal bars were $1.89 (mega sale price) and I used (2) $0.50 (from the same insert??) that made them $0.89 each. The sippy cups were buy one get one free - making this one $2.27 - not a bad price, especially since these cups are my favorite and we needed a new one!
Total value of 23 items: $71.63
Total spent after sales and coupons: $44.10
Total saved: $27.53 or 39%
After Kroger, I ran in the Dollar Tree to grab some bread. I also ended up buying a package of Snapple ice pops as a treat for the girls. I've never had these before, so I'm hoping they are good!
Total value / total spent: $3.08
My last stop of the day was Food Lion. I had $4 in "Catalina money" that was going to expire, so I wanted to use it up. Plus, they had a decent price on grapes and cheese this week. I also ended up grabbing a FREE bottle of coffe creamer after a coupon I had been saving and a carton of Breyers ice cream. (So, that was a little bit of a splurge!) :) I did find a good deal on 100 count boxes of Splenda packets - on sale for $3. I used a $1 coupon that I printed from the Splenda website to get it for $2!
Total value of 6 items: $25.06
Total spent after sales and coupons: $7.97
Total saved: $17.09 or 68%
All in all, it was a pretty good day!
Total value of all items purchased: $194.37
Total amount spent after sales and coupons: $83.41
Total amount saved: $110.96 or 57%!
So, how have you done this week? Come across any good deals?! Please share them!
My goal at Target was to pick up some clearanced toys. Unfortunately, I didn't find any that I wanted or that were "cheap enough." (Most things were only marked down 25 - 50%.) I did, however, find some great deals on children's clothes and picked up a few things for my kids to wear this fall and next summer! Here's what I got:
Total value: $70.80
Total amount spent out of pocket after sale prices: $25.33
Total saved: $45.47 or 64%!
Next, it was on to CVS. At first, I was disappointed b/c they were either sold out of what I wanted or the deals ended up not being as good as I thought. However, as I walked around the store, I came across a few clearance and sale items that made for a few good buys!
The Tide Stain Release was on clearance for $3.36 and after a $3 coupon, cost me only $0.36! Plus, the cereal was on sale 2/$4 and I had (2) $1.25 coupons, making them only $0.75 each! The Crystal Light were coupon match-up deals - on sale for $2.50, I had a $1 CVS coupon from the coupon machine and a $1 manufacturer coupon that made them $0.50 each! Plus, the soap was FREE after a CVS coupon I had!
Total value of 8 items: $23.80
Total spent after sales, coupons, and ECB's: $2.93 (I used $2 ECBs on this transaction)
Total saved: $20.87 or 88%!
Total ECB's received: $1.99
My trip to Kroger today wasn't all that thrilling. I bought a $14 package of pull-ups that drove my total up. They were totally out of all the cereal that I wanted from the mini mega-sale, though I did find some cereal / treat bars that were part of the sale that I decided to buy. I ended up with mostly staple items - milk, yogurt, produce, fruit, lunchmeat, etc.
The Golden Grahams Treat bars above were $1.49 (if you bought 4 items in the mega sale). I used (2) $0.50 coupons from the 7/10 SS to get them for $0.49 each. The cereal bars were $1.89 (mega sale price) and I used (2) $0.50 (from the same insert??) that made them $0.89 each. The sippy cups were buy one get one free - making this one $2.27 - not a bad price, especially since these cups are my favorite and we needed a new one!
Total value of 23 items: $71.63
Total spent after sales and coupons: $44.10
Total saved: $27.53 or 39%
After Kroger, I ran in the Dollar Tree to grab some bread. I also ended up buying a package of Snapple ice pops as a treat for the girls. I've never had these before, so I'm hoping they are good!
Total value / total spent: $3.08
My last stop of the day was Food Lion. I had $4 in "Catalina money" that was going to expire, so I wanted to use it up. Plus, they had a decent price on grapes and cheese this week. I also ended up grabbing a FREE bottle of coffe creamer after a coupon I had been saving and a carton of Breyers ice cream. (So, that was a little bit of a splurge!) :) I did find a good deal on 100 count boxes of Splenda packets - on sale for $3. I used a $1 coupon that I printed from the Splenda website to get it for $2!
Total value of 6 items: $25.06
Total spent after sales and coupons: $7.97
Total saved: $17.09 or 68%
All in all, it was a pretty good day!
Total value of all items purchased: $194.37
Total amount spent after sales and coupons: $83.41
Total amount saved: $110.96 or 57%!
So, how have you done this week? Come across any good deals?! Please share them!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
FREE Splenda Sample!
If you use Splenda on a regular basis, you will be excited about this freebie!
You can currently head on over to the Splenda website to request a FREE Sample of new Splenda Essentials! Choose from Splenda with Vitamin B or Antioxidants added!
While you're there, you can also sign up to print coupons for $2 off any Splenda Essentials, $1 off any Splenda products, or $3.50 off select Splenda products!
I am down to my last few packs, so I was excited to find these coupons today!
You can currently head on over to the Splenda website to request a FREE Sample of new Splenda Essentials! Choose from Splenda with Vitamin B or Antioxidants added!
While you're there, you can also sign up to print coupons for $2 off any Splenda Essentials, $1 off any Splenda products, or $3.50 off select Splenda products!
I am down to my last few packs, so I was excited to find these coupons today!
FREE Tea Day at McAlister's Deli tomorrow, 7/28!
If you are going to be near McAllister's Deli tomorrow, you may want to stop in for a FREE tea! No purchase or coupon is necessary for this freebie!
Check out the details here.
Check out the details here.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Staples Deals 7/24 - 30
There are a number of great deals at Staples starting tomorrow, 7/24! To see the full ad, go here. You will also find a number of "dollar deals" that I have not listed. There will also be a $5/$25 coupon in this week's ad that will made all of these deals even better! (Check out the deal scenerio I've posted at the end of the list where you can get everything listed for less than $6!)
Sunday - Wednesday Deal
2-Pocket Folders $0.01 each with $5 minimum purchase (limit 10)
Week-Long Deals
Zebra Z-Grip Retractable Ball Point Pens, medium, black, 7/pack $4
-Submit for $4 Easy Rebate (limit 1)
*makes it FREE!
Staples Pink Cap Erasers, 12-pack $0.10 (limit 2)
Sharpie Permanent Markers, black, fine point, 2-pack $0.25 (limit 2)
Staples 8 1/2 x 11 multipurpose paper, 500-sheet ream $5.99
-Submit for $5.49 Easy Rebate (limit 2)
*makes it $0.50!
Bic White-Out Correction Fluid 2/pack $0.50 (limit 2)
Staples Jumbo paper clips, assorted colors, 50-pack $0.50 (limit 2)
Slider Pencil Case, assorted colors $0.50 (limit 2)
ScanDisk Cruzer 4GB USB flash drive $5.99 (limit 2)
Get 50% back in Staples Rewards when you buy ANY backpack! (limit 1)
***POSSIBLE DEAL SCENARIO***
BUY:
(10) 2-pocket folders $0.10
(1) Zebra ball point pens $4
(2) Cap Erasers $0.20
(2) Sharpie markers $0.50
(2) Staples multipurpose paper $11.98
(2) Bic Correction Fluid $1
(2) Staples paper clips $1
(2) Pencil Cases $1
(1) ScanDisk flash drive $5.99
TOTAL: $25.77
-use $5/$25 purchase in-ad coupon
PAY $20.77
GET BACK $14.98 IN REBATE CHECKS
***MAKES IT $5.79 FOR EVERYTHING!
Not bad - especially when you're getting 2 reams of paper and a flash drive!
Let me know if you find any other great deals while you're at staples!
Sunday - Wednesday Deal
2-Pocket Folders $0.01 each with $5 minimum purchase (limit 10)
Week-Long Deals
Zebra Z-Grip Retractable Ball Point Pens, medium, black, 7/pack $4
-Submit for $4 Easy Rebate (limit 1)
*makes it FREE!
Staples Pink Cap Erasers, 12-pack $0.10 (limit 2)
Sharpie Permanent Markers, black, fine point, 2-pack $0.25 (limit 2)
Staples 8 1/2 x 11 multipurpose paper, 500-sheet ream $5.99
-Submit for $5.49 Easy Rebate (limit 2)
*makes it $0.50!
Bic White-Out Correction Fluid 2/pack $0.50 (limit 2)
Staples Jumbo paper clips, assorted colors, 50-pack $0.50 (limit 2)
Slider Pencil Case, assorted colors $0.50 (limit 2)
ScanDisk Cruzer 4GB USB flash drive $5.99 (limit 2)
Get 50% back in Staples Rewards when you buy ANY backpack! (limit 1)
***POSSIBLE DEAL SCENARIO***
BUY:
(10) 2-pocket folders $0.10
(1) Zebra ball point pens $4
(2) Cap Erasers $0.20
(2) Sharpie markers $0.50
(2) Staples multipurpose paper $11.98
(2) Bic Correction Fluid $1
(2) Staples paper clips $1
(2) Pencil Cases $1
(1) ScanDisk flash drive $5.99
TOTAL: $25.77
-use $5/$25 purchase in-ad coupon
PAY $20.77
GET BACK $14.98 IN REBATE CHECKS
***MAKES IT $5.79 FOR EVERYTHING!
Not bad - especially when you're getting 2 reams of paper and a flash drive!
Let me know if you find any other great deals while you're at staples!
FREE Backpacks and $0.01 printer paper after Office Max Rewards! 7/24 - 30
Here are two great deals at Office Max starting tomorrow 7/24!
Office Max 8 1/2 x 11 multipurpose paper, 500 sheet ream $6.99
-get back $6.98 in Office Max Rewards (limit 2)
*makes it $0.01!!
Get 100% back in Office Max Rewards when you buy select backpacks, totoes and messengers!!
You can check out the full Office Max ad here.
Office Max 8 1/2 x 11 multipurpose paper, 500 sheet ream $6.99
-get back $6.98 in Office Max Rewards (limit 2)
*makes it $0.01!!
Get 100% back in Office Max Rewards when you buy select backpacks, totoes and messengers!!
You can check out the full Office Max ad here.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Thrifty Thursdays! 7/21
There really wasn't that much happening at the drug stores this week, so I decided to skip CVS and Walgreens and focus on the grocery stores. I went to Food Lion on Tuesday and Kroger today.
Food Lion was having a great sale on V8-Fusion juice this past week (2/$5), so I picked up 9 bottles using (6) $1.50 coupons and (3) B2G1 coupons - paying only $6 out of pocket for 9 bottles of juice. BUT, then I got back (4) $1 catalina coupons good for my next trip to Food Lion, making it only $2 for 9 bottles of juice! Yay! I also picked up some bananas and a can of diced tomatoes I needed for dinner that night.
Total value of 11 items: $38.32
Total spent after sales and coupons: $8.94
Total saved: $29.29 or 76%!
This week was the last week of the mega sale for Kroger. I got 30 items from the Mega sale today - mostly mac & cheese cups and tissues (I was down to 2 boxes in my stockpile! Agh!)! I also stocked up on FREE Twizzlers and $0.15 notebooks and folders (for my workshops). I saved a lot this week, but I hate how your total is always higher than usual when there is a mega sale happening!
Total value of 90 items: $146.07
Total spent after sales and coupons: $70.55
Total saved: $75.52 or 52%!
How did you do on your shopping trips this week? I'd love to hear!
Food Lion was having a great sale on V8-Fusion juice this past week (2/$5), so I picked up 9 bottles using (6) $1.50 coupons and (3) B2G1 coupons - paying only $6 out of pocket for 9 bottles of juice. BUT, then I got back (4) $1 catalina coupons good for my next trip to Food Lion, making it only $2 for 9 bottles of juice! Yay! I also picked up some bananas and a can of diced tomatoes I needed for dinner that night.
Total value of 11 items: $38.32
Total spent after sales and coupons: $8.94
Total saved: $29.29 or 76%!
This week was the last week of the mega sale for Kroger. I got 30 items from the Mega sale today - mostly mac & cheese cups and tissues (I was down to 2 boxes in my stockpile! Agh!)! I also stocked up on FREE Twizzlers and $0.15 notebooks and folders (for my workshops). I saved a lot this week, but I hate how your total is always higher than usual when there is a mega sale happening!
Total value of 90 items: $146.07
Total spent after sales and coupons: $70.55
Total saved: $75.52 or 52%!
How did you do on your shopping trips this week? I'd love to hear!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Freezer Cooking Update = Healthy Pancakes!
I have really enjoyed trying out a lot of new freezer-friendly recipes lately and wanted to share a new one with you!
Last week I made these Whole Wheat Cocolate Chip Oatmeal Pancakes and they were wonderful! I even had a friend over to try them and she asked for the recipe right away! Be prepared if you make them - the recipe I had said it would make 20 - 25 pancakes, but I definitely got at least 40!! Needless to say, we have plenty of pancakes to last us for a while!
Ingredients:
5 1/4 c whole wheat flour
3/4 c oatmeal
3 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp salt
5 1/4 c milk
3/4 c butter, melted
6 eggs, beaten
9 tbsp sugar
1 bag chocolate chips (I didn't use quite a whole bag)
Directions:
1. Combine flour, oatmeal, baking powder and salt in a LARGE bowl.
2. Beat milk, butter, eggs and sugar together.
3. Make a well in center of dry ingredients. Pour in wet ingredients and mix.
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Heat large skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray.
6. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot skillet and cook. (I actually used a 1/4 measuring cup to pour my batter.)
To Freeze:
Cool pancakes. Lay on cookie sheet(s) and flash freeze 1 - 2 hours. Place in freezer bag before returning to freezer.
To Serve From Frozen:
Reheat in microwave or toaster oven. Or, lay on cookie sheet and heat at 350 degrees for 5 - 10 minutes.
*original recipe taken from http://www.moneysavingmom.com/
Last week I made these Whole Wheat Cocolate Chip Oatmeal Pancakes and they were wonderful! I even had a friend over to try them and she asked for the recipe right away! Be prepared if you make them - the recipe I had said it would make 20 - 25 pancakes, but I definitely got at least 40!! Needless to say, we have plenty of pancakes to last us for a while!
5 1/4 c whole wheat flour
3/4 c oatmeal
3 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp salt
5 1/4 c milk
3/4 c butter, melted
6 eggs, beaten
9 tbsp sugar
1 bag chocolate chips (I didn't use quite a whole bag)
Directions:
1. Combine flour, oatmeal, baking powder and salt in a LARGE bowl.
2. Beat milk, butter, eggs and sugar together.
3. Make a well in center of dry ingredients. Pour in wet ingredients and mix.
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Heat large skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray.
6. Pour 1/4 cup batter onto hot skillet and cook. (I actually used a 1/4 measuring cup to pour my batter.)
To Freeze:
Cool pancakes. Lay on cookie sheet(s) and flash freeze 1 - 2 hours. Place in freezer bag before returning to freezer.
To Serve From Frozen:
Reheat in microwave or toaster oven. Or, lay on cookie sheet and heat at 350 degrees for 5 - 10 minutes.
*original recipe taken from http://www.moneysavingmom.com/
Weekly Menu 7/21 - 27
Can you believe it is almost August?! It seems like the summer has flown by! Softball season ends this week, which means I have to come up with 2 extra meals to cook per week until the next sport starts! :) I'm still searching for some good dinner-time freezer friendly recipes to try out. I never got around to making the Lasagne Casserole this past week, but am planning on fixing it tonight & will let you know how it turns out. I did, however, manage to make the Homemade Taco Seasoning, and it turned out great! My husband LOVES mexican food, and he really liked this!
I don't have a plan yet for what I want to cook & freeze this week. I may take the week off - but if I change my mind I'll let you know! :)
Here's what we're planning on eating during the upcoming week!...
Breakfast:
leftover Cinnamon Roll Biscuits (recipe coming!)
scrambled eggs / toast
cereal bars / Poptarts
blueberry muffins (mix from stockpile)
yogurt / toast
pancakes (from freezer)
breakfast at Grandmother's house
Lunch:
deli meat / cheese / fruit (x2)
PB&J sandwiches / chips (from mega sale at Kroger last week) / fruit
Lunch out
Spaghettios (from stockpile) / fruit
hotdogs (from stockpile) / pretzels / fruit
Lunch at Grandmother's house
Dinner:
Parmesean Tilapia / rice / pasta salad
Dinner out!
Crockpot Sloppy Joes (may be a good freezer recipe - I'll let you know how it turns out!) / corn on the cob (3/$1 @ Kroger this week!) / macaroni (from stockpile)
Herbed Pork Chops / rice / green beans (from stockpile) / rolls
Dijon Chicken / frozen steamed broccoli ($.89 @ Kroger this week!) / other leftover veggies
Leftover night / salad / rolls
BBQ Chicken Pizza / salad
What are you eating this week? Let us know!
I don't have a plan yet for what I want to cook & freeze this week. I may take the week off - but if I change my mind I'll let you know! :)
Here's what we're planning on eating during the upcoming week!...
Breakfast:
leftover Cinnamon Roll Biscuits (recipe coming!)
scrambled eggs / toast
cereal bars / Poptarts
blueberry muffins (mix from stockpile)
yogurt / toast
pancakes (from freezer)
breakfast at Grandmother's house
Lunch:
deli meat / cheese / fruit (x2)
PB&J sandwiches / chips (from mega sale at Kroger last week) / fruit
Lunch out
Spaghettios (from stockpile) / fruit
hotdogs (from stockpile) / pretzels / fruit
Lunch at Grandmother's house
Dinner:
Parmesean Tilapia / rice / pasta salad
Dinner out!
Crockpot Sloppy Joes (may be a good freezer recipe - I'll let you know how it turns out!) / corn on the cob (3/$1 @ Kroger this week!) / macaroni (from stockpile)
Herbed Pork Chops / rice / green beans (from stockpile) / rolls
Dijon Chicken / frozen steamed broccoli ($.89 @ Kroger this week!) / other leftover veggies
Leftover night / salad / rolls
BBQ Chicken Pizza / salad
What are you eating this week? Let us know!
Mailbox Freebies!
As I've mentioned many times, I LOVE getting freebies in the mail! I sign up for every free sample I come across - not just for the products themselves, but also because almost every free sample I receive comes with a coupon attached! Here's a pic of some of the freebies I got this week!
Okay - so the All You magazine wasn't free, but I'm always excited when it comes!!! :) The Victoria's Secret mailer I received came with a coupon for a totally FREE panty, and I also received a coupon for a FREE 8-pack of Jif To-Go peanut butter! (Jif sample no longer available.)
Then, a few days later, I got this one...(if you want to turn your computer sideways to see it....)
with the points I've earned from the "Old Orchard Fan Club."
FREE peanut butter, FREE panties, and FREE juice! Not a bad week for mailbox freebies!
Have you gotten any great freebies in the mail recently? Please share them!
Then, a few days later, I got this one...(if you want to turn your computer sideways to see it....)
with the points I've earned from the "Old Orchard Fan Club."
FREE peanut butter, FREE panties, and FREE juice! Not a bad week for mailbox freebies!
Have you gotten any great freebies in the mail recently? Please share them!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Best Drugstore Deals This Week! 7/10 - 16
Here are my favorite deals at the drugstores this week! Happy shopping!
CVS
Get $7.99 ECB wyb Complete Multi-Purpose Contact Solution, 12 oz @ $7.99 (limit 1)
*makes it FREE!
Get $1.69 ECB wyb (1) Balance Bar @ $1.69 (limit 1)
Get $3 ECB wyb Bic Soleil Shimmer Razor Starter Kit @ $6.99 (limit 1)
-$3 mc (SS 7/10)
*makes it $0.99!
Extra Gum, 15 ct $0.99
- &0.75 CVS store coupon (print)
*makes it $.29!
Caliber 1 subject notebooks $0.33
Caliber 2 pocket folders $0.10 (limit 10)
WALGREENS
Get $3.99 RR wyb Women's 6 Blade Razor System @ $3.99
*makes it FREE!
Get $2 RR wyb GUM Micro or Super Tip toothbrush, 2 pk or Floss, 200 yds @ $2
*makes it FREE!
Get $5 RR wyb Hyland's Teething Gel, .5 oz @ $5
- $1 mc (print)
*makes it FREE!
Noxema Disposable Razors, 3-4 ct B1G1 starting at $2.99
- (2) $2 mc (RP 7/10)
*makes both FREE!
CVS
Get $7.99 ECB wyb Complete Multi-Purpose Contact Solution, 12 oz @ $7.99 (limit 1)
*makes it FREE!
Get $1.69 ECB wyb (1) Balance Bar @ $1.69 (limit 1)
Get $3 ECB wyb Bic Soleil Shimmer Razor Starter Kit @ $6.99 (limit 1)
-$3 mc (SS 7/10)
*makes it $0.99!
Extra Gum, 15 ct $0.99
- &0.75 CVS store coupon (print)
*makes it $.29!
Caliber 1 subject notebooks $0.33
Caliber 2 pocket folders $0.10 (limit 10)
WALGREENS
Get $3.99 RR wyb Women's 6 Blade Razor System @ $3.99
*makes it FREE!
Get $2 RR wyb GUM Micro or Super Tip toothbrush, 2 pk or Floss, 200 yds @ $2
*makes it FREE!
Get $5 RR wyb Hyland's Teething Gel, .5 oz @ $5
- $1 mc (print)
*makes it FREE!
Noxema Disposable Razors, 3-4 ct B1G1 starting at $2.99
- (2) $2 mc (RP 7/10)
*makes both FREE!
Weekly Menu 7/14 - 21
Wow! After a few weeks of inconsistent shopping and planning due to a busy schedule, I am finally back to my normal routine!
Here is what we are planning on eating this coming week (I shop on Thursdays, so I plan my menu from Thursday to Friday). At the end of the list, I've also given you my freezer cooking plan for the coming week!
Breakfast:
(breakfast at Grandparent's house)
yogurt / fruit
egg biscuits
cereal bar and/or Poptarts
Cinnamon Roll Biscuits (I will post this recipe after I make them if they are any good!) :)
cereal in milk
Lunch:
(lunch at Grandparent's house)
deli meat / cheese / fruit (x2)
PB&J / cheese crackers / fruit
(lunch out)
chicken noodle soup / peanut butter crackers
grilled cheese / pretzels / fruit
Dinner:
Lasagne Casserole (see recipe below) / salad / bread
(dinner out)
Roast Sausage & Veggies / leftover salad / rice
Sloppy Joes / baked potatoes / corn
fish sticks / macaroni (kids only)
Dijon Chicken / rice / frozen steamed broccoli / pasta salad
hotdogs / frozen sweet potato fries
FREEZER-COOKING PLAN!
The past few weeks I have focused on breakfast items for my freezer cooking experiments. I now have a freezer stocked full of breakfast burritos, muffins, mini cinnamon rolls, and pancakes! This week, I decided I would try a few things we can use for future dinners.
On Friday night, I am planning on fixing a Lasagne Casserole and doubling the recipe so that I can put one in the freezer for later. Here's the recipe...
Lasagne Casserole
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
8 oz uncooked noodles
1/3 to 1/2 jar spaghetti sauce
1, 15 oz can diced tomatoes
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
8 oz mozzarella, grated
1 tsp parsley
salt / pepper
Directions:
1. Brown beef & onion together.
2. Boil noodles according to package directions.
3. Mix spaghetti sauce with tomatoes & beef. Set 1/2 cup of mozzarella aside to sprinkle on top of casserole. Combine rest of mozzarella, cottage cheese, eggs, parsley, and salt & pepper to taste.
4. Layer 1/3 of meat sauce, then noodles, then cheese mixture in 9x13 pan. Repeat 2 more times. Sprinkle with cheese.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
**Recipe taken from http://www.moneysavingmom.com/**
We are also big fans of taco meat in our house. I found a recipe for homemade taco seasoning that I decided I would try out! If I go ahead and make the taco meat & then put it in the freezer, it will be ready for a quick dinner! (I am planning on having "taco burgers" week after next - just put taco meat on buns and add shredded cheese, salsa, and sour cream! Yum!)
Homemade Taco Seasoning (you can find the original recipe here)
Mix the following ingredients & store in an air-tight container for up to 6 months:
1/4 cup chili powder
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Here is what we are planning on eating this coming week (I shop on Thursdays, so I plan my menu from Thursday to Friday). At the end of the list, I've also given you my freezer cooking plan for the coming week!
Breakfast:
(breakfast at Grandparent's house)
yogurt / fruit
egg biscuits
cereal bar and/or Poptarts
Cinnamon Roll Biscuits (I will post this recipe after I make them if they are any good!) :)
cereal in milk
Lunch:
(lunch at Grandparent's house)
deli meat / cheese / fruit (x2)
PB&J / cheese crackers / fruit
(lunch out)
chicken noodle soup / peanut butter crackers
grilled cheese / pretzels / fruit
Dinner:
Lasagne Casserole (see recipe below) / salad / bread
(dinner out)
Roast Sausage & Veggies / leftover salad / rice
Sloppy Joes / baked potatoes / corn
fish sticks / macaroni (kids only)
Dijon Chicken / rice / frozen steamed broccoli / pasta salad
hotdogs / frozen sweet potato fries
FREEZER-COOKING PLAN!
The past few weeks I have focused on breakfast items for my freezer cooking experiments. I now have a freezer stocked full of breakfast burritos, muffins, mini cinnamon rolls, and pancakes! This week, I decided I would try a few things we can use for future dinners.
On Friday night, I am planning on fixing a Lasagne Casserole and doubling the recipe so that I can put one in the freezer for later. Here's the recipe...
Lasagne Casserole
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 onion, chopped
8 oz uncooked noodles
1/3 to 1/2 jar spaghetti sauce
1, 15 oz can diced tomatoes
2 eggs, beaten
2 cups cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
8 oz mozzarella, grated
1 tsp parsley
salt / pepper
Directions:
1. Brown beef & onion together.
2. Boil noodles according to package directions.
3. Mix spaghetti sauce with tomatoes & beef. Set 1/2 cup of mozzarella aside to sprinkle on top of casserole. Combine rest of mozzarella, cottage cheese, eggs, parsley, and salt & pepper to taste.
4. Layer 1/3 of meat sauce, then noodles, then cheese mixture in 9x13 pan. Repeat 2 more times. Sprinkle with cheese.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
**Recipe taken from http://www.moneysavingmom.com/**
We are also big fans of taco meat in our house. I found a recipe for homemade taco seasoning that I decided I would try out! If I go ahead and make the taco meat & then put it in the freezer, it will be ready for a quick dinner! (I am planning on having "taco burgers" week after next - just put taco meat on buns and add shredded cheese, salsa, and sour cream! Yum!)
Homemade Taco Seasoning (you can find the original recipe here)
Mix the following ingredients & store in an air-tight container for up to 6 months:
1/4 cup chili powder
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Monday, June 27, 2011
Walgreens Deals 6/26 - 7/2
There's still plenty of time to snatch up the great deals at Walgreens this week! Here are a few of my favorites...
Get $2 RR wyb (4) Pringles @ $1.50 ea
- $1/2 mc (RP 5/22 or P&G $110 booklet)
*makes them $0.50 ea!
Get $2 RR wyb select Reach floss or toothbrushes at $2.99 ea
- $1 mc (SS 4/17)
*makes it FREE!
Deerfield Farms baking soda 16oz @ $0.50 w/ in ad coupon
- $0.50/2 Walgreens store coupon (from July coupon book)
*makes it $0.25 ea!
You can see all of the Walgreens deals for this week here.
Get $2 RR wyb (4) Pringles @ $1.50 ea
- $1/2 mc (RP 5/22 or P&G $110 booklet)
*makes them $0.50 ea!
Get $2 RR wyb select Reach floss or toothbrushes at $2.99 ea
- $1 mc (SS 4/17)
*makes it FREE!
Deerfield Farms baking soda 16oz @ $0.50 w/ in ad coupon
- $0.50/2 Walgreens store coupon (from July coupon book)
*makes it $0.25 ea!
You can see all of the Walgreens deals for this week here.
CVS Deals 6/26 - 7/2
This isn't the best week ever at CVS, but there are still a few good deals worth grabbing. Here are my favorites...
Get $6.79 ECB WYB RepHresh Brilliant pH Tampons, 18 ct. @ $6.79 (Limit 1)
-$1 mc (printable)
*makes it FREE + profit
Get $2 ECB WYB (2) Pantene Pro-V Shampoo, Conditioner, or Styler, 5.7-12.6 oz @ $3.48 ea (Limit 1)
-$3/2 mc (SS 6/19)
* makes it 98¢ ea.
Schick Hydro 3 or Hydro 5 Cartridges, 4 ct., or Razor, B1G1 starting at $8.99
-$4 mc (SS 6/12)
*use (2) $4 off, makes it 99¢ for both
See the full list of CVS deals here.
Get $6.79 ECB WYB RepHresh Brilliant pH Tampons, 18 ct. @ $6.79 (Limit 1)
-$1 mc (printable)
*makes it FREE + profit
Get $2 ECB WYB (2) Pantene Pro-V Shampoo, Conditioner, or Styler, 5.7-12.6 oz @ $3.48 ea (Limit 1)
-$3/2 mc (SS 6/19)
* makes it 98¢ ea.
Schick Hydro 3 or Hydro 5 Cartridges, 4 ct., or Razor, B1G1 starting at $8.99
-$4 mc (SS 6/12)
*use (2) $4 off, makes it 99¢ for both
See the full list of CVS deals here.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Freezer Cooking Experiment (Part 2)
The second day of my freezer cooking experiment was just as successful as day one and day two! By Friday morning, I had made everything on my list, plus the mini corndog muffins, which I had forgotten about! Here's what we now have in our freezer waiting for us to eat:
10 breakfast burritos (well, at least 2 are gone now!) :)
1/2 loaf of chocolate chip banana bread
20 mini cinnamon swirls
8 blueberry muffins
12 mini corndog muffins
40 oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough balls
1/2 french toast casserole
30 meatballs
18 brownies (from a mix that was going to expire!)
We better not eat it all in one day or I'll be buying us all new clothes! :)
On Thursday of this week, I took about an hour to make 30 meatballs and half of a French Toast Casserole. I've decided that, overall, I really enjoy cooking this way. It feels great to have a freezer stocked full of things I could pull out and fix any day that I need to. Plus, a lot of what I made were things we can use for breakfast, which was exciting to me because I feel like we eat the same things for breakfast over and over again!
First I made the French Toast Casserole which has become one of my new favorite dishes! It's easy to put together and is DELICIOUS! The original recipe fills up a 9x13 in baking dish, but I just made half of one and it turned out just fine. (We can't eat a whole one at a time!) Here's the recipe:
![]()
10 breakfast burritos (well, at least 2 are gone now!) :)
1/2 loaf of chocolate chip banana bread
20 mini cinnamon swirls
8 blueberry muffins
12 mini corndog muffins
40 oatmeal chocolate chip cookie dough balls
1/2 french toast casserole
30 meatballs
18 brownies (from a mix that was going to expire!)
We better not eat it all in one day or I'll be buying us all new clothes! :)
On Thursday of this week, I took about an hour to make 30 meatballs and half of a French Toast Casserole. I've decided that, overall, I really enjoy cooking this way. It feels great to have a freezer stocked full of things I could pull out and fix any day that I need to. Plus, a lot of what I made were things we can use for breakfast, which was exciting to me because I feel like we eat the same things for breakfast over and over again!
First I made the French Toast Casserole which has become one of my new favorite dishes! It's easy to put together and is DELICIOUS! The original recipe fills up a 9x13 in baking dish, but I just made half of one and it turned out just fine. (We can't eat a whole one at a time!) Here's the recipe:
Overnight French Toast Casserole
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
12 slices bread (any kind will work, really)
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon or baking spice
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 eggs (I used 3 eggs to make half of a casserole)
1 1/2 cup milk
Directions:
1. Melt butter and pour in a 9x13in pan.
2. Mix together brown sugar & cinnamon (or baking spice)
3. Wisk eggs, milk, & vanilla together
4. Layer bottom of pan with half the bread
5. Sprinkle half brown sugar mix over the bread
6. Layer second half of bread
7. Pour egg mixture over all then sprinkle remaining brown sugar
8. Cover & refrigerate overnight
9. In the morning, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 min.
10. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes (should be browned & set)
(I left mine in fridge overnight, baked it the next day, let it cool and put it in the freezer. I will let it thaw overnight and reheat in the oven when we're ready to eat it)
Next were the meatballs. I really like making these because they are super easy and the way the recipe is written, you always have a second batch left over to use later! Here it is...
Meatballs
Ingredients:
2 lb ground beef
1 pkg (6 oz) stuffing mix for chicken
1 1/2 cups water
2 eggs
Directions:
1. Heat over to 400 degrees. line 2 pans with foil, spray with cooking spray. Mix all ingredients together until blended. Shape into 32 (1 1/2 in.) balls, using 1/4 cup mix for each.
2. Place 16 meatballs on each pan. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until done (160 degrees F).
To freeze:
Allow meatballs to cool, then loosely pack cooled meatballs in freezer bags. Lay bags flat in the freezer so meatballs freeze individually. Store up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator several hours before using as desired.
Two great sauces to use with these are...
Tomato-Basil Cream Sauce:
Mix 1 jar spaghetti sauce, 2 oz cubed cream cheese and 2 tbsp chopped basil in large skillet. Cook on medium-low heat 3 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally. Add 16 hot meatballs, stirring evenly to coat.
OR
Creamy Brown Gravy:
Mix 1 jar (12 oz) beef gravy, 1/2 cup sour cream and 2 tbsp chopped parsley in a large skillet. Cook on medium-low heat 3 min. or until heated through. Add hot meatballs, stirring evenly to coat.
(we serve this over spaghetti or egg noodles)
(recipe taken from Kraft Food & Family Magazine)
So, I think I'll try this freezer cooking thing more often! When I come across freezer-friendly recipes, I'll share them. I'd love for you to do the same!
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