Operation $40K

It was Double coupons today and I know next Wednesday is DOUBLE DOUBLE coupons so I only did two transactions and here is what I got: Transaction #1 2 Miracle Whip @ $3 (normally $4.29) Kraft Homestyle Mac n Cheese bake $2.29 2 Tender White Orville popcorn @ $1.75 (normally $2.49) Triscut Crackers @$2.59 (normally 2.99) 2 Chicken Kiev @$1.00 (normally $1.99) Gorton's Fish @$3.49 (normally $4.99) 3.66 # broccoli @$.69/# Coupons used: FREE Triscuts FREE Mac N Cheese, $1 off Gortons (doubled), two $1 off Miracle Whip (doubled), two $1 off Orville (doubled), $4 RR from Wags...that means $34.13 in groceries for $3.52, a savings of 90% Transaction #2 6 pouches Idahoan potatoes @ $1 (1.19 normally) Boboli pizza crust $4.39 2 FUZE drinks @$1 (normally $1.95) 2 chicken cordon bleu @ $1 (normally 1.99) Gortons fish @$3.47 (normally $4.99) 2 packs Kraft cheese @$2 (normally 2.99) Coupons used: FREE Boboli, $1 off Gortons (doubled), two $1 off 3 Idahoan(doubled), $1 off 2 Fuze(doubled), $1 off...

Walmart isn't my favorite store to shop at - on principal. They are one of the leaders of the "Make it overseas" movement and part of the reason that a lot of manufacturing jobs have left this country. I personally think Sam Walton, the king of "Made in America", is rolling in his grave with what the board and his son have done to his business empire... That being said, I had a gift card to use up. I already had the All You magazine so I stocked up on a few groceries: flavored "bubbly" water for Ms Sarah 3 cans of french cut green beans 3 cans of corn 3 cans of chili beans 2 cans evaporated milk loaf of bread gallon of NON -Soy Milk (hubster having a small fit...) 1 pack of white cardstock (to print the tags for next weeks Just Between Friends sale) Etc - enough to use up that gift card and give my $20 of groceries for FREE! That about covers it - I had bread to make creamed chip beef over toast (yum!) and beans for another batch of chili. Now, off to ...

A Monday tradition for me has become checking out the Pocket Your Dollars website! They have the sales for Rainbow stores listed as their circulars start on Mondays...it is the same Roundy's Chain as my Copp's/Pick N Save but our ads don't come out/start until Thursdays. This gives me a chance to roughly plan out what I will be getting at the store on either Saturday or the following Wednesday for double coupons. Granted, their prices may be a little off of ours...like they had broccoli for $.99/pound and we got it for $.69/pound or they may have red grapes and we get green, etc. I use it as a rough guideline to make a plan and map out my coupons. Here is what caught my eye for this Thursday's add: Sweet Potatoes $0.49/lb Sale price, no coupon needed Final price: $0.49/lb after sale** **At Aldi’s lowest price last season we saw sweet potatoes for $0.33/lb; that said, this is a great price. Baked, then mashed sweet potatoes freeze well to use as a side dish Red Grapes $0...

It's all about Freezer Fishing this week...I will need some room in that chest freezer for the HyVee meal deal that I am spliting with a friend =) Here is the list: Breakfast will include: -Ego sweet rolls -Rhodes Cinnamon Rolls -French Toast -Breakfast Egg Bake Lunches as normal and for dinner... Monday - Frozen Pizza! (I had 12!!) Tuesday - Red Beans and Rice with smoked sausage Wednesday - Beer can chicken, potaotes and green beans Thursday - Creamed chip beef over toast points, carrots Friday - Fridge clean out Saturday - Chicken a la king over biscuits Sunday - Bertolli Lasagna Rolls with garlic toast What's going to be on your family dinner table this week?

What it is that holds the magic of Sunday mornings with the newspaper? When I was a kid, I couldn't wait for the pages of colored comic strips...if I found them particularly funny, I would clip and add them to my scrapbook. Around the holidays the color add inserts of everything from Toys R Us to the Farm & Fleet toys would get my attention. I would clip out the pictures of what I wanted and make a small poster so Santa couldn't possibly make a mistake on that important day! Now I live for the coupons and sale inserts! I got incredibly excited when I saw the Walgreen's ad this week: Butterfinger candy bars are $.29 each with a limit of 6. This is a HUGE money maker for me as I have a stack of coupons for $1 off 2. 6 candy bars will cost $.87 and I will get $3 off in coupons! I started flipping through their circular to see what kind of things I was going to buy with a combination of coupons that that amazing $2.13 overage. Here is what caught my eye, the items with a * ...

It's now been 17 years since we have said "I do" to each other...that is a long time with the same date in today's world! I made a card for dear hubster - that you can see in the picture, the inside phrase is: Life is a journey, and love is what makes that journey worthwhile. Thank you for walking down that garden path with me - Happy Anniversary! He got me a nice card too - and we went out for dinner. =) The nice thing about your family knowing your goals, they know how to help you. My Mom didn't think we would spring for a dinner out so they watched the kiddo and treated to a nice place (our choice). Hubby picked the local and it was to be a surprise to me. I must admit - I wasn't too excited about his choice...they had "yup-scaled" their menu so things like a Caesar Salad had "olive tapenade" on top of it, etc. I am talking about Lombardino's of Madison. The menu wasn't too promising at first glance. I miss the old "Greenbus...

Part of the joys of being at a Parent CO-OP school it the interactive sessions. Today was one of those, where we got to be snack helper in her class. What does this entail? Getting there 15 minutes early to help get the class room ready, providing the snack for the kids that day and serving it, staying 15 minutes or so after class and helping clean up. Easy Peasy. It's fun watching your kiddo interact with their peers in a class room setting and seeing how they handle themselves. Snacks for 20 people are no big deal if you are clever with couponing -- we served Juice (FREE), Goldfish crackers ($.50) and string cheese ($2). $2.50 to provide a healthy, peanut free snack to 20 kids...not bad! The hubster and I usually tag team it - we BOTH show up and help out...it becomes kind of a neat "family" thing that way and Sarah seems so proud to introduce us to her classmates. I will have to check the calendar, but I think we are off rotation for another 2 months...I think it will ...

Ms Sarah has been so fantastic this week while Daddy is away that I surprised her after school with "girl's day"! Granted every day is "girl's day" when we are alone but we made a special day out of it. =) I dug thru the gift cards/certificates and came up with a $10 Pizza Hut card and a $10 Marcus Movie card - so that was to be our adventure for the day! Pizza Hut has a nice lunch buffet ($6.99 for adults, $2.99 for kids - including their drink). We started out with great salads, then onto a slice of pizza - Chicken Taco Pizza-Yum! Add a little of their pasta bake and finished with some dessert pizza. It was wonderful!! Then on to the theater -- we saw Legend of the Guardians - the Owls of Gahoule, in 2D. I wasn't paying DOUBLE just for the use of a pair of glasses and a few extra effects, knowing we would get up at least twice during the movie for potty breaks. (I was right). Great movie, maybe a little over the head of a four year old, but she liked i...