Operation $40K

Gotta love Cereal Deal weeks! I am all for getting FREE cereal to donate to my Church's food pantry and keeping the milk and egg vouchers for myself =) Here is what I did today - only three transactions because I didn't want to clear the shelves on the one kind of cereal I (almost) invested in! $20.34 in cereal, less the $10 - less five $1 coupons (that will doubled) and the last $1 coupon (that won't double) all adds up to a $.66 profit and THEN you add in the milk and eggs vouchers! =) Transaction #1 6 boxes Cinnamon Burst Cheerios @$3.29 ($20.34) 1 package Quilted Northern Bath Tissue @$6.99 (normally 7.99) Coupons used : Six $1/1 Cinn Burst Cheerios (five doubled), $1/1 Northern TP, 1 coupon book coupon to bring the TP to $5.88 and they took the $10 off instantly Total, $28.65 for $4.45 AND I got $5 back in milk and egg vouchers for a MONEY MAKER!!! Transaction #2 6 boxes Cinnamon Burst Cheerios @$3.29 ($20.34) 2 donuts @$.69 Colgate toothpaste @$2.49 2 milk chugs @$1.1...

A few things we are looking at for this weekend's activities Children of the Rainforest: Brisas del Peru February 19, Performances at 10:30 am and 1:30 pm Tickets available at the door: $3 ages 13 & up, $2 children 12 and under, Free for ages 2 and under Travel to the tropics without leaving Wisconsin! Brisas del Peru, a Madison-based dance group, performs at Olbrich Botanical Gardens on February 19 for the Children of the Rainforest series. Enjoy lively rhythms and colorful costumes with dances from Peru. As a special addition, Carmen “Luchi” Lamarque will incorporate her unique blend of Latin American vocal music with the authentic Peruvian dances. With more than 18 years of experience, Lamarque blends Brazilian and Afro-Peruvian rhythms with jazz influences to make her own unique sound. One of the dances Brisas del Peru will perform is a Jungle Dance, with musical rhythms based on carnival games. Costumes for the Jungle Dance are hand-made in Peru from natural fibers. Tradit...

This is yummy comfort food at it's best! Warm, creamy chicken sauce, wrapped around chunks of tender chicken and assorted veggies...ladled over something like popovers. This will warm any soul on a cold day. SOOOOO easy to do, you just start with the filling. Dice your chicken (1# or so) and slowly cook in a pan with a little olive oil. When the chicken is about half done, add your veggies. Think onions, carrots, celery, peas, mushrooms....today, I left out the celery (forgot I had it) and mushrooms (Ms Sarah doesn't like them). When the chicken is cooked, put it in a different dish and do NOT wash/rinse your pan. Sprinkle over the chicken a little onion powder and tarragon (1/2 tsp). Make a basic white sauce in the pan. Melt 1/4 butter (not FAKE butter, the REAL stuff) and add a little salt and white pepper. When the butter has melted, add 1/4 flour and stir until it is slightly caramel colored and "sticky". Gradually pour in 2 cups milk, while stirring. Then, add a ...

With a few Sentry stores now doubling coupons, I will break their sales fliers down for you each week =) Please check with your individual store coupon policy, I will add a tab that breaks down all stores that I know of - keep an eye out for it later this month! Produce Deals Cut Watermelon $.49/# - I hope it's sweet! California Seedless Navel Oranges $.75/# when you buy a 4# bag Green Giant Red B Potatoes $.63/# when you buy a 3# bag Carrots $.67/# in a 2 pound bag - weigh them to get a heavier bag! Meat Deals $.89/# Farm Fresh or Jenni-o Tom Turkeys $1.49/# Sunny Roost Split Chicken Breasts $1.49/# Pork Spare Ribs $1.89/# Assorted Pork Chops Dairy Deals Country Crock Spread (15oz tub) $1.66 $.40 off 1 here Final price $.86 after doubling Land O Lakes Spreadable Butter $1.49 $.35 off 1 from the 2/6 SS insert Final price $.79 after doubling Deans Chocolate Milk gallon $2.49 Use the $1/1 from 2/13 paper Final price $.49 after doubling Freezer Deals Banquet Boneless Chicken $2.49 Use...

I mentioned a week or so ago that I had been interviewed by that nice Julie Henning. Well, the article came out TODAY and is already online -- you can read it here The article reads as follows: Saving $40,000...one coupon at a time By Julie Henning Special to The Star On March 18, 2010, Sun Prairie resident Dannelle Gay published the first blog post on her website, Operation $40K (http://operation40k.blogspot.com). With a goal of saving forty thousand dollars in one year to buy a dream home without a loan, Gay’s first step towards savings was taking a close look at the family budget. “As I tracked our expenses, I saw we were spending $400 a month just going out to eat,” Gay began. “So that stopped right away.” Next up was the monthly grocery bill. Following the grocery story circulars and using coupons and rebates to cut down their monthly grocery expenses, Gay quickly and efficiently began saving between 60-80 percent on every trip to the grocery store. “Clipping coupons is nothing ne...

Sunday coupon preview Regional coupon inserts & value differences are to be expected! (x) before coupon = multiple of same coupon ETS = excludes trial sizes RedPlum Coupon Insert Save $0.60/1 Bertolli any Pasta Sauce (3/20) Save $1/1 Air Wick Scented Oil twin refill pack or (2) single refills (4/3) FREE Air Wick any warmer wyb air wick scented oil refill fragrance (4/3) Save $3/1 Air Wick Freshmatic Compact Odor Detect starter kit (4/3) Save $1/1 Air Wick Candle (4/3) Save $2/1 Dial Nutriskin lotion, any (3/12) Save $1/2 Hefty Onezip any packages (5/31) Save $0.50/2 Pop Secret any products (4/3) Save $1/2 Purina Beggin’ any packages, any size/variety (5/20) Save $1/1 Sprayaway glass cleaner DND (4/10) Save $1/2 Uncle Ben’s pouches of Ready Rice (4/17) BOGO Whiskas any tray, any flavor up to $0.69 (4/16) Save $1.50/1 Whiskas any dry food for cats (4/16) McDonald’s FREE Fruit & Maple Oatmeal wyb a medium Beverage (3/27) McDonald’s FREE Fruit & Maple Oatmeal (3/27) McDonald’s ...

NEW is the Cinnamon Burst Cheerios...10oz box for $3.39 ***THAT is what I plan to get with my 24 $1/1 coupons this coming week! (No worries, I am not clearing a shelf, but hitting 2 different days) If you are working the Cereal Deal and trying to DOUBLE DIP on the General Mills $5 gas card, you HAVE to hit the $20 AFTER that $10 instantly comes off, before you take off your coupons!!!! My sample transaction will be 6 boxes Cin Burst at $3.39 (20.34) And 2# Gala Apples @$.99/# Pepperidge Farm Layer Cake $2 (SUPER yummy!) Mushrooms from coupon booklet $.98 OR TP from coupon book $5.88 OR CH Sugar @$2.49 2 Temptations cat treats @$1.50 After the $10 comes off, and the 6 cereal coupons (1 won't double) I should average a PROFIT of $1-3 on each of my 6 cereal transactions when you factor in the $5 I will get back in milk and egg vouchers! (I am also cooking up a few transactions for the Ronzini pasta sale!) Here is the list of other General Mills Cereals -> Here Happy shopping!

Here is the updated list from Roundy's First off all, the 2-Day President's Day Sale items, good only Sunday and Monday! Wonder Classic White Bread $.75 (limit 2) Campbell's Chicken Noodle or Tomato Soup $.50 (limit 4) Kraft Mac n Cheese $.50 (limit 4) Fancy Navel Oranges $.50/# in a 4 # bag Chicken of the sea Premium Light, Solid or Chunk Light Tuna or Pink Salmon $.75 (limit 2) Armour Sizzle & Serve Breakfast Links or Patties $.75 (limit 2) White Rain Shampoo or Conditioner $.75 (limit 1) ***They Have the YUMMY Pepperich Farms Cakes $2 each -- makes a nice filler item when trying to build to your $25. Produce Deals Gala, Jonagold, Red or Golden Delicious Apples $0.99/lb Sale price, no coupon needed Final price: $0.99/lb Meat Deals Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh or Carving Board Turkey, Ham, Beef or Chicken $3 (Limit 2) Use in-ad coupon to receive the sale price Plus, use $1/1 from 1/23 Smart Source insert or Oscar Mayer printable or printable or $2/1 Oscar Mayer printable (Fa...

...yet you have it on your meal plans. What am I missing? GOOD QUESTION! I shop with the stockpile system. I look for the low price and get enough to ride it out until the next time that price drops. When ground turkey is on sale for $1 a pound, I will buy 10-20 pounds of it, instead of just 1-2. I can eat ground turkey, once a week, for four months without having to buy it. Now, this DOES require a chest freezer! Inside my very full freezer, if you lifted the lid, you would see: 5# hamburger gravel 5# hamburger patties 5# Meat for pasties 3# meatballs 2# mini meatloaves 2# Swiss steak 14# ground turkey 2 whole turkeys 2 whole hams, sliced 8 bacon wrapped turkey fillet 3 pork tenderloin 2# pork chops 2# pork ribs 3 whole chickens 3# bone in breasts 3# drumsticks 6# boneless skinless 2# Italian sausage 2# polish sausage 5# brats (it IS Wisconsin, LOL) 8 packs hot dogs 3 beef ring baloney 10# breakfast sausage 4 packs baloney and summer sausage AND 3 ham bones for soup. THAT is why you d...

First of all - I hit HyVee before my $1.99/# bacon rain check expired and got my 3#. Yipee! THEN, Roundy's gift cards no longer seem to count for Fuel Perks...the LAST one I bought gave me a nickel, today - nothing. NOW, onto the grocery run this week: Three transactions this week - We LOVE the Buitoni fresh pasta - in ravioli lasagna, Meatless night with spaghetti sauce and just as a plain tortellini side dish for meat. I HAD figured out a Hormel transaction to get the $5 back -- but killed the thought as I make much better chili and have all the items on hand. It would have ended up costing me $5 (after coupons and getting the $5 back)for something we really didn't need. Sometimes, you just have to think about it, instead of getting all excited about a deal. Transaction #1 Lean Pockets Bacon Cheese Pretzel bread $2.39 1 Gallon Skim Milk $2.29 4 Buitoni Sausage Ravioli @$3 (normally $3.69) Kemps Sour Cream @$1 (normally $1.99) Frigo String Cheese @$3 (normally $4.39) Coupons u...

With Easter on the way, I was wondering what they were going to do for deals on ham and today, I got my answer. Ham Perks. From 2/20 until 4/16 you can earn 5 perks for every $10 you spend...and it will be tracked on your receipts. These perks translate to savings on your Easter Hillshire Farm Skinless, Shankless, Half Ham when you use your Roundy's card on each transaction. 35-54 perks means you save $1/# -- you pay $1.99/# 55-84 perks means you save $1.50/# -- you pay $1.49/# 85+ perks means you save $2/# -- you pay $.99/# Now, I have done the math on this. You need to buy $70-110, $110-170, $170+ respectively over the 8 weeks...very do-able! I am thinking that this will be like the Jingle Cash promo over the holiday season where the numbers climbed a lot faster than we could figure out, it was certainly more than the actual amount we paid out of pocket to the store. Now, it says "Qualified Purchases"...I am wondering what does NOT count on these and will find out for y...

OK -- SUPER excited about the NEXT Roundy's flier - that starts on Thursday! It would be PERFECT if they would do a double-double day, but I will settle with what they have and work around it =) First of all, the General Mills Cereal Deal is back! Buy 6, get $10 instantly AND get the FREE milk and egg vouchers totaling $5. BONUS offer right now - Buy $20 of Participating General Mills Products, With Roundy’s Card, Get $5 in Free Gas Via Mail-in Rebate. Say it with me; MONEY MAKER WEEK! Here is my plan: 6 boxes Cinnamon Burst Cheerios @$4 a box, add something like a pound of ground beef. Use SIX $1/1 Cheerios (from 2/13 paper) and 5 will double. Also use the $1 off meat coupon from last weeks Old El Paso Deal. $26 - $10 Instantly - $12 in coupons = $4, but GET $5 in milk/eggs and $5 in gas to result in a $6 MONEY MAKER! I will do this SIX times and donate the cereal to the food pantry and come out $36 ahead. THEN, I will go back and get milk, eggs, 4-5# apples, 2#chicken ($.99/#) a...

OK, this site doesn't really have a sponsor, other than ME! =) I am just SUPER excited about a few things and wanted to put it out there... Tupperware Leadership Summit was last week, and, as a Director I got a LOT of info about what is about to happen in the world of plastic! They are pumping in OVER SIX MILLION DOLLARS to it's sales force over the next few months...Seriously, the MOST cash I have seen any company put up in new programs in my 20 years of Direct Sales! What does this mean? *Great sales specials for customers... *AMAZING offers for hosts... *INCREDIBLE money for consultants, more for Managers and Directors. *Trips to several places like ROME...DISNEY...and more! In the fourth year of a recession - where even the State/Government employees in Wisconsin are facing 20% paycuts and loosing benefit packages - WE are getting MORE! ***We have FULL benefit packages available from retirement (401K) to Insurance. ***We have the ability to work the SAME 40 hours a week as ...

I got my hubby on board with the project -- I needed him to get that coat rack off and, he did. The next step was to patch the holes that I could see, after that first coat of paint was applied. The walls still need a bit of sanding on a few rough spots but I wanted to tackle the overhead work. SOOOOO not my favorite thing to do - with the bad arm and neck! I got out the small (1" wide) brush and started filling in the gaps on the wanescoating ceiling and ended up with this: which might not look like much progress until, you realize, it had looked like this: I will let that set a few days and do the ceiling work again, and then spend a little time on the trim/edges. My husband finally agreed that it really lightened it all up - and is looking better than what I started out with. =) Thanks for following along -- more later! By next week I should have this section done and the coat rack and railing back up and be on that bottom landing...

It's back to normal this week -A Monday night meeting, 3 days of Karate, two Tupperware parties and lots of phone calls to make. We have an abundance of food right now and NEED to work on the freezer - ** means something I am pulling out to use this week! Here is the list: Breakfast will include: -breakfast cookies -oatmeal (It's frigging cold out!) -cinnamon rolls -fruit crepes Lunches as normal (sandwiches, soup, left overs, tappas plates) and for dinner... Monday - Valentine's Day: It's a surprise! Tuesday - Beef & bean tostadas** rice and corn (check out the recipe page for it!) Wednesday (Soup day) - crock pot potato soup (check out the recipe page for it!) Thursday - Ravioli Lasagna with 1 italian sausage** in it(check out the recipe page for it!) Friday - (Meatless Night) - waffles (check out the recipe page for it!) Saturday - Fridge Clean Out! Sunday - Baked pork chops**, apple sauce, sauerkraut What are you going to feed YOUR family this week?

Just perusing the sales fliers today and this is what jumped out at me: Remember my price guidelines (Produce under $1 a pound and meat under $2 a pound) Produce: Dole Iceberg Lettuce $.77/head - weigh them to get a heavier head Washington Jazz Apples $1/# Green Giant Russet Potatoes #1.48 for a 5# bag ($.30/#) Grimmway Farms Baby Carrots 32oz package @$1.77 ($.88/#) Meat: 85% lean fresh ground beef $1.99/# (limit 2) HyVee 100% natural fresh chicken leg quarters $.49/# Produce: $1.29 celery (cheaper at Aldi) Baby Red Potatoes $2 for a 3# bag Meat: Jennie-O Turkey Store Turkey Breast $.99/# Limit 1 Fresh Whole Chicken Fryer $.99/# Fresh Split chicken Breasts $1.49/# Hormel Always Tender Center Cut Pork Roast $1.99/# Hormel Always Tender Pork Shoulder Western Style Ribs $1.99/# Dairy: Eggs $.99/dozen, limit 1 Aldi Celery $.69 Onions. $.79/# for baby carrots What caught your eye this week?