Operation $40K

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 -cold cereal -Yogurt -fruit crepes Lunches as normal (sandwiches, soup, left overs, tappas plates) and for dinner... Monday - Pasta! Sausage Ravioli*** with red sauce, garlic croissants Tuesday - Dinner at Church (A Mardi Gras Celebration!) Wednesday (Meatless Night) - Grilled Cheese*** Thursday - Bacon***, Onion, Mushroom Quiche! Friday - Fridge clean out! Saturday - Crop Night! Sunday - Grilled bacon wrapped turkey mignons**, skillet potatoes, glazed carrots (We didn't eat it last week!) What are you going to feed YOUR family this week?

These week's focus : Donate before Sunday, March 13th: Diapers, Wipes, Baby Shampoo In Tupperware, I teach my team that A Little, Often, Equals Much. When everyone helps a little bit, it adds up to an amazing outcome that more than rewards your heart. This is no different a concept AND teaches a great lesson to our children. =) Here is my challenge to you: 1) Donate items of the week to your local pantry/shelter. 2) Reply to this thread of the week as a check in - that you did, and how many items you donated. 3) I will have a weekly gift...drawn for from the people that reply. Each item you donate gets you a chance at that weekly drawing. 4) Share this mission on YOUR blogs - let's really pay this forward and make an impact! =) Thank You for making a difference!!!! Hugs~

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) Corned Beef and Cabbage is almost here - deals on both are popping up. When I had my restaurant, we preferred the Eye of Round Corned Beef for both flavor and texture. If you find it at your local butcher's - splurge! It is SOOOO worth it and SOOOO little waste! Another 2-Day sale coming: Thursday March 10th and Friday March 11th... A GREAT deal on butter! $1.99/# - about half price of the going rate out there!! Add: Nabisco Premium Saltines $.99 (limit of 2) Chilean Red Seedless Grapes $.99/# Skippy Peanut Butter $.99/# Colgate Toothpaste $.88 (great for my challenge!) What else do they have this week? Produce: Zeal Navel Oranges $.59/# Stemilt Granny Smith Apples $.88/# Artisian Organic Granny Smith Apples $.88/# Fresh Green Cabbage $.19/# Meat: Fresh Alaskan Pollock Fillets $1.99/# (sold in a 10# box) Buckly Farms Corned Beef B...

As more and more people lose their jobs, benefits and fall off the unemployment rolls, more and more people are turning to their local pantry for assistance. Normally, during Lent, we give up something for the 40 days and try to volunteer more - help out humanity. How about helping your community during Lent with service to others or by simply donating personal care items! Cleanliness helps prevent nutritional problems and the spread of disease and illness... Most pantries can buy food at a ridiculously discounted deal but have a hard time keeping personal care items in stock. The new, revised Food Stamp program doesn't let people purchase personal care items with their credits either! Us savvy coupon gals know that we can score a lot of those precious personal care items for a fraction of the cost - just pennies or, often FREE! =) I am hoping that over the next six weeks, collectively, we can donate 1,000 items to our local pantries - will you take me up on the challenge? We will ...

It's official - and consistent now, from store to store! You still won't get MONEYMAKER deals at your local Walmart - as they will manually adjust them down to the cost of the product - but you have a defined policy to work with now. As they are working on beefing up their grocery departments and adding back in more name brand companies, this cold play a larger role in their (and our) future! Here is what they posted: Walmart Accepts: Manufacturer coupons Printable coupons Competitors coupons that feature a specific item for a specific price (like Walgreens in-ad Coupons) Soft drink container caps Checkout Coupons also called Catalinas. Must a be a manufacturer coupon and not a store coupon Walmart Does not Accept: Printable FREE coupons Competitors coupons that are for a price or percentage off, that are B1G1, or that double or triple value discounted Walmart Coupon Reminders: One coupon per item. Coupons have an expiration date. You may not use after expiration date. Coupons ...

I recently shared with you a HOT new rewards program that Musselman's was doing with their UPCs here To help you hit those UPC collections (I am going for only five so I can get the 12 pack of coupons!) there are some NEW coupons from them that should help you! Go HERE The jars of sauce are $2.29 at my store - SO, you can get them for $1.29 on a double day, when you buy two (at normal price). Spend about $5 to get a lot of apple sauce and then, the perks you are looking for. Happy Shopping!

There is no secret that I am being frugal right now...when I have a rare Saturday open, I like to do fun things with Ms Sarah but not break the bank! MANY places have fun things that are cheap or free- you can check with: -Your church -Home Depot -JoAnn's Craft Store -Michael's Craft Store -Your Library -Barnes & Noble Bookstore -Borders Bookstore That's a good list to get your started. Last week we actually went to Target! This was the promo that they sent out: Next Saturday, February 26th from 9 am – 11 am, Target will be participating in NEA’s Read Across America. This is a FREE event where kids get to enjoy a Storytime with Dr. Seuss favorites, plus there will be giveaways and coupons. Last year they gave out Dr. Seuss themed goody bags & snacks as well as $5/$50 Purchase coupons so if you have little ones, you may want to make Target a stop next Saturday morning. Target is also offering a couple FREE Dr. Seuss coloring activities you can download right now too....

Sometimes ... you have the day planned out ... and it doesn't go the way you had planned for it to. Has this ever happened to you? Ms Sarah was supposed to have a sleepover at Grammie's, but Grumpie was sick :( Along came plan "b". A tea party with just us girls, down to the paper lace doilies! What to serve at our tea party? We decided brownies, but plain old brownies simply wouldn't do - they weren't "special" enough! So, a creative spin on them (because I had a box or two of brownie mix in my stockpile and it was aging...) - Marble Brownies! Start with a box of regular brownie mix...and make it just like the package says -- complete to putting it into a greased 9x13 pan. Now you need: 1 package cream cheese, softened 1 egg 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla Beat the cream cheese until creamy. Add sugar, egg, and vanilla: mix well. Crop by tablespoons over the brownie batter. This is where you let the munchkin help! Let them do the "important"...

On the updated post here -- Congrats!

With a few Sentry stores now doubling coupons, I will break their sales fliers down for you each week, it is not a complete list of what is in your ad, but what I found matching coupons for that turned the items into a fairly decent deal, after doubling. =) 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 Tangerines $.93/# (in a 3# bag for $2.79) Navel Oranges 3/$.99 (weigh to make sure 3 equal at least one pound) Ripe Watermelon $.69/# Red Seedless Grapes $1.29# (higher than my "buy price" but still a decent price Meat Deals Whole Beef Tenderloins $4.99/# (this is higher than my normal "buy price" for meat but is a good price for this...I like to trim to individual steaks, bacon wrap and then freeze) Jennie-O Frozen Turkey Breast $1.49/# (I like under $1/#) Sunny Roost Split Chicken Breasts $1.49/# Pork Shoulder Blade Roast or Steak $1.99/# **T...

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 Dove any bag of chocolate (8.5oz or 9.5oz) Save $1/1 (4/30) Dove singles bars of chocolate (1.16oz -1.3oz) Save $0.75/2 (4/30) Gillette mach3 disposable 3ct, Sensor3 4ct, CustomPlus3 4ct, Venus disposable 2ct or 3ct, Simply Venus 4ct, Daisy3 4ct or 8ct, or Daisy 10ct or 12ct Save $2/1 (4/30) Limit 4 like coupons Gillette Mach 3 disposable 6ct, Sensor 3 8ct, CustomPlus3 8ct, Venus disposable 6ct, or Daisy 18ct Save $3/1 (4/30) Limit 4 like coupons Jimmy Dean any Fully Cooked product Save $0.75/1 (10/31) Kellogg’s any cereal (10oz or larger, any flavor, mix or match) Save $1/3 (4/17) Kellogg’s PopTarts any pastries or mini crisps 6ct ct or larger, any flavor mix or match Save $1/3(5/1) Kelloggs Nutrigrain any cereal bars, 6ct or larger, any flavor mix or match Save $0.75/2 (5/1) Mr. Clean any twin pack or an...

This is the list from Pocket Your Dollars -- I didn't get to update it this week as I didn't get a Copp's flier yet!!! I WILL update it with our LOCAL (They are in Minnesota) prices and deals when I get a flier in my hands :) I have my eye on the Pert (hubby is almost out), Crest toothpaste (our church food pabntry asked for personal care items), and the Kellogg's Deal where I will sepnd $2 to get 4 boxes of cereal AND the 4# bag of oranges! Meat Deals Oscar Mayer Carving Board Meat $2.50 Use $1/1 from 1/23 Smart Source insert or use $2/1 Oscar Mayer Carving Board Meat printable (Facebook offer) or $1/1 Oscar Mayer Carving Board Meat printable Final price: $0.50 after doubled coupon Oscar Mayer Sliced Bacon $3.99 Use $1/1 in-ad coupon Final price: $2.99 after coupon (coupon says “do not double”), plus $0.02/gallon bonus FuelPerks reward Pilgrim’s Pride Frozen Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast Fillets (3 lb) $5.99 (Limit 2) Sale price, no coupon needed Final price: $5...

Sunday coupon preview Regional coupon inserts & value differences are to be expected! (/X) after coupon = expiration date () before coupon = multiple of same coupon ETS = excludes trial sizes DND5 = coupon states Do Not Double, but barcode starts w/a 5 Smartsource coupon insert A1 Steak Sauce or Marinade 10 oz+ Save $1/1 (4/3) Accu-Chek Aviva system with purchase of Accu-Chek Aviva test strips Save $10/1 (5/29) Air Wick Spray B1G1F to Save $1.39 (4/17) Air Wick Freshmatic Ultra Refill Save $1.50/1 (4/17) Air Wick Double Fresh Warmer Unit free wyb Air Wick Scented Oil refill fragrance upto $2.50 (4/17) Air Wick Scented Oil twin refill pack Save $1/1 (4/17) Allegra 24 hr 30 ct+, Allegra-D 12 hr 20 ct & Allegra-D 24hr 10 ct Save $4/1 (3/26) Allegra 24 hr 5 ct & 15ct, 12hr 12ct, Allegra-D 12hr 10ct, Allegra-D 24hr 5 ct or any Children’s Save $2/1 (3/26) Atkins Bar 5 pack Save $1/1 (5/31) Atkins Shake 4 pack Save $1/1 (5/31) Ban Antiperspirant Save $.40/1 (4/16) Ban Invisible So...

Here it is, March. It's been almost 1 year since I started this mission and I am getting pretty darned close! I am at $36,837 as of February 28th...and have $3,163 to go. In 3 weeks. (yikes!) I have a few things up my sleeve: -A mall cart weekend vendor event -Tupperware parties -My monthly bonus check -A child's resale event -Our tax return I feel confident that I will make my goal in this very busy time frame and sneak it in, just under the wire! Thank you for playing along with me over this past year - I really appreciate each one of you who has ever given me feedback. I plan to keep the blog going and share my next big savings goal with you, after I have nailed this one. After all, isn't that what life is all about>? Setting goals, breaking them down into an action plan, and then going for it? Hugs!

I felt like crud today so I only did the one run - to use the egg and milk vouchers that were soon to expire. This week was about stocking up on TP, eggs, and cat food. It's the beginning of the month so I get to start with a clean slate...a new $100 balance! We DID pick up cat litter at Target yesterday, but used some of the $5 gift cards from the frozen food deal two weeks ago...so it doesn't come off my total. Here is my summary: Transaction #1 1 Gallon Deans Milk @$2.99 1 Dozen Eggs @$.99 1 pack Angel Soft TP @$5.99 (Normally $7.69) 1 bag 9 Lives cat food @$3.00 (Normally $4.59) 2 Oscar Meyer Carving Board Chicken $4.79 (will get for $3 with the rain check) 3# bag Fuji Apples for $1.98 (It actually was a 4# bag - I weighed a few) 2 packs Roundy's cheese @$1.50 (normally $2.49) 2 dozen eggs @$1.12 Coupons used: $3.25 for milk, three $1.75 for eggs, $1 Deans Milk gallon (doubled), $1 Angel soft (doubled), $1 9 Lives (doubled), two $1 OM meat (doubled), two $1/meat. $3.60 ...

I found out today that I do NOT have breast cancer. I have had a long few weeks: A routine mammogram that came back with a problem, another - more localized mammogram, an ultrasound and a biopsy. The end result, a small lump with no cancer. =) As hard as that is to deal with, and rationalize, and wait...that wasn't the bad part for me. My Grandmother died of breast cancer, many years before I was born, when my mother was just four years old. Guess how old Ms Sarah is? Yup. Four. The thoughts racing through my head of a sweet little girl not having her momma anymore and her life totally turning upside down...(my mom) and then, thinking "what if" history was going to repeat itself again in our family..... I didn't sleep much for the last few weeks - or talk to my mom. (sigh). I would think "I want my Mommy..." and realize that she never had that option as she grew up, to just pick up the phone and ask what ingredient was missing in the recipe she was making, o...

Another GREAT question from a reader: Why don't you consider the $10.48 as an expense? (From the summary of my Shopping trip last Wednesday) It's money you wont see again and you did spend it? I'm trying to figure out a realistic budget for my family and this would help me out. Occasionally, I will buy a $15 GC with my five $2 items to make my $25 threshold for the coupon doubling to be engaged. Five $1 coupons would be doubled, resulting in FREE food along with that $15 Gift Card. That $15 came out of my $100 monthly total and has to be accounted for as it is now $15 less than I had in my monthly envelope of $100. You will see me use that $15 Gift Card in the following transactions, to pay for my purchases, but I won't deduct it two times. There are bloggers out there that NEVER count that Gift Card purchase in their totals -- and, if they are buying them, they should. Those gift cards are like the cereal deal milk and egg vouchers: It's deduction is accounted for ...