Operation $40K

☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆ ★ ☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆ ╔╗╔╦══╦═╦═╦╗╔╗ ★ ★ ★ ║╚╝║══║═║═║╚╝║ ☆¸.•°*”˜˜”*°•.¸☆ ║╔╗║╔╗║╔╣╔╩╗╔╝ ★ NEW YEAR ☆ 2012 ╚╝╚╩╝╚╩╝╚╝═╚╝ ♥￥☆★☆★☆￥♥ ★☆

It's the end of the month -- time to check and update your Freezer Inventory! There are a lot of perks to having a chest freezer: you can take better advantage of sales on things that need to be frozen, buy more meat on sale and bake larger quantities of treats for future use. It really does pay for itself when you consider how small a freezer is in a freezer/fridge combo unit. One thing I have been asked, is "how do you know what you have in your freezer?" Simple. I have an inventory list! At the beginning of the month, I have a complete list of what is in it. As the month progresses, I cross off what we use, and write in what we add. At the end of the month, I put a * next to the original items on the list, pull off what we used and add in what we bought to have a fresh new list for the new month. The * tells me it is an older item and I need to try to use it first. If it doesn't get used that second month it becomes a ** item and HAS to be used the third mo...

If you are like us, you LOVE fresh produce but it can be one of the most expensive things in your grocery budget if you don't keep an eye on the seasonal deals. Sure strawberries are yummy - but they are sweeter at $1.00 a pound (in June) than they are at $4.00 a pound in November! Here is a quick list of what should be rock bottom prices by middle of December - it's great to stock up if you can/freeze or simply enjoy as a fresh treat! Keep in mind that simple rule of $1.00 or less for a pound of produce - make sure to weigh items in bags and get the heavier bags! If the sale price is per item (like lettuce - $.69 each) - weigh a few and get the heaviest one. Leeks are on the list -- I have a great leek and potato soup, I think I need to dust off the recipe! Fruit (a LOT of citrus -- great time of year to stock up on vitamin C) lemons papayas oranges clementines tangelos grapefruit tangerines Vegetables red cabbage green cabbage leeks broccoli cauliflowe...

One of the things we love to do on New Years Eve is make a thermos of hot chocolate, pack up some popcorn and leftover holiday cookies, and head out to the US BANK EVE Fireworks show! U.S. Bank Eve's fireworks finale will takes place over Lake Monona at 10:05. Best viewing is from the north end of the bike path between Monona Terrace and the Lake. (they say...) We like to park our car at the Capitol Square North Ramp at 218 East Mifflin Street and watch it from the roof! We DO have a DVD player in our Tuppermobile so we watch a movie until things are ready to start.

You can find them here -- at Totally Target. Make sure you thank Kerry for her great work! :) As for the holiday clearance...what is left will hit deeper discounts soon! I've already talked about thinking "out of the box" on holiday clearance -- also think about the $ 1 spot - that  is where I get holiday "buckets' for next years gif t baskets and princess jewelry for just $.50 each. Also check food aisles for holiday cake mixes, frostings, and cupcake liners -- good for anytime of the year...even "limited edition coffee" -- do a self scan on it first to verify. :) Happy Shopping!

I zipped over to http://www.iheartwags.com/ and scoped out the upcoming ad - OK -- here is the list...I think I need some protein bars! Lichi Super Probiotic 30 ct $9.99 Get $10 RR Final price: FREE Muscletech Smart Protein Bar 2.2 oz $1.99 Get $2 RR Final price: FREE N utralife same mood, joint, and liver health 30 ct $10 Get $10 RR Final price: FREE Triaminic Cold, Cough, Fever or Alergy 2 for $10 Buy 2 Get $5 RR -use two $3/1 Triaminic Fever Reducer Pain Reliever Product, exp. 2/15/12 (SS 12/04/11) Final price: $1 Money Maker Just let me know if I missed anything =)

It's about time!!! We have had a dry spell of coupon inserts over the last few weeks in the Sunday Papers...and a LOT of coupons expire 12/31. This weekend gives us THREE Inserts: Proctor and Gamble SmartSource Redplum A lot of coupons for personal care items and household stuff -- not a lot for food this weekend. You can always check for the new printable coupons HERE or the Clipping Services HERE if you are looking for something specific. =)

Did you have a real Christmas tree this year? Check your city's tree pick up dates for disposal. The longer you wait, they drier it gets and the larger the fire hazard. Do you park on the street? Make sure you know the winter rules: snow route, opposite side parking, etc Did you get a lot of electronics for the holidays? Space out the packaging in the garbage so you don't set yourself up as a target for burglars. They have been known to cruise garbage routes and look for overflowing displays of cardboard packaging to see what house now has what. Do you have enough stuff for the sidewalks: a good shovel, sand or salt? No one wants to take a nasty fall. Do you feed the birds? Make sure you have enough seed/suet - once you start feeding them, they rely on you...to go a few days with an empty dish could be devastating to them. Can you think of one I missed? Share! =)

As you are tearing down your holiday decorations -- do NOT throw out your cards! We've talked about St Jude's before and how awesome it is. It's a leader in children's disease research and never turns away a child, because they can't pay. It was started by Danny Thomas years ago...and his daughter Marla still promotes it. This is part of that family, it's Ranch. It's more geared to treating the minds of kids - from abuses of all kinds in a safe environment. You can read more HERE . This is just another thing you can do to help someone, without having to spend a lot of money. Recycled Card Program History Over thirty years ago, wishing to show our donors appreciation for making St. Jude’s Ranch for Children possible, the idea was conceived for turning the previous year’s Christmas cards into “new” cards for the coming season. The recipients were so delighted with their unique “thank you,” they requested the children sell them the special cards. And...

Before you toast 2012, be sure and head to seasons.recyclebank.com because the New Year's section of the Green Your Seasons Challenge has just launched! You can earn another 90 points and learn great new tips-like hosting a greener New Year's party with greener decorations and lots more. Plus, you'll be entered to win from great prizes, including $5000 towards a Kohler dream bathroom, Citizen Eco-Drive watches, thousands of Recyclebank Points and lots more.

Print the coupons Available While you can. It’s the end of the month which means many printable coupons are pulled so go thru and print the coupons you can use before they are gone!! Check them out HERE

As the year draws to an end, it's easy to remember the bad things, but better to focus on the things that made a difference for your life. Here is a small sample of my list: -My family. Each day I see the love and joy in Miss Sarah's face -- and have the best partner to help raise her. Who couldn't love that? -The amazing friends I have who stepped up to help when we had some family issues that required me to spend a lot of time at the hospital. I know I am truly blessed with their love... -The people that have come to my coupon classes over the last year and dropped me a note to let me know how they have not only learned something, but put it into action and changed things for their families - some to the point that they can pay it forward and bless others... -The people at my church who give so much of their time, talent and possessions to help others, whether it be the Circle of Love , Puerto Rican Mission, Homeless Ministry, Food pantry, Hope House , and so muc...

I had a goal of $100 a month, which made it $1,200 for the year. We are at $1,199.11. How did we do it? Working Double Coupon Days Buying holiday/seasonal deals and clearance Using Menard's MIR program Playing the drugstore game Working sales at the store for catalinas - then donating (think Cereal deals) The first thing I talk about at my coupon class is tracking your expenses and creating a budget ...it is SOOOO important to limit what you spend, so you have money for other aspects of your financial life. If you have followed my over the last two years, you can see that it IS possible to eat healthy and on a budget. It's also possible to pay it forward by getting free, or almost free, items to donate. We have had the same budget for two years, despite the increased prices...and maintain our "perimeter of the store" philosophy. I want at least 80% of our diet to be free of processed, pre-packaged foods. The 20% comes in from my husband, LOL -- he is doi...

Instead of several posts, I wanted to combine them into one. Here goes! Triaminic Money Maker: Starting 1/1 - The in ad price 2/$10 and you get a $5 RR WYB 2 items. -use TWO of this coupon:$3/1 Triaminic Fever Reducer Pain Reliever from the 12/04 SS Insert OR use this: $3.00 off Two (2) Triaminic Products Final Cost: as low as a $1 Money Maker! Cheap Covergirl Lip gloss: Look for the clearance priced lip glosses -- and pull out that $1/1 Covergirl coupon that expires on 12/31 -- some people have reported getting lip gloss as low as $.49 after coupons! Not to mention what I already shared with you: Tylenol Precise Freebie

Just checking interest here... I now have the technology to do webinars! What is a webinar? Simple! A cyber meeting room where you view my PowerPoint on your computer as you listen to me talk on the phone. My standard Coupon Clipping 101 class -- that is about 1.5 hours long. I talk about where to find coupons, how to organize them, how to use them and talk about the Stockpile system and Paying it Forward. This would be good for those of you out of state or the gang that simply can't get to a class of mine -- you can even wear your jammies! I am looking at Monday, January 9th from 7-8:30PM CST and can only take the first 95 people (all that my "room" will hold). There will be a cost - $1.00 per person. That $1 will get you an invite to the webinar and access to my pass outs...and it will go into my Blessing Bag Fund for our church's Homeless Ministry. Depending on the response, I will schedule another one or two. If you are interested, send me a note t...

**Some people have been seeing that magic "DOUBLE COUPON" coupon in their ads...double check your ad to see if you are one of the lucky ones! **Remember, Piggly Wiggly stores are independently owned and their ads occasionally don't match up as prices may vary per store. (YMMV). If you shop at  Frank's Elkhorn Store - they double up to $.50 every Wednesday - no limit as to how many but, limit of 2 like items Keep in mind my price guidelines $1/# or less for fresh produce $2/# or less for meat $3/# or less for beef roasts $4/# or less for seafood This week's ad match up is courtesy of NWF Coupon Exchange See it HERE

I haven't done this for a while -- and asked if anyone was reading/using it. No reply. This is the last call....... An add match up can take up to 3 hours...going through all the pages, searching coupon databases, etc. I am more than happy to do it, if I know someone is reading it. Please let me know if you want to see it back. =)

Here are the Whole Foods deals for the week. Remember…. Some stores allow you to stack manufacturer coupons with store coupons. Buy a case and get a 10% discount. Bring your bags for .10 cents off your order per bag. Prices and deals will sometimes vary by store. Check out the current Whole Foods Printable Coupons . Sales, coupon policies and available items will vary by store. Please call your store to confirm and/or check your local ad. Healthy Life Deals has it for you here

Have a little extra time? Take online surveys and earn a little extra. You won't get rich, but can score $1-300 a month with a few minutes at a time...some pay CA$H and some pay in gift cards... Here are the most popular ones that are reputable:

I will update this when I get my REAL ad - I am going to be gone all day running errands and having a play date for Miss Sarah so I only peeked at the online ad for my store and saw no real produce deals. There are a lot of appetizer type things for those New Years Eve parties! Here are this week's produce deals : Little Salad Bar Flat Leaf Spinach (9oz) $1.69

I teamed up with some other great bloggers to bring you a CA$H giveaway! This is just a teaser...it starts in a few days =)   Couponing Away Debt and Deal Seeking Mommas wants to welcome you to… Travel Into 2102 Giveaway!! Now that the Holiday’s are over here is a chance to start the New Year off right. We have teamed up with some Amazing Bloggers to bring you this Great Giveaway and give you a chance to make up some of that hard earned $cash$ you spent on the Holiday’s. Entering is simple just follow the rules on the Rafflecopter, make sure you LIKE all the other Amazing Bloggers , and you are entered. Be sure and stop by their sites as well, I am sure you will find some great savings and awesome ideas along with some other possible giveaways going on as well. You must have a Paypal account to enter. Thanks for Entering and keep an eye out for some other great Giveaway’s to come!! a Rafflecopter giveaway

We are on a roll today =)

I have $.89 left of my $1,200 annual budget! What am I getting? Five containers of 8th Continent Soy Milk - vanilla flavored. Thanks to Freecycle, I got five FREE vouchers from a lady who can't use them before 12/31 !! We LOVE it on cereal, it has a long expiration date (compared to cow's milk) if it's not opened and it freezes nicely (after you pour about a cup out). SCORE! =) I know I will have to go to HyVee -- my Mom wants the ground beef that is on sale for $1.99/# (in a 3# package for $5.97) on their 1 Day Sale...and I told her I would pick it up for her. That nut wants 12 pounds, LOL-- I have trained her well! I might check out Aldi's too - I hear some stores have their cranberries down to $.39 a bag! Back to my topic...thanks for hanging with my mental derailment! If you haven't checked it out yet, you should. Freecycle.org -- find your town and jump on!

Diabetic? Heart Healthy? Trying to loose weight? Just want a few new recipes? This is FREE -- go for it!

You can join for FREE. You can print coupons off, under your account and get 10 points for each one If you did 11 coupons a week, that would get you a $50 FREE Amazon gift card in a year! What a great perk! =)

It seems to be the day for FREEBIES! =) Here is another one -- there always seems to be something fun to do with the kiddos!

People who bank on their tax returns are going to be surprised again this year. With the changes in the withholding tables, less is taken out of each check so we can stimulate the economy. Less taken out means less to get back and, in some cases people have to PAY in! Do you contribute to an IRA? Do you add to an EDVEST or other 129 plan for saving college money? Do you have to pay property taxes? Did you make the contributions you wanted to your church? Get it all done NOW - before the end of the year. You can mail it before the 31st - but get a receipt to prove you paid it before the end of the year. It's nice to have everything DONE at the end of the year and be ready to look forward. If you can do it, get 'er done. :) Blessings- Dannelle  

FREE is my favorite word!

Here is a "light and fluffy" idea after the heavy one from yesterday -- I TOTALLY LOVE this idea of MaryLea's from the Pink and Green Mamas! Hands down, she is one of the most creative, crafty mama's I know of -- and she has TONS of neat things for little kiddos on her blog. We have barely had any snow yet this season - in fact, we are almost a foot behind in the "normal" snow fall for the Madison, Wisconsin area. This makes for a fun "science" project for little people -- you can "chart" the snowfall on your calendar. This one is SOOO simple! It's a paint stick, painted white, and decorated - a very simple project that you can let the kiddos do with mild supervision. You can see her post on it HERE and have fun with it! I have everything ready to do ours today! :)

SavingStar Grocery eCoupons Buy 1 Karo® Syrup, Save 40¢. Expires 1/31/2012. One time use only. Buy 1 Fleischmann's® Yeast (Jar or Strip), Save 40¢. Expires 1/31/2012. One time use only. Buy 1 Argo® or Kingsford's® product, Save 40¢. Expires 1/31/2012. One time use only. Buy 1 Dove® Men+Care(TM) Body and Face Wash (13.5 oz. or larger), Save $1.00. Expires 1/18/2012. One time use only. Buy 1 box of Lipton® Tea (100 count or larger), Save $1.00. Expires 1/18/2012. One time use only. Buy any (1) Dean's® Dip 12 oz or larger, Save 75¢. Expires 1/12/2012. One time use only. Buy 1 Chiquita® Pineapple, Save $1.00. Expires 1/8/2012. One time use only. (Only at Kroger Southwest) Buy 1 Chiquita® Pineapple, Save $1.00. Expires 1/8/2012. One time use only. (Only at Kroger Atlanta) Buy 1 Chiquita® Pineapple, Save $1.00. Expires 1/8/2012. One time use only. (Only at Kroger Mid South) Buy ONE (1) PULL-UPS® Training Pants (Jumbo Pack or lar...

Coupons.com Grocery Coupons $0.50 off 2 Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls $1.00 off ONE ICBINB! Tub product $0.30 off 2 Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits $1.00 off off any Robitussin product $1.00 OFF 2 ARMOUR Meatball Products $1.00 off 2 packages of Vanity Fair Napkins $2.00 off 1 Excedrin Extra Strength 20ct $2.00 off two cans of illy issimo $1.00 off (1) 4-oz. Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief $0.40 off 2 Pillsbury Sweet Rolls $1.00 off one Honey Bunches of Oats cereal $3.00 off Scrubbing Bubbles One Step Toilet kit $2.00 off 1 Benefiber Product $0.40 off 2 Pillsbury Italian Meal Breads $0.80 off one package of Truvia natural sweetener $3.00 off Two (2) Triaminic Products $1.00 off Nature's Bounty Vitamin or Supplement $1.00 off on any A+D Product $1.00 off on any 1 (ONE) Advil Congestion Relief $1.00 off one Kashi Soft n Chewy bar $1.50 off on the purchase of any TWO (2) WASA $1.00 off any ONE Bear Naked Product $1.00 off...