Operation $40K

I zipped over to HyVee yesterday and got a few things in their 2 Day sale! First of all, I was after the grapes at $.99/#. BADDDDDD grapes: A lot had split grapes on there and a lot had MOLD growing on them! I skipped them and went for 4 boxes of saltines, 8 jars of Skippy Peanut Butter, 1 head of cabbage and a rain check for the long gone Colgate toothpaste. I had four $1/2 Skippy coupons, two $1/2 Nabisco cracker coupons and got out of there for just $6.81 I should be OK on Peanut Butter for a while =) $100.00 - 10.67 ----------- $89.33 -$4.78 today's copp's run -$1 Cookies from fundraiser table at pancake breakfast ----------- $83.88 to go -4.98 Aldi today ----------- $78.90 to go -6.81 ----------- $72.09 to go.

As a Tupperware Trainer, I often cover different subjects: I trained on short term and long term goals the other day...and used a washing machine as an example. $600, break it down into parties, yadda - yadda - yadda. My washer died yesterday, it was 15 years old and the center physically fell out of the bottom, LOL! Guess how much my new one just cost? $597. SCARY that I pulled an example out of the air and it was that friggin' close! What did we do? Dug out the Consumer Reports Book and went shopping. The Hubster was in charge and did a GREAT job! We put it on plastic - to earn more credits for free restaurant gift cards...and I will pay it next month - as I was still focused on my $40K mission and didn't want to take that chunk out of my savings this month. We ARE getting a $100 credit on my utilities as it earned an energy star rebate and will get a $25 restaurant gift card off the plastic with the points we earned...so my $600 washer is really more like $475. It changes up

I had to hit the bank today and make a deposit (yipee!) and Aldi's is practically around the corner. I thought I would zip in quick and check out their baby supplies for my food pantry challenge! I walked out with what was in the box for $7.95 - one pineapple ($.99) bag of 4 lemons ($.99) 3 avocados @$.50 each 1# baby carrots @$.99 2 boxes mac N cheese @$.25 each and 3 bottles of baby wash/lotion for church @ $.99 each. I am taking the $2.97 off as it isn't MY budget, it's my CHURCH budget. The lemons are for my Hollandaise sauce (freezable and YUMMY!), I have been craving guacamole and we were totally out of mac N cheese! $4.98 off the the budget this week: $100.00 - 10.67 ----------- $89.33 -$4.78 today's copp's run -$1 Cookies from fundraiser table at pancake breakfast ----------- $83.88 to go -4.98 Aldi today ----------- $78.90 to go I WILL get to HyVee this week for the 2 day sale items (saltines, peanut butter, toothpaste, etc)

Looks like some good pet food ones! 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 Bausch & Lomb Soothe Eye Drops Save $3/1 (5/31) Chex Mix or Chex Mix 100 Calorie Snacks 4.5oz+ Save $.50/2 (5/7) Chinet Comfort Cup Package 12 or 16 oz Save $.55/1 (4/10) Clearasil Save $1/1 (5/13) Clorox Regular Bleach or Clorox Scented Bleach Save $.25/1 (4/24) Clorox 2 Stain Fighter & Color Booster or Clorox 2 Laundry Stain Remover Save $1/1 (4/24) Cottonelle Bathroom Tissue two 4 packs or one 12 pack Save $.50/1 (4/24) Formula 409 32 oz+ Save $.50/1 (4/24) CoverGirl csmetics Save $1/1 (Target) (5/15) Dulcolax Save $1/1 (6/30) Dulcolax Save $3/2 (6/30) Farmland Hickory Smoked Bacon 12 or 16 oz Save $1/1 (4/16) Farmland Diced, Cubed or Julienne Ham or Turkey, Del

Here is a list of some things in the Madison area to do this weekend - you will see us at the parade on Sunday! Just let me know if I missed something! =) Saturday: Very Hungry Caterpillar March 12 - Overture Center Presented by American Girls Fund for Children Family Series. This popular performance is recommended for children ages 2-8. Showtime is 11am, for ticket info see website: www.overturecenter.com Frosty Flicks: Kids Winter Film Series Saturdays & Sundays - Participating Marcus Theatres Every Saturday 10am & every Sunday 11am, admission is just $2 per person! All dates & titles subject to change: Mar 12-13 www.marcustheatres.com Kids in the Rotunda Every Saturday October thru May - Overture Center for the Arts Overture Center offers free arts programs designed for children and families at 9:30 AM, 11 AM and 1 PM. The popular performing arts series for children and families offers a relaxed, kid-friendly environment in which to enjoy a diverse lineup of local and r

Additional Printable Coupons for March- Print these now to save for future savings or unadvertised specials! $2.00 OFF ONE (1) WONKA Hollow Chocolate Egg $1.00 OFF ONE (1) 3-pack of any TEMPTATIONS by JELL-O $1.00 OFF 1 Kashi TLC Soft Baked Cereal Bar $1.00 OFF 1 Kashi Berry Blossoms cereal $1.00 OFF 1 Hidden Valley Farmhouse Originals salad dressing $1.00 OFF 2 bags of NESTLE NestEggs (8oz or 10oz Varieties) $1.00 OFF 2 bags of WONKA Jelly Beans $1.00 OFF 1 Watchers Frozen Novelty Carton $1.00 OFF 1 MAXWELL HOUSE Daily Brew Product (34.5oz.) $1.00 OFF 1 Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinner (5-pack) $1.00 OFF 1 Velveeta Product (32oz) $1.00 OFF 2 OSCAR MAYER Snack Combo Products $1.00 OFF 2 CRYSTAL LIGHT ON-THE-GO Products (12QT.) $1.00 OFF 2 OREO Spring Cookies (16.6oz.) $0.75 OFF 1 Roman Meal Bread $0.55 OFF 1 bag of NESTLE NestEggs (8oz or 10oz Varieties) $0.55 OFF 1 bag of WONKA Jelly Beans $0.55 OFF 1 box of Honey Nut Cheerios cereal $0.55 OFF 1 box of Lucky Charms cereal $0.55 OFF

I have talked before about checking with your church for fun family activities. We are lucky to be a part of an AWESOME church - Bethel Lutheran in Madison and it has a GREAT family ministry program! Our Mardi Gras celebration started with beads and masks as you enter, great food, crafts for the kiddos and music! Starting with a few fun decorations... Add Children's Face Painting by our own and very talented Miss Emma... and a few tables of craft projects for the kiddos Then, you have the kids taken care of. Add some great music and a buffet - full of cajun goodies like red beans & rice, gumbo, etouffee and pancakes with praline sauce! Top it off with warm beneights and you have a meal for a king!! This was how we kicked off lent this year - and will have bible study dinners on Wednesday's for the adults, with carfts/movies for the kids. What did you do?

Here is the list -- I am looking at only a few things this week: Corned Beef and Yogurt We are almost out of yogurt! It's time for more of those Yoplait Delites...I will be buying $10-15 gift cards, a corned beef and 5 yogurts to ensure that I hit that threshold for doubling, then get my yogurts FREE as I have some $1/1 coupons to use and it's only $1.66 for the first three...$1.99 after that so I will get $10 off the $8.96 total, and use that overage on the corned beef! We shall see if there is anything else... I DID add a few things that Pocket Your Dollars didn't have like: Colorado Premium Corned Beef Points $1.88/# Limit of 1 package Granny Smith, Red or Golden Delicious Apples $.99/# And now you will start to see the lenten specials~! Wild Atlantic Cod $6.99/# is coming in at $6.00/# off! I DO think we will see a little bit better deals on majority of the seafood in a week or two...$.48 a jar off on Herring isn't a huge bargain. Happy Shopping! Meat Deals Roundy’s

$40,000 Saved in LESS than one year -- eight days less to be exact, LOL! As of 2/28 - I still needed $3,163 to meet my goal before March 18th. Since then I have done a few Tupperware Parties, a HUGE Inventory Clearance Sale, and then, today is my birthday! Thanks to a few friends and family members who put me over the top!!! =) I will share a breakdown in a few weeks, of how much money I saved from the changes in our grocery store/wags deals, from changing the eating out habit, and a few other biggies that accounted for over half of what I saved this past year. THANK YOU for following along!! I DO have a few new savings goals, and will share them with you soon -- Just remember, YOU CAN DO IT! You can drastically change your focus to match your priorities -- start with small steps and rock it out! Hugs! Dannelle

The weather got me today -- I wasn't really up to the trip but needed hE detergent for my new washer (another post for another time...) so I ventured out for one transaction or two. I SKIPPED the cereal/oranges deal as there were very few boxes of cereal included in the deal - nothing that we would ever eat! Here is my summary: Transaction #1 1 Purina Cat Food $4.39 2 gallons Deans Milk @$2.99 2 Dozen Eggs @$1.19 Nutella @$3.39 1 Oscar Meyer Carving Board Chicken $2.50 (normally 4.79) 1 bottle Gain hE detergent @$6.64 2 Roundy's Chicken Kiev @$1 (normally $1.99) 2 Roundy's Chicken Kiev @$1 (normally $1.99) Coupons used: $6.50 for milk (my last vouchers), two $1.75 for eggs (my last vouchers), two $1 Deans Milk gallon (doubled), $1 Purina (doubled), $1 Nutella(doubled), $1 OM meat (doubled), two $1/meat. $3 Gain Totals $36.63 for $4.78 (86.9%) $100.00 - 10.67 ----------- $89.33 -$4.78 today's copp's run -$1 Cookies from fundraiser table at pancake breakfast ---------

It's no secret that prices are jumping right now - the futures market predicted it due to the massive floods and cold snaps in the south this winter. They were right, things are creeping up. (Grrr....) Cotton was one of those things- and this effects the textile buisness. I haven't made a dress for Ms Sarah in ages as the fabric is too expensive! I can buy a NEW dress, off the rack, at a sale price for MUCH less than I could make one. (But I am queen of the garage sales instead, LOL) Dear Hubby's pants were too long in the back, a fact that I didn't catch until he was kneeling for communion at church and I saw the frayed hem that had been getting walked on. He told me he knew he needed NEW pants, and I informed him that it wasn't so - we just needed a quick mending job! Since the pants were too long, I knew they could to up an inch and hide that nasty edge. I turned the pants inside out and flipped the hem up - using the original "cuff" line as my guide. T

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