8 cases select harvest soup for .25/can!!
(huge thanks to my friend miranda for blessing us w/ those!!),
24 boxes pizza rolls,
6 FREE pouches tuna,
3 boxes rice krispies ($1 each, thanks shelley!),
5 Voila meals for trucker (these alone were 1/4 of my expense)
2 pks turkey bacon for BLT's YUM!!!
spent $ 61.43
saved $211.96
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Sunday, September 13, 2009
TOMATOES and ONIONS and PIZZA ROLLS, oh my!
The title gets caps with a nod to VOLUME. I've made 3 trays (and incinerated a 4th) of slow-roasted tomatoes; both windowsills and the counter are full of pretty red jewels, and probably more ready to be brought in! On the website with the recipe, i love the link to charred tomato pesto, because i do have some dark ones! i also made some easy oven-roasted tomato sauce.
And DH is on the way back from Colorado with a FIFTY-POUND BAG of yellow onions. He says he'll be dispensing the to truck-stop-ladies all across the midwest, and eating many himself, but still. After i just bought 4 bags of diced at kroger! Having grown up in an onion-free family, i've always bumbled onion-dicing. So, here's the easiest way ever to mince, dice, and chop onions. I'm excited to try it! Also looking for inventive ways to prep them for freezing; one woman suggested sauteeing them w/ mushrooms in butter first. The kids won't eat mushrooms, but i could freeze some sauteed and see how they work.
The timing of this bounty is perfect, coming right after a significant pay cut AND two weeks with VERY low mileage -- truckers are paid by the mile.
I also stumbled across a very cool pizza roll situation! Our paper has pizza roll coupons again, and at a savings of only .40/2 boxes (which will double to .40/box), there's no WAY i'm paying $1/paper for as many boxes of pizza rolls as we'll want. so i was online, looking to obtain some from a coupon clipper, when i had the most exciting coupon moment i've experienced in quite a while: other areas got .35/box coupons!!!!!! and they were AVAILABLE!!!!!! Those will double to .70/box, letting me pay just .30/box (okay, .40/box after i've paid for the q's) with every 11th box free!!! You know i got 40 coupons, right??!! And i still wanna laugh maniacally just thinking about it!! :D Even better, they don't expire til mid-november!! (i really shoulda gotten more...)
And DH is on the way back from Colorado with a FIFTY-POUND BAG of yellow onions. He says he'll be dispensing the to truck-stop-ladies all across the midwest, and eating many himself, but still. After i just bought 4 bags of diced at kroger! Having grown up in an onion-free family, i've always bumbled onion-dicing. So, here's the easiest way ever to mince, dice, and chop onions. I'm excited to try it! Also looking for inventive ways to prep them for freezing; one woman suggested sauteeing them w/ mushrooms in butter first. The kids won't eat mushrooms, but i could freeze some sauteed and see how they work.
The timing of this bounty is perfect, coming right after a significant pay cut AND two weeks with VERY low mileage -- truckers are paid by the mile.
I also stumbled across a very cool pizza roll situation! Our paper has pizza roll coupons again, and at a savings of only .40/2 boxes (which will double to .40/box), there's no WAY i'm paying $1/paper for as many boxes of pizza rolls as we'll want. so i was online, looking to obtain some from a coupon clipper, when i had the most exciting coupon moment i've experienced in quite a while: other areas got .35/box coupons!!!!!! and they were AVAILABLE!!!!!! Those will double to .70/box, letting me pay just .30/box (okay, .40/box after i've paid for the q's) with every 11th box free!!! You know i got 40 coupons, right??!! And i still wanna laugh maniacally just thinking about it!! :D Even better, they don't expire til mid-november!! (i really shoulda gotten more...)
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
no-money week
Spent $35 at the grocery, including organic milk for yogurt-making, and 3 clearance rice milks. Wanna go back for the rest!! they were $1.36!! and ought to freeze.
I do need to re-hit kroger today for the nature valleys and cheezits:
Looks like this week'll be good couponing at meijer, and my purex is on sale at marsh starting tomorrow!! Here's a tentative meijer list; i'll prob skip the frozen stuff though.
I do need to re-hit kroger today for the nature valleys and cheezits:
Nature Valley Bars, $1.99
$0.70/2 from 8-9 GM Insert
$0.40/1 printable
Final Price: as low as $1.19
Cheez-it Crackers, $2
$0.75/1 printable
Final Price: $1.25
DiGiorno Pizza, $4.99
$1/1 from 6-13 or 8-2 Smart Source Insert
Final Price: $3.99
Looks like this week'll be good couponing at meijer, and my purex is on sale at marsh starting tomorrow!! Here's a tentative meijer list; i'll prob skip the frozen stuff though.
Skippy! Take raincheck
Yoplait Yogurt Cups 4-6 oz., 47¢
$0.50/6 printable
$0.40/6 from 8-9 GM Insert
Final Price: as low as 30¢
Kraft Regular or 2% Chunk Cheese 6-8 oz., or Cracker Cuts 5-6 oz., $1.67
$1/2 from 8/9 RP insert
Final Price: $1.17
Ziploc Bags or Containers, $2
$0.55/1 containers from 7/26 SS final: $0.50 wyb 2
$1.50/2 containers from 8/9 SS or 7/26 SS final: $0.75 wyb 2
$0.40/1 bags from 7/26 SS final: $0.70 wyb 2
$1/2 bags from 8/9SS or 7/26 SS final: $1 wyb 2
$1/2 Meijer Mealbox printable
Bisquick Baking Mix 40 oz., $1.99
$0.60/1 printable
$0.60/1 printable
Final Price: .99
Aunt Millie’s Healthy Goodness Natural Multigrain or Potato Bread, $1.29
$0.35/1 from 8/16 RP
Final Price: $0.59
Thomas English Muffins 6 ct., B1G1 Free
(2) $0.50/1 from 4/19, 5/3, 6/7 RP
Final Price: Varies
Zatarain’s Rice Mix, $1.25
$0.75/2 from 6/7 RP
$1.25/3 from 6/7 RP
Final Price: as low as $0.88/each
General Mills Cereals: Apple Cinnamon Cheerios, Golden Grahams, Sprinkle Cookie Crisp, Cocoa Puffs, Cocoa Puffs Combos, Cheerios, Total, Multi Grain Cheerios, $1.99
$1/2 Basic 4, Chex any, Fiber One any, Honey Nut Clusters, Oatmeal Crisp any, Raisin Nut Bran any or Total any or Wheaties Cereal from 8/23 SS
Final Price: $1.49 – 0.99
Nature Valley Granola Bars, $2.33
$0.40/1 ONE BOX any flavor/variety Nature Valley Granola Bars
$0.70/2 from 8/9 GM Insert
Final Price: as low as $1.53
Fiber One Chewy Bars, $2.33
$0.40/1 printable
$0.40/1 from 7/19 SS
Final Price: $1.53
Chex Mix Bars, $2.33
$0.60/1 printable
$0.50/1 from 8/9 GM Insert
Final Price: as low as $1.33
Meijer Tilapia Fillets 16 oz., $2.99
DiGiorno Ultimate Pizza, $4.99
$1/1 Ultimate Pizza from 8/16 SS
Final Price: $3.99
Totino’s Pizza Rolls, $2.50
$0.35/1 from 8/9 GM insert
$0.40/2 from 7/12 SS
$1/3 Meijer Mealbox printable
Final Price: as low as $1.37/each
California Strawberries 1 lb, $2
Seedless Watermelon, $2.99
Thursday, August 20, 2009
possible kroger trip
i can't remember the last time i went into a kroger!
this week (after payday) i might hit them up for the general mills mega (ugh) deal.
cereal &
nature valley bars
but i need to check the values on my q's
because if they need to double, they won't all.
this week (after payday) i might hit them up for the general mills mega (ugh) deal.
cereal &
nature valley bars
but i need to check the values on my q's
because if they need to double, they won't all.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
trying to return to couponing
finally some decent coupons are out, so i'm trying to make myself get back into it. had a rough time at the store, it was a black-hole time-warp that didn't have anything i went for (namely skippy with a raincheck and tyson).
just bought some q's too: nestle water (DH takes a case or two every time he's home), purex, azteca, goodlife recipe, digiorno flatbreads, mt. olive pickles. about $12.
spent $45, saved $48.
got 3 frozen pizzas and 3 flatbread sandwiches for monday;
a loaf of vienna bread for paninis;
4 healthy ones lunchmeats for .25 each after q (i hope they're not the gross ones);
10 kraft singles for about 1.25 each after q;
a free case of La Croix water (would've gotten two but they didn't have grapefruit);
nectarines, but potatoes were too high today, especially for ones that were all sprouting!;
eggs, milk, aunt millie's for .58;
an organic yogurt because i'm gonna make my own because the kind i can afford has too many wierd ingredients to be very healthy;
a creamer for DH that was still too much after q but the BOGO powdered ones were gone;
store-brand tortillas 1.59;
3 boxes kleenex for 2.75.
if that's not all, it's all i remember.
seems like i spent too much, and i think i'll hit aldi's for the potatoes. they were .99 for a 5# bag of red ones last week! only $20 left in my grocery money.
just bought some q's too: nestle water (DH takes a case or two every time he's home), purex, azteca, goodlife recipe, digiorno flatbreads, mt. olive pickles. about $12.
spent $45, saved $48.
got 3 frozen pizzas and 3 flatbread sandwiches for monday;
a loaf of vienna bread for paninis;
4 healthy ones lunchmeats for .25 each after q (i hope they're not the gross ones);
10 kraft singles for about 1.25 each after q;
a free case of La Croix water (would've gotten two but they didn't have grapefruit);
nectarines, but potatoes were too high today, especially for ones that were all sprouting!;
eggs, milk, aunt millie's for .58;
an organic yogurt because i'm gonna make my own because the kind i can afford has too many wierd ingredients to be very healthy;
a creamer for DH that was still too much after q but the BOGO powdered ones were gone;
store-brand tortillas 1.59;
3 boxes kleenex for 2.75.
if that's not all, it's all i remember.
seems like i spent too much, and i think i'll hit aldi's for the potatoes. they were .99 for a 5# bag of red ones last week! only $20 left in my grocery money.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Ordered q's
10 skippy .55/1 ......... if these show up, they'll be .34 at meijer, and every 2 will get me a $1 off next order!
20 Tyson fresh chicken $1 (will double at kmart!)
and 20 kleenex .50
20 Tyson fresh chicken $1 (will double at kmart!)
and 20 kleenex .50
Monday, August 3, 2009
Aldi Again!
$18:
seedless watermelon
big bottle lemon juice
qt plain yogurt
bunch bananas
5# red potatoes (.99!!)
3pk romaine hearts
2pk sweet peppers (red & yellow)
6pk drumsticks
12pk ice cream sandwiches
plastic cups
I think that's pretty good, especially for a 10-minute in-and-out, list-in-the-head, not-having-to-mess-with-coupons trip! And the lady with the overflowing cart offered to let me in front of her -- how cool was that??!! She said, "There are still some nice people in the world."
seedless watermelon
big bottle lemon juice
qt plain yogurt
bunch bananas
5# red potatoes (.99!!)
3pk romaine hearts
2pk sweet peppers (red & yellow)
6pk drumsticks
12pk ice cream sandwiches
plastic cups
I think that's pretty good, especially for a 10-minute in-and-out, list-in-the-head, not-having-to-mess-with-coupons trip! And the lady with the overflowing cart offered to let me in front of her -- how cool was that??!! She said, "There are still some nice people in the world."
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Garden update -- oh and free creamer, and $10 marsh coupon
Well i used the $10 marsh coupon the night it came out! And there was a wierd special: buy a watermelon, get a free 2-liter of lemonade?? So for $7 i got
i thought my garden was boring, til i hit the farmer’s market today. all of a sudden i felt pretty successful: The only stuff they had that i didn’t, was stuff i didn’t like! LOL
We’ve got a produce drawer full of cucumbers that will be refrigerator pickles soon! I’ve made pesto and basil hummus, been drinking spearmint water all summer, snipped all the dill for the pickles, put in cilantro and more parsley — can you ever plant enough parsley?? — and leeks. The asparagus is finishing its second year, so next year we’ll be able to harvest all we want (and i found a website that teaches how to extend the harvest time!). Three different kinds of peppers are coming on — my banana peppers were bigger than at the market! LOL Late-planted green beans (4 bush varieties) are starting to come up! Divided winter savory to share with a friend (if you haven’t tried it, you should — it’s excellent!) and am looking for a lovage plant. My seeds didn’t germinate, and i REALLY want to grow this! Cabbage that i planted in !!April!! is FINALLY starting to head up, and the one surviving broccoli (planted same time) is just putting out mondo leaves, aparently stimulated by the Organic Miracle Gro. It may do nothing. wierdest thing i’ve seen. I’m going to plant some more today for a fall harvest, along w/ radishes, lettuces, chard, bok choy.
put a beautiful yellow coreopsis in the corner of the cucumber bed. will be pretty there! My monarda is dying and i don't know why. thought it liked tomatoes!
but really, i’m just killing time til the tomatoes get ripe!!! i planted them really late so they’re not even close, just a few small greenies & lots of blossoms. TONS of foliage, hoping the MG didn't sabotage my harvest!! but plenty of blossoms so just sitting tite. HURRY UP!! If i wait that late to plant next year, please just shoot me!!
- 2 seedless watermelons
- 2 2-liters of lemonade
- 3 bags of Aunt Millie's burger buns
- 2 12-pks of La Croix fizzy water, nectar of the Dawn :D
Then the Meijer ad came out. I'm really apathetic about couponing right now, but since i was at the farmer's market next door anyway, i went for the free creamer. $10/10 + 11th free; i had 7 50-cent coupons which doubled. Here's what i got, for $6.81:
- 7 flavored creamers
- 2 bagged salad mixes
- 1 bunch celery
- 8 oz mushrooms
- gallon milk
- 2 dozen eggs
- pretty good, huh?
i thought my garden was boring, til i hit the farmer’s market today. all of a sudden i felt pretty successful: The only stuff they had that i didn’t, was stuff i didn’t like! LOL
We’ve got a produce drawer full of cucumbers that will be refrigerator pickles soon! I’ve made pesto and basil hummus, been drinking spearmint water all summer, snipped all the dill for the pickles, put in cilantro and more parsley — can you ever plant enough parsley?? — and leeks. The asparagus is finishing its second year, so next year we’ll be able to harvest all we want (and i found a website that teaches how to extend the harvest time!). Three different kinds of peppers are coming on — my banana peppers were bigger than at the market! LOL Late-planted green beans (4 bush varieties) are starting to come up! Divided winter savory to share with a friend (if you haven’t tried it, you should — it’s excellent!) and am looking for a lovage plant. My seeds didn’t germinate, and i REALLY want to grow this! Cabbage that i planted in !!April!! is FINALLY starting to head up, and the one surviving broccoli (planted same time) is just putting out mondo leaves, aparently stimulated by the Organic Miracle Gro. It may do nothing. wierdest thing i’ve seen. I’m going to plant some more today for a fall harvest, along w/ radishes, lettuces, chard, bok choy.
put a beautiful yellow coreopsis in the corner of the cucumber bed. will be pretty there! My monarda is dying and i don't know why. thought it liked tomatoes!
but really, i’m just killing time til the tomatoes get ripe!!! i planted them really late so they’re not even close, just a few small greenies & lots of blossoms. TONS of foliage, hoping the MG didn't sabotage my harvest!! but plenty of blossoms so just sitting tite. HURRY UP!! If i wait that late to plant next year, please just shoot me!!
Friday, July 31, 2009
They come in threes...
...financial disappointments!
First there's the Marsh coupon that got cancelled,
second the Cash for Clunkers that's getting suspended before i've even decided whether to take the chance on it -- since my gas-guzzling, high-mileage car is so amazingly reliable and low-maint.
and third, a special promotion i thought i was set up to get, had "fine print" and i didn't get it after all.
actually that's great though: now there are three, so we don't need any more! :D
First there's the Marsh coupon that got cancelled,
second the Cash for Clunkers that's getting suspended before i've even decided whether to take the chance on it -- since my gas-guzzling, high-mileage car is so amazingly reliable and low-maint.
and third, a special promotion i thought i was set up to get, had "fine print" and i didn't get it after all.
actually that's great though: now there are three, so we don't need any more! :D
Friday, July 24, 2009
summer lack of sales & garden notes
...since one of the reasons i started this is so i can go back next year and see what was on sale when...
the sales have SUCKED for the last month or two!! there was some free pepperoni about a month ago, and some excellent tyson q's that doubled at kmart & matched a sale! but really it's just been produce, which has been about the same everywhere.
i learned that the peppers at aldi are cheaper than those at sam's (4.50 for 6, vs. 6.86 for 6!) and that their produce -- in season, at least -- is every bit as fresh and nice as at the name-brand stores. they've had seedless watermelon 2.99 for several weeks now! i get 2 at a time! LOL
i also learned that their cheese is 1.99 for 12 oz, which is 1.33 for 8 oz, which is the best sale price (3/$5) the other stores have, excepted only at kroger in april.
shelley's laughing at me for shopping at aldi, but we're so incredibly stocked up (i took a freezer inventory earlier in the week) that we've only needed milk & produce for weeks!
our garden is beginning to produce. we've been harvesting basil for pesto and hummus, and we picked our first cucumber today -- about 5 more should be ready by monday! the late beans i planted are just coming up. we'll see if i got them in too late! i used organic miracle-gro along all the veggies. then we had a lot of rain, and everything really took off!
i think i'm going to try making tomato paste. as much as possible. it'll be really useful as paste, puree or sauce; we can even make tomato soup from it. and it'll store in a smaller space.
in the spring, i want to trellis peas along the backs of where the tomatoes are now, then plant the tomatoes in front. the peas are finishing up by the time the tomatoes come up. also-- lettuce in containers? to prevent weeds in between? lovage along the fence (btwn potentilla & crab apple) and thyme across the very front.
the sales have SUCKED for the last month or two!! there was some free pepperoni about a month ago, and some excellent tyson q's that doubled at kmart & matched a sale! but really it's just been produce, which has been about the same everywhere.
i learned that the peppers at aldi are cheaper than those at sam's (4.50 for 6, vs. 6.86 for 6!) and that their produce -- in season, at least -- is every bit as fresh and nice as at the name-brand stores. they've had seedless watermelon 2.99 for several weeks now! i get 2 at a time! LOL
i also learned that their cheese is 1.99 for 12 oz, which is 1.33 for 8 oz, which is the best sale price (3/$5) the other stores have, excepted only at kroger in april.
shelley's laughing at me for shopping at aldi, but we're so incredibly stocked up (i took a freezer inventory earlier in the week) that we've only needed milk & produce for weeks!
our garden is beginning to produce. we've been harvesting basil for pesto and hummus, and we picked our first cucumber today -- about 5 more should be ready by monday! the late beans i planted are just coming up. we'll see if i got them in too late! i used organic miracle-gro along all the veggies. then we had a lot of rain, and everything really took off!
i think i'm going to try making tomato paste. as much as possible. it'll be really useful as paste, puree or sauce; we can even make tomato soup from it. and it'll store in a smaller space.
in the spring, i want to trellis peas along the backs of where the tomatoes are now, then plant the tomatoes in front. the peas are finishing up by the time the tomatoes come up. also-- lettuce in containers? to prevent weeds in between? lovage along the fence (btwn potentilla & crab apple) and thyme across the very front.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
!Viva El Vaquero!
I finally perused our mexican grocery store. For the most part, prices on shelf-stable items were higher, and there was little produce selection.
BUT!!!
4# black beans 3.19
that's .80# !!!
for comparison, meijer charges 1.49# bulk or 1.54# bag.
and
1.19 for 36 corn tortillas -- the same brand is 2.09 at kroger!
I didn't think to check rice prices, since i have so much from the BOGO Q.
The beans are soaking; i'll cook them in the crockpot tomorrow and put them in the freezer. Going to try making my own refried beans, too.
BUT!!!
4# black beans 3.19
that's .80# !!!
for comparison, meijer charges 1.49# bulk or 1.54# bag.
and
1.19 for 36 corn tortillas -- the same brand is 2.09 at kroger!
I didn't think to check rice prices, since i have so much from the BOGO Q.
The beans are soaking; i'll cook them in the crockpot tomorrow and put them in the freezer. Going to try making my own refried beans, too.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Free Toilet Paper Again!
8 quakes @ FREE
10 angel soft @ FREE
6 Ice Mountain 3-liters @ $1
paid $6.25
saved $33 something
84%
10 angel soft @ FREE
6 Ice Mountain 3-liters @ $1
paid $6.25
saved $33 something
84%
Thursday, April 23, 2009
end-of-sale rush 4/22
There are several staples that are just plain cheaper at sam's.
Barring amazing sales, of course -- which we haven't been having.
Pineapple: 2.88
6pk Romaine: 4:14 (but maybe 3.99 at meijer? i didn't look)
Rotisserie Chicken: 4.97
2 liters olive oil: 14.87 (of course meijer has classico BOGO this week *sigh*)
36 double rolls TP: 14.88
30-pk water: 3.76 (that's 12.5 cents each. $3.50 is a good 24-pk sale price @ 14.5 cents each. savings of .02 times 30 bottles is .60 saved)
5# ground turkey: 9.82 (3.99# at store, so i saved 10.13)
6 ripe sweet peppers: 6.86
total spent: 70.42
saved 10.73 that i know of
MEIJER
trip 1
spent 27.14
saved 41.18
trip 2
spent 4.40
saved 36.16
29 vitamin waters @ .12 (averaging in the cost of q's, because some were purchased online)
6 ragu @ .67
6 riceland 2# @ 1.16
8 blackberries @ $1 yum!
cukes @ .77
white hot dog buns @ $1
and a couple other things not on sale
of course i also had to spend $44 on printer ink & safety stuff for my son's bike while i was there..
SPENT $101.96
SAVED $ 88.07
My weekly spending average is creeping up there -- i must be vigilant!! actually the sales this new week are atrocious, so i'll save a lot by virtue of that alone. kroger has free quakes and toilet paper if my q's ever arrive (jeez, glad i didn't wait!!); meijer has chex mix and i may have a few q's left; really we're set though, unless maybe produce & milk towards mid-week.
Barring amazing sales, of course -- which we haven't been having.
Pineapple: 2.88
6pk Romaine: 4:14 (but maybe 3.99 at meijer? i didn't look)
Rotisserie Chicken: 4.97
2 liters olive oil: 14.87 (of course meijer has classico BOGO this week *sigh*)
36 double rolls TP: 14.88
30-pk water: 3.76 (that's 12.5 cents each. $3.50 is a good 24-pk sale price @ 14.5 cents each. savings of .02 times 30 bottles is .60 saved)
5# ground turkey: 9.82 (3.99# at store, so i saved 10.13)
6 ripe sweet peppers: 6.86
total spent: 70.42
saved 10.73 that i know of
MEIJER
trip 1
spent 27.14
saved 41.18
trip 2
spent 4.40
saved 36.16
29 vitamin waters @ .12 (averaging in the cost of q's, because some were purchased online)
6 ragu @ .67
6 riceland 2# @ 1.16
8 blackberries @ $1 yum!
cukes @ .77
white hot dog buns @ $1
and a couple other things not on sale
of course i also had to spend $44 on printer ink & safety stuff for my son's bike while i was there..
SPENT $101.96
SAVED $ 88.07
My weekly spending average is creeping up there -- i must be vigilant!! actually the sales this new week are atrocious, so i'll save a lot by virtue of that alone. kroger has free quakes and toilet paper if my q's ever arrive (jeez, glad i didn't wait!!); meijer has chex mix and i may have a few q's left; really we're set though, unless maybe produce & milk towards mid-week.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
More Meijer
3 Transactions:
6 Breyer's ice creams
12 boxes Triscuits
6 ziploc bags
3 mccormick's grinders
1 bag apples
(not on sale -- do i have to count them? LOL)
spent 20.24, saved 40.28
spent 2.30, saved 8.74
spent 1.21, saved 8.89
SPENT: 23.75 (it would've been just under $20 without the apples!)
SAVED: 57.91
i have tons more mccormick's coupons,
but they're not going thru
and giving me headaches
and i'm done with them!
6 Breyer's ice creams
12 boxes Triscuits
6 ziploc bags
3 mccormick's grinders
1 bag apples
(not on sale -- do i have to count them? LOL)
spent 20.24, saved 40.28
spent 2.30, saved 8.74
spent 1.21, saved 8.89
SPENT: 23.75 (it would've been just under $20 without the apples!)
SAVED: 57.91
i have tons more mccormick's coupons,
but they're not going thru
and giving me headaches
and i'm done with them!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Meijer & Kroger
Meijer Organic Rice Milk is on sale 3/$5 !!! Mental note: get more when i return tomorrow!
MEIJER
6 french's mustard FREE plus cats!
1 bob's flax meal (not on sale)
1 drain cleaner (not on sale)
1 apricot preserves (on sale but still $3.50 -- i was flustered by the man who yelled at me because his 7yo son walked backards into my stopped cart -- WTF??!!)
8 nestle chocolate chips @ .88
1 mccormick's peppercorn grinder FREE plus overage!!
3 organic rice milk $5 killer deal, dh takes this in the truck to drink w/ a power shake mix.
spent 25.41 & got $3 to use on next order
saved 29.49
KROGER
spent 61.52 on CHEESE!! LOL (and 2 burt's bees lip balms on clearance for .99 each)
saved 136.60
plus the man in front of me used my card, so i got his fuel points :D
and taught him about it, so maybe he'll be able to start saving that $$ too.
i went over on my budget, and am not done yet, but for $85 i've maybe got enough cheese to get me thru the summer!
returning to meijer tomorrow for
6 breyer's
6 mccormick's -- print 4 mealboxes
1 more mustard
12 box triscuit
16 box artisan wheat thins
3 ziploc expandables
20?? ziploc bags -- surely i won't be getting this many; need to decide how many mealboxes to print.
total so far
spent 86.93 (and $15 in gas)
saved 166.09
MEIJER
6 french's mustard FREE plus cats!
1 bob's flax meal (not on sale)
1 drain cleaner (not on sale)
1 apricot preserves (on sale but still $3.50 -- i was flustered by the man who yelled at me because his 7yo son walked backards into my stopped cart -- WTF??!!)
8 nestle chocolate chips @ .88
1 mccormick's peppercorn grinder FREE plus overage!!
3 organic rice milk $5 killer deal, dh takes this in the truck to drink w/ a power shake mix.
spent 25.41 & got $3 to use on next order
saved 29.49
KROGER
spent 61.52 on CHEESE!! LOL (and 2 burt's bees lip balms on clearance for .99 each)
saved 136.60
plus the man in front of me used my card, so i got his fuel points :D
and taught him about it, so maybe he'll be able to start saving that $$ too.
i went over on my budget, and am not done yet, but for $85 i've maybe got enough cheese to get me thru the summer!
returning to meijer tomorrow for
6 breyer's
6 mccormick's -- print 4 mealboxes
1 more mustard
12 box triscuit
16 box artisan wheat thins
3 ziploc expandables
20?? ziploc bags -- surely i won't be getting this many; need to decide how many mealboxes to print.
total so far
spent 86.93 (and $15 in gas)
saved 166.09
Sunday, April 12, 2009
happy finances!
**nice big stretch** aaaahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
I just finished a little spring-cleaning in my online bill-pay realm, and am feeling pretty pleased!
When we refi'd a couple years ago, we set back some of the money for home improvements. Most has been spent, but a little over a thousand has been sitting in a non-interest-bearing account for over a year, waiting to be used, nagging at the back of my brain.
Well, DH now has a job where he's only home 4 days a month. How probable is it that i'm going to up and start a $1000 home improvement project on my own? Yeah. So after reading an article today at No Debt Plan, I decided to roll that money into our (until now) tiny, insignificant, growing-at-stalactite-speed, money market emergency fund. The one i'd so optimistically set up last year. Then I closed out the "home improvement" account, thus tidying up the realm a bit.
YAY!!!!!!!!!!!! Now there's enough to meet *almost* 2 mortgage payments. Or all the bills for one month. Not much, but a start! :D
But wait -- there's more! This month, the account i pay bills from seems to have more money than usual. I think there was an extra pay week in March -- we get paid on mondays. Oh! and i'm just remembering, we paid my car off in february, so there's an extra $50/month as well!
First, I paid the last $40 on my son's choir account -- that was a no-brainer, and now it's done for the year.
There are also 4 credit cards with balances. We owe 4 digits on one, but the other 3 are each well under $500. I've been paying $20-50/month on each one, depending on how tight things were. A bill arrived for one just the other day, which is what got me wondering in the first place whether i should put that home improvement money into the emergency fund or pay off the debt with it. Well, I paid off that $200, 20% interest card this morning!
And I'm trying to type that next month i'll pay off the HSBC card, but i really think it carries a $75 annual fee that gets charged in May. I'd like to just close that sucker out right now! I know it sounds insane to even consider keeping it, but it was for purposes of rebuilding credit and at the time was worth $75/year. Well it's my husband's... i'll check with him.
Now i'm wondering, since the point of having these sucky cards was to rebuild credit, if i shouldn't leave a little bit on them? like, $30? or use them for groceries and then pay off? anyone know????
I also learned that i can create nicknames for my payees, so i called these guys PAID and noted the interest rates that i had on hand. I'll update the rest as the bills come in next month.
Now I'll have the $50 from my car payment and the $50 from the credit card that i can put onto the HSBC card next month, which will pay it off! Then in June, i'll have the same $100 plus the $30 from HSBC that i can put onto the Chase card... that should finish it by July! Then i'll have $130 from the first 3 cards, plus another $30 from the chase card which will be $160 that i can throw at the big-balance card til it's done.
YAY!!!!!
oh hey -- in addition, i've been paying an extra $120 or so on the mortgage principal. I could even drop to normal mortgage payments for a bit, just to get the last card paid off.. at $400/month payments it'd be done before the end of the year! sooner really, because that doesn't take into account the smaller may-june-july payments. Also, there are extra pay weeks coming again in june, august, and november!! that's an extra $500 for bills in each of those months! Well, the one in november can cover the time DH is going to want to take off work for our Family Christmas Boycott at Great Wolf Lodge!! :)
Finances in our home are definitely looking up!!!! :D
I just finished a little spring-cleaning in my online bill-pay realm, and am feeling pretty pleased!
When we refi'd a couple years ago, we set back some of the money for home improvements. Most has been spent, but a little over a thousand has been sitting in a non-interest-bearing account for over a year, waiting to be used, nagging at the back of my brain.
Well, DH now has a job where he's only home 4 days a month. How probable is it that i'm going to up and start a $1000 home improvement project on my own? Yeah. So after reading an article today at No Debt Plan, I decided to roll that money into our (until now) tiny, insignificant, growing-at-stalactite-speed, money market emergency fund. The one i'd so optimistically set up last year. Then I closed out the "home improvement" account, thus tidying up the realm a bit.
YAY!!!!!!!!!!!! Now there's enough to meet *almost* 2 mortgage payments. Or all the bills for one month. Not much, but a start! :D
But wait -- there's more! This month, the account i pay bills from seems to have more money than usual. I think there was an extra pay week in March -- we get paid on mondays. Oh! and i'm just remembering, we paid my car off in february, so there's an extra $50/month as well!
First, I paid the last $40 on my son's choir account -- that was a no-brainer, and now it's done for the year.
There are also 4 credit cards with balances. We owe 4 digits on one, but the other 3 are each well under $500. I've been paying $20-50/month on each one, depending on how tight things were. A bill arrived for one just the other day, which is what got me wondering in the first place whether i should put that home improvement money into the emergency fund or pay off the debt with it. Well, I paid off that $200, 20% interest card this morning!
And I'm trying to type that next month i'll pay off the HSBC card, but i really think it carries a $75 annual fee that gets charged in May. I'd like to just close that sucker out right now! I know it sounds insane to even consider keeping it, but it was for purposes of rebuilding credit and at the time was worth $75/year. Well it's my husband's... i'll check with him.
Now i'm wondering, since the point of having these sucky cards was to rebuild credit, if i shouldn't leave a little bit on them? like, $30? or use them for groceries and then pay off? anyone know????
I also learned that i can create nicknames for my payees, so i called these guys PAID and noted the interest rates that i had on hand. I'll update the rest as the bills come in next month.
Now I'll have the $50 from my car payment and the $50 from the credit card that i can put onto the HSBC card next month, which will pay it off! Then in June, i'll have the same $100 plus the $30 from HSBC that i can put onto the Chase card... that should finish it by July! Then i'll have $130 from the first 3 cards, plus another $30 from the chase card which will be $160 that i can throw at the big-balance card til it's done.
YAY!!!!!
oh hey -- in addition, i've been paying an extra $120 or so on the mortgage principal. I could even drop to normal mortgage payments for a bit, just to get the last card paid off.. at $400/month payments it'd be done before the end of the year! sooner really, because that doesn't take into account the smaller may-june-july payments. Also, there are extra pay weeks coming again in june, august, and november!! that's an extra $500 for bills in each of those months! Well, the one in november can cover the time DH is going to want to take off work for our Family Christmas Boycott at Great Wolf Lodge!! :)
Finances in our home are definitely looking up!!!! :D
Friday, April 10, 2009
Kroger today
2 trips
stocked up on 1.25 butter and .99 cheese
(can you believe it??!!)
and found a KILLER shrimp deal:
normally $7.99 seapak breaded shrimp (not the popcorn ones)
were marked down to 2.99!!! -- AND i had coupons!
so i bought 8 @ 2.49 :)
also found a burt's bees body kit marked down to 2.99 from 12.99!
...got 8 duncan hines cake mixes for .30 each;
the 8 q's all doubled without any problems!
spent $76
saved $123
my son's even proud of me ;)
stocked up on 1.25 butter and .99 cheese
(can you believe it??!!)
and found a KILLER shrimp deal:
normally $7.99 seapak breaded shrimp (not the popcorn ones)
were marked down to 2.99!!! -- AND i had coupons!
so i bought 8 @ 2.49 :)
also found a burt's bees body kit marked down to 2.99 from 12.99!
...got 8 duncan hines cake mixes for .30 each;
the 8 q's all doubled without any problems!
spent $76
saved $123
my son's even proud of me ;)
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Meijer tonight
6 transactions.....
got paid to take 8 mccormick's grinders and 10 french's mustards!!!
10 ziplock containers @ .50
8 pillsbury brownies @ .63
6 miracle whip @ 1.50, which is about the best it ever gets
10 triscuits @ 1.17
4 artisian wheat thins @ .83
20 lg cans of dole pineapple @.50
5 (2#) velveeta @2.49
also got lemons for a school project,
one fizzy-water for me!
and cucumbers 2.64
17 BAGS OF GROCERIES....
spent 60.43
saved 141.90
got paid to take 8 mccormick's grinders and 10 french's mustards!!!
10 ziplock containers @ .50
8 pillsbury brownies @ .63
6 miracle whip @ 1.50, which is about the best it ever gets
10 triscuits @ 1.17
4 artisian wheat thins @ .83
20 lg cans of dole pineapple @.50
5 (2#) velveeta @2.49
also got lemons for a school project,
one fizzy-water for me!
and cucumbers 2.64
17 BAGS OF GROCERIES....
spent 60.43
saved 141.90
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Week 14: walmart & the health food store LOL
8 kraft salad dressings
6 vitamin waters
total spent: $.64
saved: $18
(not counting the non-food items which were the actual purpose of the trip..)
and WEDS
i hit the health food store
for other purposes
but ended up getting food:
3 simmer sauces from thai kitchen
1.70 each! good price i thought.
$5.10
rounding up to $6 for the sea salt
6 vitamin waters
total spent: $.64
saved: $18
(not counting the non-food items which were the actual purpose of the trip..)
and WEDS
i hit the health food store
for other purposes
but ended up getting food:
3 simmer sauces from thai kitchen
1.70 each! good price i thought.
$5.10
rounding up to $6 for the sea salt
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
ugh stupid emergency kroger stop
i needed cranberry juice, so we stopped at kroger on the way home, without having eaten.
sigh.
$13.18 later, we had a completely junky dinner to take home with us. but i had my juice, and that was important -- and $4 of the expense!
8 pc fried chicken: $5
cheetos: $2.70
cranberry "nectar": 4.19
candy bar: .89
spent 13.18
"saved" 2.50
but i was reimbursed for the candy bar...
so i suppose "supper" cost 7.70. we could've almost done that at rally's............ the worst part is, i have a fridge FULL of stuff we could've pulled together quickly.
this grocery stop is almost worthy of failblog.
sigh.
$13.18 later, we had a completely junky dinner to take home with us. but i had my juice, and that was important -- and $4 of the expense!
8 pc fried chicken: $5
cheetos: $2.70
cranberry "nectar": 4.19
candy bar: .89
spent 13.18
"saved" 2.50
but i was reimbursed for the candy bar...
so i suppose "supper" cost 7.70. we could've almost done that at rally's............ the worst part is, i have a fridge FULL of stuff we could've pulled together quickly.
this grocery stop is almost worthy of failblog.
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