Saturday, September 11, 2010

CVS Shopping: Week of 9/5/10

Look at all the great stuff I purchased at CVS this week. 

I purchased $48.96 worth of product (after sales/before taxes) and paid $3.28...a savings of 93% overall!  (Note: I forgot the 3 snacks I bought - guess I had already put them away before the pic!)

As I write this post, I am embarassed to see I made 5 trips to CVS; but between the B1G1 free Sobe deal (I can only purchase 6 at a time) and the $3 off $10 grocery coupon that was printing this week there was just too many good deals to pass up!

Transaction #1:

6 Sobes - B1G1 and used 3 B1G1 free coupons = free +tax
2 Trident - 2x.99 - used $1 off 2 coupon = .98
2 Raisin Bran - 2x1.77 - used $1 coupon = 2.54

Total = $3.52

Used $3 off $10 groceries CVS coupon = .52

Threw in 1 CVS Peanut Butter filled pretzel - $1 (not pictured): did this so I could use my $1 ECB and not lose any value...total = $1.52

Used $1 ECB

Total: .52 + tax = .89

Received a .99 ECB from Trident

Transaction #2:

6 Sobes - B1G1 and used 3 B1G1 free coupons = free +tax
1 Airwick imotion - 4.99 - used $3 coupon = .99

Total = .99

Used .99 ECB - Total: 0 + tax = .70

Received $1 ECB for Green Bag tag

Transaction #3:

6 Sobes - B1G1 and used 3 B1G1 free coupons = free +tax
1 Snickers - $1 - used .75 coupon = .25
1 Raisin - $1.77 - used .60 coupon = $1.17
1 Corn Flake/1 Raisin Bran - 2x$1.77 - used $1 coupon = $2.54

Total = $3.96

Used $3 off $10 groceries CVS coupon = .96

Threw in 1 CVS pretzel - .79 (not pictured): did this so I could use my $1 ECB and use the full $1 value (yep, I'm cheap!)...total = $1.75

Used $1 ECB

Total: .75 + tax = $1.11

Transaction #4:

6 Sobes - B1G1 and used 3 B1G1 free coupons = free +tax
1 CVS Snack - $1 (not pictured)
2 Brownie Mixes - 2x$1 = $2

Total = $3.00

Used $3 off $10 groceries CVS coupon = 0 + tax

Total = .23

(This transaction is confusing, since I normally pay 35 cents tax just for the Sobe; I am guessing that the $3 off coupon does something to affect what is taxed, just haven't figured it out yet).

Transaction #5:

6 Sobes - B1G1 and used 3 B1G1 free coupons = free +tax

Total = .35
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Thanks to Simply CVS for the great deal ideas!

Friday, September 10, 2010

Pick and Save Shopping Trip

Every time I shop at Pick and Save now, I am always amazed at how much cheaper I get groceries since couponing with the Double Daze.  It has become my favorite grocery store - I get such great deals!

The really good deals were:

Free Milk (plus overage) -Milk was $1.98 w/ coupon and I had a 'get one free' milk coupon valued up to $3.25 - it rang up for the full amount so I had $1.27 overage

Free Eggs (plus overage) - same thing, with 20 cents overage

Uncle Ben's Rice - $2.19 - $2 ($1 doubled coupon) = 19 cents!
Digorno Pizza - $2.20 - $2 ($1 doubled coupon) = 20 cents!
Ritz Pretzel - $2.75 - $2 ($1 doubled coupon) = 75 cents!

Now, I always wonder how to treat overage...do I take the total overage ($1.47) and split it across all items, or do I just 'take it off' certain items?  (I know, I know, I overthink waaaay too much!) 

Well, I decided to take it off the 3 items above and consider them free - and I will take the remaining 34 cents off something else!!  Love getting free stuff and this makes me feel like I did REALLY well (5 free items)!!

The whole trip cost me $16.79 after using $15.51 in coupons; almost saved half the price of the groceries!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Yummy Mexican Chicken

Fresh Celery and Peppers

My buddy, Char, had me over this week to make some Pico de Gallo using fresh veggies from her garden.  It was SO good and fresh - we had to have some with tortilla chips, just to verify it was good enough for anyone to eat!

Some Tomatoes
Fresh Pico de Gallo!
.
While I was there, she started her chicken dinner using some of her Pico de Gallo and it looked like it would taste good.  So, never one to be imaginative *grin*, I made a very similar dinner the next night using MY Pico de Gallo!  It was awesome. 

I browned some chicken with Goya seasoning, threw the fresh veggies (with the juices) on it and let it simmer for a while.  Then I just broke the chicken apart and put in some rice to let it cook in the juices...so good and easy.  Add a little cheese on the top and refried beans on the side - and it made a quick, great tasting meal!


Tuesday, September 7, 2010

When life gives you brown bananas...

Lately, our bananas seem to turn brown very quickly.  I asked several other people and they have had the same issue.   Hmmm, is there a banana epidemic, I wonder?!?

Well, we have been just throwing them out; but I saw this recipe at $5 Dollar Dinners, so I had to try it.

Since my hubby is diabetic, I modified the recipe by using Splenda Sugar Blend in place of sugar.  The banana cake was delish!  It was still a little sweet for him, so next time I am going to try only Splenda and see how it turns out. 

So, when life gives you brown bananas, make Banana Cake!

Monday, September 6, 2010

'Sort of' Freebies: Week of 8/29/10

My definition of ‘Sort of’ Freebies: Items that have been purchased by paying nothing, or tax only. If I pay with Extra Care Bucks, Register Rewards, Rebate money or free gift cards and only have to pay tax with my ‘real’ money – then I consider it a ‘Sort of’ freebie.

Here’s my deals for the week of 8/29/10...

Overall, I received $28.82 (pre-tax) of product and only paid 97 cents out of pocket - that's a 97% savings!

CVS Deals:

Transaction#1: (95% savings!)

1 Snickers – 1.00  (used .75 coupon)
2 Wheat Thins – 1.00 ea (used 2 - 1.00 coupons)
1 Dawn - .97  (used .25 coupon)
1 Ear Bud – 6.99

Total: 10.96 - 3.00 = 7.96
Minus 7.96 ECB (was 7.99 & adjusted down)

Paid 50 cents tax out of pocket!
Received a 6.99 ECB from the Ear Buds

Transaction#2: (97% savings!)

1 M&M – 1.00 (used .75 coupon)
2 Wheat Thins – 1.00 ea (used 2-1.00 coupons)
1 Dawn - .97 (used .25 coupon)

Total: 3.97 - 3.00 = .97
Minus $.97 ECB (was $1 & adjusted down)

Paid 11 cents tax out of pocket!
Received a 1.00 ECB for using my Green Tag

Transaction#3: (95% savings!)

1 Peanuts – 1.00 (used 1.00 coupon)
1 Dawn – .97 (used 1.00 coupon/adjusted to .97)
1 Always – 2.96 (used FREE Always coupon)

Total: 4.93 - 4.93 = 0!

Paid 22 cents tax out of pocket!

Walmart (96% savings!)

I bought the Gain along with my other groceries.

It was 97 cents and I had a $1 coupon (and I got the full $1 on the coupon)

Paid 4 cents tax for this (was 7 cents, but I got a 3 cent “credit” because of the coupon overage!)

Kmart (100% savings!)

Pedometer – $7.99

Used a FREE Pedometer coupon and paid NOTHING (not even tax!!)

Thanks to Simply CVS and A Full Cup for their deal ideas!

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Gotta love spray paint!

Yep, I admit it; I'm a big spray paint fan!

When I want to (re)decorate a room, I love to see if there is something I can spray paint rather than having to go out and by a new item.

Last year I began a project to redo our bedroom.  I don't know what I was thinking when I first moved into this house about 8 years ago.  We have a solid oak bed and dresser and I was convinced some day my hubby would let me paint it all white - so, I decorated around an entire white theme; lamps, end tables, accessories.  Years later, friends told me I would be crazy to paint solid wood (this was after my hubby nixed the idea). 

Well, I was willing to ignore him, but I trusted my friend's input.  So, once again, I began redecorating our room.  I hated to go out and buy new decorative items, so I scanned the room to see what I could repaint.

Following are some pictures of the "new" items. 

This shelf was all white - love how it looks now!
















My biggest joy was the wicker chair.  I was afraid that it would not look right, but took the plunge since I did not want to buy a new chair and we did not need white wicker.  It turned out awesome!  It took just over 1 can of paint, but looks just like a brown wicker chair from the store.















Even close up it looks good!
I love my room / bathroom so much better now - and am ready to finish my last 2 items to make it complete.
Bathroom shelf - use to be cream!

Thursday, September 2, 2010

As good as mom's

Ahhh, the aroma of the dinner wafts through the air!  Tasting so much better because you have smelled it for over an hour (you know how that is)!


This week I made one of my hubby's favorite meals - boiled dinner; very similar to corned beef and cabbage, but made with ham. 

We've been married 21 years and I just started making this meal about 10 years ago.  Every time we would go up 'north' to see my in-laws, my mother-in-law would come greet us and say "Guess what I am making?"  With a inward groan, but a happy voice, I would say "Boiled Dinner?!?" 

You see, I am not a ham eater, nor did I care for carrots too much, so this meal was absolutely not on MY list of favorites.  But, after several years, it grew on me.  And after several more years, I tried making it; wow, so easy!  For the most part, this is a pretty frugal  meal too, which is always a plus!

So, we enjoyed our boiled dinner this week, which turned out to be as good as mom's!