Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Martins coupons!!

Have you seen these great coupons printing out at the register!  It certainly has me coming in more often to make the most of my purchases. Today I scored free eggs with a $5.00 purchase. Be sure to stop in and see what savings print up for you!

Saturday, November 16, 2013

Coupons = Money

If you really pay attention to your receipts and where you buy specific items you spend less.  I treat my coupons as money.  This lineup of coupons on my desk is as good as cash to me. They are what you call catalina coupons. aka those pesky printed papers the cashier hands you with your reciept.  This week Martin's and cvs have some good ones!!  They are coupons for items we will need and use and best of all I can coupon stack. For example, the cvs coupon is a store coupon good on cookies, chips and crackers. I happen to also have nabisco and pringles coupons that I can use in addition to save even more off of my grand total! With two kids in the house we go through snacks like crazy so these are as good as cash in my wallet.  :-)

Monday, November 4, 2013

Great deals at Save A Lot!!

Today I decided to take a look at Save A Lot.  They can have some great pop up sales with more than 50% off the price you may find at Martins and Walmart.  Today I found Perdue turkey sausage for ONLY $1.00!!!!!!  I was so surprised by the price I actually watched as the cashier rang it up just to be sure! 
Not only that but they had apples for only $1.43 per bag! Yay
These prices are so good!! I really need to shop at Save A Lot more often:-)   You should too!

Tonights Dinner: Turkey sausage and spaghetti.....apple crisp

Friday, October 25, 2013

Super Cheap Cereal Deal!!

I you are in need of cereal, head to Walmart and right infront of the women's clothing you will find Spooners cereal for $.50 cents a bag!!! Super great price. I could'nt pass up!! I bought four bags!!

Also do not forget to browse their clearance room in the front of the store. I was able to score some super cute hair accessories for my daughter that I will be using as stocking stuffers!!
Good Luck:-)

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Finding Hidden Coupons!

Sometimes couponing can be a scavenger hunt. You never know where one will pop up! I bought this Smart Balance butter for only $1.00 at Martin's yesterday and when I opened it up I found a buck!  Yes I know it clearly show $.50 , but at Martins it doubles to a buck and right now Smart Balance is only $2.00!   Be sure to keep a look out for those hidden dollars ;-)

Tuesday, September 10, 2013

This Week's Grocery Shopping.

When trying to stick to my $50 per week grocery budget I have to say it was not easy.  I managed to spend less than my average weekly shopping trip but more than my goal. I spent $90.  I figure as long as I stick to my goal and spend less than my previous average, I'm making some sort of progress right? LOL.

I used about $15 in coupons and made sure to buy the cheapest version of the items I needed.  The meals I had planned include:

1.Homemade pizza. I have a left over frozen dough ball in freezer from a previous week and only had to buy Great Value Brand Sauce for $1.00 and Cheese for under $3.00

2. Spaghetti. (I had noodles stocked up from Target's Market Pantry Pasta Sale I bought weeks prior for 3/$2.  I only had to buy a jar of Ragu.

3. Chicken Patty & Tater Tots. I already had a few frozen Chicken Patties, I bought a bag of Tater Tots for $2.00 and a Pack of Schmidt's  Potato Rolls.

4. Creole Pork Chops. I already had the rice, but I had to buy Worcestershire sauce for under $2, 4 Thick Pork Chops for around $5 and a Can of Tomato Sauce for less than $1.00.

5. & 6 Beef Vegetable Soup. I needed about 5 different canned veggies, bag of carrots, Potatoes, Celery, Beef Broth, Beef Cubes - Let's Just say this took up a bigger part of my budget with all that goes into making it but the good news is that it makes so much that we can have it for dinner two nights in a row AND Freeze some for the next week to have for dinner as well!

7. Hot Dogs & Macaroni & Cheese, I bought Macaroni & Cheese for less than $1.00 and already had the Hot dogs in the freezer from a previous week. (SEE how the freezer can really SAVE you money!)

The rest of my bill was for lunches where I bought deli meat, salad, cucumbers, tomatoes, cheese, rolls, Fruit, bread and some juice, water and soda. 

I will say I didn't buy much of anything I wasn't certain I would use.  And I kept it minimal with the snacks for the kids. They don't need too many choices at once anyway!
Keeping my fingers crossed I can do as good or better shopping for groceries next week : )

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Grocery Shopping Challenge: $50 a Week!!

It seems like every time I go grocery shopping I spend at least $75 per trip. Even using coupons!!! Sometimes I feel like I haven't even really bought much of anything to have spent that kind of money!  I will say that now, that my kids are starting back to school it will be much easier to stick to a certain budget when I can shop ALONE!!  If you have little ones you know what I mean, when they pick a special snack or food item that they think they just cannot live without! LOL

So I have decided to take part in a Grocery Challenge.  Maybe this will only last a week or two but I'm ready to give it a try.  I have read on many money saving sites that there are a lot of households attempting this challenge and I am super motivated to find a smaller food budget that will work for my family of four.  I will post my shopping trips on here and let you know how I do, if I go over or under budget, how many coupons I've used or left out and where I have purchased my items. 

This is going to include a lot of planning on my part for sure, and discipline!!  Sometimes your favorite picks are not always on sale! Also I will have to make an effort to distinguish what it is that we absolutely need now. For example a gallon of milk versus say a box of cookies when we already have other snacks at home to choose from.

I will also have to plan meals more efficiently and choose recipes that do not include several ingredients.  Hopefully this will get easier as I go!  Will you be attempting to Challenge your grocery budget? 

Here are some ways I plan on making it easier to stick to a tight budget:
1. Shopping at Aldi and Save A Lot
2. Sticking to store brand when they are available
3. Using coupons
4. Paying extra attention to store ads and double coupons at Martins
5. Taking my $50 (in cash) with me so that I do not go over budget!

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Save $5.00 on your Next Oil Change at Jiffy Lube!!!





Every so often you must take your car in for an oil change.  This weekend my husband's car was due and before he walked out the door I handed him this coupon for $5.00 off your oil change.  Every little bit helps : )   This coupon comes directly from the jiffy lube site and our local Waynesboro Jiffy Lube has accepted them every time!!

So the next time your car is due for an oil change, be sure to print this coupon out and bring it with you to save!!

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Just Freeze It!!

Im always looking for a way to save and my family and I love baked goods, donuts, rolls etc. There is rarely a sale or coupon on these goodies but you can absolutely find them on the "mark down" rack.  These rolls I have in the pictures were found on the clearance rack in Walmart. You may think they are probably no good since they are usually being sold on their sell by date. You also may not see your family eating them right away.   This is not a problem if you pop them in the freezer and take them out as you need. A few seconds in the microwave or an hour on the counter and they are perfect!
My experience has always been a good one as long as of course you check for mold before you purchase and don't leave them in the freezer for over a month or so.
This same strategy can be of use for leftovers. For example I made a french dip in my crock pot yesterday and we were only able to finish half of it. Well no one really wanted to eat them for leftovers right away so I found a plastic container and put it in the freezer for next week!! This not only saves me money but the time to think of and cook up another meal next week. I hope you will try these ideas too and save you and your family time AND Money!!

Monday, July 22, 2013

Finding Coupons at Walmart While You Shop!!

 
 
About a week or so ago I made a quick run to Waynesboro Walmart.  When I say quick trip I mean no coupons in hand and no list except for a couple of items on my mind to grab.  Well I was pleasantly surprised when I found coupons in the isles!!  These "Peelies" were mostly in the pasta isle , all over the hamburger helpers and some of them were also on the Kraft Easy Mac making for a FREE Capri Sun 10pk. This is an awesome deal cause for $3.98 I bought 4 easy mac cups and 1, 10pk Capri Sun for my kids. Believe me, they will NOT go to waste!  And these were items I was already in search of anyway. It was like the coupon fairy granted my coupon wish! LOL 
In my pic above you can also see that I found a  Helper Deal.  This was a $.75 cents off of 1 double pack of chicken Helper. I do not usually buy any of the helpers but for the price and the deal, I thought it was worth trying the rice variety and it turned out good!
 
I went back to Walmart  this past Saturday and found some "Peelie" coupons on the Lunchables!  They were for $1 off when you buy 2,  I didn't get any but thought it was worth mentioning since they are also coupons found at Walmart!
 
Good luck on your next trip, and be sure to keep your eyes "Peeled" for "Peelies"!!!

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

End Of Season Clearance at Target!!!









As always, clearance comes in the waves of the seasons and this years summer clearance at our Chambersburg Target is just as expected!   First my Mom and I hit the toy section. It seems that every July Target puts a load of toys on clearance! I don't mean just an isle, I mean throughout each isle of the toys!  Not EVERY toy is on clearance but there are A LOT in each isle and I was able to scarf up some toys for upcoming birthdays and even Christmas!!  I know that sounds crazy, but if you don't have to pay full price for an item it's waay worth it!  (And also less stressful come Christmas time.)

The Outdoor section had up to 70% off as well. I was able to grab an outdoor umbrella for only $21.00, That was regularly $70.00!!  They also had outdoor seating, cushions and garden supplies on sale as well. I have had my eye on the kids outdoor chairs, waiting for their markdown, but they are still full price. I think I may go back periodically to check and see if they are ever marked down : )

Also, the grocery section periodically puts items on clearance, especially in the endcaps that face the drink/water wall shelves.  In this area I found cookie mix on sale for only .98 cents!  LOVE IT!
If you have never bought food on clearance you may wonder about the expiration and think that it must be bad, but my experience is that none of them are usually ever expired or even close the their expiration date. But of course always be safe and check it out before purchasing!!

Until Next time.....

Good Luck on YOUR next Clearance Extravaganza!!

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Save On Kids Cups!

 
 
 
I like to give my kids juice boxes, Capri Suns or a cup with a lid to help reduce spills.  To cut down the cost of all of these I like to Save our juice boxes for when we are gone for the day for shopping OR especially when running through the drive thru, Subway etc.  You can really cut down the cost when you bring your own kids drinks!  The Great Value Brand of juice pouches are only $1.97 for a 10 pk. That is 10 times less than the cost of a kid's drink at a fast food restaurant!
 
If you are going out to eat at a "sit down" restaurant I do not recommend bringing your own drink rather, bring the drink cup home!  The middle cup in the picture above shows one of the many cups we have at home now from when we do go out to eat a sit down dinner with the kids.  While you will be spending initially on the kids drink, you can take advantage of a nice cup that will clean up nicely multiple times in the top rack of your dishwasher. Trust me I have loads of them gathered up from the past couple of years and when they start to bend, break or wear out just throw them out.  You have more that received your money's worth out of these cups.  And they are much cheaper than buying 2 and 3pks of kids cups at the store. 
Also, the heart cup on the left in the picture above is a Walmart Seasonal cup. They usually sell for about 97cents at full price during whatever holiday is upon us. We have had Christmas and Halloween cups as well.  My kids do not mind using them all year round and I love to buy them at the end of the season they are being sold at.  For example the day after Valentine's day I bought this cup and a few more, for 50% off!!  Be sure to then head over to the dollar tree and get a pack of disposable straws for at least .97 cents less than those at Walmart and Target.
 
Last, there is a couple Disney/Marvel themed cups to the right in the picture above and those are cups that you can find in Walmart's Party Isle.  They are usually 97cents depending on how new they are to the isle and will also go on clearance. I love these cups for a quick snack cup for the kids. They like to eat dry cereal as a snack and their hands can fit in the top of the cup easily without their snack spilling out on the floor.
 
So the next time you are pouring a drink for your kiddo, keep some of these tips in mind!

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

A Few Deals to Grab this week at Martin's



If you are looking for a few deals to pick up when shopping at Martin's this week, be sure to print these coupons and save!



PERDUE® SHORT CUTS®     Fruttare®      OSCAR MAYER


Perdue Short Cuts 3/$10
Use: $1/1 Perdue Short Cuts
Pay: $2.33!

Fruttare Fruit Bars 2/$7
Use: $1/1 Fruttare Fruit Bars
Pay: $2.50

Scotties 10$10
Use: $1/2 Scotties
Pay: .50 cents each for two

Oscar Mayer Lunch Meat 3/$10
Use: $1/2 Oscar Mayer Lunch Meat
Pay: $2.83 each when you buy two!

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Ice Cream on the Cheap!!







We all scream for ice cream in the summertime, especially the kiddos!  Burger King is offering the same ice cream deal they did last summer, a 50cent cone!!  You would think that it would be small, but the first time I ordered one for my kids they really heaped on the ice cream!  For this I am thankful because you get more for your money, but it's not the best scene in the back seat with a 4 year old full of melted ice cream.  So this time I politely asked if they would make them a bit on the smaller side and they did. 






For only .50 cents I had two very happy little kids!  So the next time you need a refreshing treat and you only have a few quarters to spare, head over to BK and get some ice cream, and if it isn't raining let the kids play in the outdoor play zone.  Even more free fun : )

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Let's Run to Dunkin!

Have you found one of these cute little gems in your mailbox or newspaper ads?!  I didn't, but I was lucky that my mom did and had an extra to pass my way!! When you buy a medium iced coffee and present this coupon you get the travel cup FREE!! The best part is that when you bring it back you can get refills for only .99cents!! Thats a great deal for a coffee lover.
So check your coupon stash (or ask your mom,lol) and Run to Dunkin to save on some yummy coffee!

Monday, May 20, 2013

Martin's Deal: Heinz ketchup only $1.27

This week you can get a great price on ketchup!! The weekend paper had three coupon inserts. One was for grilling items such as .25/1 Heinz ketchup.  Pair that ( which doubles ) with the in ad store coupon for $1.77, and you can get this deal when you spend at least $25!  I will definetly be making a trip down the Martin's ketchup isle. My kids use a lot of ketchup!
Keep in mind this is a 38 oz bottle with a regular price of $2.29!

Friday, May 17, 2013

Hot Potato! Save A Lot bagged potatoes CHEAP!!

If you happen to be shopping at Save A Lot any time soon, throw a bag of potatoes in your cart as you leave the produce section!! For .99 cents I could not pass this up. I see potato salad in my future for sure ;-)

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Fruttare as low as $2.50 at Martins!

Fruttare®

Print this 1.00 off Fruttare coupon on my coupons.com tab to the right and head over to Martins and get yourself a frozen treat for only $2.50!  These are Yummy!

$3.00 Lunch!

Have you seen the Buger King coupon booklets?  These are awesome!! Sometimes they come in the mail tucked in a redplum flyer and sometimes tucked in the ads of your Sunday Paper.  Be sure to snag them and pop them in your purse or glove box of your car. That way when you are out and hungry you wont over spend on take out!

The coupon I used today was the $3.00 for ten nuggets and a large fry.  I brought a juice box from the house for my son and I had my Free Turkey Hill soda from earlier! 

This made for a super cheap lunch to take a break from our usual home lunch. 

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Do you shop at Five Below?  There is one next to Target in Chambersburg, one just down the road from the Hagerstown Walmart and another near the Kohls shopping center in Frederick.  So if you have not been there yet, you'll be able to find one! 

Every year I look for a pair of "crock" like shoes for my kids.  They are great for kids summer play outside, at the pool beach or anywhere.  I found a pair for my son at Walmart a few months back on clearance for only $5.00.  Next I had to find a pair for my daughter.  Between Target, Payless, Marshalls etc.  the average price range seemed to be between $12-$15.00.  This isn't a bad price, but I wanted to see if I could do as good as my son's clearance "crocks". 

A couple of Sunday's ago I was looking through the ads as I usually do and found the Five Below ad that showed that they sell Crocks for $5.00!  Yay!!  So off I went and picked up a good price on a great sandal.  They fit her perfect.  I was looking for pink but they were all out of her size so we went with the purple. : )     If you are looking for a deal on sandals, be sure to make a stop at Five Below!!
Have Fun Shopping!

Sunday, May 5, 2013

Saving money on containers and sandwich bags!!

The other day as I was about to throw away this cute plastic container, I realized that it could be reusable.  I first thought of my daughter's school lunches.  Sometimes to save on sandwich or snack bags I will find a small plastic ziploc container to put snacks or sandwiches in. This sized butter container would be a perfect snack container and help me save on buying too many baggies for lunches.  I first saved money on the butter itself with a coupon that enabled me to purchase it for only $1.00, and now it's still passing along the savings.  Take a second look at some of the containers you buy, they may save you time and money again later on!! 
Have fun Shopping!

Friday, May 3, 2013

Clearance Crazy!!

I love to shop clearance! The one thing I had to warm up to with clearance shopping is knowing that most all clearance items, especially for clothing, will be last season.  I do not mean as in style, however this could be true as well.  I mean as in spring, summer, fall etc.  Now that is is spring, a lot of the fall/winter wear is on clearance.  I use to not like buying for the future.  I thought it was boring to buy a shirt and save it in the closet for a few months until it could be worn.  But I was wrong!  Once I gave in, because the prices are just too darn good, I quickly fell in love with the idea of it. 

Here are some examples, also shown in pictures.
-Three shirts from Target originally $8.00ea. Now $2.40ea.
-Shoes from Walmart originally $12.00 Now $5.00
- Two pairs of jeans from Walmart originally $9.97ea. Now $5.00ea.















I spent a total of $22.20 + Tax for all of this with a total savings of  $33.74!!!  Had I bought them at full price I would have spent $55.94+ tax.  That is a HUGE savings that I am VERY proud of.
One thing you have to keep in mind when shopping for kids clothes like this, is what size you estimate your child will be the upcoming season.  Infants can be harder to judge, sometimes they can jump a size, so in that case you may want to buy more than one size and than yard sale the one you don't use. OR just buy a bit bigger for sure, cause in my experience it doesn't hurt for their clothes to be a bit bigger than necessary.

You may think, why go through the trouble of clearance browsing?  Why not just go to Goodwill, thrift stores OR consignment shops.  Well Ill tell you this, go and shop there and you will see that you may be able to find a shirt for $3.00 to wear today, but when you get use to finding a BRAND NEW shirt for LESS!  You will continue to scan the clearance racks every season! 

Also I did find flip flops on clearance for $1.97 at our local Target  just a few weeks ago, that my daughter is wearing now.  They must have been last summers leftovers but she gets to wear them now.  Score! 

Have fun shopping!

Friday, April 26, 2013

Save on lunch meat at Martin's!

OSCAR MAYERDo you shop at our local Martin's? If so grab the coupon for $1/2 Oscar Mayer Deli Meats, -------->   to the right of my page at coupons.com, and head over there and SAVE!  Right now they are 3/$10 so when you pair the coupon with the sale price you will pay $2.83ea. for a total of 18oz. of lunch meat.  When you compare this with the price of say oven roast turkey breast at the deli counter, that can run you anywhere from 6.99-9.99/lb. (16oz.) depending on the brand, its a GOOD DEAL.  So there you have a great savings comparison! Now go make a sandwich ; )


P.S. You can print up to two of these coupons, after you print the first one go back and select and print it again. If your family goes through food like mine you'll want to get this deal more than once.  And sometimes I even hold onto the second coupon, in case another store has a "pop up sale" later on that is even better than the first sale found.

Turkey Hill Freebie!!

Get one of these!
To get one of these!


Do you have your Turkey Hill Key Tags!    Their soft drinks are Buy 7 Get one FREE! Not only is that a great deal but these 32oz. sodas are only .99cents ea. and with tax that comes to a whole $1.05.  So it may end up close to the same deal as Mcdonalds any size fountain drink deal for $1.00 that usually runs this time of year, but, you will not get your 8th one FREE. Just a quick savings thought : )

Dollar General Dunkin Deal!!

Dunkin Donuts®


Do you run on Dunkin? I know I do! Lol  Right now you can grab a great deal on Dunkin Donuts coffee at Dollar General!!  It is priced at $7.25 and when you use the $1/1 Dollar General Dunkin Coupon that you can print from coupons.com ----------------------------->   coupon tab to the right of the page, you will only pay $6.25!  Great Price for Dunkin Coffee! : )

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Take a Peek at my Receipt!!

Two disposable razors
Razor with only 2 cartriges



 
 
 
 
Here is a little trick I like to use in making sure I get the most for my money, especially with the essentials!!  The Razor on the left is your regular reusable razor with one extra cartrige to refill.  The Razors on the right are the disposable razors that come in a two pack and work virtually the same. Really there is no difference to me except for the price!  A whole $2.50!!  This may not seem like a lot but it could be a gallon of milk, loaf of bread etc.  To make this deal even better there is a coupon out there for a BOGO (buy one get one FREE) of these disposable razors.  So be sure to check your coupon stash for razor coupons and find the ones that list the venus brand.  If you do not have a current coupon stash, head to www.couponsthingsbydede.com and order some!  Then start grabbing your weekend newspapers to keep up!
  When you pair the coupon with the correct item,  you can get four disposable razors for a total of $6.97!!  Woohoo!  Thats a deal folks!  That means double the razors for less money.  Even if you do not have a coupon, just knowing how to compare items, brand name or not can save you time and money. 
 
 
 
 


Monday, April 22, 2013

Dollar Tree is awesome!

I can't say enough how much I really love the Dollar Tree.  I know this sounds crazy but they really do have a little bit of everything you need from tissues to toys and gardening supplies and gift bags.  As I browse the isles for what I may need each week I am amazed at what you can buy for a buck!  For example, they had Betty Crocker Muffin mixes.  These were the newer ones that came in cinnamon toast crunch or cocoa puffs cereal muffin mix flavors.  They were only $1.00!! That same week I was in Martin's and found the same mix for over $3.00!!  Pair the Dollar Tree Prices with a coupon for .75/2 and you can get two boxes for a mere .62 cents ea.!!  Even if you don't want to fool with coupons, you still save over 50% just buy shopping at the Dollar Tree.  Just another example of making sure to pay attention when you are in the store. Compare your prices and try to shop at the stores that are cheaper in addition to your favorite grocery stores to ensure the best price and most savings!

Keep On Couponing!

Keep On Couponing!