Shoes, Shoes and More Shoes

21 days till the kids return to school :)

This year I'll have 4 kids in school and all 4 of them need everyday shoes and gym shoes for school. We spent the morning trying on shoes to see who would need what. After going through our shoe tote we were able to find each child a pair of gym shoes that fit and Sapphire a pair of NEW shoes that I bought previously off of a clearance rack for a few bucks. That left us needing 3 pairs of NEW shoes (for Otis, Reagan and Elliot). Last year I went to Payless Shoes in hopes of finding Otis & Reagan new shoes for under $20. Last year I hit a home run and ended up with 2 new pairs of shoes for $13 (read about it here).

I found a text coupon in a magazine for 20% of your entire purchase at Payless and currently they are running their B1G1 1/2 off sale and the two deals can be combined!!

If you are interested in the 20% text coupon - text BRASH to 747474 and you'll receive a coupon code to give the cashier. (BRASH is a new line of fragrances & makeup that Payless is carrying but the 20% off coupon is good on the purchase of anything in the store)

I packed the 6 kids up and we headed to Payless on a mission to spend no more than $40 on new shoes. Let's just say that this year we didn't hit a home run...instead we hit a GRAND SLAM!! We knew we needed 3 pairs of shoes but with the B1G1 1/2 off sale we were on the look out for a 4th item to purchase and it was up in the air as to who was going to get that item depending on who could find the cheapest 4th item that was also an item we could use.

Otis found these: $26.99 on sale for $9.00


Reagan found these: $22.99 on sale for $7.00


Elliot found these: $29.99 on sale for $5.00


4th item - Willow found these: $17.99 on sale for $4.00


Orig Price: $97.96 before tax
Sale Price: $25.00 before tax
Final Price (after B1G1 1/2 off & 20% off text coupon): $15.20 before tax

84% SAVINGS!!! I don't think I could have gotten the kids ONE pair of shoes for this price even at Walmart. If you're in need of new shoes for your kiddos I'd hit your local Payless first :)

Back 2 School Shopping @ Target

Target has some awesome deals on school supplies this week! I went there yesterday and was able to stock up on FREE Scotch Tape and FREE Bic Pens. I also found Sapphire & Reagan some 'back 2 school' jeans for way cheap! If you haven't already I'd recommend checking out Target.com and printing some Target coupons because a deal can't get much sweeter than this!

2 pairs of Mossimo Skinny Jeans for Sapphire
$19.99/ea on clearance for $4.98/ea
Used (2) $3 off 1 pair of Men or Woman's Denim coupons found on Target.com
Final Cost: $1.98/ea

2 pairs of Cherokee Jeans for Reagan
$8.00/ea on clearance for $4.00/ea
Used (2) $2 off 1 pair Infant/Toddler/Kids Denim coupons found on Target.com
Final Cost: $2.00/ea

12 pks of Bic Pens
(Isn't 12 pks of pens a little much you ask? With 6 kids and husband who can't keep a pen in his possession to save his life these will be gone before the school year ends next spring)
$0.99/ea on sale for $0.50/ea
Used (2) $1/2 Bic Products coupons found on Target.com and
Used (4) $1/2 Bic Products coupons found on Coupons.com (if you print this one you'll want to select a 2nd coupon to print with it otherwise it prints a HUGE ad instead of the actual coupon)
Final Cost: FREE!!

4 rolls of Scotch Tape
$1.00/ea on sale for $0.50/ea
Used (4) $0.50 off 1 Scotch Tape item coupon found on Target.com
Final Cost: FREE!!

Retail Cost: $71.86

Sale Cost: $25.96

After Coupons: I paid $7.96 (before tax) - 89% SAVINGS!!

WIC Cooking Class

Today I was blessed to have Sarah (a representative from the local WIC office) come over to share with me a few recipes and show me how easy it is to cook something new. When they called and offered me the class I made sure they knew I 'do' know how to cook and it's more of I don't know 'what' to cook and we eat the same 3-4 meals over and over and over. She said that was not a problem and asked what protein we prefer. I told her we purchase ground beef at a rock bottom price from my Dad's work so we always have TONS of ground beef and we like to stock up on chicken when it's on sale. She said we'd focus mostly on beef and chicken then. Perfect! She asked a few more questions and came up with Chicken Stir Fry and Beef Quesadillas. Then for something sweet she decided we'd make Pumpkin Pancakes and Black Bean Brownies. She ran down the ingredient list on the phone with me and anything I didn't have she brought! How cool is that!! She also brought her own pans and griddle but I told her she didn't need to drag them in the house we had those clean and ready for her. We got to cooking right away!

Black Bean Brownies

Ingredients:

1 box brownie mix
1 can black beans
1 cup water
*optional* cinnamon, chocolate chips, nuts, vanilla, powder sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven as directed on your brownie mix box. Drain & rinse your black beans. Add black beans and water to your blender. Blend until smooth (you'll still see parts of the black beans outer shell but it won't be chunky). In a mixing bowl mix the brownie mix & the blended mixture together. Stir well. At this point you can add some texture/flavor to your brownies if you'd like.

My kids chose to add about 1/2 tsp of cinnamon and a small handful of chocolate chips.

Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray and pour mixture in. Bake as directed on your brownie mix box. Top with powder sugar if desired.

Our finished product:

These were sooo yummy! They have kinda like a fudge texture but aren't nearly as sweet as fudge is. I hope David likes these because I could see myself making brownies like this from now on. Plus they are healthier for you because you are eliminating the eggs and oil.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups flour
1 TBSP baking powder
2-3 TBSP brown sugar
1 TBSP cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 TBSP canola oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 TBSP water
*optional* chocolate chips

Directions:

Mix all the above ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Cook desired size of pancake at 300 degrees on a griddle or medium heat in a frying pan. Add a few chocolate chips to each pancake if desired. Flip when tops are bubbly.
*Since these are freezable we made a double batch so we didn't waste any pumpkin.

Our finished product:

We made about 1/2 of the batch with chocolate chips and 1/2 without chocolate chips. The kids were eating these plain right off the griddle and calling them cookies LOL!! They were so tasty they didn't even need syrup!

Chicken Stir Fry

Ingredients:

4 boneless chicken breast cut into strips
1 bag frozen veggies of your choice
(2) 1 1/2 tsp ginger
1 tsp garlic
salt & pepper to taste
(2) 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce or soy sauce (or any other Asian inspired sauce of your choice)
*optional* 1/4 cup cabbage, 1/4 cup onions, 1/4 cup celery, sesame seeds, nuts
(2) 2 TBSP oil
1/3 box spaghetti

Directions:

Cook & drain spaghetti. In a pan heat 2 TBSP of oil. You want your oil HOT so the chicken sizzles when you place it in. Once hot add chicken and season with salt & pepper to taste. When chicken is almost completely cooked add 1 1/2 tsp ginger and finish cooking. In a wok (or a large frying pan) heat 2 TBSP oil (again you want this HOT). When hot pour in your veggies (we used onions, cabbage, celery and green beans) and 1 1/2 tsp ginger. Stir until cooked thru (approx 3-5 mins). Add up to 1/4 cup sauce (we used teriyaki) and mix with the veggies. If you'd like to add sesame seeds or nuts you would do so at this time. Add cooked chicken and 1 tsp garlic. If it seems too dry you can add a bit of chicken broth or if you have the opposite and it seems too runny you can add a bit of corn starch to your mixture. Turn heat off and add your spaghetti and mix well. Once mixed add up to 1/4 cup more of your desired sauce and serve.

Our finished product:

This is probably the best looking dish that has come out of my kitchen in a LONG time. It was so easy to make and tasted great! We're having this for dinner tonight and I can't wait to eat even though I'm stuffed from all the taste testing.

Beef Quesadillas

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef
1/2 pkg taco seasoning
1 tsp garlic
shredded cheese
tortillas

Directions:

Preheat broiler to high. In a frying pan brown ground beef and drain. Add taco seasoning and garlic to your ground beef - heat and stir for about another minute. On a cookie sheet lay out tortillas. Top with about 1/4 cup meat (depending on the size of your tortillas), sprinkle with cheese and top with another tortilla. Place under broiler for about 3 mins (keep a close eye on them). Flip quesadilla and cook an additional 3 mins. Remove from broiler, cut and serve.
We served them with a side of salsa and sour cream.

Our finished product:

Quick & simple!! We ate these for lunch today and the kids enjoyed them so much they even had seconds :)

Sarah from WIC took my email address and said she'd email me additional recipes in the next week! I can't wait to try more recipes and I'll share them as I get them! We also did a lot of chatting about being frugal while cooking and I was able to share some tips with her. She was thrilled to learn about homemade dishwasher soap and took my recipe down for herself :)

$105.57 saved at Pick N Save !!!

Today is Double Coupon Day at Pick N Save!! We've been doing a lot of 'clear the pantry/fridge/freezer' eating so there's not a lot of 'whole' meals here but more staple items to complete a meal and snacks for the house.

This was a LARGE shopping trip in comparison to the last few weeks of shopping. I had 3 transactions totaling 68 items and 35 coupons. I had too many coupons today to list all the scenarios but if you have a question on how I got something for a price just ask and I'd be happy to answer :)

Here we go!

(2) boxes of Cookie Crisp...retail $4.79/ea - I paid $2.29/ea
(2) boxes of Cocoa Puffs...retail $3.89/ea - I paid $1.39/ea
(1) box of Trix...retail $3.29 - I paid $2.29
(5) boxes of Emerald Breakfast To Go Pouches...retail $3.49/ea - I paid $0.50/ea
(8) boxes of General Mills Fruit Snacks...retail $2.85/ea - I paid $0.72/ea
(2) Dannon Light n Fit 4pks...retail $2.29 - I paid $0.00 FREE!!
(2) Jays Potato Chips...retail $3.99/ea - I paid $1.50/ea
(1) Garden Delight Pasta...retail $1.99 - I paid $0.00 FREE!!
(4) Kraft Shredded Cheese...retail $3.79 - I paid $1.50/ea
(2) Oreida Sweet Potato Fries...retail $3.15/ea - I paid $1.90/ea
(4) boxes of Lipton Onion Soup Mix...retail $1.29/ea - I paid $0.99/ea
(1) 16oz Kemps Sour Cream...retail $1.95 - I paid $1.20
(2) Kemps Box Ice Cream...retail $3.99/ea - I paid $2.25/ea
(1) Tostitos...retail $3.29 - I paid $2.74
(1) can Chicken Breast...retail $2.89 - I paid $0.89
(3) Powerade 8pks...retail $6.49/ea - I paid $3.33/ea
(1) Gallon Kemps Chocolate Milk...retail $4.29 - I paid $0.00 FREE!!
(2) Suave Hair Sprays...retail $2.99/ea - I paid $0.00 FREE!!
(1) Suave Lotion...retail $3.29 - I paid $0.00 FREE!!
(8) 32oz Roundy's Ketchup...retail $1.95/ea - I paid $1.25/ea
(6) cans Cream of Mushroom...retail $0.59/ea - I paid $0.59/ea
(6) cans Cream of Chicken...retail $0.59/ea - I paid $0.59/ea
(1) 200ct Napkins...retail $1.29 - I paid $1.29
(1) 300ct Paper Plates...retail $4.09 - I paid $4.09
(1) Hula Hoop...retail $2.49 - I paid $1.24
*Reagan's been wanting a Hula Hoop ALL summer but even at Walmart they are $5.99 WHAT?? As we were heading to the check out Rea spotted these and they were cheaper than Walmart to start with but BONUS they had all the summer toys marked down 50%! She was a super helper this morning so she was rewarded for her services!

Retail Cost of everything: $181.76 before tax

After my Roundy's Card & Coupons I paid: $76.19 before tax

Total Savings: $105.57 or 58% !!

PLUS - I received a catalina for a FREE Gallon of Milk ($3.75 value) on my next purchase because I bought 5 General Mills Cereals!

Target 79% savings

(2) Room Essential Standard Pillows $2.50/each
Used (2) $2 off 1 Room Essential Pillow Coupons from Target.com
Final Cost: $0.50/each

(2) pkgs Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs $1.69/each
Used (1) $0.75 off 1 Oscar Mayer Hot Dog from Target.com
and stacked it with a $1/2 Oscar Mayer printable coupon (no longer available)
Final Cost: $0.82/each

(2) 12pks Sierra Mist $4.49/each on sale for $2.50/each
Used (2) $1 off 1 12 pk Sierra Mist from Target.com
and stacked it with a $1/2 Pepsi product coupon that comes weekly with David's paycheck from Pepsi
Final Cost: $1.00/each

(2) 24oz bottles of Up & Up Hydrogen Peroxide $0.62/each
Used (2) $0.75 off 1 Up & Up First Aid Item from Target.com
Note: because this item was under $0.75 the register adjusted the price of the coupon to $0.62 off
Final Cost: FREE

(2) 2pks Sharpie Black Permanent Markers $1.54/each on sale for $1.00/each
Used (2) $1.00 off 1 Sharpie product from Target.com
Final Cost: FREE

(1) pkg Huggies Wipes $2.39 on sale for $2.00
Used $0.75/1 pkg Huggies Wipes from a Huggies mailer
Final Cost: $1.25

(5) rolls of Scotch Magic Tape $1.00/each
Used (5) $1 off 1 Scotch Magic Tape coupons found HERE (note this coupon is a PDF and has unlimited prints)
Final Cost: FREE

(2) pkgs Papermate Pens $1.02/each
Used (2) $1 off 1 Papermate Writing Utensil coupon from Target.com
Final Cost: $0.02/each

AND 1 Snickers bar *this was NOT on the shopping list but a little 3yr old by the name of Elliot decided to open the Snickers bar and take a nibble out of it while we were waiting in line to check out*
Final Cost: $0.79

Retail Cost: $31.90 (before tax)

Final Cost after sale prices & coupons: $6.71 (before tax)

TOTAL SAVINGS OF: 79%

Target.com coupons are found on Target's home page about 1/2 way down on the left hand side under 'Coupon Savings' Most of their coupons allow for 2 prints each. The coupon will disappear once you've used your allowed amount of prints.

Happy shopping!

Mailbox Madness

This week was another GREAT week of FREEBIES :)

Tuesday

- $1 off NEW Life Savers Mint 85ct Bottle

Wednesday

- 12.6 oz Similac Sensitive - FULL size sample - retails for around $14
- 1.45 lb Similac Advance - FULL size sample - retails for around $24
- PLUS Similac included (4) $5 Similac Checks
Approx Retail Value of this Similac Pkg is $58 - WHOA!!!
- coupon for 1 FREE 18oz bottle of Suave Naturals Body Lotion (max value $3.50)

Friday

- Gillette Fusion Proglide shaver and the pkg included
$2 off Any Fusion Proglide Cartridge & $2 off Any Pro Series Product

Saturday

- 13.2oz FULL size sample of NEW Downy UnStopables in-wash scent booster from Vocalpoint
(You should check Vocalpoint out - I've gotten TONS of FULL size samples from them and it's FREE to sign up)
- ANOTHER mailer from Similac including (2) $5 Similac checks

What was in your mailbox?

Charmin Toilet Paper CHEAP!!

If you're headed out today and near a Staples you can snag a GREAT deal on toilet paper!

Staples has 16pks of double roll Charmin Basic Toilet Paper on sale for $4.99 (reg price $8.99) this week (unadvertised in their sale ad). This is an AWESOME price considering this is the toilet paper we use/prefer and pay $5.50'ish for a 12pk at Walmart. On top of the AWESOME price of $4.99 Staples has a 20% off one item coupon available thru today HERE. Pair the 20% off coupon with the $4.99 sale price and you can score this toilet paper deal for $3.99 plus tax! That's SUPER cheap!! We made a stop this morning and grabbed our family 2 pkgs (2 separate transactions)!! I wish I would have caught this deal earlier in the week but hey I'll take the 2 we got today and be happy to have at least scored on this deal!

Mailbox Madness

I love to see all the goodies coupon savvy peeps get in their mailboxes so I think I'll share weekly pics of my FREE goodies!!

This weeks goodies...

Wednesday:

- 20ct Bayer Advanced Aspirin
- Swiffer 360' Duster
- 8.4oz can Ocean Spray Diet Sparkling Pomegranate Blueberry Juice and $1/1 4pk of Ocean Spray Sparkling beverages

Thursday:

- 10pk Tide Stain Release & $2.00 off any 1 pkg of Tide Stain Release (LOVE this product!! This is the 3rd time I've scored a FULL size sample)
- 1 load of Tide Detergent

Friday:

- Home Made Simple by Procter & Gamble Organize In Style Coupon booklet w/ $35 in coupons (Cascade, Dawn, Mr Clean, Febreeze, Swiffer, etc)
**This coupon booklet JUST became available to order again today - Sign up for yours today HERE**
- (2) FREE bottles of Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo or Styling Products max value $3.00/each

JC Penney's 4th of July Sale - 73% Savings!!

I'm not one to usually bite at these kind of coupons unless it's $10 off a $10 purchase. BUT, we've been rummaging since early May in search of some shorts for Sapphire. We've had NO luck and the poor girl has capri's but not a single pair of shorts. I picked up an extra shift of babysitting this week and David's finally working for a GREAT company and had 21 hrs of OVERTIME on his check this past week WOO HOO! With the heat today I said enough is enough and we printed the coupon FOUND HERE and headed to JC Penney's.

We walked out with 3 pairs of shorts for Sapphire and 1 pair of shorts for Reagan.

Blue Jean Shorts:
Reg price - $21.99
Sale price - $10.99

Pink Plaid Shorts:
Reg price - $14.99
Sale price - $5.99

Khaki Shorts:
Reg price - $21.99
Sale price - $9.99

Pink w/ Hearts Shorts:
Reg price - $14.99
Clearance price - $2.97

Retail price total: $73.96
Sale price total: $29.94

Used $10 off $25 purchase coupon FOUND HERE good July 1st - July 4th ONLY!

Paid $19.94 plus tax out of pocket for a total savings of 73%!!!

Not bad when consider they are 4 NEW pairs of shorts!!

Walmart & Walgreen's FREEBIES!!

First, let me start off with the obvious - I LOVE coupons! I wasn't planning on doing any shopping today..okay maybe that's a slight lie. I've been staring at my coupon box and the Pick N Save ad for 2 days now trying to see if I need anything or can get an unbelievable price on something with double coupons. I'm not quite at the $25 min purchase so I may or may not make it there today. Let me get back on track here, we decided last night that we'd make black bean burgers for dinner tonight. Only thing we needed to do was pick up a package of buns. I decided to run to Walmart for those and while I was there I'd use a small handful of coupons I had. And since I was on that side of town I decided to hit Walgreen's for several FREE items!


Walmart Shopping Trip - 89% Savings!!



(3) 4pks Rayovac AA Batteries $0.97/each
used (1) $1/1 printable FB coupon (no longer available but they offer them quite often) and (1) $1/2 coupon from 6/5 Smart Source newspaper insert
Final Cost: $0.91 or $0.30/each

Gillette Proglide Razor $3.00 (from the travel size isle - this is the same as a regular one that cost $8 plus but it doesn't come with the spare blade)
used $4/1 coupon from 6/5 P&G newspaper insert
Final Cost: MONEY MAKER of $1.00

(2) Hot Wheels $1.07/each
used (2) $1/1 printable Target coupons found HERE (This should still be available but I printed this coupon yesterday - it has a print limit of 2 which I took advantage of but since I used up my prints I can no longer 'see' the coupon. Also note that this one prints as a 'Manufacturer Coupon Valid at Target Only' and that as long as it says 'manufacturer' on it Walmart will accept it)
Final Cost: $0.14 or $0.07/each

(2) pkgs King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls $0.98/each
used (2) $1/1 coupons I received via email from King's Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
Final Cost: MONEY MAKER of $0.04

1 pkg Great Value Hamburger Buns $1.25
Final Cost: $1.25

Retail Cost: $11.25
Final Cost after coupons: $1.26 before tax = 89% SAVINGS!!


Walgreen's Shopping Trip - 96% Savings!!



(2) Tylenol Precise Pain Relieving Creams $7.99/each
used $3/1 coupon from Walgreen's July Savings Book that took off $3 for each (these books are located in stores valid from June 26th-July 30th) and stacked it with (2) $5/1 printable coupons available HERE
Final Cost: MONEY MAKER of $0.02

(2) 16ct pkgs of Carefree $1.99/each
used $3/2 coupon from Walgreen's July Savings Book and stacked it with (2) $0.50/1 coupons from 6/26 Smart Source newspaper
Final Cost: MONEY MAKER of $0.02

(2) Degree Women Travel Size Deodorants $0.99/each
used (2) $1/1 printable that had no size restrictions (no longer available)
Final Cost: MONEY MAKER of $0.02

Degree Men Travel Size Deodorant $0.99
used $1/1 printable that had no size restrictions (no longer available)
Final Cost: MONEY MAKER of $0.01

Dial NutriSkin Lotion Travel Size $0.99
used $1/1 printable that had no size restrictions available HERE (This specific coupon 'beeped' when being scanned - the register did not want to allow the overage and I kindly asked the cashier to mark the coupon down to $0.99 (which Walgreen's coupon policy states they WILL/CAN do) and she did!
Final Cost: FREE

(3) Vande Walles Caramels 3/$0.99
NOT pictured as they were consumed on the way home :)
I have to purchase these as a 'filler' item. Walgreen's coupon policy states you can stack store and manufacturer coupons BUT you must purchase an item for every coupon you use. My purchase today prior to these candies was 8 items with 10 coupons. I needed at least 2 cheap filler items to allow myself to use all 10 coupons. These are cheap and easy to grab since they are located right next to the registers.
Final Cost: $0.99

Retail Cost: $24.92
Final Cost after coupons: $0.93 before tax = 96% SAVINGS!!


AND, the mail carrier had LOTS of goodies for me today! All 3 of these items were FREE offers that I've found on Facebook and advertised by other coupon savvy people I follow on FB. So when you see me post a link about a FREE item just follow the link - it's NO joke!!

- 20ct Bayer Advanced Aspirin
- Swiffer 360' Duster
- 8.4oz can Ocean Spray Diet Sparkling Pomegranate Blueberry Juice and $1/1 4pk of Ocean Spray Sparkling beverages

Happy shopping and let me know if you come across a great deal!!

Phew!

Phew! Today was quite the busy day. But I can't believe what I learned AND accomplished today!

I've been to the store 3 times today, a rummage sale, made Oreo cakeballs, removed the stinky mildew smell from my clean towels AND made a batch of homemade taco seasoning. Phew, and I've been babysitting since 8am and will be until 9am tomorrow morning. *Insert falling on my bed exhausted*

I started my day with a 3am shopping trip to Pick N Save for double double coupon day! Was very successful and saved 77% off my bill!! Then once the kids woke we were going to head to the Farmer's Market but the truck drove us to a rummage sale instead *snickers* I was able to fill a bag of clothes for Rea & Sapphire for $2 and Otis found a 16" bike for $5! He outgrew his 12" bike over the winter but he's been forced to ride it since a new $50 bike is NOT in the budget right now. But I can do $5 and it's a Spiderman bike BONUS!! David returned from work around Noon and the girls and I decided to make our 2nd trip to Pick N Save. I needed lunch meat from the deli and unfortunately the deli's not open at 3am! A bit later we ran across town to Walmart in search of training wheels for Otis' new bike. I'd really rather he'd try to just learn how to ride but he's freaking out. So, training wheels it is..for now. I have a goal to have him riding a bike in the next month! Oh and while we were at Walmart I picked up a few ingredients to make Oreo cakeballs - Yummy!! By the time we returned home it was time to make dinner and work on those cakeballs. While those were cooking/chilling I decided to google getting the mildew stink out of my CLEAN towels. The kids AND David don't understand that you HAVE to hang a towel up to DRY before it can be placed into a laundry pile. I feared I'd have to replace ALL of our towels because they were HORRIBLE!! I found a simple and cheap method online that PROMISED to remove the mildew smell from my clean towels.

Step 1: Make sure it's not your washer that smells like mildew and that it's JUST your towels.
Step 2: Wash your towels in HOT water with 1 1/2 cups white vinegar (NO detergent)
Step 3: When 1st wash is complete wash again in HOT water and this time use your standard detergent. DO NOT use liquid softener (I don't know why but it said that liquid softener can actually contribute to the mildew smell??)
Step 4: When wash is complete IMMEDIATELY transfer to your dryer and dry on HIGH heat.
Step 5: Fold your clean..smell so good towels!

I can't believe it, they don't smell at all!! Not even our bathroom rug that smelled like pee even after washing (can you tell I have boys!) The white vinegar cost me $0.87 and Walmart - WAYYYYYY cheaper than buying new towels!

And then if I haven't done enough already today I decided to make a batch of homemade taco seasoning. This is our first time trying a homemade recipe - it smells WONDERFUL! I'll get back to you with the recipe after we test it out this week when we make tacos!

And now that I've got the 6 kids in bed I think I'll kick back and enjoy an Oreo Cakeball or two and prepare myself for tomorrow's adventure. My parents, sisters and nephews are coming to visit and we're going to Bay Beach to celebrate Rea & Elliot's birthdays!

Nite!

New Blog Name & Pick N Save trip 6/25

I've been going back and forth lately as to if I like my blog title/name. I decided I really didn't but wasn't sure what to change it to. When I posted my last blog and linked it to Facebook a friend of mine, Denise, referred to me as 'Mrs. Saves-A-Lot'. Brilliant!! I loved the name and have been saying it over and over in my head since she posted that comment. So today I've decided to take the plunge and changed my blog title to...Mrs. Saves-A-Lot! Thanks Denise!!

Now for what you REALLY wanted to hear about - my 3am (YES, 3am) shopping trip to Pick N Save. David had to work this morning at 4:15am and taking 5 kids to PNS on double coupon days is NOT a wise choice. Waiting till he gets home wasn't an option because the shelves are always cleared of the GOOD stuff by Noon.
You can see my detailed shopping trip with the break down of coupons here - the only change I had to make was they were already out of the Magnum Ice Cream Bars :( Luck me I had one extra coupon on me for $0.75 off Sargento Cheese Slices found here. These retail for $2.99 and were on sale for $2.79 and then the $0.75 coupon doubled making them $1.29! Oh and I almost forgot when I posted my original trip I was 2 coupons shy on my 2nd transaction and I found (2) $1/1 Shout printable coupons I had lying around. Shout retails for $2.67/each used $1 coupons that doubled making them $0.67/each!

Here's what I walked away....



Retail Price: $78.43
Sale Price: $52.47

After coupons I paid $17.97 out of pocket for a total savings of 77% !!!

Pick n Save Shopping List for 6/25

Sat 6/25 Pick n Save will have a Double Double Coupon Day allowing you to double up to 10 manufacture coupons (with an original face value of $1 or less) on a $25 transaction. Yay!! Pick n Save's coupon policy says that the coupons don't double until AFTER the sale prices reach $25 - however their computers are currently programmed incorrectly and coupons double after the retail price reaches $25 - bonus for us!! That is until one day my carefully planned transaction goes out the window because they've updated their systems. Also an important note is that the FIRST 10 coupons you hand them will be doubled so make sure to stack your coupons appropriately so that the coupons with the highest value up to $1 are on top.

For Saturday I've got 2 separate transactions planned and I'll be able to double 20 coupons (with an original face value of $1 or less)

Transaction #1

10 - Palmero's Classic Frozen Pizzas
Retail Price: $2.99
Sale Price: $2.00 (5/$10)
Will use (5) $1/2 printable coupons found here that will double for a savings of $10
Price after coupon: 10 pizzas for $10.00 or $1.00/each

2 - Ivory Hand Soaps
Retail Price: $1.39
Sale Price: $1.00 (10/$10)
Will use (2) $0.50/1 coupons from a Procter & Gamble mailer that will double for a total savings of $2.00
Price after coupons: both for FREE

2 - Herbal Essence or Aussie Shampoos
Retail Price: $3.59
Sale Price: $2.50 (2/$5)
Will use (2) $1.00/1 coupons from 6/12 Red Plum coupon insert that will double for a total savings of $4.00
Price after coupons: 2 bottles for $1.00 or $0.50/each

1 - 48oz Breyer's Ice Cream
Retail Price: $5.15
Sale Price: $3.50 (2/$7) -OR- use the in ad coupon for $2.88 - limit 1
(you can stack a manufacture coupon with a store coupon)
Will use $1/1 from coupons.com (no longer available) that will double for a total savings of $2.00
Price after coupons: $0.88

If everything is available I should pay $11.88 out of pocket before tax!!

Transaction #2

1 - 3pk Magnum Ice Cream Bars
Retail Price: $3.99
Sale Price: $2.50 (2/$5)
Will use $1/1 coupon from 5/2 Red Plum coupon insert that will double for a total savings of $2.00
Price after coupon: $0.50

1 - 48oz Breyer's Ice Cream
Retail Price: $5.15
Sale Price: $3.50 (2/$7) -OR- use the in ad coupon for $2.88 - limit 1
(you can stack a manufacture coupon with a store coupon)
Will use $1/1 from coupons.com (no longer available) that will double for a total savings of $2.00
Price after coupons: $0.88

2 - Tic Tacs
Retail Price: $1.29
Will use (2) $0.75/1 coupons from 6/12 Red Plum coupon insert that will double for a total savings of $3.00
Price after coupons: MONEY MAKER of $0.42!!!

2 - Johnsonville Italian Sausages
Retail Price: $4.69
Sale Price: $3.00 (2/$6)
Will use (2) $1/1 coupon found here that will double for a total savings of $4.00
Price after coupons: 2 pkgs for $2.00 or $1.00/each

2 - pkgs Strawberries
**Pick n Save carries a different brand of berries each week so I'll only be able to use this scenario if their berries are Driscoll's this week**
Retail Price: $3.99
Sale Price: $1.50 (2/$3)
Will us (2) $0.50/1 coupon found here (after signing up for Driscoll's newsletter) that will double for a total savings of $2.00
Price after coupons: 2 pkgs for $1.00 or $0.50/each

I'm still on the hunt for 2 more GOOD coupons to double up on in this transaction - I'm sure something will surface by Saturday :)

If everything is available I should pay $3.96 out of pocket before tax!!

Total Savings from both transactions:

Retail Price: $74.09
Sale Price: $46.84
Price After Coupons: $15.84

TOTAL PERCENTAGE OF SAVINGS: 79%

After looking at our fridge and the ad one more time I think I'll have a 3rd transaction but this one won't have 'coupon' items on it.
I'm also looking to stock up on these great sale prices!

more Strawberries 2/$3
Red Seedless Grapes $0.99/lb
Vine Ripe Tomatoes $0.99/lb
Romain Lettuce $0.99/lb
Roundy's Frozen Steamable Veggies 10/$10
Pepsi Products 4/$10

61% Savings @ CVS Pharmacy

*BLOWING NOISE* as I blow the dust off this blog. Eeeks, I haven't blogged since November. It's not that I haven't wanted to blog but honestly I haven't struck any outstanding deals in MONTHS!! I don't understand why ALL the great deals I find seem to be be from June to December. I've already seen all the buy one get one deodorant and body wash coupons starting to surface - can't wait to pair those with the buy one get one sales that CVS and Walgreen's should start running. We still have a decent stockpile left from last summer (10 bottles of body washes, 7 tubes of toothpaste, 8 boxes of band-aids, etc) but you can't pass up FREE items especially toiletries.

This week I noticed CVS Pharmacy had some GREAT deals to pair with several coupons I had.

Here's a break down of my shopping trip:

Transaction #1

26oz Gerber Baby Formula $24.99 on sale for $22.00
(I plan on nursing baby girl but I always seem to have to supplement at some point so I couldn't pass this deal up)
216ct Huggies Wipes Refill $8.29 on sale for $6.00
ECB (Extra Care Buck) Deal - spend $25 on the items above receive $10 ECB towards your next purchase.
Total before coupons $28.00
I used a $10.25 check coupon from Gerber and a $0.75 Huggies Wipe coupon

Final total paid $17.00 out of pocket before tax and received a $10 ECB for my next purchase

Transaction #2

4 Jumbo Packages of Huggies Diapers $10.99 on sale for $8.99
1 Jumbo Package of Huggies Pure & Natural $11.99 on sale for $8.99
ECB Deal - Receive $1 ECB per Jumbo package of Huggies Diapers - limit 5
Total before coupons $44.95
I used (5) $2.00 off Huggies Diaper coupons and my $10 ECB from Transaction #1

Final total paid $24.95 out of pocket before tax and received a $5 ECB for my next purchase

Transaction #3

2 Lipton Natural Ice Teas $1.79/each on sale for $1.25/each
2 Gatorades $1.79/each on sale for $1.25/each
ECB Deal - Buy 4 of the above items and receive a $1 ECB
2 Colgate Totals $3.49/each on sale for $2.79/each
ECB Deal - Receive $2 ECB per Colgate Total - limit 2
Total before coupons $10.58
I used (2)FREE Lipton Natural Ice Tea coupons and (2) $1.00 off Colgate Total coupons (after ECB's this toothpaste was a money maker of $0.21/each) and my $5 ECB from transaction #2

Final total paid $1.08 out of pocket before tax and received a $5 in ECB's for my next purchase

Transaction #4

216ct Huggies Wipes Refill $8.29 on sale for $6.00
Total before coupons $6.00
I used a $0.50 off Huggies Wipes coupon and my $5 ECB from transaction #3

Final total paid $0.50 out of pocket before tax

Complete break down of all 4 transactions:

$111.66 Retail price before tax
$89.53 Sale price before tax
$43.53 Paid Out Of Pocket after coupons & ECB's before tax

For an overall total of 61% savings!!!