Cheerios- .99 a box!

At Walgreens this week they have some General Mills cereal advertised for $1.99. If you signed up for the Cheerios Challenge you have probably been receiving 1/1 coupons. Use these and you can get Cheerios for .99 a box!

What other good deals do you see? Be sure to check out other deals here!

CVS for week of Aug. 17-FREE RAZOR!

Here are the best deals I see:

• Schick Quattro is on sale for 7.99 (get 5EB back). Use a 4/1 coupon from 8/3 insert and make $1 on this!
• Revlon Lash Fantasy is 7.99 (get 5EB back). Use 2/1 coupon from recent inserts and get this for only $1! Not a bad deal if you need mascara.
• Crest tooth paste and Oral B tooth brushes are on sale for 1.99 (get 1 EB back). Buy 2 and use 1/2 coupon and get both for .50/1! A good deal if you are need of toothpaste or tooth brushes.
• Johnson and Johnson is offering 5 EB for purchasing $10 worth of bandaids, neosporin or first aid products. The ad says prices start at .99. The best deal here would be to buy 11 items at .99 and use 6 1/1 coupons (for bandaid products or neosporin). Since you get 5 EB back they would turn out to be FREE! Use more than 6 coupons and you could get overage. Also don't forget to combine this deal with the 2/10 CVS coupon to really get some good overage! This deal says limit 1, but there are reports that it is limit 2. (if you do this deal let us know how it works out!)
• Buy the Asencia contour diabetic monitor and colgate toothpaste and get 5EB. There are 30/1 coupons for the monitor making them FREE and a money maker, however on 10/5 there will be an even better deal to come to use the 30/1 coupons on! So I advise holding off until October... you won't be sorry! The October deal is once reason why I cut EVERY coupon, including ones for diabetic monitors!

I do not have a "plan" because I am not sure if the J&J deal will work they way I hope. I will post my actual trip late this afternoon! Be sure to read other CVS deals here! Actually Crystal put together a great J&J deal for the bandaids!

Weekly Trip

We didn't need much this week since I was well stocked for things I need for next week's menu plan. We also still have a plethora of fresh apples and oranges from my shopping at the begging of last week. Here is what I got:

Dillons:
Milk=2.97
1 loaf of bread on MS for .69
1.5lbs. of fresh peaches(total of 5)=2.00
1.5 lbs of bananas=.70
-1.50/your next purchase coupon
-1/$3 produce coupon from Dillons
Total= 4.33!

Aldi:
1 stalk of celery=.79
2 packages of fresh broccoli (2 crowns per pack for a total of 4 crowns)=1.98
1 bag of tortilla chips=.99
1 package of green peppers (total of 2 peppers)=.99
1 avocado=.99
1 dozen large eggs=1.09
1 package of pepperoni=1.99
1 tub of shortening=3.29
Total=13.08

Total for the week is 17.41! I love weeks like this and it makes me thankful for the sales that I have used to stock up! When I do my weekly CVS run I will probably stop by Hy-Vee as well for some grapes and kiwi!

Leap Frog Quiz

You may have noticed that I have been adding ads lately. I have been experimenting with affiliate marketing and only market the ads that I feel are beneficial and legitimate. One ad that I have the opportunity of displaying is one by a company called Savvy Source. This is a Leap Frog sponsored survey for parents of young children. It is designed to help measure a child's language skills. As a former Family Development Specialist and PAT educator I am always interested in resources like this.

This survey would be for parents who have toddlers or children that are talking consistently and you can understand them. Even if they are not there yet you can answer "not there yet" on the survey but your "results" will be different. Once done with the 5 question survey you have the opportunity to sign up and receive info from Savvy Source.

I am interested in hearing from you all about what you think of this resource. If you try it out (see ad on top right of screen) leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Note: If you have a blog and would like to find out how to market this ad yourself, please leave your email in the comment section (I won't post it ) and I will get you the info.

Garage Sale was a hit!

The garage sale was so awesome today that there is not even enough stuff to justify opening tomorrow morning. 95% of the items sold and half of that sold between 7-8a.m. this morning! Take note for future garage sales that the time to be there is EARLY!!! Look for another one to come next spring... it will be HUGE!!!!

Garage Sale TODAY!

Don't forget to come to this garage sale!!! Now that the rain chance is only 20% it should be a great morning!

$1 Subs at Jimmy Johns

It has been reported that tomorrow (Friday) the K.C. Metro Jimmy John's restaurants are offering $1 subs!!! I was told there was a full page add in the K.C. star. If you live in the K.C. area can you confirm this or give more info about specific stores offering this?

Garage Sale!

If you are new to couponing and haven't figured out the CVS or Walgreen game yet or if you don't like coupons but like getting things for "cheap" then you need to come and check out a HUGE garage sale going on tomorrow and Saturday. This sale will be full of all the toiletry and house hold items you surely use. There just might be some cereal up for grabs too! It is a what I am calling a multi-couponer garage sale, meaning that several fellow couponers have compiled their stuff in one sale! Below is a compiled list of what will be offered! Most items will be $1 or less- the Dollar Store can't even match that price! I will warn you that this is a "brief" list and does not include everything.

Hair Care:
Pantene
Loreal Pro-V
Pert-Plus
Herbal Essences
Dove
Garnier
Sunsilk

Facial Care:
Oil of Olay
Dove
Garnier
A few other miscellaneous brands

Oral Hygiene:
Aquafresh tooth paste and brushes
Crest tooth paste ( ALL KINDS IMAGINABLE!)
Colgate (ALL KINDS IMAGINABLE) and tooth brushes
Oral B tooth brushes- some are even powered!
Listerine smart rinse
Oral B mouth rinse for children

Deoderant:
Brut
Speed stick for men
Lady speed stick
Right Guard

Body Wash:
Oil of Olay
Gillete for men

Baby:
Johnson's buddies soaps
Pull-Ups!!!!
Other miscellaneous items

Medicine:
Advil
Tylenol
Gas-X
Benefiber
Excedrin (ANY KIND!)
Robitussin
Alavert
Other various medications

Make-up (various products including mascara, foundation and eye shawdow)
Maybeline
Loreal
Physician's formula
Jane
Cover Girl

Cleaning products:
Lysol
Windex

Phew... that is quite a list and that isn't even all of it! There will also be an oven range for sale! Be sure to come out tomorrow and Saturday 7-12 to stock up!

Date: Friday, August 15th and Saturday, August 16th
Time: 7:00 am to 12:00 pm
Location: 2230 SW Prairie Road
(near the intersection of 21st and Fairlawn)
If you're going east on 21st Street, cross over Fairlawn and make a right on the 2nd street (Prairie Road). If you are going west on 21st St. it is 2 blocks before Fairlawn- take a left!

Hope you can make it... it is going to be HUGE!

Earning Extra $$

Thifty Thursday is a fun new blog post I have been alerted to found here. Be sure to check it out. Here is my "thrifty tip" for today!

Since I am a stay at home mom (SAHM) I am always looking for fun and easy ways to earn a little extra money that our family can use for fun. We don't always get to budget in what I call "family fun money" so any extra I make from doing things online is always a treat! One way I have made a nice little chunk of change is through Inbox Dollars. I was skeptical at first, but so far I have made over $60 with them and have had no problems receiving my earned money.

Upon sign up you will receive emails with "offers" in them. You earn money simply by clicking through the email. It is not much, but you can generate even more money if you respond to offers and sign up. I will often respond to free trial offers and then cancel my free trial before the time is up. I have had great success with this and have still earned the promised amount by signing up.

If this money earning idea interests you sign up here or simply click the button at the top right hand corner of the blog! Right now they are offering a $5.00 sign up bonus!

Try me FREE items

I have been told that in the organic section of Dillons there are some items that have coupons on them that say "Try me FREE"  You just simply buy the product and following the directions for your FREE mail in rebate!  I have not been yet myself to see what brands have these coupons, so if you know what the brands are please let us know!

Hy-Vee for Aug. 13-19

Although Hy-Vee's everyday prices tend to be higher than Dillons, this week their ad blows Dillons out of the water!

• 3 lb. bag of Simons boneless chicken breasts is 5.99 (Aldi price)
• Farmland bacon is 1.99/pack (good price for Farmland!)
• Delmonte Pineapples are 2.48/1 (great price!)
• Red seedless grapes are .99/lb!
• Hy-Vee 4 lb. bag of sugar is 1.58
• Hy-Vee 64 oz. bottle of vinegar is .98/1
• Sara Lee wheat bread is 2/4
• Yo-Plait yo plus yogurt is 2/4. Use 1/1 coupon from recent inserts to get these for $1!
• Hy-Vee brand crescent rolls are 1.33/8 ct. roll
• Dole iceberg lettuce is .88/head
• 2 lb. bag of baby carrots is 1.97
• 4ct pack of colored peppers is 3.49 (a 3 pack at Aldi runs around this price)
  
• Pears are 1.18/lb.
• Kiwi fruit are 3/$1
• Green onion bunches are 3/$1 (usually .79 a bunch)
  
• 16 oz roll of 73% ground beef is 1.59/roll
• Hy-Vee 12 oz bags of shredded cheese are 2.77/bag (same as Aldi price)
• Hy-Vee steam quick frozen veggies are .93/bag
• Smart ones frozen entrees are 3/$5
• Glad air fresheners are .88/1- use BIGI coupon and get both for .88!
• Hy-vee coffee filters are .98/pack
• County Fair 100 ct. paper plates are .99/1
• Speed stick deodorant is 1.77- use 1/1 coupon and get these for .77!

Let me know if I missed anything or if you find a great deal!

Dillons Aug. 13-19

It is a SLIM week at Dillons as the deals are sparse!  

• Save $5/20 purchase of 2 or more Nestle products.  Gerber is actually now a part of the Nestle family so this applies to all baby food and graduate stuff!  This deal combined with any coupons you have is bound to be a GREAT deal on baby food!  Please share your deals in the comments section.
• Peaches are 1.29/lb. (best price I have seen at Dillons all summer)
• 1 gal. Dillons Milk is 2.99/1
• Boneless arm roast/chuck/steak is BIGI!
• Kroger dips or sour-cream are 10/10 (Aldi price)
• Kroger frozen veggies are 10/10
• Crest toothpaste is 10/10- use .75/1 coupon doubled to make these FREE!

The Nestle promotion is on products other than Gerber as well.  Please let us know if you see any other great deals within this promotion!  I did look and didn't really see anything I just had to have.  Happy Wednesday!

How do you find the best online deals?

While I love using coupons in actual stores, I also love searching online for coupon codes to get the best deals! I usually just Google the store I am looking for and scour a list of websites that promise coupon codes. This is, however, time consuming and often difficult!

Instead of my usual search practice I tried out findsavings.com and found this website to be well organized and easy to use. It has coupon codes for many of the stores I usually shop at online such as Shutterfly and Snapfish. As a side note both sites have FREE print offers so be sure to check them out!

One of my favorite aspects of findsavings.com is that you can search by coupon type. This means if I am looking for a "free shipping" coupon I can just click on the free shipping link at the top of the page and it will pull up a list of stores that are offering free shipping. Along with giving coupon codes, this site will also tell you what sale a store is having. For example, right now babycenter.com is having a 70% off sale of Carter's clothing!

I hope you take the time to visit this great site and find it as helpful as I have. I will be adding this site to my side bar list of coupon sites for you to use should you need to find a great online deal. Be sure to share with us any great deal you come across by using findsavings.com!

Menu Plan Monday (Aug. 11)

This menu plan includes last week and this week. We had family in town for 4 days so my menu plan is unique because of that. Since I decided to shop for 2 weeks I figure I should post a 2-week plan so you can see how I accommodated double the mouths to feed for 4 days and still stay with in $10 of my budget!

My usual breakfast and lunch plan can be found here. I was particularly thankful for being well stocked on cold cereal which served well for breakfast while family was in town.

Week 1 (last week):
Sunday: snacks with our small group- we brought raspberry black bean dip
Monday: Ate with friends at Red Robin because we had a gift card!
Tuesday: Ate Chinese at Hy-Vee since we needed to pick up some groceries
Wednesday: Chicken, pepper and onion stir fry/rice/orange slices
Thursday - Monday meals include feeding our family for a total of 4 adults and 2 toddlers
Thursday: Cheesy Chicken and Rice/salad/homemade cricket bread/apple crisp
Friday: Lunch: Sandwiches/fruit/veggies. Dinner: Homemade pepperoni and sausage pizza/bread sticks/salad
Saturday: Lunch: leftovers with fruit and veggies. Dinner: Hamburger potato casserole/green beans/cresent rolls/variety of fruit/cookie bars
Sunday: Lunch: Blue berry pancakes/bacon/eggs. Dinner: Hamburgers and hot dogs/potato salad/baked beans/birthday cake for niece's b-day!

Week 2 (this week):
Monday: Lunch: Leftovers with fruits and veggies Dinner: Impossibly easy cheeseburger pie/bread/broccoli/apple slices
Tuesday: Egg salad sandwiches/raw veggies/orange slices
Wednesday: Chicken Macaroni/green beans/fruit
Thursday: Chicken nuggets/mashed potatoes/steamed carrots
Friday: Sausage Pizza/raw veggies
Saturday: Dinner with Parents

I hope you have a great Monday!