Swag Bucks... I am convinced

So I had coffee with a great friend this morning and she got her coffee for FREE because she used a Starbucks gift card that she earned through Swagbucks. I always thought using Swagbucks was a hassle but my friend who googles just about everything like I do LOVES using Swagbucks! So I am going to give it a shot and I thought you might want a shot to earn FREE gift cards also!

Just click the image above and sign up... it is so easy! You earn points just for searching!

Oh and my friend says that the more you search the more points you start earning per search... I am excited!

Quilted Northern

Thank you Marie for pointing this great toilet paper deal out!

Walgreens has Quiltern Northern soft and strong 9 big roll packages on sale for 2/$7. You can print a $1/1 coupon here to get these for only $2.50/pack making it only .01 a sq ft. As we have talked about before on here this is a GREAT price... especially since we haven't gotten any tp free for a while:)

How Do We Do It?

So after I posted what we bought this week for food I started wondering to myself "How do we do it?" I mean how do we eat on $50 or less a week and how have we been doing it successfully for over 2 years!??? I realized there are some things I do that I think might contribute to helping in this area. Over the next few weeks whenever I recognize something I am doing that seems to help I will share it with you all.

So the 1st thing I recognize that I do is I keep my eye on portion sizes. Now I don't weigh our plates or anything but I realize I am always the one to dish up the food. Whether it is breakfast, lunch or dinner I am usually the one making it and I am the one determining what everyone is eating and how much. I fill the glasses of milk, the bowls of cereal and scoop out the casserole to be put on the plate.

When my husband and I were first married I would always give him more food than myself becasue I knew he ate more than me. Over time I started to notice that Ryan really loves seconds. It doesn't matter how much is on his plate the 1st time, he wants to go back for seconds. This was frustating at first because it seemd a 6 serving dish could quickly turn into only 3. So since I am the one that usually puts our plates together I started giving him the same amount of food as I gave myself or less even to see what would happen. Sure enough, Ryan still went back for seconds but he never noticed that he was actually eating less and over the course of a year he actually lost 15 pounds... kind of funny huh?

Another great example of portion size is when we have pizza. For the longest time I would always cut our Friday night pizza into 8 pieces. I would start Ryan out with 2 pieces and he would always go back for a 3rd. I tried cutting our pizza into 10 pieces and the same thing happened. I now cut my pizza into 12 pieces and you know what? Ryan always has 3 pieces, but seems to be just as satisfied and I get 2 meals out of my pizza instead of just 1. We eat it for dinner on Friday and then usually leftovers for lunch on Saturday or Sunday.

As for our toddler I notice that I usually give him to much food so then what he doesn't eat ends up getting thrown away. What I started doing here was giving him a little portion and then if he likes what we are having I just give him more. If he doesn't like it then that is less food I have wasted.

Now what is funny is that my toddler, nor my husband, have any idea that I do this. They have no clue that I play this little portion size game with them:)

Anyway all that to say watching your portion sizes is probably a good way to make your food last longer. Most meals I make serve us both dinner and lunch the next day.

I have some other practical ideas brewing that I plan to keep on sharing. If you have any tip that you think help stretch out your food for the week be sure to share them in the comment section or feel free to email me.

New Coupons for Print

I noticed a few new coupons for print here today! You can click the provided links below or the image above.

• $1/1 All detergent 32 loads and higher
• .55/1 Honey nut Cheerios (these have been going on sale pretty regularly)
• .50/1 Birds eye steam fresh veggies (use this to get these for only .49/1 this week at Hy-Vee!)

Happy Thursday!

Hy-Vee Oct. 14-20

My apologies that this is up later than usual!

Here are the best deals I see. If you are new to this blog make sure you print your coupon.com coupons by clicking the link here or using my sidebar widget... Thanks!

BEST OF ONE DAY ONLY SALE, THURSDAY ONLY!

• Boneless pork-loin=1.48/lb.
• Hy-Vee 5lb. bag of russet potatoes=.88/1 (GREAT PRICE!)
• 12 ct. large eggs=.88/1
• Hy-Vee 64 oz. apple juice=.99/1
• Colgate toothbrush or toothpaste=.88/1
• Hunt's tomato sauce=.25/1
• Banquet pot pies=.39/1
• Hy-Vee mac and cheese=.25/1

Regular Weekly Deals:

• Bananas=.39/lb. (same as Aldi price)
• Ragu Pasta sauce=.99/1 (use .75/1 coupon to get these for only .62/1... beats Aldi price of .99/1 for off brand. I stock up at this price and I actually like using this on my pizza... cheaper than pizza sauce)
• Driscoll's raspberries 6oz.=1.99/1
• Whole white mushrooms 8 oz. pkg=98/1 with in ad coupon
• Midnight seedless oranges=.99/lb. (great price)
• Hormel half boneless pork roast=.99/lb.
• Hormel little sizzlers 10-12 oz pkgs=.88/1
• Hy-Vee soup and oyster crackers=.88/1 (I think it beats the Aldi price)
• Hy-Vee 1lb. butter=1.48/1 (beats Aldi price of 2.12/1)
• Skippy peanut butter=1.48/1 (use .40/1 coupon to get this for 1.08/1)
• C&H 4lb bag of cane sugar=1.69/1 (Aldi price for 5lb. bag=2.59 or higher)
  
• Sour cream=.88/1 (same as Aldi price)
• Select Hy-Vee cereal=1.48/1 (beats Aldi price of 1.60 and higher for most of theirs)
• Hy-Vee Chili or Kidney beans=2/$1 (beats Aldi price of .59/1 for theirs)
• Hy-Vee garden salad or slaw=.88/1 (beats Aldi price of .99/1)
• Hy-Vee 10 oz. frozen chopped spinach=.88/1
• Hy-Vee pasta=.77/1
• Hy-Vee 16 oz. package of premium sliced lunch meat=2.99/1 (same as Aldi price)
• Birds eye veggies (includes steam fresh)=.99/1 (use .50/1 coupon from recent inserts or here to get these for only .49/1)
• Kraft shreds, bars or slices of cheese=$2/1 (by any 2 and use in-ad coupon to get Hy-Vee tortillas for free)
• Dole celery=.88/1
• Right Guard antiperspirant/deodorant=.99/1 (use $1/2 to get these for only .49/1)
• Selected varieties of apples=.89/lb.

Remember the best way to support this blog besides your readership is to continue printing your coupons here! If you would like to see deals at other grocery stores be sure to visit the BeCentsAble Grocery Gathering here!

Dillons Oct 14-20

Here are the best deals I see this week. Please let me know in the comment section if I missed a coupon match up or a good deal. As always be sure to price match with your local ad.

One great way to continue to support this blog is to print your coupons here! You can also now load cellfire coupons to your Dillons/Kroger card here!

**All prices with coupons assume the coupon has doubled**
Coupons mentioned are from SS, RP, GM or P&G coupon inserts from our local paper unless specified with a coupon link. To see which insert the coupon I mention came out of I recommend you visit this site here.

• Fresh ground beef=1.77/lb. (I stock up at this price)
• Campbells Chunky soups=$1 (use $1/2 coupon to get these for .50/1)
• Honey Crisp apples=1.87/lb. (beats the 2.99/lb. price they were last week)
• 1lb. tub of Driscoll's strawberries=1.99/1 (Aldi price lately)
• Dillon's 1 gal. Milk=2.69/1 (I guess they are done with their $2.50/1 price so Aldi is really the better deal at 2.44 and less per gallon)
• Folder's Coffee big cans=5.99/1 (use $1/2 coupon to get these for 5.49/1.. Aldi price for their off brand is 4.99/1)
• Avocados=.99/1
• Cabbage=.49/lb.
• 1lb. bags of Kroger baby carrots=.99/1 (same as Aldi price)
• 10lb. bag of russet potatoes=2.99/1 (Aldi price)
• Buy 3 12 packs of Coke at 3/$12 and get 2 boxes of Cheez-its FREE! They say it is a $6.34 value so if you love Coke and Cheez-its this may be a great deal for you
• Ragu=3/$5 (use $.75/2 coupon to get these for 1.17/1... Aldi price for off brand is .99/1)
• Pork butt roast=.99/lb. (great price!)
• Pillsbury cake mix=.99/1
• 32 oz. International Delight creamer=1.99/1 (same as Aldi off brand price)
• Tony's Frozen pizzas=$2/1 (use $1/2 coupon to get them for only $1.50/1... good price)
• 24 oz. Kroger sour cream or cottage cheese=1.98/1 (Aldi price lately for cottage cheese has been 1.88/1 24 oz. and .88/1 16 oz. sour cream)
• Kroger 40 ct. cough drops= .79/1

10 item MEGA EVENT!
Buy any 10 participating items from the list below or other marked items in the store and receive an instant $5 off at checkout. You can do this deal 3 times in 1 transaction meaning you can purchase 30 participating items per transaction for a total discount of $15. Prices below reflect .50/per item discount.

** I know there is more marked in the store but I only saw one really good item in the add:

• Green Giant Steamers=1.49/1 (after discount) use .40/1 coupon from recent inserts or .50/1 coupon here and here get these for as low as .49/1!!! GREAT PRICE!

If there are other items that you think are a good deal this week please let me know in the comment section or email thegroceryweekly@gmail.com

If you don't live in this region or are looking for an ad for another store I hope you visit The Grocery Gathering found here. See Hy-Vee deals here.

What did I buy this week

I thought I might try and start posting what I buy (food) every week to give you an idea of how I shop and how I make it on a $50/week budget. I find that I usually don't buy much to make the meals I have planed because I already have what I need. I am usually just stocking up on items for future meals and getting fresh produce for the week. So I am going to post what I bought this week, with a link to my menu plan so you can see what I needed and what I already had on hand for what I made. Clear as mud?

I only shopped Dillons and Aldi this week:

Dillons:

• 10 Green Valley Steamers at 1.99/1=19.90
• 3 24 oz blocks of Kroger cheese (this will last a long time!=3.99/1=11.97
• 1 bag of Flour=$1
• 1 bag of sugar=1.88
• 1 bag of brown sugar=$1
• 1 gallon of Milk=2.59

Total before coupons=38.34

• -$3 for buying 3 24 oz. blocks of Kroger cheese
• -$5 for buying 10 participating mega items (the Steamers)
  
• -8 .50/1 Green Valley steamer coupons=-$8.00
• -2 .40/1 Green Valley steamer couopns=-$1.60
• -$8 in catalinas from the Pillsbury Deal
  

New total=$14.20 after tax

Aldi:

• 1 bag of tortilla chips=.99
• 1 16 oz. pkg. strawberries=1.99/1
• 1 2lb. tub of red grapes=2.68/1
• 1 tub of sour cream=.88/1
• 1 bag of Gala apples=1.19/1
• 1 bag of Granny Smith apples=1.19/1
• 1 sleeve of celery=1.19/1
• 1 16 oz. bag of baby carrots=.99/1
• 1 package of broccoli=1.69/1
• 1 quart of yogurt=1.59/1
• 1 bottle of Ranch dressing=1.15/1
• 1 bag of Caesar salad marked down to .99/1

Total=$18.00 after tax

Believe it or not I already had most of what I needed to make my dinners for the week which you can see here. For lunch we are having left overs, PB&J or meat and cheese sandwhiches with fruit and veggies. For breakfast we are eating cereal, homemade muffins I have frozen or yogurt and fruit.

For this week I only spent about $32 OOP. I needed to stay under $40 since I over spent last week stocking up on cheese from Hy-Vee:) You will find that I fluctuate from week to week in what I spend, but usually I stay under or right at the budget for the month.

Sausage and Broccoli Pasta Bake

I found this great recipe in All You magazine but I have changed it to fit my budget and what I already have on hand. In the magazine it is called Baked Ziti with Broccoli and Sausage, but I am not using Ziti so I just changed the name to fit what I want to call it:)

Sausage and Broccoli Pasta Bake: Serves 4

• 8 oz. Italian sausage (I picked up 1lb rolls (16 oz) on clearance for 1.49 a while back)=.74
• 8 oz. Penne ( 1lb. box at Aldi (whole wheat even) is only 1.09/1)=.55
• 1 large head of broccoli stems removed (1 got a package with one large head and 1 little one at Aldi this week for only 1.69/1)=1.25
  
• 1/2 cup grated Parm cheese (I got bags 80z . bags of shredded parm for only .99/1 at Hy-Vee's 6 hour sale last week)=.25/1
• 2 cups of Milk=.40 maybe?
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp butter (1 got 4 quarters for 1.68/1 at Hy-Vee a few weeks back)=.10
• 2 tbsp of flour=pennies

Cooke sausage in large skillet until no longer pink. Add butter and stir well. Sprinkle flour on top and stir 1-2 minutes. Slowly pour in milk and cook stirring constantly until smooth and thickened for 3-4 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper. Cook penne noodles (or whatever you use) until tender then add broccoli and cook for 3 minutes. Drain pasta and broccoli and transfer to baking dish (says to use 11x7). Stir in sausage mixture. Sprinkle the parm cheese on top and bake until golden brown and mixture is bubbling, or about 25 minutes.

MMM! I can't wait to make this tonight and see how it turns out! This dish will only end up costing me a little over $3 to make or only .75/serving!!!!

Enfamil FREEBIES!

I noticed a few offers for Enfamil some of you mommies might be interested in.

Print your $5 coupon here!

Sign up to get a coupon for a free sample here!

Sign up here to a coupon that you can take to your pediatricians office to get a FREE breast feeding support kit (my experience is that this usually includes a free can of formula!)

Menu Plan Monday

Here is what I have slated this week for my $50/week menu:

Monday: Chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, green beans
Tuesday: Sausage and broccoli pasta bake, Caesar salad, bread
Wednesday: Ritzy Chicken, bread, apples with caramel dip and green beans
Thursday: breakfast for dinner: Eggs and sausage scramble over potatoes with apple slices and carmel dip
Friday: Sausage pizza/raw veggies
Saturday: ???
Sunday: BBQ chicken sandwiches with oven fries and grapes

The sausage and broccoli pasta bake is a new one I am trying so I will post the recipe tomorrow!