9.28.09

So this week I combined all of my shopping into one entry. My deals do not “look” so great this week for a few reasons.

1. Makayla’s Birthday Party and Dinner fall in this week’s budget so I am purchasing a few things that I normally wouldn’t but need to because I don’t have them on hand.
2. I shopped at Wal-Mart and Sams Club which do not figure in sale prices. Most of their prices on the things I bought there are just cheaper there, so the % looks lower.

I shopped at five stores this week (something I do not want to do each week but had to because of reason 1 listed above was necessary). I went to Sams, Wal Mart, King Soopers, Safeway, and Sunflower market. The good news is I finished all today because I got to go alone (a rare occasion). Overall I am VERY happy with my cost coming in under my $150 budget and feel the 5 store were worth it. The news that makes this even better is that I now have all of my items for my Kraft $20 BTS Rebate, that I will submit this week. YAY! I will probably hit Walgreens before the week is over as they are having some pretty good deals this week. Here is the breakdown.

Total before Coupons and Sales $154.22

Total out of Pocket $92.20
Total % Saved 40%

HERE IS THE WHAT I GOT
1 bunch celery $ 0.88 each
2-1# bag baby carrots $ 0.99 each
5 kiwi $ 0.20 each
4 boxes kraft mac & cheese $ 0.50 each
3-2 liter bottle of pop $ 0.78 each
2 (5oz) pkg. shredded parmesan cheese $ 2.42 each
1 container great value light whipped topping $ 0.94 each
5 smartones frozen meals $ 1.68 each
2 pkg. of 1 # turkey lunchmeat $ 1.99 each
5-6pk Danimals Yogurt Drinks $ 1.00 each
3 easymac cups $ 0.50 each (FREE with BTS Rebate)
2 bags Beggin Strips Dog Treats $ 1.99 each
5 pkg. caprisuns $ 1.37 each (FREE with BTS Rebate)
3 bottles Spray & Wash Liquid $ 0.82 each
1-18 ct large eggs $ 0.99 each
2.2 # pears $0.88 per #
1.5# tomatoes $ 0.88 per #
1.5 # green grapes $ 0.99 per #
1.75 # bananas $ 0.57 per #
1 5# seven bone beef roast $ 1.77 per #
2.4 # naval oranges $ 1.00 per #
4 # Gala Apples $ 0.77 per #
1 # broccoli crowns $ 0.77 per #
1 large pkg. foster farms corn dogs (30) $ 10.19 (not pictured)

1 quart heavy whipping cream $ 2.32
Pillsbury Cake Mix $ 0.88
1 pkg. chinet paper plates (36) $ 0.66
1 pkg. pixie stix $ 2.00 (for the birthday party goody bags)
1 pkg. activia yogurt $ 0.83
1 loaf 100% whole wheat bread $ 1.00
1 large head romain lettuce $ 0.50
1 pkg. of 1# honey ham lunchmeat $ 1.99
1 pkg. fettuccini $ 1.00
1 pkg. Barilla Mini Penne Pasta $ 0.50
1 loaf artisan french bread $ 0.25
1 avocado $ 0.77

9.27.09.

Menu Plan Monday is here again. I found I am repeating a lot of last weeks menu because I was sick most of last week and really didn't feel like cooking (or eating for that matter). We ate a lot of sandwiches and cereal (aren't I a great mom?!) Anyway here is my menu for the week. Makaylas birthday dinner and party will fall in this week so I will probably have to pick up a few things that are not on sale to go with what she wanted. I will do the best I can to stay in my budget though.

Breakfasts-
Cereal
Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Hardboiled Egss & Fruit
Muffins & Fruit

Lunches-
BBQ Chicken Quesadillas
Chicken Nachos
Ham Sandwiches
Macaroni & Cheese
Lots of Left Overs

Dinners-
Baked Ziti, Wintergreen Salad & Garlic Bread
Crockpot Chicken Tacos
Shrimp Fettuccini, Fruit Salad & Corn w/ Fruit Pizza for Dessert
Grits & Eggs & Toast
Little Cesears Pizza Cut up Veggies & Birthday Cake & Ice Cream
Left Overs
Asian Pear Grilled Chicken Salad

I would love to hear what you are having this week!


Dinners

9.26.09

Ok, so I am not exactly sure what happened tonight when I stopped by Walgreens and Safeway. It could have been the fact that I had to bring the kids with me to one of the stores and we had a major potty situation during the trip or the fact that Walgreens printer wasn’t working to print off the register rewards for the items that I bought, or the fact that I did not prepare so much for this trip and forgot to read the sale limits. Either way the trips did not go off without a hitch or two. What is funny is I am too tired to figure out if it worked more in my favor or not. Let’s just sum it up to say the Oreos should have only been $.99 each, the Tylenol should have been $3.40 each and the razors should have been $.99. Then I should have gotten $6 in RR that printed off for my next visit I got none because they just took it off my trip this time. I think I will try to fix the Oreo problem when I go back to Safeway this week for my weekly trip but the Walgreens was their remedy for not having a working printer. Needless to say next time I will NOT be bringing my kids and I will read the ad a little better. Here is the breakdown.

Total before Coupons and Sales $62.73
Total out of Pocket $10.89
Total % Saved 83%

HERE IS THE WHAT I GOT
4 pkg. oreo cookies $1.62 per pkg.
1 pineapple $1.99
2 pkg. tylenol cold $0.99 each
4 cans cambells cream soup $0.64 each
2 pkg. tic tac chill $0.58 overage each
3 pkg. glade scented oil refills $0.17 overage each
1 plastic tumbler $0.12

1 pkg. bic disposable razors $0.01 overage

9.23.09

After being sick this week I was itching to get out of the house. Since it has been a while since I have gone to Wal-Mart I decided I would go browse around. I was excited to find some good deals. The Chinet paper plates were actually $2.36 a month ago, which was a little disappointing but still $.02 per plate is a screaming deal and they are really nice to have around when company comes or when I am sick (like this week). The Bic markers were a clearance isle score, just $.50 per package and I had several coupons for $1.00/2 pkg. making them free. The sweet potatoes are random I know but being sick this week I realized I never got to Sunflower to pick up my produce. Most of said produce we could live without, but tonight I am making sweet potato fries which are hard to do without sweet potatoes. The cashier was giving me the funniest look through most of my transaction. I am sure due to the randomness of products and number of them, but after I handed her my coupons I think she got it.lol. Here is the breakdown.

Total before Coupons and Sales $48.73
Total out of Pocket $14.73
Total % Saved 70%

HERE IS THE WHAT I GOT
10 pkg. (36) chinet paper plates $0.66 per pkg.
8 pkg. pullups flushable wipes (42 ct) $0.39 each
1.7# sweet potatoes $0.99 per #
8 (2ct) Bic Permanent Markers FREE

Menu Planning Monday 9.22.09

I am going to start posting my menu that I make each week so you can see how I am using my grocery money. Yes i know it says Menu Plan Monday and it is now Tuesday. I usally make my menu each Sunday night and then do my grocery shopping on Monday. My menu actually starts on Mondays each week so that is why I call it that. I am mostly using things I already have this week except for a few fresh produce items.

Monday-Crockpot Chicken Tacos & Cut up Veggies
Tuesday- Hamburgers & Sweet Potato Fries
Wednesday- Corn Chowder & Possibly Homemade Rolls
Thursday-Asian Pear and Pecan Salad w/ Grilled Chicken
Friday-BBQ Chicken Quesadilla's
Saturday- Grits & Eggs (yes I am totally a southern girl!)
Sunday-Baked Ziti, Wintergreen Salad & French Bread

There you go. if you see something you would like a recipe for I would be happy to email it to you. Just let me know. What are you having this week? I always love getting ideas from others menus!

9.22.09

Safeway was having such great deals on snacks I had to go back. I went ahead and picked up the free caprisuns while I was there lest I would forget next week. I have found as I am doing my shopping this way it is best to get it done while you are there if you can or I will forget. Looks like I will be giving out fruit snacks to trick or treaters. :)

Total before Coupons and Sales $74.77
Total out of Pocket $10.88
Total % Saved 85%

HERE IS THE WHAT I GOT
2 pkg. Reeses PB Cups $0.22 each
4 boxes Caprisun Real Juice (10pk) $0.13 overage each
2 pkg. Fruit Roll Ups $0.25 each
2 pkg. Scooby Doo Fruit Snacks $0.70 each
4 bags Nature Valley Granola FREE
2 boxes Cinnamon Toast Crunch $0.25 each

2 boxes Gushers Fruit Snacks $0.50 each

4 cans Cambells Tomato Soup $0.30 each
2 # Navel Oranges $0.78 per #
4 boxes Nature Valley Granola Bars $0.48 each

9.22.09

I went to King Soopers this week with a pretty short list. I realized though that their Mega Event (buy 10 and save$5) included a lot more items than I thought and it goes until the 29th so I may be making a trip back next week after I scrutinize my coupons to find any other deals. I was mad because I didn't realize until I got home that I didn’t buy 5 easy mac cups as I intended. I was buying them for the kraft back to school rebate going on. I will have to go back and get two more next week.lol.

Total before Coupons and Sales $35.99
Total out of Pocket $12.96
Total % Saved 64%

HERE IS THE WHAT I GOT
4 boxes Hefty Gallon Freezer Bags $0.65 each
1 asian pear $1.00

2 bags Nestle Chocolate Chips $0.99 each
3 pkg (8) juicy juice juice boxes $0.99 each
3 pkg. Yakisoba Noodles FREE
3 Easy Mac Cups $0.50 each
2 Velveeta Shells Cups $0.50 each

9.21.09

Target was pretty random this week. There were not nearly as good of deals as the last few weeks. Here is the Breakdown

Total before Coupons and Sales $74.95
Total out of Pocket $32.14
Total % Saved 57%

HERE IS THE WHAT I GOT
1 pr swim goggles $0.25
20 # Kitty Litter (oil spill in the garage…don’t ask) $3.99
2 pkg. Market Pantry Shredded Cheese (8oz) $1.29 / each
2 pkg. Bounty Select A Size Paper Towels (18pk) $10.49 / each ( that is .58 a roll)
7 glade scented oil candle tin with candles $0.16 each

The cheese was not the greatest deal but I really didnt have anything else to get at Sams this week so I didn't want to have to make a special trip. This will hold me until at least next week. Sorry I don’t have a picture. It was late when I got back and I was really tired.

7.21.09

Not too many exciting deals for me last week at Walgreens but enough to be worth taking the trip. I was pleased to find there was more than what I had planned (Thank you clearance isle!). Here is the breakdown

Total before Coupons and Sales $64.65
Total out of Pocket $11.83
Total % Saved 82%

HERE IS THE WHAT I GOT
1 pr swim goggles
1 Shick Quatro Razor
1 Womens Schick Quatro Razor
1 Backpack
1 Walgreens Childrens Coloring book (bought it for the coupons)
2 bottles of triaminic cold medicine
2 pkg. trident gum
3 bottles of Sally Hansen Nail polish
1 smelly gel pen (clearance)
1 halloween cup
1 pkg. True North Nut Clusters (not pictured)

Plus I got 2 Register Rewards to use next week. One for $5 and one for $3. I hear there will be some good sales next week for cold medicine which it looks like we will be using a lot lately. So I will probably use my RR's for that.

9.21.09

Here are the details from my recent Safeway trip. Let me just say...they are having some amazing deals this week! Here is the breakdown.

Total before Coupons and Sales $45.96
Total out of Pocket $6.85
Total % Saved 85%

HERE IS THE WHAT I GOT
2 boxes Cocoa Puffs $0.13 / each
2 boxes Trix Cereal $0.23 / each
3 boxes Nature Valley Granola Bars $0.57 / each
1 box betty crocker Fruit Snacks $0.30 / each
4 pkg. Oscar Meyer hot dogs $0.49 / each
1 2# Bag baby carrots $1.99
2 pkg Reeses Peanutbutter Cups $.01 overage

Plus I got two coupons that printed out at the register (called a catalina) for a free box of caprisuns. Overall a good week. I will probably have to make it back there once more before the sale is up. We really like granola bars. :)

9.21.09

Hi Everyone! So because of my recent obsession with couponing I decided I would start a blog to keep track of my deals. I know this seems a little silly but my hope is that it will inspire some of you to look for good deals around you and help me to keep track of prices. J If you ever have questions about couponing or deals please let me know. Although I am a newbie I am so excited / mildly obsessed I would love to share what I have learned. Happy Deal Hunting!