You Sign Up You Score! FREE Icecream

Sign up for Ben & Jerry's email updates here and get a coupon for $3 off any pint of their ice cream!!!

These should be Free or almost Free after the coupon!

Don't forget to hit the back botton 3 times so you can get 2 coupons

Cutting the Budget Part 2:Cash Cash Cash

I know a lot of people think using cash is a little old fashion but it WILL save you money! My husband and I started using cash for almost all of our purchases over 3 years ago and we have saved hundreds of dollars a year. Every month we get a predetermined amount of cash out to use for Grocery’s, Eating Out, Entertainment, Toiletries, Haircare and Blow Money (to use as we want) then put in into envelopes to use throughout the month.
Dave Ramsey's Envelope System is how we got started! I know for a lot of people this can be overwhelming. I would suggested starting with just a few envelopes like grocery’s and eating out and expand from there. There are a lot of great resources and tools on the website to help you get started. And there is not better time then NOW!
Here are a few ways using cash has help us.
• Has focused us to plan ahead. You don’t want to use all your cash at the beginning of the month.
• If I don’t have any money left in that envelope I don’t buy it! This is hardest when it comes to the grocery envelope. When it is a week before the beginning of the month and I only have $10 left it can cause a bit of a problem, that is when planning ahead to so important. Sometimes if I have money left in another envelope I will use it. If you are new to using cash be sure to give yourself a little wiggle room in the beginning but if you aren’t firm in using the allotted money you won’t save!
• Easy to keep track of what I spend. Not many people could tell you quickly how much on average they spend on grocery’s a month. If you use some type of predetermined cash system to purchase things you will know how much you spend and can easily keep your spending in check.
• Makes me be creative! When you only have $10 left for the month you will go the extra mile to get the most out of the money. This is where coupons, watching for sales and stockpiling come in to play.
• We don’t pay interest! It would be so easy to go out to dinner or get that pair of shoes you love and put it on a credit card, but it is just as easy to forget to pay your bill at the end of the month.
.

Meijer Matchups

Meijer Matchups in Central Ohio (Coupons are doubled up to .99)

B1G1 Chi-Chi’s Salsa
Coupon Match .55 (Use 2)
Final Price-Cheap!

2.50 Snyders Multigrain Chips
Coupon Match .75
Final Price 1.00

1.50 Ragu Pasta Sauce
Coupon Match .50/2
Final Price 1.00
Bonus-FREE Pasta when you buy 1 Ragu

1.66 Peter Pan Peanut Butter
Coupon Match 1.00(I got this with a popcorn sample)
Final Price .66

2.00 Cool Whip Aerosol *
Coupon Match .75
Final Price .50

1.00 Progresso Soup
1.10 Printable
Final Price FREE

2.00 Pam Cooking Spray
Coupon Match .35
Final Price 1.30

2.00 Wesson Cooking Oil
Coupon Match .50
Final Price 1.00

Jello Pudding Snacks*
Coupon Match $2/2 from Meijer Mealbox
Final Price $1

*There are several items that are 10 for $20. If you buy 10 you get a $5 coupon for you next visit! Not sure where to find coupons? Read this post!

Meijer Matchups

I am keepin it short and sweet this week! At first glance I didn't see much...but there are several FREEBIES if you have the coupons!

,99 Ronzoni Pasta
Coupon Match 1.00
FREE!

1.66 Kraft Dressing
Coupon Match-I have a store coupon for .50 off
Final Cost 1.16 and if you buy 3 you get a $2 Catalina!

.97 Pringles
Coupons Match .30/3
.77 each if you buy 3

1.47 Crest, Colgate or Aquafresh
Several .75 coupons out there
FREE!

B1G1 Covergirl Trublend Makeup
Coupon Match B1G1
FREE!

You can also see a really great list of matchups over at MommySnacks.

Instant Replay:This Weeks Savings

I have been so busy this week-I almost forgot about these trips that I made on Monday.
Walgreens

Paid .05!( I used the $5 Register Reward I got last week)
Meijer

I paid 20.92 and Saved 48.18(22.69 with coupons)
I got several items I needed for Christmas baking this week and ran into a great deal on Betty Crocker(I love good old betty!), if you buy 5 cookie bags/muffins/Gold Flour you got a $2 Catalina! I already had 2 bags of flour on my list and a lot of coupons for the other items.
Check back on Sunday for Meijer Coupon Matchups!

CVS Preview for Sunday and Monday 12/21 & 12/22

This is just one page from the ad! Yea Freebies!! I will share coupon matchups later this week.

Meijer Matchups

Here are the best deals I see at Meijer in central Ohio this week! We get double coupons up to .99!

1.25 Pillsbury Cresents
Coupon Match .25
Final Price .75

2.00 Asian Sensations
Coupon Match .75
Final Price .50

½ off Mrs T’s Pierogies
Coupons Match 1.00
Final Price ?(I think these will be less then .50)

2.00 Bob’s Evan Sides (I love these for a quick side!)
Coupon Match .35
Final Price 1.30

1.66 Ocean Spray
Coupon Match .55
Final Price .56 (I have tried the Cranergy and they are very good!)

.79 Veggie Steamers
Coupons Match .50
Final Price FREE!!

2.00 Post Cereal
Coupons Match Printable for Just Bunches (my new favorite!)
Final Price FREE!!

$2.00 Eggo Waffles
Coupon Match .75
Final Price .50
Note: You may want to hold on these unless you were planning on getting anyway-I have seen them cheaper and paired with the .75 coupon you may be able to get them close to FREE!

1.66 Mt Olive Pickles
Coupon Match .50
Final Price .66

1.00 Knorr Sides
Coupon Match .75/2
Final Price .25

1.19 Jet Puff Marshmallows
Coupon Match Meijer Mealbox Printable(on my sidebar!)$1.00/2
Final Price .69

Kraft Cheese ½ price

1.25 Philadelphia Cream Cheese
Coupon Match .50/2 or .20/2
Final Price .75 or 1.05 each

Cutting the Budget Part 1:Angel Food Ministry

During this past year the price of almost everything has gone up! Even though prices have gone up we have found several ways to cut our budget. One of the ways we have been able to cut our grocery budget this past year is by participating in the Angel Food Ministry. For $30 we get all this food.

Menu from December 2008
1.5 lb. Choice Cut Beef Roast
2 lb. Breaded Chicken Tenders
2 lb. IQF Chicken Breast
1.5 lb. Pork Chops (4 x 6 oz.)
1 lb. 80/20 Lean Beef Patties (4 x 4 oz.)
28 oz. Salisbury Steak Entreé
1 lb. All Meat Hot Dogs
1 lb. Carrots
1 lb. Green Beans
1 lb. Rice
24 oz. Steak-Cut Fries
32 oz. 2% Reduced Fat Shelf Stable Milk
7.5 oz. Mac and Cheese
14 oz. Chicken Broth
7 oz. Corn Muffin Mix
Dozen Eggs
Dessert Item
They say it will feed a family of 4 for one week-which if it was just dinners that would be about 4.25 per dinner. Each month the menu is different so you can choose whether or not it would be worth it for your family. There have been a few items we didn't like but all in all I think it is worth it. You can check there website for host sites(normally churches) and place your order through them. I know alot of people think this is only for people on food stamps-but let me assure you it is not-anyone can order! Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions!

Instant Replay:This weeks savings!!

I made lots of stops this week in between Christmas shopping and going to Christmas parties!
Here is my Meijer Trip.

Spent 11.77 and Total Saved 23.87(7.78 from coupons)
My favorite deal was the coffeemate creamer-it was FREE after coupons!!!
Kroger had some great deals this week.

Spent 5.36 and Total Saved $28.88(14.98 from coupons) and 2.00 in catalinas for next time!!
Lots of free stuff there...Toilet Paper, Altoids, Yeast and the Cresents were .16! I also got the Sure for free and there was a Try me Free sticker on it so I will actually get a $1 check back from them!
Walgreens had there special going on again this week where you spend $25(before coupons) and get a $5 Register Reward.

I spent 9.94 and Saved over $60.00! I also still have $5 in Register Rewards and will get back 5.99 for the Bald Guyz(yes my hubby is a bald guyz!and he loves this stuff!)I think I am stocked up for the cold and flu season.
Not Pictured-2 rolls of Reynolds foil, 6 rolls of scotch tape and 3 Sunday papers(since the coupons where so good last week!) for FREE.
OK..so if all of this isn't enough...I had to stop at Target anyway for some Christmas shopping so I picked up these for FREE(I just paid tax)

Free Toilet Paper at Kroger!!!

There is a new printable coupon here. You can print 2 and use them at Kroger. A 4 pack of cottonelle is .99 everyday. Want to sweeten the deal? Load the Cottonelle coupon at shortcuts.com to your Kroger Plus card and you will get another .50 off!

This Weeks Meijer Match Ups!

Meijer Deals for Central Ohio
(Note: Meijer doubles coupons up to .99)
I didn’t list everything just some of the best deals that I see! Please leave me a comment if you see something else or have questions.

-Jif PB $2.00 Coupons Match($1/2)-1.50 each
-Ocean Spray B1G1* Coupon Match(.55) Use two coupons-should be cheap!
-Quaker Granola Bars $1.50 Coupon Match($1/2)-$1 each(Great stock up price!)
-Toll House Cookie Dough $1 Coupon Match($1)-$1 each
-Sargento Cheese $2.50 Coupon Match(.40)-1.70 each
-Coffee-mate 16oz .99 Coupon Match(.50)-FREE!!!!!
-Land’o Lakes Butter $1 Coupon Match(.50)-FREE!!!!
-Kelloggs Mini Wheats(plus others) $1.88 Coupon Match(1.00)-.88
-Meijer Family Pack Chicken $1.79lb Great stock up Price!

Check out the Meijer Mealbox on the right side of my blog(!) for more coupons! Click the “special” button in the box on the right side of the page for a list of current coupons. You can print as many as you like!

*B1G1 = Buy 1 Get 1 FREE

This Weeks Kroger Match-Ups!

Kroger Deals for Central Ohio
(Note: Kroger in Central Ohio doubles coupons up to .99)
These are just highlights-I like to feature FREE and very cheap stuff!

-Parkay $1.00 Coupon Match (.75/2)-Buy 2 for .25 each!
-Daisy Sour Cream $1 Coupons Match (.50)-FREE!
-Fleischmann’s Yeast $1 Coupon Match(.65)-FREE! PLUS you get a .50 Catalina=Moneymaker!
-Sure Deodorant $1 Coupon Match(1.00)-FREE
-Ban Deodarant $1.65 Coupon Match(.75)-.15

I would also check out Shortcuts for ecoupons that load to you Kroger Plus Card-these can be combined with a Manufacturer Coupon! One of the best ones is the .50 Cottenelle coupon, combined w/ a .25 manu coupon (doubled) you can get a 4 pack for FREE!

Always keep your eye out for Managers Specials! You can save big on markdown items at Kroger.

Homerun:Free Batteries!

If you go to Rayovac's Website you can print off a $1.00 coupon for any package of batteries. Target has them in there dollar spot right now!

Instant Replay:This Weeks Savings!

My sister(who is also an avid couponer) and I made a trip to Kmart since they were doubling coupons up to $2.
I got the following for $7.16.

I saved $55.28 just by using coupons!

This is my Meijer and Aldi trip. Total for everything was $34.37

I really loaded up on produce this week. Here is a breakdown of what I got.
Aldi-7.28
Oranges
Apples
Bananas-0.22 cents lbs!!
Strawberries

Meijer-27.11 Saved 32.60
2 bags dole salad
1 earthbound farm salad
Carrots
Broccoli
3 bags of cheese
Velveeta
Milk
4 muffin mixes
2 jars of pickles
Bagelfuls
Pizza
3lbs of hamburger for 2.99*
5 turkey brats for 2.29*
* I always look for markdown meat and stock up when I find some. You cannot beat .99cents a pound for hamburger!

Walgreens was having a 4 day sale. Since I almost whipped us out of cold medicine I took advantage of their deal on Dayquil.

I paid $11.27 in cash, got $9 back in Registar Rewards(which can be used like cash on my next visit) and will get $6 back as a part of their monthly rebate program.

She Signs Up...She Scores:Mailbox Fun!

I got lots of good stuff in my mailbox this week!

I got the cutest package of Ghiradelli chocolates from SheSpeaks to taste test along with 5 $1 coupons to share with friends! Let me just tell you...they are SOOOOO good!


Who doesn't LOVE getting cash in the mail...??? I tested a body wash product for a company and they sent me $10 in cash as a thank you! And I got a full size body wash for free! I got this offer through a survey site called SurveySpot. I also filled about a rebate form for TheraFlu(this came in really handy last week when I was sick!) and received my check for 2.99 this week.

Instant Replay:This Weeks Savings

I focused on CVS this week since the deals, especially on Thursday, were so good. Here is what I got first

I paid $2.93 and ended up with $3.00 more in ECB's then I started the week with.
I was really excited about the FREE contact solution. My sister even picked up a few more for us since my CVS only had one(thanks Mandy!). Since I had some ECB overage from the makeup, I got a few things we needed-coffee filters and crackers. I love it when "playing the CVS game" allows me to get other things we need for almost free.
I was so excited about the Black Friday specials which actually started on Thursday. So on Thursday Morning(I was in the parking lot 5 minutes before they opened and I was sick-am I crazy....)I made out with all this for $4.00 in cash and now have $20 more ECB's then I had walking into the store.


Can you believe that everything in that picture would have cost me $100 if I paid regular price?

Check out Money Saving Mom's CVS 101 article. It is what really got me started!

Giving Back

One of the reasons I love saving big with coupons is giving back! Everything in the picture is going to church(work) with me tomorrow. Part of it is going in a Christmas box for a missionary family and everything else is going to local food panty.

Couponing Fundamentals:Coupon Organization

If you really want to save big with coupons you should have some kind of organization system. Everyone has a different method they prefer and there are some great coupon organization systems out there-you should google it. After some trial and error I came up a system that works well for me.

As I shared with you here the best place to find coupons is the Sunday paper. I start by clipping almost every coupon out. *If you are just starting I would start slowly-clip only the coupons you think you may use but date and save your insert*. After clipping I file them in my box.


I LOVE my coupon box-it fits perfectly in the front of a grocery cart and it just nestles right into the passenger seat of my car! I have about 40 different categories but I started out pretty simple. If you are just starting your coupon organization here's my suggestion on what categories to begin with. Haircare/Bodywash/Deodorant
Makeup/Lotion
Toothpaste/Toothbrush
Razors/Feminine Products
Medicine
Cleaning Supplies
Produce
Dairy
Frozen Foods
Canned Foods
Bread/Rice/Pasta/Sauce
Cereal/Granola Bars
Baking Mixes/Sugar/Flour
Coffee/Other Drinks
Candy
Once you see you are getting a lot of coupons in one category divide it further. This process may seem overwhelming at first but once you get a system down it will really save you time and $$!

Instant Replay:This week in review!

I got several good deals this week! Here is what I got at Meijer for $5.01.



Highlights:6 bags of FREE veggie steamers, FREE wishbone dressing, 4 boxes of cereal, several cans of fruit and veggies some markdown meat and pineapple. I had $5 in catalinas (coupons that print at the store) a coupon for a FREE box of Cheerios and got $6 off instantly for buying 4 boxes of cereal that made my total so low.

I did a few small transactions at Kroger. Total for everything was $7.42





The Olay Ribbons was free because of stacking 2 $2 coupons with my P&G esaver coupon! I also got the Carrot Cake mix for free and used some ecoupons for the cheese and ice cream!


CVS was pretty good this week also! I paid with $5.00 in ECB’s(Extra Care Bucks) ,spent .53 cash and got back $5 ECB’s!


Stay tuned this week for: How to Use Coupons. Make sure to read this first!

Post Game Snacks!

I have made a couple of great and frugal treats this past week. The first one I made was for our small groups dinner.
Apple Streusel Cheesecake Bars

I figured I spend around $3 for all the ingredients I used, many of which were purchased at great prices from matching coupons with sales.

I would give this dessert 5 stars! It was awesome!
Next I made Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies! My mom made these for a family dinner recently and I loved them.
Recipe:
1c Butter
1c Sugar (i used 3/4)
1c Brown Sugar (i used 3/4)
1 Egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour (i used 1/2 white 1/2 wheat)
1c oats
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 c chocolate chips(I added a few extra!)

Blend butter, sugars, egg and van. In seperate bowl combine dry ingredients. Alternate mixing dry ingredients and pumpkin into wet ingredients. Stir in Choc chips. Bake on 350 for 12-13 mins.

These turn out so soft and moist! A great fall snack. I figured I spent about $2.25 and it made just over 4 dozen cookies!

Where to Find Coupons

There are several places that I find my coupons.
1. Sunday Paper-This is where I get most of the coupons I use. There are 3 types of coupons that come in the paper. SmartSource(SS), RedPlum(RP) and P&G(these come once a month). They are all basically the same but you will see other bloggers mention them as "SS" or "RP". I get the paper here in Columbus for .99 cents delivered. Well worth it!
2. Internet- There are several websites that offer printable coupons. Typically you can print 2 of each coupon. Most sites update their coupons once a month. Here are a few of my favorite coupons sites.
www.coupons.com
www.bettycrocker.com
www.pillsbury.com
www.smartsource.com
3. Store Coupons- I do most of my grocery shopping at Kroger and Meijer. Kroger mails me coupons(10-15) once a quarter and they typically send coupons for items I purchased. Actually, the past two times they have sent me coupons for FREE items. If you have a store loyalty card make sure your information is up to date-this is often how they send you extra savings! Meijer has coupons on their website here. You have to click on the "special" tab in the box on the right hand side of the page and the current printable coupons will show up. CVS and Walgreens also offer store coupons. Walgreens issues an Easysaver book every month and it is packed with moneysaving coupons. They are located at the front of the store. CVS has been issuing coupons in a special quarterly magazine called Reinventing Beauty and costs .99cents. They also send coupons out through email.
4. In Store/On Display- You will often see coupons in stores either stuck to the product or on a display nearby.

There are some other places to find coupons but these are the basics! If you are totally new to coupons I would start with the Sunday Paper.

Soon I will share how to organize your coupons! This is really important. A good organization system will help you save even more. Stay Tuned.

She Signs Up....She Scores (FREEBIES)

I was plesantly surprised with the free sample that was in my mailbox today! Not only did I get two great products to try but I also got some great coupons with it. You can sign up for some great freebies at Freebies 4 Mom and Money Saving Mom.

Scouting Report:CVS Thanksgiving FREEBIES w/Matchups!

OK...I am way excited about all the FREE stuff at CVS during Thanksgiving weekend! Checkout scans of the ad here. There are LOTS of FREE items to be had. I'll post more detail later...just thought I would give you a peek of what's to come!

Here they are thanks to HCW

5 Hr. energy drink 2 pk. = $3.99 Get $3.99 ECB (Limit 1)

Aussie shampoo, conditioner, or styler = $2.99 Get $2.99 ECB (Limit 2)
10/12 PG Aussie product $1 off

Bic Soliel single razor w/2 cartidges & shower holder = $5.99 Get $5.99 ECB (Limit 2)
11/2 SS Bic Razor $3 off

Colgate total toothpaste = $2.99 Get $2.99 ECB (Limit 2)
11/02 SS $1/1 Colgate Total Advanced, Any 4 Oz.+ = $1.00 MM

CoverGirl Smoothers liquid makeup = $7.99 Get $7.99 ECB (Limit 1 )
10/12 PG $1 off any covergirl
11/2 PG $1 off any covergirl

CoverGirl Smoothers pressed powder = $5.99 Get $5.99 ECB (Limit 1 )
10/12 PG $1 off any covergirl
11/2 PG $1 off any covergirl

Garnier Nutritioniste cleansing towelette 25ct = $5.99 Get $5.99 ECB (Limit 1 )
11/9 RP Garnier Nutritioniste Cleanser $1 off

Gatorade G2 20oz = $1.49 Get $1.49 ECB (Limit 3 )

Hershey King size bars = $1 Get $1 ECB (Limit 1 )

Johnsons Soft Lotion = = $5.69 Get $5.69 ECB (Limit 1 )
11/2 RP Johnsons Baby Product $1 off

L’Oreal Colour Juice sheer lipgloss = $6.99 Get $6.99 ECB (Limit 2 )

Magnovox Universal Remote or Philips headphones = $6.99 Get $6.99 ECB (Limit 2 )

Maybelline Mineral Powder or Liquid Foundation $8.99 Get $8.99 ECB (Limit 1 )
9/21 RP Maybelline Foundation $2 off
10/26 RP Maybelline Foundation $3 off

Sally Hansen maximum growth plus nourishing nail color = $3.79 Get $3.79 ECB ( Limit 1 )
mq$1 off sally hansen nail treatment, color or lip (beauty book exp 12/31/08)

Tonights Match-Ups.! Ecoupons

I noticed 3 good deals you can get at Kroger this week when using Shortcuts ecoupons.

Kroger Cheese would be around 1.20 after your shortcuts coupon-cannot get cheese cheaper then that!
Kroger Ice Cream would be 2.25
Cottenelle would be FREE with ecoupons and .25 from this weeks insert

This weeks Rundown....

I went to all my stores this week. Meijer, Kroger, CVS and Walgreens.

Meijer-Not many great deals this week but I couldn't pass up the free Chex Mix. I also got a free box of Just Bunches-one of my favorites!

Total $6.23(after returning 2 packs of hair things-I got the wrong kind!)

Kroger-I made two small trips to take advantage of the Mega buy 10 get $5


Total together was around $10.
I didn't take a pic of my Walgreens trip. The most exciting thing was 2 Coffeemate Creamers for .49cents!

I will be putting together a big bag(s) for our local food pantry. My stockpile be overflowin!! And that is one of my favorite things about working the deals...giving to those in need!!!

Load um Up

I just noticed some new loadable coupons on Shortcuts!
Save $0.50 Old El Paso Taco Dinner Kit
Save $0.75 Kroger Flavor Seal Ground Beef
Save $0.45 Kroger Shredded Cheese
Save $0.50 Kroger Salsa
Save $0.50 Pillsbury Ready to Bake Cookies

If you would be able to match with a sale you could get a pretty good deal on a Taco Dinner!! And don't forget you can stack a manufactures coupons with the ecoupons!

Now I am hungry!

CVS Trip

Here is what I got at CVS today. I paid with 14.69 in ECB's and got $15 ECB's back!


I got a few things out of the 90% off cart to bring my total to $30 dollars so I could use my $5/30.
ECB=Extra Care Bucks

Today's Tip-Before you go up to the register make sure you have your coupons(in the correct order) and Extra Care Card ready to go!

Sign up for Savings

I heard some people have received coupons from Kroger in their email. You can sign up here. Hey-It's worth a try :) I just signed up this week and will let you know if I get anything.

Also you can now sign up for coupons using cellfire. It was really easy to sign up and the coupons load to your Kroger Card! I tried it today and got FREE oatmeal and Toilet Paper!

This weeks Mega Savings

I have really saved some serious $$ this week and gotten lots of Freebies!!! After early mornings(voting), late nights(watching results) and 2 days without plumbing I needed something encouraging this week!
Here is my FREE Gum-10 packs from CVS and 16 from Walgreens! Saved over $30!
My first Kroger Trip was $13.65(saved 100.30)


Free Stuff: Betty Crocker Cookie Mix, Ice Mountain Water, Colgate, Cottonelle, Carnation Milk, Tonys Pizza(thanks for the coupon Kroger!), BC boxed potatoes, Tylenol, Trix
My 2nd Kroger Trip was 17.09(saved $77.37)


Free Stuff: Cookie Mix, Cottonelle, Fruit Snacks, Herbal Essence shampoo/conditioner, 4 pouches of potatoes, sponges, Oatmeal
The Cascadian Farms frozen potatoes where 25% off and you get a $2 Catalina when you buy 2
2 @ 2.54-(2)$1 coupons=3.08-$2 Catalina=1.08 for 2 bags of potatoes!
Also at my store they had tons of Manager Specials! I got 3 bags of Hershey Kisses for $1 each and when you buy 3 you can send in for a FREE movie ticket! And a few cute packs of fall napkins for .25 each.
Meijer Trip was $10(saved 42.00)


I just had to take advantage of the Jello deal one more time! I got a Try me FREE lunch meat and for buying 4 Maxwell coffees I got a $1 Catalina!!