A few good deals

 My daughter is in school now, so today it was just the baby and I out shopping. It was a nice little change of pace. We hit Shopko because I had found a really good deal in the clearance section when I was picking up a scrip yesterday. Had to grab my coupons.

 These Trident Layers were on clearance for .82 each. I had (4) -$2/3 any Trident single pack coupons, so I got 12 of them. With tax, I paid just $2.14. Here's the down side, Shopko has a pretty crappy, tedious clearance system. Each item has to be hand keyed and then an override issued. Yeah, lots of people behind me had to check out elsewhere. That part sucked, but you know what I'm willing to do for a great deal! plus, I really needed gum!! There are still at least 20 more packs of this gum at the Spanish Fork Shopko if you have the Trident coupons!

 We also hit Buy Low.

 I grabbed just a few things; Cantaloupe .25/lb
Celery 3/$1
Bell Pepper 4/$1
Pears 3 lb /$1
Plums 2 lb/$1
Lemon 2/$1
I unfortunately skipped the Bananas that were .50/lb. For some dumb reason, I thought I could still get them at Fresh Market. Um yeah.. that deal ended yesterday. I need to sleep more. :)

Here are some deals starting today at Macey's that you don't want to miss out on!!

Meadow Gold 5 qt $5.99
Western Family 8ct Hamburger Buns or Hot Dog buns .79
Clover Club chips 3/$5
Shur Saving canned Chicken .99
16 oz Peanut Butter .99
Nabisco crackers $1.69
Western Family 24 oz Ketchup .79
Don Julio chips .99
Don Julio tortillas .89
WF Sour cream .99
Land o Frost 10-16 oz lunch meat $3.99
-.55/1 16+oz Land o Frost lunch meat

Don't miss out!

A quick stop at Walgreen's

 I hit the Provo Walgreen's today for just a couple of things. They were out of size 5 Huggies Slip Ons (the ones with the register rewards. A little bird informed me though that on or around September 10, they have a huge shipment coming in and the diapers will be just $3.99!!! Yay!! And the $3 off coupon expires on the 10th, so yeah, crazy awesome deal!!

 So I settled for the Huggies Snug & Dry that are $8.49 w/in-ad coupon. Well-stocked.
-$1/1 Huggies Snug & Dry or Little Movers diapers
The milk is on for $1.99. Very well-stocked in all varieties.
The bubble envelopes are .39 each w/in-ad coupon. Well-stocked in various sizes.
The deodorants are a fun little deal; 2/$4, which earns you $1 RR. Use your -$.75/1 Degree coupon and your B1 Dove womens G1 Dove Men + Care FREE coupon to get 3 deodorants for the price of 2.
The Provo store was well-stocked with the sale deodorants.
 I did just two transactions, used $3RR that I had leftover from last time and paid a total of $12.86 (w/tax) Around 30% of retail. :)

2nd trip to Macey's

 As most of you now know, the great mix n' match sale carried over but is not as great now as it was. As soon as I knew that would be the case, I ran over to get what I wanted before the really great sale ended!

Here's what I did:
2 boxes Honey Smacks
2 boxes Cocoa Krispies
-$1/4 Kellogg's cereals (Kelloggs.com)
6 boxes Fiber Plus Bars
(3)-$1/2 Fiber Plus bars (Breakfast coupon packet)
2 boxes Scooby Doo Graham sticks
2 boxes Cheez its
6 packs Keebler Sandwich crackers
(3)-$.75/2 Keebler snack crackers
2 bananas
2 apples
(2)-$1.50/fresh fruit wyb 2 Kellogg's cereal
Total spent: $18.90
Not too shabby!

Learning at Macey's

 Hey kids! I stopped by Macey's today with two tired, hungry kids. It wasn't a pleasant experience, but not just because my boy wouldn't stop screaming. I had made a rookie mistake and left my coupon binder home. I had packed coupons into an envelope for what I planned to get and only brought that. Of course, they didn't have exactly what I wanted for the Mix n' Match sale. I did the best I could with the coupons I had and will be going back this afternoon sometime with my binder!

 For this deal, you mix and match 10 participating items. The list of possible items is quite long and the store is really well stocked on most things, leading me to believe the sale will carry over to the new week.
Here's what I ended up with:
2 Keebler cookies @ $1.29 each.
4 Nutrigrain bars @ $1.49 each
-(2)$1/2 Nutrigrain bars (from Breakfast coupon pack)
2 Cheez its @ .99 each
2 Kellogg's Frosted Flakes @ $1.29 each.
1 banana
2 apples
-$1.50 wyb 2 select Kellogg's cereals (Thank you Becky for the coupons!!)
-$10 off 10 mix n' match items (in-ad coupon)
Total: $11.62 (w/tax)

Stay tuned for this afternoon's return to Macey's!

Saving at Saver's!

 The kids and I met up with my sis in law today at the Savers in Orem. We got there just after the store opened at 9. Mondays are a big day, what with the .99 and half price clothing deals. My sis in law is a pro at this! She got there before us and went through the racks finding things on my list that had the right tags. Together we scoured the clothing departments!
 On my list of things to find were the following:
 For me:
3 pair of jeans 
3-4 church skirts or dresses
3-4 gym outfits
For the kids:
3-4 sets of jammies for each child
3-5 pair of pants for my daughter
2-3 long sleeved shirts " "
3-4 long sleeve church shirts for my son
 Here's what I ended up with. I spent $52.50 total. Brand new, these items would cost at least $400, as some are pricey name brands. All were in great condition!

  3 church shirts, 1 set of warm jammies, 2 sweaters and one coat for my son.

  This adorable black aviator coat was just .99!!!

 3 pair of pants and one long sleeved shirt for my daughter. I was bummed to find so little on sale in her size. Luckily it is still warm and we can utilize summer clothes for a bit. I will hunt for more deals for her next month.

 3 workout shirts and 2 workout shorts for me.

 3 pair of fabulous jeans for me.

3 skirts and one dress for me.
 I just love Saver's and shopping there with my favorite thrift shopping expert! If you plan to hit up the Monday deal day, get there early! And if you have some things around the house you want to get rid of, head around the back of the store, donate them and pick up a coupon that you can use for a percentage off your total purchase!

You've got mail!

 I love looking in the mail box! Every few days I can count on there being some sort of FREE sample or coupon!

 My FREE sample box of Quaker Oatmeal Square came along with a $1 off coupon. i enjoyed the cereal as a snack at the gym. Quite yummy!
 I somehow got another FREE Pantene full size shampoo or conditioner coupon! Lucky day!
 Finally, I also received my FREE Huggies onesie that I ordered after submitting codes from diapers I purchased. I will get one more in the next 4-6 weeks. I was happy to include the onesie with some other full size baby products I had gotten FREE at Target as a welcome home gift for my neighbor's new baby. I was able to put one of the clearance Easter bags (with chicks and eggs), that I got at Walgreen's a few months ago for FREE to hold the gift. You CAN do nice little things for friends and neighbors without spending lots of money!!! You just need to seize the opportunities when they present themselves!

Deal of the Day!

Today's deal is at Macey's!

Keebler Granola Fudge Bars $1.29 ea w/in-ad coupon & purchase of 10

-$.75/1 Keebler Granola Fudge Bars 6 ct only= .54 each!!!

Today @ Buy Low and Walgreen's

 We went into town today. I stopped at the Provo Walgreen's and the only thing they had that was on my list was the Dove hair care. I didn't get it because they didn't have anything else I wanted. Should have done it though because the Springville store ended up having more of the stuff I wanted but not the Dove products. :( Lesson learned.

 If you don't make it in on Monday, you kind of have to just be happy with what you can find. I did okay. Got the cheese that I wanted. Use in-ad coupon to get 8 oz shredded cheese for $1.50. Buy 8 and use your 2 -$2/2lb of cheese online coupons. They expire today...
 I also grabbed the FREE fish oil to get the $10 rewards. I will probably sell it on ebay. It was well-stocked unlike most of the other rewards items. I found just one Reach Total Care toothbrush but luckily they are substituting their Crystal ones for the same rewards deal at the Springville store. Use your -$1 off Reach coupons and you'll earn money on this one!
 The Twizzlers are 3/$4. Use your -.55/1 coupons to make them just .78 each.
 I paid $12 plus tax for my total trip and because of a mishap with them improperly labeling their Brach's sale candy, I ended up with $3 RR leftover that I would've liked to use on the cheese. Instead, I will use it on Trident gum. It was out of stock but their truck had come in and just needed to be sorted. I will call in the morning and hopefully get in there and take advantage of it or at least get a rain check. With your -$2/3 Trident coupons, the gum ends up being just .12 per pack of 18 pieces!
 I had to get feisty with a manager named Kaleb and it was not pleasant. I hate when stores mismark things and then don't back up their mistake... Grr.... I still did really well though! :) Paid less than 20% of retail. I'll take it. :)

 Buy Low was of course well stocked with all of their sale items. I love Buy Low. :)

  Finally there are smile producing fruit snacks in my home again! .99 each
A surprise deal: Bananas .50/lb!
Green Bell Peppers 4/$1
Cantaloupe 4 lb/$1
Plums .50/lb
Celery 3/$1
Green Onions 4/$1 These ones are huge! And they all look so vibrant and yummy!

 Red Bell Pepper (another happy surprise!) .59 ea
Peaches .79/lb
Hamburger/hot dog buns  .88
I bought one loaf of Cottage Bread @ $1.19. I normally get more, but only when it's .99. It is really yummy bread!
Bartlett Pears 3 lb/$1
White Onions 3 lb/$1
Tomatoes .50/lb
1 lb bag Baby Carrots .68 each!!!

I love Buy Low. :)
Click here for the rest of this week's great deals!
http://www.buylowmarket-utah.com/cms/managed/specials/1313595378_WBYLW0817V5F.pdf
Happy Shopping!

Better Hurry!

  These items were actually a splurge. This week is our "A" week. (See my Cooking as a Couple blog) and so I want to try Asparagus tonight. The Parsley and Half & Half are for my Parsley Ice cream I'm making to finish last week's Parsley experiment.

  Here we have some of the great deals you don't wanna miss out on! Stock up or top off what you have. All of the specialty WF Beans are .50 each. The Shur Saving canned Chicken is just .89!!!
Soffs wipes are .88. I just grabed 2 to top off my supply.
 The vinegar is not on special but I've been telling the hubs I would pick some up for weeks now. Almost forgot again. A nice bagger ran and grabbed it for me. I love Macey's!

  The WF Pancake mix is cheaper per pound than the Krusteaz by like .06. The ramen is .10 each. I might go back for another couple of cases... We use a lot more of it than I am proud to admit....
 There was a happy clearance cart near the yogurt that I was thrilled to find. I got 2 pair of flip flops for just .50 each! Plus a Beach ball for the same price. There were different kinds of balls and other floaties. Fun for stocking stuffers or next years summer parties.

 

 Case lot ends today friends!!!
The kids and I just hit Macey's to take advantage of some of the case lot deals before it's too late. Some of these prices won't be around again for several months! If you have it in your budget, I highly recommend you get over there! Most things were well stocked. Remember that you can always get a rain check if they do happen to be out. One thing I know is out is the WF Regular Black beans. They do have the low sodium variety stocked though.

  I topped off my olives (.79 each!!) and my pineapple (.88 each). I also grabbed a can of Blackeyed Peas just for fun. Any recipe suggestions??

 Finally, we are almost out of paper towels, so I jumped on this deal! 15 rolls for just $5.79!!!

After Macey's we hit the nearby dollar store.

 I almost bought a 24 ct pack of allergy meds at Macey's for $2.99. Hallelujah that I didn't! I found 36 ct packs at the dollar store! The other goodies I am not going to explain but yes, they were $1 each as well. ;)
 Lessons to be gleaned: Hurry or you'll miss out and end up paying full price! Case lot ends today!!!
Also, check out your dollar store. You'll be surprised at what you might find there!

Ever thought of this?

So you have all kinds of freebies gathering dust on your show off shelves and want to make room for more... What to do??
How about..........EBAY?!?!?!
Why not make money on the products you got for FREE that you have no need for? These days my friends, we need to look for all possible, legal, money making outlets!
Be reasonable with shipping and avoid greed in your pricing. Remember, anything you make is profit! I know some of you have about a million packages of Reach floss out there that you'll NEVER be able to use! Let's sell them!!!
If you have any questions about how to do this, just let me know!
I know I don't want to go out and get a regular job. I need to be here for my kids right now. This is a fabulous option to make money off of stuff we already have anyway. Plus, for us real freebie addicts, it will clear up all kinds of space for more fun, useless stuff! ;)

Deal of the Day!

 Today's deal is at Walgreen's! They have so many amazing register reward deals this week! Get in there and take advantage of it!

$3 RR WYB (2) Reach Floss 30 yds, Total Care Toothbrush, or Listerine PocketPaks 72 pk., at $2.50 ea
-$1 off Reach toothbrush, floss or access flosser, SS 4/17
-$1.50/2 Reach toothbrush, floss or access flosser, 500 ml +, SS 1/09 or SS 7/31
-$2.50/2 Reach toothbrush, floss or access flosser, SS 4/17
-.50/1 Reach toothbrush, floss or access flosser, 500 ml +, SS 1/09 or SS 7/31
-.50/1 Listerine Pocketpaks 24 ct +, SS 1/09 or SS 4/17
(use (2) $1 off, makes it FREE)
Thank you southernsavers.com for this great deal idea!

Back to School Series *Staples new deals*

Here are the back to school deals that start 8/14 at Staples.  We probably only have another 1-2 weeks of great deals so stock up now if you haven’t.

Check the items you plan to buy to create a printable shopping list!

Back To School Deals

• Scotch Magic Tape Dispenser 50¢
  -$1/3 Scotch Magic tape products, SS 8/07
  -$1/3 Scotch Magic tape rolls, SS 8/07
  -$1 off 3M Scotch Magic tape printable
  (use $1 off, makes it Free)
• BIC Clic Stic Retractable Ballpoint Pens 50¢
• Avery Glue Sticks, 3 pk, 50¢
  
• Slider Pencil Case 50¢
• Staples College Ruled Filler Paper, 120 sheets, 1¢
• Staples Stickies Tape Flags 50¢
• Staples Side-Spiral Memo Books, 140 sheets, 50¢
• Epson Photo/Presentation Paper 50¢
• Hammermill CopyPlus Copy Paper, 500 sheets, 50¢
• Stretch Pencil Box, $1
• BIC Student’s Choice Mechanical Pencils, $1
• Staples 200 Sheet Memo Book, $1
• Backpack Folders, 3 pk., $1
• Rose Art Washable Markers, 10 pk., $1
• Crayola Large Washable Markers, 8 pk. $1
  -$1/2 Crayola product, Walgreens coupon calendar
  (makes it 50¢)
• Z-Grip Animals Retractable Ballpoint Pens, 5 pk., $2
• Expo Double Sided Writing Practice Dry-Erase Boards, 8.9″x11.8″, $2
• EnduraGlide Dry-Erase Markers, 4 pk., $2
• Webster Pocket Dictionary or Thesaurus, $2
• Clorox Disinfecting Wipes, 35 pk., $2
• Carolina Pad Studio C 1-Subject Notebook or Composition Book, $2
• Pilot FriXion Yellow Highlighters, 3 pk., $4.99
  Get 100% back in Staples Rewards
• BIC Pens, Pencils Markers, Highlighters, and White-Out, B2G1
• 35-50% off All Backpacks

 I made a trip to Walmart yesterday to do some ad matching. I ended up finding some really great deals!
The Bic pens are .50 each at Fresh Market. Then I used my -$1/2 coupons to get six packages for FREE!
The frozen veggies were $1.20 each.
The Ore-Ida Sweet Potato Fries were $2.50 and I used my FREE coupon that I ordered from their Facebook page.
 Walmart had the day old french bread for just .65 per loaf!
The chips were $1.78.
The Pediasure Sidekicks 4 pk was just $5.97. Then I used my -$3/1 coupon to get it for just $2.97. I will be going back for more!

 I ad-matched the Boneless Beef Roast with Buy Low for $2.49/lb and the Country Style Pork Ribs for $1.79/lb and then used my -$2 off coupon that expired yesterday.
 I spent $15 and change and it was well worth it!!!

Sauntering through the woods...

 Life is a never ending adventure! The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Our refrigerator died last night. Luckily we had enough room in the deep freezer and coolers to take care of everything. Then our neighbor brought over a mini fridge this evening. I have the best neighbors!
 A funny thing... The Lord works in mysterious ways. I was frustrated about the fridge but I knew that somehow it would be ok. Well what d'ya know?! My husband's raise came through and we got a check for back pay. It is enough to get another fridge, not a brand new one, but a decent one anyway. I wish sometimes that I wasn't so anti-debt and that we could just go and get a new one on credit, but I made a commitment and have to stick to it!
 It was a lucky thing that I hadn't gone and taken advantage of Buy Low's meat deals yet eh?! See? Things just work out. :)
 I did get to Buy Low today though to grab just a couple of things. I also hit Big Lots but was seriously disappointed. They didn't have Slim Fast bars and the shakes they had were $5. Way too much, especially since they don't take coupons. I ended up grabbing a box of South Beach bars for $4.

I am pleased with the flavor and with how satisfying they are. They'll do the job. :) Plus, I like variety.
 At Buy Low, I spent just $7 and change. I would've liked to get more but until we get the new fridge, I've gotta be careful.

 It is such a great week at Buy Low! Sorry I didn't get their full sale list up this week. It's been crazy hectic and busy here! Go ahead and check their ad though. I'm sure you'll see some deals you'll be excited about!
http://www.buylowmarket-utah.com/weekly-specials.php
 I'm going to do some more shopping tomorrow to use my pork coupons and then I'll do the rest of my shopping on Tuesday. I'll report then!

Today at Macey's

 The kids and I hit Macey's today. I love case lot season!!

 I always extend the budget a bit during case lot. It is worth it to tighten our belts elsewhere in order to stock up on staples. I went in with the knowledge I had gained by going through my purchases from last case lot season. I was much wiser this time around. Here are the things I took advantage of:
8 cans Hunt's Spaghetti Sauce @ .88 ea
This tops off my supply and should definitely keep us till the next sale.
5 cans Kidney beans @ .50 ea.
I bought 3 last time and though I don't use these often, 3 wasn't enough. I'm interested to see if this number works. Remember, this is a process folks. You won't perfect it in a day!
5 boxes Mac n' cheese @ .35 each.
I don't use this nearly as often as I used to since I've gotten really interested in cooking but it is still great to have on hand. This was just enough to top off my supply. I didn't like the price. I'm hoping that Kroger will have it a little cheaper when they do their case lot. Last time I was able to get it for .29 each.... :/
We've been using a LOT of honey lately, so I grabbed the giant jar of honey for $10.99. I'm tempted to get another before the sale ends...
I grabbed a bag of Santita's chips at $1.88. I hate paying that much, but we need them. Hoping for a sale!!!
I grabbed 2 Swanson's Vegetable broth at .50 each. I bought 2 last time and it seemed to be the perfect amount.
 The Sesame seeds were the result of an exchange. I had bought a Spice It bottle and there were webs in it! Yuck! Due to the case lot sale, the Spice It display was taken out so the manager gave me a deal on the larger jar of Mother's sesame seeds. Remember that the store will take care of you, just ask!

  Two cases of Ramen @ .10 per package. I will go back for 2 more with next week's budget.

  I really stocked up on canned tomatoes this time! Regular and Italian style. .50/can.

  Olives, 12 cans @ .79 each. This is an AMAZING price!!! I will get at least 12 more, maybe 24, next week.
 The pineapple is .88 each. I grabbed 12 and will get at least that many more next week.

  So happy to have held out for a deal on brown rice!! I've been waiting for a few months and yay!! Here's a 20 lb bag for just $8.99!!!!

 Here's a great little deal: I got 6 bags of Shoestring potatoes at just .50 each! This will be a fun and easy treat for the kids! Ok, a treat for me, too. :)
 So my husband is going to finish the rest of today's shopping for me... He went into town to work on the cupboard doors with my brother, so he's gonna hit Buy Low and Walmart for me. I'm pretty nervous.... but I'm sure he'll do fine. I'll let you know how it goes!

Product Review: Payson Lakes Campground

 The family and I enjoyed an evening at Payson Lakes campground up Payson Canyon on Thursday. It was rainy on the way up but quickly cleared as soon as we got there. I must be doing something right. :) We got our fire going quickly (bring your own wood), and cooked tin foil dinners that I had prepared ahead of time. This is a great way to use up vegetables! You can put almost anything in and they taste great!
 The fee for camping has gone up since we last stayed. It is now $17 per night. Between that and the food we bought, necessaries like graham crackers, chocolate, hot dog buns, and bug spray plus gas, we ended spending just under $40 for a mini family vacation. Not too bad. :)
The spot we chose was lovely and relatively spacious for the A loop.

 We were about 4 spots down from the bathrooms. Close enough to be convenient without having to smell it. :) Really, the facilities are pretty good. The bathrooms have been recently remodeled. There is a handy water spigot outside the bathrooms. You can fill your water jugs there.
Ps. No electricity in the bathrooms. Bring a flashlight. :)
 Just a short, scenic hike takes you to the big lake.

 There has been a lot of work done in the last few years to really upgrade the accommodations. Plenty of little fishing spots all the way around the lake and a couple of little beach areas. Lots of grilling areas, complete with picnic tables and grills. Convenient bathrooms and running water. Tons of great scenery and fun walking trails.
 We ran into a lucky little break. I had my husband help an older couple to get out of their canoe and because of that, they invited us to come back the next morning and take their canoe out on the water. How cool is that?! It does pay to be nice. :)
 We came back in the morning and they were waiting for us. They even had life jackets for all 4 of us.

 I know you all dig my stylin' sunglasses. Starting a new trend. ;)
The canoe was a fun adventure, a great way to see all the lake had to offer. I found it very relaxing.
 Oh, and there's a fun dock perfect for jumping into the lake. You'll have to climb over the edge, but it's worth it!

 That would be my lovely man heading into the water. He's so great! :)
 Back at the camp...

 Each  camp spot has a nice fire pit with cooking rack. Like I said, you will need to bring your own firewood. Don't count on being able to gather wood there. Though you may actually find quite a bit of kindling and such, it will likely be green or wet. Green and wet= smokey fire! Word to the wise. :)
 Bring your own camping chairs. Right now is a great time to take advantage of end of season sales on camping items! It's not too late to get in a couple adventures before school starts!

 We had such a great time! It was inexpensive, which made me happy, and it was fun, which made all of us happy. Know that not everything will go perfectly and that is okay! I forgot to bring a bowl to make the pancake mix in. Hence the little cup I'm using to mix it in. It worked just fine and is fun to laugh about. Have a great attitude and roll with the variant wonder of nature!