Deal of the Day!

Today's deal is at Office Max.
All Duck Brand Tape is just $1.00. That alone is a good deal...
But add your $1 off coupon from SS 11/11 and get it FREE!!!
Deal starts today!

Buy Low

 You may have noticed that Buy Low has changed up their weekly sale situation. Here's how I understand it:
I don't see any all week prices. Rather, it is broken up into the following:
Monday and Tuesday only
Wednesday and Thursday only
Friday and Saturday only
Not sure if they'll be open on Sundays anymore and what the sale situation will be... I'll update you all as I figure it out.

Here's what's on the menu starting this Monday!

Monday & Tuesday ONLY

Red Grapes $1/lb

Bone in Pork Roast 1.49/lb

Red Delicious Apples 3lb/$1

WF Cream Cheese .88

Chex Cereal 1.78
B1G1 FREE Party Mix Seasoning
-$1/2 Chex Cereals

7 UP & Pepsi 2 ltr .78

Wednesday & Thursday ONLY

Mangoes 2/$1

Italian Squash 3lb/$1

Navel Oranges 5lb/$1

Fuji Apples 2lb/$1

Cucumbers 5/$1

Romaine Hearts 3 pack $1

WF Canned corn/Green beans, Tomatoes, Soups .48

WF Thin Sliced Deli Meat 2 oz  4/$1

Friday & Saturday ONLY

Boneless Beef Eye of Round 2.78/lb

Farmland Boneless Whole Ham 1.98/lb

Hunt's Snack Pack pudding .78

WF 48 oz Ice cream 2.48

Cuties Clementines 3 lb  2.98

BE SURE TO CHECK THE CLEARANCE CARTS WHENEVER YOU VISIT BUY LOW!! AND BRING YOUR COUPON BINDER WITH YOU TO MAXIMIZE SURPRISE SAVINGS!!!
P.S. Remember that Buy Low matches grocery store ads!! Now a one stop shop!

A Few Good Prices

 Here's a heads up on a few good stock up prices you don't wanna miss out on! Remember that some of these prices only come this time of year!! Pay attention to expiration dates and your storage situation and then get as many as you can!!

Macey's
Good till this Monday

Lays Potato Chips 1.88

18 oz WF Oatmeal .88

Nabisco Crackers 3/$5
-.75/2 Nabisco crackers

Betty Crocker Cake Mix .88

Martinelli Sparkling Cider 1.88

Malt o Meal 36-45 oz bagged cereal 2.77
-$1.50/3 malt o meal cereal (online coupon)

Jumbo Refrigerator Biscuits 1.00

Wafer Cookies .88

Fresh Market
Good through Wednesday

Leaf Lettuce .99

Nalley canned Chili .77

Pace Salsa 15 oz 1.67

Land o Frost 16 oz deli meat 3.49

& UP/Pepsi 2 ltr .99
-$1/4 7 Up

Smith's
Good through Wednesday

Breyer's Ice Cream 50% off

Ruffles chips $2 each wyb 3

Baby Carrots 50% off

Nature's Bounty supplements 50% off

Kellogg's Cereal 50% off
-$1/2 Kellogg's cereal


Clover Club potato chips 3/$5

To pay or not to pay?

 I am getting really tempted to sign up for the extra photo storage on here... I am doing so many projects right now that I am just dying to show off! Must think about it some more..
 I was deep cleaning my shed and attic today. I decided to put into action my decision to dump the summer's inventory. It has been very therapeutic and has freed up so much space! I feel so much better! I am now focusing on organizing and selling the remaining inventory and prepping a more organized shelving situation for this coming summer's inevitable new inventory.
 My van is now full of donations that we will run into town today. I'm going to spend the rest of the winter scavenging for shelving and flooring supplies. My husband and I are designing built shelving for my office and my new sewing center. I'm hoping to only have to pay for the metal pieces. I don't want to have to buy any of the wood.
 In the midst of decluttering, I found a lovely school banner hanging on a dowel with decorative ends. I was about to toss it when I realized that the dowel is perfect for hanging the baby's quilt on her wall. I was going to order quilt hangers. Money saved! I will use left over paint for the dowel and it will work perfectly!
 As often is the case, patience and creativity can provide you with the things you need/want without having to spend much if any money! Put on your creativity caps and keep your eyes open to possibilities that sitting all around you!
 Of course, if you regularly go through what you have and keep organized, you will have a better idea of what items you have that can be put to use. I'm thinking I need to go through my inventory once a month... Gonna set a day to devote on the calendar. Little steps like this are money savers and money makers!
 What are you going to do today to save money on your latest project???

Donation= room for more!

 As I was putting away all the stock up items I bought today, I got to thinking. You know those items that you bought because they were a great deal or you had an awesome coupon but then your family didn't really care for them or you just bought too darn many and now you need the room for some of this week's great deals??
 Right now is the perfect time to donate them! Take the donation deduction, give that food a chance to be used by people who really need it. Now you have space for all that Chicken Broth that is such a good price this week!
 Just a thought. :)

Stock up now!!

Hey kids! This is an AMAZING week for stocking up on staples!! You might have noticed, there are prices right now that you won't see any other time of year! If you can afford it, you should be filling all freezer space and lots of pantry shelves!

Here are the must have deals at my 3 main stores:

Smith's

Philadelphia Cream Cheese 10/$10

General Mills Cereals 1.88 wyb 6
-$1/2 General Mills cereals
-$1/2 Chex cereals

Kraft Salad Dressing 16 oz 1.49 wyb 6
-$1/2 Kraft Salad dressing
-$1 off any produce wyb 2 Kraft Salad dressing (from a tear pad)

Capri sun 10 pk drinks 1.49 wyb 6

Nature Valley or Fiber One 5-12 ct bars 1.99 wyb 6
-.50/2 Nature Valley
-.50/2 Fiber One

Progresso Recipe Starters soup .99 wyb 6
-.50/1 Progresso Recipe Starters

Macey's

WF Butter 1.99

Pepsi & A&W 2 ltr .79

Nabisco Crackers 3/$5
-$.75/2 Nabiso Crackers

16 oz WF Sour Cream .99

Meadow Gold qt Egg Nog 3/$5

Libby's Corn or Green Beans .47

WF 14.5 oz Chicken or Beef Broth 2/.88

Martinelli's Sparkling cider 1.88

WF Pineapple 20 oz .77

Progresso Bread Crumbs .99

French's Fried Onions 3.00
-$1/1  6 oz French's Fried Onions

Jell-o Pudding or Gelatin 5/$5
-.50/2 Jell-o pudding or gelatin

WF Seasoning Mixes 3/$1

WF Cream Soups .65

WF Reduced Fat Cream Soups .99

32 WF Medium Cheddar Cheese block 4.99

Nestle Toll House morsels 1.88
-.75/2 Nestle morsels

WF Water Chestnuts 2/.88

2 lb Baby Carrots 2.00

Fresh Market

Fresh Market has most of the same deals as Macey's, though slightly more expensive. But here are a couple that are specific to FM.

WF Whipped Topping .89

Big Buy Bacon 1.99

I also hit the Clearance Meat and did awesome with Jennie-O ground turkey!! Always gotta check that out!

Early Spring Cleaning: Tax Write Off?

 There is a nasty rumor going around that we are going to lose our charitable donation tax deduction next year. I've decided to be proactive, just in case!
 I've been up in the attic and in all the closets this morning, sorting. I have tons of clothing, from my family and my digging. I'm going to take it all to Saver's to not only get the tax deduction, but also to earn a 20% off coupon as I need some sleepers for the baby.
 A surprising money saver was finding a whole bunch of small shirts that will fit my oldest daughter. We had planned to go shopping for her today for just that need and ta-da! I had a whole bunch in my overstock in the attic!
 A business decision I have made recently and am now implementing is this:
The things that I find while hunting and digging during the spring and summer, I will do my best to get them all used or sold by the time fall hits. Whatever is left, as long as it isn't seasonal, I will go ahead and donate. This way I won't feel so cluttered in my office and my husband won't keep bugging me about not being able to get to anything in the shed or attic.
 While cleaning and sorting, I also happened upon several items that need to be sold during the winter for optimal profits. I'm going to get them listed today!
 Cleaning and sorting pays off in all kinds of ways, friends! An added bonus: when spring time comes around, you'll already be clutter-free and can just head out and enjoy the weather while everyone else is Spring Cleaning!
 Ps. I've hit my limit of picture space for this blog. Until I decide that the extra storage space is worth the monthly cost, I will just be listing found objects and grocery hauls. No pictures. :/

Gone huntin'

 After dropping off my own and the kids I babysit, I made the rounds of my favorite bins. My favorite janitor left out some metal rolling carts for me. I'll have James go back with the truck this evening to pick them up.
 I was pretty happy finding those, but then I had this prompting to hit this other bin that is usually not so fruitful. Well.... whalaaaahhhh! Loads of copper wiring! A lot of it was already stripped for me even! I didn't have my step stool or grabber with me so I gathered what I could. I'll head back later with my "tools." Tonight I'll be having myself a wire stripping party! Oh the things that people throw away....

Garbage Day Again!

Today is garbage day in my neighborhood! You know how I like that! Even when I am sicker than a dog. Fun finds always lift the sneezy spirit. :)
I babysat my brother's kids last night and found a lovely white, folding side table in the neighbor's can. Then this morning, while running my daughter to school, I found a folding laundry rack for drying clothes. Both great finds!
I want to go coupon hunting today but I don't think it will happen. This is a "sit in your hoodie and jammies all day eating Triscuits" kind of day.....
Anywho, what treasures have you found lately??

Are You Prepared??

 We saw how bad things were for the East Coast recently... What if something just as bad hit your neighborhood today? Tonight? How prepared are you for something like that? Please don't think stupid thoughts like "that won't happen to me..."
 Instead, get out there and get your family ready! I have this eerie feeling that bad things are coming and feel a sense of urgency to get my home ready.
 If you haven't been working on this for a few years, you don't want to overwhelm yourself so let's start with 72 Hour Emergency Kits. Here's what you need:

FOOD AND WATER

(3 day supply of food and water per person when no refrigeration/cooking is available)

Protein/Granola Bars
Trail mix/Dried fruit
Crackers/Cereals
Canned Tuna, Beans, Meat, Vienna Sausage, etc (pop-top cans might leak/explode & Jerky can "flavor" other items)
Canned Juice
Candy/Gum
WATER (1 GALLON/4 LITERS PER PERSON PER DAY)

FUEL & LIGHT

Battery Lighting (flashlights/lamps)
Extra Batteries
Flares
Candles
Lighter
Water-proof Matches

BEDDING AND CLOTHING

Change of clothing (short and long sleeves shirts, pants, socks, jackets, etc)
Undergarments
Rain Coat/Poncho or large trash bags
Blankets and Emergency Heat Blankets
Cloth Sheet
Plastic Sheet

MISCELLANEOUS

Bag of Bags to put 72 hour kit items in
Infant needs (if applicable)
formula
water
diapers
wipes
burp rag
lotion
diaper cream
baby soap

EQUIPMENT

Can Opener
Dishes/Utensils
Shovel
Radio (with batteries)
Pen and Paper
Axe
Pocket Knife
Rope
Duct Tape

PERSONAL SUPPLIES & MEDICATION

First Aid Supplies
Toiletries (remove center tube from toilet paper and paper towels to flatten more easily. Keep in zip lock bag)
Feminine supplies
Folding Brush
Cleaning Supplies
Mini Hand Sanitizer
Soap
Dish Soap
Shampoo
(Hint: Scented Soap might "flavor" food items)
Immunizations up to date
Medication (Tylenol, Ibuprofen, children's medication and a 3 day supply of prescription meds if applicable)

PERSONAL DOCUMENTS AND MONEY
(Place these items in a water-proof container!!)

Scriptures (miniatures are lighter)
Genealogy Records
Patriarchal Blessing
Legal Documents (Birth/Marriage Certificates, Wills, Passports, Contracts)
Vaccination Papers
Insurance Policies
Cash
Credit Card
Pre-paid phone cards

I know this is a lot of stuff. For my family of 5, I have just one backpack and it does not hold all of this. I am working on preparing one more backpack, that way my husband and myself can each carry one. 
Older children can also be responsible for carrying light loads. 
When disaster strikes, it will be too late to put your bag together....
My next post will be about long-term disaster (apocolypse) preparation. ;) Seriously.

Yesterday

 Amid being all kinds of horribly sick, I did a bit of shopping yesterday. I had to take a few breaks, but I got it done and scored lots of great deals! No pictures this time. I had no energy left when I got home.
At Macey's I got these great deals:
Today's the last day to get them!

Cross Rib Pot Roast 2.49/lb

Boneless Skinless Chicken breast 1.79/lb

32 oz Western Family Yogurt 1.79

Western Family Ice Cream 2/$5

Farm Bread .99

Meadow Gold Egg Nog .99

Meadow Gold Pumpkin Spice Egg Nog .50

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At Stokes I found some other good things:

Western Family 30 oz Cereal 2.00
I bought 12 bags!

Keebler Club Crackers $1.25
-.50/1 Keebler Club Crackers (back of a cereal box)

I also found a lovely red tie for James to wear in our family pictures for just $5.99.

Finally, I took advantage of their "Fill it Fresh" $10 grocery bag. Select fruits and veggies can go in the bag. I got a tip from my mom in law that was really helpful. Make sure you get at least 20 lbs of produce to make it all .50/lb.
I got just over 20 lbs in my bag. Roy, the nice produce guy, advised me that I could fill the bag up to the handle. I so did!
*************************************************

I got it done and feel pretty darn good about it. :)

*************************************************

Here are a few things I'm looking forward to this coming week:

Macey's:
Two Days ONLY!!
Great Grains Bagels 1.25

Tillamook ice cream 2.99

Pillsbury Cake Mix .89

Lindsay olives .77

Toll House Chocolate Chips 3/$5
-$1/2 Nestle chips= 1.17

And the all week deals:

Western Family Ice Cream or Sherbet 1.88

Western Family 32 oz Yogurt 2/$3

Radishes, Green Onions, Green Bell Peppers 2/$1

Great Grains Split Top Bread .99

Litehouse Dressing 12 oz 2/$5
-$2/1 Litehouse dressing= .50

So excited to jump on some of these deals! I am happy to report that my kitchen freezer and deep freezer are chock full!! My pantry, the tops of my cupboards, and all of my shelves are full too! Come on Apocalypse! :) Wait.. I wanna get some bullets stocked up first...  ;)

Walmart.. and a confession

I hit the Payson store today. The good news: They are fully stocked with the Dawn dish soap that's FREE with the doubled P&G coupon. The bad news: they only let you get four. But for sure it's that limit that has made it so I could get some today, so I am a happy camper.

I also grabbed a few other goodies. The Hershey's Reese's Peanut butter chips are on rollback for $1.98. Use your -$1/2 coupon to get them for $1.48 each.
I cleaned out the .88 allergy meds. I was nearly out at home and Springville had been out of stock the last two times I went. So yes, this time I was a shelf clearer...

Now the confession..
I was buying socks and underwear for James for Christmas. I do that every year. I found some Fruit of the Loom socks that were made in the USA. It was 6 pair for around $7. On the other side of the aisle, the Starter brand (made in Honduras) had 10 pair for around $8. Yes.... I bought the Starter brand. I knew it was the wrong choice even as I was doing it. Total hypocrisy. I just couldn't get past the dollar amount. What's the lesson here?
It is going to take a lot of work, for myself also, to get everyone buying American again! 
At least they weren't made in China though...  :)

Today's Savings!

Today I hit Walmart and the Wonder bread store. Can I just say how devastated I am about the fall of Hostess? I feel for all the people losing jobs and I hate to have to start making my own bread again. I know, that's selfish and lazy of me. I really do feel bad for the employees though and truly hope the company will get bought out and they will get their jobs back.
So while I was at the Wonder store, I went ahead and stocked up on what I could.

Everything in the store (which isn't much) is 50% off. I got all of this for $6. The cashier told me today is their last day. There is some bread, corn tortillas, hamburger buns and candy left.

At Walmart, I grabbed a few more Christmas things for the kids. Boring stuff like socks and such. I had to hunt a bit, but none of them were made in China. I was apparently misinformed about Fruit of the Loom. :(
It seems that only a limited amount of their products are made in the USA. I couldn't find any that were. :(
I got a few double coupon items.

Some of the usuals:
Carefree liners FREE w/doubled coupon
Frigo cheese sticks $3.48
-.50/1 doubled= 2.48
Progresso soup starters $1.48
-.50/1 doubled= .48
Gerber baby cereal $1.98
-.65/2 doubled= 1.48 ea
Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix 17.5 oz $1.98
-.50/1 doubled= .98 ea

Yesterday I hit Buy Low and found some fun deals in the clearance carts.

 Shasta soda .25 ea
32 oz Crispy Rice $1.00
Kellogg's Raisin Bran $1.00
Motts and Betty Crocker fruit snacks .50 ea
-.50/2 coupon= .25 ea!!!
The cream cheese is .99 each. Great stock up price!! It is only this low at this time of year!

I grabbed some fruit and veggies. No particularly amazing prices as it wasn't their deal day but still better prices anywhere else. 
Best deals:
Iceberg lettuce 3/$1
Broccoli .50/lb
Gala apples .69/lb

And now some musings...
I picked up a big metal desk at a school yesterday. I've made a connection with the janitor and he leaves metal that's getting junked out behind the dumpsters for me. Sure beats hauling it out of a stinky dumpster!
We'll junk most of it for scrap but James is going to use the wooden desktop and the rollers from the drawer to make me a roll out shelf for my pots and pans. How cool is that?!
I am sitting here thinking about the things that we do to cut costs while still getting the things we really want. We have to be more patient and way more creative than other people, who choose to go into debt. The patience pays off though in lack of debt stress and the ability to breathe easy, even when unexpected needs arise. We are still poor, but comfortably so. :)
I really believe, that no matter what your life situation, no matter how much debt you have and however small your income might be, if you will just apply these principles to your life, you too can live with less stress and feel more peace in your life. You won't likely be rich or have all the goodies that the rest of society thinks are so important and necessary, but you will have joy and your family will have all that it truly needs. Plus maybe a few extras here and there, like dance lessons and a monthly pizza night.
1. If it isn't on sale and/or you don't have a REALLY good coupon, DON'T BUY IT!!
2. If it is on a great sale and/or you have a REALLY good coupon, and it is something you will actually need and use, BUY AS MUCH OF IT AS YOU CAN REASONABLY USE/STORE BEFORE THE EXPIRATION DATE.
3. If you can live without it, (and be honest, you probably can!)then DON'T BUY IT!!
America's garages and attics are chock full of crap that people thought they or their kids just had to have! 
4. Reign in the impulse or crying kid buys! This generation of kids is more spoiled than any in history. Rather than giving into their every demand because we don't want to deal with a tantrum or have someone think we're a bad parent, remind yourself that YOU ARE THE PARENT! You are the boss, your child is not. You are the father/mother. Not the best friend. Not only will these pacification's waste your money, you will also be responsible for having raised a child with a lack of discipline and self control and also likely bad spending habits.Reign it in! Be tough!
5. If there is a cheaper, but still reasonable, effective and legal way to get what you want, go for it! No brand or store loyalties! That can be hard for some people if you've been dedicated to a certain retailer or even a friend's business.I know it's tough sometimes, but you have to do what is best for your family. At the same time, I strongly encourage shopping local business whenever possible as a better local economy is a benefit to all
"Use it up, wear it out. Make do or do without."
Those who lived through the depression (a situation that most of us can't even imagine the severity and devastation of) still live by this mantra, knowing too well how quickly and easily we can lose all that we have. 
You can make your situation better. You don't need anyone to bail you out or to sacrifice your self respect by supporting a government that is quickly heading towards socialism, promising to give everyone their fair share. You can stand up and take care of yourself and your family! It will require work! Sacrifice! Self control! And lots of creativity! You can do it!
That is my soap box for today! It's up to us to save our nation, my friends!

If the price is right...

We all have a price... I hate to admit it... Yep. I signed up for the daily paper... Here's how it went down though:
It is only a 3 month subscription. The price was $27 but then the guy gave me $15 in Macey's gift cards which I then used on today's groceries.
You know how I feel about paying for coupons but the truth is, in the winter, it gets tough out there digging in the bins. I still will when it's worth it, but it will be nice to have a guaranteed delivery through the cold months. :0)
So, off I went into Macey's with my gift cards and I did amazing things! The deals this week are fantastic! Great stock up time!!

 Western Family Chocolate Chips $1.25
Milk $1.99 (today only!!!)

 Frozen veggies .69

 Coke & Sprite 2ltr products

 Libby's Canned Corn or Green beans .44

 WF Chicken or Beef Broth .44
WF Cream of Chicken or Mushroom Soup .59
Knorr Bullion Cubes .69
Canned Water Chestnuts .44
Cupcake liners .50
Sour Cream 16 oz .99
Seriously folks!! Get in there and stock up!!!

So then I hit the dollar store. The only place to buy nuts!
P.S. Have you heard?!?!
The Spanish Fork Dollar Tree now accepts manufacturer coupons!!! Bust out your binders and see what deals you can scare up! 

This was an awesome shopping day! I have a teeny bit to do tomorrow. Stay tuned! Getting us ready for the end of the world! ;)

Deal of the Day!

It's been awhile since I've done one of these but there's a stock up deal right now that you just can't miss!

Macey's

Western Family Chocolate Chips 4/$5!!!

You have through Monday! Jump in and get as many as you have room for in your deep freezer!

Fresh Market

I made a quick stop at Fresh Market today. I totally hit a meaty jack pot!

 I grabbed a few more boxes of Barilla whole grain noodles. .88 each
-$1/2 Barrilla= .33 each!!
Land o frost deli meat 9 oz $2.19 ea
-$1/2 Land o frost= $1.69 ea
Cake Cups .89 ea
And then the good stuff!!
I hit the Clearance meat and made it big!

I got 4 of these Jenni-O turkey cutlets and tenderloins. They were just $1 each!!
I also got some nice cuts of steak and some lovely pork chops at crazy low prices!
I've mentioned before that a full freezer is more efficient. Mine will be running really well! :)
Ps. A tip from a reliable source: Meat prices are going to spike thanks to crop issues. Wouldn't hurt to stock up if you can.  

Ancient Coupons

So you know how I look for magazines in the recycling bins? Oh yeah! We hardcore divers are in the dumpsters even in the snow! :)
I found a really old, fun Woman's Day magazine from the 80's. I enjoyed the flashback to old styles.. Oh the hair-do's and shoulder pads...

Anywho, it was a good laugh. I also found a couple of really old coupons. A couple of them were marked "no expiration."

It was really fun finding these old guys. The other one I found, unfortunately was for a product that no longer exists.
Here's the thing to know: even if the product packaging has changed, even if the name is a bit different, there is still a really good chance that the coupon will be accepted. So why not try?! Plus it's just so cool using a coupon that is nearly as old as I am!
Oh the fun that waits for you in the bins!

Yesterday

I made a quick stop at Fresh Market yesterday. I love seeing them being consistently competitive lately!

Milk was $1.99 yesterday only.
I also got these other deals that go through Tuesday:
Cheese Sticks 5.99= .24 per stick
Barilla Whole Grain or white pasta .88
-$1/2 Barilla= .33 each!!!
Land O Frost Deli meat 9 oz $2.19
-$1/2 any 2 Land o Frost= 1.69 ea

Another little tid bit I must report on:
I was so seriously depressed when the Presidential Election went down... I was just miserable. Well, one thing that always manages to cheer me up is hunting. I stopped at a recycling bin in Salem to drop off my recycling and happily found all of these books inside!

I am going to sell some of them and keep a couple for my family. The one I am most excited about:
Children's Songbook.
I have wanted this book for my kids ever since I had my first baby! I just couldn't justify spending the money. And ta-da! Here is the very book I wanted, even in hard cover! Perfect condition! My daughter hasn't let it go since I gave it to her!
Lessons learned: Patience pays off! And there is always a silver lining!

Hope lives on! 

Freebies at the gym OR "just ask!"

 So I have a Golds Gym corporate membership through my husband's work. It is an amazing deal and I am grateful for it.
 My sister and I were the Terrible Twosome at the gym before she went back east to be a nanny. I was on my own for a whole year!! Well, since she has been back, I have been engaging in a pleasantly persistent offensive, doing all within my power to bring her back into the fold; to reunite the masters of the gym!
 Finally, she has given in! She went to the gym with me today and we got her all signed up. Never one to miss an opportunity, I asked the guy doing the paper work what he could hook me up with as I've brought my sister back.
 Here's what I got:

 A nice big t-shirt and a sweat towel for my workouts. My sister also got one of the towels.
Would we have gotten anything but a handshake if I hadn't of piped up? I doubt it. Open your mouths folks!! You never know until you ask! :)
Ps. We had a lovely workout! We're back! Watch out Gold's Gym patrons!!!

Flu Shot Research

So I wanted to try flu shots for the kids this year and you know me, always looking for a deal! I found that Jean Brown & associates Research out of Salt Lake was doing a study on the current commercial flu shot and was looking for participants so I signed up the baby.
We got a call back this week and her and I drove up to get it done. The study is on the same flu shot that you get at the doctor's office for this year. They just draw the child's blood before and after the shots to see if the body is reacting properly to the immunization in order to know how to formulate the shot next year.
My baby is such a trooper and did a great job!
We have to go back up for another shot in one month and then for the final blood draw a month after that. We were paid $100 for the first visit. We'll be paid $100 for the second visit and $50 for the 3rd visit. We used the first payment to buy huge boxes of Huggies and wipes for the baby.
There are all kinds of ways out there to get what you need for yourself and your babies. Sometimes you just have to be creative!

Product Review Luvs Diapers

LUVS DIAPERS 

 I gave them a fair chance. Lesson learned; cheaper is not always better! 

  With my first 2 kids, I religiously used Huggies' Diapers. I never had a problem with them, on either my girl or my boy. With this one however, I decided to give Luvs, a much less expensive brand, a try. You know how I like saving money. 

  I quickly discovered that the supposed savings were eaten up with ruined clothing and a horrible skin rash. Every time my little girls poops, it all goes up her back, right out of the diaper.

  She also developed this horrible diaper rash just a few weeks into wearing Luvs. We treated it aggressively and it went away. Then it came back. We treated it again. Then it came back. Again and again and again. We tried several different treatments that the doctor recommended. 

  Then I spoke with my sister in law and come to find out, her baby boy had the same terrible reaction when wearing Luvs diapers. I decided right then that the battle was over. I was done! 

  My husband and I had wanted to use up the rest of the Luvs since we paid for them, but seeing my baby's angry red bum, at the point of having open sores, we decided against it and have had her laying on a bed pad all day with a bare bum. 

  My husband is off to Sam's Club with his mom to get a box of Huggies! No more of this nonsense!

Moral of the story: Cheaper sometimes equals trouble. If you have something that you know works and you love, find a way to afford it! Cut back elsewhere on things that don't matter as much! That is all I have to say about that. :)

Yesterday and Today!

I've gotten a lot of shopping done yesterday and today! Yesterday I hit Buy Low and Stokes.
Stokes is a great place for unadvertised sales. I always find surprise goodies when I go there. My mom-in-law had given me the heads up on a Saturday/Monday only sale so I went down there early yesterday. I was thrilled with all the deals I found!

 Whipped topping .77
Milk 1.88
Butter 1.98

Marshmallows .68
Bananas .33/lb
32 oz Western Family Cereal bag 2.50
Pineapple .33/lb

Lindsay Olives .68
Green Beans .48
64 oz Apple Juice 1.28

Then I headed off to Buy Low!

Avocados 2/$1

Green Leaf lettuce 2/$1

Cauliflower .50/lb

Broccoli Crowns .50/lb

Apples .69/lb

Shasta Soda cans .25 (in clearance carts)
Quaker cookies .99 (in clearance carts)
-$1/2 any Quaker items= .49 each!!!!
Sliced cheese product .99
2 lb Cheese 5.99
I know, its a crappy price. We needed cheese and it was the best there was at the time. :(

Today I hit Smith's and Walmart. Here's Smiths:

Barilla Whole Grain pasta 10/$10 (must buy 10)
-$1/2 Barilla pasta= .50 ea!
100 ct Vegetable laxative 1.99 ea (clearance end cap, back by the milk)

Walmart

I didn't have time to gather as many copies of coupons before today as I wanted to but I'm still happy with what I got. I'll do better next time though! I went hunting today and got tons of the coups I wanted and will use them next week!
*= doubled coupon

C&H Brown Sugar 1.98
-.50/1 2 lb C&H sugar*= .98

Carefree liners .94
-.50/1 Carefree liners*= +.03!!!

3 pk Ivory bar soap 1.24
-.50/1 Ivory soap*= .24 ea!

Allergy meds .88

Dial seasonal liquid hand soap .97
-.35/1 Dial soap*= .27 ea!!!

Atkins Shakes 5.78
-$1/1 Atkins shakes= 4.78

Atkins Bars 5.78
-$1/1 Atkins shakes online coupon= 4.78 (This shake coup worked just fine on the bars!)

Atkins peanut butter cups 5.57 (on sale)
-$1/1 Atkins shakes online coupon= 4.57
This is a crazy awesome price!! This product average $8 almost everywhere else!

I also grabbed a great deal on ibuprophen and a few tomatoes at .78/lb. I hate seeing their price going up. Even Buy Low didn't have a better price this week. Oh well. Have to deal with the changing seasons. 
On the other hand, we are coming into baking season! So here's a head's up on a great stock up item:

Fresh Market 
Western Family Chocolate Chips $1.50 each!!! Starts tomorrow (Wednesday!)

Happy Shopping!

Monday

My fabulous Grandma brought me a gift the other day. It was just perfectly perfect!

How freaking cool is this?!?!

I also hit Macey's on Friday to get more of those fabulous free noodles and such!

FREE noodles!
FREE Frozen Burritos! Did you all get that FREE Monterray burrito coupon??
They also had bagels for $1.25!
And the whipped topping was .89 each.
Less than $3 for ALL of this!!!

Okay, just one other note:
I found yet another wonderful MADE IN USA product!

Yay for Reynolds Wrap!

Onto some shopping! So many deals to take advantage of!

In the Bins!

 I've been asked several times what exactly I'm looking for when I hit the recycling bins. I went "hunting" today for my weekly fix and ended up with a nice assortment of goods. It is actually a really good representation of what I search for on a regular basis. So here ya go:

 Coloring Books! most of these haven't even been used! The ones that have, only have a few used pages. Great for my kids!
 Magazines! These are a great seller on ebay!

 Books and coupons!

 Cardstock and other fun paper! Yes, that whole rainbow is from today!!!

Brand new, still in the plastic items to sell!! Craziness!!

I also grabbed some egg cartons. My grandparents have chickens and regularly give me some so I bring them all the empty cartons I find.

Another thing that I am always on the lookout for: PACKING MATERIALS!! Between the recycling bins and the dumpsters behind stores, I never need to pay for envelopes or bubble wrap! I sell lots of goods online and am able to keep my overhead nice and low this way. Plus, I'm recycling! yay for saving the world!

So if you wanna know what to look for, this is the gist of it: If you can use it or sell it, if it is something that you will likely have to buy at some point anyway, then YES! Grab it! Then make sure you put things to use or get them sold as fast as possible. This is a fun business but can quickly become a disastrous mess! I like to sort everything the day that I find it and get it all put in its proper place as fast as possible!

GOOD LUCK! HAPPY HUNTING!!

3 Stores full of savings!

  I hit 3 stores today and got us some great deals. First was Fresh Market. Their sales week starts over again tomorrow.

WF yogurt 3/$1
1 lb Baby carrots .69
16 oz Land o frost deli meat 3.49
-$1/2 land o frost= 2.99 ea
Marsala cooking wine 2.29
Jennie-O Turkey cutlets $2.75 (clearance meat)

Then it was off to the dollar store! I was looking for almonds, pistachios and cooking spray. The thing with the dollar store however, is that you never know for sure if the same items will be in stock. I didn't get those things, but I did end up getting other bags of nuts, flax seed, and Fiber One bars. They haven't carried Fiber One (in full size box) before that I know of. I was pretty excited about that one!!

After that, we hit Macey's. James (my husband) has a friend at work who's wife is a much more intense couponer than myself. I've heard about her from other people; she is pretty notorious. So James just figured out today that it was his friend's wife. So he gave James a heads up on an awesome ramen deal at Macey's. I happened to have several copies of the necessary coupon, so off we all went together to take advantage of it!

Nissin Big Bowl ramen 4/$1
-$1/4 Nissin big bowls= FREE!!!!
The paper bags are full of ramen! I still have more coupons and will head back in when they have restocked!
Meadow Gold Egg Nog $1.59
Fat Boy 6 ct Ice cream sandwiches 2/$7 Buy 2, get one FREE!!!
-$1/2 Fat Boy
-$1/1 Fat Boy= $1.66 each!  I found both of these coupons in LDS Living magazines that I found in the recycling bins.
This was a really gratifying haul! Don't you just love saving money?!?!  :)

Tuesday at Walmart & Shopko

Yesterday I took advantage of my $10/$20 Shopko prescription club coupon. Yes, I get enough meds to keep me in these coupons pretty often. Good times.

So I got underwear for the hubs, Shopko brand cold medicine, and this lovely, huge, clearance mum. I paid just $12 and change!

Then we hit Walmart.
*= doubled coupon

Milk (ad-matched w/Buy Low's coupon) $1.99
Strawberries (ad-matched w/Buy Low's coupon) $1
Frigo string cheese $2.98
-.55/1*= $1.98 ea!
La Victoria whole wheat soft tortillas $1.78
-$1/1 online coupon= .78 ea
Allergy meds .88
Ivory 3 pack soap $1.24
-.50/1*= .24!
Whipped Topping $1.92
Cauliflower (ad-matched w/Buy Low coupon) .33/lb
Progresso Soup Starters $1.48 (rollback)
-.50/1*= $.48 ea!

It was just a couple of quick trips. Nothing super exciting, but all great money savers. Every little bit counts!

Garbage Day!

 In my neighborhood, today is Garbage Day!! One of my favorite days of the week!! On the way to taking my daughter to school, I always check out the dumpsters along the way, looking for anything sticking out. This is a great metal-salvage opportunity!

Quite often, when you see something sticking out of a garbage can, it ends up being good metal scrap. Mop sticks are really common finds. Today I found this metal ironing board. It all adds up!
So, on your garbage day, take the residential route as you run your errands. And don't be shy! I've never had anyone give me trouble about pulling stuff out of their cans. Remember! It's money and we're saving it from the land fills! YOU CAN DO IT!

Halloween Fun for Wallet & Body!

I found a fun little flyer at the gym yesterday and just have to share it with my fellow deal hunters!

Highway to Hale!

Saturday, October 27 @ 10 am

 I'm going to do the "Zombie Walk." Feels appropriate! :) For that or the 5k race, registration is $25. With that fee, you get some great benefits! 

-Technical T-shirt

-Two ticket vouchers to Hale Center Theater

-Entry to the refreshment area

-Entry into prize drawings

 There is also a 10k race. The fee is $35 but you also get two extra theater tickets! So go sweat it up in the morning and then hit a show that night!

 Costumes are ENCOURAGED!! I will be wearing my fabulous Scare Crow costume that I found at Saver's. 

 To Register:

http://webticketing.haletheater.org/

Post Office Instead of Land Fill

Just a little "I'm saving the world!" tid bit!

This pic is of a bag of packages on their way to the post office. All of them salvaged from dumpsters and recycling bins around the valley. They are now headed to all kinds of different places around the country to people who will appreciate them so much more than the ones who through them away. 

It's like they're getting a second life. Does that mean I just gave birth... ? ;)

Anywho, a little money in my pocket and even more good earth karma in my soul-bank!

You can make a difference too. You don't have to go diving like me. Just be aware of what you're throwing away. Could it find a home somewhere else? If we all do our part, our kids just might have a better world to grow up in. There's today's dose of idealism. Enjoy!

Today's Adventures

I hit three stores with two of my kids this morning. We got ourselves moving early and accomplished a lot pretty quickly.
We hit Walmart first to double coupons.
* The asterisk will indicate that the coupon was doubled.*

Sadly, the Jiffy Pop 3 packs that I normally get with a doubled coupon, are no longer available at Walmart. At least, not at the Springville store. :( Now you have to buy 8 or 10 packs. Not as good of a deal, so I skipped it.

The huge bag of rolls was $2.10 on the day old rack. You can usually find it sitting in the dairy section.
Progresso Soup Starters $1.48 ea
-.50/1 coupon*= .48 ea
I took advantage of this because Cheese Soup is incredibly expensive. This is a great alternative, especially while Progresso is on roll back.
Carefree liners .94 ea
-.50/1*= FREE
C&H Brown Cane Sugar $1.98 ea
-.50/1 coupon*= .98 ea
This is even cheaper than last year!! How often does that happen?!?!
Ivory 3 pack soap $1.24
-.50/1 coupon*= .24 ea!!!
I am going to gather up as many of those coupons (October P&G insert) as I can as totally stock up on soap!!
La Victoria Whole Wheat Tortillas $1.78
-.75/1 coupon*= .78 ea!!
How cool is that price?? On whole wheat tortillas, that is a STEAL! These ones were tricky to find. You need to actually look on the aisle right next to the other La Victoria salsas and such. They WON'T be in the tortilla section. 
Frigo Cheese Sticks $2.98 (roll back!)
-.55/1 coupon*= $1.98!!!!
I have never seen them this low before! Anyone know if they freeze well??

We hit Rite Aid next to use my $5 +UP rewards from last week.

So their milk is way expensive! $3.89 per gallon! But with my rewards, after tax, I paid $1.50 per gallon.

Then we hit Buy Low:

 12 oz Corn Flakes $1.25
-$1/2= .75 ea!!!!
Always check the CLEARANCE section!! And bring your coupon binder as you never know what surprise deals you might find!
Chips Ahoy ad-matched w/Smith's $2.00
-.50/1 coupon (All You October mag)= $1.50
Red Grapes .99/lb
Sliced cheese product .99

 24 oz Cottage Cheese ad matched w/Smith's $1.67
Land o' Frost 16 oz deli meat ad-matched w/Macey's $2.99
-$1/2 coupon= $2.49 ea
Red Bell Pepper ..79
Green Bell Pepper 2/$1
Salad .99 ea
Roma Tomatoes 2lb/$1
Bananas 3lb/$1

5 qt ice Cream $5.99
Large Whipped Topping $1.98
Celery ad-matched w/Fresh Market .99
98% fat free Cream of Chicken soup $1.09 ea
I also did a bit of coupon hunting today and will do that and some dumpster diving tomorrow. Excited to find some treasures!
I've worked through a lot of my "inventory" on ebay these last couple of months and am ready for new merchandise!! Who knows what's out there waiting for my gloved hands?!

Happy Surprises!

So.. this new commitment to not buy anything MADE IN CHINA... I admit I am human and suffer from weakness now and then. Luckily, the good Lord has blessed me for my feeble efforts!
I needed new filter bags for my Whisper fish tank filter. I had put off buying them because I was just certain that they had to be made in China. Finally though, my poor fish were crying (yes, crying!) because of the filthiness of their habitat. I couldn't let it go on.
I walked over to the local pet store and grabbed the filter bags without looking at the bottom of the box. I tried to rationalize that if I didn't look then I didn't know and so it would be okay. 
My dedication won out however and I looked. Plus I was waiting in line and am a less than patient person. Guess what?!?! They are MADE IN THE USA!!! I was so elated that when it was my turn to pay, I delighted the cashier with my story. Okay, so he wasn't as passionate as I was about it, but I practically floated back to my house! 
Not only had I saved money and pollution by walking, I had also supported a small, local business... AND... I bought from us!!!!
So that was one. Then, in the shower today, I decided it was time to finally replace the blades on my Venus Razor. I had bought the new blades before my commitment began, sure again that this was a made in China item. As I was getting a new blade out of the box though, I decided I may as well check since the deed was already done.
Lo and behold, they are made in Mexico! I am totally okay with that!!! So, there's another brand I shall be promoting! Now if only they would move some of that work home.... Must be patient! :)
Finally! I was out for an evening walk with my sister and noticed an interesting shadow behind the dumpster of a local credit union. I of course had to inspect the situation. What I found was something I had actually been thinking of buying!! It was one of those thick vinyl floor coverings that are used in office spaces for wheeled chairs to move around on.
I had it on my list because my sweet little boy has been having potty accidents in his bedroom and it is ruining the carpet. While trying to cure him of this problem, I thought it would be helpful to have some kind of carpet protection. And what?!?! I found it! For FREE!! 
It was a major pain carrying it home, what with all the pokies on the one side that hold it to the carpet. But I persevered like my pioneer heroes and it is now in my son's bedroom! 
YOU can save money too!! Keep your eyes OPEN for these opportunities and the good Lord will bless you  too!
Now I must go and save some more money by baking this week's bread! Ta ta for now!

Buy Low & Rite Aid

I hit Rite Aid yesterday and got the most fabulous deal on Charmin toilet paper!

20 double rolls $9.87 ea
Earn $5 +UP rewards wyb $15 select products.
-$10.00 +UP rewards from last week!
Such a great deal!!

Then we hit Buy Low!

 Clover Club chips 2/$3
Carrots 3lb/$1
Mushrooms .98
Red Onion 2lb/$1
Bananas 3lb/$1
Pineapple 3lb/$1
Salad .98
Red Potatoes 5lb/$1
Roma tomatoes 2lb/$1

Milk $2.48
-.75/1 online milk coupon
32 oz Shredded Cheese $4.99
-$1/1 any 2 lb cheese online coupon

These prices are all still good today. Some of the produce prices will go up tomorrow so don't miss out!!