This should be 79.38 but I paid 2.72!!!

I love the sound of that title! It's super rewarding to get such great deals.

Yes I will use most of this stuff-what I don't use I donate to charity.

Okay what I got and how I did it. Please note I am not posting my grocery purchases here because I always put those on Shopping Day Adventures. But I will say I have a few cool purchases on there for next week (so far total should have been: 71.79ish (some items were on clearance) but I paid:50.87 plus a $5.00 gift card. So it's like I paid 45.87 or 36% savings-so far) so check back next Monday to see how and what I did.

The Language:
5/15: means you get 5 dollars off a 15 dollar purchase
ECB: are Extra Care Bucks you get when your receipt prints. This is like CVS cash!
Transaction: I use the ECB from my last transaction (#1) to pay for the next one (#2) etc.
OOP: means 'out of pocket'
MFG: manufacturer coupon from Sunday paper
PMFG:Printed manufacturer coupon online

For more on CVS and Walgreens tutorials go to Deal Seeking Mom or "Cents"able momma or "Cents"ible Sawyer

At CVS:



Transaction #1
Revlon Blush 9.99
Revlon Blush 9.99
Total 19.98
-5/15 purchase
-5.98 ecbs
-8.00 ecbs
Total 1.07
paid for with gift card from a prescription fill
Total: FREE + $10.00 ecb



Transaction #2
Theraflu (I love this stuff when I am sick) 6.59
Theraflu 6.59
Total: 13.18
mfg coupon 2.00
-10.00 ecb from last transaction
Total: 1.26
paid for with gift card above
Total: FREE + 5.00 ecb




Transaction #3
Stayfree Max Regular 24 3.99
Stayfree Max w/ 18 3.99
Total: 7.98
-5.00 ecb from last transaction
Total: 2.98
paid for with gift card above and $10 refund card (I paid nothing for it, it was an ecb and coupon refund)
Total: FREE + 4.00 ecb



Transaction #4
Colgate tooth paste 4.89
-1.00 pmfg coupon
-4.00 cvs coupon
Total: FREE + 2.00 ecb



Transaction #5
Suave mens body wash 1.99
Suave mens body wash 1.99
Suave cucumber melon 1.99
Total: 5.97
-1.50 mfg coupon
-2.00 ecb
Total: 2.47
paid for with refund
Total: FREE + 2.00 ecb



Transaction #5
Nature Made Echinacea 6.49 B1G1 Free
Nature Made Echinacea 0.00
Total: 6.49
-1.00 mfg coupon
-1.00 mfg coupon
-2.00 ecb
Total: 2.66
Paid for with refund
Total: FREE




Transaction # 6
Energy drink 4.99
Total 4.99
paid for with refund
Total: 1.56 OOP +4.99 ecb



Transaction # 7
Valentine candy .32 (for my boys)
Valentine candy .32
Shoe Goo 5.39(for my husband)
Total: 6.03
-4.99 ecb
Total: 1.09 OOP

Grand Total: 76.00 (pre-tax) My Total oop: 2.65

I have no more ecb's and no more gift/refund money. So while that stinks, I think I have done pretty well over the last two weeks.

Walgreen's Trip:

Foil 1.69
Foil 1.69
tissue .29
Total: 3.67
-walgreens coupon 1.60
-mfg coupon 2.00
Total: .07 OOP

So between the two I spent 2.72 and saved: 76.66 or 97% savings!

Menu Plan Day and Shopping day Adventures

Don't forget to check out shopping day adventures below (where I show you what I spent with my $50.00 grocery money and $50.00 everything else money) Also to get other great menu plan day posts go to orgjunkie or more grocery shopping day's go to The Grocery Cart Challenge.

Well for me the next two weeks, no more eating good yummy America's Test Kitchen meals. I am going on a 2 week candida diet were I can't have anything except lean meats and low/no sugar fruits and veggies. It's going to be so hard! I am also using this diet cleanse and this fungal detox with my diet...and below is my main meal that I will be eating everyday all day. I actually like this meal so I am happy with it. I just hate giving up sweets! lol!



My candida meal for the week: I will eat this all day including dinner

Lentil and Cabbage Stew (I am substituting the toovar dal with red lentils, not using ground fenugreek or black mustard seeds, and I am using curry powder instead of leaves...I am also doubling the recipe.

I also plan to eat:

Breakfasts:
Strawberry Limeade Smoothies (recipe below)
eggs

Snacks:
Celery and almond butter

Dinner:
along with my stew I will be eating steamed veggies (drenched in butter!)

My Strawberry Limeade Smoothie:
1/2 C frozen strawberries
1/2 C yogurt
2-3 T lime juice (more or less to your liking)
1/4 C water (you can use milk to make it creamer or oj for tartness but I can't have those)
1/4 t stevia
2-3 t Xylitol

add to blender mix and serve! Tastes yummy!

Don't forget I substitute a lot of the ingredients for all natural or organic or healthier ones. Such as sugar I use Xylitol or Honey, for flour I use whole wheat, spelt, or brown rice, for chocolate I use carob powder, etc. Also I use America's Test Kitchen Recipies and not the ones below.

My Families meals for the week:

Breakfast:
eggs and grits
cinnamon vanilla oatmeal
organic cereal

Snacks:
carrots and ranch
organic popcorn
all natural Cheetos
Chocolate banana bread (from really old bananas)

Dinner:
Toasted Turkey Subs, home fries, steamed veggies
Skillet creole chicken fricassee, rice, mashed potatoes, steamed veggies
Shrimp and scallop skewers with hoeisn-ginger sauce, rice, steamed veggies
Grilled chicken with sesame noodles,
Lemon chicken and rice soup
Mexican Chicken soup
Leftovers

How my grocery shopping went:

Well I have to go by memory but I think my husband spent around 13.00 on these items:

foil (err I can get it free at Walgreen's this week-oh well now I will have a lot)
brown sugar
3 3lb pork shoulder
Total: 13.00ish

I spent:

Akin natural food market:

2 Panda licorice for boys 1.30
agave nectar 3.99
3 Soda (stevia) 3.48
Total 9.00

Woods Grocery Store:



Grocery
tomatoes crushed 1.67
Produce
5.97lb grapes 5.26
2lb Mangoes 1.98
4.36lb cabbage 2.57
1 jalapeno pepper .14
6lb apples 4.00
Lettuce 1.19
Dairy
1lb butter 2.39
Frozen
2-1lb Brocolli Normanday 3.00
2-1lb Mediterrainan Veggies 3.00
Total: 26.39

Praire Grove Farm:
Raw Milk 3.50

Grand Total: 51.89ish

If you guys read my blog you know each week we have $50 for groceries and $50 for all other house hold and personal nessesities. Each week I have pretty much stayed right on the money.

First week:
47.73 groceries
60.00 spelling power book
Grand Total: 107.73

Second week:
49.72 groceries
40.00 shoes ( I did not include tax here because I did it on the jackets below since they were bought together)
Grand Total: 89.72

This week:
51.89 groceries
10ish oil and filters for car(husband got...don't remember total)
1.94 Walgreen's
46.30 jackets
Grand Total: 110.13


So it looks like I am over by about $7.58ish (depending on what my husband actually spent, which these totals should be right on the money-ish)

Not bad aye?

So do you have a frugal freak deal you would like to share? If so sign up to my Linky below along with your post of your frugal deal (be sure to only link your current deal post not your blog homepage)

Latte

Total should have been: 305-ish But I paid 88.24

I bet your dieing to know how I saved so much! Well I will tell ya...um mostly because I am just dieing to tell everyone!

NOTE: because of taxes my amounts might seem a touch off, but it should not be too much, if it is let me know...it was a lot of math for this girl to do! lol

Okay I went to CVS and EVERYTHING I purchased there was TOTALLY FREE, plus I have a 10 dollar rebate coming and 27.78 in ECB's left (13.08 of which are on gift cards so they don't expire)

I have to admit, at first this CVS/Walgreens shopping was so overwhelming! However I stuck with it and it is getting so much easier to do. These are the 3 things that kept me going:

1. The desire to save money-no matter my income
2. The time it takes to learn this which at first will take some time but once you do it, it gets much easier-it helps that so many mom's are willing to share
3. The effort to stay organized. I am not organized with a lot of stuff, but you have to be with this. It's just not an option or you will end up losing money.


First I must totally thank these ladies for helping me, if it were not for them I could not have done this. All of them plus many more helped me. note: you can check them out on my left side bar!

http://www.couponing101.com/
http://www.thethriftymama.com/
http://www.cvs-saver.blogspot.com/
http://www.ingoodcents.blogspot.com/
http://www.dealseekingmom.com/
http://www.drugstoredivas.blogspot.com/
http://www.kingdomfirstmom.com/
http://www.thecentsiblesawyer.blogspot.com/
http://www.centsablemomma.com/

Most of these ladies have great tutorial on how to be the best deal getter there is! Here are some of the tutorials I used:

http://www.centsablemomma.com/2008/09/coupons-101.html
http://thecentsiblesawyer.blogspot.com/2009/02/cvs-for-beginners.html

Okay now to explain a little about what I did:

First I went to these girls websites (above) and looked over the way they purchased their items and in what order they did there transactions. In order to get the best deals at CVS you must make multiple orders and then pay for it with your ECB's (extra care bucks that print at the bottom of your receipt-it's like cash that you can only use at CVS and it expires in roughly a month) I think I made 5 transactions (the girls above suggest no more than 4 at a time but the cashier was ever so helpful so I did not get back in line for each of them, she let me do them all in one visit)

Before I went to CVS, I wrote down the best scenario for our family. Then I printed all the coupons that the girls had listed that went with my transactions. I made sure to write this all down next to each transaction. Then I went to my coupon book:

and got out all the coupons that went with each transaction, put them with my printed coupons and separated them out by transaction. Before I left I made sure I knew and listed how much each item should cost, how much ecb's I would spend and how much ecb's I should be getting back. I also made sure to put my CVS ad in my binder with my coupons and list.

Just a note I put my coupons in the binder above in quart sized Ziploc bags (that I hole punched) and labeled according to the item's, mine are:

use this week
body products
face products (shaving cream, razors)
hair products
teeth products
make-up
food
deserts
drinks
cereals
cleaners/smell goods
laundry
bathroom needs (q-tips, toilet paper, etc)
kitchen needs (paper towels, foil, etc)


Then I headed to CVS. I took my time tring to make sure I got the right items (you have to be careful they put the signs in the wrong spot and if you don't get the right size/kind you'll be stuck in line and totally stressed out)This is what my transactions looked like, but keep in mind that I started with a $25.00 gift card for CVS that I got for filling my new prescription last week( I only had $16.46 when I started) , I also had about $25 .00 in ECB's, and a $10.00 gift card from a refund but I did not use that on this visit.

Transaction #1:

1 Colgate tooth paste 2.99
1 Colgate tooth paste 2.99
minus:
mfg coupon 1.00
mfg coupon 1.00
total: 3.98+tax 4.25
paid for with gift card made it:
FREE
plus got $5.98 back in ECB's

Transaction # 2:

Suave men's body wash 2.00
Suave ocean breeze body wash 2.00
Suave Sweet pea body wash 2.00
minus:
mfg coupon 1.50
-ECB 4.00
total: .50+ tax= .53
paid for with gift card made it:
FREE
Plus got back $2.00 in ECB's

Transaction #3

Wheat Thins 2.50
Wheat Thins 2.50
Cotton Swabs 2.50
Stay fresh pantie liners 3.99
Stay fresh pantie liners 3.99
Candy bar I had to get .67
minus:
15.98 ECB
Total .17+tax=.18
Paid for with gift card made it:
FREE
Plus got back $4.00 in ECB's

Transaction #4
Scope mouth wash liter 3.99
Herbal Essence Shampoo 2.99
Herbal Essence Shampoo 2.99
Herbal Essence Shampoo 2.99
Herbal Essence Shampoo 2.99
minus:
coupon .75
coupon 3.00
coupon 3.00
ECB 1.99
ECB 2.00
ECB 4.99
Total 22+ tax=.24
Paid for with gift card making it:
FREE
Plus got back $5.00 in ECB's

Transaction #5 the money maker:
Natural Dentist Mouth wash 9.99
Natural Dentist Mouth wash 9.99
Minus:
mfg coupon 2.00
mfg coupon 2.00
ECB 4.00
ECB 4.00
Total 7.46 with tax
Paid for with gift card making it:
FREE Plus got back 8.00 in ECB's Plus I have a $10.00 rebate mailed off!

To recap; all of this on sale would have cost me: 61.07(pre tax) but because I used coupons I saved $14.25 and because I used my ECB's I saved: 37.96 and the rest I put on the $25.00 gift card I got for my prescription last week. But I still have 13.98 in ECB's $3.08 left on my gift card, and 10.00 on another gift card from a refund. Making my total left to spend: 27.78

So I started with:
38.38 spent NOTHING and now have 27.78 in ECB's and gift cards left to spend, plus a $10.00 rebate!

Tell me who is the WOMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now for my Walgreen's purchases:

Finesse Shampoo 3.99 B1B1 free
Finesse Shampoo 0.00
Charmin 6 double roll 4.79
Tooth paste (can't have more coupons than items so I had to get this) .99
minus:
mfg coupon .75
mfg coupon .75
mfg coupon .25
walgreens cash register reciept from last week 6.00
total 1.82+tax= 1.94
Paid out of pocket (oop) 1.94

Okay on to my next savings. My husband and I went to sears to get us some shoes that were on sale. While there we saw that jackets were on clearance. We always try and buy our boys jackets the season before so we can get them really cheap. This is what we purchased and our savings: Please note on the jackets we use to get these same jackets in years past for like 10-12 dollars but because of the high starting prices the clearance prices are just not that low any more (we received 50% off plus an additional 30% off of that)



Boys size 14-16 jacket 95.00 we paid 24.00 (Zero Xtreme w/hood and i-pod pocket)
Boys size 5/6 jacket 60.00 we paid 16.79 (Cars The Movie theme w/hood)
Mens Reebok shoe 39.99 we paid 19.99 (Trail wave ultra light -black, grey and red)
Women's Reebok shoe 39.99 we paid 19.99 (Trail wave 3-D ultra light- grey and purple)
Total: 234.98 we paid 86.30 after tax!

So to Recap today I spend around 88 dollars on items that would have cost around 305 dollars!~


Total saving 71%

So tell me, what fugal freak things have you done? If you have posted on it, sign my link down blow and put your blog in it. Make sure you just link to your most recent or favorite frugal freaky savings post. It's helpful but not necessary to link back here in your post.

Latte

Menu Plan Day and Shopping day Adventures

Well this has been one fun frugal adventure. I have been so excited to try and get good deals, and still stick to my semi-candida diet(more about that later in this post). My biggest problem has been the organic all natural part. My local grocery just does not carry much. I am planning on going to a local natural food market (that is 40 miles away, but on my way to the dentist office) later this week and see if I can shop there. I called them yesterday to see if they take online coupons-cuz that would just be so wonderful. We shall see.

To see other menu plan Monday's go to orgjunkie.com or to see other grocery cart challenges go to Grocery Cart Challenge and learn the best ways to be organized, and shop on the cheap.

Keep in mind I use America's Test Kitchen recipes as they are so perfect, we just don't want to try anything else, oh and your in luck I found 2 of the ATK recipes on recipezarr cool huh!

What I will be making this week:

Breakfasts:

Cinnamon and Vanilla Oatmeal

Eggs and grits

Organic pop tarts (I will be glad when these are gone cuz they are loaded with sugar)

Organic cereal

Dinners:

Lasagna x's 2 and freezing the other one for later in the month, salad

Chicken Quesadillas

Turkey, dressing, and bread stuffing

ATK Thai Peanut Chicken Salad wraps, fries

ATK Easy Minestrone bread, salad

Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew bread, salad

Leftovers

Snacks:
popcorn
yogurt
smoothies
fruit basket my mommy sent us for valentines day
apples
banana bread-bought too many apples last week

How my shopping week went: But first;

As you may know my shopping budget was cut in half from $100 to $50. However I still get the other $50 for home school purchases or clothing-that use to be in it's own budget which is now gone. So last week I bought this spelling curriculum with the other $50.00, ahem...well it was actually $60.00 but it covers 12 years of school and it's only one book but it comes with a DVD and a CD (I think) So this week we only have $40.00 left for shopping and Thor and I were thinking of getting these shoes not that we really need them right now, but my husband foresees it (um by it we mean the economy) getting worse as the years go by and we are wanting to stock up on things like clothes so we don't have to worry in the years to come.

Now on to my shopping week:

Well now to tell you about my candida diet. At this point I am not 100% doing the diet. I have given up white sugar(well I did have a few chocolates on valentines day;-) and white flour plus most carbs. I am taking an anti-fungal (that is working pretty well) and when it is gone I will do the full candida diet for 2 weeks along with a dieters cleanse. That should take care of most of it. I have noticed a huge change in how I feel after just one week. My lungs feel better, my vibrations (I have muscle vibrations) are all but gone (I had one bad night after eating large amounts of hunny sweetened brownies-so I must limit my daily hunny intake) I still have huge bouts of brain fog, and fatigue, but even those are getting better (I actually cleaned my house today)

So enough about me here is what I got or will get and what it cost me:

First let me start by saying I hardly had to purchase any fruits because my dear mom was so sweet and sent me this fruit basket for valentines day:

Grocery:
2-28oz Hunts tomato diced 4.00
Meat:
1lb ground beef 2.45 (this was suppose to be 1.99-err)
Produce:
4lbs cabbage 1.05
2.06lbs apples 1.81
garlic bulb .50
lettuce 1.19
Dairy:
8oz Kraft Cheese Mexican Blend 2.99
1lb Dannon plain yogurt 3.29
16oz Best Choice Mozzarella 4.99
1lb cottage cheese 3.19
6 yogurts 3.00-.80 coupon 2.20
Hiland Butter 2.00
Frozen:
oj 2.69(this was suppose to be 1.43 err)
5lbs frozen Strawberries 5.75

Total: 39.92-1.70 refund= 38.22

I am going to go back and get my extra money refunded I know it's sad because it's only a 1.70 'something', but I need all of it I can get!

I still need to get raw milk 3.50 and xylitol 6.00 and cannellini beans 2.00

Grand Total: 49.72! MANNN III'MM GOOOOODDDDD!

I know if I really tried, I have enough in my pantry that I could get away with spending less, but until I get better at this I am happy to just stay under budget. Here is what I plan to do next week to work on my costs so I can spend my $50.00 stocking up on more organic stuff:

Look up ingredients I have on hand in my recipe index to find better suited recipes (I have sort of been doing this, but more leaning toward what's in the ad than what I have on hand).

So tell me what have ya'll been doing to be frugal freaks?
Latte

Thrifty Tip

Thrifty Jinxy does thrifty Thursday on her blog and I thought it would be cool to join her on this neat adventure.

My thrifty tip is YOU HAVE TO BE ORGANIZED TO BE THRIFTY. I have learned over the last few weeks with couponing, ad watching, meal planning, and shopping that if I take a few minutes (while watching a show) and make my lists, clip my coupons an organize them with my list, then shop...I can be in and out of a store really fast. Then I am not missing something or running out of something, or buying the wrong item for the wrong coupon. It's worth the few minutes each day to do it.

Faith

Honest Scrap Award For Moi

My new dear blog friend over at funky food allergies tagged me with a Honest Scrap Award. I am happy to accept the award and grace you wall with 10 things about Moi! Because you all know your just dieing to learn so much about me...you know you are!

My list of 10 things about Moi

1. I actually enjoy being frugal-I just wish it was so I could save to buy new shoes instead of making ends meet.
2. I secretly pray there is a library (bigger than earth) in heaven...I really do!-but it has to have a coffee house in it.
3. I research, more than actually doing it. I can sure tell you how to do this or that...but I don't have time to actually do it cuz I am still researching on perfecting it.
4. I have 13 cavities that all somehow materialized in the last 2 years...I think it has something to do with my candida...that is my story and I am sticking to it!
5. I heart garlic-I can't remember a dinner I have made without it.
6. When I grow up I want to be a coffee house missionary-lets pray, over a latte
7. I read in the bathroom, and it is in no way to get away from the kids, seriously...I am not kidding, my kids are gold and I want to spend every minute with them...honestly...okay I grab a few 'bathroom' minutes for some peace of mind...mine!
8. I call my kitchen appliances wives. My reason is because they are extra hands around here and if my husband had many wives that would be what it would be like, so instead of him actually having other wives...he has a stand mixer, a blender, a food processor, and a dishwasher...I love all his wives!-oh and the strange thing is all his wives(other than myself) are named KitchenAid...go figure!
9. I think naps and rest should be highly excepted in this country, work work work is highly overrated!
10. I would love to get in the car with Jesus, and just drive and talk for hours. I don't really need to say anything, just listen for once.

If you want to do this to, join me!
Faith

$5.00 dinners-Pork Chops, Broccoli Stirfry, And Spicy Home Fries

$5.00 dinners! Wow do you think you could make a meal for your whole family for so cheap? Well guess what, I did! and I got this neat-o idea to post my dinner from $5.00 dinners to show you a great meal that you can make for $5.00 too! So here is my weeks dinner recipe:

$2.00 pork chops - 4 chops about 1.5 to 2 pounds
$2.20 stir fry broccoli - 1lb frozen florets
.44 spy home fries - 2lbs russets small square dice

Total: $4.64 + spices and oil probably comes to $5.00

With the pork chops pat dry and rub with a little sugar (I used Xylitol) sea salt and cracked pepper. Fry in a hot pan (about medium) of oil (about a tablespoon) until golden brown, do the same to the other side and then place on a plate and foil to bring up to temp. to finish cooking , the chops should be taken off a little before done and will finish under the foil-check the temp for doneness!

Chop the potatoes into a small dice and fry in a skillet on medium heat (using bacon drippings) with lid on until soft. Add salt and pepper to taste (but pepper is a must) and then add cayenne to taste.

For the stir fry steam the broccoli for a few minutes in a steamer. Then toss with one T of oil, salt, and pepper and cook in frying pan for a few minutes until bright green and tender but not too tender. Add one clove of garlic minced and stir a bit longer then serve.-If you like your garlic a bit more tender ad it to the pan about 15-30 seconds before you ad the broccoli. Just don't let it brown.

And there you have it, a yummy $5.00 dinner!
Faith

My Frugal Just Got a Whole Lot More Frugal!

Well our home has now been hit by this economic downturn. It looks like our income might become 1/2 of what it was. Fortunately I am blessed with a wonderful husband who put every extra penny we have had over the last 7-10 years into getting the house and cars paid off, so thankfully no huge dept for us. It still is going to be tight! I don't know how those with dept will make it? I just don't know?...my prayers and love go out to those families.

Well My grocery budget was to be around $75-$100 a week, that IS going to change. I still get $100 but now it has to cover groceries(which has always included toiletries), clothing, and school supplies (we homeschool). So I am now going to have to try and keep my grocery spending around $50.00 every week. This will be such a feat because up until a few weeks ago I was probably spending $125-$150 a week...ahem or more. And that did not include eating out-which is out of the question now.

To make sure I am going to be able to stay within my $50.00 I hit my freezers hard. I went through them and wrote down everything I had. This gave me a great idea on how much meat I had and that I do not need to buy any unless it's dirt cheap. Because I wrote it all down I now know at a glance what is in the freezer...just so long as I remember to mark it off once we have eaten it.lol!

My new candida diet. Well it seems that for the last 4 years I have suffered from a server bout with Candida. I now have no choice but to do this candida diet. It sucks! I mean really really sucks! But I did get a cookbook to help me. And get this my husband is going to go on it with me! Is he not the sweetest or what! It will be hard to do candida sweets on $50.00 a week, but if I am careful I might get some homemade candida free brownies and muffins in once a week!

So here are my meals this week, plus my shopping trip!

Meals: Keep in mind I get almost all my recipes from America's Test Kitchen and I will be substituting anything not healthy or apart of my candida diet with healthy candida free ingredients.

Breakfast:
Omelet-bell pepper
oatmeal-cinnamon vanilla-homemade
organic cereal
organic pop tarts
french toast homemade candida free syrup
grits and eggs

Dinners:
pork chops, stir fry broccoli, spicy home fries
pizza-mozzarella and sausage, salad
BBQ Chicken, french onion soup, beans
Spaghetti skillet (homemade noodles), braised cabbage, salad
enchiladas
chicken pot pie, mashed potato casserole, rice casserole
leftovers

Snacks:
Bananas
Oranges
yogurt (homemade)
muffins (homemade)
baby carrots

Here is how my shopping trip went:



It is so neat to look at that picture and see all those fruit's and vegetables, especially considering my small budget. So here is what I got:

Dishwasher liquid sale 3.27-1.00 coupon 2.27
Vinegar 2.29
7lb bananas 5.00
9 oranges 3.29
4 green bell peppers 2.00
3 3lb bags of onions 4.50
1 green cabbage 1.85
1 red cabbage 1.73
1 bunch green onions .59
garlic bulb .50
cilantro .99
organic baby carrots 1.89
lettuce 1.19
8oz Monterrey jack cheese 2.99
8oz Mozzarella cheese 2.99
1lb butter 2.13
2lb frozen broccoli 4.38

Grand Total: 44.23

I think I still need to get milk which will take my total to 47.73 but that is still pretty good aye?

To see how others did check out the grocery cart challenge or orgjunkie

Using your frugalness to help others!

I say if you love to shop at CVS or Walgreens, when you get free items you don't want or need, wouldn't it be nice to give them away to a local charity?

I so don't understand why other blogger post their receipts the way they do them so I am going to do them my way...please let me know if they are easier or harder to read. Keep in mind when it says "on your next purchase" I still have those coupons left to purchase other items, and if I only purchase items that give you "on your next purchase" coupons on my next shopping trip it will never end! So basically you spend your money the first time, but after that, if you watch what you buy you will never spend more, over and over and over! Is that not a hoot!

Total Spent per item for CVS= 1.18 each or if you don't count the free stuff I spent 1.66 each

Purchases:


6 Speed Stick Deodorant's
sale 2/$5.00
buy $15 worth get $5.00 for next purchase (Extra Bucks=EB)
paid= $15.00-5=$10/6=$1.66 each!

2 Dove Deodorant's
sale 2.29 each
coupon 1.50 off two
buy dove product get $2.00 for next purchase EB
paid= 4.58-1.50-2.00= $1.08/2=.54 each


CVS recycled paper Towels 3pk
Reg 2.49
When I walked into store and scanned my card I got a $1.00 off coupon for this item
Paid 1.49

CVS Lotion (actually smells really good)
Reg:2.99
Get: 1.00 for next purchase EB
When I walked into store and scanned my card I got a $1.00 off coupon for this item
Paid 2.99-1.00coupon-1.00 EB =.99

No rub solution in wrong picture, should be with the Walgreen's rebate picture!lol

2 Ear Rinse
Sale $7.99
Get $7.99 for next purchase EB
Paid$15.98-15.98=FREE

CVS Asprin
Reg: 1.99
Get: 1.99 for next purchase EB
Paid $1.99-1.99=FREE


Instant Energy Drink
Reg: 4.99
Get: 4.99 on next purchase EB
Paid: 4.99-4.99= FREE

Okay lets also put it another way I walked into that store and after manufacturing coupons, store coupons, I spent:

47.57 however I have $30.96 in EB coupons left for next week (coupons expire in a month)

So it's really like I spent:
16.61 just so long as when I spend these EB's I also get EB coupons back and don't spend any cash. Then all future purchases will be free!!!! I am sure that won't happen every time, but it will still be some great deals!

Total Spent per item for Walgreens= .87 each or if you don't count the free stuff I spent
1.75 each

Now for Walgreens Purchases:


2 SunSilk Mouse
Clearance 1.19 each
had a MFG coupon $2 off 2
Paid 2.38-2=.38



Revlon Lipstick
Sale 9.99
9.99Mail Rebate
Paid 9.99-9.99 Rebate=FREE

Revlon Foundation
Sale 9.99
9.99 Mail Rebate
Paid 9.99-9.99= FREE

Zucol Cold Stuff
Sale 7.99
Rebate 7.99
Paid 7.99-7.99=FREE

Garnier Fructis
Reg 3.99
Rebate 3.99
Paid 3.99-3.99=FREE

Contact Solution
Sale 1.99
Rebate 1.99
Paid 1.99-1.99=FREE



Secret Deodorant
Reg 3.29
Walgreens coupon 1.30
MFG coupon .25
Paid 3.29-1.30-.25= 1.74



Tom's Of Maine Toothpaste (strawberry)
Sale 2.99
Paid 2.99

Bubbles
Reg .79
Paid .79

Total Spent: 42.73-Rebates 29.96 = 8.78

Grand total: 8.78+16.61=25.39/24items= 1.05 each and if you don't count free items=1.70 each

Do you have a CVS and Walgreens shopping trip you want to share? Please put just that post into Mr. Linky blow.

Menu Plan Day and Shopping day Adventures

Well, I am learning so much about how our family shops. This week I am not putting some food items on my list because they were for the Super Bowl Game, and we have a separate budget for that, it's called 'entertainment'. I will admit, for 4 people...we spent a lot on 'entertainment' this Sunday...but it sure was fun!

Don't forget most of my recipes come from the great books of America's Test Kitchen!


Okay my meals for this week are:


Breakfast:

Eggs and grits x's 3
organic pop tarts
oatmeal with honey vanilla and cinnamon (and a touch black strap molasses) x's 2
organic cereal

Snacks:

leftover guacamole and chips
celery and peanut butter
grapefruits
bananas

Dinners:

Brats
Garlic Shrimp
Pulled Pork
BBQ chicken legs
Deer stew
Chili
leftovers

Okay now how my shopping week went:


Dillons:
Brats 6.00
2-2 lb Shrimp 9.98

Subtotal: 16.20

Woods:
2 Hot dog Buns .89 (forgot to make homemade ones and had to go back to store for last week)

Subtotal: 1.86

Millers Country Store:

Raw Honey x's 2 16.55
1lb Xylotol 6.99
Flax Seed Oil 9.99
Organic Tea for making shampoo 4.99
Natural Soda 1.99
yeast 3.18

Subtotal: 47.71

Dutch Store:

Black Pepper corns 1.92
Carob powder 1.70
Sea Salt 2.70
Black Strap Molasses 2.25

Subtotal: 8.85

Dutch Market: receipt does not say what I purchased...winging it.

4 organic pop tarts .70 each
4 organic cereal 1.20 each
Amish butter cheese
5 dozen free range eggs 2.50 each
3 candy bars .30
2 pretzels .10 each
4 toms natural mouth wash (lemon lime) 5.60
1 toms natural toothpaste (spearmint) 1.20
hamster food 1.50
other stuff

Subtotal: 42.66


Grand Total: 117. 31

This total is a tad high because I hit markets that are 30 miles away-and I only go to the once a month or less, so if they have many good deals, I get more...like with the toms natural mouth wash and eggs.

For more ideas, recipes, and tips on being organized you can go to:
The Grocery Cart Challenge or Orgjunkie