Sluggy is having a Bad Week

Have you ever heard that old saying that bad things come in 3s?
Well being the overachievers we are, 'our' bad things came in 4s this past week.

First #2 son got his report card.....with a D in Math!
Ack! His first D he is quick to tell everyone. Like being the 1st one makes it better?lol
Hopefully this grade is an anomaly on his part. If not, he'll be watching less screens(computer & tv)this summer and be attending Mommy Math Boot Camp. ;-)

Then #1 son lost his after-school job. Granted it was a crummy job, & we knew the 'letting him go' part was coming and #1 son isn't too broken up over it(he hated that job with a passion!lol). It wasn't a good fit as a job for his skill set and he didn't get along very well with his bosses or the brown-nosing couple of coworkers(oh the colorful names he gave them all.....If it were me, I'd sum then up under the heading, "A Confederancy of Dunces".). The owner/manager knew #1 son was going to be leaving after high school ended anyway and was reducing his hours to the point of trying to get him to quit, but he hung in there until he received a letter in the mail last Friday that his position was terminated. The gutless manager didn't have the decency to tell the kid to his face that he was fired.....she had to hide behind a letter.
It took all my fortitude not to go down to that store and tell them what "I" thought of them and their managerial style....or lack thereof. lolol

And the third thing was the daughter crashing my car into that pole....which you can read about in an earlier post here.

To top it all off, last Sunday I started coming down with the Mother of all Sinus Infections. This week has been a fog for me, when I've been able to hold my head vertical. When my head wasn't spinning, my ears were ringing or my nose was running. The only relief has been multiple sessions with the Neti Pot and warm saline water.....aaaaaaahhhhh!
It still freaks the kids out to watch but man, it sure makes my head feel better to irrigate my sinus cavity.
Of course, we had those 2 August Weather Days earlier in the week while I was suffering through this head cold/sinus episode. I don't do well in the heat under the best of conditions so this just added to the misery on my part.
90 degrees in April in PA....What was UP with THAT??!!!

Ok....I guess I need to either shaddup about this or commence serving some cheese about now with all this 'whine'.lolol

Here's the 411 on the Neti Pot....



Personally, I like this guy's Frugal Neti Pot!



On the Good side of things, I think I am over the worst of this sinus infection, I haven't murdered anyone(not like I didn't have the opportunity!), & I got a rental car to use(b/c the insurance adjustor nixed driving the crashed car until getting it fixed). Rental car means I was able to hit the stores to roll some RRS at Wags and use some 4/30 expiring Qs at the grocery store today. Just that little bit of 'out & about' today wore me out, bringing on chills and then fever. I am hitting the bed momentarily and shutting down the computer until late tomorrow.
I just need to sleep and not think about deals and Qs, being frugal & green or worrying about updating the blog. Maybe I can guilt the family here into some TLC for Mom over the weekend too. Wouldn't hurt to try, right?lol

So, I'll be back in a couple of days everyone. Less delirious(well, sort of), more rested and ready to take on the new Sunday Inserts. ;-))

Sluggy

The KMart SUPER DOUBLES Campaign TOTALS...WOW!!!

This is the New Man in my Life. ;-)
I completed 8 Transactions during the KMart Super Doubles Event.
Here are my Final Numbers.....

Total Value of Items w/sale prices.....$532.66 ($517.51 before tax)
Add in the $5.00 Giftcard for buying the Kellogg's Cereal, and the Value of Items increases to...............................$537.66

Total Value of Coupons used.............$468.44

Total Out of Pocket Spent..................$64.22

Portion of OOP that was Tax.............$15.15

Percentage of Savings..................just under 89% Saved!


Ok, so here's what $64.22 Buys when you shop with me...

Glade Candles 11
Glade Large Candles 2
Glade Reed Diffusers 2
Pine-Sol 2
Purex Detergent 4
Renuzit TriScents 2
Renuzit TriScents Refills 2
Ziploc Bags 2
Better Than Ears Dog Treats 5
GoodLife Cat Treats 14
GoodLife Dog Food 2
Friskies Cat Treats 8
Pedigree Good Bites 16
Pedigree Dry Kibble 7
Pedigree Dentastix 9
Pedigree Marrobones 14
Purina Kibble & Chunks large bag 2
Purina Carvers Treats 1
Rachel Ray Dog Kibble 4
Temptations Cat Treats 4
Whiskas Cat Treats 4
Betty Crocker Frosting 2
Bliss Candy 5
Butterfinger 1
Campbell's Soups 4
Campfire Marshmallows 2
Hershey Kisses 1
Kellogg's/Post Cereal 5
Kraft Mayo 2
Kraft Dressing 8
Lipton Side Dishes 3
Pop-Tarts 2
Quaker Rice Snacks 4
Sobe 4
Vitamin Water 30

Dry Idea 2
Halls Cough Drops 3
Herbal Essence Shampoo 2
Razors 2
Vaseline Lotion 4

I had fun with Mr. BLue Light.....did you?


Sluggy

KMart Super Doubles April 25th...Round #8...the End?

Finally.....the LAST TRIP to KMart for the April 19-25th Super Double Coupon Event. I was so sorry to see it end. Weren't you??

Here is Transaction #9, my last Round of buys....

4x Pedigree Dentastix @$4.29=$17.16
4x Pedigree Good Bites Dog Treats @ $2.99=$11.96

1x Pedigree Dry Dog Food=$4.99
2x Glade Candles @$7.99=$15.98

2x Glade Reed Diffusers @$7.99=$15.98
4x Vitamin Water @$1.29=$5.16

Subtotal......$71.23
Tax...............$2.32

Coupons Used-
4x Pedigree Dentastix @$2.50 doubled=$17.16
4x Pedigree Good Bites Dog Treats @ $1.00 doubled=$8.00

1x Pedigree Dry Dog Food @$1.50 doubled=$3.00

2x Glade Candles @$4.00 doubled=$$15.98

2x Glade Diffusers @$4.00 doubled=$15.98

4x Vitamin Water @$.50 tripled=$5.16
KMart $5/$50 Coupon=$5.00

Coupon Total....$70.28

$73.55-$70.28=$3.27 OOP

Basically, with the $5 KMart coupon included, I paid OOP .95¢ for the Dry Dog Food from the list & the tax.

My next post will be the List of everything I brought home during the KMart Super Doubles Event, plus all the important numbers(value of items, total of coupons used, % of savings, etc.).

Yes, that post will be like crack for math geeks! Numbers just give us a high....almost as good as a couponing/hounding score, don't they?lol

After this KMart Super Doubles Week and my Price Chopper/Unilever Double Dip Week at the beginning of the month, I am wiped out!

I NEED a Vacation from coupons for awhile.

Well, maybe not.... ;-)

Check the next post for the Final Tally.

Sluggy

KMArt Super Doubles April 25 ROUND #7...almost done!

Next to last Trip to KMart for the April 19-25th Super Double Coupon Event.

ONLY 1 more....I promise!lol

Here is the haul....more Dog Treats, Candles, Soup, Rice Mixes & Drinks.

1x Pedigree Dentastix @$4.29

4x Pedigree Good Bites Dog Treats @ $2.99=$11.96

1x Good Life Cat Treast @$2.00

1x Renuzit TriScents @$4.49

2x Renuzit TriScents Refills @$4.49=$8.98

2x Glade Candles @$3.00=$6.00

3x Lipton Side Dishes @$1.29=$3.87(not in picture)

2x Campbell's Soup @$1.29=$2.58

2x Campbell's Soup @$1.49=$2.98

3x Vitamin Water @$1.00=$3.00

1x Vitamin Water @$1.29

Also pictured is the small bag of Pedigree Kibble that I left out of the picture for Round 6. Hmmm, maybe my sinus infection has traveled to my brain?lol

Subtotal......$51.44
Tax...............$1.42

Coupons Used-

1x Pedigree Dentastix @$2.50 doubled=$4.29

4x Pedigree Good Bites Dog Treats @ $1.00 doubled=$8.00
1x Good Life Cat Treat @$1.00 doubled=$2.00
1x Renuzit TriScents @$4.00 doubled=$4.49
2x Renuzit TriScents Refills @$4.00 doubled=$8.98
2x Glade Candles @$3.00/2 doubled=$6.00/2
3x Lipton Side Dishes @$1.00/3 doubled=$2.00/3
2x Campbell's Soup @$1.00/2 doubled=$2.00/2
2x Campbell's Soup @$1.00/2 doubled=$2.00/2
3x Vitamin Water @$.50 doubled=$3.00
1x Vitamin Water @$.50 tripled=$1.29

KMart $5/$50 Coupon=$5.00

Coupon Total....$49.05

$52.86-$49.05=$3.81 OOP

$52 worth of goodies for under $4.

Are you convinced yet that coupons are worth the trouble?

Sluggy

KMart Super Doubles Round #6 April 25th It's all about the Doggies!

Trip #6 to KMart for the April 19-25th Super Double Coupon Event.

Here is the haul....more Dog Food, Cat Treats & Drinks.

2x Purina Kibbles & Chunks Dry Food @$10.99=$21.98
1x Pedigree Dry Dog Food @$4.99 (not in picture)
4x Pedigree Good Bites Dog Treats @ $2.99=$11.96
2x Good Life Cat Treat @$2.00=$4.00
4x Whiskas Temptations @$1.89=$7.56
3x Vitamin Water @$1.00=$3.00
1x Vitamin Water @$1.29

Subtotal......$54.78
Tax...............$2.01

Coupons Used-

2x Purina Kibbles & Chunks Dry Food @$3.50 doubled=$14.00

1x Pedigree Dry Dog Food @$1.50 doubled=$3.00

4x Pedigree Good Bites Dog Treats @ $1.00 doubled=$8.00

2x Good Life Cat Treat @$1.00 doubled=$4.00
4x Whiskas Temptations @$1.00 doubled=$7.56

3x Vitamin Water @$.50 doubled=$3.00

1x Vitamin Water @$.50 tripled=$1.29

KMart $5/$50 Coupon=$5.00

Coupon Total....$45.85

$56.79-$45.85=$10.94 OOP

Two more Rounds to follow....

Sluggy

Meal Plan Monday April 27th Edition

The Meal Plan for last week went off without a hitch until we hit Friday.
I didn't feel well for a couple of days so hubby winged it alone. The Cheese Ravioli he could handle aok(and made on Friday instead) and while daughter and I were off smashing up my minivan, he whipped up sandwiches for himself & #2 son instead of the Scallops, so those will be put on this week's menu plan. I hope these Scallops don't turn up to follow in the footsteps of the elusive Crab Cakes! If so, you could be hearing about them for weeks on end...lol

Again, we are eating from the pantry/freezer this week. Shopping list consists of the chicken(I bought on Monday), a bag of salad(also bought on Monday), carrots, grits, some pepperoni and rolls(if I don't feel up to baking them this week with the heat and my sinuses being all goofy).

I am happy to report that we had.....drum roll please......NO FOOD WASTE this week!
Can I get an Amen?

Leftovers got eaten....
Every.
Single.
Bit.

Of course, the puppies did have to consume some "kid flavoured" yogurt.
Not that the yogurt was flavoured like Kids, but it's that yogurt they market toward kids in crazy colors and too much sugar in it. Daughter wanted me to buy it but she decided that the 'orange' ones didn't taste good, so the female beagle volunteered to finish those up. I swear that dog eats anything!

I'll be keeping a watchful eye on the leftover situation in the fridge this week. I hope I feel better in the next couple of days or I'll be saying "screw it" to the meal plan after having collapsed into bed & letting hubby take all the family meals from the Colonel, the King, the Clown & the Bell.

If I can stay vertical, here's what is on the Menu at Sluggy's house this week.

MONDAY-Grilled Marinated Chicken Breast, Mashed Garlic Potatoes or Macaroni Salad(both leftovers), Corn on the Cob
TUESDAY-Tacos...it's going to be too HOT to cook!
WEDNESDAY-Beef Pie
THURSDAY-Bourbon Bacon Scallops, Cheese Polenta(grits), Grilled Squash
FRIDAY-Macaroni & Cheese, Ham, Mixed Veggies
SATURDAY-Pizza, Salad
SUNDAY-Sausage Sandwiches, Potato Salad, Corn
DESSERTS FOR THE WEEK-Strawberries, Carrot Cake, Sherbet

My Bargain Meal this week....could be any one of 3-the Grilled Chicken Meal, the Tacos or the homemade Pizza. With the Grilled Chicken you only have the cost of the chicken(which I got at a reduced price Monday afternoon), seasonings and the corn(great price direct from the farmer of .18¢ an ear that I froze last summer). The Mac. Salad and the Garlic Mashed are both leftovers so no cost on those. Tacos or Pizza are both fairly frugal entrees--a have cheap cheese from a stock-up for both and these two use small amounts of meat, with the pizza using hardly any or none at all if we do a vegetarian pizza.
I just don't feel like picking one and doing the cost analysis this week.
It's my blog and if I don't feel like it, too too bad. ;-P

I also owe ya'll some recipes from last week-the Lemon Pepper Chicken w/Zucchini and the different French Toast. Once I get my sinuses shrunk down to normal size, I'll be posting those recipes this week.
Pinky Swear.

Organizing Junkie is the home to Menu Plan Monday. Go see what's on her and many other Home Cooks' Menus for the week at Organizing Junkie's website.

Sluggy

What a Weekend! Proms & Cars & Poles, oh My!

The weather was beautiful here in Teeny Tiny Town this past weekend. Unfortunately, I've been fighting a massive attack of the sinuses, so my enjoyment of the weather has been taken down a notch or two.

Saturday was the Senior Prom night for #1 son's class. My oldest baby will be graduating in June, leaving for a summer job the week after that and then starting college across the state in Aug. Snapping pics of him in the yard before he left to go meet his date and take the limo to Prom was a bittersweet moment. In just over a month, he's done with high school and moving on with his life as a young adult.....and he can't WAIT to go!



And neither can I.

I mean it.

A small part of me is sad to see him grow out of his childhood.


But mostly I am glad he is ready to venture out into the world on his own as a man.

My job is done.


Well, not really....more like my old job has become obsolete.


My job has changed from raising him and instilling the things in him that we feel are necessary, to one of support. To be there when he needs advise, or direction or 20 bucks.lol


To put it into business jargon, I've moved from the manufacturing of this product to the customer support/service for this product.


Anyway, here are a few pics of our soon-to-be BMOC(=Big Man on Campus) in his Prom duds....

And ever the family comedian, here is his Captain Morgan photo....

After #1 son left for the Prom festivities, I took the daughter out for some driving practice.
It was NOT a good ride. I had her stop at the CVS, and as she was pulling into the parking place out front, her foot slipped off the brake and hit the accelerator.
And when I say she HIT, I mean HIT!!

She hit the metal pole holding the awning over the front of the store.
We had on our seatbelts and are fine.
The pole, awning and store are fine.

My car is another story......

The estimate I received from the Body Shop guy today is in the ballpark of 3 THOUSAND DOLLARS!

ACK.

Did I say 3 THOUSAND DOLLARS??

ACK AGAIN.

I think my sinuses spontaneously cleared after hearing that number.......

And it could be more once he gets the hood up and checks the frame inside. He didn't want to chance lifting the hood, as I had somewhere else to go and he might not have been able to get it closed, so we could be talking a couple more Thousand.

I'm Not liking this ballpark.

Sluggy

Round 5 of KMart Super Double....will she ever stop??

#2 son wanted to go out to get something for his IPod thursday evening. I generously offered to take him to.....KMart! Where else would I take him this week, right?LOL

While I happened to be in the store.....hehehehe.....I picked up some more goodies using my coupons.

Round 5 of KMart Super Double Coupons went like this......

4x Marrobone Dog Treats @ $2.99=$11.96
2x Frisky Party Mix Cat Treat @ $1.69=$3.38(for the Cat SPCA Donation)
2x Rachel Ray Dog Food @ $8.99=$17.98

1x Pedigree Dog Food @ $5.19=$5.19
4x Viatmin Water @ $1.00=$4.00 (Only 4 bottles, not 8 as pictured. I forgot to remove them in the next photo.)
1x Hershey's Mint Kisses @ $1.49=$1.49 (On clearance...I'm a sucker for mint!)
Subtotal=$44.00

Coupons Used....
$5 off $50 Kmart Purchase=$5.00(#2 Son bought an IPod accessory. His $10 purchase added to my goodies put me over the $50 mark, so I could use the $5/$50 coupon.)
4x Marrobone Treats @$1.00/1=$4.00 doubled to $8.00
2x Frisky Cat Treat @$1.00/1=$1.69 doubled to $3.38
2x Rachel Ray Dog Food @ $3.50/1=$7.00 doubled to $14.00
1x Pedigree Dog Food @ $1.50=$1.50 doubled to $3.00
4x Vitamin Water @$.50/1=$2.00 doubled to $4.00

Coupon Subtotal=$37.38
Subtotal...$44.00
Tax.......$1.29
Total before Qs...$45.29

$45.29-$37.38=$7.91 OOP

And before you ask, I actually DO have MORE DOG FOOD COUPONS! LOLOL

While the Dog Food I am getting is Not Free, I'd rather be getting it for $1-$2 a bag OOP with coupons rather than getting my bazillionith tube of FREE toothpaste, deodorant or shampoo! I can always get that stuff for free or nearly free at WAGS or CVS. Those stores don't carry the selection of dog food like KMart types stores do. So I'm just getting what makes sense for me.....and the hounds, or course. ;-)

So what did everyone else get this week?

And are you done yet?

I might have a Round or two left in me.

Time will tell....
;-)

Sluggy

And it Came to Pass.....KMart Super Doubles Round #4

"And it came to pass that on the Fifth Day, in the Land of Teeny Tiny Town, that the beast, Peanut the Beagle, came to Sluggy in a vision. He spoke into her ear, "BOW WOW-WOW!"

Which in the language of the humans translates to, "Hey! Get over to KMart post haste and see if they hath restocked the Pet Food Aisle....I'm wasting away & the Kibble Barrel doth need refilling!"

So the human set out toward the Great Hall of Savings, in the Land of KMart, during the Great Time of Super Doubles, in April, the year of our Lord 2009.

Sluggy found the Aisle of Milk & Kibble overflowing with many a tasty treat. She gleaned from the shelves a quantity of Doggy Manna sufficient for the Angelic Trio of Hounds & Chihuahuas, along with a small assortment of other Earthly treats for the Humans of the Tribe.

Sluggy returned home & brought forth her bounty and there was much rejoicing & a choir of howling in the Land of Teeny Tiny Town."

Ok.....so by now you've noticed that my KMart Shopping this week has taken on a certain CANINE Quality, has it not? My puppies are loving me ALOT lately.....lolol

Round 4 looked like this....

4x Pedigree Dog Food @ $5.19=$20.76

2x Goodlife Cat Treat @ $2.00=$4.00(for the Cat SPCA Donation)

2x Rachel Ray Dog Food @ $8.99=$17.98

1x Glade TriScents @ $4.49=$4.49(for #2 son's smelly room)

4x Viatmin Water @ $1.00=$4.00

2x Quaker Snacks @$2.50=$5.00

2x BC Frosting @ $1.79=$3.58

Subtotal=$54.81

Coupons Used....

$5 off $50 Kmart Purchase=$5.00

4x Pedigree Dog Food @$1.50/1=$6.00 doubled to $12.00

2x Good Life Cat Treat @$1.00/1=$2.00 doubled to $4.00

2x Rachel Ray Dog Food @ $3.50/1=$7.00 doubled to $14.00

1x Glade Product @$4.00/1=$4.00 doubled to $4.49

2x Viatmin Water @$.50/1=$1.00 doubled to $2.00

1x Quaker Snacks @ $1.00/1=$1.00 doubled to $2.00

1x Quaker Snacks @ $.50/1=$.50 tripled to $1.50

2x BC Frosting @ $.55/1=$1.10 tripled to $3.30

Coupon Subtotal=$48.29

Subtotal...$54.81

Tax.......$1.86

Total before Qs...$56.67

$56.67-$48.29=$8.38

Remembered to use the rest of the $ on the Gift Card this time!

$8.38-$2.77 GC=$5.61

A little more OOP than Round #3 but it's all good.

8-))

And on the Fifth Day, during the time of Super Doubles, Sluggy rested.

But the Siren Song of Savings lured her back into the Land of KMart on the evening of the Sixth Day, during the Time of the Super Doubles.

Round #5, Coming Up....

Sluggy

KMART Super Doubles April 22 ROUND #3

Round Three on Wednesday, for the KMART SUPER DOUBLE COUPONS April 19-25, went like this....

2x Good Life Dog Food @ $5.99=$11.98
2x Dentastix Dog Treat @ $4.29=$8.58
2x Viatmin Water @ $1.00=$2.00
2x Vitamin Water @$1.29=$2.58
9x Glade Candle @ $3.00=$27.00
Subtotal=$52.14

Coupons Used....
$5 off $50 Kmart Purchase=$5.00
2x Good Life Dog Food @$2.00/1=$4.00 doubled to $8.00
2x Dentastix Dog Treat @$2.50/1=$5.00 doubled to $8.58
2x Viatmin Water @$.50/1=$1.00 doubled to $2.00
2x Viatmin Water @$.50/1=$1.00 tripled to $2.58
3x Glade Product @$3.00/2=$9.00 doubled to $18.00
3x Glade Product @$1.00/1=$3.00 doubled to $6.00
Coupon Subtotal=$50.16

Subtotal...$52.14
Tax.......$1.45
Total before Qs...$53.59

$53.59-$50.16=$3.43 OOP

I liked this Round's booty and OOP total alot! Then I hit the other KMart.

Round 4 coming up....

Sluggy

In Honor of EARTH WEEK....A Funny Reminder!

Here's a cute Music Video with an important message.
Tim Minchin is an avant garde(sometimes risque)Australian Comic Musician. I got turned onto him 3 years ago. This video is fairly G-rated(maybe 1 questionable word, so view before letting the kids click on it)and it imparts an important message while poking fun at Bono in one fell swoop. What's not to love?lol




Sluggy

GREEN & THRIFTY THURSDAY...Almost FREE CFL Lightbulbs

This post is for all my online friends who live in PA or can get to a GIANT of PA Grocery Store before this week's sale ends Sat. night.

See the light bulb pictured above? It's suppose to be better for the environment. It uses less Energy & provides equivalent lighting of the higher wattage bulbs. It is also suppose to last much longer than a traditional incandescent lightbulb. Less bulbs made and used=less natural resources consumed + less waste to dispose of after the lightbulb gives up it's last spark.
Ok, so the new problem is disposing of the trace amounts of heavy metals used in these new compact flourescent lightbulbs, so it's a trade-off you need to weigh for yourself.

Usually being GREENER comes at the expense of being THRIFTY. Face it, to be better for the environment when it comes to spending money on products, you most always have to spend more $.

But not today!

If you go HERE on the GE website, it links to a page where you can print out 2 coupons for $1 off 1 lightbulb. If you have more than one computer(with a printe hooked to it, of course), you can print 2 coupons from each computer. Some people also can use work computers to print coupons. (I wouldn't recommend that unless you have an official OK from your boss to print personal stuff from your work computer.)

After you have your coupons in hand, get to a Giant (of PA) Supermarket. They currently have these GE CFL Lightbulbs on sale-4 for $5. That, in and of itself IS an awesome price already. But if you combine the sale price with your $1 off coupon, you can get these Energy Smart Bulbs for .25¢.
Yes, I just said .25¢!

How is THAT for being both GREEN & THRIFTY?

Sluggy

Easy Peazy Hounding for non-Hounders at Rite Aid this week

Ok, so you want to try your hand at getting stuff for free....or almost free.
Easy Peazy!
Just follow these instructions below, if you have a Rite-Aid and you can get to it before they close on Saturday night, April 25th.

First thing, go HERE and print this coupon for $5 off $25 purchase.

Next see if you can find the Ben-Gay coupon that came in the 3/22 sunday paper coupon inserts. It is probably for $1 off an item. Also, see if you can find 2 Dove Go Fresh Deodorant or Body Mist coupon from the 3/15 sunday paper coupon inserts. They are probably for $1.25 off an item. (Coupon amounts can vary by region, so it might be more or less than the one's in my paper.)

Pick up the weekly ad on the way into the Rite-Aid.

Find the Skintimate &/or Edge Shaving Cream that's on sale 2 for$4 in the ad. Get 2 of either or 1 of each, depending on what you want/like.

Find the GE Reveal Lightbulbs that are on sale for $3(per 4 pack) in the ad. Get 2 packages of whichever wattage you need.

Find the Ben-Gay Ultra Strengh Pain Relieving Patch on sale for $6.99 in the ad. Look for a package that has an instant coupon(a Peelie coupon)for $1 off the package. Get one and if you find one with a Peelie, get that one and make sure you use that peelie coupon when you check-out.

Find the Dove Deodorant or Dove Body Mist that is on sale 2 for $6 in the ad. Get 2 of either Deodorant or Body Mist or 1 of each.

Find the Sure Deodorants with the TRY ME FREE sticker on them.(The TMF ones will either be Sure for Men, Natural Extracts or Clinical Strength varieties.) Buy the one that is the closest to $2.99.

Now go check-out.

After the cashier rings up all your items, your total will be at least $25.98 before tax.

Give him/her the $5 off $25 coupon. Now your total is at least $20.98 + tax. Then, if you have the additional coupons for the Dove &/or Ben-Gay, give those to him/her.(Your total would now be at least $17.48 + tax.)

Pay the cashier.

Get your stuff and your receipt and go home.

Don't lose that receipt! <---very important

At home, take your receipt & go online to the Rite-Aid website.

http://www.riteaid.com/

Scroll to the bottom of the homepage there to where it says "Single Check Rebate". Click on that.

Sign up for this program from this page and then enter your receipt information as directed for the Single Check Rebate for April.

At the end of the month, go back to the RiteAid Single Check Rebate website and have your rebate sent to you.

Now go to http://www.trysurefree.com/

Print out the rebate form on this site, fill it out and get ready to send for a refund(up to $2.99)on your Sure product purchase. (Now do you see why I said get the Sure product that was the closest to $2.99 in price?)

In about 3 weeks from when you send for the Rite Aid SCR, you will get a check in the mail for $14.00....$2 for the Dove products, $3 + another $3 bonus for the Ben-Gay product, $2 for the Shaving Creams, $2 + another $2 bonus for the Light Bulbs.

After your Single Check Rebate arrives safely, xerox your receipt & filled out Sure form(keep the xeroxes)and mail your original Try Sure Free form with your original receipt and the TRY SURE FREE sticker from the deodorant tube to Sure. A few weeks after that, they will mail you a check for $2.99.

Congratulations!

You just got $25.98 worth of products for about $3.99(without any coupons except the $5/25 one) to .49¢(with the 3 additional product coupons). This is before taking into account the sales tax and the cost of a stamp & an envelope of course....

If you look through the Rite-Aid ad you might find other combinations or additional items to buy that would be free or close to it after sending for the Single Check Rebate. There is a Wart Remover product that would be free, a Glucose Meter too and some other things that had nice rebate amounts vs. initial spending out of pocket.

The point is to find things that....

A)The Single Check Rebate amount is high in relation to the selling price of the item.

B)Have coupons that bring down the initial out of pocket cost of the product.

C)Make your purchase large enough to use the $5 off $25 coupon. Don't buy $5 here, $12 there and $8 there. Buy it all in one transaction and that $5/$25 coupon is like FREE MONEY!

By following these guidelines, I got(or will get after my rebate checks arrive)all the items pictured above for .79¢! (plus tax) My SURE Deodorant was $3.29, not $2.99, so I paid 30¢ more than the lowest that was possible for these products.

See?

EASY PEAZY!!

sluggy

Sluggy's Beef Pie Casserole Recipe

This is a variation of Shepherd's Pie I invented. I found Shepherd's Pie was too 'heavy' with the doughy or the mashed potatoes topping. I like this lighter tasting variation.

SLUGGY'S BEEF PIE CASSEROLE

Ingredients

1lb. Ground Beef
1 med. Onion, chopped
1/2 lb. Carrots, chopped
1/2lb. Green Beans (You can substitute yellow or wax beans or peas as well)
2 cups Water(for boiling veggies)
2 Cans Tomato Soup
1 Beef Bouillion Cube(or Beef Stock-about 1 cup)
2 Boxes Cornbread Mix(Jiffy sized)
2 Eggs
2/3 cup Milk

Preheat Oven to 400 degrees.

Brown your Ground Beef. Remove from pan and set aside.

Using some of the grease from the meat, Saute your chopped onion in the same pan.

When done, add your chopped carrots and green beans, water & bouillion cube. (If using beef stock, reduce the water used in half.)
Let this boil until the veggies are cooked, adding more water so it does not boil dry.(If you use frozen carrots and beans you do NOT have to boil the veggies. Just add veggies to the onion and warm them to defrost.)
If there is water in your pan after the carrots & beans are cooked, pour it off.

Add the Tomato Soup & mix in. Do NOT dilute the soup with water.

Add the cooked Ground Beef.

Pour the veggie/beef/tomato soup mixture into a large baking dish.

Prepare the Cornbread mix according to package directions(using the eggs & milk).
Drop spoonfuls of Cornbread mixture onto your beef/veggie mixture, covering it with the cornbread mixture.

Cook in a 400 degree oven for 20-25 minutes, until the cornbread is done.

Makes 6 Servings.

*If you don't eat red meat, substitute ground chicken or turkey for the ground beef. (Use a bit of olive oil to brown the chicken or turkey.)
**If you have sodium concerns use beef stock instead of bouillion cubes and reduced salt tomato soup.

Meal Plan Monday April 20th Edition

I'm a day behind blogging here so excuse my tardiness on the Menu.

The Meal Plan for last week went well. Crab Cakes were enjoyed by all FINALLY! The Mystery Meal turned out to be LAMB I marinated and grilled out, leftover asparagus from Easter dinner and Garlic Mashed Potatoes. I picked up the lamb for cheap in an after Easter sale at the grocery store. I never see lamb on sale here, so I jumped on that deal. Sunday we grilled out burgers and dogs since the weather was so nice instead of having Calzones. Calzones will happen Next week....maybe.....if ricotta is on sale.

I'll be posting later in the week about a new treatment for French Toast I made last friday AND my recipe for Lena's Chicken & Zuchinni so check back. My BEEF PIE recipe link is below.

We have very little in the way of leftovers generated from last week's meals....only a tiny bit of chili, beets & a hot dog.

Food Waste this week was about a cup of mixed veggies in a cheese sauce. It was a leftover from 2 weeks ago that got pushed to the back of the shelf in the fridge. This is something I don't feed to the dogs so out it went since the sauce made it not so good for composting.
Speaking of composting....Hubby threw out some veggie scraps instead of composting them. He caught heck from me for that!lol

Still eating mostly from the pantry stockpile/freezer this week, except wednesday's main course is being bought on wed.-frozen pizzas. (It's a sale and the last day for the sale.) Since I have no room in the freezer for those big unwieldy boxes, they will be eaten that night for dinner.lol Outside of some fresh produce I need to pick up, everything is on hand here for the weekly menu.

Here's what is on the Menu at Sluggy's house this week.

MONDAY-Lena's Lemon Pepper Chicken w/Zuchinni, Rice
TUESDAY-Pot Roast, Carrots, Onions, Beets, Potatoes
WEDNESDAY-Pizza, Salad
THURSDAY-Beef Stroganoff(leftover pot roast), Rice, Tuscan Veggies
FRIDAY-Bourbon Bacon Scallops, Cheese Polenta(grits), Spinach
SATURDAY-Cheese Ravioli, Salad
SUNDAY-Beef Pie

DESSERTS FOR THE WEEK-Brownie, Brownies & more Brownies, Strawberries

My Bargain Meal this week is the Beef Pie. Replace the dough topping with Cornbread. That makes it a 'lighter' twist on the Shepherd's Pie idea. I also don't use potatoes in mine. The cornbread is enough carbohydrate and you get plenty of veggie with the onion, carrot & green beans, so the potatoes aren't needed to balance the dish. I'll be making both beef and turkey versions on Sunday, as daughter is not eating red meat any longer. Go see the recipe HERE


Ingredients....
1lb. Ground Beef...$1.69(gotten on sale)
1/2 lb.Carrots......$.50
1/2 lb.Green Beans....$.75
1 med. Onion.....$.25
2 cans Tomato Soup...$1.08(Target .54 ea.)
2 boxes Cornbread Mix...$1.00(on sale .50 ea. last week)
2 Eggs.....$.00(free eggs last week)
2/3 cup Milk.....$.30
1 bouillion cube...$.08

Ingredients Total...$5.56

Serving Cost....$.93 each for 6 Generous Servings.

Organizing Junkie is the home to Menu Plan Monday. Go see what's on her and many other Home Cooks' Menus for the week at Organizing Junkie's website.

Sluggy

KMart conquered....Results-87% Savings

So Here is what I hauled home from Kmart today. My location had Triple Coupons up to .74¢ and Double Coupons from .75¢ to $4. I didn't use any under .75¢ Qs & I am pretty thin on the $4 Qs right now. The ones I do have are for very high priced items, that even when doubled would have cost more than I wanted to spend. Of course, this is NOT a Super KMart, so there are only 2 aisles of food products, a small cleaning supplies & a small paper products aisle. The toiletries and over-the-counter meds dept. is pretty large. Being KMart however, the regular shelf price of items is quite high compared to other stores. Most items, having high reg. prices, even with coupons doubled aren't free, unless that item happens to be on sale the week of the Double Coupons Promotion.

As I am full up with most toiletries, cleaning supplies & paper products, I was only looking to acquire items that were free with coupons or close to free. I did go over a buck on razors and mayo and spend most of my OOP $ on Doggy Treats. The puppies are fairly low on snacks and with 3 doggies, you have to keep them happy. ;-)


I'll list what I got and how much it cost with the photos......

8x Goodlife Cat Treats $2.00/Q$1+dbl$1=FREE (Q from 3/8 paper)

4x Friskies Party Mix $1.69/Q$1+dbl$.69=FREE (Q from 3/1 paper)

(These are to add to the SPCA Donation.)

1x Bic Comfort 3 Razors $5.29/Q$2+dbl$2=$1.29 (Q from 4/19 paper)
1x Bic Soleil Razors $5.29/Q$2+dbl$2=$1.29 (Q from 4/19 paper)

4x Dry Idea $3.49/Q$2+dbl$1.49=FREE (IP Q)

3x Hall's Cough Drops $1.34/Q$1+dbl$.34=FREE (Q from 3/29 paper)

4x Bliss/Clusters $2.99/Q$1+dbl$1=$3.96($.99 ea.) (Q from 3/1 paper)

4x Vaseline Lotion $2.50/Q$1.25+dbl$1.25=FREE (Q from 3/1 paper)

2x Herbal Essence $3.00/Q$1+dbl$1=$1.98($.99 ea.) (Q from 3/15 paper)

5x Better Than Ears Dog Treats $2.67/Q$1+dbl$1=$3.35($.67 ea.) (Q from 2/22 paper)

1x Carvers Dog Treats $3.49/Q$1.50+dbl$1.50=$.49 (Q from 2/8 paper)

1x Denta Stix Dog Treat $4.29/Q$2.50+dbl$1.79=FREE (Q from 4/19 paper)

2x Ziploc Bags $2.50/Q$1/2+dbl$1=$3.00($1.50 ea.)*needed these badly (Q from 1/11 paper)

2x Vitamin Water $1.00/Q.50¢+dbl.50¢=FREE (IP Q)

4x Sobe Water $1.00/QBOGO=$2.00(.50¢ ea.) (IP Q)

4x Good Bites $2.99/Q$1+dbl$1=$3.96(.99¢ ea.) (Q from 4/5 paper)

4x Mini Jumbones $2.99/Q$1+dbl$1=$3.96(.99¢ ea.) (Q from 4/5 paper)

4x MarrowBones $2.99/Q$1+dbl$1=$3.96(.99¢ ea.) (Q from 3/8 paper)

2x PopTarts $2.50/Q$1+dbl$1=$.98(.49¢ ea.) (Peelies)

8x Lg. Salad Dressings $2.67/Q$1.50+dbl$1.17=FREE (Q from 3/29 paper)

1x Mayo $3.49/Q$2=$1.49 (KMart CAT Q)

1x Marshmallows $1.29/Q$1+dbl$.29=FREE (Peelie)

1x Post Cereal $2.79/Q$1+dbl$1=.79¢ (Q from 4/5? paper)

4x Kelloggs Cereal $2.50/Q$1+dbl$1=$2.00(.50¢ ea.) (Q from 4/5 paper)

SubTotal $34.50

Done in 2 Transactions...Used 2x $5/$50 Kmart Coupons

-$10.00

$24.50

Plus Sales Tax +$4.75

Grand Total OOP $29.25

Plus-I have a $5 KMart GiftCard coming for the 4 Cereals I bought. ($3 of that Gift Card is pure profit.)

Coupons Used $164.61

Value of Items w/sale prices $189.11

Savings of.......87%!

The Cereal GiftCard has to be mailed away for. Be sure and get a MIR form from the Customer Service Desk before you leave the store.

For every 3 Kraft Dressings or Miracle Whips or Mayos you buy, the register generates a CAT for $2 off Dressing/Miracle Whip or Mayo. I bought 4 dressings per order and got the Cat, so on my second order I used that CAT Q to get a Mayo for $1.49. A pretty good price & I was almost out anyway. That order(with the 2nd 4 dressings generated another $2 off CAT so I'll go back sometime this week and get another cheap Mayo.

Sweet!

One of the Kellogg's Cereal boxes had a $1 off Marshmallows Peelie. Luckily my Kmart had marshmallows in the junk food aisle, so I got a bag of those free too.

The second transaction also generated a Free GiftCard on a new/transferred Rx at the Pharmacy so if I go back this week, I'll have the daughter's script refilled at Kmart and use the $10 GC + another $5/$50 IF I can find $50 worth of stuff that is free or real cheap w/Qs.

That's my report in from KMart in PA.

Happy Hunting everyone!

Sluggy

KMart has been conquered!

Like General McArthur said....."I have returned."
Returned from KMart, that is.
Loaded down with bags from the Super Double Coupon Sale.

I'll try to get pics and the rundown of what I brought home later today.
But first, I need to feed the family.
Oh, and unload the car too.
Somebody want to come help me with that second item on my To Do List?lol

Later 'Gators....
Sluggy-firing up the grill

GREEN & THRIFTY THURSDAY...Eating Locally & A Cool Video!

It's GREEN & THRIFTY THURSDAY so here's today's GREEN TIP.

What is better for the planet than eating locally?
Ok, some foods can't be grown where you live and must be shipped to your locale. Illinois weather is not conducive to the growing of cocoa beans & banana plantation won't thrive in Connecticut's environment to name a few examples where eating locally wouldn't apply.
But why must apples be shipped from California to sell in New York, when New York grows perfectly good apples already? Heck, some companies in the food industry are such massive behemoth corporations that foods regularly get shipped to their warehouses or distribution centers halfway across the country, just to be repacked and shipped right back for consumption in the home state where they were grown.
I find that crazy and just W-R-O-N-G!
That Florida tomato may be consumed in Florida but what's the point in taking that tomato for a crosscountry road trip before you get to sink your teeth into it?

It may be good for the business, but it's certainly bad for the environment & YOU.
Think of all those petrochemicals used & carbon monoxide generated by transporting that tomato & his little tomato buddies thousands of miles!

Additionally, it's not doing anything for the taste of that tomato. Tomato/Tomahto may no longer be as 'fresh' after it's travels AND the company has to grown a type of tomato for it's longevity rather than it's TASTE.
If you've ever eaten a store bought tomato you KNOW what I am talking about!

So here's to eating locally! Eat what is grown closer to home if given the chance. To make sure it's not well-traveled, buy your food from smaller suppliers right in your community(like local farm markets, farm stands, food co-ops, etc.). With the weather warming up, it will be possible for most parts of the country to eat more locally obtained foods.

An online friend sent me the video above. Her step-nephew and some friends call themselves the Organic Gangsters (The Real OG's). They created it to enter the "My Co-op Rocks" Video Contest. Now, I'm not phishing for votes for them, but give it a view. I thought it was quite good! And it has a GREAT message to impart.
Word.

Sluggy

The Moral of this Story

The Moral of this story is.....

Don't Judge a Book by it's Cover.

How many times have we been guilty of this?

Her performance & the audience reaction made a marvelous piece of 'art' on Sat. night

You rock Susan Boyle!

Rock.

On.

If you haven't seen the clip, check it out HERE.

And here's an interview I enjoyed from British TV with my now favorite crazy spinster cat lady HERE.

Sluggy

Crabcakes have left the Building FINALLY!!!

We FINALLY had the CRAB CAKES for dinner....yay!!!

Not the frugalest of meals(2 cakes each x 5)but I'd bet you making them at home was ALOT cheaper than ordering them at a restaurant.

Let me get my receipt out and see what the cost per serving was.....

1lb. lump crabmeat on sale $6.99
1lb. claw crabmeat on sale $8.99
1/2 lg. onion $.30

1/2 c. mayo $.31

4 eggs $.33

2 cup soda crackers $.50

assorted spices & worcestershire $.25

1/2 cup vegetable oil $.50

$18.17 made a double batch-16 crabcakes, so $1.14 per portion.

After I made the 10 needed for last night's meal, I had enough of the crab mixture left to make 6 more crabcakes, so I formed them and froze in foil for another meal. I'll use them for a dinner when one of the kids won't be here(since 6 won't be enough to feed the whole tribe)or fix some fish along with them so we have enough protein for everyone. I could also use them for a special lunch treat for company instead.

I also made Harvard Beets from scratch for this meal. Beets are very good for you and if you fix them harvard style(with sugar & vinegar), even your kids will like them! Beets from scratch are not hard. Just peel them, slice them, boil them in water until softened. Use the water you boiled the beets in to make your 'sauce'(water, vinegar, sugar & cornstarch boiled for 5 minutes) and pour over the beets.

The carb tonight was steak fries from scratch. My peeler sure got a work out tonight, huh?lol

Crabcakes...$1.14 each.

Beets.....$.50 serving approx.

French Fries...$.25 serving approx.

About $1.89-$3.03(for 2 cakes) per person.

What does a crabcake dinner run you at a seafood restaurant.....$16?....$18? You get a couple of maybe fresh-made/maybe frozen crab cakes, a salad & a potato.

$18 restaurant vs. $3 homemade....they sure have a nice profit margin, don't they?lol

Add in another $2-3 for a drink and a $3-4 tip and it's $21-$25 per Person to eat this meal out!

Would you rather spend $3 eating it at home or $25 eating it out?

The point is, you can have those expensive food items people order out at restaurants for a reasonable cost if you make them yourself at home. By being frugal, buying on sale & couponing, you should be able to 'eek' out a bit of money in your food budget to splurge every now and again on pricier ingredients. You can't be expected to eat rice & beans and beans & rice every night for life, can you?

Treating yourself to crabcakes or filet mignon is ok if you make it at home. It will still be more than you usually spend but alot cheaper than blowing up your entire month's budget on 1 expensive meal at a fancy-pants eatery.

I can find better things to do with that leftover money......like save it!

Sluggy

Unilever Deal + Price Chopper Deal=Smiling Coupon Hound

So, Price Chopper was the grocery store to be at this past week here near Teeny Tiny Town.

They had a special promotion going. Spend $40 on Unilever owned brand products in 1 transaction and you got a $20 CAT good OYNO(=On Your Next Order).
For my readers who don't coupon, basically PC gave you $20 to spend in their store if you spent $40 first. So the 1st trip to the store, you spent $40 and use coupons to bring that total down as low as you can for your Out of Pocket expense.
The OOP(Out of Pocket) you pay this trip, will be your highest amount paid in cash, out of your pocket.
After you pay, the CAT machine at the register generates a $20 CAT.
You then go buy $40 worth of products again & use your coupons to bring the total you owe down as low as you can and then pay with the $20 CAT+ a little bit of cash if your total is higher then $20 after the coupons are applied.
After you pay, the Cat machine spits out another $20 CAT and you do it all again, and again, and again, until you either run out of coupons, cash or energy.lolol

Ok, so if this isn't good enough, there is also a MIR(Mail-In Rebate) form from last Sunday's Unilever Coupon Insert. Send your receipt(s) for $40 worth of Unilever owned brand products purchased + a Ham or Turkey purchase(these purchases do Not have to be in 1 trip or even from the same store) & Unilever will send you a check for the cost of the meat product(up to $20). This is what we Coupon Hounds call a Double Dip. Using 1 purchase to get 2 or more Perks.
Your $40 purchase at Price Chopper got you $20(CAT to spend) AND a check up to $20(for a meat purchase). Pretty sweet, huh?

I ended up doing NINE Transactions at Price Chopper.
9 times through the checkout over the course of 2 days. Most of them were late on Sat. night. I still had coupons to do a 10th transactions before midnight(the end of the promo period) but my legs just gave out.

I think I did pretty well on this campaign. I forget my calculator on Sat. for keeping track of totals so I could get to $40 w/out going much over or ending up under(even worse!). By the time I left PC, my head hurt from all those math calculation I did in my head. It's a wonder I could do simple math accurately that late at night!lol

Hubby & I did the 1st two transactions on Friday. When I got home I was going over the figures for those runs and realized something.
I assumed that the store was figuring 'totals' on the sale prices of items. On my run(transaction #2)through the register, my 'total' after the sale price deductions was UNDER $40....but the CAT still printed! This means, the store used the REGULAR SHELF SELLING PRICE on ITEMS to figure when you hit $40, not your total including the week's Sale Prices on some items.
For example, say you bought Axe Shower Gel to get to $40. The regular price at this PC is $4.49 but was on sale this week for $3.99. You would have to buy 11 of them at the sale price to hit the $40 threshold. Using the regular selling price, you only need 9 to get to $40. That's a difference of what you need to spend to generate the CAT of over $9....meaning that's potentially $9 more OOP you have to spend(before coupons were applied). At that point, I could have kicked myself for OVERSPENDING on the 1st two transactions. I could have done them for less money and still have gotten the $20 CATs. Ugh. So, I got over it and hit the store 7 more times before midnight at Saturday when the sale ended.

Luckily, there was a whole separate Unilever coupon insert last Sunday and I had bought LOTS of copies of that week's Sunday paper, so lots of coupons to redeem.

As it's so many Transactions, I'll just cut to the chase with the important numbers.
Here's what I hauled home.
Skippy Peanut Butter.....28
Lipton Rice/Noodle Sides....37 (6 not pictured)
Bertolli Spaghetti Sauce.....23
Lipton Tea......6
Knorr Gravy/Sauce.....2
Breyer's Ice Cream......2 (not pictured)
Axe Shower Gel......14
Caress Body Wash.....16
Suave Shampoo......22 (1 not pictured)

It may not look like much in the photo but it was a Metric TON. You can't heard the table groaning under all that weight!lolol

Except for the Ice Cream, I bought items that were shelf stable & didn't need refridgeration/freezing. It's all stuff we eat and the toiletries are all items we will use(some toiletries will be shared). I tried to buy items that after sale prices that week & couponage cost me the least per item. I wish they hadn't run out of the size peanut butter I bought as that was a good item size/cost to buy & the food bank is always asking for peanut butter.

Value of all these products was $422.51 ($413.47+$9.04 tax)

That's 150 Items total.

Savings
Sale Prices.............$92.89
Coupons Used......$109.95
$20 CATS Used...$160.00(8x$20)
Savings Total.......$362.84

OOP.........$59.67 ($9.04 of that was tax.)

Per Items it comes out to .40¢ each.

And I have a $20 CAT to spend so I'll get at least $20 MORE Free Food!

Add in that I can potentially send in for 9 FREE Ham or Turkey REBATES(once I buy some meat, that is!)using various family members &/or friends who aren't going to be doing this rebate themselves, so I have potential for up to $180 more worth of products with NO Additional OOP.
Well, except for some stamps & envelopes.

I'm not going to send in for 9 Rebates so does Anybody want to buy a register receipt or trade one for coupons?lol Then you just have to buy the ham or turkey and send in for your Refund on the meat. You won't have to purchase the $40 of items since I already did it for you. ;-)

Including the $20 CAT left to spend, this gives me a SAVINGS of 86.5% + a potential for over a 90% Savings after the Free Meat MIRs.

Can you see me smiling??

Sluggy

KMart DOUBLE COUPONS coming April 19th to PA

KMart is at it again!
Yet another Double Coupons Event is coming to a neighborhood Kmart near you.
A whole bushel of stores here in PA are slated to participate in this promotion. Basically, any coupon you use during this promotion is doubled in value. The response didn't mention what the limit on the dollar value of coupons that they will double this time, but generally it's up to $2 ones that are doubled.

Here is the response I received earlier today to my inquiry. It is from KMart's Customer Relations Dept.

Dear XXXXXX,
Thank you for contacting Kmart regarding the Kmart Double Coupon Event. We appreciate you interest in this promotion. Our next double coupon event starts on 4/19/09 and will run until 4/25/09.

The following PA stores are participating:
ALTOONA
BEAVER FALLS
BELLEVERNON
BENSALEM
BERWICK
BRIDGEVILLE
BROOKHAVEN
BURNHAM
BUTLER
CARLISLE
CHAMBERSBURG
CLARION
CLIFTONHEIGHTS
COLUMBIA
CORAOPOLIS
DOYLESTOWN
DUBOIS
EAGLEVILLE
EASTSTROUDSBURG
ELIZABETHTOWN
ENOLA
EPHRATA
ERIE
EXTON
FEASTERVILLE
FRACKVILLE
FRANKLIN
HARRISBURG
HAZLETON
HERMITAGE
HOLMES
HONESDALE
HUMMELSTOWN
INDIANA
KINGSTON
LANCASTER
LANGHORNEL
ATROBE
LEBANON
LEECHBURG
MATAMORAS
MCMURRAY
MEADVILLE
MECHANICSBURG
MILL HALL
MONROEVILLE
MOON TOWNSHIP
MOOSICMT PLEASANT
MT POCONO
NEW CASTLE
NEW KENSINGTON
NORRISTOWN
NORTHVERSAILLES
PHILADELPHIA
PHOENIXVILLE
PITTSBURGH
PITTSTON
PLEASANTHILLS
POTTSTOWN
READING
ROCHESTER
SAYRE
SCRANTON
SHAMOKIN DAM
SHILLINGTON
SHIPPENSBURG
STRAFFORD WAYNE
THORNDALE
TOWANDA
UNIONTOWN
WARMINSTER
WARREN
WAYNESBORO
WEST CHESTER
WILKES BARRE
WILLIAMSPORT
WILLOW GROVE
WILLOW STREET
YORK

Once again, thank you for your interest in our double coupon promotions.We appreciate your business and value you as a Sears Holdings customer. We certainly hope you will continue to make Sears Holdings your choice for quality and value.
Sincerely,
XXXXX
National Customer Relations Sears Holdings Corporation

DEAL SEEKING MOM has lists of stores in other states that are participating HERE.
Check it out.

And get those high value coupons ready to use April 19-25!

Sluggy

Meal Plan Monday April 13th Edition

Last week's menu pretty much held as written last Monday.....except for the CRABCAKES! Seriously, these crabcakes are becoming the running joke around this house. The family is now accusing me of not even having crab in the house! It's all just a cruel joke I am pulling on them, getting their hopes up for yummy crabcakes every week.lolol

I scaled back on Easter Dinner yesterday, having everything except the made from scratch beans, creamed spinach and salad. It was just the right amount of food. I sent 2 plates home with the relatives and we had just a small amount of leftovers....some of which were finished today or tonight.
I cooked Chili on saturday-2 pots of it....1 w/ground turkey for daughter and the other crockpot was regular ground beef chili. Late saturday night I plopped the ham in one of the crockpots and cooked it overnight. The only thing I had to run the oven for was the sweet potatoes, rolls & cake and pie. I should have put the sweet potatoes in the other crockpot when I put the ham on instead. That would have saved energy, as the swt. pots. take a long while to cook. The rolls and cake/pie went into the oven as soon as the swt. pots. came out. Doing all your oven baking at once saves electricity/gas as the oven is hot already, so you save all that preheating energy.

I cooked ahead the boiled eggs(for deviled eggs)and made the macaroni salad on saturday too. The veggies(asparagus & summer squash)were simply grilled outside. I placed a layer of foil on the grill, sprinkled some EVOO and placed the veggies on the foil. The squash got a few shakes of seasoning while grilling and the asparagus got some sea salt sprinkled on after plating.
So simple but so good and refreshing. No drowning of veggies in sauces this year! ;-)
While I grilled, hubby baked the rolls and sliced the ham, putting the pie and cake in when the rolls came out and we sat down to feast.
Oh well.....there is always next time to plan better.

The only Food Waste this week was a small lime. It somehow got hidden under the red leaf lettuce at the bottom of the produce drawer. I found it Sunday morning when I was rummaging around in the fridge for veggies to put in the macaroni salad.

Still eating mostly from the stockpile/freezer this week.
Since I picked up that 10lbs. of chicken unexpectedly last week, the only items needed for this menu that we don't have in the house are Ricotta Cheese, Pepperoni, Salad Greens, Carrot, Cuke, Sour Cream and I might need more flour(have to check that). I'll be baking Bread for the Garlic Bread and French Toast & making the Calzone Dough from scratch on thursday.

Here's what is on the Menu at Sluggy's house this week.

MONDAY-Kielbasa on Rolls, Onions, leftover Corn
TUESDAY-Crab Cakes, Fries, Harvard Beets
WEDNESDAY-Homemade Burritos, leftover Homemade Chili, leftover Grilled Asparagus/Squash
THURSDAY-Homemade Chicken Parmesan, Tossed Salad, Garlic Bread
FRIDAY-Breakfast for Dinner....Capn Crunch French Toast, Veggie Frittata, Sausage
SATURDAY-Mystery Meal (This keeps the family guessing and let's me use something up from deep in the recesses of the freezer.)
SUNDAY-Homemade Calzones-like I use to buy when I worked in Brooklyn

DESSERTS FOR THE WEEK-Brownie, Brownies & more Brownies, Grapes, Mandarin Oranges, Ice Cream

My Bargain Meal this week is the Kielbasa on Rolls w/side dishes.
Ingredients....
2lb. Kielbasa BOGO 2 for $3.99 (Cut into 3 pieces each.)
2 Large Onions sauteed $.50
1 pack of Steak Rolls $1.50
Mustard $.30
2 tablespoons Butter $.06
Corn(leftover) $.00
Macaroni Salad(leftover) $.00
Ingredients Total...$6.35

Serving Cost....$1.06 each for 6 Generous Servings.

Organizing Junkie is the home to Menu Plan Monday.
Go see what's on her and many other Home Cooks' Menus for the week at Organizing Junkie's website.

Sluggy

As the Soap Lathers.....The Finale=$3.11 Overage!

The last bit of the Rite-Aid purchases.

UPDATE on My Rite-Aid Week.

Well I ended up NOT doing the last Transaction like I planned.(KY product, Vitamin Water 4-pack & 3 2-packs of Olay Soap). The 1st Rite-Aid didn't have Vitamin Water of Soap, the 2nd store didn't have ANY of the 3 items. The last place along my route didn't have the KY, so I did....

9 2-packs of Olay Soap @ $2.50 ea.=$22.50
1 4-pack of Vitamin Water @ $4.99
Subtotal=$27.49

Coupons Used....
9x $2/1 Olay=$18
1 $5/25 Rite-Aid
Coupons total=$23.00

Tax....$1.65
Total OOP=$6.14

Send for Vitamin Water SCR of $2.50
Here are All the numbers by Transaction.

TRANSACTION #1 Value of Items....$31.50($24.17 sale price)
Tax......................$1.20
OOP....................$0.00

Gift Card............$6.37
Store Sales..........$7.33

Qs redeemed.....$19.00

TRANSACTION #1A-The Excedrin
Value of Items....$4.69($1.99 sale price)
OOP....................$0.00
Store Sales.........$2.70
Qs redeemed.....$1.99(adjusted down from $2.00)

TRANSACTION #2
Value of Items....$34.83($25.97 sale price)
Tax.......................$.90
OOP....................$5.24
Gift Card............$3.63
Store Sales.........$8.86
Qs redeemed.....$18.00
SCR refund........$11.99

TRANSACTION #4-Sat.

Value of Items....$33.70($27.49 sale price)
Tax.......................$1.65

OOP.....................$6.14
Store Sales..........$6.21

Qs redeemed.....$23.00
SCR refund..........$2.50

TRANSACTION TOTALS

Value of Items....$107.27($79.62 sale price)
Tax........................$3.75
OOP......................$11.38
Store Sales Disc...$27.65

GiftCard paid.......$10.00

Qs redeemed........$61.99
SCR refund...........$14.49

$11.38 OOP-$14.49 SCR= -$3.11 OVERAGE!

Let's recap what I got....
19 2-packs of Olay Soap
8 Bottles of Vitamin Water
2 Tubes of Colgate Toothpaste
1 Excedrin 20 ct. Gel Caps
2 bags of Bugles
1 Old Spice Clinical Strength Deodorant
1 Bottle of Blink Tears

Yep, the store gave me $107.27 worth of products and PAID ME $3.11 to take it!
And if I didn't have to shell out $3.75 in sales tax, they would have paid me more.

Sluggy

Weekend Adventures in Wags-land ...93% SAVINGS!

Hubby took off from work last Friday. We headed out to do some Easter dinner shopping and I had him take me to WAGS too, to pick up some goodies. I had him do a transaction for me too. I put the items in his hand along with the coupons and RRs to use & he did great. He doesn't 'get' the whole coupon thing but he's a great at doing what I tell him & he doesn't mind saving money. lol



I hit WAGS again on Saturday night & did multiple transactions when I went out to finish up my Unilever Campaign at Price Chopper. More on that later....

Here's what we got at Walgreen's....

#1 Transaction(friday)
Crest Toothpaste(Free w/Q from buying Glucose Meter last week) $0.00
Colgate Toothpaste(Used $1/1 Q) $2.49
Envelopes(Used WAG Q)$.69
Cadbury Butterscotch Candy(on sale)$2.49
Used $3.00RR from Edge Shaving Gel bought last week
Tax $.05
Total OOP $2.72
Received $3.50RR for Colgate



#2 Transaction(friday)
Breeze Meter (Used $14.99 Q)$0.00
Skintimate $2.99
Envelopes(Used WAG Q)$.69
Used $3.50RR from Colgate
Tax $.23
Total OOP $.41
Received $3RR for Skintimate
Received FREE Crest Toothpaste Q/RR



#3 Transaction(friday)
Chapstick $1.99
4x Lipton Ice Tea Bags(Used WAG Q & 2x$1/2Q)$5.96
3x Hershey Candy Bags @$2.50(Used $1.50/3Q)$6.00
2x BettyCrocker Frosting @$1.50(Used 2x .55/1Q)$1.90
3x Oust $2.99(Used 3x $2/1Q)$2.97
1 Reach Toothbrush & 1 Reach Floss @$5.00(Used $3/2Q)$2.00
Used $3RR from Skintimate
Tax $.66
Total OOP $18.48
Received $2RR for Chapstick
Received $1RR for Frosting
Received $2.50RR for 2 Reach Items



#4 Transaction (saturday)
Breeze Meter (Used $14.99 Q)$0.00
Total OOP $0.00
Received FREE Crest Toothpaste Q/RR



#5 Transaction
Contour Meter (Used $14.99 Q)$0.00
Colgate Toothpaste(Used $1/1Q)$2.49
1 Reach Toothbrush & 1 Reach Floss @$5.00(Used $3/2Q)$2.00
Used $2RR from Chapstick(friday)
Tax $0.00
Total OOP $2.49
Received $3.50RR for Colgate Toothpaste
Received $2.50RR for Reach Items
Received FREE Crest Toothpaste Q/RR



#6 Transaction(saturday)
Crest Toothpaste(Free with Crest RR/Q from Meter)$0.00
Edge Shaving Gel $2.99
1 Reach Toothbrush & 1 Reach Floss @$5.00(Used $3/2Q)$2.00
Used $3.50RR from Colgate
Used $1RR from Frosting
Tax $.18
Total OOP $.67
Received $3RR for Edge Saving Gel
Received $2.50 for 2 Reach Items



#7 Transaction(saturday)
Breeze Meter (Used $14.99 Q)$0.00
Edge Shaving Gel $2.99
Colgate Toothpaste(Used $1/1Q)$2.49
Crest Toothpaste(Used Free RR/Q from Meter)
Used $2.50RR from Reach Items
Tax $.18
Total OOP $3.16
Received $3RR for Edge Shaving Gel
Received $3.50RR for Colgate
Received FREE Crest Toothpaste Q/RR



#8 Transaction(saturday)
Breeze Meter (Used $14.99 Q)$0.00
Edge Shaving Gel $2.99
1 Reach Toothbrush & 1 Reach Floss @$5.00(Used $3/2Q)$2.00
Crest Toothpaste(Used FREE RR/Q from Meter)$0.00
Used $3.50RR from Colgate
Tax $.18
Total OOP $1.67
Received $3RR for Edge Shaving Gel
Received $2.50RR for 2 Reach items
Received FREE Crest Toothpaste Q/RR



#9 Transaction(saturday)
OAD Powder Drink Mix $1.49
Colgate Toothpaste(Used $1/1Q)$2.49
Used $3RR from Edge
Total OOP $.98



TOTAL OOP $30.58


From these receipts I can send for Easy Saver Rebates....

$3 3x$1 for Oust
$5 for 4 Bags of Hershey's
$5 for 4 Crest Toothpaste
$1.49 for OAD Drink Mix
TOTAL $14.49 w/10% on GC Bonus=$15.94 REFUND

AND I earned $17 in Register Rewards that I haven't spent yet.


So if you figure my RRs and ESR Gift Card amounts in, I am UP $2.36 over my OOP spent.


PLUS I still have 2 RR/Qs for FREE CREST Toothpaste to redeem.


OOP $30.58

Value of Items $447.23

Savings OVER 93%

(Not counting the Rebates, RRs earned and 2 Free Toothpaste Qs.)

For those of you who think I LIVE in the store, we were in the store on friday from 12:55pm to 1:22pm and on saturday I shopped from 7:37pm to 8:37pm.

3 transactions in 27 minutes on friday; 6 transactions in 1 hr on saturday.

I would have been done quicker on saturday if there wasn't one long line after another I had to stand in to check out 6 times.

I'm feeling the WAGS love.....
Sluggy

FISTFUL OF COUPONS Giveaway!

Karrie over at A FISTFUL OF COUPONS is having a MOVIE MONEY GIVEAWAY!

Win a $25 Gift Card to one of 3 Movie Theatre Chains.

Go check it out Here.

Hurry though. Entries close at midnight on April 10th.

Good Luck!

Sluggy

GREEN & THRIFTY THURSDAY...My Potluck Chili Recipe

As promised, here is my POTLUCK CHILI Recipe.
This 'Recipe' is also my GREEN & THRIFTY THURSDAY Post.
Do ya like the way I snuck that in?lol

If you have an onion, some garlic, spices, a can of some kind of tomato product and some leftover beans and/or meat, you can make chili.

I like to use up whatever protein I have hanging around in the fridge. That's what makes this thrifty.....using up leftovers. Less Food Waste is green too!
Try this with ground(or shredded!)chicken or turkey....or TVP too(for the vegeterians in your life).
Even if you don't cook, if you can chop an onion, you CAN make chili. Just let your own tastebuds be your guide.

Ok, there are the basics....
some kind of tomato product, onions, garlic & spices-cumin or cilantro, chili powder, paprika & cayenne.
The beans &/or meat can change. Use what you have or use what you like or use what you are trying to use up(leftovers).
If I want to make an 'expensive' chili or I have expensive steak or roast leftovers to use up, I'll put small chunks of that meat in.
If I have ground beef leftovers to use up(usually taco beef), I'll put that in. Feel free to mix in whatever meats you have, ground, chunked, shredded, etc.

If I have beans leftover or someone likes bean chili I'll put those in. If you are going to use beans just make sure you have canned beans on hand or if using dried beans, make sure you have soaked and boiled them beforehand to soften them before adding. I have learned the HARD way that once you add an acidic ingredient(like ketchup or any tomato based product)the beans in your chili will NOT soften anymore, no matter how long you cook them. Make sure your beans are as soft as you need them BEFORE adding them to a tomato based chili.

Here are the beginnings of POTLUCK CHILI.

1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
Meat(whatever kind you have)
Beans(kidney, pinto or whatever kind you have)
1 Tablespoon cilantro or cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 Tablespoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder(optional)
1 Large Can of Crushed or Puree Tomatoes
1 teaspoon beef bouillion(optional)

Chop your onion & garlic.
Pour Olive Oil in saute pan.
Add chopped veggies and saute over medium heat until translucent.
When done, if you want meat, add your meat now to brown. Add as much as you like. 1lb. minimum but feel free to add more or less to taste
When meat is browned, add your spices:cilantro or cumin, chili powder, brown sugar, black pepper, salt, paprika, cayenne powder(if you want it hot)
Heat for 5 minutes.
Add your can of tomatoes.
If you want beans, add your beans now. 1-2 cans to start. Add more if you like beans or are making this vegetarian. Kidney &/or pinto beans are traditional chili add-ins, but you can use any type of bean you like. I like to partially mash(with a potato masher)my beans. The mashed beans help give the chili a creamier, thicker texture. It's the GLUE That holds the chili together, I say.

At this point taste your basic chili. If you like it sweeter, add a little ketchup, bbq sauce or chili sauce. If you like more heat, add tabasco or hot sauce. If you like more spice, add more pepper/cumin/cayenne. If you love garlic, add more of that in. If you like a more pornounced 'meat' taste, add some beef boullion or stock.
Just keep playing with the flavors until you find what YOU like!

Transfer into a crockpot at this point and just let it cook on low all day....or leave on the stove to simmer if you are home and can watch & stir the pot every once in awhile.
After at least 3-4 hours the flavors will have melded enough to serve.

Add shredded cheese, green onions &/or a dollop of sour cream on top of the chili.
Serve with warm cornbread, tortillas, biscuits or whatever bread-like food you prefer.

The picture?
Oh, those are the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
I always forget to take pictures of my food before everyone eats it up. The Chili Pepper boys will have to do in lieu of POTLUCK CHILI photos. Some people think they are pretty HOT too. ;-))

Sluggy

Back from Weis Mrkt. where it's H-O-T!

Yes it's HOT at Weis Markets.....HOT SAUCE, that is!

I needed to pick up cake mix today to make Hubby a cake for his birthday. His actual birthday was last week, but he was sick, so we are celebrating tonight.

He requested a Chocolate Cake and I have NO chocolate cake mix in the house. I do have cocoa powder, flour, baking powder & sugar but....

1. I am too lazy today to drag all that out.


2. My last made-from-scratch cake didn't turn out so well.


3. Weis is having a sale on Duncan Hines mixes this week.



So I bopped down the street to my Weis market in Teeny Tiny Town and here's what I brought home....

I got to the cake mix aisle and found not only are the cake mixes on sale for $1 a box, but the frosting is $1.50 a tub AND if you buy a cake mix, a brownie mix & a frosting, you get FREE LARGE EGGS!

Having coupons for Duncan Hines would make this deal even better. The only Q I had was $1/3 Brownie mixes and I just didn't feel the need for 3 of those today. So I bought 1 of each AND a box of Angel Food Cake Mix(I need this for Easter's meal & Betty Crocker because Betty was cheaper). ;-)

Heading on over to pick up my eggs(did I mention that they were FREE?), I made a wrong turn and passed down the condiment aisle. I noticed that the French's Mustard(classic yellow)was on sale for $1.49 or $1.79, depending on the size of the bottle. Not a very low price but....I have coupons for 50¢ off/1 (this Weis doubles up to $1), making my discount $1 on ea. bottle.

AND there is a OYNO Catalina Coupon for $1 when you buy 2 bottles. So I picked up 4 bottles.

Further down the condiment aisle I saw a cardboard freestanding display of Frank's Hot Sauce-3 for $1. These weren't the regular sized Hot Sauce bottles but smaller.

Regular small size is 8 oz, these are 5 oz. bottles. Look for them....

I had $1/2 coupons for Franks & the coupon has no size limit on it, so I picked up 12 bottles. **If you get the 3/$1 bottles you will have to buy in multiples of 3 to use the $1/2 coupons....unless your store will take a coupon that gives you overage. So my 12 bottles used 4 coupons and made the Hot Sauce FREE!

I tried to get the mustard for free-at least the second 2 bottles. I went to the self-check out and bought 2 bottles, using 2 .50¢ off coupons. Paid .98¢ and got a $1 OYNO catalina. I tried to use 2 .50¢ off coupons & the $1 Cat the second time, but the cashier wouldn't take the Cat. Now I realize that the Cat would have made .02¢ overage on the purchase. I gave her the coupons and THEN the Cat....I should have given her the Cat first, then the 2 .50¢off coupons. The first coupon would have rang up doubled to $1 and the second coupon would either adjust down on the doubling(to .48¢, not .50¢)OR it won't double at all. In that case, the 2 bottles of mustard would cost me .48¢ instead of the .98¢ I paid. And it would generate another OYNO $1 Cat to keep rolling this deal.

I'll have to go back tonight or tomorrow and try with the mustard again.

Transaction #1
2 Mustard @$1.49 ea.
Subtotal....$2.98
Qs Used....$2.00
TOTAL....$.98
Got $1 OYNO Cat

Transaction #2
2 Mustards @$1.49ea.
12 Hot Sauce @3/$1
2 Cake Mix @$1 ea.
1 Frosting @$1.50
1 Cake Mix @$1.67
1 Dzn. Eggs @$1.73
Subtotal.....$13.88
Qs Used
2 Mustard $2(doubled)
4 Hot Sauce $4
Instant Q for Eggs $1.73
Total Qs.....$7.73
GRAND TOTAL...$6.15 & a $1 CAT

[Grand Total could have been either $4.17(w/free mustard)or $4.66(w/2nd Q adjusted)]....oh well.

So I'm OOP $7.13, I have products valued at $16.86 AND I have 2 $1 CATs to use the next trip to the store.

Be on the lookout for those special sized FRANK'S RED HOT SAUCE at your local Weis/Mr.Z's market. Like I said, this store had the display set up in the condiment aisle, but it could be put elsewhere-like near the deli or by the Ethnic foods-so keep your eyes peeled.

I am betting that this special Frank's Sauce isn't just a Weis thing. If anyone finds this display/price on Franks in a different grocery chain, please leave me a comment and let me know.

thanks!

Sluggy