This Week on the Dining Table

 The "The Great Pumpkin is Coming" Edition.....  

Saw this massive free standing display of seasonal breakfast cereal at Walmart last week.  Looks like a sugary variation on Lucky Charms or something.

This is day 120 of the "diet".  Yay!

My PCP is on board with this way of eating to reach a short term goal so no unsolicited advice on this eating plan please.  While I appreciate the concerns I am fine and I am losing weight.  I haven't had any sugar nor any white food(mostly).....bread, potatoes, rice, pasta since returning from the cruise on June 4th.  But I am holding fast to my plan anyway.....so far.  I am down an additional 40 lbs. since starting this eating plan(not counting the 8 lbs. I gained on the cruise and then dropped after coming home).  Haven't weighed the last few days so I might be a little lighter than 40 lbs.

Onward to the meal planning!

This is what was planned for last week.......

1. Sunday--Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad

2. Monday--Grilled Salmon, Sautèed Cabbage

3. Tuesday--Cheeseburgers, Baked Sweet Potato Fries

4  Wednesday--Leftovers or Fend for Yourself

5. Thursday--Leftovers(Lasagna, etc.)

6.  Friday--No Clue

7. Saturday--No Clue

And here's what actually happened........

1. Sunday--Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad

2. Monday--Grilled Salmon, Sautèed Cabbage

3. Tuesday--Cheeseburgers, Baked Sweet Potato Fries

4  Wednesday--a can of Soup, Leftover Cabbage, Hummus and Celery

5. Thursday--Yogurt w/Flaxseed, Leftover Spaghetti and Meatballs

6.  Friday--Big Salad w/Chicken, Hummus and Crackers

7. Saturday--No Clue other than Yogurt in the am-Flying day

No going back to old habits and eating patterns for me!

What got taken out of the freezer last week...

*  a hunk of Salmon

*  2 dozen Meatballs

*  2 Hamburgers

What got put into the freezer last week....

*  Leftover Spaghetti and Meatballs

*  Leftover Lasagna

Last week we spent $208.44 on grocery shopping for October.  

Grand Total shopping comes to $208.44 for October.   

There are 22 shopping days left in October.

The total is high at this point in the month because I won't be in any shape to shop once we get back from surgery so I packed in all the shopping the first week of the month.

I've earned $96.97 on Ibotta in October.

I've earned $30.00 on Shopmium in October.

I've earned $5.75 on Alexa app in October.

I've earned $2.10 on Kroger Cash Back in October.

I've earned 10,071 points from food shopping on Fetch in October.

I've earned 3,133 points from food shopping on Shop Kick in October.

I've earned 1,084 SB from food shopping on Swag Bucks in October.

That is $134.82 in rebates(not counting the Shop Kick/Swag Bucks/Fetch)on $208.44 of grocery spending so in reality it's $73.62 in food spending after the 4 rebate apps I count. 

My savings percentage for the last week was 22.72% and the monthly savings total for October comes in at 22.72% spent.  

Leftovers going into this week...nothing.

Here is this week's "food plan".....

1. Sunday--No Clue

2. Monday--No Clue

3. Tuesday--No Clue

4  Wednesday--No Clue

5. Thursday--No Clue

6.  Friday--No Clue

7. Saturday--No Clue

This is surgery week in Ohio.  I am clueless about what we'll eat, but we will eat, no doubt.

What is getting fixed and served at your house this week?

Was last week's plan successful, did you go off plan or did you not even plan what was going to be eaten last week?

Any deals on food at your stores this week?  

Sluggy   

More Rite-Aid Hijinks on Tuesday

In between staying warm, dealing with the snow and nursing Chester(the poor guy had his nuts removed on Monday)I found time to run up to Rite-Aid for this...............

2 x $8.63 at 20% wellness discount=$17.26-$4/2 ManQ=$13.26+.80¢ tax=$14.06
$13.58 paid in BC and .48¢ put on my free R-A gift card.
I earned back $10 in BC for the Winter Skin Deal on this card.

I also earned $3.10 cash back at Ibotta for buying these 2 bottles(2 x $1.50 for the Gold Bond and .10¢ for buying any item).

Plus this purchase put me over $50 spend on "Beauty" products so I got my third one of these.......

A $10 Rite-Aid gift card.

To recap--

What I've spent in Bonus Cash since 27th October sales flyer(doing the P&G R-A Deal through today)     
$75.98
What I've spent in Gift Card since 27th October sales flyer(doing the P&G R-A Deal through today)
$10.96
Total Spent.........$86.94


What I've earned in Bonus Cash since 27th October(doing the P&G R-A Deal through today)
$38.00
What I've earned in Gift Card since 27th October(doing the P&G R-A Deal through today)
$45.00(3 x R-A, 1 x P&G Prepaid Visa)
What I've earned in SavingStar cash rebates since 27th October(doing the P&G R-A Deal through today)
$23.00($3 Robitussin, $5 Gold Bond, $15 P&G items)
What I've earned in Ibotta cash rebates since 27th October(doing the P&G R-A Deal through today)
$6.10
What I've earned in Cash at R-A since 27th October(doing the P&G R-A Deal through today)
$5.96($2 PostQ, $3.96 Refund)
What I've earned in Catalinas(not used yet)since 27th October(doing the P&G R-A Deal through today)
$5.50
Total Earned.......$123.56

And I have all these products in my stockpile now
8 x Crest/Oral-B items
9 x Pantene items
4 x Olay items
1 x Robitussin item
4 x Gold Bond items
14 x Tresemme items


Between all cash, gift cards, BC and store chits I am up $36.62 at this point getting ready to head into R-A black Friday sales.  And most of my earnings is in R-A gift cards and cash instead of Bonus Cash which means I don't have to worry about expiring BC.
I also have almost $100 in free R-A gift card left as well as all 6 of the $10 "Beauty" gift cards I earned in 2018 to spend.
8-)))

I control 4 Wellness accounts so technically I "could" earned as many as 8 "Beauty" Gift Cards with my "spending" before November 30th(if I buy certain items).  But I doubt I will try for that many as it is too much work mentally on Sluggy's old brain. ;-)

So that's what I've been up to lately.


Sluggy math & money nerd

My Better Than FREE Target Trip This Week

So they had the "Spend $50 on Food/Beverages, Get a Free $10 Target gift card" this week.
I ordered 2 x $50 Target gift cards from our credit card points(better deal than using points to pay the c/c bill)a couple of weeks back as I knew it was about time for this Target Deal to appear.

Made a list, added some Ibotta rebates to my phone, clipped a coupon or five and headed out on Tuesday with Hubs.
Here is what I got *not everything is pictured*........

2 x Lavazza coffee 35% off=$12.08
2 x Quaker pumpkin oatmeal packs 25% off=$4.58 used a $1/2 ManuQ=$3.58
1 x Blue Tortilla chips=$2.59
1 x Cape Cod chips 20% off=$2.29
3 x LaCroix sparkling water packs on sale=$9.99 *not pictured*
4 x Pepsi 12 packs B3G1Free=$10.00 *not pictured*
1 x Readypack Salad=$.84 *not pictured* had $1 coupon on it
1 x Readypack Salad=$.84 *not pictured* had $2 coupon on it
1 x 1.5 lbs. ground beef w/discount sticker=$4.19 had $3 off coupon on it
4 x sour cream 5% off=$3.22(only 3 pictured)
2 x cream cheese=$3.32
2 x Kraft shredded cheese=$5.00
SubTotal......$57.94 + $1.04 tax=$58.98 Total

Their receipts are always so wonky this is the best I can figure....the Total is correct however.
I spent $58.98 of my free Target gift card, received a new $10 Target gift card for spending over $50 on food/beverages.
I also earned $6.25 cash back on Ibotta($3 La Croix, $1.50 Kraft, $1 Philly, .75¢ Cape Cod)and $2 on SavingStar(Lavazza).
Spent $58.98 of free gift cards, earned $10 in more gift cards and got $8.25 back in cash.

An explanation of why I bought what I bought....
*Hubs needed coffee
*We eat alot of oatmeal in the cold weather.
*Chips needed for Holiday snacks.
* Soda/Sparkling water drank by Me, Daughter, Ex-CB and for guests
*We needed salad greens this week
*I never turn down inexpensive meat(ground beef-half will become meatballs/half taco meat)
*The people here go through a ridiculous amount of sour cream(lots of Mexican dishes)
*Need cream cheese for Holiday baking
*Can always use cheese(see Mexican dishes comment above)

I love doing this shop at Target with free money once or twice a year.  8-)


Sluggy

Frugal Friday.....the July 20th Edition

Let's see what frugal-ness got accomplished this past week......

*  The only eating out that happened was Hubs and I got a whopper each at BK, I used a BOGOFree Q and paid with a gift card.

*  I thought I was being frugal this week when I got my passport photos done at Rite-Aid.  The post office charges $15, CVS charges $14.95(and there is a $3 off coupon)and Rite-Aid charges $14(and there is a $7 off coupon-plus I get 20% off with my Gold Wellness status.).  I paid $5.94 including tax at Rite-Aid.  Didn't work out there as my face was too big(lolz)so I had to have them redone at the PO.  I did get my money back from Rite-Aid however so that's a win.

*  More goodies from the garden......

another 2 zukes, a squash and lots of lettuce=44.8 more ounces of food.

*  I gave Chester a bath and brushed him out.

He still looks a bit "phoofy" in this photo as he wasn't fully dried off yet.  I put this beach towel out on the sunny part of the deck so he could rub himself on it but after awhile he decided no, the towel needed to be out in the yard, so after a few rounds of "take the towel and mommy puts it back on the deck"(a fun game for him no doubt!)we brought the towel inside.  ;-)
Why pay someone else to wash and brush my dog when I can do it myself(in the kitchen sink no less)?  Chester is a very good at holding still and being calm for his baths so that's a double win.

*  Grocery Deals....not very much this week and I didn't get the Friday Freebie last Friday since it was a bag of marshmallows and we didn't need/want it.
I did get two pork shoulders at a different Weis this week(had to be in a different town running an errand)for .98¢ a lb which are going into the smoker later this morning along with the pork butt I got at Wegman's last week.
I did buy a lot of ice cream this week at Weis as part of the Buy6/Get $3 Off Mix and Match Deal......

3 x Friendly's ice cream on sale($2.49)=$7.47
2 x Talenti ice cream on sale($3.49)=$6.98
1 x Huggies wipes=$1.99
SubTotal........$16.44

Coupons Used
2 x Talenti $1.50/1 IPQ=$3.00
1 x Huggies wipes .50¢/1 IPQ=.50¢(doesn't double)
1 x $3 instantly Off Mix and Match Deal=$3.00
Total.......$6.50

$16.44-$6.50=$9.94
Reg. retail of $23.04

I did this twice last week(except the other time I got 2 Friendly's and an On-Cor entree instead of 3 Friendly's and that total after Qs and $3 off was $10.88 OOP.

*  As far as cash rebates go, I earned .25¢ from Ibotta(for any item)and $1.25(for Talenti)from SavingStar last week so $1.50 total.

*  Meanwile, at Rite-Aid...........
I returned some expensive vitamins that Hubs didn't want.  Had paid with Qs and points so I got $12.98 back in BC and $5.01 cash since they can't return Qs.  Don't get why it was $5.01 and not $5.....

Then I took those $12.98 BC and bought these items that were all on 75% off clearance......

1 x Love and Beauty shampoo=$2.37
2 x Apothocare Essentials shampoo=$6.74
3 x Apothocare Essentials body wash=$9.96
Total.....$19.07

I had $2/1 Qs for all these(the Love and Beauty one was on Coupons dotcom, don't remember where I had gotten the others)so $12 off=$7.07+.52¢tax=$7.59 paid with BC.  Since I got back more BC for the return than I spent I'll call this a moneymaker.
Add in that I earned $5 in new BC($5 wyspend $15 on Apothocare)and it's even better.  8-)

But the cashier left out one of my Qs and only put $10 worth through so I was charged $9.59.  I called the manager when I got home and noticed this and went back another day and got my $2 post coupon cash.  The $5.01 and that $2 are now tucked away in my refunds/post Q Envelope in my desk.

That's about it this week.

What frugal wins did you have this week?
Tell us all about it. 8-)))

Sluggy