Meal Plan Monday....November 22nd Edition...Gobble, Gobble

I won't be employing my BPLS system(=Browse/Plan/List/Shop)this week.
*Most weeks, I see what leftovers I need to incorporate into this week's meals, then I Browse the sale ads for the store, Plan a menu, Make a List of what you need for that menu and THEN go food Shopping.
Since I have an overflowing freezer/fridge this week, I'll be incorporating leftovers and shopping from what I have already on hand to come up with my meal plan.  The Thanksgiving foods were all purchased last week in advance of the holiday.

Here's what I will be serving our family of 4 this Week.....our household presently consists of 2 adults and 2 teens at home. (Except we will serve 6 on Thursday.)  No children under 14.

SUNDAY--Marinated Ginger Catfish, Garlic Mashed Taters, Stir Fried Mixed Veggies
MONDAY--Beef Enchiladas, Refried Beans, Guacamole and Salad
TUESDAY--BBQ Chicken Breasts, homemade Macaroni and Cheese, Veggie(to be determined)
WEDNESDAY--Homemade Boston Baked Beans, Hot Dogs, leftover Veggies from Sat.-Tues.
THURSDAY--Turkey Day
FRIDAY--NOT COOKING!  Plenty of Leftovers to graze upon
SATURDAY--Meatloaf, to be determined leftover side dishes we need to finish up from this week

How am I being frugal with this menu?

Sun.--The Catfish was bought on special, stockpiled taters, veggies on sale $1 a bag.
Mon.--I have leftover taco meat to use up so I'll add some fresh ground beef, onions and respice it all.  Plus I'll make my own Enchilada Sauce for pennies.  Beans from the stockpile, avocados were on special for $1 last week so I picked one up to make the guac.
Tues.--Chicken breast from Sat. on special, leftover alfredo sauce to use up I'll use as the base of the mac and cheese sauce along with shredded cheese in the freezer, pasta in the stockpile and frozen veg. also in the freezer.
Wed.--Bag of yellow eyed beans I got in Maine and stockpiled bacon for the BBBs, Hot Dogs in the freezer, Bread Outlet rolls to use up and leftover veggies.
Thurs.--Discount prices this last week on traditional Thanksgiving foods I bought along with stockpile foods make this as frugal as you can get for a big honking meal.lol
I'll be serving Turkey, stuffing, rolls(free after MIR), gravy(homemade), sweet potatoes, rutabaga, roasted fall root veggies, deviled eggs(used BOGO eggs coupon last week), pumpkin pie with whipped cream and key lime w/meringue pie.
Fri.--The ultimate in frugal cooking.....serving a leftover buffet. ;-)
Sat.--Meatloaf fixings in the freezer/stockpile and using up leftovers.

LAST WEEK'S FOOD SPENDING
I spent $85.29 last week on groceries.  I have $37.08 left in my $250 monthly food budget until the end of November.

The only purchase for this menu is possibly some bread for the stuffing on Thanksgiving.  I'll head over to the Bread Outlet tomorrow for that.

FOOD WASTE REPORT
Nothing went bad, nothing wasted last week. 

Check out ORGANIZING JUNKIE to see what other Home Cooks are serving this week.

Sluggy

Not Much for Me To Take Home from Rite-Aid This Week & Perfume GOOD DEAL ALERT!

I finally got up to Rite-Aid after dinner on Sunday.
While last week was a BLOW OUT Week, this week is pretty slim pickings for me.
The Sunday vultures had left me a few crumbs thankfully.....lol.....

2 x Welch's Juice(no purple, just white, boo!)on sale $2.99=$5.98
4 x Tresemme 'Poo/Stylers on sale BOGO($5.49)=$10.98
1 x Planters Nut*rition on sale=$3.99
1 x Motrin PM on sale=$4.00
2 x Tugaboos trial diaper pack w/wellness disc.$.79=$1.58
SubTotal....$26.53

Coupons Used
1 x $5 off $25 Q=$5.00
1 x $1/2 Welch's Juice Hangtag Q=$1.00
4 x $1/1 Tresemme Flu Booklet Q=$4.00
1 x $5/3 Tresemme products AdPerks/VV IPQ=$5.00
1 x $1/1 Tresemme styler AdPerks/VV IPQ=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Planters nut product IPQ(from Kraft 1st Taste website)=$1.00
1 x $.50/1 Nut*rition Flu Booklet Q=$.50
1 x $2/1 Motrin PM ManuQ(from Sunday insert)=$2.00
1 x $1/1 Motrin PM AdPerks/VV IPQ=$1.00
2 x $1/1 Tugaboos item Q(from previous diaper trial pack insert)=$2.00
Coupon Total...$22.50

$26.53-$22.50=$4.03

I used $4 in +Up Rewards and put the $.03 Out of Pocket on my Rite-Aid gift card.
I received $4 in +Up Rewards(2 x $1Welch's, $2 Planters Nut*rition)=$4.00 back.
I also qualified for SCR #81(Motrin PM)=$2.00 cash rebate.
I kept my +Ups at $51.99 worth but I'll get $2 back.

I've rolled all 2 of the +Ups I needed to use this week.  I wanted to buy the Hash on sale but they only had 2 cans and I need at least 3 to use my ManuQs.  I'm also waiting on my Planters Qs to arrive to get more Nut*rition cans.

There is a great deal on Shakira fragrance of perfume this week if you have someone who wants this as a gift or if you yourself use this scent.
This week this is among the scents that is $10 off the reg. price.  It retails here for $28 a bottle.
Combine this instant $10 off with a $5 off $25 purchase and the $5 AdPerks/VV Q for Shakira and you'll pay $8 a bottle.
But it gets better because there is a $3 SCR on this scent during the Nov. rebate period, so in the end you pay $5!!


SUNDAY TRIP
Total Spent....$.03(put on free Rite-Aid gift card)
Value of Items....$41.31
SCR qualified for...$2.00
Other Rebats earned...$0.00
Gift Cards earned....$0.00
+Up Rewards earned...$4.00
+Up Rewards spent...$4.00
+Up Rewards left to spend....$51.99


GRAND TOTALS--November Rebate Period

Number of Transactions......29
Total Spent....$15.87  put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$1,357.70
SCR qualified for....$20.00
Other Cash....$14.99
Additional Rebates....$21.99
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0.00

+UPS Totals for Nov. SCR period
+Up Rewards carryover from 11/20.....$51.99
+Up Rewards spent....$128.50
+Up Rewards earned....$160.49
+Up Rewards left....$51.99
 
Sluggy

Saturday Food/HBA Shopping Madness

  I decided NOT to go to Price Chopper for a free turkey seeing as I'd have to spend $50 to get that 'free' bird.
I probably spent more than $50 when all was said and done however by not going there.lol

I thought Redner's had $.49lb. frozen birds and they had Coke products for $2 a 12 pack(limit 5 please)so I hopped over the river to get some things.
Hopping over the river was easier said than done since I hadn't counted on the big town in between me and Redner's having their Christmas Parade on Saturday....right around the time I tried to go from here to there.
Ugh!
It took forever to go around the parade route but I persevered and got there.

Got the Cokes but no Turkeys for cheap.
They had Dietz & Watson poultry deli meats 40% off(!!!)and Daughter wanted some lunch meats so I picked up smoked turkey, bacon lover's turkey and southern friend chicken breast.
I was so hungry I snacked on a couple of pieces once I got it out to the car in the parking lot. Mmmmm....the bacon lover's turkey is awesome!  Too bad it won't go on sale like that probably EVER AGAIN since I won't pay the reg. retail of $8.99lb. for it.

Redner's also had a deal w/coupon in their ad....buy 4 pillsbury refrigerated dough or sweet moments choc. things(which were on sale for $2 ea.)and get $3 off a gallon of milk.  I had Qs for the sweet moments things($1/1)and some packages had peelies for $1/1 also.  And when I checked out, there was a pillsbury catalina deal on the stuff.  Having bought 4 I received a $3 OYNO Catalina Q. 
So I bought 4=$8 & a gallon of milk($3.33)=$11.33-4x$1/1 Qs=$7.33, Milk Discount($3)=$4.33 and received $3 Cat=$1.33 for all after Catalina Q.
Not bad.
This Deal on the milk runs another week at Redner's(the Catalina runs through 12/26.

I also found Breakstone Sour Cream on sale for $1.25 with $1/2 Peelies, which made the sour cream containers $.75 each after Q.  Add in a few other things and I left there $44.39 poorer.....but still no turkey!

So it was off to the local independent grocer, thinking their ad is where I saw cheap birds.
Nope.
But I got celery for $.99, ice cream for $2 a tub, fruit, lettuce, a rutabaga and yogurt to the tune of $14.84.

Then it was off to Weis Markets and yes, THEY had the frugal poultry!  Picked up a nice 14.62lb. Boat Anchor masquerading as a frozen turkey.lol
I also cruised by the meat counter and found some $2.99lb. fresh catfish(I've got it sitting in marinade as I type), and a 5lb. package of marked down boneless chicken breast which came to $1.42lb. after the store Q.
A sack of Beauregard Sweet Potatoes, some cheapish butter with Qs and a bag of bagels finished up my Turkey Day shopping list for $26.06.

In between all this grocery store-ing, I managed to work in 4 transactions at various Rite-Aids.
Since that week's sales are over, I'll just show you the photos of the hauls and give you the non-itemized totals of how it went down.  If anyone is interested in the particulars, just leave a comment about that.

I'll just preface this by saying that this Fall has been epic for me at Rite-Aid and I have amassed quite the wad of +Up Rewards, along with a few SCRs/MIRs making November a real moneymaking month. 8-)

#1--After Qs, I used $9 in +Ups, put $.91 on my gift card and received $11 +Ups back.

#2--After Qs, I used $4 in +Ups, put $.98 on my gift card and received $4 +Ups back.
I also qualified for a $11.99 MIR for Tena Underwear.

#3--After Qs, I used $6 in +Ups, put $.88 on my gift card and received $10 +Ups back.
This was a repeat of the L'Oreal Make-up deal I did earlier in the week.

#4--After Qs, I used $9 in +Ups, put $.51 on my gift card and received $8 +Ups back.
I also qualified for SCR #79($3).

Altogether, I put $3.28 Out of Pocket on the gift card, used $28 in +Ups, received $33 in +Ups back.

Nothing Out of Pocket, I grew my +Up Rewards by $5 and I will get back $14.99 in cash for the 2 rebates.
Value of the items purchased.....$177.21

This week should find me being a home body and not leaving the house much.  I'll be cooking and cleaning this week in preparation for Thanksgiving and reorganizing stuff before Winter sets in.

SATURDAY TRIPS
Total Spent....$3.28(put on free Rite-Aid gift card)
Value of Items....$177.21
SCR qualified for...$3.00
Other Rebats earned...$11.99
Gift Cards earned....$0.00
+Up Rewards earned...$33.00
+Up Rewards spent...$28.00
+Up Rewards left to spend....$51.99


GRAND TOTALS--November Rebate Period

Number of Transactions......28
Total Spent....$15.84  put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$1,316.39
SCR qualified for....$18.00
Other Cash....$14.99
Additional Rebates....$21.99
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0.00

+UPS Totals for Nov. SCR period
+Up Rewards carryover from 11/19.....$46.99
+Up Rewards spent....$124.50
+Up Rewards earned....$156.49
+Up Rewards left....$51.99
 
Sluggy

Another Rite-Aid Trip and Scenario

Ventured into a different-for-me Rite-Aid store tonight.
Here's what I got....

2 x GM Cereals on sale $2=$4.00
2 x BC Taters on sale $1.50=$3.00
2 x Benevia Drinks monthlong BOGO sale=$7.99
2 x Right Guard Deo on sale BOGO=$4.49
1 x Herbal Essences 'Poo on sale=$2.99
1 x Summer's Eve Douche w/wellness disc.=$2.39
1 x Vicks Vaporub on sale=$3.99
SubTotal....$28.85
*You can leave off the HE 'Poo and get to $25.  I got it anyway because it was a bonus sized bottle.*

Coupons Used
1 x $5 off $25=$5.00
1 x $.75/1 Total Cereal=$.75
1 x $.55/1 Cin. Toast Crunch Cereal=$.55
1 x $1/2 BC Taters ManuQ from Sunday inserts=$1.00
1 x $1/2 BC Taters AdPerks/VV IPQ=$1.00
2 x $3/1 Benevia Drinks IPQ(from Benevia website)=$6.00
1 x BOGO Right Guard ManuQ from Sunday inserts=$4.49
1 x $1/1 Herbal Essences 'Poo ManuQ from Sunday inserts=$1.00
1 x $2/1 Summer's Eve product Wellness Q link mailed to me by RA=$2.00
1 x $1.50/1 Vicks Vapo Item ManuQ from P&G insert=$1.50
1 x $2/1 Vicks Vapo Item Flu Booklet Q=$2.00
Coupon Total....$25.29

$28.85-$25.29=$3.56
*If I had not gotten the HE 'Poo(as noted above), the coupon total would have been $24.29 from $25.86=$1.86.*

I used $3 in +Up Rewards and put the $.56 left OOP on my Rite-Aid gift card.
I received back $5 in +Up Rewards($1 for the 2 Taters, $1 for the VapoRub, $1 for the 2 boxes of Cereal and $2 for the HE 'Poo=$5.00

$3 +Ups spent and $5 back grows my pile of +Ups by $2.

Not only is that Benevia on BOGO sale all month at Rite-Aid but there is a $3 SCR for November, meaning you spend $7.99 and get back via Qs and SCR $9 on that purchase.  This makes the Benevia a $1.01 moneymaker during the November SCR period.
And when you add in that $3 rebate to my OOP, I am up $5 for this transaction.
Sweet....

It looks like the "Thanksgiving food" items and their +Ups deals are running next week also, so if your store didn't get enough stock this 1st week, hopefully the supply trucks bring enough to meet the demand for next week. The store I was in tonight was restocking and seemed to have much more of the food items with +Ups Deals to put on the shelves.


FRIDAY TRIP
Total Spent....$.56(put on free Rite-Aid gift card)
Value of Items....$51.49
SCR qualified for...$3.00
Gift Cards earned....$0.00
+Up Rewards earned...$5.00
+Up Rewards spent...$3.00
+Up Rewards left to spend....$46.99


GRAND TOTALS--November Rebate Period

Number of Transactions......24
Total Spent....$12.56  put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$1,139.18
SCR qualified for....$15.00
Other Cash....$14.99
Additional Rebates....$10.00
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0.00

+UPS Totals for Nov. SCR period
+Up Rewards carryover from 11/15.....$41.99
+Up Rewards spent....$96.50
+Up Rewards earned....$123.49
+Up Rewards left....$46.99
 
Sluggy

Giveaways Galore....Go Check Them Out!

Lots of Giveaways out in BlogLand to tell y'all about today!

*First up there is Noreen over at Silly Mom Of 2 Silly Girls.
She has a bunch of Giveaways running.  My favorites are.....

Old El Paso Family Taco Night  Ends 12/1

Fiber One Bars/Cereal & Safeway Gift Card Ends 11/25

Lawry's Marinades and Mixes Ends 11/22

*Then there is Marilyn over at Marilyn's Money.
She has the OEP Taco Giveaway as well....

Old El Paso Family Taco Night  Ends 11/24

*And I just saw A. Marie over at My Money Mission Online put up a couple of  Giveaways too.

Hamburger Helper Show Your Helping Hand  Ends 11/27

MOZAIK® PartyWare   Ends 11/27

Go check them out and tell em  I gave them some Linky Love! 8-)

Sluggy