The Birth of a New Republic

While you indulge in grilled foods and summer fruits among good company, remember what this day is really about.

Courageous people....some ordinary men, some who risked everything to come to a new land to make a life for themselves that was better than anything they could hope for in their old world.   People who stood up to a tyrannt despite the real threat of being arrested and hanged for their disobedience.  People who put their lives on the line to fight for their new nation.

Here's one who did just that....

Robert Foster.
A 4th Generation born American. His Great Grandfather came here in 1635, at the age of 16.
He is my 6 x Great Grandfather.
One of my own Revolutionary War Ancestors.
The VA 15th Regiment he was part of saw action at the Battle of Brandywine, the Battle of Germantown, the Battle of Monmouth and the Siege of Charleston. After the Germantown engagement in October 1777, they spent the winter with Commander Geo. Washington in Valley Forge.
Robert Foster died in Spartanburg County SC, at the age of 64, and is buried in Robebuck SC.
I hope to visit his resting place some day.

Go back in your mind and try to see and feel what it might have been like to be alive in 1776 and to be standing on your town square hearing what many call one of the Greatest Documents ever written, being read aloud.....




Happy 4th!

Sluggy

Time to Enter The Boring Blog Box Giveaway Again!

Time for another......

Sluggy's BORING BLOG BOX GIVEAWAY!

Here's how it works.....

I put things in the box(mostly what I have gotten for free or almost free)each week and when the box is filled we draw a winner from all the entries received.

I am behind on the giveaway schedule so I am changing it up this week.
I am putting 3 weeks worth of stuff in the box today....which fills it up!!!

Here is what went into the Box today.....

1.  a pack of fun Pencils(it will be back-to-school before you know it!)

2.  2 pair of reading glasses OR 2 pair of kid's sunglasses
3.  4 sample tubes of Cetaphil lotion
4.  2 tubes of Freeman foot cream(get your pedi on)
5.  1 bag of Werther's sugar-free caramel candies
6.  1 pack of Gas-X strips
7.   a Postage Stamp comm. Teddy Bear Greeting Card with teddy bear necklace
8.  1 Dry Idea stick deodorant
9.  3 pack tin of Blow Pop scented Lip Balm
10. 1 bottle of Olay In-Shower Body Lotion
11.  1 pack of Winnie the Pooh Notecards

If this is your first time, please go read all the rules for these Giveaways HERE.

***Time to enter.....You can enter on this Giveaway post until I close this giveaway on JULY 12th at 11:59pm.  My oldest kid turns 21 that day so a good day to end the Giveaway and pick a winner!

1 entry per person per day on THIS POST.
Leave your name/email addy and a COMMENT on this post.  

This week I want to hear about the worse vacation you ever took.  I want to hear about the best vacation you ever took.  I also want some frugal vacation tips.  Are there any foods you like to eat on vacation?

You can come directly to this blog post or find it through the link on the right side bar to leave 1 comment per day.  The current Giveaway Post will be linked right at the top of the side bar.

Please NOTE--You MUST be a follower to enter the Giveaway.  If you aren't one, just click on the "Follow" button on the right hand side of my blog to become a follower.

There are 2 ways to get 2 EXTRA entries on this and each new Giveaway Post.......

1. Put my blog on your blog's Blogroll.  Leave an extra comment for this entry on THIS POST with the URL of your blog so I can go check it out. **If I'm already on your Blogroll, say so in an extra entry comment once on each new Giveaway post.

2.  Blog about this Giveaway on your blog or on your Facebook page with a link to this post.  Leave an extra comment for this entry on THIS POST with a link to your blog post or your Facebook ID so I can go view it.  You can do this extra entry once on each new Giveaway post.

Any questions?  Just email me.

Happy Entering!! 

Sluggy

236 Years Later....It's Still Too Hot!

Starting the July 4th party here a bit early.  Working on some cooking and cleaning today so except for the smoker duty tomorrow I can relax.

A drink or two will help speed along the work today....

It's always a good time of year to go watch "1776" or the HBO series "John Adams".

From the 1972 film....

If you prefer "live action" theater, here's the scene from the Broadway revival done in 1997 instead....



And this clip just proves nothing has changed in 236 years.......not in Congress or Philadelphia.....lol




Sluggy

JUNE 2012 Budget Results.......Food and Toiletries Spending

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for JUNE 2012.

I have posted June's totals on the right side bar under Total Grocery Savings for 2012 and updated the Yearly Totals.
I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in June.  If you aren't interested in that much detail, just skip to the bottom for the Totals Summary.

My spending includes Food, Toiletries/HBA, Pet Supplies, Cleaning Products, Paper Goods & tax where applicable.We are a family of 5(2-4 at home this month)& 2 dogs. No kids under 16.
******************

HOUSE OF NUTRITION(health food store)
OOP   $27.77

Value   $78.86

Savings 64.79 %

MAINE SOURCE(restaurant supply store)

OOP  $48.04

Value  $82.31

Savings  41.63%

RITE-AID

OOP  $1.97

Qs/Ads  $139.39

Value  $141.36

Savings   98.06%

SHURSAVE STORES(small local independent affiliated stores)
OOP  $10.95

Qs/Ads  $10.49

Value  $21.44

Savings  49%

WEIS MARKETS

OOP  $270.12

Qs/Ads  $526.96

Value  $797.08

Savings  66.11%

I don't track Rite-Aid's +Ups here, nor CVS's ECBs & Walgreen's RRs. They will be included when used on purchases under "Coupons".   I'll keep track of what rebates are received monthly.  Rebate money/gift cards will be considered 'income' & will go into the Food/Toiletries budget, offsetting the Out of Pocket. Cash will go immediately into the Budget kitty, while Gift Cards will be calculated in when spent.

REBATE CHECKS RECEIVED IN June

Total...$0.00

GIFT CARDS and CERTIFICATES
Rite-Aid $10 Gift Card for +Ups that didn't print

TOTAL Value of Cash/Store Checks/Gift Card Rebates Received...$10.00

COUPONS and FREEBIES

1 Free Box of Cereal--giveaway winning

*********************
My best 3 Store Savings Totals were the Rite-Aid at 98.06%,  Weis at 66.11% and  House of Nutrition at 64.79%.  l shopped at 5 different stores this past month.

TOTAL Out of Pocket........$358.85

TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$762.20

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$1,121.05

TOTAL Savings of...................................68%

This closes out the June spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....

I went into June with $400 budgeted for food/toiletries for the month.  I was able to stay substantially below that amount.
Though I didn't actively coupon in June, by hitting up the Grand Opening deals at Weis and doing those Catalinas there and at Rite-Aid that gave me Free Money Coupons, I was still able to get close to my dream goal of a 75% savings rate.

This is much better than the 40% rate I've been tracking at for most of this year.

LOOKING AHEAD TO JULY.....

I will be setting my food budget at $300 for July.  #2 Son will be gone for at least another 2 weeks, maybe as long as the entire month.  This really cuts down on how much food gets consumed around here.

With the hot weather now, I plan to eat lighter and eat more fresh veggies as they come into season.  A new farmer's market has opened up here, one that is easier to get to and find parking near, so I'll be checking that out soon for prices.

I'll be on the look-out for meat deals but otherwise I plan to eat down the supplies in the freezer.

How did you do in June with your Food Budget?
Did you stick to it?
Did you find any good rock bottom prices to stock up on groceries?

Please leave a comment or link to your post and let us hear about your progress!  By sharing our struggles and efforts we can help each other stick to our budgets and learn to be better guardians of our resources.

Sluggy

Finished Spending the +Ups at Rite-Aid

Here's what I bought Sunday with the $30 in +Ups that were expiring on July 1......

1 x Whey Protein Powder 50% clearance=$17.99 (for daughter)
1 x Tampax on sale=$3.99 (for daughter)
1 x Reach toothbrush on sale=$2.99  (it was free after +Ups)
2 x Planter's NUTrition on sale=$8.00 (for me!)
3 x Zero candy bars 75% clearance=$.72  (for Xmas)
SubTotal.....$33.69

Coupons Used
1 x $1/1 Tampax ManuQ=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Reach toothbrush tearpad Q(from dentist's office)=$1.00
1 x $1.50/2 NUTrition IPQ(from HERE-but this Q no longer available)=$1.50
Coupon Total.....$3.50

$33.69-$3.50=$30.19

I used my $30 in +Ups and put the .19¢ on my Rite-Aid gift card.
I also earned $4 in +Ups back($2 Reach, $1 Tampax, $1 WYB2 Planters)

As of now, my Monthly Rite-Aid Stats for JULY are....

Out Of Pocket....$0.00 cash
Value of items bought....$65.52

+Ups at beginning of month...$33+
+Ups used....$30+
+Ups received...$4+
+Ups currently...$7+ 

Sluggy