Decluttering Porn.....Cleaning the Shed

Sorry for being MIA on Friday.  I was out running errands for over 4 hours.
Crazy!
I usually like to spread them out a bit more but the day was lovely and I figured I'd get them finished in one fell swoop.  Here is my Friday post a bit late--

We've gotten a lot done this month so far at Chez Sluggy.

Years ago we started with 3 major decluttering areas in our home--the garage, the basement and the shed.
The garage got tackled years ago(though it does need a redo every couple of years but the major chore was done long ago)and we took on the basement earlier this year.
The last major chore has been on my hit list for years now! and I finally guilted/nagged Hubs into getting on it......Cleaning Out the Shed!!!

Here is a shot of the disaster I call this shed after Hubs had removed quite a bit of already--a wheel barrow, 2 large garbage cans(that hold kindling and firewood), 2 camp chairs, a lawnmower and tarps, many MANY tarps, as well as a few metal poles that had various pool cleaning attachments strapped to them.

Now remember that earlier in the Summer, before Daughter and the BF came to live with us, I had entered this shed from hell and removed a few big items I could disentangle from the mass of garbage contained within--2 bikes, as well as a few bicycle helmets and other "destined for the trash" items.

So after a few hours of work on both our parts, here is the pile of garbage we removed......

 Lots and lots of large white pool chemical buckets(most were empty), those metal poles, a pool cover, various pool pump parts you can't really see in this shot, as well as a pile of old empty cardboard boxes in various stages of decay/rot.
The pool chemicals that were left were handed off to the next door neighbor who still has a pool.

Here is a shot of the first load of garbage ready to take to the street for pick-up on the next Tuesday when our garbage disposal company guys make their appearance.
We have since disposed of two more large loads on subsequent Tuesdays.


Shots of items that were Salvation Army worthy........

Sports balls, camping equipment(we hadn't been "real" camping since College Boy was 4), a tent, and a plastic bin.

Four baseball bats.  We counted 8 bike helmets(all different sizes)and 4 broken plastic snowboards too which went into the trash.

This awesome wooden red wagon was also uncovered in the very back.  It hasn't seen the light of day since we moved here 16 years ago,  I didn't even know we had that. lolz

Hubs went back in this morning to clean out the shelves on the left side of the shed.  He came out with two more items to donate to Sallie's.......

 A Coleman lantern...

And a self-contained camp stove kitchen kit.

And here is the somewhat emptied and majorly decluttered result.......

I am so happy to be able to check this off our list!

Sluggy

The Grocery Trifecta & a Rite-Aid UPDATE

Stacking discounts is a great way to pay way less than retail on groceries/HBA/paper goods.

First, wait to buy items when they go on sale, and optimally when they go to the lowest price in the stores 6 week pricing cycle.   Keep a price book to know what/when the lowest sale price of the cycle happens.

Secondly, find a coupons if there is one, and if there are virtual Qs(Savingstar Qs)and/or store Qs stack one of those with a "real" Q for double the coupon savings.

Thirdly, look for cash rebate offers on the item you bought and apply for those.

On the Bush's Bean Deal I did last week, I got the sale price(may not have been the lowest which would have been better), had 1 Q to use(more Qs would have been better if available)and applied for 2 cash rebates(one for buying $X worth of product and one for buying certain varieties x 2).

Sale price, coupons and rebates......that's the grocery trifecta.  8-)

Weis(PMITA)Markets puts out a Weis Coupon Book a few/couple times a year.
They just released this one.........

It has a mixed of Qs for Weis brands as well as National brands of items.  These Qs are all Weis Qs so they can be stacked with a Manufacturer's Q.  Add in the sale price over something going that week for regular retail and you have a Grocery Trifecta.

Case in point, I got almost free Snapple single serve bottles of tea for free.
These Snapple "Straight Up" teas are regularly $1.49 retail but currently selling for $1 each at Weis.

There is a $1/3 Snapple bottles Q in the Weis Q book.......

There are hangtag Qs available at some Weis stores.......

So I bought 4 bottles=$4.00
Used 2 hangtagQs(which automatically ring up $1.49 off each)=$2.98
And I paired this Q with a Weis QBook Q at $1/3 Snapple=$1.00

$4.00-$2.98=$1.02-$1.00=$.02 OOP for 4 bottles.

When I spy these Weis QBooks at the registers I snag as many as I can over the course of the few weeks they are available.  With all my trips recently I've got 10 Q Books so far.
The Qs don't expire until Jan 25th of 2017.

*UPDATE*
On those 2 Rite-Aid trips I did earlier this week, seems I had 2 $1 cash rebate offers on Saving Star for items I purchased-$1 off Centrum and $1 off Advil.
So I will get back $2 cash between them.

This new information makes my first transaction a $3.94 moneymaker and my second transaction costing me .15¢ OOP(well in Plenti points).
I just hate when deals turn out even more awesome-r than you thought they would.  ;-)

Sluggy

The Money Just Keeps Rolling In....As In *Eye Rolls*

Yes, I am being snarky in my title.

The mail last week brought in the usual crop of "junk".
You know, all those pieces of advertising trying to separate you from your money.

I usually open even the junk mail because one never knows, do one?

Anyway, I opened this odd duck......

A survey from the Veteran's Administration and a $1 bill tucked inside.
If I returned the questionnaire and someone from our household was picked to do their survey that person would receive $20 for sending that in.

Unfortunately nobody living here will get to do that survey as nobody here is at least 59 years old, but I got a free George Washington just for opening that junk mail. 8-)

Then a letter arrived from my DME(durable medical equipment) supplier......

It stated that during a review of my account that an over payment was discovered and they had cut me a check for that amount and enclosed said refund.

Here is the over payment I got back..........

Ok, a close-up on the amount.....

Really?!?
WTF?

Ok, I pay this company money EVERY MONTH.  Seems to me it would have been most cost effective to just credit my account so I'd owe .01¢ less next month?

They probably spent at least a five hundred times that amount just paying wages for someone to take care of this, and for postage, paper and ink and the electricity to run the equipment to do this job.
Add up all these over payments they refund over the course of each year and no wonder medical costs are through the roof!
Honestly, where is common sense?

So I am rolling in dough now......I'll try not to spend this $1.01 in one place. Hahaha

I also picked up a freebie(not counting all that Rite-Aid stuff I bought Monday)at Weis(PMITA)Markets.
Awhile back the Catalina machine at the register spit out a Q for a free Gatorade Fuel/Energy Bar and I finally hunted down where this item was in the store and redeemed it......

This will be going into the Xmas stash, specifically into the BF's stocking.  He can use the calories as he does a physically demanding job.

On a roll,

Sluggy

A Rare Rite-Aid Run...Updated 9/15/16

So I got my Qs together and hit Rite-Aid on Monday.........

3 x Crest mouthwash(CB's new obsession)on sale $4.99 ea=$14.97
2 x Garnier shampoo on sale $3.49 ea=$6.98
4 x Advil pain relievers BOGO50%=$20.36
1 x GE light bulbs on sale=$7.99
1 x RA shopping bag 20% wellness disc.=.80
Total.......$51.10

Coupons Used
3 x $2/1 Crest mouthwash 500ml or larger IPQ=$6.00
2 x $2/1 Garnier shampoo ManuQ=$4.00
4 x $3/1 Advil 40 ct. or larger IPQ=$12.00
1 x $2/1 GE light bulb IPQ=$2.00
1 x $1/1 RA shopping bag In-AdQ=$1.00
Coupon Total.....$25.00

$51.10-$25.00=$26.10+ .45¢ tax=$26.55 OOP
This should have been my total but a $1.50 Load2Card came off as well so this made my OOP $25.05,  Plenti points were used to pay so nothing OOP.

I think the L2CQ was for the Crest mouthwash.  That would explain why none of the crest Qs I handed over came off and had to be put in manually.

All items except for the shopping bag were part of the "Rake in the Savings" Promo so I qualified for the $20.00 back in Plenti points on this purchase + the light bulb pack gave back $7.99 in Plenti points as well so I spent down $25.05 in PPs and earned back $27.99 in PPs making this a $2.94 moneymaker.

Then I went back and did another transaction on my other card, buying mostly different items(except for the light bulbs and the shopping bag)that still qualified for the "Rake in the Savings" Promo........

4 x Aussie hair products on sale $2.50=$10.00
4 x Herbal Essence shampoo on sale $3.00 ea=$12.00
1 x Finish dishwasher tabs on sale=$4.99
2 x Centrum Vitamints on sale $6.99=$13.98
1 x Post Great Grains cereal on sale=$1.99
1 x GE light bulbs on sale=$7.99
1 x RA shopping bag 20% wellness disc.=.80
Total.......$51.75

Coupons
2 x $2/2 Aussie hair products ManuQ=$4.00
2 x BOGO Herbal Essence ManuQ=$6.00
1 x $2/1 Finish dishwasher ManuQ=$2.00
2 x $4/1 Centrum Vitamints ManuQ=$8.00
1 x .75/1 Post Great Grains IPQ =.75¢
1 x $2/1 GE light bulbs IPQ=$2.00
1 x RA shopping bag In-Ad Q=$1.00
Coupon Total......$23.75

$51.75-$23.75=$28.00 + $1.14 tax=$29.14

I used $29.14 in Plenti Points and earned $27.99 new Plenti Points so not exactly free as I "lost" $1.15 due mostly to the tax.
But a pretty good day for someone who's very out of practice at playing the Drugstore Game.

*UPDATE*
I forgot about two Saving Star Offers I had--$1 back on Centrum Vitamins/Vitamints and $1 back on an Advil Purchase, so I got $2 off the OOP for these trips.

Now Transaction #1 is a $3.94 moneymaker and Transaction #2 cost me .15¢ in Plenti Points.

I just love me some rebate deals! 8-)))

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

It's the "I'm Too Old to Do This Shit Alone Anymore" Edition.......

Well the Pepper Relish is done. 
 I made a double batch this year so there are 18 pints and 5 quarts in the garage(plus about a 12 oz. jar of extra in the fridge).
I used 6 of my purple canning jars, which make the relish look really dark and don't do anything to enhance the jar colors. lolz

And I am wiped out.  Relish making and canning kicked my ass this year and I spent most of Sunday recovering.  I am just too old to do all this by myself anymore.  Relish won't happen again unless I have at least 1 other person making it along with me in the future.  Daughter was too busy with work and school to help.(Hubs did wash my jars for me this year so that helped but it wasn't enough to keep me from overdoing.)

Moving on......

Onward to the meal planning!

Here's what was planned last week--

1. Sunday--Leftovers

2. Monday--Steak, Veggie Ka-bobs, Baked Potatoes

3. Tuesday--Manicotti, Salad, Garlic Bread

4. Wednesday--Chicken Fajitas

5. Thursday--Leftover Meatloaf, Brussel Sprouts, Noodles

6. Friday--Apricot Glazed Pork Chops, Mixed Veggies, Corn Casserole, Applesauce

7. Saturday--Crab Cakes, Fries, Cole Slaw, Broccoli

And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday--Leftovers

2. Monday--Steak, Veggie Ka-bobs, Baked Potatoes

3. Tuesday--Manicotti, Salad, Garlic Bread

4. Wednesday--Chicken Fajitas

5. Thursday--Apricot Glazed Pork Chops, Sugar Snap Peas, Corn Casserole 

6. Friday--Teriyaki Grilled Chicken Thighs, Au Gratin Potatoes, CA Mix Veggies

7. Saturday--Leftovers

7 meals cooked at home, 2 of them nights of leftovers and 0 night of Take-Out.

As for the grocery spending.....12 trips to various grocery stores, bread outlet, Panera, produce market, Dollar Tree and farm stands bringing my weekly spending to $255.90 and my September food spending total to $360.80 with 18 days to go in the month.
Yikes!

I did a lot of stocking up on staples plus canning supplies and a splurge trip to Panera on Tuesday for discounted bagels.
With only 39.20 left in my $400 food budget for September I doubt I'll be able to stay under that amount.  I'll increase the budget as I need to but will keep an eye on the spending for the rest of the month.

Leftovers going into this week........manicotti, fajita fixings, 1 chicken thigh, zuke casserole, and 1 entire container of au gratin potatoes(I made double for "planned overs").

Here is this week's "food plan".

1. Sunday--Spaghetti w/Meatballs & Sausage, Salad or Zucchini Casserole Leftovers
2. Monday--Fajitas(using up Leftovers)
3. Tuesday--Mushroom and Onion Pork Roast with Carrots, Au Gratin Potatoes(leftover)
4. Wednesday--Crab Cakes, Fries, Cole Slaw, Broccoli
5. Thursday--Tacos
6. Friday--Homemade Pizza or Leftovers
7. Saturday--Leftovers

This week will see 7 new meals cooked and 0 nights of Take-Out and 2 nights of Leftovers.

The leftover manicotti, chicken thigh and zuke casserole will be eaten for lunches, the taters and fajita filling for dinners.

What we need to buy for this menu......Pepperoni if we have pizza this week.  We might need to eat more leftovers instead on Friday.

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 great deals on food at your stores this week?


Sluggy