April Giveaway.....Don't Be a Fool, Come Enter!

This is the third Sluggy's Boring Blog Box Giveaway for the year.
More make-up and chocolate....need I say more?!?

Here is what you can win if your entry is picked.......

1 x Colgate toothpaste
1 x Oral-B toothbrush(w/battery power)
1 x Pantene shampoo(w/bonus sample)
1 x JR Watkins lotion(lavender scent)
2 x Nivea hand cream tins
6 x Cadbury Chocolate bars w/raisins and almonds
6 x Cadbury Dark Chocolate bars w/mint filling
1 x Simpe face/make-up wipes
1 x Revlon nail clippers
1 x Chapstick lip balm(cherry scent)
1 x Listerine dental floss
1 x Wet n' Wild brow kit
1 x Physcian's Formula bronzing powder
1 x Centrum Vitamints vitamins
2 x Sally Hansen nail color(lemon shark and dive-in)
1 x Avon lipstick()
1 x Bic Silky Touch razors(10 pack)
Over $60 regular retail of goodies.

Closeup shots of the goodies up for grabs......

I'll leave this giveaway open until Friday, April 14th, at 11:59pm Eastern Time, so that gives everyone a full 2 week to enter this one.  On April 15th I'll mark all the valid entries and use Random dotorg to pick a number and that corresponding person's entry wins.

*Please note the rules*
I'll post the name/Id of the winner on this blog and that person has 48 hours from then to contact me privately via email(my email addy is listed on my "About Me" page).
If I am not contacted via email I'll attempt to contact the winner via the email they supply with their entry and if that email is not responded to within another 48 hours I'll pick another winner.

You may get ONE ENTRY EVERY DAY by leaving a comment on this blog post every day until the Giveaway ends.
Tell me in your comment, what here is the thing here you most would like to win, or what you plan on doing with any tax refund you are getting/got, or how you plan on celebrating Easter/Passover/Spring Equinox/Etc. or what your menu is for your Easter/Passover/Spring Euqinox/Etc. meal.

You can also get 3 BONUS ENTRIES by posting this Giveaway on your own Blog OR if you are a Follower of this blog.  Please leave 3 separate entries for these bonus entries with either a link to your blog post where you talk about the giveaway OR the name/ID you follow under so I can verify you follow the blog for these entries.  The BONUS ENTRIES can be earned ONE TIME ONLY during each Giveaway.

Disclaimer--This giveaway is open to those with mailing addresses within the US only.
As the cost of postage to foreign countries has gotten to high I can no longer afford to mail boxes outside the US, sorry.  These giveaways are not sponsored by any companies, I pay for it all(cost of items given away and the postage to mail it all)out of my own pocket.

***PLEASE NOTE***

Please make sure there is a way for me to contact you in your comment.

If you're not a registered Blogger User with your contact information on your User page, please put your email addy in your comment or email me your email addy privately when you leave a comment so I can get a hold of you. If your Blogger associated user profile is a GOOGLE one with those Google Circles nonsense I CAN NOT CONTACT YOU as Google Circles doesn't show your contact info.

If I can't contact you then you can't win.  I have had to disqualify more readers than I care to due to this issue and I sure don't want it to happen again.  Thanks!

So let's get this started!

Sluggy

Weis Deal Last Week

Sale ads at Weis(PMITA)Markets start on Thursday so this is the only notable deal I picked up on Wednesday(last sales ad)after getting an old filing fixed at the dentist and heading to the grocery store.......

8 x Wishbone dressings on sale $1.47 each=$11.76
I had 4 x $1/2 Wishbone items TearPad Qs that were expiring 4/1/17 to use.
$11.76-$4=$7.76 OOP
That makes each bottle .97¢ which is a good price here for the 16 oz. size ones.

I already have a supply of dressing here but not these varieties.  We use 1000 island on taco salads as well as Reuben sammiches and College Boy likes to dip his pizza in the Ranch variety.
I like to make my own vinaigrette and Italian fresh but having a bottle of such on hand when I don't have time or inclination to make them is a plan.

We are coming up on Salad Season here shortly.  In the Winter I am the only one basically who eats salad greens but once the weather warms up we all eat it more often.

Today is the Fantastic Friday Sale at Weis.  I may go up and pick up some strip steaks that are $5.66 lb. today only.  Hubs birthday is Wednesday so I may splurging and we may have an early birthday meal.

They also have whole fryers for .86¢ lb. and  Fiora TP 1/2 price today and I have a $1/2 ManuQ so I'll pick those up too on April's food budget.

Sluggy

2017 Food & Toiletries Spending....March Update

* Posting my grocery totals a bit early as I am done food spending for March.  If for some reason I shop again this week, this amount will go onto April's spending.*

Onward to March's food spending report.......

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for MARCH 2017.

I have posted March's totals on the Total Grocery Savings Page located HERE and have updated the Totals there.
I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in March.  If you aren't interested in that much detail, just skip to the bottom for the Totals Sum.  My spending includes Food, Toiletries/HBA, Cleaning Products, Paper Goods & tax where applicable. We are a family of 3-4(3-4 at home this month). No kids under 21.

******************

BREAD OUTLET
OOP  $22.00
Value  $83.02
Savings  73.50%

DOLLAR TREE
OOP  $12.00
Value  $35.76
Savings   53.42%

MAINE SOURCE
OOP  $129.32
Value  $249.91
Savings   48.25%

RITE-AID
OOP  $0.00
Qs/Ads/PPs  $67.52
Value  $67.52
Savings  100%

WEIS MARKETS

OOP  $82.52

Qs/Ads/Gift Cards  $271.98

Value  $354.50

Savings  76.72%

*********************
My best 3 Store Savings Totals were Rite-Aid at 100%, Weis Markets at 76.72% and the Bread Outlet at 73.50%.  My WORST savings rate was Maine Source at 48.25%.
Ok, having a "worst" savings rate of almost 50% is not too shabby..... ;-)

I shopped at 5 different stores this past month.

TOTAL Out of Pocket..........$245.84

TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$617.39

TOTAL Value of Items Purchased............$863.23

TOTAL Savings of ..................................71.52%
TOTAL Savings w/o Rite-Aid of ..............69.10%

This closes out the March food/toiletries spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month.....
I went into March wanting to stay under $300 spent OOP on food and toiletries.
Thanks to using some gift cards I stayed $54.16 under budget.

The monthly food spending savings percentage went UP by .33% in March to 69.10% compared to February's 68.77% savings average.

With 3 months accounted for, I have spent a Grand Total of $1,091.06 on food/toiletries in 2017 which averages out to $363.69 per month spent in 2017. 8-)


LOOKING AHEAD To April........
Though College Boy won't be home for Easter we will most probably host the Brother in-law and Nephew for that meal.  I already have a ham in the freezer I picked up for free at Weis at Christmas, I'll make my own rolls and deviled eggs(with eggs I already have here), so the only expense will most likely be fresh or frozen veggies I'll pick up in April.  Easter this year shouldn't break the bank.
Plus we'll  have a good bit of ham leftover for other meals in April(though I really don't eat ham anymore the Hubs and Daughter can eat it).

As for the rest of April,  I want to try for a $200 grocery spending month.  We've got lots in the pantry/freezer/stockpile heading into April.  If April turns into a good stock-uppurtunity month I have $477.89 in gift cards for places that sell food/toiletries(though I rarely pay money for toiletries) Ican put some of the food purchases on($205.01 in Weis cards, $60 on a Visa Debit Card from Kohl's purchases, $125.44 in Target gift cards, a $25 Giant Markets gift card, and $62.44 left on my Rite-Aid gift card).
I don't plan to stock-up on things in April but I have the means to pay for it if it happens.

If you have other ideas or guidelines you follow please leave a comment and share yours with us all.

*  How much did you spend on food/toiletries in March?
*  Do you track your yearly food spending?
*  What was your savings percentage buying on sale and/or with coupons vs. buying at regular retail price last month, if you track that sort of thing?
*  What are your methods for keeping your food spending in check?

Is anyone out there up for tracking expenditures and trying to spend less but still eat well?


Sluggy

Gift Card Organizing

Someone asked in the comments last week after I talked about buying discounted gift cards at Dollar General.........
"Cold you do a post about your gift card system?  We're starting to get a lot and I need a good way to organize them!"

So here you go.
I don't know how much of a "system" I have but over on the bookshelf by my desk lives this box.....

It's an old baby wipes box. I keep all my gift cards inside.

First thing is, if it's one of those variable amount cards(which you can pick the value you want put onto it)I write the value I got onto the cardboard display backing card it's attached to.  If that backing is not there(usually means I partially used it but there is $ still left on the card)I write the value of the card on a slip of paper and wrap that around the card with a rubber band(or paper clip).  You can see the "Chili's" card on the right in the photo also has a second card rubber banded to it with a slip of paper around it....that's a partially used card.

If I have multiple of the same brands of cards I also rubber band those together to keep them together.

All the food gift cards are then stacked and rubber banded together.  I also have retail store gift cards(department stores, home improvement stores, grocery stores, etc.)  Each category of stores is banded together and all are tucked into the wipes box.

I also keep a paper inventory of the gift cards--the list on the right in the above photo.  Each brand of card with a tally mark for how many cards I have and then the amount of value on all of each brand of card.

I try to update that list every time I used up a card, well, I update the amount of value for each brand.
Sometimes I forget and will redo the inventory list quarterly or at least semi-annually.
When a new gift card is bought though it is added to the inventory as soon as possible for that the list is somewhat accurate.

I also keep all receipts for each cards purchase.  If for some reason when I go to use a card at a future date and it doesn't work at the business I have proof of purchase when I go back to where it was bought to complain and get it replaced.
Knock on wood, I have never had a problem with a valid gift card not working(well, except for that McDonald's gift card my brother in-law gave College Boy for Xmas when he was little and it wouldn't scan and I had to PAY to have it mailed to corporate and replaced.....we NEVER buy McDonald's cards EVER since then, not that anyone here wants those anymore anyway).

The inventory list and the wad of receipts are also tucked into the gift card box.
I also keep all those store loyalty cards I don't regularly use in that box.
So if I need a gift card I just take out the card I want and tuck it into my purse before leaving the house.

Nothing earth shattering but it works for me.  ;-)

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

The "Feeling Rich" Edition--

This is one of the rings I inherited from my mother.  She had a thing for bling, didn't she?
What do you think?.....Should I wear this out to Rite-Aid and Weis(PMITA)Markets the next time I am running errands?
What about my tiara?  Or would both be too much? ;-)

Moving On....

Onward to the meal planning!

Here's what was planned last week--

1. Sunday--Leftovers/Fend for Yourself

2. Monday--Breakfast for Dinner

3. Tuesday--Leftovers

4. Wednesday--Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad

5. Thursday--Leftovers
6. Friday--Chicken and Mushrooms in Wine, Asparagus, Rice*
7. Saturday--Leftovers

And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday--Leftovers/Fend for Yourself

2. Monday--Breakfast for Dinner

3. Tuesday--Coq au Vin(sort of), Asparagus, Leftover Taters*

4. Wednesday--Leftovers

5. Thursday--Leftovers
6. Friday--Pizza
7. Saturday--Leftovers

6 meals cooked at home, 4 of them a night of leftovers or Fend For Yourself, and 1 night of eating-out/take-out.
The spaghetti and meatballs didn't happen as we had so much in leftovers.

As for the grocery spending.....1 small trip to Weis, a trip to the Bread Outlet and a stop for just milk brought the food spending last week to $12.70. I used $22 in gift cards so it would have been $34.70 without the gift cards. This brought my March food spending total to $245.84.(Food spending would be $370.84 for the month so far, w/out that gift card).  There are 4 days left in the month.

My savings percentages last week was 84.83%. (Would have been 59.75% without using free gift cards.)

Leftovers going into this week.......1 slice Meatloaf, Corned Beef, Cabbage and Carrots, Irish Stew, 1 helping of Cole Slaw, Brussels Sprouts, Shrimp and Chili.
And a serving bowl of Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
We don't seem to have made much of a dent in the leftovers last week though I swear we ate leftovers! lolz

Here is this week's "food plan"....
* Denotes "complicated" meals

1. Sunday--Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad *

2. Monday--Reuben Sandwiches(should finish up the corned beef)

3. Tuesday--Haddock, Cole Slaw, Asparagus

4. Wednesday--Leftovers

5. Thursday--Chicken Parm, leftover cooked Carrots and Cabbage
6. Friday--Leftovers or Pizza in Freezer
7. Saturday--Leftovers

This week will see 3 new meals cooked(4 if you count the sandwiches using leftover corned beef), 0 nights of Take-Out/Eating-Out and 3 nights of Leftovers.

What I need to buy for this menu?  More Rye bread unless I can talk the family into having their Reubens on pumpernickel which I bought last week.  I got chicken cutlets last week, meatballs are in the freezer, I have spaghetti and sauce ingredients here already, as well as salad fixings, asparagus, haddock(also bought last week)and part of a head of cabbage and a raw carrot to make cole slaw.
After this week's menu we should be out of fresh produce and will restock on April's dime.

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