Frugal Friday.....the April 12th Edition

Here's what passed for Frugal around here this past week.............

*  I got the Weis freebie last Friday.....

A 2 lb. bag of frozen mixed veggies.  This will go into a massive pot pie or a pot of soup eventually.

*  I hit Big Lots last Sunday during their 20% off store wide sale.........

I didn't get anything exciting really, just some canned//bottled pantry supplies like green chiles, refried beans, rice, some spices, stuff like that.  I spent $38.60 but can't find my receipt right now to see how much I saved.  It was all much lower than buying it at the grocery store though at regular price.

*  I hit some laundry detergents on clearance at Weis last week........

 2 each of large jugs of Tide, large bags of Gain flings, jugs of Persil and smaller bags of Tide pods.

Reg. price for all was $66.56, on clearance at 50% off($32.24).
Even better I had 8 x $2/1 ManuQs and IPQs on all these brands/items so I paid $16.24 for it all(plus $1.28 sales tax).

*  I went to CVS...............

A couple of weeks ago I got lured into a CVS deal that had me pay more OOP than I like to and left me with $7.50 in ECBs.
Not wanting to go all "Extreme CVS" at this point I had to find a way to use those ECBs and not wind up with more ECBs which would just lead me down a dark path like I am on at Rite-Aid. lolz

So I bought those 2 deodorants on the left in the photo, used 2 x $1/1 IPQs and a $3 Reward I had earned for that first foray back into CVS a couple of weeks ago.  My OOP for those was $1.04 w/tax.
That generated $5 more in ECBs($4 for the deodorant, $1 just because I was there I suppose lol).
After sale prices, coupons and ECBs for the rest of what is in the photo I paid .45¢ including .03¢ tax).

All the other items earned me a $10 Cash Card which I redeemed.  This doesn't expire like ECBs so if I ever want to go back I have it to spend but it doesn't mean I have to go back anyytime soon. 8-)

So I guess I did ok spending $1.49 total OOP this trip and getting a $10 card back.

*  Hubs and I had lunch out at Bob Evans while running errands this past week.  I used a $5 off $25 Q there so saved a bit that way.  These Qs usually cover what we would have spent on the tip so I'll take that as a win. 8-)

*  I saw this 3L box of sangria was on the clearance shelf at the liquor store......

Marked down to $19.99, not a great price but better than a poke in the eye around these parts.
I found a $2/1 tearpad w/Qs for "any Black Box" wine somewhere else in the store and used it so got my marked down wine for $17.99.
Go me. ;-)

Still no change to be found around here so that's about it for my week.
Living the dream folks, living the dream.........

What frugal wins did ya'll have lately?


Sluggy

Rite-Aid Earlier This Week

I went to Rite-Aid on Monday and got this.........

5 x Fig Newton cookie bars on sale 2/$1=$2.50
2 x Sharpie pens on clearance=$1.14
SubTotal.....$3.64 + .06¢ tax=$3.70 paid for with Bonus Cash.

I earned $2 in Bonus Cash for buying 2 Sharpies and I submitted to Checkout51 for a $3.75 cash rebate on the Newtons so spent $3.70 in BC and got back $5.75 in BC and cash.
That is all.

Sluggy

Happy Birthday to Chester!

It's April 10th.
That means that "Lil' Nell's Chester Alan Arthur III" turns 2 years old today!
Go HERE to read about the person our puppy is named for.  Quite an interesting fellow he was.
I am related to Ellen Lewis "Nell" Herndon Arthur(Chester A Arthur III's grandmother).

Here is Chester's puppy photo from the breeder for the pet shop where we found him........

And here is Chester on the ride home when we picked him up just after he turned 6 months old..........

And Chester this morning trying to get a photo of him but he does't hold still for very long these days........

And a few seconds later rolling on his back like a nut, trying to get Cinnamon to play with him..........

Happy Birthday little man!
You are a most excellent dog and add so much to our family.

A nice piece of meat is on the menu for your Birthday dinner. 8-)))

Sluggy

Random Stuff & Photos

*  This is my Daughter's dinner from when we took Ex-College Boy out for his Birthday dinner.

Almost too pretty to eat!

*  For those of you who asked about Linda....I heard from her early March and she was having trouble getting into her blogger account or something.  As far as I know she's still out there and alive and you should check the comments on her last blog post to see if she has updated what's going on.

*  Saw this candy item in the one tourist shop we went into in Myrtle Beach.

Idaho Spuds.  Is this a thing?
I see that it's been around since 1918 made by the Idaho Candy Company.  How did I get to live to be this old and have never seen this candy before??

*  Back while we were down South, the local donut shop Kim and I went to last October got hit by a car.  Newspaper article HERE.
Hubs and I were out yesterday and went by said donut shop and it's still closed.
Kim says it's a tragedy and how will I ever get her to come back here if it doesn't reopen? lolz

Like I mentioned recently, vehicles running into buildings happens around here with alarming frequency.  I've never lived anyway where this is a weekly problem/news event.

*  We came home from vacation and found that Weis(PMITA)Markets decided to rearrange half the store while we were gone.
I knew they do this for 2 reasons.....to make you notice items(and buy them)that you didn't see before the rearranging and because some management lackey took a merchandising class and has decided that this will solve the stores financial problems.
Not only do customers LOATHE when stores that because now they can't find shit but the lowly employees hate it to because it just makes more work for them to fit into their hours.

To me, this is just like rearranging deck chairs on the Titantic.
Ugh!


*   I saw this on a car here in traffic..........

In pink it says, "tiny cocks make me giggle".
So strange and random......but something I can agree with. ;-)

*  We had a lunch....can't remember when now.....and  finally had Hubs snap my photo w/Red Robin's statue of liberty.
Who looks classier?

And then on the way out I saw these cheeseburger stools in the waiting area and I had to sit on one. lolz

*  As I drove up the driveway the other day I noticed my odometer.......

It was just about to turn over to 28K miles. 
I bought the purple car back in mid-May 2014 so I've put 28K miles on it in a bit less than 5 years.
That's even with about 5 trips to southern VA, a trip to Ocean City and of course the epic Midwest solo road trip in 2014.
I guess I really don't drive much other than Rite-Aid, Weis(PMITA)Markets, the gas station and the bank.

*  Saw this gift bag on the way down South while in the liquor store.
That's my kind of poem.
Wine.
*snort*

*  Yesterday the Daughter's dog knocked me over bigtime.  She freaked out(she is "special")while I was trying to put her on the tie-out and 85 lbs. of dog slamming into Sluggy after a full run means Sluggy will fall down and go "boom".  I was able to get up after a fair amount of cursing and yelling and by that time, Daughter's dog was long gone and Chester was running around the yard like a crazy canine.  I got Chester inside and yelled for Hubs to go find our special granddog.
She ended up running back after about 5 minutes and I got her inside with the promise of a chewy stick.

In the end the dogs are fine and I am a sore mess and working on some lovely bruises.  It wasn't as bad as the fall I had March 2018 on ice w/Chester but if I don't post for a couple days it's because my wrist is too sore to be online much.

And with that I am off to do stuff in the garage w/Hubs as the weather is nice here for a change.  8-)


Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

The "Why is This Here?" Edition....

I've been sorting through photos on my computer and found this random one of booze on a store's shelves.  I can't recall where I took it but it's quite the selection of Boone's Farm flavors and I thought at least Sonya Ann would enjoy seeing it. lolz

Moving On....

Onward to the meal planning!

This is what was planned--

1. Sunday---Meatloaf, Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Carrots

2. Monday-Chicken Queso skillet Casserole, Corn

3. Tuesday--Chicken Sausages, Harvard Beets, Pierogi

4. Wednesday--Birthday Meal Out

5. Thursday--Ravioli, Chicken Parm

6. Friday--Leftovers
7. Saturday--Leftovers

And this is what actually happened--

1. Sunday---Meatloaf, Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Carrots

2. Monday--Tuna Noodle Casserole

3. Tuesday--Leftovers

4. Wednesday--Birthday Meal Out

5. Thursday--Ravioli, Chicken Parm, Sugar Snap Peas

6. Friday--Chicken Sausages, Harvard Beets, Pierogi
7. Saturday--Leftovers

Last week saw 4 nights of home cooked dinners, 2 nights of leftovers/fend for yourself, 1 night of Eating Out/Take-Out.
That Chicken Queso Casserole thing....I just can't seem to pull the trigger on it, can I? lolz  

Everyone seemed to enjoy those chicken sausages so if they go on sale again and I have coupons that will happen again as it's an easy meal that Hubs could do besides boiling pasta in water and opening a jar of sauce. hehehe

What got put into the freezer last week.....
* Pizza Bagels
* Chicken Sausages
* 2 bags of chicken cutlets
* 3 pork loins
* 3 lb. pack of hot dogs

What got taken out of the freezer and used last week.....
* Pierogi
* Chicken Sausages
* a bag of chicken cutlets
* a bag of ravioli
* a pack of ground pork
* a pack of ground beef


Two trips to Weis(1 was technically March but am counting it in April)and the food spending last week came to $110.56 and my April total so far to $110.56.
A week in and we are above $100 spending.  This doesn't bode well for a low spend month but we aren't outrageously over target either. 
We aren't going to eldest son's GF family for Easter and I'm not inviting Hubs family over either so we are on our own.  I've got a ham in the freezer we'll do some sort of green veg(which needs buying), deviled eggs(as eggs will be going on sale soon), homemade rolls and the fams favorite mac and cheese.  Easter should be an inexpensive affair this year.

My savings percentage last week was 58%(without Rite-Aid trips)and April's monthly savings total came to 58%(w/out R-A). 

I have 23 more food shopping/spending days in April.

Leftovers going into this week....3 chicken sausages, some sugar snap peas, some cheese ravioli, some Harvard beets.  Not a lot of leftovers so there will be much cooking. 8-)

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

1. Sunday---Pork Chops w/Apricot Glaze, Rice w/Broccoli, Broccoli

2. Monday-Lasagna, Salad, Garlic Bread

3. Tuesday--French Onion Soup

4. Wednesday--Barbecue Sandwiches, Cole Slaw

5. Thursday--Steak, Baked Potatoes, Veg TBD

6. Friday--Hot Dogs, Potato Salad, Baked Beans
7. Saturday--Leftovers

This week will see 6 new meals cooked, 1 night of leftovers/FFY, and 0 nights of Take-Out/Eating Out.

What needs buying for this menu?  I got hot dog/burger rolls, pork chops, Cole slaw mix, salad greens and hot dogs, plus I loaded up on cottage cheese(Qs were expiring and it was on sale as well)last week. We are out of cream cheese plus  Ex-College boy has hit the hot dog/burger rolls hard the last few days so I may need to pick up more of those and as always, the ubiquitous milk. ;-)

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