Frugal Friday.......the April 19th Edition

This week started off as pretty shitty for me but using some frugal mojo I turned it around as we went through the week.

Here's a look at what passed for frugal around here lately............

*  I got all this at CVS........

All but the cosmetics were Zero OOP.

I spent $2.42 of my WAM on the make-up.  Yes, I actually spent some WAM for a change. lolz

*  I got the Weis(PMITA)Markets freebie last Friday........

A bottle of lighter fluid.  This will come in handy in a month or so as we have lots of brush to burn from the yard and I have finally nagged Hubs enough that the big old pile of brush will get lit up soon!

*  I got a few Weis deals this past week......

Ritz crackers were $1.97 per box when you bought at least 2.
Checkout51 had a .75¢ per box cash rebate until this past Wednesday so I got 5 boxes(the limit of the rebate).  My $9.85 purchase cost me $6.10 after my $3.75 rebate. 8-)
We should be stocked up on crackers for a few months now, even with Ex-College Boy being on a cheese and crackers binge lately. ;-)

Weis(PMITA)Markets had their "Buy 6 Items/Get $3 off Instantly" Deal.  I bought 5 Lysol cleaners and a bag of frozen veggies the first time.
$12.49 w/sale prices and $3 off=$9.49.
I also had 5 x .50¢/1 Lysol Qs that doubled to $1 off so $9.49-$5=$4.49 for all 6 of these items.
(Even better there was a coupon to use later on the veggies.) ;-)

I went back to Weis and did 3 x Lysol and 3 x frozen veggies.
$11.97-$3 instantly off=$8.97-$3 in Lysol Qs=$5.97 for all 6 of these items.

*  I used a Weis rain check for Scott tp.  2 weeks back they had 12 pack rolls of this tp for $3.99 on Friday, limit 4, but were out so I got a rain check for it.

Cashed in the rain check this past Friday, 4 packs for $15.96.
Except you should know I'd have Qs for this.....of course!!.....4 x .50¢/1 IPQs that doubled to $1 off each.
A $2/2 Scott items digital Q also came off my loyalty card so I got $6 off and paid $9.96 or $2.49 per pack.  This stuff costs $6.39 regular shelf price at Weis so I am thrilled with this buy especially as it's something we throw away! lolz

*  I also picked up dessert for Easter dinner at Weis from the 50% off Bakery shelves.....

We like these Lyman Orchards Caramel Apple Walnut pies but I don't spend $8 on them, no no no!
I wait until they get a 50% off sticker so they are $4.
And I also used a $1/1 Weis bakery pie Q they snail mailed me so my pie was $3 OOP.
Apple pies are a PITA to make from scratch with my stiff hands and I've got enough cooking to do for Easter already so this is the compromise I make. ;-)


*  After two + weeks of being on a dry spell I found some money!

First a rare find, a $1 coin shoved under the counter at the register at my Rite-Aid sort of wedged into the corner of the candy racks.
And it was sticky and gross but nothing some soap and water once I got home couldn't handle.  I used a cart wipe from R-A to tote it home until I could de-germ the thing. lolz

Then a quarter in WEis(PMITA)Markets over by where they moved the greeting cards to in the store, right out in the open.  Who can't be bothered to pick up a quarter if they drop it?  It's a crazy world I tell ya!!

*  My 2 Rite-Aid Discover Gas Reward Cards finally arrived!

Of course they arrived on two different days rather than both at the same time.  I am just happy they got here and I didn't have to call Corporate. sigh

*  Speaking of Rite-Aid, they emailed me a 30% off coupon good through 4/18 so I bought this earlier this week..........

1 x Colgate mouth wash(30% off coupon)=$3.91
1 x Colgate double toothbrush pack(30% off coupon)=$4.99
1 x Cover Girl clearance mascara=$1.57
SubTotal.......$10.47

I used-
1 x $2/1 Colgate mouth wash ManuQ=$2.00
1 x $2/1 Colgate toothbrush double pack ManQ=$2.00
1 x $2/1 Cover Girl eye product ManuQ=$2.00
2 x $2/1 In-Ad RA Colgate Q(on select items)=$4.00
Coupon Total........$10.00

$10.47-$10=.47¢ paid for with Bonus Cash

I also needed to use some BC on Daughter's card so I bought this..........

2 x Olay body wash(30% off coupon)=$11.88
I used 2 x $1/1 Olay body wash ManQ=$2.00
$11.88-$2=$9.88 + .59¢ tax=$10.47 paid for with Bonus Cash.
These items qualify for the P&G "Spend $50/Get $15" Rebate running through May.
Plus I LOVE this body wash brand!
I am up to $17.68 toward that $50 spent rebate.


*  Last week I went to Kmart and bought some clothing and earned $10 in Points to spend this week on almost anything in the store.
I decided to get this...........

3 x 12-packs of Mountain Dew for Ex-College Boy.  The Baja Blast flavor is only available in the Spring/Summer around here and hard to find.  Kmart has Mtn. Dew 3 for $10 this week on sale so these were free(no sales tax on food items in PA)w/my $10 Points Voucher.  ECB can use a little cheering up as he job hunts. ;-)

*  I had enough Weis points to get a freebie so I picked it up this week.....

An 8+ lb. turkey breast.  I am not a big ham person(unless it's a salt cured country ham and I can only eat that very rarely)so a turkey breast it was.  Saved $12+ getting this free.

*  I earned a whole .10¢ on Ibotta this week(for buying any item in the store).
Go me.

*  I also received a $45 credit card credit back this past week from one of our motel stays in March.  It was a special they sent me-if you used Booking dotcom to make a motel reservation you'd get $45 back on the credit card you used to pay.  This amount covered 2/3 of one of our motel nights.

They also sent me an $80 back rebate last year which I used to make the Cape Hatteras reservation for the short 2 day trip we took with my brother there last October.  Of course I split that rebate with my brother as he paid half of that motel reservation.
I am still waiting on $39.94 in motel rebates on Ibotta from the March trip.  Those can take up to 3 months to clear. Ugh.  Hopefully I'll get those rebates cleared before my mid-year Small Finances report the end of June.

That's about it from Chez Sluggy this week.

What frugal wins did y'all have this past week?
Anybody get any Easter meats/entree items for free or at a great reduction from your grocery store this week?


Sluggy

Curse You CVS, Curse You!

So after my misguided venture out to CVS I thought I had spent down all my script(actually converted it into a $10 Cash Card)only to see I had earned a $3 ECB for the Beauty Club?
Drat!
This meant I had to go back into their clutches.........

So Hubs and I ran some errands and I went to a nearby CVS to spend $3.

The Suave gold bottles of shampoo/conditioner were on sale $3 each wyb2, so $6.....and they had a rose oil type that Rite-Aid here doesn't carry.
And I had a $3/2 Q loaded to my CVS card too so it meant nothing OOP for buying these 2.

And then I got $3 Extra Care Bucks for buying this too!

So I bought this next.......

These were the $3.49 each so $6.98.
I had a $2/1 Colgate ManuQ from Sunday's inserts and I also had a $2/1 CRT Q the kiosk printed off last week when I was in the store.
$6.98-$4Qs=$2.98, so I used my just earned for the Suave $3 ECB to pay.

Again nothing OOP.
And a $4 ECB printed for buying 2 Colgate toothpastes along with a $5 off wyspend $15 on cosmetics Q.
I had 2 Maybelline Qs attached to my CVS card-$1 lip product and $2 off mascara.
I also had the kiosk print a $3 any Maybelline item CRT when I scanned my card upon entering the store.
Hmmmm......

I went back in and got this even though I knew it would mean spending a couple of dollars of my WAM..........

Super Stay lipstick  $9.49
Snapscara mascara in purple! $7.79
SubTotal......$17.28

Coupons Used
$2/1 Maybelline mascara
$1/1 Maybelline lipstick
$3 any Maybelline item
$5/$15 cosmetic purchase
$4 ECB just earned on toothpaste
Coupon Total.......$15.00

$17.28-$15=$2.28 + .14¢=$2.42 OOP

And I earned a $5 ECB......sigh........

And I should have earned another $3 Beauty Club ECB but it's not showing up yet though it is showing tracking of $1.26 toward another Beauty Club ECB reward.
So that's $8 in ECB I now have to use. lolz

At this rate I'll never get free of CVS' clutches, will I?

Sluggy

Thanks & Stuff

I am loving all your comments and attempts to cheer me up the last two days.
It's all much appreciated!
It helped to just not go online for a bit too.
Thanks for the break.

I emailed my doc about what was going on with him.  He isn't leaving the area or the practice, he's taking on a new project here in Scranton and Kingston(Wilkes-Barre).  Geisinger is starting a "Primary Care Senior Focus Program".  A one stop shop for seniors medical needs and wellness if you will.  You have to be 65 or older(I assume it's some sort of Geisinger Medicare option)to join it so I am SOL.
So this means I can't be a patient of his for another 4.5 years until I hit 65.....and "if" we are still living here.
Well CRAP is all I have to say about that!
In the meantime I'll give Doggie Howser a chance......after all, what other choice do I have? lol


And I am obviously not alone in my irritation with the Jeopardy champ either from some of the comments I read. lolz

Both Mary and Cheryl's sister can't stand him either!
Cheryl's sister says he reminds her of Gomer Pyle so I made this side-by-side image..........

Yep!  I can see it, can you?


 Go-ooolly! lololz


I did a little digging and Jeopardy is NOT James' first game show rodeo.
We don't have cable so I didn't know he was on the Game Show Network show "The Chase".  I had seen it a couple times while we were on trips at hotels and had cable tv service.
I liked the concept of "The Chase" and the "Beast" contestants have to beat to win money on that show is framed as a "bad guy" so you are rooting for the team of 3 contestants to beat him.
James H. won $175,000 on that show with his 2 teammates.

He was also on a short lived game show called "500 Questions" that ran May 2015 to June 2016 sporadically.
James H was on Season 1, Episode 3. facing champ Steve Bahnaman.  James did not unseat him.


Plus James H's wife was on "Who Wants to Be A Millionaire?" in 2012 walked away with $22,800 from her appearance there.


No argument that James H. is a great trivia master but I like to see more even handed competition on Jeopardy myself.  No doubt James Holzhauer will be appearing in a Jeopardy Tournament of Champions at some point in the future.  It would be nice to see him matched against previous champions but man, it's a bloody bath most days on these regular Jeopardy episodes......

Ok, I've got stuff to do here, doggies to show love to, a kitchen to clean and food to prep for Easter.

Sluggy

Some Days It Doesn't Pay to Get Out of Bed

Yesterday was a Very Bad, No Good Day for me, just like in that book about Alexander my kids read when they were young.

It began with a phone call from my dr.'s office.  He won't be in for my June appointment.  And come to find out, he is leaving this medical group/system.

I really like my doctor.  He is the first one I've found that I have confidence in and get along with and actually makes me look forward to doing the right things for myself medically. 
He "gets me".

50+ years to find the right doctor for me is a very long time and I am so not looking forward to finding a new doc that fits with me.
The practice punted me over to another doctor, another Osteopathic doc at least.  The guy looks young enough to be my grandson.  I have clothes older than this guy!!

I just wanted to sit down and cry over this turn of events......

I am a complicated bundle of medical conditions and needs.  I still have no help for my Hidradenitis Suppurativa though I do finally have an appointment at an HS clinic in late July(that was the soonest I could get an appt. when I called in late Feb.).  Did I mention that this clinic is 2 hours away?  This won't be fun to get to when the weather turns bad again. sigh.

Add in all these new strange symptoms I've developed when I turned 60 and my outlook moving forward just gets me down.
It's true, when you turn 60, if something isn't already wrong with you, cheer up! because a whole new basket of crap will get dumped in your lap. *snort*

Then ex-College Boy decided to leave his job.  He can't handle the stress of all the selling he's forced to do there(with his anxiety condition)plus he's been there just shy of a year and they STILL haven't trained him in the job he has been told to do.  Is this normal now in the business world?  Hire someone and don't train them and expect those hired to handle a job they haven't been trained to do w/no supervision or support?  It started to get really bad once the company he works for got bought out by another company.  Frankly after hearing what all has gone on I am amazed he's lasted this long!

So now that the Daughter is graduating and leaving in one month(yay!)we now have ECB here indefinitely when we thought he'd be flying the coop and getting his own place in a couple of months and until he finds something else he's back on our health insurance.  At least he got a nice tax refund so he can financially tread water and not take the first shitty job he finds.

And to add insult to injury, my favorite bbq joint down in VA closed down last Saturday for good.
I know that's no biggie but still........just something else to make my outlook even worse.

And that current champ on Jeopardy is pissing me off too!  I just want someone to wipe that fake smile off his face and beat his ass!!! ;-)

Add in all the political crap and world news and I feel like the world is piling on me.

So excuse me I can't be Big 'Ol Mary Sunshine right now.
I may take a couple of days off from blogging to get my head back on straight.

Anybody else feeling low about things going on in their life too?  Let's commiserate. Let us all know what's buggy you!

Y'all play nice while I'm gone.

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

The "Seasons are Changing" Edition....

The early trees are starting to bud here and the forsythia bush, poor thing, got fooled by that almost 70F degree day into blooming some, only to be followed by a night in the 30Fs.
We'll be seeing our cars covered in a pollen layer fairly soon here.
Oh boy.....can't wait.......HA!

Moving On....

Onward to the meal planning!

This is what was planned--

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

And this is what actually happened--

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

2. Monday-FFY(Hubs had pesto, I had soup)

3. Tuesday--Lasagna

4. Wednesday--Barbecue Sandwiches, Cole Slaw

5. Thursday--Garlic Chicken w/Pasta and Veggies

6. Friday--Beef Pie w/Cornbead Topping
7. Saturday--Beef Stroganof, Rice w/Quinoa, Cauliflower

Last week saw 6 nights of home cooked dinners, 1 nights of leftovers/fend for yourself, 0 night of Eating Out/Take-Out.

I got to digging around in the chest freezer to locate the ham as it will be needed next Weekend and I unearthed some ground beef and a London Broil that needed using up.  This meant that besides Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday the plan got changed last week(and Tuesday was a change as well, as the Lasagna was suppose to happen on Monday instead).
No worries as the changes didn't necessitate buying more foods as I had them all here anyway.

What got put into the freezer last week.....
* Big bag of mixed veggies
* 2 bags of grilled chicken strips
* 2 bags of pepperoni
* 2 lbs. haddock

What got taken out of the freezer and used last week.....
* pork chops
* bag of broccoli
* 2 bags of smoked pork
* 1 container of homemade pesto
* 2 bags of a chicken pasta meal
* 2 lb. ground beef
* a London Broil
* 4 bags of carrots and green beans
* 1 bag of cauliflower

In terms of volume between what gots put in and what gots taken out I managed to open up a bit of real estate in the freezers.  I've gotten enough points at Weis to get a free entree item(turkey/ham/big ass frozen lasagna, to choose from)so it's a good thing we've eaten down a bit.

One trip to Weis($54.03)and one trip to Big Lots($35.48)brought the food spending last week to $89.51 and my April total so far to $200.47.
Well I forgot to account for the Bread Outlet stop and the Dollar Tree foray of last week so those will go into next week's tally.

My savings percentage last week was 58.35%(without Rite-Aid trips)and April's monthly savings total came to 58.16%(w/out R-A). 

I have 16 more food shopping/spending days in April.

Leftovers going into this week.... some Harvard beets, most of the pan of lasagna, some barbecue and Cole slaw, 2 helpings of Garlic chicken meal, a large pan of Beef Pie(I doubled the recipe), lots of Beef Stroganof w/rice.

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

1. Sunday---Leftovers

2. Monday-Chili Hot Dogs, Potato Salad, Baked Beans

3. Tuesday--Leftovers

4. Wednesday--French Onion Soup or Leftovers

5. Thursday--Leftovers

6. Friday--Fried Haddock(or Baked), Cole Slaw, leftover sides
7. Saturday--Leftovers

This week will see 3 new meals cooked, 4-5 night of leftovers/FFY, and 0 nights of Take-Out/Eating Out.

What needs buying for this menu?
Cabbage to make Cole Slaw.

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