Budget Torpedoed by TP

So I have been looking to score a deal on toilet paper lately.  It's been in the back of my mind that our stockpile of tp was getting to a point where I needed to be keeping an eye out for a great deal.
I have a love/hate relationship with TP.....hate to waste good money on something I am throwing away so I get it as cheaply as I can and when I find a deal I definitely buy A LOT! ;-)

So last week at Walmart I happened upon some clearance paper towels--
1 x Scott towels(6 double rolls)for $2.50
2 x Viva towels(6 double rolls)for $3.00
$9.01 with tax OOP.
I'm not a fan of paper towels but Hubs won't stop using them so I buy. 8-(
But I was glad to find them as Dixie Belle isn't quite fully house trained yet and with 2 dogs now, there are times we NEED paper towels! ;-)
A nice score but it's not TP....

I hit Ocean State Job Lot on Monday during their Annual 20% off Sale and picked up a few food items.........

2 x pasta
4 x spices
2 x baby clams
2 x specialty coffee for Ex-CB
All this came to $12.78 after 20% off.
It's all good since I was still fitting into my $400 food budget for September.

But then I went over to the paper goods aisle.....as Scooby-Doo would say, "Rut Roh!".......

These mega-packs of Marcal tp were $7.19 after 20% discount.
Marcal is a brand I don't see around much any more, not since they released their eco-friendly/recycled "Small Steps" paper goods back in 2009. I think the last time I saw/bought a Marcal item was in 2014?
I got a ton of Marcal back in 2009 using deals and Qs(heck I even ran a guessing game/contest to see how many rolls of it I had).  Longtime readers will remember this photo of my storage unit filled with paper products from back in the day.....

I had bought 474 rolls of Small Steps tp back then and we just used up our last pack of it late last year. 8-)))

Even though the package at OSJL didn't have a sq. footage break down on it, I know the brand and that it's economical as far as tp goes so I picked up two of those 16 roll packs.

Then Weis(PMITA)Markets had the huge packs of Scott tp on a Fantastic Friday deal for $7.  I went into the store for the Friday Freebie(they were out already!)and 1 jar of Ragu and left with the Ragu and 2 packs of Scott tp.  I had 2 Qs that doubled to $1 each so my huge packs cost me $6 +.36¢ tax each OOP.

I went into this week with no grocery budget left for September but happened to hear about tp clearances at Weis were going on.

So would you NOT check out the tp deals since you are at your budget limit or would you say "the heck with the budget!" and go have a look-see?

What do you think Ol' Sluggy did? ;-)

Yep, you guessed it..........

Seeing as I had the money to stock up on tp even outside of my grocery budget and the space in the garage, I went for it.
My September spending suffered a hit for it, but we are now awash in tp.

The Scott tp packs on the bottom left of the photo were from Friday.

On Monday I got 3 packs of Cottonelle TP, 2 packs of Viva towels and 10 packs(Hubs had already taken 1 of these to use so there's only 9 in the photo!lol) of Charmin Essentials(the "cheap" Charmin-except at half off it WAS actually cheap! lol).  They also had Northern brand for 50% off but the others were a better deal with the square footage comparison so I didn't get any of that brand.
I also had both IPQ and digital Qs to use for this or that.
All totaled I spent $33.80 with sales tax at Weis for 180 double rolls of tp and 12 double rolls of paper towels.

Add that to the 168 rolls I had left in my stockpile and we will be good for quite awhile.  Not as epic as my Marcal stash from 2009 but it will get us through a year or maybe two....or maybe not(have you seen how much tp Ex-CB goes through??!). ;-)

My stockpile(other than toiletries/HBA)is looking fine when it comes to dish soap, laundry detergent, cleaning products, paper towels, soup, condiments, pasta, rice, spices, tomato products, canned chicken, chiles, mushrooms, tuna, peanut butter, oatmeal, cold cereals, some canned veggies and of course, tp. 8-)))

What good prices have you taken advantage of lately to build your stockpile?

Queen of the TP Sluggy

Saturday & Yesterday at Rite-Aid

The supply truck came in to my R-A store on Saturday so I picked this up then..........

4 x SoftSoap refills on sale($3.99)=$15.96

I used 4 x $2/1 In-Ad RAQs and 2 x .50¢/1 SoftSoap liquid soap IPQ from their website so $9 off.

$15.96-$9.00=$6.96+.42¢ tax=$7.38 paid for with Bonus Cash.
I earned back $7 in new BC(2 x $1 weekly Softsoap, $5 wyspend $15 Softsoap monthly)so all these jugs cost me .38¢ in BC.  8-)))

I also had $3 in BC expiring on Hubs' card so I bought this.......

2 x Blue Diamond almonds on sale=$6.00
I used a $1.50/2 Blue Diamond ManuQ so it came to $4.50.
After using my $3 BC I paid $1.50 on an old R-A gift card.
I earned back $1 in new BC for buying these.
I now have a month from Saturday to spend/roll that $1 and then I'll be down to 2 accounts with BC on them still.

Wanting to roll/convert to cash some of the BC on Daughter's card I bought this yesterday........

2 x Bulldog face wash BOGO50%=$11.38
2 x Skintimate shaving gel BOGO50%=$5.23
SubTotal........$16.61

Both of these items are part of a $5 wyspend $15 BC Deal this week.

I used these Qs........
1 x $5/1 Bulldog item L2CQ=$5.00
2 x $1/1 Edge shaving item IPQ(NLA)=$2.00
Total Qs.....$7.00

$16.61-$7.00=$9.61+.58¢tax=$10.19 paid for with BC.
I earned back $5 in new BC(spend $15 assort. shaving items).

I also submitted the Bulldog items to Ibotta and earned $6 in cash rebates for buying those(2 x $3 rebate each), which meant converting $6 of my BC into cash(always a good thing).
$5 in BC and $6 in cash meant this transaction was an .81¢ moneymaker even after the sales tax.

Be on the look out for  $1 Bulldog peelieQs on products too!  None at my store but these will make your OOP totals even lower!

I'm probably done with R-A for the week.  I'v got a couple of weeks before I "need" to roll more BC.

And R-A has definitely restricted the BC Deals on e.l.f. products to those priced $2 or higher.  No more moneymaker $1 brushes for any of us.  8-(

What drugstore deals are you wanting to do this week?

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

The "Unseasonably Hot September" Edition................

The last few days(and I see 7 more are coming this week)it's been very warm and muggy, especially for this late in September here.  The perpetual motion machine named Dixie Belle has even been waylaid a bit and actually lays in a bed for more than 3 seconds at a time.  Summer is not loosening her grip on NEPA.

Moving On....

Onward to the meal planning!

This is what was planned--

1. Sunday--Chili, leftover rolls
2. Monday--Chicken Cordon Bleu, Veggie TBD

3. Tuesday--Barbecue Chicken Thighs, Yellow Squash and Onions, other Leftover Sides

4. Wednesday--Steak Ravioli w/Sauce, Salad

5. Thursday--Salmon, Roasted Sweet Potato and Carrots

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

And this is what actually happened--

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

1. Sunday--Chili, leftover rolls
2. Monday--Leftovers(I had a BLT)

3. Tuesday--Barbecue Chicken Thighs, Yellow Squash and Onions

4. Wednesday--Chicken Cordon Bleu, leftover Yellow Squash and Onions

5. Thursday--Steak, Caesar Salad

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

Last week saw 4 nights of home cooked dinners, 3 nights of leftovers/ffy, and 0 nights of Eating Out/Take-Out.

Everything happened except the Salmon meal and the Ravioli which moves to this coming week.

I tried my hand at making Chicken Cordon Bleu from scratch.  Maybe I should have tried an actual recipe or something? lolz  They were tasty but a messy disaster because I pounded my chicken too thin inadvertently.  I tried to make "burritos" or pockets with them, so the cheese didn't leak out.  This meant using so many toothpicks and they still leaked!  They were just messy and time consuming and now I know why when Hubs wants this dish I buy them pre-made and frozen. lolz
The dish's taste vs. work wasn't worth it for me.

What got put into the freezer last week.....

* Just a small baggie of home grown broccoli.  I didn't buy any meats or cheese for the freezer. (Unless I decide to shred up some of that 6 lbs. of cheddar I got at Walmart last week but the clip at which Ex-College Boy goes through cheese......)

What got taken out of the freezer and used last week.....
* Stew Beef pack and a less than 1 lb. hunk of London Broil
* Some shredded Swiss cheese(about half a package)
* 3 T-Bone Steaks

One trip to Weis($32.24), a trip to the Ocean State Job Lot($72.70), and a trip to Walmart($47.13)brought the weekly spending to $152.07 and my September Total spending on food to $376.78.

My savings percentage last week was 51.25%(without Rite-Aid trips)and September's monthly savings total comes in at 55.05%(w/out R-A).

I have 7 more food shopping/spending days in September.  The budget is $400 so I have very little left to spend($23.22)before September is through.
As I am hitting OSJL this week before their annual "20% off everything in the store Sale" is over I am assuming now I will be over for the month.  But it will be worth it.
And as I was almost $100 UNDER budget for food/toiletries in August and the fact that I won't be home for a good part of October(=no food shopping)I don't feel too bad about going over this month.

Leftovers going into this week......2 Pork Chops, Carrots, Asiago Rice, Goulash, Egg Noodles, Chili.

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

1. Sunday--Spaghetti with Sauce, Meatballs, Salad
2. Monday--Leftover Pork Chops w/Apricot Glaze(glaze is new), Asiago Rice, Veggie TBD

3. Tuesday--Salmon, Roasted Sweet Potato and Carrots, Mac and Cheese

4. Wednesday--Hot Dogs w/Chili, Beans

5. Thursday--Steak Ravioli with Sauce, Salad

6. Friday--Leftovers or FFY
7. Saturday--Leftovers or FFY

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

What needs buying for this menu?  Nothing.  I've got everything here in the fridge, freezer or pantry.  It's a good thing too since I am about out of food budget for the month.

Of course, except for Sunday(which is in the books now)or tonight's leftover fest, this plan can change in a hot minute depending on if I feel like eating/making this menu or not when that particular night is here.
Cooks prerogative rules, am I right!? lolz

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  

September Giveaway Winner!

I made exactly $338.75 at the Stockpile Sale.  And since I paid nothing for most/if not all of what sold it was alllll profit.  8-)

So that means, with a guess of $339.07(yikes, they were off by only .32¢!!!)the winner is.............

Crystal!

CrystalSeptember 18, 2019 at 12:56 AM

Next guess: $339.07

Congratulations Crystal!!
Now email me within the next 48 hours from the time this post goes live with your full name and mailing address.
We can discuss what else I can put into your box to fill it up at that point. ;-)

Thanks for reading and playing along to everyone who made guesses.
I've already got October's Giveaways prepped and ready to launch since I'm going to be out of town for a good part of October.  I hope to get it live early in the month.  ;-)

Sluggy

Frugal Friday......the September 20th Edition

Here's a few frugal-like things that happened around Chez Sluggy this past week............

*  I picked what will probably be the last of the broccoli on Thursday.  Our nighttime temps are almost to freezing.

Had I known that after the first big heads these plants would keep producing little heads I wouldn't have pulled up the 3 plants that I did.
This little bit will either go into a mish-mash stew this Winter or Chester will get it in his dinner bowl(it's his favorite, the crazy dog!).

Grand total of broccoli grown/picked this year is 4.40 lbs.

*  I found money!(Can you guess that this is the favorite frugal thing when I can post it? lol)

I found this quarter in the Rite-Aid parking lot last Friday.

Then I went to Weis and found 2 pennies.....both at the Customer Service Desk.

Then I found this penny at the Walmart self-checkout.  I spied it at the register across from the one we were using and I scanned my shit so fast so I could bop over there and pick it up before Kim got it. lolz

Then I went back to Weis on Wednesday for something and found the penny at the Customer Service Desk and the dime next to the self-checkout I used.
Weis has some self-checks designated for credit/debit and some for cash.  I always go to(or at least walk by the cash one)because between people not taking their coins out of the slot, the coins shooting forcefully out of the slot and getting lost on the floor and people just dropping their change into the trash can there(and missing)there is usually at least one stray coin laying there.  ;-)

And this coin I spied in the Weis parking lot last Friday while walking back to my car.
I picked it up even though it wasn't a US or Canadian coin.
It's a 1971 UK "New Pence".
Seems it might be worth a couple of bucks if I sold it on eBay. 8-)))


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

A jar of pizza sauce.
rah.

*  I also got these deals this past week at Weis.........

Tomato soup was .49¢ a can last Friday if you bought 6.  Between Ex-CB and making my Beef Pie recipe we can handily use these 6 up in a couple of months.

 I got 3 meat items with instant discount stickers on them--a bottom round steak came to $4.27, 8 hamburgers(1.76 lbs.)came to $5.00($2.84 lb.)and a pack of 10 chicken thighs came to .89¢ per lb.  I used half the hamburger patties with 1 lb. of ground chicken and turned that into chili for last Sunday's supper.  The round steak is in the freezer as are 3 of the hamburger patties(I had the 4th one for lunch one day)and half the chicken thighs(the other 5 thighs were dinner on Tuesday).

These were discontinued bags of candy($1.49 on clearance). Each had a $1 off peelie Q on the package making them.49¢ out the door.  The Skittles are my brother's fav so another Xmas gift marked off the list.  The Starburst?......might be in a giveaway, who know?? ;-)

*  I listed some stuff on eBay.   It was a bunch of stuff that's been sitting around here I have not dealt with until now.  We shall see if that yields any sales and cash for my coffers.  I've got more to list and now is the time to get it up there as the Holidays are coming!

*  I received a $5 gift certificate to a local craft brewery in my email.  I have forwarded it to Hubs for his use.  ;-)

*  We sat down and decided on how much more money to move into a CD from our checking account and I promptly made the transfer.  I have to say 2.35% is much better than the .01% we were earning on that money! lolz  Still not enough....thanks a lot Fed, you suck!!!

*  I bought $72.70 worth of food items at OSJL and received back a gift card worth $72.70 in their store.

I got some stuff at Walmart using a few Qs and got $15.35 back in Ibotta cash rebates.

I got this stuff at Rite-Aid and used Bonus Cash, paying nothing OOP.

That's about all from here.

What frugal wins happened in your life this past week?


Sluggy