The July Giveaway-For the Menfolk Mostly

Time for the Ninth  Sluggy's Boring Blog Giveaway for 2020!

Let's take a look at what is in the ol' box o' goodies..............

1 x Bull Dog face wash
1 x Hello charcoal toothpaste
1 x Axe body wash
1 x Barlow's dry shampoo
1 x Right Guard spray antiperspirant
1 x 2 pack Lever soap
1 x Betadine spray
1 x Bic razors
1 x Stetson cologne
1 x Visine allergy eye drops
1 x Philips ear buds
1 x Tic Tac mints
1 x MandM candies-Hazelnut spread flavor
1 x Fabric Face Mask I'll sew for you too


Stuff to make you acceptable looking when you get to go out in public again, stuff to deal with seasonal allergy symptoms and "ouchies" plus chocolate that won't melt in your hands during the Summer!

Close up shots of these goodies..........

Depending on where you shop the winnings have a reg. retail value of approximately $50.00.

From all the VALID entries I receive I'll pick a winner at random.

* This Giveaway Box of goodies is open to all readers! BUT....this month anybody who enters who has not won a Giveaway yet, their enters will count twice.  So all you non-winners yet, be sure and enter this month because you have the advantage here! 8-)

There is a limit of ONE ENTRY PER PERSON PER DAY(but non-winners entries count for 2)for this Giveaway as long as they mention they haven't won a giveaway yet.  Come back every day and enter though!

In your entries I'd like to hear about your plans for July....Still staying home except for necessary travel?  How are your stores stocked?......better, worse, the same?  Any items you need that are still n short supply?  Did you put a garden in this year and how is it doing?
Stuff like that.

If you are on my Giveaway emails list just leave a comment and your name to enter. If you aren't on the Giveaway emails list make sure you leave your email in your comment OR email me your email privately after you leave a comment(my email is in the side bar area under "About Me").
I'll leave this giveaway open until July 27th Monday  at 11:59 pm Eastern Daylight Savings Time. On July 28th, Tuesday, I'll draw the winning entry and post who won.

*Please note these rules*
I'll post the name/ID of the winner on this blog on  and that person has 48 hours from the time stamp on that post to contact me privately via email(my email addy is listed on my "About Me" page, as well as on my side bar).

Disclaimer--This giveaway is open to those with mailing addresses within the US only.  As the cost of postage to foreign countries has gotten too high I am sorry to say I can no longer afford to mail boxes outside the US.  These giveaways are not sponsored by any companies.  I pay for it all(the 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 make sure your email info is linked to your profile.

If I can't contact you then you can't win.  I am still having to disqualify entries due to this issue and I sure don't like doing that.  Thanks!


So let's get this Giveaway started. Good luck to everyone!!!

Sluggy

Frugal Friday.......the July 17th Edition

Here's the frugal stuff that happened this past week here at Chez Sluggy......

* We got Domino's this week.......

I used another of the scads of Domino's gift cards I have.  3 medium pies for under $20 makes for lots of leftovers for me and Hubs(not so much for Ex-CB lol).

* Remember that Listerine I got at R-A last week?

After $3 BC earned and 3 x $5 virtual prepaid debit cards they were better than free.
But how to spend a virtual prepaid card of only $5.
Here's how......
Go to Walmart.com and buy 3 x $5 Walmart gift cards.  They ship for free and you can use those physical cards in the store.

The first of three $5 Walmart gift cards arrived this week.

*  I bought 23 items with Ibotta rebates this week and besides the rebates I earned a $5 Bonus, a .50¢ July activation Bonus and a.50¢ Axe Bonus

*  Here is what I bought at Walmart on Thursday to finish the 23 items..........

a bag of carrots, a lb. of Country Crock sticks, a tub of Almond butter Country Crock, 2 Oui yogurts, a bag of Kind nut clusters, 5 Budding lunch meat bags, a Bic Soleil razor, a package of Alka Seltzer gum/antacid and a bottle of Aleve.
All but the carrots and the Aleve counted toward the Ibotta rebates.
The total with tax came to $20.14 after my $10 in coupons.
But I just paid .14¢ OOP because I used a $20 free prepaid debit card(I think it was a R-A Allergy Rewards card).
And I earned $13.83 + the $5 Weekly Essentials Bonus so $18.83 in rebates for spending .14¢.
Nice.


*  I found money!
Yeah.

A penny at Rite-Aid last Friday.

Two more pennies at Walmart last Saturday.  One next to a car going into the store and another by a register coming out of the store.

A double score--a dime and a penny under the candy racks at Rite-Aid on Sunday and 2 more pennies under the magazine racks there at the register as well.

I went to a Weis in the town West of here on Wednesday.  There was a lone self check-out over by the  deli/premade items and I saw two pennies on the floor there.  I only got one with the aid of my cane as the other one was stuck to the floor and I had no sharp implement to pry it up with(and I wasn't getting down on my hands and kneed to get it).
The second penny was in front of the Customer Service desk and the third one was in the middle of the lane cordoned off to direct you to a register so 3 pennies at that store came home with me.

This quarter was spotted on the way to the ladies' room at Red Robin.

And this penny was laying in the middle of the walkway on the way out of Red Robin.

Total Change found this week. .45¢
Total Change found this year....$46.90

 *  Besides picking up .03¢ at that other Weis(PMITA)Markets I also got $1.50 back in a refund when the Dole peaches cup in coconut water didn't ring up the 50% clearance price.  This goes into my refunds/post coupons envie to put toward food expenses come the end of 2020.

*  We got a few veggies out of the garden this week too.......

Two nice heads of broccoli......

And one smallish yellow squash.  More squash will be coming this week too. ;-)

That's about it for frugal-ness this week.......

What frugal stuff happened in your life this past week?

Sluggy

It's Thursday Already?

This week is just slipping away from me.

My prayers and hug go out to our Cheap Chick blogger in Canada.  I hope they caught it early and her prognosis is good and she'll be with her hubs, her mom, her step kids, her Buddy and back to our blogging family for years to come.
Please keep her in your thoughts as I will!

Last Saturday we had lots of excitement in Sluggy's Teeny Tiny Town.  First I went to Dollar General and bought this........

4 x Pantene Rose Water Shampoo and Conditioners @ $3 ea.=$12.00
4 x BioFreeze patches $1.75 ea.=$7.00
1 x Oral-B Toothbrush $2.00=$2.00
5 x Gatorade $1.00 ea.=$5.00(not pictured)
6 x Bella wet dog food trays=$2.50(not pictured)
Subtotal=$28.50

Coupons used
1 x $5 wyspend $25 DG DQ=$5.00
2 x $5/2 Pantene Rose Water line P&GQs=$10.00
2 x $2/1 Biofreeze IPQ=$4.00
1 x $1.50/1 Biofreeze DG DQ=$1.50
1 x $2/1 Oral-B Toothbrush DG DQ=$2.00
1 x $1 wybuy 5 Gatorade DG DQ=$1.00
1 x $1.50/6 Bella wet dog food trays DG DQ=$1.50
Coupon Total........$25.00

$28.50-$25.00=$3.50 + sales tax
I had another $2/1 Biofreeze IPQ but forgot to  use it so I could have gone down to $1.50+tax. duh

Then later that day we had a black bear traipse through our back yard.  Our neighbor, "Mr. Tree Hater" who cut every tree down on his property also keeps his garbage cans outside next to his house so Mr. Bear had a nice early dinner buffet out of his cans then wandering over to see what he could find for his dessert in our yard.  Hubs and I were upstairs screaming at him out of both bathroom windows to "git!" while Chester set off his alarm/barking system downstairs.  Eventually Mr. Bear wandered off back into the woods behind the houses on the main road into our development and darned if I didn't get a photo of him between all the shooing him off.

Then I saw a small rabbit on the front lawn enjoying all the clover that's shot up there and couldn't get a good photo of him due to the window screen.
See?  Even if I remember my camera I am thwarted at every turn. lol

On Sunday I bought the items above after discovering that the small Total SF advanced whitening tubes that the $5/3 Colgate toothpaste L2CQ applies to this on sale $2.99 tube which you can also use the $1/1 R-A in-ad Q on.

3 x Colgate toothpaste on sale $2.99=$8.97
2 x Venus single smooth sensitive Razor on sale $7.99=$15.98
SubTotal....$24.95

Coupons Used
1 x $5/3 Colgate select toothpastes L2CQ=$5.00
3 x $1/1 Colgate select toothpastes R-A in-adQ=$3.00
1 x $4/1 Venus razor L2CQ=$4.00
1 x $4/1 Venus razor Insert Q=$4.00
Coupon Total.....$16.00

$24.95-$16.00=$8.95+.48¢ sales tax=$9.43 paid with Bonus Cash and $8 in new BC was earned on the 2 razors.

I did this same deal again but the next time one of my razors also had a $1 Peelie Q on it and the cashier manually pushed that additional $1 off through so my total was $7.95+.42¢ tax so $8.37 paid for with BC and earned another $8 in new BC.

I went to Weis this week and Walmart too.  Whoopee Do!

The garden is growing well now.

My spinach barrel needs clipping and using as it's starting to bolt.
I'll replant in the early Fall more greens.

The collard plant in the kennel garden is taking off whereas the plants next to the deck are fighting for space with the morning glory vines.

 We've now got baby yellow squash too

We've also got baby tomatoes now(see one in bottom right of this photo).

We need to replace our recliners in the den and ventured into a furniture store here to have a look.

I liked the smaller profile of this one and the color(grey).  The controls are electronic and located around that cup holder on the left(there is even a blue light you can activate in the cup holder?)

The color on is one was acceptable though not my favorite and it has a wider profile.  It has a hand held electric control device and even better-it has a lumbar support button so is even more comfy that the other chair.

But this bad boy stole my heart.  It's a love seat w/two recliners.  The color is more to my liking than the other two, each seat has a cup holder, there is a phone dock and usb in the center.  The arm opens and the electronic control device stores in each arm.  In the middle is another lid that opens to a storage area and the back middle between the seats also opens upward to reveal 2 led lights(and a switch to dim those).  Need I mention this love seat also has a lumbar support function too?
Sigh.
But the cost is this is $400 more than buying two of the more expensive chairs above.
So decisions, decisions.

Other than that I've been laying in bed with my leg on the heating pad or parked in the recliner. 

The meal plan this week has gone to shit.
And frankly I don't care. ;-)

So what's life like in your neck of the woods?

Sluggy

This Week on the Dining Table

The "Just Say No!" Edition..........

First off, just for the record, I have never been a big fan of cauliflower, the vegetable.  I'll eat it(especially from fresh and roasted)and Ex-CB has always loved it(which will be good if he ever decides to go full-on Keto)so I've cooked it often enough.
Then I saw these in Ollie's(Good Stuff Cheap!)awhile back-Cheddar flavor crackers made from cauliflower.  Then I saw them again, this time at P and R Discounters last week and I still couldn't bring myself to buy a box.
Has anyone tried these and am I missing out on a flavor taste treat(minus the calories)?  Inquiring minds......

Moving On....

Onward to the meal planning-

This is what was planned.........

1. Sunday--Leftovers(I had corn on cob, mushroom ravioli)
2. Monday--Taco Salad or Tacos
3. Tuesday--Chinese Take-out or ?

4. Wednesday--Shrimp Scampi w/Linguine, whatever fresh produce I can find this week(maybe Broccoli from our backyard 8-)))
5. Thursday--Chicken Marsala w/Mushrooms over Mashed Potatoes, Spinach Salad

6. Friday--Leftovers
7. Saturday--Big Salad

And this is what really happened.......

1. Sunday--Leftovers(I had corn on cob, mushroom ravioli)
2. Monday--Chinese Take-out because Hubs didn't thaw the taco meat lol
3. Tuesday--Leftovers

4. Wednesday--Tacos or Taco Salad
5. Thursday-- Spaghetti and Meatballs, Salad(I had a salad)

6. Friday--Grilled Chicken Breast, Broccoli Casserole
7. Saturday--Fend for Yourself(I had Butternut Squash Ravioli)

Last week saw 3 nights of home cooked dinners, 3 night of leftovers/FFY, and 1 night of Take-Out.  
The Marsala and the Scamp didn't happen because I couldn't stand that long to cook it without pain so we punted-Hubs made spaghetti with the meatballs I thawed and we had chicken on Friday with some lovely breasts I found at P and R for cheap and broccoli we picked from our garden made into a casserole.

What got put into the freezer last week....
* 2 rolls of breakfast sausage
* 3 lbs. of butter

What got taken out of the freezer and used.....
* Ground Beef for Taco filling
* Meatballs
* 1 Squash Ravioli TV Dinner

We spent $103.70 last week($16.49 of that was at CVS)and the rest was that trip to P and R, Hubs bought 2 items at Weis(PMITA)Markets spending $3.49, $3.56 spent at Dollar General and a $38.41 trip to Walmart.
July spending so far comes in at $133.08.

I earned $13.10 on Ibotta in July so far and .50¢ on SavingStar.

My savings percentage for last week was 69.32%(without "regular"Rite-Aid trips)for July and the monthly savings total comes in at 64.99%(w/out R-A).

I have 18 more food shopping/spending days in July.

Leftovers going into this week.......1 helping broccoli casserole, 1 helping of spaghetti and meatballs.  Not much really.
There are 2 ears of corn I need to strip and throw the kernels into the freezer to put into cornbread the next time I make that.

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

1. Sunday--FFY
2. Monday--Steak, Spinach Salad
3. Tuesday--Chicken Caesar Salad

4. Wednesday--Pork Tenderloin Sandwiches, Sweet Potato Wedges
5. Thursday--Pizza, Salad

6. Friday--Chicken Marsala w/Mushrooms over Mashed Potatoes, Broccoli
7. Saturday--Shrimp Scamp w/Linguine or ? depending on if Eldest son is here by then

What needs buying for this menu? More lettuce(romaine)as we can't seem to stay ahead with the lettuce crop. I'll replant lettuce in the barrel planter after my spinach bolts. Other than that, carrots(for coleslaw and carrot cake), some cheese(a deal at Weis + I have Qs) and my caffeine-free tea(on sale),there isn't much to buy this week.

Schiff's(another restaurant supply store)took over Maines and they are back open so I want to go there later this week for a pork butt/shoulder to smoke and make bbq while Eldest son is home.  No lunch meat to buy this week since I got 5 small Budding meat packets on Sat. at Walmart (that cost me .90¢ total after Q and Ibotta rebate).  I might make 1 trip out to Weis on Tuesday and that is it besides Schiff's.

What's left on my master list of meals we can make from what's at home(not that I'm referring to/using it at this point with the heat).
* Shrimp Tempura
* Tuna Casserole
* Roasted Chicken
* Shrimp/Crab Ravioli
* Cheese Ravioli

* Breakfast for Dinner

* Haddock Fish Dinner  new
* Chicken Tenders  new

* Beef Liver  new

Plus lots of thinly sliced Chicken Breast, grass fed Ground Beef and Ground Turkey in the freezer.

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

Frugal Friday......The July 10th Edition on Saturday

Not a lot that was noteworthy in the Frugal department happened this past week.................

* I escaped and hit up Rite-Aid last week.....

I got slightly moneymaker toothpaste and toothbrushes after coupons and Bonus Cash back.

The Listerines were part of a Spend $12/Get $3 BC Deal.  They were $5.19 + tax each and I bought them on 3 separate transactions/receipts so I could submit them for 3 x $5 Fandango Virtual Prepaid Card Rewards(limit of 3 and I think the Fandango thing does another week? but not the R-A Bonus Cash Deal).  I've already gotten the 3 x $5 Virtual Cards but the $3 BC never showed up on my R-A card so I had to call Corporate Again! It's now Sunday and the BC is still not on the card.....guess who is getting another call on Monday?!?

* No Money was Found!
Well it's pretty hard to find change laying on the ground when you don't leave the house much. lol

* I had Hubs take me out on Wednesday(or was it Thursday?....I am losing track of the days)and we
hit P and R Discounters and we did our grocery shopping.  I got scads of deals--BSCB for $1.79 lb., Strip Steaks for $4.99 lb., Tropicana OJ for.79¢, 3 lbs. of butter for $1.79 each(so exciting!), yellow squash for .59¢ lb., 5 lbs. Russet Taters for .99¢, organic brown eggs for .99¢ doz.,  2 tubes of Pillsbury whack biscuits for .39¢ each, head of lettuce for .39¢, a 6 pack of Sargento Snacks for $2.99(these are $$2.99 to $3.50 + at the grocery store for a single pack), a 12 pack of seltzer drinks for $3.99 and that's all I can remember w/out my receipt in front of me.  We spent about $40.
This is the place that sometimes gives out freebies too and they were putting out pallets of two kinds of snack chips and told us to take a case of each.

a 12 pack case of "Food Should Taste Good" Sweet Potato Tortilla chips..........

And a 12 pack case of "Sieste" Grain Free Tortilla Chips.

These things go from anywhere from $4.99 to $5.99 per bag in the stores when sold singly and $40+ per case on Amazon(or whereever).

The stuff this store carries has evolved over time and now they carry overstocks, many high end specialty foods(at a discount)and a lot of gluten-free and vegan items as well as dairy, meat and veggies and a cheap deli counter.
Need Bacon flavored Seitan?  They got it! lolz

* While over that way Hubs let me pop in CVS too....uh oh......

I joined the Caremark thing and got a free $10 ECB.
I only had the $2/3 Patene CVS machine Q, a digital $2/1 Oral-B toothbrush Q and the inserts Qs for the Herbal Essence, Pantene, Head and Shoulders and Poise liners.
After Qs and $10 ECB I paid $16 and change(again I don't have my receipt in front of me)and got back $15 in new ECB.

I was all set to go back to CVS shopping but then their app wouldn't install on my new Samsung Galaxy phone so I can't get app Qs or all those daily freebies this week and next either! so this CVS venture will not last beyond this new $15 in ECBs and I'll be cancelling that Caremark thing. ugh.

That's about all other than the usual boring stuff of cooking from scratch and eating at home, not throwing out leftovers, reading and free tv watching for entertainment, playing with puppies, watching the garden grow and resting my leg.

What frugal stuff happened in your world this past week?

Sluggy