This Week on the Dining Table

 The "Back to Ibotta at Walmart" Edition...

              *Not pictured bag of frozen Brussels Sprouts.*

I jumped back into Ibotta rebating this week at Walmart(and used some Bonus Cash at R-A to get rebates as BC was expiring). I spent $32.55 OOP at Walmart on all this. I had $40 in free gift cards as well that I used.  I earned $37.90 back on Ibotta counting Weekend Bonus, 5,415 pts.($5.41)on Fetch and ? on ShopKick(the app won't open right now but it was about 500 pts.).

I used 1 coupon and get a pair and complained when the app and shelf price was $1.97 on the baby wipes but they rang up $2.12.  Got the difference back so the total spend was a bit lower than I am reporting. ;-)

$32.55 spent and $37.90 back in Ibotta rebates works for me! lol

Onward to the meal planning!

1. Sunday--No Plan

2. Monday--No Plan

3. Tuesday--No Plan

4. Wednesday--No Plan
5. Thursday--No Plan

6.  Friday--No Plan

7. Saturday--No Plan

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

1. Sunday--traveling, a shake at Shake Shack, small box of granola in airport somewhere

2. Monday--Stargate Diner in DE(traveling some more)

3. Tuesday--Chinese take-out(I had soup.)

4. Wednesday--Fend for Yourself
5. Thursday--Red Lobster(shrimp lunch)

6.  Friday--Taco Bell(cheesy Gordita box which lasted me 3 meals)

7. Saturday--leftover Taco Bell or FFY

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

*  2 pints of Ice Cream

*  1 bag of Brussels Sprouts

What got taken out of the freezer and used...

* Nothing

I spent $92.35 on food/toiletries/HBA the last 2 weeks(half of  that total was a Virginia salt cured ham for Christmas). This brings our food/toiletries/paper goods Total to $92.35 for December.  That's what happens*a low spend*when you leave town for half that time and don't cook. lolz

There are 12 shopping days left in December.

I've earned $57.22 on Ibotta in December.

I've earned $0 on Checkout51 in December.

I've earned $0 on Coupons dotcom/Paypal in December.

I've earned 5,926 points from shopping on Fetch in December which equals $23.70.

I earned ? points from food shopping on Shop Kick in December which equals $?.  The app keeps closing on me this morning.

I've earned 1,116  SB from food shopping on Swagbucks in December which equals $11.16.

I've earned $4.20 from food shopping on Tada in December.

That's $57.22 in rebates(not counting the Shop Kick/Swag Bucks/Tada/Fetch)on $92.35 in grocery spending so in reality it's $35.13 spent after the 4 rebate apps I count.  Yay me.....

My savings percentage for the last 2 weeks was 42.77%(without "regular" Rite-Aid trips)and the monthly savings total for December comes in at 42.77% so far(w/out R-A). 

Leftovers going into this week....nothing.

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

1. Sunday--take-out Pizza and Salad

2. Monday--FFY as we are going to Red Lobster for lunch

3. Tuesday--?

4. Wednesday--?
5. Thursday--?

6.  Friday--?

7. Saturday--?

I am flying by the seat of my pants this week and may actually be forced to cook something.  Oh the horror! ;-)

What do I need to buy to fix everything on this menu?  No clue.  I'll try to dig through what is here and come up with some odd meals to use stuff up.

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?  

Here's today's Christmas tune......

Sluggy

6 Days to Go!

The living room here is shaping up now but the dining room is still a disaster and work in process.

I'm wrapping presents tonight so here's some more mellow Christmas music for your evening........

Sluggy

Rite-Aid Pillaging This Week & Christmas Cheer

 I may go back today as I have a purchase based coupon($9 off $45)to use before the 23rd, but here is what left Rite-Aid this week and ended up at Chez Sluggy.....

2 x bags of Jordan Almonds
6 x 3 packs of Irish Spring soap
1 x Vera Wang Cologne
2 x Suave shampoo
1 x Refresh shampoo(on clearance)
1 x Sky Organics Bentonite Clay mask
3 x Lipton iced tea w/lemon packets
4 x Red chocolate bars
3 x Twix candy bars
1 x Reese dark chocolate cups
16 x R-A batteries
2 x Diet Cokes(not pictured)

This was all done over 4 cards(well 3 cards except I used the 4th card to do the batteries again).
I had 3 x $3 off $15 spend on various cards so those were used as well.  The only other Q I used was on the Refresh shampoo($2.50/1).

Total spent.....$102.98 paid with Bonus Cash
Total earned back.......$84.00 in BC, $4 on Ibotta(Vera Wang, Sky Organics), $4 on SwagBucks(Red chocolate bars), 360 pts on Fetch($3.60)equaling $95.60 back in various rebates.   This means I "spent" BC of $7.38 on all the above.

Most of this is Xmas fodder or food bank items, but not the Jordan Almonds or Vera Wang as I love me both of those things. ;-)

Remember that your couponing stockpile is a great! source for small gifts, making gift baskets of items or stocking fillers for the Holidays(as well as for donation items like food banks, shelters, angel trees, etc.).  No need to hand over that green cash when you have a giving heart and a stockpile.  Just sayin'...

Here is one of the Youtubers I follow, "Couponing with Crystle".  She hit the nail on the head with this video HERE

One week to go but don't stress out if you are behind.  Give yourself some grace and just scale it back this year.

Now here is the daily Christmas song and have a great day no matter what is on your plate today(I am still working on the living/dining room myself here). 8-)))

Sluggy

Friday's Christmas Tune

 Due to so much to do here Frugal Friday will be delayed.  I have TWO WEEKS worth to catch up on but there are more pressing matters at hand.

So while I dig out from my mess so I can share(probably Sunday)here's a not often heard Christmas tune from the Big Band Era for your listening pleasure...........

Sluggy, Slogging Through My Shambles of a House

Warts & All *OCD Warning*

 So it's now December 16th, 2021.  9 days until the fat man arrives with his sleigh and eight tiny reindeer.  It would also be my oldest brother's 70th Birthday were he still alive.  We lost him in June of 2009(well really in January of 2008 when he went into a coma that he never came out of).  He had just turned 58 so I am feeling a bit sad today.  He was one of the loveliest souls that ever walked the earth in my humble opinion.  A big Happy Birthday in Heaven to you my big brother!

We got home from our vacation on Sunday evening.  The only thing I have accomplished since Sunday was unpacking my suitcase, doing tons of laundry(which Hubs helped with...oh hell, he did most of it, who am I kidding?), going to Rite-Aid(both for Rxs and for deals), paying a couple of bills(oh the pain!), mailing ONE package and going to the PO to ask about getting our held mail.  No cooking, no cleaning and a lot of lying on my BFF the heating pad in bed.

We put up the Xmas tree and I mailed a big honking box of birthday and Christmas presents to my daughter and her hubby in Louisiana before we left but as far as Christmas decorating, cards, cooking, present wrapping that is it.  I told myself I'd have PLENTY of time to get everything done when we got back.

HA!

So here I am baring my soul  and the state of some of my house to y'all on the 9th day before Christmas.

If you have OCD please back out of this page now!!  You have been warned........ ;-)

This first photo of the living room isn't too bad.....there's our little tree and I even put a xmas cloth under it.  Ignore the shit and tubs of junk on the chair next to it and next to the chair.

Here's what to the left of the tree in the living room-my tp stash(all of it pre-Covid)and piles of mailing boxes.  Ya see, the grand plan in my head(which never happened)was that I'd jump back into eBay selling in the Fall(September?)so I brought all the mailing supplies from the garage here to be more convenient to pack and ship what I sold.  Of course as many grand plans this one never materialized, what with going to my brother's house and then Sissie's house in September, the work on the powder room and the kitchen by our handyman in the Fall, a bridal shower in Jersey and just regular "life" stuff then our international travel the beginning of December.......well this is the result.

Another shot of the sofa and more boxes.  I am pretty pleased with this one as the sofa was covered with gifts before that box got off to Louisiana and I haven't put anything else there.lol

Here's what the other side of the living room looks like.  Mostly it's tubs and piles of crap I didn't get around to listing let alone selling on eBay.  I know Sissie is gasping in horror at this..........

And if that wasn't enough to send you over the edge, here is a shot of the dining room table(which isn't a 'real' dining room table at all but a folding table).  The tablecloth is rolled up on one end as I used it to wrap the presents sent to LA.  There are bags of boxes, bows, a bag of gift wrap as well as grocery type bags of stuff I was going to sell on eBay and locally.  Add in a couple of pre-filled Giveaway boxes for the next few months and that's what I am dealing with at Chez Sluggy at the moment.

Company is coming in NINE DAYS so I have eight days to shape up the downstairs and spew Christmas around in the house.  

Can I get it done?

Come back tomorrow and see what I got done(or not).

Until then I'm putting on the Holiday tunes and getting my big fat white ass in gear!

 

Are y'all  ready for Christmas?

Sluggy