Sunday's Rite-Aid Trip....Thank Goodness for Tax!

I never did go back to Rite-Aid last week to do the "Buy $50 in P&G products, Get a $15+Ups Reward" deal.  Frankly, I don't need most of the stuff that qualified for the deal....except for the Gain Dishwashing Liquid that was free after coupons....that would have been sweet!

But I did run out Sunday morning to Rite-Aid because I had to get a notebook for my nephew for school, so I went ahead and got my total to $25 so I could use a $5 off coupon.

Here's what I bought.....

1 x Mead Notebook $5.79--with 20% wellness discount=$4.63
1 x L'Oreal Haircolor on sale $8.99/reg. $9.29--20% wellness discount was cheaper than sale price=$7.43
1 x Crest Toothpaste on sale=$2.99
1 x BioTrue $4.99--with 20% wellness discount=$3.99
2 x Right Guard Deodorant BOGO sale($4.69 ea.)=$4.69
1 x KitKat Bar $.50--with 20% wellness discount=$.40
SubTotal....$24.13***

Coupons Used
1 x $5 off $25 AdPerks/VV IPQ=$5.00
1 x $2/1 L'Oreal HairColor In-Ad Q=$2.00
1 x $2/1 L'Oreal HairColor ManuQ=$2.00
1 x $1/1 Crest Toothpaste ManuQ=$1.00
1 x $2/1 BioTrue IPQ=$2.00
2 x $1.50/ RightGuard Defense 5 IPQ=$3.00
Coupon Total.....$15.00

$24.13-$15.00=$9.13

Used
$2 Rite-Aid Q-good on anything in the store(sent to me for +Ups that didn't print)
$5 +Ups from Garnier purchase of last week
Equals....$7.00

$9.13-$7.00=$2.13 Total, put on free Rite-Aid Gift Cards so ZERO OOP.

+Ups Rewards earned.....$4(BioTrue), $2(Crest Toothpaste), $2(L'Oreal), $1(Dial-RightGuard)=$9.00


***According to my calculator(which I use to add up my total before I get to the register), I had $27 and change worth of items to buy.  I didn't figure in the wellness disc. on the BioTrue(I assumed that $4.99 was a sale price!)and that a 20% wellness disc. was LOWER than the sale price on the L'Oreal Haircolor.  So instead of being over $25 in purchases I was UNDER by about 2 cents, according to the cashier.  So I grabbed the KitKat bar, which also was only $.40 rather than the sale price of $.50 with the 20% wellness discount.  After adding in the candy bar, the register showed I was over the $25 threshold($25.15) and the cashier took my $5 off $25 Q.
When I add it all up above, it shows I am only at $24.13 before the coupons are deducted....WTF

I have finally figured out that when the register shows your total(with sale or wellness disc. prices, before the cashier starts deducting Qs)it is including SALES TAX.....so your sales tax could be what is getting you over the magical $25 mark.  But many times when I use Qs, the registers here take all sales tax off, even if you buy an item that is taxed and you don't have enough Qs to make that item free.....all sales tax is wiped off of your transaction.
The sales taxed items on my transaction added $1.02 to my total at the register after the addition of the candy bar and BEFORE the Qs were deducted.
After the Qs, my $25.15 total went to $2.13.  I used $22 in QS/+Ups--which brings my total to $3.15.  So if you deduct the sales tax of $1.02 as well, the total drops to $2.13--which was my amount due.

So this must be what is happening-the sales tax on the taxable items is getting me over the $25 mark in the register but then when the Qs are deducted on the sale, the sales tax is also deducted from your transaction, making your grand total even lower.
It is thoroughly confusing....but nearly HALF as confusing as the hinky way that Target receipts show how your purchases were figured!  Am I right people??lol


THIS TRIP
Total Spent....$2.13 (put on free Rite-Aid gift card)
Value of Items....$34.74
SCR qualified for...$0.00
+Up Rewards earned...$9.00


MONTHLY TOTALS-September Rebate Period

Number of Transactions......3
Total Spent....$11.58 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$115.84
SCR qualified for....$0 in cash and $0 in Gift Cards
Other Cash....$0
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0
+Up Rewards spent....$18.00
+Up Rewards earned....$16.00

Total 'Spent'...$11.58 on gift cards
Total Cash I'm getting Back=$0
Total Gift Cards I'm getting=$0
+Up Rewards left to spend=$10.00



Sluggy

Food Shopping.....Cheap Cheese Please! & Weekly Total

If you have been in an internet coma....meaning you haven't seen any blogs in the past week......you need to go HERE and print this coupon, making sure to hit your back button and print it again.

The timing of this coupons in my life can be summed up by one word....Synchronicity!  I had just gone out into the freezer to get some shredded cheddar cheese out for dinner and found that I had TONS of shredded mozzarella yet was totally out of cheddar.  I came back in, grumbling a bit because of my inattention to the state of my "cheesy-ness", went online and saw this "manna from the heavens" coupon.
I swear I heard the angels sing.....

Kraft has released a $5 off of 5 participating Kraft cheese products coupon.
If you have access to any of the major grocery chains you can probably pair this coupon with a sale/special at your store and get the cheese for free or very cheaply.
If you are like me and don't have a major chain nearby, you can still probably use it and get your cheese for $1 or under.

At any rate, it's an awesome coupon and yes, it IS legitimate.
But that is not to say that folks have NOT had problems convincing their grocery stores that it is not a fraudulent coupon.  Just be aware that it's been reported that some stores' management personnel have not taken the coupon.  When I printed mine out, I left them uncut on the paper.  The page prints out with the qualifying products list and might seem more legit to some stores if they are questioning the source of the coupon.

Anyway, on to the shopping!

Hubs was with me so I divided the shopping into 2 transactions to get done faster and to lessen the chance that they wouldn't question the coupon.....using 1 of them each instead of using both of them at the same time.
At my store, both of our cashiers still had to check with management before they took the $5/5 coupon.

Transaction #1(Hubs)
5 x Kraft Shredded Cheese on sale $2=$10.00 *reg. price $3.49ea.*
2 x Utz Chips on sale $2=$4.00 *reg. price $3.99ea.*
SubTotal...$14.00

Used 1 x $5/5 Kraft products=$5.00

$14.00-$5=$9.00 OOP

Transaction #2(Me)
5 x Kraft Shredded Cheese on sale $2=$10.00 *reg. price $3.49ea.*
1 x Load of Bread on sale=$1.50 *reg. price $2.99*
1 x Cantaloupe on sale=$.99 *reg. price $3.49*
2x Peaches on sale=$.61 *not pictured-reg. price $1.99lb.*
SubTotal...$13.10


Used 1 x $5/5 Kraft products=$5.00


$13.10-$5=$8.10 OOP

Total....$17.10
Reg. Retail of Items...$50.58

Other shopping for the week....
Carone's...$6.74 (2 qt. milk, cheese, frozen broccoli)
Weis....$3.29 (milk)

Total Food Spending for the Week....$27.13

Sluggy

In the Garden Over the Weekend

 Well, I worked up my nerve and ventured out front and to the side garden bed on the weekend and here is what I found....

3 Killer sized Squash, 2 Italian Roasting Peppers, 2 more Cukes(*Sluggy crying & begging for mercy*), 1 Golden Bell Pepper, 1 Roma Tomato(that had fallen on the ground), 1 Jalapeno Pepper that had turned bright red & 1 teeny green bean(that blends into the tablecloth pattern).

This Harvest--
TOTAL....5lb. 10.8oz.
Garden Harvest Weight Total to date....41lb. 11.82 oz.

Hubs is going to pick the Roma Tomatoes later today so I'll be processing those to can tomorrow.  I'll have a photo of the 1st real tomato harvest soon.....

Sluggy

In the Land of Randomness...Welcome to My World!

* When I looked in the mirror this morning....at the crack of 10....the pic above is similar to what I saw....well, except for the wet nose.

* I forgot to mention in all of my recent blog posts that Hubs and I celebrated our 28th Wedding Anniversary last Saturday.  28 years married to the same man! I have been married longer in my life than I have been single....5 years longer.   Am I a throwback to a different time or what? ;-)

* I was suppose to report for Jury Duty next Tuesday and for the rest of the month of September(unless I was placed on a jury and finished my service before Sept. was over).  The same week I got the notice, I was selected to take part in an online chat/focus group that would pay me $25 an hour!....to sit and talk.  Of course it turns out the focus group is being held mid September. 8-(  And this is the 1st time I have EVER been offered this kind of work(at this level of pay!) though I've been signed up like....forever!
Since often times here, if you get called for duty, you never actually have to report, if they have no juries to seat for trials.  But you have to call every Friday to find out if you need to report the following week.  So I said yes to the online work and I'm crossing my fingers I don't have to report the week it's being held.  If it does conflict I'll have to back-out, gracefully of course.lol
How come nothing is ever simple in my life?

*Besides a load of laundry or 2 I've gotten nothing on my list accomplished.  Yet, I feel like I've run a marathon this week and just want to lay down and sleep for 10 hrs.

*My biggest accomplishment today, as Dr. Oz and Oprah would say, is having a really nice 'poop'.  I guess eating 10 pitted prunes(excuse me, they now call them dried dates, not prunes because prunes is an old person's fruit and they are attempting to market them to a younger crowd)will do that to your BM.  I really like prun....er....dried dates.  They sure blow prune juice out of the water as far as taste goes.  Um, maybe I should NOT have used the word "blow" here.....

*eBay is offering FREE LISTINGS until Sept. 7th....you still pay the final value fee if your item sells however.  I can't seem to get my stuff together enough to jump back into eBay and finish selling off the stuff boxed up in my living room....oh yeah, and all the stuff in my storage unit that isn't toiletries and toilet paper too.

*Some one near and dear to us called 3 days ago wanting to shop in my stockpile.  Come to find out they lost 1/4 of their income(which was very low to begin with)3 months ago and they don't have enough income/savings to cover what they spend each month and they are just letting some one know the pickle they are in now.  So I've been working with them for the last 2 days, getting them on a plan(plus directing them to available resources locally)so they can get through this month with what they have left.  If they succeed in following the plan for September, I have a plan for the next 3 months, that if followed, will net them some cash for an emergency fund/savings acct. by the end of the year.  I am crossing my fingers they can stick to the budget and some other 'things' and people that have a capability to derail the plan don't sabotage what can be accomplished here.  I'll be sitting down with one of the possible saboteurs this evening face-to-face for a frank, adult conversation.  Please keep good thoughts and prayers for me!

*Speaking of stockpiles.....I haven't added to it in weeks and it's being depleted at an alarming rate!  The surprising part is that I am NOT freaking out over this and I am good with it.  The stockpile needs some thinning out.  It's the loss of no good deals over the last 3+ months that's freaking me out.

*I missed Project Runway last night...again!  I enjoy that show(given my background, I should!lol)but since they changed networks, I just can't seem to keep straight where or when it's on.  I guess I'll have to cruise around this coming week during the day and find when they are rerunning it for the umpteenth time.

*The fridge is still limping along.  I've had to move all the frozen foods to the upright freezer in the garage.
Basically both the fridge and the freezer section of the fridge can be used as refrigerators since the freezer can't maintain a frozen foods temp.  Hubs and I are buying a new fridge Saturday so by next week sometime I'll have a fully functioning fridge again...yay!  Not having any room in the upright freezer because of the current situation has stopped me from stocking up on farm market buys, to this point, for freezing for winter.  Gosh, I hope there is some local farm produce left to buy late next week like corn and tomatoes and beans.

*We could use rain again.  I thought Earl would generate some rain inland here but Jim Cantore is dashing my hopes.....  I have lost quite a few tomatoes here due to skin splitting because of weeks of drought in between the rain.  I can't keep the plants wet enough even with the hose.

*Hubs took off another week from work for vacation.  We are thinking of getting away for a few days during that week.....getting away ALONE!  Maybe somewhere at the beach since the small children set will be back in school.  I like the beach without crowds of people and screaming little children.  We use to vacation before having kids during the 'off seasons'.  I recall it was lovely..... 8-))

*Besides the wanting to sleep 24/7 I seem to be in a holding pattern as far as making decisions.  I can't decide on ANYTHING!  What towel rack to buy to replace the one that keeps jumping off the wall.....which fridge to buy(well, that one is more about how MUCH money to spend!)....what to make for dinner.....what color to paint something.....which brand of sealer to use on the deck.....etc., etc., etc.
Is it I just don't want to be held accountable if my choice isn't the best one in the end?   If I don't make a decision then I can't be blamed for anything.....except for NOT making a choice...lol

*"When I was a boy of fourteen, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be twenty-one, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years."---Mark Twain
#1 son proved this quote correct last week.  He actually took Hubs aside and told him something to the effect that he thought we were very good parents and he was glad he was our kid and not the kid of many of his friends' parents.  Then he posted something similar on his Facebook page.
When I asked Hubs why he didn't mention any of this to me, he said it was probably because he didn't want to see my big old smirk and the smartass comment I would make at his expense.  Yes, the #1 son apple didn't fall far from his mother's tree.

*Ok...my brain is empty again.  Time to go fill it up with randomness again this week.
What do you need to get out of your head?  Leave a comment and share!

Sluggy

Another 2010 BORING BLOG BOX of FUN GIVEAWAY is OPEN! Box #3 FINAL Post

This is the 3rd Sluggy's BORING BLOG BOX GIVEAWAY for 2010!

It's time again for a Boring Giveaway.
I run a Boring Blog here so why not give away boring stuff, right?

Just to recap, I put things in the box(mostly what I have gotten for free or almost free)each week and when the box is filled we draw a winner from all the entries received.  The stuff can range from HBA, food, toys, collectibles, home decor or books.  Someday if enough people click on enough ads and this blog makes some cold hard cash, I may add a gift card, so get to clicking already!!lol

Here is what went into the Box today.....with a "tip of the hat" to Back-To-School time of course....

1. Another Dove Skin Vitalizer(keep this spare one or give as a gift to a friend!)
2. A Bottle of Elmer's Glue
3. A package of Papermate Mechanical Pencils
4. A P&G Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Enameled Pin

The BOX is officially FULL now!
Here is a photo of everything you can win if your name is drawn.....

If this is your first time, please go read all the rules for these Giveaways on THIS POST.

Please NOTE--You MUST be a follower to enter the Giveaway.  If you aren't one, just click on the "Follow" button on the right hand side of my blog to become a follower---->


TIME TO ENTER.....

1 basic entry per person on this POST.  Just leave a comment & include your email if you don't have a google account.

This is the FINAL POST for this BORING BLOG BOX of GOODIES, so enter now!

Here are the ways to get UP TO 2 EXTRA entries PER POST.....

1. Put my blog on your blog's Blogroll.  Leave an extra comment for this entry on THIS POST only with the URL of your blog. If I'm already on your Blogroll, say so in an extra comment.
2.  Blog about this Giveaway on your blog or on a Message Board.  Leave an extra comment for this entry on THIS POST only with a link to your blog post or the message on the board.

You can do each of these 2 things once per post, so that's a total of up to 3 entries per person per post.
(*Sorry M & F...no daily entries this time because of the vacation.*)

You can enter on this post until this Giveaway CLOSES on September 9th, at 11:59pm ET.

Any questions?  Just email me at slugmama@yahoo.com

Oh yah, I pay for all the stuff in this giveaway and nobody(business or person) gives me stuff or pays me to hold them or promote their products.  I even pay the shipping just because I loves ya'll and....and.....that's how I roll!  ;-)

Happy Entering!! 

Sluggy

$30K Savings Challenge AUGUST 2010 Totals.....Full Steam Ahead!

I have posted my AUGUST End of Month $30K $AVING$ CHALLENGE Totals.
Check out the side bar to your right for the specific numbers.

I have to report that we finished up August in the black....with another healthy addition!

The extra cash amount we ended the month of August with was.......$3,138.45.

Income
We had $3,132.45 left over of DH's salary after expenses were deducted. Add in a whole $6.00 of Rebates applied to the food expenses and you have a deposit of $3,138.45 toward the Savings Challenge!

Seeing as our monthly target is $2,500.00 to reach our Year End Goal, this month will go a long way to keep us ahead of schedule.

Outgo
As for the expenses in August.....it was pretty much a 'normal bills' type month.  Since the vacation money came out of the vacation funds set aside and not from the monthly income, we had just a few unusual/non-repeating bills. 

The Food Budget costs for August are in another post, which is located HERE.  The actual Food/Toiletries spending in August was about $17 less than I had budgeted for so we are right on target there.

Looking Ahead to September....

Looking at last September as a guideline,the only non-monthly bills I see are the quarterly sewage fee and the school taxes, which is a big one! 8-(  And it looks like at this point we will be purchasing a new refrigerator....which will cost a pretty penny!
Otherwise, it's just the usual monthlies plus some smaller school related fees(photos, club fees, band stuff, etc.).   No other big expenditures and no heating bill in September so it's usually a fairly good month to stash some cash away for us. 8-))

YTD Standings....
We have a Year To Date Total of $22,921.36 in Savings.  To save $30K for the year, we need to put away $2,500 per month average, at this point in the year we need to have $20,000 saved.  Currently, we are an entire month's worth of savings ahead of schedule.  It would be so awesome to finish the year with more than $30K saved!  I don't want to get my hopes up but I can dream. ;-)

So how was your August financially?  Leave a comment and share with us what you did with your money, both the good and not-so good.   Do you have any tricks or tips that help you to end your month before the money runs out?    Let us know!
If you posted your financial progress on your own blog, leave a link in the comments so we can go check you out too!


Sluggy

AUGUST Budget Results....Food & Toiletries Spending Totals

Here are my FOOD BUDGET spending totals for AUGUST 2010.
I have posted August's totals on the right side bar under Total Grocery Savings for 2010.

I am listing subtotals for each store I purchased from in August.  If you aren't interested in that much detail, just skip to the bottom information.

These Totals include Food, Toiletries/HBA, Pet Supplies, Cleaning Products, Paper Goods & tax where applicable.We are a family of 5(between 5 & 2 at home this month) & 3 dogs. No kids under 14.

BAKERY OUTLET
OOP $11.56
Value $53.87
Savings  78.54%

CARONE'S(small local independent store)
OOP $26.53
Qs/Ads $3.99
Value $30.52
Savings  13.07%

RITE AID
OOP $49.90 (whole amount put on Rite-Aid Gift Cards)=$.00 actual OOP
Qs/Ads $15.86
Value $188.10
Savings 73.48% before gift cards/ 100% savings after gift cards

WEIS (local chain Grocery store that doesn't take IP Qs in my town)
OOP $117.24
Qs/Ads $46.50
Value $163.74
Savings  28.40%

VACATION SHOPPING(assorted discount outlets in Maine)
OOP $133.48
Value $332.50
Savings  59.85%


I don't track CVS's ECBs & Walgreen's RRs. They will be included when used on purchases under "Coupons".   I'll keep track of what rebates are received monthly.  Rebate money/gift cards will be considered 'income' & will go into the Food/Toiletries budget, offsetting the Out of Pocket. Cash will go immediately into the Budget kitty, while Gift Cards will be calculated in when spent.

REBATE CHECKS RECV'D. IN AUGUST

Pinecone Research....$6.00
Subtotal........$6.00

GIFT CARDS and CERTIFICATES
WalMart Gift Card(Giveaway winnings)...$25.00

Gillette Razor Survey Gift Card...$5.00

Subtotal....$30.00

TOTAL Value of Cash/Store Checks/Gift Card Rebates Received..$36.00

FREE ITEMS
I love Bacteria Shirt(Giveaway winnings)

Purina Feed Trucker Hat
2 x Almond Milk Coupons(Giveaway winnings)

My best 3 Store Savings Totals were from Rite-Aid at 100%, Bakery Outlet at 78.54% and the Vacation Outlet Shopping at 59.85%.

TOTAL Out of Pocket...............................$288.81
TOTAL Coupons & Store Sales Savings...$501.84
TOTAL Value of Items Purchased.............$784.65
TOTAL Savings of..........63.19%

TOTAL of CASH Rebates........................$6.00
TOTAL OOP After  Rebates....................$282.81
TOTAL Savings of..................................63.96%

This closes out the August spending.

THOUGHTS & COMMENTS for this month-
While on vacation we ate out alot(which came out of the money put aside for the vacation and NOT from the food or entertainment budget).  I don't even think I used a single coupon this month....EGADS!lol

Very little produce was bought at a store since the garden is giving us an ample supply of goodies right now.  Our refrigerator is having problems so I've been reticent about stocking up with fridge/frozen foods this month as we need to get it repaired or replaced.  Not having it crammed full is preferable right now, so I am holding off on large purchases of food that need freezing or refrigeration.  I did spend almost half of my August food budget amount on the vacation, stocking up on shelf-stable foods(along with wild blueberries).
Yet I was still able to come in $17.19 under budget for the month. 8-)

What's ahead for September 2010.....

I am setting the September 2010 Food/Toiletries Budget at $250.
Why?
Because we have 4 family members home again.
And if the fridge issue is cleared up quickly I still plan on making my farm bulk buys early in September.

We are still full with shelf-stable stockpile items but if any good buys present themselves I'll take advantage of them.  I am figuring $150 for regular monthly purchases and the other $100 for the stocking on farm buys and any good deals.

As always, any rebates received this month will be added to the food budget spending.  I have few outstanding rebates at the moment so there will be little extra cash to cover food expenses in this way for September.  I did get  6 rebates out into the mail recently(and have some more to do soon) so the rebate amounts should pick up a bit in the next 2 months.

With eight months of the year behind us, we have averaged $184.40 per MONTH after rebates on food/toiletries spending for 2010 for a family of 4-5 adults/teens.

How did you do in August with your Food Budget?  Leave a comment or link to your post and let us hear!  By sharing our struggles and efforts we can help each other stick to our budgets and learn to be better guardians of our resources.

Sluggy

Sunday Insert Coupon Frustration....What is Going on Here?!?

I have complained ad nauseum about my geographic area's lack of good coupons in the Sunday newspaper so bear with me as I rant about that again. ;-)

Either we get lousy dollar values OR we don't get certain choice coupons at all...usually its the "not at all" option that we suffer through.
It really chaps my hide since we also don't have ANY major grocery retailers either, beyond our "smaller, not as good deals" regional ones.....and they don't take internet printed coupons at all, adding insult to the injury.

I guess it's just as well the advertisers/manufacturers don't supply us with the good coupons.....if we did get the good coupons, we wouldn't have anywhere to use them, where we could maximize our savings with them.
Sometimes it sucks to be us and live here.....

Anyway, I am noticing something even more disturbing lately with the coupon inserts here.
Hubs and I bought a total of 5 newspapers on Sunday.
Our "metro" area has 2 major publications(I'll call them #1 and #2), plus the town south of us has one publication as well(we'll refer to it as #3).
We bought paper #1 at the local convenience store/gas station.
I bought paper #2 & #3 at Rite-Aid.
We bought 2 more of paper #2 at the Dollar Store.

Now there were 3 different coupon inserts available this past Sunday.....a Smart Source, a Red Plum and a P& G.

Here is what I found in paper #1......

Just the Smart Source insert.

Here is what came in paper #2....

All 3 inserts.

Here is what came in paper #3.....

Just the P& G insert.

Rite-Aid-where I bought paper #2 & #3 had stacks of paper #1 also.  I checked 3 different papers randomly pulling them from the stack(not just from the top)of the #1s.  All of the #1s I checked ONLY had the Smart Source insert!

The Dollar Store carries paper #2.....the 2 I bought had these inserts....

All 3 that were release.

This seems to be a new development.  These 3 different papers have always carried ALL the available inserts for the week in the past.  This week only 1 of the publications carried the full complement of inserts.
I've heard of certain areas losing the Valassiss(RedPlum)inserts but papers in the same town/area losing different inserts from each other?

Is anybody else seeing loopy stuff like this going on in their area?
Or am I just paranoid OCDing here?!lol

Sluggy loosing her grip

Last Week's Harvest....No More Cucumbers Please!

After nagging for THREE DAYS I did finally get someone to pick some green beans before they grew to GINORMOUS proportions and we picked the 5th head of cauliflower for Kallaum's Thursday dinner plus I found 2 huge cukes hidden in the back garden bed....

This Harvest--
TOTAL....2lb. 8.8oz.

Garden Harvest Weight Total to date....36 lb. 1.02 oz.

I am actually scared to go check the front and side garden beds now.  Last week there were more beans, yellow squash, golden peppers and a bunch of tomatoes close to turning or otherwise being ready to pick.

I also have a request for the Garden gods....no more cukes please!  We are overrun and a person can only eat so many salads or pickles.  ;-)


Sluggy

I Just Don't Get It....The One Where I Rant

Sometimes I think I was born on this planet by mistake.
Or maybe I was just born in the wrong century or country or something!

I just don't get it.....
I just don't get people.

I have a refrigerator that works sometimes and other times it decides it would rather not work properly.
So, since it's only 5 yrs old and replacing it would be quite expensive AND not as good for the environment as repairing it(which might also be cheaper than replacing), I am trying to find a local appliance repair person to attempt to fix it.

Now you would think....maybe this is where I get into trouble, projecting rational thoughts onto other beings of the human race...lol...that if you are in business for yourself, and you make your living and earn your money by being an appliance repair person, that you would do things to get repair jobs so you can earn that money.
"Doing things" would include like returning telephone calls from potential customers.
People who WANT TO give you money for your skills.
ESPECIALLY in this sluggish economy where most everyone is complaining non-stop that business is so slow and they don't have enough work to make a decent living.

You would think.....huh?

I have had ONE whole repair person return my calls.  
And that call went like this.....

Ring ring ring....
Daughter-"Hello?"
THEM-"Yah, you called about your fridge?"
Daughter-"That was my mom, just a minute, I'll put her on the phone."
*Daughter hands me the phone.*
Me-"Hello?"
Silence on the other end.
Me-"Hello?"
More silence on the other end.
Me-"HELLO!?"
More silence on the other end....but I can tell the line is open and 'live' because I hear breathing...
Then 3 seconds later the line goes CLICK and disconnects.

So I hang the phone up and stand and wait for them to call back.....and I wait and wait some more.
And the next day comes & they have yet to call back.
Now you would think....uh oh....there I go again "thinking" lol....that if the connection on their end was bad that they would call back?

You would think....
But no, I end up calling AGAIN and leaving my message again.

I swear, every time I have to find someone in the trade industries(construction or handyman repair, appliance repair, electrician)-the trades were people are self-employed, I run into these kinds of problems.
Problems like not returning calls, not showing up when they say they will, never showing up for appointments at all, and a whole host of little annoyances that you can overlook if they are good at their job and get it done.
I swear, if someone wanted to make a great living in this country and had a skill people would pay them decently for, all they would have to do to make a fortune would be to be halfway polite and actually show up and be ready to work!
Courtesy, integrity & showing up SOBER will make you a rich man!!

I am beginning to think that a lot of people who just don't want to work more than they have to, to support their lifestyles, go and buy a pick-up truck and have a sign put on the door that they are in *fill in the blank* business.  It sounds better than calling yourself an unemployed bum who doesn't WANT to work or can't handle working for someone else.  (I am NOT talking about unemployed people who get laid off due to the recession or something and who want to work but can't find a job.)

Oh....the one exception I have found in the trades are the plumbers.  For some reason the ONLY guys we have ever had work for us that were top notch in skills and in human decency were plumbers.

So I am being forced to buy a new fridge....it's either that or let our food spoil.
Or divorce my Hubs and find a new one that is handy....real quick!lol

All I want to know is this.....

 Where is NORM when I need him???!!!

Have you ever had any luck with hiring self-employed folks to work for you? 
Or have your interactions been unsatisfactory like mine?

Sluggy

I Finally Did It.....I Sewed Something in 2010!

One of my goals for 2010 was to get to my piles of sewing projects.
Well, I forgot to mention in my post about last week that I finally did sew something....woohoo!!

Of course, it wasn't anything exciting though and it wasn't anything from the pile of unfinished projects.
Just hemming #1 son's new jeans and patching up a rip in an older pair of pants for him.

But hey!....I'll add these to my project list so I can check something off !!lol

4 pairs of jeans hemmed....CHECK!
1 pair of jeans patched....CHECK!

There!
I feel a sense of accomplishment wafting over me....ahhhhhh!

Hubs also tried on 2 pair of pants that have been sitting in the closet for a couple of years so I could pin and hem them.....and they don't fit anymore!
I can send them to Salvation Army & mark those off my list of things to do too, right?lol
OK!...I am building momentum here now!! ;-)

Go me! ;-)

Sluggy

Monday's Rite-Aid Trip.....Pencils, Notebooks and Book Covers, OH MY!

 I drug my hot self out to Rite-Aid after dinner last night.  The place was a freaking zoo!  Hardly an empty parking space outside the store and jammed full of frantic moms inside on the school supplies aisles pawing through what was left on the shelves.....yes, a sure sign that today was the 1st day of school in my town.lol
After snapping up a portfolio for #2 son back in the regular school supplies aisle(I didn't even attempt diving into the mayhem on display in the seasonal school aisles!), I headed to the hair color section and then the baby section, before stopping at the drink cooler next to the registers.
Here is what I picked up....

3 x Garnier HerbaShine Hair Color on sale $5.99=$17.97
2 x Sobe Drinks on sale $.99=$1.98
1 x Butt Paste on sale=$3.99
1 x Portfolio(for #2 son)$1.83-with 20% wellness discount=$1.83 *not pictured*
SubTotal....$25.77

Coupons Used
1 x $5/$25 from Newsletter I signed up for in Jan. IPQ from PDF=$5.00
3 x $3/1 Garnier HerbaShine IPQ(coupons,dotcom)=$9.00
1 x $2/1 Garnier HerbaShine AdPerks/VV IPQ=$2.00
1 x BOGO Sobe IPQ(from Sobe Game)=$.99
1 x $3/1 Butt Paste AdPerks/VV IPQ=$3.00
1 x $2/1 Butt Paste ManuQ=$2.00
Coupon Total....$21.99

Also used....
1 x $1 +Ups(from Doritos)
1 x $2 +Ups(from Coke packs)
$3.00

$25.77-$21.99=$3.78-$3+Ups=$.78 OOP put on free Rite-Aid gift card so ZERO OOP



This Transaction....

Total Spent....$.78 (put on free Rite-Aid gift card)
Value of Items....$39.73
SCR qualified for...$0.00
+Up Rewards earned...$5.00(Garnier)


MONTHLY TOTALS-September Rebate Period

Number of Transactions......2
Total Spent....$9.45 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$81.10
SCR qualified for....$0 in cash and $0 in Gift Cards
Other Cash....$0
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0
+Up Rewards spent....$11.00
+Up Rewards earned....$8.00

Total 'Spent'...$9.45 on gift cards
Total Cash I'm getting Back=$0
Total Gift Cards I'm getting=$0
+Up Rewards left to spend=$9.00


Sluggy

The Rest of Last Week....Reserve my Padded Room Please!

When last we saw our intrepid blogger, she had been forced to drop a big wad of cash at the mall for assorted teens Back-to-School clothing needs on Wednesday.
Wednesday night Hubs and I took #1 son and his English buddy out for #1 son's Birthday meal(the bday is in July but he hasn't been home until now since before July).
They wanted steak so it was Lone Star Steakhouse.
This was after having massive hunks of hamburgers for lunch at Red Robin.
Egads!

So Thursday started out with a bang.
See this stupid beagle?

She decided to make a run for it to freedom while I was trying to clip her to the tie-out cable.
She had back problems last winter and Hubs put that blue harness on her, changing it out for her collar.
Of course, he neglected to move her tags(rabies, license, name & phone number)from the collar to the harness so there was no way to recover her if she didn't come home on her own.
Just great!
And she indeed did NOT come home.
Daughter is her owner but she didn't seem to care one way or another if the dog came home.
And she did next to nothing to find her.....

The rest of Thursday was more shopping(new boots for #1 son-he goes to school near Lake Erie so there is deep snow for 5 months of the year there) & restocking #1 son with toiletries(a la the stockpile).  He found everything he needed/wanted, so it cost me NOTHING!!  That was awesome....

I went grocery shopping and spent an eyeball popping $81.28!!!  I can't remember the last time I spent that much money in one fell swoop on groceries.  I got a little weak in the knees when the cashier told me the total.lol   And again, I didn't use a single coupon....but I did save $65.61, mostly on some markdown meats.

Kallaum volunteered to make us dinner on Thursday.....a proper Baked Chicken dinner.  Chicken, mashed potatoes and assorted 'veg'(that he boiled the shit out of!lol).  Of course the crowning glory of all these dishes was gravy(which I made)ladled over everything.  Kallaum doesn't seem a fan of  'veg' but if you smother it in gravy he'll eat it. ;-)
I had hoped he would make some Yorkshire Pudding....he's from Yorkshire so that would be cool, right?lol  Maybe next time he comes to visit next summer since he does plan on returning to work at the camp in 2011.

Friday was a lazy day....still no sign of the missing beagle....getting #1 and Kallaum's laundry done and packed up, then loading up Hubs car once he got home from work.
I roasted corn on the cob and cooked assorted meats on the grill.  #1 son & Kallaum each ate...
2 ears of corn
2 steaks
3 hot dogs
1 or 2 hamburgers(1 ate 1, 1 ate 2 but I don't recall whom ate which amount)

Honestly, I don't know WHERE they put it all!!!lol

Then we had #1 son's belated Birthday Cake....

Of course, the teens started eating the cake BEFORE we got a chance to put a candle on it and sing.lol

Blowing out a candle on a 2/3 eaten cake just isn't right, is it?

Saturday morning at the crack of 7.....

Packing the last few things.

And posing for a final photo for the Long Suffering Mom....

And then, they were gone....

And I went back to bed.  Geez, last week just wore me out. lolol
Saturday and still no missing beagle sightings, plus the fridge that I 'fixed' is broken again, so I got to haul all the frozen foods I had hauled into the upright freezer, back into the freezer of the fridge the previous week, back from the fridge/freezer into the upright freezer again!
My fix was only a temporary measure and I need to call a proper repairman to replace something in the appliance.
Bleh!!!

Sunday morning Hubs called up to the SPCA and guess who was there?
Yep.....the runaway beagle.

So he went and bailed her out($$$!) and promptly put the tags onto the harness.  Someone had dropped her off at the shelter late Friday, so after running wild for 1.5 days, she got to enjoy the barking madhouse of the SPCA for another 1.5 days.
She got home and collapsed in the dog crate and fell dead asleep.

Here is what a goofball dog looks like zonked out and snoring for 6 hours.
I thought I was one dog closer(1 down, 2 to go)to actually fixing up my living/dining room.....it was a let down but I'm glad she's safe.

To sum up last week....
it was crazy with activity(for me at least!)
it was expensive(massive amounts of meat and BTS shopping to the tune of $250 doesn't come cheap!...not to mention impending fridge repair)
it was hectic with all the cooking and cleaning
it reeked havoc on my sleep schedule(nocturnal teens will do that to ya!)


But I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat......well, except for that runaway beagle part.


Sluggy

How a 14 Year Old goes Back-to-School Shopping

What's that sound?

Don't you hear it??



It's.......QUIET!!!

#1 son is back at college and the 2 teens left at home are back in school today.....YIPPEEE!!

Now if I could find someone to take 3 dogs Monday through Friday, I'd be all set!lol

Since #2 son was going back to school today, I went to Rite-Aid Sunday to do some back-to-school shopping "#2 Son Style". 
Sunday was the 1st day of the new September Single Check Rebate Period as well.

If you are a 14 year old boy, here is what you consider Back-To-School shopping......

3 x Coke 12 packs on sale 3/$9.99=$9.99
2 x Doritos on sale $2=$4.00
4 x Hormel Chili on sale $1.25=$5.00
4 x Sobe Drinks on sale .99¢=$3.96
2 x Sunday papers(for the coupons of course!)=$2.20--with 20% wellness discount
SubTotal....$25.15

Coupons Used
1 x $5/$25 AdPerks/VV IPQ=$5.00
1 x $1/1 12 pk Coke AdPerks/VV IPQ(from July)=$1.00
1 x $.50/1 Hormel Chili AdPerks/VV IPQ(from July)=$.50 *There is a new $1/2 VV Q one available this month.*
2 x $.55/2 Hormel Chili ManuQ/IPQ(on Hormel website)=$1.10
2 x BOGO IPQ(from Sobe Game)=$1.98
Coupon Total....$9.58

Other Coupons Used
1 x $5 Rite-Aid Q-sent to replace +Ups that didn't print=$5.00
2 x $1 +Ups=$2.00
Other Coupons Total....$7.00

$25.15-$9.58=$15.57-$7.00=$8.57+$.10tax=$8.67 OOP put on 1 Gillette Razor Survey Gift Card & 1 Rite-Aid Gift Card(both were free)=ZERO out of pocket!
I earned +Up Rewards of...$2(for 3 Cokes)& $1(for 2 Doritos)=$3.00 +Ups.


MONTHLY TOTALS-September Rebate Period

Number of Transactions......1
Total Spent....$8.67 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so ZERO OOP
Value of Items purchased....$41.37
SCR qualified for....$0 in cash and $0 in Gift Cards
Other Cash....$0
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0
+Up Rewards spent....$8.00
+Up Rewards earned....$3.00

Total 'Spent'...$8.67 on gift cards
Total Cash I'm getting Back=$0
Total Gift Cards I'm getting=$0
+Up Rewards left to spend=$7.00

Not a moneymaker yet but at least #2 son is stoked.....and stocked!lol

Sluggy

Back to Rite-Aid Saturday & End of August SCR Period Totals

Even though I still have about 300 rolls from that massive collection of Marcal TP left that I amassed last year, the call of cheap Cottonelle and Scott TP was indeed strong enough to lure me into Rite-Aid on Saturday before the sale ended.
Oh, I am such a weak, weak woman.....

So I went and bought this....

3 x Cottonelle 12 roll packs(the last 3 packs in the store) on sale $6.49=$19.47
10 x Scott single rolls on sale BOGO=$6.45
2 x Mountain Dew sodas @$1.19 w/20% wellness discount=$2.38 *Not Pictured*
SubTotal....$28.30

Coupons
1 x $5/$25 purchase AdPerks/VV IPQ=$5.00
1x $1/1 Cottonelle Manu.Q=$1.00
2 x $.50/1 Cottonelle IPQ=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Cottonelle AdPerks/VV IPQ=$1.00
1 x BOGO Mtn. Dew=$1.19
3 x $1 +Ups Rewards=$3.00
Coupon Total....$12.19

$28.30-$12.19=$16.11 OOP put on free Rite-Aid Gift Card so ZERO Out of Pocket
SCR qualified for...#10($5)&#148($5)=$10.00
$16.11 on gift cards, get back $10 in cash...works for me!lol

I then had to buy back-to-school supplies for the kids.  My daughter had decided that the ONLY notebooks that were acceptable to her this year are the Mead 1 subject ones with the portfolio pocket inside.  These babies run $5.99 but Rite-Aid had a BOGO50% off sale going so I decimated my stack of free gift cards, bit the bullet and bought her some....no photos since she grabbed them as soon as I got in the door last night.

6 x Mead Notebooks BOGO50% off(Every pair was $8.98)=$26.94 *ouch*
1 x Crest 3D Toothpaste on sale=$2.99
SubTotal....$29.93

Coupons
1 x $5/$25 Purchase IPQ(PDF file from newsletter in Jan. I signed up for)=$5.00
1 x $1/$10 Back to School Items Wellness CRT Q(printed on the previous receipt)=$1.00
1 x $1/1 Crest Toothpaste ManuQ=$1.00
Coupon Total....$7.00

$29.93-$7.00=$22.93+$1.35 tax=$24.28 put on various free Rite-Aid gift cards so Zero OOP
I earned SCRs for the toothpaste($2.00) & the Mead items($4.00)=$6.00

Total Spent for both Transactions....$0.00 out of pocket($40.39 on gift cards)
Value of Items purchases....$91.08
SCR qualified for...$10/$2/$4=$16.00
+Up Rewards earned=$0
+Up Rewards spent=$0

MONTHLY TOTALS-AUGUST Rebate Period

Number of Transactions......5
Total Spent....$50.95--$41.96 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so $8.99 OOP
Value of Items purchased....$186.67
SCR qualified for....$23.99 in cash and $0 in Gift Cards
Other Cash....$0
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0

Total 'Spent'...$8.99 in cash
Total Cash I'm getting Back=$23.99
Total Gift Cards I'm getting=$0
+Up Rewards left to spend=$9.00


$8.99-$23.99SCRs= Overage of $15.00 for August!

I know someone will want to smack me for saying this but.....August was one of my WORST OOP months!  I know, I know....I MADE $15 in August and consider this my worst month.  Sounds crazy, doesn't it?lolol

Sluggy

Rite-Aid Throwback.....2 Transactions I Forgot

I found a receipt and photo from before we went on vacation.....

This was 7/29/10 so the 1st week of the August SCR Period.
2 Right Guard Deos on sale $2.50 ea.
2 Rite-Aid invisible Tape 3 packs on sale BOGO $3.49
2 Suave Pro Shampoo 20% off wellness discount $2.23 ea.
2 Sobes *#2 son had drank 1 of them already* on sale $.99 ea.
1 ACE Bandage 20% wellness discount $4.79
1 Glad Kitchen Bags on sale $5.99
1 Ramen Noodles Pack of 6 on sale $1.00

Total before Qs was $26.71.
Qs came to $20.49(including $4 in-ad for the ACE product, 2 free Suave 'Poo Qs, $5 off $25 Q).
Used $6 in +Ups also.
$26.71-$26.49=$.22 + $.22 tax=$.44 OOP put on free Rite-Aid Gift Card.
I got some +Ups back but I can't remember now what for or how many...for the Sobes and the Glad bags?
I did qualify for a $3 SCR for the Tape too.

We stopped at a Rite-Aid in Keene NH on the way to Maine and I bought this.....

Sssshhh....It's a Christmas present.  It was on sale for $9.99.  While I didn't have a coupon it did generate a $2 +UPs and I'll get a $2 SCR as well, so basically this $17.99 gift will cost me $5.99 in the end.
Nice, huh? I used a $1 +Ups I had in my wallet(didn't bring my coupons on the trip)when I paid so it was $8.99(no sales tax in NH!)OOP since I didn't put it on a gift card.

Total Spent for both Transactions....$9.43($.44 put on Gift Card) so $8.99 OOP
Value of Items purchases....$58.38
SCR qualified for...$2(Coffeemaker), $3(Tape)=$5.00
+Up Rewards earned=$5?
+Up Rewards spent=$1.00

MONTHLY TOTALS-AUGUST Rebate Period

Number of Transactions......3
Total Spent....$10.56--$1.57 put on free Gift Cards/Certificates so $8.99 OOP
Value of Items purchased....$95.59
SCR qualified for....$7.99 in cash and $0 in Gift Cards
Other Cash....$0
Additional Non-Cash Rewards....$0

Total 'Spent'...$10.56($1.57 on gift cards)
Total Cash I'm getting Back=$7.99
Total Gift Cards I'm getting=$0
+Up Rewards left to spend=$20.00


Because I used cash for the coffee maker I may actually have to spend my own money this month at Rite-Aid when all the figures are tallied.
Oh, the horrors!lol


Sluggy

Pip Pip, Cheerio & All that Food!

Oh, it's just been a Festival of Teenagers here lately.
Between pre-school & grocery shopping, mountains of laundry, cooking non-stop to keep these bottomless pit teens fed, toting 1 to practices, hemming jeans and now packing up 2 of the teens so they can be hauled back across the state, I've had little time for myself or what "I" want/need to do.

First #1 son Matt and his buddy Kallaum from England arrived on Sunday.  Oh, how I do enjoy last minute house guests!  At least the house got a half-decent cleaning on Saturday because of it....

Kallaum hails from "jolly ol' England"-Yorkshire to be specific- if my post title didn't give that away yet.
It didn't take 1 hour before these two were stretched out on the sofa surfing the web with a chaser of cable tv blaring in the background(2 things they haven't done in the last 8 weeks while working at camp).
I have decided that except for the accent, these 2 teens are just alike.....well, except the English model doesn't seem to eat many vegetables.  I did get him to take 1 bite of home grown collards however on Sunday....the meat in the dish seemed to help him keep it down.lol

The last 4 days have basically gone like this.....
1.Teens sleeping until noon or later.
2.Teens rousing and rummaging through the fridge for food.
3.Teens occupying the bathroom for the next 2 hours.
4.Teens sitting in front of either computer of tv screen or on cell phones.
5.Teens going to A-see friends, B-go eat out, or C-go shopping(usually with parental units money).
6.Teens coming home to eat again.
7.Repeat #5.
8.Teens coming home again.
9. Repeat #4.
10.Teens eating again(usually around 1-2 am)
11.Teens finally going to bed(usually around 3am-except the English model retires earlier).

And get up the next mid-day and do it all over again.
Oh, and maybe throw in an odd chore or two in between, as long as it doesn't take too long and they can squeeze it into their busy schedule.....pronounced "sshedule".

Monday evening I got bonus fun!
Daughter had a friend sleeping over as well, so I got 5 doses of teenage hormonal drama from Monday evening to Tuesday evening!!

True to form, the 4 older teens roused at the crack of noon(the youngest was already up due to an orthodontic appointment), so I cooked breakfast for lunch.  It was totally a self-defensive measure on my part.  Had I not cooked food, I fear they would have eaten me!

It only took.....
12 waffles
6 pancakes
3 fried eggs
2 cans of corned beef hash
8 strips of bacon
8 biscuits
1 package of Smithfield ham

Kallaum had real maple syrup for the 1st time at this meal.
 8-)
It's possible I forgot something.....but I can't remember that far back in the week.
Here they are after  devouring everything on the table......I believe they are zombies, mesmerized by some clip on YouTube.....

Wednesday was back-to-school shopping....dear Lord!.....I was forced to go to the mall for the 2nd time this year and fork over cash!  I never go to the mall willingly.
The zombie teens have eaten out my brain.....

Sluggy

Another 2010 BORING BLOG BOX of FUN GIVEAWAY is OPEN! Box #3 POST 3

This is the 3rd Sluggy's BORING BLOG BOX GIVEAWAY for 2010!

It's time again for a Boring Giveaway.
I run a Boring Blog here so why not giveaway boring stuff, right?

Just to recap, I put things in the box(mostly what I have gotten for free or almost free)each week and when the box is filled we draw a winner from all the entries received.  The stuff can range from HBA, food, toys, collectibles, home decor or books.  Someday if enough people click on enough ads and this blog makes some cold hard cash, I may add a gift card, so get to clicking already!!lol

Here is what went into the Box today.....

1.  4  2-packs of One A Day Vitamin Drink Mix
2.  1 bag of Chex Mix
3.  Glade scented oil Candle Holder Tin
4.  Glade 3 pack of scented oil candle refills
5.  St. Ives Apricot Scrub sample

If this is your first time, please go read all the rules for these Giveaways on THIS POST.

Please NOTE--You MUST be a follower to enter the Giveaway.  If you aren't one, just click on the "Follow" button on the right hand side of my blog to become a follower---->


TIME TO ENTER.....

I entry per person on this POST.

When I post again about this BORING BLOG BOX GIVEAWAY, entries on this Post will be CLOSED and you can post on the New Giveaway Post and enter again.  I hope this isn't too confusing. ;-)

Here are the ways to get UP TO 2 EXTRA entries PER POST.....

1. Put my blog on your blog's Blogroll.  Leave an extra comment for this entry on THIS POST only with the URL of your blog. If I'm already on your Blogroll, say so in an extra comment.
2.  Blog about this Giveaway on your blog or on a Message Board.  Leave an extra comment for this entry on THIS POST only with a link to your blog post or the message on the board.

You can do each of these 2 things once per post, so that's a total of up to 3 entries per person per post.
(*Sorry M & F...no daily entries this time because of the vacation.*)

Again, you can enter on this post until I put another Giveaway Post up and then you need to enter on the NEWER Post.
FYI if you are new here....it generally takes 4 weeks to fill the box, so there will be 4 posts(give or take)about this Giveaway where you can enter to win up to 3 times.

Any questions?  Just email me at slugmama@yahoo.com

Oh yah, I pay for all the stuff in this giveaway and nobody(business or person) gives me stuff or pays me to hold them or promote their products.  I even pay the shipping just because I loves ya'll and....and.....that's how I roll!  ;-)

Happy Entering!! 

Sluggy

Rite-Aid Reminder and New Value Videos for September

My Rite-Aid Corporate Mole has let me know that the new Value Videos for September are going live on August 29th, Sunday.
Here is a sneek peak at the list of Videos....

Rite Aid Video Values – September Video Offers

Videos for the Sept. program must be watched 8/29/10 - 9/25/10

September Coupons Expire 10/23/10

As Seen On TV- Save $20

$2.00 off As Seen on TV Neckline Slimmer

$1.00 off any As Seen on TV Vita Grass for Cats & Dogs

$1.00 off As Seen on TV UGlu Super Adhesive Tape

$1.00 off As Seen on TV Yoshi Blade Ceramic Knife

$1.00 off any As Seen on TV HD Vision Ultra Sunglasses

$1.00 off any As Seen on TV Crazy Critters Stuffing-Free Fox or Raccoon Dog Toy

$1.00 off As Seen on TV Bark Off Ultrasonic Training Aid

$1.00 off As Seen on TV HeelTastic

$2.00 off As Seen on TV Slap Chop

$1.00 off As Seen on TV Sure Clip Nail Clipper

$2.00 off As Seen on TV Water Jet Power Washer

$2.00 off As Seen on TV Big Top Cupcake Silicone Bakewear

$1.00 off As Seen on TV Kangaroo Keeper

$2.00 off As Seen on TV Emery Cat Board

$1.00 off As Seen on TV Wonder Hanger

Baby Care- Save $15

$3.00 off any Boudreaux's Butt Paste, 4 oz. or Zilactin Gel or Toothache Swabs, 8 ct.

$2.00 off any Rite Aid tugaboos Infant Formula, 23.2 - 25.75 oz. Powder

$1.00 off any Rite Aid Baby Wipes, 64 - 72 ct.

$1.00 off any Huggies Diapers, Pull-Ups or Goodnites, Jumbo Pack

$1.00 off any Similac Infant Formula, 23.2 oz. Powder or PediaSure

$1.00 off Lysol Disinfecting Spray, 6 oz.

$1.00 off any Playtex Baby Bottles, Cups or Accessories

$1.00 off any Johnson's Baby Care, 14 - 15 oz. or Desitin Product

$3.00 off any Avent Baby Bottles, 9 or 11 oz. or 4 oz. 2 ct.

$1.00 off any Children's Advil Product

$0.50 off any Gatorade, 20 oz., 4-Pack

Rise & Dine- Save $4

$1.00 off any 2 Nabisco Brand Cookies or Snacks, Single Serve or Peg Bag or Maxwell House Coffee, 34.5 oz. or Yuban Coffee, 33 oz.

$0.50 off any Nature Valley or Fiber One Cereal Bars, Multi-Packs

$1.00 off any 2 General Mills "Big G" Cereals

$1.00 off any 2 Kellogg's Raisin Bran, Frosted Flakes or Froot Loops Cereal or FiberPlus Chewy Bars

$0.50 off any Gatorade, 20 oz., 4-Pack

General Merchandise- Save $99

$4 off $20 Purchase when you earn 20 video credits 8/29/10 - 9/25/10

One FREE FlavoRx Flavoring for Children's Liquid Medications from the Pharmacy (Value $2.99)

$5.00 off $25.00 Non-Prescription purchase* when you watch the Rx Services video

$5.00 OFF $25.00 Non-Prescription Purchase* *When You Watch the wellness+ Video

$2.00 off Green Dot Prepaid Visa or Mastercard Activation Fee (excludes NASCAR Visa)

$1.50 off any Polident Denture Cleanser, 78 or 84 ct. Tablets

$1.50 off any Sensodyne Toothpaste

$1.50 off any Aquafresh iso-active Toothpaste, 4.3 oz.

$1.00 off any 2 Dove Chocolates, 2 oz. or larger

$1.00 off Hibistat Antiseptic Wipes, 15 ct.

$1.00 off any Reach Total Care Toothbrush

$1.00 off any Listerine Mouthwash, 500 mL or Listerine PocketPak, 72 ct.

$2.00 off SmartMouth Mouthwash, 16 oz.

$1.50 off Efferdent Denture Cleanser Tablets 120 ct. or Plus Mint 108 ct.

$2.00 off any Natural Dentist Mouth Rinse, Peppermint Twist or Anti-Gingivitis, 16.9 oz.

$0.50 off any Wrigley's Orbit Gum, 14 Piece

$1.00 off any 3 Kleenex Facial Tissue, Anti-Viral 75 ct., Ultra White 85 ct., Assorted 100 or 184 ct. or White, 200 ct.

$1.00 off Kleenex Viva Paper Towels, 8 Pack Regular Rolls

$1.00 off any AirWick Imotion Scented Oil, Freshmatic i-Motion Ultra, Freshmatic Ultra Freshmatic i-Motion Compact or NeutraAir Freshmatic Kits

$1.00 off any Lysol Hand Soap Kit

$1.50 off any Mucinex Product

$0.30 off any Libby's Tropical Canned Fruit with Splenda

$1.00 off any 2 Hormel Compleats

$1.00 off any 2 Spam or Spam Lite, 12 oz.

$1.00 off any 2 Hormel Chili

$2.00 off any Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Care Product

$1.00 off any Benefiber, ex-lax or GasX Product

$1.00 off any Pilot FriXion Pens, 2 pk. or Highliters, 3 pk.

$2.00 off any Maybelline Cosmetics Product

$3.00 off any L'Oreal Double Extend Lash Boosting Mascara, Serum or Kit

Buy 3, Get 1 Free Any Powerade, 32 oz.

$0.30 off any Uncle Ben's Ready Rice, 8.8 oz. Pouch

$1.00 off any OXY Clinical Product

$2.00 off $6.00 purchase of any Sanford Sharpie's Product

$1.00 off any Garnier Fructis Shampoo, Conditioner or Styler (excludes Trial Sizes)

$2.00 off any Garnier Hair Color

Buy 1 Photobook, Get FREE Order online, pick-up in store (Retail value $24.99) Use Promotion Code AUGBOOKWhile supplies last!

$1.00 off any 8-Hour ThermaCare Patches

$1.00 off any Hershey's Bliss, 8.6 - 9.6 oz. pkg

$0.25 off any 2 Hershey's select Candy Bars; includes Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, Kit Kat, Hershey's Milk Chocolate or with Almonds Chocolate Bar

$0.50 off any 2 York Peppermint Pattie, Peter Paul Mounds or Almond Joy, single

$0.50 off any Trident Gum, 18 Piece Pk.

$0.50 off any Scunci Expandable Ponytailer or Clip

$7.00 off Nicorette Lozenges, 72 ct. or Nicorette Mini Lozenges, 81 ct

$3.00 Off Banana Boat Sun Care Product

Buy One get One Free- Any Pepsi

$0.75 off any Mott's Juice, 64 oz.

While I personally thing the AS SEEN ON TV ones are useless, when paired with upcoming Rite-Aid sales, some of the other ones are worth the effort watching to get some coupons that will bring down your OOP totals on those sales items.

So be sure to watch some before September is over.

I'm especially happy about the THREE $X off $XX Videos/Coupons!  Not only are there TWO different  $5 off $25 Coupons available, but there is a $4 off $20 Coupon to earn....sweet!! 

Pair one of these with other Coupons available for a lower out of pocket on your order.

Also, the August Videos will be going away so make sure you watch those this week so if those items go on special in September, you have the coupons in your account bank to print off for later.

Sluggy

And the Winner is.....

Instead of using Random Number Generator, I had our English house guest pulled a name from a hat....well a slip of paper from a whole bunch of slips of paper from an empty wipes box really.
Anyway, the Comment # he picked was #12, making the winner Frances!

Frances said...

Holy cr@p! How have I not entered this??? I would want to try the Dr. Zevia. I love Diet DP. fperkins2000 @ yahoo.com

August 24, 2010 9:51 AM

 Congratulations Frances!!

Please email me your contact info. within the next 48 hours.
Thanks to everyone who entered and I'll be posting a new pile of things for the Boring Blog Box o' Stuff Giveaway later today so stay tuned....

Sluggy
 

LAST CHANCE for Zevia Giveaway!

Today is the LAST DAY to enter my ZEVIA Natural Soda Giveaway!!!

Go check it out HERE.

Sluggy

The Ultimate Multi-Tasker...My Mobile Solar Oven

Last month, in the midst of our heatwave of  "Aught Ten", I decided to try something totally out of the box.

This box.....

Meet my newest kitchen gadget.......

My new solar oven...aka as a 2003 Dodge Caravan....my Car/Oven Multi-Tasker!

Why not put the heat that builds up inside to good use since I wasn't using the car that day?

So I set to making up some chocolate chip cookie dough and plopped it onto an aluminum foil lined cookie sheet and placed the sheet on the dashboard of my car in full sun.

I also placed my oven thermometer next to the pan so I could check the actual temperature inside the car.
Pan and thermometer safely inside the car, I shut the door at 11am. and told the kids hanging out at the house that day not to open the car for ANY REASON!

Here's the pan after an hour baking.....

And here it is a couple of hours later.....

The dough has spread out and each cookies is ringed by liquified butter.....yum!lol


Two more hours and we have this.....

The butter has reabsorbed(or evaporated?)and the cookies have plumped up slightly.

And here is what we got after 6 hours of solar baking.....

They are paler than normal since solar doesn't 'brown' stuff like a regular oven but they are cooked and hard.

Since my oven thermometer never registered more than slightly hotter than 150 degrees, I did throw this pan of cookies into the normal oven for a good 5 minutes after snapping this photo.
I know....kind of defeats the whole purpose of the off-the grid thing, right?lol

My recipe had raw egg in it and I didn't want to risk the chance of a salmonella chaser with the chocolate chips so a few minutes above 180 degrees was worth doing.
The next time I will try a no-egg recipe instead now that I know my mobile oven's flaws in the temperature department.

And the verdict?
The kids gobbled these babies down and declared them delicious!

Next time how about a pizza too and a pitcher of sun tea?

Sluggy