Sunday, May 31, 2009

Goal Setting Sunday

Well, exercise did not work out this week. I injured myself last Monday, so I am having to take a break from any sort of aerobics. I did manage to get in one day of some sit/lie down exercising and it worked out well, so I will make a goal of that for 4 times this week.

I worked more on my kitchen floor-even had a little helper :) It is amazing to me what kids think can be fun-lol! I plan to get it finished up this week-there is no reason why I cannot.

I also bought some tomato plants yesterday since the ones I started from seed are not doing well. I want to get those into the ground either today or tomorrow :)

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Get your Coupons This SUnday :)

Be sure to check out your Sunday paper this Sunday as they are to have coupons in them again :) Boy, I think I am having withdrawals from missing a week :)
I am going to look for the Oklahoman this Sunday and compare it to the Tulsa World. I plan to do this a few times and will report my findings back to all of you :)
Have a great weekend!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Food Pyramid Sales and Coupon Matches

Food Pyramid really did not have alot of coupon matches this week, but they do have a few great sales :)

Dutch Farms American Singles sliced cheese 12 0z-99 cents

Russet potatoes 10 lb bag 2/$3 (limit 2) -great price compared to even Aldi :)

3 lb bag Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast-$4.99

Bistro Meals $1.50-$1/1 (5/10 SS) =.50 cents

Wishbone Dressing $2.00-.75/1 Here =$1/25 and there is another coupon for this $1.25/2 (5/17 RP)=$2.75
Also-if you buy two dressings, you get a bag of salad free :)

Bar-S Franks .89-$1/2 Here=.78/2 or $1/2 from 5/10 RP = 78 cents for both packages

Home Made Simple Coupon Book

It's that time again-I love these coupon booklets, but, then again, I love any coupons that help me save money ;)
Go here and sign up for the coupon booklet. You will get coupons for Dawn, Cascade, Febreeze, Mr. Clean and many others :) There is over $30 in savings in this booklet :)

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Reasor's Sales This Week

Wow! It's a store coupon bonanza this week :) Here are some of the deals I found-of course, check out the ad for yourself at http://www.reasors.com/ Those with * are the sales with the in ad coupons

Hiland Old Recipe Ice Cream $3.00 each- .55 cent printable coupon here =$ 2.45 each
*Hiland Milk 1/2 gallons- $1.25 each (Limit 4)
*Pepsi or Dr Pepper Products-2 liter .88 cents each
* Reaser's Macaroni or Potato Salad-2 for $3
*24 Pack Best Choice Water- $2.88 each (Limit 2)
*Bar S Thin Sliced Lunch Meat -$1.50 each (Limit 4)
*DaVinci Pasta 16 oz- $1.00 each (Limit 10)

Tree Ripe Peaches-$1.29/lb

Knorr Rice or Pasta Side Dishes $1.00 each- .60 off 2(5/17 RP) OR .75 coupon /2 (4/5-Unilever) $1.40 using the first coupon (70 cents each) OR .25 each using 75 cents off coupon

Old Orchard juice-frozen concentrate-$1 each

Farmland Hot or Mild Roll Sausage 98 cents each

Vitamin Water $1.00 each- $1.00 coupon (4/5 SS)= FREE!!

Chinet Napkins 90 count $2.00- $1.00 coupon (5/3 SS)= $1.00 each!

Chinet Plates OR Cups $2.50 each- $1.00 coupon (5/3 SS)= $1.50 each

Fresh Zuchinni-69 cents/lb

Monday, May 25, 2009

Need Help with Beginning Couponing?

I hear so often people saying using coupons does not work for them. They never find good deals, there are only coupons out there for processed foods, etc. But, learning about couponing is the first step to saving money. I am about in the middle of this learning process, as I don't save huge percentages off my bill. But, I have a goal to keep learning how the great coupon divas do it, so I do my research and keep clipping or printing :)

There are many blogs out there, as well as forums, that really help me with this. But, to start off, here are some good sites that give you info on how to get started. You can take the time, little by little each day to read through them-get the basics and start trying on your own. This is how I started out. How much do I save on an average trip? Probably about 15-20% of my bill--not too bad. Last trip to Walmart, I saved more than that. But, if I had hit one of our stores that double coupons up to $1, I could have saved even more! Probably about 50% of my bill. But, that store is a bit out of my way, and I had already done my shopping for the two weeks when I found out about the deals...

One important thing, no matter if you use coupons or not, is being sure of your prices at different stores. I do know there are things at Aldi that are less than most other stores. But, I know Aldi's prices pretty well by heart now and if I see a sale at another store, I can tell if it will be a good deal or not. This also helps with my couponing. Also, don't use a coupon just because you have it-unless it is a new product you want to try, or you know it is a good deal. I will often wait for deals to use certain coupons-like, say, for cereals.

Here are some good sites to check out. Also, keep an eye open on those blogs I have listed to the right-these ladies search out the good deals and share them with their readers. They have really helped me save and I bet they can help you too!

Coupon Basics

Dollar Stretcher: Using Coupons

Dollar Stretcher: Coupon Article Section

How to Coupon Effectively

Coupons

The Simple Dollar: Coupons

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Goal Setting Sunday

Well, I did manage to get 4 days of exercise. I really had to convince myself after the first day :) I would try to tell myself I could go ahead and skip a day-it would not matter to anyone...Then, another part of me would step up and say words of inspiration like "You can do it" "Don't give up on your goal" (this is in my head--I was not speaking out loud to myself-though I have been known to do that too :). So, I did it and I honestly felt great! I was proud of myself too :)

I never did get to my kitchen floor-lol! Not sure why...I have no excuse, except for maybe Friday when we were too busy with a field trip and errands. I did re-sweep my front porch-it seems to be a never ending thing-ugh! I will love it when I get this outdoor carpet off it! But, I did not lay down the other outdoor rug (it is big). We are expecting rain pretty much all week again and I do not want the same mess I had before. So, until the rain is over I will just keep focusing on the carpet that is down.

So, my goal this week is to get in 4 days of exercising again. I do two days of cardio and two days or a cardio with weights.

And, I want to get most of that kitchen floor done! Or, perhaps all of it :)

Have a great Memorial Day everyone!!!

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Join Kraft First Taste

Recently I joined Kraft First Taste It is a nice place to get a couple good coupons on some new Kraft products that have come out. I got a DiGiorno Flatbread Melt coupon for $1 off and my husband really liked it :)
Here is more info from their site:

Love to check out new products and talk about them with your friends? As a member of the First Taste community, you'll be the first to discover and learn about new Kraft products.

Share great products. Spread the word about your favorite Kraft products so your family and friends can share in the fun.

Give us your feedback. What do you think of our products? You'll get the chance to tell us by answering our surveys.

Stir things up! Get involved in the First Taste community and meet other people with a zest for trying new things.

Friday, May 22, 2009

No Coupons this Sunday

What a bummer...but of course, places online like Smartsource.com, Coupons.com, and many others never stop :) So keep an eye on those places as they will be putting out new coupons for June soon!! Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Food Pyramid Coupon Match Ups

Here are some of the deals and coupon match ups at Food Pyramid. When I say Kraft, I am referring to the great printables from www.kraftfoods.com--if you haven't gotten yours yet, hurry! They may not last much longer :)

Oscar Mayer All Meat Hot Dogs-$.99-$1/2= $1/2 packages
Kraft Deli Cheese $2.99-.75/1 Kraft Coupon =$2.24

Kraft Singles $1.50-$1/2 Kraft Coupon =$2/2

Coffee-Mate Creamer $1.79-$1/1 Printable coupon=.79 cents

Jello Gelatin .50 each-$1/3 Kraft Coupon=.50 cents/3 packages

Kraft Salad Dressing $1.49-$1/1 Kraft Coupon=.49 cents

Fresh Ground Chuck- $1.49/lb

Fresh corn on the cob-.10 cents each-great deal!!

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Reasor's Deals This Week

I am learning that, in Oklahoma, there are some Sunday papers that have better coupons, or different coupons over another..mostly, I have heard the Oklahoman can have better coupons over the Tulsa World. I plan to eventually check this out (perhaps next weekend or next payday weekend). I will let you know what I find out. This could be the case with other states and their newspapers as well...so if you are not an Okie, you might ask friends who clip coupons or check it out for yourself ;)

Ok, here are some of the deals I found for Reasor's and their coupons. If it says printable, there will be a link directing you to that appropriate printable coupon site to find your coupons :)

Oscar Meyer hot dogs $2.98 each
$1.00/2 Click Print and Save or Here (they might still have the Kraft coupons up)
$4.96/2

Ekrich Smoked Sausage $2.98 each
 $1.00/2 (SS 5/17)
 $4.96/2

Bar S Franks .49 each
$1.00/2 (RP 5-10)
 2 FREE with 2 cent overage  (darn! I used mine last week to get bologna!)

Cool Whip $1.00 each
$1.00/2 Click Print Save
.50 cents each for 2

Tornados $2.00 each
$1.00 (SS 5-17)
$1.00 each

French's Mustard $1.50 each
.75 (RP5/10)
.75 cents each
 
Reser's Salads (Potato or Macaroni) $3.00 each
$1.00 Click Print and Save
$2.00 each
 
Philadelphia Cream Cheese $1.25 each
$1.00/2 Click Print and Save
.75 cents each for 2

Kraft Salad Dressing 3 for $5.00-that is about $1.68 each
$1.00 Click Print and Save or Here
.68 cents each

Jello Gelatin .50 each
$1.00/3 Click Print and Save
.50 cents for all 3

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Free Coupon Book

This is through Walmart, but it comes from Home Made Simple it seems :) Doesn't matter-it is a book of free coupons and that is all that matters!!!
Sign up HERE
Get coupons for Swiffer, Mr Clean, Dawn, Cascade and more.
And for even more things from Walmart.com, don't forget their free samples:
Bodycology
Cottonelle
And for all free samples-HERE

I love free samples. They are like a little surprise in the mail or a nice little addition to a gift basket (perhaps for a new mom?) or can make great little stocking and Easter basket stuffers :)

Monday, May 18, 2009

Free DiGiorno Flatbread Melt coupon

Visit http://flatbreadmelts.digiorno.movies.msn.com/default.aspx and sign up to get a coupon for a free DiGiorno Flatbread. Click on the link that say "And Your Hot Lunch Here" :) Hurry, won't last long from what I understand!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Loving the Kraft and Kellog's Coupons!

I hit Walmart yesterday and used my coupons I had printed out the other day :) Our Walmart (and perhaps all of them) have certain Kellogg's cereals marked down-MiniWheats, MiniWheats Lil Bites, Raisin Bran, and one other I cannot remember :) They are $2 a box, and I had $1 off coupons. Great deal! Then, I used my Kraft BBQ sauce coupons to buy 2 bottles of BBQ sauce that were 98 cents each. My coupons were for $1-so I got them free and had an extra 4 cents taken off-it adds up ;) Used my $1 off Kraft salad dressing-made that 58 cents. I had a coupons for Kraft Mayo--not marked down, but the cost of it with coupon made it less than Aldi's mayo, so I bought it to have on hand. $1.50 off 2 coupon for Oscar Mayer hot dogs-could have saved more here, but I bought DH some cheese dogs($2.50) and one pack of the meat dogs ($1.50). Next time I will purchase the 2 packs of all meat and save about 20 cents over the other hot dogs I usually buy.

There were other savings, but all-in-all, I saved over $12. Not a huge savings compared to some of those lovely coupon divas I admire so much, but it thrilled me :)

I even got a complement on my coupon notebook-thrilled me :) I was temtped to tell the lady all about it, but the store was crazy and I was really ready to leave :)

Goal Setting Sunday

My fitness schedule did not go as I hoped, but I did get two days in and on one of those days I did some extra work with my weights. Goal is to get back on schedule this week-hopefully up to 4 days this time!

Im still working on my kitchen floor. I promise (and perhaps this should be a goal too-lol) to send pics of how the floor looks before and after. Im a bit over half way done, but it seems as though I get some of the floor done and the grout just gets filthy again-very frustrating! I have found that baking soda has done the best job :) I ran out early in the week, so had to wait to get started on it again after I went shopping on Friday. I did try vinegar and peroxide, which both did ok, but not as good as the baking soda.

Goals these week are my fitness-pump it up to 4 days! Get my kitchen tile grout completely clean! Finish cleaning my front porch (working on all the dirt that seems to get tracked up from muddy shoes) and put the nicer outdoor rug back down-making sure it is cleaned too :)

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Kraft Coupons

Both Coupons.com and KraftFoods.com have great Kraft coupons right now! You can print from both sites, and don't forget, you can refresh the site after your first print to print the coupons again. You must be signed into KraftFoods or sign up if you are not already registered. There are also some great recipes on the Kraft site too, so be sure to check those out :)

Saturday, May 9, 2009

Goal Setting Sunday

My porch was cleaned off--pics later :) My oldest son and I took everything off, including the outdoor rug we had down, and I started cleaning. I began at the top and worked my way down, swept cobwebs, wiped down dusty window frames and door frames, and washed windows. Then, I swept the porch. One thing I discovered and Im upset about is my porch floor will have to be redone. There is another outdoor rug-it is blue (and I have pics to show of this later too) but it is glued down to the porch. It is also full of mud-ewwww!!! It looks horrible! I am sure it is due to many years of being walked on. So, I am thinking it will need to be removed. It will be a job that I hope I can get done later soon :)
But, for now, it feels SO nice to walk out on a clean porch! All my little seedlings I had sitting in pots are now transplanted into a garden bed on the side of our house (Im not waiting for dh to get around to making my garden fence in the back yard anymore). I even had a little hummingbird come visit me on the porch yesterday :) He must like the nice clean porch too...but he didn't stay long-he was busy, I suppose ;)
I also got in my fitness this week. Worked out 3 days, was a bit better at watching what I ate (though I sort of stunk when we went into the drive-in Friday night-ugh) and I did some extra weights for my arms. I have not weighed myself, but did measure myself when I started this. My arms and thighs got bigger--hmmm--maybe some muscle? But, my waist and hips did slim about 1/2 an inch so far.
This week I have plans to work in the grout in my kitchen floor. I realized just how dirty it looked and I guess over time of regular use and cleaning, the grout has collected dirt and grime. So, it needs to be scrubbed, I started in a small area yesterday and it took me over an hour to do that! I can see already this will be along project-lol! I used just baking soda and brush to scrub, but hope to get to the store later today to look for other options.
And, of course, I will keep up with my fitness. I am hoping to add in another day of workouts, but we will see. I usually work out Tues-Thurs or days when we have nothing going on. But, this week, I hope to add in Friday. 

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Reminder-Check Those Coupons!!

Take some time this week to go through all your coupons-take out the old and expired ones and throw them away, send to someone who might be able to use them (I have heard our soldiers can use them in commissaries-not too sure on this, so you might ask around) or recycle them :)

Monday, May 4, 2009

Sign up for Breadworld.com

Go to Breadworld and sign up for the Fleischmann's Yeast newsletter. It comes once a month, and in each newsletter, toward the bottom, there is a link for a printable coupon-55 cents off a jar of yeast, or two strips. I usually get the two strips as I have better luck with these than the jar (even when I keep it in the freezer or fridge :). Remember, when you print your coupons to use the back button (and perhaps, you might have to refresh the page too) and you can print out another coupon :)

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Goal Setting Sunday

It rained pretty much all week looonnngggg...ugh!!! We had flooded areas, some devastatingly so. We were blessed with no flooding damage to our house, but our yard, the neighbor's yard and the ditches in the front all became creeks, small rivers and even ponds-lol! But, all this rain did not let me clean off my front porch as I had planned....so, if the rain holds off a bit for me this week, it is my goal again :) I probably will need to pull off the rug we have out there and hang it somewhere to dry too-it is soaked!!

I did well on my fitness goal this week-working out 3 days for about 30 mins each-some weights and all aerobic :) I feel good (except for some tight muscles here and there-lol). I can see some muscle starting in my arms--that is so cool to me! LOL!