Free Seventh Generation Diaper Sample!

Seventh Generation is giving out a sample of their chlorine-free more earth friendly diapers on their website. The sample is only available in a size 3, so if you're past that size (unless you're planning on another lil' one soon) so you may want to skip this one. They say the samples will be sent out in 2-3 weeks.

Remember, there's printable coupons available on the website too!

More Shopping Today

I wanted to take advantage of a few holiday deals and I needed a little bit of fresh stuff for dinner:

Albertsons #1:
*Van Camps Pork & beans $.10 (!) (x52 - yep, you read that right!)
*Nabisco Wheat Thins $2.50 minus FREE coupon wyb 3 Kraft/Oscar Meyer items
*Ritz crackers $2.50 minus $1 MC
*Pace Picante sauce $0.99 (x2) minus $0.75 MC on 2
*Knudsen's sour cream $2.50 (x2) minus FREE coupon (x2)
*chicken leftovers/fat $0.96 (to make stew)
*Oscar Meyer franks $2.50 minus FREE coupon wyb 3 Kraft/Oscar Meyer items
*bulk Carrots $0.20
*Kings Hawaiian bread $1.09 minus $0.65 printable coupon
*Reduced bakery triple chocolate chip cookies $1.99 (had to keep DH happy!)
minus $3 wyb $10 worth of Kraft
Total after coupons: $8.52 (total savings: $88.43!!!)

Fred Meyer:
*Cottonelle 4pk toilet paper $.99 minus $0.50 MC
*FMV hot dog buns $0.39 (x2)
*Fresh Express mixed greens $0.99
*organic greens 1lb $2.39
*Roma tomatoes $0.83 (alas, mine still aren't turning yet!)
Total after coupons: $5.46

Albertsons #2:
*Scott extra soft toilet paper $0.99 (x3) minus $0.50 blinkie coupon (x3)
*Albertsons 12pk soda $1.25 (x8)
Total after coupons: $12.62 (total savings $27.47)

I can't believe they had the VC P&B marked down to just 10 cents a can! They don't expire until 2010 either, so this is a great stockpile item for us. I am just thrilled!

I wasn't expecting to go into another Albertsons today, but we had passes for Mamma Mia that I had won from the Hostess instant win game that expire on the 4th. The folks over at the theater were nice enough to let us use it on any movie, so DH wanted to see The Dark Knight again. The other Albertsons is right next to the theater, so I popped in to see if they had any of the Scott's TP since the first one was out of them. I spotted the deal on the soda (the other location did not have this deal) so I decided to stock up on that. I looked to see if this location had the VC P&B too, but their price was 3/$1 - no thanks. ;)

Fred Meyer Deals 8/31 - 9/6

See the entire circular online here or here's the food & home highlights with coupon matches if available:

*Cantaloupe $0.28 lb
*Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.88 lb sold in 4lb bag
*French bread 2/$3
*Fresh Express salad kits or blends BOGO
*Northwest Large Gala Apples $0.98 lb
*Organic peeled mini carrots 2/$3
*Organic grape tomatoes 2/$6
*Pluots $1.48 lb
*Red, white or Yukon Gold potatoes 2 lbs for $1
*Hatch chili peppers $0.98 lb
*Washington white peaches or nectarines $1.48 lb
*Horizon organic milk 64oz $3.29 ($0.55 MC out there or coupons here)
*Amy's Kitchen veggie burgers 2/$7
*Imagine Foods Rice or Soy Deam 4/$5 (use w/ this awesome promo here)
*Lakewood organic juice 2/$7
*Newman's fig bars, sandwich cookies, organic popcorn 2/$5
*Kaski TLC crackers, cookies, granola bars 2/$6 ($2 printable coupon here after registering)
*Annie's crackers 2/$6
*Annie's Mac N Cheese 10/$10
*Brown Cow 6oz yogurt 4/$3 (coupon here)
*Pork Spare Ribs $1.99 lb
*Fresh extra lean groud beef $3.59 lb
*Boneless pork top loin chops $3.99 lb
*Beef boneless cross rib pot roast $3.49 lb
*Beef loin New York steak $6.99 lb
*Fresh NW wholcooked dungeness crab $4.99 lb
*Fresh Wild Alaskan Coho Silver Salmon Fillet $6.99 lb
*Hambuger, Tuna, Chicken Helper 10/$10 (use w/$0.75 off 3 MC)
*FM yogurt 10/$4
*Campbells soup or chili 2/$3
*Prego Pasta Sauce 3/$5
*DiGiorno pizza $4.99
*Doritos $1.88
*Coke 12pk 3/$12
*Kroger chicken (strips, oramge chicken, etc) $4.99
*Tillamook cheese slices $3.99
*Nature Made vitmins BOGO (use w/ $1 off coupon)
*FM 1/2 gallon milk or orange juice 2/$3
*General Mills cereals or granola bars save $4 when you buy 4 w/FM coupon limit 4 combine w/ assorted GM MCs from Sunday paper
*Private Selection ice cream or Big Wheels 2/$5 first 4 w/FM coupon
*Country Oven, Vitabee bread, or FM Preserves 2/$3 first 6 w/FM coupon
*Campbell's soup 10/$5 first 10 w/FM coupon
*Oscar Meyer shaved deli meat 2/$5 first 4 w/FM coupon
*Hillshire Farm rope style smoked sausage 2/$4 first 4 w/FM coupon

Don't forget to use your reward coupons! If you have not received them yet, be sure to contact Fred Meyer!

Unfamiliar with Fred Meyer's coupon policy? They allow you stack a Fred Meyer store coupon (FM coupons as I call them) with a manufacturer's coupon. They do not price match to any other store's sale prices, and they won't take other store's sale coupons. You can however use a manufacturer's coupons on any sale or clearance items, but they usually won't allow any overage if the coupon is more than the sale price (sometimes it slips through the cracks, but don't expect it every time). Our local Washington stores do not double any coupons. They do accept the printed internet coupons if they have a barcode (like bricks coupons or from Smart Source or coupons.com if you are unfamiliar with them) so if you are having problems with a clerk not wanting to accept your coupon and you are sure it's legit coupon, please ask to have a manager come on over to verify it.

Do You Love The Nightmare Before Christmas?

We're HUGE NB4C fans in this family, so when I stumbled onto this tonight, I had to share!

Stockpiling Today

We did a lot deal-searching and stockpiling today:

Costco:
*40lb Scoop Away cat litter $10.69
*Mission tortillas (burrito size) 40ct $4.99
*5lb can green beans $2.69
Total $19.27

Petco:
*Purina Busy Bone Minis $5.99 minus $1.50 SC (still overpriced)
*Purina Natural Cat Chow 3.15lb bag $3.99 minus $1.50 MC
*Nutro Natural Choice $11.99 minus FREE product coupon (mail)
Minus $2 off an item of $5 or more
Total after coupons: $7.16

Safeway:
*Diet Pepsi 2ltr $0.88 (x2)
*Sierra Mist 2ltr $0.88 (x4) minus $1.89 BOGO coupon (x2)
*PastaRoni Naturals $1 (x2) minus $0.50 Smart Source printable coupon (x2)
*Cheerios $1.49 (x2) minus $1 printable coupon (x2)
*Wishbone salad spritzers $0.99 minus $0.60 SC
*DZ large eggs $1.99
*quart of milk $0.49 (marked down)
*Oscar Meyer bologna $0.99 (marked down but doesn't expire still Dec? I think it was a miss-marked down!)
Total after coupons: $7.80 (saved 75%!)

Fred Meyer:
*FMV hot dog buns $0.39 (x2)
*FMV hamburger buns $0.39
*FMV wheat bread $0.49 (x2)
*Country Oven hamburger buns $0.79
*Silk Soy Milk $2.99 minus FREE product coupon (BzzAgent)
Total after coupons: $2.89

Target:
*Lawrys Marinade $1.02 minus $0.50 MC
*Ragu pasta sauce $1.06
*French's spiced mustard $0.50 (x2)
*Sunsilk shampoo $1.48 minus $1 MC
*Starkist tuna creations pouch $1.57 minus $0.75 MC
*Ragu pouch pasta sauce $0.87
*Batman pens $1 (DH's contribution lol)
*Ziploc 25 ct sandwich bags $1 (x2) minus $0.75 printable coupon
*Act II popcorn $1.06 (x2) minus $0.50 off 2 MC
*Venus razor shower set $6.78 minus $2 SC
*Chronicles of Ridick DVD trilogy set (DH has been begging) $10
Total after coupons: $24.48 (used a gift card)

We also purchased at Target a portable AC that my inlaws wanted us to have, hence the Target trip. It had been marked down again since we had seen it first, so we got it for $209 plus tax. I doubt we're going to need it the rest of this year, but at least next summer we will be able to use it on the hottest days.

I was really surprised that the Sierra Mist coupons took off $1.89 when they were on sale for $0.88, but I wasn't about to argue on the overage. ;)

The deal on the FMV buns at Fred Meyer's is almost over, so I wanted to stockpile a few to go into my freezer since it's full of hot dogs and hamburger patties. The wheat bread was a markdown so I grabbed it to go into the freezer too.

I let DH have the movie, since we got the AC for a little lower, and we were planning to go to the drive-in movie theater to the last few weeks (except every time he has a day off, it rains - like today!) So he came out ahead getting the DVD instead of us paying $7.50 each to see the 2 movies (and he can watch it multiple times)

Time To Turn Over a New Leaf

DH had an opportunity for a new job land on his lap this morning. It's a different kind of facility than the one he's been working at, and he would have a more specialized work load.

The catch is that it's $2 less an hour than what he's making - which is a big drop for our little family considering the amount of debt we still have. He was leaning on the fence to not take it, thinking for money wise he'd be better off staying where he was, and we'd take the weekend to decide which way to go - but when he got to work, politics happened, and he's decided to take this new opportunity and run.

I'm happy, because I totally feel he needs a different environment to work in. I'm also terrified at figuring at how to pay the bills! On the bright side, we have a stockpile so I can "shop" that and just cut back on getting anything but a few fresh things each week unless there's a great deal to be had (like this week's Albie's deals! lol) until I see how our budget (and the job!) is working out.

On the bright side, our gas budget will slashed tremendously - it's less than 5 minutes from home compared to the nearly 25 minutes it has been. I'll be working on our budget this weekend, and taking another inventory of what we have vs what we do need (can't run out of toilet paper! lol)

Albertsons Shopping Trip

Some weeks I love Albertsons, and this is one of those weeks! Here's what I scored today:

*Bullseye BBQ sauce $1 minus $0.55 MC
*Van Camps Pork & beans on sale 5/$1
*Ritz Crackers $2.50 minus $1 MC
*Albertsons Ginger Ale 2ltr $0.89
*Kraft caeser dressing $2.50 minus free wyb 3 Kraft/Oscar Meyer items
*Hamburger Helper $1 (x3) minus $0.75 on 3 MC
*Planters peanuts $2.50 minus free wyb 3 Kraft items
*Knudsens sour cream $2.50 (x2) minus free MC (x2)
*Post Honey Bunches of Oats Just Clusters $2.50 minus $2 internet coupon
*Ratatouille hardcover storybook - clearanced $0.25!
*Albertsons 8oz sharp cheddar cheese $0.99 w/ Albertsons coupon (x2)
*Taco Bell entrees $2 minus $1 blinkie coupon
Minus $3 wyb $10 worth of Kraft
Total after coupons: $6.42 (total savings $43.60!)

I'm going back this weekend, there's just too many good deals not to stock up on!

Free Pledge Multi-Surface Duster Starter Kit!

Pledge is giving away a starter kit for the new Pledge Multi-Surface Duster! Fill out your information to receive it in the mail in 6 to 8 weeks!

The Pledge® Multi Surface Duster now has a 360° fluffy all-around duster that makes dusting even easier! The grabbing and trapping fibers of the duster pick up dust and the allergens found in dust from dust mites and pet dander. Use the 360° duster to clean blinds, electronics, wood, metal and more. The new duster cloths will fit any Pledge® Duster handle.

Hidden Deal on Biz At Fred Meyer!

Fred Meyer's has Biz Double Action laundry stain fighter powder, the 37.5 oz box on sale for $2.99 this week. In the laundry aisle is a blinkie machine with coupons for $2 off any purchase of Biz, making your cost $0.99 + tax! Or if you have purchased the September issue of All You magazine (sold at WalMarts) there is a coupon for $2.50 off your purchase of Biz - making it just $0.49 + tax! It's a great way to try out Biz, or if you are a regular Biz user - stock up!

Two Quick Shopping Trips!

DH needed to run to the bank (Can I say I am really tired of assorted nursing fees that need payment via certified check or money order - gah!) so I took advantage for a quick run to Fred Meyers plus here's my Albie's run yesterday:

Albertsons:
*Ken's salad dressing $2 minus $2 MC (free!)
*Kool-aid $0.20 (x3)
*Bratwurst $3.99 minus $1 meat markdown coupon
*Albertsons mustard $0.50
*Planters peanuts $3 minus $3 off coupon wyb 3 Kraft items
Total after coupons: $4.09

Fred Meyer:
*Meow Mix 18lb bag $11.99 minus 50% off clearance minus $1 MC
*El Monterrey chimichangas $3.89 (for DH to take to work)
*FMV 1 gal Fabric Softener $2.69 minus 50% off (x2)
*FM 1 dz english muffins $0.99
*Solo cups (36ct) $2.50 minus 50% off minus $0.75 MC
*Best Foods low fat mayo $3 (x2) minus 50% off minus $1 on 2 MC
Total after coupons: $15.89

As you can see, I kind of hit on the clearance motherload at our FM - I wish I had more Best Foods coupons for the mayo! Nothing was near the use by date, I guess they are just making room? I don't know, but I was thrilled to get that big bag of cat food for that little! The fabric softener and the muffins are actually for my mother, so that's not out of pocket for me.

Printable Coupon For Kretschmar Deli Products!

Sign up on Kretschmar Deli's website to print a coupon for $1 off 1 lb. or more on any Premium Ham, Poultry or Beef Product!

They also have an essay contest going on for a $5,000 scholarship bond! To enter the contest, mail in or submit online, an essay 1,000 words or less, on the topic: "The Most important Lesson I learned in School." Contest ends Septemeber 15th, 2008.

Do You RedBox?

If you've never used RedBox, you're probably going huh?


Redbox is a DVD rental kiosk that is springing up at many locations, including McDonald's and WalMart's. You can go through the movies on their computer screen that they have in stock, and even reserve a movie online to pick up. There are over 8,000 kiosk locations, and you can even drop them off at a different kiosk! It costs $1 per rental per night (plus tax), and they are due back at 9 pm the following night. You do have to have a debit or credit card to use the kiosk, so if you've gone plastic-free (I don't blame you!) then you can't RedBox. I'm not sure if a pre-paid debit card would work with the kiosk or not - if someone tries it and it works, would you let me know?

The great thing about RedBox is every Monday night they release a code that enables you to receive a one night movie rental for free (you still have to swipe your card to ensure you don't run off with it, of course) The even better part of the code, is if you want to rent more than one, you can re-use it on a different card if you have more than one (for instance, my DH has his own debit card, so he can rent one with it as well)

If you're interested, here's a code you can use any day of the week for the first time you rent a RedBox movie with your card: DVDONME

To find a RedBox location near you, visit the website. You can also sign up for their email list to receive another code for a free rental! (Use the one above first)

Free Coupon For Yesterday's News Cat Litter!

Sign up on the Yesterday's News website to receive a coupon mailed to you for one 13.2 lb bag of Purina® Yesterday’s News® brand Moisture Locking Paper Pellets, any variety.

You can also visit for a printable coupon for $1.50 off any size Yesterday's News cat litter.


Yesterday’s News is virtually dust-free, with no small particles to track around the house - it's great especially for cats with asthma issues.

Weekly Menu Plan

Monday: DH grilled out bratwurst
Tuesday: chicken (topped w/cheese and wrapped in bacon) w/ green beans
Wednesday: homemade burritos and rice
Thursday: nacho platter
Friday: taco salad
Saturday: pasta w/garlic bread
Sunday: visiting the parents, having dinner there

We're having a lot of the faux Mexican style food this week because the can of refried beans is huge, lol.

I'm really looking forward to dinner tonight/tomorrow night (it's not quite midnight here, so technically tomorrow still) - I'm actualy drooling as I am typing this. It's boneless chicken, drizzled in olive oil and lightly browned then topped with swiss cheese and wrapped in bacon, then baked in the oven for 20 minutes. Yummy!

Shopping Round Up!

I figured I'd put the whole week's worth of shopping (since it's been little trips outside of yesterday's haul) all into one post. Here it goes:

Wal*Mart #1:
*Kotex liners $1 minus $1 MC (All You mag)
*Sams Choice 2 ltr $0.67 (x4)
*M&Ms $0.97 (DH wanted a snack)
Total after coupons: $3.97

Wal*Mart #2:
*Kotex liners $1 minus $1 MC (All You mag)
Total after coupons: $0.08

Orowheat Bakery Outlet:
*bread $0.99 (x3)
Total: $2.97

Fred Meyer #1:
*newspaper $1.50
Total: $1.45 (bag credit)

Fred Meyer #2:
*Biz bleach detergent $2.99 minus $2.50 MC (All You mag)
*Mighty Dog can food $0.79 minus Free coupon (MC)
*Diet Coke 20oz $1.49 minus Free coupon (Coke Rewards)
*Johnsonville brats $3.34
*Pup-Peroni $3 minus $1 MC
*Kraft singles $4.49 minus Free coupon
*The Loved Dog Treats $3.99 minus $2 internet printable (coupons.com)
*Good Life Cat Food $5.65 minus 50% off minus $2 MC
minus $3 rewards certificate
Total before coupons: $25.74 after: $6.82

Fred Meyer #3:
1lb organic greens marked down to $2.39
Total: $2.39

KMart:
*Snausages Breakfast Bites $2.99 minus $1 internet printable
*Lipton noodles $1 (x2) minus $0.75 on 2 MC

Target:
*Brita 6pk filters $25.99 given $5 Target GC
*Snausages Breakfast Bites $2.29 minus $1 internet printable
*Pop Tarts $1.67 (x2) minus Target printable $0.50 Coupon minus $1 on 2 mc
*Cheerios cups $1 (x2) minus $1 printable coupon (x2)
*Carmex lip balm $0.44 (clearance)
*Ziploc 25ct bags $1 (x2) minus $1 off 2
*Target lip ointment $0.57 (clearance)
*Target cough drops $0.48 (x2) (clearance)
*Purina cat treats $1.69 minus Free coupon
*swag hook $0.74 (clearance)
*Fancy Feast Elegant Entrees $0.37 (x6) clearance minus $1 off 6 MC
*Lean Cuisine pizzas $1.48 (x2) minus $1 printable coupon (x2)
*Target cold formula $2.48 (clearance)
*Yoplait yogurt $0.55 (x2) minus $1 off internet printable
*Sensodyne toothpaste $4.99 minus $0.75 MC (this was actually for someone else)
*Begging Strips $2.99 minus $1 MC
*Snausages Breakfast Bites $2.24 minus $1 internet printable
*Mr. Clean bathtub wipes $1.94
*Purina Naturals Cat chow $2.29 minus $1 MC
*Johnsons baby shampoo trial size $0.89 minus $1 internet printable
*Pounce cat treats $0.94 minus $1.50 off 2 MC
Total after coupons: $53.20 (plus the $5 GC brings it down more, plus being refunding for the toothpaste)

I took advantage of the clearance on the cold/flu items to stock up on a few items for the coming winter season. It looks like I bought a lot of pet stuff, but with our petting zoo it won't last very long unfortunately. (I wish!)

It's scary how fast it all adds up, isn't it? :(

Recipe: Taco Bake

2 boxes (14-16oz total) macaroni and cheese
1 lb ground beef
1 packet taco seasoning
3/4 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheese (divided into 2)
1 cup thick salsa

Preheat oven to 400. Cook macaroni as directed, add cheese mix with sour cream instead of milk. While mac and cheese is cooking, brown ground beef and drain well, mix in taco seasoning.

Spray large glass dish with Pam. Layer mac n cheese, then ground beef, then 1 cup of the cheese, and cover with aluminum foil before baking 15 minutes. Uncover, spread with salsa and sprinkle remaining cheese. Place back in oven for several minutes to allow cheese to melt.

It's yummy gooey cheesy goodness. ;) Very filling, it makes 6-7 servings.

Printable Stonyfield Farm Coupons!

Stonyfield Farm has LOTS of different printable coupons available on their website. Simply fill out your email address to access the page! You can print each coupon only once, and they are valid for 10 days after your print date (I'd wait until just before you are going shopping or there is a sale to use) Included are:

*50¢ off 1 32oz container of Stonyfield Farm Yogurt
*$1.00 off 1 Multipack of Stonyfield Farm YoMommy Organic Yogurt
*$1.00 off 1 Multipack of YoBaby Organic Whole Milk Yogurt
*50¢ off 3 6oz. cups of Stonyfield Farm Organic Yogurt
*50¢ off 3 6oz. cups of Stonyfield Farm YoCalcium Yogurt
*50¢ off 1 Stonyfield Farm 10oz Yogurt Smoothie
*50¢ off 3 6oz. cups of Stonyfield Farm O'Soy Soy Yogurt
*50¢ off 1 Multipack of Stonyfield Farm O'Soy Soy Yogurt
*50¢ off 1 Multipack of YoBaby Organic Whole Milk Yogurt
*50¢ off 1 Multipack of Stonyfield Farm YoBaby Organic Drinkable Yogurt
*50¢ off 1 Multipack of YoKids Organic Yogurt
*50¢ off 1 box of Squeezers Organic Lowfat Yogurt
*50¢ off 1 Multipack of Stonyfield Farm 6oz. Organic Smoothies
*50¢ off 1 half gallon of Stonyfield Farm Organic Milk
*50¢ off 1 pint of Stonyfield Farm Organic Frozen Yogurt or Organic Ice Cream
*$1.00 off 2 5.3oz cups of Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt
*$1.00 off 1 16oz container of Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt

The Never Ending Coupon Organization Frustration!

Sometime ago I wrote this post about my coupon holder issues.

Well, I never really "fixed" the situation. I did find a similar holder at a thrift store for 75 cents one day, so I've been using that one, even though it also ripped a couple of weeks ago.

I needed to get caught up on cutting my coupons today (I confess, I haven't really clipped and organized them the last two weeks) and as they were piling up, I realized I had far too many for the little beat up holder to contain without them spilling everywhere if I opened it in public. The last thing I want to do is huff and puff and try to bend over and grab my coupons off the floor. Enough said.

So I stormed (teehee, I live up to my name sometimes) around the house trying to come up with a solution. I searched online again. I see lots of great ideas, but they don't really work for me. I generally only get one paper a week, so the binder idea is kind of a moot point for me. Easy to see, but using the card pocket inserts is kind of a waste. Maybe one day if I can dumpster dive again regularly!

I also like always having my coupons in my purse. I often run out very quickly at the last minute (since I don't drive, I am at everyone else's mercy), so I keep thinking a large binder or box really isn't for me. Plus, I like the stealth of having it hidden. I don't want WalMart security to see me come in the door with a giant box and decide to follow me around the store... I know they might do that anyways, but it's still kind of... creepy thinking of it.

I finally decided on a variation of the shoe box idea. I'm compromising. I'm going to keep the bulk of my coupons in this box, and keep a smaller dollar style holder in my purse with the important coupons (read: free LOL) I'm willing to bet my coupons are going to be left behind far too many times to make me thrilled with the idea, but at least tomorrow when I do some major shopping, I'll be able to easily sort through my coupons without flailing around picking them off the floor.

So here's what I did for now: I stole one of my bins from the cabinets (I have a pile of tuna packets just loose now lol this I'll replace tomorrow). I cut up boxes from freebies and from frozen pizzas (luckily I hadn't recycled them yet!) I then printed up sections on mailing labels. This part I like - I can make my own categories without worrying about size, and they make more sense to me. Plus, I have to tell you, I was getting tired of the generic health and beauty shoved together. I get a little tired of sorting through Advil and Preparation H coupons to find my Crest coupons. ;)

Before coupons added
Categories
Halfway through adding all the coupons

Absolutely nothing fancy, but it didn't cost me anything but time, which is what's most important. Plus as I get more cardboard, I can make more categories. (yep, in the photo silly me forgot Dairy. Oops! Problem fixed!) I am just a teeny bit concerned about not having a lid on it (okay, a LOT concerned) so this is just a temporary solution - I'll probably switch it into one of those 97 cent clear boxes from WalMart next time I go, and return this back to tuna world (lol)

New $1 Off Tide Total Care!

P&G is giving out a coupon for $1 off New Tide Total Care Laundry Detergent! Simply visit the website, and fill out your information to receive it. It will be mailed to you in the next several weeks, so those of you without a printer rejoice! ;)

Fred Meyer Deals 8/24 - 8/30

Not much to be excited about this week. See the entire circular online here or here's the food & home highlights with coupon matches if available:

*Northwest grown peaches or nectarines $0.88 lb
*Beef loin petite sirloin steak $2.99 lb
*Post cereals (select varieties) 5/$10
*FM 1/2 gallon milk 2/$3
*Kraft BBQ sauce 4/$3
*Tide 2x liquid laundry detergent (use with $0.35 MC)
*Nabisco snack crackers (including Ritz, use w/ $1 MC on Ritz)
*Organic strawberries 1lb 2/$5
*White or yellow corn 3/$1
*Roma tomatoes $0.98 lb
*Avocados 4/$5
*Kashi pizza 2/$10
*WestSoy non-dairy beverages 4/$5 (Use with this awesome gc promo!)
*Fresh Salmon $4.99 lb
*jumbo pack Chicken breast bone in $1.28 lb
*VO5 shampoo $0.79 (w/FM coupon limit 4)
*Big K 12pk soda 6/$10 (w/FM coupon limit 6)
*Lay's Potato chips 3/$5 (w/FM coupon limit 3)
*Van Camp's pork & beans 3/$1 (w/FM coupon limit 9)
*Best Food's Mayonise 2/$5 (w/FM coupon, limit 2 - $1 off MC, $1 off 1 MC)
*Breyers or Ben & Jerry's ice cream 2/$5 (w/FM coupon, limit 4)
*Johnsonville grilling sausage 3/$10 (w/FM coupon, limit 6)
*Bar S bacon 2/$5 (w/FM coupon, limit 4 use w/ printable coupon $0.25)

Don't forget to use your reward coupons! If you don't receive them by the end of the month, be sure to contact Fred Meyer to receive them!

Unfamiliar with Fred Meyer's coupon policy? They allow you stack a Fred Meyer store coupon (FM coupons as I call them) with a manufacturer's coupon. They do not price match to any other store's sale prices, and they won't take other store's sale coupons. You can however use a manufacturer's coupons on any sale or clearance items, but they usually won't allow any overage if the coupon is more than the sale price (sometimes it slips through the cracks, but don't expect it every time). Our local Washington stores do not double any coupons. They do accept the printed internet coupons if they have a barcode (like bricks coupons or from Smart Source or coupons.com if you are unfamiliar with them) so if you are having problems with a clerk not wanting to accept your coupon and you are sure it's legit coupon, please ask to have a manager come on over to verify it.

Review: Gloves In A Bottle

Being that my hands are always taking a beating working around the house, I love trying new lotions!

Gloves in a bottle is a shielding lotion that rapidly absorbs into the skin. Unlike artificial lotions, Gloves In A Bottle bonds with the outermost layer of skin cells to turn it into what works like an invisible pair of gloves.

One of the things that always drys my hands out is folding laundry. Regular conventional lotions are basically worthless. But when I tried Gloves in a Bottle, halfway through the folding, it was still like I had just put it on. When I was done, I didn't even need to reapply it (I did anyways just to be sure). You can really feel the difference with Gloves in a Bottle! (My hands definitely thank me!)

I even sent some with DH to try at work. Being in nursing, he is constantly washing his hands over and over again. He says he can definitely feel the difference when he's used Gloves in a Bottle.

You can use Gloves in a Bottle on more than just hands too - your feet will probably thank you for it in the Summer months especially (Think of walking around the pool!)

It's greaseless, non-sticky, fragrance-free, hypoallergenic, completely safe and non-toxic. I reapplied it pretty much every time I did dishes, laundry or scrubbed something - they recommend reapplying it about every 4 hours or so.
Gloves in a Bottle has been recommended by dermatologists for dry, cracked skin, and even to prevent dry skin (with winter coming up, my skin is going to need this for sure!)

You can purchase Gloves in a Bottle online, or visit their website to see where it's sold near you! You can also visit their website to request a free sample by sending a SASE.

Thrifty Thursday

I always have fun "raiding" various thrift stores. It really is the thrill of the hunt to me, to find little "treasures" perfect for our family.

This week, we visited a small charity thrift store here in town. Once a month, they pick a certain color tag for 25 cents! It's hit or miss - being smaller than your average Goodwill or Value Village, they don't have the greatest selection in the world, but we often come home with a few pieces of loot! This week, I was able to get DH a nice pair of khaki Dockers that looked brand new, and a nice pair of jeans for 25 cents each! (Even better, when I went to wash the Dockers, there was a quarter left in the pocket, so they were really free! lol) I also got myself a nice pair of black yoga style pants from the Gap to wear around the house at 25 cents, and for $1, I picked up a video for our little diva's collection (The Land Before Time II) I also picked up two beautiful hard cover books for her at 25 cents (One can never have too many books!) Even the cats got lucky - they had a cart outside with free stuff in it, and there was a couple of kitty toys in it. So for less than $2.50, we had fun!

What have you found in thrift stores or resale shops lately?

Halloween Is Creeping Up....

Nothing makes me giddier than Halloween. I love decorating for it (I know, half my house is already decorated for it all year around, but the outdoor decorations don't come out until October 1st.)

In fact, the very first thing I bought for Princess was a little witch costume. Normal people buy a little onesie or a precious sleeper, I bought a costume (complete with matching pointy hat!). So when I happened on BuyCostumes.com, I squealed in delight. The costumes are beyond adorable!

How cute is this little Spider costume?

DH laughs at me because he thinks one costume is enough. I beg to differ! I can't resist 2 or 3 - one for special keepsake photos, one more practical one for trick or treat - because as all you fellow Moms know, it never fails to either rain or snow, or at least be 10-20 degrees cooler than normal on Trick or Treat night!

The one thing I dislike about shopping for costumes in a brick and mortar store is the way the costumes are usually displayed. A lot of the times they are hung up on peg racks, and it's such a pain to try to figure out what costumes there are and the sizes available. I always end up dropping some off the pegs trying to see what's towards the back and then I get so frustrated trying to put them back on the pegs. It's so much easier looking online! There's a much better selection, and with the price of gas still up there, I really prefer it this way (course, you folks know me, when Halloween clearance starts to hit, I'll still brave the stores!)

I'm sure those of you with older children like the convenience of being able to shop online too - they can't be distracted by all the other extra costumes, and I'm willing to bet there's fewer "But I want THAT Costume" meltdowns. (Can you hear the sarcasm in my voice when I say I really can't wait for those days?)

By the way, Buycostumes.com currently has a shipping deal going on. Get any order of $60 or more shipped for just 99 cents through August 22nd!

I confess...

I hadn't done laundry since last Thursday. I'm blaming it on the heat, the last thing I wanted was running the washer and dryer when it was above 90 in here.

Needless to say, I couldn't even find the laundry hamper underneath the pile of laundry.

Where does all this laundry come from????

Wordless Wednesday

Recipe: Alfredo Chicken Pasta

This one's flexible, while being quick and easy:

1 lb chicken tenders (or similar boneless, skinless chicken)
1 box (16 oz) linguini (or whatever long pasta you have in)
alfredo sauce (from a jar or homemade)
1 small canned or 4-6 fresh mushrooms, sliced thinly
1 tbsp dried oregano (or Italian seasoning if you don't have it)
olive oil
parmesan cheese

Drizzle chicken lightly in olive oil, then sprinkle with with oregano. Lightly brown chicken, then cut into cubes. Heat alfredo sauce, add canned mushrooms after draining or sautee fresh mushrooms and add them to the sauce.

Make pasta, drain. Toss pasta, sauce and chicken together, sprinkle with cheese. Serve with garlic bread. Makes enough for 6-8. In season, I like to add a fresh thinly sliced zucchini (sautee this with the fresh mushrooms)

Free Pencils And Rulers At Staples Through 8/23!

Now through August 23rd, stop by your local Staples store to receive 2 free packages of Dixon pencils (8 pack) and 2 free Staples brand plastic rulers. (Limit 2 of each per person - each child can go through the line to get their own)

If you don't have any school age children, please think about stopping by Staples to pick up these school supplies and donating them to any of the many drop off locations in your town for back to school supplies for the less fortunate. Think freebie karma! (I know most Fred Meyer's have a drop off bin located in the front of the stores)

I Couldn't Resist!

I know my DH loves me. Most men would not willingly get up at dawn to do this:

Yesterday, when we were driving down the (major) road, I saw tons and tons of blackberry bushes ripe for the pickings on empty property. Some of it was almost in the road, that's how large these plants were. I turned to my DH and asked him if we could get up early in the morning, and pick some. I hated to see them go to waste!

So, we got up, and picked for about 10 minutes as much as we could. I had hoped to pick more (I'd say we got a good pound or so) but I was surprised at how much traffic there was that early! I honestly thought people would be either getting ready for church, or sleeping in - I guess not! (Now of course when we were getting back into the car, it was dead for a few minutes with no traffic. go figure!)

The blackberries are absolutely delicious! So I shaved a little off our grocery bill this week, and we had (frugal) fun too. (I still want to go back and pick more!)

Note to anyone who wants to do the same thing: please make sure you aren't trespassing on anyone's property (You can even ask property owners if you see some that look like they aren't going to be picked - I have seen many postings the last few weeks on Freecycle and Craigslist of folks allowing others to come pick berries and apples!), and be very careful to wear gloves, keeping an eye out for poison ivy and the likes. Also be VERY CAREFUL for traffic, even if it's in an area that doesn't normally have a lot of it. I suggest making sure you are wearing bright clothing no matter what the time of day it is. Wash your "loot" thoroughly several times - remember, being near a road, it's going to come in contact with more pollutants.

Fred Meyer Deals 8/17-8/26

I'm sorry I didn't get this posted yesterday; the last thing I was wanting to do was be near this laptop giving off more heat! There's some good deals to be had this week. See the entire circular online here or here's the highlights with coupon matches if available:

*Organic cantaloupe $0.88 lb
*Organic peaches or nectarines $1.98 lb
*Organic blueberries 2/$6
*Organic russet potatoes $0.99 lb
*Organic zucchini $0.98
*Grapes (red, green or black) $0.88 lb
*Australian navel oranges $1.48 lb
*tomatoes on the vine $1.48 lb
*Cucumbers or green peppers 2/$1
*Walla Walla sweet onions $0.79 lb
*radishes or green onions 2/$0.88
*Fresh ground beef $1.59 lb
*General Mills cereals (including Cheerios) 4/$10 (use with $1 weekly cheerios printable)
*Mountain Dairy gallon milk $2.75
*Imperial spread cubes $1
*Juicy Juice 2/$4 (use w/ $1 printable)
*Lay's Potato Chips $1.98
*Tillamook cheese slices 2/$8
*Farmhouse rice or pasta boxes 4/$5
*Aussie or Herbal Essences 2/$10 minus $2 in store FM MC
*Garden of Eden torilla chips 3/$5 ($1 off 2 MC)
*Vans waffles 2/$4 ($1 off 2 MC)
*Rice or Soy Dream 2/$7 ($1 off printable at coupons.com)
*Amy's organic burritos 2/$4
*Knudsen natural and organic juice 2/$4 ($0.75 MC out there)
*FM Deluxe Ice Cream 4/$10
*Foster Farms corn dogs $4.99
*FM frozen veggies, select varieties 10/$10
*Deli chicken tenders $4.99 lb
*Slim Fast 2/$10 (limit 4 w/FM coupon)
*Tums $2.99 (Limit 4 w/FM coupon, stack w/$1 MC)
*Kroger medium cheddar 2lb brick $4.49 (limit 2 w/FM coupon)
*Country Oven or Vita Bee bread 2/$3 (limit 6 w/FM coupon)
*FM canned tomatoes or beans 5/$2 (limit 10 w/coupon)
*Charmin bath tissue 2/$7 (limit 2 w/FM coupon, stack with $0.50 MC)
*Arm & Hammer laundry detergent 2/$7 (limit 2 w/FM coupon, stack w/ MC here)
*Land O Frost deli meat 2/$5 (limit 4 w/FM coupon)
*Kroger Chicken tenderloins 3lb bag $6.99 (limit 4 w/FM coupon)

All clearance is 40% off lowest price this week - including outdoor home and garden items.

Don't forget to use your reward coupons! If you don't receive them by the end of the month, be sure to contact Fred Meyer to receive them!

Unfamiliar with Fred Meyer's coupon policy? They allow you stack a Fred Meyer store coupon (FM coupons as I call them) with a manufacturer's coupon. They do not price match to any other store's sale prices, and they won't take other store's sale coupons. You can however use a manufacturer's coupons on any sale or clearance items, but they usually won't allow any overage if the coupon is more than the sale price (sometimes it slips through the cracks, but don't expect it every time). Our local Washington stores do not double any coupons. They do accept the printed internet coupons if they have a barcode (like bricks coupons or from Smart Source or coupons.com if you are unfamiliar with them) so if you are having problems with a clerk not wanting to accept your coupon and you are sure it's legit coupon, please ask to have a manager come on over to verify it.

It Rained!

Little things make me happy - it just rained a little (complete with thunder - a rare occurrence out here in Washington State!) It wasn't much, just a few drops, but now it is overcast and a little cooler. Yay for cooler temperatures! I can actually think a little now. ;) (of course this is after I made DH get Subway because it was just too hot to do anything in here. Well, at least he won a cookie off his sandwich peelie in the new Scrabble Instant Win game! lol)

Free Snausages Dog Treats!

Hurry! Fill out the form to receive a free Snausages Twisted Dog Treats coupon sent to you through the mail. Only the first 50,000 will receive it.

Great Coupons This Week!

If you have access to a major metro Sunday paper this week (8/17), it's a great week for coupons! In the Seattle paper, there was a coupon for a free loaf of Sara Lee bread, as well as a free cup of Meow Mix cat food, a sample of new Band Aid Ultra Strips and a 50 cent coupon (which doubles nicely for free band aids for those of you lucky folks in double coupon land!), and coupons for free McDonald's Southern Chicken sandwhiches and biscuits with a purchase of a medium drink (in the Parade magazine) I saw lots of other great coupons as well!

I rarely buy more than one copy of the paper, but I think this week I'll be buying two.

I'm Melting, I'm Melting!

And it's not water that is my nemesis, it's that horrible heat we have here in Western WA! I think the last few days have been the worst of the Summer, to me at least. I cannot think straight, it's so hot! I've kept the housework to a minimum, and we've been eating easy to prepare items that don't need the stove or oven - it's just too hot! It actually didn't even get cooler in the house overnight. The heat is just stuck in here like a box.

I wish I could hide at the mall or somewhere else today, but I am stuck here at home. (it's better on my wallet, I guess) I think we've decided to add more window tinting on the front windows to try to help keep it cooler in here. I hate to cover up the last of the windows, but it's easily removed come Winter if we want to (I doubt it)

I'm going to hate my electric bill this month!

Do You Like To Play Online Games? Free Pogo Pass!

How about a free one month subscription to Pogo, no purchase neccessary?

You can use this code if you already have an account, or if you have used it even within the last few months - they just reset it! It's now valid through January 2009. If you don't already have an account to play there, click the Claim Your Pass now, then create an account. It's very simple to sign up for, and the pass is immediately credited to your account so you can play right away!

My favorite games are Lottso and World Class Solitaire. If you would like to add me to your friends list, my screen name is stormraven13 (you can do this under the My Friends tab at the top)

Have fun! :)

Free Sample New Bounce Awakenings

P&G is offering for you to try a sample of their new Bounce Awakenings dryer sheets free! Visit their website to fill out your mailing address to receive it in the next 6 to 8 weeks.

Bounce Awakenings are infused with Renew Refresh beads and are available in Paradise Thrill and Renewing Rain scents. Bounce products contains biodegradable cationic softeners and perfume, except Free, which contains no perfumes or dyes.

Bounce Awakenings are available in 100 ct packages.

When I'm In The Shower, I'm Afraid To Wash My Hair...

I might open my eyes and find someone standing there

Remember that 80's song from Rockwell? (Somebody's Watching Me)

I had this funny feeling while I was in the shower earlier.

I opened the door to find not one, but two cats and a dog staring at me.

Forget the kids, I can't even get a moment away from the pets! Geez! (if only I could have taken a picture!)

(I'd have embeded the music video, but it's not allowed for copyright reasons. I promise it takes you right to YouTube, if you're interested in viewing it)

$1 Off Centrum Printable Coupon

Centrum has a printable coupon for $1 off their vitamins available on their website. Fill out your information to print it. You can also chose to receive their Helathy Tips weekly newsletter which gives you a chance at their Instant Win game for a diffferent prize each week.

Coupon For $1 Off Olay Body Wash

Fill out your mailing information on Olay Body's website to receive a $1 off Olay Body Wash coupon. Your coupon will be mailed to you within 6 to 8 weeks.

Shopping Deals Today

We ran out to do a few last minute errands before our trip to the island tomorrow, and to pick up a few more things to take for everyone to eat. I actually had two separate FM transactions, because I realized after I paid for the first one I was $2 away from 10 cents off the gas (Gas finally went down to $3.99 here - yay!). No way was I going to ignore that discount when we had to fill up anyways.

WalMart:
Pringles $1.00 (x2)
South Beach On The Gos $2.00 (x2) minus $2 printable coupon, minus $1 SC
Sams Choice 2 litres $0.67 (x6)
Total after coupons:$7.37

Fred Meyer #1:
Seventh Generation dishwashing detergent $2.97 minus $1 printable coupon
Suave Hair Care $0.79 (x2) minus $1 SC on 2
Budweiser 6pk $5.99
Total after coupons: $9.23

Fred Meyer #2
Organic brown eggs $2.19 (markdown)
Coke Zero $1.49 minus free coupon (from Coke Rewards promo I posted about)
Glade Aerosol (x2) $1.59 clearance 50% off minus $1 off 2 MC
Total after coupons: $2.98

Albertsons:
Kraft BBQ sauce $1 (x10)
Kraft singles $3.99 minus free product when you buy 3 kraft items (Parade coupon)
Minus $5 off Mega Event
Total after coupons $4.99 (she took the full $4 off allowed with coupon even though the cheese was $3.99, no complaints here even if it is just a penny!)

I also quickly ran into Staples to pick up the Free Elmer's glue to donate for the local school supplies drive. If you're running in there, they also have filler paper at 9 cents each, and mechanical pencils for 25 cents each!

Tackling The Kitchen Chores

Did you know the average kitchen sink has more germs on it than the inside of your toilet bowl? (I know, ewwww! Go ahead, go disinfect your sink, this post will be here waiting when you're done. If you use Lysol, now's the time to pull it out, if not, pull out the vinegar and baking soda)

Getting a routine together for keeping your kitchen clean will help keep the heebie jeebies away, and decrease the time you spend cleaning - really, I promise. If you keep up with it, you won't panic when company comes unannounced, or spend three hours cleaning because you found something with mold on it in your fridge (ewwww!)

Here's my kitchen routine, give or take. Some days I end up doing more, some weeks I skip something because of lack of time or something's going on. I usually do my weekly tasks on Sunday, because the trash is picked up on Monday, and if there is any (non-compostable, if you do that) food that does need to be thrown away (hopefully you don't) I don't like for it to be sitting in the trash can all week, making it smell worse (yucky!) or attracting animals.

Daily tasks:

1. All dishes done after each meal and put away immediately. Putting them away immediately cuts down on the overwhelming factor and makes it go faster (who wants to put away an entire cabinet at once?) If you have a dishwasher, you'll probably want to wait until the end of the day and do all the dishes from the day at once to save on water and electricity (unless you are a larger household and have 2-3 loads a day, then you'll want to do them after each meal) After use, make sure they immediately go into the dishwasher to keep your counter and sink clean.

2. Scrub the sink. With the germs, you want to do this at least daily. If you hand wash dishes, you may want to do this after each time you do dishes. If you're comfortable with using the Clorox and Lysol products, definitely use them! Make sure you wipe down the faucet (underneath it too) and around the sink.

3. Wipe down the counters, and the top of the stove.

4. "Swiffer" your floor. You want to get rid of all the little unnoticeable crumbs that invite bugs into your kitchen, escially during the Summer months.

Weekly tasks:

1. Remove anything from the counters and wipe down in the corners to keep them crumb and germ free.

2. Take the burner covers off the stove and scrub them well with soap and water. Wipe down the area on the stove where the burners were and scrub up any crumbs that had fallen down below.

3. Tackle the fridge - wipe down the outside with a disinfectant or a soapy rag. You may want to do the following just before you do your weekly grocery shopping so there's less to move around - go through the fridge's contents and toss out anything past the date and any leftovers that have been in there awhile (generally, leftovers over 3 days should be tossed out) Clear items off the shelves and wipe them down. If there are any jars that are sticky, wipe them down with a wet rag and dry them off before placing them back inside. Check the freezer and make sure things are properly stacked inside of it to make the most of space and help it to work a little less (this will help with your electric bill as well as preparing it for shorter power outages).Wipe down the seals to make sure they are closing properly.

4. Mop the floor. Depending on the traffic you get in and out of your kitchen, you may want to do this more often.

5. Wipe down the inside of the microwave, and disinfect the door handle.

6. Use the nozzle on your vacuum to clean out any dust behind your fridge that you can reach. (once a month try to pull the fridge out from the wall to clean the coils and vacuum up any dust that you weren't able to reach before that)

7. Put away any toys, books, etc that have made their way into the kitchen.

Monthly tasks:

1. Run the self cleaner for the oven. If yours doesn't have one, do it the old fashioned way with oven cleaner.

2.Check items in the cabinets to make sure they are not past the date. Put the dates closest to expiration at the front of the cabinet, with the further dates at the back. This is a good time to make a mental inventory of what you have in the cabinets for meal planning, and what you are running low on and need to stock up on.

Free BPA-Free Bottle From Medela

Here's an offer for all the breastfeeding mammas! Sign in or join the Medela community to receive a free BPA-free breastmilk bottle. By joining the Medela Community you will be able to participate and network with other expectant or nursing mothers. You will also have the option of receiving information and specials Medela has to offer to mom and baby, through email, or US mail.

Your bottle will arrive in 4 to 6 weeks.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

1/4 cup Italian dressing
2 lb boneless chicken (or 3 lbs chicken drumsticks/thighs to make it cheaper)
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms or 2 small cans
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup red peppers, sliced into strips
1/2 cup green peppers, sliced into strips
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 can diced or crushed tomatoes
1 tsp dried thyme
3 cups instant white rice

Marinate the chicken overnight in the Italian dressing if possible.

Lightly cook chicken in the mariande on the stove for 2-3 minutes each side until lightly browned.

Place mushrooms, onions, peppers and garlic in slow cooker then top with the chicken. Mix tomatoes and thyme, then pour over the chicken. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Just before serving, make rice and place the chicken on top of the rice. Serves 6-8.

(Make sure the chicken is completely covered by the tomatoes in the crockpot to keep it from drying out)

Printable Coupon For $5 off Hill's Science Diet

Hill's Science Diet wants to help you change your pet's life by offering you a coupon for $5 off any Hill's Science Diet cat or dog food. Visit the website to fill out some information on your furry friend to receive a link to the printable coupon.

When Thing 1 and Thing 2 were rescued off of Death Row at the Pierce County Animal Shelter, they sent each of them home with a bag of Science Diet - it's what the shelter recommends as the food of choice. I have to say it was gobbled up very quickly (then again, when you're all rescues and strays, any kind of food served regularly tastes good, I suppose. No one in the petting zoo is a picky eater to be fair)

FREE Elmer's School Glue At Staples!

From August 10th to August 16th, Staples will be giving away a free 4oz bottle of Elmer's nontoxic school glue, two per person. If you are near a Staples, this is a great freebie! Even if you don't have school age children, may I suggest that if you are near one, pick up the freebies and drop them off at any one of the many places that are accepting school supply donations. It's a great way to get coupon and freebie karma. ;)

Review: The Honest Kitchen Ice Pups Treats

The Pudgy Princess was recently gifted The Honest Kitchen's Ice Pups treats.

The Honest Kitchen is known for their organic dehydrated raw foods for dogs and cats. All ingredients are 100% human grade. If you won't eat it, neither should your pets.

The Ice Pups treats mix come in a cute little round tin that's reuseable.

If you cook for your family, especially if you make your own baby food, this is easy peasy! Think of it as a nice broth soup. All you have to do is mix warm water with it, and then fill ice cubes trays with the mixture, or you can even chill it in the fridge and use it as an ice drink when you come back in for a walk!

I made my first batch with the teeny tiny ice cube trays as our Pudgy Princess is on the older side and sometimes struggles with regular size ice cubes when I give those to her. Gone in a blink of any eye! I think I am going to have to break out some of the cute shape ice cubes to make the next batch for her.

You can make about 30 trays of treats if you decide to freeze them. Fear not if you don't use the powder up this summer - you can also use it to make a warm broth when it's cold outside, and even add veggies to make it a stew!

The Pudgy Princess gives it two paws up. Ice Pups retails for $15.50 for a 10 oz tin. Sign up on their website to receive a 10% off your first online purchase coupon! Or, now through August 30th, receive 10% off any item in their online store! Enter coupon code THKNLV40D
in the designated field of the checkout process and your discount will be applied!

Shopping Deals Today

DH needed to get gas this morning, so I tagged along to get a few things, including some things to take for our overnight camping trip to the island next week.

Wal*Mart:
*South Beach drink mix $2 minus $2 printable coupon
*Kotex liners $1 minus $0.75 coupon
*OB tampons trial size w/free case $0.97 minus $1 coupon
Total after coupons: $0.39 (how I love torturing WM with coupons!)

Fred Meyer:
*A&W root beer 2 ltr $1.25 (x2) minus $1 off 2 coupon
*organic chicken drumsticks $1.54 (meat markdown)
*organic lunchmeat package $2.49
*organic sausage links $2.19 (meat markdown)
*Hunt pasta sauce (x6) $0.79
*Soy Dairy ice cream $2.50 minus $1 catalina coupon
*Bagels (6ct) $1.39 (bakery markdown)
*FMV hot dog buns $0.39
*FMV hamburger buns $0.39
*Always liners $3.19 minus $2 catalina coupon
*Colgate toothpaste w/free toothbrush $2 minus $1.50 catalina coupon
*Pantene deep treatment $3.34 minus $1.50 catalina coupon
*Kraft singles $4.49 minus free product coupon
*Sparkle 8 roll paper towels $4.99 (x2) minus $0.50 blinkie coupon (x2)
*Sunday paper (early edition) $1.50
*Dozen doughnuts $2.98 (bakery markdown)
Total after coupons: $34.50

The catalina coupons on the Pantene and Colgate were off any shampoo/conditioner and toothpaste, respectively - nice score! Normally on the toothpaste I would have passed with it not being completely free, but it was a nice toothbrush so I considered that I paid 50 cents for the toothbrush and the toothpaste was free. ;) One of the sets of paper towels is for my parents house, so I will be reimbursed there, and then I also have paper towels for our house for the next year or so, since I only use them for bodily fluids and pet accidents. I also have tomato sauce for the next year too - usually I make my own, but I like to have some on hand for lazy nights or when I make assorted dishes that need the sauce and I don't want to wait to defrost it (I freeze mine) I spent a little more than I wanted to, but at least there's stockpile items in it.

It's Raining...

...which strikes the fear of living zombies in my heart now.

I keep running from window to window and corner to corner to make sure there's no extra leaks. The water is pouring in the bedroom, but there's nothing I can do at this point but change out towels and buckets. (why oh why couldn't it wait until next week after it's been repaired properly to rain?!)

I think I need a vacation. Or a spa visit. A mani and a pedi and someone else ripping through the knots known as my hair sounds heavenly right now. (DH, if you're reading this, that's what I want for birthday next week, m'kay?)

...and now it's raining even harder. Sigh!

Fred Meyer Deals 8/10-8/16

It looks a little better this week. See the entire circular online here or here's the highlights with coupon matches if available:

*2lb blueberries $3.98
*Country Style Pork Ribs $1.88 lb
*FM 1/2 gallon milk or orange juice 2/$3
*Hot & Lean Pockets 6/$10
*Pasta Roni & Rice A Roni 5/$5 (FM coupon inside the store by product, buy 5 get 1 free)
*Kleenex 120 ct $0.88
*Kraft shredded cheese 8oz 2/$5 (buy 3 to use $3 off any Planters if you still have them)
*All 2X 100 oz laundry detergent $6.99 ($1 off Small & Mighty located here)
*Colgate Total toothpaste 2/$4 ($1 SC, $1.50 MC available)
*Purina One 16lb cat or 18lb dog food ($1 off cat or dog food, home mailer)
*Seattle's Best coffee 12oz $6.99 ($1 off home mailer w/sample)
*Coffee Mate 32 ox 2/$6 ($1 printable coupon here)
*Hershey's Bliss 9.6 2/$6 (minus $1 printable on coupons.com - can print 2)
*Aleve 80-100 ct $6.99 ($1 SC)
*Nivea 6.8oz cream jar, 8.4 oz firming lotion, 13.5 oz extra enriched $4.99 ($1 SC)
*Santa Cruz organic lemonade or limeade 4/$5 ($0.75 off 1 MC)
*Naturally Preferred organic milk 64oz $2.99
*Wolfgang Puck organic soup 2/$4
*FM Grilling sausage 2/$5
*Extra Lean Ground Beef $3.49 lb
*Fresh Express salad kits & blends 2/$4
*Tofutti Cuties ice cream bars 2/$5 ($1 printable on coupons.com)
*Seventh Generation products 15% off (see my post here for printable coupons)
*FMV paper plates $1.19 100 ct
*Campbell's pork & beans $0.25
*Minute Maid Coolers 2/$3
*Suave shampoo & conditioner $0.79 w/FM coupon (limit 4, stack w/$1 off 2 Suave products MC)
*Dial soap, body wash & liquid refill 3/$10 w/FM coupon (limit 6, stack with $0.60 SC)
*Coke 24pk 2/$10 w/FM coupon (limit 2)
*Langers Apple Juice 3/$5 w/FM coupon (limit 9)
*Post cereals 5/$10 w/FM coupon (limit 5, includes Honey Bunches of Oats $2 printable here, other assorted SC)
*FM butter or bagels 3/$5 w/FM coupon (limit 6)
*Bar S sliced bacon 2/$5
*Tyson boneless chicken breasts or tenderloins $5.99 w/FM coupon (limit 3, stack w/ SC $0.75 off?)
*Dreyers ice cream 2/$6 ($0.50 off frozen yogurt blinkie)

I'm loving the blueberry deal this week! If you have a Kleenex coupon, it might be a good time to stock up. The Honey Bunches of Oats coupon combined with the FM coupon makes it FREE! A good item for your stockpile or to donate to a local food bank.

Rewards coupons are starting to arrive this week, so if you spent over $500 this quarter be on the look out for yours! There should be several extra coupons accompanying it that depends on your purchase history. Mine came with these: $2 off a health beauty purchase of $5 or more, $2 off dairy purchase of $5 or more (can use on organic items!), 20% off any shoes (non clearance), $2 off stationery or school supplies ($2 or more), $2 off any cut flowers purchase ($2 or more). You can stack these with manufacturer's coupons, and if you have a $2 off $5 coupon like I do above, it's off your total purchase, not one item priced over $5. The coupons all expire on October 25th (the end of this rewards quarter)

Unfamiliar with Fred Meyer's coupon policy? They allow you stack a Fred Meyer store coupon (FM coupons as I call them) with a manufacturer's coupon. They do not price match to any other store's sale prices, and they won't take other store's sale coupons. You can however use a manufacturer's coupons on any sale or clearance items, but they usually won't allow any overage if the coupon is more than the sale price (sometimes it slips through the cracks, but don't expect it every time). Our local Washington stores do not double any coupons. They do accept the printed internet coupons if they have a barcode (like bricks coupons or from Smart Source or coupons.com if you are unfamiliar with them) so if you are having problems with a clerk not wanting to accept your coupon and you are sure it's legit coupon, please ask to have a manager come on over to verify it.

Bil.Jac Dog Food Coupons!

If you feed your dog BilJac dog food, you can register on their website through the end of August to receive a coupon in the mail for $2 off a bag of BilJac dog food. The coupon will be mailed to you in September.

Also, if you are interested in demonstrating BilJac in stores, you are invited to sign up on their website. Details are available on the sign up page. This looks like fun for any animal lover who is looking for a little part time job!

Dove Printable Coupons!

Dove has new printable coupons on their website! Included is $1.50 off any Dove Hair Care Product (excluding trial sizes) and $0.75 off any Dove Go Fresh Ultimate Clear Deodarant or matching Body Mist (excluding trial sizes).

While you are on Dove's website, if you also like to enter contests, they are giving away movie tickets! You can enter to win 2 tickets to the new movie The Women opening in theaters September 12th. It's a daily entry, so you can bookmark the entry form to visit again! Good luck!

Free Sample of New Always Infinity Pads!

Always is giving away samples of their new Always Infinity sanitary pads. Just fill out their form to receive it in your mailbox!

I won, I won!

UPS surprised me today with a whole bunch of boxes! I knew I had won, but I couldn't believe how quickly it arrived! I won the grand prize in Cinema Blend's Burn Notice giveaway!

Look at all this cool stuff that was included!
Beach Towel & Beach Mat
Havaianas Flip Flops
Boogie Board
Beach Umbrella
Water Bottle
Water Gun
Frisbee
Paddle Ball Set
Mini iPod Speakers
Mesh Bag with Sunscreen
Burn Notice Book
Burn Notice Season 1 DVD Set



(I didn't take pictures of the beach umbrella because I fear bringing out umbrellas in the house. We're going to the island next week, so I'll post a picture of it open then!)

Thank you Cinema Blend! I can't wait to get caught up on the episodes we missed!

Shopping Today!

DH had to go into a meeting at work today, so we tagged along. It was the Pudgy Princess's birthday, so we took her to no less than 4 different pet stores. Plenty of cookies for her, so she's happily digesting them out cold. We all also had a nice walk around the harbor.

Spotted at our local Petco: a table full of *10 cent* items. Some of it was things I would personally stay away from (consumable items that looked a little on the older side) but they also had some adorable collars, cat toys, and other assorted items that are great for fellow pet owners mostly cat, dog, and fish.

I quickly ran into Target to take advantage of this deal: the Old Spice red zone body wash with a bonus travel size deodorant is clearanced to $1.50. If you recently received the WalMart sample, it came with a $1 off coupon! Total with tax is $0.63 here!

Here's my Costco purchases:
1lb organic greens $3.79
40lb Scoop Away cat litter $10.69
4lbs bananas $1.76
giant box of orange chicken $11.99 (I'll get several meals out of this one)
chicken jerky for the dog $15.99 (birthday present, lol, it'll last awhile.. I hope!)
Total: $46.46

Costco always gives me heart attack when I get my total, because it seems like so little for so such a high amount. (I hate not being able to use coupons!)

Recipe: Chimichangas

This is my recipe for chimichangas (or chimis as DH refers to them lol)

1 pound ground beef
3/4 cup chopped onion
2 cups taco sauce
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 can refried beans
8 burrito size flour tortillas
2 cups shredded cheese of choice
1 tablespoon melted butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brown the ground beef, drain the grease, then add the onions, taco sauce, and cumin. Spread a thin layer of refried beans onto the tortillas, then add the beef mixture, and top with a layer of cheese as desired. Roll up the tortillas, place them seam side down, and brush with the melted butter. Bake 30-35 minutes until browned.

You can top it with salsa, sour cream and more shredded cheese if desired.

(Yes, we use a lot of cheese in our house, lol)

Menu Planning For The Week

I know I am a little late to post this. I actually had it done yesterday, but procrastination hit me - though, it was good that I procrastinated, as UPS showed up on my doorstep with a lovely box full of dry ice and a product test! (Be still my heart, my beloved UPS with a present!) So here's the game plan for this week, after much hemming and hawwing, and begging DH of what he craves:

Monday: salad with leftover chicken tenders
Tuesday: food product test (whoo hoo!)
Wednesday: taking Nana out to dinner at The Toad House
Thursday: DH is off, he gets to grill hot dogs
Friday: steak with mashed potatoes and gravy
Saturday: homemade chimichangas
Sunday: spagetti with garlic bread

It's Looking A Little Sparse

on the shopping postings from me, isn't it? Actually, the deals weren't that great from Albertsons and Safeway to me this past week, and Fred Meyer's has rather bored me. I did have a renegade trip to FM on Saturday I hadn't posted about ($30 worth of nothing climbed into my cart - ouch) and a trip to Grocery Outlet to take advantage of the coupon I received. That was simply 15 cans of soup at 99 cents, and several bags of frozen french bags ($0.89), and a $2 Busy Bone for the Pudgy Princess. Not much, but I am taking advantage of that $5 off coupon to stockpile my quickie soups for winter. I'll be hitting them up again tomorrow for more soup.

We also ran out of caffeine today, so we hit up Wal-Mart.

*2litres of soda $0.67 (x4)
*Kotex liners $1.00 minus $1 printable coupon
Total after coupon $3 (exactly!)

We're almost out of fresh fruit and veggies, so I'll have to pick up somethings tomorrow. It is kind of good that there's not a lot of great deals, at least I don't feel guilty that I am taking advantage of them when we need to sit back financially for a few weeks after all these extra expenses. (The guilt of the new laptop is strong)

DH has the next two days off, the Pudgy Princess has her follow up visit at the vet first thing in the morning, and we are taking my grandmother to her follow up visit at the doctor's in the afternoon, so it will be a busy day tomorrow. Luckily, my grandmother's doctor is close to Grocery Outlet, so that's my excuse to do a little shopping there (and hopefully, poke my head in Value Village next door! I've scored nice cloth diapers there in the past, so I am hoping I might get lucky again)

Free Bag of Iams Cat or Dog Food!

Register for a coupon mailed to your home for a free bag of NEW Iams Premium Protection pet food. You can choose between cat or dog food, and the coupon will be sent to you within one week.

Another Update On My Haier Deep Freezer

Can I just say I adore it? My only gripe is of course, when I need something near the bottom I have to take a stack of things out first, but it's not like I wasn't already aware of that when we purchased it. I've gotten better at organizing it as we put things in it (one side for meats, one side for frozen extras) - and I am trying to remember to label anything that I am freezing myself (such as leftovers) with the date just in case it gets "lost" in there.

Now that we've had it over 6 weeks, it's full. I've been blessed to be able to take advantage of some good deals the last few weeks that have filled it! Honestly, with what I am saving by being able to stockpile, a chunk of the freezer has already been paid for.

I have received my first electric bill that covers a full month of it running, and I can honestly say, I really don't see much of a difference. My bill was within $3 of my lowest bill ever, and since it's been so hot here, I'm sure that the constant running of fans has helped contribute to the bill. Even if for some reason it was costing me $3 a month to run it (I highly doubt it) I save that on just one shopping trip of being able to purchase extra meat deals for instance.

I still do hear it kick in more than I thought it would, but it doesn't seem to be affecting the bill (and again, it's been so hot here, that the heat coming in the house could be causing it to run more)

All in all, I do feel it was a very good investment for our family.

Recipe: Slow Cooker BBQ Beef Stew

I don't know about you, but I adore my crock pot. Here's a recipe for it:

1 Tbsp. oil or non-stick spray
1-2 lb. boneless beef for stew (cut into 1-1/2-inch cubes)
5 carrots (peeled, cut into small pieces)
1 large onion (cut into small chunks)
6 small red potatoes (cut into quarters)
3/4 cup BBQ sauce, divided into 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup
1 pkg. (10-16 oz.) frozen peas

Heat oil (or non-stick spray) in nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Cook meat until evenly browned, stirring occasionally. Add carrots, onions and potatoes in crock pot, then top with the cooked meat. Pour 1/2 cup of the barbecue sauce over meat, and cover. Cook on low for 7-8 hours, or high for 5. Stir in peas and remaining BBQ sauce, then cook for another 15 minutes or so. Serve with cornbread or homemade biscuits for a hearty and filling dish.

You can easy vary the amount of meat in this dish between 1 to 2 pounds to keep the costs down or simply to use less meat in your diet. Just add some extra veggies - more carrots, peas, and potatoes. This is great for leftovers!

Blog The Recession

Blog the recession? What's that you're asking?

Kristen who writes Motherhood Uncensored (Be warned: her blog is really uncensored, so be careful if there are munchkins looking over your shoulder!) has come up with Blog The Recession. A lot of Bloggers rely on traffic on their blogs, so actually visiting the blogs helps them a lot. Especially if you are visiting blogs that do lots of giveaways - they have to show that they are getting traffic to be able to continue the giveaways!

So during the month of August, visit the blogs you love. Spend a few minutes reading their latest posts, maybe read a post or two that you may have missed back in the archives, and leave a few comments (we all love comments - it's always nice to know you're not just talking to yourself!).

Menu Planning Help!

I think I am stuck in a menu rut, because nothing sounds good to me this week! It's 3 pm and I don't even have an idea for dinner tonight - yikes!

Lunch was chicken noodle soup and warm sandwiches. (I cheated last night and made chicken tenders and fries, so no cheats tonight!)

Any suggestions for dinners this week?

Fred Meyer Deals 8/3-8/9

Well, I hope it gets someone excited. View the entire ad online here. Here's the highlights:

*Olathe sweet white, yellow, or bi color corn 10/$3
*Ground buffalo $4.99 lb
*Beef Rib Eye steak $4.99 lb
*Selected Bumble Bee seafood 10/$10
*Keebler Chips Deluxe or Sandies $1.88
*Kroger 6 oz cheese slices 2/$3
*FM 100% whole wheat hamburger buns, hot dog buns, or Upside Down Ketchup $0.99
*Mountain Dairy 1 gallon milk or FM orange juice $2.79
*Ocean Spray Juice 64oz or 4pk of 12 oz 2/$5
*Tide 2x Liquid Detergent 100 oz $9.99
*Mars candy bars 3/$1
*Simply Orange Juice, Florida Natural Orange Juice, Minute Maid enhanced Orange Juice $2.99
*Pantene Hair Care 3/$10 (MC out $1 off 2)
*Axe deodorant, shampoo, body wash 3/$10
*Centrum 100ct $7.99 (MC out for $1 off)
*Organic Walla Walla onions $0.99 lb
*Knudsen 64 oz organic juice $3.99
*Large hothouse tomatoes $1.68 lb
*Organic peaches $1.98 lb
*Dove ice cream 2/$5
*Dreyers Dibs 2/$5
*Health Valley soup or chili 3/$5
*Kettle Bakes potato chips 2/$5
*Cantaloupe $0.58 lb
*Fosters Farms fresh fryer drumsticks & thighs $1.49 lb jumbo pack
*Pork loin assorted chops $1.99 lb
*Tillamook medium cheddar or pepper jack cheese $4.99 lb (deli)
*Hunt's pasta sauce $0.79 w/FM coupon (limit 6)
*Bandon 2lb medium cheddar cheese brick $4.99 w/FM coupon (limit 2)
*Tillamook ice cream or Marie Callender's cobber 2/$6 w/FM coupon (limit 4)
*General Mills cereal 5/$10 w/FM coupon (first 5 pair this with printable from Cheerios challenge or from coupons.com)
*Country Oven, VitaBee bread, FM peanut butter or preserves 3/$4 w/FM coupon (first 6)
*MD Bath Tissue (12 double rolls, 24 rolls) or Sparkle Paper Towels (6 big rolls, 8 print) $4.99 w/FM coupon (limit 4) possible Sparkle blinkies $0.55 or $1?
*FM 16 oz deli style lunch meat 3/$7 w/FM coupon (limit 3)
*Hillshire Farm rope style smoked sausage 14-16oz 2/$5 w/FM coupon (limit 4)
*Aquafresh toothpaste $0.99 w/FM coupon (limit 2) possible MC?

I feel the best deals this week are the Hunt's pasta sauce and the General Mills cereals if you use coupons.

Unfamiliar with Fred Meyer's coupon policy? They allow you stack a Fred Meyer store coupon (FM coupons as I call them) with a manufacturer's coupon. They do not price match to any other store's sale prices, and they won't take other store's sale coupons. You can however use a manufacturer's coupons on any sale or clearance items, but they usually won't allow any overage if the coupon is more than the sale price (sometimes it slips through the cracks, but don't expect it every time). Our local Washington stores do not double any coupons. They do accept the printed internet coupons if they have a barcode (like bricks coupons or from Smart Source or coupons.com if you are unfamiliar with them) so if you are having problems with a clerk not wanting to accept your coupon and you are sure it's legit coupon, please ask to have a manager come on over to verify it.

Grocery Outlet $5 off $20 Purchase Coupon!

For those of you out here in the NW who have a Grocery Outlet nearby, here's a coupon for $5 off a purchase of $20 or more. It was given out at the end of a survey, and the text states one per day - it expires August 15th.

Sign up for the newsletter to receive coupons like this to your email, or visit the website for a location near you.

I always have great luck getting our fresh orange juice at Grocery Outlet for only 99 cents! I also often find great deals on organic items. If you are unfamiliar with them, they are a bargain grocery store. Some of the items are near the sell by date, some are overstocks, and some are just items that are no longer carried by stores. There's great deals lurking on their shelves, just be careful to watch the Use By dates, and inspect the packages for any damage. Usually everything is in great shape and plenty of time to use it though!

Grocery Outlet only accepts their store coupons, and does not accept manufacturer's coupons.

And The Winner Of The Summer Bloggy Giveaway Is....

BETHANY!

bethany said...
I'd love a Target gift card-I'd spend it on baby items!! Thanks!

Congratulations Bethany!

I hope everyone had fun with the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival, and here's to lots of wins for all! - and please come visit me again - I'll be hosting another giveaway soon! I promise I won't bite! ;)

Heeeeellllp me!

Anyone who uses Windows Vista, do you know how to fix this flaw? When I try to open a lot of everyone's blogs, I am told the operation has been aborted and my window goes to page cannot be displayed.

So, help?

Free Dora or Diego Potty Training Kit!

Pampers would like to help you out with Potty Training. Visit for a FREE potty training kit that includes a sample of Easy Ups Training pants, stickers and coloring pages, high value coupons, and much more! There's also articles on the website to help you through your potty training journey.

You should receive your kit within 4 to 6 weeks of submitting your request.

Are We Live?

We sure are! I'm in business with my new toy! (and in complete heaven!) Bear with me over the next few days while I figure out Vista and move all my bookmarks and files from the old laptop to this one.

I'm trying to get used to the widescreen and the different mouse - this one moves a lot differently than my old one. (But it sure is nice not to worry about bumping the laptop cord anymore!)

The Neverending Fun of Being A Homeowner

I would love to say I am currently just sitting here stalking the DHL van, waiting for the new latop - really, I would.

But the neverending fun (yes, that's sarcasm) of being a homeowner decided our saga needed a little extra this week. (sarcasm again)

Yesterday we had really heavy rains. I, being bad, was sitting here vegetating on the sofa with the computer and watching Grissom (CSI) on DVD and letting DH take care of everything around here. Which isn't to say that DH was non-observant (weeeellll), just that he had no reason to go into our bedroom until it was close to bedtime.

Apparently, we sprung another leak. An oh so lovely well placed leak above a window, that just so happened to be right above the pile of clean clothes and items we were planned to move around today. Think gallons of water (I'm not kidding) soaking everything on that side. (it was raining really hard) So, I have a pile of laundry that looks incredibly like just about everything I own, books I have laid out in the sun that I am hoping dry out alright, and an extra trashbag to go in this week's garbage, because there's a limit to what I can do as a domestic goddess.

Now I'm off to figure out what on earth is going to remove the horribly musty smell that has errupted in there. (and beginning to think I really really reeeeaallllly loathe this house)

Oh nice timing - right as I was finishing up this post, it arrived! Whoo hooo! Hmmm.... the smell worked on, or setting up the laptop? *thinks* Sadly, I think the smell wins first.