Budget Talk 2/13-2/19

Last week 2/6-2/12 I had $54.77 leftover in my budget. I stopped by Albertsons yesterday to get my husband a roast to make jerky with - $12!!!! This gives me $42.77 plus my regular $50 weekly spending allowance for a total budget of $92.77 for the week of 2/13-2/19!

Rite-Aid February 9th - Spent $1, Saved $37 (97%) - $24 MONEYMAKER!!!

Because this was a trip from last week, I am not listing out all the details.

I spent $1.15 in cash and $30 in +Up Rewards (total cost of transaction $31.15), I received back $24 in +Up Rewards and will receive $31.97 in Register Rewards! This makes this a $24.82 MONEYMAKER!!!

Weekly Budget Summary

I had $54.05 remaining in my weekly budget before this transaction and $52.90 afterwards. I forgot that I used a rebate card on one of my transactions at Albertsons earlier in the week of $1.87, leaving me with $54.77!

Cookies & Dogs

The Saturday before the Superbowl, I had stopped by Rosauers to get a few things and saw these Christmas cookies on Clearance for $1.50. I had just ordered $1/1 coupons and decided this was a great way to use them all up without having to pair with Twice the Value coupons. I threw them in the freezer and all I have to do is reroll them so I can cut them into whatever shape I want! I picked up 14 - Total Spent $7.00, Total Saved $26.46 (79%).

Then I was able to squeeze in a few more transactions of Bar-S meat franks! I picked up some pasta, break and buns too. Total Spent at Albertsons: $7.48, Total Saved $42.79 (85%)

Weekly Budget Summary

I had $68.53 remaining in me weekly budget before the above transactions. Afterwards, I still have $54.05.

Albertsons Trips - Monday February 7th

This is a trip I did from last week's sales with my Twice The Value (TTV) coupons. I purchased the above items in three transactions using three sets of three TTV coupons. Since these are last week's prices, I am just gonna do a brief summary:

Nestle Cookie Dough $2.79, less $1/1 coupon, less TTV coupon = $0.79 each

Bar S Franks $1.00, less $1/2 coupon, less TTV coupon = FREE

Danimals Coolisions $2.29, less $1/1 coupon, less TTV coupon = $0.29

Total Spent $3.45 - Total Saved $33.42 (91%)

Weekly Budget Summary

I started the week with $71.98 to spend. These were my first transactions for the week so I now have $68.53.

Safeway Deals 2/9-2/15

Friday thru Monday Only

Asparagus $1.49 per lb

Pepperidge Farm Cookies 3.25-8.6 oz. (Limit 4) $1.88

• Use $1/1 coupon here
• Final Price $0.88

Starbucks Coffee 11-12 oz $5.99

• USe $1/1 coupon from 11/21 SS
• Final Price $4.99

Other Weekly Sales

Lucerne Large Eggs 18-ct $1.99 (limit 2)

• with in-ad coupon and $10 minimum purchase

Coca-Cola 2-liters $0.99 each when you buy 4

Gatorade 32-oz $0.88 each

Pepsi 24-pk Cans $5.49 when you buy 2

Betty Crocker Cake Mix $0.89 each

• Use $0.75 off Cake Mix and Frosting coupon from 1/30 SS
• Final Price $0.14 plus the cost of Frosting

Kettle Potato Chips $2.50

• Use $1/1 coupon from 1/2 RP or 1/30 RP
• Final Price $1.50

Lucerne Creamery Fresh Ice Cream 1.5 qt $1.99 (limit 3)

• with in-ad coupon and $10 minimum purchase
  
  
  
  
  

Albertsons Deals 2/9-2/15

It is rumored that there will be Albertsons Twice the Value (TTV) coupons in this Sunday's paper! Usually Albertsons will put out a single sheet sales ad that includes three TTV coupons which you can pair with a manufacturer's coupon valued at $1 or less. Albertsons will use the TTV coupon to match the value of your manufacturer's coupon! The TTV coupons should be good Sunday the 13th thru Tuesday the 15th! Listed below are the deals I feel are the best for this week!

Apples 3-lb Bag (select varieties) $2.49

Tillamook Brick Cheese 2-lb $5.99

• Use $1/1 coupon here
• Final Price $4.99
• Wait til Sunday and use TTV coupn
• Final Price $3.99

ConAgra Promotion

Spend $25 on participating products, receive a coupon at checkout for $10 of your next shopping trip. You only need to spend $25 before coupons!

Banquet Brown N Serve Breakfast Sausage, 6.4-7 oz. frozen links or patties $1.00

Banquet Regular Dinners, 5.75-10.25 oz. frozen $1.00

Blue Bonnet Margarine, 16 oz. quarters or tub $1.00

Chef Boyardee Pasta, 14.5-15 oz. can or 7.25 oz. microwave bowl $1.00

• Use $0.35/3 coupon from 1/2 SS
• Final Price $0.88 each
• Wait til Sunday and Use TTV coupon
• Final Price $0.77 each

Guldens Mustard, 12 oz. $1.00

Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers, 6.94-7.95 oz. $2.50

• Use $1/2 coupon here
• Final Price $2.00 each
• Wait til Sunday and Use TTV coupon
• Final Price $1.50 each
• Use $1/1 coupon here
• Final Price $1.50
• Wait til Sunday and Use TTV coupon
• Final Price $0.50

Healthy Choice Lunch Steamers, N

atural Entrees or Select Entrees, 8-9.9 oz. $2.00

Healthy Choice Soup, 15 oz. can $1.00

Hunts Ketchup, 24 oz. $1.00

Hunts Pasta Sauce, 26-26.5 oz. $1.00

Hunts Snack Pack Pudding, 4pk. $1.00

• Use $0.60/3 coupon from 1/2 SS
• Final Price $0.80 each
• Wait til Sunday and Use TTV coupon
• Final Price $0.60 each

Hunts Tomatoes or Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes, 14.5 oz. $1.00

• Use $0.45/3 coupon from 1/23 SS
• Final Price $0.85 each
• Wait til Sunday and Use TTV coupon
• Final Price $0.60 each

Kid Cuisine, 7.2-10.6 oz. $2.00

Marie Callenders Dinners or Fresh Flavor Steamers, 8.5-21 oz. frozen $3.00

Marie Callenders Homestyle Creations, 6.6-7.95 oz. $2.50

Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce, 15.5-16 oz. $1.00

Pam Cooking Spray, 5-6 oz. $2.50

• Use $0.35/1 coupon from 1/23 SS
• Final price $2.15
• Wait til Sunday and Use TTV coupon
• Final Price $1.80

Peter Pan Peanut Butter, 16.3 oz. $1.69

Reddi-wip, 7 oz. $2.79

• Use $0.50/1 coupon here
• Final Price $2.29
• Wait til Sunday and Use TTV coupon
• Final Price $1.79

Ro-Tel Diced Tomatoes, 10 oz. $1.00

Rosarita Salsa, 16.8 oz. $2.00

Snapple Tea or Fruit Drinks, 6 pk. 16 oz. 5.00

• Use $1/1 coupon from 1/30 SS
• Final Price $4.00 each
• Wait til Sunday and Use TTV coupon
• Final Price $3.00 each

Swiss Miss Cocoa, 8-10 ct. $1.00

Wesson Oil, 48 oz. $3.49

Budget Talk (1/31-2/5)

Pictured above are a couple of transactions I did at Albertsons on Friday the 4th of February using Twice the Value coupons. I am not going to list out the details as these were from last weeks sales ad.

The total spent on the above transactions was $11.93 - I put one transaction of $2.78 on my rebate card and paid cash for the remaining $9.15 (my total out of pocket).

I also made a quick trip to Costco for Edamame and Sandwhich Thins spending $13.98. Then made a trip into Rosauers on Saturday for some Superbowl essentials using the leftover balance of a gift card from Christmas and $8.64 out of pocket!

Weekly Budget Summary
Prior to these transactions, I had $53.75 remaining of my weekly budget. After these two tranasactions, I have $21.98, which I will carry over into next week (2/6-2/12). This carryforward plus my regular allowance of $50, gives me a total spending budget of $71.98 for the week!

Albertsons Deals 2/2 - 2/8

I'm sure you have probably already noticed, but there are three Albertsons Twice the Value (TTV) coupons in this weeks ad. You can pair these with any manufacturer coupon valued $1 or less and Albertsons will match the value of that coupon. You can use one set of three per shopping trip!

Also in this weeks ad is a sheet of manufacturer coupons with the Albertsons logo on them. I would presume you could pair these with TTV coupons. Please let me know if you try and what your experience is.

Here is what I feel are the best deals for pairing manufacturer coupons to TTVs for the week:

Avocados $0.68 each

Dannon Activia, 4 pk. $2.29

• Use $1/1 coupon from 1/9 SS
• Use TTV coupon
• Final Price $0.29

Dannon Activia, Light and Fit, Danimals, Crush Cup, Coolisions or Drinkables, 4-6 pk. $2.29

• Use $1/2 coupon from 1/23 SS
• Use TTV coupon
• Final Price $1.29 each

Nestle Cookie Dough, 16-16.5 oz. $2.79

• Use $1/1 coupon from 1/30 RP
• Use TTV coupon
• Final Price $0.79
• Use $1/1 coupon here
• Use TTV coupon
• Final Price $0.79

Bar S Meat Franks, 16 oz. $1.00

• Use $1/2 coupon from 1/30 RP or here
• Use TTV
• Final Price FREE

Maruchan Yakisoba, 4 oz. $1.00

• Use $0.50/1 coupon from 1/2 SS
• Use TTV
• Final Price FREE

Taco Bell Refried Beans $1.00

• Use $0.75/2 coupon here
• Use TTV
• Final Price $0.25 each

Rite-Aid $2.70 MONEYMAKER!

Made a trip to Rite-Aid today on my lunch hour! I wanted to take advantage of the Afrin MONEYMAKER, the Spend $15 on select items receive back $5 +Up Reward (Lays, A&W, 7-Up & Dixie plates), and FREE dog treats!

Here's what I did:

2 Afrin $5.99 each

• used 2 $3/1 coupons (no longer available)


• used 1 $2 RA Video Value Coupon


• Final Price $1.99 each - Received Back 2 $4 +Up Rewards = $4.02 MONEYMAKER

3 Hartz Dog Treats $2.99

• used 3 $1/1 coupons from 1/9 SS


• Final Price $1.99 each - Received Back 5 $1 +Up rewards = like paying $0.32 each

***I knew I would receive 3 $1 +Up Rewards for purchasing these (one for each box). I had read a rumor that I might get 2 $1 for each box, which I did but only for two of the three boxes. I purchased two boxes that were the variety flavors for all dog sizes and one box of regular flavor for medium dogs, so I would say the variety box is producing the extra $1 in +Up Rewards!

The next items are all part of the Spend $15, Get Back $5 +Up Reward Promotion

8 Lays Stax $1.00 each

• Received back 8 $1 +Up Rewards = FREE

2 Dixie Plates $3.99 each

• On a Buy One Get One FREE Sale This Week


• Used $3/2 RA Video Value Coupon


• Final Price $0.49 each

Only the price of the first one counts towards the $15!

4 2-Liter Sodas $1.25 each

• Used 2 $0.30/1 peelies found on the bottles


• Final Price $1.10 each - Received Back $1 +Up Reward for buying 4 = like paying $0.85 each

2 JIF Peanut Butters $1.99 each

• Used $1/2 RA Video Value Coupon


• Final Price $1.49 each - Received Back 2 $1 +Up Rewards = like paying $0.49 each

2 Smuckers Jellies $1.99 each

• Final Price $1.99 - Received Back 1 $1 +Up Reward = like paying $1.49 each

Subtotal: $30.30

Used $2 off any purchase RA Winter Reward Video Value Coupon

Used $1 off any purchase RA Winter Reward Video Value Coupon

New Subtotal: $27.30

Used $19.95 in +Up Rewards from previous transactions

Total $7.35 - Used Rebate Card

Total Spent $0 - Total Saved $69.17 (100%) - Received Back $30 in +Up Rewards = $2.70 MONEYMAKER!

***I had enough +Up Rewards that I could have taken the total ($7.35) to under $2 but I fouled up thinking my total was over $30 and handed over too much in +Up Rewards, with a $10 +Up Rewards being at the bottom of the stack. By the time she got to the bottom, my total wasn't under $10 so I quickly exchanged it for a $1.99 +Up Reward! I would have been better off had I had her scan my two $10 +Up Rewards first then fed her the smaller ones one by one!

MONEYMAKING CALCULATION

Had I not used the $19.95 in +Up Rewards, I would have spent $27.30 out of pocket (19.95+7.35). The $30 in +Up Rewards earned less the cost of the purchase is how I determine that this is a money making transaction.

Weekly Budget Summary

This transaction didn't use any of my weekly allowance as I used a rebate card, however, I also made a quick stop at Walgreens to grab a gallon of milk for $2.49. This takes my $56.24 budget down to $53.75!

Budget Talk

I started this week with a carryforward of $24.05 from monies not spent the previous week. This in addition to my weekly allowance of $50, gave me a total of $74.05 for the week. I was excited to have this excess in my budget for the week so I could stock up on healthier food options!

After the last shopping trip I posted to Rite-Aid, I still had $31.87 remaining for the week. Then Saturday, I dropped my son off at a birthday party an in an effort to kill some time before I needed to pick him back up, I wandered around Costco.... never a good idea!

1 4-pack Laughing Cow Cheese $8.35

5 lbs 91/9 Lean Ground Beef $13.99 ($2.80 per lb)

2 dozen large eggs $3.29



Total Spent $25.63



Weekly Allowance Remaining: $6.24



So this week I have a spending allowance of $56.24!

You Don't Have to Have Friends to Save Money!

FACEBOOK is one of the best places to get coupons and usually when available, they are the best coupons to be found! If you don't already have a FACEBOOK account then you should get one!

I know of people who are hesitant to get on FACEBOOK, but even so, create an account under an alias! You don't have to have any friends to become a fan of Product Pages!

Here are the best coupons to be had at the moment!

Bath & Body Works -

Go here to join their Facebook page, click on like, then go to their wall and find their Our Gift to You post and click on the lind to download a coupon for a FREE 1.6 oz Candle! Use this coupon through January 30th!

Challenge Butter -


Go here to join their Facebook page, click on like, you should be taken directly to their coupon tab, click on the coupon picture to print a $2/1 coupon! This should make for some FREE butter! You can print this coupon twice!


Downy -

Go here to join their Facebook page, click on like, then keep an eye on it today, as they are doing some giveaways! The next giveaway will be 10,000 samples of April Fresh!


Thank you Money Saving Mom!

Rite-Aid Spent $1, Saved $65 (99%)

This week at Rite-Aid, there is awesome money making potential on Nature Made Fish Oil! Earlier this month, there was a $5/1 internet coupon available for Nature Made vitamins and had you printed them, you could potentially make $16 on purchasing Fish Oil! I of course never got around to printing them but I was still able to make some money. Here is what I did:

3 Nature Made Fish Oil 60-ct $11.49 each

1 GE Extra Soft Lightbulbs 4-pack $1.99



Subtotal: $36.46



Used $4/$20 Rite-Aid Purchase Video Value Beauty Bonus Coupon

Used 1 $4/1 Nature Made Fish Oil coupon from February All You Magazinge

Used 2 $2/1 Nature Made Fish Oil coupon fromm 1/2 SS

Used 1 $3/1 Nature Made Rite-Aid February Video Value Coupon



New Subtotal: $21.46, Plus I earned $27.99 in +Up Rewards, which makes this transaction a $6.53 MONEYMAKER



Used $21 of +Up Rewards from previous transaction



Total: $0.46, Used Rebate Card



Total Spent $0, Total Saved $38.46 (100%)

My son was invited to a birthday party this weekend for a girl in his class. I have a couple of gifts stashed away for boys but none for girls. Rather than going to Walmart and spending cash on a present, I decided to see what I could find at Rite-Aid. I have an abundance of +Up Rewards so this is a much pleasing option over cash! I also was in need of a calendar! Can you believe I got no calendars this year for Christmas! Last year I had more than I could use!!!

1 Wall Calendar $7.99

1 Color Explosion $11.99

2 GE Extra Soft Lightbulbs $1.99 each

Subtotal: $23.96, Plus I earned back $3.98, Which Makes this like paying $19.98

Used $23 in +Up Rewards Earned in Previous Transactions

Total Spent $0.96, Total Saved $27 (97%) - For some reason I forgot to use my Rebate Card! This should have been 100% Savings ;-)

Weekly Allowance Summary

After my trips to Safeway and my trip to Costco, I had $31.87 remaining in my weekly allowance, so after the $0.96 out of pocket on the above transactions, I still have $30.91 remaining!

Costco Spent $41.30

I use to be a regular Costco shopper but once I started using coupons, I probably only go there once every month to two months! I do like going there for produce, meat and bread products. I have found that its not the best buy when you compare it to a great sale stacked with coupons at a grocery store, however, sometimes you just don't have a coupon for something you need and you can't wait around for the next big sale. In these instances, I do think you can get the best deal at Costco.

To help me start off on the right foot with my commitment to eating healthy, I made a run this week to stock up on some of my favorite essentials:

1 Meza Traditional Hummus $4.85

1 Bag Mini Sweet Peppers $4.49

1 Pace Picante 2-pack $4.99

1 Folgers $9.99

1 Bag String Cheese $8.99

1 Bag of Edamame $7.99

Total Spent $41.30

Weekly Allowance Summary

After my Safeway runs, I had $73.17 remaining in my weekly allowance. After spending $41.30 at Costco, I still have $31.87!

This was a perfect week for a trip to Costco and to start eating healthy as I had plenty of room in my budget to stock up on healthy options! One struggle I still have with coupons is how to get great buys on healthier food options, so I just try to save enough on other foods to allow using a larger portion of my budget to cover healthier items.

Safeway Shopping - Spent $1, Saved $42 (98%)

Last weekend I received one of my big rebate gift cards I had been expecting. This card plus coming in under budget on last weeks spending of $24.05, gives me lots to work with this week and hopefully future weeks!

Transaction #1

I did this transaction on Sunday so these were last week's prices. Just gonna give a quick and dirty run down with no coupon info:

2 7-Up 2-liters $0.62 each

2 A&W 2-liters $0.77 each

3 Lucerne Ice Creams $1.79 each

1 Coffee-Mate Creamer 32-oz $2.49

1 Lucerne Sour Cream $1.50

2 Horizon Milk Singles FREE

1 Value Red Hot Dog Buns $0.89

1 Franz Whole Grain Bread $2.00

1 Gallon of Milk $1.99

Subtotal: $17.02

Used Rebate Card

Total Spent $0, Total Saved $30.78 (100%)

Transaction #2

When I check out with transaction #1, I received a $1/1 Danimals yogurt coupon, which was on sale for only $1.88 so I went back and purchased one, used the coupon and paid $0.88 out of pocket.

Spent $0.88, Saved $2.11 (71%)

Transaction #3

My carbless week was giving me a killer headache and I really needed something sweet but with no carbs to take the edge off so I made an emergency run for Crystal Light!

1 Safeway Lite Iced Tea $3.29

2 Nissin Top Ramen 6-packs $1.39 each

1 Romain Hearts 3-pack $2.99

Subtotal $9.06

Used Rebate Card

Total Spent $0, Total Saved $9.06 (100%)

Weekly Allowance Summary

I started the week with my weekly allowance of $50, plus $24.05 of overage from the week before. I spent $0.88 in the above transactions, leaving me with $73.17 to spend!

Lets Just Call It Reprogramming!

I have been a little absent on here this week because I started to "reprogram" the way I eat. In an effort to establish better eating habits, which will hopefully lead to weight loss, I am in the process of reprogramming my tastes and cravings!

This week I am trying to eliminate carbs as much as possible. I am hoping this will suppress my sweet tooth and cravings for sweet and salty foods. My focus this week is to eat mainly vegetables, lean meats, and a couple of dairy servings each day. So far so good! I did have a veggie salad from a local resteraunt yesterday, which did have carbs (rice), but it was still a healthy lunch option, so I have been pleased with my progress. Plus I have been drinking water likes there's no tomorrow! All those trips from my office to the bathrooom equates to exercise, right?

The downside to all of this is that I have had a three day headache! I take that as a sign my body knows I am depriving it of something so its retaliating. The headache has left me pretty blah in the evenings which has led to the lack of posting. The good news is, I no longer have a headache! Which to me is a good sign my body will start responding positively to the changes in my eating habits and now that I am feeling a little more frisky, I can start to incorporate some exercise into my Day to Day World!

I have been doing some shopping this week. I did a Safeway trip on Sunday, a trip to Costco and had a nice money making trip to Rite-Aid. I will try to get the details of these up shortly!

Friday thru Monday ONLY

Asparagus $1.99 lb

Gatorade 32 oz. $0.79

Classico Pasta Sauce 15-24 oz. $1.69

Kraft Macaroni and Cheese 7.25 oz. (Limit 10) $0.69

Kettle Chips 8.5 oz. $1.88

• Use $1/1 coupon from 1/2 RP
• Final Price $0.88

Kraft Salad Dressing 16 oz. $1.50

• Use $1/2 coupon from 1/23 SS
• Final Price $1.00 each

Ruffles or Lays Chips 9-10 oz. $1.88

Stouffers Family Size Meals 35-40 oz $5.00

Cheer 100 oz. 2X Liquid or 125 oz. Powder $8.99

• Use $1/1 coupon from 1/16 PG or here
• Final Price $7.99

Weekly Sales

Carrots - Eating Right Baby Peeled, 1 lb. bag $0.99

Garlic Bulbs $0.34 each

Onions - Red, White or Yellow 3 lb bag $1.50

Beef - Ground 80% Lean, Extreme Value Pack $1.99 lb

Lucerne Sour Cream 16 oz. $0.99

Oscar Mayer Basic Lunchables or Meat Bologna 3.3-16 oz. $0.99

Pepsi or 7-UP 2 Liter $0.88

General Mills Cheerios 8.9 oz. $1.99

• Use $1/2 coupon from 1/9 SS
• Final Price $1.49

Rosarita Refried Beans 16 oz. $1.00

• Use $0.50/3 coupon from 1/23 SS
• Final Price $0.84 each

Breyers Ice Cream 1.5 qt. or Klondike Novelties 4-6ct. $2.49

Arm and Hammer Scoop Litter 20 lb $5.99

• With in-ad Safeway coupon and $10 purchase
• Use $1/1 coupon here
• Final Price $4.99

Glade Candles 4 oz. (Limit 2) $1.99

• With in-ad Safeway coupon and $10 purchase

Glade Scented Oil Refills 4ct. (Limit 2) $1.99

• With in-ad Safeway coupon and $10 purchase
• Use $1/2 coupon here
• Final Price $1.49

LOreal EverPure Shampoo or Conditioner 8.5-10.5 oz. $5.99

• Use $2/1 coupon from 1/23 RP
• Final Price $3.99

Safeway Softly Facial Tissue 66-160 ct. (Limit 2) $0.89

• With in-ad Safeway coupon and $10 purchase

Mix and Match Sale

Buy 4 participating items in one transaction, save $2 INSTANTLY - Look for other participating items throughout the store. Listed below are the ones I feel are the best deal. Prices listed are before/after discount

Campbells Select Harvest Soup 18.6-18.8 oz. $1.49/$0.99

• Use $0.50/2 coupon from 1/2 SS
• Final Price $0.74 each
• Use $1/2 coupon here
• Final Price $0.49 each

Nabisco Premium Saltine Crackers 11-16.5 oz. $1.99/$1.49

Albertsons Deals 1/26 - 2/1

Listed below are the advertised sales this week that I feel are the best! Please see the weekly ad for a list of all advertised sales.

Apples, medium Braeburn $0.68 lb

Tillamook Brick Cheese, 2 lb. $5.99

• Use $1/1 coupon here
• Final Price $4.99

Pepsi Soft Drink, 24-pk $6.99

• $5.99 each when you buy 2 in a single transaction

Malt O Meal Cereals, 18-21.5 oz. $2.00

• Use $2/2 coupon from 1/2 SS
• Final Price $1.00 each

Ragu Pasta Sauce, 16-26 oz. $1.50

• Use in-ad manufacturers $1/2 coupon
• Final Price $1.00 each

Skippy Peanut Butter, 15-16.3 oz. $1.50

• Use in-ad manufacturers $1/2 coupon
• Final Price $1.00 each

General Mills Cereal, 12.8 oz. Cinnamon Toast Crunch $1.75

• Use $1/2 coupon from 1/9 SS
• Final Price $1.25

General Mills Cereal, 14 oz. Cheerios, 12.25 oz. Honey Nut Cheerios $1.75

• Use $1/2 coupon from 1/9 SS
• Final Price $1.25 each

Budget Talk

I started the third week of the year $24.65 over my weekly allowance of $50 per week due to over spending the first week of 2011. I knew I would eventually be able to recover from this overage which I did this week =) The only spending I did was at Rite-Aid. According to the post I did here detailing my transactions, I spent $2.11 but I forgot that my first transaction of $0.81 I put on a rebate gift card, so my actually spending was only $1.30! This means that I came in under budget for the week by $48.70!!!

I head into the 4th week of 2011 with a $24.05 cushion, giving me a weekly allowance of $74.05!

Rite-Aid Spent $2.11, Saved $62.68 (97%)

*** I forgot when I orignally typed up this post that my first transaction I used a gift card from a rebate offer to pay, so my out of pocket on both transactions was only $1.30 and my total savings was $6.49 (98%)

Don't ya just love a great toilet paper deal? It will always get used and never goes bad! Which is why I was super excited about Rite-Aid's deal on bath and facial tissue this week - Buy one at $1, Get back a $1 +Up Reward, which makes it like free. Originally there was no limit, however, couponers fled to the Rite-Aid in masses on Sunday clearing shelves and depleting inventory, so by Monday morning Rite-Aid had imposed a 3 per wellness card limit! Its not as exciting when you only get to add a few packages to your stock pile. I headed there today to get my FREE toilet paper (but none to be found) and a few other items:

2 Halls Cough Drops $1.50 each

• Used 2 $1/1 coupon here
• Used 1 $0.50/1 Rite-Aid Video Value coupon
• Final Price $0.25 each - Received Back $1 +Up Reward for buying 2 = $0.50 Moneymaker

4 Hormel Chillis $1.25 each

• Used 2 $0.55/2 coupons
• Used 1 $0.50 Video Value coupon
• Final Price $0.85 each - Received Back 1 $5 +Up Reward and 4 $1 +Up Rewards = $1.60 Moneymaker

3 T.G.I.F Potato Skins $0.97 each

• Received 3 $1 +Up Rewards = $0.03 Moneymaker

Used $6 in +Up Rewards from Previous Trip

Total Spent $0.81 - Total Saved $19.10 (96%)

Then I headed back the next day for one more round with the goal of receiving my resolution reward:

2 Zantac 24-ct $7.99 each

• Used $5/1 coupons here
• Final Price $2.99 - Received back 2 $2 +Up Rewards = $0.99 each

4 Hall Cough Drops $1.50 each

• Used 1 $1/1 coupon here
• Used 3 $0.50/1 coupons from ??? Sunday Paper Insert
• Final Price $0.88 each - Received back 2 $1 +Up Rewards = $0.38 each

6 TGIF Potato Skins $0.97 each

• Received Back 6 $1 +Up Rewards = $0.18 Moneymaker

Used $14 in +Up Rewards

Total Spent $1.30 - Total Saved $43.58 (97%)

HOT Buy on Kraft Cheese

You can go here to print a coupon for $1/1 Kraft 2% Singles. Remember to print two per computer! Then head over to Safeway this week (1/19-1/25):



Kraft Cheese 16 oz. Singles (Limit 3) $1.99

• With in-ad Safeway coupon and $10 purchase
• Use $1/1 coupon here
• Final Price $0.99 each

Thank you Hip 2 Save!

HOT Buy on Quaker Oatmeal

Starting this Friday (January 21st) there is a new catalina offer on Quaker Oatmeal. This is a great pairing to Albertson's current Quaker Promotion. FYI - I did not inlcude this deal in earlier Albertsons post because I was unaware of the catalina and the below coupon did not come to our area. However if you have or are able to find these coupons, this is a fabulous deal! Here is how it works.

This week at Albertsons, you will save $3 INSTANTLY when you buy select Quaker products.

Purchase 5 Quaker Instant Oatmeals $2.50 each

• Receive $3 INSTANT Savings ($0.60 per box)


• Use 5 $1/1 coupons from 1/2 Red Plum


• Final Price $0.90 each

Receive back a $3 Catalina for purchasing 5 Quaker Oatmeals ($0.60 per box), which makes this like paying only $0.30 per box!

Safeway Deals 1/19-1/25

Fresh Express Salads 8-16 oz. bags .99

Onions - Jumbo Yellow .49/lb.

Oranges - Naval .69/lb.

Lucerne Sour Cream 16 oz. .99

Silk Pure Almond Milk 64 oz. (Limit 3) $1.99

• With in-ad Safeway coupon and $10 purchase
• Use $1/1 coupon from 1/16 SS
• Final Price $0.99

Coca Cola 2 Liter (Must buy 4) $0.99

Refresh Soda, 2 Liter $0.67

SoBe or SoBe Lifewater 20 oz. bottles $0.88

Pillsbury Brownie Mix 18.25-19.5 oz. $1.25

• Use $0.40/1 coupon from 11/6 RP
• Final Price $0.85

Quaker Instant Oatmeal 10.1-15.1 oz. $2.50

• Use $1/1 coupon from 1/2 RP
• Final Price $1.50

Safeway Mustard 16 oz. $0.99

Hot or Lean Pockets 6.5-9 oz. (Limit 4) $1.69

• With in-ad Safeway coupon and $10 purchase

All Detergent 32oz. 3x to 50oz. 2X Liquid $3.99

• Use $1/1 coupon from 1/16 SS
• Final Price

Kleenex Facial Tissue 110ct. $0.89

• Use $0.50/3 coupon from 12/5 SS or 1/2 SS
• Final Price $0.73

Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Cleaner 22 oz. (Limit 4) $1.99

• With in-ad Safeway coupon and $10 purchase
• Use $1/2 coupon from 1/9 SS
• Final Price $1.49 each

Tide Detergent 50 oz. 2X Liquid or 70-71 oz. Powder $5.99

• Use $1/1 coupon from 12/26 PG
• Final Price $4.99

Windex 26 oz. (Limit 4) $1.99

• With in-ad Safeway coupon and $10 purchase
• Use $1/2 coupon from 1/9 SS
• Final Price $1.49 each

VAN DE KAMPS PROMOTION:

Buy (1) Van de Kamps Seafood item and (1) Birds Eye Steamfresh or C and W Item, save $2 instantly. Limit 1 per customer.

Birds Eye C and W Vegetables 11-16 oz. $1.99

• $0.99 with purchase of Van de Kamp

Birds Eye Steamfresh Vegetables 11-16 oz. $1.99

• $0.99 with purchase of Van de Kamp
• Use $0.35/1 coupon from 12/12 SS
• Final Price $0.64

Van de Kamps Seafood Selections 8-24.6 oz., frozen $3.99

• $2.99 with purchase of Birds Eye product

FRIDAY ONLY

P.F. Changs Meals for 2 21-24 oz. $5.00

• Use $1/1 coupon from 12/5 RP
• Final Price $4.00
  

FRIDAY THRU MONDAY ONLY

Pepperidge Farm Goldfish Crackers 6.6-8 oz. (Limit 10) $0.88

Foster farms Breaded Chicken Selections 20-33.6 oz. $4.99

Safeway Select Pizza 14.25-32.7 oz. $2.99

Seafood - Waterfront Bistro Medium Raw Shrimp 2 lb. bag, Frozen $3.99/lb

Albertsons Deals

Not much going on this week. Here is what I found:

Fresh Express Iceberg Garden Salad 12-oz Bag $0.99

Minute Maid Lime or Pink Lemonaide 640-oz $1.00

Betty Crocker Hamburger, Chicken or Tuna Helper $1.00

• Use $0.75/3 coupon from 1/2 GM
• Final Price $0.75

Mission Tortillas 14-17.5-oz $1.00

Pepperidge Farm Goldfish 6-6.8-oz Bag $1.00

Pillsbury Brownies 19.5-oz $1.00

Progresso Light, Reduced Sodium, High Fiber or Vegetable Classic Soups 18.5-19-oz $1.00

• Use $1/4 coupon from 1/2 GM
• Final Price $0.75

Ronzoni Garden Delight 12-oz, Healthy Harvest 13.25-oz or Smart Taste 14.5-oz Pasta $1.25

• Use $0.75/1 coupons here
• Final Price $0.50

Zone Perfect Bars $1.00

• Use $0.55/1 coupon from 1/16 SS
• Final Price $0.45

Ivory Soap 3-ct $0.99

• Use $0.25/1 coupon from 1/16 PG

Did I miss any great deals at Albertsons this week?

Budget Talk

I went out town this weekend with my friends and got myself a little behind at home, so I am going to do a very brief summary of my shopping this past week.

If you recall, I started the first week of the year going over my weekly budget of $50 by $30.27. So I started last week $30.27 in the hole.

I had the following shopping trips:

Sunday Shopping - Total Out of Pocket $9.41

Rite-Aid $3.70 Moneymaker - Total Out of Pocket $0.30

Grocery Outlet - Total Out of Pocket $7.97

Albertsons Doubles Transaction - Total Out of Pocket $2.96

Safeway 67% Savings - Total Out of Pocket $11.10

• 4 Lays Potato Chips


• 2 Welchs Juice


• 2 Hawain Juice


• Gallon of Milk


• Organic Sour Cream

Rosauers 61 % Savings - Total Out of Pocket $9.53

• 2 Large Jars of Nalley Elites


• 1 Santitas Tortilla Chips


• 1 Resers Tortillas


• 2 lbs Pink Lady Apples


• 1 Bunch Green Lettuce


• 3 lbs Navel Oranges

Rite-Aid - Total Spent $3.11

• 2 Stayfree
• 2 Sharpie 8-ct Packages
• 1 Sharpie Pen
• 2 Special K Cereals

Grand Total Spent for the Week: $44.38

This week, I ended up $5.62 under my weekly budget of $50, so my spending for the year to date is currently $24.65 over budget!

Albertsons Doubles Transaction

In the Wednesday weekly ad insert, there were three Twice the Value (TTV) coupons. You can use one set of these per shopping trip and for each one used, Albertsons will match the value of your manufacturer's coupon up to $1.00. They will not match coupons valued at more than $1.

I have to tell you, I had the hardest time finding coupons to pair with my TTV coupons. In fact I only ended up using 2 out of the 3 TTV coupons I had with me. Here's what I did:

2 Packages Lance Crackers $2.00 each

• Used 2 $1/1 coupon from SS (forget which date)
• Used 2 TTV coupons
• Final Price FREE

4 Finish 20-ct Powerballs $2.99

• Used 4 $2.25/1 coupons
• Final Price $0.74 each

1 Vitamin Water $1.00

• Used $1/1 catalina coupon from previous trip
• Final Price FREE

1 Scotts Wipes $2.49

• Used FREE catalina from previous trip
• Final Price FREE

Total Spent $2.96 - Weekly Allowance Remaining $29.36

Coupon Round-Up

Coupons.com (zip code 21234) has released some great coupons! Go here to print the following and more:

Save $1 on any 1 Mrs. Butterworth's Syrup 24-oz or larger

Save $1 on any 1 Log Cabin Syrup 22-oz or larger

Save $1 on any 1 Angel Soft 12-Double or larger package

Save $0.75 on any 1 Roman Meal Bread

I'm hoping the above syrup coupons and bread coupon may make for some great deals with Albertsons Twice the Value coupons!

Thank you A Thrifty Mom

Hello There... It's Been Awhile

Before your days of couponing were you a regular at your local Grocery Outlet? I probably use to go there at least 2-3 times per month and thought I was a savings superstar! Ahh those were the days... not! Now I really know what a savings super star is! With a couple of hours devoted to clipping coupons and matching them up to the weekly sales, my savings has sky-rocketed and I rarely step food inside Grocery Outlet. Occassionally its fun to go inside and see what kind of deals are to be had though =)

Last night my three year old was pleading with me for chocolate milk! Its his favorite and I haven't had any for quite some time because there just hasn't been any decent sales. He was already upset because he wasn't invited over to a friends house to play like his older brother so I thought I would indulge him. I decided to head over to Grocery Outlet and see if they had any chocolate syrup for a decent price.... I don't think $1.99 is a decent price, but we were there, so I took a quick tour of the store to see if there might be some other great finds:

Chocolate Syrup $1.99

Ketchup $1.49

Crinkle Cut Fries $2.49

Kid Cuisine Meals $0.50 each

Total Spent $7.97 - Total Weekly Allowance Remaining $32.32

TONY'S® PIZZA 99 DAYS OF MORE

Go here and enter Tony's Pizza 99 Days of More Sweepstake! You can enter this contest daily and every day they are giving away great prizes: a Wii bundle, Visa gift cards, 99 pizzas and more. Plus you will be entered into the Grand Prize $500 Visa Card!

While there, look for the coupon link, which will give you a $1/2 Tony's Pizza coupon. The best part is that these coupons are good until May! I will be holding onto mine in hopes of working them into a great scenario during all the frozen foods sales the month of March!

I haven't had any luck thus far! Let me know if you win anything =)

Children's Place Monster Sale

The Monster Sale (60% off selected items) at Children's Place just got even better. Today only you can score FREE Shipping with code FSSNOW and you can also receive an additional 15% discount with code UPROMISE1C.

I was able to get the above sweater for only $8.29 plus I got a henley for $8.29 and two pairs of jeans at $8.47 each. My grand total with tax was only $35.70! And that comes straight to my door, which makes it even better.

I also received a $1 credit on my Ebates account (3%). What is Ebates? Its an online shopping site that gives you up to 26% back every time you shop online. Its also a great source for online promotional codes that give you any more discounts! Go here to find out all about it!

Thank you Hip 2 Save!

What's On Your Shopping List?

Good News is that there will be three Twice the Value Coupons in Albertsons ad tomorrow, but the bad news is that I didn't really see any hot deals. I'm gonna have to lay the ad out along side my coupon binder and go on a hunt for some good match-ups! FYI - they will be good for 4 days (Wed-Sat).

Safeway - Did you think I was crazy? I was starting to wonder! Apparently I was reading a weekly ad for an area other than ours! These prices are not good in teh PNW! Except for the Juice! Sorry!!!
Signature Hoagies $1.99 wyb 2

• I have leftover ham in the fridge so these would be nice to have on hand for sandwhiches over the weekend.

Safeway Select Artisan French Bread $0.99

Pork Loin Chops $2.99-lb Buy 1 Get 1 FREE

• Would be nice to have some additional variety to my stockpile of meat other than chicken and ground beef.

Red Delicious Apples $0.57 lb

• Down to our last orange

Blackberries 6-oz $1.00 each

• Might be nice to have on my Special K

Welch's Juice $1.99 wyb 4

• Use $1/1 coupon here (zip code 66046)

Let me know if you come up with some good deals at Albertsons! I hate to see those TTV coupons go to waste =)

Deliciously Cheap!

How often do you calculate how much it cost you to make a meal? Tonight as I was getting out my ingredients, I did some rough math and here is what I came up with:

1-lb Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast $1.75

• Marinated in Italian Dressing I made money buying

Julienne Potatoes I made money on last fall at Safeway

• I cup milk $0.14 (2.19 per gallon/16 cups)
• 2 tablespoons I Can't Believe Its Not Butter which was also a moneymaker
• Final Price of Potatoes $0.14

Can of Green Beans ?

• This were super cheap. I got them on an instant savings deal and stacked with a coupon the store doubled. Seems like they were about $0.09?

So for roughly $2, I was able to feed my family of 4! I can't even get a coffee in the morning for that amount! I really love the awards of couponing =)

Rite-Aid $3.70 MONEYMAKER!!!

Have I mentioned lately how much I love Rite-Aid? I currently have a large and building stash of +Up Rewards, still have my $10 Gift of Savings Reward and I am half way to my Resolution Reward of $20! However, what I love the most is how coupon friendly my local store has become!

Tonight I swung by to make some money buying Special K cereal and Motrin. I was too late on the Motrin deal... bummer! Here is a run down of my transaction:

4 Special K Cereals on Buy One Get One FREE Sale

• Regular Price $4.79
• Received 2 FREE from BOGO Sale
• Used 2 BOGO FREE coupons here (took off $4.49 on one and $4.79 on the other - please see note below)
• Final Price $0.30 for all 4 Boxes

4 Barilla Pastas $1.25

Subtotal: $5.30

Used $5 in +Up Rewards - Total Spent $0.30 - Weekly Allowance Remaining $40.29

I earned $4 in +Up Rewards for cereal purchase = $3.70 moneymaker

And I earned $5 in +Up Rewards for pasta purchase = FREE

Note:

I have to share a story from tonight. I had a cashier I had never been to before. He told me he could only accept one of my BOGO FREE coupons. I don't remember his reason but it had to do with them being on a BOGO FREE sale. I was very nice and asked him to remove them from my transaction and explained to him their coupon policy says they do and that I would come back later in the week when I had a copy (my binder was in the car and there was a line forming). He had to call a manager to override my transaction, so when she came up he asked her about the policy of using BOGO coupons with BOGO sales. She was super friendly. She said of course they could do it and instead of jumping in and ringing me up to get the line moving, she walked him through the process. I pointed out to her the coupons were only good up to $4.49 but she forgot when she keyed in the first coupon and keyed it as $4.79. I did point this out but she said she would just leave that one as is (I have a feeling it was more trouble than it was worth)!

Motrin Deal

Here's the deal I had planned on the Motrin just incase your store has it in stock!

Motrin 20-ct $3 each

• Buy 2 and Use $6/2 coupon
• Final Price $0, Get Back $4 in +Up Rewards
• $4 MONEYMAKER

FREE Halls Cough Drops!

Next Week (1/16) at Rite-Aid you will be able to get FREE Halls Cough Drops!

Buy 2 Halls Defense $1.50 each

• Use 2 $1/1 coupon here
• Use $0.50/1 RA Video Value Coupon
• Pay $0.50 Get Back $1 +Up Reward for Buying 2
• Final Price $0.50 MONEMAKER!

Thank you Maven of Savin'

Sunday Shopping - Spent $9.41, Saved $47.41 (83%)

Rite-Aid

8 Stayfree $2.50 each

• Used 4 Buy One Get One FREE coupons
• Used 4 $1/1 coupons

Subtotal: $6.00

Used $6 in +Up Rewards, Received $8 Back in +Up Rewards = $2 MONEMAKER

Total Spent $0 - Total Saved $31.92 (100%) - Weekly Allowance Remaining $50

Go here for the print links to the Stayfree coupons. I think the BOGO coupon is no longer available but there were some in yesterday's paper. I also found $1/1 coupons I had from a coupon book so you may want to check your binder!

Safeway

Value Red Hot Dog Buns $0.89

Value Red Hamburger Buns $0.89

Bread $1.50

• Regular Price $1.99
• Card Saving $0.49

Lucerne 2-lb Cheese Brick $4.49

• Regular Price $4.99
• Card Saving $0.50
• Used $1/1 coupon from here
• Final Price $3.49

Gallon of Milk $2.19

5 Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks $0.99 each when you buy 5

• Used $1/3 coupon here
• Used $0.50/2 coupon here
• Final Price $0.69, I earned $3 Catalina for purchasing 5, makes them like paying $0.09 each

Subtotal $12.41, Used $3 Catalina, Total Spent $9.41, Total Saved $15.49 (62%)

Weekly Allowance Remaining $40.59

Rough Start?

Last year, I set myself a weekly spending of $5o per week for all of our groceries and toiletries. I was so surprised by how easy it was to stay under this budget! So I knew it would be an easy and reasonable balance going into the New Year. My focus this year is to make sure I have a balance of food so I never have problems of planning meals, where in the past year, I focus so much on the great deals, that I find myself lacking when it comes to produce, meat, dairy and other staples necessary to complete a meal. However, during the holiday season, I really neglected the grocery list, so it was a rough start to the year! I ended up spending $80.27 the first week of the New Year! Well over budget, however, I know I will get my spending back in line over the next few weeks. In addition, I have more than this on the way to me from Rebates, so no worries. Here is a break down of my week:

Rite-Aid Money Making Monday - Spent $3.50

Albertsons Double Deals - Spent $16.40

Mega Meat Purchase - Spent $40.93

Cheap Gum and FREE Wet Ones - Spent $0

Dog Food - Spent $19.44

All though I went over budget, I was able to get a few months supply of dog food, not to mention stock up on meat and a few lunch items for the boys! All in all a fair week of spending =)

Save $3 On 10 Weight Watcher Products

The first of the year is usually a great time to stock up on health and diet food. I am hoping to see a great buy on these and this $3 off 10 coupon here may help make a great deal even better!

Save $1 on Shout Color Catcher

I probably would never buy this product, but hey if I could get if for FREE, I would definitely give it a try! So maybe with this $1/1 coupon here, I might find me a FREE or better than FREE deal!

Save Me From the Spending!!!

Are you starting to wonder if I'm some crazy woman who just can't stop shopping? I am! It seems like I have done a lot of shopping this week and you would think my meat purchase earlier this week would have scared me off until next week! Well, I can't let my darling doggy starve, can I? I spent so much of my time the last 4-6 weeks focused on shopping for the holidays, I neglected to shop for myself and my family and now I am starting the Year off with above average spending.

Here's what my grocery trip tonight looked like:


1 15-lb Purina Beneful Healthy Weight Dog Food $15.99


5 Boxes of Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks $0.99 when you buy 5

• Used $1/3 coupon here
• Used $1/2 coupon here
• Final Price $0.69 each, Plus I earned a $3 Catalina to use on my next shopping trip, which makes this like paying $0.09 per box

1 Kleenex $1.50

• Used FREE coupon received on a previous trip
• Final Price FREE

2 Swiss Miss Cocoas $2.00 each

• Used 2 $2/1 coupons (no longer available)
• Final Price $0.00

Grand Total $19.44, Total Saved $18.47 (49%), Plus I earned a $3 Catalina to use on my next shopping trip. Weekly Allowance Remaining $(30.27).

Cheap Gum at Rite-Aid

My husband can really go through the gum! He puts a piece in everytime we get into a vehicle to go anywhere, its as if he can't drive unless he is chomping on a piece of gum, which is why I love me a good sale on gum!

Here's What I did:

12 Packs Trident Xtra Care Gum $1.00 each

• Used 4 $1/3 coupons from 1/2 Smart Source
• Final Price $0.67 each, Plus I earned a $1 +Up Reward for every 2 I purchase, which made this like paying $0.17 each

2 Wet Ones

• Used 2 $1/1 coupons $1.99 each
• Final Price $0.99 each, Plus I earned a $1 +Up Reward for each one purchased, which made this a $.01 MONEYMAKER

1 Bag of Holiday Candy Clearanced to $0.25

Total: $10.23, Used $10 +Up Reward from Previous Trip, Received Back $8 in +Up Rewards

Final Total $0.23 - Paid with a rewards card - Weekly Allowance Remaining $(10.83)

Is it Really FREE?

I have only had the chance to watch TLC's Extreme Couponing show one time. I have a lot of opinions on the show, some good, some bad, but one thing I really like about this show is how much it has opened up the dialogue on what couponers feel is extreme and what is not. It has really made us reflect on our shopping habits.

I pride myself on being a practical person. I don't usually go to an extreme unless the deal is something I know my family or friends will enjoy and use or if its a Moneymaker! When it comes to a deal I can make money on, I will pretty much buy anything! I'm not going to drive miles out of the way and use an hour or more of my free time to do it, but if its on my way and I have the coupons, then there is no harm, no foul to make money on something even if I won't use it. I can almost always find someone who will use it.

I won't, however, buy everything that's FREE. If you really think about it, it's not really FREE. For example, had the toothpaste I purchased here been only a "FREE" transaction and not a Moneymaker, I probably would not have done the transaction. First reason is I don't need toothpaste. I have at least a one year supply of it already. The second reason is I still have to pay sales tax which would have been $1.30, so its really not FREE. Its a great deal if you need it or know you will donate it. If you're thinking what's $1.30, its only pocket change, but minimal transactions like this over and over adds up to more than pocket change. Finally, I know that its highly likely I will be able to find another moneymaking scenario before my current stockpile is depleted, so I don't want to pay even a little money now on something I could make money on later.

I also thinks its very important to value the nonmonetary aspects when determining our purchase limits. Will this result in an unplanned shopping trip and if so, what would you have done with that time? Am I driving out of my way or can I make this happen on a normal route to someplace I already have to go? Also where will you be storing your latest haul? I'm not gonna sacrifice time with my children. use up the gas, or run up the mileage on my car, scoring deals to build up a massive stockpile.

I can tell you right now, there is no way I would ever sacrifice an entire room in my house to a stockpile! A 3 bedroom home cost more than a 2 bedroom home, right? That spare bedroom in your home definately has a value to it, probably at the very least 10% of your purchase price, so if you are making that room unusable space, then you are devoting 10% of your mortgage/rent payment every month to your stockpile. One might justify it by saying they weren't using the space, but why not downsize to a house that fits your needs and save! What could you use that room for? It could be a hobby room, a play room, a peaceful place to find quiet, a guest room that would allow you to spend your time with family and friends from afar. I think its a smart idea to consider how much room in your home you're willing to sacrifice to your stockpile and when that stockpiles starts to grow outside those boundries, its time to reevaluate your spending habits, no matter how minimal they may already be.

What thoughts do you use to keep yourself in control and from going into the extreme?

Rite-Aid Moneymaker

Next Week (1/16-1/22) you can make money while stocking up on Stayfree pads at Rite-Aid. Here's how it works:

Buy 2 Stayfree Products 2 for $5 ($2.50 each)

• Use Buy One Get One FREE coupon here
• Use $1/1 coupon here
• Final Price $1.50, Get Back $2 +Up Reward = $0.50 MONEYMAKER!

Thank you Hip2Save!

There She Blows!

I blew my weekly allowance on the first week! I'm not just saying this... but I really expected this to happen. My weekly allowance of $50 is a guide to help me stay within reasonable spending limits for my family's needs. I know from experience that many weeks I can stay under this allowance and I have some rebate money coming that will make up for this overage. It was well worth going over budget this week too because we were completely out of meat, making it very hard to put together a meal! It was either put out some dough in exchange for meat or put out lots of dough eating out! Here's the 411 on my meat purchase:

Safeway currently has a BOGO FREE Sale on Select Meat Products

Rancher's Reserve Boneless Beef Chuck Pot or Shoulder Roast

• Regular Price $4.29 per lb
• Sale Price with BOGO discount $2.15

Eating Right Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

• Regular Price $3.49 per lb
• Sale Price with BOGO discount $1.75

93% or 90% Sirloin Lean Ground Beef

• Regular Price $4.49 per lb
• Sale Price with BOGO discount $2.25

I ended up purchasing 2 3-lb roasts, approximately 8 lbs of lean ground beef and 7 lbs of skinless, boneless chicken breasts. My total spent was $40.93. Weekly Allowance Remaining ($10.83).

Tip: A few months ago, after months of no good buys on ground beef prices, I decided to check out the price of meats at Costco. I looked at the packs of meat I use to buy there, a package of 5 individual 1-lb frozen bricks that are 93/7 lean ground beef. The price works out to about $2.75 per lb, which I have determined is a decent price. The cheapest I seem to be able to get ground beef anywhere else is $1.79 per pound (and thats rare) for 80/20. I realized that for about $1 more per meal, I was feeding my family meat that was much healthier and therefore well worth the extra money. I was quite pleased to get the above meat for $2.25 per lb!

Albertsons Double Deals

I was able to get in 3 Albertsons transactions today on my way to, from and in between work! Not amazing deals but some convenient items for my husband to have on hand for lunches during his down time and staying home with the kids!

1st Transaction
All items are from the buy 10 participating items for $1, Save $2 INSTANTLY promotion.

9 Chef Boyardee Pastas $1.00 each

• Used 3 $0.35/3 coupons from 1/2 SS


• Used 3 Twice The Value Coupons (see note below)

1 Rosarita Refried Beans $1.00

Received $2 INSTANT Savings

Total Spent $5.90 ($0.59 per item) - not a "stockpile" price but a decent price to stock up on.

2nd Transaction

All items are from the buy 10 participating items for $1, Save $2 INSTANTLY promotion.

9 Hunts Puddings $1.00 each

• Used 3 $0.60/3 coupons from 1/2 SS


• Used 3 Twice The Value Coupons (see note below)

1 Rosarita Refried Beans $1.00

Received $2 INSTANT savings

Total Spent $4.40 ($0.44 per item) - not a "stockpile" item but a decent price to stock up on

3rd Transaction

All items are from the buy 10 participating items for $1, Save $2 INSTANTLY promotion.

3 Hunts Puddings $1.00 each

• Used 1 $0.60/3 coupon


• Used 1 Twice the Value Coupon (see note below)

3 Chef Boyardee Pastas $1.00 each

• Used 1 $0.35/3 coupon


• Used 1 Twice the Value coupon (see note below)

3 Hunts Manwhich $1.00 each

1 Rosarita Refried Beans $1.00

Received $2 INSTANT Savings

Subtotal $6.10 ($0.61 per item)

Also purchased one Coffee-Mate 16-oz Creamer for $2.00, used a $1/1 coupon here & 1 Twice the Value Coupon to make FREE.

Total Spent $6.10

Grand Total Spent: $16.40 - $30.10 weekly allowance remaining

Albertsons Twice the Value Coupon

Occassionally Albertsons will release Twice the Value Coupons. They usually release three at a time, usually on a Sunday, and they are usually only good for three days; Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, the last days of their weekly sales. These coupons can be paired with any manufacturer coupons up to $1 in value, and Albertsons will match the value of that coupon. For example I used a $1 manufacturer coupon on the coffee-mate in the above transaction and used a Twice the Value coupon, which Albertsons gave me credit of $1 on, making my $2 creamer FREE after coupons! Had my coupon been for $1.50 off 1, I would not have been able to use the Twice the Value coupon as my manufacturer coupons exceeds $1 and I would have ended up paying $0.50 for my creamer. Had my coupon been for $0.50 off 1, I could have paired it with the Twice the Value Coupon to receive and additional $0.50 savings, making the creamer $1 after coupons. You can use three per transaction.

Money Making Monday

Today I made $3.50 on my lunch hour for picking up 8 tubes of Aqua Fresh Toothpaste at Rite-Aid! Here's what I did:


Aquafresh Toothpaste 5.6 to 6 oz. Actiflex Manual Toothbrush 1 ct. $2.50 each

• Receive $10 +UP REWARD when you spend $20 (before coupons) on this product

4 Aquafresh Extreme Clean Toothpaste $2.50 each

4 Aquafresh Advanced 2x Whitening Toothpaste $2.50 each

Subtotal Before Coupons: $20.00

• Used Rite-Aid $4/$20 coupon (see note below)
• Used Rite-Aid $1.50/1 coupon Video Value Coupon (see note below)
• Used 4 $1/1 Aqua Fresh Extreme Clean coupons from here and here
• Used 4 $1/1 Aqua Fresh Advanced 2x coupons from here and here

Total After Coupons: $6.50, Received Back $10.00 +Up Reward, $3.50 Moneymaker

I used $3 of +Up Rewards earned on a previous transaction, so my total out of pocket was $3.50 Weekly Budget Remaning $46.50.

Rite-Aid Video Value Program

Rite-Aid Video Value Program is a program in which you receive Rite-Aid coupons on featured products in exchange for watching videos/commercials of that featured product. For example, if you register or already registered with the Rite-Aid Video Value Program and you watch the Aqua Fresh video clip, you will earn the $1.50 Rite-Aid coupon that I used in the above deal. During the month of January 2011, when you watch all 15 Beauty video clips, you will also earn a coupon to save $4 on a $20 purchase at Rite-Aid, which is how I earned the $4/$20 coupon I used in the above deal. Both these coupons are Rite-Aid coupons and can be used in addition to manufacturer's coupons!