Here is a really good soup I made last night with stuff from our stockpile
4-6 boneless skinless chicken tenders (breast pieces) grilled, cooled and chopped (I used our foreman grill)
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
3 cups of navy beans cooked per package directions (navy beans are white in color!) I did not salt the boiling water.
1 can no salt added stewed tomatoes, chopped
1 large white onion
garlic (however much you like)
1 tsp. olive oil
1 can ortega green chiles
Cheese (Mexican cheese blend is great for this)
crushed tortilla chips (I like the flaxseed chips from trader joes!)
Saute the garlic and onion in the olive oil until translucent. add the chicken and chilis. Once heated, add the tomatoes, broth and cooked beans. simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Ladle into bowls and serve with cheese and crushed tortilla chips.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Shopping totals for the week- week 2.
$5.00 at .99 cents only
$33.86 at Albertsons.
Traded fruit and veg for a facial (hooray!)
Total OOP for the week $38.86.
This next week, we will be dipping even further into our cupboard/stockpile. THe menu will continue to get a little wierder, but it'll stay healthy, and we'll stay under budget.
$33.86 at Albertsons.
Traded fruit and veg for a facial (hooray!)
Total OOP for the week $38.86.
This next week, we will be dipping even further into our cupboard/stockpile. THe menu will continue to get a little wierder, but it'll stay healthy, and we'll stay under budget.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
This week has been strange.
Monday I went to the .99 store and bought $5.00 worth of food: 2 bags of salad and 2 lbs of butter. The rest of the food we've eaten this week has come out of the stockpile or we've gone out for business (we didn't pay for)
Monday:
Breakfast:Oatmeal and coffee
Lunch: (dh is on vacation this week, so I've been making his lunch and leaving it in the fridge) We both had salad
Dinner: we had breakfast for dinner.
Tuesday:
B: DH: oatmeal and fruit, me: nothing (tummy was upset)
snack: Dh brought me starbucks mocha ($3.85)
L: DH, salad and quesadilla, Me: nothing (I had a doctors appt and missed my lunch hour at work)
D: Business dinner (We didn't pay- hooray!)
Weds:
Breakfast: oatmeal, fruit and tea (both of us)
lunch: DH: leftovers, Me: Office birthday party (salad and pizza)
Dinner: I was sent home with the pizza leftovers since no one else wanted them, so we had pizza and salad
Thursday:
Breakfast: oatmeal, fruit (both of us)
Lunch: Dh: veggie burger with a spinach salad, Me: oatmeal and fruit (left the lunch I packed for myself at home :( )- I always have a box of oatmeal in my desk.
Dinner: Grilled chicken breasts, steamed veggies with balsamic vingrette, quinoa
The rest of the week, our lunches will probably be the same, leftovers from dinner or veggie burgers. Breakfast will be oatmeal and fruit (we got a really great deal on oatmeal at vons about 6 months ago!). Dinners are going to probably some shopping this week. I was just told I need to lower my sodium intake, so a lot of our stockpiled food I can't eat now. It throws a monkey wrench into the works, but I know we'll be able to stay under budget!
Monday I went to the .99 store and bought $5.00 worth of food: 2 bags of salad and 2 lbs of butter. The rest of the food we've eaten this week has come out of the stockpile or we've gone out for business (we didn't pay for)
Monday:
Breakfast:Oatmeal and coffee
Lunch: (dh is on vacation this week, so I've been making his lunch and leaving it in the fridge) We both had salad
Dinner: we had breakfast for dinner.
Tuesday:
B: DH: oatmeal and fruit, me: nothing (tummy was upset)
snack: Dh brought me starbucks mocha ($3.85)
L: DH, salad and quesadilla, Me: nothing (I had a doctors appt and missed my lunch hour at work)
D: Business dinner (We didn't pay- hooray!)
Weds:
Breakfast: oatmeal, fruit and tea (both of us)
lunch: DH: leftovers, Me: Office birthday party (salad and pizza)
Dinner: I was sent home with the pizza leftovers since no one else wanted them, so we had pizza and salad
Thursday:
Breakfast: oatmeal, fruit (both of us)
Lunch: Dh: veggie burger with a spinach salad, Me: oatmeal and fruit (left the lunch I packed for myself at home :( )- I always have a box of oatmeal in my desk.
Dinner: Grilled chicken breasts, steamed veggies with balsamic vingrette, quinoa
The rest of the week, our lunches will probably be the same, leftovers from dinner or veggie burgers. Breakfast will be oatmeal and fruit (we got a really great deal on oatmeal at vons about 6 months ago!). Dinners are going to probably some shopping this week. I was just told I need to lower my sodium intake, so a lot of our stockpiled food I can't eat now. It throws a monkey wrench into the works, but I know we'll be able to stay under budget!
Monday, July 20, 2009
trials and errors
Here are a few coupon deals that I've found online that DO NOT WORK in the San Diego, CA area:
The Knorr .45 off Q doubled at Vons for a free Knorr side dish. I was told by two store mgrs that they will not honor a spanish language coupon.
The Target $1.00 off 5 Smart Ones coupon paired with the Target Q's for $1.00 off 1. Targets in SD do not honor Super Target Q's. (the $1/1 coupons from the target website say "SUPER TARGET" on them).
I am increasingly annoyed by Vons and Targets coupon policies. They seem to be arbitrary and up to whomever is in the store at the time. I may switch to Ralph's, as they also double coupons in the same fashion Vons does. It's a few miles farther from home, but if I can save some money, I am up for it!
The Knorr .45 off Q doubled at Vons for a free Knorr side dish. I was told by two store mgrs that they will not honor a spanish language coupon.
The Target $1.00 off 5 Smart Ones coupon paired with the Target Q's for $1.00 off 1. Targets in SD do not honor Super Target Q's. (the $1/1 coupons from the target website say "SUPER TARGET" on them).
I am increasingly annoyed by Vons and Targets coupon policies. They seem to be arbitrary and up to whomever is in the store at the time. I may switch to Ralph's, as they also double coupons in the same fashion Vons does. It's a few miles farther from home, but if I can save some money, I am up for it!
Sunday, July 19, 2009
week 1 recap
So, for Week one of the All you Grocery Challenge, Here is a recap of our menus:
MOnday:
Breakfast- Oatmeal and coffee with Creamer (all out of stockpile)
Lunch- Husband had lunch event for work- big mtg(his lunch was free), My lunch was soup, crackers, fruit and iced tea (all from stockpile)
Dinner: Defrosted leftover chili (from a few month ago), cooked Elbow Macaroni (.99/bag from Albertsons), mixed together for Chili Mac (added cheese from fridge)
Monday shopping: $14 and change trip to Albertsons for some lunchy type food (eggs to hardboil, frozen entrees, brick cheese, etc.)
Tuesday:
Breakfast- Oatmeal and coffee with Creamer (all out of stockpile)
Lunch- Husband had seminar for work- free lunch for him! My lunch was lean cuisine pizza, 2 pieces of fruit, celery and carrots, iced tea (all from cupboard/fridge at home)
Dinner- Chicken and roasted tomato soup (from freezer stockpile)
Weds:
Breakfast- Oatmeal and coffee with Creamer (all out of stockpile)
Lunch- Husband- Salad with salmon, fruit, roll (All from stockpile), My office bought us lunch as part of a going away party
Dinner: Dinner out with parents (their treat- they are very excited about us entering this contest!)
Thursday:
Breakfast- Oatmeal and coffee with Creamer (all out of stockpile)
Lunch: Husband had seminar for work- free lunch for him! My lunch was lean cuisine pizza, 2 pieces of fruit, celery and carrots, iced tea (all from cupboard/fridge at home)
Dinner: Taco Salad (all out of stockpile/fridge/freezer)
Friday:
Breakfast- Oatmeal and coffee with Creamer (all out of stockpile)
Lunch: Husband forgot to eat his lunch! but he had salad with tuna, fruit, tortilla chips and iced tea (all from stockpile)
Dinner: I came home and just ate some leftovers, DH had rehearsal until late, he stopped at Jack in the box (only spent$5.42)
Movies- we splurged and got popcorn and drinks at the theater $12.44- I smuggled in the candy.
Saturday:
Breakfast- Cereal and milk
Late lunch/early dinner: Mexican food- We went to Roberto's and spent $13.27 on 5 rolled tacos, a quesadilla and a fish burrito. Later in the evening we just snacked out of the stockpile.
Sunday:
Breakfast- cereal and apple sauce bread (I made the bread last night)
Lunch-leftovers and salad
Dinner: eggs and bacon and pancakes
I tend to buy meat in bulk and separate it into meal sized servings and freeze it. I do that about 2-3 months when the sales are great. We shop once a week for fruit and veg and what we are eating this week are just leftovers. Next week about 1/3-1/2 of our $50/week budget will go into fruit and veg.
I've been stocking up on cupboard food when it's free or pretty close- I mostly buy ingredients, not convienance foods.
So far it hasn't been too hard. I'm pretty excited about this- it gives us a chance to eat the food we already have and be creative with our food choices.
We don't drink a lot of soda- I broke out the iced tea maker and I've been making iced tea each night after work for the next days lunches. So that's been saving some money that way. Also I've been drinking coffee at work with creamer I got for free at Walmart last week (it was marked down and I had a coupon). I've been taking ice with me in a glass to work to have iced coffee too.
Our big expense for the whole challenge is going to be milk. We drink a lot of fat free milk, and I use it for cooking and cereal too.
MOnday:
Breakfast- Oatmeal and coffee with Creamer (all out of stockpile)
Lunch- Husband had lunch event for work- big mtg(his lunch was free), My lunch was soup, crackers, fruit and iced tea (all from stockpile)
Dinner: Defrosted leftover chili (from a few month ago), cooked Elbow Macaroni (.99/bag from Albertsons), mixed together for Chili Mac (added cheese from fridge)
Monday shopping: $14 and change trip to Albertsons for some lunchy type food (eggs to hardboil, frozen entrees, brick cheese, etc.)
Tuesday:
Breakfast- Oatmeal and coffee with Creamer (all out of stockpile)
Lunch- Husband had seminar for work- free lunch for him! My lunch was lean cuisine pizza, 2 pieces of fruit, celery and carrots, iced tea (all from cupboard/fridge at home)
Dinner- Chicken and roasted tomato soup (from freezer stockpile)
Weds:
Breakfast- Oatmeal and coffee with Creamer (all out of stockpile)
Lunch- Husband- Salad with salmon, fruit, roll (All from stockpile), My office bought us lunch as part of a going away party
Dinner: Dinner out with parents (their treat- they are very excited about us entering this contest!)
Thursday:
Breakfast- Oatmeal and coffee with Creamer (all out of stockpile)
Lunch: Husband had seminar for work- free lunch for him! My lunch was lean cuisine pizza, 2 pieces of fruit, celery and carrots, iced tea (all from cupboard/fridge at home)
Dinner: Taco Salad (all out of stockpile/fridge/freezer)
Friday:
Breakfast- Oatmeal and coffee with Creamer (all out of stockpile)
Lunch: Husband forgot to eat his lunch! but he had salad with tuna, fruit, tortilla chips and iced tea (all from stockpile)
Dinner: I came home and just ate some leftovers, DH had rehearsal until late, he stopped at Jack in the box (only spent$5.42)
Movies- we splurged and got popcorn and drinks at the theater $12.44- I smuggled in the candy.
Saturday:
Breakfast- Cereal and milk
Late lunch/early dinner: Mexican food- We went to Roberto's and spent $13.27 on 5 rolled tacos, a quesadilla and a fish burrito. Later in the evening we just snacked out of the stockpile.
Sunday:
Breakfast- cereal and apple sauce bread (I made the bread last night)
Lunch-leftovers and salad
Dinner: eggs and bacon and pancakes
I tend to buy meat in bulk and separate it into meal sized servings and freeze it. I do that about 2-3 months when the sales are great. We shop once a week for fruit and veg and what we are eating this week are just leftovers. Next week about 1/3-1/2 of our $50/week budget will go into fruit and veg.
I've been stocking up on cupboard food when it's free or pretty close- I mostly buy ingredients, not convienance foods.
So far it hasn't been too hard. I'm pretty excited about this- it gives us a chance to eat the food we already have and be creative with our food choices.
We don't drink a lot of soda- I broke out the iced tea maker and I've been making iced tea each night after work for the next days lunches. So that's been saving some money that way. Also I've been drinking coffee at work with creamer I got for free at Walmart last week (it was marked down and I had a coupon). I've been taking ice with me in a glass to work to have iced coffee too.
Our big expense for the whole challenge is going to be milk. We drink a lot of fat free milk, and I use it for cooking and cereal too.
electrosol on the cheap!
So, if you were like me, when the elctrasol coupons came out a few weeks ago, you begged borrowed and stole to get your hands on as many as possible. $2.50 off is one hell of a deal!
After checking online to find the best pre-coupon price, I discovered it was target. I hate them and their stupid inconsistant coupon policies, but I took my 6 coupons and headed to the target in Mira Mesa.
I wanted the 40 for the price of 32 packages, which not all stores carry. I was in luck, they had three. So I still have 3 more for a future purchase!
They started out at $3.49/each, so after the 2.50 off each coupon, they are .99/box!
So all three, after coupons, with tax was $3.89. SWEET.
And now we have 120 electrasol tablets, which will last us at least 3-4 months, however, I do plan on using the last three coupons before they expire.
After checking online to find the best pre-coupon price, I discovered it was target. I hate them and their stupid inconsistant coupon policies, but I took my 6 coupons and headed to the target in Mira Mesa.
I wanted the 40 for the price of 32 packages, which not all stores carry. I was in luck, they had three. So I still have 3 more for a future purchase!
They started out at $3.49/each, so after the 2.50 off each coupon, they are .99/box!
So all three, after coupons, with tax was $3.89. SWEET.
And now we have 120 electrasol tablets, which will last us at least 3-4 months, however, I do plan on using the last three coupons before they expire.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Couponing in photos...
So, I'm sure a lot of you have NO CLUE what I mean when I talk about how I store my coupons (is it actually a wallet??)or what a stockpile looks like (is it a real pile of food, like the leaves you rake up in the fall?) 
The coupon "wallet"
the tabs are in order of the store I frequent, and I stick my sticky backed coupons to the inside front flap.
The basket I keep the extras for trading in. It lives inthe dining room on the shelving unit.
THis is our stockpile. We have a long tall cupboard. Lots of oatmeal, canned beans and tomatoes. Most everything was free or just pennies on the dollar.
We have some weird stuff in the cupboard, but it will all get eaten!
The coupon "wallet"
the tabs are in order of the store I frequent, and I stick my sticky backed coupons to the inside front flap.The basket I keep the extras for trading in. It lives inthe dining room on the shelving unit.THis is our stockpile. We have a long tall cupboard. Lots of oatmeal, canned beans and tomatoes. Most everything was free or just pennies on the dollar.We have some weird stuff in the cupboard, but it will all get eaten!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
my wishlist!
For those that want to trade coupons, here is what I need:
I shop for food at Albertsons and Vons (they double up to a dollar). I shop for other sundry products at Walgreens or CVS. (I do not shop at Wal*Mart.)
I love IP’s and tear pads.
I am looking for the Q's for the following types of items:
Frozen/Refridgerated:
South Beach frozen pizza or frozen entree
Kashi Frozen entrees
Lean Cuisine (b2g1 or $1 off 2 or 3)
Jennie O Turkey- ground turkey or the frozen pre-cooked meatballs
Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless are preferred)
Ground beef
Brats/sausage
Morning star Farms
Frozen Veggies (No green giant steamers, please)
Laughing cow cheese (Not Babybel)
Cheese (not Velveeta or American cheese slices) shredded or block- Kraft or Sargento are preferred
Milk (not organic)
Egg Beaters or other egg substitute
Liquid Non Dairy Creamer- International Delight or Coffee mate are preferred
Skinny Cow frozen treats ($1/1)
Juice fresh or frozen ($1/1 or higher- please no V-8)
Fresh Fruit or Veg. (specifically bananas)
Salad (desperately need these!!)
Shelf stable:
Tortillas
Curves cereal ($1.00 or more on 1 only)
Special K Cereal
Rotel Tomatoes
Fat Free vegetarian refried beans
Pouch Tuna (StarKist or Bumblebee)
Bumblebee flavoured tuna
Western Bagel
Sara Lee Bread
HBA:
Scrubbing bubbles shower cleaner refills
Soft soap body wash
Dove Shampoo or Conditioner
One A Day vitamin coupons
Gillette mens’ body wash
PLEASE- NO medicine/drug, animal food/treats, glucose monitor or "female complaint", spam, seafood or shell fish (i.e. SHRIMP - I'm very allergic to it) product coupons or actuals. In my household, this stuff is all useless. We don't have animals or kids. Please no Beer/alcohol coupons or rebates.
I clip all the coupons from my paper on Sundays- so I am always open to trades!
And I love sending my expireds out- if you can take expireds, please drop me an email.
I shop for food at Albertsons and Vons (they double up to a dollar). I shop for other sundry products at Walgreens or CVS. (I do not shop at Wal*Mart.)
I love IP’s and tear pads.
I am looking for the Q's for the following types of items:
Frozen/Refridgerated:
South Beach frozen pizza or frozen entree
Kashi Frozen entrees
Lean Cuisine (b2g1 or $1 off 2 or 3)
Jennie O Turkey- ground turkey or the frozen pre-cooked meatballs
Chicken breasts (boneless, skinless are preferred)
Ground beef
Brats/sausage
Morning star Farms
Frozen Veggies (No green giant steamers, please)
Laughing cow cheese (Not Babybel)
Cheese (not Velveeta or American cheese slices) shredded or block- Kraft or Sargento are preferred
Milk (not organic)
Egg Beaters or other egg substitute
Liquid Non Dairy Creamer- International Delight or Coffee mate are preferred
Skinny Cow frozen treats ($1/1)
Juice fresh or frozen ($1/1 or higher- please no V-8)
Fresh Fruit or Veg. (specifically bananas)
Salad (desperately need these!!)
Shelf stable:
Tortillas
Curves cereal ($1.00 or more on 1 only)
Special K Cereal
Rotel Tomatoes
Fat Free vegetarian refried beans
Pouch Tuna (StarKist or Bumblebee)
Bumblebee flavoured tuna
Western Bagel
Sara Lee Bread
HBA:
Scrubbing bubbles shower cleaner refills
Soft soap body wash
Dove Shampoo or Conditioner
One A Day vitamin coupons
Gillette mens’ body wash
PLEASE- NO medicine/drug, animal food/treats, glucose monitor or "female complaint", spam, seafood or shell fish (i.e. SHRIMP - I'm very allergic to it) product coupons or actuals. In my household, this stuff is all useless. We don't have animals or kids. Please no Beer/alcohol coupons or rebates.
I clip all the coupons from my paper on Sundays- so I am always open to trades!
And I love sending my expireds out- if you can take expireds, please drop me an email.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
great pantene deals at CVS! and Olay rebate time!
Tonight while I was at CVS, I noticed that the Pantene is $3.99 with your CVS card. Most of us got the BOGO coupons in the last P&G saver set of Q's in our papers, and many of us have at least 1 of the $1.00 off any one pantene product.
so: 2 pantene products $1.99 if you use the BOGO and 2 $1.00 off q's. Such a deal!
Olay! IT'S OLAY REBATE TIME AGAIN!! WOO HOO! For those who love Olay, this is a great deal. Check out this link, it's a PDF of the rebate form.
Spend $50 (pre coupon) in one transaction on Olay cleansers and/or moisturizers ONLY, fill out the form, and mail it off. In 6-8 weeks, you'll get a check for $20!
There were Olay Q's in the last P&G saver and there are supposed to be more in this Sunday's paper.
In addition to the rebate, CVS is offering Extra Care Bucks (which is like a gift certificate for X dollars off your next purchase- but they do have an expiration date!!) Spend $20 (pre coupon) and get $10 in Extra Care bucks!
So all told- you are getting $30 back- that should about pay for your Olay purchases!
CVS often times has the best prices on milk- so I tend to use my ECB (that's Extra Care Bucks) on milk, cheese, and misc. stuff that we need around the house.
so: 2 pantene products $1.99 if you use the BOGO and 2 $1.00 off q's. Such a deal!
Olay! IT'S OLAY REBATE TIME AGAIN!! WOO HOO! For those who love Olay, this is a great deal. Check out this link, it's a PDF of the rebate form.
Spend $50 (pre coupon) in one transaction on Olay cleansers and/or moisturizers ONLY, fill out the form, and mail it off. In 6-8 weeks, you'll get a check for $20!
There were Olay Q's in the last P&G saver and there are supposed to be more in this Sunday's paper.
In addition to the rebate, CVS is offering Extra Care Bucks (which is like a gift certificate for X dollars off your next purchase- but they do have an expiration date!!) Spend $20 (pre coupon) and get $10 in Extra Care bucks!
So all told- you are getting $30 back- that should about pay for your Olay purchases!
CVS often times has the best prices on milk- so I tend to use my ECB (that's Extra Care Bucks) on milk, cheese, and misc. stuff that we need around the house.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Why I wont be shopping at target for a while
Copied from my post yesterday at HCW
Ladies (and gents) of San Diego- Skip the Target in Mission Valley Mall. You'll just get accused of coupon fraud if you have any IP's.
Here's the story:
Not but 45 minutes ago (Update it was at 5:15pm on 7/8/09), I was in said Target, picking up some stuff (snackies, lotion, thinking about getting a steam cleaner for our carpet). I hopped in line (without the carpet steamer- alas they were out), and I gave the checker my coupons. She had trouble scanning one of my vasoline coupons (I print all my IP's on a B/W printer), she called over a guy stocking candy and asked for help.
He said they couldn't take it and probably shouldn't take my other IP's because they could be stolen or photocopied. I was pi$$ed- WHo steals or copies a coupon for $1.00!!First of all- coupon fraud is wrong and illegal, and second, I work hard to save my family money. THe cashier handed me back all my coupons, even the insert Q's and began to void them off. I thanked her, but asked her to void the order and left. I pitched all the IP's in the store trash. I don't "need" that stuff, it was going to be stockpile stuff.
I left the store and called the 1-800 number, which basically told me I was SOL, each store could accept whatever kind of coupons they wanted, and if I was copying coupons, I should stop b/c it's illegal. I asked them why they bothered to have a corporate coupon policy at all then. no response. And I repeated for what was probably the hundreth time, I didn't copy them, that's fraud. I printed them out on a B/W printer.
What a fun way to end my crappy day, huh?
So San Diegians and those thinking about shopping at the Target in the Mission Valley Mall, take your Q's (specifically IP's) someplace else. Like Walgreens.
I'm not going back to Target for a while, which kinda sucks. I needed a yoga mat and a carpet steamer.
Ladies (and gents) of San Diego- Skip the Target in Mission Valley Mall. You'll just get accused of coupon fraud if you have any IP's.
Here's the story:
Not but 45 minutes ago (Update it was at 5:15pm on 7/8/09), I was in said Target, picking up some stuff (snackies, lotion, thinking about getting a steam cleaner for our carpet). I hopped in line (without the carpet steamer- alas they were out), and I gave the checker my coupons. She had trouble scanning one of my vasoline coupons (I print all my IP's on a B/W printer), she called over a guy stocking candy and asked for help.
He said they couldn't take it and probably shouldn't take my other IP's because they could be stolen or photocopied. I was pi$$ed- WHo steals or copies a coupon for $1.00!!First of all- coupon fraud is wrong and illegal, and second, I work hard to save my family money. THe cashier handed me back all my coupons, even the insert Q's and began to void them off. I thanked her, but asked her to void the order and left. I pitched all the IP's in the store trash. I don't "need" that stuff, it was going to be stockpile stuff.
I left the store and called the 1-800 number, which basically told me I was SOL, each store could accept whatever kind of coupons they wanted, and if I was copying coupons, I should stop b/c it's illegal. I asked them why they bothered to have a corporate coupon policy at all then. no response. And I repeated for what was probably the hundreth time, I didn't copy them, that's fraud. I printed them out on a B/W printer.
What a fun way to end my crappy day, huh?
So San Diegians and those thinking about shopping at the Target in the Mission Valley Mall, take your Q's (specifically IP's) someplace else. Like Walgreens.
I'm not going back to Target for a while, which kinda sucks. I needed a yoga mat and a carpet steamer.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
coupon class- San Diego
I am planning a couponing class for sometime this month (July) in San Diego.
Anyone interested?
Anyone interested?
Monday, July 6, 2009
San Diego Locals?
Would anyone be interested in a guided grocery store trip? Either as a group ( more as an sample trip where we tally up what we would have bought and how much we would have saved) with lunch and coupon swap afterward or are there people who would like a "coupon tutor" lesson, where I go to the store with you and help you save money and use coupons, sales and other trips and tricks?
The group setting would be where we all get together at a central location and do a grocery store or drug store walkthrough. Handouts would be free and the limit will be ten participants.
The one on one tutoring would not be free, but I only charge a percentage of your savings. This cost is to cover my gas to you and you will get your own coupon organizer stocked with coupons you'll use for future trips.
Most likely either of these would be on a weekend day or a weeknight after work.
The group setting would be where we all get together at a central location and do a grocery store or drug store walkthrough. Handouts would be free and the limit will be ten participants.
The one on one tutoring would not be free, but I only charge a percentage of your savings. This cost is to cover my gas to you and you will get your own coupon organizer stocked with coupons you'll use for future trips.
Most likely either of these would be on a weekend day or a weeknight after work.
The primer on living frugally.
Saving money and frugal living
Living frugally doesn’t mean eating beans every night and only going to matinee movies while sneaking in your favorite snacks (although I do stash a candy bar in my purse!). Living frugally is a way to stretch your budget and improve your quality of life while spending less.
Saving money and living frugally can seem a bit daunting if you haven’t done it, but once you start… You’ll wonder why you ever paid full price for ANYTHING!!
Lesson 1: Saving money: Start in your kitchen
Lesson 2: The shopping list and beyond
Lesson 3: Saving money beyond the grocery store
Lesson 1: So you’ve decided to save some money. Where should you start?
Answer: In your kitchen. A few months back there was a radio campaign that spoke about bringing your lunch from home-They were selling cold cuts- but it ad campaign raised a valuable message- We spend a lot of money on lunches and dinners out! The average lunch out, even at McDo’s is running about $8.00 per person these days!
$8.00x5 days/week=$40! That’s only for one person. Say you and spouse work outside the home, that $80/week or $320/month. OY! When you bring your lunch from home the cost can be as low as $3-$4. That’s half the cost of a greasy bag from a drive thru window.
Now dinners out can run a bit on the high side too. The average meal at a casual sit down place runs $15 per person, plus tip and tax. $30 (dinner for two) can feed you and the spouse for a week of dinners if you cooked at home (and you don’t have to tip anyone!).
Ok, I’m standing in my kitchen, now what?
Start by opening your cupboard. If you are like most people, you peer in there and say to yourself, “There’s NOTHING to eat!!” While there might not be any ready to eat snacks, there is plenty of ingredients that would make a meal.
• Clean out the cupboard. Get rid of all the expired food. All it’s doing is taking up space. Got a jar of peanut butter that is rancid? Pitch it! Stale Cereal? Feed it to the birds! The second phase of cleaning out the cupboard is getting rid of the food in the cupboard that you will never eat. Bought 4 cans of devilled ham on sale, only to find out after 2 bites youhate it? Start a bag (or box) of food that the family won’t eat. Donate it to a food bank, post it on freecycle, or give it to a friend or co-worker that you know might need some help (1 in 8 Americans goes hungry each day). Repeat these steps with the fridge and freezer. All cleaned out, all ready to start anew!
• Make a list of foods that you and the family like to eat that you cook at home. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. After you’ve made the list, make a separate list of the ingredients of each of those recipes- you may need to break out the cookbooks or recipe cards! If you want to try some new recipes write out what is in each of those.
• Take your list into the kitchen and “shop”. Cross items off that list that are already in your cupboard or fridge/freezer. What’s left is your shopping list. You may not want to make EVERYTHING on your list right away, but if you only make one big trip to the grocery store a month like we do, you’ll want to stock up the on canned and freezer goods from your list.
• Try to bring your lunch from home 3-4 times a week. Leftovers, sandwiches, salads, even the occasional frozen lunch will in the long run save you more than nipping out to McDo’s daily. If you find yourself stopping at Starbucks or getting the urge to drive thru for a quick breakfast, stock up on quick handy breakfast items you can eat on the drive in and keep a box of instant oatmeal packets in your desk. Drink coffee at work- bring in a bottle of fancy flavored creamer. Coffeemate.com always has printable coupons!
Lesson 2- The shopping list and beyond
• Pull out your coupon wallet. You don’t have one? Well, let’s get you started. Buy a Sunday paper (or two- I flip through the paper before I buy it, check out the coupons and see if I want to buy an extra 1 or 2. There are also websites that give coupon previews). Clip out all the coupons for items you know you will buy. Save the rest. You can trade them with co workers or friends for more coupons that you want. Coupons.com is another good source for printable coupons (FYI-Wal*mart does not take printable coupons). Google “Printable Grocery coupons” and you will find tons of “printables”. Most sites limit you to 2 per printer. Put your coupons, arranged in whatever order you like in an envelope or a coupon sorter (available at target or Wal*mart or most dollar stores).
• Now that you have your coupon wallet assembled, pull out the coupons that correspond to the items on your list. Don’t worry if at first you don’t have a lot of coupons. That will change!
• When the junk mail comes, pull out the circulars for a couple stores. Most of us frequent one store over another for a variety of reasons (clean store, good selection, close to our home/office), but take a look at another stores circulars to see what other stores offer. You might be surprised and try a new store next week. Usually the junk mail comes on Tuesdays in our neighborhood. Sales for grocery stores run Weds. To Weds., so the stores put out the upcoming circulars a few days in advance so shoppers have time to prepare their lists and compare the sales with the coupons they have to get the best value. Select your store for the week. Take the circular with you when you shop, along with your list and all of your coupons.
• When shopping- don’t be brand loyal. If you have a coupon for brand X, but brand Y is cheaper without a coupon, don’t hesitate to buy brand Y. Using a coupon for the sake of using it isn’t wise unless the deal is good!
• Don’t shop hungry. You’ve heard this a million times and it’s true. You’ll end up buying stuff you don’t need.
• Shop alone or with a like-minded couponing friend. Don’t bring the kids or significant other. They will whine and/or ask for items that aren’t on the shopping list. Stick to the list and buy items that are on sale and that you have coupons for.
• Don’t get frazzled. Take your time when shopping with coupons. It seems like a hard process, but it’s easy after you’ve done it a couple times.
• Get a store card! I preach the glory of the store savings club card! You will save money without clipping coupons. If you shop at Vons or any of those family of stores, you can hook up your club card to a United Airlines frequent Flyer miles account and use the points for cheaper flights or to buy items at a discount for holidays.
• Pick up coupons- the little machines in the store- take 2 or 3 of each coupon. If it’s something you won’t use, you can trade them. Likewise if there are coupons that you won’t use that you have brought with you to the store or that have a short expiration date., leave them on the shelf next to the item- the coupon fairy is a great way to spread savings!
• When you are torn between two of the same item, check the unit price. On the shelf tag it will list the price for the item, and then the cost per ounce/unit (if the item isn’t food- like toilet paper, the price per roll/unit), check that against the generic or another brand if you are considering several brands. The cost per ounce may surprise you- buying in bulk is not always the best deal!!
• Don’t be afraid to stock up when there is a good deal! A few months ago there was a sale where our favorite oatmeal was buy one, get one free (BOGO), and there were coupons in the shelf dispenser machine for $2.00 off each box. Vons allows use of the $2.00 coupon on the free item. So, instead of paying $5 per box, we paid .50 per box. We bought 20 boxes. We eat oatmeal 4-5 times a week, so for us that was a great deal.
Lesson 3- Saving money beyond the grocery store
1. Do not buy toiletries (sometimes called HBA or Health and Beauty Aids) at the grocery store. The mark up is crazy! Stick to mass merchandisers like Target or the drugstore. They accept coupons and their prices are generally lower than the grocery store. Make you list, check the circulars and armed with coupons, list and circular- go and buy shampoo! Try not to be brand loyal on toiletries. Most of the time with coupons and store sales you can buy shampoo, razors, shaving cream and body wash for pennies on the dollar. Most drugstores and mass merchandisers (like Target) have in store coupons too. You can combine the in store coupon with the manufacturers coupon for more savings. Here is an example -I don’t need to buy shampoo for a year!
Walgreens had Granier Fructis on sale for $2.99. There was a store coupon in the Walgreens circular for $2 off and coupons in the Sunday paper for $1.00 off- making the shampoo free!! I traded my unwanted coupons for Garnier Fructis coupons and stocked my cupboard with shampoos and conditioner to last for a year.
*WARNING* Even if something is free, that does not mean you have to take it home. If it’s yucky or won’t get eaten or used, don’t bother. It will only take up space!
2. Eating out: Everyone loves to get outand have someone else slave over a hot stove for them. Here are some great ways to save money when you eat out.
• Make eating out something special. Don’t do it every day. Go someplace for dinner where you have to be served.
• Keep your eyes open for deals- buy one get one, reduced price happy hours, kids eat free, etc. Happy hours are great because often times meals are reduced in price in addition to the appetizers.
• Look online or in the junk mail for coupons. Black Angus coupons come in the junk mail about once a month. Many new restaurants advertise with the junk mail and offer coupons.
• Consider splitting the cost of a Entertainment book with a friend. After using only 3 coupons, I had saved the cost of the book! Not only are their food coupons, but some locations have grocery store coupons, Dave and Buster coupons, movie house coupons (adult for a childs price) and coupons and deals for vacations!
• Sign up for you favorite restaurants e-newsletter. Many eateries have a newsletter or a birthday club you can join! Do it! They will email you coupons monthly or every few months. There are lots of kids’ clubs too (Baskin Robbins has one and you kid gets a free b-day cone!)
• Add the misc. restaurant coupons to your coupon wallet and stash it in your purse. You never know when the urge to save will hit you.
3. Other places to save
Check your mail for circulars and coupons for places besides grocery stores and drugstores. Bed Bath and beyond puts of 20% off coupons all the time- sometimes they even have them on their website (just print and go!). You can use up to 6 per transaction.
The Bottom Line: Don’t be embarrassed to use coupons, shop sales or save money. Coupons and sales are put out by companies, stores, and manufacturers to entice people to shop in their stores.
Living frugally doesn’t mean eating beans every night and only going to matinee movies while sneaking in your favorite snacks (although I do stash a candy bar in my purse!). Living frugally is a way to stretch your budget and improve your quality of life while spending less.
Saving money and living frugally can seem a bit daunting if you haven’t done it, but once you start… You’ll wonder why you ever paid full price for ANYTHING!!
Lesson 1: Saving money: Start in your kitchen
Lesson 2: The shopping list and beyond
Lesson 3: Saving money beyond the grocery store
Lesson 1: So you’ve decided to save some money. Where should you start?
Answer: In your kitchen. A few months back there was a radio campaign that spoke about bringing your lunch from home-They were selling cold cuts- but it ad campaign raised a valuable message- We spend a lot of money on lunches and dinners out! The average lunch out, even at McDo’s is running about $8.00 per person these days!
$8.00x5 days/week=$40! That’s only for one person. Say you and spouse work outside the home, that $80/week or $320/month. OY! When you bring your lunch from home the cost can be as low as $3-$4. That’s half the cost of a greasy bag from a drive thru window.
Now dinners out can run a bit on the high side too. The average meal at a casual sit down place runs $15 per person, plus tip and tax. $30 (dinner for two) can feed you and the spouse for a week of dinners if you cooked at home (and you don’t have to tip anyone!).
Ok, I’m standing in my kitchen, now what?
Start by opening your cupboard. If you are like most people, you peer in there and say to yourself, “There’s NOTHING to eat!!” While there might not be any ready to eat snacks, there is plenty of ingredients that would make a meal.
• Clean out the cupboard. Get rid of all the expired food. All it’s doing is taking up space. Got a jar of peanut butter that is rancid? Pitch it! Stale Cereal? Feed it to the birds! The second phase of cleaning out the cupboard is getting rid of the food in the cupboard that you will never eat. Bought 4 cans of devilled ham on sale, only to find out after 2 bites youhate it? Start a bag (or box) of food that the family won’t eat. Donate it to a food bank, post it on freecycle, or give it to a friend or co-worker that you know might need some help (1 in 8 Americans goes hungry each day). Repeat these steps with the fridge and freezer. All cleaned out, all ready to start anew!
• Make a list of foods that you and the family like to eat that you cook at home. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. After you’ve made the list, make a separate list of the ingredients of each of those recipes- you may need to break out the cookbooks or recipe cards! If you want to try some new recipes write out what is in each of those.
• Take your list into the kitchen and “shop”. Cross items off that list that are already in your cupboard or fridge/freezer. What’s left is your shopping list. You may not want to make EVERYTHING on your list right away, but if you only make one big trip to the grocery store a month like we do, you’ll want to stock up the on canned and freezer goods from your list.
• Try to bring your lunch from home 3-4 times a week. Leftovers, sandwiches, salads, even the occasional frozen lunch will in the long run save you more than nipping out to McDo’s daily. If you find yourself stopping at Starbucks or getting the urge to drive thru for a quick breakfast, stock up on quick handy breakfast items you can eat on the drive in and keep a box of instant oatmeal packets in your desk. Drink coffee at work- bring in a bottle of fancy flavored creamer. Coffeemate.com always has printable coupons!
Lesson 2- The shopping list and beyond
• Pull out your coupon wallet. You don’t have one? Well, let’s get you started. Buy a Sunday paper (or two- I flip through the paper before I buy it, check out the coupons and see if I want to buy an extra 1 or 2. There are also websites that give coupon previews). Clip out all the coupons for items you know you will buy. Save the rest. You can trade them with co workers or friends for more coupons that you want. Coupons.com is another good source for printable coupons (FYI-Wal*mart does not take printable coupons). Google “Printable Grocery coupons” and you will find tons of “printables”. Most sites limit you to 2 per printer. Put your coupons, arranged in whatever order you like in an envelope or a coupon sorter (available at target or Wal*mart or most dollar stores).
• Now that you have your coupon wallet assembled, pull out the coupons that correspond to the items on your list. Don’t worry if at first you don’t have a lot of coupons. That will change!
• When the junk mail comes, pull out the circulars for a couple stores. Most of us frequent one store over another for a variety of reasons (clean store, good selection, close to our home/office), but take a look at another stores circulars to see what other stores offer. You might be surprised and try a new store next week. Usually the junk mail comes on Tuesdays in our neighborhood. Sales for grocery stores run Weds. To Weds., so the stores put out the upcoming circulars a few days in advance so shoppers have time to prepare their lists and compare the sales with the coupons they have to get the best value. Select your store for the week. Take the circular with you when you shop, along with your list and all of your coupons.
• When shopping- don’t be brand loyal. If you have a coupon for brand X, but brand Y is cheaper without a coupon, don’t hesitate to buy brand Y. Using a coupon for the sake of using it isn’t wise unless the deal is good!
• Don’t shop hungry. You’ve heard this a million times and it’s true. You’ll end up buying stuff you don’t need.
• Shop alone or with a like-minded couponing friend. Don’t bring the kids or significant other. They will whine and/or ask for items that aren’t on the shopping list. Stick to the list and buy items that are on sale and that you have coupons for.
• Don’t get frazzled. Take your time when shopping with coupons. It seems like a hard process, but it’s easy after you’ve done it a couple times.
• Get a store card! I preach the glory of the store savings club card! You will save money without clipping coupons. If you shop at Vons or any of those family of stores, you can hook up your club card to a United Airlines frequent Flyer miles account and use the points for cheaper flights or to buy items at a discount for holidays.
• Pick up coupons- the little machines in the store- take 2 or 3 of each coupon. If it’s something you won’t use, you can trade them. Likewise if there are coupons that you won’t use that you have brought with you to the store or that have a short expiration date., leave them on the shelf next to the item- the coupon fairy is a great way to spread savings!
• When you are torn between two of the same item, check the unit price. On the shelf tag it will list the price for the item, and then the cost per ounce/unit (if the item isn’t food- like toilet paper, the price per roll/unit), check that against the generic or another brand if you are considering several brands. The cost per ounce may surprise you- buying in bulk is not always the best deal!!
• Don’t be afraid to stock up when there is a good deal! A few months ago there was a sale where our favorite oatmeal was buy one, get one free (BOGO), and there were coupons in the shelf dispenser machine for $2.00 off each box. Vons allows use of the $2.00 coupon on the free item. So, instead of paying $5 per box, we paid .50 per box. We bought 20 boxes. We eat oatmeal 4-5 times a week, so for us that was a great deal.
Lesson 3- Saving money beyond the grocery store
1. Do not buy toiletries (sometimes called HBA or Health and Beauty Aids) at the grocery store. The mark up is crazy! Stick to mass merchandisers like Target or the drugstore. They accept coupons and their prices are generally lower than the grocery store. Make you list, check the circulars and armed with coupons, list and circular- go and buy shampoo! Try not to be brand loyal on toiletries. Most of the time with coupons and store sales you can buy shampoo, razors, shaving cream and body wash for pennies on the dollar. Most drugstores and mass merchandisers (like Target) have in store coupons too. You can combine the in store coupon with the manufacturers coupon for more savings. Here is an example -I don’t need to buy shampoo for a year!
Walgreens had Granier Fructis on sale for $2.99. There was a store coupon in the Walgreens circular for $2 off and coupons in the Sunday paper for $1.00 off- making the shampoo free!! I traded my unwanted coupons for Garnier Fructis coupons and stocked my cupboard with shampoos and conditioner to last for a year.
*WARNING* Even if something is free, that does not mean you have to take it home. If it’s yucky or won’t get eaten or used, don’t bother. It will only take up space!
2. Eating out: Everyone loves to get outand have someone else slave over a hot stove for them. Here are some great ways to save money when you eat out.
• Make eating out something special. Don’t do it every day. Go someplace for dinner where you have to be served.
• Keep your eyes open for deals- buy one get one, reduced price happy hours, kids eat free, etc. Happy hours are great because often times meals are reduced in price in addition to the appetizers.
• Look online or in the junk mail for coupons. Black Angus coupons come in the junk mail about once a month. Many new restaurants advertise with the junk mail and offer coupons.
• Consider splitting the cost of a Entertainment book with a friend. After using only 3 coupons, I had saved the cost of the book! Not only are their food coupons, but some locations have grocery store coupons, Dave and Buster coupons, movie house coupons (adult for a childs price) and coupons and deals for vacations!
• Sign up for you favorite restaurants e-newsletter. Many eateries have a newsletter or a birthday club you can join! Do it! They will email you coupons monthly or every few months. There are lots of kids’ clubs too (Baskin Robbins has one and you kid gets a free b-day cone!)
• Add the misc. restaurant coupons to your coupon wallet and stash it in your purse. You never know when the urge to save will hit you.
3. Other places to save
Check your mail for circulars and coupons for places besides grocery stores and drugstores. Bed Bath and beyond puts of 20% off coupons all the time- sometimes they even have them on their website (just print and go!). You can use up to 6 per transaction.
The Bottom Line: Don’t be embarrassed to use coupons, shop sales or save money. Coupons and sales are put out by companies, stores, and manufacturers to entice people to shop in their stores.
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