Friday, August 28, 2009

Kroger - super savings

I hit the mother load during this trip. Kroger is currently running some great sales that I was able to combine with some great coupons. In addition to running a sale that allows you to purchase 10 items for $10, they are running another similar sale on random products which are already marked down and if you by 10 of these specially marked items you get $5.00 back. Even if you don't have coupons to match them with, you can still walk away with some really great deals this week. I was able to save a total of $63.65 by purchasing items ONLY on sale and using coupons! Here is a list of my super sweet deals:


8 boxes of General Mills cereals
Regular price: $4.79 each
Paid: $.99 each

4 boxes of Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks
Regular price: $3.79 each
Paid: $.99 each

2 boxes of Nature Valley Granola Bars
Regular price: $3.49 each
Paid: $1.64 each

2 boxes of Hefty zip lock freezer bags
Regular: $1.85 each
Paid: $.80 each

Kroger brand marinade
Regular: $1.99
Paid: $.65

Kroger salad dressing
Regular: $1.50
Paid: $.65

Betty Crocker Peanut Butter Cookie Mix
Regular: $2.35
Paid: $.69

Country Crock Spread
Regular: $2.35
Paid: $1.15

Pampers wipes
Regular: $2.79
Paid: $0 ~ FREE

Two 4-packs of Dannon Yogurt
Regular: $2.79 each
Paid: $.88 each

Hillshire Farm Sandwich meat
Regular: $4.29
Paid: $1.89

Walmart - super savings

I found some REALLY great deals during this shopping trip. I had to purchase dog food for our dogs, because I am not willing to let them starve, and it kind of threw me off a little. If you subtract what I spend on the dog food alone, I would have only spent $15.93 for everything you see in the photo above! Some of my super finds were:


2 pkgs of Chinet plates
Regular $2.54
Used 2 $2.00 off coupons
Paid: $.54 each

2 pkgs Carmex Lip Therapy
Regular $1.08
Used 2 $1.00 off coupons
Paid: $.08 each

Welch's Strawberry Jelly
On sale for $2.68
Used $.75 off coupon
Paid: $1.93


2 pkgs of Pull Ups Flushable wipes
Regular $1.64
Used $3.00 off 2 coupon
Paid: $.14 each

Travel size skintimate shave gel
Regular $1.47
Used $1.00 off coupon
Paid $.47

Tyson Chicken Nuggets
On sale for $5.50
Used $1.00 off coupon
Paid: $4.50

4 pkgs of BIC Pens
On sale for $.50 each
Used 2 $1.00 off 2 items coupons
Paid: $0 - got them for FREE

2 Glade 2oz soy candles
Regular $2.97
Used 2 coupons for FREE 2oz Glade soy candle
Paid: $0 - got them for FREE

We love the weekends


We had a great time last weekend! We took the boys over to my parents house to play and eat dinner. The dinner that Yaya and Papa-Al prepared was yummy. It was just an absolutely beautiful afternoon so the boys were able to just play around and we were all able to eat the delicious dinner outside. Here are a few photos of the boys playing in the sand with their Dad.



We all got up on Sunday morning and met up with my parents, my brother, and nephew at our local park. Again, it was just a beautiful day and the boys had a grand time running all over playing with new things. We just couldn't have asked for better days!



Here is our nephew, Tyler, playing with his little cousin Paul.

We have another exciting time planned for this upcoming weekend when we go visit Shane's parents. So, be sure to check back in on us to see what kind of fun and trouble we can find while we're visiting with Nana and Big Daddy! We can't wait! :)

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Saving our garden veggies

Some of the "fruits" of our labor: squash, bell pepper, banana pepper, jalapeno pepper, cow horn pepper, Roma tomato, better boy tomato, purple hull peas, and green beans.






I wanted to try a new technique for putting up corn. All you do is take your fresh corn and wrap it in foil. You then put the foil wrapped corn in zip lock bags to freeze. When you are ready to eat them you just boil the corn with the foil still on.










I chose to "flash freeze" the bell peppers.

New Play Area


The boys have a "new" play area on our back deck and they LOVE IT! In the picture above they are coloring at their picnic table. The rest are just random photos of them playing on the deck. Enjoy!



























Thursday, August 13, 2009

Weekly Savings Update & Giveaway

We decided to take this week and do our monthly "restock shopping". We spent a little more money earlier in the month, so that we could spend significantly less in the weeks to follow. I made several shopping trips so that I could get the best deal on things we needed. I was able to go by Walmart, Kroger, and Walgreens and got some really great deal at all 3 stores.


The photo is of one my trips to Walmart, here are my SUPER deals:

2 bx of Eggo waffles ~ paid $1.00 eachon sale for $1.50 each and used a coupon for $1.00 off purchase of 2 bxs.

Jack Links Chicken Jerky ~ FREE!!!
Found a coupon for FREE product in All You Magazine

Tyson Chicken ~ paid $4.00
Normally $6.50, on sale for $5.50, used $1.50 off coupon

2 Travel size skintimate shave cream ~ Paid $.47 each
used 2 $1.00 coupons

Suave body wash ~ Paid $.25
Found on sale for $1.00 (in clearance) used $.75 off coupon

AXE shampoo ~ FREE (Thanks Shane - he found this deal)
Used coupon from Details magazine


I did end up making a second trip to Walmart this week to get a few more things. Again, I was very pleased with some of the great deals that I came across:


8th Continent SOY Milk x 2 ~ FREE
normally $2.73 each, used 2 free coupons sent to me from the company

Wacky Mac Veggie pasta x 2 ~ paid $.67 each
Used 2 $.75 off coupons

Dentek Floss sticks x 2 ~ FREE
They were on sale for $1.00 each and I used 2 $1.00 off coupons

Travel size RENU contact solution x 2 ~ $.47 each
These sell for $1.47 each and I used 2 $1.00 coupons

Suave Body Wash ~ Paid $.25
Found on sale for $1.00 in clearance and used $.75 off coupon

I also managed to squeeze in a trip to Kroger early this week, these deals are still running at my local Kroger until Tues, August 18. They had some great buy 10 items, pay $10 deals going on this week.


B10/$10:
Purchased 4 chef boyardee cans for $1.00 each ~ paid $2.60 ($.65 each)
used buy 3 get 1 free coupon, also used $.35 off 3 coupon which doubled


Purchased 4 loaves of SaraLee wheat bread for $1.00 each ~ paid $4.00
This would have normally cost $11.56

Purchased 2 packages of dry spagetti pasta ~ Paid $2.00
This would normally costs $2.98

Other Great Kroger Deals:
Wheat flour ~ paid $2.99 (on sale)

Franks's Hot Sauce ~ paid $.50
Regular price $2.24, on sale for$1.25, used $.75 coupon

2 boxes of fish sticks (42ct) ~ paid $3.99 each
Regular price $7.99, on sale for $6.99, used 2 $3.00 off coupons

2 packages of BIC pens (10ct) ~ FREE
Regular price, $1.99, on sale for $.50, used buy2/get $1.00 off coupon

3 packages of Baby Goldfish (A favorite around our house) ~ paid $.99 each
Regular price $2.00, on sale for $.99

2 bx of EGGO waffles ~ paid $2.00
On sale for $1.50 each, used buy2/get $1.00 off coupon

4 bxs of Post Cereal ~ paid $1.38 each
Regular price $4.35 each, on sale for $1.88 each, used 2 buy 2 bx/get $1.00 off coupons


In honor of my great savings week I would like to offer a giveaway to 5 different people.

I will randomly chose 5 different people who will receive one coupon each for $1.00 off any one package of Kellogg's Rice Krispies Ceral (11oz or larger, any flavor).

In order to enter this giveaway you must leave a comment on this post with a super savings story of your own. It doesn't have to relate to groceries, just any way that you have saved.

I will randomly chose a winner by 7pm central time on Sunday, August 16. Only one entry person please. (Family and friends, you are allowed to enter this contest so come join the fun!)

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Good times outside


Our garden

Beautiful Tabasco pepper plant

Playing together

Toy Box


Here is a photo of the "toy corner" of our living room before.



Here is an AFTER photo of the "toy corner" - notice the awesome toy box that Shane refinished. Doesn't it look great? I found this piece a while ago at a local antique/consignment shop for a great deal. Shane has been working on it stripping the old paint off, sanding, and staining this wonderful toy box. I think he did an awesome job. Having this big toy box in our living room definitely cuts down on the clutter.

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Gardening update & super shopping deals

I have been so busy lately, that I've forgotten to grab my camera when I am working with our veggies. I hope to do better with garden photos for upcoming posts. We have been enjoying our summer garden and are already thinking of things we want to do with our fall/winter garden. Recently, I have been cooking squash and tomatoes on a regular basis. We harvested some green beans over the weekend and let me tell you they were yummy! Shane's parents also brought some cucumbers and a huge watermelon last weekend. I don't know exactly what I'm going to do with the cucumbers, but I am looking forward to coming up with something. I also can't wait for the boys to try the watermelon. Don't worry, I will make sure to have my camera ready for that!


Pictured are my finds from a recent Walmart trip. I don't really like shopping here, but they had some pretty sweet deals that were hard to pass up. My super awesome deals at Walmart were:


Angel soft 4 pack TP ~ $.50
with coupon

6 pack Nestle water ~ $.50
with coupon from All You magazine
4 packs of Huggies Flushable baby wipes ~ $.14 each
purchased 4, priced $1.64 each
used 2, $3.00 off 2 coupons from coupon
Electrosol Dishwasher Tabs ~ $1.32 each
used $2.50 off coupon
Kraft dressing ~ $.06 each
purchased 2, priced $1.56 each
used 2, $1.50 coupons
All You Magazine ~ $1.74
used $.50 off coupon


I also made a trip to our local Kroger grocery store this week for milk, produce, and a few other items. Here are some of my really good deals:

Charmin 12 pack TP ~ $4.99
saved $4.60 with in store sale and coupons

Pampers diapers/wipes ~ $30.75
saved $6.00 with in store sale and coupons
Silk Soy milk ~ $ 1.99
saved $1.50 with in store sale and coupons
Tyson fresh chicken ~ $3.08
saved $1.70 with in store sale and coupons
2 Hormel meals ~ $.25 each
saved $5.08 with in store sale and coupons




Monday, August 3, 2009