Publix and Stocking Up on Kid Food!

I have two pickups in the afternoon after work, my dd from preschool and my two ds at their elementary. In between I have about 30-45 minutes to get any errands that I have out of the way. Unfortunately, I had coupons for Publix that were expiring today. So I decided to make a super quick, well executed, trip to Publix in my brief gap of time. Thanks to Homeschooling Four and Frugonomics 101 for their details on the sales and matching coupons I was able to make a good plan quickly. All went smoothly even with my dd with me, who is three. We even got to give away one of the coupons to someone purchasing the same product as us.

When we got to the cashier, however, things started to go south. The annoying teen took my coupons and flipped through them and had to go and ask another teen cashier if he could take coupons on sale items...it was not looking well. I assured him he could, but he was not convinced. He then had to check to see if I purchased the items for the coupons before scanning them. By this time there were three people behind me. On a good note, the bagger next to me was watching the screen as the amount saved increased and exclaimed, "I want to go shopping with you!" So ultimately, all my coupons were taken and even though I had a sour cashier, the bag boy was excited about my savings! It was fun after all. I even made it on time to pick up my two ds. Most of what I purchased was kid food that my picky eaters would actually eat so my dd was very happy.

Here is what I got:

4 Bertolli Pasta Sauce
2.59 each BOGO
- 4 IP Qs $1/1
Final Cost: .30 each

5 Muir Glen Tomato Sauce
.79 each
- 5 IP Q $1/1
Final Cost: (.21) overage each

6 Entenmann's Little Bites
4.29 each BOGO
- 6 IP Qs .55/1
Final Cost: 1.60 each

6 Chef Boyardee
1.33 each BOGO
Final Cost: .67 each

7 Dole Fruit, Gel or Parfait Bowls
2.07 BOGO (each rang up at half price)
- 1 MF Q .75/1
- 2 MF Qs $1/3
Final Price: .64 each

6 V8 Splash Juice
3.25 each BOGO
- MF Qs $1/2
Final Cost: 1.13 each

24 Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie Mix
2.59 BOGO
- 10 MF & 2 IP Qs .50/2
-12 Bonus Qs .50/2
Final Cost: .80 each

24 Lg Kraft Mac & Cheese Dinners
2.19 BOGO
- 9 MF Qs $1/3
Final Cost: .89 each

2 Red Onions
2.02 lb @ .99 lb Sale
Final Cost: 2.00

Purina Puppy Chow
10.99 each
Sale $3/1
Final Cost: 7.99

Sprite
1.39

Also used $5/50 coupon from Piggly Wiggly found in the Entertainment book.

Tax 8.18
Total Cost of Groceries: $226.28
Saved by shopping sales and coupons: $146.68
Final Cost OOP: $79.40

And, I can fill out the rebate form mentioned here, and get $30 in gift cards from JC Penney's.

So ultimately, my final cost is $49.40, savings of 78%. For other great savers at Publix, check out Fiddledeedee.

CVS Spreadsheet

I am new to CVS and ECBs but I am beginning to love shopping there, even though I have made some rookie mistakes this month. I heart CVS has a spreadsheet that you can download to keep track of your spending and saving. It really comes in handy. I entered my receipts into it today for the month of July and it turns out that I purchased products worth $567.09 for an out of pocket amount of $60.38, savings of nearly 90%. Though I need to work on how to earn more ECBs, I think I did pretty well. If you have never used CVS, go HERE to learn. It is worth your time.

Pumpkin Bread...MMmmmmm....

It's going to be 96 degrees here today and feel like a sauna with the humidity. I was watching the weather news this morning and it's going to be like that for the next week. My son asked me when summer was going to be over not ten minutes later. Since he has already started school I said that summer was already over. "Noooo, mom, the season, the season. It's too hot." My sentiments exactly. Unfortunately, August will not be much better. Sometimes it's worse. Uuuhh.

So in my desire for the cool winds of fall to hurry up and arrive, I thought about this great recipe. Pumpkin Bread. Now I was never a really big fan of pumpkins in recipes, but this one is truly a winner. I made this for Thanksgiving last year. My sister brought a friend with her whom I had never met. He normally did not like pumpkin either but loved this and asked me for the recipe before he left. When I made this last year, I used fresh pumpkin that I roasted in the oven with a little cinnamon and sugar, but canned works well also. I have to admit, it was a pumpkin left over (uncut) from Halloween decorations that was still perfectly good, they seem to last forever. It was, however, a pie pumpkin or so the sticker said.

Ingredients:
* 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
* 4 eggs
* 1 cup vegetable oil
* 2/3 cup water
* 3 cups white sugar
* 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

If you slice it like the photo and want something to spread on it, here is what I use - really good:
* 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
* 1/4 cup butter, softened
* 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7x3 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
3. Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

For Spread:
Beat the cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt together with mixer until smooth.

Publix/Kraft Promotion

There is a new promotion at Publix. If you purchase 4 Kraft products and $50 worth of groceries before 8/22 you get a $10 gift card from JC Penney's. Go HERE for all the details! You can earn up to $30 in gift cards. If you are going to purchase these products anyway, you might as well send in for the free gift cards!

CVS Deal Scenario for July 27- August 2

I have only come up with one so far:

Revlon Limited Edition, 9.99 - $2/1 MF Q, final cost 7.99
CVS Hand Soap, 1.69 - CVS $2/1 Skincare, final cost -.31 (overage)
Band-Aids, 2.99 - $1/1 MF Q, final cost 1.99
2 Purex, 5.99 BOGO - 2 MF Qs .50/1, final cost for both 4.99
Minus CVS $4/$20 from email

OOP 10.66
ECBs earned - 9.99 from Revlon and 2.00 from Band-Aids

Harris Teeter Trip 7/26/2008

I have had one of the worst colds in memory for the last week. Even so, I got off my couch and trekked to Harris Teeter for their triple coupon weekend. It only happens a few times a year and it is awesome! Unfortunately, I was not quite myself and probably didn't utilize the sale as well as I would have liked.

Here is what I bought:

• 2 Cheerios Cereal, regularly 2.99 each, currently BOGO, -2 MF Qs .75/1 trippled to $4.50 off causing overage of $1.51
• 6 Scrubbing Bubbles, regularly 3.99, on sale for 1.99, -6 MF Qs .75/1 trippled to $13.50 off causing overage of $1.56
• 2 Chock Full O Nuts Coffee, regularly $4.99 each, on sale for 3.99 each, -2 IP Qs .75/1 trippled to $4.50 off making each $1.74
• 2 CB Ravioli, regularly 1.39, on sale for .88 each
• 2 Containers of Strawberries, regularly 3.99 each, currently BOGO , making them 1.99 each.
• 1 Mrs. Dash, regularly priced $2.99, -1 MF Q .75/1 trippled to $2.25 off making it .74
• 1 Danactive 6 pack - regularly priced $4.89, - 1 MF Q .50/1 trippled to $1.50 off making it $3.39
• 4 Coffeemate Flavored Creamers, regularly 3.39, on sale for 2.89, - 2 MF Qs .55/2 trippled to $3.30 off making each $1.24
• 2 Hormel Black Label Maple Bacon, regularly 5.49 each, on sale for $3.99 each, -2 MF Qs .75/1 trippled to $4.50 off making them $1.74 each
• 2 Wishbone Dressings, regularly $2.29, - 2 MF Qs .60/1 trippled to a total of 3.60 off making them .49 each
• 2 Wishbone Bountiful Dressings, regularly $2.89, -2 IP Qs .75/1 trippled to $4.50 off making each .64
• 1 Pillsbury Cake Mix, regularly $1.89, on sale for $1.09, -1 MF Q .35/1 trippled to 1.05 off making it cost .04

Total Cost $99.09
Minus Coupons Tendered $69.24
OOP + tax = 29.85, saving 70%

Super Easy Soup From Stockpile!

This is awesome on camping trips or when you rent a place out of town for vacation. It is also great on those nights you just don't feel like cooking. My husband LOVES this!


Six Can Chicken Tortilla Soup

Description:
"Delicious and EASY zesty soup recipe that uses only 6 canned ingredients! Serve over tortilla chips, and top with shredded Cheddar cheese. Throw away the cans and no one will know that it is not from scratch!"

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 (10 ounce) can chunk chicken
1 (15 ounce) can black beans (rince)
1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers, drained


Directions:
Open the cans of corn, chicken broth, soup, chunk chicken, black beans, and diced tomatoes with green chilies. Pour everything into a large saucepan or stock pot. Simmer over medium heat until chicken is heated through.

Saved 102% at Kroger!

I have never seen that on a receipt before until today. Thanks to Stretching a Buck for posting all the sales during the 10 Item Mega Event! Using that information I was able to match up all the coupons I had and create a plan. Also, due to my DS starting school (it is a year round school so it starts earlier) my DD and I both came down with the crud and went to the doctor's today. We had the prescriptions called into Kroger. Just on an off chance, I politely asked if they would take a Rite Aid prescription coupon for a gift card of $30 with a new prescription. They said sure. Totally cool. So here is what I bought:

• 7 Bottles of Advil on sale at $2.50, - 7 MF Qs $2/1, -.50 each for the 10 Item event making them free
• 11 Betty Crocker Warm Delights on sale at $2.00, -11 MF Qs .50/1, - 11 Bonus Qs .50/1, -.55 for eCoupon, -.50 each for the 10 Item event making them .45 each
• 2 Betty Crocker Cookie Mix at $1.50 each, -2 IP Qs .50/1, -2 Bonus Qs .50/1, -.50 each for the 10 Item event making them free
• 2 Cattleman's Barbecue Sauce at $1.50 each, -2 IP Qs .75/1, -.50 each for the 10 Item event making them .25 each
• 2 Franks Red Hot Sauce at $1.50 each, -2 IP Qs .50/1, -2 Bonus Qs .50/1, -.50 each for the 10 Item event making them free
• 6 Windex at $2.50 each, -6 MF Qs .75/1, -.50 each for the 10 Item event making them .85 each
• 1 Watermelon on sale at $3.99
• 2 Red Peppers on sale $1 each
• 3 Aidell Cajun Sausages on sale $2.49 each
• 3 Children's Water Goggles on sale $1 each

Other Discounts:
3 $5 off for 30 items on the list of participating sale items as noted above (equating to .50 per item)
$30 Gift Card

Thus, I paid $1.12 including tax.

According to the receipt I saved $113.36, 102%.

It was a good day!

Harris Teeter: Triple coupon days July 24-26, 2008

Just FYI, this is the weekend to go to Harris Teeter! Check this site out for match-ups of coupons and products.

CVS 7/22/08

There are not as great of deals this week as last, unless you are willing to go many times to build up to a good deal to collect ECBs. Since I don't have the time and patience for that, here is what I did. I ended up spending out of pocket $1.54, using 15 ECBs and gaining 8 ECBs. So net it cost me $8.54 but I got some great products (worth $52.54)! Perhaps this will help other CVS shoppers. Click to see my scenario:

CVS Money Article

Here is a great article about how much money the CVS Extracare Program has saved customers (1.5 Billion in the last year):

Click HERE.

Great Buys at Big Lots

My trip to Big Lots was quite successful. This was a ton of can goods to stock the pantry for very little. I would have taken a picture but my husband started putting it away when I got home and that is something I am not going to stop for anything! This was all name brand can goods with expiration dates way into the future (something you should always check at Big Lots).

Great Buys at Big Lots:

Big Lot's 20% Off This Sunday Only

This is a great coupon. They carry a lot of discounted groceries, sometimes a deal, sometimes not. However, for kid's lunches I like the fruit snacks which usually run around a $1 or $1.50 and with 20% off, it's a great steal, I mean deal. Go HERE to print yours.

My Favorite Things - Jason Mraz

I love music. Love, love, love it! I especially love to find new singers and songs that I fall in love with. I'm not a big radio listener (prefer iPod) since after a while I get really depressed listening to all the news. So every once in a while I'll go to Goodwill and pick out half a dozen CDs that I don't have or may not even know but like the cover. I have found that a good way to sample a bunch of music is to buy movie soundtracks, which is how I discovered my newest favorite, Jason Mraz. He sang on the Everwood soundtrack as well as Ugly Betty and 50 First Dates. He looks like the nearly comatose bag boy at Publix (sorry, Jason)- totally unassuming with an air of boredom until he opens his mouth. He is a poet with words and has an exception grasp of vocals. As far as I am concerned he ranks up there with Sting in creating beautiful music and stories at the same time.

So back to the story, I was off work this afternoon because my youngest DS had a "practice day" at Kindergarten which ended at 1 and my other DS did not get out of school until 2:40. So we made a quick trip to CVS and then to Goodwill across the street while we waited for my oldest. As I was checking out, I noticed there was a CD in the rack with the title Jason Mraz Live. Jackpot! And only $2.99!

It turned out that it was not a CD at all! It was a DVD of him in concert which I had never seen. It has now become one of my favorite things. With three young children, we don't get out to concerts much so this is totally cool!

CVS 7/17/08

I really wanted to increase my ECBs and since the Soleil razors are finally in stock again, here is what I did:

6 Sally Hansen Fingernail Polishes, on sale .99 - 2 CVS Qs $3/2
Children's Dimetapp, on sale 75% off at 1.72 - IP Q $1.50/1 (from Wyeth website)
2 General Mills Cereals - BOGO 4.29 - MF Q $1/2
2 Bic Soleil Razors, each 6.99 - 2 MF Qs $4/1
CVS Hand Soap, 1.69 - $2/1 CVS Skin care Q
Kids Johnson Soap - .99 - IP Q $1/1

Also used:
$3/15 CVS
$4/20 CVS
$2 ECB

My subtotal was .12 and with tax it was $1.68
I received $5 ECBs for the razors.
It was a good day - especially since I had all three kids with me this time!

Rite Aid 7/16/08

So I tried Rite Aid today for the first time for my lunchtime trip. Chief Family Officer first mentioned how great the deals are and that they send you rebate checks. All you have to do is go online and enter the information (three numbers) from your receipt. So I am giving it a try. Here is what I did:

Transaction 1:

Refill a prescription, transferring it from another drugstore. I used the coupon in the weekly advertisement that said if you transfer a prescription, they give you a $30 gift card. Prescription was $10 and I would have spent that anyway. And the great thing is, they were fast.

Transaction 2:

10 Vive Pro Shampoo/Conditioners, regularly 4.99 on sale BOGO - 5 MF Qs BOGO, thus free.
4 Lysol Neutra-Air 10 oz, regularly 2.99 on sale BOGO - 2 MF Qs BOGO, thus free.
3 Electrasol Pwrbal, regularly 4.99 on sale 2.99 - 3 MF Q $2.25/1, making them .74 each
2 Coppertone 30 SPF Spray, regularly 9.99, on sale BO get O half off - 2 MF Q $1/1, making them 6.50 each

So my subtotal was $15.20 and with tax it was $20.09 which I used my gift card from transaction #1 to pay with. And on top of that, I submitted my receipt online and should get back $2 for Electrasol and $5 for the Coppertone.

Just a note, someone mentioned online that they were going to purchase ten Sunday papers this last weekend for the great coupons. I had never done that before so I tried it. I bought them at Publix along with a few other things and used their $5 off of 35 deal to help pay for them. I have yet to locate a store in my area that sells them cheaper during the week (I have checked with several stores so far including Walmart and no luck). Anyway, this trip more than made up for that purchase and I still have many more great coupons to work with.

I think I will be going back to Rite Aid. This cashier was very nice and did not have any problems with any of the coupons. I basically purchased $96.81 worth of products by transferring a prescription, shopping the sales, using coupons, and I get money back and still have ten dollars on the gift card. Very cool.

I Love CVS!

Honestly, if everyone shopped their sales and used coupons, they would not be able to stay in business. I stopped by there this afternoon for a quick trip, and I mean quick as I had my 3 and 5 year old with me. I have found if you make your trips fast, there is a much less likelihood of tantrums and hysterics. Plus, if they hang on the side of the cart, the kids have a great time speeding around. So here is my great trip:

Gain Laundry Detergent, regularly 7.49, on sale 4.99
Bayer Heart Aspirin, regularly 6.99, on sale 4.99 - $2/1 MF Q
5 Sally Hansen Nail Polishes, regularly 2.79, on sale .99 - 2 CVS Qs $3/2
2 General Mill Cereals (Honey Nut Cheerios & Cinnamon Toast Crunch) regularly 4.49, on sale 4.29 and BOGO - 2 MF Qs .75/1
1 CVS Hand Soap, 1.69 - CVS Q $2/1 CVS Skin Care

Additional coupons used - CVS $3 off of $15, $4 off of $20, and used $2 prior ECB dollars.

Thus, my subtotal was $1.46 and with tax $2.31. Amazing. Several months ago, I would have been so excited to find just detergent at that price. Oh, and I got back 4 ECBs to use toward a future purchase!

CVS Trip 7-14-08

This was a quick trip at lunch just to get out of the office. There are some great deals this week. I spent around $10 and got back $10 ECBs, so basically it was a recycle of ECBs. According to my receipt, I saved $45.78 which equates to 81%. Very cool. Click on image to see it larger.

Bread Baking Saturday!

In order to keep up with weekday lunches for three kids, on Saturday I set the bread makers (3) into action. See Things I Love for a discussion of bread machines. This week's bread turned out particularly well. Maybe it was the weather (hot and humid) or the recipe. I am not sure if it really saves me a lot of money. For the cost I could probably buy the cheapest bread out there, however, to get the same taste and healthy ingredients I would probably have to spend quite a bit more, not to mention it makes the house smell wonderful! Here is the recipe and a few pictures (some before baking and after).

White Bread

Description:
It is a tender bread with a slightly sweet taste.

Ingredients:
1 cup warm water
1 large egg
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 1/3 cups bread flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

2 tablespoons of butter for brushing on top before baking

Directions:
• In bread machine pan, place all ingredients through yeast in order as recommended by the manufacturer (usually liquid first, dry last).
• Select the dough setting.
• Check dough after 5 minutes of mixing, if needed add 1-2T of water or flour.
• When dough cycle is complete, remove and separate into three sections. Roll each out like snakes and mesh ends together. Braid and press ends together. Place in baking dish and allow to rise for thirty minutes. Brush butter on top. Bake at 340 for 30-45 minutes, until top is golden brown.

Just before going in the oven:




After baking:

CVS Trip 7/13/08

There are some great deals this week at CVS and some amazing deal makers (see blog list on right) with great scenarios for transactions. I stopped at CVS this morning without a real plan but came out with some great purchases. Unfortunately, I did not make any ECBs but I still left with paying very little. CVS has a lot of cold medicine currently 75% off. I was fortunate to have my coupons with me to take advantage of the sales. My middle child is starting kindergarten this year and I still have one in preschool (prime cold and flu ages). I am now restocked and ready for cold and flu season!

Here is what I bought:

2 Sally Hanson Nail Polish - originally 2.49 on sale .99 each
3 Children Dimetapp Cold and Flu Medicine - originally 6.89 on sale 75% off making them 1.72 each
1 Adult Theraflu - originally 6.59 on sale 75% off making it 1.65
2 Children's Triaminc Chewable - originally 6.99 on sale 75% off making them 1.75 each
2 Nature's Bounty Vitamin D -originally 4.79 each, currently BOGO
1 CVS Hand Soap - $1.69

Here is what I used:

CVS Sally Hansen Coupon $3/2 (making them free)
CVS $2/1 CVS Skincare product (making the hand soap free)
3 MF Qs for Dimetapp $1/1
2 IP Qs for Triaminic $2/1 (causing overage)
2 IP Qs for Nature's Bounty Vitamins $2/1 (making them 2 bottles for .79)
1 CVS Q $4/20
1 ECB Q for $1

Subtotal was .79
Total with tax $1.88
Saved today: $56.70
No ECBs but great savings!

Our first crop...

Ten years ago my husband and I were attempting to restore a hundred year old house in East Nashville when it was hit by a tornado. As our house was no longer livable, we moved into a really ugly little ranch a few blocks away while we dealt with insurance (which took two years). Anyway, behind this house was an apple tree and a peach tree that had been there for years. It was a jewel in disguise and so wonderful to have fresh fruit during the summer. We moved away, but I never forgot how nice it was to have those trees. So three years ago, in my desire to save some money and in memory of those summers of great fruit, I planted fruit and nut trees and berry bushes in our back yard. Since I had just had our third child (thus, three still in diapers) I wanted something to plant that I would not have to spend a lot of time on (unlike a garden). This is the first year that any of our trees produced anything. Here are the first two peaches!

Publix Notes

by Frugonomics 101

• Do they stack coupons? YES. You can use a Publix coupon (Baby Club, for example) with a manufacturer's coupon for extra savings.
• Do they accept competitor's coupons? YES. I have used military coupons, Target store coupons & CVS coupons at my Publix, without any problems.
• Always ask for a rain check if they are out of a sale item.
  
• Always use 2 coupons, if possible, when buying BOGO sale items.
• If a sale is 2 for $5, you don't have to buy 2 items to get the sale price, unless otherwise marked.
  
• For the Publix Checkout Promise, read here.

A Super Great (and Cheap) Crockpot Bean Recipe

Boston Baked Beans

Ingredients:
1 pound dry small white beans
1 medium onion, chopped
8 slices bacon (about 5 ounces), chopped
1/4 cup light (mild) molasses
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup ketchup

Add after cooking as salt prevents beans from softening:
1 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon Garlic salt

Hot Sauce (green) to taste

Directions:
1. Rinse beans with cold running water and discard any stones or shriveled beans. In large bowl, place beans and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight. (Or, in 6-quart saucepot, place beans and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Heat to boiling over high heat; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 1 hour.) Drain and rinse beans.

2. In 4 1/2- to 5 1/2-quart slow-cooker pot, stir 3 1/2 cups water with beans and remaining ingredients except salt, until blended.

3. Cover slow-cooker with lid and cook beans on low setting as manufacturer directs, about 14 hours or until beans are tender and sauce is syrupy (7-8 hours on high also works). Stir salt into bean mixture before serving. Add hot sauce to taste.

My Son's PreK Graduation

Just had to share this cute picture. Gunnar "graduated" from PreK this past week. He'll start Kindergarten in two weeks at a year round school. He's very excited!

Great Publix Deals!

Got some great deals yesterday at Publix. I probably would have done even better if my seven year old had not been with me (see the first two items)! The one that I want to highlight, and that is good until 7/25, is the Robitussin Cough Syrup. Fall is just around the corner and with three young children, I want to be prepared for the cold/flu season. Currently they have the Robitussin PE on sale for $4.79. There is a store coupon for $2 off. There is also an Internet coupon for $3 off HERE. Thus, you can get it for free or nearly free. Click on image to see it larger.

CVS Scenarios - Week of 7/7

The biggest issue I have found so far is finding a CVS that is fully stocked. I was successful with the first transaction but was told at CVS that all the local CVS stores were out of stock on the Bic Soliel.

Mincemeat Bread

I recently purchased a number of glass jars of mincemeat for .25 each on sale at Publix. You might ask, what is mincemeat? I had always heard the term but had never really known what exactly it was. So, since it was on such deep discount and the use by date was some distant time in the future, I read the ingredients. It turns out that mincemeat is mostly spiced apples with a little bit of alcohol in it. So being adventurous, I thought why not? Thus I found this great recipe, made it, and tried it out on my coworkers who loved it. Not just polite, "that's nice", but "I want seconds" kind of appreciation from a particularly picky coworker. Cool, something new to add to my recipe collection!

Mincemeat Bread

Ingredients:
¾ cup Sugar
½ cup Margarine; softened
2 Eggs
2½ cup Flour
1½ teaspoon Baking powder
½ teaspoon Baking soda
½ teaspoon Salt
½ cup Milk
½ Jar; (28 oz size) prepared mincemeat (1 1/3 cup)
½ Chopped nuts

Directions:
Heat oven to 350* Grease bottom only of 9x5 loaf pan. Beat sugar and margarine in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until smooth. Beat in flour, b. powder, b. soda and salt alternately with milk until blended; stir in mincemeat and nuts. Spread in pan. Bake 60 to 70 minutes until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf from pan; remove from pan. Cool completely before slicing.

Walmart Deals 7/2/08

Thanks to Money Saving Mom for the heads up on all the great Walmart Deals this week! However, I have found that our Middle Tennessee Walmart rarely has the same prices/sales on the food that she has (usually much higher here). On a good note, the non-food items are generally close and there are some great deals. It is a good idea to print out the Walmart Coupon Policy (see links to right) and take with you for the cashier. Many times they don't know their own policy. It is not long, just one page. While Walmart does not have double coupons, it does let you have overage if your product cost less than the coupon. Click on image to better see the savings.

Printable advice for newbies

Printable advice for newbies
by TheWoman at HotCouponWorld

---

When I first found this site and printable coupons, I started printing coupons like crazy, thinking that if I found a sale it would be nice to have them. Lots of those coupons expired and ended up in the trash.

Now, when a sale pops up and I want to print those coupons, I can't because I already printed them. It is very frustrating.

What I didn't know is that while most printable coupons limit you to two prints, for some sites that is 2 prints ever, some it is 2 prints in a month, and next month if they still have them you can print 2 more.

So--a word of advice for newbies. Do not print printable coupons until you need them unless you know the site is one that allows you to print them again next month. For those, it is often good to print the ones you may need near the end of the month so if there is a sale you have 2 from last month and 2 from this month.

The following sites reset your printing limits every month or so (go ahead, print them with wild abandon) With these sites the coupons can disappear at any time, usually at the end of the month, but not always, so print as soon as you decide you want them.
www.coupons.com
www.boodle.com
Print Free Grocery Coupons!
Welcome to BettyCrocker.com
BoxTops4Education.com - Earn Cash For Your School!
Pillsbury.com
most of the sites that have lots of coupons from different companies

The following sites are often one or two per person FOREVER (don't print until you know you need them)
Colgate Toothpaste | Toothbrush | Dental Care | Home & Personal Care | Pet Nutrition
Jolly Time | Home
Kashi Seven Whole Grain Cereal Snacks Entrees
most of the manufacturer's websites
Jimmy Dean

Walmart Paid Her to Shop!

This person is my hero. When you can get Walmart to pay you to take away their products, you are a super success at shopping! Check her out HERE.

Super Deals at Publix

Prices are good until the end of today. If you are a big chili maker as we are, you should take advantage of these deals.