Harris Teeter Triples Nov 4 - 10

Triple Coupons beginning next week at Harris Teeter! Go HERE for a peak at match-ups!

Shopping this Week: Kroger $196 for $35

2 Kroger trips combined in photo

Kroger:

Trip 1

3 Playtex Gloves, regularly 3.29, on sale 1.50 ($1.00 during Mega Sale)
-(3) $1/1 MF Q
Final Price: Free

Playtex Gloves, regularly 2.39, on sale 1.00 (.50 during Mega Sale)
-$1/1 Catalina from Kroger
Final Price: Free+

3 Ground Beef, on sale 2.89, 3.73, & 3.57

2 Bumble Bee Tuna, regularly 1.65, on sale .99 (.49 Mega)
-(2) $1/1 IP Qs
Final Price: Free+

12 Danimal/Activia/Dannon Yogurts, on sale 1.99 (1.49 Mega)
-(12) $1/1 MF Qs
Final Price: .49 ea

Kotex, 2.50 (2.00 Mega)
-$1/1 IP Q (eShortcut Q did not work)
Final Price: $1

I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray, regularly 2.49, on sale 1.49 (.99 Mega)
-.75/1 IP Q
Final Price: .24

-(2) $5 off Mega Discounts for purchasing 20 products

Total before sales/coupons: 75.42
Sales: 37.01
Coupons: 19.75
OOP: 18.66 (saving 75%)

Trip 2

6 Surf Detergents, regularly 5.79, on sale 3.49 (2.99 Mega)
-(6) $3/1 MF Qs
Final Price: Free

6 Danimal/Activia/Dannon Yogurts, on sale 1.99 (1.49 Mega)
-(6) $1/1 MF Qs
Final Price: .49 ea

6 Milky Way/Snickers Candy, on sale 2.50
-(6) $1/1 Peelies off product
Final Price: 1.50 ea

8 Playtex Gloves, regularly 3.29, on sale 1.50 ($1.00 during Mega Sale)
-(8) $1/1 MF Q
Final Price: Free

3 Betty Crocker Boxed Potatoes, regularly 1.85, on sale 1.49 (.99 Mega)
-.40/1 Cellfire eCoupon
-(2) .40/1 Shortcuts eCoupon
-(3) .40/1 MF Qs, doubled
Final Price: Free+

6 Carnation Evaporated Milk, 1.49, on sale 1.29 (.79 Mega)
-(3) .50/2 MF Qs, doubled
Final Price: .29 ea

Peeps Ghosts, $1.00

-(3) $5 off for Mega Event

Total before sales/coupons: 121.53
Sales: 57.34
Coupons: 48.35
OOP: 15.84 (including 4.61 in tax, saving 87%)


Nashville Farmer's Market:
It's a great time to visit the Farmer's Market!

3 Butternut Squash, $1 ea
2 Acorn Squash, $1 ea
Bunch of Cilantro, .25
2 Red Onions, .29 ea
Spices, 2.99
5 lbs Sweet Potatoes, $4
2 Red Peppers, 2 for $1

OOP: $14.14

Happy Halloween!!!

I hope everyone has a safe and fun Halloween!

Bargain Meal of the Week 10/30/09

It's time for another week of Bargain Meals! Erin over at $5 Dinners (a great read!) is hosting a gathering of bloggers all over the internet, creating frugal meals straight from the sales circulars of their favorite stores. Check it out for even more inspiration. I contribute every week for the current sales at Publix, which run from Wednesday to the following Tuesday. Keep in mind that you do not need to purchase two of a product to get the buy one get one price. Publix marks down their products to half price for the BOGO deals.

Items on sale that can be used in this meal:

Whole Chicken, 99¢ lb

Green Giant Frozen Vegetables, 14-24oz., or Corn on the Cob Nibblers, 12ct., $3.49 BOGO
-$4 off (4) General Mills or Nature Valley products 5oz. or larger in ad store coupon
-.50/2 or $1/2 Green Giant Frozen Vegetables SS 9/13 or printable
-.60/3 Green Giant Frozen Vegetables SS 10/04
-.50/1 Green Giant Frozen Bagged Vegetables printable
-.40/1 Green Giant Bagged Vegetables SS 10/04, 9/13
Final Price: buy 4, use store coupon with .40/1 or .50/1 coupons makes it $1 in overage!

Uncle Ben’s Country Inn Rice, 6oz., $1.49 BOGO
-$1/2 Uncle Ben’s products RP 9/13 or printable
-$1/3 Uncle Bens products RP 9/13
Final Price: .24 - .41


Simple Crockpot Whole Chicken

Ingredients:

1 3-4 pound whole chicken
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Foil

Directions:

Rub outside of chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Crumple foil into 3 tennis ball-sized balls and place the balls of foil in the crock pot.

Place the chicken (breast side down) on top of the foil balls.

Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4-5 hours.

Notes:
You can defat the drippings and make a sauce or freeze the stock for a later use.

Serve with sides of rice and vegetables.

Hot Dole Coupon!

Go HERE to play the Flip the Fruit game at Dole's website to get your coupon at the end (even if you lose). It will not last long. The coupon is worth .50/1. Dole frequently has sales for $1 and if you use this at a store that doubles then you will most likely get free products.

Thanks to Mom's Need to Know for this tip.

Favorite Deals of the Week 10/29/09

Kroger:

Kroger is having their mega sale this week. You purchase 10 items off their list of products and instantly save $5.00 (basically .50 off of the price of each item). You can purchase up to 30 items to get $15 off in one transaction. Here are my favorites - price is after the .50 off. Remember, you must purchase products in 10's to get these prices.

Pepperidge Farm Frozen Bread or Cakes $1.49
-.50/1 Pepperidge Farm Frozen Bread SS 10/04
-.60/1 Pepperidge Farm Frozen Bread SS 10/04
Final Price: .49 - .89

Dannon Danactive, Activia or Danimals $1.49 ea
-$1 off Dannon Activia SS 10/04, 8/30, 8/09, 7/26
-$1 off Danactive SS 10/04, 8/30, 8/09, 7/26
-$1 off Danimals SS 10/4, 8/30, 8/09
Up to $15 back in Dannon coupons with rebate link here
Final Price: .49 ea

Yoplait Kids, Trix or Go-Gurt Yogurts $1.49 ea
-$1/2 Yoplait Kids, Trix or Go-Gurt printable (IE) or printable (FF)
-.80/2 Yoplait Kids, Trix or Go-Gurt printable
-.35/1 Yolaits Kids, Trix, or Go-Gurt SS 10/04, 9/13
-.75/2 Yoplait Kids, Trix or Go-Gurt SS 10/04, 9/13
Final Price: .79 - 1.09

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, tubs, spray or sticks 99¢ ea
-$1.25/2 I Can’t Believe Product RP 9/13
-$1/2 I Can’t Believe Product RP 9/13
-$1 off I Can’t Believe Sticks Parade Mag 8/09
-.75/1 I Can’t Believe Spray printable (IE) or printable (FF)
-.75/1 I Can’t Believe Sticks printable (IE) or printable (FF)
Final Price: 24 - .49¢

Land O Lakes Spreads or Sticks 99¢ ea
-.35/1 Land O Lakes Spread SS 10/18
-.50/1 Land O Lakes Spread SS 10/18
Final Price: Free - .29 ea

Smart Balance Spreads or Butter Blends $1.49 ea
-$1 off Smart Balance Butter Blend SS 10/18 or printable
-$1/2 Smart Balance Spreads SS 10/10 or printable
Final Price: .49 - .99

Del Monte Tomatoes 14.5 oz 49¢ ea
-$1/5 Del Monte canned Fruits or Vegetables RP 9/20
Final Price: 29¢ ea

Bumble Bee Tuna Pouches .39 ea
-$1 off Bumble Bee Tuna printable
Final Price: Free

Carnation Evaporated Milk 12oz 49¢ ea
-.50/2 Carnation Evaporated Milks SS 9/27 or printable
Final Price: Free

Keebler Fudge Shoppe Cookies 99¢ ea
-$1.50/2 Keebler Cookies printable
-$1/2 Keebler Cookies Kroger Home Mailer or printable
Final Price: .24 - .49

Surf Laundry Detergent 40 load Powder $2.99 ea
-$3 off Surf Detergent RP 10/11, or Parade Mag. 9/13
-$1 off Surf Detergent RP 10/11
Final Price: Free - 1.99

Snuggle Liquid Fabric Softener 32-40 load $2.99 ea
-$3 off Snuggle 32 load + RP 10/04
-$1 off Snuggle printable
Final Price: Free - 1.99

Scotch Nail Saver Sponge 50¢ ea
-.75/2 Scotch sponges, RP 9/20
-$1/2 Scotch Sponges, RP 9/20
Final Price: Free - .13 ea

Playtex Gloves 50¢ ea
-$1 off Playtex Gloves SS 10/04, 6/28, 5/03
Final Price: Free

Betty Crocker Boxed Potatoes, 1.35
-.50/1 Betty Crocker Potatoes Cellfire eCoupon
-.40/1 Betty Crocker Potatoes SS 9/13 printable
Final Price: Use Cellfire with Printable for .05

Kotex Pads 14-24ct., Liners 33-64ct., or Tampons 18ct., $2 ea
-$1 off Kotex printable (IE) or printable (FF)
-$1 off Kotex Cellfire eCoupon
-$2/2 Kotex Pads SS 10/04
-$1.50/2 Kotex Liners or Tampons SS 10/04
Final Price: Use printable with Cellfire for Free - 1.25

Halls or Ricola Cough Drops 19-30 ct, .50 ea
B1G1 Ricola Drops SS 10/11 (will take off $1)
-.50/1 Halls Refresh, October All You, or in store tearpad
-.75/1 Halls Refresh, SS 9/27
-.35/1 Halls 20 ct+, SS 9/27
B1G1 Halls Cough Drops Rite Aid Weekly Ad 10/25 (manuf. coupon)
Final Price: buy 2, use B1G1 & .35/1 makes both Free

Pedigree Canned Dog Food, 50¢ ea
B1G1 Pedigree Canned Dog Food RP 9/27, 9/08 (will take off $1)
Final Price: Free - .25

Whiskas Temptations Cat Treats 99¢ ea
-.50/1 Temptations Treats RP 10/25
-$1/2 Temptations Treats RP 10/25
Final Price: Free - .49

OTHER DEALS:

Starkist Tuna Pouch $1 ea
-.50/1 off Starkist Pouch printable
Final Price: Free

Hershey’s Mars or Nestlé Snack Size Candies 10-14 oz $2.50 ea
Buy $25 in Hershey’s Candy get $5 off instantly
-.55/1 Reese’s candy SS 8/23
-B3G1 Hershey’s, Reese’s, or Kit Kat Snack Size Bags SS 10/18
-.50/1 Peelie on some packages
Final Price: 1.50 - 1.95

Current Catalina Deal:

Valid 10/9 – 11/1 | General Mills Fruit Snacks
Buy 3 and get a $1.50 Catalina;
Buy 4 and get a $2.50 Catalina;
Buy 5 or More and get a $3.50 Catalina.

Aldi:

Red Grapes, .99 per lb

Broccoli Crowns, 16 oz, .99

Vine Ripe Tomatoes, 24 oz, .99

Eggs, .49

1.5 Quart Slow Cooker, 3 temp settings, 8.99

3-Tier Cooling Rack (like for bake goods), 5.99

Harris Teeter:

CapriSun, 10 pack, 99¢ (eVic Item)

Blue Bunny Frozen Yogurt Novelty, usually $3.99
-$3 off instant e-Vic savings (if you get the email newsletter)
-$2 off Blue Bunny Frozen Yogurt Novelty SS 8/02
Final Price: Free

Purina Dog Chow or Puppy Chow, 17.6-22 lb, $14.99 BOGO
-$2 off Purina One Dog Food SS 10/11 or printable
Final Price: 5.49

Red Baron Pizza, $2.99 ea
-$1 off Red Baron Fire Baked Singles, SS 10/11
-$1 off Red Baron Singles, SS 10/18
Final Price: $1.99 ea

Mueller’s Spaghetti, $1 ea
-.55/2 Mueller’s Products SS 10/4
-.55/1 Mueller’s Whole Wheat pasta printable (if included)
Final Price: Free - .45

Tabasco Sauce, $1 ea
-.50/1 Tabasco Sauce printable
-$1 off Tabasco Sauce SS 9/27
Final Price: Free

Kashi Go Lean Cereal, $3 ea
-$1 off Kashi cereal coupon on select boxes
-$1.50 off Kashi Go Lean Crunch printable (IE) or printable (FF)
-$3 off Kashi Go Lean Crunch Vocal Point home mailer
Final Price: Free- 2.00

Alpo Canned Dog Food, 60¢ ea
B1G1 Alpo Canned Dog Food, People, Oct. 2009
Final Price: 30¢ ea

Publix:

Uncle Ben’s Country Inn Rice, 6oz., $1.49 BOGO
-$1/2 Uncle Ben’s products RP 9/13 or printable
-$1/3 Uncle Bens products RP 9/13
Final Price: .24 - .41

Mueller’s Pasta, or 100% Whole Wheat Pasta, 13.25oz., $1.39 BOGO
-.55/2 Mueller’s Pasta SS 10/04
-.55/1 Mueller’s Whole Wheat Pasta printable
Final Price: .14 - .42

Shedd’s Spread Country Crock, $1.99 BOGO
-.50/1 Shedd’s Spread printable (IE) or printable (FF)
-.40/1 Shedd’s Spread RP 9/20
-.30/1 Shedd’s Spread RP 9/20
-.55/1 Shedd’s Spread printable (IE) or printable (FF)
Final Price: Free - .44

Kozy Shack Pudding, 22oz., or 4-6pk, $2.99 BOGO
-$1/2 Kozy Shack Products SS 10/04, 8/23
-.35/1 Kozy Shack Product SS 10/04, 8/23
-.55/1 Kozy Shack Product August All You Mag or SS 8/16
Final Price: .79 - 1.25

Green Giant Frozen Vegetables, 14-24oz., or Corn on the Cob Nibblers, 12ct., $3.49 BOGO
-$4 off (4) General Mills or Nature Valley products 5oz. or larger in ad store coupon
-.50/2 or $1/2 Green Giant Frozen Vegetables SS 9/13 or printable
-.60/3 Green Giant Frozen Vegetables SS 10/04
-.50/1 Green Giant Frozen Bagged Vegetables printable
-.40/1 Green Giant Bagged Vegetables SS 10/04, 9/13
Final Price: buy 4, use store coupon with .40/1 or .50/1 coupons makes it $1 in overage!

Glass Plus & Multi-Surface Cleaner, 32oz., $2.49 BOGO
-$1 off Glass Plus SS 8/23 or printable
-.50/1 Glass Plus SS 8/23
-.75 saved for college wyb Glass Plus Upromise eCoupon
Final Price: .24 (makes it Free after college savings!)

Sweet Corn: White, Yellow or Bi-Color 25¢ ea

Whole Chicken, 99¢ lb

International Delight Coffee Creamer, 16oz., $1.50 ea
-.55/1 International Delight printable
-.75/1 International Delight printable (goes straight to printing, SmartSource)
Final Price: .75 - .95

Clorox Liquid Bleach, 82-96oz., $1.66 ea
-$1/2 Clorox Bleach RP 10/04
-.50/2 Clorox Bleach RP 10/04
-.50/1 Clorox “One Stop. One Store” booklet (exp 10/31)
Final Price: .66 - 1.16

All Detergent 32oz $2.99 ea
-$1 off All Detergent printable
-$2 off All Detergent 32oz RP 10/04 (only in select areas)
-$1 off All Detergent RP 8/02
-$1 off All Detergent “One Stop. One Store.” booklet
Final Price: .99 - 1.99

Muir Glen Sauce 8oz. or Paste 6oz. reg $1
-$1 off any Muir Glen product printable or here
-$4 off (4) General Mills or Nature Valley products 5oz. or larger
Final Price: buy 4 makes it $4 in overage!

Betty Crocker Frosting $1.50 ea
-.50/1 Betty Crocker Frosting printable
-$4 off (4) General Mills or Nature Valley products 5oz. or larger
Final Price: buy 4 makes it $2 in overage!

Pillsbury Biscuits and Rolls $1.49-$1.69 (small size)
-$1/2 Pillsbury Grands! printable or printable
-.35/1 Pillsbury Grands! SS 7/12
-.30/2 or .40/2 Grands! Biscuits SS 8/09
-$1/2 Pilsbury Sweet Rolls printable
-.50/2 Pillsbury Sweet Rolls SS 9/13
-$1 off Pillsbury Sweet Rolls printable (IE) or printable (FF)
-$4 off (4) General Mills or Nature Valley products 5oz. or larger
(buy 4, makes all free with possible overage!)

Green Giant Canned Vegetables 75¢ -85¢ ea
-$4 off (4) General Mills or Nature Valley products 5oz. or larger
Final Price: Free

Old El Paso Refried Beans $1.30 ea
-$4 off (4) General Mills or Nature Valley products 5oz. or larger
-.60/2 Old El Paso products printable
Final Price: buy 4, use both coupons for Free

HG Hills:

Go Here for the sale/coupon match-up. If you need flour for the upcoming holidays, now is a good time to purchase it! There is rarely a coupon for it and this is a good price.

Great Free Music Download!

Amazon is offering for free a Fall Sampler from Brushfire Records. One of the songs is by Jack Johnson if that gives you an idea of the style of music. He is one of my favorite artists. Go HERE to download your music. So far it has a five star review.

Works for Me Wednesday: Working Mom Laundry Tips

There is always a pile of either laundry to be done or laundry to be put away in our house. It never ends. As a working mom, I do not have the luxury of deciding when to do the laundry. Basically it is whenever I am in the house. Here are a few things that I do or have learned to improve this process:

The first thing I do in the morning (5:45ish) is turn the dryer on so that it will dewrinkle the clothes in it. As soon as the boys are on the bus at 6:45 I fold those clothes and put the wet clothes from the washer that I started the night before, start the dryer, and then load up the washer. I set my timer on the washer to finish washing about a half hour before I get home. That way, I do not get moldy clothes because they sat wet too long. If you do not have a timer on your washing machine, you may want to make that a priority on your next purchase.

I wash small things like whites on the weekends and big things like towels and comforters during the week. It takes a lot more time to fold the small things than the big things. This may seem like a simple concept but it took me a while to come to this process!

When I get home, as soon as I go upstairs, I turn on the dryer to dewrinkle the clothes. After I put the kids to bed, I fold the next load, put the wet things in the dryer, start it, and reload the washer. I set the timer again to finish a half hour before we get up.

To prevent a moldy smelling washer, when not in use, leave the lid open. Also, occasionally throw in some bleach and start a hot wash cycle empty. If you don't have time to move wet clothes to the dryer, atleast open the washer lid containing the wet clothes until you do.

We have a high efficiency front loader washer. In my experience, the HE detergent caused mold to build up in our washer and did not do a good job cleaning clothes. So I switched to regular detergent and then no longer had a problem. Our washer has been running just fine for years on regular detergent.

For more Works for Me Wednesday, check out We are THAT Family!

HG Hill Deals of the Week 10/27/09

Here are the best deals at HG Hill this week. For the complete circular, go HERE. Be sure to look out for a possible $5/$50 coupon that is usually printed in the Franklin Review Appeal on Wednesdays. It generally comes with the Tennessean when you live in the Franklin area.

It's a slow week at HG Hill:

Sunday Paper, .99

Sirloin End Cut Pork Chops, .99 per lb

Fresh Ground Beef, Family Pack, 1.49 per lb

Bone-in Split Chicken Breasts, .99 per lb

Boneless Bottom Round Roast, 2.29 per lb

Green Cabbage, .39 per lb

Florida Oranges, Seedless, 4 lb bag, 2.99

Hass Avocados, .79 ea

Washington Red Apples, .89 per lb

Idaho Potatoes, 5 lbs, 1.69

Blue Bonnet Margarine, .69

Angel Soft Bath Tissue, 12 or 24 rolls, 4.99
-.50/1 Angel Soft Toilet Paper, Any 6-Double Rolls +, 09-13-09 RP
Final Price: 3.99

Sparkle Paper Towels, 8 rolls, 4.99
-.50/1 Angel Soft Toilet Paper, Any 6-Double Rolls +, 09-13-09 RP
Final Price: 3.99

Crisco Cooking Oil, 48 oz, 2.50
-.35/1 Crisco Product, Any, from booklet
-.55/1 Crisco Product, Any, from homemailer
Final Price: 1.80 - 1.95

Kraft Singles, 1.50
-.75/2 Kraft Singles, any - Kraft Foods Food & Family, September 2009 (Fall 2009)
-$1/2 Kraft Singles, 10.7 oz + - My Magazine by Kroger, August 2009
Final Price: 1.00 - 1.13

Pepsi Products, 12 pk, 4 for $10
-.25/1 IP Q (no longer available)
Final Price: $2.00 ea

Hunt's Ketchup, .99

Luck's Beans, .59

Best Choice Flour, 5 lbs, 1.50

Powerade, .89

Hunt's Snack Pack Pudding or Gels, .99
-$1/4 Hunt's Snack Pack Pudding, Any 4-Packs - All You, October 2009
-B3G1 Hunt's Snack Pack Pudding, Any 4-Packs - All You, August 28, 2009- Valid Up To $1.00
Final Price: .74 ea

Hershey's Candy, 10.5 - 22 oz, 2 for $5
-B3G1 Hershey's, Reese's, or Kit Kat Snack Size Bags, any 9 - 22 oz. - 10-18-09 SS - valid up to $3.00
-$1/1 Hershey's Kisses Brand Chocolates, Any 10 Oz. + - 09-13-09 SS
Final Price: Buy 4 use (3) $1/1 and (1) B3G1 Qs, $1.13 ea

Our Trip to Disney!

Last week was the third week of my kids' fall break. They attend a public year-round school so the breaks during the year are longer. Usually a week of extra-curricular (aka fun) learning activities is offered by the school for an additional fee, which I think is great for learning. Anyway, off to Disney we went for the last week! I had not been since I was eight and my husband since he was fourteen. So basically everything was new to us. We began our trip from just outside of Nashville, TN.

As usual, getting out of the house with three kids was a nightmare. It doesn't matter how much I plan, it is like pulling teeth to leave at a decent hour. We left at 3:30 pm. Since, through experience I know this, I now plan to stop 3-4 hours out of town for the night. It is kind of like the introduction to vacation and a chance to catch our breath. We stopped in Atlanta, GA. Using points that we had accumulated, we got a lovely hotel room at the Weston Peachtree Plaza. This made my children unbelievably happy because I had emailed them earlier in the week asking for a really high floor since the kids loved the view. We were on the 43rd floor. The only thing we paid for was parking ($26 per night). Just a tip - if you are hungry, do not order room service. It takes too long and the food is usually awful and expensive. We ordered take out Chinese which was delivered to the hotel within fifteen minutes for far less cost.


I had seen bloggers previous in the week talk about the free breakfast promotion at IKEA. I had never been to IKEA and had always wanted to see the store (amazing). So the next morning we packed up the kids and made our way to the store. Breakfast was nearly free and really good. For five of us, we paid $6. It is also the PERFECT environment to eat at with small kids. I am pretty sure we will go there again for breakfast should we pass through Atlanta even if there is not a promotion. The store itself is worth the trip. However, be warned, it is easy to get lost in the store.

We continued south to Macon, GA where we stopped to visit the Macon Museum of Arts and Science. Let me first explain that I love to take my kids to museums. My doctorate is in the education field. One of the many studies I read was about the fact that one of the determinates of a child's success is how much has that child been exposed to (as in museums, travel, experiences, etc.). Usually that corresponds to socio-economic status. However, I believe that regardless of how much money you make, you can take advantage of the many free opportunities to give your children those experiences (see also How to Bridge the Cultural Experience Gap). In order to get the most bang for my limited bucks, a few weeks before we traveled, I purchased a family membership to Nashville's Adventure Science Museum ($90) which has reciprocal agreements with over 300 museums worldwide and Nashville's Cheekwood Botanical Gardens and Art Museum ($75) which has reciprocal agreements with both art museums and botanical gardens worldwide. In the past, I usually wait for the free day to take my kids. Between these two memberships, we could go to just a zillion different places for free and still get to visit our local museum all year. The Macon museum has a reciprocal agreement with the Adventure Science Museum. While it was not as great as our museum here in Nashville, it was a wonderful stopping point and a great way to stretch your legs while traveling. The best part was the bear!


I would have loved to go to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens (reciprocal with Cheekwood) or the Fernbank Science Center (reciprocal with ASM), but we ran out of time. Next time...

We finally made it to Orlando and stayed at the Sheraton Vistana Villages Resort. We are vacation owners (aka "timeshare"). I know this is probably not a fantastic deal, but it really works for us. Until we decided to do this, we rarely if ever took a vacation. It was just too hard with three children (not enough room), and it was never a priority so we did not save for it. This way we pay a set amount each month which is not too much because we purchased at a cheap location and then we can vacation at any location they have all over the US. It's a little more complicated, but that is the gist of it. The thing I like about it is that you get a large luxery condo in a gated community. It is much safer for small children. There is a full kitchen with all necessary cookware (great for entertaining local family - love ya Sam,Tom & Cassie - when they stopped by) and this time we had two washers and dryers in our condo. Sweet. There is also a gorgeous pool and activities for kids if you want to participate. One night we cooked smores by the pool while watching The Hulk on big screen.


On a bad note, when we went shopping at the local Walmart to stock our kitchen with perishables, I remembered two things too late: I hate Walmart, and I should not shop with the entire family. Walmart would not accept more than one Internet Coupon per like item (?!?!). When the cashier went to confirm this with the manager, she started screaming at him loudly and refused to take ten steps over to me to explain this supposedly new rule. If we ever return, I will not shop at the Walmart in Orlando. Also, bringing the whole family totally blows a budget.

During the week, we visited the Orlando Museum of Art (reciprocal with Cheekwood) where we saw more than 180 works (mostly Aztec statues) made prior to the arrival of Christopher Columbus and the Europeans during the late 15th and early 16th centuries, as well as some really great American Classic and Modern Art (weird statues the boys really liked). Just FYI, my kids complain when I tell them we are going to an art museum, but once there, they are fascinated and I have to drag them away. The museum shop also sells marbles really cheaply which made my kids very happy.

We also visited the Orlando Science Center (reciprocal with ASC) which was a TOTAL hit. We were there for about 4-5 hours and only made it through two of the four floors. It is great because there are a lot of hands-on activities. We got to pet live alligators and see so many snakes I lost count. The second floor had an invention type room with all kinds of electrical gadgets including a tornado wind machine which you stood in and it produced 80 mph winds. There were also several airplane cockpits that you could climb into and practice flying while watching a big screen (crashing was the best). There was also a car cockpit that you sat in and drove a race track on a big screen. I had to tear the boys (including my husband) out of the room to leave just as the museum was closing.



Next we took a day and drove to the coast for the beach and to visit the Dali Museum. This was unplanned, but since my husband had visited this museum when he was a kid, he thought it would be great to show the kids. We also needed something to do on this day because we were switching hotels to The Swan in preparation for spending our last vacation day at Disney and check-in wasn't until 3 pm. This is a great hotel as you can use points to pay for the room and it is on the Disney property. The Dali Museum was very interesting. They have a scavenger hunt for the kids to find as many melting clocks as they can with a reward in the gift shop at the end (super long pencil). It certainly kept our kids occupied! If you have AAA, you can order the tickets cheaper than at the door, but they will not give you an AAA discount at the door. Still the price for the five of us was not bad - just over $40.





Finally, Disney was awesome! However, I am glad that we chose to only go for one day. We went to the Magic Kingdom. Fortunately, our 4-yr-old (almost 5) daughter was over 40 inches and could ride some great rides. One day was totally enough for us having to escort three kids ages 4, 6, and 8 (exhausting). The cost for one day with five people was almost $400. Wow. I ordered the tickets from Disney and they arrived in the mail before we left. I checked eBay for cheaper tickets as suggested by someone online but could not find any. Someday, perhaps we'll save up and go for several days to multiple parks but this was plenty now.


There are some things that made our day easier. Be sure and hit your local dollar store for Disney toys, ponchos and glow sticks before you go. We had extra glow sticks (packs of 5 are $1) which we passed out to other kids in line while waiting for a ride. That was almost as much fun as the ride. Be sure and carry a backpack (no purse). That way, you and your husband can take turns carrying it (or if you are lucky, hand it to your husband and he carries it all day!). Bring water bottles and sun screen if it is sunny. Food is expensive in the park so bring little snacks for in between meals. Take advantage of the fast pass option. Your tickets will look like credit cards. At some of the rides there are these little machines that you put your ticket card into and it produces a paper ticket and gives you your ticket card back. This new ticket will have a time span on it (like 3-4). Come back between that time span and you can go in a different line that zips you up to the front of the line. So if you do this on a popular ride like Splash Mountain, you can then go to another less demanding ride or to lunch and then return for your ride. It makes it so much easier.

Things I wish I had known - Mickey Mouse Ear Hats cost $12 each. So not worth it but necessary when you have small kids. I'm sure I could have purchased them elsewhere for next to nothing. Oh well, they sure are cute. Also, if you stay until the park closes, be at the exit of the park by the time the fireworks start. It is a mad crush to exit if you wait. You will end up standing in your shuttle back to your hotel with kids falling asleep on the floor. Not so good.


Things I would have liked to do but did not get a chance - Leu Gardens (reciprocal with Cheekwood) and the Orange County Regional History Center (reciprocal with Cheekwood). Next year the OCRH will have film and television costumes on display (including Star Wars). There was also the world's largest McDonalds with an enormous playground which I want to take the kids to next time. As we were leaving I found a brochure at the hotel which had a kids eat free coupon in it for this McDonalds. "Free" and excited, happy kids go well together!

We drove home without stopping because when vacation is over, all you want to do is sleep in your own bed! It takes just under 11 hours to drive from Orlando to Nashville.

So if you are going to Orlando, check your local museums for reciprocal agreements. Even our zoo had reciprocal agreements with a nearby zoo. Museums can be a lot of fun and far less packed with people. They are great (air-conditioned too) for when you get tired of the pool! By the way, my oldest son keeps asking me to buy him a book that would teach him how to draw like Dali. Do you suppose there is such a one?

JC Penney's $10 off of $10 Coupon Code

I just love it when JC Penney does this! I have always found something on sale to go with this coupon code which made it an incredible deal. Use code SWEETS4U. If you have it shipped to your store where you can pick it up, you can save on shipping. This is a great time to think about Christmas! If you shop through ebates, you will get 3% of your purchase back.

Menu Plan Monday 10/26/09

Monday: White Bean Turkey Chili, Cucumber Salad & Pumpkin Bread
Tuesday: Moroccan Beef Patties, Mushrooms, & Roasted Rosemary Butternut Squash
Wednesday: Mexican Chicken Breasts & Baked Cauliflower (recipes below)
Thursday: Black Eyed Pea Casserole & Baked Apples
Friday: Spinach Turkey Meatloaf (recipe below) & Corny Bean Salad
Saturday: Mustard-Dill Chicken in Foil Packs (recipe below) & Sweet Potato Fries
Sunday: Pasta with Pumpkin and Sausage

Mexican Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:

1 Taco seasoning pkg
4 (4 oz) chicken breasts
1 cup salsa
1/4 cup non-fat sour cream

Directions:

Put chicken and taco seasoning in plastic bag, shake and coat well. Place in sprayed (nonstick cooking spray) casserole dish. Bake 30 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Top with salsa about 5 minutes before done, then top with sour cream.

Baked Cauliflower

Ingredients:

1 Head of Cauliflower
Vegetable Broth
4 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cut up Cauliflower and steam (can be done in microwave). Mash with vegetable broth until desired consistency. Top with Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 350 degree oven for about 20 mins. Until cheese is melted and slightly browned.

Mustard-Dill Chicken in Foil Packs

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 Tbsp dried dill weed
1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, four 4 oz pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine mustard, yogurt, garlic salt and dill in a small bowl; thoroughly coat chicken with mustard sauce.

Tear off 4 sheets of aluminum foil that are large enough to wrap each chicken breast individually. Place a prepared chicken breast on each piece of foil; gather foil loosely around chicken and fold over to seal. Place foil packs on a nonstick baking sheet; bake for 20 minutes.

Using oven mitts and keeping your face away from steam, open foil. Broil chicken on foil until lightly browned and cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes more.

Spinach Turkey Meatloaf

Original recipe from 1941 Better Homes & Gardens cookbook.

TURKEY LOAF:
1 bunch fresh spinach
2/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1-1/2 pounds ground turkey
2 eggs (or 4 egg whites)
1/4 cup grated onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon sage

PIQUANT SAUCE:
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon dry mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash, rinse and dry spinach; chop fine. Mix with ground turkey, bread crumbs, beaten eggs, onion, salt, pepper and sage. Form into loaf and place in greased 5x8-inch loaf pan. Combine remaining Piquant Sauce ingredients and spread over top of loaf. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hr.

Playskool & Hasbro Printable Toy Coupons!

$10.00 off (1) PLAYSKOOL® Dance Cam™ Toy
$10.00 off (1) PLAYSKOOL® DinoRoars™ Stompers
$10.00 off (1) PLAYSKOOL® Musical Sit ’N Spin toy
$2.00 off (1) MR. POTATO HEAD® or MRS. POTATO HEAD
$3.00 off (1) PLAYSKOOL® LULLABY GLOWORM™ toy
$5.00 off (1) Mr. Potato Head® Silly Suitcase™ toy
$5.00 off (1) Mr. Potato Head® Spud Buds™ toy
$5.00 off (1) Playskool® Activity Ball toy
$5.00 off (1) PLAYSKOOL® Busy Ball Popper™ toy
$5.00 off (1) PLAYSKOOL® DinoRoars™ Hatchlings toy
$5.00 off (1) PLAYSKOOL® SWING ‘N SCORE BASEBALL™
$5.00 off (1) PLAYSKOOL® Tumble ’N Twirl Top™ toy
$5.00 off (1) Step Start Walk’n Ride™ toy
$5/1 on the purchase of any My Little Pony item

This Week's Shopping

Harris Teeter:

3 Packages Harris Teeter Boneless Chicken Breasts (total 12.4 lbs), on sale 1.77 per lb
Final Price: 7.32 per package (about 4 lbs ea)

3 Blue Sparkle Snuggle Fabric Sheets (80 ct), regularly 4.49, on sale 2.99
-3 $3/1 MF Qs
Final Price: Free

2 Free & Clear Snuggle Fabric Sheets (80 ct), regularly 4.49, on sale 2.99
-3 $3/1 MF Qs
Final Price: Free

2 Snicker Fun Size Packs, regularly 3.65, on sale $2 (.99 for one as eVic item)
-$1/2 MF Q
Final Price: .99 ea

Total Before sales/coupons: 67.48
Sales: 24.22
Coupons: 16.00
OOP: 27.26 (saving 60%)

Walgreens:

Zantac, on sale 8.99
-$5/1 IP Q
Final Price: 3.99

OOP: 4.36 Returned: $9 in Register Rewards (4.64 profit)

Aldi:

Fresh Whole Pineapple, .99

Red Delicious Apples, 2 lbs bag, 1.19

2 Mushrooms, 8 oz, 1.49

2 Cucumbers, .49 ea

Pumpkins, 2.49

2 Paper Towels, .65 ea

Juice Pouches, 10 ct, 1.89

2 Pesto Seasoning Mix, .59 ea

Hamburger Buns, .85

3 plastic bags, .10 ea

OOP: $16.88

Publix:

14 Chef Boyardee Cans, 1.25 BOGO
Final Price: .63 ea

Florida Oranges, 4 lb bag, 2.50

11 All Laundry Detergents, on sale 2.99
-(11) $1/1 MF Qs
Final Price: 1.99 ea

Kleenix Bath Tissue, 6 pk, 4.99
-3.50/1 MF Q Catalina from Harris Teeter
Final Price: 1.49

Total before sales/coupons: 87.37
Sales: 33.87
Coupons: 14.50
OOP: 39.00 (saving 55%)

Kroger:

50 lb bag Old Yeller Dry Dog food, 12.99

OOP: 14.19

For the Locals: Free Weekend Happenings

Tennessee State Museum's "Haunted Museum"

This is a lot of fun. My kids enjoyed this immensely in the past. They even have a real mummy to examine. Make sure they wear their costumes.

The State Museum’s annual ghost story festival, Haunted Museum, is back for its ninth year and promises to be more entertaining than ever! The family oriented event takes place from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 24.

Haunted Museum, which is free to the public, will feature a “ghost trail” through the museum with prizes, crafts, and refreshments. At stops along the ghost trail there will be chilling ghost stories from Tennessee’s past, including those of the Bell Witch and the Cherokee spirit, Spearfinger. The trail concludes at the tall tales stage where professional storytellers will relate stories about Tennessee.

Children who complete each ghost trail stop will receive prizes. Those attending the Haunted Museum event are invited to wear costumes and enjoy complimentary refreshments.

Located at Fifth and Deaderick Streets in downtown Nashville, the museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday and is free to the public. On Saturdays, parking is free at state employee parking lots to the west of the State Capitol.

Flea Market

Thanks to Tara's Favorites for this reminder. The State Fairgrounds will have their monthly flea market this weekend and it is expected to be one of the biggest all year. Check out her site for times and a link for more information. It is free.

Bargain Meal of the Weak 10/23/09 - Cheesy Bacon Potatoes

It's time for another week of Bargain Meals! Erin over at $5 Dinners (a great read!) is hosting a gathering of bloggers all over the internet, creating frugal meals straight from the sales circulars of their favorite stores. Check it out for even more inspiration. I contribute every week for the current sales at Publix, which run from Wednesday to the following Tuesday. Keep in mind that you do not need to purchase two of a product to get the buy one get one price. Publix marks down their products to half price for the BOGO deals.

Items on sale that can be used in this meal:

Simply Potatoes, 20 oz. bag, $2.49 BOGO ($1.24)

Sunnyland Bacon, 12 oz, $2 ea (you will use 3 slices)

Kraft Cheese, Chunk or Shredded, 14-16 oz., $3.99
-$1/2 Kraft Cheese printable
Final Price: 3.49 ea (you will use .87 worth)

Sweet Corn, White, Yellow or Bi-color, 25¢ ea

Cheesy Bacon Potatoes
from Simplypotatoes.com

Ingredients:

• 3 slices bacon
• 1 package Simply Potatoes® Diced Potatoes with Onion
• 1 can (10.75 ounces) cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup (4 ounces) Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream

Instructions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 quart casserole with nonstick cooking spray*. In small skillet cook bacon until crisp; drain grease. Chop bacon.

2. In large bowl stir bacon and all remaining ingredients until well blended. Spread mixture into prepared dish. Cover; bake 60 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

* An 11x7-inch rectangular or 8-inch square baking dish can be used.

Serve with Oven-Roasted Corn on the Cob. Basically, preheat oven to 350F, put corn (in husk) directly on the rack, and roast for 30 minutes or until tender. The husk traps the steam so the corn cooks in its own moisture.

Link Love: Donate to Your Local Food Bank

One of the best things about couponing and stock piling is that it gives you the opportunity to donate food to those in need. Please check out Faithful Provisions' post about the current needs for food banks. In this time of economic hardship, food banks have seen tremendous demand and really need our help. If you are local to Franklin, TN, you can drop off food at the Cool Springs YMCA or Fellowship Bible Church near Cool Springs.

Web Surf to Save Your Aging Brain!

Great news for all you bloggy, web surfer types! It's good for your brain. Check out this article HERE.

Favorite Deals of the Week 10/21/09

Aldi:

Fresh Whole Pineapple, .99

Red Delicious Apples, 2 lbs bag, 1.19

Mushrooms, 8 oz, 1.49

Cucumbers, .49 ea

Pumpkins, 2.49

Paper Towels, .65 ea

Juice Pouches, 10 ct, 1.89

Pesto Seasoning Mix, .59 ea

Harris Teeter:

Duncan Hines Cake Mix, $1.49 BOGO
-.55/2 Duncan Hines Cake, Brownie Mix, or Frosting, SS 10/11
-$1/2 Duncan Hines Cake, Brownie Mix, or Frosting, SS 10/11
-$1/3 Duncan Hines Cake, Brownie Mix, or Frosting, SS 10/11
Final Price: .19 - .41

Breyers Ice Cream, $5.59 BOGO
-$1/2 Breyers Ice Cream, SS 10/18
-.75/1 Breyers Ice Cream, SS 10/18
Final Price: 1.79 - 2.30

Mars Fun Size Candy, 9-12 oz, 99¢ (eVic Item, limit 1, any others are $2 ea)
-$1/2 Mars Fun Size Candy bags, RP 10/11
Final Price: .99 ea when you buy 2

Sun Crystals 50 ct., $3.49 BOGO
-$1 off Sun Crystals Sweetners, May, June, or October All You Magazine
-$2 off Sun Crystals Sweeteners, RP 9/20
Final Price: Free - .75

Hard Squash, 99¢ lb

Food Lion:

Just a reminder, Food Lion does not double coupons, and they usually have a limit of two BOGO purchases per product that is BOGO.

Holly Farms Grade A Whole Fryers, 59¢ lb

Holly Farms Whole Cut-Up Fryers, 79¢ lb

Tyson Family Pack Chicken, 25.5-32 oz, $6.99 BOGO
-$1 off Tyson Breaded Chicken SS 10/11
-$1 off Tyson Breaded Chicken August All You Magazine
Final Price: 2.50 ea

Eggs, 1 doz, 88¢ ea

Betty Crocker Fruit Shapes, $2.79 BOGO
-$1 off Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks “Better at Home”
-.40/1 Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks printable
-.50/2 BC Fruit Snacks SS 9/13
Final Price: .40-1.14 ea

Publix:

Publix Chocolate Milk, 1/2 gal, $2.59 BOGO
Final Price: 1.29 ea (this makes it cheaper than 1 gal of reg. milk)

Tombstone Pizza, 18.1-29.5 oz., $5.79 BOGO
-$1.50/2 Tombstone Pizza SS 9/27
-.75/2 Tombstone Pizza SS 9/27
-$1/3 Tombstone Pizza Kraft Food & Family Mag Sept ‘09
$5 Mail in Rebate wyb (7) Tombstone Pizzas
Final Price: 2.14 - 2.56 ea

Chef Boyardee, 14.5-15 oz. can, $1.50 BOGO (excludes Microwave bowls)
-B3G1 Free Chef Boyardee August All You Magazine
Final Price: .56 ea

Del Monte Tomatoes, 14.5 oz. can, $1.49 BOGO
-$1/5 Del Monte canned Fruits or Vegetables RP 9/20
Final Price: 54¢

Post Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal, 13-18 oz., $3.99 BOGO
-$2/1 Post Honey Bunches with Pecans printable
Final Price: Free

Sweet Corn, White, Yellow or Bi-color, 25¢ ea

Florida Oranges, 4 lb bag, $2.50 ea

Muir Glen Tomato Paste or Sauce $1 or less
-$1 off any Muir Glen product printable or here
Final Price: FREE

All Small & Mighty Laundry Detergent, 32 oz, $2.99 ea
-$1 off All Detergent printable
-$2 off All Detergent RP 10/04
-$1 off All Detergent RP 8/02
-$1 off All Detergent “One Stop. One Store.” booklet
Final Price: .99 - 1.99 ea

HG Hill:

Check out my post HERE for this weeks deals. If you need to purchase meat, this is a good week - see the three day sale

Thanks to Southern Savers for the Harris Teeter, Food Lion and Publix deals. See her website for a complete list of sale/coupon matchups and a nifty gadget to print your lists.