Home with Ronan

Chores for Screen Time

2013-04-28T11:52:00.001-06:00

My son, Ronan, received the Melissa And Doug Magnetic Responsibility Chart for his birthday a few years back. The chart comes with a good assortment of responsibilities as well as lots of "good job smiles" to mix up the responsibilities each week. For a time, we picked chores for the 7 chore spaces, and Ronan would get 10 cents for each job well done.

Unfortunately, we didn't enforce the chores as much as I would have liked and our routines started to fill with TV, tablets, movies, and smartphone games. I was getting a little concerned about all the time my kids were spending watching the screens and a little annoyed that I was constantly reminding the boys to pick up toys and help around the house.

Then I had an idea. I got our chart back out and picked out some chores from the assortment that my 6-year-old and 34-month-old could do together. They helped me pick one color for each of them and one color to share. When one of the boys does a chore by himself, he gets to put his smile on the coordinating day and chore. When they do a team effort on the chore, they can use the "shared" color. For each chore that they participate in, they get to have 10 minutes of screen time. They can pick a movie, the tablet, Wii, or another "screen" to use up the time they have collected for today.

It has been a great way to get the boys to work on chores, and I feel ok about the amount of time they are spending in front of the TV.

If you are interested in charting your kids chores, the Melissa And Doug Magnetic Responsibility Chart sales for $19.99 and has a 4.9 out of 5 stars on their reviews. Right now, Melissa & Doug is offering FREE shipping on orders over $50. Use code FSFIFTY. Don't forget to check out their outlet as well for other high quality toys.

Let me know if you have any other good ideas for encouraging chores and reinforcing a good limit to the TV. I would love to hear more ideas!

Apple Nut Bread

2013-04-27T21:37:00.000-06:00

I know it is the wrong time of the year for apples, but my boys love them so we try to have them on hand. One apple this week was VERY bruised and I found this recipe to try to salvage the rest. It was delicious. I was happy that I could use just any apple and not necessarily a "cooking" apple. I may have to find more bruised apples as the bread disappeared quickly! ☺

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tablespoons buttermilk (I didn't have buttermilk so substituted 1/8 tsp lemon juice and 2 tablespoons milk. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes before using)
1 cup grated, peeled apple
1 cup chopped nuts
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Fold in apple and nuts.

Pour into a greased 9-in x 5-in x 3-in loaf pan. Combine the cinnamon and remaining sugar; sprinkle over batter. Bake at 350° for 60-65 on until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Zaycon Foods: Beef franks, polish kielbasa sausage & more!

2013-04-26T19:26:00.000-06:00

Have you tried Zaycon Foods yet? They deliver meats, produce, and now milk to different locations all over the United States. You pre-order the food and pick it up on the day and location you selected.

My family has ordered beef, chicken, bacon, and sausage links from them, and all have been excellent. We will definitely continue to use them, and the prices are quite good. It is also nice to have meat waiting in the freezer.

Currently, they are offering beef franks, polish kielbasa sausage, bacon wrapped pork fillets, and pork loin ribs. To sign up, go to Zaycon and fill out your information to create an account. You will then be able to order for the current event and will be notified by email of other events.

Extreme Couponing: Believe it or not?

2013-04-25T10:28:00.001-06:00

Talk about extreme couponing has been floating around for the last several years. I'll have to admit, when I first heard about the TLC show, Extreme Couponing, I was kind of excited to watch it and learn some tips even though I regularly used coupons when shopping already. What I learned was that for the show, extreme couponing was sometimes "made" and that it is not very practical.

After being amazed by the families on the show saving 90% on their groceries, I started to look into their methods. One family had about 4 or 5 upright and chest freezers to save all of their frozen food finds. Another family dedicated their entire garage to their stock pile. Where do they keep their tools and cars?

I also recognized one of the grocery store chains on an episode. After watching the shopper hand off 50 of the same coupon in amazement, I started to look into why she was able to do that. See, most grocery stores have a coupon policy on the amount of same coupons you can use in one shopping trip. My favorite local store only allows 5 of the same coupons for the exact same product. So why could this shopper use 50? As it turns out, the store allowed her to use all the coupons in the same trip for the show recording only. They allowed her to use 50 coupons just to benefit the show!

Now where does one get 50 of the same coupons? Probably printed off from a website or from Sunday coupon circulars which would possible mean 50 Sunday newspapers. Most coupon websites only allow 2 prints of the coupons per computer. So you would need 25 computers to print them out unless you were really savvy in tricking the coupons to print over and over. I know that these people did not purchase 50 Sunday papers. That would be more than $50 in newspapers. So the best answer is that they purchased the coupons from a couponing service, dumpster dived, or others sources to gain that many of the same coupon.

Extreme couponing is just that - extreme. The store I shop regularly would ask me to do several different transactions to use 50 coupons or ask that I come back another day. I also didn't see me buying more than one deep freezer. Having frozen pizzas on hand is nice, but I don't need 50 of them sitting around...and I really don't need that many tubes of toothpaste. Though I’m not below grabbing a Sunday paper from the top of a trash can if I happen to notice it, I will not take the time to dig through people’s trash. And cutting out that many coupons every week would be a full-time job - 40 to 50 hours!

With extreme couponing debunked and my store savings of 90% out the window, is couponing still worth it? Absolutely!

It is still possible to eat well and save money on groceries with a little time investment. A more practical approach to coupons would be about 2-3 hours spent in meal planning, store match ups, and coupon clipping. The savings would be closer to 50% off. With the rise of grocery and food costs, I would say it is definitely worth it.

Start by finding a good savings blog like Bargain Blessings (great one for Colorado residents) or another one on DealPros to help you with matching coupons to store sales and invest in a major local paper for coupons (I have two papers delivered to my house). Then find an area of your home that you can store a modest amount of food on items you find at great prices (when you find something for free, you might as well buy as many as you can). Start investing a couple of hours every week in meal planning and coupon clipping for only the week of sales and you are on your way to saving 50% on your groceries and still feeding your family good food!

Teaching Children God's Love

2013-04-23T21:00:00.000-06:00

Over the last several years, I have read some Bible stories to my boys. We've enjoyed Noah's Ark and David and Goliath. One of the favorites is Adam and Eve. My son, Ronan, received a children's picture Bible and enjoyed listening to it to the very end. I really wanted to move on from Bible stories and go a little more in depth with the boys about God, faith, and His enduring love.

This last Easter, I found a simple solution in VeggieTales 365 Bedtime Devos for Boys when I was looking for a little Easter basket stuffer. The book features the well known VeggieTale characters and includes a short devotional for everyday of the year. The devotionals are simple one page reads, but they are the right length for a 6 year old and 3 year old to listen to together. It has given me the opportunities I needed to talk more in depth about God and his desire for us to follow Jesus. Each devotional also includes a prayer. Hopefully, we will even start to memorize some of the verses that go along with the devotionals.

Next spring, I hope we have covered the entire book. My oldest son, Ronan, is excited to stay on track and finish this "thick" book.

Chicken Taquitos

2013-04-23T13:35:00.002-06:00

We tried these easy Chicken Taquitos last night and were impressed by how yummy yet simple they were to make. I served them with sour cream, guacamole, and salsa for dipping and rice and beans on the side. It was very filling. Even the kids enjoyed it.

2 cups shredded chicken
1 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup of Mexican blend cheese
12 corn tortillas

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix together first 5 ingredients. Heat tortillas 2 at a time in the microwave in between damp paper towels for 20 seconds. Fill each tortilla with some of the chicken mixture and roll up. Place seam side down on a baking sheet coated in non-stick cooking spray. When all wraps are on the baking sheet, spray the top with a little more cooking spray. Bake for 25 minutes. Serve warm.

Wool Dryer Balls

2013-04-14T14:06:00.000-06:00

In my search for sustainable living and economic options to save money, I came across wool dryer balls. Use them in place of dryer sheets or liquid softener to help free your household of chemicals. Because they last for years and decrease drying time, they will help save money and as the balls bounce around in the dryer, they will also fluff up your towels. They can be purchased online, but they are actually very east to make.

Buy a few reams of all wool yarn. I usually wait until I see a 50% off coupon to buy the reams. The reams should NOT state they are machine washable. You want the yarn to felt so it must be all wool. I used Patons Classic Wool Roving Yarn to make each of my softball size balls. You will want 4 to 8 balls for the best results.

Find the end of the ream and start making a few short folds in the yarn. They start to wrap the folds with yard to form a small ball. Continue to wrap the yarn into a ball until your yarn ball is baseball to softball size. Use a yarn needle or a crochet hook to pull the end of the yarn through the ball to secure it.

Place one ball at a time into the leg of a nylon stocking. Use a piece of cotton string or cotton yard to tie a not between each ball to keep them in place. Tie another piece of string at the top of the leg to keep them from popping out. Wash the balls in hot water in your washing machine and dry them in the dryer. Do this about 3 times or until the individual yarn strands cannot be moved with your finger. This is called wool felting. Take the balls out of the stocking and use in your drying to dry your laundry.

Keep the balls in your dryer or place them in a basket to display in your laundry room as they are very pretty! For some good pictures of the steps, check out DIY Natural.

Strawberry Preserves

2013-04-14T13:07:00.003-06:00

I had so many strawberries at $0.63 per pound, that I decided to make some preserves before they got too soft. It's a good use of a lemon or two as well. This recipe is easy and tasty.

2 quarts of firm, ripe strawberries, sliced
1 package of pectin
1/4 cup lemon finely chopped (about 1 medium)
1/4 cup water
6 1/2 cups sugar

Smash strawberries in single layers and place in a large sauce pan or medium stock pot. Add pectin, lemon, and water. Bring to a boil stirring occasionally. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. Bring to a boiling stirring frequently. Boil for 1 minute while stirring.

Remove from heat and fill hot pint or half pint jars leaving 1/4 head space. Fit two piece lids onto jars. I use a little water and my finger to make sure the jar rims are free of the jam so that the lid will seal. Process using the boiling water method for 15 minutes. Make about 8 half-pint jars.

I highly recommend using a jar lifter and funnel when canning such as the Progressive 3-Piece Canning Set. It will save time and keep you from getting burned so easily.

Enjoy on toast, bagels, muffins, waffles, ice cream, etc. Mmmmmm.

Lemon and Strawberry Tart

2013-04-13T21:16:00.002-06:00

I needed a recipe to use up some of the lemons and strawberries from my post yesterday! This was a winner. :)

1 9" pie crust
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups water
3 egg yolks, beaten
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

Bake pie crust as directed for 1-9" pie using a 9" pie plate or 9" tart pan with removable bottom. Cool on cooling rack for at least 15 minutes.

In 2-quart saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and flour. Gradually stir in water, stirring until smooth. Heat to boiling over medium heat; cook and stir 1 minute longer. Remove from heat. Quickly stir about 1/2 cup hot mixture into beaten egg yolks; mix well. Gradually stir egg mixture back into hot mixture. Stir in lemon peel and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add butter; stir until melted. Let stand 10 minutes.

Carefully pour hot lemon filling in crust. Cool 2 hours; top with strawberry slices. Refrigerate until serving time. Remove side of pan. Cover and refrigerate any remaining tart.

Coconut Curry Chicken

2013-04-13T12:56:00.001-06:00

I have to admit that I have tasted very little Thai food, and I have always wanted to try a curry dish so I decided to make my own. It turned out very tasty, even the kids ate it. Use your slow cooker or speed it up on the stove.

4 4oz. chicken breasts
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 small onion, chopped
1 can light coconut milk
4 teaspoons curry powder
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp chicken bouillon granules or 1/2 chicken stock cube
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 cup sliced green onions
raisins, flaked coconut, cilantro, or peanuts for topping (optional)
Hot cooked rice

Put potatoes and onions in bottom of slow cooker. In a non-stick skillet, brown sides of chicken. Use a little non-stick cooking spray if you would like. Then place in slow cooker on top of potatoes.

Mix remaining ingredients except for green onions and toppings in a medium bowl. Pour over chicken and cook in slow cooker for 5-6 hours.

When ready to eat, serve over rice and topped with green onions and other topping of your choice. We tried it with cilantro and it was delicious. Serves about 4. Enjoy!

Groceries on a Budget

2013-04-12T20:50:00.003-06:00

For those that think couponing is too hard or time consuming, here is another thought to saving on groceries: find a "scratch and dent" store near you.

We live close one of these types of stores that buy expired and imperfect food from grocery stores and convenience markets. Expired?! We have never had any issues with any of the food we have purchased including yogurt (great for freezing for smoothies) and cake mixes to name a few. Yes, some bags of chips have been a little stale, but for the most part the food is great (I'm a little afraid of eating expired mayonnaise). Some of the food is just in dented or smashed boxes. We thoroughly inspect these product to make sure they are safe before eating.

For example, I bought 10 jars of peanut butter, 3 boxes of cereal, grapes, bananas, lemons (marked down because they were in orange bags!), 2-1 lb. containers of strawberries, spotlight peppers, and two bags of wild rice. And the cost? I bought everything in the picture below for....$18!

So if you want to shop on a budget without coupons, try to locate a scratch and dent food store near you. You may be surprised by how much you can save on even a few items every month without picking up your scissors.

New Beginnings

2013-04-12T08:34:00.001-06:00

One chapter of my life has finished and another has just started. I have been a mother for 6 years already, but now that I have a 3rd little boy and a very trying pregnancy, we decided it was time for me to be a SAHM. I have always had the desire to stay home and be a housewife. Naturally, I am a homebody. :)

So, 2 weeks ago, I started the SAHM journey. However, staying at home means one less income to help house, clothe, and feed our growing children. God has placed in my heart to be a good steward of the things I have and to be smart about the things I purchase. I have decided to start a series on sustainable living and smart economics. This is somewhat new to me, so I am sure I will make mistakes. I am going to cover some of the things I have started such as cloth diapers, gardening, and couponing to name a few.

Have any other ideas for good topics or things I should try? Let me know!
Happy Friday!

Baby Nursery

2013-02-16T17:01:00.001-07:00

I had a lot of fun planning this nursery as I had a little more inspiration from blogs and a great husband with a little extra time to help me out with my ideas. I really wanted to do a gray, orange, and turquois nursery, but since this was my last baby, I thought I probably shouldn't spend money on new bedding and accessories. So, I improvised and made it work with my existing baby bedding.

I had Zanzibar bedding that I recieved for my first son in 2006. I picked a cranberry red, dark blue, and a mustard yellow from the bedding as my accent colors and Behr paint in Graceful Gray (lighter) and Elephant Skin (darker) for the walls. My hubby painted stripes on one wall. The facing wall was painted the lighter gray and the other two walls were painted the darker gray. I used some blue and tan stripped curtains I already had to frame the valance from the bedding set. We also built 5 more floating book shelves and painted them Elephant Skin. My brother made some more wall decals for the room. I love how it turned out!

I have a little tidying up to do still and a few final touches like a tissue paper mobile and new light fixture. I lost a lot of time to decorate when I was on bed rest for 6 weeks! Thanks to my wonderful Mom for unpacking all the baby clothes for me!

Welcome, Baby!

2013-02-11T17:04:00.000-07:00

Our little baby boy finally made it here after a complicated pregnancy, 6 weeks bed rest, and long surgery. Welcome Griffin Robert! Born 4 weeks early on 1/16/2013 at 8:10 AM, he was 5 lbs. 12 oz. and was 19 inches long.

Homemade Valentine's

2013-02-11T13:15:00.000-07:00

My kindergartner needed some Valentine's for his class. I gave him the option to buy or make cards for his class. He chose to make his.

We picked two crafts: one for the boys (Caped cute-sader) and one for the girls (Let friendship ring). We had to make two kinds because my boy insisted girls couldn't have super heroes and boys couldn't have rings. :) I had everything at home already as I try to keep basic craft supplies on hand. All we needed was paper, pen/marker, chenille sticks, Hershey Kisses, heart or star stickers, tape, glue, and round suckers.

They turned out cute, and we had fun making them together!

What have you made for class Valentine's?

Big Brothers' Bedroom Refresh

2013-01-12T15:49:00.002-07:00

Since the last time I posted, we found out we have a new addition coming to our family. Baby boy #3 is arriving this upcoming Wednesday 4 weeks early due to a high risk pregnancy. We are excited to meet our new addition!

A new baby always means reorganizing your house in some way. My oldest son, Ronan, has wanted to repaint his room since he was 3. Before he was born, a friend of mine and I, painted a mural of a tree on his wall. Ronan wanted a Star Wars room, but he didn't want to loose his tree. So I painted the room blue around the tree and added Star Wars touches. On the left is the tree before the blue paint and right is after the paint. Ronan loved the color. Because of the tree, we call it Endor. :)

For the next room update, I needed to find a way to store all of our children's books without the bookshelf so we had more room for a crib in the spare bedroom. My hubby bought some pine boards to make wall book shelves. After looking at a lot of pictures, Kara's Korner book shelves were the ones I really wanted. We cut the boards the lengths we needed, and painted them a very dark blue. They turned out awesome! We ended up adding two sets in the boys' bedroom. The black bean bag in the picture of the left is from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Instead of buying the foam filling, we filled it with all the stuffed animals to keep them contained. Now they have a reading nook.

For the Star Wars elements, I had my brother design some wall vinyl decals. Check out Monarch Promotional Designs for all they can do. The Death Star, Millennium Falcon, and fighters turned out awesome. My 6 and 2 year old think the room is very cool. I also found a nice quilt bedding set from Target for the bunk bed. As a finishing touch, I wanted to add a solar system. In my search, I found new mini sets of Legos that include Star Wars planets that can hang from the ceiling. I can't wait until my 6 week bed rest is over so I can add the last touches!

Sarah's Cinnamon Vanilla Granola

2012-04-29T14:51:00.001-06:00

Here is a very yummy granola recipe that I came up with as I wasn't satisfied with any of the recipes I found. There are also a few optional additions to make it as yummy or flavorful as you would like. Serve it with milk, yogurt, ice cream or by itself as a crunchy snack. Or you could put it in a pretty jar and give it as a gift. Yum!

Sarah's Cinnamon Vanilla Granola

4 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1/8-1/4 cup flax seed (optional)
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup vegetable oil (I have used coconut oil as well)
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup raisins (dark or golden or other dried fruit)
3/4 cup dried cranberries (dried blueberries or other dried fruit)
1/2 cup flaked coconut (optional)
1/4 cup raw wheat germ or whole wheat flour - clumps up granola (optional)
1 tsp finely ground coffee (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix the oats, almonds, flax seed, wheat germ/flour, brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Warm the oil and honey in a small saucepan. Whisk in vanilla and if using, finely ground coffee. Pour the liquids over the dry ingredients. Stir with a wooden spoon, then finish mixing by hand.

2. Spread granola on a large (12- by 17- inch) jelly-roll pan or 2 smaller ones. Toast the granola 35 to 40 minutes, removing from the oven to stir every 10 minutes. Transfer granola to a rack and cool completely. Mix in raisins and dried fruit. Add coconut if using. Seal the granola in a coffee can or plastic bag. Use a decorative jar and give as a gift.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

More King Soopers Deals - FREE gum!

2012-04-27T13:31:00.002-06:00

I have a few more good King Soopers deals to report for this week. Let me know if you find any more!

Marzetti dressings and dips $3.99 - BOGO
-(2) $1/1 (SS 03/25) *regional value or $.50/1 (SS 01/29) *regional value
= .99 each!

Carefree liners 20 count $1
-$1/1 (SS 03/18) *expires 4/30
= FREE!

Pampers wipes soft pack, 72 count $1.99
-$.50/1 (PG 04/01) *expires 4/30 or $.75/1 Pampers wipes
= .99 each

Popsicle brand popsicles 8 count 3/$4
-$.50/1 Facebook coupon
= .33 each!

Mentos gum 15ct bottle 10/$10
-$.50/1 (SS 3/25) *coupon states DO NOT DOUBLE but bar code starts with a 5 so it still will at Kings
=FREE!

Vlasic Relish $1.29
-$.55 (SS 04/01) *regional value
= .29 ea!

Safeway 4/25-5/1 FREE Salad Dressing!

2012-04-26T12:58:00.002-06:00

Here are the deals that I think are good from Safeway for this week. Not all Safeway's will participate in all sales so you may want to check your stores flier. We go through Ranch dressing fast so free dressing is awesome!

Like King Soopers, most Safeway's also doubles coupons up to $1. For instance if you have a $0.50 off coupon, Safeway will match the $0.50 saving you a dollar or if it is a $0.75 off coupon, Safeway will add $0.25 off or a $0.40 coupon will double to $0.80. If the coupon is already $1 off or more they do not double. It gives you more savings with each coupon which can help you use your money wisely.

If you find another great deal at Safeway, please share with everyone in the comments section!
The text in parenthesis after each coupon amount indicate which insert and date to find the coupon in your Sunday paper. SS - SmartSource, RP - Red Plum. Links will take you to online printable coupons.

Ken’s Salad Dressing 16oz .99 (Friday through Monday Only)
-$1 MQ (3/11 SS) *regional value, expires 4/30 or $1/2 Ken’s Coupon or $1/2 Ken’s Coupon
=FREE!
*If you have the $1 off coupon it will need to be adjusted down to .99 at the register

Filippo Berio Olive Oil 25.3-25.5oz $4.99 with in-ad coupon
-$1 MQ (1/15 SS) *expires 4/30 or $1 Filippo Coupon
=$3.99!

International Delight Creamer 32oz $2.79 with in-ad coupon
-.55 International Delight Coupon
=$1.79

Lucerne Shredded or Chunk Cheese 32oz $5.99
-$2/$10 Lucerne Coupon
-$2 Instant Savings when you purchase $10 of participating Lucerne products (excluding milk)
=$3.99 each wyb 2

Arm & Hammer Detergent 60.5-75oz Buy One at $5.99, Get Free
-$1/2 MQ (4/22 SS)
=$2.50 each!

Artisan Reserve Extra Virgin Olive Oil 16.9oz $5 (Friday Only)

Ragu Pasta Sauce 16-24oz $1.25 with in-ad coupon

Powerade 32oz .59 with in-ad coupon!

Kettle Chips 8-9oz $2.50 with in-ad coupon
-$1 MQ (3/18 RP)
=$1.50

Simply Orange, Apple, Cranberry or Grapefruit Juice 59oz $2.99 (Friday through Monday Only)
-$1 Simply Juice Coupon (go to the coupons tab)
=$1.99

Buy 8, Save .50 on each item Mix and Match event

Prices below assume you are buying 8 items to recieve the .50 off each item.

Rosarita Refried Beans 15-16oz .79
-$1/4 MQ (4/22 SS) *regional value (my coupon is actually $1/3 which makes this an even better deal!)
=.54!

Campbell’s Select Harvest Soup 18.6-18.8oz $1.29
-.50/2 MQ (3/4 SS) *expires 4/30, regional value or $1.50/3 Campbell’s Coupon
=.79 each at best

Pillsbury Cake 15-18.9oz $1.49

Krusteaz Cornbread Mix 15-18.9oz $1.49

Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie or Muffin Mix 15.2-19.1oz $1.99
-$1/2 Muffin Mix MQ (3/25 SS)
=$1.49 at best

Dole Fruit Bowls 4pk 4-4.3oz $1.99
-.50 Dole Bowls Coupon or HERE or .50/2 MQ (4/22 SS)
=.99!

Planters Peanut Butter 15-16.3oz $1.99 B-
-$1/2 Target *mfg coupon that prints from Target’s coupon site =$1.49! ea

(Thanks Bargain Blessings!)

Sprouts 4/25-5/2 - Great price on Strawberries and Watermelon!

2012-04-26T12:40:00.003-06:00

Here are this weeks Sprouts Deals. I really enjoy Sprouts as they have lots of fruits and veggies that are usually a good price for my budget. Since my boys go through almost 3 lbs of apples in one week, this is a great things!

Strawberries, 1lb $1.25!

Whole Seedless Watermelon .20/lb

Green Bell Peppers .50 each

Cauliflower .88/lb

Red, Yellow or Oranige Bell Peppers .88 each

Artichokes .88 each!

Broccoli .88/lb

Avocados .88 each

Roma Tomatoes .88/lb

Cameo or Gala Apples .88/lb

Bosc or D’Anjou Pears .88/lb

Organic Valencia Oranges, 4lb Bag $2.50!

Organic Romaine Hearts 3pk $1.99

Organic Baby Carrots 1lb $1.50

Organic Red Delicious Apples .99/lb

Organic Yellow Onions 3lb $1.99

Zevia Soda 6pk 12oz Cans $3.99
-$2 Zevia Coupon
=$1.99!

Snikiddy Baked Fries 4.5oz $2
-$1 Snikiddy Coupon (with sign-up)
=$1!

(Thanks Bargain Blessings!)

King Soopers 4/25-5/1 - FREE Dishsoap!

2012-04-26T12:35:00.000-06:00

Here are a few of my favorite deals from this weeks King Soopers in Northern Colorado. Not all Kroger stores will have these deals. Check your local ad. I also check "Manager Special" areas in my local Kings. Sometimes you can match these with coupons for a great deal.

NOTE: King Soopers doubles coupons up to $1. For instance if you have a $0.50 off coupon, Kings Soopers will match the $0.50 saving you $1 or if it is a $0.75 off coupon, Kings will add $0.25 off or a $0.40 coupon will double to $0.80. If the coupon is already $1 off or more they do not double.
If you find any other awesome deals, use the comments section so others can benefit as well!
For more tips on saving and information about coupons, please check out my Coupons 101 page.
The text in parenthesis after each coupon amount indicate which insert and date to find the coupon in your Sunday paper. SS - SmartSource, RP - Red Plum. Links will take you to online printable coupons.

Kellogg’s Cereal 11-17oz $1.99
-$1/2 Mini-Wheats Coupon or $1/2 FiberPlus Coupon or $.50 All-Bran Coupon or $.50 Corn Flakes Coupon or $.50 Frosted Flakes Coupon or $1/3 Special K Coupon or $1/3 Kellogg’s Coupon or $1/2 Raisin Bran Coupon
=.99 at best
*May only include Frosted Flakes, Fruit Loops, Krave, etc if same as last week

Blue Diamond Almonds 6oz $2.50
-.75 MQ (1/29 SS)
=$1.50!

Sara Lee Bread 20oz $2
-.55 MQ (4/15 SS) *regional coupon (I didn’t receive this coupon in the Denver area)
=$1!

Simply Lemonade 59oz $2.29
-$1 Simply Juice Coupon (go to the coupons tab)
=$1.29!
*Coupon says “Orange Juice”, but there are reports it is working on the lemonade as well

Eggo Waffles, Pancakes or French Toast 10.7-16.4oz $2
-.75/2 MQ (3/11 RP)
=$1.50

Farmland Sausage Links 8oz $1

Stouffer’s Entree, Family Size 32-40oz $5
-$2 MQ (1/29 RP) *regional coupon
=$3

Michelina’s Zap ‘ems Entree 7.5oz .50!

Green Giant Frozen Vegetables 7-10oz $1.25
-.50/2 MQ (3/18 SS) *regional value (I didn’t receive this coupon in the Denver area)
=.75

Dawn Dish Detergent 9oz $1
-.25 MQ (4/1 PG) *If the Hand Renewal is included in this sale, you can use the .50 MQ to get it for FREE!
=.50!

(Thanks Bargain Blessings!)

Call to Action!

2012-04-25T09:09:00.001-06:00

One of the great things about couponing is the stock pile I have saved up for items we use often. We haven't run out of toilet paper in quite awhile, and I haven't paid for toothpaste in several years (I will be adding more about stock piling in my Coupon 101 page soon). Every once in a while, some items are a little too stocked. Items like these are great for donation as it helps someone else in need and cleans up your shelves.

I recently was able to participate in a food drive at work. They raised 415 pounds of food! Sounds like a lot, but it was actually over 100 pounds less than what they raised last year. In fact, the lady that picked up the food for the food bank said in all the years she has served the local food bank, she has never seen the supplies lower.

Call to Action! If you have items to clear out of your pantry or towel closet, find a local homeless shelter, food bank, or church that takes these items and distributes them to those in need. They are most in need of canned meats, soup, and beans, cereal, healthy kids snacks, other things that are shelf stable. Homeless shelters can use hygiene items such as deodorant, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, etc. God called us to provide for the poor, widowed and orphaned. If you have been blessed with a surplus, pay it forward!

Proverbs 22:9 - A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor.

How did you share your blessings with others today?

Target Deals 4/22-4/28 Great price on Oxi-Clean!

2012-04-24T09:30:00.000-06:00

Here are some of my favorite Target deals for this week. See any other great deals? Have you found some great clearence items? I would love for you to share your finds. To see more deals at Target for this week, check out BargainBlessings or Totally Target.

The text in parenthesis after each coupon amount indicate which insert and date to find the coupon in your Sunday paper. SS - SmartSource, RP - Red Plum. Links will take you to online printable coupons.

OxiClean Laundry Stain Remover Trigger Spray $2.79-.50 or $1 MQ (4/22 SS)
-$1.50 Target Coupon (looks like the coupon is already gone)
=.29!

Oxiclean Max Force Pre-Treater Gel Stick 6.2oz $2.99 (through 4/28)
-.50 or $1 MQ (4/22 SS)
-$1.50 Target Coupon (looks like the coupon is already gone)
=.49!

Oxiclean Max Force Laundry Stain Remover Trigger Spray 12oz $3.27 (through 4/28)
-.50 or $1 MQ (4/22 SS)
-$1.50 Target Coupon (looks like the coupon is already gone)
=.77!

Kikkoman Soy Sauce, 10oz $1.42
-.50 to $1.25 MQ found in the May issue of All You Magazine (you will not be able to tell how much will deduct until it is scanned at the register)
=.17 at best!

Rosarita Refried Beans 16oz Can .98 *regional price
-$1/4 MQ (4/22 SS) *regional value=.73 each
*The coupon I have from (4/22 SS) is actually $1/3!

Mossimo Scoop-Neck or V-neck Pocket Tee $6-$3 Mossimo Target Coupon
=$3

Ortega Seasoning Mixes .65 (through 4/28)
-.50 MQ (4/15 SS) *regional value
=.15!
*also keep an eye out for other lower prices products to use this coupon on

King Soopers Deals 4/18-4/24

2012-04-18T15:01:00.001-06:00

If you live in the Colorado area, Kroger is King Soopers. One great thing about King Soopers is that they double coupons up to $1. For instance if you have a $0.50 off coupon, Kings Soopers will match the $0.50 saving you a dollar or if it is a $0.75 off coupon, Kings will add $0.25 off or a $0.40 coupon will double to $0.80. If the coupon is already $1 off or more they do not double. It gives you more savings with each coupon which can help you use your money wisely.

Here are a few of my favorite deals from this weeks King Soopers in Northern Colorado. Not all Kroger stores will have these deals. Check your local ad. I also check "Manager Special" areas in my local Kings. Sometimes you can match these with coupons for a great deal.

If you find any other awesome deals, use the comments section so others can benefit as well!

For more tips on saving and information about coupons, please check out my Coupons 101 page.

The text in parenthesis after each coupon amount indicate which insert and date to find the coupon in your Sunday paper. SS - SmartSource, RP - Red Plum. Links will take you to online printable coupons.

Organic Fuji Apples or Anjou Pears .99/lb!

Organic Mini Peeled Carrots 16oz Buy One at $2.19, Get One Free

Kellogg’s Cereal 11-17oz $1.99
-$1/2 Mini-Wheats Coupon or $1/2 FiberPlus Coupon or $.50 All-Bran Coupon or $.50 Corn Flakes Coupon or $.50 Frosted Flakes Coupon or $1/3 Special K Coupon or $1/3 Kellogg’s Coupon or $1/2 Raisin Bran Coupon
=.99 at best
*May only include Frosted Flakes, Fruit Loops, etc if same sale as last week

Blue Diamond Almonds 6oz $2.50
-.75 MQ (1/29 SS)
=$1.50!

Sara Lee Bread 20oz $2
-.55 MQ (4/15 SS) *regional coupon
=$1!

Eggo Waffles, Pancakes or French Toast 10.7-16.4oz $2
-.75/2 MQ (3/11 RP)
=$1.50

Green Giant Frozen Vegetables 7-10oz $1.25
-.50/2 MQ (3/18 SS) *regional value
=.75

Dawn Dish Detergent 9oz $1
-.25 MQ (4/1 PG) *If the Hand Renewal is included in this sale, you can use the .50 MQ to get it for FREE!
=.50!

Target Deals 4/15-4/21

2012-04-17T09:17:00.000-06:00

FREE Pantene Styler wyb (2) Participating Pantene Shampoo or Conditioner Products
Scenario:
Buy (2) Pantene Styler $3.79 (free with sale)
Buy (4) Pantene Shampoo/Conditioner $3.79
-(3) $1/2 MQ (4/1 PG)
-(4) $1 Target Pantene Coupons (3/25 SS)
-$1/2 Target Pantene Coupon (3/4 PG)
=$1.52 each!

Band-Aid Flexible Fabric Bandages 30ct $2.79
-$1 MQ (4/15 SS) or $2/2 Band-Aid Coupon or $1/2 MQ (2/26 SS)
-.50 Target Mobile Coupon (text HEALTH for 827438 for this one)
=$1.29 at best

Method 18oz Dish Soap, or 28oz All-Purpose Cleaner $2.69 (through 5/5) or Method 28oz Antibac Bathroom or Antibac Kitchen Spray Cleaner $2.69 (through 5/5)
-$1 Method Coupon on Facebook (no longer available)
-$1 Target Coupon or Target Mobile Coupon
=.69!

Del Monte Stewed Tomatoes, 14.5oz Can .84 (through 4/21)
-$1/4 Del Monte Coupon
=.59 each!

Buy (2) Dove Shampoo 12oz $3.49
Buy (1) Dove Styler $4.49
-(2) $2 Dove Coupons
-(1) B2G1 Target Coupons
=$1 each!

Buy (2) Magnum Ice Cream Treats 2/$5
-(2) $1.50 Magnum Coupons
-$2/2 Target Coupon
=2 for Free!

Starbucks 11 oz or 12 oz Bagged Coffee $7.99 – $8.99 (Regular Price)
- $1.50 Starbucks Coupon or $1.50 MQ (3/25 SS) or $1 Starbucks Coupon
-$2 Target Coupon
= as low as $4.49!
(Thanks Bargain Blessings!)