Let's Save Local

The Farm Budget: $100/mo.

2012-07-07T15:54:00.001-07:00

While my grocery budget is set at $75/wk. I also have a farm budget. $100/mo. Which, isn't much... but it's all we have to work with.
Today we went to Tractor Supply for some feed and well.... let's just say we walked out with a BIT more than we planned to.
We bought Dog Feed, some Deer stuff for Hunting season (Hubby's doing... obviously), some planters, seeds, organic "pesticides", a garden hose and some other assorted garden items.
Our total would have been $229.56, had we not gotten everything on clearance. But... since we did, we only paid $77.52! It pays to shop clearance!
*Tip: Every time we shop for feed we look for bags with holes in them. We found one today that had already been taped up, but since there was a hole and we weren't sure how much had fallen out, they gave us $5 off! All we had to do was ask!
Now we only have $22.48 for the rest of the month. Thank goodness we are stocked up on calf and chicken feed!

$75 a Week Budget: Week 2

2012-07-07T15:37:00.001-07:00

Here is week 2. I was able to stay under the $49.97 mark and get back on track.
Here is what I bought at United for $39.98:

1- Sister Schubert's Rolls $3.49 (I had a Free coupon)
2- Turkey Hill Sweet Tea $1 each (used $1/2 coupon from 6/3 RP insert) = Free after doubling
1- Heinz Vinegar $1.79 (used $1 coupon from 6/24 SS insert) = Free after doubling
1- 4lb. bag of Imperial Sugar $2.95 (used 75cent coupon from coupons.com) = $1.45 after doubling
1- Hot Shot Ant Spray $1.99 (used $1 coupon from coupons.com) = Free after doubling
2- Capri Sun Big Pouches $0.79 each (used $1/2 coupon from Facebook) = Free after doubling
2- Land O' Frost Deli Lunch Meat $2.50 each (used $1/2 coupon from 6/24 RP insert) = $1.50 each after doubling
1- KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce $1 (used 75cent coupon from 6/24 SS insert) = Free after doubling
1- Post Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal $2.50 (used $1 coupon from Facebook) = $0.50 after doubling
1- Dozen Eggs $1
1- Nesquik Powder Packet $1 (used 50cent coupon from 5/20 SS) = Free after doubling
2- 5lb. Chubs of Lean Ground Beef $14.99 each = $29.98 for both

After $4.47 in tax I saved $18.77 and paid $39.98. I don't mind since there is $30 worth of beef (we were almost out of meat and hubby was about to flip a lid!) :)
Now I have $9.99 left. I would love to save that for week 3 but i'm almost out of creamer for my coffee and i'm dying for some lettuce. If I make another trip i'll post it at the end of this one. Can't wait until our gardens are ready for harvest... this will save us BIG money!

Here's trip #2:
Total Spent: $9.02 after tax ($3.22 was tax). So we have a whopping $0.97 for next week. Better than nothing!

First, go here and enter the Red River Ranch Free Steak Friday Giveaway. I entered every Friday (for the past two Fridays) and yesterday I got an email saying I won Free New York Strip Steaks! They special cut them to an inch and a half while we waited. The retail price of these was $22.64!!! Hubby REALLY REALLY enjoyed his dinner tonight. We don't eat steaks often because of their price so believe me when I tell ya he was thrilled!
*Notice there is no lettuce. Hubby decided Ice Cream for $2 each after printable coupon was a better route... Well, there's always next week. :)

Week 1 of the $75 Grocery Budget

2012-07-02T14:04:00.003-07:00

My first purchase was an Amazon purchase. I used a $5 Amazon gift card (earned from Swagbucks.com) and paid $5.47 for a 44 count package of Hansen's Junior Juice boxes for Buggy. He gets one juice box a day and looks forward to it. Juice boxes are expensive so i'm always looking for a good deal and for $0.12 ea. I think it's great!

Next was United.
Hubby and I did two separate transactions.
Mine came out to $16.82 and I saved $43.18 and Hubby's was $28.17 and he saved $13.51.

Finally, Walmart where we picked up some items that were not on sale anywhere else. Such as Coffee.... which I have a deep appreciation for, as well as a few produce items and other little things that we ~~needed~~ wanted. That trip cost us $49.57. OUCH!

So.... we went over budget on the first week with a total of $100.03. However, Next week we won't need as many things and if I can keep it under $49.97 we will be back on track.

Hopefully soon we can get a routine down and I won't be getting back from the store at 9:30 pm with chores to do and a toddler to put to bed. Then, I can take pictures of my trips (which is much more exciting to look at) :)

New State = New Budget

2012-06-17T16:43:00.001-07:00

One month ago, hubby, I and Buggy picked up and moved to Hardesty, Oklahoma for a farming job.
HUGE Change! There is a Walmart and a United to grocery shop at (and a Dollar General but those deals are rare).
However, United doubles coupons $1 and under! So... since our grocery bill has been MUCH higher up here, it's time to redo our budget. $35 a week no longer seems feasible. Now.... duh dada da.... it will be $75 a week!
Hubby thinks i'm crazy since there is not a CVS or Wags to fall back on and the United deals are quite limited (so far). Maybe i'm crazy but, I LOVE a good challenge. Watch me every week as I show my progress in detail. Can't wait to start!!

Ace Hardware: Hot Deals after Rebate

2012-06-14T09:55:00.003-07:00

*First, If you don't have an Ace Rewards Card, I HIGHLY suggest you get one. It's completely FREE! Best of all, it will allow you to do your rebates online. It typically takes me 2-3 minutes to submit mine. No stamps, envelopes, receipts, etc.

Now for the deals:

Bayer Home Pest Plus Germ Killer $9.99 (Limit 3 Rebates)
$7 Mail-in Rebate Available
Final Price: $2.99 each

Bayer Complete Insect Killer for Soil & Turf $11.99 (Limit 3 Rebates)
$7 Mail-in Rebate Available
Final Price: $4.99 each

Safer Pantry Pest Trap 2/pk. $5.99 (Limit 2 Rebates)
$4 Mail-in Rebate Available
Final Price: $1.99 each

Ortho Home Defense Max Insect Killer $12.99 (Limit 2 Rebates)
$5 Mail-in Rebate Available
Final Price: $7.99 each

Cutter Bug Free Backyard Spray $9.99 (Limit 2 Rebates)
$6 Mail-in Rebate Available
Final Price: $3.99 each

Ace Weed & Grass Killer $6.99 (Limit 3 Rebates)
$5 Mail-in Rebate Available
Final Price: $1.99 each

Safer All Natural Garden Insecticide or Fungicide $5.99 (Limit 3 Rebates)
$4 Mail-in Rebate Available
Final Price: $1.99 each

Terro Outdoor Ant Killer $5.99 (Limit 3 Rebates)
$4 Mail-in Rebate Available
Final Price: $1.99 each

Hot Shot Ant Bait 4/pk. $3.49 (Limit 2 Rebates)
$3 Mail-in Rebate Available
Final Price: $0.49 each

*There are also some great sales happening so I advise you to look through your local ad at AceHardware.com if you are interested!
** Don't forget, Saturday June 18th is also Free Paint Saturday! Grab your coupon towards the back of your local ad and have it filled out. They only give away 40 quarts per store so make sure you are early!!

Dollar General: Make your own sale!

2012-06-14T08:46:00.000-07:00

This Awesome coupon is on coupons.com right now under zip code 33480. Use it towards Apparel, Lawn & Garden or Summer Seasonal items and make your own sale!

Comforts for Baby: My Review

2012-02-14T12:39:00.000-08:00

When I was asked to try Comforts for Baby products, I was thrilled! Once again, I love generics. Especially if there are a lack of sales of something or you run out. I still vow that Generics are as good as Brand Name (and occasionally better!) If you haven't heard of this brand, it is sold exclusively at Kroger and their family of stores.

First to try, were the sippy cups. Why? Well because my son said so. He walked around the house with one until mommy finally filled it up. It didn't leak and it was pretty simple to clean, which met my criteria. The only thing they may be able to improve on is that the bottom part (the cup) is one that could easily knock over while you are pouring. This didn't happen to me, but I can see how it could if I wasn't being careful.

Next, were the wipes. Simply because I hadn't gotten to the store yet to pick up the diapers. Let me tell ya hun, they are wonderful! My FAVORITE wipes are ....Huggies... and these definitely replicate those. They have a similar design and are just about as thick. They could be a little bit more moist but other than that they are great! I think they beat Pampers wipes hands down. Some people like baby wipes that are thinner and some like them thicker, etc. Either way, I'd say these are worth a try!

Finally, we made it to the store to pick up the diapers. I won't lie. I pictured them to be thin, tear easily, and not hold much. Not because their generic, but because that's been my problem with every other brand (besides my beloved Huggies). Let me tell ya hun, they weren't! They only leaked once (overnight), they have yet to tear on me, and they aren't super thin! I was very impressed. My son sure doesn't seem to mind them and they have yet to irritate his skin. So in my book these are a winner!

Colton and his Apple in a Comforts for Baby Diaper

(I thought they only looked at you like your crazy when they hit 13?)

*I was provided with the Comforts for Baby products to test out compliments of BzzAgent. All opinions are 100% my own

$65 CVS Gift Card Challenge: Week 2

2012-01-31T09:14:00.000-08:00

I haven't been to CVS since the first week for Huggies. Hubby and I are in SERIOUS mode when it comes to saving for our house, so there hasn't been much shopping of any kind around here lately. So... we will call this $65 CVS Gift Card Challenge Week 2! :)

Here's the breakdown:
1- Tom's of Maine Deodorant $3.99
1- Reese's PB Egg $0.87

I used my $1 ecb from my previous trip

After tax my total came to: $4.18
I left with a $3 ecb and a $0.87 ecb

Left on Gift Card: $60.82
Ecb's to use: $3.87
Total Spending Power: $64.69

$65 CVS Gift Card Challenge: Week 1

2012-01-03T07:46:00.001-08:00

Here's my Week 1 Purchase..... Huggies. Just Huggies. I hate running out and they were free so who can blame me?
They were on sale for $9.49 and I got back $1 ecb. However, I had a FREE Huggies coupon from Huggies Enjoy the Ride Rewards that i've been saving for this sale.

So my first total: $0
ECB's Earned: $1
Total Spending Power: $66.00 ($65 Gift Card and $1 ecb)

*So... why $65? Well, that's how much I got in gift cards from family for Christmas :) So I thought it would be fun to see how far I could stretch it. Want to start your own CVS Gift Card Challenge? You can start your own challenge of any amount. Check out Simply CVS for all the details! Cheryl is awesome about showing you all the deals, keeping you updated, and of course, doing her own GC Challenge!

Drugstore.com: Oh how I love you!

2011-12-13T14:00:00.000-08:00

I, like many parents, want my child to eat healthy. However, there are a few problems that try to get in my way.

1. Kids can be picky
2. Healthy foods are sometimes inconvenient
3. Healthy foods are expensive

Let me first start my rambling by saying that my son is amazing. I know every parent says that.... but he is! He eats everything. He will eat any veggie, any fruit, and anything off the floor.... um... ya. We have to watch him! lol
But, every kid has their moments. The ones that we don't usually boast about. I will put a spoonful of mashed potatoes and carrots (which my son LOVES) into Colton's mouth and he will take two of his adorable, tiny fingers and take the mashed potatoes out of his mouth and throw it onto his tray... or the floor. However... if you put anything... and I mean ANYTHING into a squeeze pouch... he will eat it. No matter what "mood" he is in.
Which brings me to point number two. This crazy invention that houses veggies and fruits of all types in a convenient squeezable pouch is expensive! At $1 a piece (ON SALE!), they quickly add up to WAY more than my tiny budget can afford. Especially when I give my sons a fruit pouch and a veggie pouch everyday. We are looking at $60 a month... for 1/8 of his food intake. You also have to add in Organic Milk, Healthy baby friendly dinners, and Organic Crackers or Cookies (Don't judge). It adds up quickly. Is it worth my sanity and all the worrying I do about him getting enough nutrients? Maybe... :) But it sure doesn't make my budget happy. There had to be another way. I scanned site after site and finally found one that wasn't SUPER overpriced on these pouches. Drugstore.com. They had (or maybe still have?) a sale that takes $10 off when you buy $50 worth of food. That includes baby food! They also let you combine coupon codes. Plus... if you go through Ebates you will score 10% cash back. On top of that.. they also have a rewards program which will earn you 5% of every purchase. So... a purchase that would have cost me well over $65 at the store (Believe me, I checked) Only cost me $25 after cash back! I also got free shipping from my free Shoprunner membership I scored last week. Plus... I have $1.54 drugstore dollars that I can use towards my order next quarter. I highly recommend you check it out. Also, please remember to go through ebates and use coupon codes when you check out. It will save you SOOO much money! "The Storal of the Mory" (to quote Archie Campbell) is that being a smart shopper, got me a killer deal on items that I normally wouldn't be able to afford. Check out what my $25 got me...

*No... the Gerber Graduates are not that healthy... they have a pretty high salt content but are something that I have yet to find a healthier version of so until then, I mix them in with foods that are good for him.

**My gushing over Drugstore.com are my opinions and they haven't offered me anything in return for these opinions.... although... that would be great! he-he-he

My CVS Trip 12/11

2011-12-12T07:16:00.000-08:00

Didn't get formula like I previously wanted... but it still worked out to be a great trip. I only had to shell out $0.86!
Here's what I got:

1- Kleenex Cool Touch Tissues $1.34
2- Glade Air Sprays $0.99 ea.
3- American Greetings Cards $0.99 ea.
2- Pro Nutrients Vitamins $9.99 ea.
1- Stetson Cologne $4.99
1- 12 pack Coca-Cola $4
1- NYC Concealer $1.99 (no coupons I just had $1 to go on the beauty club to get my $5 ecb)
1- Huggies Jumbo Pack $11.99

Coupons Used:
$0.40 Kleenex Cool Touch coupon (from sample)
$2/2 Glade coupon from CVS.com
$2/3 American Greetings coupon from CVS.com
$5 Pro Nutrients printable coupon
$7 Pro Nutrients coupon from Sunday's paper
$5 Pro Nutrients CRT coupon
$2 Stetson coupon (from ? magazine)
FREE Coca-Cola 12 pack coupon from MCR
FREE Huggies Jumbo Pack coupon (from the buy 6 get 1 deal)
$8 in ecb's

Final Price: $0.86 (and yes I dug out my nickels, dimes, and pennies to pay for it) ;)
I received $3 ecb for the Greeting Cards and a $10 CVS Gift Card (I'm waiting for the $5 beauty club ecb to print next time I shop)

*If your wondering what happened to my Gift Card Challenge.... Black Friday messed me up.... COMPLETELY. I'll be starting a $50 Gift Card Challenge in January. You can start one too! It's a great challenge by Cheryl at Simply CVS!

Private Selection Products: My Review

2011-12-06T09:43:00.000-08:00

I've said it before and i'll say it again. I love store brands! Sometimes there is an item you are craving or your children (or husband) will actually beg for. If a coupon or sale isn't available... it's typically worth it to try out the store brand. I have found some favorites this way.

*Private Selection products can be found at Kroger (and their affiliates). The appetizers typically run $5-$7. There are several to choose from... I chose the Chicken Trumpets. There was just something about them... they are so petite and it's hard to go wrong with Chicken and Cheese! :)

So... I preheated my oven and waited for them to become melty and delicious. Which they did! They were terrific. The chicken tasted like.... well.... chicken! Which doesn't always happen with frozen foods. They were stuffed with bell peppers that still had a little crunch (NOT overcooked, for once) and cheese which... once again.... you can't go wrong with. I loved them! Hubby liked them as well even though he is by NO means a fan of bell peppers. Now nine appetizers for $7 isn't exactly a great deal... far from it. But... you get what you pay for and these are delicious!

Next to try... Pizza! Who doesn't love Pizza?!? Our family sure does. After a small spat in the pizza aisle... I finally won and we got the Barbecue Chicken Pizza.

There are 3 others to choose from and they are around $5 each. Once again.... I preheated the oven and placed the pizza inside. As I waited, good things happened. The Barbecue sauce bubbled, the cheese melted and the chicken became warm and delicious!

Hubby and I were very impressed with the quality of ingredients on this pizza. It was quite tasty. The only thing I wasn't sure about was the flat-bread crust. But then again... i'm a traditional gal. I'd much rather have a sweet, chewy crust but... it didn't ruin the pizza. It is still quite delicious, especially if you love crunchy flat-bread.

And Finally..... Dessert! It was hard to decide on which dessert to buy. Since I won the pizza spat... I let hubby win the dessert spat. He chose the Apple Crisp. Good choice... I'll give him that. It was slightly sweet, slightly tart, slightly crunchy and all delicious!

Overall, I'd say the Private Selection Frozen Line of Products are delicious. They are quick and some of the products are even party friendly. If you've got a holiday party coming up, I would certainly recommend you trying these out for yourself. You never know!

Sausage, Pepper & Caramelized Onion Sub

2011-11-28T15:13:00.000-08:00

I have been wanting to try out the King's Hawaiian Mini Sub Rolls for a while now. Finally, a I gave in... not at great price... but I felt weak... I love King's Hawaiian anything and hubby and I HAD to try them. They were $2.49 ea. and I used $1/2 coupon and a catalina I had from my previous trip so I didn't pay anything out of pocket for them.
My next thought.... what do I make with them? The possibilities were endless! Then it hit me.... I just bought Sausage links at 2/$5 and had a bell pepper going bad in my fridge. Sausage, Pepper & Caramelized Onion Sub it is!

Ingredients:
1- Small Bell Pepper, Sliced
1- Small Onion, Diced
1- Tbs. Olive Oil
1/2 of a Sausage link
1- Pkg. King's Hawaiian Mini Sub Rolls
*Optional: Leftover Pasta Sauce

Directions:
1. Add the Olive Oil, Diced Onions and Sliced Peppers to a large skillet

2. Caramelize the onions and peppers.

3. Slice the Sausage almost all the way through and add it to the pan. Cook the sausage all the way through.

4. Top the Sausage with the Onions & Peppers.

5. Warm the Rolls.... there is nothin worse than "Cold Buns" he-he.

6. Fit it all together and enjoy. Add some leftover sauce if you'd like.

Enjoy!

So how did it turn out?

Well.... I didn't bother getting a plate. :)

And here is hubby's ~~lunch~~ snack.

My CVS Black Friday Trip!

2011-11-25T17:51:00.000-08:00

My only goal today was to purchase everything I wanted in one transaction. There were several freebies that I just didn't need or want. Here is what I did! *2 Snickers are missing (blame Hubby!)

I spent $13.68 after coupons and my $11 in extra bucks and I got back $30.14 in extra bucks back.
Now... if I could only get my hands on a $ off $$ coupon!

Awesome Baking Deal at HEB!

2011-11-18T20:09:00.000-08:00

There is a REALLY great deal to be had at HEB. For all of the above, I spent a mere $5.72!
Let me break it down (hopefully that will make it easier)...

Buy:
4- Betty Crocker Cookie Mix (17.5 oz.) $1.98 ea.
2- Hershey's Baking Chips $1.88 ea.
1- Hershey's Baking Cocoa $2.99

Use:
2- $1.10/2 Betty Crocker Cookie Mix Printable Coupons
2- Buy 2 Betty Crocker Cookie Mix get FREE Hershey's Baking Chips Yellow Coupons
1- Buy 2 Hershey's Baking Chips get FREE Hershey's Cocoa Yellow Coupon

Final Price: $5.72 for all!!
*All went well with checkout (NO BEEPS!)

It's Here! It's Here! It's Here!

2011-11-17T11:54:00.000-08:00

Two weeks ago I won a Mr. Coffee Single Serve Brewer from this sweepstakes. I was one of fifty winners! How about that!! I am a coffee addict and I'm so excited. I sure as heck can't afford a Keurig or a Mr. Coffee coffee pot on my own so winning this is the next best thing. Thank you Mr. Coffee!!
*The Mr. Coffee sweepstakes is still on and you can enter once a week until December 12th! I would love for one of you to win also!

My Whole Foods Market Trip! (Spent only $1.83!)

2011-11-14T07:00:00.000-08:00

Today was eventful... to say the least. Hubby and I decided late last night that we were going to Froberg's for sweet potatoes to make a few pies and then to Whole Foods to use up our last $20 for $10 voucher. The baby was running low on everything but Annie's Mac n' Cheese which I loaded up on from the Kroger Mega Sale. So I spent my night finding every coupon I could for products that I thought they sold at Whole Foods.
Of course, once we got there everything was sooo high priced that we walked around for about 20 minutes with sticker shock. Then I found a sale on Rice Nog (no, I haven't tried it yet so don't tell me if it's terrible) and then a $1/2 peelie coupon for Earth's Best snacks... and all was right in the world. :)

Here's the Breakdown:
2- Earth's Best Organic Crunchin' Crackers $3.39 ea.
1- Earth's Best Organic Oatmeal Alphabet Cookies $3.39
1- Earth's Best Crunchin' Grahams $2.47
1- Rice Dream Rice Nog $2
1- 365 Cheese Puffs $1.99
2- Earth's Best Snackin Puffs $1.49 ea.
1- Peanut Butter Co. Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter $3.99
1- TLC Kashi Chedder Crackers $3.39
1- Ciabatta Bread $2.99

Coupons Used:
3- $1/2 Earth's Best Coupons
1- $1 Rice Dream Store Coupon
1- $2 Kashi Coupon (from Recyclebank)
1- $1 Peanut Butter Co. Coupon
1- $0.50 Ciabatta Bread Store Coupon
1- $20 Voucher from LivingSocial
... there is another $1 coupon taken off and my 10 cent bag deduction.... not sure where the extra coupon came from??

Final Price: $1.83! YAY!! :)

Maybelline Lots of Lashes Mascara and Baby Lips Lip Balm: My Review

2011-11-11T11:24:00.000-08:00

I have used Maybelline Mascara for years. So, when I was chosen to test out two of the new Maybelline lines of products: Lots of Lashes Mascara and Baby Lips Lip Balm, I was thrilled!

The Maybelline Lots of Lashes Mascara I was most excited about. It looks about the same as the one I have used for years. So... I had high expectations for this one. First, I took a picture of my lashes before any mascara was applied...

.... and after.

I can't say that it clumped less than my usual mascara, but it did do a good job giving me the look of more and longer lashes. Plus.... I absolutely LOVE the applicator!
It is a mini brush that really does brush through my lashes.

This product is a keeper! In fact, I just tossed it in my purse to replace my old mascara. Thank you Maybelline!

Next, the Baby Lips Lip Balm. They come in four colored shades and two clear shades. (Can you call clear a shade?) I chose the Peppermint one, which is clear.
So... here is my lips before....

..... and after. Definitely shiny and moisturized.

This one is a keeper too. It does its job and I like that I can apply it like a lipstick. I have seen my share of lip balm products that you have to apply with your finger and I certainly would rather not have to apply it that way. (Where are you supposed to wipe it off when your done?) Thank you Maybelline for a fully thought through lip balm! :)

*Although I was provided with the products to test out, all opinions in this review are my own.

BZZAGENT

2011-11-10T13:50:00.000-08:00

I have been a member of BzzAgent for 2 years now. If you've never heard of BzzAgent, it is a 100% free site that sends you products to test out and review! In return for your reviews and spreading the word about these products, you get "paid" in Mypoints! They have awesome companies that they work with and yes, you get to keep the products you test out (most of them).
Here are the products i've tested and reviewed for them:
Maybelline Baby Lips and Great Lash Lots of Lashes Mascara
Kroger's The Truly Awesome Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies
Bil Jac Dry Dog Food
Covergirl NaturLuxe Makeup
Covergirl Lip Perfection
Cosmo Magazine
Orbit Gum
Burt's Bees Natural Acne Solutions
BIC Soleil Bella
Max Factor Makeup
Clean & Clear Makeup Wipes
Chili's Guiltless Grill Menu

I have never had a problem with BzzAgent. I absolutely adore this website and all that they do. Would you like to try them out for yourself? Join Today! It's Free!!

Kroger's Truly Awesome Chocolate Chip Cookies: My Review

2011-11-09T07:40:00.000-08:00

When I was chosen to review Kroger's new line of Truly Awesome Chocolate Chip Cookies I was extremely excited. Not only does this gal love a Chocolate Chip Cookie, but I also love trying out store brand products because a lot of times they are just as good (and every now and then better) than the name brand.
So once hubby and I got home from picking them up (along with other groceries), I poured a big glass of milk and took out a cookie.

The first thing I noticed was the size they are pretty big!

However, the first bite was not at all what I expected.... It was a bit bitter. They seem to have a very store-bought taste for something named "Truly Awesome". The Chocolate Chips were certainly good so i'm glad they didn't skimp on those since that's the most important part of the cookie. The only thing I can compare the rest of the cookie to is a homemade cookie where you make a boo-boo and don't mix the baking soda well enough. (Am I the only one??) So... to be fair... I had my hubby taste them as well. He thought the first bite was tasty enough... however when he got to the second bite... he said the same thing. They were a bit bitter. Hopefully we just got a bad box because I did want to like these since i'm always harping on how good store brands can be. We shall try the second box tonight and hope for something better!

*I was given two boxes of Truly Awesome Chocolate Chip Cookies to test out. However, all opinions are my own.

My CVS Trip 11/6

2011-11-08T07:02:00.000-08:00

Went in for Peanut Butter... Came out with Razors?? I can't seem to say no when they pay me to buy them! (Especially when there are so many men in my family who could use a shave.... Hubby? Are you listening?? Oh why must men think that because it's below 80 degrees that they are going to freeze to death without a huge beard to keep them warm?) ..... I digress....
I'll have to go back for a rain check for the Jif Peanut Butter deal.

Here's the Breakdown of Week 7:
1- Schick Hydro 3 $8.49
1- Schick Hydro 5 $9.49
1- Edge Shave Gel $2.19

Coupons/ECB's Used:
2- $5 Schick Razor printable coupons (no longer available)
1- $0.75 Edge printable coupon (no longer available)
1- $5 ECB from the Beauty Club (thanks to week 6!)

Final Price: $4.78
ECB's Received: $10
Left on Gift Card: $4.73 (For my 5 cents that I went over in week 6)

HEB: Holidays Are Bigger in Texas Giveaway & Instant Win Game

2011-11-02T13:44:00.000-07:00

Now, through December 31st, you can enter the HEB Holidays Are Bigger in Texas Giveaway and Instant Win Game. The Giveaway Grand Prize is $20,000! You can also win an HDTV, Ipad or one of their awesome instant win prizes. Go HERE to Play.

The instant win prizes include:

$25, $10 or $5 H-E-B gift card

$50 Spa Finder gift code

$50 Brinker gift card

FREE Amazon Music Download!

My CVS Trip 10/30

2011-10-31T12:55:00.000-07:00

Here is the $25 Gift Card Challenge Week 6 Shopping Trip. With such great coupons, how could I resist? The Covergirl was Buy 1 Get 1 50% Off and I had 4 of the $8/2 Covergirl face product coupons left. I used three of them and paid $4.01 after coupons and my $3 in ecb's, plus a $4/$20 coupon.
Then, I got a $10 CVS Gift Card back. Yay!

I did two transactions this time (haven't done that in years!)
My second purchase was:
1- Illy Coffee $2
2- Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil $3.99 ea
3- American Greetings Cards $0.99 ea.
3-Spree $1.19 ea. (B2G1 Free)
*Note the missing Coffee(my fault) and one of the Spree (hubby's fault) :)

Coupons Used:
1- Free Illy Coffee $2.49 coupon
2- Filippo Berio Oil Coupon $1.50 coupon

Final Price: $10.21 (used $10 Rewards Gift Card from a previous Cereal Deal I did)
Final Total: $0.21! :)

Left on Gift Card: negative $0.05 lol okay so I went 5 cents over.... but now I have $3 ecb, a $5 ecb coming soon for the Beauty Club, and a whole $10 gift card.
*And yes I will be continuing the $25 Gift Card Challenge from Simply CVS.... I will just deduct the 5 cents I went over by on my new $10 Gift Card.

My New $12.55 Digital Camera!!

2011-10-31T08:26:00.000-07:00

So, Sunday Morning (before deal shopping) I was going through my super full email box (is that what you call it?) and I see it. The email i've been waiting for.... My Office Depot Rewards had arrived! YAY! I bought a ton of batteries, bottled water and paper when they were free after rewards, plus i'd turned in my fair share of old ink cartridges. So I had a nice chunk back, were talking $123.80 back!

I knew i'd been wanting a new digital camera. A skinny one that would fit in my back pocket, that had a charger vs. real batteries, and that took pictures quickly (Cause with my one year old, you don't even have time to blink when it comes to picture taking).... I'm sure i'm preachin' to the Choir on that part :)

So back to the camera.... After I told hubby how much we were getting back in rewards, he was more than happy to wake up and head over to Office Depot (men and electronics, i'll never get it.). When we got to the camera section we looked each one over closely and I finally found the one I wanted.... but after closer inspection, there was a clearance model (clearance, because it was the only one left) that was the same thing, but more mega pixels (whatever those are) and better this and that yadayadayada.
Well for $30 cheaper I was sold, as was Colton who was sooo ready to leave by this point. We also grabbed two 8G SD Cards on the way up to the register because they were on sale too (from $35 to $14.99 each!). Once at the register we are told that only the display model was left. Sooo.... we would get another 10% off! YAY! We off course bought the protection plan as well (once again, a one year old + Camera does not = Good) So after handing over my reward certificate my final total came to....... $12.55!! Ta-Da!

And it takes great pictures, hence my receipt picture above.

Disney Store: Free Shipping when you Personalize an item!

2011-10-28T07:05:00.000-07:00

Right now at the Disney Store, through 11/10 you can get free shipping when your order your disney item with personalization when you enter the code FREENAME. To make it even better, if you use the code gift25, you will get an extra 25% off! Finally, if you go through EBATES, you will earn 5% cash back! Several of their jackets can be personalized and most of them are on sale for $20 (before coupon codes)! They also have this adorable fleece throw on sale for $12.50, so after both coupon codes and going through EBATES, It will be around $9!!

I ordered this jacket for my 11 month old for Christmas and after shopping through EBATES, and using the coupon codes above it will only cost me $15.34!