Life in My Land

Giveaway - Gevalia Coffee

2012-02-11T14:29:00.001-09:00

I'm happy to say that my newest giveaway has nothing to do with laundry! For this giveaway I was able to sample Gevalia Kaffe, a Swedish-style coffee. I love coffee and was more than willing to give Gevalia a shot. I've seen these bright yellow Gevalia bags at Safeway for the past month or so. I have to say I was tempted to try it out but had a stash of coffee at home to get through first. This morning my husband and I had some of the French Roast and it was really good. I would describe it as smooth and full-flavored. There was no bitterness. It was a really nice way to start a very busy day.

Some information from MyBlogSpark:
Gevalia Kaffe is much more than your average ‘cup of joe.’ It’s a Swedish-style break from the usual coffee grind. Perfected by the Swedes’ passion for quality coffee for more than 150 years, Gevalia is an exquisitely rich smooth coffee experience that is never bitter. Gevalia isn’t just coffee, it’s ‘Kaffe’ to savor.

Previously available online only, Gevalia is now offering its top-ten varieties in U.S. coffee supermarket aisles nationwide in 10 varieties, including roast and ground, whole bean, flavored and decaffeinated varieties:
*Gevalia Traditional Roast (ground and whole bean):
*Gevalia Traditional Roast provides a perfectly balanced taste every time. Our most beloved blend – made of choice, mountain-grown Arabica beans – this coffee has a distinctive body and flavor with a lighter intensity. (Medium Roast).
*Gevalia House Blend: A Gevalia favorite, House Blend is a robust yet never bitter coffee. This roast has a captivating aroma that is only matched by its exceptional flavor. (Medium/Dark Roast).
*Gevalia House Blend Decaf : Delivering the same rich, never bitter flavor, House Blend Decaf has the same robust taste without all the caffeine. (Medium/Dark Roast).
*Gevalia French Roast (ground and whole bean): Gevalia French Roast is a coffee of impressive richness and dimension, expertly crafted from prized Arabica beans grown in Colombia and Brazil. Hints of aromatic smoke give this dark-roasted French Roast blend an intense, yet uniquely satisfying flavor. (Dark Roast).
*Gevalia Colombia: Grown high in the Colombian Andes, these beans produce a rich, bright and well-bodied Colombian coffee. This single origin classic is world-renowned, which is why we have sourced these beans for decades. (Medium Roast).
*Gevalia Espresso Roast: Gevalia Espresso Roast is made of premium, mountain-grown Arabica beans from East Africa and Central and South America. This roast is bold and full-bodied with a hint of caramel undertones. (Dark Roast).
*Gevalia Vanilla: This rich blend with vanilla flavor notes is crafted from choice mountain-grown Arabica beans, then roasted for exceptional body and flavor. Gevalia Vanilla is a flavorful and balanced experience with a heavenly aroma.
*Gevalia Chocolate Mocha: Gevalia Chocolate Mocha allows you to indulge your passion for decadent flavor. Rich, velvety chocolate flavor is blended with mountain-grown Arabica beans for a sweetly satisfying experience.

With its Swedish heritage and rich, never bitter taste, Gevalia is a premium coffee unlike any other. Having Gevalia in your kitchen means you care about the quality of the coffee you consume and enjoy rich, authentic flavors. Gevalia offers a variety of authentic rich flavors that are perfect for everything from a relaxing morning cup of coffee to an indulgent after dinner compliment.

Winners Prize Pack will contain:
(1) sample of the House Blend from Gevalia Kaffe (12 oz. bag)
(1) sample of the French Roast Blend from Gevalia Kaffe (12 oz. bag)
A Gevalia Kaffe branded coffee mug

If you would like to win this prize pack please leave a comment to this post telling me which of the Gevalia flavors you would like to try first. Contest begins on 2/11/2012 and ends on 2/18/2012 at noon. Winner has 72 hours to contact me at which time a new winner may be chosen. Winner information will be forwarded to Kraft through MyBlogSpark and the prize pack will be mailed from one of those entities. Winning entry will be determined using Random.org. PLEASE leave me a way to contact you or come back to the blog often to see if you've won.

For more information on Gevalia Kaffe
Gevalia Website http://bit.ly/GevaliaSite
Gevalia on Facebook http://on.fb.me/Gevaliafbook

Disclosure: Kraft Foods has provided sample product to me and is providing the prizes for this program at no cost to me. This program is not administered or sponsored by Kraft Foods or its affiliates, but solely by Life In My Land. Although I was provided coffee and a mug to sample the Gevalia product, all opinions expressed in this blog post are my own.

Winner of the Purex UltraPacs Coupons!

2012-02-11T12:37:00.000-09:00

Congratulations to Ashley, Paula, and Shellie, entries 3, 7, and 1. I am sending you e-mails. Please forward me your mailing addresses and I will get your coupons in the mail on Monday.

For all readers, stay tuned, I have another giveaway coming up this weekend!

Zararain's Mixes - $1.00 at Fred Meyers UPDATED

2012-02-08T13:42:00.001-09:00

*So I went back to Fred's last night and re-read the sign. My over tired brain read the sign wrong. It is a minimum of 4 items purchased to receive the catalina. That's why I didn't get one when I bought 3 items. So, no need to split up your transactions but make sure you have 4 in your order. This one probably ends today but maybe other items will be part of the promotion next week, that would be nice.

Right now Zararain's mixes are on sale for $1.25 each at Fred Meyer's. I think that's a really low price for these any more (usually around $3 each) but to make it even sweeter - they are part of a catalina deal where you get $1.00 back (.25 per item purchased) when you buy 4. Now the sign said .25 per item with a limit of 4 but my 4th transaction only had 3 items and no catalina print so... Not sure what's up with that. I bought some other products for this offer (there are signs around the store identifying which products are part of the .25 back deal). I will e-mail catalina and see if they send me a .75 coupon. I can't find any printable coupons for Zatarain's mixes right now but even so, $1.00 each is a stock up price. I was pretty happy - I got my Fred Meyer's reward certificate in the mail yesterday so not only did I get 12 boxes of Zatarain's free with my certificate, I also have $3.00 in catalinas to spend on my next trip. SWEET!

Product Review - Tide Coldwater

2012-02-05T09:00:00.000-09:00

Tide and She Speaks sent me a full size bottle of Tide Coldwater laundry detergent to try out and review as part of the their Tide coldwater program. I was pretty excited to try out this product for a few reasons. One is that I really like Tide products (see the back of my laundry room? That's my Tide stockpile). Two is that I liked the idea of trying out a product specifically made for use in cold water. As I've mentioned in several prior posts, I have a high efficiency washer. The great thing about a high efficiency (or he) washer is that they use less water and energy than standard washers. Think of how much more energy could be saved with a high efficency washer and a cold water detergent.

I received my bottle of Tide on Thursday and given that I always have piles of laundry to do, got right to work testing out the product. My first load of wash was towels. I find this humerous because I was out shoveling the snow berm in the driveway and could smell my dryer venting. I was impressed with the scent, even from outside. After completing my shoveling chore I went back in to hear my dryer beeping. Time to fold - the moment of truth. The towels looked and smelled clean. Towels are an item I would traditionally use hot water on so I felt they were a good test for the Tide coldwater. I continued to wash several loads of laundry for the next two days. All of the clothes have come out bright, clean, soft, and smelling great.

Tide Coldwater liquid detergent is specifically formulated to help get clothes clean when they are washed in cold water. Switching to a cold water detergent is one way to help your family concerve energy and save money on the utility bill. Sounds good to me!

For more information about Tide Coldwater joint tide on twitter #tide#coldwater or on Facebook at on the She Speaks Up Page .

As part of the Tide Coldwater Program I was supplied with a bottle of Tide Coldwater and will be sending me a visa giftcard to use at the P & G. I am freely expressing my own personal opinion and was not influenced by Tide or SheSpeaks.

CLOSED Giveaway - Win a FREE pack of Purex UltraPacks Detergent! 3 WINNERS**

2012-02-03T15:27:00.003-09:00

I told you I'd be hosting some giveaways soon. Today is the day. I received 3 coupons for FREE Purex UltraPacks detergent in the mail today to giveaway to readers. Coupons are good up to $5.00 on a pack of Free & Clear or Mountain Breeze Purex. You can read my previous review of this laundry detergent here.

**To enter please leave a comment on this blog post telling me why you'd like to try this product. Make sure I have a way to contact you after the giveaway. I will select 3 winners through random.org on February 10th.

Also, for anyone who hasn't yet requested one, you can get a free sample of
Purex Triple Action Liquid here. One per year so if you'd like to wait for a different product to come out, I'm told there will be other samples in the future. The sample is for the LIQUID detergent so if you'd like to sample the action pacs you should wait. Personally I prefer the liquid but that's a personal preference.

*Although Purex has provided me the coupons for this giveaway at no cost to me, all opinions expressed in this and all previous posts are my own. (Which should be pretty obvious given my prior review :)).

Quaker Nourish What Counts Offer

2012-02-03T07:38:00.001-09:00

This is kind of interesting offer that I found on Facebook this morning. Basically it's an offer between SavingStar and Quaker. Go to the Nourish What Counts Offer page and enter your Fred Meyer's card number. As you buy products with your loyalty card Quaker keeps track and if you reach $15 worth of purchases in the qualifying period you will get a $5 credit (there are a few options). Note that it may take up to 30 days for your purchases to credit.

Quaker® is celebrating American Heart Month with an exciting special offer! Spend $15.00 on selected Quaker products in February, and get $5.00 back. Includes Old Fashioned Quaker Oats, Instant Quaker Oatmeal, Oatmeal Squares, Grits & Whole Hearts

Products can be purchased over multiple shopping trips at any participating retailer.

1. Register. Find participating stores near you and register your store loyalty cards. (Fred Meyers is one of the retailers)

2. Shop

Buy in one trip or many. You choose. Scan your store loyalty card every time you buy Quaker products and we'll track your purchases. Your bill will not change.

3. Save

Track your progress in this tab on Facebook. Savings show up 2-30 days after purchase. Hit your goal, then pick your payout - to your bank account or PayPal account, an Amazon.com Gift Card, or a donation to charity.

Don't forget to clip and print your Quaker coupons. I've seen a few around recently.

Vocal Point Offer - New Cosco Members

2012-02-02T15:05:00.000-09:00

If you do not currently have a Costco membership but are a member of Vocal Point, you might consider this offer. Everyones feelings differ on warehouse stores but my personal feeling is that Costco saves my family a bundle. Yes, I am careful about what I buy and I do pay a yearly fee but that fee is off-set by my money back yearly reward. Anyways, if you're considering signing up for Costco go to your Vocal Point account and print off their offer - take it to your warehouse store and receive coupons for free products and other great savings, valued at MORE THAN $50, including:

•FREE Kirkland Signature™ rotisserie chicken
•FREE Kirkland Signature Spring or Drinking Water, 35/16.9 oz
•FREE Kirkland Signature 2-lb. bag of coffee – and more!

Info from Vocal Point:

Sign up as a new member at Costco to get low warehouse prices on thousands of high-end, brand-name products and services. PLUS, as a Vocalpoint member, receive coupons for 3 free products and other savings valued at more than $50!*
About Costco

Costco Wholesale is the premier membership warehouse club. 64 million members enjoy low warehouse prices on thousands of high-end, brand-name products and services for their home or business at more than 500 locations worldwide. Costco is committed to offering the best value to members with a risk-free, 100% satisfaction guarantee on membership and merchandise. Certain product-specific limitations apply. See the membership counter for details.

Offer expires April 1, 2012

My Mailbox - A Week In Review

2012-02-01T13:11:00.000-09:00

I've gotten a few nice things in the mail in the past week or so and wanted to share. In addition to the items shown in the photo I got back my two $10 Visa debit cards from purchasing the Smurfs Movie before Christmas (no longer valid). I spent those two debit cards and already (on my weekly shopping trip) so they aren't in the photo. Most of these items are no longer available but I wanted to point out that playing sweeps and requesting samples can be worth your while (not always but there are times). I usually don't post when these items are available for sampling because so many of them are gone within minutes but if you see them on other sites or around the web, they pay off. Here's my list

John Frieda hair color - this was a coupon that came for a free box, up to $12.99. I don't remember requesting this but yeah, this actually was on my shopping list!

Progresso Light Soup - this was a free sample from Eat Better America . They offer 10,000 free samples of an item (changes monthly) each month. They are also a great source for coupons. Hey, it's free lunch!

Honey Wheat bread from Great Harvest Bread Company in Anchorage . I signed up for the mailing list in the store a few years ago and each December I get a card in the mail for one free loaf of bread (white or wheat) during the next year. No other purchase is necessary and when you pick up your free loaf you can get an awesome sample of wonderful fresh bread. I love Great Harvest! Guess what I had for lunch today - my free can of soup and a slice of fresh made bread - yum!

2 Target gift cards ($15 total) I won from playing a Denizen's Jean game back in August. After repeated e-mails the cards finally showed up last week. Apparently there were a lot of issues with people getting the items they won in this sweeps. It pays to be persistent.

Olay facial mosturizer - I signed up for a free bottle in December on Facebook. There were different items daily and I got in on this one. This happened to be an item on my to buy list as well so score!

Dove haircare sample - don't remember where I signed up for this but they frequently come up. I love to use these when I take the kids to the pool.

Select 55 hat - won this in a game they had on Facebook that ended in early January.

Keebler Jumbo cookie stick - don't remeber signing up for this one either but I must have a while ago.

Burt's Bee lip balm - won this in a sweeps on Facebook that ended last month. Love Burt's Bee's!

Sunglasses from Budweiser - will I use a cheap pair of plastic Budweiser glasses? Unlikely but you never know. That's the thing with sweeps, you may win a $50 gift card or a pair of plastic glasses.

P & G coupon book.

Rebate check for buying Renuzit Crystals. $5.50ish.

My favorite site to find mail in rebates is Coupons Deals & More's list and for sweeps I like Freebies 4 Mom but there other sources for both.

Sorry I don't have more to post right now, I'm just super tight on time. I hope to be posting a few giveaways again here in the next week or two so stay tuned.

Winner of the Purex/Jockey Giveaway

2012-01-26T07:17:00.000-09:00

Wow, I can't believe the 25th has come and gone. I hope all of you have been able to spend some time on yourself and your fitness. Random.org chose the winner of the Purex Crystals and Jockey Sports Bra early this morning and it is...

kervin, entry #9 who will be using her sports bra at the gym and to play basketball with her boys. Congratulations! I will send you an e-mail. Please get me your address and phone number (for shipping purposes) asap. I must forward this information to Jockey within a few days.

A Few Target Deals Worth Mentioning

2012-01-18T15:31:00.001-09:00

I do wish I had hours to peruse the store shelves and report back all the deals around town. That would be awesome! But, alas, I don't. I did have about 20 minutes in Target last night though and I found a few sales I thought were worth mentioning. I was at the Muldoon Target.

Progresso Soup (including the Light) is 3/$4 or $1.33 each. Use the MyBlog Spark Super You Coupon for $1.25/4 to pay $1.02 per can after coupon.

Alexia Fries/onion rings - $4.07 each in store you can use a $1/1 Alexia Foods Facebook Coupon and the $1/1 Target to pay $2.07 per bag for these.

Fun Dips (or Pixy Stix, Nerds, or Laffy Taffy) Valentine's Day kits - $3.29 per kit (between 20 and 36 cards per kit depending on the candy chosen). Use the $1/2 Target coupon and the $1/1 coupon.com coupon to pay $1.79 each for these.

Capri Sun - non-coupon sale. The 2-packs (10 per pack) are $4.49 each which isn't a bad price but if you buy 4 of the 2-packs you get a 4th free (choose between Nabisco snacks or juice). Buy 4 and pay $13.47 or $3.36 per 2-pack. That works out to $1.68 per 10 pack of juice (a stock-up price).

Market Pantry Frozen Chicken items - $3.99 each (included chicken nuggets, breaded patties, dinosaur nuggets, and a few others). Use the $1.50/2 Target coupon to pay $3.24 per pack.

Giami sports item ($10 or more) - There is a Target coupon for $5/$10 or more. Giami has some water bottles that are $15ish, yoga blocks for $13ish, and several other items. If you're looking for any of these items you might want to print this coupon and check out the sale.

It does still appear that the $1/1 Market Pantry Mac 'n Cheese item coupon is still available to print. The register will automatically adjust down to the price of the item if under the value of the Target coupon. The mac 'n cheese is $.77 per box so free with the coupon. Even if you don't eat this, it might be worth picking up a box or two to donate. I keep it around for summer camping trips or easy lunches on the weekends.

That's all I found in the brief time I was in the store but hopefully these help you.

A Few Fred Meyer's Match-Ups

2012-01-15T15:58:00.002-09:00

This is far from a full ad-match but there were quite a few sales that jumped out at me this morning and I thought I'd pass on what I saw for those interested.

Rather than post a link each time there is a coupon on the Fred Meyer's site, the link is here for you Fred Meyers Ecoupons

General Mills Cereal (Cheerios, MultiGrain Cheerios, etc), Nature Valley or Fiber One Bars $2 for $5 with in ad coupon (various coupons on http://www.coupons.com/ and Box Tops 4 Educadtion (there are higher value coupons on Box Tops) - prices vary but cereal will be as low as $1.50 a box on Multi Grain Cheerios and $1.90 a box on other varieties of Cheerios) AND .75/2 Nature Valley Bars boxes from Fred Meyers (see link above)

Hampburger, Chicken, and Tuna Helter 8 for $10 use coupons from Fred Meyers or Box Tops 4 Education (highest value I found is .90/4 from Box Tops) lowest price per box should be $1.03

Progresso Soupon 8/$10 - ~~$1.25/4 from~~ ~~my post from earlier this week. As far as I can tell this is still available but as I've already printed twice I can't be sure. Final price .94 per can for the Light Proresso. T~~ The light is not included in the sale.

Halls Coupon Drops on sale with in ad coupon $1 each. There were coupons available in the past few weeks from various source but I can't find any now. I had several blinkies for $1/2 from Fred Meyers last month. I hope you have a few too. I like to wait for these sales and stock up with 10 or so bags to get us through the winter. .50 per bag

Bumbe Bee Chunk Light Tuna .79/can with in ad coupon (limit 4) use 2 of the coupons available for 75 points each from Recycle Bank. .29/can with coupon. This is a print at home and you may be able to print twice (sometimes I can, sometimes I'm limited to once - not sure why).

Chapsticks 10 for $10 or $1 each use the .25/1 coupon to pay .75 each I also some some Chapsticks marked .69 in Eagle River. You might be able to get them for .44 each.
Hunts Snack Packs 8 for $10 use the Fred Meyers coupon (link at top of post) .50/3 to pay $1.08 per pack when you buy 3

Pure Protein Bars $1.49 each $1/3 from Fred Meyers coupons (link at top of page) to pay $1.16 per bar when you buy 3

vitamin water zero 8 for $10 use the Fred Meyers coupon (link at top of page) $1/6 to pay $1.08 per bottle when you buy 6

Chef Boyardee Pasta 8 for $10 use the Fred Meyers coupon (link at top of page) $1/6 to pay $1.08 each when you buy 6

Hun's Pasta Sauce (26 oz) 8 for $10 use the Fred Meyers coupon (link at top of page) .50/3 to pay $1.08 each when you buy 3

Fuze 8 for $10 use the Fred Meyers coupon (link at top) $1/6 to pay $1.08 per bottle when you buy 6

Old Spice Body Wash 3/$10 use the $2/1 Old Spice Body Wash coupon from the January P & G insert to pay $1.33 per bottle

There are also some pretty decent prices on color bell peppers ($1.50 each),

zucchini and yellow squash $1.28 per lb.

Roma tomatoes $1.28 per pound

Aleve and Bayer 20-24 select varieties .99 each with in store coupons

No doubt there are tons of other match-ups but these were the ones that jumped out at me when I was reviewing the ad. I hope this helps someone with their weekly shopping.

Reminder - Review and Giveaway - Jockey and Purex

2012-01-14T21:27:00.000-09:00

Go here to enter to win a free bottle of Purex Crystals and a jockey sports bra! Ending on the 25th of January.

Simply Asia / Thai Kitchen Love It Or We'll Give You Your Money Back! Guarantee

2012-01-14T16:18:00.001-09:00

Simply Asia and Thai Kitchen are challenging people to take the Dragon menu Challenge. If you don't love the meals they make you will get your money back if you follow the terms of the offer (see form for terms) . Basically if you purchase any one Simply Asia or Thai Kitchen product between January 2, 2012 andFebruary 4, 2012 and don't love it, they will refund your money. I would love to try some new products and will probably give this guarantee a try. I saw several Simply Asia and Thai Kitchen products at Fred Meyers today, everything from stir fry mixes to noodle bowls.

From the Dragon Menu Site - We’re so confident you’ll love our authentic Asian flavors that we’ll give you your money back if you don’t. We’ve even provided recipes to help you get started. What do you have to lose?

In addition to printing your rebate you can enter to win an authentic Chinese New Year. Go to Dragon Menu Challenge for more information.

KTUU Deal - Full Circle Farm

2012-01-13T08:28:00.001-09:00

I love Full Circle Farm. I know others have had different experiences but I've used them a few times over the past few years. I've always been pleased. This current deal is 2 boxes for the price of one. Go to KTUU Full Circle Farm Deal for the deal.

From the KTUU Deals website:
Description

Full Circle is the Northwest's leading organic produce delivery service. Join Full Circle today and get year-round access to local organic, farm-fresh fruits and vegetables and select artisan foods. We'll deliver your customizable box of seasonal items at the peak of flavor and freshness directly to your doorstep or convenient pick-up spot each week.

If you like your local farmers market, then you'll love Full Circle

Come check us out on our website at http://www.fullcircle.com/

Please select your choice of deal price:
• Seed $28.95
• Sprout $35.95
• Garden $43.95
• Harvest $55.95

Membership account and Credit Card are required to redeem this offer. You may redeem your certificate via telephone and/or online. When ordering your product online you must use the certificate code provided to complete your DEAL order. Make sure you have your certificate code handy when placing your order.

Valid through 01/13/2013

Restrictions

Valid from 1 day(s) after purchase date to 1 year(s) after purchase date.

Cash back for unused portion? NO

No cash value.

Not valid with any other promotion.

Limit 1 per household.

Please select your choice of deal price:

• Seed $28.95

• Sprout $35.95

• Garden $43.95

• Harvest $55.95

Membership account and Credit Card are required to redeem this offer. You may redeem your certificate via telephone and/or online. When ordering your product online you must use the certificate code provided to complete your DEAL order. Make sure you have your certificate code handy when placing your order.

Valid through 01/13/2013

Savings

Mid-Week Shopping

2012-01-11T12:17:00.000-09:00

I had to take the morning off for a medical appointment in Anchorage. Of course after the appointment I did some shopping! I hit Fred Meyers, Target, Walgreens, and Wal-Mart. To start me off I had a $25 Visa giftcard from Christmas and $31.50 in mail in rebate checks to use. My goal was to not exceed those amounts but to pick up items for the kids lunches, some easy dinners (to keep us from grabbing McDonald's on those crazy nights), and to get some items I need for french toast for the freezer and dinner for tonight. I am happy to say I suceeded!

My shopping is in two photos - the first from Wal-Mart, Walgreens and Fred's and the 2nd from Target. I'll start off with Fred's

2 Imagine Turkey Gravy's marked down to .79 each (I was hoping to get these free using the $1/1 coupon from Imagine Foods but my cashier would not adjust the coupons down. He said I couldn't use them. I've had that problem before at the Muldoon store but never have an issue at Eagle River).

Pop-Secret 3 pack free with a coupon from Disney Movie Rewards. These are only 75 points per box and still available so if you have points you want to use, this is a good reward. FYI you can only purchase one box at a time.

Mustard Greens - I am making a Quinoa Black Beans and Greens meal I found the recipe for on Jillian Michael's website. Sounds good, I'll let you know. $1.79

3 Muir Glen Tomatoe Pastes $1.29 each but I had 3 .75/1 IP coupons that came from coupons.com earlier this month (no longer available from what I can see) to pay .54 a can after coupons. These used to go on sale pretty frequently for .99 but I haven't seen that in quite a while.

Lara Bar - $1.25 but I had a free coupon from playing the Larabar Very Large Sweeps that ended a while back.

SunBird Mongolian Beef packet of mix - $1.39 but I had a $1/1 IP coupon from coupons.com I printed earlier this week. From what I can see this one is no longer available either :(. I only printed one not knowing what these cost in AK or if I could find them. I had wanted a few more.

Soft Soap .88 because I needed a new bottle in the bath - I usually refill these as it's more environmentally friendly and less expensive but occasionally we need a new bottle.

WAL-MART
4 Tyson Anytisers $6.98 each (for the kids lunches) and I will submit for the Tyson Facebook rebate rebate to get a $10 Sports cash card (good at Target and Sports Authority among others). $27.92 which is a lot but my kids won't eat sandwiches and the quesadillas and empanadas looked like a good lunch choice for them.

Great Value brown rice - $1.75

Johnson and Johnson Reach floss - $1.08 I had 2 $1/1 coupons (I had tried to buy these at Fred Meyer's where they were .99 each but my casheir refused the coupons as they were .01 more than the product - you may have a different experience) I believe I got these from coupons.com too. I paid .08 per pack after coupon.

3 boxes of Zatarains because we love it! $2.36 per box and I had a .50/3 coupon. That was the best price I saw between Carrs, Fred's, and Wal-Mart on these.

Eggs - $2.94 for my french toast for the freezer I'm making if I can get my stuff together, exercise, and get off the computer before the kids get home in 3 hours.

WALGREENS

12 pack of Coke Zero - $4.99 but free with a coupon from My Coke Rewards I got a while back when the 12 packs were about 100 points.

20 Coke Zero - $1.79 but free after a free coupon from My Coke Rewards I got when I won a game they had on there before Christmas.

TARGET
3 more packs of Reach floss - $1.08 a pack but I had 2 $1/1 coupons (again Fred's wouldn't let me use these on their .99 floss which would have made it free) so .08 per pack.

2 Teriyaki sauce from Kikkoman I had 2 $1/1 coupons that came from Carrs. There was a box with these at the Eagle River store last week. $1.69 per container or .69 each after coupons. I love these for easy fish and chicken marinades

3 boxes of target brand mac 'n cheese - .77 each but free with 3 coupons from Target. I believe these are still available (I printed mine on Monday).

2 Coke Zero on sale for $1.50 each but I still had my .99/1 Coke Zero product coupon that was available for a day or so right before New Years. .51 per bottle

1 Totino's Pizza Stuffer $4.89 but free with a free coupon I won from another blogger last month. A word of advice, these are horrible if you microwave them but pretty good out of the oven.

So that's it for my shopping adventures. Out of pocket I spent $47.67 however I had $25 on a Visa Gift card from Christmas and $31.50 in mail in rebates to use so still have $8.83 left plus I should get back $10 in a gift card I can use at Target. I'm happy with that.

$1.25 off 4 Progresso Light Soup Coupon

2012-01-09T14:43:00.000-09:00

From My Blog Spark and Progresso Soup:

Are you ready for a new look this New Year? Progresso® is excited to announce the return of their Souper You® Contest giving you the change to win an incredible makeover! By telling Progresso why you deserve a makeover and what you love about their soup, you could have the chance to win an ultimate makeover experience in Hollywood this Spring!

Now that the ball has dropped and the confetti has settled, it´s time to consider how you will stick to your resolution for the New Year and maintain your weight management plan, without sacrificing on variety or the taste of foods you love. Thanks to Progresso®, you can have your soup and eat it too!

With 40 delicious soups with 100 calories or less per serving, Progresso Soup has a variety of offerings that help you beat diet boredom and satisfy your taste cravings, while helping you stick to your weight management calorie goals. Progresso soups are packed with hearty ingredients like pasta, beans, rice, meat and vegetables that suit your taste buds and make you feel good about including it in your meal choices.

o This year, the Souper You® Contest will provide three lucky winners with an ultimate makeover experience in Hollywood; this includes a trip for 2 to Los Angeles, California where the winner will receive a head-to-toe makeover including hair and makeup, guided shopping spree with a $1,000 fashion retailer gift card, $1,000 spending money and 2 tickets to this season´s live finale of NBC´s The Biggest Loser

o Progresso is asking fans to visit www.SouperYou.com and submit their photo with a brief essay about why they love Progresso soups and why they deserve a makeover, by no later than February 22nd

o Fans can check back on March 12th for the announcement of the top ten finalists, and to vote for their favorite finalist until March 25th

o In addition, visit My Blog Spark - Progresso Soup Coupon to download a printable coupon for $1.25 off the purchase of four (4) cans of Progresso Soup today.

Review and Giveaway - Jockey and Purex

2012-01-09T13:45:00.002-09:00

Okay, I am really excited about this post. First I get to tell you about Jockey's new Tech Terry sports bra and Purex Crystals newest scent and then I get to post a giveaway! How cool is that? Okay, let me step back. One thing at a time. I'll start at the beginning.

In early December Jockey and Purex sent me a 2012 Jockey Tech Terry Performance Sports Bra and a bottle of Purex Crystals in Tropical Splash scent. I was asked to wash the bra in Purex crystals after working out and write a review. In exchange I was provided with a the mentioned bra and Purex Crystals*.

As many of you know, I really enjoy working out. In particular I love to run. One of my New Years Resolutions this year is to run a marathon at the end of August. I started my training on January 1st. Now anyone who runs know that the two most important pieces of equipment for a runner are shoes and a good sports bra. Usually after working out I put my workout clothes in a separate pile from my regular laundry. The reason for that is that you aren't supposed to wash moisture-wicking fabrics with fabric softener. It decreases the wicking performance of the material. That's where Purex comes in. Because Purex Crystals do not use oils for softening they can be used on all types of laundry, including sports bras and workout clothing (and children's sleep wear). How cool is that?

I have been using my Jockey sports bra now for a month and I love it. It really is very supportive. Some of the benefits of this particular bra are that it is made from moisture-wicking materials which help keep you cool and dry, it has a key pocket, has a reflective logo in the back, has breathable mesh panels, and has a soft bottom band for comfortable support. I love my Jockey bra. In fact I prefer it over my bras purchased from running stores made specifically for runners. I will buy another when this one needs to be replaced.

After every few runs I have washed my bra with Purex laundry detergent and the new Purex Tropical Splash fabric softener. The bra does not hold odors, is comfortable, and smells great after each washing. I have not noticed any decrease in wicking ability of the fabric.

Jockey is offering all my readers a 20% off coupon to use when purchasing your own sports bra. In addition, they are providing one of my readers with the same package I received; a 2012 Jockey Tech Terry Performance Sports Bra and a full size container of Purex Crystals in Tropical Splash.

Rules:
- To enter to win this package all you have to do is leave a comment to this post stating how you will use this sports bra. For instance you might use it to walk the dog, attend a Zumba class, coach a soccer team, or maybe you want to run a marathon too. As always, remember to leave contact information so I can reach you after the contest.
- Contest runs from today through January 26th, 2012 at 5 p.m.
- Winner will be chosen at random through random.org
- Winner will have 72 hours to send me their mailing address or a new winner may be chosen
- Winners package will ship directly from Jockey and Purex, I will have no control over shipment, I will only forward winner information to Purex and Jockey.

*Purex and Jockey sent me a bottle of Crystals and a sports bra to review however all opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Coupon Giveaway Winners!

2012-01-09T06:57:00.000-09:00

I have a crazy busy day today and tomorrow so I'm doing the coupon giveaway earlier than normal. I don't expect any more entries so I've picked 4 winners! I went ahead and threw in a 2nd Coffee-mate creamer coupon since that was the most popular item and I have a few of those. The first four entrants picked by Random.org were

1. Erika at Those Who Help Themselves, formerly the Alaskan Bargain Hunter - coffee-mate creamer
2. Shaynadgreen - Coffeemate creamer
3. Dentalamy - Totino's pizza Stuffers
4. Steph R. - popcorn

Congratulations ladies. I will send you each an e-mail if I have contact information. Please get me your addresses in the next 48 hours. I will mail out your coupons on Wednesday.

Stay tuned for an amazing giveaway starting some time this week (hint think Jockey and Purex)!

Blogger Review - Purex Triple Action Ultra Packs

2012-01-07T18:50:00.003-09:00

About two weeks ago Purex sent me a pack of Mountain Breeze scented Triple Action Ultra Packs to try out and review on the blog. I was really excited about these little tabs because you just grab one from the bag and throw it in the bottom of the washer. No measuring, cup, or mess necessary. Very easy and clean. Usually when I do these reviews I do 3 to 4 loads of laundry and then write my review. I've always been pleased with the products I received from Purex and figured that I would feel the same way about these Ultra Packs.

My first three loads of laundry were great. I threw in a tab and the clothes came out clean. On my fourth load I found a goey substance on the rubber gasket/band around the outside of the tub of the washer. Since I have a high efficiency washer I'm always very careful about the detergents I put it. I was concerned but figured maybe I had overloaded the washer. It was a larger load. So I figured I'd try a few more loads. There are 18 tabs in each package so I decided to try them all before my review. Of the 18 loads there was undisolved detergent in three loads. I tried to keep my loads only about half the capacity of the washer (the recommendation by the manufacturer) to ensure that I was operating the washer correctly. I think that most likely the problem is having a high efficiency washer. From my research I found that high efficiency washers use only half the water as regular washers. This could definitely make a difference in disolving a tablet.

My final conclusion. I will not buy these again but if you have a regular washer I think they would be worth trying. I still believe Purex makes a great product, these just weren't what I had hoped for.

Disclosure - Purex provided me with the product used in this post at no cost to me. All opinions expressed in this post are my own.

Try Me Risk Free Offer of the Week

2012-01-04T20:36:00.001-09:00

Laughing Cow has a new Try Me Risk Free Offer. Basically this is a money back guarantee for purchases of any 1 Laughing Cow Cheese Wedge package between 1/1/2012 and 2/29/2012 (I guess we're having a leap year!). If you don't "love it" they will refund your purchase price up to $4.99. There is a light versions of this cheese, so if you're trying new products for the new year, you might consider this offer. For the pdf version of the rebate go here. As always, review your form and make sure you follow the rules of the rebate.

FYI - Carrs has these in their ad this week for $4.99 each. I have no idea what they cost at Fred's or regular price but I do know you can get them at the rebate cap amount from Carrs through next Tuesday.

Coupon Giveaway!

2012-01-03T13:36:00.000-09:00

What better way is there to start a new year than with a giveaway? Winning one! This giveaway is sponsored by me. I have chosen 3 coupons from my binder to give away to readers. The winners will receive 1 of the following coupons - a free coffee-mate liquid or powder creamer coupon (up to $3.99), a free Totino's Pizza Stuffer's coupon (up to $4.50) or a free Pop-Secret 3-count box coupon (up to $3.50). To enter, leave a comment on this post telling me which coupon is your first,second, and third choice. On 1/9/2012 I will pick 3 winners and award the coupons. The first person will get his/her first choice of coupons (as listed in the comment), the 2nd person will get their choice of the two remaining coupons and the 3rd person drawn will be awarded the remaining coupon. Please remember to leave contact information with your entry. The winner will have 48 hours to get me his/her address or a new winner may be chosen. Good luck!

ADN Paper Inserts

2012-01-01T09:26:00.000-09:00

Wondering if you should buy a paper for the inserts? Here is what's in today's paper.

P & G brand SAVER - this comes out once a month and the coupons always expire the last day of the month the insert is for. $95 in savings on your favorite P&G products like Tide, Bounty and Crest. For every coupon redeemed, Proctor and Gamble will make a donation to Special Olympics.

Red Plum
$3/1 any size Hill's Science Diet Light cat or dog food
$1/1 Robitussin product (any)
$1/1 any children's Dimetapp product$3/1 any Centrum or Centrum Specialist Multivitamin
$5/1 any ProNutrients
$2/1 any Caltrate Product

Smart Source
$2/2 Multi-pack plastic bottles or 7.5 8 pack mini cans Pepsi products
$.55/1 on Tostitos dips (14.5 oz or larger, any varity or flavor) when you buy 1 bag of Tostitos Tortilla Chips (9 oz or larger, any variety_
$1/1 Carnation Breakfast Essentials product
.50/1 Sweet 'n Low 100 ct. or larger
.75/2 Healthy Choice Frozen Cafe Steamers
$1/1 Playtex Gentle Glide Tampons or Playtex Sport Tampons
$1/1 Playtex On The Go Wipes or Playtex Sport Body Wipes
$2.50/2 36 ct or larger Playtex Gentle Glide Tampons or Playtex Sport Tampons
$1/1 Atkins Bar 5-pack
$1/1 Any Atkins Shake 4-pack
$1/1 Johnsonville Chicken Sausage
Chuck E. Cheese coupons

That's it for today's paper. I'm hoping to make this a weekly post letting folks know what's in the paper each Sunday. If you're not a subscriber it will help you decide whether buying a local paper is worth it.

Freezer Cooking Update

2011-12-30T15:16:00.000-09:00

Well things are definitely getting accomplished around here. I'm exhausted, would love a shower, and still have several meals to go. But, looking at what's finished helps keep me motivated. So far I've made what's crossed out. Some recipes are at the bottom.

~~3 ham & cheese quiche from Nestle~~

~~3 Italian Chicken for the crockpot~~

~~1 Asian Chicken for the crockpot~~

~~18 lasagna roll-ups (for 3 meals - 6 roll-ups per meal)~~

~~24 twice baked potatoes~~

~~1 sweet & sour pork~~

1 chicken pot pie

2 chicken fajitas kits

1 beef fajita kit

2 taco kits

~~6 packages of white sauce (like alfredo sauce)~~

~~24 ham & cheese crescents~~ (Only made 16, the others I will make regular crescents)

lots (who knows how many this will make) of french toast sticks

Recipes

Italian Chicken for the Crockpot

3 lb. frozen chicken breasts (boneless skinless)
1/2 bottle of Italian dressing (low fat and fat-free work well too)
1 colored pepper (doesn't matter, your taste - we don't really like green so I used a combination of red, yellow, and orange which will havea milder flavor) chopped up
1 medium onion chopped
1 large carrot chopped
2 quartered potatoes (added the day of cooking)

Add all ingredients to a freezer bag. Label and place in freezer. When ready to cook take out and let thaw in the fridge overnight. Place in crockpot and let cook 4 hours on low. Add 2 cut up potatoes and continue to cook 2 hours.

Asian Crock-pot chicken
3 lb. frozen chicken breasts
1/2 bottle Asian salad dressing
1 colored pepper (doesn't matter, your taste - we don't really like green so I used a combination of red, yellow, and orange which will havea milder flavor) chopped up

1 medium onion chopped
1 large carrot chopped

Add all ingredients to a ziploc bag. Freeze. When ready to serve remove from the freezer and thaw in the fridge. Add to crockpot and cook for 6 hours on low. Serve over rice.

Twice Baked Potatoes

Clean and scrub 12 baking potatoes
Bake at 425 degrees for approximately 75 minutes
Cool potatoes
Cut in 1/2 and scoop out the insides leaving the skin intact
Add scoop out potato to mixing bowl
Add 6 table spoons softened margarine or butter, 1/4 cup skim milk, 1 cup low fat sour creem. Mix together until mashed. Fold in 3 chopped green onions and 1/ 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. Fill potato shells with mix. Place on baking sheet and sprinkle with more cheddar cheese. Flash freeze. Wrap each potato in plastic wrap. Place in freezer bags.

When ready to cook - remove desired number of potatoes. Thaw in refrigerator overnight. Cook at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until potatoes are heated through and beginning to thaw.

Freezer Cooking Menu

2011-12-30T12:53:00.000-09:00

Well here it is, my freezer cooking menu. I promise to post recipes later today. Right now I have 10 minutes while the pork cooks to do this post so no time for recipes except for one that I have a quick link to. Here goes...

3 ham & cheese quiche from Nestle
3 Italian Chicken for the crockpot
1 Asian Chicken for the crockpot
18 lasagna roll-ups (for 3 meals - 6 roll-ups per meal)
24 twice baked potatoes
1 sweet & sour pork
1 chicken pot pie
2 chicken fajitas kits
1 beef fajita kit
2 taco kits
4 packages of white sauce (like alfredo sauce)
24 ham & cheese crescents
lots (who knows how many this will make) of french toast sticks

I hope to make several other meals but haven't quite figured those out yet. For instance I have two boxes of lasagna noodles, yams, frozen vegetables, eggs, rice, sausage, ground beef, chicken, and ham left to make some meals with.

Freezer Cooking Shopping Trip

2011-12-30T10:35:00.000-09:00

Well I'm taking the plunge. After several days of putting a few things in the freezer it's time for a major cooking day. I have been pulling meat out of the freezer for a few days and prepping vegetables. I decided on today as I wanted to buy a few things from Carrs $5 Friday sale as part of the cooking. I ran to the store this morning and bought what is pictured. I have to admit that I hadn't intended to spend nearly $90 at the store but that's how it worked out. I will be pulling tons of meats out of the freezer, items from the pantry and cupboards and still had to spend that much. Oh well. The good news is I should end up with a ton of meals and sides when I'm finished. I will post a list of the meals and some recipes later today. For now I wanted to post some of the Friday specials and then I need to get started cooking.

I started out with a list of items I needed and only planned to hit one store. Since I felt I would get the most for my money on what I needed at Carrs today (due to the sale and after looking at coupons and sales flyers) I went there.

- 2 (5 lb each) bags of Gold Medal flour on reduced for 50% off due to a taped up tear in the bag $1.74 each
- 2 cans of Safeway Pineapple (I should have bought this at another store earlier but just added this to the list of meals - my bad)
- 2 Ronzoni Healthy Harvest lasagna noodles on reduced for $1.99 each
- 1 Barilla Lasagna on sale for $2.39
- 18 pack Lucerne Large Eggs $2.49
- 3 Evaporated milks (fat free and 2% to mix together) $1.75 per can (not the cheapest price in town again, generic at Wal-Mart is $1.16 but again, poor planning on my part)
- Safeway Stir Fry vegetables with asparagus $2.00
- Safeway frozen peas and carrots $1.79
- Daisy Light Sour Cream $2.49
- Organic frozen spinach $2.50
- Safeway thick sliced french toast bread on sale for $2.50
- 3 bags of Safeway Chicken Tenderloins on sale TODAY ONLY for $5 per bag (3 lb. bags of boneless skinless chicken)
- Turkey pepperoni $3.50
- Bottom Round Steak on reduced $3.90
- Green Pepper $1.49
- Green Onion $1.29
-2 1/2 lbs of yams $3.99
-8 lb. of Oranges (TODAY ONLY!) $5.00
-white onions $3.99
-Carrots Alaskan Grown - $2.49 for 2 lb.
-Primo Taglio Ham $5.00 (TODAY ONLY) 16 oz.
-Primo Taglio Turkey $5.00 (TODAY ONLY) 16 oz.
-Primo taglio Salame $5.00 (TODAY ONLY)

Stay tuned for my freezer cooking post coming soon!
-