Thrifty Florida Mama

Join Kraft First Taste for Free to Receive Samples and Coupons

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 23:43:00 +0000

I love Kraft Products and I'm sure they are a staple in your house as well. Kraft Macaroni and Cheese is like it's own food group to my kids.

Recently I joined Kraft First Taste and I'm really enjoying it. So far I've tried the Flatbreads and a protein bar. I received a coupon for a free Diogornio Flatbread and the protein bar came in the mail.

I'm also loving being able to print Kraft coupons from my computer. I hope they reload those soon.

Click below to sign up for yourself and start enjoying Kraft samples and coupons for free.

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

Free $5 Gift Card for first 51 People at the Starke Winn-Dixie

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 20:54:00 +0000

The Starke, Florida Winn-Dixie will be giving away $5 Gift Cards to the first 51 people who enter the store on Friday, July 17th. The store opens at 7 a.m.

See ya' there?

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

Yard Sale Finds: Kids' Clothing

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 02:08:00 +0000

Yard sales are one of my favorite things! And in the summertime I get to visit even more sales because I can go on Friday mornings.

Last week I hit the motherload of kid's clothes for Camryn. She is currently wearing size 18 months and I had stockpiled up to 18 months size before she was born.

Now that I know her growth pattern it is easier to predict which seasons/sizes she needs for the upcoming year.

A friend posted that she and several others were having a gigantic yardsale with baby girl clothes. Knowing the families, I knew that quality of the clothes would be good but I had to take Camryn for a dr. visit on the Friday morning of their sale. So I employed one of my favorite yard sale strategies and shot her an email to ask if I could possibly shop on Thursday evening.

If you know someone having a yard sale and you anticipate that they will have items that you are specifically interested in, call them and ask if you can get a sneak peek. It works out great for both parties involved!

The mom agreed and I got to spend time carefully looking through the massive (I mean massive!) piles of girl clothes by myself without a crowd grabbing them up first.

I bought 82 pieces of clothing, mostly name-brand, some with tags still attached for $100. The sizes range from 18 months to 3T. Camryn is set for the next few seasons and sizes with the exception of shoes.

Children's' clothes can be expensive but buying at yard sales allows me to save money and apply it to our debt. $100 may seem like a little to some families or it may sound like a whole lot to others for a baby's year to a year and half worth of clothes. The point is not amount the dollars spent. It's about the dollars not spent!

And here are a few other items I picked up this weekend at other sales:
For Caleb:

Two t-shirts, 1 pair pj pants, 1 pair of Old Navy pants, 1 polo shirt

For Christin:

Two Aero shirts, 1 Old Navy tank, 1 Victoria's Secret nightshirt tank

Goodwill Hunting and Yard Sale Finds Galore

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:51:00 +0000

Last week was a great one for Goodwill Finds and Yard Sale Treasures for this Thrifty Florida Mama.

I stop by my local Goodwill Store about 3 times a week on my way to other places. Sometimes it is a hit and sometimes not. Same with yard sales.

I tend to buy unique (read old, ugly, unappealing) items at the Goodwill and think of ways to incorporate them into my housing decor and kitchen needs. I transform them into something I can live with. I also look there for kid's puzzle, kid's books, and furniture I can use at home or in my classroom.

I yard sale mostly for gently used clothing items as well as those items above. For now my kids are happy with wearing yard sale finds and hand-me-downs. We do shop occasionally for new items when I find a super sale but a majority of my kids' clothes come from consignment stores or yard sales.

This week's Goodwill finds:
Yes, this is ginormous silverware. I have seen this pop up around the blogosphere lately and well, if Kimba can hang some in her house, by golly gee I can too.

Like Kimba, I am child of the 70's. My great-grandmother had these hanging in her dining room the entire time she was alive. They are still there, even though she has since gone on to a better place. That's another story. All of her stuff is still in her house because of "family issues". Aren't families fun?

So anyway, I bought this pair for $2.99 as opposed to the $150 that Pottery Barn wanted. I sanded and spray-painted them with hammered brown spray paint. It gives them the look more of metal than wood.

I had no place to hang them in my kitchen so I hung them on the tiny wall where you enter my kitchen from the dining room.

Like Kimba's mine had odd Tiki men faces on them so I turned them around. Here they are now:

Well this post is getting quite lengthy so I'll put my yard sale finds in the next post.

Do you find treasures at the Goodwill? Do you have gigantic silverware?

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

JC Penney Rewards: Sign up to Receive Coupons

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:13:00 +0000

Don't you love JC Penney coupons in the mail?

I live for those $10 off $10 coupons that come out seasonally. My friends and I are like spies on the look out for those and when one person gets one we can't wait to call each other. All we have to say is "The coupons are out!"

But sadly I don't always get one. Sometimes I do; sometimes I don't.

JC Penney is now signing people up to receive coupons that can be used in store or online. I'm so in. Even though they probably have my name and address, I signed up again, just in case.

Look for coupons to arrive soon for back to school shopping.

Baskin Robbins Free Soft Serve Ice Cream (Ages 13-25)

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 11:45:00 +0000

Dosomething.org is offering teens and young adults a printable coupon for one free soft serve ice cream cone from Basking Robbins good July 13th-19th.

Print your coupon and enjoy!

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

Twilight Scene It plus more Amazon deals!

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 01:21:00 +0000

For all the Twilight Freaks out there, including my e-n-t-i-r-e family, the newest Scene It Game is all about Twilight! You can preorder it now at Amazon. You know this is going to sell out everywhere!

Items on Deep Discount

Barbie Princess Tough Trike. Got a rating of 4.5 stars!
Was $35 Now $17.51 and has free super saver shipping

Banzai Splash Blast Lagoon with water slide
Was $249, Now $149 with Super Saving Shipping! Got a 5 Star Rating!
There's plenty of summer left to enjoy this one!

600 Thread Count Cotton Sheets, were $120, now $34.99 with excellent reviews!

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

All You Grocery Challenge Week 1

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:56:00 +0000

I am participating in the All You magazine Grocery Challenge and I hope you are too! The challenge is to spend only $25 per person per week for all food, including eating out. This gives me a total of $150 to spend per week but I will actually be trying to average a lot less than that! We shall see.

Week 1 (July 13th-19th)

Norman's County Market: $3.35 (8 apples, 2 peaches, a large bunch of bananas)

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

CVS Update for sale week July 12th

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:23:00 +0000

Hopefully you've made it to CVS already this week but if not, you can pick up some free Honey Nut Cheerios Bowls with this $1 off coupon. (Thanks Money Saving Mom!)

Also, Nicole from Nicole's Nickels has a nice post with easy to follow instructions for successfully making those 6 X 8 photo books which are free after Extra Care Bucks.

Finally, CVS in Starke as a clearance section in the back of the store near the pharmacy. If you shop at another CVS look for their clearance area. Yesterday I found Premium M&Ms on sale for $1 per box. There was a coupon in Sunday's paper (7/11) for $1 off making them free. Also saw 3 packs of Colgate toothbrushes marked down to $1.75.

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

Free Subscription to E-Week Magazine

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:42:00 +0000

I love free magazines! It helps me save money by not being tempted to buy them off the rack at the grocery store checkout line. Here's your opportunity to get EWeek magazine free.

Eweek delivers weekly updates to the latest in the technology world. With how fast technology changes, I guess we should all try to stay up to date.

Click here to get your free subscription with no cost to you.

Magazines I currently receive free:

Parents
TV Guide
Family Fun
O
Martha Stewart Living
Living the Country Life

Whenever I see free magazines I will post them here!

href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/thriftyfloridamama/yBhs" type="application/rss+xml" rel="alternate">Free daily updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

Menu Plan Monday

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:23:00 +0000

A new week, a new plan. Planning your meals is key to saving money on the grocery bill. Try making a menu this week or get back into menu planning if you've had a hiatus. You and I will be surprised by how much we don't spend this week!

Breakfasts: These are items that I know we have on hand. The kids can choose which ever one they want. Pancakes were made ahead of time and are in the freezer.

cereal
pancakes
oatmeal
bacon and eggs
homemade quiche

Lunches: Again, these are items that we have on hand. We will mix and match these with any leftovers we have for the week.
Hamburger Helper
tuna sandwich
grilled cheese
chicken nuggets
leftovers
chips
macaroni and cheese
fresh fruit
yogurt
cottage cheese

Dinners:
Monday- Hormel Pork Loin from the reduced section at Walmart $5.47 with mashed potatoes, green beans, jello

Tuesday- Ooey gooey Mexican chicken, rice, salad

Wednesday-Vegetarian Night- Homemade baked macaroni and cheese, peas, cantaloupe

Thursday- Crockpot chili, hotdogs, tater tots, Banana Cake

Friday- grilled chicken, grilled veggies packets, garlic bread

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

::Free After Extra Bucks Photobook at CVS: Deal and Ideas

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 15:19:00 +0000

This week at CVS you can make and print up to 5 6 X 8 photobooks for free after Extra Care Bucks. These books are hardcover, up to 10 pages, up to 5 pictures per page, I believe. You have to make these books in the store at the photo kiosk and will cost $7.99 each. You will get back $7.99 in Extra Care Bucks. Do one at a time and roll the $7.99 into the next book, making it only the initial $7.99 out of pocket.

Ideas for the book:
::Photo Albums, of course, perhaps of vacation,gifts for grandparents, etc.

::Home Insurance photobook to verify and validate the things you own in your home in case of fire, flood, hurricane, etc. Just walk around your home taking pictures, upload at CVS and file with your important papers.

::Routine Book for children that can't read
Take photos of your child doing his or her morning or evening routine. Put it into a book so he can learn the order- get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, etc.

::Medication Book for the elderly
If you have an older parent or grandparent that needs to take medications, take a picture of each kind and add a caption to tell which days and what times to take each pill. This book would be very helpful to take with you to their doctor or even the ER in case of an emergency. The attending drs. would know exactly what medications had been taken.

::Phone book for children of distant relatives.
When I'm on the phone with a long-distance relative I tell my kids who I am talking to. If I had a picture of each person, along with their phone number, and city, state of where they live

What other creative uses do you have for this free photobook?

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

::Start Saving Money:: CVS Beginners Program for week of July 12th

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 01:16:00 +0000

Are you ready to save money? Do you want to get toothpaste, shampoo, detergents, soap, razors, makeup, etc. for dirt cheap? Then start playing the Drugstore Game this week at CVS. Below is an outline for what you need to know to start saving this week.

First, you must have a CVS Card. They are free at the store if you don't already have one. Keep it. Don't use a different one every time you go into CVS. That won't work with their Extra Bucks Program.

Second, you must be able to print coupons and/or buy the Sunday paper to save the most money. Trust me. That $20 ink cartridge will net you 5 times that in savings with printable coupons. Buy the Sunday paper. Actually buy two of them. This way when items are Buy One Get One Free, you have 2 coupons. Yep, you're allowed to do that at most stores!

Third, follow the list below.

Things you can get free or dirt cheap at CVS this week:
school supplies, Photobook, Tylenol, Air Wick, Electrasol

Here's how:
1. Print these coupons: $1 off Tylenol here or here, $4 off Air Wick Freshmatic

2. Clip these coupons from the 7/12 paper: $2.50 off Electrasol

Transaction #1: (If you don't need school supplies consider donating them to a local school or teacher :) )
Buy 2 Caliber or CVS/pharmacy 1 subject notebook 70-80 sheets $0.99,
Buy 2 Caliber or CVS/pharmacy school glue 5 oz $0.99
Buy 3 Paper Mate Grip pens 8 ct $0.99
Buy 1 Caliber or It’s Academic 5" pointed or blunt tip scissors $2.99
Pay $10 out of pocket, get back $10 in ECB

Transaction #2 (Yes, you can do multi transactions at the register, just tell the cashier. Trust me again. Most do not care. They just want to make the sell.)
Buy 2 Tylenol (either the 8 hour or Arthritis variety) $3.99 each
Buy 1 Air Wick Mini Freshmatic $4.99
Buy 1 Electrasol Tabs $3.99
Total: $17.00

Give the cashier 2 Printed Tylenol coupons, the $4 Air Wick printable, and the $2.50 on Electrasol from the newspaper.
New Total: $8.50

Pay with your Extra Bucks you earned during the first Transaction.
Pay nothing out of pocket and you will earn another $6 Extra Bucks

If you want another Tylenol or pack of scissors, buy them with your $6 Extra bucks and you will still earn back another $6 in Extra Bucks that you can use to buy milk or bread or save until next week's deals. This is one way I save on basic needs like milk, bread, and eggs since I seem to buy those more than anything else!

For more deals information be sure to check out MoneySavingMom.com or Dealseekingmom.com

See that was really easy! You spent a total of $10 out of pocket, received $35 in products and still have $6 in free Extra Buck Money to spend.

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

What's For Dinner July 10th?

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 22:40:00 +0000

Many people often ask what we eat at my house and how much it cost.

I don't find this rude at all, I am proud to provide good food for my family at thrifty prices. But I'm not so great about blogging it. So since I'm on summer vacation for the next six weeks I will try to highlight our eats. Join in by leaving a comment of what you're eating for dinner. You're not required to give prices.

But if you are good at making frugal meals or YOU WANT TO LEARN TO MAKE FRUGAL MEALS join the All You Grocery Challenge. It runs for one month and you are allowed $25 per person per week for spending. You can use what you already have on hand and not include it in your totals.

I'm signed up and ready to go! I always do better with the food budget when I'm doing a challenge. Plus the winner gets cash people! Cash is King! Okay, back to dinner.

Dinner for July 10th includes:
Barbecued Chicken (made in the oven not the grill since the rain may never go away)
Broccoli
Cornbread
Cucumber slices
Peach Pie
Sweet Tea

Chicken was part of the meat sale from April. Price $.69 per pound.
Barbecue Sauce is $.12 Kraft from the coupon and Catalina deal at Winn-Dixie from May.
Broccoli was $1.99
Cornbread is Jiffy @ $.43 per box at Walmart
Cucumbers were $.25 each
Peach Pie made from scratch includes $1 worth of fresh peaches, flour, shortening, sugar, 1 egg, 1 stick of butter, and bread slices.

Cost breakdown:
chicken: $2.07
Barbecue Sauce: $.12
Cucumbers: $.50
Broccoli: $1.99
Cornbread: $.60 with the cost of egg and milk
Peach Pie: $1.75

Total cost: $7.03

Plus we will have enough leftovers for tomorrow's lunch and probably enough chicken to make pulled BBQ Chicken Sandwiches. I'm not so hopeful that the Peach Pie will last beyond the next hour!!!

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

Weekend Thrifty Fun: Making Outdoor Canopies: and a Party!

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 18:45:00 +0000

As you know, I live in Florida where it is hot, not a dry heat, mind you. Today's forecast reported that humidity was at 100%! What does that mean? It's hot and it feels sticky hot!

And those of you who know me and my house, we have no backyard shade. We have trees that are only about 5 years old and they are barely taller than me. Our one fast growing sycamore tree is now providing a total circumference of two feet of shade on either side of the trunk. Yippee, I can see a shadow. Still not much shade :(

Well that sycamore is about to be transformed into canopy central. My kids want to be outside and I want them outside too! I found this project online at Family Fun and I think we will give it a try this weekend.

I'm doing this on the super cheap though, and using what we have on hand.

No hula hoops for us, I'm using $1 wreath forms from the Dollar Tree.
No ribbon for us, I'm using clothesline rope.
Fabric? I've got paint drop cloths and some old sheets.

Now, a challenge for you- Make your own canopy this weekend, take a picture and then I'll post our canopies on Monday. You can add your link for us to see. It will be a fun, thrifty, canopy party. And yes, I mean you, all of you moms! You can do it. It will be fun!

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

Free Samples- Fiber One Cereal, Nivea Body Wash, and More

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:36:00 +0000

::Sign up with Fiber One and get a free sample and $5 in coupons. Thanks Marcy!::

::Arby's Free Roastburger Coupon::

::McDonald's is (according to my hubby) pimping their new McCafe coffee.

Stop by on Mondays thru August 3rd between 7 am and 7 pm and receive either a free hot 8 0z. or iced 7 oz McCafe. More info. here.

That's four Mondays of free coffee. Thanks Bargain Briana!::

::Sign up with P&G Sampler and receive free samples of lots of stuff. I signed up for Metamucil, Tampax, and Tide. Thanks Freebies4Mom!::

::Walmart is offering two free samples- Viva Paper Towels, and Nivea Body Wash::

Enjoy,

TFM

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

Plato's Closet Fill a Bag Sale on Saturday, July 11th

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:43:00 +0000

Plato's Closet is cleaning out their summer stock in preps for Fall and Winter clothing which means a good deal for those who shop there. On Saturday, July 11th beginning @ 10 am, Plato's Closet will host their semi-annual "Fill a Bag" Sale. Everything you can stuff into the bag will cost only $15 or $20 bucks, my store didn't know the exact price yet.

Plato's Closet sells up-to-date, brand-name teen/young adult clothes from stores like GAP, Abercrombie, AE, etc. If you have a teen or tween that MUST HAVE BRAND NAME OR DIE, this is the sale for you.

Get there early, the line starts forming about 8 in the morning.

Tips for filling the bag- roll everything up into little balls and use every inch of the bag. Stuff until you can't stuff anymore!

My daughter and I will be shopping at the Gainesville store. Give me a shout out if you are there too!

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

Free BBQ Roast Burger from Arby's With Coupon

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:03:00 +0000

Click on the coupon on the left to print your own coupon for a Free BBQ Bacon Cheddar Burger with the purchase of a drink. Expires July 12th so hurry down and get yours. You don't even have to wait for FREE Food Wednesday!

Thanks to Brandi at Free Sample Freak for the info.

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

Moving Sale in Starke Friday and Saturday

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:00:00 +0000

Some of my very good friends are having a multi-family yard sale/ moving sale on Friday and Saturday in Starke, across from Madison Street Baptist Church on State Road 100.

Items include: furniture, household items, adult clothes of all kinds and sizes, baby girl clothes from Newborn to 4T, and lots of good stuff. Stop by if you can and grab some bargains.

If you are looking for yardsales in your area try craigslist or Garage Sale Tracker.com. Shopping at yardsales keeps the budget in check!

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

Stock the Freezer: Bell Peppers

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:45:00 +0000

Before vacation we ate through most of what we had stored in the freezer so it is once again time to stock up with veggies, breads, and pre-cooked meats to make meal planning a breeze.

Yesterday I took a quick trip to my favorite local market, Lori Norman's Country Market, in downtown Starke. Lori is a dear friend and she and her husband stock locally grown fruits and vegetables along with local canned favorites like Chow-chow.

Not a having a stitch of produce in the house, I quickly grabbed up fresh peaches, cucumbers, a huge cantaloupe, a bag of red potatoes, a bag of onions, green beans, lettuce and bananas.

One of my favorite spots at Norman's is the $1 table. Yesterday I was able to swoop up 8 bell peppers in one bag for $1, a bag of 5 tomatoes for $1, and there were gobs of cucumbers for $1.

I had no diced peppers in my freezer so I brought home the $1 bag of green and red peppers and prepped them for the freezer. It is a breeze to do and I love being able to add these sliced and diced peppers to spaghetti sauce, fajitas, and omelets. I don't know why but when I start simmering peppers and onions on the stove, my husband thinks I'm cooking a gourmet meal!

Here's how I stock the freezer with peppers:

1. Start with a nice amount of peppers. These were 12 cent each on the markdown table. A few blemishes don't matter. Just cut those parts off. I made the realization one day that marked down produce looks just like the produce I let sit in my frigerator for days (weeks?) before I decide to use it.

2. Slice and dice the peppers. I use up everthing except the stem and seeds.

3. Pile the pepper slices into a microwavable bowl and heat up for 1 to 2 minutes for blanching. No boiling water required!
4. Have a cutie pie baby help you pack the sliced and diced peppers into freezer bags. She loves veggies and happily munched a red bell pepper slice while mama worked in the kitchen.

Stocking the freezer with locally grown, marked down produce makes me very happy!

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

Home from Vacation

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:29:00 +0000

My family and I are home from a fabulous week spent at Disney's Polynesian Resort at Disney World.

We ate way too much!
We walked miles and miles!
We loved every moment!
And when I get a chance to unload our 600+ pictures, I'll show a little more.

The #1 reason this was such a great vacation- spending quality time with the entire family.

The #2 reason- it was paid for in cash before we left, souveniers were paid for in cash while there, and there are no lingering bills or interest to pay for this sweet time at the House of Mouse.

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

Peanut Butter Cake

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 04:00:00 +0000

This is a seriously easy but seriously impressive cake to make for family or friends that love peanut butter. It is so good and so easy, I promise!

Take one box of cake mix- white, yellow, or chocolate. It doesn't matter, just use what you have on hand. Make the cake according to directions except add one extra egg. Once you have the cake mixed up add 1 cup of peanut butter. Mix well and spread into cake pan. Bake until done.

For icing, you have two options. From a jar or from scratch. The from scratch version is so easy that I usually go with it.

From a jar: heat up your icing (chocolate or vanilla) in the microwave for a few seconds so it is easy to stir. Add 1/2 cup peanut butter and mix well.

Chocolate Icing From scratch: soften one stick of butter and blend with 3/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup peanut butter, and then add tiny splashes of milk until the icing is a spreadable consistency.

White Icing from scratch: soften one stick of butter and blend with 1 8 ounce package of softened cream cheese, 2-3 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 cup peanut butter, and then add tiny splashes of milk until the icing is a spreadable consistency.

To make it even more sinful you can add chocolate or peanut butter chips to the cake mix, sprinkled shaved chocolate over the top of the cake, or press chopped up peanuts onto the side of the cake.

With this cake, the sky (or the amount of calories you can consume) is the limit!

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

Packing List- Uncommon Items that really help out

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 10:34:00 +0000

While packing for Disney, I threw in a few things that I've heard make for a smoother trip. Here are my top 5 "I would have never thought of that" items I included in our packing:

1. Pet ID tags. Not for pets but for my kids. I made these at our local Walmart's free standing machine. I printed them with their name, our resort name, and cell phone number. They each picked out a cool icon and color for the tags. If we get seperated they have the information they need to get back to us quickly.

2. Extra Clothes Hangers. There are usually not enough available for a large family in hotels. Hanging our clothes means we don't usually have to break out an iron. Always a good thing on vacation.

3. Earplugs. My son usually has a hard time falling asleep in new places with weird sounds like AC units, showers running, etc. These soft earplugs get him to sleep fast and make for a better next day.

4. Over-the-door-shoe-holder. Again, not for original purpose of holding shoes but for organizing toiletries and small items that seem to get misplaced in a hotel room. I hang it up about a week before we leave and throw in items like nail clippers, Tylenol bottles, samples of toothpaste, shampoo, Q-tips, etc. Once at the hotel I hang it on the outside of the bathroom door. Now we all know where to find our chapsticks, sunspray, and medicines.

5. Power Strip. With all the technological devices each member of most families has today it is a smart idea to include a power strip in your packing. With limited plugs in the normal hotel, being able to charge up our phones, cameras, and rechargeable batteries is a must and easy to do with a power strip.

What do you pack for vacation that helps make an easier trip?

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

My Savings and Earning for the Week

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 22:10:00 +0000

Carrie at Money Saving Methods posts her Savings and Earning each and every week. I love to read her weekly updates but have never been very good at keeping mine organized. Well, this week I decided to get uber organized and keep track. It is really impressive once you look at your list altogether. Here's a recap:

Free Stuff:
sample of Head and Shoulders
Juicy Juice cup
Parents Magazine
TV Guide Magazine
Sushi made by my bff Susan
4 Arby's Roast Beef sandwiches (Wednesday Arby's deals)
Shell and Sand arrangement in a very cool, tall, heavy glass vase from bff Susan

Savings:
CVS: Out of Pocket $12.46, saved $27
Winn-Dixie: Out of Pocket $23.23, saved $13, earned $6 OYNO
Walmart: Out of Pocket $99.16, saved $28 (stuff for trip)

Thrifty Stores/Yard Sale Shopping:
Boogie Board $3, new would have been $12
Correlle Plate $.25
Lemon Topiary $.25
2 glass shell-shaped plates $.50
used once 4-piece Luggage Set $12.00, was looking at buying similar from Walmart that would have been $68
2 Vintage green-glass drinking glasses $1.00
Doodle Bear $.79
1 piece 18 months Disney's Nemo outfit $.99

Earnings/Winnings
Affiliate Programs $159
Cheerios Cash Instant Win Game $5.00
Huggies Movie Cash Rewards $24.00
Free Oil Change coupon from my $390 AC Repair in the Van! UGH!

Sales Shopping:
Addidas shoes for son on clearance $24.99, instead of $65
Asics running shoes for Hubby, $58 instead of $85
8 Yankee Candle Gift Sets for $2.50 each instead of $10 each

Earnings: $215
Savings: $272

How did you do this week?

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama

A Cheesy Deal at Winn-Dixie

thriftyfloridamama@gmail.com (Thrifty Florida Mama) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:51:00 +0000

Now through Tuesday, June 30th select varieties of Kraft cheese are on sale for $1.50 each. This includes shreds, chunks, cubes and slices. If you buy 5 or more in a single transaction you will receive a Catalina print-out coupon for $4 off your next purchase of anything in the store. I love Catalina deals.

Some stores have tearpads of coupons for $.50 off any variety of Kraft Naturals cheese. Sadly my store has no more coupons left on the tearpad.

It is still a great deal without coupons.
Buy 5 and pay $7.50, receive $4 off coupon
Buy 5 more, use previous coupon and pay just $3.50.

So 10 packs of cheese for $11.00 and you will still have $4 to spend for free.

If you have kids like mine who love grilled cheese sandwiches, buy 2 loaves of BOGO bread and you will have quick meals for a looonnnngggg time.

And Remember, you can FREEZE CHEESE!

Click to request free updates from Thrifty Florida Mama