The Greening of America

Mindfield is accepting new members!

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 11:06:00 +0000

Hurry, Mindfield is accepting new members again! Who knows for how long! Sign up here or my links!

Life's throws a curve....

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:06:00 +0000

Sorry I have been gone so long. Life decided I needed to get out of my rut, so they sold my job of 15 years and I lost my best friend & sister after 38 years. It has been rough going.

I am trying to come back..we will see how it goes. :)

Ebay Items

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 04:13:00 +0000

Hi, Sorry for the confusion, I have created a Buy It Now button for each item, it will show up on your statement as Pan's Pretties.

Free Shipping for the included for the inconviencence.

I have a Job!

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 19:51:00 +0000

I am sorry I have been away for a while...I am a flake. I do have a job and I have found out it is much easier to get out bed in the AM when you don't absolutely Hate your job :)

They pay is about the same, the benefits are better (401k, 25PTO, they close between xmas and new years), I am head of a new department. The company is good, the job description is good, the co-workers will take some getting used to :)

May Combined Savings 134.65

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 20:12:00 +0000

Dining Out 32.18
Grocery 98.81
Free 0
Borders 2.30
Travel 0
Misc
*Target 1.36

Get the Target Debit Card, you save 5% everytime you shop!!!

april combine savings 101.65

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Thu, 26 May 2011 22:13:00 +0000

dining 0
grocery 81.15
free 0
borders 4
travel 0
misc 16.5

May grocery savings

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Thu, 26 May 2011 21:57:00 +0000

5/20/11 target 44.65 - 6 coupons 1.67 debit card = 36.98 17%

Not knowing if I have a job is worse then knowing I don't!

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Thu, 12 May 2011 18:32:00 +0000

So when I came back to work on Monday I find out that they expect the sale to be done and this office closed by....wait for it.....the first of June...!!!

Ooohhhkay...you tell us on 4/29 that we are being sold and then we find out it should be a done deal in less then a month...aaauugghhhhh.

And that for the next week or so the other company will be meeting with us to do due diligence but no word on who or who many jobs will be moving to the new company.

So as I stated earlier, I was happy in my rut...ok maybe no so much, my job was getting old, my boss drives me crazy and we are slow...but still it is a job I know, I have leeway on my start time, and I can dress casual.

Now all this week, is dress nice, do my hair and makeup (hey after 15yrs they have seen me at my best and worst, I am married, who am I trying to impress????) and get there on time and meet with strangers on how to run our company.

I was ready for a change Yes, this much of a change NO, and the worse part is just NOT KNOWING.

If I knew one way or the other I can make arrangements and prepare, right now we are preparing for the worst, that I will make the transition team but who knows for how long. So that money that was set aside for the 25th anniv trip, well that is security money for now. All those bills I was paying down...(and I really put a dent in it!!!) back to min payments.

This sucks, the company was finally starting to get busy again....was hoping to get my full salary back but nope!

I was happy in my RUT

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Thu, 12 May 2011 18:29:00 +0000

I have been at my current job for 15 years this april. I know how lucky I am to have a job, even though I had my pay cut by 10% 2 years ago, and we haven't had any bonus' to speak of for those 2 years which cut my pay by another 10%.

My husband has been at his current job for over 17 yrs, and we know how lucky we are he kept his job even though he had to take a pay cut of 15% and saw bonus' disappear also for another cut of at least 15%.

We were didn't over extend our selves in the house market, and we saw the signs coming so we have cut and trimmed and scaled back as much as we could, while still paying off our obligations and putting 2 boys thru college. And as most of you know who follow..I have been amping up my coupon usage and other ways to get free gift cards for food, groceries, dining out ect.

So since our 25yr anniversary is coming up we thought we might take a trip out of the country, we have been saving and scrimping and I have lots or rewards points saved up so it would be reasonable. This is why I constantly tell ya all, sign up for EVERYTHING, it pays for the few minutes it takes!

Since we keep delaying it, we took a few days off for vacation, and on my first vacation day I get a call from the president of the company and the owner of the company, letting me know that the company is being SOLD!!! and hello, there is a meeting the next day at 8:30 to meet the potential owners..so on my second vacation day, instead of heading to the coast I head to work and do the meet and greet, then I leave for my "vacation" which at this point has become a moot point, kinda hard to enjoy yourself when you are worrying about having a job.

Grocery Savings $73.47

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 21:24:00 +0000

4/19 albertsons $50.31 - 9.75coupons = 40.56 - 19%
4/5 target $129.43 - 6.75 coupons = 122.68 - 5%
4/11 target $77.96 - 7.19 coupons - 3.33 debit card = 67.44 14%
4/25 target 127.25- 15.00 coupons 5.95 debit card = 117.23 16%
4/14 target 43.91 - 5.75 coupons = 38.16 13%
4/26/11 ralphs $68.71 - 19.75 coupons = 48.71 = 29%

This is from the recepts I kept and only for groceries, doesn't include dining out, misc shopping ect.

april savings and stuff

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 20:50:00 +0000

$10 survey savy check
$10 reciept survey coupon off 50 purchase
$10 reciept survey coupon off 50 purchase (my bday present :)
5% target debit card disc
$10 my survey paypal payment
$10 AT&T card for signing up for email statements

$83.33 grocery bills ends up at $48.71

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 18:50:00 +0000

So here goes my peeps, just an example of sales & coupons working together to save you money!

First off you can't shop without a "Card" so the "card discount" $15.39 so my "real" starting number is $67.94 so I saved an additional $19.25 in coupons, PLUS I received a $5.00 Ralphs Card for another shopping trip!

My two major deals were the following:

Coke Deal - (2) 12packs for $10 or (4) 12 packs for $11 with coupon so I had that coupon $5.25 PLUS (2) $1 off 2 12 packs so I got a total of $7.25 off of (4) 12 packs, in other words I got (4) 12 packs for $9 = $2.25 a 12 pack :-)
Kellog Cereal Deal - 4 boxes of Cereal for $12 PLUS get a $5 Ralphs Card + I had coupons for the 4 boxes I got. 4 boxes $12 less - 4 (2 @ .45) (2 @ .75) PLUS Ralphs bonus 4 (2 @ .55) (2 @ .25) $4.00 In orther words I got 4 boxes of Ceral for $8.00 = $2 EACH :-) PLUS a $5 Ralphs Card for another shopping trip :-)

$151.11 Target bill ends up at $129.66

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 19:00:00 +0000

Seriously people, you need to get the Target Debit Card, not only do they have very low grocery prices, even without coupons you get 5% off your total bill...a NO brainer!

So my total bill was $151.11, I had $15.50 in coupons and received another $5.95 off using the Debit card.

My Two best deals were as follows:

I had (2)$1 off any two Special K products PLUS (4) $.75 off ONE box of Special K bars..my son Loves the Special K protein bars fo I bought 4 x $5.34 = $21.36 (FYI same box runs 6.99 to 7.99 at the grocery store) and Used 3 coupons for EACH set of 2 ($1 + .75 +.75 = $1.25 off EACH Box!) so = $5.34 - $1.25 = $4.09 a box / 6 = .69 @ same as a candy bar and a lot better for him!

Bought 4 boxes of Kellogs Cereals - (1) $1.50 off of 3 boxes PLUS $1 in FREE fruit for every 2 boxes. Total cereal cost - $11.91 - $1.50 = $10.41 Plus $2.00 off = 4 boxes for $8.41 = $2.11 per box :)

Lost 19lbs and counting

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 18:01:00 +0000

So you ask, how does that work with "green"? Well I have reduced my calorie intake especially carbs..I am excercising more (biking at work instead of going to the snack machine, save Green there), but also my husband decided to get a boxing bag, so we went and got it but figured out we couldn't hang it, so we had to take it back...I pulled out the receipt and guess what my peeps....a deal to take a survey and get $10 of your next $50 purchase...so you knows whats I did...I took the survey, printed the coupon and when we exchanged the bag for a different one I used my coupon....Oh Yea!

And, get this, I got another survey and I have ANOTHER $10 coupon...hee hee, gotta luv it.

I give up, stupid black thumb

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 18:07:00 +0000

aauugghhhh, I just don't get it, hydroponic tomatoes are supposed to be a no brainer...ahh I don't think so. I got the plant to grow, nice, big, leafy, green, NO freaking tomatoes!!!!

I replanted one in my topsey turvey, see if it survives and then I replanted another one in the ground, neither are very happy at this time, they are all wilty looking, with NO tomatoes!

So I am going to be selling my hydroponic stuff ...what a pain in the arse...we did buy a raspberry and blueberry plant...already planted and full and leafy, lets see if they fruit, if not that is IT, I am done with stupid plants... :-(

Stupid cat is eating the ONLY thing that seems to be growning, my bamboo plant.

Ebates - $25.53 in my paypal account

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 19:14:00 +0000

I keep telling ya'all about Ebates....I just got my first payment..$25.53, rebate on stuff I was buying already!!! I ebay a lot, I get rebates when I buy, PLUS ebay bucks, so I get a double dip there! I order supplies for work, so I get the rebate for the purchases!

Ebates - If you could sign up here that would be great so I could get credit for it, then when you refer your friends you can get credit and so on....

PS today is my b-day...so that can be your gift to me..hee hee heeee

Target ..... Love 'em

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 17:56:00 +0000

I have found that Target tends to have very competative food prices, add to that they take manufacturer coupons + their coupons is great, but I have some even BETTER news...seriously :-)

Sign up for their Debit Card - not the Credit Card (who needs more debt) - you get 5% off EVERYTIME you shop....on top of the coupons...and get this...as I was signing up the clerk tells me that they take coupons that other stores print out at the cash register as long as the say "manufacturer coupon" sooo, I have some Albertsons and Ralphs cash register coupons, that I can USE at Target...woo hoo... can you say BOYAH!

This will slash my grocery bills even more....as long as I can leave the store without buying other things...like I said I LOVE TARGET.

Okey Dokey Pokey's, I'm baaack

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 17:56:00 +0000

Sorry for being gone for a while, I tried, but deals keep coming up so here I am again :-)

I am not sure if any of you have seen "extreme couponing", while it is all good, my husband REFUSES to build me a store in my garage... :-( hee hee, acutally, unless there is an acopolypse real soon I don't see the reason to have 100's of deordants and hand soaps.

I do however, as you know, loooove my coupons, so here goes....Coupons are sold on ebay...this is good but you have to make sure you are going to use them before the expiration date and it is something you tend to get on EVERY or almost every shopping trip.

Example, there was a sale for (5 coupons) $8 off dog food, now this is a good deal, but the bidding was up to $30 (savings is $40) plus shipping plus you had to be willing to buy 5 bags within 6 weeks, not really a good deal for me.

Example, we buy cans and 2 lites of pop everytime we go to the store, so .... I got (10 coupons) $1 off (2) 12 packs of coke products (3 months to use them) - I paid $1.75 with shipping, when I went to the store they were having a sale 3 12packs for $11, the 2liters were WAY high, so I skipped the liters and got 6 12 packs for $22 and used (2) $1.00 coupons, so I am already ahead .25.

I went to Target the other day and they have the same sale so I picked up 3 12packs for 11 then used 1 coupon - so now I am ahead 1.25, and this will continue... I will end up saving $8.25... my ROI (return on investment) was the first time I used them, and I don't have to buy a bunch at one time to take advantage of the rest of my savings.

I always look at the complete amount of the coupons ($10) - price + shipping (-$1.75) = $8.25 total savings / how much time I have to use them (3 months).

March savings 67.20

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 22:00:00 +0000

Dining out 5
grocery 41.5
free club 6
borders 0
travel 0
misc 14.70

march grocery savings

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 21:31:00 +0000

3/28 albertsons $215.42 - $35.25 coupons = 180.17 16%

Pandora European Fashion Bracelets

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 19:37:00 +0000

AAuugghhhh...Ebay is driving me batty! I make Pandora type fashion bracelets..Pandora is kinda the catch phase..like Jello....you don't say I want some gelatin you say I want some Jello.

Sheeesh and to make matters worse, they cancel my listings and I see lots and watch lots of others and nothing was done.

I didn't say they were Pandora, but you can't even compare them, uugghhhh, so I got a slap on the wrist and my selling was stopped for 7 days..buttheads!!!

Oh well, I have a new, better site I have been using Bonanza check out this site...lots of cool stuff and good prices.

I am still on ebay too, whata ya gonna do, they are still the big boy "for now" :-)

March Deals, Coupons, Rebates, Surveys

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 20:15:00 +0000

$5 survey check
$10 outback GC
$7 survey check
$10 target GC
$25.58 ebates paypal
coupon savings to follow

Revisiting MPG extending Tips - with gas on its way up

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Mon, 07 Mar 2011 20:35:00 +0000

I posted some money / gas saving tips in the past, but I figured, I would repost with additional tips seeing as the price of GAS just keeps going up, uP, UP!!!!

These may seem like no brainers, so will not be a real big savings, but they add up!

Park in the shade! Gas is a liquid and will evaporate in heat
Tint your windows! The cooler it is inside the less you will use your a/c
Use the car coolers that that go in your windshield when you park! Keep your car cool
Close unused AC vents! If you drive alone alot, turn off all vents except your own..
If you live in a hilly area...Coast down hill! I coast about 5mi @ way to work
Check your tire pressure! Underinflatted tires use more gas
Bike, Walk, Carpool when you can

If anyone has additional tips please feel free add them!

Gas Boycott - can we really afford $5 a gallon gas?

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:34:00 +0000

We'll show you a gas boycott!

THIS IS NOT THE 'DON'T BUY' GAS FOR ONE DAY, BUT IT WILL SHOW YOU HOW WE CAN GET GAS BACK DOWN TO $1.30 PER GALLON.

This was sent by a retired Coca Cola executive. It came from one of his engineer buddies who retired from Halliburton. If you are tired of the gas prices going up AND they will continue to rise this summer, take time to read this please.

Phillip Hollsworth offered this idea:

This makes MUCH MORE SENSE than the "don't buy gas on a certain day" campaign that was going around last April or May!

It's worth your consideration. Join the resistance!!!!

I hear we are going to hit close to $4.00 a gallon by next summer and it might go higher!! Want gasoline prices to come down?

We need to take some intelligent, united action. The oil companies just laughed at that because they knew we wouldn't continue to "hurt" ourselves by refusing to buy gas.

It was more of an inconvenience to us than it was a problem for them. BUT, whoever thought of this idea, has come up with a plan that can really work. Please read on and join with us!

By now you're probably thinking gasoline priced at about $2.00 is super cheap. Me too! It is currently $3.08 at Arco and Costco for regular unleaded in Salem, Oregon and climbing every week. (try 3.98 in So Cal!)

Now that the oil companies and the OPEC nations have conditioned us to think that the cost of a gallon of gas is CHEAP at $1.50 - $1.75, we need to take aggressive action to teach them that BUYERS control the marketplace, not sellers.

With the price of gasoline going up more each day, we consumers need to take action.

The only way we are going to see the price of gas come down is if we hit someone in the pocketbook by not purchasing their gas! And, we can do that WITHOUT hurting ourselves.

How? Since we all rely on our cars, we can't just stop buying gas.

But we CAN have an impact on gas prices if we all act together to force a price war.

Here's the idea: For the rest of this year, DON'T purchase ANY gasoline from the two biggest companies (which now are one), EXXON and MOBIL.

If they are not selling any gas, they will be inclined to reduce their prices. If they reduce their prices, the other companies will have to follow suit.

But to have an impact, we need to reach literally millions of Exxon and Mobil gas buyers. It's really simple to do! Now, don't wimp out on me at this point...keep reading and I'll explain how simple it is to reach millions of people!!

I am sending this note to 30 people. If each of us send it to at least ten more (30 x 10 = 300) ... and those 300 send it to at least ten more (300 x 10 = 3,000)... and so on, by the time the message reaches the sixth group of people, we will have reached over THREE MILLION consumers . If those three million get excited and pass this on to ten friends each, then 30 million people will have been contacted!

If it goes one level further, you guessed it...... THREE HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE!!!

Again, all you have to do is send this to10 people. That's all!

(If you don't understand how we can reach 300 million and all you have to do is send this to10 people.... Well, let's face it, you just aren't a mathematician. But I am so trust me on this one.)

How long would all that take? If each of us sends this e-mail out to ten more people within one day of receipt, all 300 MILLION people could conceivably be contacted within the next 8 days!

I'll bet you didn't think you and I had that much potential, did you! Acting together we can make a difference. Look at what happened in Egypt just recently.

You have only the rights you are willing to fight for!

Be kind, remove all email addresses & use bcc when forwarding; say no to spammers and computer viruses.

Savings and Surveys February

noreply@blogger.com (swoboda) — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:13:00 +0000

Feb

2/4/11 (spent 15 min on line during surveys ended up with $5 in discounts = $20 an hour :-)

Baja Fresh - $2 off w/receipt

EPL - $1 off w/receipt

Ralphs - $100 drawing

Baja Fresh $2 off w/receipt

Went to Baja Fresh again, $5 coupon in paper and refill $.99 with cup

I buy at staples for work and I buy a lot from ebay - both are ebates sites :-)

So Far $23 coming back from ebates :-)

Survey Savvy $10 - Join here