I Just LOVE Kids Clothes!

The Children's Place is having a Monster Sale & they have on clearance selected kids clothes for $2.99 each. I ordered some summer clothes for my older son online earlier this week, but I decided to stop by the River Park location to check it out. It's a good thing I ordered my older son's clothes online because they were wiped out of his size. They still had a good selection on infant-12 months in boys and a good size selection of girls. Oh my.......how could I resist these cute little outfits. My little guy needed a few more winter items and this is what I found.

I got each item for $2.99 and I found a 15% off coupon which made it $2.54 per item after discounts. I spent a total of $27.69 for 10 items. I was so happy to find cute clothes, but not have to spend too much! I'm definitely a happy camper now! :)

My Coupon Shopping Adventure

I took my husband's Grandma grocery shopping today which usually always takes at least half the day if not more. I have fun, but it can take up a lot of time if I have errands to run myself. The nice part about today was, I got to leave all my little munchkins at home with daddy while I helped his grandma out, but I also got to do some of my coupon shopping where I actually got to spend time in the stores to look around (with no kids, oh wait.....I already mentioned that). I had so much fun and I got some AMAZING deals today!


My first shopping trip was to Walgreens:

7 Baby Wipes - .75 each after using a Walgreens in-ad coupon & stacking w/ a mfg. coupon
3 Reynolds Wrap- FREE after Walgreens in-ad coupon & stacking w/ a mfg. coupon
2 Aveeno Body Wash- I paid $1.49 for 1 and I got the other 1 free after mfg. coupon
4 Sweetarts Candy-.33 each (I used these as filler items since I had more coupons than products
2 Snicker Heart Candy- .39 each (again, I used these as filler items to use all my mfg. coupons)

My total came to $10.55
I had a total savings of $37.11...........Not to Shabby! :)



My trip to Vons:

Trix Cereal- .88 (after my $1.00 off coupon)
Lucky Charms Cereal- .88 (after my $1.00 off coupon
2 Boxes of Cheese Nips- FREE after coupons
2 Boxes of Ritz Crackers- .50 each after coupons
3 Bags of Dorritos- .99 each after in-ad coupon
3 Dial Foam Soap Dispensers- .50 each after coupons
2 Craisins- $1.00 each after coupons
6-Carefree Panty Liners- FREE after coupons

I paid a total of $ 7.67 for all of this........Wow, I'm still in shock! :):):)
I saved 87% ($42.42 savings) after all my mfg. coupons & Vons Club Card Savings!




My second trip back to Vons:

Post Raisin Bran Cereal- FREE after coupon
2 Ritz Bits Crackers- .50 each after coupons
2 Yoplus Yogurts- $1.00 each after coupons
2 Craisins Trail Mix- $1.00 each after coupons
2 Craisins-$1.00 each after coupons
3 Carefree Panty Liners- FREE after coupons

I spent a total of $8.12
I saved 75% (23.35 savings) after all my coupons & Vons Club Card Savings!

I also went to CVS and picked up a dozen eggs for .77 each (Limit 2) w/ club card savings. The cashier was nice and let me have three in total. I went to Costco today and noticed the 18 count eggs went up in price to $3.35......that's ridiculous. I got 36 eggs for only $2.31! Now, that's my kind of deal!!!

I spent a whopping total of $28.65 for all my transactions between Vons, CVS & Walgreens. I think I did a great job getting the best bang for my buck, don't ya think?!?! I also went to Costco to pick up bread, milk & butter and then went to Winco for my fruits, vegetables & a few other misc. items. I didn't need a whole lot today other than the fresh stuff I buy weekly.

*Note: The stores I shop at are all close together so it's worth my time shopping for the best deal between them all since I'm not wasting any gas money. If it's not the same for you, then I do not recommend driving around town to all the different stores.

$0.75/1 Borden Milk Coupon

Print a coupon for $0.75/1 gallon of Borden Milk (or two half-gallons). What a great coupon!

Thanks, Money Saving Mom!

FREE Easter Downloads From Hershey's

Hershey’s just came out with some Fun Free Downloads for Easter…I know it's a little early, but great for those who like to plan ahead!

Easter Scrapbook Stuff HERE
Easter Egg Stencils HERE
Easter Printable Activity Sheets HERE
Easter Printable Coloring Sheets HERE

New Coupon Blog......Yay or Nay?!?!

Since I love coupon shopping and finding great deals, I was thinking I might start up a new blog to post all of these fabulous finds & coupon deals rather than using my personal blog for this! I want to make sure this blog is for my family & friends only.

I will probably work on a name for my new blog this week and once I have it up and running, I will definitely let you all know. What do you think? Am I crazy for trying to do this? I'm open to your comments or suggestions! :)

Thanks!

Free Orange Julius

Orange Julius is offering up a coupon by mail for a FREE 20 oz. Julius or premium smoothie when you go here to sign up for their newsletter!

ArtsCow Photo Coasters $0.99 + FREE Shipping!

ArtsCow is offering up another photo deal! They are offering up Rubber Photo Drink Coasters for just $0.99 + FREE shipping! …And there is no limit to the amount of Coasters you can score for $0.99!

Here’s what you need to do:

• Just go here and choose a photo Coaster.
• Start uploading your photos and then add as many Coasters as you like to your cart.
• At checkout use coupon codeDRK99CST
• Your final total will be just $0.99 + FREE Shipping for each one purchased!
  

I will definitely be making mine later today for someone special! These would make great Valentines Day gifts… especially the Heart Shaped Coasters!

Don't Get RedPlum Coupons?

If you do not get RedPlum coupon inserts in your paper, or you would like some sent to your home when they come out, here is a link for you. Get yours mailed to you:

By clicking here

You want to click on Consumer, click next and then click on the "I would like to receive the RedPlum mail package". Fill out your name & mailing address.

They will then start sending the RedPlum directly to your home. Allow 5-6 weeks to set up for delivery. Valassis is the parent company for RedPlum.

Pampers Sample Pack + Possibly Win A FREE Years Supply Of Diapers

Starting tomorrow January 29th, Pampers.com is offering up a FREE 3 pack sample of Pampers Cruisers with Dry Max! This is a brand new diaper that hasn't hit store shelves yet until March 2010. Plus, randomly selected sample packs may include a diaper stamped Team USA and that means that you’ve won a FREE years supply of diapers!

Save $1.00 on Duct Brand Packaging Tape

Go here to print $1.00 off coupon good for any Duck® brand Packaging Tape. Walmart has them priced anywhere between $1.08-$1.58. You should be able to score a pretty good deal, if not getting it close to free!

FREE Lego Club Jr. Magazine

Get a free 2-year subscription to Lego Club Jr. magazine (a $7.95 value) for kids 6 and younger. This magazine includes activities, puzzles, comic strips, and of course "Lego recipes" for building new creations. My son loves legos so I thought he would enjoy getting this.

The best part about this, is if you have a couple kids who would love to have this magazine, they do offer up to two issues per family. Allow 4-6 weeks for delivery!

Babies R Us: FREE $5 eGift Card (Valid In-Stores)!

Today Only (January 28th)!

Go here to become a fan of Babies R Us on facebook and just for doing so, you’ll score a Free $5 eGift Card! This gift card may be used in-store or Online! You’ll just need to submit your name, address, and e-mail and you’ll receive the eGift card via email. It will be valid until 2/20/10!


(Thanks, hip2save!)

My Shopping Trip to Walmart

My goal I set for myself this year is to try and cut our grocery bill by at least 50% or more! Well, I'm excited to tell you that I have done a pretty good job of doing it so far or coming pretty close. Yes, it does take a little more time trying to find specific coupons for each item that I have on my shopping list, but it is totally worth it. I can't wait to see how much money I have saved at the end of this month. I will tally it all up to let you know what my savings percentage will be and post it next week. :)


Here is the breakdown of what I got:

Clear Plastic Container- $3.50 (no coupon)
(2) Wet Ones Wipes- .64 each after coupon
Pull-Ups-$5.97 after my $3.00 off coupon
(2) Packs of Ivory Soap- $.07 each after my coupons
(4) Boxes of Chicken in a Biskit- $1.00 each after my coupons
Salmon $3.50 (no coupon)
Turkey Sausage $1.58 (no coupon)
Steam Fresh Package of Corn- FREE after my coupon
3 Reach Dental Floss- FREE + $2.00 overage
Dr. Pepper- $1.48 (no coupon)

My total originally came to $37.66, but after my coupon savings, I only spent $21.25 w/ tax. I saved 46% tonight. Yay for me!!! :)

The Children’s Place: Monster Sale – Kids Clothes from $1.70 ea

Wow!! The Children’s Place has their Monster Sale going on with incredibly low prices! You can now get girls Yoga tops and pants for as low as $1.70 ea. plus much more, including big girls clothes!! Use coupon code: E79AA for an additional 15% off the already low prices of $1.99! Make sure you sort from low to high prices for the best deals

Baby Girls – HERE
Big Girls – HERE
Baby Boys – HERE
Big Boys – HERE
Newborn – HERE

Go through Shop At Home and you’ll get 5% cash back! If it is your first order through them, you will receive a $5 instant credit to your account! (That would cover the shipping!)

Note: I called our local Children's Place store and they gave me a coupon code offering free shipping on my online purchase. SCORE!! My older son has outgrown all his summer clothes, so this is the perfect time to start ordering some new ones and scoring some great deals! :)

Thanks (A Thrifty Mom!)

JoAnn Fabrics: New 50% off Coupon!

JoAnn Fabric and Craft store is offering up another great coupon! Go here to print a 50% off any one regular-priced item coupon! This coupon is valid thru January 30th.

FREE Insulated Freezer Bag–1st 30,000!

Another awesome freebie! Just be one of the first 30,000 people to fill out this form (click on the “Request Your Bag” link), and you’ll score a FREE insulated freezer bag from Sam’s Club! You do NOT need to be a Sam’s Club member to get this sample

This is great to keep in your car during the summer. I just finished ordering mine! :)

Corn Chowder

Corn Chowder has always been one of my favorite soups and I have never tried making it before. That is, until last week! I made it for the first time and it was absolutely delicious. In fact, I think this has to be one of my favorite ones so far! I plan on making this again this week because I didn't make enough the first time. It didn't last more than 1 1/2 days in my household. That has to tell you something right there. :)

Corn Chowder

2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup water
2 1/2 cups milk
2 regular-sized bouillon cubes or 2 tsp. chicken base
1/2 lb. bacon
1 onion, minced
2 red potatoes, diced into small cubes
2 cloves of garlic
1 can corn, drained
Salt & pepper to taste (you'll need a considerable amount of salt--probably at least 1/4 tsp. salt)
A few dashes of hot sauce (like Tabasco or Cholula)


Fry bacon until crisp (I like to microwave mine because it's less messy & faster). In the meantime, melt butter over low heat. When melted, add flour to make a roux and whisk until it comes together in a little ball. Add water and whisk until completely combined and there are no lumps. Add milk and chicken base or bouillon and bring to a simmer. Add potatoes, onions and garlic, and simmer (but don't boil!), stirring very frequently, for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add crumbled bacon and corn and heat through. Add a few drops of hot sauce and then salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle in bowls and sprinkle with extra bacon and cheese.

Enjoy!

In My Mailbox Today & Getting In Shape!

I was so excited to find these goodies in the mail today! I signed up for this freebie (Airborne) back in December and what an awesome freebie to score! I got two tubes that contained 10 tablets each. My husband and I buy this all the time to try and stay healthy when the kids get sick. It works great for us and we LOVE it!

Who doesn't love Creamer in there Coffee?!?! When I saw this freebie, I jumped on it right away. It's a coupon for a free 16 oz. bottle of creamer. I buy creamer all the time, so this definitely will help save us some money that I would be spending anyway. :)

And last, but not least.......I got a FREE subscription to Weight Watchers Magazine and I got my first issue today. Not only does this magazine have lots of good ideas on eating healthy, low-calorie recipes, it also contains coupons. Oh yes, COUPONS!!! Anywhere I can get coupons to help save money, I am so there!!!! :)

My goal for this new year is to get healthier! I would be happy to lose some weight, but my main focus is getting back into shape. I have not exercised much since I got pregnant 4 years ago with my first son. I am so out of shape. Running around after munchkins all day isn't necessarily the workout that is going to help get me back in shape (wishful thinking though). I have just been flat out lazy and it's time for a change. I know our lives can get so hectic & busy, but I need to find a time that is best for me to workout and hold myself accountable.

So, the reason why I am posting this for you all to see, is hoping you can all encourage me throughout this process. Maybe some of you are in the same boat and you would like to make that change with me! :) That would be awesome! It would be great if we can encourage each other. We can thrive so much more with encouragement while being blessed with our friendships!

Meal Plan Monday

We are off to start a new week and I'm looking forward to some of our delicious meals I have planned! I hope you all have a wonderful & blessed week! :)

Sunday: Ordering Pizza

Monday: Pork Chops, Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Corn

Tuesday: Philly Cheese Steaks & Sauteed Zucchini

Wednesday: Tri-Tip, Salad & Baked Potatoes

Thursday: Homemade Corn Chowder Soup & Cornbread w/ Honey Butter

Friday: Lasagna, Salad & Garlic Bread

Saturday: Leftovers :)

Another Trip to Vons

Alright, I admit..........if there is a fabulous deal, you better believe I will make an effort to go a few time to partake in it. I was able to print out a couple more coupons for the Betty Crocker Fruit Roll-ups, so of course I had to make another trip back to Vons this evening. Not only did I get 4 more boxes of Fruit-Roll Ups, but they had my favorite, Captain Crunch Peanut Butter Cereal on sale for $1.00 each if you buy 4 boxes (with the Vons Club Card). So, do you want to guess how much I spent on all these items pictured below? Come on, take a guess?!?!?!



I only spent $3.50! I had a total savings of 87% Wow........that's AMAZING!!! After all my coupons and Vons Club Card savings, I think my trip was well worth it, don't ya think? :)
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that I got back another $2.50 off coupon towards my next purchase.

Vons=Very Cheap or Free Fruit Snacks

I went to Vons last night to take part in a great deal I saw advertised and I would like to share it with you! Right now, they have several Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks, Fruit Roll-Ups and Fruit Gushers for $1.00 each (with your Vons club card) if you buy 4 boxes. To make this deal even better, you can go here and here to print out $1.00/2. Then you can go to Cellfire and load a .50 off coupon to your Vons Club Card. Here is what you do:

You will need to do 2 checkouts. On your first order, you will check out with only 4 boxes of fruit snacks. After coupons, your total should only be $2.00. After your checkout, you will then receive a Catalina Coupon for $2.50 off your next purchase. Take that Catalina Coupon along with your other Coupons and go back to the register for your 2nd purchase of 4 more boxes. Your total should come to $0.00 and you should receive .50 cents back from Vons.

When it's all said and done, you should only pay $2.00 for 8 boxes of Fruit Snacks. Pretty awesome, isn't it?!?! I do not give my boys these types of snacks often, but I couldn't resist passing up this deal.

This is what I ended up getting. I only paid $5.98 in total and I actually got .50 back on my second purchase. So, I actually only ended up spending $5.48! Too bad I didn't have coupons for my chips. :)

ampm: 32 oz. Fountain Drink for a Penny!

If your a soda lover (or should I say soda addict), then your gonna love this one! :)

Participating ampm locations are offering up 32 oz fountain drinks for just a penny with this coupon! It also doesn’t expire until March 2nd, so you’ll have plenty of time to make use of it!

**You can find your nearest ampm location here.

(Thanks, hip2save.com)!

SIGN UP FOR 4 $1.00 OFF CHEERIOS COUPONS

Sign up here to receive 4, $1.00 off coupons for Cheerios via email! And be entered to win a free box of Cheerios. With all the cereal sales lately, a $1.00 off coupon usually means you can bring home cheerios for $0.50 or less! I signed up and it was quick and easy; I received this message:

Over the coming weeks you will receive 4 emails each with a $1 coupon. If you win a free box of Cheerios® cereal, you will be notified by mail in the next 6-8 weeks.

$5/1 EPT Pregnancy Tests = Free at Walmart

The $5 off any e.p.t. Pregnancy Test printable (IE) or printable (FF) is available again. You should be able to score free pregnancy tests at Walmart with this coupon. Hurry and print it now before it's too late. Even if you do not need it, maybe someone you know may in the near future! :)

JoAnn's Fabric 50% Off Coupon

You can save 50% off of any one regularly priced item at JoAnn's Fabric with this printable coupon. Coupon good through January 23, 2010.

How to Coupon Shop, Save Money, Plus Much MORE!!!!

Many of my friends and family members have been asking me "how do I get such great deals" and "Where do you go to get all your coupons"! That's a great question! I usually do not have the time to tell everyone all my secrets, but your in luck. My MOPS group from church contacted me last week asking if I could compile a list so I could share all my tips on how I save money. I have added a few more items to my list this afternoon that I didn't remember to add earlier. :)

I would like to share some great websites that I have found very helpful this past year in helping me with all my coupon shopping and fabulous finds! I have saved hundreds of dollars for my family with taking just a few hours each week gathering all my coupons and matching them with store ads to help save as much money as possible. I encourage you all to try it and see how much you can SAVE!!! Coupon shopping may sound a little intimidating at first, but as you continue to see how much you can save, it almost becomes addicting!

Here are a few of my favorite websites I follow daily. They keep me posted on all the current coupons available & great deals to be had:

http://www.hip2save.com/
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/
http://www.freebies4mom.com/
http://www.myfrugaladventures.com/
http://www.thekrazycouponlady.com/

http://www.thecouponmom.com/: This is a great site to go to if you are new to coupon shopping. It’s free and she explains all the info. you need to know on how to coupon shop, keeping organized and many more helpful tips to get started.

http://www.afullcup.com/: Join A Full Cup and get instant access to hundreds of grocery coupons. This site is FREE to join and it will help you locate any coupons you are looking for.

The next three websites are coupon inserts found in your Sunday paper.
http://www.coupons.com/
http://www.redplum.com/
http://www.smartsource.com/

www.wholefoodsmarket.com/coupons: Whole Foods now finally has printable coupons.

P&G Everyday Solutions- Sign up to receive Proctor & Gamble coupon booklets by mail & to print out coupons.

Home Made Simple- This is another coupon booklet you can sign up to receive, which gives you great coupons for cleaning & toiletry items. They sometimes have high dollar coupons.

Note: Most coupons allow you to print them out twice per computer. Just hit your back arrow button. To get more coupons, you would need access to another computer.

http://www.shortcuts.com/
http://www.cellfire.com/: These websites are for downloading e-coupons right to your store card without the hassle of clipping coupons. Just register your store card and once you download the coupons, they will deduct off your total immediately.

Vons- You can click on the link directly to Vons website to upload e-coupons directly to your Vons Club Card.

Stacking Coupons- You can stack coupons at Vons, Target & Walgreens. What is stacking coupons? It means you can take a store coupon and combine it with a manufacturer coupon to either get that item for FREE or at a very low cost! I LOVE when I can stack coupons. J I’m not aware of other stores that offer coupon stacking, but I know these 3 stores do from my own experience!

Internet Coupons: Most stores accept Internet coupons, as long as they are not photo copies! I have never had a problem with any store not accepting my coupons. One time, I actually had so many coupons that caused the register to beep and it wouldn’t accept anymore coupons without the managers approval. It was funny, but the cashier couldn’t believe my total when it was all said and done. My bill was $96.00 and my total only came out to $9.60.

Meal Planning: Another way to save money is by looking at the grocery store ads and planning out your menu for the week. Between shopping sales and using coupons, you can cut your grocery bill in half. It also saves you time and takes away the stress of not knowing what you will be making for dinner each day. We lead busy lives with our family and keeping up with our kiddos, so I have found that menu planning is the best thing I could do to not waste time, money or food!

http://www.5dollardinners.com/: This website is great to get recipes for meals for $5.00 or under. Of course, we are always trying to stay within budget for meals and this is a great way to save money, but making great tasting meals as well.

http://www.crockpot365.blogspot.com/: This website is dedicated to making only crockpot meals. I love using my crockpot, especially when I'm in a time crunch. This site pretty much has any type of crock pot recipes you are looking for. Crockpot cooking is great when you are in a time crunch or a working mom/dad.

http://www.ourbestbites.com/: This is one of my favorite food websites that I go to often. I have tried many of her recipes and I have LOVED them all. Most of the recipes are made from scratch, which I find I like homemade stuff much better than store bought!

http://www.restaurant.com/: This website is a great one to use if you are looking for coupons for dining out. You can purchase $25.00 gift certificates for only $10.00. That's a great deal, but let me fill you in. They often run 80% off, where you can get $25.00 gift certificates for only $2.00. That's a HUGE savings. I would recommend signing up for a FREE account, so you will keep updated with all there specials. They do have restrictions for each individual restaurant, so please make sure you read it carefully! My hubby and I partake on this for our date nights. :)

Signing up for E-Club- You can sign up with many different restaurants which offer either a free meal or dessert on your birthday. Places whom I know participate in this are: Red Robin (free burger), Cold Stone Creamery (free ice cream), Baskin Robbins (free ice cream), Mimi's Cafe (free breakfast entree), California Pizza Kitchen (free b-day meal for kids), Tahoe Joes (free appetizer), T.G.I. Friday's (free appetizer or dessert). I would highly recommend signing up all your family members and enjoy some free food and perks!

Contacting Manufacturers: If you are wanting coupons for some of your favorite products, all you need to do is either call or email the company directly and most likely, they will be happy to send you coupons. I have done this several times and I have received many generous coupons from the manufacturers. There contact information is usually listed on the back of the product near the bottom.

Understanding the Coupon Language....Welcome to Coupon World!!!!
by: My Frugal Adventures (I thought this might help)

BOGO or B1G1: That is a Buy One Get One sale. I usually spell this out so it is clear.You might occasionally see B1G2 which is just a Buy One Get 2 free sale and so on....
FAR: Free after rebate! If an item is $2.99 and you can send off a rebate for $2.99 that item is FAR. We also love to combine FAR items with coupons to make a little profit (and cover the cost of the stamp!).
SS/RP/P&G: This simply refers to my good friends the coupon inserts (which you will find in the Sunday paper). Each insert is from a different company Smart Source, Red Plum and Proctor and Gamble and they change from week to week. You can see exactly how to tell the difference HERE..
OYNO: On Your Next Order. This is usually used in reference to a catalina coupon. Often times if you get a catalina coupon or a gift card (like at Target) you can not use it on the same transaction- you can use it OYNO.
Catalina: I have a much longer explanation HERE but basically a catalina is a little coupon that prints at the cash register. It can be an actual coupon or it can be for a dollar amount off your next transaction. Catalina is simply the name of the company that makes these machines. You will ALWAYS want to check the catalina machine at your stores because you never know how much money you are leaving on the table by forgetting these little papers.
Peelie: This is a coupon that is stuck to the front of an item and can be peeled off. You can see an example of a peelie HERE- see the little sticker that says Free? These are usually coupons but can also be rebates.
Blinkie: The little machine you might see at the grocery store that spits out coupons. Grab the blinkies when you see them. They are typically available when an item is at the highest price. Just hold those blinkies for a sale!
MQ: Manufacturer coupon.
OOP: This is your out of pocket expense. We are always trying to reduce the OOP by using gift cards, rebates, Register Rewards, store coupons etc... The bottom line is to keep your money in your pocket!
Rolling: This is when you use a gift card or catalina to pay for another transaction and get yet another catalina. For example, if you buy 2 boxes of cereal at Target and get a gift card for $2 back- you might want to "roll" the gift card by buying 2 more cereals- use the gift card to pay and get another gift card and on and on.
Stockpile: This refers to whatever you are able to stock up on at dirt cheap (or free) prices so you don't ever have to pay full retail again. You might have a stockpile of 6 boxes of cereal that you bought with coupons and a sale for .25 a box. Since you have multiple boxes you never have to pay $3 or more for cereal again since you have enough on hand to get by until the next sale.
Stacking: This is when you use a store coupon and a manufacturer coupon. For example, you can use a Target coupon for a specific item as well as a manufacturer coupon on the same item (so 2 coupons for the same product) to double your savings.
MIR: This is a mail in rebate offer.
TMF: A type of rebate that allows you to Try Me Free. So the manufacturer will refund your full purchase price- often times you can also use a coupon and still get reimbursed the full retail price of the item. This is different than a Money Back Guarantee as that rebate requires you to be dissatisfied with the product to get your money refunded.
Register Rewards: The catalina program specific to Walgreens. Read more about it HERE.
WAGS: Walgreens.ECBs or EBs: CVS's store program. Extracare bucks are awarded for specific items you purchase and can be used like cash on virtually anything in the store. See my CVS posts HERE and HERE.

So the bottom line is what does this mean:
Kellogg's Cereal $1.50
Use $1.50 from 8/9 SS
Final Price: FREE

That means to go look in your Smart Source coupon insert from the weekend of 8/30 and cut the coupon for Kellogg's for $1.50 to get your free cereal.

Online Shopping: Another way you can save money, is by going through Ebates or Shop At Home to get a percentage of cash back on your purchases. It's free to join and all you have to do is log into your account, go to the specific store you want to shop at and you will receive money back on your purchase. It's simple and what a better way to save money on something you would already buy anyway.

I hope all this information is helpful in getting you started on your way to saving LOTS of money! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call or email me at jesnscot@hotmail.com.

Happy Coupon Shopping! ~ Jessica Wilhite

Menu Plan Monday

Here we are again! Happy Monday and I hope everyone has a blessed week! :)

Sunday: Grilled Cheese Sandwiches & Tomato Soup

Monday: Roast w/ Carrots & Potatoes, Corn Muffins w/ Honey Butter & Salad

Tuesday: Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Salad & Corn

Wednesday: Tuna Croissant Sandwiches & Fresh Fruit

Thursday: Philly Cheese Steaks on Homemade Wheat Rolls & Sauteed Zucchini

Friday: Chicken Parmesan, Baked Potatoes & Peas

Saturday: Meatloaf, Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Sauteed Green Beans

The Best Philly Cheese Steaks

I'm always searching for new recipes to make and I came across this one and it looked delicious. I made it last week and it was a BIG hit in our family! Even my boys loved it and they are very picky eaters! I will definitely be making this again real soon!!! :)

Philly Cheese Steaks

1 lb. steak (you can use any cut, just make sure you slice it real thin)
2 Tbsp. butter
1 green bell pepper
1 medium yellow onion
White cheese (mozzarella, swiss or provolone- I used monterey jack)
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Hot sauce (like Tabasco or Cholula)
4-6 Hoagie rolls

Slice bell peppers and onions; set aside. Heat 2 Tbsp. butter over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add steak and season with salt and lots of freshly ground pepper. When meat is about half-cooked, add peppers and onions. Stir occasionally, cooking until most of the liquid is evaporated and meat is cooked through. Season with hot sauce to taste (I used Cholula, it's not as hot as Tabasco, but still gives it a great flavor with a bite)

Slice buns and spoon steak mixture inside. Top with cheese and place under broiler for 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted and bread is slightly toasty.

Enjoy!

Menu Plan Monday

This week snuck up on me way too fast! I did a few things backwards this week........like grocery shopping without a menu plan. Then trying to think of what to make with the groceries I bought. :) I like it much better when I'm more organized!!!

Monday: Tacos w/ all the fixings, Beans & Sauteed Mushrooms

Tuesday: Clam Chowder Bread Bowls

Wednesday: Bacon, Lettuce and Tomato Sandwiches & Fresh Cantaloupe

Thursday: Chicken Salad

Friday: Chicken Enchiladas, Corn Muffins w/ Honey Butter & Corn

Saturday: Homemade Bacon & Ranch Pizza Stuffed Rolls

Menu Plan Monday

I can't believe that 2010 is already here......Wow, where does the time go?!?! Happy New Year to you all! Now that the crazy & busy holiday times have surpassed, it seems like I will have a little more time to be creative with my menu plans. I would like to try a few more new recipes every month and also try to homemake our bread and other various items that I usually buy. We will see how this goes.

Not only do I make my own baby food most of the time, but I would also like to start sneaking in more veggies in my kids meals without them even knowing. They are picky and I feel like they are not getting enough nutrients that they need. This is going to be a challenge, but I'm definitely up for it and trying to get our family more healthy this year! Wish me luck and I will keep you posted on how it goes. :)

Sunday: Eating Out (driving back home from our week long vacation)

Monday: Costco Food Court (coming back from vacation, we didn't have much in our fridge to make until our shopping trip tonight)

Tuesday: Crispy Coconut Chicken Fingers, Mixed Veggies, & ?

Wednesday: Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches, Tator Tots & Fresh Fruit

Thursday: Chicken Enchilada Casserole, Cornbread w/ Honey Butter & Salad

Friday: Homemade Stuffed Pizza Rolls w/ Marinara Dipping Sauce, & Salad

Saturday: Beef Tacos w/ all the Fixings, Rice & Beans

Celebrating the New Year With The Westlunds

My husband and I took a much needed vacation after Christmas and spent the whole week up at my brother-in-law & sister-in-laws house in Hatcreek. It was so nice to be able to relax and not have anything to do or worry about for the week.

We had such a fabulous time! The boys enjoyed it so much, they were sad to go home. We want to send out a big THANK YOU to the Westlund's for opening up your home and being so gracious. We really appreciate it! We love you!!!

Preston & his cousin Micah having a blast playing Soldiers!

The boys all bundled up ready to play in the snow.

Preston was so excited to play in the snow. He doesn't see snow very often!

Of course, they even had to play with trucks outside. :)

My hubby holding our sweet little Jeremiah all bundled up to stay warm & cozy.

Me and my sweet little Noah.

My two precious older boys.

My sister-in-law Sandee and my nephew Micah.

The Westlund Family (what a great pic) at Burney Falls.

On our last day, we hiked to Burney Falls to enjoy the beautiful view.