I'm In The Paper!

A few weeks ago I was interviewed for our local paper (The Bull Run Observer) about my couponing. I think the article came out pretty well :)

Click on the article so you can read it.



New to the blog? Here are some quick tips to catch you up:

Where Do You Get Your Coupons?

Grocery Game Recap (how to use it)

How To Spend Less On Groceries

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you and your family are having a wonderful Thanksgiving! We are still in Florida celebrating with family and I am looking forward to a great dinner at my brother and sister-in-law's house this afternoon.

- I'm thankful for my Savior, my family and my friends.

- I'm thankful for a week in the Caribbean with my husband and no kids - a huge blessing for us - it was great :)

- I'm thankful for coupons - without them I would never save what I do!

- I'm thankful for Jingle Deals at Gymboree - check it out - save money - jackets for $14.00!! Have a coupon? It's even cheaper PLUS you earn Gymbucks - can NOT go wrong!! In stores early tomorrow morning or on line right now - I ordered last night - spent $400 on 40 items ($10/each) and that includes the girl's Christmas dresses and matching faux fur jacket:


















Also included a jacket for each child - a jacket marked down from $49/each to just $14.00 a piece! When I have to buy times 5 this is a STEAL!!



You do have to shop now though because they are selling out fast!!

A Happy Thanksgiving to all :) And thanks to a reader for letting me know that my article has come out in the Bull Run Observer. I haven't seen it yet since it came out last week while I was gone.

I'll post a lot more when I get home in a few days!

Off To The Caribbean!

Seriously, I am :) The family is heading to Florida on Friday so that my hubby and I can go on a cruise for a week and then spend time with my family on Thanksgiving. So, I will be of this blog for about 2 weeks for some much needed rest and relaxation. I will post much when I return - have a safe, happy and frugal Thanksgiving!

My Triple Coupon Trip With The List

Took my second trip to Harris Teeter today and I was surprised that there was actually good stuff there! Every time they have a big coupon week I never know what's gonna be left by the time I arrive.

Surprisingly they were only out of Crisco oil which (thankfully) was not a triple coupon deal which means I could get a rain check and go back at any time and get the same deal.

Here's what I got:



I spent: $41.40
And saved: $88.69

My best deals:

Mazola Cooking Spray (and we were just about out - love when that happens!)
- regular price: $2.99/each
- sale price: buy 1 get 1 free
- used 4 $0.50 off coupons from S 10/4
- final price: FREE!!

9-Lives Dry Cat Food
- regular price: $4.99/each
- sale price: buy 1 get 1 free
- used 4 $0.75 off coupons from RP 10/25
- final price: $0.25/each

Uncle Ben's Long Grain and Wild Rice Mix
- regular price: $2.39
- sale price: not on sale
- used 1 $0.75 off coupon from RP 11/8 (had more coupons but there was only 1 box left!)
- final price: $0.14

For more great deals check out: The Grocery Game

Triple Coupon Week at Harris Teeter

Finally! Feels like forever since HT did triple coupon or super doubler - I'm excited that they are tripling coupons this week from 7 AM today (Nov. 4th) to midnight next Tuesday (Nov. 10th).

Yes, I've already been :)

Here's what I got:



I spent: $40.32
And saved: $56.41

I had a few things to pick up besides what was on sale: honey and lightbulbs so my spending was a little high - that and Chex was $2.00 a box after sale and coupon but I love Chex so I bought it anyway :)

Best deals:

Campbell's Cream of Chicken/Mushroom soup
- original price: 2/$3.00
- sale price: buy 1 get 1 free ($0.75/each)
- used 3 $0.25/3 coupons from 9/20 S and 10/11 S which tripled to $0.75 off 3
- final price: $0.50 each (I bought 9 cans!)

Smithfield Premium Sliced Bacon
- original price: $4.99/each
- sale price 2/$6.00
- used 6 $0.55/1 coupons from 10/25 S which tripled to $1.65 off
- final price: $1.35/each

For more deals check out the Coupon Mom - the rest of the items purchased I used a coupon but not one that tripled.

Menu Planning Monday: Pampered Chef Style

This week's menu plan comes from Denise at Goosey Lucy, Turkey Lurkey & Chicken Little. Denise has quite a large brood. Besides her trio she has three other children and some of those kids are going to have kids! Wow!

Denise also sells Pampered Chef. You can see her personal website for PC HERE.

Denise has passed along some of her favorite recipes for this week's menu plan and I'm including the recipe for one of the meals which Denise says is her absolute favorite :)

Monday - Loaded Baked Potato Chowder
Tuesday - Zesty Ravioli Skillet
Wednesday - South of the Border Meat Loaf
Thursday - Ham and Cheese Calzone
Friday - Leftover night

Loaded Baked Potato Chowder

3 large baking potatoes(about 2 1/2 lbs.)
3 1/2 cups milk, divided
4oz cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. butter
2-3 green onions with tops
4oz sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
Optional toppings: chopped cooked bacon, sour cream, broccoli florets

Slice potatoes in half lengthwise; place in deep covered baker. Pour 1/2 cup milk over potatoes. Microwave, covered, on high 11 minutes. Remove baker and move center potatoes to outer edge. Cover and microwave on high 8-11 min. or until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork. Remove from microwave. Coarsely mash potatoes with mix n' chop.

Meanwhile, whisk cream cheese until smooth in batter bowl. Slowly add remaining 3 cups milk, whisking until smooth. Add cream cheese mixture and butter to baker. Microwave, covered, on high 3-5 minutes or until mixture is hot. Slice green onions chef's knife.

Carefully remove baker from microwave. Grate cheese over chowder using rotary grater; add green onions, salt and pepper and mix using small mix 'n scraper until cheese is melted. Serve with toppings if desired.

Yield: 6 servings(8 cups)

Sounds super yummy - thanks Denise!

Grocery Game Recap

Many of you already know how to coupon and where to get your coupons from and what all the abbreviations mean but there may be a few who don't so I thought I'd cover the basics.

1. I don't re-invent the wheel - I have 5 kids and not enough time so I let the Grocery Game do it for me. Click here to be taken to her website.

2. Using the Grocery Game I sign in and get the list of deals at my chosen store. I am currently signed up for Harris Teeter and CVS - these are the stores that work best for me.

3. When my list comes up I proceed to "gray-out" all the items I don't want by clicking on them. I just scan down the list to see what I do want and click on all the items around it that I don't.

4. When I have finished going down the list I press print - the list will print only the items that I actually want to find coupon match-ups for.

5. I take my list to my coupon folder that is currently jammed full of coupons I have been collecting from all newspapers I receive and from friends.

- PG means Proctor and Gamble
- RP means Red Plum
- S means Smartsource

- there may be more than 1 of them in any given paper and there may be none depending on the week

6. Usually I check my list for my "hot" or "favorite" items meaning what we use the most or ones that are such a great deal I want to stock up on them. I find the stack of coupons with the corresponding date and begin scanning. There are times when my coupon does not match hers. Sometimes it's better, sometimes not.

7. I clip out all the coupons that she tells me to that match with items I wish to purchase.

8. I take my list and my coupons to the store and shop.

It really is that easy. It doesn't take a lot of time once you get used to it but the beginning may be slow and if you don't have a lot of copies of coupons you may have more trouble stocking up. If you're just beginning to get multiple copies of coupons I'd suggest buying 3 copies of the Sunday paper. For me the Washington Post seems to always have all the coupons I need so I try to get multiple copies of it when I can.

I've been using the Grocery Game every week since the beginning of the year and I can't believe it's already November!

Here's what I got tonight:



I spent: $87.24
And saved: $85.68 (at least I did also earn back $2.50 for buying 4 boxes of fruit snacks - that makes it an even 50% off!)

I spent a little more than I wanted - somehow I added wrong. It happens I guess :) A little over budget because of it. My new budget is $75 a week. And it's only that high because I want to earn the $50 in gift cards for Christmas. Plus, it's not like I'm not going to use the groceries :)