Clearance, Clearance, Clearance

In case you are wondering, this post is about the clearance section at stores.  

Generally the clearance section is at the back of the store.  That is where I go first in a store.  I am sure most everybody knows about the clearance rack at department stores.  But did you know about the clearance shelves at grocery stores?  I recently discovered the clearance shelf at Albertson's.  Just today I found kids shampoo for $1 at Albertson's.  Retail for that product generally runs between $3 and $4.  I also found popcorn salt for .50.  Ralph's also has a clearance section in the back of their store.  That is where I buy all my bread.  The store will put the bread that has an expiration date within a few days on clearance.  I usually buy 2-3 loaves and freeze it.  I pull out it out a slice at a time and toast it for sandwiches.  I don't ever spend more than $1 on a loaf of bread.  Bagels are another favorite clearance item of mine.  Bread is a constant clearance item at Ralph's.  However there are many other things that end up on clearance too.  It is always a surprise as to what I will find.

For clothing, my favorite places to go "clearance" shopping is Ann Taylor Loft and Old Navy.  Ann Taylor Loft currently has a 40% the entire store sale going on now.  That includes clearance items.  I was able to find some cute things for inexpensive prices.  The prices were a little higher than what I like to pay for clothes but I had a gift card so I did not spend much out of pocket.  

Old Navy is another favorite.  Currently, they are running a 50% off clearance prices.  I was able to find clothing for my eight year old at rock bottom prices. Shirts for $3 and $4. Capris, jeans, and a denim skirt for $4 each.  Woman's shorts were $6 and I also found a hoodie sweatshirt for $5.  I am starting to track the 50% off sales they run.  So far I am finding Old Navy has the 50% off sale twice- once in January and Memorial Day Weekend.

Happy Saving!

My Grocery List For This Week

Albertson's

Michelinas Frozen Meals .50 each  ($1/5 coupon)  $1.50

Quilted Northern Bath Tissue $4.99

2 boxes Fiber One Bars $2.50 each (.50/ 2 ) $4.50

2  Betty Crocker Muffin Mix $2 each   (.50/ 1)  $3.50

2 Betty Crocker cookie mix $2 each (.40/1) $3.60  

2 Totinos Pizza Rolls $1.50 each (.35/1) $2.65

2 Hershey Brownie Mix $2 each (.75/2) $3.25

1 Nature Valley Granola Nut Clusters $2.50 (.50/1) $2.00

Total:  $25.99  I will get a $5 off coupon for my next purchase 

Second Transaction:

3 pounds of ground beef $1.87/pound  $5.61

Use $5 off coupon I received from the first transaction

Total out of pocket : $.61

I will end up donating some of this stuff for our food pantry at church.  

Vons

Bag of frozen Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts $5.88

Yoplait 8 pack yogurt after store coupon $3.29 (.40/6) Vons doubles up to $1   $2.49

4 bags of Cheetos $1.29 each  $5.16 (I am stocking up for my daughters birthday party)

4 boxes Life cereal $1each  $4 

Breyers Ice Cream $2.50 each

Cherub Tomatoes $2.50 each (.55/1) coupon doubles to $1  $1.50

Total:  $21.53

I will also end up making a trip to Ralphs to pick up some extras to round out my menu plan.  My plan is to spend $25 at Ralphs.  That would make my total for the week at $73.13.  I also plan on using approximately $10 and make a trip to CVS to stock up on some toiletries and diapers.  

After all is said and done I plan on spending $83.13.

Price Points

I have had several people ask about "price points" for grocery items I buy.  Price points are the prices I look for when shopping.  These are also what I would call my rock bottom prices. 

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.99 per pound

Whole Chicken- .69 per pound

Chicken Breasts(bone-in)- .99 per pound 

Jennie-O Ground Turkey $1.99 per 20 oz. package

Beef roast or steak $1.99 per pound

Milk- $2.39 per gallon

Apples/Oranges- $.99 per pound

Strawberries- .99 per small  container (I believe it is 16 oz)

Watermelon- .19 per pound

Cereal- .99 per box

Granola bars- .99-$1.50 (I dont buy these that often.  I generally make my own)

These prices reflect non organic items.   Also, these are prices I look for at Vons, Ralphs and Albertsons.   

Happy Saving!

Mothers Day Gift

I received a flyer in the mail for a sale going on at Zales Jewelry Stores.  You can probably find one of these stores in your local mall.  My local mall has one. (I went to the mall and discovered in fact my local mall does not have one, even when the Zales website said there was one.) Anyway, they have a necklace advertised at $19.99 that has a retail price of $119.  One thing I do not know is the quality of the necklace.  To me, it is worth the risk that I will get to the store and decide to pass.  The sale starts Thursday April 29  and ends on Sunday May 2.  If you are interested I would suggest going there on Thursday as the flyer did mention "while supplies last".

Happy Saving!

Toys R Us Deals

I wanted to make you aware of a couple really good deals at Toys R Us this week.  There are select lego set for 50% off.  There is even a set of Thomas the Tank Duplos on sale.  Also, select Bionicles are also on sale for 50% off.  Those items rarely go on sale for that amount off.  If it's in your budget, it is a great time to stock up on some gifts.  You can go here to see the ad.  Click the middle right tab that says "Find these super deals in store".

One other item to highlight that I found over at hip2save is Toys R Us has a 50% off sale on select Leapfrog Fridge Toys.  You can go here and sign in or register to print a coupon for $5 off any fridge toy magnet.  The final price would be $4.99.  These make great gifts. 

Restaurants Dot Com

My first restaurants.com certificate was recently purchased for an Italian restaurant in my area called La Toscana.  The gift certificate was $3 (after a 70% discount).  I had heard of restaurants.com before but was reluctant to buy a gift certificate because I had never eaten at any of the restaurants listed.  I was also unsure how it worked.  I did not have to wait for something to be mailed to me.  No waiting as I was able to print the certificate immediately.   Until April 22 nd  you can snag 70% off using code FEAST when checking out.

With the certificate in hand my family and I headed out to dinner.

La Toscana was quaint with only having seating for approximately 30 people.   The food was good.   Service was slow and very laid back.  The kids' meals were a bit pricey and did not come with drinks.  Hubby's and my food was excellent.  We shared a meal and it was plenty for us.  I ordered two kids meals for all four kids to share.  My oldest was still hungry after finishing hers.  That worked out fine because my son did not want to finish his.  So oldest kiddo finished her brothers meal.   Including the cost of the certificate, tax and tip the total bill came to $20.54.  That is exactly what I like to pay when all of us eat out.  All in all it was a good experience and Hubby and I want to go back on a date.  

One thing to mention is for this particular restaurant, there was a minimum amount that had to be spent and an 18% tip was included in the bill.  I thought 18% was a little steep for the service we received but I understand why they do that.  

Lowe's Build and Grow Program

I ventured out by myself with all four kiddos this morning to Lowes for their Build and Grow activity.  I have heard about this many times but never got around to signing the kids up for one of the workshops.  It is entirely free and they supply everything for the project.  Today's project was a planter.  Lowe's even provided soil and tomato seeds. Originally I only signed up the two older kids but once we got there the three year old felt left out.  I did all the work for her and allowed her to hammer the nails a bit.  It was a little crazy as I was trying to help all three kids and read the directions.  But the kids really enjoyed it and were excited to keep the aprons, safety goggles and receive a patch they can put on their aprons.   The kids and I will venture out to the class being offered on May 1st that is a school house.  If you are interested in signing up for a class you can go here.

A kind lady offered to take this picture while 

we were standing in line to receive our soil and seeds.

Regal Rewards Cards

I went to the movies on a Tuesday and without knowing it ahead of time, I was able to get a small popcorn for $1.  The few times I was at the movies, the cashier always asked if I had a rewards card.   Never had anybody told me what I received for having a rewards card.  I also thought you had to pay for the services.  I filled out the application for the card and discovered  $1 popcorn on Tuesdays and $1 candy on Mondays.  And after so many transactions, something free (not sure what that is yet). The card is worth the five minutes that it will take you to fill out the application.  Just be sure to buy tickets at Costco (one the things at Costco that is worth buying) or through AAA.


Happy Saving

Costco

Costco is one of those places I try to avoid.  The problem with Costco is when I start walking the aisles self discipline goes out the window.  Suddenly, I have a "need" to buy 30 pairs of socks and 25 pounds of beef.  In all seriousness, I do shop at Costco for certain things like printer ink and computer paper.  Milk, cheese and bananas are also things I buy on a regular basis.  I also like to buy gifts there, especially toys.  During my last shopping trip there I thought I would browse around a bit and do some price comparisons.  I was honestly surprised at how expensive food was.  In my mind, I thought I would pick up some quick inexpensive dinners that we could microwave since the kitchen was being remodeled and I didn't have a stove.  I could not bring myself to buy the prepared food knowing that it probably would not be enough to feed my family anyway.  Also, I priced trip tip (that is a favorite at our house).  I only buy trip tip or any meat for that matter when I can buy it on sale for $1.99 per pound.  The tri tip at Costco was $4.99 per pound.  Now in defense to Costco, the quality of the meat may be much better.  In all honesty, I would not be able to tell if a tri tip roast was better than another.  

The lesson here is KNOW YOUR PRICES.  If you are really trying to save money, it is wise to not assume Costco will have the best prices on all goods purchased there.

Happy Saving!  

Eating Out On A Budget

I have a confession to make.   I love to eat out.  I do  enjoy the food. More importantly, I enjoy someone else doing the dishes and cleaning up after my messy 11 month old.  Let's face it though, eating out is expensive.  I have figured out some tricks and inexpensive places to eat to keep the cost down for our family of six (Family of six... when did that happen).  When we eat out, my goal is to keep the bill under $25.

In N Out

   This is a family favorite.  This is probably one of the least expensive fast food places to eat.  We share fries.  We also don't order drinks (at least some of us).  My seven year prefers water anyway.  This is far cheaper than McDonald's. 

Jersey Mikes

    Jersey Mikes has a family picnic pack for around $20 that includes two giant sub sandwiches, four bags of chips and four drinks or a two liter bottle of soda.  Again, we combine chips and drinks.   

Stonefire Grill

     This is for take out only.   What comes with this is, a pound of tri tip, bread sticks, a small two topping pizza, and a small salad.  Including tax, I believe this comes to $24.  That is a lot of food for our family and we have left overs

Souplantation

      There are coupons in the paper frequently that are $19.99 for a family of four not including drinks. We were able to use the family of four coupon because children under three are free.  Since my daughter just turned three, we will have to start buying one more meal.   One of the great things about Souplantion is they allow you to bring the kids cups back and get free refills (for kids drinks only).  That is a huge savings.  I really like Souplantation because no one ever leaves hungry,my kids love vegetables, and dessert  comes with the price of the meal.  You can also join their club and get coupons via email.

Panda Express

     I just realized how inexpensive eating at Panda can be.  Forget the kids' meals and order two and three entree item combos.  Again order water.  Ordering 3 combo meals will run around $25.  I also like this because it keeps portion size down for me.  I am less likely to overeat when sharing a meal.

I would love to hear about any other inexpensive dining out ideas you may have.

Happy Saving!

Coastal Contacts

Hubby aka Cory wearing his new glasses.

Cory received his glasses in the mail today from Coastal Contacts. Cory really likes them and says they are comfortable. Cory's glasses were ordered online from them several weeks ago.  I was a little nervous ordering glasses online but it was a great purchase.  There was a place on the site where you could upload a picture and "try on" different glasses.  The whole process was very easy to do.  All that was needed was an active prescription.  I had a question about the prescription and called customer service.  Customer service was very helpful and I also did not have to wait on hold for a long time.

The best part was the PRICE.  After free shipping, the total was $24.95.  Yes you read that right, $24.95.  Twenty-four ninety five was a risk that seemed worth it.  To further sweeten the deal, I registered with shop at home and will receive 8% cash back on the purchase.  I typed in coastal contacts in the search and went to the site from there.  

I will order glasses there from now on.  

Happy Saving!

My Menu Plan For The Week

Chicken Tetrazine

Philly Cheesesteak Sandwiches

BBQ Tri Tip Salad

Enchilada Casserole

Brown Butter Tortellini With Spinach and Ham

Tacos

Bean and Brown Rice Casserole

I bought two whole chickens last week on sale for .79 per pound.  I will be able to get four meals worth of chicken out of the one chicken.  I had cream of chicken soup in the pantry for the chicken tetrazine.  The recipe also called for green bell pepper.  I bought the frozen variety on sale this week for $1.  I will only half of the package.

For the Philly Cheesesteaks, I will use tri-tip roast that was on sale this week for $1.99 per pound.  I will also use the other half of the package of the fore mentioned frozen bell peppers. Provolone is the cheese Hubby prefers which was also on sale.  The cheesesteaks will be eaten on homemade rolls (I always have those ingredients on hand).

The Tri Tip Salad will be made with two bags of salad mix that I bought on sale for $1 each.  I also had a coupon for one for .55 off one of the packages.  I will also use another tri tip roast that I purchased.  I will put frozen corn (on sale), black beans (already had those), carrots (had those already) and cheese in the salad(bought cheese on sale).

The Enchilada Casserole calls for ground beef.  Ground turkey was on sale buy one get one free.  I picked up two packages of that.  I also have homemade enchilada sauce that I made at the end of last week that I will use.  It also calls for tortillas, that I found on sale and had a coupon for $1 off.  The total price for 30 corn tortillas was .29.

Brown butter tortellini will be made with packaged tortellini that I had a coupon for and also was on sale.  I will make it with chicken instead of ham.  

I will make the tacos with the ground turkey.  Tomatoes were also on sale so those will go into the tacos as well.

Bean and brown rice casserole will be made with homemade refried beans.  I had the pinto beans and the brown rice in the pantry.  I did buy salsa (that was on sale).  Homemade refried beans will be an adventure as this will be my first time making them.

Anyway, that is what we are eating this week.  I will post some of the recipes in the next few days.

Happy Saving!

The End Of The "Freebie" Challenge

I only managed to get a couple things free this week.  I received a free gallon of milk, a package of Oreos, a free can of formula, and free 4x6 prints from Snapfish (although I did have to pay for shipping).  The milk was a coupon I printed from the internet.  There was a promotion going on the "Got Milk" website.  If you spent $100 in groceries (before discounts, you received a free gallon of milk).  I received a coupon for a free package of Oreos for becoming a fan of Oreos on facebook.  The 4x6 prints were received because I set up a new account.  I also have a credit for a set of six coasters, a 4x6 photo book and 10 more prints.  I will cash in on the other things on Snapfish when they run another promotion for free shipping.

Happy Saving!

Money Saving Tips

This is a little something that I came up to help with saving money based on principles I have learned along the way.

C- Contentment 

        As I have already shared, contentment has been key.  I will tell you that it has not been easy.  Contentment is  a choice, not always an easy one but a choice none the less.  1 Timothy 6:6-8.

A- Always use cash
     This is the basis for Dave Ramsey's program.  This has helped significantly in our grocery budget.  I really need to start using cash for other budget items as well.

S- Sacrifice
     When it comes to saving money, sacrifice will always have to be part of the process.  The more sacrifices that are made, the easier it becomes.  Some examples include:  becoming a one car family, canceling satellite/cable,  eating out less and buying clothes at consignment stores instead of the mall.

H- Hunt for bargains
     This includes what is known as the "buy ahead" principle.  The idea here is to buy things at rock bottom prices before items are needed.  For example, in January I purchased $670 worth of clothes at Old Navy for $130.  My oldest child has a complete wardrobe when she grows into the next size.  The other kids also have items that will fit them in the future.

Another principle here is to think outside the box when shopping for groceries, household goods and toiletries.  Walgreens, CVS and Rite Aid are great stores to find not only toiletries at rock bottom prices but also groceries.  Target** is another source of great deals.  Last week, Target paid me to buy oatmeal! 

** The one caveat I have for Target is that it is easy to walk out with a $200 bill when you went in to pick up a few "deals".

The best way to maximize the "hunt" is to use coupons found in the newspaper (L.A. Times in my area).



Happy Saving.

Another Lesson Learned

The lesson I learned today is to always know how much money in coupons should come off the bill.


I was at Ralphs today and realized first while in line that my free milk did not come off the total.  I saw the checker scan it but it did not come off.  I realized a couple other things after coming home.  Unfortunately, I had no way of proving it so I did not feel it right going back after the fact and requesting my money.  I was supposed to receive a catalina for $4.00 off another purchase ( catalinas are those coupons that print along with the receipt).

Secondly, one of my coupons did not come off the bill.  The only reason I noticed that particular coupon  was because it was a strange amount.  From now on I will total what I should be saving in coupons and double check my receipt before leaving.  My mistake cost me at least $4.70 if not more.  That is not a lot when you take that by itself.  However if that happened every time I went to the store, that would add up in a hurry.


The whole situation was a little bit of a bummer because there is a certain checker that I do not care for.  She is constantly flirty  and chatty with the other employees around while I stand there (a pet peeve of mine).  I purposely went to another line and just as it was my turn she switch over to my line.  All of the groceries were already on the belt, making it impossible to switch lines.    After she made the switch, I really should have checked my receipt.


Remember check those receipts.


Happy Saving.

The New Challenge Starts Today

As promised, here are some places to look for freebies to start the new challenge:
Click here
          here
          and here

Those websites will be a good place to start.  Walgreens has freebies pop up from time to time.  Just this past week, I was able to get a free 8 x 10 photo collage(which I will use for a gift).  I uploaded the pictures to their photo website and chose in store pickup and I paid $0.  It was ready in an hour.   After Christmas, I was also able to get an 8 x 10 photo collage.   They also are running a special through February 19 that is get 25 free prints.  Become a fan of stores/ products on facebook.  Several others I have become fans of are Herbal Essence and International Delight creamer.  Both of those companies sent me free coupons in the mail. 

One more way that I will tell you about to obtain free stuff is to join email lists.  Just about every store and restaurant have email lists now.  The stores will send out coupons for dollar off items but also free items as well.  I will however tell you to get an email address that is a "junk" address.  You will be inundated with junk mail.  I received a $10 off a $10 purchase coupon for JC Penney's this past week (because I am on their email list and have made some purchases).  I would have bought something for $10 but I used it to start to put together Easter baskets for the kids. Those are just a few simple ways to get items for free or really cheap. 

Happy Saving! 

Weekly Challenge Wednesday

Next weeks challenge is to see how many things you can get for free either with a coupon, joining a facebook page this is offering something free for signing up or a free sample of something (nothing illegal, please :) It will be fun to see how many things we can come up with.  The challenge will start Sunday February 14 and will run through February 20.  I will post several places to look for freebies in the next couple of days.

Happy Saving.

Recipes from Challenge

Chicken Pot Pie

Filling
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 lb  potatoes (about 2 baking), unpeeled, diced
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup non fat milk
1 package frozen veggies (pea, corn, green bean mix)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 cups diced, cooked chicken

Crust Topping
1 cup all purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup canola oil
3 Tbsp. well chilled non fat milk

Preparation for crust:
Combine flour and salt in bowl.  Combine oil and milk in a covered jar and shake vigorously to mix.  Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the oil and milk mixture.  Mix by hand until almost completely combined.  Finish combining with fingertips and work into a ball.  Roll out to 9 inch circle.

Prep for filling:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bring 1 cup broth to a boil in a large pot.  Add onion and cook 3 minutes, until soft, then add remaining 1 cup broth, potatoes and thyme.  Bring to a boil and cook until potatoes are tender.  Add package of veggies for last 5 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine cornstarch and milk and stir until smooth add mustard.  Bring to a boil and cook 5 minutes.  Stir in chicken and remove from heat.  Pour into one 9-inch deep dish pie plate. 

Cover filling with crust and pinch edges to side of pan.  Cut vents into top and bake 20 minutes or until top is golden.


Made From Scratch Pancakes
2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 beaten eggs
2 cups milk
2 Tbsp oil

Combine all ingredients in order listed.  Stir just until moistened.  Add additional milk to thin  batter, if desired.  Refrigerate until using.  Pour out a 1/4 cup for each pancake.  Cook on griddle until bubbles form around edges.  Flip and cook other side.

You could combine dry ingredients ahead of time and store in a container.  Just add "wet" ingredients when ready to cook pancakes.

Eating Two Meals From The Pantry Challenge

I did in fact eat two meals from the pantry. We ate homemade chicken pot pie (recipe to follow in another post) and pancakes (recipe to follow in another post) with ingredients I had on hand. The pancakes were for lunch for my son's birthday and the chicken pot pie I made from scratch for dinner on Saturday night. I also cooked up a turkey that was in my freezer. I will use that in place of chicken in recipes and for turkey sandwiches. As far as savings is concerned, that is a little hard to gauge as the past week was a little different than normal because of my sons birthday party and the family celebration we had for him.

My goal was to stay within my budget of $100 per week. So far I am about $10 over budget. I did purchase some things to take to a Super Bowl party. I also have four dozen cookies to make for an event at church and my soon to be three year old's birthday coming up this next week. This is yet another example of how it really saves money to think ahead on these things and be prepared.

How did you do making meals with ingredients you had on hand? I would love to hear in the comments section.

Weekly Challenge Wednesday

How is this weeks' challenge of using items in your pantry for two meals going? I will post my results at the end of the week.

The new challenge is very simple but it is something that saves lots of money:

Create a menu for the week.

Even without clipping coupons, having a plan when going to the grocery store, helps to stay on track when purchasing food.

I have done great at planning for dinners and breakfasts for some reason are easy (maybe it's because my favorite meal is breakfast). Lunches on the other hand cause me grief! My goal this next week will to plan lunches better.

The menu plan challenge will run February 7 to February 13. Good luck and happy saving.

Lessons Learned

The next two weeks are going to be a little rough in the staying on budget for groceries. I decided to try something new and buy food/cake supplies for Carson's party out the grocery money. I didn't go crazy on food for the party. In fact it was quite simple. I even had several cake mixes on hand for his cake. I thing that I didn't have on hand was frosting (that stuff is pricey, even on sale). And I ruined one whole cake. I also ended up with two extra cans of frosting so I didn't have to make another trip to the store. Like they say "time is money". Because I wasn't as prepared as I should have been, it ended up costing me more money.

Another thing that has tripped me up was buying cough medicine for the kiddos. Again that by itself was not too bad. I did buy the generic brand. But because I wasn't prepared, it was one more thing I had to buy. My kids hardly ever get sick so I don't keep medicine like that on hand. Had I purchased the medicine when it was on sale, I would have spent much less money. The lesson there is keep Dimetapp type medicine on hand especially when you get it on sale for a dollar or two with a coupon. Many little things have added up to a potential overage on budget. Check back to see how the next two weeks work out.

One last thing, the weekly challenge starts tomorrow. I will be making two meals from items I have on hand. I will be making a chicken pot pie and crock pot chili.

Weekly Challenge Wednesday

Every Wednesday I will post a challenge to help with the money saving journey. The challenge will run from Sunday 1/31 until Sunday 2/7. I would love for you to join me.

This weeks challenge is to eat at least two meals from items you have on hand. The idea here is twofold. First of all, the items that may have been pushed to the back of the pantry or fridge will get used up. If groceries are purchased on sale, but go bad, then that is no savings at all and a pure waste. Secondly, less money will be spent at the grocery store because two less days worth of food will be bought.

The reason for this challenge is because I have allowed things to go bad numerous times. I need to better about not being wasteful.

My Journey To Start Saving Money

After being plagued for many years with the thought "if only my husband made more money", I started to dialogue with my husband about how much money would be enough. Together, we decided that if we didn't make our income work now we never would. There would never be enough money. After being introduced to a website called babycheapskate.com, I started seeing examples of people living on very little money and saving much. From that first site I then started exploring other money saving blogs. It then became a challenge for me to see how little we could live on (specifically in the area of our grocery budget). This became my way to contribute to our family income without getting a job.

Right now our budget is $100 a week including all food, diapers, formula and any household goods. That equals to $16.67 per person per week for our family of six. My goal for this year is to actually stick to that amount without going over. I have starting using cash to pay for our groceries and household goods. The cash goes into an envelope marked "grocery" so I am not tempted to use it for other things. Using cash is a huge help because for some reason it is a little more "painful" to spend the cash opposed to handing over a debit card. I had heard people say that before but until I started doing it I didn't understand.

I don't have it all figured out and am still growing in the area of finances. I am a living testimony that the Lord can do mighty things when you begin to choose contentment over discontentment. Saving money really isn't that difficult you just have to know some "tricks" to make your money go further. I will outline some of those tricks in a future post.

For now, I wish you contentment in the area of money.

Grocery List

This is what I purchased for the week at Vons: (All of the prices are good until Tuesday Jan 26)
(2) Annies boxed mac & cheese free $1 each
(2) Bags Goldfish crackers sale price .88 each
(2) Bottles of syrup sale price $1.50 each
(2) Boxes of Life cereal $1 each
(2) Boxes macaroni pasta $1 each
(2) Sargento sliced cheese $1.49 each
(1) Softsoap liquid hand soap $.88 each
6.5 pounds of ground beef $.99 per pound
(1) 6 oz container of blueberries $1
(2) Bags of salad mix $.99 each

My total for everything was $21.63 for a total savings of $52.99. The total includes one store coupon found in the ad that is found at the front of the store for the Sargento cheese. It also includes 2 coupon for the Annies Mac and Cheese and a coupon for one of the packages of cheese. Lastly, that price included a store special that Vons was running on the Life cereal and syrup. When you bought four items you got $4 off. The items were mix and match.

Also, keep in mind that the majority of what I will use this week is food I have already purchased. This is to either round out our meals or "stock up".

Hope this helps.