Memorial Day is the 25th (this upcoming Monday), and that means there are going to be all kinds of really great deals and sales.
I try not to post a lot of sales and deals, but this week I’ll be posting 1-2 per day when I find some really great deals that I personally think are worth taking advantage of.
These companies are all ones that I shop at regularly, and really like.
So hold on to your hats, It’s about to get crazy and frugal.
I’m sure by now that you know one of my major pet peeves is food waste. That’s why buying in bulk can be such a dangerous proposition. If you can’t use up all of something before it goes bad and you have to throw it away, that’s the same as throwing away money.
One of the ways we save money is by purchasing cheese in bulk. I buy the pre-shredded cheese. There are a few reasons.
Once I’m home from the store, I set up my cheese packaging station. All you need is a stack of ziploc bags, a glass, a salad plate, and a measuring cup. (stack of bags not shown in this photo)
I measure my cheese out into 2 cup packages. That’s the size of most grocery store sized bags of shredded cheese. I keep 1-2 bags of each kind of cheese in the fridge, and the rest of the bags go into the freezer. Yes, you can freeze cheese.
Put the bag into the cup and wrap the top of the bag (the part with the zip top) over the mouth of the cup. Using the measuring cup, measure however much cheese you plan to store per bag.
After my last trip to Smart & Final, I came home with a 4 lb bag of Mozzarella, and a 5 lb bag of cheddar.
I ended up up with 6 2 cup bags of Mozzarella, and a little left over, and 9 2 cup bags of Cheddar with a little leftover. I used the leftover cheeses to top a pizza. It was a little under 2 cups with both leftover cheeses combined.
Trying to figure out if this is a good deal? Let’s do some math…
The same brand of cheddar cheese in a 2 cup bag at Smart & Final is $2.59.
The 5 lb bag of cheddar cheese was $12.49, and it contained roughly 19 cups of cheese. That makes each cup of cheese .66, making each zip loc bag of cheese containing 2 cups of cheese $1.32. That’s a savings of $1.27 per bag over the pre-measured zip-top bag. When I’m not sure which is a better deal while I’m in the store, I check the price per ounce on the shelf label. Here are two examples of a shelf tag that shows the price per ounce for two separate products (Uncle Ben’s Rice and Carnation Instant Breakfast).
Different stores have different shelf tags, so it may take you a few minutes to decipher each stores tags.
Now you have to factor in the cost of the ziploc bags. We re-use our cheese bags, so after they are empty, I wipe them out, put them inside another bag (marked “for cheese”) and stash them in a drawer. I buy ziploc bags en masse when they are on sale. I don’t always re-use bags, but I try to as often as I can.
There you have it. Shopping smartly, taking advantage of a good deal, and how to store your food with little to no waste. That’s what being a savvy shopper is all about.
For years I’ve preached that since 80+% of the coupons are available only in the Sunday Newspaper, everyone should get at least 2 Sunday papers each week, so that you can get multiple coupons, and stock up on sale items to avoid paying full price.
Well, no longer. I called and cancelled our Sunday only Union-Tribune subscription yesterday.
WHY? Well, if you have been getting the Sunday paper, you’ve noticed that the value and variety of coupons each week has dwindled. For example: This year, Sweet Baby Ray’s BBQ Sauce has had a $1/3 coupon available in the summer about this time of year. In previous years, the value was $1/2 or even $1/1, just 3 years ago.
And as prices on food continue to increase, when coupon values decrease…. Well, That’s not a deal.
Another super annoying thing that some of you may have noticed: While the inserts are the same thickness as in previous years, instead of being jam-packed full of great coupons (or any coupons), there are more full page ads for products, or advertisements for checks, gold coins, wigs, or other “stuff” that you can mail order. UGH!!
So where am I going to get my coupons? Well, as the Sunday paper becomes less of a great resource, the internet opens it’s arms to us! It’s cheaper for companies to make coupons available for print on their website, or via social media channels. That means the values can be higher sometimes than what as in the paper previously! I print a lot of coupons from the sites I mention here. I also save money by using smartphone apps (since I don’t have a smartphone, I use them on my iPad). I also trade coupons with local friends who still get the paper. I print coupons for them, and they give me newspaper coupons I need. I also get unwanted coupons from family and friends.
Since I start my weekly shopping at 99 Cents Only, I am using less coupons than previously. 99 Cents Only doesn’t accept manufacturer coupons, but their prices are crazy low. So by shopping there I am saving at least 60% off grocery store prices. That means our weekly grocery budget is able to go farther.
After that, I shop at whichever store has the most items we need on sale. Sometimes it’s a mainstream grocer like Albertson’s or Ralph’s that accepts manufacturer coupons, and sometimes it’s a discount grocer, like Grocery Outlet that doesn’t accept manufacturer coupons.
Lastly, in addition to the dwindling values and coupon availability, there is one last reason I cancelled our subscriptions. Every Sunday about 4:30am, Our little buddy came running into our bedroom crying about scary noises. Yeah, the newspaper delivery guy would stand downstairs and fling four large Sunday papers onto our 2nd floor balcony, hitting the kiddos bedroom window, knocking over plants, and scaring my pour sleeping four year old.
By canceling our subscriptions, we’re saving a few hundred dollars a year, which I can use to buy printer ink and paper, and print coupons which will save me thousands of dollars.
I was cleaning out some files yesterday and I came across some notes from when we planned our family vacation to Disneyland 2 years ago. I know with Summer vacation coming up, a lot of you will be planning trips to The House of Mouse and other locales. Here are a few tips to help you save on your summer fun!
The first part of planning a trip is budget. Where you’ll go, how long you’ll stay, what you’ll do while you’re there, those things are all (sadly) dictated by budget.
When we plan a trip, in order to keep our costs down, I’ve formulate a budget that takes into consideration a few things:
So with our budget in mind, I set to finding a m/hotel that fits our budget and has the amenities we are looking for: swimming pool, complimentary continental breakfast, and free parking.
I posted about Digital Media Academy a few weeks ago, but I wanted to remind you that there is still time to sign your tween/teen up and save $75!
Founded at Stanford University, Digital Media Academy is ranked as one of the ten best summer camps in the world.
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Kids and teens learn computer programming, app development, 3D modeling, robotics, graphic design, filmmaking, and much more. DMA summer camps are one or multiple week experiences taught by industry experts and tech professionals. Campers get hands-on experience creating projects using the latest hardware and software from Apple, Canon, Adobe, and more.
Digital Media Academy is also proud to introduce Made by Girls, a new program dedicated to empowering girls and closing the gender gap in the tech industry.
The DMA Experience from Digital Media Academy on Vimeo.
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#CreateTheNext this summer at Digital Media Academy!
Updated: January 2023
With inflation skyrocketing, more of us need help feeding our families nutritious foods. Luckily in San Diego, there are plenty of programs and organizations that can help.
In large metropolitan areas like San Diego County, there are many resources for those who have food insecurity. Some of them require proof of need, proof of residence, or extensive paperwork to qualify. For someone who is embarrassed by food insecurity, these requirements can be a deterrent. Other organizations put a cap on how many times a family can visit.
Here are a few local Central and East San Diego County Area organizations that offer food assistance that do not require any proof of need.
Central San Diego County
The Cupboard on 54th. Located at Calvary Lutheran Church 3060 54th Street, San Diego, CA 92115. They are open 3 times a week.
You can get dry goods one time per month and a produce bag is available each day they are open (for a total of three times a week).
This is located at the same location as a free clothing closet. They have clothes for men women and children, as well as shoes and accessories.
Christ Ministry Center 3295 Meade Ave San Diego, CA 92116 has a food bank three days a week. Hours: Mondays 1-3pm, Wednesdays 10am-Noon and 1-3pm, Fridays 10am-Noon and 1-3pm. Park in the rear lot and look for the Good Neighbor Center Food Bank sign. They also have other services for those in need. Check out their website for more information.
The Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank has neighborhood distribution sites all over San Diego throughout the month. Each time and location is different, but you can expect to go home with a lot of fresh produce! There are no requirements or proof of need (no ID either). Just bring a few reusable bags or a cart to carry your food home.
East County:
Journey Church in La Mesa has a food bank that distributes food three times per month.
Faith Chapel in Spring Valley has a great event once a month called Meet the Need. It is on the 1st Sunday of each month.
There is a free lunch starting at 1pm with some fellowship (a great way to meet your neighbors), followed by shopping in their boutique for free clothing and household items, and you will go home with a bag (or two) of free, healthy groceries.
Similarly, Pastor Josiah and his crew have been doing weekly food distributions- Visit their website (address below) and get on their email list to learn more and find out when the next distribution will be- or subscribe to my blog- I post about their distributions in advance!
You can learn more by visiting or contacting Faith Chapel here. Pastor Josiah and his crew are wonderful people!
For residents of the City of Santee, the Santee Food Bank is available to you once a month. Proof of Santee Residency (like a utility bill) is required, and ID for everyone in the household (ID cards, drivers licenses, school ids, health insurance cards). The Santee Food Bank is open for regular distributions 9 a.m. – 11 a.m. every Wednesday and Friday, as well as the first and third Saturday of each month.
The Santee Food Bank also hosts USDA Commodities twice a month. Commodities are available to anyone, regardless of where you live. They are healthy food staples, and frequently consist of Meat, rice, pasta, canned veggies and fruit, cereal, milk, and bread. Items change each time, but there are always lots of healthy options. Commodities hours are the third Tuesday from 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Feeding American San Diego has a map on their website of various resources in the San Diego area, many of them require no proof of need or paperwork.
If you are located in Northern San Diego County, here is a post that has options and locations for you.
While not strictly free, Porchlight Community Services (which I wrote about here) frequently has free food distributions. Check their website, or follow them on Facebook for updates and events.
If you have any food resources to share, please leave a comment!
I posted a while ago about BzzAgent, and awesome Word of Mouth (WOM) Marketing program. Today I have another WOM Marketing to program to share with you: Smiley360.
Word of Mouth Marketing- It’s not new. Remember the “I told two friends, and they told two friends” commercial from the 1980’s? That’s word of mouth marketing. Since the invention of the internet, WOM marketing has been amplified.
There are companies that connect consumers with companies and products looking to market directly to a specific cross-section of the population. What does that mean for you? Sign up with a WOM Marketing company and when they have products that someone like you would like and use, and they will have you complete a brief survey and send you the product.
Often times, the products they will send you will be full size. Additionally, they will send marketing materials with talking points for you to share with friends. Depending on the product, samples and coupons may be included!
Right now I am participating in the ARM & HAMMER™ Truly Radiant™ Dental Products campaign with Smiley360.
I’ve been using the system for about 2 weeks and white my teeth aren’t blindingly movie star white, they are definitely looking and feeling a lot cleaner! Just two easy steps twice a day is
I received:
• One tube of ARM & HAMMER™ Truly Radiant™ Rejuvenating Toothpaste
• One Spinbrush™ Truly Radiant™ Deep Clean Manual Toothbrush
• One bottle of Truly Radiant™ Whitening & Strengthening Fluoride Rinse
I love the spinbrush. It’s manual, so not batteries needed! The Bristles rotate as you brush to help blast away plaque, and the brush features elongated bristles designed to clean hard-to-reach places. I still have my wisdom teeth, so I DO have some hard to reach places!
The toothpaste is awesome. A lot of whitening toothpastes have a gritty or strange texture. One of my favorite parts of the ARM & HAMMER™ Truly Radiant™ Rejuvenating Toothpaste is that it’s got a smooth texture and cleans really well. However, it does more than just whiten teeth. This revolutionary toothpaste goes beyond the surface to strengthen, clean and repair tooth enamel for a radiant smile in just 5 days!
To learn more about these products, visit TrulyRadiant.com for special offers, product information and Truly Radiant Tips from Alison Sweeney! You can also like them on Facebook for special offers, news and to let them know how you are living Truly Radiant!
If you are interested in signing up for Smiley360, click here!
Lil’ Man loves him some waffles. And pancakes. Pretty much anything hot that he can have slathered in butter.
Recently the awesome folks over at Nicole’s Natural’s offered me a canister of their gluten-free waffle and pancake mix to try out. We’re not a GF family due to allergies or sensitivities, but I love trying new products, especially new breakfast products!
What I really liked about these waffles is that despite being Gluten Free, they cook up super crispy. They contain brown rice, corn meal, and GF oatmeal, all of which gives the waffles an amazing texture. Even when I re-heated some the next morning in the toaster oven, they stayed crispy, as if I just made them!
Each 22 ounce canister makes about 8-10 waffles, depending on your waffle iron size and how thick you like your batter. I got 12 waffles out of the mix, but I added a little extra milk because the batter was a little too thick towards the end of the bowl.
All you add to the mix is water (or milk of your choice), melted butter or coconut oil, and eggs. It’s easy peasy.
Nicole’s Naturals Mix:
12 waffles is a bit much for the three of us, so after we had eaten, I cut up the remaining waffles into quarters, let them cool and put them into a freezer bag. The next morning we enjoyed them again after a quick trip through the toaster oven.
San Diego Residents can find Nicole’s Natural’s at the following stores:
For those not in the immediate area, you can find this fabu mix online at Amazon or at www.NicolesNaturals.com.
I was given a canister of Nicole’s Naturals gluten-free waffle and pancake mix at no charge to facilitate my review, however I was not financially compensated for my review.
One of the ways that we save money is to cut down on food waste. For me that means once we are home from the store and all of the perishables are put away, I pull out the cutting board, a sharp knife, the spiralizer, some zip top bags, and reusable storage containers.
This was last weeks fresh fruit and veggies (plus 3 bags of baby carrots and a cantaloupe- not pictured).
I set to work, chopping, packaging, and spiralizing. In less than 30 minutes I had all of the fresh fruits and veggies prepped and measured into small bags to be dropped into lunches, or packed into plastic containers.
This of course is only for the fruits and veggies that require prep. The oranges, apples, and bananas require no prep to eat, so they just go into the fruit bowl.
By spending a little time each week getting veggies and fruit ready to eat, you’ll cut down on food waste, because the food is all ready to eat. No scrambling to cut up cucumbers for lunch early in the morning, no putting off eating something because you are short on time in the evening.
You will also be saving money over purchasing pre-chopped and pre-packed vegetables and fruit. All of this produce was purchased at 99 Cents only for less than $12.00. So you can eat well (and healthy) on a budget!!
And if it turns out atthe end of the week that you aren’t able to eat all of your veggies and fruit and they can be frozen (pretty much anything except melons), toss the bags in the freezer and you now have veggies for a casserole, or fruit for a smoothie!
The average American family of four throws away $25.00 in food a WEEK! Here are a few more tips to help your family curtail food waste!
Eat your leftovers: this seems like a no brainer. When you divvy out your portions for dinner, make yourself your lunch for the next day. If you won’t eat it right away, pop it into the freezer- label it, so you don’t forget what it is.
When it looks like your fruit is about to go south, freeze it. This includes bananas! You can use defrosted bananas in banana bread or frozen bananas are great in smoothies. Other frozen fruit can also be used in smoothies.
Citrus fruits can be juiced and frozen or the juice can be consumed for breakfast or put in smoothies. Apples can be peeled cooked into applesauce or made into apple butter.
When I buy fresh tomatoes and they get just a little too ripe- I freeze them whole, then I bake them with chicken breasts and herbs and top with fresh parm- Yummy!
Buy less. I know it seems like a strange concept, especially with all of the really great deals you will be finding, but, the one proven way to waste less is to bring less home to waste.
Hewes Family Fun 