food

New month, New Coupons!

Abby H.

file000786402730Here is your monthly reminder!  A new month means new printable and electronic coupons!

Check out the following sites:

One of my favorite website is the Sunday Coupon Review.  It helps me plot out scenarios in advance and I can email friends to ask for coupons in advance. Remember if clipping coupons isn’t your thing, but saving money is, check out my list of Smartphone apps that can save you the big bucks!

Here are just a few of the new coupons that have me excited:

$0.55 off one Nature's Harvest
$0.55 off one Stauffer's Great to use at Dollar Tree for some low cost snacks!
$0.75 off any 2 Meiji
$1.00 off 1 JENNIE-O Turkey Breast from Deli
$1.00 off one The Laughing Cow

Frugal Recipe: Bachelor Mousse

Abby H.2 Comments

This is a family fav, and it’s super easy to make. So easy, in fact, even kids can help with this recipe!
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It’s only three easy to get ingredients!

  • 1 Large Box Pudding (any flavor and brand, but I prefer Jello Brand Chocolate or Chocolate Fudge)
  • 1 1/2 cups cold dairy milk (use of soy or non-dairy milk means the pudding won’t set)
  • 1 large tub of whipped topping (aka cool whip)

Directions:

  1. In a large mixing bowl, mix milk and pudding until thick, about 2 minutes.
  2. Spoon whipped topping into pudding mixture, and fold together gently until combined.
  3. Pour mixture into container with lid. Chill in fridge for 2-3 hours before serving.

This is great poured into a graham cracker curst, or served with fresh fruit! This serves about 6-8 dessert sized portions, and you can make this entire dessert for less than $5!

This is def. a kid-approved dessert. Both of our kids devour this stuff!!

 

Extreme Couponing Tips for everyday shoppers!

Abby H.1 Comment

DSCN1032[1]So if you know me in real life, you know that I LOATHE that TLC show. It’s crazy, and most most reality shows, it bears little semblance to reality. So I was stoked when it was cancelled! But like most things in life, it lives on in re-run and of course, on the internet!

What I don’t like about that show is that most of the stores show double coupons, when in real life (esp. in CA), there are very few stores that do.

That being said, I wanted to share some tips with you that will help you get the most bang for your shopping buck.  You *could* call them, my Extreme couponing tips. I can’t promise that you’ll walk away with 115 mustards or 7,000 toothbrushes gratis, but you might have a little more than you have before.

  1. Shop at a store that allows overage (click on that link for more info about how to use overage and what it is). In my area, the only store that allows overage is Wal-mart.
  2. Sale Price+ Coupon=rock bottom price.  About 99% of the time, during the dates a coupon is valid, the item will be on sale. Wait until the item is on sale, then use your coupon.  You’ll be saving a lot  more.
  3. Buy Multiples: It’s great that you are able to combine the sale price with a coupon, but the real ticket to savings is buying more than 1 of the same item.  That means you’ll need multiple coupons. You can either purchase multiple Sunday papers or do what I do: trade coupons with friends and family. A lot of people don’t understand buying more than 1 items on sale with a coupon.  If the item is something you use frequently (for example, salsa) and you are able to get 5 jars for .50/jar, and they are usually $2.50/jar, why wouldn’t you buy 5 for the price of 1?  Just keep the rest in the cupboard, and use them as needed.  If you were to only buy one, use it then head back to the store, you’d be paying full price.
  4. Get a grocery store Club Card for each supermarket you shop, and pick up a CVS Extra Care Card. The cards entitle you to discounts on merchandise or an accumulation or points or special rewards for buying specific merchandise. Club cards are also referred to as a loyalty card, a rewards card, a points card, or an advantage card. Most stores have a Club Card, check with your local supermarket. These cards are free to apply for and use.  Club Cards typically have a barcode or magnetic stripe (like a credit card) that can be easily scanned. Cards are issued after you fill out the application. Many times the card is linked to your phone number. If you forget you card at home, give the cashier you phone number, and you are still entitled to the same discounts and card advantages as if you had presented your card.
  5. Build up a stockpile of items you use frequently: The sales cycle for most items is 3-4 months. If you are able to buy the items that your household uses the most on sale with coupons, you should buy enough to get you through until the next sale.  That means never having to pay full price again. I recommend doing an inventory of your stockpile and keeping a checklist inside your pantry door.
  6. Be Organized!  I don’t throw away my coupon inserts after I clip what I want.  I keep them in a plastic file box, organized by week.  If an item goes on sale and there is a corresponding coupon, I can quickly find my coupons and clip. 
  7. Buy the smallest/cheapest sized item allowed with the coupon. It can result in overage. Here is a great example: A few years ago, Lisa over at Drugstore Divas clued us in on a John Freida hairspray deal and I was able to pick up some free groceries, including fruit and veggies with the overage I received.
  8. Use your Google-fu! Find out what is free or better than free (aka a Money maker) by googling “what is free at (insert name of store) (current Month and year)”. Paul over at I Heart The Mart has an awesome list of items at Walmart for $1 or less. Many other websites/blogs do as well.
  9. Use a Coupon Database to locate coupons in inserts when you see a deal online that mentions a coupon, but not which date or which insert the coupon comes from.  I like Couponmom’s Coupon Database– it’s separated by state!
  10. Once you are ready to go, be organized. I make my list by store, by aisle. ut your coupons in order. Attach them to your list, and print a fresh copy of the store’s coupon policy too. When I arrive at the store, I go up and down every aisle. I am always keeping my eyes peeled for unadvertised sales, mark downs, tear pad coupons, blinkie coupon machines. If nothing else, it’s good exercise pushing a shopping cart around!
  11. My personal favorite method to save money is to take your shopping list to the 99-Cent or $1.00 store and see what you can score for less.  99 Cents Only does not accept coupons, but Dollar Tree does. You’d be surprised what you can buy for only 99 cents or $1.00! I buy Lil’ Man’s name brand Soy Milk by the Case at 99 Cents Only and I save $2.00 per QUART over shopping at Ralphs. That’s a total savings of $20.00 a week, or $1040 per year!
  12. Don’t be frazzled! It’s ok. Stuff happens, coupons don’t scan, you get a surly cashier. If the coupon won’t go through, don’t be afraid to have the cashier take the item(s) off your order. Don’t be afraid to speak up and ask for a manager.
  13. Don’t forget sales tax!! In CA, you have to pay sales tax on taxable items, even if they are free after coupon. It’s lame, but true.

What are your Ultimate tricks and tips for “extreme” savings?

Free lunches for ALL KIDS in San Diego County!

Image Abby H.1 Comment

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That looks like a pretty good lunch, right? It was free! And what you don’t see is two little boxes of raisins that Lil’ Man basically chugged (they really are nature’s candy!). Pizza, nectarine, applesauce, Apple juice, and a bag of carrots.

There were other side choices as well, including a mixed green salad, brocolli, mandarin oranges, celery, and ranch for dipping and fresh salsa too.

Here’s the deal.. It’s not a deal. The USDA sponsors the Summer Food Service Program, open to all kids aged 2-18 years. No proof of need is required, and you don’t need to sign up in advance. Just find a location near you (here– this is for San Diego County only, for all other areas, click here), show up, the kids pick their lunches, and enjoy!

Most locations offer lunch Monday-Friday at a specific time, and some locations even offer breakfast too!

This is a great way to stretch your budget over the summer (and get the kids out of the house!). Locations differ, but include schools, rec centers, and parks.

Couponing Myths: Debunked!

Abby H.

In the spirit of helping others learn to coupon, I’ve been posting some Couponing 101 post over the past week or so. Today I want to continue by debunking some myths surrounding coupons and couponing!

Myth #1: There are never any coupons for fresh fruits, veggies, or food for my special diet!!! Au contraire!

You just have to know where to look!   There are lots of printable coupons for these items.

And don’t forget your couponing and rebate apps! Check out a list of my favs here. Did you know that Sprouts has an app too? They have all kinds of coupons for dollars and cents off stuff you actually buy.

Myth #2: It takes too much time to coupon!  By the time I clip all the coupons and visit all of the stores with deals, I will have wasted all of my savings on gas!

I would like to kick TLC in the Butt for “that show”.  It portrays all couponers as crazy people with oodles of time on their hands who just clip and file in their binders.   When I go to shop, I check the deal sites (I like Grocerysmarts.com, I can make lists, print coupon, and check sales at all of the stores in our area all in one website!), make my list, grab the coupons I need, put the coupons and list in a separate zip lock bag for each store.

I bring a pen, calculator, my small coupon wallet (it lives in my purse all of the time!), my pad of paper with all my deals, lists, and scenarios on it and I am ready to go.  It takes me less than an hour to prep for a shopping trip.

I visit one grocery store.  That’s it.  Sometimes, I’ll go to a drugstore, but only if the deals are sooo good and are free or have a very low OOP. I don’t roll rewards or go to more than one store each week. I don’t have the time.

Screen Shot 2016-06-21 at 4.16.08 PMAt my coupon classes the bottom line I teach is: Couponing can take as much or as little time you want to put into it.  My blog and classes try to make it as easy for you as possible.  I want you to have the tools to make saving your family money easy.

I don’t clip every coupon every week.  I don’t have a binder. Here are pics of my coupon wallet!
It’s served me well over the past 9 years. The tabs are in order of the store I frequent, and I stick my sticky backed coupons to the inside front flap. I bought it at Walmart for $1.97.

Myth #3: You don’t really save money with coupons!

My grocery bill has gone down from $200/week to $75/week thanks to coupons and strategic shopping! Once I started using coupons in conjunction with store sales and eating food that was in season, we have saved $6500 in a year. We eat better food than we did before!

 

Myth #4: Store brands are cheaper.

Here is a recent sale that I took advantage of- this demonstrates that with a good sale and a coupon, you can purchase name brand items for less than the generic price.

*Store brand High Protein Cereal/Granola (Generic Kashi) $2.99

*Kashi $3.49

-Coupon for Kashi $1.50 (from Vocal Point)

-Name brand price with coupon $1.99- With a coupon and a sale, I save $1.00 over the identical generic item!

Myth #5: Couponing is for poor people.  (this one really bugs me)

Recently, a study on coupon usage was conducted by the Neilson Company, and they discovered that people making $100,000 or more were 25% more likely to use coupons than those making $25,000 or less. It also profiled the average coupon clipper as being a woman earning $50,000 a year. And really, how do you think rich people get rich?  By saving their money!

Myth #6: A cashier told me when I use coupons, I am stealing money from stores!

That is a LIE. It’s not even a myth, it’s a lie. Grab a coupon and look at it. Screen Shot 2016-06-21 at 4.23.38 PMSee where it says Retailer in bold? Next to it the coupon reads: “Abbott Nutrition will reimburse you for the face value of this coupon plus 8 cents handling when submitted in compliance…..”.  The bold is my emphasis.

So as you can see, the store will be reimbursed for the face value of the manufacturer coupon, plus 8 cents PER COUPON. All coupons have similar language.  The industry standard handling is 8 cents per coupon.

Imagine how many coupon your average grocery store accepts in one day.

Also, when a store puts items on sale during the time a coupon is valid, the store expect you to fill your cart with other stuff that’s on sale.

When you buy an item that is on sale and use a coupon, you are not stealing, you are being a strategic shopper. Sales and coupons are tools to help you stretch your budget further.

Stores also regularly have items that are low priced to get you in the door, so you will.. that’s right, fill your cart with non-sale, non-coupon items. Those items are called Loss leaders.

Coupon Lingo!

Abby H.

deals_and_Coupons_version_2 (1)

Just like any other hobby or subculture, couponing has it’s own lingo. You’ll often run across it reading blogs or talking to fellow couponers. Here is a list with the most commonly used lingo:

Actual – Physical items you hold in your hand meaning a box of pasta rather than a pasta coupon. Used often in trading coupons.

BLINKIES – These are found in stores in a dispenser machine. Most often the box will have a red blinking light on it.

BOGO (or B1G1)- Buy one get one free.

Catalina – Coupons that come from a machine at the cash register. Named after the manufacturer of the machine that spits out the coupons.

CRT – Cash register tape.(this is a pretty dated/old school term for a receipt)

Double Coupon – Means the value of the coupon is doubled at the register. In San Diego, Only Kiehl’s doubles coupons.

ECB – Extra Care Bucks. A form of rebate from CVS. ECB’s are a CVS exclusive.

FREE ITEM COUPON -You get a free product at the store at no cost or just tax.

HBA – The health and beauty aid section.(shampoo, conditioner, body wash, styling products, etc.)

IP – Internet printable coupon.

INSERT- The packages of coupons that come in the Sunday paper.

MANU or MANNY – Short for Manufacturer Coupon. A coupon issued from the manufacturer. Manufacturer Coupons are about 90% of the coupons in the Sunday papers.

MIR – Mail In Rebate – you have to mail it to a clearinghouse to redeem. Learn more about rebates here.

MM- Money Maker- Any deal where you come out ahead or the store pays you to leave the store with items. These deals are pretty rare these days.

NON-INSERT- A coupon that does not come from the coupon packages (called inserts) in the newspaper. Non-insert coupons come from inside or outside packages, home mailers, Smartsource blinkie machines, magazines, tear pads.

OOP – Out of Pocket – money paid after coupons.

OYNO – On your next order – a lot of Catalinas fall under this, meaning you need to make an additional purchase to redeem.

P&G – Proctor & Gamble Sunday insert coupons.

PEELIE – coupon’s found on products that are sticky unless removed carefully.

POP – Proof of purchase found on actual item, usually a UPC/barcode.

RP – Red Plum Sunday Insert Coupons. In San Diego, these coupon inserts come in the Monday junk mail.

SASE – Self Addressed Stamped Envelope some freebies or rebates require them.

SS – Smart Source or Sunday Insert coupons.

STORE COUPON- A coupon good at a specific store (Target, Albertsons, Vons, CVS, and Walgreens all have store coupons).

TEAR PAD – A pad of refund forms or coupons found hanging from a store shelf or display.

TMF – Try Me Free – rebates for the full price of the item when it first is new to the market.

WINE TAG – coupons found on the necks of wine bottles. In CA, these coupons require the purchase of at least bottle of wine to redeem the deal.

WYB – When You Buy – additional purchase is required to redeem.

Tasty Chewy Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookies!

Abby H.2 Comments

Screen Shot 2016-05-31 at 6.11.51 PMDuring a recent pantry clean out, I discovered 3 pounds of brown sugar.

So, I unleashed my google fu to find a recipe to use some of it up. I discovered this recipe from The Pioneer Woman, but it didn’t quite meet our needs (aka what was in the kitchen). So with some changes, I whipped up a batch of chewy, yummy, spiced oatmeal cookies that are sure to please even the finickiest cookie monster!

 

I had to make 3 batches because they just kept disappearing!

Spiced Brown Sugar Oatmeal Cookies (Adapted from this recipe )

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) Salted Butter, Softened
  • ½ cup coconut oil, room temperature
  • 1/2 Cups (packed) Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
  • 2 whole Eggs
  • 1-1/2 cup All-purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 2 teaspoons each: Cinnamon, allspice, ground ginger, nutmeg
  • 3 cups Old Fashioned Oats

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Beat together the butter, coconut oil, and sugars until fluffy. Beat in vanilla and eggs.

Mix together the flour, salt, baking soda, and spices in a separate bowl. Add it into the wet ingredients, mixing it until just combined. Mix in the oats until just combined. Don’t overmix!

Drop scoops/spoonfuls of dough onto a lightly greased cookie sheet, spacing them a couple inches apart. Bake for 12-13 minutes or until dark and chewy.  These cookies spread when you bake them, so make sure to give them room to grow!

Let them cool slight on the pan after removing from the oven, then transfer the cookies.

Makes 24-36 cookies (depending on the size cookie you make)

 

How do you get so much free stuff?

Abby H.2 Comments

Screen Shot 2016-04-24 at 11.31.34 PMIf you’ve been around for a while, you may notice I post photos on Social media- a lot of it is stuff I’ve gotten for free.

If you’d like to fill your mail box with goodies, here are a few companies that have great, FREE programs where you can earn free stuff!

L’oreal USA: The makeup Giant wants women from across the United States 18+ to join and take surveys on products, daily skin care regimens, and test new products . When you take 5 surveys, you are eligible to receive a full sized L’oreal product (Of their choice)! They also do consumer product testing. They send you a product, you test it and complete a survey.

Vocal Point is a multi-faceted website. One of its greater aspects is that it’s connected to Proctor and Gamble (P&G), and they often times have new or improved products to test and share with consumers. The members of Vocal Point can opt in to receive these items, and them share their opinions with other members of the Vocal Point community.

The Good Housekeeping Beauty Lab: The Beauty Lab needs female testers age 35 and up to help in our evaluations of beauty products. Some evaluations may require testers to visit the Good Housekeeping Research Institute at 300 West 57th Street in Manhattan, but for other evaluations, products can be sent by mail. There is no cost and very little time involved, and participants may keep beauty product samples.” If you’re interested in participating, please contact ghribeauty@hearst.com or 212-649-2408.  I do 1-2

Bzzagent A WOM (word of mouth) website that helps spread the word on tons of great products. Sign up for campaigns when there are products that interest you, use them, and share your opinions (as well as coupons and samples!) with others in person or via the Internet. This sharing is called “buzz”, and the more you buzz and report your buzz, you earn Mypoints points, and chances for early invitations for more campaigns. I’ve been a Bzzagent for about four year, and I receive about eight campaigns per year.

Smiley360  is much like BzzAgent, in that it is also a WOM (Word of Mouth) website. Sign up for campaigns and you will receive samples to use, and coupons to share with friends. Report your sharing and earn points!
From their website, “Do you love to try new things? Haven’t you ever tried a new product and thought, “This would be so much better if…” Well, as a smiley360.com member, you can provide that kind of feedback directly to the source. Your opinion matters. And as a fringe benefit, you’ll earn status in the smiley360.com community, which has its own perks, rewards, and opportunities. It’s a win-win situation, really.”

Moms Meet- Read my post here.

Ralph’s Free Friday Download– Learn more here (one of their prior offerings that has info on the post about the program).

There are websites like MySavings that have a free sample section that is updated several times a day.

PinchMe offers free sample boxes once a Month- some months there are tons of samples, some months not so much, it just depends on your demographic and what they have.

Proctor and Gamble (P&G) offers samples once per quarter. Sign up here.

Bringing it Back: Meal Plan Monday!

Abby H.

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It’s back! After a long hiatus, I’m back to meal planning! If you are new to meal planning, check out my article on how to get started here.

This week I’m starting off by doing a quick fridge and pantry inventory, and making a batch of cookies.

Monday:

  • D:Baked Ziti, steamed veggies

Tuesday:

  • D:  Indian food (Chicken Korma, steamed rice, steamed veggies)- I have a kit!

Weds:

  • D: breakfast for dinner (probably pancakes, eggs, and sausage) and fruit salad

Thursday:

  • D: Salsa Chicken with brown rice

Friday:

  • D: Bean and veggie enchiladas, green salad

Saturday:

  • D:Veggie and cheese egg bake

Sunday:

  • D: Leftovers

Lil’ Man has started eating a small toasted bagel with cream cheese for breakfast along with yogurt and fruit.  Mr. C has been eating Oatmeal (from a awesome recipe I found online and altered) every AM, and I usually have an HMR Protein Shake, or I’ll make myself a bagel too.

Lunches for Lil’ Man are usually a grilled cheese, yogurt, a granola bar, and fruit (cut up apple, orange, or banana).  I have leftovers or a frozen entree, and Mr. C usually a salad or leftovers or an HMR protein shake (He did  the program last year and really digs on the shakes), or he has a business lunch and opts for a salad and lean protein.

Now I’m off to make a big ol’ batch of cookies!!

 

 

Review: #KABRITA Toddler Formula (Thanks #MomsMeet!)

Abby H.

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Recently I received a neat little box on my porch from Kabrita and Moms Meet.

It contained a canister of KABRITA Goat Milk Toddler Formula and fruit & yogurt pouches.

Immediately, Lil’ Man snagged one of the three pouches (well, not until I got this photo), and he retreated to the table to enjoy it. I gave the mixed berry to Itty Bittums, and she gobbled it up!

In the afternoon, I gave her a bottle of the Goat Milk Toddler Formula after she had some puffs and banana slices. She loved it, and I loved that it didn’t give her a rumbly tummy or gas. She’s got a sensitive tummy, and we had tried countless formulas to find one that made her tummy happy. Now that she’s getting older and is branching out to table foods, we are finding that some cow’s milk based products don’t agree with her.

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Someone did not want their photo taken today while enjoying her “milkies” as we call them

That is not the case with the KABRITA Goat Milk Toddler Formula! She is a happy little girl, and I’m a happy mommy! It’s super easy to mix up- Just one scoop per ounce of water. There is a handy little scoop in the canister.

What I love about the fruit & yogurt pouches is that they are great cold, frozen or at room temp. They come in three yummy flavors:Banana and Natural Vanilla Bean, Mixed Berry, and Mango Peach. I toss them in the freezer and slip one into Lil’ Man’s lunch bag, by lunch time, it’s nice and slushy! A perfect, healthy way to finish up lunch.

Did you know that Kabrita has a trial offer? You can learn more about it here.

Disclosure: I received this product for free from the sponsor of the Moms Meet program, May Media Group LLC, who received it directly from the manufacturer. As a Moms Meet blogger, I agree to use this product and post my opinion on my blog. My opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of May Media Group LLC or the manufacturer of this product.