Saving Myself Silly

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Totsy: Adorable Kids Cloths At Great Discounts

I don't do a whole lot of online shopping at discount sites, mainly because I simply do not have the funding to. I'm also not exactly what you would call a fashionista...I like to keep things pretty simple when it comes to my wardrobe. I happen to be lounging around in sweats as we speak.

However, having two little girls, there is one site that I cannot help but gush over everytime I see what is offered, and that is Totsy! If you haven't signed up yet and gotten on their email list, you totally should!

They have different sales beginning and ending every day, so there is always a great changing selection of items to choose from.

Right now I happen to be drooling over this particular dress, which they have in both my girls sizes (I had to search under two different catergories-girls and toddlers):

The girls size is reg. $32, selling for $12.50, and the toddler size is reg. $30, selling for $11.75 (and sadly already sold out in the size I would need). =(

They have a ton of great dresses today though, so I'm still looking thinking ahead for Easter dresses. You really can't beat these prices! I can just never make up my mind which one I like best!

Sign Up For Emails or Sign Up and Shop Now!

Another New Coupon: HillShire Farms Cocktail Links

We had some of these at Christmas and I had forgotten how good they are! I really want some more, so I'm pretty excited about this coupon!

$0.55 off Hillshire Farm Cocktail Links

I wish I saw them advertised on sale near me, but I don't see them anywhere. Are they on sale near you?

Haribo Coupon Is Back!!

This coupon always reaches its limit really fast! These often go on sale for less than $1 at the grocery/drug stores, and if you have a store that doubles/triples that could mean FREE!

I have to print it each and every time it comes around because these little things are my husband's absolute favorite snack. He munched on them the entire 12 hours we spent on the road the weekend before Christmas!

$0.30 off 4 oz. or larger HARIBO product

Survey Site: SurveyHead $5 Sign Up Bonus + iPad Sweepstakes

I'd like to tell you about another survey site that I love. It's called Surveyhead. Surveyhead is one of the most recent survey sites I've found out about, but one of the one's I've earned the most money with int he shortest amount of time!

They always have plenty of surveys available for me, and when I log in, it tells me how many are waiting (I likely will not qualify for them all, though). It also tells me the total amount I could earn if I *did* qualify for them all.

I get a lot of survey emails from them, and lately with blogging I will be honest and say I ignore 90% of them. The ones I pay close attention to are the ones that say I can qualify for an online focus group. These usually pay around $10-$20 each. I've gotten into a few of these, and you can see I've already cashed out $50, and have $23.10 waiting in my account.

They have just added lots of new redemption options (it was Amazon at $25 and that's it!). Now there are some $10 and $15 options as well as some higher dollar options. The smallest Amazon amount is still $25, so I don't have far to go to reach that. Better go take another survey! ;)

If you'd like to give Surveyhead a shot, you can sign up here! You will get $5 just for signing up, and a sweepstakes entry for each survey you take. The current sweepstakes is for a chance to win an iPad!

Purina Pro Plan Coupons

Have a pet? Feeding them can be expensive! Here are some coupons that might help!

$3.58 off Buy two 13 oz or smaller cans of PRO PLA

$2.78 off Buy two (2) 3 oz cans of PRO PLAN bran

$3.00 off on one (1) 3.5lb or larger package of PU

What's Your Real Age?

I've seen a lot of my blogger friends talking about this free RealAge test, and since I just turned 30, I was curious what it had to say about my "real age", so I just spent a little bit of time taking it, and I am happy to report my findings.....

So, I suppose i'm doing all right, even though I'm quite convinced that these children of mine are tacking many extra years onto my life (and I refuse to even search for wrinkles and grey hairs!)

How about you? How does your RealAge compare?

Dishing It Up Recipe Hop: Slow Cooker Meals--Easy Vegetable Beef Soup

This is a new year and my recipe hop partners and I wanted to try doing things a little bit different! We are going to be posting on Thursday mornings now instead of Saturdays. We are going to be sticking with monthly themes, and we have some giveaways in the works!

This month out theme is slow cooker meals. We all love cooking with our slow cooker because they are sooo versatile, and oh so easy to use! (and pretty much fool proof! Although, I do admit to burning a roast in a crock-pot my first year of marriage!)

The recipe I'm going to share with you this week is one I just cooked last week. I pulled ingredients out of my pantry to make it purely based on items I had on hand (that I had purchased with coupons!), and I must say it was one of my best soups!

I made this meal in a large crock-pot. If you have a smaller one, you may wish to cut down on the meat, and use only 2 cans of each of the other ingredients. My family of 4 ate two dinners, and a lunch off of this, and then put one meal into the freezer.

Ingredients:
2-3 lbs Beef (I used ~2 1/2lbs of beef shank that I purchased for just $1.59/lb) *Note: On sale through 1/10 for same price*
3 cans beef broth
3 broth cans full of water
3 cans mixed vegtables
season to taste

Directions:
Place all ingredients into the crockpot (I tossed the meat in frozen). Cook on high until meat is tender.

Note*: You really can't mess up a soup in a crockpot. The longer it cooks the more tender the beef is and the better the flavor if you ask me. I usually start these around 10am, and turn them down to low heat mid afternoon. If you work, you may wish to let it simmer on low all day.

Cost Breakdown:
Beef (half of the 5 lbs I bought)= $3.80
Beef Broth (3 cans @ $0.49 each)= $1.47
Mixed Vegetables(3 cans @ $0.26 each) = $0.78

Total cost $6.05 and that fed/will feed us 4 meals! That's $1.51 per meal for a family of 4!

Please check out the other slow cooker meals from my friends at Thrifty Texas Penny, Pary Moppins, Deals From MS Do, The Happy Lil Homemaker, Mama's Money Tree, Eating With Mimi, 20SomethingSaver, and Dearly Domestic listed below. If you have a slow cooker meal, link up! Please add our button to your post to help spread the word!

FREE Android App Of The Day: My First Puzzles

This is so cute, and will certainly help keep my toddler entertained if need be.

It's normally $1.99, but today you can snag it for FREE!

Who Wouldn't Want $5,000/Week For Life?

My family all laughs at my mom because she keeps getting the Publisher's Clearing House mailers at her house, and sending them back. She keeps telling them that one day they are going to show up at her door with a big check!

I know it seems unlikely, but who knows? She could be the next winner! It could be any of you, too! And you don't even have to mess around with the mailers! Now you can enter online!

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Tom Thumb Deals 1/4-1/10

There isn't a whole lot going on at Tom Thumb this week, but there are a few good deals:

Meat:

Chicken Breasts $1.88/lb

Chicken Leg Quarters $0.59/lb sold in 10lb bags for $5.90

Produce:

Cluster Tomatoes $1.48/lb

Cherries $2.99/lb

Other:

Heinz Ketchup 20oz $1.88

Kids Yogurt (Danimals & Go-Gurt) $2

With In-Ad Coupon:

Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks $1.49 (limit 5)

Use $0.50/2 printable (first one doubles)

Cheerios/Nature Valley Granola Bars $1.79 (limit4)

$1.00 off when you buy any TWO BOXES select Cheerios® cereals

Honey Nut Cheerios, Golden Grahams, Total $1.79 (limit 4)

$1.00 off when you buy any TWO BOXES select Cheerios® cereals

New General Mills Cereals ( Dulce De Leche Cheerios, Peanut Butter Cheerios, and French Toast Crunch) $1.99 each (limit 4)

Use the printable coupons I told you about here: = $1.24 each

BOGO Crush Coupon!!

Here is a great new coupon good for BOGO 20oz Crush.

BOGO (Up to $1.59) 20oz any flavor Crush

This one will most like go very fast so snag it now!!!

New Mustard Coupons

I almost can't believe it, but I only have 1 bottle of mustard in my pantry! My husband loves the spicy brown, so I should be putting this one to good use very soon!

$0.75 off FRENCH'S Dijon Mustard

$0.30 off FRENCH'S Spicy Brown Mustard

Freebie Site: Women's Freebies

Here is a great freebie site, that I've really enjoyed being a member of. I've posted about this site before in the past, but it's been a while so I thought I would post a reminder for anyone who had not yet signed up.

You will get emails daily if there are any new freebies.

Fiesta Deals 1/4-1/10

Here are the best prices I see advertised at Fiesta this week:

Meat:

Thick Cut Pork Sirloin Chops $1.29/lb (family pack, limit 2 w/$10 purchase)

Boneless Skinless Fryer Breast $1.49/lb (family pack, limit 2 w/$10 purchase)

Produce:

Salad Tomatoes $0.59/lb

Jalapenos $0.49/lb

Hass Avocados $0.39 each

Tangelos/Tangerines 5 for $1

Green Cabbage 3 lbs. for $1

Lemons 5 for $1

Carrots 1lb. 2 for $1

Green Bell Peppers $0.39 each

Yellow Onions $0.79/lb

Cilantro 3 for $1

Other:

Fiesta Chicken Noodle Soup 2 for $1

Fiesta Ketchup 24 oz $0.88

Fiesta Taco Seasoning Mix 4 for $1

Fiesta Saltines $0.99 each

Fiesta Deli Style Franks $0.65 each

Fiesta Tomato Sauce 4 for $1

32 oz. Powerade $0.79 each

El Rio Grande Deals 1/4-1/10

Here are the best prices I see advertised at El Rio Grande this week:

Meat:

Pork End Chops $1.00/lb

Chicken Leg Quarters $0.59/lb sold in 10lb. bags

Split Chicken Breast $1.00/lb

Produce:

Round Tomatoes 3 lbs. for $1

Small Avocados 5 for $1

Green Cabbage 5lbs for $1

White Onions 2 lbs. for $1

Small Gala Apples 4 for $1

Grapefruit 3 for $1

Cilantro 4 for $1

Kiwi 5 for $1

Cucumbers 3 for $1

Green Pears 4 for $1

Green Bell Peppers 3 for $1

Jalapenos $0.39/lb *Thursday Only*

Yellow Corn 3 for $1 *Thursday Only*

Cantaloupe $0.77 each *Thursday Only*

El Rancho Deals 1/4-1/10

Here are the best prices I see advertised at El Rancho:

Meat:

Beef Shank $1.69/lb (recipe using this coming tomorrow!)

Chicken Breast $1.09/lb

Pork Chops Sirloin Ham End $1.19/lb

Produce:

Oranges 15 for $1

Roma Tomatoes 3 lbs. for $1

Avocados 5 for $1

Poblano Peppers $0.88/lb

Lettuce $0.99

White Onions $0.44/lb

White Corn 3 for $0.99

Green Cabbage 4lbs. for $1

Cilantro 4 for $0.99

Green Beans $0.88/lb

Red Delicious Apples 4 for $1

Other:

Parade Tomato Sauce 4 for $1

4 lbs Rice $1.99

Del Monte Spaghetti Sauce 26oz. $1.27

Coupons To Refill Those Christmas Toys

If your children received any of these items for Christmas, and they have already run out, here are some coupons to refill!

  $3.00 off two BABY ALIVE food, juice, diaper packs

  $3.00 off two EASY-BAKE Ultimate Oven Refill

  $2.99 off FREE Play-Doh pack when you buy 2 PLAY-D

Aldi Deals 1/4-1/10

Here are the best prices I see advertised at Aldi this week:

Meat Special Buy:

Tyson Fresh Ground Chicken $2.69

Produce:

Gold Pineapple $0.99

Bananas $0.39/lb

Texas Grapefruit $0.29 each

Pears $0.99/lb (sold in 2lb bags for $1.98)

Navel Oranges $0.35/lb (sold in 4lb bags for $1.35)

Other:

Milk $1.99/gallon

Eggs $0.99/dz.

They also have various kitchen appliances advertised today. I'm seriously contemplating purchasing the $9.99 kitchen scale.

Albertsons Deals 1/4-1/10

Albertsons is quickly becoming my favorite store to shop at. I was so busy last week that I did not get a chance to shop there, but this week's sale certainly does not disappoint!

They have some great meat and produce prices, as well as a Mega Sale going on (I have found the in-store signage on these items to be non-existent, which is frustrating, but that may just be my store.)

There is also an in-ad coupon for $5 off a $50 purchase, but it is only valid Fri.-Sun. and must be redeemed *after* all manufacturer coupons are redeemed. If you are stocking up on their great meat prices this week, it might come in handy!

Here are the best prices I see advertised at Albertson's this week:

Meat:

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast $1.78/lb

Whole Boneless Pork Loin $1.88/lb (Fri-Sun Only)

Pork Spare Ribs $1.88/lb

Bone-In Pork Country Style Ribs $1.98/lb

Assorted Pork Loin Chops $1.98/lb

Chicken Wings $1.98/lb

Fresh Pork Shoulder Roast $1.98

Sanderson Farms Split Fryer Breast $1.49/lb

Produce:

Cherries $1.99/lb (Fri-Sun Only)

Pink lady Apples $0.79/lb

1 lb. baby Carrots $0.99 each

Tangelos $0.99/lb

Pears (Bosc or Red) $0.99/lb

Cucumbers 2 for $1

Green Bell Peppers $0.79 each

Mega Sale (Buy 10 items, save $5):

Bread $0.69

Musselman's Applesauce 6 pack $0.99

Powerade, Sobe Life Water, Liptons Naturals $0.88

Allens Frozen Vegetables $0.99

Albertsons 8oz Sour Cream $0.99

Best Choice Apple Juice 64 oz. $0.99

Albertsons Pouch Seasoning Mixes (taoc/gravy, etc.) $0.39

Digiorna/California Pizza Kitchen Pizzas $4.99

Play facebook game for $1/1 Digiorno

Nabisco Premiums Crackers $1.98

$1/2 Printable (on Ritz page, and Ritz are pictured, but coupon states ANY 2)

Totinos Pizza Rolls 40 ct bag $2.99

Ozarka Sparkling Water 1L $0.79

Tostitos Chips or Salsa $2.77

1/1 SS--Save $0.55 on dip wyb chips

Pace Picante Sauce $1.99

Albertson's Deli Indulgence 9oz tubs $2.99

Albertsons 32 oz chunk cheeses $5.99

Bounty Basic Paper Towels 8 ct. $5.99

Charmin Ultra Bath Tissue 16 ct. $6.99

Use $0.25/1 from 1/1 PG (triples)

SoftSoap or Dial Basics 3 pk. $0.89

Albertsons Hamburger/Hot Dog Buns $0.49

Culinary Circle Pizza $3.99

Albertsons 1lb. Butter Quarters $2.49

Best Choice 12 pack Soda $2.49

Albertsons Pasta/Canned Tomatoes $0.89

Albertsons Saltine Crackers $0.99

Albertsons Frozen Vegetables $0.99

Albertsons 2 lb. Rice $1.29

Albertsons Au Gratin or Scallopped Potatoes $0.89

Albertsons Olives $0.99

Alberstons 25 ft Aluminum Foil

Homelife Awesome Paper Towels $0.79 single roll

Homelife Bleach 96oz. $1.39

Homelife Facial Tissue $0.89

Homelife Foam Plates 50ct. $0.99

Other:

Silk Half Gallons $2.99

$1/1 printble from facebook

Swiss Miss $1.25

12/11 SS --$0.50/2 (doubles)

Albertsons Dry Beans 1lb. Select Varieties $1.25

Kroger Deals 1/4-1/10

Here are the best deals I see advertised at Kroger this week:

Meat:

Kroger Value Chicken Breasts, Tenders, or Thighs $1.99/lb

Kroger Value Chicken Leg Quarters $0.59/lb

Pork Spare Ribs $1.49/lb

Produce:

Cherries $2.99/lb

Roma Tomatoes $1/lb

Hass Avocados Large $1 each

Tangerines (3 lb bag) $2.50

Kiku Apples (I have never heard of these) $1.77/lb

Other:

Dannon Yogurt $2 each

My friend over at Mama's Money Tree has the rest of the Kroger match up's, including details about a kellogg's promotion involving free milk, and a P&G mega sale wyb 4 participating items.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

E-Coupon Round Up!

Aside from all of the printable coupons that appeared in the new month, there are a ton of new e-coupons out there also.

There are just too many to list all of the coupons out, but I am going to link you to each site, so you can go check out the coupons for yourself and load them up to your shopper cards!

E-coupons that save you money at the register:

Cellfire

Shortcuts

E-coupons that save you money later:

Saving Star

Upromise

Introducing A New Feature: Practical Wisdom From Yesterday's Women

As time goes on, and new innovations are made daily, our society becomes more and more intelligent as a whole. However, there is a lot of wisdom and skills that people today no longer possess simply because they've never had to!

I've often wondered how people lived without today's modern conveniences and how people got by on salaries that were so much less than they are today (of course, things costed much less back then, too).

Recently, while I was searching for some free Kindle book downloads to post on my other blog, I stumbled across some old homemaking books. (And I do mean OLD!) I suppose they would rightly fall under the category of Classics, which for they most part are always free for Kindle.

I downloaded several of these books, and since I have challenged myself to improve some of my "homemaking skills" (which are admittedly lacking!), I thought they would be a great resource for me.

Then I started thinking that I bet these ladies certainly knew how to save money! That gave me the idea for this series. I'm going to read through these books, at whatever slow pace I'm able to, and look for nuggets of wisdom that I can share. I will link you to the book I'm reading in case you would like to follow along. Or, you can simply glean from me the knowledge that I discover and deem worth sharing.

I'm going to be starting off my reading with The American Frugal Housewife, because I figure that is exactly what we are...now or in 1832.

When the opening pages contain the quote: ""Economy is a poor man's revenue; extravagance a rich man's ruin.", I think it's going to be a great read!

Stay tuned to follow along with what I'm learning. You may wish to subscribe to Saving Myself Silly by email so you don't miss anything!

I'm still working out a blogging schedule for the new year, and will be posting this feature once a week. I will let you know when I've decided on the best day, but it will likely stay on Tuesdays.

New Coupon Matching Service: LOZO

Do you have certain items that you are always looking for coupons for? This new site can help!

LOZO makes it easy to save money on groceries. Sign up at LOZO.com to get free email alerts for new printable grocery coupons that are custom-matched to your shopping list. Click Here to try it out!

FREE Android App Of The Day: Tasks And ToDo's Pro ($4.99 Value)

Today Amazon is offering the Pro version of Tasks N Todos FREE (normally $4.99).

This could be just the thing to help you get and stay organized in the new year!

Download yours here:

Get Cash For Your Old Or Broken iPhone

iPhone Into Cash

I do not personally own an iPhone, but I know a lot of people who do, and a lot of people who just got new upgrades for Christmas. If this is you, then you may be able to cash in your old or broken iPhone.

Click the link for more info.

Great New Coupons This Morning! Campbell's, Clorox, and Ziplock

This morning there are some great new coupons available this morning:

$1.00 off two Clorox Disinfecting Wipes

$1.00 off 2 Ziploc Brand Bags

$1.00 off TWO Campbell's Slow Kettle Style soup
$0.40 off three Campbell's Condensed Soups

$0.40 off three Campbell's Condensed soups

Monday, January 2, 2012

FREE 7 Day Pass To 24 Hour Fitness

If one of your resolutions is to get fit int he new year, try out this FREE 7 Day Pass to any 24 Hour Fitness.

Menu Plan: Cool Weather Foods, And Filling Up The Freezer

I'm so glad that I've stuck to my menu planning into the new year! I plan to keep it up for a long, long time because it is very helpful to me.

I realized that there have been a lot of good meat sales lately, but I haven't been doing much cooking, so my freezer is stocked with unprepared meats, and I would much rather be it stocked with prepared meals! So, this week, I've planned some meals that are very simple to make in large batches, and they are all very appropriate for the cool weather season that is upon us.

Here's my plan:

Monday: Leftover Cabbage Roll Casserole

Tuesday: Chili

Wednesday: Italian Sausage Soup

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Red Beans and Rice

Saturday: Gumbo (my mom's coming into town this day)

Sunday: leftovers

Notice I have planned leftovers. I have a very large stock pot that usually makes 6 meals worth of soup for our family, so we can eat twice from it and still have plenty to freeze away for later, even with an extra houseguest.

Find more menu plans here.

Dinner With This Weeks Deals: Easy Cabbage Roll Casserole

I have shared my grandmother's delicious cabbage roll recipe with you guys before. It's always been a new years tradition in my family to have her cabbage rolls. On past New Year's I've made them myself, but it is a very time consuming, messy recipe to make, and yesterday I was home alone with the kids, and didn't think it would be wise to have my hands in raw meat for as long as it would have taken to get them stuffed and rolled.

I was chatting with my Aunt on facebook telling her that I didn't think I would be able to make them, and she suggested an alternative to the rolls, using the same ingredients in a sort of meat loaf type dish.

I decided to take that suggestion and go with it.

Ingredients:

half a green cabbage, chopped (can be as small or large as you like it)
1-1 1/2 lbs. ground beef, raw (or turkey should work) *Use lean because it was a bit greasy.*
1-1 1/2 cups uncooked rice
1 can beef broth
1 can water (to cover rice)
1 can tomato sauce
season to taste

Directions:

Place chopped cabbage, crumbled ground beef, and rice into casserole dish. Add seasonings and mix well by hand.

Before liquids are added, this is how it looked.

Pour in broth and water. Pour tomato sauce on top.

Bake covered at 350 for about 1 hour or until rice is nearly cooked. Uncovered and continue baking 15-20 minutes or until some of the water cooks off.

Fresh out of the oven.

It was delicious!

This was also a very inexpensive meal to make.

Cost Breakdown:
1 1/2 lbs ground beef @ $1.69/lb = $2.53
*maybe 1lb. of cabbage @ 3lbs for $1 = $0.33
1 can of tomato sauce @ 4 for $1 = $0.25
1 can beef broth = $0.49
rice, roughly half of a bag I got for $0.39 = $0.19

Total: $3.79, and we will be having leftovers tonight, so that is just $1.90 per meal for a family of 4.

Aldi Trip 1/2

Somehow, we had run out of a lot of things at my house. Most importantly were bread and milk. My husband was supposed to stop by Aldi on his way home from work on Saturday, but he forgot. I was going to stop after church yesterday, but they were closed, so we've been without bread and milk for a few days and have added several other items to the list as well.

I also made my menu this morning (posting in a bit) and grabbed nearly everything I would need for it at Aldi. They only thing I could not find was red beans! The Hispanic groceries don't sell them either (only place I went last week, so I'm hoping for good sales so I have a reason to go to a big chain this week.)

Here's everything I got at Aldi this morning:

Spent $48.77.

This will be the first entry in my 2012 Savings Tracker. Since it was Aldi, it will still show a savings of 0%, but I know that I saved just by shopping at Aldi because of their low everyday prices.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Want An Easy Way To Track Your Savings In The New Year?

Last year, I downloaded the 2011 Savings Tracker from thecouponproject.com. I really, really enjoyed using it because it is set up just the way my brain thinks about savings. There is also a place where you can input your target budget goal, and as you go through the month, it will tell you how much money you have remaining to spend.

Last year...I got to June and fell off the wagon!

But, that is all behind us now! I am determined to see just how much I save this whole year, because as of the end of May last year, I had spent only $1358.13 on $3573.37 worth of items (63% Savings). That's an average of just $271/month for those first 5 months, which was within my budget (which began at $300 and lowered to $280 at the beginning of March because the tracker let me easily see that I was able to reduce it.

I'm very excited to get started using the new 2012 Savings Tracker (click the link to head over to The Coupon Project and download yours!)

I'm going to try to keep myself motivated to use the tracker this year by promising you at least monthly, if not more frequent, progress updates.

Do you track your savings? I'd love to hear about your method! Feel free to share your 2011 savings totals!

Coupons For NEW Cereal Items!

Whenever there is a new cereal available, it seems there is always a sale and ALWAYS a coupon! So if you like trying new cereals, here is your your chance to save some money while doing so!

First off, and old favorite! My husband will be thrilled about this coupon:

$0.50 off Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal

The new ones will not let me link directly to them, but here is what you should find (scroll through):

And finally, if you don't like the sound of any of those, you get to pick out your own!

$1.00 off 2 boxes Cheerios cereal

New Month-New Coupons!

I promised you yesterday that I would give you a run down of the things you should do on the first day of a new month. It's even more important to get started with these on the first Sunday of a new year, because more coupons than usual expired yesterday. =)

First of all, fire up those printers! There are some great new coupons available this morning (that's going to take a while, so I will be back with more later on):

These are the newest from coupons.com:

These are the newest from Catalina's Coupon Network:

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