Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Free Christmas song downloads

Oprah's Web site is offering eight Christmas songs for download free from top artists, including Josh Groban, Il Divo and Faith Hill. Complete instructions are available on Oprah's site. But download soon, it's only available through Friday! To check it out, click here.
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A Day Off = A Baking Day!



This weekend I really wanted to try this scone recipe, but I had no butter and no motivation to go out and get some. So I finally got to make them today, and WOW they are delicious. I love anything pumpkin though so I may be biased, but I see them in my future coffee shop as a crowd favorite!



Cranberry Pumpkin Scones

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour (Just to help make them softer)
1/4 cup sugar or honey
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 cup butter (no substitutes) cut up
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 cup applesauce
1/3 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup dried cranberries
1 Tablespoon brown sugar

1.) Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and spices.
2.) Cut in the butter until it resembles fine crumbs.
3.) Add pumpkin, applesauce, nuts, and cranberries, stir just until moistened.
4.) Transfer dough to a greased cookie sheet and pat down into an 8 inch circle.
5.) Use a knife to cut dough into 8 wedges, do NOT separate wedges.
6.) Sprinkle with brown sugar
7.) Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes


**I had to add more flour because my dough was SO sticky. So you may need to also!**

Next Post I'll post about the pumpkin dinner rolls I am making (and that will hopefully turn out!).

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Super Baking Sunday!

Well it was a super baking Sunday! Not sure what got into me today, but I spent the day making frugal recipes using what I had on hand, and everything turned out delicious!

First up was pumpkin muffins. I used a weight watchers recipe so these may not be the taste for everyone since they use less sugar they aren't very sweet. But they are 1 point for the mini's and 3 for the large ones. I froze them in baggies I can throw in lunches and a batch to take out for next week.



Yesterday I got ground turkey burger from Costco. I learned about a trick to stretch your ground burger by adding veggies (carrots, onion, and celery) when cooking it up. So I sauteed the veggies in the pan before adding the burger. Then I put into individual baggies so this will make for a easy and frugal protein to toss into pasta or tacos or on tortilla chips and its already pre-cooked! I highly suggest this, a time saver in the future!


Next up was making crock pot chili. I pretty much made my own version of this based on several recipes that I have tried.




One Pot Crock Pot Chili
2 cans of diced tomatoes
1 6oz can of tomato paste
1 can of kidney beans drained
1 can of black beans drained
1 onion chopped
3/4 cup carrots chopped
basil, oregano, salt and pepper, chili powder to taste

Stir together in crock pot and let simmer on high or 4 hours or low for 6-8 hour


Lastly I made carrot cake! This was my first time ever making this, but all those carrots I had inspired me to use them in a new way. I again used a weightwatchers recipe that used less sugar and also wheat flour, and it came out really tasty. Even supportiveheels approves! I am going to experiment with the batter for muffins for our upcoming muffin swap!

Bake Away!


Today I planned to cook and bake several things, but I got a little lazy. I didn't want to go to the store for a list of ingredients. I stumbled onto this recipe for rolls and realized I had everything I needed! Yippee. I found the recipe at http://www.mywoodenspoon.com/, an interesting website with many cheap recipes. I'll be going back there.
When Harris Teeter did triple coupon week last month, I bought 4 packages of Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast because they were free plus overage. This recipe was SUPER cheap to make as I used the free packages of yeast. I think I'll make more and freeze them for later.
Lori's Quick Rolls
1 pkg. RapidRise Yeast
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. oil
Salt
3 c. flour

DIRECTIONS:
Dissolve 1 package yeast in 1 cup of warm water. Add to sugar, oil, salt, and flour. Mix and knead well. Let rise in warm place for 1 1/2 hours. Roll out 12 rolls and place in a greased pan for 12 to 15 minutes at 400′.

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Walgreens Steal- Go get yours!


I heard about a good deal at Walgreens this week on boxes of turtles with coupons I had. I also had a $2 RR (register reward) from last week's trip that was seriously burning a hole in my pocket, so I decided to go grab the deal and throw these in the Christmas present stash. I mean who doesn't love a box of yummy turtles? The cashier was a younger girl, who completely thought I was crazy with my 6 coupons and 6 items to match...but oh well.

Deal:

2 boxes of DelMet's with Nestle Chocolate Turtles 7oz @ 2/$5
1 blistex tube @2.19
3 holiday pencils @ .39 each

Used:
-.70 blistex wags coupon and -.25 blistex mfc
2 -1.50/delmet's turtles
-.78 wags holiday pencils coupon
-2.00 Wags register reward

OOP: $1.56
Savings: $9.71

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

It Keeps Getting Better!




So this week was one of my better weeks of CVS history. I was glad to be doing my weekly addiction at a new location due to being in smalltownNC for the weekend with thriftynester and qqflyboy and honestly, a bit glad I didn't have to face my normal cashiers. My first transaction went off as planned but the cashier was not too polite, maybe too many frugal friends that day had gotton to her!


Transaction #1


4 glade candles $2.50 each = $10
2 Kashi Go Lean bars $1 each = $2
2 Soft and Dri deodorants $2.99 each = $5.98
1 Vaseline cocoa butter lotion (a bonus size one too! score!) $5.99

Used:
2 -.55 soft n dry peelies off the sticks
-1.25 Vaseline coupon
2 -1.50 off 2 glade candles
-2.00 kashi coupon
- 4/20 CVS coupon
ECB's -6, -6

OOP: $1.06 on a Giftcard

ECB's earned: $5 for glade, $4 for soft and dri, and $2 for Vaseline lotion = $11 ECB




Transaction #2 (back at pharmacy, the front line got very long)

1 windex bottle $2.50
1 L'Oreal Age Perfect tinted moisturizer @ $15.99

Used:
-1.00 off L'Oreal
-1.50 off Windex product
ECB's -2, -4, -10 + -16 in ECB's

Subtotal : negative one cent plus tax = OOP of $0.16!!!! On a gift card!

ECB's earned: $15.99 for L'Oreal
I am definitely getting really good at this CVSing thing! I now have $22.99 in ECB's to work with for next week, saving them for Black Friday shopping!!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Staples Deal: Great for Christmas Presents!




Another great deal worth mentioning:


I found a coupon on a site for $5 off M by Staples product at Staples. I went to check it out and found these cute binder clips for 5.99. Used my coupon and got them for $1.06! Totally goes in the Christmas present bin! I plan to go and do this deal a few more times! Click here for the coupon. Happy shopping!

I've become "that lady" to the CVS cashiers....




I am pretty sure my picture is hanging up behind the counter of my local CVS. So much so, that I am feeling the need to move my addiction to a new store for awhile, as for fear of becoming talked about as "that lady" is probably close to a reality. I can just see it in the look in their eyes, they know me and my game. Some applaud me for it, and I think others think I am crazy. Nonetheless, another day, another great deal. Not as good as it could have been since those dang Pepsi coupons were missing, but oh well.
Deal:
3 12-packs of Pepsi products @ 3/$10
2 Listerine Agent Cool Blue (no idea what I will use this for..thought it was mouthwash) @ $3.99 each
2 boxes Kellogg's cereal @ 2/$4
Coupons:
2 $1/2 Listerine coupons
2 $1/2 Kellogg's coupons
$4/20 CVS coupon (it totally said that I had used it before-- I hadn't but I printed it off someones website-- I told her I hadn't used it before, truth, and she put it through. I wont be passing this along since it doesn't work)
Total before coupons: $25.98 plus tax
Total coupons used: $8
ECB's used: 11.99 and 1.59
OOP: $0.51 on a GC
ECB's earned: $6 for Listerine and $2 for pepsi = $8 ECB
Not as good as it could be, but good and totally worth being "that lady" for :)

Harris Teeter, Part 2


I couldn't resist going back to Teeter for more great deals. Again, I went with my binder. I knew there were a few more things I wanted that I couldn't get the day before because I had already used my 20 coupon per day limit.
I spent more on this trip, but I got a few extras things (2 bags of coffee on sale and 75% off Halloween stuff) and the deals were great! Several things were free, plus overage! Lots more stuff for the stockpile. :)

Total before coupons and VIC savings: $137.69
Total VIC savings: $34.77
Total coupons savings: $62.26
Total OOP after coupons and VIC savings: $40.66
Total Savings: $97.03

I am definetely getting better at this coupon thing! I got a lot of things this weekend for holiday baking and dinner parties for next to nothing.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

Harris Teeter Triple Coupons Take 2


So I just couldn't resist another try at Triple Coupon week at Harris Teeter. There were some new coupons in today's paper I wanted to use, plus see if things were stocked back up for a few things I missed out on the other night that were out of stock. I didn't actually NEED any groceries, but couldn't resist a great deal. I went to grocery stores twice in the last week for deals, so I am very very stocked up on groceries and learning that stockpiling with groceries as well is what will help me save money in the long run. So off I went!

Most of the things were under a dollar, or around a dollar. I got another thing of 8 o'clock coffee for about $2.50-- that is a STEAL! They were BOGO and HT gives you half price, plus I had a $1/1 coupon that I cut out of the coffee thing from the purchase I did on Friday. Had to cut the container apart but it was worth getting another $2.50 lb of coffee!!! Some other great deals to note: the muffin mixes came out to be $0.25 a piece, the crust about $1 (saving for Thanksgiving pumpkin cheesecake!!), $1 for Splenda (did this deal the other day too), poptarts for $0.60, Warm Delights treat for $0.40 and plenty other great steal prices.

Total Before Coupons and Vic Savings: $40.12
Total Vic Savings: $5.54
Total Coupon Savings: $21.84

TOTAL OOP: $13.74

A total savings of $27.48. I saved twice the amount I actually paid!! I spent $13 on a TIP last night at a restaurant......puts this deal in perspective!

Just Ask and you Shall Receive



So it happened for the second time in a row. I went to CVS and I was able to get EVERYTHING I actually wanted! Its amazing, it's a miracle!!!! They were out of the L'Oreal antiwrinkle stuff but I asked a CVS worker and she scanned it and found they had 10 more boxes and she went and found it in the back. Glad she had that scanner in her hand! So next time you think they are out of something... ask, you just might receive as well!


So supportiveheels was talked into doing a deal for me, it actually ended up I should have done it the other way around to keep the OOP lower but oh well. It all went on a gift card anyways, and I have about $20 in ECB's for next week so instead of having a higher giftcard balance I just have a higher ECB.... really no difference.


So supportiveheels went and bought the L'Oreal for $11.99, and used $1/1 coupon and then $5.49 in ECB's from last transaction the other day.... and spent just under $6 on the GC and got $11.99 in ECB.
My transaction went like this:
2 boxes Kellog Cereal $2/4 (minus 2 $1/1 coupons) = $1 per box
2 St. Ives Body Washes @ $3.99 each (minus 2 $2/1 coupons AND a $1 any body wash CVS coupon) = $3 for 2 body washes, get $6 ECB....profit of $3
1 Glcu Smart Water @ 1.59 get $1.59 ECB back
So minus $7 in coupons
OOP: $7.23- on a GC (I couldnt use the ECB because it was for $11.99)- should have planned this better with some other deals but was trying to get out the door quickly. GOT $7.59 in ECB's.
So total OOP (on giftcard) was $13.16
ECB's gained for next week: $19.58!!!!!!!
So thinking totals.. everything in that picture was FREE....and actually I made ONE DOLLAR to buy it. When you add my OOP plus the ECB's used it is $18.65 and I got $19.58 back.... so I made money this week!

Saturday, November 8, 2008

He's on to me....


So I am definitely a regular now at my local CVS and the cashier is on to my game. But, he in fact helped me with it this week. So the Crest toothpaste and Oral B floss picks were on a good deal last week. I had done this deal once already and had $3.49 ECB from the Crest and $2 ECB from the Oral B. I got 2 papers last week since the coupons were so awesome, so I could do this good deal again.
Deal:
1 crest toothpaste $3.49 (minus .75/1 coupon)
1 Oral B floss pics $3.49 (minus $1/1 coupon)
1 caramel by register $0.33 (was 2 cents negative to use my ECB's and the cashier suggested this would get me my total and keep OOP low)
Used 3.49 ECB and 2 ECB (from Crest ad Oral B from a couple days ago)
OOP: $0.19 (thanks supportiveheels for supplying me with a quarter... I was going to put it on a giftcard haha!)
ECB's earned: $3.49 for Crest and $2.00 for Oral B
When my receipt was printing out, the cashier went to say "...and here are some EC...oh wait, I'm sure you already know your ECB's coming out" and he had big smile on his face. He knows......he surely know.... :)

Friday, November 7, 2008

Harris Teeter Triple Coupons Take 1


It was triple coupon week at Harris Teeter and I could not have been more excited! I missed the triple coupon week at Lowes back in October due to being out of town, so I was very glad to catch this deal. Not only that, but I actually love Harris Teeter and miss shopping there ever since I started couponing I have found a new love in Lowes Food's, so it was a welcome trip back.

I got the above items for a killer deal. Most of the items pictured were under a $1.

Total before coupons and VIC savings: $60.59

TOTAL AFTER COUPONS and VIC savings: $25.34

Savings of more than 50% and over $27 in coupons alone!!!!

I would say I think I did pretty dang well and saved a whole bunch of money! My pantry is getting very stocked!

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Free Coffee Break for Voters

Here's another hot frugal coffee deal AND a way to get rewarded just for practicing your freedom to vote! On Tuesday stop by any Starbucks location and show your "I Voted" sticker and receive a FREE tall cup of Starbucks brew coffee. I already voted a week ago, but I sure did save my sticker and will be claiming my free cup of voter's coffee!