Christmas card 2008

I was over at Money Saving Mom and saw this cool deal for bloggers...a $25 Shutterfly credit when I embed a photo card in my blog! As you will see below, the last time I created a Christmas photo card was 2008 right after our trip to Disneyland. Z was a bitty baby in my belly at the time (we didn't even know about him yet!) Last year I must have been lazy...cuz there was no card. Hoping to use the $25 credit to make a new one this year!!

Jolly Snowman Winter

Unique party invitations and greeting cards by Shutterfly.

View the entire collection of cards.

Cookbook Winner!

Congratulations to Lisa Hawes, winner of the Michael Chiarello: Bottega cookbook!

I will be contacting you through e-mail for additional info.

Thanks to everyone who commented!

Lemon Pepper Chicken

I recently received a box of Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko Bread Crumbs from General Mills through MyBlogSpark. I had been wanting to try panko bread crumbs for awhile, because they seem to be fairly popular these days and I had been hearing about them A LOT! I decided to just go with the recipe that was on the back of the box, but substitute chicken for fish. It was AWESOME. Really easy and so tasty!

Here's the recipe:

2 tbsp flour
1 egg, beaten
1 cup Progresso Lemon Pepper Panko
3 chicken breasts


1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray baking dish.

2. Place flour, egg and bread crumbs in separate plates.

3. Coat chicken with flour, dip in egg, coat well with bread crumbs.
4. Bake chicken for 20-30 minutes until thickest park of chicken is 165 degrees.


You could substitute pork or fish for the chicken.

I was also provided with Chef Michael Chiarello's latest cookbook: Michael Chiarello's Bottega.

While many of the recipes in the book do not fit with the style of food I normally cook, it is a beautiful book and did inspire me to branch out a bit and try something new! MyBlogSpark has provided me with a copy to give away to one of my lucky readers! Just leave a comment with your full name and e-mail address and the winner will be chosen and contacted via e-mail on 11/29!

In the meantime, you may want to print a coupon for $1 off any panko flavor or view some tips for cooking with panko.

Happy cooking and good luck!!

Free Pasta and Olive Oil at Meijer

Who doesn't love free stuff? Especially olive oil!

Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, on sale 50% off $2.99
Use $2/1 Meijer mealbox here and $1/1 here
= FREEEEE! (Technically $0.01, I guess)

Ronzoni Healthy Harvest, on sale $0.99
Use $1/1 Facebook coupon here
= FREEEEE!

Bargains to Bounty has a complete list of Meijer deals this week. Keep in mind that her stores in Michigan doubles coupons up to $0.50. Stores in Illinois do not. :(

Amazon Diaper Deals

A quick heads up for those of you like me that still have a child in diapers...

Amazon is offering 15% off of most of their diapers when you "Subscribe & Save", plus an additional 15% off when you join Amazon Mom. Amazon Mom is a free program that is for parents and caregivers. Subscribe & Save can be cancelled at any time with no fee. More details on all that here.

To top it all off, there is a 20% off coupon code in the November issue of Parents magazine.

So, here is what I did:

(1) Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers, 140 count = $30.21
30% taken off for Amazon Mom & Subscribe & Save = -$9.06
20% taken off for Parents Magazine code = -$6.04

Total: $15.11 or $0.11 per diaper!

These ship free because of the Subscribe & Save PLUS there is no tax! (In Illinois, I would normally pay 1% tax on diapers.)

There are comparable prices for Luvs & Pampers, but I chose Huggies because they work best for us. Check out all Amazon has to offer here.

B1G1 Coffee at Caribou Coffee

I know what we're doing tomorrow...:) I've never been one to turn down free coffee!!

Book Review: A Christmas Prayer

I requested "A Christmas Prayer" by Amy Parker from booksneeze.com because I am constantly trying to remind my daughter (and myself) that there is SO much more to Christmas than receiving gifts. I think this book does a fabulous job of telling the real story behind Christmas and encouraging us to be thankful for the gifts that God gave.

The artwork in this book was great and went well with what the story was saying. The story flows well and is straight to the point and not confusing for small children. I haven't read it to my children yet, as I'm saving it for closer to Christmas time, but I think that it will be a book that we will bring out around Christmas time for years to come. I would recommend it to anyone with children aged 1-5 who is looking for a wellwritten, beautifully illustrated way to communicate the real meaning of Christmas!

I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Fire Station Field Trip

On Monday, L had her first field trip of the year...to the Fire Station! She was so excited and had a fun time. She demonstrated stop, drop and roll for her entire class and the firefighters...and I'm annoyed that I didn't get a pic or video of it!!

Of course Z couldn't miss out on the fun!

Looking forward to many more fun fieldtrips this year!

We're heading to the apple orchard this weekend...pics to follow...

$5/5 Kraft Coupon

This may be my favorite coupon ever...because we eat A LOT of cheese at our house. In fact, I was just telling my husband earlier that I am trying to cut back on eating "unnecessary cheese" and he informed me that there is no such thing as unnecessary cheese.

Go here to print a coupon for $5 off 5 selected Kraft products. A list will print below that includes the items that are included. You should be able to get some cheap or free cheese, sour cream or cream cheese with this coupon!

Thanks Totally Target!

Book Review - One Hand, Two Hands

One Hand, Two Hands by Max Lucado is the latest book that I received courtesy of BookSneeze. I was excited to be able to request a children's book, as my four-year-old LOVES books. This book discusses all of the different ways a child can use his or her hands in helpful, kind and loving ways. It has a very positive message and is a great book for children aged 2-5.

I read this book to my daughter before bed one evening and it kept her attention. Mind you, it is a short book with only a few words on each page, and she is used to hearing longer, more detailed stories. The illustrations are very appealing and do a good job of showing what the text is saying. I think it will be a great book to add to our collection because of the reminders of all of the things that children are capable of doing for themselves. I would recommend this book to anyone and I'm thinking about letting my daughter's preschool teacher borrow it to share with her class!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

First day of School!

Today was L's first day of 4-year-old Preschool. Can't believe my little girl is growing up so fast! She had a great first day. As per her request, we had cinnamon rolls for breakfast (which I made from scratch using this recipe) and then listened to her new-from-the-library Strawberry Shortcake cd on the way to school.

There are five kids from her class last year that have returned this year, which is awesome. She is also familiar with the teachers from last year. I'm hoping for a great year for her!

Summer Review, Looking Ahead!

School starts again next week, so it's time to get my rear end moving again and start updating this blog more consistently. We ended up having a much busier summer than I expected. Here are some highlights:

L took two sessions of swimming lessons and loved it. She's like me - hates to put her face in the water, but she tried SO hard to be brave and made great progress!

She also celebrated her 4th birthday in July. My baby girl is getting so big!!

Z celebrated his first birthday when we were in Canada. I honestly can't believe how fast the year went by!

Now August is more than half way over and L starts 4-year-old Preschool on Tuesday. Looking forward to the structure that fall brings! Z will be starting therapy August 30th for his food issues: he won't eat anything that isn't pureed, so his dr. has recommended he see a speech therapist to hopefully help him work on his gagging issues. Never a dull moment, and I'm sure there will be a lot to blog about!!

Finally a trip worth blogging about!

I've been in a bit of a slump coupon wise lately...these hot summer days are taking away so much energy. AND we've been spending a lot of time out...at the pool, at the mall. But here is my trip to Dominick's this morning that I feel like bragging about.





These items are all part of the "Buy 4 Save $4 Instantly" promotion they have going on through 7/21. Plus, you get a FREE box of Nature Valley Granola bars when you purchase 4 participating items. To be able to duplicate this deal, you'll have to be sure to load e-coupons on to your Dominick's card at cellfire.com and shortcuts.com before you head to the store! These e-coupons will come off automatically when the cashier scans your card. So, here's what I got:

(1) Betty Crocker Fruit Gushers, $2.19
(1) Betty Crocker Fruit Rollups, $1.19
Used $0.50/1 from cellfire.com, $0.50/1 from shortcuts.com & $0.50/2 paper coupon here or here or here

(1) Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Bars, $1.99
Used $0.75/2 from shortcuts.com

(1) Nature Valley Nut Clusters, $1.99
Used $1/1 from cellfire.com, $1/1 from shortcuts.com & $1/1 paper coupon here or here or here

*Free item, Nature Valley Granola Bars
Somehow, I was able to use $0.50/1 from cellfire.com & $0.50/1 from shortcuts.com on my FREE item. Very unusual!


My grand total after allllll the coupons was $0.68!!! Total saving 96%!

Thanks to Mashup Mom for a bit of help figuring this deal out!

Free Food Friday - 7/9

Sorry I've been slacking on the Free Food Friday post...I've added a couple of new ones!

7-11 - FREE 7.11oz slurpee on 7/11 (Sunday)! Details here.

Auntie Anne's Pretzels - Sign up for "pretzel perks" and receive a coupon for a free pretzel every month!

Baker's Square - FREE pie on Wednesdays with any purchase!

Panda Express - Go here to print a coupon for a free Thai Cashew Chicken Breast coupon redeemable on 7/14.

Steak n Shake - Kids eat free all weekend!

Sweet Tomatoes - Sign up for Club Veg to receive monthly coupons.

Be sure to check out my growing list of Kid Freebies as well!

Target Trip 7/8

It's barely 10 a.m. and I've already made a trip to Target. We were down to two diapers, so an early morning trip was an absolute must today!! Walked away with a couple of good deals:

(1) Kellogg's Raisin Bran Extra, on sale $2.66
(1) Kellogg's Fiber Plus Cereal, on sale $2.66
Used Target coupon FREE Kellogg's Fiber Plus Antioxidants with purchase of Kellogg's cereal
& $1/2 Kellogg's Cereal here
= This SHOULD HAVE equaled $1.66 for both, but for some unknown reason, the Target coupon took $4.29 off instead of $2.66, making it $0.03 for BOTH!

(2) Huggies Big Pack Diapers, size 4 (126 diapers each), $29.99
Receive a $10 Target gift card when you buy 2
Used $3/1 here or here
= $43.98 after coupons and gift card for both, or $0.17 per diaper

(1) Satin Care Trial Size Shavel Gel, $0.99
Used $0.55/1 from 7/4 P&G insert = $0.44

(2) Eggo Waffles, on sale $1.75
Used $1/2 Target coupon here & $1/2 from 6/20 RP insert = $1.50 for both

(2) Starbucks Ice Cream $2.54
Used 2 $1/1 here = $1.54

If you need chicken this week, the Gold'n Plump chicken breasts are on sale for $3.49. Print $1/1 here to get it for $2.49. Not too bad for chicken, but not extremely great either.

Pace: Play to win FREE Salsa

Visit pacefoods.com to play Hand-Pick & Win for a chance to win a coupon for a free jar of salsa (valued up to $4.00)! No purchase is necessary and you can play once per day through 7/31! The website states your chances are 1 in 20, but I've played 7 or 8 times and already won twice. Good luck!!

$0.50/1 Del Monte Pineapple

This one is for alllllll those folks that claim that there are never coupons for fresh food items.

Here's one for you: Print $0.50/1 Del Monte Gold Extra Sweet Pineapple here. I had to enter zip code 90210 to see it.

Yummy....fresh pineapple. Will make a great snack on a warm summer day!

Another Crib Recall

Is anyone else getting tired of the never-ending crib recalls?

In my opinion, they should eliminate drop-side cribs all together. Right now. Rather than recalling a different brand or model every other week.

L's crib got recalled about a month before Z was born, so we were left scrambling. Ended up returning it to Target for a refund and buying a stationary-side crib. It's been great and not recalled!

You can find out here if your crib is part of the latest recall.

*HOT* RARE Coke Coupon!

Head over to Tablespoon.com to print a coupon for $1 off (2) twin packs or (4) 2-liter bottles of any Coca-Cola product. Hurry though, this is a rare coupon and most likely will not last long!!

Thanks to Money Saving Mom for the heads up!!

Rare Gerber Coupon

Head over to target.com to print a coupon for $1 off any 5 Gerber food items at Target. My son has finally graduated to 3rd foods (yay!), and they are on sale this week for $0.59. I was able to print the coupon twice, receive 10 jars for $0.39 each. Not bad!

Summer Busy-ness

Another busy week ahead in our house. L started swimming lessons this morning...well, sort of. We had a thunderstorm, so they had a "safety day" instead. Probably a good thing, as she screamed when it came time for her to go with her class. She seems excited to go back tomorrow, so hopefully having a day to get used to being away from me will help and she will be able to actually get into the water tomorrow!!

I'll try to post as many deals as possible even through my crazy schedule. My fridge, freezer and pantry are so full that I most likely won't be doing a lot of shopping myself. However, I drive by Target, Dominicks, Meijer & Walmart everyday on my way too and from lessons, so I may not be able to resist stopping if I see a great deal. :)

Book Review - Mind Your Own Mortgage

I've just finished reading my latest Booksneeze request, "Mind Your Own Mortgage" by Robert J. Bernabe. I'm always interested in learning more about personal finance, so the title of this book grabbed my attention right away!

This book was published this year, and gives a great amount of information about the recent housing market crash and why the author believes it happened. It was written in a very easy to understand way and has helped me understand a lot better what got our country into the mess that it is in!

My husband and I are striving to remain debt free (with the exception of our mortgage), and this book was great for reaffirming that this is an important thing for our family. It did challenge me to go beyond what I am doing and pay more towards our monthly mortgage if possible and only refinance as a way of further reducing this debt.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking into buying a home or considering refinancing their current home. Easy read full of very valuable information!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255

Free Food Friday - Father's Day Edition

Don't forget about Father's Day on Sunday...and take your dad (or husband in my case) out for some free food!

Buca Di Beppo - Get $10 off your purchase of $20 on 6/20 only. Print coupon here.

Noodles & Company - At participating locations, buy yourself an entree, get one free for dad! Details here.

Ikea - Dad can enjoy a small breakfast and coffee for free! Details and locations here.

McDonalds - Participating locations are offering dad a FREE breakfast on Father's Day with the purchase of an extra value breakfast. You'll probably want to check with your local McDonalds ahead of time to see if they are participating.

Baby Deals

A few baby related deals to report:

Dominicks: (Starting TOMORROW 6/17-23):
Huggies or Pampers Jumbo Diapers, $7.99 with in ad coupon (limit 4)
Use $3/1 here = $4.99

Meijer:
Pampers Baby Wipes, 72-ct $1.99
Use $2/1 coupon (from 6-6 PG insert) = FREE! Thanks Bargains to Bounty!

Beech-Nut Baby Foods
$1 off any 10 jars
$2 off any 20 jars
$1 off any 2 baby cereals
You can find even more links for a variety of products at Couponing to Disney.

Is it June 15th already???

Okay, so I'm back from my mini, unannounced vacation. Between being sick myself, having two sick children, and my mom visiting for a week, there hasn't been much time for blogging!!

But I'm back now, ready to be organized again, and excited to share more deals with you.

I still have one child a bit under the weather (day 10 of her being sick, ugh!), but hopefully within the next day or two life will get back to normal.

Totally unrelated...but, my son is FINALLY crawling. He has also acquired two brand new teeth and figured out how to pull himself to stand. All within the last two weeks. Oh, and he also had an ear infection and a cold. Busy boy!!

Target - Huggies Diaper Deal

Here's a way to pick up some cheap diapers and wipes using coupons from target.com!

Buy 1 Huggies Snug & Dry Jumbo Pack @ $8.99 &
1 Huggies 184-ct Wipes @ $5.89

Print:
$3/1 Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers (manufacturer's coupon)
$1/1 Huggies Baby Wipes (128-ct or larger, manufacturer's coupon)
$3.50 off when you buy both Huggies diapers and 184-ct or larger Huggies wipes (Target coupon)

Using all three coupons, your total should be $7.38 for the diapers AND wipes!

Thanks Totally Target for the diapers and wipes pricing!

Meal Plan...Tuesday.

I have a feeling this week is going to fly by. Monday holidays always mess me up. I hope everyone had a great long weekend. We did!! Here's our plan for the week. I'm having a garage sale on Saturday, and my mom flies in next Tuesday, so I'm keeping things very simple this week.

Tuesday - Cheesy Cheeseburger Mac, Salad

Wednesday - Pancakes & Bacon (making a double batch of pancakes to freeze)

Thursday - Pasta Alfredo, Salad

Friday - Grilled Hot Dogs

Saturday - We'll probably treat ourselves to dinner after 8 hours of garage selling!

Sunday - Tuna Melts, Chips & Salsa

May Wrap Up

I did something for the first time in May...I managed to keep track of not only how much I spent on groceries, but also how much I saved!! I ended up spending $176.27 and saved right around $170!!!!!!! I was a little bit dissapointed that I went over my $175 budget, but I splurged and bought some REALLY good cherries (at $3.49/lb *gulp*) near the end of the month, and that put me over. Oh well.

We did absolutely terrible on the rest of our May budget. Spent way too much eating out and entertaining ourselves. Gotta try harder in June!

In June, I'm giving my grocery budget a boost up to $225. It's the beginning of farmer's market season and I'm aching to buy more fresh produce. Also, my mom will be in town for a week, so I won't have as much time to dig up/pick up as many bargains. I'll keep you posted on my progress!

Meijer 5/27-6/2

Here are some of the best deals I see at Meijer this week:

Breakstone Sour Cream 16oz $1.29
Use $0.55/1 here or here = $0.74

Kraft Singles $1.67
*Buy 2 or More, get $1 off your next Fresh Ground Beef purchase
Use $1/2 Meijer mealbox coupon = $2.34 for 2

Nestle Drumstick 4ct $2.00
Use $1/1 5/2 SS insert = $1.00

Bertoli Pasta Sauce $2.00
Use $1.50/2 here and $1/2 Meijer mealbox coupon here = $1.50 for 2

Ortega Black Beans $0.67
Buy 4, use 2 $1/2 here and $1/4 Meijer mealbox here = $0.32 moneymaker! (The cashier may just adjust the price of the coupon to make it equal zero.)

Ground Beef from Chuck $1.49/lb. Limit 3 packages.

Tony's Crispy Crust Pizza $1.00
Use $1/2 here = $1.00 for 2
*If you want to buy 10, there is a coupon for $1/10 here.

Free Food Friday 5/28

Auntie Anne's Pretzels - Sign up for "pretzel perks" and receive a coupon for a free pretzel every month!

Baker's Square - FREE pie on Wednesdays with any purchase!

Carrabbas - Become a fan on Facebook to receive a coupon for a FREE mini dessert with the purchase of an entree!

Ikea - FREE breakfast and coffee 5/29-5/31. Details and locations here.

Ruby Tuesday - B1G1 entree when you sign up for their "So Connected" club

Steak n Shake - Kids eat free all weekend!

Sweet Tomatoes - Sign up for Club Veg to receive monthly coupons.

Taco Bell - FREE Limeade Sparkler coupon here. Be sure to check out my growing list of Kid Freebies as well!

Ikea - Free Breakfast 5/29-5/31

Head to Ikea this Memorial Day weekend for a FREE small breakfast and one cup of coffee. Valid 5/29-5/31. The ad states that it is limit one per customer, however, when my family and I went there a few months ago, I was able to get 3 for free. (L was with me paying, but Adam was at the table with Z). Not valid at Ikea Hicksville, Houston and IKEA direct. To find the location nearest you, look here.

Celebrate National Donut Day at Dunkin' Donuts!

Save the date...June 4 is National Donut Day! On that date, you can get a FREE donut when you buy a coffee, tea, latte or Coolatta. You can find all the details here.

Right now, you can get a small iced mocha for $1...hoping this is still the case on 6/4! A donut and a drink for $1 isn't a bad snack!

I'm back!

Yes, we did make it home! We enjoyed 4 wonderful days in Colorado, although it seems like it took more time to prepare to go and clean up afterwards than the time we actually spent there! Oh well. Feels good to be home and back into our routine. Z is thrilled to back sleeping in his own bed. L would live on vacation if she could. She loved all of the attention given to her by her aunt and uncles, grandparents and great-grandparents!

I'm still trying to get organized, but hopefully I will resume regular posting soon.

Free Food Friday - 5/21

Auntie Anne's Pretzels - Sign up for "pretzel perks" and receive a coupon for a free pretzel every month!

Baker's Square - FREE pie on Wednesdays with any purchase!

Carrabbas - Become a fan on Facebook to receive a coupon for a FREE mini dessert with the purchase of an entree!

Dunkin' Donuts - On Friday, May 21st from 5a.m.-9p.m., donate to the Special Olympics and receive a FREE Donut. Valid in IL only. Participating locations here.

Ruby Tuesday - B1G1 entree when you sign up for their "So Connected" club

Steak n Shake - Kids eat free all weekend!

Sweet Tomatoes - Sign up for Club Veg to receive monthly coupons.

Taco Bell - FREE Limeade Sparkler coupon here.


Be sure to check out my growing list of Kid Freebies as well!

Kraft First Taste

If you haven't yet, you really should consider signing up for Kraft First Taste. Every few weeks, you can log into their site to receive coupons for FREE items or very high value coupons. Today I was able to print:

$1.50/1 DiGiorno Deep Dish Pizza

$1.00/1 Kool-Aid Fun Fizz Drink Drops

$1.50/1 Kraft Homestyle Deluxe Macaroni & Cheese Dinner

$1.50/1 Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Shaved Meats

$1.50/1 Ritz Crackerfuls

$1.50/1 Kraft 100 Calorie Packs

Some of these will match up well with Target coupons available here.

Taco Bell - FREE Limeade Sparkler!

Go here to print a coupon for a FREE Limeade Sparkler at Taco Bell! I was able to print twice.

The expiration date is confusing on this one. At the top of the coupon, it says 5/25, but in the body it says 7/11 or when 500,000 coupons have been redeemed. Hopefully we'll be able to find a Taco Bell somewhere when we're on a vacation to atleast use one of the coupons before 5/25!

Thanks Totally Target for the heads up!

Meal Plan Monday

I'm excited to not have to think of a full week of meals this week! We are heading to Denver on Friday to visit family and enjoy some time in the mountains! No cooking for 4 whole days. :)

Here's what we're eating before we go:

Monday - Spaghetti & Meatballs, Green Beans (made enough meatballs today for two meals, used some and froze the rest)

Tuesday - Cuban Black Bean Soup, Biscuits

Wednesday - Chicken Tetrazzini (from freezer; didn't get around to eating it last week)

Thursday - Possibly Pancakes & Bacon or whatever needs to be eaten before we head out of town!

Dominick's Trip 5/14

I'm starting to feel like the grocery store is my 2nd home. Planning a quick trip to Jewel and Target today and then I'm taking next week off! Heading to Colorado on Friday, and my pantry, cupboard and fridge are bursting!

Keep in mind when shopping at Dominick's that you will get the best price when you use your Club Card. You can apply for one in store or online.

*Buy 4, Save $4 Mix & Match Sale*
Bought (2) Cheerios @ $1.50
Used 2 $0.55/1 here = $0.95 each
Bought (2) Honey Bunches of Oats @ $2.00
Used $1.25/1 & $1/1 Catalina coupons = $0.75 and $1.00 each

(2) Classico Pasta Sauce, on sale $2.00
Used Buy 1 White Sauce, get 1 FREE coupon (no longer available) = $2.00 for both
*Bonus* Buy any 2 Classico pasta sauce, get 2 boxes of Safeway Dry Pasta FREE

(1) Lucerne Cheese, on sale $1.49

Used $3 off Catalina from last trip to Meijer

Total spent: $9.82, Saved $18.80

May Total: $128.35, $46.65 remaining

Meijer Trip 5/13

Trans #1:

(3) Breakstone Cottage Cheese, $1.00 each
Total: $3.00
Received at $3 off next purchase Catalina

Trans #2:

(2) Nabisco Oreos, on sale $2.50
Used B1G1 Facebook coupon (no longer available) = $2.50 for 2
(1) Meijer Milk $2.29
Used $1.50 wyb (1) Nabisco cookies and (1) Milk coupon (handed to me at Meijer) = $0.79
(1) Lance Sandwich Crackers, on sale $1.50
SHOULD HAVE USED $1/1 here = $0.50
(1) Aunt Millie's Italian Bread, on sale $1.00 (Love this bread because it has NO High Fructose Corn Syrup!)
(1) Hunt's Ketchup, on sale $1.00
(1) Strawberries 1lb, on sale $1.50

Also picked up a few other essentials...nothing worth writing home about. Used $3 off Catalina from Trans #1.

Total: $18.20, Saved $15.27

Trans #3:

(4) Stove Top Stuffing, on sale $1.29
Used 2 $1/2 here = $3.16

Total: $3.16, Received at Catalina for $3 off next purchase, $0.04 each after Catalina! Saved $4.80.

May Total: $109.55, $65.45 remaining

Diaper Savings

Huggies has put up a bunch of new links for diaper coupons!

$3/1 here (Little Movers & Little Snugglers) AND
$3/1 here (Snug & Dry) AND
$3/1 here (Little Movers & Little Snugglers) AND
$4/2 here (Little Movers & Little Snugglers)

Of course if you have a little one in diapers, you need wipes too!

$2/2 here (Huggies 64 count wipes) AND
$2 off here (When you buy 64 count wipes & 184 count refill)

Thanks to Totally Target for the heads up!

Free Food Friday 5/14/10

Auntie Anne's Pretzels - Sign up for "pretzel perks" and receive a coupon for a free pretzel every month!

Baker's Square - FREE pie on Wednesdays with any purchase!

Carrabbas - Become a fan on Facebook to receive a coupon for a FREE mini dessert with the purchase of an entree!

Dunkin' Donuts - On Friday, May 21st from 5a.m.-9p.m., donate to the Special Olympics and receive a FREE Donut. Valid in IL only. Participating locations here.

Einstein Bros. - FREE bagel on Fridays until 11 a.m. through 5/19.

Ikea - Kids eat FREE 5/14-16 at participating USA stores only.

Ruby Tuesday - B1G1 entree when you sign up for their "So Connected" club

Steak n Shake - Kids eat free all weekend!

Sweet Tomatoes - Sign up for Club Veg to receive monthly coupons.

Be sure to check out my growing list of Kid Freebies as well!

Questions, questions...

I have had a lot of people asking me a lot of questions lately, most having to do with "how" and "why" I use coupons. I thought I'd write a quick post to hopefully answer some of those questions.

Question #1: "Why do you use coupons?"

This is by far the question I get asked the most. The answer is simple: I use coupons to help us save enough money that I don't have to go back to work. I worked part-time from around the time L was one to right before Z was born (about 2 years). I really enjoyed my job, but felt that it was time for me to spend my time at home, especially since L was going to be in preschool this year. I don't remember exactly how, but back in September I stumbled across a website that showed me people that had taken couponing to a whole new level...I was completely unaware of how easy it was to get everyday items for cheap, nevermind absolutely FREE! I was hooked immediately.


Question #2: "How much do you save?"

This is a harder question, as I haven't been good at keeping track of my actual savings. I'm trying to do that this month and can't wait to get to the end of the month to see what the percentage saved is. However, I do have my Quicken numbers to prove that I'm saving...BIG TIME. In March of 2009, we spent $516 on Groceries. In March of this year, we spent $256. I have been able to cut it in half by being so much more aware of sales and planning meals around what I have in my house and what I can get for cheap in a particular week.

Question #3: "Where do you find the time?"

As time has gone by, I have become a lot faster at finding my deals. Preperation is key for me. I ALWAYS make a list before I go to the store, and rarely stray from it. This is what a typical list looks like:

I always write down how many of a product I'm wanting to buy, the name, and the price if I know it. Then I write down my coupon value and what the total will be after the coupon is applied. I also write down if I should be getting a gift card or Catalina back for purchasing certain items. I put my coupons in the same order they appear on my list and attach them with a paperclip. I probably spend about 30 minutes per day compiling my lists and printing coupons. I ALWAYS buy the Sunday paper and cut the coupons, usually while hubby and I are watching t.v. or a movie. I try to do most of my prep time when my kids are sleeping or at school.

Question #4: "Where do you find your information?"

I love to visit and read all sorts of blogs, but I have a list of "go-to" websites for if I'm preparing for shopping at a particular store. Here they are:

Meijer - Bargains to Bounty

Target - Totally Target

Jewel & Dominicks - Mashup Mom

I'm also a big fan of Money Saving Mom and Couponing to Disney.

I look forward to Tuesdays when the weekly grocery ads come in the mail. If for some reason they don't show up in my mailbox, I read them online.

Okay...so that didn't end up being a "quick post", but I hope it provided you with some answers. Please comment if you have any other questions and I'll be more than happy to answer!!

Mother's Day 2010

It was my first Mother's Day with Z, and I spent all day being SO thankful that he was here and that I wasn't pregnant and uncomfortable like last year!!

We drove an hour to eat lunch at my favorite restaurant.

Poor L woke up Sunday with a runny nose.

I was feeling under the weather as well, so after lunch, we went home and cuddled on the couch. We fed the kids and put them to bed, and then my husband made us tasty nachos for dinner.

I'm excited to get my gift in a few weeks...I'm getting the Peter Walsh "Inspired Message Boards" to match my Peter Walsh desk from OfficeMax. Our office is going to be niiiiice. :)

Target Trip 5/10/10

Made a less than exciting trip to Target last night. I felt like I was in a fog because of my never-ending cold, and I made the mistake of going to Target instead of SuperTarget. Spent an hour wandering around trying to find stuff that they don't even carry. *sigh* Oh well.

If you happen to be at Target this week, you might want to pick up:

Ortega Taco Shells, on sale $1.79
Buy 2, use $1/2 here = $1.29/each

That's really all I bought that was interesting. Hopefully I'll get a chance to run to SuperTarget this week to pick up the rest of the stuff on my list!!

Dunkin' Donuts - FREE Medium Coffee

Enroll in Dunkin' Perks to get a free medium beverage (coupon by mail), plus another free medium beverage for your birthday!

The only thing I love more than coffee is FREE coffee. :)

*HOT* $1/1 Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon

Target has Oscar Mayer Turkey Bacon on sale for $1.99 this week, and you can print a coupon for $1/1 here, making your total after coupon $0.99! Remember to hit the back button on your browser to print twice. Great deal for bacon!

Thanks Money Saving Mom for the heads up!

Meal Plan Monday 5/10/10

Hope you all had a nice weekend and a wonderful Mother's Day! I've been battling a cold since Thursday, and L woke up yesterday with one as well...so we tried to keep the weekend fairly uneventful. Here's my meal plan for this week:

Monday - Spaghetti & Meatsauce, Green Beans, Chocolate Butterhorns

Tuesday - Corn Dog Mini-Muffins (never made these before, but L LOVES corn dogs, so I'm hoping for a winner!), Chips, Grapes

Wednesday - Peanut Noodles (didn't get made last week!)

Thursday - Mini Meatloaves, Green Bean Casserole

Friday - Chicken Tetrazzini (from the freezer), Corn

Saturday - Out (church)

Sunday - I've been trying to have a "Sabbath" on Sundays, so haven't been cooking. I'll either make something on Saturday and have leftovers or we'll throw something together last minute.

Weekend Grocery Shopping

Just updating my May deals and savings so far! :)

Meijer Trip 5/7

Trans #1:

(4) Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs $2
Used 2 B1G1 Facebook coupons = $4
*Received TWO Catalinas for $3 off next purchase = $2 MONEYMAKER!

Trans #2:

(2) Pace Salsa, on sale $1.89
Used $0.60/2 coupon (believe this was from 5/2 insert) = $3.18

(1) McCormick Grinders, on sale $1
Used $1/1 coupon from 4/25 RedPlum = FREE

(1) Meijer Pizza Sauce, on sale $0.85

(1) Meijer Tortilla Chips $1.69

Also bought a TON of Gerber baby food (my little guy is becoming a BIG eater!) Used a $1.50/10 Catalina that printed a few weeks ago.

Used both $3 off Catalinas from Trans #1

Total: $12.44, Saved $11.85 Received a Catalina for $0.75 off next purchase because I bought 10 Gerber 2nd foods

Actual Grocery purchase = -$0.42! (I budget all baby items seperately)

Dominicks Trip 5/8

(2) Oscar Mayer Lunch Meat, $2.49 with in ad coupon
Used 2 $2/1 Facebook coupons (no longer available) = $0.49 each

(2) Lays Kettle Chips, $1.88 with in ad coupon
Used B1G1 Facebook coupon (no longer available) = 2 for $0.47 (Looks like it took the regular price off for the one I got free, which was $3.29!)

(1) Cinnamon Toast Crunch, on sale $1.49
Used $0.55/1 coupon here = $0.99 (I won't ever pay more than $1 for a box of cereal!)

(2) Pampers Jumbo Diapers, $6.99 with in ad coupon
Used 2 $3/1 Catalina coupons that printed at Meijer weeks ago = $7.98 for BOTH!

(1) "Party Straws" $1.99

Total spent: $13.86, but only $4.58 was actual Groceries, saved $29.66!

Meijer trip 5/9

2.28lb Ground Chuck @ $1.29/lb = $3.40

(1) Milk = $1.98

Red Grapes = $3.40

(1) Sara Lee Pie, on sale $2.19

(1) Chicago Tribune = $1.99

Total: $13.07, saved $1.31. Blah. Less than impressive. Can't win them all!!

Total spent in May so far: $85.11, $89.90 remaining

Book Review - I Am Hutterite by Mary-Ann Kirkby

I just finished reading my first book from booksneeze.com "I Am Hutterite". It was an extremely interesting book and I had a hard time putting it down!

Hutterites are a religious group that has been around since the 16th century. Their founder, Jacob Hutter, believed that God wanted a society where everyone shared property, and lived and worked together for the common good of all community members. Hence, "Hutterite colonies" were formed. "I Am Hutterite" is a true story told by Mary-Ann Kirkby about her life growing up on a Hutterite colony in Manitoba, Canada. At the age of 10, her parents chose to leave the colony, and she was then forced to learn to live in a culture that was foreign to her.

The main reason I chose to read this book is because I grew up in Alberta, Canada in an area with a number of Hutterite colonies. Hutterites had always intrigued me, but I didn't know a lot about them or their culture. I had hoped that reading this book would help me to understand them better, and it definitely did! I appreciated the details the author gave about day-to-day life on a colony. She did a great job expressing how much life changed for her and her family when her parents made the tough decision to leave the colony to live in the "English" world. It was great to see that even though her life changed dramatically at a very young age, she has come to the point in her life where she can see that her childhood life on the colony helped to make her the person she is today, and that she can't hide from her past and has chosen to embrace it.

I would recommend this book to anyone. It was a very interesting, easy read, and I feel like I learned a lot from it!

I received this book for free from Thomas Nelson Publishers through their booksneeze.com program. All opinions expressed were my own. I was not required to write a positive review.

Nabisco 100 Calorie Pack Money Maker

This one is awesome! "Like" Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs on Facebook and click "Coupon Offer" to print a coupon for B1G1 100 Calorie Pack. You should be able to print twice.

Meijer has these on sale through 5/8 for $2.00 AND it is printing TWO Catalinas!

Here's your scenario:

Buy (4) Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs
Use 2 B1G1 coupons from Facebook
= $4.00 out of pocket, but you will receive TWO Catalinas for $3 off next purchase, making this a $2 money maker!

Bargains to Bounty has all the details on the Catalinas here. Tempted to drag the kids out after dinner to pick these up!!

Meijer Trip 5/4

So, I apparently spend a lot of time at Meijer. I can't help it...the catalina machine is so good to me!!!

Trans 1:

(3) Breakstone Cottage Cheese $1 = $3
Received a catalina for $3 off next purchase

Trans 2:

(2) Nabisco Cookies $2.50 ea
(1) Meijer Milk $2.29
Used $1.50 off purchase of (1) Nabisco Cookies and (1) Milk (given to me by a Meijer employee a few weeks ago) AND Buy (1) Nabisco Cookies and (1) Milk and get a 2nd Cookies FREE (Facebook printable, no longer available)
Total $3.29, Used Catalina from Trans 1 = $0.29

Spent $3.29, Saved $9.46. May total $61.02, $113.98 remaining.

Meijer Trip 5/1

Just updating my grocery purchases so far this month. Most people probably don't care about every single item I'm buying, so I'm just going to highlight the deals and give you a running total on how much I've saved/spent for the month.

Trans #1:

(3) Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs (On sale $2.00) =$6.00
Received (1) Catalina for $3 off next purchase AND (1) Catalina for $2 off next purchase

Trans #2:

(2) Yoplait Greek Yogurt Cups $0.99 - Used 2 $0.45/1 printables (no longer available) = $1.08/2
(2) Capri Sun Roarin' Waters $1.99 - Used 2 FREE coupons from Kraft Macaroni & Cheese 5pks = FREE
(2) Nesquik (on sale $2.24 ea) = $4.48, Use 2 $1.25/1 here and $1/2 Meijer Mealbox = $0.98/2
(4) Nestle Juicy Juice $2 - Use 2 $1/2 here and 1 $2/4 here = $4 for 4

I spent $45.30, saved $31.69. Total spent so far in May = $57.73, $117.27 remaining.

FREE Libby's Vegetables

When you "like" Libby's Table on Facebook, you can fill out a form to receive a coupon for a FREE can of vegetables. You will receive the coupon either by mail or e-mail. It says to expect it in 4-6 weeks.

Thanks Money Saving Mom for the heads up!

Meal Plan Monday

As we head into summer, it seems like my weeks are getting busier and busier! Thanks to the freezer cooking I did this weekend, I won't be spending as much time as usual in the kitchen this week.

Monday - Chicken Tetrazzini (This was really good!)
Tuesday - Out (b-day party in the afternoon)
Wednesday - Hot Dogs on the grill, Broccoli & Carrots
Thursday - Peanut Noodle Stirfry (Chicken already cooked, just have to assemble)
Friday - Pita Pizzas
Saturday - Lunch - Tuna Melts Dinner - Out (church)
Sunday - Mother's Day....mommy's not cooking. :)

Freezer Cooking Success!

I'm VERY pleased with how much I've accomplished in the last few days when it comes to my freezer cooking project. This was my original plan:

Chicken/Bean Burritos
Seasoned Ground Beef
Waffles
Chocolate Butterhorns
Chicken Tetrazzini

I'm happy to report that I got everything done except for the seasoned ground beef. I didn't have any ground beef in my house, and I saw that it is going on sale next week, so decided to hold off and deal with it next weekend! I also substituted chocolate chip pancakes (double batch)for the waffles. I even got brave and used half whole wheat/half white flour in the pancakes and my family LOVES them.

The Chocolate Butterhorns were also a success! They are very good, but next time I won't be so skimpy with the chocolate chips!

Made two chicken tetrazzini casseroles; one for today (with leftovers for hubby's lunch tomorrow), and another one to be enjoyed later in the month. Substituted fresh mushrooms for canned and added broccoli.

My kids were AMAZING today. Long naps are a wonderful thing!! I'm so happy with what I've accomplished and can't wait to do it again next month!

*Hot* $2/1 Oscar Mayer Lunchmeat

Enter to win a ride in the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile, and you'll be able to print a coupon for $2/1 Oscar Mayer lunchmeat. This is a high value coupon, and one that you need to print TODAY, as the offer ends 5/3.

I was able to print this twice. Don't forget to print the FREE Nabisco Cookies coupon as well!!

FREE Nabisco Cookies

Today is the first Monday in May, so don't forget to print your coupon for Buy 1 Nabisco Cookies & 1 Gallon of Milk and get a 2nd Nabisco Cookies FREE!

This coupon is only available today, but doesn't expire until 5/21. I was able to print it twice!

April Budget Summary

Well, as I said the other day, I had $3 left in my grocery budget for April. We managed to finish the week with no emergencies, so for the first time ever, we came in under budget!

Woohoo!

One would think that only spending $200 a month on groceries would mean empty cupboards at the end of the month. This is definitely not true at our house! My pantry and cupboards are packed. The fridge and freezer are looking a little empty, but I have to go tonight and pick up some produce, so it won't look that way for long!

We did make a quick trip to Target last night. Even though it was still technically April, it won't come out of my bank until May, so it's going towards my May budget. Here's what we got:

Skippy Peanut Butter $2.04, Used $1/1 peelie = $1.04
KC Masterpiece BBQ Sauce $1.42, Used $1/1 here = $0.42
Heinz Relish $1.22, Used $0.50/1 (no longer available) = $0.72
(2) Heinz Vinegar $1.19, Used $1/2 here = $1.38/both
(2) Mission Tortillas $1.97, Used 2 $0.75/1 here = $1.22 each
(2) Nescafe Taster's Choice Sticks $1, Used B1G1 & $0.75/1 newspaper coupons= $0.25/both
(2) Stouffers Corner Bistro Subs $2.50, Used 2 $1.50/1 here = $1 each
(2) Yoplait Simply Go-Gurt $2.19, Used 2 $1.10/1 (no longer available) = $1.09 each

Total: $12.43, Saved $12.92 AND got a $1/1 Target Catalina for any Mission Product

Remaining May Budget: $162.57

Free Food Friday - 4/30

Auntie Anne's Pretzels - Sign up for "pretzel perks" and receive a coupon for a free pretzel every month!

Baker's Square - FREE pie on Wednesdays with any purchase!

Buffalo Wild Wings - Buy 8 boneless wings, get 4 FREE OR Buy 6 traditional wings, get 6 FREE OR $5/$25 food purchase. Valid through 5/7.

Carrabbas - Become a fan on Facebook to receive a coupon for a FREE mini dessert with the purchase of an entree! Thanks Couponing to Disney!

Einstein Bros. - FREE bagel on Fridays until 11 a.m. through 5/19.

Ruby Tuesday - B1G1 entree when you sign up for their "So Connected" club

Steak n Shake - Kids eat free all weekend!

Sweet Tomatoes - Sign up for Club Veg to receive monthly coupons.

Be sure to check out my growing list of Kid Freebies as well!

May Freezer Cooking

As I mentioned earlier this week, I'm planning to do a freezer cooking day in May. As the weather gets warmer, I find that I have less desire every day to spend time in the kitchen. That, along with the fact that my kids experience "monster hour" every day at 5 p.m., has motivated me to do a big does of freezer cooking on Sunday & Monday. Here is my plan so far:

Chicken/Bean Burritos - This coupon for $0.75/1 Mission Tortillas came along just in time!!
Chocolate Butterhorns
Seasoned Ground Beef - For tacos, meat sauce, nachos or chilli
Waffles
Chicken Tetrazzini - Gonna base it off of this recipe, with a few additions & substitutions.

That's the plan for now. I'll let you know if I make any changes.

Almost there!

With three days left in April, I've spent $197 on groceries...$3 left. Think I can make it?? Hope so! Got worried last night when we realized we only had one roll of toilet paper to share between two bathrooms! Yikes! But, I made a quick trip to Meijer and the problem is solved.

I'm shocked and amazed that we're under budget and my pantry is full to overflowing!! I think we'll be doing a lot of cooking from the pantry in May. I'm also hoping to do a freezer day (or two) because lets face it: summer is coming and I don't want to be stuck in my kitchen when it's 90 degrees outside!

I'm going to try something new in May...I'm going to blog about every shopping trip I make and let you know what I bought, how much I spent, and most importantly, how much I saved. I think it will be interesting, because I've never really kept track of how much I've actually saved in a month. We are headed to Colorado for 4 days near the end of the month, so I'm going to be brave and drop my budget down to $175. We'll see how that goes!!

So Excited - New Desk!

So after using the same Ikea table/desk for the last 8 years, we finally broke down yesterday and bought a new desk.

(No, that's not my office...I wish!!) It's part of Peter Walsh's new "You.Organized" Collection at OfficeMax. My favorite thing about it is the file cabinet ottoman. I love functional furniture! We ordered it yesterday and should be able to pick it up sometime early this week. Yay! My husband is hoping that this desk will keep me more organized with all of my "couponing". We'll see. :)

FREE Bagel & Schmear at Einstein Bros. Bagels

Einstein Bros. Bagels is once again giving away a free bagel and schmear, no purchase necessary! Go here and click on offers to print the coupon! It is good through 5/2.

Meal Plan Monday

Whew...these weeks just fly by! Here's my "plan" for this week:

Monday - Pulled Pork Sandwiches, Green Beans

Tuesday - Saucy Franks (recipe from my childhood! Will post this week!)

Wednesday - Mom's Night Out! (Frozen Pizza for everyone else)

Thursday - Grilled Marinade Chicken & Sweet Potatoes

Friday - Chicken Strips & Macaroni & cheese

Saturday - Out (Church)

Sunday - Leaving this one open for now...I need to try to find something new to try this week!

HUGE Savings at Meijer!

L seemed to be feeling better this morning (she's been sick for 10 days), so we headed out this morning to Meijer because they have an AWESOME sale Friday and Saturday. You can look at the ad here. Check out my savings:

Transaction 1:

(2) Kraft Macaroni & Cheese 5-pk $2.49
Used 2 $1/1 Meijer mealbox coupons = $2.98

(1) Nabisco Fudge Cremes $2.19
Used $1/1 here = $1.19

(1) Oreo Cakesters $2.19
Used $1/1 coupon from Kraft First Taste = $1.19

(1) Kraft Cheddar Cheese $2

$5 came off instantly when I purchased these 5 items.

(3) Kraft 100 Calorie Cheese Bites $2
Used 2 $1/1 here and $1/1 from 3/21 SS insert = $3

Used $1/$10 Meijer store purchase coupon from prior trip and $1/$6 cheese coupon

Total after tax, coupons and instant savings: $2.44 & Got a $3 Catalina for buying the cheese bites

Transaction 2:

(1) Beef Broth $0.75
(1) Onion $0.71
(1) Baby Carrots $1.50
(1) Grapes $1.70

Total $4.49, used $3 off Catalina from previous transaction = $1.49

When all was said and done, I spent $3.93, saved $24.93. Not bad if you ask me!! :)

The Mac & Cheese also had coupons for FREE Capri Sun Roarin' Waters, but they were sold out by the time I got there. I may try to go back tonight or tomorrow to see if they have restocked!!

Thanks to Bargains To Bounty for help with some of these matchups!

Free Food Friday - 4/23

Auntie Anne's Pretzels - Sign up for "pretzel perks" and receive a coupon for a free pretzel every month!

Baker's Square - FREE pie on Wednesdays with any purchase!

Boston Markert - B1G1 individual dinner plate through 4/18.

Buffalo Wild Wings - Buy 8 boneless wings, get 4 FREE OR Buy 6 traditional wings, get 6 FREE OR $5/$25 food purchase. Valid through 4/25.

Corner Bakery - FREE coffee when you "Connect at the Corner" through 4/26.

Dairy Queen - Buy 1 Blizzard, Get one for $0.25 through 4/25.

Einstein Bros. - FREE bagel on Fridays until 11 a.m. through 5/19.

Ikea - Get the 10-meatball plate for $1 on 4/23 & 4/24.

Ruby Tuesday - B1G1 entree when you sign up for their "So Connected" club

Steak n Shake - Kids eat free all weekend!

Sweet Tomatoes - Sign up for Club Veg to receive monthly coupons.

White Castle - B1G1 A1 Slider through 4/24.

Be sure to check out my growing list of Kid Freebies as well!

CHEAP Seventh Generation Cleaning Products

As I'm sure EVERYONE knows by now, today is Earth Day. Really, the day doesn't mean that much to me. We try to do our best to conserve and recycle, mostly just for the financial savings! Where we live, we pay per trash can for garbage pick-up, and for recycling we pay like $2 a month total. So, it definitely pays for us to recycle as much as we can!! We own a front loading washing machine and have started to replace our light bulbs with CFL bulbs. It's a start, right?

I'm starting to become more aware of environmentally friendly cleaning products as well. I wanted to share this deal with you on Seventh Generation cleaning products:

25oz. Seventh Generation dish soap & multi surface cleaner are both on sale for $2.49 at Target this week

Use $1/1 Target coupon & $1/1 Manufacturer's coupon

= $0.49!

This is cheaper than buying regular dish soap and cleaner, and I'm excited that I can spray down my kid's toys without having to worry about the harsh chemicals in regular cleaner!

There are numerous other Seventh Generation products on sale at Target this week. You might also consider buying 3 and submitting for the $5 rebate I mentioned the other day, and having this be a moneymaker for you!

Ikea - Meatball Plate for $1

On Friday, April 24 & Saturday, April 25, enjoy the 10-meatball plate at Ikea for only $1, regular price $4.29! Includes 10 meatballs, mashed potatoes and cream sauce. Not valid at Ikea Hicksville, Houston or Ikea Direct. Visit ikea.com for details and locations.

I'm seeing a trip to Ikea being in our plans for this weekend! :)

FREE Whopper at Burger King

If you live in, WI, IL, IN or MI, go here to register to receive a coupon for a free Whopper at Burger King! It will be e-mailed to you as a PDF with your name on it. Expires May 4, 2010.

B1G1 FREE Lays Kettle Cooked Chips

Become a fan of Be Snack Ready on Facebook to print a B1G1 FREE Kettle Cooked Chips. Orginally, this coupon was set to expire today, but because people complained, they have extended it to May 15! My MIL gave us some smoky horseradish dip mix that I'm thinking will go well with these chips. :)

Pizza Mac - Success!!

So I mentioned yesterday that I was going to invent a new recipe....well, I did, and it turned out well! Should have taken a picture of the finished project, except it was a casserole, and they never really look THAT good, but almost always taste good!!

Pizza Mac

2 cups elbow macaroni
8 oz Velveeta (I used the kind made with 2% milk), cubed
1 can Rotel diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 cup pizza sauce
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped pepperoni
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
3 tbsp. Parmesan cheese

Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain. Let sit in collander while you combine remaining ingredients in your pasta pot.

Melt Velveeta over low heat. Add Rotel and pizza sauce. Stir. Add green pepper, onion & pepperoni. Stir. Add macaroni back into the pot. Mix well. Transfer to baking dish. Sprinkle with shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

*I used my Rachael Ray pot which can be put in the oven, making this a one dish meal! Fewer dishes = Happy me!! Used the Ronzoni macaroni I got FREE at Meijer this week!!

B1G1 FREE Minor League Baseball Ticket!

If you are a baseball fan, you might want to start saving your Kraft Cheese wrappers! From now through September 10, 2010, you can get a B1G1 FREE ticket on Tuesdays when you present a wrapper from any Kraft Singles product! Click here for details and exclusions.

Thanks for the heads up, Totally Target!

Meal Plan Monday

It feels like the last few weeks have been SO crazy, but I'm determined to get back on some sort of a schedule (someday!), and start planning meals again. Last week was a baaaaad week as far as eating out goes, so hopefully we can get back on track this week!!

Monday - Pizza Mac (A new recipe I'm going to invent...I'll let you know how it goes!!)

Tuesday - Brats (Archer Farms (Target) makes a GREAT Jalapeno Cheese Brat!)

Wednesday - Mom's Night Out!

Thursday - Pasta Fagioli Soup & Biscuits

Friday - Burgers & French Fries

Saturday - Tuna Melts

Sunday - Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Free Food Friday - 4/16

Auntie Anne's Pretzels - Sign up for "pretzel perks" and receive a coupon for a free pretzel every month!

Baker's Square - FREE pie on Wednesdays with any purchase!

Boston Markert - B1G1 individual dinner plate through 4/18.

Buffalo Wild Wings - Buy 8 boneless wings, get 4 FREE OR Buy 6 traditional wings, get 6 FREE OR $5/$25 food purchase. Valid through 4/25.

Corner Bakery - FREE coffee when you "Connect at the Corner" through 4/26.

Einstein Bros. - FREE bagel on Fridays until 11 a.m. through 5/19.

Ruby Tuesday - B1G1 entree when you sign up for their "So Connected" club

Steak n Shake - Kids eat free all weekend!

Sweet Tomatoes - Sign up for Club Veg to receive monthly coupons.

White Castle - B1G1 A1 Slider through 4/24.

Be sure to check out my growing list of Kid Freebies as well!

Huggies Coupon Reset

Head on over to coupons.com to see if the $3/1 Huggies Diapers coupon has reset for you. It has for me! If you are are able to print again, you still have time to get in on the $5 Target gift card deal I posted earlier this week.

The way they've been handing out coupons lately, I could probably stock up for a year!

Meijer Deals 4/15- 4/21

Here are some of the best deals at Meijer this week:

TGI Fridays Snacks $2
Use $1.50/1 = $0.50

Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers $1
Use $0.50/1 = $0.50

Breakstone Cottage Doubles $1
$3 off next purchase when you buy 3 = FREE after coupon!

Ronzoni Healthy Harvest $1
Use $1/1 coupon found in April & May Family Circle Magazine or Disney Family Fun Magazine = FREE!

Strawberries 1lb $1 (I'm not sure if I've ever seen strawberries this cheap!)

Bargains to Bounty has a more detailed list here, but keep in mind that she lives in an area where coupons double...not so much for me here in IL!

Tax Day Freebies

Whew...we are in a funk today. L had a fever yesterday afternoon and I'm hearing the beginnings of a nasty cough. Z refused to sleep last night and has now been napping for almost 2 hours! (Really long for him!) I'm exhausted and haven't felt well in days. It's going to be a loooong day.

Tomorrow is Tax Day, and here are some freebies that you might be interested in:

Starbucks - Bring in a reusable travel mug for FREE brewed coffee!

Maggie Moos - FREE sample of MaggieMia's Ice Cream Pizza from 3-7pm. Participating locations listed here.

Cinnabon - 2 FREE Cupcake Bites from 6-8pm.

PF Changs - 15% off food purchases all day!

Enjoy the Ride Rewards

If you're like me and you buy A LOT of diapers and wipes these days, you may consider joining the Huggies Enjoy the Ride Rewards program. You'll find 15-letter codes on most boxes of Huggies diapers and wipes. The codes are worth a different amount of points depending on the product the code is off of. You can enter the codes to earn points toward prizes! The prizes include anything from diaper coupons to gift cards! There are also codes that you can obtain by watching videos and taking the polls at enjoytheriderewards.com.

You can get a list of past codes here.

Huggies is also giving away free diapers for a year everyday now through June 30! You are entered to win everytime you login to your rewards account (max of once per day). Wouldn't that be an awesome thing to win???

Huggies $3/1 Diapers Coupon

There is new link for $3/1 Huggies Diapers. They have been SO generous with these coupons lately! Here's a Target deal scenario for you using this coupon:

Buy 2 Huggies Big Pack Diapers, on sale for $19.79
Use 2 $3/1 Huggies coupons here
Use $1.50/1 Target coupon here if you haven't print it already!
= $32.08 PLUS you will receive at $5 Target gift card!

Your total will be $27.08 after gift card. There are 96 diapers in the size 3 Big Pack, making it a cost of $0.14 per diaper! Not bad!

Twice in the past week, strangers have stopped me in the baby section at Target to ask me questions. I joked with my husband that I must have been wearing my "experienced mom" face. This is not the first time that this has happened, either. I am going to start keeping my eyes (and ears) out for more baby deals, sales and advice in general, as this is obviously an area that is causing a lot of us (me included!) some confusion.

L at 8 months.

Z at (almost) 8 months.

The first person that stopped me was a mom with a baby boy close to the same age as my son. We were both in the baby food aisle looking a little lost because Gerber has SO many options. She said that she had just started giving her son meat, and he wasn't enjoying it, but she felt like he was still hungry. I suggested she give him more cereal. She said that was what the nurse at her doctor's office had told her. Maybe she just needed to hear it from two people. :)

My second encounter was with a new dad. His baby had been born the day before, and he was looking for "those diaper changing pads that you can throw away". I pointed him in the right direction and he asked me if I would reccomend them. I told him that I bought them for my first child, but not for my second child, and that they were very convenient, especially in the first month or so. I would have bought them again when Z was smaller, but they are kinda $$$, and didn't fit into my budget. New dad picked up a box and went on his way.

When L was born, I read everything I could on baby development. With Z, not so much. I really do like receiving monthly e-mails from Beech-Nut and Gerber to keep me up to date on what milestones he should be reaching. Baby Center and American Baby are two great sites that I have used over the past couple of years as well.

Here are a couple of baby printables that you might be interested in:

$3/1 Huggies Diapers here and here

Earth's Best Organic Baby Food coupons here

This one isn't a printable, but still worth clicking! Receive a FREE music & video CD for kids & a $1/1 Kandoo coupon by mail! Go here to sign up!

FREE Kraft Macaroni & Cheese

Become a fan of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese on Facebook to receive a free box or cup of new Cheesy Explosion macaroni & cheese!

L claims that mac & cheese is her favorite food, but doesn't get very excited about eating it at home. Crazy how fast kids get addicted to restaurant food!! Hopefully she will enjoy this new cheesy variety.

Thanks Money Saving Mom for the heads up!