Save with Great Coupons!

There are still some GREAT coupons available to print from my blue coupon bar and Coupons.com! These are high value coupons that make for FREE or cheap items at the grocery store, especially on double coupon day! Here are some highlights:

$1 off Crystal Light: Sale 3/$6= FREE!

$1 off Yo-Plus: Sale 2/$4= FREE!

$1 off Kraft BBQ sauce: $1.69= FREE!

$1 off 2 Philadelphia Cream Cheese bricks: (small 3 oz bricks) $0.99= FREE!

$1/2 Philadelphia Cream Cheese spread: Sale 2/$3=$1 for 2, $0.50 each!

$0.45/6 Yoplait: Sale 10/$4 (you only have to buy 6)=$1.50 for 6, or $0.25 each!
$1 off Bagel-fuls: $2.55= $0.55!
$1/2 Kool-Aid Canisters: Sale 3/$6= $2/2, $1 each!
$0.80/3 Hamburger Helper: Sale 10/$10= $1.40/3, $0.47 each!
$1/2 Kraft Cheese: wait for a sale to stock up on cheese!
$1/2 Tombstone Pizza: stock up with a sale and get $ back for your bills!

Note that when an item is on sale for 10/$4 or 3/$6, you don't have to buy that number of items to get the sale price. You can buy one item for $0.40 or $2 (in these examples). When in doubt, ask!

Other great coupons:
$3 off Huggies Pure and Natural
$2 off Dry Idea Deodorant: free deodorant at CVS or Target with a sale
$1 off Grey Poupon
$1 off Wisk
$2/2 Maxwell House

Didn't see a coupon your family would use? I can't possibly list them all, so check Coupons.com anyway. With about 100 coupons available at any given time and a selection that changes daily, surely you'll find some way to save!

Free Ice Cream at Walmart!

What? Free ice cream at Walmart?!
We are SO there!
Saturday, May 30th from 11am-4pm.
Type in your zip code here to make
sure your store is participating.
Thanks, Kingdom First Mom!

Overheard

I was drinking tea at my in-laws' cottage last weekend when H noticed my mug.

H: Mommy, why does your mug say, "No. I cook?"
Me: What?
H: Your mug says, "No. I cook." What is that supposed to mean?

Why is the word "number" abbreviated as no., anyway?

May Week 4 Spending

We're almost to the end of the month, so how did you do on your savings goals? I went to 2 stores this week, Target and the grocery store. Here are the totals:

Target: 4 candy bars, 2 trial size sunscreen, band-aids, and 2 packs of 10 cups each
Used: 4 Target coupons, 2 printables, and 1 from All You
Total: $1.21

Groceries: 3 gallons of milk, dishwasher detergent, paper towels, 4 Bagel-fuls (.55), 4 Ritz Toasted Chips (.50), Salad Finishers (free rebate item), 2 dozen eggs, bananas, strawberries, green beans, lettuce, grapes, peaches, yogurt (free), McCormick onion seasoning (free), ketchup (free), salad spritzer (free); 26 items in two transactions
Used: 14 coupons (only 10 were doubled; 8 were printables and 2 were for free product)
Total: $25.92! (and submit for $2.79 rebate)

Week 4 total: $26.13 (26 items plus Target)

Week 1: $55.82 (51 items plus CVS and Wags)

Week 2: $51.03 (25 items)

Week 3: $53.23 (55 items)

May Monthly Total: $186.21!

My intention was to shave $50 off my $275 budget by doubling less coupons at the grocery store. Well, that didn't work (especially last week when I doubled 20)! I've been trying to do less grocery stockpiling (it's hard to stop cold-turkey!) and we've been using more of what we have on hand. However, saying no to Walgreens and CVS has really helped my budget this month, and I was still able to surpass my goal! It's been fun to challenge myself to save!

Some of you left some savings goals for May in the comments. How did you do? Even if you didn't leave a comment earlier, but you challenged yourself to shave a little off your budget this month, I'd love to hear how much you saved and how you did it! Please leave a comment!

Playin' the Sweeps!

Have you been playing the sweeps? I have! And I won more prizes! The $25 Coke cash card I won at the end of March arrived last week, and then this week I won a free month's supply of Dole Fruit Gels (awarded as 4 coupons) and another $20 Coke cash card!

Freebies4Mom lists the best sweeps to play here. If you only have time to enter one sweeps a day, I highly recommend the Coke sweeps because there is a potential winner every 5 minutes and you can play each game twice a day, for a total of 4 entries! Sweeties Sweeps has a great video walking you through how to play both Coke games for free. I hope you win--and you probably will if you play more than once! If you have questions, let me know!

LEGO Smart Creativity Contest

Calling all homeschoolers and teachers! Ready for a challenge? Request a free LEGO creativity kit and create an educational activity using only the bricks provided in the kit. Submit your activity online through August for a chance to win prizes! Build something, solve a math problem, or make a pattern, it's up to you!

I already requested our kit since this is right up Ted's alley. He says "engineering is applied creativity" and I'm excited to see what both he and I come up with after we receive our kit! Thanks, Money Saving Mom!

I Scream, You Scream. . .

We all scream for ice cream!

• Baskin-Robbins has $0.88 soft-serve cones through Monday, May 25th.
• Go here to print a BOGO free coupon for a Coffee-Toffee Twisted Frosty or Frosty-cino from Wendy's.
• Buy Blue Bunny Aspen or Sedona frozen yogurt treats between 5/23 and 5/25 and mail in for a full rebate! Details here, mail by 6/10/09.

Free Chocolate Friday!

This summer, Mars wants to give you some free chocolate relief! Every Friday starting at 9am EST, register to get free chocolate! Click here and register for a coupon to redeem for a single-size package of M&Ms, Milky Way, Twix, Dove, Snickers, or 3 Musketeers!

If the site is too busy to load, come back in an hour or two. On the first day, I tried and tried right away in the morning, to no avail, but was able to get right in around noon and got my free chocolate. The second week I got right in and was done in about 15 seconds. There is a limit of one per email address per Friday, and an overall limit of 4 per household. So if your household has 4 email addresses, you could get all 4 of your candy bars in one day. If not, come back next week! They are giving away 250,000 coupons every Friday through September 25th! How sweet is that!?! :-)

May Week 3 Spending

I did my double coupon shopping yesterday and there were GREAT deals to be had! I hope a lot of you were able to get in on the action, too!

I just couldn't pass up all the free stuff, so I did 4 transactions. I know, call me crazy, but I had 20 coupons I wanted to double! I wanted to do more, but I really had to keep my spending in check. I'm just hoping some of the deals I had to pass up will come around again. And I'm sure they will! ;-)

Even though I spent over my $40 self-imposed challenge, I counted the trip a huge success because I was able to do 4 separate transactions and keep my coupons in order, AND I did it with 2 kids in tow in less than an hour! Praise the Lord, F fell asleep on my back in the Ergo and H was a super-shopper! I spent about an hour planning my transactions at home before I went. I had things all divided up so that each transaction would be between $26-$28 before coupons. After coupons, my totals were $6.42, $18.31, $13.66, and $14.84 for a grand total of $53.23 for 55 items. I saved $54.72 just in coupons!

Among my deals were free Mtn Dew, Wheat Thins, Triscuits, Crystal Light, and marshmallows, and $0.50 graham crackers and sliced cheese and $1 shredded cheese. I had free coupons for the Kashi waffles and Cascade Rinse Agent that I used to help me get to $25 for one of the transactions. I also got a free gallon of milk after buying 4 Tombstone pizzas. (The pictures aren't of the 4 transactions, it's just how I laid stuff out. One of the milk gallons leaked all over the Mtn Dew on the way home, which is why that picture was taken outside.)

Week 1:
Groceries: $38.36 (34 items)
Aldi: $14.77 (17 items)
Walgreens: $1.98
CVS: $0.71
Total: $55.82

Week 2:
Groceries: $51.03 (25 items)

Week 3:
Groceries: $53.23 (55 items)

May Total so far: $160.08 and only a week and a half left to go! Since I was hoping to save $50 of my $275 monthly household budget, I'm on track! Even though I've been spending an average of $50 a week on groceries, I've been saying no to Wags and CVS, which honestly hasn't been hard for me the past couple weeks, even with the $5/$25 coupon at Walgreens today. I'm just not a fan of the Register Rewards, so now that they don't have the rebates anymore, I probably won't shop there as much. I'd like to go to Target, but I've been hesitant because I have not had good luck there with coupons and have left empty-handed and flustered too many times. I know there are deals to be had, so we'll see if I get up the courage to go before the month is out.

What about you? How are you doing with your May savings goals? Are you on track? What are you doing to save? I'd love to hear an update, so please leave a comment!

Bargain Eyeglasses

If you are in the market for eyeglasses, you might want to consider 39dollarglasses.com or zennioptical.com (where glasses start at just $8 a pair!). Ted and I ordered ours from 39dollarglasses last year and they've been fine. I heard about Zenni later, and their glasses are cheaper and they have a much better selection. These options seem like a great way to go, especially for kids who might go through their glasses quickly. They have sunglasses, too!

If you end up ordering online, just have your doctor write down your prescription for you. It's really easy to fill things out online once you have your prescription.

Redbox Withdrawal?

Are you going through Redbox withdrawal? Sadly, Redbox has done away with Free Movie Mondays. But if you have your face fixed for a FREE movie, you can try one of these ongoing codes. I don't know if they are still working or not, but it's worth a try!

Ongoing codes: BREAKROOM or DVDONME or SHPNSVE2 or DVDATWAG (only good at Walgreens)

Unlike the free codes every Monday, these are ongoing codes that can be used any day. They can be used once per credit/debit card, so you can rent more than one for free by using different cards.

And if you haven't used Redbox yet, you can use code REDBOX* to try your first rental for free on any day that works for you!

*This code only works for first-time Redbox customers. If you have rented from Redbox before and want to try this code, you could try a different credit/debit card and email address.

Double Coupon Match-Ups

Wondering where to best use all those Kraft coupons? I have some match-ups here for ya! I'll list the regular price at my local grocery store, then the final price after doubling the coupon on Wednesday. Get all these items for $0.99 or less on double coupon Wednesday! Remember, you can only double 5 coupons per $25 transaction. I always split my groceries into at least 2 transactions so I can double more coupons. A tip to help you keep your 2 transactions separate: Put 2 grocery baskets inside your cart! Thanks, Caela!

**Note that all the final prices are after doubled coupon on Wednesday, so a $1 coupon will take off $2 (The BBQ sauce will only take off $1.69 since that is the regular price. The cream cheese will take off $1.98 since that is the regular price of 2 small bricks. They will only give overage if the item is on sale.)

$1 off Kraft BBQ sauce: $1.69= FREE

$1 off 2 Philadelphia Cream Cheese bricks: (small 3 oz bricks) $0.99= FREE

$1 off 2 Philadelphia Cream Cheese spread: $1.79= $0.79

$1 off 3 Jell-O Pudding or Gelatin boxes: $0.75-0.85= $0.25-0.55

$1 off Kraft Bagel-fuls: $2.55= $0.55

$1 off Premium Crackers: $2.29= $0.29

$1 off Nabisco 100 calorie packs: $2.29= $0.29

$1 off Velveeta Shells & Cheese or Kraft Deluxe Mac & Cheese: $2.29= $0.29

SALES THIS WEEK (prices after doubled coupons):

• Crystal Light Drink Mix 3/$6, use $1 off coupon= FREE!
• Triscuits and Wheat Thins, 5/$10, use $1 off coupon= FREE!
  
• Kraft Dressing 3/$4.98, use $1 off coupon to get $0.34 OVERAGE! (coupon will take off $2 when doubled, sale price is only $1.66!)
  
• Tombstone Pizza 4/$12, buy 4 and get a coupon for $3.50 off milk. DEAL: Use 2 $1 off 2 Tombstone coupons to pay $8, then get a coupon for $3.50 off a gallon of milk (it'll take off $3.50, so you will get overage on the milk.) = $4.50 for 4 pizzas and a gallon of milk!
  
• Oscar Mayer Hot dogs 2/$3, buy 2 and use $1/2 coupon= $0.50 per pack!
• Kraft Singles 2/$3, buy 2 and use $1/2 coupon= $0.50 per pack!
• Honey Maid Grahams 2/$5, use $1 off coupon= $0.50! (Sweeten the deal by bringing in the competitor's coupon for FREE Jet-Puffed Marshmallows when you buy 2 Honey Maid Grahams--our grocery store accepts this competitor's coupons!)
  
• Ritz Crackers 2/$5, use $1 off coupon= $0.50!
• Kraft Shredded, Chunk, etc. Cheese 2/$4, use $1/2 coupon= $1 per pack!
• Kraft Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise 2/$5, use $1 coupon= $0.50
  

Now my biggest problem is deciding which coupons to double this week! If you'd rather not bother with doubling coupons, or if your store doesn't double the $1 coupons, check out Money Saving Mom's list of match-ups at Walmart here, but don't assume that the prices will be better just because it is Walmart. Often, after doubling a coupon, the price will be lower at the local grocery store.

As usual, if you know of more match-ups, please leave a comment!

Like What You See?

Are you new here? Are you finding some things that are helpful to you? Consider subscribing to my blog so you don't miss a thing! You have two options for subscribing.

1. Under my family's picture on my blog, click on Subscribe to Mom For Him by Email. Enter your email address and the code and you will get an email from Feedburner asking you to complete your subscription. From then on, each day I post something new, it will get sent straight to your email! Email subscriptions usually go out mid-morning, once a day. If I post something in the afternoon, you'd get it the following day.
   
2. Set up Google Reader. This way you can manage all your blog subscriptions in one place! It's like a separate email box for your blogs. One benefit to this over the email subscription is that it automatically updates several times throughout the day so you won't miss a time-sensitive deal I might post in the afternoon.

Whatever you decide to do, know that I like having you around! Thanks for supporting my blog (by printing your coupons here!), and please let me know if there are specific questions you'd like me to answer. You can reach me at momforhim (at) gmail (dot) com.

You ate what?

Me: G, what did you have for snack at preschool?
G: I had a "Babyloney" sandwich! (pronounced like a combo of Babylon and baloney)
Me: (trying not to laugh) You had a what?
G: A "Babyloney" sandwich. You know, with meat, and cheese, and lettuce!

Chicken Pasta Bake

My Freezer Recipes post was a hit with many of you. It seems at least a few of you like to cook this way, making a big batch to freeze for later. Several people shared some YUMMY sounding recipes in the comments, so if you are looking for some freezer-friendly inspiration, check those out by scrolling down here. In the meantime, here's another freezer recipe for you to try!

Chicken Pasta Bake
1/4 cup onions, chopped
2 Tbls butter or margarine
1/4 cup milk
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups chicken (or turkey or ham), cooked and cubed
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 oz. pasta, any varieties
1/8 cup buttered bread crumbs

Prepare pasta according to directions. Brown onion in butter. Stir in soup, chicken, milk, and 3/4 cups cheese, heat until cheese melts. Blend sauce with cooked noodles (this is when I put it in a labeled freezer bag). Pour into buttered baking dish. Mix the remaining cheese and bread crumbs and place on top. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, or until hot.

May Week 2 Spending

Week 2:
Groceries: $51.03 (25 items)

I went over my $40 goal for groceries this week, but I didn't go to any other stores, so it should all even out at the end of the month (I hope!). The biggest purchase was the dry milk, which was $13.59 even on sale (ouch!). I use this to make our homemade hot chocolate mix, which Ted puts in his coffee every morning (cuts down on the Starbucks!) This size dry milk will make 6-7 batches, and each batch lasts him a month or two since he only uses a scoop at a time, so at least I won't have to buy it again for awhile!

Some good buys this week:

• McCain Smile Frozen Potatoes, FREE after $1 doubled coupon (June All You)
• 2-3 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese, FREE after $1 doubled coupon here
• Muir Glen diced tomatoes, better than FREE after $1 doubled coupon
• Fiber One yogurt, FREE after $1 doubled coupon
  
• SunChips, $1 after doubled coupon (April All You)
  
• 2-8-pks of Juicy Juice, $0.95 each after doubled coupon
• 4 Kellogg's Mini-Wheats, $0.50 per box after $1 doubled coupons

Other items were apples, pears, bananas, carrots, milk, chips, hamburger, garlic bread, and string cheese.

Total spending from Week 1 and Week 2: $106.85

CaringBridge

Do you know about CaringBridge? They provide free, personalized websites that support and connect loved ones during critical illness, treatment and recovery. I had used CaringBridge websites before to stay updated when some friends had a family member who was ill. It was nice to be able to know how to pray for them without having to get a personal update.

When my dad was diagnosed with cancer in February, a couple friends from church again mentioned CaringBridge and suggested I set up a website. I brought the idea up to my parents, and after telling them more about it, they agreed it would be a good idea to keep everyone updated. They didn't know then how much they would come to appreciate it.

I went to the website and was able to create a personalized site for my dad in just a few minutes for FREE! It is very user-friendly and easy to set up and manage. There is even a spot for photos and a guestbook for people to leave messages for the family. Having a central place for friends and family to leave notes of encouragement meant a lot to my family.

My mom says the website has been a god-send. They'd love to be able to keep everyone personally updated, but it just isn't feasible, so we've passed the address on to friends, family, people at work, and people at church. It saves them a lot of time that I can update one website and everyone gets the information right away. People can choose to have an email sent to them whenever I update the site, so they don't even have to remember to check it on their own! And CaringBridge has never sent me any spam.

If you ever know anyone who is hospitalized or has a critical illness, I highly recommend CaringBridge as a way to keep people connected. It is such a blessing.

Coupon Match-Ups

Did you print out all your coupons yet? Time to organize and strategize--how will you best use them? Here are a couple matches for our local grocery store on double coupon day, which is Wednesday. You can double 5 coupons per $25 order.

Our local grocery store has Kellogg's Cereal on sale 4/$10. Use $1 coupons to make these $0.50 a box on double coupon day, my price-point for cereal.



Jack's and Tombstone Pizzas are on sale 3/$9.99. Use $1/2 coupons here to make these $2.33 each on double coupon day. However, if you're willing to wait a little bit, Jack's often go on sale for 4/$10, so I'm going to wait a week or two.


Honey Maid Grahams are on sale for $2.99. Use $1 coupon to make these $0.99 on double coupon day! That's a great price for brand name graham crackers!




Bagel-Fuls are regularly priced at $2.55. Use $1 coupon to make these $0.55 on double coupon day! G and M are especially excited about these because they are a special treat ONLY when we have a coupon. I might wait a week or two to see if these go on sale, but $0.55 isn't a bad price if they don't.


When I go shopping tomorrow, I'll be on the lookout for more double coupon deals! Did you see any matches at any other stores?