Apr 29, 2009

Restaurant.com sale - 80% off!

Restaurant.com is having another 80% off sale! That means it's time to get those $25 gift certificates for just $2!

From the home page, you can search for restaurants by town or by zip code - choose your gift certificates and then enter the code LUCKY at checkout to get your discount! Many restaurants have restrictions so be sure to read the fine print.

I have used these as gifts and thank-you's, and it's nice to have a night out with my husband that doesn't break the bank!







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Apr 28, 2009

Menu Plan Monday - Apr 27th, '09

Getting back into the swing of cooking - between dealing with leftovers and the holiday meals, we hadn't had to cook as much in the last few weeks! Starting next month my weekly meals will include stuff that I have been making for the freezer over the last month - I'm anxious to see how it works out since I've never actually done Once a Month Cooking before!

Here's what's on our table, don't forget to visit I'm an Organizing Junkie for more menu ideas!

monday - Homemade pizza ($2.95 for 6-8 servings)

tuesday - Beef Enchiladas ($5.88 for 4-5 servings)

wednesday - Kielbasa & pasta supper ($3.10 for 6-8 servings)

thursday - Chipotle Ranch Chicken Drumsticks, veggies, sweet cornbread ($4.50 for 6-8 servings)

friday - Herb crusted pork roast, veggies, leftover cornbread ($3.94 for 4-6 servings)

saturday - Leftover night! Free!

sunday - Dinner at the In Laws! free!








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Stop & Shop Trip

I wasn't as impressed with Stop & Shop's sales this week, but I had several copies of coupons so I could do a little stocking up on frozen foods! The savings left me room to buy non-sale items (like the corn meal) and still come out ahead...

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Here's what I brought home:
2 Turkey Hill Iced Tea - 2/$4 (used $1/2 coupon)
8 Breyers half gallon ice cream - BOGO, or $2.50/ea (used 4 $1/2 coupons)
10 Green Giant fresh steamers veggies - BOGO, or $2/ea (used 10 $1/1 coupons)
1.55lb red grapes - $0.99/lb
5lb bag Hodgson Mill cornmeal - $3.49

Total Cost: $71.37
Store savings: $33.01
Coupon savings: $15.00
GRAND TOTAL: $23.36






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Shaw's trip

I haven't had one of these shopping trips in a LONG time - there were sales on good stockpile items AND I had multiple coupons! A friend sends me his extra coupon inserts once he's taken what he wants and I had as many as 12 copies of certain inserts to use. Shaw's once again had the better sales this week, and the savings showed!

I did learn a lesson today: Shaw's limits you to 6 double coupons in a transaction - so the coupons I used for the Whole Fruit Sorbets didn't all double as I had hoped...but I know to watch that for next time and split my transactions to make sure I get all my double coupons!


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Here's what I took home:

3.44lb bananas - on sale for $0.39/lb
2 bags Sunkist Almond Accents - BOGO(used one $0.50 coupon, PLUS the display had a tearpad with a $0.50 coupon!)
3 lbs cubed steak (on UNADVERTISED sale at $1.99/lb!)
2 cans Hunt's pasta sauce at $1.00 each
6 boxes Prince Pasta - 10/$10 (used $1/6 store printable)
9 Knorr/Lipton Rice Sides - 10/$10 (used 3 $1/3 coupons)
6 bottles Diet Coke - 10/$10
12 boxes Kelloggs cereal (Mini Wheats and Rice Krispies) - $2.50/ea (used 12 $1/1 coupons!)
14 Glaceau Vitamin Waters - 10/$10 (used 14 $1/1 coupons! Freebie!!)
5 Colombo yogurts - 10/$6 (used $1/5 coupon)
12 Whole Fruit sorbets - $2.99 (used 12 $0.75/1 coupons)
1 Quilted Northern Ultra Plush 12 dbl roll - $5.99 (used $1/1 coupon)
1 Brawny 8 roll paper towel - $5.99 (used $1/1 store printable)
2 Wrigley's gums - 10/$10 (used 2 FREE GUM coupons - FREEBIE!

Total: $216.08
Store savings: $84.93
Coupon savings: $53.50
GRAND TOTAL: $77.65
PLUS - I got a catalina for 2 free movie passes for buying the Kellogg's cereals, AND our Shaw's does a gas rewards program with the local stations - so I earned 2 free movie passes and $0.10/gallon off gas! That adds about $26 additional savings!!!







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Apr 26, 2009

Shaw's matchups 4/24-4/30

Assembled with a little help from Hot Coupon World!

Shaws is running another "Pick 4" promotion this week, on produce items this time - at 4/$7.99 that means you are paying $2 per item - the only items I felt were a good deal at this price were the Ocean Spray Craisins (great for baking or snacks!) and possibly the Naturally Fresh salad dressing (use the $1/1 coupon from 2/22 SS insert to get these for $1 apiece - coupon expires 4.27). But use your judgement and lowest prices for your area to make a final call!

Jennie-O Hotel style turkey breast - $0.99/lb (I have seen this go down to $0.79/lb but this is still a good price!)
Shaw's Shoulder Steak for London Broil - $1.89/lb (I would pick up two and have one cubed for beef stew)
Boneless center cut pork chops - $1.99/lb
- use $1 off wyb 3lbs or more store printable
Boneless half pork loin - $1.99/lb (have the butcher cut into a roast and some chops!)
Bananas - $0.39/lb (freeze some for bread and muffins!)
Shaw's Butter - $1.99/lb
Gold medal Flour 5lb - $1.89
Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite 2L - 10/$10
Hunt's Pasta Sauce - 10/$10

Wrigley's Gum - 10/$10
-use FREE gum (up to $1.19 value) coupon from 3/15 SS
Final price -FREE!

Glaceau Vitamin Water - 10/$10
- use $1/1 coupon from 4/5 SS
Final price - FREE!

Kraft Salad Dressing - 3/$5 ($1.67/ea)
- use $1.50/1 coupon from 3/2 SS (expires 4/29)
Final price - $0.17!

Sunkist Almond Accents BOGO
- use $0.50/1 coupon from 3/29 SS (should double)

Kellogg Cereals (Rice Krispies, Frosted Mini Wheat Bites, Frosted Flakes, Honey Smacks, Cocoa Krispies, Corn Pops, Fruit Loops, Apple Jacks) - 4/$10 ($2.50 ea)
- use $1/1 coupon from 4/5 RP
Final Price - $1.50.ea

Knorr Rice/Pasta sides - $10/$10
- use $0.75/2 coupon from 4/5 Unilever (should double)
Final Price - $0.25 ea!

Colombo Yogurt - 10/$6 ($0.60 ea)
- use $1/5 coupon from 4/26 SS
Get 5 for $0.40/ea

Prince Pasta - 10/$10
- use $1 off 6 store printable
Get 6 for $5, or $0.83/ea

Brawny 8 roll Paper Towels - $5.99
- use $1 off 1 store printable
Final Price - $4.99

Quilted Northern Ultra 12 Double Roll $5.99
- use $1/1 coupon from 4/26 RP
Final Price - $4.99 for 12 rolls

Bagel Bites 2/$4
- use $1/2 printable
Final Price - $1.50/ea

















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Stop & Shop matchups - 4/24-4/30

Assembled with help from Hot Coupon World!


White Gem boneless chicken breast - $1.79/lb
Perdue 93% lean ground turkey - $1.99/lb
Red seedless grapes - $0.99/lb

Green Giant Fresh Steamers - BOGO
- use $1/1 coupon from 4/5 SS
Final price will be $1 or less each!

Knorr Pasta Sides - 10/$10
- use $0.75/2 coupon from 4/5 Unilever (should double)
Final Price - $0.25 ea!

Breyers Ice Cream -BOGO
- use $1/2 coupon from 4/5 Unilever
Final Price - around $1.50 each

Turkey Hill chilled drinks 64 oz - 3/$5 ($1.67/ea)
- use $1/2 coupon from 4/5 RP
Final Price - $1.17 ea









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Apr 23, 2009

Budget Check-in and braineaters

I'll get to the braineaters thing in a minute :)

Did a check on the grocery budget for the month, and I'm actually doing a LOT better than I thought. TECHNICALLY I'm pretty over my budget goal, I ran the report today and we've spent $258 in groceries/supplies this month. I still have a week left and will probably have to pick up diapers before month's end, so I expect to be close to $300 for the month before we get to May....

HOWEVER - don't forget that this amount INCLUDES extra shopping that I've done for my Once a Month Cooking experiment - so while I am a bit over budget this month, I was really buying for TWO months...I did manage to get everything made for the freezer without killing myself so I will definitely be making up another OAMC plan for May cooking, but I won't have to buy nearly as much week-to-week stuff as I did this time around. It will take a few months to really see whether this method works for me budget-wise, but so far it's looking promising!

Now on to the fun stuff...

Hubby and the Boy Wonder went on an excursion to the Children's Museum in Easton, MA yesterday. The kids LOVED it there, they have a train setup right when you walk in the door so BW was hooked :) It's not as big as the Boston or Providence museums, but there's a ton to do and they could have stayed and played for the entire day if schedules had allowed...Hubby told me there were LOTS of activities for big and small kids, which will put this on our short list of field trips in the future.


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Anyway, apparently on the 2nd floor they have some neat play areas, including a doctors office and a luncheonette. My little man ran straight for the Doc's office (great, I thought! Med school here we come!) and grabs this:


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Yes. That is a pint-sized model of a human brain. And my darling little boy noshing on it like it's a ham sandwich. As hubby is telling me this, I am starting to wonder if maybe we shouldn't let him watch "Nightmare Before Christmas" anymore... Fine, he's eating a brain. A little oogy, but cute...until I find out that he took the brain with him to the next play station and hubby found him doing this:


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Oh boy. Waiting for the calls from DSS on this one. He actually brought it over to the luncheonette, grabbed a spatula, and went about making some fried brains. I SWEAR I have NEVER let this child watch Silence of the Lambs.

*sigh*

Think they've found the cure for the weirdo gene yet? Cause now I'm starting to worry about the baby-on-the-way...these two could rise up and kill us all....





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Apr 21, 2009

Free ice cream and cheap coffee today!

This is a coffee break dream :)

Today is Iced Coffee Day at Dunkin Donuts - Get a 50 cent iced coffee, and part of the proceeds will be donated to Homes for Troops! Find your local DD HERE

And if THAT wasn't enough...

Ben & Jerry's has declared today Free Cone Day! Visit your local Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop and get a free scoop of your favorite flavor. Use the Store Locator to find the nearest shop, and plan yourself a sweet treat!







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Apr 20, 2009

Free Movie Mondays!


Another free rental from Redbox! If you're new to it, just visit your local Redbox kiosk, hit the "rent with promo code" button to use the below code, choose your movie, swipe your card, and get a free rental for tonight only!

Code is good until Midnight tonight, and movie must be returned by 9pm on Tuesday to avoid being charged for an additional night. One use per credit/debit card. Today's code is:

M6FR97

visit Redbox.com to find a kiosk near you!







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Menu Plan Monday - Apr 20th, '09


It's finally starting to feel like Spring around here! (of course, in New England that's relative...what is it they say? If you don't like the weather, wait an hour...) It's been raining a bit, but days are definitely getting warmer and longer, and the Boy Wonder is glad to be able to get outside and play. A toddler with cabin fever is never a good thing :)

We are still working off some of the Easter leftovers, and while I might be getting tired of hard boiled eggs and ham it was nice not to have to cook as much last week. This week will be a bit more of the same, though I do need to make enough for dinner and lunches through the week as hubby is working a lot. I've been plugging away at the Once a Month cooking for next month, after tonight I should only have one dinner and one breakfast to make and freeze - it actually feels like there's been progress!

Here's our menu for this week - make sure you stop by Laura at I'm an Organizing Junkie to check out the many other menus posted!

monday - Leftover night! (free!)

tuesday - Easy Thai style chicken with couscous ($4.90 for 4-6 servings)

wednesday - Ham and Cheese omlettes with toast and fruit ($3.64 for 4 servings)

thursday - Beef and Biscuit bake ($6.31 for 6-8 servings)

friday - Homemade pizza ($2.54 for 6-8 servings(

saturday - Leftover night! (Free!)

sunday - Dinner at the in-laws! (Free)








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Apr 16, 2009

The Goodie Bag - early edition

Just a few freebies and a coupon for you!

Northern Cheapskate posted about some free online classes through HP - check it out!

Looking for recipes? Coupon Cravings posted 8 free recipe booklets you can request! I got the bread booklet from Fleischmann's.

Get a free DVD and pedometer from Just Keep Moving, a get-fit campaign sponsored by Tylenol (thanks to Coco at Frugal in Paradise!

Free 2-pack of Mr Clean Magic Eraser

Use this coupon for JCPenny Portaits and get either a free 8X10 with purchase of $3.99 portrait sheets, or the Traditional portrait package for $7.99. Sitting fees apply.



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