Sometimes you want what you want

I have made a real effort since I started couponing to use what I have on hand and cut back severely on the dining out.  Unfortunately, sometimes you just want what you want.  Trust me, I went to the grocery store on my way home to pick up bread (we're out) and blackberries (on sale).  Unfortunately, I forgot to set something out for dinner tonight and nothing I had on hand sounded good.  What did sound good were Steak-Um steak sandwiches and tater tots (for the kids, of course.)  Now when I came up with this brilliant plan, dead on my feet and hungry, I could have swore that the Steak-Ums used to come in a box of 6 servings for about $4-$5.  No longer; now it's the 16 serving box for $10.99!   Yeah, I bought it.  And I also bought rolls for $2.99 and tater tots for $2.07.  Not what I would call a great shopping trip but I really don't care.   It was still cheaper than going out and I refuse to deny myself or my family for the sake of a coupon.  Yes, I'm still going to save money every chance I get but I don't want my family to feel like we can't get something unless it's on sale.  So most nights, we'll eat what we have in the stockpile and freezer.  But, on the nights we're craving something different, we'll satisfy the craving (on the cheap, of course).

Cuisinart Portable Blender System Giveaway from Recipe Lion

 RecipeLion is giving away Cuisinart's 15-piece SmartPower Compact Portable Blending/Chopping System.

This compact kitchen gadget with a 350-watt motor, will save space in your kitchen and money in your wallet. Instead of purchasing ready-made smoothies, jarred salsas, pre-made shakes and blended cocktails, blend them up in Cuisinart's custom, portable containers--complete with lids.

The blender-chopping system includes a 32-oz. blender jar, 8-oz. chopping cup and a set of four 16-oz. travel cups, all shatter resistant and dishwasher safe. The Cuisinart gadget, with a stainless steel front panel and blades, has an electronic touchpad, a Standby mode and safety interlock and auto stop features, as well as a cord storage compartment at its base. 

You can enter daily thru April 17th HERE.  Good luck to everyone and let me know if you win!

I don't wanna...

Sometimes, I just don't want to think about couponing.  I really needed to get my Easter candy this weekend but I so didn't want to deal with it.  I started looking at the sales for Walgreens and Rite Aid yesterday in order to get an early start today.  Well, the early start went out the window when we stayed up until 1:00 a.m. watching TV.  I ended up going to Walgreens (Rite Aid is a 1/2 hour drive) and got a boatload of candy.  I'll get a picture and the details later...my TV is calling.  Here is the picture I promised you:

I got the following:

• 6 bags Whoppers Robins Eggs
• 2 cartons Reese's Pieces
• 2 Reese's Eggs King-size
• 4 Peeps 5-ct
• 4 Peeps Chocolate-covered Marshmallows
• 6 Dove small chocolate bunnies
• 14 Snickers creme eggs
• 3 Butterfinger creme eggs
• 3 chocolate bunnie pops
• 3 small bags Lifesaver jellybeans
• 2 bags Easter M&M's
• Bag Snickers minis
• Bag Milky Way minis

Not pictured:

• 3 Betty Crocker corn muffin mixes
• 3 Heinz white vinegar
• Biore Pore Strips
• Biore Cleanser

I paid $34.03 with tax for everything and received $5.00 in Register Rewards and $5.00 off my next Hershey's purchase.  For coupon match-ups and deals, check out http://wildforwags.com/.

Walgreens 4/6/2011

I don't get to Wags as much as I'd like to mainly because the stores by me are always cleared out of the weekly deals by Monday.  Yes, I could go Sunday morning but that's family time and I have my priorities.  Anyway, I went in yesterday to scope out the Easter candy prices and saw some awesome clearance items.  Naturally, I didn't have the coupons I needed so I went back first thing this morning. 

Here's the breakdown:

• 2 alli 60 ct regular price $45 marked down to $12.99 (used 2-$5/1 MQ)                                     final-$7.99 ea
• 2 Crayola Color Wonder Toy Story packs $6.99 clearance price $2.99 (used 2-$1/1 MQ)         final-$1.99 ea**
• 2 Crayola Color Explosion Monsters pack $6.99 clearance $2.99 (used 2-$2/1 MQ)                  final-$.99 ea**
• 3 Licensed Projecting Flashlights (Dora and Disney Princess) buy 2 get 1 free 3/$13.98                final-$4.66 ea**
• 2 Candy-filled Blackberry phones clearance $.57**
• 1 Almay Intense eye shadow $7.99 (all Almay 40% off=$4.79) used $2/1 MQ & in-store $2/1 at Cosmetics counter  final-$.79

Final Total was $37.85 before tax

I know my number of items listed to the ones pictured is off.  My wonderful co-worker who gives me her coupon inserts every week needed items for her granddaughter for Easter.  Since her granddaughter is the same age as my daughter, it's easy for me to pick stuff up when there's a good deal going on.  She got one of each of these (**) items listed above.  She did reimburse me the $8.00 for them.

I haven't tried the alli yet but I'm willing to give it a try for that price.  If anyone has used it, please let me know how you liked it.

Safeway 3/29

   Now, if you're a big fan of Safeway, pay attention because you probably won't see alot of posts for them.

   I'm not a great fan of Safeway since they quit accepting e-coupons.  Also, the two stores in my area constantly seem to screw up my coupons.  I could understand if I was handing them 50 coupons but we're talking 10-12 and they can never seem to get it right.  Now, on this trip I had an awesome cashier named Kevin who may just win me back over-but, it's still too early in the relationship to tell.

   Okay, enough of me venting and on to the trip.  Here's what I got:

• 10 Banquet Dinners 10 for $10 (used 5-$.50/2 MQ doubled)
• Tony's frozen pizza $2.79 (used free product coupon from Tony's 99 Days of More contest)
• Freschetta frozen pizza $5.99 (used in-ad cpn $3.99 each and $1/1 MQ)
• In-ad coupon for $5 off $15 of frozen foods
• $1.25 catalina from previous shopping trip

Final cost: $1.74 tax $.32 = $2.06

There were also $4.00 of coupons in the box.  Here is a list of the coupons inside.  They expire 5/31/12.

25 cents off 1 Banquet homestyle bakes
40 cents off when you buy 2 Banquet fruit pies
50 cents off 1 Banquet boneless chicken bag
$1 off when you buy 2 Act popcorn's (3ct or larger)
$1 off when you buy 2 Crunch N Munch (12oz or larger)
50 cents off when you buy 2 Chef Boyardee big can varieties
35 cents off 1 Hunts ketchup(24 oz or larger)

(thanks to Coupon Cougar) for the list of coupons

Hi, my name's Amy and I'm a dork.

Okay, so I'm a dork and I admit it.  I love reading blogs and all of the couponing websites, no biggie right?  I leave comments and enter the contests and giveaways, again, no biggie.  But, I can't tell you how excited I get when one of my comments gets recognized or I win a coupon booklet.  Case in point, and reason for my admission, becentsable.net is currently asking for tips from readers on "Spring Fashion on a Budget" and guess whose tip is featured today...MINE!  You can go here http://www.becentsable.net/2011/04/spring-fashion-on-a-budget-tip-from-a-reader.html/ to check me out in all my glory.  If you like to leave comments too, go for it!  I love reading the comments, too.

King Soopers Mega Event - Saved over 75%

One of the big things to make me a believer when I first started couponing was the Mega Events at King Soopers.  The current $5 off wyb 10 participating items Mega Event did not disappoint.  I made four different trips to get all the groceries shown here:

Here's a quick listing of how I did it.  The prices listed are after the $5.00 deduction off 10 or $.50 per item.

• 40 boxes pasta/noodles $.49  used (20) $1/2
• 3 Wholly Queso(1not shown) $3  used (3) $1.50/1
• 6 Wholly Salsa (2 not shown) BOGOF $2.99 used (3) free salsa wyb queso and (3) $1.50/1
• 9 Classico Sauces $2.49 used (3) free Red sauce wyb 2 White sauces
• 3 1-lb rolls of hamburger $2.68 used (3) $1 off wyb 2 Classico sauces
• 10 Michelina Lean Gourmet entrees $.88 used (2) $1/5
• Smucker Snak'n Waffles $2.99 used $1/1 & $1/1 e-cpn
• Tropicana OJ $2.49 used $1/1
• Eggo breakfast pizza $2.24 used $.50/1
• Kroger sour cream $1.25-we were out
• Revlon emery boards $1.49 used $2/1
• 3 Oscar Mayer hot dogs $1.49-only kind my kids will eat, my fault
• 2 Bumble Bee tuna pouches $.49
• 1 Bumble Bee Albacore pouch $3.49-grabbed by mistake
• Sandwich buns $1.29
• Wonder bread $2.19
• M&M's $.50 treat for good behavior
• Donut $.59 bribe

Total before coupons and discounts $214.18 final total with tax = $51.44