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Shared Jul 10, 2013 comment

Ask The Readers: Can I take advantage of text & mobile coupon offers without a smartphone?

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 10, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s question is from Kimber:

My old phone is about to bite the dust and I am thinking about replacing it with a smart phone so I can take advantage of some of the awesome deals I’m seeing (like mobile coupons and Cartwheel).

My question is, if I get a smartphone without a data plan, can I still take advantage of the text and mobile coupon offers? Can I use wifi in the stores to pull up whatever info I need? I am pretty clueless about technology and would appreciate any tips! -Kimber

Do you have a question you’d like to ask Money Saving Mom® readers? Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.

Shared Jul 10, 2013 comment

Kroger to Acquire Harris Teeter Stores

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 10, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

For those who haven’t heard, Kroger announced yesterday that they will be buying all the Harris Teeter stores.

While this will likely mean no more double and triple coupon events, the good news is that Kroger does regularly offer some great Mega Event sales and loss leader deals.

What do you think? Will this mean better deals or are you really disappointed about this change?

Shared Jul 9, 2013 comment

Be Present in Your Children’s Lives… It’s One of the Best Gifts You Can Give Them!

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 9, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Last night, Kathrynne and I went to Dillon’s together to do some grocery shopping. It’s been awhile since just the two of us have gone grocery shopping together and we had a lot of fun scouting out deals, evaluating options, and picking the best values.

I let her help me figure out which items were the best bang for our buck — and a few times she came up with even better options than I’d thought of in the first place. On the way home, we talked more about money and stewardship and why we’ve made the choices we have with our finances.

All of this took time and energy — something I was feeling short on last night. Truth be told, I was planning to just rush to the store by myself after Jesse got home, get the items on my list, and get home as quickly as possible.

But if I had done that, I would have missed out on such a great teaching opportunity — and the special blessing of quality time and a heart-to-heart talk with Kathrynne. I’m so glad I said “yes” when she asked if she could come with me as I was getting ready to walk out the door.

The cherry on top was Kathrynne telling me when we were almost home, “I think you do a really good job of teaching me to be wise with money.”

I don’t always take the time like I did last night. It’s easier to do things myself instead of letting the kids work and learn alongside me. It takes extra effort to let them help — and when they are toddlers it really isn’t “help” at all.

There are times when I don’t capitalize on teaching opportunities. There are times when I get frustrated at my childrens’ constant questions. There are many times when I set a poor example before my children and have to ask their forgiveness.

But when I do take the time to really listen and engage them in discussions, to invite them to join in with whatever I’m doing, to welcome their questions, and to let them learn alongside me, it’s always worth it. And those are the moments that really matter… much more than whatever seems so “pressing” right then.

So I’m challenging myself (and encourage you moms to join me in this challenge, too): let’s be more present in our childrens’ every day lives. In 25 years from now, we won’t regret it.

Shared Jul 9, 2013 comment

Pinterest Experiment: Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Cup

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 9, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I find a lot of great ideas on Pinterest… but pinning something doesn’t do anything unless I actually, you know, try the idea. So I thought it’d be fun to challenge myself to do at least one Pinterest experiment every week — and blog my results.

I can’t promise that I’ll always have a Pinterest Experiment post up each week, because you know how I sometimes get distracted or on blog tangents. But I’m at least going to try. By the way, you can follow my Pinterest account here, if you’re interested.

I promised to tell you how the Cookie in a Cup Experiment went… and I’m happy to report that it was a success.

It was super easy to whip up. It probably took me about 3 minutes from start to finish.

It turned out beautifully and tasted delicious. Though I have to say that it would have been even better with a big scoop of ice cream.

One thing I loved about this recipe is that it just makes a small amount — the perfect little dessert to share amongst two people (especially if you have that ice cream!). It doesn’t make much of a mess. It doesn’t heat up your house. And you don’t have three dozen cookies sitting around begging to be eaten later in the day. 🙂

I definitely liked this recipe better than the Chocolate Chip Cookies for Two recipe I made not too long ago. But if you want to make a larger batch of cookies ahead of time and aren’t worried about them disappearing and don’t mind using your oven, I highly recommend this Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie recipe.

Recipe link: Chocolate Chip Cookie in a Cup

Want to see what ideas I’m thinking of trying next? Check out my Recipes I Want to Try board and my Do It Yourself board for things I’m considering trying next.

Have you tried any ideas or recipes you’ve found on Pinterest this week? If so, how did they turn out for you?

Shared Jul 9, 2013 comment

Gretchen’s $43 Grocery Shopping Trip and Weekly Menu Plan

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 9, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Aldi

1 Cauliflower – $1.69

2 Strawberries – $0.99 each

1 gallon Milk – $1.99

1 Corn Chips – $0.99

1 Blueberries – $1.69

Total with tax (7.3%) – $8.94

Dillons

Items a part of the Mega Sale (Buy 10, Get $5 off instantly):

4 Hefty Slider Bags – $0.99 each, used 2 $1/2 printable (no longer available) – $0.49 each after coupons

4 Schick Quattro Razors – $4.49 each, used 2 Buy One Get One Free coupon from the 6/30 SmartSource insert (took off $6.39 each) AND used $3/1 coupon from the 5/19 SmartSource insert AND used $2/1 coupon from the 6/23 SmartSource insert – $0.04 each after coupons

2 Town House Pita Crackers – $1.99 each, used 2 $0.70/1 printable (doubled to $1) – $0.99 each after coupons

Other Deals:

1 Kroger Frozen Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts – $6.98

2 Alexis Frozen Sauté Reds – Marked down to $1.05, used 2 $1/1 printable (no longer available) – $0.05 each after coupons

1 Rice Dream – $2.29, used $1/1 mailer coupon – $1.29 after coupon

1 Green Pepper – $0.69

1 Filippo Olive Oil – $5.89, used $1/1 printable – $4.89 after coupon (It’s hard to find a good deal on olive oil. I wish I could find it cheaper somewhere.)

1 Lance XtraFulls Peanut Butter Crackers – $2.99, used $2.78/1 printable (my cashier went ahead and took off $2.99) – Free after coupon

1 Celery – $0.99

0.68 lbs Green Beans @ $1.69/lb – $1.15

2.23 lbs Bananas @ $0.52/lb – $1.16

1 Romaine Lettuce – $0.99

0.54 lbs Roma Tomatoes @ $0.99/lb – $0.53

2 Annie Ramen Noodles – Marked down to $0.99, used 2 $1/1 printable – Free after coupons

1 Bear Valley Cereal – $2.49

1 Kroger Natural Peanut Butter – $2.57

1 Kroger Just Fruit Jelly – $2.29

Total before sales and coupons: $92.66

Total with tax (7.3%) after sales and coupons: $34.44

Total for all grocery items: $43.38

Menu Plan for this Week

Breakfasts

Oatmeal, Cereal, Toast, Bananas

Lunches

Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Leftovers, Homemade Macaroni & Cheese, Tuna Sandwiches, Veggies & Fruit

Dinners

Chicken Tetrazzini, Tossed Salad

BBQ Meatballs (My parents gave us several pounds of grass-fed ground beef over the weekend!), Sautéed Green Beans, Biscuits, Strawberries

Baked Potato Bar, Tossed Salad, Sliced Oranges (I have a few leftover from the past 2 weeks grocery shopping trips.)

Chicken & Rice Casserole, Steamed Broccoli, 30-Minute Rolls

Haystacks, Corn Muffins, Steamed Cauliflower

Pancakes, Eggs, Fruit

Out to eat

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Shared Jul 9, 2013 comment

Jessica’s CVS Trip: 13 items for just $0.45 out of pocket!

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 9, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

The following is an email I received from Jessica who blogs at This Blessed Life:

I just wanted to share with you (and your readers) how helpful I’ve found your site throughout different phases of my life! I first started following you back in 2007, when I was a new wife with a lot of time on her hands after work to cut coupons, look for deals, and plan my store trips.

Fast forward six years and I’m now a stay-at-home mom (still faithfully reading MoneySavingMom.com!) with a preschooler and an infant. My daughter was born in January with a lot of health problems, and while she is doing fine now, I still haven’t fully gotten back into my “coupon groove” like before.

Honestly, I just don’t have the time or desire right now to bring both of my kids to lots of stores and search out the best deals! As they get older, shopping will get easier, but right now what works for me is to focus on the local grocery store and CVS with the occasional Aldi or Target trip thrown in.

I’ve learned that it definitely doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Saving my family some money is better than not saving any money at all!

That said, every week I faithfully scan your CVS match-ups to see what deals I can do there. After I read your match-ups for inspiration and printable coupon links, I go ahead and look at the weekly ad online to see if there’s anything else there that interests me.

Two weeks ago you posted an amazing diaper deal that resulted in $12 Extra Bucks back when you spent $30 on diapers and wipes. I used your match-ups and printable internet coupons (doesn’t get any easier than that!) to purchase the diapers and wipes, netting me $12 ECB to roll toward this week’s deal. I was pretty happy with my out-of-pocket expense!

CVS Shopping Trip

Scott toilet paper – $7.77
4 boxes of Kleenex – $.99 each
5 cans of Bumble Bee tuna – $.77 each
Old Spice deodorant – $2.67
CVS baby wipes – $2.99
Rolo candy bar (filler item) – $1.19

I used my $12 EB from two weeks ago and stacked it with:

– $4/$20 CVS purchase, via e-mail {I signed up for CVS e-mails ages ago, thanks to your tip!}
– $6 ECB from nearly a month ago that I meant to use on the diaper deal but couldn’t find it at the time. Whoops! 🙂

My subtotal after the coupons was just $.43, with $.02 CT tax on top of that.

So everything in the picture above was just forty-five cents! PLUS my quarterly EB printed out from the coupon machine, giving me $2.50 to work with next week.

Are these items at rock-bottom prices? Definitely not. And I didn’t use a single coupon other than CVS coupons. But they were all true necessities for us this week (well, except for the Rolos – those were just filler and made my husband happy!), and doing easy deals like this at CVS is what works best for my situation right now.

And for less than two quarters?! Yes, please! 🙂

Jessica is a former elementary music teacher who is now a stay-at-home mom (and wife!). She is passionate about Jesus, her family, healthy eating, adoption, Starbucks coffee, decorating on a dime, and thrifting like it is her job. (If only!) You can catch Jessica at her blog, This Blessed Life.

Have you gotten a great deal thanks to a tip you’ve found here on MoneySavingMom.com? Take a picture of your deal/purchase and write a short post on the deal details and submit it here. If your submission is chosen to be posted, I’ll send you a $25 Amazon gift card! Note: the more creative, unique, and well-written your post, the more chance it will have of being posted.

Shared Jul 9, 2013 comment

Kroger Central Region Ending Double Coupons

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 9, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I shared happy news about Aldi carrying organic, grass fed beef earlier today and I wish I had more happy news to share. But unfortunately, this piece of news isn’t so exciting…

Kroger Central Region (stores in Indiana, Illinois, some stores in Missouri, Michigan, and Ohio) will be ending their Double Coupon program as of July 31, 2013.

There are still many ways to save without double coupons. Be sure to check out the series I ran on this topic called In the Land of No Double Coupons.

Thanks, For the Mommas!

Shared Jul 9, 2013 comment

Do It Yourself: Embellished Flip Flops

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 9, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

PinkWhen.com shows you how to make your own embellished flip flops.

Do you have a fun and frugal DIY idea to share? I’d love to hear about it! Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.

Shared Jul 9, 2013 comment

Aldi Begins Selling Organic Grassfed Beef ($4.49/lb.)

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 9, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Erin from The Humbled Homemaker emailed me some exciting Aldi news this morning. She said:

According to my Aldi ad, they will be offering some organic specials again starting Wednesday, July 10–and this time around they will also carry organic, grassfed beef for $4.49/lb. and antibiotic-free chicken for $2.99/lb.!!

You’ll also want to check out Erin’s post on buying Whole Foods at Aldi and what she recommends that you purchase at Aldi.

Shared Jul 8, 2013 comment

This Week’s Really Simple Menu

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 8, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Well, I hardly ended up doing much of any baking last week. Our A/C has been having some issues which has meant we’re not running it as much until we can get it fixed. Even though it was a cooler week last week, I still wasn’t feeling in the mood for heating up the house any more than it already was!

{As an aside, if you’re experiencing a/c problems or have no a/c or just need a great reminder of how blessed we are, be sure to read Amy’s post called Ninety-Four Degrees. Such good food for thought!}

So I think I’m going to probably postpone most baking ideas for now… but Fall will be here before we know it!

Breakfasts

Oatmeal, Omelets, Cereal, Eggs, Peanut Butter Toast, and/or Fruit

Lunches

Mac & cheese, fruit
Snack-y lunch {Veggies, cheese, yogurt, fruit, crackers}
PB&J, carrot sticks, apples
Cheese quesadillas, carrot sticks
Leftovers x 3

Snacks

Fruit/veggies
Popcorn
Boiled eggs
Smoothies

Dinners

Breakfast for dinner: Pancakes, scrambled eggs, fruit
Salad with sliced chicken (baked in the crockpot) and cheese, fruit
Grilled fish, mashed potatoes, steamed veggies, fruit
Hamburgers, steamed veggies, mashed potatoes, fruit salad
Dinner on the road — sandwiches, chips, fruit, carrots
Dinner out x 2 {While we’re traveling.}

What’s on your menu this week? Tell us in the comments or leave a link to your menu plan post.

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Shared Jul 8, 2013 comment

8 goals for this week

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 8, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Last week’s goals:

Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals

1. Read three chapters of The Trumpet of the Swan to the children. Read three chapters of Number the Stars with Kathrynne, read five chapters of A Nest for Celeste with Kaitlynn, read a few picture books with Silas.

~~2. Write a love note to Jesse.~~

~~3. Spend intentional time just playing and having fun with the kids every day.~~

Personal Goals

~~4. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-17.~~

~~5. Exercise six times.~~ Run 10 miles total.

6. Finish The Charge, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, ~~The Resolution for Women~~, Hidden Places, and I Still Believe.

7. Get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night. {Did this all but two nights!}

Homemaking Goals

~~8. Work for 30 minutes on my embroidery project.~~

Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals

1. Finish reading The Trumpet of the Swan to the children. Read three chapters of Viking Adventure with Kathrynne, finishing reading A Nest for Celeste with Kaitlynn, read a few picture books with Silas.

2. Write a love note to Jesse.

3. Go on an overnight trip as a family.

Personal Goals

4. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-18.

5. Exercise six times. Run 10 miles total.

6. Finish The Charge, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Hidden Places, and I Still Believe.

7. Eat 7 servings of fruits & veggies every day.

Homemaking Goals

8. Work for 30 minutes on my embroidery project.

How did you do on last week’s goals? What are your goals for this week? I’d love to have you share your progress on last week’s goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Of, if you’ve blogged about it, leave your direct link below. Let’s cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives!

You can download a free customizable weekly goal-planning sheet here.

Shared Jul 8, 2013 comment

Gretchen’s CVS Shopping Trip: $0.20 out of pocket for $31+ worth of products!

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 8, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

CVS Shopping Trip

5 Pantene Shampoo/Conditioner – $3.50 each
Used 2 Buy One Get One Free coupons from the 7/7 P&G insert (took off $4.99 per coupon)
And used $3/$15 of shampoo/conditioner CVS coupon from the coupon machine

2 Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste – $3.74 each
Used 2 $0.75/1 coupons from the 7/7 P&G insert

2 Covergirl Eye Shadow at $3.99 – On Sale Buy One Get One 50% off
Used 2 $1.50/1 coupon from the 7/7 P&G insert

1 Dawn Dish Soap – $0.97
Used $0.25/1 coupon from the 7/7 P&G insert

Used $4/$20 CVS coupon I received in my email inbox

And used $12 ECBs from my last shopping trip

Total before coupons and ECBS: $31.93

Total plus tax (7.3%) after coupons and ECBs: $0.20 PLUS received $10 ECBs (for buying over $30 in participating P&G products)

Shared Jul 8, 2013 comment

How I Simplified Grocery Shopping and Lost Ten Pounds

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 8, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Guest post from Kelsie of Pink and Rick

I hate shopping for groceries. I dread how much time it takes and how many decisions I have to make. Even if I make a plan and a list, I still hate it. My hatred doesn’t even stop when the trip is over. Afterward, I feel guilty if we waste anything!

And, I have another problem. After I got married, I put on fifteen (okay, 20!) pounds. Practically as soon as I said, “I do.” I wish I could remember what I was eating, because I was clearly having a good time!

My biggest downfall is my sweet tooth. Actually, it’s a sweet fang. Really, it’s a carb fang. I love all carbs. I could care less about eating meat, as long as I have breads and sugars.

I usually look at problems like weight gain or my hatred of buying groceries as separate problems, but this time, I decided to tackle them together. So, I started looking around for something that would help me lose weight AND simplify my shopping trip.

I started doing some research on different diets, and kept reading about how carbs spike your blood sugar then you feel hungry faster. Every day I felt hungry around 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. so I figured I needed to get my carb fang under control. So, I jumped head first into low-carb diet land.

Fast forward a few months and I haven’t lost all my marriage weight, but I’m down ten pounds. And, by cutting out lots of carbs, my shopping trip is less annoying. I love the simplicity. I buy the same foods every time, so I don’t have to think or plan my meals out. I hit up produce, meat, dairy, nuts, and a few other aisles, and I’m ready to go.

Most of the time people look at their problems as separate and unrelated, but I think our issues are sometimes connected to each other. And, if you can combine two related problems, it can really help motivate you. For instance, my hatred for the grocery store helps me stick to my diet because I don’t have to spend my time wandering down every aisle making decisions.

This post isn’t to convince you to start a new diet. It’s not to convince you to simplify your grocery shopping trip. I just hope to encourage you to take two of your problems/annoying issues and try and see if they’re related. If so, you may be able to find one solution that solves them both.

Have you ever combined multiple problems to find one good solution?

Hi, my name is Kelsie, and I blog at PinkandRick.com. I love to write about goals, finances, and my dogs, Pink and Rick. I started blogging because my dogs act crazy, and my family wanted to see pictures. Now, I’m hooked. I’m always looking for great blogs to read, so if you have time please drop by or leave a comment, and let me know where I can read about your life.

photo source

Shared Jul 8, 2013 comment

Swagbucks Paid for our Carpet Cleaner

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 8, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

Today’s Swagbucks success story is from Lori:

I have been using Swagbucks for a few years now, but for much of that time, I wasn’t hardcore about it. I would watch a video here and there and get a few bucks a day for searching.

However, when I decided that I wanted to save up my Swagbucks for Amazon gift cards to purchase a carpet cleaner, I decided to invest at least one hour a day into it, sometimes even more time at night when the kids were in bed.

Some of the fastest ways to earn Swagbucks were:

Complete Surveys – I would aim to complete one or two a day. Most surveys are worth at least 50 Swagbucks.

Swagbucks Mobile TV – I downloaded the app on my smartphone and would run the mobile tv until I reached my daily 50 points limit.

Watch Swagbucks TV – I would watch videos at night.

Print all coupons from coupons.com thru Swagbucks – you earn 10 bucks every time a coupon is redeemed.

Daily Meter Goal – Swagbucks has a reward program where you have a daily goal and if you meet that goal daily for a week, a month, etc, you earn an extra bonus. For example, if I met my daily goal 30 days in a row, I would earn a monthly bonus of 300-500 extra Swagbucks.

There are so many ways to earn on Swagbucks and with putting in an hour every day, it didn’t take me long to earn enough to pay for our brand-new carpet cleaner!

This year, I am saving up for Christmas — my goal is to not spend any money on Christmas gifts!

Have you saved up and purchased something using your Swagbucks? If so, you could get a $50 gift card just for sharing your Swagbucks success stories with MoneySavingMom.com readers!

Shared Jul 8, 2013 comment

Being debt-free is such a blessing when unexpected expenses arise

Published: by Crystal Paine on July 8, 2013 | This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

I received this email from Debra recently and I thought it might encourage some of you. Her email shows how working hard to become debt-free can really pay off when you have unexpected expenses and opportunities arise:

About three months ago, my husband and I reached our goal of being debt-free — with the exception of our mortgage. We had three+ months salary in a savings account, and a small amount in a car savings account. We were so relieved and proud of our hard work and sacrifice to reach these goals.

Then, over the twelve weeks that followed, we were challenged financially by some unexpected blessings and expenses.

Our 1st expense:

We were notified by the state that our name had been drawn out of a lottery to receive state funding for a safe room (storm shelter). This was a blessing because living in Oklahoma and not having a cellar or safe room meant worrying every time tornado season rolled around.

The funding would pay a little less than half of the cost of the safe room. So we proceeded with purchasing the safe room, tapping into our savings just a bit. What a blessing is was to have the shelter during the month of May; it was rough here in Oklahoma!

Our 2nd expense:

Our church was sending a group to Russia for a mission trip and both my husband and I felt like he should go. The cost of a ten-day trip to Russia including all air and land expenses was a hefty one.

Without fear we proceeded forward, knowing God was calling him. While saving up in the weeks prior to the trip, an anonymous donor paid $1,000 of each team members expenses; about 1/3 of the total cost. What a blessing!

Our 3rd expense:

We had our van in the shop, undergoing several repairs to the tune of $900. On the way to pick up the van, in my husband’s car, we were hit from the behind. The impact pushed us into the truck in front of us — so our car had rear AND front end damage.

The car was over 10 years old and had very high mileage, so the insurance company totaled it. We weren’t ready to purchase another car and were worried that even with the insurance money we wouldn’t have enough to purchase another vehicle with cash only.

We prayed that God would lead us to the right vehicle and He did. We were able to purchase a used small crew cab truck for my husband paying cash; using the insurance money, car savings fund and a little from our checking account.

All of this has taught us to be faithful and patient and in each situation God worked out a way for us to pay cash!

Debra is a stay-at-home mom and mother to three boys; Kalen age 10 and Jordan and Josiah (twins) age 5. She does some contract work from home and teaches a few fitness classes each week at my gym. She is passionate about being frugal and saving money.

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Aldi

Dillons