Saving Families Money Since 2007
Today’s question is from Julia:
My husband just changed jobs and we found out the hard way that our new insurance has little to no prescription coverage. So I’m wondering, how do you save on monthly prescriptions without insurance? -Julia
Do you have a question you’d like to ask Money Saving Mom® readers? Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.
Walgreens Shopping Trip
2 Caress Body Wash at $4.99 – On Sale Buy One Get One 50% off
Used 2 $2/1 coupon from the 10/13 RedPlum insert2 Gain Dish Detergent – Marked down to $0.50 each
Used 2 $0.25/1 coupon from the 9/15 RedPlum insert1 LED Pumpkin Key Chain – Marked down to $0.25 (filler item)
Used $2 Register Rewards from last shopping trip
Total before coupons, sales and Register Rewards: $14.97
Total with tax ($0.62) after coupons, sales and Register Rewards: $2.85 AND received 2,000 Balance Reward points (for buying 2 Caress) – like $2
See the full list of deals at Walgreens this week here.
Every week in 2013, I’ll be sharing a different way you can save $100 this year. If you do all of these things, you’ll be able to save over $5,000 this year alone! Many of these things will likely be things you’re already doing, but hopefully all of you will pick up at least a few new ideas or some inspiration from this series.
This isn’t exactly a post on how to save $100, but it’s certainly a way to clear out some clutter and make $100 (or more) in cash fairly quickly!
No matter how hard I try to keep clutter at bay, it constantly seems to be creeping and seeping into our home when I’m not looking. And that’s why I have to regularly go through our home and clear out the clutter — lest it take over!
Here are five questions I always ask when I’m clearing out clutter:
Do I Need This Item?
Need is the keyword here. If you could live without the item, than you likely don’t.
I’m not saying you can only have two outfits and one pair of shoes, but the exercise of objectively considering how much of the stuff you have is something you need for survival can help change your perspective on your stuff.
Do I Regularly Use This Item?
If you only use something once every six months, get rid of it. Christmas decorations are exempt, but if you have a food dehydrator lurking in a basement corner that you’ve only used once in the last ten years, you either need to pull it out and start using it or find a better home for it — preferably someone else’s home.
Do I Like This Item?
Sometimes, it is easy to keep clutter just because we always have. It becomes a part of our home without us ever examining whether it is a useful part or something we like and use. If it’s doing nothing for you and you don’t even like it in the first place, pitch it!
Is This Item Taking Up Space I Don’t Have?
Many people feel like they need a bigger home or apartment for all their stuff, but most people just need less stuff. When my husband and I first got married, we spent the first six months living in a one-bedroom apartment with one closet.
Where would we put the vacuum, or the suitcase? We made use of all our available room, from under the bed to under the bathroom sink, and learned an invaluable lesson: the less space you have, the less stuff you need.
Could I Bless Someone Else With This Item?
One of my favorite ways to “dispose” of items I no longer love, need or use is to share them with someone who will! Not only do I get the item off my hands, but I bless someone else in the process — and likely save them money, too!
Now, I am not advocating that you go dump of ten bags of junk on your friend’s doorstep, but if you know your friend could use some diapers and you have half a box that your son outgrew, stop letting them take up space in the nursery and ask your friend if she’d like them!
Need some inspiration for more clutter-free living? Read How I Keep My Kitchen Countertops Cleaned Off.
Once you’ve cleared out the clutter, it’s time to turn that clutter into cash. Here are three ways to do that?
List It On Craigslist
If you live in a large metropolis, your local Craigslist is likely hopping with potential buyers. Take good pictures, use descriptive words, only include your email address (there are weirdos on the internet; no need to give them your home phone number!) and list your item reasonably.
Chances are, finding a buyer will be fairly simple. Best of all? If the item doesn’t sell, you’re out nothing but time and effort.
Craigslist is a great place to sell almost anything, but I’d especially recommend using it for selling exercise equipment, appliances and baby items.
Sell It On eBay
eBay may be a great option, but as it is so well-known, the market is often saturated. Before listing any items on eBay, do a search to see if an item you are considering selling on eBay is actually selling. If there are dozens of listings of your item and very few bids, you’re probably going to do much better selling your item elsewhere.
I personally have had success with selling items as “lots” as opposed to individually. This is a quick way to get rid of a lot of items at once. It will save you the time and energy of taking pictures and listing each thing separately and you’ll likely get more bidders. Make sure that you do have a few items in the lot that are hot sellers, use descriptive keywords in your title and listing, and take at least one or two high-quality pictures.
Consign It
Consignment stores normally specialize in selling name brand used clothing. Children’s consignment stores also sell baby items, maternity clothes, toys and more.
There are at least one or two (or more!) available in most areas. All consignment stores have their own rules and guidelines, but most have you bring your unwanted clothes to them and they’ll either pay you upfront in cash or store credit. Or, they’ll display the items in their store and then pay you a percentage of the profit if it sells.
Depending upon what items you have, what condition they are in and what brands they are, this could be an excellent opportunity for you. I’d recommend calling around to local consignment stores to see what their rules and guidelines for accepting items are and how much they pay.
CVS Shopping Trip
2 Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste – $2.99
Used $1.50/2 coupon from recent mailer (There is also a $0.50/1 coupon from the 9/30 P&G insert.)3 CVS Flavor Chews – $0.99 each
1 CVS Bandages (60 ct) – $1.67 (I cut my finger this week and we didn’t have any band-aids in our house!)
1 Candy Corn – $0.99
Used $10 ECBs from previous shopping trip
Total before coupons, sales and ECBs: $17.32
Total with tax ($0.83) after coupons, sales and ECBs: $0.94, AND received $2.97 ECBs (for buying 3 Flavor Chews) and $4 ECBs (for buying 2 Crest toothpastes)
If you do not have any ECBs but want to copy the ECB deals in this shopping trip, you can break it into 3 transactions and spend a lot less out of pocket. Here’s an example of how it would work:
Transaction #1
Buy 1 Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste – $2.99
Use $0.50/1 coupon from the 9/30 P&G insert
Pay $2.49 plus tax out of pocket, Get $2 ECBs
Transaction #2
Buy 1 Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste – $2.99
Use $0.50/1 coupon from the 9/30 P&G insert
And use $2 ECBs from transaction #1
Pay $0.49 plus tax out of pocket, Get $2 ECBs
Transaction #3
Buy 3 CVS Flavor Chews – $0.99 each
Use $2 ECBs from transaction #2
Pay $0.97 out of pocket, Get $2.97 ECBs
So you would pay $3.95 plus tax out of pocket and have $2.97 ECBs to use next time.
Lara from Mrs. Waste Not emailed in the following tip:
On my blog, I frequently share about my Freecycle findings because I probably end up finding an item I really need or want about once a month — all for free. It occurred to me that it would be great to step back and tally up how much this awesome network has saved me this year and so I did!
Since I know a lot of you are frugal like me, the prices I use in my examples below are what I would pay if I purchased the items second hand. I have noted if it is a retail price, just because it means it is something I do not usually find second hand.
My Freecycle Finds This Year:
Boy Clothes Round One = $21 saved
2 long sleeve shirts, 4 short sleeve shirts (all NWT), 1 pajamaGirl Clothes = $87 saved
5 dresses, 4 shorts, 6 skirts, 2 pants, 2 leggings, 2 sweaters, 5 short sleeves shirts, 2 long sleeve shirtsSewing Machine for a Child = $30 saved
My daughter has been asking for this, and I am saving it for a Christmas presentIris Bulbs = $10 saved
I used a retail price. I don’t see these often in my garage sale adventuresDresser for Son’s Room = $40 saved
Some dings on the bottom, but you cannot beat the priceBoy Clothes Round Two = $36 saved
4 long sleeve shirts, 6 short sleeve shirts, 2 pajamasTwo gallons of paint = $52 saved
One sage which I used in my living room, one beige which we plan on using in living room. These painting jobs were previously planned, it was just serendipitous that we ended up with the perfect colorsTwo summer bridge activity books for next summer = $30 saved
This is based on the price on the back of the book.Total Saved in the Last Twelve Months: $306
Now, I will stay that if you want to score deals like these, you need to stay on top of the emails. I receive an individual email for each post, rather than digest. This gives me a better chance of being the first one to respond and therefore get the item. I also check my email every 2-3 hours to be on top of deals.
I do use caution when going to a strange place to do a pickup, but a lot of people leave things on their porch so no human interaction is necessary. I also try to post something myself every couple of months, as a return of the good will.
I hope that this encourages you to sign up for your local freecycle list. If you have scored any great finds yourself, I would love to hear about them in the comments!
Mrs. Waste Not is the mom in a typical family of four, and her blog, Mrs. Waste Not, is where she document how they save money and exercise responsible stewardship of the earth. When she’s not gardening, cooking or playing with her kids, she has her nose in a book.
Note from Crystal: Thank you all for the dozens and dozens of entries you submitted for the Mvelopes Best Budgeting Story Contest. It was hard to choose from among all of the entries! Congratulations to Missy who won our hearts and the contest with her below entry. I know you’ll be blessed by it!
Guest Post from Missy who blogs at Far From Flawless
It all seemed to come to a head one July day when I received a call that my 3-month-old was on his way to the hospital in an ambulance, having what seemed to be a seizure. My husband had left the month prior, along with his paycheck and health benefits. I was working a limited 15 hours per week as a newly singled mama with three children age 0, 2 and 3 years.
Things were bad. I was concerned about my smallest prince in the ambulance ahead, but at the same time I was wondering, “Was it really necessary to call an ambulance?”
My tiny baby did have a seizure, but he recovered to be just fine (thank you, Lord) and my marriage did fail. But the tools learned in that season are priceless ones that keep working to this day.
I entered a new season of life as a single mother. I was able to increase my work hours and thereby increase my income, but still remained part time for the sake of my young children. On my limited income, I learned four keys for budgeting:
1. Eliminate All But the Necessary
The cable was cut off. The home phone gone and only a limited cell plan put in place.
We didn’t participate in extra-curricular activities (soccer, gymnastics) and I made no commitments to anything that would incur a monthly bill. None.
I even canceled trash pickup and obtained permission to take our bags to a nearby church dumpster. I was brutal in eliminating bills.
2. Maximize What You Have
We made good use of our internet service and PBS for entertainment. We purged and sold items of value.
The cash for an unused vehicle was more useful than the vehicle in storage. I adjusted my payroll withholding to make the most of each monthly check.
I paid all our bills at the first of the month: Tithe, Mortgage, Power, Water, Phone, Insurance. Then I lived on what was left. Often that meant not going places in order to save gas and stretching meals in creative ways.
3. Get Real and Get Savvy
I had to be realistic about myself in this season. I wasn’t one who could spend $40 on a manicure or a night out with the girlfriends. Instead, I learned all the “Kid’s Nights” to the local restaurants and it was a real treat for our little family of four to venture out every now and then.
I asked for help at our church with AWANA fees and accepted help at Christmastime when it was offered. This was humbling, but I recognized God taking care of us in these practical acts of kindness.
I learned that we could have fun and live well with much less than I once thought. Yes, my definition of living well shifted, but it was a relief to not compete to measure up in the ways I once thought were important.
4. Give A Little, Live A Lot
You may notice Tithe was at the top of my expense list. It wasn’t always so, but I believe it is essential to demonstrate trust with more than words and so I committed to tithing. I have never regretted that decision.
I also become aware of so much we didn’t need and donated much to our local Habitat For Humanity Rehome store. The children all learned to love sharing and passing to others the things we no longer needed.
Our gifts were small, but I hope to instill the joy of giving in my little ones. We all treasure experiences more than our stuff these days.
In order to make our life work on a small budget, I was forced to account for every dollar in the door. It became a priority for me to not only exist but to begin and saving.
As the children grew and entered into the public school system, our childcare costs ticked slowly down and I was able to expand our budget to include small vacations and a gifts fund. When we wanted to spend on something extra, I knew right away whether it would be smart.
The second great lesson was that saying “yes” to one thing always meant saying “no” to something else. Knowing my limitations forced me to be clear about my priorities and taught me deep joy and pride in making it alone.
I’m so thankful the leanest days are behind me, yet I am daily grateful for the treasures found in the hardship.
Surprised to find herself in the role of single mother, Missy was even more shocked to become a remarried stepmother in a blended family of seven! She is a hard-working optimist doing her best to enjoy life and demonstrate Christ’s faithfulness in this not-so-perfect world. She blogs in between the office shift and laundry loads at Far From Flawless.
Want to be successful in your own budgeting?
Mvelopes is offering package of FREE budgeting tools to Money Saving Mom® readers right now! This free Mvelopes budgeting package includes a free financial coaching session and personal financial analysis plus a free financial ebook Money for Life.
Sign up for this free offer here.
TheTrainToCrazy.com shows you how to make homemade maxi skirt.
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.
The past few months of our lives have been really full as we’ve been in the process of some pretty significant changes as a family. It’s all good stuff and we’re excited about what these changes mean, but it’s definitely stretched us to the max more than once in recent weeks.
However, we knew that if we just made it to October 20, things we’re going to settle down tremendously. We’re so grateful that God carried us through the past number of somewhat grueling weeks and we’re very thankful to be on the other side of those projects and changes.
In fact, it was so strange to look at my calendar this week — and for the next two months! — and realize how crazily calm it looked in comparison. There are seasons where one needs to just power through, by the grace of God, but I’m thankful that we’ve made it through and into a more peaceful season.
And I’m hoping this means I’ll be able to get back onto the bandwagon of consistent exercise, reading, and some of the other things I’ve been slacking on the past two months! 🙂
Goals from two weeks ago:
Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals
1.Read 2 chapters of The Borrowers to Kathrynne. Read 2 chapters of Caddie Woodlawn with Kaitlynn. Read a few picture books with Silas.
2. Write a love note to Jesse.Personal Goals
3. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-23.
4. Run 10 miles.
5. Read Daring Greatly, Leaving Yesterday, Bread & Wine, and
Wild Goose Chase.6. Write thank you’s.
Business Goals
7. Prep for the SCORRE Conference.
8. Write outline & rehearse for filming with MOPS next week.
9. Practice my updated talk for the MOPS & ReWrite Conferences next week.
10. Write one post for the 52 Ways to Save $100 a Year series.
This week’s goals:
Family/Marriage/Mothering Goals
1.
2. Write a love note to Jesse.
3. Go on a date with Jesse.
Personal Goals
4. Work on memorizing & reviewing Romans 1:1-23.
5. Run 10 miles.
6. Read Daring Greatly, Leaving Yesterday, Bread & Wine, What’s So Amazing About Grace?, and Notes from a Blue Bike.
7. Write thank you’s.
Business Goals
8. Write op-eds for book launch.
9. Finish final book edits.
10. Write one post for the 52 Ways to Save $100 a Year series.
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.
Breakfasts
Oatmeal, Cereal, Eggs, and/or Fruit
Lunches
Mac & cheese, fruit
Snack-y lunch {veggies, cheese, yogurt, fruit, crackers, etc.}
PB&J, carrot sticks, apples
Cheese quesadillas, carrot sticks
Leftovers x 3Snacks
Fruit/veggies
Popcorn
Boiled eggs
Welcome Home Chocolate Chip MuffinsFreezer Cooking in an Hour (I’ll share more how this goes later on this week!)
Oatmeal Pumpkin Pancakes
20 Minute Barbecue Cups
Baked Chicken
Welcome Home Chocolate Chip MuffinsDinners
Breakfast for dinner: Oatmeal Pumpkin Pancakes, fruit, scrambled eggs
Three Bean Chili Chowder — bringing this to a get-together with friends on Friday night
Date with Jesse (using birthday gift card from my in-laws)
Meat, Potatoes, Onions, and Carrots in the crockpot, Chocolate Chip Muffins
Texas Lasagna, fruit, tossed salad
Dinner with extended family
Dinner out
What’s on your menu this week? Tell us in the comments or leave a link to your menu plan post.
Welcome to Frugal Photo Friday! This month, I am partnering with Rebekah from SimplyRebekah.com. Each Friday we are sharing pictures of simple ways that we save money.
I traveled to Colorado on Sunday for the SCORRE Conference (it was life-impacting in so many ways — I highly recommend this conference to every speaker or aspiring speaker. So very worth it!). I left SCORRE yesterday afternoon and flew to Kansas City with some of my team to speak and do some filming at MomCon today.
Then, we left Kansas City this afternoon to fly to Austin to speak at the ReWrite Conference tomorrow (I’m writing this on the plane!). So I’ve been living out of a suitcase this week.
Knowing that I had six flights this week, I was really determined to get everything into a carry-on. Because I couldn’t stand the thought of having to pay baggage fees on multiple flights.
It took some finagling, but I did it! All 8 outfits — including dressy outfits for speaking — stuffed into one carryon. It felt like quite an accomplishment and saved me some hefty baggage fees, too! 🙂
I’ve found that rolling clothes up is the best way to pack them — it takes up the least space and it also keeps them from getting wrinkled. Just take them out and hang them up as soon as you get to your destination and they will usually look nice and fresh within an hour or two.
Head on over to Simply Rebekah to see the savings that Rebekah is sharing today.
Now it is your turn to share the simple ways that you save. Post your link below or on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #FrugalPhotoFriday. All of the link-up details can be found here.
This simple recipe for oven fried chicken requires only a few basic ingredients and is less time-consuming than regular fried chicken. It’s also healthier since it’s baked and not fried — plus you won’t stink up your house with a deep fryer! Win, win, win!
Guest post from Brigette Shevy
Crystal and I grew up in a family of seven children. Given our family size, and the fact that we had company over for meals at least once a week, our Mom was (is!) the Queen of simple, budget-friendly, crowd-pleasing meals.
Crystal and I were recently reminiscing about different recipes we grew up on and thought it would be fun to share some of our favorites with you.
Oven Fried Chicken was one of my Dad’s favorite meals.
My Mom got the recipe out of the church cookbook from the church my parents attended the first years of their marriage, and it has been a regular in our family for as long as I can remember.
Depending on what you serve with it, this chicken can be a fancy special occasion dinner or a hearty recipe for any night of the week!
Oven frying is a low-fat technique for cooking crumb-coated foods in a very hot oven in an effort to recreate that crisp and golden exterior of foods that have been deep fried.
This technique cuts down on fat and calories without sacrificing flavor.
Oven fried chicken is a perfect example of how to make your favorite fried foods a whole lot healthier!
Well for starters… it tastes amazing! The outside is perfectly crispy and crunchy while the meat is so tender and juicy.
I love that this simple recipe requires only a few basic ingredients and is less time-consuming than regular fried chicken.
Also, it’s so much healthier since it’s baked and not fried — plus you won’t stink up your house with a deep fryer!
NOTE: The original recipe calls for the skin to be left on, but I usually remove the skin. It’s good either way!
1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
2. Melt butter in a shallow baking dish or bowl.
3. In another bowl, mix together flour, salt, pepper, and paprika.
4. Dip chicken pieces in melted butter…
5. And then dip the chicken into the flour mixture.
6. Place coated chicken pieces in a single layer on a greased shallow baking pan (skin side down – if you’ve left the skin on).
7. Bake at 400º for 30 minutes.
8. Flip chicken pieces over and continue baking for an additional 30 minutes.
We recommend setting your oven to 400ºF as that seems to be the best temperature to allow the chicken to fully cook without burning the deliciously crispy, crunchy crust!
The recommended “safe” temperature for cooking poultry is 165ºF. So the INTERNAL temperature of the chicken should be stable at 165ºF before eating.
You can use a simple instant-read thermometer to test the internal temperature — just make sure you’re not accidentally touching the thermometer to a bone (which will be much hotter).
And keep in mind that white meat usually cooks faster than dark meat.
As I mentioned above, oven fried chicken can be as fancy or as “every day” as you want it to be.
If you’re going for a hearty sit-down dinner, serve it up with baked or mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, homemade applesauce, and dinner rolls.
If you prefer a lighter meal, oven fried chicken pairs nicely with a simple Ceasar Salad and fresh fruit.
For a backyard barbeque, try serving it with baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, and watermelon wedges.
On the off chance you have any leftover chicken, simply refrigerate it in a food storage container to reheat later.
It’s best to let the chicken cool completely before covering it in the refrigerator — this will help to prevent the crunchy coating to get soggy.
Oven fried chicken tastes amazing as leftovers — but it’s best to reheat it in the oven so you can enjoy the crispy crunchy coating again!
Preheat your oven to 400ºF again and place cold chicken on a foil-lined baking pan. It helps to let the chicken sit at room temperature while the oven preheats.
Pop the chicken in the oven for 15-20 minutes, checking after 10 to see how warm it is.
Chicken needs to be dry in order to get crispy in the oven — so make sure you pat the skin well with a paper towel before coating it with the egg + flour mixture.
In order to get a crispy coating on your chicken, you’ll need to use some type of flour or cornstarch in the breading. Make sure you drench the chicken in melted butter so all the yummy breading has something to stick to.
In addition to making sure the skin is nice and dry, you’ll want to have your oven nice and hot — at least 400ºF. And if you have a wire baking rack that fits in one of your baking pans, set the chicken on that so air can circulate around the entire piece of chicken.
This will mostly depend on your personal preferences. Deep-frying is faster than oven-fried chicken, however, it’s a lot messier and smellier. It also requires the use of a deep fryer and lots of oil. Oven fried chicken takes a bit longer to bake, but it’s healthier and a lot easier.
Make sure to share and save it on your favorite platform below!
Brigette is a full-time wife and mother who is blessed with three amazing bundles of energy (ages 6, 4, and 2). She enjoys music, experimenting in the kitchen, homeschooling her children, finding great deals, long-distance running, and anything chocolate.
Meal time just got so much easier!
During the month of October, I’m following along with Edie & Ruth on their 31 Days of Less & More journey. I’d love for you to join in by reading the posts and completing the projects, or just sit back and read along each day.
We live in a go-go-go and do-do-do society. It’s almost as if our worth is tied to how busy we can pack our schedules.
This frantic pace isn’t healthy and it prevents us from being able to take time to savor life. That’s why we have to be intentional about slowing down…
In the last year, we’ve been really putting forth effort to make time and take time to stop and smell the roses instead of just rushing through life. Here are three things that have helped:
1. Plan for Margin Time
When you plan your daily schedule, don’t pack it so full that you have no time to breathe. Cross some things off your list without doing them or just don’t even plan to do them at all so that you can free up at least two hours of margin time in your day.
This will immediately help you to feel more relaxed and less stressed, plus, it will mean that interruptions don’t frustrate or completely throw off your day.
2. Take Sundays Off
One of the best decisions we ever made was to make Sunday a media-free day of rest at our house. I’ve talked about this here before, but I’ll say it again: having one day off in a week makes such a difference in our lives.
Sundays are a day to recharge, refresh, and renew. It’s a day to refuel our tanks for the week ahead — and we look forward to it every week.
3. Stay Home At Least 2 Days Per Week
We don’t always accomplish this, but we really try to stay home at least two full days every week. I’ve found that this makes things so much calmer and quieter, plus, we seem to get a lot more done in a week when we stay home more!
What are your best tips and tricks for slowing down and savoring life more?
For more on this topic, check out Ruth’s post on Less Running Around and Edie’s post on More Nesting. I promise you’ll be inspired and blessed!
Aldi
1 Navel Oranges – $3.49
1 dozen Eggs – $1.39
1 gallon Milk – $1.99
1 Loaf Bread – $1.29
1 Flour Tortillas – $0.99
1 canned Pumpkin – $0.89 (So happy to see this on the shelf at Aldi!)
1 Tortilla Chips – $1.19
1 Extra Virgin Olive Oil – $2.99
1 Salsa – $1.69
1 Italian Dressing – $1.39
1 can Chili Beans – $0.59
Total with tax ($1.28): $19.17
Dillons
While shopping at CVS earlier today, my coupon box broke in the parking lot and coupons flew everywhere. About 1/3 of them were blown away in the wind and the ones I “rescued” are so disorganized and messed up that it is going to take me several hours to get them re-organized. 🙁 I spent about 15 minutes in the car digging through my coupons trying to find the ones I was going to use at Dillons…but I couldn’t bring all my coupons in with me since they were ALL over my car. I shopped without my coupon box and all my coupons (which was a first for me). After my experience today, I’m thinking maybe I should switch to a coupon binder instead of a box.
1 Tyson Frozen Chicken Breasts (3 lbs) – $7.99
1 Private Selection Frozen Strawberries – $2.49
1 Kroger Ice Cream – $2.50
1 Kroger Cheddar Cheese (24 oz) – $3.99
1 Kroger Plain Yogurt – $2.39
1 Kroger Cottage Cheese – $1.99
2 Food Should Taste Good Cheddar Chips – Marked down to $0.75 each
2 Milky Way Bites – $2.49 each, used 2 $2/1 printable – $0.49 each after coupons
1 Kroger Turkey Sandwich Meat – $2.50
6 Knorr Pasta Sides – $1 each, used $1.50/5 printable, Received 2 $1 catalinas – $0.41 each after coupon and catalinas (We like to use these while camping, which we do a lot of in the fall!)
0.66 lbs Broccoli @ $0.99/lb – $0.65
1 Romaine Lettuce – $0.99
2 Cucumbers – $0.75 each
3 Green Peppers – $0.75 each
1 Kroger Natural Peanut Butter – $1.88
1 Green Mountain K-Cups – $6.99, used $1/1 printable – $5.99 after coupon (This is my favorite brand of coffee and I rarely see a sale on it. This was a splurge for me!)
3 Larabar – $1 each, used $0.75/3 e-coupon AND $0.75/3 SavingStar.com rebate – $0.50 each after coupon and rebate
Total before sales and coupons: $70.31
Total after sales and coupons: $50.17
Total for all grocery items: $69.87
Smoothies x 4, Cereal, Toast
Tossed Salad and Cottage Cheese, Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwiches, Scrambled Eggs, Cheese Quesadillas, Cheese and Fruit
Homemade Cheese Pizza, Tossed Salad, Breadsticks
Chicken Drumsticks, Green Beans, Sliced Oranges, Steamed Broccoli
Beef, Cheese & Noodle Bake, Steamed Cauliflower, Fruit Salad
Stuffed Green Peppers (I’m using this recipe as a reference), 30 Minute Rolls, Tossed Salad
Three-Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine, Steamed Broccoli, Sliced Oranges
Belgian Waffles, Eggs, Hashbrowns
Date Night (Yay!)
Walgreens Shopping Trip
2 Advil PM – $1 each
Used 2 $1/1 coupon from the 10/13 RedPlum insert2 Oberto Beef Jerky – $2.99 each (My husband was pretty happy about this treat!)
Used Buy One Get One Free printable3 Gas-X – $4.99 each (I will donate this – but I couldn’t resist “buying” it since I got paid to get it.)
Used $2/1 Walgreens coupon from the October Walgreens booklet (took off $6)
And used $10/3 coupon from the 10/13 SmartSource insert1 Reach Total Care Floss – $2.99
Used $1/1 printableRedeemed 1,000 points (like $1)
Total before sales and coupons: $38.37
Total with tax ($1.85) after coupons and sales: $4.80
Today’s question is from Julie:
For many years, MoneySavingMom.com has helped me save hundreds of dollars. However, one of my children was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac Disease, and our food budget has been obliterated as we make the necessary changes to a starch-free diet.
How can I get the best deals on nuts, seeds, coconut products, and the high volume of produce that we now consume? I am already preparing everything from scratch and am attempting to learn how to garden but would welcome any advice! -Julie
Do you have a question you’d like to ask Money Saving Mom® readers? Read the submission guidelines and submit it here.
