I'm done for a while

Hi friends-
If anyone out there still checks in, I'm sorry for my total lack of writing.

I'll leave the blog up, but am closing it off to comments.

For fabulous money saving advice, visit my friends Bargain Becky and Wicked Cool Deals.

Spammers

Have taken away the fun of blogging. :(

Tomorrow is a big day, people

I know, I know. I've disappeared. Life has been crazy- good crazy- and my blog has slipped from the list of priorities.

BUT I'm coming out of hibernation with an alert (for the 3 people who might still read this blog) about a mass coupon distribution in tomorrow's newspaper.

Carve out an hour tomorrow. Sharpen the scissors. GET READY.

(Thanks Michelle!)

$5 off $25 at CVS

Sure, you have to take a boring quiz to get this coupon- but it takes a minute or two. It's worth it.

Remember- give this coupon FIRST for maximum savings... then, fork over your other coupons.

Thanks for posting this, Michelle- this is really helping me score some cheap diapers!

If Shaws is Nearby,

This week is KILLER for cheap and free stuff.

They're having a General Mills/Unilever promo this week... spend $30 on PRE-SALE prices, get a $15 coupon for your next purchase. Oh yeah!

There are a million ways to work this deal, but I'm going to start simple, and with things we need. This is my husband's furlough month, and the budget is super tight- so I need to make deals like this work hard for the old family right now.

Here's my plan:
(2) Skippy Peanut Butters (Presale $5.18 on sale for $4) -$1 off 2 (from paper)= 2 for $3
(2) Chex Bars (Presale $7.58, on sale for $6)- (2) .60 (will double)= 2 for $3.60
(4) Yoplait Yo +(Presale $11.96, on sale for $10)- (4) $1 (from paper) = 4 for $6
(2) Fiber One Yogurt (Presale $5.98, onsale for $5) - BOGO (cereal box) and $1 (from paper) = 2 for $2.50

So, after sale prices and coupons, I'll score all of that for $14.10, then get a $15 coupon for my next purchase.

So people, go get your fliers and make a plan!

Super Smart Shoppers: Does anyone know if I can roll these cats (coupons?)

So I went back on my word,

and shopped at Walgreens. Twice.

But this time, it was WORTH IT.

Here's why- I needed a bunch of stuff, and I was able to score it on the cheap.

Here's what I did- you might want to check it out...

Trip #1
Bought 2 Nutrashield Sunblocks @ 11.79 each. (Used 2 of these $5 off coupons.) (Thanks Michelle!)

Scored a $10 Register Reward for buying 2 Coppertone Products.

Bottom line- Spent $13.58, got $10 RR back.

Trip #2
Bought:
1 Huggies @ $10 (Used $1.50 off coupon I got in the mail)
5 Kotex liners @ $3 each (Used 5 $1 off coupons- my mom found them in a coupon book Curves gives out)
4 Sharpie Markers @ .50 each (flier coupon)
4 baking soda @ .50 each (flier coupon)
Used this sweet $5 off $25 purchase- good only yesterday and today! (Thanks Michelle!)
Used my $10 Register Rewards
Scored $5 Register Reward for Buying over $20 of Kotex and Huggies

Bottom line- Spent $6 and change (I can't find my receipt... but I know it was 6 something) and got $5 Register Rewards back.

When Walgreens is good, it's really good.

Here's the reason for the baking soda and sharpies... Walgeens has a pain in the butt policy that you can't use more coupons than items- So since the price was right and I use these anyway, I bought them to make my transaction legal. :)

The Price of Milk

It's summer in New England (sort of), so my kids and I have been spending more time outside and less time online. It will probably be that way for another month or so. I've probably lost all of my readers, including my mom, but hey- summer is too short up here. We've got to live it up while we can.

Anyhow-

Today, a friend pointed out the insane regional price differences of some pretty basic groceries.

So I'm curious...

How much is a gallon of milk where you live? Like for NORMAL people (not crazy bargain hunters like us)?

I know there are even differences based on what kind of milk and where you shop. Around here (just outside of Boston), I've seen milk as cheap as $2.10ish at BJs, but it seems to be in the $3.50ish range at most grocery stores (regular price).

So indulge me- where are you, and what did your last (regular priced) gallon of milk cost?

Government Cheese

I grew up in a hard working middle class family- but we lived in an area of Connecticut that had more than its fair share of upper class folks (think country clubs, BMWs, and overpriced restaurants in the town center).

Not too far away, there was a small, exclusive boarding school for boys. My friend got wind that they were having a dance, and obviously, needed girls. We made our best attempt to look well bred and hopped in my parents' Aerostar mini van.

All was going well at the dance... that is, until one friend, in a nervous moment talking to a boy, disclosed that government cheese makes excellent grilled cheese sandwiches.

Pause tape.

OK- here we are, surrounded by cute, rich boys, and she says WHAT?!! Needless to say, her new friend could not relate. The details get fuzzy after that- but I'm pretty sure it was a night-ender.

I haven't had the opportunity to try government cheese, although I bet it does taste darn good.

However, here's what I am digging these days- cheese scraps from the deli, which I think are about as sexy as the government variety.

I always saw them there- sitting in their little styrofoam package- looking all pathetic and frazzled. It was my mother who picked them up and said, "I bet the kids would love these... you break their cheese into little bits anyway." You know what? She was right. For $2.99 a pound, there is a sweet variety of cheese in that package.

So I'm over my deli snobbery... I don't need cheese cut fresh from the block... and I will be darn proud if my little girl spills the beans to someone at some snooty dance someday.