I Hope You'll Join Me

You may have noticed my posts have become less frequent recently. There's a reason for that. This blog has grown a lot since I started it thanks in large part to you, my wonderful readers. Living frugally and getting the most out of my money is something I'm passionate about. For a while now though, I have felt drawn to write more about frugal living and less about the latest deals. And one day while pondering all of this I realized that I could not see myself still writing about all the deals and freebies 10 years from now. However, I wasn't sure exactly where I wanted to go with it all. After a lot of prayer and consideration, I decided to create a new blog. The new blog is a combination of this blog and my personal blog. I will be writing about all the things I am passionate about: my faith, my family, my desire to live a financially responsible life and my photography. I will still be sharing my menu plans and recipes. I will still be sharing tips on frugal living. I will still be offering reviews and giveaways. However, I will no longer be posting daily deals and freebies. I know that most if not all of you read this blog specifically because of the deals and freebies I post. I did not take the decision to create a new blog lightly but feel it is the best move for me and my life. I have created a Frugal Resources tab on my new blog where I share links to my favorite frugal blogs, coupon resources and more. I have some of my favorites on there now but still have a lot of links to add when time permits. I cannot thank you enough for your kindness and support of this blog andI hope you will choose to join me at Frugal & Focused. I have a Welcome post here that explains what you will find. Hope to see you there!

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$3/1 Huggies Printable Coupons

You can print $3/1 Huggies diapers coupons here and here.

Combine this with the Huggies Deal at Walgreens this week for cheap diapers.

Buy 3 Huggies Jumbo Pack Diapers, Pull-ups or GoodNites $8.99 each Get $5 RRs
Deal Idea
Buy 3 Huggies diapers $26.97
Use (3) $3/1 printables
Receive $5 RRs
$4.32 each after Qs and RRs

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Starbucks: Free Pastry Day 3/23/10

Tuesday, March 23,2010 is Free Pastry Day at Starbucks. Go here to print a coupon good for a free pastry with any handcrafted beverage purchase. Get there early. Offer ends at 10:30 a.m.

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Ben & Jerry's Free Cone Day 3/23/10

Tuesday, March 23, 2010 is Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's. Stop by your local Ben & Jerry's for your free cone from 12-8 p.m. Go here to find a location near you.

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Rebate Roundup 3/21-3/27

My friend Greta at Friend Family Fun has the latest Rebate Roundup. Be sure to stop by to see how you can maximize your savings with rebates this week.

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Menu Plan Monday 3/22

If you were reading last week you'll remember I mentioned we'd be having "steak something" one night. My husband had moved the steak from the freezer to the fridge to thaw but we weren't sure what we wanted to do with it. We ended up making Beef Stroganoff. I had been craving it for awhile and when I mentioned it, my husband was all for it. The recipe I use is his Grandmother's. When we got married my sister gave me a recipe book with family recipes she'd gathered from my family and  my husband's family and this was included. I thought I'd share it. We loved having it again after not eating it in a while. Hope you'll enjoy it too.

Grandmother's Beef Stroganoff
1 lb. lean round or sirloin steak, cut into bite size pieces
1 large onion, choppped
1 can beef consomme
1/4 c. water
1 small can(or fresh) sliced mushrooms
dash of worcestershire sauce
1 8 oz. container sour cream
garlic salt
pepper
flour
butter(or oil)

Sprinkle beef with garlic sale and pepper. Roll in flour and brown in butter (or oil, I use canola oil). Add onion, beef consomme, water, mushrooms and worcestershire sauce to browned beef. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Cool a bit and add cantainer or sour cream and stir thoroughly. Serve over rice or noodles.

Now onto what we'll be eating this week.

Black Bean Burritos
Shrimp & Grits
Baked Penne (carried over from last week)
Breakfast for dinner
Chinese Style Glazed Chicken Breasts, broccoli, rice

Stop by Orgjunkie.com for more menu inspiration.

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Winners

Congratulations to our two winners of the Horizon Organic Lowfat Chocolate Milk Giveaway! The random number generator at random.org picked #4 and #9 which means our winners are:

#4 Michelle

#9 Wendy

You have 48 hours to contact me to claim you prize!

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Weekly Deals

Okay, my shopping this week was weird and random. Publix and Winn Dixie didn't have any particularly compelling sales for me. My husband and I decided to check out a couple of new places. First we decided to give Sam's a try. We used to have a Costco membership and really loved it. So we went and scoured the aisles comparing prices. I was disappointed that they seem to have fewer organic items than Costco carried. But overall we found several things that we can get cheaper or as cheap at Sams than at regular stores with sales and coupons. A couple of things I can get a bit cheaper with sales/coupons but not dramatically. Of course, there were plenty of things I can get cheaper in regular stores. But like Costco, we feel that overall the membership is worth it for the items we will save on. Their gas prices are cheaper as well which sweetens the membership deal.

Sam's

We paid $50.28 for the above items. This did not come from our weekly grocery budget but from money we'd set aside from our income tax refund. However, it will be counted in our weekly/yearly total. I will start setting aside money from our weekly budget to make one or two trips a month to Sams. I may actually go back this next week because after looking around they appear to have the best price on walnuts and I am out. 

We also decided to give our local CO-OP a try. Think tiny Whole Foods store. You could probably fit the whole thing in the produce section of Whole Foods. They had a suprisingly good variety of things. A lot of their prices were good too. Many of the items I checked were in line with prices at Winn-Dixie and Publix. Some were even better. Some were more expensive. They had a nice bulk foods area that I plan to frequent.   

I got a 3 lb. bag of  organic apples for $4.29. $1.40 lb. is considerably cheaper than what I've seen at WD and Publix. The cheapest I have found them there was $1.99 lb.

I got @ 2 lbs. of organic black beans for $1.99 lb.

I got a pkg. of organic whole wheat tortillas for $2.29. This is the best price I've found on WW tortillas here and they are organic to boot. I was pleased.

Total OOP: $10.46

CVS

I bought:

1 Kashi Heart to Heart Honey Toasted Cereal $2.50

1 Kashi 7 Grain Crackers $2.50

Qs

1 Free Kashi Heart to Heart cereal

$1.50/1 Kashi Crackers

Total OOP: $1

Walgreens

1  Colgate Total Toothpaste $3.99

Q

$1/1 Colgate Total

Total OOP: $3.25

Received: $4 RRs

Bakery Thrift Store

1 Natures Own bread $1.49

2 Nature's Own Sandwich Rounds $1.58

Total OOP: $3.07

Winn-Dixie-I mostly just picked up things we needed for the week like produce, eggs, dairy, etc.

I spent: $24.54

I saved: $6.33

Weekly Total:$42.32+$50.28=$92.60

2010 Total: $594.50

11 week avg.: $54.04

This post is linked to:

I Heart Publix Weekly Totals

Southern Savers Friday Finals

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Coupon Preview 3/21

There will be 3 inserts in this Sunday's paper: (2) Smart Source and (1) Red Plum. Be sure to stop by Southern Savers for a full list of available coupons. Remember coupons will vary by region.

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Giveaway Thursday

It's Giveaway Thursday here at The Money Jar. I host a MckLinky here each Thursday so you can share your blog giveaways. If you are hosting a giveaway, please leave your link. If you know someone hosting a giveaway, tell them to stop by and leave their link. Thanks! Please keep giveaway links family friendly.



While you're here be sure to enter my giveaway for Horizon Organic Lowfat Chocolate Milk. Today is the last day to enter. There will be two winners!

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Planters Printable Coupon

Become a fan of Mr. Peanut on Facebook and get a coupon for $1.50 off any one Planters product. You will be able to access the coupon on the NCAA tab after becoming a fan.

Thanks, I Heart Publix!

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Food World Weekly Ad 3/17-3/23

My Food World doubles coupons up to .50 cents. They also accept Winn Dixie and Publix coupons. Check with your store for their coupon policy.


25% off Top Care products


Meat Sale
Black Angus Beef Boneless Ribeye whole $4.99 lb, steaks $6.99 lb.
Black Angus Beef Boneless New York Strip whole $4.79 lb., steaks $6.49 lb.
Black Angus Beef T-Bone whole $4.49 lb., steaks $6.49 lb.
Choice Angus Beef Boneless Tip Roast whole $2.19 lb., cut roast $2.49 lb.
Sanderson Farms Split Chicken Breasts 10 lbs. for $10(limit 2 with additional $15 purchase)
Prairie Fresh Boston Butt Pork Roast whole $1.19 lb.
Prairie Fresh Prime Pork Tenderloin $2.99 lb.
Prairie Fresh Pork Spare Ribs $1.49 lb.
Snow Crab Clusters $4.99 lb.
Fresh Whole Catfish $2.99 lb.
Catfish Nuggets $1.79 lb.


Other Meat Deals
Ledbetter Bacon Wrapped Beef Fillets 6 oz. pkg. $2.50 each
Jamestown Smoked Bone-In Pork Chops $2.49 lb.
Hillshire Farm Lunch Meat Ultra Thin or Hearty Slices $3
.35/1 or $1/2 Hillshire Farm Lunch Meat 3/14 SS ($2.30 each with .35/1)
Sunnyland Jumbo Hotdogs $1.50 each
Sunnyland Sausage Links or Patties $2.50 each
All Fishin Seafood Fillets and Shrimp B1G2


Produce
Fresh Florida Strawberries $1.67 each
Get $1.75 off Strawberries when you buy Sara Lee Pound Cake (Publix Yellow Advantage Flyer)
California Seedless Naval Oranges 4 lb. bag. $2.99
Northwester Bosc or D'Anjou Pears $1.29 lb.
California Dole Celery $1.29
Dole California Carrots 2 lb. $1.69
New York State Red Rome or Red Delicious Apples 3 lb. bag $2.99
Russett Potatoes .79 cents lb.
All Purpose Yellow Onions 3 lb. bag $2.49
Dole Salad Blends B1G1


Refrigerated/Frozen
Best Yet Ice Cream $1.67
Kraft Chunk or Shredded Cheese $2
Sargento Deli Style Slices
Dannon Yogurt single serve cups .33 cents each
$1 off 10 Dannon Yogurt 2/21 SS(exp. 3/21) (.23 cents each)
Pillsbury Grands Biscuits 8 ct. $2
.40/3 Pillsbury Grands 3/7 SS ($1.73 each)


Grocery Items
Coca-Cola asst. $1
Green Giant Boxed Frozen Vegetables $1
.60/3 Green Giant Frozen Vegetables 2/7 GM
.60/3, $1/3 Green Giant Frozen Vegetables 2/21, 3/7 SS
Nabisco Cheese Nips 8 oz. $1
Valu Time Sugar 4 lbs. $1.88
Hawaiian Punch B1G1 $1.99 each
Hamburger, Tuna or Chicken Helper $1.67
.75/3 Hamburger, Tuna or Chicken Helper 2/7, 3/7 SS ($1.42 each)
Food World Bread sandwich or round top .99 cents each


This post is a part of BeCentsable's Grocery Gathering.

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Rebate Roundup: Publix Edition

My friend Greta at Friend Family Fun has the Publix Edition of the Rebate Roundup ready. If you're a Publix shopper be sure to stop by and see how you can maximize your savings this week.

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Deals Around Town

What can you find free or cheap at your local stores this week? Here's the scoop!

CVS

Degree Deoderant 2.6-3 oz. $2.50 each
ECBs $5 when you spend $15
Buy (6) Degree deoderant $15
Use (3) $3/2 degree printables
Total for 6 after Qs and ECBs=$1 or .16 cents each!

CoverGirl Outlast or Shineblast Lip Color $8
ECBs $3
Buy (2) CoverGirl Outlast or Shine Blast Lip Color $16
Use B1G1 CoverGirl product 2/7 PG
Use (1) $1/1 CoverGirl product 2/7 or 3/7 PG
Total after Qs and ECBs=$1 or .50 cents each!

Kashi Smart Start, Go Lean or Heart to Heart Cereal or Heart to Heart Crackers $2.50 each
$1.50/1 Kashi Heart To Heart Q from Vocalpoint mailer or recent printable
$1 each after Q

Walgreens

Colgate Total Toothpaste $3.99
RR $4
$1/1 Colgate Total 3/7 SS
Free plus overage after Q and RR

Electrasol 20 pk. $3.49
RR $1
.50/1 Finish/Electrasol printable
$1.99 after Q and RR

Bic Brightliner Highlighter 5 pk. .49 cents with In Ad Q
$1/2 Bic Stationery products 8/9/09 SS
Free after Qs

Stop by Southern Savers to see all the coupon match ups for Walgreens and CVS.

Target

Dannon Danimals $1.83
$1/1 Dannnon 2/28 SS
.83 cents after Q

Soft Soap Hand Wash $1
.50/1 Q from March All You Magazine
.50 cents each after Q

Band Aid Bandages price varies
$1/1 Band Aid 1/3 RP
$1/1 Target printable
Free or cheap Band Aids when you use both Qs

Get $5 Target Gift Card wyb (2) Gillette Fusion Razors $7
Buy 2 Gillette Fusion Razors $14
Use (2) $4/1 Gillette Fusion 2/7 PG
Pay $6 and get $5 Target Gift Card
Like getting them for .50 cents each!

Stop by Coupons, Deals & More for Target-ing Mondays for all the great Target deals.

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Earth Fare: Kids Eat Free

Earth Fare is introducing Family Dinner Night. Kids eat FREE every Thursday night from 4 p.m.-8p.m. beginning 3/18/10 with the purchase of an adult meal of $5 or more. The kids meal includes any kids sandwich or 1/2 wrap with chips or a slice of pizza. In some locations selection is pizza only. Limit two free kids meals with every one adult meal purchased. Go here to find a location near you.

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Bath & Body Works: Free Pocketbac with $10 Purchase

Print this coupon to get a free Pocketbac with a $10 purchase. Enter the code POCKET at checkout to get the offer online. Valid through 3/28/10.

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Rebate Roundup 3/14-3/20

My friend Greta at Friend Family Fun has the latest Rebate Roundup on her blog. Be sure to stop by and see how you can maximize your savings with rebates this week.

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Menu Plan Monday 3/15

So I skipped menu planning last week. Sometimes you just have an off week, ya know? I did make the Black Bean burgers I mentioned in my last menu plan. We enjoyed them although my husband commented he wouldn't want to eat them all the time. He much prefers a beef burger but I think the black bean burgers will make it back to our menu from time to time. I'm sharing the recipe as promised.

Black Bean Burgers

2 T. vegetable oil
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1-15oz can bladk beans, rinsed and drained
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 T. cumin
1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
salt and pepper

Pre heat oven to 375. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil: grease lightly. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add celery and onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 minute more.

Pour beans into a large bowl and use a fork or potato masher to mash into a thick paste. Scrape vegetables from skillet into bowl. Stir in egg, cumin and bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper.

Use you fingers to form into 4 patties (do not overmix) Place patties on baking sheet and bake until firm and set, about 10 minutes on each side. Serve on whole grain buns with lettuce, tomatoe and sliced red onion.

215 calories, 9 gms fat, 1mg saturated, 53 mg chol., 7 grams fiber, 8 grams protein, 28 grams carbs, 821 mg sodium.

Now onto what we'll be eating this week:

Steak something. My husband pulled the steak out of the freezer and put it in the fridge before heading to work today. Not sure what he wants to do with it.

Spicy Black-Eyed Pea Soup-from the freezer

Grilled chicken pitas and pasta salad

Baked Penne (may alter recipe some) and salad

Southern Plate's Omelet Made Easy with Toast

For more menu inspiration stop by Orgjunkie.com.

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Weekly Deals

I'm trying to incorporate more organics back in our budget. At @ $50 a week we can't buy all organic but I'm fitting more in than I thought I could. Thankfully there are more coupons for organic items these days. I had coupons for the Horizon milk, Honest Kids drink pouches and Stonyfield yogurt.

Walgreens



I bought:
3 Listerine Mouthwash $9
Q
$5.01 In Ad Wags Q
I spent: $4.58
I saved:$7.38 with sales & Q

Target


I bought:
2 Annie's Cheddar Bunnies $4
1 Annie's Graham Bunnies $2
1 Horizon Choc. Milk $3.35
Q
Free Horizon Choc Milk
- .05 reusable bag
I spent: $5.95
I saved: $4.57 with sales & Q

Publix-I made two trips. One at the beginning of the week to get things we needed for school lunches and then again to get the new week's deals.

Trip #1
I spent: $17.16
I saved: $8.58 with sales & Qs

Trip #2

I spent:$21.16
I saved: $30.99 with sales & Q

Bakery Thrift Store

1 Nature's Own Bread $1.49

1 Nature's Own Hot Dog Buns $1.09

Total: $2.58

Weekly Total: $51.43

2010 Total: $501.90

10 week avg: $50.19

I paid $51.43 for $103.39 worth of groceries-a 50.25% savings for the week. With organics!

This post is linked to:

Southern Savers Friday Finals

I Heart Publix Weekly Totals

Money Saving Moms Super Savings Saturday

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Bath & Body Works: Free Lip Care Item with Any Purchase

Spring Break Offer: Print this coupon to get a free lip care item with any purchase at Bath & Body Works. To redeem in store you must present a student I.D. To redeem online add lip item and any other item to your cart and use the code STUDENT at checkout. Valid through 3/21/10.

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Coupon Preview 3/14

There will be two inserts in this Sunday's paper: 1 Smart Source and 1 Red Plum. Stop by Southern Savers for a full list of available coupons. Remember coupons may vary by region.

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L.L. Bean: Free $10 Gift Card with $50 Purchase

Get a free $10 gift card from L.L. Bean with a purchas of $50 or more. Offer valid through 4/26/10. Go through Ebates and get 2% cash back on your order.

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Food World Weekly Ad 3/10-3/16

My Food World doubles coupons up to .50 cents. They also accept Winn-Dixie and Publix coupons. For Buy 1 Get 1 deals you do not have to buy two items. The items will ring up half price. Check with your local store for their coupon policy.


25% off Top Care Brand products


Spud-Tacular Sale - 40% off all sizes and varieties of potatoes, bagged or loose


Buy 1 Get 1 Free
Assorted Pork Chops
Pork Baby Back Ribs
Sanderson Farms Chicken Thighs or Drumsticks family pack
Black Angus Beef Boneless New York Strip Steak
Dole Angel Hair Coleslaw, Classic Coleslaw or Classic Iceberg Salad $1.15 each
Sweet & Juicy Large Imported Cantaloupe $1.50 each
Maruchan Instant Lunch Cups .25 cents each (limit 4 free)
Mayfield Classic Ice Cream 56 oz. $2.10 each
Crystal Farms Shredded or Chunk Cheese $1.45 each
Allen's or VegAll Frozen Vegetables $1 each
Frito Lay Doritos $1.85 each
White House Apple Juice 64 oz. $1.36 each (limit 2 free)
Kellogg's Fruit Loops or Apple Jacks 8.7 oz., Corn Pops 9.2 oz. or Cocoa Krispies 11.3 oz. $1.90 each (limit 2 free)
Campbell's Chicken Noodle or Tomato Soup 4 pk. 10.75 oz. cans $2.15 each (limit 2 free)
Best Yet Oats Quick and Old Fashioned 18 oz. .82 cents (limit 2 free)
Sunburst Liquid Laundry Detergent 45.4-55 oz. $1.60 each
Academix Ink Pens 2-10 ct. .38 cents each
Best Yet Basket Style Coffee Filters 200 ct. .90 cents each
V05 Shampoo or Conditioner .80 cents each
Nature's Bounty Vitamins assorted $7.50 each
$2/1 Nature's Bounty printable ($5.50 each)



10 For $10 Sale
Pepsi, Diet Pepsi or Mountain Dew 2 liter $1 each
Little Debbie Snack Cakes $1each
Banquet Meal Entrees $1 each
Ronco or Meullers Pasta 16 oz. select varieties $1 each
Hunt's Tomato Sauce 15 oz. $1 each
$1/3 Hunts printable (.67 cents each)
Red Gold Tomatoes 14.5 oz. cans $1 each
$1/3 Red Gold Tomatoes 2/7 or 2/28 SS
.75/2 Red Gold Tomaotes printable(register) (.63 cents each)
Mahatma Rice long grain or brown $ 1 each
.50/1 or .75/1 Mahatma rice 2/7 RP (FREE with .50/1 Q)
Van Camp's Beanee Weenee $1 each
Duncan Hines Baking Mixes cupcake, fudge brownie, choc. chip cookie $1 each

Meat
Fresh Ground Chuck 80% lean $1.99 lb.
Choice Angus Beef Boneless Shoulder Roast $1.99 lb.
Colorado Premium Corned Beef Brisket $1.99 lb.
Murphy & David's Corned Beef Brisket $2.99 lb.
Choice Black Angus London Broil $3.49 lb.
Pork Bone In Picnic Roast $1.39 lb.
Hillshire Farms Premium Smoked Sausage $2.50 each
$1/2 Hillshire Farms Smoked Sausage 1/31 RP ($2 each)
Bar S Bacon $2.50 each
Bar S Hot Dogs $1.29 each
Country Best Sausage Roll 16 oz. $1.50 each
Land O' Frost Deli Shaved Lunch Meat $2.50 each
$1/2 Land O' Frost Deli Shaved Lunch Meat 1/31 RP ($2 each)

Seafood
Fishin Tilapia Fillets B1G2
Fishin Large Raw or Medium Cooked Shrimp B1G2
Snow Crab Clusters $4.99 lb.
Wild Caught Salmon Fillets $2.99 lb.

Produce
Green Seedless Grapes $1.88 lb.
Grimmway Farms Shredded Carrots, Carrot Sticks, Chips or Micro Petites $1.67 each
4 lb. bag Seedless California Naval Oranges $3.99 each
Whole or Sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms $2 each

Refrigerated/Frozen
Kraft American Cheese Singles 12 oz. $2 each
Crystal Farm Deli Slices $2.50 each
Minute Maid Orange Juice 1/2 gal. $1.88 each
Tropicana Pure Premium Orange Juice 89 oz. $3.99 each
$1/2 Tropicana Pure Premium 2/21 RP ($3.49 each)
Shedd's Country Crock 45 oz. $2.49 each
.30/1, .40/1, .50/1 Shedd's 3/7 RP
.55/1 Shedd's Publix printable
Stouffer's Party Size Lasagna $9.98 each
$1/1 Stouffer's printable-register($8.98 each)
TombStone Pizza $3.50 each
Blue Bell Ice Cream Novelties $2.99 each
Mayfield Frozen Novelties $2.50 each

Groceries
Baked Fresh French Bread .99 cents
Best Yet Canned Vegetables .50 cents each (limit 12)
Bush's Baked or Grillin' Beans $1.67 each
General Mills Golden Grahams 12 oz. $1.99 each
$1/2 General Mills Cereal printable ($1.49 each)
Juicy Juice 46 oz. bottle $2.50 each
$2/4 Juicy Juice printable ($2 each)
$1/2 Juicy Juice printable ($2 each)
Ken's Salad Dressing 16 oz. $2.50 each
$1/2 Ken's Dressings 3/7 SS ($2 each)
Classico Pasta Sauce $2.39 each
$1/2 Classico Pasta Sauce printable ($1.89 each)
Golden Flake Potato Chips $1.50 each


This post is a part of BeCentsable's Grocery Gathering.

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$1 off Sara Lee Pre-Sliced Deli Meat Printable

Get exclusive printable coupons for RedPlum including $1 off Sara Lee Pre-Sliced Deli Meat.

Find more printable coupons from RedPlum including .50/1 Florida Crystals, .50/1 Domino Sugar, .55/1 Dannon Coolision 6 pack or Dan-o-nino 6 pk., .55/1 Earth Grains bread and more.

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*Hot* $5 off $30 Kids Clothing Target Printable Coupon

Warmer weather is headed our way and with that comes Spring & Summer clothing. Get a discount on new clothes for your kids with this $5 off $30 purchase coupon from Target.

Thanks, Common Sense with Money!

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$1 off Two General Mills Cereal Printable Coupon

Get a coupon for $1 off 2 General Mills cereal here.

Thanks, Chrissy @ Becentsable!

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Giveaway Thursday

It's Giveaway Thursday here at The Money Jar. I host a MckLinky here each Thursday so you can share your blog giveaways. If you are hosting a giveaway, please leave your link. If you know someone hosting a giveaway, tell them to stop by and leave their link. Thanks! Please keep giveaway links family friendly.


While you're here be sure to enter my Horizon Organic Lowfat Chocolate Milk Giveaway.

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Winner

Congratulations to Shelley! Shelley is the winner of the Betty Crocker Fruit Flavored Snacks and $25 donation to OLPC Giveaway. Please contact me within 48 hours to claim your prize.

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Horizon Organic Lowfat Chocolate Milk Review & Giveaway

As a mom who regularly buys organic milk for my family, I was very interested when I was contacted by Horizon via my membership at The Product Review Place to try out their Horizon Organic Lowfat Chocolate Milk with DHA Omega-3. I wasted no time in picking some of this up after receiving my two coupons to try it free. I poured the first two glasses for my girls and then one for myself. The first thing I heard was "Mmmmmmm" from my girls. They loved it and I did too. I enjoyed it so much I ended up pouring myself a second glass as soon as I finished the first. It's incredibly rich and creamy. The next day I offered my husband some and he agreed it was as tasty as the girls and I thought it was. We are definitely looking forward to drinking more of this yummy treat.

About Horizon Organic Lowfat Chocolate Milk with DHA Omega-3

Horizon Organic Lowfat Chocolate Milk with DHA Omega-3 provides a great tasting and easy way to add calcium and DHA to your family's diet. DHA Omega-3 is an important nutrient that helps support heart, brain and eye health, and it's available in lowfat half gallons.

DHA belongs to a category of healthy fatty acids known as Omega-3's. Found in high concentrations in the tissues of the brain and eye, DHA Omega-3 is thought to help support healthy function in these areas. DHA has also been shown to help support heart health.

DHA provides a nutritional boost for children's growing minds and bodies. Children's brains grow incredibly fast. In fact, the brain nearly quadruples in the first five years of life.

DHA is a key structural component of the brain, yet many young children don't get their recommended daily amount of DHA as it is found in a limited number of food sources.

Horizon Organic Milk Plus DHA Omega-3 is fortified with a natural, 100 percent vegetarian and sustainable source of DHA - a safe, wholesome, delicious way to bring more of this important nutrient into your family's diet.

Go here for more information.

Win It!

Two lucky readers of The Money Jar will each receive 4 coupons from Horizon-2 coupons for a free 1/2 gallon of Horizon Organic Lowfat Chocolate Milk with DHA Omega-3 and 2 coupons for $1 off 1/2 gallon of Horizon Organic Lowfat Chocolate Milk with DHA Omega-3.

To enter please leave a comment below.

For an additional entry, tweet about this giveaway and leave a comment below. Please put @FrugalFocused1 in your tweet so I will know you tweeted.

You can receive up to two (2) entries in this giveaway.

Contest open to U.S residents only 18 years of age and older.
Contest ends at 10 p.m. CST, March 18,2010.
Winner will be chosen by random number generator at random.org.
Winner has 48 hours to contact me after contest ends or another winner will be selected.

Disclosure: I was contacted by Horizon who provided me with coupons for two(2) free 1/2 gallons of Horizon Organic Lowfat Milk with DHA Omega-3 to try and review the product. Horizon also provided me with product information for this review as well as sponsorship of the giveaway. All views and opinions expressed are my own.

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Homemade Frugal Fail - No Cheese Crackers For Us

If you're a regular reader then you know I'm making an attempt to cook from scratch more often these days. This commitment includes our snack foods as well. We all love cheese crackers here but I hate all the unpronounceable ingredients in many of the well known brands. We love Annie's Cheddar Bunnies as an alternative but they can be pricey. So last week I attempted to make some cheese crackers from scratch. I found a recipe to try online. They looked so pretty. I gathered the ingredients together-so excited to be making something that would be a treat for the kids. But even though I followed the directions to a T, we never got to enjoy any crackers. In fact, they never even made it into the oven. The dough was just too crumbly to work with. I added more melted butter than recommended when I realized I was still dealing with crumbs and not dough but that didn't help. It finally came together as dough but crumbled every time I tried to work with it. I chilled as directed and then chilled it some more. Still nothing but crumbs. So finally I gave up and just tossed it. I'm not sure what I was doing wrong but I just couldn't get the recipe to work.

Thankfully, Annie's Cheddar Bunnies are on sale for $2 a box at Target right now. We have some cheese crackers to tide us over until I can find another recipe. If any of you have a great cheese cracker recipe or any other healthy snack recipe that would be great for school lunches/snacks feel free to share them. I think I'm going to whip up some banana muffins for snacks this afternoon but would love a savory snack to try later this week.

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Drugstore Freebies 3/7-3/13

Here's a list of what you can get free this week at CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid.

CVS

Nivea Lip Care $2.99
ECBs $2.99
Free after ECBs

Oral B Cross Action Toothbrush $4
ECBs $4
.75/1 Oral B Cross Action, Pulsar or Advantage Toothbrush 2/7 or 2/21 PG
Free plus overage after Q and ECB

Nabisco Crackers 4-6 oz. $1
$1/1 Nabisco Crackers 6 oz. + 1/24 SS
Free after Q

Stayfree pads Regular 24 ct. $3.89
ECBs $2
B1G1 Stayfree 1/3 RP
$1/1 Stayfree printable
Deal Idea
Buy 2 Stayfree pads $7.78
Use B1G1 Q
Use $1/1 printable
Pay $2.89
Receive $4 ECBs
Free plus $1.11 overage after Qs and ECBs

Walgreens

Dr. Scholl's Messaging Gel Heel Cushions $6.99
RR $10 when you spend $20 on Dr. Scholls
$3 off Dr. Scholls In Ad Q
$2 of Dr. Scholls printable
Deal Idea
Buy 3 Dr Scholl's Messaging Gel Heel Cushions $20.97
use $3/1 In Ad Q (takes off $9)
use (3) $2/1 printable
Pay $5.97
Get $10 RR
Free plus $4.03 overage after Qs and RRs (If you can only get 2 of the printables you will still get overage.)

Olay Body Wash or Bar Soap 4 pk. $3.99 each
$1/1 Olay Body Wash or Bar Soap 2/14 RP
$15 Olay Rebate wyb 3 products
Free after Qs and MIR

Rite Aid

Cover Girl Cosmetics B1G1
B1G1 Covergirl 2/7 PG
2 Free after Q if store allows use of B1G1 on B1G1

Be sure to stop by Southern Savers and I Heart Saving Money for all the coupon match ups.

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Rebate Roundup 3/7-3/13

My friend Greta at Friend Family Fun has the lastest Rebate Roundup ready. Be sure to stop by her blog for all the ways you can maximize your savings through rebates this week.

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Lessons in Frugality from a Lady Named Grace

image credit: Chicago Tribune online

Have you heard about Grace Groner? She lived her life in a small, one bedroom home and died in January at the age of 100. She worked for Abbott Laboratories for 43 years as a secretary and lived a very unassuming life. Growing up in the Depression, she knew all about living frugally and saw no need to live any other way during her life. When she died she left $7 million to Lake Forest College, her alma mater. In 1935 she bought $180 worth of stock in Abbott, it split multiple times and she just keep reinvesting the dividends. You can read more about her story here and you can watch the news story that gives additional detail here.

We don't all have to live as simply and frugally as Grace Groner but I think we can be inspired by her. Her life wasn't about surrounding herself with stuff just because she had the money to do so. She had what she needed and used the rest to bless others. While I aspire to live frugally and bless others with my abundance, there are certainly lessons I could learn from this lady named Grace and perhaps you could too.

1) Be wise with your money. She didn't spend her life chasing after every dollar she could make and making all kinds of investments in hopes of scoring big. She worked as a secretary for 43 years. She took a $180 investment and just kept reinvesting it until she had accumulated considerable wealth. No, we won't all be so fortunate to make an investment in a company like Abbott Laboratories but we can educate ourselves and learn to invest our money wisely to make the most of the money we do have.

2) Live below your means. We don't all have to live in one bedroom homes and never drive a car but I think most of us in today's society have more than we really need. Many live beyond their means and those who live within their means seem to be ahead of the game by today's standards. But we all really could live with less. Grace Groner had the means to live an extravagant lifestyle but chose not to do so. We can make that choice too.

3) Enjoy the blessing. Grace Groner didn't just stuff the money she had accumulated away. She knew what was important to her and allowed herself to enjoy what she had. Her happiness didn't come from material possessions. She surrounded herself with friends and stayed connected to her alma mater. She attended football games and cultural events at the school. She also traveled widely after retirement. What's really important to you? Is it the latest tech gadget or spending money on a fun outing with your family. Decide how your money is best spent and put the money there. For me, I love family outings and taking my kids different places and allowing them to have different experiences. I'd much rather spend my money that way than have the latest cell phone or designer clothes. The key is to keep that idea in mind when I'm facing the temptation to spend on something that doesn't fit with that priority.

4) Bless others with your abundance. So we may not all end up with $7 million to give away when we die but for the most part, we do all have an abundance to share with others. Grace didn't just give her money, she gave her time as well, volunteering for decades at a church. She blessed others through service, friendship and through her giving-both anonymously to needy families as well as her scholarship fund. So share your abundance whether it be time given to your children's school or a local food pantry. Or perhaps money to help a child living in poverty around the world. Or a meal to a friend who just had a baby or a neighbor you just lost a loved one. We all have something to give from our own personal abundance.

Grace's story has certainly given me pause. Since reading it yesterday morning I've thought a lot about how I'm really living out my priorities. Do my spending habits and saving habits truly reflect what is important to me? I'm not so sure they do. I've got some work to do. My goal has always been to bless others with my abundance but I really think I can do a much better job than I'm doing. Just looking around my house, I know I can do a much better job. So it's time to get to it and thank Grace for her lessons in frugality.

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WeeklyDeals

This wasn't a super week for deals. Publix really didn't have any deals this week to draw me in. And Winn Dixie really didn't have a lot either. I ended up using pretty much all my budget though because I bought some pricier organic products with some of the extra.


CVS-I find this purchase amusing. Candy and mouth rinse. The candy's for my oldest daughter's class though not my kids. ;)



I bought:
1 Listerine Smart Rinse $3.99
2 Gold Emblem Candy $1.76
Qs
$1/1 Smart Rinse
$1/2 Gold Emblem CRT
$2 ECBs
Total OOP: $2.06

Food World-When going through my coupons I realized I had a .50/1 Q for the rice instead of the .75/1 listed in the database which means I got the rice free. I hope my Food World ad readers got that too.


I bought:
2 Marcal TP $2
1 Mahatama Brown Rice $1
1 garlic .79 cents
Qs
2 $1/1 Marcal TP
1 .50/1 Mahatma rice doubled
Total OOP with tax: .94 cents

Winn Dixie

I spent: $46.63
I saved: $25.47

Weekly Total: $49.63
2010 Total: $450.47
9 week avg:$50.05

This post is linked to:
Southern Savers Friday Finals
Money Saving Moms Super Savings Saturday
I Heart Publix Weekly Totals

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Goodwill Shopping Deals

We had a new Goodwill open here this week. I've been anticipating it's opening for over a month now as I drive by it frequently and they've had the sign up announcing the grand opening date. I was even more excited last week when I received a $5 off $20 purchase coupon in the mail for their grand opening. So I decided to brave what I was sure to be absolute craziness and go on the opening day. It proved to be even more crazy than I thought it would be. You couldn't really dig around for deals since there were so many people there but I did find some things we could use. I went there specifically looking for clothes for me, work shirts for my husband, summer clothes for my girls and some decorative items for our house. I also keep a running list in my head of things we could use and look for them at Goodwill and on clearance racks. I managed to make it out of there with only one impulse buy.

I bought:

1 Mini Boden top $1.50(for oldest daughter)

1 khaki bermuda shorts $1.50(for oldest daughter)

1 plaid bermuda shorts NEW $1.50 (for oldest daughter)

2 pair of sandals NEW $7.98 (for daugthers)

1 pk. spoons NEW $1.99(I'll use these in the girls lunches. We're down to just two spoons for lunches so these will be very useful. Also, I'm hoping the bright colors will keep them from tossing them.)

6 cloth napkins .79 cents (for lunch boxes)

Photoshop 6 for Dummies $1.99 (This was my impulse buy. I have had Photoshop 6 for years. I figured there might be something I could learn about it after all this time.)

1 medium white vase .89 cents

2 small white vases $1.18

Total with tax: $20.58

Minus $5/$20 Q

Total OOP: $15.58

This post is linked to:

Southern Savers Friday Finals

Money Saving Mom's Super Savings Saturday

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Free Sample Purex 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets

Go here to request a free sample of Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets.

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Ruby Tuesday: Free Appetizer With $10 Purchase

Go here to become a fan of Ruby Tuesday on Facebook and get a coupon for a free appetizer with a $10 purchase.

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Coupon Preview 3/7

There will be three inserts in this Sunday's paper: 1 Smart Source, 1 Red Plum & 1 Proctor & Gamble. Stop by Southern Savers for a full list of available coupons. Remember coupons will vary by region.

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The Limited: Free Pant or Skirt with Jacket Purchase

Through March 10, 2010 get a free pant or skirt when you buy a regular priced jacket in store or online at The Limited. Go here for details.

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Giveaway Thursday

It's Giveaway Thursday here at The Money Jar. I host a MckLinky here each Thursday so you can share your blog giveaways. If you are hosting a giveaway, please leave your link. If you know someone hosting a giveaway, tell them to stop by and leave their link. Thanks! Please keep giveaway links family friendly



Be sure to enter my giveaway for 2 boxes of Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks and a $25 donation to One Laptop Per Child in your name while you're here.

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Declutter Challenge: February Update

Time to check in and see how things are going with the Declutter Challenge. February was the month I had to admit I am too sentimental which leads to saving too much stuff-specifically cards and things made by my kids. While I have gotten better at letting go of this kind of stuff over the past couple of years, I still have loads of it from past years. I waded through scores of greeting cards as well as papers from my ahem 9-year-olds Pre-K & Kindergarten years and tossed, tossed, tossed. I did not count every single one but I'm sure I came close to my yearly goal if you counted them all individually. I know. It feels good to be getting rid of it.

I also decluttered by doing one of my favorite things, consigning! I love selling the girls gently worn clothing and toys at seasonal consignment sales. You get rid of the stuff and get some extra cash in your pocket. I prefer seasonal consignment sales over regular consigment stores because the turnaround is so quick. You get your money within a week to a week or two with the sales whereas you only get it monthly or quarterly through a store. The exception is consignment stores that pay up front but you usually get less money that way. So I stick with the seasonal sales.

Now for the update. Goal reminder: Declutter 50 items a month for a total of 600 items by the end of the year.

Here's how I did in February.

I tossed/recycled:

grocery size bag full of cards-at least 50-will count as 1 thing

5 owner's manuals for things we no longer own

8 old, worn towels & pot holders

an old food journal from when I obsessed about such things

bag of school papers-too many to count-will count as 1 thing

old foot stool

bag of 20 small toys

Placed in Yard Sale box:

2 pr. girls tights

5 Christmas themed frames

2 Christmas themed acrylic containers

1 Activity book

2 throw pillows

2 small dolls

Barbie Tea Set

Sold at Consignment Sale:

3 Wii Games

3 dolls

22 clothing items

My Monthly Total: 95

My Yearly Total: 164

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$1 off Welch's Grape Juice Printable Coupon

All You has an exclusive printable coupon to get $1 off any Welch's 100% Grape Juice & 100% Grape Juice blends. Go here to print your coupon now. Other exclusive All You printable coupons include:

$1.25/1 Slim Fast product(excl. singles)

$2/1 Carvel Ice Cream Cake

$1/1 Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers

$1/1 Marie Callenders Home-Style Creations

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Food World Weekly Ad 3/3-3/9

My Food World doubles coupons up to .50 cents. They also accept Publix and Winn Dixie coupons. Check with your store for their coupon policy.

Super Coupons-Spend $30 or more and get the following items free with In Ad coupons:

Bryan Thick Sliced Bologna or Weiners 12 oz.

5 lbs. Nature's Finest All Purpose Russett Potatoes

Malt O Meal Cereal-19 oz. Honey Nut Scooters, 23 oz. Frosted Flakes, 23.5 oz. Golden Puffs or 17 oz. Cinnamon Toasters

10 for $10

Sunny D drinks 64 oz. $1

.25/1 Sunny D 2/7/10 SS (.50 cents each)

Best Yet SwirlWhip Topping $1

Blue Bonnett Margarine Quarters 16 oz. $1

Bugles Snacks Reg. or Nacho 5 oz. $1

Zatarain's Fish-Fri or Shrimp Fri $1

Margaret Holmes Seasoned Vegetables $1

Veg-All 15 oz. $1

Mahatma Brown Rice 15 oz. bag $1

.75/1 Mahatma white or brown rice 2/7/10 RP (.25 cents each)

Martha White Muffin Mix 7-7.4 oz. $1

.55/1, .55/2 or $1/4 Martha White Baking Mix 2/14 RP (.45 cents to 75 cents each)

Bounty Basic Paper Towels $1

Faygo Soft Drink 2 liters $1

Gerber 2nd Food Baby Foods 2 pk. $1

Meat

Black Angus Beef Bone-In Ribeyes family pack $4.99 lb.

Sanderson Farms Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast B1G1

Center Cut Boneless Pork Loin $2.49 lb.

Fresh Ground Beef 75% lean family pack $1.79 lb.

Pork Tenderloin $3.99 lb

Center Cut Boneless Pork Loin Chops $2.99 lb.

Choice Black Angus London Broil $3.49 lb.

Choice Angus Beef Boneless Top Sirloin Steak $4.29 lb.

Boneless Pork Sirloin Chops $2.19 lb.

Royal Smoked Sausage 2/$5 or $2.50 each

Oscar Mayer Regular Weiners 2/$5 ($2.50 each)

Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh Shaved lunch meat 2/$6 ($3 each)

Seafood

Fishin Whiting Fillets B1G2

Fishin Bay Scallops B1G2

Fishin Flounder Fillets B1G2

Fishin Pollock Fillets B1G2

Fishin Perch Fillets B1G2

Fishin Cod Fillets B1G2

Produce

Red or Green Seedless Grapes $1.49 lb.

California Iceberg Lettuce .88 cents each

Asst. Variety Nature's Greens Cooking Greens 2/$5 ($2.50 each)

Zucchini or Yellow Squash $1.49 lb.

Washington State Gran Rose Apples $1.29 lb.

Dole California Mini Cut Carrots 1 lb. $1.79

Imported Jumbo Sweet Onions .99 cents lb.

Rutabagas .69 cents lb.

Refrigerated/Frozen

Blue Bell Ice Cream 64 oz. $3.88

$1/1 printable - must register-click Join Blue Bell under Extra Scoops($2.88 each)

Best Yet Chunk or Shredded Cheese 2/$3 ($1.50 each)

California Pizza Kitchen or DiGiorno Pizza 2/$11 ($5.50 each)

$1/2 DiGiorno pizza-found on tearpad at Winn Dixie($5 each)

Best Yet American Singles 2/$3 or ($1.50 each)

Kraft Deli Fresh Cheese Slices 2/$5 ($2.50 each)

Dannon Activia Yogurt 4 pk. $1.99

$1/1 Dannnon Activia 2/7 & 2/28 SS (.99 cents each)

Birds Eye Steam Fresh Vegetables 2/$4 ($2 each)

.35/1 or $1/3 Birds Eye Steam Fresh 2/28 SS ($1.30-$1.67 each)

Kid Cuisine Meals 2/$4 ($2 each)

B2G1 Kid Cuisine (up to $1.86) January All You ($1.38 each)

Groceries

Food World Bread sandwich or round top .99 cents each

White Lily Flour 5 lbs. $1.97 each

Bama Grape or Apple Jelly or Grape Jam $1.59

Knorr Side Dishes 3/$4 ($1.34 each)

$1/3 Knorr Side Dishes printable-register here ($1 each)

Prego Spaghetti Sauce $1.99 each

This post is a part of BeCentsable's Grocery Gathering.

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