Deals of the Week 11/30/08-12/06/08

This was a weird shopping week for me. I was out and about doing Christmas shopping and took advantage of some extra deals. I didn't buy my normal groceries last week so I spent a bit more this week.

CVS this week:
Transaction 1:
The little one was sick so I had to get a prescription filled. I had a CRT to receive a $25 GC with a new prescription so I used that.

Transaction 2:
1 Bounty Basic 8 Roll Paper Towel pack $5.99
1 Hershey Bar 89 cents
Q Used:
6 ECBs
Total OOP: 93 cents

I used my Grocery Game List for Walgreens and Kroger.
At Walgreens:
Original price: $51.59
Total after sales and coupons: $27.27
Minus GC balance of $7.69
Total OOP: $19.58
Savings of 62%
Earned: $12 in Register Rewards and will receive $5 in rebates

At Kroger:
I needed quite a few things like fresh produce, bread, milk, etc. that weren't on my list so my savings weren't as good this week.
Trip #1
Original price: $73.41
Total after sales and coupons:$50.95
Savings of 30%

Trip #2(One Day Sale)
Original price:$10.73
Total after sales and coupons:$4.63
Savings of 74%

For more great savings be sure to check out The Centsible Sawyer's CVS Superstars and Money Saving Mom's Super Savings Saturday.

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The One Dollar Give

Okay, I just read about The One Dollar Give over at Frugal Dad and had to spread the news. This ties in with the spirit of my Small Ways to Give Big series and I'm really so excited to share this with you. This began December 1st but you can jump in anytime. Each day a different charity will be featured and those at The One Dollar Give are asking that people give just one dollar a day for a total of $31 at the end of December. If you can't give financially grab the button and share it on your blog to support the project that way. So head on over to The One Dollar Give and find out how you can change a life with just $1 this holiday season.

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Menu Plan Monday 12/1/08-12/7/08

Here's what's on the menu this week:

Monday: Steak, salad , bread

Tuesday: Black Bean Burritos

Wednesday: Turkey Joes, chips

Thursday: Chicken fingers, mashed potatoes, broccoli, corn bread

Friday: Baked Salmon, salad, brown rice

Saturday: Dinner out

Sunday: leftovers

For more great menu ideas be sure to check out I'm An Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday.

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Deals of the Week 11/23/08-11/29/08

This was a great week. CVS was particularly fun. Here are my deals for the week.

CVS
I bought:
1 KitKat King Size $1
1 Aussie Hair Spray $2.99
2 Bic Soleil Razors $11.98
1 Schick Quattro Titanium Razor $7.99
2 Colgate Total Advance Toothpaste $5.98
1 bag Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels 49 cents(clearance)

Qs Used:
$1 off Aussie product
$1 off Colgate Total
$1.50 off Colgate Total
$3 off Bic Soleil
$3 off Bic Soleil
$13.49 ECBs
$5/30 CVS
Total OOP: $3.40
Earned $27.95 in ECBs

I used my Grocery Game list to shop at Walgreens this week. I paid $9.65 for $20.05 worth of products and earned $6 in Register Rewards.

For more great savings check out Super Savings Saturday at MoneySavingMom.com.

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Small Ways to Give Big

This is the final installment of my Small Ways to Give Big series. In case you missed my earlier installments, so far I have suggested:

Tip #1--Winter Heating Donations

Tip#2--Click it to Give it

Tip #3--Coupon Shopping Freebies

Tip #4--Be a Good Neighbor

Tip #5--Letters for our Troops

Tip #6--Foodbank Donations

Small Ways to Give Big Tip #7
Open your Home this Holiday Season--As we approach the holidays, our thoughts often turn to our families. We look forward to eating good meals, sharing laughs and creating memories with those closest to us. But if you look around you, there are people everywhere who don't have anywhere to go for the holidays. Perhaps it's a new family that just moved into the area and can't travel home for the holidays. Maybe it's an elderly neighbor or church member who normally spends the holidays alone. Perhaps it's a single parent at work whose kids are with the other parent this holiday. This suggestion is inspired by an anonymous person at my church. This year this person gave one of the pastors a stack of 20 invitations to Thanksgiving dinner and charged him with finding 20 people in the community to invite who needed a place to go for the holiday. The anonymous host didn't want to know who would be coming. They just said they would have enough food for 20 guests and looked forward to sharing the day giving thanks with those invited. I can't even tell you how much I would love to be in that house Thanksgiving day. I imagine that home will be filled with the spirit of Thanksgiving. Such a grand gesture, while lovely, is certainly not necessary. Inviting just one person, one couple, one family to share one day, one meal with your family this holiday season will be a blessing to them and to yourself.

I hope that in reading this series you have discovered new ways to give to others and that you will be blessed in your efforts to do so.

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Small Ways to Give Big

We're almost to the end of my Small Ways to Give Big Series.

Here are my suggestions thus far:

Tip #1--Winter Heating Donations

Tip #2--Click it to Give it

Tip #3--Coupon Shopping Freebies

Tip #4--Be a Good Neighbor

Tip #5--Letters for our Troops

Small Ways to Give Big Tip #6
Foodbank Donations--Foodbanks can stretch a dollar like nobody's business. My local foodbank suggests it can provide 8 meals for each $1 donated. So even if you're living on tight budget with very little wiggle room, you can still make a difference. I will give a few examples but these will reflect my experience with my local food bank. You will have to research what is available in your area. Okay, say you can spare $5 a month. Through my foodbank that would provide 40 meals a month or 480 meals a year. Borrowing from Tip #3, perhaps your grocery store has a rockin' deal on some non-perishable food. Some stores provide drop barrels from local foodbanks where you can place food items. So take those rockin' deals you got and place them in the barrel on your way out the door. You don't have to give monetarily though. Foodbanks are always looking for volunteers. Sort food, help with administrative duties like filing and mailings, answer the phones, sponsor a food drive or assist with planning special event fundraisers. The opportunities to help stop hunger by giving to your local foodbank are endless. All you have to do is figure out which way works best for you.

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Small Ways to Give Big

We're on day 5 of my Small Ways to Give Big Series. If you've not been following these posts here's a rundown of my tips up to this point:

Tip #1--Winter Heating Donations

Tip#2--Click it to Give it

Tip #3--Coupon Shopping Freebies

Tip #4--Be a Good Neighbor

Small Ways to Give Big Tip #5
Letters for our Troops--Chances are you have a friend or family member or know someone through your church, work or community that is serving or has served in our military. Our troops are separated from their families for extended periods of time and are putting their lives on the line for us and those around the world who need our help. A letter, card or care package can go a long way in lifting the spirits of a war weary soldier. Organize a card and letter writing campaign at your child's school, at your church or through a community organization and bring a smile to the face of a young man or woman serving this country. You can find a list of organizations with more information about where to send the letters here. It will only take a bit of your time and the cost of mailing the letters. A very small sacrifice compared to that of our service men and women.

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Small Ways to Give Big

Welcome back to my series on Small Ways to Give Big. So far we've discussed Winter Heating Donations, Click it to Give it, and Coupon Shopping Freebies. Now it's time for Tip #4.

Small Ways to Give Big Tip #4

Be a Good Neighbor--Your neighborhood is filled with opportunities to give. When you're out raking your leaves, rake your neighbor's leaves too. When that big snowfall comes, shovel your neighbor's driveway as well as your own. If you're making chili or soup for dinner, double the amount you're making and take some over to one of your neighbors. Craving Chocolate Chip cookies, whip up a batch and take part of them over to your neighbor. Invite your neighbors kids over to play with your own kids in the afternoon from time to time. You never know when that mom or dad just might need a break. The opportunities to give to your neighbors are truly endless. And the really wonderful thing about being a good neighbor is that you will be establishing and building friendships as well as building a greater sense of community.

Small Ways to Give Big Tip #1--Winter Heating Donations

Small Ways to Give Big Tip #2--Click It to Give It

Small Ways to Give Big Tip #3--Coupon Shopping Freebies

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Small Ways to Give Big

If you've been following my Small Ways to Give Big series you know that so far I've recommended Winter Heating Donations and Click it To Give it. Now it's time for today's suggestion.

Small Ways to Give Big Tip#3
Coupon Shopping Freebies--If you're a coupon shopper then you know there are always free items to be had. Some are free with coupons, others through rebates, and even more through rewards dollar type programs like Register Rewards found at Walgreens and Extra Care Bucks which can be earned at CVS. Sometimes with a coupon these items are even better than free. But what do you do if these are items that you're family just doesn't use? Well, you buy them(for free) anyway and donate them. Most of the time these are health and beauty items like toothpaste, toothbrushes, soap & bodywash, lotion, shampoo, razors & feminine care products. These items are always welcome at places like shelters for abused women & children, homes for at risk teens & homeless shelters. I have a shelf in my pantry dedicated to storing these items until I'm ready to donate them. I've heard of others that keep a box where they place the items as they purchase them. When the box is full, they donate the items. This is one of the easiest ways to bless others with our abundance.

Small Ways to Give Big Tip #1--Winter Heating Donations

Small Ways to Give Big Tip #2--Click it to Give it

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Deals of the Week 11/16/08-11/22/08

Sorry, no pictures again. This was a pretty good week. I spent more than the $60 I normally budget for each week but I had $11.97 from last months Rite Aid rebates that I used to cover the overage.

Target--I was a little disappointed because they only had one box of the granola bars left and I had several coupons to use. Oh, well.

I bought:
2 boxes Kashi cereal bars $6.58($3.29 a box)
1 box Quaker Simple Harvest Granola Bars $2.50
Subtotal:$9.08
Q's Used:
1 FREE Kashi Product
$2 off Kashi cereal bars
$1 off Quaker Simple Harvest Granola Bars
Total OOP: $2.79 A savings of 69%

I used my Grocery Game list to shop at Walgreens and Kroger.

At trip #1 to Walgreens I paid OOP: $8.65 for $18.06 worth of groceries and earned $2 in Register Rewards. A savings of 52%
At trip #2 to Walgreens I paid OOP: $3.15 for $6.65 worth of groceries. A savings of 52%

At Kroger I paid OOP: $54.98 for $110 worth of groceries. A savings of 50%

Total before sales and coupons: $143.79
Total Spent: $69.57
Average savings percentage: 52%

To see more great deals be sure to check out Super Savings Saturday at Money Saving Mom and Drugstore Divas at The Centsible Sawyer.

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