Another Week in Review

Last week wasn't that great for me healthwise . I started with back pain on my lower left side to the point I couldn't left my leg into the bed without my daughter helping me, then I guess because I was working the right side muscles so much, I started having terrible back and abdomen spasms on the right side by Tuesday. It got so bad I considered going to the E. R. I had to take to my bed because I couldn't even work my arm to type or use the mouse. I started taking some muscle relaxers I had at the house as much as I hate too.

I did really well frugally this past week also. I hit some great clearance sales and won a lot of wonderful prizes. I got a couple of bras on clearance for $3 each at Wal-Mart, I finally found some Purex detergent I had won coupons for but no one in town seem to carry that exact product but I found it at the Dollar General, the Dollar General was having a 90% sale on gardening seeds and I got a ton of seeds for 3 cents a pack, some 6 herb containers for 60 cents and also some seed starting pans for only 45 cents. I am set for next growing season. I got some snow cone flavorings for 50 cents a bottle, a really nice thermometer to go outside for just about $2.

My ex brother in law moved some furniture for us. The living room looks so much nicer now. I got rid of the old nasty couch that had been here since I moved and the rug on the living room floor. I put in the new rocking love seat and chair that I got from work and also the rug that one of the customers gave me.  It really matched well with the furniture.

Prizes I won this past week- I had a really great week and I sure do appreciate all the wonderful blog hosts who posted these blogs and the sponsors who offer the prizes.

Green Toys school bus from Abracadabra Momma   My grandson will love this.

Standing Up autographed DVD from Mon Cheri I really wanted to watch this movie about bullying with my grandkids.

3 books from Deal Sharing Aunt in the Clear Your Shelf Giveaway Can't wait to get my books. I love to read but as much as I read, I can't afford to buy that many books. I usually visit 2-3 libraries a week.

Red Gold Tomato grilling kit from Amy at A Balancing Act

Noxicare from Rosey the Coupon Coach-  I have wanted to try this out for ages. I actually supposed won twice already but never got either prize, nor will the blog owners answer my emails.

Wedding Chapel DVD from Mommy's Block Party 

A coupon for a free bar of Fels Naptha soap from Precious 416

Another coupon for a free bar of Fels Naptha soap from Mike and Kim on a Budget- I am loving winning all this laundry making supplies. I am stocking up and saving them.

Sunday Savings

I don't remember if I posted it or not but I quit my job at the prison. They wanted to lock me in a room with 5 convicted felons behind me that I would not be in a position to watch. I felt this wasn't safe and went to management with my concerns, basically they blew me off so I did a Johnny Paycheck and walked out. Actually I am so glad to be done with them. My stress levels stayed up and I was in constant physical pain.  Since quitting, I have went off all my meds with only an occasional pain pill. But because I quit, I am not eligible for unemployment. Right now I just don't want to find another full time job. I only have to pay electricity so I am looking for something part time. In the meantime I am working on stretching what few dollars I have left.

I finally went to Rite Aid to pick up the photo cards I posted about last week. They turned out awesome. I love them.

Bought 3 Sunday papers because today was the day for the P&G coupsons but that was the only packet in there so not a good deal.  I then went to Lowe's Hardware to pick up a 30 pack of AA batteries I ordered online for $4 with free instore pickup. We use a lot of AA since thats what my mouse requires. One day I may look into a rechargeable mouse or batteries instead. 

My next stop was CVS, I didn't really see anything that I had to have on sale today other than cereal. They had selected Kellogg's cereals for 1.99 a box and I had some coupons I printed from Kellogs Family Rewards for 1.50 off each box making them .49 each. I got Apple Jack's. Kelloggs Family Rewards is a really nice reward program where  you enter codes from the Kellogg products and also codes they offer online and you can get a wide variety of stuff. I choose the coupons because we needed cereal and it was a great deal. Each coupon printed 2 times.  Right now they have a daily spin thing on their facebook page where you can win codes. You might win other stuff but I have only won codes but you can win up to 3 times daily.

Finally I ended the day by going and signing up for some mystery shopping/ merchandising jobs. I used to do a lot of those years ago and I think if I can get back in the groove I can get enough of these so that I don't have to get an actual 9-5 job again.

As I come across any good savings I will be postings so we can all save a dollar or 2.

Sunday savings

Download 11 country songs for free from People magazine.

free popcorn cakes from Orville Redenbacher Pick cheddar or caramel.

Sample of Playtex Sport

sample of Kotex

sample of Tide Total Care

a few goodies

Donate to the Troops

you can donate 1 item for free to the troops. Go to Generation Kill
choose the troop drive tab. then click the submit button and it will open a new window and you pick one item to add to the troops. Free from HBO and sponsors.

Cheap 8x10s
5 of 8x10 size photo prints at Art Cow for $0.99 shipped.
coupon code: FIVE8X10AT099 expires on 08/08/2008
I will admit I wasn't impressed with the last ones I got from there but I figured for a dollar I would try again.

Chick-Fil-A freebie
new promotion they are having for Labor Day. Wear a shirt with a football team on it, and get a free chick-n-strips on sept 1st!
SPONSOR: Chick-Fil-A ...
HOW TO PARTICIPATE: To receive one (1) free three-count order of Chick-n-Strips while supplies last, eligible participants should visit participating Chick-fil-A locations from 10:30 AM until close on Sept. 1, 2008 wearing atleast one visible article of clothing that contains any football team logo or collegiate logo and mention this Promotion. ...
ELIGIBILITY: Offer available only to legal U.S. residents of AL, AR AZ, CA, CO, DE, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, MD, MO, MS, NC, NH, NJ, NM, OH, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, UT, VA, WI, WV, and WY. Limit one per person.

Museum Day
Museums in NC
if you check this out you can see what all places participate and then you fill out a form and print a coupon for you and a guest to enter free. I choose Old Salem since I have wanted to see it for ages. If you aren't in NC then change to your state and see whats available. Its for Sept 27 2008

Background checks
This site doesn't show everything but its pretty fun to play with.
Background Checks

Saving at Food Lion

This month's All You magazine has some great coupons in it. Page 155 has some buy any 3 kraft product and get something free coupons. I got 15 packs of kool aid for $3.00 and got a large box of wheat thins, bottle of Kraft dressing, package of kraft sliced cheese, oscar mayer hot dogs, and a box of crystal light drink mix for free with the kool aid. I also had some Food Lion internet coupons for $1.50 off any Food Lion brand diapers or wipes, $1.00 off 3 cans of Food Lion tomato products and $1 off 2 cans of Hunts tomato products. I got the small travel pack of wipes for free and I got the small cans of tomato sauce and paid .05 for 5 cans of sauce. We use a lot of tomato sauce since we aren't that fond of spaghetti sauce.
I bought a can of Grands biscuits on sale for 1.00 so now for that $1 we are going hot dog blankets for dinner. You press a biscuit until its flat, lay 1/2 slice of cheese on one of the edges and then put a weiner in the middle of the cheese. Start rolling up the end that has the cheese and weiner on it and press the edge closed when done. Bake in at 350 for about 8-12 minutes and thats all there is to it. Kids love them and they are quick and easy to fix. This will actually end up being 2 dinners for us.

Sunday Savings

Staples had a deal today that 8 pack pencils were 1 cent, sample size hand sanitizer was 1 cent, folders were 1 cent, and poly binders were a quarter. They also had some highlighters that were free after easy rebate. So for $1.22, I got 2 packs pencils, 2 hand sanitizers, 10 folder, 4 binders and the highlighters. (got up to limits allowed) I had my daughter go through the line also and she got everything but the highlighters also. I like to give the kids in the family back to school packs and these will go nicely in them. I went by Target on Friday night and they were having a clearance so I got pencil tins for .25, dry boards with marker, and pencils packs with 1 pencil, stickers, pouch and little memo pads for the boys all in Incredible Hulk for .25 each. I got the girls little Nemo dry boards with marker, little Mermaid diaries, small glitter glue, and little gel pens. I am hoping to find some paper on sale before taking the back to school packs to the kids. I also got my nephews some little supplies for camping, there is little splinter kits, sample first aid kits, water bottles, and emergency blankets. Going to take that stuff down next weekend so will probably take their back to school kits at the same time.
I also went by Foodlion because I needed cat food and saw they had some ham on sale buy 1 lb and get 1 lb free. I had a catalina for $2.00 off deli meat so for $4.37 I got 12.76 worth of ham.

The rest of the day I have been scanning pictures from my albums. We had a leak and quite a number of my picts got ruined so now I am scanning everything so it won't happen again. I am going to burn them all to cd but also upload them to photobucket so anyone in the family can get whatever ones they want also.

Monthly deals from CVS

Here are some monthly deals at CVS so far. I use all the personal care items to make gift baskets for birthdays and the holidays. I got my mypoints gift card for CVS already and about $20 in ECB to roll so I see a number of deals for me.

$2.99 ECB Aquafresh Toothpaste Advanced whitening 6oz or extreme clean 5.6 oz (2.99) LIMIT 3 FREE after ECBs
-$1.50 SS 4/6
-$1.00 SS 4/6

$4.99 ECB Adidas Action 3 Anti Perspirant 2.8oz ($4.99) LIMIT 3 FREE after ECBs
FREE Any adidas action 3 product exp 6/15/08 All You Magazine pg. 85 ( I subscribed through a coworker's kid, they have awesome coupons. I already have a number of ECB to roll so may let my daughter use the coupon to get some bucks on her card. )
Adidas Anti-Perspirant Refund Offer (mail-in) V 4/13/

$4.69 ECB Tums Quik Pak 24 ct ($4.69) LIMIT 2 FREE after ECBs

$10.00 ECB Freestyle Lite or Freedom lite glucose meter ($10.00) LIMIT 2 FREE after ECBs

$3.79 ECB CVS Non Drowsy Allergy Relief 5 ct ($3.79) LIMIT 3 FREE after ECBs
(never can have too much allergy medicine)

$3.99 ECB Colgate 360 clean or deep clean toothbrush ($3.99) LIMIT 3 FREE after ECBs
-$.75 SS 3/30
-$1.00 SS 4/27

Happy late Groundhogs day

I have just been feeling overwhelmed lately so haven't been on here much. I went through my myspace page and deleted over half of the friends. I only kept people I actually know or that I really talk to. I have also been removing myself from mailing lists. I don't know how over the years I have gotten on some many but its very daunting to open your email and it say 400 or 500 new messages every day.

Groundhogs day was absolutely beautiful day so I am sure the groundhog saw his shadow :(. It was the sunniest and warmest day I remember in quite a while. Friday night I went to a birthday dinner for my cousin S' daughter J. She was 14. I was amazed at how she and her friend looked. She always seems like a distracted artsy girl at my house but she had heavy black eyeliner on, tight shirt and baggy pants and let's not forget she had written on her arm "pain = beauty". Her friend had a lip piercing. I guess thats the way it goes these days, makes me very glad I don't have little kids. I brought the other daughter T home. We have kept her all weekend now.

On the savings note, I did bring my lunch to work 3 days last week. I am fixing a ham I bought on sale also for dinner tonight so will take some ham sandwiches at least 2 days this week and will fix some pinto beans with ham in them also. I have been shopping at foodlion the last couple days. They have Pepsi products on sale 4- 12 packs for $11, in the part of NC Dr Pepper is a Pepsi product. Foodlion has a couple for $2 off a 12 pack of Dr Pepper so that makes each 12 pack .75. M likes it so I am stocking up on that and diet to take to family functions since almost all of them drink diet Dr Pepper. Also Breyers is on sale b1g1 which if you only buy one makes it 2.60. Foodlion also has a coupon for $2 off breyers so for .60 you get a half gallon ice cream. We love ice cream so I have bought several, if I owned a deep freeze I would have bought more.

You can only get the print pop up once so when it comes up and ask how many copies you want thats when you have to put it. I think I put 10 of each.

$2 off Breyers

$2 off Dr Pepper



My sink drain has been stopped up and I have bought a ton of drain cleaners to no avail. I finally had to take the pipes apart and I don't really want to know what it was that I removed but the drain works now, it was majorly yucky. Last night I seriously hated being a single woman. I would have pawned that job off in a heartbeat. It made me wonder if I would be able to homestead. I figure its going to be at least 3-5 years before I can afford a place and there are so many things I don't know about farming and raising animals that I need to learn in the meantime but I wonder if newbie 40 something single woman can manage on her own. I am still going to aim for it and give it a go though. I thought I might take a few classes at the community college on stuff that I thought might help me.


Happy Groundhog Day! (some tidbits from my email)

* Woodchuck and groundhog are common terms for the same animal, the rodent with the scientific name of Marmota monax. Most closely related to squirrels, woodchucks actually can climb trees and also swim.

* Celestially speaking, Groundhog Day on Feb. 2 is a cross- quarter day, about halfway between the winter solstice in December and the vernal equinox in March, and is celebrated in some cultures as the mid point of winter. It's not far from the time many groundhogs end their hibernation anyway, around the second week of February.

* The groundhog's internal clock is believed to be affected by annual changes in the amount of daylight. Hormonal responses to cyclic changes in production of melatonin, a sleep-related hormone, are thought by some to be the signal to wake up.

* According to legend, if famous Groundhog Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If he does not see his shadow, there will be an early spring.

Source: http://www.news.cornell.edu/
and http://www.groundhog.org

Sunday Savings

Sundays are when most store sales start so I normally look online and find the best deals to do. I have resolved to work harder at saving and stocking up so here goes. My best web site to help with that is Hot Coupon World

Walgreen I am going to get back into the walgreen's easysaver rebate program. Here is my starting item
buy 5 Walgreens Brand Hand Sanitizer for what $7.50 and get the ESR for $10? on the 8oz size. We are always using hand sanitizer and spending 7.50 will get me $10 to invest in next month deals.
Deals This Week 1/20- 1/26
Benefiber $4.99 ( I dont use this but my best friend does and she is always saying how expensive it is so I am going to stock up what I can for her)
Use $3 Easysaver coupon (pg. 23)
$2/1 Benefiber Product (in 1/20 Smartsource insert)
= Free

Aleve is on sale for $2.99 ( my favorite brand of pain reliever.)
Use:
$ 2.00 (1/6 Smartsource)
= $.99 cents!

CVS
new coupons to use
$15/$75 Exp 2/3/08
$4/$20 Exp 2/3/08
$10/$50 Exp 2/3/08
$5/$30 Exp 2/3/08
$3/$15 Exp 2/3/08

CVS has Tide on sale for $4.99 and I will be working on stocking up on that if I can find some of the Breeze monitors in stock. Its on sale for 9.99 with 9.99 in ecb back and CVS has a coupon out that makes the monitor free.


Rite Aid
Free Wrigley's 10 pack of Gum
on sale for $.99 ( I don't chew gum but a woman at work is a fanatic about it so will give to her)
Use $1/1 Wrigleys Coupon ( 1/20 Smartsource insert)
= Free

Free Clean & Condition Cloths 70ct,
on sale for $3.99
use in ad coupon $3.99
=Free

here are a few of the single check rebate items. I want to pick up a couple and just keep reinvesting the rebate each month on whatever is on sale. I will probably get the flu reduce and the light bulbs.
FREE after SCR:Flu Reduce 6.99-6.99 SCR
Diaper Mate 2.49 - 2.49 SCR
GE soft white light bulbs 2.00 -2.00 SCR
Orajel Mouth Rinse 5.99 - 5.99 SCR