Coupon Preview ~ Sunday 5/30/10

This Sunday 5/30/10, you can expect 0 inserts in your Sunday paper:

NO COUPONS ~ HOLIDAY WEEKEND!!!

(FYI...I have seen reports of some other areas getting a General Mills insert...so check your paper)

Also...remember that there may be regional variations, so the larger the paper distribution the better chance of getting all the inserts :-) So pick up the paper with your area's largest distribution (I buy the Tennessean) as papers with lower distribution do not contain as many coupons.

Publix & Walgreens in Spring Hill has the Sunday paper for $1.19 each. Also some CVS are running the paper for $1.00 and the Dollar Tree always has the Sunday paper for $1.00 :-) Be sure to check around for the best paper price this week!

Publix Penny Item ~ Wednesday 5/26/10

The Mystery Penny Item at Publix for Wednesday 5/26:

Publix Glass Cleaner

This week's penny item is available with a $10 purchase (before coupons) and is only available on Wednesday 5/26 for the Nashville area.
Please remember that at most stores you will have to have the coupon to get the penny item.

Happy Shopping!!!

Coupon Preview ~ Sunday 5/23/10

This Sunday 5/23/10, you can expect 2 inserts in your Sunday paper:

1 SmartSource

1 Red Plum

Also...remember that there may be regional variations, so the larger the paper distribution the better chance of getting all the inserts :-) So pick up the paper with your area's largest distribution (I buy the Tennessean) as papers with lower distribution do not contain as many coupons.

Publix & Walgreens in Spring Hill has the Sunday paper for $1.19 each. Also some CVS are running the paper for $1.00 and the Dollar Tree always has the Sunday paper for $1.00 :-) Be sure to check around for the best paper price this week!

Publix Penny Item ~ Wed. 5/19/2010

The Mystery Penny Item at Publix for Wednesday 5/19:

Publix Pasta Sauce

This week's penny item is available with a $10 purchase (before coupons) and is only available on Wednesday 5/19 for the Nashville area.
Please remember that at most stores you will have to have the coupon to get the penny item.

Happy Shopping!!!

Coupon Preview ~ Sunday 5/16/10

This Sunday 5/16/10, you can expect 2 inserts in your Sunday paper:

1 SmartSource

1 Red Plum

Also...remember that there may be regional variations, so the larger the paper distribution the better chance of getting all the inserts :-) So pick up the paper with your area's largest distribution (I buy the Tennessean) as papers with lower distribution do not contain as many coupons.

Publix & Walgreens in Spring Hill has the Sunday paper for $1.19 each. Also some CVS are running the paper for $1.00 and the Dollar Tree always has the Sunday paper for $1.00 :-) Be sure to check around for the best paper price this week!

Why it PAYS to enter contests :-) The TV is finally HERE!!!!

People always ask me..."is it really worth it to enter contests?"...well, my answer is YES! You never know when your name might be the one drawn and you could win a huge prize :-) Let me show you...

Today was a big day of excitement at our house...a couple months ago, my husband got a voicemail from an Anheuser Busch affiliate saying that he had won a prize in a contest that he had entered. He had to call them back and verify some information. (Now, let me insert here that YES we made sure the company we were calling back was legit and we knew that he had actually registered for the contest that they were referring to...so be certain of that BEFORE you give any info to anyone!).
You see...months prior to this phone call as I was doing one of my shops in Kroger Marketplace...my husband who was following me around with a calculator...saw a display for Bud Light beer...it was the Bud Bowl Sweepstakes and it said text to win! Well, he did...and to be honest at the time, The conversation went a little like this...ME: Oh for gosh sakes babe, we don't even drink beer...why in the world did you just enter THAT contest? ~ BIGDADDY: Who cares if it's for beer, I ain't winning the beer, chick! The grand prize is a TV...a flat screen TV...so when I win it...don't be hatin'!"...a few chuckles and a possibly a few eye rolls were exchanged :-P and on we went with our shopping. Over the next few months, Bigdaddy would casually say "when I get my TV, I'm gonna put it right here" or "This surround sound is gonna be awesome when I get my new TV"...honestly, I never thought another thing about that night...I just figured he was day dreaming, heehee...until that call came in, that is...
Initially, we thought he had won a small prize, all I could think was "great...we just won a case of Bud Light"...LOL...but after talking with them...he learned that he had been drawn for one of the grand prizes :-) A 46" Sharp Aquos TV, a $1599.00 value!!!!
So picture it...Cicily, 1947...Oh wait, that's the wrong story...errr....Okay, so I was at my computer in the den, he was on the phone in the bedroom...outta the bedroom he ran...screaming and shouting and doing the "favor dust dance", oh my word it was a sight...I saw moves that day that I didn't even know existed in his repertoire...he was shouting things like "what now, mama?" "who's your daddy?" "woot woot" "Yeah BABY" "hate to say I told ya so, but I told ya" "don't be hatin' on me" "what up now, chick" "woooooooo!!!" "daddy got a big screen, oh yeah!"...followed by a few more loud woohoo's and an "Oh, I'm sorry...what was that you said about entering a beer contest?"...and then a "how do like me now?" all while dancing and jumping up and down. Now, if you know my husband...you know this was all said in fun and said with lots of sarcasm...BUT it was one of the funniest things I have ever seen in my life!!! Seriously.
After he calmed down and I stopped laughing hysterically and wiped the tears from my face...I said "hey, do me a favor...could you go back in bedroom, let me grab the video camera and then you come back out and do that whole dance again, okay?" I really wanted that on video, plus I thought the world just needed to see it too! LOL "No go", he says..."that was total improv and I can't do that again" :-( Such a party pooper...Oh well!
Anyway...We were sent some paperwork by express mail and given 2 days to get that notarized and sent back. Then the waiting began...6-8 weeks to get the TV...but when the flood came it extended that time to more like 10 weeks...but, hey who's counting? Uh huh...we were, LOL!

So the day finally came and yesterday Bigdaddy met the good peeps of Budweiser and Kroger and got his picture taken for the paper...then he got his TV!

As you can imagine...it only took about 5 minutes once he got home to get that puppy outta the car and the setup process began. There's just something funny about a man and his TV :-) Needless to say Bigdaddy is one happy camper, right about now!!! The kids were pretty excited too! So I said all of that to say this...You never know what thing the Lord may use to bless you and your faithfulness in being a good steward. So enter those contests, no mater how silly they may seem...you may be the next big winner :-)

Okay...gotta run! I'm off to see if I can find a diamond ring contest for Bigdaddy to enter...Mama needs some new bling...hahahahahaha

Publix, Kroger & CVS trips

Publix 5/1/10
Spent $7.14 (includes $1.16 tax) ~ SAVED $20.94

4 - OM lunchables subs $1.00 each - $1.00/1 MQ = $FREE
2 - OM lunchables pizza $1.00 each - $1.00/1 MQ = $FREE
2 - Deli Deluxe cheese $2.50 each - $1.00/1 MQ = $2.00 each
4 - Lender's bagels BOGO $1.99 - $1.00/2 MQ = $0.49 each

Publix 5/11/10

Spent $26.10 (includes $3.19 tax) ~ SAVED $48.12

2 - Sara Lee Bread BOGO $2.33 - $0.75/1 MQ = $0.42 each

4 - Carefree $0.99 - $1.00/1 MQ = $FREE

2 - OM lunch meat $2.99 - $2.00/1 MQ + $1.00/1 Publix Q = $FREE

2 - Kraft Singles cheese 16oz $3.69 each - $1.00/1 MQ = $2.69 each

2 - OM lunch meat $2.99 - FREE wyb singles cheese = $FREE

2 - Ken's marinades BOGO $2.79 - $1.00/2 = $0.89 each

6 - Nabisco snack pack (asst var)BOGO $5.99 - $1.00/2 MQ = $2.50 each

**I left the store with 8 rainchecks for out of stock items!!!

** I also picked up the $50.00 BP gas card - $10.00 Publix coupon = $40.00 (this is in gas budget)

The pic belows shows a welcome site in my home...The snack/lunch center has been refilled...woohoo!!!

CVS 5/11/10 & 5/12/10

Spent $31.01 (includes $9.11 tax) ~ SAVED $163.78

I started this deal with NO Ecb's...so I was starting from scratch...we really needed toilet paper and paper towels and I needed makeup, so I decided to bite the bullet and do this shop to only get the items that we would really need/use. This was a total of 5 transactions from 2 stores (stores were out of everything...this is what I could find to make the deal work)...if you do these deals be sure and watch the limits...you will not get ECB's once you hit your limit.

Trans #1

1 - Bayer Breeze monitor $59.99 - on sale $19.99 - $10.00 MQ = $9.99 (limit 1)

Paid: $11.84 with tax

Got back: $15.00 ECB for monitor

Trans #2

1 - Cottonelle 12 pack $12.49 - on sale $4.99 - $1.00 MQ = $3.99

1 - Cottonelle 12 pack $12.49 - on sale $4.99 - $0.50 MQ = $4.49

2 - Covergirl Mineral foundation $12.99 - on sale $8.00 - BOGO Q & $1.00/1 MQ = $3.50 each

1 - Kotex $4.99 - $1.00/1 MQ (cvs coupon was no longer available) = $3.99 (limit 1)

2 - Covergirl lip BOGO $4.99 - $2.50/2 MQ = $1.25 each

Used: $15.00 ECB

Paid: $11.80 with tax

Got back: $4.99 ECB for kotex

Trans #3

2 - Bayer aspirin $2.99 - on sale $1.00 each - $1.00/1 MQ = $FREE

1 - Crest Pro Health $3.89 - on sale $3.50 - $0.75/1 MQ = $2.75 (limit 2)

1 - Hydro razor $9.99 - on sale $8.99 - $5.00/1 MQ = $3.99 (limit 1)

2 - Covergirl lip BOGO $4.99 - $2.50/2 MQ = $1.25 each

Used: $4.99 ECB

Paid: $2.55 with tax

Got back: $3.50 ECB for crest & $4.00 ECB for razor

Trans #4

2 - Bayer aspirin $2.99 - on sale $1.00 each - $1.00/1 MQ = $FREE

2 - Rightguard $4.49 - on sale $2.49 - $3.00/2 MQ = $0.99 each (limit 2)

Paid: $2.63 with tax

Got back: $4.00 ECB for rightguard ($2.00 for each)

Trans #5

1 -Cottonelle $12.49 - on sale $4.99 - $0.50/1 MQ = $4.49 (limit 4)

2 - Bounty basic $7.99 - on sale $4.99 each - $0.25/1 MQ = $4.74 each (limit 4)

Used: $3.50 ECB + $4.00 ECB + $4.00 ECB

Paid: $5.19 with tax

Kroger 5/11/10

Spent $9.41 (includes $4.15 tax) ~ SAVED $82.86 ~ 94%!!!!

2 - Grill mates seasoning $1.25 each - $0.50/1 MQ = $0.25 each

4 - Grill mates marinades $1.00 each - $0.50/1 MQ = $FREE

4 - Cheetos Zingers $1.67 each - $1.00/1 MQ = $0.67 each

8 - Vitamin water $1.00 each - $1.00/2 MQ = $0.50 each

1 - Crest kids toothpaste $2.50 - $1.00 P&G promo & $0.75/1 MQ = $0.75

2 - Gillette shave gel $2.59 - $1.00 each P&G promo & $1.00/1 MQ = $0.59 each

1 - Olay facial wipes $5.49 - $2.00/1 MQ & $1.00 P&G promo & $2.00/1 ecoup = $0.49

2 - Crest 3d white paste $2.50 each - $0.75/1 MQ & $1.00 each P&G promo = $0.75 each

2 - Old spice body wash 2/$7.00 - BOGO Q & $1.00 each P&G promo & $3.00/2 ecoup = $FREE

2 - Old spice deod. $3.50 each - BOGO Q & $1.00 each P&G promo & 3.00/2 ecoup = $FREE

2 - Speed Stick $1.00 each - $0.50/1 MQ = $FREE

2 - Lady Speed Stick $1.00 each - $0.50/1 MQ = $FREE

2 - Secret $3.50 each - $0.50/1 MQ & $1.00 each P&G promo & $3.00/2 ecoup = $FREE

Publix 5/12/10
Spent $17.15 (includes $3.53 tax) ~ SAVED $61.72

4 - Capri Sun $1.79 each (raincheck) - $1.00/1 MQ = $0.79 each

1 - Friskies cat food BOGO $3.99 (raincheck) - $1.00/1 MQ = $1.00

4 - HV Farmhouse dressing BOGO $3.39 (raincheck) - $2.00/1 MQ = $FREE+

4 - Sunkist solar 12 pack $3.33 each Buy 4 get 1 Free - $0.50/1 MQ = $1.49 each

1 - Oscar Mayer turkey bacon $2.89 - FREE Q = $FREE

2 - Coles bread BOGO $2.79 - $0.50/1 MQ = $0.39 each

2 - Stouffer's skillet meal BOGO $4.99 - $2.50/1 MQ = $FREE

2 - Rold Gold BOGO $2.99 - $0.55/1 MQ = $0.69 each

2 - Blue Diamond almonds BOGO $3.19 - $0.50/1 MQ = $0.59 each

2 - Glass Plus BOGO $2.49 - $1.00/1 MQ = $0.24 each

1 - Greenwise 4 pk toilet paper = penny item $0.01

**Also picked up the $50.00 BP gas card - $10.00 Publix Q = $40.00 (this is in gas budget)

Backtracking...Shopping trips to finish up April :-)

Oy Vey!!! Have you ever been in a season of life where you have so much going on that you feel like you just can't squeeze in one more thing? Well, that's where I am at right now...it's been crazy busy around here...it's so bad that my "day planner" aka the calendar asked me for a vacation LOL...Not that I'm complaining, mind you...there are lots of wonderful and fun, exciting things happening right now, but then you throw in an upexpected flood and a growing cake business and church/family stuff too and whew wee you get lots to juggle :-) Bottom line, the blog has been sorta low on the priority list lately...I've been really trying to keep up with the Facebook page as often as I can but that means I am so far behind on posting my shops! In fact, these are so behind that I almost did not post them at all. But I decided to post anyway so that you could at least see them. Soooo, these 4 shops finished up April for me...

Harris Teeter TRIPLES: Spent $8.91 (includes $2.41 tax) ~ SAVED $80.18

I can't remember the match ups on this...so I'll just tell you what I got instead, this was 2 seperate trips :-)

2 - Mission tortillas
3 - Betty Crocker warm delights
2 - Coffee Mate creamers
2 - Palmolive liquid
2 - Jello pudding
4 - Tabasco sauce
2 - Starbucks ice cream
3 - Viva paper towels
3 - Wheatables nut crisps
2 - Duncan Hines muffin mix
3 - Dan Active

*side note = that does not look like $90 worth of stuff of to me! I did the math though just to check and based on what the items rang up for before coupons and sales...it really was!!! Harris Teeter is way overpriced...BUT on super doubles and triples...you get great deals!

Publix: Spent $4.78 (includes $0.78 tax) ~ SAVED $12.72

6 Fruit Chillers = $0.67 each

Kroger: Spent $6.60 (includes $1.63 tax)~ SAVED $21.74

4 - Cousin Willies white cheddar popcorn, no coups = $1.00 each
1 -Palmolive liquid $1.00 - $0.70/1 MQ = $0.30

1 - Prevacid $10.99 - $6.00 MQ + $6.00 Ecoup = $FREE+

2 - Grill Mates marinades $1.00 - $0.50/1 MQ = $FREE

1 - Reese's Cups Giant (not pictured) $1.00 - $1.00 ecoup = $FREE

1 - Strawberries $1.68 (not pictured) no coups = $1.68

**NOT PICTURED**

Kroger: Spent $8.00 (includes $.80 tax) ~ SAVED $9.28

4 - Purex Liquid Detergent $2.50 each - $0.35/1 MQ = $1.80 each

Publix Penny Item ~ Wed. 5/12/10

The Mystery Penny Item at Publix for Wednesday 5/12:

Publix Greenwise Toilet Paper ~ 4 pack

This week's penny item is available with a $10 purchase (before coupons) and is only available on Wednesday 5/12 for the Nashville area.
Please remember that at most stores you will have to have the coupon to get the penny item.

Happy Shopping!!!

Coupon Preview ~ Sunday 5/9/10

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!! Hope you have a wonderful and blessed day today :-)

This Sunday 5/9/10, you can expect 1 inserts in your Sunday paper:

1 SmartSource

Also...remember that there may be regional variations, so the larger the paper distribution the better chance of getting all the inserts :-) So pick up the paper with your area's largest distribution (I buy the Tennessean) as papers with lower distribution do not contain as many coupons.

Publix & Walgreens in Spring Hill has the Sunday paper for $1.19 each. Also some CVS are running the paper for $1.00 and the Dollar Tree always has the Sunday paper for $1.00 :-) Be sure to check around for the best paper price this week!

Publix Penny Item ~ Wed. 5/5/10

The Mystery Penny Item at Publix for Wednesday 5/5:

Publix Chips

This week's penny item is available with a $10 purchase (before coupons) and is only available on Wednesday 5/5 for the Nashville area.
Please remember that at most stores you will have to have the coupon to get the penny item.

Happy Shopping!!!

Nashville Flood

(My backyard ~ May 2nd, 2010)

I am sure by now that many of you are aware that Middle Tn, specifically Nashville and surrounding areas...was hit by major flooding over the weekend. The city has suffered major damage and flood relief efforts are now taking place. In 2 days we took on between 12-18 inches of rain (depending on the area you live in). The rivers and creeks just could not handle this kind of downpour and they began flooding the city. The Cumberland River was 51.5ft and was still rising as of Tuesday. The devastation is truly unimaginable. Thousands are without homes, cars and jobs. Some even lost their lives...and the death toll continues to rise as the cleanup and recovery efforts take place. Tent City, the home of Nashville's homeless was completely destroyed...Opryland Hotel is shutdown after taking on about 10ft of water...Opry Mills Mall and The Grand Ole' Opry are underwater. Downtown Nashville is completely flooded...The city of Franklin sustained terrible damage and many homes there are completely ruined. The Cool Springs area, including many business and the mall sustained flooding damage. Many of the outlying counties were terribly hit as well and so many people lost their homes and vehicles. It's just unbelievable!

You can check out Facebook and Youtube to see videos and images of all the damage...You can also check out videos and pics of the recovery efforts there as well.

If you are local to Nashville and need to know where you can help out with flood relief or if you need info on where to receive help, please visit our Facebook page HERE where I am posting info on a regular basis.

If you are not local and want to help with the efforts, here are 2 great places that will accept a text donation...your donation will make a HUGE difference:
1) Text "REDCROSS" to 90999 to make a $10.00 donation via your cell phone bill to the Red Cross Nashville.
2) Text "Oasis" to 85944 to make a $10.00 donation via your cell phone bill to Oasis Church Nashville (my home church). They are assembling teams daily and going out into the community for flood relief. You can also visit online at http://www.oasischurch.tv/ and click online giving to make a donation.

Another great way to help out is to donate from your stockpile....Here's what I posted on the FB page, there you will find LOTS of great opportunities and places to donate (churches, fire stations, ministries, etc). Be sure to check it out:

"Attn. Fellow Stockpilers: Today I very quickly grabbed a few items from my stockpile and dropped them off with The Church at Spring Hill ~ If you have been couponing/stockpiling like I have shown you, then chances are you have these items too (see pic below) and can easily make a HUGE difference by donating :-) Right now the biggest needs are diapers, WATER, bleach and cleaning supplies, individually packages snacks and food items, personal care items...BUT please check with the donation location you choose and see what they need most. THANKS!"

Pitch in ~ Help out ~ Make a difference!!! They don't call us the "Volunteer State" for nothing ;-)