Everything's Coming Up Green

Archive for the ‘Dollars and Cents’ Category

::Update:: Checked it out today. No swimming pools on clearance yet. Most of what I found was only 30-50% off. One Target was completely wiped out in one isle so I am figuring that is where they did have some 75% off stuff. Still worth checking out though. You never know when they will mark down new stuff and every region is different, heck, every store is different!

Tagets in the Omaha area have their Summer toys, including pools, on clearance down to 75% off! I have been waiting for this for weeks now! This stuff is going to go fast so hurry out. Be sure and think ahead for birthdays, what you will need for next summer or out of the box ideas for uses out of season (I’m thinking ball pit in a baby pool!)

Thanks Abby for the heads up!

Last month I made my first batch of homemade powdered laundry detergent. I only made a half batch to check it out and see if I liked it. A friend of mine had started using it a year ago and swore by it. I finally got around to buying all the ingredients and mixed it together. I just have to say that I.love.it! The most time consuming thing about the whole process was grating the bars of soup but if you use ivory soaps it is super fast since it is a soft soap. My mother-in-law used her food processor for the harder soaps (she had the great idea to use the little bars of soaps she had collected from different hotel stays. Yes to free soap!) Other than that it was just measure, pour and stir. I think it cost me around $11 for all the items (I bought a big bag of baking soda at Sam’s for under $7. I have been using it for cleaning as well, but I think I could get two full batches out of it.) A half batch should last us about two months. Keep in mind though that A. I am washing diapers for two kids which is 4-5 loads right there and B. not only am I using it for the four of us, but my parents us it as well plus my brothers when they happen to bring their laundry out every once and a while. My grandma also used it the other day to see if she liked it, so I may be adding my grandparents to that list as well. So for a regular family of four who are not doing extra diaper loads I could see a half batch lasting at least 6 months. Eleven dollars for six months worth of laundry detergent is not too shabby!

Here is the recipe that I use (plus where I found everything)

*12 cups Borax (20 Mule Team-You can find this at Wal-Mart)
*8 cups Baking Soda (I got a big bag at Sam’s but you can pick up boxes as well)
*8 cups Washing Soda (You can get this at Baker’s and I think I saw it at Hy-Vee as well)
*8 cups Bar soap (grated) (If you are using Ivory soap you can regularly find it at Walgreens on sale around $1 for a pack of 3

Mix all ingredients well and store in a sealed tub. Instead of using one huge container I put it in two smaller ones so that it was a little more manageable. I only made a half batch last time but I will make a full batch for sure next time!

Use 1/8 cup of powder per full load. If you have an old formula scoop lying around I use two scoops with it.

This recipe is great if you have someone in your family that is allergic to perfumes or dyes. I love it because my clothes smell clean and not pretty.

Hey all you Kansas peeps, head over to Goodwill Monday, May 31st and you can score $5 off a purchase of $5 or more! Just head over here, print off the page and present it to the cashier at check out! What an awesome score. And if you have older kids you can bring them along and thet them each pick out something special for themselves or a Father’s Day present for dad. They possibilities are endless!

I am supposed to be keeping you updated on our grocery expenses. I have not done so well as of late. So here is the update for January. We have one week left in February so I will wait on that.

In January I spent 182.24 and saved $10.65 which leaves us $67.76 under budget. Ya, there was only one week in there that I used coupons. I was quite tired especially coming off the holidays. We are tracking well for February and will come in well under budget this month as well. I look forward to sharing it with you. I am considering reducing our budget to $200 a month. I’d like to spend even less. Hopefully by the end of next month we will be moved out to my parents’ house in the country. I will start out combining both our budgets for the month and after a couple of months will review if we can reduce the combined budget. Part of my contribution to the house will be doing most of the grocery shopping. My mom is a teacher in the city 35 minutes away and her school is a test school with longer hours. She often doesn’t have the time to shop and never has the time to shop sales with coupons. I am very excited to bless them in this way! I will also be making the majority of the meals so that will save money as well. How are you doing with your budget thus far? Are you right on track or have you blown it? It’s only February so it’s not too late! Keep trying, you will get there!

I finally made it out shopping tonight. Hubby was gracious enough to drive me around and entertain the kiddo while I tried to move through my shopping list as quickly as possible. I had two stops-Target and Baker’s. First was Target. I did two transactions. I used the gift cards from transaction #1 towards transaction #2.

Target

Transaction #1

3 Venus Embrace Razors $6.99 each= $20.97

1 Gillette Fusion Razor $6.99

3 Olay Body Wash $5.50 each =16.50

Total $44.46

Use 3 of the $2/1 Venus Coupons from the 2/7 PG
Use 1 of the $4/1 Fusion Coupons from the 2/7 PG
Use 3 of the Buy a Venus Razor, Get a Body Wash FREE Coupons from the 2/7 PG

-$0.05 Bag refund

Tax $2.06

Grand total $19.97 (This went on a gift card that was given to us)

Received 3x$5.00 gift cards=$15.00

I will submit my receipt for the Olay $15 Rebate making this a $10 money maker!

Transaction #2

V-day Head band and bow set 75% off $0.99

V-day 12m Pj’s 75% off $3.00

V-day party bags 75% off $0.49

V-day wrapping paper 75% off $0.89

V-day boy pencils 75% off $0.49

2 V-day Bags Dove chocolate 50% off $1.59 each= $3.18

Nursing Tank $16.99

2 Pictureka card games $5.24

-$5.00 IP here = $0.24 each

Scrabble Slam Cards $5.24

-$4.00  IP here = $1.24

Drapery rod $19.99 (Bought this for my mom. She will be reimbursing me for it)

Tax $4.09

Total $51.71

-$15 in gift cards from Transaction #1

-$0.10 Bag Refund

$36.71 (Went on the gift card given to us. We still have quite a bit left!)

I relied heavily on Hip2save this week for my deal scores so BIG shout out!

Bakers (No picture)

2 Kroger Whipped Topping $0.99 each=$1.98

Welch’s Strawberry spread $3.85

2 Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls $1.85 each= $3.70 -2x $0.94/1 IP (No longer available) = $0.90 each or $1.80 total

Dayton Sale Buy 10 get $3 off

10 Pillsbury Grands biscuits $0.99 after $3.00 off -5x $1/2 IP (No longer available but you can still use the $0.30/2 MQ and get a great deal) There is also a Catalina deal-Buy 6 Pillsbury Grand biscuits get $4 OYNO. With the Coupons and the $4 Catalina the biscuits came out to $0.10 a piece. Without the Catalina they are $0.49 each.

Total including tax $13.53

Coupon savings $5.90

Store Savings $10.32

Total Savings $16.22 or 83% (isn’t that just beautiful)

I am linking this to Super Saver Saturday!

Walgreens has a 15% coupon off your entire purchase valid today only here. Since I didn’t get a chance to work on this last night (E. had a really rough day and last night I was up to my ears sorting through and organizing baby clothes for #2 while my “Big Helper” was asleep in her crib. I still have bins sitting in my living room because I finally gave in to the sleepiness that had overcome me) I am going to send you over to hip2save for a great list of items to take advantage of the 15% off.  Also check out moneysaving mom for a great huggies diaper deal and momsbyheart has  a great deal to score free crest toothpaste today! Have fun and let us know if you score any great deals!

 

So I notice that I haven’t posted about any coupons lately. I don’t know how some of these blogger mommies do it. Maybe I’ll do better when my mind isn’t constantly thinking about sleep! So below is a list of several coupons I think are worth your time and ink!

• There is a $1 off Cheerios coupoon  here  for regular cheerios. Pair this with a great sale and you could score some cheap-o cheerios!
•  Go here and here to print the coupons. $.75 off Toll House morsels here.
• $2.oo off Huggies diaper pack here. (Go Here to check out a great Walgreens deal!)
•  $1.50 off Dove men’s care body wash here. (Go here to check out a great Walgreens deal!)
•  $1.00 off Orbitz gum here. (go here to check out a great Walgreens deal!)

 There you have it friends. Go forth and save money!

   Since all my energy is going to chasing after a one year old and keep house as I count down the days until baby girl is born, I don’t have the energy to make use of my creative juices. So instead I have been sitting at my laptop and collecting ideas, much like a gardener makes plans and collects seeds all winter in anticipation for spring. So as I wait for my spring, I thought that I would share with you some of the inspirations I have found out there is blogland. I hope you enjoy!

Birthday Party Ideas-All the links I have here are for girl parties. If you find any great ideas for boy parties please share!

Simple Sage Designs has some very festive and beautiful ideas- http://simplesagedesigns.blogspot.com/2010/02/birthday-bash.html

Giggles Galore has a beautiful princess theme- http://gigglesgalorenmore.blogspot.com/2010/01/party-fit-for-princess.html

Here is a very cute Abby Cadabby themed party-http://yourlittlebirdie.blogspot.com/2010/01/abby-cadabby-birthday-ideas-decor-and.html

 

My Current Favorites

Tea Rose Home has a tutorial on how to make a jean corsage- http://tearosehome.blogspot.com/2010/01/tutorial-jean-corsage-got-old-jeans.html

Smashed Peas and Carrots has a great post on how to make your own reusable produce bags- http://smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com/2010/01/reusable-produce-bag-tutorial.html

I want to make this sketch book for my girls when they get older-http://www.simplymodernmom.com/2009/12/kayes-sketchbook-caddy/

I am so going to make these marble magnets some day soon!- http://www.notmartha.org/tomake/marblemagnets/

I hope to share with you more inspiring ideas as I find them!

I did it. I actually went out shopping yesterday, not that I picked up much in the food category though. Mostly I went out because we had pretty much been out of bread for days and were about to be out of toilet paper. I’ll be honest, I haven’t had much motivation to go shopping. If I go during the day I have to lug my purse, grocery bags, diaper bag and 14 month old child into the store pus the baby inside of me (I imagine this is quite the sight for others to see). Plus something happens when a child starts to walk with proficiency, they don’t want to sit in the cart anymore, and there is nothing you can give them, save a sippy cup of milk, that will change their one tracked mind. If I go shopping on the evening I pretty much lose all adult time with hubby for that evening, which is much needed right now. Of the two I have decided that I will have to go to shopping at night until the weather improves and I have this baby. All you moms with multiple small children I commend you! So I stopped at three stores yesterday-Target, Walgreens and Adli. I have decided to put them all in one post because frankly I am lucky to even have the time for that right now. It will still be fun though!

First stop-Target

 

I did two transactions. I did the Huggies diapers first so that I could use the $5 gift card towards the rest of my purchases.

Transaction #1

3 Huggies Newborn Jumbo Packs @ $8.99=$26.97 – 2x $3.00 MQ & $1.50 MQ= 21.01 (with tax)

 Earned $5 Gift Card

Transaction #1

2 Pairs of 18m Pj’s for E. 50% off @ $3.48=$6.96

2pks Method disinfectant wipes marked down to $2.54 = $5.08 – 2x $2.00 TQ = $1.08 for both

Picture frame marked down 50% off $3.74

Aloe Cottonelle 12pk $7.69 -$1.00 MQ – $1.00 TQ = $5.69

3 Large Gift bags marked down 75% $.98= $2.94

2 Dinner light candles 6pk Marked down 75% $1.48 = $2.96

-$0.05 Bag refund

-$5.00 Gift card

Total $20.30

The receipt said I saved $6.05 which would be coupons and bag refund but I saved way more than that with the mark downs!

I would say that If you are looking for household items –dish towels/clothes, curtains, bedding, etc now is the time to head over to Target. All that stuff was marked down to 50% off and I am sure it will soon go to 75%!

Next was Walgreens

 

Again I did two transactions. I had a little bit of a goof up here. I was going to get the Olay quench body lotion which would get me a free Olay body washes with purchase of the lotion but they were out of the lotion and the Huggies deal I was going to do I needed to buy 10 and I didn’t realize that until I got to the store. At this point though I had already picked up a filler that I would have needed had I been able to do either deal. So I ended out using my $2 register reward from the first transaction to pay for the filler and two pieces of caramel I had to throw in in-order for my total to be above $2.00 before tax. Apparently the register didn’t like me pay for tax with the RR. Such drama. The worst part is that I didn’t realize what I had done until I was at the next store. I wanted the original filler regardless, I just would have paid cash for it. Another reason I need to go shopping without kiddo for a while!

Transaction #1

2 Pert Plus for men 3in1 $2.50=$5.00 – 2x $1.50 = $2.35 (with Tax)

Earned $2.00 Register Rewards =Free after Coupons and Register Rewards!

Transaction #2

2 Sure Men’s deodorant 2/$5 – In Ad Q 2 for $3 -2x $1.50 MQ=Free!

Lip Smackers gift set (originally $5) $1.59 (This would be the filler item that caused the trouble)

2 Caramels $.35= $.70

-$2.00

Total $.51 (with tax-let’s face it, basically all tax)

Last stop-Aldi

 

I can’t find the receipt but it was like $7.98ish

12 grain bread was marked down to $.79 a loaf

Whole wheat white was $.59 a loaf

Taco chips were $1.19 each

Red potatoes were 1.99 /5lbs

Bananas ??

I would say I am quite pleased with my spoils!

And a bonus pic of Emma girl “helping” me unpack and take pics!

Did you get any great deals this week? Leave a comment and share with us!

Despite the challenge I faced Monday morning (Darling Emma wet through her diaper and ended up in bed with us, which she doesn’t do so well at. Ultimately hubby took the bedding off and put a blanket down so she could finish off the night in her own bed and we could get some sleep), I managed to accomplish everything on my to do list for the day. Surprisingly I woke up quite energized and ready to start the day. We had breakfast and headed out to the farm to get my baking and cooking on. I got there and started right away. What did I get accomplished on Monday?

2-Meals worth of Mostaccioli Bake

2-Pans of Shepherd’s Pie

4-Mini Cranberry Bread Loafs

1-Dz Blueberry Muffins

The blueberry muffins didn’t make it to the freezer so I am planning on making 2 dz more this weekend to freeze. I think my husband would like it if I baked more often. I’m going to have to work on that.