Wowie Zowie

I got a stomach bug this weekend. I didn't get it nearly as bad as my boss, but it was still crummy. It made me pretty much useless Friday through Saturday. Sunday I started to feel better in the afternoon. I got the chance to make some more croutons (I used some pumpernickel bagels this time), I finished up my laundry and I vacuumed the heck out of my house. It felt good to get everything back to normal at home. I also went to the store and got some good grocery deals. I'm pretty sure the 2 people behind me in line were annoyed at how many coupons I was using. Oh well, I think I ended up saving up over $40!

I got an email from Rite Aid today that they are mailing me my Single Check Rebate check, which is awesome! But I was irked when it said that my rebate info was received late. This is certainly not true. I know this because I did it online several weeks ago and the deadline was sometime this week. I'm glad they decided to mail me my check , I wouldn't want to have to call up customer service and haggle for my rebate. Rite Aid is great when they email you the buy $15/save $3, $20/$4, or $30/$10 (I just used that one this weekend). But their Single Check Rebate program leaves something to be desired.

Ok folks, that's all for tonight. I need to finish up my taxes and hit the hay.

This would be perfect for summer!

Chris made ginger ale the other night. He follow this recipe. The longest part was waiting for the syrup to cook down. We put the extra syrup in a large canning jar so we can enjoy for a long time.

This is a simple way to enjoy a refreshing soda without yucky HFCS. Blech.

It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time

I made my own PB. Yeah, that's right, I'm awesome. I'm super amazing fantastic and a woman of culinary genius. Actually it was so easy my 4 year old could've done it. Here's what you need:

• Food Processor
• 2 to 3 cups of roasted, unsalted peanuts
• a drizzle of EVOO or Peanut Oil
• A pinch of salt (optional)

Put the peanuts in, sprinkle the salt, turn your food processor on and drizzle just a tiny bit of oil in. You'll have to let the peanuts break down so their natural oils come out. When it starts to get pulverized you can better gauge if you need to put in just a little more oil. Keep your FP running until it becomes the consistency you like. It should only take a couple minutes.

Now make sure you have saved your empty PB jar and washed it out so you can reuse it! Or get an old pasta sauce jar or other jar, just make sure it's really clean.

Try out other varieties too. You could add all sorts of yummy things to it. This recipe also works for other nuts (almonds, cashews, etc.). Here are the 2 best things about it:

1. It's simple and healthy. Most store bought PB has a lot of crap in it, that you don't need. This is just pure, delicious peanuts.
   
2. It's really cheap. I bought a 32 oz. container of peanuts for a little over $4. I used to buy the better peanut butter at the store (the brands without the extra crap in them) and each jar cost at least this much. Don't even get me started on Almond butter....let's just say you better have Oprah money if you are planning on buying that stuff just to spread on toast!

Sorry, no jelly this time. But wait until the summer. I'm going to try canning then and I'll make my own jelly too.

A Tip about Tipping

I took Jack to Friendly's today. I love that place. It's like Denny's but with copious amounts of ice cream. I took him because Chris needed to sleep and I needed to run errands so I needed to eat while we were out and I have a slew of coupons for there.

During the meal I got to thinking about how a lot of times when people use coupons at a restaurant, or get some sort of deal or discount, they only tip based off of the final amount. YOU CANNOT DO THIS!!!

I was a server for 1 summer and I'll never do it again, but I'm glad I got the experience. When you get an entree for free it doesn't mean that the cook didn't do the work to prepare it, or that the server didn't bring it to you, or that the busser doesn't have to clean it up. You still have to leave 15-20% on the price of that entree.

So please remember this simple rule the next time you are Discount Dining.

Do the Can Can!

Not that kind of Can Can!

As I was driving home today I was listening to NPR (as always), and they were talking about how food banks don't know what to do anymore because they are starting to get people who they were never designed to serve. For example, they are getting "average" families, people with 2 incomes, and when they break down their monthly rent/mortgage, utilities and daycare, there isn't anything left over. Many foodbanks are having to give less to more people, just so they don't have to turn anyone away.

So how can you help even if you are on a budget? You know all those coupons you have, for products that you probably won't use, or don't need? When you are at the store, see if those items are on sale, and use your coupons on top of the discount. When you get the BOGO on Ragu at your grocery store and get 4 for your family....get an extra 2 and donate them. When you go to CVS and you have to buy a bunch of something to qualify for your ECBs, take a little and give it back.

But what if you really really don't have the extra money for that? Well, are your kids growing out of anything? Chances are they have and their extra stuff is just filling space in your house. Find a neighbor, friend, relative, coworker, person at church, anyone who might need that stuff and give it to them. Look around your house at anything you don't really need and find someone who can use it. This is so much better than just taking it to the dump.

Unkept Promises

I really need to stop claiming that I will post everyday or "tomorrow" because when that happens I think I curse myself. This also used to happen at work when I would state that I would be "leaving early" because as soon as those words would leave my lips, the cosmos would realign and chuckle heartily.

Anyway, the topic for today is....The Reverse Potluck!

You know how normal potlucks go: You make a dish, you bring a dish, everyone else brings their dishes, you eat everyone's food and go home with an empty dish.

But in the Reverse Potluck you get to go home with actual meals or snacks. Here is how it works:

You pick a day for you and your lady friends to get together. You decide in advance what you want to make. It's best to pick stuff that makes large quantities easily and where you need to buy a lot of something to make one dish. For example, I made these granola bars (which are actually freezable) but I had to buy a lot of stuff to make one pan. They are really yummy and I will be making them again but the upfront cost was quite a bit. So what you could do is go to the store, buy all of the stuff, then split the bill amongst you and your friends. Now, get some wine and/or cocktails and get to cooking! When you are done, each of you will have your own pan of granola bars and you won't be left with random containers of shredded coconut and other dried fruits and such in your pantry. This also works great with things like lasagna and Christmas cookies.

I've Been a Busy Bee.

Bzzz Bzzz Bzzz, WOW I've been busy this week. It's very hard dealing with Chris' rotating schedule and work and keeping my house clean! Chris has been helping me clean a lot, which is awesome, but he's usually great about that kind of stuff anyway.

I'm currently making a veggie lasagna and I'm drooling because it smells so good. I adapted it from a recipe on Recipe Zaar. I absolutely love this site, and everyone knows that cooking at home is a great way to save money, so start searching it for great new recipes for you and your fam.

I've been getting some good deals lately. I went to CVS on Sunday and earned 18 ECBs! A few days earlier I bought bandaids, dishsoap, conditioner and hand soap and with coupons and ECBs I only spent 45 cents out of pocket!! What a rush.

I also have been doing really well at Price Chopper. I went the other day and bought an insane amount of groceries and it only cost me $105. I saved $80. I actually forgot to use a $1 off coupon so when I went back the other day to get some more stuff, I went to the Customer Service counter and showed the items I bought, my reciept and the coupon and the girl gave me the buck back, and she was really nice about it too. I know, that's pushing it a little, but grocery stores will bend over backward for their customers so I just assumed it would be fine, and it was.

On that same trip I got 4 or 5 bags of groceries for just over $60. I am getting in the habit of only using my coupons on items that are on sale. If it's something that I really need, and I have a coupon for it, that's fine too. But I ended up getting some items I hadn't planned on getting because they were on sale and I had a coupon for it. Turns out the TLC Dark Chocolate Coconut bars healthy and blissful! And I got some super cheap Pringles to pack in Chris' lunches. On that note...pack a lunch people! It'll save you a fortune and your coworkers will be envious when they see you roll up with this hot item:

Don't laugh, I actually own that!

To be good and thrifty you really need to change your thinking and your bad habits. Yes it will take you about an hour or two on Sunday morning clipping coupons and scouting deals, but it'll be worth it. It's good to make a list of food items that you need, but if you spot a good deal at the store, on something that you know you'll need eventually, and you have a coupon...just get it. Unless it's something perishable, then it's not wise, because you'll just end up throwing it out.

Ok I need to sleep but I'll post more tomorrow.

The Coupon Fairy??

In the past few days I have been surprised by a Coupon Fairy. On two separate days I saw coupons next to items that they were for. First it was at CVS. I was actually buying toothpaste and sticking out of the shelf, right below a box, was a coupon. I got to use it and I was so excited!

Yesterday I was at the grocery store and there were two coupons next to these bags of Sargento salad toppers. I didn't need those so I didn't take them, but I thought that was so cool that people would leave coupons for random strangers to use.

So if you don't have someone that you coupon swap with, and you stroll past something in your store that you have a coupon for, tuck it up there if you know it's for something you probably will never buy.