Menu Plan

So let's face facts. I haven't been that great about keeping up with posting a menu plan on here.

I found this great site that DOES keep up with it here.

Here are a couple of tips with coming up with your meal plan:
1.  Plan 1 to 2 weeks in advance what kind of meat item you will be making. Take a look at your stockpile of meat and see how you could go about using what you have to NOT have to go purchase meat at the store for any of your meals.

2.  Utilize your non perishable (or longer lasting perishables) to determine one of you side items (rolls, rice, egg noodles, mashed potatoes, etc)

3.  Then as the week approaches, look at your meals and determine what might be good pairings.

4. USE THE SALE AD to determine what fresh produce item you will pair with your meal. Example, Asparagas is generally $2.99 a pound. Broccoli is usually much cheaper, however, this week asparagas is only $1.88 a pound. Purchase 2 pounds, it can be seperated out over the course of three meals usually (depending on your family size).

5.  One last menu planning tip.  The FDA has recommendations for water drinking, the amount of grains, fresh fruits and veggies that you should intake.  It is very beneficial to your budget to look at these recommedations.  Not only will these recommendations help you maintain a healthier lifestyle, but, meat is one of the highest costing portions of our meal.  The FDA would only recommend 2-3 oz of red meat for a dinner portion. 
-Try eating the non-meat part of your meal before your meat.  Usually you will be too full to eat much meat once your eat your veggies first.  This will make for more leftovers.

*When you get home from the store with meat, it is always a good idea to seperate your meat into meal sized portions and then date and freeze them.*

Farm Fresh Weekly ad 3/16-3/22

This week looks pretty exciting. FREE Biscuits, FREE cresent rolls, CHEAP cinnamon rolls yum yum yum!! Let's dig in!

Remember:
-20 coupon max
-up to and including .99 doubled TH-T and $1 doubled on Wednesdays!
-Shop on Wednesdays for best savings
-2 like coupons doubled per transaction

There are a couple of promotions going on that I will make note of throughout the post.

SPOTLIGHT- Save $5 instantly when you buy 10(all final prices are BEFORE the instant savings)

Wednesday only deals:
These deals are good for Wednesday only, if you are shopping TH-T, add one dollar to the final price.

Sabra hummus 10 oz $2.99
-use $1/1 from here
Final: .99

Red Baron Pizza, 14.76-24.2 oz $3.50
-Use $1/1 Red Baron Pizza or Pasta from SS 1/23
Final: $1.50

Michelina's Frozen Entrees $1
-Use $1/5 from here
Final: $3/5

Pillsbury grand biscuits, cinnamon rolls, crescent rolls or 4 pk biscuits $1
-Use $1/2 Grand Biscuits from here
-Use $1/2 Cresent Rolls from here
-Use .30/1 Sweet rolls from here
Final: FREE to .40

Progressive Vegetable classics soup $1 each
-Use $1/4 from here or GM 2/13
(always use the printables when its your last resort if it is for the same value)
Final: $2/4

Kraft Singles (SPOTLIGHT) $2.49
-Use $1/1 from here
Final: .49 (before discount)

Propel Water $1 (SPOTLIGHT)
-Use $1/2 zero calorie single serve bottles from SS 2/13
Final: Free
GOOD ANY DAY:

Dannon Yogurt Cups .50 each
-Use .40/6 from SS 1/30
Final: $2.20/6

Betty crocker Hamburger, chicken or tuna helper $1
-Use .75/3 from GM 2/13
Final: $1.50/3

Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Honey nut cheerios 12.8 oz $1.88
-Use .55/1 cinnamon toast crunch from here
-Use .55/1 honey nut cheerios from here
Final: .78

Chex Mix $1.88
-Use .50/2 from here
Final: $2.76/2 (a little high)

Cottonelle Bath Tissue 12 double rolls $5.99
-Use .50/1 from here
Final: $4.99

Mushrooms 8 oz .99
Baby cut carrots 1 LB .99

Banquet Fruit pies .75 each
-Use .50/2 from here
Final: .25 each

Northland Cranberry Juice $2.50
-Use $1/2 from here
Final: $3/2

No Yolks noodles $1.69
-Use .50/1 from SS 10/10
Final: .69

Mahatma white rice 2 LB 2.49
-Use .50/1 from RP 1/23
Final: $1.49

Pampers or Huggies wipes $5.99
-Use $1/1 pampers wipes from SS 2/27
Final: $3.99

Ragu $1.49 (SPOTLIGHT)
-Use free pasta up to $1.25 value when you buy 2 ragu from rp 3/13
Final: free pasta

Wishbone salad dressing $1.79 (SPOTLIGHT)
-Use .75/2 from here
Final: $2.08/2

Oscar Mayer Carving board meats $2.99 (SPOTLIGHT)
-Use $1/1 from SS 1/23
Final: .99

Arm & Hammer Liquid Detergent 55-68 oz $3.49 (spotlight)
-Use $1/2 from here
Final: 2 for $4.98

Walmart cheap/free/moneymaker

As promised, here is a list of current free/overage items at walmart stores in accordance with their *new* coupon policy. Remember to print it and bring it with you. I haven't had a single problem with it, but I want to be sure you are armed with proof of this when you go just in case!

Gain Dryer Sheets $1.87
-Use $3.00/1 from  RP 2/13
Final=Free $1.12 in overage

Free Blockbuster kiosk movie rental 3/14 only!

Today only, head over to the blockbuster kiosk and pick up a free movie rental.  When you go to check out enter in promo code MONDAYFREE

**Remember, it only ends up being free if you remember to return it tomorrow**

Hot New coupon!

I don't generally do posts for just one great coupon, but!  Head over to redplum to print a .50/1 McCormick spice, herb, extract, or food coloring. Harris Teeter is printing a Catalina for the next couple of weeks where if you buy two Mccormick spices, extracts, food coloring, or pepper you get a $1.50 off your next trip, buy 3, get $2.50 off your next trip.

NOTE: A $1.50 Catalina WILL double in super doubles sales:) Making this a steal since the .50 coupon ALSO will double now!

Free Sample of purex with zout

Head over to http://www.freesamplepurex.com/ to get your free sample of purex with zout.  I would just about be willing to bet that some coupons will come in with this also! So head over to request yours!

CVS weekly ad 3/13-3/19

Can you guys believe it is already the middle of the month?!? This week is a pretty good week at CVS! This week I'm starting out with $9.29 in ECB from the week before last (I didn't go last week).  This week there are a couple of deals that you can use your coupons and make extra money on things to roll it to other items.  This week I will be buying something I don't need (adult pads) to make $2.50 and rolling it to transactions with items I will use. In the end, I will donate the pads.

$9.99 ECB when you buy Tena ultra thins heavy protection pads (limit 1) @ $9.99
-Use $2.50/1 from here
Final: Free plus you MAKE $2.50

.99 ECB when you buy Theraflu daytime sever cold and cough trial size @ .99
(limit 1)
-Use $2/1 from here
Final: Free plus profit!

$2.50 ECB when you buy crest complete rinse, crest clinical gum toothpaste or oral b clinical protection floss @ $3.49
-Use $1/1 toothpaste from PG 2/27
Final: Free

$2 ECB when you buy irish spring deodorants @ 2.99
- Use $1/1 from SS 3/13
Final: free

$3 ECB when you buy dial nutriskin lotion @ 4.99
-Use $1/1 from RP 3/13
Final: .99

$10 in ECB when you buy $25 in select baby products Limit 1
  Enfamil 22.2 oz @ $22
Advil, Advil PM
Childrens Advil drops @ 4.50
-Use $1/1 advil 40 ct from RP 1/30
-Use $1/1 children's advil from here
Pampers diapers 48-96 ct $20
-Use 2.50/1 from PG 2/27
Final: Varies

$10 ECB when you buy $25 in PG products pictures (limit 1)
  Charmin fresmates wipes 40 ct $2.50
  Charmin Big rolls 16 Pk $10
-Use .25/1 charmin product from SS 2/27
  Duracell batteries AA or AAA 20 ct $10
-Use .75/1 from PG 2/27
  Bounty extrasoft paper towel 12 ct $13
-.25/1 from PG 2/27
  Puffs plus lotion 1.50
-use .50/2 from PG 2/27
  Vicks 60 Ct
-Use B1G1 puff when you buy vicks product PG 2/27
Final: Varies, play around with this to get scenarios for a bit, remember it doesn't all have to be in one transaction since your extra care card keeps track for you!

Purex ultra concentrate liquid washing detergent, complete 3in1 (20 ct) crystals softener. $3.99
-Use $3/1 from RP 2/20 (3 in 1)
-Use $2/1 purex complete crystals from RP 3/13
Final: $1.99 for crystals. I highly would recommend using your 3-in-1 coupon on the 2 ct pack available in the trial section of walmart for $2 profit! instead of here(they expire the 19th so use them fast)!

Scenario:
As I mentioned earlier I'm starting off with 9.39 (3.29, & $6) in extra care bucks made off buying toothbrushes and toothpaste from the week before last.  I will now utilize my money spent out of pocket and roll them to get the most for my dollar!

Transaction #1

Buy:
(1) Irish Spring deodorant @ $2.99
(1) Theraflu sever cold and cough trial size @ .99
(1) Crest clinical Gum protection @ 3.49

Use:
-$2 Theraflu product from here
-$1 Irish spring product from SS 3/13
-$1 Crest toothpaste from PG 2/27
-$3.29 ECB

Total due: .18
Get Back: $5.49 in ECB ( $2, .99, & $2.50-I now have 11.49 in ECB total)

Transaction 2
 Buy:
(1) Tena Ultra thin pads @ 9.99
Use:
-$2.50 off tena ultra thin pad from here
-$6 ECB from previous week
-.99 ECB
Total: .50
Get back: 9.99 ECB (still have $2)

Transaction 3:
Buy:
(1) Charmin Big rolls 16 ct @ 10
(1) Bounty paper towels 12 Ct $13
(2) puffs with lotion tissues @ 1.50

Use:
-.25/1 charmin from PG 2/27
-.25/1 bounty from PG 2/27
-.50/2 puffs from PG 2/27
-9.99 ECB
-$2 ECB

Final: 13.01
Get Back: $10 in ECB

(this final transaction is only a scenario for those of you with babies in diapers!)

Transaction 4:
Buy:
(1) Pampers baby dry, cruisers, or swaddlers diapers 48-96 ct @ $20
(2) CVS baby care soft wipes 64-72ct @ 2.50

Use:
-2.50/1 pampers diapers from PG 2/27
-$10 ECB

Final: $12.50
Get Back: $10 ECB

Total Product purchased: $68.46
Total OOP:  $26.19
ECB remaining: $10 (this is a great week if you are low on diapers, tp and paper towels!)