FREE CHOCOLATE

It's Friday and you know what that means! FREE CHOCOLATE!! Just go here to get yours. Limit of one per week, four per household during the promotion period.

Home Made Simple coupons

Go here to get your FREE booklet worth over $30 from Home Made Simple. They usually include a free product coupon as well!

FREE GLUTEN FREE BAKING PRODUCTS

If you or someone in your home is eating a gluten-free diet, you can get a free coupon for one of Betty Crocker's new Gluten-Free Dessert Mixes ($4 value). Here's how to get yours:

• Call General Mills Consumer Services number at 1-800-446-1898 and select option #4 on the main menu.
  
• Tell the customer service representative on the line that you are interested in the free gluten-free baking coupons.
  
• You'll be asked a few questions regarding your household's consumption of gluten and then you'll be asked for your address so they can send you the free coupon.

From MoneySavingMom

FREE BAKEWARE

Go here to easybakeware and choose a FREE pan! That's right...FREE!!! I paid $1 for shipping on this item myself. I was enrolled in the "trial" offer for credit guard, which I canceled when I got the confirmation email. Worth checking into!

Wordless Wednesday

RedBox Code for today

I haven't seen many of these lately, but if you have a Walgreens with a RedBox near you, try this code for a free movie!
Just enter the code DVDATWAG. This is reportedly only working at the Walgreen's locations, but if you have one near you, get a FREE movie tonight!

$1.50/1 KRAFT DRESSING

Go here to get a $1.50/1 Kraft Dressing coupon. These are only $1.59 at Walmart, making them $.09 after coupon! Hurry, they are sure to go fast!!


Thanks, MoneySavingMom!

FREE ShamWow cloths!

Go here to complete a quick survey for 2 FREE ShamWow cloths! I just did it and it only took about 2 minutes of my time.

Menu Plan Monday

This has been an interesting month for us. I haven't stepped into the grocery store except to buy sugar and water this month since July 9. I normally go every week like clockwork, spending $60-$75 for a family of 6. Last time I went, I bought 40lbs. of chicken breasts at $1.29/lb., and some staples like brown sugar, oats, and flour.

We have been challenging ourselves to use up what we have and to be thankful for the Lord providing each and every day. The last couple of days I have had to get creative and we are trying to see if we can hold out until Saturday, the first of August before we go again. However, I am losing some inspiration. I am only able to make a plan for this week thru lunch on Thursday. I am sure that I can finish off with dinner on Thursday, and a days worth of meals on Friday and breakfast on Saturday, but as of right now, I just can't see it.

So, here is what I am planning so far this week:

BREAFASTS

pancakes
yogurt parfaits
banana bread w/ strawberries
oatmeal w/blueberries
homemade toast and jelly


LUNCHES

homemade cheese pizza, salad, breadsticks
grilled chicken, salad, cheesy rice
chicken and noodles, steamed cauliflower
lunch at library "end of summer party" (the kids get free lunch for participating in reading club)


DINNERS

black bean burgers, corn
chicken fried rice
spaghetti, homemade bread, salad
grilled chicken fajitas with homemade tortillas

We are getting all the veggies this week from our garden, including the stir fry ones. I am sooo greatful that it has been producing as well as it has, especially with the cooler weather that we have been having.

I will try and post pictures this week of what we are making and using up completely in our pantry, fridge, and freezers. Stay tuned!

Back To School Deals

Staples is having some awesome back to school deals next week! Check out some of them:

12 pack pencil topper erasers- $.25
4oz Elmer's glue-$.25
100 pack 3x5 index cards $.25
manual pencil sharpener $.25
slider pencil case $.25
5 pack Bic mechanical pencil $.25

There is also a coupon for $5/$30 purchase which makes for some sweet deals on school or office supplies! Check out the rest of the deals for next week, July 26-Aug 1, 2009 here.

FREE CHOCOLATE!!!

It's Friday and you know what that means! FREE CHOCOLATE!! Just go here to get yours. Limit of one per week, four per household during the promotion period.

Goal Update and New Goals for the Week

Our goals for this week were rather simple...and I am soooo happy to say that, as of today, we MADE IT!!!

Of course, "living like no one else, so that later we can live like no one else" is sometimes rather difficult. It would be so easy to go out to McDonald's for dinner, or to buy that special something that I or the kids "need".

Our kids have been on board with this completely. When I wanted to give in, they reminded me of our ultimate goal. I can't begin to tell you how much easier it is to stay on the right track when the whole family can see the end result!

So, here is a recap of last week's goals:

1. NO eating out this week.
We made that easily, I think...even though it took some "habit breaking" on my part to do this. I think that I am my own worst enemy when it comes to this frugal habit. ;)


2. Stash $50 into emergency fund
Believe it or not, this was the easiest part of all. We simply took the money away before we could spend it! We just transferred it into our ING account as soon as my hubby got paid.


3. NO spending any cash unless agreed on (we took allowances away so that we would become more disciplined ourselves)
This required us talking and communicating more about money than we ever have in our past. And it was sooo worth it! It made it easier to NOT get those blueberries on a "great sale", or to "stock up" on other stuff we didn't need right now. Walking away from some deals has been almost a relief. I haven't had to worry about getting in on this deal or that deal. I simply couldn't do it. I had to follow that old adage, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without".


4. Stay within our $15 budget at the fair (we get in free, and are going to allow the kids to either ride 2 rides, or have an "elephant ear") and STAND BY THEIR CHOICE.
I cannot believe HOW MUCH the rides at the fair cost! It was $15 just for 3 kids to ride ONE RIDE EACH!!! We spent the day looking at the animals, vendor booths, and having fun. It rained on us most of the time we were there, but the cooler weather made it easier to NOT buy drinks at $2-$4 a pop. We had lunch at home just before leaving, so that tided the kids over. All in all, I think we had more fun this year, not spending much money, than we have before!

Our goals for this week are pretty much the same:

1. Stash $50 into the emergency fund

2. No eating out this week

3. No spending cash at all without talking and agreeing on it

4. Being August budget writing

Baby steps to freedom!!!

FREE $20 Gift Card from SkinCare RX

Go here to sign up you and four of your friends for a FREE $20 gift certificate! You will get the code in an email that you can use to order right away! I was able to get a bottle of organic shampoo that retailed for $13.50 for free, including shipping! And, the best part, if you use Ebates, then you can get 10% cash back on your order!


Thanks, MoneySavingMom!!!

FREE COOKBOOKS!

Need some new dinner ideas? There are 14 new e-cookbooks here with menu ideas from CopyCat recipes, to low carb, low fat, and more! Just click here and click on the link for the cookbook that you want, and you will be loaded with many mouthwatering dishes to create!

Thanks, Journey to Simplicity!

Goals for the week,...

Yeah, I hear that sigh in the background...I have done it myself over and over again as we looked over our financial goals for this past year. Hubby and I talked at length last night and decided that year long goals, even monthly ones seemed way to daunting for us. But, when we changed it to WEEKLY goals, we could make more headway and feel like we were accomplishing something!

So, this weeks goals are (we go Wed morning to Tuesday night simply because that's when he gets paid):

1. NO eating out this week.
2. Stash $50 into emergency fund
3. NO spending any cash unless agreed on (we took allowances away so that we would become more disciplined ourselves)
4. Stay within our $15 budget at the fair (we get in free, and are going to allow the kids to either ride 2 rides, or have an "elephant ear") and STAND BY THEIR CHOICE.

That sounds simple, right? Well, we are learning discipline in the area of cash, and baby steps need to be taken. I will keep this updated as often as possible, because that helps hold me accountable.

Waste Not, Want Not

How you use up your leftovers so that the food is not wasted? I have experienced my share of "mystery meals" in the past and found that by keeping a menu list and marking on it "LO" (leftover in text talk :) and keeping the previous weeks menu handy, I have cut down on the number of things that need to be disposed of.

Need some other ideas? Check out Small Notebook's post here.

Who Holds Tomorrow...

Ever feel like giving up? When I did, I always thought of this song...it didn't matter what was going on in my life, God knew what the outcome would be. I just needed to trust. And now, during difficult times, it gets me through again.

Be blessed!

FREE CHOCOLATE!!!

It's Friday and you know what that means! FREE CHOCOLATE!! Just go here to get yours. Limit of one per week, four per household during the promotion period.

Menu Plan Monday

I know that I am a wee late in posting this, but I have good reason (at least I think so)...my parents are here for a visit. YEAH!

Anyway, with no more guilding the lily and with no ado...here is my plan for the week:

BREAKFASTS

baked oatmeal, strawberries

Ezekiel muffins, smoothies

pancakes with homemade straw-peach syrup

whole grain coffee cake

cereal

pita pockets with scrambled eggs

breakfast out (parents last morning here-our treat)

LUNCHES

leftover chicken and noodles

cheese, crackers, carrots, applesauce

PBJ's, chips

leftover spaghetti

leftover beef and noodles

spinach rice with ham added

homemade pizza

DINNERS

beef and noodles

ham, green beans

spaghetti

beans and rice

chicken and noodles

PBJ's at the beach

dinner out with parents (again, our treat-we have 2 birthdays in our family to celebrate this week)

There you have it...nothing too wild or extreme. I do not plan on taking time to go to the grocery store this week at all since my family is in town. We are going to do some fun stuff like blueberry picking, HealthWorks museum, swimming at the hotel, and just enjoying good company. I will try and post deals as I see them and have time. Ya'll have fun this week!!!

FREE $25 from SHAREBUILDER

Want a free $25? Join ShareBuilder and get a bonus when you get started! Go here for details!

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY

And thank you to all the men, women, and children who sacrificed so much so that I can continue to say that.
My favorite song for this day:

Nearly Free Ground Beef and Salad Mix at Meijer

I just had to share this deal with you! Meijer has a catalina deal where you can get free salad mix and ground beef for a very awesome price and you can keep doing it over and over until you are stocked!
Here is how it works:
Buy 2 Dole salad mixes (coleslaw also works) for $.98 each and 1/2 lb. of NatureWell natural ground beef (approx $1.70) for a total of approx $3.60 of and get a $3 catalina (coupon) printed out for your next order! You can then use that to get 2 more salad mixes and another 1/2lb. ground beef for about $.60! Some stores have a $1.50/2 Dole salad mixes, making that a money maker, but my store didn't have any. What a great deal! You can do this again and again through July 11!