Homemade Birthday Cake

One way we save money on birthdays is by making our own birthday cakes. This not only saves us money but has also become a tradition in our family. The kids are always excited to see what kind of cake I can come up with.

I made this cake for my sons birthday today. He turned 4. His request was a monkey cake with chocolate chips. I used regular store bought cake mix and frosting. The dark frosting is chocolate and the lighter frosting is vanilla that I tinted with brown coloring. I used chocolate chips for the eyes, nostrils and mouth.

Total cost of the cake, roughly $3.00.

Linked to Frugal Friday at Life as Mom.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday...Tacos and watermelon.
Tuesday...Stir fry, using peppers from the garden and peaches.
Wednesday...Steak, plain spaghetti noodles, corn, grilled bread (per sons request, it's his 4th birthday!)
Thursday...Fish fry, corn bread, fried potatoes.
Friday...Leftovers.

To see what others are having this week visit I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Free Redbox Codes

Here are a few Redbox codes worth trying out. I am not sure when they expire. Let me know if you try them and they work for you.

• 9HB6MP22 – valid at all Redbox kiosks
• SMR8DVD – valid only at McDonalds
• 9H2VEE27- valid only at Hy-Vee

Reducing Your Water Usage

Conserving water usage can save you money. While my water bill isn't my most expensive utility, I have noticed it creeping up over the last few months . It has made me sit back and take a look at some of the things I can do to bring it back down.

Time your showers...Everyone loves a nice, long, relaxing shower. Most especially me. Implement a time limit on the shower. Set a timer in the bathroom. When it goes off the water needs to be off.

Turn off the water when you don't need it...Try not to leave the water on while brushing your teeth or shaving. When rinsing off dishes, instead of running the water full blast, before dinner fill the sink with water and then just dip the dishes before loading them into the dishwasher.

Put in low-flow shower heads and faucets...These units use less water while still maintaining the pressure. We actually had an energy audit from our utility company last year and he put these in for free.

Fix dripping faucets and leaking toilets...Even these small leaks can add up to wasted water and larger bills.

Check outside faucets, sprinklers and hoses...These items need to be checked and maintained as well. Since we don't use them as often leaky faucets can go unseen for weeks or months.

Invest in making rain barrels to water your garden or flowers...Instead of paying to water your garden why not recycle rain water? This past Spring we made these rain barrels and have used them to water our vegetable garden. Only a handful of times have we actually had to use the outside hose.

Hy-Vee Deals Week of 9/29-10/5

Welcome Grocery Gathering readers! Here is a preview of the deals that I see at Hy-Vee for this week. I use central Iowas ad when making this list. My store takes both printable coupons and manufacturer coupons from the paper. Please check your local ad to confirm these deals in your area.Hy-Vee is offering a free Redbox Code. The coupon says it may not be available at all locations but it is worth a try. The code is...
9H2VEE27
Let me know if you try it and it worked.

Grocery
Sara Lee Honey Wheat Bread $99
Hy-Vee Hamburger or Hotdog Buns $.99
Hunt's Tomato Sauce 15 oz $1.25

Folger's Coffee 34.5 oz $5.99
- $.25 (9/20 RP)
= $5.74

Quaker Chewy Granola Bars or Bites $2.00
- $.75/2 (8/30 RP)
= $3.25 for 2

Hy-Vee Cereal 32 oz $2.88
(Buy 1 Cereal get 1lb of bananas free with in ad coupon)

Meat
Hormel Boneless Pork Shoulder Roast $.99 lb

Produce
Dole Salad Blends 9-12 oz $.99
Montreal White Sliced Mushrooms 8 oz $1.50

Dairy
Hy-Vee Shredded Cheese Family Size 32 oz $3.77
(in ad coupon)

Hy-Vee Sour Cream 16 oz $.99
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter 8-21.3 oz $1.50

Frozen
Hy-Vee 100% Frozen Orange Juice 12 oz $.88
(in ad coupon)

Blue Bunny Ice Cream Pail $4.77
(in ad coupon)

Jack's Frozen Pizza 15-19.4 oz $2.50
- $.40 (8/23 SS)
= $2.10

Hot, Lean or Breakfast Pockets, Calzones, Subs, Croissants or Panninis $2.00
- $1.00/3 Hot or Lean Pockets (8/23 RP) or
-$.50/1 Hot Pockets Cheese Stuffed Crust, Deep Dish, Crispy Crust, Calzone or Pizzeria or Lean Pockets Seasoned Crust 6.5-9 oz (9/13 RP) or
- $.75/1 Hot or Lean Pocket Breakfast (9/27 RP)
= $1.25-$1.67

Beverage
Buy any 3 Coke 12 packs get a Coke Zero 12oz 8 Pack Free
(in ad coupon)

Powerade and Powerade Zero Buy 10 get 5 Free
(in ad coupon)

6 Hour Sale Saturday October 3, 8am-2pm
Hy-Vee Ice Cream 1/2 gallon $1.28
Ground Beef 80% 16oz $.99
Spring River Farms Frozen Boneless Chicken Breast 3lbs $3.99
Bakery Fresh Donut Holes 18 ct $.99
M&M and Mars Candy $.40 each
Aim or Pepsodent Toothpaste, Germ X 2.5 oz, V05 Shampoo and Conditioner, Noxema and Old Spice Razors, and Power Bar Gel Blasts $.88 each
Hy-Vee Salads Coleslaw or Old Fashioned Potato Salad 14-16 oz $.99
Dole Golden Ripe Bananas $.29 lb
Carnation Flowers $.25 each
Tony's Crispy Crust Pizza $.77
Busch or Busch Lite 24 pack cans $12.99
Coke 2 liters $.69
Hy-Vee Deli Sliced Ham $.99 lb
Hy-Vee shredded Cheese 8 oz $.99
Hy-Vee Milk 2 Gallon $.99

Let me know if you see any deals that I missed.

Walgreens Deals Week of 9/27-10/3

Thank you to Nicole at Being Frugal is Fabulous for compiling this weeks Walgreens deals. You can go here to see them.

Also, Walgreens issued a new October Coupon Booklet. You can find these at the front of the store. Here is a list of this months coupons.

$1/1 Wags Ora Relief Spray
$10/1 Wal-itin 10 mg. Tablets 150 ct.
$3/1 4 Way Nasal Spray Fast Acting 1 oz.
$1/1 Sustenex Probiotic, 30 ct., Digestive Advantage, 32 ct.
$1/1 Carmex 3 Pack Original or Cherry Squeeze Tube 3 pack, .35 oz.
$1/1 Wal-born Plus Probiotic
$3/1 Mucinex 600 mg. Tablets 100 ct.
$4/1 Iron Mike Virility Enhancer
$5/1 Colon Aide All Natural Colon Cleanse
$.50/1 Quilted Northern, 12 rolls
$.99/3 Wrigley’s Orbit Gum 14 Pack
$.30/1 Indiana Kettlecorn, 3.5-10.5 oz.
$4/1 Viactiv Calcium Chews, 60 or 90 ct.
$2/1 Excedrin Menstrual Complete Express Gels, 20 ct.
$1/1 Pediasure Vanilla, Strawberry, Chocolate, 6 pack, 8 oz. each
$1/1 Mucinex for Kids 4 oz or 12 pack
$3/1 Hollywood Diet Cookie, 12 pack, 48 Hr. Miracle Diet, 32 oz.
$1/1W Skin Care Intensive Lotion, 14 oz., Cold Cream 9.5 oz., Dry Skin Cream 10.1 oz.
$5/1 W Scar Cream with spf 30 1.76 oz.
$5/1 A1c Diabetes Home Test Kit
$1/4 Mentos 1.32 oz.
$5/1 Conair Chopper 2 in 1 Trimmer
$5/1 Cardiostat Omega 3 Fish Oil Softcaps 60 ct.
$10/1 Finest Natural Glucosamine Chondroitin 180 or 240 ct.
$5/1 Finest Natural Joint/Heart Health Softgels, Advance Joint Relief, Glucosamine Chondroitin or 120 ct.
$2/1 Sally Hershberger Shampoo, Conditioner or Styling Products
$5/1 University Medical Face Lift Skin Care
$2/1 Infusium 23 leave in treatment, 16 or 33.8 oz., Shampoo or Conditioner 16 oz.
$50/1 Simply Apple Juice or Lemonade 13.5 oz.
$2/1 Mitchum Smart Solid
$3/1 Joint Juice Glucosamine 150 mg., 6 pack, 8 oz. each
$5/1 Trigosmine Fast Acting Caplets 60 ct.
$1/1 Dr. Fresh Plaque Rinse Spiderman 16 oz., Firefly Toothbrush, 2 pack.
$.50/1 Dentemp Recapit cement, 1 gm., One Stop Filling Mix
$1/1 Doo Gro Hair Care
$2/1 Gas-X 18-72 ct., Ex-Lax, 24-90 ct., Benefiber 48-125 dose powder, caplet 114 ct., stick pack 28 ct. Maalox 12 oz. Tablets 90 ct.
$1/2 Rock On or Energy Shot 2 pack Berry or Orange
$10/1 Hydroxy Cut 70 to 72 ct, Sachets 21 ct.
$5/1 Claritin Liqui-gels 10 mg. 24 ct.
$3/1 NoDoz Maximum Strength, 60 ct.
$1/1 Airplus products
$1/1 Heel Rescue Foot Cream, 16 oz.
$5/1 Rayovac Hearing Aid Battery 10, 13 or 312 24 pack
$1/2 Pepperidge Farms Goldfish Crackers Cheddar or Xtra Cheddar, 6.6 oz.
$1/1 Walgreens Effervescent Cold Relief Plus Original Tablets 24 ct.
$1.50/1 Baby Bliss Travel Pack Gripe Water, 3 oz., Gripe Water Original 4 oz.
$5/1 Afrin Pure Sea Nasal Rinse 4 oz.
$2/1 Huggies Wipes, 184 or 216 pack
$10/1 Neuragen PN, .17 oz.
$1/1 W Medtime Planner
$.50 Summer’s Eve Feminine Products
$5/1 Benefiber Orange, 58 doses
$1/1 Vagisil Max Strength or Satin crème 1 oz., wipes 12 pack
$3/1 Almay Bright Eyes liner highlighter, eyeshadow, concealer
$.50/1 Curad Products
$4/1 Revlon Foundation ColorStay Mineral, Custom Creations or Beyond Natural

Target Deals Week of 9/27-10/3

Thank you to Marci at Stretching a Buck for compiling this weeks Targets deals. You can check them out here.

Target also issued new coupons today. You can print them here. Here is a list of the new coupons that are available.

$1.00/1 Deli Meat Tray
$1.00/1 Archer Farms Crackers, 4 oz+
$1.50/1 1/2 lb or more Archer Farms Deli Bulk Cheese
$1.00/2 Keebler Chips Deluxe Cookies
$1.00/2 Ocean Spray Cocktail Drinks
$1.00/1 Skippy Peanut Butter, 15 oz+
$1.00/1 Chex Mix Snacks
$0.50/1 Quaker Bars or Bites
$1.00/2 General Mills Cereals 8 oz+ (excl cups and variety packs)
$1.00/1 Jimmy Dean Frozen Breakfast Product
$0.50/1 Tropicana Juice, 64 oz+

Also, Target is now offering $.05 credit for each reusable shopping bag that you bring in.

$3.00 Pedialyte Coupon

You can go here to print off a coupon for $3.00 off a Pedialyte product. Just in time for flu season.

Thanks Tracie.

No Spend Challenge Update

This was a long week for me. We still did good not spending any extra money. We finally broke into the $40 entertainment money and rented a movie from Redbox. I also used that money to pay $7 for our admission to my sons football game Tuesday night. Hubby did spend $30 of his birthday money to buy a new game.

Other than regular bills, gas, a birthday gift and paying for our vehicle tax and license no other money was spent. I spent about $50 on groceries so I have $41 left for the rest of the month.

I used my dryer all week because the weather was either rainy or humid and I was feeling lazy. I felt a little guilty about that. I did however get some tomatoes canned, lots of bell peppers diced and frozen and more applesauce made. That made me feel pretty good.

How did your week go? Leave a link to your post below. Don't forget to link back to my page.

Coupon Preview for Sunday 9/27

There will be 3 inserts this weekend. Proctor and Gamble, Smartsource, and Redplum. Here is a list of the individual coupons. Remember coupons may vary by region.

Smart Source 9/27

.55/1 2000 Flushes Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaner (exp 12/31)
$1 off Act mouthwash, 18oz (exp 12/31)
$2 off Act mouthwash, 33oz (exp 12/31)
.50/1 Air Wick Aqua Essences Aerosol (exp 11/01)
$1 off Air Wick Scented Oil twin refill pack or 2 single refills (exp 11/08)
Free Air Wick Warmer Unit FREE wyb any Air Wick Scented Oil Refill Fragrance (exp 11/08)
.50/2 Carnation Evaporated Milk cans (exp 12/31)
$1 off Celestial Seasonings Tea Bags, 18ct.+ (exp 12/27)
$1 off Clearasil product (exp 12/20)
$1 off Colgate 360 Toothbrush (exp 10/17)
$1 off Colgate Total Enamel Strength, Advanced Whitening, Clean or Fresh Toothpastes only, 4oz+ (exp 10/17)
$5 off Enfamil Premium with Triple Health Guard, 23.4oz+ powder (exp 11/30)
.35/1 Halls 20ct+ Single Bag (exp 11/7)
.75/1 Halls Refresh Hard Candy (exp 11/7)
$1 off Hershey’s Special Dark Bag or Hershey’s Extra Dark Bar or Bag (exp 11/01)
$1/3 Hershey’s, Reese’s or Kit Kat Snack Size Bags, 9-22oz (exp 10/17)
.50/1 Irish Spring Body Wash, except 2.5oz size (exp 10/17)
.50/2 Irish Spring Multi-bar Soap Packs, 3bar+ (exp 10/17)
$2 off L’Oreal EverPure Shampoo, Conditioner, or Treatment (exp 12/20)
.75/1 Little Debbie Chocolate Cupcakes (exp 12/31)
$1/2 Marie Callender’s Pasta Al Dente Frozen Meals (exp 11/22)
$1/3 Marie Callender’s Pot Pies (exp 11/15)
$2 off Miralax 14-dose or 10ct carton (exp 11/08)
$4 off Miralax 30-dose bottle (exp 11/8)
$5 off Miralax 30-dose bottle (exp 10/11)
.75/1 Mrs. Smith’s Bakery Product, 30oz+ (exp 12/31)
$1 off Nature Made Vitamins (exp 10/27)
$1.50/2 Ore-Ida French Fries or Tater Tots Frozen Potatoes (exp 11/22)
.25/1 Palmolive Dish Liquid 25oz (exp 10/17)
.75/1 Palmolive Pure+Caring or Pure+Clear Dish Liquid 20zo (exp 10/17)
Free Palmolive Pure+Caring or Pure+Clear mail in rebate
.75/1 Pepperidge Farm Cookies, 3oz+ (exp 11/30)
Free Purina Friskies Natural Sensations brand Cat Treats, any variety (exp 11/30)
.75/1 Sargento Salad or Potato Finishers (exp 10/31)
$1 off Schick Disposable Razors (exp 11/8)
$2 off Science Diet Simple Essentials Dog Treats, 12.3oz+ (exp 10/31)
$1 off SeaPak Tilapia Tenders (exp 11/30)
$1 off Seattle’s Best Coffee (exp 12/31)
.75/1 Softsoap Body Wash (exp 10/17)
.75/2 Speed Stick or Lady Speed Stick Antiperspirants/Deodorants (exp 10/17)
.75/1 Speed Stick Pro or 24/7 or Lady Speed Stick Clinical Pro or 24/7, (exp 10/17)
.50/2 Swanson Broth Carton, 32oz+ (exp 11/8)
.50/1 Swanson Stock Carton (exp 11/8)
.40/3 Swanson Broth Can, 14oz+ (exp 11/8)
$1 off TGI Friday’s Anytime Quesadillas (exp 11/28)
$1 off TGI Friday’s Complete Skillet Meals (exp 11/28)
$2/4 TGI Friday’s Snacks (exp 11/28)
$2 off Visine All Day Eye Itch Relief, Totality Multi-symptom, or Total Eye Soothing Wipes (exp 12/31)
$1 off Visine product, any (exp 12/31)
.55/2 Weight Watchers Yogurt, 6oz or 32oz (exp 10/31)
$1 off White Cloud Bathroom Tissue or Paper Towel product (exp 11/27)
$3 off Whole Body Cleanse internal cleansing system (exp 12/31)

RedPlum 9/27

$1 off Aveeno product (exp 12/31)
$1.50/2 Aveeno products (exp 12/31)
$3 off WYB Both Bayer Heart Health Advantage AND any Bayer Aspirin product 24ct+ (exp 12/31)
$1.50 off Bayer Heart Health Advantage Product (exp 12/31)
$1.50 off Bayer Quick Release Crystals 10ct+ (exp 12/31)
$1 off Cesar Treats (exp 10/25)
$1/2 College Inn 14oz Can Chicken And Beef Broth (exp 11/21)
$1 off College Inn 32oz Aseptic Chicken and Beef Broth (exp 11/21)
B2G1 FREE up to $1.10 Deer Park brand Natural Spring Water 1-Gallon+ jugs (exp 10/24)
$1/2 Deer Park brand Natural Spring Water 700mL 6pk (exp 10/24)
$1/2 Deer Park brand Natural Spring Water 8oz 12pks, 8oz with Fluoride or Aquapad 8pk (exp 10/24)
$1/2 Deer Park brand Sparkling Natural Spring Water .5L 6pk (exp 10/24)
$1 off DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil 16.9oz+ (exp 12/31)
$1 off DeLallo Imported Pasta Sauce 24.3oz (exp 12/31)
$1/2 DeLallo Pasta Packages, Semolina, Organic Semolina, or Organic Whole Wheat (exp 12/31)
$1 off Hefty OneZip Fresh Extend Bags (exp 12/31)
$1/2 Hillshire Farm Deli Select Ultra Thin or Hearty Slices Lunchmeats, 8oz+ (exp 10/25)
.75/1 Hot Pockets or Lean Pockets brand Breakfast Sandwiches 9-20oz (exp 12/20)
.25/1 Isaly’s Barbecue Sauce (exp 12/31)
$1 off Isopure Plus Nutrition or Zero Carb Drink 6pk (exp 12/31)
$1 off L’Oreal Excellence or Excellence to-Go (exp 12/20)
$2 off Lea & Perrins Thick Classic Worcestershire Sauce (exp 11/22)
$1/4 Libby’s Vegetables, canned (exp 12/31)
$3 off Loud N Clear Sound Amplifier (exp 12/30)
$1/2 Mars Candy Fun Size Bags (exp 10/31)
$2 off One A Day Adult or Teen Multivitamin product 12ct+ (exp 12/31)
$1 off One A Day Kids product (exp 12/31)
$6 off Osteo Bi-Flex product (exp 11/10)
$1 off Pedigree Dentastix Treats for Dogs (exp 11/22)
$1 off Pedigree MarroBone Treats for Dogs (exp 11/22)
$1/2 Pillsbury Brownie Minis Brownie Mixes (exp 12/31)
$1/2 Pillsbury Easy Frost No-Fuss Frosting (exp 12/31)
$1 off Robitussin product (exp 12/31)
$1 off Robitussin To Go product (exp 12/31)
$2 off Scope Mouthwash wyb (2) Crest Toothpastes (exp 12/31) *Target coupon
.50/1 SuperPretzels Soft Pretzel Item (exp 11/27)
$2 off Thermacare 2ct+ (exp 11/30)
.50/1 Whole Fruit Fruit Bar (exp 11/27)

Proctor & Gamble 9/27

$5 off Align product (exp 10/31)
$1 off Always Infinity 14ct+ (exp 10/31)
.50/1 Always Pad, Clean, or Feminine Cleansing Cloth (exp 10/31)
.50/1 Always Pantiliners 34ct+ (exp 10/31)
.25/1 Bounty Napkins (exp 10/31)
.25/1 Bounty Towels or Napkins (exp 10/31)
$1 off Cascade Rinse Aid, any size (exp 10/31)
.25/1 Cascade, any size (exp 10/31)
.25/1 Charmin Bathroom Tissue, any size (exp 10/31)
$1 off Crest Kids Toothpaste (exp 10/31)
$1 off Crest Premium Paste 4.1oz+ (exp 10/31)
$1 off Crest Rinse 440mL+ (exp 10/31)
$1/2 Crest Toothpastes 4.1oz+ or liquid gel (exp 10/31)
$10 off Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal 14ct only (exp 10/31)
.25/1 Dawn (exp 10/31)
.50/1 Dawn Direct Foam or Dawn Simple Pleasure (exp 10/31)
.50/1 Dawn Plus Hand Renewal (exp 10/31)
.75/1 Duracell CopperTop AA or AAA 4pk+, C,D, 9v (exp 10/31)
$1.50 off Duracell Hearing Aid Batteries with EasyTab, 6pk+ (exp 10/31)
FREE Febreze Air Effects WYB any Febreze Candle (exp 10/31)
$1 off Febreze Fabric Refresher (exp 10/31)
$4 off Febreze Noticeables Starter Kit (exp 10/31)
.50/1 Fixodent Adhesive 1.2oz+ (exp 10/31)
$1 off Gillette Body Wash (exp 10/31)
$2 off Gillette Clinical Strength, any 1 OR any (2) Gillette deodorants (exp 10/31)
$4 off Gillette Fusion Razor (exp 10/31)
$1 off Gillette Fusion Shave Gel (exp 10/31)
$1 off Gillette Shampoo, Conditioner, or Styler (exp 10/31)
$1 off Luvs Diapers (exp 10/31)
$1 off Metamucil product (exp 10/31)
B1G1 Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (exp 10/31)
FREE Mr. Clean Spray WYB any Mr. Clean Liquid (exp 10/31)
$1 off Nice ‘n Easy Hair Color product (exp 10/31)
$1 off Olay Bar Pack, Body Wash or In-Shower Body Lotion (exp 10/31)
$1 off Olay Facial Moisturizer or Cleanser (exp 10/31)
$1 off Olay Hand & Body Lotion, except 30mL. (exp 10/31)
$1/2 Old Spice Body Wash or Anti-perspirant/deodorant (exp 10/31)
$4/2 Old Spice Pro Strength (exp 11/30)
$3 off Oral-B 3ct+ Refill brush head – $3.00 off any 1 (exp 10/31)
$1 off Oral-B Floss Pick 45ct+, Satin Floss or Glide product (exp 10/31)
.75/1 Oral-B Pulsar, CrossAction, Advantage OR .75/2 Indictors (exp 10/31)
$5 off Oral-B Vitality Toothbrush or Rechargeable Toothbrush, (exp 10/31)
$15 Oral-B Plusonic, Professional Care or Sonic Complete Rechargable Toothbrush Mail in Rebate
$1 off Pantene Styler (exp 10/31)
.50/1 Pepto-Bismol product (exp 10/31)
$1 off Prilosec OTC product (exp 10/31)
$1/4 Pringles cans 180g+ (exp 10/31)
.50/2 Pringles Fat Free cans, 165g+ (exp 10/31)
.50/1 Pringles Snack Stack, Stix, Minis, or Bold Bites product (exp 10/31)
.50/3 Puffs Singles (exp 10/31)
.25/1 Puffs Singles Three Pack (exp 10/31)
$3 off Pur or Pur Flavor Options System, pitcher or faucet mount (exp 10/31)
$3 off Pur Pitcher or Faucet Mount Multi-Pack Replacement Filters or Pur Refrigerator Filter (exp 10/31)
.35/1 Scope Breath Mist or Breath Drops (exp 10/31)
.75/1 Scope Mouthwash 710mL.+ (exp 10/31)
.50/1 Secret Flawless (exp 11/30)
$2/2 Secret Flawless, Fresh Effects, Scent Expressions, or Smooth Effects (exp 11/30)
B1G1 Swiffer Dust & Shine (exp 10/31)
.50/1 Swiffer Dust & Shine or Swiffer Refills (exp 10/31)
.50/1 Swiffer Dusters Starter Kit (exp 10/31)
$1 off Swiffer Sweeper Starter Kit (exp 10/31)
$5 off Swiffer WetJet Starter Kit or Swiffer SweepVac Starter Kit (exp 10/31)
B1G1 Tag product (exp 11/30)
.50/1 Tampax 18ct+ (exp 10/31)
$1 off Tide product, any size (exp 10/31)
.35/1 Tide To Go, any size (exp 10/31)
$2 off Venus Embrace or Breeze Family 6ct or 8ct Cartridges (exp 10/31)
$2 off Venus Embrace or Breeze Family Systems Razor (exp 10/31)
$1 off Vicks product (exp 10/31)

Thanks A Thrify Mom.

Free Honey Bunches of Oats Cereal

From now through September 30th, you can find Post’s Honey Bunches of Oats on Rollback at Walmart for $2 per box. Use this $2/1 printable coupon to get free cereal.

Thanks Crystal.

Gardening Update

My garden is still producing well. Thankfully we got some much needed rain the other day. My garden got a good drink and my rain barrels are full again. Here is what I picked this morning. I also had 2 additional watermelon that are not in the picture. I brought them in and cut into them to see if they were ripe. They were, thankfully.I also canned 11 quarts of tomatoes Monday night. I am happy to have this done. This will be great when Winter comes. Fresh tomatoes for chili and stews are the best!

Fareway Deals Week of 9/22-9/28

Welcome Grocery Gathering readers! Here is a list of current deals that I see at Fareway. I use central Iowas ad when making this list. My store takes printable coupons as well as manufacturer coupons from the paper. Please check your local ad to confirm these deals in your area. I know they run different ads in different locations. Grocery
GW White Sugar 4lb $1.49

Wonder Bread $1.49
- $.55 (8/30 RP)
= $.94

Campbell's Fun Soups $1.00
-$.40/4 (9/13 SS)
= $.90 each when you buy 4

Fisher Dry Roasted Peanuts 3 for $5
- $1.00 (3/15, 3/29, 5/10, 6/7 and 6/21 SS)
= $.67 each

Produce
Dole Classic Salad Mix or Cole Slaw $.99
Russet Potatoes 15 lb $2.99
Jonathon Apples 3lb Bag $1.99
Kiwi $.25 each

Dairy
Kraft Cheese Singles 12 oz $1.39
Blue Bunny Ice Cream Pail $4.88
Blue Bonnet Spread 1lb sticks $.69

Coffe Mate Creamer $1.58
- $.50 6/28 RP)
= $1.08

Frozen
Tony's Frozen Pizza 10" $2.00

Totino's Pizza $1.00
-$1.00/5 (8/9 GM) or
-$1.00/4 (9/13 GM)
= $.75-.80 depending on what coupon you use

Non-Food
Purex Laundry Detergent 50 oz $1.99

Let me know if you see any deals I missed.

Free Sample of Always Infinity

This was offered awhile back but it looks like you can request another free sample. Go here to get your freebie of Always Infinity.

Thanks Crystal.

Hy-Vee Deals Week of 9/22-9/28

Welcome Grocery Gathering readers! Here is a preview of the deals that I see at Hy-Vee for this week. I use central Iowas ad when making this list. My store takes both printable coupons and manufacturer coupons from the paper. Please check your local ad to confirm these deals in your area.Grocery
Campbell's Spaghetti or Spaghetti O's $.59
Hy-Vee Tomato Sauce 15 oz $.44
Hy-Vee Salad Dressing 16oz $.99
Select Post Cereal 11-14.75 oz $1.68

Hy-Vee All Purpose Flour 5lb $.99
(in ad coupon)

Del Monte Fruit 14.5-15.25 oz $.99
- $1.00/5 (9/20 RP)
=$.79 each when you buy 5

Nestle Toll House Morsels $1.77
- $1.00/2 (9/13 RP)
= $1.27 each when you buy 2

Meat
Hy-Vee Split Chicken Breast $.99 lb

Country Pride Chicken Leg Quarters 10lb Bag $4.99
(in ad coupon)

Produce
Dole Premium Classic Bagged Salads 9-12oz $1.25

Driscoll Strawberries 16oz $1.88
(in ad coupon)

Dairy
Hy-Vee Butter 16oz $1.69
Hy-Vee Shredded Cheese 8 oz $1.25

Hy-Vee Whipped Topping $.78
(in ad coupon)

Hy-Vee Large Eggs $.99
(in ad coupon)

Frozen
Totino's Pizza $1.00
-$1.00/5 (8/9 GM) or
-$1.00/4 (9/13 GM)
= $.75-.80 depending on what coupon you use

Beverage
7-Up 6 packs 4 for $10
Buy 4 get one Free (in ad coupon)

Non-Food
Hy-Vee Bleach 96oz $.99
(in ad coupon)

Charmin Basic Bathroom Tissue 12 Big Roll $5.48
- $.25 (8/30 P&G)
= $5.23

Bounty Basic Paper Towels $5.48
- $.25 (8/30 P&G)
= $5.23

Let me know if you see any deals that I missed.

Walgreens Deals Week of 9/20-9/26

Thank you to Being Frugal is Fabulous for this weeks Walgreens deal match-ups.

Target Deals Week of 9/20-9/26

Thank you to Stretching a Buck for providing this weeks deal match-ups.

Menu Plan Monday

Monday...Baked Ziti, garlic bread, peaches (didn't get made last week.)
Tuesday...Cream turkey, mashed potatoes, homemade rolls.
Wednesday...Tacos, carrot sticks, apple slices.
Thursday...Leftovers.
Friday...Grilled steak, bread, broccoli, and homemade applesauce.

To see what other are having this week visit I'm an Organizing Junkie.

No Spend Challenge Update

Well, we are over half way through the month. Things have been going pretty well. We haven't bought anything ridiculous. We did have a few extra expenses this week. Thankfully they were all for things that I already had money set aside for. For example we purchased school pictures this week. This was $21 for each child. I have a separate fund for "school activities/expenses" so this was already covered. Also hubby needed new windshield wipers for his car, this was covered under the "car maintenance" fund. Also, my hairdryer broke. It's always something.

I did feel the urge to want to spend this week. I really want to box in my strawberry beds, but I feel good that I am maintaining control and not running out and buying the wood just because I want it.

Today the kids and I went garage saling. Something I do every Friday. It was hard to say no, so I ended up spending a little extra money. I did however resist the incredible urge to want to stop at McDonald's and get a fry for a snack. We sometimes get a snack or lunch there on Fridays. I drove right by today.

We spent about $43 on groceries for the week. Hubby had to stop and get some food before going to a football party last weekend so he spent about $18. That wasn't really planned. I really wanted to stock up on some good sales this week but am not going to because I know I really need to eat what we have on hand right now.

I have $91 left for groceries this month.

How did your week go? Leave a link to your post below. Don't forget to link back to my page.

Fareway Deals Week of 9/15-9/21

Welcome Grocery Gathering readers! Here is a list of current deals that I see at Fareway. I use central Iowas ad when making this list. My store takes printable coupons as well as manufacturer coupons from the paper. Please check your local ad to confirm these deals in your area. I know they run different ads in different locations. Grocery
Hunt's Tomato Sauce $.79
GW Brown or Powdered Sugar $.99

Fisher Pizza or Cheese Balls, Cheese Curls or Party Mix 3.75-7.75 oz $1.25
- $1.00 over 4oz (5/10, 6/7 and 6/21 SS)
= $.25

Cherrios 8.9 oz $1.50
-$1.00/2 (8/16 SS)
= $1.00 each when you buy 2

Meat
Boneless Butterfly Chops $1.99 lb
Pork Ribeye Chops 5 oz $1.00 each

Produce
Braburn Apples $.79 lb
Pears $.77 lb
Acorn, Butternut or Spaghetti Squash $.39 lb

Dairy
Fastco Shredded Cheese 8 oz $.99
Fastco Butter 1 lb block $1.49

Frozen
Banquet Dinners $.80 each

Jack's Frozen Pizza $2.50
- $.40 (8/23 SS)
= $2.10

Totinos Pizza Rolls 40 ct $2.99
- $.35 (8/9 and 9/13 GM)
= $2.64

Birdseye Vegetables $.99
= $.35 (9/13 SS)
= $.64

Beverage
Pepsi or Mt Dew 24 oz 6 packs $2.50
Buy (3) 12 Packs or 12 oz 8 packs of Coke and get a free 12 pack of Coke Zero (in ad coupon)

Pepsi Product 2 liters $.88

Let me know if you see any deals I missed.

Dehydrating Food

Another good way to preserve your food is by dehydration. This is a good alternative to canning if you don't have the supplies or time to can. Dehydrated foods also take up less space and is easy to store.

There are many ways to dehydrate your own food. You can use your oven, commercial dehydrator or the sun. We borrowed a dehydrator from a co-worker of Will's. We have been very pleased with the results so far.

To prepare your foods for dehydration first select the best fruits and veggies (or meat if your drying meat) without bruises or bad spots. Make sure the produce is washed well before drying.

When prepping whatever it is that you are drying, for example apples, make sure all your pieces are cut the same size. This way they will all dry at the same speed.

Some fruits, such as apples and bananas need to be treated before dehydrating to prevent browning. You can dip them in lemon juice or ascorbic acid (FruitFresh).

Depending on your method of drying, the size of your pieces and what you are dehydrating, times will vary. You can follow this general guideline here.

Allow your food to cool before packaging. With fruit, allow it to "condition" for 4-10 days before storing it.

Store dehydrated food in air tight Ziplock bags or jars. Store in a cool, dark, dry place for up to 6-12 months.

Linked to Frugal Friday at Life as Mom.

Free Sample of Playtex Sport

Go here to request a free sample of Playtex Sport.

The Colors of Summer

Picked fresh from the garden.

Walgreens Deals Week of 9/13-9/19

Thank you to Being Frugal is Fabulous for this weeks Walgreen's deals.

Target Deals Week of 9/13-9/19

Thank you to Stretching a Buck for this weeks Target deals.

Menu Plan Monday

Here is what is on our menu for the week.

Monday...BLT's, apples and applesauce.
Tuesday...Grilled BBQ chicken legs, baked potatoes, Jello with fruit.
Wednesday...Baked Ziti, breadsticks, salad.
Thursday...Leftovers or Peanut Butter and Jelly (Jake has his first football scrimmage and then we have the homecoming parade.)
Friday...Leftovers if we have any or turkey wraps. These are made with tortillas, lettuce, cheese, ranch dressing and turkey. Veggies and fruit for sides. (Homecoming game that evening)

To see what others are having visit I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Hy-Vee Deals Weel of 9/15-9/21

Welcome Grocery Gathering readers! Here is a preview of the deals that I see at Hy-Vee for this week. I use central Iowas ad when making this list. My store takes both printable coupons and manufacturer coupons from the paper. Please check your local ad to confirm these deals in your area.Grocery
Sara Lee Whole Grain White Bread $.99

Campbell's Chicken Noodle or Tomato Soup $.58
- $.40/4 (9/13 SS)
= $.48 each when you buy 4

Pringles $1.25
- $1.00/2 (8/30 P&G)
= $.75 each when you buy 2

Meat
Farmland Boneless Ham $.99 lb
Hormel Bone In Pork Shoulder Roast $.99 lb

Produce
Green grapes $.99 lb
Dole Head Lettuce $.79
Baby Carrots 16oz $1.00
Red Bell Peppers $.69

Dairy
Dannon Light and Fit Yogurt $.40 each
- $.60/6 (8/16 SS) or
- $1.00/10 (9/13 SS) = $.30 each when you buy either 6 or 10

Frozen
Birdseye Vegetables $1.18
- $.35 (9/13 SS)
= $.83

Beverage
Hy-Vee Spring Water 16 oz 6pack $.99
Pepsi 2 Liters $1.00

In Ad Coupons
*Buy 3 RC 12 packs at 3 for $9 get one free.
*Lipton Tea 12 Ct. 16.9 oz 2 for $10
*Buy one Boneless Arm Roast at $3.99 lb and get a Country Crock side dish valued at $3.49 for free.

3 Day Sale September 17, 18 and 19
Russet Potatoes 10 lb $1.77
Hy-Vee Milk 1/2 gallon $1.19
T-Bone Steak $4.99 lb
Del Monte Fruit Naturals 10 for $10
Bar S Jumbo Franks, Sausage or Bologna $.77
Aquafina Water 16.9 oz 24 pack $3.99
Hy-Vee Ice Cream Pail $3.49
Hy-Vee Deli Sliced Ham $1.99 lb
Betty Crocker Hamburger, Chicken or Tuna Helper $.88
Xtra Laundry Detergent 68.75 4 for $9
Frito Lay Chips 2-5oz $1.00
Raw Shrimp 31-40ct $3.99 lb
1/2 off any chicken pack at the deli

There are also some good online Hy-Vee ad coupons. You can go here to print them. Click on the Online Ad.
1 lb free bananas
1 free carnation from the floral department
$1 off any book or magazine
Get a $10 Hy-Vee gift card when you buy the meat bundle #6 (100 items for $100)
Buy 1 breakfast get one free
Buy 2 Hallmark cards get one free of equal or lesser value
All you can eat salad bar $3.99
Ten free 4x6 prints from the photo place

Let me know if you see any deals that I missed.

No Spend Challenge Update

This week went really well again for us with our no spend challenge. I have maganged to do really well not buying anything. I spent about $46 at the grocery store last night. My total for the month is $66, leaving me about $134 left.

This was a tough week for me too. Both hubby and I were sick for part of the week so it was really hard to not cave and get fast food a couple nights for dinner. We stuck to the menu though and ate at home each night.

Our garden is doing great so we have been lucky to eat fresh cantaloupe, watermelon, tomatoes and peppers everyday. We were blessed with an abundance of apples so I have been busy making applesauce. My step mother has also supplied us with many tomatoes to go along with our peppers so hubby and I made another large batch of homemade salsa tonight that I will can this weekend.

Other than gas, another prescription and our regular utilities no other money was spent this week except for some money that I keep stashed for myself that I spent garage saling this morning!

How did your week go? Leave a link to your post below. Don't forget to link back to my page!

Weekly Shopping Trip 9/10

Here is my weekly shopping trip. I am only trying to buy the bare minimum since I only have $200 to work with for the month. I did find some pretty good deals though. Here is what I got.

Wal-MartCilantro
Pears
Nectarines
Onions
Yogurt (9)
Sour Cream
Dole and Del Monte Fruit Cups clearanced to $1.00 each (7)
Green Beans (2)
Bread (3)
Milk
Syrup
Kashi Cereal ~Coupon for free box

Total Spent...36.75

TargetArtisan Bread (4) $.99 each=$3.96
Bananas $3.23
Edge Shave Gel $2.99
Listerine (3) $4.99 clearanced to $2.48 = $7.44

Total before coupons...$17.62

Coupons Used
(4) $1.00 Target Artisan Bread
Free Edge Gel Coupon from Mens Health Magazine
(3) $.50 Listerine

Total after coupons...$9.80 with tax

Plan for the Unexpected

It is impossible to know what problems lie around the corner. A car will break down, the dryer stops working, you may need an unexpected surgery. All of these things are unplanned. Having an emergency fund set aside can make all of these difficulties seem a little easier to manage.

Dave tells you to have a $1000 emergency fund. We follow this rule and it has come in handy many times. Remember, if you take money out of it, make sure you replace it.

Saving a certain percentage of your paycheck each month for unexpected expenses will be very beneficial in the long run. It will cause less stress and tension and will be one less thing to worry about.

For more frugal tips visit Frugal Friday at Life as Mom.

Fareway Deals Week of 9/8-9/14

Welcome Grocery Gathering readers! Here is a list of current deals that I see at Fareway. I use central Iowas ad when making this list. My store takes printable coupons as well as manufacturer coupons from the paper. Please check your local ad to confirm these deals in your area. I know they run different ads in different locations. Sorry this is so late getting up. Let me know if you see anything I may have missed.

Grocery
Pillsbury Cake Mix $.88
Rotella's Brat or Burger Buns $.99
Tone's Spices $.50 each
Fareway Cottage Bread $.99

Quaker Chewy Granola Bars $1.99
- $75/2 (8/30 RP)
= $1.62 each if you buy 2
=$1.24 each if you buy 5 and use the above coupon and the coupon below
***There is also a coupon on the front of the ad that states Save $3 if you buy any 5 of the following products: Quaker Oats, Quaker Instant Oatmeal, Life, Cap N Crunch, Quaker Granola Bars, Aunt Jamimia Pancake Mix or Syrup

Quaker Life Cereal $1.99
Buy 5 use $3 Fareway coupon on front of ad
= $1.39 each when you buy 5

Cap N Crunch Cereal $1.99
Buy 5 use $3 Fareway coupon on front of ad
= $1.39 each when you buy 5

Skippy Peanut Butter $.99
-$.70/2 (8/2 RP)
= $.64 each when you buy 2

Meat
Pork Steaks $.89lb
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast $1.79 lb
John Morrell Beef Franks $.49

Produce
Red or Green Grapes $.99 lb
Button Mushrooms $.99
Gala Apples $.99 lb
Dole Celery $.69

Dairy
Fastco Shredded Cheese 16 oz $2.50
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, Promise, Brummel $ Brown or Sredd's $1.50

Beverage
7-Up Product 1/2 liter 6pack bottles $2.00

Fareway Deals

Sorry I am late getting the Fareway deals up. I have been battling a migraine the last couple of days. I will try and get the match-ups put up later today. Thanks for your patience!

Homemade Applesauce

Thanks for all the tips on what to do with the apples I got! Here is the first of many batches of applesauce. It is really good.

Here is how I made my homemade applesauce.

I peeled the apples and then just cut the 4 sides off, leaving the core. Place them all into a large stock pot. I added about 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water and cooked on low for approximately 35 minutes stirring frequently so it doesn't scorch.Here is how it turned out.I did use my potato masher a few times to get the big chunks of apple to mash up a bit. I do like my applesauce a little on the chunky side so you probably could cook it for a little longer if you want it smoother.

Homegrown Watermelon

I love this time of year! We are going from eating fresh cantaloupe out of our garden everyday to eating fresh watermelon.Here is what I picked out of the garden this weekend. So sweet and delicious.

Apples!

I am trying something new today. Over the weekend I came into a very large crop of green apples. My in-laws have a neighbor who graciously let my sister-in-law and myself take as many apples off of his tree as we wanted. I came home with 7 bags full!

Now, I am experimenting with what to do with all of them. They are quite tart. So far I have tried drying them and I made one pot of applesauce. The dried apples aren't very good, they are pretty sour. The applesauce though is quite tasty. I just added some sugar. I think I am going to keep making applesauce and then I will can it later in the week.

I also plan to cut some up and freeze them for baking pies, crisps and turnovers.

Walgreens Deals Week of 9/6-9/12

Thank you to Being Frugal is Fabulous for her match-ups for this weeks Walgreens deals. You can go here to check them out.

Target Deals Week of 9/6-9/12

Thank you to Stretching a Buck for her match ups of this weeks Target deals. You can go here to check them out.

Hy-Vee Deals Week of 9/8-9/14

Welcome Grocery Gathering readers! Here is a preview of the deals that I see at Hy-Vee for this week. I use central Iowas ad when making this list. My store takes both printable coupons and manufacturer coupons from the paper. Please check your local ad to confirm these deals in your area.Looks like another slow week for deals. Let me know if you see anything that I missed.

Grocery
Hy-Vee Canned Vegetables $.44
Betty Crocker Cake Mix $.88
Kraft Mac and Cheese $.49
Hy-Vee Powdered or Brown Sugar 2lb $.99
Hy-Vee Chicken or Tomato Soup $.50 each

Meat
Ground Beef Not less than 85% 16oz tube $1.88
Hy-Vee Split Chicken Breast $.99 lb
Corn King Bacon 16 oz $1.49

Produce
Hy-Vee Russet Potatoes 5lb $.99
Baby Red Potato $.59 lb
Asparagus $1.99 lb

Dairy
Hy-Vee Shredded Cheese $1.25
Hy-Vee Chunk Cheese 16 oz $2.97

Frozen
Tony's Original Pizza $2.00
- $1.00/2 (6/7 SS)
= $1.50 each when you buy 2

Asian Sensations Appetizers $2.00
- $1.00 (7/19 SS)
= $1.00

Beverage
Buy 3 7Up Product 12packs @3 for $11 get one Free
(with in ad coupon)

Powerade 10 for $10 Buy 10 get 5 free
(with in ad coupon)

Non-Food
Cottonelle Bathroom Tissue 12 Double Roll $4.99
- $.50 (8/23 SS)
= $4.49
(Rumor has it that some Hy-Vee stores were offering $1 MC a few weeks ago, if you have some of these it would make a great stock up price! Thanks Kerri, for this heads up.)

In Ad Coupons
Select Hy-Vee Bagged Cereal $.99
Buy 2 Hy-Vee Chili Beans, get Hy-Vee Chili seasoning Free

Hillshire Farm Deli Select Lunchmeat 8-9oz Buy 2 @ $2.99 each get one Free
- $.55 (8/16 RP)
= $2.44

Kodak FunSaver Camera Buy one at $4.49 get one Free