Harvesting

Things are going great around the garden front. My strawberries are doing awesome! While my patch is not the prettiest (it's a tangled mess of plants, shoots and a few weeds thrown in) it seems to not matter. Here is the bowl I picked Tuesday, we got about 20 berries. Thursday I picked about 2 bowls this size and last night we picked this.There is a whole lot of strawberries in there and man are they good. Strawberries just happen to be my favorite fruit and a favorite in the house, hence all the excitement.

I have also been harvesting spinach, onions and lettuce almost daily.

2 Free Samples of Kraft Sandwich Shop Mayo

You can go here or click the picture above to request 2 free sample packets of Kraft Sandwich Shop Mayo.

Walgreens June Coupon Booklet

Here is the new list of Walgreens coupons that will come out next week. They are usually found at the front of the store. The coupons are valid 5/30-6/26. These are Walgreens store coupons so they can be paired with manufacturer coupons for an even bigger savings.

• $.50/1 Maxwell House, Wake Up Roast (34 oz.)
• $1/2 Oreo Blizzard Creme (10.5 oz.) or Cakesters, (10.56 oz.) or 12 oz or Fudge Cremes, (8.5 oz.)
• $1/1 Nestle Drumstick Lil Drums (10 pk.)
• $1/1 The Skinny Cow Chocolate Cone w/Fudge, 4pk, 4oz ea or Vanilla Sandwich (6 pk.) or Truffle Bar (6 pk.)
• $1/2 Mars Twix, Snickers or M&M Ice Cream (16 oz.)
• $1/2 Naked Mighty Mango or Protein Zone 1 (5.2 oz.)
• $1/2 Tropicana Orange Juice (12 oz.)
• $1/4 Cadbury, Kit Kat or Hershey’s Chocolate Bar (3.5-4.5 oz.)
• $3/1 Revlon Pedi-Expert (Excludes Pedi-Expert Shower)
• $3/1 L’Oreal Couleur Experte or Preference Dream Blonde Hair Color
• $5/1 L’Oreal 24 Hour Lash Boosting Kit
• $2/1 L’Oreal Double Extend Lash Boosting Serum or Keratin Mascara
• $1/1 L’Oreal Telescopic Liquid Liner or Mascara
• $5/1 Maybelline Pulse Mascara
• $1/1 Maybelline Great Lash, Volume Express or Lash Stiletto mascara
• $10/1 Rogaine for Men or Women (3 pk.)
• $10/1 Norelco Body Groomer, 6940 Razor or HS85, HQ55, HQ8 Replacement Heads
• $5/1 Arm & Hammer Pro Clean Sonic Rechargeable Spinbrush
• $1/1 Bio-Oil Skin Care (2 oz.)
• $4/1 Nad’s Natural Hair Removal Gel (6 oz.)
• $1/1 Hibiciens Skin Cleanser (8 oz.)
• $.50/1 Aloe Touch Cleansing Cloths (48 pk.)
• $1/1 OFF! or Raid Products
• $2/1 Zippo Chrome or Black Matte Lighter
• $5/1 Kodak Single Use Camera Powerflash (2 pk.) or Max Sport Waterproof
• $3/1 Kodak 35mm Film (4 pk., 96 exp.)
• 2/$15.99 In-Store Photo Book up to 12 pages
• $3/1 Salonpas Pain Relief or Arthritis Relief Patch (5 pk.)
• $1/1 Beano Meltaways (15 ct.) or Tablets (30 ct.)
• $1/1 Prevacid 24 Hour (14 ct)
• $2/1 Benefiber Powder (6.4-16.7 oz.), Chewables (100 ct.) or Stick Pack (28 pk.)
• $5/1 Os-Cal Calcium Supplement w/ Vitamin D (210 ct.)
• $2/1 Pepcid AC or Complete (25 or 30 ct.) or Chewable (25 ct.)
• $2/1 Zyrtec Tablets (14 ct.) or Liquid Gels (12 ct.) or Zyrtec-D (12 ct.)
• $2/1 Nature’s Bounty Vitamin C & D3 (100 ct.)
• $2/1 Nature Made Fish Oil with Vitamin D (90 ct.)
• $2/1 Shiff Mega-D3 (90 ct.)
• $3/1 One A Day Women’s Prenatal (120 ct.)
• $2/1 I-Caps Areds Formula Soft Gels (120 ct.)
• $2/1 Belly Bar Chewable Prenatal Vitamins (60 ct.)
• $2/1 Lactaid Fast Act (32 ct.)
• $2/1 Rolaids Soft Chews (24 or 36 ct.)
• $3/1 Innerglowe Beauty Drink Mix (14 pk.)
• $2/1 Finest Natural Cranberry Triple Strength Softgels (100 ct.)
• $2/1 Alive! Men’s or Women’s Energy (50 ct.)
• $5/1 L’il Critters Gummy Vites (190 ct.)
• $3/1 Vitafusion Mutli Vites (150 ct.)
• $3/1 Welless Calcium & Vitamin D (16 oz.)
• $1/1 Vitafusion Calcium (100 ct.) or Heart One (60 ct.)
• $8/1 Urinozinc Prostate Welness (90 ct.)
• $15/1 Real Health Laboratories Prostate Formula (270 ct.)
• $3/1 Finest Natural Reservatrol (60 ct.)
• $2/1 Youthforia Anti-Aging, Reservatrol (500 or 250 mg, 60 ct.)
• $2/1 Rainbow Light Prenatal One or Women’s One Mutli-vitamin (50 ct.)
• $2/1 Bausch & Lomb PreserVision, Areds 2 Formula soft gels (60 pk.)
• $2/1 Enzymatic Therapy (3o ct.)
• $2/1 Natrol Esselence Classics Hair (50 ct.), Skin (30 ct.) or MaquBerry (60 ct.)
• $15/1 i-flex Joint Relief (120 ct.)
• $20/1 Focusfactor (60 ct.)
• $3/1 Colace Stool Softener (30 ct.)
• $2/1 ActivOn Arthritis or Ultra Strength Joint & Muscle (2 oz.)
• $2/1 Ivy Block Lotion (4 oz.)
• $5/1 Little Allergies Allergen Block .1oz or Chloraseptic Allergen Block (.1 oz.)
• $2/1 Gentle Naturals Tummy Soother (4 oz.), Eczema Baby Wash (5.5 oz.) or Cream (4 oz.)
• $5/1 Compound W Freeze Off or Palantar (8 pk.)
• $1/1 Bleedarrest (5 strip)
• $2/1 Mineral Ice Pain Relieving Gel (8 oz.)
• $1/1 Azo Cranberry (50 ct.) or Urinary Disk Relief (30 ct.)
• $5/1 Dexatrim Max Daytime Appetite Control or Complex 7 (60 ct.)
• $3/1 IntelliGender Gender Prediction Test
• $2/1 Traditional Medicinals Organic Smooth Move Stimulant Laxative Tea (16 pk.)
• $2/1 Florastor Probiotic (20 ct.)
• $2/1 Nepro Vanilla Nutritional Drink (4 pk.)
• $10/1 Omron Automatic Arm Blood Pressure Montior
• $2/1 Pill Glide Swallowing Spray Strawberry or Grape (1 oz.)
• $10/1 Medline Bath Bench
• $10/1 Medline Raised Toilet Seat w/Arms
• $10/1 Medline Transfer Bench
• $5/1 W Listen Up Micro Personal Sound Amplifier
• $10/1 W Automatic Wrist Blood Pressure Monitor
• $3/1 W Certainty Guards (52 pk.), Underwear (14–20 pk.), Shields (30 pk.) or Pads (30-72 pk.)
• $1/2 W Nutritional Drink (6 pk.)
• $5/1 W Coated Nicotine Gum (40 pk.)
• $10/1 W Nicotine Gum (160 or 170 ct.) or Lozenges (108 ct.)
• $4/1 W Probiotic, 5B CFU Tablet (60 ct.) or 20B Capsule (60 ct.)
• $3/1 Wal-Mucil Fiber (320 ct.) or With Calcium (240 ct.)
• $2/1 W Heirloom Fashion Eyewear Gold Chain
• $2/1 Wal-dryl Allergy Mini Tablets (100 ct.)
• $1/1 Wal-Zyr Children’s Allergy Chewable (12 ct.)
• $2/1 Wal-Zyr Allergy (14 ct.)
• $2/1 Wal-Zyr Itch Eye Drops (.17 oz.)
• $1/1 W Saline Nasal Spray (3 oz.)
• $2/1 W Triple Blade Shaving System or Cartridges (8 pk.)

Thanks Deal Seeking Mom.

Saving Money While Paying Bills

That seems like kind of an oxymoron huh? However, there are ways to save a few extra bucks while paying your bills.

Pay on time. Avoid a late fee or interest charges. If you own a credit card, try and pay it off each month so you don't accumulate unnecessary charges.

Use online billing. I used to be afraid of online billing, I like to have a paper trail. However my filing cabinets were filling up and I was spending alot on stamps. Most of my bills I now pay online. Just make sure you know it is a secure site and write down your confirmation numbers until you see the payment come through.

Pick up the phone and call. Instead of using a stamp and mailing my never ending medical bills I have been calling and making my payment over the phone. Saves me .44 cents each time.

Pay in full. Some companies offer a discount if you pay your bill in full. For example my auto insurance is due every 6 months. I can make a monthly payment or if I pay the full 6 month premium I get a $58 dollar discount. Putting money aside each month for this expense makes it seem like no big deal when the bill comes because I already had the money saved.

Fareway Deals Week of 5/25-5/30

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
Wonder Hamburger or Hotdog Buns $.88
Vande Camp Pork and Beans 3/$1.00
Crystal Sugar $1.88 4lbs
Hunt's Ketchup 24 oz $.99

French's Mustard 20 oz $.99
- $.50 (5/9 SS)
= $.49

Cap'n Crunch Cereal $2.49
- $.50 (5/16 RP)
= $1.99

Produce
Whole Seedless Watermelon $2.88 each
Blueberries $4.99 18oz
Strawberries $1.49 lb
B Size Potatoes $.77 lb
Green Peppers $.50 each
Whole Mushrooms $.99
Dole Salad $.99
Sweet Corn $3.99 doz

Meat
10lb Bag of Chicken Hindquarters $3.90
Thick Cut Iowa Chops $2.49 lb
85% Ground Beef $1.99 lb sold in 10lbs tubes
Bacon Wrapped Sirloins 8oz $3.00

Dairy
Blue Bunny Ice Cream Pail $4.88
AE Sour cream Dips $.69 each
Philadelphia Cream Cheese $.99
Kraft Cheese Chunks, Crumbles, Shredded etc 3/$5 or $1.67 each

Frozen
Bird's Eye Steam Fresh Veggies $.99
- $.50 (5/2 SS)
= $.49

Jack's Frozen Pizza $2.50 each
- $1.00/3 (5/2 SS)
= 3/$6.50

Beverage
Pepsi Product 12 pks or 6 pk bottles 4/$9 (in ad coupon)

Let me know if you see any deals I missed. This post is part of BeCentsAble's Grocery Gathering.

Hy-Vee Deals Week of 5/24-5/30

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
Midwest Country Fare Granulated Sugar 4lbs $1.48
Hy-Vee Pasta $.88
Hy-Vee Hamburger or Hotdog buns $.88
Hy-Vee Pork and Beans 3/$1.00
Hunt's Snack Packs $.88

Fritos, Cheetos or Lays $1.76
- $1.00 (5/9 SS cpn valid on Cheetos Mighty Zingers only) or
- $.55 (5/2 SS Lays baked only if they are included in the sale)
= $.76-$1.21

Hungry Jack Pancake Mix $1.99
- $.25 (5/23 RP)
= $1.74
(Buy $15 worth of participating products and receive $5 off instantly-in ad coupon)

Hungry Jack Pancake Syrup $2.69
- $.25 (5/23 RP)
= $2.45
(Buy $15 worth of participating products and receive $5 off instantly-in ad coupon)

Smucker's Jelly or Preserves $2.48
- $.25 (5/23, 3/28 or 2/21 RP)
= $2.23
(Buy $15 worth of participating products and receive $5 off instantly-in ad coupon)

Kraft Dressing $1.88
- $.55 (5/2 SS)
= $1.33

Kraft Miricle Whip or Mayo $1.99
- $1.00/2 (in ad coupon)
= $1.49 each when you buy 2

Meat
Amana Bacon Wrapped Sirloin 5 oz $2.50
85% Ground Beef $1.99 16oz Roll

Oscar Mayer Hotdogs or Bologna $.99
- $1.00/2 (5/16 SS)
= $.49 each when you buy 2

Produce
Seedless Watermelon $3.49 each
Roma Tomatoes $.99 lb
Mangos $.69 each
Blueberries, Blackberries or Driscoll Raspberries 3/$5 or $1.67 each!
Dole Salad Blends 3/$5 or $1.67 each
Sweet Corn 3/$1
Iceberg Lettuce $.99

Beverage
Pepsi Prodcuts 12 pk or 6pk bottles 4/$9 (in ad coupon)
Gaterade 8 pk 20oz $4.88
Hy-Vee Spring Water 15 ct 16.9oz $1.99

Folger's Coffee 24-34 oz $5.99
- $.25 (5/23RP)
= $5.74
(Buy $15 worth of participating products and receive $5 off instantly-in ad coupon)

Frozen
Jack's Frozen Pizza $2.50 each
- $1.00/3 (5/2 SS)
= 3/$6.50

Dairy
Blue Bonnet Margarine Sticks $.77
Kraft Cheese Chunks, Cubes, Shredded etc 3/$5 or $1.67 each

There is a new list of the Hy-Vee coupons. You can print them here. They are located on the online ad, page 3. There is a coupon for $2 off Nature Made Vitamins, you can combine this with the $1 off (5/23 SS) for a total of $3 off.

Let me know if you see any other deals that I missed. This post is part of BeCentsAble's Grocery Gathering.

Walgreens Deals Week of 5/23-5/29

Here are my favorite deals that I see at Walgreens this week. Head over to Common Sense With Money to check out the full list.

Hunt's Tomato Sauce 8oz $.25 each

Chex Mix 5.5-8.75 oz $.99
- $.50/2 (4/18 SS)
= $.74 each when you buy 2

Oscar Mayer Hotdogs B1 @ $2.99 G1 Free
- $1.00/2 (5/16 SS)
= 2/$1.99 or about $1 each

Cookies or Crackers
8 pk Keebler Rice Krispies, Keebler or Cheese-Its 4/$10
get a $5 RR at checkout
= like paying 4/$5

Huggies Little Swimmers $6.99
- $1.00 (5/16 SS) and
- $2.00 (May Walgreens Book)
= $3.99 each

Goody Ouchless Barrette or Flex Tip Headband $2.99
Get a $2.99 RR at checkout
= like getting it free

Target Deals Week of 5/23-5/29

Here are my favorite deals that I see at Target this week. Head over to Stretching a Buck to view her entire list. Don't forget to take with you your reusable shopping bags. You can get $.05 credit for each bag.

Hormel Always Tender Baby Back Ribs $1.79 lb (save $2.20 lb)
Strawberries 1 lb $1.49
Sweet Corn $.25 each
Pepsi 2 Liters $1.00

Quaker Chewy Granola Bars $2.00
- $.75/2 (5/2 RP)
= 2/$3.25

Coppertone Water Babies SPF 50 Lotion or Spray and assorted others $7.99
- $2.00 printable here
= $5.99

Pepsi Products 12 pk or 6 pk bottles 5/$15
Plus get a free $5 Target Gift Card with the purchase of any 5

Ball Park Franks $2.50
Buy 2 and get an 8 ct Sara Lee hotdog buns Free
- $.75/2 (5/2 RP)
= 2/$4.25 plus get Free buns

Menu Plan Monday

Here is what is on the menu at our house this week. Our garden is producing quite a bit of lettuce and spinach at the moment so we will be having spinach and lettuce salads a lot this week! Yay for homegrown food!

Monday...Steak (didn't have this last week), baked potatoes, lettuce and/or spinach, grilled bread.
Tuesday...Chicken Lo Mein, rice.
Wednesday...Japanese chicken salad, mandarin oranges.
Thursday...Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, corn, fruit.
Friday...Leftovers or Hamburgers, homemade fries, salad and fruit.

For more dinner inspiration head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Homemade Crackers

I tried my luck with this homemade cracker recipe and my family loves them! I can't for the life of me find where I got the recipe, but it was so easy to make and didn't take very long.

Ingredients~

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour ( or a combination of grains, I used 1/2 cup of Paul's Grains 7 grain flour)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar in 1 cup of water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder

Add all the ingredients together in a large bowl and kneed until well blended. Divide dough in half. Roll out into a large rectangle about 1/16th inch thick. Cut into squares and place onto cookie sheet. Poke each square with a fork 2-3 times. Bake at 425 for approximately 8-10 minutes until lightly browned.

Chickens ~7 weeks

The chickens are happy and healthy. They are loving their new home and run. They are eager to get outside each morning. I have noticed their favorite times to be outside scavenging are in the early morning and evenings. I am getting ready to switch them over to layer feed and have been doing some research on organic feeds. They are surprisingly quiet. They all seem to be a little skidish at times. Once you sit still for a little while the Plymouth Rocks are the first ones to come check you out. They are all growing very rapidly but the Light Brahmas have taken the lead. If you click on the picture below to get a closer view you can see that their combs are starting to grow too.

Fareway Deals Week of 5/18-5/24

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
Barilla Pasta $.99
Tone's Spices $.50 each
Fastco Hotdog or Hamburger Buns $.77
Doritos $1.99
Barilla Pasta $.99

Bush Baked or Grillin Beans $.99 (in ad coupon)

Kraft Salad Dressing $1.88
- $.55 (5/2 SS)
= $1.33

Nabisco Snack Crackers $1.99
- $1.00/2 (5/16 SS)
= $1.49 each when you buy 2

Select Post Cereal 3/$5 or $1.67 each
- $1.00/2 (5/16 SS)
= $1.17 each when you buy 2

Smucker's Toppings $1.50
- $.55 (5/16 RP)
= $.95

Produce
Red Grapes $.99 lb
Broccoli $.99
Jazz Apples $.99 lb
Strawberries $1.49 lb
Baby Bella Mushrooms 8 oz $1.49
White Potatoes $1.49 5lbs

Meat
Fresh Whole Chicken Fryers $.88 lb
Charcoal Steak $2.49 lb

93% Lean Ground Beef $2.49 lb sold in 10lb tubes (in ad coupon)

Johnsonville Brats $2.50
- $1.00/2 (5/2 SS)
= $2.00 each when you buy 2

Oscar Mayer Hotdogs 4/$4.00 (in ad coupon-Kraft ad)
- $1.00/2 (5/16 SS)
= $.50 each when you buy 2

Dairy
Kraft Cheese 8 oz shredded, block, crumbles 3/$5 or $1.67 each
AE Sour Cream 16oz $1.29

Frozen
Digiorno Pizza $5.00
- $1.00 (5/16 SS)
= $4.00

California Pizza Kitchen Pizza $5.00
- $1.00 (5/2 SS)
= $4.00

Beverage
7-Up 2 Liters $.79
Pepsi 2 Liters $1.00

Fastco 12 pk Pop $1.49 (in ad coupon)
Non-Food
X-tra Laundry Detergent 68.75 oz $2.50

Let me know if you see any deals I missed. This post is part of BeCentsAble's Grocery Gathering.

$1.00 off Nexcare Products

You can go here to print off $1 off any Nexcare product. It is a PDF so you can print it as many times as you like. Just in time for boo boo season!

Hy-Vee Deals Week of 5/18-5/24

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 at Hy-Vee. Check out the list of "savings by the case" at the bottom of the page.

Grocery
Hy-Vee Pears, Peaches, Apricots or Fruit Cocktail 15oz $.88
Doritos or Ruffles 9-13.75oz $2.00
Pillsbury Cake Mix $.77

Hunt's Tomato Ketchup 24oz $.77 (in ad coupon)

Buy any 2 Kraft chunks, shredded or cubes get a box of Ritz Crackers Free (in ad coupon)

Meat
New York Strip Steak $4.99 lb

Produce
Dole Premium Classic Salad $.99
Mini Seedless Watermelon $2.50
Gala Apples $.99 lb
Organic Pink Lady Apples $1.48 lb
Green Bell Peppers $.50 each
Cucumbers $.50 each

Beverage
Hy-Vee Natural Spring Water 24 pk 16.9 oz $2.50

Frozen
Digiorno Pizza $5.00
- $1.00 (5/16 SS)
= $4.00

California Pizza Kitchen Pizza $5.00
- $1.00 (5/2 SS)
= $4.00

Healthy Choice Complete Selection or Streamers $2.25
- $1.00/2 (3/28 SS)
= $1.75 each when you buy 2

Dairy
Hy-Vee Butter 1lb sticks $1.99
Hy-Vee Natural Cheese 8 oz 3 /$5 or $1.67 each

Non-Food
Hefty Trash Bags 16-45 $4.99

Savings by the Case
Hy-Vee Bratwurst 24 ct 6 lbs $15.00-$.63 each
Ramen Noodles Beef or Chicken 12 pk $2.00- $.17 each
100% Beef 1/4 patties 8lbs $15.00 - less than $1.88 lb
Hy-Vee 12 pk Veggies Peas, Beans, Corn $5.00 - $.42 each
Hunt's Spaghetti Sauce 12 pk $9.00 - $.75 each
Banquet Regular Meals 12 pk $10.00 - $.84 each
Hy-Vee Bathroom Tissue 24 double rolls $9.00 - $.38 each
Budweiser or Bud Select 24 pk 16oz cans $20.00

There is a new list of the Hy-Vee coupons. You can print them here. They are located on the online ad, page 3. There is a coupon for 4lbs of Hy-Vee Spaghetti for $2.99. That makes it $.75 lb, pretty decent.

Let me know if you see any other deals that I missed. This post is part of BeCentsAble's Grocery Gathering.

Menu Plan Monday

Here is what is on the menu for this week.

Monday...Chili, salad.
Tuesday...Marinaded chicken breast grilled, broccoli, bread and fruit.
Wednesday...Tacos, Mandarin oranges
Thursday...Baked Ziti, salad, fruit.
Friday...Steaks, baked potatoes, cornbread and fruit.

To see what others are having this week head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Target Deals Week of 5/16-5/22

Here are my favorite deals that I see at Target this week. Looks like a slow week for deals. Head over to Stretching a Buck to view her entire list. Don't forget to take with you your reusable shopping bags. You can get $.05 credit for each bag.

Red Seedless Grapes $.99

Market Pantry Snacks (10 pk fruit snacks, 8 ct. crackers snacks and other varieties) $1.50 Buy 4 get 1 Free

Select Secret Deodorant $1.99
- $.50 (5/2 P&G)
= $1.49

Walgreens Deals Week of 5/16-5/22

Here are my favorite deals that I see at Walgreens this week. Head over to Common Sense With Money to check out the full list. Looks to be a very slow week for deals.

Royal Gelatin $.19 each

Post Cereal Select Varieties $1.75
- $1.00/2 (5/16 SS)
= $1.25 each when you buy 2

Pantene Hair Care 2/$7
Get a $2 RR at checkout
- $1.00 off Styler, Hairspray or Treatment or
- $1.00/2 Shampoo or Conditioner
= 2/$5 or $2/$6 plus get a $2 RR, like paying $1.50-$2.00 each

Dentyne or Stride Gun 2/$2
- B1G1 Free (5/16 SS) and
- $1.00 May Easy Saver Book
= Free after coupons

Hefty One Zip Bags B1 at $3.29 G1 Free
- $1.00/2 printable
= $2.29 for 2 or $1.15 each

Dirty Dozen - Can You Name the 12 Dirtiest Foods?

I couldn't. I had no idea and was quite shocked at the list. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) just released the top 12 dirtiest foods for 2010. What does this mean? It means that these 12 items contain high amounts of pesticide contamination even after washing or peeling.

Here is the top 12 dirtiest foods in order from the most contaminated.

Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Apples
Blueberries
Nectarines
Bell Peppers
Spinach
Kale
Cherries
Potatoes
Grapes (Imported)

By avoiding this list of foods, you can reduce your pesticide exposure by as much as 80%. Other options are to grow them yourself chemical free or buying them organic.

Here are the cleanest foods in order of least contaminated.

Onions
Avocado
Sweet Corn
Pineapple
Mangos
Sweet Peas
Asparagus
Kiwi
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet Potato
Honeydew
Melon

"EWG analysts have developed the Guide based on data from nearly
96,000 tests for pesticide residues in produce conducted between
2000 and 2008 and collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration."

You can print off this nice little card to carry around with you to remind you of what is and isn't considered "clean".

To learn more head over to http://www.foodnews.org/

Garden

Just one more day of heavy rain and then finally the weather looks like it will get nice. With the freezing temperatures, rain and wind it is really putting a damper on my gardening. Here are strawberries all tucked in over the weekend when our temperatures dropped near freezing. I am dying to get out and plant the rest of my garden. I have melons, cucumbers, zucchini, peppers, and tomatoes to plant. I also want to start more lettuce and spinach since my first planting isn't producing much.

I just got my fence up this past week and it looks pretty good. Here's to hoping it keeps the deer out! I was also thinking that since it is fenced in maybe I can let the chickens in there to scratch around for bugs and such. Has anyone ever let their chickens run in the garden? Will they do more harm then good?

Hy-Vee Deals Week of 5/11-5/17

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 a slow week for deals at Hy-Vee. Let me know if you see something I missed.

Grocery
Sara Lee or Earth Grains Bread, rolls, or buns $1.88
C&H White Sugar 4lbs $1.99

Hidden Valley Ranch Dressings $2.77
- $2.00 (3/14 SS, valid on Farmhouse Originals only and expires 5/15)
= $.77

Meat
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast $1.88 lb
Amana Boneless Bacon Wrapped Fillets 5 oz $2.50 each
Dubuque Plumper Franks $.99
Hormel Black Label Bacon 16 oz $2.50

Produce
Sweet Corn $.25 each
Seedless Watermelon $3.97 each
Driscoll Strawberries 32 oz $3.48
Hy-Vee Shredded Lettuce 8 oz $.99
Bananas $.44 lb

Beverage
Kool Aid Drink Packets 10 for $1

Frozen
California Pizza Kitchen for One $2.50
- $1.00 (5/2 SS)
= $1.50

Dairy
Hy-Vee Sour Cream 16 oz $1.18
I can't Believe It's Not Butter, Promise, Brummel and Brown or Country Crock Spread $1.50
Dannon Yogurt $.30

Non-Food
Hy-Vee Kitchen Bags 12-20 ct. $1.50

Schick Hydro Razor $6.97
- $5.00 (5/9 SS)
= $1.97

Cottonelle Bathroom Tissue 12 Double Rolls $5.00
- $.50 (4/18 SS)
= $4.50

There is a new list of the Hy-Vee coupons. You can print them here. They are located on the online ad, page 3.

Let me know if you see any other deals that I missed. This post is part of BeCentsAble's Grocery Gathering.

Fareway Deals Week of 5/11-5/17

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.

Looks like a slow week for deals. The eggs at $.50 a dozen are a great deal. Let me know if you see something I missed.

Grocery
Pillsbury Cake Mix $.78
Butter Kernal Corn, Beans or Peas $.58 each
Del Monte Ketchup 24 oz $.88
Garden Club Peanut Butter 18oz $.99
Fireside Marshmallows 10oz $.69
Rotella's Sliced Vienna Bread $1.19

Produce
Braeburn Apples $.58 lb
Dole Mini Cut Carrots 1lb $.88
Baby Red Potatoes $.97 lb
Whole Seedless Watermelon $4.99 each
Fresh Green Beans $.79 lb

Meat
Bone-In Chicken Breast $.99 lb
Boneless Rump Roast $1.99 lb
Boneless Pork Ribs $1.99 lb (in ad coupon)

Dairy
Anderson Erickson Yogurt $.40 each
2 Dozen Large Eggs $1.00 (in ad coupon)

Frozen
Jack's Frozen Pizza $2.50 each
- $1.00/3 (5/2 SS)
= 3/$6.50

Red Baron Pizza 3/$10 or $3.33 each
- $1.00 (4/25 SS)
= $2.33

Beverage
Buy 4 7-Up 2 Liters get 4 Free (in ad coupon)

Let me know if you see any deals I missed. This post is part of BeCentsAble's Grocery Gathering.

Eat Local ~Farmer's Markets

As a personal goal, I am trying to feed my family more locally grown food. This past weekend we headed out to our local downtown Farmer's Market. Here is what we came home with.Locally grown asparagus, onions, spinach, and lettuce. We also purchased some steel cut oats and 7-Grain cereal from the Paul family of Paul's Grains. My favorite of the day is locally produced cheeses from Milton Creamery. My husband is a huge sourdough bread fan so we had to buy a loaf of bread for him and we couldn't leave out the kettle popcorn for me!

I love supporting our local farms. Also knowing where our food is coming from and knowing that it is chemical free makes me feel really good about feeding it to my family.

One of the most important things is to know your farmer. Buy what you know is in season. Obviously melons and sweet corn being sold at the market this time of year is not locally grown. Talk to the vendor and ask questions. I usually ask if they have grown the product themselves, if it is chemical free and where they are located. Most vendors will be eager to talk to you and answer your questions.

Menu Plan Monday

Here is what is on the table this week for dinner. For more inspiration head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie.

Monday...Potato soup, sourdough bread.
Tuesday...Herb crusted chicken, spinach salad, asparagus.
Wednesday...Japanese chicken salad, peaches.
Thursday...Leftovers
Friday...Steak, baked potatoes, salad, fruit.

Red Plum Coupons

Did you know that you can print Red Plum coupons online? You can head over to their site here and browse around to see what coupons can help save you money. I have lots of other printable coupon sites located on the left sidebar. Coupons.com is another one of my favorites.

Target Deals Week of 5/9-5/15

Here are my favorite deals that I see at Target this week. Head over to Stretching a Buck to view her entire list. Don't forget to take with you your reusable shopping bags. You can get $.05 credit for each bag.

Pepsi Product 2 liters $.99

Lean Cuisine $1.88
- $1.00/5 (5/2 SS)
= $1.68 each when you buy 5

Nestle Drumsticks $2.75
- $1.00 (5/2 SS)
= $1.75

Schick Hydro 5 Blade Razor $7.99
Get a $5 Target Gift Card when you buy 2
- $5.00 (5/9 SS) use 2 coupons AND
- $1.00 Target printable for Schick Razor or Cartridge(use 2 coupons)
= $1.99 each and get a $5 Gift Card

Walgreens Deals Week of 5/9-5/15

Here are my favorite deals that I see at Walgreens this week. Head over to Common Sense With Money to check out the full list. Looks to be a very slow week for deals.

Infusium Hair Care $5.99
- $2.00 Walgreens coupon book (found at the front of the store)
- $3.00 (5/9 SS)
= $.99

Lysol Bathroom Cleaner B1G1 Free
- $.50 (2/7 SS) use 2 coupons
= ?

Schick Hydro Razor $7.99
Get a $5 RR at checkout
- $5.00 (5/9 SS)
= $2.99 and get a $5 RR

Garage Sales

Everyone knows I love garage sales. They are my favorite thing to do Friday mornings! Here are a few of my favorite tips for garage sale hunting.

Send a list to your friends and family. Write out a list of what you are looking for and send it out to friends and family. My sister-in-law was looking for a food dehydrator, bicycle and coffee grinder. She didn't find those things at the sales she hit, but she sent her list out to others and they found all of those items for her.

Clothing. If you have children, garage sales are the only way to go for kids clothes. My kids go though clothes so fast it pains me to pay full price at a store. Think about what clothes your child will need in the future. It is never to late to start buying clothes for next Fall or even Winter. When clothes are marked at a quarter or 50 cents it can't hurt to buy a couple different sizes if your not sure how much your child will grow. You can always donate or sell the other size. Don't forget things like boots, snowpants, hats and gloves.

Sports Equipment. This can be a big expense. Cleats, baseball pants, soccer pads all can be found at garage sales.

Household items. There are countless household items out there that people no longer want. If you are looking for an icecream maker, blender, bed, dishes you name it and it can be found. Don't rush right out and purchase something new. Wait a couple weeks, shop some garage sales and see what you can find.

Baby items. Baby items are big time sellers. My little peanuts entire wardrobe, bed, swing, anything you can think of that a baby might need will most likely come from a garage sale. I have already started a tub of items purchased! And just for the record I found an Eddie Bauer musical bassinet at a garage sale last weekend for $10! I also bought this swing for $20. I wasn't going to buy big items yet, but I just couldn't pass these up!

Games/Entertainment. We are always looking for a new board game to try. Puzzles, X-box games, you never know what you might find.

Electronics. Need a DVD player, radio or TV? Hit those garage sales! I have seen tons of electronics for sale this year already. Getting a VHS player for my son last year has been great. I find tapes all the time for as little as $.25.

Do you like to garage sale? What bargains have you found? This post is linked to Frugal Friday at Life as Mom.

The Chicks Have Moved

The chickens have moved into their permanent home! We finally, after 4 weeks finished the chicken house and run. My father-in-law designed the house and my husband designed the run. I think they both did a GREAT job. Thank you to everyone who helped with this project. We also had a good friend of ours who spent a couple of his weekends here to help us complete it (thanks Jason).I have to admit this chicken house was WAY over budget. I am sure there are tons of ways we could have cut corners and saved more money. I am happy however with how everything turned out and I know this will last us a very long time. All my engineers thought of every possible situation and prepared the house and run for it (rain, wind, cold, hot).

I am very excited to have them outside and in their new home. I think they are enjoying it too. They have so much more room. They ventured outside for the first time yesterday and loved pecking around and eating grass. It was so much fun to watch.We had a bit of a scare though when we got home from my oldest sons track meet Tuesday night. When we pulled in the driveway we could see that the chickens had escaped and were in the backyard! We quickly counted them and realized there was only 8. We chased them around and finally caught all of them and when I went back to the run I saw that the 9th bird was stuck in the fence. She was chirping loudly and I could see her back feathers were bloody. I got her loose and put her in the chicken house and she has seemed to recover ok.

Needless to say I need to reinforce the bottom of the run with chicken wire. I had no idea they could just slip right through the opening. Once they gain a little more weight they shouldn't be able to escape...hopefully!

Fareway Deals Week of 5/4-5/10

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.

72nd Anniversary Specials this week at Fareway

Grocery
Fastco White Bread $.72
Sweet Baby ray's BBQ Sauce 18oz $.99
Bakeshoppe Multi-grain Bread $1.72

Betty Crocker Potatoes $.72
- $.25 (3/28 SS)
= $.47

Betty Crocker Hamburger, Chicken or Tuna Helper $1.00
- $.75/3 (4/11 and 5/2 SS)
= 3/$2.25 or $.75 each when you buy 3

Lay's Potato Chips $1.99
- $.55 (5/2 SS)
= $1.44

Produce
Russet Potatoes $.72
Dole Classic Romaine, Greener Selection or Spinach $.99
Dole Baby Carrots 1 lb $.88
Dole Head Lettuce $.77
Cucumbers or Green Bell Peppers 2/$.89
Roma Tomatoes $.88 lb
Del Monte Pineapple $2.48 each
Fresh Green Beans $.88 lb

Meat
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.72 lb
80% Lean Ground Beef $1.69 lb sold in 10lbs tubes
Bacon Wrapped Sirloin Fillets 8oz $2.50 each

Dairy
Anderson Erickson Sour Cream 8 oz $.69

Yolplait Yogurt 10/$4.00 or $.40 each (in ad coupon)
- $.40/6 (3/21, 4/18 and 4/25 SS) or
- $.50/8 (3/21 SS and 4/25 SS)
= $.33-$.34

Frozen
All Varieties of Banquet Dinners $.72

Palermo's Pizza $1.72
- $1.00 (3/14 SS)
= $.72

Beverage
Old Orchard Juice 64oz $.99 (stock up)
Pepsi Product 2 liters $.72
7-Up and Dr. Pepper 2 liters $.72

Non-Food
Lysol Cleaners Toilet, Kitchen, All Purpose 3/$5 or $1.67 each
- $.50 (4/25 SS)
= $1.17 each

Purex Laundry Detergent 50 oz $2.50
- $.35 (4/18 RP)
= $2.15 each

Let me know if you see any deals I missed. This post is part of BeCentsAble's Grocery Gathering.

Hy-Vee Deals Week of 5/4-5/10

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 O's and Pasta $.59
Campbell's Chicken Noodle and Tomato Soup $.59
Hy-Vee Tomatoes or Tomato Sauce 15 oz $.50
Hy-Vee Sandwich Bread $1.28

Buy 10 Gaterade or Propel at 10/$10 get 5 Propel Free (in ad coupon)

Campbell's Condensed Soups $1.00
- $.30/3 (3/28 SS)
= $.90 each when you buy 3

Rold Gold Pretzels $1.99
- $.55 (5/2 SS)
= $1.44

Betty Crocker Hamburger, Chicken or Tuna Helper $1.00
- $.75/3 (4/11 and 5/2 SS)
= 3/$2.25 or $.75 each when you buy 3

Meat
80% Lean Ground Beef 16oz roll $1.88

Produce
Red Seedless Grapes $1.18 lb
Dole Salad Blends 7-12oz 3/$5
Monterey Whole Mushrooms 8 oz $1.28
Bunny Luv Organic Carrots 16 oz $.79
Iceberg Head Lettuce $.99

Beverage
Hy-Vee Coffee 34.5-39oz $4.99
Old Orchard Juice 64 oz $.99 (Stock up)
7-Up 2 Liters $1.00

Frozen
Jack's Frozen Pizza $2.50 each
-$1.00/3 (5/2 SS)
= 3/$6.50

Ore-Ida Potatoes 19-32 oz $2.50
Buy 2 get one Free (in ad coupon)

Dairy
Anderson Erickson Yogurt $.50 each

Yoplait Fiber One 4 pack $1.48
- $.50 (3/21 SS)
= $.98

Yoplait Yoplus Yogurt $1.48
- $.50 (3/21 SS and 4/18 SS)
= $.98

Pillsbury Crescent or Cinnamon Rolls $1.88
- $.40/2 (3/7 or 3/28 SS)
= $1.68 each when you buy 2

Non-Food
Era 2X liquid Laundry Detergent 26-32 use $2.99
Midwest Country Fare Plate 100ct $1.25

There is a new list of the Hy-Vee coupons. You can print them here. They are located on the online ad, page 3. There are some pretty good coupons this time around Buy any Tones Spice get one Free, $.25 off any 2 loaves of bread, $1 off any shampoo.

Let me know if you see any other deals that I missed. This post is part of BeCentsAble's Grocery Gathering.

Frugal Graduation Cake

Graduation time is upon us. I was asked to make this cake for my husbands cousins graduation party last year. I have always made my kids birthday cakes but have never made a cake for a large party before. I was very honored and a little nervous to say the least. Here is how they turned out.I made 6 cakes total. 3 white and 3 chocolate. The cake mixes were roughly $.88 each. The frosting was a bit more expensive because I bought it already made. I think the total cake costs around $15 to make. I know now for future large cake orders I will find my own butter cream recipe to make (which I did finally, I posted the recipe here). That would cut the cost even more. Anyone have any great icing recipes they want to share?

Walgreens Deals Week of 5/2-5/8

Here are my favorite deals that I see at Walgreens this week. Head over to Common Sense With Money to check out the full list. I might actually shop at Walgreens this week. There looks to be some pretty good deals!

Scotch Tape $.39 (in ad coupon)
Walgreens Sandwich or Storage Bags $.99 (in ad coupon)
Walgreens Aspirin 100 ct. $.49 (in ad coupon)

Mentos Gum 2/$2 (in ad coupon)
- $.55 (4/25 SS)
= $.45 each when you buy 2

Kotex Pads, Pantyliners or Tampons 2/$7
Get a $3 RR at checkout
- $1.00 (4/18 SS) use 2 coupons
= 2/$5 and get a $3 RR, like paying $1 each

Dawn Dish Soap $.99 (in ad coupon)
- $.25 (5/2 P&G)
= $.74

Irish Spring Body Wash $2.99
Get a $2 RR at checkout
- $.50 (4/25 SS)
= $2.49 and get a $2 RR, like paying $.49

Sure Antiperspirant/Deodorant $1.50 (in ad coupon)
- $1.00 or
- $1.50 (5/2 SS)
= Free-$.50

Pert Plus Shampoo $1.99
- $1.00 or
- $1.50 (5/2 SS)
= $.49-$.99

Target Deals Week of 5/2-5/8

Here are my favorite deals that I see at Target this week. Head over to Stretching a Buck to view her entire list. Don't forget to take with you your reusable shopping bags. You can get $.05 credit for each bag.

Lemons or Limes $.25 each
Avocados $.99
2 Liter Pepsi Products $1.00
Large Eggs $1.19

Select General Mills Cereal $2.50
- $1.00/2 (5/2 SS) or
- $.55 Cinnamon Toast Crunch here
- $.55 Regular Cheerios here
- $.55 Lucky Charms here
= $1.95-$2.00 when you buy 2