Shopping trips today: $37.90 spent, $114.66 saved

I went out this morning for a few quick trips, because I can't resist deals like what we're getting this week! I was hoping to find the Wellness coupon book at Albies but didn't see it anywhere (bummer!) so in the essence of saving time I decided paying for granola bars wasn't so bad.

Albertsons: $2 spent, $51.15 saved (2 transactions)

Safeway: $35.90 spent, $63.51 saved (64%)

I also got back $6.50 in catalinas from the Safeway transaction ($4 from Pillsbury and $2.50 from Kikkoman). We were out of a lot of things and there were a few really great deals on things we like (avocados 2/$1!!). I also got my freebies from today's paper but have no idea what to do with ground turkey. Guess I'll be searching for a recipe!

Understanding Safeway Coupon Policy

I've noticed a lot of confusion regarding the use of coupons at Safeway, and even information on their facebook page that contradicts their "Official Policy" online. Here is the information you can find on Safeway's website regarding coupons.

Safeway's Printable Coupon Acceptance Policy: (dated September 2008)

• We can only accept Printable Coupons if they scan properly at the register.
• We will not accept Printable Coupons for "FREE product" (i.e., no purchase required). Buy-one-get-one-free coupons and other varieties that have a purchase requirement are acceptable.
• We will not accept Printable Coupons for more than 50% of a product's value. For example, a $2 off coupon will be acceptable for a product that sells for $5 or more, but a $2 off Printable Coupon for a product that sells for $2.25 will not be accepted.
• Printable Coupons will be rejected if they appear to be distorted or blurry, or are altered in any way or copied.
• Printable Coupons are non-transferable, and should not be copied, scanned, sold, traded, or otherwise distributed to others. They have unique serial numbers printed on them and follow an industry-standard format.

Frequently, Safeway's own printable coupons are the only ones that do not scan, but I've never had a problem with them choosing not to accept the coupon. Also, they do occasionally release printable Safeway FREE item coupons (with minimum purchase requirements) and these are always accepted. The bit about not accepting a coupon worth more than 50% of an item's value is confusing because no one is really sure if they mean "regular value" or the "sale value". I've seen different stores interpret it both ways, so it's best to ask someone working if you're concerned. Some stores (and Safeway's Facebook page) are suggesting/enforcing a one like coupon policy for printable coupons, and if that's the case they really should update their website to reflect this new policy. One of my local stores occasionally restricts you to 2 like printable coupons because they know that's all one computer can print.

Making Sense of Store Coupons:

• Explains a difference between Super Coupons and regular store coupons, and that the wording "Limit one coupon per purchase" on a Super Coupon means that only one of it's kind can be used per transaction.
• This document also clarifies the minimum purchase requirement of Safeway coupons: To use store coupons that include a minimum purchase requirement, you must spend a minimum dollar amount on that shopping trip. You will reach the minimum purchase amount based upon total purchases before your Club Card discount is applied. This total will include the coupon item's regular price, not the discounted price. For example, the regular retail price of a box of Cheerios (before coupon and before Club Card discounts) will count toward the minimum purchase required in order to use the Cheerios coupon. EDIT: this segment has been changed since I originally posted this policy to state that the minimum is now based on sale price. You can read more about this change in another post.

I think this is a great page to print for your coupon binder (or file) because it clearly explains that you do not need to spend the full amount of the minimum purchase in cash to use Safeway coupons. This helps keep your spending down!

My favorite find of the day, however, pertains to the stacking of ecoupons with each other. On the page addressing CouponLink FAQ, you'll find this little Q&A gem:

• Can I combine coupons? (in reference to "digital coupons")
• Yes, you can theoretically combine coupons. This can happen if a manufacturer offers a coupon to multiple coupon providers. However, the price will never go below zero.

True, it doesn't clarify whether or not we can stack paper coupons and ecoupons, but it seems to say that the stacking of ecoupons is "theoretically" acceptable to Safeway. If you have any other questions about Safeway's policy that I can help you with, please feel free to leave me a comment or send me an email!

Eat From your pantry challenge is over!

Okay, so the month doesn't officially end until tomorrow, but with the rumor of Albies doublers and Safeway's FREE pasta dinner coupons coming in tomorrow's paper (with $50 minimum purchase)- you can bet I'll be headed out to do some shopping! We did start early with out challenge, and I have to admit that I'm very happily surprised to see how much food we have left. Want to see for yourself? It's messy, but this is what I have left:
These are the two cabinets in the house where the opened packages are kept.

My fridge looks so empty!

The stockpile in the back room is still looking good though:

(The Luv's box is full of nuts: mostly peanuts and some pistachios.)

I even have some meat leftover in the freezer!

It was such a fun challange to participate in this month! I'm looking forward to doing it again in the future now that I know how easily we can survive off our stockpile.

Heluva Good Facebook Freebie (over!)

Right now, when you become a fan of Heluva Good! products on Facebook, you can also sign up to receive a coupon good for a FREE product! It should take 4-6 weeks. I love freebies like this! (While you're there, why not become a fan of my page as well? It makes keeping track of the current deals and freebies even easier!)

Thanks ThriftyNWMom!

Fred Meyer: 3 day sale

Fred Meyer is having a 3 day sale this weekend with some great sale prices! You can find these coupons in today's paper. You might also want to take a look around if you stop by this weekend. They had a ton of great coupons out and an additional 50% off all clearance merchandise!

Bumble Bee Chunk Light Tuna: 25¢ each with in ad coupon, first 4

(use this $1 off 5 printable)

Kroger American Singles: 50¢ each with in ad coupon, First 2

Sun 2X Laundry Detergent: 99¢ each with in ad coupon, first 2

Wild Alaska Whole Sockeye Salmon: $2.99 lb. (that's a GREAT price!)

Thanks to Kim over at Puget Sound Prudence!

Sign up for Kohl's Sales Alerts

I was recently on the Kohl's website checking out some clearance items, and decided to go partway through the checkout process to see what the total would be and if I could apply any discount codes. In the process, a box popped up and asked if I'd like to sign for their sales alert. I thought to myself, "why not?" and promptly forgot about it. Until this morning that is, when they emailed me my "$5 gift from Kohl's". That's right, signing up for Kohl's Sales alerts will get you a $5 coupon good for your purchase of $5 or more! I also got a code good for 10% off my next online purchase, but that's less exciting than the $5 in-store coupon. I'm thinking that with all the clearance deals they always seem to have and sales this should be a great way to get something for FREE. You can always opt out of the emails later or set it to go straight to your junk mail.

To sign yourself up, just head over to the Kohl's website!

$4 off Albertson's brand diapers

This is a great coupon! I'm not sure how much these cost in store, but $4 off with the right sale should make for some very cheap diapers. To find this coupon, you'll want to go to thinkbabynames.com and look at the banners. You might need to refresh your page a few times, but when you see a banner with a coupon good for $4 off Baby Basics you can click it and you'll be taken to a page to print the coupon. If you know how much these cost, will you leave a comment and let us all know? Thank you!

Thank you to bringmomcoffee on SD for finding this!

FREE $5 gift card to Babies R Us (expired)

Today only, you can snag a free $5 giftcard for Babies R Us when you become a fan on Facebook. It looks like the gift card will be emailed to you and can be used in-store or online at either Babies R Us or Toys R Us. Supplies are limited, so it looks like you'll want to hurry!

Thanks For The Mommas!

QFC Matchup: 1/27-2/2

Here's what's on sale this week at QFC, nothing looks really exciting to me except for the Buy 10, save $5 promo. Of course, that doesn't mean that one of these deals won't be good for you.

Meat & Produce deals:

• Naval Oranges, $0.38/lb
• Fresh Asparagus $1.99/lb
• Certified Angus Beef Boneless Chuck Roast or Steak, B1G1FREE
• Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmo Fillet, $7.99/lb
• Dole Bananas $0.59/lb

Other Matchups:

• QFC yogurt cups 3/$1
• Sara Lee Bagels, selected varieties 22oz, $1.77
• Wonderful Pistachios 10oz, $2.99 (use $1 tearpad or $1 from 11/15SS)
• Oscar Mayer Deli creations $2.49 (use $1 printable)
• Freschetta Pizza, $4.99 (use $1/1 from 11/15SS)
• Soy Dream or Rice Dream 32oz, $1.50 (use $0.75/1 printable or look for $1/2 peelies)
• Earth's Best Sesame Street Cookies or Crackers, $1.50 (use $1/2 printable)
• Terra Chips, $1.99 (use $1/1 from 12/6SS)
• Amy's Lasagna (Use $0.50/1 any Amy's tearpad)

Buy 10, Save $5 promo

• I have all the details you'll want in a separate post but thought I'd highlight a few of the better deals! Just remember that you will have to buy 10 participating items to take advantage of the prices below.
• Hormel Chili with beans $0.25 each when you use the $1.50/3 from Bud Bowl booklet
• Quaker Rice Snacks are FREE after $0.75 coupon
• Capri Sun only $0.99 a box after $1/2 printable
• $0.22 Pillsbury Toaster Strudel (wyb 2) with $1/1 printable and $0.55/2 shortcuts ecoupon
• Finish Dishwasher Detergent only $0.49 if you still have any $2.50/1 coupons

Did I miss anything? Maybe you found an awesome hidden deal? I'd love to hear about it! You can either leave me a comment here or send me an email, I always love to hear back from readers!

QFC: Buy 10 Promo (1/27-2/2)

Here are the details you'll need for QFC's Buy 10, Get $5 off promo. You must purchase in sets of 10 to get the promotional discount, and all items must be purchased in one transaction. Prices shown are after discount. I didn't do all the math for you, but hopefully this will help you get organized if you're planning to hit this sale!

$0.50 each
Balance Bars
Propel ($0.55/1 hangtags)
Sobe Lifewater (various tearpads, B1G1FREE printable)
Kraft Easy Mac Cups (various tearpads)

$0.75 each
Hormel Chili ($1/2 or $0.55/2 from 1/24 SS or $1.50/3 Bud Light Bud Bowl Booklet)
Hunt's Diced Tomatoes (B3G1FREE 1/24 SS, $0.35/3 blinkie, $0.45/3 Shortcuts ecoupon)
Jell-O Gelatin
Quaker Mini Rice Snacks ($0.75 from 1/10 RP)
Pedigree Plus Canned Dog Food

$0.99 each
Goldfish
AMP Energy Drinks ($1/2 tearpad)
2liters Pepsi & Dr. Pepper ($0.50 Dr. Pepper Peelies)
French's Mustard, 14oz ($0.50/1 from 1/24SS)

$1.19 each
Keebler Fudge Shoppe, select varieties 8.5-12 oz (various $1/2 tearpads)

$1.49 each
Lay's Chips, selected varieties
Hormel Compleats Meals
Kraft Salad Dressing ($1/2 Bud Light Bud Bowl Booklet, various tearpads for produce wyb Kraft Dressing)
Philadelphia Cream Cheese, 8oz ($1/2 Bud Light booklet, $1/4 printable, $1.25/3 tearpad)
Capri Sun ($1/2 printable)
Quaker Chewy Granola Bars ($1/2 or $0.55/1 from 1/3 RP or $1/2 printable)
Motts Apple Juice, 64oz
Frank's Red Hot Wing Sauce ($0.50/1 printable)
La Victoria Salsa
Pillsbury Toaster Strudel ($1 printable, $1/2 printable, $1/2 from 1/3GM, $0.55/2 from Shortcuts and Cellfire)
Krusteaz Muffin, Bar or Crumb Cake Mix (various coupons from 12/6SS)
Tidy Cats Cat Litter, 10lb.

$1.69 each
Birdseye Steamfresh Vegetable Blends, 12oz ($1/3 from 1/10SS or $1/2 tearpad)
C&W Vegetables, 10-16oz ($1/2 tearpad)
Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers, 12oz (bag) ($0.40/1 from 1/3SS or $0.50/1 printable)

$1.99 each
Kraft American Singles
Kraft Chunk Cheese 2%, 7oz
Sargento Sliced Cheese
Nature Valley Granola Bars, 5oz ($0.40/1 from shortcuts and cellfire)
Post Cereal
Ritz Crackers ($1/1 Nabisco Snack Cracker from 1/24SS)
Nabisco 100 Calorie Snacks (various tearpads)
Nabisco Snack Crackers, select varieties 7-10oz ($1 Nabisco Snack Cracker from 1/24SS)
Kleenex, 80-200ct
I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, 8-15oz ($1/1 Printable)
Dixie Plates or Bowls, 14-48ct. ($1/2 from 1/24RP)
Dixie Napkins, 200ct. ($1/2 from 1/24 RP)
Solo All Occasion Plates, 44-48ct. ($0.75/1 from1/24 SS or $1/1 from 12/6SS)
Solo Plates or Cups, 15-40ct.

$2.38 each
Tostitos Tortilla Chips, 10-13oz
Tostitos Salsa or Dips ($1 off wyb 1 Tostitos Chips and 1 Tostitos dip from 1/17SS)
Frito-Lay's Natural Chips

$2.49 each
Dreyer's Ice Cream, Yogurt, or Sherbert
Tombstone Pizza ($1/2 Maxwell House Peelie/booklet)
Oscar Mayer Deli Shaved Lunchmeat
Planter's Mixed Nuts or Cashew Pieces ($1/2 printable)
Orville Redenbacher's Kernal Corn, 30oz
Orville Redenbacher's Microwave Popcorn ($1/2 from 1/24SS, $1/2 blinkie, FREE soda wyb 2 packs)

$2.99 each
Tropicana Orange Juice, 6/8oz or 59-64oz
Pillsbury Cheese or Spinach Savorings, 8.5oz ($1/2 from 12/13 or $0.55/1 printable, $1/2 Shortcuts and Cellfire)
Sara Lee Pies, 37oz
Totino's Pizza Rolls, 17-19.8oz
Kraft Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise, 32oz.
Finish Dishwasher Detergent, tabs or liquid ($2.50/1 from 1/3SS)

$3.49 each
Coffee Mate Creamers, 32oz ($1/1 and $1.50/2 printables)
Izze Sparkling Juice, 4 pack 12 oz bottles

$4.49 each
Gatorade, 8 pack 20oz bottles
Lipton Teas, 12 pack 16.9oz bottles

$4.99 each
Tide Liquid Laundry Detergent 2x ($0.50/1 from 1/17PG)

$5.49 each
T.G.I.Friday's Skillet Meals, 24 oz ($1/1 peelie)

$6.49
Tide Power Laundry Detergent, 31-40 load ($0.50/1 from 1/17PG)
Brawny Paper Towels, 8 roll ($1/1 from 1/24RP)
Quilted Northern Bath Tissue, 12 double rolls ($1/1 from 1/24RP)

$6.99 each
Starbucks Coffee ($1.50 peelie or tearpad, $1/1 printable)
Yuban Coffee ($1/2 peelie)

Coupons worth printing!

There are a ton of great printable coupons making the round this week, and here are a few you might want to print for yourself! Remember that you should be able to print each coupon twice.

$1.25/1 Yoplait Smoothies

$2/2 Nabisco Snack Crackers (click the coupon tab on the upper left side)

Buy One, Get One FREE Special K Cereal

You can sign up for 5 weeks of $1 Multigrain Cheerio coupons

And last but not least, there are a variety of Kraft Printable coupons available including:

• 1 off (4) Philadelphia Cream Cheese
• $1 off Velveeta Cheese 1 lb or larger
• $1 off (2) Planters Mixed Nuts or Cashew Halves 5.5-11.5 oz.
• $1 off (2) Capri Suns
• $1 off Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese 8 oz.
• $1 off (2) Breakstone's Sour Cream 16 oz.
• $1 off Oscar Mayer Meat Bologna or Cotto Salami 16 oz.
• $1 off Claussen Pickles 20-32 oz.
• $1 off (2) Kraft Deluxe or Velveeta Shells and Cheese
• $1 off Starbucks Coffee

Fred Meyer: FREE Ziploc bags

A huge thank you to Frugal Living NW for sharing with us all how to get FREE Ziploc bags this week at Fred Meyer! Even better, this scenario features printable coupons so ANYONE can do it.

Buy 4 Ziploc Sandwich Bags (50 ct) @ $1.99 each = $7.96

Use (2) $1.50/2 coupons

Pay $4.96, Get $2 Catalina

Submit receipt for $5 SC Johnson rebate

FREE with $2.04 overage after coupons, catalina & rebate

If you can print another 2 coupons from a second computer, you can roll the $2 catalina into a second transaction:

Buy 4 Ziplocs = $7.96

Use (2) $1.50 coupons

Use $2 Catalina from transaction #1

Pay $2.96, Get $2 Catalina

Submit receipt for $5 rebate (you can submit up to 3 rebates per household)

FREE with a total of $4.08 for 8 boxes after coupons, catalinas & rebate

Please note that this is the same $5 SC Johnson rebate you may have used for Scrubbing Bubbles back in October or November. You can submit up to 3 rebates per household so if you haven't submitted 3 already this might be just the deal you needed.

Coupon Request Wednesday

We're doing great so far! Hopefully you've found some time to write to a few companies as well- because the coupons are really starting to roll in this week! Here's who we're writing to this week if you're playing along with me (and if you aren't, let me know how things are going with the companies you've contacted!).

• Ken's Foods: (email: service@kensfoods.com) I LOVE their Cesar dressing, and wrote in to let them know that it really is the best I've ever purchased. I also asked for coupons. Response: I didn't get an email back, but did get an envelope full of coupons (including: FREE Ken's dressing or marinade, FREE Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce, $1/1 Ken's dressing, $1/1 Sweet Baby Ray's, and $1/1 Ken's Marinade. The $1 coupons should make for free products with Albertsons doublers and have no expiration date. Jackpot!).


• Duncan Hines: I wrote in and let them know that I really enjoy their moist cake mixes, and that I have one recipe in particular that never comes out as good with any other boxed mix. Response: I got a thank you note in the mail along with a $0.35 off any 1 Duncan Hines Product coupon.


• Bar S: This one sounds silly, but I wrote to them and explained how I originally thought that because their products were so cheap they would taste awful and be a waste of money BUT that after trying their bacon I was really impressed with the flavor and quality.

Fred Meyer: 1/24-1/30

There are a few deals worth mentioning at Fred Meyers this week, so I'll share them with you here. For a more complete matchup of this week's ad- you'll want to visit Kim at Puget Sound Prudence!

Kettle Brand Chips: 2/$5

Use $1/1 from 1/13 SS, $1 blinkie, or $1 Kettle Brand printable coupon

Final Price: $1.50 each

Kraft Shredded Cheese: 4/$5 (with in-ad coupon)

Use $1/2 printable or from 1/24 SS insert

Final Price: 75¢ each

Pillsbury Grands Biscuits: 2/$3

Use $1/2 Grands Printable (or here)

Final Price: $1 each

(If you print three coupons, you can buy 6 rolls for $6 and get back a $4 catalina, making them only $2 for 6. If you can only print 2, and buy 4 tubes for $4, you'll still get back a $2 cat. I wouldn't actually pay for these but it might be a good deal to you.)

FM also has in-ad coupons this week that will make canned veggies, tomatoes, and beans a mere $0.50 each. The limit varies from 8-10 depending on what you buy. This is not an amazing price, but it is a decent chance to stock up- especially if you're just starting out.

Thanks Kim!!

Subway: Buy one, get one FREE coupon!

If you head over to Subway's website and create a sandwich, you'll be able to print a coupon good for a FREE 6 inch sub with the purchase of a 6 inch sub and a 32 oz. drink (after they email it to you!). Sounds good to me!

Thanks MoneySavingMom!

Lane Bryant $10 off a bra

Do you shop Lane Bryant for bras? Then you'll want to take their Bra-Fit Survey! In return for taking a quick survey on their site, you'll get a coupon good for $10 off a bra. They also seem to be running a buy one get the second 50% off special on Cacique bras. Combined, that should make for a pretty good deal! To locate a store near you, visit the Lane Bryant homepage and look for a spot in the bottom right corner to enter your zip code.

I don't know if there are any restrictions or what the expiration date (if there is one) might be, so if you print it- please let me know the fine print! thanks SD!

Hot FREEBIES- today (Sunday) only!

There are two very hot grocery freebies, available today only, so if you want them you might want to RUN to your store!

Safeway: FREE Philadelphia Cream Cheese

buy 6 at $1.99 each= $11.94
use six $0.75 Safeway Store coupons= -4.50 (found in Make It Tonight booklets- in store now)
use two $1.25/3 Kraft Dessert Products*= -$2.50
Pay $4.94, get back $5 catalina

*If you don't have the $1.25/3 coupon, you might try looking for a Coors/Bud coupon booklet that should have a $1 off 2 Philly Cream Cheese coupon. If you can't find either you might buy 5 and use the Safeway coupon, pay $6.20 and receive the $5 catalina (making it $1.20 for 5).

Fred Meyer: FREE Kraft Shredded Cheese

buy 5 at $1.25 each (with in ad coupon)= $6.25
use two $1/2 coupons (printable or from today's paper)= -$2.00
Pay $4.25, get back $5 catalina

A huge thanks to kjtymac of SD for the FM Cheese details! You can roll each deal if you'd like (it works perfectly) just be sure you have a filler item. For Safeway, you must have something worth at least $0.06 and for Fred Meyers you need something worth $0.75 or more. If there's nothing you need, consider grabbing a small amount of veggies to help keep your out-of-pocket low!

The last batch of grocery shopping for January!

Okay, so I didn't do so great with my original rules for the Eating From Your Pantry Challenge, but you know what? I still cut my shopping like crazy, we've been eating from our pantry for almost a month, and I'm feeling great about it! We spent a grand total of $72.05 on groceries for the month, and saved $135.98! Here's what I bought this week:

QFC: $16.29 spent, $22.27 saved (57%)

I used a FREE item coupon for the chips, and besides the clearanced Sardines and $0.57/lb bananas, everything was highlighted in my coupon matchup for QFC this week. The cheese was on sale for $5.99 (yikes!) but we were out and I figured I may as well grab it now. (Those who are extremely local might want to check out QFC if they're looking for tuna in cans or pouches- out store had TONS of the stuff marked down.)

Safeway: $7.52 spent, $21.96 saved (74%)

PLUS I got back $7.50 in catalinas!

I did use my $2.50 in catalinas from earlier this week to help pay, so in reality everything pictured above had a net cost of $2.52. The fruit snacks were a small moneymaker, as was the Fiber One Yogurt. The cream cheese was FREE, milk was $1.99, and eggs were $1.59. Still, it works for me! Now, I just need to find a good cheesecake recipe- we're going to celebrate making it to the end of the month and sticking with this challenge!

Albertsons this week: Great deal on Arrowhead

Albertsons is not tempting me much this week (thank goodness!) but Jane over at All Together Beautiful has found some good deals for you all, including one HOT deal on bottled water! If Arrowhead water at $0.09/bottle sounds good to you, then you'll want to read the two different scenarios she has featured on her page. The other deal I like is Campbell's Chunky soup, Christy at the Bargain Jargon is featuring it as her Food Storage Item of the Week- and at $0.49/can I'd have to agree!

Of course, if you're making the trip, you'll probably want to read about all the other coupon matchups at Albies this week and some ideas for the GM promo as well. Jane does such a great job of compiling these deals each week.

Thanks Jane and Christy!!

Target: Save $5.50 on Huggies Pure & Natural

This looks like a potentially great deal on Huggies. Right now you can print a $3 Target coupon for Huggies Pure and Natural Diapers and combine it with the manufacturer's $2.50 off Huggies Pure and Natural Diaper printable to save a total of $5.50 on one pack! These diapers are more expensive then the regular variety of Huggies but if you combine these coupons with a sale you might just snag yourself a great deal. I'll be sure to update you all on the actual price if I make it to Target this week.

Thanks For The Mommas! If you're looking for more diaper deals, For The Mommas also has the scoop on an upcoming promo at Walgreens that will show you how to get Huggies for $4.32/pack!

Told you I couldn't resist...

Safeway had such good deals this week, and with us needing milk and everything...I just had to go shopping. Here's what I bought:

$9.48 spent, $40.08 saved (81%)

...plus, I earned a $2.50 catalina!

Yes, that means I got everything in the photo above for less than what the regular milk alone would have cost. That is my favorite kind of shopping! The fruit snacks are all going in the donation box because we will not eat them. I'm hoping the husband will want the 2 cans of Progresso for work lunches...if not I'll pass them onto my mom or stick them in the donation box as well.

Coupon Request Wednesday

I mentioned my experiment in writing to companies last week, and hope you all found the time to send out a few requests of your own! I was feeling pretty successful last week and getting my mail this week has been a little bit extra fun. I received coupons for FREE Flintstones, FREE Texas Toast, and two $0.55/1 Fresh Express coupons that will pair nicely with sales this week! This is who I've been writing to this week:

• Green Giant (Betty Crocker): I opened a can of corn this week and it was almost 25% filled with soggy corn husk. I wrote to them letting them know I love their canned corn product but wanted to let them know about my recent disappointing experience. They said they'll be sending a FREE item coupon to replace my bad can. I don't suggest you write to them to complain if you haven't had a bad experience, but perhaps compliments will work in your favor? (Got 2 FREE item coupons worth up to $6!!)
• Quaker Oats (PepsiCo): I wrote in to let them know how much we love the Lower Sugar Maple flavor and asked for coupons (we can eat a ton of this stuff!). Response: they currently do not have coupons to send out, bummer!
• Eggland's Best Eggs: I wrote last week to ask for coupons and never heard back. This week I got a newsletter with a silly message at the bottom with a phone number to call and a code to mention so I could get a coupon. I don't know what the coupon is, but if you want to try your luck- call (800) 922-EGGS (3447) and mention code "THEBESTJUSTGOTBETTER". The coupon is supposed to be good so you can try their new eggs, so maybe we'll all get lucky with a free item or high value coupon?

How did you all fare last week? Get any exciting coupons or promising emails? I'd love to hear how things went for you!

Safeway: 1/20-1/26

It looks like a really great week at Safeway! There are a few deals I don't think I'll be able to resist too much so I'm going to share them with you here and then you can head over to see what other great deals Christy at The Bargain Jargon found! Okay, let's get started!

Betty Crocker Potatoes $0.99
$0.35/1 coupon from 12/13 SS insert (plus any ecoupons you might have saved)
Final Price = .64 (or less!)

Progresso Soup $1.11
$0.50/2 coupon from 1/3 GM insert (plus $0.50/2 Shortcuts and $0.50/2 Cellfire)
Final Price = $0.36 each wyb 2

Buy 4, Save $4 Promo (price shown is after $4 discount)

Honey Nut Cheerios $1.50
$1/1 Printable coupon
Final Price = $0.50

Cinnamon Toast Crunch $1.50
$1/1 Printable coupon (plus $0.55 shortcuts ecoupon)
Final Price = -$0.05 (1st box only)

Quaker Instant Oatmeal $1.50
$1/1 Printable coupon
Final Price = $0.50

Post Honey Bunches of Oats $2.00
keep your eyes peeled for $1.50/1 peelies
Final Price= $0.50

Plus, there's a hot money maker deal on fruit snacks you might want to check out. Thrifty Northwest Mom has an awesome detailed post with links to printable coupons for you. Just be sure to head to Cellfire and Shortcuts to load the $0.50/2 ecoupons each site has available- and you can make $1.50 buying 4 boxes of fruit snacks! (note: I just looked and the create-a-bug variety are also included. There are additional ecoupons for this on both sites as well!)

Any ecoupons I mentioned specifically can be found at Shortcuts and/or Cellfire along with a ton of other great ecoupons! They can take up to an hour to load, but usually not longer than that. Per Safeway, duplicates of ecoupons can come off and can be used in conjunction with paper coupons- it's part of their doubling policy. While we don't get doubles in our area- this still makes for some hot deals!

QFC Matchup 1/20-1/26

There are a few good deals available this week at QFC. Here are all the things I see worth mentioning, if you see anything else- please let me know! The prices that look best to me for this week have their final prices highlighted in green, otherwise the final price will be blue. In other words, green is a price I'd buy at (and maybe even stockpile a bit at) and blue means it's at a price I'd only buy at if I really needed the item. I'm still working out how I'd like to present my matchup- so any formatting suggestions would be wonderful!

Hot Meat/Produce Deals:

Fresh Express Salad $1 each (various tearpad and blinkie coupons)

Roma Tomatoes $1/lb

Wonderful Pistachios 10oz $2.99 (use $1 coupon from 11/15/09 or $1 tearpad) $1.99

10 for $10 Mix & Match Sale: (these items are $1 each, you do not need to buy 10)

Annie's All Natural Mac&Cheese (use $0.50 tearpad coupons) $0.50

Ronzoni Heart Healthy/Smart Taste (various $0.50 and $0.75 coupons) $0.25-$0.50

Hunts Diced Tomatoes (use $0.35/3 blinkies and $0.45/3 shortcuts ecoupon) $0.73 each wyb 3

Oscar Meyer Lunchables (use $1 printable) FREE (note: I believe this coupon is good for not only the Lunchables with water, but the regular variety as well. I do not know if the water kind is on sale at this price, so this may not work!)

Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate (use $0.50/2 from 1/10) $0.75 each wyb 2

Jolly Time Popcorn (use $0.50/1 from 1/10) $0.50

Rosarita Refried Beans (use $0.50/3 shortcuts ecoupon and $0.50/3 from 12/13) $0.67 each wyb 3

Pillsbury Grands (various ecoupons, peelies, and insert coupons)

Other Deals:

Cheerios $1.99 (use $1 printable) $0.99

Tree Top Frozen Apple Juice Concentrate $1.50 (use $1/2 any Tree Top Printable) $1 each wyb 2

Mission Burrito Tortillas, 8ct $1.99 (use $0.75 or $1 coupon from 1/10, or use $0.55 printable) $0.99-$1.44

ALL Liquid Detergent $3.83 (use $1 printable, or various insert coupons) $1.83- $2.83

Menu Review (Tuesday?)

We had another good week eating out of the pantry this past week! Here is what we actually ate (I drew up the month long menu plan, but we deviate once in a while):

1/11: For breakfast we had cereal and bananas, lunch was Black Beans and Rice. Dinner was Chicken Breasts with stuffing, corn, and peas.

1/12: Breakfast was eggs and toast, lunch was mini-farfalle with broccoli, butter, and Parmesan cheese. Dinner was Chicken Enchilada Casserole (made with cooked turkey) with rice. We also made a batch of brownies.

1/13: Breakfast was cereal, Lunch was leftover Black Beans and Rice. I made pork chops, with mashed potatoes and corn.

1/14: We did eggs for breakfast (at the toddler's request), lunch was sandwiches and veggies for dipping. We had another toddler and her mommy over to make Cinnamon Raisin Bread (recipe from Martha Stewart- needs improving on) in the afternoon and I forgot all about meatballs. So, I went into default mode and made tostadas (the reason for my "spendy" can o'beans last week).

1/15: None of us were feeling great, so breakfast was cereal & Cinnamon Raisin Bread, lunch was soup from a can, and the husband picked up pizza for dinner.

1/16: Cereal and Cinnamon Raisin Bread for breakfast, hamburgers for lunch. We ate a yummy dinner at my MIL's house.

1/17: Breakfast was oatmeal, lunch was tuna sandwiches with chips (for grownups) and carrots (for toddler). We ate dinner over at a friends house (Thanksgiving style!).

1/18: We had a late breakfast of French Toast and eggs. We had a very early dinner of Meatloaf with hashbrown casserole and brussels sprouts. Then we ate Mini Delights with strawberries and a small scoop of ice cream for dessert.

January Shopping Trip #2

QFC: $6.47 spent, $6.98 saved (51%)

I used a $0.50 coupon on the strawberries and a FREE item coupon for the cupcakes (I won this but it didn't fit in my binder so I wanted to use it right away). The refried beans break my rules again, but were cheaper than going out for dinner which is what I had wanted to do on the day I bought them). I also bought 1lb imitation crab meat that had been marked down ($1.06), a 3 lb bag of clementines ($2.99- my QFC had a different brand, so no coupon) and a loaf of bread ($1.19). That brings my total for the week to $11.71 (with overall savings of 51%).

Honestly though we actually did spend more than that because the husband needed cans of soda for work, so we bought 3 at $2.66 each (Safeway) or $7.98 (with $9.99 savings). My store did not have the $0.88 avocados so I skipped that, although they would have been nice! We're still doing pretty well with the eating of out the pantry challenge- which is nice considering we're halfway through the month now!

Dove "Spin For Your Skin" and coupons!

Would you like a chance (or three) to win a FREE Dove Beauty Bar? Or maybe just some great Dove Printable coupons? Then you probably want to sign up with Dove Dimensions where you can "spin" for your chance to win a FREE bar of Dove up to three times a day. Sounds like a great way to get some free soap to me!

Dove also has some great printable coupons, including a $2 off Visibly Smooth Deodorant, that you might want to take a moment to print. Thanks to Angela over at The Coupon Project for the heads up on this!

Hot deals this week: for beginners!

I know there are a lot of you out there that are just getting into the whole couponing thing- and trust me when I say I know it can be a challenge to get started. This week, two of my favorite Northwest bloggers had AWESOME posts with fantastic beginner scenarios. So, if you're new to the whole couponing game, you'll want to check these out (of course, even if you've been clipping coupons for years- you might want to give these posts a peek).

Kim over at Puget Sound Prudence has been posting really fantastic matchups for Fred Meyers lately. This week, she also posted a ton of great matchups involving ecoupons (at QFC, Safeway, or Fred Meyers) you can load quickly onto your loyalty card before heading out to score some hot deals. If you're looking for Healthy Choice Frozen Entrees or cans of Rosarita Refried Beans for less than $0.70 each- she's got you covered!

The Krazy Coupon Lady has quite an extensive list of deals going on this week as well, using absolutely nothing but printable coupons and sales! This post covers deals at Kmart, Target, Walgreens, and RiteAid- so you're bound to find something at a store near you.

Fred Meyers: Hunts Pasta Sauce $0.45 each!

Stockpiling is an awesome way to save money- and this is certainly a deal you might want to consider stocking up on this week! Kim over at Puget Sound Prudence has all of the details you need to get Hunt's Spaghetti Sauce for only $0.45 each (using printable coupons!). Even better, she'll tell you how to use ecoupons to get your first three cans for $0.31 each!!

Thanks Kim!!

La Victoria Coupons- do NOT use them!

Wow- who knew? It turns out that the La Victoria Coupons I told you about last week are not obtained in the way La Victoria meant for them to be. So, if you still have these coupons around- they should be tossed! I am sorry for any confusion or concerns I may have cause in posting this. I do my best to only post deals that are legitimate, and I'm sorry that this was not one of those deals.

Jen over at Thrifty Northwest Mom has the full scoop for you.

QFC matchup: 1/13-1/19

3 Day Sale specials (Friday-Sunday)

• $.99/lb Pork Shoulder Roast
• $2.99 Cuties Clementines 3lb bag (use the $0.50 IP to make it $2.49- no longer available)
• QFC yogurt 4/$1
• Kellogs Cereal $1.49 each
• Tree Top Apple Juice $1.49 each
• Doritos $1.79

Other Deals I like:

• Half Gallon QFC Milk or Orange Juice $1.25 each
• 1lb Driscolls Strawberries $2 (use $0.50 IP- no longer available)
• Quaker Instant Oatmeal $1.49 (or $0.49 after $1 printable coupon)
• QFC Cottage Cheese & Sour Cream 16oz $0.99
• Hunt's Spaghetti Sauce $0.88 can (Print a $1 off 3 coupon- must play the game first)
• Method Laundry Detergent $3.99 (use this $2 printable coupon to make it only $1.99)
• Large Naval Oranges $0.88/lb
• Large Green Peppers $0.50 each
• Hot/Lean Pockets $1.88 each (I know there are cellfire and shortcuts ecoupons for these)

Did I miss any great QFC deals? I'd love to hear about them! Feel free to drop me a comment here or send an email to maybefrugal@hotmail.com. Thanks!

Print these coupons!

There are a few great high-value printable coupons out right now, that you're probably going to want to print. Remember that you can print each coupon twice, simply hit the back button three times after the first print! Here's what they are:

• $1 off Emerald nuts (combined with a doubler and a sale- these should be free or cheap at Albertsons. There are also rumors of $1 Target peelies attached in stores, which should make them only $0.99.)
• $1 off Cheerios (yellow box)
• $1 off Honey Nut Cheerios
• $1 off any Quaker Oats (you can use this at Walgreens this week with the store coupon from their ad to pay only $0.50 for a small tub of oatmeal)

Also, A Thrifty Mom has the details on a FREE kid's meal at Burger King (no purchase required). We never eat there so I did not print it, although I've heard it says Happy Birthday on it, so I'm not sure I'd feel comfortable using it anyways. Of course, it's up to you (and it may even be close to your kid's birthday).

Let's get some coupons!

It's not much of a secret (and I'm sure you all feel the same way) but my favorite kind of coupons are FREE item coupons. There's nothing more fun then getting your groceries for free, especially when the freebie is so easy. I also love high-value coupons, but who doesn't? If you're new to couponing, you might wonder where some people get such great coupons. Even if you're an advanced couponer, it's easy to forget how easily you can obtain high-value and FREE product coupons for items you regularly use. The trick? Writing to companies whose products you love and asking for coupons!

It really is that easy! Of course, what's the fun in just talking about this? I hope you'll all join along with me as I write to a few companies each week, to compliment the products I already use (or that you use) and we can see where this experiment takes us! To make it easy, I'm going to suggest just a few companies each week- I'll even provide you with links to their comment pages! It will be fun to see how rewarding a few minutes each week turns out to be. Hopefully, you'll pop in once in a while and let me know how things are going for you as well.

Here's who I'm writing to this week (and results):

• Flinstones Vitamins (Bayer): I wrote to them and let them know how much I love My First Flinstones for my two year old (no more cutting regular ones in half) and asked for coupons. Response? They're sending me a coupon for a FREE box and a pack of other Bayer coupons.
• Fresh Express (Chiquita): I wrote to let them know how tasty I think the Cesar Salad Kit is and asked for coupons. Response? They're pleased I like their product and will be sending some coupons my way for future purchases. (Received 2 $0.55 off any 1 Fresh Express Product coupons).
• Marzetti: I wrote about how surprised I was that their Cheesy Texas Toast was as delicious as it is and asked if they mailed out coupons or made them available in the newspaper. Response? They're pleased I took the time to write them and will be sending a coupon. (Received one coupon good for a FREE package New York Brand frozen bread product).

I wrote to all of these companies late last week, and had received email responses from each of them. As for Fresh Express and Marzetti- I'll be happy to post what coupons they send once I receive them. So, start your writing! (Of course, if you don't use or have never tried these brands, feel free to write to another company whose products you really do use and enjoy. I don't want to encourage dishonesty in exchange for coupons! I would be more than thrilled to hear who you're writing to and what results you get.)

Black Beans and (not)Brown Rice

I briefly mentioned in my menu review for the week that I had my husband grab a bag of black beans yesterday, that was because in the February issue of Martha Stewart Living there was an awesome looking recipe for black beans and brown rice. I had to modify the recipe a little bit more than a bit but the results were amazing. This is what we had for lunch today (it was so much yummier than it looks!):

We topped it with avocado (from a friend), cheese, salsa, and sour cream. Next time I'm going to pick up some fresh cilantro to go with it. Black beans are so going on my list of staples to have on hand. Not only did the toddler and I love it, but the baby enjoyed it too. I'm going to have to remember this recipe the next time Vegan Sis comes for a visit (because I know she'll like it too). Here's how I made this (serves 3ish)!

Black Beans (crockpot style, throw in everything listed)

• 1/2 lb. black beans
• 1 onion, quartered
• 3 or 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1/4 of a (seeded) jalapeno
• 4 cups of water
• salt and pepper
• Cook on high for about 4 hours, discard water, garlic & onions before serving

Yummy (not)Brown Rice:

• 1/8 cup olive oil
• 1/2 onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 garlic clove, minced (I love garlic, so I used a whole clove)
• salt and pepper
• 1 cup Brown Rice (I only have white, so I used that instead)
• 1 3/4 water (I used 2 cups)

Heat oil in a medium sauce pan over medium-high heat. Cook onion and garlic until the onion is soft. Add salt, pepper, and rice. Cook until rice is slightly toasted (about 3 minutes). Add water, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, put the lid on and let simmer until the water is absorbed (recipe says 25-30 minutes but the white rice only took 20 or so). Remove from heat and let stand (still covered) for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve with beans.

Got Milk? Great Gallon Give

I'm sure you noticed we go through a ton of milk around here, so when I saw this posted on a deal site I love tonight- I got super excited and knew I had to share with all of you! Here's the scoop, right now you can head over to this site and sign up for your chance to win free milk for a year! After you do, you'll get a chance to print a coupon (make sure you turn off your pop-up blocker first!) good for "one free half gallon of chocolate milk with the purchase of 2 gallons milk". The coupon expires early February but already made chocolate milk is a special treat around here, so I'm pretty happy with this coupon! It is limited to the first 125,000 entries- so you probably want to hurry.

The other neat bit about this promo is The Milk Mustache tour. You can read more info about it here. They'll be at the Seattle Center on January 16th (from 11am-2pm) with samples of milk from local dairies and giving away 200,00 gallons of milk for FREE. If you already live in Seattle, that might just be worth a trip!

Menu Review Monday

We're still going strong with the Eat From The Pantry Challenge, and while it's been fun I'm looking forward towards the end of the month when I might have to be a bit more creative with our meals. I posted my original month-long plan here, but we've had to make a few adjustments here and there. Here's what we ate this last week:

1/4: We had lefse for breakfast, leftovers for lunch, and tacos with mexican rice for dinner (as planned).

1/5: Breakfast was oatmeal and lunch was peanut butter tortillas with carrots. I made "BBQ" chicken in the crockpot (bone-in breasts with bbq sauce poured in), salad, and cheesy garlic mashed potatoes.

1/6: We made blueberry muffins and cereal for breakfast, then had sandwiches for lunch (pb for toddler, tuna for husband and I). Dinner was a beef stew (made from cheap steaks and the veggies I had on hand) and some homemade bread.

1/7: Breakfast was cereal and lunch was chili (from a can). We had Spaghetti with meat sauce, salad, and the leftover bread.

1/8: Breakfast was eggs and toast then for lunch we had baked potatoes. I had a long day of teething baby and toddler tantrums/potty training so after the husband got off work we took a drive and grabbed some fast food. It was a menu plan fail, but the break was wonderful!

1/9: Waffles for breakfast, mac and cheese from a box for lunch. We took my mom out for dinner to celebrate her birthday (Famous Dave's- yumm!).

1/10: Cereal/oatmeal for breakfast and tuna sandwiches for lunch. We decided to invite some people over for dinner (the husband had to run out for more of the same cut of steak and picked me up a bag of black beans- $6). We had steak (marinated in a garlic/balsamic/Cabernet sauce) and grilled with Hashbrown Casserole and a salad (brought by the friends). It turned out to be a pretty good dinner.

Redbox: FREE rental code (through Monday)

For a limited time only, enjoy a FREE one-night rental when you use promo code RBXLUV10 at any redbox nationwide. Hurry — this offer expires at 11:59 PM Central on Monday, January 11, 2010. To see what movies are currently available, or to find a location near you, visit Redbox.com.

La Victoria Salsa

EDIT: It has come to my attention that the way in which we obtained this coupon is not the way in which La Victoria meant for us to get it. Please do not try to get more coupons and if you have some you haven't used yet, toss them!

January Shopping Trip 1

In case you all haven't heard yet, I'm participating in a month-long Eat from your Pantry Challenge. So far, it's going really well. Except that as of dinner time tonight we were down to half a gallon of milk, and in this house we can go from half a gallon to NONE practically overnight (no joke- we've run out before between the time I go to bed and the time I wake up). Clearly, we needed to head out before this happened, mostly because the toddler doesn't handle "we're out of milk" well. Both boys were sleepy/cranky so I sent the husband with a list and some coupons- and he did really well!

Safeway: $19.07 spent, $22.90 saved (55%)

• 6 gallons of milk: $11.94
• Seattle's Best Coffee: $3.49 (after $1.50 coupon)
• 4 boxes GM Cereal: -$2.28 (after promo, ecoupons, two $1 printables, and one FREE item coupon)
• Eggs: $2.29
• Sour Cream: $1.49
• Bananas: $1.32

Okay, so the coffee doesn't follow my rules, but the cereal overage almost offset the cost and I'm nearly out. Hopefully, the amount of milk we bought will last for a while- it's easier not to shop when you're not going to the store in the first place!

Garlic Herb Braid

Although I have more crescent rolls on hand then I think anyone needs at once, we decided to whip up another loaf of bread because it's yummy and we (we being the toddler and I) decided it would go well with stew. It tastes best warm, but it's easy to make in the afternoon and stick into the oven to warm right before dinner. The toddler had a great time punching the dough.
Plus, it's super easy! (As in I don't even have a bread machine!). Here's the recipe:

4-4 1/2 cups flour
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 pkgs. quick-rise yeast
2 tsp. dried basil
1 3/4 tsp. dill weed
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed
3/4 cup milk (2%)
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 egg
1 Tbsp. butter, melted (to brush on after baking)

In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and seasonings. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, water, and butter to 120-130 degrees. Add to dry ingredients, beat until moistened. Add egg; beat until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough. (As in, start with 2 1/2 cups and then add up to 1/2 cup more if needed).

Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (about 4-6 minutes). Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Divide dough into thirds. Shape each into a 15inch rope (squeezing and pulling worked best). Place ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid; pinch ends to seal and tuck under. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 25 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until loaf is golden brown. Brush with melted butter.

Buy One, Get One FREE Ski Pass wyb gasoline at Shell

This looks like a great way to save some money if you're planning to head up to the mountains anytime soon! Shell is currently running a promotion in which if you buy $10 worth of gasoline, you'll receive a voucher good for a FREE adult ski lift ticket when you purchase a second adult lift ticket.

The Coupon Project has all the details for you!

PUR Winner

The winner of a new PUR Pitcher, in celebration of Summit on the Summit, as selected by Random.org is:

Poster #4: Heather

I will be emailing you shortly to get your information! Congratulations! Thank you to everyone else who played along and helped spread the word!

A round-up of good deals

There are quite a few good deals going on right now, and while I'm not shopping at the moment (I'm avoiding all of it!)- I'd hate for you to miss out on a great deal. Here are a few links you might be interested in:

• Old Navy is currently offering 60% off all clearance items online. I believe shipping is a flat $7 as well. This is one of my favorite ways to stock up on kids clothes for next season! (plus, if you're a cardholder for ON or one of their affiliate stores, you can score an extra 10% off today only using code TUESDAYS)
• ThirftyNorthwestMom has all the details on some HOT La Victoria (salsa) printable coupons.
• You can get 75% off everything ColdWater Creek has online right now, and AThriftyMom has the info you need for that.
• MoneySavingMom has the details on a FREE photo calender (it appears to be 3 photos on a year long calender poster) from Shutterfly & Target. However, you do have to pay $4.99 shipping.
• If you're looking for a different kind of photo freebie, you should check A Thrifty Mama's list of current photo freebies. She might have just what you're looking for.
• If you're in or near Seattle (the only local-ish place with a participating alley) you might want to sign up for the AMF e-club and get a free game of bowling (for up to 10 people). Once again, A Thrifty Mom has your details.

The Coupon Winner is...

Thanks for everyone who commented on my menu plan for the month, at the end of the post I mentioned something about giving away a stack of coupons (including a few great FREE item coupons). The winner, as selected by random.org, is...

Comment #6: Rachael

I don't have your email, so if you could email me with your address- I'll get them out to you right away. Thanks to everyone who entered!

PS. If you didn't win, that's okay. You still have a shot at an awesome new PUR pitcher, and as of now there are only 8 entries! Go here to enter!

Menu Review Monday

Since we're eating from the pantry this month, and I've already planned out most of our meals for the month- I figured I use my Mondays to review how we're doing. We stocked up before hand on milk, bread, a bag of salad, and a few 2liters of coke (at $1.17 for 4 bottles, otherwise the temptation to buy soda might've been too much for the husband). While we may only be 4 days into January, we've actually been eating from our pantry since about the 27th and it's been going well. We were able to throw together some neat appetizers and have guests over for New Years Eve. Here's the recap of what we've been eating:

1. Hamburger meat w/tomato sauce and corn, served with tortillas (a childhood favorite of mine, the toddler ate 2 servings). The husband went to a friend's for football (taking a bag of chips, jar of peanuts, and homemade brownie bites).
2. We went out for dinner with the husband's mom, sister, and uncle. I made and brought over a loaf of Garlic-Herb Braid Bread, that turned out pretty good.
3. Turkey, Rice, and cheese veggie casserole (I bumped the Tortellini in favor of this, because the Turkey was already in the fridge and the tortellini is frozen anyways). Husband took half the leftovers for lunch and the toddler and I will be eating the other half for lunch as well.
4. Today! We're doing tacos with mexican rice. You just sub in a bit of tomato sauce for the water and we add a bit of spice (and maybe some tomato or onion if we're feeling fancy).

It really has been great so far! It certainly doesn't feel like we're trying to scrap together meals from whatever we can find, although I was shocked at how low I was on flour. I think that this challenge is really going to help me discover where the holes are in my stockpile. I'm tempted to amend my rules of shopping to include freebies/items with overage but only those which occur when I'm planning to shop anyways. I haven't made up my mind yet.

NEW Progresso Prize Pack Winner

...Since I never was contacted by the original winner and had no way to contact him/her, I've had to select a new winner, and that person is....

ERIN, who said "I eat a lot of beans in my diet and I love them in soup!"

Congrats! I will be emailing you shortly so we can get this prize pack off in the mail to you!

FREE Coffee at McDonalds- today only!

That's right, today only McDonalds is giving away a FREE small cup of coffee to everyone who stops by and asks today all across Western Washington. I have heard good things about their regular brewed coffee, but have never tried it myself. Anyways, here's the official scoop from the email I was sent about this:

"McDonald's is helping people in Western Washington get back to the grind in the new year with a free cup of Premium Roast Coffee on Monday, January 4, the first official workday of 2010. Customers can head to any of the 190 local McDonald’s restaurants in Western Washington to get a FREE 12 oz. Hot Premium Roast Coffee anytime from open to close that day. Limit one per person."

You can read about it here as well (along with info on a FREE vegan cinnamon roll today at Cafe Flora's in Seattle and FREE Chai at Preet's in Redmond).

Eat From the Pantry Challenge!

I am super excited about what these two ladies are hosting for the month of January- instead of Baking Day, we're all taking on an eat from the pantry challenge! This is the first time I'll be trying to make a month out of it, but after taking stock of my inventory- I'm confident I can do this! The rules I have set for myself in this challenge are:

1. I will only buy from the produce, dairy, and bread sections. Everything else must come from the freezer and pantry.
2. I will go to the store no more than once a week (although I'm hoping to limit myself to 2-3 trips total)
3. All money saved will be put into savings.

I'm working on a menu plan today (for the whole month- yikes!!) and this is what we're looking at so far (in order, although I may change things as we go):

1. Hamburger meat w/tomato sauce and corn, served with tortillas- yumm!
2. Turkey, Rice, and cheese veggie casserole
3. Stuffed tortellini in red sauce with ceaser salad
4. Tacos with Mexican rice
5. BBQ chicken, hash brown casserole, and corn
6. Beef and Vegetable Stew w/homemade rolls
7. My mom's birthday- we might take her out for dinner
8. Parmesean Crusted Tilapia with penne and broccoli in alfredo
9. Grilled Peppered Steak with Cabernet Balsamic Sauce, mashed potatoes, cooked carrots
10. Oven roasted Chicken Breasts, Stuffing, Green Beans
11. Spaghetti with meat sauce, Garlic Bread, Garden Salad
12. Chicken Enchilada Casserole
13. Pork Chops: need to google a recipe
14. BBQ Meatballs, pasta&veggie (maybe? this is not normal food for our house, but we might try it just for variety)
15. Fish Fillets (frozen), Mashed potatoes, Corn in butter sauce (freezer)
16. Dinner out maybe?
17. Crescent Roll Lasagna (husband's grandma's recipe), Garden Salad
18. Meatloaf, Hash brown Casserole, Brussel Sprouts
19. Teriyaki Chicken w/Rice and Broccoli
20. BLT's, pasta salad, and leftover hash brown casserole
21. Spaghetti with meatballs, veggies with dip
22. Cream Tuna on toast
23. ?
24. Steaks, homemade fries, corn
25. pork chops: need to google a recipe
26. Tostadas with crockpot refried beans
27. Whole Roasted Chicken, Stuffing, Mixed veggies (freezer: steam bag with potatoes and green beans)
28. Chili Dogs, veggies with dip
29. tilapia: need to google a recipe
30. Peanut Butter Chicken and Rice
31. Baked Tortellini with salad

Did you make it all the way through? I know, it's a TON to read, but there's a bonus! Are you participating? maybe not? Either way, I have an envelope full of coupons (some set to expire in January, some not, including some FREE item coupons) that I'm going to giveaway. To enter, simply leave a comment here with your email address on or before the 4th and I'll select someone at random (using random.org) to win. It's not anything amazingly fancy, but it might just perk up your coupon binder!

PUR Giveaway

I was recently provided with some information about a great event coming up later this month developed to raise money and awareness about clean water efforts (and the chance to offer a giveaway to one of my readers). I'm more than thrilled to help spread the word about this as well!

Summit on the Summit

• This January PUR is partnering with “Summit on the Summit” (SOTS), a celebrity climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro featuring Jessica Biel, Alexandra Cousteau and others that will raise awareness and funds for clean drinking water efforts. Find out more HERE
• Dr. Greg Allgood, Founder and Director of CSDW, will be joining the climb as the water authority, educating the climbers on the global water crisis and what is being done to help.

How Can You Help

• When you buy a PUR, you’re not only helping your family get clean water, but a family across the world.
• 1 System = 1 Week: For every PUR system purchase, one week of clean drinking water is provided to a child in the developing world through CSDW. To-date, CSDW has already provided 1.8 billion liters of clean water to children and their families around the world.

Why Is PUR a Smart Choice for Families?

• By simply using a PUR water filter, you will remove many of the common contaminants found in drinking water. Including: 94% of atrazine, 98% of lead and other metals, 99.9% of microbial cysts and 96-99% of pharmaceuticals.
• Switching from bottled water to filtered water and a reusable bottle can save one person up to $600 a year and eliminate up to 3,200 plastic bottles.

What great reasons to buy a PUR! Of course, winning your very own PUR Pitcher would be pretty awesome as well- here's your chance! I'm definitely excited to be giving one of these away, and here are the three ways in which you can enter (you can do all three to increase your odds!):

1. Leave me a comment, don't forget your email address so I can contact you if you win!
2. Tweet about it! I don't care if you tweet and link about the giveaway or just tweet and link people to the SOTS information. Let's spread the word about this event. (Just be sure to leave a separate comment that you tweeted with your twitter name here. Even better if you @maybefrugal!)
3. Tell me what your favorite thing about PUR filters is! In a separate comment, of course!

You have until 9pm PST on January 6th to enter, I will select a winner using random.org and announce who it is on January 7th. Good luck!

Disclosure: I was provided with information about this event and PUR filters and offered the chance to give away a PUR Pitcher to one of my readers. I was not provided with any sort of compensation for this post.