Great grocery savings this week!

It seems like it has been a few weeks since I have had a really good savings week but this week was awesome! It was just great. And I have seen a sneak peek of next weeks sales and I think it will be good as well.
One of  the things that helped make it a good week was a Winn Dixie coupon for $5.00 off $30.00 or more purchase that I was able to use at Publix. I love that!! So because of that coupon I split my purchases into 2 different transactions. Then on Sunday there was another great surprise, There was a Publix coupon for $5.00 off $30.00 or more on the front of the Sunday Tampa newspaper!! Score! And because I get multiple copy of the paper I have a few to use and they are good until the Forth of July! So I can use them for the upcoming sales week as well! I also did 2 other transactions as well. So I will give a total savings for this week! Before sales and coupons my total, for all 4 transactions, would have been $221.67. And after sales and coupons I paid $4.76!! That is a total saving of 98%!! AWESOME!
Here are the first 2 transactions...

• 18- Great Grains Cereal!! This is Kaits Favorite cereal and I was able to get a great deal so I had to hook her up! They were $4.39 BOGO and I used manufactures coupons for $1.00 off each making them $1.19 each
• 12- Sundown Vitamins $2.99 each I used Publix Store coupons for $6.00 off 2 and Manufactures    coupons for $1.00 off each making a total OVERAGE of $12.12! 
• 4- Power aid drinks $1.25 BOGO I used a manufactures coupons for BOGO making them all FREE! 
• 4- 2 Liter Cokes $1.89 each Buy 2 get 1 Free I used 2 manufactures coupons for BOGO making them .47    each.

Because I split this into 2 transactions I was able to use 2 Winn Dixie coupons for $5.00 off $30.00 or more. Now remember the $30.00 is counted BEFORE all other coupons. So the $5.00 comes off first then all other coupons! That is the beauty of these coupons!

And here are the other 2 transactions that I did...

• 4- Pepsi and Mtn. Dew 12 packs. $3.66 each Buy 3 get one Free. I use manufactures coupons for $1.00/2 12 packs. $2.24 each
  
• 12- Vitamins $2.99 each I used a Publix store coupons for $6.00 off 2 and manufactures coupons for $1.00 off each making a total OVERAGE of $12.12!
  
• 2- Great Grains Cereals $4.39 BOGO I used Manufactures coupons for $1.00 off each and store coupons for .75 off each Making them .44 each Sadly I only had 2 manufactures coupons left or I would have gotten more.
  
• 2- 5 lb Dixie Crystals Sugars $2.99 each I used a Store coupon for .55 off each making them $2.44 each
  
• 6- Pioneer Gravy Mixes .99 and 1.19 each I used a Store coupon for .55 off 2 making them .71 and .91
  
• 4- Rosetto Raviolis $3.99 each BOGO I used manufactures coupons for $1.50 off 2 making them $1.24 each. These are great for easy quick meals!
  
• 1- Jello Temptations $2.89 I used a manufactures coupon for one free making it FREE!

And here is a photo of my Sunday Morning Suprise!!

I know that it does not seem like much to make healthy family meals with but this is the best way to stretch you grocery budget by taking advantage of what is on sale and stocking up when it is at the Rock bottom price. I have plenty of things that will keep us going for healthy meals and snacks from previous weeks sales. I also have started using local produce stands, and even local farmers that sell on the side of the road, To get fresh produce. This helped a ton because the sale at the grocery store for produce have been terrible and not the prices that I am willing to pay. SO this has been a great help for that! I will write more on this another time.
If you have any questions please just ask and I will be happy to help out!

Chris

Nintendo DS Decals You Can Make at Home

Throughout 2010, Christy collected about $175 of Amazon gift cards with her membership at Swagbucks. By using those gift cards, paired up with some KILLER Amazon Christmas deals, we were able to get each of our girls a Nintendo DSi XL for Christmas. Basically, we ended up paying about $90 out-of-pocket, for both systems. What an AMAZING deal!  And it made for some awesome savings for us.

Image via Wikipedia

Because of the deal, we bought the exact same colored game system for each of them. So both systems looked exactly the same.  When they were able to pick themselves up off of the floor, that Christmas morning, they decided they wanted to customize each game to make them each look unique.  They didn't want them both to look the same, but to reflect their own personality's on each. 

Instead of going out and buying regular, store-brand DSI skins, Christy came up with an idea for the girls to create their own custom Nintendo DSi Decals.


Christy used to be an avid scrapbooker, back in the hay-days of scrapbooking. Throughout those years, she had built-up quite a collection of rub-ons.  Essentially, a rub-on is a product very much like a sticker.  You can rub them onto almost any surface, and it will stick like a sticker.  They are almost like temporary tattoos.   'Rub-ons', as they are called, can be found in scrapbooking stores, and to people in the paper crafting market.  The part of  using rub-ons, is that you are able to mix-and-match unique designs and patterns together in order to create your own custom look for your DSI console.

How to Create Your Own Custom Nintendo DSI Decals
You'll need to have a steady hand, and a little bit of creative inspiration, to create some really cool designs for your DSi system.  Here you can take a look at the process we used, and see what the girls came up with when  putting the rub-ons on their games.

1. First of all, you start with your basic game system console. Ours were both the same color, so they wanted to do something that would make each one a unique look

2. Second, Christy pulled out her HUGE collection of rub-ons, and each of the girls went through all of them.  They were looking for that perfect design, so they could get the exact look they each wanted.
   This is not an easy decision, by any stretch of the imagination.
Here you can see Chris and Kait painstakingly pouring over each rub-on to get that perfect look.

3. After you have chosen the perfect rub-on images, you'll want to carefully pre-plan the design layout onto your game console BEFORE you rub them on.
   **Important note** Don't accidentally push down or press the rub-on designs until you have chosen exactly where you want them. Rub-ons are notoriously sticky, and have been known to come off and stick to surfaces even before you want them to.
4. After you have carefully chosen the layout for your designs, precisely how you want them, go ahead and thoroughly rub the designs onto your game console. You want to do each rub-on piece separately.  You should build up your custom DSi decal, one piece at a time, as you go along.

5. Once you have rubbed on each piece of your design, onto your game, you can admire your creative inspiration.  And you can be happy knowing you have designed a one-of-a-kind, custom Nintendo DS decal.

In the picture above... each of the flowers is a separate rub-on, and
the swirly shapes are different rub-ons as well.

Here's a quick follow-up comment on using rub-ons for your DS game consoles:

It is now June, and the girls use their Nintendo DS consoles almost every day.  They both still have each of their designs on their consoles.  Admittedly, the designs are getting quite tattered and rough looking.  But, here is the cool thing... at any time, they could re-do either of their designs.  So, unlike adding paint or messy stickers, they can change their custom DS look whenever they want to create a completely new look.

If your kids want a way to customize their Nintendo DS games, this is a great way to get them their own Nintendo DS decals.

Benefits of Membership - Reciprocal membership at zoo's, museums, and parks

Image via WikipediaOne of the things I hate most about financial planners, right now, is that they are happy to give you advice to sit on your butt, for a big payoff later.   Of course, they don't come right out and say... "Go ahead and sit on your left butt-cheek for the next 495 years, bored out of your mind, night after night, and let the money in your bank account slowly creep upwards until you can afford to retire at the age of 84." 

No!  

They paint you a picture of how bad your retirement could be.  For example, they might suggest the following scenario...

What if you slip and fall on your kitchen floor, you spill hot boiling coffee all over your skin, you break both hips in the fall, unable to move or call, you're now trapped in your soiled Depends, and since you bought a park membership when you were 33, you are now unable to afford Life Alert.  And to-top-it-all-off you're helplessly lying there starving to death.

Then, once you've gotten their picture, they encourage you to give up all normal living expenses, now, for that HUGE payoff when you retire.     


However, one of the hardest parts about staying sane in your day-to-day life, now, is to have new and interesting activities you can do with your family.  Sitting on your couch, watching the paint peel off the walls with your kids, is NOT an exciting activity - although most of these financial planners would probably tell you it's a perfectly fine event you can enjoy together.
Image via Wikipedia
So, one of the best uses of your family finances, is to get long-term memberships at local organizations, like zoo's, museums, or parks.  Wisely used, the benefits of membership to these places can easily pay for themselves in fun and entertainment for your entire family.  This fact is no surprise to most parents out there.

What you may not be aware of, is the reciprocal membership benefits you get by owning your membership.  You see... by getting a membership at one organization, you are usually granted reciprocity to other places as well.  Typically this is a free reciprocal exchange. 

Here is a perfect example of what I mean:

Today, Groupon.com is offering a year-long membership to an aquarium in St. Pete, Florida.  One of the main links on their website, is the reciprocal visits calendar.  When you look at the calendar, you can view all of the other parks, museums, gardens, and aquariums you can visit throughout your year long membership. 

You see, by getting a membership to this one aquarium, you are also gaining access to at least 7 other organizations in the surrounding area. That's powerful!  And that's a great way to save money.

Now, couple on top of that the opportunity to use two other cost savings tricks.

• First:
  Like I mentioned above, you might be able to find a discounted membership to the organization of your choice.  If so... DO IT!
• Second:
  The other way to save a little more money, is to find out which of the reciprocal locations has the lowest annual membership costs.  And then, purchase the membership for that one.  Usually all of the organizations have the same reciprocal exchanges with all the other parks, so you can get the same access by joining the lowest cost member organization.
  For example, in Oregon we used to purchase memberships to a children's museum in Salem.  That membership also gave us access to other higher-priced parks in the Portland area.  

These last two strategies may not always work.  But they are definitely worth looking into, especially if you want to save money on those memberships.  

Dirt-cheap Drano - Try this Vinegar and Baking Soda Drain Cleaner

Image via WikipediaIn this article you'll learn how three common household items can save you from blowing $45, wasting 90 minutes of your time, and protect you from the trauma of plumber's crack.


Have you ever had a sink, tub, or shower drain that just wouldn't let the water flow right?  No matter what you do... scrub it, clean it, remove all the debris you can, or scrape with a knife - it just won't drain right?  Before you scour your newspaper for drano coupons, you owe it to yourself to try this dirt-cheap Drain-o solution first.

We have used this technique on three different bathroom tubs that were sluggishly draining when we took baths or showers.  By the end of our showers, the drain was so slow we'd have an inch or two of water in the bottom of our tub.  That's not to say that all drains can be fixed this way.  BUT, before you decide to spend a bunch of money, this might be a good, cheap option you can try?

1. (Come back to read more after you do this step)  Right now, stop reading, set this page down, and go put a medium pot of water on high to boil.
   
2. Now that your water is on to boil, go sprinkle a half cup of baking soda down into your clogged drain. 
   
3. Follow the baking soda with a half cup of regular, cheap white vinegar.  Let them sit in your drain a few minutes - 5-10 minutes - until your water starts to boil.
   
4. ** VERY IMPORTANT ** Walk very carefully when you do this step - NO TRIPPING!  Carry your boiling water to your plugged drain, and pour it slowly down the drain.  

BAM - your drain should have instantly improved its draining abilities.  If it's still a little slower than you think it should be, you can repeat the steps again.  Sometimes a third treatment can help.

After this treatment, your drain should flow like a spring of river water.  If it doesn't, then you know it's time to call in the big guns - like Mr. Roto Rooter.  At least you tried a much cheaper alternative first.  Right?