~My Albertson's Trip!~

We went to Albertson's this weekend mainly for the cereal deal, but then I looked at the ad and found a few other good deals. I do have to put out a warning about Albertson's...WATCH them ring you up. Several items rang up wrong, the BOGO FREE items did not come off, and every coupon was questioned. To say the least, it was annoying! I'm glad I got these deals, but quickly remembered why I don't shop there!

Purex (not in pic)
$1.99
-$1 q
=.99

Watermelon
$3.99

Grapes .99 per lb

Peter Pan
.99

2 Gorton's Fish (Buy 1 Get 1 FREE sale)
$7.49
-.50 q (doubled)
-$1 q
=$5.49 for 2 ($2.75 each)

Farmland ham
$1
-.75 q
=.25

2 Planter's
.88
-$1/2
=.38 it what I should have paid, however the cashier couldn't fix the mistake of them ringing up for $1.38. Anyway, I ended up getting them FREE due to his mistake. I'm not complaining :)

Items below were part of the "Buy 4 get $4 off Promo":


8 Cheerios
$1.50
-$1/2
=$1 each
*anytime I get cereal for $1 per box, I stock up*

16 Nature Valley Granola Bars
$1.50
-.75/2 q
=$1.12 per box

Retail= $117.44
Paid= $42.07

Happy Monday!
SHO

~Dallas JBF 1/2 Price Sale TODAY!

The Dallas JBF Half Price Sale is TODAY!!!
Sunday, March 27, 2011
noon- 6pm

For more information about the Dallas JBF Sale, go HERE.


Sunday Blessings!
SHO

~My Tom Thumb Trip!~

Ran into Tom Thumb last night to use the $5 off $15 frozen food purchase coupon from the ad. I wasn't sure what I would get, but I knew that I could easily find $15 worth of frozen food to make this coupon worth using. This is what I got:

1 Stouffer's lasagna (party size)
Reg. $11.99
Sale $9.99
=$1 q
=$8.99

2 Eggo Waffles
Reg. $2.79
Sale 2/$4

Ore-Ida
Reg. $3.50
Sale $1.99

Retail= $21.07
Spent= $9.98 (after my coupon & the $5 coupon in the ad)

Hope you are able to get out and enjoy this beautiful weather today!

Saturday Blessings!
SHO

~JBF this Weekend!~

Don't forget about the JBF sale this weekend!

Saturday March 26th
10am-8pm

Sunday, March 27, 2011
noon- 6pm
Half Price Sale!!!

Be sure to bring a laundry basket to shop!

For more information about the Dallas JBF Sale, go HERE.

Can't wait to hear about the deals you find!

Happy Saturday!
SHO

~My Kroger Trip~

I ran into Kroger last night to pick up some milk and I couldn't pass up getting a few of the promo event sale items. Kroger is still running the "Buy 10 participating items, get $5 off" promo. The prices below reflect the sale price after the promo discount.

3 Annie's mac & cheese
Reg. $1.99
Sale .49

2 Pace picante sauce
Reg. $3.19
Sale $1.99
-.50/2 q (doubled)
=$1.49 each

2 Crystal Light
Reg. $2.68
Sale $1.99
*makes it the same price as the Kroger brand*

2 Planter's peanuts
Reg. $3.19
Sale $1.99
-$1/2 q
=$1.50 each

2 Marachun noodles
Reg. .99
sale .88
-.50 q (doubled)
=FREE!

Cuties
Reg. $5.99
Sale $2.99
-.35 q (tripled)
=$1.94

Oscar Mayer hot dogs
Reg. $3.69
Sale .99

2 Milk
Reg. $2.99
sale $2.19
-PROMO DEAL (see below)
=FREE!!!


This is a great promo deal! Buy 4 participating Kellogg's items and get 2 FREE Springdale milks!!

4 Nutri-grains
Reg $3.59
Sale $2.69
-$1/2 q
=$1.89 each
*That makes them cheaper than the Kroger brand equivalent, PLUS you get 2 FREE milks which is a value of $5.98!

Retail $59.68
Spent $21.92
That is a savings of over 64%.

The best news...I have a new camera lens!!! I'm still going to get my broken one fixed, but I didn't want to be without my camera for 4-6 weeks. I'm loving my new lens :)

Friday Blessings~
SHO

~3 Coupon Inserts Scheduled~

There should be 3 coupon inserts in the Sunday newspaper:

*1 RedPlum
*2 SmartSource

Happy Clipping!
SHO

~JBF is Open!~

Make plans now to attend the Just Between Friends Sales Event Dallas/Mesquite!

You just have to see it to believe it! 36,000 square feet!!!

Find great deals on everything you need for babies & children including:

cribs • joggers • strollers • nursery items • baby & children's clothing • maternity
toys, toys, toys! • books • family DVDs • dress-up clothing • play sets • and more!

For more information go HERE!

Happy Thursday!
SHO

~Old Navy 30% Off!~

Click HERE for an Old Navy 30% off in-store printable coupon! Coupon valid 3/17-3/24.

SHO

~JBF is HERE!

Good Morning Sassy Savers!

I spent 2.5 hours last night at the JBF drop-off. Let me just tell you all that I have never seen so much stuff at any sale! This is my 3rd time to consign and 4th time to attend the event. The 36,000 square foot room was filled with items to choose from in every department! If you are needing/wanting ANYTHING, you must attend this sale!

Good Morning America will be there today following 3 shoppers. All of the local Dallas news stations will also be covering the event at some point today. Be sure to tune in!

Just Between Friends Dallas
March 24-27, 2011
Mesquite Rodeo Exhibit Hall

For more information, go HERE!

Happy Wednesday!
SHO

~JBF Starts Tomorrow!~

JBF Dallas is this week! I'm excited, are you? Remember this is a great way to shop for your kiddos at a fraction of the cost. Plus, everything is under one roof!
Do you remember my friend Christy? She outfits all 3 of her kiddos from head-to-toe for the entire year at JBF. She was able to completely outfit (pajamas, shoes, accessories, socks, gloves, coats, jeans, all school clothing) for 3 kids for $250. That is $83.33 per child! That is pretty AWESOME!

Clothing:


All of the outfits Christy bought are from Baby Gap, Old Navy, Babys R Us, and Children's Place. She paid $20 for these at the JBF sale. If you figured each outfit at the store at $15 (probably cost more) that would make the retail $75. That is a savings of $55!

Bows:

Christy bought 14 bows, which sell for $3 at Kid to Kid. That would be $42 at the store. Christy paid $3 for all of them!

Shoes:


Christy paid $42 for 14 pair plus $5 for a brand new pair of Heely's. Some of the brand names include Buster Brown, Gymboree, Children's Place, Old Navy, and Sketchers. If she had paid retail for these, the price would have been over $180!!!

Are you ready to shop JBF now? I am! For more information regarding the JBF Dallas sale, go HERE!

Just Between Friends Dallas
March 24-27, 2011
Mesquite Rodeo Exhibit Hall

Happy Tuesday!
SHO

~Sale Ads Make Couponing Easy!~

Has anyone noticed that the ads are doing the coupon match-ups for you? I started noticing it in several ads a few weeks ago. Pretty great if you don't like to figure out the scenarios on your own!

They are making couponing easy now :)

Happy Monday!
SHO

~Happy Spring!~

It is officially Spring!

Happy Sunday!

SHO

~JBF v. Garage Sale~

As promised earlier in the week, today I'm going to post about the benefits of JBF v. Garage Sale.

1. JBF gets thousands of people looking at your clothing, which makes it more likely to be sold. You never know how many lookers you will get at a garage sale.

2. JBF sells your stuff for you, instead of you spending days preparing for and working a garage sale. Now, there is time spent making JBF tags. However, it is a much easier process than setting up and working a 2 day garage sale!

3. JBF has a better selection. JBF items are inspected so that nothing with holes or stains makes the sale. Anything goes at a garage sale!

4. JBF is an indoor facility. Rain or shine, JBF goes on!

5. You get more money out of selling at JBF than a garage sale. Example: a nice Easter dress will be sold for $8-$10 at JBF and only $1-$2 at a garage sale. People shopping JBF will spend more because they are expecting better quality clothing.



Sale Dates:
March 24-27, 2011
Thursday-Saturday 10am-8pm
Sunday (1/2 price) noon-6pm

For more information on the Dallas JBF Sale, go HERE!

Happy Saturday Sassy Savers!

SHO

~My Tom Thumb Trip!~

Yesterday I ran into Tom Thumb and got a few deals. However, when I got home to take a pic of it all my lens on my Nikon broke! I was just sick over it (still am). Luckily, I called Nikon and found out that I have a 5 year warranty on it. Now I just pray that whatever is wrong with it will be covered under the warranty. So, this post is not very exciting without the pic...

2 Kellogg's cereal
$1.99 (with in-ad coupon)
-$1/2
=$1.50 each

Fuji apples .99 per lb (sale)

3 El Monterrey Burritos
$1.99 (with in-ad coupon)
=$1 q
=.99

Kraft dressing
$1.49 (sale)

Veggie dip
$2.99 (sale)
-$1 q
=$1.99

I purchased several items and my total was only around $10. It was a good shopping trip :)

Blessings~
SHO

~Steinmart Coupons!~

Click HERE for a $10 off $50 purchase or $20 off $100 purchase coupon at Steinmart.

Blessings~
SHO

~2 Coupon Inserts Scheduled~

There should be 2 inserts in the Sunday newspaper:

*1 RedPlum
*1 SmartSource

Happy Clipping!

Sorry the posts have been a little off this week. I have been enjoying Spring Break with my hunky hubs! Today I got to use my Christmas gifts (massage & facial). Can I tell you that it was as wonderful as it sounds! I'm so relaxed that I'm just worthless now. Such a great feeling...the relaxed part, not the worthless part! Ha!

Happy Friday Sassy Savers!
SHO

~JBF Reminder!~

Sale Dates:
March 24-27, 2011
Thursday-Saturday 10am-8pm
Sunday (1/2 price) noon-6pm

For more information on the Dallas JBF Sale, go HERE!

Blessings~
SHO

~Happy St. Patty's Day!~

My little Legacy did something wonderful on Saturday! At 4 years old she donated her hair to Locks of Love! We are so proud of her. Just wanted to share with my Sassy Savers :)
BEFORE:

AFTER:

Our sweet friend and hair stylist Mrs. Allyssa :)


The BIG cut...over 10 inches!

Mini-me LOVES her new hair! She is so excited to wear it down now.


Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. They meet a unique need for children by using donated hair to create the highest quality hair prosthetics. Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. The prostheses we provide help to restore their self-esteem and their confidence, enabling them to face the world and their peers.

~Snapfish 100 prints only $5!~

Snapfish is offering 100 prints for just $5 shipped! Use coupon code PADDY20 at checkout. Offer valid until March 21st, 2011.

Hope you all are having a great Wednesday! We have been on the road all day, but are home now :)

Wednesday Blessings~
SHO

~JBF Items Sold!~

Question: What items are sold at JBF?

Answer: Almost everything related to children!

*Baby gear (car seats, strollers, bouncy seats, bumbos, high chairs, pack & plays, etc)
*Baby furniture
*Pumps & nursing related items (boppy)
*Toys (hard plastic)
*Outdoor Play Equipment
*Clothes (children & maternity)
***Only the best clothes that are stain free will be sold. All clothing is inspected!***
*Books (I'm selling all my pregnancy type books this time)
*Shoes (I've had great luck selling my daughter's shoes...Only shoes in good condition will be accepted. All shoes will be inspected this year too!)

These are just a few of the items sold at the Dallas JBF Sale! For more information go HERE. Don't forget the sale is next week!

Happy Tuesday Sassy Savers!
SHO

~JBF is Next Week!~

Good Morning Sassy Savers!

Hope everyone is enjoying Spring Break! I spent several hours yesterday working on my JBF items that I'm taking to the sale. Often people ask me if it is worth the work? Yes, Yes, Yes it is! I'm going to be doing a post this week on the benefits of JBF v. a garage sale.

Sale Dates:
March 24-27, 2011
Thursday-Saturday 10am-8pm
Sunday (1/2 price) noon-6pm

For more information on the Dallas JBF Sale, go HERE!

Happy Monday!
SHO

~2 Coupon Inserts Scheduled~

There should be 2 coupon inserts in the Sunday paper:

*1 RedPlum
*1 SmartSource

Happy Friday and the beginning of Spring Break!

Blessings~
SHO

~$25 off $50 Gap Purchase!~

Gap is offering $25 off $50 purchase if you enter your cell phone number HERE! They will send you a text with a code that you can show at the store to get the discount. If you swear by Gap jeans, this would be the time to buy them basically half off!

*Offer valid 3/10-3/16 for in-store purchases only. Be sure to read the coupon if you have any questions.

Happy Friday!
SHO

~My Mexican Lasagna Recipe!~

Several of you want to know about the Mexican Lasagna that I posted on Menu Wednesday. I'm going to do my best to remember what I put in it. It was one of those meals that I just sort of threw together! My mom does that all the time and is always coming up with something yummo :)


Bottom layer:
tortilla
refried beans (used fat free)
ground beef (used 93/7)
shredded cheese

Middle layer:
tortilla
refried beans
Mexican rice
ground beef
salsa

Top layer:
tortilla
refried beans
shredded cheese

Then I baked it for about 20 minutes on 350. There are so many different variations of this that can be made. I'm sure they would all be good!

Happy Day!
SHO

~JBF Re-Fashion Project!~

My mind is on JBF since it is only 2 weeks away! I wanted to share with you all a re-fashion from one of my JBF purchases in the fall. Finding deals like this is just one of the many reasons why I HEART JBF!


It was a plain camo jacket when I purchased it for $5 at the JBF sale. I sewed the pink trim & ironed on the angel wings. Total investment was less than $15! If I would have bought this at a craft sale (Canton) or boutique it would have been well over $40.

Here are some pics without the adorable model:



For information on the upcoming JBF Dallas sale (located in Mesquite) click HERE!
Blessed~
SHO

~Menu Wednesday!~

Mexican lasagna (that is what I like to call it)

Steak, baked potato & green beans

Spaghetti, spinach salad & sourdough bread

Vegetable beef & noodle soup

Taco Soup (I've been making this each week and eating for my lunch. It's easy, tastes good and I know how many WW points it has!)

That's what is cookin' at my house! What's cookin' at your house?

Wednesday Blessings~
SHO

~100 prints for $5 at Snapfish!~

Get 100 prints from Snapfish for just $5 shipped. Upload your prints to Snapfish, then order 100 4×6 prints and use coupon code STPATPRNT .

Happy Tuesday!
SHO

~JBF is 2 Weeks Away!~

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! The JBF sale is only 2 weeks away!!! Are you getting excited?! I am! If you live in the Dallas area, you must check out this sale. It is a great place to shop for EVERYTHING!


*This is a Gymboree skirt I picked up at the sale for $3.50. It looks brand new and is in perfect condition! This is just one example of high quality clothing at great prices.

For more information about JBF, go HERE!

~February Budget Review~

How did your Feb. budget end up looking??
How did you do?
How much did you save?
Are you sticking to your budget?

My savings was not where I wanted it to be this month. We had to replace a toilet & pay someone to install it. Not fun! Literally, it is like watching money go down the drain...TMI??? Ha!


When we bought this home it needed a new master toilet since the lid was gone. However, no one ever goes back there and it was something that could wait. Well, that was until it started leaking! My hubbs replaced all of the "guts" of the toilet, but it still leaked. So, a new toilet was the answer! The leaking started impacting our water bill ($15-$20 per month). We are now (not so proud) owners of a Kohler water efficient toilet. Okay, enough toilet talk!


My point here is that things come up and sometimes you can't hit your savings goal. It is okay. Don't give up...Don't fall off the wagon...Pick yourself up and get started on saving again!

Monday Blessings~
SHO

~Chick-Fil-A FREEBIE!~

Chick-fil-a FREEBIE!

Today (2-4 pm)if you mention the new Heinz Dip & Squeeze Sauce, you will get one FREE medium order of waffle potato fries! These are the only details that I have. If you have any questions, call your local Chick-fil-a. They are the nicest people!

I HEART FREE!
SHO

~2 Coupon Inserts Scheduled~

There are 2 inserts scheduled for the Sunday newspaper:

*1 SmartSource
*1 RedPlum

Happy Clipping!
SHO

~JBF is 3 Weeks Away!~

JBF is 3 weeks away!!!

Spring 2011
Children's & Maternity Consignment Sale in Dallas
Just Between Friends Dallas
March 24-27, 2011
Mesquite Rodeo Exhibit Hall

Join as a consignor and make 65% on your items that sell. Volunteers get to shop FIRST and make 70% on sold items.

Admission is $3 on Thursday, March 24 ONLY
all other days are FREE!

For more information click HERE to enter the site!

Happy Thursday Sassy Savers!
SHO

~How to Save Money~Part 7~

Today I'm posting about how to save money on entertainment. Entertainment to me is something that is not "needed", but a desire to have fun. Several people get confused on the budget and put way too much money in this category. If you are in debt, honestly you should not have this category in your budget probably. We have not always had an "entertainment budget". We have a very small amount in it now. We try to make the money stretch by doing the following:

Dining Out
*This is said to be the #1 budget buster! Either don't eat out at all or plan before you go. Have a budget in mind and work within it. Don't be afraid to split a meal. The portions are so large there is usually plenty to share. We often split fajitas and order extra tortillas. We always leave full and save the cost of an extra meal (usually $10-$14).
*Use Restaurant.com gift certificates! We use one of these per month. It is so nice to be able to get such a nice discount! Be sure to read the fine print before you go so that you know the amounts that you need to purchase. We only buy certificates to the places with $35 minimum.
*Call ahead and find out who is offering FREE kids meals. If you have multiple children, that can save BIG!
*Clip the coupons in your "junk mail". We saved almost $7 at Taco Bueno the other day just by taking the coupon with us from the junk mail.
*Ask for gift cards to your favorite restaurants for your birthday or Christmas. We started doing this and the person buying the gift card loves that they know exactly what you want and everyone is happy. We just enjoyed The Cheesecake Factory last weekend and used a gift card we got for Christmas. (Thanks Cory!)

Rent movies
*We rarely go to the movies, but we love to watch movies. So, we rent from Redbox. Usually we have a FREE movie code!

Dates
*Swap childcare with a friend and you have zero out-of-pocket expense for babysitting!
*Again, get creative! We have a weekly date night after our daughter goes to bed. It is our time to reconnect and have fun. Going on a date doesn't have to mean spending lots of money or even leaving the house...Quality time and full attention make the best dates!
*Have a themed date at home each week. Your spouse will love that you took time to plan something just for the 2 of you. This doesn't have to cost anything (bubble bath date, spa themed date, etc).
*Ask for childcare as a gift! If you have a birthday coming up and a friend asks what you want, tell them a date with your honey (alone).


Hope this blesses someone today or inspires someone to try something new in order to save money and still be entertained!

Wednesday Blessings~
SHO

~My Kroger Trip~

Kroger trip:

This is a typical week just after our new month starts (we get paid monthly). Usually it involves the most expensive trip for the month. Not everything has a coupon or is name brand. My rule is that it needs to be cheaper than the store brand with the coupon for it to be worth my time and effort.

3 Mentos gum
Reg. $1.59
Sale $1
-.50 q (doubled)
=FREE!

5 Suave Shampoo
.91
-.50 q (doubled)
=FREE!

New York Croutons
Reg. $1.79
Sale $1.50
-.50 q (doubled)
=.50

2 Eggs (large)
Reg. $1.69
Sale $1

2 Milk (not in pic)
$1.99

5 Beans .68

Bakery Bread
Reg. $1.29
Sale $1

Spinach $2.29
Broccoli $2.49

Mission Tortillas
Reg. $1.69
Sale $1
*This is a stock-up price! These things can be frozen.

2 Uncle Ben's Rice
$2.19
-$1 q
=$1.19

Ranch packet .59
Taco seasoning .47
Chips $2

Welch's juice
Reg. $4.59
Sale $2.99
-$1 q
=$1.99

Nature Valley
$2.51
-.50 q (doubled)
=$1.51


Retail= $40.77
Paid=$21.62 - $3 catalina =$18.62

Happy Tuesday!
SHO

~How Restaurant.com Works~

Several people have asked me how Restaurant.com works recently, so I thought I would do a post to try to explain it.

How does it work?
Super easy! You put in your zip code and it will list the restaurants available in that zip code. Select the certificate you wish to purchase and then enter the promo code at checkout. You will pay on the site and then print the certificate yourself. This is really great because you can print it and then go and use it a few minutes later!
Also, if you are taking a vacation this summer be sure to check out the gift certificates offered in that zip code!

At the restaurant...
Tell the waiter that you have a Restaurant.com gift certificate so they know and don't have to re-do your ticket at the end.

Read the restrictions...
Example: Usually, you have to spend $35 in order to use a $25 gift certificate. However, some restaurants have a higher amount. It is clearly stated on the site. Just wanted to remind you.

Honestly, we LOVE these certificates at our house. We go to a local Mexican restaurant once a month and use a certificate (usually you can only use 1 per month at the same restaurant). We end up getting $35 worth of food for around $16 with tip and everything. It is really a great deal!

Hope this helps clear up how this works. I only put deals that I have done or would be willing to do on this site. I don't believe there is any reason to list every deal known to man if I wouldn't even try it myself. Please let me know if you need anymore assistance with this and hopefully I can help.

Ready to give it a try? Today is the final day for the 80% off. Be sure to use code DINE at checkout to get $25 certificates for only $2!

Be blessed~
SHO

~2 Coupon Inserts Scheduled~

There are 2 coupon inserts scheduled for the Sunday paper:

*1 SmartSource
*1 Proctor & Gamble

Happy Clipping!

SHO

~Restaurant.com 80% Off!~

GET $25 GIFT CERTIFICATES FOR ONLY $2!
Enter Promo Code: DINE

Offer ends Monday, February 28th

Happy Thursday!
SHO

~Menu Wednesday!~

We had a fun & busy weekend, so I have been sort of making my menu up as I go. Luckily, I have plenty of stuff on hand to choose from. Here is what we have on the menu this week:

Subway Sandwiches (not home)
Stuffed Pitas (ground beef, grilled chicken, pinto beans, mushrooms, spinach & cheese)
Beef Stroganoff w/ mushrooms & green beans
Pita Pizza (needed to finish up the pitas) w/ spinach salad
Chicken sandwich on bun

I try to plan my menu around the fresh items and the items about to expire. This week I planned 2 meals off fresh mushrooms and the pitas that are expiring this week. Luckily, there is a lot that can be done with both so we are not eating the same meals over and over.

Happy Wednesday!
SHO

~Life Without a Cell Phone or Facebook!~

My life without a cell phone or facebook account.

Often (every time someone realizes I don't have either) people will GASP and then ask "HOW DO YOU LIVE WITHOUT A CELL PHONE OR FACEBOOK account?!"

My answer is "BEAUTIFULLY"! I have a really great life that is not full of craziness or the overwhelming feeling of having to be in everyone's business 24/7. It is great! When someone tells me something face to face I have a genuine reaction since I have not read it before. I feel really important if I get an email or call before they post on facebook ;)

Life without a cell phone did a take a little adjusting to, but not too long. Honestly, cell phones are sort of a peeve of mine now. I get very annoyed at people who talk on them while driving, text while driving (my hubs was in a wreck recently due to a girl texting while driving...grrrrr) and the most annoying is when people talk on the phone when checking out. Let me just say that if you are using coupons, that is NOT the way to gain favor from a checker! Okay, enough about that!

My point is that you can live without a cell phone. It is such an easy thing to cut out of your budget. Most people pay $80+ per month for service. Imagine if you put that money into your debt snowball??? Or what if you saved $80 per month for 1 year and went on a vacation? You would have saved $960.00 in 12 months for a very small sacrifice. You can do it!

A quick note about why we are not involved with social networking sites...Simple...I don't have time and am not willing to make the time. Nothing against those who do, it is just not for us. I'm doing my best to limit all media in our lives. I'm so much more productive and less stressed when it is limited. I will also add that every person that I speak with about struggling with time to clip coupons has a facebook account. Most people don't even realize how much valuable time is spent (wasted) each day on social networking sites when they could be finding ways to better budget their time & money. I want encourage you to limit your time on those sites and use that time to better your financial future.

Anytime I think I want to add something into the budget, I think about all of the traveling that we like to do and how much that will impact our ability to continue going on trips and vacations each year. It just isn't worth it for us.

Now that I have SHOCKED all my Sassy Savers, I'm going to log off :)

Happy Tuesday!
SHO

~How to Save Money~Part 6

How to save money in 2011: Insurance & Prescriptions

Medical Insurance:
*We raised our medical deductible (kept same coverage) on our daughter and that lowered our monthly payment over $80!

Life Insurance:
*My hubs lost some weight and we were able to change his life insurance over to a "premium" category. Simply by losing 10 lbs, he is in a better category and will save us $90 annually!
*We went through a life insurance broker (some of you have asked).

Home & Auto Insurance:
*Check on your premiums annually to see if there is a better deal out there. We use a broker that represents multiple companies. It is nice to make only 1 call and get several quotes. He gives us the best 3 out of his search. By using a broker we have saved hundreds of dollars!

Medicines
*We switched all of our prescription meds over to the Kroger generic $4 list after our insurance deductible went sky high. This took me calling the pharmacy to see what generic would be comparable to what I was taking already (if it didn't have a generic). Then I called my Dr. office and explained that I wanted to switch and why. I had recently been into the Dr., so they didn't need me to come in. Even if I did have to have an office visit of $25-$35 co-pay, it would have been worth it. They were very nice and sent over the new prescription without any problems. This saves us hundreds annually!
*There were 2 antibiotics that were not available on the Kroger list and that cost us about $50 each. I just wanted to add that so you didn't get frustrated if everything you need is not on the list.

I hope this helps someone today. I have LOVED hearing back from some of you on how much this series is helping and that you are learning something new. That blesses me!

Happy Monday Sassy Savers!
SHO

~1 Coupon Insert!~

There is 1 coupon insert scheduled for the Sunday paper:

*RedPlum

Happy Clipping!
SHO

~100 Prints $5 at Snapfish!~

Get 100 prints from Snapfish for only $5 shipped by using code
CUPIDPICS!

Offer good through February 20, 2011.

Happy Thursday!
SHO

~Pantry Challenge Update!~

Pantry Challenge

We did it! We managed to not get any groceries for 13 days!!! We could have made it 14, but didn't want to waste my Sunday afternoon shopping. It felt good to have a plan and to not run to the store for anything. Plus, my budget thanked me ;)

It was not too terribly hard. However, we had many things that sounded good that we would be missing one ingredient for. Normally, we would have just picked it up at the store. My hubby LOVED not having to pick anything up on his way home ;) It took getting a little creative and really going through my recipes to see what we could put together. It all worked out in the end.

I know some of you have already taken the challenge and I'm excited for you! If you haven't, I encourage you to get a plan and get creative. You will save 100% by not spending anything! He he (I thought that was funny!)

Speaking of funny...

Sunday evening mini-me was telling us what she had learned at church. She demonstrated how Jesus walked on water with her little water papers (see pic). She then said "Mommy, Jesus walked on water. Can you?"
"Ummmm No" said this mommy.

Happy Wednesday!
SHO

~My Kroger Trip~

Colgate
reg $2.19
sale .98
-$1 q
=FREE!

Potatoes $1.89
Cantaloupe $1
Grapes $1.48 per lb
Spinach $2.29
Bananas .46 per lb
Milk $1.99 each

Mushrooms
Reg. $2.39
Sale $2

Simply Avocado
Reg. $1.99
-.50 q (doubled)
=$1
*I freeze these and pull them out as needed when I make tuna wraps or grilled avocados. They are super easy and ready to go!

2 Campbell's soup
.76
-.40/2 q (doubled)
=.36 each

2 Campbell's soup
$1.50
-.50/2 q (doubled)
=$1 each

2 Knorr sides
$1
-.50/2 q (doubled)
=.50 each

4 Buddig Lunch meat
Reg. .95
sale .59
-.50/4 q (doubled)
=.34 each

Kellogg's Cereal
Reg. $3.99
sale $2.50
-$1 q
=$1.50
*This is a new cereal and my hubs really likes it!

I paid $21.27 for everything in the photo. It was not a huge savings week, but I still managed to keep my bill under my budgeted amount and scored some FREE toothpaste again. Taking a list in and sticking to it is key to keeping your grocery bill within your budget.

Blessings~
SHO

~How to Save Money~Part 5~

How to save money in 2011: Part 5

Today I'm writing about taxes. Such a dirty little word to so many people. It is not my favorite word as we just wrote 2 checks for our property taxes. Here in Texas, property taxes are a small fortune!
Moving on...property taxes are not the point today. :)

Many people ask if I do my own taxes. The answer is that I can and I have, but I don't. It is worth the price to send it to an accountant. He always knows all of the new laws (which change EVERY year) and has always gotten us more back than if I would have done them. His fee pays for itself with the return.

Tax time tips:
Keep your receipts! If you purchase ANYTHING medical related, always keep your receipts. Keep your doctor visit receipts, pharmacy receipts, etc. This will be a huge help at tax time!

Keep up with everything! I keep a 3 ring binder with tabs and separate folders to house the receipts throughout the year. That way I can just go back and tally each category up. Receipts can easily get out of hand if you don't have a system in place!

Add it up! So many people assume they don't have enough to itemize. However, they don't take the time to do the leg work. Honestly, I spend HOURS just getting our stuff ready for the tax guy. If I don't produce the numbers (and proof), then he has no idea that we spent $1000k on dr. visits or $893 on pharmacy items, etc. Don't forget to include if you pay out-of-pocket for health insurance. For us, this is a HUGE expense. It made me sick when I read the actual number for 2010. I'm now in the process of trying to find new insurance again. More on that to come!

Adjust Tax With Holdings
*We changed my husband's with holdings so that we would get more money each month and not a large income tax refund. Why would we want to give the Federal Government an interest free loan when we could be accumulating interest? Put that extra money directly into savings. So many people play around with their income tax money as if it were "FREE MONEY". It is NOT free money, you earned it and it should be respected just as the other money should. This is a great time to give your savings a little boost!

Hope this helps as tax time is here! At the very least, you can be ready and organized for 2011. One last thing, tithing is a big incentive at tax time! We have always tithed and have always been able to itemize our taxes. Plus we've always gotten a tax return. I want to be very clear here...We don't tithe specifically for tax purposes. We tithe because we want to honor God and put him first in our lives and our finances. We also want 100% of our money to be blessed by God and to be obeying His word. I'm just simply stating that it is also a tax incentive. Truly, you can't out give God.


Happy Valentine's Day!
SHO

~Restaurant.com 80% Off!~

GET $25 GIFT CERTIFICATES FOR ONLY $2!
Enter Promo Code: LOVE

*Offer ends Monday, February 14th*

Happy V-Day Weekend!

SHO

~Beauty Favorites!~

These are a few beauty products that I LOVE!


Loreal Color Vive shampoo & conditioner are the best for colored or highlighted hair. I've tried pretty much every brand offered for highlighted hair, and this is my favorite. I've been using this stuff for years! It does not strip my hair or dry it out. It leaves it soft and shiny. Plus, it helps maintain my highlight longer :)


Oil of Olay Toner
I use this stuff after I take my make-up off and LOVE it! It leaves my skin feeling fresh & clean, but doesn't dry it out.

All of these items can be purchased at any drugstore, grocery store, Wal-mart, etc. for around $4 or less. Plus, there are regular coupons & sales offered making them even cheaper!

Happy Friday!
SHO

~3 Coupon Inserts Scheduled~

This Sunday there should be 3 coupon inserts in the:

*1 RedPlum
*2 SmartSource

Happy Clipping!

SHO

~Menu Wednesday!~

This week I'm doing the pantry challenge. I'll also be making another chicken dish of some sort. So far, this is what I've come up with:

Chicken noodle & veggie soup

Chili (again...it just sounds like a good thing to eat when it is snowing!)

Chicken & home style mac & cheese w/ steamed broccoli

Beef pasta dish

Homemade pizza & spinach salad

Tacos

Are any of you doing the pantry challenge this week? If so, what's cookin' at your house?

Wednesday Blessings~
SHO

~Question of the Day~

Q: How do you know what to use a coupon on?

A: I only purchase what I will actually use. UNLESS it is FREE and can be donated! My rule of using coupons is that the coupon must make the item cheaper than the store brand. Before couponing, I bought mainly all store brand (generic) products. Now, my pantry rarely has any store brand items in it. If you will wait for an item to go on sale and combine it with a coupon, it is almost always cheaper than the store brand.
Many of you ask this question often, so I hope this helps someone!

Blessings~
SHO

~2 Years of Parenting Magazine for $2!~

Go HERE to get a 2 year subscription to Parenting magazine for only $2 by using promo code TOUCHDOWN!

This would make a great gift for someone!

Happy Monday~
SHO

~AcneFree at CVS!~

We had a membership to ProActiv for years, until we tried AcneFree! It works just as good and at a fraction of the cost. Just wanted to let you all know about this product in case you have not tried it yet. This is the deal I got on it this week at CVS:

Buy 1 Get 1 50% off
$19.49
$9.74
-$3 q
-$3 q
-$4 email coupon (over $20 purchase)
=$19.23 total

*This is $17.69 (I believe) at Wal-mart. After the sale and coupons, I basically got one FREE!

Happy Weekend!
SHO

~2 Coupon Inserts Scheduled~

There should be 2 coupon inserts in the Sunday newspaper:

*1 RedPlum
*1 SmartSource

Happy Clipping!

SHO

~FREE Brownie Sundae at Chili's!~

Go HERE to print a coupon for a FREE Brownie Sundae at Chili's!
This makes me wish I wasn't fasting sugar! Yummo :)

*Offer expires February 10th!

Blessings~
SHO

~How to Save Money~Part 4~

Today I am writing about how to save money on utilities. Hope this information blesses you all on this very cold day. Enjoy!

Phone:
*We changed our phone to the bare minimum and saved $50 per month instantly! This is savings of $600 annually!
*We use a MagicJack for our long distance calls. I wish I could give it an awesome review, but I can't. Honestly, there are many days that I would like to throw it out the window! However, I remember just how much money it is saving us and I regain my patience with it.

Cell Phone:
I don't have a cell phone! That is a savings of around $960.00 annually (if the average cell phone bill is $80 per month). My husband does have a tracfone that he carries (required for coaching in case of emergency) and we add the minimum amount of minutes every 3 months and it only costs us around $80-$100 annually. Now, this takes extreme commitment to not give this number out and to not use it unless he really needs to. We keep the phone off the majority of the time and forget we even have it! Honestly, we LOVE being disconnected from the world. It is nice to be able to leave the house and not worry about interruptions.
Cable/Satellite:
*We also switched our satellite provider and were able to save $15-$30 per month (sorry I can't remember exactly, my hubs took care of it). Be sure to ask them for a "promotional rate" when you call. They usually always have some deal running. This is a savings of at least $180 (or more) annually!
*Several of our friends have cancelled their satellite and only watch tv shows & movies on hulu.com on the internet. Also, you can go to ABC.COM and the other major networks and watch your favorite shows from their site for FREE! It is not as convenient, but at least you still get to watch. If you cancelled your cable/satellite and it was $50 per month, that would save you $600 annually!

Electric:
*We keep our heater on 64-65 degrees day & night during the winter months. Yes, it can be a bit brisk! Anytime we all leave during the day, I turn it down to 62 so that it doesn't kick on while we are gone. We just wear a sweatshirt and are fine. My electric bill is on average $100-$200 cheaper per month than 2 of my neighbors with the exact same floor plans. A little chill, saves a lot of money annually!
*Unplug it! If an item is not in use, unplug it. Especially if it is a charger or something else that is using electricity without even being used!
*We switched almost all of our light bulbs to energy efficient ones.
*Do an energy audit of your house. Go around to each room and see what is plugged in that doesn't need to be. You will need to get everyone in your household on board with your plan here for it to make a difference.
By doing all this, we are able to save around $1,000-$2,400 annually!

Some of you may think this is a bit EXTREME and I totally agree :) However, how else are you going to save big? If you keep doing exactly what are have been doing, then how can you expect any change? We went for it and it PAID off! Think about these little (some extreme) changes and then think about saving 35% of your annual income. It makes these things not seem so extreme after all. I promise, you can do it!

Thursday Blessings~
SHO

~Menu Wednesday!~

Hope everyone is staying warm! This is my menu for the week:

Taco Soup w/ tortilla chips
*I finally got my Taco Soup right! I've tried several different recipes, but it was missing something. So, yesterday I combined 3 different recipes and it was a hit! We like our food spicy and with a little kick in it ;)
Now, if I can only remember exactly what I did!

Lasagna w/ green beans & spinach salad

Loaded Nachos

Sandwiches w/ french onion dip

Chili w/ double beans

Church Social (taking appetizer)

Super Bowl Party (taking beef & bean queso)

What's cookin' at your house?

Wednesday Blessings~

SHO

~My Kroger Trip~

Ran into Kroger this weekend for the Mega Event Sale (buy 10 participating items, get $5 off). I always love these types of sales! Not everything is in the photo, just a few deals. Enjoy:

Red Baron Pizza (part of the mega event)
Reg. $3.28
Sale $2.78
-$1 q
=$1.78

French's Sauce
Reg. $1.79
Sale $1.69
-.50 q (doubled)
=.69

Delmonte Veggies (part of the mega event)
Reg. .76
Sale .26 each!

2 Planter's Peanuts (part of the mega event)
Reg. $3.49
Sale $1.49
-$1 q
=.49 each!

Chex Mix (part of the mega event)
Reg. $2.69
Sale $1.49
-.50 q (doubled)
-.50 e coupon
=FREE!

*Pretend the Gardettos are not in the pic :) My little helper threw those on the island before I realized it! They are part of the sale, but I didn't have a coupon for them.

Plus, I got a bonus .50 taken off from Cellfire!

Retail: $25.03
Spent: $5.55!

Blessings~
SHO

~My Tom Thumb Trip!~

2 Nature Valley Bars
$1.77 (in-ad coupon)
-.75/2
=$1.40 per box

Fresh Express Spinach
Reg. $3.99
Sale $2.99
-.50 q (doubled)
=$1.99

2 Betty Crocker fruit snacks
Reg. $2.69
Sale $.99
-.50/2 q (doubled)
=.49 per box!
*(plus it printed out a $1.50 catalina coupon for my next purchase!)

2 Rosarita beans
Sale $1
-.50/2 q (doubled)
=.50 each

2 Campbell's Soups
Reg. $2.49
Sale .99
-.50/2 q (doubled)
=.49 per can


4 Kellogg's cereal
Reg. $3.59
Sale $1.99
-$1/3 q
=$1.74 per box
*I had to purchase 4 to get them for $1.99 each

Braeburn Apples
Reg. $3.77 lb
Sale .68 per lb!!!
*These apples are sooooo good!!! Honestly, I made the trip to Tom Thumb specifically for these :)

Sorry this didn't get posted yesterday. We had guests at our house the entire day.
Life happens :)

Hope you all have a very blessed Tuesday!
SHO