Hiatus Explained

Good morning everyone! To anyone actually reading this, you most likely know me and already know this. In case there is a reader out there who isn't familiar with me in real life, I shall explain myself.

I started attending college this year. I enrolled in August 2009 as a Freshmen in General Studies. I am attending a local Community College. I worked extra diligently over the summer to build up a nice sized stockpile. I have given lots away from it, and I still have plenty. Last semester, I finished the term with straight A's. So far this term, I have straight A's. Succeeding academically is a very important aspect of college to me. There are also scholarships on the line to those who graduate with a certain GPA. My hard work now will pay off soon. I know this to be true.

So why am I back before the end of the semester? My food budget has gone all wonky. I am trying to rein our household budget back in. Our move has proved much more costly, than cost saving, as previously predicted. I am trying to determine if we can adjust the household budget to accomidate our new apartment or not. "Not" would mean; simply increase income or decrease outgo. Sounds easy enough, huh? To top that all off, I am trying to remain committed to graduating from college, even if just my associate's degree, without incurring any student loan debt.

So here I am, trying to decrease my outgo. I'm starting at the beginning again. I'm going to approach shopping and my budget like I was new to this. I have almost no coupon stash already built. I have no store coupons. I have no rebates pending. A nice clean slate is where I am. I am going to take my own advice from almost a year ago, and start by cleaning my kitchen. The advice still holds true, although I wish it didn't. I loathe washing dishes. Dishes are my nemesis. As I type this, I have only one sink of dishes pending. Empty and clean counters. Maybe if I can find my camera I will post a picture of my lovely clean kitchen.

So in closing, I would like to thank anyone who is reading this. Your visitation to this blog will cause me to shop better and wiser. I will be making better decisions, and eating better food. (That is another post)My budget will also thank you.

Any questions or comments? I can be reached at MissEspy23@aol.com and at MissEspy23 on AIM (which is on my phone so I'm always available for help!!!)

I love you all and want to thank you again!

Happy Couponing,
Aimee

Staples ~ Back To School Sale Begins

Do you remember this time last year at Staples? You may not, but I do. I spent all my extra time shopping there. Each week for several weeks, Staples offered deals for $0.01! I bought things such as Purell hand sanitizer, pencils, etc. There was a very good variety. Only a couple of things each week though. Here's the good news: It starts tomorrow!!!

There will be a $5/$20 coupon on the front of the ad. How easy is it to spend $20 at Staples? I think I can do that sleeping...

Bic Fashion Pens are $1.
Use the $1/1 coupon here to get them free

8-packs of pencils are $0.01--no coupon needed. (Valid July 12-15, 2009 only. Limit 2)

Bic White Out is $1.
Use the $0.50/1 coupon here to get it for $0.50.

Staples Photo Plus 4 x 6 paper is on sale for $9.99
You'll get a rebate printed with your receipt for an $8.99 rebate making this $1 after the rebate (Limit 2)

8 1/2 x 11 Copy Paper is on sale for $3.69
You'll get a rebate printed with your receipt for an $3.68 rebate making this $0.01 after the rebate (Limit 2).

I would advise going and getting the $0.01 packs of pencils. I used loose change from the car last year. You can get 2 packs a trip. Sometimes they let you go out and come back in. You can also go with someone else and each of you can purchase the limit of 2.

Now you may be thinking: I don't need pencils. Think of this. How many people do? Later in the summer grocery stores collect back to school supplies to give to needy families. You can also donate these to shelters and churches. They will always take things like this.

What did I do with all mine? I donated bags and bags of things (Along with Mom's help) last March to a teacher at Charlton Middle School. She was making a trip to Haiti and was bringing supplies down to the children there. She was taking all sorts of things. Sunglasses, flip flops, notebooks, crayons, etc. She was planning on making it an annual event. This summer I'm taking some time out of my day to stock up on things to send with her. I will find out in September is she is going again. I figured that if she isn't going, I will donate the supplies to a church or shelter. No waste here. If you have any time to stop into Staples this week and pick some things up keep her mission in mind. You may not need the items, but there are children out there who do.

Food Lion ~ 7/1-7/7

UPDATE: The wording on the pdf coupon says one per person, per transaction, per day! That just killed all my previous plans. You can use 1 Home 360 coupons and 1 Healthy Accent coupon per person, per tranaction. Ewwww. I would do the Jello deal (7 boxes) plus 1 Home 360, and 1 Healthy Accent per transaction. Still a fine deal, just not as good as I thought.

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Because no one should have to pay full price for groceries! Here are some freebies (and a few deals)! I'm waiting to hear back about what the coupon policy actually is. To be safe, don't use more than 5 pdf coupons per transaction. You can also ask customer service (not a cashier!!!!)when you get there.

If you are going to be buying items which will be free, toss in something you need and pay for it. Stores don't like when you walk out not paying for things. I would personally do the Jello deal with the freebies. You would pay $3.50 the first trip and $0.50 each trip after!!!

Happy Couponing,
Aimee

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Jello Gelatin
Dates: 7/3 - 7/16/09
Buy 3 or 4, Get $1
Buy 5 or 6, Get $3 (I think this should be 2. Checking)
Buy 7 or more, Get $3

Jello is on sale through 7/7 for 2/$1

Deal
Buy 7 boxes of Jello for $3.50 and get $3 back in Cats

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Home 360 Deals
Use with this pdf coupon

Rubber bands, Erasers, Pencil sharpeners, .33¢ - free
Kids Scissors .99¢ - free
Baby Bibs .97¢ - free
Transparent Tape 59¢ - free
Single Antibacterial Wipes .89¢ - free

Toothpicks 250 ct $1.12
Aluminum foil 25 sqft $1.35
Drinking Straws 40ct $1.36
Scrubber pads $1.39
Envelopes $1.49
Adult Scissors $1.49
Packaging Tape $1.49
Baby Wipes 40ct $1.50
Facial Tissues 230 ct $1.62
Fabric Softener Sheets 40 ct $1.69

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Healthy Accents Deals
Use with this pdf coupon

Rubbing Alcohol .99¢ - free
Peroxide .69-.99¢ - free
Hand Soap .95¢ - free
Epsom Salts .99¢ - free
Petroleum gel $1 - free
Nail polish Remover .97¢ - free
Toothbrushes $1 - free
Cotton Balls .99¢ - free

Dental Floss is $1.29
Calamine Lotion $1.49
Hand Sanitizer $1.49
Kids and Adult Bandages $1.79
Q-tips $1.99

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My Scenario: (Updated)

Trip 1:
7 boxes of Jello
1 Healthy Accent product ($1 or less)
1 Home 360 ($1 or less)

Use 1 pdf coupon for Healthy Accent ($1)
Use 1 pdf coupon for Home 360 ($1)

Pay $3.50 and get a cat coupon for $3

Trip 2+:
7 boxes of Jello (If the cat deal works)
1 Healthy Accent product ($1 or less)
1 Home 360 ($1 or less)

Use 1 pdf coupon for Healthy Accent ($1)
Use 1 pdf coupon for Home 360 ($1)
Use $3 cat coupon from previous Jello purchase

Pay $0.50 oop and get a $3 cat

Lather. Rinse. Repeat!

Kraft Cheese Deal

There is a pretty nice Kraft Cheese deal running this week. Here's the breakdown.

Kraft Shredded or Cracker Barrel Bar Cheese 2/$5
~ $0.50/1 tearpad Q available in Shaws (This is right above the cheese located in the aisle!)
Shaws will double this coupon to be $1 off!

If you can't find any then email me, I have plenty!

There is also a cat deal for Kraft Cheese:

KRAFT NATURAL CHEESE 6/19 - 7/12
buy 3 get $2.00
buy 4 get $3.00
buy 5 or more get $4.00 OYNO

Includes: Kraft shreds, chunks, cubes, sticks, crumbles, cracker cuts, string/twistsCracker Barrel chunks, Cracker cuts, sticks, slicesPolly-o strings/twistsKraft deli fresh slices

DEAL:
Buy 5 Shredded cheese for $12.50
Use 5 coupons (which Shaws doubles to be $1 off) -$5
Pay $7.50 and get a $4 Cat good OYNO

This is like paying $3.50 for 5 bags of shredded cheese. Which would be $0.70 per bag. This is MUCH lower than my target price for a bag of shredded cheese ($2). By stocking up on cheese this week I will save $1.30 per bag off of what I try and pay for cheese.

Happy Couponing!

Free Redbox PLUS Cat Deal!

DOUBLE DIP!

Free Redbox movie rental wyb 4 select General Mills products Plus Cat Deal

Purchase dates 7/3/09 to 7/9/09

Participating products include:
Betty Crocker fruit by the foot 4.5 oz
BC fruit gushers 5.4 oz
BC fruit roll ups 4.5 oz
BC fruit stickers 5.9 oz
BC fruit snacks 9 oz
Sunkist fruit snacks 9 oz
Cinnamon toast crunch 12.8 oz
Cocoa puffs 11.8 oz
Cookie crisp 11.25 oz
Golden grahams 12 oz
Honey nut cheerios 9 oz
multigrain cheerios 9 oz
Yoplait trix yogurt 6 ct 24 oz

There is a Cat deal which can be combined with the free rental.

GENERAL MILLS FRUIT SNACKS 6/19-7/12
BUY 3 GET $1.50
BUY 4 GET $2.50
BUY 5 GET $3.50

Deal:
Buy (4, or 5) Fruits Snacks and get ($2.50, or $3.50) back in a Cat PLUS a free Redbox rental!

Many thanks to Irishoct31 from Slickdeals for posting about the free rental!

Shaws ~ 6/5/09-6/11/09

Here are the best deals at Shaws this week! There is also a Cat deal starting. The info is at the bottom. If I come up with a clever scenario I'll post seperatly and let you know.

Happy Couponing,
Aimee
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2 DAY SALE: FRIDAY & SATURDAY (June 5 &6)
Hood ice cream, $1.88 (limit 2)
Thomas English Muffins (white only), $.88 (Great price!!!)
Coke 2-Liter, $.88 (limit 8)
Fresh salmon fillets, $4.88 lb.


Fresh blueberries, BOGO
Bottom Round or Roast, $1.99 lb.
Fresh Boneless Chicken, $1.99 lb.($1.00 off 3 lbs. or more Shaw's coupon)
Florida Natural Orange Juice, $2.47
24-pk Shaws Water, $2.99
Large cocktail shrimp, $5.99 lb.
Tostitos salsa or chips 2/5 ($1.00/2 Shaw's coupon)
{Check for tearpads for FREE Tositos salsa when you buy 2 bags of Tostitos}
Digornio or California Pizza Kitchen 12" pizzas, $4.99
Brawny 8 Giant Roll Paper Towels or Quilted Northern 18 Dbl Roll Bath Tissue $8.99
Shaws pasta, $.88 ($1.00/5 Shaw's coupon)
12-pk Super Chill Soda, 3/$6
12-pk Pepsi Products, 3/$12
2-liter Big Chill Soda, $.69
In-Ad Coupon: Get 1 FREE 2-liter Big Chill Soda wyb 3 Pepsi 12 packs (3/$12)
Wild Harvest Carrots $1.50
Wild Harvest Celery $1.99
Weight Watchers Yogurt (6oz) 10/$6
Pepperidge Farm Swirl Bread $2
Tribe Hummus (16 0z), $3.99
Over the Moon Milk $2.99
Kool-Aid 2/$6
Wise Chips $2
Wheat Thins or Triscuits (family size) $2.99
Wacky Mac $1.25 (locked in)
Eskimo Pie Frozen Snacks $3
-$1/1 Eskimo from 5/31 Smart Source
Planters Nuts, $3.99

Buy One, Get One Deals
Johnsonville Brats
-$1.00/1 from Shaw's Summer Solutions booklet
Plumrose Premium Ham or Turkey Breast

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CATALINA (CAT) DEAL
Buy $25, Get $10
Buy $15, Get $5
Buy $10, Get $2

**One offer per customer per shopping trip**
{Note: "Shopping trip" means transaction!}

2/$4
General mills cereal (Cheerios, Trix, Cocoa Puffs, Golden Grahams or Total)
-$1/3 General Mills Cereals from 5/3 and 5/31 Smart Source
Wishbone or Bountiful dressings
-$1/1 Bountiful from 3/15 Red Plum
-$1.25/2 Wishbone Dressing from 5/17 Red Plum
Suave Body Wash and Stylers
-$1/2 (or $.75/2) from 5/17 Red Plum
Skippy Peanut Butter
-$.40/1 Skippy from 4/5 Unilever insert
Green Giant Steamers w/sauce

2/$6
Nature Valley, Curves, or Fiber One Bars
Lipton Iced Tea Mix
Chex bars
General Mills Milk and Cereal Bars
Caribou Coffee Bars
Shedds Country Crock

2/$5
Suave lotion
Lipton to go mix
Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks
Go-Gurts
Trix Yogurt
Coke, diet coke or sprite-6 or 8pk bottles
Bertolli pasta sauce
Bisquick
Full throttle or NOS energy drink
I Can't Believe Its Not Butter
Cooking and Baking Sticks
Promise spread
Brummel and brown spread

3/$4
Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad
-$0.40/1 from 5/17 Smart source

4/$5
Betty Crocker Cake Mix
Betty Crocker Brownie Mix
Vitamin water
Evian 1-Liter
Fuze
Gold Peak Iced Tea
- BoGo Free coupons found at Gas stations (cooler doors)
Dasani Essence

2/$3
Suave Shampoo or Conditioner
Suave Deodorant
-Various coupons from 5/17 insert

3/$5
General Mills Bugles
GM chex mix
Betty Crocker Frosting

2.99
Breyers Ice Cream
$.75/1 Breyers from 5/17 Red Plum
Klondike Bars

4.99
Powerade Ion 4 10pk or 8pk
~24 pk Dasani
~12 pk Nestea
~12 pk Minute maid
~10 or 8 pk Powerade
All laundry detergent

Shaws~ Cat deals of the week

Note: Amount in ($0.00) is the presale price. This is what the sale works off of. Your presale price total needs to be over $ amount listed under the title, before you scan your card.

These are the deals everyone is talking about this week. I'm not doing this as I have a great stockpile already. I also don't use disposable paper products as much as possible. I noramlly don't buy tissues, just use toilet paper. We NEVER buy paper towels, we use microfiber cleaning cloths.
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SELECT CLOROX & KIMBERLY CLARK PRODUCTS 4/26 - 5/9
Spend $15 in select Clorox and Kimberly Clark products and get $5 off your next purchase

Qualifying Products
Scott Paper Towels (8 pack) 2/$11 ($7.49)
Glad Trash Bags (15-80ct.) $6.49 ($7.99)
Kleenex Facial tissues (110 ct.flat or 80 ct. upright lotion) 10/$10 (80$2.29/ 110 $1.29)
04-05 SS Kleenex Facial Tissues $1.00 off 4 or .50/3
Clorox Cleaning Items (35 ct. wipes) 2/$5 ($3.49-$3.99 (ME))
Formula 409 ($3.29-$3.49)), Pine-Sol ($4.49), Clorox Clean Up 2/$6 ($4.29)
04-05 RP Formula 409 or Clorox Clean Up or Anywhere $1.00 off 2
Clorox Bleach (82-96 oz.) 3/$5 ($2.49)
04-05 RP Clorox Liquid Bleach 82 oz or larger $1.00 off 2
Viva Paper Towels (Choose-a-Size Single Roll) $1.99 ($2.29)
04-05 SS Kleenex Viva Paper Towels Big Roll $1.00 off 2 or .40/1 or .85/1
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P&G 5/1 - 5/7
Spend $20 of more of select P&G Products and receive a $5 OYNO coupon.
~ Get an additional $3 WYB any 3 of the following: Bounty Basics, Charmin Basics, Crest Paste, Gain, Herbal Essences, Joy and Pampers

Qualifiing Products
Puffs 60 count, $1
Bounty 8 Giant Roll, $9.99
Pampers Cruisers or Baby Dry, $19.99
Charmin Ultra 12 Roll or 6 Mega Roll, $6.99 ($8.49)
$1 off 1, Shaws Weekly Printable Coupon
SafeGuard 8 pack, Ivory 10 pack, Zest 6 pack - 2/$7
Dawn, 19-28 oz, $2.50 ($3.29, $3.39)
Febreeze candles $6.49 ($6.99)
Febreeze Noticeables Kit - $6.49 ($9.49)
Swiffer Dust & Shine Furniture Spray - $3.49
Covergirl 33% off
Duracell 4 packs AA and AAA, 2 packs C and D, 1 pack 9 volt, $3 ($4.99)
Tampax, 32- 40 ct., 2/$11 ($6.99)
Always 24 - 120 count, 2/$11 ($6.99 - $9.49)
Pringles $1.50 ($1.79)
Crest, 4.1 - 8 oz, 2/$6, ($2.49 to $3.59)
Clairol Nice and Easy $5.99 ($7.99-$8.99)
Mr. Clean Liquid or Multi Purpose Spray - $2.99 (Liquid $3.59)
Iams Dog Food $17.99
Downy, $5.49 ($6.49)
Bounce Softener Sheets. 100 - 120 count, $5.49 ($6.99)
Cascade Action Pacs, $4.99 ($4.99)
Cascade 75 oz liquid - $4.99 ($6.99)
Gillette or Venus Razor, $8.99 ($9.99 - $12.99)
Secret, Old Spice, Tag $3.50
Herbal Essences $2.99
Olay Body wash or soaps $5.99
Oral B Cross Action Toothbrush, $3 ($4.29)
Head and Shoulders - 2/$9
Olay Facial, Indulgence or Body Lotions - 20% off ($6.49 - $12.99 for the Quench line)
Tide To Go Instant Stain Remover, 1 ct., $2.49
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Happy Couponing!
~Aimee