Great deal on entry-level DSLR

Run over to staples.com and pick up a Nikon D40 for $375, with free in-store pickup! Use coupon code 27083, ends tomorrow January 31!

Free 20 page Snapfish book

Click here for the link for your free book. You have to pay S&H and finish it by this Sunday. We are doing a personalized ABC book for Molly (A is for Audrey, B is for bebe, etc.).

Frugal Friday once again...

Okay you might be sick of my Walgreen's crush. But there are some really good deals to be had!
Get your printable coupon, good today and tomorrow, for $5 off a $20 purchase. When I went in they also had an unadvertised special on Blue Bell for 2/$8 (saw it at Wal-Mart today 2/$11).

So here's my total

4 half-gallons of Blue-Bell $16 (less $1 printable coupon when you sign up at www.bluebell.com)
1 gallon of milk on sale for $3.29 (2% for Molly's visit this weekend)
2 rolls of Scotch packing tape (buy one at $2.99 get one free).

Total $21.28, less $5 coupon $16.28!

Does my guy know me or what?

A while ago, Josh stopped by Sam's Club on his way home to get me some things and we were outside waiting for him when he drove up. He smiled and said, "I have a surprise for you!" I figured he had gotten me some flowers (he is a sucker for the 2 dozen roses for $15 they occasionally have). But look what he pulled out from behind him instead.

Nothing says "I love you" like 30 buttery, yeasty, ready-in-10 minute Sister Schubert dinner rolls. It gets better--they were only $5.87! Pricier than making your own dinner rolls, of course, but much less expensive than buying "the Sister" at HEB. I also love that they are portion controlled--helpful for those of us (me) who, when I bake bread, eat five (+?) rolls and forget the rest of dinner. Now I bake off one roll for each of us and that's it!

I'm back...maybe.

Wow--two hurricanes complete with evacuees and almost a whole month later, I am back from a long bloggy hiatus. Unfortunately, the main reason I've not been posting is because I've not been doing much worthy of posts, not productive at all.

So I'm determined to get back on track with menu planning, nesting, and exercise. I completely missed my Before and After deadline--depending on how the weekend goes I might still enter a late submission.

But I'll leave you today with my Walgreens find. Printable coupon, $5 off $20 purchase, today and tomorrow. Here's my plan:

2 boxes Oreos, on sale 2/$5
1 gallon milk, on sale $3.59, plus $3 in register rewards when you buy both cookies and milk
3 boxes Kellogg's cereal, on sale 3/$7 less $1.70 in manufacturer's coupons
2 boxes Lipton tea, on sale 2/$5 less $.50 in manufacturer's coupons and plus $1 in register rewards

Grand total, $20.59
less coupons $7.20
less rewards $4.00
all of that for $9.39!

Eating on a budget

I know my menus lately haven't been super budget-friendly, but they are improving! Believe it or not last year I was spending about $225 per week at the grocery store and I have that down to about $125 now. My vbf encouraged me to share some of my cheap eats. Last month we paid Audrey's annual preschool tuition bill so we were, how do you say?--tightening our belt. Here's what worked for us...

• Menu planning. This is the number one thing that helped immensely in keeping costs lower. It helped in making sure we use what's already in the freezer and pantry, plus also prevents that 6 pm panic that causes last-minute runs for take-out.
• Strategic use of leftovers. Monday night's roasted chicken turns into Tuesday night's chicken pot pie. Wednesday's taco filling turns into Thursday's taco soup.
• Double up. I pretty much don't make anything that I don't make a double recipe of and immediately stick half in the freezer. It's great for stretching dishes because sauces and pastas can really make things go further.
• Eggs, eggs, eggs. My favorite cheap source of protein. Quiches, fritattas, or good old "breakfast for dinner" is great. Who doesn't love pancakes? Oh, right, me.
• Go meatless. Twice a week try black bean quesadillas or briami.
• No leftovers for lunches. I got this idea from my major-mom-crush Kim R. It's much cheaper to prepare lunches (sandwiches, soups, salads, etc) than it is dinner, so the rule in their house is dinner leftovers are for dinner. So she typically cooks for two or three nights, and then has a fend-for-yourself night where everyone scavenges leftovers.
• Save fresh produce for a special treat. Frozen fruit and vegetables are excellent quality and usually are a better buy.

Any other tips?

Frugal Friday Edition #3

Just a couple of things for Frugal Friday...

Amazon is having a great Stride Rite sale. Check out these cute sandals for only $15 (regularly $32.95). When you add them to your cart they ring up an extra 20% off the list price, making them $12! I picked up these for Audrey for next spring (cost less than the cheap ones I got at Wal-Mart!).

Pottery Barn Kids has this stocking and it would be a great baby gift for only $5.99--I would leave it un-monogrammed so it could be used for future younger siblings.
This isn't exactly a steal, but I'm in love with this apron and it's on sale!

Target has lots of shoes 75% off. We found these for $5.50 today.

Also HEB has split chicken breasts at an almost-unheard-of $1/lb. These are skin-on, bone-in, which I actually greatly prefer to boneless skinless for the extra flavor the skin imparts during roasting and the bone during poaching.

Frugal Friday preview

Couldn't wait until tomorrow to post this coupon for $5 off a $20 purchase, good today only at Walgreens. Not as good as the previous ones ($5 off $15) but still good.

Here's what I got.

Jumbo pack of Pampers $9.49 less $1.50 manufacturer's coupon
3 2-packs of Sharpie permanent markers (buy 1 at $1.99 get 2 free)
2 boxes Saltines (2/$4)
1 box Wheat Thins ($2) less $.50 manufacturer's coupon
1 box Ritz crackers ($2)
1 box Triscuits ($2) [buy $10 of Nabisco crackers get $3 in register rewards]
2 wireless notebooks (2/$.99) [I keep these in the car for Audrey to color in.]

Grand total before tax was $20.47, less $5 coupon left me with $15.47 plus $3 in register rewards for when I send Josh back tonight! (one coupon per person)

Frugal Friday Edition #2

EDITED TO ADD:
Christine from Michael's in Temple just called and said they are running a 60% off special on custom framing until August 2nd. Just come in and tell them that you want Christine's special! Perfect timing to get some of these beauties framed.

Check out these elephant pajamas I got at Gap Kids this week...



They are still priced high online but in Waco they were marked down to $4.89--I had a coupon that knocked them to $3.78!



HEB has a couple of can't miss deals too...



and peaches for $.77/lb. If they're ripe I'm making French Peach Pie.




Express has a printable coupon for $10 off a $20 purchase this weekend.


And there are still a few days left to use your Lowe's Visa coupon $10 off $25 purchase (sign up here).

Must-have

I'm not a big beauty-product girl but I recently rediscovered this, and I'm in love...

I first started using nailtiques in high school after an ill-advised affair with fiberglass nail tips. My nails were literally peeling off layers at a time. Add in a fifteen year nail-biting habit (which the tips were supposed to cure, yeah right) and my nails are pretty much horrible all the time. No longer.

I bought it again at Walgreens last month when they ran one of their $5 off $15 purchase printable coupon. Even better, inside the box they had a free sample offer, so of course I immediately sent off for it. It came today, a travel size bottle of Formula 2 and a travel size bottle of cuticle oil. Free! Like a $12 value.

It's the little things in life that make me happy.