Frugal Dinner Planning Sept 30th

Today we are going to my sister's in law house for a BBQ for my Mother and Father in law's 50th wedding anniversary. So no dinner to cook to today. Sun BBQ Mon Chili Tues Lasgnana Wed Crockpot Cranberry Chicken 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves 16 ounces cranberry sauce, whole or jelly 8 ounces fat free French salad dressing or Catalina 1 package onion soup mix, optional Spray the crockpot with Pam. Mix together all ingredients in crockpot except the chicken, then add the chicken and mix to coat with the sauce. Cook for 6 to 8 hours on low. Add cooked brown rice at the end. Thurs Leftover lasgnana Fri Leftover crockpot cranberry chicken Sat Pizza

CVS weekly extra care bucks deals 9/30-10/6

Here are the CVS sale starting tomorrow. Of course check your coupons to see if you can match any up! I need to stock up on my cold medcine this week! ECB Specials (All limit 1 unless noted) $4 in ECB WYB two (2) ThermaCare $6.99 $4 in ECB WYB one (1) Abreva Cold Sore Treatment $3 in ECB WYB one (1) E.P.T. Pregnancy Test $14.99 $3 in ECB WYB one (1) Sea Breeze Astringent $2 in ECB WYB two (2) Planters Nuts 2/$7 $2 in ECB WYB one (1) Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion $6.69 $5 in ECB WYB one (1) Energizer Energi to Go – For most Motorola, Sprint, Nokia or Mini USB phones $18.95 $2 in ECB WYB one (1) Trojans 12 ct $2 in ECB WYB one (1) Cristophe Beverly Hills Shampoo, Conditioner, or Styler $2 in ECB WYB one (1) Advil Maximum Strength 16ct $4.99 $24 ECB WYB two (2) Nicorette, NicoDerm CQ, or Commit & get a free Jeff Gordon 24 X 24 DVD by mail with purchase (8-10 weeks) $10 ECB WYB $20 worth of these products: Children’s Tylenol/Motrin 4 ounces, Assorted Types $5.50, Children’s Tylenol Plus/ Motrin Cold Drops Assorted Types $6, Imodium $14, Motrin IB $9, Mylanta Liquid $6, Neosporin $5.50, Pepcid AC or Complete $8, St. Joseph’s Aspirin 180 ct $9, Tylenol 8 Hour, Arthritis, Extra Strength, Rapid Release, PM, Simply Sleep or EZ tabs 80 to 100 count $8.50, Tylenol Cold, Sore Throat Liquid 8 ounces, Day/Night, Sinus, or Assorted Cold Caplets 24 count $5, Tylenol Rapid Release $5, Tylenol Sinus or Allergy – Sinus Congestion & Pain, Multi-Symptom or severe Allergy 24 count $6 $10 in ECB WYB $20 worth of these Producta: Advil Cold & Sinus 20ct $4, Airborne Effervescent Dietary Supplement 10 ct or On-The-Go Packets 8ct $6, Airborne Power Pixies 8ct or Seasonal Relief 16 ct $9, Cold MD 40 Count $20.00, Dimetapp Children’s Elixir DM Cold & Cough or Cold & Allergy 8oz $7, NyQuil or DayQuil Liquicaps $6, Robitussin $6 $10 in ECB WYB $20 worth of these Products: Delsym 12 Hour Cough Syrup for Adults or Children $9, Halls Naturals 25 ct $2, Halls Pro Health Defense 18ct $4 , Mucinex Maximum Strength Expectorant Regular or DM 14ct $10, Mucinex Regular, DM $10, Triaminic Liquid 4oz, Vapor 6 ct Thin Strips 16 ct or Soft Chews 18 ct $5, Theraflu $5, Zicam Cold Remedy Spray or Swabs $10, Zicam Multi-Symptom Cold & Flu, Cough Mist, Couth Melts, Cold or Cold & Flu 6 Medicated spoons $7 $5 in ECB WYB $20 worth of these P&G Poducts Always Maxi or Ultra Thin Pads or Pantiliners $2.99, Bounty Paper Towels 8 pk $6.49, Charmin Ultra Tissue 12 ct $5.99, Dawn .99, Duracell Alkaline Batteries $8.99, Pampers Jumbo Pack $8.99, Pantene Pro-V 3/$12, Prilosec $19.99, Puffs .99, Tide $5.49 $5 in ECB WYB $15 worth of Dove Products: Degree Ultra Clear, Dove Ultimate Clear, or Pro-Age Deodorant $3.49, Dove Facial Cleansers $4.99, Dove Facial Cleansing Pillows, Dove Hair Care $4.29, Dove Lotion $6.99, Dove Pro-Age Daily Moisturizer, Dove Skin Vitalizer $5 in ECB WYB $15 worth of CoverGirl Products - Clean Makeup – Liquid Foundation or Pressed Power or TruBlend Makeup – Foundation, Powder, or Blush $1 in ECB WYB one (1) Irish Spring 3 Pack Bar Soap $1.99 (limit 2) $1 in ECB WYB one (1) Ambi Skincare (limit 3) $5 in ECB WYB $15 worth of Essence of Beauty Bath Products (limit 3) $2 in ECB WYB two (2) Mars Fun Size Candy 2/$4 (limit 5) $2 in ECB WYB two (2) Clairol Herbal Essence Shampoo or Conditioner 2/$8 (limit 5) Buy ONE Get ONE FREE Maxwell House Instant Coffee Yardley Soap $1.49 Blade Body Spray $3.99 (buy TWO get 1 free!) Osteo Bi-Flex CVS Power Flash $7.99 Colgate Toothpaste Max Fresh or Total Nature Made Vitamins Buy ONE Get ONE 50% off CVS Photo Frames & Albums (digital excluded!) All Essence of Beauty Cosmetic Accessories All Lumene Skincare Got 2 B Styling Products CVS Disposable Razors Gerber Baby Food CVS Fish or Flaxseed Oil Supplement Other deals Bumble Bee white tuna & Snows Chopped Clams 5/$5 Household Cleaners $1.99 – Pine Sol, Tilex, Clorox Ultimate Care, SOS Kelloggs Cereal – Rice Crispies, Apple Jacks, Fruit Loops, Corn Flakes, Raisin Bran $1.99 Poland Spring 24 pack water 4.88 Coke 12 packs 3/$10.00 Pringles cans .88 Abbreviations: ECB = Extra Care Buck PSA = Prices starting at CRT = Cash Register Tape WYB = When You Buy Helpful websites!!! http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/extracarehome http://deals.families.com/cvs,f533 http://www.terismessageboard.com/showthread.php?t=13237 http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums...splay.php?f=62

My not so frugal dental visit

I went to a new dentist yesterday for a cleaning that two of my kids are going to now. I had switch dentists because I thought the old one was a little shady (some charges for procedures never done on dates we haven't been there and when I challenged it, sorry wrong client. If it happened once, but happened a few times) and I really didn't like his demeanour. It has been almost 2 years since my last dental appointment. Good news no cavities! Bad news I have Periodontal (Gum) Disease which isn't a big surprise to me. A dentist years ago mention to me I will probably have it in my late 30s.... Also it is hereditary and my mom has had it. I have two deep scaling cleanings scheduled for late October and November. It will cost me about $300 out of pocket. Luckily we have just about that amount in our health saving account to cover it. Bottom line I need to be more proactive in making my 6 month cleanings. My dental insurance covers 2 cleanings a year.

Freebie Friday and coupons

Heart Healthy Cookbook Remifemin & Remifemin Good Night - Safe Menopausal Symptom Relief Learn foreign languages for free Snausages free samples and coupon Noxzema Shaving - free sample Neutrogena(R) PureGlow Free sippy cup from jucy juice Free Nestle candy bar Free Folgers coffee DenTek teeth cleaning Purell Hand santizer - 2X Ultra Tide Aquafresh sample and $1.50 coupon Fun Money Surveys

Dave Ramsey Radical or Common sense

I brought up Dave Ramsey on a women message board as a recommendation for someone who hit rock bottom and I was told that his thoughts are too radical and extreme. While I can understand some of the ideas, like writing everything down, emergency funds, etc. etc., I don't understand why people go to extremes to get their financial house in order. His ideas are completely unrealistic. Or even need to get out of debt- getting out of debt is completely radical idea. You need credit cards to survive today. Who could even buy a car today paying 100% cash. I don't agree with 100% that Dave says, but his first 3 baby steps have helped thousands of people get out of debt. Dave Ramsey isn't radical at all. People think he's radical, but it's just plain old common sense. It's the way people lived in the 40's and 50's. and somewhere along the way we've been taught that we nee d to get credit cards, finance or lease cars. We expect everything NOW because we DESERVE it, as opposed to actually saving up and earning it.

My no heat challenge

It feels even funny talking about putting on the heat as it will be in the 80s here in New England. I do challenge myself to keep off the heat until November 1st. Two years ago as of October 21st I didn't turn the heat on, unfortunately I didn't track the exact date. Last year it was October 26th. Pretty good I would say! Once it gets a little colder around here, we will start to wear warm clothes around the house plus socks and of course there will be extra blankets on the bed.

Frugal Five Meet Maria

Maria is a work at home mom who is blogging at http://www.powermallblog.com What is your finanical life? My husband has his own business and I am a work at home mom , we have three children, credit card debt (but no new CC spending!), college loans, a truck loan (DH!) and two mortgages. Our goal right now is to pay off all our non-mortgage debt ASAP, acquire no new debt, and sell our home. What is your budget buster? Having a large mortgage and owning a second property that brings in no income. We have so little room in our budget because of our housing costs. What is your favorite money saving tip? Pay cash-- use an envelope budget system. Use cash for groceries, clothes and spending money to help cut down on overspending each month. It really works! If you had an extra $1000 what would you do with it? Put it in my baby emergency fund--we need to build up our savings. What is your best resource for frugal living? Is is a Website, book, support group. My best resource is Dave Ramsey's My Total Money Makeover web site at https://www.mytotalmoneymakeover.com/ The Gazelle Budget has been an incredible tool for our financial peace. I highly reccomend giving it a try!

Frugal Dinner Planning Sept 23rd

The first offical day of fall. Still warm not cool enough for soup which I love to eat during the colder months. Sun Turkey burgers, sweet potato fries Mon Mexican Lasgnana just 1/2 a pan Tues Pork sirlon with potatos in bbq-made in the crockpot ! Wed Layered Ground beef casserole Thurs leftover Fri leftover layered ground beef caserole

CVS weekly extra care bucks deals 9/23-9/29

Here are the CVS sale starting tomorrow. Of course check your coupons to see if you can match any up! ECB Specials 9/23-9/30 (All limit 1 unless noted) $2 ECB WYB 2 (two) Hersheys Snack Size 2/$4.00 $1 ECB WYB 2 (two) Big E Pak Eclipse or Orbit 60 pcs. 2/$4.00 $3 ECB WYB Listerine Whitening Strops $23.99 $10 ECB WYB Rembrandt 24 hour Whitening Kit $24.99 $1 ECB WYB Rembrandt Toothpaste $2 ECB WYB 2 (two) Reach Toothbrushes 2/$7.00 $2 ECB WYB 2 (two) Carefree 106-136ct, Stayfree 28-48ct, or OB Tampons 40ct 2/$10.00 $5 ECB WYB $10 Maalox, Gas-X. Ex-Lax, Perdiem, Benefiber $4.87 ECB WYB Pepcid AC or Complete – $5 ECB WYB $15 Futuro Wraps/Supports $4 ECB WYB Advil Maximum Strength 16ct – $5 ECB WYB $15 PepsiCo Smart Spot Products: Aquafina 12 pk $3, Diet Pepsi 12 pack 3/$10, Diet Pepsi 2 Liters $3/4, Gatorade 5/$5, Propel 5/$5, Quaker Instant Oatmeal 2/$5, Quaker Quick Oats 2/$3, Tropicana Pure Premium OJ $3, Stacy’s Pita Chips 2/$5, Frito Lay Baked Snacks 2/$6 $5 ECB WYB $20 Revlon Eye or Lip (limit 2) $2 ECB WYB Colgate Twin packs (limit 3) $3 ECB WYB Adidas Deodorant $3.29 (limit 5) – no double dip with monthly! $5 ECB WYB $25 Aveeno (limit 5) $5 ECB WYV $25 L’Oreal Cosmetics & Skincare (limit 5) Buy ONE Get ONE FREE CVS/Pharmacy Alkaline Batteries Edy's Ice Cream Kodak PowerFlash Camera Buy ONE Get ONE 50% off All CVS/Pharmacy Vitamins, Minerals or Herbals All Lumene Skincare or Cosmetics All Milani Cosmetics Ellin Lavar Hair Care – shampoo, conditioner, stylers EAS or Met-Rx Nutrition Bar (assorted types) Photo Frame or Albums Other deals Charmin or Bounty Basic $4.99 All $3.99 Hersheys bagged candy – kisses, miniatures $1.99 Utz Cheese balls $.99 Sweet N Low 100ct 2/$3.00 Folgers instant coffee $3.99 Crisco Oil or Smuckers preserves 2/$5.00 South Beach Diet Bars 2/$5.00 Bowl Appetit, Simply Asia, Kraft Easy Mac Cup, Hunts Snack Pack, Dole Pineapple 5/$5.00 Air Wick/Lysol Neutra Air $2.50 Pampers Mega Pack $12.99 Playskool Cottony Cloths 2/$5.00 Similac/Enfamil ready to feed 2/$9.99 CVS Cough Drops $0.99 Sun Light Dish Soap $0.88 Dove or Degree Deodorant $1.99 Buy a Gillette Venus, Sensor 3, Mach 3, M3 Power or Fusion Cartridges (4 or 8 count), Get FREE Gilette Series, Fusion, Satin Care shave gel 7 to 11 ounces Buy any Revlon Foundation, Get a FREE Revlon Powder, Blush, Concealer, or Primer Buy $20 of Energizer Alkaline Batteries and get a FREE CVS/pharmacy & Energizer Gym Bag Abbreviations: ECB = Extra Care Buck PSA = Prices starting at CRT = Cash Register Tape WYB = When You Buy Helpful websites!!! http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/extracarehome http://deals.families.com/cvs,f533 http://www.terismessageboard.com/showthread.php?t=13237 http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums...splay.php?f=62

Friday Freebies and coupons

Sign up for Paper solutions and receive a $5.00 Starbucks gift card Avery Graphics for your car Get your free credit report Free blood glucose meter Free Bridal guide magazine subscription Elmer's Ultimate Science Fair Sweepstakes for teachers Old El Paso® samples Fiber One® Cereal sample Learn more about grapes Back to school care kit It’s Back to School Time and LaSalle would like to support your high school or college age student(s) by sending them a Back to School Care Kit! The insulated lunch bag will contain a LaSalle baseball cap, mouse pad, and a variety of pens, pencils, highlighters and paper cubes. Asian gourmet cookbook Free 2007 Consumer Action Handbook Print grocery coupons from your computer

AAA equals peace of mind

I have kind of a crazy week. Been sick with a stomach bug and this morning, I start my car to drive my oldest son to school. It doesn't start. I am in a bit of a panic and remember my AAA card in my wallet. I call them and within 30 minutes they are at my house jumping my car battery. It looks like one of the kids (or me) didn't shut the car door tight enough. For peace of mind the $72 annually that my husband and I pay per year for AAA roadside assistance, it is well worth it. When I was 6 months pregnant and got a flat tire, or the time in college when I was driving a really junker, AAA was there for me! I know that there are cheaper roadside assistance out there like AT&T or through my insurance company, but I have never had to wait long. Peace of mind is worth a couple of buck

An Eye openner cost of eating out vs eating at home

One of the most common budget buster I see on my weekly post Frugal Five is is the cost of eating out! It is common sense to see that eating out is much expensive but how much more expensive is it! http://frugal.families.com/blog/how-much-does-it-cost-to-eat-at-home Here's a formula she demonstrates that will show you how much it is really costing to eat at home. 1) Add up your weekly grossly bill and multiply by 4 (4 weeks in a month) 2) Divide by the number of meals you consume in a month 3) Divide by the number of people in your house to get the final answer We average $100 a week for a family of 5 for groceries. $400 divided by 84 meals is $4.76 per meal divided by 5 people comes to 95 cents. A typical fast food meal (think pizza or McDonalds) for us would cost about $25 so that would 5 times more expensive for person!! If we go to a sit down casual resturant it is about $50-$75 , it is atleast 10 times more expensive. And if we do take-in from our favorite local resturant $30 or so dollars for all 5 of us. Looking for menu ideas, I share frugal meal planning each week! And if you do go out to eat check out 5 tips to going out to eat cheap I think I am going to print this out and post it on my fridge!

Frugal Five Meet Annie

Annie is a frugal mom from Kentucky. What is your financial life? I am a stay at home mom to 4 daughters 16,13, 8 and 3. My husband is gone a lot because he is a long haul truck driver. I am trying to save money to return to college when my youngest goes to school. My goal is to save $10,000 in 2 years. What this means is cutting out about a quarter of my spending. I have a budget of about $1700 to maintain the household..that is everything except the the normal bills and mortgage It sounds like a lot of money but this is clothes, food, gas, school lunches, etc. etc. I want to cut out convenience spending. I think cutting out fast food, driving kids places etc. will do this. I am also encouraging my daughters to get a job so they can pay for their own clothes and entertainment. What is your budget buster? I like to shop. I love to get my girls all dressed up in pretty clothes. What is your favorite money saving tip? Stay out of the store!! If I don't go to the store, I don't spend. I am trying to drive less and walk more! If you had an extra $1000 what would you do with it? I would put it towards my schooling What is your best resource for frugal living? I read just about any frugal living book out there. I have to say Frugal Living for Dummies has been a great resource for me. Living on less than you make is the bottom line!

Frugal meal planning Sept 16th

We are settling back into the school routine with no wedding excitment ahead. Of course, fall means more activities in the late afternoon so I make dinner earlier in the day because we usually have something after school going on. Sun Steak, potatos Mon Cheesy beef and broccoli Not enough leftovers for another meal, but plenty for lunch the next day! Tues Easy Salsa chicken bake from Bisquick 2/3 cup Bisquick baking mix 2 tablespoons water 1 egg 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1/4 cup chopped onions 3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1/2-inch pieces 2 teaspoons vegetable oil 1 1/4 cups salsa Heat oven to 400°F Spray a 8 or 9-inch pan with pan spray. Stir together Bisquick mix, water & egg. Spread in the pan then sprinkle with 1 1/4 cups of the cheese. Using a skillet cook & stir chicken in oil over medium-high heat until outsides turn white; drain. Stir in salsa & chopped onion; heat until hot. Spoon over batter in the pan to within 1/2-inch of the edges. Bake 22-25 minutes or until edges are dark golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 1-3 minutes or until cheese melts; loosen from sides of the pan & serve. Wed Spaghetti and meatballs Thurs Leftover night from the chicken salsa bake and spaghetti/meatballs Fri Ham and cheese calzone Sat Pizza

We made the switch to fluorescent light bulbs.

We were doing it gradually, buying one pack at a time every month. Well I decided to do it all the way yesterday- even decorative ones for the ceiling fans and three-way ones for our living room lamps. No more regular light bulb buying for us! I have to say they take a little getting used to. When you first flick them on they are a little dim, then slowly get brighter. We should start hopefully seeing our electric bill go down a bit! I am keep the receipts because they have a 5 year warranty on them! For more tips on fluorescent light bulbs http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=cfls.pr_cfls_shapes

How much will you spend on Halloween?

How much will you spend on Halloween? under $50 $51-$100 $101-150 over $150    pollcode.com free polls

CVS weekly extra care bucks deals 9/15-9/22

Here is the CVS weekly deals! I will probably stock up on the VO5 shampoo-not $15 worth though. I do stock up on the Lifefitness supplements because of they cheweable omega 3 that my son takes. Remember coupons make the best deal there!! Here is a printable Aquafresh coupon and a few printable CVS coupons one valid for through 9/16 for $15 off $75 and if you are an AMEX user there is a coupon for $5.00 off! ECB Specials 9/16-9/22 (All limit 1 unless noted) $30 WYB one (1) Oral-B Rechargeable Toothbrush $10 WYB one (1) Crest Spinbrush Pro Rechargeable $19.99 $5 WYB $15 of V05 $0.77 each $5 WYB $15 of Cover Girl Cosmetics $5 WYB $15 of Eucerin $5 WYB $15 of Motions Products $5 WYB $15 of Nivea $5 WYB $15 of Tresseme Shampoo, stylers or conditioner 3/$9.99 $5 WYB $15 of St. Ives Products $5 WYB $20 of Maybelline $5 WYB $20 of Garnier Fructis or Nutritioniste $5 WYB $20 of Nexxus Products $5 WYB $25 of Rogaine $5 WYB $25 of The Following Unilever Products - Dove Bodywash, Vaseline, Ponds, Caress Exotic Oils $5 WYB four (4) Kiss or Broadway Artificial Nails $5 WYB one (1) Flair Fragrance $5 WYB two (2) BreathRX Rinse Cleaning System $7.99 $3 WYB four (4) Coke 12 pks 4/$12.00 $3 WYB one (1) Fixodent 2pk $8.99 $3 WYB one (1) Vagistat $12.99 $3 WYB one (1) Serenity Incontinence Pads $3 WYB one (1) Zantac $8.49 $2 WYB one (1) Tylenol Rapid Release Allergy, Sinus, Multisymptom $4.99 $2 WYB one (1) Tylenol Rapid Release Extra Stregth or PM $4.99 $2 WYB one (1) Aquify/Clear Care/Genteal $8.99 $1 WYB one (1) Advil Max Caplets 16 ct $4.99 $1 WYB one (1) Aquafresh Advanced Toothpaste $2.99 (limit 5) Working on the rest! Will update! Buy ONE Get ONE FREE Fun Size Candy – M7M’s, Snickers, Milky Way, Twix, 3 Muskateers $2.99 All Life Fitness Vitamins & Supplements Right Guardm Dry Idea, Soft & Dri Deodorants Progresso Soup $2.49-2.99 Essence of Beauty Buy 2 get 1 free Sunsilk Hair Care Buy 2 get 1 free Buy ONE Get ONE 50% off All Maybelline Cosmetics Trident 8 Pack Sugarless Gum CVS Storage Bags – Ziploc type Bic Disposable Razors All Sally Hansen or Healing Beauty Cosmetics All Wet N’ Wild Cosmetics All Marc Anthony Hair Care All Playtex Baby Care Other deals VO5 $0.77 Hersheys Cacao Reserve $1.99 Sun Maid Raisins (tub not individual size) $1.99 Clorox Wipes 2/$5.00 Glade Plug Ins 2/$5.00 Softsoap Hand Soap 7.5oz variety Johnsons Baby Care $2.99 Similac/Enfamil $22.49 CVS Wipes 2/$5.00 Tide/Gain 39-48 Load Size $7.99 Ajax Dish Soap $0.99 CVS 8 Pack Paper Towels $3.99 CVS Bagged Candy $0.88 Pampers Jumbo pack $8.99 Kelloggs Cereal 2/$4.99 Powerade $0.99 Buy Any Clairol Nice N’ Easy Hair Color Get a FREE Clairol Root Touch Up Abbreviations: ECB = Extra Care Buck PSA = Prices starting at CRT = Cash Register Tape WYB = When You Buy Helpful websites!!! http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/extracarehome http://deals.families.com/cvs,f533 http://www.terismessageboard.com/showthread.php?t=13237 http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums...splay.php?f=62

CVS $15 off coupon this weekend only

CVS/pharmacy store and SAVE $15 off your purchase of $75 or more with your ExtraCare card*. Or shop online to receive these savings at CVS.com. Expires 9/16/07. Print it out from CVS printable coupon Another CVS coupon AMEX coupon at CVS $5.00 off $10 Here are the deals through tomorrow at CVS extra care bucks deals

Friday Freebies and Coupons

Gerber baby bath products 3 step plant transfer system Free mechancial pencil Serenity® Sampling Backyard Bar-B-Q kit Today Diet and Fitness magazine Free flax seed sample New York State Smokers' Quitline Smoker Registration free nicotine patches -NY only Free pain reliever aleo gel Free Condoms Chicken of the Sea - Special Offer sign up for coupons and samples OralCare.com - Worlds Largest Oral Care Source - Consumer Sign Up Form Biore skin care samples Fun Money Surveys Print REAL coupons from your computer at CoolSavings! Just click here!

A pig, pizza and wrapping paper -school fundraiser

We have been in school exactly two weeks now. I have gotten the selling kit for the fall school fundraiser earlier this week. I can buy overpriced wrapping paper, Christmas ornament and lot of novelty items-I really hate, well detest the fall fundraisers at the schools. The pressure and motivation that they put on kids-hey kids sell so much and you will earn a Shrek key chain. The kicker this year is a contest Every class with 50% or more classroom participation in the fall fundraiser will receiving a wriggling, waggling walking pig. Every class who had earned a pig will race. The class that wins the race will receive a PIZZA PARTY and a MSYTERY PRIZE! Pizza and pigs... my oldest wanted to go door to door yesterday. Will this Mom cave into peer pressure-probably but I really want to send in this beg off letter

Quick and Easy Chicken Parmesan Recipe

2lbs cup up chicken breasts or other pieces of chicken skin removed 1/3 cup water 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated 1. Place chicken in a 13 X 9 X 2 inch baking dish. Add the water. Sprinkle with seasoned salt and cover well with parmesan cheese 2. Bake in a 475 degree oven for 20 minutes. 3. After 20 minutes, reduce the heat to 375 degrees and cook for an additional 10 minutes or until the chicken pieces are done. This is perfect with some garlic roasted potatos on the side!

How to get cheap magazine subscriptions

What do you get the person who has everything-a magazine subscription can be a wonderful gift for Christmas. Magazines are good for kids who are learning to read as well Where is the best place to find magazine subscriptions for cheap price-Ebay! Here are some good deals at Ebay Shape Magazine starting at $1.99 a year Vogue Magazine starting at $5.99 a year People Magazine 52 issues starting at $19.99 You can also find good deals at Magazine subscriptions at Amazon Discount Magazines

Free printer ink refills at Walgreens Wed 9/12

Walgreens has been offering cartridge refills for a year - $10 for black ink and $15 for color. To promote the program, on Sept. 12 the drugstore will fill one black or color cartridge per customer for free at its photo counter. Espon and Cannon ink catridges are excluded. Not all Walgreens have the ability so I would make a call to your local Walgreens to see if they are participating. If you can't make to Walgreens and don't want to pay the high price for printer ink, here are some cheaper options: 123 inkjets Get up to 75% OFF Inkjet Cartridges! I usually get my ink from there for my Hewlett Packard printer. Much cheaper than going to the office stores or Walmart.

Frugal Five Meet Stephanie

Stephanie is a frugal grandmother from Ohio What is your financial life? I have been married to my husband for 27 years . I have a 19 year old son still at home and a 24 year old daughter, married with 1 girl who is currently living with us. We have a mortgage that still has 11 year left on it . We also have credit card debt is that is approximately $3000 and a monthly car loan of $276. (Check out Tips to get out of debt) We are looking to retire in the next 5 years or so. My husband is a union carpenter. I worked out of the house for 10 years and recently stopped working so I could help with watching my grandaughter. My daughter is currently getting a divorce so we are trying to help have her get back on her feet emotionally and finanacially. What is your budget buster? My granddaughter I love to spoil her rotten. I know I need to cut back. What is your favorite money saving tip? I make sure I watch for the sales. If you had an extra $1000 what would you do with it? I would put it towards our credit card debt. I really want to make sure I got this debt paid off. What is your best resource for frugal living? I read alot of message boards on financial living. Thanks Stephanie for sharing all of your story! Let us know if you would like to be profiled in the Frugal Five

Frugal Dinner Planning week Sept 9th

I am trying to get back into the groove of being frugal! Being away for a fun filled weekend doesn't help keep your wallet filled. My baby sister is married to a great guy. I do need to go grocery shopping this morning to pick up stuff! Here is our menu for the week: Sunday We had a huge brunch at the hotel before leaving so no one was hungry when it was time for dinner. Monday Chicken Stroganoff in the crockpot Chicken breast, can of cream of mushroom soup, 1 can of milk diced onions, mushrooms. Throw in crockpot for 6 hrs. Add cooked noodles at the end. Tuesday Burrito skillet new recipe for us! Wednesday Leftover chicken stroganoff Thurs Burrito skillet leftovers or will be soup/sandwich night We run from soccer to cub scouts so will need to be easy dinner Fri Meatloaf, mashed potatoes Sat Pizza

CVS weekly extra care bucks deals 9/9-9/15

Some great bargains starting tomorrow at CVS! Remember to combine a coupon with for the best deals! ECB Specials 9/9-9/15 (All limit 1 unless noted) $1 WYB Three (3) Poland Spring 3 liter bottles 3/$3.00 $1 WYB Five (5) 5 Sugarfree Gum 5/$5.00 $5 WYB $20 Lumene Premium Beauty $5 WYB Crest Whitestrips $24.99 $3 WYB Listerine Whitening Strips $23.99 $2 WYB Two (2) Dial or Tone Soap or Bodywash 2/$8.00 $5 WYB Two (2) Biore Products PSA $6.99 $5 WYB $25 Neutrogen Skincare or Haircare $2 WYB L'Oreal Infallible Lip Color $8.99 $2 WYB L'Oreal Bare Natural Foundation or Blush $12.99 $2 WYB Oral-B Value Pack Toothbrush $2 WYB Playtex Gentle Glide $6.99 $1 WYB Bayer Aspirin Bonus Size @ $5.99 $2 WYB Tylenol Arthritis, PM or Rapid Release @ $6.99 $5 WYB Any Sunbeam Heating Pad PSA 15.99 $3 WYB Miralax 14 dose $9.99 $3 WYB Mennen Speed Stick 24/7 for Men Deodorant LIMIT 2 $2 WYB Renu Multiplus or Boston Lens Care $9.99 LIMIT 2 $5 WYB University Medical WrinkleFree or AcneFree Kits PSA $29.99 LIMIT 5 $3 WYB John Frieda Luminous Color glaze or serum PSA $9.99 LIMIT 5 $2.99 WYB Colgate Total Advance $2.99 LIMIT 5 - FREE or MONEYMAKER $24 WYB Two (2) Nicorette, Nicoderm CQ or Commit PSA $39.99 LIMIT 5 $3 WYB CVS One-Time-Use video camera $24.99 LIMIT 5 $3 WYB Two (2) Triaminic PSA 6.99 LIMIT 5 $3 WYB Three (3) Theraflu LIMIT 5 Buy ONE Get ONE FREE Arizona Tea .99 each Nature’s Bounty Vitamins or Supplements Haagen Daaz Ice Cream Revlon Super Lustrous or Moondrops Almay Foundation, Concealer, Blush, or Powder Nu Hair CVS Alkaline Batteries Buy ONE Get ONE 50% off CVS Cotton balls, pads, squares, rounds CVS Therapeutic Shampoo Photo Frames or Albums (excludes digital) Buy 2 get 1 Free Essence of Beauty Bath products All Neutrogena Cosmetics All Physicians Formula Cosmetics All Revlon Cosmetics of Beauty Tools Revlon Limited Edition Collection Revlon Lashes or Artificial Nails John Frieda Frizz-Eaze Leggs Sheer Energy or Sheer Vitality Cristophe Hair Accessories Cristophe Beverly Hills Hair Care Other deals General Mills Cereal 2/$4.99 CVS Gold Emblem Nuts 2/$4.99 Scott 8 Pack Paper Towels $4.99 CVS Toilet Paper 12-pack $4.99 Huggies Wipes $2.99 Excedrin $1.99 Wisk $3.99 Nabisco or Keebler Cookies & Austin Cracker Sandwiches 5/$5.00 Crest $1.97 Puffs 2/$3.00 Gold Emblem Candy $0.88 CVS Jumbo Pack Diapers 2/$12.99 Gillette Foamy 2/$3.00 Buy Nivea for Men Shaving Product Get a FREE Nivea for Men Shave Gel Abbreviations: ECB = Extra Care Buck PSA = Prices starting at CRT = Cash Register Tape WYB = When You Buy Helpful websites!!! http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/extracarehome http://deals.families.com/cvs,f533 http://www.terismessageboard.com/showthread.php?t=13237 http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums...splay.php?f=62

Friday freebies and samples

Free Agape Bible Cassette Tapes Free Sticker Sensodyne Sample toothpaste Free T-Shirt Dove Body Nourishers with 24-hour Nutri-serum Free Diapers and Wipes Pretzel Eaters Club - Get coupons from Synders of Hanover Knorr food products samples and coupons Head and Shoulders free shampoo sample PURINA ONE® sample Dunkin' Donuts Coffee Free! LACTAID® Offers - $1 Off LACTAID® Milk Products $10 PEP BOY coupon

Burrito Skillet

Burrito Skillet I haven't tried this one yet, but it will be on my weekly menu within the next few weeks! very quick and easy, not too expensive. 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey 1 pkg taco seasoning 1 can kidney beans, drained 1 cup salsa 1 cup water 4 flour tortillas (6") cut up 1 cup shredded cheese top with sour cream and green onions (optional) 1. Brown meat; drain 2. add seasoning mix, beans, salsa and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer five minutes 3. Stir in tortillas; top w/ cheese. Cover; let stand 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. --------------------

How long do you drive your car?

Well according to CNN I should be driving my cars for 15 year or 225,000. We currently have 2 cars- one a 1996 Dodge caravan which we bought on Labor day weekend 1999. It currently have 103,000 miles on it. This is my husband going to work car. He drives about 20 miles a day on it. It is starting to show wear and tear on it after our 8 years of owning it. It has been paid off for 5 years now. Will we get 4 more years out of it? Another 120,000 miles on it? I doubt it. I thought I was being good shooting for 9 or 10 years for owning the car. Our second car, another mini-van 2001 Chrysler town and country. This is my car! We got it just over 2 years ago. It has 47,000 miles on it. Will it last another 9 years-maybe! I am sure going to try to baby it!! Here are some of the tips: have much hope of making it to 200,000 miles, a car has to be well maintained, of course. The magazine recommends several steps to help your car see it through. Follow the maintenance guide in your owner's manual and make needed repairs promptly. Use only the recommended types of fluids, including oil and transmission fluids. Check under the hood regularly. Listen for strange sounds, sniff for odd smells and look for fraying or bulges in pipes or belts. Also, get a vehicle service manual. They're available at most auto parts stores or your dealership. Clean the car carefully inside and out. This not only helps the car's appearance but can prevent premature rust. Vacuuming the inside also prevents premature carpet wear from sand and grit. Buy a safe, reliable car. Buying a car with the latest safety equipment makes it more likely you'll feel as safe in your aging car as a newer model. The highest rated models include a Toyota and a Honda, which is no suprise. Our next car purchase will probably be a used Toyota or Honda and drive it forever.

Frugal Five Meet Connie

Connie is a new stay at home mom from the Chicago area that is starting to learn the frugal ropes. What is your financial life? My son was born 2 months ago and we have decided that I will be a stay at home mom for a while to be with him, so we really only have 1 income coming in now. Right now we are have 2 car payments- I am looking to sell one of them. We are currently renting a small 1 bedroom apartment. We have our son Eric in a small crib but we will need a larger apartment or hopefully buy a house within the next year. I do hope to start working at home in the next couple of weeks. What is your budget buster? It is the 2 car payments. We pay more than $600 a month. (Check out Car rich, cash poor ) What is your favorite money saving tip? I am so new to being frugal that I really don't have a tip just yet. I kind of feel like a money mess. I would suggest though keeping a budget so you can track your spending. If you had an extra $1000 what would you do with it? I would put it towards the cars right now. What is your best resource for frugal living? I have been hanging around at www.savingadvice.com to see if I can pick up any money management tips. I need a lot of help there. Thanks Connie for sharing all of your great tips! Let us know if you would like to be profiled in the Frugal Five

Frugal meal planning Sept 2nd

Wow I can't believe it is September already. And this week is going to be a crazy week for us!! Saturday is my youngest sister wedding and a total budget buster for us. We will be in a hotel Thurs afternoon -Sun. Luckily the hotel room has a fridge so I am stocking on some goodies. The hotel is in a resort and the meals are very very pricey. I am planning on packing some fruit, breakfast bars, peanut butter, jelly, crackers, bringing juice boxes and water bottles down. We have reheasral dinner on Friday night, wedding on Saturday afternoon and then a brunch Sunday morning. The hotel is right on the ocean and has 2 pools-so hubby and the boys will be at the pool when wedding stuff isn't happening!! Sun Steak, onions, peppers, mushrooms subs, french fries, veggies from the garden Mon Bridemaid lunch for me- sandwiches for the boys Tues Spaghetti and meatballs (with veggies from the garden thrown Wed Pizza we got Soccer pep rally night so something nice and easy Thurs We will be driving-probably peanut butter sandwiches Fri Away Sat Wedding!

CVS Extra Care Buck Weekly deals 9/2-9/8

Here are the weekly CVS Extra Care buck deals starting tomorrow! For your best bet make sure you are using coupons if you have them!! ECB Specials 9/2-9/8 (All limit 1 unless noted) $2.00 ECB WYB 2 Planters Nuts 2/$7.00 $5.00 ECB WYB $15 Duracell batteries – Duracell Alkaline $8.99/Duracell Ultra Save $2.00/Duracell EasyTab Hearing Aid Batteries $5.99 $5.00 ECB WYB $25 Olay Products – Regenerist $26.99, Definity $26.99 $5.00 ECB WYB $15 Clearasil Products PSA $4.99 $1.00 ECB WYB Secret or Old Spice Deodorant $2.69 $2.00 ECB WYB 2 Gillette Foamy, Fusion, Satin Care Shave Cream/Gel $1.00 ECB WYB Boost 6 Pack $5.99 $2.00 ECB WYB Aleve $8.99 $2.00 ECB WYB Tylenol Rapid Release – PM or ES $4.49 $2.00 ECB WYB Nabisco Cookies – Nilla Wafers, Fig Newtons, Chips Ahoy 2/$5.00 $3.00 ECB WYB 2 Gatorade/Propel 6 Packs 2/$9.00 (limit 5) Buy ONE Get ONE FREE Lays Chips $3.49 Kleenex $2.19 CVS Flash Camera $7.99 ALL CVS Vitamins Twizzlers Fuji Film CD-R $14.99 G-U-M Toothbrusg Life Fitness Heart Health Supplements Ester-C Vitamin Supplement Move Free Advanced Buy ONE Get ONE 50% off CVS Brown Paper Lunch Bags $1.99 All TRIM Beauty Tools Cover Girl Eye/Lip Color FX Stylers All Brut Samy Hair Products Estroven Other deals $1.77 ALL Post Cereals 10/$10 Nutrition Bars – Power Bar, Clif, Pure Protein, Detour, GoLean, PayDayPro, Glenny’s or Luna $0.99 Dawn Dish Detergent $8.99 Pampers Jumbo Pack Diapers $4.49 Vicks – multiple products – stock up for cold season! $9.99/3 Herbal Essences Hair Care $12.00/3 Pantene Pro-V $0.99 Renuezit Air Fresheners One Touch Ultra2 Monitoring System - $29.99 with MIR for $29.99 – Free after rebate! Abbreviations: ECB = Extra Care Buck PSA = Prices starting at CRT = Cash Register Tape WYB = When You Buy Helpful websites!!! http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvs/gateway/extracarehome http://deals.families.com/cvs,f533 http://www.terismessageboard.com/showthread.php?t=13237 http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums...splay.php?f=62