Grocery Worksheet.

Good Sunday everyone! 

Are you ready for the Super Bowl, or rather the commercials?
 

I hope you remembered to get your papers today.
 

Since today is the 1st, it would be a great time to start my Grocery worksheet, if you didn't get to do it last month. I made a simple excel sheet to help you keep up with your weekly grocery bill, so you can see what you bought on sale and the coupon available. With this, when a new sale comes out, you will know if it a good deal or not.

Happy Shopping!

CVS Shopping Trip

I decided to stop by CVS last night to see if any bargins were left. When there is a really good ad, it's a good idea to go Sunday morning or Friday Evening <~that's when my CVS truck comes in.

Since my printer has decided to stop, I didn't get the best deal possible but I'm not complaining at all. 

I did 4 different transactions. Make sure you stop at the red box to get any available coupons to add with your manufacture coupons. I had several from previous trips.

First Transaction:

*2 X Colgate 360 Toothbrush = $12

2 X $2.00 of 1Coupon= $4.00

CVS coupon $3 of any $10 toothbrush purchase = $3.00

Total $5.77 with $6.00 Extracare bucks

Second Transaction:

*2 Liter Pepsi = 99¢

*Gain Flings 14 ct = $3.94

*Colgate Mouth Wash = $5.99

Gain coupon = $2.00

Colgate Coupon = $2.00

Pepsi CVS coupon = 24¢

Extracare Bucks from previous purchase = $6.00

Total $1.55 with $3.00 Extracare bucks

Third Transaction:

*3 X Speed Stick Deodorant = $12

B1G1 Free Coupon= $4.00

CVS coupon $2.50 of any $12 deodorant purchase = $2.50

Extracare Bucks from previous purchase = $6.00

Total $3.31 with $6.00 Extracare bucks

 

Fourth Transaction:

*Spice Drops: 88¢ (Not Pictured)

*Circus Peanuts X 2: $1.76 (Not Pictured)

*Irish Springs = $3.00

*Softsoap = $3.00

Irish Spring coupon = $.00

Softsoap = 75¢

Extracare Bucks from previous purchase = $6.00

Total $1.54

And the breakdown is....

Before coupons $ 43.56

After coupons $12.17

Savings  72%

Price per item 94¢ including tax

Like I said..it wasn't the best but I'll take it. :)

Updated my shopping list

If you have not been following this year, we are trying to save money on our grocery bill. 

I have created a grocery list and expense sheet so we can keep up with our spending. I went ahead and started mine as of last week. You can start it whenever you like. 

My goal is to help you save money on your grocery bill without stress. When I first started couponing, I made a list of everything I bought on sale. Then, if it went on sale somewhere else, I would know if it was a good price or not. You do not have to do this but it really help me save money. Now I can pretty much rattle off what is a good price for several items. 

I stopped at my Dollar Tree last night and picked up a couple of items.

• Capri Sun resealable 4 packs  (I bought 3, really great deal)
• Tortellini (For next week, another great deal)
• Cheese puffs..(They just looked good)
• Tomato Sauce and hotdogs (daughter and her slob)
• Suckers (we eat a lot of candy)
• Vienna sausages (cause #3 & 4 love them)

I spent $12.00 on items I just "had" to have.

I'm going back to Homeland today to get another Kraft deal. Here are some coupons available.

• Mayo $1.99 (50¢ SS 1/18)
• Miracle Whip $1.99 (50¢ coupon or $1/2 SS 1/18)
• Peanut Butter $1.49 ($1/2 Homeland Book or coupon)
• Philadelphia Cream Cheese $1.49 (50¢ coupon)
• Parmesan Cheese $2.99 (75¢ coupon)

If you purchase the items above and the remaining in Jello or Pudding, it would only cost you $8.40. That equals to 84¢ an item.

My printer has lost it's mind so I can't print. My plan is to get the mayo, miracle whip, peanut butter, jello and pudding. It will cost me $8.90. Which 89¢ a piece is still not bad. 

If you plan on stopping by CVS today, don't miss the Spend $12 get $6.00 extra bucks deal going with Colgate, Speed Stick, Irish Spring and Soft Soap. I realize this is not part of our grocery bill, but it will save you some money. Each had a coupon in the paper this weekend and you can mix or match deals. There is also a Speed Stick coupon available to print here to go with this deal.

I will let you know the deals I pick up.

If you have any questions, please feel free to ask! I love to help and will do what ever I can to help.

Thanks for following.

Menu Madness Jan 11-18

This use to be called "Menu Monday" but because I'm starting it on Sunday...it's just madness.

Hopefully I am giving you enough time to show this weekend for the menu on Sunday.

I post the links to the original sites if you want to see the source.

Here is your list that you should have on hand just in case you want to make it all on one day. I will try to post next weeks shopping list. It's so much easier to cook with what you have then to realize what you are out of.

• Sunday
  I usually don't post breakfast items but I wanna try these.

         

Wannabe Famous Donuts

These just look really easy and good!

original recipe found on Allrecipes.com
adapted by From Cupboard to Cupboard
2 (.25 ounce) envelopes active dry yeast (or 2 Tablespoons)

1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
1 1/2 cups lukewarm milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/3 cup shortening
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 quart vegetable oil for frying
  For the glaze:           

1/3 cup butter
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 tablespoons hot water or as needed

Directions
Sprinkle the yeast over the warm water, and let stand for 5 minutes, or until foamy.
In a large bowl, mix together the yeast mixture, milk, sugar, salt, eggs, shortening, and 2 cups of the flour. Mix for a few minutes at low speed, or stirring with a wooden spoon. Beat in remaining flour 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl. Knead for about 5 minutes, or until smooth and elastic. Place the dough into a greased bowl, and cover. Set in a warm place to rise until double. Dough is ready if you touch it, and the indention remains.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and gently roll out to 1/2 inch thickness. Cut with a floured doughnut cutter. Let doughnuts sit out to rise again until double. Cover loosely with a cloth.
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Remove from heat, and stir in hot water one tablespoon at a time until the icing is somewhat thin, but not watery. Set aside.
Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large heavy skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Slide doughnuts into the hot oil using a wide spatula. Turn doughnuts over as they rise to the surface. Fry doughnuts on each side until golden brown. Remove from hot oil, to drain on a wire rack. Dip doughnuts into the glaze while still hot, and set onto wire racks to drain off excess. Keep a cookie sheet or tray under racks for easier clean up.

         For Dinner:
          *Indian Tacos with homemade Salsa.
             I'm making the whole 5lb ground beef. I'll post the recipe tomorrow.

• Monday
  *FFYS (Fend for yourself aka leftovers)
• Tuesday
  *Easy Taco Casserole
    This came from a Heather Paquette Dexheimer Facebook. Recipe to follow.
• Wednesday
  *Pizza Nachos

GARLIC CREAM SAUCE:
1-½ Tablespoon Unsalted Butter

½ Tablespoons Olive Oil
3 cloves Garlic, Minced (or Use A Microplane If You Have It)
½ cups Heavy Cream
¼ cups 2% Milk
1 pinch Salt
1 pinch Cracked Black Pepper
1 pinch Red Pepper Flakes
¼ cups Parmesan Cheese, Grated

NACHOS:

Your Favorite Crispy Tortilla Chips
Garlic Cream Sauce (Recipe Included)
¼ cups Onion, Diced
½ cups Pepperoni, Cut Into Bite Size Pieces (I used mini pepperoni)
1- 1½ cups Colby-Jack Cheese, Shredded
Optional-½ cups Black Olives Sliced, ½ whole Green Bell Pepper, Seeds Removed, Diced, mushrooms, any pizza topping of your choice

Instructions 

Start by making your sauce - Begin by melting the butter, along with the olive oil on medium to low heat

Once melted, toss in the minced garlic, and give a good stir
Raise the heat up to medium, to medium-high
Add in the cream and milk and give a good stir
Keep stirring until it comes to a boil. Toss in the salt, pepper, and chili flakes, along with the parmesan cheese, and continue stirring (The sauce will thicken pretty quick, so continue to stir)
Once the sauce is thickened, remove from the burner, and set aside
When you are ready to make your nachos, preheat your oven to 400ºF
Build your nachos on an oven-proof dish
First add your chips
Drizzle the garlic cream sauce all over the chips
Top with the onions and pepperoni (and other pizza toppings of your choice, such as olives and bell pepper)
Make sure you get in there and do some great layering, leaving no chip behind
Top with the Colby Jack cheese
Place in the preheated oven, and cook until the cheese is nice and bubbly and the veggies are warmed through, roughly 7 minutes or so

• Thursday
  *Pork Steak
  *Creamy Garlic Pasta (THIS IS SO GOOD)Ingredients
  1 lb angel hair pasta
  (3) 14.5 oz cans of chicken broth
  2 cups of whipping cream
  1/2 cup grated parmesan
  2 tbsp butter
  1 tsp minced garlic
  chopped parsley for garnish
  Instructions
  Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. When butter is melted, add garlic. Cook for 1 minute. After cooking garlic, add chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil. Once chicken broth is boiling, add angel hair pasta. Cook pasta until done then lower heat and let simmer until most of the broth has evaporated. Turn heat off and add whipping cream and parmesan cheese. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve

• Friday
  *Pulled Pork ChickenFor the pulled pork chicken I threw four chicken breasts in the crock pot with a whole container of BBQ sauce, a half can of cherry coke, and a 1/2 cup on brown sugar. I place it in the crock pot on low for about 5 hours. An hour before I served it I took the chicken out and shredded it with a fork and through it back in the crockpot til ready to serve.
• Saturday
  *FFYS (Fend for yourself aka leftovers)
• Sunday
  *Slow Cooker Easy French Dip Sandwiches:
  Ingredients:
  2-3 pound roast (either beef or pork)
  2 cans (14 1/2 ounces each) beef consomme 
  6-8 buns
  Directions:
  Place roast in greased slow-cooker. Pour consomme over the top of the roast. Cook on low 8-11 hours or on high for 5-7 hours. Remove roast and save extra juice for dipping! With 2 forks, pull apart roast (when it is done, it should pull apart easily . . . almost fall apart). Serve meat on buns and use extra juice to dip sandwiches in.
  

I will update the cost of this menu in the next couple of days and it will depend on the staples you have and the meat. Of course if you find better deals or coupons you can save more. 

I hope this helps. If you have any ideas or suggestions, please let me know.  

*Coupon match ups are from http://www.couponing4charity.com/blog

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New Year's Resolutions

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a safe and Happy New Year. 

With the New Year, always comes the resolutions. You know, the things we want to do different this year and we usually only remember them for the first two weeks of the year. I made a personal list that is only for my eyes. Things I want to work on that I don't care to share about myself to even my family. Hopefully "when" I change those things, they will notice. Then I have my regular list. That's the list I'm sharing with you! :)

If you follow me on Pinterest, most of my ideas are on my boards.

Here is my wonderful 2015 New Year's Resolutions:

1. Get more organized.
   If you are like me you have a snack drawer, that's empty; a school supplies/craft cabinet, that you can't find anything; and those extra closets that just have "extra" stuff in it. I feel like most the time we can't find anything. Of course, I mean my family can't find it. How much time and stress would that save me if someone else in my house could actually find something.
   Part of my organization will include not just "stuff" but myself as well. This will include menu planning each week, watch for those post. Plus organizing my coupons is a must. I have just let them get out of control.I have a cheat sheet for 40 days of Organization, which several of my plans are for "40 days" but it will probably take me 40 weeks.  So if my house is organized by October, that's not bad right? Just in time for the holidays and it's still in 2015. While I'm doing this...de-cluttering is involved.....
2. De-clutter my house.If you follow me on Facebook, you may have saw my post "40 bags in 40 days". It's basically for 40 days you fill up a bag. It can be a donation bag or a trash bag. It doesn't have to be a HUGE bag...just a bag. Easy enough right? This should be an easy task since both myself and #4 are huge pack rats. I plan to have a "garage sale" bag or box as well so we can have extra money for vacation this year.....
3. Save money.
   I know several of you have seen the 52 weeks of savings. I'm sure we're like most people and we get paid every 2 weeks. Well in one part of that savings plan,that would be putting a way $103 in one paycheck. Now I may not be like my fellow bloggers, but that's a lot for one paycheck. I'm going to revise the "52 weeks" to fit my budget. It may not add up to be $1000 but if I put away $200 this year, that would be awesome for me. I've started by throwing all my change into a jar that's hid in my closet (hey! I have kids!). I'm going to set a goal of how much to try to save each week and go from there. Watch for that post coming soon. I'll also being using coupons more and I want to take whatever I save X's 10% and put that away too. I don't want to just save money, I want to make more money this year without taking time away from my family.
4. Make more money.
   I'm kind of a crafty person so I've decided to start selling my crafts. Still haven't decided how that's going to go but stay tuned.
   Hobby Lobby is opening soon where I live. They maybe looking for a cake decorating instructor and I would love to do this again. #4 & #5 are older now and would probably enjoy this.
   Since I'm a blogger, I need to put it to better use....
5. Keep my blog updated
   What's the point of my blog if it's never updated.
6. Be more active spiritually
   We need to go back to church. #4 & #5 mention it to me all the time. If children want to be closer and learn more about God...I shouldn't stop them. Just another way to have something in common with my kids and spend more time with them....
7. Spend more time with my kids...
   Other than in sports or PTO. I volunteer... A LOT. I have a non-profit organization, secretary for Indian Parent Committee, PTO Member, and coach little league. Though this does include my children and time with them, is also includes other children. My children do enjoy most of my volunteering. For Christmas we made stockings for children in foster care and delivered them on Christmas Eve. The younger ones enjoyed being "Santa's helper". 
   For his birthday last week, #4 received a board game from his friend. We sat down and played it...and had fun. I've tried the board game thing before and it didn't work. Gonna try this again.
   I want to be more active with them too...
8. Get in shape
   As crazy as it sounds, this is another way to spend more time with my kiddos. Thanksgiving 2013, myself,  #4 & #5 ran a 5k. They LOVED it. So as I'm losing those 20lbs..we can loose it together. They love to run, go hiking, ride bikes, go skating, and exercise (I have weird boys...ok!) 
9. Yell less and be more calm with my kids.
   Yes, I'm a yeller. Can't help it. I'm too lazy to walk in the house to find you. It's just easier for me. But this year I want to Yell Less. If they don't hear me the first time (which I still haven't figured out how they miss it), continue on and have them miss out. You really can't miss it if I yell at you for something other than you are just flat ignoring me. I do have a rule in my house...If I yell for you...don't yell back at me. Stop what you are doing, physically walk into the room I'm at, and answer; what, yes, huh...whatever. That way we're all not yelling at each other in house, it's just me yelling.
   I don't tolerate smart mouths or laziness from my kids. I'm not saying I don't get it, everyday, I just don't tolerate it. #3 and I go round and round about this. He believes he does everything in the house and that he can talk to me however he wants. He's my SS so I'm just the caregiver I guess...wrong. I believe in 'Spare the rod, spoil the child'. I will bust their buns in a heart beat, whether the other parent approves or likes it or not. I'm the one caring for them. If we're out and my children are acting a fool, you have my permission to get on to them or whip that butt if needed. I work PT retail, and can't stand when parents let their children run buck wild.
   Way off subject there...Anyways
   I started getting right at my children's level and whispering or talking low to them to stop or whatever they are getting in trouble for.
   So far this year (the whole 7 days) I have NOT yelled a child......
10. Be more happy
    Keys to happiness....
    1. Less stress...(See resolutions 1,2, & 9)
    2. Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. (Thanks Elle!)
    3. Be happy and grateful for what I have. This should be a number all by its self and include my children. But I only wanted to list 10 things.

Ten resolutions. That's all. Doesn't seem like much but let's see how it goes. 

I would love to hear some of your resolutions and your tricks or success stories. What do you have planned this year?