Roasted Winter Root Vegetables

3 parsnips washed, peeled and cut up
3 small potatoes washed, peeled and cut up
several baby carrots cut up
several radishes cut up
toss in a bowl with olive oil and balsamic vinegar
salt & pepper
(I did not measure these)
bake at 400F for 40 minutes, turn after 20 minutes

Eat right away- yummy! You could throw some onions in there too.

CVS Deal of the week

I went to CVS in a snowstorm armed with some Cottonelle coupons from their website.  When I scanned my CVS card at the kiosk I got 2 more Cottonelle coupons- you can stack CVS coupons with manufacturer coupons.

I bought 2 each 18-pk Cottonelle toilet paper @ $10 each, 2 tubs each Cottonelle wipes @ $2 each, 1 pk Cottonelle wipes refill @ $2 each, and 1 pk Kotex-U liners @ $1.49 each= $27.49 (before tax).

I had 3 each $0.50 off Cottonelle coupons for the toilet paper and wipes and 1 CVS coupon for $3 off Cottonelle and 1 CVS coupon for a free tub of wipes when I bought 1 pk of Kotex-U.  I also had $10 ECB from a previous transaction and a $5 off CVS coupon for completing a CVS survey online.  My total after coupon was $6.06 (with tax).  I got $10 more ECB back.

I also got a coupon for 10% off all Beauty purchases for joining the CVS Beauty Club.

Happy New Year!

(Ok, I'm a little late.) 

There is this wonderful blog called Couponing To Disney.  The author teaches you how to save money by shopping wisely and how to put that money aside for a trip to Disney (or whatever else you want to save up for).  She also gives you some great tips on Disney World trips.  Two years ago in 2009, I decided to have a garage sale in the summer and I also kept track of all the money I saved from bargain shopping, etc.  Last year in 2010 I decided to try to double my efforts and we were able to go on a short Disney trip (mainly because of a large refund from the gas company).

This year in 2011 my goal is to save 2 and a 1/2 times the amount I saved that first year.  What I do is tally any extra money that comes in- rebate checks, gift cards earned, prescription reimbursements, gifts received (money or gift cards), anything won, any money made selling things (garage sale, etc.), and any other unexpected money that shows up.  I do not count regular paychecks or any store rewards credits such as Extra Bucks, catalinas, etc.  I have been doing Swagbucks for a little while and I have earned a few Amazon gift cards, but I'm not that into it.

So, let the games begin! (Oh and maybe we'll plan another little vacation if everything goes well.)

WFMW- Christmas Gift Ideas for Teachers

Money is still tight with everyone this year so I was trying to think of some inexpensive but nice teacher gifts.  First of all, I have some teacher friends and they all say- no coffee mugs or apple-themed items please!  They get a lot of those.  Most teachers would really appreciate a handwritten note from your child more than anything.  Homemade ornaments or crafts are nice too.  In my opinion a gift card, even in a small amount like $5, makes a really great gift.  You can pair it with a candy bar or mints or gum.  I usually save some $5 Target gift cards throughout the year to use as gifts.  There was also an iTunes promotion on $10 gift cards a few weeks back.  In addition to her regular teacher, my daughter also has some other helpers, bus drivers, etc.  I usually give them candy or mints.  You can usually find stuff on sale around Halloween time- just don't get Trick-or-Treat packaging!  Different color M&M's look really cute in a plain jar with a bow.  A really easy treat to make is pretzel-kisses-melts.  Just put one layer of mini pretzels twists on a cookie sheet and top with one Hershey's Kiss (any flavor).  Melt in the oven on 250 for a few minutes until soft (watch closely).  Immediately top with one M&M- I use red and green.  Cool and store in a Ziploc bag or other container. Very yummy salty and chocolate snack!

More WFMW at We Are That Family.

Menu Plan Monday August 30

Here's what I have planned for this week- but you know it doesn't always work out!

Monday: Stuffed Pepper Casserole (I had in the freezer) with Field Greens salad
Tuesday: Crescent roll hot dogs (ok I know, I have to use them up)
Wednesday: ??? (I don't know yet)
Thursday: Macaroni & Beef (grass-fed beef), local green beans
Friday: Slow cooker chicken taco meat
Saturday: left-over buffet

More Menu Plan Monday here!

(My new blog starts Wednesday September 1st)

What to do with extra school supplies?

The stores are still practically giving away school supplies this week. Here are 3 things you can do with the extra school supplies you bought.

1. Donate them to a food pantry. Food pantries often give out school supplies this time of year.
2. Donate them to a local school. Each year teachers spend hundreds of dollars of their own money to buy school supplies for their classrooms.
3. Save them to put in a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child- coming in November.

Changes are coming!

Look for my new blog 90 Days of Change starting September 1st!

Find a Farmer's Market near you

Use this website Local Harvest to find a farmer's market near you. Some farmer's markets we have visited this summer:

Munroe Falls Brust Park Rt 91 Tuesday 3pm-7pm
kind of small, found some good tomatoes here

Green YMCA Summa Health Parking Lot Tuesday 3pm-7pm
lots of Amish stuff, found good strawberries in June

Brimfield Town Center Rt 43 Wednesday 3pm-7pm
great eggs from Bowers farm

Twinsburg Rt 91 behind the Post Office Thursday 3pm-6pm
grass fed beef from Sirna Farms

Cuyahoga Falls 2nd Street next to City Hall Friday 3pm-7pm
kind of small, found some good corn here

Hudson Main Street Green Saturday 8am-12noon
kind of upscale- found good garlic here

Make your own daily shower cleaner

Homemade shower spray cleaner- I've made this before- it's pretty easy and it works ok (not spectacular but ok). Save an old spray bottle- rinse it out well.

1 c rubbing alcohol
1 c hydrogen peroxide
6 drops Dawn dish detergent
1 tsp Jet Dry
fill rest of bottle with water
you can also add a few drops of a scented oil- I like Tea Tree Oil
spray daily after each shower

More WFMW at We Are That Family.

$1 clearance girls clothes at Walmart

I got a bunch of cute girls back-to-school clothes at Walmart today reduced to $1 each! One hooded tunic top, one pair black pants, two dresses, one 3-piece outfit (top, skirt, pants) for $5 total (plus tax)!

$1.05 Target shopping trip

Got all this for only $1.05 out of pocket at Target. 1 Scrubbing Bubbles power spray at $6.99 (used $5 manufacturer coupon plus $3 Target coupon= $8 off), 1 bag of rice reduced to $0.91, one can of green beans reduced to $0.48, one can of tomato paste reduced to $0.41.

McCormick vanilla extract deal

Buy 3 McCormick vanilla extract on sale at Giant Eagle 2/$7 (the small bottle) total $10.50 for 3. Use 3- $1 off coupons from 3/14 Sunday newspaper insert. Spend $7.50 out of pocket. You will get a $2 catalina back from Giant Eagle and a $2.50 catalina back from McCormick. That's like spending $1 a bottle for vanilla extract.

Also if you buy 2 bags of Domino sugar at $3 ea and 2 cans of Carnation evaporated milk at $1 ea ($0.50 coupon in 3/21 newspaper insert) you will get another $2 catalina back. I would recommend doing these in two separate transactions and you can use the first catalinas to pay for the second.

Ziploc double dip at Giant Eagle

Buy 3 boxes of Ziploc Slider close bags at Giant Eagle at $2.49 each get $2 catalina back from Ziploc PLUS $2 catalina back from S C Johnson. There are coupons in last Sunday's newspaper. I bought these today- 3 boxes for $7.50 used 2 coupons $2.10= $5.40 got back $4.00= $1.40 for 3 boxes of Ziploc bags. You have to buy the Slider kind.

Michelina's deal at Giant Eagle

Go here and print two coupons $1 off when you buy 5 Michelina's. Go to Giant Eagle they are on sale for $1 each. Buy 10 get $2 catalina back. So $10 minus $2 coupons minus $2 cat back= $6 for 10 or $0.60 each.

Also at my Giant Eagle they were giving out coupon booklets for Yoplait products including $1 off 100 calorie Yoplait Delights- or there was a $0.50 coupon is Sunday's paper that will double- they are on sale for $2 so you pay $1. They are very yummy!

Pampers at CVS

Pampers diapers at CVS $8.97- use $2 off coupon from 2/21 P&G newspaper insert get $3 Extra Care Bucks back- total cost= $3.97 for one pack of diapers- pretty good deal!

Giant Eagle Easy Fries get $5 back

Go to Giant Eagle- buy 6 packages of Ore-Ida Easy Fries at $1 each, get back $5 catalina coupon. Buy 6 more- use your $5 catalina- spend $1- get another $5 catalina back, etc. etc.

Smart Ones deal at Giant Eagle

Buy 6 Weight Watchers Smart Ones at Giant Eagle @ 5/$10 and get $5 catalina back. Plus if you buy $20 worth you will get and additional $2 catalina back and a code for a free Redbox rental. There are coupons online and from the 1/3/10 Smart Source newspaper insert.

Super Savings Saturday

I forgot my grocery cash again! This week I bought some extra items I would not normally buy because I have to bring snacks next week for preschool- and I bought some baby items for my sister. I spend $69 OOP on $114 worth of stuff. Then I went back to customer service. One item rang up wrong so they gave me $2 back and I was supposed to get a $6 catalina for buying all the baby items- so they gave me a $6 gift card. (Shopping at Giant Eagle) See Money Saving Mom for more Super Savings Saturday.

Super Savings Saturday

I started my experiment of shopping with cash only this week and I went to Giant Eagle and promptly forgot my cash envelope. My budget was $60 for the week for groceries and I did charge it on Discover (cash back rewards baby!) but I still did pretty good. Got $96 worth of groceries- spent $64 after coupons and got back $15.50 in catalinas ($$ coupons off future purchases). Check out Money Saving Mom for more Super Savings Saturday!

Happy New Year's Eve!

Farewell to another year- if I have time I will write a post about how I came up with $1000 in 6 months from July to December of this year. Hoping to make it $2000 next year! Happy New Year!