Cheap Post Cereal! Albertsons! FINAL UPDATE!

Starts tomorrow and I will post details as soon as I have them verified. I'll tell you this though, get your hands on post cereal coupons (but even if you don't, the deal is FANTASTIC!)

Be ready...

update:

Post cereals will be $1.57 when you by 2
BUT, when you buy 5 a catalina for $5 off your next order will print, making them $.67 each!
THEN I went on ebay and bought coupons for $1 off 2 so that makes them $.17 each!

I would be searching for any post coupons that include the selects, raisin bran or grape nuts.

Think about this, with coupons and including tax you would spend around $40 for 100 boxes of cereal! For a 4 person family that is probably a years supply of breakfast for less than $50! 1/3 of a years supply of food! THIS is how to get food storage done!
Now, without the additional coupons for that 100 boxes with tax you are spending a little over $80! That is still fantastic!

If you know people who are struggling with food storage, or just plain struggling, take them by the hand and show them how to do this.

A few tips:
Be organized. You MUST do this in sets of 5.
Bring cash. Hand the cash and any coupons to your cashier (coupons organized!) and let the cashier do the work. It will flow better.
Be kind and gracious if they are out of stock. This is a huge sale and will be kind of crazy. Remember, it will go for 10 days, so be calm.

And, there you have it!

Yay for sales!

** Updated again:
Broadway Albies is going to be extremely well stocked, so give them some love, tell 'em Kimber sent you and be ready for a great deal! I just have to say this again. Less than 100 dollars for 1/3 of your year supply of food. That means you would have 4 months of food and that is WONDERFUL! You can't afford NOT to do this!
Remember, even if you have never done this, if you go to the Broadway Albertsons in Idaho Falls and tell them that you have no idea what you are doing but you DO want the cereal deal, they will take you by the hand and help you. You don't have to be afraid. Walk in and let them do the work and get cereal for $.67 a box without coupons!


*** Update once more! After much head banging on walls we are determining IF you have the $1 off 2 coupons you will save more per box by doing each transaction in sets of 6. The differenct is $.27 a box for 5 boxes and $.24 a box for 6. My brain hurts I can't really think on this one anymore, so just know this, no matter what you are coming out of Albies with a hot deal. Now shop!

Rigby Coupon Group Cancelled TODAY!

Everyone has the sickies and we don't want to spread it!
We may be moving locations soon too as our hostess is very pregnant and we want to move before her baby is born. I'll keep you posted.

I'm not the only one loving a deal...

Check out Melanie C!
Here

This makes me so happy for her!

I know a lot of you have started really kicking some hiney on getting the savings. So... post a comment so I can link up your deals either to my blog or just for this post so people can see that I'm not the only one who loves (and gets) a deal!

Also, for those who want to hear me talk:
1. you are crazy
2. I will be speaking weekly at different church (multiple religions) groups, coupon groups and at the Eastern Idaho Technical College in Idaho Falls this month. I'll post more on that later.

Upcoming cheap to free family event in Rigby

April 3
Family Movie night
6:30pm
Harwood Elementary
They will show the movie Bolt in the gym.
FREE attendance!

But, if you want to help the school they have cheap food too:

Food tickets get you the following:

Nathan's famous hot dog: 8
chips: 4
Candy Bar: 3
Soda: 2
Popcorn: 2
Licorice rope: 2
Misc Candy: 1


You can buy food tickets from the school BY April 1 (just go in or send your kiddo with money)

Prices:
4 tickets: $1
20: $5
40: $10
90: $20

Here is what I plan to do. I plan to find a pal and split the 40 tickets to support the school (otherwise I would not get any tickets and bring my own food, but sometimes support is more important than saving $)
I would get the kids hotdogs with the tickets and I plan to bring my own drink and chips.

You could just bring your own food and make this totally free, but I suggest donating something to the school, but that's just me.

This is a great free (or at least really cheap) activity for our family!

Honesty really is the only policy

So, I am sick as a dog today. I honestly wish I could just crawl back into bed instead of getting things done. But, for some reason kids refuse to let me not feed them and wipe their hineys. Plus, I had some coupons to use before tomorrow.

So, off I went. I actually hit Smiths for once to get 20 tubs of land o lakes buttery spread. First off it isn't all for me (but a lot of it is) and second those things freeze just fine for me and keep great. At $.50 a tub I want to stock up.

So, I was at the register, wanting to die (I feel sooooo rotten) and with 3 kids who are not in the mood to grocery shop. The cashier was semi kind and asked me how many tubs I had. I told her 20. She asked me what the coupons were worth, I said $1 and off she went. My total was $1.79. For 20 tubs o' butter. Nice, eh?

There was a line behind me so I moved up to investigate and saw the error. She thought I meant I had 20 $1 off 1 coupons when I had 10 $1 off 2. So, I owed Smiths $10. Great. Sick as a dog with cranky kids and a line at the register AND customer service. I took one look at my kids and knew what I had to do. So I got into the customer service line and paid them the $10 I owed them. Huge pain, but worth it when my daughter asked me why we had to wait in line again and I got to teach her a lesson in honesty.

The moral of the story is that deals are great, when won fair and square. I'd rather not save $10 and know I can sleep at night (if my nose weren't stuffy) than save that chunk of money.

I know it is hard to sometimes own up to such a thing or to take the extra time to do the right thing, but people, we need to. We live in a time when more than ever, we MUST be honest in all our doings. I'm not saying to tell me that I look chubby next time I wear my too tight jeans from the GAP (I paid $30 and I will wear them until I die), but I am saying that saving money needs to not be highway robbery. Frugality shouldn't have shades of grey. If you are even contemplating something to save money because it's ethically shakey, take my advice and just walk away from it.

Okay, off to dig out the Nyquil I got for $1 last fall so I can stop feeling so wretched. Thanks for reading.

Upcoming Albertsons sale

Okay, first, enter my sad face: No Scotts tp sale. Dang.

But, enter happy face:

Kelloggs Cereal, poptarts and rice krispie treats are $1.50 when you buy 10! And I just checked ebay... TONS of coupons that make these $.50 each! Go nuts! Great time to stock up on cereal and get your years supply of breakfast!

2lbs of Albertsons cheese $3.99... pretty okay if you missed out on last week.

Mission Tortillas are 2/$3 and IF they include the kind on ebay they will be $.50 each! STOCKPILE and FREEZE!

Tree top juice 2/$4 and I saw coupons for $1 off 1 online too...

Heinz sale! Stock up on Ketchup!

Eggos... okay. So, the waffles are 3/$5 OR the other eggo thingys are 2/$4. There are $1 off any eggo product online so if you did the waffles, that would be 3 for $2! Then add the doubles and FREE! That right there is the deal to me!

Plus, yesterday's paper had doublers! yay for doublers!


Pretty dang good sale. I doubt I will shop much, but I am to the point where my freezers are too full and I have a good supply of the rest. However, if you are just starting or if you don't have a year's supply of ketchup, cereals... go nuts! Good solid sale!

Smith's caselot is coming... for the locals it is conference week.

Finally, just a heads up on emails. I know, I know. I haven't replied yet. I have been swamped with frugality inquiries and I am trying to wade through them. I promise I am hurrying. Remember, with kiddos I have to take my time, so I'm sorry and I promise to unhitch the plow and get on it.

Speaking of kids, now my 1yo is furious so I must dash.

Stop the Presses! Broulims is having a decent saleon something!

And it's even in stock! A miracle!

So, as I grudgingly walked in there this morning (HAD to) I noticed that their 5 gallon buckets are on sale for $3.99 Not too shabby.

So, if you still need them, there you go. They had lids and whatnot too.

March Goals

Baby Tightwad:

Turn off the heat. DO NOT turn it back on UNLESS it snows and even then I am frowning if you do.

Adolescent Tightwad:

Walk every day. Walk the block, walk a mile, walk something. UNLESS it snows walk. Or if it is icy. Don't want you to break your tailbone like I did. It makes walking way not fun.

Grown Up Tightwad:

Do both of the above AND downgrade your source of entertainment. Be it Cable, Satellite, Netflix, going to the movies... lessen it by at least $10. Maintain that lessening forever.


As for me... I'm doing all of that AND I am gearing up for the garage sale we are going to have in a month or so. Yay! Dejunking!

Tennis Shoes on sale! Run!

I have needed some new tennis shoes as my last pair were $5 from Payless about 3 years ago. But, I haven't ever found a GOOD pair to buy and I refuse to pay more than about $14.95 for a nice pair of shoes.

So, I've been waiting...

Finally! I found not only good shoes in my price, but they are PINK! Yay!

Here's the link!

I looked up some online reviews of KangaROOS and they seem to be pretty darn nice.
Flat rate of $.6.95 shipping so find some buddies and buy in bulk!

Good luck!

Best Sweet and Sour Chicken Recipe I Have Found

So, I like to try out new recipes to keep us from going out to eat.

I often talk about how much we LOVE Happy Chinese Resturaunt in Idaho Falls. Seriously you guys, best food ever. Plus, whenever I go in the owner calls me by name, talks to the kids and occasionally takes our kids into the kitchen. We love it there.

But, my current goal is to not eat out. We've done excellent as of February 1st, when we officially decided to see how long we could go without eating out.

*Quick side note. We did eat out last month, but it was 2 Quizno's subs that I had free coupons for, and 2 Arby's roast burgers that I had coupons for--- but I did buy 2 drinks so it cost us $3.69. Plus, yesterday I had to take a kid to the doctor for a checkup and after the drama I rewarded my kids for behaving for 1 whole hour with slushes at Sonic during happy hour so $2 there too. I am barely counting those*

Anyhow, even the kids can't resist Happys so we had to figure something out. My friend Melanie B. gave me a recipe for sweet and sour chicken that she swore was amazing. I was nervous because another friend had given me a sweet and sour recipe a year or so ago and it was disgusting. But, I decided to try it out.

It. Was. Awesome. So good in fact, that we are dubbing Thursday "Ethnic Food Night" here at case de la Tower just so we can eat it all the time.

LMK if you like it.

Friggin' Amazing Sweet and Sour Chicken

A bunch of chicken breasts

for the chicken:
1-2 eggs all beaten and whatnot (I used dehydrated eggs because that is what I had)
a bunch of cornstarch and/or flour
garlic salt
oil

Here is what I did because I am lazy. I put the chicken in the crockpot all day until it was at the "fork fall apart" phase. I took a fork and picked out chunks which I put into a plastic baggie that I had put all the flour/starch/salt stuff. (for the record, I dump a cup of flour in, a cup of starch and just pour in the garlic salt. Then I shake that stuff up in the bag before I toss the chicken in.)
Once I have all the chicken in and I've shaken it I toss it into my frying pan which has some cooking oil in the bottom and is already pretty hot.

At the same time I am boiling the following mixture:

3tbs soy
12 tbs ketchup (which is about 3/4 of a cup)
2 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup vinegar (I have used white and apple cider, both rock)
1 can pineapple (I only used 1/2 can) liquid NOT drained

Cook all that to boil

When your chicken is all fried up and crispy (which didn't take much time at all for me since it was already cooked) dump it into a 9x13 glass pan and pour the sauce over it.
Bake in the old oven for about 30 min or so at 350

Make some rice (if you need a recipe for rice you need to not make this, m'kay?)

Eat. A lot.

There you go. Now, I had ALL of these items in my storage, so this meal was cheap for me, easily less than $5. I'm going to try pork one of these days too.

Enjoy!

Hot Albertsons Deals this week!

Here is what I am excited for:

Kraft Cheese (I might have extra coupons for these, I'll let you know). Check this out. $2.50 for 8 oz, when you buy 4 (which will be $10 at first) and add another $15 of items (like 6 oreos if you have the coupons) you are at $25 for the kraft promo. THEN use your coupons--- I have $1 off 2 for both cheese and oreos, so that is $5 off PLUS the $10 off for the kraft promo.
So, now each item has cost me $1.
For Oreos, $1 a package is great.
But, hold on, I have 2 lb of chees for $4. THEN a catalina SHOULD (no promises) print out for $3 on your next order. Now 2lbs cost me $1. THAT is awesome. Stock up price worth, wouldn't you say?
Remember, cheese freezes great!

In my opinion--- remember just my opinion--- it would be good to buy up coupons for kraft cheese $1 off

Oreos! Found coupons for those online too and so they will be $1!

Land o Lake buttery spread for $.50 each! I buy these and just stack them up in the fridge and cook away! They freeze okay, but I tend to use them way before they get close to expiring!

There is more in this week's ad, but this is what I am very excited about.

Remember, I don't promise that you will love buying coupons online. It is a gamble that has paid off for me, but that doesn't mean it will work for you too.

If you want extras of any of these coupons and feel like reimbursing me for my labor to get them, feel free to email or post, but remember, I run a tight "first come first serve" ship.

PS Broadway Albies HAS the cheese coupons and if you sprint to the store tomorrow morning you could potentially MAKE money on the cheese! Ask them how!

Great deal for newspapers in Rexburg!

(got this information in the Idaho forum of pyp)


In the Standard Journal's effort to become more coupon friendly they are announcing today:

New Easy Pay Subscription

One paper on Tuesday
One paper on Wednesday
Five papers on Saturday

$11.75 per month

To start your subscription call the Standard Journal at 356-5441 and ask for the New Coupon Subscription Offer.

Frugality and Thievery: Let's Talk Ethics

I get emails from people asking all sorts of questions, and if I get enough of the same types I try to just write something about it so people won't have to quit asking. I figure questions are like spiders; if you hear/see one, you've got 50 of the same lurking around you.
And now I'm totally freaked out about spiders being all around me. Great.

Anyhow, so, let's go over some scenarios:

I was waaaay undercharged for a bunch of items, what do I do?

Call the store and tell them, or if you are close enough, go back. Odds are they will tell you not to worry about it, but if they don't, give them their money. I like to save a buck, but honestly is more important.

I returned something and was reimbursed for money that included coupons I used.

Okay, here is how I feel, if the cashier doesn't care, I don't care because they will be reimbursed for that. BUT, if you buy something with coupons just to get the money back that the coupons were worth, you are STEALING. The End. So, I guess, again, tell the cashier and let them make the call.

My coupons are expired by a day but I still want the deal. It's only a few, can't I sneak them in?

No. Let me repeat for emphasis. No. It is just plain wrong, it abuses the system and couponers everywhere could suffer one day for your dishonesty. Kind of like shoplifting, one person steals so we all suffer the consequenses. Please don't do it.

I want to buy 10 of an item on sale, but there are only 9. Do I take them all.

Okay, this one is tricky. I hear people gripe about "shelf clearers" all the time and I just have to say, "Wah." I say the early bird catches the worm. But... here is a way to go about it that I use. Say I want the 10 items and there are only 9. I go to a grocery person and tell them the situation. They will usually tell me to clear their shelf, but sometimes they have me do a raincheck. I do the raincheck, I don't clear the shelf and people are happy. So, I say ask your store, but if you clear the shelf, again, early bird...

I bought a clothing item and learned how to make it and now I want to return it to the store.

I think that is a jerk move. You paid for the item to learn to make the item yourself, you should eat that cost. Sell it on ebay if you must, but returning is flat out unethical.

I learned to make it and now I want to sell it for less than the original.

I used to deal with this issue all the time with my business. Argh. Let me keep this to caveman talk in the interest of not writing 2 pages. (I'll cover this again I'm sure down the road.) Taking another person's ideas and selling it is stealing. Stealing bad. Might be illegal. Intellectual Property and Trade Dress issues. You get sued. Unethical for sure. Hurt other small business. Mean to do. Golden Rule good. Stealing (even ideas or patterns) bad.
Enough on that for now.

I don't want to pay full price for my kids movie tickets, can I fib?

No. If you want to save money on movies, wait until they are at the cheap house, or rent them instead.

Can I haggle at garage sales.

Sure! I do it all the time! Just take cash and be polite. Also, assess the situation. If it is obviously a garage sale of desperation, or it is little kids, I don't haggle.

My store changed it's policy and I don't like it. What do I do?

Been there. You can complain (politely), or suck it up and deal or take your money elsewhere. that is really all you can do. But, if you choose to complain, DON'T take it to the poor cashier or whoever the peon is there. Why ruin their day over something they have no control over?

I can get free food at resturaunts by complaining!

Yes, you can, but really? Too far. Now if you get a bad meal, that is fine, but complaining for the freebies isn't very cool. Karma always gets you for this one, my friend.

Okay, that is all I have for now. Hope that is useful to you.

Great article on the "Can't afford to have food storage" argument

Here

Seriously, I get really annoyed when people tell me this. You can ALWAYS afford food storage. Walk to church for a month to save gas. Don't go out to eat or rent that movie. But 2 extra boxes of something. There is always a way to do it and yes, I know it seems overwhelming sometimes (believe me, I was overwhelmed too), but it is doable and can be a lot of fun!

New links added to the blog (blargh)

I just added link to all my past articles and theFrugalista goals for 2009.
So you don't have to ask me for the link to my articles anymore!

Scroll down this blog and you will see it. I can't hold your hand any more than that without being at your house and I don't really make house calls, sorry.

Cheap sheets at The Company Store

Here is the Link

I just got some sheets from this place this week (for $4.99 thanks) and they are awesome! Love the colors, love the quality!

Here is a free shipping code too to sweeten the deal.
t9bfd

This is a great time of year to get new sheets for SPRING!

Enjoy!

More cake mix recipes!

Check these out:

1 box cake mix
1 jar of fruit
mix it together and bake at 350 until golden

Done
(easy starter for me: A jar of sliced peaches I canned and a box of yellow cake mix. mmmm cobbler...)

I found this one on pyp and it is crazy!

1 box choc cake mix
1 can o' cola
mix
nuke in a glass pan in the microwave until done

(I'm afraid to try it, but it seems so easy...)

Another I found on pyp:
Cornbread
Yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter melted
1 cup cornmeal
2 eggs
1 cup milk.

Bake in a deep 9x12 pan or 2 regular ones at 350 for 30-40 min.



Link for all sorts of muffins you can make with cake mix (again, thanks to pyp)



Cake Mix Muffins

1 Cake Mix
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 Tbl Flour
2/3 cup milk
1/3 cup oil
3 eggs

Mix, Pour into muffin cups and bake for 15-20 minutes at 375.

Want more recipes? Go to Pinching Your Pennies HERE for the entire thread!

Cinnamon Rolls from Cake mix!

First off, snaps to Dawn for the recipe it is awesome.

Second, for those who have a bazillion cake mixes of all flavors... think of the variety! Chocolate caramel rolls! Cherry rolls! Orange Rainbow rolls!

Now, recipe:

1 pkg cake mix
2 Tablespoons Yeast
5 Cups Flour
2 3/4 Cups Hot water

Cinnamon
Butter
Brown Sugar

Stir together cake mix, yeast , and 2 cups of flour. Add the hot water. Then stir 3 more cups of flour. Knead together until mixed. Let raise till doubled. Roll out and spread with butter cinnamon and brown sugar. Let raise on pan again until doubled. Bake 350 for 20 minutes. Frost while warm!

So easy, I can cook it!