Meal Plan Monday!

 

I'm embarking in a wonderful challenge the month of February(will post about it tomorrow) and a great meal plan is going to be a big part of it. So, within the month, you all will see a few new recipes pop up that we are going to try. It should be fun!

Monday: Slow cooker chuck roast with carrots, onions and potatoes

Tuesday: Chicken and noodles with a side of broccoli

Wednesday: homemade minestrone soup with whole wheat rolls

Thursday: Beef quesadillas with salsa

Friday: Pizza night! We're out of bread flour but have a small stockpile of our fave frozen pizza

Saturday: Hamburg steak with mashed potatoes and buttered corn

Sunday: Super Bowl Party! Free food at my Parents' house all night!

Dessert of the Week: Orange Almond muffins

Shop Rite Deals 1/31 to 2/6

Thanks to Hot coupon world for some of the match ups. This is going to be a great week! There will be 9 FREE items for us to stock up on! There is also a great deal on grands biscuits this week, and an opportunity to stock up on some packaged perdue items. Check out the list:

Bird's eye steamfresh veggies- .99(Wednesday to Saturday only)
use .50/1 coupon from 1/10SS doubled- FREE

Heluva good dips- 1.29
use .75/1 coupon from 12/13SS or 1/24SS doubled- FREE

Mission tortillas- 1.49
use .75/1 coupon from 1/10SS doubled- FREE

Breakstone sour cream- .99
use .55/1 printable coupon(no longer available) or .55/1 coupon from 1/24SS doubled- FREE

Crosse and Blackwell cocktail or shrimp sauce- .99
use 1.00/1 coupon from 11/8RP- FREE

Frank's red hot or buffalo wing sauce- 1.39
use .75/1 coupon from 1/24SS doubled- FREE

McCormick recipe inspirations- 2 for 3.00(must buy 2)
use .75/1 coupon from 1/3RP doubled- FREE

French's brown deli mustard- .77
use .50/1 printable coupon doubled- FREE

Butterball turkey bacon- 1.50
use .75/1 coupon from 1/10SS doubled- FREE

Mennen speed stick- .99
use .50/1 coupon from 1/31SS doubled- FREE

International delight creamers- 1.25
use .55/1 coupon from 11/8SS doubled(DND5 and it expires 1/31!)- .15
or use .55/1 printable coupon doubled- .15

Hefty foam plates or bowls- 3 for 5.00(must buy 3)
use .75/1 coupon from 11/15RP doubled- .16

Heinz ketchup- 1.79
use .75/1 coupon from 1/3SS doubled(expires 1/31!)- .29

Wholly guacamole- 1.29
use .50/1 coupon from 1/3SS doubled- .29

Soft soap elements- 1.00
use .35/1 coupon from 1/31SS doubled- .30

Wholly Salsa- 1.49
use .50/1 coupon from 1/3SS doubled-.49

Classico pasta sauce- 2 for 4.00(must buy 2)
use .75/1 coupon from 1/10SS doubled- .50

Edy's Grand Ice cream- 1.89
use 1.00/1 coupon from 1/31SS- .89

Fab laundry detergent- 1.99(limit 4 per variety)
use .50/1 coupon from 8/16SS or 10/4SS doubled- .99

Welch's fruit snacks- 2.00
use 1.00/1 coupon from 1/24RP- 1.00

Angel soft bath tissue- 2.24
use 1.00/1 printable coupon(use zip code 90210)- 1.24

Healthy Ones cold cuts- 2.50
use .55/1 coupon from 1/3SS doubled- 1.40

Purina cat chow 3lb bag (excluding natural and healthful)- 4.49
use 1.00/1 coupon from 1/31SS- 3.49
____________________________________________
Pillsbury grands biscuits- .99
use .30/2 printable coupon or from 12/13SS doubled- .69 each
There is also a catalina deal going on where you get 4.00 back when you buy 6 pillsbury items....

Deal Idea(thanks HCW!):
Buy 6 grands biscuits
use three .30/2 coupons doubled
pay 4.14 and get back a 4.00 catalina. .14 for all 6 cans after coupon and catalina!
__________________________________________
Perdue poultry (fresh and frozen) is 50% off! This is a great time to round up your perdue coupons and print off the printables and head into the stores. This sale only happens twice a year(we usually get 40% off select items or just fresh poultry), so take advantage! Here are a few coupons to make sure you have:
.75/1 coupon for short cuts breast strips from 1/10RP
.75/1 coupon for turkey meatballs from 12/6RP
1.00/1 printable coupon for short cut breast strips
1.00/1 printable coupon for refrigerated breaded chicken (no longer available)
1.00/1 printable coupon for sauce and toss chicken (no longer available)

__________________________________________

Other deals
Perdue chicken leg quarters- .49/lb(rock bottom!)
Kale, Collard, turnip or mustard greens- .79/lb
Red or green seedless grapes- .99lb
Italian Bread- .99(perfect for garlic cheesy bread!)
Top round london broil- 1.49/lb(rock bottom! stock up!)

Becoming a frugal Jedi- "teaching" frugality without really teaching

Do you have a friend or family member that could totally benefit from a frugal lifestyle but just doesn't try? Or, they need it badly but you don't know where to even start when it comes to teaching them?

A few weeks ago, I asked my readers questions similar to these, and I was so surprised at the amount of responses I received. It seems as if we all "know a guy/girl" that is living close to rock bottom, but has no clue or no intention of starting to be more frugal. Worst of all, they could benefit most from cutting their grocery bills down to size but decide not to. There are ways to "teach" them without YOU becoming stressed over their situation.

Here are a few tips that I picked up over the years when it came to helping those that either claimed they didn't need help or "didn't have the time" to start shopping responsibly.

Stick with like minds and like situations
There are always friends and family members that see what you are able to accomplish at the grocery store, but come up with excuses of "we have more(or less) family members than you, so there is no way I could do that." Or, "with everything that we do, I just don't have the time to work on the grocery budget." Likely stories to hear, but easy to avoid when you feel like teaching. Try to stick with families that are similar to yours and friends or family members that are in the situations you are in. If you are a family of 3 with car payments and renting an apartment, gravitate to those that you know in that same situation.  Also, you want to make sure that they live in your area, or at least shop at some of the stores you frequent for deals. It may be hard to do this when you know a family of 6 that is struggling and could really use your help, but you have to start small. By starting with a family similar to yours, you can (mostly) dodge those excuses, and get down to business with them. They can see that you are in the same boat as them, but are able to provide more for your family. It will intrigue them and make them a bit jealous of you. Those are 2 great feelings to inflict before you pull out "the big guns."

Boast....a lot
This is one of the easiest ways to get someone motivated. Haven't you ever had someone just go on and on about a great show they were able to see for pennies because they got the tickets for free, or an awesome, expensive bag they found at a store you frequent all the time? It made you a bit envious and got you thinking "why can't cool things like that happen to me?" Well, by boasting about your grocery conquests in their presence, you'll get them all fired up and ready to ask you how you did it. This is a vital point in frugal teaching. You can easily scare them off by offering to show them how to coupon, taking them shopping, pulling out the circulars for that week and going overboard. You can also under-sell what we do by dismissing everything too quickly, and moving on to another subject. The best way to pull them in is to "leave a tease." Mention a few items you were able to get for really cheap or free at a local store that you know they shop at. DO NOT mention coupons or complex deals that you did to get them, just mention the price YOU paid. I guarantee, once you end your conversation, they will be looking through their circulars for the price you paid. When they don't see it, you will be getting a phone call. Do this for a few weeks, to get them really interested. This is where the learning starts.

Be charitable but don't be a personal shopper
I think this has been the tip that I have benefited from the most. As frugalites, we are able to be quite charitable with the extra purchases we may make at the grocery store. It's hard to pass up free or cheap pasta boxes, whether you get 2 boxes or 10. You know that if you can't fit those 10 in your house, someone you know would appreciate them.  Our biggest issue is constant charity to friends and family. At that point, you are becoming their "personal shopper" and that's not what you signed up for. You want to "teach a man to fish" not spend 5 hours fishing, trying to get enough for your family and theirs, while they sit on their bums and do nothing. That's not the frugal way. But, in order to catch their attention, you'll have to provide that first fish. I make sure to do this on big holidays when lots of friends and family members will be around. I pull out bags and bags of items I got for cheap or free from the stores and let them have at it.  I also make sure they are, for the most part, name brand items that are very expensive without a coupon and sale. These always turn out to be someone's "favorite" item, and they then want to know how I was able to get so many for so cheap. This is when I can revert back to steps 1 and 2.
By doing this for the past 2 years, I've helped my Aunts stretch the EBT cards they get from the government, encouraged my married cousin (and mother of 3 teenagers) shop more responsibly, and even got my own mother back into couponing, and away from the warehouse clubs. I've also gotten a 20 something friend who was out of a job for a long while realize how easy it is to find deals, even on her "organic or natural products only" diet. The goal here is to bring them to you with lots of questions on how you do it, and have them ask more than once. If they ask for help more than once, then you know that it is something they are serious about.


Take care of the ankle biters
A big soft spot with those needing to become frugal is that they don't want to deprive anything from their children, pets, spouses and lastly, themselves. They feel that if they become frugal about spending, that they will cause the other members in their family to suffer a loss of their favorite things, thus causing everyone to be unhappy and then having to revert back to spending more money.  When you become frugal, you realize that this is just silly, but this is in the minds of most Americans. With the economy the way it is, the little luxuries that we now provide to our family seem so much more important.  By getting them to see that these items can be purchased at a rock bottom price, and better yet, stockpiled, you'll be able to bring them their "luxuries" on a budget. I always start out with the kids in the house. This will take a big of memory from you, but you'll have to recall what "little Tommy" likes or has to take to school everyday in his lunch. Once you see that item on sale for a great price that week or coming up in the next week, give your friend or family member a call. Point it out to them. If there is a limit of 4, make sure to point that out too, and encourage them to stockpile the item so they don't have to worry about buying it again for a while. Is there a coupon that would go well with the product? Make sure to mention that too. Also, say something to the effect of "I'm going to pick up a few for us here, but if I have some coupons left over, maybe I'll drop them off to you so you can use them." Don't make it a definite thing, but get them hoping that you'll be able to help them out with those extra savings. Yet again, if you get a call asking if you used up all those coupons, you know you've got them really interested.
Do they not have kids? Lean towards products that their spouse(or DGF, DBF, DF) loves as a luxury or treat.  Or, focus on the pets in the house.  Just make sure to stick with those items that aren't a real necessity, but they think that they have to have in their household.

Stay tuned for part II of this post....also, please feel free to leave a comment about the tips so far! Have you tried any of these tips with someone you know?

Save-A-Lot giveaway winner!

As picked by random.org, the winner is entry number 18, Rona!

Rona is a lurker here, but hopefully this win will get her to come out and comment with us. Congratulations Rona!

She's been contacted via e-mail of her win and has 24 hours to respond. If she doesn't, I will pick another winner.

Money Crashers 2010 New Year Giveaway! Over 100 Winners!

Wow, I just found out about this awesome giveaway and wanted to pass it on to you all.

Money Crashers is sponsoring a ridiculous giveaway this month with over 100 prizes, all totaling around 9100 dollars! The best part is that there are so many prizes that there is a big possibility that you could win something great to start off your new year.  Another cool thing? They have lots of ways to increase your entries, so your chances of winning can go through the roof. Click here to enter (and enter again, and again).

The bad news? The contest is over on January 31st, so get over there now and get all of your entries in! Good Luck to you all!

Speaking of giveaways, don't forget to enter my giveaway for a 15.00 Save-A-Lot gift card.

Quotable Wednesday

"The Constitution only guarantees the American people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself."


-Ben Franklin

Corn pudding

This was one of the wonderful side dishes I served at Southern Hospitality night last saturday, and my friends died over it. It's truly easy, using canned products and a box of corm bread mix, but comes out like something that took you hours to create.

Corn Pudding

2 15oz cans niblet corn(with juice)
1 15oz can creamed corn
1 box cornbread mix(any kind)
1 egg
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish(or a cast iron skillet if you have one).
In a medium bowl, place egg, sour cream, pepper, and juice from both cans of niblet corn. Stir well.
In a large bowl, place cornbread mix and all of the corn, including the creamed corn. Stir until corn is coated with cornbread mix.
Next, slowly pour the wet mix from the medium bowl into the corn mix and stir until all is incorporated.
Pour the complete mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake for 30 minutes.
Pull out of the oven and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Meal Plan Monday!

Since I created a "master" meal plan of all the meals I could possibly make with what I have in my stockpile, this week was easy to put together. I just looked at the list and typed what tickled my fancy.

Monday: Slow cooker fajitas with sour cream, cheddar cheese, lettuce, salsa and tortillas as the fixins
Tuesday: Chicken adobo with white rice and steamed broccoli
Wednesday: Baked ravioli(thanks to a sale on frozen ravioli last week!) with side salads
Thursday: Egg drop soup with homemade rolls
Friday: Pizza night! Maybe a Mexican one to use up the leftovers from Monday
Saturday: Grilled lamb chops with pan fried potatoes and sweet peas
Sunday: Leftovers...probably some type of potato cakes topped with leftover meats from the week

Dessert of the week: sour cream pound cake from Southern Hospitality night

Shop Rite Deals 1/24 to 1/30

Thanks to Hot Coupon World for some of the match ups! Finally, we have ground beef at rock bottom price. There are also great prices are staple items this week, so it will be a good week to stock up in general!

French's brown deli mustard- .77
use .50/1 printable coupon or coupon from 1/24SS doubled- FREE

Quaker mini rice cakes- .77
use .75/1 coupon from 1/10RP doubled- FREE

Chobani greek yogurt- .77
use 1.00/1 coupon from 12/13SS- FREE

Hefty waste bags- 1.24
use .55/1 coupon from 1/3RP doubled- .14

Texas Pete hot sauce- 1.29
use .55/1 coupon from 10/18SS doubled- .19

Hormel Chili Master- 1.25
use .50/1 coupon from 1/24SS doubled- .25

Heluva good dip- 1.29
use .50/1 coupon from 12/13SS doubled- .29

Heinz squeeze ketchup- 1.88
use .75/1 coupon from 1/3SS(these were regional) doubled- .38

McCormick grill mates- .94
use .25/1 coupon from 1/24RP doubled- .44

Mission Tortillas- 1.49
use 1.00/1 printable coupon or coupon from 1/10SS- .49

Farmland bacon- 1.77
use 1.00/1 coupon from 11/8SS or 1/3SS- .77

Sargento shredded cheese- 1.99
use .50/1 coupon from 1/3SS doubled(it says cheese snacks so YMMV)- .99

Tyson anytizers- 2.50
use 1.50/1 coupon from 10/11SS- 1.00

Silk soy milk- 2.99
use .75/1 printable coupon doubled- 1.49

Scrubbing bubbles aerosol- 1.99
use .75/1 coupon from 1/10SS doubled- .49
Deal Idea: Buy 3 scrubbing bubbles aerosol
Use 3 .75/1 coupons doubled
Pay 1.47 and submit the 5.00 SC Johnson rebate located here. 3.53 money maker, and the rebate can be done 3 times per household!


4 day sale(Wednesday through Saturday)
NEW! Scotties facial tissue- .77
use 1.00/1 printable coupon- FREE (Thanks Cindy!)

Crosse and Blackwell cocktail or shrimp sauce- .77
use 1.00/1 coupon from 11/8RP- FREE

Rayovac 4ct AA, AAA, 2ct C or D, 1ct 9V- .77
use 1.00/1 coupon from 12/6SS- FREE

Other Deals
Jack rabbit dry beans- .77(limit 4 per variety)
Shop Rite apple juice- .77(rock bottom! wednesday to saturday only, limit 4 per variety)
Cantaloupe- .99 each(limit 2)
Shop Rite brand baby wipes refills- .99(limit 4 per variety)
Navel Oranges 4lb bag- 1.99(limit 1)
Golden delicious or red delicious apples- .77/lb
Broccoli crowns- .77/lb
80% lean ground beef- 1.69/lb(rock bottom! stock up!)

Help for Haiti- How much did we raise?

Thanks to all of my readers for participating in the fundraiser for Haiti relief. There were so many blogs that participated and it was awesome to see how we could all band together and do something without hesitation.

Well, thanks to all the links placed here on 4 Hats and Frugal, I will be sending off 100 dollars to UNICEF! I had 94 links on my Mr. Linky, so I just rounded up to 100.

Also, I had 59 comments left under the post, so that raised 5.90 for Food for the Hungry. Since I think that's a silly number, I'm going to round that up to 10.00.

You guys really rock! It felt so good doing that donation today and I thank God everyday that I found frugal life, because without it and being so disciplined to continue it, I know we would not have had the extra money to send off this donation.

Savin' a lot at Save-A-Lot- And a Giveaway!

I pretty much stick to my same grocery stores to keep my life simple, but once in a while, I do love to venture into other wonderful stores to see how they operate.

Recently, I was contacted by Save-A-Lot, a chain of grocery stores that was described to me as being similar to Aldi's. They wanted to offer a prize for a giveaway to all of my readers, and you know how much I love to give away prizes! But, since I had never been to the chain, I was a little leary. Plus, the store that was closest to me was about 45 minutes away, so I wondered if I would even be able to check out the store to give it my approval. My opportunity came just in time.

When I knew we would be on Christmas vacation in Ohio, I immediately looked up locations in the area we visit. I lucked out when I found that one would be located right in the shopping center near our hotel. Score! So, I gave myself a challenge to only spend 15.00 but to look for quality products that Hubby's Aunt could use to feed her own Husband and 14 year old growing son.  I was on a mission.

I was pleasantly surprised to see that Save-A-Lot offers name brand items AND will accept coupons. The prices were just want I expect at an Aldi, so being able to use coupons on top of that is just icing on the cake. The store I went to was organized nicely and the staff was friendly, but that might just be because I was in Ohio. All and all, I left the store with 5 bags of food for a little over 15 dollars. I was also able to use a 5 off 20.00 printable coupon that Save-A-Lot was offering for a while. Again, yet another bonus of the trip.

Hubby's Aunt was so excited to see all of the groceries that I picked up and I even went through the list of items with her so she could see how great the prices were at Save-A-Lot. I think I may have convinced her to come to the dark side.

So, this is what I want to do for you: Thanks to Save-A-Lot, I have a 15.00 gift card and a re-usable bag to give to one lucky reader! Just leave a comment under this post letting me know what you could get off your usual grocery list for only 15.00.  Would it just be proteins? Lot's a junk food? Or can you get a week's worth of groceries with those meager wages?
The contest will be open until Wednesday, January 27th at 10pmEST. One comment per person. The winner will be announced on 1/28/10.

Not sure if you have a Save-A-Lot near you? Click here to find out. If not, enter for a family member!

A big thank you to Save-A-Lot for providing the prize for this giveaway. You guys rock!

"Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."

-Confucius

Frugal Magazine Tips- January

I decided that with all the wonderful, FREE, subscriptions I get to great magazines, I should share the best frugal tips and blurbs from them. Also, this will give me a place to reference back for my favorite tips without keeping loads of magazine pages on file somewhere. Every month I'll do this rundown, and hopefully you all can learn something too!
 
From All You:

You may be able to see movies for free! Check out filmmetro.com or gofobo.com to find out if there are any free screenings in your area. If you get lucky, make sure you get there early to get a good seat!

Use lemon juice as your bass and copper cleaner instead of a store cleaner and save at least 24 bucks!

Myth: coupons are mostly for processed, packaged foods.
Truth: Actually, processed or packaged foods are only the fourth biggest coupon category. Medicines, cereal and household cleaners beat out "junk food" in coupon inserts.


From Woman's day:

Two great things to cheaply keep your home super clean:
Microfiber Mop- It's cheaper and less wasteful than disposable mops and cleans so much better. It can also be used as a duster, making it a multi-tasker.
Shammy- Soaks up water like a dream and is great at cleaning furniture and counters. You can rub a dry one over furniture to get rid of pet hair!(Plastic gloves also work great for this)

Great clarifying rinse for your hair: Mix 1oz apple cider vinegar with 8oz water and apply to wet hair. Let sit for 5 minutes, then rinse clear.
To get rid of frizz in hair: Rub a dime-size amount of Vaseline between hands and lightly smooth over the top layers to quickly settle hair.

If you liked this post, check out the other frugal magazine tips....

Meal Plan Monday!

I finally went through my freezer again and made a meal plan for about 2 weeks. Of course, there will probably be some good deals within that time so I can add a few meals to the list, but I love to do this from time to time just to see how far I can stretch what's in my fridge and pantry right at this moment. You never know what could happen, as we've seen with the situation in Haiti, and it's great to physically see on paper what you can accomplish with the stockpile of items you have on hand.

Monday: Slow cooker chili with pita chips for scooping
Tuesday: Peachy Chicken with green beans and rice pilaf
Wednesday: Spaghetti and meatballs!(We haven't had this in so long!)
Thursday: Veggie fried rice(we forgot how great this is since we haven't had it in a while)
Friday: Pizza night! I'll top it with some leftover meatballs....yum!
Saturday: Southern Hospitality night! A yearly dinner party we have; Fried chicken, collard greens, baked macaroni and cheese, corn pudding, buttermilk biscuits, slow cooker peach cobbler and sour cream pound cake. The best part is that all of these, except for the chicken, can all be made ahead. Whoo Hoo!
Sunday: Taking all the leftovers from SH night to my parents' house...there will be plenty :o)

Bread of the week: Honey wheat
Dessert of the week: Are you crazy? Read what I'm cooking Saturday....

Yogurt Muffins- a base recipe

This is a staple recipe that we use in the winter with whatever fruit that may be in season. I love it because it is versatile, cheap, uses yogurt as a base, and can be mixed together(without the fruit) way ahead of the the time of baking.  You just add in the fruit the day you want to bake, and you are on your way!

Yogurt muffins

1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/2 cup any fruit(optional)
1 egg
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

 Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Combine yogurt and baking soda in a large bowl.
Add oil, sugar, and egg; mix well.
Add the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and stir together(no need for sifting!).
Fold flour mixture into wet mixture until all of the flour mixture is wet.
Add in chopped fruit, if desired.
Bake for 20 minutes in a greased muffin pan. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then move to a cooling rack.

Our favorite fruit to use for this recipe is bananas. They are available and cheap year round, and you can always add some crunch to them by putting in half a cup of chopped nuts. We use whatever nuts we have in the freezer; cashews, walnuts, almonds, whatever. We've also used chopped canned pineapple, chopped strawberries and even replaced some of the oil with orange juice and added a bit of orange zest. Yummy....

Shop Rite Deals 1/17 to 1/23

College Inn Broth- 5 for 2.00(must buy 5)
Use 2 1.00/2 printable coupons(use zip 45215)- 5 FREE

No yolks egg noodles- .99
use .75/1 coupon from 10/4SS or printable coupon doubled- FREE

Ronzoni healthy harvest egg noodles or pasta- .79
use 1.00/1 coupon from 1/10SS- FREE

Hefty foam plates or bowls- 3 for 5.00(must buy 3)
use .75/1 coupon from 11/15RP doubled- .16 each

Knorr rice or pasta sides- .94
use .75/2 coupon from 1/17RP doubled- .19 each

Goya Beans- 4 for 2.00(must buy 4, limit 4 offers)
buy 8 cans
use 1.25/6 coupon from 11/8RP- .34 a can(awesome price for goya beans!)

Smart ones entrees(some exclusions apply...check your circular)- .99
use the BOGO printable coupon- .49 each

Swiss Miss hot cocoa- .99
use .50/2 coupon from 1/10SS doubled- .49 each

Scrubbing bubbles aerosol- 1.99
use .75/1 coupon from 1/10SS doubled- .49
Deal Idea: Buy 3 scrubbing bubbles aerosol
Use 3 .75/1 coupons doubled
Pay 1.47 and submit the 5.00 SC Johnson rebate located here. 3.53 money maker, and the rebate can be done 3 times per household!

Oral B advantage toothbrush- 1.99
use .75/1 coupon from 12/27PG doubled- .49

Pop secret popcorn- 1.00
use 1.00/2 coupon from 1/3RP- .50 each

Hefty easy grip or extra large clear party cups- 3 for 5.00(must buy 3)
use .50/1 coupon from 11/15RP doubled- .66 each

Skippy peanut butter- 2 for 4.00(must buy 2)
use .60/1 coupon from 1/17RP doubled- .80

Lysol disinfecting wipes- 1.49
use 1.00/2 coupon from 1/3SS2- .99 each

Chi Chi's salsa- 1.49
use 1.00/2 coupon from 12/6SS- .99 each

Healthy choice fresh mixers- 2.50
use 1.00/1 coupon from January All You magazine- 1.50

Catalina deal: Get 5.00 back and a 10.00 Visa pre-paid card(by mail) when you buy 25.00 worth of participating P&G products

Buy 8 pantene products(4 shampoos and 4 conditioners)-2.99
Buy 1 Gillette series shave gel- 1.99
use 4 3.00/2 coupons for pantene from 12/27PG
use 1.00/1 coupon for shave gel from 12/27PG
Pay 12.91 and get back 5.00 catalina. Pay 7.9, get back the 10.00 visa in the mail; 2.09 money maker!
Thanks Cindy!

Catalina deal: get 3.00 back when you buy scott paper towels 6-pack and cottonelle double roll 12-pack

Scott paper towel 6-pack- 5.99
use 1.00/1 coupon from 1/17SS- 4.99

Cottonelle double roll 12-pack- 5.99
use .50/1 coupon from 12/13SS doubled- 4.99

Buy 1 pack of paper towels
Buy 1 pack of toilet paper
Use 2.00 in coupons
Pay 9.98 and get back 3.00......6.98 for everything. Not bad if you need paper products

Other deals:
Italian Village cheese ravioli- .99(hasn't been this low in months; great freezer staple)
Maxwell house- .99 with super coupon in circular(if you got it!)
Russet potatoes 5lb bag- 1.49
Organic Red delicious apples- 1.49/lb
80% lean Ground beef- 1.99/lb(not rock bottom, but good price if you need it)

Bloggers unite for Relief in Haiti

This is a sticky post and will be at the top of the blog all day. To see the new posts for today, scroll down.

As I sit here at 8:30pm in my bed, watching ABC news, I can't help but feel so helpless today. The outrageous visuals of Haiti's aftermath makes me upset, angry and willing to do anything I can to be a blessing. Thanks to Crystal over at Money Saving Mom, bloggers out there can ban together, at least for one day, and provide relief in some way.

Starting today. January 15th and continuing until January 21st, for every blogger that links to my blog using the Mr. Linky below, I will donate 1.00 to UNICEF, a charity that I hold dear to my heart because of the constant work they do for children in need around the world.

What should you link? Well, put up a post on your blog sending love, prayers or well-wishes to those in Haiti right now. Or, share with your readers how this whole ordeal is effecting you and your family, and how it's changing your view on life. OR, just encourage others to provide relief in their own way. Provide a link to my blog in your post, and then come back and leave the link to that post on my Mr. Linky. Easy!

If you don't have a blog, no worries. You can leave a comment in my comments section, and for every comment, I will donate .10 to Food for the Hungry, another charity that I hold dear.

The best part about being frugal and realizing the importance of saving is that when an opportunity to be a blessing comes up, you can jump to help. So, let's see how much of my "rainy day funds" you all can send off to Haiti!

Favorite Make-ahead recipes...and an update!

Hey all! I hope you are having a great week. 

I hit a snag this week with a brief sickness(on top of morning sickness) so the posts I outlined for you all to read weren't ready to be posted. Sorry!

I'm finally back on track and have a great recipe to share with you all tomorrow, along with a long-awaited giveaway. Let's start the weekend off right!

Also, if you haven't done so yet, please take a peek at the reader question in the post under this one.  I want to get as much input as I can for the upcoming article, as it's something that is close to my heart and something I see all kind-hearted, frugalites struggle with when it comes to non-frugal family and friends.

Now, for the good stuff! To get you all ready for the giveaway and the recipe that will be posted tomorrow, I thought I would go through some of my favorite recipes that are easy to make ahead, and cheap to boot. Here they are!

1. Homemade fish sticks
A great meal that can be made ahead and frozen for rainy days or days you just don't feel like cooking! Plus, it's better for your family than the preservative-laden ones in the store. Cheaper too!

2. No-fry mustard chicken tenders
Yet another great freezer meal! The fact that they can marinade for a day and it is easy to double or triple the recipe, makes it a great meal for a busy lifestyle.

3. Quick gnocchi
I used to wonder how I would get through the cheap or free potato flakes that I would accumilate from great sales. Now I know! I make this delicious recipe, freeze the gnocchi on cookie sheets and place in quart size bags. I can then use them all fall and winter for soups, alfredo sauces, and even dessert!(sautee in butter, then toss with cinnamon and sugar)

4. Beefy enchilada bake
This make-ahead meal I love to put together for the boys when I know I will be out of town for a few days. The best part is you don't have to use beef; it goes great with cubed chicken, or even beans in place of the meat. Place in the fridge, covered with foil, days before you will need it and it will still be yummy when you bake it. It also freezes wonderfully and is a great slow cooker meal.

5. Italian tomato soup
I love this because it is great doubled and tripled and you can dump the cans in your slow cooker sleeve the night before, place in the slow cooker before you leave for work, and come home to the smell of the easiest soup ever! Once you get in the door, you can add your fixings, and dinner is served.

6.  Raisin Bran muffin mix
This is the ultimate in make-ahead snacks or breakfast items. You make a big batch of the batter, and it can sit in the fridge for up to 6 weeks. Plus, it uses raisin bran cereal! With all of the cereal sales that we frugal shoppers encounter, this is a great way to use up a box or two.

Question to the readers....

Are you helping a friend or family member fulfill a New Year's resolution to be more frugal? If so, how are you helping?

Is there someone you know that should be trying to live a bit more frugally, but you don't know how to approach them?

(Yes, this does pertain to an upcoming blog post and yes, I love to read what you all have to say about pretty much anything!)

Meal Plan Monday!

I'm so late with this! I really couldn't figure out what I wanted to cook this week, so I waited as long as I could to post this. I think I might have figured it all out, but we'll see how the week goes.

Monday: Slow cooker marinated steak strips(used up my A1 sauce in the fridge) served over egg noodles with a side of garlicky green beans
Tuesday: Breakfast for dinner! Yogurt Pancakes, turkey bacon, eggs, and home fries
Wednesday: No fry mustard tenders with rice and sweet peas
Thursday: Vegetable fried rice
Friday: Pizza night!
Saturday: Grilled Cheese sammies with broccoli and french fries
Sunday: Off to my parents' house for dinner

Dessert of the week: Ricotta cookies

Shop Rite Deals 1/10 to 1/16

This is going to be one of the quickest match ups I've done in a long time. I'm down at the base in my hotel room, looking at the circular and Hot Coupon World, while being exhausted from working today.  But, you let's see what we got here! I still love looking for the deals, even when I'm a little sleepy :o).


NEW! Hall cough drops- 1.00
use .50/1 printable coupon doubled- FREE

College Inn Broth- 5 for 2.00(must buy 5)
Use 2 1.00/2 printable coupons(use zip 45215)- 5 FREE

Gatorade or G2- .77
use .50/1 coupon from 1/10RP doubled- FREE

McCormick Grinders- .99
use .75/1 coupon from 1/3RP doubled- FREE

New York Texas Toast croutons- 1.00
use .50/1 coupon from 11/8SS doubled- FREE

Quaker quakes rice snacks- 3 for 5.00
use .75/1 coupon from 1/10RP doubled- .16 each

Breyer's yogurt- 10 for 2.99
use 1.00/10 coupon from 1/3SS- .19 each

Marcal napkins- 1.49
use 1.25/1 printable coupon- .24

Healthy Choice soup- 1.00
use .75/2 coupon from 1/3SS doubled- .25 each

Lysol mildew remover- 1.84
use .75/1 coupon from 1/3SS doubled- .34

Various lysol products(bowl cleaner, AP spray, plus bleach, deodorizing, antibacterial)- 1.88
use .75/1 coupons from 1/3SS doubled- .38

Oscar Mayer bacon- 1.88
use .75/1 coupon from 11/15SS doubled- .38

Lysol disinfecting wipes- 1.49
use 1.00/1 coupon from 1/3SS- .49

Quaker old fashioned or quick oats- 2 for 3.00
use .50/1 coupon from 2/22(yes, of '09)RP doubled- .50

Maypo instant hot cereal- 3 for 5.00
use .55/1 coupon from 11/1SS doubled- .56

Bumble Bee sardines- 1.00
use 1.00/3 coupon from 10/18SS- .66 each

Eggland's Best Eggs- 1.69
use .50/1 coupon from 11/1SS doubled- .69

Energizer batteries 4pk- 1.99
use 1.00/1 coupon from 12/13SS- .99

Chi Chi's salsa- 1.49
use 1.00/2 coupon from 12/6SS- .99 each

Chi Chi's tortillas- 2 for 3.00 (must buy 2)
use 1.00/2 coupon from 12/6SS- 1.00 each

Dole fruit cream parfaits, fruit gels or fruit bowls- 3 for 5.00(must buy 3)
use .75/2 coupon from 1/10SS doubled- 1.16 each

V8 splash- 2 for 4.00
use 1.00/2 coupon from 1/3SS- 1.50 each

General Mills Cereals- 4 for 6.00 (must buy 4)
check out the post from last week to see all the insert and printable match-ups for this deal!

Freschetta pizza- 5.49
use 1.00/1 coupon from 11/15SS- 4.49
(not a great price, but this pizza is SO GOOD and it's cheaper than ordering out :op)


Other Deals
3lb bag yellow onions- 1.49
London Broil- 1.49/lb

Take care of your Frugal Stockpile

January is the best time to re-evaluate and take note of what is around your household.  For us, that means looking at my stockpile of household items and pantry items, and see what we have done well with the past year and what we can hold back on stockpiling in the new year.

As a frugal shopper and stockpiler, it is important to keep track of what you attain and figure out how much you really use up throughout the year.  Understanding that your stockpile takes up prime real estate(see point #4) in your house, will help you see that you need to keep organized whenever possible.  At the end of the year, I see how much we have left of an item, and if it is taking too much space, I take half of it and give it away to a local shelter or to family members. Since I know that another sale will come up for that item eventually, I will be able to rebuild it up if I use it after some time.  I like to make sure to check expiration dates as well. I had to get rid of 3 tubes of toothpaste that were expiring at eh beginning of this year. It also will give me more space to stockpile items that we use a lot and always seems to run out.

I also look at the way I organize, not only my stockpile, but my major working spaces.  The space where I take care of my coupon and grocery circulars, my mailing station, and of course, the kitchen, are all re-evaluated and changed to fit how I would like to operate in the new year.  Just today, I re-organized the freezer and figured out a new way to place items to make it easier for all of us to grab things.  The fridge was viewed and shelves are moved, and I even found a new way to display some of my favorite items that we recieved as wedding presents.

Lastly, I take a peek at my gift stockpile.  I collect items thorughout the year to use for various gifts, and it helps to look at what I have left after the holidays.  I can see what I will have to keep an eye out for all year, and see where I can slow down. For example, the after Christmas sales are always great but after I viewed my stockpile when we got back from Ohio, I saw that there really wasn't much that I needed to get from the sales this year.  I picked up some lights for outside, some gift tags and one roll of gift wrap. That was about all we needed to add. Since I had been over-zealous in past years, I can slow it down this year and use up our stockpile during Christmas 2010.

Do you all re-evaluate the organization of your stockpile, or your household, at the beginning of the year? Does it help or does it just drive you batty?

Quotable Wednesday

"Always forgive your enemies-- nothing annoys them so much."

-Oscar Wilde

Getting set for the New Year

A new year gives us a chance to make new changes and wipe our slate clean. If you missed out on a goal last year, you can try again at the stroke of midnight on 12/31. 

I do love to think about what great things I want to accomplish with the new year, but it seems like when I put them down as set goals, I go out of my way to not do them.  It's the rebel in me. That also pertains to this blog. I made a few resolutions January of last year, and I didn't really check off everything on that list. Oh well. I still had fun with you guys on here!

I do hope to expand 4 Hats and Frugal in 2010.  Learn more about how to maintain the blog, introduce new traffic and connect even more to my readers. The latter has been the best part of 2009, with the blog spotlights I've done and responding to all of your great comments.  I've enjoyed adding some new bloggie friends, and learning that we have more in common than just being fans of frugal living.

Family life here will be taken to the next level, as well, hopefully with your help. I plan on re-evaluating our family traditions and activities and even asking you all from time to time about what great things you love to do with your families.  This should also be lots of fun, especially with the new addition arriving this summer.  Hubby now spends weekends at home with us rather than working at least 10 hours, and Sonny is old enough to pick what he would like to do with us on the weekend.  Plus, I would love to not have to do all the event planning for all of us every weekend. I gave that job up in the professional world almost 3 years ago, so I'd like to let it go in my personal life as well.

Frugally, I plan on driving the train at the same speed. We have been doing quite well, paid off a major credit card, and have been able to take on some trials and tribulations without having throw ourselves in the poor house after throwing money at them.  I see that as a success, since a few years ago we would have easily resorted to asking family members for money to help us temporarily.  Also, with the raises that Hubby has gotten this past year(and will continue to get as a state worker), we can take the extra income and increase our savings.  It would be great to get a brand new bedroom set and flat screen TVs for every room, but increasing our savings would be oh so much better.

I just wanted to thank all of you for your continued support of this little old blog.  You'll have no idea how much it means to me and how it's the only thing that keeps me sane every once in a while.  You're more than readers, you're becoming family.  I wish you and your family prosperity and good wishes for 2010.

Meal Plan Monday!

One of the best things about winter showing up is that soups are afoot in our household! This week I'm going to make one of our favorite ones, Lazy Mom's tator soup, with some buttery corn added to it. Uh, Yum! I'm also going to try slow cooker lasagna for the beginning of the week. It should be a good leftover meal for the boys to finish up when I have drill this weekend. I also have a big need to make a few Italian meals this week. I think it's mostly because my hubby bought me home some fresh mozzarella and I want to use it up.

Monday: Slow cooker lasagna with a side of green beans
Tuesday: Lazy Mom's tator soup with easy yeast bread
Wednesday: Chicken Parmesan with spaghetti
Thursday: Crab cakes with rice pilaf and sweet peas
Friday: Homemade Pizza night!
Saturday and Sunday: I'm off to the base and the boys will eat leftovers

Dessert of the week: Sopapilla cheesecake

Shop Rite Deals 1/3 to 1/9

Happy New Year!  Looks like we might have a few great deals this week. Heads up: if you have an A&P/Superfresh near you, they are doing TRIPLE COUPONS this week! Now that they take printable coupons, we should be able to get a few decent stockpile items.

Sylvania florescent mini twist bulb- .99
use 1.00/1 coupon from 11/8SS or printable coupon- FREE

Rayovac 4ct AA, AAA, 2ct C or D, and 1ct 9v- .99
use 1.00/1 coupon from 11/8SS or 12/6SS- FREE

Tuttorosso pasta sauce- 1.00
use .75/1 printable coupon(good for NJ, NY and PA) doubled- FREE

Friskies dry cat food- 2 for 1.69 (must buy 2)
use 1.00/1 printable coupon (should be able to print 2)- 2 FREE

Fisherboy fish sticks- .99
use .75/1 printable coupon doubled- FREE

Daisy sour cream- 1.29
use .60/1 coupon from 12/13SS doubled- .09

Dannon yogurt- 10 for 2.99
use 1.00/10 coupon from 11/15SS or 12/6SS- 10 for 1.99 or .19 each

Idahoan potatoes- 1.00
use .40/1 printable coupon here or here(zip code 45345) doubled- .20

Excedrin extra strength or PM 24ct- 1.74
use .75/1 coupon from 1/3SS doubled- .24

Lysol mildew remover- 1.84
use .75/1 coupon from 1/3SS doubled- .34

Various lysol products(bowl cleaner, AP spray, plus bleach, deodorizing, antibacterial)- 1.88
use .75/1 coupons from 1/3SS doubled- .38

Lysol disinfecting wipes- 1.49
use 1.00/1 coupon from 1/3SS- .49

Melitta cone filters- 1.49
use 1.00/1 printable coupon- .49

Maypo hot cereal- 1.66
use .55/1 coupon from 11/1SS doubled- .56

Musselman's applesauce 4pk- 4 for 5.00
use .30/1 printable coupon doubled (you can print 4)- .65 each

Fast fixin chicken- 1.66
use 1.00/1 coupon from January All You magazine- .66

Pillsbury grands biscuits- .99
use 1.00/3 coupon from 11/8SS- .66 each

Progresso canned or micowave bowl soups- 1.24
use .50/2 coupon from 12/6SS or 1/3GM doubled- .74 each

Fisher dry roasted peanuts or party nuts- 1.74
use 1.00/1 coupon from 12/6SS- .74

Hunt's ketchup- 1.34
use B2G1 FREE coupon from January All You magazine- .89 each

Sara Lee pound cake- 1.99
use 1.00/1 printable coupon- .99
 
Real Goodness milk- 1.99
use 1.00/1 coupon from 12/6SS- .99

Chi Chi's salsa- 1.49
use 1.00/2 coupon from 12/6SS- .99 each

Turkey Hill Ice Cream- 2.50
use 1.00/1 coupon from 11/8RP- 1.50

Sunshine Cheez-it crackers- 2 for 4.00 (must buy 2)
use 1.00/2 coupon from 12/13RP- 2 for 3.00

Caribou ground coffee- 4.49
use 2.00/1 coupon from 11/1RP- 2.49

Centrum vitamins 100ct- 6.99
use 3.00/1 coupon from 1/3RP- 3.99

General Mills cereals(select ones)- 4 for 6.00 (must buy 4)
use .75/1 printable coupon for cocoa puffs doubled(no longer available)- FREE
use .55/1 printable coupon for cinnamon toast crunch doubled- .40
use .55/1 printable coupon here or here for honey nut cheerios doubled- .40
use 1.00/1 printable coupon for trix, lucky charms, cinnamon toast crunch or cocoa puffs- .50

Best deal:

use 2 cocoa puffs printables
use 2 cinnamon toast crunch printables(or honey nut cheerios)
Pay .80 for 4 boxes of cereal, or .20 a box!


Other deals:
Perdue Chicken leg quarters- .59/lb (rock bottom!)
Porterhouse, T-Bone or Shell Steak- 3.99/lb (good price for winter)
Tangerines or Clemintines 5lb box- 4.99

Friday Funny- Kayne in the fridge

Oh Kayne....