Monday Meals 5/30

I've found it's much easier to stay on budget when I have a PLAN for the week of what's for dinner. It makes things much less stressful when I come home- and if I have a plan I'm much less likely to take the easy way out and drive through for fast food on the way home.

So, day 3 of 3 at the beautiful beach is not the ideal place to meal plan for the upcoming week. It's a short week with another weekend vacation planned next weekend. We are having busy week after busy week- thanks to our stock up I shouldn't have to do much shopping in between! Here is our short meal plan, coming to you a day late...

Monday- we were traveling back- stopped at Beaches Burgers for dinner. YUM!

Tuesday- Shrimp & Broccoli Pasta

• Shrimp & Broccoli from freezer
• Philly Cooking Creme FREE from last Super Doubles
• Pasta FREE from sale

Wednesday- Crock Pot Chicken w/ Baked Potatoes & Veggies

• Whole Fryer Chicken from freezer- .59/lb sale
• Potatoes on sale at HT this week
• Whatever fresh veggies are on sale this week

Thursday- Leftover Chicken Sandwiches

Friday- I'm heading out of town again- DC to visit with the fam!

Week of 5/22 Totals: Taking a Break

So, I've tallied up my totals, but that's about it! It's the Thursday before a 3 day weekend, and the last thing I feel like doing is posting pictures and going through my 6 receipts for the week. Regardless, I have entered my weekly shopping into my spreadsheet- so at least that is up to date.

Here are my totals:
Total Spent: $38.52 Total Saved: $95.18 or 71%

So, I'm under budget, BUT heading to the beach tomorrow afternoon. Chances are, by the time we leave the beach on Monday, my $50 challenge will be a fail for the week.

Ever feel like taking a break?

Monday Meals 5/23

I've found it's much easier to stay on budget when I have a PLAN for the week of what's for dinner. It makes things much less stressful when I come home- and if I have a plan I'm much less likely to take the easy way out and drive through for fast food on the way home.

We didn't go to the beach last weekend, but we are definitely heading there on Friday! It makes things a little trickier with planning for leftovers- but no complaints here!

Monday: Fish Tacos- I made way too much Chipotle Mayo last week. I probably wouldn't have made these so close together, but I'm afraid the sauce will go bad.

• Gorton's Fish from Meal Deal @ HT 2 weeks ago
• Leftover taco shells from last week
• Tomatoes from Farmer's Market last week, lettuce marked down at HT

Tuesday: NC BBQ w/ Salad

• Boston Butt Pork Roast 1.29/lb @ HT through Tuesday (this thing is HUGE- I'll probably cut it in half and freeze the half I don't cook)
• Tomatoes from Farmer's Market last week, lettuce marked down at HT

Wednesday: Baked Chicken Thighs  w/ potatoes and frozen veggies (didn't get to this last week)

• Chicken Thighs were marked down at Lowe's about a month ago
• Potato wedges from freezer
• Veggies from .33 sale @ HT

Thursday: Leftover BBQ

Friday: Heading to the beach!!

Week of 5/15 Totals

Unlike last week, this week I did a lot of shopping! I was very close to going over my $50 budget, but I think I picked up a lot of good deals. Here's how it went...

5/14 Harris Teeter

• Uncle Ben's Rice 2.25
• FREE coupon from Home Mailer
• Tilapia 6.99/lb = 3.01

Total before savings: $5.80 Total Spent: $3.12 Total Saved: $2.68 or 46%



5/15 CVS

$10 ECB wyb (2) Neutrogena Sun Care

• Neutrogena Sun Tan Lotion @ 10.99
• -$2 off coupon printed
• Neutrogena Sun Tan Lotion @ 11.29
• -$2 off coupon printed
• -$3 off $15 CVS coupon
• -$10 ECB from 2 weeks ago
• -$3 ECB from last week

Total before savings: $22.92 Total Spent: $1.92 Total Saved: $21.00 or 92% & got back $10 ECB

5/15 Walgreens

$5 RR wyb Gillette Fusion Razor

• Gillette Fusion Razor $9.89
• -$4 off coupon PG 5/01

Total before savings: $11.76 Total Spent: $6.66 Total Saved: $5.10 or 43% & got back $5 RR

5/15 Harris Teeter- Basically went in for chipotle peppers for the fish tacos sauce, and couldn't pass up the good deal on strawberries..... :)

• Chipotle Peppers $2.69
• Strawberries on sale $1.67
• HT Coffee Filters $1.69
• HT Milk on sale for $2.77
• -$5 RR from Walgreens

Total before savings: $12.33 Total Spent: $3.99 Total Saved: $8.34 or 68%

5/18 Harris Teeter Triples

• Odwala Banana Nut Bar $1.00
• -.35/1 April All You Magazine
• (2) Mahatama Rice $1.59/ea
• - (2) .50/1
• Smart Balance Cooking Spray $3.19
• -.75/1
• Smart Balance Cooking Oil $2.99
• -.75/1
• French's Honey Mustard $1.99
• .75/1
• Paprika $1.99
• .75/1
• Uncle Ben's Ready Rice $2.25
• .75/1
• (2) Uncle Ben's Whole Grain Rice on sale $1.19
• (2) .75/1
• Wisk Detergent e-vic sale $3.47
• -$2/1 coupon
• $1 deposited into SavingStar account
• Biltmore Salad Dressing $1.99
• .75/1
• (2) Ball Park Hot Dog Buns 1.99
• (2) .75/1
• (4) Athenos Greek Yogurt $1.00
• (2) .75/2
• (2) Silk Almond Milks @ $2.50
• (2) .75/1
• (2) Ball Park Franks @ $4.00
• (2) .75/1
• $1 deposited into SavingStar account
• Halls Cough Drops $1.99
• .75/1

Total before savings: $64.59 Total Spent: $8.10 Total Saved: $56.49 or 87%

5/20 Harris Teeter Triples- This was a Friday after work shopping trip- no photo, sorry!

• Odwala Banana Nut Bar $1
• -.35/1
• (2) Nestle Chocolate Chips $3.19/ea
• .55/2
• .75/2 e-vic coupon
• .75 deposited into SavingStar account
• (2) Kikkoman Soy Sauce $1.45
• (2) .55/1 printable
• (2) Wasa Crackers $2.00/ea
• (2) .75/1 printable from Facebook
• $1/1 e-vic coupon
• Celestial Green Tea $1.99
• -$1/1 coupon
• HT White Vinegar .47
• Boston Pork Butt $1.29/lb = $7.87
• Creme de Brie Specialty Cheese 6.99
• -75/1
• 15% off specialty cheese e-vic
• (2) Jimmy Dean's Breakfast Bowl $2.89
• (2) .75/1
• (2) Pillsbury Crescent $1.67
• .40/2
• .50/2 evic

Total before savings: $52.37 Total Spent: $21.28 Total Saved: $31.09 or 59%

5/20- I also spent $1.50 at the Farmer's Market for some tomatoes

Total Spent for the week: $47.07 (2.93 under budget)

Monday Meals 5/16

I've found it's much easier to stay on budget when I have a PLAN for the week of what's for dinner. It makes things much less stressful when I come home- and if I have a plan I'm much less likely to take the easy way out and drive through for fast food on the way home.

I'm really hoping for some meat deals this week- we are running low!

Monday: Burgers from the freezer (the last of them!) w/ Baked Potatoes & Cucumber Salad

• Ground Beef from 1.99/lb sale a few months ago
• Potatoes from sale
• Cucumber .79/ea @ HT until 5/17

Tuesday: Picking up Subway- using the last of a giftcard

Wednesday: Breaded Dijon Pork Chops w/ Rice & Veggies

• Pork Chops marked down at Lowe's about a month ago
• Rice free from HT
• Frozen veggies .33 from HT sale

Thursday: Art Class :) Andy's on his own!

There's a possiblility we'll go to the beach this weekend, if not, here's the plan...

Friday: Baked Chicken Thighs w/ whatever veggies I can pick up at the Farmer's Market!

• Chicken Thighs were marked down at Lowe's about a month ago

Saturday: Memphis Style BBQ Ribs w/ Salad

• Ribs from HT sale 2 weeks ago

Sunday: Whatever seafood is on sale for the week...

Week of 5/8 Totals

Didn't do a lot of shopping this week- but am proud to report I had my best savings percentage of all time this week! It's not even Triples yet! While I'm on Triples, there is already a start to the good deals list at SouthernSavers. Looks like I'll be spending my Friday night printing .75/1 coupons! Here's how I did this week...

5/9 Walgreens- Remember Register Rewards can be used at Harris Teeter (possibly any grocery store?). I rarely use my RR at Walgreens- they have a very strange coupon policy and it always gets confusing for me. You can't use more coupons than items (so you'd have to use a RR on something you didn't already have a coupon for), and you can't "roll" RR- meaning I can't use my Gillette razor RR to buy another Gillette razor. Harris Teeter just scans them, no questions.... MUCH easier.

• $3 RR wyb (2) Cottenelle 12 pk $5.00
• -(2) .50/1 Cottonelle
• $1/1 Cottenelle Walgreens coupon (took $2 off)
• Discount Easter Candy .12 (bought this because I used 3 coupons on 2 items for the Cottonelle deal)
• $5 RR wyb Gillette Fusion Razor $9.89
• -$4 coupon from P&G home mailer

Total before savings: $25.13 Total Spent: $14.56 Total Saved: $10.57 or 42% & Got Back $3 & $5 RR

5/9 Harris Teeter- went to take advantage of the 1.99/lb strawberries- of course, this week they are even lower at $1.67/lb... my freezer can't handle anymore!

• (2) Strawberries $1.99/ea
• (2) .50/1 Driscolli's Berries coupon
• Cucumber .79
• (2) Yellow Corn .60/ea
• -$3 RR from Walgreens Cottonelle deal 5/9

Total before savings: $10.27 Total Spent: $1.08 Total Saved: 9.19 or 89%

5/11 Harris Teeter- Here it is.... I did the 'Buy 10 items get $4 off instantly' deal. I used a lot of the e-vic online coupons- regardless of the value, those do not double, and can only be used once. It DOES provide overage if you're also using a manufacture coupon. All other coupons under .99 doubled.

• (2) Chex Mix $2.00/ea
• $1/2 SS from SS 5/01
• .50/2 e-vic online coupon
• =1.25/ea
• Honey Nut Cheerios $2.50
• .55/1 printable
• .55/1 e-vic online coupon
• =.85
• Multigrain Cheerios $2.50
• .75/1 printable
• .75/1 e-vic online coupon
• =.25
• (2) Totino's Pizza Rolls $1
• .40/2 from SS 4/17
• .40/2 e-vic online coupon
• =.40/ea
• (4) Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls $1/ea
• (2) .40/2 printable
• .40/2 e-vic online coupon
• =.40/ea

Bought 10 participating items, register took off $4

• Cinnamon Burst Cheerios $2.00
• .75/1 printable
• .75/1 e-vic online coupon
• =.25 overage
• Glade Aerosol $3.35
• FREE w/ free coupon from Home Mailer
• Yoplait Yogurt .69
• FREE w/ free coupon from Home Mailer
• (2) Colgate Toothbrushes $1.44
• (2) .75/1 from SS 5.01
• =Free
• Ball Park Hamburger Buns 1.99
• .55/1 from RP 5/01
• =.89
• (2) Bailey's Coffee Creamer $1.67/ea
• (2) $1/1 printable
• =.67
• -$5 RR from Walgreens Gillette deal 5/9

Total before savings: $48.22 Total Spent: .12 Total Saved: $48.10 or 99%!!!

5/12 Harris Teeter- as much as I would have LOVED to have that be my last trip for the week, Andy ran out of shaving cream. Ah, well.

• (2) Shaving Cream on sale for 1.17/ea

Total before savings: $3.16 Total Spent: $2.52 Total Saved: .64 or 20%

Total spent for the week: $18.28 ($31.72 under budget!)

Rumor has it....

Harris Teeter will have TRIPLES starting Wednesday, May 18th.

Coupons with values up to .99 will triple(.75/1 coupons will be 2.25/1, but 1.00/1 coupons will still be 1.00/1). It's the same rules as Super Doubles as you can only triple 20 coupons per day. I've been couponing for about a year and have never been through a Triples event! From what I understand HT stopped doing this event as often because they were losing a lot of money. To me, it seems like Super Doubles would have better deals, but I'm excited to try something new!

It's time to go through the online printable coupons for .75 off coupons!
Thanks for the head's up, SouthernSavers!