Menu Plan: Planned well in advance for once!

Passover is here! I planned my menu out way in advance for once - part of my suggestions on saving money on Passover food.  So this is what we'll be having this week

Monday - Passover seder at my in-laws' home.  I'll be bringing enough salad to feed 25 people.

Tuesday - Passover seder at my house: chicken soup with matzah balls, gefilte fish, chopped liver, turkey, apple matzah stuffing, vegetable kugel, salad, fruit

Wednesday - Passover "Macaroni" and Cheese, cut-up veggies

Thursday - leftovers from the two seders

Friday - chicken soup, turkey & farfel casserole (farfel is small broken pieces of matzah)

Saturday - matzah lasagna, salad

Sunday  - leftover turkey, mini potato knishes, fruit

Check out Menu Plan Monday for more menu plans!

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Under a Buck at Walgreens 3/28/10 - 4/3/10

Got a great Walgreens deal?  Leave a comment below!

Trying to keep your Walgreens bill low, but don't have time to go through coupons or figure out complex Register Rewards deals?

Here are some of the items that are under $1.00 this week.  All you'll need is the weekly ad, which you can pick up in the store, and a pair of scissors to cut out the in-ad coupons.  A * means that an in-ad coupon is required.  This list is based on an ad scan; please double-check your local ad to see if these bargains are applicable in your area.

• 13¢ - Easter plastic tumbler *
• 13¢ - Easter fun sacks *
• 34¢ - Corner Office index cards or legal pad *
• 34¢ - Miracle bubbles *
• 34¢ - Punch balloon *
• 39¢ - Whitman's or Russell Stover eggs *
• 39¢ - Assorted Easter candy *
• 39¢ - Walgreens soda, 20 oz *
• 39¢ - Hershey's candy *
• 50¢ - Morton's iodized salt, 26 oz *
• 50¢ - Deerfield Farms baking soda, 16 oz *
• 50¢ - Madam mandarin oranges, 11 oz *
• 50¢ - Geisha mushrooms, 4 oz *
• 50¢ - Encore gourmet spices *
• 50¢ - Comet cleanser *
• 59¢ - Green Giant canned vegetables *
• 59¢ - Walgreens aluminum foil *
• 69¢ - Bumble Bee chunk light tuna *
• 69¢ - Swanson chicken broth *
• 69¢ - Scotch mailer *
• 79¢ - Chipwood Easter basket *
• 89¢ - Walgreens paper plates, 72 ct, or foam plates, 40 ct
• 99¢ - Deerfield Trading Co. soda, 16 oz
• 99¢ - Pure American vitamin enhanced water, 16 oz
• 99¢ - Spring water, 1 liter
• 99¢ - Austin crackers, 8 pack
• 99¢ - Keebler cookies, 5.25 or 5.5 oz
• 99¢ - Cheez-It, 4.5 oz
• 99¢ - Biscoff, 8 pack
• 99¢ - Maxell T-120 videocassette *
• 99¢ - Joy dish liquid
• 99¢ - Walgreens air freshener
• 99¢ - Xcel cleanser or dish liquid
• 99¢ - Niagara spray starch *
• 99¢ - Playtex gloves *
• 99¢ - Altoids or Tic Tac *
• 99¢ - Wrigley gum
• 99¢ - Arrid or Arm & Hammer *
• 99¢ - Halls drops *
• $1.00 - Betty Crocker cake mix, Warm Delights, or frosting
• $1.00 - Stove Top Quick Cups
• $1.00 - Kraft Velveeta cups
• $1.00 - Deerfield Farms dried fruit
• $1.00 - Bubble fun set

Of course, by using coupons and figuring out Register Rewards deals, you can get some of these items and many more for less or even for free!  Check out Money Saving Mom, Frugal Shopping with Julie, and Deal Seeking Mom for more Walgreens deals!

See what I bought this week at Wednesday Weekly Shopping, and check out my Under a Buck series for more deals at supermarkets and drug stores!

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Under a Buck at Rite-Aid 3/28/10 - 4/3/10

Got a great Rite Aid deal?  Leave a comment below!

Trying to keep your Rite Aid bill low, but don't have time to go through coupons?  Or are you so focused on using coupons that you miss the best price deals on items without coupon matchups?

Here are some of the items that are under $1.00 this week. All you'll need is the weekly ad, which you can pick up in the store, and a pair of scissors to cut out the in-ad coupons.

Note: deals are based on an online ad scan.  Please double-check deals against the ad in your area. * indicates that an in-ad coupon is needed.

• 20¢ - Top Ramen ramen noodles
• 20¢ - Royal gelatin dessert
• 50¢ - Assorted single serve Easter candy
• 50¢ - Nestle or M&M Mars single serve candy
• 66¢ to $1.99 - Plastic fillable Easter eggs, Easter grass, or cellophane wrap
• 88¢ - Assorted Easter candy
• 88¢ - Nissin Rich & Savory Bowl, chow mein, or noodles
• 99¢ - Vitaminwater, Smart Water, Powerade, or Dasani
• $1.00 - Assorted Easter candy
• $1.00 - Cadbury candy bars
• $1.00 - LifeSavers or CremeSavers bagged candy
• $1.00 - Altoids

Check out Frugal Living and Having Fun and Money Saving Mom for more Rite Aid deals!

See what I bought this week at Wednesday Weekly Shopping, and check out my Under a Buck series for more deals at supermarkets and drug stores!

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Under a Buck at CVS 3/28/10 - 4/3/10

Got a great CVS deal?  Leave a comment below!

Are you trying to keep your CVS bill low, but don't have time to clip coupons or figure out complex ECB deals this week?  Or are you so focused on using coupons that you've missed the best price deals?

Here are some of the items that are on sale for under $1.00 this week, without coupons.  The only thing you'll need is your CVS card. The information below is based on an online ad scan; please check your local ad to be sure that the deals are available in your area.

• 50¢ - Easter singles candy
• 50¢ - Gold Emblem canned vegetables
• 50¢ - Gold Emblem canned soup
• 67¢ - Arizona tea or fruit punch, 23 oz
• 77¢ - Select Gold Emblem Easter candy
• 88¢ - Lindsay pitted olives, 6 oz
• 88¢ - Gold Emblem salt, 26 oz
• 88¢ - Gold Emblem spaghetti or elbow macaroni, 16 oz
• 88¢ - Gold Emblem spices, 0.49-8 oz
• 88¢ - Betty Crocker fudge brownie mix, 18.3 oz
• 88¢ - Bumble Bee solid white albacore tuna, 5 oz
• 88¢ - Snow's chopped clams, 6.5 oz
• 97¢ - Puffs tissue, 60-108 ct
• 97¢ - Palmolive dish liquid
• 97¢ - Renuzit air freshener
• 99¢ - Glade air freshener or scented oil warmer base
• 99¢ - Palmer or Russell Stover chocolate bunny
• 99¢ - Easter filler eggs
• 99¢ - Select theater box candy
• 99¢ - Easter Peeps
• 99¢ - Whitman's or Russell Stover candy, 1.75-2 oz
• 99¢ - Crest 3D White Advanced Vivid toothpaste or Advantage toothbrush (buy one at $2.99, get $2 ECB)

Of course, if you do use coupons and work ECB deals, you can purchase many other items for under a buck or even for free!  Check out these sites for great CVS deals:

• Money Saving Mom 
• Deal Seeking Mom 
• "Deal"icious Mom
• The Centsible Sawyer
• Frugal Living and Having Fun 

See what I bought this week at Wednesday Weekly Shopping, and check out my Under a Buck series for more deals at supermarkets and drug stores!

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Frugal Follies Book List: March

I read a lot of books on frugality and personal finance. I just love them, even if I only pick up a tip or two with each book. Each month here at Frugal Follies, I'll be posting about some of the books that I've read over the past month. If you have any suggestions for me, please leave them in the comments!

Made from Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life by Jenna Woginrich

In this book, Woginrich makes the case that we can all become more self-sufficient in our lives, no matter where we are right now.  We can take more control of the things we eat, wear, and make, and how we entertain ourselves.  Though she doesn't own a large acreage or homestead full-time, she makes changes in her life to allow for a more natural existence - more cooking from scratch, making her own clothes, buying antiques, growing vegetables, beekeeping, and raising chickens.  (I think my homeowners association would frown at the last two there.)  She also adds tips to help you get started on your own journey.

The New Frugality: How to Consume Less, Save More, and Live Better by Chris Farrell

Farrell makes the case that with the state our economy is in now, we need to rethink how and why we spend our money.  He suggests a new frugal attitude, most concerned with having a margin of safety and to reduce the amount of uncertainty in our financial lives.  His specific advice is familiar to those of us who have been frugal even when the economy is good: pay yourself first, keep debt to a minimum, make and keep to a budget, and save early and often for retirement and college.

Not Buying It: My Year Without Shopping by Judith Levine

In 2004, Levine and her partner decided to not purchase anything for that year, save the most necessary essentials such as food and medicine. She shares her insights that she has discovered on her journey, on topics such as gift-giving, overconsumption, consumerism, and our society's publicly held assets.  A journalist, she also reports on the Voluntary Simplicity movement and interviews people who have reduced their needs to an absolute minimum.

Check out Life as MOM for more reading suggestions and Saturday Sound Off for more great blog reads!

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Sunday Coupon Preview: More cheese coupons!

According to Sunday Coupon Preview, most newspapers will be receiving one RedPlum and two, count 'em, two Smartsource insert this week!  Here are some that interest me.

Smartsource:
Breyers YoCrunch 100 Calorie Yogurt Pack Save $.75/1 (6/20)
Apple & Eve Fruitables Juice Boxes, 8pk  Save $.50/1 (6/30)
Mussleman’s Totally Fruit or Healthy Picks Apple Sauce Save $1.00/2 (5/31)
The Laughing Cow Cheese Wedges Save $1.00/2 (6/30)

RedPlum:
Dove Body Wash 10oz or larger Save $1.25/1
Lipton Tea Bags or Any Iced Tea Mix Save $0.50/1
Smucker’s Jam, Jelly, Preserves or Fruit Spread Save $1.00/2
Wish-Bone or Wish-Bone Dressings Save $1.50/2

Keep in mind that not all areas will get all coupons, and values will differ between regions.  Check Sunday Coupon Preview for a full list.

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Cheese coupon

Here's a great coupon for cheese from Coupons.com.  I love cheese coupons!  I can't get enough of them, as we eat a lot of cheese around here!  Click here for a 55¢ off coupon for Sargento Natural Cheese Snacks.

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Hand soap coupon

I was over at RedPlum.com and found a few new coupons!  There's one for buy one Simple Green Naturals hand soap, get one free at Lowe's!  I've never seen Lowe's coupons before, but I'm glad to see it!  I will have to go over there and check out this new product.

There's also a coupon for $1 off Arm & Hammer dryer sheets, also redeemable at Lowe's.  Check out all the RedPlum online coupons here.

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How to Save on Passover Food

There's no way around it, Passover is expensive.  But you don't have to just give in and open your wallet and spend many hundreds of dollars on food for Passover.  Here are some ideas to help reduce your Passover grocery bill:

Shopping ideas:

• Decide on a budget and stick to it.
• Purchase items over several weeks, as soon as they are available; spend less on your regular groceries to allow for this.
• During those weeks, eat from your pantry.  It will reduce your expenses those weeks, and make room for the Passover stuff!
• Look for sales year-round on items that can be stored.  For instance, after Rosh Hashanah, kosher wine may be discounted dramatically.  Buy several bottles and put them away.
• If possible in your area, check out several different stores and make a price list.  Places to consider include grocery stores, warehouse stores, and specialty kosher stores.
• If there are few places to buy Passover goods in your area, consider making a trip to another city to stock up, but take into account the gas you'd use to make the trip.  See if you can combine a Passover shopping trip with other errands or visits to that area that you'd already be making.
• Read the ad of the store you're shopping at to find the best deals.
• Look for coupons on Passover items - but keep in mind that a different brand might be cheaper even without a coupon.  You can check Hot Coupon World's database to find if there are printable coupons for the items you need.
• Follow blogs that describe Passover deals - including right here!
• Check blogs that cover your store to see if there are any money-making deals that can be done.  For instance, by combining a great sale with high-value coupons on a different item, you might "make" a dollar or two.  Use this overage towards the purchase of Passover items.

Cooking ideas:

• Make a menu plan!  Decide ahead of time what you'll be making for every meal.
• When you decide on dishes, try to choose ones that have lower-cost ingredients. For instance, if only one recipe you want to use needs potato starch, consider cutting that recipe rather than buying a large box that will only be used once. 
• Try this list of Passover substitutions to see if you can avoid buying a particular ingredient. 
• Once you've decided what you'll be cooking, go through your recipes and figure out how much of each ingredient you'll need.  Only buy what you need.
• Make a large turkey and/or brisket for your seder, then use the leftover meat for meals for the rest of the week.
• Potatoes, potatoes, potatoes!  You can buy a 10 lb. bag for less than five dollars, and possibly even less. There's lots of recipes out there that can be adapted for Passover.
• Soup is cheap!  Make your own chicken broth.
• Salads can be fairly inexpensive if made with in-season, on sale ingredients.
• Don't spend too much on sweets.  The candy can be fun, but don't overdo it.
• Don't buy premixed matzo ball mix; matzo balls are incredibly simple to make.  Find a good recipe and use matzo meal that you're probably buying for other dishes.
• Instead of the expensive Passover cereals, try farfel with milk, sugar, and raisins.  It's not my favorite, but my husband likes it.
• For other recipes that call for farfel, break up enough matzah boards for the amount  you need.  It won't work as well for the cereal, but for other uses it's indistinguishable.

What tips do you have for saving on Passover food?

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Under a Buck at Publix 3/25/10 - 3/31/10

Want to get a great deal at Publix, but don't have the time to clip coupons? Here's a list of some of the items under $1.00 this week at Publix, according to the weekly (South Florida) ad. Please check your local ad to be sure that these deals are available in your area.

• 39¢ - Sweet potatoes, per pound 
• 50¢ - Selected Publix soft drinks, 2 liter bottle
• 59¢ - Swanson Broth, 14 oz can
• 74¢ - Hunt's tomatoes, 14.5 oz can
• 74¢ - Ronzoni pasta, 12 or 16 oz box
• 99¢ - Whole fresh picnic pork, per pound
• $1.00 - Philadelphia cream cheese, 8 oz package

Check out Wednesday Weekly Shopping to see what bargains I snagged this week, and link up your bargains as well!  And check out my Under a Buck series for more deals at supermarkets and drug stores!

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Publix: Sticker shock!

I made a trip yesterday to Publix, ostensibly to buy Passover items, as well as some yogurt to nosh on before the start of the holiday.  But when I looked at the prices of the Passover items, holy cow!  I had priced some items at Winn-Dixie earlier, but the Publix prices were much, much higher.

For instance, the least expensive 5 lb. box of matzah there was the Streit's brand, at $14.99.  Winn-Dixie had both the Yehuda matzah and Osem matzah brands for $6.69 for a 5-lb. box.  I would guess that Streit's might be higher quality, but 2.5 times better?  I doubt it.

I was disappointed, as I was hoping to combine the Publix store coupon and the manufacturer's coupon for Streit's and get $4.00 off.  But even with the coupons, the Streit's would still be $10.99.  Clearly it was better not to use the coupons and just buy the less expensive brand.

So the only things I got were an Empire turkey for our seder (on sale for $1.99/lb. - yes, kosher meat is very expensive), some sour cream,  apples, and the yogurt.  Here's how it went:

Empire turkey - 12.48 lb. @ $1.99/lb = $24.84
8 Yoplait @ 45¢ = $3.60
2 Friendship sour cream @ 99¢ = $1.98
1  3 lb. bag Golden Delicious apples @ $2.49
Total before coupons = $32.91

Coupons:
$1 off 8 Yoplait
$1 off 2 Friendship sour cream from SmartSource
$1 off produce from the Publix calendar

Total after coupons = $29.91

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Winn-Dixie: A few Passover groceries

Yesterday, I made a run to a Winn-Dixie that I heard had a large Passover section. (For my local readers, it's in Tamarac, at University Dr. and McNab Rd.) I also wanted to use the Catalina coupons that I got on this Winn-Dixie trip.

I checked prices, but I wanted to compare them with my local Publix.  So, I bought a couple of sale items and some varieties of salad dressing that I figured my Publix wouldn't have.  Plus, I wanted to have the total be over $15 so I could use the $3 off $15 coupon.

(By the way, once I went to Publix, I saw that the Winn-Dixie prices were much better.  I made a second trip back yesterday evening... stay tuned for what I got on that trip.)

Yehuda gefilte fish jar @ $4.99 (Manischewitz brand was $6.99, to compare)
2 Savion salad dressings @ $2.99 = $5.98
10 lb. russet potatoes @ $4.99
Total before coupons = $15.96

Coupons:
$3 off any purchase of $15 of more
$1 off any produce purchase of $3 or more

Total after coupons = $11.96

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Wednesday Weekly Shopping: Do not try this at home

I invite you to link up to your best grocery deals below!

This week, I yet again did a lot of shopping. According to my spreadsheet, I went food or household shopping ten times. Yes, ten different visits to grocery or drug stores. Now, I don't expect you to go to that many stores a week.  Do not try this at home, I am a trained professional.

No, wait, I'm not.  I just love to find bargains! 

I didn't take pictures of all ten trips, but here are a few:

$12.43 at Target, plus a gallon of milk not pictured

(I made a second trip for non-food items but bought bananas for $1.15)

$1.35 at CVS, plus $11.99 in ECBs

(I made a second trip to CVS and bought milk, cinnamon, and Hershey's kisses for my daughter's birthday party goody bags.  I used up the $11.99 in ECBs, and spent 1¢ plus 71¢ tax out of pocket.)

$29.91 at Publix (the turkey for our Passover seder was almost $25 of the total)

$11.96 at Winn-Dixie for some Passover food (I made a previous trip that I described here where I spent $4.66)

Besides those trips, I went to Walgreens twice.  Once to buy Planters trail mix, which I ranted about afterwards, and second to buy Goodnites with this deal.  I spent 98¢ out of pocket on the first trip, and $15.80 on the second - I used up $9 in Register Rewards for the second trip. And to round it out, I spent $5.71 at Walmart on juice and yeast.

Altogether I spent $84.57 out of pocket this week for $209.92 worth of products, or a 60% savings.

See all of my shopping details here.

Check out the following to see how others shopped this week!

• Super Savings Saturday @ Money Saving Mom
  
• Shopping Superstars @ The Thrifty Mama
  
• Weekly Totals @ I Heart Publix
  
• Super Savers @ Fiddledeedee Mom
  
• The Cha-Ching Challenge@ Cha Ching on a Shoestring
  
• Coupon Super Savers @ Coupon Savings Game
  
• Friday Finals @ Southern Savers
  
• Saving Our Cents Saturday @ Saving Our Cents
• Week-Ending Finale @ The Frugal Freeloader
• Super Savings Saturday @ Mandy's Frugal Journey
• The Savings Bungalow @ Saving a Bundle
• Bargain Bragging Tuesday @ Couponing to Disney
  

How did your shopping go this week? What bargains did you get? Please leave a link to your blog post about your weekly shopping. Please link up directly to your post, not to the blog itself. I'd appreciate it if you put a link to Wednesday Weekly Shopping in your post as well. If you don't have a blog, please leave a comment!

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Shopping details 3/24/10

Here's what I bought for $84.57 this week:

Product	Quantity	Shelf Price	Total	- Coupon	- Savings	TOTAL	Details
Walgreens
Planters trail mix	2	$1.99	$3.98	$3.00		$0.98
Target
bread	1	$1.99	$1.99			$1.99
strawberries	3	$3.99	$11.97		$8.97	$3.00
bananas	3.32	$0.44	$1.46			$1.46
milk	1	$2.99	$2.99			$2.99
Phil. Cream cheese	1	$1.77	$1.77		$0.78	$0.99
eggs	2	$1.00	$2.00			$2.00
Winn-Dixie
cantaloupe	3	$2.99	$8.97		$6.00	$2.97
Kraft shredded cheese	2	$3.69	$7.38	$2.00	$3.69	$1.69
honey wheat bread	1	$1.79	$1.79	$1.79		$0.00
CVS
Bayer contour meter	1	$19.99	$19.99	$14.00	$5.00	$0.99
Crest Pro Health	1	$5.39	$5.39	$2.00	$1.40	$1.99
Colgate sensitive	1	$4.09	$4.09	$1.00	$0.20	$2.89
$4 off $20			$0.00	$4.00		-$4.00
$1 ECB			$0.00	$1.00		-$1.00
tax			$0.38			$0.38
Walmart
juice boxes	1	$2.38	$2.38			$2.38
apple juice conc.	1	$0.97	$0.97			$0.97
orange juice conc.	1	$1.24	$1.24			$1.24
Fleischmann's yeast strip	1	$1.12	$1.12			$1.12
CVS 2
Hershey's kisses	6	$3.49	$20.94	$4.00	$9.12	$7.82
milk	1	$3.19	$3.19			$3.19
cinnamon	1	$0.99	$0.99			$0.99
$11.99 ECB				$11.99		-$11.99
tax			$0.71			$0.71
Winn-Dixie 2
Yehuda gefilte fish	1	$6.79	$6.79		$1.80	$4.99
Savion salad dressing	2	$2.99	$5.98			$5.98
10 lb. Potatoes	1	$5.99	$5.99		$1.00	$4.99
$1 off $3 produce			$0.00	$1.00		-$1.00
$3 off $15 purchase			$0.00	$3.00		-$3.00
			$0.00			$0.00
Walgreens 2			$0.00			$0.00
Goodnites	3	$11.79	$35.37	$4.50	$8.40	$22.47
cloth bags	2	$0.50	$1.00		$0.33	$0.67
tax			$1.66			$1.66
$9 RR				$9.00		-$9.00
Target 2
bananas	2.61	$0.44	$1.15			$1.15
Publix
Empire turkey	1	$34.82	$34.82		$9.98	$24.84
Yoplait yogurt	8	$0.75	$6.00	$1.00	$2.40	$2.60
Friendship sour cream	2	$1.49	$2.98	$1.00	$1.00	$0.98
Golden Delicious apples	1	$2.49	$2.49			$2.49
$1 off produce				$1.00		-$1.00
Total Out-of-Pocket			$209.92	$65.28	$60.07	$84.57

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