Sams Club
Don’t forget everyone. This weekend only, Sam’s Club is opening their doors to non members.
Details here.
I did run over there today on my lunch break.
I haven’t been in a Sam’s Club for probably 9 years (no kidding)
I was pleasantly surprised that they haven’t really changed the lay out of the store (yippee, I can still find stuff!)
Unfortunately I was on my lunch break, so I couldn’t dawdle over the choices, I had to somewhat run down the aisles to see what they had at good prices.
Here’s my haul:
200 Glucosimine tablets for the dog (long story) $11.72
8 Boxes Puffs lotion tissues (look out back to school list!) $12.78
NCAA Polo shirt (Christmas gift… one more off the ol’ list) $16.98
Ginormous box of grapes $4.97
200 Flinstones vitamins for the kids $14.46
Fresh yeast (mine really needed replacing) $3.68
Ecos Laundry Detergent 210 loads $11.33
2 lbs blueberries $4.88
Total spent: $85.17 (with tax)
Now the frugal gal in me doesn’t like to go to the store and only come home with 8 items and spend $85, however I’m looking at the size of some of those bottles and I KNOW they are going to last me forever. The Flinstones will last easily 6 mos because I never remember to give them to the kids unless they actually ask for one. The same with the vitamins for the dog.
The blueberries won’t last until dinner tomorrow, but eh’ who cares. My wish is for my son to pull a Violet Beauregarde and blow up like a big blueberry… oops, I’m off track again…
So what’s your verdict?
I wanna know…
How many of you are Sam’s Members?
Do you really think the savings are worth it?
Membership for $40 seems pretty reasonable. I KNOW I saved at least $15 today on the dogs vitamin’s alone…
What’s your opinion?
August 6, 2010
Posted in: Budgeting, Good Deals, Musings 
2 Comments
Today’s Deals 8/5
Free Neti Pot for all of my granola crunchin’ birkenstock wearin’ readers.
Free Sample of Emergen-C Blue.
Friday 8/6-8/7 Head over to Sams Club a free membership trial. Sams will be open all day 8/6-8/7 for non members. You will enjoy member prices with no up charge.
I will probably go over there tomorrow at lunch. I don’t use Sams often enough to warrant a membership, but that doesn’t mean I can’t stock up on some good deals tomorrow membership free!
For my crafty readers. Hoffman Fabric is offering free quilt patterns.
Origins is giving away a free sample of their Mega Mushroom Skin Relief (Redness reducer)
Post-it Sticky Note Free Sample
SoDelicious Dairy Free KidzClub free membership.
Seventeen Magazine is giving away Free Earrings (Make Me Chic)
yeah, I know they are for teenagers, but their cute! I’m getting mine!
Well peeps, only one day left in this hotter than hades week! I think we’ll make it. Come on Saturday and the cooler weather you keep promising to bring with you!!
August 5, 2010
Posted in: Coupons, Freebies, Good Deals 3 Comments
Fast Frugal Dinner, Anyone?
Happy Hump Day!
Well kiddos, we’re in full swing Football Season now. We practice four nights a week until after school starts. Crazy coaches, don’t they know it’s 100 degrees outside? The boys are learning so much and are whining before every practice having so much fun! I can’t believe how cute they look in their football pants and pads, etc. oye the smelly laundry.
All joking aside, our family actually LOVES football season. We crab and grumble at the time crunch while we are in the throws of it, but after all is said and done, we miss it terribly!
All that to explain to you that because of this new schedule we are going to be keeping for the next few months, I may not be posting as frequently (as you can see already).
I may revert to just posting single good deals as I see them. We’ll see.
Challenge
The challenge for me has been trying to get the family fed dinner that doesn’t include take out fast food. (really one of the only options near our home)
Practice ends around 8-8:15 each night. The kids need to shower and eat before they can go to bed. Since I am a meanie Working Mother, my boys need to get to bed ASAP because they have to get up early in the morning so hubs and I can get to work on time.
Long story short, I need FAST meal ideas.
I am thinking of dusting off the ol’ Crockpot for the next few weeks, but frankly my brain is heat fried. The only meals I can think of to cook in it (off the top of my head) are chili soup and vegetable soup. Too hot for that!
I know I have more Crockpot recipes at home, but, well, I haven’t been home latley. I’ve been on the football field. LOL!
So today I am going to do a little hunting on my lunch break for some yummy crockpot recipes.
I think I’ll search A Year of Slow Cooking a little at lunch and see if I can’t come up with some good, easy ideas.
What about you?
I can’t be the only working mom with kids in sports practices till all hours at night, struggling to feed her kids, healthy, filling meals?
What are your dinner time solutions?
August 4, 2010
Posted in: Back to School, Budgeting, Crockpot Cooking, Mommy Treats, Recipes, Sanity Savers, Stress Relievers 3 Comments
Beans Beans, the musical….
Don’t those look pretty?
My farm stand guy came through for me last week. He saved me a bushel of Half Runner Green Beans.
I do grow half runners, but I really only get enough to eat. If I want to put any away for the winter, I have to buy them. I could grow more… but that would be too much work and I’ve already got a 9 To 5 job (wink).
I spent all day Sunday last weekend stringing, snapping, canning and cooling for a total of 28 quarts (plus the large bunch I cooked up for dinner).
That is enough to get us through the entire winter.
Like my corn, I save my canned green beans for special occasions.
How to can green beans.
Actually I am not going to post a recipe. I am going to suggest that if you want to can something using a pressure canner (necessary for canning green beans among MANY other items); that you read a professional canning book.
My favorites are:
I used the instructions from the Ball canning book. And for all you nay sayers, it really is easy, just time consuming.
A few highlights.
Forcing your kids to do the chore you used to hate to do as a kid. Mwahaha
I can taste them now. (and they taste raw…)
Hubby’s great idea! (Don’t tell him I said so) We canned the beans outside on hubby’s old homebrewing propane heater. No heating up the kitchen and forcing the old (and I do mean old!) AC to put in overtime!
Chilling out in the garage until morning.
Hot date!
I’ve got a hot date this week too…
Aren’t they pretty?
July 27, 2010
Posted in: Canning/Freezing, Gardening No Comments
Crunch Time!
Only 151 more days until Christmas!
It’s crunch time!
So here is my plan of attack!
I only have 16 more people shop for on my list.
I have three months to finish up (give or take). (My goal is always to be done by Nov 1 so that I can relax and enjoy the season).
That means I need to buy gifts for 5-6 people each month between now and November 1.
Break it down even further and that means 1-2 people each week between now and Nov 1.
I can actually handle that.
I plan to focus on each person individually and slowly knock them out one at a time.
My plan is going to be to take my Monday afternoon lunch breaks to shop. Either in the stores or online.
I can use my Sunday sale fliers to decide which person I want to shop for (depending on what is on sale that week).
This week’s person is going to be the relative that I ALWAYS give cash to each year. I’ll hit the ATM on my way home tonight and put it aside in the Christmas envelope.
My second person is going to be a newborn baby. Also a very easy one to buy for. I plan to pick up their gift at a store I was going to anyway this week (which is why I picked this person to shop for) Fogive me for being elusive, but baby’s mommy reads the blog.
See how easy that was LOL!
We’ll talk about next week’s person next week LOL!
July 26, 2010
Posted in: Christmas Challenges No Comments
Time Management Magic
I once had someone say to me that they had “No idea how I was able to get so much done with work, parenting, volunteering, bla bla bla.”
My response to them was that once you have kids….
Procrastination is no longer an option!
I was thinking of that today while I was running an errand. (at lunch, hence the shorty post from me, today. My lunch is almost over!)
I don’t really know any working mother that I would call a procrastinator.
Maybe we have different values or interests, but none would I call lazy. (are you saying some of you couldn’t give two hoots about canning/freezing produce 
)
On that note, what things do you all do to save time and money?
Some things I thought of that I do on my lunch break are:
* Pay the bills
* Balance my checkbook
* Go to the grocery
* Run to the library for free family entertainment
* Make appointments (doctor, dentist, etc.)
What about the rest of you?
What things do you do at lunch or other times to save time and money?
Let’s inspire one another!!!
July 22, 2010
Posted in: Mommy Treats, Musings, Organizing, Sanity Savers, Stress Relievers One Comment
Quick post from me..
Just a quick post from me today.
I don’t really have time to put together a big savings post today, but I did get this little gem in my email this am and thought I would share…
There are some neat items on there that you can get for FREE!
* Calendars
* Tshirts
* Coffee Mug’s
* Address stampers
* Magnets, and more!
Now, if you are anything like me… you are thinking CHRISTMAS PRESENTS!
OK, I know… I’m the only sicko that thinks of Christmas all year long.
Now I am sure there are shipping costs associated with these items, so you will have to do the math to see if they are a good buy for you.
If you do end up ordering something, leave a comment and let us know what you got and what the final cost ended up being.
I may think of getting on of those Stampers for Christmas cards..
This post contains an affiliate link. Please see my disclosure page for more information.
July 21, 2010
Posted in: Christmas Challenges, Coupons, Good Deals No Comments
Today’s Deals 7/19!
Happy Monday Everyone!
Fake it till ya make it…..
Today’s Deals!
It’s been a little while since I’ve done a deals post… I’m running out of freebies in my mailbox. Now we can’t have that…
Today Only!
Cincinnati Daily Deals has a special on one of my favorite local restaurant/hangouts Eli’s Bar and Grill. Get $25 gift card for $12.
This deal is good for my seriously local readers 
YoDeal is offering passes for Coco Key at $12 each. (Normally $25 apiece).
Kroger is offering some STELLAR deals this week. LOTS OF SAVINGS!
Check out Mommysnacks for her AWESOME coupon match ups!
Quiznos Coupon! Get a small sub, drink and chips for $2.99!
Hurry, this one runs out quickly!
Toms of Maine, get a free toothpaste sample on their Facebook page.
Petsmart get a free 6oz Purina ONE dog or cat food if you register.
Free Sample of V8 Fusion
Coupon for $10 off of $25 at Office Depot. (Great for School Supply Shopping!)
Check out this awesome Deal post by The New Frugal Mom regarding Back to School deals for this week! What an awesome resource. Thanks NFM!!
July 19, 2010
Posted in: Back to School, Coupons, Freebies, Good Deals No Comments
Grow Baby Grow-Updates!
Our garden is doing AWESOME this year!
Here are just a few pics to show you how things are turning out…
Mmm, I see some BLT’s in my future!!
The Wildflower patch in full bloom!
Ok, so we ate all the green beans already… Sorry, I forgot to take a picture!
I see you under there Mr. Zucchini. I am totally making you into a yummy bread this weekend!
He’ll be cute when he grows up….
What’s ripe in your gardens?
July 15, 2010
Posted in: Gardening No Comments
Puttin’ By- Corn Edition
As promised , here is Part 2 in Puttin by!
It’s time for CORN!
Corn is BY FAR the EASIEST of all the veggies to put up for the winter!
Last week, I stopped at the local farm stand (aka, the guy who lives around the corner from me who farms his acre plot and sells produce on his porch swing)
He was selling corn for $3 a dozen.
Now I know that is not the cheapest corn of the summer, but HEY it’s my retired neighbor who gets to keep that money…Isn’t that what buying local is all about?
I bought 4 dozen ears for $12.
Every summer I like to put up at least about 10 dozen ears total, but to do that all in one day would be just exhausting. (Trust me, my mother in law and I have done it on MANY occasions!)
What I usually do is put it up in small batches. That makes it easier. A dozen or so in one evening only takes about 30 minutes. Really not a big deal at all.
The reason I went for 4 dozen on that day is that 1) it was Sunday so I had some time to spare, 2) the money was going to my neighbor (rather than my local grocery chain).
He is out of corn right now, but as soon as his next batch comes in… I’ll be back for more until I reach at least 10 dozen ears.
Steps:
Step 1: Shuck the corn Hello Mr. Obvious…
Step 2: Cut off the corn.
This actually is a lot easier than it sounds.
Basically you just hold the corn over a large bowl (preferably outside… trust me, it goes EVERYWHERE and the starch from the corn is a bitch really big pain to get off the floor) and cut the kernels off.
If you find a bad spot just cut around it. That happens with farm fresh corn. Trust me, the taste is worth it!
Step 3: After all the corn is cut off. Scoop it into freezer containers and stick in the freezer.
See all that corn on the table.. the stuff flies around like crazy… I think I’ll let the rain wash that off for me thankyouverymuch.
My favorite SNITCH at it again….
Here is the final product. It may not look like much, but each of those large containers equals one meal for my family over the winter.
This batch yielded at least 8 dinners for me.
I usually save my corn for special occasions (Thanksgiving, Christmas, Birthdays, get together with friends, etc.)
What are the rest of you canning/freezing right now?
July 15, 2010
Posted in: Canning/Freezing 5 Comments
