Farmer John Bacon! Go Me!

Muffin checking out the popsicles

Starting last night, right after I got off work, I began shopping!  All stops, yesterday's and today's, have netted me $144 in merchandise for just $65!!

First stop, Walmart.
I ad matched the Cherrios to Kroger's (Fry's) price at $1.66 and used my collection of 50 cent off coupons to pay $1.16 for each box.   I also ad matched the milk to Kroger's price of $1.57.  The Hot Pocket snackers were on sale for $2.40 and I used my $1.10 off 2 coupon to get them for $1.85 each.  The Jello's (on top of the Cherrios) were on Rollback for $2 and I used two coupons for $1.10 off so I got them for 90 cents each.  I saved $9 by ad matching and my coupons.

This morning, after spending some time checking my coupon sites and following up on the couponing blogs I read, we hit Walgreen's, CVS, Albertson's, Fry's (which is the name of the Kroger stores here) and Target.

At Walgreen's, I picked up three more of the First Aid Cream (all three FREE after Register Rewards), the Wet n Wild nail polish (buy 2 get one free), the Irish Spring deoderant which was on clearance and gave me a $3 register reward so I got both of them for 50 cents each.  I also got 14 more Arizona Teas for 50 cents each.  I spent $19.03 on $60.85 worth of merchandise.

I went into CVS to take advantage of the Crest money-making deal.  (Buy Crest toothpaste for $2.87 and get extra bucks of $3.  My store didn't have the Crest though.  Boo.  BUT- silver lining time!  When I scanned my CVS card I got a second $1 off any toothbrush coupon so I bought the fourth toothbrush in less than a week for 18 cents and got another $2 extrabucks for next week!!  Colgate toothbrushes are on sale for $2.99, add my dollar off and add in the extrabucks I got for purchasing it and voila!  4 toothbrushes in less than a week for a total of under a dollar!! 

Then we went to Fry's.  This is what's frustrating, Kroger owns Fry's.  MOST of Kroger's ad prices are also Fry's ads and prices.  Only when I really want something do I ever find a difference.  Like today.  I had two coupons for a dollar off two Hormel Chili.  Kroger's sale price is 89 cents, that's 39 cents a can.  So of course... no Hormel sale at Fry's.  I did pick up a package of King Hawaiian rolls for $1.03 though so all was not lost.

Off to Target.  I had printed this morning 4 coupons for a dollar off Pure Leaf tea, sale price $1.  Our Target is currently getting remodeled and they didn't have the tea.  Dang.  Coupon is good 'til October though so hanging on to it.  They did have Ken's dressing on sale so I got two with my $1/2 coupon which wound up being an even better deal when they mistakenly put the wrong price on the larger size of Honey Mustard.

Then the big one of the day, Albertson's.  They had a 10/$10 sale and I picked up 6 Hamburger Helper (I also had two $1/3 coupons), two boxes of popsicles, a pack of hot dogs and a carton of eggs on that sale.  I also happened to find Kool-aid on clearance for $2.80 for a large canister of mix, so I used my Buy two Kraft bbq sauce and get $2 off kool-aid coupon.  I also found Caramel Milky Ways for 75 cents and bought four with my buy-one-get-one coupons making them 39 cents each.  Then I found an instore coupon for free eggs when you buy Farmer John bacon.  I've been carrying around this Farmer John bacon coupon for a while figuring I wouldn't use it but when you couple that with the free eggs it was worth it so SCORE!!!

In all, I saved $78.78!! A 55% savings average for all trips!!! Go Me!!!

Why No New Nails?

The last time I posted about my nails... or cooking... or anything was over a month ago.  It was right before I left on vacation and I was super excited about said vacation and promised to post photos and would post right after I got back. 
Well...
I wound up needing a vacation from the emotionally draining, chaotic, exhausting and frustrating vacation and I've just found other things to do to try to recoup my mental state for the last couple of weeks. 

Honestly, it is WAY too hot to cook, much less eat, here.  I live in far southern Arizona, literally south of the California/Mexico border and the temps have been around 110 for the last couple weeks.  So I haven't set foot in the kitchen and don't really know when I will.  The last few nail projects have bit the big one and I have broken several nails anyway.  The thing that has given me the most pleasure of late is Couponing and planning shopping trips which just goes to show how truly odd I am - But I LOVE it!!

So, I have just written a post about my last couple of shopping trips and I think I will start doing those regularly in addition to the other things I do here.

 And here are some photos from my trip to Milwaukee.

This is my mom at the O&H stand in the Iron Skillet in South Milwaukee or North Racine, not sure which.  To the people who saw me pull in.... Yessirree, all Alabammer folks drive lahk that there what you done saw.

(Alabama plates on the rental car.  Thank God)

First night - Sobelman's for dinner.  Saw it on Food Wars and had to go. 
Pretty good.  Apparently, I gave our waiter a much larger tip than he is used to.  Think he practically killed himself to come say "thank you" as we left.  The experience was worth the tip, honestly, so .... No Marcus, Thank YOU!

 My Grandparent's grave.  I hadn't seen them since I was a baby and then they were gone.

The hospital where I was born. 

I'm not THAT old!!

The first house where I ever lived.  We lived upstairs.

It's for sale now as you can see.  This place is dear to my heart, but mostly because of my brother, which he doesn't understand.

A VERY old grave stone I found while we were looking for my grandparent's graves.  I just thought it was neat.

Thank you for your service Mr Carver.

And in closing....
Thumper says "sweet dreams".

He's dreaming of Fruit Punch.


Til next time....

My New Hobby

 Ok.  Consider yourself warned.
I have a new hobby.  I don't know how or why I became interested in this new hobby - but here it is.
My new hobby is....
Extreme Couponing.
Yes that's right, you read correctly.  See that picture on the right?  That was Friday's shopping trip.  I went to CVS, Walgreens and Walmart, bought all of that and some clothes that didn't make the photo and spent $247 on $360 worth of merchandise.
Yes, the meat is markdown.  Yes, you see some store brand stuff.  But see that little brown box next to the toothbrushes?  I got that FREE!  See the Gatorade?  Got those for 69 cents at Walmart by ad matching with Albertson's.   See all the cereal?  Got all 7 boxes for less than $11.  See the floss picks (front left in front of the meat) and the Salonpas (yellow package by the lunchmeat)?  I got those for FREE also.  So!  Freaking!  Excited!

These two photos are from today's CVS trip.  I spent $28 on $43 worth of merchandise.  The Combos - $1 a bag!!

All the snacks were $1 each.  Perfect to send on with my son on his fishing trip with Grandpa.

 This is "things that were forgotten in my daughter's purse so didn't make the first CVS photo". 

The makeup - regular price $12.99.  I got it for $7.99!!

Snickers bar - FREE!!!

But it gets better.  I actually got paid to take the toothbrush out of the store!!  Regular price $2.99.  $2 back for purchasing plus a $1 coupon = I MADE A PENNY!!!!  This makes 3 toothbrushes I have purchased in the last three days for a total of about a dollar!

This was my Walgreen's trip today.  I paid $20.14 for $60.46 worth of merchandise.  A 66% savings!!

See those boxes of cereal?  Guess how much I paid for them. 
8 cents!!!!  Yep, I actually ran a purchase on my debit card for 8 cents at Walgreens!  Un-Freakin-Believable right?

The toothpaste - 99 cents.  The Soap - $1.50.  The First Aid creme in front?  FREE!!!

The sugar and Napkins were less than I would have paid at work and that's WITH my discount!  I am so amazed by how easy all of this is!  

Can't wait for next week!

Minnie Mouse Nails

 Today... the wonderful world of Disney, well Minnie Mouse at least.  I'm hoping (cross fingers) that these last until I'm sitting in a hotel room in Milwaukee on Wednesday night.

Nail is bare is except for base coat, tips are China Glaze - Ruby Pumps with a black striper and Wet & Wild White Creme dots then Seche Vite.

 A simple idea but it took a while to do.  I have this annoying eye twitch today and was getting stressed out about work, my trip, etc etc etc so I had some striper issues which led to the bows being a little out of place.

Still think they're cute though.  

Photos taken with my crystal ball, LOL.  It's supposed to go on a light thing that changes colors but was broken many moons ago. 

The best bow on the ring finger.  

Til next time... which will probably be in about 10 days or so.

VACATION TIME!!

Chicken Tikka Masala

 Another Indian dish this week. 
Chicken Tikka Masala
I got to take a long walk through my spice rack as I used at least 10 of them. 
This is the chicken breast cooked sliced and plated.  I promise one of these days we'll work out the photos, this one isn't great.  Little Miss 'Spensive Camera insisted on using mine.

 This is Pakistani Spiced Toasted Chickpeas.  Several spices in this one too but not as hot.  Actually, it's a pretty fresh tasting dish.

And this is the plated meal with the Masala sauce on the chicken.  The chicken was spicy enough, the sauce took it beyond my comfort level.  My daughter and I were stuffing bread in our mouths to get through it.  We broke out the applesauce too.  Next time.... less of the hot spices and no sauce as it was fine without it. 

I might make Tilapia tostadas tomorrow but it's iffy.  Then I'm on vacation for a week.  I am cooking on vacation though, and making a couple of my specialties so I should have a long post when I come back.

Til next time...

Addiction Collection Additions

I have 4 new polishes to share.
The first is Revlon Blue Lagoon - seen in my Robin's Egg nail post.
Next are two Sally Hansen's I picked up on sale at Walgreen's, $2 each. They are Plum Power and Blizzard Blue. I want to call them both duochromes; but I'm at a loss. The blue has a hint of green shimmer in it. The plum is maybe burgundy/pink-ish? Dunno, but gorgeous anyway.
The last is also a Sally Hansen I picked up at work. It looked promising, frankly I'm disappointed. It should be a great shimmery mint, and I guess it is though it is far too translucent for my liking and after a couple days looks yellowy-gangreney, kind of a snot color. LoL I'm so not impressed.


And here are the barrettes I made this week. Loving the chain, though it hangs lower than I had intended and I am considering redoing it. I'll try wearing it tomorrow and we'll go from there.

Til next time...

Robin's Egg Nails

Today I have Robin's Egg nails to show and tell.

I'm not sure where I got the idea, but I found this blue at work and had to do something with it. It is Revlon Blue Lagoon. The spots are Revlon Hot Chocolate (or Hot Mockolate because it was originally a little too dark for me so I lightened it) and Wet & Wild White Creme.

I'd like to point out that while yes, it is a week after Easter and yes, those are decorative Easter lights - the lights are on their way to storage... next week.

One of these days, I'll start posting decent pics too. This photo was actually taken with my daughter's way-too-expensive-out-of-the-blue camera that she got from her father for Christmas (nope, nothing suspicious there, but I digress) however we had to use my itty-bitty-can-you-imagine? 128 mb memory card. No really. Quit laughing.

I guess next weekend I'm going to have to sort out the photos on all my other memory cards or I'm not going to have one for my trip to Wisconsin at the end of the month. (6 more work days! Woot-woot!)

Haven't been cooking at all for the last week. I'm thinking of making Chicken Masala next weekend, but we'll see.

Til next time...