Topeka HyVee Deals Through Nov. 22

It seems every week, one grocery store in Topeka will have far better deals than the other grocery stores. This week, in my opinion HyVee by far had the better savings.

 

 

If you have not taken advantage of purchasing a Cure 81 Ham and receiving a FREE turkey, I suggest you hurry.  The trick is, of course, is to find the smallest ham possible and the largest turkey (Up to 12 pounds. You will pay the difference for anything over 12 pounds).  I found a ham for $21.46 and a turkey for $16.66. I also had a $2 off coupon for the ham. After $2 off manufacturer coupon (www.hormel.com/updates/coupons/) and store coupon for free turkey, I paid about $1.05 a pound for around 18 pounds of meat (ham and turkey combined). Anytime, you can find meat for around a $1 a pound, it is a great savings. I should get 15-18 (or more) meals from this much meat.

 

My projected menu for this week includes:

 

Turkey and mashed potatoes

Turkey and noodles

Ham and pineapple pizza

Ham and potato casserole

Honeyed Ham, baked sweet potato and grilled asparagus

Loaded Nachos (will need a break from ham and turkey!)

Ham and Potato Chowder with Ritz crackers

 

 

 

 

Another deal I took advantage of was this "Buy 10, save $6 instantly at checkout" coupon. I ended up purchasing Velveeta ($4.39 after doubled manufacturer coupon combined with store coupon), two boxes of Ritz (89 cents each after doubled manufacturer coupon combined with store coupon) and seven packages of cream cheese (69 cents each after store coupon).  Hy-Vee allows you to stack manufacturer coupons with store coupons resulting in great savings.  Even without manufacturer coupons, 69 cents a package is a great price for cream cheese, especially name brand cream cheese. I don't think I have found cream cheese much less than $1 a package for a long time. This cream cheese does not expire until March 2013 so I should be stocked up for quite a while.

 

 

You always find certain things on sale around Thanksgiving--a holiday devoted to gluttony and football. One of those is Cool Whip so I went ahead and got a couple of packages for 69 cents each.  I bought a couple of packages of butter for $1.88 (Aldi's everyday price is about a dime cheaper but I didn't feel like making another stop to just save 20 cents--I'm frugal, not crazy.) There were lots of good deals at HyVee this week but it's really only a deal if it's something you want and will use.

 

The only other special I took advantage of this week was Apple Market had ten pounds of potatoes for $1.68 and asparagus for $2.98 a pound. I love asparagus! I don't like shopping at multiple stores so I try to keep it to two a week. I just know certain things are cheaper at certain stores and wait until they are having a great sale, then stock up on the other less expensive items they sell at the same time I purchase the sale items. For example, the cheapest cat litter I have found in Topeka is at Hy-Vee so I bought some while taking advantage of these sales. It really doesn't take as much effort as you would think to save a ton of money on groceries.

 

I will likely be holding another "Couponing" class in January in Topeka (date yet to be determined). If you or anyone you know would like to attend, please make a pre-reservation by emailing me at ksfarmgirl@live.com.  The cost to attend is $10 a person. Your ten dollar investment will save you hundreds of dollars.

How to Organize Your Grocery Coupons and Save Big

 

I am always curious to see how others shop for groceries. I pick up tricks and tips from people of all kinds.

 

I have found the more prepared and organized I am, the more I save.  To start, I go through all the grocery advertisements.  I circle any items I want to buy that are on sale. I try to make special note of any items that are on sale for which I also have coupons--double savings! I decide which items are worth "stockpiling" based on how well it will store and the price. I usually will not stockpile an item unless it is at least 50% off the regular price.

 

By stockpiling, you will eventually have a cupboard full of items which you bought all on sale. As you incorporate these items into your menu's, combined with current sale items, you will find your grocery budget shrinking. It took me 3-4 months before I really began to see a large savings. Don't get discouraged! You will probably actually spend a little more in the beginning as you build up your savings inventory.

 

To begin, you must have a very organized coupon system. I use a plastic shoebox I purchased at Wal-Mart for around $2.  I made my own dividers   and keep my coupons separated by category (about 20 categories). I choose the shoebox because it was cheap, is big enough to hold a lot of coupons  and is easy to flip through as  I shop. Plus, it fits in the seat of the cart. I call it my coupon baby.

 

As I take out a coupon to use, I just throw it under the box but on top of the lid. It makes for easy coupon storage until check-out. I'm sure cashiers hate crumpled, wadded up coupons pulled from someones pocket and dumped in a heap on the conveyor belt.

 

I see some women at the store who have invested in huge coupon organizers which are really just baseball card holders.  They separate out their coupons and put them in the see-through plastic slots. They seem bulky and it appears hard to pull out the coupons. I see others with envelopes or cardboard holders--I call them amateurs. Really it doesn't matter what system you use as long as it works for you. You can't use a coupon if you can't find it and it gets frustrating to dig through hundreds of coupons to find that special one.

 

 

Before I go to the grocery store, I check a couple of different websites to see if I have missed any spectacular savings. I usually use moneysavingmom.com, frugalfritzie.com and/or kansascitymamas.com. These websites match up coupons to sales. The work is already done for you. I also often check the store's website to see if I want to load any coupons to the store's loyalty card or if they have unadvertised specials or "deals of the day".  Be careful about loading coupons to your store card, they do not double. Paper coupons which double are usually the best savings.

 

I try to never go to the store without a plan. First, I make my week's menu, trying to incorporate as many sale items as possible. I estimate how much each item on my list will cost. As I go through the store, I write down the actual price of the item. My goal is to never go to the check-out without knowing how much I am spending.

 

Right before check-out, I add up the items, subtract off my coupons and include the sales tax. If over my budget, I decide what I can live without and put it back. This is called "budgeting" people. I never cease to be amazed at people who spend what they want, then pay what bills they can with what little is left over.

 

 

Let's take today's shopping trip as an example. I needed bread, celery and cottage cheese. I also had a few coupons for sale items at Dillon's that I wanted to use. If I have time, I try to pull out the coupons I plan on using before going to the store but I take my whole box because I don't know what other great deals may be available.

 

I knew Wold Chili was on sale for $1 and after the 40 cent coupon was doubled, I could get the chili for 20 cents a can. I also knew Campbell's Chunky soup was on sale for $1.25. After the $1 off four can coupon, it cost $1 a can. These items generally cost around $2.25 a can. Sometimes when I just don't feel like cooking, I open a can of Campbell's soup and pour it over Rice or Noodles. It's a cheap, easy meal. My husband calls it "ER" soup--because we usually eat it in an emergency.

 

I also try to always check the clearance rack. Today, there were five Arm & Hammer deodorants marked down to 50 cents each and several packages of tampons for $2. I had a $2 off coupon for the tampons making them free. I spent less than $9 for all of the above items. (I also wanted to mention you can get really great croissants at Dillons for 2 for $1.) I saved 59% off the total bill.

 

 

The best part was the coupons which printed at register. A free package of carrots, $5 off future order of $50 or more and $2 off when spending at least in frozen items.

 

There are always great deals out there. I think the key is just being organized and paying attention.

Aldi Fruit

You just can't beat Aldi's for fruit. This week I purchased the following:

2 pound package of seedless green grapes.........................$1.58 (79 cents a pound)
2 pound package of seedless black grapes.........................$1.58 (79 cents a pound)
Cantaloupe........................................................................$  .99
Oranges............................................................................$3.99 (57 cents each)
Strawberries......................................................................$1.69 (16 ounce clamshell)
Package of 6 Kiwi.............................................................$1.49 (25 cents each)
Bananas.............................................................................$ .89  (about 2 pounds, 44 cents a pound)

Total for all before tax........................................................$12.32

That's a lot of fruit for $12.

Let's Compare. Dillon's is advertising red seedless grapes for $1.88 a pound, strawberries for $1.98 and cantaloupe for $1.99. So 4 pounds of grapes, strawberries and cantaloupe would cost $11.48 at Dillon's with card and costs $5.84 at Aldi's.

HyVee is advertising Cantaloupe for $3.00 this week. It costs 99 cents at Aldi's. Why wouldn't you want to cost your food cost by 2/3?  HyVee is also advertising green grapes for 98 cents a pound which is still 19 cents a pound more expensive than Aldi's.

Peaches and Plums were 25 cents each though I didn't buy any. We eat LOTS of fruit so it saves a ton of money to buy it at Aldi's.

Here's a hint, avocados are 29 cents each at Aldi's but were small and hard.  So take the ad to Wal-Mart and price match. I am.

Dillon's Buy 10, Save $5 Event Through August 28



$11.11 for all before tax



Last week Dillon's was having one of their "Buy 10, Save $5" events.  Surprise! Surprise! They are having it again this week. Dillon's seems to be in the habit of running the same sale 2-3 weeks in a row.  So if you miss it the first week, you get a second and sometimes even a third chance to participate.  I can't complain though because there are some great match ups on this event.

In the picture above are 20 items (some are hidden behind others) so on average I paid 56 cents an item, after store sale amount minus coupons. It's a good time to stock up on spaghetti (a staple around here). A lot of the other items I bought fell in the junk food category which was fine because I was on vacation last week and needed car snacks.

To match up coupons to Dillon's sales, I suggest checking out:

http://www.frugalfritzie.com/category/dillons/

This website will point you to websites where you can often print off the coupon you need to match the sale item, if you don't have the coupon.

How Much Should I Be Spending on Food?

Are you frugal?

Last month I spent $440 on groceries for two people.  This just seems excessive to me.  My husband tries to comfort me by saying, "That's only $220 per person.  If you consider we each eat 93 meals a month, it comes to just $2.37 a meal".  

This sounds good on paper but isn't really accurate. First, we rarely eat breakfast unless you count coffee.  I don't make good decisions without coffee. I'm not saying I make good decisions with coffee but at least I make poor decisions faster.

Second, that figure doesn't really account for all the times we eat out. When I say "doesn't really account" that means I didn't include it at all. We spent $232 on eating out in July.  If you include this amount, we spent $3.61 a meal, which is a lot to pay for a cup of coffee. That's why this blog is called "seeking" simple, not "Found" simple.

So I am always asking everyone I know, "How much do you spend on groceries a month"? The answers are amazingly diverse. This question tells you a lot about people. Some will tell you they honestly don't know. Others say "Around so and so..." or "Probably about..." which is the same as "I don't know".  Any figure they throw out is really just a guess and I just automatically double whatever figure they say in my head.

How do I know this?  Because I used to do the same thing.  When I actually started keeping meticulous track of the amount I spent on groceries each month, I was shocked because it was double what I assumed. Now, if someone tells me they spend $541 dollars a month on groceries, I know they really do, because it is a specific amount.

Another thing I have learned is that almost everyone thinks they are frugal yet most of us are not frugal. The United States Department of Agriculture keeps track of these kind of things.  (USDA's Food Plans: Cost of Food at Home at Four Levels, U.S. Average, June 2012 (http://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/FoodPlans/2012/CostofFoodJun2012.pdf).  According to the the USDA, you are THRIFTY if you spend less than this amount each month on groceries:

Individual....................................$163.90

Family of 2..................................$376.40  

Family of 4..................................$547.90

The USDA categorizes food expenditure by age and gender and breaks it down into "Thrifty", "Low-cost", "Moderate-cost", and "Liberal".  My $440 fell about half way between "Thrifty" and "Low-Cost". If you include eating out, I have edged over into the Moderate-cost area.  According to the USDA, I could do better.  

Look at the chart I have linked above to discover how you are doing.                 

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Crisps

There are all kinds of recipes on the Internet for "fruit salsa".  I finally got around to trying it and I must admit, it's tremendous. I made it last night and my granddaughter gobbled it up. I think kids of all ages will enjoy it! And it's cheap...I added up all the ingredients and this dessert cost about $3.50.  Here's how I made mine:

Yummy fruit

Different recipes call for different fruit. I just went with what I had in the house: a half can of chunked up pineapple left over from another recipe, one and half bananas, about half a clamshell (around 8 ounces) of fresh blueberries and strawberries I bought at Aldi's and one apple. I added about 2 Tablespoons of sugar, and a Tablespoon of lemon juice (to prevent the fruit from discoloring) and mixed. 

Tortillas coated with butter

Next, spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.  Take four flour tortillas and cut them up like a pizza into triangular shapes.  I just stacked them all together and actually used my pizza cutter. I melted about 2 Tablespoons of butter in the microwave then brushed both sides of the tortilla with butter with a pastry brush. 



Crisps ready for the oven



I put a little sugar (about 3 Tablespoons) and cinnamon (about 1 Tablespoon) into an old spice bottle and mixed together. I never can understand people who buy pre-mixed cinnamon and sugar. I'm lazy, but not that lazy. Plus, I'm cheap.

Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar directly onto the cut up tortillas.  The more the better I always say. Don't worry if you get some on the cooking sheet. This is a great job to give kids. Put into a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes. I start checking the crisps after about 15 minutes and then take them out when done.



Ta-da!



Put a little fruit in a bowl and surround with some cinnamon crisps. Use the crisps to bring the fruit salsa to your watering mouth. Delicious!

I think this would make a great appetizer for any party. It would look so pretty with the fruit salsa in a glass bowl with the crisps arranged around it. It's also just a fantastic way to use up overripe fruit. Enjoy!

Use Coupons Wisely

12 cents a bottle after coupon

Recently, Heinz issued some coupons for $1.00 off one bottle of vinegar, any size or variety.  These are the kind of coupons I like! Why?

Most people would be tempted to use this coupon off the largest bottle of vinegar, right? After all, haven't we always been taught that volume equals value? The actual answer is not always and in this case, definitely not! 

One thing I learned working in the legal field is always pay attention to the wording contained in documents (and coupons). This particular coupon doesn't indicate you must purchase a particular size or variety in order to redeem the coupon. So, for the best deal, look for the smallest, least expensive size.

I noticed most stores in Topeka had Heinz vinegar for around $1.65-$1.85 for the smallest bottle. With coupon, this would have brought the price to 65-85 cents a bottle, which is OK but not great. Then I discovered Wal-Mart on Wanamaker sold small bottles of Heinz for $1.12.  After coupon, I ended up paying 12 cents a bottle. I had around 6 coupons so purchased 6 bottles for 72 cents. 

Vinegar has many wonderful uses beyond being the base for salad dressing.  For example, vinegar makes an excellent cleaner. For glass, stainless steel, and plastic laminate surfaces, fill your spray bottle with 2 parts water, 1 part distilled white vinegar, and a couple of drops of dish washing liquid. For cleaning walls and other painted surfaces, mix up 1/2 cup white vinegar, 1 cup ammonia, and 1/4 cup baking soda in 1 gallon (3.7 liters) water and pour some into a spray bottle. Spritz it on spots and stains whenever needed and wipe off with a clean towel.

Here are some other great ways to use white distilled vinegar:

• Add 1/2 cup to laundry rinse cycle to brighten clothes (it helps dissolve soap residue)
• Add 2 Tablespoons to water when boiling eggs to help prevent cracking
• Freshen wilted vegetables by soaking in cold water with a couple of spoons of vinegar
• Add a spoonful to the water in which you cook rice or  pasta to prevent stickiness (reduces the starch content)
• Dab insect stings with while vinegar to prevent itching
• Spray plants with vinegar to prevent pets from eating them

These and many more uses for vinegar can be found at www.vinegartips.com. 

The most interesting use for vinegar I have found is: add vinegar to your chicken's water to prevent pecking.  Hmmmm....I've worked a couple of places where adding some vinegar to the water cooler could have perhaps made for a much pleasanter working environment!

Is Canning Tomatoes Worth it?

I considered titling this photo "Pineapple King Surrounded by his Adoring Tomato Subjects" but then went with the more conventional name "Before". 

Before

I am having a bad garden year. First, out of the 30 or so tomato plants I planted, about half died (drought + short hose = death). Second, I grew my own plants from seeds. This spring, I must have picked up a package of "cherry tomato" plants instead of regular tomato plants. The only regular sized tomatoes I have grown this year came from volunteer plants that sprang up from a corner of the garden where I threw rotten tomatoes last summer. Third, squash bugs.

One day I wondered out to the garden to find my zucchini and yellow squash covered in hundreds of  ugly, squat brown bugs and the plants half dead. I ran inside to "google" the intruder. Verdict: Your whole garden is probably going to die.

Throughout the drought, I have refused to allow my garden to die, preferring to water it enough to just make it suffer. "Enough already," the plants seem to scream. "We're ready to go."

I called my Dad (from here out referred to as the "The Farmer") for advice. I explained the situation.

"Well, one year I got squash bugs in the garden," The Farmer reminisced. "It was looking bad. I pretty much figured the entire garden was a goner. Now let me tell you, it was a stressful time.  It looked like we might be forced to eat unripe, flavorless grocery store tomatoes all year."

Listening to the Farmer over the telephone, I couldn't wait for the answer. "Quick, what did you do," I asked breathlessly.

"Wouldn't you know it," the Farmer drawled. "A covey of quails descended on the garden and they gobbled up every single one of those bugs! I guess quail just love squash bugs! Yup, that's what I 'd do...get quail."

I felt a little defeated. Unlike The Farmer's Missouri farmstead, my suburban backyard is not known for it's quail coveys.

"And what about the drought? Any suggestions on how to save my garden?" I asked, perhaps a little sarcastically.

"Oh, are you dry down there? The farm just got three inches," he crowed.

"What did you do to deserve rain?" I asked.

"It's like I was telling the boys down at the coffee shop.  I was just walking out of church and it started to rain," he said mockingly.

"Which did the boys have a harder time believing?  That you got rain or that you went to church?" I responded.

One benefit of a home garden, is you know what has been put on the plants. Unfortunately, pest sprays kill not only the  "bad" bugs but also the "good" bugs, like bees. I read online you could just pick off the bugs and pull their eggs off the leaves with duct tape.

So, I took a jar of water out to the garden in which to drown the picked off bugs and a roll of duct tape to start removing bug eggs.  After about an hour of bug and bug egg picking in 100 degree heat, I got in my car and drove up to Ace Hardware for some pesticide. 

After

I did can 12 pints of tomatoes this week. Last Saturday, I canned 12 pints of Salsa. In the midst of canning tomatoes, I realized I did not have any lids or lemon juice, both vital to canning tomatoes. I jumped in the car to run to Dillon's. As I was backing out of the driveway, I asked myself, "Did you remember to turn off the stove?"

I answered myself, "Don't be ridiculous! Of course, I remembered to turn off the stove!"

"You actually recall turning the little white knob and seeing the flame go out?  I respond to myself.

"Well, no, I don't remember but I am sure I did!" I think.

I am what is known as an "extreme worrier".

I convinced myself I did not need to pull back in the driveway and go check the stove. I felt uncomfortable but knew I was being irrational.

When I return, water is pouring down the driveway. "What happened?" I ask myself, as I drive through a river, before jumping out of the vehicle in a panic.

When I left for the store, I apparently left the garden hose running. But you will be happy to know, the stove was OFF.

The requirements for canning tomatoes has changed. When I was a kid, neither of my Grandma's  processed the tomatoes in  a canner.  They used the "hot pack method" which is no longer recommended. While I did process my tomatoes in a canner, the worrier in me kept saying, "Are you sure you processed the tomatoes for long enough?

Botulism is rare but nobody wants to be known for say, killing off their entire family with tomatoes. With botulism, there is no food discoloration or mold.  It's hard to detect. I kept fretting and muttering. Finally my husband asked impatiently, "Isn't there a test for Botulism?"

"Yes, I responded. "It's called, 'You Eat First'."

Store bought canned tomatoes are relatively cheap. I am not simplifying my life by canning tomatoes and I doubt it even saves any money.  I get great satisfaction from growing and canning tomatoes but is it worth it?

HyVee Specials in Topeka Through July 24, 2012

Stock Up on Prego this Week

HyVee is currently holding a "Dollar Days" sale effective July 18-24, 2012.  What jumped out at me in this week's advvertisement was Prego Pasta Sauce for $1.00.  "Prego" is Italian for "You're Welcome". Just what you want in a spagetti sauce, tomatoes, green pepper and oh, yeah, a little arrogance.

Spagetti sauce frequently goes on sale.   Lately, I have seen Ragu running 2 jars for $3. $1 a jar is about as cheap as it gets and personally, I like Prego better than Ragu. HyVee pasta is also on sale for $1. Brown up a package of that 98 cent sausage that was on sale at Apple Market a couple of weeks ago, buy a $1 jar of sauce and $1 jar of pasta for a really cheap, filling meal.

My friend, the beautiful Italian, shared the secret to truly great spagetti sauce is to add some beef broth (for richness) and just a little cayenne pepper (to bring out the flavors). I always doctor up my store bought spagetti sauce, don't you? Spice it up, baby.

My husband doesn't really care for spagetti.  He puts about three stands on his plate and then proceeds to  fill up on garlic bread, which he covers with a thick layer of  meat sauce.  As a result of his indifference to pasta in general, the word "spagetti" has become code in our family for any food one of us dislikes. For example, my son-in-law recently referred to Pancakes as "the spagetti of breakfasts". I agree.

Other deals I took advantage of at HyVee this week included HyVee microwave popcorn for $1 a box (3 bags) , sour cream for $1 and cabbage 2 pounds for $1. 



The Clearance Rack is my Friend



I had to make an emergency run up to Dillon's (more on that later) and while there found these Hormel Peppercorn Fillets on clearance for $1.99.  I think they usually cost around $8-9 dollars. I had a couple of $1 off coupons so they ended up costing a whopping 99 cents a package.  I also found some Naan bread on clearance for $1.49.  Naan is nomally around $2.99. 

Naan is the the most delicious bread in the world.  I remember the first time I ate homemade Naan at an Ethiopian restaurant in Kansas City.  I fell head-over-heels in love with it. The commercial breads are good also (http://stonefire.com/our-flatbreads/naan/).

So based on this week's current sales, clearance rack finds and previous sale purchases, here is my menu for the week:

Indian Butter Chicken (made with chicken that was on sale last week and clearance Naan)

Pork Chop, mashed potatoes and corn-on-the-cob (some of the corn from Target and sale Pork)

Pulled Pork Sandwich with coleslaw (Hormel meat and sale cabbage)

Taco's (with garden tomatoes and fresh salsa)

Hamburgers, homemade fries and probably leftover slaw

Salad (made partly from taco leftovers)

Chicken Pot Pie with any leftover salad

Prego!

How to Make Baked Acorn Squash with Stuffing

I saw an advertisement this week for a book for "cheap meals". The book was supposedly filled with recipes for meals under $10.  I thought, "What kind of people are splurging on $10 meals!"  Here is a delicious dish you can make cheaply:  Baked Acorn Squash with Stuffing.

Brown sausage

First, brown a package of sausage, hopefully some of that 98 cent Farmland sausage that was on sale at Apple Market a couple of weeks ago. Add about a half a chopped onion...more of less, depending on how much you like onion.

Add Some Spice to Your Life

Add salt and pepper to taste.  I also added two cloves of garlic and some fresh sage out of my herb garden.  If you don't have fresh sage, just use the store bought kind, maybe a teaspoon or so.

Halve and remove seeds

Halve an acorn and scoop out the seeds.  I like to save seeds to plant in my garden next year.   Remove all the gunk around the seeds and lay them out flat to dry.  This is an old baby plate I bought at a garage sale years ago.  It is the perfect size to fit on many of my cooking pots and often gets used as a lid because I am too lazy to lean over and get out the real lid from under the counter.

Dry the seeds for a week or so.  When the seeds are completely dry, store in a dry, cool place until spring.  Be sure and label the pack of seeds unless you are planning a surprise garden. I had several surprises in my garden this year due to my lack of diligence in labeling.

A little trick is to cut off the end of the squash so it will sit flat and not roll around.  If you don't like acorn squash, use a green pepper. Green pepper is even cheaper than Acorn Squash. Then pre-cook the acorn squash in the microwave for about 5-7 minutes. 

Add Stuffing Mix

Buy a box of cheap stuffing mix.  I use the kind they sell at Wal-Mart which I think is around a dollar.  Follow the directions on the box.  Add the amount of water and butter specified on the box directly to the sausage/spice mixture. Add the bread crumb mix. You do not have to make the stuffing seperately. Here's something else I do, I don't drain the sausage.  Fat is just another word for flavor.  It looks a little gross when cooking but makes for a very rich stuffing.  If you just can't the fat, then by all means go ahead and drain it off, you skinny, bland little people.

Add curry or whatever spices you like

I decided to spice it up a little more and added some curry.  I love curry. Sage, garlic and curry--you can't go wrong.  How much curry?  You decide. Add a little and taste.  Not enough?  Then add more. It's best to start with a small amount then add more if needed.  I recently added a whole teaspoon of red pepper to a dish and regretted it. I had to double the recipe to fix my mistake.  Just experiment.  If you mess up a dish, don't worry, the recipe police are very lax.

I rarely measure anything.  I learned most of my cooking skills from my Grandmother.  I remember once I really wanted to learn how to make noodles.  I was trying to write down the recipe (she always made them from memory) as she made the dish.  She scooped some flour on a wooden board, hollowed out a hole and cracked an egg into the center.

"Wait!  How much flour?" I asked frantically, waving my floury pen.

"Well, let's see, I guess about a cup the size of this brown teacup," she would respond. "Now, add a pinch of salt," she continured.

"How much is a pinch?" I would query.

"A pinch is a pinch" she would say laughingly.

I still don't make very good noodles. 

But now I cook the same way.  People sometimes ask me how I made something.   I can't give you measurements.  I cook by taste.

So back to our stuffed squash.  Take the stuffing mixture and scoop into the hollowed out squash.  Bake at 350 degrees until done, about 45 minutes or so.  I served with a little Naan bread.



Beautiful. Cheap, gourmet food.

 So this meal ran about $5.00.  Here's the breakdown:

Acorn Squash.............................................................  $3.00
Onion, Garlic & Spices, little butter around.................   $1.00
Stuffing mix................................................................   $1.00

Bread is optional but a roll or piece of bread really makes a complete meal.  Splurge, add bread for another buck.  You still have a complete meal for uner $6.  Give the kids some leftover mac and cheese, they probably don't appreciate gourmet food.  Or better yet, take some of the stuffing and put inside a pita or some Naan.  It makes a delicious bread on bread sandwich.

You Should Shop at Aldi's

If you don't already shop at Aldi's, you should.  I especially like their fruit because it is usually ripe and ready to use.  Aldi's almost always has the lowest prices in Topeka on fruit.  For example, last week I purchased a pound of blueberries for $1.29, a pound of cherries for $1.29 and a pineapple for $1.29.

Cherries are "on sale" this week for $2.49 a pound at Dillon's.  Aldi's usual price is about half  Dillon's sale price.



Great Prices on Fruit

 

Fruit is normally cheapest when it is in season.  I am trying to purchase fruit now to use this winter.  So what is one of the best ways to preserve fresh fruit?  I like to freeze it.  A lot of people do not know how to freeze properly.  First, wash the fruit really well. 

I once was visiting Mexico and watched several men pee all over the field they were picking.  After all, what would you expect them to do?  They were outside with no near bathrooms that I could see. I washed my fruit before this display but ever since, I have washed it exceptionally well.  You really should wash fruit before cutting it up or your knife will simply transfer the dirt and germs from the outside of the fruit to the inside.  I got very sick once eating watermelon and I suspect it had not been washed properly before it was cut.

First Wash the Fruit

Next, remove the excess water from the fruit.  I like to use my salad spinner to spin off the water.  Whatever you do, DO NOT remove the lid of your salad spinner to take a picture of spinning blueberries. Removing the lid will result in a flinging of fruit all over your kitchen.  If you don't have a salad spinner, just lay them out to dry.  They will get just as dry and be less dizzy.



Remove Excess Water

Then lay the fruit out on a baking sheet, plate or similar flat device.  I like to use an old plastic lid that goes to a square baking dish I own.  I use it because it fits easily in my freezer.  Put the fruit, uncovered into your freezer for an hour or two, until they are completely frozen.  They will resemble hard marbles when done.

This is the most important step.  A lot of people do not remove moisture before freezing and just end up with food with a lot of ice crystals which is rarely appetizing. Or better yet, a clump of berries frozen solidly together. This method works well for most fruit.

Flash Freeze for a Couple of Hours

Scoop into a plastic freezer bag for storage. I like the zip lock type of bags so I can easily scoop out fruit as I need it.  A hand full of frozen blueberries are a delicious treat.  They also defrost quickly for use in any dish.

Store for Future Use

This baggie contains 5 pounds of blueberries.  I paid $1.29 per pound or $6.45 for all five pounds. In the winter (or really most times of the year), Dillon's and HyVee sell blueberries for around $3.99 for 6-8 ounces (about half a pound).  You probably just walk on by, thinking you can't afford healthy fruit.  Yes, you can.  Buy it now and freeze it. You can thank me in January through your blueberry stained lips.

Dillon's Odds and Ends

Back to School Specials are Starting

19 cent notebooks

Close Out V05 at Dillons

50 pounds for $6.99 on close out

The sale cycle ends tomorrow so move quickly on these deals.  I forgot to post that many back to school items are on sale at Dillon's. This is the time of year to stock up up on paper, pens and markers. If you miss this sale, I'm sure many other local stores will be running similar sales in the next couple of weeks.  I always try to buy enough notebooks and highlighters to last me a year. 

I also cruised by the discount rack and picked up some chai tea mix at half price and some cheap dog food. The last time I purchased Kibbles & Bits, I paid $27 for 35 pounds.  "This is ridiculous," I thought as I hefted the bag into the grocery cart.  "I can't afford to always eat exactly what I want to eat, so why can the dog?"

I was so excited to find the 50 pound bag of dog food for $6.99.  "Look!", I said as I proudly pointed at the bag of dried chunks. My husband frowned.  "I've heard it can upset your pet's stomach if you switch brands," he replied with concern.  "Well,  it's cheaper to feed him Tums than Kibbles," I retorted.

Since I have began really tracking my household expenses, I have noticed pet food and supplies make up about 10% of my weekly grocery expense.

A friend once commented, "You will never know true freedom until all the kids leave the house and the family dog finally dies."  I found her comment hilarious.  Then at a business conference, I repeated this bit of humor to another woman about my age who responded, "My dog just died". 

I laughed uproariousy at her dry sense of humor. 

"No seriously, my dog of 16 years just died. I am heart-broken without my little Rags," she said, stifling a sob. I never make many friends at conferences.

Our large dog is a light eater but the two little cats demand a mighty gourmet buffet of soft food, preferably with lots of cat gravy.  Then there is the litter issue.  Until recently, I was buying the very expensive clumping cat litter which cost about 8-9 dollars a week. "Why couldn't I just have a gambling problem instead of a cat?" I would think each time I purchased litter.

My cats love to sit outside on the deck all day.  It is apparently beneath them to use the "outside facilities".  Both will lounge outside all day and then literally run to the litter box the moment I let them inside.

 "Pee in the grass, you say old man?  How barbaric!" they seem to sniff.

They even purr with a bit of an colonial aristocratic English accent.

At one point, I attempted to make my own cat litter. Whatever you do, DO NOT make your own cat litter. You are probably already living on the edge by storing diluted fabric softener in a bottle. Especially do not attempt to make your own cat litter out of paper from your shredder.  While it may give you immense emotional satisfaction to line the cat box with your shredded credit card statements, trust me you will soon tire of picking up tiny pieces of paper your cat will most definitely track all over the house.  Even I have my cheap limits.

Dillon's Deals - Mega Event through July 17

Here are today's money-saving adventures:

Clearance Rack Deals - $1.42 for all!

  Today's clearance rack at Dillon's was fantastic!  Here's the breakdown:

6 bags of Jolly Rancher candy at .50 each..............$3.00
3 Oral B toothbrushes at .99 each .........................$2.97
1 scrub brush.........................................................   .75
3 Kroger pantiliners at .50 each ............................$1.50
5 Pantene shampoo/conditioner at .99 ea...............$4.95
5 Suave shampoo/conditioner at .45 each..............$2.25
                                            Subtotal .................$15.42

3 coupons for .50 off two bags Jolly Rancher ..... -  $3.00
2 coupons for $3.00 off 2 bottles of Pantene....... -  $6.00
3 coupons for .75 off one Oral B Toothbrush...... -  $3.00
1 catalina coupon for $2.00 one bottle Pantene....-  $2.00
                                            Total......................    $1.42

This is the best I have ever done using coupons and is a rare event.  I don't want anyone to think I get these kinds of deals every week.  I just happened to have great coupons for almost everything I purchased off the clearance rack. And remember, Dillon's doubles coupons up to $1.00 which is reflected in the above totals.

In addition to the coupons, I received .50 cents additional off 5 of the above pictured items because they qualified as items included in Dillon's Mega sales event this week.  If you counted this additional savings, I actually had $1.08 credit to apply towards other groceries. 

I am a big believer is being honest with coupons so I always try to make sure I am purchasing the exact item for which the coupon was intended.  Not only would it be fraud to try to use a coupon for a purpose it wasn't intended, if people try to cheat the system, coupons may become a thing of the past.

I have watched TLC's extreme couponing show and find it very unrealistic.  Also, the show never demonstrates exactly how the individuals featured managed to purchase the items for the amount claimed. For that reason, I have documented the exact breakdown of today's shopping trip.

Dillon's Mega Event - Buy 10, Save $5.00

This week Dillon's is having another one of their save $5.00 when you mix and match any 10 participating items.  I purchased the above 10 items.  Here is the breakdown:

3 V-8 juice for $2.49 each.................$ 7.47
3 Secret for $1.99 each.....................$ 5.97
4 Cream Cheese for $1.49 each........$ 5.96
                            Subtotal.............. $19.40

minus 3 .40 V-8 coupons doubled....- $ 2.40
minus $5.00 mega event savings.......- $ 5.00
                            Total ...............    $12.00

Basically, I ended up paying on average $1.20 per item (10 items divided by 12).  Even Suave deodorant and store brand cream cheese cost more than $1.20 each. 

Chicken is $1.88 a pound through July 17 at Dillon's

Finally, if you do nothing else, go stock up on chicken this week.  Boneless chicken breast is on sale for $1.88 a pound this week.  I purchased three packages, then divided up the packages and used my foodsaver.  I usually add a little Italian dressing, worchestershire sauce or teriyaki sauce to the bag before sealing and freezing.  This way when I remove the bag from the freezer, the meat will marinate as it defrosts.

Buy in bulk, freeze for future use

So here is my menu for this week (my menu's usually run Thursday-Wednesday with the grocery ads):

Left Over Pizza (found in back of freezer)
Lasagna (using some of the .98 cent sausage and cheap cheese I bought last week)
Leftover Lasagna
Club Sandwiches (using some of the cheap bacon I purchased last week)
Fajita's (using a lot of fresh ingredients out of my garden)
Stuffed Acorn Squash
Baked Chicken and Baked Potato (using some of the $1.88 pound chicken)

So, is this post helpful?  What do you want to see more of? Less of?  What deals are all of you finding?

Fajita's for dinner

Fake Febreze

My husband and I have a dog, Wiley the Wonder Dog, and two elderly cats, Howard and Kibo. Because we allow the animals in the house, he worries excessively our house will develop an odor.

"Really?"  I asked incredulously.

"You don't smell like a rose when you come home after working outside all day in our lovely 105 degree Kansas weather.  Plus, in case you haven't noticed, that's not perfume I'm wearing, it's Ben-Gay. Instead of being worried our house smells like the dog, you should be worried our house smells like us".

I sometimes wonder if animals come inside and think, "Oh great, the house smells like people. Gross!" 

Because we both like a strongly scented house, I burn lots of candles and spray lots of deodorizers.  I started wondering how I could save money on  this smelly obsession.  Of course, I am not alone in this scent obsession since Febreze is Proctor and Gamble's fastest growing brand and just crossed over the one BILLION mark in sales. 

Almost $6 bucks for Febreze? Give me a break!

So I started looking around the internet and found several recipes for homemade Febreze.  It's simple:

Dissolve 3 Tablespoons baking soda in enough hot water to fill your spray bottle.  Add 1/8 cup fabric softner to water, fill bottle with the mixture and spray around your house to your content. I would use common sense and not spray, say directly on your grandmother's antique dresser.

I also went to Hobby Lobby and bought some additional fragrance to add to my mixture.  A bottle of Lavender fragrance cost $2.99 at Hobby Lobby (found in the candle making section). I added about 7-8 drops of fragrance to make my Fake Febreze exceptionally smelly.  I really can't tell a difference.

I told my daughters about my Febreze experiment.  "I've been making my own Febreze for about five years," said daughter number two with obvious disgust at my lack of knowledge of how to make your own products.  I seem to always be embarrassingly behind the curve.

"I even saw a warning on a bottle of fabric softener warning to not dilute with water and store in a bottle," she laughed. "Do-it-yourselfers must really be cutting into the market."

So I guess proceed at your own risk--I certainly am. 

$2.99 for scent at Hobby Lobby

K-Mart Deal Good Through July 14

Good Through Saturday, July 14

I do not do a lot of shopping at K-Mart. However, this week K-Mart has a decent "Shop Your Way Rewards Members" deal.  You must have signed up through the K-Mart website to be a member but you earn points anytime you show your card (one of those annoying little plastic tags you put on your keychain).  I believe you earn 10 points for every dollar spent at either K-Mart or Sears.  The nice thing about this rewards program is you can redeem your points as cash towards your purchase.  This week the cashier asked me if I wanted to redeem my rewards points.

"What?" I responded. 

Until this point, I had no idea I earned points or could use them towards purchases. Turns out I had $3.74 in "credit" I could have used towards this purchase.  This is amazing because I spend very little at K-Mart.  I suppose this would really pay off if you bought an appliance at Sears or your husband had just purchased a giant toolbox and you had remembered to show your card.  Life is full of lessons and most are not pleasant.

I think I even received a $5.00 rewards card just for signing up for the program.  Anyway, they handed me a $5.00 rewards card the last time I shopped at K-Mart--I'm not really sure how I earned it but decided to redeem it this week.



All FREE

 So the deal this week was buy Oscar Mayer Grilled Chicken Strips for $2.99 and get FREE Ragu Pasta and FREE Barilla Pasta.  You could probably make a whole meal for your family just from these basic ingredients for $3 bucks (Chicken Alfredo, anyone?).  I had that rewards card so I was wandering around the store looking for something to buy for another $2.00.  I am sure the purpose of these cards IS to get you to wander around the store and hopefully buy more stuff. I decided to buy two cans of Chef Boyardee pasta for $1.00 each.  I was expecting to spend a few cents in tax but they handed me back the receipt and told me I still have a dime on my rewards card.  When it seems like it's in your favor, it's better to not think too hard about numbers.

If I was you, I would sign up for the K-Mart rewards program and then go get me some free pasta and sauce.  But then again, I'm not you.