A Great New Website!!

I just stumbled upon a GREAT NEW SITE! I'm so excited I HAD to share it with you guys!!

It's called 

Sensibly Styled

all modest clothes - all in one place

Here is an excerpt from their ABOUT page:

"Sensibly Styled helps you find modest clothes by pulling together all the modest styles, from all the clothing brands you like, all in one place.

You aren’t the only one out there that is tired of not being able to find dresses that have sleeves, or skirts that hit your knee. There are tons of women everywhere who are tired of only being able to find low cut, sleeveless, and tight clothing. We believe that you can still be fashionable and look great without  lowering your standards."

They even have an Under $25 section!

Another bonus is that they don't only feature clothing from Teeny Bopper stores.

No offense to those stores...

[think Wet Seal, Forever 21, Charlotte Russe]

but after having 4 kids I just don't fit into those sizes anymore!

[nor should I try!]

This site features great, MODEST clothing from all over. 

The key here is MODEST!!!

Am I the only one who HATES going shopping for clothes because finding something MODEST and CUTE is more like finding a needle in a haystack?

I refuse to accept the "flaunt what you got" mentality.

You must go check them out!

(no they did not give me any incentive to do this... I'm just THAT excited about it!)

Just look at these cute clothes, all under $30 I might add!

Penny Appetizers & Dollar Entrees at TGIF

If you sign up to become a "Give me more stripes" member by April 30th you can get the above deals! I see a Frugal Date Night coming up in the near future!! Click HERE to sign up.

THIS is Why I Buy Low!!

Today I had the pleasure of introducing my Mom, and Sister-in-Law to Buy Low. I've gone on and on about how great their prices are on produce and meat for months, now they know why!

How much do you think this cost? Take your best guess.

$37.56!

Here's what I bought today at Buy Low:

-2 Gallons Milk: 2/$3.99

-Boneless Chix Leg Meat (xtra lg family pack): $3.40 ($0.99/lb)

-Boneless Chix Leg Meat (xtra lg family pack): $3.32 ($0.99/lb)

-Boneless Chix Leg Meat (xtra lg family pack): $3.20 ($0.99/lb)

-2 10lb Bags of Potatoes: $2.00 (only 1 pictured)

-Garlic (2 pckgs/5 heads ea): $0.38

-Radishes (2 bunches): $0.52

-Yams (3.28lbs): $1.41

-White Squash (5lbs): $1.67

-Vine Tomatoes (2.6lbs): $2.57 (this was an overcharge. looks like the wrong code was entered. the price was 3lbs/$1.00. I should've only paid about $1.00. I really need to pay more attention to my receipts/sales while I'm still IN the store!)

-Red Onions (3.17lbs): $0.63

-Gala Apples (4.67lbs): $1.56

-Mangos (3): $1.00

-Carrots (2.63lbs): $0.53

-2 bags Red Seedless Grapes: $3.55

-Red Bell Pepper (2lbs): $2.52

-Bananas (3.56lbs): $0.89

-Naval Oranges (4.18lbs): $0.52

-Romaine Lettuce (3 xlg heads): $1.00

-Cucumbers (5): $1.29

-Naval Oranges (4.91lbs): $0.61

-3 pairs of pants from a fellow Freecycler: FREE!

TOTAL: $37.56

Now you see why I LOVE BUY LOW so much!! Where else can you get 8 pounds worth of Naval Oranges for ONE DOLLAR? If you'd like to see their weekly deals for this week again, read this. Today was there one day only produce sale, and boy oh boy was it packed!! The parking lot was full to capacity, and there was very little room for movement inside, but it was worth it! I would've spent at least $70 in any other grocery store, even with their sales! I spoke to the cahier, and she said that today was an unusually busy day. Normally the crowd is nowhere near as big as it was today. Perhaps because Easter is only a few days away? 

I love that Buy Low allows me to make healthy meals for my family at a fraction of the cost.We are a family of 6 that eats only fresh fruits and vegetables. The produce I bought today is only about a weeks worth in this household. Save for the potatoes. Thanks to Buy Low's unbeatable prices I can afford to buy and eat as much fresh produce as I want, and still come in under our $300 a month grocery budget. (Yes $300 or below in So. Cal for a family of 6!) 

I've yet to find any store that rivals Buy Low's prices. Not even Winco!! If you live in or around the Long Beach area, and you would like to start saving money, while not compromising on healthy foods, I urge you to try Buy Low! 

It's located across the Forest Lawn Cemetery on Cherry between San Antonio/Del Amo. San Antonio dead ends into Cherry at the Buy Low, so you really can't miss it! There are only 4 Buy Low locations, 3 in Southern California, and 1 in Nevada... go here to see where they are.

If you'd like to download their weekly sales flyer click here.

Buy Low Deals April 8-14

For those of you with a Buy Low close by, I HIGHLY, no, STRONGLY recommend you shop there for your produce needs! I am able to supply our family of 6 with more than enough fresh fruits and vegetables for under $30 a month! Every Wednesday and Thursday they have special produce and meat sales, on top of their normal weekly sales! So here are this weeks sales.

WEDNESDAY ONLY PRODUCE SALE:

 10lb Bag of Potatoes: $1.00

Bananas: 4lbs/$1.00

Oranges: 8lbs/$1.00

Br. Onions: 10lbs/$1.00

Chayote Squash: 6/$1.00

Green Cabbage: 8lbs/$1.00

THURSDAY ONLY MEAT SALE:

Tilapia Fillet: $1.99/lb

51-60 Raw Wh. Shrimp: $2.99/lb

Bone-in Chix Breasts: $0.89/lb

Boneless Beef Cross Rib Roast: $1.69/lb

Lean Flanken Ribs-or-Short Ribs: $1.99/lb

Boneless Pork Stew Meat: $1.29/lb

WEEKLY SALE APRIL 8th-14th:

Tomatoes: 3lbs/$1.00

Gala Apples: 3lbs/$1.00

White Squash: 3lbs/$1.00

Garlic/Ginger Root: 3lbs/$1.00

Celery: 3/$1.00

Romaine Lettuce: 3/$1.00

Red Seedless Grapes: $0.89/lb

Loose Carrots: 5lbs/$1.00

Red Potatoes: 3lbs/$1.00

Red Onions: 5lbs/$1.00

Grapefruit: 4lbs/$1.00

Boneless Chix. Leg Meat: $0.99/lb

Pork Spareribs: $1.29/lb

Boneless Chuck Steak: $1.79/lb

Pork Leg Roast: $0.89/lb

For those of you living in or around the Long Beach area, Buy Low is located off of Cherry/San Antonio/Del Amo (where San Antonio dead ends around the Bixby Knolls area) The produce and meat at this store are good quality, the service is friendly, and the store is well lit and maintained. Where else can you get better prices for produce? If you know PLEASE SHARE!! 

My Awesome Post Cereal Deal!

Remember the $1.57 Post cereal deal at Albertsons I posted Here and Here? Well today was the first chance I got to go to Albertsons. (I really am working on getting to the store at the BEGINNING of the sales, so I can post pictures and tell you how to do my deals.... I'm getting there!!) I don't really like to go to the Albertsons right across the street from me because the staff is very hostile to couponers, as is their policy, which is ever changing. I try and only go there for our Red Box Free Rentals, since I can walk there! Well today the boys and I walked over to get our Free Red Box Monday rental, and I decided to try the Post $1.57 cereal deal at the self-checkout aisle. I bought 10 boxes of cereal, and paid $5.20 out of pocket! Then after I paid a catalina printed out for $5 off my next Albertsons transaction! Bringing down the total cost of my cereal with the catalina $.20!! That's only $.02 per box!!!!! PLUS the person who checked out before me didn't want there catalina's that printed out, so I got 2 extra catalina's! One for any FREE 20oz Sobe Lifewater, and one for $1.00/1 Tropicana Orange Juice!! Sweet Bonus don't you think!! If you're bummed that today is Monday and tomorrow is the last day of the sale, don't worry!! This post catalina deal is still going on! Here's the details: 

Buy Post cereal (10oz or larger) between 3/27/09&4/19/09: B3/G $2, B4/G $3, B5 or more G$5 coupon off your next order!! However ALL items must be purchased in the same transaction. However, tomorrow IS the last day of the $1.57 Post cereal sale. So if you can RUN to Albertsons and get in on this deal!!!!

This is what my transaction looked like today. Here's how I did it.

Buy 10 participating Post cereals: $1.57 ea.

(I bought 4-Grape Nuts, 4-Honey Bunches of Oats w/ Peaches, 2- Raisin Bran)

Use 5- $1.00/2 Q in 3/29 SS insert.

Swipe Albertsons club card... don't forget! This is a must!!

Pay $5.20 Out of Pocket (OOP)

Receive Catalina for $5.00 off my next purchase! (FREE money!)

That's like getting these 10 boxes of cereals for $.20!

Total Out of Pocket: $5.20+$5.00 Catalina (for my next purchase)

Total Saved: $40.50!

Which comes out to $.02/box. TWO CENTS PER BOX!!

Bedtime Stories DVD $1.99!

Would you like to buy the new Adam Sandler Bed Time Stories dvd? Would you like to buy it for $1.99? Well good news! You can! Go to THIS page and learn more about how to do it using a $5.00 printable coupon, and 2 mail in rebate forms! Did you miss out on the Bolt dvd coupon? Well they have a sweepstakes on the Disney/Rayovac Mail In Rebate (MIR) page.... 

If you have a second I encourage you to browse around this blog. It's called Cheaper By the Dozen and Get One Free There on the right hand side you will find some info about the blog author Ann and her movie deals co-author Becca, her daughter. It's some pretty amazing tidbits Ann puts on her blog about her story, her family's story, and her daughter Becca's story. If any of you are new to the frugal lifestyle as I am, then I highly encourage you to read her tidbits on the right side of her blog. I have 4 children, I can't imagine 11! If she can do this, and do it well with 11 children living the what they had to live with on a daily basis, than I am confident that we ALL can do it too!

Monday FREE RedBox Code

Here is today's FREE RedBox rental code, valid Monday only!

TS473G

Free Movie Rentals!! Can't get more frugal than that!! If you rent a free movie from RedBox on Mondays and Wednesdays for a whole year you will have watched 104 FREE movies!! That's a lot of movies!! However, make sure that you return the movie by 9pm the following evening or you WILL be charged late fees, making that FREE movie, not so FREE anymore.

Happy Watching!

Frugal Haircuts...

Here's a tip for Frugal Haircuts if you have boys: Invest in some decent clippers! My husband uses the clippers on a bi-weekly basis, and now our oldest son just had his first haircut by Daddy with the clippers. We got our WAHL Clippers about a year ago on sale at Target for around $40. Considering my husband used to pay $30 per haircut not including tip, and now uses the clippers twice a month, I would say that the clippers have MORE than paid for themselves!! If you have boys, and they (or you) don't like long hair, than I highly recommend investing in some good clippers. We love our WAHL clippers!! And in a house with 3 males and 3 females paying for 6 regular haircuts is just out of the question!!

Take a look at our oldest son's first frugal haircut experience!!

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Target Deals April 5-11

This is a great detailed post covering Target money saving deals for this week. Check it out! Thank you It's Hip 2 Save!!

My CVS Deals

Yes, again, this is too late in the week to really be posting this as a "go out and do this" kinda deal. The sale ends today. Today was the first day I was able to get out of the house for this! So I'm posting this more as a "see it CAN be done" kind of post. Here's my deals I got at CVS today.

Transaction #1

3- Ponds Wet Towelettes 30ct.: $3.99

-$1.50/1Q in 3/29 RP

FP: $2.49ea+ $5.00 ECB 

(special weekly deal. B$10Ponds/G$5ECB)

 2- Scrubbing Bubbles Action Starter Kit: $2.99

-$2.75 IP Q from Here (not sure if still available)

FP: $.24ea

I also used a $4.00 ECB that printed out of the machine when I walked in the store. (Sweet!)

Grand Total for Transaction #1: 

$5.24 +$5.00 ECB printed out.

Total Saved for Transaction #1:

$28.90

Not too shabby. Again, stuff we use. 

Transaction #2

1-Glade Sense and Spray: $5.99

-$4.00/1 Q in 3/29SS

FP: $1.99 + $1.00ECB will print out

1-Softsoap Ensembles Hand Soap: $7.99

-$2.00 CVS Q in CVS Reinventing Beauty Mag

-$2.00 Q in 3/22 SS

FP: $3.99

I used the $5.00 ECB from my last transaction this time.

Grand Total for transaction #2:

$1.81

Total Saved transaction #2:

$16.00

Transaction #3:

1-Softsoap Ensembles Hand Soap: $7.99

-$2.00 CVS Q in CVS Reinventing Beauty Mag

-$2.00 Q in 3/22 SS

FP: $3.99 + $4.00 ECB will print (wyb 2 softsoap ensemble)

Grand Total for transaction @3:

$3.45 + $4.00ECB printed 

I can use my next trip!

Total Saved transaction #3:

$5.00

So at CVS today I bought $60.40 worth of products and only paid $10.50 OOP.

Grand Savings: $49.90

(Because everything I purchased was on sale... I listed the sale prices.)

My Walgreens Deals

I realize that as I post this not many people will be able to rush out and do these two deals. However, I still wanted to post them because 1) I'm happy about them, and 2) someone just might have a Walgreens close to them, have the coupons, and be able to make it to Walgreens before the sale is over at midnight.

Walgreens has had a deal this past week that if you buy 1 Softsoap BodyWash @ $3.99 then a Register Coupon will print out at the end of the transactions for a FREE Softsoap Bodywash on your next transaction. There were $1.00/1 Q's in the 4/18SS. After tax the Softsoap Body wash was around $3.27... THEN I got a coupon for a FREE Softsoap bodywash my next transaction. (You still have to pay taxes on the soap which amounted to $.37!)

So in two transactions I bought 2 Softsoaps, and in return got a coupon for 2 FREE soaps! 

In essence I got 4 soaps for under $2.00ea! Not too shabby! This isn't the cheap stuff either!

The only other thing I saw on sale that I needed at Walgreens this week was Halls cough drops. In their weekly ad there was a coupon for Halls 25-30 ct cough drops for $1.39ea. Limit 3/coupon. In the 3/29 SS insert there was a $1.00/1 Q for Halls cough drops. So I bought 3 bags of Halls Cough Drops (30ct) using the Walgreens ad coupon. $1.39ea. Then I used 3-$1.00/1 Q's so I got 3 bags of cough drops for $.39ea!! (and with the way sickness has been traveling around this house these will come in very handy!!)

So my total at Walgreen's today was $10.16 for 4 Softsoap Bodywashes, 3 bags of cough drops.... Oh, and I also bought 2 Sunday La Times for $3.00. Not too bad for stuff we actually did need!

Again, I understand this is late in the week to be posting this, seeing as today is the last day of the sale. However, today was the first day I was able to get out of the house and do this, and I figured I would post it anyway to show people that I'm not as crazy as I seem, and that this coupon saving thing CAN ACTUALLY be done!

$.50 Iced Coffee

On April 21, 2009 get a small 16oz Iced Coffee from Dunkin Donuts for only $.50! Not only will you be saving money, getting your caffeine fix-guilt free, but in doing so you will also be helping to support Hopes For Our Troops! (A non-profit org that provides specially adapted homes for our severely injured vets at no cost to them) Now THAT is a good cause!!

So please! Tell everyone you know about this event, take a friend, buy two! It's okay to splurge with your $.50 Iced Coffee on April 21st! It's going to a good cause!!

Walgreens April ES Rebates!

April's Easy Saver Rebates are back, and this time around I think I might actually partake Here's just a few of the deals I'm liking, plus a few others that sound really good. For a complete list of deals click HERE, or pick up an Easy Saver brochure at your local Walgreens. They are the little booklets found right next to their weekly ads when you first walk in the store. For anyone new to Walgreens Easy Saver Program click HERE to read a little more about it. I'm a newbie too and this will be my FIRST month filling out and taking part in their Rebates!

Here's what I've found in this month's Easy Saver that I'm liking, or seem like really good deals.

I believe in the 3/22 Sunday paper inserts there were MFQ's for $1/any Physicians Formula Organic Wear Makeup. I have 4 Q's. That means I can spend even less than the intial $10 OOP and still get the $10 Rebate. Sounds good to me! I love their eye shadows!!

I'm not sure if there are any MFQ's out there for this drink mix, but if I find any I will update you all. Still FREE after Rebates are always nice.

I have 4 kids, so I like the thought of a FREE water slide. PLUS I have 4 kids! 9 out of 10 of their toys require a battery of some sort AND 3/29 Sunday paper inserts had MFQ's for $1.00/1 pack of Energizer batteries!

This is a good deal. I haven't had a chance to check out the price of these in my local Walgreens, but I do know that I have a $4.00 MFQ from either last weeks Sunday paper, or the week before. Combined with this offer I will get a total of $6 off any one Clade Sense & Spray, Lasting Impressions, or Flameless Candle. I will update you on the price. I'm going TODAY!

This deal will give you up to $4 on 4 select Glade products! Combined with any MFQ's you may have left and this can be a really good deal. 

I have no idea how good their ink cartridges are, or even the variety of printers they are available for. However what I DO know is that right now, they are on sale for $7.50 so that means this will be FREE after Mail in Rebate! That's a good deal considering ink for my printer alone can cost upwards of $60 for 500 sheets of paper!

FREE MUSEUM ADMISSION

Did you know that if you are a Bank of America customer that you can get FREE admission to select Museums nationwide on the FIRST weekend of every month? How's that for a Family Fun Frugal event?? Want more info? Go HERE to check it out, and find participating museums in your area.

JCPENNY Coupons

I woke up with this email in my inbox. I won't be doing in shopping, but perhaps some of you are able to take advantage of this sale.
Click HERE to print your in-store coupon.

Click HERE to view this weeks ad and to sign up for special offers and sales.
Click HERE to shop online.If you'd like to shop online use this code for FREE shipping. W9BIGFSH

Grocery Deals of the Week 4/1-4/7

Because I love you guys, (and because sleep is not in the cards for me at the moment) I'm going to do a quick post on the best deals I saw while looking through the weekly grocery flyers.

ALBERTSONS

Pepsi/Diet Pepsi/7-Up 2L bottles: $10/10

-$1.00/3 Q found in Big Saver Foods ad & Top Valu ad 

FP: $2.00/3 2L bottles

    *note* Don't just toss out the Mexican Market ads. They have MFQ's every week! 

Not to mention great prices on produce! 

Post Cereal- Honey Bunches of Oats, Grape Nuts, Shredded Wheat: $1.57ea (wyb 2 in 1 trans.)

-$1.00/2Q 3/29 Sunday inserts

FP: $2.14 (wyb 2 in one tran.)

Raisin Bran: 3/$6

(Special Promo: B3 boxes Get Catalina for 1 FREE Gal. of Milk. B5 boxes Get Catalina for 2 FREE Gal. of Milk. B7 boxes Get Catalina for 3 FREE Gal. of Milk.)

-$1.oo/1 Raisin Bran IP

FP: $3.00/3 

(if you can print 3 Q's. I could only print 2. Use 2 different computers if you can and print up to 4 Q's!)

Kix & Multi Grain Cheerios: 2/$4

-$.50/1 Q 3/22 Sunday inserts (this is for Honey Kix. Not sure if it's part of sale. Ad says                 "selected varities"

-$1.00/1 Q Eat Better America promo (I used my mom's coupons so I got two of each!)

FP: $3.00/2 

(If $.50Q for Honey Kix will work, or Honey Kix is also on sale. I haven't been to                     check it out yet, if you do know leave a comment!)

-or-

FP: $2.00/2 (Using $1.00/1Q)

Listerine: 2/$7

-$1.oo/1 Q (Sunday insert from a few weeks ago)

-$2.00/1 Q (purple only also from a few weeks ago)

-$1.00/1 Q (whitening only)

FP: varies depending on varieties on sale, and combination of coupons used. If the Purple Listerine is on sale here is the scenario I would try for my family.

 2/$7  -2 $2.00/1Q's FP: $3/2

STATER BROS

Sugar Tree/OHSE/Champ/Jamestown Spiral Sliced Half Ham: $.99/lb (Min. $20 purchase)

Kruse/Heartland/Farmer John Full Half Ham: $.87/lb (Min. $20 purchase)

Large Cantaloupe: 10/$10 (not by the lb.)

Tropicana OJ: 2/$5.00

-$1.00/1 Q (from ?)

FP: $1.50/1 

Tampax Tampons: $2.99

-$.50/1 Q 3/22 Sunday inserts

FP: $2.49

RALPHS

Foster Farms Chicken (select varities): B1/G1 FREE!!

*Great deal! Get twice the chicken for the price of 1)

-$1.00Q  any FF Chick product wyb Reynold's Wrap (peely found on FF Chix.)

combine with

-$.75/1 Q Reynold's Wrap (Sunday inserts a few weeks ago)

-$.75/1 Q Reynold's Wrap Parchment Paper (Sun. inserts a few weeks ago)

-$1.00/1 Q Reynold's Wrap Non-Stick Foil (Sun. inserts a few weeks ago)

I don't know if they Reynold's Wrap is on sale right now, but if you can find the Peely Q's on FF Chix products it's worth looking into!

Land 'O' Lakes Butter: 2/$6

-$.55/1 Q (blinky machine)

FP: $4/2 (if you find blinky machine right next to Land O Lakes section, use 2, and Ralphs Doubles both Q's.)

As I said above. Looking through this weeks ads with my coupons these are the best deals that I was able to find. If you've found a great deal not listed above please leave a comment below and share! 

Also, when matching up my coupons I try to match all of my low value coupons (values below $1.00) with Vons adds, as Vons has the best DOUBLE COUPON policy in the Long Beach area! They will double up to the first 5 of the SAME coupon, whereas Ralphs will double only the first FIVE coupons. Albertsons and Stater Bros do not have any sort of Double Coupon policy as of right now.

Free Homeschool Curriculum!

Have you ever heard of CurrClick.com? Everyday you can find something FREE on this website! They have over 104 FREE downloadable items right now! Click here to check them out! A couple times of year this site also has a HUGE SALE, where even there normal priced items are either FREE or a drastically reduced price. I LOVE this site! 

When I first started homeschooling I was convinced that I had to have the top of the line, best money can buy curriculum in order for my children to succeed. I'd be ashamed to even whisper how much was spent the first two years on curriculum!! Let's just say it was way too much! Another trap I fell into when I first began homeschooling was thinking there was on way to do it, and that some ways were better than others. A pride issue for sure! What I found out the hard way was this: 

-Homeschooling isn't necessarily easy, it's a lifestyle.

-Homeschooling DOES NOT require great amounts of patience! It requires diligence, and determination!

-Homeschooling DOES NOT have to be expensive!!

-One method IS NOT better than the other! I fell into a trap thinking that Classical/Trivium Pursuit was the best way to teach, and the best way for a child to learn. For some I'm sure that's true. For my child this certainly is not the case!! 

-Lapbooks are possibly the BEST tool money can buy!

There are SO many lessons learned daily while teaching your children at home. I could go on for days. But let's keep this to a frugal point.

Lapbooks are a fun, creative, easy, FRUGAL way to teach your children!! They are having fun creating something with their hands, and imagination, but most importantly they are learning! Even better, is that they are having fun learning, and are enjoying themselves! If you're new to lapbooking, or maybe have never even heard of it I encourage you to check out CurrClick.com's website! Look at there FREE lapbooks first, that way you're not out any money if you don't like it, or your child doesn't like it. (Remember every method does not work with every child.) If you'd like to browse through their low cost section click here.

Lesson Learned: CHECK RECEIPTS PROMPTLY!

Lesson Learned: Check my receipts IMMEDIATELY before leaving the store!

Read the fine print always!!

Total: $204.31

I Paid: $57.90

Total Saved: $146.41

That's 72%!

It's hard to see in the picture just how much is truly there because it was hard to spread everything out over the table. Everything had to be stacked and crammed. Vons was running a mix and match sale the last two weeks, where you buy any 10 participating items and automatically get $5 taken off at the register. 

 

As I started writing this post I intended to post the GREAT deals I found! I started looking through my receipt and noticed I was overcharged on a few items. Initially it was only $1.00 that I noticed I was overcharged. Not a substantial enough amount to prompt me to call the Store Manager, and haul all four kids to the store with me to get a refund. 

HOWEVER!

As I was going line by line through my receipt I noticed many mistakes! This time totaling $9.50 in overcharges. So I called the store and talked to the person in customer service, and explained the situation. She put me on hold and told me the Manager would be with me shortly. 5 minutes later, the Mgr. still had not picked up the phone. She came back to me and said he was busy, and could I please just come in with my receipt? Sure. $9.50 could almost buy me a pack of diapers if they were on sale for $9.99.

So I start looking through my receipt a third time double checking that I found all the overcharges. I HADN'T! I grabbed the sale ad from last week (thankfully I hadn't thrown it out yet!) and I started comparing prices. I was overcharged on

 EVERY ITEM FROM THE MIX AND MATCH SALE!

A grand total of $25.75 in overcharges!!

That's enough to make me get upset, but thankfully I know that they will refund me the money they overcharged me. 

I called my hubby and told him what I had found. He was surprised, then he was pretty amazed, as was I, at the even BETTER deal I had scored!! 

Total: $204.31

I Paid: $57.90

(I SHOULD'VE PAID: $32.15!!)

Total Saved: $146.41

(TOTAL REALLY SAVED!?: $172.16!)

Wow! I really WAS NOT looking forward to editing this post! I'm feeling like quite the fool!

I was finally able to make it to back to Vons to "collect" my refund for the overcharged items. I walked up to the customer service desk, four kids in tow, and was politely explaining the situation to the poor guy behind the desk. I must've confused him, because he called the Mgr. over. I re-explained everything to the Mgr, (nicely!) and he scratched his head and started studying the receipt. He asked me a few questions about quantity of sale items purchased etc... Then something came over him and he started to chuckle. He then explained to me how in fact I was not overcharged, and that indeed I was charged the correct amount. So goes the explanation, 

(Mind you I'm typing this with head hung in shame. Or is that embarrassment? Both.)

'It's only at the END of the transaction that the Mix&Match Savings are taken off of the total. For example, you bought 10 Gatorades. The ad price was $.75 each When You Buy (WYB) 10. So you were charged normal price $1.25 for each Gatorade. At the END of the transaction $5 was taken off of the Grand Total amounting to a total of $.50 taken off of each Gatorade. Making the Final Price for the Gatorade $.75 each. Does that make sense?'

At this point in time the lightbulb went off in my head, and the realization that I just made a total fool of myself! 

(Not quite, I was perfectly polite and gracious with the workers at Vons, I was just confused, and misunderstood the sale.)

I still felt like a fool though! So I didn't actually spend $32 OOP for $204 worth of groceries. My original posting for OOP/Savings is indeed correct. (Still a good deal in my book!)

There you have it. My first retracted mistake!

(Isn't the mark of maturity being able to admit your mistakes? Right? Haha!)

Kellog's Raisin Bran Extra Coupon

Did you see the full page add for Kellog's Raisin Bran EXTRA in the Sunday paper? Instead of there being a clippable $1.00 coupon you have to text  the number given, and then text your email address, and then print the emailed coupon good for $1.00/ANY Raisin Bran Product. Hmm. It sure seems like a lot of extra work to get the coupon, but we love Raisin Bran, and I love $1.00/1 coupons for cereal! So I did the extra steps, and voila! My coupon was in my inbox waiting for me! If there are several different cell phone numbers and email addresses in your household you may even be able to print several of these coupons for even better savings. I say MAY because I was unable to try this out today. If you try it out and it works PLEASE LET ME KNOW, so I can confirm my suspicions! (Thanks!)

For anyone reading this outside of the So Cal area who didn't get this ad in their Sunday paper here is the information from the ad.

Text EXTRA to 89074 for $1.00 coupon.

-Good on ANY Raisin Bran Product.

-Limit One Per Household. (You can at least TRY my idea, though it MAY NOT work...)

-While Supplies Last. (So HURRY!)

-Standard Text Message Rates Apply.

-Available only to residents of U.S>

Family Fun Frugal Fridays

Do something Fun and Frugal with your Family on Friday's! (that was a mouthful!)

No, seriously! 

Need an idea?

-Rent a movie (not from Hollywood Video or Blockbuster though, we're trying to make Family Fun Friday a Frugal event!)

-Make some S'mores Pops (for a fun movie snack twist)

-Turn off the lights and get at least an hour of cuddle time with the Family!

Then afterwards have fun sharing favorite bits of the movie with each other.

**** ******** ****

I don't recommend renting movies from Hollywood Video or Blockbuster. They are TOO expensive for new releases! Almost every town has a neighborhood $1 video rental store. They usually have the new releases just like the big video store chains, and they are only $1!! However, these $1 video stores require you to return the movie by the close of the following business day to avoid any late fees. Check with your individual store as to what their rental, and late fee policies are. 

If you don't have a local $1 video store check your local grocery store, go to RedBox! This is my personal favorite! And I'm seeing RedBox popping up everywhere! My local Albertsons has two! These are convenient too! They are like giant movie vending machines where all movies cost $1. (This is one vending machine you won't mind your kids bugging you about!) RedBox is my favorite because EVERY Monday and Wednesday they put out FREE MOVIE RENTAL CODES! (That's 2 FREE movie rentals per week! 8-10 per month! 104 FREE movie rentals per year!!) 

What makes this so Frugal you wonder since you're buying the video? This is how I look at it:

#1 It's a $1 video rental.

#2 I've already received 2 free rentals, and I'm paying $1.08 (after tax(at least through April 1st-another story)) So essentially you are paying $.36 per video rental! 

That's Frugal in my book!