Now's the Time!

It's been a while since I've been on here.  Too too long!  Since my last large grocery shopping spree over Memorial Day weekend when Marsh had their triple coupon event the only items I've had to go shopping for have been milk, bread, and eggs...literally.  So, overall...mission accomplished! Plus, honestly, the coupons and sales haven't been that great either. 

Now, if you've been one that has been following numerous couponing/saving money blogs and you've really wanted to start your own coupon binder and start saving money but just haven't gotten around to it; let me tell you...DO IT NOW!

Why you may ask?  Everything you need is super cheap right now with the back to school sales.  You can get binders for a couple of dollars and if you wait just a few weeks you can get the good 5 Star binders super duper cheap.  

My current binder I bought last year for $4.98 at Target.  It was normally $24.99. You can get the baseball card holders for a great deal at Target $9.99 for I think 50 of them.  You won't get that good of a deal at any office store, oh, by the way...they are in the toy section by the baseball cards :).  You should get a small pair of scissors just in case you need to cut a coupon or have them on hand, a three ring pencil holder to hold onto your pens so you can either make your list or cross off those items you have picked up because let's face it, pens walk.  Oh, I also highly recommend some dividers for inside your binder so you can organize your coupons.    If you glace at the ads on Sunday you will see these items (minus the baseball card holders) for a fairly cheap price and even if you get an extra as a back up for later you still will save!

If you are like me and you love to save money, you should check out www.lillybugphotography.com and my Facebook page Lillybug Photography. I have my photography business up and running and am running a summer special, good for August only! 

Oh, another great savings is this weekend only www.splendesco.com has 35% off her items in honor of her birthday.  Use the code HAPPY35 to receive the discount.  She has some super adorable jewelry & hair pieces!

Here's to great savings!

Have a great week!

SUPER Savvy Savings at Marsh!

If you haven't heard...Marsh is TRIPLING their coupons up to $1.00 until Monday at midnight.  Any coupons you have that are valued up to $1.00 are tripled.  There are some exceptions so make sure you check out their website to double check to see if the coupons you have will be accepted (I know that buy one get one free are not eligible for this promotion)  They will accept store coupons, manufacturer coupons, and internet coupons.  There is a limit of 2 coupons of the like.

I went this morning....had a subtotal of $444.44 and only paid $128.00

18 lbs ground beef $14
watermelon FREE
Rice Krispies $1
Cheerios FREE
2 packages dog treats .60 each
2 boxes of Magnum ice cream bars $1.69
8 Tostino pizzas $4.00
6 cans pringles $.33 each
1 package toilet paper FREE
6 Reach tooth brush .55 each
2 Oral B tooth brushes FREE
2 Nestle Crunch bars FREE
2 packages marshmallows for Smores! $1.50 each
4 bags pretzels $1 each
2 Edys Shakes .30 each
2 french bread pizzas .69 each
6 fruit cups .25 each
3 boxes Carnation $2.95 each
2 ice cream toppings FREE
2-2 liters FREE
Rubbermaid Carafe $6.00
7 brownies .50 each
10 ears corn $2
4 boxes brown sugar FREE
4 boxes powdered sugar FREE
1 box granola thins $1.44
4 boxes Ritz cheese sandwich crackers FREE
4 packages shredded cheese FREE
3 packages slices FREE
3 packages pepperoni FREE
2 tubs Helluva Good dip FREE
2 boxes Yoplait GoGurt $3.67 each
1 package brats FREE
2 jars mustard FREE
4 packages hotdogs FREE
1 lb deli meat ham $4.91
1 lb turkey deli meat $4.01
2 blocks cheese $1 each
2 Trop50 Apple juice $1 each
4 packages hotdog buns FREE
2 package hamburger buns .85 each
2 jars pickles $1.35 each
2 boxes crackers $1 each
2 boxes popcorn .50 each
2 boxes fruit snacks $1.29
1 Frosted Flakes $1
1 Apple Jacks $1
1 cereal $1
2 peanut bars .25 each
2 boxes crock pot liners .09 each
2 Aluminum foil .85 each
1 jar Jelly FREE
2 Chi Chi Tortillas .50 each

Don't forget to bring your own bags because you can get an additional .05 off your order per bag you bring!  I highly recommend Kohls' bags because you can fit 5-6 plastic bags worth of groceries into one bag or even 3 gallons of milk!  You can carry them on your shoulder easily as well and they fold up and snap easily!


Then after finding a blog with more match-ups I went back for a few additional items...

Transaction #1...subtotal 18.57.  I paid .56.

5 packages of fruit cups .10 each
4 boxes of brown sugar FREE

Transaction #2...subtotal 173.18.  I paid $31.49

2 packages Chinet Plates FREE
4 Chi Chi Tortillas .50 each
2 packages Hershey Kisses $1 each
2 bottles Kikkoman Soy Sauce FREE
2 boxes Crock Pot Liners .09 each
8 boxes popcorn .50 each
4 boxes brown sugar FREE
2 packages Lance crackers FREE
2 boxes Wheat Thin sticks FREE
2 packages Johnsonville brats .49 each
10 packages GoGurt 1.11 each
2 Rubbermaid containers .49 each
1 package dried pineapple fruit .49
6 cups fruit .25 each
14 boxes brownies .50 each
4 packages pringles FREE

This sale does end tomorrow 5/29 at midnight.  If you can, take advantage of these great deals!

Happy shopping & Happy Memorial Day weekend!

The Real Meaning of Food Expiration Dates

Sell by, use by, freeze by: How do you intepret the language of food expiration? Do the dates mean you may make yourself sick if you eat something after it's expired? Sharpen your food safety smarts by learning the truth about these dates.

By Madeline Vann, MPH

Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

 

Related Articles on Digestive Health

• Everyday Health -- In Coordination With The U.S. Food And Drug Administration
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• Recall Of Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein

Part of being a smart shopper is checking the expiration date on food packages. But if you meticulously check food packaging for printed dates, you may be surprised to find out that with the exception of baby food and infant formula, food expiration dates are really only guidelines to help you buy food at optimal freshness.
Food labeling is not required by federal law. Only about 20 states require it, and there is no consistent standard, and no U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation to define what the package is telling you.
However, there are still government agencies that work to protect food quality and food safety. They include the FDA, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are many divisions within the various agencies, each with specific areas of responsibility to safeguard the food supply. The USDA's Food Safety Inspection Service, for instance, manages information and regulations that affect food safety and the quality of meat, poultry, and egg products. It also provides information about how food labeling could relate to the quality of those products.
All of these agencies continually work to improve food safety. Thanks to the recent passage of the Food Safety Modernization Act, the FDA will place more emphasis on preventing food-borne illnesses rather than responding to outbreaks after the fact, which will hopefully lower the number of FDA recalls that need to be instituted after problems are discovered. More effort is also being made to educate consumers. Though FDA recalls are usually reported through news outlets, there is a special FDA recalls Web page that you can go to at any time on your own to check for alerts.
The Language of Food Labeling
When you're staring at the digitized date on a package, however, you're probably not thinking about the actions of all these government groups. You just want to know if the food in your hands is safe to eat.
"It is confusing because there is no standardization in packaging dates," acknowledges food safety expert Catherine Strohbehn, PhD, RD, adjunct associate professor of hotel, restaurant and institution management at Iowa State University in Ames.
To help clarify the wording of food expiration dates printed on packages, here is a glossary of common labeling terms:

• "Sell by." This date gives you tips on what's cheap as well as food safety information. "Sell by" labeling is more for the grocer than it is for the consumer. "Consumers are fine to purchase products by this date," says Strohbehn. "Generally stores will discount closer to this date so consumers looking for a bargain can purchase up to the sell date and then use as soon as possible." Use refrigerated products within the next day or so; frozen goods can be stored in your freezer for up to three months.
• "Use by." "Use by" and "Best if used by" are intended to assure consistent food quality, says Strohbehn. This type of dating provides guidance to the consumer, but the guidelines are somewhat loose. Products can last longer than the "use by" date, depending on how the product is handled and stored. "Some canned goods will keep for years if there haven't been wide temperature fluctuations. Higher-acid products like canned pineapple have a shorter shelf life, but are still good for a year or longer," says Strohbehn. Infant formula and baby food are significant exceptions to this rule: It is best not to give your baby formula or food after the "use by" date.
• "Freeze by." Occasionally foods will be labeled "use or freeze by," which means that you can freeze them for a period of time after that date.

What Food Expiration Dates Mean for Food Safety
The reality is that you can eat food past the food expiration date and it might still taste good — or it might not. For example, milk may sour around the expiration date or a few days afterwards, depending on how cold your refrigerator is. The risk of food-borne illness also increases after that date, especially if your storage conditions are less than optimal.
Practicing good food safety habits at home will help food last safely up to, and beyond, the date on the label. One of the most important food safety parameters is temperature. For example, canned goods in a pantry that stays consistently cool all year round will last longer than canned goods stored in a location where temperatures fluctuate between hot and cool. Likewise, frozen foods stored in a freezer will last longer if the freezer is not opened often, which causes temperature changes. Humidity is also a concern — try to keep all storage areas dry, with low humidity.
Here are more food safety tips that will help your foods exceed expiration dates and ensure that you stay healthy:

• Refrigerate foods at 40° F immediately. Food safety experts recommend planning your day so that you can take groceries home to the refrigerator right away, instead of letting them sit in the car while you run other errands.
• Don't keep refrigerated foods out of the fridge for more than two hours.
• Keep ready-to-eat foods separate from those that are raw and need cooking.
• If a food product only has a "sell by" date or no food expiration date at all, cook or freeze the item as soon as possible.
• Make sure prep areas and storage areas in your kitchen are clean.
• If you or someone in your household is immune-compromised, be sure to eat foods by the "use by" date, advises Strohbehn. To do otherwise isn't worth the risk of food-borne illness.

Food safety may actually have more to do with the habits you have at home than with the dates on the packaging, but if you want safe foods at their best, use the printed expiration dates as your starting point.

Last Updated: 05/23/2011

How to create a grocery list!

Do you create a grocery list when doing your weekly/bi-weekly/monthly shopping?  Do you look at an ad to see what the sales are for the week?  If not, you definitely should!  Once you start to read the ads weekly you will start to see trends on what items are on sale, what are good sale prices, and what you should stock up on. 

How to create a grocery list!

To create your weekly grocery list (depending on how many stores you shop at, create one per store).  Start with one store at a time.   Making lists for multiple stores can become confusing quickly and you may miss out on a deal when dividing your attention between multiple stores. 

1.        Review your coupons (that way when you see which products are on sale, you can recall what coupons you have).

2.       Create one list per store.  If you see an item that you will use, it is on sale, and you have a coupon for it; write it down. 

Example:             Ragu      2/$3 © 2

So, with that you can see what you need to get, the price of the item, a circled C for there is a coupon, and the quantity.

If there is a Mega Sale (as they happen often around here; you need to  buy any 10 of the participating items to get $5 off) I put a star next to the item so I know that when I count up how many items I have they need to equal 10.  So, let’s pretend that Ragu is one of the 10 participating items.

Example:             * Ragu $1.50 ©   5

                                * Rice Snacks .89 © 4

                                * Mac & Cheese .59 © 1

There is a limit of how many groups of 10 participating items you can purchase in a transaction, although, my stores do not know how many that is.  I would recommend not doing any more than 40 of the Mega sale items in a transaction.  If you have more than 40, just create a separate transaction.

3.       Pull out your coupons as you are creating your list.  You may want to have a pencil case to store your coupons or a paperclip to keep them together to clip to your list once it is finalized.

4.       Once you are done creating your list for your first store, move on to the second store and create a second list.  If there is an item from the first store that is cheaper than the second store, simply move it from the first list to the second. 

5.       Stick to your list.  With the exception of items on sale not listed in the ad, stick to your shopping list.  Stores will advertise specific products on sale to get you in the store and then you may walk out with a substantial amount more than planned due to in-store advertising.  Unless it is something that you absolutely need, it is on sale, or you have a coupon for it, go ahead and get it.  If not, leave it behind.  It takes great will to stick with your list and not add any ‘extras’.

6.       Before checking out make sure you do a quick check on your coupons, make sure you have a coupon for the items you are purchasing and you are not forgetting any, especially for those items you picked up that are on sale and not on your list!

7.       If possible, leave your kids at home.  Having additional ‘distractions’ allows room for missed sales, more items purchased that were not on your list, or coupons not being used.  Chaos always tends to break out at the checkout, especially, if coupons are being difficult.

Some additional tips in saving money:

·          When your store is having a large sale, know when their trucks come in.  I have learned at my local grocery store that I shop at (Marsh) I need to go the first night of a large sale (Thursday evenings) or on Monday evenings due to those that shop only on the weekends.  Usually if I try to go on a Saturday, they are often out of many of the items that are on my list.  So, if I go either of those two nights I have a better chance in being able to purchase everything I need on my list.

·         Know what your local stores coupons policies are.  This can tend to be quite a challenge as most stores do not know their own coupon policy and it may even differ between stores within the same chain.  I have stopped shopping at one of my local stores due to their coupon policy being different each time I go in to shop and it varies with cashier. 

o   Some of our coupon policies are:

§  You can use a manufacturer coupon and a store coupon on the same item.

·         Other than this rule, you can only use one coupon per item.

§  Only the first two coupons double, each additional like coupon of the same product will be redeemed at face value.

§  One of our stores actually has a limit to how many coupons you can use whether they double or not.

·         When you are having your coupons scanned watch the screen.  Make sure the coupon does come off.  Sometimes cashiers need to override specific coupons even though you have purchased the correct product, size, quantity, etc.

·         With that being said, when using coupons make sure you are purchasing the correct product,   size, quantity, etc. 

·         Only buy, stock up on what you need and will use.  There is no point in spending money or getting products that will sit on a shelf. 

Once you get a system down, get a coupon collection started; couponing is definitely easier, faster, more efficient, and you will definitely see the savings!

If you have any questions or would like help in creating a shopping list please feel free to let me know!

Happy shopping & happy savings!

Hugs!

Upcoming deals at Meijers!

Did you know that if you create an account at Meijers you will receive an email every Tuesday morning on their upcoming ad for the next week?

Here are some great deals at Meijers this week! 

Ball Park franks .98/each (I have a coupon for .55 off one package making it .43 a package!)

Eckrich brats 3/$5 or $1.67 each (I have a coupon for .55 off one so that makes it $1.12 a package!)

Ragu 2/$3 (I have a coupon for $1 off 2 making them $1 each!)

Chi Chi Salsa .99 each (I have a coupon for .50 off one which will double to $1 so FREE!)

Country Crock 2/$5 (I have a coupon for .40 off one which will double to .80 of one so that makes it $1.70 each!)

Fig Newton 2/$5 (I have a coupon for $1 off one which will make it $1.50 a package)


If you don't happen to have any of these coupons, you may be able to do a search for printble (name product) coupons.

You can also print coupons from:

http://www.smartsource.com/
http://www.redplum.com/
http://www.couponmom.com/


Also, you may be able to visit the manufacturers website and print from their website as well!



Once Marsh posts their ad tomorrow I will add their specials on here as well as Krogers! 

Happy savings & enjoy a great week!

Instant Transformation! From Dirty to Clean!

Does your dish clean this well in under 2 minutes?

In taking care of the kids, I accidently left the eggs cooking a tad bit longer than I should have and it resulted in this mess....




After less than 2 minutes of the pan being in my sink with Lemon Brite I took my wash cloth across the pan and this happened...



In less than two minutes from the moment I put the pan in the sink I had it clean...





Voila!  My uncle has told me multiple times about how well Lemon Brite works.  He has told me stories on how he has cooked on/stuck on food, he puts it in the sink and just minutes later the food is floating on the surface of the water.  Amazing!

How to become a Savvy Saver!

Everyone is looking for a way to save money!  How do you save money at the store?  Do you clip coupons?  Look for specials in the ads?  Maybe you are a family that doesn’t use coupons because you see the task too daunting, time consuming, or not worth the “few dollars” you would save.

What if you could save at least half off of your grocery bill?  Would the thought of using coupons possibly not be so bad?  Of course, you would not have to go to the extent of those on Extreme Couponing. 

Those individuals are some serious couponers and are really obsessive in using coupons.  I would never recommend anyone to purchase any item they would not use or even stock up on a product that they couldn’t use before the expiration date.  It’s not practical and in reality, you really are not saving any money. 

While you may not immediately save half off your grocery order when you first start to coupon; there are definitely strategies one should follow.  Here are a couple of things that you should do first when starting your coupon journey:

·          Set up a coupon system.  You want to create a system that works for you and is easy for you to use.  I would highly recommend a binder.  You can start small with a 1 inch binder and always expand as your coupon inventory expands.  You will also want dividers, baseball card holders, and some vinyl envelopes that have a Velcro flap for those larger coupons (I use these for my Bed, Bath & Beyond coupons).

·         Start studying the ads.  Yes, study them!  After a few months you will start to see a trend on what items are frequently on sale, how often they are on sale, and if the price is a good sale price or not.  You will also be able to do this with coupons as well.  Some coupons are better than others.  I tend to not use the coupons in which I need to buy multiples of a product to save $1.  More times than not, you are spending more just to save a dollar.

·         Only cut/collect the coupons that you will use.  If you clip a coupon and save it “just in case” you are more likely to buy it because you have a coupon, not because you need it.

A few tips to get you started…

·          See if your store has previews of the next weeks ads.  Here in Indianapolis, I am able to see the ads for the three stores I shop at prior to the current week ads ending.  With that, I am able to see if an item that is on sale this week will be on sale next week and helps me plan ahead.  Since our ads run Thursday-Wednesday, I always clean out and create my list (if I need to do grocery shopping that week) on Wednesdays. 

·         Start collecting coupons by either receiving them in the mail, purchasing multiple newspapers on Sundays from the dollar store, or even trading with friends.  (If you do purchase multiple newspapers, make sure you will use most of the coupons in them before you buy them)  When I was purchasing newspapers from the dollar store, I would buy at least 13 of them; but only if I was going to use the majority of them. 

·         Create your binder tabs.  Mine are: paper/plastic, pantry, snacks, canned food, kids, pets, personal care, pharmacy, baking, freezer, fridge/dairy, and breakfast.  You may want to add/delete sections to best fit your needs.  Another fun tip, if you write on your tabs with a Sharpee, you can easily change the tab name as needed by erasing the ink with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. 

·         Visit your local Kohls store to purchase the reusable fabric bags.  I use these all the time for our groceries.  One of our local stores and Target actually pay you .05 for each bag you use.  I promise if you use them consistently you will have them paid off quickly.  Typically, you can fit 5-6 plastic bags worth of groceries in 1 reusable bag or even 3 gallons of milk.  These are the best bags because they are large, fold up and button conveniently, and then can easily be carried over your shoulder.

One frequent question I get is, “How do you remember to bring your bags and coupons with you?” 

My response?  “You never leave home without your coupons.  If you are going to go into the store for a quick trip, bring your coupons.  You never know what you will see that you may need/it is on sale/you have a coupon for.  I always put my binder in my Kohls bag with some additional bags and just bring it with me.  Saves me another trip to the car” J

My golden rule for grocery shopping (and my three year old understands it) If it is not on sale/not a necessity/there is not a coupon for it, it is not bought.  There are rare exceptions to this rule…milk/eggs/bread (we purchase our bread from our bread store).  My most recent visit to our bread store was $9.  With that I purchased, 2 packages of Aunt Millie bagels, 3 loaves of white bread, 1 load of wheat bread, 3 packages of sub buns, 2 packages of hotdog buns, and 2 packages of hamburger buns.  All were of Aunt Millie brand.  If I would have purchased that from my local grocery store, I would have easily spent $32.  I love to save money and help others do the same.

Throughout the weeks/months to come I will continue to share with you how to save money and still eat healthy.  At the same time, I will also share couponing tips as well as electronic coupon codes as they become available to me.  Please share my blog with your family and friends as we all have the same goal: save money. 

If you have any questions you would like answered or if there are specific tips/information you would like on saving money please email me or leave me comments here on my blog.

Happy Savvy Savings!