Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!!!

Or how about just the chicken?

I was running LOW folks!  Almost completely OUT!

Thankfully my friend Emily filled me in on the deals:

Macey's has #20 boxes for $1.28

(if you live close and can fight a crowd this is an amazing deal - please double check before you drive out there....I don't want anyone mad at me)

Fresh Market has #10 boxes for $1.49

Peterson's has #10 boxes for $1.49

I was right in the area so I just picked up three boxes at Peterson's, at $14.90 a box.

I've got my crock pots going to get my freezer full of pre-cooked chicken for some easy meal making in the next few months!

If you've never done this before it's EASY!!  I'll post a how to....

Vacation Fund!

Our little jar of change on Dan's dresser was hardly full, but I know my husband's love for soda and how that change could disappear quickly.  I took it in to the bank with me today and it added up to $18.94!

I deposited that in our vacation fund.  It's growing slowly but surely!  I have over a year to add to it.  It's going to feel SO GREAT to pay for our vacation up front in cash!!

Grand Total is now $311.94

Eat From the Pantry Challenge!

How is everyone doing with their pantry (and freezer) challenge?

I am proud to say I have done really great!  I know my friend, Kjersten is right on track also making meals from her pantry!

I've kept my grocery shopping to a minimum so far and spent $26.50 last week on groceries.  Mostly fruits and veggies and a side trip to the bakery outlet for tortillas and bread.

This really forces me to think ahead and plan out my meals a bit more as well as be more creative with my cooking.  But it's nice to have a little break from coupons and not make so many trips out in the cold with three kids!

If any of you are doing this I would love to hear how it's going for you!

It's Mega SwagBucks Friday!

 Today is Mega Swagbucks Friday on Swag Bucks! You can win 1000, 2000 or more Swag Bucks!  

How would you like to earn at least $25 worth of free gift cards with minimum effort on your part? I know talk about SwagBucks all the time but it was a great way for me to pay for a large chunk of our Christmas this past year - without it coming out of Dan's paycheck!

I love this program because it actually works. 

You really can easily earn gift cards and they really do come. Only 450 Swagbucks can get you a $5 Amazon card and you can do that within a couple weeks or less! The more you search the more you win.

 

Go here to sign up and get started. 

You will get 30 Swag Bucks right off the bat just for joining!

Hot Electrosol Coupon!

There is a Electrasol coupon that came in the SS insert yesterday for $2.25 off one Electrasol Dishwashing tablets or gelpacs, 20 count.

This a a great high value coupon!

 I used the eight I had to stock my family with dishwashing soap for the next few months.  Wal-Mart has them on sale for $4.42.  I priced matched there with the sale price from Target of $3.79 each.  Add in the coupon and I paid $1.54 per box or .08 cents each!

Price before coupons:  $35.36

Price after coupons:  $12.35

 

Eat From the Pantry Challenge!

Last year I decided to cut some money on our grocery budget for the month of January.  I've been sort of a slacker the past few weeks in planning meals.  But I have been pretty good about using my coupons so my pantries and freezers are fairly full.

 The point is to avoid going grocery shopping as much as possible.  I have a family of five, so of COURSE I will still be going...for things like eggs, milk, fruits and veggies. 

It is a pretty good idea to rotate through your stockpile...so January is our "rotate" month!  

Plus I like the idea of extra money in my pocket!

So here are my goals for the Eat From The Pantry Challenge: 

  Only buy dairy (milk, eggs, cheese, etc.) and produce (fruits/vegetables).

Spend a total of $150 or less on groceries during the month of January.  About $35 a week is the goal. 

Put the leftover money from our grocery budget towards our 2012 Disney Vacation! 

I'd love for anyone to join me in this!  I will be posting updates every Friday on how I've done!