Living on a Budget

  • CVS: Spent $0.43 and Got $21 ECB’s Back!

    CVS has a few good deals this week.   I was happy to stock up on some items including shaving cream and toothpaste this week while utilizing a few of my coupons.  Today I was able to get the items for $0.43 including tax and received $21.99 ECB’s to use on my next CVS purchase.  My CVS receipt this week states that as of July 18th I have saved $1,067.08 this year at CVS.  It really does add up!!!  Here is what I purchased this week.

    • 2 –  Caliber 1 Subject Notebook for $0.50 ($0.25 each)
    • 3 –  Kleenex Facial Tissues for $2.64 ($0.88 each)
    • 1 – Paper Mate Grip Pens (8 count) for $1.99
    • 1 – Crest Pro Health Rinse for $2.99
    • 1 – Crest Pro Health Toothpaste for $2.99
    • 1 – Skintimate Strawberry Shaving Cream for $2.19
    • 1 – Skintimate Raspberry Shaving cream for $2.19
    • 2 – Schick Xtreme Women’s Razors $15.98 ($7.99 each)

    Here are the coupons I used on the items.

    • Used $0.50 Kleenex Manufacturer Coupon (SS 7/17)
    • Used $1.00 Crest Toothpaste Manufacturer Coupon (PG 6/5)
    • Used $1.50 Skintimate Manufacturer Coupon (Smart Source printable coupon)
    • Used $1.50 Skintimate Manufacturer Coupon (Smart Source printable coupon)
    • Used $3.00 Schick Manufacturer Coupon (Schick Facebook printable coupon)
    • Used $2.00 Schick Manufacturer Coupon (peelie on the razor package)
    • Used $2.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon
    • Used $21.00 ECB coupons from prior purchases

    I received $21.99 ECB’s back today:

    • $10.00 ECB’s for Schick and Playtex Products
    • $5.00 ECB’s for Beauty Club Rewards
    • $4.00 ECB’s for Crest and Oral B Products
    • $1.99 ECB’s for Paper Mate Products
    • $1.00 ECB’s for Green Bag Tag Rewards

    Today I was able to save $54.23 at CVS by purchasing these items and using coupons.

    When you shop the CVS sales regularly and have ECB’s that you can roll over toward future purchases the bonus ECB’s start adding up (Green Bag Tags and Beauty Club).  As you can see from my shopping trip today you don’t have to purchase a lot to save money when shopping at CVS.  Plus you can use the additional ECB’s you receive towards your next purchase.  You can pick and chose what is best for your family.

    I would love to hear your CVS shopping story for this week!  For those of you who shop regularly at CVS please share how you were able to save this week!  Although the weekly ad sales are similar every family and situation is different so you may have found items better suited to your household.  In your comment please feel free to share a link to your blog article showing us how you were able to save shopping at CVS.

  • Travel & Vacation: Fun in Charleston

    On our family road trip to Charleston we got to discover neat places.  Thanks to a friend, who gave us some information in advance, we had a blast exploring new kid playgrounds during our time away.   It was a fun filled inexpensive mini vacation together.

    Karlie climbing.

    The girls and I spent one morning at the Mt. Pleasant Palmetto Islands County Park.  They loved it!

    Brina on the tire swing.

    Brina loves spinning on this swing!

    Karlie enjoying her time at the playground.

    It took a lot of work to climb up the jungle gym and go down this slide, Karlie is quite pleased with her accomplishment!

    Brina loves this slide.

    Brina happy to finally go down the slide, several kids fell trying to get up the jungle gym to go down this slide.

    Giggling as they look down on Mommy!

    Brina and Karlie loved being up high and thought it was hilarious how “tiny” Mommy was on the ground.

    Brina determined to get find the diving stick.

    The girls swam for hours in the hotel pool.  They had fun splashing, playing, relaxing and meeting new friends.

    Karlie loved splashing around in the pool.

    We spent almost five hours in the pool that afternoon.  The nice part about where the pool was located is that part of it was in the shade throughout the day so you didn’t have to be out in the intense heat all day swimming.

    Daddy, Karlie and Brina ready for dinner at Red's

    We ate at a local seafood restaurant one night.  The girls favorite part was that the kids meals were served on a frisbee so they were able to take it home with them, they thought it was so funny.

    Crossing the Arthur Ravenel Bridge just after sun down to go into downtown Charleston.

    We gave the girls the option after dinner to go back to the hotel and swim or go to downtown Charleston and drive around.  Much to our surprise they wanted to go explore downtown Charleston.  They always enjoyed going over this bridge!

    The girls wanted to know all the history behind the cannons.

    Daddy patiently answered many questions on the history behind Charleston and the surrounding area during our walk through the park and downtown.

    The most bizarre thing we saw in Charleston.

    As we were walking through the part we saw a visible path of white feathers about 3 to 5 feet across from one tree to the next tree (about 30 to 40 feet away).  The feathers had obviously been placed there for a reason, we believe there is some historical resemblance but not sure.  Can anyone who has more knowledge on the history of Charleston give us an explanation?  It was odd seeing a path of feathers between two huge trees and several cars as they were driving by honked as they passed that part of the park.

    See the white line between the two trees? It is a wide path of white feathers.

    I am still a little perplexed by this one…..

    Our family thoroughly enjoy Charleston the food, adventures, and time together was refreshing.  I am thrilled the girls had fun exploring the town.  I have a little bit more about our Charleston adventures coming up soon so stay tuned!

    “A Vacation To Remember” series is a reflection on our recent trip and ways we relaxed.  Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away.  Go with a good attitude and looking for fun and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories.  It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine.  Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn.  You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!

  • Save A Lot: Deals for the week of July 20 – 26, 2011

    The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience.   Save A Lot is introducing their “Save A Lot Today” brand products this month and continued their sale so it is a  great time to stock up on several items (no coupons necessary to get the Save A Lot Today prices).    Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!

    Meats and Seafood

    Fairgrounds Meat Hot Dogs (12 oz) – $0.69

    Fresh Chicken Wings – $1.49 per lb

    Gwaltney Pork Sausage (12 oz) – $1.00

    Pick 5 for $19.99 promo on going: Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts of fresh, frozen or smoked meats and pay just $19.99 (about $2 per pound).

    Fridge and Freezer

    Popsicle or Fudgsicles – $1.00

    American Basics American Cheese Slices – $1.00

    Save A Lot Today Orange Juice – $1.99

    Save A Lot Today Party Pizza – $0.99

    Save A Lot Today Pizza Rolls – $0.99

    Save A Lot Today Imitation Shreds – $1.00

    Household

    Save A Lot Today Bath Tissue – $0.89

    Save A Lot Today Laundry Detergent – $1.99

    Produce

    Cherries – $1.99 per lb

    Salad Mix (12 oz) – $0.99

    Idaho Potatoes (5 lb bag) – $1.49

    Grocery

    Budget Gourmet Fettuccine Alfredo or Mac N Cheese – $0.69

    Campbell’s Original O’s (26 oz) – $0.97

    Kool Aid – $0.10
    Use B2G1F coupon from the July All You Magazine (Expires 12/31/11)
    Use $0.50/5 coupons from Kool Aid Facebook Page
    As low as $0.00 each after coupon

    Doritos, Cheetos, Fritos Scoops – $1.00

    Nabisco Cheese Nips Snack Crackers – $1.00
    Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 6/19 Smart Source (Expires 7/30/11)
    $0.50 each after coupon

    Splash Out Gallon Drink (128 oz) – $1.00

    Hungry Jack Mashed Potatoes – $1.00

    Sundia Fruit Cups – $1.00

    Save A Lot Today BBQ Sauce – $0.79

    Save A Lot Today Ranch Dressing – $0.89

    Save A Lot Today Apple Juice – $1.19

    Save A Lot Today Toaster Pastries – $0.99

    Save A Lot Today Pancake Mix – $0.49

    Save A Lot Today Pancake Syrup – $0.99

    Save A Lot Today Mashed Potatoes – $0.79

    Save A Lot Today Biscuit Mix – $0.79

    Save A Lot Today Brownie Mix – $0.99

    Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals!  Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends.

    For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here.  If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list.

  • Travel & Vacation: Road Trip to Charleston

    We recently went on a road family road trip to Charleston, it technically was a work and family fun trip combined. I am thankful for a wonderful time together exploring Charleston.  A lot of great memories were made that week!

    Brina and Karlie in Charleston!

    This is the pier near the Waterfront Park, you can get a good view of the Arthur Ravenel Bridge from the pier.

    Brina enjoying the slide!

    The girls loved the Waterfront Park, thanks Janet for telling us about this great park!  The park is directly under the large Arthur Ravenel Bridge.  It is great having the park under the bridge because the majority of it is shaded even during the hottest parts of the day.

    Karlie fun at the Waterfront Park.

    Karlie climbing on the jungle gym at Waterfront Park.  If you look above her head you can see the cement from the bridge above us.  You can hear all the traffic going along the bridge as you are playing on the playground.  It’s a great park and if you go they charge $0.50 per hour to park (they take cash, coins, credit / debit).  I was never able to get the credit / debit to work so I would suggest making sure you have cash or coins prior to going to the park.

    Brina spinning at the park.

    The girls do better at spinning then I do.  They thought this was so much fun standing and twisting around!

    Karlie doing her workbook at the hotel.

    Karlie and Brina thought it was great doing a few pages of their workbooks in the hotel.  They did really well!  Karlie made her own desk out of an end table and used the cooler for her chair, she was so proud of her “creative” desk.

    Brina on the Waterfront slide.

    Back at Waterfront park for more fun.  The girls loved the park so much they wanted to show Daddy so we got pizza, ate a picnic at the park and let the girls play so more.

    Karlie on the slide.

    Karlie having a blast on the slide at the park.

    Brina spinning.

    The girls thought these were awesome.  No matter how you sat in these stools you would spin.  I was surprised at how long they could spin, Mommy didn’t last nearly as long!

    Karlie still dazed from a big spin.

    These seats were hilarious.  Karlie lost a shoe on this spin!

    Daddy and Brina on the double swing.

    They had double swings under awnings along the pier.  It was beautiful and cool sitting together enjoying a swing!

    Mommy and Karlie swinging on the other side!

    We had a blast in Charleston.  The first day we spent exploring a little bit and enjoying some time playing at their beautiful park.  Thankful for a great time with the family creating memories!

    “A Vacation To Remember” series is a reflection on our recent trip and ways we relaxed.  Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away.  Go with a good attitude and looking for fun and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories.  It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine.  Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn.  You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!

  • Walgreens: 10 Gifts for $1

    Walgreens Clearance Deal

    I went to Walgreens to stock up on some of their deals this week.  Once again the best deal I got was in their clearance aisle where they had their Bandit O’s (Silly Bands) on clearance.   I had a Register Rewards that was expiring soon so it worked out well.   I spent $0.67 including tax at Walgreens for this transaction.  I picked up a couple other items (including food which you will see in a later post this week) but this was my best deal at Walgreens this week.  The silly bands will be great for upcoming birthdays, activities and maybe even stocking stuffers.

    • 10 – packs of Bandit O’s (originally on sale for $0.99 each, marked down to $0.49 and on clearance for $0.25 each)

    The total was $2.67 with tax before using discounts & coupons.  Here are the coupons I used on the ten items.

    • Used $2 Walgreens Register Rewards

    Walgreen’s Register Rewards will expire two weeks from the date they are printed so you will need to make sure to use them before their expiration date.  I always keep the ones that are expiring the soonest on top of the stack to make sure to use them first.

    Another important fact regarding Walgreen’s Register Rewards you will need to know if you haven’t used them before is you can only use 1 coupon per item.  If you use a manufacturer’s coupon for every item you are purchasing you will not be able to use any Register Reward for that transaction.   If you do have a coupon for each item then check Walgreen’s weekly ad because they will have items on sale each week for pennies up to $1 that you can use as “filler” items but they won’t raise your total too much.  Once you get started using coupons and rewards you may discover, like I did, how to purchase many of your health and beauty items for nothing or very little.  Since using coupons and reward programs I rarely pay full price for any of our health and beauty items plus I usually have extra to share with guests visiting us or to give away.

    For those of you who shop regularly at Walgreens I encourage you to share how you were able to save this week!  Although the weekly ad sales are similar every family and situation is different so you may have found items better suited to your household.  In your comment please feel free to share a link to your blog article showing us how you were able to save at Walgreens.

  • CVS: Spent $2 and Got $12 ECB’s Back!

    CVS Deals

    CVS has a few good deals this week.   I was happy to stock up on some items including toothpaste and shampoo this week while utilizing a few of my coupons.  Today I was able to get the items for $2.49 including tax and received $12.00 ECB’s to use on my next CVS purchase.  Here is what I purchased this week.

    • 1 –  Pantene 2-in-1 Shampoo for $3.49
    • 1 –  Pantene 2-in-1 Clean Shampoo for $3.49
    • 1 – Oral-B Toothbrush for $1.99
    • 1 – Zantac 150 for $8.99
    • 1 – Crest Baking Soda Toothpaste for $1.99
    • 1 – Crest Toothpaste for $1.99
    • 2 – Paper Mate (Blue 10 pack) for $0.50
    • 2 – Paper Mate (Black 10 pack) for $0.50
    • 2 – Paper Mate (Red 10 pack) for $0.50
    • 1 – Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Mauve for $10.99
    •  1 – Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Plum for $5.49
    • 1 – Gillette Fusion Shave Gel for $2.19
    • 2 – Colgate Regular (Twin Pack) for $5.29
    • 2 – CVS Sanitizer Hand Spray for $1.94 ($0.97 each on clearance)
    • 1 – Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder for $1.99
    • 2 – Suave Professionals 2 in 1 for $5.14 ($2.57 each)
    • 1 – Tums Ultra (72 Count) for $4.99

    Here are the coupons I used on the items.

    • Used $3.00 Revlon Manufacturer Coupon (peelie on the lipstick)
    • Used $3.00 Revlon Manufacturer Coupon (peelie on the lipstick)
    • Used $1.00  Pantene Pro-V Manufacturer Coupon (Smart Source Coupon, not sure which date)
    • Used $1.00 Pantene Pro-V Manufacturer Coupon (Smart Source Coupon, not sure which date)
    • Used $1.00 Colgate  Manufacturer Coupon (Kroger Home Mailer)
    • Used $5.00 Zantac Manufacturer Coupon (Smart Source printable coupon)
    • Used $0.75 Crest Manufacturer Coupon (PG 7/3 or PG 6/5)
    • Used $0.75 Crest Manufacturer Coupon (PG 7/3 or PG 6/5)
    • Used $2.00 Oral-B Manufacturer Coupon (PG 7/3)
    • Used $2.57 Suave Professionals Free Product Coupon (received free product coupon in mail)
    • Used $2.57 Suave Professionals Free Product Coupon (received free product coupon in mail)
    • Used $1.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon
    • Used $5.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon (Revlon)
    • Used $5.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon (Cosmetic)
    • Used $2.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon (Johnson & Johnson)
    • Used $2.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon (Tums)
    • Used $5.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon (Health)
    • Used $17.99 ECB coupons from prior purchases

    I received $12 ECB’s back today:

    • $2.00 ECB’s for Crest Products
    • $2.00 ECB’s for Pantene Pro-V Products
    • $3.00 ECB’s for Zantac Products
    • $2.00 ECB’s for Colgate Products
    • $2.00 ECB’s for Gillette Products
    • $1.00 ECB’s for Oral-B Products

    Today I was able to save $83.55 at CVS by purchasing these items and using coupons.

    When you shop the CVS sales regularly and have ECB’s that you can roll over toward future purchases the bonus ECB’s start adding up (Green Bag Tags and Beauty Club).  As you can see from my shopping trip today you don’t have to purchase a lot to save money when shopping at CVS.  Plus you can use the additional ECB’s you receive towards your next purchase.  You can pick and chose what is best for your family.

    I would love to hear your CVS shopping story for this week!  For those of you who shop regularly at CVS please share how you were able to save this week!  Although the weekly ad sales are similar every family and situation is different so you may have found items better suited to your household.  In your comment please feel free to share a link to your blog article showing us how you were able to save shopping at CVS.

  • Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4

    This week was a little different doing our Groceries $40 for 4 because we were on the road for part of the week.   It was a great road trip with the family, we traveled over 40 hours in a week and were able to spend time with family during our trip.  Thankfully the girls travel well and slept well in the van.  I packed a lot of fun activities and snack food for the trip.  We came home to a house that was 90 degrees inside, clean, and had an empty fridge since we had eaten or packed pretty much all our perishables.  This week I spent most of the grocery budget on restocking items in our fridge and pantry.

    Groceries from Walgreens, Ingles, and BiLo

    Walgreen Groceries:

    • $4.07 at Walgreen’s for A & W Root Beer (2 liter), Domino Sugar, Betty Crocker Yellow Cake Mix, Betty Crocker Brownie Mix, Frito Lay Stax BBQ, Frito Lay Stax Original, Frito Lay Stax Sour Cream & Onion, Daisy Sour Cream, Cream Cheese, 4 packs of Ranch Flavored Sunflower Seeds (on clearance for $0.89 each, usually the best price I can get is $1.00 so stocked up on a these for upcoming road trips).   I used $10 in Register Rewards that were expiring this week to bring this total down to $4.

    Ingles Groceries:

    • $4.13 at Ingles for 1 bag Laura Lynn Bread (on sale for $0.98), 30 packs Wylers Cherry Drink, 5 packs of Strawberry Cheesecake Yogurts (on clearance for $1.00 each), 1 package of Pork (reduced for quick sale), 1 box of Pretzel Lean Pockets (free with coupon), 6.5 pound bag of banana’s (clearance for $1.49),  4 packs of Raspberry Yogurt Covered Pretzel (on clearance for $0.99 each, normally $6.83 per pound), 1 package of Strawberries (on clearance), 1 package of sliced Mushrooms (on clearance), 1 package of whole Mushrooms (on clearance.  I used a gift card I had been given a few months ago for part of the amount and paid for the rest.  All of the items were on sale or clearance so it really was a great shopping trip to Ingles.

    BiLo Groceries:

    • $12.92 at BiLo for 1 gallon of Skim Milk, 1 gallon of 2% Milk, 1 bag of splenda Sugar (store brand and on sale), 1 bottle International Delight Coffee Creamer (free after coupon), 2 boxes of Banquet Pasta Carbonara (on closeout for $0.50 each). 

    I am excited to be back doing our Groceries $40 for 4 budget again after our big road trip for the summer.  I was surprised to see the milk prices spike even more since I bought it last, however, I was pleased to get some great clearance items this week in my shopping trips, (especially at Ingles).   This week I spent $21.12 on groceries.  Even though I was under budget on my amount for the week  I was still able to stock up on several items.  Thankfully I was able to keep the amount within reason so I had little extra left over for those weeks when I find a really good deal or go a little over.  We were out of town for a part of this grocery week so it was a little different from our usual events.

    It is my goal to give you regular updates on this budget section so you can celebrate the good weeks with me and thump me on the bad weeks!  As always you are welcomed to join the journey with me.  I would love to hear your story and how you are doing too.  The purpose of our family doing this it to watch our grocery spending while allowing us to feed our family, enjoy life, share with others, and yet stay on track with our budget.

    Living on a Budget is a series of ways our family uses a budget to help keep us accountable with our finances.  Life doesn’t always go as planned.  We have used some of the ideas I will be sharing for years while others are ones we are just starting to implement as we continue finding ways to be creative and have fun with what we have been given.  Having a plan in place allows us the freedom to be smart with what we have been given, get more creative when it is a tight (week, month, year or a season) and when necessary live a much more simplified life.  A budget helps us stay on track so we have more opportunities to enjoy the many blessings we have been given as well as share what we have with others.  There is so much more to life than having all the stuff.  We may not have the newest or greatest items in our house, we drive used cars, and wear hand-me-down clothing…..however, if our family is taken care of and have love for each other and others we have more than all the riches in the world.

  • Summer Activities: The Children’s Museum of the Upstate

    A few weeks ago we purchased a local Playcation Package which included four tickets to The Children’s Museum of the Upstate.  Our family spent several hours one Saturday exploring our local Children’s Museum.  We had a lot of fun learning, playing, building, and spending a relaxing Saturday together. If you have not been to the Greenville Children’s Museum you should check it out.  It has a lot of neat activities for kids of all ages.

    Karlie and Brina taking Daddy for a ride!

    After putting items in the recycling truck the girls and Daddy decided to drive the truck, so much fun!

    Daddy explaining how glasses work.

    This was a neat room filled with light waves and all kinds of fun stuff to learn!

    Brina and Karlie looking through the lenses!

    They had a variety of lenses of various colors and distances that you could look through.  Very fascinating!

    Love their facial expressions, the amazement of how everything works!

    Karlie and Brina working the color spectrum.  They were thrilled at all the colors they were able to create.

    Daddy, Karlie and Brina enjoying the giant "Light Brite"!

    Neat idea!  I think we noticed several different creations during our time in the museum.  This piece captured the attention of kids and adults!  Daddy did an outline of Karlie while Brina made her own creation.  It was a lot of fun!

    Karlie creating her own stain glass master piece!

    I was surprised at how long she worked on making a pretty stain glass window.  She actually got quite a big section finished.

    Brina carrying a large load of bricks!

    Brina working hard making bricks!  The girls loved filling the wheel barrow with bricks and putting them back on the belt.

    My three construction workers.

    This one was harder then it looked.  The girls had Daddy help on this activity.

    Built a house.

    The girls thought this house was so funny because it had one wall!

    The seat cushions quickly become a number rainbow, simply amazing to a six year old!

    They were quite proud of putting this together!

    Daddy helping Brina put together a memory box.

    They had a workshop where you could sign up and build something.  Today was working on a memory box.

    Daddy helping Karlie build a memory box.

    I was originally helping Karlie but since Daddy and Brina finished first Daddy volunteered to help out.

    Karlie and Brina looking down at Mommy from the top of the jungle gym.

    The girls had a lot of fun on the jungle gym in the middle of the Children’s Museum.

    It was a great summer activity going with the family to the Children’s Museum.  Thankful for the opportunity to spend a day together exploring.  Thrilled that Greenville has such a wonderful place for families to go.