Rewards

  • Family Outings: Picnic at Legacy Park

    Karlie and Brina finishing their picnic lunch!

    Every once in awhile we have the opportunity to meet Daddy for a quick picnic over his lunch hour.

    Karlie about ready to blow her bubbles on Mommy!

    The girls like to blow bubbles when we go to the park and luckily for them I usually have some  in the van.  Bubbles have  come in handy quite often in our adventures.

    Now it's Brina's turn to blow bubbles my direction!

    Somehow I get plenty of fun bubbles blown in my direction!

    Karlie having fun on the play ground.

    It’s the little things in life that can entertain for hours!

    Brina flying away on a jet plane, always plenty of entertainment on the play ground.

    The girls enjoy exploring and playing at the variety of parks in our area.  Thankful for some time to spend with Jake and allow the girls some play time as well.

  • Save A Lot: Deals for the week of August 3 – 9, 2011

    The Save A Lot weekly ad deals are listed below for your convenience.   Save A Lot continued their sale on “Save A Lot Today” brand products.    Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!

    Meats and Seafood

    Oscar Mayer Wieners or Bologna (16 oz or 12 oz) – $0.99
    Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 6/19 Smart Source (Expires 8/14/11)
    $0.49 each after coupon

    Beef Eye of Round Roast – $2.99 per lb

    Eckrich Smoked or Skinless Turkey Sausage (14 oz) – $1.99
    Use $0.55/1 coupon from insert 6/26 Smart Source (Expires 8/27/11)
    Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 6/26 Smart Source (Expires 8/27/11)
    As low as $1.44 each after coupon

    Boneless Chicken Breast – $1.49 per lb

    Ground Beef 73% Lean (3 lb or 5 lb packages) – $1.99 per lb

    Fresh Half Boneless Pork Loin – $1.99 per lb

    Fresh Pork Tenderloin – $3.49 per lb

    Shaner’s Boneless Chicken Breast – $5.99

    Holten Quarter Pound Beef Patties (32 oz) – $3.99

    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

    Coburn Farm Eggs (1 dozen)- $0.19*
    *Valid with $10 minumum purchase.
    Limit one purchase customer.  Must present coupon at time of purchase.
    Valid at local store (states the address of our local store)
    Expires August 13, 2011

    Kraft American Singles (12 oz) – $1.88
    Use $0.55/1 coupon from Kraft Food & Family Booklet (found at Bi-Lo & Food Lion)
    $1.33 each after coupon

    Ferratto’s Fully Loaded Pizza (21.5 to 24.4 oz) – $4.99

    Coburn Farms Mozarella String Cheese (10 0z) – $2.99

    Take & Bake Pepperoni & Supreme Pizza – $5.99

    Reser’s Potato and Macaroni Salad – $2.99

    Produce

    Black, Red and White Grapes – $0.99 per lb

    Peaches, Plums, and Nectarines – $0.79 per lb

    Strawberries (1 lb package) – $2.00

    Cucumbers – $0.33 each

     Peppers – $0.33 each

    Summer and Zucchini Squash – $0.49 each

    Cantaloupe – $1.49 each

    Grocery

    Ideal Bread (20 or 24 oz) – $0.19*
    *Valid with $10 minumum purchase.
    Limit one purchase customer.  Must present coupon at time of purchase.
    Valid at local store (states the address of our local store)
    Expires August 13, 2011

    General Mills Cereal (20.5 to 21.5 oz) – $2.49
    Use $1.00/2 coupon from insert 7/10 Smart Source (Expires 8/20/11)
    $1.99 each after coupon

    Kellogg’s PopTarts (14 to 14.7 oz) – $1.66
    Use $1.00/3 coupon from insert 7/24 Red Plum (Expires 9/18/11)
    $1.33 each after coupon

    Hi-C Juice Drink Boxes (10 Count) – $1.79

    Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks (4.5 to 5.4 oz) – $1.88
    Use $1.00/3 coupon from 7/17 Smart Source (Expires 9/10/11)
    Use $0.50/2 printable coupon from Betty Crocker
    As low as $1.55 each after coupon

    Splash Out Juice Drink Pouches Fruit Punch (10 pack) – $1.79

    Mantia’s Tri Color Rotini – $0.89

    Tipton Grove Apple Juice – $1.69

    Panner Peanut Butter – $1.59

    Bramley’s Concord Grape Jelly (32 oz) – $1.8

    Fairfield Farms Mini Raisin Boxes – $1.49

    Nature Trails Chewy Granola Bars – $1.99

    J Higg’s Potato Chips – $1.19

    J Higg’s Cheezie Puffs or Crunchy – $1.39

    Portmann’s Salad Dressings – $1.39

    Crisp Lemonade – $0.99

    Summerset Green Citrus Tea (6 pack) – $2.89

    Albany Bakery Creme Sandwich Cookies – $1.99

    Vitner Multi Pack Snacks – $4.99

    Mrs Freshley’s Buddy Bars or Oatmeal Creme – $1.00

    Chef’s Finest Croutons – $0.99

    Tree Ripe Lemonade – $1.99

     Bakery

    Fresh Apple or Cherry Pie – $2.99

    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.

  • CVS: Spent $0.85 and Got $9 ECB’s Back!

    CVS Weekly Deals

    CVS has a few good deals this week, several of the deals I went in for were already gone so I stocked up on other items that were available.   I was happy to stock up on some items including lipstick and deodorant this week while utilizing a few of my coupons.  Today I was able to get the items for $0.85 including tax and received $9.00ECB’s to use on my next CVS purchase.  Here is what I purchased this week.

    • 4 – Suave Deodorant “Powder” Scent for $4.00 ($1.00 each)
    • 3 – Suave Deodorant “Tropical” Scent for $3.00 ($1.00 each)
    • 3 – Suave Deodorant “Vanilla” Scent for $3.00 ($1.00 each)
    • 1 – Revlon ColorBurst Raspberry Lipstick for $5.79
    • 1 – Revlon Moon Drop Lipstick for $5.79
    • 1 – Softlips Mint Vanilla for $1.07
    • 1 – Softlips Very Berry for $1.07
    • 1 – Dawn Ultra Dish Soap for$0.99
    • 1 – Dawn Jasmine / Lavender Dish Soap for $0.99
    • 3 – Puffs Plus with Vicks Tissues for $2.64 ($0.88 each)
    • 1 – Potting Soil for $1.00
    • 1 – CVS Lotion for $0.97

    Here are the coupons I used on the items.

    • Used $1.00 Revlon Manufacturer Coupon (PG 7/17)
    • Used $1.00 Revlon Manufacturer Coupon (PG 7/17)
    • Used $0.25 Puffs Manufacturer Coupon (PG 7/31)
    • Used $0.50 Dawn Manufacturer Coupon (PG 7/31)
    • Used $0.50 Dawn Manufacturer Coupon (PG 7/31)
    • Used $3.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon (Revlon)
    • Used $3.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon
    • Used $2.00 CVS Kiosk Coupon
    • Used $17.00 CVS ECB’s

    I received $9.00 ECB’s back today:

    • $6.00 ECB’s for Revlon Products
    • $3.00 ECB’s for Suave Products

    Today I was able to save $70.91 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.

  • Giveaway: $10 Staples Gift Card

    I am doing another giveaway on Blessings Multiplied!!!  The winner of this giveaway will receive a $10 Staples Gift Card!  School is approaching and it is time to stock up on school supplies again.  As a Mom of fraternal twin daughters I am always looking for ways to save a little extra when buying school supplies for the family.  Our family uses supplies from Staples for school, crafts and the office.

    1. Sign up to follow my blog (if you haven’t done so already) and leave a comment below telling us how you follow Blessings Multiplied.
    2. You can get a bonus entry into the drawing if you leave a separate comment below sharing one of your favorite school / office supplies you like to get at Staples!

    All comments must be made by August 31st at 10:00 PM EST to be entered into the drawing.  On August 31st  I will randomly draw a winner from those who have entered the giveaway.

  • CONGRATULATIONS to Our Barnes & Noble Gift Card Winner!!!

    My husband, Jake, drew the name out of a cup for me.

    CONGRATULATIONS to Carrie Loring

    for winning a

    $10 Barnes & Noble Gift Card!

    Thanks for making a comment in honor of our Giveaway!

    An email has been sent to you with more information.

    Enjoy Your New Book!

    Don’t forget to enter our next Giveaway!!!

    Giveaway must be claimed within 5 business days of the prize being announced.  Failure to claim the prize within the allotted time frame means you forfeit the prize.

  • Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4

    We were on the road only a couple days during this week!  I went over last week so I was trying to keep it within reason this week.  It was a tough week to stay under budget because Jake’s birthday was on Tuesday and I am making a couple meals for people in our church who need them.  Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.

    Groceries from Ingles

    Ingles  Groceries:

    • $18.79 at Ingles for 1 bag Ingles Wavy Chips, 1 Laura Lynn Bread (1 1/2 pound for $0.98), 1 container Stonyfield Strawberry Yogurt (on clearance and great for smoothies), 1 container Daisy Cottage Cheese (on clearance), 1 container Biltmore Onion Dip (on clearance), 1 bag Philsbury Caramel Brownies (on clearance), 1 container Crab, Spinach & Artichoke Dip (on clearance), Sirloin Tip, 1 large bag of Banana’s (on clearance), and 1 three pound bag of Yellow Apples (on clearance). The most expensive part was the meat, it was the only item not on sale or clearance but I picked it up for a special dinner.
    Groceries from Dollar Tree and Aldi's

    Dollar Tree  Groceries:

    • $0.50 at Dollar Tree for 2 boxes of Honey Oat Rings Cereal on clearance for $0.50 each

    Aldi’s Groceries:

    • $9.02 at Aldi’s for 2 packages of Sharp Cheddar Cheese, 4 cans of Cream of Mushroom, 1 bag of Fresh Spinach and 1 bag of Santa Fe Style Tortilla Strips (on clearance).
    Groceries from CVS and BiLo

    BiLo Groceries:

    • $10.98 at BiLo for 2 large cans of Green Beans and 1 five pound bag of Tater Bites.

    CVS Groceries:

    • $8.02 at CVS for 4 – 12 packs of Mountain Dew (they were on sale for $2.50 each and I found peelies on the packages for $1.00 off 2)

    This week I spent $47.31 on groceries.  Even though I was over my budgeted amount for the week  I was able to stock up on several items on clearance and stay at least somewhat close to the budget.  I REALLY hope to have a better week for my next update, it doesn’t sit well with me going over the budgeted amount two weeks in a row.  I am happy to stock up but need thumped on the head for going over the budget again this week.  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.

  • 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.

  • Living on a Budget: Groceries $40 for 4

    We were on the road again this week, it really has been a summer full of adventures and road trips.  I didn’t take a lot of time to use coupons since time was tight but was able to score a cluster of clearance items.   The bad news is I went over budget this week, the good news is the freezer is restocked with meat, vegetables, and fruit!   Here is my weekly update on our Groceries $40 for 4.

    Groceries from Ingles and BiLo

    Ingles Groceries:

    • $50.34 at Ingles for 5 containers of Strawberries (on clearance for $0.99), 5 containers of Blueberries (on clearance for $0.99), 8 packages of Ground Hamburger (93% lean on clearance), 1 package of Lobster (on clearance), 1 package of Alaskan Salmon (on clearance), 2 heads of Cauliflower (on clearance), 2 bags of Brussel Sprouts (on clearance), 1 bag of Bananas (7 pounds on clearance), 2 bags of Apples (on clearance), 2 containers of Carmel Dip (on clearance), and 3 bottles of fruit drinks (on clearance).

    BiLo Groceries:

    • $23.87 at BiLo for 1 gallon of Skim Milk, 1 bag of Potatoes (on clearance), 2 bags of Purple Grapes (on clearance), 1 bag of Green Grapes (on clearance), 1 bag of Tomatoes (on clearance), 1 bag of Grapefruit (on clearance), 1 bag of Onions (on clearance), 1 bag of Summer Squash (on clearance), 1 package of Catfish (on clearance), 1 package of Perch (on clearance) and 1 gallon of 2% Milk.
    Groceries from CVS, Walgreens, Dollar Tree and Walmart

    Walgreen Groceries:

    • $2.25 at Walgreen’s for 2 Hamburger Helpers and 1 Tuna Helper.

    CVS Groceries:

    • $1.78 at CVS for 2 two liters of Mountain Dew.

    Dollar Tree Groceries:

    • $1.01 at Dollar Tree for 1 loaf of Nature’s Own Bread

    Walmart Groceries:

    • $2.76 at Walmart for 1 loaf of French Bread (on clearance) and 1 loaf Cheese Bread (on clearance).

    This week I spent $82.01 on groceries.  Even though I was over my budgeted amount for the week  I was able to stock up on several items on clearance and bread items to use as we traveled.  I really hope to have a better week for my next update.  I am happy to stock up but need bumped on the head for going over the budget this week.  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.