Thankful I live in the South!

I know sometimes I complain about living in the south, especially mid-July through August but this time of year you will hear no complaints from me! Yesterday was the perfect day I cleaned out my Iris bed and separated the plants and replanted my daffodils...I can't wait till Spring I doubled the size of the bed it is going to be sooo beautiful! The week of Thanksgiving and the temp is 74 degrees, give thanks for that!

I talked to my mother in law and she told me that our family in Montana have already gotten 12inches of snow and the temp there is....wait for it...8degrees brrrrrrrrr. I love Montana it is breath takingly beautiful and unless you've visited you don't really understand why it is called Big Sky. I really fell in love with the simplicity of Montana and sometimes romanticize about living there, but slap me back to reality with 8 degrees the week of Thanksgiving! I can't imagine surviving temps like that and surviving is all you do.

So today I am thankful I live in the South!

Couponing Week 2

So far since I've started couponing I have not used any coupons, weird I know but all the sites say you have to start by saving up coupons to match those to the sales. What I am seeing is if I make a menu, shop the best price for those items we don't spend nearly as much as if I don't have a plan. Last week I spent $129.45 for our weekly groceries and this included a splurge at Whole Foods for cheese. These numbers are strictly for groceries I don't include any cleaning supplies or dog food, I have just wanted to get a good idea on how much of our money we eat.
So far I have spent $4.00 on news papers and saved $0. Another major problem I have is I can't print coupons off the Internet, I think I have to change my security settings...when I say I have to change of course I mean Dano;)

EAT like the Loudon's

Wow so here it is the beginning of a new week, I can't believe we are already at the half-way point of this month. I can already tell this is going to be a busy week with school programs and such and then oh my goodness next week is Thanksgiving!
So here is this weeks menu

Monday: Black Bean Soup with Quesadilla
Tuesday: Chciken Jambalia
Wednesday: Leftover Meatloaf and mashed potatoes and broccoli
Thursday: Pasta..haven't decieded exactly what just yet I'll keep you posted ;)
Friday:Pizza
Saturday: Oven Smoked Boston Butt
Sunday: Beef Bourginon

Great Site

For those of you like me new to couponing this site is great and has tutorials on how to coupon along with printable coupons and match ups to local stores.

EAT like the Loudons

Monday: Pork Tenderloin stuffed with apples and cranberries, mashed sweet potatoes and corn pudding
Tuesday: Mini Thanksgiving for our friends from Belieze
Wednesday: Panini and Soup
Thursday: Mini Meatloaf with potatoes and green beans OR leftover thanksgiving
Friday: Pizza
Saturday:Baked Grits with ham, mushrooms and thyme and salad
Sunday:Mini Meatloaf if we did not have it on Thursday or Turkey Tetrazini

Savings update

Ok for those of you following this couponing experiment today I did save big with some coupons. This week at Walgreens...I know buying groceries from a drugstore seems wierd..has butter for $1.99 with in store coupon which is a great savings it runs about $2.75 everywhere else. The butter will be a stock up item for me as I use a lot of butter. You can get 4 at a time until the 17of Nov. Also got all my canned pumpkin for Thanksgiving for $0.99 which is great because it is at least $1.49 at Wal-Mart.
I also found the Rite-Aid in my neighborhood so I can get my cheap hair color :)

Couponing week 1 update

Spent $124.92 on groceries saved $0 with coupons
This included the menu http://liketheloudons.blogspot.com/2010/11/eat-like-loudons.html below plus I made freezer food for 1 family and fed 1extra person on Sunday so it works out $91.42

Last week I announced my couponing experiment and it began with little success. After buying the paper, cutting out the coupons, deciding which ones I might actually use I came up with very few. I was excited about being able to get my hair color for $3 instead of $8 until I realized it was only good at Rite Aid and there is not one anywhere in my neighborhood. Last week I said I had a few requirements for coupons 1) that we can use the same products we always do 2) that I am not going to buy products I normally would not just because I have a coupon unless I really want to try it. I forgot to add the other one 3) I'm not driving all over town to use a coupon especially for 1 product. I know I have put alot of regulations on my couponing but for this to work for me these are the rules.

Last week all the couponing blogs said it was a bad couponing week, so I'm hopeful for this week. I haven't gotten a paper but have asked some of the neighbors if I could have their coupon pages...am I turning into a couponing freak?
The following was last weeks "deals" from Publix according to Money Saving Mom...the problem I don't use any of these products. Yea I can get Shedd's Spread for $0.15 but ICKY we only use butter you rarely see a coupon for that

Shedd’s Spread Country Crock, Regular/ Churn Style, or Twin Pack (2 pk) – $0.95
Use $0.40/1 printable
$0.15 after coupon

Quaker Quakes Rice Snacks – $1.50
Use $1/1 printable
$0.50 after coupon

Welch’s Essentials Juice Cocktail Blend – $1.63
Use $1/1 coupon from the 10/31 SmartSource insert or printable
$0.63 after coupon

Nature’s Own Bread – $1.45
Use $0.75/1 printable
$0.70 after coupon

V8 Splash Beverage – $1.43
Buy 2 and use $1/2 coupon from the 10/3 SmartSource insert
$0.93 each after coupon

Pup-Peroni Dog Snacks (10 oz pkg) – $2.50
Use $1/1 printable
$1.50 after coupon


Publix: Deals for the week of November 4-10, 2010 is a post from: Money Saving Mom℠ :: Store Deals

Maybe this week will find better results...stay tuned