Free Photo Collage at Walgreens: There's probably nothing Dad would love more then a new set of smiling faces to display on his desk at work. And you can create one for free on Saturday if you drive on over to Walgreens. You'll need a coupon code (GOBIG8X10) and to call your local store ahead of time to verify participation.
Free Craft Project at Michael's: Kids ages three and up are invited to the national craft store on the Saturday before Father's Day to make use of fun craft materials to create a meaningful, one-of-a-kind card for Poppa. Materials from Sulyn, Bazzill and Glue Dots will be on-hand. While Michael's says the free project events will be held at all of their US and Canada stores on Saturday, June 19 from 10am to 2pm, we still think a call-ahead can't hurt.
Free Project at JoAnn Fabrics: Another possibility for a fabulous, crafty free card is JoAnn's, where every store will welcome kids on Saturday, June 19 from 1:00 to 3:00 to make free cards for Dads and Grandpa. It's another one of their Make It-Take It Events.
TCBY Frozen Yogurt
Head to TCBY this Father's Day for a FREE Cone or Small cup of frozen yogurt for Dad! Plus, it is a pretty good excuse for me to get one, too! :)
Free DVD Rental From RedBox: Finally, give Dad his choice of new releases to watch at home with the family. All you have to do is "Like" RedBox on Facebook to get a coupon code just for you. Enter it at the RedBox console, and a free rental is yours.
Now Extended! Get 70% Off Restaurant.com $25 Gift Cert. + $10 Lobster Gram. Use code FATHER and pay $3 thru 6/20/10.
We love to use this site to eat out! Recently, we've eaten at Butch Cassidy's, Island Thyme Eats & Arts and Fuji San all because of restaurant.com. And we spend under $20! That makes date night even better. Also, these make great gifts for friends, family and teachers!
People often ask us if weactually eat the stuff we buy. Well, yeah, of course we do! Recently, we bought 10# bags of frozen leg quarters from Food World ($.39/1#), and this Sunday we decided to break out a bag for the week!
Obviously, 10 pounds is a LOT of chicken, but with 5 of us to feed, this makes for several meals and lunches, too!
Italian Chicken and Potatoes
Used:
5 Chicken Leg Quarters
4 Large Idaho Potatoes (10# bag bought at Burris Market for $1.99)
1 Bottle of Kraft Italian Dressing or Italian Pesto Dressing
1 Salt & Pepper
1 Italian Seasoning
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese (more is okay, if not better!!)
We took 5 of the leg quarters, washed and cleaned them. Lay them in a casserole dish and use about half of the bottle of dressing on the chicken. Coat well! Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste, as well as a few shakes of Italian Seasoning.
We washed and cut the potatoes up into quarters. We put them into a bowl and poured the rest of the dressing over the potatoes. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Put the lid on the bowl and shake it up! I let the chicken and the potatoes marinate over night, but at least two hours is plenty if you are short on time.
I lay foil down on a large cookie sheet, lay the ckicken and potatoes on the sheet. Cover with foil and cook at 405 for 30 minutes. Remove foil and cook for another 30 minutes. Sprinkle your Parmesan Cheese over the chicken and potatoes and cook until it melts.
This is so yummy!
The rest of the chicken was seasoned with Montreal Chicken seasoning (bought on sale at Publix) and grilled. Everyone was excited to take some for lunch and have again tonight for dinner. ENjoy!
Kids Days in Bienville this Thursday, Jun 03, 2010!
Bring the kids out for some summertime fun to Bienville Square each Thursday and enjoy live entertainment, arts and crafts and visits from The Dauphin Island Sea Lab, the Mobile Police and Fire Departments and much more! Free. Thursdays through July 8th from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Tell me that hanging out here doesn't look more appealing than another day stuck in the house! Get out and have FUN this Summer!
(image from al.com)
Looking for some free fun on a Saturday?
Also join us on Saturdays on July 17th and July 24th for kids' days in Langan Park. Bring out the children so they can enjoy face painters, clowns, hands on art activities, petting zoos, live entertainment and much more.
From 10 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Once you get into couponing, you will have to find a coupon sorting method that works for you. When I first started years ago, I clipped every single coupon I got my hands on. Then, I sorted them in a binder with baseball card inserts. This worked for me then because I was a stay at home mom with more time on my hands to clip and sort. Plus, I didn’t have as many coupons as I thought. It was handy though, because I had all my coupons in one binder and was easy to tote around. I clipped then sorted them by product. This may work for you as you get started.
Now, I don’t have as much time, and I have way too many coupons to fit into a simple binder. Way, way, too many. What I use now are 2 small, plastic file boxes, with file folders. One is categorized by dates for my Sunday inserts. Every Sunday, I buy eight newspapers and take all of the coupons out. Make sure to check in the Parade because sometimes they stick a few in there, too! Then, I make a folder with that Sunday’s date. The reason that I do this is because many coupon sites use this method in their matchups: 1/22 RP, which mean January 22 RedPlum. This helps me find it easier.
My other file box consists of my “loose” coupons. These include internet prints, coupons mailed to me, and coupons found (blinkies, tearpads, books, etc.). This one is alphabetized by product name. These were in envelopes in a shoebox but once again, we have too many to keep up with that way.
One thing I plan on doing to make the sorting and finding easier on me now is to also print a list of that Sunday’s coupons. Remember how we talked about coupons being regional? Well, sometimes they don’t have a coupon I have! And we want to use as much as we can to save all that we can.
The downside to my system is that I can’t take it with me to the store, really. The upside is that it is very organized, tidy and I can’t take it to the store to make unplanned purchases. We try and stick with just lists. Now, if there are certain items you always needs like diapers or dog food for instance keep some coupons in an envelope in your car.
CVS has its own rewards program called Extra Care Bucks or ECBs. To get started, get a CVS ECB card at the checkout counter from your local CVS. If you can stand the wait, sign up here for yours and wait for your card via mail. The limit is 2 cards per household. Please adhere to this! Either way you sign up, make sure to sign up here online to link your card to your email address. This will get you lots of valuable coupons and promotional emails.
So what are ECBs? They are basically a rewards coupon to be used like cash at CVS. When you purchase certain advertised items at CVS, ECBs will print at the bottom of your receipt. They do expire, so make sure to use them before the expiration date. Also, do not lose these!
Like most stores, you can get the CVS advertisement in the Sunday newspaper, in the CVS store or view it online by finding your store here. Before you shop CVS, checkout the matchups. By matchups, I mean look at a site (like ours) that gives you the ad for CVS with a list of coupons that matchup to what is on sale. Also, pay special attention to “free after ECBs”. These are GREAT items to stock up on. We all need razors, why not get them free? A free after ECB example would be paying $3 for a shampoo and getting $3 ECBs back. It’s like getting it for free. What do you with an ECB? Spend it! A lot of shoppers use it to buy other items with ECB sales. This is considered rolling your ECBs. If you choose, you may purchase most anything with your ECBs (except for alcohol, tobacco, lottery, gift cards, money orders, postage stamps, pre-paid cards, prescriptions, and special order Home Health Care items, including footwear). What if you don’t want or need the free after ECB items? Donate! Churches always welcome donations. This is a great way to save and help your community. How do I earn extra ECBs? Well, you earn 1 ECB for every 2 prescriptions you have filled there. Plus, they have a green bag tag. They cost $.99 and you should have the cashier scan it every visit you purchase an item (once per day). On your 4th visit, you will earn one free ECB. Also, there is an ECB kiosk near the front of every store. SCAN YOUR CARD EVERY TIME YOU GO IN! You can scan up to two times a day. I’ve gotten coupons from that (made some items FREE!) as well as $10 off a $40 purchase, $ off a $10 purchase and more! Join the CVS Advisor Panel by signing up here online. Have your card handy when you fill out that application because it requires your CVS card number.
Once you have a list of what you are getting, let’s go shopping. When you walk in, grab and ad to ensure you buy the correct items on your list. Then, scan your card to potentially score more coupons. If you see that they are out of an item, get a raincheck! The rainchecks do not have a time limit date on them. Have the cashier scan your ECB card first. Hand over a $4/$20 purchase CVS coupon first if you have one (these are everywhere online!). Instant savings! Make sure to stack your coupons (use a manufacturer and a CVS coupon), for more savings if possible. If they are running a BOGO sale, use a coupon on each item for more savings. They only take manufacturer and CVS coupons, though!
When checking out, present your coupons in this order to maximize your savings!
1. Have Cashier Scan your card and then make purchases
2. CVS $/purchase coupon i.e. $5/$25
3. CVS store and manufacturer coupons
4. ECBs you have earned
Please note that you will not get change back on an ECB. If your purchase is 4.50 and you use $5 ECB, you’ve lost the 50 cents. Check for filler items (cheap pencils, candy, cups, etc.) to avoid losing any!
If you have any problems with your experiences at CVS or have questions, call their corporate number at 1-888-607-4287.
CVS Coupon Policy
CVS is a little trickier because they do not have a formally written policy online to go by. One thing to note is that CVS leaves the final word up to the local store manager to make a decision regarding the acceptance of a coupon. After many couponers have emailed them, the basic response is the following:
Up to one CVS coupon and one MFR coupon can be used on any one item.
However, this will not work in a one-item transaction, because the
register "item counter" logic will not allow more coupons than items.
Additionally, this one-to-one relationship of coupons to items exists in
all transactions. (Ex.: If you use 7 coupons total on 4 items, you
must have 7 total items the transaction for the logic to permit
redemption.)
Also, we take internet coupons with barcode at the discretion of the
store manager.
Furthermore, coupons are accepted on clearance merchandise (up to the
value of the product) as well as $1 off coupons on 99cent items, etc.
If you have any further questions or concerns regarding our coupon
policies, please speak to your local store's manager.
Let's face it, no matter how many groceries we have, how big a stockpile of food, or even if we have leftovers ready and waiting, going out to eat still happens. Heck, it is always a welcome treat! We always get asked don't we get tired of eating at home? Well, yes, occasionally. Everyone loves to eat out at some point, and let's face it, it makes date night just a bit more special!!
So how, do you save money and still get to at out? Coupons of course! (Girl, I can find a coupon for almost anything I want if I truly set out to do so.) So, were do you find these elusive restaurant coupons?
Get 80% Off Restaurant.com $25 Gift Cert. Use code ENJOY and pay $2 thru 5/13/10.
*Please remember to tip your server based on the total before your gift certificate.*
Have you ever heard of House Party? It always surprises me how few people have. House Party is a site I’ve been a member of since 2007, so trust me when I say, this is a site you want to join. The first upside to the site is that it is free. Interested?
House Party lets people who really love something host a special event featuring a fun, free, exclusive experience sponsored by the world's leading brands.
Cool people sharing cool stuff. A House Party is thousands of parties happening across the country on a single day, hosted by people just like you. Each event is sponsored by a leading brand and focuses on something cool–like a new product, hit TV show, or great cause–that the sponsor wants its best fans to experience firsthand and share with their friends. (Check out some of our recent events.)
You host. Everyone wins. House Party lets you share the stuff you like with the people you like, through a fantastic, free party experience. What's the catch? There is none: Our partners understand that if they share something good with the right people in a fun way, we'll all help spread the word.
What's inside the party packs?
Each event has a unique Party Pack filled with all kinds of free stuff to make your party a success. We've thrown all kinds of events: TV Viewing, Wine & Chocolate Pairing, Kid-centric, you name it.
I’ve hosted parties for new Nickolodeon movies, one raising awareness of Breast Cancer, Hershey's Chocolate Bliss (YUMMY!), Avon, Scholastic and lots more! They are always free, lots of fun and provide a GREAT excuse to have people over. Nobody ever calls or tries to sell you anything either. This is a total win situation!
Besides, in this economy, couldn't we all use a free party?
Newspapers!
Well, the first and obvious answer is of course, in the Sunday newspaper. The common Sunday coupon inserts are RedPlum (RP) and Smartsource (SS). Usually on the first Sunday of the month, a Proctor and Gamble (P&G) insert will be included.
Coupons are regional. For example, Pensacola often gets “better” and higher dollar coupons than we do in Mobile. For example, in the past few months we have seen Pensacola get a $3 off Snuggle coupon that we didn’t get. We have seen Pensacola get $2.50 off Finish (aka Electrasol) coupon that Mobile did not get. Now, you have two options. Drive to Pensacola (some locations in Foley-including Publix in Fairhope- offer the paper, too). Or purchase them online. Some great sites to purchase coupons are:
Ebay, TheCouponClippers, Couponsthingsbydede
IF you are buying off of ebay, make sure to see how quickly you will get your coupons and check the expiration date. Usually, you will want that coupon for a current weekly sale. I advise buying any coupons on that Sunday. Honestly, any later than that and you run the risk of not getting your coupons until after a sale is over. You also run the risk of the seller selling out of the coupons.
Is it worth buying a coupon? Yes! It truly can be! Especially if you are paying a few dollars to save up to $10-$20!
Manufacturer’s Websites
I am always amazed at how few people have written their favorite manufacturer! Many companies LOVE to hear from their consumers. Think of what you use. Think of what you would like to use but maybe cannot afford. Write that company a short email of praise or mention you are curious about their product. If you feel comfortable, ask if they have any coupons they can send you. Honestly, most of my emails were simple praise and thank you notes. We have saved so much from coupons sent to us. Besides, who doesn’t like mail?? Occasionally, we will just get a thank you. Sometimes we have to hear the dreaded words “NO, we do not just give out coupons”. Shrug it off and write someone else!
Also, sign up for different manufacturer emails. We use one of our side email addresses for this (just be sure to check it often!). A lot of companies and brands will send weekly or monthly email updates, recipes and random news. Occasionally in these emails, they will also send you a coupon just for being on their email list. We recommend printing this out quickly and saving it. Often, if you save the email for later, the item will go on sale and guess what? All prints for that coupon are GONE!
Member Sites
These are sites that you become a member of in exchange for spreading the word about products, trying products, getting free samples and reviewing products. These are all free! What is great are the coupons you get from being a member of these sites. Most of the coupons are for free items. We’ve even been given extra coupons to email, print or give to our friends and family. Join these today!
Vocalpoint, Startsampling, Kraft Food, Pssst.generalmills.com
Internet Prints
Internet prints are all over the internet. As mentioned above, you can often find coupons on a manufacturer’s website to print off. Also, Smartsource and RedPlum have sites to print from, too! These coupons reset at the beginning of each month. Sometimes we get new ones and sometimes they give us the same one to be able to print. Typically at sites like these, you can only print once from each computer.
Now, if you have been directed to a site like RedPlum or Coupons.com and cannot find a coupon mentioned, try a different zip code. Oh yes, your read that right! Just like Sunday coupons are regional, so can IP coupons. We check 90210. It’s silly, but works. Also, feel free to ask other online couponers what zip code they are using. We are all in this together!
Before you learn this lesson the hard way, let us warn you. Do NOT print every single coupon offered on these sites. It will become an overwhelming mess quickly. Besides, you probably will not want, need or use every single coupon on there anyway.
You will also come across brick coupons. You can look at the list of current brick coupons to stay up to date. If you are sent to a link to use a Bricks coupon, be patient. First print the coupon. BUT WAIT! Click back three times. Woohoo! You now have that coupon TWICE!
Blinkies, Tearpads, Peelies and Books
What is a blinkie? Have you ever noticed those little red or black machines hanging on a shelf as
you shop? The spit out little coupons and have a blinking light and usually go beep beep as you pull
a coupon out. Take a few, but please don’t be greedy. Taking every single one is just rude.
Tearpads are found in several places. One location is hanging off of a shelf. When we are shopping anywhere with food, we always check the chips aisle. For some reason, this is a popular location for them. Check out displays. You know those big beer displays you always walk by? You can sometimes find GREAT tearpad coupons them! Next time you stop for some gas and a drink, check the gas station out! You can find tearpads on their displays, shelves and sometimes in their drink coolers! Tear you off some coupons, but again, please do not take them all.
Peelies are coupons found on the items and can be peeled off. Now, there is a great debate in the coupon world regarding coupons. Should you peel and steal or leave it and miss a deal? There are two sides as always on this subject. If you take it, knowing you will use it, knowing it is on sale somewhere else or will be, you save! Of course, then if you do, you are taking that savings from whoever is actually buying the item the peelie is on. Some consider taking a peelie off of an item without buying that item, stealing. Others call is fair grounds.
Books are awesome! Books are pamphlets with information and coupons found in them. Publix has books that it gives out. As usual, these are regional. Sometimes our Publix gets the books, sometimes they do not. Walgreens also has their own coupon books they put out. Some are monthly books, some are specific like a Diabetes magazine. You can also find manufacturer books in other stores, too. Once again, check out those displays!
Magazines are a great place to find coupons, too! Next time you are flipping through pay attention to the advertisements. You never know where you are going to see a coupon! Also, start buying ALL YOU magazine. This magazine is full of coupons and is often listed in the coupons needed for sales. We never miss an issue, and sometimes buy two. ALL YOU can only be found at WalMart or you can get a subscription
Store Coupons are different from a manufacturer’s coupon. A store coupon is obviously distributed by the store and can actually be used with a manufacturer coupon. Target, Publix, Walgreens, RiteAid and CVS all have store coupons. These can be found on the store’s websites.
Restaurant.com has an AWESOME deal right now!
Save 70% Off Restaurant.com $25 Gift Cert. + receive $15 Off ProFlowers order. Use code MOM and pay $3 thru 5/9/10.
Treat your mom, your wife or hey, be like me and treat yourself!
Looking for something to do this weekend? Check out these fun activities along the Gulf Coast!
DAY OUT WITH THOMAS: THE CELEBRATION TOUR 2010
25-minute ride with a full size Thomas the Tank Engine; a meeting with Sir Topham Hatt; storytelling; live music; building with Mega Bloks; and more. Sat & Sun, Apr 24& 25, May 1 & 2, 8 & 9) Wales West Light Railway (13670 Smiley St, Silverhill) $18 (ages 2 and up) Contact: 866-468-7630 www.waleswest.com
CATHEDRAL SQUARE GALLERY 15TH ANNIVERSARY
Works by more than 60 local artists, including several members of The CSG Photography Salon, hosted by Michael Mastro. Cathedral Square Gallery (612 Dauphin St) Through Sun, May 30. Tue – Sat, 11 AM – 5 PM; Sun, 11 – 3 PM.
Contact: 251-694-0278 www.cathedralsquaregallery.com
MARKET ON THE SQUARE - WITH ART & CRAFT MARKET
Locally grown produce, seafood, beef, honeys, breads, pastas, cheeses, plants, handcrafted goods for kitchen and home; arts and crafts; live music; games and other activities. City of Mobile’s Neighborhood & Community Services. Sat, May 1, 15, 29; Jun 12, 26; Jul 10, 24; 7:30 - 11 AM. Cathedral Square (downtown Mobile, bounded by Dauphin, Jackson, Conti and Claiborne Sts)
Contact: 251-208-7443 www.ncsmobile.org
KEEP MOBILE BEAUTIFUL’S 22ND ANNUAL GREAT AMERICAN CLEANUPHelp pick up litter (on your own or with a team) and keep Mobile beautiful. KMB will supply a special clean up kit with GLAD Trash Bags, gloves, safety vests and litter grabbers. Select a location and time for your cleanup; call KMB (251-208-6029) to reserve your kit; pick up your kit and complete a registration form (or request one from csmoke@mobilearts.org) at KMB. (1451 Government St) Through May 31.
Contact: 251-208-6029
BRAIN INJURY AWARENESS WALK
Help raise awareness of the dangers of Traumatic Brain Injury while helping support local services provided by The Alabama Head Injury Foundation. Donations of any amount are welcome and will be collected at the Walk. Location: Cottage Hill Park-Start/End Time: 9:00am, 12:00pm
Contact: Melissa Slater-251-776-8863 or mslater@usouthal.edu
Pensacola Crawfish Festival
April 30, 2010 - May 2, 2010 www.fiestaoffiveflags.org
Location: Bartram Park Phone: 850-433-6512
Celebrating the Cajun influence in the community with one of the largest crawfish boils in Florida. Bringing a little of the Louisiana bayou to the three-day festival patrons enjoy great music straight from the bayous of Louisiana.
Wet & Wild Festival
May 1, 2010 Times: 9am-4pm
http://www.wetandwildfestival.com
Location: Johnson Beach & Big Lagoon State Park Phone: 850-492-4660
The Johnson Beach Celebration is the kickoff to the county's Celebrate Escambia Waterway Program. A celebration of the anniversary of a day long family friendly Wet & Wild event at Johnson’s Beach. This is the 2 nd year for this event and there will be demonstrations in fun interpretive programs, nature hikes, geochaching, canoeing, kayaking, surfing and more!
The Pirates of Pensacola: the Curse of Tristan de Tuna
April 2, 2010 - June 18, 2010 Times: 6:30pm pirates website
Location: Pensacola Visitor Center Phone: 850-435-0914
Admission: $20 adults, $5 children (10 and under)
Shiver ye timbers this spring Matey, with our crew of scalawags. The Red Trolley set sail on the seas of adventure. Our ancient map will guide us to a pirate's trove of hidden treasure. Along the way we'll face rival pirates, find clues and learn the Secrets to the Seven Seas.
During our voyage, you'll learn how to tie a proper bandana, wear an eye patch and, aye, a hook. The better you blend in with the pirates, the safer you'll be. Bring your favorite pirate gear along and come early to get your tattoo applied by a comely pirate lass. An evening on the high seas would not be complete without traditional pirate fare. Chef Crossbones has prepared a tasty sampler of hard tack, shish kabobs and a rare sea octopus marinated in brine.
Ocean Springs Renaissance Festival
May 1, 2010 (Saturday) to May 2, 2010 (Sunday)
1425 Porter Avenue - Freedom Field
Ocean Springs, MS
Admission $5.00 Donation Accepted for Habitat for Humanity.
High quality, unique family oriented event. Full armour Joust by World reknown "Knights of Valour" from Canada, the famous Faerie Garden, sword fighting, medieval dancing, royal petting zoo, blacksmith, puppet shows, Medieval Village, games,dances, and Celtic musical venues. Period dress welcomed but not required
THE GREAT ALABAMA HOMECOMING
May 1, 2010 9:00 am - 4:00 pm (Saturday) 5 Rivers Alabama's Delta Resource Center
30945 Five Rivers Boulevard off Battleship Parkway Spanish Fort, AL
Homecoming Day in the City of Spanish Fort will also be held May 1, 2010, in conjunction with Spanish Fort’s Delta Woods & Waters Expo. At that time, we will unveil a new historical marker which designates Spanish Fort as the "GATEWAY TO THE DELTA". Whether you’re a native Alabamian or have never visited, some 215 towns are rolling out the red carpet during the Great Alabama Homecoming. Practically every weekend from mid-March through mid-December, towns all over Alabama are staging their special Homecoming celebrations. It’s all part of The Year of Small Towns & Downtowns as we celebrate the joy of living among friends and families at a slower pace. Get reacquainted with old friends or make new ones. Come and learn the true meaning of Sweet Home Alabama. It just won't be the same without you!
For more information, please call Donna Dunning at Spanish Fort City Hall, 251-626-4884, or go to our website at city of spanish fort website.
THE BEE HIVE’S GIGANTIC SPRING INDOOR YARD AND BAKE SALE Government Street United Methodist Church 901 Government Street @ Broad, Street Saturday, MAY 1 - 7AM-Noon, Lots of Children’s and Adult Clothes, Toys, Treasures, Plants, Baked Goodies
Dauphin Island United Methodist Women's Annual Fish Fry Saturday May 1, 2010 Fish Dinners served from 11 AM to 2 PM Adults $7.95 ----- Children (12 & under) $ 4.00Bake Sale & Yard Sale 8 AM to 2 PM
Benefit Yard Sale for the Saving Grace Home for Women Saturday May 1st @ 7 a.m. - 12 23790 Highway 90 past the Elsanor School approx 6 miles from 59 call 251-946-3355 for more info or directions!
Have an event you want us to mention? Comment below or email us at centsableandersons @ gmail.com (no spaces of course!)
I knew better, but for whatever reason I waited to go back last night to buy the $.39/lb chicken leg quarters. And of course, they were out! I spoke to several people who show different Food World stores and they had the same problem. IF you go to Food World and your store is out, BE SURE TO ASK FOR A RAINCHECK! What?! A rainchek? Oh yes! I got a raincheck on the leg quarters and the strawberries without having to make the $15 obligatory purchase at that moment. Plus, the manager I spoke with said the rainchecks are good for two weeks. Be sure to get yours!
Also, while shopping, be on the lookout for the following coupons I found at Food World:
$1/1 package of frozen Tyson Individually Frozen Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (this coupon has a picture of the Tyson Chicken PLUS a picture of a Miller Lite Bottle because it is "compliments of Miller Lite" exp 7/31/10
$1 off Eggs or Produce when you purchase Oscar Mayer Fully Cooked Bacon exp 7/31/10
$2 Mail in Rebate when you buy any one KC Masterpiece Barbecue Sauce and Kingsford Charcoal (we'll definitely use this one between Summer and the AWESOME charcoal/meat coupons we have) exp 6/30/10
Buy any one Claussen Sweet Pickle Relish and save $.55 on any one Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs package exp 11/30/10
Save $1 instantly on the purchase of a deli tray (hangtag on bottle of wine) exp 4/30/10 (USE TODAY!!)
Save $2 instantly on purchase of Coca-Cola 12 pck, 8 pck, or ANY other coca-cola product and 1 Nabisco Crackers (6oz-16oz) exp 5/14/10
Save $1 on combined purchase of 1 twinpack bottles or 2 2-Liters bottles or 1 multi-pack bottles of Coca-Cola AND $4 or more purchase from the deli, frozen, meat or produce department This coupon is a Coke coupon with Spanish on it, too. exp 9/30/10
Save $.55 when you buy any 2 boxes (5.5oz) or cups (2oz) of KRAFT Cheesy Explosion, Any Variety exp 8/31/10
Have a question about something you've seen on our blog? Would you like us to do a review giving our honest opinion? Shoot us an email!
Email: centsableandersons@gmail.com
Facebook: Centsable Andersons
We often get asked if we can manage to eat a decent, filling meal with the items we stockpile. Here's what we're feating on tonight, all prepared from our pantry.
Assorted Bone In Pork Chops 4.49 for a package of 5
Ken's Marinade .89 after coupon @ Publix
Betty Crocker Au Gratin .30 (.60 a box, used just one package)
Lima Beans $1
Cost to feed the family tonight? 6.68 plus tax. Not bad for an enjoyable meal at home!
Rite Aid is proud to be introducing our wellness+ program, which offers everything you expect from a rewards card, plus much more.
The wellness+ program will be available nationally beginning this Sunday, April 18th, 2010! If you haven't joined already, enroll online now to start saving and earning points towards bigger benefits.
And upon completing the card enrollment process and activating your online account entitles you to $5 off your next purchase of $25.
Everyday Benefits
As a wellness+ member, you can earn great money-savings rewards including:
•Member only pricing
•10% off Rite Aid Brand products every day
•24/7 access to a pharmacist when you call 1-800-RITEAID
PLUS, the more you shop and spend at Rite Aid the closer you get to earning even bigger savings and benefits from Rite Aid, including:
•Health certificates
•Shopping passes
•Up to 20% off non-prescription purchases
Join the wellness+ program today and get ready to save!
We've got LOTS of coupons to share with you! Looking to do a painting project soon?You definitely want these:
Click for Sherwin Williams Coupons
SAVE $4 On CS Soft Woven 3 Pack Roller COVERS 9' X 3/8'Available @ SHERWIN- WILLIAMS stores
BUY 1 GET 1 Sherwin-Williams .4 MIL PLASTIC DROP CLOTH 9' X 12'. Available at SHERWIN- WILLIAMS stores.
SAVE 25% ON PAINTS AND STAINS. Available at SHERWIN- WILLIAMS stores.
Get a $1.50/1 Wholly Guacamole any size pkg exp 12/31/10 for signing up on their site.
Need an oil change? Firestone has an$18.99 Kendall Synthetic Blend Oil Change + free 4 tire rotations. Get it here
Happy Savings!
We are (slowly) working on some changes around here to make things easier to read and find. We won't be posting as frequently on here or on Facebook while these changes are being made! Be patient and wait until you see what we've been up to!
Let's face it, no matter how many groceries we have, how big a stockpile of food, or even if we have leftovers ready and waiting, going out to eat still happens. Heck, it is always a welcome treat! We always get asked don't we get tired of eating at home? Well, yes, occasionally. Everyone loves to eat out at some point, and let's face it, it makes date night just a bit more special!!
So how, do you save money and still get to at out? Coupons of course! (Girl, I can find a coupon for almost anything I want if I truly set out to do so.) So, were do you find these elusive restaurant coupons?
Restaurant.com offers gift certificates for local restaurants, but at discounted prices. For example, a $25 gift certificate usually sells for $10 on there.
BUT, until March 31, 2010, you can get an 80% discount by using the code COOK. That means that the $10 gift certificate will now cost you $2. Is this legit? Oh, yes. I have used them PLENTY of times. Some people have asked is it worth it when most of the certificates require you to spend a certain amount? Yes, it still is.
Example:
You love Restaurant A so much! You know you and your family usually spend about $35 there, but your gift certificate says you must spend $50 to get the $25 off, right? So, let's order some appetizers. Or how about dessert to take home?
Whew, what a GREAT meal! The bill is up to $55. Hand over your gift certificate. Your total? $30. Um, that's less than your usual total. YES IT IS WORTH IT!
Restaurant.com CODE: COOK SAVE 80%
*Please remember to tip your server based on the total before your gift certificate.*
Walgreens’ promotional incentive is Register Rewards aka RR. RRs are coupons (money to us!) that print out when you purchase certain items at Walgreens. RRs do expire, so make sure to keep up with dates on them.
You can find out what the best RR deals are by checking online ahead of time or waiting and look in the Sunday advertisement. The key is to find free after RRs or find RRs deals with coupons that make them free-cheap. For example: Dove Deodorant on sale for 99cents and I get $1 RR for it, it is like getting it for free. Another example: Bayer Glucose Monitors on sale for $20, I have a $30 coupon (it will be adjusted to fit the sale price) and earn $10 RR. The monitor was free after coupon plus I made $10 in RR! That is a money maker. Of course, I don’t need these, so I donate them to our church.
To earn more RRs, you have to do multiple transactions. When you buy one of the RRs items, you only earn RRs once, as in per transaction. So, I buy one, Bobby buys one. We may go to a few stores just to stock up on a particular item for free-cheap.
Walgreens does allow stacking. Remember, this is using one Walgreens coupon with one manufacturer coupon for more savings. Count your items and your coupons before you check out. You must have the same amount of items as you do coupons. If you need a filler item, look for cheap candy, cups, pencils, etc.
Also, be sure to hand over manufacturer coupons over first and all Walgreens coupons last. For some reason, if you hand the Walgreens over first, it won’t stack coupons. If this happens, you will get the dreaded beep and “sorry, it isn’t taking this coupon”. Another thing to make a note of is that you can’t use a RR to purchase the same item. Example: Remember that Dove Deodorant we got for free after RR? I cannot use the Dove Deodorant RR to purchase another Dove Deodorant.
What do I buy with RRs then? There are two things I use my RRs for. Sometimes, I roll the RRs. Rolling RRs means I save this week’s RRs and use them to purchase next week’s RRs deals. It is possible to just pay with RR every week once you get good at this.
I personally use the majority of mine at Publix. See, RRs are actually manufacturer coupons. Publix takes all of them because they, too, can be reimbursed by the manufacturer. That is the true secret to getting my grocery bill so low each week. Again, keep up with the dates on these because neither Walgreens nor Publix will accept these once they expire.
Questions? Feel free to email us at centsableandersons@ gmail.com (no spaces).
Babies R Us is having a month of March events you are going to LOVE!
Breastfeeding 101
Basics of Breastfeeding Workshop
Tuesday, March 9th, 2010 6:30pm
Ready, set, PUMP! Get the scoop on breastfeeding and all of the great sure to make it easy to feed naturally. Sponsored by Medela.
SUPER Baby Shower
Saturday, March 13th 12pm-3pm
We're hosting a baby shower for all expectant moms, as well as their family and friends. Come learn about the must-have products for every Mom's baby registry, valuable tips and ideas for planning a baby shower, plus enjoy great savings and giveaways.
Buckle Up and Boogie
Car Seat Workshop
Tuesday, March 23rd 6:30pm
There's no wiggle vroom when it comes to safety! You'll learn how to choose and use a car seat to keep baby safe...with rules of the road provided by Safe Kids Worldwide. Sponsored by Graco
PLUS for those of you too tired to shop (Girls, I remember how bad my swelled up!), you can shop online and get free shipping on orders of $100 or more.
I don't know about you guys, but we love Redbox movie, especially the FREE ones! They make for a great excuse for date night or family movie night! Here is a new code for Redbox but it does expire tonight at midnight central time, so go grab you a movie, quickly!
I ordered this book a week or so ago because it was free Christain literature. Well, I got it Saturday in the mail and started reading it that afternoon. This is an amazing, true story that has touched my heart and has many issues weighing on my heart and in my mind. I can honestly say, I hear the Spirit talking through this man's story.
Do you long to let go of self-centeredness and be more eternally minded?
Do you desire to make a difference in the lost world but aren't sure how to go about it?
The gripping message in Revolution In World Missions can radically change your life.
In this exciting and fast moving narrative, K.P. Yohannan shares how God brought him from his remote Indian village to become the founder of Gospel for Asia, which supports thousands of native missionaries.
With fascinating true stories and eye-opening statistics, you'll be challenged to examine and change your lifestyle in view of millions who have never heard the Gospel.
Dare to question yourself. Order your free copy with NO obligation and NO shipping today!
Where do we find all of our coupons?
This is a question we both get a lot. When we started, we had no coupons except for inserts from the papers we bought on Sunday. Now? We have more coupons than you can imagine. So, where do we get them?
1. Newspapers
Well, the first and obvious answer is of course, in the Sunday newspaper. The common Sunday coupon inserts are RedPlum (RP) and Smartsource (SS). Usually on the first Sunday of the month, a Proctor and Gamble (P&G) insert will be included. Coupons are regional. For example, Pensacola often gets “better” and higher dollar coupons than we do in Mobile. Occasionally, we will buy the Pensacola paper because of the coupons in it that week.
2. Manufacturer’s Websites
I am always amazed at how few people have written their favorite manufacturer! Did you know that by writing many companies a quick comment, they will send you a coupon? Many companies LOVE to hear from their consumers. Think of what you use. Think of what you would like to use but maybe cannot afford. Write that company a short email of praise or mention you are curious about their product. If you feel comfortable, ask if they have any coupons they can send you. Honestly, most of my emails were simple praise and thank you notes. Occasionally, we will just get a
thank you. Sometimes we have to hear the dreaded words “NO, we do not just give out coupons”. Shrug it off and write someone else!
Be sure to sign up for different manufacturer emails. We use one of our side email addresses for this (just be sure to check it often!). A lot of companies and brands will send weekly or monthly email updates, recipes and random news. Occasionally in these emails, they will also send you a coupon just for being on their email list.
3. Internet Prints
Internet prints are all over the internet. As mentioned above, you can often find coupons on a manufacturer’s website to print off. Also, Smartsource and RedPlum have sites to print from, too! These coupons reset at the beginning of each month. If you have been directed to a site like RedPlum or Coupons.com and cannot find a coupon mentioned, try a different zip code. Just like Sunday coupons are regional, so can IP coupons. We check 90210. It’s silly, but works. Also, feel free to ask other online couponers what zip code they are using. We are all in this together!
Before you learn this lesson the hard way, let us warn you. Do NOT print every single coupon offered on these sites. It will become an overwhelming mess quickly. Besides, you probably will not want, need or use every single coupon on there anyway.
You will also come across bricks coupons. If you are sent to a link to use a Bricks coupon, first print the coupon. BUT WAIT! Click back three times. Woohoo! You now have that coupon TWICE!
4. Blinkies
What is a blinkie? Have you ever noticed those little red or black machines hanging on a shelf as you shop? They spit out little coupons and have a blinking light and usually go beep beep as you pull
a coupon out. Take a few, but please don’t be greedy. Taking every single one is just rude.
5. Tearpads
Tearpads are found in several places. One location is hanging off of a shelf. Check out displays. You know those big beer displays you always walk by? You can sometimes find GREAT tearpad coupons them! Next time you stop for some gas and a drink, check the gas station out! You can find tearpads on their displays, shelves and sometimes in their drink coolers! Tear you off some coupons, but again, please do not take them all.
6. Peelies
Peelies are coupons found on the items and can be peeled off. Now, there is a great debate in the coupon world regarding coupons. Should you peel and steal or leave it and miss a deal? There are two sides as always on this subject. If you take it, knowing you will use it, knowing it is on sale somewhere else or will be, you save! Of course, then if you do, you are taking that savings from whoever is actually buying the item the peelie is on. Some consider taking a peelie off of an item without buying that item, stealing. Others call is fair grounds. We don't peel and steal. Our thoughts are that is just isn't right.
7. Books
Books are pamphlets with information and coupons found in them. Publix has books that it gives out. As usual, these are regional. Sometimes our Publix gets the books, sometimes they do not. Walgreens also has their own coupon books they put out. Some are monthly books, some are specific like a Diabetes magazine. You can also find manufacturer books in other stores, too. Once again, check out those displays! We recently found some with eight coupons in each book. In less than a week, we had used three of those coupons already!
8. Magazines
Magazines are a great place to find coupons, too! Next time you are flipping through pay attention to the advertisements. You never know where you are going to see a coupon! Also, start buying ALL YOU magazine. This magazine is full of coupons and is often listed in the coupons needed for sales. We never miss an issue, and sometimes buy two. ALL YOU can only be found at WalMart or you can get a subscription. We do need to mention though that recently there was a sale at Publix and in the coupon matchups, ALL YOU came up several times. The problem? It seems the subscribers did not get some of the major coupons found in the same magazine bought in the store. We buy ours.
9. Store Coupons
Store Coupons are different from a manufacturer’s coupon. A store coupon is obviously distributed by the store and can actually be used with a manufacturer coupon. Target, Publix, Walgreens, RiteAid and CVS all have store coupons.
For Target’s coupons, go to their website, scroll towards the bottom and you will links for different areas of the site. You will see a link for Grocery Coupons. You are allowed to print Target coupons twice from each computer. Some of the coupons offered are store coupons, and some are manufacturer. The only way to know which you are getting is by printing. They will also mail coupons and feature coupons in their advertisements so keep an eye out for these!
For Walgreens, RiteAid, and CVS check the front of the store and back by the pharmacy. These stores also have online coupons! Check each store’s online website. RiteAid is slightly different with theirs. They have a site that gets you to watch videos to be able to print a coupon (for whatever item you were watching in the video). Sign up for emails from these different stores and you can receive special coupons! CVS is notorious for sending their email subscribers $5/$25 or $4/$20 purchases.
We get a lot of questions as to what the abbreviations mean in couponing. Here are the basic terms you will see.
SS- SmartSource insert found in your Sunday newspaper
RP- Red Plum insert found in your Sunday newspaper
PG- Procter Gamble insert found in your Sunday newspaper
GM-General Mills insert found in your Sunday newspaper
Q- means a coupon
MQ- Manufacturer coupon (often found in weekly newspapers or mail outs
IP- Internet Printable i.e. a coupon printed from the internet
Blinkies- When shopping, you will see red or black machines on shelves that blink with coupons in them.
Tearpads-Usually found on shelves and on displays, a coupon you literally tear off to take. When you are @ gas stations, check their displays and cooler doors, too!
Books-Usually found on displays or counters, these have coupons in them, too
Peelies-Found on a product and can be peeled off (please don’t steal these off a product you are not purchasing right then)
Catalina-Is actually the name of the machine that prints these. You will notice at Walgreens and Winn Dixie, that when you make a purchase, you will often receive coupons the “register” aka the Catalina machine prints out.
Rain Check-When a store runs a sale, you sometimes run into the problem of the item being sold out. A rain check can be given out by a store that will allow you to purchase that item within a certain time frame while honoring the sales price.
MIR-Mail in rebates
WYB- When You Buy
Double Coupons or Doubling-Certain stores will double the amount of a coupon. Some stores like Fred’s only do this on certain days (Saturday). Many will have a limit on the value (usually only coupons for 50 cents or lower) or how many you may use.
Stacking- Using a manufacturer coupon and a store coupon on one item
B1G1 or BOGO- Buy one item get one item free
$/$$- Make a $20 purchase and get $5 off your total purchase
PG, 10/18- Smartsource, October 18th insert
Exp- The expiration date of your coupon
RR- Register Rewards (given out at Walgreens)
ECB- Extra Care Bucks (given out at CVS)
SCR- Single Check Rebate (given out by RiteAid)
I guess the recession truly has hit everyone/thing! At least even family pets know to drive to Publix to save money. :)
Spent $8.40 Saved $243.01
Used manufacturer coupons, competitor coupons, store coupons and register rewards from Walgreens
Bought:
4 Honey Bunches of Oats
6 Lucky Charms
2 Cinnamon Toast Crunch
8 Juicy Juice
8 Pace Salsa
1 Gallon Milk
2 Cooking Oil
8 Ronzoni Pasta
4 Hormel Chili Master Chili
7 Starkist Albacore Tuna Pouches
3 Navel Oranges
2 Ragu
8 Planters Peanuts
8 Green Giant cans of Corn
8 Knorr Sides
6 I Can't Believe It's Not Butter
6 Kraft blocks of Cheese
1 Digiorno 200 Calorie Pizza
1 Oreo Cakesters
Rain Checks for: Lipton Tea, Right Guard Sport deodorant, Bayer
Happy Birthday, Mom!! We love you!
If you coupon, you know we print. A LOT. A WHOLE LOT. Which of course means we need ink and we want it cheap.
TODAY ONLY Walgreens is offering 54% off of 1 Printer Ink Refill. This is a GREAT DEAL! There is a limit of one refill per customer and you must have this printable coupon.
I think my husband may propose to me again if I keep cooking like I have been! We had leg quarters (5 for $2.80) out yesterday to thaw and that moment came. That moment of what shall we do with these?
Don't freak out when you see the ingredients. Bobby is NOT a fan of mayonnaise and LOVED these. My Dad is not a fan of chicken and LOVED these. the mixture keeps the breading on as well as sealing in the juices. This was the most tender, juiciest chicken we've had in some time.
Leg Quarters (any chicken will do)
Mayonnaise
Milk
Ranch Dressing
Flour
Bread Crumbs (I mixed original with Italian)
Preheat to 400
First, wash your chicken and pat it dry. Put some flour on a plate and your breadcrumbs on a seperate plate. In a bowl, mix 1 cup mayo, splash of milk and a few squirts of Ranch dressing. I made my mix a bit thick, which is what you want. This will stick better to the chicken.
Dip your chicken in the flour mixture first. Once I had both sides coated, I used a BBQ brush to add my mayo mix to one side of the chicken. Now place the may coated side on the breadcrumbs plate. I then coated the bottom of the chicken with the mayo mix, then flipped it to cover it with breadcrumbs. Coat them well!
Put your chicken in your baking dish. (I covered a cookie sheet with foil for less cleanup!) If you see spots that need more breading, sprinkle some! Repeat this process for all of your chicken pieces. I let ours cook for about an hour. These are so pretty and tasty!
I served this with broccoli rice au gratin and we were stuffed, with leftovers to boot!
Okay, I am on a roll this week, and the family is getting spoilt! Last night for dinner we had pan seared pork bites, rice, organic green beans and croissant rolls.
Pork stew meat (on sale for under $3)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Garlic (the powder is fine in a pinch)
Onions (the powder is fine in a pinch)
Butter (it makes life better, trust me)
Wash your meat first, arrange it out on a plate and season well. We wanted to keep it simple and just used salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder. There is so much you can add to oomph this up, though, so if you are feeling creative, GO FOR IT! Throw a tablespoon or two of butter in a hot pan. Let this melt well and get super hot. Once it is, toss in your pork stew meat and let it cook until it is a pretty brown. Then turn over and let this side get nice and brown, too. Remove from heat and put on a seperate plate. Because some of the meat is larger than others, it may be pink on the inside still. Just to be safe, once all the meat is browned, I put it in the oven for a minutes.
Again, these were so delicious! My family loved how tender and juicy they were. We served it with steak sauce (ketchup for the little one). Two nights in a row, everyone had seconds.
What made us buy pork stew meat? Well, if you have tried to buy beef lately, then you know why. Beef has gotten so expensive, we look for alternatives, i.e. turkey burgers, pork stew meat, pork steaks, etc. My Dad didn't even realize it was pork and thought it was just really tender steak.
Where did we find affordable, good quality meat? We mainly buy our meat from Food World, and swear by their quality. We check once a week in the meat section for sales. When we find something cheap, we stock up. Rather than buy 2 packages of chicken legs for $2.50 each, we will buy 6-8 packages. That way on the weeks when there aren't meat sales, we still have plenty.
Another free redbox code has been released! I see a date night in our future!
Use the code: V7J6D4V at any local redbox to score a free movie rental for the night. This code will expire March 14th, so get to renting. This is a one time use code (unless you have two debit cards, ahem...)
Happy savings!
All I can say about last night's dinner, is WOW. OH, WOW!! We have a large stockpile of chicken, especially chicken legs. Well, I had chicken legs out for dinner, knew everyone was tired of fried (gasp! a southerner tired of fried chicken?!) and baked chicken, so I went searching. My mission? Anything other than fried or baked chicken (duh). This is what I came up with, and yes! we had everything on hand!
12 chicken legs (use whatever cut you have)
3/4 cup soy sauce
1 cup brown sugar
sesame seeds (not necessary, but they look pretty, lol)
Preheat oven to 350-400
Wash chicken off thoroughly. Mix all ingredients except the chicken in a bowl. If you have the time, let the chicken marinate on both sides in the sauce for a few hours. I didn't have the extra time and it still came out yummy! Cook for about an hour. I sprinkled some more brown sugar and sauce on the chicken towards the end.
These are delicious. Well, we needed a side that fit the taste of teriyaki chicken, so I went on another search and came up with a simple, modified version of Fried Noodles! Again, I just used what we had in stock, so this is a base recipe and can be foofooed up. Yes, I said foofooed.
1 box Angel Hair Pasta (Ramen is what it calls for)
1 bottle soy sauce
Vegetable Oil
3 Eggs
Sesame seeds
Pinapple Juice
Salt, Pepper to taste
Chili Seasoning
I cooked the noodles to al dente (2-3 minutes). As the noodles were cooking, I beat 3eggs and scrambled them in a pan. Put those in a small bowl for now. Once your noodles are done, drain. I put a 3-4 tablespoons of oil in my pain, got it hot then added in my noodles , the soy til it is a pretty brown, eggs, splashes of pineapple juice, sprinkle in some chili powder, some sesame and stir. I had frying tongs I used to toss the noodles around. There was no science to this recipe. There was a lot of praying and "God, please let this at least be edible..."
Taaaaaddaaaaa! YUMMY! I was shocked. I tried two new recipes in one night, and both came out splendidly. Everyone wanted seconds and yes, there were thirds for some. Lucky Bobby has it for lunch. The pinapples were cut up and served as a side and will be part of my Dad's snack today. Try this, add to it, but most of all, enjoy it!
Sorry for the brief break! As most of you know, it was Mardi Gras Tuesday and our family went downtown for the day. Thanks to a fantstic stockpile, we had plenty of ribs, drumsticks, wings, hot dogs and hamburgers (from my cousin's stockpile!). We were also able to pack plenty of drinks and snacks from what we have on hand. We spent very litte which is always our sensible goal!
Tonight for dinner, we are having Pork Steaks grilled by Bobby! We bought the pack for under $5 and it normally has about 9-12 steaks in it. Plenty for two nights and maybe a lunch or two, too! Sides will include a salad ($2), Uncle Ben's rice (under 75 cents generally). You can feed your family for LESS!!
We've already begun our list for Publix this week, as well as our lists for CVS, Walgreens and the Farmer's Market. For fruits and vegetables, we often go to Saraland Produce or Jimmy Lowe's. Saraland is closer to us therefore we visit it more often.
For Lent, our family has decided to offer a portion of our duplicate grocery items each week to a family or person in need. This will last the entire time of Lent. I would like to ask EVERYONE on here to think of someone you know that is truly in need of help. Please email us their story and info to fmdjgirl@aol.com with the subject line "Centsable Lent" so that we may pick a family. Please understand that this has to be a local family or person so that we can deliver the items as necessary. Note that we live in Chickasaw, AL and would like to keep it within a 40 mile radius. Although we are asking for one family or person, we may try to allot a certain amount to others as well. Please make sure the family or person is aware of your nomination. Feel free to email us any questions.
The family or person will be chosen Sunday, February 21, 2010 and will get their first delivery that day as well. Again, please make sure the family or person is aware that you are nominating them as we will need to contact them to set up delivery.
I was talking to someone recently who asked, what do you fix for dinner? She pointed out she didn't see a lot of main course or side course foods in my pictures or lists always.
See, that's the thing about being stocked up so much. I have lots to choose from already! A lot of what we buy is to restock in certain areas of our little Anderson store, erm pantry or snacks for around the house, parties or lunches. You also have to remember that we spread the groceries between our house, Jeanna's parent's house and Jeanna's grandmother's house.
We will try to keep you updated with dinners in our house just to show you that yes, we eat real food, no, it isn't a diet of chips and coke, and that we eat well, too! Our house feeds a minimum of five people every night (Jeanna, Bobby, Aidan, Nanna and PawPaw). On weekends, it is nothing to randomly invite people over for dinner at the last minute simply because we can and we enjoy the company.
So, what did we have for dinner last night? We had ribs (under $5 for the pack), baked beans and texas toast. The ribs were enough for each adult to have two and still have leftovers for tonight! Aidan doesn't like BBQ (we have to change this if he plans on staying in the South!) and asked for something simple. He wasn't feeling up to par and just wanted one Toaster Strudel.
Tonight we plan on eating the leftover ribs, leftover beans and adding another side to the mix. I'll make Aidan something else, of course (see anti-BBQ above).
Unless you are under a rock you know that Valentine's Day is tomorrow. Are you ready? Well, if not, fear not!
Check the freezer, grab your sweetie's favorite meat out to thaw. Plan a simple dinner. Honestly, most guys will tell you their favorite meal is something cheap, i.e. fried chicken, meatloaf or if your my husband, GRUEL aka Hamburger Helper. Guys are NOT that hard to please, so why not try to do so every now and then?!
NExt, head to your local Redbox and use the code 2DGTAL22 to score a FREE movie rental for the night. Head home, and let's get dinner cooked! Can't afford a babysitter? No problem. Kids love special dinners, too! Get them involved decorating the table with hearts they have cut out, set up some candles and boom! Make it fun and have everyone wear red! A valentine gift fit for a king!
Dinner and a movie with the ones he loves and the ones who love him the most!
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