Frugal?

I've seen everyone in the couponing world use this saying these days.  With the new series TLC is doing Extreme Couponing we all know what a stir it's caused in the coupon world.  I myself and one of these people that saw the first show and was hooked. I started couponing in Dec 2010 and don't see myself stopping. This isn't  a fad for me it's a necessity, feeding 7 people is hard and if I can get it for free and cheap and only use $200 a month I'll do it all I can.

Now frugal as defined on freedictionary.com says "practising economy; living without waste; thrifty"

Now just using coupons I don't think makes you frugal, it takes more!
I have always done things without realizing they were frugal.-Saved old containers to re-use for leftovers or husbands lunch
-Use kitchen towels instead of paper towels
-Even resorted to using cotton little boy underwear and plastic covers because I thought my son was going through too many diapers.(We already had the underwear so I bought the plastic covers) IMO it's the same as cloth diapering

I am constantly looking at ways to save money.

I'll be posting the deals and freebies I found and applied for today later! Stay tuned. :D

New stuff

Well I made a Facebook Fan Page for all my money saving dealings here: Money Saving Mama

I was already filling it up as soon as I made it with posts! Make sure to like it as everything I myself sign up for or use I will be posting there so you can get the same deals as I do!

I wanted to share today that it does pay to email those manufacturers and let them know how you feel about their product. I had read about people doing this and after emailing some companies and getting responses that just said we don't offer coupons at this time I gave up for a bit.

Well then I emailed Starkist, Dole, and Angel Soft and just told them how much we use only their products and how much we appreciate it. Well today to my surprise I got coupons in the mail from ALL of them

4-$0.55/1 Angel Soft coupons,
2-$0.75/2 Starkist pouches,
1-Dole $0.75/1 Jar of tropical fruit or pineapple,
2-$0.75/1 Dole fruit bowls or parfaits.
Recipes for using Dole fruit

All that just from writing a few emails!  So go into your kitchen write down the companies that you use a lot of product from and just let them know how much you use it and you enjoy it.  It doesn't hurt to just email them, the worst they can say is "We don't offer any coupons"...my advice don't ask for coupons just tell then you like their products etc etc.

Free Sample of Rachael Ray Nutrish Dog Food

Courtesy of All You website. Click here

I highly advise you guys to all join All You for their daily sample email, EVERY DAY I get an email for a sample.  Some I may use some I may not and it's your choice to get them or not.


Uses for samples:
-Give baskets
-New puppy, baby, family member etc
-awesome if it's a product you use!
-Sometimes these samples come with coupons!

This weeks shopping trip

So I spent a lot of money our our trip last week and figured our budget so I can only spend $15 each week, now with having to buy milk and meat still that does crimp the budget so I looked through my ads for this week and only wrote down the stuff that was really cheap and eliminated everything else we didn't need.


With the shopping trip below I only paid $7.51 out of pocket.

-Free items with coupons this trip:
-Vitamin water
-Kool-aid
-Bar-S Bologna

This transaction only cost me $2.92
Free items:
-Vitamin Water
-Bar-S Hotdogs
-Kool-aid

Our drawer is full of lunchmeat now and hotdogs&bologna galore lol 

Not just about savings

Well so far you guys have just seen the money saving part of the blog but today it's the other side, the craft side!

When my daughter was just getting hair I purchased some clips from Etsy.com and loved them...although Katherine wouldn't let me put them in her hair. After 5 minutes the clips disappeared from her head to never be seen again. I then realized I bet there's a huge market for this and I could do it in my free time(I had so much more back then). I began my  craft store on Etsy making baby shower items and clippies.  I then went to a full on clippie and pendant store and now I am on my clippie, duct tape, scrabble pin, and etc store lol.

Here are some samples of things I make:

                                                      Lined solid color clips

                                         Duct Tape Checkbook Cover-Various Colors Available

                                                           Hello Kitty Wallet

                                                     Inside card slot of Hello Kitty wallet

                                             Bobby Pins-various colors and appliques(toppers)

                                              Scrabble pins-Up to 6 letters

                                             Coin Pouches-measure 4"x 4"-new!

Now I make all kinds of things and am constantly coming up with new ideas and ways to use existing things.  I was recently asked to do a craft fair in the town I live in and I paid for a booth etc.  This will be my first craft fair ever and was afraid of not being ready or having enough stuff to fill a table.  I have since been able to come up with enough things to do and am eagerly making items every night to be ready with enough product for this.  I also have a friend that has offered to sell my things at her craft fair at the end of the month.  So May 7th if you're local come see me and plenty of other vendors at the PYO builing! You can see more info on their FB page HERE

My Match-ups for Homeland ad 4/6/11-4/12/11

We'll just do this page by page since that's easier for me. I always wanna say make sure to take advantage of coupon clipper websites when looking at your sale ads.  I personally use Coupon Dede  I can place an order on Sunday, and get it by Tuesday or Wednesday so if I get the ad early for the following sale that starts that Wednesday it's awesome.  For the sale this week if there is a coupon on coupon dede I will post a CDD beside it.  In our area we get the lower amount of coupons so I go on there and get my higher value coupons.  You have to place a minimum order of $3.00 which is sometimes harder than you'd think.

Meat&Chicken
-RRR Meat Coupon for $1.00/1 (You can print one of these out everyday!)
-Pilgrim Chicken for $1.00/1 

Lay's,Cheetos, Rold Gold, or Can Dips $5.00/2
-Lay's $0.55/2=$3.90/2
-Lay's $1.00/2=$3.00/2 (CDD)

El Monterery Tornadoes $2.49ea
-El Monterey Mexican Snacks etc $1.00/1=$0.49 (CDD) (Not sure if this coupon will actually work for the tornadoes or not atm)

Bar S Hot Dogs 16oz $1.19ea
-Bar-S Hot Dogs or Bologna $1.00/2=$0.38/2 

Bar S Bologna 16oz $3/2
-Bar-S Bologna $1.00/2=$1.00/2

Buddig Lunch Meat $0.69
-Buddig 2oz $1.00/4=$0.76
-Buddig 2oz $0.75/4=$1.26

Kraft American Cheese Singles $1.99
-Kraft 2% Singles $1.00/1  (Not sure if the 2% is included in the sale or not)=FREE

Sunny D $1.39
-Sunny D $0.25/1=$0.89

Jell-O Smoothies, Pudding, Gelatin or Temptations $5.00/2
-Jell-O Refrigerated Snacks $1.00/1=$1.50/1 (CDD)
-Jell-O Refrigerated Snacks $0.60/2=$3.80/2 (CDD)
-Jell-O Refrigerated Snacks $0.55/1=$1.40/1
-Jell-O Temptations $1.00/1 =$0.50/1

Nestle Coffee-Mate Liquid Creamers $2.99
-Liquid Coffee creamer $1.00/2=$3.98/2
-Liquid Coffee Creamer $0.55/1=$1.89


Bob Evans Side Dishes $3.29ea
-Bob Evans B1G1 Free-Facebook like here and fill out form they email the coupon to you
-Bob Evans Side Dishes $0.50/1=$2.29ea

Tony's Original Pizza $5.00/2
-Tony's Pizza $1.00/2=$3.00/2 (Fill out the form)

-Tony's Original Crust $1.00/2=$3.00 (2/13SS)
-Green Giant Corn on the Cob $2.49
-Green Giant Frozen Vegetables $0.50/1

GM Cereals $6.00/2
-GM Cereals $1.00/2=$4.00 (Coupon has restrictions on which cereals)

Nature Valley & General Mills Snack Bars $5.00/2
-Nature Valley Granola Bars $0.75/2=$3.50 (Can get on CDD) (Not sure if the Granola will be the ones on sale)

Wishbone Spritzers or Pourable $5.00/3
-Wishbone Product $0.40/1=$0.87 (Fill the form out etc)

Kellogg's Nutrigrain or Fiber Plus bars $5.00/2
-Kellogg's Nutri Grain Bars $0.75/2=$3.50/2

Kellogg's Cereals $6.00/2
-Kellogg's Cereals $1.00/2=$4.00/2

Reames Noodles $1.99
-Reames Egg Noodles $0.50/1=$0.99 (From April ALL YOU Magazine)

Pace Picante Sauce $5.00/2
-Pace Picante Sauce 16oz+ $0.50/2=$4.00/2
-Pace Picante Sauce 16oz+ $0.60/2=$3.80/2 (CDD)

Charmin 6 or 12 roll ct $6.99
-Charmin Product $0.25/1=$6.49/1
-Charmin $1.00/2=$11.98/2 (CDD)

Tide 2x Laundry Detergent $11.99
-Tide $0.35/1=$11.29
-Tide $1.00/2=$21.98

Cascade Dishwasher Detergent $3.19
-Cascade $0.25/1=$2.69/1
-Cascade $1.00/2=$4.38/2

Pampers 56-96ct $20.49
-Pampers $3.00/1=$17.49

Pedigree Dog Food 30.1-32lb $15.99
-Pedigree 8.8lb+ $5.00/1=$10.99
-Pedigree 8.8lbs+ $3.00/1=$12.99

Crest Toothpaste 4.0oz $1.79
-Crest Toothpaste or Liquid Gel 4.0oz+ $0.50/1=$0.79/1
-Crest Toothpaste or Liquid Gel 4.0oz+ $1.00/2=$1.58/2
-Crest Toothpaste or Liquid Gell 4.0oz+ $1.00/1=FREE (CDD)

Old Spice or Ivory Bodywash $2.99
-Old Spice Products $1.00/2=$3.98/2

Slim-Fast Ready to Drink Shakes 6pk $4.99
-Slim Fast $1.00/1=$3.99

Zyrtec 30ct $14.99
-Zyrtec 24ct+ $5.00/1=$9.99 (CDD)
-Zyrtec 24ct+ $4.00/1=$10.99

Claritin Allergy Relief 30 ct $17.99
-Claritin 24ct+ $5.00/1=$12.99

Hormel Compleats $4/2
-Hormel Compleats $0.55/1=$2.90

Kool-Aid 8for$1
-Kool-Aid Buy 2 Get 1 free= $0.26/3
-Kool-Aid Buy 10 Get 5 free=$1.30/15

Bisquick Mix reduced fat or regular 40oz $5.00/2
-Bisquick products $0.50/1=$1.50/1

Libby's Canned Vegetables $0.69
-Libby's Canned Vegetables $1.00/3=$0.07 (Coupon from Homeland Fundraiser Book)

Fruit 2 day $3.00/2
-Fruit 2 Day $0.45/1=$0.60/1


I have already doubled the prices for the coupons.  If you need some of these coupons just let me know monikarclark@yahoo.com and I can see what I can do. I may already have some on hand!

Grocery Trip-$53.17

So I did our bi-monthly shopping trip late last night at the local store that doubles coupons everyday.

I spent $53.17 after coupons. That was a total savings of $83(63%).  Steven(husband) and I walked outta there with smiles on our faces. I even got a catalina for a free gallon of milk(up to $3.59).  Now after hitting the local store I went to Wal-mart and got some other stuff that I knew I could get cheaper there.  I shoulda taken a picture from it as well but it took me forever to get all this lined up in one picture and I had frozen and cold stuff to put up....but overall I spent $74 at wal-mart.

So I filled up the cabinets and fridge for $128.  Not bad for a family of 7, now I'm just curious how long it will last. I know it will last 1 week at least but we need it to last 2 if possible.  Now there are some sales in the local ad next week I wanna get but it's things that will cost me under $10.  For now the only thing we need to complete meal would be meat.

I stopped myself from buying cookies and canned carrots.....guess why?  I told Steven that I could make them(the cookies) because I already had all the stuff at home to make them fresh! I also looked at canned carrots and they were $0.75 a can! Since we usually cook one can and then leftovers are either forgotten about or trashed that's not worth it. I just bought a bag of carrots at walmart for $1.08 and will cook them myself.  So am I leaning towards cooking more fresh, we shall see...we shall see.