Sunday, January 16, 2011

What are we Eating during the Pantry Challange?

Some people might be thinking that it is crazy to eat only what you have in your pantry, but not really.  We've been eating very well, despite the fact I made no menu plan this week - UGH!  Joe and I have been creative in cleaning the fridge out.  One night I made this delicious pasta salad using leftover mini bow-tie pasta from the fridge.  I scoured the cupboards and found a jar of marinated artichoke hearts, canned mushrooms, home-canned diced tomatoes, and some Italian dressing mix.  I also grabbed some diced bell pepper from the fridge and some sliced pepperoni.  Toss it all together (using the marinade from the artichokes as the dressing), and you have a wonderful, easy side dish that even Joe loved :-)
I had also baked a buffalo marinaded and a fajita marinaded chicken breasts at the beginning of the week.  Two chicken breasts made Joe and I each a large salad, 4 quesdillas (spelling?), and 8 pizza pockets (not all at one time of course)!  And we were not starving or anything, we had plenty to eat.  This week a menu plan is definitely in order, however, I'm not to worried if I stray from it as long as we eat from the freezer and pantry, that's what's really important.  How is everyone else doing in their freezer/pantry challenge?

AWESOME, FREE make-up at CVS!!

Friday I also stopped into CVS to do the Pepsi deal again, and found out that the deal could be done 3 times (so I came back again on Saturday and did it one last time).  I also got the magical $10 Physician's Formula Coupon when I scanned my card, so here is what I ended up with...
6-12 pk Pepsi Products $5.19 ea - $1.85 or $1.86 to make 6/$20 - $10 ECB = 6/$10
2 PF Shimmer Strips $12.99 ea - $9.74 clearance ea = $3.25 ea + 1 PF Concealer $8.99 - $7 Sale = $1.99 - $10 CVS Coupon = 3 FREE + $1.51 MM!
+ $1.71 Tax
- $16.48 ECB's used to Pay
Total OOP: $3.72, paid with FREE gift card + Earned $10 ECB's for next time!

Quick Rite-Aid Stop from Friday

Joe and I stopped into Rite-Aid Friday on the way home from a Dr.'s appt, and grabbed a few deals!
1 Maalox Advanced $5.49 - $1.10 card discount - $5/1 MC (newspaper) - $2 SCR = FREE + $2.21 MM!
1-2 lb bag White Rice $1.49 - $0.30 card discount - $1 UP+Rewards = $0.19
2 bags Werther's Candies (for Joe) $2.19 ea - BOGO Free Sale = 2/$2.19
1 Aveeno hand lotion $3.49 - $0.70 card discount - $1/1 in-ad Coupon - $1/1 MC (newspaper) = $0.79
1 St Ives Whipped Silk Lotion (MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE, that no one sells anymore!) $4.99 - 50% off clearance = $2.49
+ $0.45 Tax
- $5 UP+Rewards used to Pay
Total OOP: $1.50, Earned $1 UP+Rewards and $2 SCR back!

Rockin' Rite-Aid and CVS This Week!

I was very pleased with the money-making deals at Rite-Aid last week, CVS, not so much.  Joe and I did rock the Pepsi deal out 3 times though ;-)  Here's what we were able to grab up last Sunday...
CVS:
6 pkgs 12 ct Pepsi products $5.19 ea - $1.85 or 1.86, making it 6/$20 - $10 ECB = 6/$10
8 pkgs disposable Razors (to donate) $1.29 ea - $0.30 ea price adjustment - $2/1 MC (newspaper) x 4 (last one adjusted to $1.92) = 8 FREE!
1 pkg Reese's Minis $1.69 - $0.10 Sale - $1.59 ECB = FREE!
1 Snicker's Bar $0.89 - $0.89 ECB = FREE
+ $1.50 Tax
- $15.50 ECB's used to Pay
Total OOP: $3.48, paid with FREE gift card + Earned $12.48 ECB's for next time!

Rite-Aid:
1 Clean and Clear Astringent $5.49 - $1.10 card discount - $1/1 in-ad Coupon - $2/1 MC (newspaper) = $1.39
1-10 ct pkg Breathe Rights $5.99 - $2 Sale - $2/1 Rite-Aid Video Values Coupon - $1/1 MC (newspaper) - $1 UP+Rewards = FREE!
2 Tylenol Precise Heat Patches $7.99 ea - $2.99 ea Sale - $5/2 MC (newspaper) - $3 UP+Rewards x 2 = 2 FREE + $1 MM!
2 Motrin PM 20 ct $5.99 ea - $2.99 ea Sale - $2/1 MC x 2 (newspaper) - $2 UP+Rewards x 2 = 2 FREE + $2 MM!
+ $0.06 Tax
- $3 Rite-Aid Video Values Coupons
- $3 UP+Rewards
Total OOP: $3.44 - $2 gift card (for UP+Rewards that did not print before) = $1.44 Cash oop + Earned $11 in UP+Rewards for next time!

Martin's Trip from this week!

Martin's had some great bargains last week.  I spent more than I thought I would, but we're pretty stocked up, so I'm okay with it.  Here's what I ended up with...
2 loaves Giant Italian Bread $1.79 ea - $0.79 ea Sale = $1 ea or 2/$2
2 pkgs Giant Bagels $1.99 ea - $0.20 ea Sale = $1.79 ea or 2/$3.58
2 boxes Pop-Tarts (for Joe) $2.99 ea - $0.49 ea Sale = $2.50 ea or 2/$5
6 Whisker Lickin's Cat Treats $1.25 ea - $0.25 ea Sale - $2/2 MC (newspaper) x 2 = 6 FREE!
2 Mama Celeste Pizzas $1.49 ea - $0.49 ea Sale = 2/$2
1 Flat Iron Steak (for Gyros!) $5.09 - $1.08 Sale = $4.01
1 Chive Cream Cheese (for Joe) $2.29
+ Tax $0.36
Total OOP: $31.40 - $12.52 Card Savings and Coupons = $19.24 OOP - Savings of  40%

Big Rite-Aid Clearance Haul!

This is my January clearance trip to Rite-Aid.  For some reason they are cleaning out their AWESOME dollar section, so those items are only $0.50!
4 boxes granola bars (for my Dad) $1 ea - 50% clearance = $0.50 ea or 4/$2
5 Hawaiian Punch drink mix sticks $1 ea - 50% clearance = $0.50 ea or 5/$2.50
3 Spic and Span re-usable wipes 6 ct ea $1 ea - 50% clearance = $0.50 ea 
+ 1 Spic and Span glass cloth $1 - 50% clearance = $0.50 - $1/2 MC x 2 = 4 FREE!
2 All purpose Labels (for flea mkts) $2.49 ea - $0.50 ea Card discount - $2 UP+Rewards ea (did not print, received gift card instead) = 2 FREE!
1 box Wet Ones wipes $3.29 - $1.30 Sale - $1/1 MC - $1 UP+Rewards = FREE!
1-40 ct Aleve liquid gels $8.99 - $1.80 Card Discount - $2/1 MC - $2/1 in-ad Coupon - $1 UP+Rewards = $2.19
+ $0.51 Tax
- $11 UP+Rewards used to Pay
Total OOP: $2.17, Earned $6 UP+Rewards for next time!