ALDI Deals, Starting 04/17/2013

Here are some of the awesome deals this week at ALDI...

• Weds. 04/17 ONLY: Fresh USDA Choice Strip Steak $7.99/lb
• Muli-Peppers 20 oz $2.19 ea
• Cucumbers $0.29 ea
• Baby Carrots 16 oz $0.69 ea
• Mushrooms 8 oz $0.79 ea
• Organic Grape Tomatoes 10 oz $2.29 ea
• Organic Romaine Lettuce 3 pk $2.29 ea
• Clancy's Pretzel Sticks or Mini's 16 oz $1.29 ea
• Fit and Active Nonfat Key Lime Yogurt 6 oz $0.39 ea
• Fit and Active 94% Fat Free Mini Microwave Popcorn Bags 10-1.2 oz bags $1.99 ea
• Fit and Active Reduced Fat Deli Sliced Cheese Sharp Cheddar or Swiss 6.67 oz $1.99 ea
• Fit and Active Fat Free Dressing French or Thousand Island 16 oz $1.39 ea
• Fit and Active Low Fat Dressing Assorted Varieties 16 oz $1.39 ea
• Fit and Active Healthy Condensed Tomato Soup 10.75 oz $0.79 ea
• Fit and Active Vegetable Beef Soup 18.8 oz $1.49 ea
• Fit and Active Light Mayonnaise 30 oz $1.99 ea
• Happy Farms Deli Sliced Pepper Jack Cheese 8 oz $1.99 ea
• L'oven Fresh Hamburger Buns 12 oz $0.89 ea
• Season's Choice Whole Onion Rings 16 oz $1.99 ea
• Millville All Natural Granola 10 oz $3.89 ea
• Southern Grove 100 calorie Nut Assortment, Assorted Varieties 3.92-4.41 oz $1.99 ea
• Lunch Buddies Fruit Twists Grape or Strawberry 3.8 oz $1.99 ea
• Gardenline Umbrella Stand $16.99 ea
• Gardenline 9' Umbrella $29.99
• Gardenline Umbrella Light $7.99 ea
• Gardenline 10 ct String Lights Assorted Styles $7.99 ea
• Spectracide Ready to use Weed Stop, Bug Stop, or Weed and Grass Killer 128 oz $4.99 ea
• Range Master Porcelain Grill Topper Flat or Wok $4.99 ea

For more information about shopping at ALDI, visit their Homepage!

Tempt Your Tummy Tuesday: Scalloped Potatoes with Ham

Scalloped potatoes were one of my favorite foods growing up.  My mom would make the kind out of the box, in a lovely Corning ware casserole dish in the microwave.  As I started reading about all of the bad things in our foods, I found some of those items listed on my scalloped potato box.  Ew!  So, I searched the web and found several recipes to try, they all are melded together in this recipe after some trial and error.

• About 1 and  1/2 lbs (about 8 small or 5-6 medium sized) Thinly Sliced Potatoes (I use Red Potatoes, and leave the skins on when I slice them, but I have used Russets as well)
• 3 tbsp Butter (I use Unsalted)
• 1/2 cup Shredded/Diced Ham (great way to use up those leftovers)
• 1 medium Finely Minced Onion
• 3 tbsp Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• Few Shakes of Pepper
• 1 and 1/2 c Milk
• 1 c Grated Cheddar Cheese (I use Mild)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Peel (if you want) and thinly slice your potatoes.
2. Saute your onion in the butter over medium heat.  Blend in the flour, salt, and pepper, until smooth.  
3. Gradually add milk and stir until thickened, slightly bubbly.
4. Add cheese, stir until smooth.
5. Alternate potatoes, ham, and cheese sauce in a greased 9x13" pan (I've used one slightly smaller as well.
6. Cover with foil and bake 1 hour.  Remove foil, sprinkle with additional shredded cheddar, and bake 15 more minutes, or until melted.
7. Serve hot, and refrigerate any leftovers.

Enjoy!

Linked to Homemade Mondays, Make Your Own Monday, The Natural Living Link-up, One Project at a Time, and Tempt Your Tummy Tuesday!

Menu Plan Monday: 04/15/2013

This week should be a nice relaxed one, hopefully with beautiful weather!  I work a couple of days, Joe has some meetings to go to, and we are getting together with one of my sisters and her daughter, and my dad, for a Mexican fiesta!  Here's what's on the menu for this week...

Breakfasts: Cold Cereal, Fruit Smoothies, and/or Waffles

Lunches: Leftovers, Salads, or Sandwiches

Dinners: (All dinners but salads served with a steamed vegetable or veggie dippers)

Sunday - Free food at Salsarita's!

Monday - Mexican-marinated Grilled Chicken Salads

Tuesday - Crock-pot Lasagne, Garlic Bread

Wednesday - Mexican Fiesta (Fajitas, Tacos, Rice, Chips, and Homemade Salsa)

Thursday - Fruited Chicken Salad Sandwiches with Chips

Friday - Leftover Buffet (or 'clean out the fridge night)

Saturday - Homemade Pizza

Extras: Brownies, and maybe Rice Krispy Treats

For more AWESOME menu plans, visit Org Junkie!

Frugal Finds Friday: Cut it in Half (sponges that is)

A big part of being frugal, is having the ability to stretch things, and make them last as long as possible.  It's a concept that can be applied to a lot of things: t-shirts, meat, and even sponges.  Sponges are a simple thing to make last, because all you have to do is cut your new one in half.  Use half now, and when it starts to get gross, toss it and use your other half.  This doubles the life of your sponge!  Give it a go and see what you think.  It took me a little while to get use to the smaller scrubbing surface area (say that three times fast), but now it's just like business as usual.

So, what things do you like to s-t-r-e-t-c-h?

Wednesday's Giant Trip

We ran out of light and energy on Tuesday, so we saved our Giant trip for Wednesday on our way home from Joe's grandfather's house, since we knew it was going to be a large trip.  We needed some things for meals this week (lettuce, eggs, milk), I also stocked up on some good deals (tomatoes and steak) as well.  Here's what we ended up with...

1 Gelato $4.99 - $1 Sale - $1/1 MC = $2.99
1-1/2 gal 2% Horizon Organic Milk $3.69
1 bag Hard Cooked Eggs (should get us through until our chickens lay) $2.49
1 pkg Fresh Sage $1.99
Organic Green Leaf Lettuce $2.44 (almost 1 lb at $2.49/lb)
1.57 lb Honey Crisp Apples at $3.49/lb = $5.48
0.91 lb Gala Apples at $1.69/lb = $1.81
0.91 lb Red Onion (1) at $1.59/lb = $0.78
1 Newman's Own Marinara Sauce (I'll be SO glad when I get some coupons for this!) $2.89
2 cans Muir Glen Diced Tomatoes $1.99 ea - $0.75/1 doubled to $1.50 x 2 = 2/$0.98
1 carton Organic Cream of Mushroom Soup $2.79
2 Luna Fiber Bars $1.25 ea - $0.25 ea Sale - $0.50/1 MC doubled to $1 x 2 = 2 FREE!
1 can Chi-Chi's Whole Jalapenos (for Chili's Salsa) $2.49 - $1.25 Sale = $1.24
2 Flat Iron Steaks (will make 4 meals for Joe and I) $6.03 and $6.20 = 2/$12.23
1 bag Organic Tortilla Chips $3.99 - $0.49 Sale = $3.50
- $0.10 Reusable Bag Discounts

Total OOP: $54.54 - $9.61 Savings and Coupons = Net OOP: $44.93!

Tuesday's Rite-Aid Trip

We stopped across the street at Rite-Aid next to pick up a few deals...

1 bag 'Valentine's' Sweet Tarts $1.29 - $0.97 discount = $0.32

1 pkg BIC Silky Touch Razors $4.49 - $1.50 Sale - $3/1 MC - $2 UP+Rewards = FREE $2 Money-maker!

1 Rave Hair Spray $2.99 - $0.30 card discount - $1/1 MC - $1 UP+Reward = $0.69

1 Visine for Contacts $5.29 - $0.53 card discount - $2/1 MC - $2/1 in ad Coupon = $0.76

2-12 pks Coke Zero and Coke $5.79 ea - $2.29 ea Sale - $2/2 in-ad Coupon = 2/$5

+ $0.78 Tax

- $3 UP+Rewards used to Pay

Total OOP: $5.54, Earned $3 UP+Rewards!

Weekly Spending Report: 04/07-13/2013

This week was, well, you'll see below, ugh ...

• Tuesday's Baugher's Trip (3 Bell Peppers): $1.79 oop
• Tuesday's Good Will Trip (1 pretty pillow case to make throw pillow covers out of, and 1 nice tie for Joe): $2.27 oop 
• Tuesday's Wal-mart Trip (just TP, lots of allergy medicines, and cold stuff for my car ac): $32.03 oop
• Tuesday's CVS Trip: $6.63 oop, Earned $5 ECB's
• Tuesday's ALDI Trip: $18.89 oop
• Tuesday's Rite-Aid Trip: $5.54 oop, Earned $3 UP+Rewards
• Tuesday's BJ's Trip (2 pouches Crystal Light, and 1-3 pk LOL Olive Oil Spread Butter, used 3 coupons): $15.22 oop
• Wednesday's Giant Trip: $44.93 oop
• Thursday's Amish Market Trip (Cheese Pretzel Crackers - yummy!): $8.21 oop
• Thursday's Giant Trip (forgot the tea bags x 2): $2.50 oop
• Saturday's Giant Trip (Gelato, 2 Newspapers, Doritos, Dressing Mix, 1 Lime, and Olives off the salad bar for Joe's Taco Salad): $13.95 oop

Total OOP: $151.96 - $8 Earned Rewards = Net OOP: $143.96, Ouch!  But I spent like nothing last week, so I definitely made up for that this week.  Next week will have to be better!

Linked to Couponaholic! 

Tuesday's ALDI Trip

Next stop after CVS Tuesday was next door to ALDI.  There were a few things that we needed for the month, so I went ahead and picked them up...

2 tubs Ricotta Cheese $1.79 ea = 2/$3.58

2 tubs Shredded Parmesan Cheese $1.99 ea = 2/$3.98

2 tubs Sour Cream $1.29 ea = 2/$2.58

2 pkgs Flour Tortillas $0.99 ea = 2/$1.98

2 Avocados $0.79 ea = 2/$1.58

1 bag Shredded Cheddar Cheese $3.29

1 pouch Yogurt Raisins (for Joe) $1.79

+ $0.11 Tax

Total OOP: $18.89

Tuesday's CVS Trip

Our first stop after locking the gate Tuesday evening was CVS.  I was happy to find a few things still in stock.  Here's what I ended up with...

1 bottle Infusium Conditioner $7.69 - $2.69 Sale - $2/1 MC +

1 bottle Pert Shampoo $5.99 - $0.99 Sale - $1/1 MC - $1/$5 Shampoo CVS C - $5 ECB's wyb $10 = 2/$1

6 boxes Kleenex Tissues with Lotion $1.77 ea - $0.78 ea Sale - $2/3 CVS C x 2 = 6/$1.94

5-3 pks JIF To-Go Cups $1.77 ea - $0.77 ea Sale - $0.55/1 MC (from previous store display) x 5 = $0.45 ea or 5/$2.25
+ $0.94 Tax

- $4.50 ECB's used to Pay

Total OOP: $6.63, Earned $5 ECB's

Linked to Simply CVS!

ALDI Deals, Starting 04/10/2013

Here are some of the deals this week at ALDI...

• Wednesday 04/10 ONLY: Kirkwood Fresh Chicken Parmesan Cutlets $4.99/lb
• Priano Pasta Sauces Italian Sausage and Peppers, or Spinach and Cheese 24 oz $1.79 ea 
• Season's Choice Frozen Strawberries, or Sliced Peaches, or Mixed Fruit 16 oz $1.99 ea
• Specially Selected Premium Roasted Ground Coffee Assorted Varieties 17.6 oz $4.99 ea
• Specially Selected Goat Cheese Log Assorted Varieties 4 oz $1.99 ea
• Specially Selected Havarti Cheese 8 oz $2.99 ea
• Specially Selected Blue or Feta Cheese Crumbles 5 oz $1.99 ea
• Specially Selected Gourmet Pastas Gigli, Conchiglie, or Trottole 16 oz $1.99 ea
• Specially Selected Cheese Snack Sticks Habanero Jack, Gouda, or Salsa Jack 9 oz $3.99 ea
• Specially Selected Bite-sized Dry Salami Original or Hot and Spicy 8 oz $2.99 ea
• Gardenline Seat Cushions 18x19x3" $4.99 ea
• Gardenline Chair Cushions 22x43x3.5" $9.99 ea
• Gardenline 6 piece Patio Set (includes 4-3 position Chairs, Table, and Crank Umbrella) $99.99 
• Gardenline Fruit and Vegetable Bulbs Assorted Varieties $2.49 ea
• Gardenline Spring Bulbs and Perennials Assorted Varieties $1.69 ea
• Multi-Peppers 3 pk $2.19 ea
• Cucumbers $0.29 ea
• Grape Tomatoes $0.89/pint
• Blackberries $1.29/6 oz
• Mandarins 3 lb bag $2.49 ea
• Pears 4 pk $1.69 ea

For more information about shopping at ALDI, visit their Homepage!