Martin's Trip this Week!

I went to Martin's this week on Tuesday after work. I only got a few things this week, but I thought that the deals were worthwhile!
2 GG Steamers with Sauce 2/$4 - $0.33 ea Sale - $0.40/1 MC - $0.40 Double - $0.50/1 MC - $0.50 Double = $1.54/2
2 Hallmark Cards $0.99 ea - $0.10 ea Bonus Savings - BOGO Free Martin's C $0.89 = $0.89/2
5 Fresh Express Crouton Samples $1.67/5 (+ each 1 had a $0.55/1 MC on it that doesn't expire for another 3 or 4 years, when this coupon doubles and these are on sale = FREE Croutons!)
2 Friskies Cat Treats $1.29 ea - $0.10 ea Sale - $2/2 MC = $0.38/2
1 jug Apple Cider, not pictured because my husband is drinking it! Grrr... $3.69
+ Tax $0.20
Total OOP: $8.36 --Saved over 50%!

CVS Shopping Trip

Joe and I went into CVS on Tuesday to pick up a prescription and a FREE $25 gift card, and while we were there, I went ahead and picked up the ECB deals for the week.
2 Rolls of Sticker Christmas Tags $1.99 ea - $1.99 ECB ea = 2 FREE
2 -20 ct Tissue Papers $1.99 ea - $1.99 ECB ea = 2 FREE
2 - 12 ct Bows $2.99 ea - $2.99 ECB ea = 2 FREE
2 Gold Emblem Cashews $0.99 ea - $1/2 CVS C = $0.98/2
1 Heath Bar + 1 Reese's King $1.59 ea - BOGO Free CVS C (she actually deducted $1.79) = $1.39/2
1 Advil PM 4 ct $0.99 - ECB $0.99 = FREE
+ Tax $0.98
-$17.30 in ECB's used to pay
Total OOP: Put $0.98 on our CVS gift card + received $13.94 ECB's for next week!

Menu Plan Monday 12/14/09

This week's menu is going to remain simple, but tasty, as I have a LOT of baking to do for others, as well as for myself. It's going to be a very busy 11 days 'til Christmas!
Breakfasts: Cereal, Fruit, Yogurt, Bagels with Cream Cheese

Lunches: Ham and Cheese Sandwiches on little Potato Rolls with chips, leftovers, soup & crackers

Dinners:
Sunday - I cooked over the hearth at the Farm museum this weekend during the holiday tour they have. We ate a delicious meal of pork in sauerkraut with dumplings on top, homemade mashed potatoes, homemade chunky cinnamon applesauce & brownies with chocolate melted on top -- um, um good!
Monday - Taco Salad
Tuesday - Alfredo with Chicken, Broccoli and maybe Tomatoes with Garlic Bread
Wednesday - 2 1/2 year Wedding Anniversary! We're going out!
Thursday - Grilled Steak with Baked Potatoes & Broccoli and Cheese
Friday - Homemade Pizza - Might try a new recipe I found for Pizza Pancakes...
Saturday - Grilled Hot dogs & Velveeta with mini Corn on the Cob (from the freezer)

Hope that your menu plans look as delicious as mine does, I'm super excited to have some grilled food this week, and I know that Joe will enjoy doing the grilling, it's been quite a while... :-)

Rite-Aid Trip 12/13/09

Stopped into Rite-Aid today, and I will definitely be back later in the week for another P'rell Shampoo and possibly another Cover Girl item (Limit to both is 5!), plus they are having a sale on the bounty basic single rolls after coupon, they're only like $0.50 ea!!!
4 P'rell Shampoos $0.99 ea on Sale - $2 SCR x 4 = ALL FREE + $4.04 Profit!
2 Boxes Russell Stover Chocolates $3.99 ea on Sale = $7.98
4 Nivea Lip Care $2.99 ea - $2 SCR - BOGO Free MC x 2 = $3.98
1 Nivea Body Lotion $7.99 - Get 1 Free wyb 3 Nivea Lip care items $7.99 - SCR $1 = FREE + $1 Profit
1 Cover Girl Face Powder $4.99 - $3 SCR - $1/1 MC = $0.99
1 Chap stick Fresh Effects $2.99 - $2.99 SCR = FREE
+ Tax $2.31
- $5/$25 Purchase Rite-Aid C
Total OOP: $22.21 (Paid with Gift Card) - Expected Rebates $16.99 = $5.22

Saturday's Rite-Aid Stop

I stopped into Rite-Aid on Saturday to get a few single check rebate (SCR) items before the sale ended, unfortunately, they were out of most of what I had went for, but I still got a few good deals while I was there anyway...
2 Cookies and Cream Candies 2/$1 on Sale
2 - 4 pks Quilted Northern Double Roll TP $2.50 ea on Sale = $5/2
1 Dry Cleaner's Secret 6 ct $7.99 on Sale - $3 SCR - $1/1 MC - $7.99 MIR = FREE + $4 Profit
1 - 48 ct Prep-H Refill pk $4.99 - $1 SCR - $2/1 MC = $1.99
1 Stocking Stuffer for Joe, Not pictured (obviously) $0.99
1 - 8 oz pkg Diamond Walnuts $2.99 on Sale - $1/1 MC = $1.99
2 - 2 pks Tone Body Soap Bars $2.79 ea - BOGO Free Sale - $1/1 MC x 2 = $0.79/2
+ Tax $1.01
- $5/$25 Purchase Rite-Aid C
Total OOP: $15.76 (paid with Gift Card) - Expected Rebates (SCR+MIR) $11.99 = $3.77 -- Pretty good when you figure that was the price of the walnuts full price ;-)

Martin's Double Dollar Days Trip #2

Stopped into Martin's again last week, I LOVE it when they double $1 off coupons, it really increases your savings more than you would think. I did three transactions, and found some great deals while I was there...
2 Spot Shot Carpet Cleaners $4.28 ea - $1/1 MC x 2 - $1 Double x 2 = $4.56/2 + Earned 2 FREE movie tickets!
1 - 12 oz Crispix Cereal $2.99 - $1/1 MC - $1 Double = $0.99
1 Glade Carpet Freshener $1.49 - $1/1 MC - $0.49 Double = FREE
4 Meow Mix Wet Cat Foods $0.56 ea - $1/4 MC - $1 Double = $0.24/4
4 Hallmark Cards $0.99 ea - $0.10 Bonus Savings - BOGO Free Martin's C x 2 = $1.78/4
2 Nestle Toll house Cookie Doughs $3.19 ea - $0.69 Sale ea - $1/1 MC x 2 - $1 Double x 2 = $1/2
2 Pillsbury Cookie Doughs $2.94 ea - $0.44 ea Sale - $1/1 MC x 2 - $1 Double x 2 = $1/2
1 Heluva Good Sour Cream $1.95 - $0.66 Sale - $0.50/1 MC - $0.50 Double = $0.29
+ Tax 0.71
Total OOP: $10.64

Walgreen's Trip Last Week -- Gotta Roll those RR's!

Stopped into Walgreen's last week after work one day because I had quite a few RR's that were going to expire if I didn't roll them into some new deals, plus Wag's was doing a promo of Spend $25 before coupons & RR's and earn a $5 RR!!! So, here's what I ended up with after 2 transactions...
1 Renu Twin Pk Contact Solution $9.99 on Sale - $10 RR - $2/1 MC = FREE + $2.01 MM
2 Snoopy Activity Books + 2 Coloring Books* $1.67/4 with in-ad C
2 Ducolax $6.99 - $4 RR - $3/1 MC = 2 FREE + $0.02 MM
1 Schick Intuition Plus Razor $6.99 on Sale - $3 RR - $2/1 MC = $1.99
1 pk Stay Free Maxi's $1.99 on Sale - $2 RR - $1/1 MC = FREE + $1.01 MM
2 - 100 ct Envelopes (for all of those Rebates!) $1.29 ea - $1.40 in-ad C = $0.59 ea = $1.18/2
1 pkg Chex Mix $0.99 on Sale - $0.50/1 MC = $0.49
1 pk Scunci Hair Clips $2 on Sale - $2 RR = FREE
1 pkg 150 ct Ornament Hooks $0.99 - $0.60 in-ad C = $0.39
2 canisters Morton Salt $0.89 ea - $0.78 in-ad C = $1/2
5 Candies* $0.39 ea on Sale - $1.95
1 Just for Men Hair Color $6.99 on Sale - $7 RR - $2/1 MC = FREE + $2.01 MM
1 Dozen Eggs $0.99 on Sale
+ Tax $1.58
- $22 RR's Used to Pay
Total OOP: $15.73 - *Pap's Christmas Presents $3.62 - $22 RR's Received = ALL FREE + Profit of $9.89 in RR's!!!!

Martin's Double Dollar Days Trip #1

Stopped into Martin's yesterday to take advantage of their dollar doubling promotion, and even though I had to do three transactions to double as many $1 coupons as I had with me, I think it was definitely worth it in the end! Listing all the transactions as one...
4 - 20 ct boxes Celestial Seasonings Tea $2.29 ea - $1/1 MC x 4 - $1 Double x 4 = $0.29 ea = $1.16/4
2 boxes Jolly Time Popcorn $1.99 ea - $1/1 MC x 2 - $1 Double x 2 = 2 FREE
2 - 8 oz bottles Pompeian Extra Virgin Olive Oil $3.19 ea - $0.20 Sale ea - $1/1 MC x 2 - $1 Double x 2 = $0.99 ea = $1.98/2
2 - 5 oz cans Carnation Evaporated Milk $0.69 ea - $0.50/2 MC - $0.50 Double = $0.19 ea = $0.38/2
8 Bumble Bee Tuna Single Serve Pouches $1.49 ea - $1/2 MC x 4 - $1 Double x 4 = $0.49 ea = $3.92/8
1 pkg Country Crock Sticks $1.29 - $0.15 Sale - $0.50/1 MC - $0.50 Double = $0.14
4 Hallmark Cards $0.99 ea - $0.10 ea Sale - BOGO Free in-ad C x 2 = $1.78/4
+ Tax $0.12
Original Total: 38.07 - Coupon Savings $29.51 = Total OOP $8.68 -- Savings of 78% -- YAY!!!

CVS ECB Trip for the Week

Stopped into CVS to roll some ECB's and get the free after ECB items, and of course they no longer had the mini ornaments in stock :-( But we can't win them all can we...
2 Santa Hats $3.99 ea - $3.99 ECB ea = 2 FREE
2 Essence of Beauty Pear Body Lotions (very yummy smelling!) $4.99 ea on Sale - $4 ECB ea = $0.99 ea = $1.98/2
1 pkg Zantac Cool Mint 24 ct $8.99 - $1/1 MC - $8.99 ECB = FREE + $1 MM
1 pkg Stool Softeners 10 ct (no deal, just a necessity at our house) $2.89
1 pkg Sudafed $6.49 - $2/1 MC - $3 ECB = $1.49
1 Gillette Shaving Gel $1.99 on sale - $1/1 MC - $1/1 CVS C (Flu booklet) = FREE + $0.01 MM
1 - 8 pk Snack Size Reese's $1.25 - $1/1 CVS C = $0.25
+ Tax $1.21
- $27.97 ECB's used to pay
Total OOP: $6.81 (paid with gift card, so no OOP!) + Received $27.97 ECB's back for next time!

Menu Plan Monday 12/06-12/12

The holidays are just around the corner! The next two weeks have a LOT of baking in them, as I have quite a few orders from friends to do their baking for them... With that in mind, things on the menu are going to stay simple from now until the holidays have passed. So, here it goes for this week...
Breakfasts: Cereal, Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins (for Joe), Yogurt & Fruit

Lunches: Leftovers, Ham or Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, and anything that looks appetizing from the freezer, as we need to start cleaning out some of the TV dinners and frozen leftovers we have to make room for the new.

Dinners:
Sunday - Homemade Chicken Fried Rice with Egg Rolls & Shrimp Toast (had enough leftovers for two freezer meals!)
Monday - Bacon Cheeseburger Hamburger Helper with Salad
Tuesday - Shake & Bake Chicken with Chicken Flavored Rice & Broccoli
Wednesday - Cheese Ravioli with Salad and Garlic Bread
Thursday - Homemade Pizza
Friday & Saturday - A friend of ours is coming down to volunteer in the hearth Kitchen here at the museum and will probably be staying over night, she is making food in the hearth all day Friday and Saturday, so I am not sure if we will be eating dinner with her, or going out to eat or making something from my food stash, but I will make sure to fill you all in when I know :-)
Just an FYI - We had Fried Oysters (which Joe loves, me, not so much), homemade french fries, & apple pie on Friday night. Saturday night we had lovely chicken pot-pie with homemade coleslaw and apple cornbread, as well as more apple pie!