CVS-Great News Title Town

If you are a Title Town reader exciting news:

The NEW CVS opens Sunday. I am SO excited!! However, that may hinder you from getting some of the extra bucks as supplies were limited. I did go Friday and get the American Greeting Cards: Buy 3, Get $3 in Extra Bucks. This is a great deal considering American Greetings has a wide selection of $.99 cards.

When I checked out I was given a coupon for $2 off $10 at the new store. You may be able to snag one of those if you can make it by there today.

Reminder: Pepsi 8 packs were $2.00 each. (I can't remember the limit).

Tara

Faith Friday (on Saturday)

Have you ever seen the e-mail that talks about the number of books in the bible and how Psalm 118:8 is the center of the bible? I never get tired of getting that email because it reminds me of how awesome God is and how important it is to be in the center of HIS will.

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about how much faith or trust we will put into the people around us (our friends) and even the closest ones let us down many times. This isn't because they are bad people or intentionally want to harm or hurt us (our feelings). I think it comes down to the center of God's word, this is what Psalm 118:8 says, "It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man."

If we are all honest with ourselves, we have been on both sides of the fence when it comes to confidence in others--we have been hurt and we have hurt--we have lost confidence in others and they have sadly lost it in us. For myself, I want to learn to put more confidence in my most fabulous find, Jesus Christ. I am praying that Jesus will help me to encourage others to put more trust in HIM than in me or others around them.

...Maybe this makes sense. I just know how easy it is to go to our friends and ask for advice, because we trust them, we love them and they love us. However, sometimes the best advice I think we can give is to point them to Jesus in love, to earnestly pray for them, and to keep their prayer requests confidential. Don't let their prayer request turn into an opportunity for gossip just by sharing it with one person then that person shares it with another person and before you know it, everyone knows and then... OOPS! there goes that confidence in man going out the window. See what I mean?? It all starts SO small and can quickly grow into something huge.

(Nothing or no one in mind when I am making this post. No one has hurt me or my feelings. These are just the thoughts I have been having lately and since this is my blog, I thought I would share them.)

Blessings to you all,
Tara

A few local Title Town deals for Wednesday, 1/21 at Harvey's

The new ad for Harvey's comes out today. On Wednesday they have Super Saver's items that are only good for that day.

Harvey's Brand Sugar is $3/5 that's $1.66 each, limit 3.
Food Lion Brand Regular or Light Mayonnaise is 2/$3 that's $1.50 each, limit 2.
Ground Beef is $1.29 per pound, sold as a family pack.
Andy's Hot or Mild Sausage is 3/$6, that's $2.00 each.
Snow Crab Legs are $4.99 per pound
North Dakota 5 lb. red potatoes are BOGO.
Harveys Pork Roast $8.99 each (see store for specifics)

Other Harvey deals worth mentioning, especially if you have coupons for any of these as Harveys will double up to $.99. The deals below are good until 1/27.

Chicken Breast $.99/lb.
Harvey's Vegetable Oil B2G1 FREE
Purex Laundry Detergent $2.99
Betty Crocker Brownie, Muffin, and Warm Delights 2/$4
Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks BOGO
Glade Scented Candles $1.99 ($1.00 coupons were in a recent paper)

You can view the ad online at http://www.harveys-supermarkets.com/

Let me know if you get some good deals. I wish I had a few Betty Crocker brownie coupons but that's o.k. I know I have 2 for the fruit snacks and 2 for the candles.

Blessings,
Tara

So..How much did my weekly menu planning pay-off?

In my previous post I told you how I do my weekly menu planning. Now I will tell you a little about my trip and how I did.

My first stop was at my beloved Publix.

This list will include my menu planning items AND additional items that were on sale and needed in my home. Remember that at my local Publix I can purchase ONE of a BOGO item and it will ring half the price. I don't have to purchase 2 items to get the BOGO deal.

From my menu list:

Pillsbury Grands

$1.99 minus $1.00 coupon= $.99

Green Giant Boxed Veggies (needed spinach for my menu)

10/$10

Needed to purchase 3 to use coupon for $1.00 off = $2.00

Asparagus

$3.75 Not on sale and no coupon

Items not on menu but on sale and/or had coupons:

Lysol-Buy One Get One Free (BOGO)

$1.35 minus $.50 = $.85

Domino 5 lb. Sugar

$1.99 no coupon but on sale--great deal

Colgate Total Toothpaste

2/$5 minus $1.50 coupon and $1.00 coupon= $2.50

Had 2 coupons, one for each toothpaste

Danactive yogurt

3/$6 = $2 each, purchased 1 at $2.00 minus $1.00 coupon= $1.00

Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup

4 pack on sale for $1.99 minus $.40 coupon = $1.59

My total savings with vendor coupons, and advertised special savings was $16.21! With tax and all, I only spent $14.55! I LOVE when I SAVE more than I SPEND.

My second stop was at a local, hometown grocery store: Mr B's IGA.

My main reason for going here was because they had the cheapest price on good quality boneless, skinless chicken breast at $1.88 pound. ( I missed out on the $1.99 per pound at Publix last week.) Thanks to the man at Mr. B's that told me that their chicken breasts will go on sale Wednesday for $.99 per pound, too bad I need it before then.

I decided to get all my meat for the week at Mr. B's. I did substitute the pork chops for the orginally planned pork tenderloin.

My meat purchases were:

1 package bacon ON SALE for .$98

1 package sausage $4.99 (not mixed with chicken and other by products--paid a little extra)

1 package boneless sirloin pork chops $4.66

1 family pack ground beef $5.54 (split into 4 packages when I got home)

1 package chicken breast $3.89 (much better than the $8 to $10 I was going to have to spend elsewhere)

I also bought my tomatoes, potatoes, freezer bags, and tomato paste, and cheese while I was here. My total for everything was $33.47. Not bad when I consider what I saved on the meat. I could have gotten some of the other items cheaper elsewhere but time was of the essence and as the saying goes, "Time is money."

Last stop for the day: CVS

CVS had the cheapest deal on Pepsi this week at 5/$10 or $2.00 per 8 pack. Since I had not spent nearly my weekly budget, I went ahead and got 3-8 packs. I needed hairspray and Tres Semme was on sale for $2.00. I also needed chicken broth for one of the recipes. Swanson was BOGO and I had a coupon for $.25 off. My total was $10.67.

I received coupond for $5 off a $15 purchase, $3.00 off any 2 hand or body lotions, and $1.00 off Hershey Bliss, and $1.00 off 2 Nivea Lip items.

I only need to spend $14.00 more dollars on Pepsi or Frito Lay products this week to receive $10 Extra Bucks. I may go back and spend at least $15 so I can use the coupon for $5.00 off--good way to stock up on drinks AND maybe some chips for the Super Bowl.

I still needed rice, toilet paper, and body wash but I had only spent $60.35 so far, not bad for a week's worth of food and a few extras--if you ask me.

Blessings!!
Tara

Menu Planning: How it's done.

I have always found that weekly menu planning helps me to stay within my budget. I haven't been too disciplined with that lately but I decided to start back this week and it paid off.

When I plan my weekly menu, I write the days of the week across the top of the paper. I only do Monday thru Thursday because our weekends our very hectic. Then, I consider what items I have in the pantry and freezer to determine what I will cook for each day.

My menu for this week is as follows:

• Monday: Chicken & Asparagus Roll-Ups, Mashed Potatoes
• Tuesday: Crockpot Sausage, Rice, and Corn
• Wednesday: Biscuit and Beef Cups
• Thursday: Apricot Pork Tenderloin, Spinach (for hubby), Lima Beans, and Mac N Cheese

I have several of the items needed to make each recipe in the pantry or freezer. For instance, the crockpot sausage calls for canned tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions. The Chicken recipe needs onions and the biscuit and beef cups require peppers and onions. I don't have fresh onions and peppers but I do have a large bag of frozen stir-fry onions and peppers. The bag is large enough to be used for all recipes and I get it for apprx. $1.00 at Save-A-Lot.

Also, I know that I have a coupon for rice, canned biscuits, and Green Giant boxed veggies (spinach) which happens to be 10/$10 at Publix this week.

Each person's menu plan will be different. Having your coupons organized and shopping by the sales really makes the difference in how effective this practice will be for you.

This week's Publix BOGO deals are awesome!

Publix has numerous BOGO's this week. Remember that at my local Publix we are able to buy only one of an item and receive it at half the price. This week's BOGO's are as follows:

Nabisco Chips Ahoy
Entenmanns Little Bites
Smart Balance Spread
Superpretzel Soft Pretzel
Aunt Jemima Pancakes
Atkins Advantage Shake
Ruffles Potatoe Chips
Ken's Salad Dressing
General Mills Fiber One Cereal Bars
Attune Granola Bars
Good Belly Drink
Vaseline Lotion--extra great deal if you can buy just one!
Smithfield Bacon
Barber Foods Stuffed Chicken Breast
Valley Fresh White Chicken
Chatham Valley Croutons
Nestle Hot Cocoa Mix
Kellogg's Special K Cereal and Cereal Bars
General Mills Fiber One Toaster Pastry
Pasta Roni and Rice A Roni
Campbells Select Harvest Soup
Prego Sauce
Delmonte Can Tomatoes
Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks

Be sure to check and see if you have any coupons that match-up with these sale items for even bigger savings!!