After dark

I went to the grocery store tonight because we had run out of milk for the babies. I hate going to the grocery store at night, but things were so busy today that it was my only choice. The closest grocery store to me is right next to a major mall, which I should have thought about before I left. Right before I pulled in, some scuffle happened because a woman was on the ground and two guys were fighting. When I finally got out of the grocery store, there was a fire truck and other emergency personnel there. What a way to ruin the Christmas spirit, huh? It's times like these that I secretly vow to make my Christmas less commercial.

I had a $5 RR for Walgreen's that expired today, and I've been so sick this week I haven't been able to use it. I briefly thought I'd just run in and get something, just to get the benefit of the coupon. But after seeing that scene at the mall, no thanks. It's not worth it to me!

Please stay safe as you do the rest of your holiday shopping these next few days. Let's try to give everyone a little breathing room (and do our shopping in the daylight!).

Safeway deals 12/17-12/25, P&G e-saver coupons

Welcome Grocery Gatherers! Here are the Safeway deals for Wednesday, December 17th through Thursday, December 25th.

Safeway is now allowing Proctor and Gamble e-coupons to be loaded onto your Safeway card. The savings are automatically deducted at check-out. The great thing is that they can be stacked with paper coupons for even more savings! You can only use each coupon once, however. The current coupons are good through 12/31/08. Check it out here. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm excited to try!

Coupon match-ups

• C&H Sugar, 5lb.: 2/$4. Use $0.35 coupon in 10/12 & 11/16 RP. $1.65 after coupon.
• Nabisco Snack Crackers: 2/$4. Use $1/2 printable here. $1.50 each when you buy 2 after coupon.
• Folger's Coffee: $6.99. Use $0.25 coupon in 11/30 P&G insert. $5.74 after coupon.
• Hillshire Farm Lil Smokies: 2/$6. Use $1/2 coupon in 11/16 RP. $2.50 each when you buy 2 after coupon.
• Tyson Any'tizers Chicken Selections: 2/$7. Use $0.75 coupon in 10/12 SS. $2.75 after coupon.
• Charmin Bath Tissue, 24 rolls.: $13.49. Use $0.25 coupon in 11/30 P&G insert. Load your P&G e-saver coupon onto your Safeway card for an extra 25 cents off. That's $12.99 after paper coupon and e-coupon.
• Bounty Paper Towels, 12 rolls: $13.49. Load your P&G e-saver coupon onto your Safeway card to save $0.25. $13.49 after e-savings.
• Tide Detergent: $6.99. Use $1 off from 11/30 and 12/14 P&G inserts. $5.99 after coupon.
• Keebler Mix N'Match cookies and crackers: 2/$5. Use $1/2 coupon in 11/02 and 12/14 RP. $2 each when you buy 2 after coupon.
• Progresso Vegetable Classics: 10/$10. Use $1/4 coupon in 11/09, 11/23, and 12/07 SS. Or use $0.50/2 in 11/23 and 12/07 SS. Or use $1/2 and $2/4 printables here. $0.50-$0.75 each after coupons.
• Chinet Plates, Bowls, or Cups: 2/$5. Use $0.75 coupon in 11/23 SS. $1.75 afer coupon.
• Ziploc Food Storage Bags: 2/$5. Use $1/2 coupon in 11/02 and 12/07 SS. $2 each when you buy 2 after coupon.
• Kleenex Facial Tissue: 3/$5. Use $0.50/3 in 11/02 and 12/07 SS. Or use $0.50/1 in 11/02 and 12/07 SS. $1.17-$1.50 each when you buy 3 after coupons.
• Celestial Seasonings Tea: 2/$4. Use $0.55 coupon in 11/09 and 12/07 SS. Or use $1 coupon in 10/05 SS. $1-$1.45 after coupon.
• Del Monte Canned Vegetables: 4/$3. Use $1/4 coupon in 11/16 RP. $0.50 each when you buy 4 after coupons.
• Mrs. Cubbison's Stuffing: 2/$5. Use $0.55 coupon in 11/02 RP. $1.95 after coupon.
• Robitussin or Advil: $4.99. Use $0.50 off Robitussin in 09/21 RP or $1 off Robitussin in 11/02 and 12/14 RP. Use $1 off Advil in 11/16 RP. $3.99-$4.49 for Robitussin or $3.99 for Advil after coupons.
• Kotex: $2.99. Use $1/2, $1, or $0.75 coupons in 11/09 SS. $1.99-$2.49 after coupons.
• Pampers Jumbo Pack: $9.99. Use $1 coupon in 11/30 P&G insert. Load your e-saver coupon onto your Safeway card to get an additional $1.50 off. $7.49 after coupon and e-savings.
• Pillsbury Crescent or Cinnamon Rolls: 2/$4. Use $0.25 off crescent rolls or $0.35 off sweet rolls in 10/05 General Mills insert. Or use $0.30 off sweet rolls in 10/12 SS. Or use $0.35 printables here. $1.65-$1.75 each after coupons.
• General Mills Rice Chex Cereal, 12.8oz.: $2.99. Use $1/2 in 11/09 and 12/07 SS. $2.49 each when you buy 2 after coupon.
• Coffee-mate Flavored Creamer: $3.79. Use $0.50 coupon in 11/02 RP. $3.29 each after coupon (you can get a much better deal at Walgreen's this week!)
• Pantene Shampoo/Conditioners: $6.49. Use $1/2 in 11/30 P&G insert or $2 in 12/14 P&G insert.
• Dove Skin Care: $6.99. Use $1 off bar soap or $1.50 off body wash from 10/12 RP. $5.49-$5.99 after coupon.

Super Coupons (good 12/14 through 12/20/08, must use card and coupon to get price. Each coupon can only be used once with a minimum $10 purchase.)

• Tresemme or Fructis: 2/$5
• Crest or Colgate toothpaste: 2/$4. Use $0.75 off Colgate in 12/07 SS. Use $1 off Crest in 11/30 P&G insert. Load your P&G e-saver coupon onto your Safeway card to get an additional $1 off. That's free toothpaste!
• Tide or Cheer Laundry Detergent: $5.99. Use with Tide coupon mentioned above to save an additional $1. Load your P&G e-saver coupon onto your Safeway card for an additional $0.50 off. $4.49 after coupons and e-savings.
• Duracell CopperTop Batteries: $2 off. Use $0.50 off from 11/16 RP. Or use $0.75 off from 11/30 or 12/14 P&G insert. Load your P&G e-saver coupon onto your Safeway card for an additional $0.50 off. Save up to $3.25
• Febreze Candles: $6.49. Use $2 off from 12/14 P&G insert. Load your P&G e-saver coupon onto your Safeway card to get an additional $2 off. $2.49 after coupons and e-savings!
• Cottonelle Bath Tissue or Viva Paper Towels: $5.49. Use $0.50 off Cottonelle from 12/14 SS. Use $0.35 off Viva in 10/12 SS.
• Listerine Mouthwash: $3.49
• Dove Skin Care: $5.99. Use with Dove coupon mentioned above to get an extra $1 off.
• Huggies Big Box Diapers: $19.99. Use $2 off printable here.

Safeway printable coupons (print here):

• $0.50 Safeway Signature Soup
• $1 off 1lb. deli counter turkey breast

Other sweet deals:

• Butcher's Cut Whole or Shank Half Ham: $0.99/lb. Limit 2 while supplies list. Butcher's cut Spiral Sliced Ham: $1.69/lb. Limit 2 while supplies last.
• Fresh Pork Shoulder Blade Roast: $0.99/lb.
• Jimmy Dean or Hormel Bacon, Johnsonville Links or Jimmy Dean Roll Sausage: Buy one, get one free. These are usually in the $3.99 to $5.99 range, so this is not a bad deal, especially if you are making some breakfast casseroles for Christmas!
• Tyson Grilled Chicken Breast Strips, 6oz.: Buy one, get one free (2/$3.99).
• Thomas' English Muffins: 2/$4
• Clementine Mandarin Oranges, 5lb. box: $4.99. (If these are the Cuties, there was a $1 off coupon in the 12/07 SS.)
• Beauregard or Garnet Yams: $0.69/lb. (I'm going to stock up on these as they are normally $1.69/lb.
• Crisp Celery: $0.99
• Sweet Mangos: $0.99 each. (Not too bad of a price if you are desperate for a taste of the tropics.)
• Fresh blueberries or raspberries: $2.99 each.

Counting my blessings

This weekend was rough. My baby girls both got pink eye...and so, of course, I did, too. Husband has been sick for about a week or so now. He is either getting worse or has caught a second cold/flu. I have a swollen and sore throat. And babies that don't want to sleep.

Yesterday it all came to a head when I headed out to pick up my mother-in-law (who was visiting)from church. Just as I was about to get on the freeway, my tire went flat. I was able to make it to safety and called Husband and a tow truck driver. My grandmother picked up my mother-in-law and all was taken care of. Husband reported that the tow truck driver said if I had been on the freeway when the tire had blown out, I would have been dead. See, the alignment on our van is so bad that it wore a hole right through the tire...and it was working on the other front tire, too. As our van sits in the shop getting an estimate for repair work (which I'm sure is going to be astronomical) I am filled with gratitude that that is the problem before me and not that Husband lost his wife two weeks before Christmas. Jeez. Sorry to be so heavy, but I realize (again) that I have so much to be grateful for.

My grandfather had a saying that "If it's a problem that can be solved with money, it's not a problem." That may sound cavalier to some of you who feel overwhelmed by debt. But if you think about it, it is very true. We can work to make more money or cut back to save what we have. But you can't buy happiness, love, or family. So as Christmas draws ever nearer (and I'm still not done with Christmas shopping), I'm taking a moment to reflect on the true meaning of this Christmas season as well as taking the time to count my blessings.

Frustration!

I went to Walgreen's today because I had some RR's expiring and I wanted to cash in on the spend $25, get $5 RR deal. The first store I went to, I ended up with a total of $24.94! 6 cents prevented me from getting my $5 RR! Arrgh! The problem is that when it subtotals, you don't know how much of that is tax. I did save a lot, though. My final total was $6.53 and I qualified for a $2 rebate (for the Scotch tape).

The second store I went to, I double checked my addition and ended up paying $9.31, receiving my $5 RR and getting $5 rebate for the Hershey's candy. Not bad, but it could have been better. : ( I ended up with several free items:

• 2 rolls of Reynold's aluminium foil
• 2 Sure deodorants
• 2 3pks. Scotch tape (after rebate)
• Dove beauty bar

Safeway was a great deal today. I bought 5 boxes of Kellogg's cereal for $0.49 each after savings and coupons! What a nice way to stock up!

Secret Santa

Every year, Husband and I set aside a little bit of money to play Secret Santa for a family we feel could use a little holiday help and cheer. We both nominate families, giving our reasons, and then decide together who the recipient will be. Some years it has been a family, other years, like this one, it is a single person living alone.

I really look forward to being the Secret Santa. It is so fun to look for gifts and things that will make this person or family smile...and I expect nothing in return. I bought some Christmas cards a few years ago with Santa Claus on the front and I write a note to them as though it were from Santa himself, which I think adds to the fun of it (for them and for me).

We make up the package filled with goodies and take it over to the house one night. I creep up to the house and place it on the porch. If I think I can make it across the lawn unseen, I'll knock on the door and race down the street where Husband is waiting in the car. After all, they can't know it's from us right? Even though we don't get to see their reaction, we still get that warm, fuzzy feeling that we've done something nice for someone else.

This year, with my new found couponing skills, I'm able to get some pretty great stuff to include in this basket. I'm so excited for the night we will deliver it!

How do you share the Christmas spirit? Do you have any experiences being a Secret Santa?

Safeway deals 12/10-12/16

Welcome Grocery Gatherers! Here are the deals for Safeway this week. Prices are valid from Wednesday, December 10th through Tuesday, December 16th.

Coupon Match-ups

Stouffer's, Lean Cuisine, Hot Pockets or Lean Pockets : $2.50 each. Buy 8 participating products in a single transaction and save $5, making them $1.88 each. Save even more by using $1/2 printable here. Or use $1/3 Stouffer's single serve entrees from 11/02 RP. Or use $0.50 off Hot Pockets or Lean Pockets from 09/28 RP. Or use $1/2 Hot Pocket Ultimate Sandwich from 09/14 RP. Final price will vary, depending on coupons used.

• Cottonelle Bath Tissue, 12 rolls: $6.49. Use $0.50 off Cottonelle ultra 4-pack+, $0.25 off Cottonelle 4-pack+, or $0.25 off Cottonelle with aloe & E, all in 11/16 SS. $5.99-$6.24 after coupons.
• Campbell's Select Harvest Soup: Buy one, get one free ($3.39/2). Use $0.50/2 in 09/14 SS and 10/05 SS. $1.45 each after coupons.
• Colgate toothpaste: $2.49. Use $0.75 coupon from 12/07 SS.
• Emerald canisters: Buy one, get one free (2/$6.49). Use $1.50/2 in 11/09 SS. $2.50 each, when you buy 2, after coupon.
• Rice Chex cereal: $3.00. ***The ad also says, buy 3, save $3, which would be like buying 2 and getting one free.*** Use $1/2 from 11/09 and 12/07 SS. Or use $1/2 printable here and here. Or use $1.50/3 printable here. $1.50 to $1.67 each when you buy 3 after savings and coupons.
• Knorr Lipton Sides or Veggie Plus: 10/$10. Use $0.75/2 in 10/05 and 11/16 RP inserts. $0.63 each when you buy 2 after coupons.
• Herbal Essence Hair Care: 2/$7. Use $1 coupon in 11/30 P&G insert. $2.50 each after coupons.
• Vicks NyQuil or DayQuil: $5.99. Use $1.50 coupon in 11/30 P&G insert. $4.49 after coupon.
• Aveeno Skin Care: 20% off. Use $1 printable here or $1.50/2 in 09/28 RP.
• Tums Antacid: $3.99. Use $1 printable here or $2.25 off QuikPak here. Or use $1.25 coupon in 11/16 SS. Also in 11/16 SS: $1/2 Tums, any size (24ct. or larger) and $1 off QuikPak.
• Earth's Best Baby Food: 10/$7.50. Use $1/10 printable here. $0.65 each when you buy 10 after coupons.
• Nestle Refrigerated Cookie Dough: 2/$6. Use $1 printable here or here. Or use $1.50/2 from 09/14 & 11/02 RP. Or use $1 coupon from 12/07 RP. $2-$2.25 each after coupons.
• Hershey's or Nestle packaged chocolate: 2/$6. Use $1.50/3 Hershey products in 11/16 SS insert or $1/2 Nestle jingles chocolates in 12/07 SS insert. $2.50 each after coupons.
• El Monterey Taquitos: $5.99. Use $1 coupon in 10/19 SS.
• Hefty Trash Bags: $6.99. Use $1 coupon in 11/16 RP. $5.99 after coupon.
• Fresh Express Salads: $2.99. Use $0.50 printable here or $0.75 coupons in 10/26 SS, 11/09 SS, and 11/16 SS. Or use $0.55 coupon in 12/07 SS. $2.24 to 2.49 after coupons.

Buy 5, Save $5

This promotion is back this week, with a special on Kellogg's products. The list of participating products is longer than what is shown in the ads. (If you see an item that I haven't listed, please let me know!) Use one (or all) of the three $1 off coupons in 11/09 RP with many of the Kellogg's cereals. I was able to print 3 $1 off coupons here. November's All You Magazine has a coupon for $1 off one of the three new flavors of Frosted Mini Wheats. Also, rumor has it that there will be several Kellogg's coupons in this Sunday's insert. Remember, you can mix and match any 5 items to qualify for the savings and there is no limit to how many "groups" of 5 you have in one order.

• Kellogg's Corn Flakes, 18oz. or Frosted Flakes, 14oz.: $2.29. $0.29 each when you use 5 coupons after instant savings.
• Kellogg's Special K, 12oz.; Special K Red Berries, 12oz.; Special K Vanilla Almond Crisp, 14oz.; Fruit and Yogurt Special K Cereal, 12.8oz.; Special K Low Carbohydrate Cereal, 13.5oz., Chocolate Special K Cereal, 13.4oz.; Cinnamon Pecan Special K Cereal, 12.5oz. : $2.99. $0.99 each when you use 5 coupons after instant savings.
• Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheats, 18oz.; Frosted Mini Wheats bite sized, 18oz.; Frosted Mini Wheats Strawberry, 16.3oz.; Frosted Mini Wheats Maple and Brown Sugar, 16.5oz.; Frosted Mini Wheats Blueberry Muffin: $2.49. $0.49 each when you use 5 coupons after instant savings.
• Kellogg's Rice Krispies Cereal, 12oz.; Cocoa Krispies, 16.5oz.: $2.49. $0.49 each when you use 5 coupons after instant savings.
• Kellogg's Smart Start, 17.5oz.; Smart Start Healthy Heart Low Sugar Cereal, 15.2oz.; Smart Start Maple and Brown Sugar, 15.2oz., or All Bran Cereal, 18.3oz.: $2.88. $0.88 each when you use 5 coupons after instant savings.
• Kellogg's Raisin Bran, 20oz., or Crispix Cereal, 12oz: $2.29. $0.29 each when you use 5 coupons after instant savings.
• Kellogg's Apple Jacks Cereal, 12.2oz.; Froot Loops, 12.2oz; Honey Smacks, 15.3oz.; Corn Pops, 12.5oz.: $2.49. $0.49 each when you use 5 coupons after instant savings.
• Kellogg's Frosted Strawberry Pop Tarts, 12 count (Also, Frosted Cinnamon, Strawberry, and Frosted Chocolate Fudge): $2.49. Use $0.55 coupon in 11/09 RP. $0.94 each when you buy 5 after instant savings and coupons.
• Kellogg's Eggo Syrup (Buttery, Original, and Lite): $3.29. $2.29 each when you buy 5 after instant savings.


• Kellogg's Rice Krispy Treats: $2.79. $1.79 each when you buy 5 after instant savings.

Other sweet deals:

• Rancher's Reserve Cross Rib Roast or Boneless Top Blade Roast: $1.99/lb. This is a great price, as it is normally $3.99/lb. Try to stock up if this is something your family likes!


• Fresh Pork Shoulder Blade Roast: $0.99/lb.


• Safeway Chicken Drumsticks, Thighs or Leg Quarters: $0.99/lb. This is the lowest price I've seen for this item, so this is a good time to stock up.


• Crisp Fuji or Organic Granny Smith Apples: $0.88/lb.


• Organic Golden Delicious Apples, $0.99/lb.


• O Organics Carrots, 1lb. prepacked: $0.69 each
  

Spotted at Safeway

Although I scour the Safeway ads when they are delivered to my mailbox each Monday and despite the fact that I check Safeway.com for even more deals, there are tons and tons of "unadvertised" specials that I know I miss out on. So when I spot one, I know I need to share it with you!

Yesterday I went to Safeway to pick up some items for a church dinner I'm helping cook tonight (Swedish meatballs over noodles). I stopped to look at the canned fruit (for some reason, I'm not finding the best deals in the produce aisle lately). My eye fell on a tag that read "buy one, get one free". It was for a can of Dole peaches in light syrup (which is what I get for my babes). At $1.79 for two cans, I knew I couldn't pass it up. To make things a little sweeter, at checkout, I received a catalina coupon for $0.75 off 3 cans of Dole peaches, pears, or mixed fruit. You know I'm going to take this with me next time to get 4 cans for $0.71 each! The tag says that this price is good through December 25th. Pears were also buy one, get one free, but they were a little more expensive, at $2.19 for one can, which could still be a good deal, but I'd rather wait for the 10/$10 sale.

I also picked up a one pound bag of pinto beans for 99 cents. They were the only dried beans that were on sale. I plan on making the whole bag and then freezing the cooked beans, although I may wait until after the holidays for that little project.

Finally, 2 gallons of milk are now $4.25! Only a week ago, I bought two gallons for $5.19, so that's a nice little drop in price. My babies' organic milk has not gone down, though. It's still $5.99/gallon. Maybe with the drop in gas prices, milk prices will come down a little more.

5 Days of Giveaways: Winners!

Thanks so much to everyone for participating in last week's 5 days of giveaways! We had several people who were entered in more than one drawing, so thanks for coming back each day! And now, the winners:

Gerber Baby Giftset: Chicago Saver
Electronic Handheld Sudoku Game: Anya
L'oreal Revitalift Giftset: Amber
Tell Me Again...Board Book: Jennifer (Crooked Needle Primitives)
Subscription to Country Living Magazine: Tigger210

Winners, please send me an email: sfmommynomics (at) gmail (dot) com with your shipping information so I can get your prizes out to you! Congratulations!

Walgreen's 4 day sale

I took advantage of the great deal going on at Walgreen's today. Get $5 in Register Rewards when you spend $25 in one transaction. The best part? That $25 is BEFORE coupons! So you can end up getting a lot for a little with this great deal.

I bought two packages of diapers today (and 1 pack of wipes) because I had a bunch of RR's that were expiring that I needed to spend. But, I have a few more burning a hole in my pocket, so here's my scenario to make the most of them:

2 Reach toothbrushes: 2/$6
2 Russell Stover Private Reserve Bag or Luminary: $4.99 each
Colgate toothpaste: $2.99
1 box W Double Zipper Storage Bags: $0.99 each with in-ad coupon
2 Bic Soleil Razors (b1g1 free): $6.99

Subtotal: $26.95

Use the following coupons:
-$3 B1G1 Free Reach toothbrush from 10/12 RP insert
-$1.50 Colgate toothpaste printable here (thanks iheartwags!)(or $1 off from 11/02 SS insert)
-$6 (2) Bic Soleil Razors from 11/02 SmartSource

Total before tax: $16.45
Receive $5 RR for spending $25+
Receive $6 RR for Reach
Receive $2 RR for Colgate
Receive $10 Easy Saver Rebate #53 for Russell Stover

Summary: Spend $16.45, get $13 RR and $10 rebate
Make a profit of $6.55!

Guess what, Walgreen's is doing this $5 RR for $25 purchase again next week!

Saved by Zero

I've been so busy posting about the week of giveaways this week that I haven't done much of my regular posting!

We had a big purchase last week. Upon returning from our Hawaii trip, we decided that we really should sell Husband's Yukon and get a new(er) car instead of spending the money to get it fixed. We had some money saved in our car account, but not really enough to get the car (well, truck) that we thought would be best for our family.

A generous family member helped us out a bit and we were able to purchase a two year old truck for Husband. It's a crew cab, which means that there are four doors and plenty of room in the backseat to accomodate babies. Husband did lots of research before making this purchase and we are very happy with our new vehicle. It will be nice to have a reliable car, since his previous one had been struggling the past year or so.

There are tons of deals on cars (and especially trucks and SUV's) right now as car dealerships are struggling. Some are offering 0% financing while others are offering literally thousands of dollars "cash back". While these deals can make it tempting to purchase a car over and above what your family truly needs, make sure that you "read all the fine print" before buying your car. The best thing you can do is to buy a car with cash, or at least put as much down as you possibly can. We were lucky to be able to do this with Husband's truck, though the temptation was there to just buy a new (more expensive) truck with all the incentives dealerships were offering. We were "saved by zero" in a different way: I can't tell you how wonderful it feels not to have a monthly car payment hanging over our heads.

Bottom line: If you are looking for a good deal on a "gas guzzler", right now is a pretty good time. But don't be dazzled by all those smooth sales pitches. Know what you can afford and stay within that budget! You'll be so glad you did!

Last day of Giveaways!

Today is the fifth and final day of giveaways...but you still have two more days to leave your comments on the prizes you would like to be considered for.

The prize for today is:

A one year subscription to Country Living Magazine. That's 12 issues of antiquing, decorating, recipes, and country charm. This is one of my favorite magazines and I thought I would share it with you. Who doesn't need a break and a little time to sit down with a good magazine (and maybe a delicious snack?).

How to enter: Leave your comment on this post. For an extra entry, blog about this giveaway and leave your link here. Giveaway is open until 7pm Pacific time on Sunday, Dec. 7. Winners will be announced on Monday, December 8th, so check back to see if you are a winner! If you haven't had a chance to enter the previous days' giveaways, you can still go back and leave your comment. Good luck!

The 4th Day of Giveaways...

Today's prize is:

Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born by Jamie Lee Curtis. This board book is adorable with fun illustrations accompanying a little girl asking her mom to tell her about the night she was born. This book is perfect for adopted children (as Jamie Lee's daughter was adopted) and offers a fun way to share the excitement of bringing home a brand new baby: getting the call in the middle of the night, flying to a different state to go to the hospital, bringing the new baby home on the plane, etc. This would make a great gift for newly adoptive parents.

How to enter: Leave your comment on this post. For an additional entry, post about this giveaway on your blog and leave a link to it here. If you missed a previous day's giveaway, you can go back and leave your comment on that day to enter for that prize. Giveaway ends at 7pm Pacific time on Sunday, December 7th. Winners will be announced on Monday, December 8th.

Tomorrow is the last day of the giveaway, so come back to check it out!

Safeway 12/03-12/09

Welcome Grocery Gatherers! Normally I wouldn't have two Safeway posts so close together, but Safeway has put out two ads that cover this week.

Here are the Safeway deals for Wednesday, December 3 through Tuesday, December 9th. (Yes, I know that this ad overlaps the one I posted on Monday. I'm assuming that this ad's prices override the previous ad's for the same item.) Remember that I am using a Northern California ad. Your prices may vary.

The 48 hour sale has been extended to become the 72 hour sale. These prices are good Friday, Saturday, and Sunday only:

• Medium cooked shrimp, 51 to 60 count: $3.99/lb. Sold in 2lb. bag at $7.98 each
• All American Sub, 1 foot: $5
• 12-pack Coca-Cola Fridge Packs, 12oz. cans: Buy 2, get 3 free.
• Doritos Tortilla Chips, 11.75-13oz.: $1.69

Super Coupons (minimum $10 purchase to use these coupons):

• Safeway Hickory Smoked Thick Sliced Bacon, 3lbs., limit 1 with minimum $10 purchase: $5.99
• 10lb. bag Russet Potatoes (limit 1): $1.99
• Charmin Bath tissue, 6 mega or 12 big bath rolls or Bounty Paper towels, 6 big or 8 rolls (limit 1): $5.99. Use $0.25 off Charmin in 11/30 Procter & Gamble insert.
• Nature Valley Granola Bars, Cheerios, Reese's Peanut Butter Puffs, or Lucky Charms: 4/$6 (must buy 4, limit 1)
• Refreshe Water 16.9oz., 24 pack (limit 1): $2.99

Coupon Match-ups:

• Keebler mix n' match: Buy one, get one free. Use $1/2 Keebler crackers coupon from 11/02 Red Plum insert. $1.85 each after coupon.
• Hostess multipacks, selected varieties: 2/$5. Use $0.75 off Hostess 100 calorie pack printable coupon here. $1.75 each after two coupons.
• Yoplait Yogurt: 10/$6. Use $0.40/6 coupon from 11/02 Smart Source insert. $0.53 each when you buy 6 after coupon.
• Wish Bone Salad Dressing or Spritzers: 2/$5. Use $1.25/2 coupon from 10/05 Red Plum insert. $1.88 each after coupon.
• Ragu Pasta Sauce, 16 to 26oz.: 2/$4. Use $0.25 coupon from 11/16 Red Plum insert. $1.75 each after coupon.
  Del Monte Tomatoes, 14.5oz.: 10/$10. Use $1/4 coupon from 11/16 Red Plum insert. $0.75 each when you buy 4 after coupon.
• Kellogg's Pop Tarts, 8ct.: 2/$5. Use $0.55 coupon from 10/12 or 11/09 Red Plum inserts. $1.95 each after coupon.
• Celestial Seasonings Tea, 20ct.: 2/$4. Use $1 coupon from 10/05 Smart Source insert or $0.55 coupon from 11/09 Smart Source insert. $1 or $1.45 each after coupon.
• Ziploc Food Storage Bags or Containers, selected varieties: 2/$5. Use $1.50/2 containers in 10/12 and 11/02 Smart Source inserts. Or use $1/2 bags in 10/12 and 11/02 Smart Source insert. Or use $0.40 coupon on bags in 10/12 Smart Source insert. $1.75, $2, or $2.10 each depending on your coupon.
• Hershey's Bliss, 9.6oz.: 2/$7. Use $2.50/2 coupon in 09/14 Smart Source insert. $2.25 each after coupon.
• Pedigree Canned Dog Food, 22oz.: 10/$10. Use $0.75/10 cans in 09/21 Red Plum insert. $0.93 per can when you buy 10 after coupon.
• Tidy Cats Scoop Litter, 20lbs.: $6.99. Use $1 coupon in 09/14 Red Plum insert. $5.99 after coupon.
• Hefty Trash Bags, 18 to 80 ct.:$6.99. Use $1 coupon in 11/16 Red Plum insert. $5.99 after coupon.
• Nestle Baking Morsels: 2/$5. Use $0.50/2 printable coupon here or $0.50/1 coupon from 09/14 Red Plum insert and 11/02 Smart Source insert. $2 or $2.25 each depending on your coupon.
• Reddi Whip Whipped Cream Aerosol, 7oz.: $2.99. Use $0.50 coupon in 11/16 Red Plum insert. $2.49 after coupon.
• Breyer's ice cream, 1.5 to 1.75 qt.: Buy one, get one free. Use $0.50/1 coupon from 10/26 Red Plum insert. $3 each or $2.75 each, depending on how many coupons you use.
• Pillsbury Breads: 2/$5. Use $0.40/2 loaves, breadsticks, dinner rolls, or pizza crust from 10/12 Smart Source insert. $2.30 each after coupon when you buy 2.
• Electrasol Auto Dish Detergent, 75oz. powder/gel or 20ct. tabs/gelpacs: $3.49. Use $1/2 powerball tabs or $0.50 detergent printable coupons here. Or use $0.35 off powder/gel from 11/16 Smart Source insert. Or use $0.50 off powerball tabs or gelpacs, also in 11/16 Smart Source insert. $2.99 each for powerball tabs when you buy 2 after coupon or when you buy one using $0.50 coupon. $2.99 or $3.14 for powder/gel, depending on coupon.
• Tide Laundry Detergent, 100oz. 2X liquid, 40 to 64 loads: $11.99. Use $1 coupon from 11/30 Procter & Gamble insert. $10.99 after coupon.
• Stayfree pads, 28 to 48 count: $5.99. Use $1 off printable coupon here. Or use $2/2 from 11/09 Red Plum insert. $4.99 after coupon.
• Excedrin 100 ct.: $7.99. Use $2 coupon in 10/19 Smart Source insert. $5.99 after coupon.
• Dove Skin care, 6-ct. bar soap or 19.4 to 24oz. body washes: $6.99. Use $1.50 off Cream Oil Body Wash printable coupon here. Or use $1.50 off body wash or $1 off soap coupons from 10/12 Red Plum insert. $5.49 for body wash or $5.99 for soap after coupon.
• Dove Hair Care: 2/$7.50. Use $1.50 coupon from 10/12 Red Plum insert. $2.25 each after coupon.
• Fiber Choice, 90ct.: 33% off. Use $3 off printable coupon here.
  Breathe Right, 12 to 30ct.: 33% off. Use $1 off from 10/19 Smart Source insert.
• Citrucel, 16.9 to 30oz.: 33% off. Use $2 off printable coupon here.
• Lubriderm Lotion: $6.99. Use $1 coupon in 09/14 Smart Source or 11/09 Red Plum inserts. $5.99 after coupon.
• Fresh Express Complete Salads: $2.99. Use $0.75 coupon in 11/16 Smart Source insert. $2.24 after coupon.

Coupons to print off of Safeway.com:

• $2 off Safeway Signature Meatloaf
• $0.50 off Safeway Signature side dishes
• $0.50 off 5lb. box of Clementines
• $5 off floral purchase

Other sweet deals:

• Organic Red Delicious Apples, $1.49/lb.
• Fresh Raspberries: Buy one, get one free ($3.99/2)
• Fresh Boneless Pork Sirlon Chops: $1.99/lb.
• Safeway Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts: $1.99/lb. (Sometimes you can get these for $1.88/lb., but this is still a good price if you need to stock up.)
• Fresh Asparagus: $1.99/lb.

Don't miss this week's 5 days of giveaways!

On the third day of giveaways...

Today's giveaway is:

A L'oreal Revitalift giftset containing a Revitalift cream cleanser and Advanced Revitalift Anti-wrinkle concentrate. These would make great stocking stuffers or put them in a gift basket for a nice gift!

How to enter: Leave your comment on this post. For an extra entry, post about this giveaway on your blog and leave a link to it here. There will be drawings for each individual prize, so in order to be entered in that drawing, you must leave your comment on that day's giveaway. If you missed a day, you can go back to the previous day's giveaway and leave your comment. Giveaway will be open through 7pm Sunday, December 7th. Winners will be announced and contacted Monday, December 8th.

Good luck! And remember, we still have two more days of giveaways left!

5 days of giveaways...continued

Sorry for the late posting...crazy day and all that. Now on to today's prize:

An electronic hand-held Sudoku game. Know someone who loves Sudoku and can't get enough? This hand-held game has over 1 million puzzles! This would be a great stocking stuffer.

To enter: Leave a comment on this post. (You can also enter previous days' giveaways by leaving a comment on that post.) For an extra entry, post about this giveaway on your blog and leave a link to it here. Giveaway goes until 7pm on Sunday, December 7th. Winners will be announced on Monday, December 8th.

Good luck!

Safeway 11/30-12/07

Welcome Grocery Gatherers!

Here are the specials and deals at Safeway this week. Prices are valid from Nov. 30 to Dec. 7.

Coupon match-ups:

• Charmin Bath Tissue (6 Mega or 12 Big rolls): $6.99 each. Use $0.25 off 11/30 Procter & Gamble insert. $6.74 after coupon


• Signature Cafe Whole Roasted Chicken, 32oz: $6.99. Use $2 off printable coupon here. $4.99 after coupon.


• Signature Sandwich: Use buy one, get one free printable coupon here. Or, use in-ad coupon to get sandwich, chips or fruit, and fountain drink or water for $4.99.


• Fresh Atlantic Salmon Fillets, farm raised: $6.99/lb. Use $2 off any purchase from the seafood deparment.


• Blooming Holiday Poinsettias, 6 inch: $8.99 each. Use $5 off floral purchase. ***There are several items in the floral department under $5. Use this coupon to take a little extra off your total bill. Flowers make great gifts!


• Oroweat English Muffins: 2/$6. Use with $0.40 off printable here. $2.60 each after coupon.


• Del Monte Fruit Naturals, 8oz.: 10/$10. Use with $1/2 printable here. $0.50 each after coupon. (Some of you may have gotten the buy one, get one free coupon for these from Vocal Point. Use those with the printable to get two for free!)


• Hershey's Christmas Packaged Chocolate, 10 to 12oz.: 2/$6. Use $1.50/3 coupon in 09/14 SmartSource. $2.50 each after coupon (when you buy 3).


• Hershey's Christmas Big Bag Minuatures, 18.5 to 19.75oz.: $3.99. Use $1.50/3 coupon in 09/14 SmartSource. $3.49 each after coupon (when you buy 3).

~~~~~~~

Buy 5, Save $5

(Buy any combination of 5 of the participating products in one transaction and get $5 off your total. You can have as many "groups" of 5 in one transaction as you like to get additional savings.)

• General Mills Honey Nut Cheerios, 17oz. or Cinnamon Toast Crunch Cereal, 12.8oz.: $2.99. Use with $1 off printable here and/or here. $0.99 each after 5 coupons and savings.


• Kellogg's Rice Krispies, 12oz. or Froot Loops, 12.2oz.: $2.99. Use $1 off Rice Krispies, 11/09 Red Plum and/or $1 off Froot Loops, 11/09 Red Plum. $0.99 each after 5 coupons and savings.


• Welch's Grape Juice, 64oz.: $2.99. Use $1 off, 10/05 Smart Source. $0.99 each after 5 coupons and savings.


• Jif Peanut Butter, 17.3 to 18oz.: $2.50. Use $0.35 off, 11/09 Red Plum. $1.15 each after 5 coupons and savings.


• Juicy Juice, 64oz.: $2.50: Use $1 off Harvest Surprise, 09/14 Red Plum. (Not sure if this is included in the sale, though.) $0.50 each after 5 coupons and savings.


• Ocean Spray Cranberry Cocktail Drink, 3 liter: $2.99 each after savings.


• Maxwell House, Yuban, or Seattle's Best Coffee, 33 to 39oz. or 12oz. pre-pack: $5.99 each after savings.


• Aunt Jemima Syrup, 24oz.: $1.99 each after savings.


• Mission Burrito Tortillas, 14-ct.: $2.99 each after savings.


• Safeway Select Sausage Rolls, 16oz.: $1.00 each after savings.

***Remember that you can mix and match these items to maxmize the coupons you have.***

~~~~~

Other sweet deals:

• Large Hass Avocados, $0.99 each


• Pre-packed avocados, 4 count: $2.99


• Safeway Select Bacon, 16oz.: $3.49 each


• Organic pre-packed blueberries, $2.99


• Organic D'Anjou pears: $1.78/lb.


• Raspberries, 5.6 oz.: $2.99


• Fuji Apples, large: $1.49/lb.

Week of Giveaways!

To welcome you to the new blog-home of Bay Area Mommy-Nomics, I'll be hosting a giveaway every day this week (Monday through Friday). That's 5 chances to win one a fabulous prize!

Today's Giveaway:

Gerber Baby gift set: Includes three 2-packs of the newest organic flavors of Gerber Stage 2 baby food (one each of Apple Sweet Potato, Apple Strawberry, and Pear Blueberry) and a Gerber baby bib. All this tucked inside an insulated Gerber lunch bag, perfect for carrying formula, baby food, or even mommy food!

How to enter: Just leave your comment at the end of this post. For an extra entry, post about my giveaway on your own blog and then let me know about the link. Please enter each day's giveaway only once. You can also enter the previous day's giveaway (if you missed it) by leaving a comment on that post. Entries will be accepted until 7pm Pacific time on Sunday, December 7th.

Next Monday, (December 8th) I'll announce the winners and mail out the prizes. (If I'm not able to contact you by Tuesday, I'll hold a second chance drawing.)

Don't forget to check back tomorrow to see what the prize will be! Good luck!

November Budget Report

My budget for November was $480. My total spent was $463.28. I can't believe I came in under my budget this month. I'm so happy about that. Although I didn't quite make up for the overage of October, I made up a little, which is good. I also included the groceries we bought on our trip in Hawaii, which I totally thought would put me over. Phew!

December's budget will be $460. (I'm trying to get it down to $400.) Anything I buy for Christmas comes out of our Christmas budget (which would include ingredients to make treats for friends, etc.), so I'm comfortable with this number for the holidays. Although we will be spending Christmas at home this year, we will be taking a little trip with family right after Christmas, so I need to make an allowance for that.

Black Friday Report

My sister and I only hit Target and Michael's early Friday morning. Although I picked up a few things for my girls, nothing I bought was a Black Friday deal.

But, I got my great deals last night through Ebates. Because yesterday was a double cash back day, I quickly ordered everything I had already planned to get online:

• Two Eddie Bauer sweaters for Husband (shh! don't tell!) that were marked down 50%. I used coupon code "PERFECT" for 30% off and free shipping. And I earned 7% back through Ebates.
• Old Navy jeans for the girls were $8.25/pair. I got them a pair of the size they are in now and one to grow into. Turtlenecks were $5 each! I also ordered them the next size up in the adorable yoga pants that I got them...on sale for $7.50. I got free shipping with my GapCard and 9% cash back through Ebates.
• Super Deal: I've been wanting a subscription to Better Homes and Gardens for awhile now, but never really justified the cost (I have a few other magazine subscriptions!). I got an email yesterday for a $10 giftcard from Magazines.com. I placed my order for BH&G using the giftcard...and will get 47% cash back through Ebates, making my subscription basically free!

I love being able to shop online, especially with free shipping and the deals yesterday were not to be missed! Now if only I could find a good deal on those Christmas cards...

Don't forget to come back on Monday for the first of my week of giveaways!

Black Friday: Ebates

Okay, if you still haven't joined Ebates yet, today is a GREAT day to get started. You get DOUBLE cash back today only. Gap: 9% cash back. Barnes and Noble: 12% cash back. The list goes on and on.

It's free to join (actually they will pay you to join!). Right now they are offering double the incentive to join when a friend refers you (that friend is me). So, click through here to earn your $10 sign-up bonus (instead of $5) and get your holiday shopping done in one fell swoop!

Don't throw that away!

I got the Val-pack coupon mailer in the mail today. I always sort through the stack of coupons, though I rarely find one to use. Imagine my surprise when I saw one for Rite Aid! Yes, there are 8 coupons:

• Save $1 when you buy 2 any size Dixie or Dixie Ultra Plates or Bowls
• Buy any Entemann's Candle (9oz. or 20oz.), get one free
• $2 off Energizer Batteries AA/AAA 4 or 8 pack
• Zippo Candle Lighters $0.50 off
• Revitalizing Jewelry Cleaner $0.50 off
• $1 off Hyland's Calm Forte & Hyland's Leg Cramps with Quinine
• $2 off Kinoki Foot pads

...and the best one:

$5 off any $25 purchase! Woohoo! All coupons are valid until January 31, 2009. So go fish that blue Val-Pack envelope out of the recycle bin and grab that coupon!

Don't forget to save all your Rite Aid receipts between now and Christmas. You can earn a $20 Rite Aid gift card when you spend $100. Check out IheartRiteAid for more info.

Ready for Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is tomorrow and I'm getting started today. I did my shopping on Monday and Tuesday so that I don't have to go back out into the crowded stores (unless I want to, of course!). We are having Thanksgiving at my parents' house, and it's potluck, so I'm bringing a Sweet Potato Casserole and homemade rolls. (I bought two turkeys, though, so Husband and I will have a mini-Thanksgiving dinner later in the month...with lots of leftovers!)

My first giveaway didn't go over so well. That's alright. Never fear. Starting next week, I'll have more giveaways, so come on back after your Thanksgiving feast has settled for some Christmas treats!

What's in your fridge?

I was reading $5Dinners last night, looking for a few recipes, when I came across this one, in which Erin shared a way to keep that celery from going bad in your fridge. She chops it up and portions it out into baggies, then freezes it. When she needs to add some for soup, she just throws it in the pot frozen! Genius! Celery is one of those things that always seems to go bad at my house. I bought some celery yesterday and this morning, I chopped it all up and it's in the freezer right now. I set some aside and sliced that into celery sticks for Husband to put in his lunch.

While I was on a roll, I grabbed the five pound bag of carrots that was languishing in our fridge and sliced those babies up, too. Some were chopped to be added to soups, some were chopped to be eaten as a side dish, and the rest were sliced into sticks to join their celery brothers in Husband's lunch.

On tomorrow's agenda: chopping up some onions for freezing and making sweet potato french fries (to freeze) with the Garnet yams I bought at Safeway this week.

Making up...

I missed out this past week. I missed out on Walgreen's $5 off $20 coupon...because I went to the store on Thursday and didn't find out about the coupon until Friday. Bummer.

I went to Target on Friday to get the sleepers for my girls (so cute!) and the Land O'Lakes butter...forgot to use my coupons. Bummer.

But, I'm back in the game this week. I've got my coupons clipped and attached to my list, so there's no chance that I'll forget them this time! Here's what I'm getting at Walgreen's this week:

Venus Embrace Razor, $9.49 - $4 VocalPoint coupon (earn $6 Register Rewards)
Skintimate Shave Gel $1.99 (earn $1 RR's)
Sure Deodorant $1.99 - $1.50 easy saver coupon - $1 mfr. coupon
Hefty One Zip bags: buy one, get one free ($3.29). There were $0.55 off coupons in 09/28 paper, but I can't find them. : (
Hunt's tomato sauce, 8oz.: $0.29 each with in-ad coupon (limit 3) - $1.00 off 2 printable coupon
Children's Foam book or pop-up book: buy one, get one free ($1.59) (Think stockings!)
Printworks printer paper is 2/$6. It seems I'm running out of printer paper a lot more often lately. Maybe it's those internet coupons? : )

I have a few money-makers this week, so that's a nice change. Maybe it will make up for last week. : )

PS: Don't forget to enter the giveaway for a $4 Venus Embrace coupon! Hurry! The giveaway ends tonight at 7pm (pacific time).

Venus Embrace Coupon!

This week at Walgreen's, the Venus Embrace razor is on sale for $9.49. You get $6 in Register Rewards when you purchase one razor, which is a sweet deal, but I'd like to make it a little sweeter for you...

I received some coupons for $4 off the Venus Embrace razor...and I'm going to give two of these coupons away! Now because time is of the essence here, I'm only going to have this giveaway open until 7pm (CA time) on Monday, November 24. I'll draw two winners' names and contact them via email. Please respond ASAP so I can get your prize in the mail for you to use by this Saturday. (If you don't get it by Saturday, the coupon is good through January 31, 2009, so chances are you'll have a great opportunity to use it again.)

How to enter: Leave your comment on this post (one per person please). For an extra entry, mention my giveaway on your blog and let me know about the link. I'll announce the winners Monday night.

Good luck and happy shaving! ; )

Thanksgiving on a budget

Thanksgiving Day is less than a week away. Are you ready?!!

If you're still working on your menu, go visit Money Saving Mom. Together with Erin, from $5 Dinners, and Monica, from the HomeSpun Heart, you'll find series called Thanksgiving on a Budget. They share a menu and recipes for a delicious, budget-friendly holiday meal.

While you're visiting blogs, go to $5 Dinners to see what other money-saving meals Erin's whipped up. She manages to make an entire dinner for her family of 4...for $5 or less. She's inspired me to get my dinner costs down...I'm still working on that! : )

Baby, it's cold outside

Even though it's been beautiful during the day (I love living in Northern California!), it has been quite chilly these past few nights. For some reason, it seems my babies are always in need of pajamas, too. Never fear, Target is here!

This week at Target, infants' and toddlers' 2 pack blanket sleepers are $11.99 (Just One Year brand). I already have one set of these and I love them. Not only are they adorable (and adorably priced), but they hold up pretty well. Normally it's $14.99 for the 2 pack, so this is a good time to stock up for Christmas presents.


Also on sale are Just One Year thermal pajamas for infants and toddlers. These packaged sets are 2 for $9.

If you have older kids, Cherokee blanket sleepers are $9.99 each for sizes 4-16. (Whether you really want to get the blanket sleeper in a size 16 is up to you...)

There are a few other great deals at Target this week if you have some grocery shopping to do as well:

• Land O'Lakes Butter (1 lb. sticks) is on sale for $2.25. Combine that with $0.55 printable coupon to get them for $1.70 each.


• Stove Top Stuffing, 6oz.: $0.79 each


• Heinz gravy, 12oz.: $0.79 each


• Betty Crocker potatoes, 4.5 to 7.2oz.: $0.79 each. Combine with $0.40 printable coupon to get them for $0.39 each. (Coupon excludes Potato Buds.)
• Del Monte canned vegetables (Cut or French-style green beans, whole kernel corn, or sweet peas): $0.50 each


• Luvs Family pack diapers (92 count for size 3): $14.99 each (that's 16.3 cents per diaper)

I know these deals are a little late this week. I'm still getting back in the swing of things after my trip! Prices are good through Saturday.

A Change is Coming

While on my Hawaiian vacation, I read an article in the paper that piqued my interest. CVS purchased Long's Drug Stores in 4 states, including California. Over the next year, CVS plans to convert all the Long's stores over to CVS' brand and name. This is exciting because I've been reading on other money saving blogs about what great deals CVS always has...and I'm always left out because we don't have any in the bay area. I've got several Long's stores nearby...and soon they will be CVS! Yahoo!

Could have been a spoiled trip

Husband has always been a saver. Lucky for me, because when I met him, I was your typical spender. Of course, I'm reformed now (mostly), and often grateful for Husband's ways.

One of the things that is important to him is buying a car with cash. Instead of making a car payment (at outrageous interest rates), he makes the car payment "to himself". He would take $300 a month and put it into a special savings account just for his car. That way, when the time came to buy a new car, he already had the money saved. This account has come into play not only as we have purchased our last two cars with cash, but also when a big car repair cost rolls in. We don't have to dip into our emergency savings to cover the bill.

I'm particularly grateful for that now as Husband's car sits in our driveway with a gas leak. We found it the night before we left for our trip, just after returning home from dropping off our babies at my parents' house. We quickly made arrangements for a shuttle service to take us to the airport and plan on taking care of the car trouble when we return home.

Had we not had that car account, I might have worried about it our whole trip. I'm grateful to say that I didn't have to worry about that one bit.

I'll be back tomorrow and can't wait to share my trip with you!

Welcome to Mommy-Nomics!

Come on in and make yourself comfortable! I'm glad to have you over here! Savvy Star Baby is making the transition to Bay Area Mommy-Nomics over the next two weeks, so I'll have posts on both blogs until the transition is complete.

I'll also have some giveaways in the upcoming weeks, so that's something fun to look forward to.

I appreciate all your comments and love hearing from you. I'm excited to see what lies in store for Bay Area Mommy-Nomics!