Making Room for the Frugal Finds

I found this great aluminum pot at the American Cancer Society Thrift store last week.

I love this pot!  One of the reasons I love it is because the handles are built right into the pot.  I'm afraid of handles breaking off while I'm draining pasta or carrying the pot to the table or whatever.  This is not an irrational fear...

This is the pot I got when we got married 18 years ago.  The handle broke, oh I don't know maybe 5 years ago.  I hung onto the handle for at least three years and finally came to the realization that it would probably never be reattached.  So I finally got rid of it and just learned to live with the one handled pot. 

Anyway, when I came across this bad boy, I knew I had to have it...and for only $6, I was able to quit worrying about dropping a one-handled pot. However, adding another pot to my already crammed cabinets did require a bit of organizing and adjusting.

This is my island...oh my.  Certainly not the relaxing island I would like to be on.

So, I emptied out and started from scratch.

and here's the finished product.  Don't you just love it?  Even if it doesn't last very long!

This is another of my crammed cabinets.  I emptied it like I did the island and put back only what I use regularly.

OH SO NICE!

Next week I head to the basement and organize my grocery stockpile and scrapbooking area.  UGH...it's gonna be a busy week!

This post is linked to Organizing Junkie

Free Gas - Saving $121

My local grocery store, Giant Eagle, offers Fuel Perks for every $50 in groceries or gift cards bought in their store.  Because I don't spend much on groceries I do take advantage of the fuel perks offered on gift cards. 
We do a lot of home improvements and so the Home Depot and  Lowes gift cards really add up for us.  I also make a quick stop at Giant Eagle before running to Staples, Game Stop (for the kids of course), JoAnns and any other place I need to make a purchase.  Giant Eagle has been offering double fuel perks this month (it ended yesterday) and also recently offered $1 in Fuel Perks for a new or transferred prescription.

This week I cashed in on my fuel perks.  I had accumulated enough for 30 FREE GALLONS OF GAS.  

 It was an exciting evening at the gas pump.  My son and I were both taking pictures as my Better Half filled up our van and extra cans.

Total Saved $121.77
So make sure you take the extra few minutes to stop by any store that offers incentives on gift cards.  It can be a very easy way to save money. 

Birthday Cakes - Easy Layered Heath Bar Goodness

Last week I shared with you the first of my kids birthday cakes from the past few weeks.  This adorable Death By Chocolate Cake  was definitely the prettiest of the cakes I've made.  However, the cake I'm about to show you is by far my most favorite.  Jared, my 11 year old loves Heath Bar (he gets it from me for sure) and he requested this cake for his birthday.  Happy Birthday Jared.

I've seen variations of this cake using fruit and whipped topping...but I'll take chocolate over fruit any day.  A friend of mine made this cake for us a couple years ago and it have become a family favorite.

Here's what you do...

Take just an ordinary Angel Food Cake ( I was able to pick this up at my Nickles Thrift Store...CHEAP)

Cut it into three pieces for the layers.

Then take 2 containers of whipped topping, a 6 pack of heath bars, and a jar of hot fudge icecream topping.

Crush the heath bars and then mix the whipped topping, heath bars and hot fudge together.  (This is divine...I could eat this entire bowl without the cake)

I get shaky with my pictures as I get close to indulging in chocolate

Then just start layering...cake and then whipped topping mixture, cake, whipped topping mixture and so on.

Then just frost the whole thing with the left over whipped topping mixture and ENJOY!

This post is linked to Tip Junkie,   
Delightful Order,  
Somewhat Simple
Grocery Cart Challenge

My Shopping Trip - Week of 4/25

There weren't many deals this week but I needed to get a few extras for Easter dinner at our house, coloring eggs, and a Easter breakfast at church.  I still managed to stay under budget.

These were the deals I picked up at Giant Eagle.  HERE is a complete breakdown of my receipt.

Total OOP at Giant Eagle - $8.48 (I have a $2 gift card to go to next weeks purchase)

Then I headed to Aldis to get the rest of my needed groceries for the week.

This is a breakdown of what I got at Aldis.
3 dozen large eggs - $3.57
Spiral sliced ham - $12.95
Tropical Juice - $.99
Snack Crackers - $1.59
Orange Juice - $2.39
5lb. Sugar - $2.59
Cake Mix - $.99
3 gallons Milk - $7.77
Wavy Potato Chips - $1.39
Total - $34.29
plus $8.48 from Giant Eagle = Total OOP for this weeks groceries -  $42.77

Total Saved = $77.04

This post is linked to Grocery Cart Challenge

Family Feeding Frenzie - Week of 4/25

Planning meals for last week really helped my schedule go more smoothly.  I didn't stick to my plan completely but it was still beneficial.  As you can see, we eat pretty basic, fast, family-friendly meals.  This is what I am planning for this week.

Chicken Pot Pie
Pancakes
Pork Lo Mein
Baked Eggs
Grilled Cheese
Pizza

These were some of the things we enjoyed last week.

Potato Soup

Fish Sticks and Scalloped Potatoes

Beef Stroganoff over Rice and Peas

My son made this on his own for breakfast...I was impressed

!

 This post is linked to Org Junkie

My Giant Eagle Receipt - Week of 4/25

Holiday weeks are typically known to have fewer deals available.  However Giant Eagle still had a few freebies and some bargains that couldn't be missed.

 

18 Hefty Foam Plates  
                                    Shelf Price 3/$5.00= $30.00
                                    Sale Price  $1.00 each wyb 3 = $18.00
                                    Coupon     $1.00/2 = -$9.00
                                    Out of Pocket - $9.00

10 Fuze Bottled Drinks

                                    Shelf Price $1.00 each = $10.00
                                    Sale Price  $.80 each = $8.00
                                    Coupon     $1.00/2 = -$5.00
                                    Out of Pocket - $3.00
                                   

1 Breakstone Cottage Cheese

                                    Shelf Price $2.19 each = $2.19
                                    Sale Price  $1.50 each = $1.50
                                    Coupon  $1.00 each  = -$1.00
                                    Out of Pocket - $.50

9 Bandaids

                                    Shelf Price $2.48 or $2.28 = $21.84
                                    Sale Price $1.24 or $1.14  each = $10.96
                                    Coupon     $1.00 each = -$9.00
                                    Out of Pocket - $1.96

2 Texas Croutons

                                    Shelf Price $1.67 each = $3.34
                                    Sale Price  $1.67 each = $3.34
                                    Coupon     $1.00 each = -$2.00
                                    Out of Pocket - $1.34

4 Starkist Tuna
                                    Shelf Price $1.59 each = $6.36
                                    Sale Price  $1.00 each = $4.00
                                    Coupon     $1.00 each = -$4.00
                                    Out of Pocket - $0.00


7 Brut Deodorant
                                    Shelf Price $2.29 each = $16.03
                                    Sale Price  $1.00 each = $7.00
                                    Coupon     $1.00 each = -$7.00
                                    Out of Pocket - $0.00

+Tax - $2.68

Minus all the Catalinas from last week.

-$3.00x4 = -$12.00

Total OOP = $8.48

Total Saved = $77.04
Giant Eagle rang up my Fuze wrong.  I was supposed to get $2 off 10 so they gave me a $2 gift card.  I will use it next week.
HERE is my complete grocery shopping trip for the week.

This post is linked to Homemaking Mom,   Bluegrass Savers,  Friday Finals

My Weekend Project - The Boys Bedroom

Twice a year I perform that dreaded job of rotating clothes for the current season.  With four kids this can be an overwhelming task.  My three boys all share a bedroom and typically make their bed and clean up every day.  However, last week two of them had a birthday and so they got out of household responsibilities for several days.  This weekend I walked in their room to see this...

Oh my WORD!!  That was all it took.  I decided we would spend the day cleaning their room, cleaning out their drawers and going through and rotating their clothes for summer. (just a little disclaimer...Yes, I know how hideous their walls are.  When we decided to paint, we let the three boys choose the color...of course they could not agree so they each got a different color...why not?!)

Six hours later (as SpongeBob would say)... we finished our task 

The boys and I took out five garbage bags of clothes to be donated to another family and two garbage bags and several boxes of trash. 

This is what it looked like when we finished...at least for a few minutes :{

There is nothing like the satisfaction of a room that is clean and organized, inside and out!

This post is being linked to Org Junkie's 52 Weeks of Organizing

and I Heart Organizing 

Birthday Cakes - Death By Chocolate

March and April are birthday months in our house and I try to be frugal in the area of birthdays too.  We have replaced the high cost...not so great taste of some store bought cakes with creative, tasty, homemade cakes.  I will be featuring this year's birthday cakes over the next few weeks.  This is the cake my son requested for his 13th birthday.  Happy Birthday Garreth!

This is one of the little 5 inch cakes I made for a gift.

First you bake two round cakes.  I have done 9 inch ones and little, approximately 5 inch ones (for gifts).  

 

so pretty aren't they?

Then use 1-11/2 tubs of chocolate frosting and frost between the layers and the entire cake.



Sorry about the blurry picture.  I was shaking with excitement.
Can't wait to eat me some chocolate!

Finally just line up the kit kats on the outside of the cake.  This is a nine inch cake and it took a six pack of kit kats to go all the way around.  I just found a ribbon and tied it around the cake and poured a 10-12 ounce bag of M&Ms on top.

Beautiful, easy, and delicious!!!

Last summer I came across this super chocolatey cake at  Life in My PJs and have made it several times since then.  

This post is linked to Delightful Order, Somewhat Simple, Tip Junkie,  Bubbly Nature Creations,  
Frugal Girls,  Grocery Cart Challenge,  
Tatertots and Jello

My Shopping Trip - Week of 4/18

My stockpile is pretty full and getting more so.  The deals are helping me stay on budget and stock up on things we will use in the future.

I went to Giant Eagle first this week... HERE is a complete breakdown of my receipt .
  
Total Spent at Giant Eagle - $30.34 (saved $141.16)

Off to Aldis to get some needed supplies for the week.

Total Spent At Aldis - $14.36
I sent my honey to the store to pick up garbage bags - $4.25

Just last night I revisited Giant Eagle because some of the deals were calling me back. That complete listing with pictures is HERE.

Anyway, I spent $4.16 and saved $72.86 

Total spent this week- $53.11 (Saved  $214.02)
This is linked to Grocery Cart Challenge, Homemaking Mom ,  Friday Finals  
Cha Ching on a String
Saving a Bundle 

Baby Come Back...

This is what was going through my head after I got the Sunday paper coupons...I had to head back to Giant Eagle for some more deals.  CRAZY things happened tonight at the store.  I can't wait to share them with you.
Ok, here goes...I did 3 transactions.

Transaction #1

3 Splenda Sweeteners 

                                    Shelf Price $4.89 each = $14.67
                                    Sale Price  $3.33 each = $9.99
                                    Coupon     $3.00 each = -$9.00
                                    Out of Pocket - $.99
                                    Get $4 OYNSO WYB 3
                 (They paid me $3.01 to take them out of the store) 

2 Green Giant Broccoli

                                    Shelf Price $1.79 each = $3.58
                                    Sale Price  $1.00 each = $2.00
                                    Coupon  $1.00 each  = -$2.00
                                    Out of Pocket - $0.00

1 Reynolds Wrap Recycled Foil
                                    Shelf Price $3.00 = $3.00
                                    Sale Price $1.49 each = $1.49
                                    Coupon     $1.50 each = -$1.49
                                    Out of Pocket - $0.00

 Tax $.05

Total OOP - $1.04

 Total Saved - $24.60

Transaction #2

2 Splenda Sweeteners 

                                    Shelf Price $4.89 each = $9.78
                                    Sale Price  $3.33 each = $6.66
                                    Coupon     $3.00 each = -$6.00
                                    Out of Pocket - $.66
                                    Get $3 OYNSO WYB 3
         (They paid me $2.34 to take them out of the store) 

2 Hungry Jack Syrup

                                    Shelf Price $4.99 each = $9.98
                                    Sale Price  $2.50 each = $5.00
                                    Coupon     $1.50 each = -$3.00
                                    Out of Pocket - $2.00
                                    Get $3 OYNSO when you spend $15

             add this to my pancake mix below to get the $15.

                                               (Goes by shelf price)

2 Hungry Jack Pancake Mix

                                    Shelf Price $3.15 each = $6.30
                                    Sale Price  $2.50 each = $5.00
                                    Coupon     $1.10 each = -$2.20
                                    Out of Pocket - $2.80
                                    Get $3 OYNSO when you spend $15
                   add this to my syrup above to get the $15.

                                               (Goes by shelf price)

-$4.00 Catalina from previous transaction

 Total OOP - $1.46

 Total Saved - $24.60

Transaction #3

2 Splenda Sweeteners 
                                    Shelf Price $4.89 each = $9.98
                                    Sale Price  $3.33 each = $6.66
                                    Coupon     $3.00 each = -$6.00
                                    Out of Pocket - $..66
                                    Get $3 OYNSO WYB 2
        (They paid me $2.34 to take them out of the store) 

4 Hungry Jack Syrup

                                    Shelf Price $4.99 each = $19.96
                                    Sale Price  $2.50 each = $10.00
                                    Coupon     $1.50 each = -$6.00
                                    Out of Pocket - $4.00
                                    Get $3 OYNSO when you spend $15
                                               (Goes by shelf price)

Used $3 Catalina from previous transaction

Total OOP - $1.66
Total Saved - $28.08 

TOTAL FROM ALL THREE TRANSACTIONS - $4.16 

TOTAL SAVED - $72.94

I also have $9 in catalinas to use off my next shopping order...soooo, I actually made $4.84 off my shopping trip.  Gotta LOVE it!!!  

See a complete listing of my shopping trip here                             

This post is linked to:

Friday Finals

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for Icecream!

Dessert night is Thursday night at our house but for the past three weeks we have changed it to Tuesday and headed to Baskin Robbins for their $1 scoop Tuesdays.  They offer this special from 6pm to 10pm.   To find out if your local Baskin Robbins is participating call them.  You can find your local shop HERE.  But remember to call...Just because a store is listed does not mean they are participating. 

Enjoy

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