Archive for July, 2008
July 27, 2008 at 5:33 pm
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged Dutch Boy paint, Hollywood Market, Meijer
Today, my husband awoke with a bad cold, and I can’t handle two toddlers by myself, so we took the Sunday off from church. I took the kids shopping, mainly b/c I find them most manageable in a shopping cart. First, we stopped at a regional chain called Hollywood Market, and the kids loved the free cookies that were out. I loved the free cup of coffee…as well as the Prince spaghetti on sale .69 a box and the strawberries four pounds for seven dollars.
Next, we stopped at Meijer. Paint was on clearance, so I bought two pints of Meijer brand paint for $2.12. A gallon of Dutch Boy paint was on sale for $8.50 per gallon. Does anyone know about Dutch Boy paint? Leave me a comment. We’re planning on painting the house next year, so this would be a good way to start.
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July 27, 2008 at 5:33 pm
· Filed under children's parties ·Tagged inexpensive birthday parties, Salvation Army
We celebrated my daughter’s birthday today. It’s her third, so I went over my weekly budget a bit. OK, here’s the breakdown. Twenty five dollars for pizza, five dollars for the rest of the food, two fifty for a gallon of ice cream. We already had the pop—.50 per 2-liter I had paid at Kroger. Twenty dollars on decoration and paper goods. Two dollars for the cake (cake mix, frosting, and decorative gel were on clearance) and three dollars for gifts: the complete set of Beatrix Potter in presentation box $2.50 at the Salvation Army and .50 for a treasury of bed time stories (handsome, large hardcover). Both were 75% off at the Salvation Army. We all had a good time, and it was a lot of fun. All in all, I spent about $60 for an afternoon of fun.
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July 27, 2008 at 5:32 pm
· Filed under thrift shopping ·Tagged children's clothes, garage sales
Today, I went over to my mom’s house to bake a cake. for my daughter’s birthday. I’m not the greatest baker and I like to have her watch what I’m doing. Of course, all of the ingredients were clearance items I had picked up throughout the year. I did make a last minute run to Dollar Tree for the party supplies and balloons. While I was there, I picked up a scientific calculator. I’m thinking about starting to do taxes, and maybe this would help.
Anyway, on my way there, I saw a garage sale. A huge garage sale. So I did what a good, frugalista would do: I stopped. Mostly, there were children’s clothes. They were well priced, with most a dollar or under. Overpriced clothes are my biggest pet peeve at garage sales: often, you can buy clothes new on clearance than secondhand, and that is wrong.
I spent twenty-four dollars on kids’ clothes, and I bought two large grocery bags full. I also paid $10 for a dual set 5.8 cordless phone set. I had my eye on a similar set for a while, but I wasn’t going to pay $50 or up for it. They said it worked, but I have to test it.
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July 26, 2008 at 6:23 am
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged cvs
A few days ago, during a blessedly hot day, I broke down and bought an overpriced bottle of water at CVS. I have their card, but I hadn’t bought anything in a long time. To my surprise, I got coupons on the receipt.
First was a free hand sanitizer, which I redeemed today, and I guess was an enticement for me to come back and shop mor
Apparently, there was some deal on the water, and I got a .50 extra bucks coupon. A sale this week was on an eight-pack of Papermate pens for .50…so I got free pens. So I had fun…and it was free.
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July 26, 2008 at 6:23 am
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged walmart
Today I had to go to Walmart. I don’t like Walmart…I don’t like the cluttered, crowded stores, the lack of help, the business practices, the reliance on China…etc., etc.
So why go?
Well, they rent space to the Picture Me Studio, which takes great kids’ photos. Today, it was my daughter’s turn. The photographer was very nice and even cropped the shot that we took. Of course, I only ordered the $7.99 package.
While waiting for my photos, I noticed a clearance bin full of .50 items, so I loaded up on Annie’s Organic Macaroni and Cheese and Chicken of the Sea oysters.
So between the photos and the clearance, Walmart didn’t make any money from me today.
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July 26, 2008 at 6:22 am
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged cereal prices, coffee grounds, Starbucks, Target
Another cheap day in paradise.
First, we started out with a Great Clips haircut for my daughter because she’s getting her picture taken (introductory offer, please). I had a two dollar coupon off and because it was only a bang trim (she was too wiggly to get a full haircut), so my bill was only $3.
Next, we went to a nearby Target. I bought diapers (Target is the absolutely cheapest), and then I bought Cheerios. They were four for $7, and I had two coupons for a $1 off, so I bought four boxes for $5, or a $1.25. I have a policy of not paying more than a $1.50 a box for cereal, so this really worked out.
Lastly, we stopped at a nearby Starbucks . To get coffee? Of course not, instead we got the free coffee grounds, which are great as a mulch for gardens. And the Starbucks employees were nice about giving me the grounds even though I didn’t buy anything.
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July 26, 2008 at 6:22 am
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged mystery shopping
Today I did another mystery shop. Sometimes, it’s very tempting being around really nice stuff. Wow, wouldn’t that be nice. I get down because I wish I could afford the nice stuff that I’m mystery shopping. I But I have to be content. Content that I have a cash cushion, and that living within my means is the nicest feeling of all.
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July 24, 2008 at 3:47 am
· Filed under Uncategorized
I received a comment asking for VW coupons. Sorry for the misunderstanding, but I don’t have any to give out, but I wanted to let people know that they are sometimes found in the local paper.
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July 24, 2008 at 3:45 am
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged cheap diapers, pampers, Salvation Army
Great fun at the Salvation Army!
Today is kid’s day—anything related to kids is half-off. So today I loaded up on diapers, Pampers, that is. I bought four boxes and one large bag….for $25!! Yeah! I also bought some sunscreen (Neutrogena 70 SPF) for $1.99…usually it retails for $10. I bought a camera, too, Samsung Vega 140. I’m trying to see if it works…maybe a new battery…but for $3…I took a chance.
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July 18, 2008 at 6:31 pm
· Filed under Uncategorized ·Tagged newspaper subscription, The Detroit News
OK, today I got a free newspaper. That doesn’t sound like much, but hey, I didn’t do much–frugal or otherwise today. I have subscription to The Detroit News, Thursday through Sunday, at less than a dollar per week. The Sunday newspaper alone is often discounted to a dollar at many stores (it’s really 1.50), and you get the TV listings and sale papers and coupons and news, etc. It was one of those specials that they advertise so often. I also get holiday papers too. I didn’t consider the Monday after July 4th a holiday, but I guess they did at The Detroit News. I love reading the paper, so it was a fun freebie for me.
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