Thursday, September 29, 2011

Feeling like fall

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Here’s what I posted today over at my new blog – The Frugal Homemaker.  Head over there to check it out! :)

If you missed the announcement yesterday regarding my new blog, you can see it here.

CVS: FREE $2.00 ECB rewards!

Pledge not to be a MoneyTrasher! Frist 500K get a $2 ExtraBucks Reward > Offer expires 11.1.11. See pledge for details.

Pledge to not be a money trasher (throw your Extra Bucks away) and you can print a $2.00 ECB for CVS!

Go here for all the details!

4 inserts this Sunday

 
Go here to preview the coupons that will be in the 10/2 Sunday paper. 

There should be 4 inserts this week!  1 Smartsource (SS) insert, 1 Redplum (RP) insert, 1 Proctor & Gamble (PG) insert, and 1 Pepsico “Moments to Save” insert.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

New printable coupons

coupons Here’s some new coupons just loaded on coupons.com (click to go straight to that coupon.)

$1.00 off (2) 11 oz bags of Raisinets

$1.00 off Any JOHNSON'S Baby Shampoo

$1.00 off 2 Scotch-Brite Scrubbing Pad

$0.55 off one can BAR KEEPERS FRIEND CLEANSER

$2.00 off any 1 Post-it Pop-up Note Dispenser

Also don’t forget the end of the month is nearing so print what you want now before they disappear.

$1.25 Silk coupon (facebook offer)

Save $1.25 just by registering with us and sharing with a few friends. It's so easy. Register now.

“Like” Silk on facebook and share with a friend to get a coupon for $1.25/1 Silk product. 

(Thanks, Money Saving Mom!)

Exciting news…

I have a super exciting announcement!

I am launching a new blog today!  The Frugal Homemaker

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Don’t worry, Centsible Savings is still here and will remain the same. :)  The only thing that is changing is “Décor on a Dime” posts or “Thrifty Thursday” posts will be now be published over at The Frugal Homemaker.

So head on over and check it out!  And make sure to join me on facebook or subscribe by email or in a reader so you won’t miss anything.

Friday, September 23, 2011

Family recipe: Mexican casserole

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A few of you commented on my menu this week that you would love for me to share the recipes of the dishes I prepared.    I think you will enjoy this one!

This recipe is one I grew up eating, then learning to help my mom preparet, and now serving it to my family. :)  We all love it and it is a fairly simple casserole.

Here are the ingredients you will need:

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This casserole has 4 layers and those 4 layers are repeated twice.

Layer 1- tortilla chips


Start with crunching up tortilla chips (or just used the crunched up pieces in the bottom of the bag :)  They can even be a little stale (good way to use up stale chips).

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Layer 2 - meat

Brown your sausage.  

I use a food processor to combine the next part but you could improvise and mix by hand or even pulse for a second in a blender.  Mix the sausage, the small can of tomato paste, 1/2 cup of water, and 1-2 garlic cloves (to your taste, we like a lot of garlic!)

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Let the food processor do its thing (or mix by hand).  You will have a thick sauce or meat mixture.

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Spoon on 1/2 of meat mixture

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Layer 3 - cream cheese

I cut 1/2 of my cream cheese block into squares and then sort of "smoosh" them into flat pieces.  Layer on top of meat mixture.

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Layer 4 - cheese! :)

Use 1/2 bag of cheese (Mexican style, Cheddar, whatever you prefer.)

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Then repeat layers again - chips, meat, cream cheese, cheese.  At this point, if you are following my make-ahead menu plan, you can cover and put in the refrigerator for later.

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When you are ready to eat it, you can either heat it 2 ways
-in oven at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until heated through
-or in microwave at 50% power for 10 minutes until heated through

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Serve with some veggies and enjoy!  I think your family will like it!
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$6.00/2 Schick Disposable Razors coupon = cheap or FREE razors!

You will want to hurry over to coupons.com to print this coupon - $6.00 off two Schick Disposable Razors.

I am reading that Wal-mart has a 12 pack of Schick razors for $1.97.  Buy 2 for $3.94, use $6.00/2 coupon = FREE plus overage!

If Wal-mart has them that cheap, then you will probably find them under $3.00 a pack at many other places too.

More printable coupons

Lots of great coupons just added to coupons.com!

$0.75/1 Edge or Skintimate shaving crème

$0.75 off 1 Dove Hair Care Product

$4.00 off Playtex Gentle Glide 360

$0.40 off three (3) Campbell's Condensed Soup

$1.00 off ALL YOU: SMART SHOPPING Special Issue

Thursday, September 22, 2011

$1.00/1 Dove chocolate coupon

My hubby is going to love this one – print a coupon for $1.00/1 Dove Chocolate promises.  These should be going on sale as Halloween approaches so hold on to your coupon for  a good deal.

I have a confession to make, my husband probably eats 3 times as much chocolate as I do. SmileAnd I eat my fair share. Smile

Smokey Bones: $10 off $20 purchase

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Going out to eat this weekend?  Print this coupon to get off $10 off a $20 purchase at Smokey Bones.

3 inserts on Sunday (including a CVS coupon insert!)

There should be 3 inserts in your paper this weekend.  1 Redplum (RP) insert and 1 Smartsource (SS) insert and a CVS coupon insert.

The CVS coupon insert is a new thing, will have to see how that works.  According to what I am reading, some coupons will be store coupons (so can be STACKED with manufacturer coupons) and some will be manufacturer coupons (cannot be stacked.)

Here is a list of what should be in the CVS insert:

$1 off Act dental rinse 16.9-18 oz
$1 off Aveeno hair care
$1 off Caress body wash 12 oz +
$1 off Degree or Dove clinical protection
$1/2 Emerald almonds 11 oz
$2 off Emergen-C product 30 ct
$1 off Folgers instant coffee 8 oz
$1 off Garnier Fructis shampoo or conditioner
$1/2 General Mills cereal bars, Fiber One bars, or Nature Valley granola bars (CVS coupon)
$1/2 Gold Medal all-purpose flour 5 lb (CVS coupon)
$1/3 Hershey’s or Reese’s bags
$1/2 Jack’s Links jerky, nuggets or tender cuts 3-3.25 oz
.50/1 Kellogg’s Raisin Bran, Frosted Mini-Wheats, Special K or Frosted Flakes
$1 off L’Oreal Root Rescue
$1/2 Lay’s potato chips 10 oz
$1/2 Maxwell House or Yuban coffee 8.4-12 oz
$1 off Maybelline Volume Express mascara
$1.50 off Nature’s Bounty select vitamins
$5 off Ocuvite supplements
$1/2 Old El Paso dinner kit or stuffers (CVS coupon)
$1/4 Progresso soup or Green Giant vegetables (CVS coupon)
$3 off Roc skin care
$1/2 Starbucks Frappuccino or Double Shot singles
$1 off Sundown select vitamins

$1.00/6-pack Hershey bars

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Mmmm… it is S'mores season!! (Is it ever NOT s’mores season! :)

Print this coupon to get $1.00 off 1 Hershey 6-pack of chocolate bars.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

$2.00 off Reach toothbrushes

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Head over to here to Walmart to design your own Reach toothbrush.  Then you can print a $2.00 off ANY Reach toothbrush coupon (making toothbrushes free just above everywhere!)

JCPenney – sign up for savings

Sign up to get Jcpenney emails and store offers.  I usually get coupons for the weekend sales every week in my email.

FREE 15 day trial of Carbonite

What do you use to back up your computer?  I really need to do some research on this or I am going to be really sorry one day if my computer crashes. :(  The frugal side of me just hates paying for stuff like this.

Anyone use Carbonite?

Carbonite has a good trial offer I might have to check out.  You can try out Carbonite online backup for FREE for 5 days. Then get 2 extra months FREE with your purchase (I think one year costs $59, so you could actually get 14.5 months for $59 with this offer.)

Carbonite online backup is the easy, automatic and secure way to safeguard your irreplaceable computer files. These days we all have things on our computers we just can't stand to lose: photos, music, financial documents and more. Carbonite works automatically and continually to make sure your computer files—and memories—are backed up offsite. Try Carbonite at no charge. No credit card required.

Menu: 1 week of dinners in 1 hour

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This week I prepped 4 meals in just over an hour (1 hour, 10 minutes).  One of the meals was lasagna and it always takes me forever to prep, but it is one of my husband’s favorite meals! :)  And I had cottage cheese I needed to use. :)

Here’s what we are eating this week:

Mexican casserole

(this is a family favorite!  will share recipe later this week!)

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Lasagna (family recipe)

Here’s a frugal tip – Lasagna noodles NEVER go on sale or free like other pasta.  And I forgot to pick some up last week.  So I checked my other pasta (gotten for FREE with coupons :)  and decided to use Penne pasta instead.  I still layered everything like normal – layer of noodles, meat sauce, cottage cheese mixture, cheese and repeat.

We ate it tonight and couldn’t tell a difference.  The hubby even approved, so no more expensive lasagna noodles for me – FREE pasta it is! :)

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Chicken roll-ups

Renee, who I learned this method of menu prep from, assured me that she has tried recipes where you open the crescent rolls and they stay in the fridge for a few days before baking them, so I am putting her to the test! :)  We are not eating them until Thursday night so we’ll see if I can tell a difference.

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Loaded baked potatoes

That night for dinner we had loaded baked potatoes and corn on the cob.

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Here is all my meals prepped and ready for the fridge!  I love opening the fridge and seeing them all in there!

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I can’t tell you how good this menu plan makes me feel.  As Tuesday came to a close, I was quite stressed as my to-do list not only wasn’t done, but had seemed to multiply throughout the day.  But at least supper was already prepped.  I put the lasagna in the oven and green beans in the microwave and dinner was served!

Have you tried prepping your meals in advance yet? 

Try it, you will love it!

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Canvas People – FREE 8x10 photo canvas

 

Canvas People is back with an updated offer for Fall! A FREE 8x10 photo canvas developed from one of your photos.  (Think Christmas presents :)

Get a canvas for your first day back to school pictures, vacation memories, 4th of July photos, graduation photos, babies, and any special family moments!  You get a free 8x10 photo canvas, or a $50 credit toward a larger canvas. Just pay the shipping/handling.

Here’s how:

1) Go here to Canvas people.

2) Choose and upload the photo you would like printed and choose what size canvas you want. (8x10 is free + shipping/handling after $50 credit)

3) Chose any "extras" (framing, etc.)

5) Enter shipping information

6) Pay the $14.95 shipping/handling (this is still a GREAT deal for one of these)

These photo canvases make great birthday gifts, anniversary/wedding gifts, and of course, Christmas is just around the corner!

FREE subscription to BabyTalk magazine

Sign up to get a free subscription to BabyTalk Magazine.

*Hot deal* - Steak ‘n Shake $10 gift card for $5!!

Here’s a great deal for you! 

Pay just $5.00, for a $10 gift card to Steak ‘n Shake®.

Side note:             

We really maximize our out-to eat budget by using gift cards from swagbucks, Groupons, and other deals like this. (We budget $40 a month for out-to-eat meals and usually eat out about 4 times on that budget (not McDonalds - sit down restaurants! :) 

For example if we bought this deal, we would use a coupon from the paper, if allowed, for $3.99 Frisco melts and another coupon for BOGO milkshakes and our bill would be about $13.  Then we would pay with the $10 gift card (that only cost us $5), meaning we would have paid about $10 TOTAL including tip for dinner out.  It would be hard to prepare hamburgers, fries and milkshakes at home for $8-10 :)

How do you maximize your out-to-eat budget?

Target: 20 FREE 4x6 prints

Get 20 4x6 prints for free at Target this week.  They are on sale for 10¢ each this week. But, order 20 and then use this $2.00 off 20 coupon to get 20 photo prints for free.

Kroger – Taquitos for $1.99

My husband loves these for a snack and has been wanting me to buy some.  But $4.99 a box DOES NOT fit in my grocery budget.  So when I saw this deal pop up, I had to text him to tell him his wish is coming true! :)

Jose Ole Tacos and Taquitos are $2.99 at Kroger through 9/24. I found $1.00/1 blinkies right in front of them or use any of the $1.00/1 coupons below to get them for $1.99 a box (much better than $4.99!) 

-$1.00/1 Jose Ole Product (exp 10/2/2011)
-$1.00/1 Jose Ole Products 8/21/2011 SS
-$1/1 Jose Ole Product Rolling

Vistaprint – 6 free products for fall

Vistaprint has 6 products for FREE for fall!  FREE business cards, calendar, tote bags, photo flip books, t-shirts, and premium invitations.  All products are FREE, just pay shipping and handling.

I am excited about the free business cards as I am getting ready to order some for a super exciting project I hope to share soon! :)

Friday, September 16, 2011

2 inserts on Sunday

There should be 2 inserts in your paper this weekend.  1 Redplum (RP) insert and 1 Smartsource (SS) insert.

Save $5 on Dumbo 70th anniversary edition

Save $5 on Dumbo 70th Anniversary Edition Blu-ray™ or DVD Combo PackGo here to print a $5 coupon for Dumbo being re-released to DVD and Blu Ray on 9/20/11.  Coupon expires 9/25/11 so you don’t have much time to use it.

Let me know if you find a good deal with this coupon.

Monday, September 12, 2011

CVS: New *official* coupon policy!

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CVS now has an official corporate coupon policy available to print from their website!  This should help solve some of the confusion that we have had in the past with using coupons.  It would be a good idea to print this and carry it with you in case you come across problems.

Here are some things to note:

  • The coupon amount will be reduced if it exceeds the value of the item after other discounts or coupons are applied. (For example, a $5.00 coupon for a $4.99 item will result in a $4.99 coupon value).

 

  • CVS/pharmacy accepts valid internet/print at home coupons containing a barcode. 

 

  • CVS/pharmacy accepts one third-party manufacturer coupon and applicable CVS/pharmacy coupon(s) for the purchase of a single item, unless prohibited by
    either coupon offer.