We don't do leftovers for dinner.....gasp!

Did you get your attention? Doesn't sound very frugal does it?

Well, that title isn't entirely true. I don't have any special powers to cook only exactly what we will eat at every meal. However, we do have a system to deal with the leftovers.

Immediately following our meals, we pack up the leftovers in small to medium sized plastic dishes. Then we throw them into the freezer on the bottom shelf.

Hubby always takes a packed lunch to work (I do most of the time as well). The night before, I simply take a dish out of the freezer and pack it in his lunch bag. By the time he has lunch the next day, it is almost thawed and easily reheated in the microwave.

We use all the leftover food, hubby has a good lunch and we save money by not paying for lunch. Winner all the way around.

Plus, we never have to plan a leftover night!!!

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Pierce's highlights for the week

Here is list of the deals this week. As always, I list the items that I consider a good deal. Be sure to check the ad for your self here, to make sure I didn't miss anything.

Page one
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Pork Chops $1.68/lb (I think this is pretty good for chops, I know the pork steaks are usually cheaper)

Bananas $0.38/lb
Farmland sausage links or rolls, $0.98
Quartered butter $1.58 for 1lb
Pepsi products 2 liter $1 each
Pillsbury cake mix $0.88, $1 mQ from tearpad

Page two
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Kraft chunk or shredded cheese 2/$4, $1/2 IP
Grands sweet rolls 2/$5, $1/2 IP
Pillsbury Pie Crusts 2/$5

Page three
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Dole fruit cups $1.88
Stove Top stuffing 4/$5
Jello no bake dessert 2/$4, $1/2 MQ

Page four
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Broccoli $0.78/lb
Surefine spaghetti or elbow macaroni 32 oz, 2/$4

Keep in mind folks that when something is prices 2/$4 you do not need to buy 2 to get that price UNLESS the sticker specifically says you must. You will still get the good price.

Not a ton of deals this week. Looks like it will be a low spending week for groceries for me, but that is ok. We still have carrots, tons of apples and plenty of frozen and canned fruit and veggies. Not to mention a freezer full of meat.

The ad also makes reference to the "fall harvest" 3 day sale starting this Saturday. Be sure to check their website for details which will be up online on Thursday.

Crazy deals at Walgreen's

I hit some great deals today at Walgreen's. I got a "check" for $25 if I transferred a prescription to Walgreen's. In the past I was able to get a gift card for these transfers. When I presented the check today at the pharmacy they told me that I needed to use it on one purchase on the same date. Knowing that I had $11 in register rewards to use today, I needed to spend $36 in the store after coupons. Luckily I was without kids and had plenty of time because I really had to concentrate.

My plan of attack was to get the things I needed this week, then try to take advantage products that would produce register rewards so I could use them next weeks on things i really needed. Here is what I ended up with.

6 Ragu $1.67 with ad coupon, used $0.75/2 MQ, got $4 RR with buying 6. (there are only 4 in the picture because I traded 2 Ragu for 1 Mayo with a friend)

4 Kleenex 2/$2.19 with ad coupon, used $0.50/3 MQ and a buy 3 get one free MQ (which took off $1.99 at the register)

1 Gillette Fusion razor $8.99, used $4 MQ, got a $6 RR

1 walgreen's brand plaque dental rinse $3.99

1 Walgreen's paper plates $0.99 with ad coupon

3 Bandaid's $1.99 with ad coupon, $2 walgreen's coupon from coloring book (so free)

4 Campbell's cream of chicken soup $1.59/2, used $1/2 IP

1 Vaseline Lotion $6.99, got $7 RR

4 boxes Quaker granola bars $2.50 each, used $1/2 IP, got $5 RR for buying $10 worth

1 Walgreen's aspirin $1.29, walgreen's coupon to get free (got in the mail)

2 Energizer batteries $3 each, used $1 MQ on each

1 Energizer advanced batteries, got free when you buy 2 packs of Energizer batteries

My total before coupons was over $79. After the coupons, the $11 in Register rewards from last week and the $25 gift check my total was only $5.47!!! I saved $70.46 in ad and coupons. And the best part is that I also earned $22 in register rewards to spend next week!!! Yippee!!

How did you do this week??

$0.97 at Target

Special thanks to my mom for picking this stuff up for me at Target last week.

4 Olay bar soap $0.82 on clearance
used 4 $1 MQ (and got overage!)

4 Tide single load $1-ish
used 4 $1 MQ on any Tide

2 Skippy peanut butter $2.something
used $0.75 MQ
and used $1 target coupon.

My grand total after all the coupons was $0.97!. Not too bad if I do say. I really wish I had peanut butter coupons while Target has these coupons out, but oh well. i think I have at least 10 jars in the pantry.

Menu Plan Monday

Another week is here, and I'm running behind already. Here is what is on deck at our place this week.

Monday: leftovers for adults, kids get chicken nuggets and veggies.

Tuesday: pork steaks, rice or tators, veggie

Wednesday: pancakes and sausage

Thursday: pizza

Friday: taco salads

Saturday: hot dogs and hamburgers for lunch, leftovers for supper.

Sunday: Fish sticks/ fries, then mac 'n cheese for all the kids. Hubby and I will be up at Lambeau Field for the Packer game!!!

I have a turkey in the freezer that I need to remember to cook next week. Hopefully I won't forget.

Where to buy Granola Bars this week

I have heard from other moms like myself that their kids love these granola bars. My kids could easily eat 3 for a snack if I let them. There is a definite affinity for them in our house.

That being said, there are a couple places that feature these on sale right now.

1. Pierce's has them on sale for Saturday/Sunday/Monday for $1.98/ box.
2. Walgreen's also has them on sale for 2/$5, but when you buy $10 worth you can get a $5 register reward for your next purchase.

Let's compare the deals.

Example with Pierce's
Buy 4 boxes at $1.98 each = $7.92
use $1/2 IP (or you may have $0.75/2 MQ)
= $5.92 for 4 boxes
($1.48 each)

Walgreen's
Buy 4 boxes at $2.50 each = $10
use $1/2 IP
= $8 for 4 boxes
receive $5 Register Rewards
= $3 net after rewards for 4 boxes
($0.75 each)

So you see the deal is actually better at Walgreen's this week even though the initial price seems higher. Now let's say you are horrible at remembering to use your register rewards and they often expire (gasp). Do a second transaction immediately spending that register reward on something else you need.

OR, turn around and buy 4 more granola bars using the register rewards to pay. Now you won't earn more rewards (because you can't earn a reward when you use that exact reward during payment) but you will end up with 8 boxes of granola bars for a total of $11 out of pocket or only $1.37 each box. Still better than the Pierce's special.

Confused? Not sure how I figured that? Let me know.

My point is that just because the ad says it is on sale, be sure to double check. It pays to know your prices.

Save on Groceries without coupons

In today's frugal friday post, I want to review how you can save money on your groceries even if you don't use coupons. If you were at my talk at Divine Savior the other day, this will be a good review for you.

Coupons aren't for everyone, or at least not everyone is interested in taking the time to clip, sort and use coupons. I'm here to tell you that you can still save a lot of money at the grocery store. Just follow these tips below and you WILL see the results on your receipt and budget.

1. Use cash. I didn't believe it until I tried it, but you will stick to your allotted budget much better if you have the cash. I once heard that people spend approximately 20% more at the store when they put it on credit. You are more likely to toss in those impulsive items when you don't have to consider the money involved. Get cash from the bank and put it in an envelope. Do not let yourself spend more than that.

2. Meal Planning. You simply can not save a lot of money on groceries unless you meal plan. It also has the added benefit of decreasing your stress related to "what is for dinner tonight"? I used to stress about that every day until I made something in a hurry and just called for takeout. Meal planning before shopping will also give you time to ensure you have all the ingredients in the house therefore preventing the dreaded last minute run to the store for 'only one item'.

3. Shop the sales flyer. The front page of the weekly sales flyer (and sometimes the back too) is typically the "loss leaders" featured by the store. These are the cheap items that get you into the store and therefore spending your money there on the other items that aren't on sale. The stores often take a loss on these items, but figure they will make it up on other sales. Use this flyer and sale items to make your meal plan and grocery list. If you can be flexible on your meals you can save a lot of money this way.

4. Shop weekly. This will ensure that you will have a varried menu and be able to take advantage of the various sales. It will also help with #5.

5. Stockpile. Stockpiling is the process of buying extra of an item when it is on sale so you do not have to pay full price of this item next time you need it. Grocery store items tend to cycle on sale every 10-12 weeks. If your family eats a lot of chicken and it is on sale this week, try to buy 12 weeks worth of chicken if you have the room to store it. This is how my family shops.

Stockpiling has given me a great deal of relief from the burden of buying groceries. There are no more last minute runs to the store. I go once a week, that is all. I buy when food is at its lowest price and plan my meals at least a week ahead of time. I do allow for flexibility in my menu, which I use as a guide. Life happens and plans do change, but at least I do have a plan.

How do you save money at the store? Leave a comment and let us know.

For more tips on saving money, check out lifeasmom.com