Craziness

Hey Everyone!
You won't be seeing any posts from me until 3/3, as we've had a a death in the family, and will be packing, traveling, and everything associated with that. I've changed the ending for the giveaway as well giving you more time to enter! Have a great week!

Friday Favorites- Giveaway!

With a new year comes a new you, and Green Giant^® is here to cheer you on! Whether you’re already following a weight management plan or looking to start a new one, sometimes it’s the small changes that can make a huge difference.

Green Giant Boxed Vegetables can help you stay on track to achieve your weight management goals in 2011. Twenty-nine delicious varieties are now endorsed by Weight Watchers®, and most have only a 1 or 2 PointsPlus^® value per serving! Packed with flavor and ready in minutes, Green Giant Boxed Vegetables are available in a wide variety of flavors, many featuring mouthwatering sauces and seasonings. They’re a terrific addition to any meal and a delicious way to achieve better health in 2011.

I'm not currently on Weight Watchers, but I'm looking to join in the near future. I'm so excited by the number of things that now work well with Weight Watchers. I especially love cheese covered Broccoli for only 2 points!

I was equally excited when Green Giant and MyBlogSpark wanted to send me a prize pack to try out their veggies because I love getting produce for free/cheap. I'm also excited to say that Green Giant and MyBlogSpark have offered a prize pack for one of my readers as well! The prize pack includes an insulated tote bag (it's the size of the reusable store bags), great for keeping your frozen food frozen on the way back from the store, a serving bowl (it's a nice size one big enough for a bowl of popcorn), silicone spoon,  a pedometer, and a special VIP coupon for Green Giant Boxed Vegetables.

To Enter:

Required Entry:

1. Leave a comment on this post sharing your favorite veggie or favorite way to prepare veggies.

Bonus Entries:

1. Subscribe to the Frugal and Provident feed or email, and leave a comment saying that you did.
2. Follow Frugal and Provident via Google Friend Connect (found in the right side-bar), and leaving a comment saying that you did.
3. "Like" Frugal and Provident on Facebook, and leave a comment saying that you did.
4. Share this giveaway somewhere, and leave a comment saying where.

This means you can enter up to 5 times! Please be sure to leave a comment for each form of entry! The winner will be chosen on 3/2/11 around 10pm. Emailed comments and those left on Facebook will not be counted.

Disclosure: Green Giant Boxed Vegetables and MyBlogSpark provided me with info and a prize pack for me and my winner. All comments and opinions are my own.

Good Luck!

Edit: Sorry to anyone who saw this when it first posted and didn't know how to enter, somehow blogger lost half the post. :-( 

Edit 2: Due to a family emergency I've extended the ending time for this giveaway to 3/3/11

Publix Trip 2/17/11

I spent $33.02 for $127.08 worth of groceries, saving $94.06 or 74%.

See my original list here.

Added:
(1)Grapes $3.57
   -(1)$1 off Produce wyb (2) Select Kellogg's Cereals Peelie
(1)Publix Rolls $2.19
   -(1)$1.50 off Publix Bakery Bread wyb (6)Hunt's Sauces or Paste Italian Days Flyer
(6)Gerber Pasta Pick-ups 10/$9
(4)Hunt's Tomato Sauce 6/$2

Deleted:
Prices, Price Changes, Coupons, and Coupon Changes:
Frosted Flakes BOGO $4.09 not $3.99
Crunchy Nut Cereal $3.99
Progresso Bread Crumbs BOGO $1.95 not $1.97
Tomato Paste 4/$3
Hunt's Diced Tomatoes BOGO $1.89 not $1.87
   -(1)$1/3 Hunt's Tomatoes Italian Days Flyer

It was a good trip savings wise. My favorite cashier was MIA today and the one who checked me out seemed very flustered by all the coupons. My store has also been having all sorts of weird changes lately, and each assistant manager says something different, I really need to talk to the head manager about what is and isn't true. I don't wish for a corporate coupon policy, but I do wish for a corporate policy that requires each store to have a written coupon policy. That way there's none of this confusion as they pass rules down the telephone line.  Know what I mean?
   

Frugality: Tips for Saving Money on Printing Coupons

Printable coupons can be an awesome source for great coupons, but how much do you really save if you go through ink and paper quickly? It's even worse if you have a printer that has expensive cartridges! Here are some helpful ways to cut those costs down and increase your savings.

• Set your printer default to black and white to save on the colored ink.
• Make sure your printer setting is on the most economical. (Some have an economy setting, or you can choose a lower quality, which uses less ink)
• Use the backs and scraps of paper. If you are only going to print one coupon you can often use a half sheet from when you printed another coupon. Use the backs of coupons you didn't use as well.
• Use the backs of junk mail. Did you get a letter from a tax service wanting you to use their service? Use the back to print coupons. You can also use the back of children's past years school work, old papers from work, really anything that has print on one side, can be printed on the other. Of course one bit of warning is to not use anything that has personal information like SSN. Shred that. You can also ask people/businesses for this kind of paper. A lot of times it just ends in a box for recycling at office buildings.
• Print only coupons you will use, or are really high value. When I first started couponing I would print coupons that looked somewhat ok and I thought I might use. The problem with that is I ended up wasting paper and ink and never using them. Most of the coupon blogs will alert you to really great coupons that will disappear quickly, but most people know what is a great coupon for the item. There's an added advantage to waiting for some coupons as well: you get longer to use them.
• Consider buying a cheap printer for printing coupons, and remember look for one with cheap ink as well.
• Consider a laser printer. A little less than a year ago I bought a laser printer with money I got from doing surveys and rebates. It comes with a starter toner cartridge that lasted me til last month. It lasted for months after saying low toner. We bought the highyield replacement which I'm sure will last us a long time. We use the printer for coupons and pretty much anything that doesn't need color, which is a lot of things... And the quality is actually really great! If you are interested in the one I got check it out HERE. I bought it on sale for about $89, so wait for sales on these.
• Utilize sales and coupons. Office stores often have sales and coupons you can use to purchase paper and ink. Some also offer credits for bringing in your old cartridges.

With a little planning you can save even more with your printables. As always if you have any tips, share them below and I will add them to the post.

Shopping List for 2/17/11

Blue= Manufacturer's
Green= Publix
Red= Competitor

(4)Bertolli Pasta Sauce BOGO $2.57
    -(2)$1/2 Target IP HERE
(2)Progresso Bread Crumbs BOGO $1.97
(2) Progresso Beans 3/$2
    -(1) $1/4 Italian Days Coupon
(4)Progresso Broth BOGO $2.59
    -(1) $1/4 Italian Days Coupon
(2)Frosted Flakes BOGO $3.99
    -(1)$1/2 HERE
(2) Kelloggs Crunchy Nut Cereal
   -(2) Free wyb (1) Kelloggs Cereal Target HERE
(2)Nabisco Honey Maid Grahams BOGO $3.99
   -(1)$1/2 1/30/11 SS
   -(1) $1/2 Target HERE
(4)Green Giant Canned Veggies BOGO $1.29
   -(1) $1/4 Italian Days Coupon
(4)Hunt's Tomatoes BOGO $1.87
(4) Wishbone Dressing BOGO $2.19
   -(2)$1/2 1/30/11 RP
   -(2) $1.50/2 Target HERE
(2) Finish Dishwasher Detergent BOGO $6.99
   -(1)$2.25/1 from 1/2/11 RP
   -(2) $1.50/1 Target IP (no longer available)
(2)Green Giant Frozen 10/$10
   -(2) 50¢/1 IP
(2)Betty Crocker Brownie $1.99
   -(2) 50¢/1 2/13/11 GM
   -(2) $1/1 Good Deals Flyer
(1)Kashi Cereal 2/$5
   -(1) $3/1 Vocal Point
(2)Sargento Cheese 2/$4
   -(1) 50¢/2 from 1/30/11 SS
   -(2) $1.50/1 HERE
(2)Hunt's Tomato Paste or Tomato Sauce (Haven't decided?)

$5 off 20 Participating Products Italian Days Coupon

How Do I Use It? Oats Part II: Types and Uses

I bet a lot of people only know of two kinds of oats instant and regular! But there are actually a few different kinds (that mainly have to do with processing), read on for more info on oats.

• Whole Oats- Whole oats have a hard outer hull that needs to be removed. If you are going to buy whole oats, the hull needs to be removed before eating.
• Oat Groats- The whole grain oat with the outer hull removed. They look like a lot like brown rice. They can be eaten at this stage, but generally people eat one of the more processed stages.
• Steel-cut Oats- A rougher cut of oats made by passing the groat through steel cutters that chop them into 3-4 pieces. Because the oat bran is still intact steel-cut oats are some of the most nutritious.
• Rolled Oats- Made by steaming and flattening groats. There are two varieties: old-fashioned and quick-cooking. The former is made by passing whole groat through steam partially cooking it and then flattening it, the latter is usually steel-cut oats that have been steamed and flattened.
• Instant Oats- These are just the next level in processing, they are made by steaming and flattening the oats more. These are the least nutritious form of oats.
• Oat Flour- Basically oats ground into a powder.

All of these types can usually be found in both white and red oats. Red and White refer to the color of the oat, and there main difference is where they are grown.

All types of oats (except the whole oat and oat flour) can be used pretty much interchangeably, it mainly depends on the texture you desire and the time you have to cook them. You obviously won't use instant oatmeal for baking, but you could use it for a quick breakfast. It's mainly a matter of preference in most situations, and they all pretty much have the same flavor.

Clever Tricks- A Great Book for Cleaning

I checked out a book from the library a couple weeks ago, and I got to say it's kind of a fun book. It's a book full of cleanign tips and tricks for I swear everything in the house.

It's also a great book for learning how to clean in a more green way, or even just if you are looking for less-toxic materials to use. The book also contains lots of little tips for saving money, cute stories from raising her kids (she had 9!), and some of her house rules.

You might also recognize the name from a line of cleaning products, it is the same person, but the cleaning products are made by her daughter who was inspired by her mom.

You can get it on Amazon right now for about $8, which isn't bad for a book. I think I might even pick this one up, as it would be a handy little reference to have around.

Meal Plan Monday

Monday- Out
Tuesday-  Pork Chops, Salad, Rice
Wednesday- DIY/Leftovers
Thursday- Stirfry (Same recipe just using stirfry veggies)
Friday- Cheeseburger Loaves, Mac and Cheese, Peas
Saturday-  Out-of-town
Sunday- Chicken, Couscous, Green Beans

It's feeling like one of those crazy weeks ahead... Anyone else feeling that way?

What's your menu for the week?
Don't forget to link up below!

Publix Ad

Michelle over at iheartpublix has the new ad up, you can find it HERE.

It's Italian Days at Publix, so that means a good time to stock up on some of those basics. There's a few good things in the ad, so be sure to check it out.

As a side note, I hope everyone is having a wonderful Valentine's Day!

Friday Favorites- Recipe!

A few weeks ago, I decided to make some individual cheesecakes for an activity at church. I had made full cheesecakes before, but hadn't made individual ones before. I wanted ones that were more like cheesecake, and not the ones with the nilla wafer in the bottom. So, in typical me fashion I searched the internet, and here is what I found. And I must say they turned out amazingly good.

So check-it out here.

It comes with tips on how to do it at the top, and the recipe is at the bottom.

Enjoy!

Publix Trip 2/10/11

I spent $5.47 for $55.43 worth of groceries saving $49.96 or 90%! But I will submit for a rebate for the Snapple bringing it up to a savings of 101%!

Here's the match-up:
(4)Hartz Crunch N Clean BOGO $2.99
   -(2)$2/1 from 1/9/11 SS
   -(1)$1/1 from Feb All You
   -(1)$1/1 from Aug All You
(2)Welch's $2.99
   -(2)$2/1 Printable (No longer available)
(2)Rold Gold Pretzels BOGO $2.99
(2)Dove Deoderant $2.99
   -(2)$2/1 from 1/30/11 RP
   -(2)$1/1 from Green Advantage Buy Flyer
(1)Purina One Beyond Cat Food $7.99
   -(1)Free Product Coupon (Facebook promo no longer available)
(1)Strawberries $2.99
(1)Snapple Juice $5.99
   -Free after MIR found on package

I decided to go when I saw the opportunity for free dog treats, and figured I'd do the Dove and Welch's deal while I was there. I then decided the Strawberries looked good (again!). The rest I found while at the store...
Definitely a good trip in my book!

Frugality- The Best Ways to Save on Produce

One of the common things people say about couponing is that coupons are only for unhealthy foods, and they are right for the most part. I'd say easily 80% of coupons are for processed/junk food. The reason is simple, that is what a lot of people buy, and also where stores and manufaturer's make their money. So how can you save on produce? Well here are a few ways to do it:

• Coupons- Believe it or not there are coupons out there for produce. They are rare, and usually come with a purchase stipulation. One I used recently was "$1 off an avocado wyb 2 Tostitos" or "$1 off produce wyb 2 Kraft Dressings" Usually this isn't such a problem because generally these are items you will use with produce. Occasionally you'll also find coupons from major produce companies like Driscoll's Berries, Dole, or Chiquita. Another coupon source is store coupon. A lot of stores offer coupons for produce on occasion.
• Overage- I'm not advocating by a ton of stuff for hundreds of dollars of overage, but buying a few things for a little bit of overage can really help.
• $X/$XX purchase- These really can go a long way at cutting into the produce bill (and anything you don't get coupons for...)
• Farmer's Markets- This can be a real money saver. Farmer's are willing to make deals and haggle a little bit, especially if you buy a lot.
• Eat in Season- We live in an age where you can get all types of produce all year round, but that isn't the most economical. If you want the best value buy produce when it is at it's peak.

Here's a great resource for finding out when produce is at it's peak in your area, and also for finding a Farmer's Market. Check it out HERE.

Shopping List...

I actually am not sure if I'm going to go shopping this week... there is nothing that I really need from this ad. I'm still debating if I want to go for a few things that are ok deals.

If I do go, I'll give you match-ups with the show-and-tell post.

How Do I Use It? Oats Part I: Background

Oats are a great food. We're not talking about the instant kind, we're talking about the old fashioned and/or quick oats. They taste good, and they are good for you! Let's look at the background of oats:

• Wild oats were eaten as early as the Neolithic and Bronze Ages
• Romans cultivated it.
• Often is weed-like
• Loves coled climates
• Has a short growing season.
• High prevelance in Scotland, Ireland, Scandinavia, and Germany
• In U.S. oats were originally thought of only as horse feed.
• Oatmeal became popular in U.S. because poorer immigrants needed a breakfast they could afford.
• Oats also have use to day medicinaly and in beauty treatments.

Why Should You Store It?

• Great source of dietary fiber.
• Lowers cholesterol/ heart healthy.
• Has lots of antioxidants
• Helps keep blood sugar in check.
• Lowers blood pressure.
• Helps with Bowel Function
• Makes you feel fuller for a long period
• Great for breastfeeding mom's to help with milk supply.
• Great source of protein!
• Great source of many vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.
• Versatile. Great for breakfast with many options to mix in, but also can be used as a part of baking, and other meals. Can also be ground up into a flour.

New Uses for Baby Food Jars

While some baby food companies have made the switch to plastic companies, many still use glass. Keep in mind that a lot of these tricks also work for full size jars like the kind some pasta sauces come in. Here's a list of things you can do with baby food jars.

• Organize! Small craft items like beads, sequins, and glitter. Or for office supplies like rubber bands, paper clips, and push pins. Or use them in the work bench for screws, nails, nuts, and washers. Want to make it even simpler? Glue the lid to an overhanging cabinet, and screw the container into it to keep it neatly organized.
• Snack Container! Great for taking small portions of snacks like Cheerios with you. Or you can use it to take salad dressing for your salad at lunch.
• Candles. Most are big enough to hold a tealight. You can decorate the outside to make them look pretty too.
• Make homemade butter in them, can take awhile, but a fun thing for an active child to do.
• Make gifts in them. This past Christmas I made homemade bath salts and put them in an old baby food container.
• Make a pin cushion and sewing kit.
• Spice storage. Especially if you grow and dry your own spices.
• Store homemade baby food in them. A lot of people use homemade and store-bought food, so why not store the homemade in a perfect size container?
• Crafting. These containers are great for putting paints in to use with kids.
• Donate them. A lot of places will take these jars for the very purpose listed above. Try preschools, schools, churches, and senior centers.
• Use them for homemade jams.
• Make a homemade snow globe in them.
• Sand art.
• Touch-up paint. You can store a small amount of paint for touch up jobs around the house (much better than pulling out the whole can...)
• A bug jar for a little kid. (Make sure to punch holes in the top!)
• Fill with beads or beans for a fun shaker for a small kid.

I'm sure there are tons more out there, and if you have one of them please share below, and I will add it to the list!

Publix Ad

Michelle over at iheartpublix has the new ad up, you can find it HERE.

I don't see much to be thrilled about for me currently... I'll have to give it a better look, but I may skip out on this one...

Meal Plan Monday

Monday- Tortellini, Side Salad
Tuesday-  Beef and Broccoli
Wednesday- Hot Dogs, Mac and Cheese, Baked Beans
Thursday- Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Veggie
Friday- Pork Chops, CousCous, Veggie
Saturday-  Fish, Rice, Veggie
Sunday- BBQ Chicken, Pasta, Veggie
What's your menu for the week?
Don't forget to link up below!

Friday Favorites- Winner!

And the randomly selected winner of the MultiGrain Cheerios Gift Pack is....

Faholder (faholder@)

Congratulations! Be looking for an email from me shortly.

Thanks again to everyone who entered!

I should have another giveaway for you within the next few weeks... I hope you're excited!

Publix Trip 2/3/11

I spent $33.05 for $112.88 worth of groceries, saving $79.83 or 71%!

See my original list here.

Added:
(2) Additional Shredded Cheese
(2) 2% Kraft Singles $2.99
   -(1)$1/2 HERE
   -(2) $1/1 Printable (Can't remember where from...)
(1) Reusable Shopping Bag (not pictured)
   -(1) Free wyb $10 worth of Pepsi/Frito Lay Products

Deleted:
Nothing!

Prices, Price Changes, Coupons, and Coupon Changes:
Kraft Mayo BOGO $4.89! not $3.99
Milk $3.35 not $3.25
Chocolate Milk $2.89 (Free with Coupon)
Found a Peelie -$1/2 Diet Dr. Pepper 12 pk.

The trip was over all a good one. I had an assistant mananger checking me out, but I got the feeling he doesn't do it often. He entered a lot of the printable coupons as competitor... he also told me they are changing/changed? their coupon policy to not take some things, but he was really vague about it. He wouldn't take my Family Dollar $5/$25 purchase, and then he said something about my Walgreen's one, but then he entered it as a $1 off (instead of the full $4.99) anyway. But the ground turkey rang up wrong so he gave me both of them for free (I think because it was easier than trying to figure out the difference), so that made up for the Walgreen's coupon (I ended up getting $8.42 back for the meat). So it worked out ok in the end. I'll be interested to see where this coupon policy goes...

Also, just another reminder to enter the giveaway!

Shopping List for 2/3/11

Blue= Manufacturer's
Green= Publix
Red= Competitor


(4)Pepsi Products BOGO $4.99
   -(3)$1/1 Diet Dr. Pepper HERE
   -(1)B3G1 from Walgreen's Ad
(2) Kraft Mayo BOGO $3.99
   -(1) $1/2 HERE
(2) Keebler Cookies BOGO $3.95
  -(1) $1/2 Printable (no longer available)
  -(1) $1/2 HERE
(2) Kraft Shredded Cheese 2/$4
  -(1) $1.25/2 HERE
  -(1) $1/2 from 1/23/11 SS
(2) Philadelphia Cream Cheese 4/$5
  -(1) 50¢/2 HERE
  -(1) $1/2 single page flyer found in store
(2) Tostitos Chips 2/$7
(1) Eye Round Steaks $3.99/lb
(1) Ground Turkey $2.49/lb
   -(1)$1 off Fresh Meat Baby Club Coupon
(3) Avocado $5/5
   -(1)$1 off Avocado wyb (2) Tostitos
   -(1) $1 off Produce Baby Club Coupon
(2) State Fair BOGO $3.29 (reported)
   (2)$1/1 HERE
(7)Yoplait Light
   (7)Free Product Coupon
(1)Milk $3.25
   (1)$1/1 Dairy Product Baby Club Coupon
(1)Chocolate Milk
   -(1) Free wyb 1 gallon of milk printable (no longer available)
  

How Do I Use it? Sugar Part IV: Special Concerns

My usual Special Concerns of "fuel" and "water" don't really apply with sugar because as I said before you don't technically have to do anything to sugar to eat it. That being said, there still our some special concerns.

• Diabetes. Obviously if someone in your family has diabetes, some special planning may be necessary.
• Crash. While sugar does create energy, it also creates a crash of energy. So eat wisely. The best way to avoid it is to pair it with some protein and whole grains.
• Needs something with it. Most people aren't going to eat straight sugar, so you'll need some recipes and foods to use it with (like oats!) 
• Bugs. Once the food storage has been opened, you'll have to be extra careful to keep pest out. There are tons of bugs who will want your food storage as much as you do!

Sugar Part I, II, and III. 

New Uses for Leftover Rice

Maybe it's just me, but I feel like every time I make rice there is always some leftover. It doesn't matter if I made it for a side dish or part of a meal there is always some left. I then try to figure out how to use it when I don't really want to eat just regular rice. Here's a few ideas if you have the same perdicament as me.

• Fried Rice. There are tons of recipes out there for it and leftover rice works perfectly in it.
• Rice Salad. A nice mix of rice, veggies, and other ingredients.
• Burritos. Yum.
• Stuffed Peppers.
• Soup. There are countless soups you can add rice to instead of pasta.
• Rice Pudding.
• Rice Patty Pancakes. Mix egg and rice, pour into pan.
• Casseroles
• Beans and Rice,
• Rice Frittata
• Mix with milk and sugar (or honey, brown sugar) and heat it in the microwave for a dessert or even breakfast.
• Freeze it. Rice freezes pretty well.

Do you have a suggestion? Leave a comment below, and I will add it to the list.