Friday Favorites- Birthday!

Last Friday marked the 1 year birthday of Frugal and Provident! Boy what a year it has been! I feel like I just started this yesterday! In this short year, the blog has changed a lot with a new look and some new features. I hope to be able to bring you many more years of blogging!



Also, please share anything you'd love to see or anything you'd like to see changed! I love hearing from you! Stories, questions, or comments, I'd love to hear them. What's your favorite part of the blog? What's your least favorite part? What do you want to see more of? Have you learned anything? Is there something you'd like to learn more about? Let me know in the comments below or you can email me. For my email address check-out the disclosure policy tab above.

And also, a big thank you to all of my readers!

Publix Trip 6/9/11

I spent $20.41 for $86.06 worth of groceries, saving $65.65 or 76%, but I can submit for the $20 ConAgra giftcard offer, bringing it up to spending 41¢ for $86.06 worth of groceries, saving $85.65 or 99.5%.

Here's the match-ups:
(2)Orville Redenbacher's Popcorn BOGO $4.89
   -(1)$1/1 Pop-up bowl from free sample
   -Counts toward Conagra MIR

(4)Peter Pan Peanut Butter BOGO $2.59
   -(4) 50¢/1 HERE
   -(1) $1/3 from Conagra Storm Smart Booklet
   -Counts toward Conagra MIR

(2)Ragu BOGO $3.49
   -(1) 60¢/2 from 5/22/11 RP

(4)Sargento Shredded Cheddar 2/$4
   -(4)$1/1 HERE
   -(1)$1 off 1 lb or more of cheese (Florida Only) HERE
   -(1) 55¢/1 from May 2011 All You

(3)Van Camp's Pork and Beans 99¢ (Great for the hurricane kit!)
   -(1)$1/3 from Conagra Storm Smart Booklet
   -Counts toward Conagra MIR

(1)Pam for Baking $3.19
   -(1)$1/1 from Conagra Storm Smart Booklet
   -Counts toward Conagra MIR

(1) Sauve Hairspray $2.99
   -(1) Free Product Coupon

(1) Grapes $3.90
(1)Carrots $1.69
(2)Apples $1.88
   -(1)$2 off Produce HERE (Invite 3 friends)
   -(1) $1 off produce wyb Kraft Deluxe HERE

(1) Kraft Deli Deluxe 2/$5
   -(1)$1/1 HERE

(2) Chicken of the Sea 71¢
   -(2) 50¢/1 Printable (no longer available)

(2) Tylenol Precise Cream $4.99
   -(2) $5/1 HERE

(1)Clean and Clear Facewash $4.99
   -(1)$2/1 HERE

 -(1) $5/$25 purchase Save-a-lot coupon


It was good trip overall. Sadly I had to buy face wash not on sale because we some how ran out. :-/ I had been trying to play the drugstore deals to get it this week cheaper, but all the drug stores were out of the things I needed to make extracare bucks. UGH! Had my favorite cashier, and I think she's kind of realized that I don't scam because this week she just rang up all the coupons at the end. Nothing too exciting other than that.

How'd you guys do? Link-up below and share your spoils!

Saving Money on Pets

I'm a pet-lover, but pets can be expensive. Here are some ways to save money on your pets needs.
Food/Litter

• Coupons.* There are tons of pet coupons out there. Don't be afraid to contact a company to request coupons.
• Sales. They happen all the time... Use a coupon with the sale for better savings.
• Plan ahead and stockpile. Dog food and cat litter don't follow the same pattern as most sale items, and usually you only buy one brand because well it can cause stomach problems or your dog/cat doesn't like it. When there is a really good sale, stock-up on as much as you can to make it to the next sale. Avoid getting to the bottom of the bag and having to pay full-retail. I seriously have 6 big bags of dog food and several boxes of treats stockpiled, as well as a big bag of cat food and several bags of litter.
• Make your own treats. There are tons of simple recipes out there, usually consisting of flour and peanut butter and a few other ingredients. If you can't score a good deal on treats, consider making your own.

Vet/Medications

• Ask for discounts. I know it sounds silly, but vets have a lot of lead way on their prices.
• Ask for cheaper alternatives. There are generics and sometimes even human otc work for animal conditions. Sometimes a treatment isn't always necessary.
• Check-out online pharmacies like 1800petmeds.com. They have always been cheaper than the vet for me.
• Consider the human pharmacy for some drugs. My beagle has epilepsy, and the drug she takes is also available for humans. I could pay $100 for a 6 month supply at the vet or I can pay $11 at Walgreen's. (On a side note, this works when you see a dentist, and they prescribe medicines or mouth rinses, our dentist wanted to charge $50 for a mouth rinse, and we got it at Walgreen's for around $10. It never hurts to call around.)
• Check into local animal shelters, some offer low cost care and free spay/neutering.

Grooming/Boarding

• Do it yourself. Many dogs don't require expensive grooming. Many dogs would prefer a bath with you then a complete stranger. Same goes for nail trimming. If it's not a show dog, there is no harm in trimming your own dog.
• Ask for specials. This goes for grooming and boarding.
• Call around.

Other

• Look for clearance and sales on toys, bedding, leashes, washes, etc.
• Try craigslist for dog crates, cat towers, etc.
• Realize most animals would be happy with used blankets, balls, and you.
• Be creative. Honestly my cats bed is a box that those snack size chips come in. She just climbed into it when it was sitting on the floor, and it became her bed. We just put an old towel in it. My one dog sleeps in an old comforter.  My other dog like to play with empty water/soda bottles.

*A great blog for all sales and coupons related to pets is My Pet Savings. They update often with coupons and sales for all sorts of retailers, online or brick and mortar. She covers all kinds of pets as well. If you have a pet, it's definitely worth it to follow that blog.

A Review of Everything

I figured now would be a good time to link-back to a bunch of emergency prep posts, so those that are new here can catch-up, and those that are old here can refresh their memories.

Food and Drink

1. Put together your 72 hour kit!
2. Learn how to store and purify water.
3. Work toward building up 3 months of food.
4. Work toward a year supply or more of food.
5. Learn how to properly store your food storage and the ways to store it.
6. Learn how to use the staples of long term food storage.
7. Learn the many places you can put your food storage.

Emergency Prep

1. Have a plan.
2. Include your kids.
3. Know how to prepare for your disasters.
4. Have proper insurance. Don't forget flood!
5. Have a financial tool-kit.

If you haven't started, please get started. Each day there are disasters and economic hardships. How much better would you feel if you knew what to do if a fire started in your home? How much better would you feel if you knew that food would be the least of your concerns, if you lose your job? Remember an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Don't be fooled into thinking it will never happen to you.

New Uses for Business Cards

With the digital age we are in, business cards aren't as necessary as they used to be. Or perhaps you ordered a large box, only to end up changing positions. So what can you do with all those business cards? Here's a few ideas to get you thinking.

• Use them as bookmarks. I'm always losing my bookmarks...
• Use them for crafts
• Build card houses and castles out of them. (Like playing cards)
• Use them to level wobbly furniture
• Use them to make labels for various things (like making tabs for hanging folders...)
• Use them to clean tiny crevices
• Use them to get organized.
• Make confetti out of them.
• Noisemakers for bike wheels.
• Scrap paper for lists, notes, reminders, etc.
• Create a game using the clean side, or play memory with them by trying to match like businesses.
• Use them to make flashcards for kids

Do you have any uses for old business cards? Share them below, and I'll add them to the list.

Meal Plan Monday

Monday- Tacos
Tuesday-  Pork Chops, Rice, Veggie
Wednesday- Burgers, Tater Tots, Veggie
Thursday- Grilled Chicken, CousCous, Veggie
Friday- Beef Stroganoff
Saturday- Mac and Cheese
Sunday- Left-overs/DIY
What's your menu for the week?
Don't forget to link up below!

Friday Favorites- Recipe

I made these delicious pumpkin muffins a week or so ago, and I just had to share them with you.

Photo Credit: thepioneerwoman.com

Don't they look yummy? They were sooo yummy, and made the house smell great.

You can find the recipe for them here. This is also a great website for a lot of recipes.

Publix Trip 6/2/11

I spent $16.08 for $87.48 worth of groceries, saving $71.40 or 82%!

Here's the match-ups:
(2) Thomas English Muffins BOGO $3.89

(8) Ronzoni Healthy Harvest BOGO $1.89
   -(4) $1/2 HERE

(2) Healthy Harvest Egg Noodles BOGO $1.89 (Since the coupons said off two boxes, I didn't feel it matched the bags)

(8) Ronzoni Garden Delight BOGO $1.89
   -(8) $1/1 HERE (I assure you I used 4 different computers to get these, in case anyone was wondering)

(2) Yoplait Yoplus BOGO $2
   -(2) 55¢/1 Peelies

(2) Dove Ice Cream BOGO $3.49
   -(2) $1/1 Blinkies

(4) Mrs. T's Pierogies BOGO $2.59
   -(2) $1/1 HERE
   -(1) $1/1 from June 2011 All You
   -(1) $1/1 from March 2011 All You

(2) Fresh Express Salad BOGO $3.69
   -(2) $1/1 from Facebook Promotion (no longer available)

(1) Orajel 2/$5
   -(1)$1/1 Printable (not sure where from...)

(2)Chef Boyardee Whole Grain 10/$10
   -(1) B1G1 from a homemailer

(2) Publix Cream Cheese 95¢

(1) Cottonelle Wipes $2.69
   -(1) Free Product Coupon

(1) Blueberries $1.99

-(1) $5/$25 Save-a-lot Coupon

Good trip, and I promise I didn't clear any shelves. ;-) It seems my store has been fairly prepared with the really good deals lately. My cashier was a little flustered with all the coupons and the new coupon policy, but she called one of the managers over to watch her do it, and there were no problems. Not even with the overage. I had been waiting for this pasta to go BOGO again, as it had been awhile. I'll only buy the wheat or veggie kind of pasta, but now I'm stocked for awhile again. :-)

How'd you guys do? Link-up below and share your spoils!

Frugality: Meal Planning

If you really want to save money, you need to plan meals. In fact, every week I do my meal plan monday where you can see my plan for the week.
You've probably also noticed I don't buy a lot of meat at Publix, but many of my meals have meat in them. The reason for that is simple, if it's a great price I buy it and a lot of it, so I have a freezer full of meat. I also tend to find the best prices for meat (and other things...) at warehouse clubs.

We also routinely have a meatless night, some weeks it doesn't happen, but most it does. This really helps save money because meat is expensive. I'm also one to cut back on portions of meat to stretch it further, which is why I try to do a lot of meals with cut up versions of meat because when it's mixed with a bunch of other things (like in a stir-fry or casserole), you just don't need a lot of it. After all most of us eat twice the recommended serving size of 4 oz, and then go back for seconds!

So how do you meal plan most effectively? Eat what you have, and cater to the sale ad for what you don't! Now it sounds hard, but it really isn't. I have a ton of ground beef/turkey from sales and from BJ's. Now I could choose to make sloppy joes with that, but the produce I need for that isn't in season right now, so if I did make that I'd be paying a lot more for it. However, in my stockpile, I do have cornflakes and stewed tomatoes, so I have everything I need for cheeseburger loaves. This time of year is grilling season, so a lot of good kinds of meat are on sale. If I buy steaks or pork ribs or hotdogs now (and the buns), I can freeze them and eat them later.

The reasons this saves money is simple:

• You won't be forced to eat out because you have nothing for dinner.
• You won't spend a lot of money because you aren't just shopping with no idea what you are going to make with it. (Have you ever gone shopping just thinking "I'll figure out meals for the week when I get to the store?" Sure you come out with meals, but probably a whole bunch of things you don't need.
• You'll avoid having to run to the store because you need something for a meal. This almost always leads to buying something you didn't originally plan to.
• Since you buy what is on sale, you'll be saving money right there.
• You aren't wasting food. Throwing away expired or foods you won't eat is just like throwing away money. Often times the foods we throw away are things we bought without a list or a plan.
• You save gas. If you aren't going out to eat, or stopping at the store several times a week, you are saving money.

I'm by no means perfect. There are times when I have planned my meals for the week, but a crazy day leads to fast food. Sometimes it's unexpected events like meetings or illness. And sometimes I think I have something in my pantry or freezer, but it turns out it's not there. But the point is to subscribe to the 80-20 rule- if 80% of the time you follow the rules, 20% you can fudge on, and not feel bad.

A Look at My Stockpile/Food Storage/ 72 Hour Kit

So I decided to do a bit of a show and tell type post today. Couponers often call what I call food storage, a stockpile. This is just my shelf stable food, as I have lots of food in my fridge/freezer and chest freezer. I also have a stockpile of toiletries, but this is just about food storage. :-)

 Here's the bottom 3 rows of my kitchen pantry. Bottom row: Juice and soda, and overflow of chips. There also vinegar and baking soda back there that you can't see. Second row: canned tomato products (sauce, paste, diced), salsa, condiments, as well as some drink mixes (box milk, lemonade, chocolate, and hot chocolate). Top row: Canned veggies, snack overflow, and what you can't see is mac and cheese. Also some more condiments.

 Top three rows of the kitchen pantry. Bottom: Snacks and canned and dried fruit. This is where I keep nits, chips, pretzels, crackers, cookies, etc. Middle: Baking! And the peanut butter/jelly shelf, but those are baking foods too. There's various flours, canned milks, shortening, chocolate chips, and sugar. My all purpose flour isn't pictured, but that's because it's a big container in another place. Top: Breakfast. Cereals, granola bars, oatmeal, syrup

 This is one of my cabinets. Bottom shelf is snacks and toddler food. Middle is rice, pasta, couscous, bread crumbs, and seasoning mix. Top shelf is more baking! Generally the stuff in this cabinet is open.

 This is my newest addition. The bottom shelf is my no 10 cans. In those are things like rice, apple chips, beans, pasta, sugar, flour, even some pudding and fruit drink. The rest is just overflow from the other. Condiments, soups, veggies, fruit, and of course breakfast food. On top is the rest of a giant bag of brown rice I got (really cheap at Gordon Food Service), the rest of which is in other containers, but I couldn't find any more containers to fit the rest. To the left you'll notice two large buckets. They contain wheat.

This is my 72 hour kit. It's located in our bathroom linen closet. The reason for this is our safe room is the master walk-in closet right next to it. Those containers have wheels, so we can just wheel them. This is part of our water storage, we also have some two liters in the garage.In the containers are food, first aid, sanitary supplies, and other things that should be in your 72 hour kit. On top of those are a picnic kit that contains plates and such, and behind that is our document tool kit. That contains all important documents. We try to keep all of this together because if there is an evacuation ordered, we just want to be able to grab and go.

Hopefully this gives you a little insight, and is informative to you. I'm not quite to a year yet, but I'm working on it, but the important thing is to work toward it.