RANT!

So a few days ago there was this cat in our back yard looking for some food. When I went to take some out there something scared her and she ran. The next day there she was again. I went up to her and she is so friendly, and meowing, and PREGNANT! This poor cat, she isn't very big and she is the sweetest cat, but is pretty wide. I don't know where she came from but here she is. She was also here this morning too. I fed her some good canned food and set her up a little spot in the garage. She left while we were gone and hasn't come back yet.

Which leads me to my rant. GET YOUR ANIMALS FIXED! Both males and females. If you can AFFORD to get them fixed then you have no business having pets! Like there aren't enough homeless animals out there. The shelters are so full they have to have fosters taking care of these unwanted animals. There is no reason for an animal to have babies other than if they are pure breed animals. It is the responsibility of EVERY responsible pet owner to get their animal fixed the same as it is to feed and water them.

So now we are left in a spot. What do we do? Well DUH, we will foster the cat, try and give away the kittens when she has them and then make sure she gets fixed.

We have FOUR cats as it is, 2 of which were ones we have taken in since we moved here. We love our cats we really do, but we can not afford to keep bringing in animals and getting them fixed ($115). The food I can do since I can get food for next to nothing, but the vet stuff is what is expensive.

Like Bob Barker says "GET YOUR PETS SPAYED OR NEUTERED!"

I need to regain some control!

I went out today to get the last bit of Apple Jacks, milk, chicken for the coupons that I had. I had enough coupons to get 5 deals with the chicken so I was going to do 5 for the milk/cereal too. I had spoken with my neighbor and she said she would take one gallon of milk. I have made pudding 4 times and that does help to get the milk gone (all that pudding I got at HT triples came in handy).

Lowes only had 12 boxes of Apple Jacks so I decided to just do both deals 3 times. I am so glad I did, after 7.5lbs of chicken, 3 boxes of ice cream, 3 bags of veggies and 3 mini garlic loaves-I HAVE NO ROOM IN EITHER FREEZER. I had to go into my freezer outside and start moving stuff around to try and squeeze it in there. After I finally get it all in, I find another chicken and garlic bread. I did manage to get the door shut.

I am going to have to stop shopping. I really have no room in either freezer. I did find 2 half full things of ice cream in the outside freezer that should have been inside which really angered me.

Part of me says have Alex take the keys to both vehicles-but what if I have an emergency? Then I think, have him take all your credit cards and cash but what if there is a REALLY REALLY good sale?

I need professional help!

Harris Teeter Triple Coupons no big deal

I went out this morning, all excited about triples. I was in my local HT and of course they were already out of a few things I mean it was 1 hour after triple coupons started! I bought my 20 items and came home to pick up my kids and go hit a few more HTs. The more stores we went to the more tired I was and the less I wanted to do it. Then to top it off my younger 2 were just being total pains in the hiney. I wanted to slug them both, and of course my oldest is trying to be peace maker. Why did I bother taking them all?



From HT-
3 WIND CHIMES! (yes, wind chimes, no coupon but they were only $3.74 each, I deserve a treat!)
1 Dr Pepper
3 Suave Shampoo
2 Suave mens body wash
2 suave hair spray
24 Tic Tacs
23 Hershey Brand candy bars
2 Breakstones sour cream
1 Hungry Jack Pancake mix
2 Pillsbury Reduced Sugar cake mix
2 Filet Mignon
1 HT Naturals Organic Ice Cream
1 Utz Potato Chips
1 beef chunks
8 powerade (one is missing)
3 Oscar Mayer Deli Creations
4 Kix cereal
6 uncle bens rice
2 Barilla Pasta
6 Shave gel (3 are behind a box that fell)
2 Pledge furniture polish
2 windex anti bacterial
1 BAM toilet cleaner
6 Hillshire Farm turkey or Ham slices
1 Hormel Bacon
2 loaves Sara Lee Bread
3 Peppridge Farms Rolls
16 Ice Cubes Gum
2 bags pizza rolls
1 Reynolds foil
1 scrubbing bubbles foam
Kashi Vive Cereal

Total $41.84
Total coupons used $136.86
Specials $93.54

I went to Lowes Foods since I was right there and got-
1 Perdue Perfect portions
1 family sized Rice A Roni
2 Nature Made Noodle Roni
1 Mini Garlic Bread
1 16oz bag frozen veggies
4 Pillsbury crescent
4 Pillsbury Cinnamon rolls
4 apple jacks
1 gallon milk
Total spent 12.36
Savings-$26.47
Coupons $13.70

Also my son found some $2 off beef wine tags.

The filet Mignot I have a rebate for $10
Also the buns and beef chunks will qualify me for a $5 rebate

I also got a rebate check in the mail today for $3.89 and some Coke Zero coupons, 6 for $1 each...

Also I should be able to fill up mine and Alex's cars with gas for our $20 rebate tomorrow....

Another great shopping day!

Another picture worthy trip....
Food Lion 2 trips (needed some coupons from one store in particular on the way to others)
5 No Worries Daquari Mix (used $1Q)
8 Pay Day (used $.50Q)
1 Hershey Cookies and Cream (used $.50Q)
3 packs Ice Breakers Gum (used $.50Q)
1 2ltr Dr Pepper (used $.55Q)
Total spent $.64 (total saved $26.17)

Walgreens was the next stop*Thanks to Scott and Cathey*
3 packs Loose leaf paper (used q making it $.29 each)
2 Bic Lighters (used store Q making them $2.50 each, used 2 $1Q too)
1 Crayola Markers ($2.00)
1 pack Pen ($1.00)
2 Cello Sponges (used store q making them $1.50 each, used $1/2Q)
1 package big smarties my kids slipped in ($.79)
Total $10.78 (saved $24.15) used Gift Card so NO OUT OF POCKET!
Would have gotten more, but they had no Reynolds wrap and there was something else but I don't remember.

Next stop Lowes Foods. I did 2 transactions
2 Perdue Perfect Portions Chicken Breast (used 2 $2Q)
2 Family Sized Rice a roni (deal was buy the chicken get Rice, bread, ice cream, veggies Free!)
2 64oz Lowes Food Ice Cream (Free)
2 16oz bags of Frozen Green Beans (free)
2 mini loaves Lowes Foods Mini Garlic Bread ( free but still used 1 $.50 store coupon)
2 small Pillsbury Cresent Rolls (used 2 $.35Q that doubled)
2 Small Pillsbury Sweet Rolls (used 2 $.30Q that doubled)
8 Apple Jacks (Sale was $1.66 a box used 8 $1Q)
2 Gallons Milk (deal was buy 4 Kelloggs cereals get a Free gallon of milk)
1 can Beef Broth (used $.50 store coupon)
1 12oz Oscar Mayer Bacon
1 Hershey Bar (used 1 $.50 coupon that doubled to retail worth $.25)
1 Reese peanut butter cup (thought coupon would work but didn't paid $.37)
Used $4 catalina from Harris Teeter Yesterday
Total spent $20.50 (total saved $63.94)

Also 2 items purchased at WAGS were rebate items for total of $3.00

So the net spent is $18.14

Tomorrow is TRIPLES!!!!!

Harris Teeter, CVS and Food Lion

It was really rough being out of town during an awesome HT sale...Luckily I made it back in time to shop though. I went to a few stores today, 2 Food Lions, 2 CVS and 4 HT, also I swung by the Honda place for my FREE car wash. It is basically a circle that I end up driving about 20 miles tops round trip. The reason I hit a few different HT's and Food Lions is they tend to have different coupons at different stores. For instand the one Food Lion had some coupons that my local Food Lion (2 miles away) didnt have, and that one had some that the second one I went to today didn't have. The Harris Teeters, the last one I hit had the coupons I would have liked to have for the Harris Teeters before that one. Plus I don't like having to do 5 transactions at my local HT. They already look at me funny. I will do 5 transactions in one trip, but I just feel like they are giving me the stink eye.

From Harris Teeter
24 Crystal Light (deal was buy 1 get 2 free, AND when you purchased 6 you got a $4 cat good OYNO used 2 buy 3 get the fourth free coupons too)
2 Wheat Thins (2 coupons-free when you buy 3 Crystal Light)FREE
3 Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs (3 coupons Free WYB Crystal light)FREE
1 Spray N wash ($.75 coupon that doubled)FREE
6 Jolly Time popcorn ($.75 Q that doubled, so they paid me to take it)FREE
2 Tava (used raincheck with coupon making it free-though I had to fight for it)FREE
3 Kraft BBq sauce (buy 1 get 2 and used a $1/3 Q) $.59 total for 3
6 Planters Peanuts ($3 off when you buy 3 Crystal Light/wheat thins, Oscar Mayer Q) price paid range $.19+$.39 each
6 Hersheys Cookies and cream (kids ate 3) Used 3 $.50/2-FREE so they paid me
12 Take Five (my favorite!) used 12 $.25Q-FREE so they paid me
2 Packages of beef stew meat (used $1.00 off BBQ item coupon)
1 Kraft salad dressing (used Free WYB Crystal Light coupon)FREE
1 lb carl budding Turkey ($1Q and $3 store coupon)$.49 each
2 Ball Park Deli Style Hot Dogs (used $1/2 and 2 $3 store coupons)$.49 each
2 package of fried chicken strips (used 2 $1 off fried chicken coupons) $1.50 each
Total saved using coupons $100.44
Total saved using specials 85.14
Total spent at HT $21.50
but I used a $5 Coors rebate gift card for part of it so I spent a total of $16.50 at HT
Also I have one $4 cat left to spend there

Went to CVS and got
10 packs Trident Xtra Care gum-It was on sale BOGO, I had BOGO coupons AND for every 2 you buy you got a $1 ECB (limit 5)
1 Physicans Formula Organic Foundation $11.99, found $2Q and also spend $10 get $5 ECB
1 Physicans Formula Tox foundation $12.99, found $2Q and I have a Free after rebate-
Total out of pocket $8.33
Have $3.00 left in ECB
will get $12.99 for rebate

Went to 2 Food Lions-really to look for coupons with triple coupons coming this week but got some frees
8 No Worries drink Mixer (10/$10 used 8 $1 coupon found on door of freezer)
7 Payday candy bars ($.39-but I had $.50 coupon so they paid me!)
1 Dr Pepper 2 ltr (sale $.99, used $.55Q)
2 Pruina cat food (2 free coupons)
1 Mentos (strawberry my favorite, I was going to get overage so I grabbed something quick)
Total out of pocket at Food Lion $1.58

So after all the math is done with ECB, rebates and Coupons left to spend at stores the total is $6.42!

And some of this will be donated or given away (like wheat thins!)

Oh yeah and came home to a $2.00 rebate check...making my rebate total for the month of July $145.95

I guess I should point out that we did go to Chick Fil A for lunch ($10.63 for 3 of us) and then to McDonalds, one of my kids won't eat CFA...that was an additional $2.67.

Camping at Black Mountain Campground

I so was not thinking when I thought I didn't need to bring my camera. I really wish I had taken it. We were at by far the nicest campground as of yet and it was still as cheap as the not as nice ones.

Our original plans were to have Alex work from home on Wednesday so he wouldn't get home so late from work. Well, my oldest kid, who has been sick since July 5th had been hacking up a lung. Alex decided I should take him to the doctor. I made an appointment at OUR doctor and the earliest they had was 3pm and was about a 20 minute drive one way. I was surprised how quickly they got us in. As it turns out he had bronchitis, so we got our RX and were on our way. We were out of there by 3:30. Then we had to drop them off at the drug store that was kinda out of the way so we could pick it up on our way out of town. We got home and then started packing the van, that took until almost 5:30 we were finally on the road about then. Then we had to stop to eat dinner, really the main concern was getting to the place before it was dark. It is hard to make camp in the dark.

We got to the campground at about 8:30, and were ready to camp at 9:30, meaning everything was blown up and ready to sit and relax. We purposely picked a site ON the river. It was really nice - 2 of them, new fire rings, and the bathrooms were less than 2 years old. They even had pay showers (though we didn't use them others did all day). Plus the campground host take their jobs VERY seriously. This person was constantly checking our bathroom it was ALWAYS clean. My absolute only complaint is the ones we picked were unisex only, so I was CONSTANTLY having to lower the stupid seat on the toilet.

I had packed for this trip, I knew there was NOTHING there. So I even packed extra ice in a cooler with some dry ice to try and keep it frozen. I had enough food for 5 days since we were SUPPOSED to leave on Saturday but our neighbor that was supposed to be meeting US couldn't leave until Friday and they were leaving on Sunday. The ice did for the most part stay ice until Friday afternoon. It was a big clump of ice by then, but fit into the cooler so it all worked out. PLUS they did sell ice at the campground (I was told they didn't have anything by the neighbor that had been there before).

Thursday we just stayed around the camp ground. It is a small campground http://www.cs.unca.edu/nfsnc/recreation/black_mountain.pdf
but one nice thing is you can hunt for your own wood, so Alex did that. Alex hunts for wood in the morning so we can play after lunch.

Antoher good day for bargins!

I went to BiLo (store doubles $.99 coupons and below)
10 Powerade (used 10 powerade $.30 coupons)
7 Jello Singles (used 7 -$.50 coupon)
Chicken tenders (#3 ate them used $1.00 off fried chicken WT)
$.15 bag credit
Total spent 4.36
Total saved $27.40

Walgreens (where I am learning quickly it isn't worth my time!)
I was going to buy some Shampoo that is bogo, but I couldn't use my bogo coupon so I said forget it.
1 bag cough drops
used gift card $1.06

Rite Aid
Grand opening sale at the one in Huntersville (I had no clue I was going just for the shampoo)
I did 2 orders since there were 2 limits on things.
4 Tidy Cats Litter (used 4-$1.00 coupon)
4 Tylenol (used $2 coupon from RA flier)
8 Shampoo/conditioner
Total spent $10.86
Saved $31.96

Harris Teeter (store doubles $.99 coupons and below)
3 Special K (used 3-$1 coupons)
2 Jolly time popcorn (used 2 $.75 coupons)
2 Loaves HT bread
1 -4 pack corn
8 Hershey Bars (used $.50/2 coupons)
Total spent $4.84
Total saved $21.92

ALso I came home and got the mail, received a rebate form for $20 off 20 gallons of gas...

Pretty good deal today!

I decided I needed a haircut. So since I was going to the local strip mall, I decided to hit up a few stores for coupons and good deals.
Our first stop was a local gas station that I have had good luck with for coupons. JACKPOT! They had a bunch of candy coupons. I needed more Hershey bars since we are going camping in a few days.
Then I got my haircut. Then went across the street to rite aid. Thanks To SCOTT I got the free shampoo and conditioner. I only got a total of 4 bottles even though I have 7 coupons (for 14 total). I didn't want to be a pig. While in the parking lot, I found a receipt from Food Lion that has steaks on it and total basket ring of $101. Then I went across the street to HT to get a few things that are on sale that I have coupons for.

Rite Aid-
4 bottles of Shampoo conditioner (used 2 bogo coupons)-These are bogo this week at Rite Aid and Walgreens
Crest tooth paste -FAR at Rite Aid
Physicians formula foundation

Total out of pocket $17.16

HT-
4 powerade (used $.30 coupons that double)
2 Ball Park Angus hot dogs (used $1 Q for each+a $1 BBQ coupon)
Sara Lee Hot dog buns (used Free with 2 hot dog purchase coupon)
6 Hershey bar (used 3 buy 2 get $.50 Q that doubled)
3 Take five candy bar (my weakness-used 3 -$.25 Q that doubled)
2 Special K that are bogo on sale (used $1 Q for each)
HT French Roast Coffee
HT brand Bread

Total out of pocket $12.82

The good news is there is a $2.99 rebate on the Crest from Rite Aid, and a $12.95 rebate for the make up for those items purchased at Rite Aid.
And a $5.00 rebate for the hot dogs from HT...
So that is a net cost of $9.04!

Camping

Well, we went camping with our friends from CT. We had a nice time. The purpose of this trip was to see if they would like camping. We used all our stuff or borrowed stuff from our neighbors. It makes no sense for them to buy all the camping stuff just for them not to like camping. They CLAIM they liked it and they will do it again, but don't have any plans in the immediate future to camp. They need to buy all the camping stuff which is costly. I just hope they didn't say they like camping just because we like it. I know not everyone is into camping. It is a lot of work to camp. We happen to enjoy the hiking and waterfalls and water play that comes with camping. I try and find campsites on a river or creek so my kids have something to do. Plus where we go it is less than $20 a night and that is a whole lot cheaper than a hotel.

This time when we went camping and I had gotten a few things that we decided we needed last time. When we went last time my older 2 children were completely bored and just did NOTHING. My middle child slept a lot out of sheer bordem. I purchased a small hand saw and a hatchet. Well, apparently my middle child was meant to hunt wood and cut it. He was actually useful this time. HE has found his calling!

We are scheduled to go camping with our neighbors very soon. No one we know likes to camp except our next door neighbors but really his wife is not keen on it. We just asked her husband and told him to bring whichever children wanted to come (there are 4 girls). Well I talked with his wife a few days later and she said she would come. I was surprised that she was willing to come, however she did say they would only stay 2 nights most likely, our plan is to stay 3 or 4.

Everytime we go camping we find something else we need. The first time this year we decided we needed a hatchet, saw and screen room. I would try and take my husband to the store to help me buy these things since I won't be the one using them. HE totally wants nothing to do with it just like the purchasing of the camping stuff. He hasn't helped me purchase a single item, tent, sleeping bag nothing. He wants to remain clueless! Well this last time we were in Walmart he actually wanted to look at the camping stuff. We decided we need a ONE burner stove (to suppliment the stove/grill-griddle we currently have) and he also says we need to get a box that clamps shut so we don't have to haul everything back to the car at night so the critters big and small won't get it. He actually used to go camping a lot when he was growing up. I on the other hand went one time that I can remember and that is only because another family took us, my parents don't camp.

Our plan is to go to Black Mountain Campground which is near the base of Mt Mitchell. This campground is at a 3200ft elevation so the nights should be nice a cool. That is my biggest concern when camping I have a hard enough time sleeping I don't need to be hot!

Food Lion run

This morning I went out to get more newspapers since there were a few coupons in the paper I wanted several of. I went to Food Lion since I haven't been there in a little while. I mean it is so far away, 1.8 miles and across the street from the Harris Teeter that I go to several times a week. I go in and find Wine Tags for $1.00 of BBQ item, and what I have found is these work on most anything you buy. I also had looked on Hotcouponworld.com and noticed how people were talking about this "Bundinos" that has a Try Me Free rebate that is printable on line. AND when you go to the site to print it out there is also $.50 coupons to print too AND these are also buy one get one free at Food Lion this week also.

So I went and got 2 bags of healthful life cat food (used 2 free coupon)
1 box of popcorn (no coupon)
2 Bundinos (2 $.50 coupons)
it cost me $4.99, but I will get $2.50 back for that rebate.
Not bad I figured, also I found peelies on Dr Pepper 2 liters for $.55 that will double at HT, for free Dr Pepper (or even overage!) when it is on sale. But there were no rebates to be found :0(

Wow that was QUICK!

I got my $50 Toyota test drive gift card in the mail on Friday. I sent that out 2 weeks ago. That is pretty good service considering I ended up buying a HONDA!