Please Don't Clear the Store Shelves!

Couponing is a way of life for millions of households and in these economic tough times, I find it very reasonable to save money in every way possible. Coupons are equivalent to money and when a store reduces an item in their weekly flyer paired with a coupon, it equals great savings. So what stops a person from buying said items? – shelf clearing! This is when another person(s) - likely with the same coupon intentions, clears a shelf of a particular product leaving nothing for anyone else. I know people pad their stockpiles and even sometimes donate to charity but I too do these things and still leave some items for the next shopper.

Without couponing, an example of this is just this past Saturday when SDM had their Saturday only specials with a limit of 4. I purchased the limit of the 3-pack Irish Spring soap .99ea; Colgate toothbrushes .88ea; Colgate toothpaste .99ea. I’ve put these items aside and will include them to donate to a local women’s shelter. See, I bought only 4 of each item and I didn’t think about going in 10 times to purchase the same amount because I know there are a lot of opportunities throughout the year to pick up on good deals. I’m a deal hunter and always looking out. J

My plead is this- unless there are a couple of the item on the shelf, please do not fill up your cart and clear the shelf. Keep others in mind because good deals need to be spread around. We all need a chance to save money.

Being Frugal : Dishwasher Habits

I have the energy star appliances and avoid using the dishwasher in the evening after dinner – I use the ‘delay start’ set for the middle of the night when energy costs are lower.

Being frugal : I make my own Cinnamon Sugar

I Grind cinnamon sticks and mix with white sugar = cinnamon sugar for a lot less than buying it in the jar.

Family Tradition Easy Tiramisu Recipe

I made this to celebrate the first day of 2012. It's very easy to prepare and is delicous!

Note: I didn't want to make the 4-quart dish (which is what the ingredients listed will make) so I cut the ingredients in half and made a smaller version as pictured below.

Ingredients: 

• 3 eggs
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp Kahlua
• 1 Tbsp dark rum
• 2 containers of Marscapone cheese 
• Cocoa powder
• 2 pkgs Savoriardi brand cookies (there will be left over)
• 2 “mugs” black coffee (your usual coffee mug size will do)

Prep: Have warm coffee ready in a flat bowl; add dark rum

  

In a large bowl, blend eggs and sugar until smooth. Add one container of cheese and blend until smooth; add second container of cheese and Kahlua until well blended. Set aside.

Quickly roll one cookie at a time into the coffee mixture (do not over soak) and line a 4-quart glass dish completely– break cookies to fit gaps in corners. Pour half of the cheese mixture over the cookies and coat with cocoa powder. Repeat this step to add a second layer. 

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 hours.

2011 : Half a Year in Review

Reflecting on my savings gives me great pride in what I've accomplished in only 6 months. Here's what I have saved since June 2011:

• Redeeming SDM Optimum Points : $830 in free products & groceries
• Redeeming Sobeys club points : $200 in free groceries
• Redeeming CAA points : $230 for 4 free Canada's Wonderland and Movie tickets
• Free gift cards earned through various sources
• Sobeys : x2 Nestea mail-in rebates = $40
• SDM spend $50 receive $10 Tim Horton's = $40
• Stouffers Rewards = $20
• Kellogg's Gas Cards = $20
• Marks Work Warehouse = $10
• Swagbucks = $100
• Couponing : Lost track .... but is over $1,000 which includes all my FPC's! 

Happy 2012!

Advil Cold and Sinus Bonus Count : $4 Coupon

Current Walmart flyer has Advil Cold and Sinus on sale marked from $10.92 to $8.47. I applied the $4 coupon found on a tear pad (from Shoppers Drug Mart) and brought the price to $4.47 for a 50 count bottle. It's already opened because DH is ill this week.

Easy Rice Pudding Recipe that tastes like Grandma used to make!

So much more cost effective to make at home than buy store bought versions.  I found an incredibley easy and tasty Rice Pudding Recipe that I would like to share. It tastes just like I remember my grandma making but this uses instant rice.

Makes only 2 servings so I double up on the ingredients that it calls for:

• 1 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup instant rice, uncooked
• 2 Tbsp of sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp vanilla

Combine milk, rice, sugar and salt in saucepan. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 6 minutes (stirring constantly).

In separate bowl, whisk egg and vanilla until blended. Add a small amount of hot milk mixture and mix well. Pour egg mixture to saucepan, cook and stir on low heat for 1 minute (do not boil).

Remove from heat and let stand for 30 minutes.  I also sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.

My preference is to serve cold but also tastes yummy warm!

DD shops smart too : Makes a mama proud !

Children do learn from example and my 10 year old made me proud. We browsed the Ardene store and she was looking for discounted items! She paid only $10 for the necklace, bracelet and earrings. The necklace is heavily beaded and the bracelet is quite heavy so I'm thinking it's glass beads.

The jewlery box pictured was a DiY project turned from an ugly brown to white adorned with glitter star stickers. Cost of the jewlery box = $8

How I was frugal this Christmas and no one had a clue!

I became extra frugal this holiday season but seemed as if I spent lavishly to my recipients.

• Throughout the 2011 year, I took every opportunity to collect Shoppers Drug Mart points and redeem during bonus (and mega) redemption days. I picked up a Wii console and fit game / USB sticks / earbuds, Dior, Givenchy, Million and Beckham cologne & perfume sets. I also collected free $10 Tim's gift cards for having spent the minimum of $50 (on items I would have normally purchased).
• I also earn points from Swagbucks and redeemed for Starbucks gift cards, books, USB charging cables for ipods and a self gift of a latte machine.
• I sold items on ebay and etsy to earn paypal funds and inturn shop on ebay for clothing to gift
• Shopping at Sobey's when they offer great bonus points (ie, kraft dinner for $1.99 earning 300 pts per box) allows me to earn points quickly. I redeem at the $50 level and made gift baskets of jams, teas, mineral water, coffee, crackers, cookies, chocolates, peanuts, almonds and honey.

Zellers: 50% off one item - December 26-31, 2011

I casually browsed through Zellers today to see what Holiday items were left on the shelves. I picked up a couple of packs of wrapping paper and 2 leaf ornaments that I will use to adorn the gifts for next year. Best part is that I took the 50% off one item offered by Zellers facebook (and yes I said the code word 'cucumber' to get the deal) hehe. Out of pocket was $6.73 and saved $13.00.

You Can Draw in 30 Days: The Fun, Easy Way to Learn to Draw in One Month or Less

This Christmas, I redeemed swagbucks points towards amazon gift cards. One of my purchases was this learn to draw book for my nephew and turned out to be a great hit! I paired it with a portfolio, drawing paper, mechanical pencil, crayola from the dollor store and a personal name stamp I had created from Vistaprint.