cheap chick

Tonight I spent $35.20 on groceries for this week. I'd like to say that I did it all with coupons, but in fact I didn't use any. This week we'll be eating from our pantry and freezer, making meals from all the odds and ends that get forgotten or ignored in the deep corners. I bought just a few supplies like eggs, butter, flour and coffee to stock up the basics then added in a few extras like lunchmeat and fresh vegetables to round out my menu plan. I went through the freezer and took stock of what meats and frozen vegetables were lurking there, then I went over to the pantry and pulled everything to the front. It's amazing what you can find when you look! I'm looking forward to a few meals this week, especially spaghetti with sauce made from fresh tomatoes from Nanny and Pops' garden.

This summer I decided to really get down to the business of saving money with coupons and store deals. I've discovered that there's really no need to pay full price for beauty/ health items ever again, and there's always a way to get these things for free. Last month I worked on a deal at Rite Aid and soon I'll be getting a $25 gift card and a voucher for a free package of diapers just for buying the things I normally would but taking the time to register for their rewards program.

My favorite and most thrilling savings come from the clearance racks at my favorite stores. I scored a pair of jeans for $5 at Target recently and I can't tell you how good that feels (actually it feels just like the time I found a pair of jeans at Old Navy for $5...). I love finding kids clothes for less than $3 and in fact I've actually put things back because $4 felt like too much! Saving money has become a game in our house and it's pretty fun. Please post your money saving tips and stop by my new favorite blog www.moneysavingmom.com