Shaving Cream Is A Treat

One of the things most of have to do our entire adult lives is shave. Unless you're a Neanderthal who lives in the rain forest, you have body hair or facial hair that just needs to be managed, or shaved. In the olden days, men used to use a shaving brush and dip into a little ceramic bowl of shaving cream they had whipped up and then slather it on their faces and use a flat long razor blade to cleanly cut away that hair. One guy I know loves to go to the barber shop and get a shave this way as a treat, especially if he's getting rid of his beard for a while.
One thing that can make your shave more pleasant is a sharp blade. If you take care of your blades, this can help extend the life of a razor. Here is a simple act that seems to work: dry the blade after use. According to the Chicago Tribune, the concept is this: razor blade dullness stems more from oxidation and microscopic rusting, rather than from contact with whiskers. Water that sits on blades between shaves causes the oxidation. Corrosion can cause metal on the blade to flake off and the edge to become blunted and jagged. That results in blades pulling and tearing hairs instead of cleanly slicing through them. By blotting dry blades on a towel after use, you can extend the use of a blade from ten days to several months.
The art of shaving is an individual thing. Some people like to do it with all the shaving cream and brushes and blades. Others like to do it in the shower with warm water and shaving soap or body wash to assist in the shave. My husband personally likes his new Norelco senseo touch electric razor. I like it too because it's so quiet, compared to the old Remington. So, however you like to shave – keep in mind there are many ways to accomplish the same result. Keep trying different alternatives if you aren't happy with what you use now.
 
I am participating in a blogger campaign by www.Bucks2Blog.com about shaving cream and was compensated. However, the views and opinions are my own.

Publix Weekly Ad Sneak Peek 11/10 - 11/16

BOGOs:
Pirate's Booty Snacks, 3.5 to 6 oz bag, save up to 3.29

Dropps Laundry Detergent Pacs, Fresh Scent or Scent + Dye Free, 20 ct bag, save up to 3.99

CedarLane Egg White Omelet, Spinach and Mushroom, Uncured Turkey Bacon, Vegetable and Cheese, or Green Chile Cheese and Ranchero Sauce, 8 or 8.5 oz box, save up to 3.89

Potato Inspirations Honey Gold Potatoes, 28 oz bag, save up to 3.99

Del Monte Fresh Cut Vegetables, 11 to 15.25 oz can (excluding specialty varieties and Asparagus), save up to 1.39

Progresso 100% Natural Broth, 32 oz carton, save up to 2.59

Progresso Soup, 18 or 19 oz can, save up to 2.29

Hunt's 100% Natural Tomatoes, 14.5 oz can, save up to 1.27

Pompeian Imported Olive Oil, Extra Light Tasting or Classic Mediterranean, 16 oz bottle, save up to 5.99

Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa Mix, 8 or 10 ct box (excluding Pick-Me-Up, Sensible Sweets, Marshmallow Lover or Madness), save up to 2.49

Ken's Steak House Dressing, 24 oz bottle, save up to 4.29

General Mills Cereal, Lucky Charms 11.5 or 12 oz box, Reese's Puffs, 13 oz box, or Cocoa Puffs, 12.2 or 16.5 oz box, save up to 3.99

Kraft Stove Top Stuffing Mix, for Chicken: Regular, Lower Sodium, or Made with Whole Wheat; or For Turkey: Pork Flavor, Cornbread, Cranberry or Herb, 5 or 6 oz box, save up to 1.79

Idahoan Mashed Potatoes, 1.5 to 4.1 oz pkg, or Scalloped or Au Gratin, 3.95 oz box, save up to 1.33

Crest White Strips Moneymaker

 $ 5.99 Trial Size 2ct Crest White Strips 3D
-$10.00 MQ 10-30 P&G (exp 11/30/11)
=$4.01 moneymaker
 
You're going to have to follow the Publix truck to find this one, I suspect that it will disappear from shelves very quickly. If you happen to find a Publix that actually stocks the trial size Crest White Strips (only 1 of 4 stores I frequent has a spot on the shelf), look around behind the other big boxes since couponers are known to hide the moneymaker stuff (like vitamins) in the wrong place so they can come back later and get it. Since there is a limit of 4 like coupons (10-30 PG) you can only get four at a time. Also the coupon will beep because of the long bar code. Just ask the cashier to cover it up with their thumb and it will scan fine. There are no size exclusions on the coupon, so it is a valid match.
 
You've got the whole month to find this deal.

Paid $0.94 on My Publix Trip

My goal this week is to stockup on the boneless skinless chicken breasts ($1.99/lb). We go thru a lot of chicken on our lunch salads and my supply is running out. I tried to get some rainchecks for the Friskies last week but they were only out of stock on the last day so I only got two. I successfully used up the coupons in the stocking up booklet for CWS, Wheat Thins, Oral B TB, Crest and Pantene this past week in other shops. Last night was a pretty good shop saving 98.7%, spending $0.94 plus tax for total value of product at $83.05. I'll need to go back again to get the remainder of our salad supplies, some more chicken and some of the TGIF Entrees for One that are cheap with coupons this week.
 
There is a new Publix stocking up booklet you can sign up for HERE and it will arrive in a month. It says only one per household but they sent me several last time for each member of the house, so it wouldn't hurt to sign up for a couple and see if they send multiples.
 
There is also a Publix Sweepstakes on Facebook and you get to print a couple $3 off of $30 PQ's when you enter. Go HERE.
 
3-Nov
29
 
71.94
8.75
62.25
tax
0.94
30
-98.69%
Product
qty
price
subtl
B1G1
-Q
 
total
Q#
Q details
lettuce iceburg
1
1.69
1.69
 
 
 
1.69
 
 
onions
1
0.60
0.60
 
 
 
0.60
 
 
cucumber
1
0.75
0.75
 
 
 
0.75
 
 
mushrooms
1
1.99
1.99
 
 
 
1.99
 
 
Chicken brst skinls
1
14.15
14.15
 
 
 
14.15
 
 
pantene ProV shamp 
4
3.50
14.00
 
8.00
 
6.00
4
$3/2 10-30 PG + $1/2 PQ flyer
pantene ProV styler
4
3.50
14.00
 
22.00
 
-8.00
6
$3/2 10-30 PG + free wyb pantene PQ stocking bklt
bread buns
1
1.50
1.50
 
 
 
1.50
 
 
Friskies cat treat RC
10
1.75
17.50
8.75
13.75
 
-5.00
10
BOGO TQ + 1/1 PQ = rainchk
Oral B TB
4
1.39
5.56
 
7.00
 
-1.44
8
$1/1 PQ + $0.75/1 10-30PG
koolaid
1
0.20
0.20
 
1.50
 
-1.30
1
$1.50/1 stocking up bklt
$/$$ coupon
 
0.00
0.00
 
5.00
 
-5.00
1
$5/$30 PQ
$/$$ coupon
 
0.00
0.00
 
5.00
 
-5.00
1
$5/$25 SAL

11/6 Coupon Insert Preview - SS + RP

There will be two inserts in your paper this Sunday, 11/6 - a Smartsource and a Redplum.
11/6 Red Plum Inserts
All laundry detergent 28 load+ .50/1 (12/18/11)
Bailey's Irish Cream Liqueur $4/1 mail in form
Carbona 2 in 1 Carpet Cleaner $1.00/1 (2/4/12)
Carbona household cleaner $1.00/1 (2/4/12)
Carbona 2 in 1 Oven Cleaner and Grill Cleaner $1.00/1 (2/4/12)
Carbona Oven Cleaner $1.00/1 (2/4/12)
Carbona Silver Wipes $1.00/1 (2/4/12)
Carbona 2 in 1 Steam Carpet Cleaner $1.00/1 (2/4/12)

How To Buy New Tires For Your Car

As I spun my wheels at the intersection the other day, I realized that yes, it is time for new tires on the car. The Michelin HydroEdge tires we have on the Camry are great looking tires and performed well in all kinds of weather. But, it's time to get some new ones as they are weather checked and brittle. They just don't grip the road like they used to, and a couple times lately during quick stops they have slid forward.
 
We've been putting off the process because it is tough to spend hundreds of dollars for something like stupid tires. Actually, for me it is tough to spend hundreds of dollars on anything. I generally give myself one day of research for every $100 spent, so this one took about a week to get to the point of making a decision. And we have finally decided and found a vendor to purchase from and install them. But it took some effort.
 
First we looked through the car file and determined that last time we bought tires for the car, over 45,000 miles ago we spent $105 each and had them installed at Costco. The final price after shipping, disposal fees, balancing, valve stems, installation and taxes was $550. But then we had to spend another $60 at the dealer to get a tire alignment, since Costco doesn''t do that service. So about $600 became our target since we had done our research last time and found Costco the cheapest. But it was not the most convenient. The Costco was way on the other side of the bay and when I visited another service center for my job I dropped the car off, and rode my bike a mile to the office. Then at lunch I rode my bike back and brought the car back to the office. We also never took advantage of the free top-off or refill of nitrogen since the shop was across the bay from our house. So we wanted to try to investigate more convenient options. These days we both have bikes or motorcycles we use for transportation so being without a car for a day is not a problem - we can leave it at the shop all day.
 
We also decided we wanted the exact same tire as we got last time. They have this cool swirly pattern that drives away the water on the road, plus it looks sporty. They are expensive tires at over $100 each, but in our opinion they are top quality and worth it. At this point, we started letting our fingers do the walking - at Google. I googled "michelin hydroedge coupons" to see what discounts we could find. Michelinman.com was the first site and lucky for us, there is a new $70 Michelin rebate on the purchase of 4 tires, and our tire model qualifies for the rebate. The one catch was it had to be done at certain dealers. The most convenient rebate qualified dealer was Olin Mott so we requested a quote. They emailed a quote the same day and their total install cost out the door was quoted at $674 which included an alignment, and the $70 rebate. The actual cost of each tire was $138, which was higher than anywhere else. We checked tirerack.com and the hydroedge is $104 each and they will ship the set for $60 to a local installer, but none of them qualify for the rebate. Sears had the tire for $122 each and the install out the door was $623, but was not eligible for the $70 rebate.
 
Now that we had some information, it was time to get on the phone and make a deal. DH called up Olin Mott and asked if they price matched or took competitor coupons. They said they would consider making a deal. DH said he would like to get 4 tires installed if they matched the Sears price and we still got the rebate. It didn't take long for the guy to go sharpen his pencil and come back with an out the door price of $582, plus we get the alignment included and the $70 rebate. They took off almost $100 from their price! So, the bottom line is we'll get our tires cheaper this time than when we bought them last time.
 
So we're getting new tires this week since we have a trip across the state planned in November. The shop is less than a mile away so we can drop off the car and walk home. The next day I can stop by after work on my bicycle and pick up the car. How darn convenient.
 
Even though we're spending a lot of money on tires, I feel like we've done a good job of doing our research and getting the best deal. It takes time, patience and persistance to be frugal and save money. So next time you're making a big purchase do yourself a favor and take your time, check out your options and don't be afraid to pick up the phone and ask for a discount. You just might get it.

Ideas for Frugal Family Time

According to a recent CNN Money article, many people have embraced a frugal lifestyle over the past few years, tightening their money belts, as a result of the economic downturn that has affected us all. While frugality certainly entails sacrifice, one benefit of living within ones means is that, instead of spending so much time spending money, we return to the more important things in life—spending quality time with friends and family. If you are relatively new to the frugal life, you may be wondering what fun activities you can do with your children that doesn't involve going on expensive shopping trips or eating out. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
1.      Board game night
Although it may sound old-fashioned, most children love the thrill of playing games with parents and siblings. Board games are an incredibly inexpensive way to spend hours together. Even better, most games require building important life skills like strategic thinking, planning, and more. Some challenging classics that are appropriate for all ages include Monopoly, Risk, Scrabble, and Clue.
2.      Picnic in the park
With the rising popularity of tech gadgets among this generation's youth, many children are not exposed to the outdoors as frequently as in years before. Considering that playing outside costs nothing, planning outdoor activities with your family is a great, and inexpensive, way to spend quality time together. Organizing a picnic at a local park, feeding ducks, or playing simple games like Frisbee are some great options with minimal associated costs.
3.      Matinees and college performances
Kids love going to the movies and seeing shows, but think about the last time you went to the cinema. Add up the cost of tickets, food, and parking, and you soon realize that the price is simply not worth the fun. There is, however, an alternative—most local universities put on plays, concerts, most of which are free or very cheap. If your kids are in school, they'll likely get a student discount. Most movie theaters offer large discounts on morning or early afternoon shows, called matinees, that'll give your kids the fun of going to the movies without the cost. Having a filling meal before going to the movies will help you save on movie treats as well.
4.      Cooking and baking
Aside from being an essential life skill that will serve kids well later in life, especially when they first head out to college or are otherwise on their own, cooking and baking make for fun and in expensive family activities. Concerned that cooking will be too complicated for your kids? Check out these kid-friendly recipes, courtesy of FamilyFun.com.
These are just a few ideas for a fun time with the whole family. The most important thing to remember is that spending quality time with your loved ones is usually more meaningful if you take money out of the picture.
This guest post is contributed by Lauren Bailey. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: blauren99 @gmail.com. 
 

Publix Weekly Ad Sneak Peek 11/3-11/9

BOGOs:Eight O'Clock Coffee, 11 to 12 oz bag (excluding whole bean decaf), save up to 5.29
Green Giant Vegetables, 14.5 to 15.25 oz can (excluding Three Bean Salad and Asparagus)
Ken's or Sweet Baby Ray's Marinade & Sauce, 16 oz bottle, save up to 2.99
Quaker Life Cereal 18 oz box, Oatmeal Squares 14.5 oz box, or Cap'n Crunch 15.4 to 20 oz box, save up to 4.89
Gia Russa Select Pasta Sauce,Basil: Reg or LS, Hot Sicilian, Alla Vodka,

My Publix Trip & Giveaway Reminder

Reminder:
Today is the last day to enter the giveaway for 25 free Shutterfly holiday cards. There are low entries so your chance of winning is great!
My Publix trip yesterday was really small as I am waiting for my Sunday coupons to improve overage. You all know that you can get 10 Friskies Cat treats and make $5 overage, right? Well, on Sunday the RP will
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