My Publix Trip - Under A Buck

Well this week I've been stretching myself by trying to do deals at Kmart and Walmart, and Publix. Its way too much sorting, finding, clipping and shopping. The most wasteful part of it all is wasting time with the crabby cashiers at the marts who don't even know whats going on. I did four trips to Kmart this week and I ended up with lots of free product, but in hindsight I'm thinking its not worth it. Same with Walmart - my time and peace are worth more than the hassle of that store. So, I went and had a nice predictable trip to Publix and managed to find the new Smart Savings booklet at my TT store which was a score. Lots of great coupons in there like the Athenos yogurt PQ and the Caribou coffee PQ.

My trip was again mostly produce for our salads (we're still on our diet, more about that to come) and also trying to score some of the elusive deals on the Green Advantage Flyer before it expires on Friday. Again there were no Tylenol Precise heat patches or cream, so they were nice enough to write a couple rainchecks so I can attempt to find this product next month. We did get some of the free flashlights though. I was the coupon fairy today, handing out some $5 off $30 WD coupons to a friend we saw shopping, and then to the guy who stepped behind me in line and didn't mind waiting when I warned him off of the longer wait due to my coupons.

23-Jun	37		79.21	19.76	58.50	tax	0.95	28	-98.80%
Product	qty	price	subtl	B1G1	-Q		total	Q#	Q details
lettuce	1	1.69	1.69				1.69
romaine	1	1.99	1.99		2.00		-0.01	1	$2/1 PQ stockingspree.com
mushrooms	1	1.99	1.99		2.00		-0.01	1	$2/1 PQ stockingspree.com
onions	1	0.60	0.60				0.60
cucumber	1	0.75	0.75				0.75
raspberries	2	2.00	4.00		4.00		0.00	2	$2/1 PQ stockingspree.com
carrot matchsticks	1	1.99	1.99		2.00		-0.01	1	$2/1 PQ stockingspree.com
tyson anytizer BOGO	2	3.29	6.58	3.29	2.00		1.29	2	$1/1 printable
shrimp cooked 41/50	1	2.16	2.16				2.16
garrity flashlights	6	2.59	15.54		18.00		-2.46	6	$3/1 PQ YAF
olay regenerist facial cleanser	2	4.49	8.98		8.00		0.98	4	3/1 PG 6-5 + $1/1 PQ stockup
Crystal Light 10 ct BOGO	6	2.99	17.94	8.97	8.00		0.97	4	$1/3 TQ + $1/1 6-12ss
Powerade BOGO	12	1.25	15.00	7.50	7.50		0.00	6	BOGO MQ
$/$$ coupon		0.00	0.00		5.00		-5.00	1	$5/$25 competitor x6/28

Blogging Hurdles

Remember last week when I mentioned I got a virus at work? My PC got totally wiped out and the tech team had to replace it. The next day I go to work, and try to sign on and all my google rss feeds and gmail are blocked. All blogs and social media have always been blocked but not google stuff. So I mention it to my tech guy buddy who works for another company about being blocked and he warned me that I'm probably on the tech team watch list since I got the virus. He said they're lining me up, and/or will continue to block where ever I go online. He said he does that for his company.

Well, I decided to go cold turkey and not even log in online anymore at work, even though we're allowed to for breaks and lunch. I'm so glad I have my smart phone because I can do most of my information gathering with the phone. However, one thing that will have to wait for evenings is blog updates. I have to admit, its difficult to think creatively after a long work day - so I'm not sure how its going to work out. But I just wanted everyone to know the reason for things to slow down. Everything's okay, but I'm taking a blogging sabbatical until I figure out a way to fit this activity into my own personal time and not have it be an imposition.

How to Get in Shape Without Going Broke

It often seems that in order to get in shape you need to spend a lot of money on equipment, personal fitness trainers, a nutritionist, health food, and a gym membership.

The fact is that it doesn't have to be this way. You can lose weight, get fit, and improve how you look and feel without spending a fortune in the process. Here are some tips on how to do just that:

1. Do home workouts – The biggest fitness expense you are likely to have is your monthly gym membership. This is a regular payment that you make whether you visit the gym or not.

I have nothing against gyms, but lately I've been doing all my workouts at home. I'm saving money each and every month because I don't go to the gym. You can do fantastic workouts at home or outdoors. A gym is not a must.

2. Stick to basic equipment – You may be tempted to buy the latest ab gadget that you see on TV or imagine that a treadmill in your home is all you need to get in shape. However, you don't really need fancy or expensive equipment to get in shape. You can do cardio outdoors and all you need to do powerful home workouts are some dumbbells, a stability ball and a workout mat, neither of which should prove too expensive.

3. Stick to fresh food – The notion that health food must be expensive is a myth. Often, buying processed and industrialized food is more expensive than fresh food and provides less nutritional value. I recommend sticking to fresh produce and simple foods to both save money and lose weight.

4. Forget about equipment entirely – The simplest way to get fit without going broke is to do bodyweight workouts. Your body is the best weight that you'll ever own and you can do complex and effective exercises using it as resistance. You may need to spend a little money on learning how to train with your bodyweight effectively (I recommend the Shapeshifter Body Redesign Pm lan) but other than that it is a totally free way to get in shape.

I hope these tips help you see how easy it is to get in shape in an affordable and sustainable way. Now it's time for you to take action.

Jonathan Dunsky is a writer for a World Of Diets, a site dedicated to helping men and women get fit in a healthy way.

Frugal Frustration

I'm struggling with spending a lot of money this week. Last weekend I was upset with myself for spending $5 (despite saving $90) at the grocery store when I figured I should have skipped the extra item I actually had to pay for, instead of getting it with my overage on the next trip.

 

Then we decided its time to re marcite our pool. It's way past due and the water is harder to keep clean. A friend at work is getting theirs done and the contractor is doing a good job and its a fair price, so we checked it out. But fair is not always frugal. When we got our bid on Monday, the number came out to be in the neighborhood of $4K, with over a thousand of that just for the waterline tile replacement - 150 measly tiles costing me a thousand dollars is tough to swallow. I need time to ponder spending money - about a day for every $100, so this pool project needs about forty days and forty nights of thinking for me. But no, everyone else wants to do it now because of the dry weather. So, many checks will be written out this week as the work progresses. And many times I will be under duress thinking about spending so much money.

 

On Tuesday the final house payment was electronically sent to the lender and our house is now paid for. It will be nice to not have any mortgage payment anymore, but right now I'm lacking appreciation for that. We took a chunk of savings to pay it off after we calcualated we would pay more in interest on the house, than we would make on the savings account. I also forgot the motorcycle insurance policy is due this month and yesterday had to pay over $1000 for that for the year.

 

When I spend a lot of money on things that have to be paid but are not fun things (mortgage, insurance, home maintenance) I tend to get really tight with the little bit of money I do have. I don't want to go out to eat, I skip the beer at a concert, or pass on getting that item on sale. I miss my cushion of cash just sitting there not needing to be spent.

 

Now to top it off, both DH and I are getting 3% pay cuts starting in July. The idiot governor and his cowboys decided Florida state workers need to pay into the pension fund now, even though it is well invested and profitable without our contributions. 2014 will not come soon enough to get that dude out of office.

 

So, there's my rant. I hope no street panhandlers bother me today, I'm not feeling very charitable.

My Publix Trip - Just Paid Tax

Last nights trip to #Publix was pretty good, basically just paying tax. I also had to remember to get a duplicate receipt for my Conagra rebate where you spend $25 on their products (peanut butter and chef boyardee) and at least another $25 on other groceries and they will send you a $20 Publix GC. Someday that will come in my mail as a nice surprise. I just got my $10 GC this week from their last promotion. Anyway, with the $2 produce coupon I decided to pick up some of the produce we need for our salads and meals. The produce coupon LU# was not in the store system yet so the cashier had to get manager override to use it. It was really tough for me to buy Egg Beaters with no coupons, but I emailed the company and they are sending some my way. So my plan is to shop the last day of the sale and see if I can find an out of stock situation to allow me to get a raincheck to save for using when the coupons come.

 

9-Jun	57		101.87	21.01	83.00	tax	0.29	53	-99.72%
Product	qty	price	subtl	B1G1	-Q		total	Q#	Q details
lettuce	1	1.49	1.49				1.49
romaine	1	1.99	1.99		2.00		-0.01	1	$2/1 PQ print
bananas	1	0.70	0.70				0.70
cucumber	1	0.65	0.65				0.65
mushrooms	1	2.99	2.99		2.00		0.99	1	$2/1 PQ print
strawberries	1	2.50	2.50		2.00		0.50	1	$2/1 PQ print
Peter pan pb BOGO	10	1.97	19.70	9.85	8.00		1.85	13	0.50/1 print + $1/3 PQ storm bk
Chef Boyardee	6	1.00	6.00		1.00		5.00	1	$1/5 PQ + $0.50/3 MQ
Power bar	20	1.00	20.00		22.50		-2.50	20	BOGO PQ + BOGO MQ 5/1MQ
Egg Beaters BOGO	4	2.79	11.16	11.16			0.00
Tylenol Precise heat patch	1	4.99	4.99		5.00	0.35	0.34	1	$5/1 print
Combat ant traps	2	4.69	9.38		10.00	0.66	0.04	4	$3/1 PQ YAB + $2/1 print
Suave Lotion	2	2.39	4.78		4.50	0.33	0.61	3	BOGO 5/22ss + (2)0.75/1 TQ
Garrity Flashlight	6	2.59	15.54		18.00	1.09	-1.37	6	$3/1 GAB PQ
Publix $/$$		0.00	0.00		3.00		-3.00	1	$3/$30 PQ x6/19
$/$$ coupon		0.00	0.00		5.00		-5.00	1	$5/$25 SAL x6/14
			80.86			2.43

 

 

#Tampa Kids Get Free Lunch This Summer

Free lunch and breakfast will be served to children 18 and under at more than 60 #Tampa - Hillsborough public schools as part of the summer extension of the National School Lunch Program. The meals will be served Monday through Thursday, June 13 through August 12, at schools with summer school programs.
The program provides nutritionally balanced meals during summer vacation when school breakfast and lunch are not available, the Hillsborough school district said in a news release. All children are eligible regardless of whether they are enrolled in summer school.

Please call schools to verify meal times, the district said.
Here are the schools where the meals will be offered:
Elementary schools: Shaw, Turner, Witter, Carrollwood, Egypt Lake, Lake Magdalene, Mendenhall, Mendez, Potter, Seminole, Sulphur Springs, Twin Lakes, Bing, Boyette Springs, Cypress Creek, Doby, Frost, Kingswood, Reddick, Riverview, Summerfield, Summerfield Crossing, Symmes, Bailey, Buckhorn, Burney, Cork, Fish Hawk Creek, Jackson, Robinson, Simmons, Stowers, Trapnell, Valrico, Wills Peters, Colson, Foster, Lopez, Mango, McDonald, Pizzo, Sheehy.
Middle schools: Coleman, Stewart, Smith, Walker, Greco, Orange Grove, Eisenhower, Giunta, Shields, Barrington, Tomlin, Burnett, Mann, Sligh and Van Buren.

High schools: Carver, Freedom, Chamberlain, Middleton, Riverview, Plant City, Home Builders.

 

via

#Publix Weekly Ad Sneak Peek 6/9 - 6/15/11

BOGOs:
Ball Park Franks Meat, Lite, Bun Size or Turkey Franks, 14 or 16 oz pkg (excluding Beef, Deli Beef and Angus), save up to 3.49

Flatout Bread, 11.2 oz bag, save up to 3.19

Nature Valley or Fiber One Granola Bars, Value Size, 14.1 ro 17.8 oz box, save up to 5.99

Quaker Cereal, Life 18 oz box, Squares 16 oz box, or Cap'n Crunch 15.4 to 20 oz box, save up to 4.89

Quaker Life Bars, 7.4 oz box, no price listed

Ragu Pasta Sauce, Old World Style Traditional: Regular or With Meat or Chunky Gardenstyle: Garlic & Onion, Green Peppers and Mushrooms, or Super Mushroom, 45 oz jar, save up to 2.99

Ronzoni Pasta, 12 or 16 oz box, (excluding Lasagna, Jumbo Shells, Manicotti, Healthy Harvest and Garden Delight), save up to 1.39

V8 Splash Beverage or Diet V8 Splash, Antioxidant Plus, 64 oz bottle, save up to 2.99

Ocean Spray Craisins, Dried Cranberries or Trail Mix, 6 oz bag, save up to 2.45

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

Ken's Steak House Dressing, 16 oz bottle, save up to 3.19

Mt. Olive Sweet Relish or Pickles, 16 oz jar, save up to 2.14

Hunt's Tomato Ketchup, 24 oz bottle, save up to 1.75

Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn, 12 to 19.8 oz box, or 30 oz jar,s ave up to 4.89

Ruffles Potato Chips, 8.5 to 10 oz bag, (excluding Baked!, Light and Natural), save up to 3.99

Cheez-It Snack Pack Single Serve Tray or Keebler, Famous Amos, or 100 Calorie Right Bites, 8.8 to 16.8 oz pkg, save up to 5.99

Keebler Club Crackers, 11 to 16 oz box, save up to 3.69

Arnold Sandwich Thins, 8 ct, 12 oz pkg, save up to 3.69

Nestle Butterfinger Fun Size Bar or Baby Ruth or Miniatures Candy Bars, 19.75 or 24 oz bag, save up to 5.99

Nabisco Snack Crackers or Triscuit Wheat Crackers, Family Size, 12 to 16 oz box, save up to 4.49

Thomas' Bagels, 6 ct, 20 oz bag, save upt to 4.49

Smart Balance Spread, 13 or 15 oz or 2 pk, 7.5 oz tub, or Spray, 8 oz bottle, (excluding organic), save up to 2.99

Klondike or Slim-A-Bear Ice Cream Treats, 16 to 27 oz box, save up to 3.50

Hungry-Man Entrees, 13.1 to 17 oz box, save up to 3.69

Egg Beaters Original, Egg Whites, Garden Vegetable, Southwestern, or Cheese & Chives, 15 or 16 oz carton, save up to 2.79

Gardein Garden Protein Meat-Free Entrees, 9 or 10 oz pkg, save up to 3.99

Fruitfull Fruit Bars, 16 oz box, save up to 3.99

Purina Beggin' Strips Dog Snacks Bacon, Bacon & Cheese or Bacon & Beef Flavor, 25 oz pkg, save up to 10.99

Lysol Disinfectant All Purpose Cleaner, 40 oz bottle, save up to 3.19

Lysol Disinfectant Bathroom Cleaner Removes Soap Scum: Island Breeze ro Mildew Remover with Bleach, 32 oz bottle, save up to 3.69

Dial or Tone Body Wash or Right Guard Body Wash, 13.5 to 18 oz bottle, save up to 2.93

Publix Athletic Food Cream, 1 oz, save up to 7.99


Bakery:
Large Creme Cakes, 32 oz, 5.49
Key Lime Pie, Original or Mango Key Lime, 34 oz, 6.99
Multigrain Bread, 16 oz loaf, 2.99
Blueberry Muffins, 4 ct, 10 oz pkg, 2.69
Chicago Hard Rolls, 6 ct, 9 oz pkg, 2.29

Dairy:
Dannon Yogurt, 6 oz cup, 20/$10
Organic Valley Organic Milk, half gallon, 2/$7
Pillsbury Rolls, Breadsticks, Pizza Crust or Loaf, 8 to 13.9 oz can, 3/$6
Publix Shredded Hash Brown Potatoes, or Southern Style French Fried Potatoes, 30 or 32 oz pkg, 1.99
Sargento Shredded cheese, 5 to 8 oz pkg, 2/$4
Publix Cheese Slices, 6 oz pkg, 2/$4
Publix Crumbled Cheese, Regular or Reduced Fat: Feta, Gorgonzola or Blue cheese, 4 oz pkg, 2/$4

Deli:
Publix Buffalo Chicken Tender Whole Sub, 6.99
Boar's Head Virginia Brand Ham, 8.49/lb
Fried Chicken, 8 piece Drumsticks & Thighs, 5.99

Frozen:
Blue Bell Ice Cream, half gallon, 2/$9

Grocery:
Starbucks Coffee, 11 or 12 oz bag, 6.49
Betty Crocker SuperMoist Cake Mix, 18 to 19.5 oz box (excluding Angle Food nad Pound Cake), or Frosting, 12 to 16 oz tub, 1.29
Kashi Cereal or Hot Cereal, 10.4 to 17.5 oz box, or Granola Bars, 6.7 to 8.4 oz box, 2.99
Gatorade Thirst Quencher or G2, 64 oz bottle, 3/$5
Tampico Punch, Citrus, Tropical or Mango, 1 gallon bottle, 0.99
Publix Chicken Broth, Regular or Reduced Sodium, 32 oz carton, 1.79
New York Texas Toast Croutons, Caesar, Sea Salt & Pepper, Seasoned or Garlic & Butter, 5 oz bag, 0.99
Pepsi Products, 12 pk, 12 oz Cans, B2G1F
Coca-Cola Products, 8 pk, 12 oz bottles, 3/$11
Coca-Cola Products, 2L bottles, 2/$3
Arizona Tea, 12 pk, 11.5 oz can, B2G1F
Starbucks Frappuccino 4 pk, 9.5 oz bottle or Doubleshot, 4 pk, 6.5 oz can, B2G1F

Health & Beauty:
Dial NutriSkin Lotion, 12 oz bottle, 2.99
L'Oreal Paris Vive Pro Hair Care Products, 1.7 to 13 oz pkg, or Studio Products, 4 to 10.7 oz pkg, or 1.7 oz jar, 2/$5
Suave Lotion, 18 oz bottle, 2.39
Sensodyne Toothpaste, 4 oz box, 4.49
Edge Shave Gel or Skintimate, 7 oz can, 2/$4
EAS AdvantEdge Carb Control Shake, 4 pk, 11 oz bottle, 2/$10
Centrum Multivitamin/Multimineral Supplement, 60 to 220 ct bottle, 25% off
Excedrin Pain Medicine, 80 or 100 ct box, (25% more free on select pkgs), 5.99
Benefiber Fiber Supplement, 8.6 or 9.4 oz bottle, or 24 to 100 ct pkg, 8.99
Bausch + Lomb Biotrue Multi-Purpose Soluntion, 10 oz box, 7.99
Publix Diapers, 60 to 96 ct box, 15.99
Pampers Cruisers, Baby Dry or Swaddles, 48-96 ct or Huggies Snug & Dry, 76-96 ct, Supreme 48-84 ct, GoodNites, 26-33 ct or Pull-Ups, 44-58 ct pkg, 19.99
Gerber Graduates Yogurt Melts, or Yogurt Blends or Bars, Snacks or Juice Treats, 1 to 6 oz pkg, or 4 ct pkg, 2/$5

Household:
Scott Bathroom Tissue, Extra Soft or 1000 Sheets, 12 roll, 7.49
Kleenex Viva Paper Towels Choose-A-Size: Mega or Regular, 4 or 8 Roll pkg, or White, 8 roll pkg, 6.99
Kingsford Match Light Charcoal Briquets, 12.5 lb bag, 7.99
Publix Plastic Cups, 16 oz, 50 ct, 2.19
Scott Paper Towels, Long Lasting, 1 roll, 2/$5
Ziploc Bags, 8 to 30 ct, 2.19
Hefty EZ Foil Pans with Covers, Roaster, Baking, Cake, Pie or All Purpose, 1 to 4 ct, 2/$5
T-Fal One Egg Wonder Egg Pan, 5.99
Purex Laundry Detergent, 83 to 100 oz bottle, 4.99
Ultra Palmolive Dish Liquid, 20 oz bottle, 1.99
Air Wick Freshmatic Spray Refill or Scented Oil Refill, Scented Candle, or Lysol Neutra Air Freshmatic Refill, 2 ct ot 5.29 to 6.35 oz pkg, 3.99
Lysol Disinfectant Power Toilet Bowl Cleaner or Country Scent Lysol Cling, 24 oz bottle, or 4 in 1 Bathroom Cleaner, 24 oz can, 2/$4

Meat:
Top Round London Broil, 4.49/lb Steaks, 4.79/lb
Ground Sirloin, 3.99/lb, Patties, 4.29/lb
Pork Loin Back Ribs, 4.49/lb, Southwest Seasoned, 4.99/lb
Bonelss Chuck Pot Roast, 3.49/lb, Boneless Chuck Steaks, 3.79/lb
Curly's Pulled Chicken, Beef or Pork, 18 oz tub, or Sauceless Curly's Pulled Pork, 12 oz tub, 4.99
Hormel Meat Entrees, 17 oz pkg, 4.99
Boneless New York Strip Steaks, 7.99
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, 2.99/lb
Wright Brand Bacon, Hickory Smoked or Naturally Smoked Applewood, 24 oz pkg, 7.69
Hillshire Farm Deli Select Lunch Meats, 8 or 9 oz pkg, 3/$10

Pet:
Iams Dog Food or Puppy Food, 15.5 or 17.5 lb bag, 16.99
Fancy Feast Gourmet Cat Food, 3 oz can, 10/$5.40

Produce:
Sweet Cherries, 2.99/lb
Tree-Ripened Peaches or Nectarines, 2.49/lb
Simply 100% Orange or Apple, Grapefruit or Juice Blend, 1.75L bottle, 2/$6
Red or White Seedless Grapes, 1.99/lb
Athena Cantaloupes, 2/$5
Marie's Dressing, 11.5 or 12 oz container, 2/$4
Publix Salad Spring Mix, Hearts of Romaine, Caesar Kit or Blends: American, European or Italian, 5 to 12 oz bag, 2/$5
Tomatoes on the Vine, 1.69/lb, Organic, 1.99/lb
Strawberries, 16 oz, or Blackberries, 12 oz pkg, 2/$5
Georgia Sweet Corn, Yellow, White or Bi-color, 6/$2
Baby Portabella Mushrooms, Sliced or Whole, 8 oz, 1.69
Red Seedless Watermelon, half, quarter or eighth, 0.49/lb

Seafood:
Fresh Tilapia Fillets, 5.99/lb
Fresh Cod Fillets, 10.99/lb
Medium White Shrimp, 41 to 50 per pound, 5.99/lb, Peeled and Deveined, 6.99/lb
Medium Cooked Shrimp, 41 to 50 per pound, 7.99/lb

In Ad Qs:
$3 off purchase of two or more Johnson's Baby Shampoo Powder, Lotion, or Wash, 15 oz bottle, one deal per coupon per customer
$6 off the purchase of two Enfamil Infant Powder Formula, 22.2 or 23.4 oz pkg, one deal per coupon per customer

New Essentials:
General Mills Honey Nut Cheerios Cereal, 12.25 oz box, limit four, 1.99
Lean Cuisine Entrees, 5 to 12.5 oz box, 5/$10
Ultra Gain Detergent or 2X Ultra, 50 oz bottle, 3.99
Two Dozen Cookies Chocolate Chip, Sugar or Oatmeal Raisin, 16 oz pkg, 2/$4.50
Green Giant Canned Vegetables Cut Green Beans, Whole Kernel Sweet Corn, Sweet Peas or Niblets Corn, 4 pk, 11 to 15.25 oz can, 2.99
Publix Super Soft Bathroom Tissue, double roll, 4 rolls, 1.99
Publix Regular Sliced Lunch Meats, Cooked or Honey Ham, or Smoked or Roasted Turkey Breast, 10 oz pkg, 2.79
Knorr Sides, 3.8 to 6.4 oz pouch, 0.79
Softsoap Liquid Hand Soap, 6 or 7.5 oz bottle, 10/$10

Thanks to Slickdeals for the sneak peek, check HERE for coupon matchups