Contests and Freebies!

Contests!

Wedgie Free Wednesdays
Enter HERE and each week they choose 500 to get a free pair of panties

Couponizer Giveaway @ Moms Need to Know
Enter HERE giving away 2, need to enter by Thursday 9/11 8:30 EST

Redplum Roomba (who doesn't want one of these?)
Enter HERE by 9/15/08

Freebies!

Sears Hardware is offering a Master Padlock
VALID 9/7/08 THRU 9/13/08
FREE 1-1/2" or 1-3/4" Padlock
Present this coupon at your local Sears Hardware Store and receive one FREE 1-1/2" or 1-3/4" padlock -72429/30/1/2/4/5/6.
Reg. 6.99-7.99 ea.
Offer valid at Sears Hardware Stores only.
Limit one coupon per customer. While quantities last. No rainchecks.

Fruit Roll Up Sample
Sign up HERE

Carefree Liners Free Sample
Sign up HERE

Always Infinity Free Sample
Sign up HERE

Kotex Free Sample
Sign up HERE

Playtex Sport
Sign up HERE



Aveeno Positively Ageless Sample and Coupon
Sign up HERE

Hugo Fragrance Sample
Register HERE

Scott Extreme Rags
Sign up HERE

Food for Fifty Part 1

First I have to say that one of my most prized cookbooks (and I have MANY) is Food for Fifty, by Mary Molt. Which is now in it's 12th edition (must mean I am not the only one to swears by it) with a list price of $104 (Amazon.com sale price $72.07) I obtained a used copy of it years ago (not the most recent edition) I know it still wasn't cheap, but I didn't pay that much.

So why this obsession with being able to feed so many?

Well my husband and I run a group that LARPs, for those who don't know what that means. We basically have full weekend murder mystery parties, in the woods, in medieval garb, and hit each other with padded plumbing supplies. Still interested, send me a message and I am happy to share more.

Among my many duties for this group is food. This is also my first event after my obsession with 'extreme couponing' (I just recently heard this term and it is growing on me). So now the event has taken on a whole new level of preparation.

Parameters for the event

50-60 attendees

"Kitchen" is somewhat roughing it, there is no oven. However there is a fridge, freezer, microwave, we have a propane camp stove, and they promise me enough power to run my crock pots and electric griddle, as well as the coffee pots.

Food restrictions - we have attendees with allergies or religious restrictions to the eating of - poultry, beef, pork, garlic, ritz crackers and blue food dye

Food will be served Tavern style, plan is a rotating menu (as all of one food is gone, put another on the menu)

Meals that need to be provided. Two Breakfasts, Two Lunches, One Dinner, Deserts and Snacks

So if I do my math right that is 5 meals, average of 55 people, or 275 meals in 2 days, plus snacks and desert

Here is the menu (at this time, though pretty close to finalized)

Pasta with Red Sauce
Hot Sausage in Red Sauce
Turkey Noodle Soup
BBQ Chicken
Breaded Chicken
Rice
Buttered Noodles
Potatoes
Corn
Green Beans
Salad
Fruit Cocktail
Fresh Fruits
Assorted Breads / Rolls
Assorted Deserts
Assorted Beverages
Pancakes
Cereals
Oatmeal

Preliminary cost breakdown

Pasta with Red Sauce
7 jars sauces from stockpile @ $.10 =$.70
free pasta from stockpile
Hot Sausage in Red Sauce
3 jars sauce, from stockpile @$.10 = $.30
Sausage 2 packs sale, plus managers discount cost $9.98
Turkey Noodle Soup Turkey
18 lbs @ $.99 / pound= $17.82
6 cans soup broth = $4.00
Noodles, free from stockpile
Veggies - to be purchased
BBQ Chicken
Chicken 10 lbs @ $1 / pound $10.00
BBQ sauce, from stockpile 3 @ $.25 = $.75
Breaded Chicken
Chicken 10 lbs @ $1 / pound $10.00
Breading, from stockpile $.75
Eggs to be purchased
Rice
Free
Buttered Noodles
Stockpile from free coupons
Potatoes
to be purchased
Corn
to be purchased
Green Beans
to be purchased
Salad
will be purchasing 7 bags at Giant this week $.85 per bag $5.95
Salad Dressing
5 @ $.30 (Kraft free coupons) $1.50
Fruit Cocktail
to be purchased
Fresh Fruits
to be purchased
Assorted Breads / Rolls
to be purchased (discount bread outlet - crossing my fingers!)
Assorted Deserts
I am actually not responsible for those, people who love to bake bring them
Assorted Beverages
Assorted deals, total cost $15
Pancakes
need to purchase
Cereals
9 boxes out of my stockpile, approx $.50 a box = $4.50
Oatmeal
3 boxes out of my stockpile, approx $.75 a box = $2.25
Milk
need to purchase


Current costs $83.50
Anticipated budget for additional costs $80.00

Total anticipated $163.50
Average cost per serving $.59

Watch next week for an update of how we really went with the budget!

Quick run down of some current good deals at Giant PA and Genuardis

Giant PA 9/7 - 9/13/08

Celebrating 85 years

$.85 Dole 1lb Classic Salad Mix
$.85 Giant Wheat Bread
$.85 GE Extra Soft Light bulbs

Kraft Easy Mac Cups $.69

More gas deals  (I can't get excited about these, the closest Giant w/ gas to me is about 20 minutes away)

Manufacturers coupon Buy 10 20 oz vitamin water get 5 32 oz powerade for free

Genuardi's Safeway 9/5 - 9/11/08

48 hour sale Saturday and Sunday Only

Green Seedless Grapes $.89

Refreshe Water 1 gallon or 3 liters 2 for $1 limit 4

Mission tortilla Chips $.97 limit 3  (Reports of $1 Off coupons being found in store too!)

Regular sale items

Genuardi's white or wheat bread $.79

B1G1 Perdue Oven Stuffer Roaster $1.89 per lb (before b1g1)

Rise, Shine and Save buy any 5 save $5

Quaker Chewy Granola Bars $1.49

Quaker Instant Oatmeal $2.99 Coupons in this weekends Valassis and Printable

Motts Apple Juice $2.49

Kellogg's Cereal $2.49
Rice Krispies 12 oz
Froot Loops 12.2 oz
Cocoa Krispies 16.5 oz
Apple Jacks 12.2 oz

Schools Back in Session !

Schools back in session and the spelling homework has arrived.

I don't know about your house, but spelling homework and studying can be a real struggle in mind.  I found this site tonight and I LOVE it!

It's FREE!  You register and can enter in the spelling lists, then the kids can get help learning them, playing games to learn them and being tested on them.  Without you having to stand over them asking them to spell the same word 10 (or more) times!

Check it out!  Let me know what you think!  Do you have another schoolwork help site to share? I would love to hear about it!

Catalinas

This is a term you will see pretty frequently on the coupon message boards. It refers to those little magic coupon printing machine boxes that sit by the cash register and print out coupons and advertisements either as your order is being rung up, or after you pay (or sometimes both). It is referred to as it a Catalina because the company that operates them is Catalina Category Marketing.

Catalina machines can be found in over 22,000 stores!

Most of the catalina machines in my area have a ready light on them that will start to blink as they are getting ready to print more coupons. This is something to be aware of because it is very easy to walk away from the register without all of your coupons.

Catalina's website explains it's behavioral marketing. Their company offers manufacturers and retailers several options for marketing including historical based (following the transacations of your frequent shopper card) and UPC based (ever wonder why when you buy one brand of a product out pops a coupon for the competitors brand)

Some Catalina deals will be advertised in your store flyers. These will typically be the Buy $20 in XX Brand and get $7 off OYNO (on your next order) type of deals. Others may be labeled in the store. IE buy 2 dressing and receive $x off your next order.

What do you do if a Catalina should print (or you think it should) and it doesn't? First go to customer service, sometimes they can handle it for you. If that doesn't work, or you get home before you realize it. Then call Catalina there numbers: 1(888) 322-3814 or 1-888-8COUPON (1-888-826-8766) Be prepared with your receipt, any ad info that you may have and time to be on hold. Also note they can not see the transaction in their computer for at least 24 hours after it occurs.

Lastly, unless they come up with a new wording for catalinas, they are based on your PRE COUPON purchase price, if they claim otherwise require them to show you where it says so.

Amelia's Grocery Outlet

Are you located near one of these towns? Allentown, Coatesville, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Manheim, New Holland, Pottsville, Reading, Roherstown, Royersford or Woodlyn

If you are you really need to check Amelia's Grocery Outlet.

I have been singing the praises of Amelia's for at least 3 years (if you google it the third entry is a post of mine from 2006). At that time I estimated I did 75% of my shopping at Amelia's. Admittedly I don't do that much there now, but I didn't have an ACME then.

Amelia's is a grocery OUTLET, their selection does vary, and somethings you will only see in the store once. (Don't remind me of the day I saw a TON of jet dry for $.69 and didn't have my coupons with me, of course it was gone the next day)

With regards to coupons, they do accept coupons, but do to manufacturer restrictions they have a list posted in the store of manufacturers that they can not accept coupons from. (Mostly it is the big name cereal companies, except Quaker) But honestly even though their shelf prices of cereals are better then you would see at the grocery store, they don't beat the grocery store sales combined with double coupons.

Also some products on Amelia's shelves are expired. Please note though that expiration dates on many foods are Sell By dates, not use by dates, just use common sense on how long things are good for.

Take a look at the current Amelia's sale circular:
Page 1 Page 2
Amelia's circulars change weekly, and you can have the circular delivered to you email box
Look for the red box on THIS page to sign up.

What other types of products can you expect to find at Amelia's? Check this list out:


Manufacturer: Brands Produced:
Breyers Breyers Yogurt, Breyers Ice Cream
Campbell's Franco American, Prego
Coca-Cola Minute Maid, Hi-C
Con Agra Banquet, Healthy Choice, Chef Boy Ardee, Hunt, Wesson
Dannon Dannon Yogurt
General Mills Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Columbo, Gold Medal, Green Giant
Giorgio Foods Giorgio
Hanover Canned Vegetables, Sauces
Heinz Ore-Ida, Weight Watchers, Bagel Bites
Hershey Hershey
Hunt-Wesson Van Camps, Orville Reddenbacher
Keebler Sunshine
Kellogg's Kellogg's, Kashi
Kraft Foods Post, Jell-o, Bull's Eye, Kool-Aid, Maxwell House
Lever Brothers Dove, All, Surf, Sunlight, Shield, Wisk
Lipton Wishbone
Malt O' Meal Malt O' Meal
Marcal Marcal
Nabisco Snackwell
Nestle Alpo, Libby, Contadina, Butterfinger, Jucy Juice, Stouffers
Pellman Pies
Pinnacle Foods Swanson, Aunt Jemima (Frozen), Mrs. Pauls
Procter & Gamble Duncan Hines, Bounty, Pampers
Quaker Gatorade, Aunt Jemima
Sara Lee Sara Lee
S.C. Johnson Glade, Pledge, Shout, Windex, Vanish
Tropicana Tropicana, Dole
Tyson Tyson, Weaver, Holly Farms


Please note if you are planning a visit to Amelia's they are Closed on Sunday and they do not take credit cards (they do take debit cards though!)

Focus Groups - Limerick PA

RDT Team is located in Limerick PA, they do various focus groups, product testing, etc.

I just got an email from them that they are Looking for first time expectant moms for a focus group to be held Sept 25

Please click on the following link to see if you qualify.

If you know anyone who might qualify, please forward them this message.
Thank you!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/RDTeam08-004

My oldest daughter and I have both done testings for them and they are GREAT! Nothing like getting paid CASH for really, really easy work.

If you don't meet the qualifications for this survery, go ahead and join their database, you just might meet the qualifications for the next.

http://www.rdteam.com/757/index.html