Home Decor: Window Box Centerpiece

I thought I would take a quick break from food blogging today to share my new spring-y centerpiece. I mentioned (more than a month ago, BTW) that I'd purchased a new runner and I was planning on over-hauling my dining room table centerpiece. It's now complete, so I wanted to share it with everyone!

DIY Glass Cleaner

I have a recipe for you this Sunday, but I definitely wouldn't recommend eating it!

You might think I've gone off the deep end, that I've taken my lifestyle to a crazy, hippie kind of place. You might be right. Despite all of that, I'm here to tell you that this stuff works. Better than Windex. Better than anything I've tried. And there's no harmful, toxic chemicals. AND it's super-cheap to make using ingredients you probably already have in your house. Intrigued?

First off, how did I get to a place where I'm making my own cleaning products? It's the result of 2 interests in my life colliding- saving money and slowly ridding the house of chemicals. I've been on a DIY kick for quite awhile. I've been trying different cleaning concoctions, and to be honest, not having much luck. As much as I want to kick that nasty bottle of 409 to the curb, it still does an amazing job. However, one homemade cleaning solution has passed the test of time. Again, and again. And it's this glass cleaner. I found the recipe on a very helpful blog I follow, Crunchy Betty. Crunchy Betty is all about making healthy, conscious choices. And not in a boring way :)

It's easy to make, using only 3 ingredients. The 4th ingredient is water. You mix all the ingredients together, and voila. Homemade glass cleaner. If you aren't fond of the smell (vinegar mixed with alcohol, yum yum!), you could mix in some lemon or orange essential oil. I have a feeling you would need a citrus oil to mask this scent. I'm kind of fond of the smell, it just smells clean to me. I was skeptical upon first using this, but wow. I was quickly converted. This is the least streaky product I've ever tried. Make sure to give this a good shake before each use, as the cornstarch settles to the bottom. My expert cleaning tip is to use this with old newspaper. I use one piece of newspaper to rub it all in over the glass, and leave it kind of damp. I use a second piece of dry newspaper to capture the residue. Using a dry material to finish is key with this cleaner. I think the dry newspaper mopping up the cornstarch is what really makes glass shine when using this.

Some of you might be saying that you use cloth to clean glass. Here's why I'm not a fan. Yes, cloth is good for the environment and reusable. But cloth leaves fibers over my glass and mirrors, and that annoys me. I don't feel bad using newspaper, because this newspaper promptly gets shredded and put in the compost. Yep, you heard me right. Put it in the compost. I was researching this very topic, to see if my DIY cleaning product is compostable. Sure is. Water? Check. Cornstarch? Check. Alcohol? A natural antiseptic, but it evaporates in the air so fast, it won't kill the bacteria in your compost. Check. Same goes with the vinegar, which dissipates a little slower, but is still compostable. Check!

Just a little Washi tape and some labels!

Now, the decorated bottle? Completely optional :)

I don't know about you, but I enjoy cleaning so much more with pretty things. Maybe I am that crazy hippie? LOL.

I highly recommend trying this solution. It's not one of those DIY cleaners that you are going to be disgusted with, and immediately tossing in the trash. I'm almost betting you'll end up a convert, like me. Never buying Windex again.

Happy Sunday friends!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup alcohol

1 tbsp cornstarch

2 cups warm water

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a  spray bottle. Shake to incorporate. Shake before each use, for best results. 

Homemade Pesto

"Oh, you made pesto?"

"Yes, I did."

"Would you say your pesto is the best-o?"

"I don't know, but I'd say it's pretty good-o."

Bonus points if you can tell me what that's from!

Give up?

Yeah, that's from "Friends". "The One with Rachel's Date", to be exact. For some reason, whenever I say the word pesto, I think "Friends". It's inevitable. There are a lot of things that remind me of "Friends", come to think of it. First of all, every single person that guest starred on "Friends"? That's what I think of them from. Seriously. Even the ones of who have major careers of their own now. Alec Baldwin, Anna Faris, Giovanni Ribsi, Christina Applegate, Reese Witherspoon... I could go on all day. English trifles, chewing gum in a vestibule, and even short, layered haircuts all immediately make me think of "Friends". I think I might watch a little too much of that show...

Anyhoo, back to the topic at hand! Pesto. I'll tell you something- I've been making pesto every week for a couple of months now. Why, you ask? There are a couple of reasons for this. One, it's so convenient. Pesto lasts at least a week in the fridge, so I make a batch on Monday and it lasts all week. Two, I can use it for several super-fast, flavorful meals. Turkey Pesto Avocado Sandwiches are one excellent option, another is stirring some pesto into pasta. Add some cherry tomatoes, maybe a few pine nuts, and sprinkle of parmesan cheese, and you are done! The hubby has taken to calling my turkey pesto sandwiches "Better Than Subway Sandwiches". I like that title!

Another reason I keep making pesto? It's super affordable. Now, you may be prone to disagree with me due to the ingredients, but I'm here to set you straight. Yes, fresh basil is a couple of bucks (which I'm working on growing for this specific reason). And yes, pine nuts can be spendy. I pay $7 for 4 ounces. However, 4 ounces of pine nuts will make 4 batches of pesto. I usually get 2 dinners (consisting of 2 sandwiches), maybe a lunch (1-2 sandwiches), and a pasta dinner out of 1 batch.  Let's do the math on a weekly batch:

$4 for 4 ounces of basil
$1.75 worth of pine nuts ($7 divided by 4 batches)
$1.25 worth of fresh parmesan cheese ($5 wedge divided by 4 batches)
$0.25 worth of olive oil (estimating olive oil at $0.50 an ounce)
$0.25 worth of fresh lemon juice (estimating a fresh lemon at $0.50)
$0.01 worth of kosher salt (estimating kosher salt at $0.08 per ounce)

= $7.51

So, it costs me ~ $8 a week to make pesto. Divide that by 4 meals, you get $1.88 per meal. That's $0.94 per person. Ummm, sounds good to me! I'll also add that my recipe fills an 8-ounce jar while commercial pesto at the grocery store is about $7 for just 5 ounces.

So... have you learned today's lesson? Make your own pesto! :)

Ingredients:

4 ounces fresh basil leaves

1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1/2 tbsp kosher salt

1/4- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Combine basil through kosher salt in food processor. Pulse 1-2 times to chop through the basil. Through the shoot, begin pouring in olive oil while the food processor is running. Pesto is done when the olive oil has emulsified, and the mixture is thick and creamy. Season to taste.

2. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up 1 week.

Printable Recipe

Linked to: Weekend Potluck, Foodie Friday, Cunning Ladies' Friday Party

My 2014 Goals

Yes, I'm a little late to the party. Sue me :)

My goals would have been here a lot sooner, but I really have been thinking about what I want to accomplish this year. I love New Years' and the feeling of a blank slate. Like anything is possible. As I was thinking about my 2014 resolutions, I happened to ponder if I had accomplished my 2013 goals (you can read that post here). After re-reading the post, I concluded I did a pretty darn good job. I did get back in shape. I kept a food diary for half the year, until July (I should write a post on why I stopped because the conclusion I came to is that a food diary is completely unnecessary for me, and somewhat unhealthy). I successfully learned how to roast a chicken. I did improve my photography, however I now know I will probably be improving my photos until the day I die :) And while we did save a lot of money, we did have an extremely decadent month in Oregon. YOLO, right?

I've put a lot of thinking into 2014. Here goes-

1. Run a 10K.

In 2013, I successfully ran my first 5k. Heck, I started running successfully period. The hubby and I ran (4) 5k's last year, and we are definitely planning on running more. I would like to get my time under 30 minutes for the 5k. I've been doing a lot of speed training at the gym, so 2014 looks like the year of "The Under 30 5K". A 10K will happen this year too! I've conditioned myself to run 5 miles, I'll definitely be able to add one more mile. I hate long distance running on the treadmill though (too boring), so I'll be working on my endurance when I get back outside.

2. Plant my first garden.

The hubby and I are composters now! My parents have been into composting for awhile, and I really got bitten by the bug when I was out in Oregon. As of last Thursday, we've started. I've got my little house compost bucket, and we've got a bigger one for the back yard.

What does composting have to do with a garden? It's simple, really. Our soil on our property is almost pure clay, which is not conducive for growing anything really. We are going to need nutrient rich soil to grow my vegetables, and this seems to be the way to do it that makes the most sense. We've got one composter in the backyard so far. We will be investing in another when we fill this one, since it will take 10-12 weeks to make compost once the contraption is full.

Another reason for planting the garden? Another one of my 2014 goals is to eat more whole foods and drastically less processed foods. Having fresh fruit and vegetables in the garden will help with that goal, plus I plan on canning and/or freezing as much of my garden harvest as possible to have on hand for next winter.

3. Read more!

Through trial and error over 30 odd years, I've discovered I'm a lot happier off the Internet. There's a lot of awful news, and bad images out there. While I'm by no means saying I want to be an ignorant ostrich who sticks her head in the sand, it's enough for me to say I'm aware of certain bad situations but I don't need to know every detail. Getting caught up in the fantasy of a fiction novel, or being fascinated by a how-to book can be a lot healthier for the psyche than reading about the situation in Syria for the 100th time. I got a library card at the local library, and I plan on taking full advantage this year.

4. Increase charitable donations.

Beginning of 2014's Salvation Army donation.

Beginning of 2014's Animal Shelter donation. 

In 2013, I made donations to the local women's shelter, the Salvation Army, and my local animal shelter. I also participated in the March of Dimes, and each 5k the hubby and I ran was for a local charity. I still plan on participating in the March of Dimes, and competing in those 5k's. I've also begun donations for the Salvation Army and the animal shelter. My plan this year is to add to my donation boxes (buying items free or close to free with coupons), and have really nice donations for my local charities at the end of the year. I think this is one of the projects I'm most excited about, I can't wait to see what I have to donate at the end of the year! I hope I can provide my readers with pictures of overflowing boxes to take in :)

5. Save MORE money.

Here's what's cool about my goals. They all tie in to each other quite nicely. Running outside is FREE, achieving my goal of saving money. It gives me the energy to do yard work, and makes me want to eat healthy. It also relieves my anxiety, which makes it easier for me to focus on reading. Planting a garden will also help save money, since the majority of my grocery budget is spent on fresh produce. Reading more means more trips to library, where I'm not spending any money. And I'm trying to increase my charitable donations while spending as little money as possible.

-There you go! My 2014 resolutions. I think it's going to be great year! I hope everyone had a great weekend :)

Lately: 10/3/13

Haloti chased this poor little groundhog up into a tree at our house yesterday, around 3 pm. The poor little groundhog was so scared, he didn't come down until the middle of the night. I kept checking on him all afternoon yesterday, but he didn't move a muscle. He sat like this all day yesterday. I'm happy to say that when I went to check on him this morning, he was gone. Thank goodness. I was having nightmares of trying to get him down after Googling "getting a groundhog out of a tree video". Watch the video. So glad we don't have to do that :)

Retail Value: $127.10
Paid: $45.30
Savings: 64%

Crispy Chicken BLT Salad.

The hubby got me some gorgeous fall flowers last week.

The vacuum scares the beejeezus out of Gizmo. Somehow, he managed to score a ride-along to stay safe from that evil, noisy machine.

Made a batch of lunch burritos to freeze for the hubby.

Fall is upon us, and in this house that means breaking out the heating pad for the pups to share.

Haloti stays true to his namesake, and supports those Duckies!

My shirt for Huntington's Path to the Cure.

After putting in 3 miles on a sunny fall morning last week.

Spaghetti with Toasted Breadcrumbs, Swiss Chard, and Poached Eggs.

One day closer to the weekend! Happy Thursday everyone!

Shifting Gears

Retail Value: $136.14.
Paid: $30.39
Saved: 78%

This couponer has come to that point in their life when their stockpile is good enough. Or rather, enough is enough. I have more shampoo than I could use in the next couple of years, enough chap stick to give 20 of my closest friends 5 of their own sticks, and toothpaste really seems to be spontaneously regenerating itself. For all my ideas about making beauty baskets for people for Christmas and just giving out items here and there, I'm just not using enough of what I've stocked. I've decided it's time to use my powers for good. Couponing for charity! I love couponing, I love to shop, and I like to help people. I cleared out my stockpile, and I'm donating the bulk of it to our local women's shelter. I also decided that since I'm going to be there anyway, I might as well take all my old clothes and shoes while I'm at it.

What I've got going to the shelter tomorrow- 3 large tubs of clothes, 1 large tub of shoes, and 1 large tub chock full of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion, razors, deodorant, etc. There's at least 20 warm sweaters in those tubs (among the plethora of other clothing items), I'm hoping they go to good use this winter.

I'm starting 2 other projects as well. A donation for my local animal shelter and a donation for my local homeless shelter.

I'm starting small on these next 2 projects, but everyone's got to start somewhere. I'm hoping to have sizable donations to make in December. How am I doing this? Just using my coupons to pick up free, or close-to-free items.

I'm excited to start some new projects. Here's hoping my pictures of my final donations in December knock everyone's socks off!

Why I Coupon

Combos, Playtex Tampons, Brawny Paper Towels, Finesse Shampoo and Conditioner, Lady SpeedStick, Sally Hansen Insta-Dry and Complete Salon Manicure, M&M's, Reese's Mini's, Softsoap Hand Soap, Irish Spring Body Wash, Softsoap Body Wash.

I thought instead of the usual weekly breakdown on my haul, I would use this opportunity to talk about why I still coupon. Some people I encounter give me that "Girl, you crazy" look when I tell them I coupon. There was a time when the hubby and I had to coupon. When we first moved to Kentucky, we had some serious budgetary issues and money had to be saved. Now that the hubby has a great job, I think people assumed I would stop couponing. Nope.

I had some minor complications with my haul this weekend, and I was seriously bent out of shape. First of all, I was seriously disorganized. I hadn't cleaned out my binders or cut up my coupons from last week. I put my list together hastily. At Rite Aid, my coupons had expired the day before. At CVS, I made a math error when putting my list together. I tend to be one of those people who gets seriously bothered when things don't go perfectly. Which is often in life. So after the drug stores, I was feeling crummy and inadequate. I was still feeling bummed about my haul until this morning, when I sat down to crunch some numbers on the haul.

For this week's haul, I paid $27.73. The total value of the products was $78.29, which means the total percentage of savings on my haul was 65%. That's really not that bad, and not an unrealistic percentage of savings. Unbeknownst to you all, I buy a lot more when I shop than what I picture. What I picture are items that I bought with coupons. It's rare to get coupons for fresh veggies and fresh meat, and veggies are the bulk of what I buy at the grocery store. Another fact that I don't talk about- my weekly maximum budget is $100. I almost always try to spend less than that, because any money leftover in my budget goes into the coupon savings account. I also transfer any money saved from coupons and/or sales into my coupon savings account. Most stores will list on their receipt how much money you saved with sales and coupons. So, as an example, I spent $83.16 last week. I got to transfer $16.84 plus the $69.70 that I saved with coupons/sales into my savings account. For a crummy week, that's still a good amount of money. It all adds up.

To put all this in perspective, let's go back in time about 7 years. I was working crazy hours, I was at work more than I was home. I didn't do any kind of sales planning. I just made a quick list of meals I would make for the week, and then buy what I needed. Willy nilly. Most weeks, I spent $150-$175 on groceries. For 2 people! I want to bawl like a baby sometimes, when I think about all the money I threw away. And that didn't even include my personal items for the month (shampoo, conditioner, makeup, etc.). If you add up all that money over a year- that's about $7200 in groceries. Not to mention, another probably $100 a month for cosmetics ($1200 a year!). That's $8400. Yowsa. If you took what I spent this week (and said I spent that every week) that would be $3,991.68. That's a serious, serious difference. A $4,408.32 difference, to be exact. So, it really wasn't that bad of a week after all.

The hubby and I have benefitted greatly from couponing. Since starting a savings account to keep track of our savings last year, we were able to make such a large down payment on our brand new appliances that we are making our last payment on those next month! We've also been able to build our couponing account back up to over $2000 already. We are hoping to pay cash to fence in our backyard next summer, and I think that goal is completely do-able.

So for me, the whole couponing thing is not about getting a lot of junk for free. It's not even about being a cheapskate. It all comes down to good common sense. I used to fork over that $4,408.32 that I now save to stores. These days, I keep it for myself.

August's First Haul

St. Ives Apricot Scrub, Vaseline Spray & Go, Bounty Paper Towels, Downy, Skittles, Starburst, Revlon Nail Polish, Scuunci Elastics, Colgate Toothbrushes.

I've been bad lately when it comes to couponing. I've been keeping up (but barely), and I haven't been super-excited by the sales all summer, so my hauls have been very small. And uninspiring, as you can tell from the frequency of which I've been posting about them. I was in dire need of fabric softener this week however, so that motivated me to find other sales. You know, since I would be at the store anyway. In the end, I'm glad I sucked it up, and schlepped out to the store. My find of the day that had me very excited? Free Skittles and Starburst at Kroger! I love me some freebies :) Here's the breakdown for the week:

CVS:

Colgate Toothbrushes, 2 for $5.98 (Buy 2, Receive $2 in ECB's)

-used (2) $1 off any Colgate toothbrush coupons

Revlon Nail Polish, $4.99 (Buy 1, Receive $3 in ECB's)

-used (2) $1 off any Revlon Color Cosmetic coupons

-Used $4.50 in ECB's, paid $7.46 out of pocket, and made $8 in ECB's.

Rite Aid:

Scuunci Hair Elastics, $2.99 (Buy 1, Receive $2 in UP's)

St. Ives Apricot Scrub, $4.49 (Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off and Buy 2, Receive $2 in UP's)

-used (2) $0.75 off St. Ives Apricot Scrub

Vaseline Spray and Go Moisturizer, $5.99 (Buy 1, Receive $2 in UP's)

-used a $1 off Vaseline Spray and Go Moisturizer coupon

-Used $4 in UP's, paid $9.21 out of pocket, and made $6 in UP's.

Kroger:

Starburst and Skittles, 2 for $1

-used (4) $0.50 off 2 Starburst or Skittle packs (doubled to $1- free!)

Bounty Paper Towels, $5.99

-used a $1 off Bounty DuraTowels coupon

Downy Fabric Softener, $3.99

-used a $3 off 3 Downy products coupon, and a $1 off Downy Kroger e-coupon.

-Paid $12.96

Total Spent- $29.63 on 82.40 worth of product. Savings of 64%.

I hope everyone had a great weekend! :)

A Long Weekend, a Stomach Virus, and a Coupon Haul

Downy Fabric Softener, Puff's, Bounty Basic, Secret Clinical Deodorant, SoftSoap Body Wash, Crest Toothpaste, Covergirl Jumbo Pencil Lip Balm, Dawn Dish Soap

Oh, goodness. It's been a hell of a last couple of days. On Friday (of our long 4th of July weekend) the hubby came down with a stomach virus. He was better by Monday, however, the evilness hit me on Sunday night. I was in the middle of making dinner, when I got very, very light-headed. I went to lay down, and within 2 hours, I was throwing up. Among other things... Here it is Wednesday, and I've woken up extremely disappointed that I'm still sick, and seemed to have developed a sore throat. Argh. The debilitating part of this virus is that's taxing to be on your feet for more than a couple of minutes without getting light-headed. I'm super annoyed, I've got lots to do around here. I haven't cooked or baked at all this week, the blog has been neglected,  the house needs to be vacuumed, muscles need to be worked out, etc.

Luckily, I was able to complete the grocery shopping and couponing for the week on Sunday before I got sick. Unfortunately, I just haven't had the energy to open my computer and use those little click-y, buttons to type actual English words. I've got a small list of goals to try and accomplish today, blogging being numero uno on that list. I actually had a good haul this week. My stockpile was running perilously low on fabric softener, dish soap, those little kleenex boxes for the bathroom, and paper towels. So, as you can see, this was a much needed haul. Here's the breakdown for this week:

CVS

*All items purchased under "Buy $30, Receive $10 in ECB's" promotional event.*

Dawn Dishsoap, $0.97
-used (4) $0.25 off any Dawn product
SoftSoap Body Wash, $2.99
-used a $2 off SoftSoap Body Wash CVS store coupon
Covergirl Jumbo Lip Balm Pencils, $9.29 (Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off)
-used a $4 off 2 Covergirl Lip Products coupon
Secret Clinical Deodorant, $9.99 (Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off)
-used a $5 off 2 Secret Clinical Deodorants coupons, and a $2.50 off a $12 Deodorant Purchase CVS store coupon

*Also used my $5 Beauty Bucks reward, and $2 Spring Spending Reward*

-used $10 in ECB's from last week, paid $4.28 out of pocket, and made $10 in ECB's.

Rite Aid

*All items purchased under "Buy $30, Receive $10 in UP's" promotional event.*

Bounty Basic, $0.99
-used (4) $0.25 off any Bounty product coupons
Puffs, $0.99
-used (2) $0.25 off 3 Puff's small boxes coupons
Downy, $3.99
-used a $3 off 3 Downy products coupon
Crest, $5.79 (Buy 1, Get 1 50% off)
-used (2) $0.75 off any Crest toothpaste coupon

-used $5 in UP's from last week, paid $20.54 out of pocket, and made $10 in UP's.

Total Spent- $24.82 on $102.23 worth of product. Savings of 76%.

Happy Hump-Day Everyone!

Couponing Haul: 6/16/13

All Laundry Detergent, Colgate Mouthwash, Maybelline Nail Polish, Covergirl Eyeshadow Pencil and Nail Polish, Dentyne Gum. Sorry, you can tell the sun was super bright that day on the one side of my picture!

The hubby was in desperate need of Powerade, so we took advantage of the low(er) price at Kroger.

Hillshire Farm's Smoked Sausage for $0.68 at Kroger! Smoked sausage is nice to have on hand for cookouts, soups, breakfasts, etc. We don't eat a lot of it (not so healthy), so these should last me quite a while.

 I'm back with a couponing update! It's been awhile since the hubby and I have done a couponing haul. We had about a month there where all of our extra dollars (down to the last penny) were being spent on the yard. C'est la vie. Plus, the sales have sucked the last couple of weeks. Now that my stockpile is built up, I'm not going to pay just anything for certain products. I wait until the sale is really good, then I pounce. My stockpile is low on dishwasher soap, fabric softener, canned tomatoes, canned green beans and corn, and canned beans. I keep watching for a sale on any of these items, but to no avail the last couple of weeks. I'll be there, lurking in the shadows, waiting for my prey... Ok, I know I'm a weirdo, so here's the breakdown for the week:

CVS

Colgate Mouthwash, $5.79 (Spend $10 on Colgate, Receive $5 in ECB's)
-used (2) $2 off Colgate Mouthwash coupons
Covergirl Nail Polish, $6.29
Covergirl Eyeshadow Pencil, $7.79 (Spend $10 on Covergirl, Receive $3 in ECB's)
-used a $3 off 2 Covergirl products coupon
Maybelline Nail Polish, $4.19
-used (2) $1 off Maybelline Nail Polish coupons, a $2 off Maybelline Cosmetics CVS store coupon, and a $1 off Maybelline Cosmetics CVS store coupon.

*Used a $5 off a $30 purchase CVS store coupon

-Used $14 in ECB's from last week, paid $3.04 out of pocket, and made $8 in ECB's.

Rite Aid

Colgate Mouthwash, $5.99 (Buy 1, Receive $3 in UP's)
-used a $2 off Colgate Mouthwash coupon
Dentyne Gum, 2 for $2 (Buy 2, Receive $1 in UP's)
-used (3) Buy 2, Get $1 off Dentyne Gum coupons

-used $4 in UP's from last week, paid $2.79 out of pocket, and made $6 in UP's.

Kroger

Hillshire Farms Smoked Sausage, $1.68
-used (3) $1 off Hillshire Farms Smoked Sausage coupons
Powerade, $0.79
All Laundry Detergent, $2.99
-used (3) $1 off All coupons

-Paid $23.81

Total Spent- $29.64 on $103.35 worth of product. Savings of 71%.

A good week, if I do say so myself. Happy Hump Day everyone!

Coupon Haul: 5/12/13

Pantene Shampoo, Kashi Go Lean Cereal, Crest Toothpaste, Pantene Conditioner, Venus Razors,  Mentos UP2U Gum, Physician's Formula Eyeliner and Lipgloss, Revlon PhotoReady Primer.

I've been busy, busy, busy. Not with anything particularly important, its just that the hubby had the last 4 days off. We had a very lazy weekend, watched movies, ate indulgently, and drank even more indulgently. To say I'm feeling sluggish today would be an understatement. Ugh.

I did have a very good weekend couponing. I got some expensive product for very little dinero. I don't know if Kroger has changed their coupon policy lately, but I'm noticing e-coupons go through even when I have a manufacturer coupon. It's very strange, it means I got a few things for free! I went with it. I also completely ran out of my primer, I was so lucky to find a good deal on it. Here's my breakdown for the week:

CVS-

Revlon PhotoReady Primer, $13.29 (Buy 1, Get 1 50% Off)
-used (2) $2 off Revlon Face Products manufacturer coupon, a $3 off any $10 Revlon purchase CVS store coupon, and a $3 off any $12 makeup purchase CVS store coupon.
Mentos UP2U gum, $1.57

-used $10 in ECB's from last week, paid $1.50 out of pocket, and received $5 in ECB's from the Magic Coupon Machine.

Rite Aid-

*Physician's Formula Cosmetics- Spend $15, Receive $10 in UP's*

Physician's Formula pH balanced lip gloss, $6.96
Physician's Forumla Felt-Tip Marker eyeliner, $9.95

-used $10 in UP's from last week, paid $6.91 out of pocket, and made $10 in UP's.

Kroger-

Venus Disposable Razors, $5.99
-used a Buy 1, Get 1 Free Venus disposable razors coupon
Pantene Shampoo and Conditioner, $2.59
-used a $3 off 2 Pantene manufacturer coupon, and a $3 off 2 Pantene e-coupon (free!)
Crest Toothpaste, $1.99
-used a $1 off Crest manufacturer coupon, and a $1 off Crest e-coupon (free!)

-paid $5.99

Total Spent- $14.40 on $75.20 worth of product. Savings of 81%.

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Open Season For... Razors?!

Garnier Moisture Rescue Gel, Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Nail Polish, Quaker Oatmeal Squares, Crest Toothpaste, Bounty Basic Paper Towels, Peanut Butter M&M's, Venus Razors.

Being a woman in summer means upping your stakes in the battle against basically any kind of body hair. This also means razors are coming and going a lot faster than they would at any other time of the year, and they are freakin' expensive! I found an amazing deal at Rite Aid this weekend, though. 3-packs of Venus razors normally retail for $11.99. They were on sale for $7.49, and part of a promotion where if you spend $30, you get back $10. I also had in my hot, little hands a "Buy 1, Get 1 Free" coupon for Venus razors. I ended up getting 4 packs of razors- plus 1 roll of Bounty Paper Towels- for $9.92 (I also had $6 in rewards from last week). 4 packs of razors for less than the price of 1? Yes, please! Here's the breakdown for the rest of the haul:

CVS

Peanut Butter M&M's, $0.99
-used a $0.99 Mars candy CVS store coupon
Garnier Moisture Rescue Gel, $8.99 (Buy $15 in Garnier, Receive $5 in ECB's)
-used a $5 off 2 Garnier moisturizers coupon
Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Nail Polish, $5.79 (Spend $10 in Sally Hansen, Receive $5 in ECB's)
-used a Buy 1, Get 1 Free Sally Hansen Insta-Dry Nail Polish coupon
Crest, $3.49 (Buy 1, Receive $1 in ECB's)
-used a $1 off Crest toothpaste coupon

-Used $17 in ECB's from last week, paid $6.05 out of pocket, and made $11 in ECB's for next week.

Rite Aid

*Purchases part of "Spend $30 on Select P&G Products, Receive $10 in UP's" promotion*

Venus Razors, $7.49
-used (2) Buy 1, Get 1 Free Venus Razors coupon
Bounty Basic Paper Towels, $0.99
-used a $0.25 Bounty Paper Towels coupon

-Used $6 in UP's from last week, spent $9.92 out of pocket, and made $10 in UP's for next week.

Kroger

Quaker Oatmeal Squares cereal, $1.88
-used (2) $0.75 off Quaker cereal coupons

-Spent $2.26

Total Spent- $18.23 on $92.77 worth of product. Savings of 80%.

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had a great weekend!

A Good Day To Save A Buck (Or Two)

Red Gold Canned Tomatoes, Dial Handsoap, Keebler Pretzel Bites, Crest White Strips, Rosarita Refried Beans, Olay Face Cleansers, Right Guard Deodorant

I just got done doing the math on this haul, and I couldn't believe the retail price. $119.03 to be exact. You wouldn't think it by looking at it, but it's true. The Crest White Strips alone retail for $42. Uh, that's cray-cray. I got a crazy deal on them, however. They were on sale for $10 off at CVS, I had a CVS store coupon for $10 off Crest White Strips, a $7 manufacturer coupon, plus they were part of a $15 rebate deal. That's my kind of price :) I wouldn't normally get the pretzel bites, but I had a coupon and I knew the hubby would like them. And let's face it, who doesn't like refried beans? Regular for the hubby, fat-free for me. I also skipped Rite Aid this week, I wasn't impressed with the sales. Here's the breakdown for the week:

CVS-

*Olay and Crest part of CVS's P&G Beauty Rebate, "Buy $50 of Select Products, Get a $15 Rebate"

Crest Whitestrips, $31.99
-used a $7 manufacturer coupon, and a $10 off CVS store coupon
Olay Facial Cleansers, $4.99
-used (2) $3 off 2 Olay cleansers coupons
Right Guard Deodorants, $3 (Buy 2, Receive $1 in ECB's)
-used (2) $2 off 2 Right Guard deodorants coupons

*used a $10 off a $50 purchase CVS store coupon

-Used $16.49 in ECB's from last week, spent $10.46 out of pocket, made $2 in ECB's for next week, and earned a $15 rebate.

Kroger-

Dial Hand Soaps, $1
-used (4) $0.35 any Dial Hand Soap coupons (doubled to $0.70)
Rosarita Refried Beans, $1
-used (2) $0.55 off 2 Rosarita Refried Beans coupons
Red Gold Canned Tomatoes, $1
-used (4) $1 off 2 Red Gold Canned Tomatoes coupons
Keebler Pretzel Bites, $2.99
-used (2) $1 off Keebler Pretzel Bites coupons

-Paid $11.08

Total Spent- $21.59 for $119.03 worth of product. Savings of 82%.

I hope everyone had a great weekend! May you save long, and prosper :)

Product Review: L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation and More

Time for some more product reviews! The makeup sales haven't been incredibely stellar lately, so I feel like I haven't been picking up as much stuff to try. Which sucks. But have no fear! We are getting close to that time of year when the cosmetics sales are good, and the coupons released for said-cosmetics are better. In the meantime, I do have a couple of new products that I've tested out :)

1. L'Oreal True Match Lumi Foundation

Drugstore foundation is a tricky, not to mention touchy, subject. Not only are you usually dealing with inferior formulas (as compared to the high end products), you're also trying to pick out the correct shade without trying it on. I've tested many, many drugstore foundations and hated 95% of them. I go back to Revlon Colorstay every time. Every. Time. Much to my surprise, I like this foundation. It was inferred from the word "luminous" on the front of the bottle that this was not a matte foundation. I bought it with the intention of using it as a highlighter. Some people like the dewy look, but I'm not one of them. To me, my face just looks shiny. So I bought this product a shade lighter than my normal color. I've been using it under my eyes, down the bridge of my nose, and in the center of my forehead and chin. The dispenser is a pump bottle, which perfectly dispenses the small amount I use. For a luminous foundation (which is drugstore lingo for "shimmer"), there's actually not a hideous amount of shimmer. The texture is very creamy, and seems to melt right into my skin. I use a slightly darker foundation on my cheeks, sides of nose, and around the outer edge of my face, and I've had no problem blending this product with my normal foundation. I like the highlighting effect that this gives me, and I've had no problem with the durability of the product. It can really hold on till the end of the day. The verdict? I would definitely buy this again. I think this one bottle is going to last me quite a long time, but I wouldn't be adverse to picking up more in the future.

2. CoverGirl Outlast Nail Polish in Smokey Taupe, 215

I'm in love with taupe nail polish at the moment. I just can't get enough! A couple of weeks ago, I picked this up for super-cheap during one of couponing excursions. My eye was drawn immediately to this shade. I scooped it up pretty quickly. I'm not huge on CoverGirl products, there are very few of their products that I like. But I like this polish. The brush is a good size, comparable to Maybelline's Color Show Nail Polish brushes. The formula goes on smoothly, with even coverage. 2 thin coats were sufficient to achieve a uniform appearance. I've been very pleased with the ability of this polish to resist chipping. I painted my toes with this color 2 weeks ago, and just today got my first chip. I'm actually thinking about painting my toes this color again, which if you know me, is highly unusual. I change my colors a lot. A lot, a lot, a lot (except for a phase in college where I did a French manicure on my toes for 2 years-straight). This is a perfect neutral in my mind, the color goes with just about everything. You'd be hard-pressed to find something to not match with this. The best part? It's a completely affordable nail polish. The verdict? Yes, please! I'll probably try more shades in the line as well. After I get this taupe out of my system, of course :)

3. L'Oreal Eversleek Humidity Defying Leave-In Creme

Leave-in conditioner is an absolute must for me. I've got what most people would call "horse hair". It's dry, prone to frizz, and feels rough to the touch. In all fairness, I do abuse my hair. Dry it, straighten it, curl it, etc. All on a daily basis. Not only do I use a leave-in conditioner after every shampooing, I also use a conditioning mask about twice a week. I'm actually almost to the bottom of this bottle, and I'm kind-of sad. I've had a good run with this product, but I've got countless new kinds of products to try out. The creme itself is fairly thick, but evens out nicely when you rub it between your hands for a few minutes before distributing throughout your hair. I've been using this product throughout the winter, so I can't comment on the humidity control, but it is a great winter product. It always leaves my hair a little bit softer. I wouldn't call this a miracle product, I've used many other brands that seem to work better, but it's a decent and affordable choice. The verdict? This creme wasn't outstanding enough for me to seek it out to buy again. I'd probably pick up some more if I got it for free, though.

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

2/3/13: Coupon Haul

Cottonelle Toilet Paper, Palmolive Dish Soap, Scott Toilet Paper, Kleenex, Sally Hansen Gel Polish Strips, Mr Clean Magic Erasers, RevitaLens Contact Solution, Rapid Sleep PM, Clear Shampoo and Conditioner, Lady Speedstick Deodorant.

This may look like a small haul, but the retail value of it is surprisingly high. I really hit it hard with the coupons this week, and my hard work paid off. I had a coupon for almost every item in this picture (except the sleep aid, which was free at CVS). I couldn't believe, after crunching numbers on my receipts, that the retail on this haul would have been $107.68! The contact solution is normally ~$11, the Cottonelle is normally $13, and the gel-color nail strips are normally $15. You'll have to finish reading this post to see how much I paid out of pocket :) Here's the breakdown:

CVS-

*Note: The Cottonelle, Scott, Kleenex, Palmolive, and Magic Eraser's were part of CVS's promotion of "Spend $30 on Select Products, Get $10 Back"*

Cottonelle, $10
-used a $0.25 off Cottonelle coupon
Scott Toilet Paper, $7.49
-used a $1 off Scott Toilet Paper coupon
Kleenex, $0.99
-used (2) $0.50 off 3 boxes of Kleenex manufacturer coupon, and a $1.50 off a $5 Kleenex purchase CVS store coupon
Palmolive, $0.99
-used (4) $0.25 off Palmolive coupons
Lady Speedstick Deodorant, $1.99
-used (2) $0.50 off Speedstick manufacturer coupon, and a $2 off any 2 deodorants CVS store coupon
Sally Hansen Gel-Color strips, $14.99 (Buy $10 in Sally Hansen products, Get $3 in ECB's)
-used a $5 off Sally Hansen gel strips coupon, and a $3 off a $10 Sally Hansen purchase CVS store coupon
Rapid Sleep PM, $1.99 (Buy 1, Get $1.99 in ECB's)

*Used a $10 off a $50 purchase CVS store coupon, and (2) $4 off a $20 purchase CVS store coupons

-Used $12 in ECB's from last week, paid $5.59 out of pocket, and made $15.99 in ECB's for next week.

Rite Aid-

RevitaLens Contact Solution, $8.49 (Buy 1, Get $1 in UP's back)
-used (2) $4 off RevitaLens contact solution coupons
Clear Shampoo and Conditioner, $4.99 (Buy 1, Get $2 in UP's back)
-used a Buy 1, Get 1 Free Clear Shampoo and Conditioner coupon

-used $8 in UP's from last week, paid $5.97 out of pocket, and made $6 in UP's for next week.

-Total Spent- $11.56 on $107.68 worth of product. Savings of 89%. Yowza!

The First Haul of 2013: 1/6/13

Red Gold diced tomatoes, Kashi Go Lean cereal, Finish dishwashing gel pacs, Barilla Whole Grain Pasta, All laundry detergent, Herbal Essence shampoo and conditioner, Good-N-Natural protein bars, Nivea lip balm, Nivea body lotion, Lysol toilet bowl cleaners.

This is actually my first big haul since September of last year! It's crazy to think that I was out of the game for so long. I must say though, the deals just weren't there at the end of last year, and coupons (especially good ones!) were few and far between. I cleaned out my binders after New Year's, and I feel like I shipped out 75% of what was in them! I was feeling very, very coupon deprived until the new inserts came out yesterday. There were 5 inserts in each paper, and I got 5 papers! That's 25 inserts! So many coupons came out yesterday, my head is spinning. Definitely dreading cutting those babies up. Anyways, we had a very good haul yesterday, and so much healthy food! Kashi cereal, protein bars, whole grain pasta, Greek yogurt, etc. Whoever tells you you can't buy healthy food with coupons, don't even listen to them. You absolutely can. Here's the breakdown for yesterday's haul:
CVS-
~Everything I bought at CVS was part of their "Spend $30 on Selected Products, Get $10 in ECB's Back"~
Finish Dishwashing Gelpacs, 2 for $8
-used (2) $2.15 off Finish Dishwashing Gelpacs coupons
All Laundry Detergent, 2 for $8
-used (2) $2 off 2 All products coupon
Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner, 2 for $6
-used a $0.50 off 2 Lysol Cleaners coupon

-used $9.50 in ECB's from last week, paid $11.70 out of pocket, and received $10 in ECB's for next week.

Rite Aid-
Nivea Lip Balm, 2 for $5 (Spend $15 on Nivea products, Receive $8 in UP rewards)
-used (2) $3 off 2 Nivea Lip Balm products coupon
Nivea Body Lotion, $5.99
-used a $2 off any Nivea Body Lotion coupon

-used $8 in UP's from last week, paid $1.99 out of pocket, and received $8 in UP rewards for next week.

Kroger-
Barilla Pasta, 4 for $5
-used (1) $1 off 3 Barilla pastas coupon
Kashi Cereal, $1.99
Yoplait Greek Yogurt, $1
-used (2) $1 off 2 Yoplait Greek yogurt coupons
Good-N-Natural Bars, $1
-used (5) free Good-N-Natural bar coupons
Red Gold diced tomatoes, $0.59
Herbal Essence Shampoo and Conditioner, $1.74
-used (3) $1 off 1 Herbal Essence product coupons

-paid $18.84 out of pocket.

Total Spent- $32.53 on $121.55 worth of product. Savings of 73%.

What a good start to the year, and a good start to my coupon savings account :) Have a happy week everyone!

Labor Day Couponing

LA Looks hair gel, ReNu contact solution, Wisk laundry detergent,  Nivea lotion, Skintimate shave gel, Glade candles, Dial handsoap

Who coupons on Labor Day? Me! It looks like a small haul, but I didn't include 30 Gatorades and (4) 24 packs of Diet Pepsi. Those were the mainstay's of my haul that I decided not to include in my couponing picture. Other than that, I saved a lot on the rest. Here's this week's breakdown:
CVS
Glade Candles, 2 for $6; Spend $12 on Glade products, receive $4 in ECB's
-used (2) $2 off 2 Glade candles, received $4 ECB's
Wisk, $4.99
-used (2) $2 off Wisk coupons
Nivea Lotion, $6; Spend $10 on Nivea, receive $3 in ECB's
-used (2) $2 off Nivea lotion

-used $20 in ECB's from last week, paid $1.98, and received $7 in ECB's.

Rite Aid
LA Looks Gel, $2.99; Buy 1, Receive $2 in UP's
-used a $1 off LA Looks coupon, received $2 in UP's
ReNu Contact Solution, $7.99; Buy 1, Receive $7 in UP's
-used a $2 off ReNu coupon, received $7 in UP's
Skintimate Shave Gel, Buy 1, Get 1 50% off; Buy 2, Receive $2 in UP's
-used (2) $0.55 off Skintimate, received $2 in UP's

-used $7 in UP's from last week, paid $5.11, and received $10 in UP's.

Kroger
Dial Handsoap, $0.88
-used (4) $0.35 off coupons (doubled to $0.70 off)

-paid $0.72

Total Spent- $7.81 on $79.08 worth of product. Savings of 91%.

Fantabulous Couponing!

Suave shampoo and conditioner, Crest toothpaste, Hunt's Snack Packs, Quakes, Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats, Olay body wash, Mentos gum, Revlon eyeliner and lipliner, Dove hair stylers, Aussie hair stylers, L'Oreal Everstyle hair stylers, Suave Men's body wash, Olay Daily Facial Cloths

It was a good weekend for couponing. I got some good buys, didn't spend a lot of moola, and added to my ever-growing stockpile. The hubby's aunt suggested that I make baskets for the female family members at Christmas time, stuffed with body products, hair products, makeup, chocolate, etc. I thought that was a good idea. I probably will have more in my stockpile that I will use this year, so why shouldn't everyone enjoy free beauty products? I think it's a go. Here's the breakdown for the week:


CVS
Mentos gum, 2 for $5
-used (3) $1 off coupons, received $2 in ECB's
Aussie styling products, 2 for $6
-used a $1 off 2 CVS store coupon, a $1 off a 2 manufacturer coupon, and received $1 in ECB's
Olay Daily Facial Cloths, $3.74
-used (2) Buy Daily Facial Cloths, Receive A Free Olay Body Wash coupons (priced at $5.99)
L'Oreal Everstyle products, $7.29 (Buy 2, Receive $5 in ECB's)
- used (2) $2 off coupons, received $5 in ECB's

-used (2) $4 off a $20 purchase CVS store coupons, used $13 in ECB's from last week, paid $5.86, and received $8 in ECB's.

Rite Aid
Crest toothpaste, $3
-used a $0.75 off coupon, received $3 in UP's
Revlon eyeliner and lipliner, $7.29 (Buy 1, Get 1 50% off and Spend $10, Get $4 in UP's)
-used (2) $1 off coupons, received $4 in UP's
Dove Styling Products, 2 for $6 (part of Suave deal)
Suave Men's body wash, 2 for $4
Suave Shampoo and Conditioner, 3 for $5 (Spend $15 on Select Products, Get $5 in UP's)
-used a $3 off 2 Dove products coupon, (2) $0.75 off Suave body wash coupons, and (3) $0.25 off Suave shampoo or conditioner coupons

-used $10 in UP's from last week, paid $12.93, and received $12 in UP's.


Kroger
Quakes, $1
Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheats, $1.99
-used a $1 off 2 coupon
Hunt's Snack Packs, $1
-used a Buy 3, Get 1 Free coupon

-paid $8.98


Total Spent- $27.77 on $133.80 worth of product. Savings of 79%.


My couponing account is growing by leaps and bounds! Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Product Review: Maybelline Volum' Express Mega Plush Mascara and More

I've been picking up lots of new products to try lately. I guess the summer beauty sales have been good to me. There are so many coupon deals going on right now, I can hardly choose which ones I'm going to do. Makes me wish I could do them all! Let's dive right in, shall we? :)

1. Maybelline Volum' Express Mega Plush Mascara

This mascara is being touted as the next big thing, thanks to it's gel-mousse formula. I picked up the waterproof formula to try out (of course!). I've been using this for a couple of weeks now and here's what I think. If you have tried Maybelline's Volum' Express One-By-One mascara, you've tried this one. I love, love, love One-By-One, it's my absolute favorite. I found this formula to look and feel essentially the same. The only difference I can tell is between the two brushes. The Mega Plush has a large brush, with a flexible wand. One-By-One's brush is rubber and is designed to coat every lash. Due to the brush, I also find that the One-By-One goes on more evenly, and with less clumps. Both formula's stay put and don't smudge. Both are not heavy formula's, and really look like my lashes, but better. Both hold curl very well. The verdict? Due to the similarity to my favorite mascara and an unfavorable brush/wand, I won't be buying this one again. I'm sticking with the One-By-One.

2. CoverGirl's NatureLuxe Silk Foundation

I am not a CoverGirl fan. There are very few CoverGirl products that I like and would buy again, especially their foundations. That's why I was so surprised to love this product. It's a lightweight foundation, and in my opinion would be in-between tinted moisturizer and a fuller coverage foundation. The product is very creamy, and easy to blend in to the skin. I always look super-close at my pores after putting on foundation, to make sure it doesn't look like I'm caked in makeup. I was shocked that this covered flaws and evened out my skin, but didn't look like a mask. It also lasted all day, with me only having to do one mid-day touch-up. I think this is an appropriate foundation to wear when you are wanting more of a polished look than tinted moisturizer, like for a lunch date or shopping, but probably not for an evening going-out look. I'm sticking with tinted moisturizer for most of the time this summer, mainly because I don't look like my makeup is melting in this summer heat and humidity. But I'll be using this one on occasion, and probably even more in the fall. The verdict? This one is going in my arsenal, thanks to its light texture and amazing coverage.

3. Garnier Moroccan Sleek Oil Treatment

I'm torn on this product. I've been trying it out for a couple of weeks now, and I've tried it with many different hairstyles. Blown out, straightened, wavy, curly, and pulled back. The product works. It makes my hair feel soft and really does add a lot of shine. I especially like it with wavy and curly hairstyles which can stand to use something to help with the frizz. Here's my one downside with this product. I think it clogs my pores. As in, if you touch your face before you wash your hands and if you have acne-prone skin, you better watch out. It may even be this product getting on my pillow, and then getting on my face at night. If there's one thing I hate more than frizz, it's breakouts. Not pretty. I'll take some frizz over a breakout. That being said, John Frieda's Frizz Ease Serum works just as good as this and doesn't clog my pores. The verdict? If you have acne-prone skin, be super careful about getting this anywhere near your face. Due to said skin issues, I will not be purchasing this again.