One of my personal challenges this year is to stop just throwing out products that I try and can't use. It easy to just move on and take the financial loss, but much harder to live with the financial loss.

A few weeks ago, I received a free sample of a Dove facial cleanser. I liked it. It went on sale, I had a coupon...but the store didn't have it in stock. They did have a similar Dove product on sale, and that my coupon worked for, so I purchased it. But, when I used the cleansing pillow, it scratched my skin, and I promptly broke out in a rash.

I put it aside for a few days. But, I do have this commitment, and this blog to keep me committed (or to have me committed?). So, I emailed Dove about the problem.

Even I don't know everything that goes on in the marketplace. Turns out that Dove had a major recall of one of it's facial cleansers a few months ago. Completely unrelated, but...

I received via overnight express:

1. post-paid mailing address to return the product

2. full refund of the retail price, even though I had noted I used coupons and sales

3. four coupons for free full sized Dove products, retail over $20

4. a self-addressed envelope to send a note from my doctor in, should I wish any medical costs be reimbursed.

Hmmmm...

so I emailed P&G about the expired coupon they sent me. HOW RUDE OF THEM! They responded that it was in fact supposed to be a coupon for a free product, and they would send not only that free product coupon, but additional ones.

Piping up is paying off!

I won't add the $ to the challenge; I will be donating the coupons to the coupon trains.

I will be renewing my commit to contact the manufacturers when things don't work out. I don't plan to continue to MAKE money this way, but I don't plan on wasting as much, either.

We've all seen the free Nexxus samples from Walmart.

There is a separate kit, two trial size bottles, available from the Nexxus site. Even if you have received the WalMart samples, you are probably eligible to receive The Sampling Kit from Nexxus!

the link to the samples, from the Nexxus home site, is at

My deal of the day.

I love SCJ. I received a sample of their new Windex microfiber cloths, and they are fantastic on glass. I used the coupon/sale, bought a box, and ran right through them. Hmmm...

In the newsletter they just sent, SCJ claims the cloths are reuseable. Hmmm...so I emailed to ask. Are they?

Yes! Just rinse, let dry, and use again!

Cool.

Just for contacting them, they are sending a coupon for a free box. I didn't ask for the coupon, but SCJ frequently provides free product coupons in response to any customer query. I know they will follow up with a survey by mail on the support I received for my question. Assuming the coupon arrives, they will get a big thumbs up.

Proctor and Gamble, on the other hand...I had a reaction to one of their products. I was sent an expired, 25 cent coupon, for Ivory soap to wash off the skin. Boo. But, they put out their own coupon inserts, and receive THOUSANDS of requests for coupons every day. Unless you have a SERIOUS problem, they prefer you not contact them, and they certainly are NOT going to encourage you to do so.

It has been quite a week. I've just sent out another 10 welcome packets with free coupons to our two new trains. Now to get the trains going.

I've received several "requests", or rather DEMANDS, to join trains this week. Two actually thought the coupon trains were simply a package of free grocery coupons that go around. Wait. That IS what it is.

Except that you have to have coupons to replace the ones that you take out.

Flash is NOT a freebie!

I am a hopefully nice person with many coupons, who knows how to get coupons easily. Not printables, but good solid manufacturers coupons. Coupons for free products. Rebates for free products. Coupons for significant savings on your groceries. Refunds.

Coupons are just fertilizer for the budget, though. They aren't magic beans that grow savings while you aren't looking. Significant savings, consistently reaching 50-100% off your grocery bill, requires getting coupons, teaming them with sales and rebates, and stockpiling the great deals so you don't waste money down the road, after the sale or coupon has expired.

We have a site to teach you how to do this. Step by step.

www.GroceryCouponGuide.com


This is where the details on HOW and WHERE to get coupons, how to maximize your savings, how this whole system WORKS is located.

Me, I'm just a person. I just sent out 10 envelopes of coupons, at $10.77 of my money, to start two more trains. I'll be sending out the trains next week. I am HOPING that they are of great benefit to those that receive and use them.

I'm also hoping that everyone will use the grocerycouponguide.com site, and learn how to get great coupons specific to their needs for themselves.

My goal is not to feed you coupons for a day, but to teach you to fish for your own, and save for a lifetime.

So, join a train. But also use all the other techniques we are teaching you on the site. Otherwise, I'm just wasting web space.

Have you ever contacted a company, only to find that they claimed they didn't sell the product you were complaining about?

In all the merging and licensing, brands have gotten a bit confused!

For example, www.pillsbury.com is part of the Betty Crocker family, and includes offers for Pillsbury refrigerated and frozen products. Call to ask about their flour or baked goods, they will tell you it's not their product. No further advice given...Pillsbury Baking is a major competitor!

www.pillsburybaking.com is owned by J.M. Smuckers! They have their own site, their own newsletter, and their own offers.

Similarly, while Plaxtex continues to manufacturer personal and baby products, Plaxtex BRAS, including that 18 hour bra, is owned by...Sara Lee! As is WonderBra. (If the pound cake doesn't put the pounds on, the bra will?)

This creates a challenge in contacting manufacturers for compliments, complaints, requesting assistance, or even getting signed up for the right newsletter and offers!

To help out, we've compiled a list of major manufacturers, along with their brands, newsletters, and the contact pages for the main manufacturer as well as the individual brands. While Jeffrey is still compiling information into the site, the basics are up, and more are getting added regularly!

Thanks for all the tips. No offense from the laughter...if you could have seen my DH's face when I came out of the bath in stripes

I'd have thought GoJo would take anything off. We use it mucking out stables. Nope, don't have a horse farm, but I'm on the board of directors for a non-profit giving counseling to abused kids, and they spend quite a bit of time with the horses, equine therapy. I don't mind mucking stalls for a good cause!

I'm now gray and pink...Calamine lotion. Poison oak, ivy, AND sumac.

I do this every year. We have wild strawberry vines as a ground cover in our wild back frontier, and it is lovely every spring as it spreads its way out. So I am thrilled to see it spreading even more, in new places, and I nuture it and trim it...and realize it IS NOT wild strawberry.

The savings lesson for the day...be careful before you grab up those great offers that seem too good to be true. Like my magically spreading wild strawberries, they may not be what they seem!

when I was twenty, my Mother challenged me to modify her base ice cream recipe to be a "Foster Freeze" like soft serve.

While this isn't the healthiest recipe, it's quite tasty, and very versatile. You can substitute almost anything in this recipe with something else...Equal for sugar, evap non fat milk for half and half, leave out the eggs and cream, add fresh fruit, or even stale cookies that need to be used! Perfect for using up stockpiles

So, here is the original recipe. It's for the large ice cream maker, but can be resized as needed.

3 eggs, beaten
3 1/4 c sugar
3 tsp vanilla extract
1 can evaporated milk
1/2 pint whipped cream
1 pint half and half
fill the container with whole milk and freeze.

Me.

As part of our gardening odyssey of savings, DH upgraded our mulch to a high quality. Hmm...very dark. Mulch is usually very dark in a wet pile, but fades out once it dries in the sun. So...I didn't think too much about it...

SLATHERED myself in sun screen. Red headed, fair skinned me.

Turns out, DH paid extra to buy the permanently dyed mulch...black...and it is quite stunning. It resists fading, so keeps that beautiful freshly laid look year round. So they say.

And it was still such a huge savings!!! I'm thrilled!!!

Except...I wore sandals for part of the day. Didn't really look at the bottoms of my feet when I showered yesterday. Knees were a bit dark. But today...knees are BLACK. Feet are BLACK. It won't scrub off. It won't PUMICE off!

That's when DH tells me he bought PERMANENTLY DYED black mulch...and yep, it's PERMANENTLY on me. With the sunburn, the black feet, and the white lines of where the sun stopped and my shirt and shorts were...well, I'm quite a sight!

So, a tiny extra expensive from this garden savings. And I really do hate to say this, it goes against everything...but if we saved $4500 on gardening, I am going to spend $20 and get some nice bath gel to SOAK this stuff off in!

AH.

This is, of course, the downfall of any savings plan. Saving money and considering the savings as something to be spent elsewhere. NEVER EVER EVER allow yourself to do this. Saving is the reward!

Unless you have permanently dyed black knees and feet.

I was disappointed when Yves Rocher became popular enough that eBates dropped their cash back from 15% to 8%. Still, Yves Rocher is having a 50% off the site sale, with an extra 10% off using the code

10YRNEW

And, a free tote or sample package, free shipping, a free bathroom set, and free samples. Plus the 8% back, plus the credit card rebate. So, not bad...after a day digging and laying down BLACK mulch, I am looking forward to a delivery of some nice botanical bath products!

Well, as you can see from my last post, we got through the murder, and life returned to normal, so back to coupons!

The murder, well, teenage road rage, just happened to be at the court house, mid day, with dozens of people and police officers around...one of the kids pulled a knife, and then they ran. Not unusual for city life, but for the sleepy little down with one Main Street, the first murder in 20 years. And having police and news helicopters hovering for hours while every thing was roped off certainly shut the town down for awhile.

Yesterday and today we have continued on the mulch. DH decided (after years of my encouragement) that we should put landscape fabric down in areas without ground cover. Added to the work, looks great. But, it's 91F outside, and we are taking a break. Still lots to do.

Doing some additional trimming and things we have hired out in the past. I'm not afraid to hang atop a 3 story ladder, as long as DH is holding it. And, he's much stronger this year, and can dig out a trench or haul loads much easier.

So, our gardening savings this year, compared to paying for the same (not as good!) work the past three years, is now...

$4500.

Unbelieveable to me, but we never added up ALL the different spring time costs before. Occasionally we've done a small piece of it before, but since we initially did the back breaking work of landscaping, maintenance has been shared with many people with deep pockets. And, since they don't CARE about the quality of work as much as WE do, since we live with it all year, we are doing a careful and better job, especially in areas we know are problem areas.


Ah...if I had a savings category for gardening, this would go into it

Finishing it continues to be our weekly challenge.

Blinkies/Coupon Machines

$1 on two Kraft Slices, exp. 6/26/06
$1 on two Vlasic, any size, exp. 7/1/06

$1 on any two 6 packs Hansen’s Soda, exp. 8/31/06
55 cents off one ATHENOS Hummus, exp. 7/31/06
55 cents off one ATHENOS or Digiorno Cheese, exp. 7/31/06
$1 on 3 GM cereals (new date – exp. 7/17/06)
$1 on Breyers Fruit Bars, exp. 7/31/06

$1 any 4 Beechnut Table Time, exp. 9/30/06
$1 on 8 Gerber Tender Harvest, exp. 9/30/06
$2 ANY Huggies product, exp. 6/30/06
$1 any Huggies Diapers, exp. 7/29/06
50 cents any Huggies Baby Wipes, exp. 8/31/06 (problem with machine, so the store gave me a stack, inch thick!)

50 cents one Chinet, exp. 6/26/06
50 cent 2 1-big Roll or any one larger Sparkle Paper Towel, exp. 7/16/06

$1 Oralb toothbrush, exp. 7/18/06
$1 Oral B power toothbrush, exp. 7/18/06

Reynold’s Easy Grilling Booklet
$ 1 on 2 Reynolds foil, exp. 12.31.06
55 cents Mann’s Fresh Cut Vegetables, exp. 9.30.06
75 cents Cattlemen’s exp. 12/31/06
75 cents on 1 Reynolds Foil, exp. 12/31/06

Fold Out Machines
$1 Huggies diapers, exp. 7/29/06

Tear Pads
$1.50 any two Tylenol, St. Joesph, Pepcid, Mylanta, Mylicon, exp. 6/30/2006

Peelies
Feline Pine, Buy 2, $3 mail in rebate, no expiration
$5 off admission to Seaworld, on Synder’s pretzels

Loose leaf/promos
$2 Advil PM, any size, ex. 11/30/06…
….same form, submit POP of above by mail, receive free Advil PM 20 ct., exp. 8/31/06
50 cents any package Aidells hand-crafted sausage. Exp. 08/31/06
55 cents one Famous Amos Cookies, exp. 09/01/06
free movie ticket (up to $12) with purchase two Sunny D, by mail, exp. 8.31.06
$1 Cardini’s Salad Dressing, exp. 12.31.06

Tried to go shopping today, but there was a murder at our courthouse, and I was stuck in traffic for an hour. Maybe tomorrow.

Blinkies/coupon Machines
$1 on any two 6 packs Hansen’s Soda, exp. 8/31/06
55 cents on one any size News Nesquik Milkshake or milk, exp. 6/24/06
$2 on any Huggies diapers, Pullups, Goodnites, bath & body, Swimmers, or baby wipes, exp. 6/30/06
50 cents any one Huggies baby Wipes, exp. 8/31/06
$2 any Tylenol PM 50 ct., 8 oz., or larger, exp. 8/31/06
$1 on 8 Tender Harbest Baby Foods, exp. 9/30/06

Tear Pad
Buy one Kingsford 18/17 lb, or Match Light 13.5 lb charcoal, get FREE one KC Masterpiece 18 oz. BBQ or 16 oz. Marinade

Of course, a full page of all current offers too!

http://olay.com/newsandsamples/samples.htm

Tonight, DH wanted Thai, and chicken strips. Why? Not a clue...but he's mulching in the rain.

So, fried up a bag of chicken strips from the freezer, half will go into a different meal. Sliced up more of the bulk mushrooms, sauteed with asparagus tips that were, well, aging, and another bag of shredded carrots from earlier in the week. Added the remnants of a bottle of teriyaki sauce, some seasoning, a bit of water and orange peel. Will serve with a side of Lipton Thai noodles. Something that I always have too much of, since it's always "on sale" and always have coupons, so always free...so time to use some of it.

Pup got into the garbage and was eating raw asparagus ends...ugh...he really doesn't under he's a dog yet.

Tonight will be heat and eat.

Another newsletter find...


take their survey, and receive coupons...

Not sure if "my link" will work for everyone, but if not, sign up at baby.com

http://v2.decipherinc.com/survey/tab/tab05002a

Buy one Hunts ketchup, and either get the money back, or get $20 in coupons for Hunts, Gulden, PAM, Hebrew National, and Van Camp's


pdf form is at

http://www.hunts.com/thickerthanever/hunts_coupon.pdf

expires 2/28/07

Came from their email newsletter!

Who knew?

I was working on the list of company contacts, and sorting through the links and newsletters for Dove freebies and coupons and there it was...

a page of ALL their free offers

Mail call today, and full of coupons...

Fairfield farms not only sent a brochure with coupons, but a personal letter, and additional coupons, which they noted in the letter were going to expire the end of June, but the ones in the brochure are good until 2/07. Please use

Gerber newsletter came, packed with coupons.

Dove newsletter and samples came, packed with coupons. Hair care samples are freebies of the day; Nexxus samples also came. They are actually travel size bottles. Can't wait to try them.

DH cleaned out the coupon box for expired and soon to expire (end of month). Teamwork! It's great to have a DH who helps to save...and realizes that it's not in a "little way". This week's receipt he STUDIED with pride.

And...while I was running through the days 200 new emails, he submitted a rebate for his Biotene. I love that. I give him the receipt and the rebate forms, now, and he pretty much takes care of them.

We did get a bounce back on one rebate from the computer...but since I PAID Circuit City to file them all for me, they get the aggrevation of fixing it. When there are 10 or more stacked rebates, requiring multiple receipts and UPCs and codes, and the rebates are more than $500 total, I'd rather "waste" the money having them guaranteed and processed by someone else who does it for a living. Especially since our local news has carried multiple stories on rebates not being processed from this state. Dell, apparently, is the worst. I don't have a Dell, so didn't have to deal with that.

We did get another $50 rebate through, though. Adding it in to the challenge...

Current savings:
2006 $20 challenge: $4401
2006 grocery savings: $6015

No, I'm not talking about decoupage or collages out of coupons...although those would be quite interesting...

...but with a bit of creativity, you can decorate your home from almost any grocers, for little to no money.

Almost every store, from your local convenience market, to the super market, to the super stores, have a range of office and home supplies. They are typically more expensive than at other stores, and a smaller selection, because they are available as a convenience. It's easier to pay $10 for a stapler while you pick up milk than to drive across down to the office supply discount store.

Enter the coupon. Catalina coupons, $5 -10 off on your next purchase at the store. Promotions, $10 off of a $20 purchase. Gift cards, $25 when you transfer a prescription. Wine tags frequently offer $5 off stationery supplies. And the seasonal back to school specials and promotions.

Instincts may tell you that you can't let that free money go to waste...and encouage you to SPEND $50 on something to use up that $5 coupon. This may be appropriate for you. But, if you are looking to decorate your walls, consider a few alternatives:


A coupon for a free 8 x 10 photo enlargement, with a frame on sale, and a $2 coupon..provide a free accent to any setting.





A photo taken from a $1 sale book; the store was also running a co-promotion with a craft store, $5 off any purchase, so the frame was...$2.




Calendars, 12 coordinated perfect photos, on clearance for $1. Mounted in frames from the store, $1 each.




Last, but a personal favorite...wallpaper border taken from a sample book. Sample books are given away free as new books come, and are loaded with beautiful pictures and coordinated sets. They can be easily mounted in that $1 frame, for a charming kitchen setting.




The mats in each of these pictures were less than 50 cents EACH; craft stores generally book the entire mat cost into custom frames, and sell the center cut as remnant for 10 cents or so, depending on the quality of the material. If you are willing to cut your own mats, this is a great savings!

One of my closest friends recently purchased a floral arrangement for $500. Part of the "bringing the outside in" trend of home decor.

I thought she was, well...not spending wisely. I'm not one to judge, we all make our own choices and do things to the best of our own abilities, and personal tastes.

But, the last few days I've been crawling around the yard, laying down mulch. And, picking up the decor our bouncing squirrels have contributed: broken branches, leaves, pinecones, even a few plants they have pulled up and dried. I had a nice "trash pile" as my friend put it.

Now, however, she's a bit envious of my own new arrangements:


birch branches, with a few old silk stems, add height and drama to a very boring stairway corner...

...while a few pinecones and florals make a potpourri in a freshly scrubbed bird feeder.



Cost: a pound of peanuts for the squirrels.

Added value:

Need to use some of those shredded carrots, some parmesan, and a few stockpile items, so dinner tonight will be quiche and a simple salad. I keep pie crusts in the freezer stockpile; usually great sales, and a pain to make in a hurry.

Carrot-Dill Quiche
9 inch unbaked pastry shell
1 1/2 cups peeled shredded carrots
4 green onions, sliced (optional)
2 cups milk (evaporated milk makes it richer, non-fat evap milk adds protein, some people use half and half)
2 tsp dried dill weed
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp seasoned salt
1/8 tsp pepper
4 eggs, slightly beaten (it's fine to use Egg Beaters, or replace two eggs with two whites)
1/4 grated parmesan

Bake pastry shell at 425 F for 10 minutes or until firm but not browned.

In saucepan or microwave, combine carrots, onions, milk, dill weed, salt, seasoned salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil. Cool slight.

Stir eggs into carrot mixture. Pour into pastry shell. Sprinkle with cheese

Bake at 375 F for 25 - 30 minutes or until filling is firm and top is golden brown. Let stand for 5 minutes to set and cool before cutting into wedges.

BLINKIES:
$1 on one packages Breyers All Natural Fruit Bars, exp. 7/31/06
50 cents Sparkle Paper towels, exp. 7/16/06
50 cents Huggies Baby Wipes, exp. 8/31/06
$1 Oralb toothbrush, exp. 7/18/06
$1 Oral B power toothbrush, exp. 7/18/06
$1 on 4 Beech Nut Table Time, exp. 9/30/06
55 cents one Nestle Nesquik Milkshake or milk, exp. 6/24/06


Fold-outs
$10 refund dog grooming (Cesar dog food) exp. 10/14/06

DH needed to go into to town, to the bank, today, so I decided to tag along and check out the sales and new in store coupons.

Quite a few BBQ items are on sale for the holiday weekend. BOGO for Ball Park hot dogs, Hebrew National, and Hillshire farms. Coupons from Sunday's inserts, and a $10 rebate on $20 from sara lee (the manufacturer of all).

Rebates are separate from sales, and BOGO already puts everything half off. So the $10 on $20 of product is free in the end. But...DH and I were pretty tired from all that mulching, and in the end, we purchased $40 worth, which is $20 BOGO, but...

I have another rebate, $25 on $75 of meat, over a three month period. Rib Eye was also more than half off, and I had wine tags, courtesy of a friend at DAGG, for $ off any meat. So, we treated ourselves, well, DH. I'm not a huge meat eater.

Our total bill for the store was $123, but $42 after sales and coupons. I'm stocked on meat, but at $62 for this trip, a bit more over the next month, and I could get the $25 rebate. But, then I use up the receipt and rebate for Sara Lee. Hmmm...

I handed this one off to DH to figure out. FINDING deals, I'm good at, but CHOOSING, that's tough. Especially with MEAT, since deals, coupons, and rebates aren't that common.

Anyway for the grocery challenge, that's $81 saved (before rebates).

And, for this store, the years savings shows at the bottom of the receipt...over $1000 at this store. Last November when I started focusing on saving, sales, and coupons, the total for the year was less than $300.

Does shopping sales, using coupons, and stockpiling help with costs? Does for us!

YEAH

Current savings:
2006 $20 challenge: $4351
2006 grocery savings: $6096

Today in the mail, the free Trial Size of White and Shine, with a $1 coupon...goes nicely with the TRY ME FREE rebate they put out. I'm stockpiled on toothpaste right now, but the coupon is good until 12/31, and the rebate is good until '08. So, a deal for another day.

If you are signing up for freebies, don't forget to look for the coupons that may be included with the freebie. Manufacturers want you to try it...but they also want you to remember to BUY it next time you are in the store. The coupon is a walk-in reminder that you bring with you, so it's a great promotion for the manufacturer, and can be a great deal for you.

Well, Breyers has fully rolled out their summer line...with a $1 Smart Source in store (blinkie) coupon.

The fruit swirl bars are currently on sale for $3 or more each; I still have that rain check for 10/$10. When the 75 cents coupon came out in inserts, I said I was waiting for the $1 coupons..and now it's here!

It's rude to hover over a coupon machine, but, well, I did! I rarely do this, but it's one product that we treat ourselves to every night.

I didn't purchase them, though. Not yet. The rain check doesn't expire for a year, the coupons are good through the end of July, and I've got a full freezer right now.

But patience, diligence, and watching the trends have paid off!

I still have 3 coupon for FREE $6 ice packages from Breyers, just for emailing them. Not going to waste FREE product coupons on products that are ALREADY free!

Got to know when to hold 'em...know when to fold 'em...know when to walk away...

I eat yogurt almost every day, and this week I had one coupon for Activia and one for Yoplait. So, I bought both. They both have active cultures, both yogurt, healthy immune system stuff, right?

Evidently the two cultures don't like each other and have declared war in me. AGH.

Guess one time when brand loyalty would have paid off.

Been with the pitchfork and DH since 8 am. Dirty and sore!

Threw together dinner first...went for mediterranean salads...spinach, tomatoes, mushrooms, the remaining 1/2 can of olives, 1/2 block fat free feta (use by 25th! ACK), bit of shredded cheeses (Sorrento was 1/2 off this weekend, and with $1 off coupons, very good price!). Italian dressing, always free for stockpiling. 2 quart salads each, throw in some bread sticks or something, it's a meal.

today's mail, two freebies from Walmart. Received the free razor and case...don't forget to look in the instruction booklet they send for the $2 coupon on refills.

Haven't had time to log in and get new trains going...we do have TWO new people to run trains, so I hope to respond and get things moving along again.



But for now...rest...

I did catch the coupon before Max ate it...and the invitation extends to all:

www.naturalblends.com/friend

for your free 6.5 lb dog food AND 3.3 lb cat foot from Purina Natural Blends.

You can sign up for both...and if you don't use both, a couponing friend probably does.

Today, leftover ribs and two LARGE salads. It's finally produce season.

One store had Fresh Express, BOGO, and I had 2 $2 on one coupons...so 50 cents or so a pack. Safeway had O organic carrots BOGO, and a $1 coupon on any O, so again, fairly cheap.

I like BIG salads...so one bag of Fresh Express makes two salads. I make up the salads first thing in the morning: if I wait until the end of the day I'm always tired and that is how we waste POUNDS of food each year.

So, two giant bowls of baby greens, I grated the carrots, saving several zip bags full for future use...if I don't use them for salads this week I'll freeze them for muffins later.

Toss in some leftover corn...I prefer it off the cob, but wrong season. Add some olives from the pantry stockpile, some grape tomatoes (one splurge, but bulk at Costco wasn't bad), some fresh mushrooms (sale), some Kraft crumbles (sale, coupon, 50 cents for the bag).

A bit of South Beach ranch dressing -- never tried it, but it was also BOGO and coupon meant less than 50 cents for the bottle. Although I've broken DH down to a healthier level (his cholesterol was 250 when we got married!), he still believes lettuce is just the carrier for dressing. So, come summer, we pour through it (with apologies for the pun).

Crunched up a tiny bag of Doritos, some promotion, to sprinkle on top...and we've got us a salad!

I'd usually put in a bit of protein, but we have the ribs, and some broiled bread, to eat.

Tomorrow, maybe a spinach salad or a greek salad...got to stay on top of the produce.

My secret for keeping bulk mushrooms fresh...add a paper towel to the tub and reseal with plastic wrap. I know, that's not supposed to work. But it does...allows the mushrooms to "breathe" but not shrivel or get slimy.

So, that's my cheap but healthy salad meal.

Now...the weather has turned...no longer rainy, but windy. Should make for an interesting day with the mulch!