flash's saving Blog

Today I FINALLY received a rebate. $10 from Del Monte for their January rebate. Hopefully the others are in the mail.

They also sent two $2 coupons for free products. I just mentioned that the "dill flavored green beans" should be marked as pickled, since it was quite a surprise to heat them. Great for salads, but not as a veggie.

So, $10 goes into my $20 challenge, and the $4 coupons go into my coupon box to be claimed as savings in another day.

Shopping, well, not as good this week IMHO. Febreze allergen reducer was $3, usually $5, and I had 5 $2 coupons, so I stocked up. Dawn direct foam, $3 (regularly $5) and I had $1 coupons. A few more rebates, a few more sales and deals.

Superfresh came out to $8 for $45.
Weis came out to $75 for $190.

The Weis earns some rebates to be credited later. But, trying not to spend much as I decrease my stockpile, I'm irritated that I still spent so much! Stuff I need and will use, but I'm still struggling with myself to find the balance. This month finances are a bit tighter than usual.

2006 extra income challenge: $3299
2006 grocery savings: $5317

Someone on a coupon train is looking for Tyson coupons. So, as I was searching around online at all the coupon sites (SmartSource has several this week), I ran across their ongoing promotion. A booklet for the family about giving thanks before the meal.

I had received this booklet, and thought it was really nice. A surprising offer in this day and age. And even though I've had a bad experience with Tyson, the booklet did improve my opinion of them. So, I thought I'd drop them a comment to let them know that it was a very nice offer.

They responded back with questions about what products I had purchased and how could they refund my money.

I responded back that I had not purchased their products in quite awhile, didn't have UPCs or even remember what the products were. I specifically told them that I was NOT asking for them to replace a product, or even complain. Just wanted them to know that I was impressed by their values. Specifically SAID I WOULD purchase their product again sometime, and please not to send a refund.

Today I received a beautiful letter from them a two coupons for FREE chickens.

And, I had to laugh. If you've read my blogs before, you know the issues I have with my mother's perpetual free chicken. I have always prayed I would never become so obsessed with saving that I took advantage of a company the way that she did. No judgement on her, we were SO poor. But here I am so many years later, and I just send a short note and the free chickens start

We did pick up some fresh produce on sale, including a giant, beautiful, white, 5 pound cauliflower for $1.99. Very cheap, they usually run $4 for a tiny head.

So, as I was wiping down the frig and making room for the new groceries, I found it. Still there. Still white and new, even after a week. Didn't smell yet. And there is no way I am taking a *FIVE* pound hit on my "no waste" challenge.

This week's PLAN was DH would heat up the frozen dinners that have collected with various rebate offers. Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine, etc. Add a side of broccoli, etc., and be good to go. We are going to get through that freezer yet!

So, cauliflower. HMMM...steamed with a nice lemon dill sauce.

Out of lemon dill sauce or anything that would make a lemon dill sauce.

Okay, yogurt/mustard sauce, fabulous.

No yogurt.

Maybe the famous lemon/carrot/ dish with bacon on top. Haven't made it since we entertained last.

No carrots.

The no waste, and don't buy anything unless we are OUT of it, is getting a bit harder.

Last chance. In the frig, the remaining salsa/fiesta cheese dip sauce. A freebie, not that healthy, just a touch on quesadillas...but add that, some shredded cheddar that needs to be used, maybe some tomatoes and onion, or maybe just spicy cheddar.

But then the question: what spicy Mexican dish goes with MEXICAN CAULIFLOWER? Not enough air freshener in the house for that one!

As I was pondering this one and preparing the cauliflower, the pup got one of the leaves and drug it off. Puppy on cauliflower. WHOA.

DH has volunteered to select the entree. We have plenty of Tums in the stockpile.

Please, no left overs on this one!!!

For everyone who has been frustrated waiting to receive the Avon/Mark social beauty kit, free lays coupon and 11 55 cent coupons...chin up!

The offer was for a brief period, and the promotion closed, and the home page for the offer was updated to reflect that the promotion was over. However, they did not delete or update the sign up page. Freebies sites kept posting it, without checking the offer page, so people kept signing up. And, everyone who signed up was directed to a page indicating that their info had been received, and look for theit kit in a few weeks.

When the fulfillment house realized this, for some reason they first mailed out a single coupon. Then they mailed out the 11 coupon booklets. However, all the coupons were long expired.

Sometimes it's good to have connections. I've been working with Frito Lay tracking this down. Although technically it's an Avon Mark website mistake, and the fulfillment house mistake, Frito Lay is making it right on their end:

"Anyone who registered online for the coupons will be receiving replacement coupons by separate mail...expect to receive the replacements in a few weeks."

Guess that's my good deed for couponers everywhere this month.

WRT the Social Beauty Kit, I have not contacted Avon to see if they will also honor their end of the bargain.

Finally getting round to adding up last years medical costs and taking a fresh look at how we can decrease them.

First:

2005 insurance me: $3600
2005 insurance DH: $6000
2005 out of pocket medical: $25,000
(2005 Rx out of pocket: $20,000)
Total medical 2005: $34,600.


We made a huge dent last October, when we cut Rx costs from $2K to $1K a month without changing any meds.

This year, I've changed insurance to add some Rx coverage without a giant leap in insurance costs. DH will stay the same. So,

2006 insurance me: $4000
2006 insurance DH: $6000

Now, I will start tracking and attacking the medical costs as they come in. First, I will look at how the insurance is reducing the Rx costs, and whether or not it is going to pay for itself in the end. Tommorow...

Cleaned out the frig to finish up whatever was left for the week and prepare to shop this weekend. Found two Pillsbury Grand biscuits, hard and really light, in the back. I suppose I could have shredded them for bread crumbs, but, I did indeed decide to give them to the wildlife.

So, last night, used the baby greens (on sale last weekend) to make two giant salads. Added half a block of non-fat feta crumbled up (high protein) from the freezer, grated carrots (frig), a can of mandarin oranges (pantry), grated Emmenthaler (frig), grated fresh parmesan (frig), orange flavored cranberries (freezer), roasted slivered almonds (freezer), and raspberry non-fat dressing (pantry). YUM. Took out a loaf of Trader Joe 6 grain bread (freezer), which was a bit hard. Drizzled it with butter and honey, just a touch, and broiled it.

Tonight, remaining grated carrots will be added with chicken broth (pantry and from earlier in the week), brown rice from earlier in the week, tarragon, etc. to make a delicious soup. Finish off the loaf of bread. And, we're ready to tackle the upcoming week. Still a stockpile to go.

I am still waiting for those those January rebates to come in. BEtween collecting the items, cutting out all the UPCs, and tracking all the new requirements, I'm overrun with stuff and I want the money!

Today was pretty good, received a $10 rebate from Zyrtec, and another $140 in gift cards from trial memberships. Think I'm pretty much through with doing this. The pay off was great, and I kept a list with phone numbers to cancel if needed, as well as keeping my computer reminders set for three weeks into the four to make sure I canceled on time.

Now, though, I have to figure out how to best use the $ at circuit city, Exxon, Shell, Lowes, Home Depot, Bed and Bath, etc. $120 at circuit city is just lost money unless I need something.

I am thinking they will make great gifts, though, for family members. I always spend way to much on Birthdays and holidays, for the gifts and also for shipping. G/Cs are light, don't expire, and would get used and appreciated. It would save quite a bit!


2006 extra income challenge: $3289

I hate posting again, but I want to remember the info I received.

Ever notice while you are watching a tv show, there is an ad that ends with "go to www.xxxx.com for a free coupon". They are usually coupons I've already received by mail, so I don't bother. But I did ask a friend about them, and was told that in fact, if you enter the correct channel/time etc. info, they will send you ANOTHER coupon by mail. It's considered a separate offer.

I was also told, if they don't have the channel that you saw listed, you can check off any channel and as long as you get the time right, you still get the coupon (the channel doesn't get their credit, though). If you enter the wrong time, the offer boots you out.

So, a few of the sites:

www.noticeables.com
www.aireffects.com
www.cascadecomplete.com
www.dawndirectfoam.com
www.cascadeactionpacs.com

The dawn site actually gives Dawn AND Cascade coupons.

Put in date 2/26 (Sunday), channel SoapNet, and time slot 9-12 am (or whatever covers the 9 am slot).

Last night, if you couldn't tell, I was in a bit of a mood, so DH made tv dinners. How we ended up with these particular ones, I'm not sure (well, obviously sale and coupon and rebate...) but I couldn't eat anything but the veggies. DH ate the rest, though. Also a can of veggies. A bit of progress against the vast mountain of stuff that is supposed to be a pantry. I can almost see past the first rows of food now.

Tonight, I'm using the pan roasted chicken to add to pasta and a white sauce, with steamed broccoli (fresh on sale), to make a nice chicken alfredo. No fat, lots of protein.

Still have two whole chickens in the freezer, but I love chicken left overs. Next time, chicken manicotti, with non-fat riccotta, high in protein. Make my own pasta wraps, not those horrid noodles from the store. Or chicken oriental salad. Or a nice stir-fry. Or a curry, or tandoori...

Finally a bit of "extra income" for my challenge. Savings, too, but I will work that out later.

Received 2 $5 g/c to Target from insider pages reviews. Easy work, nice little pay off. I usually don't shop there, but they do have cleansers and stuff. Put that with the $25 g/c to target from a previous post, and there's enough for something I'm sure I "need".

Still waiting for the rebates of January. WOW, they are taking a long time.

Received the years supply of Breathe Right strips. Again, easy work for a nice pay off. They sent 18 boxes of 30 strips, plus 3 large throat sprays, a large Fibercon bottle, and a t-shirt. The boxes run $13 at drugstore.com, and $30 at our local grocery, so a conservative estimate is $300. And it is something we cannot live without, literally, so it's a savings, too.

Which brings the extra income up to


2006 extra income challenge: $3139

Savings this year, I still need to total, and really want to sum up the medical savings. So much to do!

I must go shopping.

I am completely out of generosity and want to get some. I also want to exchange the self-satisfaction that I picked up the other day for some real humility; they say it wears better.

I want to look for tolerance, which is worn as a wrap this season. I saw some samples of kindness, and I'm a little low on that right now; one can't get too much of it.

I must try to match some patience. I saw it on a friend and it was so becoming. I must remember to get my sense of humor mended, and keep my eyes open for inexpensive goodness.

Yes, I must go shopping today.

____________________________

Published in one of my mother's first cookbooks, I found this while looking up the graham cracker recipes.

Very grounding, and the perfect reality check for me. The best things in life are not free, but they don't require money.

Okay, actually it was funny. I went through the giant stack of mail, mostly catalogs, looking for my freebies and rebates and coupons. There was only one envelope. I opened it --- and it was indeed one sandwich size ziploc sample and a coupon. DH walked in and said "that's their big marketing promotion, ONE bag? Are they crazy?"

And that was it.

DH did give me the "big news", that he reviewed our expeditures for the last two months, and our grocery bills had been reduced by 75%. Wow. Has he NOT paid attention at the check out counter?

I guess I'm just in a mood. I'm frustrated with organizing the coupon trains, which I usually enjoy, but today I'm wondering why I ever offered to coordinate these. Trying to balance my time, wanting to help, not knowing if it's better if I post freebies or coupons or hunt more down or clean out the expired and redundant posts, or just hang out in the forums handing out opinions that don't help anyone.

The truth is, I just want to help where I can because things seem so helpless here. Waiting for my father to die, trying to time our visit out there to see him one last time, but not having an answer as to if he has a week or a month or six months. Getting my DS through another round of chemo, caring for the little one, and not feeling like anything makes any difference.

I do feel SO much more like SPENDING than SAVING. And, I LIKE getting great deals, even if we don't NEED them, I WANT them. Getting $50 of gourmet coffee for $10 delivered free to my home is great. I am tired of driving 45 minutes each way into town to get DHs coffee. Then, I feel guilty, who am I to care about the price of coffee when he is living on borrowed time too. 1% chance of living 5 years, and we are on year #4.

But, this is when saving is the most important. If you give in and blow your money it won't be there when the real crisis hits. I've known that all my life. So, time to dig in and dig out. Saving is not about FEELINGS. It's about LIVING.

BTW, the BocaJava.com coffee is fabulous. Entertainment.com has a $25 g/c for them with the book, which I used on a separate order. Charged the shipping back to My Points. Great Deal.

I have never joined a monthly club before. BUT, DH and I need some new music we both like for our home gym. Working out together two or three hours at a time, it gets unpleasant if it's "his" music or "my" music, and having to alternate takes away from our workouts. ANYWAY...

BMG has a sign-up for 7 free CDs, purchase one, and get 4 more free. The hitch is the S&H, around $3 or more each. By signing up through My Points, you receive the 7 CDs and points towards a gift card. Also BMG points towards more free CDs. But, My Points Insiders Club (still on my $1 trial month) reimburses you for all S&H by going through their site. So, 7 CDs for $11 total.

After the sign up and first purchase, you earn another 4 free CDs. Still, S&H. But what I didn't know but confirmed today, you can go to BMG through MyPoints not just for the initial sign up, but for future purchases. As long as you go through MyPoints, they reimburse you for all S&H. So, another 4 CDs for $0.

That's 12 CD's for $11.

I referred a friend, received 5 more free CDs. I will go through MyPoints again to get the S&H paid for, which makes

17 CDs for $11. Brand new, just released albums, as well as some classics. Same CDs at the local store are $20 - $25.

Which makes...$300 of CDs for $11.

Nice savings.

I won't add that to my "annual savings", as I would not have paid out that much, at least not in one month.

Goodness, I wish I had stocked up on DIFFERENT things before I started this challenge. Of course, that would defeat the point of the challenge. The piles in the pantry and freezer are things that have accumulated, as opposed to things that I buy and purchase regularly. It was so much easier last summer, when we had giant salad suppers!

So, I asked DH to take out the "biggest thing in the freezer" hoping to make room and a dent in this challenge! We have four whole bird chickens, bought at 69 cents a pound and BOGO last fall when the dog was sick and we had to feed her plain chicken every night. Makes me miss her. The new pup SHOULD not learn about chicken, but he has already learned to put himself right under my left arm, the direction I toss to the can as I prepare. Sigh. Smart little thing.

I wanted to do chicken tandoori, but no yogurt. I will have to wait until next week to shop and buy some. So, took out two boxes of "fixings" from Campbells, but the supper bake (? - okay, it was free after coupon, wasn't sure what it actually was) is rice, and I have rice in the frig that needs to be used.

So, the plan: DH cuts up chicken. He always ends up with BIG pieces and these little bits. Impossible to cook at the same time. So, tonight I will pan roast the large pieces with herbs, serve with leftover brown rice and a sauce, maybe a gravy. Fresh asparagus.

Tomorrow, the bits will go into one of the Betty Crocker alfredo dishes with broccoli and some additional sauce, or at least home improvements.

Only a dent in the pantry and freezer, but it's a dent.

I didn't really need to shop on Saturday, but I needed to get out of the house. I had received my coupon for free Purina from last month's challenge, and some other coupons, and thought I'd shop at one store only. But of course, not having much of a list, DH started remembering things we wanted, like more Soy Milk and Coffeemate and other things that really added up. Only saved 43%. HORRIBLE for us. On the other hand, we really limited what we went after on sales and coupons, so not bad.

We did get 5 Smart Ones tv dinners for $1 each, plus a rebate for $1 will come, and when you bought four you received a free Smart One dessert. Never tried, but I'm getting better at trying new things, especially when I can save money doing it.

Giant and Superfresh each had Rx coupons in the Sunday paper (we receive on Saturday), one for $25 g/c for a transferred Rx, and another for $10 g/c for a pet Rx.

Spending, ah, DH spontaneously decided on the ride home yesterday that he wanted to buy mulch, early, and do it himself this year. 30 cubic yards is alot of mulch to spread. But he pulled over at a nursery on the side of the road, ordered it up to be delivered that afternoon. He liked the price, but I would have preferred more research!!!

Received a %10 rebate check from a $1 trial to a health savings club, and a $10 rebate check from a $1 trial to an auto club. Neither turned out to be clubs I could use, and I did cancel early since things in the family back home are getting iffy, and I don't want to leave commitments hanging, and wasting money, if I won't have time to deal with them.

$10 g/c from Old Navy is going to a friend in need. So, no credit for that.

I still want to look more into half.com and other sites for all the DVDs we were buying during our spending phase last year. YIKES. Plus some for the holidays. I've never used the service, but have seen great results from others challenges and blogs. Not sure about the packaging and shipping costs. But I'm thinking about it.

The Play it Again Sports I was hoping to use to sell the older equipment has gone out of business. So I need to find another way. The weight bench is like new, lots of attachments that haven't been used. Usually we would just donate to charity and take the tax break, and we may still go that route.

So, add another $20 to the totals.

Yesterday was a GREAT day for coupons.

The Healthy Choice Try It Free guarantee continues. While they will only accept one REBATE per household, if you request the $6 coupons instead of the $2 refund, you can receive a coupon set for each flavor you try. DH figured this one out. He is getting better at the coupon game.

Purina is running a NEW PURINA ONE 30 day challenge, new link, offering both a free 3.5 lb bag of cat food and a free 4.5 lb bag of dog food. I signed up Friday, and received the free coupons and booklet yesterday. WOW. It's a very limited time offer, and they RARELY run cat and dog challenges, cats least of all.

Two Del Monte coupons, including a free product, and another pile of SCJohnson coupons. Not for things I want, really, but still, coupons.

Also, a pile of coupons from Turtle Mountain, including a note that if I tell friends to write a phrase in their "heard about from" form, they will receive extra $1 on anything coupons.

Received my Mambo coupon booklet, a health care product booklet (Motrin, etc., about 10 coupons), and a pile of coupons from the organic moms group.

There were more, but at that point I just piled everything into a stack to sort it out later. Still trying to keep the focus on using what I have instead of buying more, so will send most of the coupons off to the coupon trains (and limit my temptation!!!)

Saturday wasn't bad. Had two large flour tortillas and some cheese, salsa, sour cream in the frig, so made to quesadillas to go with some frozen veggies and two spicy chicken frozen dinners.

I did give in and flip the chicken deal, adding 5 bags of pre-cooked chicken to the stockpile. BUT, it was half-price, at $3 a 2.5 pound bag of pre-cooked breast, and the store doubled the $1 coupons, so for $5 we have 12.5 pounds of chicken, ready to eat, at a "value" of $40 at regularly price. I put value in quotes, because I haven't tried this and rarely buy pre-cooked foods like this.

So, Sunday night I used the last of the carrots, peppers, some fresh broccoli, and a bag of stir fry frozen vegs, with a bottle of Husein sauce and a can of pineapple chunks and juice from the overrun pantry. Bit of cornstarch to thicken the sauce, added a bag of the chicken nuggets, and served over brown rice, also buried in the stockpile. A few grape tomatoes, also.

I did toss a small amount of unused cooked brocolli that had seriously TURNED in the frig. WOW. So, tossed maybe 1/4 pound of food.

Coffee remains our largest expense. Gourmet coffee, be it Gloria Jean's or Trader Joe's or Boca Java or Starbuck's.

I did just get a GOOD deal on Boca Java, $39 for $105 of their product. $25 g/c from Entertainment.com, and $45 for $9 through a my points trial.

Probably drop by Gloria Jean's today to take advantage of our frequent buyer's club. It is DH's favorite.

DH also likes Paul Newman's, but it's impossible to find.

Anyone have any great coffee deals?

Continuing with the stockpile, crab and shrimp frozen from the holidays, with a jar of alfredo sauce from I don't know when, along with fresh parmesan and some other "additives" to make a nice dish.

Going with a side of frozen veggies, probably the Birds Eye herb blends, which we recently got for 50 cents for two (regularly $2 each). Sale/coupon/free coupon/rebate.

Fettucini, again, going with whatever pasta is buried in the pantry stockpile.

No waste so far.

The deals may be available in your area. They aren't always obvious.

I received 3 g/c for Rx, new or transferred, from the check out coupons that get spit out with the bonus card. They were mixed in with the Wall Street Journal and Disney coupons, and I almost missed them.

One of the warehouse clubs had a $25 offer last month, but it was in one of the coupon books they sent out. Another pharmacy, I think Rite-Aid, had one awhile ago through it's online rewards system (memory here, I'm not a member).

Our Sunday paper has also had 5 - 6 coupons. You do have to take the coupon in to the store. One store even offered $10 g/c if you filled your PET's prescription there. That one was in their weekly ad.

I'm not sure what is available in your specific region, if any. But there is definitely a trend to be alert for.

With the change in medicare, and many companies changing insurance with the new year, many of the grocery pharmacies, as well as some of the pharmacy chains, are offering gift cards for new or transferred prescriptions.

$10 to $50 locally.

Now, I have been through the mill getting costs down switching to cheaper pharmacies. I'm not recommending any one switch pharmacies just to get the deal. BUT, if you want to do a "free trial" Rx, such as the 7 day Ambien or Lunesta, 15 day Crestor, etc., or even if you currently use these and your doctor will give you the short term Rx, you can fill them and get the gift cards. Insurance, etc., is not required for freebies, and if you decided to fill a full Rx later, you need a fresh Rx written anyway, which can be taken to whatever pharmacy you and your insurance use.

Most of the free trials are about $50 - $100 worth of pills, plus with the card, and since it doesn't take insurance, it also doesn't count against a deductible or other limitation.

We actually have leftovers from last night's stroganoff (DH works out 3 -5 hours a day and EATS), so we will have that with either a bag or can of veggies. Keeping it simple.

Tomorrow night, seafood fettucini, using up crab and shrimp that was frozen from the holidays. Slowly chipping away at the stockpile.

Dog is having moistened dry dog food; mixing it with some free Eukanuba pouches the company sent me. Straight, he doesn't digest it well, but they suggested we mix it until his teeth come in, and he likes it. He has to eat crushed ice first (okay, and play with it on the tile floor). Gagged on the baby Orajel, but the ice he LOVES. Go figure.

Today's savings are simple, just a $2 rebate on Meaty Bone (the only thing the Corgi WON'T eat, even when he has teeth!).

The temptation...they finally have Fast Fixin's here. At $7 a bag, I gave away my coupons to the coupon train, and wrote to the company that they were overpriced. They responded that they weren't and sent 5 $1 coupons.

But...the breaded chicken is on sale this week at $3.50 a bag, and the double coupon would make it $1.50 a bag. They would be good for stir fry's and things that have a sauce. General Tso's chicken...

AND, for February and March, Fast Fixin's has a offer, send in 10 UPCs and receive TWO coupons for free products of the highest value. No receipts required. That's a pretty good deal. BUT... no room in the freezer for 10 bags of chicken, even at the price, and I trying to use up what I have. So, we'll ponder this one overnight...

Okay, tonight, ground turkey (BOGO) from our frozen stockpile. Hamburger helper mix (30 cents after sale/coupon) with sour cream and a few touches to make the stroganoff. Sides of left over steamed carrots and steamed broccoli. A few biscuits left.

Roasts are 50% off, and sound delicious, but I'm trying to stick to the use it or lose it rule and get through some of what I've already purchased.

The dog, free Iams sauce to soften the dog food, and a bag of soft treats with the Petco g/c.

My "deal" of the day:

My points insider-club, trial membership is $1 for a month. Through them:

Entertainment book, Save $10 and get a $25 g/c (I chose an online coffee site, not a restaurant!). Get a $10 rebate for joining insider-club. They will rebate the S&H ($4). Refer a friend, and receive two free movie tickets.

So, my book came out FREE, I received $25 in free coffee beans, two movie tickets, and the book which surprised me.

It's not really an ENTERTAINMENT book any more! I haven't used one before, and I was surprised. A page of coupons for Safeway. A page of coupons for Weis groceries. Six coupons for our local teacher's store. $10 off Radio Shack. Coupons for Dick's Sporting Goods. Etc. So, it's really a SAVINGS book for stores I would shop at anyway. $5 off of groceries, 8 times a year? I'll take it!

now a question for others
It occured to me that through my points, you can sign up for one of their book clubs, get the 4 free books, purchase one more, use the $10 rebate, and have the shipping rebated, and complete your membership requirements in one deal. 5 books. Could you then sell them on half.com or ebookdrop for a profit? I've never sold on these sites, but it might be a way to make a profit, especially since you could select hot off the press books.

Yes? Anyone try this?

Received another $50 in g/c. $20 BBB, $20 circuit city, $10 from the Petco contest months ago.

I will be happy to email the info to you, Jen and mjrube94. You actually inspired me to start this, mj, as you posted about my points, and I started to look into it more.

Unfortunately with the email of the last 10 weeks wiped out, it will take me a day or so to track down the trials I've done that paid off (g/c within 10 days!) and those that didn't.

2006 extra income challenge: $2819

I haven't been counting all the new things I've been doing that are saving money. For one, I've done my first trial memberships, EVER. This month, for $1 each, I've done 10 trial memberships, received $240 in gift cards and rebate in return.

I've also joined two book clubs for "points" in my points. DH and I buy quite a few books each year. Through My Points, which I had actually opted out of until this month, I get 1000 points for each membership, which is about $15. Also several free books, with obligation to only buy one more. Through the insiders club of My Points, for only $1 a month trial (and $6 a mont if I keep it), they reimburse ALL shipping and return costs.

So, today I received 4 cookbooks. One is an update of a favorite, one is a crock pot cook book that I've been meaning to buy, and one is a diabetic cookbook for my sister's b-day. Total pub price is $114, I paid $4. $13 for S&H, but that will be rebated. So, a savings of $110, which I haven't counted in my total savings. The points and S&H rebate I will count in my $20 challenge, since it's money I earned by doing things I normally wouldn't (like requesting S&H back - it's so much easier to ignore those things!).

I also received a "sample pack" of something I would normally purchase for $30, and it was FREE, no S&H, etc. Not included in my "savings", because it's hard to track and figure in the freebies. But still, money not spent!

You know, I haven't really set specific saving or challenge goals for the year. I'm one of those people who, if I say I'm going to lose 10 pounds and lose 2, I think "hey, my body has adjusted" and stop counting calories. Oops!

In general, my plan is just to FIND and ELIMINATE all the ways I lose money, or waste it. I grew up very frugal, but stopped noticing all the little things that money was pouring into. The "free" subscription with autorenewal that was $150 the next year, and the next...I keep finding those little forgotten things. Now I'm challenging myself, and my DH, to find and destroy. It's a team effort, and it's a great bonding thing with us.

I'm not counting everything as "saving", even when I normally would have spent. Guess I should...

Okay, back to tracking savings. My journal is so far behind on this!

Groceries, this weekend was $181 down to $74 with sales/coupons and a 5% club discount. Weis is running a special rebate, $169 in rebates ($1 - 4 here and there) over the next 6 weeks. One item, Boost, was on sale for $5, had 4 $1.25 coupons, and will get a $2 rebate back on each (limit $20). When I receive the coupons from Boost in the mail, I will finish up on that. DH doesn't like it as much as the Ensure, but he appreciates the savings. Seriously overstocked on TP, tissue, paper towels, etc., between the KC rebate and the sales/coupons, and more Weis rebates. So those will wait towards the end of the rebate period, when we've downsized a bit, and hopefully they've gone on sale and we have coupons

I've never had the one-check rebates from a store before, and I am loving it. I have $16 coming from last months, and with all the coupons it really adds up.

Of course, the dog is spending money, well, puppy things like doggie gates and constantly growing collar/leash/crate/ etc. Our previous pup was 12 pounds, and after 14 years, we have poor planning for the new pup. If we had bothered to look on the internet, we'd have realized Corgi's get to be 30 pounds, not 20. But he was an impulse, and no regrets. We have done well with food and treats coupons and savings, but have BLOWN it on other things. Pet fences for the grand piano room and the dining room probably ran $500! But, the furniture was MUCH more than that, and the Corgi is chewing all wood in sight. Trying to break him of that. SIGH. Feeling guilty about the expense, but grateful for the other savings.

Haven't added in medical, etc., but just the latest grocery savings brings our 2006 total to:

2006 savings:$5165