How I Pinch A Penny

Please check your local flyer to be sure they are running the same deals as my paper. Need help with the abbreviations? Click HERE to see what the HECK I am talking about!!  Here is my coupon match up list for Giant Food stores. I am using an ad from South Central Pa.  As always check your local flyer for participation.  Also There are a lot of match ups for Martins.

• Ball Park Franks  B1G1F  $3.29
• $1/2  06-28-09 RP
• 2/$2.29

• Heft Foam Plates  B1G1F  $2.65
• $1/2  06-21-09 RP
• 2/$1.65

• French’s Mustard  $1.49
• $.50/1  06-21-09 SS
• $.49

• Suddenly Salad  10/$10
• $.50/2 06-28-09 SS
• 2/$1

• Oscar Mayer All Beef hotdogs  B1G1F  $4.49
• $1/2
• 2/$3.49

• Lloyds BBQ  B1G1F  $6.49
• $1/1 05-17-09 SS (use 2)
• 2/$4.49

• Tribe Hummus  $3.99
• $.55/2 printable found HERE
• $2.99

• Kool aid B10G10F
• $2.00 On Any Sugar – 06-21-09 SS
• Varies

• Lipton Iced Tea To Go  $2.39
• $.50/1  06-28-09 RP
• $1.39

• Bic Sole Razor  $5.39
• $3/1   06-28-09 SS
• $4.39

• Crystal Light Drink Mix  $2.99
• $1/1 printable found HERE  
• $1.99

• Wigleys  Gum  $.99
• B1G1F  06-28-09 SS – valid up to $1.29
• 2/$.99

• Pringles  $1.48
• $.50/2  06-28-09 RP
• 2/$1.96

• Wacky mac  B1G1F  $1.37
• $.50/1 05-10-09 SS (use 2)
• 2/.74

• Lawrey’s Marinades  $1.99
• $.50/1 05-17-09 RP
• $.99

• Knorr Lipton Sides  10/$10
• $1/3  05-17-09 RP
• 3/$2

• Ken’s Salad Dressing  $1.69
• $1/1  05-03-09 SS
• $.69
• Cheerio’s  2/$5
• $.55/1 printable found HERE  (print 2)

OK. I got you this far.  I am going to have to stop at this point in the flyer.  We have  a missions trip to ‘the city’ this week and I am in charge of making lunches for everyone this week.  So I am a little busy at the moment.  My blog time will be limited this week.  See ya when I see ya!

Photo from:Glidden.com

The Glidden^™ National Paint Giveaway Starts June 25 – Paint The Date!

It’s as easy as it sounds: This summer, pick out your favorite paint color and we will send you a free quart. Then, start coloring your world. Bookmark THIS link and go back June 25 to get your FREE Paint!

It is Wednesday in June so that means you get something FREE from Arby’s…Of course it varies by location and restrictions apply BUT here is what you can get TODAY!

June 24: FREE Regular Roast Been with Soft Drink Purchase

I don’t know about your mint patch but mine is in full bloom.  I love this time of year.  Sweet mint tea during the day and mojitos  at night by the fire pit.  Ahhh… I love summer!  There is just something about that fresh mint being crushed for the mojito or hitting the boiling water for the tea that just makes me love breathing.  So fresh.  So crisp. So….. minty.  

Before the heat of summer makes the mint wither and before it goes to seed I want to save those lovely leaves for mint tea in the winter.  Every now and then I have a craving for a taste of summer in the dead of winter.  It is hard to make mint tea when you have no mint….so this is how I will solve that problem!

First, pluck the leaves from the stalk of the plant.  Be sure just to take the mature leaves.  Leave the baby leaves so they can mature and give you more mint in the coming days.

See the baby leaves?  Just pluck the leaf on the right.

This is what a stalk looks like when I am done with it.  Looks kind of scrawny but in a few days it till fill back in with mature leaves.

Next tuck the leaves into ice cube trays.  These are the same trays I used when I made my girls baby food.  See, I was a penny pincher even back then!  Each of the cubes will hold 7-12 leaves.  This is the amount I use for each pot of tea.  If you use more put in more.  If you use less put in less.  There is no right or wrong amount.

See the pretty leaves?

Next, cover the leaves with water.

After all the leaves are covered with water (unlike this picture) pop them into the freezer and freeze solid.  Once solid, remove them from the trays and store them in a freezer bag.

When it comes time to make tea just take out a cube and defrost in the microwave.  The ice will melt and any dirt will come off.  Pop the leaves into your boiling water and steep away!

Today is one of the free family film festival showings at Regal cinemas.  I am going to pack my girls up and get out the door.  I hope there is one neat you.  It is a great program!

We did this last year and the year before and it is WONDERFUL!!! Our theater filled up FAST so I am going to go earlier this year so we can get a seat in the theater that is showing the movie that we want to see. In my Penny Pinching ways I don’t have the AC on all the time in the summer, so this is a refreshing treat for me and the kids. PLUS we NEVER go to the movies. The kids are so excited to see the HUGE screen and the seats that flip up and down. Here is an excerpt from the website about the program:

REG’s Free Family Film Festival is Now Showing!
When school’s out, kids around the country visit selected Regal theatres for the Free Family Film Festival. It’s a fun-filled nine weeks of movies for kids and parents. Since 1991, Regal has provided this service to the community, and best of all it’s FREE!

Selected G & PG movies start at 10AM each Tuesday and Wednesday during the festival. First-come, first-served seating is limited to theatre capacity. The Free Family Film Festival is safe, lots of fun and a great way for kids to spend a weekday morning in the summer.

HERE is the link. I hope you have a theatre near you.

Please check your local flyer to be sure they are running the same deals as my paper. Need help with the abbreviations? Click HERE to see what the HECK I am talking about!!  Here is my coupon match up list for Giant Food stores. I am using an ad from South Central Pa.  As always check your local flyer for participation.  Also There are a lot of match ups for Martins.

• Hunts Tomato ketchup .99
• .20/1  06-21-09 SS
• .59 each

• Solo Paper plates, party cup grip, or heavy duty bowls 2/$4
• $.75/1 Printable found HERE (print 2) (doubles)
• 2/$1

• McCormick Grill Mates Rub  $2.49
• $.50/1  05-03-09 RP or 04-19-09 RP (doubles)
• $1.49 each

• Perdue Fully Cooked Chicken Chunks or Strips $5.99
• $1/1  05-03-09 RP
• $4.99

• Hormel Pepperoni Pillow Pack  $3.99
• $.55/1  06-21-09 SS (could be .35 or .75)
• $2.89 each

• Pepperidge Farm Whole Grain Bread B1G1F 
• $.55/1  06-14-09 SS (use 2)
• $1.79/2

• Hunt’s Manwich  $1.25
• $.40/2  05-31-09 SS
• $1.70/2

• Classico Pasta sauce (except organic) 2/$4
• $1/2 found HERE (registration required) 
• 2/$3

• Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sandwich  $3.99
• $1/1  05-03-09 RP
• $2.99 each

• Dannon Yogurt Cups 10/$5
• $1/10  06-21-09 SS
• 10/$4

• Yoplait Trix  $2.19
• $.35/1  - 06-07-09 SS
• $1.49

• Tropicana Juice  $2.69
• $1/2  05-03-09 RP
• $2.19 each wyb2

• Brawney 8 Roll Paper Towel  $5.99
• $1/1   06-21-09 RP
• $4.99

• Scott Mega Roll 6 Pack Paper Towel  $5.49
• $1/1 Printable Found HERE 
• $4.49

• Renuzit Adjustables Air Freshner  $.99
• $.55/3  05-17-09 SS
• $1.87/3 or $.62 each

• Suave Body Wash, Shampoo or Conditioner $1.69
• $.75/2  05-17-09 RP
• $1.88/2 or  $.94 each wyb2

• Stayfree maxi pads  $5.59
• $1/1 printable found HERE
• $4.59 each

• Dial 3 pack Bar Soap  2/$3
• $.35/1 05-17-09 SS (use 2!)
• 2/$1.60  (or $.26 per bar)

• Excedrin 40 or 50 ct  $4.99
• $1/1 found HERE or  $.75/1 05-03-09 SS
• $3.99 or  $3.49

Don’t forget to get your FREE ticket to Hershey Park when you use your bonus card and purchase $40 worth of participating Pepsi or Kraft products this week!  Click the image for more information.

Enjoy your Fathers Day!

See how much FUN did we have at national parks?!

Found this on the US National Park Service website:

America’s Best Idea – the national parks – gets even better this summer with three fee-free weekends at more than 100 national parks that usually charge entrance fees*.

Mark your calendars for fee-free weekends this summer:

• June 20-21, 2009 (Father’s Day weekend)
• July 18-19, 2009
• August 15-16, 2009

And to make the fun even more affordable, many national park concessioners are joining the National Park Service in welcoming visitors on this summer’s fee free weekends with the their own special offers.

Here’s a tip – many national parks never charge an entrance fee, so you can plan inexpensive visits year round!

For a list of family fun activities this summer, visit National Parks: The Place to Be for Family Fun.

*Fee waiver includes: entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. Other fees such as reservation, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise.

Sounds like a great way to pinch pennies and spend awesome time with the family.

photo credit: Ikea Hacker

This spring we took the plunge and got a couple of chickens for our back yard. (we found a lot of information and support on backyardchickens.com)  I am so excited about it.  My husband is reluctantly participating.  The girls LOVE the chickens.  In making the chicken coop we did to the penny pinching thing and paid minimal for our coop.  We, and when I say “we” I mean my husband, built it out of pallets.  We got our pallets from a local business that had them sitting out back.  Asking the owner if we could have them we walked drove away with about 8 of them.

This morning my husband posted THIS article to his Twitter account about building a chicken coop out of Ikea products!  This would be a great way of repurposing these products if you had them on hand!  I love the look of it.  If you love it and want to build one but don’t want to purchase Ikea products at full price check out Craigslist or freecycle.  Lots of good penny pinching items to be found on these sites.

It is Wednesday in June so that means you get something FREE from Arby’s…Of course it varies by location and restrictions apply BUT here is what you can get TODAY!

June 17:  FREE Regular Sidekicker with any Sandwich Purchase.