More Great Savings from Kroger

As I have stated before I love my Kroger Plus Card and the wonderful savings that comes along with it. Recently Kroger sent me a magazine called "Holidays from the Heart" which included recipes and some great coupons. I also received a Plus Card packet of coupons based on my purchase history.

In preparation for grocery shopping I checked Kroger's on-line ad and made up my list. Then I headed out shopping armed with my list and some great coupons. When the dust settled and my purchases had been rung up, my total savings was $43.19. I had around $20 in direct savings from the coupons and the rest in price reductions for using my Kroger Plus Card.

20% off Kroger brand frozen chicken breast
1 Free 12 pack of Coca-Cola
1 Free pack of Oscar Meyer hot dogs
1 Free pack of Oscar Meyer lunch meat
1 Free 24 pack case of Kroger bottled water
$2 off Kroger Private Selection brand Parmesan cheese
These are part of the savings on this shopping trip.


Yeah, I'm loving Kroger.

Later
D

The Kroger Plus Card + Additional Coupon Savings

Kroger is the grocery store where I primarily shop and one of the largest retailers in my area. They offer a "Kroger Plus" card which gives discounts on many items in the store. I watch for extra savings by searching the weekly ad on-line before shopping to maximize my potential savings. However, a couple times a year (sometimes more) they send coupons to plus card holders based on shopping history. When these cards were first out, I heard complaints about them tracking shopping history. However, when they give me coupons for items I already purchase I'm OK with that. (Update: I forgot my Kroger Plus card the other day, and I was still able to get my savings by giving them my phone number. Very cool.)


This week I received a new coupon package. There is a coupon to save $9 if I purchase $90 in one transaction. Since I have not purchased groceries since before vacation that will not be difficult.

There are several coupons for $1 and a couple for $2. But some of the coupons in this pack that caught my eye are, $1 off Folgers Gourmet Coffee. $2 off five SmartOnes Frozen Entrees. Additionally, many stores do not offer coupons for "Store Brand" products, however, Kroger does and since I use Kroger brand Vanilla Wafers, Tuna and Salad Dressing I am very pleased to have the additional savings these coupons offer.

The coupons in this pack are for items I purchase each week and represent a significant savings on my weekly grocery bill.

I'm all for saving money.

Later
D

Going Green & Saving Money

I have been looking around for ways to save money, gas and time and just found out our son is riding a bike to work. He doesn't live very far from church where he is Student Pastor and in an effort to save money on his fuel expenses, he has parked his Pontiac Grand Am, borrowed a bicycle and is riding into work this week. He said the ride into work isn't too bad but the ride home is very hot and sweaty. This is a two fold benefit as it saves him money on fuel cost, and at the same time it's good exercise.

Riding a bike to work, isn't practical for me, but I'm taking my lunch so I don't have to drive to get my midday meal. I've set a goal of at least two - three days a week. The extra benefit of this for me is that it give me the opportunity to use the gym on site. I'm trying to take advantage of it too as part of a healthier life style.

At home we have replaced some of our light bulbs with energy efficient compact fluorescent bulbs. I have noticed they need time for their light to build up and provide the full amount of light. Once they "warm up" there is plenty of light but I can see a little difference in color from standard bulbs. But that isn't a concern for me.

We also use ceiling fans to move the air around and allow us to turn the thermostat a degree or two higher. I enjoy the gentle hum of the one in our bedroom and it lulls me off to sleep at night.

Stay tuned for more ways to save and reduce energy use. Most of the things I've mentioned are simple and anyone can do them. Of course not everyone can ride their bike to work, but look around and see where you can make changes in your daily life.

Later
D

Homemade Window Cleaner using Vinegar

I try to save money everywhere I can. I also like to be "green" if possible. Recently I've begun researching recipes for cleaning products that I can make at home.

I decided to start with Window Cleaner. I found a recipe that works well but contains ammonia and I'd rather not use it because of the strong smell. I found several recipes that contain vinegar. I know vinegar can be used as a disinfectant so this seemed like the place to start.

Window Cleaner #1:
6 teaspoons of vinegar
1/2 teaspoons liquid dish soap
2 to 3 cups of water
A spray bottle
Combine the ingredients and pour into the spray bottle.

Window Cleaner #2:
Make a great all-purpose window cleaner by combining:
1/4 cup vinegar
1/2 teaspoon liquid soap or detergent
2 cups of water in a spray bottle.
Combine in a spray bottle. Shake to blend

Window Cleaner #3:
1 cup rubbing alcohol
1 cup water
1 tablespoon vinegar

Using isopropyl alcohol and white vinegar together makes a quickly evaporating spray glass and mirror cleaner that competes with national brands. This can also be used to give a nice shine to hard tiles, chrome, and other surfaces.

Spray on your windows and wipe. (the same as you would a regular brand)

I recommend white vinegar for all recipes.

If you try one of these recipes, I'd be interested to know what you think and which one you like best. My personal preference is recipe #3. It doesn't foam and I think is easier to remove from the glass surface.

Later
D

Be Prepared - Update Fuel Savings Too

A while back I signed up for a service to help me save money on groceries. When I realized they were scanning the sale papers for the local grocery stores where I shop, I canceled the service and started doing it myself.



The three grocery stores in my neighborhood are Kroger, Publix and Aldi. (Often you have to determine if the savings is enough to drive from store to store, however, in my neighborhood all three stores are across the street from the other. That makes going to multiple stores more practical for me than it would if the stores were several miles apart.) They all have web sites with their weekly ad and other helpful pages like a menu planner, coupon offers and recipes. Kroger also offers a "Kroger Plus" card with additional savings. They also send coupons based on what I have purchased in the past. I've heard some complaints about having our shopping habits tracked, but I don't mind since it is used to save me money on the items I purchase.

Before I head out to shop I make a grocery list of the items we need. Then I review all the ads. On my list I mark the store and price for each item. Then I sort the list by the store and plan my route starting with the store where I can purchase most of the non-perishable items. Then I move on to the next store and try to purchase most of the perishable or frozen items from the last store.

In the hot summer months I often throw a cooler and some ice in the the car to keep the fresh items from spoiling or thawing.

Now this does take time and planing, but when I follow through with this plan we always save on our grocery bill.

This isn't for everyone, but with gas and food prices soaring every penny saved helps. For me it is worth the time and effort it takes.

There is another feature of the Kroger Plus card that can save you $ on gas. Some Kroger stores also has a fueling station on site. They offer 3 cents off the regular price of fuel which is a nice savings. However, for every $100 spent on groceries you get an additional 7 cents for a total of $.10 per gallon. They also offer a credit card that gives another 5 cents discount. I do not have this card and can't say anything else about it. I do not know what interest rate or terms are offered on the card at this time. I do plan on checking it out and will update again after I do so..

Vanilla Extract vs. Imitation Vanilla

10/26/2009 - UPDATE: I recently purchased another bottle of CVS imitation vanilla and noticed the ingredients were not exactly the same. I haven't used it yet but just pointing this out as a heads up. D

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A few years ago Cooks Illustrated magazine did a comparison of Vanilla Extract and Imitation Vanilla. Before I even started the article I assumed I knew the answer and that the expensive extract would be rated the best. They had everything from bottles that were $6.00 for 2 ounces to a imitation vanilla that was $.99 for 8 ounces.

In the taste test they rated a generic local store brand as the best. However, the next two were imitation vanilla. And strangest of all the second choice was from a drugstore, CVS Pharmacy. The third choice was McCormick's imitation vanilla, rated above their extract.

Since we have a CVS in our town I decided to purchase a bottle to try. (I'd have tried the number one pick but we don't have Shaw stores in Georgia, at least not in North Georgia.) I have used the bottle for several months as it is an 8 oz. bottle and I have only used it a teaspoon or two at a time.

I have been very pleasantly surprised at how rich and full the favor is. So in the spirit of saving money and getting a great value I have no reservation in recommending this vanilla.

With all the food prices going up, CVS may has raised the price on this product, but I doubt it will ever rival the price of the extracts.

Give it a try and please let me know what you think.

Later
D

National Brand vs Suave

Usually I purchase Secret Powder Fresh deodorant, however, recently I was in a rush and grabbed a stick of Suave Powder by mistake. The color and and label are very similar to the national brand. The national brand is usually around $3 for the size I purchase. I thought the store was having a major sale when I purchase the product for $1.

OK, I'm not the most observant person in the world, and I get dressed in semi-darkness so I did not notice I wasn't using Secret until the container was almost empty and I was getting dressed to go out for the evening. That tells me the product works as well as the national brand and it costs way less. I've been purchasing Suave for about three months now and haven't been disappointed yet.

For what it's worth, Suave has my recommendation as being as good as Secret and a $2 savings adds up quickly. (This is my opinion only, so take it for what it's worth - about $.02)

Later
D

Dine out for less

I was checking in on the embracing motherhood blog and found Kim had a great money saving tip. Please check out her blog here.

She found a web site that offers discounts on restaurant gift certificates and offers a $25 gift certificate for $10. ( Restaurant.com) The site is simple to use and seems like such a good deal I wanted to share this with you too. Just enter your zip code or state and get a list of restaurants in the surrounding area. You can refine your search by selecting restaurants within a number of miles from your zip code. Restaurants can also be filtered by cuisine.

I have not tired this service yet but on their Who We Are page they list the Better Business Bureau icon and offer a guarantee. Of course it is always buyer beware so check it out before you make a purchase.

Pantry Tips

I've been married a long time and one thing I've learned is to keep my pantry stocked.

In the early days of my marriage, I would run out of flour, sugar or canned vegetables all the time. I soon learned that I actually could save money and time by watching for sales and stock up. I watch for 2 for 1 sales, then purchase one to use and one for the pantry. This only works if it is something we actually use and if the item's freshness date won't expire before it is used. For items that might expire I either purchase one saving half the price or buy both and give one away.
(Check your store to make sure they offer this pricing. Sometimes it is buy one get one free so you would pay full price for the first item whether or not you got the second item.) Also if the item is something you can't use before it would expire, consider giving the free / half price item to a food bank or an elderly or young couple that could use a little help with the grocery bill.

I shop at Kroger or Publix and have found their store brand items are generally just as good as the national brands. However, check the unit price every time. Sometimes when the national brand is on sale it will be cheaper than the store brand.

If I know I'm going to be baking, like at Christmas, I'll start watching for sales on sugar and flour. I'll buy these items when they're on sale even though I may not need them right away. When it's time to bake I'll have plenty on hand.

Finally I try to organize my pantry. I group the can goods together, so I know at a glance how may cans of peas, corn or tomatoes I have on hand. That also helps when I'm making my grocery list.

Just some common sense tips that I hope you might find useful.

Saving Money on Celery and Cheese

OK, I know talking about grocery shopping isn't exciting, but I buy lots of celery and cheese and like to save money everywhere I can. So when I find either on sale I like to stock up. The problem lies in "shelf life." Celery becomes limp and cheese will mold if not used in a fairly short time right? Wrong! I have discovered how to extend how long they will stay fresh in the fridge.

OK so celery isn't every one's must have veggie, but I like it and use it for snacks instead of chips and such all the time, and like to keep it on hand. The process is simple first cut off the root end and trim the tops (You don't have to do this but it makes using the stalks faster and easier when you need them.) Wash the stalks well and allow them to drain for a few minutes. Then wrap them tightly in aluminum foil and store them in the fresh veggie bin in the fridge. I've had crisp green celery for up to three weeks.

Cheese is expensive, so when I find it on sale, I like to purchase a big block of the stuff. I use it in everything and frequently take a few cubes and some of crisp celery sticks for lunch. The down side to a big purchase can be waste due to it molding. Mold can be cut off and the cheese is perfectly fine, but there comes a time when there's too much mold to salvage the cheese. The solution is to NEVER touch cheese with your bare hands. To accomplish this you can purchase those disposable gloves like they use at the deli department, or you can just use plastic wrap. I put plastic wrap around the block of cheese and leave only the section I want to cut uncovered. Then I can securely hold on while I'm cutting. If I'm using the prepackaged stuff then I cut off the end of the package, slide a table knife down each side of the package to release any stuck places. Then I put the plastic on the counter and slide the cheese out of the package until I have exposed the amount I want to cut. The trick is to never touch the inside of the package or the plastic wrap side that will touch the cheese.

I have used the same plastic wrap to cover the cheese, but again you must use caution not to allow the side that you've touched to touch the cheese. It seems that no matter how well you wash your hands the oil from our skin reacts with cheese and will cause mold. So either use caution when wrapping with the plastic used to hold the cheese or just get a fresh piece.

When I follow this process, I've never had to throw away cheese for mold. Now my husband doesn't always do this and so sometimes I find a "fingerprint" sized circle of mold. Unfortunately once the mold process begins you can't just cut out the moldy section. You have to cut away below where the mold is found to stop the spread.

I hope I've explained this clearly because it has saved me grocery dollars and these days every dollar really counts.

Later ya'll
D

Tips

I love to save money and share kitchen tips and cooking shortcuts. I frequent numerous web sites to get helpful information and I've decided to share some of these sites and tips with anyone that might land on this blog.






A newsletter I love to read is Mary Hunt's Everyday Cheapskate . She focuses on all sorts of ways to save money and I can recommend her web sites and newsletters to anyone interested in saving money. She provides recipes, grocery tips and I love the tips for saving from her readers. Take a moment to visit her site and see if you find anything you can use. Check out of the newsletter on the uses of baking soda I think you will find several ways to use soda you've not thought about before.

I'm excited about this web site and think you will find it well worth checking out. Momelettes Is a brand new site and I hope I'm not jumping the gun by sharing it with you. Jess has done a great job and I love the tips she offers on this site. As the name implies it is directed toward moms but you don't have to be a mom to love deals. Please visit her site and let her know what you think.

Well, I'm out of time tonight but hope to post about more sites I love soon.

Later,
D