Toilet Paper Principle

I read this tip last week on Deal Seeking Mom's site! I thought it was an easy way  to figure out what is the best price to stock up on toilet paper. This is simple enough for my old brain to retain!

"Look at the front bottom of the toilet paper package to determine the total square feet. Now insert a decimal point in this number two places to the left. If the cost of the package minus coupons is less than or equal to this figure, it's a decent deal -- basically $0.01 or less per square foot!

Example:
TP #1 = 400 sq. ft.; price = $6; stock-up price $4, so not a fabulous deal....
TP #2 = 650 sq. ft.; price = $5; stock-up price $6.50, so definitely a bargain!"

Easy, huh?!

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Picture used with permission from All Posters

Coupon Data Search Engine

One of my favorite couponing resources is a webpage called, Hot Coupon World. I use their Coupon Data Base every week. This is how I use it:

I first make up my weekly shopping list according to the sale items that week. I then go to Hot Coupon World and click on their Coupon Data link on the right side of the front page. I work my way through my shopping list to see if any of the items I'm purchasing may have a coupon.  Just place the name of an item in the search box and it will tell you if there are any coupons available ANYWHERE on that item. Many times they will offer a link to a coupon that can be printed off of your computer.


Do you have any favorite couponing sites you visit regularly?

Hot Coupon World

Friday nights hold a valuable resource for saving money over at Life as Mom. 

It's called

Frugal Friday

There are many, many links to blogs who post on a topic having to do with frugality and saving money.

I always learn something new!!

Make Do Monday: Homemade rolls

We were invited to my older son's home for a Father's Day dinner last Saturday.  I was asked to bring a vegetable dish but then a few days before the party my daughter in love asked if I could bring rolls, too.  I had already gone over my food budget for the week and I didn't want to dip into next weeks budgeted money so I decided to make-do with what I had on hand. I made 3 batches and all it cost me was my time.

One of my favorite bread recipes is from Laine's.  I have 2 bread makers which helps the process go much faster.  I used my bread makers a lot when the children lived at home but rarely do these days since we're eating a lower carb diet. I had considered getting rid of the bread makers for that reason but I'm glad I didn't since it saved me some money. 

Uncle Raymond's Rolls by Laine

Put in the bread machine in order:

1 c. warm water

2 T. oil

3 T. brown sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 egg

3 c. bread flour

2 1/2 tsp. yeast

Hit dough cycle. Let rise in machine until doubled. Take dough out onto a floured counter, and using a pizza cutter, cut dough in half. Then cut each half into six pieces. Then cut each piece into three pieces. You will end up with 36 pieces. Grease a large muffin tin (12 muffins). Put three pieces in each section, then cover and let rise 'til doubled. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes.

Rite Aid & Walgreen Deals 6/27-7/3

One of the ways I'm keeping my food budget low is by taking advantage of the free deals at the drug stores. I stock up when items are free so that I rarely/never have to pay money for toothpaste, dental floss, toothbrushes, shampoo, hairspray, feminine products,body wash, aspirin or razors. I'm setting the free Lip Balm Smoothies aside for Christmas gift 'fill-ins'.

 I don't have a good 'math brain' so I make sure I do the Register Reward deals separately. For instance, at Walgreen's I would purchase the highest paying item for Register Rewards first ( moisturizing socks) and then I would purchase the Lip Balm Smoothies. I'd take all of the RR's and purchase the other products on my list.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Rite Aid Deals

Stay Free Maxi B1G1 Free (16-24 ct)
Use Stayfree  B1G1 Free coupon in Red Plum 6/27
Both FREE after coupons

Crest Pro-Health Sensitive Shield Toothpaste $2.99
Single Check Rebate $2.99
FREE after Single Check Rebate

Walgreens Deals

Blistex Fruit Smoothies Lip Care 3 pack $2.99
Register Rewards/ Good on next purchase  $2.99
Like getting it for FREE

Airplus Ultra Moisturizing Socks for Her $3.00
Register Rewards/ Good on Next purchase  $3.00
Like getting it for FREE

Reach Dental Care .99 (In store coupon)
Reach Dental Floss $1.00 (Red Plum 5/16/10)
Free after coupons (you'll need a 'filler' to make up for the .01 difference. Possibly the Dentyne Gum?)

Dawn Dish Liquid  10.3 oz. $.99
Dawn coupon .25  (P & G 6/6)

* B1G1 means (Buy One Get One Free)

Did you find any good deals?

Keep meat costs down

So far I'm doing pretty well at keeping my food budget at $50.00 a week. Remember, though, that I get help from a food pantry so that helps keep the overall cost down. We rarely eat pasta or rice for health reasons so I'm unable to use many of the items the food pantry offers. But, we are blessed with the food we are given and it does help a lot.

I've been trying to find recipes that have a small amount of meat and lots of veggies to stretch my meat budget. (Does anyone have any good recipes?)  My husband loves Chile Relleno's but I rarely make them because I've had such a difficult time peeling the skins. A few weeks ago at the 99 cents store they had the chile peppers in a bag. I already had pepper jack cheese at home so I knew it would cost me next to nothing for the meal. A Spanish woman walked up as I looked at the chilies. I asked her if she had an easy way to peel them. Boy, am I glad I asked because it made peeling a snap!

Here is what she suggested:

Wash and dry your peppers. Place on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes on each side ( until blistered) and then turn, repeating until all sides are blistered. Wrap each chile in a dampened dish towel and place inside a plastic bag to 'sweat'. Peel and de-seed. 

Here is the recipe for the Chile Rellenos:

 Stuff chilies with monterey jack cheese (I used pepper jack because that is what I had on hand). Pour some white flour on a plate.  Heat oil in a skillet. In a bowl beat 4 egg whites and fold in gently 1 egg yolk.  Dip the chile in flour. Take a large tablespoon of egg mixture and place it the skillet. Smooth it out with the back of your spoon to the size of a chile. Place the chile on top of the egg mixture. Take another large spoonful of egg mixture and place on top of the chile. Smooth it out to cover the chile. Let the egg mixture brown on the bottom. Flip onto the other side and let brown.

Meanwhile, you can make a sauce if you like one on your chile. My husband does.  I've made white or red sauces.

Cheese Sauce:

Heat until bubbly:
2 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1/4 tsp. salt

Add 1 c. milk slowly whisking it so that you don't get lumps. Add one cup of yellow cheese. Add 1/4 c. salsa.

You can also use a red sauce or a salsa verde.

Work at Home ideas

If you're like me you're always looking for ways to make money from home. One day I realized that I 'was' making money at home. How you may ask? (you did ask, right? *S*) By doing the job that I would pay someone else to do.

Let me try to give an example. Our car needed a bath terribly. We live in the country in the middle of an orchard. The wind is either blowing or the tractors are spraying or harvesting. Our car sits outside under an overhang from the barn so it's always dusty.

My first choice used to be a run through the car wash. I did this for years. The fee is $6.00. We even paid a monthly fee ($30.00) at one time so I could run it through anytime I went to town. But, my budget doesn't allow for this luxury now. So, the way I figure it is if  "I" wash my car then I save $6.00. It's as if I am paying myself to wash the car since this was a normal expense previously.

It took me less than 30 minutes which means I paid myself $6.00 for a half an hour worth of work.

How many jobs or duties do you pay someone else that you could do yourself? This could include food items in your budget, too. Do you pay someone to bake your bread (when you purchase it from the grocery store)? Do you pay someone to make your clothes? or sew your children's clothes? Do you pay someone to cut your children or husband's hair? or bake your children's birthday cakes?

If you are currently paying $3.00 or more for a loaf of bread and can make it for 1/3 the price then isn't that the same thing as earning $2.00 for baking your own bread?

I make as much as I can from scratch but I'm always watching for new things to try. I think my next project will be finding a good recipe to replace Cream of Mushroom & Cream of Chicken soup.  I did try making Cream of Chicken soup years ago but haven't since. I wish there was a way to freeze it because I'd like to have it handy when I try a new recipe rather than make it on the spot.


Happy Homemaking!

Georgene