Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Mental rolodex

In Virginia, while most of our taxes are low (relative to other places, that is) we pay a wonderful thing called a car-tax. They have a formal name for it, but basically we pay our county money each year for the "privilege" of parking our car here. Never mind that WE don't park our car (now cars) on county streets since we live in a development with reserved off-street parking.

For years we paid this tax in the fall. Wasn't sure when we paid it, but was almost sure we paid in the fall. Mind you, the tax is based on the value of the car. But as of today, we hadn't received a notice or the more-important sticker to place on the car saying we had paid the silly tax. I had a few spare minutes while our son slept so I called and actually got human voices. Turns out, our notice was mailed the first week in August AND its due Oct. 3!

Good thing I called.

In Virginia they will ticket the heck out of you without that sticker, despite the fact that our 2002 Ford Focus is now only costing us $50 (I shudder to think what the new car will cost). Sadly I learned the ticketing lesson the hard way when we first moved here.

The point of this post is simple. If you have standard bills, try to remember when you think they are due. I am not talking about the bills we have each month. I am talking about assessments, annual premiums, etc. You will likely pay them the same time each year. Mark on a calendar or set up automatic alerts in your Outlook. By doing this you avoid late fees, penalties...or worse, tickets. Heaven knows we don't need to give the states more money than we already do.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

A Birthday Story...so to speak

I figure today is the best time to explain the story of the Blue Patched Couch. Why? Since most will likely be reading on Sept 30, and that is the birthday of our good friend Amber (who is the original owner of the couch), it just fits.

When my husband and I were just dating, we went through the standard "meet the friends" routine. This can be a dicey dance. If it goes bad, no matter how late into the courtship, it can be problematic. I believe with all my heart that even if my husband were never in the picture, Amber and Eric (her husband) would be my good friends. I have often joked, half-kidding and half-serious, that I had more trouble adjusting to Amber's move out of town (which horribly coincided with my roommate Kerry's move out of town) than I did to married life. I still miss them both terribly.

In the apartment I shared with Kerry we had what had to be the ugliest, least comfortable sleeper sofa on the planet. It was, not surprisingly, a hand me down. It was in excellent condition when we got it, but it really looked like what you might describe a migrane or nausea if you needed color coding. It was that bad.

As Amber got to know me, and by default my roommates, we all became fast friends. When Amber & Eric bought new furniture for their apartment, they offered to give us the old one, along with a matching love seat and a futon. The couch and love seat were blue with yellow check boxes. A nice comfy couch from Ikea, gently worn. No holes. No smells. Perfect for sleeping on, even if it wasn't a sofa bed.

That gift was six years ago.

Since then it has moved twice. I have patched three rips, and there are two more that are ready for work. My son has slept on it probably as much as I have. We have spilled every food and drink imaginable on it. It is wonderful. I love this couch. I slept on it a few weeks ago when the fog horn (read: my husband's snoring) went off full throttle. Even if we win Powerball, we will never part with this couch, its that comfortable!

If it weren't for Amber & Eric's generosity, we would likely still have the god-awful-ugly couch (the main theme was gold). Admittedly, Amber (and Eric) are two of kind. She co-hosted my baby shower. They put us on "scholarship" in Vegas and flew us to visit them in their new city. Since their initial move away in 2004, one could argue they have moved again ...(and again, and again, and again). But no matter how far apart we are, we see that couch and think of them.

The money saving tip from this is two-fold. 1) Find good friends who will literally share everything they have with you. If that's not possible, 2) scour Craigslist or freecycle.org, you are bound to find free items that you need, that others are willing to part with.

Happy Birthday Amber, we miss ya!

Monday, September 28, 2009

No Ironing, and no cost dry cleaning

I may have to resubscribe to Good Housekeeping, because I have always found them to be useful. I posted about an article from them earlier this month.

This tip I found shortly after we were married. Before anyone yells at me that my husband should do his own laundry, let me say up front I LIKE doing laundry. And I certainly like it a lot more than taking out the trash, cleaning the bathroom tub, doing the dishes, or any of the other multitude of things he does around here, so I am happy to do so.

In his old job he didn't need to wear dress shirts that often. This new one though, every day. Instead of either taking the shirts to be cleaned and pressed, costing at a minimum $1.30/shirt, I clean them as I normally would in the wash, gentle cycle. I dry on low heat so they dry completely but don't shrink. THEN, instead of ironing, I place a damp hand towel in the dryer with them, and depending on how many shirts are in there, put on normal heat anywhere from 10-30 mins. The steam from the towel will iron out the wrinkles and ensure they don't shrink.

The trick is, you can't let the shirts sit. Once the dryer goes off, take and out and IMMEDIATELY hang up. Works everytime, nice neat shirts, and no fuss.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Housekeeping details

Hope you all had a great weekend! We had friends in and the husband fixed our bathroom light fixtures. I guess this does boil down to a money saving tip because I put on Facebook I was looking for some electricionally inclined friends, and my old college roommate responded! The lesson learned, don't be afraid or ashamed to ask friends for help FIRST. This visit would easily have set us back several hundred dollars had we hired someone out. But the best part...we got to see some good friends and my son got some face time with other "little ones" and was thrilled.

You may have noticed the name change on the title page to reflect the web address and the main theme. It was suggested a few weeks back and I toyed with the idea for a bit before making the change. I think it works better and will hopefully be less confusing.

I also changed some of the text and background colors. This was an attempt to make things more readable.

Finally, I added a copyright notice. I welcome everyone and anyone to read and share this content, but all I ask is that proper credit is given...I guess that's the old reporter in me. You gotta site your sources.

Have a great week.

Friday, September 25, 2009

4 months < 24 hours

No, that's not a mistake. My Catholic school nun teachers would not be horrified, that's actually a true statement. We have spent more money in the last 24 hours than we did in the four-plus months we were dually unemployed. And while a fair amount of this money is a good thing, the other fair amount is, well, unbelievably painful. (Warning likely long post...sorry)

Last night we bought a new car! I love it, its Honda CR-V, 2009. It had 17 miles on it. Its not a fancy model, but its a safe model and my son is such a happy monkey in it. It has room galore for us. In my mind I had wanted to pay x a month, and we were able to get 60 months for x+$28. Since it's the most popular car in its class, the chances of the price going much lower are slim. We were able to get the car below sticker price though and the salesperson literally threw in a feature we wanted from one of the nicer models for free -- we had to meet in a mall parking lot though, so she could hand it off out of sight.

The difference in how we were treated from this dealership as opposed to the others is night and day. At no point were we pressured, and the nice saleslady even told us NOT to get the extended (read: expensive) warranty because we really don't need it. Ask me again in a year, but as of right now I would recommend this dealership in a heartbeat.

This afternoon though we got the bad news. The cost to fix our shower, which is desperately needed since when my husband took a shower Thursday morning there was still standing water in the shower when we went to bed, is more than (...wait for it, sit down...) $2500!

Why didn't I get into the plumbing business? Seriously, these guys make money hand over fist for nothing. The first plumber that came out here charged us more than $200 and all he did was tell us something was in the drain (really Sherlock!)

He determined he needed to go through the drywall of our neighbor's apartment to remove the item, but then he would not repair the drywall. We are not Mr & Mrs Villa here, so we certainly can't fix the hole. When he told us this, not sure if it was the lack of coffee or what, but I lost it. I had to excuse myself because I was sobbing in front of a plumber and my neighbor.

I called a different plumber off of a recommended list from one of my list-servs and while I don't like the price, I do like that they are doing everything (from removing the item to patching up my neighbor's drywall) all at once. His original quote was higher, but I was able to get $300 off because my husband will paint the bathroom instead of having the plumber do it.

If our shower issue had developed when we were both unemployed I am not sure how stable I would have been. As it stands our savings, which took a hit while we were both out of work, are now really hurting. We were able to arrange a payment plan which helps, and I know this is something we had to do because the shower could not continue in its condition. But still $2500+!!!! My husband is going to call the insurance company to see if anything in our homeowners policy will cover this. I'll let you know.

Hope you have a great weekend. As for me, I am off to enjoy some nice cheap Trader Joe's wine, while sitting on the couch as my husband watches Yankees-Red Sox.

Updated Master List

To sadly reflect Trader Joe's rising cost of eggs (now $1.19 vs. .99) and Ground Beef from Wegman's. You can find it here.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Practicing What I Preach

Last night my husband and I had a heart and soul conversation. For years I have desperately wanted to take him to New England in the fall where I went to college. I wanted to take him around campus, see the turning leaves and re-introduce him to some of my closest friends who he met for all of five minutes at our wedding. If he got the job, this WAS going to be the year.

Emphasis on was.

We desperately need a new car. I am increasingly less confident driving our son in the one we have, not to mention my husband gets parking at work so it seems like a waste to have him spend money on public transportation when that money could be going toward a car. Our shower plumbing is just atrocious and in about two hours the plumber will come and tell me what the damage is and I shudder to think, since we have been putting this off for years...literally. Finally the wiring in our bathroom has gone up, so we have been showering in the dark for more than a week. This weekend my college roommate and her family (who just moved to the area...yippee!) are coming over so her handy-man husband can help my husband figure out what the problem is, and if we have to shell out even more money to an electrician.

So this morning I wrote a sad email to the two friends we would have crashed with, saying that this year (again) our trip would not work. Between my husband's flight, gas, and at least one night in a hotel, not to mention food, the trip is just too much now. Making hard choices like this is what has allowed us to not be in debt, so I am trying to see the positive. Still, I am very disappointed and hope maybe 2010 will be our year, maybe?

Bargain of the Day -- Ground Beef

While home visiting my parents I went to Wegman's since its right near them. Sure enough, they do sell as a regular price, 90/10 Ground Beef for $1.99/lb! That's as much as half off of what I would pay at some other stores. Admittedly you have to buy in bulk, with the smallest being about 6 lbs, but all you need to do is divide and freeze and you are set for tailgates, Saturday nights or whenever else you need ground beef. What I like best is that this price is even lower than what I have seen 80/20 (with far more fat content) so you are not only saving money but eating healthy too!

And while we are on the subject of Wegman's, they have milk on sale through 10/3 for $2.29, which is at least .70 less than what the new lower standard price around here (VA) of $2.99 is.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Heading homeward

The Blue Patched Couch will be lonely this week since my husband is away on business and I am taking our son to go visit my parents for a few days. No more posts until Thursday.

Just a reminder though, don't forget to vote in the online poll regarding cell phones.

Have a great week!

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Tier One still not good enough

We have good credit, dare I say great credit. Even the Honda financing office we sat in this morning as we worked on the paperwork for a new CR-V said so. He called it "Tier One," saying that's the best there is.

We don't have a new car though, and are unlikely to have one anytime soon.

Despite the fact we have a decent downpayment (roughly 25% of what we would be financing)and we have such good credit, we still can't get an interest rate lower than 6%! This means our monthly payment would work out to be about $100 more than we planned on.

So its back to the drawing board...thanks lousy economy!

Friday, September 18, 2009

Good Housekeeping: Bargain Shopping Tips

Earlier this month I wrote about how I cancelled magazines, including Good Housekeeping. Luckily, I had already pre-paid until November, so I have one more coming to me. I have always liked GH, ever since I was a kid and my mom would get it. Depending on our finances, I might resubscribe in the new year.

One of the reasons I have enjoyed this magazine is that it is always filled with money saving tips. Like this article in the October issue (which I got to read tonight when both my boys went to bed early and I had a rare quiet house while I was still functional). This blog has written a lot about grocery shopping, but the GH article talks about broader shopping tips, and I will definitely take them to heart.

The Master List

This is a list of where I buy my staples and how much I pay for them. I will update this list regularly, and list the update 'date' below, as well as mark new items with an asterick.

UPDATE >>> Sept. 25, 2009

Bananas .19/each -- Trader Joe's
Chix Breast 5 lbs $10 -- Harris Teeter (when they have their BOGO sale, about once every six weeks or so)
Coffee 39 oz Ground $5.69 -- Target
Eggs (12 Large) 1.19 -- Trader Joe's
Ground Beef 90/10 -- Wegman's (must buy in bulk, minimum 6 lbs)
Half & Half (Lucerne) $3.99 1/2 gallon -- Safeway
Pizza Dough (TJ brand) .99 -- Trader Joe's
Whole Wheat Spaghetti $1.29 -- Trader Joe's
Yogurt (Lucerne) .50/each -- Safeway

Thursday, September 17, 2009

A note of thanks

I finally started and maintained this blog after a strong dose of encouragement from my girlfriends at a post-wedding sprinkle last month. I figured they would likely be the only ones to read. Well, I was wrong!

In the last week alone I have received emails from (among others) a college friend I haven't spoken to, much less seen since we graduated, a friend of a friend who I have never met, and even some people who I don't know how found this blog.

I want to say a sincere thank you! Thank you for reading. Thank you for passing along. Thank you for taking the time to comment or contact me!

I can't tell you how much I appreciate your support, and knowing that I have people reading me, has been a great motivator to make sure I write. Sometimes they are long (like the car saga..sorry 'bout that) and some are short. But I am fully committed to keeping you informed on how we live a frugal life. If nothing else, it keeps my writing skills fresh and keeps me honest when it comes to expenses.

Two final housekeeping notes. One, I have established a Facebook Fan Club, so be sure to look us up. We are, not surprisingly, The Blue Patched Couch. Second. Please take a minute to look at the poll I posted tonight on the blog. If it applies to you, I would love for you to answer. I am going to write about the issue regardless, but am just curious to see how many people it applies to.

Night everyone, and thanks again!

Consignment sale & diapers

Last weekend I went to the Northern Virginia Mom's of Multiples consignment sale in Arlington. I spent $40 exactly. I spent it on multiple pairs of pants -6 or so- (he needed them, cordory overalls, a casual Christmas outfit, numerous long sleeve shirts (again needed, desperately), half-dozen onesies, Stride Rite shoes and a nice puzzle. The best buy was definitely the shoes, they were $1.

People have asked me what I thought. It was definitely worth going. I was expecting more of a mad house, but it was very well organized and the system worked. They took credit cards and the volunteers were all helpful.

While I am happy with what I purchased, I was surprised with some of the quality I found. Some items were beautiful, I mean really very nice, something you would expect out of a catalog. But these items were way overpriced for what I would pay at a consignment sale. Other items were in deplorable condition, including a onesie that was horribly stained. So what if it was for sale for only 50 cents? I appreciate a good sale as much as anyone, and also appreciate wanting to get as much for your money as possible, but this stain was not coming out. Period. Yes, it was still a functional onesie, but really, that bad a stain? Why not just donate to someone who really needs clothes, instead of trying to make money off of something I can't imagine anyone buying.

What was interesting about this sale is it was the first time since my husband got his job that I consciously decided to spend more money, because my time was more valuable. All the items still available at noon became half price. I could have put my items down at 11:30, gone back to the front of the line and started over at 12:15 pm and sorted back through the items, and paid perhaps $20. But that would have been an extra hour away from my son and husband, and I just wasn't willing to sacrifice that.

I am glad I went. I will try to hit more in the future. For a list of the remaining consignment sales in the DC/VA/MD area, click here.


DIAPERS, DIAPERS, DIAPERS...
Ok, why I love Diapers.com #324. I ordered diapers, a board book, food and a food tray for my son around 5 pm yesterday. Today when I got back from my playdate they were here. That was a 12:30 pm! And I didn't have to schlep anything...yippee!

Walk around the food court

Last night I had made Shepherds Pie for dinner (definitely a cheap eats I will blog about later)and had planned on having leftovers for my hubby's lunch today. But that didn't happen, so when he left this am, he had no idea what he was having or from where. Oh well.

This morning I wound up meeting a girlfriend and her son at the Tyson's Corner play area since the weather is so bad outside today. She is moving away soon and I am sad, so wanted to make sure we get as much playdate time as possible. Next to the play area is the food court which had just about every type of food imaginable. I decided since I was here, I could pick up food for hubby and drop off at his office. This would be significantly cheaper than the cafeteria style place that was closest to him, and since it was raining he was unlikely to walk to one of the (relatively) cheaper places near his office.

I walked around a few times and observed the prices. Wanted to get him burger/sandwich or whatever with small fries. I decided on "Little" Bacon Burger from Five Guys ($4.08) but their fries, even a small cost $2.59, so before tax is finalized I am paying close to $7, and I just can't justify that. I instead got his small fries from Philadelphia Cheesesteak Factory ($1.98). My total was $6.06.

Sure, this is extra time (about 2 mins tops) spent for about $1 savings, but every dollar saved helps in the long run. Ironically the lady at PCF asked me how much I paid for burger, claiming her deal was better. Her deal, including a soda which I didn't need since he gets those free at work was $6.59, before tax and was not a bacon burger. Besides, does she really expect her burger to be better than Five Guys???

Added benefits too, you get less fries at PCF, so that means he is not a walking heart-attack, at least for today.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Fast food at home

My son is taking a rare morning nap, so that means I had time to read the paper (or at least my favorite section) today.

This is a good read on how you can make your fav fast food at home and its cheaper. Pizza dough that is ready to use can be bought at Trader Joe's for 99 cents, so pizza really is a cheap eats.

Enjoy!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2009/09/15/ST2009091503108.html

Triple coupons is back!

Harris Teeter is doing triple coupons again!!! From now until 11:59 pm Tues., Sept 22. HT will triple the value of coupons up to .99, so you can potentially save up to $2.97 off your purchase with a single coupon.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

An example of why the economy is in the terlit

This is going to be another multi-part posting, but unlike the others, I have no idea how this will end. What I do know is that what I am about to tell you is a perfect example of WHY we (as a country) are in the economic mess we are in right now.

(I apologize in advance this is going to be a very long post. If you want to skip the blow-by-blow, go to ****)

On Saturday my husband and I, along with our son, went to a local Ford dealership because we are looking for a new car. We were debating between the Ford Edge and the Honda CRV. We decided on the Edge because we liked the features better, my husband liked the ratings better and for me – I liked the idea of buying an American car, and doing my part to help the economy.

We are greeted by a friendly sales associate I will call Brad. We tell Brad immediately we are looking for a basic model, nothing fancy. He gets it. We tell him what we want the bottom line to be (x), what our down-payment (y) will be and what we would ideally like our monthly payment (z) to be. He understands us and throughout the whole process does not push us in the slightest.

After all is said and done I am convinced that the ONLY person at this dealership who does get it is Brad, the very green car salesman.

We test drive a fancied-up version of the Edge since they don’t have the basic model on the lot. We like what we see and feel, even if we only were given about 2 miles of driving. We are sent to the back room where they tell us they are processing our credit. The back room has a play area for our son, so we are happy to sit. After all, we are not buying a car today. We are just finding out what they have to offer…

He comes back with a document that says they have a car that meets our needs. I assume in my mind this car is at one of the other Northern Virginia dealerships in the area, or perhaps Maryland. He shows me a price. I tell him no dice. He asks what we want. Hubby and I discuss and write down the price we want. The figure we give at this point is actually $2000 more than what our original bottom line was (x), but we figured with the proper financing, it could still work.

We are now approaching the 3.5 hour mark in this dealership and our son who has been the model of good behavior is beginning to get fussy. This is where everything begins to fall apart.

Sales manager, who I am affectionately calling Jerk Wad, comes back and talks to us. Tells us we have to sign a legally binding document to say we want the car so he can buy it “from the Carolinas” and doesn’t want to be left holding the ball if we bail. He also says we have to leave our car there as collateral since he is under the mistaken impression we are trading in – we had it appraised for laughs, but told Brad from the get-go we were not trading in.

Ok, we are not signing over a deposit of several thousand dollars (y) for a car we have never seen much less driven. When I tell him this, and state that we would want to drive the car on the highway since we didn’t get to do that on our test drive, he gets defensive and says why didn’t I ask to do that on the drive, and if we want to do it now, we can. We can just leave our son with them at the dealership!!
HELLO??!?!?!!?

He can tell we are agitated and gives us our space, as does Brad. We decide to walk.

We call Brad back, tell him we are walking because we are not ready to sign away thousands of dollars for a sight unseen car, and he understands. We are getting ready to leave and now the General Manager comes to see us and asks what he can do to close the deal.

At this point we still like the car, like Brad, and figure if the price is right, why not. So we explain we are not signing a legal document unless we first drive car and like it. Besides, we still have not discussed price and financing. They have had our credit information for nearly four hours now, and we have no idea why they are stonewalling.

Frank tells us it’s his job as GM to make sure every customer is a happy customer, etc. He explains that this document is only a buyer request, meaning that if the car arrives and it’s what we believe it to be, and the price is right we will buy. He “gives us his word” that we are not obligated to anything. My husband takes him at his word, and I do too. He appears sincere and he is right, if he turns out to be a jerk, we will raise holy hell and that will be bad for his business. We are told the car will be here by Sunday, Monday at the latest.

At no point have we discussed in verbal tones a price. Aside from what I wrote on the info sheet to Brad, we have not talked about financing at all. I had mentioned to Brad that we could perhaps give a little more than y down-payment if it would help, but by a little I meant a few hundred or tops $1000 more. But the bottom line monthly payment always remained the same, z.

We go to the finance office to sign this document, at which point Jerk Wad comes back in and informs us that we are paying z+$67/month and that our down payment will be y+$3000!

No diggiety chance!!!

But by this time our son is acting like a normal 15 month old who has been cooped up in a dealership all afternoon, so we just leave.

We call Frank on way home. He is with a customer we are told. We leave voicemail.

We email Frank when we get home, asking him to call us. He doesn’t.

I call Frank on Sunday and do get him. Tell him in no uncertain terms are we are not paying the price on the document and what Jerk Wad said. He agreed. He said he would “not ram a car down our throats.”

All will be over by tomorrow night (Monday) anyway, we think. We will know the financing, we will know if we got the car.

Monday morning comes and goes. I call Brad and ask about when the car will come. He says, “a few days.”

Huh??

I tell him that’s not what we were told AND that we need notice so that we can get a babysitter to stay with our son. Furthermore, can he at least tell us about the financing?

He says he will get back to me.

He doesn’t.

I am D-O-N-E. I tell husband we are walking. He agrees 100%. He calls when he gets home from work to tell Brad this. He has left for the day. He asks for Frank. Gets voicemail. But just to make sure everything is covered, he also emails Frank and clearly states we are no longer interested.

This morning, Brad calls. I am out, he leaves a message. I call back and get his vmail around noon. Phone tag ensues. He calls back around 2 and says we can have our pricing, “he thinks.” He also tells me again he has no idea when car is arriving. I tell him I think we are still no longer interested, but want to check with husband. He says he will be there tonight and I pledge to call back.

I do. Call about half-hour later and am told he is unavailable. Receptionist tries five times to transfer me to vmail and is unsuccessful. She finally agrees to take a message and I tell her to tell him we are not interested. And to cover my arse, I also decide to call him back later (after 6, while he is still supposed to be there) and repeat. I do call. He is gone for the day. So this time I leave on vmail. We are no longer interested. Period.

***We like the Edge just fine. But we don’t like it $3000 more than we can afford for a down-payment and $67 more a month than we can afford. Looking back, I think they were trying to have us slide into a payment plan we couldn’t afford. I think maybe they thought we would just agree and not raise a fuss. I think Jerk Wad was also annoyed we were not interested in the used cars, so he could save the higher priced cars for the richer customers. Who knows??

I know I can “bitch a fit” (excuse the expression I am stealing from Heather, but it really applies here) but I also know many other people just don’t like to do that. They get intimidated by sales people and people in authority. This is not a character flaw on their part, any more than my desire to have NOTHING to do with mice or snakes is a character flaw of mine. Everyday we read stories of Americans who are paying more than they can afford for a mortgage or a car or have credit card debt in the five or six figure range. Yes these people knew what they were doing, but chances are in part they also felt like they had no choice.

Why??

Why would Ford or any other company want to force a customer into a product they can’t afford?? And the fact this is Ford I think gauls me the most. I really wanted to buy a Ford. I like them. I love my Ford Focus that we still have, and growing up my family never owned a car that did not come from Detroit. I wanted to help the economy, my country. Yes I know that sounds naïve, but that’s really who I am. But this whole thing just made me sick.

So assuming Jerk Wad or Frank, or even poor Brad, don’t call us tomorrow and say we are contractually obligated to buy a car we have never seen and they have no idea when will arrive “from the Carolinas,” we are going to buy a Honda CRV.

This blog is already way too long, so will post about that later.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Use your head (or a calculator)

Growing up I used to always love going to the grocery store with my mom. She had it down to a science, where she would hit Mars first and then Giant or the A&P and then for a very few special items Grauls, and then we were home. Every once in awhile I could convince her we "needed" Klondike bars or donuts, or if I was really lucky Green's Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream.

These trips created fond memories for us, but they also taught me a valuable lesson. My mom ALWAYS knew (and still does) how much the bill would cost within a few dollars before we hit the checkout! She would keep track in her head how much each item was and add up as we went along, and she always factored in coupons.

Now, I do this. Between my mom and Catholic school education, my basic math skills are top notch -- note I said basic. I do this with everything, not just the grocery store, but credit cards, speciality stores, Christmas presents, you name it. Last month when our credit card bill arrived my husband opened and asked me to guess...I was within $8, and the bill was more than $600!

I was saving this tip for later, but I saw this article in Parade over the weekend where they talk abut bringing a calculator in the store with you to keep track. There are some other tips included, so I thought it was relevant and timely. I hate big purses, so no chance am I lugging a calculator in there (and if you say its on my cell phone, there is a 50/50 chance that is still in the car...ha!).

Keeping track, whether by calculator or in your mind, will help you save money. You will know if you can afford those donuts or not and you won't have any unexpected surprises. In the end, isn't that what saving is all about?

Sunday, September 13, 2009

No brainer

Here's a question I think my 6 year old niece would know the answer to.

If you have two products, exactly the same, the first costs $2 and has contents of 250 and the second costs $2.50 and has contents of 200, which do you buy?

In another section of the store, you have two packages, again same product, one has 15 oz and costs $1.50 and the other has 7.5 oz and costs $1.99 (at least), which do you buy?

In the first example I compared brand name vs. Guaranteed Value coffee filters. For reasons that escape me, it costs 50 cents more to buy a "brand name" coffee filter. Huh? I mean I do understand brand loyalty, but for a coffee filter?? So needless to say, we bought the GV coffee filters.

I have found much success with GV products, and have seen them in Safeway and Giant. Since December, we have purchases GV ketchup, aluminum foil, paper towels and now coffee filters. As a rule I will likely purchase GV over a more expensive brand, unless proven regretful, from here on out. Its cheap, but it also works. I had never really paid attention to it (think I had seen it) before we became so money conscious. Now its what I look for.

In the second example I compared Care One brand anti-bacterial soap to the brand names. I discovered Care One when we started doing Peapod last year and it appeared as the cheapest brand. It works just as well, and why spend the extra money for fancy packaging. The example above was a bulk container, so if you really must have the brand name soap in your bathroom on display, buy that, but refill with Care One. CO also sells its 7.5 oz for about $1 if you don't want to buy the big jug.

Hope you all had a good weekend. We may or may not have purchased a car....more on that later, once we know.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Better than Ragu

And it cost less than 2...bucks that is.

I was trying to be poetic, thats what a few glasses of wine will get you.

Seriously though, tonight I am posting my sauce recipe, and it costs less than $2, especially if you shop at Giant this week since they are having a crazy sale, with the tomatoes (anywhere from $1.39 to $2.50) going for $1! Usually sauce, whether it's Ragu, Prego or whatever your poison, costs AT LEAST $2.50, and closer to $3 or even $4/jar.

Ingredients

1 can 28 oz of tomatoes (your choice here, they have crushed, diced, whole, stewed, herbed and sauce...just pick one)
1 can 6 oz tomato paste

Chopped Onions*
Chopped Mushrooms*
Diced Garlic*
Peppers*
1 TBSP oregano*
1 TBSP oil*

*all optional, add amounts to your own preference.

If using optional ingredients...heat oil in large pot, ideally 3 qt. When oil is hot, add ingredients to your taste and simmer...usually about 2-4 minutes.

Pour tomato can and tomato paste in and stir. Heat on low-medium heat, stirring occassionally, until fully blended..about an hour. Serve.

Once I decided I was going to make my own sauce, I saved three bottles that old sauce came in. Put through washing machine and now use for storage of my own sauce. Is this sauce what some Italian Grandmother makes all day in her kitchen, not exactly. But it genuinely does taste better, especially if you tweek to your own preference than store bought does.

Enjoy your weekend!

Never forget that Tuesday morning...

It was 8 years ago today, that our lives were forever changed. This isn't a political message. It's a fact. We can't forget what happened or the lives lost. I believe with all my heart that we will catch Osama Bin Laden and he will pay for his crimes. He is a coward.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Month old coffee?

Someone wise once told me never to “charge” anything I wouldn’t have left to show for it when the bill came. As a result, I don’t put food on credit. Instead I buy with debit. Whenever I go to the grocery store, it is always on debit. Same goes for when I buy newspapers or magazines or go to the movies. Our Netflix account is with debit.

There is something about paying for something you have long since consumed or thrown away. It’s galling and if you start to think of expenditures this way, you will be amazed at how quickly your credit card will go down.

Coffee at Starbucks? Will I really enjoy it a month later? (No.) So, do I have the money in my debit account to pay for it now? Yes, ok. No, then don’t get it.

Almost all our necessary expenditures, including homeowners insurance, food, clothes, etc. are paid for on debit. The one exception to this is gas for the car, because I heard gas stations will put a hold on the account for more than the value of gas if its hooked up to debit, so we use credit there. Using this rule of thumb went a long way in helping us keep our credit expenditures low.

Reminder for DC area moms...

There are lots of consignment sales coming up, including several this weekend in VA & MD. My understanding is that most if not all of these are cash only and strollers are a no-no.

http://www.our-kids.com/public/t/?f=5&s=129&t=281

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Nine months...

HWDI: How we did it.

This will be a multi-part series, and I have no idea how many parts it will take. But since my husband started his new job today, I figured this was a good time to start reflecting on paper, er…the laptop. Besides, this seems to be the one reoccurring question people ask us.

When my husband was laid off on Dec. 3, 2008, we evaluated our monthly expenses. We had the non-negotiables, the ‘needed’ amenities, and the extras. This is what we were facing.

Mortgage
Condo fees
Student loan
Homeowners Insurance
Magazine subscriptions (too many to remember)
Washington Post
Monthly maid
Power
Land line
Cell phones
Cable
Internet
Day care
Food
Diapers & Formula

We dropped numerous magazines immediately. As soon as they came up for renewal, we canceled. The exception being Time, which we both like and read regularly. Among the magazines canceled: Baltimore, Washingtonian, Good Housekeeping, People and Readers Digest. We still receive Cooking Light (thanks to Marie) and Parenting (thanks to Jill). My husband also gets Golf Digest free for some reason I forget, but he already said he is not renewing, not worth it.

I called Comcast, our Cable/Internet company and told them I wanted to drop all the fancy stuff and just keep Internet (we needed for his job search) and BASIC cable, since you can’t get any stations these days without it. They renegotiated our deal. And we wound up paying about $30 less and getting MORE, including a free DVR. The catch here was and is, I have to remember to call them back when this new “promotion ends” to either get the deal again or cancel it. According to my bill, that means I call in November. I am bound and determined not to forget.

Since we believed and hoped the layoff would be temporary we didn’t want our son to forget who his daycare provider was. We liked her, A LOT. So we continued to send him once a week, giving my husband a day to look for jobs.

We canceled the maid. She came once in March before my in-laws came to visit and hasn’t been back since. In the spirit of full disclosure though, I do plan on calling her next week. Our place is a mess. An absolute MESS.

I called the Washington Post, and similar to Cable, was offered a better deal if I remained as opposed to canceling. We now pay $20 for eight weeks. I think we have to call them this month to get that deal renewed, so this is serving as a good reminder.

For those with kids, you know how expensive diapers and formula are. We were just buying diapers when we needed and were spending $23/canister for brand-name formula. Our son would go through about 1.5-2 canisters a week. We switched to Target formula, which is HALF PRICE, and now get all our diapers from Diapers.com. Our diaper bill is about $42/month.

These cuts bought us some time and money and we were still able to save at a decent pace until March 13. On this day I was “laid off” for the first time. I told my bosses this was not acceptable. Hey, what did I have to lose by fighting for my job if they had already ‘fired’ me? Nothing. As it turns out, they kept me. I convinced them I was needed and valuable. But because cuts had to be made, my salary was slashed by more than 30 percent. But hey, I still had health insurance and still had an income. It had been three months since my husband’s lay off, and I had seen how little was out there. With a 9.5 month old at this point, I did not relish joining the ranks of the unemployed.

New cuts were made though.

No more daycare once a week.

No more Friday night pizza at $15. Instead we make our own, costing under $6 total for each of us, and bonus, no fighting over toppings.

I lived a mile from the White House on Sept. 11, 2001. I remember not being able to get in touch with anyone because cell phones were dead or overloaded. I will not ever live without a land line as a result. But we were paying a ton for essentially three lines under the same roof. So I called the good people of Verizon, bundled our service and cut back some of the perks we had with the cell (picture messages for one).

I started clipping coupons religiously. I had always clipped, but this time I clipped for everything. I also started paying attention to the circulars as to what was on sale and when. And I became a huge fan of generic and making from scratch. Pasta sauce has become my new favorite thing to make; it is a recipe I plan on blogging later.

We also began combining trips. Instead of three or four different trips to the store, we made all the trips at once. And if we forgot something, unless it was literally life or death, we did without…clearly not THAT important.

We ate A LOT of hamburgers, pizza, pasta, chicken 1,001 ways, crock-pot meals and pbj sandwiches. Family members belong to Costco so we went shopping with them for some frozen dinners. If we wanted a beer with dinner, we bought a bottle of the 40 oz, for less than $2.50, and split as opposed to buying a six-pack for $7 or more.

When I was eventually laid off for good on May 14, we have very little left to cut. I had brought our food bill down to about $50/week. We did not put the AC on in our home until a string of days in the 90s in July, and even then it was only sporadic. We kept the shades closed but all the windows were open to create a breeze. The exception to the shade rule was our son’s room, when he wanted to play in there; we opened the curtains and got natural light. We ate more pasta. We drank more water.

When family members gave us money to “buy something special” we didn’t. Almost all of it went to savings. The semi-morbid exception being money from my aunt went to buying a life insurance policy for both of us. Without a policy from work, if anything had happened to us, our son would have been up a creek quite literally. So we spent this money hoping and praying it would never be of use. It’s amazing what a little piece of mind can give you during these times.

We didn’t go out. We switched from Dunkin Donuts ($7/lb) to Target (<$6 for 2lbs+) brand coffee. Instead of throwing out the trash even if it wasn’t full, we pushed down the trash to get as much use out of bags. I can’t tell you the last time I ordered a picture of my son. There are so many people due wedding and bridal shower presents since we never gave them; I have no idea if we will ever catch up.

I actually missed the wedding of one of my dearest friends, something I swore I would never do, because we simply could not afford to make the trip. I will be sad about this even when she celebrates her 50th Anniversary. My husband actually missed a wedding too of one of his oldest friends. In both cases, thank god for Facebook.

We put off purchases that under normal circumstances we would need (a trash can for our son’s room for diapers, instead we used lots of baking powder/soda on the old one). I continued to wear my post-pregnancy clothes even though they were too big and falling down. That’s why God invented belts. My husband went without haircuts, despite what he calls the thatched roof of his head.

With all these cuts and sacrifices, we were still able to spend when we “needed” to, like repairing the car to the tune of more than $400 to pass state inspection, or traveling to NJ and paying for hotels/gas so we could attend the funeral of a dear friend’s father.

Perhaps the biggest thing that saved us was how we “spent” our unemployment checks. My husband’s severance ran out in early February. When he first began receiving unemployment, my salary still covered all our expenses, so his checks went IMMEDIATELY into savings. By immediately, I mean just that. As soon as we saw online that the check was deposited and credited to checking account, we transferred to our online savings account. This account earned interest. Mind you it wasn’t much, but every little bit helped.

This post is already the longest by far, so will sign off for now.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

Theola's yummy chicken fingers

When I started this blog I wanted to also include some cheap, easy, and somewhat nutritious recipes. This first one comes courtesy of my friend Theola. She made this for us a few months back when we were over at her family's house for dinner. They were yummy!

She told me the recipe came from The Joy of Cooking. When I make it I "adapt" it from there, meaning I use it as a basis. The cost of this dinner which fed the three of us and had left overs was under (well under actually) $8. As with all my recipes, the cost factor DOES NOT INCLUDE the price of standard staples such as flour, spices, oil, etc. These are things most people have in their homes to begin with.

The time-prep factor is about an hour, but its not a straight hour, the beauty of this recipe is you can stop and start up.

Ingredients
1.5lbs+ of boneless/skinless chicken breast -- $4 (bought on sale a few weeks back at Magruders when it was $2.49/lb)
1 cup flour
1 cup plain bread crumbs
1 cup corn meal
Spices of your choice, eyeball (this past weekend I used Red Pepper, Old Bay, Black Pepper and Salt) I would recommend starting off with a Tablespoon of whatever your favorite is to start, and go up or down from there.
2 cups vegetable oil (reused from previous dinners)
1 egg
1 cup of milk
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil.

In medium size bowl mix egg, milk and olive oil. Set aside.
In large bowl, mix flour, bread crumbs, corn meal and spices. Set aside.

Heat veggie oil in a pot. The oil should be at least two inches deep, preferably three. It took me about 15 mins to get oil to temp I wanted it when I put it on 7.

Cut chicken breasts in small pieces. Soak in milk mixture and then dip in bread crumbs et all and make sure completely covered. WHen oil is hot enough, place no more than 3 pieces in and let cook for 8-10 mins. You will know if the oil is hot enough if it starts to bubble when you put chicken in. You remove the chicken with a strainer spoon, and place on newspaper to absorb the oil.

While chicken is cooking, I like to get the next pieces ready, so have a few pieces soaking in milk and a few pieces that have already been soaking in the bread crumb mixture.

Repeat.

This dinner fed the three of us and we had leftovers. Its maybe not the healthiest of choices, although we did have Rice-A-Roni (which was $1 thanks to my Harris Teeter shopping trip a few weeks back) and Spinich (from Trader Joe's). It was part of a larger bag, not sure of price. Will find out next time and update.

Bottom line, it was yummy and not terribly bad for us (especially if you blat the chicken when you take it out of oil with paper towels).

Enjoy!

Reflections...

Today I received this email from a friend.

That's really terrific news about (your husband’s) new job!! I CANNOT imagine how stressful it has been for you all. Dear, dear me.

About a month ago, a colleague wrote and asked me if we were on the verge of “domestic homicide” since we were home together 24/7 in our 800 sf of love.

This year, and the last four months in particular have been stressful, no doubt. My internal clock has been all over the map. And up until last week, I was waking up every morning with an atrocious headache. I can’t say how my husband’s stress manifested itself; he keeps a lot to himself, despite my best efforts to coax from him. What I do know is we (meaning my husband and me, our son, the state of our family) were never the subject of my stress.

We are lucky. We have a strong solid foundation. We were always frugal to begin with, not ones to go out all the time. I dated the no-talent-ass-clown-loser right before my husband and all he ever wanted to do was go to movies, so as a result WE never go. Over the last four months in particular we have had a lot of fun times with our son, and have watched a lot of Netflix or played board games. We also have amazing family and friends, without whose support we never would have survived. I have one girlfriend who always, and I mean ALWAYS, fed my son and me when we went over for playdates and sent us home with leftovers. So he got good food, and I got a lot of good cooking tips!

I also believe God doesn’t put anything on our plates we can’t handle. I have friends who have had miscarriages, are having trouble in their marriages, are searching for their soulmates, who have health issues…the list goes on and on. We have friends that a few years ago adopted a child and it had to have been the most hellish experience I have ever witnessed. To me, our struggles in 2009 pale in comparison to what some people face everyday.

My saving ways will continue. Today I was annoyed when I realized that nearly the identical trash can I bought last week at Bed, Bath & Beyond was now 50% less!!! Of course it is, that’s my luck! But I was equally happy to realize that Safeway sells its generic yogurt for .50, as opposed to .80 for brand names at most every other store. That’s good!

I hope and pray my friends and family never experience what have gone through. But I also know many of them are equally strong and that you never know what you can handle until you are forced to. We have become a stronger family, have stronger faith, and ironically have more money NOW (even 9 months after the first layoff) than we did the day before my husband was laid off. (More on that later).

This isn’t a usual post. But since we are at the month-anniversary of the blog, I thought it was appropriate.

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Free movies!

I usually don't post on the weekends, and didn't plan on it this holiday weekend no less, but last night I had the chance to watched a news broadcast I had DVRd that talked about going to see new movies FREE.

Here's the news link from my local CBS news station. The story ran originally aired on Friday night.
http://www.wusa9.com/money/story.aspx?storyid=90626&catid=37

I checked out some of the links that they posted and it appeared legit. There are A LOT of side ads and you have to look to find the appropriate links to get the tix for free screenings, but they are there.

Good luck and happy movies if you go!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Cooking

I love to cook. Something about my family genes makes it so once you turn 30, your inner chef just explodes. Mind you, I never said I am a good cook, just that I really enjoy doing it. My MIL gives me Cooking Light for Christmas every year and I swear it is one of my favorite presents!

Since the layoffs, I have cooked even more because I had the time and because it is so much cheaper. In the coming weeks I hope to share some of the cheap eats we have come to rely on (and they are not all BOGO hot dogs!).

In the meantime, I finally had time to read our Food section of the newspaper, it comes out on Wednesday. Today is Saturday. I got to it Saturday night once my son was asleep and my husband was away watching college football. I found this article to be fascinating, and I might just have to sign on to one of these groups and find out more. I thought you all might find interesting too, its about online-groups that each month make a recipe and compare notes. Think Book Club, only better because its with food AND you can do it from the comforts of your own kitchen.

Calling all (Diet) Coke addicts..

This Bargain of the Day tip comes in today courtesy of a Virginia reader.

She was in Harris Teeter last night and realized they were selling 12 pack/12 oz cans of Coke products for 4/$10. So one package is $2.50.

Easy math here. $2.50 divided by 12 = .21! So than means you can get your Diet Coke fix (or regular Coke, Sprite or whatever you fancy) for less than a quarter!

By way of comparison she stopped at 7-11 on the way home and found the same Diet Coke can for $1.01, five times more.

Harris Teeter sale runs until Tuesday at 11:59 pm.

This is one of many examples that shows how buying in bulk, when you have the space for it, really REALLY pays off!

Friday, September 4, 2009

Coffee & Books

Two things....

This past week the status updates on Facebook of my friends and family members have been filled with news that Starbucks has brought the Pumpkin Spice Latte back for the fall season. I think I have had one, and I seem to remember they are good. They are not $4/day = $20/week = $80/month = $1,160/year good.

Look, I love coffee. I could not live without it. When I was pregnant my doctor banned alcohol, shellfish, sushi and deli meats (I didn't listen to that last one), but she thankfully told me I could have two cups a day of regular coffee. I would have pitied my husband if she hadn't made this call.

People who know me, know Dunkin Donuts is far and away THE BEST coffee on earth. Period. End of discussion. But even DD can add up.

So we get our coffee at Target. Yup, we get a huge 39 oz bin of ground coffee at Target for under $6! This bin will last about a month.

By all means treat yourself to the PSL every once in awhile. We all deserve treats and like I have said before, its the small treats that help us get through the other sacrafices. But don't get in the habit of buying this coffee on a daily basis, the cost will add up, and there won't be any savings to match.

Books.

The Washington Post had this book review today. I will never encourage dumpster-diving for food, but I do reuse Ziploc bags. I haven't read it, but wanted to pass along in case you found interesting.

Happy Labor Day weekend!

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Savings, Diapers and Coupons ?????

Thanks everyone for your positive feedback and support! I am glad you find this useful. I know I have, if for no other reason than it keeps me on my toes…something I STILL need to do. We need a new car, that’s what we spent today doing, looking at them. Ugh…

Anyway, since I started several of you have emailed me with questions. My guess is maybe others have the same questions. So I am answering them here as well. Am hoping to make this a weekly feature.

1. How to set up separate savings when work doesn’t do direct deposit? (West Virginia)
2. Why not use cloth diapers instead of ordering, they are cheaper? (Rhode Island & Alabama)
3. How do you find out about coupons and sales (Virginia)


1. As for not having direct deposit. Ok, this might take some time to set up, but this is probably the best way to ensure a) you save and b) you can't touch it unless you really need it --isn't that the point of savings.

You should set up an online savings account. We have one through etrade. I am reasonably happy with it. If I had to do over would likely pick TD Ameritrade, or Scott-trade. There are tons out there, and they mostly all offer about the same stuff, so do a little research and find the one that’s best for you and your needs. I warn you the set up will likely be a PITA. But once you have the account set up, you can transfer funds from you existing account (you will likely have to sign up for their online banking too, but it doesn't change anything about the way you bank now, or at least it shouldn’t. I know with Wachovia and BB&T, our banks, it didn’t.)

Now the easy part. Once the account is set up, when you deposit the check, go home and check to ensure the money has cleared. Do a budget to find out how much you really NEED from that check, and even if you have $5 left over, transfer that to savings WHILE YOU STILL HAVE IT! Don't wait, just do it. If you know you will have a standard amount each month, you can set up to have the deduction taken away automatically. You will be amazed how the money will grow. I am not kidding when I saw that this type of savings is what has kept us above water these last few months....and I really wish I had started earlier.

If you have trouble, shoot me an email or once you decide to set up an account, the customer service people for the particular bank or brokerage, are usually very helpful. We had, and actually still do its just dormant since we used that one too these last few months, one with ING and they were amazing on the phone, very helpful. And they did not treat me like an idiot like some of these places often do.

2. I would love to use cloth diapers. I had planned to when my son was born. I know they are cheaper and also better for the environment. I highly encourage anyone who is not in the position we are in to use them.
We don’t use cloth diapers because the washing machine is literally right next to my son’s bedroom. And since I can’t find enough time to do the laundry that we have now when he is awake and thus not disturbed, I can’t imagine what a nightmare it would be if we had cloth diapers laying around. Maybe one day we will have a bigger house and my son will be a big brother and we can attempt. I am a big fan of cloth diapers, just not for me right now L

3. BUY YOUR NEWSPAPER! This is not the old newspaper reporter in me speaking. Find out when your food section is published. In the DC area it comes out on Wednesday. Also buy Sunday paper. Between these two days papers (costing you maybe $2, unless NYT is your Sunday paper, but then probably still worth it), you get the sales circulars for the grocery stores in your area, as well as A TON of coupons. The money you will save, plus the advance notice you will have of sales, will help you immensely! I honestly can’t imagine not getting these two papers (well I can’t imagine not getting the paper at all, but that’s another story). And the Food Section, well that's just an added bonus...yummy!

You also find out when the stores have their sales. In the DC Area, these are the days stores have their sales…that I know of.

Giant: Friday – Thursday
Safeway: Friday – Thursday
Harris Teeter: Wednesday – Tuesday

HTH!

Credit score guidence

This segment was on TODAY this morning and I thought it was really interesting.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/32670513#32670513

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Exceptions to every rule

So random. I was in Safeway tonight picking up a package for a neighbor and I decided to check out their yogurt-covered raisins. My son was on a playdate last week and loved them, so thought I would get some.

Going against everything that makes sense, and an earlier posting, the snack size portion, which was 6 boxes each 1 oz, cost $3. The 6 oz. bag cost $4. So, always check, even when logic tells you not to.

Harris Teeter coupons...more fun!

This past week HT had a promotion of doubling coupons up to $1.98. It ended at 11:59 pm last night. I, of course, didn't make it there until just after 8 pm. Here is what I purchased, with normal price per item.

Rice-A-Roni (3 boxes) $1.79 each
4lbs sugar $2.69
Lysol Disinfectant Wipes $3.49
Newman Salsa $3.15
Kraft Horseradish $2.19
4 pack Ziploc Containers (2 boxes) $3.65 each
Scrubbing Bubbles Shower Foamer $4.79
Tide Detergent, 96 loads $22.49
Bounty 8 Roll package $8.97
Downy Liquid Softener $3.99
4 Snickers Bars .50/each
HT Shredded Wheat $1.97
HT Dishwasher Soap $3.79
Arizona Iced Tea .99
Lady Speed Stick (2) $3.19 each
Colgate Paste $3.15
2 Raw Carrots .83-total
Starbucks Java Ice Cream $4.19
Rice Pudding $3.19

Total Before Coupons and HT Promotions: $109.99

What I paid: $60.19!

Yup, that's right, yet again the savings they offered through their coupon promotion, plus the sales they were offering already, we saved boatloads. I don't need 4 Snickers bars, but we didn't wind up paying for them because the coupon I had was $1/off two, which became $2 off...and I wasn't going to just buy 2 bars and give THEM a credit of $1. The Starbucks Ice Cream was on sale for $3, and I had a $1/off coupon, which became $2. So I in essence paid $1 for it..YUM! Perhaps the best deal, the Ziploc containers were on sale for $3/each. I had a coupon that was $1.50 off/when you buy two. So I bought two, at HT price that became $6, but with my coupon I got 8 Ziploc containers that regularly would cost me close to $8, for $3! Also, you see I bought new dish detergent. Electrosol just did not cut it, and was a waste of water not to mention energy to continue to use when we would have to wash ourselves afterward, so it was pitched. I can say HT brand works fine, just like my beloved Cascade.

Obviously I love HT. Its convenient to where we live, its clean, the people are friendly and the food is good. But I do have a complaint. The sale ended at 11:59, yet they were taking down the sale prices while I was shopping. I asked the girl why it was HT policy -- knowing full well she was doing what she had been told -- and she went and got her manager. I felt bad, I didn't want to get her in trouble. He gave me some song and dance about corporate makes them do it starting at 9 pm, but he was happy to get me a circular. I said no thanks, and suggested perhaps they tell associates to not take down tags when customers are looking at the items. Ironically, a few minutes later I checked the time to make sure I wouldn't miss out on Five Guys (our celebratory dinner) and it was only 8:43 pm..so the girl and the manager started this process even before corporate wanted them to. I just think this is dumb.

I was also surprised at how many items my HT simply didn't have. I had coupons for half-dozen plus items that they didn't carry.

Finally, the humorous/embarrassing part of the night only a mother could love..I am checking out. Just handed in all my coupons, open up my purse and my wallet is no where to be seen! DOH! Its still in the diaper bag!! So, I apologize profusely and run to car. Cashier was very polite, but I was mortified.

Coming tomorrow: Questions answered...hope to make this a weekly posting.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Endless (sort of) supply of tortilla chips for 49 cents!

Took advantage of Harris Teeter's great promotion of doubling coupons of value up to $1.98 tonight. I will write more about the whole experience tomorrow (the good, the bad and the downright embarrassing!) but decided to use this post to talk about one of my favorite snacks...homemade tortilla chips.

I saw this on Food Network awhile back. Food Network is my favorite SHOW. I know its a network, but virtually any show on there, aside from Paula Dean, is better than whatever else is on TV at any given time.

Take corn tortillas that you buy in the store and cook them in the oven. Put aluminum foil down, spray with Pam-like spray and then place sliced and diced tortilla chips on the tray. Spray again (I like Olive Oil variety, sure any would work) and then sprinkle with Kosher Salt. Put in oven at 350 for 10 mins, or you can eyeball for crispness.

Are these as good as what you get at your favorite Mexican restaurant? Not even close. Not even as good as Tostitos. BUT, and this is huge, you save money by not plowing through an entire bag that I know I can eat in one sitting because it requires some effort to make them AND this variety is much healthier than the store bought chips. The taste is certainly good enough (and this comes from the person who refuses to eat FF or Low Fat just about anything!) and since you can make so many (about 6 to 8 chips from each tortilla, depending on how you cut) you are saving big bucks.

One of the lessons I learned doing this, is don't make a big batch and expect them to stay good for a few days. I have found these only last about a day, and then they become flat.

So, since Harris Teeter had their crazy sale, I had $1 coupon for Misson products. That became $2 off. And the corn tortilla's cost $2.49, thus 49 cents tortilla chips. Heck even without the sale, the regular price of 30 tortillas (which a conservative cutter would get 180 chips from) is far better than a bag of Tostitos, which runs at least $3 most places, and while I have never counted, my guess is has less than 180 chips.

N.B. We received some VERY GOOD news today. My husband was offered a job, and begins next Wednesday. Rest assured though, this blog will continue! We made a dent in our savings to stay a float, so we have to build that nest egg up again. Happy Reading, and thanks again to everyone for their support.