Works for Me Wednesday: Using Froogle for Christmas Wish Lists

It's Wednesday - time for another "Works for Me!" tip, inspired by the blog carnival/series at We are THAT Family. Check out this week's tip carnival here.

If you have a Google or Gmail account, then Froogle is worth checking out! Our family (and extended family!) has used Froogle for the last few years as a way of composing Christmas wish lists. For hard-to-shop-for people, like my tech-oriented brother, or my "I have everything I need!" husband, it is a wonderful way to avoid giving them, "I'm clueless..." items year after year.

Froogle is an especially useful tool for a number of reasons:

1. It has the searching "reach" of the Google search engine.
2. It offers you the chance to filter your results by relevance, price, store, and other categories.
3. You can add an item to your private Froogle "Shopping List", and share it as part of your public "Wish List" at will. This way you can track items of interest without everything being listed on your "Wish List".
4. Froogle lets you send a link to family and friends for purposes of sharing your wish list.
5. Froogle covers the inventory of almost all major retailers online, including Amazon, Barnes and Noble, J.Crew, L.L. Bean, Lands' End, Nordstrom, Zappos, etc.
   

I love Froogle because, as items occur to me year-round, I can add them to my Froogle list, preventing last minute "What do you want for Christmas?" scrambles. In my case, it is often music or books that spark my interest - but I make it plain to my family that in most cases, used copies are more than fine. Froogle also gives folks the chance to surf your wish list far in advance of a birthday or Christmas, so they can also bargain-hunt on particular items instead of being tied to paying retail on December 19th.

As for my young daughter, I keep a very book-heavy Froogle wish list in her name, so that family members can see a list of classics, old favorites, and relatively new titles that aren't yet in her collection. If a book at another child's house catches my daughter's attention, I also can try to add the title to the Froogle list later.

Have you tried using Froogle? What wish-list strategies work for you?
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Menu Plan Monday

This month I started documenting our grocery budget in more detail in an Excel spreadsheet, including our household's top 20-30 most commonly bought items listed individually. Wow, what a difference just being required to record it can make! Even with generous margins built in (like for deal-catching at Shopper's Food Warehouse triple coupons this week), I find myself aware of the fact - while shopping - that I will be documenting it all when I get home. It's also simplifying my menus. I'll be curious to see if a) I can keep up the documentation, and b) the new awareness significantly impacts our grocery spending for the better.

Here is the menu plan for the week:

Monday: BLTs, salad, apple slices

Tuesday: Mac'n'cheese, salad, fruit smoothies

Wednesday: Steamfresh veggies bought cheaply at Giant, pad thai noodles with FREE CVS cashews*

Thursday: Tuna salad or egg salad sandwiches, salad

Friday: Nachos: homemade guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheddar, seasoned ground beef, diced tomatoes

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Note: Twice in the last week or so I've had a coupon print at the CVS coupon kiosk for $2 off the purchase of 2 Gold Emblem nut items. Since there's a huge bin of $0.99 packs of various nuts (wasabi almonds, cashews, or other types) at the front of the store, we've gotten 4 free snack-size pouches of nuts with practically zero effort. Scan your CVS card at the coupon kiosk soon to see if you might also get this "sneak freebie" coupon!

5 Reasons to Visit Giant This Week, 10/23-10/29

Some potential freebies this coming week at Giant - and cheeeeap apples. We haven't had time to check/print all of these links ourselves, so caveat printor!

1. Mueller's Pasta, 1 lb. box for $1
   $0.55/1 whole wheat here, will likely double
   Final price: Could mean FREE pasta!
   
   
2. Gala, McIntosh, or Red or Golden Delicious Apples, in tote bags, $0.59/lb. (Save at least $0.40/lb.)
   There is so much to be done with this rock-bottom price:
   This pomegranate and apple crisp looks delicious - and very compatible with this week's cheap apples and pom's!
   Or try this pretty and simple apple pie recipe (hey, 2500+ people giving it 5 stars can't be wrong! :-p)
   4-ingredient applesauce - also highly rated
   
   
3. 2000 Flushes, 1.25 oz-3.5 oz., BOGO
   $0.55/1, 07/26 SS, or $1/1, 08/16 'other' and 09/27 SS
   Lowest possible price: price of one, minus $2.20 if you use two $0.55/1 coupons, for TWO boxes
   1.25 oz. box probably runs ~$4, give or take, so ~$1.80 for two would be good
   
   
4. Sylvania CFL Line, BOGO
   $1/1 CFL printable here, use two since you're getting two
   Final price: Cost of one compact fluorescent bulb, minus $2, for TWO bulbs
   Bonus: Buy $5 worth of Sylvania CFL Light Bulbs and get a FREE Earth Day Reusable Bag
   Double Bonus: According to government program Energy Star, "An ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) will save about $30 over its lifetime and pay for itself in about 6 months. It uses 75 percent less energy and lasts about 10 times longer than an incandescent bulb."
   
   
5. Halls Cough Drops, 2/$3
   BOGO tearpad coupon on Halls Refresh, spotted in Giant, final price: $0.75/each
   $0.35/1 20 ct.+, 09/27 SS, final price: $0.80/each
   $0.50/1, October All You, final price = $0.50/bag
   $0.75/1 Refresh, 09/27 SS, final price = FREE!

Other Giant coupon matchups and deals that we spotted for the week of October 23 through October 29:

Front page:

Top Round, Bottom Round, or Boneless Chuck Roast, half price (Save at least $2.50/lb.)

Center Cut Pork Loin Chops, $1.99/lb. (Save at least $2/lb.)

Stouffer's Entrees, 5/$10
Includes Recipes, Classics, Selects, or French Bread Pizza

SUPER G Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs, $0.99/lb. (Save at least $0.50/lb.)

SUPER G Whole Chicken, $0.99/lb. (Save at least $0.50/lb.)
I've seen whole chicken prices go as low as $0.69/lb., but not for a long time.

Dole Salad Blends, 2/$4 (Save at least $0.99/each)

Canada Dry, 7-Up, A&W, or Sunkist, Regular or Diet, 5/$10 (Must buy 5, limit once per transaction)
12-packs of 12 Oz. cans (the better deal) or 6 packs of 12 Oz. bottles
$2/12-pack is pretty cheap for name brand soda.

Giant Sliced Bacon, $1.77/12-16 oz. package

Large Raw Easy Peel Shrimp or Medium Large Cooked Shrimp, $5.99/lb. (Save at least $3/lb.)

Deer Park Spring Water 24-pack, $3.99

Nestle Fun Size Candy, 2/$4
$1/2, October editions of Parents magazine and Disney Family Fun magazine
Final price: $1.50/bag

Scott Toilet Paper, 20-pack, $11.99 (Save at least $3/each)

Turkey Hill Ice Cream, 2/$5 (Save $1/each)

10/$10 Sale
Celeste Pizzas for One
Giant Dozen Eggs
Giant White Bread
Mueller's Pasta, 1 lb., $0.55/1 whole wheat here, will likely double, could mean FREE pasta!
Chef Boyardee
Rice-a-Roni or Pasta Roni

Second Page:

Extra Large Pomegranates, 2/$4 (these are normally 2/$5!)
This pomegranate and apple crisp looks tasty- and with this week's cheap apples and pom's!

Asparagus, white or green, $2.79/lb. (Save about $0.20/lb.)

Bag baby carrots, $0.99 (I'm pretty sure that this saves $0.50/bag)

Nature's Promise Boneless Beef Chuck Steak or Roast, $3.99/lb.

Perdue Chicken Homestyle Strips, $6.99 for 26 oz. frozen package
$1/1, 09/27 RP
Final price: $5.99/26 oz. (~$3.69/lb.)

Perdue Perfect Portions Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast, $7.99 for a 1.5 lb. bag
Use $1/1 printable here or $1/1 from the 10/04 RP insert
Final price: $6.99 for 1.5 lbs., or $4.66/lb.

Third Page:

Tribe Hummus, 4 for $10.
Links to the SmartSource coupons here
I was unable to see/print right away because of my computer's Java issues, but
LittleTortilla says in her comment that you can get up to $6 off depending on what combinations you buy.
Thanks so much, LittleTortilla for the tip and the comment!!!

Cabot Sharp Cheddar Cheese, $7.99/lb. (Save $2/lb.)
$1/3 Cabot products, 08/02 SS
Buy small amounts of three flavors of cheese, and you'll get the biggest bang for your buck

DiGiorno or California Pizza Kitchen Pizzas, 2/$10
$1/1, 08/02 SS, $1/1 flatbread, 08/23 SS, $1/1 CPK pizza, coupons.com

Tyson Any'tizers, 2/$5
$1/1, September All You magazine
Final price: $1.50/each

Cabot Bar Cheese, 2/$5.
$1/3 Cabot products, 08/02 SS
Final price: $2.17/each

Dannon Light & Fit or Lowfat Yoghurt Cups, 20/$8
$1/10 09/13 'other' insert
Final price: $0.30/cup

Kraft Singles, 2/$5

Giant Fancy Shredded Cheese, 2/$4

Breyers YoCrunch 100 Calorie Packs 4-pack or Breyers Disney Lowfat Yoghurt 6-pack, 2/$5
$0.75/1, 08/02 SS and 09/13 SS
Final price: $1/4-pack, or $0.25/yoghurt cup

Nature's Promise Organic Shredded Cheese, $2.79/6 oz. (this is normally $3/bag)

Fourth Page:

Campbell's Chunky Soups, 3/$5
$0.40/2 Campbell's Chunky Healthy Request, 09/20 SS, or $0.50/4, 09/20 and 10/11 SS
Lowest final price: $1.26/can

Spice Islands Spices, Half Price
(These are much cheaper than McCormick at retail anyway!)

Del Monte Fruit, $1.25/can
$1/5, 09/20 RP
Final price: $1.05/can

Del Monte Vegetables, $1/can
$1/5, 09/20 RP
Final price: $0.80/can

Toiletries and Meds:

Suave Performance Shampoo or Conditioner, plus other varieties, 2/$4
$1/2, 08/02 RP (expires 10/25)
Final price: $1.50/each

Housewares Page:

Scotties Facial Tissue Single Boxes, 10/$10
$1/3, 08/09 or 09/13 RP, or $1/5, same inserts
Lowest possible price: $0.66/box

Back page:

Deal: Buy a $25 AMC and a $25 Best Buy gift card in the same transaction with your Giant card and get $10 off your next grocery purchase!

Deal: Buy Two Kraft Singles and Four Campbell's Soups and you will receive a FREE 1 lb. box of Nabisco Premium Saltine Crackers.

These deals are shared as part of this week's Be CentsAble Grocery Gathering.

Did you spot any other Giant coupon matchups or deals for this week? Post a comment to let us all know about it! :)
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A.'s New Frugality Booster

This past weekend, we spent a lot of time with family, and while everybody was getting together, we also celebrated my summer birthday. Behold the newest weapon in my frugality arsenal:This, ladies and gents, is my new crock pot (or to be trademark correct: slow cooker) - a birthday gift from my inlaws. My first crock pot was also inherited from my mother-in-law - an early 1970s-era workhorse (that is: "Old School"). But the new birthday crock pot has all manner of bells and whistles. At 6 quarts' capacity, it can cook two smallish chickens - or 7.5 lbs. of pretty much anything (Helllooooooo freezing extra meals!). It has a clip-tight gasket lid for transport. It even has a thermometer probe option that allows you to put the thermometer right to the center of your meat and specify a minimum temp, so once your meat hits the temp, the cooker goes to "warm". Is that not pretty close to rocket science? I told the my husband that I didn't care if it was the middle of summer; I was going to try out some slow cooker meals this week if I can manage it. With cheaply bought Giant Super G chicken breast and canned beans and corn, I'm thinking some type of white chicken chili sounds good.

Anybody care to share slow cooker recipes while I'm in the zone? :)

Notes on Today's Trip to Giant - Blueberries = FREEBIE Ziplocs? And a cool self-checkout lesson!

A tip of the hat to reader Anna today, whose savings comment spurred me to get my coupons together and get our booties out the door for a trip to Giant of our own! Click the pic to see more details. Everything was on sale and/or couponed except the organic milk, which is a splurge staple in our house, and the local papers with coupon inserts inside, which at $0.25 each are a sound investment. :)

As Anna pointed out in her field report, the delicious Sabra hummus was very cheap indeed, at two tubs for $1.29 after two printables and the BOGO price. See the rest of this week's deals and coupon matchups here.

You know that crackly noise that metal detectors make when they sense metal? After couponing a while, you develop something similar that propels you to undercover tearpads, peelies, and other "stealth" coupons. I was picking up the already-quite-cheap $1.25/pint blueberries, when I saw that some pints had a stealth peelie (crackle! crackle! crackle!) for $0.75 off any Ziploc Brand Containers. Since I was getting blueberries anyway, I made sure that all pints in my cart had this peelie.

When I got home, I did a happy dance upon discovering that this is a "starting-with-5" coupon, meaning it will double or triple. Even if I just doubled it, I'd be already $0.25 to the good on those blueberries, but I'm thinking of hitting up Bloom's triple coupons this coming weekend to see if these peelies will get me any free Ziploc containers once they triple to $2.25 each...woo hoo! One caveat: When I peeled it off, it took some of the opposite sheet's colors with it, making it sort of blotchy (see closeup pic above by clicking for a zoom view), so if you get these peelies, take'em off slowly and carefully.

Though Anna had no problem with the BOGO Oscar Mayer sale working with the Oscar Mayer coupon, my Giant's checkout system refused to play ball (though ironically, it did accept the BOGO SoBe printable with its BOGO sale - go figure). The very nice lady who was helping me explained that sometimes the BOGO sales and freebie coupons work, and sometimes they don't - and she is supposed to go with whatever the computer decides. Hm... I'm thinking if I reaaallly wanted those hot dogs, I could have gone to customer service, but being ready to hit the road with my tot, I just asked her to void the hot dogs from the transaction (I'll probably get a free pack with the freebie coupon some other time).

The lady at checkout had also showed me a fun new trick - a variation on one I already knew. When you're having trouble getting something to scan at self checkout, you can hit "Keypad" in the center of the right hand side of the screen, and simply key in the item number on the bar code (including the lonely single digits each to the left and the right of the main ten digit number) - and hit "Enter". This one I already knew, but my Internet-printed coupons weren't scanning, and this is when she told me that I could do the same thing with the coupon bar codes, and she showed me. She came back several coupons later to check on me - and they were going through, no problem. Cool! You learn something new every day. (She still had to enter the freebie coupons since those require a cashier to enter the value of the freebies in question with their authorized card.)
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Whew! Back to the Deals

We hope that you all had a relaxing Memorial Day weekend - and a chance to reflect on the sacrifices of our military families and those in our country's service.

Both of us were waist-deep in family-related activities and travel - kind of a challenge sometimes to switch gears to "deals". But now that the holiday weekend offers have disappated, some deals remain (with thanks to AFullCup):

BOGO Baskin Robbins Soft Serve 31 Below printable coupon

Kraft Cheese $1/1 shredded, sliced, or chunk. Print it now, 'cause it won't last long. :)

Three more days to get a year of All You magazine on Amazon.com for just $10 ($5 deduced automatically at checkout) - or $0.83 each. Nice! It's very rare to get a year's subscription for such a low per-issue price. Send this subscription to your fellow coupon clippers - who will undoubtedly love the $30-$50 worth of coupons in each issue, including high-value coupons for freebies. The offer expires May 29, so jump on it. ;)

Sign up here to get members-only coupons from Bisquick and other Betty Crocker products. Remember to use your junk email address to keep your personal email unclogged.

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Lastly, a news tidbit: Google recently announced its partnership with power companies in its foray into smart grid technologies - an initiative called Google PowerMeter. What does this mean for us consumers? If Google partners with your power company in the future and you do not elect to opt-out (meaning opting out of your information being shared by your power company with Google) - you can automatically check up on your energy usage in real-time, and even do continuous monitoring of your energy usage based on the appliances that soak up energy unnecessarily in your home (so-called "vampire applicances"). You can also see how your energy usage varies over the day, and day-to-day, to see your most egregious power-sucking hours. If you have no beef with your information being shared, you can get some useful information on your power usage, ergo lowering your energy bills, yet another cost-saving measure.

Happy deal surfing, y'alls. :-D
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