Bounty's $5 Fridays

Make sure to go out and Like Bounty because this Friday and every Friday through June, Bounty will be giving out 5000, $5 coupons for any Bounty Product.

This is a great coupon! Good luck - let me know if you score one :0)

Newspapers and Extreme Couponing the Grocery Smart Way!

Have any of you been watching Extreme Couponing on TLC? It is a bit extreme, but I love to watch to see what the end result will be. I know that heart pounding, nerve racking feeling as you stand at the register and watch all your coupons being scanned and hoping that you did it right to get the best deals.

I'm so excited to share a little secret....one of the segments on the June 8th edition of Extreme Couponing will feature someone who uses the Grocery Smart method!!! You'll get to see just how smart you can coupon the Grocery Smarts Way! Many of the shows have featured stores that double and triple the price of coupons, but this segment will show how it's done without those perks. I'm hoping you'll pick up a few tricks along the way.

Also, if you live in California or Nevada I can also help get you started on your couponing journey by getting you started with newspaper subscriptions. All you need to do is contact me and I can start the process callmestacy@yahoo.com or 801-589-3946.

Just a reminder that I can also get you started on the Salt Lake papers:

1 paper is $50 for 52 weeks

2 papers are $100 for 52 weeks

3 papers are $150 for 52 weeks

4 papers are $200 for 52 weeks

(you can also get 26 week subscriptions - just contact me and I'll get you that info).

Couponing is not hard, it's just setting up the time to do it. Rewarding yourself with the savings is the best gift you'll give yourself and your family. I teach free classes and would love to teach for you! Contact me above and we can schedule a date, time and location!

Michael Meets Mozart - Jon Schmidt

I'm a huge fan of Jon Schmidt and the musician he is. I started listening to him over 10 years ago. I attended one of his concerts at Thanksgiving Point years ago and hope to see another one soon. I'm posting this link because I have absolutely fallen in love with his newest song and I wanted to share! Take a moment to listen - hopefully you'll enjoy it too!

Arbys free Chicken Salad Sandwich

Are you looking for a cheap lunch? Arby's is offering a free Grilled Chicken and Pecan Salad sandwich with the purchase of a 22 oz drink. If you haven't tried their Market Fresh Sandwiches they are yummy (it doesn't help that there's an Arby's right around the corner from where I live)! You can get the coupon on their Facebook page (make sure to like them) and then click on the Chicken Salad Taste - Off to print the coupon. The coupon is good through 5/21. I know what I'll be having today!

Farm Fresh Local Produce - CSA's

I'm a news watcher and my husband hates it. I can't help it, if I have a choice I'm always watching the news (more local than national). Anyway, yesterday when I woke up I turned on the tv to my favorite morning news (Channel 2 - gotta love Mary, Ron, Debbie and Casey)!!!

They did a segment on CSA's - Community Supported Agriculture. If you haven't been a part of a co-op it's very similar. Basically a CSA is a farm in or near your local community. You pre-pay for your portion of produce and then you receive a weekly share of crops for the growing season. This is a great way to "buy local" and support your community.

Black Island Farms happened to be featured on the morning show yesterday. I happen to live near this farm and have frequented it through Halloween adventures, buying produce and going on field trips there. By participating in this CSA you get opportunities to help work a field, educational seminars, concerts and magic acts. You even get up to 4 free passes to their Harvest Festival (maze, pumpkins, bounce houses, cow train, pig races, giant hay slides, animals etc...).

If you like fresh produce, supporting your local community and fringe benefits I would certainly check out the link above. They have a lot of drop offs and if you can get a group of 15 or more together, they would create other drop off spots.

I know there are other local CSA's out there as well. You can Google one that may be in your area.

I can't wait for that fresh local corn!!! Honestly - one of my favorite things to eat!

Miya Design - discount and Mother's Day

If you're like me, I just barely got through Easter and now it's almost Mother's Day! If you've been thinking of something to get your mom (or maybe yourself), you definitely need to check out Miya Design. This cute shop comes fully loaded with Home Decor, Flooring, Design collections, Fashion and Jewelry.

Even better - if you mention that you saw this post on my blog you can also get 20% off of one item. Don't forget you can check out their facebook page here. They have lots of fabulous deals going on right now and they are always getting new things in. You can also check out their website for all the latest brands, designs and trends.

So what are you waiting for? Check them out - they are located at 1639 S 2000 W, Syracuse UT.

Miya Design - another favorite

So I live in this cute little community and I drive past Miya Design at least once, probably two or three times a day. This cute little store sits near a busy corner and is down the street from my kids school. I decided to go in there the other day and just fell in love with all the cute things they have to offer.

I was there looking for a birthday gift for my mom. The store has such a homey feel to it. It reminds me of a little old pioneer home with a swanky, beautiful interior. They have done such a nice job of decorating with the home interiors that they sell.

It was so funny because my son (3 yrs old) went right for the display of bubble gum. They had these beautiful glass jars filled with orange and green gumballs. How clever is that? And thankfully they had some extra's that weren't on display and offered him one. That was really very sweet.

If you're looking to update a room, they have a lot to offer in the way of furniture and interior design. Oh, what I wouldn't give to have someone with that kind of expertise come to my house and tell me what I need to do with it!!!

The clothes are absolutely beautiful, very chic and trendy. If you're looking for a specific size or color they are even willing to try and order the item you want. Check their facebook page for more deals on clothes.

And let's not forget the great jewelry to choose from. They have rings, bracelets and necklaces of every kind. The best part of the jewelry is that most of it was priced between $10 and $15.

This is the necklace and earrings I got for my mom. And this is the cute little bag they wrapped it in.

I couldn't resist - I had to get a necklace for me too! I couldn't help myself. If you receive a Hometown Values book for Davis county, check to see if there's a coupon for Miya Design. It will be well worth the trip!

Free - Orville Redenbacher Pop Up Bowls

All You magazine is giving away a few more Orville Redenbacher Pop Up Bowls for free. Head over here to request your sample.

Hurry - these will go fast!

Kraft Philadelphia Cooking Creme

(The spacing is all wrong and I can't seem to fix it - I apologize for the crazy blog tonight). As a Kraft First Taste participant, I got to try the new Philadelphia Cooking Creme for free. I wasn't sure which one to try. They have Italian Cheese and Herb, Original, Savory Garlic, and the Santa Fe Blend. I decided on the Santa Fe Blend thinking it would go great in my recipe for chicken or beef enchiladas. I was pleasantly surprised when I got it home to find that there were recipe suggestions on the package itself. I also noticed that there were more recipes on the Kraft website. I was even more pleased after my family gobbled up the chicken enchilada's that were made with this new cooking creme. I loved the fact that it was so easy to use. I will definitely be buying more of these for other recipes I want to try. Here's my hodge podge recipe if you'd like. Stacy's Chicken Enchilada's 1 lb chicken/beef (I prefer canned chicken because it's easy to open and use - I'm all about saving time and my kids don't like big chunks of meat) 1 pkg (10) flour tortilla's 1 28 oz can enchilada sauce 1 10 oz tub of Kraft Santa Fe Blend Cooking Creme 1 pkg instant spanish rice 1 small can green chili's Cheese Mix the chicken, cooking creme, pre-cooked spanish rice and green chili's in a bowl. Spray a 13x9 casserole dish with Pam or another cook spray. Pour the enchilada sauce into a large bowl. Take 1 tortilla at a time and dip it in the enchilada sauce (I usually just do one side - this is the messy part). With that same tortilla, spoon about 1/4 cup (eyeball it) of the mixture in a line from the top to the bottom of the tortilla. I try to make my line just off center - it makes it easier to roll the tortilla. Then roll up the tortilla and set it in the casserole dish. Continue doing this until all 10 tortillas have been filled and put in the casserole dish. Take the remaining enchilada sauce and pour it over the tortillas in the dish. Sprinkle with your favorite cheese (some people like a lot, some don't - add whatever you like). Cover your pan with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Take the foil off and bake for another 5 minutes until the cheese has completely melted. I'm not gourmet cook, but it tastes good and my family will eat it and that's all that matters to me. My next purchase will be the Savory Garlic - I have a great fettuccine recipe that I'd like to try that one with. If it turns out great - I'll post that recipe too. I hope you get a chance to try this new cooking creme. If you try it and come up with a great recipe, I'd love to get it from you.

Mio - have you tasted it yet?

I'm dedicating the next few blogs to some things I've recently tried and have really liked.

The first is a new product called Mio. I signed up a few weeks ago to get a free sample. It comes in this handy little convenient bottle that is easy to take with you if you need. I received the Fruit Punch flavor.

My kids each got a cup of water and we squirted a small amount in each cup. My kids inhaled it and asked for more. I tasted it and couldn't believe the flavor punch! For just a small squirt it really tasted delicious. The sample also came with a $1.00 coupon. I've now purchased the Peach Mango and the Strawberry Watermelon and love them all!

We're not big punch drinkers here at my house, but my kids beg for this. I think it's great that they are drinking more water too. You can also add this to any clear soda and it tastes great - kind of like the flavored drinks you can get at a restaurant.

The best part is that in the Sunday paper you just got, there was a $1.00 coupon for Mio (SS 3/27). So if you haven't tried Mio - here's a pretty good deal. One bottle costs about $3.50. If you live in Utah, the Target ad also had a great buy. You get a 24 pk of Arrowhead water when you purchase 2 Mio Drink Enhancers.

Mio comes in Fruit Punch, Strawberry Watermelon, Berry Pomegranate, Peach Mango, Sweet Tea and Peach Tea. Each bottle has 24 servings - a pretty good and tasty buy if you ask me!

Hopefully you get a chance to try some soon!

Gardening, Gardening, Gardening - gotta love Spring

Even though I woke up to a small amount of snow this morning, my crocus, daffodils and tulips are poking out so that means Spring is on it's way!!! I couldn't be more thrilled!!!

I have to admit, my life after quitting my full time job about 4 1/2 years ago has changed dramatically. I've learned to appreciate where every dollar goes just a little more.

One of my favorite things to do is garden. Let me caution you though, I'm still a novice. Two years ago, my dear husband built me some square foot gardens (raised bed gardens) and they have been absolutely wonderful.

We brought all the soil in so there are no weeds. I will get a few weeds throughout the year because we have secondary water and weed seeds sometimes come through that, but they are so easy to take care of because the soil is loose and easy to grow in.

Living in Northern Utah, I can plant peas, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, radishes and potatoes. I'm sure there are others, but as stated above, I'm still a novice. So far I have my peas, carrots and broccoli in and I have my potatoes ready to go in the ground in the next day or so. I'm not planting all of these things in my garden, but at least I've gotten started. The last couple of years I've been late getting my veggies in and they haven't done as well as I had hoped.

This year I brought in more compost to give my gardens a boost. I'm really crossing my fingers that this year will be better than last - I guess that's the hope for every year :0)

My family uses a lot of produce that we get from the Bountiful Baskets co-op. I always have stems, peels, rinds and fruits and veggies that have gone bad before we could get to it. Rather than throwing it away, I try to add it to my compost pile.

Last Spring, I picked up a composter. Now it's not pretty and it was just a $50 investment from Sam's club. I wish I had something a little fancier that I could turn by hand, but this is the box I ended up with. I'm really hoping to get some good compost out of it this year. This will be nice to add to my gardens as well.

Planting a garden can really help your pocket book in the long run. Not only that, but you can make planting a garden a family event. It's something you can take pride in and show your kids how a seed can be so small, yet produce something wonderful to eat. There's nothing better than to prepare a meal using fruits and veggies that you've pulled out of your garden.

If you'd like more information on planting a garden - check out the USU Extension website. You can find a lot of information on this website. Even the proper way to can and preserve all that yummy produce that you've grown.

Smith's/Kroger - Deal of the day

Smith's is currently offering a deal of the day from Feb. 27th through March 12. The deal will be listed from 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm EST (10:00 am to 4:00 pm MST) and the offer is only good as long as supplies last. Click here to get started. Good Luck, I hope there's lots of good deals to be had!

My Get Together - Yoplait Yogurt

I've posted about My Get Together before. Recently, I got a chance to host a Yoplait Yogurt party. It was so fun. As many of you know I love to teach people about couponing and I tied one of my last classes into my Yoplait Yogurt party. Unfortunatley, I didn't get any pictures because I was busy teaching the class. I brought my daughter along to help. It was fun to stop by the store prior to the class and pick out all the different flavors. I was actually quite amazed at the variety of flavors. We bought 30 cups (regular, lite and whipped varieties).

I had about 20-25 people in my coupon class and I wanted the yogurt to be a surprise for my guests at the end of the class. My daughter wheeled in a cart full of all the yogurts and everyone was very pleasantly surprised. It gave me a good chance to talk about My Get Together parties and the fun things that were sent. I even got this fun scrapbooking book by Nancy O'Dell.

I was really excited to do this party. Not only was it fun, but my family already loves Yoplait Yogurt. It tastes great and it's a great source of calcium. It's also a quick and easy go to snack for my kids in between school, sporting activities and just because.

Here's a few recipes that I got in my party box. I haven't tried them yet, but they look YUMMY!

Southwest Taco Dip

2lb container of Yoplait All natural fat free plain yogurt

1 pkg Old El Paso taco seasoning mix

1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise or salad dressing

1/4 c fresh cilantro

1 green onion

1 tomato

Serve with pita chips, tortilla chips or fresh veggies

Raspberry-Lemon Fruit Dip

8 oz. container raspberry reduced-fat cream cheese spread

1/2 cup marshmallow creme

6 oz. container Yoplait Original Lemon Burst yogurt

Serve with assorted fresh fruit pieces or berries

Don't forget to take advantage of Yoplait's Million Cup Giveaway. Grab your free cup of yogurt before this offer disappears!

If you're interested in hosting one of these parties - check out My Get Together!

Check out this great coupon for Extra Gum - $.50 off on any two (2), 15 stick packs of Extra Gum! I'm sure these will go fast so grab it while you can!

Free Cinnabon Instant Cream of Wheat sample

Click here for your free sample. Don't forget to print the $1.00 off coupon as well.

GM coupon and freebies

There's a really hot coupon out there right now for $1.50 off of 2 boxes of GM cereal. This week, most Associated Food stores are have a GM sale - pair these up and get some great savings off of your cereal. Remember you can print this coupon twice from your computer.

Free Cup of Yoplait Yogurt. All you have to do is like them and go to the calcium tab. You should see "Get Your Free Cup" - click on that and fill out the form for your freebie. Yoplait is giving away 1 million cups to their Facebook Fans.

P&G Freebies

I know I would rather get a freebie in the mail than a bill anyday! So for me it's a happy day when my box is filled with freebies and no bills. You can request your P&G freebies by going here. Remember you can re-request these freebies every quarter!!! - even better!

Free Lego Club Magazine

I signed my son up a few months back and we just got our first edition a couple of weeks ago. He loved it. They have 2 versions, one for younger kids and one for older kids. We got the younger version and it came packed with games and how to build ideas. If you'd like to sign up, follow this link. It takes a couple of months to get your first edition.

Help Fight Hunger

Here's a way to help your community fight hunger! Walmart is giving away 1 million dollars to the city with the most votes.

The next five most supported communities will each receive $100,000. Go here to cast your vote - you have until 12/31/10 to make a difference. VOTE NOW and make a difference in your community!

Swagbucks partners with coupons - what a great marriage!

If you aren't familiar with Swagbucks and you like to earn free stuff - stay tuned!

I've posted about this before, but now they've added an even new feature that I'm sooo excited about.

Swagbucks is like a search engine, but the more you search the more points you earn. You can then go to the Swagbucks website and cash these points in for all kinds of things (my favorites are the gift cards, but there's a lot of variety).

So they just added a place where you can print coupons. The key is to print them (you can print 2 per computer) and use them. Once they have been redeemed at your local store you get 10 points for each redeemed coupon. It does say in the fine print that it will take 8-12 weeks to show up in your banks. This doesn't bother me since I'm a regular coupon user.

Honestly - I don't see a reason under the sun why you wouldn't join now, earn points for surfing and if you're a regular couponer like me - earn some additional points for things you already do!

So what are you waiting for???? It's free stuff.....don't we all like free stuff????

Go here, sign up, surf, read their blog, and when you sign up for the first time you get 30 points to start! I can't wait to start cashing in on coupons.

Sweeeet! I saved 59% today!

I've really neglected the blog lately. I never thought a house, a husband and three kids could really stretch me that far, but it has - so please forgive me :0)

I was really excited today when I walked out of Smith's having paid less than what I saved. Today is the last day of the sale and I was really hoping that they would still have cereal left. I was pleasantly surprised and just about cleared the remaining boxes from their end cap.

Yep - that's 32 boxes of Rice and Corn Chex and Cinnamon Toast Crunch. My husband's favorite cereal is Rice Chex and when you can get it for $0.99 a box - it's worth stocking up on. This seems to be the only time of year when it goes on sale too. I hope in the coming weeks there will be more Chex cereal sales and more coupons in the newspaper. I'll buy even more to keep my husband supplied throughout the year - he's a big cereal eater and could finish 1 box in 2 to 3 days.

I also bought 2 pkts of brown gravy, 1 Symphony bar (as a thank you for a friend), 1 gallon of oj and 3 Christmas calendars. Now I need to tuck those away so they don't get opened and eaten before Dec. 1.

I spent a total of $49.70 and saved $68.11, a savings of 59%. Pretty Sweeet if you ask me!

I've also heard that the sale starting tomorrow at Smiths is a pretty good one. Check here for all the 4 and 5 star deals.