Tobins' Tastes: August 2013

Saturday, August 31, 2013

Online BlogCon 2013! Attending A Blog Conference Without Leaving Home #OBC13

Online BlogCon 2013
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When I first started blogging, I was clueless. I started a blog because I liked to cook, bake and coupon and people where often asking me for recipes or details on my grocery savings. So I started a blog to share what little knowledge I had with about ten people who knew me the world.

At first it was just me and my keyboard. I wrote what I thought people wanted to hear. I felt like I had to fit into my idea of a couponing blog and after awhile I realized it wasn't working. I needed help, I needed answers. I wanted support but I didn't know where to turn.

I had no idea that blogging communities existed. I didn't know that there were huge groups of people united over cyberspace sharing ideas, supporting each other and becoming online friends. I discovered Blog Conferences and shortly thereafter I figured out that logistics and cost of attending one made it pretty much impossible on my teacher's salary and I put "attending a blog conference" on my long list of "things I want to do someday."

Around this time, I started reading a few blogs religiously. And one of those blogs happened to be Crazy For Crust. I started to feel like I "knew" Dorothy. And when she mentioned her blogging BFF Ashton from Something Swanky  naturally being the internet stalker that I am, I started following her blog too. And then last year, the two of them introduced the world to the idea of Online BlogCon.

Online BlogCon is an online blog conference that lets you get all the benefits of attending a conference without the costs and hassle of actually leaving town, or your house for the that matter. OBC helped me find the guidance I needed to be a better blogger, a more passionate blogger. It was more than just lessons on photography, working with brands, or designing your site. It helped me find my voice as a blogger. And it led me to a community of people who have continued to support me and my blog over the last year.

OBC helped me realize that blogging isn't just putting words on paper a website. It's about doing what you love and sharing that with others. It's about finding a group of people who can lift you up, enter your giveaways, leave you a comment when you feel like you are never going to be a big or as well read as some of the other blogs out there. Last year's conference did all that and more.

Through the OBC Facebook group, I now feel like I "know" the people behind the blogs I read and the feeling of community that we have couldn't have been found by jumping on a plane and spending two random days with a bunch of strangers. OBC gave me more than just knowledge about blogging (although it gave me tons of that too), it gave me the desire to keep blogging, to keep improving and to set bigger and better goals for myself and my website. So the minute Dorothy and Ashton announced OBC13, I registered and I will keep registering every year they have it because I certainly have a lot left to learn and I can always use a few more friends :)

Want to learn more about #OBC13? Check it out HERE & HERE!
Want to join us for this year's conference? Register HERE!
Questions? Feel free to leave me a comment so I can tell you even more about my love for OBC!

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Weekly Shopping Totals Link Up: Saved 77% at Publix


I almost didn't go to Publix today due to my only one usable arm situation but even though it took me longer than usual, I was glad I went. I was able to save almost 80% today thanks to lots of stacked coupons and some free product coupons too.

Razors and Greek yogurt were clearly the theme of the shopping trip. We obviously have a thing for Greek yogurt. And razors? I don't know about you but paying full price for razors makes me cringe. The free Skintimate shave gels, each actually had a free disposible Schick Hydro Silk razor attached to them and both the package of disposables and the cartridges each had a bonus item too. Gotta love free on top of free : )

Ever wonder why I don't buy meat each week? We mostly only eat chicken and we save on meat by purchasing our chicken in bulk from Zaycon Foods. Zaycon is currently taking orders for the Fall Chicken Event ($1.84 a pound). Check out my post for details!

As usual, I split my trip into two transactions so that I could use two $5/$30 Winn Dixie coupons. Most of these deals are from the current weekly ad which started in Florida today and many of the rest of them are from the current Advantage Buy Flyers available in store. Make sure to check back next week for a $25 Publix gift card giveaway!

Breakdown of today's Publix trip:
Total retail value: $86.72
Total spent: $19.81
Total saved: $66.91
Percent saved: 77%

What I got with sale/coupon match ups:
  • 5 pack of Schick Hydro Silk razor refill cartridges, retails for $16.99, on sale for $13.99
  • 6 pack of disposable Schick Hydro Silk razors, retails for $10.99, on sale for $7.99
    • Used a $2 off coupon from inside a past package
    • Used a $4 Target coupon
    • Made them $1.99 
  • 2 Skintimate Shave Gels, retails for $2.99 each
    • Used two FREE product Publix coupons WYB any Schick razors or cartridges
    • Used a $1/2 coupon from the 7/28 SS
    • Made them FREE plus a $1 total moneymaker
  •  2 Yucatan Guacamoles, retails for $2.99 each, on sale BOGO ($1.50 each)
  •  1 bottle of Pompeian OlivExtra Oil, retails for $4.99, on sale for $2.50
  •  1 bag of Sunsweet D'Noir Prunes, retails for $2.75, on sale for $2.00
  •  2 bags of Fresh Express Salad, retails for $4.09 each, on sale BOGO made them $2.04 each
  • 1 package of La Tortilla Factory Tortillas, $3.79 each
    • Used a FREE product coupon from a previous Facebook promo
    • Made them FREE
  •  2 boxes of Cascadian Farms Organic Granola Bars, retails for $3.99 each
  •  Pink Crispps Apples, retails for $2.38 total, on sale for $1.27 total
  • 5 Dannon Light & Fit Greek Blends Yogurts, retails for $1.20 each
  •  4 Chobani Greek Yogurts, retails for $1.25 each, on sale for $1 each
  • 4 Voskos Greek Yogurts, retails for $1.25 each
    • Used two .50/2 tearpad coupons
    • Stacked with a $1/3 Publix coupon from the Grocery Ad. Flyer
    • Made them .75 cents each
How did you do this week? Inspire me (and everyone else) with your amazing savings and deals this week. Please link up directly to your specific post. Do not link up to your blog's home page, giveaways, or etsy shops please. You can also "like" Couponing & Cooking on Facebook too! I would love it if you would link back to this post or grab my button from the sidebar : )


    Sunday, August 25, 2013

    An Apple A Day: 40+ Delicious Apple Recipes


    Everyone knows the old saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Well, with all the medical problems I have had lately I better start uping my apple consumption. And since fall and apple season are right around the corner, I should have no problem accomplishing that. Just in case you need a reason other than avoiding the doctors to enjoy some apple treats, check out these delicious looking recipes from some of my favorite bloggers.

     These photos are not mine but I have rounded them up for you to enjoy. If you want to pin an individual recipe or specific photo please click through to the original post and share from there. If you want to pin this post and the entire collection just pin the collage above!

     


    Want even more apple recipes? Check out my An Apple A Day... Pinterest Board!  

    Thursday, August 22, 2013

    Weekly Shopping Totals Link Up: Saved 70% at Publix


    Hi, my name is Kaylee and it has been two weeks since I went to the grocery store. Last week was crazy with Teacher Workdays and then we went out of town for the weekend to see friends. I was planning on going to the grocery store Monday night but as luck would have it I slipped and fell on Monday (first day of school) and ended up with a fractured elbow. Fun times.

    We still have some Zaycon chicken in the freezer as well as some large pieces of meat but we had pretty much eaten through most of our fresh and frozen veggies and we were completely out of yogurt, milk, and eggs.Thank God we have family that was nice enough to help feed us earlier this week.

    Justin went with me to Publix today due to my lack of use of my right arm and we were able to split the trip up into two transactions so we could use two $5/$30 Winn Dixie coupons. I also had a $10 Publix gift card so I actually only spent $20 out of pocket which leaves me with plenty of extra grocery money in case we go to the Farmers' Market this weekend or to put towards our fall Zaycon order.

    Breakdown of today's Publix trip:
    Total retail value: $98.33
    Total spent: $30.92
    Total saved: $67.41
    Percent saved: 69% 

     What I got with sale/coupon match ups:
    • 2 bags of Orville Redenbacher's Popcorn, retails for $2.99 each, on sale for $2.00 each
      • Used two $1 off coupons from the Publix Back to School Conagra booklet
      • Made them $1 each
    •  4 Dannon Light & Fit Greek Yogurts, retails for $1.20 each
    •  2 Voskos Greek Yogurts, retails for $1.25 each, on sale for $1.00 each
      • Used a .50/2 tearpad coupon
      • Made them .75 cents each
    •  2 bags of Riceworks Rice Chips, retails for $2.89 each, on sale for $1.44 each
    • 2 bags of Birdseye Recipe Ready frozen veggies, retails for $2.59 each, on sale for $1.29 each
    •  1 bag of Birdseye Steamfresh Veggies, retails for $2.69, on sale for $1.34
    • 2 boxes of Domino Light, retails for $2.99
      • Used two $2 off coupons from the 7/14 RP
      • Made them .99 cents each
    •  3 half gallons of Silk Almond Milk, retails for $3.35, on sale for $2.50 each
      • Used three .55 cents off blinkie coupons found in store
      • Stacked with three .75 cents off Publix coupons from the in store Grocery Ad. Buy Flyer
      • Made them $1.20 each
    •  2 boxes of Angel Soft Tissues, retails for $1.50 each, on sale for $1.25 each
      • Used two .50 cents off coupons from the 7/28 RP
      • Made them .75 cents each
    •  3 Gillette Shaving Gels, retails for $2.79, on sale for $2.50 each
      • Used a $6/3 coupon from the 8/11 RP
      • Made them .50 cents each
    •  1 dozen Publix eggs, $1.89
    • 1 Soft Scrub bleach spray, retails for $3.49, on sale for $2.50
      • Used a $1 off coupon from the 8/4 RP
      • Made it $1.50
    •  2 bags of Fresh Express Salad, retails for $4.09 each, on sale BOGO, made it $2.04 each
    • 2 Freschetta Pizzas, retails for $6.89 each, on sale BOGO, $3.45 each
    • 2 Tostitos Salsa, retails for $3.19 each, on sale BOGO, $1.59 each
    • 2 boxes of Ghiradelli Brownie Mix, retails for $2.99 each, on sale BOGO, $1.50 each
    •  1 package of La Banderita Tortillas, retails for $2.59, on sale for $1.29

    How did you do this week? Inspire me (and everyone else) with your amazing savings and deals this week. Please link up directly to your specific post. Do not link up to your blog's home page, giveaways, or etsy shops please. You can also "like" Couponing & Cooking on Facebook too! I would love it if you would link back to this post or grab my button from the sidebar : )

     

    Wednesday, August 14, 2013

    Apple Pie Popcorn Balls




    So this post was suppose to be up on Monday to kick off a week of apple themed treats for Back to School but then I went back to school. Teacher workdays officially started this week and I have been crazy busy. Like dream about my to do list in my sleep busy. So Apple Week may run from Wednesday to Wednesday, whoops.


    So when I originally planned to do a few posts with an apple theme I was thinking more along the lines of shiny, red, give to you teacher apples in the traditional back to school sense. But after a few days at work getting ready to launch our 1:1 iPad program next week, all I see when I think about apples are white, shiny, breakable, and traditionally expensive Apple iPads.


    Don't get me wrong, I am beyond excited about going 1:1 and starting the year with a paperless classroom but wow has it been a lot of work. So much work that I am pretty sure that I have permanently sprained my thumbs from typing on a screen. Please don't judge me.


    And while I know that all of our hard work will be so worth it when we kick of the school year with students next week, right now all I want to do is eat junk food, cry and lay on the couch watching Grey's Anatomy reruns. But since none of those things are very productive, I came home from my first full teacher workday and made these completely unnecessary, but oh so good Apple Pie Popcorn Balls.


    I originally planned to just make regular popcorn balls shaped like apples with red food coloring. But then I was aimless wandering around Target over the weekend in an effort to avoid doing real work and I discovered Duncan Hines Frosting Creations new Apple Pie flavor. And I realized that the only thing better than popcorn balls that looked like apples were ones that tasted like apples too.


    And man, did they taste like apples (pie). It might have been 99 degrees outside here in South Florida but I swear I tasted fall and caught a glimpse of leaves changing when I bite into one of these. No matter what your weather, these are the perfect week to get you in the mood for back to school.

    Apple Pie Popcorn Balls 
    •  8-9 cups of popcorn (I used plain air popped but you can use any kind)
    • 4 tablespoons of butter (half a stick)
    • a 10oz. bag of marshmallows
    • 1 packet of Duncan Hines Frostings Creations Apple Pie flavor
    • red food coloring
    • small pretzel rods
    • green sour straws candy
     1.) In a large bowl, microwave the butter until melted.

    2.) Add the marshmallows to the same bowl and microwave for one minute. Stir and then return to the microwave for another minute.

    3.) Add the Frostings Creation packet and red food coloring and stir until completely combined.

    4.) Mix in the popcorn until it is completely covered in the marshmallow mixture. Let cool until you can handle the mixture.

    5.) Lightly coat clean hands with cooking spray and then shape the mixture into balls. Make sure to pack them together tightly so that they stay together as they cool.

    6.) Break pretzel rods into small pieces and push them into the top of the apple as a stem. Cut sour straws at an angle an flatten them to use as leaves. 

    7.) You can wrap them individually in plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container. They are best when eaten within 48 hours.

    Want more than just an apple a day? Check out my An Apple A Day... Pinterest Board!


    Sunday, August 11, 2013

    45 Ooey Gooey S'mores Recipes


    In a few short hours my summer comes to an end. Which means that my week of S'more Summer has also come to a close. When I planned this week, I didn't even know that yesterday was National S'mores day which was a little weird and coincidental when I noticed that Facebook was exploding with S'mores recipes. 
    In an attempt to mentally extend summer, I have rounded up 45 decadently, delicious S'mores recipes from some of my favorite bloggers.  Enjoy this array of ooey, gooey goodness and make sure to click through the photos and show the bloggers some love. 

    These photos are not mine but I have rounded them up for you to enjoy. If you want to pin an individual recipe or specific photo please click through to the original post and share from there. If you want to pin this post and the entire collection just pin the collage above!





    Want S'more recipes? Check out my S'more of Everything! Pinterest Board!

    Friday, August 9, 2013

    Chocolate Chip S'more Cookies


     S'more Summer Week continues with my favorite S'more Cookies! Earlier this week I brought you Indoor S'mores and I will finish out the week of marshmallowy goodness with a HUGE S'more Recipe Round Up on Sunday.


    My friend Ashley brought these to a cookout at our house last summer and I had to make them. She told me the recipe was on Pinterest and I spent 30 minutes the next day trying to track down which of the one million s'more cookie recipes on Pinterest that she had used.


    I think that this one originally from Fahrenheit350 is what she used. Regardless of whether or not it was, these are delicious, easy, and perfect for any occasion. These are best the same day they are made, they tend to get a little bit too gooey after more than 24 hours. You can always freeze some of the dough and just make them as you need them : )


    I love that they combine the best parts of a s'more and warm, right out of the oven chocolate chip cookies. I am always changing them up based on what I have on hand. I have used all kinds of graham crackers, chocolate chunks, mini chocolate chips, and once, I even cut up jumbo marshmallows because I had started the recipe only to find out I was out of the mini ones.


     S'more Cookies adapted from Fahrenheit350
    •  1 cup butter 
    • 1 cup brown sugar 
    • 2 eggs 
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla 
    • 2 cups flour 
    • ½ teaspoon salt 
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda 
    • 1 cup chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
    •  1 cup mini marshmallows
    • 12 full Graham crackers broken in half
     1.) Cream together butter and brown sugar.

    2.) Beat in eggs and vanilla.

    3.) Stir (do not beat!) in the rest of the ingredients.

    4.) On a lined baking sheet, place halves of graham crackers about an inch apart.

    5.) Place a ball/scoop of dough in the center of each graham cracker. I used my OXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop.

    6.) Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Don't do more than that even if they don't look done. The crackers will burn and break. The dough might still look "wet" but it look perfect once they cool.

    Enjoy!

     Want S'more recipes? Check out my S'more of Everything! Pinterest Board!
    Want S'more recipes? Check out my S'more of Everything! Pinterest Board!
    - See more at: http://www.couponingncooking.com/2013/08/indoor-s-i-want-smore-summer.html#sthash.DKrv4qkh.dpuf
    Want S'more recipes? Check out my S'more of Everything! Pinterest Board!
    - See more at: http://www.couponingncooking.com/2013/08/indoor-s-i-want-smore-summer.html#sthash.DKrv4qkh.dpuf

    Thursday, August 8, 2013

    Weekly Shopping Totals Link Up: Saved 67% At Publix


    I am finally back on a regular shopping schedule again, right in time for school to start back up and throw everything out of whack again : ) I was so happy with this week's shopping trip, thanks to some free product coupons, great sale/coupon stacks, and the ever amazing Ibotta app, I was able to only spend $30 this week. And since our dryer needed a somewhat pricy repair this week I was very happy to stay under budget.

    I know that many of you who are new to reading Couponing & Cooking may read these weekly shopping posts and wonder if we eat meat, what we make for dinner, if we wash our hair etc. And I just wanted to let you all know that we do have quite a stockpile and a freezer full of Zaycon chicken, frozen turkeys, hot dogs, sausage, bacon, veggies, butter and tons more.

    Thanks to couponing, I am able to stock up on things at rock bottom prices so that I may go weeks or months without buying laundry detergent or soap or pasta but that doesn't mean we don't wash our clothes, bathe or eat carbs. Check out my past weekly shopping trips to see how we shop the sale cycles.

    Lately, I have been able to get some great deals on paper products due to sales, stacked coupons and some Ibotta offers. As long as it fits in my weekly budget, I always try to grab those deals because I find that I can go a month or more sometimes without seeing a good price on toilet paper and I hate paying full price for toilet paper : ) I was also able to use two $5/$30 Winn Dixie coupons since my total was over $60 before coupons.

     Just a friendly reminder, most of the deals and sale prices are from the current Publix sale ad  which means they will be good through next Wednesday in Florida and Tuesday elsewhere. Some of the other deals are from the current Publix in store Advantage Flyers which are good for a few more weeks. Click though the links to print the coupons I refer to, due to the time sensitive nature of printable coupons some may not be available to print anymore. Feel free to comment which questions, suggestions or deals you have found!

    Breakdown of today's Publix trip:
    Total retail value: $93.65
    Total spent: $31.24
    Total saved: $62.41
    Percent saved: 67%

    What I got with sale/coupon match ups:
    • 2 rolls of Glad Cling Wrap, retails for $1.69 each
      • Used two $1 off coupons
      • Stacked with two .75 cents off Publix Grocery Ad. Flyer coupons
      • Made them both FREE plus a .12 cents moneymaker
    • Angel Soft Toilet Paper, 12+ Double Roll Package, retails for $7.19
    • Bounty Basic Paper Towels, 6 Giant Rolls, retails for $8.79, on sale for $5.99
      • Used a .25 man. coupon from the 7/28 P&G
      • Stacked with a .50 cents Target coupon from the 7/28 RP
      • Made it $5.24
    •   1 package of Bounty DuraTowels King Roll, retails for $1.99
      • Used a Publix Stocking Spree FREE product coupon WYB Bounty Paper Towels
      • Stacked with a $1 off man. coupon from VocalPointe
      • Made them FREE plus a $1 MONEYMAKER
    •  1 bottle of Lifeway Keifer, retails for $3.99
      • Used a FREE product coupon from Influenster
      • Made it FREE
    •  Poise liners, retails for $3.19
      • Used a $2 off coupon from inside a past product
      • Earned $2 from Ibotta
      • Made them FREE plus a .81 cents moneymaker
    • 1 half gallon of Silk Almond, retails for $3.35
      • Used a .60 cents off Publix digital man. coupon
      • Stacked with a .75 cents Publix coupon from the Publix in store Grocery Ad. Flyer
      • Made it $2.00 
    •  3 cartons of Breyers Ice Cream, retails for $5.15 each, on sale for $3.00 each
    •  1 Publix Cream Cheese, retails for $1.79, on sale for $1.25
    • 2 packages of Rosetto Frozen Raviolis, retails for $4.35 each, on sale BOGO ($2.17 each)
    •  1 half gallon of Almond Breeze Almond Milk, retails for $3.29, on sale for $2.50
    •  2 bags of Fresh Express Salad, retails for $4.09 each on sale BOGO made them $2.04 each
    • 1 bag of Eat Smart Veggies, retails for $2.50, on  sale for $1.67
    • 2 bags of Riceworks Rice Chips, retails for $2.89 a bag, on sale for $1.44 a bag
    • 1 box of Ghiradelli Brownie Mix, retails for $2.99
    •  1 bag of Crunch Pak Apple Slices, retails for $3.49, on sale for $2.50
      • Used a .55 cents in store tear pad coupon
      • Made them $1.95
    •  5 Yoplait Greek Yogurts, retails for $1.25 each on sale for $1.00 each
    • 1 dozen Publix eggs,  $1.89
     
    How did you do this week? Inspire me (and everyone else) with your amazing savings and deals this week. Please link up directly to your specific post. Do not link up to your blog's home page, giveaways, or etsy shops please. You can also "like" Couponing & Cooking on Facebook too! I would love it if you would link back to this post or grab my button from the sidebar : )




      Monday, August 5, 2013

      Indoor S'mores / I want s'more summer!

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      How is summer almost over? I don't know about you but I am not ready to go back to work. I know I shouldn't complain, I have the whole summer off and blah, blah. blah. But I want more. I want S'more Summer! 

      On our Colorado vacation our hotel in Beaver Creek gave out complimentary s'mores kits to guests and every night they had a huge bonfire complete with roasting sticks and everyone went out on the patio and made s'mores. 

       

      S'mores are the quintessential summer treat. What says summer more than sitting around a fire with melty marshmallows, sticky fingers, and an excuse to slam large amounts of chocolate? So in honor of s'mores and my desire to extend summer I am bringing you two s'more recipes this week plus a HUGE S'more treat round up on Friday with tons of amazing S'more recipes from some of my favorite bloggers.

      So first up in S'more of Summer week, are the South Floridians' solution to to rainy afternoons and temperatures way too hot to light a fire. Indoor S'mores: no fire, no sticks, minimal mess. They seem way too simple to be good, but they are amazing. 


      When I brought them to a cookout at my sister's everyone was a little skeptical about them. They were all like, "Let's split one, oh I only want a bite". And then they tried them and they all wanted their own. Or two of their own. Maybe my mom even had three of her own. And I couldn't even judge them because they are that good. 

      These are really good right out of the oven but they are also amazing once they have cooled. I stored them at room temperature in an air tight container and they stayed fresh (and delicious) for three full days even with Florida humidity. And I didn't even have to light a fire to make them which makes my pyromaniac, firefighter husband a little disappointed but once he tasted them he got over. So fire up your oven and try s'more of summer today!


      Indoor S'mores
      • 12 graham crackers
      • 12 jumbo marshmallows
      • 1 1/2 Hershey's Bars
      • Wilton Chocolate Melts
      • Sprinkles and/or graham cracker crumbs for garnish (I used the crumbs from the bag)
      1.) Break each graham cracker in half. Place 12 halves down on a lined baking sheet.

      2.) Put a jumbo marshmallow on each cracker half.

      3.) With the oven on broil, place the baking sheet under the broiler for 3-4 minutes until marshmallows start to melt and brown.

      4.) While they are in the oven, break the Hershey's bar in to two square pieces.

      5.) As soon as the halves and marshmallows come out of the oven place two chocolate squares and the second half of the graham cracker on top and press them together.

      6.) Refrigerate the sandwiches to help them set.

      7.) Melt the Wilton pieces however you prefer and dip the set s'mores half way into the melted chocolate and then roll them in either sprinkles or graham cracker crumbs.

      8.) Place back on the lined baking sheet and refrigerate until set.

      Enjoy!

      Want S'more recipes? Check out my S'more of Everything! Pinterest Board!


      Sunday, August 4, 2013

      Pinterest to Reality $400 Paypal Cash Giveaway!


      Carrie over at Frugal Foodie Mama just reached reached over 10,000 Pinterest followers!!  And since she is one of my Online Blog Con blogging friends, I am helping her celebrate by being a part of her $400 Dreams to Reality Paypal Cash Giveaway.

      How many of you all have Pinterest projects and ideas that you have had pinned for months, longing to do them, but maybe the price tag is holding you back?  
      *Raising hand here*
      Would $400 to spend any way and anywhere you would like help out just a little with that?
      Yeah.... I thought so. ;)

      Of course if you win, you can spend the Paypal cash any way that you would like.  But how fun would it be to finally splurge on a little something you have had pinned away on one of your Pinterest boards??

      If you do not have a Paypal account presently, you WILL have to set up one if you win.  I will only be able to transfer the funds via Paypal.  Paypal is great because it is accepted with most online shops and you can transfer funds to your checking account once you have connected the two. :)  Pretty cool, right?

      Please read through ALL the giveaway terms and conditions below.  Giveaways like this require us to be pretty strict with the rules so make sure you check them out!

      *This giveaway is open internationally.  All entries for the winner will be checked and verified, so please make sure you are doing what you are claiming in the Rafflecopter or all your entries will be voided.  No funny business, folks. ;)By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. Number of entries received determines the odds of winning. One winner will be selected. The winner will be notified via the email they provide, and will have 48 hours to reply to the email.  If the winner does not reply back within the 48 hours, they forfeit the prize and a new winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter.  This is a giveaway sponsored as a group buy, which means the bloggers pooled their money together to purchase this product for you.  Paypal is not a sponsor of this giveaway.  The cash prize will be sent via Paypal directly from Carrie of Frugal Foodie Mama.  You must have an active Paypal account to receive the cash prize!  Entries must come from your MAIN social media accounts, not accounts that have been set up separately just for entering giveaways.  Entries from these types of accounts will be disqualified.  Protected tweets do not count as an entry method for tweeting. Tweets must come from a public account. Bloggers in this group giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law.
      Please see the Rafflecopter widget below for additional Terms & Conditions.  Good luck, all! 

      Friday, August 2, 2013

      Weekly Shopping Totals Link Up: Saved 53% On Fresh Food and Paper Products at Publix




      After a week+ recovering from surgery followed by a week in Colorado on vacation that was planned before my surgery, our fridge was looking pretty bare. We are a little limited in what I can eat since I am now gallbladderless so we have been sticking to eating from our Zaycon chicken stockpile in the freezer so I mostly picked up yogurt and veggies. I also took advantage of some Ibotta deals and stocked up on paper products too.

      I know that from some of our weekly shopping trips you may wonder what we eat, use to shower with, and so on. But know that we have a large health and beauty/toiletries stockpile, very full pantry and freezer. Want to see what's in our stockpiles? Check out my Stalk My Stockpile series HERE! 

      We are due for a big pantry cleanout/organization soon and I may even need to due some freezer organization since we are placing our fall order of forty pounds of Zaycon chicken soon too. I love that I can budget once every six months for our chicken order and then we really don't have to spend money every week on meat. I use our excess grocery money for the chicken order and it really helps us keep our budget down.

      I didn't save much over 50% this week but I am totally ok with that since we were restocking the fridge on fresh items and I was able to get some of my favorite brands of paper products while still staying around $30 for the week. I only used a few coupons and a $5/$30 Winn Dixie coupon so this week's trip is an example of a great way to save buy shopping a store's sale cycles : )

      Breakdown of yesterday's shopping trip:
      Total retail value: $75.84
      Total spent: $37.41
      Total saved: $38.43
      Percent saved: 53%

      What I got with sale/coupon match ups:
      • Six Pack of Brawny Paper Towel Big Rolls, retails for $9.25, on sale for $6.49
        • Used a $1 off coupon from the 7/28 RP
        • Earned a $1 Ibotta deposit
        • Made them $4.49 for the package
      •  2 packages of twelve count double rolls of Quilted Northern, retails for $9.25 each, on sale for $6.49 each
      •  2 packages of Lance Crackers, retails for $3.09 a package, on sale BOGO ($1.54 each)
      •  1 package of Banderita Tortillas, $2.87
      • 1 bag of Potato Inspiration Potatoes, retails for $3.99, on sale for $2.99
      • 2 bags of Ritz Chips, retails for $3.69 each, on sale BOGO ($1.84 each)
        • Used a $1/2 peelie coupon
        • Made them $1.34 each
      •  2 boxes of Near East Couscous, retails for $2.29 each, on sale BOGO made them $1.14 each
      • 1 two liter of Publix Seltzer Water, retails for .95 cents, on sale for .81 cents
      • 2 cucumbers, retails for .85 cents each, on sale for .50 cents each
      • 1 box of Fresh Attitudes Salad, retails for $3.09, on sale for $2.69
      • 4 Dannon Okios Greek Yogurts, retails for $1.20 each, on sale for $1.00 each
      • 4 Voskos Greek Yogurts, retails for $1.25 each, on sale for $1.00 each
        • Used two .50/2 tearpad coupons
        • Made them .75 cents each
      •  5 bags of Publix Steam Veggies or Brown Rice, retails for $1.39-$1.59 each, on sale for $1 each 

      How did you do this week? Inspire me (and everyone else) with your amazing savings and deals this week. Please link up directly to your specific post. Do not link up to your blog's home page, giveaways, or etsy shops please. You can also "like" Couponing & Cooking on Facebook too! I would love it if you would link back to this post or grab my button from the sidebar : )

      Click below to link up your posts!



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