What did you do to save money this week (2/4/07)?

[minnie1928]

Yesterday I saved about $60 by going to my family dr. instead of the dermatologist. I saw the dermatologist a year ago for the same problem and he sent notes from my visit to my family dr. This time I could go to her, she looked at the notes and prescribed the exact same thing since she didn't know what was wrong with me anyway. Family dr copay $15, dermatologist out of network cost $75, saved $60!!

Last night I sat down w/ mom and we reviewed all her prescriptions. We're going to move some to her mail order program, and the rest go to Wal Mart for the $4 prescription program. Total annual savings around $360.

 

[TyNicJen]

I would also stay away from being with family on a trip. I have a SIL who wants us to go to Disney with us every time we think about going. (She lives in Fla.) She goes 2-3x's a year! Although she is in debt over her head this doesn't seem to matter!
Anyway she would be telling us when, where and how to go and even though it may be fun for the cousins I want my family time. We go to see them after we do Disney anyway so they all get to hang.

Just took the kids to ortho and had dinner at Friday''s. We have a points card there and now get a free appetizer each time we go. We use this as a meal. Then we had a gift card from a CC so the meal was free! And we have enough to go again for free!
I really have to get into the CVS thing. I have a card but never worked like you guys. You're my heros. Just gotta take time to figure it out.
Do we have to go on line? They print out on receipts but it sounds like you get more online???

 

[nzdisneymom]

I saved yesterday by going back to Publix for some BOGO's that they were out of stock on when we went on Sunday. We also had our pizza night at Pizza Hut (kids eat free Tuesday night with the buffet) so even though it cost more than just ordering carry-out from other chains, they do like to go to Pizza Hut occasionally. I just had water instead of a soda so that saved $1.79.

I was thinking this morning as I was packing DS's lunch about how much $ I must've saved over the years since I've been packing him a lunch. He's a 5th grader now and I've been packing lunches for him since preschool - so that's been 8 years. When he started preschool, I bought some Tupperware sandwich keepers to put his sandwiches in. That way they don't get crushed / smushed in his lunchbox, and I feel like we don't have the waste. And no feeling like I have to rinse out baggies (hee hee). We also use Tupperware snack containers for sending snacks to school with both kids - I bought them 6 years ago and it makes it nice because I can buy the less-per-ounce boxes of snacks and just pour out a portion instead of buying pre-packaged, KWIM?

Today I'm going to a Lunch and Learn class at work that is titled Building a Better Budget: Learn the how-tows of tracking expenses and setting up a household budget. I'll pass on any tips I learn that might apply here.

 

[Pooki]

I just saved $180! Kinda... My husband has been out of town for a few weeks, and before he left we had our car inspected and it was rejected because it needed new brake pads and rotors. He just came back this past weekend, and we tried to take it in yesterday to get it done (even though my husband fixes electronics on billion dollar jets, he cannot seem to handle a car manual...). Pep Boys did not have the parts, so we ordered them at a different store and I picked them up this morning. Well, whoever quoted my husband yesterday only quoted him for the labor for the rotors, not the brakes, so it was an additional $80 I wasnt expecting. Also, they did not have a state inspector on site this week, so they wouldnt be able to inspect it. I told them never mind, we were rushing to try to get our inspection sticker and thats why we went to them, but since everything seemed to be going wrong, I would let my husband get down and dirty and make him do it! I called him at work and told him what happened, and he was glad that I cancelled the appointment, and I told him since he was being a good hubby, I would take the $180 we would have spent and apply it to his "Wii Fund" he so desperately is saving for

 

[Carrie772]

And no feeling like I have to rinse out baggies (hee hee). QUOTE]

Hey! I resemble that remark!

 

[Tree-via]

Does anyone have any office depot codes this week?

 

[quiltymom]

I told DH not to take me out for a Valentine's dinner or Birthday dinner this year, and to put that $$ towards the dining plan. Then I could choose which two restaurants to eat at for the celebrations there! I'm thinking the California Grill and Le Cellier...

 

[nzdisneymom]

I didn't contact my travel agent about the Florida resident rates for Disney Cruise Line even though there are two cruises we could actually go on (time off school-wise) in March. Although I'm dying to know what the rate is, I know we can't go because of $$ saving for our Med. cruise this summer. But the temptation is still there..............

 

[MinMouse]

Went to a bread outlet store today that a friend has been telling me about for a while. All the bread/rolls were $1.50 for three! They also had some snacks for 1.09. Walked out of there with three loaves of bread, six bags of rolls, five boxes of snacks for $10 . . . and I got another loaf of bread for free for spending $10. Wow! I'm freezing some of the bread and planning my next trip there!

 

[rkwells]

Heats down to 60, thawing out chicken and getting ready to put dinner in the slow cooker. I am making the "Sweet and Sour Chicken over rice" recipe from my new "Fix-it and Forget-it" cookbook. Here's the recipe for anyone who's interested:

1 lb baby carrots
1 Med. Onion, cut into wedges
6 boneless, skinless brest halves
20 oz can unsweetened pineapple chunks
1/3 cup brown suger
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp chicken bouillon granules
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp garlic powder
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 cup water
3 cups cooked long grain enriched rice

1. Layer carrots and onion in slow cooker. Top w/chicken
2. Drain pineapple, reserving juice. Place pineapple chunks over chicken.
3. Mix together pineapple juice, brown suger, soy sauce, chicken bouillon, salt, ginger, and garlic powder. Pour over top.
4. Cook on low 6-7 hours.
5. combine cornstrch and water. Gradually stir into slow cooker.
6. Cook 30 min longer or until sauce thickened.
7. Serve over rice.

 

[carissanboys]

Went to a bread outlet store today that a friend has been telling me about for a while. All the bread/rolls were $1.50 for three! They also had some snacks for 1.09. Walked out of there with three loaves of bread, six bags of rolls, five boxes of snacks for $10 . . . and I got another loaf of bread for free for spending $10. Wow! I'm freezing some of the bread and planning my next trip there!

I wish I could find one of those around here. I remember going to one in my hometown in Maine. It appears there is a Wonder Bread Bakery Outlet in MD, but it's kind of a drive. Maybe a trip once a month would be worth it.

Did you notice if they sold any whole wheat bread?

 

[HappyTrouble]

Gina,
Thank You for the recipe!!!!! My family will love this and I have everything at home to do it tomorrow in the crockpot........

 

[ducklite]

DAY 24 of the IPCEO! I've lost eight pounds and saved probably almost $500!



Nothing too much to report otherwise today.

I went through the Walgreens flier, and other than a BOGO on cereal and a good deal on oatmeal, their prices seemd high. $2.99 with their coupon for a single 9V battery? I can get a six pack at Home Depot for $8.99.

I stopped at the PO on the way to work and bought 125 Priority envelopes and stamps on my credit card (I'll submit for reimbursement) rather than using the bosses online, so that gives me 800 or so FF miles. I have to buy over $8000 worth of these a year, so I'm going to use my card for them from now on and get the miles! My boss won't care.

Anne

 

[quiltymom]

I'm going to make that recipe tomorrow night! Thanks for posting it!

 

[ducklite]

Went to a bread outlet store today that a friend has been telling me about for a while. All the bread/rolls were $1.50 for three! They also had some snacks for 1.09. Walked out of there with three loaves of bread, six bags of rolls, five boxes of snacks for $10 . . . and I got another loaf of bread for free for spending $10. Wow! I'm freezing some of the bread and planning my next trip there!

I used to shop the bread outlet in NJ. I do'nt know if there is one around here. I'll ahve to find out, because there were some amazing deals to be had. We don't eat all that much bread, and what we do eat I make in my machine, but we do a lot of burger rolls. If there was one not too far out of my way it might be worthwhile to swing by every couple months and buy a few bags.

Anne

 

[OceanAnnie]

Another thank you for the recipe Gina! I'm going to print it and start up the crockpot! I have the ingredients and we're going to have it tonight! The chicken I'm going to use has been marinated in Teriaki sauce, I think it will be good in this recipe. We'll see!

I went to Khol's today. Looked at coats. Didn't buy one today. I'm thinking about it. Hopefully they will still be there if I decide to buy them. (There did seem to be a number of them.) I had bought 3 bras on sale about a week and a half ago. They don't fit the way they should. So I've got to take them back to Khol's anyway. Walking around the store reminded me.

I saw a few things I liked. I asked myself if I or the family needed them. No, we didn't. And I asked myself if we have enough. Yes, we do. Those two questions helped me from my (once usual) "splurge spending".

Oh, went grocery shopping. I had looked at my receipt from a previous trip and the bacon I should've gotten for
.74 , I was charged 1.49! (The bacon was reg. $5) So I took my receipt and got my $2.31 back. Didn't do any splurge spending stuck to my list.

Watch those receipts ladies! I usually catch those little errors quicker than that. I was helping to bag my groceries that day and it slipped my attention. From now on, I think I'll stick to watching the register.

 

[MinMouse]

I wish I could find one of those around here. I remember going to one in my hometown in Maine. It appears there is a Wonder Bread Bakery Outlet in MD, but it's kind of a drive. Maybe a trip once a month would be worth it.

Did you notice if they sold any whole wheat bread?

They did have whole wheat weight watchers bread today. The salesperson told me that they have the least selection on Wednesdays (that's why the bread is 1.50/3 on Wednesday). I'm going to go on a Tuesday next time to check out the selection. The bread is delivered Monday p.m. and Entenmann's bakery truck delivers Tuesday a.m. so this would be an optimum time to go for this particular store. The clerk was just a wealth of information

 

[tar heel]

The Sweet and Sour Chicken sounds really yummy, but you can save a $1 or more by slicing some regular carrots instead of using the baby ones!

 

[Chickysmom]

DH is coming home for lunch to have yummy leftovers from dinner last night. He usually goes out for lunch everydy so this will save some today.

Rest of the leftovers from last night's dinner will be dinner again tomorrow night....just reheat!

Tonight we are having egg burritos since I have so many eggs in the fridge from a good sale. Both Dh and DD like then and they are cheap and filling!

Washing a load of laundry in cold water, with vinegar, and will hang dry all I can. Think I will run dryer on a few items just to drop the wrinkles then hang them to finish....

 

[Chickysmom]

Oh, and last week we had a leak under the kitchen sink which fored me to pull out everything and sort through it. I organized all my cleaning supllies and found stuff I didn't know I had. I then did the stuff in the aundry room and the same thing happened. So....I've used some "free found" itmes for cleaning and laundry since! I crossed a couple items off my grocery list!