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

[dahrjo]

I have been paper clipping a LGMH to my shopping list or sometimes even drawing a quick one at the top. Then, while shopping I remember to think twice about my purchases and maybe not buy a few things and use the money for our trip!

 

[rkwells]

I have been paper clipping a LGMH to my shopping list or sometimes even drawing a quick one at the top. Then, while shopping I remember to think twice about my purchases and maybe not buy a few things and use the money for our trip!

I love this idea!! I think this would work really well for me as well! Thanks so much for passing it along. I am thinking I may also tape one up in the car as well to help remind my kids that skipping those Ice Creams at Mcdonalds and Culvers will be well worth it for them in the end!

 

[vhoffman]

Another thank you for the recipe Gina! ent 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.

I second watching your receipts--especially at the grocery store when you have so many items, some can slip through. I now insist on watching the scanner. I used to feel pressured to keep the line moving and would keep putting items on the check out line while they were scanning. Not anymore! Especially at our local HEB, seems they make a mistake every time! Now I insist they wait to scan until I can watch the scanner. If my kids are with me they can help unload the cart, if not I tell them to stop scanning while I'm unloading. If they scan an item while I'm not watching, I make them void it out and scan again. They quickly learn they're not going to get any further any faster if they don't do it "my way". Usually every trip they make a mistake--but when they know I'm watching they catch it themselves and correct it. Here's another quick cross check--count the number of items in your basket before checking out, then compare it to the total number of items on the receipt. I've found many a double-scanned item that way.

I've stopped shopping at HEB except for a few quick items because their prices are so high compared to COSTCO and they consistently make mistakes. What I really hate is a chatty clerk. How are you, how's the kids, if the kids are with me they make over them, all the while scanning my groceries incorrectly. I'm not there for a social break, we're talking my hard-earned money. I like COSTCO because they just scan the items, no chit chat, no mistakes (but I watch the scanner there, too!)

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I have been paper clipping a LGMH to my shopping list or sometimes even drawing a quick one at the top. Then, while shopping I remember to think twice about my purchases and maybe not buy a few things and use the money for our trip!

Sorry, but what is "LGMH"?

 

[vhoffman]

I have a nasty sinus infection today. I called my doctor and asked her to call in a perscription, rather than spend the time and money on a dr visit. Some doctors will do this, some won't. It helps to keep a good, ongoing relationship with a primary care physician for such problems. She has enough history on me now to know what type of medicine I need, just calls it in. Our insurance now has a $600 per person deductible pp, so I figured I'd pay the entire visit oop, probably $150--$200 saved!

 

[rkwells]

Sorry, but what is "LGMH"?

Lime Green Mickey Head..LMGH They are paint sample cards in the shape of Mickey heads that you can pick up at Home Depot

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

Lime Green Mickey Head..LMGH They are paint sample cards in the shape of Mickey heads that you can pick up at Home Depot

Ahhh, Thanks, I see now, that is a good idea

 

[vhoffman]

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've never frozen bread--is there any special way to wrap it?

 

[Chickysmom]

I was scratching my head on the LGMH thing too! Glad you asked!

And to clarify, is the LGMH a DIS logo/identifier?

 

[Chickysmom]

I've never frozen bread--is there any special way to wrap it?

I just toss mine into the freezer the way it comes home! Nothing extra

 

[maggiew]

I went to CVS today to do the "big deal". Here is what I got:

Scrubbing Bubbles automatic shower cleaner $20
12pk Kleenex Cottonelle Toilet paper $6
8pk Irish Spring bar soap $4
Windex $2.50
Windex Wipes $2.50
Fantastic $2.50
Scrubbing Bubbles Spray $2.50
Maybelline Extreme Lip Stick $1.75
Theraflu Thin Strips $4.99
4 Way Nasal Spray $4.99
-$10 off $50 coupon
- $5 off $30 coupon (she let me use both!!!)
-$5 Scrubbing bubbles automatic shower cleaner coupon
-$1 cottonelle coupon
-.30 Irish spring coupon
-$1 windex coupon
-$1 windex wipes coupon
-.75 scrubbing bubbles coupon
-.75 fantastic coupon
- $5 ECB

Total OOP = $23.68 with tax

I should get back $20 ECB, $6.99 ECB, $10 ECB

and I picked up DH's prescription while I was there so I didn't have to make a separate trip.

Maggie

 

[Good Ol Gal]

last night we *had* to order pizza. we had two free pizza coupons that were going to expire yesterday.

so we ordered and it came to 20.24. The weather was pretty bad so we opted for delivery, eventhough we normally do carryout. It was running 60mins.

Well after 80 mins I called to check on it. they said it should be leaving in 10mins.

after another 20 mins (total 1 hr 40m) I called again. They said it had left and should be there any minute.

The delivery guy came right before I was going to hang up. I asked if I was going to get a discount (I used to be the Call Center Manager there years before, so I knew how they discount the orders). He offered me $5 off. I said "that's all?? It's 40 mins late?!" He then said "oh, I hadn't noticed that, you're right. We'll give you $10 off".

So, we save $9 on that order! We ended up adding another dollar to the driver's tip since it was really cold and snowy and he had to drive. And he was very polite and apologetic.

We got 3 pizzas and 20 wings for $15! Not bad for feeding a family of 6 for two meals (the kids ate left over pizza for lunch and we'll use the left over wings tonight with mashed potatoes)

 

[southernbohemian]

Did the vinegar instead of Jetdry yesterday and passed the hint on to my mother.

Baked BF's birthday cake yesterday instead of buying. I even remembered the "Happy Birthday" candles that he had gotten for my cake, but then forgotten to use in October.

 

[Carrie772]

I went to Home Depot for some things and saw my AC guy in a truck off to the side giving away free hotdogs in exchange for some PR. Free lunch for me and the baby! Very cool! Usually he does this on Saturdays. Maybe I'll go then too.

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

I changed my weekend plans. I got some Chuck E Cheese coupons in my email and thought that would be a nice diversion for my kids Sunday since they've been pretty cooped up (they're healthy now, YAY), but then I remembered that I had gotten all of the kids Pinewood Derby car kits so they could make one with their brother who also needs to finish his for Cub Scouts so we'll work on those and filling out Valentine's instead. That'll be much better than "Mom, can I play on the Playstation/Gamecube/computer" that I usually get all afternoon. I probably saved $50.

I walked to the school instead of driving today, I haven't needed gas in 10 days, and I'm still over 1/2 tank.

I have beef stew in the crock pot for tonight so I won't be tempted to eat out after karate and twirling.

I did have to go to the store this morning to stock up on kids' cold meds and vapor plug refills. Unfortunately I didn't get around to writing out my short list so I forgot kitty litter which was the original reason for my trip. I didn't have coupons for anything I went there for, but I remembered that I had to buy a snack for DS7's class so I found some breadsticks and cheese handi-snacks that had a .25 coupon off of each so I bought some of those.

I did some cleaning in the kids' rooms and found some huge blocks to list on craigslist and I'm going to talk to the kids about listing their playhouse. We keep it indoors and it takes up alot of space that I would like to use for toy cubbies instead (that we already have) and they don't play with it anymore, they're outgrowing it, except DS2 so I'm having a hard time deciding.

 

[OceanAnnie]

Here's another quick cross check--count the number of items in your basket before checking out, then compare it to the total number of items on the receipt. I've found many a double-scanned item that way.

I'm going to start counting the number of items. Why didn't I think of that? I usually check the name of the items & the price. The number is definitely something to check too. I've been double charged more than once! There are a large number of grocery receipt errors! I have a friend that swears they aren't mistakes. LOL. (Sometimes, I wonder about that!)

Not too long ago I had a habit of finding a line that had at least a person with 2/3rds of the belt covered in groceries (the opposite of what most people look for). That way I *knew* I had time to put my items on the belt as the other person's was being checked out. I'd be done putting things up to be scanned and ready to watch. It wasn't until recently I started helping with the bagging. The lines were long and I didn't mind helping some. But after catching a mistake (on 3 items), I'm sticking to watching the scanner now!

 

[Carrie772]

Here's one from my Mom: For SAHMs, use only one glass for the day and just rinse and keep it in the fridge. My son and I drink at least 3 times before anyone comes home from school and that could make us run the dishwasher more often.

 

[minnie1928]

Did the vinegar instead of Jetdry yesterday and passed the hint on to my mother.

You know, we should all be buying stock in vinegar companies!

I stopped at Wal Mart to get mom's new prescriptions filled (cheaper there) and rather than going to the grocery store and then to Lowes, I did all my shopping at Wal Mart. Some of the groceries were cheaper (WM branded stuff and a few others) than my regular store. Since I hate shopping at WM I wasn't tempted to look around. So I saved a trip to the grocery store and a trip to Lowes. The WM is also next to Blockbuster so I was able to trade in a dvd rental and use a free rental coupon, so I got 2 rentals for free. So all in all, I saved some gas $ and time!

 

[Chickysmom]

Can DISers single handedly bring down the Jet Dry company? LOL

 

[rkwells]

I was scratching my head on the LGMH thing too! Glad you asked!

And to clarify, is the LGMH a DIS logo/identifier?

Yep!...I have read that people hang one off their backpack when touring the parks, stick them in their hotel room windows, and the outside of the room door so that DISsers can identify each other at WDW.