Stock up on Basics at Hyvee

Hyvee has really good sales this week.  Good until 09/26.  Check out the 3 different ads online at www.hy-vee.com.

Here is what I have my eye on...

Print online Hyvee coupons for:

• Ragu 99c (+ manufacturer's coupon)
• Half gallon milk 99c
• Dole lettuce head 59c
• Pillsbury fudge brownie mix 99c (+ manufacturer's coupon)
• Powerade drinks Buy 10 for $10, get 5 free (67c each)
• Ore-ida potatoes Buy 2 @ 2.99 and get one free (+ manufacturer's coupon)
• Hyvee flour 99c
• Hyvee butter $1.99

Regular sale, no coupon needed:

• Hyvee chocolate milk $3.88
• Wonder bread $1.88
• Whole carrots 99c
• Gala apples 1.48
• Red seedless grapes 99c lb
• Campbell’s Chicken noodle or tomato soup 39c
• Red raspberries 6oz. 1.99
• Baby bella mushrooms 2/$3
• 90% lean ground beef 3/$10 – 16oz roll

Happy Shopping!

Hy-Vee 09/16/2011

Friday is Hy-vee's busy day!  They like to do 1-day or 2-day only sales on the weekends.  Really good sales.  Yeah, it's a zoo...

Best sale/coupon combo:
Jack's pizza 3/$9 + $1 off 3 = $2.67 each (Yeah! Chuck's favorite pizza super cheap!)

I won't tease you with my other sweet deals as the Friday sale is over.

Check out the 3 weekly ads - print, online only, and 1-day sale.
http://www.hy-vee.com/

Suckered in by a Free Sample and a Recipe to Try

I love Hy-vee.  LOVE it.  If it was within walking distance of my house I'd go everyday, try all the free samples, and get suckered into deliciously decadent purchases all the time. 

They really go all out with the samples.

Stir fry, casserole, cake, shrimp dip, caramel dipped apples. Wow!

I'm usually immune to these attempts to make on-a-whim purchases.  But today, circumstances were just right to suck me in...Winny ATE, without effort on my part, a large piece of broccoli heaped with a creamy sauce - something completely outside her norm.  Then ASKED FOR MORE.  The chef handed me a recipe card, the ingredients I had except for Philadelphia Savory Garlic Cooking Creme, which happened to be on sale for what seemed like a reasonable price. 

I suppose it's time (again) to start cooking new things and see if I can get the girlies to eat a bigger variety. 

Here is the recipe we're trying tonight...

Creamy Chicken & Broccoli Casserole
*adapted from Philadelphia Cooking Creme label
Serves 6, approx 1.33 cups each
Prep: 10 min    Total time 45 min

All You Need:

• 1.5 lbs boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 pkg. (14 oz) frozen broccoli florets, thawed, drained
• 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 tub (10 oz) Philadelphia Savory Garlic Cooking Creme
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 sleeve snack crackers (appox 35, crushed, or 1.5 cups)
• 3 tbsp. butter, melted

All You Do:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Combine chicken, broccoli, cheese, cooking creme, and milk in a 9/13 inch baking dish; cover.
3. Bake 25 minutes.  Meanwhile, combine cracker crumbs and butter
4. Stir chicken mixture, sprinkle with crumbs. Bake, uncovered, 10 minutes or until topping is golden brown. 

CVS and Sullivan's Monday

Here is a review of my wonderful savings this week:

CVS - Sales good through Saturday

• Skippy Peanut Butter 3/$5
• You don't need to buy in quantities of 3!
• I found manufacturer's coupons in the FREE Jewel Booklet (in stores) for $1.25 off 2.
• Skippy $1.67 each x 2 = $3.34 + $1.25 coupon = $2.09 / 2 = $1.05 each
• Campbell's chunky soups and chili
• $1.50 each (4 qty) + Coupon $1.00 off 4 = $1.25 each
• General Mills cereal $2 each (small boxes)
• 75c off 1 Cheerios & $1.00 off 3
• $8 (4 boxes) - $1.75 = $1.56 each
• Dawn dish soap 99 cents + 50 cents off coupon = $0.49 each
• Milk $3.19 sale
• Softsoap $2.99 + $2 Extra Bucks (EB) = 99 cents
• I choose not to use a coupon here.  The limit on this sale was one and my coupon was $1/2.  
• Herbal Essences shampoos $2.99 + $1 EB + $1 off coupon = 99 cents each

Coupons Used: $10.50

Sullivans - No coupons here, just good sales. 

• Soft Wheat Wonder Bread - Buy One Get One Free (BOGO)
• $3.19 each + Get one free = $1.60 each
• Nectarines on sale for $0.69/lb
• Buy fruit in season! Oranges are crazy expensive this time of year but apples will be coming down in price.
•  Edy's Ice cream - $2.69 each
• Great sale price.
• 18ct Eggs - $2.25 each
• Local product and no antibiotics or hormones added
•  Shredded cheese on sale for $1.79/half lb ($3.58/lb)

 Stock up when things are the right price but don't overdue it.  You don't want anything to get freezer burn or go bad.

Thinking Locally After a Successful Shopping Trip

Reasonably Priced Local Stuff:

Avanti cheese made in Walnut, IL from surrounding dairy farmers' milk.  I've seen this local cheese in a Walmart and now in Sullivan's.  Yummy!

I needed eggs so I purchased them at Sullivans, rather than my usual (cheaper) choice of Walmart.  Cooking breakfast, I found myself with 2 egg cartons in front of me - Sunny Meadow from Walmart and Pearl Valley from Sullivans. 

The Pearl Valley carton boasted 'No antibiotics or hormones'.  The Sunny Meadow brand boasted...nothing.  What unnecessary ingredients have we been consuming?  After looking up both products I discovered that Walmart eggs are nothing special.  I have no idea where they come from or any indication that Walmart cares at all about the chickens. 

On the other hand, I was quite impressed with the Pearl Valley website.  It is an Illinois company, they make their own feed from Illinois crops (at least in part), they believe comfortable chickens produce more eggs.  They also create products from their 'waste' - manure from the chickens' waste and egg white and egg yolk products from broken eggs. 

Up until now, I've been avoiding thinking about this stuff.  How can I pay $3 a dozen for organic eggs?  But I can make this switch - from the unknown Walmart eggs to a local product and smaller business. 

CVS Plan - Sunday thru Saturday

CVS is just like Walgreens but I happen to like shopping at CVS better.  In fact, I've given up looking at Walgreens ads at all.  Why? The big difference is that CVS imposes limits on certain deals per household.  They have a store card you must scan for the deals and it tracks your use; you can't make multiple transactions to get around the limits.  That means they usually have the products in stock compared to Walgreens where I've made several trips trying to use my rain check and they are always sold out. Walgreens is where the Extreme Couponers and Shelf Emptiers shop. 


On a side note, I learned if there is a SUPER awesome deal (free), and you have several coupons, try to get several rainchecks.  Walgreens will take your raincheck and if they only have 1 of 3 you want to purchase you either have to wait another day or be happy with the one. 

My Shopping Plan for CVS:
(I'll post my actual deals after I search out my coupons and make the trip.)

1. Dawn dish soap (smallest size) 99c + coupon
2. General Mills cereals (GM) $2 + coupon
3. Milk $3.19
4. Irish soap or Softsoap body wash $2.99 + 2 extra bucks (EB) + coupon
5. Skippy peanut butter $1.67 each + coupon?
6. Herbal essence or Aussie shampoos $2.99 + $1 EB + coupon
7. Huggies wipes $2.79 + coupon
• We use disposable wipes in the diaper bag or for hand wipes in the car.  This would also be something to purchase for a baby shower --a shower you know is happening within the next 9 months, not a hypothetical one.   

Remember, if CVS advertises a price in the form of 3/$5, you do NOT have to buy 3.  They will ring up for $1.67 each.

Happy shopping!

Tuesday, September 6th - Target

Today, I had some pretty awesome savings at Target.  Here are the best ones:

1. Pasta sauce and pasta for 50 cents each!
• Market pantry (target brand) on sale for $1 each.
• Use a Target coupon for $1 off when you buy a pasta and pasta sauce.
• Total: $2 - $1 coupon = $1 (50c each)
2. Huggies disposable slip-on diapers.  19.6 cents each vs. 39.6 cents regular price
• Double stack coupons – one Target and one manufactures coupon for each item.
• $3 off + $2 off = $5 off per box
• Target offering $10 gift card when you buy 2 boxes
• $19.79 per box - $10 in coupons and promos = $9.79 per box of 50 diapers
• Saving these for later!
3. UP & UP diapers from Target
• I love Target diapers, preferring them to brand name diapers and other cheap brands.  They are cheaper than Walmart’s cheap brand and higher quality.  Yes, I said cheaper than Walmart.
• Target used to offer a coupon on the diaper box, now you can find one online.  $1 off a $3+ Up & Up product. 
• Using my handy purse calculator, I found that with a coupon the box of 82, size 4 diapers is slightly cheaper than the extra large box (by 1 cent per diaper). 
• $13.99 - $1 = $12.99 or 15.8 cents per diaper
4. Up & Up Bleach (gallon)
• $1.54 each - $0.50 target coupon = $0.54
5. Campbells soup on sale for $1.50 per can
6. Colgate – FREE
• Found a clearance item for $1.38
• $1.38 + $0.50 mrf coupon + $1 target coupon = FREE
7. Ore-Ida Produts on sale for $2.79 – Buy 2 get one Free
• I bought 3 for $5.58 + 50 cent Target coupon = $1.69 each

Manufacters coupon total:$13.65

Target coupon total:$7.25

Free Target gift card: $10