Frugal In Florida

I held out and went when I dropped ds off at band practice. 1pm. I normally try and go early in the morning if I have a lot of coupons, just to decrease the hassle of customers behind me. I am still kind of surprised at those who cheer me on and those who turn their noses up. Oh well. 2 – crystal light mixes (b1g1f) $4.83 (whoa, those are getting expensive!) 1 – simply orange $3.79 – used $1 off coupon for simply apple (have not seen that!) 2 – broccoli heads $4.00 total – used $1 off target coupon 1 – bag of fresh spinach $2.39 1 – goodlife cat food $4.49 – forgot the darn coupon AGAIN 2 – glad sandwich bags $1.69 each, used $1 off each coupon 1 – glad snack bags $1.59, used $1 off 1 – glad gallon freezer bag $3.29, used $1 off 1 – glad quart freezer bag $3.29, used $1 off 2 – quacker muffin bars (b1g1f) $3.29, used 2 $1 off 1 – publix trash bags $1.79 1 – scotchbrite cook top cleaner $4.99, used $2 off 1 – scotchbrite stainless steel cleaner, $2.99, used $2 off (this will go back, ...

Grrr. I knew it was bound to happen sooner or later. Actually surprised it's taken this long. We were doing right side kick, one two punch, left side kick, right side kick, one two punch left side kick, and so on. And of course, it's fast (this is cardio afterall). So the instructor (love you Alberto!) is standing next to me yelling kick, one two, kick and so on so I'm picking up speed but MAN! it's hard to keep coordinated. Your first punch is going before your right foot is on the ground and well, there is where it happened. Right foot came down as I switched over to swing left and the right ankle just rolled out. Down I went, in a heap. Instant pain. Instant swelling. Thankfully it was the last round in that room and then off to the padded room for abs. Just sat there for the next minute while they finished, shooing off Alberto "no, no, I'm fine" as dh keeps kicking, punching, kicking & looking down at me with concern and, yes, a small grin. See...

The $600 cat:

So my rant/whine/complaint from yesterday afternoon is over and done. It's 6:40am and I realize that I should not be complaining as I have life so much better than a lot of other people out there. I am actually ashamed of myself. My g/f was laid off from work a few weeks back. She is in a serious state of depression. I've even suggested, in a round about way, to go to McD's and apply for a job. She was highly insulted that I would suggest such a thing (???) My theory is that if you need to make money, then you need to accept WHATEVER is out there to do so (legally of course). Oh well. To each their own. It's really hard to sympathise with someone when they really aren't doing everything possible that they can to better themselves. Does that sound cold? Heartless? Bitchy? I'm sorry if it does, but that is my honest opinion. So what brings me to all this? Well, a few things. First off, dd is driving me batty to find this Teriyaki sauce that I had gotten from C...

So I started this post this morning, around 10 am or so and now it’s 3:45 in the afternoon. It all started as I was paying the bills for the company I work for. Not an unusual thing, I do it every week. Just so happens, on the last week of the month, after all tenants have paid from the 3 buildings & I’ve paid ALL for the month, I move quite a bit of money from the 3 accounts to the master account. Except today, the amount was substantially less. You see, we’ve lost 2 tenants this past month. One from the warehouse and one from our office plaza. We have another tenant in this building who is re-working their lease terms (my boss does this and gets burned every single time). Another tenant in this building laid off ½ their employees earlier in November and have not paid the $15K rent yet for the month. This made me start thinking about my own financial situation. Granted, it’s not dire. Not like I can’t pay for the mortgage, or keep the lights on, or heaven forbid, by gatorade...

Whew. It's been a busy one for me. DH had his bday Friday, so ds was worried about poppy's evening meal. In other words, where are taking him to for dinner? Ha. Ended up going down the street to Ocean Grill as dd was working til 9 and she could walk over there after work & hook up with us. $70.01. Not quite sure where the penny came in but oh well. That included cocktails, appetizers & food. Saturday, got up early, wanted to head off to Publix before they got busy as I had a LOT of coupons, and I hate to hold up line. Spent $76. Saved $78. $28 in coupons, rest in sale. Not as good as I'd like but did score some good deals (Jimmy Dean sausage ended up costing $1.50 each - 1 lb roll, 10 total and have 10 more coupons). Then I decided to tear into the pantry and clear it out & reorganize. Big mistake. Big big mistake. Took all day. And now of course, can't find anything. Ahhh. Well, at least dh & ds were walking in the kitchen, looking at the ove...

Ok, here's what I got this morning: 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper (green & red) with 8 coupons on it (all publix). Only one's that I'm really interested in are the $1.00 off Publix ice cream & $1.00 off eggnog. There are also $3 off deli platter, $3 off 20 stem bouquet, $2 off spiral ham, $3 off dessert platter, b1g1f cranberry (odd, they are on sale b1g1f this week, wonder if I can get 3 for price of 1?). Then: booklet of $15 in savings @ Publix (pepperidge farm & campbells) ... recipe book, coupons in back: free franco american gravy with purchase of 2 pepperidge farm stuffing, free box of pepperidge farm baked natural snacks with purchase of 2 pepperidge farm holiday cookies, save $1 on Publix flour with purchase of 2 swansons broth (shows can & carton) and then: $10.00 gift card with purchse of $25 of campbells, pepperridge farm and swanson holiday products. Must submit original coupon plus form. Hmmm. Make Merry Holiday 2008 booklet. 30 cents off domino ...

As we fry our turkeys, we have to get smaller ones, below 11 lbs preferably. It’s difficult as heck to find them that small, AND at the sale price (they usually don’t mark the small ones down). This morning, on my way to work, wanted to stop at 2 Publix to get sales paper and see if there were any coupons of value while there. Since turkeys were on sale for 69 cents a lb, thought I’d see if they had any small ones. BINGO – 9.83 lb & 10.65 lb at 69 cents each. Woohoo … cheap. Even the cashier’s were looking at them tags to see just how cheap they really were!! I’m so happy. Now if I could find 1 or 2 more, I’d be happier, but it’s not necessary. Just would like to have one in the freezer. They had a 5 lber at one store. That was odd looking to say the least. As far as coupons, so so. I’ll post later when I have to time to look at them further & detail.

Geesh. The cat ended up costing $375 AND I still need to take him to an animal hospital so they can put the scope down and see what's there. Crumb. Grrr. Damn cat. So here's how my MONDAY is looking: up at 5am pet cat let cat out (against better judgment, hoping he goes potty and comes back soon) wake up kids make breakfast make hot chocolate (use the Hot Shot) as its 55 degrees out! take shower (oh wait...blog) get dressed drive kids to school drive home make lunches ask dh if we take dd's car today or tomorrow? call around to see who is close that does this scope-y thing take cat go to work pick up cat TRY to go to gym Now. Does any one see where this can get aalll screwed up?? What if cat doesn't come back this morning? What if dh wants to take car this morning. Then we share a ride cuz one of us has to drive car to shop I'm tired already just thinking about it.

Well, it's a call to arms in the house! Save money. Need cash! Ended up taking the damn cat to the vet this morning & had to leave him there. They will call me back this afternoon after the barium stuff is down & they can look at the Xray again. He was sick Friday night, upchucking. Then Saturday, he was gulping & coughing. Dummy. I'm quite certain it was the snack he caught & chomped on Friday night. Either way, he's definately got something stuck in his through, trachea or estop* (however its spelled). Not blocking his breathing but still causing difficulty. So while I was there, they told me he was beautiful. Told him the history (owner down the street abandoned him, been coming here for 2 years, etc.). Scanned, he has no chip. Told me to do the chip, which I did ($50 is my starting balance here). He's now officially MINE. Tell me he's an exotic expensive cat. I know that already. I really should try to keep him indoors. Oh, sure, you try that. ...

As I was off of work on Tuesday, I had made myself a quite detailed list of things to pick up at stores and had all my coupons lined up to go. First stop: Walgreens: 2 coffee creams, 29 cents total 4 boxes of Special K (hubby fav) $6.00 (and got 2 register rewards back) 2 containers frosting 44 cents each 2 cans soup 15 cents each Total: $7.xx Next: CVS Toothpaste, $3.49, get $3.49 ECB 2 altoids, $1.99 1 smart water, $1.59, get $1.59 ECB 1 palmolive, $1.49, get $1.00 ECB Total: $4.xx after coupons & ecb Next stop: Publix: 8 cans tomatoes, 29 cents each 6 pk propel, $2.25 8 cartons broth, 40 cents each 2 slim sticks gum, 9 cents for both 2 bottles Italian dressing, $2.79 both (drats, found a coupon this morning for $1 off) $10.xx Next stop: Walmart Neighborhood Market: 6 blocks of cheese, $1.49 each (should have bought the other for $1 each) 2 5 lbs of flour, $1 each 2 wack a can cinn. Rolls for 39 cents each 18 pk beer, $12 (crumb, they used to have corona & Heineken for...

Pompano Beach High School ROTC had a Fallen Hereos Ceremony on Monday in honor of Veterans and Veterans Day. One of the things they do, besides fill the school courtyard with over 4800 flags with the individual soldier's photo, name & hometown on them is retire a flag and give the history of each stripe & stars. It really is a very very emotional moment for me. It's beautiful yet so very somber. I would like to tell ALL of PBHS ROTC congratulations on a terrific job! They put a lot of effort & time into this ceremony and I will be so sad that next year, I will not have a cadet participating but will still attend.

So far today, I’ve spent $17.xx and this is what I’ve gotten: 12 cans of Hunts tomatoes (FYI the whole ones have the least amount of sodium) for 20 cents per can 6 32 oz cartons of College Inn Broth for 40 cents each (FYI – Thai Coconut Curry has 1,010 mg of sodium per serving!!!!) 6 12 oz bags of nestle chocolate chips for 75 cents each 2 8 pks of coke for $6 2 4lb pkgs of chix leg quarters for 80 cents – was really $4.80 total but used them $2 off coupons! 2 3.4lb bags of sugar for 95 cents each Woohoo. And actually, this was all free as it was paid for with my Visa GC. While I was at the 2nd store getting more tomatoes, was looking for more of the books for the coupons on broth and found some other great ones, $1 off Kraft 2% cheese, 75 cents off propel, and the B1G1F Dannon Frusion single serving bottles. When I was picking up the sodas, saw the little hang tags on 2 ltr bottles for family pizza night, coupons are: free movie rental with rental of another @ Blockbuster, 55 ...

woohoo. I think I'm going to score some GREAT deals today. Publix has the following on sale: Hunts tomatoes , B1G1F ($1.49). I have 12 (yes 12) coupons for $1.00 off 2 ... yehaw! I need these! College Inn Broth 32 oz carton are B1G1F ($2.79). I have 7 (yes 7) coupons for $1.00 off each. This came from the booklet at the store which is how I scored the Hillshire sausage for $1.50 each last week (I didn't post that). Will get 3 chicken & 3 beef. 3.4 lb Dixie Sugar is on sale $1.50 each and I have a 55 cents off each coupon. Not the best but since it's getting to be baking time, need to buy when I can. This coupon came from the same booklet This is not a "great" deal, but will be ok, buy any 8 pk coca-cola product and get $2.00 off any meat purchase. I will buy chicken leg quarters (sale 59 cents lb) and pretty much get them for free. I have 2 of these coupons left. Again, came from the monthly booklet at Publix. Also, just pulled up this $3.00 off coupon...

Don't forget to VOTE And you can also get a FREE donut at Krispy Kreme and a FREE Starbucks coffee at Starbucks ... of course, I had to wait in line 2 hours and was late for work, so I didn't stop ...

I've been browsing the money saving mom website the past few days & decided to go ahead and do the Glades candle deal at Target. The first time I did it on Friday morning on my way to work. No problems. Cost me $5.30 and then I got my $5 gift card. Go back on Saturday with Halloween clearance in mind, 3 refills & 1 candle in cart, along with coffeemate, betty crocker frosting & oreos & goldfish. Give her the $2 off from candle, the buy 2 get one free on refills and the $1.50 off 2 refills. Mind you, only the $1.50 was an internet coupon, along with my $1.00 off coffeemate & 55 cents off the frosting. "I'm sorry, we don't accept internet coupons anymore". Huh? I just use some yesterday? "Sorry, the cashier was wrong, we don't accept" and she points to a notice on side of register with the $5 off Target coupon. Hmmm. So I said fine, take off the frosting & the cream. The candles were still a good deal. Had I NOT been in ...