Once a Month Slow Cooker Freezer Cooking from the Stockpile: Part III

Alright, I've decided to go through with this crazy idea of cooking and freezer an entire month's meals; I've planned out my menu; now I just need to figure out HOW exactly I am going to pull this off.  Tomorrow (Sunday) is the big day.


Here's my plan:


1. The night before: Make Slow Cooker Lasagna and Brown Sugar Chicken. Put both in slow cooker (I  have 2) and go to bed.  Defrost cheese, spinach, chicken, and ground beef.
2. Hour One, the day of: Take out Lasagna and let it cool in an aluminum pan. Set Aside. Take out Brown Sugar Chicken and let cool in another pan. Clean out crock pots and put away. Take out the chicken for the grilled chicken from the fridge and start marinating in barbecue sauce and italian dressing ( but not both in the same bag!). Cook the rice.
3. Hour Two: Line up 4 aluminum or glass casserole dishes. Assemble the chicken & rice casseroles and chicken and stuffing casseroles. Package, label, and put in the freezer.
4. Hour Three: Take out the ground beef. Start browning about 3 lbs with the homemade taco seasoning.  While that is working, start mixing up and shaping the meatballs (I use my Italian grandma's recipe).  Line up the meatballs on a sheet of wax paper. When taco meat is browned, take off heat and set aside. Saute the mealballs in oil and set aside to cool.
5. Hour Four: Package, label, and freeze the meatballs and taco meat.  Start making the greens & beans. While that is cooking, whip up the pancake mix. When the greens and beans are finished, make the pancakes, working in small batches. Let everything cool, then package, label, and freeze.
6: Hour Five: We're on the home stretch! Making sure all the food is put away (we have a dog who likes to cruise counters), bring all the chicken to be grilled outside and relax for a few minutes while the chicken grills. I'd definitely recommend a cold beer or wine at this point, but not too much -- you don't want to burn the chicken. When the chicken is done, let cool, package, label, and freeze. 


Whew. 
That's the plan anyway. I'll post details, before and after kitchen pictures, and anecdotes of the experience soon.  If I'm still alive, that is. 

Natural & Organic Printable Coupon Round-Up -- 7/16

There are many nice returning natural & organic offers this week, as well as some new ones!  Make sure you print any coupons you might want as soon as possible because they might disappear!

Wegmans $1/5 produce (expires 7/23, so use it this week!)

Driscoll's -- $.50/1 when you sign up for email offers (possible future coupons, too!)

Newman’s Own Organics (can print 2 per computer):

$.50/1 Organics Chocolate Cup

$.75/1 Extra Virgin Olive Oil OR Balsamic Vinegar

$.75/1 Organic Licorice Twists

Earth's Best

Earth's Best $1 off Wipes

$1.50/1 Earth’s Best Tender Care Chlorine Free Diapers

$1/7 Jars of Baby Food

$1/2 Sesame Street Products

$5/1 Canister of Infant Formula

$.55/1 Organic Infant Cereal

Various Printables

$1/1 Late July Snack Chips

$1/1 Udi’s Gluten-Free Bread

$2/1 Kashi Product (Recyclebank Coupon, go HERE to learn more about Recyclebank.)

$2/4 Kashi Products Target Coupon

$1/1 Muir Glen Printable

$.75/1 Cascadian Farms Item

$1/4 Larabars

$1/1 Silk Half Gallon

$1.10/4 Larabar

$.85/1 Cascadian Farms

$.75/1 Truvia Natural Sweetener

$1/1 Athenos Feta Cheese

BOGO Athenos Feta Cheese (can be combined with $1/1)

$1/1 Hain Celestial Products

Stonyfield Farms

$.50 off 3 OSoy 6oz Yogurts

$.50 off 3 Organic Yogurt Cups

$.50 off 2 Yogurt Smoothies

$.50 off 2 Oikos Greek Yogurt

$.50 off 1 Frozen Novelty Box

$.50/1 Organic Half and Half

$.50/1 YoBaby 4-pk

$.50/1 YoToddler 4 pack

Facebook Coupons

**RARE** $2/1 Weleda Facial Care coupon when you "Like" Weleda on Facebook

$1 off 1 Wholly Guacamole product when you "like" them on Facebook.

$1 off 1 Alexia Product when you "like" them on Facebook

Brown Cow

$.50 off Brown Cow 32 oz yogurt

$.50 off 3 Brown Cow 6 oz yogurts

$.50 off Greek yogurt multipack

Mambo Sprouts

$1 off 2 Helios Nutrition Organic Kefir

$1 off 1 R.W.Knudsen Just Juice Product

$1 off 2 Lifeway Kefir Products

$1 off 1 KeVita Probiotic Drink

$.55 off 1 San-J Gluten Free Asian Cooking Sauce

$.75 off Organic Valley Half and Half

$1.00 off 1 Olivia's Organics Salad

Seventh Generation

$.50 off 1 Seventh Generation Product

$.50 off 1 Seventh Generation Baby Product

$2/1 Seventh Generation Baby Product http://www.seventhgeneration.com/coupon/baby/blog-readers

Amazon

Annie's Homegrown Organic Cheddar Bunnies, Family Size , 11 Ounce Boxes (Pack of 4) -- $10.44  when you use Subscribe & Save with code ANNIEJUN at checkout

Pacific Natural Foods Organic Soup, Creamy Butternut Squash, 16-Ounce Cartons (Pack of 12) --$21.63 when you use use Subscribe & Save and code PACIFIC5

Clif Kid Zbar, Variety Pack, 8 Chocolate Chip, 8 Chocolate Brownie and 8 Honey Graham, Pack of 24 -- only $.50 per bar when you use Subscribe & Save

Head over here to find more good Amazon grocery deals.

Target

$1/2 Morningstar Farms Frozen Items

$1/1 Boca Frozen Meatless Item

$1 off 6-ct or larger Nutrition Bars (like Luna or Clif)

Wegmans’ Nature’s Marketplace July Magazine:

$1 off 1 Family Size Popcorn, Indiana Kettlecorn

$1 off 2 Kashi cereals or snacks

$1 off 1 Bach's Rescue Pastilles 

$1 off 1 Bakery on Main Fiber Power Gluten Free Granola

Totsy: 51% off FuzziBunz Cloth Diapers

My jaw just dropped when I saw that Totsy is offering FuzziBunz cloth diapers for 51% off for the next four days.
If you cloth diaper your child(ren) or are interested in cloth diapering, this is an amazing deal!


Totsy is offering Perfect Size cloth diapers for just $11.25, and XS hook and loop diapers for just $8.95.  


The Perfect Size diapers are all girly colors (pink, fuschia, and purple), but the XS are  gender-neutral.


If you're interested in this deal I would order now because they will sell out quickly!

Once a Month Slow Cooker Freezer Cooking from the Stockpile: Part II

Photo Credit: Southern Living

In case you missed it, go here to read about my plan for a major freezer cooking extravaganza. 
To review, these are the basic ingredients in my pantry I'd like to work with:

•  Eden Organics Garbanzo beans (bought on special at Amazon)
• Cream of Chicken Soup ( $.50/can at Target a few months ago)
• Barbecue Sauce (FREE at Target)
• Salad Dressing/Marinade ($.39 each at Target and FREE at Tops)
• Chicken Breast (in Freezer - bought at Palmer's for $1.49/lb)
• Ground Beef (about 5 lbs in freezer -- Wegmans' Club Pack $1.99/lb)
• Shredded Cheddar & Mozzarella Cheese (bought in bulk at Wegmans)
• 10 lbs of Frozen Spinach from BJ's Warehouse.
• About 10 boxes of pasta from various stores
• 10 lbs of White Rice from PriceRite
• Several Boxes of Swanson Chicken Broth (No MSG!)
• Hot Dogs (about 10 packages in the freezer -- mostly Free!)

Now, I need to come up with a menu plan.  For a project of this magnitude, I need to be uber-organized! My goal is to make 20 meals or meal components (for example, marinated, cooked chicken to pair with fresh green salad) in one day. Yes, one short day. With my two kids home. And the dog. And my husband (and no, that is not the order of how likely they are to interrupt.)

First, the meat (if you will) of my plan: Menu Ideas

• Grilled Chicken marinated in Italian Dressing -- Tripled
• Ground Beef browned & cooked with Homemade Taco Seasoning (Make Tacos with fresh veggies from CSA box)-- Tripled
• Chicken & Stuffing Casserole -- Doubled
• Chicken & Rice Casserole -- Doubled
• Applesauce/Flaxseed Pancakes (we like Breakfast for Dinner!)-- Doubled
• Crock Pot Lasagna -- Doubled
• Brown Sugar Chicken -- Doubled
• Meatballs  -- making 16, enough for 2 meals)
• Pasta Sauce -- Double batch
• Greens & Beans -- doubled
• Sneaky Mac n Cheesy -- doubled

I realize that this is more than enough for 20 meals.  While most rational people would probably take a more modest approach to their first marathon freezer cooking effort, I am actually taking the opposite approach:  I'm going with the throw-everything-to-the-wall-and-see-what-sticks method.

This Sunday (which, of course, is supposed to be 90 degrees) is the day I've planned to begin my experiment. I'll be posting my plan of attack and a recap in the next few days, so stay tuned for the madness!

$5 Fridays: Mu-Shu Beef and Cabbage Wraps

Elegant photography, right? I am accepting sponsors for food photography lessons. 

Anyway, I sort of stumbled upon this recipe earlier in the week when I realized I had defrosted about 2 pounds of ground beef but didn't have any plans for it. I was searching through Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes (Better Homes & Gardens) for a slow cooker recipe (duh!), and found this little gem. The only problem?  The recipe doesn't call for a slow cooker. I won't admit how much time I spent scouring the recipe for instructions on to cook this in my crock-pot -- and what I muttered as I did it!

Turns out, there's a "Bonus Chapter" called One-Dish Dinners, and that's which section I was in.  The recipe was so easy and quick to throw together, though, I didn't even miss the slow cooker. And here's another shocker -- both my kids ate every bite! My 3-year-old even asked for seconds. I am definitely going to make this again.  

Mu Shu Style Beef & Cabbage Wraps

(adapted from Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes)

8 8" flour tortillas -- $1.49

3/4 lb lean ground meat (I used beef) -- $1.49

1 onion, chopped -- $.50

2 cups shredded cabbage with carrots (I used Wegmans' prepared cole slaw mix) -- $1.50

1 cup corn (I had some leftover canned corn in the fridge, so I just dumped it in) -- $.20

1/4 cup Hoisin Sauce -- $.33 (I made my own. Recipe to come Monday)

1. Brown the meat and the onions in a large skillet. Drain most of the fat (I like to keep a little, and then reduce the oil if it's called for in the rest of the recipe).

2. Mix in cabbage, carrots, and corn. Cover and cook 4 minutes. Cabbage should still have a bite to it -- no one likes flaccid cabbage.

3. Stir in hoisin sauce, then stir and cook until heated.

4. Spoon the meat mixture into the tortillas, and wrap up, burrito-style. You could also use lettuce leaves if you had large, fresh leaves -- that would make it even healthier (and possibly cheaper).

Total Cost= $5.51

Serves 4

Eversave: 50% off All-Natural Insect Repellant

The "Pest-Off" line from Plantlife.net is an all-natural, gluten-free, vegan formula designed to prevent any interaction between summer pests and your skin. Today on Eversave, Plantlife is offering $30 worth of their products, which also include all-natural soaps and essential oils, for only $15, a 50% savings. 


Head over here to grab this save.

The fine print:

• This Save can be used towards shipping, which starts at $5.40
• Free Shipping is available for orders over $100
• Limit 1 Save per customer
• Save is good Site-Wide on Plantlife.net

It's Mega Swagbucks Friday!!

Don't forget that it's Mega Swagbucks Day!  Last week I earned 27 points for one search! 




New to Swagbucks? From their website:
Swagbucks.com is an online portal dedicated to helping you earn digital dollars called "Swag Bucks", which can be redeemed for exclusive Swagbucks.com merchandise.


In a nutshell:

• Use Swagbucks as your search engine the same way you would with Yahoo or Google
• When you search, you will occasionally win "Swagbucks"
• Swagbucks are redeemable for prizes; the most popular prizes are Amazon gift cards

I currently have about 5300 Swagbucks in my account, which is the equivalent of about $60 in Amazon gift cards. I'm planning to keep accumulating my Swagbucks and using them for most of my holiday shopping in December. 

If you missed it, also check out Five Ways to Earn Swagbucks and Five MORE Ways to Earn Swagbucks.

Sign up here to join !

Reminder: Coupon Giveaway Ends Monday!

Make sure to enter for a huge stack of free coupons!


**UPDATE** I have just added a SURPRISE BONUS coupon to the gift pack. All I will tell you is that it is a coupon for a FREE item.  Who doesn't love free?

If you missed it, here are the coupons you can expect if you win:

1 FREE YoBaby or YoToddler 4-pack  

2 Samples of Seventh Generation Dish Liquid

2 Samples of Seventh Generation Laundry Liquid

2 Sample packs of Seventh Generation Wipes (3 wipes each)

$1/1 YoBaby Product

$1/3 Stonyfield Farms Yogurt

$1/1 YoToddler 4-pack

$1/1 YoKids Product

$.55/1 Veganaise Product

$1/1 CleanWell Hand Sanitizer

$1/1 Organic Valley Milk

$1/1 Organic Valley Eggs

$1/1 Organic Valley Yogurt

$1/1 Organic Valley Cheese

$.75/1 Earthbound Farm Salad

$1/1 Silk Half Gallon

These coupons and samples have a value of over $15.

To win, all you have to do is one of the following (multiples allowed, 1 entry each):

• "Like" Mindfully Frugal Mom on Facebook
• Follow Mindfully Frugal Mom on Google Friend Connect
• Follow MFM on Twitter
• Follow MFM on Google Followers
• Share your favorite MFM post on your Facebook Wall (2 entries)
• Tweet your favorite MFM post (2 entries)

Mandatory: Make sure you leave a comment on this post and tell me what you did, or your entry may not count.

Hurry, the giveaway will end Monday, July 18!

All You and Rachael Ray Magazines only $7 at Eversave!

If you use coupons at all, I highly recommend subscribing to All You Magazine. You can only purchase it at Walmart or online, but it has TONS of high value coupons every month. 


Go here to Eversave to get this deal. The total will be $10.
Enter code SHARE to  get an additional $3 off, making the cost only $7 for 6 months of All You magazine, and $7 for a year of Rachael Ray Magazine.


If you haven't ordered from Eversave before, sign up here and get an additional $2 off, making today's save only $5!

New Wegmans Coupon: $1 off Yogurt Dressing

Love all these Wegmans printable coupons! Today's is for $1 off Wegmans Yogurt or Vinaigrette Dressing.

My family LOVES the coleslaw flavor -- even on regular greens.

You should be able to print this coupon twice, although per Wegmans' policy, you can only use 1 per trip.

New! Late July Organic Coupon!

Since it is -- of course -- Late July, Late July has released a new $1 off Organic MultiGrain Snack Chip Coupon on Mambo Sprouts.


Head over here to print it out.

Mamasource: 50% off All Natural & Eco-Friendly Bath Products

My True Nature  offers all-natural bath products for children that are free of chemicals and preservatives.  For the next two days, Mamasource is offering $40 worth of My True Nature products for only $20!

 

Plus, if this is your first Mamasource purchase, get 10% off this deal with code JULY10, making it only $18 for $40 worth of bath products.

The fine print:

• Shipping is not included and starts at $3.95
• Limit 1 voucher per order
• May purchase 3 vouchers total
• Redeemable Online

NEW Kashi Coupon: $1 off Pita Crisps

I don't know if these will usurp my beloved Stacy's pita chips, but Kashi is offering a $1 off coupon for their brand new Pita Crisps, so I'll definitely try them! 

Go here to print it!
This is a Bricks coupon, so if you hit the back button it should print twice.

Target. . . Again

I made my second Target trip of the week today, and I'm planning a third because I was too tired,  I didn't make a list and it was just too much. But I have a lot of high-value coupons I would still like to use, including: 

• $3 off children's jeans
• 20% off any Merona Women's item (no longer available)
• $2 off any Graphic Tee

I'm glad I went anyway because even though I was dragging this afternoon, I did get

•  a pillow for $.50
•  Tresemme Dry Shampoo (it's how I go 5 days in between hair washes!) for $3
•  A box of lasagna and pasta sauce for $1 each
• 10Yoplait Yogurts for $.50 each.  
• I also went off (the imagined) list and bought Stacy's Pita Chips for $2.50/bag ($2.69 at Wegmans).  Seriously, if they stop making those pita chips, I'm going to need a 12-step program. They are that good.

Total Before Coupons: $24.40

Total Saved: $6.67

Total Out of Pocket: $17.73

Not exactly my most triumphant Target trip, at 27% savings, but I perked up when the register spit out a catalina for $1 off the purchase of Market Pantry Garlic bread and Pasta. 

I better start making my list for next time.

Organic Deals at Totsy Today!

Totsy is definitely one of my preferred Daily Deal Sites for kids' stuff.   I love the organic, eco-friendly products they are offering today. 


First, you can find adorable BrightBin lunch boxes that are free of parabens, lead, and phthalates. Each lunchbox contains 4 separate compartments, comes in either red or blue, and is only $9!

Next, Sage Creek Organics uses 100% certified organic cotton in their super-soft, luxurious garments.  In fact, I found this super adorable tunic for only $14.25!

Earn Prizes and Coupons by Joining the National Consumer Panel

 If the National Consumer Panel is accepting panelists in your area, you'll receive a price gun with which to scan your groceries and coupons to earn points. This is a fun activity for kids to do while you're putting groceries away, and the longer you're a panelist, the better the prizes get. 

I've never participated in the National Consumer Panel, but I know that people who have have received a number of free gifts (reusable insulated shopping bags, for example) and coupons as a result of their participation.  They only accept new applicants for a limited period of time, so sign up now if you're interested!

One-Dish Meals: Sneaky Mac'n'Cheesy

Like most parents out there, I'm always searching for tasty recipes that the family loves to eat but are still healthy. Last week I needed a quick one-dish meal that I could whip up with ingredients I had on hand, and this is what I came up with. By the way, what makes it "sneaky" is that I added 2 shredded zucchinis to the cheese mixture. My husband used to like zucchini until we got it Every.Single.Week in our CSA basket last week, and he got completely sick of it.  


When I made this recipe, I didn't tell him until he had finished eating (and was raving about the recipe!) that it had zucchini in it.  It's those little things that make me happy ;)


Sneaky Mac'n'Cheesy


1 box short pasta -- I used Barilla Picollini Wagon Wheels because (shocker!) I had a coupon.
1-2 tbsp. flour
2 tbsp. salted butter
2 cups milk
2 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups white cheddar, shredded
1-2 cups shredded zucchini (or other vegetable puree)
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
Salt & Pepper


1. Boil water, and cook pasta according to directions on box. Reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water after it has cooked. Drain and set aside.
2. While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter in a large saucepan and whisk in flour, creating a roux. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until thoroughly combined.
3. Add the milk to the roux mixture, stirring constantly, about 5 minutes until it starts bubbling and thickening. It should not be at a full rolling boil, though.
4. Add the ricotta and cheddar cheese to the mix, stirring, until it is all blended and combined, about3-5 minutes. Then add zucchini shreds, salt and pepper to taste, and 1 ladleful of the starchy cooking water. Remove from heat.
5. Combine the cheese mixture and the cooked pasta in a 9x11 baking dish. Sprinkle the top with the Parmesan, then sprinkle Panko on top.
6. Cook for 10 minutes in a 400 degree oven. Serve warm. Top with fresh scallions or parsley.

Once a Month Slow Cooker Freezer Cooking from the Stockpile: Part I

So, I've been wanting to do some freezer cooking for a while, to free up some time during the week and generally make life easier.  Then I thought, wouldn't it be great if I was able to use what's in my pantry stockpile currently to do the freezer cooking? I could save even more money!  I liked the sound of that idea so much, I thought, what if I was able to use my slow cooker for much (if not all) of this cooking extravaganza? This project will be a piece of cake! And, I thought, I'll make enough meals for an entire month. Then I can sit back, save money, and enjoy a little R & R. 


That's the plan, anyway. 


My first step is to get organized. I need to survey what's in my stockpile, and plan meals around that. Here's what it looks like:

Here's what I have a lot of:

•  Eden Organics Garbanzo beans (bought on special at Amazon)
• Cream of Chicken Soup ( $.50/can at Target a few months ago)
• Barbecue Sauce (FREE at Target)
• Salad Dressing/Marinade ($.39 each at Target and FREE at Tops)
• Chicken Breast (in Freezer - bought at Palmer's for $1.49/lb)
• Ground Beef (about 5 lbs in freezer -- Wegmans' Club Pack $1.99/lb)
• Shredded Cheddar & Mozzarella Cheese (bought in bulk at Wegmans)
• 10 lbs of Frozen Spinach from BJ's Warehouse.
• About 10 boxes of pasta from various stores
• 10 lbs of White Rice from PriceRite
• Several Boxes of Swanson Chicken Broth (No MSG!)

Next, I need to make my menu plan. I have a few ideas, but I'd love to get some input first. What would you make with these ingredients??

Amazon: $5 Album Downloads

Amazon is offering 100 $5 MP3 album downloads through the end of July! Amazon has an eclectic and exciting mix of albums to choose from. Artists include:

• Kings of Leon
• One Republic
• Martina McBride
• Diana Ross
• Johnny Cash
• The Doors
• Jason Mraz
• Carrie Underwood
• Blake Shelton

I said it was eclectic. Head over here to see more!

VistaPrint: Photo Flip Book for only $5!

This photobook is an adorable idea for a Grandparent gift, or even a "My Family" book for young kids. 

Vistaprint is offering a 20 page flip photobook for only $5 -- which includes shipping!

Staples School Supply Deals

OK, I realize it's way early to even begin to think about back to school here in Upstate NY, but this is the time to stock up on (we'll call them) craft supplies.


Here are the best deals at Staples this week:


Penny Deals (Good until 7/13 only, limit 2 each, with $5 minimum purchase)

• Staples Arrowhead Erasers, 12 pack
• Bic Round Stic Pens, 8-pack
• Staples Glue, 4 oz

Quarter Deals (Limit 2)

• Staples 1/2" tape flags, "Stickies"
• 2 pocket poly folder
• Bic Student Mechanical Pencils, 5-pack
• Slider Pencil Case 
• Staples Multipurpose Paper, 500 sheets (after Easy Rebate)

Dollar Deals (Limit 2)

• Mini Writing Pads, 3 pack
• Staples 3 hole binder punch
• Sharpies, Fine Tip, 5-pack
• Staples Mini-Stapler
• Staples Paper Clips, asst
• Westcott 5" scissors, 2 pack
• Westcott 7" scissors
• Staples Glue Sticks, 4 pack
• Staples 200 sheet Memo Book
• HP Everyday Photo Paper (after Easy Rebate)
• Staples Letter-size writing pad
• Post-it Die-Cut notes, 2-pack

4 Things You Should NEVER Pay Full Price For (and 3 Things You Should)

In the course of my Mindfully Frugal Mom adventures, I’ve learned so much about how to save money in a thoughtful way.  There are certain things that it is absolutely worth paying full price for -- a handmade gift that someone you care about will love, fresh fruit at the farmer’s market, or a luxuriously rich morsel of dark chocolate. 

Conversely, there are a few other items that I would never dream of spending full price on -- ever. For any reason. Under any circumstances. Period.

They are:

• Books. I just don’t understand why anyone would pay for a book.  And that is not because I dislike books, or don’t like to read. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. I majored in English Literature in college and taught high school English for 8 years.  I know what I’m talking about here: Go.To.The.Library. I haven’t bought a book in 3 years. Virtually any book I’m interested in can be reserved and “ordered” through the county library system for only $1.  I may have to wait a week or two, but I’m willing to do that to save upwards of $20 (for a hardcover). Plus, there are only a select few books that I read more than once, so by returning the book to the library, I can save space in my home.  And in case you have an eReader, yes, the library offers loans of eBooks. Amazon also has many eBooks available to download for free.  

• Magazine Subscriptions. Call me old-fashioned, but I love reading magazines. I currently subscribe to several lifestyle and recipe magazines, and I have never paid more for a year’s subscription than the cost of 1 issue -- under $5, without exceptions. Sites like Tanga, Best Deal Magazines, Discount Magazines, and RewardsGold are some of the resources I’ve used for magazine deals. In addition, daily deal sites like Mamasource and Dealpulp often have deals on magazines.  When I'm done reading my magazines, I recycle them or donate them to my local library's magazine swap.  Oh, that reminds me -- check out if your library has a magazine swap. I've found lots of current issue magazines there for absolutely free! This week I scored an issue of Bon Appetit with some amazing recipes inside. 

• Toothpaste. I know this is extremely random.  But there are new coupons for toothpaste -- all brands, including natural ones like Tom’s of Maine -- nearly every week. If you’re not a toothpaste connoisseur (who is?!) or picky about brands, you can get toothpaste for under $.50 every shopping trip. Even if you are all-natural and just use baking soda paste (yes, I do in fact know people who do this!), baking soda is often on sale at Walgreens for $.50.

• Eating Out. With the preponderance of daily deals sites (including Groupon, LivingSocial, and MyDailyThread) offering discounts on restaurants from frugal to frou-frou, there is no reason to pay full price for a date or a girl’s night.  I admit that the Hubs and I haven’t gone out as much as we would like lately, but I will say that we have had a half-off voucher at every restaurant we have gone to-- and all were for places we know we love already. If you are dining with kids in tow, there are many restaurants with a "kids eat free" night -- usually Tuesday, but call your favorite family restaurant to inquire about their policy.

I'm always learning new ways to save money on the things my family uses every day. I love that in many cases, saving money also means conserving our natural resources -- as in the case of using eBooks and the library instead of purchasing new hard copies of reading material.  What do you refuse to pay full price for?