Eco-Friendly Threads on Zulily Today!

Zulily is one of my favorite deal sites because they have an eclectic variety of clothes, shoes, and gear for moms and kids. I also love that they often feature eco-friendly companies.  I normally don't spend the extra money for organic cotton in my clothing, but at these prices, I can't say no!


Going to a baby shower? Check out what Under the Nile has to offer:  Low-impact dyed, hand-picked organic cotton gear for babies that is so soft and sweet.  This organic sleep sack is only $19.99.

Bungalow Bebe is offering absolutely adorable organic clothing for infants and toddlers, including this girls' dress for only $7.99.  These are selling out quickly in all sizes!

Don't forget about mom! Earth Creations offers sustainably grown, fair-trade garments for women that are simple yet beautiful. They have a good selection of organic cotton t-shirts for under $15 that are selling out quickly as well.

Zulily is also having a promotion on shipping this weekend -- pay once for shipping, and get free shipping on any subsequent order you place during the holiday weekend. 

New! $2 off Coupon at Wegmans -- if you can find it!

I always say I have good coupon Karma, because it seems like every time I go to Wegmans, I find coupons there. I've found coupons on the shelves, on the floor, and even on the ground in the parking lot. And yeah, I picked them all up. My husband thinks I'm crazy.


When I was at Wegmans last week, I was stunned and excited to find a $2 off any Wegmans or Top Care brand health and beauty item coupon on a table by the toothpaste. I knew that we needed children's acetaminophen, and I was really excited to realize that there was Top Care brand for only $2.50. When I applied the coupon, it made for only $.50 for a bottle of acetaminophen.  

I tried to figure out where this coupon came from (because of course I wanted to find some more), and realized they were randomly interspersed on the shelves in all the health & beauty aisles. If you're going to be in Wegmans in the next few days, be sure to check your Health & Beauty aisles for this awesome coupon -- I grabbed 2!


There are several items that this coupon will make completely free, including:

• Top Care Assorted Bandages
• Top Care Ibuprofen, 200 mg ($.19 after coupon)
• Wegmans Vitamin D softgels
• Top Care Allergy Medicine
• Top Care Acetaminophen, 500 mg
• Top Care Calamine Lotion

Be on the lookout for this $2 off coupon, and come back and let me know if you found it in your Wegmans store. 

Free Activities at Pottery Barn Kids

Throughout the month of September, Pottery Barn is offering a variety of fun, family-friendly, and completely FREE events. 


TIGERS!
September 4, 2011 at 10:00 AM 
Kids age 3 and up will learn all about tigers, lions, and other big cats through hands-on activities, songs, and games.


Read along with Curious George!
September 13 and 20, 2011 at 10:00 AM
Embrace the world of Curious George with reading activities.


Check this out to learn more about Events at Pottery Barn Kids.

NEW! Printable Natural & Organic Coupons

Since it’s the first week of the month, there are lots of  new Organic coupons this week. Make sure to print them off before they reach their limit!

$1/2 Yogi Granola Crisps

$1.50/2 8th Continent Soy Milk

$.75/1 Kashi Frozen Pizza or Meal

$.40/1 Fleishmann’s Yeast Strip

Buy 3, Get 1 Free Sprout Baby Food

$1/1 Simply Orange Juice

$1/1 Simply Lemonade

$1/1 Kashi TLC Crackers

$1/3 Kashi GoLean Bars

$1.50/2 Kashi TLC boxes

$5/1 Benjamin Moore Natura Zero-VOC paint

$1/1 Bear Naked Granola

Deal Ideas

 Target:

Bear Naked Granola, $3.24

Use $1/1 Printable

Use $1/1 Target Printable

Final Price= $1.24

Kashi Frozen Pizza -- price varies

Use $1/1 Printable

Use $1/1 Target Printable

Walgreens:

Simply Orange Juice -- $.99 w/ In-Ad coupon

Use $1/1 Printable

Final Price= FREE

Head over here to see MORE Natural & Organic Printable Coupons!

Hot Dog or Not Dog?

My friend Gretchen at Healthful Mama wrote an illuminating post on why Veggie Dogs may not be the best option for your vegetarian barbecue menu. Go visit Gretchen and read her post, Hot Dog or Not Dog.  I love her perspective on processed "health" food.


If Gretchen inspired you to try Applegate Farms Nitrate-Free hot dogs,  head over here for a coupon!

Recyclebank: 100 More Points!

There is a new Recyclebank "Green Your School Year" Challenge! It's called The First Day of School and earn up to 100 Recyclebank Points, good to redeem for high value coupons and prizes!


Head over here to take the "First Day of School" Challenge!

Frugal Friday: Cucumber-Tomato Salad

It's so funny how the best dishes sometimes result from literally throwing together leftovers.  Since we have the CSA, we get a huge variety of vegetables every week that we may or may not have bought if we were getting our produce at the supermarket.  And since it takes effort and planning to use it all up every week, I invariably find myself with about-to-turn veggies in my crisper.  

I got the idea for this salad by watching a beautiful heirloom tomato look sadder and sadder on my counter for several days. When I ransacked the fridge to find something to go with it, I found a cucumber that was getting pretty flabby. Add an onion for bite and garbanzos for protein, and this is a salad that my family absolutely raved about. Who knew?

Cucumber Tomato Salad

1 large cucumber, sliced in thin rounds

1 large tomato, cut into small chunks

1 medium onion, sliced thin

handful of chives

1 can garbanzo beans (I used Eden Organics)

1-2 tbsp EVOO

2 tsp Dill-Herbed Vinegar

Toss everything gently and serve chilled. Tastes even better the second day, after veggies get a chance to marinate in the dressing. You can't even tell the vegetables weren't picked that day!

$1 off $5 Fresh Produce Wegmans Coupon is Back!

I was just wondering when this coupon was coming back! Head over here to get a coupon for $1 off a $5 Wegmans produce purchase. You can use it on anything in the produce department. 
It will print twice, but you can only use one coupon per transaction. 

New September Coupons!

**UPDATE: I just found out that if you use the $4 off Connect Four coupon for the Travel Connect Four game at Target, it will cost just $1.24! What a great stocking stuffer! (Thanks, Happy deal, Happy Day!)


I just printed out my coupons for today!


 I'm excited to see these Kashi coupons back again:

• $0.75 off 1 Kashi Frozen Entree or Pizza Product
• $1.00 off off any box of Kashi TLC Snack Cracker
• $1.50 off any 2 boxes of Kashi TLC bars

And some other snack coupons -- I've seen Chex Mix on sale at Tops lately for $1, so it will be free after the coupon doubles:

• $0.40 off 1 Fleischmann's Pizza Crust Yeast
• $0.50 off any 5OZ. OR LARGER Bugles Corn Snacks
• $0.50 off any Chex Mix 4.5 oz. or larger
• $0.75 off (2) Nature Valley Granola Bars

Health and Beauty Deals:

• $0.30 off Original Carmex Lip Balm
• $1.00 off on one (1) 4 oz. or greater Carmex Skin
• $1.00 off MAYBELLINE NEW YORK FIT ME PRESSED POWDER
• $1.00 off MAYBELLINE NEW YORK FIT ME FOUNDATION
• $4.00 off ON ONE BOTTLE OF OMEGA FACTOR 3

And some early holiday shopping anyone? I printed the Connect 4 coupon, hoping to combine it with a sale soon to give it to my son for Christmas:

• $5.00 off one SIMON FLASH, SCRABBLE FLASH, YAHTZEE
• $4.00 off the purchase of one MONOPOLY game
• $4.00 off the purchase of one CONNECT 4 game

Vegetarian Times: $7 per Year

$7/year is about the lowest price I've seen lately for Vegetarian Times Magazine.  Vegetarian Times offers healthy living tips, recipes, and more. 
Head over here to Amazon to order Vegetarian Times.

SaveMore: Possibly FREE Reusable Bags!

Today's Savemore deal is $9 for $18 worth of stylish, reusable, eco-friendly bags from Reusablebags.tv.  You can choose from produce bags, grocery bags, lunch bags, or tote bags. There is really something for everyone, and these make great gifts!

If you're a new SaveMore customer, you are eligible for a $10 credit that will make today's deal completely FREE!

Here's how to get the deal:

• Go to Savemore.com and sign up for an account
• Click "BUY" on the homepage after you've signed up
• The $10 credit will be in your account, making your purchase absolutely free! (Plus, you'll have $1 credit left over for next time!

Note: This deal doesn't include shipping, which starts at $3.95. Limit 1 per customer.

Host a Labor Day Picnic for 8 for under $30!

Photo Credit

When it comes to frugal living and keeping the grocery budget down, I am always derailed by the cost of entertaining. Either I go overboard in an attempt to impress my guests (thus spending too much), or I avoid entertaining altogether in order to save money. 

I realized this week when I was doing my Wegmans Match-Ups that I could probably throw together a healthy, fun picnic menu for 8 lucky guests without busting my budget.  

First, I’ll share my menu, then I’ll show you my money-saving plan. :)

Menu: 

Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas w/ Homemade Salsa

Chips & Guacamole

Fresh Cucumber Salad

Edamame

Fresh Corn on the Cobb

Fresh Fruit & Whipped Cream

Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?  If you were invited to this party, would you know it only cost $30 to put together?

Here’s how I’ll do it: 

Slow Cooker Fajitas and Salsa

Philadelphia Cooking Creme, Plain -- $1.19 at Wegmans when you use this coupon

Small Jar of Newman’s Own Salsa Use $1/2 from 8/28 RP = $1.49

1 ear of cooked corn, cut off the cob = $.40

1 1/2 lb Chicken -- breast or thighs =$2.00

Burrito Wraps = $.99/8 with this Wegmans coupon

CSA Cucumber Salad (This is made with ingredients I will get in my CSA basket this week, so no out of pocket cost. The prices listed are if you purchase the items at Wegmans)

2 large cucumbers = $.89 each x 2 = $1.78

1 medium sweet onion = $.75

1 large tomato or 1 cup cherry tomatoes = $1.00

Oil, vinegar, salt & pepper, and fresh herbs to taste = cost negligible, pantry items

Chips and Guacamole:

Late July Snack Chips -- $1.50 when you use the coupon here

Wholly Guacamole -- $3.99 with this coupon

Edamame:

Cascadian Farms Edamame, $1.69 with the coupon here

Corn on the Cob -- 1 dozen= $4.00

Dessert:

Fresh Strawberries, $4.99

Organic Valley Heavy Whipping Cream -- $2.69 (add a pinch of sugar and vanilla when you whip it up to make it really flavorful!)

Drinks:

Homemade Rose Hibiscus Ice Tea -- Use a pitcher, about 5 tea bags, water, and the sun to create a delicious late summer treat = $1 

Total Out of Pocket: $29.46 -- and if you have a CSA and use what you get in your basket, you can create this menu for even less!

I’d love to hear your ideas for entertaining on a budget!

Last Chance to Print Coupons!

It's the last day of August, which means that most printable coupons will reset tomorrow. It's time to print those coupons now so you have them to combine with a sale later!


From Coupons.com:
$1.50/2 Boxes Kashi TLC Bars
$1/1 Box Kashi TLC Crackers
$1.50/2 8th Continent Soy Milk
$.75/1 Philadelphia Cooking Creme


From Mambo Sprouts:
$1/1 Arrowhead Mills Breakfast Product
$1/1 Late July Product
$1/1 Green & Black's Organic Chocolate Bar


From Coupon Network:
$1/8 Stonyfield Oikos Yogurt
$1/1 Barbara's Cereal
$2/1 People Magazine

Wegmans Trip!

This was a tricky week for grocery shopping.  At the beginning of August, my husband and I decided to use cash envelopes for variable expenses such as food.   Our grocery shopping budget is $325, or $80/week. Here's how we're doing so far:


Week One: $39.99 at Wegmans -- $40 left over
Week Two: $54 at Wegmans -- $25 left over
Week Three: $77.44 at Wegmans -- $2.50 left over


Budget for this week: $147.50 ($80+ $67.50 left over from previous weeks)


What threw a wrench into my couponing this week is that I knew I had to go to BJ's as well, and it seems like any time I shop there it is at least $100. Plus, I was shopping with my whole family, which is typically a recipe for overspending.  Even though I managed to only spend $71.22 at BJ's this week, I knew I needed to be careful at Wegmans. 


Here's what I bought:

Silk Soy Milk - $2.39 after $1/1 coupon (or get a $.75/1 coupon here)

Wegmans' Whole Milk -- $2.19

YoToddler Yogurt -- $1.49 after $1/1 coupon (find a $.50/1 coupon here)

Wegmans Burrito Tortillas -- $.99 with this coupon

Barilla Piccolini (2) -- $.89 each with coupon from 8/28 RP

Wegmans Training Pants -- $8.49

Wegmans Tuna -- 2@$.79 each

Wegmans Organic Raisins -- $3.99

Top Care Acetominophan -- $.50 with $2.00/1 Wegmans Coupon (located in pharmacy dept)

Sensodyne Toothpaste -- $2.79 after Wegmans Coupon (Summer Savings Booklet) and tearpad manufacturer coupon I found at the dentist's office.

2 pounds of nectarines -- $1.98

Club Pack Diapers -- $4.99 after Shopper's Club and $8/1 coupon from Wegmans Summer Savings Booklet

Total Before Coupons and Discounts - $52.17

Amount Saved = $18.29

Total Cost out of Pocket= $33.88 which means I still have some stock-up money to carry over for next month!

Total Percentage Saved = 35%

All in all, I spent $105.10 this week, which means I still have $42.40 left in my cash envelope to carry over for next month!

Baby and Toddler Jeans only $3.60 at Target

Target just released a 20% off any Circo product on their website. They are also offering baby and toddler Circo jeans for only $4.50. When you combine the coupon with the sale, you can snag a brand new pair of jeans for less than consignment sale price!


You may be able to print this coupon twice, but may only use it once per transation. 
Head over here to print the coupon (search under Apparel and Accessories).

Cherry Peeled Snacks 25% off at Amazon!

Peeled Snacks are just pure fruit -- no sweeteners, oils, or preservatives added.  


Regular Amazon price is $22.15 for 10-1.48/oz packs, but now, when you choose Subscribe & Save, you'll get 15% off, making a 10 pack only $18.83.


Don't forget to enter code ZDILFYRD  at checkout to get an additional 10% off your order, making your total just $16.61, or $1.66 per pack. 


Head over here to snag this deal.


Remember, you can cancel Subscribe & Save at any time after your order ships. 

Yoga Journal: Only $3.73/year!

This week Best Deal Magazines is offering Yoga Journal Magazine for only $3.73 for a year-long subscription. I have subscribed to Yoga Journal in the past, and really enjoyed it.

Yoga Journal has information for yogis of all experience levels, as well as healthful living tips.

Use code PXCJ911 at checkout to get this great deal!

Plum District: Multiple Deals!

Plum District has two different offers today that can combine to produce some rock bottom deals !
Current deals include: $15 for gourmet coffee, $25 for stylish bags, and $35 for custom chocolate bars.


First, go here to purchase a $20 Plum District credit for just $10.
Second, use code PLUMEVERYWHERE at checkout to get an additional 20% off your total.


Here's an example of how this would work:

• Go to Plum District and click "Buy Now" on their deal: $25 for Hip, Fun Maternity Tees, Skirts, and More from 2chix.com – a $50 Value 
• At checkout, enter code PLUMEVERYWHERE. This will deduct $5 (20%) from your bill.  Your total will now be $20 for $50 worth of items
• You will see the credit of $20 taken off your total, making the cost of this transaction FREE.
• Ultimately, you will have paid only $10 (the cost of the initial credit) for $50 worth of credit at this particular merchant. When I'm shopping retail, 80% off is a pretty sweet deal.

Note: 

• This scenario can be used with ANY current Plum District Deal.
• This credit does not include any shipping charges that may apply. 

Seventh Generation Diapers: $.19 each!

I just found these Seventh Generation Chlorine Free Diapers on Amazon for only $.19 each when you use Subscribe and Save with your Amazon Mom account.
You'll get 76 Stage 3 diapers for only $14.36!
Head over here to take advantage of this deal.


Remember, you can cancel Subscribe & Save any time after your order ships.


(Thanks, TheThriftyMama!)

Clean Eating Magazine

All this week, Best Deal Magazines is offering Clean Eating Magazine for only $10.36 per year.

Clean Eating is full of recipes, menu plans, and nutrition information to help you make the best choices possible for you and your family.

Make sure to enter code WKLYSPEC at checkout to get this great deal!

BJ's Wholesale Club: August/September Shopping Trip

I don't think I've ever spent less than $100 at BJ's since I became a member. I was determined to really reign in my spending this week even though I wanted to get a few things at BJ's this week.  With tax, I ended up spending $71.22 after coupons, which I was happy about.


What I was less enthused about is that the trip consisted mostly of processed snack foods.  While my husband and I prepare healthy, whole foods at mealtimes, looking at the photo of this shopping trip made me realize I haven't been as mindful as I could be about the snack foods we eat. 

See what I mean? Minus the grated parmesan and maybe the hummus, almost everything is a processed snack product.  If I'm being honest I will say that you are looking at a month's worth or more of snack foods -- we certainly don't go through this in one week. Still, looking at this picture is motivating me to be  more creative in terms of making homemade, less processed versions of these snack foods.  I'm open to ideas!

Here are the sale items I picked up:

Nutella, 26.5 oz (x2) -- $3.79 each using (2) $1/1 coupons ($1/1 from 8/28 RP and Printable no longer available). I bought 2 because this is a stock-up price; the 13 oz jar at Wegmans costs $3.99.

Annie's Cheddar Snack Mix, 20 oz -- $5.99 - $1/1 BJ's Coupon = $4.99

Stacy's Pita Chips, 24 oz -- $4.99 - $1.50/1 BJ's Coupon = $3.49

Dove Minis -- $9.99 - $2 BJ's Coupon = $7.99

Berkely & Jensen Trail Mix -- $9.99 - $2 BJ's Coupon = $7.99

Total Before Coupons =$80.72

Total Savings - $9.50

Total Out of Pocket = $71.22 (includes tax)

Percentage Saved = 12%

It's the End of the Month: Print those Coupons!!

Since it's almost the end of August, all the printable coupons that are currently offered could disappear. Make sure you print out the ones you want now!


Here are some of the best coupons:

$1.50 off any 2 boxes of Kashi TLC bars

$1.00 off 3 Kashi GOLEAN Bars

$1.00 off off any box of Kashi TLC Snack Cracker

$1.00 off 1 Minute Maid Juice Box 10-pk   

$3.00 off 2 Glidden Paint Testers

$3.00 off 1 gallon of Glidden Paint

$5.00 off 1 gallon of Benjamin Moore paint

$1.00 off on any 1 Dove VisibleCare Body Wash

$5.00 off 1 PHILIPS NORELCO BG2020, BG2030, BG2040

$5.00 off 1 PHILIPS NORELCO REPLACEMENT SHAVER

$10.00 off ON ONE (1) PHILIPS NORELCO SPEED XL

$30.00 off ON ONE (1) PHILIPS NORELCO SENSOTOUCH

$3.00 off any Non-Drowsy Claritin-D Allergy

$4.00 off Non-Drowsy Claritin Allergy Product

$1.00 off the September Issue of InStyle

$2.00 off People Specials: Kate's Style Secrets!

Menu Plan: Stretching the Stockpile

As a family where the primary earner is a teacher, the last weeks of August and first weeks of September are the tightest time financially for us.  On one hand, we don't need to purchase a lot of lunch items, because my husband isn't packing his lunch every day (he eats leftovers instead). The again, we haven't seen a full paycheck since the end of June. 
 Because I stockpiled so much meat in May, I've been able to meal plan using meat from the freezer, fresh CSA produce, and a dry staple such as rice, pasta, or couscous (which I buy in bulk).


Here's my pantry meal plan for this week:


Monday: Marinated Grilled Chicken, grilled veggies, and biscuits


Tuesday: Hot Dogs (I know -- not very healthy!), sauteed green beans, and cucumber-bean salad


Wednesday: Vegetable Stir Fry with left over chicken and rice (need to use up all the CSA veggies before our next shipment on Thursday_


Thursday: Pork Ribs with Grilled Veggies and Rice


Friday: Pasta Primavera with Chicken


Weekend: Quesadillas with fresh vegetables and fruit (I also put some of the leftover meat in the quesadillas!)


Is this week's meal plan overly exciting? 


Not really. 


But it's affordable, provides an abundance of fresh organic produce (through our CSA), and (hopefully!) is seasoned well enough to keep my family happy.  I'm not a fan of low-fat cooking, by the way. I believe in using natural ingredients in moderation, rather than low-fat or low-calorie foods with a ton of unpronouncable ingredients. That's why much of our food is seasoned with vinegar, olive oil, sea salt, garlic, fresh herbs, and good-quality cheese. A little of the good stuff goes a long way. :)