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Just click here!

Dear Mr. Identity Thief:

I hate you.  I hate you with a white hot passion that is usually only reserved for brussel sprouts.

You weren’t happy with just hitting me last month?  You had to do it again?  And dude?  A membership to a stock photo website?  How much of a geek ARE you?  At least if you are going to steal, do it for something that is worth it, like shoes!

You know what?  YOU are one of the reasons why the economy is in trouble.  All those purchases that you made?  You didn’t rob me - you robbed the merchants.  I got all my money back…BOTH times.  But the companies from which you ordered?  Many of them had already shipped the product or provided you with the service.  How do you think that is going to be made up?  By charging higher prices to other customers.

I’m sure you don’t care, because you are a dishonest little f&#@.  But the next time your mother is complaining about not being able to afford things, just remember - you are part of the reason. 

And now that I have a completely new financial identity, this should be the end of our relationship.  I’m going to get back to the business of helping people save money, while you can go on your merry way destroying lives.

Sleep well and may the bedbugs devour you,

Mindi

What started as a simple request for 2 pumpkin pies for the Thanksgiving Feast for my sons Kindergarten class turned in to a full-blown baking day (with more to come tomorrow).  The bread will be cut in to slices and frozen, allowing me to have easy breakfasts on hand!

Pumpkin Pie:  sometimes it is the tried and true recipes that work the best. (the little pies are just the baked custard for the 2 people in his class with a gluten allergy)

Chocolate-Chip Cookies:  8 dozen/double batch (sssh!  Don’t tell my husband  that there are more - the rest are frozen in Ziploc bags so that they aren’t all eaten by tomorrow night)

Cranberry Orange Bread:  I had some dried cranberries that I wanted to use up and had hit a sale on Orange Juice! I omitted the nuts

Pumpkin Bread: 

This recipe is in the cookbook that came with my KitchenAid

•  
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil (I use applesauce instead)
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 can (16 oz) pumpkin
  • 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Beat together sugar, oil and eggs in bowl. 

Add pumpkin, flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.  Mix together,  Stop and scrape bowl.

Add water & walnuts and mix together another 20 seconds

Pour batter into two greased and floured 9×5x3″ loaf pans. 

Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Remove from pans and cool on wire racks

On the baking schedule for tomorrow?

Lemon Blueberry Scones, Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip cookies, Banana Bread and TONS of pancakes

This post is part of the Grocery Gathering hosted by BeCentsAble.  To find the best deals at your local store, please visit her site!

This is probably going to be the shortest Genuardi’s post that I have ever done.  Why?  Because the deals are NOT good!

Page 1

Coca-Cola or Pepsi 12-packs:  B2G2F

Sara Lee Frozen Pies:  BOGO

Edy’s Grand Ice Cream:  BOGO

Green Giant Canned Vegetables:  $.39

Red Seedless Grapes:  2 lbs for $3

Page 2

Hormel Black Label Sliced Bacon:  BOGO

Page 3

Lipton Tea:  $3.29 (use the $.60/1 from the 10/5 & 11/16 RP)

Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes:  10 for $10 (use the $1/2 from here and the $.40/2 from the October All You and the $1/4 from the 9/21 SS)

Page 4

Hellmann’s Mayonnaise:  2 for $5 (use the $.50/1 from the 11/16 RP)

Progresso 100% Natural Broth:  2 for $4 (use the $1 from the 10/5 and 11/16 SS)

Pillsbury Pie Crusts:  2 for $5 (use the $.60/2 from here and the $.50/2 from the 11/16 SS)

Page 5

Home for the Holidays Promotion:  Get $5/10 OYNO wyb $20/30

Pillsbury Cake Mix:  $.79 (use the $1/3 from the 9/7 RP)

Reddi Wip:  2 for $5 (use the $1/2 from the 11/16 SS, the $1 from the December All You,

Quaker Oatmeal:  $2.22 (use the $1/2 from here or from 11/16 RP or the $.50/1 from the 10/19 SS)

French’s French Fried Onions:  $3.29 (use the $.50/1 from the October Woman’s Day, BH&G, Family Circle, 11/9 SS and from here - yes - there are French’s Onions coupons in there with the cleaning products!)

Duracell Coppertop Batteries:  $5.99 (use the $1.50/1 from the 10/26 & 11/16 RP)

Scotch-Brite Scrub Sponges:  BOGO (use $1/2 from the 9/21, 10/26 & 11/16 RP)

Page 6

apparantly Genuardi’s has decided to charge the highest produce prices in the area this week

I run hot and cold on Christmas.  One day I am walking around humming “Joy To The World” and the next I’m yelling “THE KID IS A SCAM ARTIST!” when I hear that Christmas Shoes song (my friend and I agree that he probably sold those shoes on eBay because Daddy wouldn’t buy him any Bakugans!)

And it has been said that I have a slightly dry sense of humor.  Sahara-dry, actually. 

So when the publishers of “Christmas Sucks:  What to Do When Fruitcake, Family, and Finding the Perfect Gift Make You Miserable” (by Joanne Kimes) asked me to read and review the book, I jumped at the chance.  I love these kinds of books (I had little use for “What to Expect When You Are Expecting” and instead relied on “The Girlfriends Guide To Pregnancy” and “Pregnancy Sucks“, also by Joanne Kimes)

And this book delivers.

What does it deliver?  Practical advice as well as plenty of humor.  With chapters titled:  “Black (and Blue) Friday”, “Where to Store All the Crap” and “Damn That Martha for Making It Look So Easy”, there is plenty of advice to get you through the season..perhaps a little wiser and absolutely laughing a bit louder!  The best part of reading this book was that I realized that Ms. Kimes has written a whole slew of “Sucks” books. I’ll be placing an order for “Menopause Sucks” (for my mother), “Teenagers Suck” (for my sister) and “Dieting Sucks” (for me).

But back to “Christmas Sucks”….

Where can you get this book?  One place you can get it is RIGHT HERE.  I was sent an extra copy to give away to one of my readers.  To enter, simply leave a comment here with the one thing that you consider most Sucktastic about Christmas (c’mon - I don’t care if you are Clark W. Griswold - there is something about Christmas that you can’t stand!). 

Want to get the book before that?  It’s only $9.95 on Amazon  and eligible for Free Super Saver Shipping.

Entries will be accepted until Thanksgiving Day at 10:00pm (or whenever I return from my sucky long drive home from my sister’s house) at which point I will close the thread and pick a winner

Get a free sample of Kotex Lightdays Thins here

Get a free sample of Kotex Pads here (I think this is a re-set so if you got it before, you should be able to again) 

Get a free sample of Benefiber here (this IS a reset, so go ahead and get it again!)

Get Free Healthy Fall Samples here

Get a free sample of Glad Bags here

Get a free sample of Dove Cream Oil Lotion here (this is yet another reset!)

Get a free Guide to Controlling Diabetes here

Get a free Stouffers Reusable Grocery tote here (sign up for the club and you instantly get 100 points.  Donate 20 or more points to get the tote)

Get a set of 3 Firearm Safety DVDs here

Sign up for Free Baby Samples from Planning Family here

Get a free Wellcare tote bag here

Get a free sample of Carmex here (click on “Sign Up and We’ll Send you Stuff”)

Sign Up for Fun, Free Eco-Living Tips from Ideal Bite here 

Get a free Sample of Aquaphor Healing Ointment here (if you get dry skin in the winter, this stuff is WONDERFUL!)

Ever want to see your child on a Hallmark Card?  Hallmark has just opened a contest for the best Mother’s and Father’s Day cards.  The Grand Prize is $2500 with 16 Mothers Day and 12 Fathers Day finalists each winning $250.

To enter, click here and simply upload a picture of your child along with your catchiest caption.

Hey - even if you don’t win, it would be fun to see your child on the front of a card, right?

This post is part of the Grocery Gathering hosted by BeCentsAble.  To find the best deals at your local store, please visit her site!

Better late than never! One of my children caught the same stomach bug I had, so it’s been crazy (and messy) here.  Given the lateness of this post, I’m just going to post the really good deals

Page 1

Reynolds Large Oven Bags:  2 for $4 (use the $1 from the 11/9 SS)

Giant Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast:  $1.99/lb (Acme is better this week, but only by $.20)

Birds Eye Fresh Frozen Select Vegetables:  10 for $10 (use the $.35/1 from the 11/2 SS)

Heinz Homestyle Gravy:  10 for $10 (use the $1/3 from here)

Page 2 - Flap (Gas Deals)

Gas Deal #1  Save $.20/gallon wyb 8

Skippy Peanut Butter:  3 for $5 (use the $1/2 from the 10/5 RP and/or the $.35/1 from the 11/16 RP)

Shedd’s Spread Country Crock:  $3.64 (use the $.35/1 from the 11/16 RP)

Shedd’s Deluxe Mashed Potatoes or Assorted other sides:  $3.99 (use the $12 from the 11/16 RP)

Lipton Tea Bags:  2 for $5 (use the $.60 from the 10/5 and 11/16 RP)

Ragu Pasta Sauce:  3 for $5 (use the $1/3 from the 9/21 RP or 11/16 RP)

Wishbone Salad Dressing:  2 for $4 (use the $1/2 from the 10/5 RP)

Hellman’s Real Mayonaise:  $3.49 (use the $.60/2 from the 11/16 RP)

Lawry’s Seasoned Salt:  $1.59 (use the $.50/1 from the 9/7 RP or the $1 from the 11/16 RP)

Gas Deal #2:  Save $.20 wyb 4

Wisk 2x Laundry Dtergent:  $4.49 (use the $.35 from the 11/16 RP)

Sunsilk Shampoo pr Conditioner:  $2.79 (use the $2/2 from the 11/16 RP)

Lever 200 Bar Soap:  $6.09 (use the $1 from the 10/5 or 11/16 RP)

Suave Professionals Shampoo or Conditioner:  $1.79 (use the $1/2 from the 9/21 & 11/16 RP)

Suave Anti-Perspirant:  $1.99 (use the $.75/1 from the 9/21 & 11/16 RP)

Lever 2000 or Caress Body Wash:  2 for $8 (use the  $1 from the 11/16 RP)

Page 2

Del Monte Tomatoes:  10 for $10 (use the $1/4 from the 11/16 RP)

New England Coffee:  BOGO (use the $1.50 from the 10/5 RP)

Page 3

Pillsbury Dinner Rolls:  2 for $5

Betty Crocker Specialty Potatoes:  10 for $10 (use the $1/2 from the October & November All You, the $.40/1 from my sidebar coupon printer and here and here and the $.35/1 from the 10/5 & 11/16 SS)

Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese:  4 for $5 (use the $.50/2 from the 11/2 SS)

AirWick Mini Freshmatic Kit:  $7.99 (use the $4 from the 11/16 SS)

Page 4

Hatfield Meat Hot Dogs:  BOGO (use the $1 from here)

In-ad coupon for $2 off ice cream wyb 2 cans of Reddi-wip:  use $1 Reddi Wip coupon from the December All You, the $.50/1 from the 11/9 SS) (Reddi Wip is priced 2 for $4)

Page 5

Jones Golden Brown Sausage:  BOGO (use $1/2 peelies that ALWAYS seem to be on these)

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls & Pizza Crust:  3 for $5 (tons of coupons to be found in the 10/5, 10/19. 11/2 & 11/16 SS, and here here here here

Fleischmann’s Yeast:  use the $.45/1 from the 9/29 & 11/2 SS)

Page 6

General Mills Chex Cereals:  4 for $6 (must buy 4) use $1/2 from the 10/5 & 11/9 SS and the December All You

Page 7

Progresso Broth:  2 for $4 (use $1 coupons from the 10/5 & 11/16

Stroehmann’s Dutch Country Bread:  BOGO (use the $.55/1 from the 9/21 RP)

Arnold Country Bread:  BOGO (use the $.55/1 from the 10/12 & 11/9 SS)

Page 8

no deals of note

Page 9

Bleh

Page 10

Only good price is the $1.79/lb broccoli crowns

I first heard of Swagbucks about a month ago.  The premise is simple:  You sign up and whenever you want to search the internet (for me, that means about 764,589,495 times per day), you either go to Swagbucks or use the handy seach toolbar that you can download to your browser window. 

And when I heard that, a warning bell went off in my head:  Adware!  Spyware!  Viruses Galore!

But then yesterday 2 frugal bloggers that I trust put up a post about Swagbucks and they both linked to another woman who has paid for much of her Christmas shopping through Swagbucks. 

Still nervous, I decided to try it.  I signed up with Swagbucks.  There are no fees, no giving them your credit card information.  You don’t even have to give them your address until you are ready to cash out.  You don’t even need to download the toolbar to use Swagbucks…you can do all of your searching directly from their site (just make sure that you are logged in before you start searching so that you get credit!).  I’ve run my Spyware & Anti-Virus program 4 times since I started and haven’t seen an increase in Adware/Spyware/Viruses (Virii?)

So how do you earn money?  Well, you actually earn gift cards.  You get 3 SwagBucks just for signing up and then each time you search you can earn more SwagBucks.  After just 45 Swagbucks, you can cash in for an $5 Amazon Gift Card.

A $5 gift card?  Whoopdedoo, right?  Well, if you have a blog, and you refer people, you can start earning more and more Swagbucks based on your referrals.  That’s how this woman just cleaned up with Swagbucks.

So give it a try and see if you can start earning some gift cards!  The way I figure it, I’m going to be searching the internet anyway - may as well try & get something out of it!