Thrifty Thursday: Our first vacation on the Dave Ramsey plan

I guess if we were COMPLETELY following the Dave Ramsey plan, we wouldn’t have gone on vacation at all because we’re only on “Baby Step 2” which is the debt snowball phase, but I have great memories of family vacations growing up and I think it’s important to have those same experiences with my kids. Plus, we have season passes to Sea World that we had purchased prior to starting our Dave Ramsey plan and I couldn’t let them go to waste!

In addition to the fun that we had together as a family, one of the great things about this trip was that we paid for it entirely using cash and we managed to come home with $140 in cash!! In the past, when we have gone on vacations, we had a great time, but we would come home knowing that we had overspent and dreading that credit card bill. This time around, the only thing we were dreading was having to catch up on laundry.

Here are a few tips for helping you stay within your budget on a vacation:

*Check out Ebates – I’ve been an Ebates user for over a year now, but I didn’t realize that you could also book hotels through the site until recently. They have links for a number of popular hotel chains including Best Western, Choice Hotels, Holiday Inn, Marriott, and Wyndham Hotels and the cash back is typically between 1-3%. They also have links for a number of popular discount travel services such as Priceline, Orbitz, Hotwire, and Hotels.com as well as links for a number of airlines such as Southwest Airlines and Delta Airlines.

*Invest in gift cards – We bought gift cards to pay for our hotel from a local grocery store and earned discounted gas for doing so. You can also earn gift cards for air travel from Swagbucks (Delta and US Airways miles and Southwest Airlines gift cards). In addition, check out Mypoints.com and Epoll.com to earn gift cards for popular restaurants. We used a number of gift cards that I had earned from various websites to help offset the cost of meals.

*When choosing a hotel, look for locations that offer a free breakfast or have kitchens in the room. This also helps to cut down on out of pocket expenses for food. If your room has a kitchen, visit a local grocery store and at least prepare basics like breakfast and sandwiches on your own to save money.

*Take your own snacks. We have young kids, so snacks were a must have. We took a cooler with fruits and vegetables and our room had a small refrigerator. We also had crackers and other snack items. If you are visiting an amusement park or other attractions, check on their policies beforehand to see what kind of food you can take in with you. I took fruit, crackers, and juice boxes (for some reason at Sea World, you’re not supposed to take the straws in) in a backpack to keep the kids going until we left for lunch.

*Consider season passes or city passes to maximize savings. Check out this article here for more information.

For more ideas about how to have summer fun on a budget, check out these articles here.

Menu Planning Monday: My menu for the week of 7/12


SUNDAY:

Breakfast/lunchvacation (on the road)

Dinnerfrozen pizza (DiGiorno thanks to the Kroger deals!)

MONDAY:

BreakfastEggos Bake Shop strawberry twists and blueberry muffin tops

LunchTurkey and cheese sandwiches

DinnerParsley parmesan chicken (we were supposed to have this last week, but it didn’t happen, so it was nice to be able to pull it out of the freezer to eat)

TUESDAY:

BreakfastCold cereal

LunchMini pizzas (the kids love this – we use English muffins and they get to pick their own toppings and assemble them – since the English muffins are BOGO free at Kroger, it was perfect!)

DinnerChicken Penne Pasta Bake – I found this recipe on Our Little Somethings

1 pkg. whole wheat penne pasta
1 pkg. spinach leaves
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tsp. dried basil leaves
1 jar spaghetti sauce (i used the bottom of a can that i had, and also a small can tom. sauce)
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup mozzarella cheese shredded (I had cheddar and it was yummy)
Grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oven to 375F. Cook pasta. Cook and stir chicken and basil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Dice chicken then add sauce and tomatoes; bring to boil. Simmer 3 minutes. (the original recipe adds 2 oz of cream cheese here, i’m sure it would be yummy, i didn’t use it). Add spinach (chop if desired) and let it cook down. Mix drained pasta and chicken mixture. Pour half of pasta into baking dish, sprinkle cheese. Add remaining pasta, sprinkle cheese. Add Parm. cheese as desired. I actually topped with some feta cheese. Bake 20 min.

WEDNESDAY:

BreakfastStrawberry and Cream Cheese French toast – This one comes from Favorite Family Recipes (this has to be made the night before)

1 loaf french bread, cut into 1 inch slices.
Whipped cream cheese

Spread cream cheese between two slices of bread, place sandwiched slices in a glass pan sprayed with cooking spray.

Mix together:
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Pour over bread and let sit for five minutes, turn bread over and cover pan with saran wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Drizzle melted butter over the top and bake at 400 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes.

Whipped Topping:
1 pt whipping cream
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. almond or amaretto flavoring

Top with strawberries mixed with sugar and the whipped topping.

LunchBaked chicken nuggets

DinnerSteak Stroganoff (slow cooker)

Ingredients:
2T flour
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp paprika
1 3/4 lb. boneless round steak
2 cans 10 3/4 oz cream of mushroom soup (I use 98% FF)
2 c. water (or 1 can 100% FF beef broth for more flavor)
1 envelope beef stew mix
4 oz can mushrooms, sliced and drained
1/2 c. sour cream
1 T minced parsley

Combine flour, garlic powder, pepper, and paprika in slow cooker. Cut meat into 1 1/2 inch strips. Place in flour mixture and toss until meat is well coated. Add soup, water, and stew mix. Stir until well blended. Cover and cook on low 6-7 hours. Stir in mushrooms, sour cream, and parsley and then cook on high 10-15 minutes until heated through. Serve over egg noodles. (Depending on the consistency of the sauce, you may need to add cornstarch to thicken or add more water/broth to thin)

THURSDAY:

BreakfastScrambled eggs & cheese

Lunch – Potluck/cooking group – I will be taking chicken enchiladas

Ingredients:
1 can cream of chicken soup (I use the 98% FF kind)
1 can cream of mushroom soup (I use the 98% FF kind)
2 cans green enchilada sauce
1 8 oz-16 oz. tub of sour cream (depends how spicy you want the enchiladas)
2-3 chicken breasts, shredded (if I’m in a hurry, I use canned chicken)
1 lb. cheese, shredded
1 dozen flour tortillas (you could use corn also)

Add cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, and enchilada sauce to a pan. Cook on medium low heat, stirring occasionally. When sauce is will mixed and starts to thin, add sour cream. Continue stirring occasionally until the sauce is well mixed and thinned out. Place a layer of the sauce along the bottom of a 9X13 baking dish. Fill each tortilla with the shredded chicken, sauce, and cheese. Roll and place in the baking dish. When you have filled all of the tortillas (this should make 1 dozen), pour the remain sauce over the top of the enchiladas and then cover with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is well melted.

Dinner

FRIDAY:

BreakfastPancakes

LunchCheese quesadillas

DinnerChicken divan

For dessert, I’ll be making banana pudding

INGREDIENTS

* 8 ounces sour cream
* 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
* 1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
* 2 cups whole milk
* 1 (16 ounce) package vanilla wafer cookies
* 4 bananas, peeled and sliced

DIRECTIONS

In large bowl combine sour cream, whipped topping, pudding mix and milk. Stir well. In the bottom of a trifle bowl or other glass serving dish, put a layer of cookies, then a layer of pudding mixture, then a layer of bananas. Repeat until all ingredients are used. Refrigerate until serving.

SATURDAY:

BreakfastPop Tarts!

Luncheat out as a family? or sandwiches

DinnerBBQ chicken sandwiches in the crock pot – This recipe comes from Recipezaar.com.

Ingredients:
1-2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
1 (18 ounce) jar of your favorite BBQ sauce
1 medium sweet onion, sliced
4-6 hamburger buns

Remove all visible fat from the chicken and toss it in the crock pot. Place the onion slices on top of the chicken. Pour the barbecue sauce over top. Cook it on LOW for 8 hours or until the chicken is nice and tender. Shred the chicken with a fork and knife; scoop the mixture onto the bottom buns and top it with the top buns.

Another reason to love Target: Price matching!!!


If you’ve been reading my blog for long, you know that I’m a big Target fan. I’m lucky enough to have one that is just minutes from my house and for the most part, pretty coupon friendly.

For the most part, I shop at my local grocery stores because several of them will double and triple coupons and they offer a number of other great promotions that make it worth my while. Every now and then, though, some of the stores that I don’t shop at as often (I’m fortunate also in that I have five different grocery chains in proximity to my house) has a killer deal and with two kids in tow, it’s not always easy to go to an extra store for one or two items.

I know a lot of you price match at Walmart and now Target has introduced price matching! I almost missed this in my ad because the print was so small and in the center of the page. Here are the details: “We’ll match the price found in any competitor’s printed ad for an identical product. Applied to current, local print ads for in-store products. See guest services for details.” I know that Walmart will allow you to buy their store brand of items as a substitute when a store is offering a deal on their store brand products. I’m not sure how this will work with Target yet, but I am excited 🙂

For the rest of the Target deals for the week, check out this post here.

Free Portrait Package at The Picture People

My kids are about due to have some new pictures taken. I like to try to do this every 6 months or so when I find a deal! You can’t beat “free” for a deal!

Here’s the scoop:

Click here to print a coupon for a free portrait package. The package includes one 8X10, two 5X7s, and 8 wallet-sized photos of the same image.

Click here to find a participating location near you.

Here’s the fine print: A portrait package consists of one 8×10, two 5×7’s and eight wallet sized portraits of the same image. Not valid on existing orders, portrait sheet reprints, enhancements or special orders. Offer valid in-studio only. Coupon cannot be used in combination with this or any other offer and must be presented at time of session/purchase. Limit one coupon redemption (this or similar offer) per person (individually and/or as part of a family/group). Limit one offer per family/group during event period dates (07/08/09 – 07/25/09). Offer expires 07/25/09. (C) 2009 The Picture People. All rights reserved.
Email Code: SGCEA (Free Portrait Package)

Thanks to Golden for the heads up on this deal!

CVS deals for the week of 7/12


This week I’m going to combine my “deals” and “scenarios” post into one. If you are just learning how to shop at CVS, start here for some helpful tips.

Here are the deals that I saw for the week:

FREEBIES:

SCHOOL SUPPLIES – Sunday/Monday/Tuesday only:

*Caliber or CVS Pharmacy 1 subject notebook (70-80 sheets) – $.99, get a $.99 ECB (limit 2)

*Caliber or CVS Pharmacy 12″ plastic or wood ruler – $.99, get a $.99 ECB (limit 2)

*Caliber or CVS Pharmacy School Glue (5 oz) – $.99, get a $.99 ECB (limit 2)

*Caliber or It’s Academic 5″ pointed or blunt tip scissors – $2.99, get a $2.99 ECB (limit 2 per household)

*Paper Mate grip pens (8 ct) – $.99, get a $.99 ECB (limit 3)

All week freebies:
*6X8″ hardcover photo book – $7.99, get a $7.99 ECB (limit 5 – the ad says limit 1, but online reports state that the limit is 5)
**Disclaimer – these are not “easy” to make – check out this post on Nicole’s Nickels for tips on doing the photo books

*Gillette Fusion manual or power razor – $7.99, get a $4 ECB (limit 1) – look for gift packs (they have one bonus cartridge, a shampoo, and a shave gel) that are also ringing up at $7.99!
$4/1 Gillette Fusion manual or power razor – 6-7-09 PG
$2/1 Gillette Fusion razor, any – P&G Year of Savings Booklet

*Tylenol Arthritis or 8 hour (20-24 ct) – $3.99, get a $3 ECB (limit 3)
$2/1 Tylenol Arthritis – 5-17-09 RP
$1/1 Tylenol printable here or here

OTHER ECB DEALS: (these are not all the deals – they are just the deals I will be doing)

*Gain 2X Ultra liquid laundry detergent (24-32 loads) – $5.99, get a $2 ECB (limit 1)
$1/1 Gain detergent, any – PG Year of Savings book

*Kotex lightdays 40-64 ct, pads 14-24 ct, or tampons 18 ct – 2/$7, get a $2 ECB (limit 3)
$1/1 Kotex printable here
$1/1 Kotex product, any – All You Magazine (June issue)
$1/1 Kotex pads – 6-14-09 SS

*Milk – $2.69, get a $1 ECB (limit 1) – this may be regional, check your ad

BOGO FREE DEALS:
*Almay cosmetics
*Colgate toothpastes
*CVS Pharmacy Power Flash digital camera
*CVS Pharmacy Vitamins/minerals
*Edy’s/Dreyer’s ice cream
*Purex
*Revlon foundation, powder, blush, concealer, or eye

OTHER DEALS:

*Huggies diapers or Pull Ups – $8.99
$2 Huggies CRT
$3/1 Huggies Pull Ups printable here
$3/1 Pull Ups printable here
$1.50/1 Huggies diapers – 6-21-09 SS insert

Scenarios through Tuesday for those who are “new” to shopping at CVS or who have very few ECBs to start with: (these are just ideas….you do not have to follow this exact order and you can skip some items if you do not need them or don’t have the coupons that match up with them)

Transaction #1:
Buy 2 Papermate pens – $.99/each

Spend $1.98, get a $1.98 ECB

Transaction #2:
Buy scissors – $2.99

Use $1.98 Papermate ECB

Spend $1.01, get a $2.99 ECB

Transaction #3:
Buy Gillette Fusion razor – $7.99

Use $4 Gillette coupon
Use $2.99 ECB from scissors

Spend $1, get a $4 ECB

Scenarios after Tuesday:

Transaction #1:
Buy Tylenol – $3.99

Use $1 Tylenol printable

Spend $2.99 OOP, get a $3 ECB

Transaction #2:
Buy Gillette Fusion razor – $7.99

use $4 Gillette coupon
Use $3 Tylenol ECB

Spend $.99 OOP, get a $4 ECB

My scenarios:

Transaction #1:
Buy 1 scissors – $2.99
Buy 2 Glue – $.99/each
Buy Gillette Fusion razor – $7.99
Buy Gain – $5.99

Use $5 Gillette coupon (I got this from a home mailer)
Use $1 Gain coupon

Total before coupons = $18.95

Total after coupons = $12.95, earn $10.97 ECB

Transaction #2:
Buy 3 Tylenol – $3.99/each
Buy 2 Excedrin – $6.99/each
Buy 1 Glade – $.99
Buy 1 Huggies Pull Ups – $8.99
Buy 1 milk – $2.69

Use 3 $1 Tylenol coupons
Use $2 Excedrin CRT
Use $2 Excedrin manufacturer’s
Use $1 Excedrin manufacturer’s
Use $2.50/10 pain reliever CRT
Use $1 Glade CRT
Use $2 Pull Ups CRT
Use $3 Pull Ups printable

Total before coupons = $38.62

Total after coupons = $22.12 (pay w/ ECBs), earn $10 ECB – I am losing ECBs, but these are all things I need

(I haven’t decided yet if I am going to attempt the photo books…..it took me forever to do them last year, the stores around me ran out of books, and it’s not easy to do with kids along)