On and Poppin'

We received these at work! No commentary needed!

Shopping at Dollar General

I do not frequent Dollar General but they have bargains to recognize.

Using the Favado app (app explanation here), I was trying to locate the best deal on Chips Ahoy Thins, a new Nabisco product. The app led me to Dollar General. I had a manufacturer coupon for $1 off 2 packages.

To add to the savings, Checkout 51 (previous post about app here) had a rebate for 2 packages of Chips Ahoy cookies in the amount of $1.20. 

The ibotta app (previous post on ibotta here) also had a rebate More good news!

Here is the final breakdown: 

   $5.50 (2 packages of cookies)

-  $1 manufacturer coupon

= $4.50 out of pocket expense

-  $1.20 Checkout 51 rebate

-  $0.25 ibotta rebate

= $3.05 for 2 packages of cookies (or $1.53 each)

Homemade Version of Starbucks Breakfast

Even though, I earned a free breakfast at Starbucks (read more here), I had to wonder why I couldn't make this blueberry oatmeal breakfast myself. It's oatmeal, nuts, and blueberries. Not too complicated. 

And so I went shopping and got myself hooked up with the right ingredients. The Target Cartwheel app had a discount of 40% on Quaker Best Bowls oatmeal that I picked up on this shopping trip. My local market had blueberries. Done and done!

I added roasted sunflower seeds and agave syrup. Superb!

Caprese on a Stick

Caprese is one of my favorite dishes. Last time I made caprese, it was sliced tomatoes (read more here).  This time, I opted for vertical caprese stacks because anything on a stick is more delicious! 

Easy assembly by alternating grape tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and fresh basil. After the assembly is done, drizzle olive oil over the stacks. Add salt and pepper. 

Enjoy!

Salad for Dinner

We eat a lot of salad and like to vary the ingredients. Variety is the spice of life after all.

This time we used a green leafy lettuce and added grape tomatoes, carrots, chayote, fresh basil, roasted sunflower seeds, craisins, black beans, and shredded parmesan. 

Black beans are the secret ingredient this time. The can was only 4¢ after all (read more here). I drained the liquid the beans soaked in and rinsed them. I poured them on top of the salad at room temperature.

Nice addition and budget friendly!

Must Love Dogs

If this was the requirement, my 3 year old niece would pass the test! She loves dogs and all animals, as a matter of fact. 

She's about to join the prestigious "big sister" club (just like her favorite aunt). Our newest addition will be arriving in the springtime. 

Although the family lives far away, we plan to visit soon after the new baby girl is born. We must come bearing gifts and must not forget the big sister. I've given the gifts some consideration, but have not decided exactly what to give quite yet. I keep telling myself that I'll know it when I see it. 

On a recent bargain hunt to CVS and Walgreens, there was a lot of Valentine's merchandise marked 75% off still there. I wandered over and saw stuffed animals of all kinds with lovey messages. I love my niece and am already enamored with my unborn niece so this seemed very fitting. They even had dogs! I know my eldest niece will approve.

They were originally $4.99 and $6.99 and then marked down to $1.25 and $1.75 respectively. That is $3 total for gifts for both of my girls. It's a 3 way win: 1 for bargains, 1 for my eldest niece, 1 for my unborn niece. 

Shopping at Publix With Pennies

I have posted a lot about shopping at Publix (read more here).

Here is a quick and easy deal. Normally, certain cans of Bush's beans are 95¢ each. Not anything that is going to break the bank on a good day!

There was a coupon for 75¢ off 1 can. This week, Publix has the cans on sale for 79¢. 

Quick math = 4¢ for 1 can!!!

This is one of the few times I had enough cash.