I'm back, I'm alive and ready to post. 

I took an unexpected leave of absence from the blog when alot of stuff was going on in our lives.  Been through alot, learned alot.  But everything is good, and ready to get Nice Pumpkins back rolling again.

I did learn through my hiatus that my stockpile was a godsend.  There were many times I could get to or didn't feel like shopping and I had my storage to use.  Unfortunately it took a little hit from that, and now I definitely need to replenish some things.

As for the finances well.......and I have to be honest.......they took a hit too.  I wasn't so good with the credit cards and the emergency fund when my stress increased.   But all you can do is get back on the horse and continue the journey (how cheesy).

So I now continue with the shopping, the couponing, CVS, the deals and back to the debit paying and savings plan.  Stay tuned...  

I went to SuperFresh on Saturday because they were having triple coupons. Been a while since I've been to one of those. And this one didn't work out too bad. I also got some meats, as we needed to stock up.

SuperFresh

2 boxes New York bread products $3.70 - .50 q tripled = $2.20 each
1 pack steaks $4.15
1 Weight Watchers cream cheese $2.59 - .75 q's = .34
2 pks chicken thighs $2.50 and $1.59
1 Blue Bunny ice cream $2.99 - .75 q's = .74
4 Newman's Own dressing $2.50 - .75 q's = .25 each
4 Tabasco sauce $1.89 - .75 q's = Free plus overage
1 Febreeze $2.50 - .75 q's = .25
1 Marzetti cole slaw dressing $2.99 - .75 q's = .74
1 Milk Way Bar = Free with coupon
1 Mr. Clean magic eraser $2.50 - $1.50 = $1.00
1 Oscar Mayer franks = Free with coupon
1 Velveeta cup $1.39 - .55 q's = FREE
4 McCormick spices $2.29 - .75 q's = .04 each

Total spent $20.45





Off to Vercchio's, the produce market, and then to ShopRite to finish up the deals.

Vercchio's
2 bags of tomatoes
3 bags of bananas
1 bag of apples
1 bag of Romaine lettuce
1/2 lb of swiss cheese
1/2 lb of corned beef
1 loaf of rye bread

Total $20.00

ShopRite
3 Land O Lakes lite butter $1.99 - $1.00 q's = .99
1 Land O Lakes Fresh Butter Spread .99 - .55 q's = FREE
4 boxes of Carolina rice .99 - .50 q's = FREE
3 Ocean Spray juices $2.77 - .55 = $1.77

Total $9.44


Total spent $49.89.

Gayle, who has a great website call The Grocery Cart Challenge, was the original inspiration to me to try a budget with my grocery shopping. Please check out her site, to see how she does it and how some others who also have decided to try her challenge.

I actually wasn't going to go to CVS this weekend because there were no good ECB deals. But then I went to a favorite site of mine The Thrifty Mama, where she posted that Clairol Natural Instincts haircolor was on sale for only $3.99 and there are $4.00 q's out there from an April RedPlum. I have been wanting to cover up the greys (yikes) for quite a while. I bought three boxes. Two of a nice honey brown color and one of a more striking red. I tried the honey brown today and I really really like it. So thank you so much Thrifty Mama.

3 boxes of Clairol haircolor $3.99
2 cans Campbell's tomato soup $1.00

Coupons
(3) $4.00 off any Clairol haircolor

Total oop $1.84
ECB's used NONE
ECB's earned ZERO

But I got free haircolor. So it was worth it.

Got to ShopRite nice and early today to get the super cheap trashbags and plates. Good thing I did. Got there around 8:30am and they only had four boxes of the trash bags left.

ShopRite

1 Rotisserie chicken $3.99
2 boxes Blue Bunny ice cream sandwiches $1.99 - $1.00 q's = .99 each
2 Tree Ripe OJ's $1.77 each
3 Eggland's best eggs $1.77 - .35 q's = $1.07 each
4 sets of Chinet casual plates $1.24 - $1.00 q's = .24 each set
3 Hefty trash bags $1.24 - $1.00 q's = .24 each
2 Hefty one zip bags $1.67 - $1.00 off 2 q's = $1.07 each
1 ShopRite aluminum foil $1.49
3 2000 Flushes $1.49 - $1.00 q's = .49 each
2 bags Goodlife dry cat food $4.99 - $3.00 q's = $1.99 each
3 ShopRite American cheese singles $1.49 each
2 Dannon Light N' Fit 6 pks $1.49 -.75 q's = .49 each
2 Light Silk soy milks $1.99 - $1.00 q's = .99 each
1 Kotex tampons $2.49 - $1.00 q's = $1.49
1/2 lb roast beef $4.15
1/2 lb Swiss cheese $2.64 (for the man's lunch on school days)

Total $41.86

Gayle, who has a great website call The Grocery Cart Challenge, was the original inspiration to me to try a budget with my grocery shopping. Please check out her site, to see how she does it and how some others who also have decided to try her challenge.

Because we took a few weeks off from shopping and lived off our stockpile, the last of my ECB's were going to expire. So my husband needed a few things and I let him use the last of them up to keep his out of pocket low.

So now here we are back to the beginning, no ECB's and having to build them back up from scratch. The great thing is holiday weekend's are the best time to build them back up. CVS tends to have lots of great Free after ECB deals on holiday weekends. So I picked several items I had coupons for, had to pay way more than I usually do out of pocket. But now I will be back in the swing of paying very little in the future.

1 Revlon nail polish $3.99
1 Playtex Sport tampons $3.99
2 boxes Band Aids $2.99 each
1 Clearasil face wash $3.99

Coupons
(1) $1.00 off any Revlon product
(1) $1.00 off any Playtex Sport
(2) $1.00 off any Band Aid product
(1) $1.00 off any Clearasil product

Total oop $13.65
Total ECB's earned $13.99