How To Plan A Menu

April emailed me and asked what resources I use to plan my weekly menu, so I thought I'd share my answer on here.

I have a handful of favorite resources:

• Fix, Freeze, Feast - a cookbook full of recipes with bulk portion sizes, so you eat one and freeze one (or two) with each recipe. Fantastic!

• Fix-it And Forget It - a book of nothing but slow-cooker recipes. The crockpot is my friend when I work, and also in the summer when it's hot.

• Recipezaar.com - simply type an ingredient you have on-hand and this site will give you all the recipes you could make with it. Type in 3 ingredients and it'll do the same thing! Complete with reviews and comments and pictures - entirely user-contributed. One of my favorite web sites to "surf."

• OrgJunkie.com - find TONS of weekly menu plans here from other blog moms/wives. Thinking it up is the hardest part, right? See what everyone else is cooking for dinner this week.

{recipezaar.com, #240744}

New Swagcode

New Swagbucks code for 1 Swagbuck,
good until today (7/27) at 4 PM MST:

Link to Code
(it changes with each refresh)


For new accounts, enter code NEWBIE to start out with 5 Swagbucks!

Walmart Deals - Huggies Flushable Wipes

I swung by Walmart on Saturday and picked up some Huggies Flushable Wipes with the recent coupon. My Walmart must have already clearanced the "Cleanteam" wipes because they had the "Pullups" wipes already out. But at $1.64 each regular price, it was still a great deal!

$1.64 Huggies Wipes
$1.64 Huggies Wipes
$1.64 Huggies Wipes
$1.64 Huggies Wipes
$1.64 Huggies Wipes
$1.64 Huggies Wipes
$1.64 Huggies Wipes
$1.64 Huggies Wipes
-$3/2 MFQ (SS 7/19)
-$3/2 MFQ (SS 7/19)
-$3/2 MFQ (SS 7/19)
-$3/2 MFQ (SS 7/19)
= $1.12 + tax
(Saved $12.00.)

Fourteen cents each after coupon! Not bad for wipes!

School Supply Deals 7/26 - 8/1

(will price match!)

$0.25
Elmer's 2-pack washable glue sticks
Elmer's 4-ounce washable glue
Crayola 24-pack crayons

$0.15
70-sheet notebook, college or wide
2-pocket folder

$0.50
Mead Trapper 70-sheet notebook
Mead Trapper folder

$1.00
Dixon 24-count woodcase pencils
Crayola 12-count colored pencils
Crayola 10-count markers
Bic Cristal 10-pack pens

$1.50
Bic 10-pack mechanical pencils

$2.00
Avery 1" Durable Standard binder

(will pricematch!)

$0.50
12-ct Papermate Eagel pens
Roseart 8-ct washable watercolors
Book cover, jumbo or standard size
3-ring pencil pouch
Pencil box, pink or blue

$1
Mead 1-subject poly notebooks, wide or college
2-ct Sharpie fine or ultrafine markers
Elmer's 6-pack washable glue sticks

$2.50
3-pack Scotch Magic tape
3x3 eM Post-it notes

$3
9-ct Sharpie highlighters

$4
Sharpie 10-ct permanent markers

$5
Crayola 50-ct Supertips markers
Crayola 120-ct Crayons


3/$0.59 Penway 2-pocket folder with prongs
3/$0.99 Penway 1-subject notebook
3/$1.99 Penway composition notebooks
3/$1.59 Penway Filler Paper
$0.99 Paper Mate Pens 2-pack or 4-pack

3/$1.99
5-inch scissors
2-pack Sharpie markers
24-pack Crayola crayons
splash poly portfolio
3-pack mechanical pencils
12-pack colored pencils
3-pack glue stick
Carry-all pouch

3/$0.99
5-pack insertable tab dividers
10-pack sheet protectors

3/$2.99
Dry Erase Markers, 4-pack

$0.39
Scotch bubble mailer
Penway protractor
Penway pencil or pencil/crayon sharpener
Penway pencil case
Penway index card case

3/$0.99 Mead 1-subject 7-page notebook*
3/$0.99Harvard Square or Pentech #2 pencils, 10-ct
2/$4 Hannah Montana licensed school accessores
4/$3 20-ct #2 pencils, construction paper, Elmer's glue
$1.00/2 Bic Mini Grips Pencils. Details HERE.
2/$6 Locker padlocks. Details HERE.

BOGO50% Sharpie markers & highlighters
BOGO Envelopes, writing tablets or index cards
BOGO Classmate binders or Harvard Square notebooks
33% off all binders, book covers, mini backpacks, wall calendars, day planners
50% off Wescott schol supplies (scissors, sharpeners, protractors)

Don't forget to use the $2/10 purchase or $5/25 purchase coupons!

*Purchase $10 of Mead products all month long, get $1 SCR.


$0.25
5-pack BIG Matic Grip assorted mechanical pencils
4-oz elmer's non-toxic school glue
Staples manual pencil sharpener
12-pack Staples cap erasers
100-pack Staples 3x5" white ruled index cards
Assorted slider pencil cases

2/$3
3-pack Expo click low order retractable markers
3-pack Avery glue sticks
Staples rubber grip 1-hole punch
24-pack Ticonderoga #2 pencils
3-pack Staples invisible tape, 50 yards
3-pack Pilot Frixion erasable highlighters
2-pack Westcott 5" scissors
Assorted Staples mini staplers

Target Deals 7/26 - 8/1

Be sure to check out the new section of back to school coupons on the target website, in addition to their "regular" coupons!

5/$9 Smart Ones frozen meals (buy 10)
-$1 TQ x 10
-$4/10 MFQ HERE (or $1/5 HERE)
= $4.00/10 == $0.40 each!

Get a FREE $10 Target GC with any new or transferred prescription using the in-ad coupon.

$1.75 Kellogg's Cinnabons (new markdown)
-$1 MFQ HERE
= $0.75

$2.38 Softsoap Shower Gel (new markdown)
-$2 MFQ HERE (use zip code 45435)
= $0.38

$3.38/2 Kellogg's Pop Tarts, 8 ct
-$0.75 TQ x 2
-$1/2 MFQ (RP 6/7)
= $0.44 each wyb 2

$1.00 Kashi Cereal Cups
-$1 TQ
= FREE

$2.08/4 Kraft Mac & Cheese
-B3G1 MFQ (SS 6/28)
= $0.39 each wyb 4

$3.64 Degree Fine Fragrance Body Mist
-$2 TQ
-$1.25 MFQ (RP 5/17)
= $0.40

$1.02 Heinz Vinegar
-$0.50 MFQ HERE
= $0.52

$1.29 Johnson's Baby Cotton Swabs
-$1 MFQ (RP 4/26)
= $0.29

$0.63 Purina Mighty Dog Dog Food
-FREE can coupon (SS 7/26)
= FREE

$3.59 Hefty One Zip Fresh Extend Bags, gallon size
-$1 TQ
-$1 MFQ HERE
= $1.59

Walgreens Deals 7/26 - 8/1

$6.49 Tide liquid, 20 - 40 loads
-$1 RR
-$1 MFQ (P&G 7/5 or Year of Savings booklet)
= $4.49

3/$10 Wheat Thins, Ritz, Cakesters, and Saltines
-$3 RR
-FREE Wheat Thins wyb Ritz (SS 5/17)
= $3.67/3

$19.99 Claritin Allergy Relief
-$3 RR
-$4 MFQ HERE
= $12.99

$14.99 Conair Gel Grips Hair Dryer
-$10 RR
= $4.99

2/$5 Smart Balance/Deerfield Farms Butter
-$1.00/2 MFQ (RP 6/21)
= $4.00/2

BOGO Got2B Styling products - Buy 1 @ $5.99 get 1 free.
-$2.50 MFQ HERE x 2
=$0.99/2

$3.99 Goody Ouchless Hair Accessories
-$3.99 Mail In Rebate (form prints at checkout)
= FREE

2/$5 Oral-B Dental Care
-$2 RR
-$1.00 MFQ Oral B (P&G 7/5) x 2
= $1.00/2

2/$5 Crest Toothpaste
-$0.75 MFQ Crest (P&G 7/5) x 2
= $1.50/2

Rite Aid Deals 7/26 - 8/1

Don't forget to use the $5/25 Rite Aid coupon that expires 8/31!

This week is the beginning of the August rebates. Check out the new SCR booklet HERE.

$0.99 Ajax Dish liquid
-$1.00 MFQ HERE (use zip code 85712)
= FREE

2/$4 Bic Mini Grips Pencils, 5 ct
-$2 SCR wyb 2
-$1/2 MFQ HERE
= $1.00/2

2/$5 Kotex pads, pantiliners or security tampons
-$2 SCR wyb 2
-$1 MFQ (SS 6/14, SS 7/19) x 2
= $1.00/2

2/$4.74 Lady Speed Stick
-$2 in-ad coupon
-$1.50 MFQ HERE (use zip code 33907) x 2
=$0.26 profit!

2/$6 Herbal Essence Haircare
-$2 SCR wyb 2
= $4.00/2

2/$8 Master Lock padlocks
-$2 SCR wyb 2
= $6.00/2

BOGO50% Sharpie Markers. Purchase two any variety 3 ct and get a $2 SCR (#73).

40% off Neutrogena Cosmetics this week. Buy $50+ and get a $25 GC (SCR #132). Use the $3 MFQ (RP 6/21) for cheap cosmetics!

All Rite Aid tape is BOGO this week (found in the school supply seasonal aisle). Purchase two of either the 2 Side It Tape or Invisible Tape 3-pack and get a $3 SCR (#78). Also use this coupon for $2 off any $10 Rite Aid brand purchase. Cheap tape!

All Rite Aid glue is BOGO this week (found in the school supply seasonal aisle). Purchase three of the 5 oz liquid glue or 2-pack and get a $1 SCR (#87). Limit 2.

Scenario #1:
$0.99 Glue 2-pack
$0.00 Glue 2-pack (BOGO)
$0.99 Glue 2-pack
$0.00 Glue 2-pack (BOGO)
$0.99 Glue 2-pack
$0.00 Glue 2-pack (BOGO)
$3.50-ish Rite Aid Tape
$0.00 Rite Aid Tape (BOGO)
$3.50-ish Rite Aid Tape
$0.00 Rite Aid Tape (BOGO)
-$2/10 RAQ
= $8.00
(And get back $5 SCR)