You all know I am a frugal gal. I get excited by the possibilities that thrift stores hold, coupons for items that are already on sale at the supermarket not to mention the coupons in my Citipass book that offer Buy One, Get One. Seeing that I like to share with others when I find deals. Diana threw out the genius idea that I should do a Frugal Friday post and when she mentioned it, I loved it.
So I present my frugal finds for the week:
BOGO Palermo’s Pizza at Harris Teeter 2 for $7.49, which equals four meals for me.
Tip: If something like frozen pizza is buy one, get one, I will buy it 99% of the time. Frozen pizza is perfect in a pinch when you don’t have the time to cook (or just don’t feel like getting creative in the kitchen) and for when you have unexpected company over. To get the most use out of it, I will bake in the oven, have half and eat with a salad, veggies or some other kind of side dish so I will have a full belly and the other half to enjoy the next day.
Emerald Trail Mix–$1.29 a bag. I’ve never tried these flavors before but for that low of a price, I am willing to give it a go
Tip: My supermarket has cart sales every now and then where they put discontinued or seasonal items in carts in the front of the store at discounted prices. I always make it a point to sift through the items and see what they have, you never know what you may find. I try to look for items I am familiar with or ones I am wanting to try. I never buy items that I have no clue how to use or don’t think I will use but if it’s something like trail mix, it’s the perfect food to portion out into single serving baggies and carry around with you!
Rice A Roni Whole Grain for $.74. Perfect to pair up with chicken and a veggie which in turn, I can get two meals out of.
Tip: Piggybacking on the tip above, if a staple like rice or pasta is on sale (and doesn’t cost more than the regular priced ones that aren’t in the discontinued carts), I will buy it. You’ll be able to use it in a meal at some point in time.
Various bars—all under $.75 a piece. Instead of spending $1.50 or more per bar, I buy these in bulk and eat it with yogurt for breakfast or snack while on the go.
Tip: When buying items on sale like I do with the cart sale, be sure to check the expiration date. There’s nothing worse than thinking you got a good deal only to see the item is past its expiration (don’t worry, I checked these!)
Lean Cuisine $2 a piece. I am not the biggest fan of Lean Cuisine due to their portions and lack of flavor but I adore their pizza and sandwiches. These are great when you forgot to make lunch and don’t have anything in the freezer (which has been happening to me lately due to the holidays and traveling). When I have their meals, I like to add extra veggies to them or have a salad on the side.
Tip: Cross reference your local supermarket circulars! Nothing pleases me more than going through the Wednesday (the day that supermarkets typically start their sales) or Sunday papers and seeing what is on sale. Along with that I look through my coupons to see if I have any coupons for those items. Bonus if you’re supermarket does double or triple coupons!
Coupon from Food Should Taste Good for a free bag of chips. All I had to do was like them on Facebook and voila-they send anyone who liked them a free coupon. Their chips usually run from $3-$4 a bag so this will save me some money in the future.
Tip: With the world we live on, social media is crucial to companies in their success and getting the word out about their product. If you like a product, restaurant, etc. like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter. They tend to out push out special offers more often to their fans or followers.
Free Pastry or Sweet coupon from Panera via their MyPanera program. They have a mini card that you put on your key ring and each time you make a purchase you earn points
Tip: Many companies out their have incentive programs for your every day purchases plus give you a little something something on your birthday. Coldstone Creamery, Starbucks and Panera are ones I can think of at the top of my head but there has to be tons out there! Sign up for their email distribution of specials and offers, you never know what it can bring your way!
And there you have it, the first edition of Frugal Friday. I am passionate about saving money and finding the best deal out there on every day items. If you like idea for a post, please let me know and I will happily continue on with the deals I find throughout the week along with tips. I hope this and my tips help you get your frugal on! Another way to get your frugal on? Enter my Chobani giveaway–ends Monday!
Simply Shaka 