Kroger stores nation-wide are having another Mega Event sale, just in time for the big game day!  Buy 10 participating items and save $5 instantly at checkout when you use your customer card.

Thanks to Rebecca’s great list on PinchingYourPennies.com, I was able to find some great deals at my local Kroger-affiliated store this morning (Smith’s).  Here are a few examples of some of the items that are part of the sale (actual prices and items may vary):

(6) Pace salsa, on sale 1.99 (1.49 after promo, 1.29 after coupon)
(2) Hormel ChiliMasters chili, on sale 1.29 (.79 after promo, .04 after coupon)
(6) Hormel chili, on sale 1.29 (.79 after promo, .52 after coupon)
(12) Hunt’s canned tomatoes, on sale .98 (.48 after promo, .33 after coupon)
(20) Kraft Easy Mac cups, on sale .99 (.49 after promo)
(2) Kraft Singles cheese, on sale 1.99 (1.49 after promo, .49 after coupon)
(2) Silk Pure Almond milk, on sale 3.29 (2.79 after promo, 1.79 after coupon)
(2) Oscar Mayer Lunchables subs, clearaned to .99
(1) Wonder bagels, on sale 1.50
(1) Hillshire Farm Deli Select lunch meat, clearanced to 1.20
(2) New York bagel crisps, 2.99 (FREE after coupon)

All of the items except the bottom four are part of the Mega Event.

I used (3) .40/2 coupons for the salsa [see SS-12/5], (2) .75/1 printable coupons for the ChiliMasters chili [coupon HERE], (2) .50/2 printable coupons for the chili [coupon HERE], (4) .45/3 coupons for the tomatoes [see SS-1/23], (2) 1.00/1 printable coupons for the cheese [coupon HERE], (2) 1.00/1 coupons for the almond milk [see SS-1/16], and (2) Up to 3.99 Off printable coupons for the New York crisps [coupon no longer available].

I then got (5) $5.00 off credits for the Mega Event items (50 items total).

Total:  $35.71

Be sure to check the Kroger (or Kroger-affiliated store) list for your state on PYP, or you can use the fabulous list that Rebecca put together for Utah as a guide (most Mega Event items should be the same, but coupon info and item prices will be different depending on your location).

There are many reasons why you might want to learn how to "churn" your own butter – self-reliance, avoiding preservatives, just for the fun of it, etc.  🙂

It’s actually pretty easy (although not necessarily any cheaper than buying it already made).  Anyone remember doing this as an experiment in elementary school – passing around the glass jar with the cream and having everyone shake it until it turned into butter?

This is only my second time doing my own butter, but I thought I would take some pictures through the process in case it might help anyone else. 

Here’s the skinny on the butter-making.  The basic instructions?  Take your cream and whip (churn) it until you can no longer do so.  That’s it.  😉

I did mine in my KitchenAid, but you could also use a handheld mixer, or even do it by hand or in a glass jar (add marbles) if you wanted to.  The instructions below will assume you are using a mixer of some kind.  (If you’re doing it in a glass jar, just shake until you can’t shake any more.)

Start with this, just as if you were going to make whipped cream (but do not add any sugar or vanilla):

(I had actually whipped this for about a minute before I stopped to take a picture)

You’ll get to what they call the soft-peak stage:

Then the stiff-peak stage:

You’ll go through those first steps quite quickly.  Just keep whipping…

Then the cream will start to turn from white to a pale yellow:

It will start to look like really thick whipped cream (clotted cream anyone?) and will start to cling thickly to the sides of your bowl:

Keep going.  (You might want to stop every few minutes to scrape down the sides of your bowl.)  As you continue, you’ll start to see it turn a little grainy:

…and get grainier:

…and grainier.  And you’ll start to see a little bit of "shine" on the top – it will begin to look "wet":

(you can sortof see little spots of "shine" in the picture – that is the liquid being squeezed out as the fats and proteins coagulate)

It will start to look almost like bread crumbs or cottage cheese or when you cut-in butter to a crumb topping:

At this point you’ll want to turn your machine down a bit (I turned mine down from 10 to about 7 or 6) because it will start to spit liquid at you.  [These last steps happen very quickly, and you’ll go from the crumb topping look to a big chunk of butter in a puddle of buttermilk in about 5 seconds, literally.  If you’re machine is still zipping away at highest speed, you’ll slosh buttermilk all over the kitchen before you have time to turn it off.]

You’ll start to see more and more liquid accumulate on the top:

Keep going for another minute or two, at a medium speed, and watch carefully because in a matter of about 5 seconds it will go from the picture above, to THIS:

It will clump up all together in your whip attachment and you wont be able to whip it any longer.  You’re now done (with the churning part, that is)!

You can now either pour off the buttermilk and save it (think cornbread, buttermilk pancakes, buttermilk biscuits, etc.) or you can just discard it. 

With clean hands, press all of the butter solids into a ball.  Squeeze it a little to get more buttermilk to drain out. 

You can put it in a container in the refrigerator at this point, but I’ve read that it can still have buttermilk in it and that can tend to make it go rancid, so many places suggested to wash it. 

I filled my mixed bowl with <strong>cold</strong> water (if you use warm you’ll melt the butter) and then kneaded it a few times under the water.  Pour off the water, and repeat one more time, or until you feel like you’ve gotten most of the buttermilk out.

You’ll then end up with this:

I started with 2.5 pints of whipping cream, and ended up with 11.2 ounces of butter and just under 2 cups of buttermilk.  If you use heavy whipping cream (with a higher fat content) you’ll get slightly more butter.

The half-pints of whipping cream were .50 each on clearance after Christmas.  I used 5 of them, for a total of $2.50.  Extrapolating that out would give me the equivalent of 1 lb of butter for $3.63, definitely not cheaper than just buying it already made at the store.  BUT, I also got buttermilk out of it, so I think when you add in that I’d have to buy that at the store as well, I think I come out about even, maybe just a little higher than the store-bought option.

If you have a source where you can get shelf-stable boxed whipping cream (Ultra High Temperature pasteurized), like through Gossner’s here in Utah, you can use that in place of the fresh stuff from the store, with the same results.  However, you cannot use whipping cream that has been previously frozen (it denatures the proteins and fats and they will no longer coagulate or "whip" once thawed).

Have any of you ever tried making your own butter?  What advice would you give to us newbies?  Does anyone make specialty butters this way by adding additional ingredients?  I’d love to hear about some of the possibilities!
 

Become a fan of Lowe’s on Facebook and find out how you can save 30% on all in-stock vanities this weekend at Lowe’s!  (Offer valid on all in-stock vanities, but you must order online.  You can pick up in-store for free.  Offer valid until 11:59pm on Monday I believe.)

Lowe’s Facebook Page

Lowe’s has found some amazing support from Facebook fans, and they have definitely returned the Facebook love.  Did you hear about all the 90% off deals before Christmas?  No?  Well, make sure you become a fan on Facebook so you won’t miss out!  Last week’s Facebook special was a chrome metal 4-shelf storage unit for 37% off.  And then there was the 27-gallon snap-lid tote for only $10.  And then there were the lamps for 50% off.  Now on to some vanities!

If you’re out and about today shopping the after-Christmas sales, keep your eyes open for these:

Walmart

Gillette Fusion ProGlide Razor and Gift Set, 50% off, now 4.44

Use:  Gillette Fusion ProGlide Manual or Power Razor $4/1 (12-31-10) PG-11/28 or PG-12/26
Get them for .44 each!   Inside I found $7 worth of Gillette coupons.

They also had Old Spice Fiji gift sets for half off, some for 4.44, and the ones with the zippered bags for 7.48.

Use:  Old Spice Gift Set $2/1 (12-31-10) PG-11/28
Get them for 2.44 – 5.48!

Hello Kitty Razor Scooter

Holiday clearanced to $16.00!

Target

Look for the large cardboard bins of Scotch products by the gift wrap:

The 3-pack of GiftWrap tape is 50% off, making it $1.50.  BUT – most of the packages I ran into this morning had coupons attached to the back of them.  Find inside a coupon for:

$1 off Scotch scissors

These are 1.50 on holiday clearance, so .50 after coupon,

AND

$1 off Scotch PopUp tape

These are 1.00 on holiday clearance, so FREE after coupon!

(So, in the end, you get 3 rolls gift tape, 1 pair scissors and 1 PopUp tape for $2.00!  All these Scotch products were together in a large cardboard display bin by the gift wrap…)

Thanks to Target, Butterball and Disney, this week you can get a turkey, stuffing, roaster or 3-dish buffet, and a movie for around $30!!!

Target (SuperTarget) has Butterball frozen turkeys (10-24lb) on sale for .88/lb.  They also have an Oster 18-qt. roaster or buffet server on sale for $27.  Buy a turkey and one of the Oster products, and you will get a $15 Target gift card.  But wait, it gets better.

The 4-disc BluRay combo pack of Disney’s A Christmas Carol is on sale for 29.99.  If you buy a Butterball turkey and the combo pack together, you can submit your receipt for a $10 rebate from Butterball. And you can use a $10 off coupon from Disney. But wait, it gets EVEN better…

If you ALSO buy four StoveTop stuffing mixes (also on sale this week, .79 ea), you can use a $4 off coupon for the turkey and (2) $1 off coupons for the stuffing!

So, here’s what ya do:

Buy  (1) Butterball frozen turkey, .88 lb (for caculation’s sake we’ll assume you buy a 10lb turkey for 8.80)
        (4) StoveTop stuffing, on sale .79 ea
        (1) Oster 18qt roaster or buffet server, 27.00
        (1) Disney’s Christmas Carol BluRay 3D combo pack, 29.99

Subtotal:  $68.95 (before tax)
 

Use (1) Butterball Whole Turkey, any fresh or frozen $4/1 when you buy any combination of (4) packages of 12 oz. Heinz Homestyle Gravy, Pillsbury Crescent Rolls or Stove Top Stuffing Mix Box (12-31-10) SS-11/7
       (2) 1.00/2 printable coupons for the StoveTop stuffing (LINK or LINK)

       (1) $10 off printable coupon from Disney (LINK)

Final subtotal:  $52.95 (before tax), plus now you’ll get a $15 Target gift card and can submit your receipt for a $10 rebate from Butterball (LINK)

Net price:  $28 – $38 (depending on the size of turkey you buy)

So for about $30 – $40 you get a turkey, stuffing, a roaster or buffet server and the movie combo pack!!!

 Thanks to PYP member tightwadmomof5 for the awesome find!

 Victoria’s Secret is doing their Free Secret Reward Card promo again this year! 

 Here’s the scoop:  Buy $10 or more now through November 30, 2010 (either online or in stores) and receive a free   Secret Reward Card.  [One reward card per order.]

Then, redeem your Secret Reward Card anytime December 1-19, 2010 (in stores, online or by phone).  The value of your reward card will be divulged at checkout – BUT it will be worth AT LEAST $10.  And it could be worth $50, $100 or even $500!

Offer Details

www.victoriassecret.com

Just when you thought Smith's/Kroger was going to take a break from the string of great sales they've been having, they go and surprise us again with yet another Mega Event – and this one truly is MEGA!!!  There are some fabulous deals to be had! 

Buy 10 participating items and save $5 instantly at checkout.  There is a wide range of products for this one, and I've seen estimates floating around various sites that there may be as many as 200 or more participating items!  You'll definitely want to follow the forum threads for this one – there will be many items that are part of the sale that are not listed specifically in the various regional weekly ads, so watch the posts to see all of the deals that your fellow couponers here at PYP find and share.  And if you find a great deal on a participating item that isn't listed in your state's weekly list, make sure you post it so that others can benefit as well!

Here's what I picked up at Smith's this morning:

Items not part of the Mega Event sale –

(8) Granny Smith apples, on sale .79/lb

(2) bunches bananas, on sale .49/lb

(8) roma tomatoes, on sale .88/lb

(2) green leaf lettuce, 1.39 ea

Mega Event participating items –

(4) A&W 2-liters, on sale 1.29 (.79 after prmo)

(4) 7-UP 2-liters, on sale 1.29 (.79 after promo, FREE after coupon)

(11) Gatorade/G2 32oz, on sale .99 (.49 after promo)

(4) Propel water 24oz, on sale .99 (.49 after promo, 2 FREE after coupon)

(4) Ricola cough drops, on sale 1.00 (.50 after promo, FREE after coupon)

(5) Colgate toothpaste 6.4oz, on sale 1.50 (1.00 after promo, .25 after coupon)

(2) Colgate Total Pro toothbrushes, on sale 1.50 (1.00 after promo, FREE after coupon)

(1) Advil 24 caplets, on sale 3.00 (2.50 after promo, .50 after coupon)

(12) Campbell's Chunky soup, on sale 1.49 (.99 after promo, .49 after coupon)

(6) Heinz gravy 12oz, on sale 1.25 (.75 after promo, .42 after coupon)

(14) Kroger canned fruit, on sale .99 (.49 after promo)

(8) Nestle hot chocolate mix, on sale .99 (.49 after promo)

(2) Quaker CapN Crunch cereal, on sale 1.69* (1.19 after promo, .69 after coupon)

(4) StoveTop stuffing mix, on sale 1.25 (.75 after promo, .25 after coupon)

(20) Swanson's broth, on sale .99 (.49 after promo, .34 after coupon)

(4) Quaker Chewy granola bars, on sale 1.99 (1.49 after promo, .99 after coupon – each box has codes for 3 free music downloads!)

(4) Quaker instant oatmeal, on sale 2.59 (2.09 after promo, .09 after coupon)

(9) Pringles SuperStack, on sale 1.49 (.99 after promo, .49 after coupon)

(4) American Beauty pasta, on sale .99 (.49 after promo)

(8) American Beauty Quick Cook pasta, on sale .99 (.49 after promo, FREE after coupon)

TOTAL:  $62.89

I used coupons for almost everything.  You can see coupon information or links to printable coupons by visiting Rebecca's awesome weekly list HERE at PYP.

Remember that some prices may vary by region, but most of the participating items should be the same across the country.

I ran across this great article by Stacy Johnson on the web this morning. 

"7 Things You Should Always Buy Generic" – By Stacy Jonson, from MoneyTalksNews

They shot some video for the story, but his main arguments are made in the actual text of the article.  And I have to say, he makes some good points.

Of course, as avid couponers we know that they don't offer coupons on generics, and that MANY times we can get the brand-name items for LESS than the generic equivalent.  But in those cases where coupons are not available (milk, eggs, produce, etc.), or where we need an item and don't have a coupon at the time, Stacy gives some good reasons to pick the generic over a name-brand.

While I do try hard to save money and be as frugal as possible, there are a few items where (for me) I'm actually willing to pay a little more for a brand name because I feel there really is a difference in quality/taste/etc.  [I'm a toilet paper snob, and I don't mind paying a little bit extra for my beloved Charmin.  And I've tried lots of different brands of shampoo/conditioner, but for my hair, Pantene usually wins out every time.  I've recently given up store-bought cleaners in favor of one that I make myself and love just as much, if not more, but I'm still having a hard time giving up my dependance on fabric softener…]

What are some of the items YOU won't "compromise" on, even to save a few pennies?  And what are some things you've found work just as well in their generic form?  It there anything you'd add to, or remove, from Stacy's list?

ShopKo is currently offering their clearance items for up to 75% off.  This beauty above, a Dale Tiffany "Magnolia" table lamp, is listed online for $59.99 with just $5 shipping on all orders.  The original price is $199.99.  But wait – it gets better!

If you go in to your local ShopKo store, you may be able to score this little lady for $19.99 – yes, that's really $19.99!!!  That's 90% off!  

I saw several in two different ShopKo locations yesterday, all marked down to $19.99.

[If you find one and it doesn't have the 19.99 clearance tag on it, have them scan it at the register – mine still rang up at 19.99 in their system.  I even asked them to double-check that it was the correct price, and they said it was!]

You may have to scour the store (in one store they were on an endcap by hardware/sporting goods, and in the other store they were back with the exercise equipment) – but check in the lighting section first – you might get lucky and find one right there.  [And don't worry – of the four I saw, I only bought 1, so there are at least 3 left for others to grab!]  You can also check online and put in your zipcode to see if the item is listed in stock at a store near you.