One way that I have found to save a bit of money is to cook more from scratch. It takes a little extra time, but the money is worth it. Plus, food made from scratch are usually better for you.

Here are some average cost breakdowns:

Rolls: 40-46 cents per dozen for homemade vs. $2.50 per dozen from the bakery

Brownies: 95 cents a dozen for homemade vs. $4.00 for nine from the bakery

French Bread: 33 cents per loaf homemade vs. $1.50 per loaf from the bakery

Peanut Butter Bars: 96 cents per dozen homemade vs. $4.50 for nine bars from the bakery

Chocolate Chip Cookies: $1.00 per dozen homemade vs. $3.-4.00 per dozen from the bakery

Cake: made from a mix and homemade frosting $1.50 vs. $14-16.00 from the bakery

Another thing that I have done ever since I got married, 15 years ago, is making my own baking mix. Someone gave me a gallon bucket full and of homemade mix and I have kept it full!

Here is the recipe that I am currently using:

Homemade “Bisquick” for Biscuits and Pancakes

• 8 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/3 c. baking powder
• 2 tsp. salt
• 8 tsp. sugar (optional)
• 1 c. shortening

Directions: Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Store sealed in pantry or refrigerator.

To use with:

• BISCUITS – add 1/3 cup milk to cup of mix.
• PANCAKES – 3/4 cup milk to a cup of mix, and I like to add an egg also but the original recipe didn’t do that.

I actually add 3/4 cup powdered milk to the whole batch as I make up the mix; and then I just add water when I use it.

Here also is a muffin mix recipe, found on Taste of Home:

Ingredients

• 8 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup baking powder
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 cup shortening
• 
  ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 
  FOR CHEDDAR MUFFINS:
• 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon
• 2 tablespoons minced chives
• 
  FOR CINNAMON-RAISIN MUFFINS:
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Store in airtight containers in a cool dry place or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Yield: 4 batches (10 cups).
• To prepare plain muffins: Place 2-1/2 cups muffin mix in a bowl. Whisk egg and milk; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 425° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
• To prepare cheddar muffins: In a bowl, combine 2-1/2 cups muffin mix, cheese, bacon and chives. Whisk egg and milk; stir into cheese mixture just until moistened. Fill muffin cups and bake as directed for plain muffins.
• To prepare cinnamon-raisin muffins: In a bowl, combine 2-1/2 cups muffin mix, raisins and cinnamon. Whisk egg and milk; stir into raisin mixture just until moistened. Fill muffin cups and bake as directed for plain muffins. Yield: 1 dozen per batch.

As Seen On TV- Magic Chopper Vegetable, Fruit Slicer And Dicer
$4.99 + $4.99 shipping
RETAIL PRICE: $29.99
CONDITION: NEW
SHIPS IN: 1-2 Business Days


DailyCheckout.com LINK

This “smoking” (ha ha ha ha ha) deal has been confirmed at numerous Wal-Marts around the country and in the region. In fact, I haven’t heard of a single person who tried it and didn’t have it work. When you spend 98.00 or more on a patio set or grill at Wal-Mart, you will also receive a 50.00 gift card.

Some of the stores have signs advertising this deal, but I’ve received numerous reports that even at stores which do not have signs advertising it or clerks who know anything about it, the register will still prompt the cashier to give you a 50.00 gift card when you buy one of these items. That would make their cheapest patio set only 48.00 after gift card.

Happy grilling!

*Update* Some folks are reporting that when they try to check out they’re getting an error message indicating that there are no more free codes available but that when they click “my account” or check their e-mails, they see a coupon code there.

Today only you can get a coupon code for buy one movie ticket get one free up to a 14.00 value from Fandango. You must request the code today; however, you can use it anytime within the next two months. Here’s how to get it:

1. Go to Tropicana Juicy Rewards.
2. Register for an account or log in if you already have one.
3. Do at least two of the following to earn two points, the cost of the coupon.
4. Complete the survey you see right when you log in (1 pt.).
5. Enter codes FBOOK TROPI or MOMCE NTRAL or possibly BLOGG-HER11(1 pt. each).
6. Go back to the home page and click on the big sign advertising the Fandango offer.
7. Request and confirm your reward.
8. Save your coupon code and use it at Fandango some time before June 16.

Ten Tips for Planning Healthy Meals with Success

1. Just get started! Any plan, regardless of how good or bad it is, is better than having no plan at all. An easy way to start is to simply have a list on your fridge of meals that you can make with what you have on hand for the week.

2. Review the grocery ads. Planning your meals around 4 & 5 Star items will really help make your grocery trip more cost effective! If the local grocery store is having a sale on chicken breast. Reviewing the ads helps ensure you take full advantage of your store’s sales cycle.

3. Start your shopping list during the week by writing down items you need. By starting your week during the week and keeping a runny tally of things you need, you won’t forget them on shopping day. If I do forget something, I try to go without it so I can avoid a second or third trip to the grocery store and I feel I can save some money that way.

4. Shop around the edge of the store for healthy options and discount bins. The items around the perimeter of the store tend to be the fresher, less processed items. It’ll save you some money and you’ll have better nutritional options in those areas. There are healthy options all throughout the store, but they tend to concentrate on the edge of the store. Another thing that I have found at the stores I shop is that there are discount bins around the edges of the store – great deals can be found here. Use a shopping list — the lists available on Pinching Your Pennies are FANTASTIC!

5. Don’t bring your kids if you can help it. Grocery stores are designed to appeal to children, they keep all the sugary cereals and all the sweets at their eye level so they can beg and plead for them. IF you can help it try to go without them. I enjoy shopping without my kids – it gives me time to think!!!!!!!!

6. Keep your normal meals and create new meals by tweaking ingredients a bit. With pasta, for example, buy whole wheat instead. When thinking about rolls or biscuits, try making your own using whole wheat flour.

7. Cook ahead of time. Whether you make a couple of meals to freeze for busy nights or just make extra to freeze half, I have found it’s wonderful to know there is a home cooked meal sitting in the fridge or freezer. It’s a lot easier to defrost and/or stick something into the oven than to make a meal entirely from scratch!

8. Do what you can ahead of time. This kind of sounds like the one above, but here I’m talking about the daily preparation. Last night, for example, we had a chicken stir-fry. I washed and cut the vegetables in the morning as well as marinated the chicken so that everything was ready to go into the pan when I was ready. For my family – that hour before dinner always seems to be crazy with homework and extra curricular activities. It’s nice for me to have as much prep done as possible.

9. Use leftovers! Whether you rethink them and use them to create a new meal or just eat the same thing twice, this saves so much money! I even write leftovers into our meal plan each week as “Must-Go’s,” the things in the fridge that must-go. I know that we’ll have them to use and I want to make sure we use them. If you hate eating leftovers, but often have food leftover from your meal, just start making less at each meal. Learn how much your family really eats. One thing that my family loves is when we have left over rice, I make rice pancakes. You just mix in 1 egg for every cup of rice and cook them like you do regular pancakes. They are good topped with syrup or fruit.

10. Have fun and keep it flexible! A meal plan is supposed to be helpful to a simple and peaceful home, not an extra burden. Enjoy it! There are so many benefits to meal planning, especially giving you more time and energy to do the things you really want and need to do!

For a link to the Utah Smith’s shopping list, click HERE. If your local store is doing the Digital Reward promo, this offer may be available at your store as well!

For list and deal discussion, click HERE.

Catalinas are printing for Uncle Ben’s Rice dishes.

Uncle Ben’s rice dishes are part of the buy 10 get the digital reward promo seen on the shopping list, but aren’t on the shopping list because they aren’t advertised as part of the promo.

The ready to serve pouches and boxes of Long Grain and Wild Rice are $1.69 ea.

Scenario:
Buy 10 boxes Uncle Ben’s Long Grain & Wild Rice dishes (assorted flavors) $1.69 ea = $16.90

Use:
3 – Uncle Bens Long Grain and Wild Rice, any boxes $1/2 (5-23-10) RP-3/28
2 – Uncle Bens Rice products, any $1/2 (4-18-10) RP-2/21
(If you don’t have the coupons listed above, use a .75/2 printable from THIS LINK. )

Total = $11.90 out of pocket

Get three $1 OYNSO (valid just like cash on your next shopping order) checkout coupons at checkout = $8.90 + earn 1 movie ticket/downloads code.

This was tested with the boxed rice mixes but it might work with the pouches too.

Just one of the awesome tools here at PYP…ready-made shopping lists.  We scour grocery ads to find the best deals at many of your favorite stores, and match them with available coupons.   Check the list below and see if you find your favorite store!

1. Childrens Place Sale! Swimsuits only $8.50! Flip Flips only $2.25!

More info HERE

2. Brother PT-1090 Home & Family “Simply Stylish” Labeler $17 shipped! List $60

More info HERE

3. Artscow 10 Free 8*8 Photo Books! Pay shipping only: $7.99 each.

More info HERE

4. Free entrance fees at National Parks from April 17th to April 25th!

More info HERE

5. FREE Bagel every Friday at Einstein Bros! April 9th to May 22nd. OR $2 Tuesdays: Bagel, Shmear & Coffee 5/19.

More info HERE

6. Buy one get one free drink at Jamba Juice! Valid April 12th to April 25th!

More info HERE

7. $5 admission to Discovery Gateway! Valid for up to 4 people! Save $3.50 per pass!

More info HERE

8. FREE Starbucks Coffee: Thursday 4/15/10! Bring in a reusable tumbler and we’ll fill it with brewed coffee for FREE.

More info HERE

9. FREE Grilled Gourmet Taco at Rubio’s! April 15th ONLY!

More info HERE

10. P.F. CHANG’S TAX RELIEF! 15% discount ON APRIL 15th ONLY!

More info HERE

11. FREE Sample of MaggieMia Ice Cream Pizza at MaggieMoo’s on April 15th from 3 pm to 7 pm!

More info HERE

This 4-piece shower set is normally 14.99, but right now it’s on sale for 1.99. To snag this deal:

1. Go to Avon.com
2. Do a search for item number
   192-303

3. Add to basket.
   
4. If you order 5.00 worth of stuff (that would be at least three of these), you’ll get free shipping using coupon code 412FSD.
5. Enjoy!

Did you procrastinate your taxes?!  Don’t worry, there’s a solution to your problem!  Online income tax preparation services like H&R Block, Tax Act, and TurboTax.com can make the process very fast and painless. Don’t believe it? Follow these simple steps and see for yourself!

Open an account at either H&R Block, Tax Act, or TurboTax.com (if you don’t already have one).  If you’ve never used any of them, all are great companies and the service is very easy to use, so just choose the name you’re most comfortable with.  Each service offers editions that are priced according to the complexity of your return, so examine them carefully to find the one that will do what you need for the lowest price. Even though you have to choose one of the editions to open your online account, you won’t have to pay anything until you’re ready to either file your return electronically or prepare the final print-out.

Log into your account and make sure that all of your personal information is entered and ready to go. If you filed a return through that service last year, simply follow the instructions to import the required information into this year’s return. If this is the first time you’ve used an online tax preparation service, just follow the prompts to manually enter the necessary information from your hard copies of last year’s income tax forms.

Once all of your income and expense statements have been entered, the online tax preparation services will conduct a free automated review. This review will check for errors and for any possible deductions you may have missed. If all goes well, your online federal tax return will be ready to file.

For an additional fee, the services will import your federal tax data into a state tax return and guide you through a short process to complete it. The state tax return will then be automatically reviewed and verified.

When you’re ready to file your income tax returns, you can choose to file them electronically (e-file) or print them out and mail them through the post office. You’ll have to pay the online tax preparation service fee at this time.

If you file electronically, you’ll be asked to check back in a few days to verify that your returns were accepted by their respective agencies.

That’s it! You’re done for another year. Your tax returns will remain available in your account so that you can print additional copies if you need them. You’ll also be able to import the data into next year’s return. Get started doing your taxes NOW with one of these great online tax prep sites! H&R Block, Tax Act, and TurboTax.com.

1 in 20 wins a coupon for a FREE jar of PACE!

Enter codes found under the lids of specially-marked Pace jars and you could win a FREE jar!

(if you don’t have a jar, just click on the link to request a code. A pop-up window will give you a code)

Each player can win up to 5 prizes of Pace product during the promotion.

You will receive the coupon by mail

I won a jar on the first try!
Use this coupon for a FREE* jar of Pace Salsa, Picante Sauce, or Specialty variety. *up to $4

LINK TO OFFER

There is a new printable $5/$25 coupon for Rite Aid! Expires 4/30/10. Use it this week when scoring some great deals!