FREE Valentines Day Gifts Giveaway Has Ended!

The Winner of My Valentines Day Giveaway of the
FIREPROOF DVD
and
2 Copies of the LOVE DARE book
is....

"K. Cleaver said...I'd love to win this for my husband and I."

Congratualtions K. Cleaver!! You have 48 hours to get back with me, or I must choose another winner! I am so excited for you!

Thanks everyone for participating.

More Publix....

2 more trips to Publix to record, mostly Goodlife cat food, but some extra for groceries.

Trip 1. $.66 OOP (I also got 6 bags of Goodlife) for 2 boxes Uncle bens rice for b1g1f @ $1.49 and used $1/2 coupon. Added tax (but think I added wrong, but too high, so whatever!) SAVED $26.49 according to receipt!
Trip 2. $1.63 OOP (I also got 5 bags Goodlife, most stores running low or out) for Melitta chocolate lava coffee (OH MY!) on clearance for $3.10, used $1/1 peelie and got overage from the Revlon emory boards for $1.89 (they took off whole coupon $2.50). SAVED $26.65 according to receipt!
Total OOP = $2.29 SOOOOO $857.86- $2.29 = $855.57 left in budget. WHEW!

CVS Madness!

I purchased a few coupons for $2.98 OOP = $885.82

At CVS this week I was doing lots of little shops. I wasn't finding all the things I wanted, but I had fun and did quite well. I've been using my gift cards (even my $50 milk one, sigh) up, but I still have many ECB to turn over. I didn't take pics, sorry! I just wanted to catch up my totals. I have been CVS'ing, and Publix'ing too. I wanted to get as many of the Goodlife Cat food at Publix for $.49 as I could. I have lots of coupons for $3 off and its on sale for $3.49 (ended yesterday). Pet food isn't out of my budget, but it's why I have all these little Publix shops I do. I get more coupons, or hear about another deal and I grab that too...
I just want to keep you updated on my budget, and me too!
2/6 Publix- OOP $14.01 (got 2 bounce for $1.63 each clearance for 105 ct) bleach, 2 w/w pita b1g1f, bag potat, 2 chex mix clearance, 2 Yoplus yogurt pks, 4 uncle bens rice, 1 grn juice, good stuff!
2/7 Publix- OOP $10.88 got 3 danimals 6pk yogurt, 2 more pita b1g1f, revlon nail clips free w/publix ad coupon, bananas 2lbs, Gallon MILK, 4 boxes miniwheat cereal, Great price!

Total OOP Publix $24.89... $885.82-$24.89 = $860.93 left

For CVS I was excited to get the Hershey dark bars for $1 each, used $1/1 coupons and got back $1 ECB for every 2 I bought. Not sure limit because I got 6 "sets" of 2 bars on my card and got ECB for all of them. Got a few on Hubbys card and neither said limit reached. Money maker! Also, the Dove deodorant invisible was on sale $2.29 each and get $2 ECB when you buy 2. JUST saw this today! So I run home to get my $1.50/2 dove coupons. I got 8 deodorants for $4.32 after ECB and that is only $.54 each!!! I LOVE this deodorant and rarely find it cheap, I was so excited! Probably will find it free next week, you know how it goes! LOL! Ok, used gift cards... but here is break down..

1. $.41 OOP = 6 extra dark hershey bar (no ecb small enough to use)
2. $2.66 OOP = 8 dove deo. 5 hershey bar
3. $.99 on gift card NO OOP = 3 single bath tissue 3/$1, 5 hershey, 1 cvs chewable asprin (free w/ecb), 1 instant enegery shots (free w/ecb), used ecb to pay and got ecb back too!
4. $3.12 on gc NO OOP= 3 cans cam. soup & 2 hershey bar, 1 3pk cvs paper towl, 1 excedrin ex/s 10 ct, 1 lipstick (free w/cvs $2/any cosmetic).
   
5. $2.37 on gc NO OOP= 2 glade candles, 2 glade oil candle refills, (got back $5 ecb and used Q's), 4 hershy bars, 2 Val sticker packs for daughters .99 ea, 1 clearance oil burner and oil (from Christmas only $1.50), 4 extra oil bottles .50 ea, fun stinky stuff for house!!!!

Total OOP is $3.07 and $860.93- $3.07 = $857.86
No pics, sorry! Was out late w/friend having food and coffee! :) (thanks friend!)

Warmth,
Tracey C.

Publix Cheap Cereal!

I got lots of cheap cereal this week at Publix with their Kellogg's B1G1F frosted mini wheats. I used several b1g1f peelie couons good on ANY Kelloggs cereal to get several free. I bought 8 boxes this trip, 2 boxes were "regular" cereal, not on sale for variety. I spent $4.51 cents on 8 boxes = $.57 each box!! Awesome! 2/5 OOP = $4.51 So $893.31 - $4.51 = $888.80 left in budget hee hee!

Valentines Day Giveway from $1200 Frugal Challenge 2009!!

This Contest has Officially Ended!

And the winner is.....

"K. Cleaver said...I'd love to win this for my husband and I."

Congratualtions K. Cleaver!! You have 48 hours to get back with me, or I must choose another winner! I am so excited for you!

Thank you so much for your interest and participation! I will post the winner of the contest Monday, Feb. 9th on my blog home page HERE.


So,
(You might be thinking)
What IS Tracey C. giving away for Valentines Day to one lucky couple?

I'm glad you asked!

I'm NOT just frugal!
I'm also thankful!
Thankful to God, my Heavenly Father, for blessing me
with a wonderful, loving, Christian husband!!
(I love you Honey!)

MARRIAGE
It isn't always easy.
Marriage can be blessed.
Marriage can also be very difficult.

I felt led to offer up this gift:
A copy of the

FIREPROOF DVD

AND
2 copies of the

LOVE DARE book

One for her, One for him

To ONE Couple

for Valentines Day.
~Open in the U.S. Only Please~

I wish I could bless you all with this gift!!
Please, if you have been considering taking steps to strengthen, improve, or even SAVE your marriage, take a look at the resources below.
If you do not win my V-day Giveaway???

Do NOT wait for someone to GIVE you
your marriage back.
Go & Get IT.

A FREE DEAL is GREAT!
But every deal costs us something....
TIME
EFFORT
ATTENTION

Doesn't our Spouse deserve the same?
Don't our marriages?
I think they do.

Look at the info!!!
If you want to enter the contest, and I hope you do, then scroll
down past the clip, the description of the movie and the description of the Love Dare book and see what you need to do.

This GIVEAWAY will end Sunday Feb. 8th, 2009 at 11:49pm Eastern Time Good Luck!

*Please Note: I am NOT affiliated with any of these websites.
I am not being compensated for this giveaway.
I am not earning anything from the links.
I am not profiting in any way.
(save for the normal giveaway traffic to my blog, which also is not profiting me in any way, LOL)

I simply want to bless others with this wonderful film and book
and maybe lead a few to strengthening their marriages!!
God bless you all!

Fireproof
THE MOVIE
The latest film from the creators of Facing the Giants and Flywheel, is now available on DVD! Starring Kirk Cameron, the Fireproof movie portrays the inspiring love story of a firefighter, his wife, and a marriage worth rescuing. At work, Capt. Caleb Holt (Kirk Cameron) lives by the old firefighter's adage: "Never leave your partner behind". At home, he lives by his own rules. His job is to rescue others. Now Caleb Holt has to face his toughest job ever, rescuing his wife's heart. Rated PG. Approx. 119 minutes.

Bonus Features:

• Making of Fireproof
• Commentary from the K. Brothers
• Fireproof Study Guide
• Rescued Clips: Deleted Scenes
• Trailers
• Fun Features:
  ◊ Fireproof in 60 Seconds
  ◊ Firegoofs: Outtakes
  ◊ Wayne on Wayne Mockumentary
  ◊ Firehouse Pranks: On-Set Fun!
• Ministry Tools

Exclusive Collector's Edition Features:

• Filming A Movie en 30 Days: em>Fireproof Video Blog
• Wayne's Firehouse Commentary
• Fun with Mr. Rudolph
• Casting Crowns Music Video: "Slow Fade"
• Safe Eyes

DVD Features:

• English, Spanish, Portuguese Language (Audio)
• English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Russian, Korean, and Arabic
• English Closed Captions (for the hearing impaired)
• Widescreen

The Love Dare from Mike Stecker on Vimeo.

WANT The Book?: The Love Dare

The Love Dare

By: Stephen Kendrick, Alex Kendrick

As featured in the popular new movie Fireproof, from the team that brought us Facing the Giants. Too many marriages end when someone says "I've fallen out of love with you" or "I don't love you anymore." "The Love Dare "discusses how these statements reveal a lack of understanding about the fundamental nature of true love. "The Love Dare "is a 40-day guided devotional experience that will lead your heart back to truly loving your spouse while learning more about the design, nature, and source of true love. Each reading includes Scripture, a statement of principle, the day's "dare," and a journaling area and check box to chart progress.

Buy the Book

OTHER RESOURCES:

Fireproof The Movie
(see the trailer, get resources for you or your church)

SherwoodBaptist.net

How to enter my Giveaway!
There are 4 ways:

1. Comment on this post about why you want the DVD & Books, and it doesn't have to be personal, just tell others what you think about the movie and the books, & Please INCLUDE your email contact info. Like this:I think this movie allows God to heal marriages! Please enter me into your contest. My email info is shirley@spaceageemail.com OR shirley at spaceageemail DOT com.I MUST be able to contact you!
2. Post a LINK back to THIS Giveaway on YOUR BLOG/WEBSITE and then place a comment in the comment section with the link and your contact information/email
3. Subscribe to My BLOG by FOLLOWING ME or by subscribing to my RSS FEED. Leave a comment to this post telling me you are now a follower or subscriber! (Or everything in between)
4. Place a LINK in a comment, to your website, blog or whatever that tells the LOVE STORY about you and your husband (or fiance) in a comment with your email/contact info. We LOVE to hear about LOVE! Love Story Links get TWO entries because this is ABOUT LOVE and about Valentines Day! It doesn't have to be a long story, a cute, funny, amazing, wonderful, boring, sappy or any kind of story will work, as long as it is YOUR story! (NO FAKE STORIES PLEASE!) EXAMPLE: Your comment might look like this: Here is the story of how I met my fiance! www.myblog.com/mystory (this one is fake people!) My email is jennyissoblessed@HisGifts.org
   

That's it!
You can get ONE entry, or up to FIVE entries if you do all of the above!!
A random drawing of entries will be held sometime Monday morning, Feb. 9th and I will announce the winner right here on my blog. I will also EMAIL the winner, who will have 24 hours to claim the prize or another winner will randomly be chosen!!

If you follow my blog you won't miss important updates like this!

Questions? Drop me an Email (my envie email box is near the top of my blog). This is my first giveaway, and I am NO expert at blogging, so please bear with me if I am an amateur at this!
It is all done in Love!
Thanks SO much for entering, and please, tell a friend who you think might
enjoy getting this gift where to find me!

The Giveaway Page Link

Lots of Love and His Blessings,
Warmly,
Tracey C.

Thank You KRAFT!!!!

I got my sweepstakes win from KRAFT today in the mail! I wasn't sure what to expect, but I got 3 FREE product coupons! I got:

1. Planters Snack Product FREE to $5.00
2. Kraft package of Reg, 2%, Polly-O, Cracker Barrel cheese any variety FREE to $3.99
3. Nabisco Cracker Product (any) FREE good to $4.69 ( I think, mine was less)

That was a nice surprise in the mail today! Publix had the Wheat Thins and Triscuits on sale b1g1f, so I could have doubled up, but I got a big box of RITZ instead as they last longer and go with meals better for us. I got a bunch of free KRAFT Mac N Cheese crackers for snacking last week anyway, so these were perfect! PLUS! We had CVS bargain soup for dinner tonight with our Ritz crackers and Kool Aid! The soup was 2/$1 (minus my $.40/3 coupons) or $.37 each can. (One chix, one tom) Ritz were FREE! Kool Aid was already accounted for from last meal (leftovers) But add about $.10 for the sake of.. And you have dinner for One MOM and 3 KIDDOS (dad was otherwise occupied) for LESS THAN $1.00!!! Wow! And it was great too because it is FREEEEEEEEEEEEEZING here! Old Phil decided 6 more weeks of winter and it started HERE! Temps in Sunny Florida around 25 or 26 for the next 3 nights. Ok, it's no Massachusettes but we are in FLORIDA people, we should be WARM! BRRRRRRR! Soup is good food!! I will be trying to use my Ro-tel and Pasta Sauce and Cream to make a creamy tom soup in the next couple of days. Wish me luck! Warmth, (really, really, really WARM I hope!)

HEY! GREAT IDEA!!! Found this nifty Ritz/Chocolate idea at JOYFUL ABODE. Think, Free Crackers, Chocolate, Salty, Craving.. Go SEE!! YUMMY..

Warmly,
Tracey C.

Publix GREAT deals! I love Publix!

I love Publix deals, I really do! I even passed up on several I normally would not, in honor of my budget! ;) (but it wasn't easy!)

I got:

• 2.39 lb of BANANAS .69 a lb.
• 4 Quaker Oatmeal Tubes on sale B1G1F $2.75 ( had a Winn Dixie coupon for $2/3 ANY)
• 2 boxes ziploc, used peelie coupon from bread good for $1/2 ANY on sale 2/$4
• Publix salad .99c
• Revlon Nail clip $1.49 FREE after $2.50/1 ANY Revlon tool Publix flyer coupon
• C/H wht bread $1.99 (not in pic)
  
• 1 bag of chocolate Peanuts (dipped!) on sale $1
• Grapes $1.46
• Ritz Wheat crackers $3.69 (FREEEEEE!! Got my sweepstakes Kraft coupons today!)
• 2 Dean guacamole dips B1G1F and used a $1/2 coupon (this is for my hubby's Bible study and doesn't come out of my budget, I also got chips for $2 for them but forgot to take deans out of pic)
  

Total cost: $13.00 OOP!
NOTE: I found some Bounce Naturals Dryer Sheets on the clearance rack priced $1.65 each. I am going back tomorrow for those w/a coupon, hope there are still some left!

Warmly,
Tracey C.
$906.31 - $13.00 OOP = $893.31 left in budget!

Pizza Night Friday

I am posting this late, but showing a frugal find!

Our friends who own La Familia, an awesome Cuban restaurant, gave us some left-over Cuban bread at close on Friday. (they close on weekends and head back to Tampa). We used it that night to make pizza! Used my cheap (still had some Ragu from jar we opened 2 dinners ago, but opened a new jar too, maybe 1/4 of a jar used) Ragu .37 JAR and some of my unfrozen cheese shred that I purchased in Nov or Oct that was in our deep freeze. We cut some of the Hickory Farm Turkey Sausage up, about a 10th of one sausage (I used some Ham cubes from that order too) and made pizza. The girls just wanted sauce, cheese and a little oregano on top, I wanted meat! NOTE about bread: First, pre-heat oven to 350 or so. Next, spray with a little Pam (I used the organic olive oil spray I got on sale for $.99 at Publix) and slide into oven on cookie sheet to toast a little before adding your ingredients. Unless you like a soft (soggy to me) pizza! This firms up the bread and makes it nice and crunchy! YUMMY!

Isn't my family adorable? :) Cost of meal ran us around $2.50 (I think I got the cheese on sale for $1.50 or $2, wasn't keeping track, but always bought on sale) for all of us. And was DELISH!

CVS Good Deals Today!

I went to CVS today to look around for a few deals. We are in the "test" market, whatever that means. It means to ME that I don't get some of the ECB deals most other people are getting. Some decent sales though. I spent $4.14 on my CVS gift card. ZERO OOP. Look for the Johnson & Johnson bandages with NEOSPORIN. Look at my pic: These are in the monthly ECB ad on page 3. These I happened across, wasn't looking for. They had $2/1 PEELIE on the box! LIMIT of 5 so go get em! These were FREE after ECB. I also got:

• EXTREME Energy 6 hour shot 2pk for $4.99 (FREE after ECB)
• EARinse for $7.99 and FREE after ECB
• 1 box 36 count Orange CVS brand chewable Asprin 81mg strength. $1.99 FREE after ECB

NOTE on the Asprin: The ad on FRONT page of the extra value book shows CHILDRENS CHEWABLE, but Look closely at my photo (click to enlarge it). Mine were ADULT low dose. It is the same product and the numbers on the shelf for the sale item (childrens) and mine were identical, so look for this. Compare the "orange sale tag" on the shelfs number to the box number if you must. I almost walked away, but thought I'd check. One worker said it was wrong box, but the other checked the upc and said it should work. I was their trial and it gave me my ECB.

• 6 CANS of Campbells Condensed Soup (tomato and chick noodle) I used 2 of the $.40/3 coupons for a better deal than the 2/$1 sale price.
  
• 3 ROLLS CVS toilet paper single rolls on sale 3/$1.00

• LOOK FOR IT***** The ZICAM in the pic was on a hanging end cap in a cardboard display and stated "FREE Trial Size" and has 4 doses. CHECK my pics. There is no bar code on the product, it is FREE!

My total was $4.14 and I paid with GIFT CARD. Zero OOP. I also used an $8.00 ECB and a $15.00 ECB but I got back $7.99 (earinse), $9.00 (J&J $3 each), $1.99 Asprin, $4.99 (energy shots) I'm looking for more Zicam FREE and more J & J bandages w/ $2 peelie coupons. Not sure if ECB printing for the L'oreal Revitalift cleansers. They are not advertised, but I'm not positive they aren't working here or if they are just not advertised. I may try it out. If anyone knows if they are working in the TEST zone (FL), let me know!

Warmly,
Tracey C.
$906.31 left in budget

L'oreal Giveaway for Popcorn Recipe!

Hi friends! This giveaway is not MY giveaway, it is for my friend Jamy over at SEAYKopitiam blog. If you want to know what that means, there is a fun and interesting explanation at her site. Here is the FUN twist to winning the L'oreal Shampoos.. You have to share or come up with a good recipe for making chocolate or peanut butter popcorn treats! Jamy got several boxes of the Jolly Time popcorn for FREE at Publix when it was on sale last week for $1 a box. She of course had $1/1 coupons to use. I myself was just looking for a great popcorn/caramel/chocolate drizzle recipe when I got a coupon to Henry and Davids, but found that $15 didn't go very far there! $9.95 just to ship! So I too would love to see a great chocolatey popcorn treat.. Head over to her website HERE and give it a go! Thanks for sharing Jamy! Remember friends, I will be hosting my very own Valentines Day giveaway either tomorrow or Wednesday, so stay tuned!

Warmth,
Tracey C.

Sams Club Hot chocolate

We went to SAMS club today for pricing of Dog Food (we use Pedigree) and to "Look Around." Dangerous I tell you because I am always tempted here. I found a GREAT deal on some Christmas Hot chocolate gift packs. 3 bags (approx 70+ servings total for all) of different flavors and some chocolate dipped candy cane stirrers. Quite a large set and on clearance for $2.90! I got two, one for our house and one for Hot Chocolate treats for school for some classes that met the Boxtop challenge. This isn't out of our household budget though. I also got a quart of heavy whipping cream for $2.97 ( I'll round to $3 cuz not sure, hubby paid and still has receipt). And, that was IT. Hubby found a clearance denim shirt also. The gift set was in a RED box with a front flap that lifts up so you can view contents. $6 OOP.

I will be doing a little Valentines Day giveaway in the next couple of days..so stay tuned for more information!

Warmly,
Tracey C.
$906.31 left in budget

Walgreens Rebate items and Reeses

I spent $19.15 at Walgreens. I purchased a few gifts and house items not on our budget list. These were: 1 full size child's rocking horse that makes noises. Clearanced for $12.49, plus 3 SUPER sized crayola coloring books of the states and presidents for $1.99 each, plus a BIG desk calendar that we needed for our family calendar wall for $2 (great price!) all these extras, not from our grocery budget, were $20.37, so no OOP for the rest of my purchase as I used a $10 Register Reward to pay for the Waldryl and the Reeses (these were free). From the budget I bought Wal-Tussin cough cold med 4oz for $3.99, got two for B1G1F and found 3 Waldryl allergy/cold packs/24 on clearance for $1.19. That equals $7.56 and I will submit for the buy 5 Walgreens cold meds get $10 back. I also got 10 Reeses on sale B1G1F for $.80 and had 5 $1/2 coupons. I used a $10 register reward, so my Walgreens rebate of $10 plus 10% of that on a gift card, $1 = $11. So I stretched my Catalina and will earn a little on it in a rebate.

Budget: $917.56 left in budget