The amazing Shelley has done it again! Next week’s PYP Utah Albertons shopping list is done early. Week of Wednesday, April 8th through Tuesday, April, 15th is available for viewing, planning and strategizing.

View the shopping list here.
Check out the forum thread discussion, including catalina (checkout cpns) promotions, extra printables available and extra unadvertised deals around Utah.
See the complete Albertons grocery circular online early, too.

Another reason PYP ROCkS!

A recent CNET news article highlighted that printable coupon sites are gaining in popularity as a source for individuals to save money. The ease and convenience is something that many of us die-hard couponers have known for years. But what are the better to print from sites AND did you know that more of your favorite stores are getting into the printable coupon game, too? (we’ll discuss this in part 2 of this discussion later this week)

Pinching Your Pennies Has an Entire Forum Dedicated to Printable Coupons that is Updated Daily with the Best and Most Recent Printables Available on the Net. A must daily stop!

You can visit some of the hot coupon sites (like coupons.com, smartsource.com) mentioned in the CNET article, but if you want to know the best deals suited for your favorite grocery store that will maximize your savings, be sure to visit your state’s best list. Volunteer listmakers have matched up the sale items with insert coupons AND printables, too. Your savings will be maximized IF you follow this one simple step

The CNET news article mentioned a few sites that can garner you savings in varying amounts if you choose to shop online. There’s no need to mention the sites as PYP has already taken the lead in this, too. Sincy PYP’s founding 5 years ago, the administration has given its site users coupon codes, discounts and hot deals to online retailers. The amount of money saved collectively can not be comprehended by me at this time, but I know it well over hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions of dollars. And since online shopping revenue is what pays for Pinching Your Pennies, it is even more important to shop online through any PYP affiliate link when you can. Besides the deals the staff find are truly amazing. Check out the online forum.

This is but a taste of how internet printable/online coupon codes help make our shopping easier. Next I’ll be talking about how retailers are jumping on the internet coupon bandwagon and helping us save even more money.

1. Don’t go shopping on an empty stomach. Shop after you’ve eaten and you are less likely to pick those extra munchies or impulse items that sound good at the moment.
2. Don’t go shopping with company. While not always possible (especially if you have small children), try to shop solo. You will be more likely to stick to your grocery list and not find extra goodies in your cart at checkout.
3. Don’t always use a coupon. As an avid couponer, many find this advice surprising. However, unless I can combine a coupon with a sale or the coupon is for an item I need; I really am not saving money, but spending more of it.
4. Make a shopping list. This simple task can save you time in the store as well as money.
5. Plan your menus around what you already have in the pantry AND what is on sale this week. These two simple steps can save you more money in the long run. Need recipe ideas? Check out PYP’s recipe forum!
6. Stock up on sale items until they are on sale again. This is one of the best ways to build up your food storage/stockpile. Then use the items til they are on sale again.
7. Use a pricebook to make decisions about what is a stock-up price. Pinching Your Pennies has a great pricebook from many volunteer couponers across the country, so this info is very reliable and golden.
8. Monitor what you actually use, NOT what you think you will use. This rule is especially true for perishables that cannot freeze. Deli meat, for example. If you regularly ask for one lb, but only eat half of it, only get 1/2 lb the following week.
9. Think nutritional value. Just because a box of granola bars is on sale for $1, remember that you can buy 6 bananas for that same $1. You get more nutritional value dollar for dollar in a side-by-side comparison.
10. Don’t pay for convenience. Unless I have a coupon and a really great sale for a pre-packaged lunchbox item, I will buy the bulk size of snacks and place them in ziploc baggies for lunches.
11. Buy the cheaper cuts of meat. They cost less and are easy to cook, too. They can be a snap in the slow cooker.
12. Do it yourself. Skip buying the pre-cut veggies, the pre-bagged salads and pasta sauce with all the preservatives. Instead chop your own veggies, wash your own lettuce and make your own pasta sauce with 2 cans of Hunts diced tomatoes and fresh basil. You’ll never go back to Ragu, again.
13. Buy the cheaper bulk of Ground Beef. Usually Ground Beef is cheaper in a larger butcher block, usually 5 lbs or more. Brown it all in one sitting or make meatballs or meatloafs and freeze in dinner size portions (I prefer 1/2 lb for my family of 5). You’ll have one dinner step closer to being done and be saving money in the process.
14. Join your store’s loyalty reward program (if they have one). Not only do you need a store loyalty card to receive the store’s sale prices, but check out the store’s website for additional coupons that can be loaded onto your loyalty reward card. Currently these e-coupons can be combined with paper manufacturer’s coupons for double rewards.
15. Shop at stores that have double coupons IF available in your area. This tip is obvious, but not always a viable option. Instead, if you life in the LOND (land of no doubles), you need to work even harder to find the sale+coupon deals. Luckily for us, Pinching Your Pennies had done most of the work for us. Check out the deals in your state.

You’ve tried. You’ve talked til you are blue in the face. No matter how hard you’ve been trying to convert family/friends to your mindset of PYP shopping methods, they still refuse to believe. They refuse to believe that even without coupons they can build a food storage (stockpile) while saving 40%. YOU can still help them. Please share the following information with them.
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Food storage for $5/week for 2 people!

Each week take $5.00 and then buy the specified items for that week. Some weeks you will not use all of the $5.00, some weeks you may use more than $5.00. Plan to set aside $5.00 each week regardless. There are also a few weeks you will have nothing to buy, but set aside the money for those weeks as well.

By the end of the 52 weeks you will have 700 lbs. of wheat, 240 lbs. of sugar, 40 lbs. of powdered milk, 13 lbs. of salt, 10 lbs. of honey, 5 lbs. of peanut butter, 45 cans of tomato soup, 32 cans of mushroom soup, 15 cans of tuna fish, 10 boxes of macaroni and cheese, 500 aspirin, 730 multiple vitamins, 6 lbs. of dried yeast, and 6 lbs. of shortening.

This should sustain 2 people for 1 year.

Weekly Shopping List
1 ~ 2 cans tuna, 2 containers. salt, 1 lb. yeast
2 ~ 5 macaroni and cheese, 4 tomato soup
3 ~ 3 mushroom soup, 2� lbs. peanut butter
4 ~ 1 bottle multiple vitamins
5 ~ 4 tomato soup, 10 lbs. powdered milk
6 ~ 1 bottle aspirin (500 tablets)
7 ~ 100 lbs. wheat
8 ~ 5 lbs. powdered milk
9 ~ 5 lbs. honey, 1 lb yeast
10 ~ 4 cans tuna, 4 macaroni and cheese
11 ~ 10 lbs. sugar, 1 box salt
12 ~ 4 mushroom soup, 2 lbs. shortening
13 ~ 1 bottle multiple vitamins
14 ~ 100 lbs. wheat
15 ~ 1 box macaroni and cheese, 1 lb. yeast
16 ~ 5 lbs. honey
17 ~ 2 cans tuna, 4 cans tomato soup
18 ~ 10 lbs. sugar
19 ~ 100 lbs. wheat
20 ~ 20 lbs. sugar
21 ~ 10 lbs. powdered milk
22 ~ 1 can mushroom soup, 10 lbs. sugar
23 ~ 1 tuna, 4 tomato soup, 10 lbs. sugar
24 ~ 10 lbs sugar, 1 lb. yeast
25 ~ 2 tuna fish & 2 mushroom soup, 2 shortning
26 ~ 100 lbs. wheat
27 ~ 30 lbs. sugar, 1 lb. yeast
28 ~ 10 lbs. sugar
29 ~ 10 lbs. powdered milk
30 ~ 20 lbs. sugar
31 ~ 1 can tuna, 3 cans mushroom soup
32 ~ 1 tuna, 4 tomato soup, 2 lbs. Crisco
33 ~ 100 lbs. wheat
34 ~ 2 cans tuna, 1 box salt
35 ~ 10 lbs. powdered milk
36 ~ 20 lbs. sugar
37 ~ 4 cans tomato soup, 2 boxes salt
38 ~ nothing ~ replenish petty cash $5
39 ~ 100 lbs. wheat
40 ~ 10 lbs. powdered milk
41 ~ 30 lbs. sugar
42 ~ 2 tomato soup, 4 mushroom soup
43 ~ 2 cans tomato soup, 10 lbs. sugar
44 ~ nothing ~ replenish petty cash $5
45 ~ 10 lbs. powdered milk
46 ~ 4 tomato soup, 10 lbs powdered milk
47 ~ 10 lbs powdered milk
48 ~ 4 mushroom soup, 4 tomato soup
49 ~ 7 cans tomato soup
50 ~ 7 cans mushroom soup, 1 lb. yeast
51 ~ 20 lbs. sugar, 1 box salt
52 ~ nothing ~ replenish petty cash $5

Hopefully this will inspire others to start or replenish their food storage. Good luck!

Here are a few of the best newspaper subscription deals for getting multiple coupons. Keep coming back as I’ll be adding more deals as I get the scoop on them. Also, if you know of a deal that isn’t listed here, let me know and I’ll add it in!

Arizona
Phoenix
Newspaper: Arizona Republic
Cost:
Monday – Sunday: $17.77 per month
Monday – Sunday + 1 Extra Sunday: $22.10 per month
Monday – Sunday + 2 Extra Sundays: $26.44 per month
Monday – Sunday + 3 Extra Sundays: $30.77 per month
Monday – Sunday + 4 Extra Sundays: $ 35.10 per month
Monday – Sunday + 5 Extra Sundays: $39.44 per month BEST DEAL – Maximize your savings!
Call: (602) 444-1000 or (800) 332-6733 or subscribe online.

Idaho
Idaho Falls
Newspaper: Post Register
Subscription: One daily paper and five Sunday papers
Cost: 20.00
Call: 208-542-6777 or 1-800-574-6397

Pocatello
Newspaper: Idaho State Journal
Subscription: One daily paper and five Sunday papers
Cost: 18.00
Call: (208) 232-6150

Utah
Ogden
Newspaper: Standard Examiner
Subscription: One daily paper and either three or five Sunday papers
Cost: 15.49 for three 18.99 a month for five
Call: (801) 625-4400 or (800) 651-2105 or Mike Eames at 801-625-4415

Salt Lake
Newspaper: Salt Lake Tribune
Subscription: One Friday through Sunday paper
Cost: 26 weeks for 26.oo or 52 weeks for 39.00
Contact: 801-204-6100 and use either code 26/26 or 52/39.
Caveats: Offer only available to subscribers who have not subscribed to the Salt Lake Tribune in the last 60 days.

Most of us already know what a great way using coupons to save money, especially on groceries. However, there are other strategies that PYP member momtonathanandtwins is willing to share to help you stretch your food buying power.

Join a Local Non-Profit Food Co-Op

For a very reasonable price (usually less than $30), one buys a share, then your share gives you 5-6 lb of meat 5 lb of fruit, 5 lb of veggies, fresh baked bread, pasta or rice. Definitely worth more than $30 retail of food!
Below is an example of from momtonathanandtwins blog describing her 2- shares for $67.

Items Include:

Here is what I (momtonathanandtwins) picked up today and I’ll post my cost at the bottom:
2 lbs Top Sirloin Fajita Strips
4 lbs Chicken Drumsticks
4 lbs Sirloin Pork Roast
2 lbs Lean Ground Beef
2 lbs rice
2 loaves Artisan Wheat Bread
11 Fuji Apples
11 Pears10 Oranges
2 Romain Lettuce
7 Red Bell Peppers
10 Tomatoes
5 Avocados
2 2lb. Bag of Carrots
1 head of cauliflower
2 Chapparro’s brand 5 beef tamales
Tagge’s brand mild salsa 16 oz
Aptera’s brand extra virgin olive oil 34 fl oz all for $67.50

How does the co-op afford this? Simply individuals volunteer time and use local resources to maintain high quality products to feed the largest number possible. For Utah residents, see https://www.crossroads-u-c.org/cfc/the_basics/how_to_join.html for details. For outside of Utah, see https://www.coopdirectory.org/ or https://www.angelfoodministries.com/

Join Community Supported Agriculture

This is an AWESOME idea! An individual “subscribes” to a farm by giving a set $ amount to the farmer in the spring when the farmer needs resources the most. Then, when harvest begins, usually first of July, the subscriber receives a weekly bounty of fresh fruits and veggies, usually for 13 to 15 weeks. Costs and variety of harvest vary by farm. See https://www.localharvest.org/csa/ for participating farm locations, pricing and details.

Grow One’s Own Garden

This might seem simple, but it can take time and space. Live in an apartment? Try container gardening or for more ideas and helpful hints, be sure to check out PYP’s gardening forum .

Visit your local bread or bakery outlet store.

I make a monthly trip to the Sara Lee bread bakery outlet store which sells the only wheat bread that is made with whole wheat flour and no high fructose corn syrup at a discount that ALL my family will eat. (Yes, I should be making it, but I am still mastering my breadmaking skills). My sliced bread of choice retails in stores for $3.29, but I purchase it at the bread outlet store for $1 to $1.25 per loaf. So I buy 8 loafs at a time and freeze them. The savings are evident.

By planning ahead, using coupons and adding an alternative idea or two from the list above, one can extend their grocery buying power while adding healthy nutritious food to your family’s diets. (Thanks to momtonathanandtwins for all the great ideas!)

An inferior Salt Lake City based coupon website that is really more of mockery couponing in a green apron suggests a weekly menu. However the menu is not only lacking in nutritional value and taste, it simply is lacking period. For example, a suggested lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches will be lacking bread. HUH? Yeah, no bread!

So let me offer you a more comprehensive, nutritionally sound, tasty and frugal menu created around the Utah Albertson’s shopping list from Pinching Your Pennies for only $60!

***Please note that prices shown reflect final sale prices from PYP’s printable Albertson’s shopping list the week of 2/18 to 2/24.

Day 1~
Breakfast: General Mills Cereal (GM sale item), milk
Lunch: Progresso Soup (2 cans, GM sale item) side salad (1/2 bag) dressing from food storage
Dinner: Hamburgers (save 1 ½ lb for Day 2 lunch), Albies Chips, grapes

Day 2~
Breakfast: Muffins (GM sale item), Sliced Apples
Lunch: Grand Biscuit (GM sale item) Sliders, Albie chips
Dinner: Pork Shoulder Roast (save some for Day 4 dinner), Baked Potatoes, Del Monte Veggies- Corn & Green Beans

Day 3~
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs & Grand Biscuits (GM sale item), Bananas
Lunch: Shopper Value Mac n Cheese (2 boxes), ½ lb grapes
Dinner: Baked Chicken Thighs, Sauted Tomatoes & Zucchini, Side Salad w/Dressing (from food storage)

Day 4~
Breakfast: General Mills Cereal (GM sale item), Milk, Welchs Grape Juice
Lunch: Progresso Soup (GM sale item), Grilled Cheese & Tomato Sandwiches, Sliced Oranges
Dinner: Carnita Tacos, Spanish Rice, Refried Beans

Day 5~
Breakfast: Toaster Strudels (GM sale item), sliced oranges & bananas
Lunch: Tuna Sandwiches, sliced apples
Dinner: Mini pizzas, fruit salad

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Shopping List (click on it for more details)

Recipes for menu items above available upon request.

If you’ve never before used Walgreens’ rebate system because you just never remember to turn in those pesky receipts, now is a great time to try the wonderful world of Free After Rebate. All you do is log in, enter your receipt, and request your gift card.

If the screen shots below are too small, simply click an image to view a larger version in a separate screen.

1. First, go to Walgreens’ website and under the EasySaver catalog section click, “See Current Rebates.”
2. Next, click on “Claim Rebates.”
3. The website will ask you to log in. If you’ve already created an account, just log in. If you haven’t created an account yet, you’ll need to choose the create one option on this screen.
4. Choose “start/add receipt”
5. Choose the rebates that you qualify for based on the receipt(s) you’re going to enter.

6. Scroll down and click “continue.”

7. Next, it will ask you to enter the number at the top of your Walgreens receipt. Enter the number and choose “Save Receipt.”

8. Once the receipt has been saved, it will offer you the options to add another receipt (do this if you have more receipts to enter), to save and return later after you’ve purchased more items that qualify for rebates (do this if you’re not finished with the month’s shopping yet), or to continue (do this ONLY if you’re done with all your rebate shopping for the month and you’re ready to request your rebate).

9. Next it will ask you what form you want to receive your rebate in. If you choose cash, they’ll send you a check. If you choose to have them either reload an existing gift card or send you a new gift card, they’ll add a 10% bonus to your rebate.

10. Finally, finalize your request.

11. You’ll get a confirmation screen. You should get your refund within a couple of days.

PYP’s chat room is a great place for newbies (and oldies) to spend some time. There are often experienced couponers there, and they’re always available for tips, hints, explanations, and quick Q&A sessions. Accessing the chat room is easy!

1. While logged in to PYP, click on the “VBChat” button on the top navigation bar.

2. This will automatically take you into the chat room, where you can simply begin chatting by typing your message in the white window that says “Post Message.” Press enter, and your message will appear in the chat window. Other people can then see it and respond; their answers will also appear in the chat window.

3. To send a private chat message to someone, find them in the “Who’s in chat” window on the right-hand sidebar and click on “Send Private Chat Message.” This will automatically place “private chat” prompt in the chat bar, and you can type your message there and press enter.

4. Your message will appear in the chat window, but it will be visible only to you and the person you’re private chatting with. When they reply to you privately, their chat will likewise appear only to the two of you.

There you have it! You can chat with the whole group, or with just an individual. Chatting is a fun, fast, and easy way to have your questions answered or to get to know other PYPers quickly. We hope to see you there!

Other posts in the PYP Communication Features series:

How to Instant Message People Away from PYP
How to Send and Receive Private Messages

We are in a recession, it is official and to cope, everybody is tightening his or her collective belts. Cutting expenses we have control over. One popular theme is Cutting One’s Grocery Bill, a nice thought, but we have been inundated with various services that charge a service fee to teach site users How to Save. But if the goal is to save money, why pay money? Especially when there is a better alternative for FREE!

Pinching Your Pennies offers the same AND more of what a fee service does. Let’s do a side-by-side comparison, shall we:

Pay site A wants you to play its game. But be careful as there are many restrictions on how, when and where to shop for your grocery deals.

PROS:
1. Colored coded system tells you when an item is over 75% off retail price, and you should stock up.
2. FREE Forums for members to share & exchange ideas, but deal details are Mushy-hush hush
Site A says the game secret is to tell you when an item is at its lowest price and when to use a coupon with it. This should only be once for the life of the coupon or every 12 weeks.
3. Site A claims to include unadvertised sale deals to save you money.
4. Introductory offer is $1 for four weeks.

CONS:
1. Expensive subscription service! After your $1 introductory period, your reserved credit card number that you left when you registered will be charged the normal rate. This runs about $1.25 PER store. So if you want the deal info for more stores, you pay for it. Easily one could be spending over $30 month for information that is FREE on Pinching Your Pennies.com and we don’t want your credit card number, neither. Oh, then there is the issue of canceling one’s subscription- difficult to get a full refund.
2. Limited number of days your shopping list is available. Typically, one can only upload your shopping list the last 3 days of any weekly sale. The reason being that all coupons and deals can be included, including the most recent Sunday’s coupons. Well, what about the other 4 days of shopping? What if there are 72-hour sales? You miss those! However, Pinching Your Pennies.com has respective shopping lists ready the 1st day of the grocery sale and will update the list with the most recent coupon inserts, usually Sunday night.
3. The claim that a coupon is used once, and then retired is FALSE. There is a annotated *** on each grocery shopping list claiming that a coupon has been used, but the game, er Site A is using it again as each week there are new subscribers. So a single coupon could be repeated for weeks. Now you know better!
4. Site A also claims to include unadvertised sale items, not always true. During my 4-week trial period, I only found one unadvertised sale item. Pinching Your Pennies includes ALL deals, as there are over 50,000 members who find deals, too. They post and share! You do know ALL the sales.
5. Limited grocery store selections in some states. Site A doesn’t have a game plan for every grocery or drug store. So if you shop at Store B, but there is no list, sorry.
Pinching Your Pennies included most if not all stores in your area, check it out.

So what does Pinching Your Pennies have to offer, exactly?

So what all does Pinching Your Pennies offer for FREE:

1. Weekly Grocery Shopping Lists to your local markets
2. Weekly Shopping Lists to National Chain Stores
3. Weekly Shopping Lists to the best Food Storage deals (UT only, currently)
4. Unadvertised Specials
5. Individual Threads in the Community Forums for members to share deals and offer help, encouragement and support to one another
6. A Grocery Coupon List that tells you which Sunday a coupon is issued
7. Recipes and more Recipes
8. A Freebie Forum
9. A Price book to know when an item is low enough to stockpile
10. Food Storage Help, from step by step info to how to get 72 hr kits made
11. Best Items to buy each week lists in Food Storage, National Chain Stores and Utah (for now)
12. Ethical Coupon Usage and Proper Redemption Taught
13. How to lower my household spending while increasing my food storage
14. Coupon Trading Forums & Trains
15. The best online deals and secret finds on the net

Pinching Your Pennies is a FREE money saving website. There are many pay services out there, too, but offer an inferior product. The pay sites do not have passionate administrators and volunteers who donate hundreds of hours each month to help out you and me save money. Pinching Your Pennies will continue to be FREE as we are all trying to save money, together.

Ever wished you could contact a fellow PYPer even when they weren’t on PYP? Read on to find out how you can . . .

This is part two of a three-part series on how to use PYP’s multiple methods for allowing members to communicate with each other outside of the forums. Whether you’re new to PYP or a long-time veteran, some of these features might surprise you. This section focuses on how to use PYP’s instant messaging profile option , a means by which you can use popular IM programs (Yahoo, AIM, MSN, and ICQ) to contact other PYPers who have enabled this option, even when they’re not on PYP.

1. You’ll notice that certain users have between one and four icons beneath their profile information. These icons signify the IM programs for which they’ve entered their names so that others can contact them. As you can see, I’ve enlarged the area beneath my name to show that both the AIM and Yahoo icons appear. This means that I’ve entered contact information for these two instant messaging programs. To contact me you must have one of these programs installed on your computer, and you should simply click the icon for the program you want to use.

2. A window will open and offer you the option of either sending the person a message or adding them to your buddy list.

Whichever one you select, a third window will open and ask you to launch your chat program. From this point on, you are no longer being directed by PYP and are instead being guided by your IM program. Simply follow the steps your chat program indicates, and you’ll be able to contact the person listed if they’re online under one of their hanles.

Now, if you’d like to add your own instant messaging information so that others can contact you off PYP, here’s how to do it.

1. While logged in to PYP click on the User CP link on the far left-hand side of the upper navigation bar.

2. Click on the “Edit Options” link on the left-hand side navigation bar.

3. On the new page that opens, scroll down until you see a section for inputing your usernames. Once there, simply type in your handles for whatever messaging systems you choose. Continue scrolling down an press “submit.”

Other Posts in the PYP Communication Features Series:

How to Send and Receive Private Messages
How to Use the PYP Chat Room

This is part one of a three-part series on how to use PYP’s multiple methods for allowing members to communicate with each other outside of the forums. Whether you’re new to PYP or a long-time veteran, some of these features might surprise you. This section focuses on how to use PYP’s Private Message system, a means by which you can send private messages to other people on PYP.

1. While logged on to PYP, click on the “Private Messages” link in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. This will take you to your private message window.

2. Click on “Send New Message” on the left-hand sidebar.

3. Enter the name of the person to whom you wish to send a message. You can send this message to more than one person by entering multiple usernames with a semicolon in between. Enter the subject and body of your message below.

4. Finally, click on the “Submit Message” button, located just below the body of the message. A popup window will appear and ask you whether you want delivery confirmation on your message. Delivery confirmation will allow you to view whether or not the recipient has read your message. Choose the appropriate option, and your message will be sent.

5. When you receive a reply, a pop-up window will appear when you log in, informing you that you have a new message. Additionally, the “Private Message” section in the upper right-hand corner of your screen will appear in bold, telling you that you have an unread message. Simply click on it to see the message.

I hope this helped; stay tuned for the future sections, which will discuss how to use the chat screen and the instant message icons to access people via AIM, MSN, and Yahoo.

Other Posts in the PYP Communication Features Series

How to Use the PYP Chat Room
How to Use Off-PYP Instant Messaging

Ha ha! That’s me giggling with glee at all the awesome PYP classes that I’m discovering here in Idaho.

And since I’ve been watching political news all morning, you’ll pardon me if I get patriotic for just one moment.

Across all aisles, though all the different economic ideas and platforms that are tugging at America right now, the one thing I think we can all agree upon is that now is a time for all Americans to pull together to try to help each other out, to share whatever knowledge, expertise, experience or skills we have that can help to strengthen each other, to help each of us walk taller, stronger, prouder. And you can call me sentimental and a fool, but I think PYP does that to a great and large extent. I think the pooling of knowledge and individual support of each other that we have here is the type of thing that is going to see America through this crisis.

So I want to give a huge and hearty shoutout to all those individuals who use their time and organizational skills (oh, that I were like them), to coordinate events and activities that allow others to learn how to stretch their dollars and, by extension, strengthen their ability to survive these financial times. You do us all proud.

There, the sap is over. Read on for information.

GranolaGal just shared the scoop on a PYP meet, coupon exchange, and intro to couponing party held in Rigby, ID each Tuesday.

Here’s the solid info:

General location: Rigby
Time: Tuesdays from 10-11 am. GranolaGal warns that they usually run over, but they try to keep it to that.
Who’s invited: Sounds like this shindig is for all types: newbies, dads, grandmas, mommies, and even kids. (The expectation is that if folks bring their kids, they’ll keep them reasonably well-behaved and help clean up afterwards.)
It’s a good idea to bring: Any coupons you want to trade and your printed PYP shopping list. If you don’t know how to print this yet, GranolaGal invites you to come anyway. You’ll learn there.
Events: Coupon trading, coupon talk for the oldies, coupon education and explanation for the newbies, and computer PYP walk-throughs. They also sometimes do group-shops, though there’s no hand holding, just a group of folks having a good time shopping together.
Location and more info: Please call Dawn at 208-745-7845 for the address or with any additional questions.

Here’s wishing I lived in Rigby! Sounds like they’ve got a good thing going.

We are in the 4th week of January and how are your New Year’s resolutions progressing? Do you need some encouragement to restart that weight management/healthy living resolution? How about saving some money while doing it, too?

Here’s a few ideas to keep you going, do over or lengthen that stride to getting healthy in 2009!

4. Need a new scale? Online deal finder, Jodi, found this killer deal-

South Beach Living Italian Dressing with Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 16-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 6)

Menu This!

A quick guide to monthly menu making

After several months of failed attempts at making a weekly menu, I decided to try a monthly menu…eight years later I am still going strong. After reading a book or two and chatting with lots of friends, I refined the process to what my DH calls “the science of the holy calendar”….no kidding!

I used to try to plan around the weeks grocery ads, but when they didn’t come on Tuesday’s I got behind, and never ended up getting it done. Now, I am at a point with my food storage that I have everything on hand for the months menu. For example, if we are having chicken, broccoli and rice and fresh broccoli isn’t on sale that week I keep frozen bags in the freezer. I am constantly stocking up as the sales come so that I always have the staples on hand. I still shop at least once a week on a great sale and to get produce but now I am not waiting for the ads or making a quick trip to the store for something for dinner all the time. As an added bonus, I have found that we eat healthier, have more variety in our meals, and I rotate my food storage.

If weekly menu planning isn’t working for you for whatever reason, give this a shot and stick with it for a 2-3 months. The first month will take you the most time because it may be a whole new concept for you. Month two should get better, and by month three, you will have the “science” down. It is unusual if it takes me more than 15 minutes and it saves me hours for the month not worrying about what is for dinner.

In our house, our “after-school” schedule is the driving force behind what we eat. I long ago learned that I can’t function with a social calendar, sports calendar, and a menu..it is too many papers to keep track of. With this thought in mind, I decided that it had to be an “all or nothing” approach. So, hang on tight, grab a blank calendar, and away we go!

Step 1: Choose your calendar

*Make sure that you have enough space to fill everything in.

*There are lots of sites online that offer free printable calendars, you can make fancy ones on the computer, or use the free one from the bank.

*This year I am using one that my DS made at school… the boxes are a little small, but how could I not use it? 

Step 2: Gather your fine point sharpies…the more colors the better

*I tried one month to do it all on the computer but the boxes kept getting bigger and bigger, and it took me so much more time that I figured handwriting worked best for me.

Step 3: Write down everyone’s events throughout the month

*Try to give each person their own marker color..it will be easier to keep track of them all.

*Don’t forget events like cub scouts, piano lessons, sports practices, days you drive carpool that fall on the same day each month.

*Don’t forget special nights out, birthday’s and holiday’s that you need to plan ahead for.

*Don’t be afraid to abbreviate things so you fit it all in! (oh, and write small! )

Step 4 (if you don’t have school-aged kids, skip to #5): Pull out the school lunch menu

*If your little ones eat lunch every day, it is always good to see what they are having for the month so that you don’t plan the same thing and get the “I already ate that today” moan.

*If your little one only takes lunch a few days a month, write yourself a note on the calendar so you don’t forget.

Step 5: Plan the menu (be excited, this is the best part!)

*Write in meals for your busiest days first. These could be fast crock-pots, something from your freezer meal stash…whatever your family will eat, and you can prepare fast.

*Write in meals that you can cook extra of for another day or to freeze. For example: We love a certain chicken marinade and when I make it I do a double match. After it is grilled we eat enough for one meal, and I save the rest for our favorite California grilled chicken sandwiches with avocado and honey mustard for the next night.

*Write in family favorites and traditional meals next. If it is against your religion to have anything but pizza on Friday night, write it in!

*Try new recipes. I love to try something new so I put these on my least busy days to make sure I can pay more attention to what I am doing. On my calendar in little print, I list the cookbook and page number where I can find the recipe, or if it is a single sheet I paper clip it to the back of my calendar so I know right where it is.

*Don’t worry about writing in the side dishes unless you are trying something new. You can fill this in based on what you have in the fridge or what is on sale that week.

*Remember your food storage items and rotation schedules.

*Browse the “What’s for dinner section” on PYP for a variety of different meal ideas.

Step 6: Fill in a few extra ideas

*On the extra blank box at the end of the calendar, write in a few meal ideas for those days when nothing on the menu sounds good. It happens to all of us!

Step 7: Make a grocery list

If there are any meals on your list that require something that you don’t have on hand, write it on your master grocery list so you don’t forget it.

Step 8: Put it on the fridge

*Grab yourself a big magnet clip and slap it on.

*As the month goes on and you get little reminder notes or more details about an event, attach them to the back of the menu with the clip so you always know where to find them.

Step 9: Don’t throw it away (it would be tragic!)

*Use this menu for next month for quick ideas and to know when you last had tacos for dinner.

I hope that you found a least one thing that will help simplify your life and save you money! Happy planning!