amazon toy sale

Amazon.com is having a really impressive toy sale with as much as 70% off. The sales change daily so don't wait if you want something. This includes arts and craft stuff great for homeschooling with a pretty neat microscope for the young beginner. Check the toy outlet section.

Spices/Seasonings

I was looking through my spices today to see what I have on hand as I begin the christmas cookie baking. I got a little irritated when I found 4 duplicates on the shelves. One of them I will use as I use it a lot but the rest no way. I don't even know what I bought coriander for let alone two of them! So I gave one to my mom and started organizing them. I then decided to find out how old they were and how long they are supposed to last. Here is what I discovered.
Ground spices last 2-3 years
Whole spices 3-4 years
seasoning blends 1-2 years
Herbs 1-3 years
Extracts 4 years.

If you have anything in a tin can it's at least 15 years old. (Had one of those)
If it is from Baltimore it is at least 15 years old. (Had one of those)

Shows how often I look through my spices. The good news is, the stores usually do half price sales around this time, not to mention you can get a lot of stuff at Dollar tree or the 99cent store.

Btw, you know you have too much time on your hands if you are organizing your spices!

Freebies

Walgreens

Scotch Magic or gift wrap tape 2 for $2
$2 easy saver rebate
Final price free

Reynolds wrap .99 with ad coupon
$1 coupon
Final price free

Kelloggs cereals $1.99
$1 coupon
Final price .99

Both Rite Aid and Walgreens have the Bayer countour glucose monitor for free.

That's it for this week

Update:
Walgreens has tons of in ad coupons for christmas stuff. Looks good.

help GI's phone home

Purchase phone cards for GI's to phone home during the holidays. Or you can puchase care packages also.
www.uso.org

We are not freezing!

Well I have had no work for 3 going on 4 weeks now. It has been very stressful to say the least. The good news is we are not freezing! My awesome husband got our fireplace insert that was given to us going tonight. It is downright hot in my house right now and we are using no pg&e we can't afford. HaHa. It feels good to not worry about that right now. Not to mention, thanks to the grant we were given by the county, they are coming in the morning to trim the trees and take a couple of dead ones down so that will give us some more firewood. God is continuing to provide for our needs in so many ways. I don't know how we are going to pay for our medical insurance yet, but I'm feeling confident that God will provide. I don't think my house has ever been this warm in the entire time I have lived in it. Wow, it feels good!

Matthew 6:25-27
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or
about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the
body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or
reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not
much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to
his life?

This weeks freebies

Walgreens
Colgate toothbrush or total toothpaste $2.99
$2 register rewards
$1.50 coupon www.colgate.com
Final price .49 profit

Reach ultra clean dental care 2/$6
$6 register rewards
Final price free or a profit if you have coupons

Rite Aid:
24 hour timer or 6 outlet surge protector $5
$5 rebate
Final price Free

Phillips ear buds $4.99
$4.99 rebate
Final price Free

Gillette Fusion razor $9
$5 rebate
$4 coupon in last sundays paper
Final price Free

There are also 2 diabetic meters you can get for free and donate.

Double coupons at Kmart

For one week only Kmart will be giving double coupons. It looks like from the internet they will double up to $2 but it's hard to read the ad. I'm on my way there now so I'll give an update later. Remember think donations. This is a great way to buy stuff that is greatly needed in shelters like toothpaste. Have Fun!

Update:
Ok, so they will double the coupons up to $2 but if your coupon is more than that they are only giving the face value. They will not honor internet coupons. You can only use 4 of the same coupon at a time, and a total of 75 coupons per trip. The no internet coupon thing really irritates me. There is a way for them to make sure you are not photcopying them, but rather than training their checkers they just decided to not honor them. Grrrr. Oh well, at least they still did the double coupon deal. Here is how I did after coupons.
Zest .39
Oil of Olay Free
Tampax 1.49
Dep hair gel .49
Cat treat Free
Pledge .50
Lipton noodles and sauce .50
BBQ sauce .99
I saved 28.52 off my bill. Not too bad. I was hoping to do better but the no internet coupon thing killed me.