Keeping A Price Book

How a Price Books saves money:
This works on the bulk buying principle.  When you find the very best price you can, you buy in bulk to "lock in" that price for yourself for as long as that price lasts you. For example, a few weeks ago Hy-Vee had a sale on shredded cheese, $1.00 per 8 oz. package. This was really a HELL of a deal, as I regularly pay $1.99 for 8oz of cheese at Aldi or on sale other places. I have payed upwards of $2.49 for 8oz of cheese when I was in a pinch and needed it right away for an event.

I bought TWELVE 8oz bags of shredded cheese. That seems crazy, right? Let me tell you why I did that. The expiration date on the bags were all August 2014 or later. So I calculated how much cheese I would use between now and August.  2 bags a month was my (conservative) estimate, so I bought enough cheese to maybe last us the 6 months, effectively locking in my cheese cost for the next 6 months at $1.00 per 8oz.

Had I not had a price book, I may not have realized what a great deal this was. I knew within seconds that I had been recently paying $1.99 or more for 8oz of cheese, so I could easily see this was HALF PRICE CHEESE and folks, it doesn't get better than that.

How I Keep My Price Book:
Since I've now got a 3rd eater at my house, it was high time for me to pick up the price book I started a few years ago and make it work. My original book was paper/pencil, though I've now advanced to an iPhone app: ValueTracker, which costs $0.99.  The buck was worth it to me to always have my price book with me (since I've always got my phone.)  The price book doesn't really work unless you always have it with you when you are at stores.

I put in prices using my receipt after I get home, and calculate the per unit (ounce, pound, whatever) price. I also update prices using the weekly sale flyers. If I used a coupon I note that (though really I don't use coupons often).  (I Plan to share my personal price book here soon!)


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The Frugal Townie returns!

Hello readers (if there are any of you left)- I'm back with a quick note on Price Books, but first, to fill you in.

I abandoned my blog because I was pregnant and sick/miserable the whole time. The good news is I now have a 10-month-old daughter who is happy and healthy, and my life is returning to a "new normal" as I like to think of it. I didn't have time have time for a lot of active frugal pursuits, though I did get baby stuff as frugally as I could. I will perhaps post about that at a later time.  So, now you're caught up! As I start to have a little more time again, I plan to post here occasionally.

BareMinerals Foundation Deal

One of the items that it is worth it to me to not buy the very cheapest option is foundation make-up.  I use BareMinerals foundation, and I just wanted to share the place to get the best price.  Just because I'm willing to pay for it doesn't mean I want to OVER pay for it!  This make up is regularly priced at $27 most anywhere you can find it- and if it is online it, it is $27 PLUS SHIPPING.

However, for the last few years I have been buying it on amazon.com for way less.  The price varies at any given time, but I regularly get it for $20 or less.

I just ordered some today, and it was $15.88 (including shipping!) By doing a simple amazon search to see what price I could get, I saved more than $11 on this makeup.

bareMinerals ORIGINAL SPF 15 Foundation with Click, Lock, Go Sifter - Fairly Light

Yes, that is an Amazon affiliates link. :) Even if you don't use my link, I wanted to share this good deal with everyone!

Freebies for Christmas

Despite that fact that it is not even quite Halloween yet, I've been thinking about Christmas. For several years now I have occasionally gone to "freebie" sites and signed up to be sent free samples of various items. This year, I decided to do this again, but with Christmas in mind.

While I do not recommend giving people on your gift list ONLY random free samples, I think they can be a fun way to add some fun extras to a gift, or to help fill a gift bag or stocking.

 Pictured: freebies I have received in the last month or so.

• Lindt chocolate truffes- got a coupon for a free bag by liking their facebook page during promotion. 
• Harley-Davidson sticker (free by mail. I have some Harley lovers in my family). 
• Ponds wipes samples and blue make-up bag of cosmetics samples (free by mail from Target during promo). Aero Shot energy gel sample (free by mail). 
• Eucerin lotion sample (free by mail).  
• Solar grasshopper (not actually free, but less than $1 on Amazon and thinking a kid in my family would love it.) 
• Not pictured: free mini-candle from Bed Bath and Beyond (got coupon online and picked up in-store).

I've signed up for another dozen or so that I'm expecting in the mail soon, plus I am keeping my eyes peeled for more to sign up for.

These are the sites I check regularly that tip me off to these freebies (I use Google Reader for most of my blog reading, so I'm not actually going to each of these everyday, they just come up in my feed. Easiest way to do it in my opinion.)  Not all of these are exclusively freebies, but I have found them all to be useful for this purpose.

Absurdly Cool Freebie Finder
 Freebie Shark
FreeSamples.org
FrugalFritzie (Actually more of a coupon blog, but does post good freebies sometimes)
HeyIt'sFree!
JustFreeStuff
Living Richly on a Budget (Again not exclusively freebies, but does include sometimes.)
MommySavers (Not exclusively freebies, but does include good ones sometimes.)
Who Said Nothing In Life is Free (Not all freebies, but good.)

Are any of you freebie collectors? What are you favorite sites? Please share in the comments!

Temporary hiatus- follow on Facebook!

 Hi all- for the next few months, I won't be regularly updating this blog. However, I will continue to update the Frugal Townie facebook page with deals I find, so be sure to follow and tune in there.

 Remember to check out the grocery ads before you go shopping!

Weekly Ads for Lawrence:

• Aldi Weekly Ad
• Checkers Weekly Ad  
• HyVee Weekly Ad
• Dillon's Weekly Ad
• Target Weekly Ad
• Wal-Mart Weekly Ad

Grocery Deals Round-Up: 8/15-8/21

Some good deals this week. I'm looking forward to having clementines again! Dillon's is doing their buy 10 items get $5 off promotion. There are a lot of snack foods and ready-to-eat foods on this list, so take a look if you are in the market for those. Also includes some toiletries. The prices with this deal are pretty good, and are GREAT if you have a coupon also.And  it looks like HyVee is doing a similar promotion on toiletries and household products.

Romance on a Dime's Frugal Recipe this week is homemade Healthy Granola. Yum!

Avocados (large)- $0.88/ea @ Checkers
Bananas- $0.33/lb @Aldi (any day) or $0.19/lb @ Checkers (Thurs only)
Clementines- $2.98/3lb bag @ Checkers
Cucumbers- 2/$1 @ Checkers
Grapes (green or red)- $0.79/lb @ Aldi
Green Bell Peppers- 2/$1 @ Checkers
Kiwi- $0.99/ 16oz pk @ Aldi
Mangoes- $0.39/ea @ Aldi
Peaches, Plums, Nectarines- $0.25/ea @ Aldi
Sweet Corn (local)- 3/$1 @ Checkers

Bacon (Best Choice)- $1.98/lb @ Checkers
Beans (black or refried)- $0.69/ can @ HyVee
Bone-In Pork Butt Roast- $1.59/lb @ Aldi (Wed only, Special Meat Buy)
Cheese (Kroger)- $3.99/ 24oz bag or block
Chicken Breasts- $1.68/lb @ Checkers
Chicken Leg Quarters- $0.78/lb @ Checkers
Sugar- $1.88/ 4lb bag @ HyVee
Taco Shells- $0.99/box @ HyVee
Vegetables (frozen Kroger or Bird's Eye)- $1/ bag @ Dillons

photo credit

Weekly Grocery Deals Round-Up: 8/1 - 8/6

Pleased to see ALDI has produce in their ad again this week!

Baby Carrots- $0.49/ 1lb bag @ Aldi
Cantaloupe- $0.99/ea @ Aldi
Celery - $0.69/lb @ Checkers
Corn (Sweet)- 6/ $2 @ Dillons
Grapes (green or red)- $0.94/lb @ Aldi
Kiwi- 5/$1 @ Checkers
Leaf Lettuce- $0.88/ea @ Checkers
Mangoes- 2/ $1 @ Checkers
Onions (Sweet)- $0.69/lb @ Checkers
Potatoes, Russet- $0.99/ 5lb bag @ Checkers


Frosted Shredded Wheat Cereal- $1.99/ 18oz box @ Aldi or Dillons or HyVee or Checkers
Coffee (Kroger)- $5.99/ 32oz  @ Dillons
Cottage Cheese (HyVee)- $1.39/ea @ HyVee
Crispy Oats (Cheerios style) Cereal- $1.50/ 14oz box @ Aldi
Orance Juice (half gallon) - $0.99 w/ coupon @ HyVee
Orange Juice (frozen)- $1.68/ea @ HyVee
Premium Fruit Bars Popsicles- $1.99/ box @ Aldi
Sausage (Farmland)- 3/$4.00 16oz roll @ HyVee
String Cheese- $4.99/ 24oz bag @ HyVee
Vegetables (frozen)- $1.00/bag @ Dillon's or Aldi or HyVee

Deodorant (Dove or Degree)- $0.99/ea @ HyVee
Deodorant (Secret or Old Spice)- 2/$3.00 @ HyVee
Shampoo (Suave or VO5)- $0.77/ea @ HyVee
Toothpaste (Colgate, Aim, Pepsodent)- $0.77/ea @ HyVee
Kids Backpacks (w/ 2 yr warranty)- $9.99 ea @ Aldi

**Special deals at HyVee- buy 3 Pepsi Co items, get a free backpack, or  buy 3 Oscar Meyer deli meats, get a free lunch bag.  If you are in the market for a lunch bag or backpack, these might be worth your time.**

Photo credit