Here are a few of the best Rite Aid deals this week. Thanks, MoneySavingMom!

Listerine Pocket Paks – $3.00
     Use $1/1 coupon from the 1/3 or 10/18 SmartSource insert
     Submit for $3 Single Check Rebate
Use both and get these for FREE!

Satin Care Shave Gel – $1.99
     Use $1/1 coupon from the 2/17 P&G
     Submit for $1 Single Check Rebate
Use both and get these for FREE!

Renu Eye Drops – $0.99
     Use $1/1 printable
After coupon these are FREE!

Carefree Ultra Pantiliners 16 count – $0.99
     Buy 2 and use $1/2 coupon from the 1/31 RedPlum insert
Use coupon and get these for $0.50 each!

Suave Shampoo or Conditioner – $1.99
     Use $.50/1 coupon from the 1/3 RedPlum insert
     Submit for $1 Single Check Rebate
Use both and get these for $0.50 each!

Kashi Cereal (price starts as $4.49) – On Sale Buy One Get One Free
     Buy 2 and use 2 $1.50/1 printable
Use coupon and get these for $0.75 each!

Albolene Moisturizing Cleanser – $7.99
     Submit for $7 Single Check Rebate
After Single Rebate Check, this is $0.99!

For a full list of Rite Aid deals, click here.

Let me preface this by saying that I tend to always make more food than we can eat, so we usually have an abundance of leftovers. This actually plays in my favor since I can always count on a few nights every week not having to cook! And let me tell you, those nights usually fall on a day I really need it!

By doubling recipes and freezing half, along with stocking up on staples at the store recently, I was able to amass quite an impressive freezer/pantry stockpile. Now is when we get creative!

I’m going to focus on dinners only, since Andy and I both have our shakes for breakfast and lunch so there is no need to meal plan for that. Katie is pretty predictable in her breakfast desires (Cheerios, oatmeal or eggs, fruit) and she either gets leftovers for lunch or things like chicken nuggets and whole wheat mac and cheese with veggies. She also loves frozen peas (right from the bag, still frozen!) so every lunch and dinner starts with that.

Monday: Mini Chili Cheese Dogs – I’m going to use some canned chili I got on sale with some hot dogs I have in the freezer and shredded cheddar I got on sale. Since I don’t really enjoy defrosted hot dog buns, I’ll wait until I absolutely have to use those later in the month. Instead, I’m planning to cut the hot dogs up and wrap them in crescent rolls, then smother them in chili and cheese. Should be yummy!

Tuesday: Gumbo – I made slow cooker gumbo today and doubled the recipe, so we had dinner tonight, dinner on Tuesday, and I will have a lot leftover to freeze. I was also able to use some frozen okra I have had in the freezer forever and not known how to use! (I may live in the South but I was raised up north, so I have no idea what to do with okra!) I’ll also make the other half of the frozen garlic bread loaf we ate half of tonight.

Wednesday: Enchiladas and Spicy Black Beans – Last week I made turkey enchiladas and froze half, so all I have to do is make the black beans. This will only work if I remember to put them out to soak on Tuesday night!

Thursday: leftovers – Andy’s not home for dinner that night so it works out well, Katie and I can finish off some leftovers and he doesn’t miss out on anything new and exciting.

Friday: Homemade Pizza – My mom’s pizza killer pizza dough recipe combined with frozen homemade marinara makes for a pretty good pizza. I have a bunch of yummy Mozzarella, Parmesan and Romano cheeses to top it with, plus some basil from our Earth Box. There aren’t usually leftovers from pizza night!

Saturday: Spaghetti with Marinara and Italian Veggies – Since I freeze my marinara in quart zip top bags, I will have enough left over from pizza night to make pasta on Saturday. I have a bag of Italian mix veggies in the freezer I’ve been wanting to use, so I’ll just throw it all together with some garlic bread or rolls, and Voila! Perfect date night dinner with the hubby!

Sunday: leftovers – I always make too much spaghetti.

As March begins and we embark on our first Eat From the Pantry Challenge, I am reminded of just how blessed we are. Having to be a little creative in our meal planning and grocery shopping for a month is nothing compared to the hardships so many people are facing. We have been incredibly blessed by God and I feel that my work to make the most of the money we have been given pleases Him.

With so many people suffering around the world, especially those who have been impacted by the devastating earthquakes recently, I am forced to put our situation into perspective. I could be upset with the financial position we are in, beating myself up over allowing it to happen. Instead, I am grateful for the nonmaterial blessings that are a direct result of the difficulties we find ourselves in.

By staying home to eat in lieu of eating out, our family has become closer than ever (and we didn’t think it was possible to be closer than we were!) and sharing these hardships has allowed us to bond in a way we had not previously. Our relationship with and faith in the Lord has grown exponentially – we have given our worries and stress up to Him and are focusing on bettering our situation instead of dwelling on our mistakes.

We are also forced to find creative ways to spend time with the people we care about. No longer can we just go out to eat with friends on a whim. Now, we either have friends over or go to their houses, for the most part. And I have to say, laughing and talking over a good home cooked meal while our kids play together is so much fun! I find that I’m able to focus on our friends and the conversation rather than making sure Katie’s not trying to climb out of her restaurant high chair or chew on the table. In one of our homes, we are all more comfortable and this allows us to make the most of our time together.

I am convinced that we are in this position as part of His plan for us, and I am determined to make the best of this season of our lives. We are by no means suffering and we’re lucky for that! So join me as I do minimal grocery shopping and creative meal planning, facing this challenge head on!

Well, our weekend at the Kids Consignment and Mommy Extravaganza is over, and we had a great time. We met a ton of wonderful people and got the word out about our products. We even sold a few things! All in all, it was a very productive use of our time. Thanks to everyone who came out!

We are starting our Eat From the Pantry Challenge next week, so this weekend’s shopping trip was mainly for dairy and produce. Our Publix actually had some great produce deals and we were able to snag 3 cartons of fresh strawberries for $5! We also got some plum tomatoes for $1.29/lb and we were able to stock up on bananas to freeze for our shakes.

I couldn’t resist stocking up on vegetable oil that was Buy One Get One Free since we ran out a few weeks ago and I’ve been watching the sales to find some cheap!

But we were still able to get all of the above, plus milk and eggs, for about $19. The best part was that Andy did the shopping today since I was working, so I didn’t even have to brave the Saturday grocery crowds! All in all today was a success!

Ragu Pasta Sauce, Assorted Varieties, 16 to 26.3 oz jar (Excluding Organic) BOGO $2.29
-$1/2 Multiply Your Meals & Savings Booklet (26.3 oz jar only)
-$.30/1; $1/2; $.75/2; $1.25/3; $.60/2 Ragu pasta sauce, any – 01-31-10 RP
Combine a store coupon with a manufacturer’s coupon to pay as low as $0.15 per jar!

Green Giant Canned Vegetables, 11 to 15 oz can (Excluding Specialty Corn Varieties, Three Bean Salad, And Asparagus) BOGO $1.29
-$1/4 Green Giant Canned OR Jarred Vegetables, any FOUR Tearpad
-$5/20 Italian Days Coupon or PRINT
Buy four and pay as low as $0.40 per can!

Del Monte Tomatoes, Assorted Varieties, 14.5 oz can, BOGO $1.39
-$1/4 Del Monte Tomatoes (11-15.25oz), Any (4) – 02-07-10 RP
-$1/4 PRINT
Pay only $0.45 per can!

Betty Crocker Supreme Brownie Mix, Assorted Varieties, 19.8 to 22.5 oz or Dessert Bar Mix, 19.5 oz box, BOGO $2.69
-$.75/2; $1/2 Betty Crocker Box Supreme Brownie Mixes, any – 02-07-10 SS
-$.75/2 PRINT & PRINT
-$.50/1 PRINT
You can get these as low as $0.35 per box if your store doubles coupons!

Knorr Sides, Assorted Varieties, 4 to 6.4 oz pouch, BOGO $1.49
-$.55/2 Multiply Your Meals & Savings Booklet
-$.75/3; $.50/2; $1/3; $.60/2  Knorr Rice and Pasta Side Dishes any – 01-31-10 RP
Combining a store coupon and MQ will allow you to get these for as low as $0.17 per pouch!

Lipton Family Size Tea Bags, Iced Tea Brew, 24 ct box, (Excluding Decaf) BOGO $2.65
-$.60/1; $.50/1; $1/2 Lipton Tea Bags, any – 01-31-10 RP
If your store doubles, pay as low as $0.33 per box!

StarKist Chunk White Tuna, Premium Albacore, 6.4 oz pkg, BOGO $3.19
-$1/2 StarKist Pouch Products, 2.6oz or 6.4oz Chunk Light or Albacore, Creations, New Tuna Salad and Lunch To-Go – 02-14-10 RP
-$1/2 StarKist Pouch products, choose from 2.6oz or 6.4oz Chunk Light or Albacore, Creations, NEW Tuna Salad and Lunch To-Go – BH&G, Woman’s Day, Family Circle, Good Housekeeping, February 2010
-$1/1 PRINT
Pay as low as $0.60 per package!

Pam Cooking Spray, No Stick: Original, Olive Oil, Butter Flavor, For Baking With Flour, or For The Grill, 5 or 6 oz can (excluding Organic and Professional) BOGO $3.39
-$1/2; $.35/1 Pam Cooking Spray – 01-24-10 SS
-$1.00 WYB any ONE Reddi-Whip AND any ONE Pam No-stick cooking spray. Publix Store Coupon exp 02/28/10 Single Page Flyer
-$.50/1 PRINT
You can get these for as low as $0.70 per can if your store doubles!

Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers, Assorted Varieties, 12 oz bag, BOGO $2.39
-$.50/2 Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers Frozen Vegetables, any (2) – 02-21-10 SS
-$.40/1; $1/2 Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers Frozen Vegetables, Any – 01-03-10 GM
-$.50/1 PRINT
-$5/20 Italian Days Coupon or PRINT
-$.50/1 PRINT
If your store doubles you can get these for as low as $0.20 per bag!

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! Spread: 15 oz or 7.5 oz tub, 16 oz ctn, or 10 oz bot or Spray, 8 oz bot, Assorted Varieties, BOGO $2.49
-$.75/2  Multiply Your Meals & Savings Booklet
-$.60/2; $.75/2; $.50/1; $1/2 I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! products, any (2) – 01-31-10 RP
-$.75/1 Blinkie
-$.50/1 PRINT (zip 90210)
If your store doubles, you can get these for FREE ($0.50 per item if not)!

Right Guard Sport Anti-Perspirant & Deodorant, Assorted Varieties, 2.8 or 3 oz pkg, BOGO $2.79
-$2/2 PRINT & PRINT
Pay as low as $0.40 per item!

Egg Beaters, Assorted Varieties, 15 or 16 oz ctn, 3/$5
-$1/1 Egg Beaters (15 oz. or larger)  from the ConAgra ‘Rediscover Your Balance’ book
-$1/2; $.35/1 Egg Beaters Product, Any – 01-10-10 SS
-$.35/1; $.60/2 Blinkie
-$1/1  any Egg Beaters Publix Store Coupon exp 02/28/10 -single page flyer
Using a store coupon combined with a MQ can get you these for FREE or close to it!

Kraft Chunk Cheese or Cracker Cuts, Assorted Varieties, 4.5 to 8 oz pkg, 3/$5
-$2/3 Tearpad
-$1/2 Kraft or Cracker Barrel Natural Cheese, any (2) pkgs Shreds or Chunks – 01-24-10 SS
-$1/2 Blinkie
-$1/2 Kraft Natural Shredded Or Chunk Cheese, Any (Publix Coupon) – 01-03-10 SS
-$1/1 Kraft Chunk Cheese Target Q PRINT
Using a store coupon combined with a MQ can get you these really cheap!

Febreze Air Effects Air Refresher, Assorted Varieties, 9.7 oz can, 2/$5
-$.75/1 Shopping Spree Flyer
-$.50/1 Febreze Air Effects, Any – P&G’s Home Made Simple & 01-17-10 PG
Pay as low as $0.75 per can!

Click here for a complete list of weekly deals. Thanks IHeartPublix!

Go here to check out a preview of what’s coming in your Sunday paper this weekend!

This is also a great place to search for coupons you need to use. I love this feature because if there’s something I need that I don’t know if I have a coupon for, I don’t have to search through all my coupon inserts. I just go to this site and do a search and Viola! It tells me where my coupon is.

I’ve been inspired recently by other blogging mamas and their Eat From the Pantry Challenges (MoneySavingMom and LifeAsMom!) and our budget for March has challenged me to do my own Eat From the Pantry Challenge.

So to keep me accountable, I’ll be blogging about the challenges and triumphs. I’ll also be posting our weekly meal plans, so I’ll have to be creative! I am budgeting $20 per week for groceries in March, down from our normal $50 per month. Since I still will need to get produce and dairy, this should be enough. The big challenge will be to stop myself from taking advantage of all the grocery store deals! I am hoping for a light deal month.

In a couple days we’ll embark on this adventure! I’ll be doing our weekly shopping this afternoon if I can get myself organized in time, since we’ll be working at an expo all weekend. Such an exciting time in our lives!

This weekend Andy and I are challenging ourselves to work all weekend at a Kids’ Consignment Sale and Mommy Extravaganza. We have signed up to be vendors with our work from home business so we’ll be out there all weekend!

I am so excited to get the word out about our Isagenix business, and this will be the first real out-of-house work I’ve done since I had Emma in December! The challenge will be that we do have two little girls and no family in town to help out! We’re relying on the girls’ Godparents to watch Katie on Saturday and we’ll have Emma with us since she is still nursing every 3 hours. This should be fun!

Let’s pray for good weather!

Last weekend, I posted how we decided to go to a cash system on our monthly budget. The ease with which we transitioned really inspired me to take it a step further. Since we were no longer overspending on groceries and eating out, I thought it was time to step it up a notch.

When we read Dave Ramsey’s book last year, we decided to start on our debt snowball. It didn’t work out so well. Because we hadn’t yet gone to the envelope system, we were still overspending and not putting any extra money on credit cards. I had gotten a handle on seeing where our money was going, but was still failing at spending less, which meant still not paying down debt. And we were still using our credit cards. Big no-no.

If you know me, you know that I’m not a big New Year’s Resolution person. I stopped making them because I never stick with them. This year, the timing of our decisions about our financial future coincided with the New Year but I decided that these are for-life resolutions. We really needed to make major changes, especially with me quitting my job to stay home with the girls.

This brings us to the next big change we made. Stop using credit cards. No matter what. This is a big deal for us because we like to travel, so we always put our plane tickets on a card. Or if we thought something might not fit into the budget for that month, we’d just put it on a card.

No more safety net. We have our emergency fund to fall back on, and we are trusting that God will provide. We have been tested on this, but we’re sticking to it.

So we’ve converted to the envelope system and made a commitment to stop using credit cards completely. Huge steps for us. Next week I’ll explain the next step in our financial makeover, the biggest one yet!