Meat Specials This Weekend at Louie's P & R!

This weekend, Louie's P & R in Herrin is featuring fresh ground beef at $2.29 per pound and their famous Italian salameats at $2.69 per pound.  If you took advantage of their most recent Daily Special through the Southern Illinoisan and still have one of the $20 vouchers that were offered for only $10, you save a LOT.   

Just think about it.  If you paid $20.61 plus tax for 9 pounds of ground beef, not including tax, you would basically be paying $10.61 plus tax for 9 pounds.  That's only $1.18 per pound of FRESH ground beef!  If you have a freezer, it might be time to stock for hamburgers, chili, meat loaf, and all of the other things you will eventually make with ground beef.  Plus, you can't just find salameats everywhere.  

You can also check out their meat bundles and Italian Deli sandwiches/salads via the link below:

http://louiespnr.com/market.html

You'd Better Shop Around...

Sometimes it really pays to do a price comparison on groceries.  Recently, Dollar Tree has started carrying a couple varieties of the Progresso canned Meal Starters at 2/$1.00.  The exact same item at Kroger goes for over $2.00 per can.  Occasionally, there are coupons out as well, which would pretty much get you a can for free or very little at Dollar Tree.  

With this particular item, I like the sun-dried tomato option but am trying the basil-Parmesan variety.  They seem to work well with pastas.  

Please keep in mind that these should have a decent shelf life and would also make nice pantry donation items :)

Kroger Mega Event Week(s)

Kroger is currently having one of their Mega Events in which you take $4 off your total if you buy 4 participating items.     Digital Kroger coupons, peelies, and coupons--especially ones that double--can really increase your savings.  If you are a Plus Card member, don't forget to scan your card and bring those coupons they send to you in the mail.  I got a FREE razor valued around $10.99 via a Kroger coupon.  

I was fortunate to find a peelie on Finish Dishwasher that doubled to $1.00 at my Kroger making it $1.99 with the Mega Event pricing.  Tonight, I found Lawry's Marinade for 99 cents in the Mega Event with a 50 cent coupon attached to some bottles that made the bottle that I got free after it doubled.  Keep your eyes peeled for those peelies...

Free Video Rentals for "A" Grades on Report Cards

Family Video stores are offering this reward to students again this year.  Your child can bring in his or her report card and and earn free rentals for "A" grades between now and June 30, 2013.  Last year, our local store honored "S" and "pass" grades as "A" grades.  

http://clients.criticalimpact.com/vm2/ac9ac9acbf73139b/24897/d2d89f50ca0b808f3947229f28c3afba

Herrinfesta Italiana 2013: An Overview of Food Prices

Sometimes it's good to know what kind of prices will be at an event before you arrive.  It's never fun to promise your kids cotton candy only to arrive and find that it costs an arm and a leg.  A few years ago,  we went to Six Flags and discovered that soft drinks were around fifteen dollars each.  Needless to say, that trip budget fell apart quickly.

Fortunately, most of the soft drinks and shake-ups at the festa seem to run between $2 and $4.  Corn dogs are running around $4 as well.  Not so fried options like chicken and pork chops start around $6 and $8.  Turkey legs are $8 while cheese sticks and ravioli are about $6 each.  I did see a sign for deep fried pickles and deep fried pb&j.  As this is an Italian festa, there are of course options like Italian beef, tiramisu, mostaccoli, risotto, and gelato.  

Probably some of the best values are the Paulette's refillable soft drink cup with lid and straw for $5.  Refills are $3, and they will allow refills in the same cup at the DuQuoin State Fair.  The make your own slushy stand also offers refillable options. The one that lights up is $10.  

Here are some prices from this evening:

Bottled water:  $2-$3

Corn dogs:  $4

Cotton Candy: $3-$5

Taffy:  $5-$8

Taco in a bag:  $4.50

Loaded potato: $4.50

Funnel Cakes:  start at $6

Turkey legs:  $8

Cheese sticks:  $6

Ravioli: $6

Dippin' Dots:  starting at $4

Snow cones:  starting at $3

Fried pickles:  $3

Italian sausage:  $7

Steakburger:  $5

French fries:  starting at $3

Gelato & Sorbetto:  starting at $3

Corn Dog Sale at Sonic 5/23/13

Sonic is selling their corn dogs for only 50 cents today to celebrate National End of School Day.  If you get a corn dog or two AND have saved one of the Sonic receipts (with your validation code) for a free Route 44 drink, you can spend less than $2!  

Budget Stretcher

When you are getting groceries, keep on mind that some things are often cheaper at Sam's Club.  Not all things are cheaper, but there are some good values.  It does require a membership or guest pass to shop there.  I've found that I do actually save enough throughout the year for the membership to be worthwhile.  

One of the best values I've found has been potatoes.  Today, I paid $2.45 for a 10 pound bag.  There are a lot of ways to use potatoes--regular mashed, cheddar smashed, garlic & Parmesan smashed, roasted with herbs, potato soup, stews, veggie soups, and on and on and on...

Some of the other groceries that often seem to be a good value at Sam's Club are limes, bags of garlic, milk, heavy whipping cream, some spices, and some meats.  I tend to look for the orange tags that say "reduced for quick sale."  

I don't have a Plus Membership, but I did notice that some packages of meat were an extra $3 off right now with that type of membership.