Sams Club HOAD...

I was in the Jordan Landing Sam's club today and they have BONELESS pork loin (you know, those big, vacuumed sealed packages which usually have at least 5 lbs of meat in them), for just $1.38/ pound. This is an amazing deal. $1.79/pound is a rare find, but $1.38 is just plain fantastic! I got a very large pork loin for just over $11.

Just open the package, cut into roasts and freeze individually or slice up for pork chops. I repeat, this is BONELESS, good quality meat. The date has not expired... there was a lot when I was there, but I am sure it will go fast so get over to Sams and stock up while you can! :)

Need ideas on what to do with this meat? Well if you want super simple, you can just put one of the roasts in the crock pot, season with salt and pepper, cover with large chunks of raw onions, then add chopped potatoes and mini-carrots. Pour a can of chicken broth over the top and cook on high for about 6-7 hours. Yum.

However, my all time favorite recipe for pork loin is the Cafe Rio Sweet Pork recipe:

1 good size pork loin

2 cans coke (I use caffeine free)

1 16oz jar of salsa

2 cups brown sugar

Put the pork loin and 1 can of coke in the crock pot. Cook the roast on high for 5 hours. Drain off coke and mix together the other can of coke, the jar of salsa (I blend it to get rid of the chunks), and the 2 cups of brown sugar. Cut the roast in half, and pour the mixture over it. Cook an additional 3 hours on high and then shred the pork with two forks. Put the crock pot on low until ready to serve.

Serve on tortillas with rice and veggies... or go the whole mile and make all the salad toppings including the Cafe Rio Creamy Tomatillo Salad Dressing:

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup mayo

1/2 cup sour cream

1 pkg dry ranch buttermilk dressing

2-3 medium tomatillos (remove outer leaves)

1 tsp crushed garlic

3/4-1 bunch of Cilantro

2tsp green Tabasco sauce

Juice from 1 lime

Salt & pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients together and refrigerate until ready to serve. (At least one hour.)

(*HOAD=heck of a deal)

Bath & Body Works Coupon...

This weekend you can get a free lip item (up to $7.50 in value) with ANY purchase while supplies last. Click here to get the coupon! They usually have a couple of little knick-knacks you can buy for about $1 if you aren't interested in anything else, so head on over and get one and pick up a nice lip gloss for free! Be fast because this coupon is only good through August 30th. :)

Shop alone...

I've said it before and I'll say it again. A fast way to save major money when grocery shopping is to LEAVE THE FAMILY AT HOME!!!!

The more people you take shopping with you, the more likely you are to come home with extra items you weren't planning on buying. You know... the items the kids toss in the cart when you aren't looking, or the ones they beg to try when you're just too tired to say no. Or how about the items hubby wants that you would feel guilty saying no to?

Shopping alone helps you keep a firm grip on your budget while getting some much needed, peaceful, YOU time... it's a win-win situation! :)

Unplug it...

Did you know that there are many items in your home that are still running even when you think they are off? In fact, "of the total energy used to run home electronics, 40% is consumed when the appliances are turned off". (http://www.kiplinger.com/)

Here are some electronics that you may want to consider. All of these appliances use electricity even when they are off. Naturally, some fancier appliances use more energy than others, so test it for a couple of months and see how it affects your personal energy bill. :)

• Mobile Phone Chargers (these continue to use electricity even when your phone is not attached!)
• Computers/Laptops
• Monitors
• Speakers/Subwoofers
• Fax machines
• Copiers
• Cable Boxes
• DVRs
• Video Game Systems
• Stereos
• Televisions
• Radios/Audio Systems
• Microwave Ovens (if you leave the door open, you are burning about 8x as much energy.)

This week at Smiths...

Wow, I am impressed with some of the items on sale at Smiths this week. The sale just started today so you have until August 25th to take advantage of their Founder's Days Sale. (You need to have a Smiths Card to get all these deals.) Don't forget, these are the prices BEFORE coupons. If you have coupons, you may find yourself taking home some of these items for little to nothing! Here are just a few of the items that will be on my shopping list:

• Petite Cut Sirloin Steak $1.99/pound
• Boneless Pork Loin Chops $2.29/pound
• Tyson Fresh Chicken boneless, skinless breasts or tenderloins $1.99/pound
• Tomatoes on the vine $0.99/pound
• Peaches or nectarines $0.89/pound
• Kroger Value 10lb Bag Russet Potatoes $1.79
• Kroger Orange Juice 1 gallon $1.99
• Speed Stick or Lady Speed Stick $0.88

The following items are parts of the Save $5 instantly Mega Savings Event. You have to buy a combination of 10 items to get the listed price for each item. However, you can buy 5 of one item and 5 of another, or 10 different listed items... however you want. (Check with your store to see if there is a limit on how many of combinations of 10 you can purchase.)

• General Mills or Quaker Cereals selected varieties $1.49
• Progresso Soups selected varieties $1.00
• Sobe or Sobe Life Water $0.39
• Quaker Quakes Rice Cakes $0.49
• Nature Valley, Fiber One, Quaker bars & oatmeal selected varieties $1.99
• Quaker chewy granola bars $1.49
• 24 pack Aquafina Water 16.9oz bottles $2.99
• Hamburger helper $0.89
• Betty Crocker cookie pouch or premium brownies $1.49
• Pillsbury Toaster Strudels $1.49

(*Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any misprints by the grocery store chains OR by me. Check your mailers to confirm prices, or go online here for Smiths to look at the AD's for yourself.)

Which way are your ceiling fan blades rotating???

So you have a ceiling fan that is helping you save money, or so you think! Did you know that ceiling fans have a little switch on them that determine which way the blades are going to rotate making your home warmer or cooler?

The blades are tipped slightly up for a reason... during the colder months, you should have them rotating clockwise which circulates the air in the room making it warmer, but during the hotter months you should have them rotating counterclockwise which will help push the air down to make you feel cooler.

Check your fan to see which way the blades are rotating to save big time on your energy bill. You may be costing yourself unnecessary money by running the ac when you really don't need it or even worse, making your air conditioner work harder to cool your home! :)

Tip of the day...

Going on vacation for a week is NOT a good way to save money... however, it was a heck of a lot of fun. :)

Now... back to frugal living!!!! :)

Thou Shalt Not...

Today it's an unusual post for me here on Frugalityville, but I got an email from LDS Gems with a cool quote in it and as I thought about it, I realized that for some of us, coveting may actually be a source of un-frugal spending! After all, how many of us have seen something that someone else has and then WE JUST HAVE TO HAVE IT! "Keeping up with Jones'" can cost us lots of hard earned money as well as cause us financial woes, so how can we keep it all under control?

First, if your friends have something that you think you really want or need, let it mull in your mind for a few days or even a few weeks and see if it still seems like you HAVE to have it. You will find that once the novelty of the item wears off, it may not seem so must have-able after all!

Second, if it still seems like you must have it, talk with the family about it. Does your family need it? Is it worth the money or is there something else you want to spend that money on? After all, once you think about how much the item costs, you will be amazed how many things you can think of that you would rather have.

Third, if you decide you DO want the item, save your money then shop around. Don't just go and buy it immediately or throw it on credit. Shop the sales, shop online. Get the best value for your buck! :)

If anyone is interested, here is the quote by Robert D. Hales from “Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually,” Ensign, May 2009, that brought on this post today.

“Being provident providers, we must keep that most basic commandment, ‘Thou shalt not covet’ (Exodus 20:17). Our world is fraught with feelings of entitlement. Some of us feel embarrassed, ashamed, less worthwhile if our family does not have everything the neighbors have. As a result, we go into debt to buy things we can’t afford—and things we do not really need. Whenever we do this, we become poor temporally and spiritually. We give away some of our precious, priceless agency and put ourselves in self-imposed servitude. Money we could have used to care for ourselves and others must now be used to pay our debts.”

Barnes & Noble Coupon for South Towne Marketplace...

The Barnes and Noble in South Towne Marketplace, (Sandy, Utah) has added two new departments for parents & teachers. To celebrate, they are giving you 40% off of the retail list price of one B&N @ School item and 40% off one Educational Toys & Games item. These coupons are ONLY good at this particular store. Click HERE to get the coupons and to learn more about this offer. Coupon expires August 16th at close of business. :)

Smiths Steak Deal...

The West Jordan SMITHS has a great deal on Petite Steaks right now but tomorrow (August 4th) is the last day... at $2.29/pound these are a great deal. I got packages that usually sell for over $20 for around $7. (Check your local Smith's ad by clicking here to see if they are on sale at your Smiths.) If they don't have any out, make sure to ask the butcher if they have any in the back or at the very least get a rain check!

These little steaks are SOOOOO great on the grill. You can make your own marinade or dump them in a store bought one. Any way you do it, they grill up tender and delicious... It would definitely be worth your while to go out of your way a little to stock up your freezer!

As a side note they also have ground beef for $1.69/pound and lots of other things at good prices... have a look at the ad and your coupons before you go and see what else you can pick up while you are there!

(*Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any misprints by the grocery store chains OR by me. Check your mailers to confirm prices, or go online here for Smiths to look at the AD's for yourself.)