Live Lavishly for Less

TWO WEEK GROCERY MENU! $37 week NO COUPONS!

2005-03-30T23:18:00.000-05:00

TWO WEEK GROCERY MENU! $37 week NO COUPONS!

GROCERY TIME!

here is the shopping list for TWO WEEKS if you don't have
any coupons and want to STRETCH your buying dollars here is
an example of how this can be done! this week I used the ads
from IGA and FOOD LION to create a shopping list

1st thing you do is TAKE STOCK OF YOUR ON HAND ITEMS and try
to incorporate into the planned two week menu

2nd Your family may be on a special diet and or have
allergies to what I suggest, or just have plain picky eaters
if that is the case substitute LIKE ITEMS for about the SAME
COST per lb or per serving
FOR EXAMPLE : i have several meals with ground beef this
time, your family doesn't eat red meat, substitute turkey
products, chicken or soy.......

3rd: the budgeting that I do is not the most HEALTHY way of
eating, we know that we COULD substitute WATER for PEPSI AND
KOOL AID and save even more money right? I tried to
incorporate a variety, please feel free to adjust to your
family ........ ALSO if you are on the ADKINS or similar
diet plan ummmm my potato use and rice well they just don't
fit, so ..... of course make those adjustments as well.

MEAT:
IGA: Whole Chicken fryer 78c lb (get one about 4 lbs) $3.20
FOOD LION: Whole Smoked Picnic 99c lb (get one about 5 lbs)
$5.00
IGA: Ground Beef 1.28 lb (get 3 lbs) $4.00
IGA: 3 lbs of chicken wings frozen section $4.00
SAUSAGE 99c 1-lb roll

DELI
FL : 2 packs OM hot dogs $2.00
FL : b1g1f OM BOLOGNA (2 lbs) $3.79

PRODUCE SECTION
FL: radish 6oz 25c
FL: green onions 25c each buy 4 $1.00 total
FL: Cantelope $2
FL: CABBAGE 39c lb (get one about 4 lbs) $1.50
IGA: 10 lb white potatoes $2
FL : apples 5lb bag $2
FL : Grapes 1 lb $1.00
IGA : zuchinni 1 lb $1
IGA: Green Beans l lb $1

OTHER:
IGA 3/$1 assorted canned veggies get 6 for $2.00
IGA PASTA (get spahgetti & two macaroni) 3/$1
IGA: Penaut Butter $1
IGA: frozen veggies 2/$1
IGA PASTA SAUCE $1
IGA APPLE JUICE 64oz 88c (GET TWO) $1.80
FOLGERS COFFEE $2
2 liter pepsi products 79c each GET TWO $1.60

DRIED NAVY BEANS LESS than $1.00
DRIED LENTILS LESS than $1.00
RED BEANS less than $1.00
Pork & Beans or Baked Beans canned 2 cans $1

MILK $3
2 dozen EGGS $2
FL MARGERINE 2/$1
CHEDDAR CHEESE get what is onsale or w/ coupon UNDER $2.00
BREAD: $1.00 (get hot dog rolls 50c and loaf bread 50c)
IGA SUGAR 5 lbs $1.69
IGA: 5lb FLOUR 79c
BISCUITS BLUE CAN 4 PACK $1.20

TOTAL FOR ALL $$72.82 BEFORE COUPONS OR $36.41 each week

HERE IS THE MENU
of course you can play around here and have how you like
but this is suggestions:

BREAKFASTS
toast w/ marg.& apple butter
Cinnamon Toast
egg omelet (western)
Boiled eggs
cantelope
pancakes
french toast
fried apples
applesauce
fried bologna
biscuits & sausage gravy
hash browns
Sausage
DONUTS (make from a can of busicuits)
cereal & milk
grits
oatmeal
breakfast burritos
JUICE, MILK, COFFEE, HOT TEA

ON HAND FILL INS: grits, oatmeal, cereal, jelly, syrup,
honey, chipped beef, canned & frozen fruit (smoothies),
cinnamon/sugar,

LUNCHES:
grilled cheese or PB&J or tuna
SOUPS (potato, bean & ham, vegetable)
Beanie weenies (hot dogs & baked beans)
Onion Rings
French Fries
Home-made Onion Rings
Buritoes
LEFT OVERS from Dinner
Potato skins
Egg salad, chicken salad, pasta salad or ham salad
Chicken Noodle soup (use macaroni noodles)
RAMEN noodles
Bologna burgers with fried onions
Applesauce
MAC & CHEESE

DRINKS: juice, tea, coffee, water, kool aid, pepsi

ON HAND: ramen noodles, tuna fish, jelly, chips, tortillias,
cooking oil, mayo and mustard, bouillion, kool aid, tea

SCHOOL LUNCHES:
NOTE: school lunches, pack thermos of drink (juice or kool
aid, REMEMBER YOUR KIDS DO NOT EAT MORE AT SCHOOL THAN THEY
DO AT HOME! only pack what they normally eat, otherwise you
are feeding the TRASH CAN!

Sandwiches, soup, chips or crackers, apple or catelope or
other on hand canned fruit, CEREAL is great choice, put
thermos of milk and tupperware bowl of cereal! SUGAR
COOKIES (make from on hand items) or POUND CAKE or ANGEL
FOOD CAKE (make from shopping list + on hand items)

DINNERS
MONDAY: Chilli with shredded cheese & rice

TUESDAY: NACHOS with tortillias & left over Chilli, cheese
and what ever else you want to throw in!

WED: Chicken Wings: potatoes (fried) and choice of veggie
use leftover salad dressing for dipping!

THURS: Pork Roast, a veggie your choice, rice

FRIDAY: HOT DOGS with COLE SLAW and LENTILS

SAT: QUICHE, Zuchinni Bread , GRAPES

SUNDAY: BAKED CHICKEN Chicken, baked potatoes and zuchinni +
biscuits

MONDAY: RED BEANS & RICE with sausage & garlic toast *
cranberry/jello salad

TUESDAY: spaghetti & meat balls w/ garlic toast

WED: BBQ (leftover pork) make your own sauce, cole slaw and
FRIED APPLES

THURS: NAVY BEANS with left over pork roast BONE and
shavings, rice & biscuits

FRIDAY: Beef Burritos & cheese enchiladas, black bean salsa
with spanish rice

SATURDAY: Chicken & Rice casserole, green beans

SUNDAY: STuffed Cabbage Rolls & boiled potatoes

ON HAND: RICE, tortillias, misc. seasoning, cocoa powder,
onions, olives, carrots, celery, kraut, cranberry sauce,
jello, & more

DESSERTS: sugar cookies, pound cake, angel food cake,
brownies if you have cocoa on hand, peanut butter cookies,
peanut butter pie, apple pie or cobbler, CHOOSE A COUPLE OF
THESE

***note you may have to buy an extra loaf of bread if you
don't have a bread machine, I like to make one loaf and buy
a sliced loaf.

****FILL EMPTY SODA & WATER BOTTLES with WATER & KOOL AID
stock them in your FRIDGE for easy access and to add to
those "on the go" moments (like out to ball practice!)

******** BUY MILK WITH THE LATEST POSSIBLE EXPIRATION DATE
I ALWAYS RUN OUT OF MILK before my 2 weeks are up. I either
DO WITHOUT, use powdered milk COOKING ONLY I hate to drink
it, or BUY MORE........... if you buy more you blow the
budget so try not too!

******* DONT stop in the morning and buy coffee! set your
coffee maker to auto make this for you in the a.m. DOOOO
stock up on sugars, creamers, jellies etc. when you HAVE to
buy out (and/or are conducting a mystery shop!), make sure
you GET YOUR CONDIMENTS, to add to lunches and/or have on
hand in a pinch!

**********FREEZE ALL LEFTOVERS FOR OTHER MEALS! this menu
should give you leftovers on several nights unless you are
feeding more than 4! use them for LUNCHES, snacks, or save
for an impromtu dinner when you just dont feel like cookin

Easter 2002 CHEAP CHEEP

2005-03-24T15:07:00.000-05:00

* /Easter eggonomics: Bargain queen discounts her blessings/ *

*BY DOUGLAS DURDEN
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER*
**
* Angela Hresan, recently featured on NBC's "Today" for her shopping
skills, decorates for Easter using items bought on sale after last
Easter. Her gift basket for a teen-age girl (right) contains $91 of
goodies bought for less than $5.
(DEAN HOFFMEYER) *

*
*

* *

*In looking for ways to celebrate the season, who better to consult with
than the newly crowned queen of bargain shopping, Powhatan's Angela Hresan.*

*Hresan, 40, made not one but two recent appearances on NBC's "Today"
promoting the joys of coupons, Internet bargains and rebates.*

*"Today" co-host Matt Lauer himself was moved to say "You go, Angela"
after Hresan, taped darting in and out of several local stores,
purchased some $333.36 of stuff for a mere $16.27.*

*"I wouldn't call myself a tightwad or a cheapskate," Hresan told her TV
audience. "I would call myself a saving specialist."*

*So we thought Hresan might have some tips on how to celebrate Easter
with style and economy.*

*Hresan recently gave us a crash course in Easter baskets, but also
included a movie-themed basket for her son-in-law and a goody-packed
version for teen-age girls.*

*But first, the Easter eggs.*

*Hresan, whose quest for economy began when she was a single mom (she
has since remarried), had two concerns when it came to coloring
hard-boiled eggs: coming up with absolutely the cheapest way to dye the
eggs, and making sure they were nontoxic.*

*Here are three of her methods. Boil eggs in water containing tea bags
and leftover coffee. Boil eggs in water filled with slightly spoiled
oranges, squeezed first for juice. Boil eggs in water colored by cumin
and onion peels.*

*She'll rub the coffee-stained eggs with margarine to make them shiny.
The cumin-onion-colored eggs get rubbed with a paper towel for a mottled
effect. The results are softly colored eggs to go into color-coordinated
baskets.*

*The truth is, Hresan started her Easter baskets almost 12 months ago -
as soon as last Easter's items went on sale. The candy she adds is more
recent, probably from the 90 percent-off Valentine's Day stash she keeps
in her dishwasher.*

*Yes, the dishwasher. Hresan says she saves money on electricity by
washing her dishes by hand. Plus, she gains handy storage space.*

*Storage space is a big issue in the Hresan house.*

*Entire closets are devoted to items bought at a discount. What she
doesn't need or use she donates to charity. The attic is already full
and ready for Christmas.*

*But that's nothing compared to the fruits of her labor on display. As
Hresan will proudly tell you, she won almost everything in the house.*

*Big-screen TV in family room - a prize.*

*Camcorder - a prize.*

*VCRs - prizes.*

*CD players - prizes.*

*Slipcovers - prizes.*

*Butcher block table in the kitchen - rescued and refurbished into a
work of art.*

*No one in her family buys T-shirts, she says. She gets so many free
ones. "My husband is a billboard."*

*There's more. Hresan, a probation officer for Chesterfield County's
Domestic Violence Unit, points to a wall in the kitchen. Originally, she
wanted to hang a large chalkboard. But, after pricing them, she decided
to make her own by painting a wall in chalkboard paint.*

*Enter the guest bedroom, decorated in a jungle motif provided by
pillows, chair, wallpaper border and accessories.*

*"This whole room probably cost $50 - and I'm stretching it," says
Hresan, who remembers winning her first contest in the third grade - a
Bozo the Clown prize pack.*

*It's not an addiction, said Hresan of her need to save money. It's a
quest.*

*Her goal: save at least 75 percent off retail; better yet, 90 percent;
even better yet, get it for free.*

*But back to the baskets.*

*We forgot to mention the basket liner made from shredded paper.*

*In keeping with the soft earth tones, Hresan creates the basket "nest"
from supermarket bags with the help of a paper shredder. Most of the
baskets are the wire variety purchased for $1 from a dollar store.*

*Hresan's favorite spot for bargains is the Internet, a fact she's
willing to share through her own Web site, www.freelancebyu.com
.*

*The busy site includes links to bargains on DVDs, cameras and magazine
subscriptions, just to name a few possibilities. You'll find rebate
information, contests and tips on grocery shopping.*

*There's also input from other frugal shoppers.*

*"The more you teach people, the more they teach you back," said Hresan,
who also produces a free newsletter.*

*How does she make money from her services? She doesn't.*

*"I make friends," Hresan answers.*

*But back to the baskets again. Hresan's movie-themed basket includes
popcorn-flavored candy canes, popcorn bought with a rebate, free movie
tickets from a box of cereal, and a previously viewed DVD.*

*Her basket for teen-agers, a hit among 14-year-old daughter Kelly's
crowd, includes soap, hair items, stickers, pins, a frame, a CD and
makeup. The retail price adds up to $91.05. Her price: $4.38.*

*"She's embarrassed when I'm in the grocery store with four carts and a
handful of coupons," Hresan says about Kelly. "But she's not embarrassed
to wear her DKNYs.*

*"If I won the lottery, I'd still do it."*

WELCOME!

2005-03-22T07:48:00.000-05:00

I have another online diary but I am trying something new here with this COOL blogging service!

I want to welcome all of the NEWBIES to Freelancebyu with a short introduction and a glossary of terms so you can understand my future writings! If you like a great bargain, free stuff and saving money this blog is for you!

My "job" at freelancebyu is one of a lifestyle "coach" and "messenger" of many things. I have a "crew" that volunteers to help with other responsibilities of the website, including but not limited to moderating our forum topics, posting new things, helping me update links and answering "freelancer" questions.

I put out a newsletter that has the best and most current online deals complete with coupons. Sometimes you may get a GDA or a special notice as well! In the newsletter we also have "empty pockets," "pennies from heaven," "maken baken," and other GREAT TOPICS that teach you how to Save money in every aspect of your life! This newsletter is published almost daily and can be delivered to your email or thru RSS feed.

The website is full of articles, information and links that supplements the newsletter! You can browse the website in your leisure time, but make sure you get the newsletter for the most updated news, because many of the offers and freebies dont last long!

We have a Forum, this is called Freelancebyu Friends. This is the place to get to know other freelancers, post your questions, tips, and information that you would like to share! We have a great bunch of savings specialists there that are always happy to help you and will also welcome your help as well!

We at Flbyu (freelancebyu) have developed our own little language we use often in the newsletter and on our forum. I have hi-lighted several words that you will NEED TO KNOW along with a few others to get started. Some of the definations below are common abbreviations used by many that newbies may not know. Other definitions are unique to FLBYU or were created by FLBYU!

Freelancebyu : noun, anjie-ism 1. a website that is dedicated to the motto "neva neva neva pay full price for anything." A friendly and factual website that only posts legitimate opportunities and offers that will help you "live lavishly for less." 2. A COMPANY of kindred souls: the freelancebyu name was chosen because of its MANY connotations. It incorporates our favorite 4 letter word "free" with "freelance" meaning that you work for yourself , when you want to as a SAVINGS SPECIALIST under the business name FREELANCEBYU. Byu is short for "bayou" as that is where I am from Louisiana, and our site has a cajun flair here and there, that reflects its origion. But it also stands for "by - you" and "buy -you" the newsletter and the website reflect the contributions of its members, thus the "by-you" and the members are shopping smarter , or BUY you! 3. The best place to be on the NET!

FLBYU: abbreviation for Freelancebyu. anjie-ism

FREELANCER: thats YOU, the savings specialists out there that are members of FLBYU! anjie-ism

FREELANCEBYU FRIENDS: the community of freelancers, anjie-ism

GDA: abbreviation for GOOD DEAL ALERT, which means GO NOW this will sell out, or this offer wont last long!

NEWBIES: new freelancers that are learning the tricks of the trade

EMPTY POCKETS: "priceless" or "free" items, anjie-ism

PENNIES FROM HEAVEN: little ways to save money, named after my belief that the pennies I find are gifts .......... that symbolize and validate what I do., anjie-ism

MAKEN BAKEN: is the FLBYU buzzword for making money. This includes working outside of the home or in your pajamas! This topic on our forum is growing and a website is planned in the future for makenbaken.com, anjie-ism

WAH or SAHM: this is popular abbreviations used on the web to stand for "working at home" or "stay at home mom" respectively. we sometimes use these abbreviations to convey the context of our maken baken opportunities.

RSS FEED: this is the NEW way to get your newsletter! You can get it directly to your desktop, instead of fighting the SPAM BOXES to find what you want, you can get the newsletter in a READER on your desktop! how cool is that?

SPAM BOX : your inbox on your computer where you recieve your email, most of which you dont want and dont need

BOXMAN : your favorite worker that comes to your home, most often in a uniform, in a USPS truck, car, FEDEX, UPS vehicles etc. This person delivers GOODS to your home! ALL FREELANCERS LOVE THEIR BOXMAN! anjie-ism

B&M: this is the simple way to say "brick and mortar" store. OR YOUR STORES THAT YOU PHYSICALLY HAVE TO ENTER, not in cyberspace!

FAR: nope this isn't the opposite of "near" this stands for FREE AFTER REBATE!

ANJIE-ISM: Freelancebyu "speak" or terminology that is quickly being reproduced and copied around the web! ***they say that imitation is the best form of flattery, anjie-ism says imitation is "not real" kinda like imitation cheese, looks the same, tastes different!

ENVIE: anjie-ism for envelope or mail

WOOO HOOOOO: expression of delight

YA YA CHA CHA: what freelancers do when they are doing the "happy dance" this term was coined by freelancer, janet years ago, sure is catchy! FLBYU ism

RAOK: RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS pronounced: RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS its shortened form is not for pronouciation but stands for the complete concept. Freelancebyu endorses all efforts by its members to participate in acts that help others, we love the "pay it forward" attitude and or mantra and believe that what you give comes back to you in life, in one form or another. FLBYU sponsors many RAOK throughout the year, and sponsors a huge "operation santa" program for Christmas.

SASE: Self Addressed Stamped Envie

NAZ: name, address and zipcode

GC: short for Gift Certificate

CC: short for Credit Card

DD: short for "dear daughter" also commonly used abbreviations: DH, DS DDIL these stand for the respective relationships to oneself, "dear hubby" "dear son" "dear daughter in law" etc
a new one for me: DGD , or "dear grand daughter"

POP: proof of purchase

SMP: specially marked package

THE MARSH: our techy guys webpage, marsh is short for "marshall" our california savings specialist who is an integral part of FLBYU, he performs multitudes of RAOK for freelancers, helping them with their techy questions

WINNERS CIRCLE, anjie-ism, for those that have their very first win as a result of entering contests from FLBYU or published by FLBYU!

LIVE LAVISHLY FOR LESS: save money at freelancebyu without compromising your lifestyle, anjie-ism, its a LIFESTYLE!

Neva Neva Neva Pay full price for Anything: ANJIE-ISM that is our MOTTO at FLBYU!

@-->>--, a flower for freelancers, created orig. by The Marsh, that I send everyday to you to let you know that I am thankful for the opportunity to share my thoughts and information with Freelancers!

NOW that you have the SPEAK down pat, you are ready to ROLL with the savings! While you are waiting for more blogs and newsletters, browse the site, visit the forum and read some articles. GET STARTED TODAY YOU CAN DO THIS!

hugs & luv
anjie @-->>--