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So there’s a great debate going on at our house tonight. My daughter doesn’t approve of our dinner tonight because my husband caught a big walleye yesterday and she is in total disgust that we would KILL this poor fish just to eat it. All we can say is “I respect that”. And then we eat. 🙂

Here’s the hilarious part. She is now sitting here eating grilled chicken. Apparently, as long as she doesn’t have to meet the animal she is eating, she has no principles. LOL! Poor kid. I have a feeling we are going to have a very temperamental teenager on our hands in a few years.

Anyway! Here’s my super frugal dinner tonight…so proud of Jason for catching this big fish last night! I’ll let you in on a little secret…my husband loves to fish, but NEVER and I mean NEVER catches ANYTHING (well he catches what he calls “junk fish”…nothing we want to eat). He was so excited when he came home with this baby! Kambell on the other hand was quite disturbed at the sight of it. Here’s how she fishes. She reels in what bites, then force feeds it a worm and throws it back in the water (girl after my own heart).

Jason breaded and fried his half of this Walleye, but broiled my half in the oven. I don’t miss the breading or the oil…it was DELISHA-ful and I wish we had more. 😉 Paired with a salad, this was a very satisfying and low points meal. Leaves me enough points for a glass of wine tonight. Woohoo!

It’s my job to print coupons. I need to print most coupons before I post them to let you know the specific details of the coupon such as if there is a size restriction, etc. I also WANT to print coupons – how else am I going to get all those HOT deals? 🙂 So needless to say, I go through a LOT of ink and paper!! Even as much as it costs to print all of these coupons, I still believe it’s worth it considering how much I save at the store!

Here are my best tips on saving on paper and ink:

Buy from a Discount site: My favorite is Tomatoink.com where you can save up to 80% off!

Adjust Your Print Settings. If you go into your printer properties, you can adjust it to only print in black and white or some have a “draft” setting. I have NEVER had an issue redeeming a coupon printed in black and white as opposed to color. Just make sure your print setting still prints the “watermark” which is the faded image and wording that echos what’s on the coupon.

Take advantage of Mail Option. Many printable coupons now come with an option to have them mailed to you. Just click the Help button and follow the instructions!

Buy Refurbished Ink. My “old” HP printer did just fine using a refurbished cartridge that was available on Ebay for only $5.00 shipped. These don’t hold as much ink as a brand new full size cartridge, so you’ll have to do the math and figure out if it saves you in the end. Sometimes it is better to just go to Staples, for example and use coupon and/or earn rewards. **be sure to check your printer warranty to make sure using other brand ink does not void the warranty**

Refill your own Ink. I have NEVER done this, but I know it’s successful for those who are brave enough. 😉 Ink refill kits are far less expensive than a brand new cartridge.

Recycle Your Ink Cartridges. Staples accepts your used cartridges up to 10 per calendar month, and rewards your with $2 back in Staples Rewards per cartridge. .

Take advantage of “FREE” Paper Sales. Staples is notorious for offering FREE after Rebate or Rewards paper! Keep your eye out for those and you may never have to pay for paper again!

Cancel Print. Some coupons print with a big ad, which is a great advertisement for the manufacturer, but a big waste of ink for us! Assuming you have no other print jobs in your queue, just hit the cancel button on your printer after you see that the coupon has printed. Coupon prints – no wasting of ink! If you’re printing your second copy, simply put the same piece of paper back in the printer so that the second coupon prints on the other end. Just make sure you hit the cancel button again after you see the coupon print.

Reuse Paper. Even if a piece of paper has been printed on, if the other side is blank – it’s usable! I have been known to print coupons on scrap paper. I just make sure I put big X-marks on the scrap side, to ease confusion. If a cashier gives you an issue, a good come-back is: “Well, this coupon I clipped from the newspaper insert also has something else on the back of it. Does that void this coupon too?” (oh snap!)

Buy a Printer that uses lower priced ink. I recently purchased the Kodak 5250 All-In-One Wireles Printer. Go HERE to see the current price on Amazon (price can change at any time). Now, let me warn you – the reviews on this printer are not the best. But, I think some of these people have unrealistic expectations. I have not had ANY problems with my printer and just love it. The best part is, the black ink cartridge is only $10 at Walmart!! I only use it to print my coupons (and other random things)…so I don’t know what the “photo quality” is. I get my photo prints for free, why would I print them myself? 😉

What ideas do you put into practice when printing coupons? Leave your comments below!

As I mentioned in my “Ways to Save on Produce” post, Aldi is one of the best places to shop for produce!

The prices are unbeatable and the quality is great – at least at my location it is! Here are the deals for the current week, but be sure to check your local Aldi ad for price variations.

Onions – $0.59 per 3 lb bag

Celery – $0.59 each

Russet Potatoes – $0.69 per 10 lb bag

Mangoes – $0.69 each

Del Monte Canteloupe – $0.99 each

Del Monte Pineapple – $1.29 each

If you don’t like shopping at Aldi, why not price match at Walmart? Some Walmarts do not consider Aldi a “competitor” so you may want to check with your local store first.

 

Check current aldi ad, publix ad and other weekly ads.

Next time you go to the Dollar General Store take a look down the dollar aisle for RepHresh Tampons!  Not all stores will carry these but let me know if you find them in your store!  They are relatively new to shelves but the coupon doesn’t expire until June so you’ll have plenty of time to get them!  If you find them you can score them for free with the below deal!

Dollar General Deal Idea:

RepHresh Brilliant pH Tampons, Regular (18 ct) – $1.00
Use $1.00/1 RepHresh Brilliant pH Tampons, Regular or Super printable  (Use SAVE1NOW code when registering to receive coupon)
Final cost is FREE!

(thanks Growing Up Natural!)

There’s an unadvertised Catalina deal for Viva Paper Towels that is generating at Walgreens that makes for a great stock up price on paper towels!!

Buy (2) Viva 6-pack Towels = $4.00 RR
Buy (3) Viva 6-pack Towels = $5.00 RR

Deal Idea:

Buy (2) Viva Paper Towels (6 rolls) – $5.99 each
Use $0.50/2 Viva Paper Towels printable
Plus use $1/1 Viva Paper Towels (6 rolls) from March coupon booklet (will deduct $2)
Pay $9.48, get back $4.00 RR
Final cost is $2.74 each – just $0.46 per roll!

See all of this week’s best Walgreens deals!

(thanks Hip2Save!)

• My closest Meijer doubles coupons up to $0.50 per 2 like items, so that is the math I do. Be sure to check your local store policy regarding doubling coupons.
• Print Meijer MealBox coupons and Load Meijer mPerks digital coupons which can be stacked with manufacturer coupons. These do not double.

Here are the best Meijer Deals for 3/25 – 3/31:

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I just wanted to take a few minutes and check in with all my fellow weight watchers out there. We all lead busy lives so one thing that I’ve learned on my weight loss journey is meal planning and organization are key elements of being successful and staying on track.  I am still working on getting those last pesky few pounds off, but I am thrilled with my progress so far. My weight loss has even been noted by others which is always a great motivator!

What I’ve been eating for Breakfast lately….

Breakfast Sandwich – Obviously there are 100+ variations of a breakfast sandwich so let your imagination run wild but this is what I will sometimes make if I’m not in the mood for a bowl of fruit (0 point+) with my morning coffee.

Store Brand or Thomas English Muffin – 3 points+ (1 muffin)
Kraft American Cheese Singles, Reg – 2 points+ (1 slice) or 2% is only 1 point+
Canadian-Stlye Bacon – 1 point+ (1 slice, 24 g)
Egg – 2 points+ (1 large) or Egg Whites (3) – 1 point+ or Regular Egg Substitute (1/4 Cup) – 1 point+
Baby Spinach or Arugula Leaves – 0 point+
Total Points – 6 to 8 points+(depending on my mood for type of eggs!)

Cold Cereal
Honeynut Cheerios – 4 points+ (1 cup) or 2 points+ (1/2 cup)
Fat Free Milk – 2 points+ (1 cup) or 1 point+ (1/2 cup)
Total Points – 6 points+ (1c) or  3 points+ for (1/2c)

Hot Cereal
Cream of Wheat – 3 points+ (1 cup)
Fat Free Milk – 1 point+ (1/2 cup)
White or Brown Sugar – 1 point+ (1 tbsp) (you could use equal or splenda for 0 point+ but I don’t really like it so I just use regular sugar)
Total points – 5 points+

Yogurt – 2, 3 or 4 points+ depending on the brand
Fresh Fruit cup – 0 point+

(Photo Credit)

Smoothies – most times my smoothies consist of soon to spoil yogurts and fruit and my secret ingredient, flax seed (see my video here) but here a couple of additional ones I like!

Skinny Green Tropical Smoothie – 6 points+ (1-3/4 cup)

Skinny Green Monster Smoothie – 6 points+ (2 cups)

Oatmeal Breakfast Smoothie – 6 points+ (1/2, serves 2) I haven’t made this one yet but it looks interesting. A couple of readers on Facebook said it was good.

Here are some of the lunches I’ve been having depending how big my breakfast was…. 😉

Deli Style Sandwich – I usually alternate between Turkey and Ham since it’s the lowest in points and my faves!
Wheat Bread – 4 points+ (2 slices) (2 points+ for 1 slice for open face sandwich)
Oscar Mayer Selects Applewood Smoked Ham – 1 point+  (6 slices)
Oscar Mayer Smoked Turkey Breast – 2 points+ (6 slices)
Kraft American Cheese Singles – 2 points+ (1 slice)
Dijon Mustard – 0 point+
Handful of shredded lettuce – 0 point+
Total Points – 7 points+ for ham and 8 points+ for turkey

(If you prefer regular mayo use just a smear for 0 point+ or 1 tsp for 1 point+)

Veggie Burger –
Arnold Wheat Sandwich Thin Bun – 3 points+ (1 bun)
Morningstar Farms Spicy Black Bean Veggie Burger – 3 points+ (1 burger)
Laughing Cow Light (various flavors) Cheese – 1 point+ (1 wedge) (I use in place of mayo)
Dijon Mustard – 0 point+
Handful of shredded lettuce or baby spinach – 0 point+
Total Points – 7 points+

Sometimes I’ll just have a House salad with leftover roasted chicken – 6 points+ (1 breast)

Lunch Sides:

Kosher Dill Pickle Spears – 0 point+ (you will rediscover your love of pickles…so yummy and 0 points!)
Regular 4% Cottage Cheese – 3 points+ (1/2 cup)
Mini Babybell Cheese Wheel – 2 points+ (1 wheel)
Fresh Fruit cup or Veggie Sticks – 0 point+

What I’ve been having for dinner…..

 

Deconstructed Taco Salad – This is what I make but your points may vary depending on your brand of ingredients or additions/omitions:
bed of shredded lettuce – 0 points+
ground beef – 7 points or ground turkey – 6 points (1 cup)
canned black beans – 2 points+ (1/2 cup)
shredded colby cheese – 3 points+ (1/4 cup)
jarred salsa – 0 point+
Sour Cream – 1 point+ (2 tbsp)
Total Points – 13 points+ for beef total or 12 points+ total  for turkey
*I sometimes omit some of the toppings like cheese or sour cream or cut back on the serving of meat to reduce my points but you get the drift.

Grilled Garlic Dijon Herb Salmon – 6 points+ (1 filet w/lemon)

Turkey Stuffed Peppers – 5 points+  (1/2 pepper)

Classic Shepherd’s Pie – 7 points+ (1 serving, makes 6 servings)

Baked Lump Crab Cakes with Red Pepper Chipotle Lime Sauce – 5 points+ (1 cake)

Johnsonville Stadium Brats – 6 points+ (1 brat)
Sautéed onions and bell peppers – 0 points+

Juicy Hamburgers – 6 points+ (1 burger)

(Photo Credit)

Dinner Sides:

Skinny Texas Cheese Fries – 7 points+ (1/2, serves 2) with homemade buttermilk ranch dressing – 1 point+ (1/4 cup)

Roasted Mushrooms – Pound of sliced mushrooms, salt & pepper, spray with cooking spray (Olive Oil spray, up to 5 for 0 points+). Roast at 450 for 20 minutes. 0 points+ and oh so delicious! This would work for just about any vegetable.

Sautéed Zucchini and Squash – Slice thinly, spray with cooking spray, season with herbs and spices and cook till tender. 0 points+!

House Salad – everyone has their own version of a house salad, green leaves, veges (or without) but to get the most of your salad seasoning is key (and free of points+).  I like to sprinkle with pepper, Mrs. Dash table blends or  italian seasoning, etc. – 0 points+
McCormick Salad Toppings – 1 point+ (1-1/3 tbsp)
Kraft Roasted Red Pepper Dressing – 1 point+ (2 tbsp)

Roasted Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus Bundles – 2 points+ (1 bundle)

Uncle Ben’s Long Grain and Wild Rice Original – 5 points+  (1 cup cooked)

(Photo Credit)

Desserts:

Sugar-Free Jello with Cool Whip Free– 0 points+ (this is so delicious when you are having a sugar craving)

Berry Yogurt Popsicles – 1 point+ (1 popsicle)
Amazon sells the coolest popsicle freezer pop maker and is perfect for this recipe! They look just like real popsicles and no one is the wiser.  My sister has this one and her boys love em!

Homemade Skinny Chocolate Cake – 5 points+ (1 pc)

Weight Watchers English Toffee Squares – 1 point+ (1 candy) These are great to throw in your purse for a little treat while you’re on the go!

I usually keep a couple of boxes of 3 or 4 points+ frozen dessert bars on hand at all times just in case…Here are the ones I’ve had…

Weight Watchers English Toffee Ice Cream Bar – 3 points+ (1 bar), these are skinny but good overall!
Weight Watchers Giant Wild Berry & Orange Sorbet and Ice Cream Bar – 3 points+ (1 bar) and they are huge!
I also have tried the Weight Watchers Giant Cookies & Cream Ice Cream Bar – 4 points+ (1 bar), these are really big too!

If I had to pick just one I would say the Orange Sorbet & Ice Cream bar since it’s more bang for your points and it tastes like a real dreamsicle…sooo good!! 😮

Reminders:

Fresh Fruit & Veges are your bestest friends and 0 points+! I beeline it over to Aldi at least once a week for a various selections of their fresh produce. I cut it all up and put in a huge zip bags/containers so it’s always ready to eat so I’m not tempted to stray off course! Be sure to share your helpful hints to include in Ways to Save on Fresh Produce!

Drink Plenty of Water – You either love it (like me) or hate it (like my diet coke guzzling older sister) but you gotta do it!  If you need a little help transitioning to water you can always try Mio Liquid Water Enhancer (various flavors) or other similar brands for 0 points+ and from what I hear (from my brother in law) it tastes great!

Tips:

Even if you don’t feel like eating you can actually sabotage yourself by not eating three balanced meals a day.

Make better food choices.  Eat more proteins than carbs and load up on whole grains, fruits and vegetables.

Sometimes you can get discouraged if the scale doesn’t reflect all your efforts to drop the pounds so take body measurements.  Even if you don’t lose pounds your waistline could still be shrinking. Persevere.

Great Resources:

I’m kind of boring in that I tend to eat the same foods over and over again without a lot of variation so be sure to check out Gina over at SkinnyTaste!  She is an awesome resource for new and delicious Weight Watchers meals with step by step instructions, nutritional and point values plus beautiful photographs! I love her!!

Stay connected online through the Weight Watchers Facebook page! Get encouragement, share recipes and great tips from thousands of people who know just how we feel!

The Weight Watchers Magazine is also a great source and has great articles and coupons! Discount Mags is offering a one-year (6 issues) subscription for just $3.99!

 This is my late papa and he loved his garden 😉

Grow Your own
Fresh Herbs can be expensive at the grocery store so I always grow some of the major ones myself.  Here is a great Weight Watchers article on How to Grow Your Own Herb Garden!
We try to have a big garden every year but if you don’t have the space or time to tend to one, plant a small patio garden!

I would love to hear what meal ideas you have tried and found to be noteworthy – plus be sure to share your progress thus far!!