You do what? As a SAHM!

What? you have more to your life than being a SAHM?

Yes I do and I think I am very talented in my Niche. Wait! What?

what seems to be the story of my life!

You went to school to become a ______ (fill in the blank with your experience) and you Stay at home?

Why?

You response: I ask that question every day of my life and I still haven’t found the right answer.  Right? You have had those conversations too right?  

So what the world sometimes see’s is a “waste” of talent, or a waste of time to nurture kids SAHMS see it as an opportunity to make the world a better place because we know that to raise good people it takes a mother with some sort of talent to cultivate a growing community.

My background is in photography and art. I left a Paper Crafting career when I had my first child.

Because I have a love affair with paper and L-O-V-E cutting things out, I became a couponer, among other reasons (like having only $300 left in our budget for food at the time we had our first child.) That is my contribution to the cause that is our family.

Let’s think about our contribution in another way:

We are the emotional support system of the family: so add in some sort of therapist cost:

my cost is $200 a month add in the extra stuff you do: a maid, early childhood education specialist, add another $200, plus I am a built-in chef, (in my mind things are not that expensive.) so another $200 per month, you get the idea, it's super expensive to have a Stay at Home Mom if you were to "pay" her right?

Ok you get the idea, once you can embrace your god given talents you are able to justify your contribution to the Family. Wait you don’t like to cook? Then replace that with, secretary for your husband, or a content marketer for your daughter’s little free library you just got, oh wait that’s me, You get the idea! It takes a lot of work to run a family and we are worth our weight in gold when it comes down to it.

The more common ways to contribute to the finances without working:

Do more of what you love to help save money:

Becoming more self-sufficient, like gardening, or canning. For example, I absolutely can not garden but I love to can tomatoes, apples, and peaches. So I ask all my gardening friends that have too many tomatoes If I can take some produce off of their hands. When you add the cost of what organic apple sauce or pizza sauce, and all you had was time invested it’s worth it if you like doing it.

Try new things, something will make you have an AHH HAA moment! Other ideas may include, gardening, organizing, crafting, researching ways to save money, learning about ingredients and products to get the best quality without spending a lot of money. (I think of trendy sauces that are marketed differently and toys.)

Have a price point for things you regularly purchase, I have a price point for shoes, clothing, groceries, So I know when something is a good deal or if it’s not. The best way to do this follows the sales cycle, and mentally keep notes, or keep a price point list on an excel sheet like I use to do. This helps you understand when stuff is a good deal and when you should buy it or not.

The one thing that is on our side is Time, we may not always get big chunks of time, but we can wonder around the grocery store and look at prices and see what's being "pushed" to sell, I can't tell you how often I get meat on sale for over 70% off because I was there at the right time and stocked up and froze it!

My 52 item list for food storage

My 52 item list for food storage

You know that I love getting a good deal and then stocking up on it when it is a good deal, with not too many strings attached, like using coupons and store coupons and then going to Ibotta to get an even better price. No, I like the rock bottom deals that happen once a year. The list I made up has the timing when grocery go on sale at the lowest price so you can stockpile

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Here are 52 items that you can buy that isn't that expensive to help with your food storage.  the idea is that each week of the year you get what you think you need for the year, or 3 or 6 months depending on your situation (aka space you have to store.)

For example, I know my family likes spaghetti a lot, I go all out when this is my price point. I will buy at least 52 cans of spaghetti sauce when it's at my price point. the same thing with all the other food, so at any given week you will buy 52 of one thing, that could potentially last you for the year...

the beauty of this plan is that if there isn't a good sale that week or funds are a bit low the sale will come back around every 2-6 months, so it's a really forgivable plan.

These sales are taken from Hy-Vee's sales cycle, but other Grocery stores are on the same general cycle. It's also important to note that I wrote this list knowing that these items are on sale sometime during that month so it is very possible that the item doesn't go on sale the week I say it is, but be on the lookout for that item to be on sale during that month or a couple weeks after.

January January- February is frozen food months look out for good deals. 

week 1 Oat Meal

week 2 granola bars, nutrigrain bars, healthy high protein/fiber bars

Week 3  vitamins (shelf life isn't that long, so restock again in summer) and protein powder, healthy food items

Week 4: Sea Food- frozen, fresh, or canned. its a great time to buy and stock up!

week 5: frozen bread- garlic, warm and ready, frozen noddles.

February: National canned food month

Week 1 Syrup, Honey, pancake mix

Week2 Canned fruit, (I like to buy oranges and peaches, every three months)

Week 3 canned Beans, tomato sauce

Week 4 Frozen Vegetables and  Frozen Pizza's and dinners, be careful to only buy what you have room for.

March

Week juice, apple, lemon, and other juices you drink and cook with.

week 2  Butter

week 3 Strawberries, frozen fruit

week 4 Chicken- whole ones that you can roast and shred and then freeze the meat.

April

Week 1 Ham, (also on sale in November)

Week 2 Spaghetti sauce (march is also a good time to get this deal)

Week 3 Butter (on sale during Easter, best price of the year, I like to freeze it!)

Week 4 Baking supplies, cake, brownie, mixes, Marshmallows, chocolate chips and stock up on flour and sugar, the next good deals won't be until November.

week 5  sports drinks, bottle water, flavored water

May

Week 1 BBQ sauce, Salad dressing and marinades, and salt

Week 2 Hot dogs, brats and other grilling meats

Week 3 Sunscreen, and bug spray

Week 4 fresh berries, and vegetables

June National Dairy month   

Week 1 Dairy - think of freezing yogurt, ice cream, heavy whipping

Week 2 Mason Jars (also on sale in August, but I find them best deals in June)

Week 3 Paper goods, toilet paper. napkins, paper towels

Week 4 Paper goods, plastic ware, paper plates,

July

week 1 Pop sickles

week 2 back to school supplies, pencils, pens, binders, crayons, markers, notebooks (it's a great week to do some shopping (after July 4th))

Week 3 office supplies

Week 4 fresh produce to freeze and can (I like to get tomatoes and make bruschetta)

week 5 baked beans, and other picnic sides (pickles, olives,  suddenly salads)

August ( not a great month for deals on food, I save some  of this month's budget for November)

Week 1 pudding cups

week 2 Cereal (Chex and other cereal are on sale in November)

Week 3 Facial Tissues

week 4 and disinfectant wipes

Week 5  fresh peaches freeze them or can them!

September (also a slow month for deals, I save some money for November and December)

week 1 Apples

week 2 diabetic supplies(only if needed)

week 3 back to school snacks and cereal

week 4 chia seeds

October

Week 1 canned Pumpkin

Week 2 alarm clocks, batteries, smoke detectors

week 3 nuts

week 4 canned soup

Week 5 Tooth past, and oral care

November

week 1 evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk

week 2 canned vegetables and broth

week 3 Turkey and Ham

week4: Noodles -all kinds, this items goes on sale throughout the year, my price point is $1.00

week 5 flour, sugar, baking supplies

December

week  1 potatoes, like instant potatoes, betty Crocker  boxed potatoes, canned sweet potatoes

week 2 crakers, dips, seasoning mixes for dip

week 3 pie crusts, jello

week 4  canned vegetables and fruit

week 5 spices

 ok, maybe there is a bit more than 52 items for food storage but this really works for me, and it's an easy no brainier way to get a good stock pile. 

I hope this helps!

Sales Cycle, Baking Season!

I know that I have posted this post before but I always like a good refresher. I always like to know what season is a good time to buy what grocery items, and when a specific item will be on sale at what time of the year. so here is my list, keep in mind that months run into each other meaning that just because Frozen food month is March expect frozen food stuff to also be on sale at a rock bottom price in February, so always know your price points and snag the deal when you see it.

So want to know how sales cycles work? it's super easy, once a year a product will be at it's rock bottom price, that also means Manufacturers will send out coupons for this product, you should also find a bunch of these type of coupons on line, It's a savings haven! so we will take frozen pizza (since they were on sale just a couple weeks ago) this is the time to stock up on frozen food. Digorno pizza was on sale for a rock bottom price at 2/9 I had a buy 2 get one free coupon so I got 3 Digorno Pizza's for 9 or for $3 a piece. If you could see my freezer  I almost need anther one since it's almost full of frozen food items that my family will use this coming year. That is how you can use sale cycles to your benefit  stock up once a year on the items that are on sale at it's rock bottom price so you don't pay double 6 months from now for the same item.

October

Halloween: Candy, Fresh Pumpkin
Beginning of the Baking Sales: Canned pumpkin, Evaporated Milk, Baking Chips
Daylight Savings Time Ends Promotions: Alarm Clocks, Batteries, Safety Equipment, Smoke Detectors
National Seafood Month
Adopt a Shelter-Dog Month: Pedigree, Purina
Seasonal Produce: Almonds, Apples, Artichokes, Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbages, Chard, Chestnuts, Cranberries, Lemons, Parsnip, Pears, Pomegranate, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkin, Spinach, Squash, Winter, Turnips, Yams

November

Best month of the year to stock up on lots of grocery items, ( a little secret, my grocery bill doubles this month- but so does the savings, budget for a big grocery bill the sales are endless it seems)

Another worthy note: Hy-Vee has thier anual buy a Ham get a turkey free sale this month, I like to Roast and Smoke the turkey and freeze it for dinner later when I don't have time to cook, I also freeze the ham, and use them as ham stakes and cube the ham for stews and breakfast. I usally get 4 turkeys and hams, and will last us till about April.

Hot Cocoa, Coffee, Tea
Baking Sales in Full Swing: Nuts, Chocolate Chips, Evaporated Milk, Sweetened Condensed Milk, Coconut, Cake Mixes
Canned foods: Soup, Broth, Vegetables, Fruits, Spaghetti Sauce
Thanksgiving Items: Turkey, Canned Pumpkin, Stovetop Stuffing, Betty Crocker Boxed Potatoes, Gravy Mixes, Frozen Pies, Cranberry Sauce, Jello, Marshmallows
Seasonal Produce: Anjou Pears, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbages, Carrots, Celery, Comice Pears, Cranberries, Kiwi, Lemons, Orange, Potato, Squash, Yams
Clearance: After Halloween Sales

December

Holiday Dinner: Egg Nog, Deli Platters, Instant Potatoes, Gravy Mixes, Frozen Pies, Cranberry Sauce, Jello, Marshmallows. Sour Cream Dips, Crackers, Chips, Soda, Ham
Baking: Flour, Sugar, Butter, Cream, Cake Mix, Brownie Mix, Muffin Mix, Breads, Pie Crust, Marshmallow, Whipped cream
Canned Foods: Soup, Broth, Condensed Milk, Vegetables, Fruits, Spaghetti Sauce
Seasonal Produce: Anjou Pears, Bok Choy, Bosc Pears, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Dates, Grapefruit, Haas Avocados, Kale, Kiwi, Kumquat, Lemon, Napa Cabbage, Oranges, Sweet Potatoes, Red Cabbage, Rutabaga, Savoy Cabbage, Spinach, Winter Squash, Yams, Turnips, White Potato
Clearance: After Thanksgiving and After Christmas Sales

January

National Oatmeal Month: Quaker
Diet Foods: Healthy Choice, South Beach, Lean Cuisine, Special K, Kashi, Smart Start, 100 Calorie Packs, Yogurt
Super Bowl Sunday: Pepsi, Coke, Chips, Dips, Cheese, Sandwich Items, Crackers, Snacks, Wings
Seasonal Produce: Oranges, Pears, Grapefruit, Tangerines, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Collards, Kale, Kiwi, Avocado, Cabbage, Spinach
Clearance: Christmas Decorations, Toys, Wrapping Papers,
Winter Health: Cold Medicines and Vitamins

February

Hy-Vee usually have lots of good deals on frozen food this month

National Canned Food Month: Canned Fruit, Pie Fillings, Vegetables, Meats: Tuna, Chicken, Salmon
National Hot Breakfast Month:  Malt O Meal, Oatmeal, Eggo Waffles, Syrup
Valentines:  Chocolate, Hershey’s, KY Lubricant, etc
Chinese New Year: Soy Sauce, Teriyaki Sauce, Noodles, Canned Water Chestnuts
Seasonal Produce:  Artichoke, Asparagus, Raspberries, Potatoes, Strawberries, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Collards, Kale, Kiwi, Avocado, Spinach

March

Frozen Food Month: Ice Cream, Frozen Vegetables (Boxed, Bag, or Steam), Frozen Meals, Foster Farms Chicken, Waffles, Pizza
Seasonal Produce: Artichoke, Asparagus, Haas Avocado, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Collards, Fennel, Kale, Leek, Lemon, Lime, Mushrooms, Spring Onions, Orange, Peas, Radish, Rhubarb, Spinach, Strawberries, Tangerine

April

Easter:  Ham, Eggs, Spices, Baking Supplies: Sugar, Spices, Baking Mixes, Chocolate Chips, Butter, Coconut, Marshmallows, Brownie Mix, Cake Mix
Earth Day: Organic Foods, Energy Saver, Reusable Totes
Seasonal Produce: Artichokes, Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbages, Carrots, Grapefruit, Haas Avocado, Mushrooms, Onions, Peas, Rhubarb
Clearance: After Easter sales

May

Memorial Day: BBQ Sauce, Condiments, Charcoal, Salad Dressing, Potato Chips, Dips, Grilling Meats, Hot Dogs, Hamburger Meat, Marinade, Salad Greens
Paper Products: Plates, Utensils, Insect Repellant, Sunscreen
Cinco De Mayo: Salsa, tortillas
Seasonal Produce: Artichokes, Asparagus, Avocado, Beans, Green, Beets, Blackberries, Carrots, Sweet Vidalia Onions, Peas, New Potatoes, Raspberries, Strawberries

June

National Dairy Month: Eggs, Milk, Ice Cream, Cheese, Cream Cheese, Butter, Yogurt, Whipping Cream, Whipped Cream, Cool Whip
End of June is Fourth or July Sales: Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, Condiments, Charcoal, Salad Dressing, Potato Chips, Dips
Seasonal Produce: Apricots, Blackberries, Blueberries, Boysenberries, Cherries, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Grapes, Honeydew, Nectarines, Peaches, Potatoes, Raspberries, Red Onions, Squash, Summer, Strawberries, Sweet Vidalia Onions, Tomatoes, Watermelon

July

National Ice Cream Month
More 4th of July BBQ Sales: Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, Condiments, Charcoal, Salad Dressing, Potato Chips, Dips
End of July: Back to School Sales Begin: Crayons, Pencils, Folders, Binders
Seasonal Produce: Asian Pears, Bartlett Pears, Beans, Green, Blueberries, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Figs, Garlic, Grapes, Nectarines, Onions, Red, Valencia Oranges, Peaches, Sweet/Bell Peppers, Plums, Potatoes, Summer Squash, Tomatoes, Watermelon

August

Back to School: Pudding cups, Lunch meat, Lunchables, Bread, Cold Cereal, Waffles, Lunchboxes
Disinfectant:  Clorox, Purell
Clearance:  Insect Repellant, Sunscreen, charcoal
Seasonal Produce: Gravenstein Apple, Haas Avocado, Green Beans, Beans, Berries, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Figs, Grapes, Melons, Onion, Peaches, Bartlett Pears, Bell Pepper, Plums, Raspberries, Squash, Summer, Tomatillo, Tomato

September

Back to School Sales through Labor Day:  Crayons, Pencils, Folders, Binders
Diabetes: Bayer Glucose Meters, Glucerna Cereal
Seasonal Produce: Apples, Artichokes, Beans, Bell Peppers, Chili Peppers, Cucumber, Eggplant, Grapes, Onion, Valencia Orange, Asian Pears, Bartlett Pears, Pomegranate, Squash, Tomatillo, Tomatoes, Winter Squash
Baby Items: Major Baby Equipment, Baby Safety

Coupon vs Not Couponing

I found this on theKrazycouponLady and thought I would share this with you.

What I Learned from My 6 Month Coupon Break:

Six months ago I canceled my subscription to the newspaper, stopped checking the couponing websites hourly, and let several Register Rewards from Walgreens expire…Uggg! I was just plain burned out. My third baby was 3 months old, and I had just returned to work full time. Newspapers were piling up with coupons unsorted, and I just couldn’t deal with it any more. So I had a radical idea: Why not just shop like a normal person?

The first few months were fine. We had a nice stockpile of everything our family needed. In fact, our storage of food and other products was overflowing! It was nice to start seeing a little wiggle room in our pantry. I didn’t have to un-stack 6 boxes of cereal to get to the cans of peaches piled up in the very back of the cupboard.

Around month 4, we were still doing okay. It was late summer, and the local produce stands were overflowing with fabulous fresh food. We went grocery shopping about once a week usually just to get milk or charcoal for the grill. Living off our stockpile was amazing because we spent far less than our allotted weekly grocery budget, leaving more money for fun!

But then the downward, spending-too-much-on-groceries spiral began. It started suddenly but quickly escalated out of control! First we were down to one pack of diapers. With two children in diapers and one still in the process of potty training, this is a big deal. “Okay,” I thought. “I’ll just buy a box of Great Value diapers, like any normal person would.” Little did I know I would have to buy a box every 1-2 weeks, and at close to $20 a pop it was adding up quickly!

Next, I realized we only had one jar of spaghetti sauce left. Yikes! Spaghetti is our go-to meal that we have at least once a week. How could this happen? We had close to 20 jars. I guess that explains why we only have 3 boxes of spaghetti noodles left too. The final straw: when my husband had to buy body wash at FULL PRICE! Anyone who has couponed for any length of time knows how easy it is to get health and beauty products for free. What were we doing wasting our hard earned money paying for products we can easily get for free? This could not be happening! That’s when I realized I NEEDED to get back to couponing.
To sum it up, this is what I learned from my coupon sabatical:

It is a very good idea to have a 6 month stockpile of items around the house–not only to be prepared for a job loss, but for other times when you just might not want to go to the store.
Only buy items you or your family will use. Those cans of peas I got about a year ago for a ridiculously low price are still in my pantry. Even though they were close to free, and even though our pantry became close to empty, we still didn’t eat them. I’m sorry, we just can’t stomach canned peas.

No deal is a good deal if it goes to waste.
Use it or lose it. Your newspaper subscription, that is. The point of getting 6 (or however many you get) newspapers a week is to save money with multiple coupons. But you’re losing money if you just let your papers pile up. Cancel if you need to, save a tree, then re-sign up when you are ready.
Couponing can save you thousands of dollars. During the end of the 6 months without coupons, my husband and I found ourselves going to the store 2-3 times a week. We were out of items we got used to having on hand, and shopping on such short notice doesn’t leave much time for clipping coupons or looking for sales. I’m scared to go back and check receipts to see how much money we wasted by not being prepared.
Moderation in all things, including coupons. Cut yourself some slack. You don’t need to get every deal. Sales and seasons cycle. You don’t need to clip every coupon, either. I found myself saving contact solution coupons because they had previously been moneymakers. But I don’t wear contacts. I don’t need to do that. The time would be better spent playing with my kids.



This Sunday our dry spell came to an end. I was excited beyond words when my 6 Sunday newspapers were delivered. I no longer have to shop like “normal” people, and it feels so good! It will take a little time to rebuild everything we have depleted, but I am re-energized to keep on top of the organization and stockpiling. It was good to have a break, but it is GREAT to be back!!!

Yearly Sale Cycle

I thought I would post this calendar of sales cycles, and what is on sale during the calendar year, it's always nice to know when items go on sale when you want  to stock pile.

January

National Oatmeal Month: Quaker
Diet Foods including: Healthy Choice, South Beach, Lean Cuisine, Special K, Kashi, Smart Start, 100 Calorie Packs, Yogurt
Super Bowl Sunday: Pepsi, Coke, Chips, Dips, Cheese, Sandwich Items, Crackers, Snacks, Wings
Seasonal Produce: Oranges, Pears, Grapefruit, Tangerines, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Collards, Kale, Kiwi, Avocado, Cabbage, Spinach
Clearance: Christmas Decorations, Toys, Wrapping Papers,
Winter Health: Cold Medicines and Vitamins

February

National Canned Food Month: Canned Fruit, Pie Fillings, Vegetables, Meats: Tuna, Chicken, Salmon
National Hot Breakfast Month:  Malt O Meal, Oatmeal, Eggo Waffles, Syrup
Valentines:  Chocolate, Hershey’s, KY Lubricant, etc
Chinese New Year: Soy Sauce, Teriyaki Sauce, Noodles, Canned Water Chestnuts
Seasonal Produce:  Artichoke, Asparagus, Raspberries, Potatoes, Strawberries, Broccoli, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Collards, Kale, Kiwi, Avocado, Spinach

March

Frozen Food Month: Ice Cream, Frozen Vegetables (Boxed, Bag, or Steam), Frozen Meals, Foster Farms Chicken, Waffles, Pizza
Seasonal Produce: Artichoke, Asparagus, Haas Avocado, Broccoli, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chard, Collards, Fennel, Kale, Leek, Lemon, Lime, Mushrooms, Spring Onions, Orange, Peas, Radish, Rhubarb, Spinach, Strawberries, Tangerine

April

Easter:  Ham, Eggs, Spices, Baking Supplies: Sugar, Spices, Baking Mixes, Chocolate Chips, Butter, Coconut, Marshmallows, Brownie Mix, Cake Mix
Earth Day: Organic Foods, Energy Saver, Reusable Totes
Seasonal Produce: Artichokes, Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Cabbages, Carrots, Grapefruit, Haas Avocado, Mushrooms, Onions, Peas, Rhubarb
Clearance: After Easter sales

May

Memorial Day: BBQ Sauce, Condiments, Charcoal, Salad Dressing, Potato Chips, Dips, Grilling Meats, Hot Dogs, Hamburger Meat, Marinade, Salad Greens
Paper Products: Plates, Utensils, Insect Repellant, Sunscreen
Cinco De Mayo: Salsa, tortillas
Seasonal Produce: Artichokes, Asparagus, Avocado, Beans, Green, Beets, Blackberries, Carrots, Sweet Vidalia Onions, Peas, New Potatoes, Raspberries, Strawberries

June

National Dairy Month: Eggs, Milk, Ice Cream, Cheese, Cream Cheese, Butter, Yogurt, Whipping Cream, Whipped Cream, Cool Whip
End of June is Fourth or July Sales: Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, Condiments, Charcoal, Salad Dressing, Potato Chips, Dips
Seasonal Produce: Apricots, Blackberries, Blueberries, Boysenberries, Cherries, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Grapes, Honeydew, Nectarines, Peaches, Potatoes, Raspberries, Red Onions, Squash, Summer, Strawberries, Sweet Vidalia Onions, Tomatoes, Watermelon

July

National Ice Cream Month
More 4th of July BBQ Sales: Hot Dogs, Hamburgers, BBQ Sauce, Ketchup, Condiments, Charcoal, Salad Dressing, Potato Chips, Dips
End of July: Back to School Sales Begin: Crayons, Pencils, Folders, Binders
Seasonal Produce: Asian Pears, Bartlett Pears, Beans, Green, Blueberries, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Figs, Garlic, Grapes, Nectarines, Onions, Red, Valencia Oranges, Peaches, Sweet/Bell Peppers, Plums, Potatoes, Summer Squash, Tomatoes, Watermelon

August

Back to School: Pudding cups, Lunch meat, Lunchables, Bread, Cold Cereal, Waffles, Lunchboxes
Disinfectant:  Clorox, Purell
Clearance:  Insect Repellant, Sunscreen, charcoal
Seasonal Produce: Gravenstein Apple, Haas Avocado, Green Beans, Beans, Berries, Corn, Cucumber, Eggplant, Figs, Grapes, Melons, Onion, Peaches, Bartlett Pears, Bell Pepper, Plums, Raspberries, Squash, Summer, Tomatillo, Tomato

September

Back to School Sales through Labor Day:  Crayons, Pencils, Folders, Binders
Diabetes: Bayer Glucose Meters, Glucerna Cereal
Seasonal Produce: Apples, Artichokes, Beans, Bell Peppers, Chili Peppers, Cucumber, Eggplant, Grapes, Onion, Valencia Orange, Asian Pears, Bartlett Pears, Pomegranate, Squash, Tomatillo, Tomatoes, Winter Squash
Baby Items: Major Baby Equipment, Baby Safety

October

Halloween: Candy, Fresh Pumpkin
Beginning of the Baking Sales: Canned pumpkin, Evaporated Milk, Baking Chips
Daylight Savings Time Ends Promotions: Alarm Clocks, Batteries, Safety Equipment, Smoke Detectors
National Seafood Month
Adopt a Shelter-Dog Month: Pedigree, Purina
Seasonal Produce: Almonds, Apples, Artichokes, Arugula, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbages, Chard, Chestnuts, Cranberries, Lemons, Parsnip, Pears, Pomegranate, Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkin, Spinach, Squash, Winter, Turnips, Yams

November

Hot Cocoa, Coffee, Tea
Baking Sales in Full Swing: Nuts, Chocolate Chips, Evaporated Milk, Sweetened Condensed Milk, Coconut, Cake Mixes
Canned foods: Soup, Broth, Vegetables, Fruits, Spaghetti Sauce
Thanksgiving Items: Turkey, Canned Pumpkin, Stovetop Stuffing, Betty Crocker Boxed Potatoes, Gravy Mixes, Frozen Pies, Cranberry Sauce, Jello, Marshmallows
Seasonal Produce: Anjou Pears, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbages, Carrots, Celery, Comice Pears, Cranberries, Kiwi, Lemons, Orange, Potato, Squash, Yams
Clearance: After Halloween Sales

December

Holiday Dinner: Egg Nog, Deli Platters, Instant Potatoes, Gravy Mixes, Frozen Pies, Cranberry Sauce, Jello, Marshmallows. Sour Cream Dips, Crackers, Chips, Soda, Ham
Baking: Flour, Sugar, Butter, Cream, Cake Mix, Brownie Mix, Muffin Mix, Breads, Pie Crust, Marshmallow, Whipped cream
Canned Foods: Soup, Broth, Condensed Milk, Vegetables, Fruits, Spaghetti Sauce
Seasonal Produce: Anjou Pears, Bok Choy, Bosc Pears, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Dates, Grapefruit, Haas Avocados, Kale, Kiwi, Kumquat, Lemon, Napa Cabbage, Oranges, Sweet Potatoes, Red Cabbage, Rutabaga, Savoy Cabbage, Spinach, Winter Squash, Yams, Turnips, White Potato
Clearance: After Thanksgiving and After Christmas Sales

15 Foods You Should Never Buy Again

1. 'Gourmet' frozen vegetables.
Sure, you can buy an 8-ounce packet of peas in an herbed butter sauce, but why do so when you can make your own? Just cook the peas, add a pat of butter and sprinkle on some herbs that you already have on hand. The same thing goes for carrots with dill sauce and other gourmet veggies.

2. Microwave sandwiches.
When you buy a pre-made sandwich, you're really just paying for its elaborate packaging — plus a whole lot of salt, fat, and unnecessary additives. For the average cost of one of these babies ($2.50 to $3.00 per sandwich), you could make a bigger, better, and more nutritious version yourself

3. Premium frozen fruit bars.
At nearly $2 per bar, frozen 'all fruit' or 'fruit and juice' bars may not be rich in calories, but they are certainly rich in price. Make your own at home — and get the flavors you want. The only equipment you need is a blender, a plastic reusable ice-pop mold (on sale at discount stores for about 99 cents each), or small paper cups and pop sticks or wooden skewers.

To make four pops, just throw 2 cups cut-up fruit, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon lemon or lime juice into a blender. Cover and blend until smooth. You might wish to add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water so the final mix is a thick slush. Pour into 4-ounce pop molds or paper cups, insert sticks, and freeze until solid

4. Boxed rice 'entree' or side-dish mixes.
These consist basically of rice, salt, and spices — yet they're priced way beyond the ingredients sold individually. Yes, there are a few flavorings included, but they're probably ones you have in your pantry already. Buy a bag of rice, measure out what you need, add your own herbs and other seasonings, and cook the rice according to package directions.

5. Energy or protein bars.
These calorie-laden bars are usually stacked at the checkout counter because they depend on impulse buyers who grab them, thinking they are more wholesome than a candy bar. Unfortunately, they can have very high fat and sugar contents and are often as caloric as a regular candy bar. They're also two to three times more expensive than a candy bar at $2 to $3 a bar. If you need a boost, a vitamin-rich piece of fruit, a yogurt, or a small handful of nuts is more satiating and less expensive!

6. Spice mixes.
Spice mixes like grill seasoning and rib rubs might seem like a good buy because they contain a lot of spices that you would have to buy individually. Well, check the label; we predict the first ingredient you will see on the package is salt, followed by the vague 'herbs and spices.' Look in your own pantry, and you'll probably be surprised to discover just how many herbs you already have on hand. Many cookbooks today include spice mix recipes, particularly grilling cookbooks. But the great thing about spice mixes is that you can improvise as much as you want. Make your own custom combos and save a fortune.

7. Powdered iced tea mixes or prepared flavored iced tea.
Powdered and gourmet iced teas are really a rip-off! It's much cheaper to make your own iced tea from actual (inexpensive) tea bags and keep a jug in the fridge. Plus, many mixes and preparations are loaded with high fructose corn syrup and other sugars, along with artificial flavors. So make your own, and get creative! To make 32 ounces of iced tea, it usually takes 8 bags of black tea or 10 bags of herbal, green, or white tea. Most tea-bag boxes have recipes, so just follow along. If you like your tea sweet but want to keep calories down, skip the sugar and add fruit juice instead.

8. Bottled water.
Bottled water is a bad investment for so many reasons. It's expensive compared to what's coming out of the tap, its cost to the environment is high (it takes a lot of fossil fuel to produce and ship all those bottles), and it's not even better for your health than the stuff running down your drain!

Even taking into account the cost of filters, water from home is still much cheaper than bottled water, which can run up to $1 to $3 a pop.

If you have well water and it really does not taste good (even with help from a filter), or if you have a baby at home who is bottle-fed and needs to drink safe water, buy jugs of distilled or 'nursery' water at big discount stores. They usually cost between 79 cents and 99 cents for 1 gallon (as opposed to $1.50 for 8 ounces of 'designer' water). And you can reuse the jugs to store homemade iced tea, flavored waters, or, when their tops are cut off, all sorts of household odds and ends.

9. Salad kits.
Washed and bagged greens can be a time-saver, but they can cost three times as much as buying the same amount of a head of lettuce. Even more expensive are 'salad kits,' where you get some greens, a small bag of dressing, and a small bag of croutons. Skip these altogether. Make your own croutons by toasting cut-up stale bread you would otherwise toss, and try mixing your own salad dressing

10. Individual servings of anything.
The recent trend to package small quantities into 100-calorie snack packs is a way for food-makers to get more money from unsuspecting consumers. The price 'per unit' cost of these items is significantly more than if you had just bought one big box of cheese crackers or bag of chips. This is exactly what you should do. Buy the big box and then parcel out single servings and store them in small, reusable storage bags.

11. Trail mix.
We checked unit prices of those small bags of trail mix hanging in the candy aisle not that long ago and were shocked to find that they cost about $10 a pound! Make your own for much, much less with a 1-pound can of dry roasted peanuts, 1 cup of raisins, and a handful of almonds, dried fruit, and candy coated chocolate. The best part about making your own is that you only include the things you like! Keep the mixture in a plastic or glass container with a tight lid for up to 3 weeks.

12. 'Snack' or 'lunch' packs.
These 'all-inclusive' food trays might seem reasonably priced (from $2.50 to $4.00), but you're actually paying for the highly designed label, wrapper, and specially molded tray. They only contain a few crackers and small pieces of cheese and lunchmeat. The actual edible ingredients are worth just pennies and are filled with salt

13. Gourmet ice cream.
It's painful to watch someone actually pay $6 for a gallon of designer brand ice cream. Don't bother. There's usually at least one brand or other on sale, and you can easily dress up store brands with your own additives like chunky bits of chocolate or crushed cookie. If you do like the premium brands, wait for that 3-week sales cycle to kick in and stock up when your favorite flavor is half price.

14. Pre-formed meat patties.
Frozen burgers, beef or otherwise, are more expensive than buying the ground meat in bulk and making patties yourself. We timed it — it takes less than 10 seconds to form a flat circle and throw it on the grill! Also, there's some evidence that pre-formed meat patties might contain more e. coli than regular ground meat. In fact, most of the recent beef recalls have involved pre-made frozen beef patties. Fresh is definitely better!

15. Tomato-based pasta sauces.
A jar of spaghetti sauce typically runs $2 to $6. The equivalent amount of canned tomatoes is often under $1. Our suggestion: Make your own sauces from canned crushed tomatoes or fresh tomatoes — particularly in the summer, when they are plentiful, tasty, and cheap. The easiest method is to put crushed tomatoes (canned or fresh) into a skillet, stir in some wine or wine vinegar, a little sugar, your favorite herbs, and whatever chopped vegetables you like in your sauce — peppers, onions, mushrooms, even carrots — and let simmer for an hour. Adjust the flavorings and serve. Even better: Coat fresh tomatoes and the top of a cooking sheet with olive oil and roast the tomatoes for 20 to 30 minutes at 425˚F before making your stovetop sauce. Delicioso!

(For me this give me some thing to think about but some times its nice to have the convenients of these products.For 'Gourmet' frozen vegetables, its so easy to make your own and that way it cheeper and better for you. I'm not sure the spaghetti sauce is on-target. I can get a jar of spaghetti sauce (i.e. think "Ragu") for less than one dollar on sale . It contains more sauce than 1 can of tomato sauce (which can be $1 or more per can...can you believe that?!?!) , Don't get me wrong I have made my own sauce before and will do it again. I always keep a look out for can tomato's on sale. As for spice mixes I only buy them if I have a coupon for them and can get them cheep or free, that is the only way for it to be worth the money. Premium frozen fruit bars, I love the idea of making my own, that would be fun for the kids! Powdered iced tea mixes or prepared flavored iced tea might cost lots if you don't use a sale and a coupon, so I stock up when I can, I like to use this sort of stuff when I'm running around. )