Dollar Tree~~OH MY!!

I know. I know! Dollar tree is crap. Dollar Tree is all useless junk. Not everything is junk and maybe useful. You might be surprised.

This is one of my favorite stores. Just because you never know what is inside. Now not everything is great and it depends on what your plans are. I love to see what in store for me at DT. Last Christmas at Walmart I saw some Betty Crocker items. I did not have the money to buy these extra items. Well as luck would have it DT has some of the items I had wanted!! And for just a buck!! WOOHOO!! Walmart was several dollars per item. Also there were some socks that I liked at walmart. They were $2.97 for 2 pairs. DT had them for $1 for 2 pairs. they still had the Walmart tags on them.
Did I Know that DT would have these items? No, I did not but I stopped and checked it out. You have to look for great deals. They do not just leap out in front of you.

My DT favorites:
* Foil pans 2 for $1 (Turkey pans are 1 for $1)
* matches
* Christmas cards (Disney) (in season)
* some toys ( discontinued from walmart, ect)
* some cleaning supplies ( i love the foam cleaner)
* books ( sometimes they have great books)
* craft items
* teacher supplies (they always have something)
* rubber gloves for the kitchen (last as long as a name brand)
* plastic gloves ( 50 or 100 count depends on kind)
* party decorations
* plastic spoons ( keep them on hand for picnics or parties, if you forget your spoon, oh well)

I also have used several items that I would not normally purchase. We were having a pizza party and needed several cooling racks. I did not want to spend a ton of money for 10 racks. So off to DT I went. I found round cooling racks 2 for $1. So I bought 5 packs. I let the guests take them home after the party. I have also used there foil (never again!!) and a knife. I am the kind of person that if I know I will only use it once~ go to DT and get it and throw it away. Yes, I said it!! Throw it away. If you are in a pinch with money. Why spend $5 or $10 bucks for something you will never use again.

So go to your local Dollar Tree and see what it has for you!

Shopping bags

I forgot to tell everyone why I use shopping bags in the freezer. I like to use them because I can pull them out and close the freezer door. That way I can empty the meat and place the newest on the bottom and the oldest on top. It also makes finding what I need easy. I use different colors for them to tell them apart. This saves money and time.

more about your must have freezer

I know this blog is about "my shopping life" but it is also about being a wise and frugal shopper. So today I am putting together a list of items that freeze well and tips about freezing. I must admit I am a Sam's Club shopper and I love to buy in bulk (when possible).

My most useful tools for freezing. Quart freezer baggies, black marker, reusable shopping bags and used clean cereal box.

*all kinds of meats ~but you must repackage to avoid freezer burns.
[tip] I like to place my meat in reusable shopping bags. All my hamburger and beef in one and pork and chicken in others.
*Almost all kinds of cheese. I like cheese sauce but it does NOT freeze well. I love Sam's runny cheesy for certain items! The only problem is it does not hold up after freezing.
*pasta sauce~ I like to buy Ragu in a 3gal jug from Sam's. Portion it in a quart baggies and freeze. [Tip] flatten your cereal box and place the baggies on it in the freezer. I like to lay mine flat as the thaw better and it is easier to stack later.

I also like to make a double batch of Chili, veggie soup, sausage gravy. They all freeze wonderful. [Tip] I like to use my cereal box. Place item in gal freezer baggie and place inside box. Once frozen, remove and place on shelf.

Now there are lots of thing that freeze wonderful but I am not able to put everything down. That would be one hell of reading!!

I wish for wonderful freezing!!

What every person must own!

In my journey to be frugal, I have found out what every person must own! A freezer! I know! I know! It is an expensive item, but it will help you save in the long run. It does not have to be huge. I prefer a huge stand up but even a small chest will work. This is something I will never live without.
Now the reason this is a must have is because of the potential saving it has. Some people like to buy food when they need it. I prefer to buy it when on sale. My family only eats certain kinds of meat. So I buy it on sale and stock up. I repackage it to prevent freezer burn. I also like to buy frozen veggies on sale. Why pay $2, when I can pay $.99 each? It makes sense to me!
There is always frozen items on sale. Also you can make a double batch of your favorite meal and freeze it.

My first post

Good Morning! This is my first post. I am sure not one will ever notice. Simply because I never told anyone I was starting a blog. I am not sure why I even decided to write a blog. Yes, I do. Over the years several people have asked me about how I shop. I seem to have "all the luck" in finding great deals everywhere. So this blog is about "my shopping life".