PrairieLand Food Menu for March

It's that time again, time for to think about ordering your Prairie Land Food Paks for the month of March. If you don't know what PLF is, what they are, or just want more info, you can read my review on them HERE. Looks like orders will be due by March 12th, but if your payday won't come that soon, be sure to send one of the wonderful ladies that works there and email and they will work with you. They also accept: cash, check, debit/credit card, and SNAP payments. Order online @ www.prairielandfood.com. So here it is:

Prairie Pak - $25.00

Ground Turkey Breast - 1 lb
Pork Tenderloin – 10 oz
Breaded Chicken Breast Strips - 20 oz
Breaded Flounder - 1 lb
Chicken Thighs - 2 lbs
*assortment of seasonal fresh fruits and veggies
Due to market conditions and to maintain quality items are subject to change




Meat Only - $14.00

Ground Turkey Breast - 1 lb
Pork Tenderloin – 10 oz
Breaded Chicken Breast Strips - 20 oz
Breaded Flounder - 1 lb
Chicken Thighs - 2 lbs



Fruit & Veggie - $12.00

*assortment of seasonal fresh fruits and veggies






*****SPECIALS*****



Special #1: "VARIETY BOX" - $21.00 

1 lb fully cooked Chicken Breast Strips
(2) - 20 oz bags ready to cook Breaded Chicken Breast Filets
2 lbs Chicken Thighs
(8) - 4 oz individually quick frozen Chicken Breast Filets
all items included in one box for your convenience






Special #2: "PIZZA PARTY" - $19.00

(24) Deep Dish Tony's Pepperoni Pizzas
each individually wrapped
suggested retail priced - $36.00






Back by Popular demand!
Special #3: "EASTER HAM" - $19.00 

4 lb Black Forest Ham






Special #4: "MEXICAN FIESTA SPECIAL" - $22.00 

1 lb Beef Taco Meat
(2) - 1 lb Chicken Strips (perfect for Fajitas)
(2) - 1 lb bags Red Peppers, Green Peppers, Yellow Peppers & Onions
(2) - 12 ct / 8" Flour Tortillas



*****CHOICE*****
Requires purchase of any one of the March pkgs, listed above~ ADD the Choice in any quantity to your March order.




CHOICE "KEY LIME CHEESECAKE" - $6.00 

6 inch / 32 oz Key Lime Cheese Cake
a perfect desert for Easter! 
*requires purchase of any one of the March pkgs., add Choice in any quantity

All looks pretty yummy to me :P Let me add, that I've have gotten the different cheesecakes before through them, and they are D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S!!! Haven't tried the Key Lime (yet) but I'm going too!

Great Sales @ Kmart This Week!!

First off it's that great time of year when winter clothes start to go on clearance!!! I love buying my clothes out of season, one of THE best ways to save on your clothes budget. Kmart's kicking it off with Up to 70% off Winter clearance for the Family 2/5-2/11!!!! They are also going to have a Baby Days! Buy 1, Get 1 50% off ALL Fisher-Price, Playskool or Sesame Street Infant Toys 2/5-2/11 sale :) I'll have to check that one out and see if I can get my son any good stuff. Also they are having a huge Valentines Day sale including Valentine's Day Gifts! 50% off Women's Sleepwear & 30% off Men's Valentine's-themed Boxers 2/5-2/11. That includes buying online and picking up at the store! I have to say that Kmart has really been working on improving their stores. Plus I love that they offer "reward points" to card members (which is FREE to sign up), and they seem to be really pushing a coupon friendly attitude :)

Happy Bargain Hunting Everyone!

Parents Magazine for only $3.99 A Year!!

Today only you can get Thu, Feb 2, Subscribe to Parents Magazine for just $3.99/year from DiscountMags.com! Use Promo Code: 1899!!!! This is a pretty cool magazine. They've usually got some fun activities/crafts you can do with the kids, recipes, parenting tips and articles. This is a steal! I think the cover price is more than this.

Prairie Land Food Menu for February

Hopefully you've read my review on Prairie Land Food, and now you want to know what they are offering this month. Also I didn't include this in my review, but I found out that many of the PLF sites offer food swap tables. Meaning if there is a meat item you don't want you could go swap with someone for a different meat item, or veggie for veggie, etc. Not all sites offer these, but many do so don't be afraid to ask! Alright so here's the menu (I'm excited we're getting cheese this month too!):

Prairie Land Food – February 2012

Order date by ~  February 15


Prairie Pak - $25.00
Gortons Fish Sticks – 1 lb
Lean Ground Beef (chub) – 1 lb
Premium Ham Steak  -1 lb
Smithfield Bacon (#1 grade) – 1 lb
Chicken Thighs – 1.5 lbs
Cheese (Cheddar or Monterey Jack) – 1 (8 oz) block
a variety of seasonal fresh fruits and veggies includedDue to market conditions and to maintain quality items are subject to change

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Meat Only - $14.00

Gortons Fish Sticks – 1 lb
Lean Ground Beef (chub) – 1 lb
Premium Ham Steak  -1 lb
Smithfield Bacon (#1 grade) – 1 lb
Chicken Thighs – 1.5 lbs
Fruit & Veggie - $12.00

Cheese (Cheddar or Monterey Jack) – 1 (8 oz) block
a variety of seasonal fresh fruits and veggies

*****FEBRUARY SPECIALS***** 
Special #1:  “VARIETY BOX“ - $26.00 2 – Premium Ham Steaks – 1 lb ea
Turkey Medallions – 12 oz
Ground Beef – 1 lb
Tyson Chicken Breast Tenderloins – 1.6 lbs
Pork Roast – 1.5 lbs
California Blend Vegetables – 1 lb bag
Whole Strawberries – 1 lb bag
*all items included in one box for your convenience


Special #2:  “LENTON SPECIAL” - $22.00
Popcorn Shrimp – 1 lb
  Breaded Lemon Pepper Tilapia – 17.6 oz
Haddock Fillets – 1 lb
  Herb Stuffed Tilapia – four / 4 oz
Pollock Fillets – 1 lb
Special #3:  "PIZZA SPECIAL" - $19.00 Back by Popular Demand! 10 (13 oz) Mama Rosas Pizza Grillers
On the Grill or in the Oven  ………….each individually wrapped
Special #4:  "CHOP HOUSE SPECIAL" - $21.00 6 lbs Boneless .Center Cut Pork Chops
approximately 16 (6 oz) chops per box
CHOICE  *requires purchase of any one of the February pkgs. listed above,
add the CHOICE in any quantity to your February order            

CHOICE #1:  "Boneless Turkey Breast" - $9.00Ready to Cook Boneless Turkey Breast - 2.5 lbs


CHOICE #2:  "Marble Cupcakes" - $5.004 ~ Marble Cupcakes by our favorite sweet toothfactory …

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February Distribution Dates :
Friday ~ February 24
Saturday ~ February 25

Prairie Land Food Review

I'm excited to do this review for all my frugal fans! Prairie Land Food is a great community service that I found awhile back. I had a light bulb moment at the beginning of the month to do a review of it so that I could share this with you guys. They help people in Kansas, and some locations in Nebraska and Oklahoma, get quality food for discount prices. Income doesn't matter, they just want to promote people helping others, and reward them for their good deeds.

I heard about them when I was pregnant with my son; my husband had just been layed off, and things were scary at that time. A lady I worked with told me about this group in Kansas that offered monthly food packages, for a deeply discounted price and a few hours of volunteering. My first two thoughts were: it's a scam, and I don't have time (or energy) to volunteer. She kept talking to me about, and told me to check out their website for myself. I did later that week, and boy am I glad I did.

Now that I've piqued your interest we'll start talking about Prairie Land Food, what they do, and what they believe in. They are a non profit food program for Kansas residents that has been around since 2006. As I mentioned earlier there are NO income guidelines. All they ask is that you do a couple hours volunteer work every month. In return they offer you different food packages (called Prairie Paks) at deeply discounted prices. You can order online, or pay in person. They accept cash, check, debit/credit card payments, and SNAP! If your payday comes after their order by date, talk to one of the great ladies who manage this program, and they will work with you. Generally you order in the first part of the month, and a week or two later they distribute the food. For a full list of their order by, and distribution dates go HERE. You will then go to your local "host site" on distribution day and pick up your order. Simple as that.

I know it sounds a little too good to be true, but it's not. I have personally used this service myself a few times over the last couple years, and I've never been unhappy with it! I've shared this with other friends I know who are struggling, or have friends and family that are struggling, and they've all loved it. The co-worker who shared it with me has been using them for quite awhile.

They are absolutely legit, and you don't need to worry about the food quality. They do not purchase out of date, or, well, shady food :) They have simply worked out deals with local companies to buy bulk food at a discount. Which they then pass on to you!

Next we'll talk about the volunteer service, which I'll admit scared me at first when I heard about it. You don't need a signed statement by your local hospital, or devote hours upon hours to qualify. It's done one the honor system, all they ask is that on your order receipt with something you, or a family member, has done to help out. That's it! If you go HERE and scroll down to the bottom of the page you can find a list of things they consider volunteer. A few examples are: carpooling with coworkers, mowing a neighbors yard, calling to check on someone, being a caregiver, babysitting grandchildren, share Prairie Land Food with others (say with Facebook), helping someone move (if you have a truck like me you've probably done that one a few times;) and the list goes on. They just want to promote people helping people, and really I think most of us already do this without realizing it.

Next we'll talk about their Prairie Paks. Every month they will come out with a list of 13 - 14 items, it depends on the market. This includes 5 meat items, and a package of fresh fruits and vegetables. If there is a downside to them, it's that you don't know know what they will offer until they put out their "menu" for the month. Although, I've never been disappointed with their selection. Sometimes they may be offering things that we don't really eat in my house (like fish, yuck!) but they always have other Paks available that I like.

First they offer their main Prairie Pak that includes the 5 meat items, and a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables (usually around 4 different kinds of each) for $25. You'd usually pay $25 for the meat alone! This is a great way to save on meat and produce, which we rarely see coupons for, and I know I'm always looking for ways to save on these items. If you're afraid the produce will go bad, cut it up, cook it, or can it. There are a lot of great ways to make fresh produce last longer, and you still get that great taste and nutrition. On top of that they offer you the option to purchase "meat only" or "fruit & vegetable only" paks. The meat only one is $14, and the fruit and veggie pak is $12. Again, great value. As if that wasn't enough they then offer "Special Paks" every month.

Again, these vary from month to month, but they're usually great freezer items. I've purchased some of these specials and have been happy. Some examples are themed sets for the time, like the holidays, or superbowl, desserts, individually wrapped freezer items (think little pizzas and breakfast burritos) and more. Many times if something is very popular, and people request it again, they will work to get that item again. Prices on these vary, but as with their other paks they are a good value.

Okay, so I realize this was a long post (honest guys I'm working on not being so long winded) but I wanted to do a thorough job of introducing you all to Prairie Land Food. Check out their website HERE, and take a look around for yourself. I will be posting their Menu for February soon after this one. From this month forward I will also start posting their menus for everyone when they come out. I really believe that this is a great service for us, and I'm going to ask everyone a favor. Please share this programs with others after you try it. I know you'll love it like I do, and they want people to order. If you know someone who could benefit from this right now share this post, or give them this link www.prairielandfood.com to check it out for themselves. They also have a facebook page go to https://www.facebook.com/PrairieLandFood to "like" them.

Happy Bargain Hunting everyone!

Discount Popchips ~ Amazon Deal of The Day

Amazon's Deal of the Day is on Popchips: Deal of the Day! If you like these you should check this page out. I see some pretty good prices on their 24 packs, and 12 packs. I personally haven't tried these, I'm not of a chip person, so let me know if these are good!

Happy Bargain Hunting

Coupon Fraud: Part 2

In our last post (Coupon Fraud: Part 1) we talked mainly about coupons you normally find in your Sunday paper. But as we couponers know, that is merely one of the places we get our coupons. Our second main source is the internet. Of course every point I made in the last post is just as valid for printable coupons, but there are some added opportunities for the scammers out there. So in this post we're going to talk about these.

1.     

            Most coupons have limit on how many you can print. Most are 2 coupons per computer. So if you need more than that you ask friends and family to print them for you. Or if you have more than one computer (say a desktop, and laptop, or the kiddos have their own) you can have a wireless printer and print them from each computer.

a.       This means that you can NOT print of two, and then make copies of those to use! If you think you've received copied coupons, check the upper right hand side. Most have a unique number so that copies can be easily identified. That is coupon fraud my friends.

2.       Most coupons are NOT in PDF form, with unlimited prints. The only company that I’ve ever seen do this is 3M, and they usually have very restrictive use verbiage on them. For example some say “limit one coupon used per day”. Normally coupons are not done this way, and be very suspicious of any you find that are.

a.       Some people actually do make fake coupons online, and that is coupon fraud! But if you get your coupons from a trusted source, like coupons.com or a manufacturer’s website, than you should be safe. If you’re not sure, don’t print it!

3.       You do not find coupons for FREE products online. Most companies mail you coupons for free products. You could request some coupons for a free product online, but you can’t print them.

a.       This does not apply to Buy One Get One Free coupons. I have found those online, but they still require a purchase to get your free item. Which is the important part to consider when looking at freebie coupons online.

4.       Always consider the source of your printable coupons. As I mentioned earlier there are sites that you can trust, check out my Printable Coupon Homebase (link) for a list. Also, if you find the link to the coupon on the manufacturer website than you should be safe.

a.       Some blogs can report online coupons that are not legit. Whether they do it on purpose or accident isn’t important. What is important is that you do your research. If it seems too good to be true, say $8 off a $10 purchase, than it’s probably fake. Better safe than sorry I say.

5.       Which leads to our last rule of thumb. Internet coupons are not generally high value. Like in the example above, companies just don’t normally put coupons like that online. Again, you could request some coupons from the company via email online, but they will be mailed to you, not printable. Now a $5 off a $25 purchase coupon (like Dollar General puts out) is high value, but the purchase price is your clue that it’s okay.

So just remember that unless you know it came from a trusted site, or the manufacturer website always be careful. Why is this important? What’s the harm if you use a bad coupon? Well, stores can refuse to take online coupons entirely! In fact in my small town neither of our grocery stores takes them, because they were given fraudulent coupons, and weren’t reimbursed. I’ve also heard of other Kansas couponers that have this same issue in their local stores in the rural areas. And when you’re talking small mom and pop stores, they just can’t absorb those losses like the big hitters. This hurts everyone!