A blogger I read recently gave away a pair of pyramid earrings she made and I won! I got the earrings today and am very excited about them.

Here's a picture:



They look like they might be a bit heavy but they're not. She used sterling silver wires, too, so hopefully they won't bother my ears.

I tried to get a decent picture of me wearing them but meh, the picture didn't turn out too great. However, here I am with the earrings.



Anyway, that's my excitement for today. I work this evening but am off tomorrow.

I received a call from the local imaging center reminding me that I have an appointment in the morning for a mammogram and bone density scan. The mammogram is 100% covered by my insurance but because I'm under 65 the scan will cost $75. I hadn't planned on that expense but I do try to make medical issues a priority and bone density is an issue with the women in my family so I'll do it. But I won't have another one done for at least 5 years, Doctor SoAndSo!

A couple of days ago I read a blog entry about Red Box. We hadn't tried it but when we saw one of their kiosks at Wal-Mart last night, we decided to give it a shot. While trying to rent "The Far Side of Jericho" we got a code for a free movie. So, I went today after work and picked up "The Good Shepherd" and snagged some fried chicken and potato salad while there. The chicken I got was the 12 piece special for $4.99 but when I got home I discovered we'd only gotten 8 pieces! I called the store to let them know (nicely, of course) and they told me to bring in my receipt tomorrow and they'd refund the money for the chicken and the potato salad. Wooohooo, that's free food and a free movie! Hard to beat either one of those but both being free is just really great!

Let's see. Today was yet another no spend day for me. I've had quite a few of those lately and I love it!

A friend came over tonight and brought dinner. It wasn't anything exciting, just a hamburger, fries, and a drink but it was my second free dinner this week and it was actually very tasty.

In the mail this week I've received numerous shampoo and conditioner samples, mostly Garnier Fructis and Pantene products. I really shouldn't need to buy hair care items for awhile.

I also received some Lipton noodle dinners, several of them. I rarely eat them but they'll be good for one of those times when company shows up unexpectedly or I just don't feel like cooking much.

The best freebie, though, was a $50 Target gift card. The electric company I use offered it as an incentive when I chose them. I'd have picked them, anyway, but it's nice to get the gift card. I don't know what I'll get with it but I'm sure I'll think of something.

Today I went to lunch at Cheddar's with my mother, stepfather, and some of their friends. I didn't have to pay so it was a very nice free lunch and I brought home quite a bit of my Dijon Mushroom Chicken and will have that tomorrow for lunch or supper. That was my first time at Cheddar's and I imagine I'll go back some time.

In yesterday's mail I got 25 coupons for a free bottle of Country Bob's all purpose or spicy hot sauce. I just love that sauce and will buy it when I have no coupons but I'm happy to do as Al asked and get 4 bottles for myself and give away the other 21 bottles. I have no problem spreading the word about such a great sauce! If you haven't tried it, go to countrybobs.com for a coupon for a free bottle of it. Tell 'em Denise sent ya.

I also got a very pretty hand made hot pad from a friend online. It's varying shades of green and looks nice in the kitchen.

And today I finally found a clothes line for inside the house. My back yard, if you can call it that, is too small for a line and I wanted something that would work inside. Today I found a retractable clothes line for less than $7 so I bought it and installed it over the tub. It has shorts drying on it and so far, so good. Anything that helps save me money is a good thing! $7 isn't much to pay to stay out of laundrymat, huh?

And I've now spent all but $6 of the $50 I got for groceries for 2 weeks. But I'm set for boneless skinless chicken breasts, ground beef, frozen vegetables, and coffee. Yaaaaay!

It's been a good couple of days for freebies and cheap stuff.

Let's see. In the last couple of weeks, I've received the following:

Several deodorant samples, including two of the new Secret Clinical Strength samples - by the way I really love this stuff. It goes on dry, feels great, smells great, and keeps me dry for well over 24 hours.

A very nice package of Sunsilk Thermashine products including the shampoo, conditioner, and detangling shine spray

1.7 oz Garnier Fructis XXL Volume weightless gel

Pantene shampoo and conditioner

Smart Balance popcorn

A package of 3 different post it products, all of which I'll use

Several razors, one that included two extra blades

I really enjoy getting the freebies. So what if the deodorant only contains .5 oz? If I have 20 of them, that's a good amount of deodorant. And I like trying food items before I buy them..who wants to pay $3 for popcorn just to find out the taste is yucky? Not me!

Speaking of those freebies, I keep the health and beauty items in a brightly colored container in my bedroom where I can get to them but the horde can't. Otherwise I'll find out the dog has been bathed with Sunsilk and the cat is munching on salsa made with my sample Ball Salsa Mix....

I've gotten some pretty decent freebies lately and here are a few:

A Country Bob's All Purpose Sauce cookbook to go with the 25 coupons they sent me for free sauce

A coupon for free Coffee Mate

A sample of Airborne On-The-Go

A sample of DiabetiDerm foot cream

A 2007 calendar from Mrs. Smith's Desserts with a nice coupon on the page for each month. I don't buy these products but my mother does now and then so I'll give her the calendar and coupons

Samples of Garnier Fructis hair products

A coupon for a full size jar of Noxzema

Ahh, few things say lovin' like sumpin that costs nuttin!!

Just a few minutes ago I was at the kitchen sink and I glanced out the window there behind the sink. That view is of our front yard and the road in front of the house. I noticed an unfamiliar car stopped in the middle of the road, right in front of our house. I said to my husband, who was sitting on the couch in the living room, "Do you know who that is?" He walked to the door and said, "No" and headed out.

About that time the woman driving the car got out and headed up the little hill toward our house, leaving her car in the middle of the road. She had a blue bag in her hand but I couldn't see what it was. Well, it turns out she is the neighbor who lives kind of behind our house. She told DH, "I have dog food with me to give to Blackie." and handed him the blue bag of Kibbles and Bits. He was about to ask who Blackie was when Wee Black Doggie, our chow/shepherd mix ran to stand by DH. The woman put her hand out to pet him and he backed up a bit then relaxed and allowed her to pet him. The woman said, "Hi there, Blackie!" and explained to DH that Wee spends time at her house and she feeds him Kibbles and Bits. Huh? He does run around a bit but I've never known him to go behind our property. The lady asked if we were the ones with the shepherd and told DH that "Blackie" and the shepherd ran around together a lot but the other dog hasn't been around in awhile. Neither of us remembers ever seeing a shepherd out here but he just smiled and went along with her. She then asked if we were the ones who had the pig. Uhhh no, no pig here. But there is a hog pen on the property and we were told when we bought the place that the previous owner had a pig that got out.

So at any rate, this stranger dropped off a bag of Kibbles and Bits (which contained a $1 coupon and $2 coupon for K&B, by the way) and talked to DH about what a great dog he's been to her and how she hadn't seen him in a few days so she wanted to try to find him and make sure he's okay.

We're both a bit puzzled that Wee Black Doggie would be hanging out at another house without our knowledge and that this woman seemed pretty familiar with him and he seemed familar with her. And he used to run around with a shepherd? When? Where? We've had him since he was a tiny pup and we've lived in this house since 1998. Wee Black Doggie appears to have another "family" in the neighborhood. Stranger things have happened, though..

It just goes to show you, don't think you know everything your dog does when you're not looking. You probably don't.

In today's mail I got 25 coupons for a free bottle of Country Bob's all purpose sauce, either original or spicy. 25!! And after I notified them about a pretty big ooops on their website a few days ago they told me they're sending me a free cookbook. I should get that soon.

I also got 6 coupons for free Pepsi, 2 2 liter bottles and 4 12 packs.

Few things better than free sauce and free drinks!

Today was a good freebie day.

DH's aunt and cousin came to visit yesterday and brought us two boxes of food! They must think we don't eat enough, baaahahaha. Actually, they get a lot of poundage and give a good deal of it away and we just happen to be among the recipients.

We got:

6 large cans juice
16 cans of veggies (peas, mixed, carrots, yams)
a large block of Velveeta type cheese
a huge can of cooked and deboned chicken
2 lbs rice
2 lbs instant potatoes
Almost 4 lbs powdered milk
2 lbs macaroni
3 boxes cereal
3 pounds of quick cooking oats
5 cake mixes, including two of those fancy "ultimate dessert" type thingies, which I have never bought or tried before

Most of the stuff is too high in carbs for us to eat often but I do try to use it up. I think some of this last batch is going to the food pantry.

Today for lunch, though, I made homemade macaroni and cheese. DH doesn't eat it and I eat just a bit of it but the 22 year old son loves it so I made enough for him to take to lunch a couple of times over the next week. I think I'll make some goulash for the freezer, too.

Anyway, free food is pretty frugal, eh?

Umm, let's see. I spent $1 drying two loads of towels at the washateria. I also spent 75 cents on a soft drink. Not too bad.

Oh, I also got 3 coupons for $.55 off any Blue Bunny Good for You product! We love their Carb Freedom ice cream so next time it goes on sale, I'll use one of the coupons. Nice treat!

I like freebies. I don't go overboard with them and won't go out of my way to get them but I do enjoy opening my mail box to find a few nice samples and other freebies in it. Here's a great one:

http://officedepot.postfuture.net/h/officedepot/signup/default.asp

They email you a coupon and you take it to your local Office Depot to redeem it for a free 10 pack of printable CDs and cases. We got ours and they're good quality.

Who doesn't like free food? We love it! DH's cousin came to visit this afternoon from Louisiana. He and his mom get "poundage", something akin to the old commodities that used to be given out. They get 180 pounds a month and don't use it all so they give a lot of it away. Fortunately for us, he brings some to us when he visits. Since two of us are diabetic, we can't eat much of a lot of the items he brings so it lasts awhile.

Here's what he brought us:

3 cans corn
3 cans sweet potatoes
2 cans green beans
2 cans asparagus
2 cans sweet peas
2 cans carrots
2 cans mixed fruit
2 cans pears
2 can apricots
1 can pumpkin
5 cans milk
1 large can enchilada sauce
1 1 lb 13 oz can beef in juice
2 lbs instant potatoes
4 lbs rice
1 lb elbow macaroni
4 lbs powdered milk
1 box low fat shelf milk
8 large cans of juice
1 large package of gravy mix
6 lbs quick cooking oats

Every little bit helps and this is great!

I got a nice sized sample of a Purina dog food yesterday and DH fed it to Wee, our 8 year old chow/shepherd mix and he loved it!

I really like getting freebies in the mail and am always on the lookout for more.

I got a financial calendar in the mail today and it looks like a good one! It has tax deadlines, budget helps, retirement info, credit tips, interest rate information, and a lot more.

If you're a Texas resident and would like this calendar free, just go to:

http://www.valueyourmoney.org/

There's also a version you can download.
It's a nice calendar and the tips and hints are informative.