COSTCO CHOCOLATE CAKE

Have any of you ever gone to Costco and walked in their bakery department? They sell an awesome 4-layer chocolate cake that is to die for. It is the size of a watermelon on steriods and it is the best thing you have ever put in your mouth. Now this is from someone who could pass up cake without any problem. Put a piece of pie in front of me and I would bite your hand off if you were to take it away! But cake I could care less about. That is until I found the Costco chocolate cake. It is so big it would feed a small city and you would still have some left over! Apparently we bought a cake on 12/18/12 and I found two slices in foil in my freezer. Actually, I knew they were there but I was trying to ignore them evertime they talked to me when I opened the freezer. I finally caved in and took them out tonight. My mother-in-law was over for dinner and I served the cake to both she and my husband for dessert. Yes, call me brave. You would have NEVER have guessed it had been sitting in the freezer for the past 10 months! It tasted like you just baked it fresh. Both of them agreed as they scarfed up both pieces. I did, however, manage to get a few bites of my husbands! Next time you go to Costco and need an excellent dessert, or something to go with that bacon I told you about earlier, grab a cake and enjoy!

CHEAP OLAY CLEANSING CLOTHS

Here are a few other things I added to my grocery list this week. I don't think I can get it up to $30! Ricola Throat Lozenges, 19 to 24 ct, BOGO $1.79. Use the $1.50/2 coupon from the 10/13 SS and pay just $.15 for cough drops. This is the time of year I pick up Olay Facial Cleansing Cloths really cheap. They are on sale for $2.50 off. Use the $3/1 from the 9/29 PG and pay just $1.49. Great for stocking stuffers. Also, Edy's Outshine Fruit Bars 15 - 18 oz box BOGO - $4.65. Use two $1/1 from 9/22 SS and pay $1.23 each. Margie, do you have any extra Olay coupons?

WINN DIXIE AND HONEY CRISP APPLES

Call it crazy, temporarily insane, or just desperate but I shopped at Winn Dixie today! Yes, I did! I even broke my order up into two transactions to use two coupons $5/$30 coupons. Like I said, I had 4 items on my Publix list. I saw much better deals at WD this week so Publix will not see my smiling face this new ad. I was able to get chicken quarters, stew beef, country style ribs, butternut squash and honeycrisp apples at a great deal. Speaking of honeycrisp apples, I have my husband to blame for turning me on to these apples. They usually run about $3.29 lb. or even more. And yes, contrary to what you may think, there is no gold in those apples! He bought three of them at Whole Foods in South Florida and paid about $6.50 for them! Does that answer your question about if he looks at prices? The answer to that is a big NO! Well anyways, these apples are the sweetest things you can put in your mouth! They are like sugar and it actually the ONLY apple he will eat now. They are on sale at WD for three days only for $1.69 lb. Treat yourself and get one and see what you think. I just hope I don't get suckered into buying them when they are $3.29+ lb.!!

WALMART PRICE-MATCHING PUBLIX BOGOS

Kate brought up a good point! How many of us are going to be brave enough to go to Walmart and price-match with Publix BOGO ad? I have heard that they will only take one coupon on a bogo and, of course, they will not take competitor coupons. Is it worth it to go in and save $1 on Skippy Peanut Butter? No, I don't think so. If I happen to have to go to Walmart, or should I say have the misfortune of having to go to Walmart, I would try it. I have also heard that they will only let you price match 2 or 3 deals. Not to mention the cashiers who act like they have never seen a coupon before. Did I mention the parking situation, dirty store, inferior and expensive produce, etc. etc. etc. The thing that also scares me is I always see carts with food in it that they have picked up throught the store. Take a minute and look in the cart. You would be surprised to see how many refrigerated items are in there! The whole thing is a recipe for disaster. Next time I HAVE to go to Walmart, I will try to pick a few items and price match and let you know what happens. If anyone else does try the price-matching, please let me know how it goes!

A NEW FURNITURE/ACCESSORY STORE IN TOWN

Like I said in my last post, I will begin a new job this week. I wasn't looking for a new job but it found me! Before the Sunshine Shop, I worked at Lighthouse Interiors for 5 1/2 years and LOVED every minute of it! Furniture and accessories are my thing and I truly missed it. The Four Seasons Furniture rep told the new owner about me. I didn't even know a new place was opening here in St. Augustine until she called me. It is called PEACE, LOVE, HOME and it is by the Kirkland's store in the Cobblestone plaza. I don't even know when it is opening but I believe it is this week. I will be working every Tuesday and Thursday and one Saturday a month. The store is closed on Sunday and Monday. Stop by and see it and if I am not there please tell them I sent you in! We will be carrying the slipcovered furniture line Four Seasons and I am very excited about that. If you are in need of a new sofa or chair, you need to check this out.

DOES ANYONE ELSE FEEL THE SAME WAY?

Is it just me or are the Publix ads really getting stingy these days. Last week wasn't that special although I did manage to go while I was in South Florida and get one gas card and left the groceries in the car for over a week! This ad is even worse! I only have 4 items on my list...Bertoli Oil, Peanut Butter, Quaker Granola and pizza. I'm glad I have a stockpile to live off of. Does anyone else feel the same way? Come on Publix...can't we do better??

THANK YOU TO MY WONDERFUL HUSBAND

I would like to give a huge shout-out to my wonderful husband of 25 years. I know he sometimes reads this and I just would like to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU for the wonderful cruise and awesome time we had this past week. He also gave me a gorgeous 3.20 caret anniversary band that is absolutely stunning! He said he has been shopping for 5 months for it because he wanted something special for our 25th anniversary. I am so proud of him! He has been in every jewelry store and held out until he found the perfect ring. I was so shocked and I know that I am truly blessed to have a guy like him. I love you Art! Thank you again! I just wish I had a coupon for it! LOL!

BACK IN ST AUGUSTINE

I am back!!! We spent 5 days with my daughter and her family in South Florida and then boarded the Royal Carribbean's Oasis of the Seas ship on Saturday and went to Nassau, St. Thomas and St. Martin. It was absolutely wonderful. I didn't have access to my phone all week except for St. Thomas. As soon as we pulled into port you saw everyone on their cell phones. That was the only port you had AT&T service with no roaming or international charges. I didn't even check any coupon sites because I didn't want to see what I was missing!! It turns out I don't think I missed very much...maybe the egg coupon! In fact, after getting back in town and picking up the dog, we stopped at Publix because our refrigerator was empty. All I wanted to buy was fruits and vegetables after eating all week. I used one publix coupon and my $5/$30 and we spent $53!! It felt like the old days of not using any coupons and I did not like it! In my defense, nothing in my cart would have had a coupon anyway! It will be a busy week for me because I am starting a new job on Tuesday. More info on that in my next post.

TAKING A WEEKS VACATION

I will be taking the week off from couponing while my husband and I go on a cruise. I hope I don't miss too many good deals! Not being able to check my computer is just going to kill me! I hopefully will come back rested and ready to go again!

MCCORMICK COUPON RESET?

See if the McCormick spice coupon for $2/1 reset for you. Go to coupons.com and use zip 55555. Don't you just love getting cheap spices!

MAKING THE BEST BACON

With so many kinds of bacon to choose from, which one was considered to be the best and get an excellent recommendation? if you guessed Kirkland Signature regular sliced bacon, you would be right! They were the only one to get an excellent rating. The following products are listed in taste order. They are: Oscar Mayer thick cut! Great Value Lower Sodium, Wright Applewood, Oscar Mayer Naturally Smoked, Hormel Black Label, Trader Joes, and Smithfield. All of these were rated very good. The only ones rated good were turkey bacon. Anyone else interested in trying the Great Value bacon. I know I am. I think their ice cream also rated very high! Too bad you have to go to Walmart to get it!