Labor Day

City Deals is Coming Back!

In regards to City Deals, I had an on-line acquaintance that told me that City Deals IS going through a buy-out. From what I could gather (and this is JUST me, no official report or anything,) there was going to be a buy out, that fell through, but then another deal cam around. It is apparent that they are really making an effort to make everything right and to fix any problems that are currently in effect. I'm glad to say that it appears everyone should come out of this with no losses and little stress. Thank you CityDeals!

If you go to CityDeals.com they have the following on their site:

Teriyaki Broccoli Chicken

As every parent knows, some days are easier than others when it comes to deciding what to make for dinner. Even if you have a meal plan, there are nights when that is the last thing you want to stick to! OR maybe, you have great meal plans and stick to it regularly, but forgot to take into account leftovers.

Every now and then, I will take the different left overs in my fridge and combine a few of them to make a whole brand-new dish. This happened a few weeks ago, and Oh My Gosh! I keep making it over and over again because it was so flippin' good!

So I thought I'd share.

The best thing about this recipe is that there are not any measured out portions; you use what you have. If you have more chicken than broccoli, you'll have more chicken than broccoli. If you have a lot of broccoli and only and ounce or two of chicken, no worries, it's great both ways!

So, without further ado, here it is!

Teriyaki Broccoli Chicken

Leftover Chicken, Shredded

Broccoli (Left over or fresh, cooked to the desired tenderness, raw works well too if you like it that way)

Olive or Canola Oil

Teriyaki Sauce or Marinade

Onion Powder

Garlic Powder

Ground Ginger

Salt Pepper

In a frying pan or skillet, pour enough oil to coat the bottom. Turn unit on medium.

Place desired amount of chicken in skillet, and sprinkle even amounts of Garlic Powder, Onion Powder and Ground Ginger over the top. Stir chicken and seasonings a few times.

Add in the amount of Broccoli you wish to use, covering the chicken. Sprinkle the Broccoli with Salt and Pepper to taste. Stir Broccoli and Chicken together until mixed.

Add Teriyaki Sauce to taste (I usually use about 1 ½ tsp. for every 2 cups of Broccoli, but you can use more or less depending on what you like)

Heat through stirring frequently, then serve.

City Deals Goes Under

Yesterday, Wednesday August 31st, City Deals went under after a deal to buy them out, fell through. Since then they have just been refusing to talk to the general public. Theories are abounding, but one thing is for sure... this is pretty much leaving everyone screwed over!

Merchants, at least most of them, haven't been paid. Customers aren't getting refunded. And No-One is accepting City Deal vouchers now.

My brother and sister-in-law recently purchased a new home, and through City Deals acquired vouchers that would make going through their brand new home and having all the carpets cleaned affordable! However, when they saw the news that City Deals went under they immediately called the Cleaning company and asked if they would take the voucher still.

The man was very nice and basically stated that because they hadn't been paid by City deals, they couldn't just accept the voucher, BUT if she could provide proof of purchase (the receipt from City Deals) and the voucher itself, that he would honor the value of they would pay him the amount they paid to City Deals.

My sister-in-law is going to talk to her bank about the transaction to City Deals and see if there is any way that she can dispute the charge or have it reversed. If so, both she and the Carpet Cleaners will be able to come out of this with little to no loss. If the bank can't do anything about it, then she still has the option of paying only a little to the cleaners to have them honor the full amount of the voucher.

If you have a City Deals Voucher that you have yet to redeem, I'd suggest calling the merchant that the voucher is for, and seeing if there is anything you can work out.

Most of all, remember that when talking to a merchant, it is not their fault and they have lost money on this as well. Some merchants will literally hundreds of dollars (some close to thousands) if they honored all the vouchers. So be curious, and soft spoken. You catch more flies with honey than vinegar after all. - You could even ask them how much they were supposed to get from City Deals for that voucher and see if they would take that much for it?

If anyone has other tips or ideas for fellow users of City Deals that they would like to share, please post your comments here.


Thanks to: http://www.sltrib.com and http://consumerist.com for the info that I gathered from them.

Smith's Shopping Trip 8/31/11

Today marks the start of Smith's P&G sale! Buy 4 participating Procter and Gamble items and get $4.00 off at the register.

I was very excited to get stocked up on some of the basic toiletries we use all the time! Deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, shower gel... And some air fresheners and DayQuil and NyQuil as well!

Grand total before coupons = $131.37
I paid just = $47.79
Saving = $83.88 or 64%

If I can use coupons, anyone can! If you still need to learn how, you can contact me to set up a free coupon class for you, your family and friends!

Take advantage of this great sale going on right now! To see the full Smith's (Utah) list, Click here! Or click here to see the full list of Utah stores. If you live outside Utah, Click here then click on your state in the upper left-hand corner for a list of stores in your area!

FREE Items This Week

We've got some AWESOME deals this week at Rite Aid and Walgreens!

At my Classes, I always tell you two big secrets:

1)You will NEVER use just one coupon when you go shopping
&
2) There is ALWAYS something for free

Once in a while, there will be a week without something free, but then you get weeks like this week that more than make up for that. We've got available to us 10 free things this week (through Saturday the 3rd) between Rite Aid and Walgreens.

At Rite Aid:
Mitchum Men's Anti-Perpirant
Mitchum Women's Anti-Perspirant
Trident Layers Gum
Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief Toothpaste
Colgate Manual Toothbrush
Oral-B Complete or Action Power Toothbrush
Nivea Women's Body Wash
Nivea Men's Body Wash

At Walgreens:
Carmex Moisturizing Lip Balm
Estoven Dietary Supplement
Crest Complete Deep Clean Toothpaste

To see the details on these items go to GrocerySmarts.com and click on Walgreens' and/or Rite Aid's store name in the drop down menu.

If you don't currently get the Sunday paper (for the coupons inside) Let me know, and I can help you get a deep discount. I'm a Strata-band Affiliate with Newspapers in Utah, Las Vegas and Parts of California. Message me for prices in your area.

If you haven't attended a Free Grocery Smarts Coupon Class, and would like to book one at your home for your family and friends. Message me and I'll get you on my books!

Happy Savings!

Staying Social and Saving Money at the Same Time: Book Club

Being a Stay-At-Home mom, I know how important it is to have that "girls night out" at least once a month. But even going out just once a month with the girls can add up over time. $10.00 here, $20.00 there. And once in a while, maybe $50.00 under the rationalization that "I need to be out with other adults, and it is only once a month." But you can't not go... you'd drive yourself crazy (if your kids didn't do it for you).

So, the question then becomes: How do I stay social without spending money?

Lots of ideas may come to mind, at least they did for me, but my favorite so far; a Book Club!

Starting a book club can solve a few problems at once.

• First, you get together with your girl friends and can talk about the book you just read, visit and have a great few hours together.
•  Second, it takes the stress out of planning each month. No more having to wonder who can afford to go where or even just deciding where to go to eat. Hold it at your house, and each month you're set!
•  Third, the best part about a girls night (at least for me) is getting to know new people! But what if you are all new? At a restaurant it could get awkward if you don't know each other and silence can be deafening if you just met. But at a book club... The topic is already set. Once you start talking about the book and discussing it, the topic will naturally shift into other categories and you may just find out how close of friends you can become.

This article at Vocalpoint  has some great ideas on how to start a book club and get the ball rolling.

Another great thing a bout a book club for me (even though this may still be spending money) is that it helps me expand my library! I love books! Some may argue that it is a waste of money to buy books when you can read them for free from your library; but I strongly feel that owning books can be a great and priceless investment.

Let's say that a natural disaster occurred and you are without power for a while. If you have books, you automatically have entertainment and information (if you have encyclopedias, medical books etc.). Just the fact thst you own books encourages children to invest their time in the written word.

Even if I spend $5-$12 on a new book each month, I am going to be saving a lot by not eating out and going to the movies or the spa each month with the girls. I'm still getting my social cup filled as well as pushing myself to read more (which I think is a very important think to do). Not to mention all the calories I'm saving from eating a few snacks at book club vs. all the fatty goodness of a restaurant.

Happy savings! (and happy reading)