Not so Extreme Couponing - CVS Deals Week of 11/25

So this month I have made a concerted effort to get back into couponing. I am trying to be balanced and  only buy things we actually regularly use like tooth paste, body wash, shampoo/conditioner, and deodorant. And while not every deal I saw on matchup sites worked out as planned, I was able to score enough to be set in the toiletry department for a while.
This week I took advantage of a few deals and got my best score yet I think:

Menu Plan Monday: November 26

Tortellini Soup

Bacon & Cabbage

Lasagna

Crockpot Chicken Fajita Tacos

Jalapeño Popper Chicken with Rice

Ginger Soy Tilapia with Rice Pilaf

The United States of YA

When  I saw EpicGirl's infographic of  The United States of YA, I fell in love. My only problem was the overwhelming amount of paranormal books on the map. So I decided to make my own featuring books I loved throughout my teen years.

While I have read most of these, I did need to fill in some gaps with the help of GoodReads and this list.

I think this map would make a great summer reading list especially if you have some road trips planned next year.

Menu Plan Monday: November 12

I cannot believe it is already mid-November! O_O Last week we ended up eating a lot of left overs so 2 recipes got rolled over to this week. Plus I decided to shop the sales this week on Stuffing and Bell Peppers and I snagged some cheap stew meat last week so here's what I will be making:

Italian-Style Beef & Pepperoni Soup

Mexican chicken Tacos

Stuffed Chicken Breasts with Mashed Potatoes

Simple Stuffed Peppers over Rice

Easy Beef Bourguinon 

Anticipating Tax Season

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So this week $5 Dinners ran a post on Tax Refunds and Personal Finance. It linked to this article advocating withholding less each month instead of receiving a big tax refund at the end of the year. This got me thinking about what our preferences are when it comes to taxes. 

My Handwriting: a link up

I found this link up on BLOG.ADRIENNEROSE.ME (whom I had the pleasure to do work for a while back) and loved the idea since I am a big note junky.

The rules were simple...

...so I definitely wanted to give it a try :)

Menu Plan Monday: November 5

Pantry Pasta - use whatever ingredients we have in the pantry to make a pasta dish
Potato Topped Beef Bowl 
Italian-Style Beef & Pepperoni Soup
Mexican Chicken Tacos
Cajun Fettuccine Alfredo