BI-LO Slashes Prices On 1,000+ Items!

If you are a BI-LO shopper, I have great news-- BI-LO has lowered prices on over 1,000 items in their stores! Who doesn't love saving money at the grocery store on many of the items you generally buy?

Check out the new pricing of some commonly shopped items...

I'm a Tide user, so this new lower price makes me very happy! You can save even more with a manufacturer's coupon.

Check out BI-LO on the web, and follow them on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates. Be sure to check out those new prices on store shelves on your next visit. I plan to check it out tomorrow! 

Check Out The All New Food Lion Recipe Portal #LifesBetterWithTheLion

Do you ever feel like you keep cooking the same exact meals over and over again? I'm pretty sure most of us feel this way and get stuck in a rut. I am always looking for ideas online and sometimes even that can be overwhelming. I recently was introduced to the new Food Lion website with their recipe portal. The site is super clean and easy to maneuver and find things. You can sign up for a Food Lion MVP card either online or in-store. I created an account on the website using my MVP card. Once you're logged in, you are open to a host of tools at your fingertips. The recipe portal is broken down into categories ranging from main dishes, vegetables, sides, desserts and more. Once you find a recipe you are interested in, you are able to click on the individual ingredients and add them to your shopping list. How convenient is that? You can even find recipes according to a specific ingredient.

If you have a recipe you would like to share, you can easily submit it into the portal. All you need is a couple photos, a list of ingredients and the steps to prepare. I submitted one of my favorite recipes for my Easy Cheesy Zucchini and it took me under 10 minutes. I love the fact that the recipes on the Food Lion site are from home kitchens like yours and mine.

My zucchini recipe is a big hit and I know it will be for other families. The recipe is so easy and doesn't require any outrageous, hard-to-find ingredients.

Want the full recipe? Go check it out here. While you're there, be sure to browse other recipes and submit your own. Be sure to sign up for your MVP card so you can take advantage of their low prices. You can even track your savings on your dashboard when you are logged into your account.

Be sure to connect with Food Lion on the web, Facebook and Twitter for promotions and updates.

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Enter the #BILOfreegroceries Giveaway #AD

BI-LO is giving away $75,000 worth of free groceries to customers in some of the Southern states. Fifteen (15) BI-LO customers in Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee will win FREE groceries for a year, valued at $5,000 each, by entering the Great Grocery Giveaway. Additionally, every person who enters the giveaway will automatically receive a $10 off $100 purchase coupon. I love this since we use the BI-LO fuel perks. Everybody wins!

Customers can visit http://www.bi-lo.com/freegroceries now through June 16 for official rules and to enter-to-win the Great Grocery Giveaway. Can you imagine how much $5000 for a year of groceries would help your family? I encourage you to enter if you live in any of the states listed above-- you have nothing to lose! It took me less than a minute to enter (just have your BI-LO bonus card number handy) and you will receive an email to validate your email address. Two minutes of your life that can be worth a year of FREE groceries!

How would you like to win a BI-LO gift card? Three (3) lucky Mom Files readers will win a $25 BI-LO gift card each! Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway is open until May 30, 2015 to U.S. Residents only, but remember, the #BILOfreegroceries Giveaway is open on their site until June 16. Be sure to leave a valid email address so you can be contacted in the event you win. Good luck!

Thank you BI-LO for sponsoring today's giveaway.

Get ready for back-to-school with Fiskars #ad

As we near the end of July, it's time to start preparing for back-to-school. This means clothing, shoes, backpacks and school supplies. My kids have always enjoyed buying school supplies even if they aren't overly enthusiastic about going back to long school days and homework. I'm a big believer in buying quality school supplies and don't mind paying a little more for items that will last longer. Fiskars school scissors have been the only brand I have purchased since the pre-school days. My youngest child had the training scissors that were so important in helping his little hands master how to cut paper. 

Fiskars makes sizes and varieties for all different needs. I love the fun bold colors they now make. The quality is the same that it has always been. I don't think my kids have ever broken a pair of Fiskars scissors before. They are just that durable.

I love the non-stick blades. They give a clean cut. 

Fiskars is currently running a giveaway on their Facebook page to win a set of Kids Scissors for the entire class! Parents or teachers can enter. Wouldn't you want your kids' class to have high-quality scissors that will last all year long? It took me less than a minute to enter.

I can't believe how many different types of cutting implements they make. I have my eye on some of the mixed-media and fabric shears. I may have to treat myself! Yes, I get excited over cutting tools! Oh and you crafting mamas would drool over the selection. You can find the Fiskars brand at many retailers nationwide and of course you will see all the kids' scissors in the back-to-school section. Now that I think about it, a new sharp pair of scissors might be a nice thing to give my little one's teacher as a gift. Check out the Fiskars website and connect on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

I received products samples from Fiskars in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own as always. 

Are you prepared for food emergencies? #MilkUnleashed

Life can get super busy and hectic for all families. We have been going through spells of sickness mixed in with work, school, sports, family obligations and extracurricular activities. It is not hard to get behind on many things. One thing many of us don't think about is food emergencies. With the weather getting colder in many places, this means potential storms, freezing temperatures and even power outages. Usually when there are warnings about dangerous weather conditions, the first place everyone goes is to the grocery store. I can recall years ago seeing empty bread and milk shelves. It is hard to go for days or even a week without milk when you have small children. With Milk Unleashed shelf stable milk, you can always be prepared. Shelf stable milk is the same milk you buy refrigerated, except they processed differently and packaged in a shelf safe Tetra Pak carton. 

This is great news since they have a longer shelf life. They come in single serving cartons as well as 32 ounce Tetra Pak cartons. You can choose from whole, 2%, 1%, organic and even flavored. My kids love them! It is a convenient way to send milk in lunch boxes and my teens love them in the car on the way to school. These are great for your emergency supply, road trips, lunch boxes or for after-school. You can find them in most grocery stores, usually on the aisle that sells canned milk. I try to grab a pack every other shopping trip just to stock up in my pantry.

You can learn more on how to prepare for emergencies here and be sure to check out Milk Unleashed on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.

I received product samples for review and all opinions are 100% mine. No other compensation was received. 

Wordless Wednesday

Sam's Club shenanigans!

Money-saving tip for buying butter in bulk #HouseWifeLife

I have a new love and he goes by the name of Sam, Sam's Club to be exact! I have become such a fan of buying in bulk. One thing that I have contemplated on buying for months was butter. It comes in 4 one-pound solid blocks. I spend a small fortune (about $3.50-$4) in the grocery store on butter in sticks, so getting 4 pounds for $8 is a bargain! 

I finally broke down and bought it this weekend and came up with a great solution. Why not make my own sticks? All I did was set out one block of butter on the counter for no more than 30 minutes. Next, I took a knife and sliced straight down the middle and then did the same with each half. I wrapped each quarter in wax paper. I put them in a zipper storage bag and placed the remaining 3 solid blocks in the freezer. The savings is worth the extra effort!

Running Out? Run in Event is back at Publix {$25 Publix gift card giveaway} #myblogspark #spon

Disclosure: The information and prize pack have been provided by General Mills through MyBlogSpark

It happens to all of us... you open the pantry and realize you are out of everything! You're in luck since Publix has their Running Out? Run In. event going on from 10/09/13-10/25/13. If you purchase $30 in participating products, you can get a $10 Publix gift card from a mail-in rebate. There are so many items on sale and you can even find coupons at the registers for extra savings. 

I stocked up on Yoplait Go-GURT, Old El Paso dinner kits, Gain laundry detergent and Charmin Basic bathroom tissue. All of them were on sale and I was lucky to have coupons for most of the items. See below for the full list of participating products. 

This display was in the front entrance of my local Publix store. There were mail-in rebate forms attached and you can also download one online if needed. 

*PARTICIPATING PRODUCTS: Immaculate Baking® Honestly Delicious™; Yoplait® Go-GURT® (8ct, assorted varieties); Gain Laundry Detergent (100oz, assorted varieties); Old El Paso® Dinner Kits (assorted varieties); Totino's® Party Pizza® (assorted varieties); Dawn® Dish Detergent (20-24oz bottle, assorted varieties); Betty Crocker® Hamburger Helper® (assorted varieties); Suddenly Pasta Salad® (assorted varieties); Charmin® Basic Bathroom Tissue (12 double roll pkg, assorted varieties); Pampers® Diapers (Jumbo, assorted varieties); Green Giant® Canned Vegetables (4pk, assorted varieties); Crest® Toothpaste (8.2oz, assorted varieties); Herbal Essences® (6.0 -11.7oz, assorted varieties) and Vidal Sassoon® Shampoo/Conditioner (12oz, assorted varieties); Tide® Pods (18ct, assorted varieties)

Be sure to "like" Publix on Facebook. 

One Mom Files' reader will win a $25 Publix gift card to help stock-up from the RORI event. Enter below: a Rafflecopter giveaway  

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on October 19, 2013. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email to claim prize.  Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck! 

New Green Giant™ Veggie Chips and a $25 Publix GC giveaway #spon #myblogspark

The information and prize pack have been provided by Publix® and Green Giant™ through MyBlogSpark. 

Green Giant™ Veggie Chips are a brand new snack that are made of real vegetables and sweet potatoes. I received all 4 varieties and it was so hard to choose which one to try first. I went the Garden Ranch Roasted Veggie Tortilla Chips. They looked very textured and seasoned. I popped the first one in my mouth and was pleasantly surprised with the nice ranch flavor without the heavy salty taste you get from most chips. It has the perfect crispy, crunchy texture and if you're not careful, you can easily eat half the bag. Of course, I know nothing about this. 

Green Giant™ Veggie Snack Chips can be a smarter snack since they are made with real vegetables and real sweet potatoes
o With 17 grams of whole grain per serving (14g for Sweet Potato Chips, 18g for Ranch) 48 grams of whole grain recommended daily.
o About Green Giant Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips only: 40% less fat than regular potato chips Green Giant Multigrain Sweet Potato Chips only (6g per 28g serving) have 40 percent less fat than regular potato chips (10g per 28g serving).

These are really good for every day snacking, lunchboxes, movie munchies or even as a team sport snack. It's a chip you can feel good about giving your kids. You can purchase Green Giant Veggie Chips are many stores nationwide, including Publix Supermarket.

One Mom Files winner will win a great prize pack consisting of 4 bags of Green Giant Veggie Chips in Garden Ranch, Barbecue, Zesty Cheddar and Sea Salt varieties, as well as one $25 Publix gift card. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Giveaway ends on October 6, 2013 and one winner will be selected at random and contacted via email to claim prize. Be sure to follow contest rules stated in Rafflecopter widget. Mom Files is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

Get ready for the Publix® Fresh Savings Event with a $25 GC Giveaway

Disclosure: The information and prize pack have been provided by Publix® through MyBlogSpark.

Right now through September 12th, you can find savings on produce, bakery items, meat and eggs with the purchase of *participating items to get ready for the final days of summer exclusively at Publix® Fresh Savings Event. 

*PARTICIPATING ITEMS: General Mills Cereals Cheerios® (14oz), Betty Crocker® SuperMoist Cake Mixes and/or Frostings, Old El Paso® Dinner Kits, Hellmann's Mayonnaise (22oz or larger), Diet Pepsi (2 liter), Lipton® Recipe Secrets® Onion, Aunt Jemima® Syrups (24oz) and Pancake Mix (2lb), Breyers® Products, Tostitos® Tortilla Chips (9oz or larger)

My family loves having Mexican night often so I know I will take advantage of the Old El Paso dinner kits as well as the Betty Crocker cakes mixes for making cupcakes for dessert. Oh, and I can't forget the Breyer's ice cream! Publix prices are great and often you can find coupons for a lot of the items that are a part of this sale. I know I will be stocking up! 

One Mom Files reader will win a $25 Publix gift card to take advantage of the great deals at Publix.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Giveaway is open to US Residents only. Giveaway ends on September 12, 2013 and one winner will be selected at random and contacted via email to claim prize. Be sure to follow contest rules stated in Rafflecopter widget. Mom Files is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

8 Tips for Halloween shopping online

By Scott Fitterman of CouponCactus.com

1. Maximize value with online coupons: When purchasing Halloween costumes, decorations, and candy online always search for coupon codes to save money. Make sure to review your final checkout screen before you make your purchase. Be sure to confirm the items in your checkout are correct and that your promotional codes have been applied.

2. Stay Current. Make sure your results are the most up-to-date discounts and codes online. Take note of any expiration dates for discounts and use discount websites to help you locate the newest deals for a particular merchant.

3. Take advantage of Cash back: Some websites earn commissions from sales made through the site and can share their commissions with you in the form of cash back. It’s just like a cash back credit card. You can earn cash back from thousands of online merchants. If you’re not shopping through a cash back site, you’re throwing money away.

4. Exercise caution when combining coupons with cash back: You can use online coupons and combine the savings with cash back features for extra value, but exercise caution. Some coupon codes disqualify the order for cash back benefits, so read the cash back site’s coupon details very carefully.

5. Make sure you’re really getting a deal on all your Halloween essentials: Most of the time stores offer actual discounts, but as with all things you should do your due diligence and check online to determine how good the price really is.

6. Compare Sites. If you know the exact Halloween Costume you want to buy for October, it pays to shop around at different online retailers to compare prices. Some sites help consumers by providing a list of all online stores in a particular category.

7. Pay attention to shipping costs.  Some retailers make up their low prices by adding costs to the shipping. Be sure you're getting the lowest possible overall price, by double checking your shipping.

8. Exclusivity Pays. Research before you buy to find coupon or cash back websites that offer consumers exclusive online deals for Halloween. If you don’t search before your buy, you may miss it.

Yoplait Greek 100 & $25 Publix Gift Card Giveaway

The information in this post and gift pack were provided by General Mills and Publix® through MyBlogSpark. 

As we head into the swimsuit season, many of us are thinking about losing a few pounds so we can look our best this summer. A great way to start is by swapping out the sweet treats with something satisfying and low in calories. Yoplait Greek 100 calories yogurt is a great choice. There are so many flavors to choose from and they will satisfy your sweet tooth. You get all that you love in a Greek yogurt with only 100 calories.

You can go to Publix® May 11th - 31st to save on irresistible flavors like Black Cherry, Lemon, Mixed Berry, Peach, Tropical and more — 10 for just $10! At this price, you can sample all of the delicious flavors! So far the strawberry has my heart. I love it and the texture is perfect.

Would you like to try out the Yoplait Greek 100 calories yogurt for yourself? One lucky Momfiles reader will win a gift pack containing VIP coupons for 4 FREE 5.3 oz containers of Yoplait Greek 100, so you can try 4 flavors FREE and a $25 Publix® gift card.

Enter below: a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on May 22, 2013. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email to claim prize. Please leave a valid email address in the event you are selected as a winner. Please follow giveaway rules or all entries will be disqualified. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

Running Out? Run In! is back at Publix {$25 Gift Card Giveaway}

It happens way too often. We think we have extra items in our pantry, bathroom or laundry room and we realize that we are all out! It's such a pain when you run out of the things you use the most, isn't it?

From May 15th  through May 22nd , look for the “Running Out? Run In.” event at Publix® to take advantage of great savings on some of your favorite brands from General Mills and Procter & Gamble, like Wheaties, Totino’s, Charmin and Crest.  Plus, if you buy $30 of participating* items from 5/15 through 5/31, you can mail in to receive a $10 Publix® gift card to use on your next shopping trip!  (For more details on this great rebate, please visit www.runningoutrunin.com) 

*Participating products: Wheaties®, Cascadian Farm®, Honey Nut Cheerios® Medley Crunch and Total® Whole Grain Cereal (assorted varieties); Hamburger Helper® and Suddenly Salad® (assorted varieties); Totino’s® Party Pizza (assorted varieties); Totino’s® Pizza Rolls (40ct, assorted varieties); Yoplait® Light Yogurt with Granola (assorted varieties); Yoplait® Go-Gurt (8ct pkg 2.25oz, assorted varieties); Gain Laundry Detergent (100oz, assorted varieties); Dawn® Dish Detergent (20-24oz bottle, assorted varieties); Charmin® Basic Bathroom Tissue (12 double roll pkg, assorted varieties); Bounty® Dura Towel and Bounty® Paper Towels (1 King Roll, 1 Big Roll); Crest® Toothpaste (8.2 oz) + Oral-B Indicator & Complete Manual Brush (1ct) assorted varieties; Herbal Essences® (6.0 -10.7oz, assorted varieties) and Vidal Sassoon Shampoo/Conditioner (12oz, assorted varieties) 

I know for a fact that I will be taking advantage of this offer and plan to stock up on Bounty paper towels, Gain laundry detergent, Cascadian Farm cereal and Crest toothpaste. As a matter of fact, we are almost out of toothpaste in all of our bathrooms in my home. One nice thing about shopping at Publix is that you can be able to get all that you need and be in and out!

Would you like to take advantage of this deal? Publix and MyBlogSpark are providing a $25 for me to give away to one very lucky Momfiles reader. Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on May 12, 2013. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email to claim prize. Please leave a valid email address in the event you are selected as a winner. Please follow giveaway rules or all entries will be disqualified. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck!

*I received a prize pack, information, and giveaway that have been provided by General Mills and Publix® through MyBlogSpark.

The Publix Running Out? RUN IN. event is back! | $25 gift card giveaway

**Closed** Winner is latanya

Do you ever get frustrated when you realize that you go to grab a roll of toilet paper only to find out you are on your last roll? Or maybe when you grab the toothpaste tube and can barely squeeze a drop out? I know that it drives me nuts and it seems like I always run out of some of the staple products all at once! Well the good news is that Publix Supermarket is running their Running Out? Run In. event to help you receive rewards for stocking up on participating items from General Mills and Procter & Gamble that you tend to use the most. 

From March 14th through March 20th, look for the Running Out? Run In. event at Publix to take advantage of great savings on some favorite brands from General Mills and Procter & Gamble, like Cheerios, Totino’s Pizza, Charmin and Crest. Plus, if you buy $25 of participating items during this event, you can mail in to receive a $5 Publix gift card to use on your next shopping trip! (For more details on this rebate, please visit www.runningoutrunin.com.) 

I am looking forward to stocking up on mostly non-perishable items including Tide, Charmin bath tissue, Crest toothpaste and Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner. Be sure to "like" the Publix Facebook page for updates on promotions and recipes.

How would you like to win a $25 Publix gift card to help you take of advantage of the Running Out? Run In. event? One lucky Momfiles reader will win it. Enter below: a Rafflecopter giveaway  

This giveaway is open to US Residents only and will end on March 15, 2013. One winner will be chosen at random and will be contacted via email to claim prize. Please leave a valid email address in the event you are selected as a winner. Please follow giveaway rules or all entries will be disqualified. Momfiles is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Good luck! 

The information, products and General Mills gift pack were provided by General Mills and Publix® through MyBlogSpark

How I maximize my coffee budget and still have the perfect cup each day

I love a really good, rich cup of coffee. I only require one cup a day and I get tired of the same old brand sometimes. I am a coffee snob and stay away from the low-end bargain brands. They lack the strength and flavor I require.  The whole 'use a tablespoon per 6 ounces of water' is a joke. I am more of a use 1/2 cup per 6 ounces (no lie!) As much as I love the premium brands, I can't always justify the cost. I finally found a way to get around that and not sacrifice the quality or taste. Lately I have been shopping for premium, traditional ground coffee that is on sale and try to match it up with coupons. I also purchase an espresso ground coffee that I always find on sale at Publix. They tend to always have a brand for under $3. I usually buy Cafe Bustelo, Pilon or La Llave.

What I do is mix both varieties in my regular drip coffee maker. The fact that The espresso grind is more concentrated and rich, makes me have to use less of my more expensive premium coffee.

The result is a dark, strong and rich cup of coffee every time. I have been doing this for months and even my husband noticed how good our coffee is. We are so spoiled that we have to bring coffee from home when we travel. I totally recommend this method of coffee making for those who crave the richness of Starbucks but have Walmart pockets.