Update on www.alice.com

Well I tried out www.alice.com and I have to say it was a great deal on your non food items. I bought some Tide laundry detergent and I checked it against Smith's and Walmart and it was atleast between $1-$3 difference plus you get $1 off at Alice. You do have to pay taxes which you would at either stores and you get free shipping. I am impressed with this website and encourage all to take a look at it.

Packing School Lunches

Well, summer break is gone. Things have been so quite around here. It's not that I've stopped trying to pinch pennies... I think my time and my patience have both been lost somewhere in a family reunion or summer vacation.
I thought it might be fitting to post a little sumpin'-sumpin' bout school lunches.
I like to think of myself as an advocate for healthy eating. Unfortunately, healthy and cheap are not often possible. I seem to find myself choosing between one or the other.
I wanted some ideas and feedback on affordable (and somewhat healthy) options to put in my kids' lunches. My kids LOVE those 'lunchable' packs, but I've never had the stomach to pay that much for a tiny lunch. Has anyone ever made their own 'lunchable' pack? I know there are amazing Mom's who pack their kids awesome lunches (I know, I've seen them when I visit the lunchroom)

Here is a list of what I pack, I just chose one from each category:

Drinks- Capri Sun, juice box, $0.35 milk

Snacks-(items bought in bulk or on sale and divided into small ziplocs)- Triscuts, Cheez-it's, almonds, raisins, string cheese

Fruit/Veggie- carrots, apples, grapes, pears

Protein- hard boiled egg (peeled and sprinkled with salt in a small ziploc), meat and cheese sandwich, ham/cheese/olive kabob (chunks of each stuck on a toothpick)

It seems that it takes up such a chunk of our grocery budget, but I'm stuck in a rut. Out of ideas for saving money and lacking creativity.
So what kind of things do you pack? Has anyone found a way to work the weekly ad's into packing lunches?

www.alice.com

I was on vacation this weekend and saw a news story on CNN about www.alice.com. It is a website were you can buy household items on namebrand stuff for discounted pricing and the shipping is free. I guess with the economy people have been buying store brands, which is ok, but it looks like the name brands are wanting to help save you money and the shipping is free. I signed up but haven't bought anything yet but I thought all you coupon shoppers would like it. Again, shipping is free! See what you think and let us all know. I think that the prices look good but I am definately not a veterian in savy coupon shopping. Again, shipping is free!

Thanks, Marianne