Free Sample - Neal's Yard

Neal's Yard Remedies is offering a free sample - just sign up on their website and they'll send you a coupon! Just fill out the form on the left side of the page with your name, phone number, email address, and mailing address, and you'll be directed to a page from which you can print your coupon. I'm sure you can unsubscribe from emails and SMS messages afterwards.

They're a natural cosmetics company, but I've never tried them. I hope to soon -  I just got my coupon!

11.11 - 11.12 ShoppingIL Info!

Israelis looking for deals, this post is for you!


We all love shopping from the comfort of our couches, and usually we do so from abroad, and have to deal with the possible import taxes and all sorts of restrictions.

Well - good news, once again there will be a HUGE online shopping promo! Google and Isracard have teamed up to offer major discounts to Israelis who will shop online during November 11 and 12!

For more information, and a list of participating websites, check out the ShoppingIL page!

Tip: Save an extra 30 shekels when you sign up for "MasterPass" - extra protection for your credit card when shopping online.

And if you still feel like shopping from abroad, Aliexpress is also offering a major 11.11 sale!

I hope you find some good deals!
(Let me know what you find - leave a comment below!)

Snap In - Money Saving Tip

note: this post contains affiliate links. Thanks for your support

Saving money on groceries is a REALLY popular topic. It seems like some expenses are just too "fixed" to try to reduce (It's really hard to reduce a mortgage payment one month!), but groceries are somewhat flexible for most people. While you can occasionally  find coupons for groceries in Israel (go ahead, click and see if there are any you can use!), I find they are not nearly as common as they were when I lived in America, and they are definitely not as "high value".

In order to stretch my grocery budget a little bit further, I use Snap In in addition to the few coupons I find, the sug bet rack, and searching for discounts and deals (and of course, cooking from scratch!).

As I've explained previously, Snap In is a rebate program. You buy a product, scan your receipt, and Snap In will give you a rebate. (They credit your account and then send you a payment when you accrue 100 shekels in credit.)

So far, I'm happy with Snap In. They pay directly into my bank account, and they're very user friendly. If ever there's a question about a rebate, they are quite responsive.

I find the best way to use their program is to take them up on "Free Offers" (who doesn't like free food?) and also use their rebates to help decide which brand to buy. So, if a particular product will give me a 5 shekel rebate via Snap In, but its competitor is 1 shekel less, I may decide to buy the one that comes out cheaper after rebate. This is only good if you actually can afford to wait for the rebate, obviously. Each person will have to make that decision for him/herself (I know it's not always feasible - I've been there!).

Here's a sample of the current rebate offers you can take advantage of once you join SnapIn:

Tnuva:
Reduced Lactose Milk - 15% rebate
Vanilla flavored milk (single serve) - 40% rebate (one of my kids thinks this is a really awesome treat!)
Goats' Milk - 25% rebate
Yoplait Whipped "Shtuzim" - 2 containers FREE
Karlo pudding - 10% rebate
Chocolate milk - in all sizes - 25% rebate
Yoplait Yogurt - single serve containers - Buy 9, Get the 10th FREE
Spreadable "Bulgarit" Cheese - 50% rebate
"HaShef HaLavan" products - 20% rebate
Yolo - one container FREE

 Nestea:
Carbonated Iced Tea Drinks - 50% rebate

Similac:
Advance Plus Formula - 10% rebate

More rebates are lised on SnapIn's website, and they do change from time to time.
If you haven't tried it out, give it a try! If you've signed up already but haven't yet tried uploading a receipt, go ahead and give it a try! It's really not hard and you may find yourself getting rebates!

Note: upload your receipts as soon as possible, and definitely within the 30 day limit.

Let me know if you use SnapIn, I'd love to hear what you think!

UPDATE: I recently started using Snap.In's mobile app, and it REALLY makes getting rebates as easy as snapping a picture! It takes me almost no time at all, and I've gotten a couple of hundred shekels from them since I joined! What are you waiting for? Join today!

Printable Coupon!

A note about cheese: I buy my cheese at the cheese counter, I find it cheapest that way, and you get the exact quantity you needed.

But if you don't have access to a cheese counter, or need to pick some things up in a hurry, here's a coupon for you for 20% off thinly sliced Noam cheese (200gr package)!

This coupon expires April 30, 2016. It's good at many stores, including Shufersal Deal, Shufersal Sheli, Yesh Chesed and Yesh BaShchuna, Mega, Mega-Bool, Mega Ba'Ir, You, Zol B'Shefa, Tiv Taam, Rami Levy, Yeinot Bitan, Yochnanof, Kimat Chinam, Victory, Machsanei HaShuk, and select other stores. (I did not know that all of those chains still exist. Who's seen a Zol B'Shefa or a Kimat Chinam lately?!)

Anyhow - enjoy your savings! 

Be sure to check the Coupons link to see which other coupons are still valid!

Menu for the Week

I'm trying to get a handle on the week ahead of me - it's going to be a little - no, a lot - busy.  There is so much going on - here's a sampling of it: Our youngest daughter is turning 8, we have multiple playdates arranged besides all of the usual afternoon activities, and my son's programming chugim (which he runs out of our home for local children) are beginning. Oh and we're making a kiddush this coming Shabbat to celebrate our daughter's completion of Mishnayot Seder Nashim, and a few more things!

So I'm a little overwhelmed and even feeling anxious about the week ahead, and the best way to conquer that feeling is to Make A Plan.

So here's the plan:

Food will be very simple food during the week - lunches will be sandwiches and vegetables or leftovers.

Suppers:
Sunday: Rice, lentil patties, fresh vegetables
Monday: Grilled Cheese sandwiches and Soup
Tuesday: Baked Ziti and lettuce salad
Wednesday: Oven fries, Black bean burgers on fresh rolls
Thursday: Birthday meal - not sure yet what

For the kiddush, I want to bake things earlier in the week.
Sunday - Bake 2 types of cakes
Monday - Bake brownies and cookies
Tuesday - Bake 2 types of cakes
Wednesday - Bake crackers and make chocolate-peanut butter crispy rice cereal squares
Thursday - Bake challah and cook (simply) for Shabbat
Friday - make chumus, egg salad, eggplant salad, etc for kiddush, prep veggies and fruits for veg. and fruit platters... and whatever else needs to be done for the kiddush and Shabbat!

What's going on in your house this week?

New Bus Fare Discounts Coming

Beginning December 1, 2015,  more people will be eligible for bus fare discounts.

The new discounts are (in addition to those previously in place):

FREE transportation for the following groups (with the exception of lines to Eilat):

Soldiers in "Shalat"
Participants in Pre-Army Preparation Programs ("Mechinot")
Volunteers in One-Year Service programs ("Shnat Sherut")
Blind People
Baby Strollers (even when open, at all times of the day)

50% Discount for:

Assistant to a Disabled Person
Teens 18 and under on ALL bus lines

33% Discount on ALL bus and train lines for:

People who carry a Disability Card
People who receive Income Support and other Support from National Insurance 

In addition, public transportation costs in general are coming down!

Combined bus-rail Monthly Passes will cost at least 28% (and up to 42%) less than they do currently
Commuter lines from Tel Aviv to Netanya, Rechovot, and Rishon L'Tzion will all see drastic discounts in the price of monthly passes

Other discounts are expected to phased in over time. 

Many people will save a whole lot of money!
What will YOU do with your savings (if any of these discounts apply to you)?

Recall - Coca-Cola (Israel)

Coca-Cola (Israel) announced a recall of the following items, due to an undesirable flavor in the product:



1.5 L bottle of Coca Cola with a Best if Used By date of 25.02.16

The company reports that there is no health risk associated with drinking the product, but the flavor is off. Unsold bottles are being removed from store shelves.

Consumers who have purchased the recalled product are asked to call Customer Service at 1-800-587-587 to arrange to return your purchase and receive a replacement.
The hotline will be staffed Sun-Thurs from 8am - 8pm and Fri from 8am - 1pm

Please let your friends know about this recall - share this post!

Frugal Snack: Roasted Chick Peas

Spicy Roast Chick Peas.
Crunchy. Savory. So Satisfying.





 


And easy. And so frugal, too.
A real crowd-pleaser.
 
They go SO fast every time I make them!

You'll need:
Chick Peas (already cooked and drained)
olive oil
Spices
Salt

Preheat Oven to 200 C

Pour cooked chick peas into a large baking pan (I usually make at least 2 cups of chick peas. Add spices to taste - for 2 cups chick peas I use about 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper, 1-2 tsp granulated garlic, and 1/8 tsp ground turmeric. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Gently mix the whole thing together till well mixed. Adjust the spices to your liking, use whatever combination of spices you like best. My kids like it this way, so that's what I do.

Place pan in oven and roast till everybody is demanding to know what you're making (check on them every so often, I think mine were in the oven about an hour but I'm drawing a blank on the times now! And my oven is cooking slowly right now. I should get that thermostat checked).

Serve when cool enough to eat. Even my pickiest eater literally gobbles them up!

("This is the only way I'll eat chick peas, and if you make them every day I will eat them every day." - picky eater quote.)

Free Sample -- Flexitol!

Flexitol brand creams is offering a free sample right now!

Click this picture to sign up!

All you have to do is fill out the request form on their website on the right hand side of their page - just your name, email, and address and they'll send you your choice of samples (when I signed up the choices were hand cream or foot repair cream).
There's nothing to lose!
(You can always unsubscribe from their emails at a later date)

Enjoy your freebie!

Shabbat Menu

This week has been a minimal shopping week, for a variety of reasons - among them an overly full freezer! - so we've been eating what's here in the house and I had to fill in a few things like milk, and altogether I've spent 105 shekels on food purchases this week. I got some eggplant and purple cabbages for 2 shekels /kg and some butternut squash for 3 shekels/kg, so they will play starring roles in our menu!

Not bad, but 105 shekels was a bit more than I'd planned to spend this week - I think that's because I was hungry when I was at the store and I got tempted by a sale! Oops.

So this Shabbat is a mostly use-up-what's in the house Shabbat menu.
I still have to go through the freezer a bit better to take a real inventory, but here's what I think we'll be eating:

Challah from the freezer
Butternut Squash Soup for Friday Night
Crock Pot Split Pea Soup for Lunch
Chicken Wings two ways - some roasted with Garlic and Herbs, and some baked in Honey-Ginger Garlic Sauce
Tofu in Honey-Ginger-Garlic Sauce for the vegetarian son
Rice with Roasted Garlic
Purple Cabbage Salad
Eggplant with Techina
Any fresh vegetables that are left
Dessert: Melon, Wheat-free chocolate chip squares

We'll also pop some popcorn, as usual, and we have some oranges for snacks too. Now that we've changed the clocks, it gets difficult to have a "real" seudah shlishit, so I'm not yet sure what we'll do about that.

What's doing at your place for Shabbat this week?