Tenner Week Day 6 and Rescuing a Flop

I'm holding strong and still have all my US converted currency for Tenner week.  Day six challenge is to go shopping using no money.  The strategy is to find bonus points, gift cards, rebates or any other tool that let's you purchase something with using very little money.  I honestly don't feel like shopping period today, and already have evening plans,so my little  stockpile will remain in place.  I was surprised at my rather impressive inventory should I decide to treat myself. 

Here's what I have:
3-Target gift cards totally $145  I ended up not purchasing a new work tote or tights having cleaned out my office and sock drawer and decided I needed neither.  The new lip and nail color I wanted as a new job reward was purchased so ridiculously low on 90% off clearance (three lip colors for $2.17 total, and three nail polish for $1.65 total, including tax) that I just figured it could be in the regular monthly purchases and not considered a splurge. All are all good neutral or soft colors, my style.  I even scored a black nail polish for DD#2 for  30 cents-not my style!

2- Green Mill Pizza and Pasta gift cards totaling $45 along with a $5 off coupon good until end of year towards any purchase.

1- $25 Panera Bread gift card.

4- $5 Caribou Coffee, received at Christmas through an offer of getting a free $5.00 for each 2 $10 cards purchased.  I bought 8 cards at Christmas for my staff and DD's extra curricular coaches and teachers.

1 free hot drink of choice card, also Caribou, from the Orthodontist.  I should save for DD as a treat when the braces come off next year. 

3- $5.00 Kohls reward points, each good towards a minimum $5.00 purchase.  These do expire tomorrow so I will need to see if I can get creative with a few items DD needs for spring clothes to maximize.  I would need to make separate purchases to max the discount. 

 I went over to my MIL's to give her house a good dusting and vacuuming before she gets back to Minnesota and thought about swinging through the Caribou drive-thru near her house.  Then I remember I had received a pound of Chocolate Brownie flavored coffee beans from some of my staff at Christmas and decided to give them a whirl in the grinder and make my own.  I still have so many bananas frozen, so also whipped up a batch of banana oat muffin's.  The coffee was delicious and the muffins looked divine.  However, in biting into one, I had a disappointing flavor in my mouth.  They had the banana flavor but dull with no sweetness.  Then it dawned on me I never added sugar to the batter!  I rarely look up a recipe for muffins-I have a universal one in my head I modify and the sugar part apparently was omitted from my brain today.  How I could salvage what other wise was a perfect dozen?  I wondered how raspberry jam might taste on one if I treated the muffins more like a biscuit, and what do  you know, they were delicious!  The raspberry with the banana was kind of tasty and with the chocolate coffee, maybe even foody trendy and worthy of a bohemian coffee house. The jam was also a gift, made by the wife of a dear colleague. 

Today has been pretty successful so far.  The weather is gorgeous so will be heading out for a long walk with pup after getting some laundry in the machine and some on the line. I'm looking forward to the improv night, and if pictures are allowed, hope to share a few. I hope your Saturday is a fine one.