Recession Proof Shopping

Crossroads

2009-04-21T20:16:00.006-04:00

Back when I started this blog, I told myself and my husband that if either of us felt that this was putting too much stress on me or taking too much time away from my family, I would call it quits. Well, Monday night I hit that crossroads. With 2 very young children at home, I have decided that I need to spend more of my attention on their needs as well as my own and my husband's. I really have been enjoying this blog and a chance to share my experiences with money saving and deal seeking, but I guess now is not the time for it.

After much thought and prayer, I have decided to simplify things and put a hold on my blog. Hopefully some day when my children are a bit older, I will be able to return to it. But for now, it is not to be.

So as not to leave you in the lurch, I have come up with a list of great resources! These blogs are where I've learned just about everything I know about saving money. I hope that you will benefit from them as well!

Money Saving Mom- Crystal does a great job listing all the current deals, freebies, and has several great posts on how to save money. She feeds her family of 4 on $40 a week!

Common Sense with Money- Mercedes also has a great blog and lists all the weekly deals for Rite Aid, Walgreens, and CVS, as well as other great posts on saving money. She has a great post here on saving money at the grocery store without using coupons.

Freebies4Mom- Heather lists lots of current freebies and online sweeps

$5Dinners- A great blog with daily $5 dinners!

Deal Finding Mom- Shaws weekly deals!

SlickDeals- a forum for all kinds of deals. I follow the Shaws thread that lists all the current Shaws deals and Catalina deals

I have found the easiest way to keep track of blogs is to use Google reader. If you have a gmail account, you can easily set up Google Reader. If you don't have a gmail account, it's free and easy to set one up. Google Reader keeps all your blogs organized and lets you know when a blog has a new post.

If you have any questions, please email me at recession proof shopping @ gmail dot com (minus the spaces) and I will be happy to help!

Good luck on your quest to save money and find deals! Thanks to all my loyal readers! It was a pleasure!

Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee $0.50 Tomorrow!

2009-04-20T14:24:00.003-04:00

Dunkin Donuts 16oz Iced Coffee is only $0.50 tomorrow! For more info, click here.

What a great two days...free Iced Latte today, free ice cream tomorrow, $0.50 Iced Coffee tomorrow....wish I had a Ben and Jerry's near me and liked coffee!

Free Redbox Rental today only

2009-04-20T14:20:00.002-04:00

This Monday's free Redbox code is M6FR97 Select Rent with Promo at the Red Box machine and enter the code for a free movie! The code expires tonight at midnight and the rental is good for 24 hours.

To locate the Redbox nearest you and the available videos there, click here.

Free Cone Day April 21!

2009-04-20T14:15:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow, Tuesday April 21 is Free Cone Day at Ben and Jerry's! You can get a free scoop of ice cream between 12pm and 8pm!

Bummer, there's none near us!

Free Iced Latte at Cold Stone Creamery Monday 4/20

2009-04-20T13:30:00.000-04:00

From 12pm to 5pm today only you can get a free Iced Latte at Cold Stone Creamery (select MA and NH locations). To find out if your Cold Stone Creamery is participating, check here.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-04-20T08:57:00.003-04:00

Monday: Meatloaf with my mother's recipe (the best meatloaf ever!), veg, mashed potato

Tuesday: Pot Roast in the crockpot

Wednesday: Crockpot Pea Soup with leftover ham bone from ham a few weeks ago (I never did make this last week), bread

Thursday: Leftovers

Friday: Homemade Pizza

Saturday: Some sort of chicken! Haven't decided what yet.

Check out more menus at Organizing Junkies Menu Plan Monday roundup.

Free Burritos!

2009-04-18T17:22:00.002-04:00

A new burrito will be hitting stores near you this fall. Be one of the first 50,000 to sign up, and you'll receive a coupon for a free Evol Burrito.

Super Savings Saturday!

2009-04-18T12:10:00.009-04:00

Money Saving Mom hosts a Super Saving Saturday round up each week and I thought I'd join in this week with my deals! The deals I'm sharing were all acquired this morning in a matter of 45 minutes.

First was a mirror for our hallway. We've been keeping our eyes peeled, but didn't want to spend much. It was worth the wait! I found this mirror for $2 at a yard sale a few houses down from us this morning!

While I was there, I also picked up this old lantern for $1 to go on top of our new bookcase!

I then ran to Shaws and took advantage of their catalina deal, spending $11.16 out of pocket and receiving $10 to use on my next shopping trip.

On my way home I saw these for free on the side of the road and picked them up for my girls who are thrilled with them!

It was a very successful start to our Saturday!

To see other people's Super Savings Saturday's, visit Money Saving Mom!

Shaws Catalina Deals 101

2009-04-18T10:38:00.003-04:00

First of all, what is a catalina?! A catalina is a coupon that prints out at the register.

Alright, so how do you take advantage of these deals and really make it work for you?! This particular deal works by purchasing $25 worth of the above items based on their pre-sale prices. However, you only pay out of pocket the total of what the sale price is. After you pay out of pocket, the register will print off two coupons for $5 off your next visit. Make sure you remind the cashier to give them to you if they forget!

Here is a scenario I just did:

(1) Wesson Canola oil (7.99) 2.50
(1) Wesson Vegetable oil (5.69) 2.50
(1) Wesson Best Blends oil (5.69) 2.50
(2) Hunts Ketchup (1.79) 1
(1) Popcorn (2.79) 3/5

Pre-sale total: 25.74
Sale total: $11.16
Received two $5 off your next visit coupon

What I will do is figure out more deals that come to about $10 after coupons and sale price and just keep using my $10 off and getting more $10 off and stock up on things like tomatoes, sauce, oil, hot dogs, etc.

My current system for figuring out deals is to write the product in one column, the pre-sale price in the next column, the sale price next, and then any coupons I have. I then add up the pre-sale price to make sure it's above $25, then add up the sale price and coupons. I subtract the coupons from the sale price and if it ends up being $10 or just above, I keep the scenario. If it's more than a dollar or two above $10, I rework the scenario. If the sale price comes out to under $10, I figure out what other groceries I need that could bring me up to the $10 mark so I can use my $10 coupons and get other groceries I need for free and still receive another $10 in Catalinas.

Other things to note are:
~Catalina's (the $5 coupons to use on your next order) usually expire in 2 weeks, so make sure you use them in that time.
~the Catalina deals do not work on manager special items or items that are reduced...I've tried it!
~you generally can only do one deal at a time, bring your purchases out to the car, then go back into the store to do your next deal and use your catalinas. They don't generally let you do back to back deals.
~you can only use 2 of these $5 catalinas at a time

If you need any help, please leave me a comment and I'll do my best to help. My biggest suggestion is to go to your store and mark down all the pre-sale prices on your flier and then figure out your deals. Good luck!

Shaw's Deals 4/17-4/23- GREAT week!

2009-04-18T09:26:00.005-04:00

Shaws has a great catalina promo this week where you should be able to score some freebies or cheap deals if your store still bases the sale on pre-sale prices. (Some stores stopped doing this and base the sale on sale prices now).

I'll list the deals for this week and then explain how to make the most of the deal in the next post

CONAGRA CATALINA DEAL (pre-sale prices in parenthesis) 4/17-4/23
Buy $25 worth of the select items and get $10 in coupons to spend on your next shopping trip.

Marie Callender's Complete Dinners 12.5-2.1 oz (4.29) 4/$10
Banquet Dinners 6.75-11oz (3/$4) 10/$10
Healthy Choice Complete Selections 10.5-12.5 oz (3.99) or Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers 9.5-10.4oz (4.49) 2/$6
- $1/2 Healthy Choice Dinners
Marie Callender's Pot Pie 16.5 oz (4.19) $2.99
Kid Cuisine Dinners 7.15-10.5 oz (4/$10) 4/$10
Hunts 14.5 0z or Rotel Tomatoes 10 oz (3/$4) 10/$10
Pam Cooking Spray 5-6oz Selected Varieties (3.79) $2.99
Wesson Cooking Oil 48oz (Canola Oil 7.99- the rest 5.69) 2/$5
Hunts Tomato Sauce 15oz (10/$10) 10/$10
Reddi wip Whipped Cream 7oz (aerosol only) (3.29) 2/$5
Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn 4ct, 6oz (2.79) 3/$5
Egg Beaters Egg Product 15-16oz (3.99) 2/$5
$1/1 Printable Coupon
Hebrew National Franks or Knockwurst 11-12oz (5.99 for franks- couldn't find knockwurst at my store) Buy 1 Get 1 Free
- $1/1 Printable Coupon
Hunts Ketchup (1.79) 10/$10 (not advertised but working with the deal)

These are listed on the ad but no picture or sale price is given. The next time I go to Shaws I'll get the prices and update this...I just noticed it as I was typing this up!

Van Camps Pork and Beans 15oz
Snack Pack Pudding 4 pack
Peter Pan Peanut Butter 18oz
Hunts Pasta Sauce 26-26.5oz
Chef Boyardee Canned Pasta 15oz and Microwaveable cups 7.5oz

Please remember these pre-sale prices are good at my store, but not necessarily all stores. Please check your particular stores shelf prices (they will be listed above the sale tag for the item on the shelf at the store).

OTHER DEALS WORTH MENTIONING

Hood Ice Cream $1.99
Shaws American Cheese or Wilson Virginia Ham $2.99/lb
Northwest or Eastern Apples $0.88/lb
Yoplait Yogurt 20/$10 -$2/20
In Ad Store Coupon AND
-(2) $1/8 Printable Coupon=$0.30 each
Gorton's Frozen Seafood 50% Off
-$1/2 from 3-01SS
- $1/1 Shrimp Product
- $0.75/2 Bagged Product
Sun Light Dish Soap $1.00-
-$0.25/1 from 2-22SS=$0.50
Nature's Pride Bread $2.50
-$0.55/1 from 2-22RP=$1.40
Kotex Pantiliners $1.00
-$1.50/2 printable from my side bar=$0.25 each
Ocean Spray Cranergy $2.50
- $1/1 Printable Coupon=$1.50

4 PACKAGES OF MEAT FOR $19.99
Mix or Match w/ in ad Coupon

Shaws Boneless Strip Steak
Shaws Cube Steak
Swift Premium Thin Sliced Boneless Center Cut Pork Chops
Swift Premium Boneless Country Style Spareribs
Swift Premium Fresh Pork Tenderloin
Cooks Ham Steaks
Shaws Chicken Leg Quarters (3-lb or more)
Perdue Boneless Chicken Breast
Perdue Roasting Chickens
Shaws Ground Beef 85% lean (2-lb average)
Shady Brook Farms Ground Turkey Breast (3-lb package)
Mrs Budd's Chicken Pie
Our Best Meatballs (2-lb bag frozen)
Johnsonville Brats or Italian Sausage
-$1/2 from 4-05SS
Curly's Pulled Pork
Steakhouse Choice Fresh Pub Burgers (original only)

Friday's Frugal Find

2009-04-17T07:08:00.003-04:00

This week's Friday's Frugal Find comes in the department of make-up! Ever have stubborn make-up that refuses to come off your eyes no matter what you use? Stop buying those fancy eye make up removers and instead buy a jar of Vaseline or Petroleum Jelly.

I read in a magazine this week that using a Q-tip and Vaseline to remove eye make up works wonders. I was a bit skeptical at first. I was especially afraid it would make my eyes feel greasy. I tried it and it worked really well! It took the make up right off, better than the eye make up remover, and didn't leave my eyes feeling greasy. Then I just used the excess on my finger to soften my lips!

Not only is this effective, it's economical! One jar of Vaseline will last you quite a while and is much cheaper than eye make up remover!

Did you have any frugal finds this week? Let us know in the comment section! To check out more frugal finds, visit Life As Mom's Frugal Friday roundup.

2 Free bottles of laundry detergent!

2009-04-16T14:21:00.002-04:00

CVS has Purex laundry detergent on sale buy 1 get 1 this week. Some areas are getting a buy 1 get 1 coupon through this link. Type in your zip code to see if a Purex coupon is available in your area. You may even be able to print it twice and get 4 bottles for free!

Shaws Deals until tomorrow 4/16

2009-04-15T10:59:00.003-04:00

Some Shaws deals to note:

Boneless Chicken breasts $1.79/lb
$1/3lbs Shaws printable
= $1.46/lb for 3lbs

Shaws Bottom Round Roast or Swift Premium Boneless Pork Sirloin Cutlets $1.99/lb

Philadelphia Cream Cheese $1.00

Duncan Hines Cake or Brownie Mix $1.00
-$1/3 cake mix from 3/29 Smart Source insert
-$1/3 brownie mix from 2-01 Smart Source insert
=$0.66/box for either

Filippo Berio Olive Oil $9.99
-$1/1 Shaws Printable AND $1/1 Printable from my side bar
=$7.99 for a 51-oz

Hood Sour Cream 2/$3
-$1/2 from 4-05 Red Plum insert
=2/$2 or $1.00/each

Wise Potato Chips 2.00
- $0.50/1 Printable Coupon
=$1.00

Apple & Eve Natural Apple Juice 3/$5
- $1/2 Printable Coupon
=$1.17/each

Crunch N Munch $1.00
- $1/2 Printable Coupon
=$0.50

CAT PROMOTION (presale prices in parentheses)

Buy $20 in Participating Products and get $5 off a future shopping trip.

At many stores, these catalina deals are based on pre-sale prices. So, if you purchase $20 worth based on pre-sale prices, you should still get your $5 catalina coupon (prints at the register to use on future shopping trips). Some stores do not allow it to be based on pre-sale prices, so it will depend on your store.

Scott 12 Roll Paper Towels (14.49) or Bath Tissue (13.99) 2/$15 (

Cottonelle Ultra 12 double roll or 8 triple roll (8.69) $6.99
-$1/1 12 roll from 3-15SS
$1/1 4pack Printable Coupon

Viva 6 roll Paper Towel (8.79) $6.99
-$1/2 from 4-05SS

Scott Napkins 400ct (4.69) $2.99

Kleenex Facial Tissue (2.29) 2/$3
-$1/4 from 4-05SS

WILD HARVEST ORGANICS
$1/1 Printable Coupon

Baby Food $0.79 or $0.59
-$1/1 coupon=FREE + Overage?

Pasta $1.29
-$1/1 coupon=$0.29

Organic Milk 64-oz $3.49
-$1/1 coupon=$2.49

Yellow Mustard $1.50
-$1/1 coupon=$0.50

Veggies $1.50
-$1/1 coupon=$0.50

Pasta Sauce $1.99
-$1/1 coupon=$0.99

Crackers $1.99
-$1/1 coupon=$0.99

Honey $2.19
-$1/1 coupon=$1.19

Coffee $4.99
-$1/1 coupon=$3.99

Extra Virgin Olive Oil $5.99
-$1/1 coupon=$4.99

Making the most of Walgreens!

2009-04-15T09:26:00.005-04:00

Walgreens has a whole different system than CVS. They put out a catalog called the "Easy Saver Catalog." It is usually located right next to the flyers in the front of the store. You can also access it online at Walgreens website. I think the easiest way to understand Walgreens is to go through the catalog category by catagory.

1) The front of the catalog gives you the dates of the rebate period. This month's catalog says March 29- April 25. The catalogs often overlap for a few days a month.

2) The beginning of the catalog has store coupons in it. Since they are store coupons, these coupons can be used in conjunction with manufacturers coupons for the same item.

3) Next is the mail in rebate form. You can either fill out this form and mail it in, or you can fill out the form online. The online form is quick and easy and does not require you to send in your receipts, though it requires a number from your receipt. Also, after you've filled in the information online, if you forget to claim the rebate at the end of the month, they will send it to you automatically. Obviously, if you forget to mail in your form, they're not going to know to send you anything!

-At the end of the rebate, you will be asked if you want your rebate in the form of a check or gift card. If you are planning to shop at Walgreens regularly, choose the gift card because they will tack on an extra 10%. If you do this each time you submit rebates, you could build up a nice amount of free money!

-If you already have a gift card, you can choose to have your rebate added to this gift card. This way, you can use your gift card towards future deals/rebates and never spend money out of pocket at Walgreens again!

-It generally takes 4-6 weeks to receive your first rebate, then 2-3 weeks to have additional rebates added to your gift card if you choose this option.

4) Next in the Easy Saver Catalog is the list of rebates good for the rebate period.

- Each rebate offer is numbered to make it easier to fill out the form.

- There is a limit to each rebate offer. For instance, in this months catalog there is an offer "Buy $20 of any Garnier product, get $10 back by mail- rebate limit $10". Therefore, you could only do this offer once for the month.

- To take advantage of the rebate, you need to buy the quantity required of the particular item on the offer (pay attention to any size requirements or other specifics listed.) When you get home, fill out the rebate and they will send you the money in either a check or gift card as stated above.

- Each month there are usually a few "free-after-rebate" products as well as others for part of the money back.

- Generally, throughout the rebate period, the items in the various offers will go on sale for at least one week making these rebate offers even better. You can often stack manufacturer coupons with this sale and rebate to get them free. I would strongly recommend waiting for the items to go on sale before you take advantage of the rebate offers.

Thats about it for the Easy Saver Catalog. However, Walgreens also has other savings programs.

1) In-Ad coupons- Each week, the weekly flier has coupons in it. By using these coupons, you get the item advertised at the price listed on the coupon. For instance, with the in-ad coupon last week, you could get Russell Stover Chocolates for $3.99. Each coupon also has a limit. For this particular coupon, you can use it for 3 items. This also means that if you want to buy 3, you only need to use the one coupon. You do not need 3 of these coupons. However, you could not buy 6 and use 2 coupons. The register will only apply the price to 3 of the items no matter how many of these coupons you have. Any item past that limit is full price. Since this is also a store coupon, you can use it in conjunction with a manufacturer's coupon. You could 3 each in two different transactions with one coupon for each transaction and then get 6 at the coupon price.

2) Register Rewards-A register reward is a coupon that will print out at the register when you buy a particular item.

-These coupons can be used on any future transaction until it expires.

-Most Register Rewards can not be used on that particular item to produce another Register Reward for that item. For instance, this month you can buy Chapstick Natural or True Shimmer at $1.99 and get a $1.99 Register Reward. If you use this to buy another Chapstick again, you will not get another $1.99 Register Reward. Occasionally, these deals do roll over though. A few weeks ago, you could buy one Softsoap Body Wash and get a Register Reward for a free Softsoap Body Wash. You could use that Register Reward to buy another Softsoap Body Wash and another Register Reward would print out to get another one free. This only worked for a few days before Walgreens stopped that!

-You can use manufacturer coupons in conjunction with the Register Rewards.

-You can often find coupons to match up with Register Reward deals to make them free or almost free after coupons and register rewards.

-Unlike CVS, Register Rewards are not tied to a store card, so there is no limit as to how many times you can take advantage of a Register Reward deal.

A few notes about Walgreens:

1) You can only use as many coupons as you have items. Before you check out, make sure you count how many items you have and how many coupons you have. If you have a few too many coupons, buy a few very inexpensive items to make up the difference.

2) The order you hand your coupons to the cashier is very important. It should be as follows:

-Register Rewards

-Manufacturer's Coupons

-Store coupons

-If not done in this order, you may not get the deals you intend.

-I usually will hand them the Register Rewards first, let them enter them, then hand the manufacturer's coupons, let them enter them, then the store coupons instead of handing them all at once. I've had cashiers sort through them wrong if I give them all at once and then they don't work right.

3) If a coupon does not go through, the cashier can not push it through like most other stores. In this case, if you still don't want the item, just ask them to void it.

4) Walgreens often has items marked way down on clearance at the end of their back aisles. Be sure to check these as this is how you can really get some great deals and make some money! If you find an item marked down, you can still use a coupon on it, submit it for rebate or use it towards a register rewards deal. Last week I found a razor marked down to $2 and I had a $4 coupon for it, so I actually was paid $2 to get the razor free! Definitely familiarize yourself with the location of their clearance products!

5) Walgreens has in the past had online coupons for $5 off $25 for select days only (generally a weekend). This can really work to your advantage if your total is $25 before coupons. Make sure you hand this coupon to the cashier first, then the remainder of your coupons. It also would work well if your rebate items add up to more than $25.

Walgreens can seem very overwhelming at first. Take it in stride and after you do a few deals there, it will be old hat!

Leave me a comment and let me know if I missed anything! I'm still fairly new to Walgreens myself!

Freebies for Tax Day April 15!

2009-04-14T19:17:00.002-04:00

I knew there had to be something good about tax day! How about some free food! Tomorrow only, you can get:

~Free cookie at Subway

~Free Cinabites at Cinnabon (Mall locations only, does not apply to airport locations) from 5-8pm (Sounds like a good dinner to me!)

~Free single scoop ice cream at MaggieMoo's

~Free small McCafe coffee or medium McCafe iced coffee at McDonald's in Baltimore and possibly other locations

~Free taco at Taco del Mar with this coupon

For more Tax Day deals, go here

Great deal on coffee just in time for Mother's Day!

2009-04-14T10:25:00.003-04:00

Are you looking for a new coffee maker or a great Mother's Day gift? Right now, you can get a stainless steel programable coffee maker and stainless steel scoop, along with a Gevalia travel mug and four half-pound bags of your choice of Gevalia coffee (reported to be exceptional in taste and quality) for only $29.95 plus $5.95 shipping and handling. That's a coffee maker and 2lbs of coffee for only $36-less than just buying a stainless steel coffee maker!

To order your Gevalia coffee maker and coffee, you need to become a member. Just enter your billing and shipping info and choose your 4 coffees. If you no longer wish to receive automatic deliveries, you can cancel at anytime by calling 1-800-438-2542 and you will not receive any more shipments or bills (so if you wish to take advantage of this deal only, cancel after you order your coffeemaker and coffee.) Just click on the above image to order!

If you don't need the coffee maker, but would like to try Gevalia coffee, you can get 3 half pound bags of coffee and a stainless steel travel mug for only $3 here!

Walgreens Deals 4/11-4/18

2009-04-14T09:13:00.005-04:00

This is a great week at Walgreens! There are lots of freebies and register rewards you can roll (use the register rewards from one deal to pay for another deal).

~Mentos Gum-2 for $2 this month (must buy 2 to get this price)
Buy two and use two $1/1 coupons from the 3/1 SmartSource insert
Free after coupons

~Just For Men hair care products-$8.29
Use the $2/1 printable coupon here
Use the $1.50/1 Easysaver coupon (page 11)
Spend $4.79 out of pocket
Submit for the full rebate
Free plus $3.50 overage after coupons and rebate

~Excedrin Pain Relief 24 ct. tablets or Express Gels-B1G1 (2 for $4.79)
Buy 2 and use 2 $2/1 coupons here
$0.40 each after coupons and sale

~Chex Mix Snacks- $0.99
Use $0.50/1 coupon from 2/22 insert
$0.49 each after coupon

~Coffee Mate 16 oz. liquid- 2 for $3
Use the $1/1 printable coupon here
$0.50 each after coupon

~Skippy Peanut Butter-B1G1 (2 for $2.29)
Buy 2 and use $1/2 coupon from 4/5 RedPlum insert
$0.65 each after coupon

~Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner-B1G1 (2 for $2.99)
Buy 2 and use two $0.75/1 coupons from 3/15 insert
$0.75 each after coupons

~Printer Cartridge Refill- $10 (black or color)
Submit for Easysaver #28--get $7.50 back when you buy one (Limit 1)
$2.50 per refilled cartridge after sale and rebate

~Bertolli Oven Bake Dinners-$5.99
Use the $2/1 printable coupon here
$3.99 each after coupon

REGISTER REWARDS DEALS

~ Colgate Max White or Max Fresh Toothbrush- $3.49, Get $3.49 Register Rewards
Use $1/1 coupon here (click on Sign Up Now to register and print your coupon) or $0.75/1 coupon from 3/29 SmartSource insert
Free plus overage after coupon and Register Rewards

~Scunci Elastics 18 pk. $2, Get $2 Register Rewards
Free after Register Rewards

~Fiber Choice 10 ct. Tablets at $2.49, Get $2.49 Register Rewards
Free after Register Rewards

~Buy any Bayer Glucose Contour Meter, Get a coupon for a free Crest toothpaste
Use the $30/1 coupon from 3/1 or 3/22 inserts (coupon will have to be adjusted down to the price the monitor is at).
Get both the monitor and the toothpaste free
(If you have four Bayer coupons, you can get four free Crest products and then submit your rebates for the $5 April EasySaver when you buy four Crest products.)

~Dove Deoderant trial size (0.5 oz)- $0.99

Buy 6

Use 3 $1.50/2 coupons from the 3/15 Red Plum insert

Spend $1.44 out of pocket and receive a $6 Register Reward for the "buy 6 Unilever products and receive $6)

FREE plus overage

~Buy two Axe products and get $3 in register rewards back (page 7 of weekly ad)

2 of the qualifying products are on clearance for as low as $1.39:
AXE bullet essence 4 pack deodorant body spray UPC 079400299802

AXE Vetyver Proximity body fragrance 4oz. UPC 079400384751
Use the $1/1 Axe coupon from 4/5 red Plum insert.

$0.78 plus tax out of pocket for two of them and get a $3 Register Reward

Free plus overage after Register Reward and coupons

(Axe products are Unilever products and also qualify for the Free Turkey/Ham rebate. Use the Degree Deoderant and the Axe towards this rebate!)

~Phantom Gillette Fusion Power Razor reported to be on clearance for $3.19

Use the $2/1 coupon from 4/5 P&G insert

$2/1 Walgreens coupon on page 10 of the Easysaver catalog

FREE

Hand the cashier the manufacturer's coupon first, then the Walgreens coupon and make a profit of $0.81

APRIL FREE-AFTER-REBATE DEALS

~One-A-Day Multi-Vitamin Drink Mix 2 ct. at $1.49
Use $1/1 One-A-Day coupon from the 3/22 SmartSource insert
Get $1.49 April EasySaver Rebate (offer #1)
Free plus overage after rebate and coupon

~Buy 1 Wal-Itin Allergy Relief 30 ct. at $6.99
Get $6.99 EasySaver rebate (offer #10)
Free after rebate

~Get 1 printer cartridge refill at $7.50
Get $7.50 EasySaver rebate (offer #28)
Free after rebate

~Buy $10 in Physicians Formula Organix Wear Make up, Get $10 via Easy Saver Rebate #6
Buy Physicians Formula organic Wear Origin Tinted moisturizer $12.99
Use $1/1 coupon from 2/22 SS insert
Pay $1.99 after coupon and rebate

~Skintimate and Edge Shaving Cream $2.99-$3.49. Get $2.99 or $3.49 Register Rewards
FREE after register reward

~Chapstick Natural or True Shimmer Lip Balm $1.99, Get $1.99 Register Reward
FREE after register reward

~Easter candy is supposedly 50% off right now, so if you buy Hershey Kisses marked down to $1.25 a bag and submit them for the April Easy Saver $5 off any 4 bags of Hershey's rebate #25, get them FREE

I'll try to write up a Walgreen's How To soon. Thanks goes to Money Saving Mom and Common Sense With Money for compling these lists!

CVS deals April 11- April 18

2009-04-13T17:03:00.007-04:00

~Colgate Enamel Protect, Sensitive Whitening Toothpaste (6 oz.) or 360 Sensitive Toothbrush- $3.99, Get $3.99 ECBs (Limit 2)

$1/1 printable here or $0.75/1 or $1/1 coupon from the 2/22 or 3/29 SmartSource Inserts

Free plus overage

~Softsoap Scrub Body Wash (18 oz.)-$4.99, Get $4.99 ECBs (Limit 1)

$1.50/1 coupon from the CVS Reinventing Beauty magazine or $1/1 from the 3/29 SmartSource insert

Free plus overage after coupons and ECBs

~Buy 2 Pantene Pro-V Shampoo, Conditioner, or Styler at $3.50 each, Get $2 ECBs (Limit 3)

Use 2 $2/1 Styler coupons from the CVS Reinventing Beauty magazine

$0.50 each after coupons and ECBs

~Buy 2 Pert Plus 2-in-1 products at $2.50 each, Get $2 ECBs (Limit 1)

Use 2 $1/1 printables here

$0.50 each after coupons and ECBs

~Vitamin Water10 (20 oz.)-$1

$1/1 coupon from the 4/5 RedPlum insert

Free after coupon

~SoBe Lifewater-B1G1

Buy 2 and use 1 B1G1 coupon here

Get both free after coupon and sale

~Colgate Toothpaste-B1G1 (Starting at $1.99 each)

Buy 2 at $1.99 and use 2 $0.75/1 coupons from the 2/22 or 3/29 SmartSource insert

$0.25 each after coupons (Or get your toothpaste at Rite Aid free this week)

~Airwick Freshmatic Mini Automatic Spray-$4.99

Use $4/1 printable here

$0.99 each after coupon

~Kellogg's Cereals- $2

Use $1/1 coupon from the 4/5 RedPlum insert or the $1/1 Raisin Bran coupon here

$1 each after coupon

Monthly Extra Care Bucks Deals

~Buy 1 Natural Dentist Mouthwash $6.99, Get $4 ECBs (Limit 5)
Buy 2 Natural Dentist products at $6.99 each

Use 2 $2/1 printables here

Get $8 ECBs

Send off for $10 mail-in rebate here when you buy two products

Free plus $8 in overage after coupons, ECBs, and mail-in rebate

~Buy 3 Mentos Gum at $1.29, Get $1 ECBs (Limit 5)

Use 3 $1/1 coupons from the 3/1 SmartSource insert

Free after coupons and ECBs

Two other Rite Aid Freebies

2009-04-13T16:59:00.002-04:00

~Aquafresh Toothpaste--on sale for $0.99

Use the $1/1 coupon from the 1/4 SmartSource insert

Free after coupon

~Rite Aid Extreme Toothbrush--on sale for $0.99

Use this $1/1 printable (available when you sign up for My Rite Aid)

Free after coupon

Thanks to Money Saving Mom for finding these.

Rite Aid Deals 4/12-4/18

2009-04-13T13:19:00.003-04:00

There's only one freebie this week, but don't forget there is a coupon for $5/$25 at Rite Aid.

Weekly Single Check Rebate Deals

~Huggies Baby Wipes (40-ct.) $1.49,
Get a $1 SCR when you buy 1
Pay $0.49 each after Single Check Rebate

~Swiffer Wet Cloths, Duster Kit, Dry Cloths or Dust & Shine Spray $3.99,
Get a $2 Single Check Rebate when you buy 1
Use $1/1 coupon from Home Made Simple coupon booklet
Pay $0.99 or more and save receipt to submit for Swiffer rebate (Get a $5 Debit card if you buy $10 Swiffer refill products or $10 debit card when you buy $20 in Swiffer refill products)

~Swiffer Dry Sweeper Kit $8.99, Get $3 Single Check Rebate when you buy 1
Use $2/1 coupon from Home Made Simple coupon booklet
Pay as low as $3.99

~Maalox $4.99, Get a $2 Single Check Rebate when you buy 1
Use $1.50/1 coupon from 3/8 SS insert
Pay $1.49 after coupon and SCR

~Gas-X $4.99, Get a $2 Single Check Rebate when you buy 1 (Limit 2)
Use $1.50 printable coupon
Pay $1.49 after coupon and Single Check Rebate

~GE CFL Light Bulbs 2 for $5.50, Get a $1.50 Single Check Rebate when you buy 2
Use $1 printable coupon (you will need to take pledge to have access to coupon)
Pay $1 each after coupon and SCR

~Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner $12.99, Get a $3 Single Check Rebate when you buy 1
Use $7 printable coupon (if your store takes IPs with value higher than $5) or $3/1 coupon from 3/29 SS insertPay $2.99-6.99 after coupon and SCR

Other Weekly Deals

~Vitamin Water $0.99Use $1 coupon from 4/5 SS insert
Free after coupon

~Suave Shampoo or Conditioner $0.99
Use $1/2 coupon from the 3/29 Red Plum insert
Pay $0.98 for two after coupon

~Soft Soap $0.99
Use $0.35 coupon from 3/29 Smart Source insert
Pay $0.64 each after coupon

~Kotex pantiliners $0.99
Use $0.75 from 4/5 Smart Source insert
Pay $0.24 each after coupon

~Splenda Sweetener: $2.99
Use $3/2 coupon from 3/29 Smart Source inserts
Pay $2.98 for two after coupon

Today's Free Redbox Code 4/13

2009-04-13T11:13:00.003-04:00

Get a free movie rental at the Redbox near you with the code J89LA2. Just enter the code at checkout to get your movie free. This code works today only and the movie will need to be returned witin 24 hours. Anytime over that will cost you $1 a day.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-04-13T07:42:00.004-04:00

Our menu for the week:

Monday: Leftovers from Easter- Wake Up Casserole (great recipe for using leftover ham, sausage, bacon, eggs!), Cinnamon Rolls, Bagels and Toast, and fruit

Tuesday: Grilled Chicken (marinated in Italian dressing) on the grill, veg, baked potato (this was so good last week, we're having it again this week!)

Wednesday: Crockpot Pea Soup with the ham bone from Easter's casserole

Thursday: Breakfast for dinner! Pancakes, Sausage, Homemade Homefries

Friday: Pasta and Sauce

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: We're generally not home on Sundays, so I don't really plan anything for Sunday

For more menus, check out Organizing Junkie's Menu Plan Monday!

Shaws News Flash!

2009-04-11T10:37:00.002-04:00

I just saw an add on TV for Shaws saying if you spend $25 before 4/12 you will get 2 $10 coupons to be used on your next shopping trip. It sounded like one was for next week and another was for the week after. I couldn't find anything about this anywhere else and I only saw the ad once, so I hope I heard right! I'm going to try it and then I'll let you know. I probably won't be able to post about it until tonight though, so if anyone is interested, try the deal today!

Frugal Fun

2009-04-11T10:20:00.002-04:00

How do you keep a toddler and a baby entertained the day before a holiday when you have a house to get ready for guests?

Put your baby in the highchair and give her lots of plastic dishes

Place your toddler below her.

Your baby will stay entertained by dropping the dishes and your toddler will be entertained by picking them up and handing them to the baby!

Bear with me....

2009-04-11T09:57:00.003-04:00

Please bear with me as I try to make this blog a little more reader friendly! I'm still trying to figure out how to use Blogger!

My Walgreens Deals for this week

2009-04-10T14:09:00.002-04:00

Transaction #1:

(1) Colgate Total Toothpaste $3.49

Coupons Used:

(1) $1/1 Colgate Coupon

$3.49 before coupons

$2.49 after coupons

$3.49 Register Rewards Received

(Made $1 off this one!)

Transaction #2:

(4) Bags of Hershey's Minis 4/$10

(1) BIC Soliel Razor marked down to $1.79

(1) Shick Quattro Razor $6.99

(1) Shick Intuition Razor marked down to $2.39

(1) Physicians Formula Origins Moisturizing Cream $12.99

(1) Oust Surface and Air $2.99

(1) Softsoap Body Wash $4.49

Coupons used:

(1) $1.50/1 Hershey's mini's from recent insert

(1) $2/1 Bic Soliel Razor from recent insert

(1) $4/1 Shick Quattro Razor from recent insert

(1) $2/1 Shick Quattro Razor from Easy Saver Catalog

(1) $4/1 Shick Intuition Razor from recent insert

(1) $1/1 Physician Formula from recent insert

(1) $2/1 Oust from recent insert

(1) Catalina coupon for free softsoap from a recent Walgreens deal

Total before coupons: $41.64

Total after coupons: $18.06

After submiting for Easy Saver Rebate I should get another $10 for Physicians Formula, $5 for candy, $1 for Oust so my total out of pocket will be $4.55 for my whole Walgreens trip!

My CVS Deals this Week

2009-04-10T13:54:00.003-04:00

Sorry there are no pictures from this run. Here's what I got this week.

Transaction #1

(2) Excederin PM 1.99
(2) Huggies Jumbo Diapers 10 each
(1) Huggies Wipes 5

Coupons used:
(1) $3/1 Huggies diapers from Coupons.com that is no longer available
(1) $1.50/1 Huggies diapers from a recent insert
(1) $0.50/1 Huggies Wipes from recent insert
(2) $2/1 Excedrin
(1) $1.50 ECB quarterly ECB 2% back
(1) $4 ECB
(1) $6 ECB

18.98 Before Coupons
$8.48 After coupons
$10 ECB for buying $25 in select baby products

Transaction #2
(1) CVS Calcium $10.99 (It killed me to spend this much and not get it on sale, with a coupon, but I'm a nursing mom and need the calcium

$10.99 Before Coupons
$10 ECB
$0.99 After Coupons

Transaction #3

(1) Nivea Mens facial cream marked down to $1.50
(2) Natural Dentist Mouthwash $6.99 each

Coupons used:
$1/1 Nivea Facial Cream
(2) $2/1 Natural Dentist mouthwash

$15.48 before coupons
$10.48 after coupons
Will submit Natural Dentist for $10 rebate
$4 ECB received for buying Natural Dentist

Fridays Fugal Find!

2009-04-10T07:00:00.005-04:00

This week's Frugal Find is an update on last week's Frugal Find. The $60 bookcase is done! It came out beautiful! It's exactly what we wanted, fits the spot perfectly and really enhances our space.

Without further ado, the $60 bookcase!

Pretty good for being made out of an old bookcase and scrap wood found in the garage! Good job hubby!

Coupons aren't for me...

2009-04-08T15:48:00.008-04:00

"Coupons really aren't for me. I can only ever find coupons for things I don't buy." This was what I thought before I really started focusing on paring down our grocery bill.

I discovered coupons aren't for everyone. They aren't for you if:

:: You don't want to spend the time they entail- and that is perfectly OK! If you feel comfortable with your current grocery and toiletry bill, that is perfectly fine!

OR

:: You don't buy the following:

Toothpaste/Toothbrushes/Mouthwash
Shampoo
Body Wash/Soap
Deodorant
Razors/shaving cream
Makeup
Pain relievers
Diapers/Wipes
Toilet paper
Cleaners
Air fresheners
Laundry detergent
Baking mixes
Frozen Vegetables
Spaghetti sauce
Canned vegetables, including tomatoes
Canned soup
Cereal
Salad dressing
etc, etc, etc.

So, if you are looking to cut your grocery bill, but you still don't see coupons you think you can use, try considering a few things:

:: Don't be brand specific- Sure you like a particular brand, but would you like another brand that much less if you could get it for free or cheaper than generic?

:: Try just using coupons on toiletries- everyone needs toiletries- you could even track your savings to see if coupons are worth it for you

:: Yes generic is cheaper than most brand name items, but brand name items can be cheaper if you match the right coupon to the right sale:: Frozen vegetables can be just as nutritious as fresh; if your grocery store doubles coupons, you could get many of the frozen vegetables free or under $1

:: Look at your local grocery stores- is there a grocery store nearby that you don't shop at because you think it is too expensive that just may have some great deals on their sales? I used to completely avoid Shaws because on a whole their products are very expensive. Once I discovered they double coupons up to $0.99 and have incredible sales on occasion, I have really cut my grocery bill. Check A Full Cup to see if your local grocery store coupon matchups are listed or check online to see if there is a blog that lists deals for your local grocery store.

Some things I've found true for myself are:

I use the most coupons on toiletries and household items.

I always check to make sure the deal I think I'm getting is cheaper than another brand or generic.

I shop at 2 grocery stores a week. On Wednesday's I come up with a menu and grocery list based on what I have in the house. On Thursday's I check the Shaw's online flyer for sales. Whatever I need that I can't get on sale at Shaw's, I get at Market Basket Thursday morning. I hardly ever use a coupon at Market Basket because their generic is cheaper than any other brand I've found. On Friday I make a trip to Shaws since their sales run Friday thru Thursday. I only ever buy what I can get a really good deal on at Shaws. Otherwise they are much too expensive.

Unless there is a great deal at the grocery store, I always get my toiletries at CVS, Walgreens or Rite Aid when they are on sale. I try to always keep a stockpile and pick things up when they are on sale and I know we're getting low. You can get most of the toiletries listed above either free or really inexpensively (ie: less than $1) at these drug stores with coupons, sales, and/or rebate.

So think about your individual situation. Could there be a place for coupons in your life?

Free Samples

2009-04-08T11:09:00.002-04:00

Here are some free samples worth mentioning:

Gillette Body Wash or Shampoo

Free order of Cini-Sopapilla at Taco Johns when you sign up for their email list

Free tire rotation and vehicle inspection at Mr Tire when you print this coupon

Free sample of Protein2Go

Free Simple and Delicious Coupon Book

2009-04-07T11:05:00.002-04:00

Go here to request your free Simple and Delicious coupon book. This coupon book contains $10 in coupons, including a coupon for a free bottle of Hunts Ketchup!

A few more Walgreen's Deals

2009-04-07T10:33:00.002-04:00

Here are a few more Walgreens deals for this week!

Vitamin Water10 on sale 3/$3
$1/1 coupon from 4/5 SS inserts
$1/2 coupon from Easysaver catalog
FREE plus overage!

Schick Disposable Razors $6.99
Buy 2 and use BOGO coupon from 4/5 SS inserts
$4/1 any Schick Quattro coupon from3/22 SS insert
$2/1 coupon from Easysaver catalog
FREE plus $1.01 in overage when you buy two! (Thanks Southern Savers)

Armour Vienna Sausage $0.49 each after in-ad coupon
Buy five, spend $2.45 out of pocket and submit for this rebate: “Buy Five Items, get $5 Back”
FREE plus $2.55 in overage!

One a Day Multivitamin Drink Mix $1.49$4.47
Buy three One A Day Multi-Vitamin Drink Mix (2 ct) $1.49 each
-$4 when you use $4/2 coupon from 3/22 SS insert
Pay $0.47 plus tax out of pocket and get back $1.49 via EasySaver Rebate
FREE plus $1.02 in overage (Thanks NWA Deals)

Thanks Common Sense with Money for the heads up!

For more Walgreens deals this week, check here.

Huggies Sample

2009-04-06T19:41:00.003-04:00

Free 3 pack sample of Huggies new Pure and Natural diapers, sizes newborn through size 2. Go here to request your sample. This sample comes with a coupon as well. I've also heard that Walmart will be having a free sample of these online soon! Free diapers are always welcome around here!

Free 3oz lotion at Bath and Body Works

2009-04-06T19:37:00.002-04:00

Print your coupon here for a free 3oz lotion at Bath and Body Works with any purchase. There is no minimum price for the purchased item, so you could get something really cheap and get this free lotion as well. The coupon expires April 22.

$2 off ALL Small and Mighty- only until 11pm tonight

2009-04-06T19:07:00.002-04:00

Go here to print a coupon for $2 off 1 All Small and Mighty laundry detergent. This coupon is only available until 11pm tonight. After 11PM, the coupon switches over to a $1 off 1.

Walgreens Deals 4/5-4/11

2009-04-06T16:08:00.004-04:00

WEEKLY DEALS

:: Oust Surface and Air Sanitizer $2.99
$1 Easy Saver Rebate #20 (Limit 4) (You can find this in the Easy Saver catalog located next to the fliers as you walk in the store or you can find it online at Walgreens website)
$2/1 coupon from 3/29 SS insert
FREE after coupon and rebate

:: Palmolive Dish Liquid $0.99 after in-ad coupon
$1/2 coupon from 3/29 SS insert
Pay $0.49 after coupons

:: Playtex Feminine Care $3.99
Use $1/1 coupon from 3/22 SS insert
Use $1/1 coupon from Easysaver catalog
$1.99 each after coupons

:: Glade 4oz Jar Candles $2.99
$1 rebate #20 when you buy one (Limit 4)
Use $1.50/2 coupon from 3/15 SS insert
Pay $2.48 for two after coupon and rebate

:: Garnier Fructis Hair Care 3/$10
Get $10 when you spend $20 via Easy Saver Rebate #3
Use $1/1 coupon from 3/8 insert
Pay $4 for six items after coupons and rebate

:: Hershey’s Candy 4/$10
Get $5 back when you send $10 via Easy Saver Rebate #25
Use B3G1 free coupon from 3/15 SS insert
Pay $2.50 for four bags after coupon and rebate

REGISTER REWARDS DEALS

:: Colgate Total Advanced 4oz $3.49, earn $3.49 in Register Rewards when you buy one
Use $1.50/1 from March All You magazine
FREE plus $1.50 in overage after coupon and Register Rewards

:: Visine A.C. $3.99, Earn $3 in Register Rewards when you buy two
Use two $3/1 coupons from 3/15 Red Plum insert (found in the Sunday paper)
FREE plus $1.2 in overage after coupons and Register Rewards

:: Reach Ultraclean Toothbrush and Floss 2/$5, Earn a $2.50 Register Reward when you buy two (mix and match)
Use $1/1 coupon from 2/8 inserts
Pay $0.50 for two after coupons and Register Reward

MONTHLY EASY SAVER REBATE DEALS

:: One a Day Multi-Vitamin Drink Mix 2ct $1.49
FREE after Easy saver rebate offer #1

:: Buy $10 in Physicians Formula Organix Wear Make up, Get $10 via Easy Saver Rebate #6
Buy Physicians Formula organic Wear Origin Tinted moisturizer $12.99
Use $1/1 coupon from 2/22 SS insert
Pay $1.99 after coupon and rebate

For those of you unfamiliar with Walgreen's system, I will have a post soon about how to make the most of Walgreens.

Rite Aid deals 4/5-4/11

2009-04-06T15:43:00.003-04:00

:: Blink Tears $7.99

-$2/1 coupon from 3/1 RedPlum insert

-$7.99 back through Single Check Rebate

Free plus $2 overage after coupon and rebate

:: Colgate Total Toothpaste $1.99

-Use both the $1/1 off coupon from the Rite Aid ad and the $1.50/1 coupon March All You magazine to make this free after coupons

:: Mentos Gum $0.99

-$1/1 coupon from the 3/1 SmartSource to make this free

:: Trident Extra Care Gum $0.99

-$0.75/1 coupon from 3/8 SmartSource insert to make this $0.24 after coupon

:: Glade Air Freshener $0.99

-Use B1G1 coupon from 3/15 SmartSource insert to make this $0.50 each after coupon

:: John Frieda Hair Care $5 each

-Buy 4 and use 4 $2/1 coupons from the 4/5 SmartSource insert then submit receipt for a $10 Single Check Rebate to make these $0.50 each after coupons and rebate

:: Halls Cough Drops $1.50

-Use $1/1 coupon from 3/29 SmartSource insert to make this $0.50 after coupon

:: Olay Bar Soap (2-pack)--$2.50

-Use $2/1 coupon from 4/5 P&G insert to make this $0.50 after coupon

Get your $5/25 Rite Aid coupon here

Deal Idea from Money Saving Mom

Buy 1 Blink Tears at $7.99

Buy 4 John Frieda Hair Care products at $5 each

Use $5/$25 coupon here

Use $2/1 Blink coupon from 3/1 insert

Use 4 $2/1 John Frieda coupons from 4/5 insert

Spend $12.99 plus tax after coupons

Get $17.99 back in a Single Check Rebate

Free plus $5 overage after coupons and Single Check Rebate

CVS deals April 5-April 11

2009-04-06T15:16:00.004-04:00

Here are the best deals I see for this week:

There are 2 deals good through today (Monday) only:

:: Buy 1 Easter Grass at $0.79, Get $0.79 ECBs (Limit 2) Free after ECBs

:: Buy 1 Bamboo Easter Basket at $1.99, Get $1.99 ECBs (Limit 2) Free after ECBs

Other free deals this week:

Extra Care Bucks deals:

:: Buy 1 Skintimate Shave Cream at $3.49, Get $3.49 ECBs (Limit 1)Free after ECBs

:: Buy 1 Colgate Max Fresh or Max White at $2.99, Get $2 ECBs (Limit 1)

-Use $1/1 coupon from the 3/29 SmartSource insert to make it Free after coupon and ECBs

:: Buy $20 Worth of CoverGirl products, Get $10 ECBs (Limit 1)

-There have been reports of $10 off $20 coupons printing at the Extra Bucks scanners throughout the store. If you pair the $1/1 or the $4/1 coupons from the 4/5 insert, you could get free CoverGirl products plus overage after ECBs.

:: Buy $25 Worth of Huggies Products, Get $10 ECBs (Limit 1) This would be an even better deal if you have any of the $5 off 1 or $3 off 1 coupons from Coupon.com from a little while ago (these are no longer available.)

Non Extra Care Bucks deals:
:: Revlon Cosmetics--on sale B1G1

A few deal ideas include:

-Buy two items at $1.99 and use one $2/1 from the 3/15 SmartSource insert to make them free

-Or, buy two items at $4 or less each and use 2 $2/1 coupons from the 3/15 SmartSource insert to make them free

:: Excedrin 20-24 ct.--$1.99

-Two $2/1 printables here and here would get you 2 free

Other good deals that are not free:

:: Nivea Lip Care products-B1G1

-Buy 2 products at $2.99 and use 2 $1/1 coupons from the 2/8 RedPlum insert making them $0.50 each after coupons and sale

:: Schick Intuition Plus razors- B1G1 (2 for $9.99)

-Use 2 $4/1 coupons from the 3/22 SmartSource insert to make them $0.99 each.

APRIL ECB DEALS

:: Buy 1 Natural Dentist Mouthwash $6.99, Get $4 ECBs (Limit 5)
- Deal Idea

Buy 2 Natural Dentist products at $6.99 each

Use 2 $2/1 printables here

Get $8 ECBs

Send off for $10 mail-in rebate here when you buy two products

Free plus $8 in overage after coupons, ECBs, and mail-in rebate

:: Buy 3 Mentos Gum at $1.29, Get $1 ECBs (Limit 5)

-Use 3 $1/1 coupons from the 3/1 SmartSource insert to make them free after ECBs

Free Coffee!

2009-04-06T15:05:00.003-04:00

If you have a Seattle's Best Coffee near by (I guess they are also located in Border's bookstores), you can stop by today for a free coffee. They also have some other great deals this month to celebrate their 39th anniversary.

Tuesday, April 7 - Tuesday, April 28: Free medium coffee for all 39-year-olds. (One per customer)

Friday, April 10 - Sunday, April 12: Free medium cup of Anniversary Roast coffee when you buy a pastry.

Friday, April 17 - Sunday, April 19: $0.39 for a medium cup of Anniversary Roast coffee.

Friday, April 24 - Sunday, April 26: Free medium drink with purchase of any 12 oz or larger bag of coffee.

Thanks Coupon Cravings for the heads up.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-04-05T09:02:00.002-04:00

Menu Plan Monday is here again! Here is what our menu looks like this week:

Monday- Leftover Ziti Bake from the freezer- I'll be out all day

Tuesday- Grilled Chicken (on the grill if the weather is decent!) with a veg and baked potato

Wednesday-Lentil Soup with Bread (this is a really delicious soup! If anyone wants the recipe, let me know!)

Thursday- (Holy Thursday) Shredded BBQ Chicken Sandwiches done in the crocpot with homemade baked potato fries

Friday- (Good Friday) Leftover Lentil Soup

Saturday- (Holy Saturday) Sandwiches, Carrot/Celery Sticks and dip

Sunday- (EASTER!) Brunch here with my family to include Wake Up Casserole, Muffins or a breakfast bread, grapes/pineapple/canteloupe, juice, tea and coffee and jelly beans! (And everything any of us gave up for Lent- chocolate, dessert, beer/wine, chocolate, and more chocolate!)

Check out other menus here at the Menu Plan Monday roundup!

Sunday's Paper

2009-04-04T21:47:00.003-04:00

I would highly encourage you all to make sure you get a paper this Sunday. There will be four coupon inserts in this Sunday's paper! For anyone who is new to couponing, this is a great place to start! Also, if you have free access to extra copies of the insert, I would encourage you to pick some up!

Shaws Deals 4/3-4/9

2009-04-04T13:48:00.006-04:00

This weeks Deals and Steals at Shaws include:

:: 3 Day Meat Sale- Friday to Sunday ::

Boneless Chicken Breast $1.69/lb

73% Ground Beef 3lb $4.99

:: Other deals worth mentioning::

Fresh Strawberries 16 oz $1.49

Carando Spiral Half Ham $1.99/lb
-1/1 Shaws Printable

Del Monte Gold Whole Pineapple $1.99
- $0.75/1 Printable Coupon= $0.49

Green Giant Veggies $1.00
-$1/6 Shaws Printable and
-(3) $0.60/2 Printable Coupons=6/$1.40 or $0.23 each

Land O Lakes Butter $1.88 (limit 2)
-$0.55/1 Printable (you have to sign up in order to print the coupons)=$0.78

Nabisco Snak Saks 2/$3
**Deal Idea**Purchase 4 for $6
-$3/4 Nabisco coupon from last week found in Shaws=4/$3 or $0.75 each

Tropicana Juice 2/$5
-(2) $1/1 Trop50 from 3-15RP=2/$3 or $1.50 each + FREE dozen eggs
(There is a coupon in the flyer for buy 2 Tropicana's and get a free dozen eggs. Don't forget there is also a CAT promo going on purchase 3 Tropicana Juices and get a coupon for a FREE OJ. It's a mail in I believe, you will get a CAT w/ information on it when you purchase the OJ.)

Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast $2.00
-$0.40/1 from 11-02SS and 12-07SS=$1.20

Garelick Over The Moon Milk 1/2 Gallon $2.99
-$1/1 from 3-01SS=$1.99

Red Baron Pizza 2/$5
-$1/2 from 3-01RP=2/$4 or $2.00 each

Birds Eye Steamfresh Bagged Veggies $1.00
-$1/2 manufacturer coupon from the Shaws Freezer coupon books OR
-$1/3 from 3-29SS=2/$1.00 OR
- $0.50 each OR
-3/$2.00 or $0.67 each depending on which coupon you have

Ronzoni Bistro Meals BOGO
-BOGO coupon from recent insert
FREE

:: Coupons found in the Shaws flyer ::

Kraft Mayo or Miracle Whip 2/$6 Buy 2 Get a FREE Dozen Shaws Eggs w/ coupon
-$1/2 from 3-29SS=2/$5 + FREE eggs

Hershey's Baking Morsels 2/$4 Buy 3 Get a FREE Dozen Shaws Eggs w/ coupon

Tropicana Juice 2/$5 Buy 2 get a FREE Dozen Shaws Eggs w/ coupon
-(2) $1/1 Trop50 from 3-15RP=2/$3 or $1.50 each + FREE dozen eggs

Save $5 on your Easter Ham or Roast when you buy $20 in participating Kraft Products in a single Transaction w/ in ad coupon.

Participating products include:
Maxwell House Coffee $5.99
Philadelphia Cream Cheese $1.00
Oscar Mayer Bacon 2/$7.00
- Save $1 WYP OM Turkey Bacon AND Kraft 2% Shredded Cheese
Cool Whip $1.00
Cracker Barrel Cheese 2/$5
Breakstone's Sour Cream 2/$3
-$1/2 from 3-29SS
Oscar Mayer Weiners $2.50
JELLO Gelatin or pudding $0.75
Nabisco Snack Crackers $2.50
-$3/4 recent tearpad q (may still be in some stores)
-BOGO Artisan Wheat thins from 3-15SS
-$1/2 Wheat thins or Triscuits from 3-15SS
Ritz Crackers $3.00
Chips Ahoy Cookies $2.50
-$3/4 Nabisco from recent tearpad
California Pizza Kitchen $5.99
Kraft Singles $2.50
Kraft Shredded Cheese $1.99
- Save $1 WYP OM Turkey Bacon AND Kraft 2% Shredded Cheese
DiGiorno Pizza $5.99
-$2/2 tearpad
-$1/1 from 2-01SS
Kraft Dressing 3/$5
-$1.50/1 from 3-29SS
Kraft BBQ Sauce $0.99
Seattle's Best Coffee $5.99
Stove Top 4/$5
A1 Steak Sauce $3.00
Planters Peanuts $2.99
Planters Mixed Nuts or Cashews $2.99
Jet Puffed Marshmallows 4/$5

Thanks to Deal Finding Mom for creating this list!

A Full Cup- A Great Resource!

2009-04-04T10:05:00.002-04:00

Last night I had the fun of being able to attend a site-warming party at Twitter to celebrate the new look and feel of A Full Cup. I had never visited this website before, but let me tell you, it's going to make my life so much easier!

This website has it all for couponers and deal seekers. It's packed with shopping lists full of deals and steals at all the big grocery store chains, coupon databases, and even has a section where you can print Target coupons from! They have the schedule for which coupons are to be released in the paper and a place to trade coupons with others! I have yet to make my grocery list based off this website, but I have a strong feeling it should cut my prep time for grocery shopping at least in half! They even match up any available coupons to the current sales!

Please go ahead and check them out at A Full Cup! To maximize your use of the site, register for free with them.

(And no, I'm not being paid to write this review of them! )

Fridays Frugal Find- recreating what you already have!

2009-04-02T21:15:00.006-04:00

This week's Friday's Frugal Find is compliments of my husband! We bought a house last year and have been working long hard hours at remodeling the inside. One wall is rather large and in need of a large piece of furniture. We decided we would like to make that section of the house into a sitting area with a bookcase. After searching online for a large bookcase, we decided it would be much more economical (aka frugal) for my husband to build one himself.

Not only does building anything yourself take time, but it costs money as well. After searching through our garage, my husband came up with enough scrap wood to make a beautiful bookcase that would fit our spot perfectly and be designed exactly as we would want it! So, something that would have cost us over $300 to buy brand new, cost us less than $60 to build ourselves. All we needed to buy was one sheet of wainscoting, some primer, two knobs for the doors on the base of the bookcase, three magnets for the doors, angle braces, and one 1X6X10in board.

Find more great ideas for a Frugal Friday at Life as Mom.

What about you? Have you been able to recreate anything from items you have laying around the house? Please share in the comments section!

New Coupons for April!

2009-04-02T21:11:00.002-04:00

April is here! That means a new batch of coupons is available on my sidebar or at Coupons.com. (The coupon bar on the side of my blog contains all the coupons you would find at Coupons.com making it easier for you to acquire them, esp. when I refer to them. And, unfortunately, if you reach your coupon limit from my blog sidebar, you can not print more from Coupons.com or vice versa).

Happy Savings!

Shaws run 4/2/09

2009-04-02T20:48:00.003-04:00

I did another Shaws run today. I don't have any pictures because we got home after lunchtime and both girls were hungry and getting close to meltdown mode. Plus, my camera battery was dead! Ah well....

Transaction #1:

(1) Lemon $0.67
(3) Shaws Lemonade concentrate $1.19
(3) Shaws Steamable Vegetables $1.79
(1) Franks Hot Sauce $0.69
(6) Trail Mix Crunch Post Cereals 2/$3
(1) Barilla Elbows $1
(1) Hunts Spaghetti Sauce $1
(2) Soy Milks 1/2 Gallon marked down to $1

Before coupons $23.30

Coupons used:
(1) Free Lemon Shaws Wellbeing (exp. today)
(3) Free Shaws Lemonade Concentrate from Cool Savings booklet out a few weeks ago- exp today
(3) Free Shaws Steamable Vegetables from Cool Savings booklet
(1) $0.50/1 Franks Hot Sauce doubled to $1
(3) $2/1 Trail Mix Crunch Cereal from Post website

(1) $5 off your next order Catalina

Total out of pocket: $1.56
Received $5 off your next purchase Catalina coupon for purchasing 5 or more Post cereals

Transaction #2

(5) Post Raisin Bran marked down to $1 each because of box being damaged

Used $5 Catalina coupon
Paid $0.00 out of pocket

I thought I would receive a $5 Catalina coupon for buying 5 Post cereals, but I didn't, so I guess Catalina deals don't work when items are marked down. Oh well. I still got it for free!

Another Shaws success!

Yesterday I ran to Shaws and bought:

(6) Post cereals 2/$3

$9 before coupons; used $1/2 Post cereals (raisin bran) from recent insert and one $5 off your next purchase Catalina coupon

Total out of pocket $3- Received $5 Catalina coupon for buying the 5 Post cereals.

Some Freebies

2009-04-01T09:31:00.009-04:00

Here are some freebies worth mentioning:

~Free customized Hallmark Card. Go here and create a customized card. At checkout, use code TRIAL and Hallmark will mail the card to the recipient free!
~Coupons for $3 off Gerber baby food of Graduates food and $5 off Nestle GoodStart Formula. You do need to make a short pledge.

~Free freeze-dried entree from Daily Bread here

~$5/1 coupon for Glucerna cereal by calling 1-877-879-4857 (an automated service asking for your address to mail you a coupon) as well as 2 $5/1 coupons per computer here These are often priced about $4.50 at most stores making these free with coupons. Plus receive $1 rebate for each box through Caregivers Marketplace program which is free and easy to use.

~Create a free account at Tomato Heirlooms and get a free basil seed packet sampler. This will include 250 seeds each of Sweet Italian Basil, Purple Basil and Lemon basil. The quantity is limited so go here now to sign up for an account.

~Free sample of Eucerin Plus Soothing Essentials lotion here

Free Redbox Rental today only

2009-04-01T09:23:00.002-04:00

Redbox has another free movie rental code for today only (4/1) good until midnight. Just enter the code MMM401 after clicking "Rent with Promo Code". To find a Redbox near you, click here.

CVS Deals March 29- April 4

2009-03-31T11:27:00.004-04:00

Here are the best deals I see for this week at CVS:

Extra Bucks deals:

~Buy 2 Softsoap Ensembles Hand Soap ($3.99) Get $4 ECBs (limit 3)
Use $2/1 and $1/1 from the 3/22 SS insert or 2 $2/1 coupons from the April Reinventing Beauty coupon book (pictured below) found in store
Free or Pay $.99 after coupons and ECBs

~Buy 1 Accu-Check/Aviva Diabetes Monitor at $9.99, Get $9.99 ECBs (Limit 1)
Free after ECBs

~Buy 1 Glade Sense and Spray Lasting Impressions at $5.99, Get $1 ECBs (Limit 1)
Use $4/1 coupon from the March All You magazine or the 03/29 SmartSource insert
$0.99 after coupon and ECBs

~Buy $10 worth of Pond’s Towelettes, Get $5 ECBs (Limit 1)
Buy Ponds Towelettes 3 at $3.49 to $3.99 each
Use 3 $1.50/1 coupons from the 03/29 RedPlum insert
$0.33 to $0.82 each after coupons and ECBs

~Buy $10 worth of Veet products, Get $5 ECBs (Limit 1)
Buy 2 VEET products at $5.49 each and
Use 2 $2/1 coupons here or here or from the Reinventing Beauty book found at CVS
$0.99 each after coupons and ECBs

~Buy 2 Fantastik Cleaners at $2.50 each, Get $1 ECBs (Limit 1)
Use 2 $1/1 coupons from the 03/29 SmartSource insert
$1 each after coupons and ECBs

Non- Extra Bucks Deals

~Rimmel Cosmetics are on sale B1G1--Buy 2 mascara products and use the free mascara coupon from the April All You magazine (pg. 35) to get two free mascaras after the coupon and sale! (Coupon has been confirmed by All You to be valid at all retailers, not just Wal-Mart as is stated on the coupon.)

~Sally Hanson Nail Polish is on sale B1G1 (2 for $2.49)--Buy two and use the $3/2 coupon from the March CVS Reinventing Beauty magazine making these free plus possible overage after the sale and coupon.

~Nature's Bounty products are on sale B1G1--Buy 2 products priced at $4 or less each and use two $2/1 coupons here to get these free.

~Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubber is on sale for $2.99--Use the $2.75/1 coupon here to make this $0.24 after the sale and coupon. If you have the $1/1 coupon that has been printed out at the end of some receipts, you can use this in conjunction.

~Lysol All Purpose Cleaner, Toilet Bowl Cleaner, or Wipes are on sale for $2.50--Buy three and use the $0.75/1 or $1/2 coupons from the 3/15 SmartSource insert or the $0.50/1 coupon here. Then submit your receipt for this $3 rebate when you buy three. After the sale, coupons, and rebate, these will be $0.75 to $1 each.

~Listerine Pocket Packs are on sale for 50% off ($2.15 each)--Buy 2 and use the $3/2 coupon from the 03/15 SmartSource insert to get these for $0.65 each after the sale and coupons.

~M&M’s candies are on sale for $1.50 per bag--Buy 3 bags and use the $1.50/3 coupon from the 03/15 RedPlum insert to get these for $1 each after the sale and coupon.

March Monthly Extra Bucks Deal

~Buy 1 CVS Pharmacy Vitamin D 400, 100-ct. at $2.99, Get $2.99 ECBs (Limit 1)Free after ECBs

Also, my CVS store had 75% off all their Dollar Days items that are normally priced $1-$3 each making these $0.25-$0.75. They included things from coloring books and bandaids to household items like disch cloths and microfiber cleaning cloths like the ones in the Friday's Frugal Find.

Be on the lookout for the April Reinventing Beauty booklet that looks like this:

Thanks to Money Saving Mom for a heads up on this!

My CVS deals 3/30

2009-03-30T17:32:00.009-04:00

Here are the deals I did today at CVS:

Deal 1:

2 bags jelly beans- on sale $0.50 Sunday and Monday only

2 Sally Hansen nail polish $2.49 each, Buy 1 Get 1 Free (B1G1)

2 Rimmel Sexy Curves Mascara $7.49 each B1G1

2 Paas egg decorating kits

2 SoftSoap Ensembles hand soap refills 3.99 each

1 ACT 3 oz Total Care Mouthwash $0.99

$33.91 before coupons and B1G1 sale

Coupons used:

(2) $1/1 Sally Hansen nailpolish

(1) Free Rimmel Sexy Curves mascara from All You magazine

(2) $2/1 Softsoap Ensembles from Reinventing Beauty booklet I found at the store today

(1) Raincheck for ACT mouthwash for $1.00 ECB

After coupons and B1G1 total spent out of pocket was $1.50! I received $3.98 ECB for the egg kits, $1.00 ECB for the mouthwash, and $4 for the Softsoap to total $9.97 ECB. Not too shabby!

Deal #2:

Accu Check Aviva Glucose Kit $9.99
I used the $1, $3.98, and $4 ECB and paid $1.06 out of pocket and received $9.99 ECB

Deal#3:

1 Jelly Beans $0.50

1 CVS Gallon size storage bags $2.25

2 Small storage bags on clearance $0.25 each

1 Coloring book clearanced to $0.25

1 multipack pocket size kleenex packs clearanced to $0.25

1 Hair brush kit clearanced to $0.49

1 Dishcloths $0.50

1 Flower notebook clearanced to $0.25
(Can you guess what is going in my 2 year old's Easter basket?!)

1 Electrisol Power Tabs dishwasher detergent $3.99 (we really needed this)

2 Softsoap Ensembles $3.99

Coupons:

(1) Electrasol $1/1

(2) CVS Softsoap Ensembles $2/1 coupons

$9.99 ECB

Total after Coupons: $3.62-This should have been $2.12. I just noticed they charged me full price for the dishcloths, but since it would cost me more in gas to return them, I'll just keep them.

CVS

2009-03-30T17:20:00.000-04:00

All right. Let's get to the good stuff. Now that we've covered the coupon basics, let's move on to the drug store basics! And we shall begin with one of my favorite stores...CVS! I have scored so many good bargains at CVS and spent so little money there!

CVS has their own rewards system. It is one of those stores that you need a little key tab for. If you don't already have an Extra Care Card, sign up for one, then guard that little key tab with your life! (Alright, if you lose it, just give the cashier your phone number and they can look it up in the register.) You can also apply at any CVS store. It's free and simple.

What does your ExtraCare card do for you?

You earn 2% back on all in-store and online purchases (more on that in a minute)
You earn 1 Extra Buck for every 2 prescriptions you fill at CVS
You are able to take advantage of sale prices
Occasionally receive a coupon for a free item
You can scan your tag at various scanners in the store to receive extra coupons

What is an ExtraBuck?

An ExtraBuck (ECB) is a coupon that prints at the end of your receipt for money off your next purchase. For instance, this week the Paas Egg Decorating kit is on sale for $1.99 (Sunday and Monday only). The ad says buy 1 and get $1.99 in ECBs. When you buy the item, you pay $1.99 for it out of pocket, then a coupon to be used on your next purchase will print out at the end of your receipt for $1.99 making the item essentially free. This ECB can be used for anything at any CVS, with the exception of alcohol, tobacco, lottery, gift cards, money orders, postage stamps, pre-paid cards, prescriptions, and special order Home Health Care items, including footwear.

How do Extra Bucks save you money?

This week Softsoap Ensemble hand soap dispenser refills are on sale for $3.99. The ad says buy 2 and receive $4 ECB. There were coupons in the paper last week for $2 off 1 and $1 off 1 of these. Now, if you buy 2, you will spend $7.98-$3 in coupons=$4.98 out of pocket and receive $4 ECB, making it $0.98 for 2 of these fancy hand soaps. If you have 2 of the $2 coupons, you will break even.

Now, occasionally, an item is on sale free after ECB and there will be a matching coupon in the paper. For instance, toothpaste is very often free after rebate and there are often coupons for them. Say the toothpaste is on sale for $2 with $2 ECB. If you have a $1 coupon, you actually will make $1 off the toothpaste. Buy the toothpaste for $2- $1coupon= $1. Receive $2ECB.

Alright, now to take things to the next level, the way to really make your money and your ExtraBucks work for you is to take the ExtraBucks you receive from one purchase and roll them over into another purchase that you can either get for free or make money off of. Do you follow me? If not, here is an example.

Let's say the limit to the number of toothpaste deals you can do is 3. You have 2 coupons. Purchase 2 toothpastes at $2 each. Use 2 $1/1 coupons. $4-$2 coupons= $2 out of pocket. Receive $4 in ECB. Now, do the above scenario for the soaps. (Purchase 2 at $3.99 each= $7.98-$3 in coupons=$4.98. Use your $4ECB from your toothpaste. $4.98-$4ECB= $0.98 Pay $2.98 out of pocket for 2 toothpaste and 2 soaps and still have $4 in ECB to use on something else from the soaps you just bought.

CVS "rules":

You can pair a manufacturer's coupon with extra care bucks and coupons that print at the end of your receipt
If an item is out of stock, you can get a rain check for that item at it's sale price with extra bucks
You can do more than one transaction at the register in one trip. (Make a purchase, pay, make another purchase without leaving the counter, pay, etc.) This way you can bring all your purchases up to the counter and keep rolling your extra bucks so you can pay a minimum out of pocket. I try to keep it to a minimum of 3 for the sake of people behind me.
Some CVS take expired Extra Bucks and some take competitor's coupons
A limit of how many times you can take advantage of an ECB offer is printed in small print next to the item in the ad. This is usually between 1-5 times
4 times a year, the 2% of your total spent at CVS will print as an ECB. So, you earn free money by buying things at CVS.
You will not be given back money on ECB. If your total comes to $3 and you have a $4 ECB, they will not give you back $1. You either need to find something else to add in to make up the $1 or forfeit the $1.

Suggestions for those new to CVS "dealing":

Start off slow! Let me repeat...start off slow. As good as "CVSing" can be, it can be very overwhelming at first. It takes some time to really figure out how to make it work for you. I also suggest figuring out your deals at home, putting your coupons and your deal scenarios in separate envelopes and labeling the envelope according to the order you want to do the deals in. Also, it might be less stressful to do a deal, bring your items to the car, come back in, do your next deal, etc. instead of trying to roll a bunch at once. Bring a calculator with you and tally up your totals to make sure you at least break even in your deals. If not (say you still need $1 before you can use your total amount of ECB) grab an inexpensive item that you could use and make up the difference with.

The weekly CVS deals are advertised in the weekly flier and then there are monthly deals that are advertised in a separate flier located next to the weekly fliers as you walk in the store. Sometimes these monthly deals will be advertised in the weekly flier to bring attention to them, but it does not mean that it is a monthly and weekly deal (meaning the deal does not double).

One last note: before you look at this and say...this is too much work- no thanks....give it at least 3 months before you give up. It takes time to work out the kinks and figure things out. Sure you may not figure out all the best deals or spend the least amount out of pocket as other people right away, but, you will still be spending less then you were initially right?! So stick with it for a bit, and you'll never again pay for shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, shaving cream, razors, deodorant, body wash, lotion, mouthwash, and other things!

Please feel free to ask questions, esp if you don't understand something! No question is a dumb question! I am more than happy to help!

Shaws Deals 3/27-4/2

2009-03-30T15:51:00.003-04:00

These are the best deals I see at Shaws this week. Remember, Shaws doubles coupons up to $0.99

Freebies

$1.00 Mann's Sunny Shores Vegetable Medley printable .55/1- Can be printed twice Free plus $0.10

Good Deals:

Post Cereal-2/$3-must buy 2 - 12-24 oz Selected Varieties (this is an even better deal if used with manufacturer's coupons and the catalina deal listed below.)

Kellogg's Cereal 3/$6.00 ~ Frosted Flakes, Froot Loops, Cocoa Krispies, Honey Smacks, Apple Jacks, Corn Pops, Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes or Jumbo Krispies (if used in conjunction with manufacturers coupons, Shaws Get Inspired coupon for $1/3, and the Catalina deal below, this could be a great deal.)

$1.99lb 80%lean ground beef

Seattle's Best Coffee $5.99, $1 coupon here, manufacturer's coupon $1, plus Catalina deal buy 1 get $1 catalina coupon= $2.99 Note: these are 13 oz, so this is only a good deal if you like this coffee, otherwise it still is cheaper to buy something like Folgers on sale with a coupon

All the below are $1 each

Bar S Jumbo Franks

Dole Canned Fruit Pineapple, Mandarin Oranges or Tropical Fruit-

Dole Canned Fruits .75/2 (exp. 4-25-09)

Bounty Paper Towels- Bounty .25 (exp. 3/31/09) - Bounty .25 (exp. 3/31/09)

Del Monte Tomatoes 14.5oz- Del Monte No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes .40/1 (exp. 4/4/09)

Catalina Deals:

POST DEAL 3/27-4/19: Buy 3 Get $2.00Buy 4 Get $3.00Buy 5 or more and get $5.00- Works on ANY post cereal 10oz or larger Honey-Comb, Shredded Wheat, Honey Bunches of Oats, Fruity Pebbles, Grape-nuts, Trail Mix Crunch, Raisin Bran, and Post Selects Raisins, Dates & Pecans

KELLOGGS CEREALS / MILK 3/20 - 4/12: Buy Kelloggs Cereals 12 oz. or largerBuy 3, get 1 free gallon of milk- Buy 5, get 2 free gallons of milk-Buy 7, get 3 free gallons of milk-Free milk up to $4.69 per gallon. Any brand. Any flavor.

Shaws Get Inspired coupons include a coupon for a free lemon this week.

DEAL SCENARIO:

Buy 6 Post Cereals that are marked 2/$3, use 1 (or more if you have them) $1/1 coupon from paper= $8 out of pocket; receive $5 catalina coupon; essentially $3 for 6 boxes of cereal making them $0.50 each

Did you see any other really good deals at Shaw's this week? Let us know in the comments! And of course, these are not the only deals. Check your flyer for any deals that may be good for your individual family. These are just the more noteworthy deals.

Menu Plan Monday

2009-03-29T21:18:00.004-04:00

It's menu plan monday again! Here is our menu for the week!

Monday: Leftovers from Sunday's party- Ziti Bake, veggies and garlic bread

Tuesday: Sweet and Sour Crockpot Chicken with pineapple in it...yum!- I'll post the menu soon!

Wednesday: Quick Fix Beef Burrito Skillet and veggie

Thursday: Hamburgers (with fresh meat from South Dakota! Thank you Sarah!)

Friday: Tuna Melts

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Leftovers or visit family

As with any Menu Plan Monday, check out other menus at Organizing Junkie!

Coming soon...

2009-03-29T21:12:00.003-04:00

I took the weekend off to spend time with my family. My youngest turns 1 on Thursday, so we had a family party today. We spent yesterday preparing and today celebrating, so there has been no time for blogging. However, I've got a post in the works on how to make the most of your local CVS and a few more great Shaws deals for this week.

So, stay tuned and I should have these posts up by tomorrow evening!

Friday's Frugal Find

2009-03-27T09:12:00.004-04:00

I'm going to start a new feature called Friday's Frugal Find! Each Friday I'm going to feature a different frugal find!

First up is reusable cleaning cloths! Thanks to my friend Rebecca for giving me these. They work awesome!

We go through so many paper towels around here. While complaining to Rebecca about how expensive and wasteful paper towels can be, she recommended these and gave me a few of her extras.

I used them for the first time cleaning my bathrooms this week and let me tell you...I'll never go back to paper towels! These cloths do a great job on the mirrors with minimal streaking or lint. They polish up the chrome and don't rip like paper towels do. I used one for my mirrors and sink and one for my toilet. When I finished cleaning my bathroom, there was not a single paper towel in the trash when usually it's over flowing! I just threw them into the wash when I was done! They look like they'll be great for dusting too!

I believe she said she bought them at Target in the car care section. They're advertised for cleaning the inside of a car. She thought they were about $7 for a pack of 20. You could probably find a smaller pack too for cheaper. This is a great value though considering a big pack of paper towel is usually around $6 or so!

Thanks so much Rebecca!

Did you have a Frugal Find this week? If so, please leave a comment so we can hear all about it!

Target Deals this week

2009-03-26T19:47:00.003-04:00

I know the week is almost over, but for those of you planning a Target run, head to Stretching A Buck for this week's deals.

There are some great deals, like 2 Shick razors for $0.49; free Artisan Mini Loaves and Gillette Body wash, contact solution, Shout wipes, and Pledge furniture polish.

Free 3-Scoop Ice Cream from Friendly's!

2009-03-26T12:38:00.002-04:00

I don't know about you, but I LOVE free ice cream! Free and ice cream are great things to begin with, but combined together....what could be better?!

To receive your free 3-scoop sundae from Friendly's, just sign up for their newsletter. Thanks for the heads up Money Saving Mom

Hot Coupon!- Link no longer working

2009-03-25T17:42:00.005-04:00

*NOTE: No longer working.

Pace Salsa has a coupon for $4 off one jar of salsa through Smartsource.com right now. And, to make the deal better, you can print 4! (I'd heard reports that you could print 10, but I was only able to print 4). Smartsource was giving my computer a hard time about printing the coupon, so I did have to download Firefox web browser in order to get it. (If you do need to download this, just re-open my blog in Firefox and click the link for the coupon.) You can try it on Internet Explorer and see if it works for you as I know it does work for others.

Get your coupons here before they run out! I know Shaws had these on sale for 2/$4 and I was able to get 2 with one coupon!

Free Redbox code for today (3/25)

2009-03-25T16:15:00.004-04:00

Get a free movie rental from Redbox until midnight tonight (3/25) with the code MMM325. When at the Redbox, select "Rent with Promo Code", insert code and then select your movie. Continue to check out. Find your closest Redbox and see what movies are available here. Make sure you return the movie within 24 hours to avoid being charged a late fee.

Crockpot BBQ anything!

2009-03-25T12:52:00.003-04:00

I made another easy, inexpensive, yummy recipe last night.

Crockpot BBQ Pork or Chicken

1lb meat (I used pork sirloin $1.57)
1/2 jar of BBQ sauce ($0.20 on sale through a Shaws catalina promo)
Rice ($0.25)
Corn on the cob (free from Shaws booklet)

Place meat in crockpot, pour BBQ sauce over it, turn it on low and let sit. If I use frozen chicken, I let it sit all day. The pork last night was really thin and cooked in about 4 hours. The great thing about this recipe is you can serve it as is with sides or shred the meat when it's done and use it in sandwiches, over rice or mashed potatoes. It was really flavorful too!

Grand total was $2.02 for 2 adults and a toddler!

Why bother with a menu?

2009-03-24T08:58:00.007-04:00

Follow up comments to yesterday's Menu Planning Monday prompted me to consider, why do we write menus? I never use to write a menu. I'd buy meat. Take something out of the freezer the night before or day of, flip through my cookbooks at 4:30pm wondering what in the world was I going to make for dinner tonight. No, can't make that...don't have the right ingredients. No, don't have what I need for that one....guess I'll call my husband on his way home from work and ask him to pick up some extra ingredients. Or, there were many a day I'd forget to pull something out and decide I just wasn't in the mood to cook so let's just go out. Talk about a frustrating process!

Grocery shopping became...I'll pick up this; oh maybe we'll have this sometime this week; guess I should stock up on that; not sure when I may need some of this.

Then children came along and not only was this process frustrating to begin with, it became maddening! As anyone with children knows, suppertime is the worst time of day. The children are at melt down stage. They're hungry, whinny, clingy...you know what I'm talking about. Your husband is coming home from a long day of work and deserves a nice...or at least decent! meal and will be hungry on arrival. If you don't know what you're cooking and don't have anything prepared, life is miserable!

So, how can you avoid all this frustration? Plan a menu!!!

Menus are great. They keep you organized, less frustrated and save you money! By having a menu:

you know what to pull out of the freezer the night before, giving it time to defrost in the fridge.

the morning of, any prep work for dinner can be planned to alleviate the stress of doing everything at dinner time.

it allows a grocery list to be made for everything needed for the week so only one grocery run is necessary, thus avoiding wasted time running into the grocery store multiple times a week and spending extra money while there.

it helps in keeping a grocery budget. If a specific grocery budget is set, you can plan meals that will fit within that price range. Then, anything that is not needed for breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner is not necessary to buy. If pasta sauce is not on the list, you don't need to buy it!

it saves all that time in the evening flipping through cookbooks! It groups all the work to one set time a week.

So, how do I plan a menu?! Every Wednesday (I grocery shop on Thursdays) I sit down during the girls nap/quiet time, I look through my freezer, fridge and pantry first to see what I already have and need to use. Then I look through the grocery fliers and figure out what is on sale. I base my menu on what is on sale and what I already have. I jot down what I'm going to base meals off of...chicken, beef, pork, beans, lentils, etc. With this in mind, I look through my cookbooks and list a meal for every day of the week. I also keep in mind whether there will be leftovers or if we will be somewhere else for dinner. I also plan what side dishes I will serve with dinner. As I write my menu, I add things to my grocery list that I know I will need to buy.

This is my Life Planner. It is a weekly calendar. In the first column I list each day's meals. Each column after that is for: my most important tasks to accomplish each day; tasks for the AM; afternoon tasks; evening tasks. I write my grocery list on the To do List on the right side as I go along. The bottom sticky is for notes. I found this calendar at Walgreen's recently on clearance. I needed an extra dollar and change so I could use my register rewards and this was $1.25. It's been working really well! Before I found this I just used a notebook.

How do you plan your menus? Some people plan a month at a time. Does that work better for you? Any tips on menu planning that were not mentioned in this post?

$1 A Scoop at Ben and Jerry's!

2009-03-23T21:16:00.005-04:00

Head to your closest Ben and Jerry's tomorrow (Tuesday March 24) and donate a non-perishable food item and receive a scoop of ice cream for $1! What a sweet deal!

Saving O' The Green Ends Tonight

2009-03-23T10:43:00.004-04:00

Did you take advantage of Money Saving Mom and Living on a Dime's Saving O' The Green $1 an ebook sale yet?! Take advantage of it now, because after midnight tonight, the books return to their full price!

Menu Plan Monday

2009-03-23T09:11:00.004-04:00

I'm going to start trying to post our weekly menu on Mondays in an effort to help give some ideas for inexpensive dinners. Every Monday, Organizing Junkie features a Menu Plan Monday roundup where several, ok many, many, blogs add their menu for the week. This is a great way to get menu ideas. Go here to see this week's round up.

Our menu for this week is as follows:

Monday: Bacon Wrapped Chicken with mashed potato and a veg
Tuesday: BBQ Pork Chops in the crockpot with rice and a veg
Wednesday: Pork and Beans with left over pork from Tuesday with bread
Thursday: Sweet and Sour Crockpot Chicken with rice
Friday: something meatless for lent- probably pasta and sauce
Saturday: something else easy- hot dogs and homemade baked french fries
Sunday: 1st Birthday party for our youngest daughter

Every week I write a menu, but I don't always stick right to it. Some days I'll take whatever meat I planned to use and make something different with it. But it is essential for me to make a menu each week so I have a plan to make my grocery list off of.

$5 Dinners Sister Schubert’s Yeast Rolls Giveaway

2009-03-21T15:45:00.004-04:00

Erin at $5 Dinners has a great blog and posts dinners that amount to $5 or less every day! She's a great resource for anyone looking to cut their dinner budget AND she does this while cooking for 2 children with food allergies! She has a great giveaway for a hand-painted gift basket that includes: two pans of Sister Schubert’s rolls, a choice of Sister Schubert’s specialty gift products, a package of Mook’s Cheese Straws, two packs of Red Diamond Estate coffee and a hand-decorated, seasonal cookie. What a great giveaway just in time for Easter.

To enter to win the giveaway, leave a comment on her post.

Good luck!

The Rules of Coupons!

2009-03-21T11:00:00.004-04:00

What are the "rules" of couponing one may ask?!

Only one manufacturer's coupon (MQ) may be used per item

Only what is stated on a coupon may be bought with the coupon- check for the right size, brand, number of items, variety, etc.

Most stores only accept coupons up until the expiration date- some stores make an exception and accept expired coupons- I don't have any around here that I know of

Some stores double coupons as long as the coupon does not say "Do Not Double"- most only double coupons up to $0.99 - Shaws is the only store around me that I know of that doubles

A store coupon (one that a store specifically puts out and does not say "manufacturers coupon) can be used with a manufacturer's coupon (a coupon put out by the brand itself) on the same one item. This can make a great deal!

A coupon can be used on a rebate item

Internet printable (IP) coupons can not be photocopied. This is illegal

If a store has a sale to buy one item, get on free (BOGO), many stores let you use a coupon on one or even both items

If a coupon is valued at more than what you purchase an item for, many stores will give you the extra money off your bill (without even realizing it). However, they will not give you the money in cash if they end up "owing you money" in the end. This extra money is called "overage". In this case, it's best to throw in a small "filler item" like a pack of gum or a candy bar to make up that extra money.

Do you know any other coupon "rules"? Please leave us a comment if you can think of any!

Cool Freebie

2009-03-20T21:36:00.002-04:00

Customize your own magazine and receive 5 free issues complements of Lexus! Choose from the following magazines Travel + Leisure, Golf, InStyle, Money, Real Simple, Sports Illustrated, Time and Food & Wine, and each issue will have articles from your choices. Go here to get your copy!

Shaws Cereal and Milk Deal

2009-03-20T19:26:00.005-04:00

The Shaws deals are a bit slim this week, but I did make out on some cereal this week, which we really needed!

Buy 3 boxes of Kelloggs cereal and get 1 FREE gallon of milk
Buy 5 boxes of Kelloggs cereal and get 2 FREE gallons of milk
Buy 7 boxes of Kelloggs cereal and get 3 FREE gallons of milk

This deal works on any Kelloggs cereal, but selected ones are on sale this week. Your best bet is to buy the Kelloggs on sale for 3/$6 and use coupons. Coupons.com has a $1 off 2 boxes of Kelloggs Frosted flakes coupon that you can print twice. There also were a few coupons in the paper recently- one $1 off 1 box of selected Kelloggs cereal and one $1 off 2 boxes of any Kelloggs cereal.

When you check out, the register will print out what is called a Catalina (just the name for the company) coupon. The milk catalina says "Free (up to $4.69, any Brand, any Flavor) One Gallon of Milk". You can use this coupon at any purchase until the expiration stated on the coupon. You must buy all your cereal in the same shopping trip for this to work. This Catalina deal is good until 4/12.

Here was my scenerio from today:

$0.80 spent out of pocket and those papers are for 3 FREE gallons of milk and one $5 off $40 coupon

7 boxes of Kelloggs ceral on sale for 3/$6= $14

2 Motts Applesauce 6 packs 2/$4= $4

Total before coupons= $18

Coupons used:

(2) $1/2 Frosted Flakes printable from Coupons.com

(1) $1/1 any Kelloggs cereal (newspaper coupon)

(1) $1/1 selected Kelloggs cereal (newspaper coupon)

(2) $1/1 Kelloggs Mini-Wheats Bluberry, Strawberry or Maple Sugar internet printable from coupons.com last month

(2) Motts applesauce $0.55/1 internet printable (Shaws doubles coupons- so this doubled to $1.10/1)

$18-$7.20 in coupons= $10.80

$10.80- $10 Catalina coupon from a previous sale= $0.80 out of pocket for 7 boxes of cereal, 2 packages of applesauce and I received 3 coupons for a free gallon of milk and a $5 off $40! According to my receipt I saved $33.17!

The Coupon Process

2009-03-18T10:30:00.000-04:00

When you get your coupon organizer up and running, it's time to start filling it with coupons! I have recently put myself on a "coupon routine". I get my coupons on Sunday from the paper. On Monday evening when the kids are in bed I clip my coupons. (a word to those who have children, it's not usually very productive to clip coupons when children are within reach. At least my children have come to love coupons and love to "help" and I end up with very disorganized coupons when they are present!)

If I have time, as I clip them, I sort them into piles, trying to keep in mind my categories and subcategories. I then put them all away in their assigned envelopes. I used to do this on Sundays while my husband watched the football game (can you tell what a football fan I am?!) Now that he doesn't really watch it, I either do it while I watch a movie or as we're talking or during some quiet evening time! (Or when the girls are napping). If I don't have time to sort them, I stick them all in a pile and throw them in my coupon drawer. Yes, I have a drawer in my kitchen devoted to coupons! This is where my coupons go until they are filed, my store fliers are stored, and any thing else that is "coupony".

I also keep a pen in my coupon organizer and an envelope titled "Shaws" and one titled "CVS"...which you'll see why in an upcoming post.

Now, a very important note...when you clip coupons, clip EVERY coupon! Just because you don't use a certain brand, do not leave it unclipped (unless of course you would never consider getting it, even if you could get it free or get paid to "buy" it.) The only coupons I don't clip are for medications I don't use or for animal products, since we don't have animals. Otherwise, even if we've never bought it, I clip it, because there have been several times I've gotten something free or been paid to get it because I had the coupon!

As for Internet coupons, rather than waste paper and ink, I don't print them unless 1)I'm afraid the limit of how many the company will allow to be printed will be met or 2)I know I'm going to use it soon. Otherwise, I look through them and keep in mind which coupons are there. Then when I look through the fliers and see something on sale that I can get a good buy with one of the Internet coupons, I print it off.

Healthy, Inexpensive Meal

2009-03-17T17:27:00.003-04:00

I was asked this week to post some inexpensive recipes, so since I made one tonight, I thought I'd post it. I meant to take a picture, but we ate it up before I remembered to take one!

Pork Stir Fry approx. $2 for 3-4 servings

1 lb Pork Sirloin ($1.69)
2 Packages of Frozen Veggies (free from Shaws booklet free coupon)
1/3 bottle of Kraft Asian Sesame Dressing (part of a recent Shaws promo where I probably spent
less than $0.25 for the bottle)
1 tsp each of Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and Teriyaki sauce

Slice up pork and marinate in dressing for an hour. Place in skillet on medium high and cook until pork is browned. Add vegetables and remaining seasonings. Reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook until vegetables are hot and pork is cooked through. Serve with rice.

This is super easy and very healthy! If you don't have the dressing, you can certainly just use Soy sauce and Teriyaki sauce. There are also Chinese spices out there that can be added. You can get fancy depending on your budget and add more vegetables, bean sprouts or slivered almonds. You can also switch out the pork for whatever is on sale- chicken, steak, pork, or shrimp.

Bon Apetit!

Great Limited Time Offer!

2009-03-17T10:40:00.003-04:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

To celebrate this special day and help you keep some green in your pocket, Money Saving Mom and Living on a Dime have partnered together to offer you 17 ebooks on saving the green for only $17! How great is that! Spend only $17 and save hundreds on your shopping bills. These books include:

Supermarket Savings 101 eCourse with audio downloads
Grocery Shopping On A Budget eCourse
Money Saving Meats e-book
Saving On Cleaning Supplies e-book
Eating Healthy On A Budget e-booklet
Is Eating Out Eating You Up? e-book
224 Meals In A Hurry e-book
Grocery Savings e-book
Menus That Make Cents e-book
Plan Ahead Leftovers e-book
Quick Dinners e-book
Menu Planning Made Easy
Simply Centsible Breakfasts
Simply Centsible Suppers
Kids Recipes
Menus On A Dime
470 Crockpot Recipes

This package would normally cost you $75, but from today until midnight on Monday March 23 you can get all 17 for only $17! Click on the link to get your copies.

Saving O' The Green e-book Sale

Here's to happy savings!

Organizing your coupons

2009-03-16T19:51:00.006-04:00

Now that we've established where to get your coupons, let's talk about how to organize them! There are so many different ways to organize that it really is up to the individual and what works best for you. I will explain a few options that I've seen and the one I personally use.

My personal coupon organizer is an accordion binder/folder.

It works for now, but as you can see, I'm beginning to bust out of it! It would be a great way for a beginner to start though! I have each section categorized and then use envelopes to sub categorize as such.

Dental floss, toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash

Cosmetics/Hair body wash/soap, Olay products, lotions, mens, shaving, deodorant, makeup, shampoo/conditioner, feminine care

Cleaners/Paper Products paper products, dish products, sponges, plastic, laundry, batteries/light bulbs, household cleaners, air fresheners

Medicine chap stick, eye drops, stomach, vitamins, cold/cough, pain relievers

Baby baby food, diapers/wipes, wash/lotion

Dairy milk, eggs/butter, yogurt, cheese, Pillsbury products (I know...their not dairy, but they are refrigerated!)

Jar/Can oil, canned, salad dressing, condiments

Rice/Pasta/Spices spices/marinades, pasta, pasta sauce, salsa/Mexican, rice

Breakfast/Snacks Peanut butter/jelly, coffee/tea, bread, snack bars, candy, juice/soda, crackers/cookies, chips/pretzels/nuts, cereal

Baking Baking mixes, misc. (I should really rework this category and the breakfast/snacks category as the breakfast one is bursting and the baking one has few coupons in it.)

Frozen pizza, entrees, ice cream, vegetables

Meat/Produce/Restaurants self explanatory

Like I said, this is a great way for a beginner to start! For the more advanced, Crystal at Money Saving Mom has a really great way for organizing coupons. I think I may be switching to that soon.

Other "couponers" use binders with trading card pages and organize their coupons by brand or even by coupon. Like I said, there is no one right way. Whatever works for you. Also, what works for you at one point, may change or you may find you just keep tweeking it.

So, now that you've got your coupons, start organizing!

Free Book

2009-03-13T17:25:00.003-04:00

Until 11am ET tomorrow morning, you can download a copy of The Difference by Jean Chatzky from Oprah.com. From Oprah.com:

"What can The Difference teach you?
The top five things you can do to not just survive but thrive during tough times
The eight things that make The Difference (i.e., the key traits and abilities of people who describe themselves as financially free)
Advice for those having job insecurity as well as strategies for finding a job
Why money doesn't breed happiness—but happiness can breed money
The direct connection between The Difference and your health
How people who know The Difference make a difference for others
Myths and facts about the wealthy"

Shaws Deal Alert!

2009-03-13T14:06:00.002-04:00

Shaws just came out with a Cool Savings flyer that has 5 coupons for FREE items!!! If you don't already use coupons, here is your chance to make a simple start. The booklets are in the store found in various places depending on your store. Check at the entrance near the circulars, at the bottom of the registers, or for a display with a penguin on it in the freezer section. If you can't find them, check with customer service. These coupons include:

1 Free Shaws Frozen Bagels
1 Free Shaws Frozen Deep Dish Pie Crust
1 Free Shaws Lemonade concentrate
1 Free Shaws Vegetable Steamers
1 Free Shaws Frozen Corn on the Cob

The booklet also includes other coupons as well. There is no where on the booklet that says one per customer, so as long as there's enough to go around, take a few!

Where do you find all your coupons?

2009-03-13T13:29:00.003-04:00

Sunday newspaper- Generally, the Sunday newspaper (and only the Sunday edition) has 2-3 coupon inserts. These include the Red Plum and Smart Source inserts. Occasionally, Procter and Gamble includes an insert as well (I believe it's once a month). Weekends of holidays, the Sunday paper does not have any coupons. The cheapest way I've found to buy a paper is by subscribing to your local Sunday only paper.

Internet Printables (known in the blog world as IP)-
Coupons.com is great source for coupons. They upload new coupons every month and allow you to print two of each coupon.
Smartsource.com
BettyCrocker.com- You do need to set up a free account with them.
Pillsbury.com
EatBetterAmerica
Some brands have their own coupons as well. If I am looking for a coupon for a specific brand, I type the product into my search engine followed by "coupon" (ie: Chex Mix coupon) and see if it comes up with one.

Trading Coupons- I haven't done this myself yet, but I know there are places where you can trade or buy coupons from other people online.

Catalinas- A Catalina is a coupon that prints out at the register. It will often be for a specific product or a certain amount off your next purchase.

Free Samples- Free samples usually come with a coupon for that actual item.

Blinkie Machines- Those little machines that spit out coupons in front of products at the store...I find that when those are out, that item tends to go on sale soon!

Tearpads- Like the blinkie machine, these are pads of coupons found in front of an item at the store.

Coupon flyers- Found at the grocery store.

Store coupons- Either found on the store's website or in a flyer at the store.

Requesting a coupon- Sometimes a company will send you coupons if you request it from them.

Scoring a good deal

2009-03-13T13:01:00.005-04:00

Most good deals are scored through combining more than one deal at a time. Very rarely are you able to match a coupon to an item and get it free, though it has been done. Coupons are not the only way to score a deal. The following can also land a good deal.

Sales: Everyone knows this one. An item's price is knocked down to a certain percentage off the normal price.

Rebates: Most drug stores have rebate programs. You buy an item at a certain price and pay out of pocket for it. Then, either online or through the mail, submit your receipt, a form, and the product'sa upc code and a check will be mailed to you for either a portion or full mount of the item's price.

Coupons: Since there are different sources for coupons and "rules" for coupons, I will treat this subject in another post.

Free samples: Believe it or not, you can get some really good freebies! I've gotten travel size shampoo samples, microwaveable popcorn, magazine subscriptions to Traditional Home, and Metropolitan Home, and others.

Cash back programs: There are programs online like Ebates that offer you cash back on your purchases. It's free, easy to use, and you get $5 for joining!

Do you know another great way to score a good deal? Leave me a comment!

Let's get started...

2009-03-12T19:58:00.003-04:00

Some common myths about couponing.

1. You end up spending more money when you use coupons because you buy things you normally wouldn't if you didn't use coupons.
-This can certainly happen...if you're not coupon savvy! However, if you continue to follow along, you'll see how using coupons can get you food for cheaper than store brand items!

2. Couponing takes too much time.
-It can, but once you get a system down, it will go faster. As with anything, the more you want something, the harder you'll work at it.

3. Coupons are only for junk food.
-If you opened my freezer right now, you'd see that this is certainly not the case! I have so many frozen vegetables in there, I'm running out of room! I also have stocked up on cheese and some bread. There are certainly coupons out there for unhealthy things, but ultimately, you choose what you buy. Plus, if you save money buy using coupons for things like frozen vegetables, you can in turn use the money you saved, on items that don't often have coupons.

4. Coupons only come in the paper and the paper costs money.
-Some of my best coupons come from blinkie machines or tearpads at the grocery store. If you purchase only the Sunday paper and pay $1 a week for your paper and you use $5 worth of coupons, you've already paid back what you spent on the paper.

5. Coupons really don't save you that much money....what, maybe $5 a week.
-Follow along this blog and you'll see otherwise real soon! A majority of my savings is from matching coupons to sales!

Do you have any other questions about coupons? Please leave me a comment and I'll be happy to try and answer them for you!

How Recession Proof Shopping came to be

2009-03-12T16:47:00.000-04:00

I've always been a saver and thought I had a pretty good concept of saving money until my husband was laid off from his union construction job in November... just 5 months after we bought a new house, 7 months after we had baby number two, with Christmas 2 months away, and bills still being delivered to our mailbox. If anyone has any experience with the construction field and unions, you'll know lay offs are to be expected. My husband has always been back to work within a month, if not sooner. This time is different. With the economy plummeting, he's still out. All the jobs are still waiting to be funded!

When we got the news, we sat down and went through our finances. With cutting back to the bare minimum, we'd be ok. As I took a second look at our expenses, I decided to take a second look at what that bare minimum really included. What expenses did I have control over? Groceries and household products. How could I get them for less and knock my bill down?

I turned to online sources. I discovered many blogs about saving money and decided to put my best foot forward and really try to par our shopping expenditures down. This has opened up a whole new world of being frugal for me. One I must admit I'm becoming rather attached to!

It is not uncommon for me to stockpile and spend anywhere from $10-$20 and save $100-$300 on groceries. I started telling family and friends about this and sending them pictures. I've had so many inquiries on how I do this that I thought it was time to start a blog to avoid loading family and friends email inboxes with emails titled "coupons" or "great grocery deal".

This was a recent Walgreens run in which I spent $16 and saved $177! This includes 6 packages of diapers and 7 packs of wipes!

So there you have it! Recession Proof Shopping's birth story!

Welcome to Recession Proof Shopping!

2009-03-12T15:33:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Recession Proof Shopping! The purpose of this blog is to guide you through shopping during the recession and help you get the most for your dollar. With our economy on a downswing, it is important to make those dollars stretch, and stretch some more!

My goal is to make this blog a place where the average person can learn how to "work the deals" with as little effort as possible. My focus will be on shopping for the necessities in life, ie: groceries and household goods, but I will also include other deals I come across.

Please feel free to ask questions and make comments.