Deal of the Day!

Today's Deal of the Day:

Chex Mix for FREE!

Walgreens has Chex Mix on sale for 99 cents this week (Today is the last day to get it!) and if you click here coupons.com you can get a $1.00 off coupon for Chex Mix. Time to stock up! We went and got 5 bags. There is a trick, however because some of the registers do not take the coupon b/c it is "over" the amount you owe. (on salfe for 99 cents, coupon for $1.00- the would owe you 1 cent). So... here is the deal.

Some Walgreens will just readjust the price of the item so that you can use the coupon. Some Walgreens will not. If they will not, just grab 2 bags of Chex Mix per coupon you use. That way you get the Chex Mix for 50 cents each.

How I got 6 bottles of Pantene for the price of 1

Wow, what an awesome trip to Target I had tonight. My title says it all: I got 6 bottles of Pantene (full size) for the price of 1! Here is how I did it happened.

Online today I was reading the blog on moneysavingmom. They wrote about a deal at Target that is currently going on, but is not really advertised. Buy 3 Pantene products and get a $5 Target gift card back at the register. Then, if you add coupons you already have you get an even better deal!

So, if you have a Target near you this is what you do... On an endcap are the Pantene products that are "on sale" for $3.79. Attached to each bottle are 2 trial size bottles of cond./shampoo etc. There should be a sign on the endcap that says $3.97 and then there is a gift card logo next to it. If you read the fine print on that sign it will say something like: recieve a $5 Target gift card at the register when you buy 3 of these Pantene products (basically anything on that endcap... mousse, condit/shampoo, hairspray... - did you hear that Cassie Oring- I know we both use it!). Limit 2 per customer. So- you can get up to 6 in one transaction.

Then if you already have a Target manuf. coupon-great! Use it!!! But if you don't... go down the Pantene aisle. On the regular size pantene bottles (not that ones on sale!), there are coupons on the front of bottles for buy 2, get 1 free. If you get 2 of those coupons(they are Target coupons, so you can use those coupons and the manuf. coupons at the same time to get an even better deal!)... You get 6 bottles of Pantene for the price of 1! So my total was $14.57 and I recieved $10 back in a Target gift card. So I paid $4.57 for 2 full size Shampoo, 2 full size Condit. and 2 full size hairsprays! Plus 6 sets of trial size shampoo/condit. that were attached.

Sidenote, when looking for the coupons on the bottles- you may have to look at bottles in the back b/c others may have taken the coupons already. Search... you may find one- but even just one coupon takes $3.79 off of your total! (Yeah, Alisha... so proud of you for finding the ONE left at your Target!!!)

Couponing is addicting... but so much fun! Let me know if you find any other deals. And don't forget to check out moneysavingmom daily... that is where I find most of my deals!

More Free Items...

Here are a few links I have found for free things:


Coupon for FREE bottle of Coffee Mate Liquid Creamer (fill out form by 6/2/08)




Printable Coupon for $2.00 off honey bunches of oats chocolate cereal
(Cereal is $1.98 at our Wal-mart. Bottom left on website is link to $2.00 off coupon)


Also, Check out Moneysavingmom to get some great coupons for FREE items at Target!


If you haven't made it to CVS this week, check it out. This is the last week for the May deals. June deals start next week!

CVS trip number 2

I went back to CVS today to use my Extra Bucks I earned yesterday. Here is what I got:

2 Aquafresh extreme clean toothpastes (2.99 each) FREE after ECB
2 Colgate 360 degree toothbrushes(3.99 each) FREE after ECB
2 Addidas deodorant (4.99 each) FREE after ECB
4 Sobe Life Water (1.69 each) FREE after ECB and 2 B1G1 coupons

The goal is, of course, to spend AS LITTLE out of pocket as possible. Yesterday I spent $16.96 out of pocket, but remember I got back $16.97 at the end of my reciept in coupons. I had the cashier ring me up twice today so that I wouldn't have to pay any out of pocket. The first time she rang me up I bought:

4 Sobe Life Waters (had 2 buy one one get one free coupons- see coupons.com)
1 Colg 360 toothbrush
1 aqua fresh toothpaste
1 addidas deodorant

I paid 2.31 out of pocket ( I messed up somehow and didn't give her enough of my ECB from last time... I had a screaming 3 month old in my arms and a toddler in the shopping cart handing me things at the same time I am trying to figure out which coupons to hand her... :<)

I used $11.98 in my ECB from yesterday

I got back $13.97 in ECB to use on the next transaction

The second transaction:
1 colg. 360 toothbrush
1 aqua fresh toothpaste
1 addidas deodorant

Paid $0 out of pocket

I used $11.97 ECB that I just got back from the previous transaction

I got back $11.97 in ECB at the end of my reciept


Total spent out of Pocket at CVS (yesterday and today): $19.27

Total amount I saved: $37.19

Total ECB I still have to use for the next trip: $18.96


So technically in the past 2 days... I have gotten: 3 sticks of deodorant, 3 toothbrushes, 3 tubes of toothpaste, 4 liters of Sierra Mist, 2 bottles of Excedrin (24 ct.), 9 SOBE Life waters and 1 Revlon Nail polish for 31 cents!



Just a sidenote... even if you may not use the brands you can get for free, get them anyway- give them to someone who does use them or donate them to charity! :<)

I made ONE PENNY today!

Today I started my CVS adventure. If you don't have a CVS near you, it is like a Walgreens. CVS has a special "Rewards" program. Kind of like a Rebate program. I am not going to go into all the details today (check back later this week), but I had to post about my awesome deals!

By using "moneysavingmom" (see link to right) I was able to buy $28.52 worth of stuff for FREE!

Here is what I got:

1 Revlon Nail Color
5 Sobe Life Water
4 Sierra Mist 2 Liters
1 Colgate 360 degree toothbrush
1 Aquafresh Extreme Clean Toothpaste
1 Addidas Men's deodorant
2 Excedrin Migrane (24 gel caplets each)

The total after all the EXTRA coupons I had (the items were on sale already) was:

$16.96

Then with CVS you get $$$ back called ECB (Extra Care Bucks) The coupon for the amount prints at the end of your coupon and acts like a gift card to CVS.

I recieved $16.97 back in ECB.

So... I made ONE PENNY!

You can get these AWESOME deals too! Everything is still on sale/rebate this week (except for the nail polish... that was a 2 day sale). BUT, you need to make sure and do 3 things:

1. Click on my moneysaving mom link to get your extra coupons (they will tell you step by step how to get the deals I got and provide a link to print out your extra coupons)

2. Go to Wal-Mart and get the All you Mag. to get a coupon for FREE Addidas deodorant (you get it free anyway with the ECB, but this allows you to actually make $$ on it)

3. Go to CVS and make sure to get your rewards card before you check out!

Hope you have as much fun as I did. I love to shop, especially when it's for FREE!
So you don't technically have to get this coupon, but you can if you want!
3.

How Couponing is like playing Poker...

It is very true. In Poker you have to learn to play your cards at the right time or else you are out of the game with not much/if any extra money to show for it. Couponing is the same. Collect, Save, Organize your coupons so that when the time is right, you can "play" your coupons and get your items FREE or at an amazing discount.

So, when is the right time to play your coupons? The best scenario would be to use your coupons when the item is on sale (at it's rock bottom price), when you have a store coupon and a manufacter coupon. For example- let's just say that this week CVS has Revlon nail polish on Sale from $3.99 to 1.99 (which they do! Monday only-you get $2 in ECB... more on Rebates later). You also have a coupon for $2 off a Revlon Nail Polish item. You will be getting that item for FREE. Now, would it be awesome if you had 2, 3 or 10 of those coupons? You could stock up on nail polish, mascara etc. for FREE.

Another scenario, CVS has Pepsi 2-liters on sale, buy 1 get 1 free. You can print an online coupon for buy 1 get 1 free Sierra mist. (Check out my coupon website on the right to find the coupon...). You can print out a few coupons- and get your Sierra Mist 2 liters for FREE.

Hold on to your coupons, guys and gals until you are able to use them for a DEAL! I admit, couponing takes TIME. I have been trying to find a part time job/stay at home job that would work and actually make $$$ since I have been home. Honestly, there are not any good options out there right now. So.. instead, I have resolved to try and SAVE our Family as much $$$ as possible. Couponing has turned into a "job" for me. Yes, it takes time and effort... but if you find the right resources, there are people out there who do most of the work for you (math included!).

The website I have linked to the right on coupons is an awesome website. They provide links to coupons, give you the Math to get the deals and provide several scenarios to make the most of your $$$. The only thing you have to do is save your coupons and get online to read what the deals are for the week!

Another awesome website is www.thegrocerygame.com. When couponing with groceries at a grocery store- it can take a lot of time to match your coupons/with the rock bottom sale. How do you know when an item is at it's lowest?? This website has tracked specific grocery store prices across the country and will tell you when an item is at it's rock bottom price. You don't have to do the work! Not only will it tell you when it is at it's lowest price, it will tell you what coupon (from YOUR local paper) you can use to get it even cheaper.

This is how it works. I signed up (on a $1 4 week trial... it goes up to $10 every 8 weeks after that for 1 store, then $5 for each additional store... but Really you only NEED the major grocery store on the list. Plus, go in on it with a friend in your town- trade who pays for the site!) under Kroger, which is where I usually shop at. I do sometimes buy things at Aldi, but meats and some other things I buy at Kroger when they are on sale.

Okay back to "the list." This website will take the current ad and pair it up with advertised and unadvertised specials along with your coupons to tell you what to buy when. If an item is black on the list, she advises that you only buy it now if you absolutely NEED it- b/c it is not at it's lowest price. If an item is blue, it is at it's lowest price- STOCK UP!, It it is green... you can get it FREE along w/ a coupon you have collected from your paper.

I hate reading long blogs and I know this has been a long blog. BUT- I am excited about couponing and what I have learned so far. If you are in the Decatur area and want to learn more and get involved in couponing with me... let me know. I'd LOVE to share ideas and great deals we find. :<)

Next post... REBATES and CVS Extra Bucks!!! If you can't wait until I post... go to my coupon link on the right :<) These ladies have it down to a science!

OH- AND IF YOU DO SIGN UP FOR THEGROCERYGAME.COM PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE PUT ME IN AS YOUR REFERRAL. YOU NEED TO PUT IN MY E-MAIL, youthsarah@hotmail.com I can EARN FREE MEMBERSHIP FOR A FEW WEEKS!!!! :<)

A Whole New World

My eyes have been opened to a whole new world in the past week. All thanks to my husband who was watching a money saving show on the food network. As you all probably know, by my previous posts, we are cutting back on spending $ in major ways. I have found a new and very addicting way to save $$$.

COUPONING! (I don't know if this is a real word...but it is now!)

Okay, I am sure many of you are thinking the same thing I used to think about coupons. 25 cents here, 50 cents there- maybe $1.00 every once in awhile. It's not really worth my time or energy. But IT IS SO WORTH IT!

Let me give you an example. 2 days ago I went to Wal-Mart and bought 2 boxes of honey bunches of oat (choc. kind) cereal, 1 glade spray and 1 pizza. I only paid $3.40 for all of it. I could have paid less, but I didn't have a coupon for the pizza :<(. I had 2, $2.00 off coupons for the cereal. They were $1.98 each. So I got them both free! The glade spray was 97 cents and I had a $1.00 off coupon for it, so it was free also. The only thing I paid for was the pizza!

Coupons, coupons, coupons. Where do I get them? There are a few ways to get coupons.
1. Newspaper (if there are really good coupons, buy a couple or steal coupons from family/friends)

2. Online - there are tons of online coupons. My $2.00 off coupons for the cereal I got FREE were from online. You can print them out also. I'll put a link on the bottom of my blog.

3. In store- Lots of times stores will have their own coupons, Walgreens, CVS, Target, Kroger. Sometimes the coupons are in the ads, sometimes they are on the item and sometimes they are on your reciept. (yesterday I found a $1.50 off swimmers diapers coupon on the box at Target. The diapers were already on sale for $9.99, plus I had a $1.50 off coupon already from the paper- plus the $1.50 off coupon on the box!)

4. E-bay- Believe it or not, you can buy coupons on E-bay! Why pay for coupons? Because you can buy specific coupons in large quantities for items you use everyday and want to stock up on. For example- I just bought 15, $2.00 off 1 Garnier shampoo or conditioner coupons on e-bay. I paid about $3.50 for the coupons. This week CVS has garnier shampoo/cond. on sale for 1.99, with my 2.00 off coupon, I get them FREE! Time to STOCK UP!

5. All You magazine from Wal-Mart. The mag. is about $1.99 and in it are about 25 coupons. A lot of $1.00 off coupons.

Okay... Can you see how much I have gotten in to this over the past week? I have done a lot of research/reading online and there is so much out there. Here are a few of my favorite websites/blogs currently on this topic:

moneysavingmom.com (I have a link to this on my blog-)This is my favorite!
coupons.com
thegrocerygame.com (This is awesome, you can sign up for a 4 week trial for $1. More about this website tomorrow)

So... if I haven't convinced you yet that coupons are the way to go... SEND ME YOUR COUPONS! Or, just check back and read my next blog. :<)

4.10

I totally flipped out last night when we drove by the gas station. $4.10 for a gallon of gas, are you kidding me?!? How can gas jump 20 cents over night. I know for awhile now we have been warned that this was coming. At the same time, I feel blindsided. Next thing you know we are going to be worrying about gas getting to $5.00 a gallon. I am just so glad that we don't have a driving trip planned until July. Maybe by then gas will be back down a bit.

10 to 6

Sophie Grace has turned 3 months old this week. She is growing so fast. We checked out the statistics and Sophie is definitely bigger than Addie was at this stage. So funny because Sophie was so much smaller starting out.





Sophie has made another accomplishment this past week also. She is now sleeping from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. straight! The picture above shows the reason why. She has found and started sucking her thumb completely on her own. We tried to prevent it by using pacifiers. I always thought that pacifiers were the way to go b/c you could easily break a child from a paci, well compared to a thumb anyway. You can't take a thumb away from a child!

Anyway, I believe (at this point) that I love that she sucks her thumb. When she wakes up in the middle of the night, she is able to find her thumb easily and put herself back to sleep. With a pacifier that is not so. Mom or Dad would have to go in and put the pacifier back in every time it falls out- until she is at least 7-8 mo. old and can find it herself. The same is true during the day when she is napping or in the car.

I am sure that breaking her of the habit of thumb sucking will not be easy later on. But, right now- we are enjoying the sleep!

P.S.

So yesterday was Mother's Day. My husband surprised me with a collage of pictures that he created on the computer. He even put it in a shadow box with a few of Addie/Sophie's baby items. So cute! We had a fun day with family.

When the day began to wind down, Chadwick and I settled in to watch a girlie movie: P.S.,I Love you. He surprised me by renting it for us. I remember seeing previews for it and really wanting to see it. The movie itself was a little slow, but I really liked it. I wouldn't go out and buy it or anything, but it was a good movie to watch to wind up the day. I won't say too much about it, in case you want to see it. I will say, however that it is a good reminder to Enjoy Life to it's Fullest. Some days it is easy to do what you need to do to "get by." My goal every day is to not do that, but to make connections with friends/neighbors etc. daily, to use the creativity God has given me daily and to ENJOY the task of being a stay at home mom DAILY and to remember that my girls are growing fast....In a few short years (3 1/2 yrs.) Addie will be off to Kindergarten. That seems like a long ways off, but in reality it isn't. Addie and Sophie will never be this age again. I want to do everything I can to relish in it! I do LOVE my "job!"