Freebie Friday!

I apologize for having you copy and paste but this is just easiest for me! Enjoy!

Folgers Coffee:
http://www.office.folgersgourmetselections.com/Promotional_Offers.aspx

Kotex Sample Kit:
http://www.startsampling.com/sm/100293/captureAddress.iphtml?item=100293&source=jun08enews

Reach Access Flosser
http://www.samplereachaccess.com/sampling/index.jsp?

Sunsilk Sample and Giftcard!
http://www.sunsilk.us/samples.php

Free Playtex Dropin Nursying System
http://www.playtexbaby.com/bpafree/info.html


Free Baby Kit from Johnsons and Johnsons (coupons and samples)
Call 1-800-526-3967 -
This is an automated call, please press 1, 1, and 1.
Leave your name and address and you will receive your free pack in 2 weeks.

Free sample of Tide with Dawnscrubbers
https://tidewithdawn.offerprocessingcenter.com/

Dove Pro Age Samples
http://www.doveproage.com/samples_hbl.asp

Free bag of Dog or Cat food from Nutro
http://www.nutroproducts.com/yourfamily/

Free sample of Lactaid
http://www.lactaid.com/vcrc/offers/nmcampaign.jhtml?id=vcrc/offers/la_freesample2.inc&oid=5018&bid=21&formType=C

Walmart Freebies:
Mens Lotion Vaseline
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid43664.aspx

Perfect 10/Pantene Samples
http://instoresnow.walmart.com/enhancedrendercontent_ektid44326.aspx

There is a $1 off coupon for Old Spice body wash from 6-1. The trial sizes are .94 at Wal-Mart.

There is a $1 coupon for Gillette 2in1 body wash. These are .79 at Wal-Mart for trial size.

CVS Cheap Sunblock Scenario!

Right now CVS is doing there big Spring Sample Event. Every CVS store I have been into has a table in the front right now with samples. One of the samples being given away is CVS sublock. Attatched to the sunblock is 1.00 off coupons off of ANY CVS sublock. CVS has smaller (basically trial size) sunblocks for 2.19 or Lip Balm for 1.99 each. Well if you got 5 of the sunblocks or 6 lip balms (or mix and matched) you can get

6 lip balms for 1.99 each = 11.94
Use 6 coupons and total is 5.94
Even Better use that 3.00 off any CVS purchase form the scanner and that is 2.94 for 6 lip balms!

Or
5 CVS Sunblocks for 2.19 =10.96
Use 5 coupons and total is 5.96
Minus 3 dollar CVS coupon and it's 2.96 for 5 sunblocks!


The reason for going over is so you go over the ten dollar minimum for the CVS coupon. Also you also get the free Sample of Sunblock! A must deal for Arizonans!

Cheap Candy at CVS!

This week CVS has a deal that if you buy 10 dollars of specified candy, you can get 5 dollars in ECB's back. Now this is a great stock up sale and I have a great scenario.

There are CVS brands of candy on sale for .88 cents each (they are gummy bears, mints, fruit chews, laffy taffy etc). They are actually pictures on the front flap of the CVS ad. Now, some CVS stores have Printers/Scanners. Basically, you can scan your CVS card and it prints out coupons!! Unfortunately, only select stores have these but you could be lucky enough to have one by you!

Anyways, right now (at least at 35th ave and Peoria) the printer is printing out 3 dollars off any $10.00 CVS brand purchase.

So get 12 bags of those candies and it will come to a total of $10.56.
Use $3.00 off coupon and total comes down to $7.56.

After you pay and receive the $5.00 ECB's, it basically works out to 12 bags of candy for $2.56!!

I actually used my ECB from the Oral B Monthly Deal (6.99) so my total was only .57 cents!!! Plus I have the $5.00 to use on future purcahses!!

This is great for us with Tyler's birthday coming up. Plus at work I need sugar to make it through the day lol!

Freebie Friday

Host a FREE House Party Product Party. You can view the different parties available (updated with new ones periodically so bookmark it). Basically you apply and complete a 5 minute survey and they will pick 10,000 applicants to host these parties. Right now they have a Gerber Organic party available! Now hey it's not gaurenteed but I got picked once :) http://www.houseparty.com/events

Walmart Freebies:
Print a Kashi Coupon for $2.00 off of 1 box of cereal and get it FREE at Walmart where they are 2 for 4 dollars ~ You can print two so thats two free boxes!
http://www.kashi.com/account/new

http://walmart.triaddigital.com/In-Stores-Now-free-samples.aspx
Benefiber, Playtex, Benefiber, John Frieda and Crystal Light


Target Freebies with Printable Coupons:
If you go to the trial size section at Target, you will find freebies when you use coupons.
Bourdreaux's Butt Paste (Travel Size - 3 one use packs) $0.99
http://coupons.smartsource.com/WEB/index.aspx?Link=MPXKU7QWZQK36

Johnson and Johnson Baby Shampoo Trial Size
http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=shmsbom55457680&bt=wi&sssdmh=dm15.91025&o=9776&c=JB&p=pDxVta0n&xpsp=xpsp2

Trial Shout Wipes
http://www.cleanhomejournal.com/offers/200805-ziploc-off-shout/?hs225=pfe&hs227=pfe200805

Trial size Tylenol
https://www.tylenol.com/vcrc/manage/nmtycampaign.jhtml?oid=5315

Free Trial Size ALL
http://www.allfreeclear.com/allfreeclear/register/index.aspx

Register your Starbucks card on their website and they will send you a coupon for a FREE beverage! It's almost worth it to buy a gift card and register it for the free drink if you love Starbucks.
http://www.starbucks.com/cardrewards/

Babies Online Offers:
Free Wristband

and 6 months American Baby Magazine Subscription

https://www.babiesonline.com/offers/?offer=wristband&utm_source=TheFreeSite&utm_medium=Offers&utm_campaign=wristband


Wilson Golf Balls (2 free!) They only do 1000 a day so do it early in the A.M.! http://www.wilson.com/wilson/registration/fifty_zip_index.jsp

Free Carabineer Sportswatch from Penn
http://www.pennracquet.com/index2.html ~ Click on the link next to the guy in the photo and enter the code PENN

Free Empress Hair Care Sample:
http://www.empresshaircare.com/contact.asp

Free OceanSpray Cookbook
http://www.oceanspray.com/fall/ideas.html

Monday Savings!!

The deals you see on the left are from Target and CVS. For all of those items to the left, I paid only $8.38! And I still have 7 dollars in ECB's left!!

In the first to the left, it was two transactions:

First Transaction:

2 Listerine Mouth Washes ~ Used 1.00 off coupons to make them 2.49 each and they gave back 3.49 in ECB's so I made 1 dollar on each!

2 Bandaids ~ $1.99 each and made `.99 each on ECB's!

1 Gum (not shown) .50 cents (regular 1.99)

Total Out of Pocket was $1.32 and $6.98 + $3.98 in ECBs Earned!

Second Transaction:

1 Brut regular price $2.89 and it gave back $3.00 in ECB's ~ they paid me 11 cents to take it!

1 Fuzion Razor ~ Regular 11.99 on sale for $9.99 and I used a $4.00 coupon and it gave back 4.00 in ECB's! So in the end it was only 2 bucks!

1 Lumene Makeup (from Germany) on sale for $1.50 (it was 90% off!)

After coupons and ECbs I only paid....1 cent!!! and I still have 7 dollars to use in ECB's!

Be sure to check out this months ECB's in my blog archive!

Second Pic:
What you are seeing here is a combination of CVS and Target deals.

Target:

The deodorants were .25 cents each after coupons for .75 cents off. Suave and Dove both have coupons out for .75 cents off, check out the trial size section because the coupon does not state you can't use it on those!

Butt Paste was Free after IP ~ Now I don't have diaper babies anymore but I figure this would be cute to put with a pack of diapers for a baby shower!

4 packs of Taco Seasoning ~ They were regular .75 cents and were on sale for .52 cents. Well I had coupons for .75 cents off of two so I used two coupons to get 4 packs making it .58 cents for four packs!

CVS Deals:

All was 90% off!
Adidas cologne (my husband LOVES this one) it was only .14 cents each and I believe I got 15

Neutregena Lotion was .87 cents (it still has the 8.79 sticker on in!)

Lotions were 10 cents each

and the French Manicure set was 59 cents!

Total out of pocket for everything in pic two was only $7.05!

Now don't think I am a store hog, some of the stuff I get, I accumulate to send over to the troops with my grandmother and aunt so not only am I benefiting, other people are as well!

Super Savings Saturday!!

First I apologize for not getting the latest deals posted on the blog, I have been super busy. Now even though I was EXTREMELY exhausted today, I went to CVS at 8:30 tonight to get last minute deals.

1 Cup of Soup FREE (regular $1.99 ~ used a $2.00 of IP)
2 Migraine Excedrins -FREE (on sale for $2.00 each ~ used (2) $2.00 IPs)
3 Ora Pik Traveler Kits ~ 8.37
1 Dermaica Moisterizer ~ $1.89 (regular $11.99) 90% off ~ woohoo!

I used 9.98 in ECB's and total out of pocket was: .66 cents!! Plus I got $8.37 in ECB's from the Ora Pik Kits!!!

Check out Money Saving Mom and The Centsible Saywer to see other massive savings! Just click the links to the left in the blogroll!

CVS June ECB Sneak Peek!

I don't think there are as many deals as there were last month but none the less, there are some good deals!!

CVS brand 40ct. bandages sheer or plastic 1.99 and get 1.99 back in Extra Bucks; LIMIT 2.

Listerine Smart Rinse 3.49 and get 3.49 back in Extra Bucks; LIMIT 2. (use coupon Q20 for $1 off; this makes it a moneymaker)

Oral-B Crossaction 2 packs 6.99 and get 6.99 back in Extra Bucks; LIMIT2

Other Extra Buck offers for June that look good:

Buy Huggies lotion, hair and body wash, or 20 ct. wash cloths get a $2 Extra Buck; LIMIT 5 (use coupon for $1 off)

Buy CVS brand cotton swabs 500-625 ct. get a $2 Extra Buck; LIMIT 5. Last time they ran this deal the cotton swabs were $2.99; thus, only .99 after Extra Bucks!

Buy Brut deodorant, anti-perspirant, after shave or cologne get a $3 Extra Buck; LIMIT 5.

Target Herbal Essences Deal with FREE Mani/Pedi!

At Target: Herbal Essence Shampoos and Conditioners are on sale $2.94 Use with $2/2 Target Coupon Print it here
Match it with $1/1 herbal Essence Man. Coupon (expires 5/31/08 )
Final Price: $0.94 each

On top of this awesome deal, look for the specially marked bottles where you can send in for a certificate for a FREE mani or pedi!!

2 Shampoos/Conditioners for under 2 bucks Plus a free mani or pedi, you can't beat this deal! http://www.tlc-rewards.com/herbalessencesmaniorpedioffer/home.php

**Ad Matching @ Walmart**

Did you know that Walmart ad matches food items if you have the ad to compare it to? I absolutely despise Walmart because of the crowds, the lines, and the cranky cashiers so I havent ad matched in years. Well a new Walmart Neighborhood Market just opened up by my house and I decided to give it a shot. WOW! This place was clean and OMG no lines, no people! The cashier was SUPER nice in helping me ad match and I left feeling overwhelmingly happy! In fact, when I had wanted to ad match something she told me another store had it cheaper ( I didnt have this ad) and she gave it to me at the cheaper store price!

So my reccomendation is if you have a Walmart Neighborhood Market in your area, use it! I have been twice now including a Saturday and it has been great!

Look for the Clearance!!

There is more to finding deals than just scoping the ads. When you are at the store, take the time to check where your store usually puts it's clearance. If you dont know where it is, just browse every isle. Always take all of your coupons with you as you never know what will be on clearance and hopefully you have it organized to where you can find if you have a coupon for the clearanced item.

This week I had a HUGE hit with clearance!

Fry's
3 Tru Blend Foundations 2.00 each (regular $8.99)
3 Mascaras 1.50 each (regular 7.99)
1 Concealer $1.50 (regular 5.99)
1 Blush ~ 4.99
I used 4 1.00 off of any CG Product and 1 FREE face product coupon and 1 FREE blush coupon and a $2.50 off any two products so after coupons I actually had a little bit of overage so in a sense, I got PAID to take these products =)

Walmart
4 packs of Well Pack Neck and Shoulder Wraps 1.50 each (regular 5.99) I used 1.00 off coupons = .50 cents a piece final price.
4 tubes of Freeze Its 2.50 each (regular 9.99 each) no coupon but I LOVE this stuff and since it was 75% off I couldnt pass this deal!
4 eyebrow/eyelash brushes .10 cents each (regular 1.99 each) no coupon
2 makeup pad packs .10 cents each (regular 1.99 each) no coupon
1 Ky Sensual Mist 3.00 (regular 5.95) I used 3.00 off coupon making it FREE (my favorite price)
1 Jergens Natural Glow 1.50 (regular 5.95) I used a 1.00 off coupon making it .50 cents.

So I got all that for 12.70! Even better is in all the boxes of the Well Packs there is a coupon for 1.00 off another pack so I am going tomorrow to get more! There is two in the pack so they are only .25 cents a piece!

CVS:
1 Ipod Travel Charger 2.00 (regular 19.99)
1 Maalox Medicine .56 cents (regular 5.69)
1 Hair Serum .20 cents (regular 1.99)
1 Mens Neutragena Hair Care Kit ~ .40 cents (regular 3.99)
2 Olay Face Washes ~ 2.65 (regular 5.99) and I had a coupon for 3 dollars off of two Olay items.

My CVS now has a 90% off clearance section that I try to scope out at least twice a week!

CVS Deals 5/25-5/31

So I wanted to post the deals that will be going on the last week of May. Remember to check my other CVS posts to find out what to get for the monthly deals. Do multiple transactions so you can pay little out of pocket and keep on rolling those ECB's.

Sunday and Monday ONLY~ Revlon Nail Polish On sale for $3.99, get 3.00 in ECB's back. Well we have a coupon for this for 1.00 of so you can get it for free!! Now I have enough nail polish to last me a life time but I figure I could use them for a gift or just paint my nails more often lol.

A couple other deals worth mentioning:
$10 ECB wyb 24.7 Skin Care or Cosmetics products listed LIMIT 1 ~ Prices start at 16.95 according to the ad.

$2 ECB wyb Tide 24-32 loads $5.99 LIMIT 2 We have .35 cent off coupons for this ~ Not the best deal but if you need it, Tide under 4 bucks is still a good deal!

Other than that I didnt see any really good deals for this week.

Redbox ~ FREE Movies!

Months ago I had a Blockbuster Online Membership and when I received a notice that they were raising my fees, I terminated our relationship. Soon after I found Redbox and have enjoyed free movies ever since!

If you havent checked it out yet, go to www.redbox.com. They are DVD Vending Machines that have the movies from the past 12 months and they are located in Walgreens and select Circle K's and Walmarts. If you sign up for their email codes, they will send you an introductory movie code and another code once in a while. However, if you also sign up for their text messages you will receive up to TWO free movie codes each week directly to your cell. Even better you can share the code so if you have another credit card, thats more free movies! Right now they have free movie Mondays and free movie Wednesdays. I get around 10 free movies a month and never have to pay! Now, they do charge late fees (which I have gotten a couple times after forgetting to return it) and its a dollar a night after the due date. If you rent without a code its 1.00 a night which even if you have to pay that, it's an awesome deal! Especially if you think about how much a movie ticket is now a days! So check out redbox and get some free movies! I'll try to post the codes as I get them and you can also google "redbox codes" to see if anyone else has any to share!

Tuesday Deals ~ I saved 90 % at CVS today!

Today I went to CVS and made out pretty well. First here are the deals for this week that are worth looking into:

Garnier Shampoo and Conditioner $2.99 with a $1 ECB. We have coupon a few coupons for this for $1 off making them just $.99 cents after coupon and ECB. There is a limit of 2.

Almay Intense i-color (This is eyeshadow, liner and mascara that is specially formulated for individual eye colors.) on sale for $6.99 with a $5 ECB. We have coupon a for $1 off any Almay product. So after ECB and coupon, we pay only .99 cents each and there is a limit of 2.

Right Guard Sport, Extreme or Soft & Dri or Dri Idea on sale $2.50 each with a $2 ECB when you buy 2. We have a coupon for .75 cents off of Right Guard and a coupon for .75 cents off of Soft & Dri or Dri Idea. After ECB and coupon, we pay .75 cents each. Limit 1.

Banana Boat Suncare prices starting at $8.99 and you get $7 ECB's when you buy 2. We have a coupon for $1 off any Banana Boat Product.

K-Y Yours and Mine on sale for $19.99 and you get a $5 ECB. There is also a coupon here for $5 off. If you have a $4 off of $20 update coupon from CVS, you will pay $5.99 after ECB and the coupons. If you really want to try this its a good deal ;)


Don't forget to take advantage of the monthly deals! Aquafresh Toothpaste, Adidas Deodorant, Colgate Toothbrushes, Tums Quick Paks, CVS Lortadine Allergy Meds and the quick pic tooth care kit. We have coupons for the toothpaste, toothbrush (hurry expires on Sat) and the Tums. If you pick up an ALL YOU magazine from Walmart, it has a ton of coupons including one for a FREE Adidas Deodorant, meaning they actually PAY you to take the Deodorant!

Remember to register your CVS card for a four dollar coupon on their website.

Okay here is what I did today:

• 1 Venus Razor (reg 11.99 on sale for 9.99) ~ Right now they are printing out 3 dollars in ECB's, we have a coupon for 4 dollars off so it makes them 3 dollars, definately not as good as the Walgreens deal a couple weeks ago but I found a coupon and I didnt want it to expire lol. Plus I absolutely love this razor!
• 1 Almay I Intense Mascara (regular 7.49 on sale for 6.99) ~ I used 1 dollar off coupon and it gave back 5 ECB's so I got it for .99 cents
• 1 Garnier Fructis Conditioning Serum (reg 5.19 on sale for 2.99) had a 1 dollar coupon, it gave back a dollar in ECB's so it was .99 cents total.
• Now here is the clearance deals I got: 1 Ipod Charger that was regular 19.99 on sale for 2 bucks! 1 Hair Serum regular 1.99 on sale for .20 cents, 1 bottle of Malox regular 5.60 on sale for .56 cents, 1 Neutragena mens travel care kit, regular 4 bucks on sale for .40 cents, and 2 Olay Face Washes which were on sale for 2.65 each and I had a 3 dollar coupon off of both.

So after ECB's and coupons my total for everything including tax was $6.64 and I saved $61.24! That's a 90% savings!!!I event 9 more ECB's to spend ~ I love when they pay me to take their stuff!

Save Money On Groceries Without Leaving Your House!

This tip takes under 15 minutes and will definately help save you money! Go through your pantry about once a month.

• Note the dates on your items and make sure nothing will expire soon. By doing this, you automatically save yourself from waste.
• List the items you have and the items you are getting low on. By writing down your inventory, this will prevent you from buying it at the store, when its possibly not on sale. By noting what you are low on, you can write it down and look for it on sale in the upcoming weeks.
• Plan your means around your stockpile in your pantry. Go to http://www.supercook.com and enter your ingredients. I have used this from canned tuna to veggies to pasta. You can enter the ingredients you have on hand and it will tell you recipes you can cook. By using your stockpile and planning your menus from it, this can automatically save you from having to spend more at the store for that week.

Not only will this save you money but it will give your pantry that freshly organized look! If you notice that you have an abundance of an item that you don't think you will use, remember those less fortunate. By organizing my pantry this week I gave out three bags of food for my sister who is a starving college student ;)

Remember, this doesnt just apply to food. Go through your medicine and toiletries regularly. To help you remember, put it on your to do list for when you do the monthly things around your house such as changing your air filter or washing the curtains.

Freebie Friday 5/16

Samples:
Free sample of 2X Tide Laundry Soap
(leave the costco number blank if you do not have one)
http://www.costco.com/Browse/ProductGroup.aspx?Prodid=11239765&cm_re=1-_-Right_Nav-_-Tide

Teddy Grahams Sample
http://scholastic.com/teddytrail/

Free Caress Sample
http://www.caressbrazilian.com/

Current Walmart Freebies:
http://walmart.triaddigital.com/In-Stores-Now-free-samples.aspx
Excedrin
Poise
Ban Deodorant
Viva Paper towels
John Frieda and Frizz Ease Hair Product


Restaurant Freebies:
Free Fruitista Freeze at Taco Bell
http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=reoncmv84774039&bt=wi&o=52707&c=PE&p=qi5VZ9xC

Free Ice Cream for Expecting Moms at Baskin Robbins
http://www.baskinrobbins.com/spotlight/bumpday.aspx

Melting Pot Chocolate Fondue for two!!
http://www.themeltingpotclubfondue.com/signup.cgi?n=14057

Free Breakfast at Mimis Cafe ~ Sign up for their Eclub
https://www.mimiscafe.com/eclub.aspx

Free Sidekickers at Arbys
http://coupons.shopping.yahoo.com/arbys/

Other Freebies:
Free Gymboree Class
http://www.playandmusic.com/b2c/customer/previewClass.jsp

PULL-UPS® Potty Training Special Offers - including coupons and our potty training guide. http://www.pull-ups.com/na/specialoffers/BigKid.asp?WT.mc_id=Home

Free Field and Stream Subscription
http://www.easternsportshow.com/App/homepage.cfm?appname=100280&moduleID=3932&LinkID=30049&Date=2241&campaignid=61365348&iUserCampaignID=39534430

Freebie Friday 5/9

Free Pick Up Stix Combo
https://secure.murgent.com/emopt/index.php?id=4046



Purina 30 day Challenge for dogs and cats
http://www.purinaoneoffer.com/

Johnny Rocket FREE Veggie Burger
http://www.vegcooking.com/johnnyrocketspecial.asp?c=weekly_enews
Get a free Streamliner Veggie burger with the purchase of any hamburger or sandwich, starter and soda. (any hamburger can be substituted with a 100% Soy Boca Burger patty upon request). Good only at participating Johnny Rockets locations. Not valid with any other discounts or offers. One offer per guest per visit. Offer good from May 1 through May 31, 2008.


Free CVS Photo Enlargement:
To get your 2 free prints:
:: Go to CVS Photo:: add 1 5x7 and 1 8x10 to your cart:: When you check out, use the promo code ENLARGE, and choose to pick up at your local store.:: $5.88 will be subtracted from your price, making your total $0.00.

Get a free bag of Carazona Chips (in the health food section)
http://coupons.smartsource.com/WEB/index.aspx?Link=M2AS36B3LXRLU

Free Bush's Beans Cookbook
http://www.bushbeans.com/beaninfo/simplythebest.php

400 Free Digital Picture Prints
http://www.artscow.com/default.aspx?Ref=339047

Current Walmart Samples:
Free Drink Mix http://walmart.triaddigital.com/Free-Samples.aspx
Benefiber and John Frieda Shampoo and Conditioner
http://walmart.triaddigital.com/Free-Samples.aspx

Dunkin Donuts FREE Iced COffee on May 15th
https://www.dunkindonuts.com/

Mcdonalds FREE Chicken Sandwhich on May 15th (mush purchase drink)
http://whatcamefirst.com/

Walgreens Findings 5/8

Here is my Walgreens Deal for this week:

13 items:
3 Mens Body Washes
1 Venus Razor (with refill)
1 Cover Girl Mascara
2 Cover Girl Compacts
4 Packs of Sponges/Powder Puffs
1 Concealer
1 Pack of Trident (not shown)

TOTAL: Out of pocket: $11.70 AND I got $26.00 in Register Rewards to use towards another purchase!!

Here is what I did,
Gillette Body Wash (1)
1 Venus Razor (had 4 dollar coupon for the Venus)
I used a $10.00 Register Reward
Well I went under so I had to grab a pack of gum to make my total positive.
It cost $1.29 out of pocket In return I also got a 6 dollar Register Rewards!

Well when I purchased the Body wash, I got a Catalina for a FREE bottle of the same body wash, no purchase necessary!!

So my second transaction was just the tax on the Gillete Body wash and it gave me ANOTHER Catalina!! So I am going to keep going back and rolling them free Body Washes :D

Third Purchase:
1 Old Spice Body Wash (Had a $2.00 off Catalina)
and 8 Cover Girl Items (Had 4 coupons for $2.50 off two covergirl items)
I also used $6.00 in register rewards
Out of pocket I spent $10.41 and in return, I got $20.00 in Register Rewards!!

So I will go back and keep rolling these with similar scenarios. Check the Walgreens ad for everything included in the Register Rewards. If you are looking on more scenarios and more savings, check out Money Saving Mom (link is in my blogroll to the left).

BTW, it's the Gillette 2 in 1 Mens Body Wash 12 Ounces. It is 4.99 but that initial investment will keep on spitting out the free coupons at the register!

WFMW Frugal Tip: Clean Your Toilet with ZERO Effort for Cheap!

Here is a quick tip that I have been doing and it's awesome! Use denture cleaning tablets to clean your toilet. Those little tablets that people use to clean their dentures, well it does the same thing for toilets. I bought a box of 120 for 3 bucks. I drop a couple in at a time, come back 5 minutes later, flush and there ya go, clean toilet! No scrubbing, no harsh cleaners, just a clean toilet! Now, I reccommend you do this inbetween cleanings, say during the week when things are hectic. This way you only have to scrub your toilet a few times a month! Plus, it will last me about 4-5 months and only cost me 3 bucks! It's the cheapest and easier toilet cleaner ever =D

Find other great tips over at Rocks In My Dryer

Tuesday Deals ~ I saved over 100 bucks today!

Wow I had a really good deal day!

First check out my CVS deals.I used my husbands card today which had no ecb's but it had no purchaes yet either so I can start from scratch for the monthly deals. How much do you think I spent? I spent $8.95 all together AND I got $7.78 in CVS bucks back!

This was amazing, the hair color was 90 percent off and it equaled one dollar! I than had two coupons for the Loreal for 2.00 off one! So in a sense, they paid me to take the hair color. The printer ink was 1.00, the loreal lotion was 1.45, the tape was .10 cents each, the heal cushions were .49 cents, the candy bars were .10 cents (two are missing in the picture thanks to the kids) the citrucel was 1.13 and I had a dollar off coupon so it was only .13 cents. I than of course got the allergy meds and toothbrushes for the ECB's.

What you are seeing above is two transactions. For the ECB's I did

1st Transaction:
2 Allergy Meds for 3.79 each and then got the $7.58 back in ECB's.

Second transaction:

1 Toothbrush for 3.99 (3.99 in ECB's back)

1 Allergy Med for $3.79 (3.79 in ECB's back)
So all I paid was .22 cents and got the $7.48 back in ECB's.

So I guess you can say out of pocket I only paid a little over a dollar for all my goodies! Oh I also used a 3.00 off 15 coupon that I got thanks to Money Saving Mom! http://www.moneysavingmom.com/

At Albertsons I got the Mission Tortilla chips that were on sale. I got 4 bags for a total of .75 cents. Yes 4 big bags of tortilla chips equaled a total of .75 cents. I had 3 .75 cents off coupons and a dollar off any purchase catalina so it brought me down to only, .75 cents. WOOHOO!

I also went to Walgreens, they have great register rewards right now. I had a ten dollar off one from the P&G so I used that towards a venus razor and two bags of dove chocolate. So in total I paid 2 something for those three things and got a six dollar coupon to use on my next purchase. Not a bad day if I say so myself! So before the week ends, make sure you make it to CVS and Walgreens for their awesome deals!

Today I saved over 100 bucks and only spent around 10 dollars!

Are you CVS'ing?

If not, you should be! You can get many items for nearly free and free! Sometimes, you can get paid to get stuff from CVS!

This is how it works, you will need to make an initial investment to earn CVS Bucks. Check out this blog to find out how to maximize your CVS dollars and how to get started!
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/2007/09/cvs-101.html



This months catalog is awesome! Freebies include Tums,Toothpaste, Toothbrushes, Allergy Meds, Adidas Deodorant and the travel teeth care kit.

Here is my weekend shoppings:

My initial investment (because I lost my CVS bucks from last month) was $11.37 for the allergy meds. Now I didnt find out until after, that you can go by the Pharmacy dept to find the CVS magazine which includes a coupon for a dollar amount off of CVS items. I'll be using that for my husbands card.

Now with the $11.37 in CVS bucks for the allergy meds, I bought 2 Ice Breakers and 3 360 toothbrushes. I had one one dollar off coupon
I used the $11.37 in CVS Bucks and saved a total of $14.85
Out Of Pocket I paid ~ $2.70 In return I got $13.97 in CVS Bucks

With the $13.97 I bought 2 of the Tums Quick Packs, 1 Dawn and 2 Natural Instincts Hair Dye. Now the Dawn and Natural Instincts were not free however, I had gotten the dawn initially for a filler, didnt have enough so I got the natural insticts (printed out a $1.00 CVS buck as well). I had a coupon for the Dawn (.25 cents off) so it was .88 cents minus .25 cents so it was .63 cents. A little more than I like to pay for dish soap but I was running low. Now I did have a coupon for BOGO for the hair dye(which I did need) so it ended up being two boxes for $4.99 total.
So here we go:
$13.97 in ECBs
.25 cent coupon
5.99 coupon for free hair dye which in turn equals
$2.70 Out of Pocket and saved $29.92
In return I got $9.38 in CVS Bucks

Last transaction I purchased 3 of the Aquafresh Extremes. I missed the coupon dates on these and I couldnt print any so I didnt maximize my savings unfortunately. But free is free so I am happy with that. I also purchased a .50 cent candy for a filler.
$9.38 in CVS Bucks
Total Out of pocket ~ .9 cents and total savings was $11.17
In Return I got $8.97 in CVS Bucks

The only free thing I have been unable to find is the Adidas Deodorant, I am still on the hunt for it!

So Out of Pocket I paid for everything in that picture above
$11.37
$2.70
$2.70 ( I have no idea how I got that same amount two different times! )
$.09
TOTAL: $16.86
SAVINGS: $57.44!

I still have CVS bucks to keep on spending!

Now I could do better by spending nothing out of pocket but I got stuff I needed and remember if you got coupons, use em! Oh and don't lose your cvs bucks! LOL

Freebie Friday 5/2/08

Here are some freebies for your enjoyment, all offers are subject to availability:

Free Yo Baby Yogurt
http://www.yobabyyogurt.com/yomommy/freetrial/

Free Sample of Kashi Granola
http://www.kashi.com/outreach/off_your_rump/create_free_sample

Free Manicure or Pedicure from Herbal Essences (requires minimum purchase)
http://www.tlc-rewards.com/camanipedi/terms.php?page=shampoo&lang=EN

Free True Lemon Sample
http://www.truelemon.com/sample.html

Aveeno Anti Aging and Sample Coupon
http://www.aveeno.com/antiaging

Walmart Samples: Benefiber, Frizz Ease and Fiber One Cereal
http://walmart.triaddigital.com/Free-Samples.aspx

Free Sample of Eucerin Calming Creme
http://www.eucerinus.com/ivillage/regfrm.asp

Free Sample of Dunkin Donuts Coffee
https://dunkinathome.offerprocessingcenter.com/?source=[homepage]

Free Nads Wax Strips: The first users to vote will receive a free package of Nad's 24 large hair removal strips...that's right, Free!($8.99 value includes free shipping )
http://www.smoothexperts.com

Free Museum Entry for Bank of America Card Holders ~ AZ Science Museum (first weekend of every month)
http://promotions.bankofamerica.com/museums/

10 Easy Ways to Make Some Extra Cash

1. Sell It ~ If you have extra stuff laying around, an easy way to raise a few bucks is having a yard sale. Also consider listing them on Ebay or Craigslist.

2. Save Your Change ~ Do you have a change jar? Did you hear about the gentleman who paid for his truck using his spare change, $25,000 to be exact! Continuing to save those quarters with a change jar, and then put the change away in a closet where it's hidden from view, it can really add up. We paid for a Disney vacation with loose change.

3. Coupons ~ You don't really need the coupon ninja to lecture you on the benefits of couopning. When you use your coupons, keep your receipt and look at your savings on the bottom, put what you saved away into a seperate account and watch those savings grow!

4. Do It Yourself ~ If you have someone that you pay to mow your lawn or if you go to a salon to get your nails done, consider saving money by doing these kind of tasks yourself.

5. Bank It ~ If you are expecting a refund from the IRS or a work bonus, don't even touch it, just put it in savings for a time when you need it. On top of being prepared, you can make money on top of it with interest.

6. Think Twice ~ Are you considering a big purchase? Make sure you sleep on it and really consider if you need that item. If you are shopping at the mall and see a shirt that you really want, leave it on the rack and finish walking the mall. If by the end of your trip you are still empty handed and wanting that shirt, go ahead and get it but don't make any impulse decisions.

7. Give It Up ~ Have a Starbucks Addiction? If you have a Starbucks coffee each day, that ends up being almost 2,000 dollars a year! That cigarette addiction could be just as expensive! Do you really need all of those cable channels? Think about it, if you don't really need it you could save thousands a year by just giving up something simple. Stick to home brewed coffee, roll cigarettes if you have to have them, or just stick to regular cable, its very simple savings! Other things to give up ~ Entertainment (movies, cd's, magazines, etc), Eating out frequently, Compulsive shopping, Driving frequently and other luxury expenditures.

8. Don't buy in bulk ~ Unless it's something you need such as diapers or toilet paper, do you really need that membership to the wholesale club. Most times, you can actually find things much cheaper at regular stores than at a Sams or Costco. Plus, when you buy perishable items you are more likely to waste it if you buy in bulk instead of buying conservatively.

9. Shop Around ~ If you are thinking of going on a vacation or buying a car, make sure you do your homework. By researching price, you can save nearly 50%. Go to the hotels website, they usually offer "web" specials that they don't offer on other booking sites. If you are purchasing a car, check out the dealership websites to see who offers the best rebates and incentives.

10. Side Bucks ~ Do you have a special talent or creative offering you can do on the side? Some ideas are cake decorating, photography, knitting, party planning etc. It's easy to start your own side business if you do your research, and in the end it may explode into your full time business!

Stockpile Recipes ~ Breakfast

If you have a stockpile and need ideas on what to do, here are some breakfast ideas.

CEREAL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Indoor S’mores

8 cups Golden Grahams cereal
5 cups miniature marshmallows
1 ½ cups milk chocolate chips
¼ cup light corn syrup
5 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup miniature marshmallows (if desired)


Butter rectangular pan, 13X9X2 inches. Measure cereal into large bowl. Heat 5 cups marshmallows, the chocolate chips, corn syrup and butter in 3-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Pour over cereal in bowl; quickly toss until evenly coated. Stir in 1 cup marshmallows.

Peanut Butter Cornflake Cookies

(1) Cup White Karo Syrup
(1) Cup Sugar
(1) Cup Peanut Butter
1/2 Tsp Vanilla
(6) Cups Cornflakes (plain)

Heat syrup and sugar to a boil. Remove from heat and mix in peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Pour over and mix w/ corn flakes until covered and then drop by the spoonful on wax paper or foil.

No Bake Cereal Bars

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups toasted oat cereal
2 cups crispy rice cereal
2 cups dry-roasted peanuts
2 cups candy-coated milk chocolate pieces
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, toss together the toasted oat cereal, rice cereal, peanuts and chocolate pieces; set aside. Grease a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, stir together the corn syrup and sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and quickly stir into the peanut butter and vanilla. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the cereal mixture and mix well. Press into the prepared pan. Let stand until set. Cut into bars and serve.


Cheerio Treats

1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
5 cups cheerios

In large saucepan, mix and bring to boil corn syrup and sugar. Continue boiling for one minute beyond the sugar dissolving. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter, vanilla, and cheerios. Drop by spoonfuls on well greased cookie sheets or on waxed paper.

Cheerios Breakfast Bars

Ingredients

1¼ (300 mL) cups sugar
½ cup (125 mL) butter or margarine, softened
½ cup (125 mL) peanut butter
¼ cup (50 mL) water
1 tbsp (15 mL) vanilla
1 Egg
1 ½ cups (375 mL) all purpose or whole wheat flour
1 cup (250 mL) old fashioned or quick cooking oats
1 cup (250 mL) raisins
½ tsp (2 mL) each salt and baking soda
4 cups (1 L) Cheerios® cereal
Directions

Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). Stir together sugar, butter, peanut butter, water, vanilla, and egg in a large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients except cereal. Gently stir in cereal.

Pour into ungreased 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) pan.

Bake 15- 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Cut into bars.


PANCAKES
If you have a great amount of pancake mix, here are some ideas on what to put in the pancakes.

Mashed Bananas
Chocolate Chips
Butterscotch Chips
Blueberries
Apple Pie Filling
Almonds/Granola

Coupons Coming Out on Sunday

You can see a preview of the coupons that are coming out each Sunday by clicking here: http://www.taylortownpreview.com/index.htm

Coupons are usually up by late Wednesday

Couponing FAQ

Here are some common questions about coupons:

How many coupons can I use for an item?
Only one manufacturer coupon per item, even if they are different coupons. Now, if a store offers coupons such as Target, you can use a Target coupon AND a manufacturer coupon on one item, as long as it does not bring the item total lower than zero.

How can I tell if it is a manufacturers coupon or a store issued coupon?
If you look on the top of your coupon, you will see a box split into two parts. One is the expiration and the other is the type of coupon. It will say either the store's name or manufacturers coupon.

Double coupons, what does that mean?

Double coupons means the value on the coupon will double at certain stores. Check with your local store to see if they double coupons. Stores in AZ that double are:

• Bashas
• Frys
• Safeway

Some stores will do triple coupon promotions, usually around the holidays. Some coupons state do not double, you take the chance of it doubling because sometimes it does double through the computer, sometimes not. You can tell if it will double by seeing if it states do not double, or looking at the coupon number. If it starts with a 5, it will usually double.

Where do I get coupons for the grocery store?
Usually the coupons come in your local Sunday Paper.

If I have multiple coupons, can I still buy multiple items?
Usually stores put a limit on three like coupons per transaction, after that the coupon comes off at face value. If a store does not double coupons, there is no limit. However, check with your store for their coupon policy.

Stockpiling ~ Take Advantage Of This Low Cost Investment

Stockpiling is something I have been practicing for nearly a year now, so this is not new to me. However, I have been hearing recent buzz about news reports on why people should start stockpiling food. I decided to use my good ole friend google to find out what the AP has been saying. I was quite shocked to see how many articles have come out in the recent weeks regarding this topic, including one from Wall Street : http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120881517227532621.html

With the way the economy is going, it's probably a wise choice to stockpile because you know everything is going up in price. Think about the truckers that take the food to the stores, thier gas prices have gone up significantly, so in turn, their prices go up, then in that turn, the sellers raise their prices. It's the domino effect, once one price goes up, everything goes up. Not only are prices rising, people are being laid off. Stockpiling is a wise investment just incase something happens that you are not counting on in the future.

Now, I am not one for believing that Armageddon is knocking on the door and we need to go out and buy canned foods and run to a bomb shelter. However, I am a firm believer in saving my pennies so when I find something that is a great deal, I stock pile it. Coupons are a great resource in helping with this. For example, if Aquafresh is on sale for 1.00, and we have coupons for 1.00 off, that makes them of course, FREE! So when I know that something will be on sale like that, I will scope out my coupons and check ebay for a lot of those coupons. The main benefit to stockpiling is you never know when that item will be on sale again, especially when you need it. Now say you have 5 toothpastes that you got for free or for under a buk, isn't that better than going out and buying it whenever you need it, and maybe its not on sale or there isn't a coupon? Toothpaste is more than three bucks, free sounds a lot better to me!!

Here are a few things I stockpile:

NONFOOD:

• Razors
• Toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Shampoo/conditioner
• Soap
• Laundry detergent
• Paper towels
• Toilet paper

FOOD:

• Pasta
• Rice
• Canned Food
• Cereal
• Snacks

Basically, if its nearly free and non perishable, I stockpile it. Now some people freeze milk, but I have never done this but I have heard it can be done. Especially with the rise of milk prices, it may be worth a shot.

The main inconveinence of stockpiling is space. If you live in a small living space, its harder to stockpile. So if you decide to, you will need to organize it. If your stockpile is just getting overwhelming, there are many shelters and food banks that would be happy to take your overflow off your hands.

Grocery Store Tips Pt. 1

I consider myself to be a money saving expert and I believe I have gotten grocery shopping down. Here are a few of my favorite tips:

• Create a List ~ Scope out the ads and either circle the items in the ad you need, or make a list. Here is a great tip, create a list on a back of an envelope. Inside the envelope, place your coupons that you will be using for that shoppin trip.
• Never buy an item because it's on sale ~ Just because you see something on sale, doesnt make it a great deal. Keep your eye out on the ads and stock up on what you usually use when it's a great deal. What is a great deal? When its at least 40 percent off and of course higher with a coupon.
• Create a "Never Pay More List" ~ Start a journal of what you think the best prices are and where you get them at. Say, a gallon of milk is $1.99 at it's best price so you would put that down on your list. Break it out into sections such as dairy, meats, etc. Once you do frugal gorcery shopping for at least 2 months, you will no longer need that list as you can store it all in your money saving mind =D
• Shop Monday Mornings ~ I think this is the best day to shop because usually, stores stock late Sunday night. Plus, they go through their inventory and this is when the markdowns happen. The best place to look is in the dairy section for these deals. I've gotten gogurts for .25cents a box (plus a coupon that made them free), Eggs for .50 cents a carton, milk for under a dollar, and juice for 1.00. They mark these down because they have just stocked the new inventory and they need to get these older ones out. Usually they dont expire for at least a week and dairy in my house goes pretty darn fast!
• Be Prepared When Shopping With a Child ~ It is easy to get distracted or frustrated when you are shopping with a little one. Bring a book, snacks, toys, etc to keep them occupied. My kids help me by looking for the item that is listed on the coupon and we play games such as I Spy. This keeps them from being bored and it keeps mommy sane!
• Make Sure The Deal is Worth It ~ I am fortunate enough to live within two miles of all the large grocery stores. However, if there is something on sale at a store that is not by you, make sure it is not costing you more in gas to get there than you would be saving.
• Read the Fine Print ~ Sometimes ads can be tricky with the way they word things. If something says buy 10 for $10.00, make sure it says must buy 10. If it doesnt, it usually means that you dont have to buy 10 items to get the deal. Also read the limits in the ad, they love to put this in smaller print so you will be more apt to buying additinal items at regular cost.
• Bring in Reusable Bags ~ Most grocery stores will give you a discount for using grocery bags that are reusable, plus they are great for the enviornment!

**Coupons**

You either get excited or you cringe when you hear that word. You should be excited and I'll explain why.

Here are the pros to coupons:
It's free money!!!

The Cons:
Time and effort to cut and maintain the coupon organizers.
A lot of coupons might not be what you would buy.

Here are some tips to help sway you to use coupons:

If you hate cutting coupons, you can pay your child (if old enough) to do this for you. My daughter loves doing it and all I have to do is organize them.

EBAY! Yes, go look on ebay for coupons that you can use. These will save you on purchasing a paper and it will save you time. There are different ways to search for coupons, type in the following according to what you are looking for:

• Coupon Lot
• Baby Coupons Lot
• Food Only Coupons
• or type in a product I.E. French's Mustard Coupons. You can usually find some lots of one item for pretty cheap. When you know something will be free that week(with coupon), go Wednesday onto Ebay to ensure you will get the coupons before the sale expires.

Wan't multiple coupons but don't want to pay for them? Go to your neighbors and family that you know will not use their coupons and ask them to save them for you. I get 4 sets of coupons a week and never buy a paper. It never hurts to ask!

Even if you have a coupon for something you wouldnt normally buy, go ahead and file it in your organizer anyways. You never know when you can find this item free with coupon, that way if you don't like the item, all you wasted was the tax.

My top tips for using coupons:

• Just because you have a coupon for it, doesnt mean it's a good deal. My rule of thumb is it must be over 50% off with coupon or I will not buy it.
• Stockpile ~ If you find something on sale that is a great deal and that you will use a lot of, find that coupon lot on Ebay and stock up on them so you will have them and won't risk them not being on sale again.
• Two coupon organizers ~ I use two coupon organizers, one for food items and one for non food items. They are plastic and fit nicely in my purse. Others use envelopes, tackleboxes, and ziploc bags. Whatever is easier for you, I like to keep mine organized.
• Check the ads before leaving the house. If you put the coupons you know you are going to use in one envelope, it makes it really easy to stick to your list and it saves a LOT of time.
• Never leave home without them! You can use coupons from places like Walmart to the grocery store to Walgreens. You never know when you will find some unadvertised deals.
• Check out the clearance items, this way you will get more bang for your buck if they are clearancing out something that you have a coupon for. This is especially valuable for the health and beauty items.
  

Internet Coupons: Internet coupons are free and can really help when something is on sale for the week. Now every store's policy is different on what they accept but many stores will accept internet coupons. My top sites for internet coupons:

• www.coupons.com
• www.boodle.com
• www.smartsource.com
• www.bettycrocker.com
• www.redplum.com

Most sites will allow you to print two of each coupon, please don't abuse this sytem! Do not try and copy your coupons that you have printed.

It will take a little while for you to notice how much you love coupons but once you start getting the hang of how to use them efficiently, you will be hooked! Like I said, it's free money and when you see at the bottom of the bill that you are saving 60%, 70% and even 90% yes I have saved that much MULTIPLE times at the store, you will actually look forward to grocery shopping!

What Is A Frugal Mom?

A frugal mom is of course a mom, but a mom who chooses to spend her family's money wisely. It's not just a decision, its a way of life that the moms practice every single day. Every decision that mom makes, is a decision based on frugality.

Frugal moms are all types of moms from stay at home moms, to single moms, to work out of the home moms. Some moms don't understand what it means to be frugal, or even how to be frugal. It can me anything from clipping coupons to creating a budget. Any mom can be frugal, they just need to know how. It is all about saving money, and using money wisely.

In this blog, I am going to share with you my tips for living as a frugal mom ~ Enjoy!