Friday, January 30, 2009

Wanna Win Stuff?!

Follow the link over to the quarterly BloggyGiveaways.com. There are almost 1,000 blog giveaways posted - whew! I'm sloooooowly going through and choosing a few that sound good to me. There are a lot of baby and child-related giveaways, so if you have kids this is a great opportunity to win a few things. Good luck!

Don't Forget to Submit Rebates!!

Submit your drugstore rebates before you lose them!!

Here are the links:
Walgreens
Rite Aid

I ended up with $34.97 at WAGS (plus $3.50, extra 10% for putting the rebate total back on my card), and $6.00 at Rite Aid this month. I hear that in February, there are 6-7 free after rebate items at WAGS! Wonder what they'll be...

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

FREE Diet Dr. Pepper Coupon

Click HERE to sign-up to receive a free coupon for Diet Dr. Pepper! You can choose between a coupon for a 20 ounce or 2 liter bottle. The coupon will be sent out in 4-6 weeks.

FREE Aromatherapy Item at Bath & Body Works

Make a $15 purchase, and use THIS coupon at get an Aromatherapy body care or home fragrance item (up to $13) for FREE! Valid through March 1, 2009. Limit one per customer.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Kroger deals 1/25-1/31

Click HERE to visit Southern Savers and this week's AWESOME Kroger deals!

MEGA DEAL - Purchase 10 participating products, get $5 back at checkout. Can do this with up to 30 products per transaction.

POSSIBLE FREEBIES:
Crest Toothpaste
Johnson's Buddies Soap
Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers
Chex Mix
Snapple
Sobe Life Water
Betty Crocker frosting

I Love Chai Tea.

I remember the day my life changed. I went to study for my college courses at Border's in Bloomington, Indiana, and ordered my first chai at the coffee shop. I had heard about this drink ahead of time and was curious, and I properly mispronounced it. "Ch-aah." From that first sip, I knew I had found true love.

Starbucks coffee?! HAH, burnt & bitter! I only drink chai tea, hot or cold, doesn't matter. I've tried the pre-made creamy chai sold at the grocery store, but never found the right mix. Until now. I found the recipe for Starbucks Chai Tea!

Chai Tea:
3 cups water
3 cups milk (I use skim, want to try with soy)
6-8 black or decaf black tea bags
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamom (Wal-Mart $10.28, Kroger $10.69)
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves (I used 1/4 tsp, don't want it to taste too strong)
1/2 tsp ground ginger, or a small chunk of mashed fresh ginger

Bring water & milk to a boil. Add other ingredients, return to boil. Turn off heat and let steep for 3-5 minutes. Remove tea bags and filter through fine strainer. Serve hot or cold.

Love, love, love.

My Kroger Trip 1/26

I hit the Mega Deal at Kroger yesterday and walked away with all of this for $32.41!
If you buy 10 participating products, you save $5.00 at checkout. I bought 20 products, so I saved an instant $10.00 at checkout, plus I had coupons for all the products. I used e-coupons, manufacture coupons, and my Kroger doubles paper coupons up to .50!

I also scored a few free items:
(2) Cottonelle 4 pks $0.99 ea
-$0.50/1 MFQ (doubled)
= FREE

Crest Toothpaste $2.50
-$1.50/1 MFQ
-$1.50/1 P&G ecoupon
= FREE, plus overage of .50

Johnson's Buddies soap $0.99 ea
-$1.00/1 MFQ
= FREE

My receipt says I saved 65%, but that includes the "Kroger Plus card savings". I know my coupon total was $33.66, plus the $10 from the Mega Deal. I'm still waiting for the 80-90% off shopping trip! HA!

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Big Ole Deals at Amazon

McAfee Internet Security 2009 $38.99 - FREE after mail-in rebate!!

Mrs. Meyer's Lemon Verbena Dryer Sheets $9.79 for 12 boxes of 80 sheets each!! This has expired. I think the price was a typo. My order was cancelled and the price matches the other dryer sheets, about $87.00. Boo! Don't you think I should have gotten it anyway?!
Come on, Amazon!


These items are currently featured in my Amazon store under CURRENT DEALS. Click on the links to get there.

CVS Deals 1/25-1/31

Click HERE for this week's CVS deals, thanks to Southern Savers (includes scenarios).
You can also visit Mummy Deals, Couponing 101, or Surviving the Stores for more listings.

FREEBIES (w/Extra Care Bucks or coupons):
Dove Beauty Bar
Almay Cosmetics
Mentos Gum
Gillette Fusion Gamer Razor
Head & Shoulders, Gillette, Pantene Restoratives or Expressions Shampoo, Conditioner, Mask or Balm
Children's Throat Cooler Ice Pops 6ct
NasoGel Drip Free Gel Spray 1.52oz
Nutra Trim Weight Management Chewing Gum 48ct
Soy Joy 6pk box

Walgreen's 1/25-1/31

Click HERE for this week's Walgreen's deals, thanks to Couponing 101.
You can also visit Mummy Deals HERE.
or Surviving the Stores HERE.

FREEBIES (w/rebate or coupons):
Printer Ink Refill!!
Reynold's Wrap Foil
Reese's Whipps
Carefree Pantyliners
Colgate Toothpaste
possibly, Bioinfusion Shampoo/Conditioner

Rite Aid 1/25-1/31

Click HERE for this week's Rite Aid deals, thanks to The Freebie Blogger.

FREEBIES:
Garnier Fructis Shampoo or Conditioner
One Touch 2 or Ultra Mini Glucose Meter (w/coupon)

Money Saving Websites

CELL PHONES:
BillShrink.com - Analyzes your cell phone and/or your credit card usage and matches you up to the best plans. I recently cut over $20 a month off my cell phone bill!


CREDIT CARDS:
Lowcards.com, cardfusion.com, cardratings.com - Find a lower interest rate or a better rewards plan


CARS:
Cars.com, Edmunds.com, Cartango.com - Compare local prices, find rebates and incentives for you next car purchase

Pumpandsave.com - Find the best cash-back fuel cards

Gasbuddy.com - Find the gas stations with the lowest prices in your town

Insurance.com - Compare rates and quotes to find the best deal for you


EDUCATION:

UPromise.com - Earn rewards to pay for school by registering credit cards, drugstore cards, using coupons, and more. Enrollment fee: Free!


SHOPPING:
Comparisonshop.com - find the lowest price online

Ebates.com, Cashbaq.com, Extrabux.com - Earn rebates while shopping online. (If you sign-up for Ebates and want to use me as the referral, please use the link on the left side of this blog, under Ebates. We'll both make $5! Thanks. : )

CouponCabin.com, RetailMeNot.com - Before you buy, search for coupons or promotional codes to use at checkout


GROCERIES/RESTAURANTS:
GroceryGuide.com - Enter your zip code to find weekly specials and coupons at supermarkets in your area

Restaurant.com - Receive $25 gift certificates for only $10 for restaurants in your area (check the left side of my blog for weekly updates and sales up to 80% off!).

KidsMealDeals.com - Find local kids-eat-free deals!

MyRecipes.com, AllRecipes.com, and all the other recipe websites out there - Don't buy cookbooks, just look recipes up online

More to come...

Thanks to All You magazine for many of these websites!

SwissGear Sale at Amazon.com

If you need a computer bag, this is a great sale. Good quality bags, and the prices are great! Click HERE to visit Amazon.com's SwissGear Blowout sale! All bags are 50-75% off.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Marsh Deals 1/22 - 1/28

Click HERE for the latest Marsh deals from Bargain Briana!
You can score some cheap cereal and tissues!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

My Trip to Rite Aid 1/21

Well...I had a pretty good day at Rite Aid! I was able to get all of this for FREE! In order to do this I scanned my ad, used the Grocery Gathering deal list at BeCentsable.com, and looked up the coupons in my files. See the details below:

2 Dove Ultimate Clear Deodorant $3.00 each
-$2 Single Check Rebate #81 (limit 2!!)
-$1.50/2 MFQ from 1/18 RP
=$0.25 each

Suave Shampoo & Conditioner $0.99 each
-$1/2 MFQ 1/11 RP
=$0.49 each

Sunmaid Raisins $0.99 each (I bought the packs of 6 boxes & coupon worked!)
-$1/2 MFQ 11/9 RP
=$0.50 each

Softsoap $0.99
-$0.35 MFQ 1/4 S1
=$0.64

(4) Extra Gum 15 stk $1.29 each B1G1
-(2) B1G1 MFQ (from various magazines)
=FREE!!

(2) Mentos Gum 15pc $1.00 each
-(2) $1/1 MFQ 12/14 SS
=FREE!!

GE Light Bulbs $2.00
-$2.00 Single Check Rebate #110
=FREE!!

Witchhazel $4.99
-$1 hang-tag coupon
=$3.99

Pencil Sharpener $0.99
Glasses Cleaner $2.49
Tylenol Rapid Release 8ct (filler) $1.19

Used the $20 Gift Certificate I received from the December Rebate Deal...

Total: FREE. Gotta love these deals!

All You Magazine - Coupons!

If you want a magazine that has lots of coupons, and interesting and helpful articles, check out All You. This is available only at Wal-Mart or by subscription.
To view February's coupons, click HERE and scroll down the page a little bit.
Click HERE for two free trial issues.
If you do want to subscribe to the magazine, I recommend checking your points or money-back websites for deals (i.e. MyPoints.com or Ebates.com) to see if you can get money back!

A Few Freebies!

Coupon for a free pastry or 2nd beverage with purchase of a beverage at Seattle's Best Coffee (Border's) - HERE!

Free Signature Bath & Body Works item (with purchase) coupon - HERE!

Pledge 5 hours of volunteering, and Starbucks will give you a free tall brewed coffee - HERE!

Upload a photo of your smile and get a FREE pack of Trident - HERE!

Free sample of Quaker True Delights granola bar - HERE!

Free sample of Playtex Sport tampons - HERE!

Free sample of Rachael Ray's dog food, Nutrish - HERE!

Register and receive a coupon for a free multi-pack of Boost Kid's Essentials - HERE!

Various freebies at Freeflys!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

CVS - Free Greeting Cards

Some CVS stores have deals this week where you can buy 3 American or Hallmark greeting cards, and get $3 ECBs back. Check you ad! Click HERE for more info.

Free Items at Menards!

Click HERE for a listing of free items after rebate at Menards!

Amazon TV Show DVDs 50% Off

Great deal at Amazon! Many TV show DVDs are 50% off, including Band of Brothers (DVD $42.49, Blu-Ray $34.99). This is an amazing and heart-wrenching show portraying the combat of WWII from bootcamp to battle. Based on the bestseller by Stephen E. Ambrose, the epic 10-part miniseries Band of Brothers tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Based on the book and research of Stephen E. Ambrose. This set also features a documentary, featurette, interviews, and more.

Highly, highly recommended.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Meijer Deals 1/18-1/24 (or 1/28)

Click HERE for Bargain Briana's rundown of the latest deals at Meijer. Organic products are on sale!!! Wish we had one!

More Peanut News

Click on the following links for more information about the peanut recall:

Yahoo! article on more products being recalled.
FoodEssentials.com blog listing types of products possibly affected. (Thanks, Jessica!)

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Walgreen's 1/18-1/24

Click on one of the following blogs for this week's Walgreen's deals! Not a lot of great deals this week, but there are a few Register Rewards deals to check out.

Surviving the Stores
Couponing 101
Saving Your Cents

Rite Aid Deals 1/18-1/24

Click HERE to visit The Freebie Blogger and this week's Rite Aid deals!

FREEBIES:
GE Light Bulbs
Mentos Gum (w/coupon)

INEXPENSIVE:
Huggies Wipes, Wash, Lotion, or Washcloths
Dove Go Fresh Body Mist or Ultimate Clear Deodorant
Colgate Kids Toothpaste

Watch Out for Peanut Butter!!

"As of Friday night, 474 people had been reported infected by a salmonella outbreak linked to peanut butter by public health authorities in 43 of the 50 U.S. states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said..." - Read the entire article at Yahoo! HERE.

"...the FDA has traced one likely source of Salmonella Typhimurium contamination to a plant owned by Peanut Corporation of America (PCA), which manufactures both peanut butter that is institutionally served in such settings as long-term care facilities and cafeterias, and peanut paste—a concentrated product consisting of ground, roasted peanuts—that is distributed to food manufacturers to be used as an ingredient in many products including cakes, cookies, crackers, candies, cereal and ice cream." - The FDA's article is HERE.

The FDA warns that salmonella poisoning is possibly occurring through products that are made with peanut butter, like Keebler and Famous Amos peanut butter snacks and cookies, not jarred peanut butter (yet).

CVS Deals 1/18-1/24

Click on one of the following links for this week's CVS deals!

Surviving the Stores
IN Good "Cents"
Couponing 101

FREEBIES (with coupons):
CVS 24-hr Allergy Relief
Rogaine
Excedrin 20-24ct

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Meijer Super Sale 1/17-1/19

According to Bargain Briana, Meijer is having a "Super Sale" over the holiday weekend (1/17-1/19). There are several items under $1.00. Click HERE for her list.

Many of the bloggers have been naming Meijer as one of the best grocery stores to shop at, so if you haven't been there - check it out! You can also get more information about shopping at Meijer HERE, and get Meijer coupons HERE.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Circuit City Liquidation

Well...this isn't really happy news since there will be 34,000 jobs lost soon, BUT if you are in need of something electronics-related here is the Circuit City scoop:

Liquidation of the stores will begin as early as Saturday, January 17.
All sales are final (however, anything purchased prior to Jan 16th can be returned for a 14-day period for exchange or refunds).
Gift cards will be accepted at full value.
All sale prices will be at the discretion of the liquidator.

Click HERE for more information.

UPDATE: B & I visited our Circuit City yesterday (1/17), and they had a small sale 10-30% off various items: 10% or the sale price (whichever was more) on cameras & accessories, 30% on various IPod transmitters for the car, 10% off paper and ink, etc. We aren't sure if they will continue lowering the percentages, but I'll try keep you in the loop.

FREE Krispy Kreme on Inauguration Day

Go to your local Krispy Kreme on Inauguration Day, and get a free donut! No coupon required. Click HERE for more information. Sweet!

Wal-Mart Deals 1/15

Click HERE for Deal Seeking Mom's list of the current Wal-Mart deals.
You can also check out The "Cent"sible Sawyer HERE or Frugal Living Online (NW area) HERE.
(Remember, prices may be different nationwide.)


Since I primarily shop at a military commissary, I recently did some price comparisons. I found that the prices at Wal-Mart are very close to what we have at the commissary. Some products were a few cents more, some a few cents less. Overall, it seemed to even out. This is great news for those of you who don't shop at a commissary!! PLUS, I abhor the produce section at the commissary, and the local Super Wal-Mart's produce section is great and includes locally grown produce!

Freebie Friday at the Motherload!

It's Freebie Friday! Click HERE to visit The Motherload for this week's list of goodies. There are lots of fun things to sample, including a handful of free magazines!

Enjoy!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Macy's Closing in Indiana

The Macy's at Lafayette Square Mall in Indianapolis is closing (big surprise), so if you would like to catch some good clearance deals, you should check out the sales.

Marsh Deals 1/15-1/21

Click HERE for this week's Marsh deals, thanks to Bargain Briana!

Also, if you are new or need a refresher course, click HERE for Bargain Briana's Marsh 101. You can add your Marsh card to the website UPromise.com and not only save money for college, you can even upload more coupons!!

Last day for Suze Orman download!!

Today is the last day to download Suze Orman's 2009 Action Plan for free! Click HERE for your copy.

Fitness Items on Sale at Amazon

Exercise DVDs are on sale at Amazon - up to 57% percent off! Click HERE for the great deals. If you can't get to the gym (or it's too cold outside) these are a great alternative.

Also, to get your New Year resolutions going, you can also check out the Amazon Exercise and Fitness Store. You can find a wide selection of machines and accessories, including up to 40% off adjustable dumbells and fitness accessories.

I went for a long jog on the treadmill yesterday - distracted by Oprah. It felt good, and I don't feel too sore today!

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Recalls

Here are a few recalls listed by the Today Show:

Stork Craft baby cribs (about 535,000) - manufactured in Canada, China and Indonesia and imported by Stork Craft Manufacturing Inc. of British Columbia, Canada; the metal mattress-support brackets can crack and break; sold at J.C. Penney, Kmart, Wal-Mart and other stores around the country, also at amazon.com, babiesrus.com, costco.com and walmart.com. Details: by phone at 866-361-3321; by Web at http://www.storkcraft.com or http://www.cpsc.gov.

Taggies Sleep'n Play baby garments (about 16,000) - made in China and imported by Rashti & Rashti of New York; the snaps on the garments can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children. RN No. 27829 is on the care label sewn into the garment. Sold at Babies R Us, Buy Buy Baby, Dillards, Nordstrom and other specialty stores nationwide and Internet retailers from January 2007 through November 2008. Details: by phone at 888-594-3730; by Web at http://www.rashtiandrashti.com or http://www.cpsc.gov.

Ryobi corded circular saws (12,400) - made in China by One World Technologies Inc., of Anderson, S.C.; the return spring on the product's lower blade guard can break, posing a laceration hazard to consumers. Model Nos. CSB123, CSB133L and CSB142LZ. Sold at Home Depot stores nationwide from October through November 2008. Details: by phone at 800-525-2579; by Web at http://www.ryobitools.com and http://www.cpsc.gov.

Milan vanity stools (89,000) - manufactured in China and distributed by Cheyenne Industries Inc. of Little Rock, Ark.; loose screws can cause the legs to break or separate; sold at Bed Bath & Beyond and other stores around the country between October 2004 through March 2006. Details: by phone at 800-737-5267; by Web at http://www.cheyennehomefurnishings.com or http://www.cpsc.gov.

Roman shades and roll-up blinds (692,400) - manufactured in India and China and distributed by Cost Plus Inc. of Oakland, Calif.; cords pose a strangulation hazard for young children; sold at Cost Plus and World Market stores around the country between February 2006 and August 2008. Details: by phone at 877-967-5362; by Web at http://www.worldmarket.com or http://www.cpsc.gov.

A Few Freebies!

Click HERE to get a coupon for a free bottle of Suave (sent to your email account) - Jan 14th ONLY!!

HERE for a free sample of Rachael Ray's dog food - Nutrish.

HERE for a free sample of an Always Infinity panty liner.

HERE for a free sample of a Kotex Lightdays panty liner.

HERE for a free sample of Cream of Wheat - 5 flavors to choose from!

Sunday, January 11, 2009

CVS deals 1/11-1/17

Click HERE for this week's deals, thanks to Couponing 101!

FREEBIES:
Soyjoy Bars 6pk
Altoids
Kashi Bar

Birthday Treats

You can visit THIS website to get free treats on your birthday! It has listings for adults, children, and pets. Enjoy!

Rite Aid 1/11-1/17

Click HERE for Rite Aid's weekly deals, thanks to Southern Savers!

AMAZING deals on:
Serenity Pads/Underware
Huggies Jumbo pack diapers or Pull-Ups

FREEBIES (most with coupons):
Hershey's Reeses Whips
Electrasol
Freestyle Glucose Meter
Excedrin Back & Body

You can make $3 by using a scenario for specific medications...

Click HERE for a $5/$25 Rite Aid coupon!

Walgreen's 1/11-1-17

Click HERE for this week's deals at Walgreen's, thanks to Being Frugal is Fabulous.

You can also check out Moms by Heart's listing HERE.

FREEBIES (with coupons):
Oust Air Sanitizer
Windex
Colgate Toothpaste
Aquafresh Toothpaste
Equal (if you have the $2.50 coupon...)
Dark & Lovely Hair Care ($5 & receive $5 Register Rewards)

January's Free after Rebate Items:
Orajel Medicated Cold Sore Brushes or Patch (use coupon to make $$)
Auto Expressions Vent Fresh Elite Auto Air Freshener
Revlon Matte Collection Lipstick, Eye Shadow, Blush, or Eye Pencil (use coupon to make $$)

E-mealz Update

I have been using the website E-mealz since mid-November and thought I should give an update.

Simply put, I have enjoyed using the site. E-mealz is for people who have trouble organizing meals (or just dislike this task), and want to save a buck or two (like me!). My husband and I currently subscribe to the Low Fat Wal-Mart for Two meal list. Although we shop at the military commissary, I'm still able to get good prices on most of the products, and when we do shop at Wal-mart (once a month-ish), we are able to get food for the best prices.

The recipes have been very good. There have only been a few I didn't care for, mainly because I don't like one of the items used (lima beans - ick!). There have also been a few surprises, like Company Chicken - who knew that dried beef was so good?! This week, the recipes range from cheese ravioli to Mexican casserole to wild rice soup. I sometimes substitute things we already have in the pantry and freezer for the sides.

You can choose from a variety of meals from various grocery stores (Wal-Mart, Publix, Kroger, the "Any Store" option). The site uses the current sales flyer to put the meals together, usually saving you $30-40 a week! Not only can you choose different stores, but they also have family meal plans and plans for two people, AND low fat, low carb, vegetarian, and Weight Watcher points options. If you aren't happy with the plan that you choose, you can request to switch to another.

Overall, I enjoy using the site, and paying $1.25 a week to save me time is worth it! I highly recommend this site to those who don't have a lot of time for meal planning, or would prefer to have someone else do the planning.

Just click the advertisement on the middle left side of my blog to visit E-mealz for more information!*


*Yes, I will earn a small commission if you subscribe to E-mealz through my blog. Thank you!

$2 Kashi Coupon

Click HERE for a Kashi coupon for $2 off any one box of Kashi TLC soft-baked cereal bars.

I've tried blackberry and they are pretty tasty. It's also a rarity that Kashi has coupons available. Once you print one coupon, remember to hit the "back" arrow on your browser to get another. I was able to get two.

Friday, January 9, 2009

2008 Rebate Tally

I'm amazed at the total of rebates I've received this year - the first year I've used coupons and rebates. My end of the year tally:

I have received $988.39 in rebates, most of the products purchased were completely paid for with the rebates, so most of the items were free for my husband and I! Wow!

I have $63.18 in rebates that I haven't received for 2008. I will be checking on those when I return home.

The best part - I have actually made $95.73 by using coupons along with the rebates!
That is crazy!! Thanks, Walgreen's and Rite Aid!

FREE Suze Orman book download

Click HERE to download Suze Orman's book "2009 Action Plan" for FREE!! Offer expires at 11:59pm on Thursday, January 15. This offer is available through the Oprah. com!

Another interesting article on the website is Dr. Oz's 10 Ways to Live Healthier.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Meijer and Walmart Deals 1/4 - 1/10 (or 1/13)

Click HERE for this week's Meijer deals, thanks to Bargain Briana!

Click HERE for this week's Walmart deals, thanks to The "Cents"able Sawyer!