Free Schepps Milk at Albertson's

In the DFW area, Albertson's has Shepps milk half gallon's on sale for $.99 until Wednesday. This is a great price even whithout a coupon. However, there is a coupon in the 11/16 SS (smartsource sunday paper coupon insert) for .50/1 half gallon of Shepps. Albertson's will double this coupon, which means you get free milk! There is a limit of 4. I picked up 4 today! (Sorry, no pics.)

Stockpile tip! You can freeze milk to extend its shelf life. Just pour out 1-2 inches of milk so it has room to expand as it freezes.

70% off code for Coldwater Creek

Right now you can get 70% off your order at Coldwater Creek online with code WXH6446. It looks like this can be combined even with clearance deals. Be sure to check your favorite rebate website to see if you can get an additional percentage back. I checked Ebates, and Coldwater Creek is not listed with them. So, I am going to shop through goodshop.com and a percentage of my total will go to the nonprofit of my choice. If you don't have a nonprofit to shop for, we would be delighted for you to shop for our ministry. It is listed as Light of Life International, Fort Worth.
I think the code is good until January 5th, but the inventory is getting low, so hurry!

***Edit: Just rechecked ebates and coldwater creek IS there with 2% back. Don't know how I missed it before.

Still Free Veggies at Walmart

Walmart still has the Green Giant Steamers on rollback for $1. There was $1/1 coupon in the 11-16 SS. It expires on Jan. 10. So, if you have some of these coupons to use, do it now! At my Walmart the peas and mixed veg were clearanced to $.75!

Happy Shopping!

Frugal Find: YouData

YouData.com is a fairly new marketing company that pays you to look at websites from a host of different companies. I have been using it for a couple of months and have earned $3-$4 each time I have checked my account for new ads. It is fast and easy. And they pay directly to your paypal account. I know that doesn't sound like alot of money, but to me it is free money that I have used to trade for coupons on HotCouponWorld and small Christmas purchases. Apparently the target market is women with children in the south. If you fit this category you will get more offers, which equals more change. Hope this will benefit someone.

80% off at Restaurant.com

Right now Restaurant.com is having 80% off their gift certificates. This means you pay $2 for $25 gift certificates. Remember to go through ebates.com for an additional percentage back. These gift certificates make great additions to Christmas gifts, especially for the people you don't know what to buy for. The 80% off also applies to the dinner of the month club. If the restaurant you want is out of stock, just get the generic gift certificate in the gift center and you can redeem it for the restaurant of your choice at the beginning of the month when they restock.

*****The NEW code is CELEBRATE for this deal! It ends on the 31st!****

Again, this is a good time to refer your friends to ebates. Until December 31st, if you refer 2 friends they each get $10 and you get $30 with their first purchase. So, with this restaurant.com deal, basically they spend $2 and get $10 bonus plus a percentage of the purchase back. That is a big money maker. A good time to try out these 2 websites.

I still haven't been seriously grocery shopping. We have been living off the stockpile and just shopping for produce and such. Thank goodness for a stockpile! Soon enough, the Christmas craziness will be over, and I'll be back into my routine. Thanks for sticking with me!

Merry Christmas!

Arby's Free Roast Beef Sandwich with Any Purchase

Take this coupon to any Arby’s to get a free regular roast beef sandwich with any purchase, good through Sunday 12/14!

I'm Back!

Hello Dear Friends! I am finally back on the blogosphere. We came back from Hawaii last Saturday and my internet was down. I had to replace my modem and didn't get that done until yesterday. I am sad to say I completely missed out on Black Friday (I missed you CVS!) and Cyber Monday isn't looking to hopeful for me either. Our ministry is having a huge dinner and auction on Monday, December 8th. All of my attention is on that at the moment and we still have a few tickets available if you would like to come! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are enjoying some wonderful frugal finds. Things should be back to normal around here very soon.
Blessings!
Alisa

This Blog is Temporarily on Vacation!

Dear Friends,

We are going to Maui for 2 weeks of vacation! We are going with my in-law's and also celebrating our debt freeness! But, I promise it is a frugal vacation. ; ) We are using air miles and staying with friends who have a guest house. It is a true blessing.

I will not be blogging during this time. If you are dying for a frugal find, please visit my recommended websites on the sidebar. There are many frugal bloggers doing a much better job than I do. Just don't leave me forever!

Also, if you are wanting to help each other out while I am away, you can post questions and comments for each other in the comment feature of this post.

Blessings to you all,
Alisa

My Mega Sale Trip

I had a great trip to Kroger yesterday. Missing from the picture is 2 containers of oatmeal and 1 evaporated milk. I shared with my Mother in law, who babysat while I went shopping. I have to concentrate on deals like this!

The loot:
6 3liters of Ozarka...used .75/3 q = .25 each
6 Quaker Oats...used .50/1 (doubled) = Free
6 Evap. Milk...used .50/2 (doubled) = Free
2 Swiss Miss ...used .50/2 shortcuts q =.25 each
3 Buddie Bars...used $3/3=.09 each
Bananas= .88

Total OOP $3.09
Saved 91% off the shelf price.

I split it up into 2 transactions so that I could get all 6 of my Quaker coupons to double.

Frugal Find: Earn Free Christmas Gifts

Here is a creative way to earn free Christmas gifts without spending a penny.

1.) Earn free candles, diffusers, decorative items from Candle Bay. Click HERE to register, then refer your family and friends to do the same. You’ll earn $5 for registering, and $0.50 for each of your family and friends. Once your account reaches $10 (or more), select a gift, and pay for the item AND shipping costs with the amount you’ve earned from registration and referrals.

2.) Earn free perfume and skin care products from Perfume Emporium. Click HERE to register, then refer your family and friends to do the same. You’ll earn $10 for registering, and $0.50 for each of your family and friends. Once you’re ready to order, select a gift, and pay for the item AND shipping costs with the amount you’ve earned from registration and referrals.

If you start now, you should have enough points to place an order in time for Christmas. Thanks Jennifer at iMommies.com for this tip!

Walmart Deals

Visit Money Saving Mom here for a great list on current Walmart deals. Remember Walmart prices can vary around the country, but I've been finding this list very useful.

If you find a deal you are excited about, email me at alisa (dot) evans (at) sbcglobal (dot) net. If I post my email the regular way, I will be bombarded with spam. ; )

Happy Saving!

Kroger Mega Sale Starts Wednesday

Kroger is starting a mega sale today. It will most likely run for 2 weeks. Buy 10 participating items and get $5 off your order instantly, mix and match. Here are the deals I am excited about. I have not seen the add yet so these are rumored deals. I've listed the price after the $5 discount. The coupons listed will make it even better!

.50

Ozarka 3 ltr
$0.75/3 Ozarka Water, Any 3 Liter - 08-24-08 RP (Insert x11/30/08)

Swiss Miss Cocoa Mix
$0.50/2 Swiss Miss Cocoa, any – load to Kroger card from Shortcuts.com

Carnation Evaporated Milk...FREE
.50/2 Carnation Evaporated Milk, any two (2) 12-oz cans - 11-02-08 RP
$1/2 Carnation Milk - rolling printable
.50/2 Nestle Carnation Evaporated Milk, Any 12 Oz. Can - 09-14-08 RP

$1.00

Dial pump or 3pk bar... .10 after coupon
$0.30/1 Dial Multi-Bar Pack, Foaming Hand Wash, Or Liquid Hand Soap, Any - 10-05-08 SS

Hefty ONE zip 13-22 ct
$0.55/1 Hefty One Zip Bags, Any - 09-28-08 RP

Quaker Old Fashioned or Quick Oats...FREE
$0.50/1 Quaker Old Fashioned or Quick Oats 18 oz or larger - 09-07-08 RP

Betty Crocker Specialty Potatoes...FREE
.35/1 Betty Crocker Potatoes (except Potato buds) - load to Kroger card from Shortcuts.com
$1.00/2 Betty Crocker Box or Pouch Potatoes, except Potato Buds - All You magazine (Issue 11, November 21, 2008)
$0.50/1 Betty Crocker Pouch Potatoes - Betty Crocker Potatoes Boxed (Peelie x07/26/09)
$0.40/1 Betty Crocker Box Potatoes, Any (Printable Rolling) - Coupons
$1.00/2 Betty Crocker Potatoes Pouch Or Box, Any Excluding Potato Buds - 10-05-08 GM $0.35/1 Betty Crocker Potatoes Pouch Or Box, Any Excluding Potato Buds - 10-05-08 GM

$1.50

General Mills Selected Cereals
There are many coupons to combine with this deal making the cereal anywhere from .50- $1.25 a box

$2.00

Peter Pan PB
$0.50/1 Peter Pan Peanut Butter, Any 18 Oz. - All You, October 20008 (Magazine x12/31/08)
$1.00/2 Peter Pan peanut butter (Blinkie x11/30/08)
$5.40/1 Peter Pan satisfaction guarantee - Peter Pan Peanut Butter (Mail in Rebate x05/31/09) - Peter Pan Peanut Butter — Satisfaction Guarantee
$0.50/1 Peter Pan Peanut Butter, Any - All You, September 2008 (Magazine x12/31/08)

Glade Candles or scented oils...FREE (if you wait until the 7th to get these there is a catalina deal as well, so you can double dip)
$2.00/1 Glade Scented Oil Candles Holder - All You magazine (Issue 11, November 21, 2008) (Magazine x01/31/09)
$2.00/1 Glade scented oil: (1) candle holder or (2) candle refills (Blinkie x01/31/09)

Thanks Hot Coupon World for the heads up. Click here to follow this thread and to find more coupon matchups.

Last Day for Victoria's Secret Deal

Victoria's Secret has wonderful promotions around the holidays. Here is a scenario for a great buy on bras. Under $20 for 2 bras, 1 panty. This scenario won't work after today, but I'm sure there will be more.

Use codes:
25PTY for $25 off any two full priced bras and free cotton panty. They have bras 2/$40 and 2/$44 (This code ends tonight)
FA813789 for $10 off any bra
RUSH08 for free lip gloss set (oops, nevermind this is if you purchase a sweater)

Make sure you add the panty in a solid color. The prints don't qualify. If you are having trouble with your order, it is usually the panty. Just play around with your order until it works.

Go through ebates for an additional 2%-4% back.

RSVP Shoes $9.95

All of the RSVP shoes are on sale for $9.95 at 6pm.com. Some really cute shoes, especially for upcoming Holiday parties and proms. They even have some sweet children's shoes.

http://www.6pm.com/n/search.cgi?path=rsvp&fq=brand_id:403&afsrc=1

BIG NEWS

Wahoo!! As of 10:30 tonight, we are debt free!!!

This is a huge accomplishment for my family! We have never had credit card debt, and we have been without a car payment for awhile and never plan on having one again. But, we have been chipping away at my student loan for awhile now and just paid it off in full online! Hooray! No more Sallie Mae!

If you don't know, we have become big fans of Dave Ramsey. We discovered, while reading his books in April , that we had already been doing much of what he recommends. But, his tips really helped us fine tune our focus. Now we are on to Baby Step 3! Wahoo!! Let's celebrate!!

Today's Shopping Fun

Walgreens:
1 Gallon Milk...$3.79
Pringles Stks...$2.24
Laundry Detergent X 2...$3.98
Paid with $10 RR, OOP .01!

Target Trip #1:
2 Glade Scented Oil glass... $2.50 each (used $2/1 q x 2)
2 Glade Scented Oil refills... $2.50 each (used $2/2 q)
3 Lipton Pyramid teas... $2 each (used $1 target Q and $1 peelie) FREE
2 25ct ziploc... .85 each(used .75/1 printables)
Paid $4.20 OOP
Got back $5 gc for buying 4 holiday Glade

Target Trip #2:
6 Dog treats...FREE (used 6 Free Coupons)
1 Stocking from Dollar Spot $2.50 (thought it was $1, tricky)
Paid with GC, $0 OOP

Kroger:
2 Naturally Preferred Drinks...Free(Used BOGO CellFire q and bogo paper Q)
1 15+lb Turkey...Free (Used Free Q from Kroger Mailer)
1 Prices Pimiento Cheese...Free(Used .35 q, tripled)
1 Febreeze Noticeables St. Kit $7.49 (Used $5 pgesaver loadable and $5 paper) $2.50 overage
2 Purex Laundry Detergent 2/$5..(Used $1/2 q)=2/$4
Paid $1.72 OOP

Walmart:
2 Martha White Cornbread Mix... .72 each (used .55/2)= .45 each
2 MW Blubery Muffin Mix... .88 each (used .55/2) = .61 each
3 Ped Good Bites Dog Treets... Free after Free Coupons
2 Sunmaid mini raisins... 1.33 each (used $1/2 q) .83 each
2 Nestle Hot Cocoa... $1 each (used two .75/1 q's) .25 each
2 Ronzoni Spaghetti... $1.50 each (used two $1/1 q's) .50 each
Total before coupons $21.72
Total OOP after coupons $5.26 ( I just don't do as well at Walmart)




Total OOP for the DAY: $11.19
Plus $2.29 on Target GC

Sharing the Love

These vibrant flowers have been blooming in my sunny Texas flower bed all summer. And I am no gardner. Last year a friend gave me a bloom that had tiny black seeds all over it with instructions to sprinkle them in my flower bed. So, that is what I did and promptly forgot about it. Then in the spring, I decided to plant impatients. About the time my impatients couldn't stand the heat any longer, these green seedlings with a purple stem started popping up. I couldn't for the life of me think of what it could be. That was until the beautiful red bloom showed up! These things have required no attention. I have barely watered them and they love the sun.

What a cheery blessing they have been to us just right outside our front door! So, I have been sharing the love, and passing the seeds to many of my family and friends. I have been informed that they are called Cockscomb. They are seeding now, so I am afraid they are about to bite the dust, but hopefully they will come back next year.

This just got me to thinking. In everything, I am to share my abundance. I am so blessed, and am learning how to balance a stockpile of things my family needs and then blessing others with the excess! It is so awesome that I am spending less $$ than ever before, but have more surplus than ever before. That sounds like God's economy! So, come on people, let's share the love!

Coupons from Cellfire.com

I just found out about a new site that allows you to load coupons onto your Kroger card (and their affiliates). It is called cellfire.com. These coupons can be combined with paper coupons. I tried it yesterday and found some great buys.

Active Lifestyle Oatmeal...FREE
Used Free CellFire coupon.

Pep. Farm Texas Toast...$1.80
-$1.00 CellFire coupon
-.45 maf. coupon (doubled)
= .10 overage

Goldfish...$1
-$.50 CellFire Coupon
=.50

Cottonelle...$1.19
-.50 CellFire Coupon
-.25 maf. coupon (tripled)
=.06 overage

Total OOP... .34!!

In case you don't know. There are 2 other sites that load coupons onto your store card:
pgesaver.com
shortcuts.com

I use Hot Coupon World's database to see if I have a matching coupons. Saves me from digging through stacks of inserts.

Restaurant.com 80% off

Restaurant.com is having 80% off until October 31st with code: TREATS. This means you can get a $25 gift certificate for $2 and a $10 for .60, no limits. If they are out of the store you want, get a generic gift certificate and you can come back to redeem it later when the restaurants have restocked. I love restaurant.com for saving money on eating out and for gift giving. Their dinner of the month club is pretty cool. Each restaurant has its own restrictions so be sure to read that. And make sure at checkout you click no thanks to the bonus offers.
This corresponds perfectly with the ebates referral promotion that ends on the 31st. Go through ebates to make your restaurant.com purchase and get 15% back. If you have not signed up with ebates click here and you will get $10 credited to your account with your first purchase, and so will I. They normally only give $5. So, you could spend $2 on a $25 gc and get $10.30 from ebates. That is a pretty awesome deal to me. If you decide to do it...thank you very much!
If you are already signed up with ebates, this is a good time to refer your friends as well.

Saturday Shopping Trips

I had $45 dollar worth of Glade catalinas from Albertsons that expired today, so I had to use them. I also made a trip to Kroger. Here is what I did.

Alberstons trip 1:
Baking Powder...$1.89
Apple Sauce...$2.19
2 Chocolate Chips...$4.58
Milk...$3.79 (you can see we drank some)
Frozen Apple Juice...$1.29
3 Lean Pockets...$4 (used 3 of .50 q that doubled)
big coffeemate creamer...$3.69 (not pictured)
2 pints Blue Bell...$1.76
Bacon...$2.89
Cheese Slices...$1.88
grated cheese...$3.99
green onion... .89
2 gala apples... .76
bag of onions... $1.88
10lb potatoes... $5.99
pecans...$5.99
6 bread roles... .99

My total was more than $50 but the catalinas somehow took off more than $4 each. My tax was in the negative...-$6.76 So after all but one of my catalinas, my OOP was $1.19! I have everything I need to do the potatoes OAMC that I posted earlier. And I had to make another trip to use up my last catalina.

Albertsons trip 2:
French's Worcestershire Sauce...FREE (used Free Coupon)
Coke Zero 12pack...(Used Free Coupon from Coke Rewards)
8 Campbell's Soup...$3.84 or .48 each ( used .40/2 q that doubled)
sm. pumpkin... .48 (for my Riley girl)
pills. Cake mix... .88 (found recipe for diet cake)
- $4 Glade Catalina...
OOP .54!!!

Kroger Trip:
3 Price's Pimiento Cheese...FREE (Used $1 off q)
8 Celestial Seasoning Teas...FREE (Used $1 off q)
OOP... zilcho!!

Total oop for the day... $1.73!!!!
Total Savings $103.33!! off of the shelf price.

My weekly budget is $40. Because of these glade catalinas I spent less than $30. And of that $30 I used some of it for eating out and a Starbucks stop which isn't normally apart of my grocery budget. So I would dare to say I spent about $20 on groceries this week and I do have $10 cash left in my grocery envelope. Since my week starts over on Saturday, I'm excited to see how well I can do this new week. If I can consistently keep it at $40 or below, that will be a new personal best. We shall see!

Frugal Find: Online Freebies

There are a gazillion free sample sign-ups online. Here are some that I think are worth mentioning.

Dunkin' Donuts Dark Coffee: Free Sample, if you've done this one before you can do it again. Don't drink coffee? Add it as a filler in a coffee lovers gift basket.

Haydee Chocolate Truffles: Free Sample of 8 (won't last long)

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser: Free Mini Eraser (this is an awesome product)

Deals I Am Excited About This Week!

Here are some deals worth getting excited about:

Walmart:
Windex wipes 25 ct.--$1.00
Use $.75/1 coupon from 9/21 Smartsource insert
$0.25 after coupon

Sun Maid raisins--$1.33
Use $1/2 coupon from 10/5 Redplum insert
$0.83 after coupon

Schick 10 ct. disposable razors--$1.97
Use $2 coupon from 9/7 Smartsource insert
Free after coupon

Kraft Easy Mac--$0.75
Use $1/2 printable or $1/2 coupon from 8/24 Smartsource insert
$0.25 each after coupon

Starkist Tuna Creations--$1.48
Use $1/1 coupon from 9/7 or 10/12 Redplum insert
$0.48 after coupon

Martha White Baking Mixes--$0.84 each
Use $0.55/2 coupon from 8/24 Redplum insert
$0.57 each after coupon

Visine (0.5-fl. oz.)--$3.62
Use $3/1 Visine Product from 08/28 All You magazine
$0.62 after coupon (Thanks, Deal Seeking Mom!)

Ore Ida Steam N Mash Sweet Potatoes--$2.00
Use $1/1 coupon from 9/21 Smartsource insert
$1.00 after coupon (actually it is cheaper to do your own, but if you like the convenience...)

Kroger:
For those that get the ALL YOU magazine!I just got mine in the mail and there is a coupon for a free Glade oil warmer when you buy a refill. The refills are $2.79 and you get the $7.99 or lower warmer free AND the warmer triggers the $4 catalina. So a little moneymaker.

Celestial seasonings tea-$1
$1.00/1 Celestial Seasonings Tea Bags 10-05-08 SS
FREE

Price's Pimiento Cheese - $1
$1/1 Price's Real Cheese Spread 10/12/08 SS
FREE


Tip of the day: If the store is out of the sale item, get a raincheck! Rainchecks are our friends! They allow you to collect more coupons for the item and you can come back at your convenience.

Free Coffee at Barnes & Nobles

Go to the Barnes and Noble website here to print out your coupon for a free tall-sized latte, cappuccino, espresso, freshly-brewed coffee, or hot tea (up to $3.20 in value). This coupon can only be redeemed once per customer but I assume that means each person in your family could print and use one. The coupon is good through October 31, 2008. (Thanks Money Saving Mom!)

Once A Month Cooking

I am being inspired by Erin aka JANE4girls. She has been posting recipes for once a month cooking. I love the latest one using potatoes and thought I would share it with you. Here is the link: OAMC.

Kroger Shopping Trips

Kroger Transaction:
6 Glade Scented Oil Warmers @ $4.49 each Used BOGO q's, MM after cats
2 Underwood Chicken @ $1.09 each Used .50 q (they double= .09)
1 Mission Tortilla @ $1.00
5 Muir Glen Tomato Paste @ $.75 each Used .75/1 q's (FREE)
3 Softsoap hand wash @ $1 each Used .35/1 q (they triple= FREE)
3 Johnson's baby oil @ $1.89 each Used $3/3 cat (.89 each, MM after cats)
-$4 Glade cats x3 (rolling from previous Glade purchase)
-$2 Glade cats x2
TOTAL OOP = $1.35

Received back:
Glade cats 6 x $4 = $24
Johnson baby 3 x $1 = $3

Profit $9

FREE ARBY"S CHEDDAR MELT

I love free stuff and we are huge fans of Arby's! Click here for a free Arby's Cheddar Melt. The coupon will be sent to your inbox. It says one per person per email, so if you have more than one email, try registering them all.

Frugal Find: Free Flu Meds and Cheap Carrots

Target:
Target has released $1 off coupon for baby carrots, which happen to be on sale for $1.29 in our area. Some areas have them on sale for .99! But I am happy with .29 a bag. Print as many coupons as you like from the Target website under grocery or from Hot Coupon World's coupon generator and stock up on carrots. You can actually freeze carrots if you plan on cooking them later. Go ahead and grate them, slice them or puree them for all kinds of recipes, and then throw them in the freezer. There is a discussion on all the great things you can do with these babies on www.moneysavingmom.com

Walgreens: Time to Stock Up on Cold+Flu Meds
This week, buy 3 Robitussin or Dimetapp meds priced at $3.99 get $10 in Register Rewards back. You can print $2 off coupons at the Robitussin or Dimetapp websites. If you use 3 coupons, you will pay $5.97 out of pocket plus tax and still get $10 RR. This is a Money Maker on meds that we use tons of this time of year. If you can't use it, donate it to someone who can! I bet you didn't think you could ever get this stuff for free!

Restaurant.com:
80% off today only with code: SAVE. That means $25 gift certificates for $2! Remember to go through ebates.com for an additional 15% back. If you want the referal bonus you can use my link on the right hand side of the page. This place is killing me!

Frugal Find: Another Glade Money Maker

Right now at Albertson's (and I bet soon to be Kroger's) if you buy the Glade Scented Oil Plugins for $4.99 you will get a $4 catalina back toward your next purchase. My suggestion is to buy in multiples of 2 and use the BOGO coupon from 9/28 SS. Pay $4.99 and get 2 $4 catalinas. For every coupon you have you will be making $3! I find it easiest to go through the self checkout.

Other than that, the grocery stores are kind of slow this week. $1.67 on boneless skinless chicken breasts at Kroger is a good deal to me. There are some hot promotions at Walgreens and CVS this week. Visit http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ for a good summary of the drugstore deals. Her sight is awesome! Just promise you won't forget about me once you discover her tips!

70% off at Restaurant.com

Through Monday the 13th of October, Restaurant.com is having 70% off with the code SAVE. This means you can get a $25 gift certificate to the restaurant of your choice for $3. The gift options are also 70% off, so if you want to get a gift for someone, now is the time. Can anyone say Christmas? Remember to go through ebates to get an additional 15% back. Read hear to find out how this is a MONEY MAKER! This is an even better deal than when I posted about it before!

Happy Saving!!

Frugal Find: Glade Plugin Money Maker

This is a Kroger deal that goes through 10/12. Buy any Glade Plugin Scented Gel Warmer for $1.79 get a $2.00 catalina at checkout good on your next purchase. Use the BOGO coupons from the 9/14 SS insert or from coupons.com. This will allow you to purchase 2 plugins for $1.79 and receive 2 $2 catalinas at checkout. So, for every coupon that you have you will be making $2.21!! I think you can also print some from the glade website.

I had about 10 of these coupons! That is $22.10 in free grocery money! I am using my catalinas to stock up on meat that is on sale this week. I get asked sometimes how I save money on buying meat and produce, items that you rarely have coupons for. This is one way I do that. I use my overage to stock up on those items, but I still make sure it is a good price.

TIP! When printing coupons from the internet, after the coupon has printed, be sure to hit the back button a few times on your browser until it shows that the coupon is printing again. This will allow you to print at least 2 of the coupons. Most websites limit you to 2, but some will let you print even more.

Attention Walmart Shoppers!

Walmart shopping is something I don't do much of anymore. However, I just came across some good deals I thought I would share.

There have been many $1/1 coupons for these Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers in the last 2 Sunday papers. There are many printables as well. At Walmart they are priced at $1.23 a bag as an everyday low price. So .23 after coupons!

Muir Glen Organic has $1/1 printables on coupon.com and betty crocker websites. Their tomato products are all right around the $1 mark, so they will be free or nearly free. The Fire Roasted tomatoes are a great change for your recipes!

Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta had $1 off coupon in the 10/5, 9/28, and 8/24 SS Sunday inserts. This pasta is $1.50 everyday at my Walmart, so .50 after coupons. And it is a little healthier, too.

Schick Disposable Razors, $2 off any 9/7 SS

If you have this coupon you can get free disposable razors. Walmart carries a 10pk twin blade Schick value pack for $1.97. The packaging is yellow. FREE!

Check out Hot Coupon World's coupon database to find other sources for these coupons. You will have to register, but it is free!

Free Crest Toothpaste

Crest toothpaste is on sale for $1.99 this week at Walgreens.

Use the $1/1 coupon from the 09/28 p+g insert, plus stack with the $1/1 coupon in the October EasySaver catalog and you've got yourself some free toothpaste! Do you have 2 insert coupons? Buy 2 toothpastes, but you will still only need 1 easysaver coupon. It will be applied to both, and you will get 2 free!

If you feel funny leaving the store paying zilcho, remind yourself that the manufacturer's coupon is money for the store. They are loosing nothing. They get reimbursed from the manuf. the value of the coupon plus .8 handling. You may have to remind the cashier of this as well.

Frugal Find: Learning Walgreens

Walgreens is my new friend! I have been a devoted CVS shopper for a couple of years now. Their slogan is something like "Where we pay you!" Well, it is true, I get paid to shop there all the time. But, the same is true with Walgreens!!
This week I will spend some time teaching you about Walgreens. But, not all in one post!

Here are a few Frugal Finds for this week. There are a few things you should know first. Register Rewards are like in store credit that print off when you check out. You also can combine Walgreen's coupons with manufacturer's coupons. And finally, they put out an Easysaver catalog every month that contains Instant Value Coupons(IVC) and their monthly rebate items. I usually run from rebates, but Walgreen's Easysaver program is wonderful and can be done online. Pick up the Easysaver catalog in the store to learn more and I will also explain more this week.

Buy 1 Glade Wisp Candle at $5.99, Get $3 in Register Rewards
Use $5/1 coupon from 9/7 inserts
Free plus $2.01 in overage after coupon and Register Reward

Scrubbing Bubbles Fresh Brush Max Starter Kit--$3.99
Use $3/1 manufacturer coupon from 9/7 inserts
Submit for Easysaver Rebate #30--$1.50 back when you buy one
Free plus small overage after coupon and rebate

Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation--up to $7.49 rebate
Use $1/1 from 9/14 inserts
Free plus overage after coupon and rebate

Visine Eye Drops--$3.99
Use $2/1 in-ad coupon
Use $2/1 manufacturer coupon from 5/11 inserts
Free after coupons

Coffee-Mate 16 oz. liquid--$1.50
Use $1/1 printable here
$0.50 after coupon

There are many more great finds this week than I have listed. And I want you to know I have help finding these deals, I don't do it on my own. Check out HotCouponWorld and Money Saving Mom for more Walgreens deals.

Two Shopping Trips + A Heads Up!

Target Trip:
(Grapes are on sale for $1lb.)
1.17lbs Red grapes - $1 Target printable q = .17
1.22lbs Black grapes - $1 Target p. q = .22
1.15lbs Green grapes -$1 Target p. q = .15
Bananas (no coupon) = .76
Ziplocks $1 - $1 Target q = FREE
Choc Chips $2.79 -$1.50 mauf. printable q. - $1 Target q = .29
OOP = $1.60

Albertsons Trip:

10 six packs of water = $5 (part of Mega Sale) No coupons needed!

5 ZonePerfect Bars = FREE (10/$10 - 5 $1 off mfq)

OOP= $5

Total OOP for both trips: $6.60

Heads Up!

If you missed the Restaurant.com + Ebates deal that I posted about on Monday, you can get 50% off through Sunday at Restaurant.com with the code THREE. Be sure to go through ebates and then tell your friends. Click here to read my earlier post. With this deal a $25gc will be $5 and a $10gc will be $1.50 plus 15% back from ebates.

Leave me a comment! I love to hear from you and I want to help!!

JANE4girls: An Inspiring Woman

I tell people when they first start couponing/deal seeking that they can save hundreds off of their grocery budget. Then shortly, they want to know how much my grocery budget is. And I am happy to tell them, because I want to encourage them as to what is possible. My family's grocery budget is $200 a month. Now, don't feel sorry for me! My pantries overfloweth!! That is for a family of 3. If we have another baby, I will be able to keep the budget the same. In fact, I could probably do less right now, but I am comfortable with that number. That breaks down to about $46 a week.

I am telling you this for a reason!

Meet JANE4girls. This woman is amazing! She feeds her family of 4 on a budget of $800 a YEAR! This includes eating out. Oh my. That is a little over $15 a week. And they are not missing out on anything! Her real name is Erin. She lives in Katy, Texas just outside of Houston. She mainly covers groceries and couponing on her blog, it is totally worth checking out. She has now become a correspondent for a news channel there giving tips on saving. All I can say is WOW!

Neiman Marcus Ralph Lauren 50% off Towels

Neiman Marcus has Ralph Lauren Bath Towels at 50% off and free monogramming!
Free Shipping with code: PINKSALE or
Free Gift Wrap with code: WRAP8
Click this link
The bath towels are really high quality and end up being $9.99
For some reason if you go straight to their website the prices are higher, but if you use the link it works. I don't know how long it is good for. These are great for weddings, anniversaries, new babies. You can get creative with the monogramming for Christmas, birthdays, sports teams, spa baskets. NM has really nice gift wrapping.
Here is a thread discussing the deal.

Free Grapes at Target!

If you are swinging by Target this week, take advantage of this deal! Target has their red, black and green seedless grapes on sale for $1 lb. On top of that they just released a printable coupon for $1 off a pound or more of grapes. My suggestion is get a pound of each variety, in 3 different bags, use 3 coupons and bring home 3lbs of very pretty FREE grapes. You know you can take them out of those humongous bags and put the amount you want in the regular produce bags.

Find Target printables here.
(You will need to register with HCW which is free and awesome! It is more user friendly than Target's website.)

They are also currently on Target's website under grocery. FYI, you can combine target coupons with manufacturers coupons to get great buys.

Leave me a comment if you have questions.

Fraudulent Coupon Alert

Goodmorning!
There are some very high value coupons circulating the internet and through email. They are from a marketing company called vyrl marketing. I would advise you to not use these fraudulent coupons. Please read the following articles:
http://www.lairdgarner.com/blog/2008/8/27/vyrlmkt-unleashes-real-coupon-virus.html
http://supermarketnews.com/news/internet_coupons_0904/

I have read about these coupons, but had not seen them until today. They are very tempting to use, but I would not.

Here are some ways to spot that they are questionable:
First of all, since they are being circulated in a pdf format they are out of the manufacturers control as to how many are being circulated. Which means they are basically copies, way more than they originally intended. Copying coupons is against the law. So, I never use coupons that come to me in a PDF format, unless I have downloaded it directly from the manuf. website myself.
But, secondly, these coupons are being talked about alot because they were originally part of a Facebook coupon application test that was a huge booboo. They aren't even backed by the manufacturers. Most coupons, for example Pillsbury dinner roles, will say on the coupon that the manufacturer, Pillsbury, will reimburse the value of the coupon to the retailer. Well, these coupons have the marketing company backing them, which is a red flag.

The average person wouldn't know this. But, there are many people who do know better that are using these. Also, if we can put a stop to fraudulent coupon use, then couponing will be a much better experience for everyone. Things like this tend to make people suspicious of couponers. Even those with integrity. ;-)

I am all about Integrity!
Alisa

Couponing: How do I get started?

Many people have asked me for the very basic, "How do I get started with this coupon thing." If you came to my class, you found there is soo much info out there that it can be overwhelming. If you will hang with me for a few weeks, I'll give you a few things at a time to help you get started.

1. Get at least 1 Sunday paper every week and pull out the coupon inserts. They will be SmartSource, RedPlum and P&G. The best papers in my area are the Dallas Morning News and then the Fort Worth Star Telegram. Ask your family and friends for their coupons if they don't use them. This step will help you start a good stash of coupons.


2. Match your coupons with sale prices. Check out some of the websites I have linked on the side. Hotcouponworld is a free forum that can help you find deals at your store.


3. Stockpile. If you find a great buy on a product, buy more than you need for just that week. Buy enough to last say 12 weeks. Likely the sale will come back around by then. A stockpile keeps you from running out to pay a premium price for an item because your desperate for it.

That's it for now! Babysteps...

Are You Ebating?

Well if you aren't, you should be. ;-) And this month is the perfect time to do it! I wrote earlier about ebates.com, but I just got an email from them. Here is what it says:

Dear Alisa, Get a $10 Bonus! Refer a friend to Ebates and we'll give you $10*! It's fast, it's easy and there's no limit to how much you can get. Plus for a limited time, we'll also give your friend $10 when they sign up! But hurry, this bonus offer ends on October 31, 2008. $10 is credited to both when a purchase is made.

I have the perfect way for you to make $$ on this deal. I wrote earlier about the 60%off promotion at restaraunt.com ( Go back and read it carefully.) Today and Tomorrow ONLY you can buy a $25 gift certificate for $4 with the code: FALL ! I bought a Cozymels gc. Go through ebates and you'll get 15% of your purchase back PLUS $10 when you sign up through me. You'll make over $6 on the deal. Then refer your friends through Ebates and get $10 for each one of them that does the same. Wow!

If you have previously signed up with ebates, then you don't qualify for the "signing bonus," but you CAN refer your friends and tell them about this deal and get the $10 that way.

If you are new to ebates and want the referal bonus, you can click on any of my ebates links to get the deal. Also, there are hundreds of stores to shop at, this is just a great deal with very little out of pocket.

Now, I hate to sound like an infomercial, but if you want to tell people about the restaurant.com deal, then you need to act quick. You get $10 for every person you refer and makes a purchase, and the last day for $4 gc is tomorrow. And Ebates actually sends you a check. This is what I call free money! Leave me a comment if you have any questions or email me.

Blessings!

Sunday's Frugal Find

Albertson's Mega Sale:
Until October 7th Albertson's is running a deal where you buy 10 participating items and get $5 off your total instantly. So their Deja Blue 6pk of water is 10/$10. With this deal they become $.50 a six pack, or $5 for 60 bottles of water! The same price is on for the Bird's Eye Steamfresh Frozen Vegetables. And you can mix and match. There are many other products that qualify, but these stand out as great buys. And even if you don't have a stash of coupons you can get in on this one!!

Side note: I know it seems like a frugal person would not spend money on water. But, I find that we will drink water if I have the bottles and we will drink junk if I don't. So, I think it's worth it.

Kroger:
Did you know that you can load coupon's from the internet onto your Kroger card? Their are 2 websites that do this and the coupons are good on top of your regular coupons. From my experience, even if I am already getting an item for free with paper coupons, the "virtual" coupon amount will still come off, creating overage!!
http://www.pgesaver.com/
shortcuts.com

Today's Walgreens Trip

First Transaction:

4 bottles Pert Plus @ $3.49 = $13.96

1 Mouthwash @ $4.49

Total before coupons = $18.45

-$2.50 WG Easy Saver coupon (took that off of each bottle) x 4 = -$10

-$2.00 Pert mq

-$1.50 Pert mq x 3 = -$4.50

Somehow I had -.21 for tax

Total Out of Pocket= $1.74

Earn $4.50 in Register Rewards for mouthwash

Second Transaction:

Milk @ $3.99

2 bags sf candy $1.08

1 mini calendar $.50

= $5.57 - $4.50 RR earned above = $1.07

Total oop for both transactions $2.81

That is a good price just for the milk!

A Frugal Find: Save on eating out!

This is for all my coupon buddies! This is my first attempt at blogging. I have been regularly sharing deals with many of my frugal friends via email. I'm hoping this format will make it more accessible to everyone who might be interested. So please share with your friends.

So, here is my first frugal find for you to enjoy!

Restaurant.com is a website that lets you purchase gift certificates for restaurants at a discount. For instance you can buy a $25 gc to Cozymel's for $10. Well, until 9/30 you can get 60%off your purchase by entering the code FALL. This means I pay $4 for the $25 gc. In the Ft. Worth area there are not many restaurants, but there are many in Dallas. I was looking for my family in Oklahoma City and they have a ton of choices. Every restaurant has its own stipulations on how you can use the gift certificate, so be sure to read that. I think this is a great deal, especially for gift giving. I am planning on doing the Dinner of the Month club for my family for Christmas with this 60% off promo. $12 for 3months of Dinner of the Month Club! But it is also a good deal just to save your family on eating out. Just be sure and to click "No thanks" to all of the special offers after checkout.

Okay, so to make the deal sweeter, you can make your purchase through ebates.com and get 15% of your restaurant.com purchase back. Ebates is awesome if you do any online shopping. Basically, you start on ebates website and click the store you want to shop at and a percentage of what you spend is paid back to you through ebates. And the good news is when you make your first purchase through ebates you get an automatic $5 posted to your accout. It is a win, win situation. They send you the money in the form of a check. I call that free money! Whoo hoo.

Last year, about this time I followed the Hot Tips on the Grocerygame message board and did most of my Christmas shopping online. If it was available I went to the online store (like buy.com) through ebates and got a little bit back on my already awesome deals. This year I will be checking Hotcouponworld for deals as well.

Okay, well that's it for today!
Be blessed and happy saving!