Penny Pinching Mom

Coupons on Sunday, August 8

2008-08-09T22:00:00.004-04:00

Thanks to Coupon Mom, I know what inserts to expect in my east coast Sunday paper this week. If you live elsewhere, you can go to her site and search by location.

St. Ives Bodywash or lotion any $1.00
St Ives Elements products buy one get one free (up to $6.99) BOGO
Shout Laundry Stain Remover any $0.75
Raid Wasp & Hornet Killer or Flying Insect Killer $1.00
Raid Disposable Yellow Jacket Trap $2.00
Raid Ant & Roach Killer $1.00
Raid Ant & Roach Baits $1.00
Quaker Chewy Granola Bars or Granola Bites $1.00
Oust Air Sanitizer any 10 oz $2.00
Minute Maid Juice Drink 10 pack or 6 pack any variety $1.00
Kozy Shak pudding product $0.35
Glass Plus product $0.50
GE Energy Smart Compact Fluorescent Lighting product $1.00
Edge shave gel or cream product $0.75
Dannon Activia 4 pk or Activia Light $0.50
DanActive or DanActive Light Drinkable Yogurt $0.50
Ban Deodorant product any 1.5 fl oz or larger $0.50
Air Wick Scented Oil refills $1.00
Air Wick Scented Oil Refill Fragrance with purchase Get a Free Warmer Unit (up to $3.19) BOGO
Zout Stain Remover any $0.55
Spot Shot Instant Carpet Stain Remover & Odor Eliminator (excluding 4 oz) $1.00
Soft Scrub cleaning product 17 oz or larger $0.50
Soft & Dri or Dry Idea Anti Perspirant & Deodorant any (excludes trial size) $0.75
Sani Hands or Sani Hands for Kids Instant Hand Sanitizing Wipes , except 6 ct $1.00
Rubbermaid Tote 18 gallon or larger $1.00
Rubbermaid laundry basket or Hamper $1.00
Rubbermaid Cooler 50 Qt or larger $2.00
Right Guard Anti Perspirant & Deodorant any (excludes trial size or RGX Body Spray) $0.75
Renuzit Adjustables Air Fresheners three singles or any two pack $0.55
Renuzit Adjustables Air Fresheners three singles or any two pack $0.55
Purina Mighty Dog brand dog food Free can (up to $.99) B0GO
Purex Laundry Detergent liquid or powder any size/fragrance $0.50
Olay Facial Cleanser, any $2.00
Neosporin product any $0.50
Motts Juice products any $1.00
Motts Applesauce Products any $0.55
Jose Ole , Taquitos , Quesadillas, Mini Tacos, Mini Chimichanas or Empanadas 12 oz or larger $1.00
Johnson and Johnson first aid product (excludes First Aid to Go Kit and Trial Sizes) $1.00
Johnson & Johnson Band Aid Brand Adhesive Bandages Ultra Strips $0.50
Greased Lightning Cleaning product any $1.00
FiberChoice Fiber supplement any 90 ct $3.00
Dry Idea or Soft & Dri Anti Perspirant & Deodorant any (excludes trial size) $0.75
Butterball Deep Fried Turkey Lunchmeat $1.00
Bic Soleil System Razor or cartridge refills 4 pack or 8 pack $3.00
Bausch & Lomb Alaway Antihistamine Eye Drops $4.00
Smuckers Uncrustables Sandwiches $1.00
Smart Balance Product excluding Buttery Spread $0.50
Smart Balance Buttery Spread excluding Omega Plus $1.00
Scotch Brite Stainless Steel Cleaner Starter Kit $1.00
Ruffles Trash Bags $0.50
Purina Beggin Dog Snack 6 oz or larger $1.00
Purina Alpo Prime Cuts, Prime Slices, Classic Ground or Classic Chunky Canned Dog Food 13.2 oz Buy 4 Get 1 Free up to $.79 B4GO
Purina Alpo Prime Cuts Savory Beef Flavor, Come N Get It or Grrravy Dry Dog Food 17.6 lb or larger $1.00
Purina Alpo Chop House Originals Canned Dog Food 13.2 oz Buy 3 Get 1 Free up to $.89
B3GO
Pounce Cat Treats $1.50
Oxy Product $1.00
Max Factor Products Buy 3 Get 1 Makeup Brush Free B3GO
Max Factor Product $1.00
Max Factor Product $2.00
Loreal Skin Genesis Moisturizer $1.00
Loreal Skin Genesis Cleanser $1.00
Land O Frost Premium Lunchmeat $0.55
Kudos Granola Bars 10 ct $1.00
Knox NutraJoint Caplets or Powder $4.00
Duck Easy Liner Shelf Liner $2.00
Complete Multi Purpose Solution 12 oz or larger $2.00
Clairol Balsam Haircolor $1.00
Centrum Vitamins any except 30 ct $1.00
Centrum Silver Vitamins any except 30 ct $1.00
Centrum Performance Vitamins except 30 ct $3.00
Centrum Kids Multivitamins $1.00
Caltrate Calcium Supplements except 30 ct $1.00
Blink Tears Eye Drops $1.50
Benecol Spread $1.00
Barbaras Snackimals Cookies 7.5 oz $0.75
Barbaras Puffins or Organic Wild Puffs Cereal 10 oz or larger $1.00
Yoplait Yogurt Cups (includes Oringinal, Light , Thick & Creamy or Whips) or any flavor Yoplait Original or Light Smoothie buy six and get one free (up to $.94) $0.40
Yoplait Yo Plus Yogurt 4 pack $1.00
Yoplait products, any listed: Yoplait GO Gurt, Go Gurt FIzzix, Go Gurt Smoothie or Yoplait Trix Multipack Yogurt $0.75
Wanchai Ferry Dinner Kit $1.00
Totinos Pizza Roll Snacks (any flavor/variety) $0.35
Pillsbury Toaster Strudel pastries $0.75
Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookie Dough any $1.00
Pillsbury Ready To Bake Cookies $0.35
Pillsbury Grands Biscuits $0.30
Pillsbury Sweet Rolls or Grands Sweet Rolls $0.30
Old El Paso products, taco shells, seasoning, dinner kits, salsa (excludes refrigerated, frozen or soup products) $1.00
Nature Valley Granola Bars any flavor/variety $0.50
General Mills Fiber One chewy bars $0.50
General Mills Cheerios Snack Mix any size /flavor $0.50
General Mills Cereals $1.00
Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad mixes any flavor $0.50
Betty Crocker Pop Secret Microwave popcorn any flavor/variety $0.50
Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper microwave singles (3) or 4 ct box or Chicken Helper microwave singles box $1.00
Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper , Tuna Helper or Chicken Helper Home Cooked Skillet Mix any flavor $0.75
Betty Crocker Fruit Flavored Shapes $0.50
Betty Crocker Fruit by the Foot, Fruit Gushers, or Fruit Roll Ups or Fruit Stackerz Fruit Flavored snack $0.50
Betty Crocker Cookie Mix any flavor 17.5 oz or larger $0.40

Coupon Mom has more details than this, but right now this is what I need to decide if I want to buy an extra paper.

New Link: Coupon Cravings

2008-08-08T21:38:00.005-04:00

I just added a new button to my blog. Erin over at Coupon Cravings is really on the ball and I just had to share her blog with you. She already has the CVS deals posted for next week. I love her $5 Charity Challenge and I'm looking forward in participating. Shopping at CVS hasn't been much fun for me lately, but maybe this will get me revved up again. I love a good challenge.

Debt Proof Living Olympics

2008-08-08T08:15:00.004-04:00

Today is the day. Mary Hunt has challenged us to our own Olympic event. You can make up your own challenge and if you complete it, you will be eligible for a Gold Medal Certificate from Mary. During the next seventeen days, I plan to use cash only for my purchases, spend less than $50 on food, and DO SOMETHING with my Sharebuilder account. To participate, you need to be a fan of Debt Proof Living or Everyday Cheapskate and embrace the credo: "Bringing dignity to the art of living below your means". Read more about the DPL Olypics and sign up HERE.

Wal-mart Deals

2008-08-07T06:51:00.003-04:00

Would you believe that I picked up all this stuff at Wal-mart for $5.39? This was my first time grabbing coupon deals there. The notebooks were still a nickel each-no coupon needed. Several of the items were free with coupons and some even earned me a few cents: K-Y jelly, Well-patches, sample toothpaste, mousse sample, and glucose monitor. I had a $5 off Luvs coupon that I received by mail when I signed up at their website. The rubber bands and yarn weren't deals, but the overage from the coupons helped to reduce their cost.

Mandi from Doodles Place says that K-Y jelly keeps bows in little girls' hair. My girls are past that age, so I'll have to wait for grandchildren to try it out. (I have a second grandson on the way, but I doubt that they'll be dolling up his hair.) I found these deals and more here on The "Cent"sible Sawyer and I think she updates her Wal-mart list on Sundays.

My Aldi Experience

2008-08-06T06:40:00.003-04:00

Since the closest Aldi is about 35 minutes from my house (or should I say $15 in gas), I waited until I was "in the neighborhood" of one before I tried it out. That opportunity came yesterday when I picked my daughter up after an out-of-town conference. Upon arrival, I found the carts neatly parked just outside the entrance and we had to put a quarter in to get one. Our quarter was "stored" in a little giszmo on the cart and popped back out when we took the cart back. Inside, the display items were stacked in open boxes, warehouse style, and everything was clearly marked with large, easy to read signs. I found almost everything on my list: sugar, boxed macaroni and cheese, easy-melt cheese, butter, margarine, oatmeal, tomato soup, and a few other items. I picked up a few items that were not on my list: tuna, bagels, crackers and cereal. Almost all of these items were cheaper than what I would have paid at Wal-mart. I'm not sure about the price of oatmeal at Wal-mart and I could have done better on the cereal at a grocery sale with coupons. Since I had the kids with me and they were hungry and it was a new experience for all of us, we also bought several items on impulse: pickles, oysters, chocolate chips, cheese puffs, and clam chowder. I really don't know how these prices compared with our local stores, but I think they were low. I was surprised to see milk at $3.59 because I have heard that milk is only $2.00 at the closer Aldi. I really liked seeing only one brand of each item. There was no need to stand there with a calculator trying to figure out which one was the best buy. When it was time to pay, there was only one cashier, but with only one customer ahead of me, it went quickly. As I was putting my items up, I realized that I had not been adding things up along the way and that the $40 in my pocket was not going to be enough. Aldi accepts debit cards, but I did not bring mine. The girls quickly pulled money out of their purses and made up the difference. I spent $57.59. The cashier was very fast and she placed items in a cart as she rung them up. I only had time to fill two bags (brought from home) and she was done. I bagged the rest in the parking lot. All in all, it was a good trip. If we had a local store, I would definately shop there with a plan. Knowing what to expect, I could go in with a plan and come out with great savings.

Menu Free Grocery Planning

2008-08-05T07:20:00.003-04:00

I tried planning menus in an effort to shop more frugally. It didn't work. I tried planning my grocery list around the weekly ads. That didn't work either. Here's what works for me:

I use an 8 1/2 x 11 tablet with a stiff back so that I can easily write things down as I go through the freezer and cabinets to see what I have to work with. My list this month looks something like this:

Things to use up: carrots, zuccini, mozerrella cheese, milk, pie shells, sweet potatoes, Fiber One cereal
Quick meals: sandwiches, chicken tenders, oodles of noodles, bundinos, smoothies
Treats & snacks: ice cream, baked goods in freezer, pudding, cake mix, popcorn
Meat: meatballs-4, chicken breasts-4, pork roast-4, ribs-2, fajitas-2, turkey ham-8, chicken nuggets-lots (no hamburger)
Frozen vegs: large variety
Fruit for smoothies: strawberries, blueberries
Other fruit: watermelon, bananas
Cheese: variety, 2 weeks or more
Bread: hamburger and hot dog rolls, wheat-1, white-1
Other: canned tomatoes
Side dishes: pasta dishes-4, flavored rice-4, spaghetti-4, pasta-4, brown rice-4, barley-lots
Breakfast: smoothies, yogurt-4, waffles-2, bagels-2, plenty: pancakes, cream of wheat

The numbers next to items tell me how many meals I can expect to make out of that item.

As I look over my list, I can see that we have plenty of food to last two weeks or more. Rather than written menus, I have ideas forming. I should make muffins with all that Fiber One cereal next time we have a cooler day. I can use the pie shells, squash, cheese, and tomatoes for some creative dish, but I will be the only one that eats it. Lunches are covered with sandwich items and leftovers. I'll need bread, fruit, and breakfast items later in the month. I would like to have more quick meal items for busy days and some things the kids can make by themselves. If I buy hamburger, I can cook it and freeze it in smaller packages and that will cover many quick meals and round things out nicely. I can pick that up at Costco when I purchase cleaning supplies for the church.

Next, I check the white board on the refrigerator and see that we are low on butter, margarine, and sweetner. We are out of oatmeal and yeast and the kids want macaroni and cheese.

Now I can look at the sales flyer. Pizza Rolls are on sale, I have coupons, and the kids can make them. There are cereals on sale, so I'll see what coupon matches I can come up with. That's all I see, so I won't need to do much shopping this week. That's good because I have an opportunity to go to Aldi today and I am hoping to pick up my "list" items. The nearest Aldi is about 35 minutes away in another state, so I have never been there. I'll be within 5 minutes of one today when I pick my daughter up from a conference, so I am excited about checking it out.

New CVS coupon!

2008-08-04T17:09:00.003-04:00

Are you watching my links? (I check them almost every day since there are some awesome frugal bloggers out there.) That's how I found the new $2/10 CVS coupon. I know my blog is a bit cluttered, but scrolling down the right hand side on a regular basis will get you some free stuff and help you find some awesome deals! I'm not posting the link here because I want you to meet some of the fine ladies that found it for you.

August Groceries

2008-08-04T07:50:00.004-04:00

Last month, I mentioned that I purchased some food in advance from my August budget. Here it is:

I couldn't resist the ice cream because it was such a good deal at $1.00 per box. I guess my resistance was low because in the days before budgeting, we always had ice cream in the house. Now that I am thinking a little more before I buy, I wait for a good sale and coupon match before I splurge. No, we don't really NEED 4 boxes of ice cream treats, but I had to buy 4 to get $4 off my order and I had 4 coupons for $1 each AND they were on sale.

The bundinos were free. Um...well...they will be free once I send in the rebate. I do not like sending in rebates and I tend to put them off as long as I can. It is in my "to do" pile for today, so we'll see. I bought them because they were on sale and had coupons attached to the boxes. Without the rebate, they were about $0.70 per box so I bought them for a mini vacation that we had planned for August. (Our plans have changed and we are not going to travel until fall, so they will come out of my grocery budget for August.)

The Angel Food for $30 is part of a community outreach program that I am working on. I will blog about that another time. This is what I got:

40 oz. Marie Callender’s® Family Crock Pot Dinner (Meat Included)
1.5 lb. Boneless Pork Filet
5 lb. Breaded Chicken Chunks
1.5 lb. Meaty Beef Ribs
28 oz. Meatloaf and Gravy
1 lb. Beef Fajitas
1 lb. Fully Cooked Meatballs
1 lb. All Meat Hot Dogs (Substituted with Hot Pockets)
1 lb. Broccoli
1 lb. Peas and Carrots
28 oz. Pasta Sauce
1 lb. Pasta
32 oz. Borden 2% Reduced Fat Shelf Stable Milk
32 oz. Hawaiian Punch
12 ct. Corn Tortillas
7 oz. Blueberry Muffin Mix
1 dozen Eggs
1 Dessert Item

I am curious to see what you frugal bloggers think of the Angel Food, so please leave a comment. I think I could have gotten as much food for the money by matching coupons with sales, but it would have taken more time and we wouldn't have as much variety. There are a few items that I probably wouldn't have bought (cookies & Hi-C), but we will save them for our mini vacation. I have been trying to make all of my meals from scratch, so it is a little different to have so much "convenience" food in the freezer again. If I spread the convenience foods out, I won't feel like I'm eating junk food. It will be convenient. I am looking forward to next month's order. It's like having a personal shopper...I feel like a queen!

Sunday Coupons

2008-08-03T00:15:00.003-04:00

It looks like there are plenty of coupons coming on August 3rd. Check Coupon Mom to see what you can expect.

School Kits

2008-08-02T18:14:00.006-04:00

One of my favorite ways to give is to make school kits and give them to our local United Methodist Church. Through UMCOR (The United Methodist Committee on Relief), they distribute them all over the world to children who need them. In my area, kits are collected at various churches in the community and then taken in June to an annual conference and then transported to a storage facility to await distribution. If this is something you are interested in, now is the time to shop to get the biggest bang for your buck! I put my kits together for $2.60 each, including the bag. Not all United Methodist Churches participate in this ministry and some may have different collection dates, but if you call around you may find something that you can participate in. Here's what they need:

School Kit Items
Value: $11 per kit My Actual Cost: $2.60
1 pair blunt scissors (rounded tip) (Wal-mart $0.55)
3 pads (or loose leaf) of 8 1/2" x 11" ruled paper (Wal-mart $0.05)
1 30-centimeter ruler (Wal-mart $0.47)
1 hand held pencil sharpener (Target $0.20)
6 unsharpened pencils with erasers (CVS – free)
1 eraser, 2 1/2" (Target $0.11)
1 box of 24 crayons (only 24) (Wal-mart $0.22)
1 cloth bag (Dollar Tree $1)

Important Kit Assembly Information
*All items included in kits must be NEW items.
*All emergency kits are carefully planned to make them usable in the greatest number of situations. Since strict rules often govern product entry into international countries, it is important that kits contain only the requested items-nothing more.
*Do NOT include any personal notes, money or additional materials in the kits. These things must be painstakingly removed and will delay the shipment.

UMCOR also distributes health kits, flood buckets, and more. You can read more about the contents of the other kits HERE.

August: What's on Sale?

2008-08-01T08:14:00.003-04:00

Here is what you can expect to see on sale throughout the month of August:

Back to School sales:

school supplies
hand sanitizers, anti-bacterial wipes
socks, underwear, school clothes

Food:

breakfast foods
lunch box items
produce (Bartlett pears, corn, cucumbers, figs, garlic, green beans, melons, okra, onions, peaches, plums, raspberries, summer squash, tomatillo, red flame grapes)
fresh fish

Summer Clearance:

bathing suits
BBQ and patio items
sunscreen, etc.

White Sale:

linens
towels

For a more detailed list, go to Hot Coupon World.

Many states are having a tax-free weekend for back-to-school items starting today.

Many book stores and office supply stores are having Teacher Appreciation Days and include homeschool teachers.

Grocery Challenge: Last Day

2008-07-31T20:53:00.006-04:00

I don't think it is likely that I will spend any money on food in the next couple of hours, so I'll go ahead and sum it up now:

The Challenge: Spend $25 per person for food in the month of July. There are four of us eating, so that allowed me to spend $100. My previous budget was $400 per month (including paper and cleaning products) and I never made it, although I hit $40 a week for food twice. Nevertheless, I love a good challenge. Here's how it went:
I spent $96.51 on food to consume in July, leaving $3.49 to spend! (We were going to go to Dairy Queen and use my "Buy one Blizzard, Get one free" coupon that expires today, but I decided to let it go.) I also spent about $35 on food for August. We have not touched it, but I didn't see a point in being super careful in July and then spending twice as much in August. I purchased Pepsi on sale and donated it to a 4-H yard sale, but that came out of my "giving" fund, not my food budget.
Here are some good things that happened along the way:

When I open the freezer now, I know what is in there and nothing falls out on me. (No wounded toes, no new dents in the floor.)
The refrigerator got empty enough that I could see how dirty it was, so it got a good cleaning.
I saved money--a bunch of money.
We learned to eat different things.
I realized how selfish I tend to be about food. I used to make whatever I felt like eating without giving much thought to what everyone else might like.
I really understand now what it means when people say, "You can't out-give God."
We ate healthier.
We don't "need" as much as I thought we did.
I lost about 10 pounds.
I feel good about my spending in July and I am going to lower my grocery budget to $200 per month. This should cover stockpiling and holidays as well.

We ended the month with a nice treat that was left over from a meeting:

Yum! We haven't had anything this good since I stopped shopping at Costco a few months ago. (Thanks, Candy. My family loves you.)

Thank you, Rebekah, for the challenge. I am so glad that I participated. I think I will do this quarterly. The self-discipline was good for me.

To read about others who participated in the challenge, go to The Coupon Bin.

Free Samples

2008-07-31T20:49:00.003-04:00

Here are some free samples: Dove Pro-age, Pantene Expressions, and Lactaid Fast Act. Thanks, Britt!

CVS August Book

2008-07-31T00:04:00.002-04:00

The CVS Book for August is posted HERE. I don't see any freebies this time, but Mommy Snacks has already found some coupon matches. You can check them out HERE.

Walgreen's coupon for 7/31

2008-07-30T22:40:00.003-04:00

Stop by Annabelle's blog for a link to a Walgreen's $5/20 coupon good for Thursday, 7-31. She also has some great handmade rag baskets available for purchase. Thanks, Annabelle!

Awesome sale at Money Saving Mom

2008-07-30T08:28:00.002-04:00

Money Saving Mom has a bunch of E-books in a bundle on sale today for $5.97! Get them HERE.

Grocery Challenge: Day 29

2008-07-29T12:41:00.005-04:00

In the grocery challenge, I had $5.66 left to spend in July for food. I spent $1.08 on a fast food burger (last week, but forgot to blog about it because they didn't give me a receipt). Then I went to Food Lion and picked up yogurt with a "get it free" coupon and some reduced bananas for $1.09. The cucumbers and zuccini were a gift! That leaves me $3.49 to spend in the remaining 2 (3) days of July. Go to the Coupon Bin to see how others are doing with the grocery challenge. If you want to know why we didn't make it home without opening the food, you can read about our CVS shopping HERE.

Manic Monday: CVS

2008-07-29T11:29:00.011-04:00

Yes, I know that this is Tuesday, but we didn't get back from CVS until 9:00 PM and then I had to get the kids off to bed, my husband was chatty, and there were other things to catch up on. It was fun shopping at CVS without the confines of the $3/15 coupon. I still ended up doing multiple transactions, but I didn't have to think as hard.

Transaction 1:

Revlon make-up: $9.99, Used $2 coupon, Gained $9.99 ECB

2 Lifesavers: $2.19 bogo, Used bogo coupon (Register beeped, but she pushed it through.)

Used: $3 & $5 ECBs, Gift Card: $0.14

Earned: $9.99 ECB

Transaction 2:

2 big Hershey bar $1.00 each (bogo with CRT)

2 Stayfree pads $4.50 each ($2 coupon, bogo coupon)

One touch mini glucose monitor $19.99 ($20 coupon)

One touch glucose monitor $29.99 ($20 coupon)

2 Neosporin $5.50 and $4.99 (2-$1 coupons)*

1 Band-aid Ultra $2.99 ($1 coupon) Earned $2 ECB

2 M&M Premium $4 each (2-$1 coupons) Earned $5 ECB

2 Palmolive dish soaps $1.39 for 2 bogo deal ($1/2 coupon)

1 Aveeno itch $4.49 (coupon $1, CVS coupon $2) Earned $1 ECB

1 Atkins bar--Oops. Charged $2.29 instead of $1 (Coupon $1)

ECBs Used: $9.99, $7.99, $1

ECBs Earned: $5, $2, $1

Gift Card: $7.88

Cash received: $10*

Rebate expected: $29.99-stamp for $0.42

Transaction 3:

*I bought one each of the Neosporins that are pictured in the ad for $5.50 each. The ointment rang up for $4.99 which left me $0.51 short in qualifying for the $10 ECB. The cashier could not fix it and suggested that I purchase the small pack of Carefree mini pads. I tried that, but the package was not the right size to qualify. (I also bought 2 Johnson's buddies just in case--free with coupon.) I really didn't want to purchase anything additional and the cashier was very sweet, so I didn't push it. I just said that I would pick up another item later and returned the Carefree item.

Transactions 4 and 5:

On the way home, I stopped at another CVS and explained my plight. It was almost time to close the store and the cashier was very tired. She allowed me to return the Neo ointment and purchase the individual packets instead. Still no ECBs. Now my receipt stated that I still needed to spend $14.50 to earn the reward. The cashier decided that I must need to purchase everything in one transaction, so I retrieved my other Johnson's items from the car. As she started to take them out of the bag to begin the refund process, I asked her how this would work since I had used coupons. I commented that she would be battling this all week and that it would probably be much easier to change the price of the original item to to match the price of the ad. Can't be done. I said that a manager should just come and give me a $10 gift card and be done with it. She said, "You know what? I am a manager at this store and I'm just going to give you the $10 and leave a note for my manager. You bought all the stuff." I ended up coming home without the NEO, but I called this morning and they found it and will hold it until I get back to town. While I'm there, I will find out what happened with the Atkins bar and pick up some more candy for shoeboxes. (The lifesavers were a test run to see how the coupons would work. I have more coupons.) We will make Kodak movies, too.

SUMMARY: $20.02 profit after rebate and postage, 2 tired and hungry kids, 1 amazed husband.

By the way, thanks to the new online features at CVS, I realized that I lost the $3.99 ECB from the small photo book last week. I have an idea that it might have gotten mixed up in the coupons from a coupon swap I hosted last week, so I will go dig through the trash in hopes of finding it.

CVS glitch

2008-07-28T23:05:00.001-04:00

Just a word of caution on the Johnson & Johnson deal at CVS: Neosporin cream is listed in the ad with a price of $5.50, but it rings up at $4.99. My order would have totalled $20 with the $5.50 price. In trying to straighten that out, I found out that all of the items need to be purchased in one transaction to earn the ECBs.

CVS Newbie Spends $1.80, Food Lion chicken

2008-07-28T13:09:00.004-04:00

I received an email from a frugal friend that I want to share:

"I just wanted to let you know something else I found. For people who don't get the Food Lion
sales Flyer, you can go HERE and they have the flyer each week. You can just look at it or print it out page by page, which I thought was nice in case you don't need all the pages. Another special I found at Food Lion this week, which I did not see on The Grocery Game was Tyson Family Pack Chicken Nuggets 32oz. for $4.99 and there was a recent coupon for $1.00 off."

Here's what she had to say about her trip to CVS:

I wanted to let you know what I got at CVS today. I was so excited. Of course, I checked out 3
times, but just put the stuff in my van and went back in so I could save gas. I started with $3.49 extra bucks.
This is what I got:
M&M's Premium $4. coupon for $1. off
6 bags of Lifesavers BOGO $2.19 =$6.57 coupon BOGO$2.19 off Rec'd $5 extra bucks
Band-Aids $2.99 coupon $1.00 off, rec'd $2. ex. bucks
One Touch Ultra Smart (for diabetes) $29.99 coupon $20 off, mail in rebate $29.99
Benadryl (they have a spanish one on closeout for $1.35 coupon $1. off
Listerine w/4 white strips $4.00, coupon for .50 off
Extra Strength Tylenol $6.00, coupon for $1.00 off
Tylenol PM $6.00, coupon for $1.00 off
Stayfree pads 36ct $4.50, Rec'd $10.00 extra bucks
2 Colgate toothpaste (I only meant to get 1) $1.77 ea., coupon $1.00 off
Palmolive Dish Det. BOGO for $1.59, coupon for $1.00 off
Scott Paper Towels (8 rolls) $4.99, coupon for $1.00 off
2 boxes CVS Pantyliners $1.98, rec'd $1.98 in extra bucks
1 box CVS Tampons $1.49, rec'd $1.49 in extra bucks
The total for everything I purchased was $82.94, subtract $30.69 for coupons (from newspaper and internet), subtract $20.46 in extra bucks and I still have $3.49 left in extra bucks for my next time. That leaves $31.79 that I paid out today. Tomorrow I am mailing in the rebate for $29.99 for the One Touch. That brings me down to spending a $1.80 for everything today.!!! We use everything I purchased and we are going to the beach and I am stashing the candy away until then.

Thanks, Pam!

Would you believe she is just getting started? She even caught a couple of deals that I missed. I'm going to see if I have any lifesaver coupons left. (They didn't work on the BOGO sale a few weeks ago.)

Grocery Challenge, Day 28

2008-07-27T19:06:00.008-04:00

Last time I posted, I had $21.66 left to spend on groceries in July. Since then, I went to the bread store and spent $7.82. I also went to Target and bought my daughter some snacks for a weekend trip. I put them in a gift bag and rationalized, "This is a present. I don't have to count it toward my July spending on food." I didn't even take a picture of it because it didn't count. Besides, I paid full price for items that will probably be on sale this week. Later, I felt guilty. After all, I counted her when I figured out how much I could spend in July and it is food. So here it is: I spent $8.08 at Target for junk food. That leaves me $5.66 to spend in July--4 more days of eating. We have plenty of food around, but we are out of bananas, yogurt, and very low on coffee.

Here's another confession: I bought some food items in July to be used in August because they were a good price and it seemed the best thing to do. I have kept track of the money and kept the food separate so we won't eat any of it until August. (Actually I put it on a credit card and will pay the bill in August, so I haven't really bought it yet. And no...I do not carry a balance on my card, so there will be no interest to contend with.) I feel good about it--not like I cheated. I can do a better job of keeping my budget down if I stock up on items when they are on sale. There's not much point in being very careful one month if you have to buy twice as much the next.

On the other hand, I earned $35 in gift cards at Martin's that I could have used for food in July, but I am saving them for a mini vacation in the fall. I also received more free food:

For my other posts about the grocery challenge, go HERE. Read more about other people who accepted the challenge HERE.

Nature Made coupon

2008-07-27T12:13:00.001-04:00

HERE is a coupon for $1.50 off of Nature Made Multi's. Thanks, Britt!

Coupon Update 7-27 & CVS

2008-07-27T06:43:00.007-04:00

I had a pleasant surprise today when I found an additional insert in my Sunday paper. I checked back at Coupon Mom and sure enough, the coupons are listed. (Check yesterday's blog entry below for the other ones.) Here they are:

Zyrtec Allergy Product 24ct or larger (excludes trial size) $4.00
Welchs 22 oz squeezable Jam , Jelly or spread any flavor or 18.8 oz reduced sugar spread any flavor, buy any two and save $1 on any container of any brand milk $1.00
Visine Product .5 oz or larger $1.00
Tylenol Product except trial size $1.00
Systane Lubricant Eye Drops $3.00
Sundown Vitamins product any $1.00
Speed Stick , Teen Spirit or Lady Speed Stick Antiperspirant/Deodorant (exluding .5oz product)
$1.00
Softsoap Brand Liquid Hand 7.5 or 12oz $1.00
Softsoap Brand Body Wash (excludes 2.0 oz size) $1.00
Snyders of Hanover Pretzel Sandwiches 8 oz or larger $1.00
Scott Paper Towels one long lasting rolls 150ct or any four or more Scott Towels 60-144ct $1.00
Scott Paper Towels one long lasting rolls 150ct or any four or more Scott Towels 60-144ct $1.00
Scott Naturals Paper Towels $1.00
Scott Extra Soft bath tissue 4 pack or larger $1.00
Schiff Vitamin or Supplement any (excludes Move Free and Glucosamine) $2.00
Schiff Glucosamine product $3.00
Rubbermaid Takealongs Containers $1.00
Romanos Macaroni Grill Restaurant Favorites Dinner Kit $1.00
Resolve Triple Action Trigger Carpet Cleaning product any $1.00
Resolve Carpet Cleaning product any $1.00
Purell Hand Sanitizer 2 oz or larger $0.60
Post Kids Cereals including Honey Comb, Fruity Pebbles and Alpha Bits $1.00
Post Honey Bunches of Oats Just Bunches! $1.00
Post Cereals any two $1.00
Palmolive dish liquid any $1.00
Palmolive Automatic Dishwasher Detergent $1.00
Pace specialty salsa any $0.50
Pace Picante or Salsa 15 oz or larger $0.40
Oust Surface Disinfectant & Air Sanitizer any $1.00
OptiFree Replenish 10 oz Solution or OptiFree Replenish Rewetting Drops $1.00
Onetouch Blood Glucose Monitoring System Save $20 on any B0GO
Nissin Foods Souper Meal $0.55
Nissin Foods Chow Mein or Chow Pasta $0.55
Neosporin product $1.00
Nabisco Cookie or Kraft Crackers products $0.75
Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs Chewy Granola Bars $0.70
Lysol Pourable All Purpose Cleaner any $1.00
Lysol All Purpose Cleaner Triggers, Antibacterial Kitchen Cleaner or Lysol Plus Bleach $1.00
Listerine Smart Rinse $0.50
Listerine Antiseptic Mouthwash 500 ml or larger $0.50
Kraft South Beach Living Snack Pack Delights, Snack Bars Delights or Meal Bars 6 ct or larger $1.00
Kraft South Beach Living Tide Me Over Drink Mix $1.00
Kraft South Beach Living Hot Sandwich melt or refrigerated wraps $1.00
Kraft Crackers or Nabisco Cookie products $0.75
Johnson & Johnson Band Aid Brand Adhesive Bandages (excludes trial size) $0.50
Irish Spring Body Wash (excludes 2.5 oz size) $1.00
Irish Spring bar soap 3 pack or larger $1.00
Icaps Vitamins any $1.00
Icaps Softgel AREDS Vitamins $3.00
Colgate two adult or kids manual Toothbrush $1.00
Colgate Total Advanced Clean Toothpaste only 4.0 oz or larger $1.00
Colgate Adult or Childrens Toothpaste 4.0 oz or larger $1.00
Colgate 360 Sonic Power Toothbrush or any two adult Colgate manual Toothbrushes $1.00
Colgate 360 Sonic Power Toothbrush or any two adult Colgate manual Toothbrushes $1.00
Clearasil product any $2.00
Citrucel with Smartfiber Soft Chews $2.00
Citrucel any product (orange powder, sugar free orange powder caplets and soft chews $1.00
Bengay product $1.00
Benadryl Topical product $1.00
Benadryl Allergy product (excludes trial size) $1.00

This will help you decide how many papers to buy, but Coupon Mom has more details than I posted, plus you can change the way that they are arranged and search for specific coupons. (I still can't find that other free e-book, though.) Don't forget these coupon items are likely to go on sale in about a month.

Although I had visited Coupon Mom several times before, it wasn't until reading this on Money Saving Mom that I realized there was so much great information. I am re-working my coupon system. I'll blog about that another time.

You can view the CVS ad HERE.

Coupons 7-27-08 and Good Deals

2008-07-26T18:15:00.006-04:00

Thanks to Coupon Mom, I know that these are the coupons I can expect to find in my paper tomorrow:

Turkey Hill Ice Cream, Frozen Yogurt, Duetto or Sherbet 1.5 qt or larger - $1.00
(On sale at Martin's 4/$10 and qualifies for extra bonus points for gas.)
Temptations Cat Treats - $1.00
Smuckers Squeeze Fruit Spread - $1.00
Sargento Salad Finishers - $1.00
Sargento Potato Finishers - $1.00
Purina Busy Bone Mini - $1.50
Purina Busy Bone - $1.50
Pillsbury Brownie Mix or Frosting - $1.00
Pedigree Little Champions Dog Food 8 or 12 ct - $1.50
Pedigree Dog Food 10 cans or pouches OR 1 multipack - $1.00
Pedigree Dog Food 10 cans or pouches OR 1 multipack - $1.00
Pampers Diapers jumbo pk or larger - $1.50
One A Day Adult Multivitamin - $1.00
Nivea Sun Kissed Firming Moisturizer 8.4 oz - $1.00
M&Ms Premiums Chocolate Candies - $1.00
Jif To Go Peanut Butter - $1.00
Iams Dry Dog Food 40 lb $1.00 Off 1 PETCO COUPON ONLY - $1.00
Iams Dry Cat Food 20 lb $2.00 Off 1 PETCO COUPON ONLY - $2.00
Flintstones Multivitamins $1.00 Off 1 - $1.00
Flexamin Product - $5.00
Crisco Puritan Canola Oil With Omega 3 DHA - $1.00
Clairol Natural Instincts, Golden Shimmer, Brass Free, Shine Happy or Loving Care Haircolor Buy 1 Get 1 Free BOGO
Brawny Paper Towels 2 roll or larger - $1.00
Bayer Aspirin with Heart Advantage - $2.00
Bayer Aspirin Product 24 ct or larger - $1.00
Ball Park Franks - $1.00 (Martin's 2/$5)
Aleve 20 ct. or larger - $1.00
Adidas Deodorant, Body Spray or Body Wash - $1.00

This will help me to decide if I want to pick up extra papers, or be content with the one I will find in my paper box in the morning.

It took several visits to the Coupon Mom website before I found this great coupon listing. If you live in certain areas, she will match coupons to sales for you. Unfortunately, I am not in one of those areas--but maybe you are. She has a great book for free on how to save money with coupons, too.

Deal Seeking Mom has a plan for CVS next week. You can check it out HERE.

Always double check "borrowed" scenarios to make sure they will work with your store's coupon policies. Something else to keep in mind: If you purchase several of the same ECB earning items at the same time, all of your "Extra Bucks" will print on the same receipt. Sometimes it is hard to rollover large amounts of ECB's. I try to break mine up into several transactions.

The "Cent"sible Sawyer has great Wal-mart deals HERE.

Gina at Mommy Making Money has the CVS deals for this week listed HERE.

Money Saving Mom has been amazing me with her Safeway deals.

These are some of the blogs I read regularly. I have links to them and some other favorites on the right, but you'll have to scroll to find them.

Happy bargain hunting!

Coupon Mom

2008-07-26T07:19:00.004-04:00

Have you found Coupon Mom yet? Be sure to download her free book about how to save money with coupons. She also lists all of the coupons from your Sunday paper! I might come back later to update, but this will get you started.

Product Review: Ice Cream Maker

2008-07-25T17:26:00.007-04:00

This is very similar to the ice cream maker we use. I bought mine for a great price at Costco a couple of years ago. It is alot of fun to make your own ice cream with the kids and this makes a small enough amount to prevent ice cream binges. I never tried ice cream mixes, but making it from scratch is very simple. The bowl needs to be placed in the freezer overnight. Then, just add cream, sugar, and flavoring. Our favorite is mint with chocolate chips. Yum! This one mixes with the flip of a button--no need for ice or salt.

CVS Changes

2008-07-24T15:57:00.005-04:00

CVS has changed their website. If you create an account HERE, you will be able to keep track of your ECBs and prescriptions. I am hoping to get more coupons! (I don't get as many as some bloggers out there.) After you register, check your email. I received a $5/30 coupon good on Saturday only. Thanks to Tara at Deal Seeking Mom for this information!

Summer Olympics Challenge

2008-07-24T05:30:00.002-04:00

I just signed up to compete in Mary Hunt's Debt Proof Living Summer Olympics. Starting on August 8th and going for 17 days, I have three goals:

1) During the 17 days of the Olympics, I will only use cash for everything but gas and bills (even though I love my credit card and always pay it off each month).

2) I will decide what to do with my Sharebuilder account and DO IT.

3) I will not spend more than $50 for food for the four of us.

Set your own goal. Mary will award a gold medal certificate to every one who reports back that they achieved their goal. You can read more about it and sign up HERE.

Product Review: Hamilton Beach Single Serve Blender

2008-07-23T10:15:00.008-04:00

I love this little blender made by Hamilton Beach. We have had it for about two years and use it almost daily to make smoothies. The cup is designed for blending as well as a travel cup with lid. We make our smoothies with frozen strawberries, frozen bananas, milk, and sometimes a serving of yogurt for variety. Although this is considered a "single serving", we fill one sippy cup and two small coffee cups to make three servings. This little machine is very easy to clean and well-made. We have used (and broken) a variety of smoothie makers and blenders, but this one is by far my favorite.

Recipe: Amish Baked Oatmeal

2008-07-22T08:52:00.002-04:00

I found this recipe at RecipeZaar. It was submitted by Aurora and taken from an old Amish cookbook. It is very good, although sweet. I usually prefer it as an evening snack a couple of hours after a light dinner. It needs to sit overnight, so plan accordingly. (I make mine in the morning and bake it while I'm cooking dinner. Leftovers are great microwaved with milk.)

Amish Baked Oatmeal
Melt 1/3 cup butter
Grease 1 1/2 quart baking dish and drop in 2 large eggs. Beat well.
Add 3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon (or nutmeg)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Mix well...no lumps.
Whisk in butter and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk.
Add 3 cups oats
Stir well and refrigerate overnight.
Bake uncovered at 350 for 35-45 minutes, or until set in the middle.
Serve hot with warm milk.

Manic Monday-Part 2: CVS

2008-07-21T07:04:00.006-04:00

I normally do my grocery shopping and CVS trips on Monday, but I was already out last night and I had 2 $3/15 coupons that I needed to use at CVS. My goal was to break down the $7.99 ECBs from last week into something smaller. Here's how it went:

TRANSACTION 1:
BOUGHT:
4 12-packs of Pepsi products (for someone else) at $2.75 each
2 packs of Trident: $1.48
1 can of Gold Emblem mixed nuts $2.99
USED:
Trident coupon -$0.75
CVS $3/15 coupon
OOP: $12.04
ECBs earned: $1 trident, $3 Pepsi

TRANSACTION 2:
BOUGHT:
3 packages of CVS Kidpants on sale for $6 each
USED:
CVS $3/15 coupon
CVS $2/10 CVS coupon
ECB: $7.99
Gift card: $5.26
EARNED: $5 ECB

SUMMARY:
Spent $25.29 (cash, card, ECBs)
Reimbursements to recieve: $12.00
ECBs earned: $1, $3, $5
TOTAL OOP: $4.29

I will receive another $30 gift card when I pick up a prescription today, so I am still making money at CVS. I cannot believe I am buying diapers so inexpensively. I used to buy the cheapest ones at Wal-mart and spent 3 years looking for a better price and never found it. I am buying better quality now, too.

Check the "Cent"sible Sawyer for other CVS deals this week.

Manic Monday-Part 1: The Grocery Challenge

2008-07-21T06:42:00.007-04:00

It is day 21 of the grocery challenge and I think I am going to make it. My goal was to spend $100 this month on food for a family of four. (There are five of us, but one fends for himself.) Here is what I bought this week:

Bought:
1 can of mixed nuts (FREE at CVS)
2 6-packs of Fiber One yogurt (Wal-mart $2.48 each, 2-$1 coupons, overage from Zantac)
1 flavored coffee mate (FREE with coupon)
grapes, bananas, cucumbers ($3.57 at Food Lion with $2/$5 produce coupon)
tomatoes, cucumbers (FREE from gardening friends)
Zantac (FREE with coupon at Wal-mart + $1.02 overage)
Summary:
Spent on food this week: $5.70
Spent so far in July: $78.34
Left to spend in July: $21.66

We are eating well. I have ground beef in the freezer from last week, frozen chicken from last month, frozen vegetables, and a variety of pastas and side dishes--even microwave popcorn and ice cream.

Mary Hunt's New Book

2008-07-19T22:15:00.003-04:00

If you have been struggling financially and are ready to dig yourself out of the pit, I recommend reading books by Mary Hunt. Her books taught me how to get out of debt, stay out of debt, make giving a priority, and much more. Aside from the Bible, Mary's books have had the greatest impact on my life. You can browse her books at Amazon (see my link to the right) and your public library probably has them, too. Mary has a new book and she's offering 35% OFF this weekend only! Here's a note from Mary Hunt:

Where is it written that women don't do money? Not in my book, that's for sure!

I am excited to announce that my latest book, The Financially Confident Woman, is ready to equip women everywhere to add "skilled money manager" to their list of accomplishments. And we've got a special deal for you this weekend only--35% OFF!

In this updated and expanded edition of The Financially Confident Woman, you will
Learn roles and myths about women and money
Discover how to change your habits forever
Read how Mary's faith impacted her own financial journey
Start your six-week plan of action to get fiscally fit
Master the ins and outs of credit and credit scores, paying down debt, saving, spending, giving-and more!
For this weekend only, The Financially Confident Woman is on sale for 35% off--that's just $9.72 (plus s/h) when you order in our online bookstore through Monday, July 21, 2008. And I will autograph all copies ordered this weekend, too.

Hurry over to the DPL Bookstore and get your copy today!

Mary

CVS July 13-19 UPDATED

2008-07-19T15:30:00.000-04:00

CVS Transaction 1:
Bought:
Herbal Essance shampoo $2.50
Herbal Essance conditioner $2.50
2 Suave bath gels $3.98
2 Sally H nail color $1.98
3 packs of pencils $1.00
1 photo book $3.99
Coupons Used:
CVS $3/15
Suave -$1
Suave -$2 (BOGO)
Nail color -$2 (with $3 coupon)
Herbal Essance -$3/2
ECB's used: -$4.50
Gift card: -$0.68
ECB's Earned: +$3.99
TOTAL PAID: -$1.19*

I used more ECB's than planned because I had a Kodak $3 off coupon, but I didn't realize that the coupon was only for the bigger books. Oh, well. I can't complain. It is still a pretty good haul for $1.19 and I am using free gift cards for everything now.

TRANSACTION 2:
BOUGHT:
1 6x8 photo book $7.99 (-$3 coupon, earned $7.99 ECBs)
2 Post-it notes $2.09 each (-$3/2 coupon)
4 Bumblebee tuna $2.64 with raincheck
2 CVS tampons $2.98 (earned $2.98 ECBs)
1 CVS make-up remover towelettes $2.99 (-$2 CVS skincare, +$1 ECB)
1 CVS hand sanitizer spray $1.79 (Used coupon to get it free.)
2 Johnson's Bath Buddies $1.98 (-$1.98 with $2/2 coupon)
1 gallon milk $4.39 (Mixed with water to make 2 gallons.)
OTHER COUPONS USED:
$3/15 coupon
$2/10 CVS
$1.50, $1.98, $6.00 ECBs
$3.08 gift card
ECBs EARNED: $7.99, $1, $2.98
TOTAL SPENT: $0.59

TRANSACTION 3:
BOUGHT:
4 Suave bath gels $7.96 (-2 bogo coupons, -$1/2 coupon)
2 S Hanson nail colors $1.98 (-$1.98 with $3/2 coupon)
1 6x8 photo book: $7.99 (-$3 coupon)
OTHER COUPONS USED:
$3/15 coupon
$1.00, $2.98 ECBs
$1.52 gift card
ECBs EARNED: $7.99
TOTAL EARNED: $2.49

SUMMARY OF ALL THREE TRANSACTIONS:
PROFIT: $0.71

*I don't calculate my total the way some do. I count ECB's like money, so if I use $2 in ECB's I have spent $2. If I earn $2 ECB, I subtract that from my spending before I figure my total. I do not call it a profit unless I walk out with more ECB's/money than I started with.

Grocery Challenge: Day 19

2008-07-19T14:40:00.006-04:00

This was part of my CVS shopping this week. It was free! (I bought one gallon of whole milk and added water to make two gallons.) Sorry...we had smoothies before I thought to take a picture. Read about the grocery challenge HERE.

Free Baby Stuff

2008-07-17T13:21:00.001-04:00

I came across a great site- It is run by a mother of triplets! During her pregnancy she gathered tons of contacts and phone numbers for free samples, free diapers, free formula. She has pictures of so many items she has recieved for free.

She put all this into a 35 page ebook. There are checklists and a page full of phone numbers that you can call to get free baby stuff.

Here is a quote from the triplets mom:

"If you are having a baby and you DON'T get this information you are throwing your money away. We spent literally hours upon hours gathering all of this information. You can now take this consolidated information (much of which is in a simple checklist) and get hundreds of dollars worth of FREE baby items and baby information.!"

Find out more here.

Grocery Challenge: Day 17

2008-07-17T07:24:00.004-04:00

Here are a couple of adjustments to my grocery spending this month:

I used a coupon at T.G.I.F. for free dessert (up to $8.00) to buy 3 desserts for $8.48. Sign up HERE. As we were eating our desserts I noticed that the coupon said, "a free dessert" so we ended up paying $4.00 for our treat. (I left a tip, but that's not food so I am not counting it toward my spending this month.)

I took the cucumbers back to Martin's and explained that I thought I had been over-charged. (I paid 2/$4 when it should have been 2/$2.) They checked the price and I had been charged correctly, so I returned them. They gave me back $4.00. See my Martin's trip HERE.

I'm not sure why both transactions were exactly $4.00 with no adjustment for tax or anything, but it's kinda neat. My summary remains the same:

Previous Balance spent in July: $41.07
Spent today: $31.57
Left to spend in July: $29.36

Borders

2008-07-16T13:43:00.003-04:00

Borders has opened an on-line store and is offering 30% off of one item thru July 22 with free shipping on orders over $25. Check HERE for details.

Expired Coupons

2008-07-15T12:38:00.006-04:00

Many of you may be familiar with Ellie Kay's book Shop, Save, and Share (If not, you can look at it on Amazon--see my sidebar.) In it, she mentions that military personnel are able to use expired coupons. Here's where you can send them:

Expired Coupons:
· Please do not send any coupons more than six months past the expiration date
· Please mark the outside of the envelope, “Expired Coupons”
· Please fill out customs form (available at the Post Office)

SPANGDAHLEM FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER
52 MSS/DPF
Unit 3655 Box 65
APO AE 09126-5565

LAKENHEATH RAF UK
48 MSS/DPF
Unit 5200 Box 105
APO AE 09464—01055

AVIANO FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER
31 MSS/DPF
Unit 6125 Box 260
APO AE 09601--5260

10 Ways to Save Gas

2008-07-15T08:00:00.007-04:00

Here are some tips for saving at the pump courtesy of Advance Auto Parts:

Check tire pressure: Under-inflated tires can cost up to 3% in fuel economy.

Replace air filter: Replacing your filter every 12,000 miles will save up to 10% on gas and protect your engine.
Get regular tune-ups: Keeping your car in shape can save you up to 4% on your fuel purchases.

Check oxygen sensors: Replacing abad oxygen sensor will save you up to 10% in fuel costs.

Use fuel injector cleaners: Use 3-4 times a year to keep your injectors clean your engine efficient.

Check gas cap: 147 million gallons of gas vaporizes annually in the U.S. because of loose gas caps.

Synthetic motor oil: Reduces friction and improves gas mileage.

Inspect brakes: Dragging brakes decrease fuel economy.

Notice your check engine light: A faulty sensor or mechanical problems can seriously reduce fuel mileage.

Slow down: Acceleration requires more horsepower and uses additional fuel.

For more gas saving tips, check out Advance Auto Parts or U.S. Department of Energy.

Manic Monday: Groceries on July 14, 2008

2008-07-14T12:48:00.010-04:00

I am participating in the GROCERY CHALLENGE and my goal is to spend $100 or less in the month of July for food for four people. Here's how I did today:

FOOD LION:

7 packages of Top Ramen: $1 (Not the best price, I usually get 10/$1.)
2 Bundinos: 2/2.50 - 1.10 coupons on box = $1.40/2 (Free after rebate.)
Bananas: $0.69
Cat Chow Healthful: FREE with coupon from insert
2 Fiber One yogurt 6 packs: $5.18 - $2 coupons = $3.18/12
Honey Bunches of Oats cereal: FREE with coupon from mail offer.
TOTAL: $6.68

MARTIN'S

Bought:

carrots: $0.99

2 hot house cucumbers: $4.00 (Should have been $2, will get refund.)

4 large peaches: $2.09 - $2 off $5 produce

Pork sirloin: $1.59

Family Pack Ground Beef: $14.58 - marked down
Daisy sour cream 16 oz: $1.99 - $1 doubled coupon

Eggs: $1.99 - $1 doubled coupon

Bagels: $1.09
TOTAL: $24.89

Previous Balance spent in July: $41.07

Spent today: $31.57

Left to spend in July: $29.36

GAS: $51.58 this week. This is high because we made two extra trips to town for "free" meals. The extra gas cost about as much as the meals were worth, but we did it anyway--just for fun.

I apologize for the unusual spacing in this post, but I cannot make it do what I want.

Frugal Homeschool Curriculum

2008-07-14T05:00:00.002-04:00

After many years of homeschooling, I finally found a curriculum that I love and it is affordable. Learning Adventures is a unit study that is suitable for Christian homeschools and covers all subjects but math for grades 4-8. One thing that I really love about the curriculum is that the subjects are all tied together. For example, the reading complements the history and is also used for writing and grammar assignments. There is only one "required" book for each section that I purchase and the rest come from the library. This allows each child the freedom to choose books that they are drawn to on each topic. The teacher's guide is wonderful: we simply start on the first page and work through the subjects in order. The next day, we pick up where we left off. No planning! There is a list of all additional supplies you will need and when you will need them--all easy to find and inexpensive. Instead of tests, there is a game that is wonderful for reviewing the lessons for the day. The only other thing you will need is a set of student pages. These are consumable, but we usually do them orally, make a copy, or write the work in a notebook. That way one set of pages will last through all of my kids. The author, Dorian Holt, is a real live person and will answer personal emails and phone calls. Even so, most of the time people get their answers from other homeschool families in the email groups. If you are homeschooling and aren't familiar with Learning Adventures, I highly recommend that you take a look.

Grocery Challenge Update: July 12

2008-07-12T19:33:00.005-04:00

I bought food today, and nearly wiped out my budget for this week. We ran out of bread days ago, so I made a trip to the bread store: $6.49 for 5 loaves and 2 rolls. Later, we picked up some fresh produce from the farm down the road: $7.45. I went back over my grocery list for Monday and cut it in half. I hope I can make it. It is great to have bread again and the corn and peaches were awesome!

Grocery Spending Goal for July: $100
Previous balance: $27.13
Spent today: $13.94
Left for July: $58.93

For more about the Grocery Challenge, check out The Coupon Bin.

Cow Day!

2008-07-11T14:14:00.006-04:00

Well, we did it. My daughter made white paper arm and leg coverings and added black spots, a tail, and some make-up. I cut my black spots out of a trash bag and taped them on to my off-white pants. On the top, I wore a white trash bag with black trash bag spots. I taped a few more spots on my exposed skin and shoes. It worked! They greeted us at the door with a cow bell and graciously served up a free lunch. Yum. They took our picture with the Chick-fil-a cow, but we'll have to go back next week to pick up our copy.

Grocery Challenge: Day 11

2008-07-11T05:00:00.000-04:00

The grocery challenge is getting challenging. I usually try to do all of my errands on Monday, but this week I ran out of time before I made it to the bread store. Now we are out of bread, but I have already gone over my $25 guideline for the week so I guess I will have to bake something or eat more cereal. My goal is to spend no more than $100 on food in the month of July. So far, here is what I have done:

$22.80 Groceries on Monday

$3.25 Hamburger from nearby convenience store (gasp) because after being light-headed for three days, I decided I needed beef. (It worked and was worth every penny.)

$1.08 Running errands...McDonald's cheeseburger for a hungry little boy because it was cheaper than driving home for lunch and we didn't pack any peanut butter sandwiches because we are out of bread.

$27.13 Total in July so far.

Looking back over my shopping from Monday, I realize that I bought quite a bit of junk food. I won't be doing that this week--we need meat.

If you want to read how other people are doing on the Grocery Challenge, check out the links at Coupon Bin.

FREE Slurpee

2008-07-10T17:55:00.001-04:00

Friday, July 11 is 7-11 Day and they are giving out free slurpees. Look HERE for a store near you.

COW Appreciation Day!

2008-07-10T15:23:00.003-04:00

Don't forget: Friday, July 11 is "Cow Appreciation Day" at Chick-fil-a! If you go fully dressed like a cow, you receive one free meal. If you go partially dressed like a cow, you receive one free entree. My Chick-fil-a encouraged people to bring a white tee shirt on Saturday and they provided paint, markers, stickers and a cow headpiece. (Just found out today--too late.) Keep your eyes open for Cow Appreciation Day stickers around town. We found ours at the library and on the back is a coupon for a FREE Chicken Salad Sandwich with purchase of medium Dr Pepper. They expire on August 30, 2008. Go HERE for tips on dressing like a cow.

Freebie Christmas

2008-07-10T05:00:00.002-04:00

I was brought up in a very large, low income, one-parent family and my frugal mom had a wonderful, creative imagination. When it came to holidays, we didn't celebrate them in the traditional way, but we always had fun and made memories. I remember returning to school after Christmas vacation one year and being bombarded with "Whadjya get?" I had to ask what that meant because Christmas wasn't about getting stuff at our house. Once I understood, I was proud to say, "Oh...I got to celebrate Little Christmas". I went on to explain that on December 6th all of the children in my family woke up to find little gifts in their shoes. If we were good--and I always was--we received candy, but if we were bad--like my brother--we received coal. Of coarse my brother received plenty of candy and I always had at least one piece of coal. All the school kids ooed and awed and I felt very special.

Years passed and my older sisters and brothers married and had children. Many of us lived in the same community and wanted to celebrate Christmas together without breaking anybody's wallet, so we decided to celebrate "Little Christmas" together. We shared a pot-luck meal and all of the adults gave gifts to each other and the children. There were about 30 of us. In order to keep the cost down, gifts had to be free or under a dollar. This was in the days before Dollar Tree, so we had to be creative. I worked diligently all year long to accumulate gifts for everyone. I had a great time, and it was fun to see what sort of things my siblings came up with.

More years have passed, and now my older sisters have grandchildren so they celebrate with their own extended families. At our house on Little Christmas, we find gifts in our shoes. I am still not into "stuff" at Christmas and I cannot bring myself to spend money that I don't have, so I use all my freebies as Christmas gifts. It is a lot of fun, and I don't have to worry about credit card bills in January.

If you have a favorite holiday tradition to share, send me a comment. I will compile them and publish some of them closer to the holidays.

For other thoughts on Christmas, click on over to Doodles' Place. Mandi is celebrating Christmas in July and has some good ideas and yummy recipes.

Freebies!

2008-07-09T06:02:00.003-04:00

Here is a picture of some recent freebies I have received. I ordered the calculator and document storage boxes through Amazon (see button at right) and paid for them with a $30 credit for applying for an Amazon business credit card. The tote bag was free from Books-a-Million with this coupon. The apron came from Rick Rack Attack--a "thank you" for having their button on my blog. (I deleted it and haven't figured out how to get it back, but I am not too worried because if you google "vintage aprons", they come up first now and that was their goal.) You can try for a Senseo Coffee Pod Machine HERE. (Pay $15 for shipping.) The walkie-talkies were on sale for $10 each, paid for with a google shipping promotion--no longer available. Food samples and other freebies are available HERE and HERE.

MANIC MONDAY: This week's savings

2008-07-07T16:20:00.001-04:00

I am beginning the month of July with $17 ECB's ($2.50 spring plus $14.50 from June) and $75 in gift cards. I have one expired coupon $4/20 (July 4) and one expired coupon for a free chapblock. I am participating in the $25 Grocery Challenge and I'm trying to be careful with my gas.

MARTIN'S
Bought:
4 boxes of General Mills Cereal (4 coupons, Promo: Buy 4, get $4 off)
1 8 oz. brick of cheese
1 4-pack of yogurt
Total before savings: $19.20
Total savings: $9.31
TOTAL SPENT: $10.21

CVS
Transaction 1:
Bought:
1 Sure deodorant $2.69 (BOGO coupon)
1 Sure deodorant $2.69 ($1 coupon)
1 CVS chapblock $0.99 (FREE with expired coupon)
Used: $1 ECB & $0.86 gift card
Earned: $3 ECB
Profit: $1.14

Transaction 2:
Bought:
4 Pert Plus Shampoo 2/$5 = $10 (coupons: $2, $2, $3, $3)
2 CVS Panty Shields $0.89 each = $1.78
4 Sure deodorants $2.69 each = $10.76
1 Rubbermaid water bottle $4.29
Used: $13 ECB's, $0.58 gift card
Earned: $7.98 ECB's
ECB New Balance: $13.98 (Down $3.02)
Gift card balance: $73.56 (Down $1.44)

FOOD LION
1 box FL ice cream sandwiches: $2.69 (coupon: $1)
2 boxes Luigi's Italian Ice: $2.98 (coupon: $0.75)
Bananas: $1.26
Cantaloupe: $1.50
Balance: $10.54

DOLLAR TREE
Bought 2 boxes of crackers at $1 each.
Total: $2.05

Staples:
In two transactions, I bought:
5 poly binders
4 8-packs of pencils
20 pocket folders
4 Purell hand sanitizer
Total: $1.60

BOOKS-A-MILLION

FREE tote bag

SUMMARY FOR THIS WEEK:
GAS: $26
GROCERIES: $22.80
CVS: $4.46 (ECBs and gift card)
OFFICE/SCHOOL SUPPLIES: $1.60

NOTES:
I did not receive credit for one of my cereal coupons at Martin's, and another wasn't doubled because it was a duplicate. CVS did not accept my $4/20 July 4 coupon, but she said to hold on to it in case they receive an email later telling them that they were sent out late and could be accepted. (I was counting on that to cover the $4.29 water bottle and should have had it taken off my order.) My 2 - $3 Pert coupons didn't go through. It looks like the cashier put the $2 coupons through twice instead.

Martin's Coupon

2008-07-07T15:01:00.003-04:00

HERE is a coupon for $2 off your $5 produce purchase at Martin's. It expires on July 19, 2008.

Freebies

2008-07-07T07:16:00.002-04:00

Here are a couple of freebies:
A sample of Dove® Sensitive Skin Beauty bar and Dove® moisturizer with SPF 15, plus a coupon for additional savings.
A sample of Scott Xtreme Rags.

CVS Week of June 29-July 5 & June Summary

2008-07-05T09:54:00.007-04:00

I have been procrastinating about this all week because it was my worst CVS week ever. I learned a few things from my mistakes, so hopefully this will remain my worst ever. I didn't even bother to take pictures. Here's what I did:

Transaction 1
BOUGHT:
1 Crest toothpaste $1.99 EB - $1 coupon + $1 ECB
2 Stayfree pads $8.98 (BOGO coupon -$4.49*) + $1.50 ECB
2 BOGO Gummi Savers $2.19*
1 Brut deodorant $3.39 - $1 coupon + $3 ECB
1 Huggies Natural Care $3.49 - $1 coupon +$2 ECB
1 Bic Soleil Razor $6.99 - $4 coupon
1 Bic Soleil refill $6.99 - $4 coupon + $5 ECB
2 Johnson's buddies $1.98 - $1.98 coupon
USED $18.99 ECBs
Total $0.23 on Money Card, Balance $0
Earned $12.50 ECBs
(I didn't mean to use so many ECBs. I like to keep about $16 ECB, but I was thinking that the Soleil items were giving $5 ECB's each.)

Transaction 2:
BOUGHT:
1 Gold Emblem water $2.99
1 CVS swabs $3.19 + 2 ECBs
1 CVS Sunscreen $2.39 (Should have been $1.99, but I didn't catch it.)
1 CVS Sunscreen $1.99 - $1 CVS sunscreen coupon
USED:
$3/10 CVS coupon
$5.63 cash (Gulp. I haven't spent real money since my first CVS transaction. I was waiting for a prescription and the $3/10 coupon started nagging at me, so I just had to use it.)

TOTALS for June:
I started the month with $16.08 on a gift card and spent it all.
I started with $15 ECB's
I ended the month with $14.50 ECBs and gift cards worth $20, $25, and $30 = $75!

*Lessons learned:
1) I cannot use a BOGO coupon on a BOGO item (gummis). I cannot use a BOGO coupon on 3 items if they are on sale BOGO.
2) I cannot buy 2 items (Stayfree pads) and use 2 $1 coupons and a BOGO coupon at the same time. The cashier was very patient and voided the $1 coupons so that I could us the BOGO coupon instead. (I think I could have used one $1 coupon and the BOGO, but I didn't think about it until just now.
3) I cannot work deals in the store with 2 kids chattering at me.
4) I need to take a book next time I have to wait for a prescription.

BOGO means Buy one, Get one
ECB's are ExtraCare Bucks that print at the end of the receipt

CVS July 4 Coupon

2008-07-04T19:22:00.003-04:00

I had heard that CVS sent out $4/20 coupons for July 4th, but I didn't think much of it because I don't usually receive anything when others do. This time they sent me one, but I didn't get it until about 4:30 this evening. I'm not inclined to spend $4 in gas to make a special trip to CVS, so I guess I will let it go. I'm hoping that they will honor it this weekend when I am in town for other things.

FREEBIE: Tote Bag

2008-07-03T22:51:00.005-04:00

Books-a-Million has a coupon for a FREE Tote Bag as well as discounts on other purchases. Coupon expires 7-14-2008. While supplies last.

You may have noticed a few new items to the right of this blog. Now you can do your Amazon shopping and coupon clipping all in one place...and put a few more pennies in my piggy bank at the same time. Be sure to check out the links, too. There are some great money saving ideas out there in cyberspace!

Grocery Challenge

2008-07-03T08:26:00.004-04:00

I love a good challenge, so I couldn't resist Coupon Bin's $25 grocery challenge. For the month of July, we are challenged to spend no more than $25 per person for the month. For us, that's $100-$125. (We have four full-time eaters and one occasional eater, so we'll see how it goes.) I usually shop on Mondays, so check back and see how I'm doing. Want to join me?

Soup Goop

2008-07-02T18:27:00.006-04:00

Well, the Mjeddrah was not very popular around here. My husband likes it, but he doesn't eat every meal at home like we do. Even though I only made half a batch, I have eaten four meals of it and only made a dent in the pot. I didn't think I could eat another bite and the kids were moaning about having to eat sandwiches again. (The house rule is "Eat what I fix or make a sandwich.") I am trying hard not to throw things away, even though the groundhogs (raccoons? possums?) will eagerly eat anything I put out and it keeps them out of the garden. As a last resort, I disguised the leftovers.

Here's how:

Brown one pound of pork sausage. (Put half of it away to use for something else tomorrow. Add a 14 1/2 oz. can of diced tomatoes, a can of tomato soup, and a can of water. Stir in a couple of generous ladels of Mjeddrah and heat. As an afterthought, I added a little dry onion and frozen diced green pepper. Garnish with grated cheddar. It worked. All I heard was, "Is there barley in this? It would be good with barley."

I guess we'll have leftover "Soup Goop" tomorrow. That is, if nobody reads my blog and learns my secret.

My Beloved Calculator

2008-07-01T13:00:00.000-04:00

I had planned on blogging about the wonderful checkbook calculator that I have been using for over 15 years--everyday lately. I had no idea how attached I had become to it until yesterday when I discovered that I must have left it at Martin's check-out. Without it, I was disoriented all evening. It wasn't there when I set out to tally my receipts. It wasn't there when I wanted the name of the manufacturer so that I could recommend it to everyone. Most of all, I just kept noticing that it wasn't there where I am used to seeing it. A quick call to customer service informed me that it had not been turned in. Gone. After 15 years of faithful service. I never even had to replace the battery.

What was so special about this calculator? Not only did I use it daily to keep track of my checkbook and tally CVS deals, but I recently discovered how handy it was to carry in the store. In addition to the keypad and handy pocket for coupons and ECB's, there are three sets of buttons designed to keep track of debits, credits, and totals. The first is a checkbook register with keys marked "deposit", "check", and "balance". Simply enter checks in one, deposits in the other and the calculator kept track of the balance. I never used this instead of a checkbook register, but I used it every time I wrote a check or balanced my account.

The other two sets of keys labeled "charge", "payment", "balance". When I work CVS deals, one set of buttons keeps track of the amount I am spending while a separate set keeps up with the ECB's I'm earning. I could have used the "checkbook" buttons to keep up with coupons too, but I just tallied them up in the end and used the keypad to subtract them from my spending balance (without changing the memory balance). At the grocery store, I tallied my spending in one section and my coupons in another. It was very handy and I knew exactly what to expect when I reached the check-out.

I am glad that I took all of my CVS stuff out before I went to the grocery store. Replacing a calculator is one thing, the hard-earned gift cards and ECB's quite another. Amazon has a very similar calculator (see sidebar), so I am ordering a new one today. If you order one, be sure to read the reviews first because there are several models and strong opinions about each one.

Subway: I won!

2008-07-01T12:35:00.003-04:00

I just entered the SUBWAY FreshBuzz contest and won a free movie ticket to see Get Smart (It's PG-13, so I won't be going). There are other prizes. Play the game HERE and see what happens. Heather at Freebies 4 Mom has more details.

Groceries: June 22-28

2008-06-30T17:20:00.004-04:00

Purchased at Wal-mart:
2 boxes macaroni & cheese $1.16
10 packages of Ramen 1.20
2 packages of bagels $2.74 (Wow…up $0.21 per package since last week.)
1 gallon of milk 2.94
2 1 lb.packages of sliced ham at Food Lion’s sale price $5.98
2 6-packs Fiber One yogurt $4.96
2 packages of lentils $1.44
1 package of split peas $0.68

Coupons
2-$0.55 off coupons for lunch meat
2-$1 off Fiber One

Total $18.50

Purchased at MARTIN’S:
6 packages of Oscar Mayer Weiners
3 packages of Chex Mix
3 cans of Popeye spinach
2 6-packs Fiber One yogurt
2 packages of Philadelphia cream cheese
1 16 oz. flavored coffee mate
1 16 oz. Daisy sour cream
1 can Planters mixed nuts
2 lbs. Giant long grain rice
2 ½ lbs. bananas
1 (2 lb.) bag potato puffs
1 lb. frozen vegetables
2 (16 slice) packages of Kraft American cheese

Total before savings: $60.25
Bonuscard savings: $22.18
Manufacturer Coupons: $18.24
Doubled Coupons: $1.10
TOTAL SAVINGS: $41.52
TOTAL SPENT: $19.75

SPENT THIS WEEK: $38.25

That's a lot of food for under $40. I think this has been my most successful grocery shopping trip so far. I have been spending about $40 or less per week for about the last three weeks, but this is the most food I have bought in awhile. (I used to spend over $100 per week, often up to $150--I'm learning.)

Recipe for Mjeddrah

2008-06-30T07:28:00.008-04:00

I am going to try this recipe that my sister gave me:

Mjeddrah
10 cups water
4 cups lentils
2 cups uncooked brown rice
¼ cup olive oil
2 tsp salt

Combine ingredients in large slow cooker. Cover. Cook on HIGH 8 hours, then LOW for 2 hours. Add 2 more cups water if needed to allow rice to cook and prevent from drying out. This is traditionally eaten with a salad with and oil and vinegar dressing over the lentil-rice mixture, similar to a tostada without the tortilla.

My sister’s note: “I have halved the recipe with success. It never takes eight hours—more like six and then turn it off with my cooker. I make this to keep in the fridge as a healthy replacement for potatoes or bread. Our favorite way to eat it is with cumin and cayenne added. Sometimes I grate a bit of cheddar on top of individual servings.”

Bum Deal, Martin's Coupon Policy

2008-06-28T13:00:00.007-04:00

I went to Martin's today with my Planter's peanut coupons ($3 off Planters if you buy 3 Kraft, Oscar Mayer, etc. products) and my Kraft Singles coupons (12 oz. package free with purchase of 3 Kraft, etc. products). It didn't work. I had six packages of O.M. hot dogs (with 3-$1 off coupons), two Planters (2 coupons) and two packages of cheese (2 coupons). The computer accepted one cheese coupon and one Planter's coupon and all of the hot dog coupons. The manager said that the problem was in the Planter's coupon because they will not accept Internet coupons for free items. (The Planter's are on sale for $2.99.) I returned all of my merchandise and will try again another time with a different approach. Here is Martin's coupon policy:

Internet Coupons Policy:

Customers with a MARTIN'S BONUSCARD my redeem coupons that have been printed from the internet. We do not accept internet coupons for free products, or those with a value greater than $5.00. We reserve the right to refuse any internet coupon that appears to be fraudulent.

All coupon redemptions are subject to the discretion of the store manager.

Double Manufacturer's Coupons Policy:

Customers with a MARTIN'S BONUSCARD will receive double the value of manufacturer's coupons. (See specific store for details regarding double coupon policy redemption values.) The double coupon policy does not apply to customers without a MARTINS BONUSCARD, free coupons, manufacturer coupons that state "Do Not Double," in-store coupons, or other retailers' in-store coupons. The total value of the double coupon may not exceed the price of the item. We reserve the right to limit one (1) double coupon per same coupon per day, per customer.

No Trains from Toys R Us; CVS coupon

2008-06-27T20:11:00.006-04:00

I went to Toys R Us today to redeem my coupon for a free train, but they had a big sign that said they were no longer accepting the Internet coupons. I removed the link from my blog. Sorry if I sent anyone on a wild goose chase.

After reading on other blogs about various people receiving coupons from CVS, I finally got one! It is for a free CVS chapblock.

CVS Update for June 22-28

2008-06-26T13:24:00.003-04:00

I made another trip to CVS today and bought:

2 Colgate Total

4 Soy Joy

I used:

1 "Buy 2, get 1" Soy Joy

2 Colgate coupons at $1.50 each

ECB's: $6.00

OOP: $0.10

ECB's earned: $8.00 for a profit of $1.90

I also sold a nail polish and three bags of candy from a previous CVS trip to my kids for $2.50, lowering this week's CVS spending to $3.84 plus I have an additional $25 gift card on the way. That's not bad for all the toilet paper and paper towels I bought. The toothpastes and Soy Joys will be great in our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.

CVS Week of June 15-21

2008-06-25T15:40:00.006-04:00

Transaction 1:
8 Soy Joy $8
Used:
Coupon: Buy 2 Soy Joy, get 1 free: -$1.29
ECB's: $6
Money Card: $0.76
ECB's Earned: $8.00

Transaction 2:
1 8-pack Bounty Basic
3 12-roll packs of Charmin
3 Soy Joy (My daughter did transaction 1 and at the last minute needed an item, so I gave her one of my Soy Joys, thinking that I had calculated her transaction wrong. At the end of transaction 2, we only had 11 Soy Joys, so she must have dropped one before she got to the check-out. Not a problem...I evened it out later.)
Used:
Bounty coupon: -$1.00
Charmin coupon: -$1.00
Soy Joy "Buy 2, get 1" coupon: -$1.00
CVS $3/15
ECB's: $5 & $8
Money card: $7.90
ECB's earned: $10

Transaction 3:
1 Soy Joy: $1
1 Smart Rinse: $3.49
1 Oral B 2 pack: $6.99
Used:
Smart Rinse coupon: -$1
ECB: -$10
Money card: $-.52
ECB's earned: $4, $3.49, $6.99

Transaction 4:
Purchased:
1 Colgate Total Advantage: $2.99
4 Soy Joy: $4.00
Used:
Soy Joy "Buy 2, Get 1": -$1
Colgate coupon: -$1
Money Card: -$4.74
ECB's earned: $4, $2

Transaction 5:
2 Doritos $3.79
Used: ECB -$3.49
Money Card: -0.31

Transaction 6:
1 Prescription transfer: Gained $25 gift card

Summary: Started with $11 ECB's, ended with $16.99 ECB's (GAIN: $5.99)
Spent: $14.23 on money card - ECB gain of $5.99 = $8.24 spent this week
Gained: $25 gift card

This is more than I would normally spend at CVS, mostly because of the Doritos. I had written down 2/$3.79 and planned to buy one bag at $1.90 (Food Lion's price) because we had some cheese that needed to be used up and the kids love nachos. It turned out that it was buy 1/get 1, so I had to buy 2 in order to get the sales price. Not a big deal...I needed something for a picnic this weekend anyway. I also acquired more coupons for toothpaste, Soy Joy, and Brut so I will make one more transaction later this week.

Free Food

2008-06-23T16:54:00.003-04:00

There was a coupon in Sunday's Parade Magazine for a FREE 12-oz. package of Kraft Singles (up to $4.00) when you buy any three Kraft, Nabisco or Oscar Mayer products (excluding single serve). I'm going to try it with this COUPON to save $3.00 on any 1 Planters product (9 oz. or larger) when you buy 3 Kraft, Nabisco, or Oscar Mayer products. Martin's (Giant) has Oscar Mayer hot dogs on sale 2/2.99 and there were coupons for $1 off on two in a recent insert. Peanuts are also on sale for $2.99 making them free, plus they are a qualifying product on the free cheese coupon!

My Coupon System, Part 3

2008-06-23T13:54:00.004-04:00

This is how I organize my coupons for shopping. If you want to see the front of the binder, you can look at My Coupon System, Part 2.

The inside of my coupon binder is divided into the following sections (labeled on both sides):

refrigerated/frozen foods
packaged foods
cooking and baking
cleaning
paper products
toiletries
pharmacy
other

I found that photo album pages work best for holding the coupons, and I have 2-3 pages in each section. I had bought some trading card pages, but the slots were too small for most of the coupons and it took extra time to fold them so that they would fit. Then I couldn't see what I had. They are okay for condiments and salad dressings, etc. but everything else goes into the photo pages. I cut blank paper to fit each pocket, making four pockets in the front and four in the back of each sheet. When it is time to file my coupons, I pull an envelope from my pre-sorted box (Part 1) and sort them again into categories. For example, "toiletries" will be divided up like this:

toothbrushes
toothpaste
other oral care
hair care
deodorant
shaving
women's things
men's things
face
hands
body care

I do not have my pockets labeled because I put them in an order that makes sense to me, so it is not hard to find what I am looking for.

The picture below shows the back of my binder. I have a couple of full-page pockets for coupons that I need to file and local restaurant/oil change coupons. There is also a place for a tablet which is handy for working out my CVS deals or menus.

This system is fairly new to me and I am still perfecting it, but feel free to comment if you have any questions or if you have found a better way.

My Coupon System, Part 2

2008-06-20T12:00:00.002-04:00

This is my coupon binder. It was a gift several years ago, so it was broken in before I decided to use it for coupons. The outside pocket is handy for scissors, receipts, or coupons and rebate offers that I might pick up along the way. The binder zips closed, so I can grab it and go without worrying about things spilling anywhere.

Inside the front cover are several handy pockets to keep my calculator, a few "special" coupons, and post-it notes. The picture doesn't show it very well, but there is a zippered section that I use for my CVS receipts and a velcro pocket that holds some change and gift cards. There is a handy pocket for my weekly circulars, too. If you decide to purchase something similar for your coupons, a handle would probably be a nice option to look for. Since Blogger won't let me load my pictures in the order that I want them, I will describe the rest in Part 3.

Free BuddyCheck 9 Breast Health Kit and Tools

2008-06-19T15:56:00.003-04:00

Request your free BuddyCheck 9 kit which includes important information on breast cancer health and tools to help you remember your monthly breast self-exam.

My Coupon System, Part 1

2008-06-19T10:30:00.001-04:00

This colorful box was a #10 sized envelope box that my daughter covered in Duck tape to make it more attractive and durable. This is where I "pre-sort" my coupons. Inside, I keep a dozen envelopes with the flaps tucked in and labeled with my main categories in alphabetical order:

baking
canned foods
cereal, granola bars, etc.
frozen food
junk food
miscellaneous
other food
paper & cleaning
pharmacy
refrigerated food
specific stores
toiletries

The easiest way I found to file my coupons is to start by cutting all of them into a big pile in front of me. Then I sort the pile into smaller piles according to the above categories and slip them into the envelopes. I use a rubber band to keep the box closed. This doesn't take much time and the box travels well and tucks easily into a stroller, under my arm, etc. If you only clip coupons that you know you will use, you can stop here and be happy. Make sure you have your contact information on the box in case you leave it somewhere. By the way, this worked for me much better than the accordian-style check file box that I bought for coupons. The store-bought one was clumsy, spilled easily, and was not comfortable to carry, so I use it at home to keep my receipts in.

In part 2, I will share how I put together a coupon binder.

Coupon Clippers Wanted on TV

2008-06-18T19:39:00.003-04:00

Taken from Mary Hunt's Blog: Money Rules, Debt Stinks

This doesn't interest me at all, but it may interest some of you...

The ABC TV Show, Wife Swap, is looking for a family that cuts its grocery bill by clipping grocery coupons. Family must consist of two parents and have at least one child that is age 7 or older living at home. Family must live in the U.S.
Each family chosen to be on the show will receive a $20,000 honorarium once it has aired.
If you fit the profile and would like to apply, send your basic information to me by email. Please include a current photo of your family, email address and a daytime phone number.

Freebies

2008-06-18T15:37:00.003-04:00

Here are some freebies from Wal-mart and other places:
Pup-Peroni Dog Treats
Free sample of Skin Renew by Garnier
Free pet odor remover
Crest White Strips $7 coupon

CVS Refund Success!

2008-06-18T11:46:00.002-04:00

I am pleased to announce that CVS did indeed take back four packages of emery boards and refund my money, which means that I spent $2.60 for a nice pile of merchandise yesterday. (I am always happy to get diapers and food for next to nothing.) They also honored a coupon that I had clipped from a Rite Aid circular a few weeks ago and gave me a $30 gift card for transferring a prescription.

CVS June 17, 2008

2008-06-17T15:03:00.009-04:00

Transaction 1:
1 large package Twizzlers $1.50
2 large bags M&M’s $3.94
2 Oral-B Power toothbrushes $11.98
Total: $17.42
Used $1.50/2 M&M coupon
Used $3/15 CVS coupon
Used $5.99 BOGO toothbrush coupon
Used $6.49 ECB
Paid $0.70 with money card
Earned: $6.00 ECB

Transaction 2:
2 6-packs of Hershey Bars $5.00 (Completing Buy $10, get $5 ECB)
2 Oral-B Power Toothbrushes $5.99
Total: $16.98
Used $3/15 CVS coupon
Used $5.99 BOGO toothbrush coupon
Used $7.00 ECB
Paid $1.21 with money card
Earned: $11.00 ECB

At this point, I had earned $1.60 profit on my transactions. I blew it on the third.

Transaction 3:
1 package CVS kid pants $6
1 CVS mixed nuts $4.99
1 CVS cocoa butter lotion $2
6 Revlon Emery Boards $5.97 (Here’s where I messed up.)
2 Bath Buddies $1.98
Total: $20.94
Used 3-$1.00 Revlon coupons
Used $2.00 Johnson & Johnson coupon
Used $1.99 CVS skin care coupon
Used $3/15 CVS coupon
Used $3/10 CVS coupon
Used $8.00 ECBs (Oops again.)
Used money card for $0.39
NO ECB’s earned.

I didn’t mean to buy so many emery boards because I only had 3 coupons, but my brain went dead and I didn’t realize what I had done until I got in the car. (I should have stuck with my written plan and saved the lotion and emery boards for later in the week when I go back to pick up a prescription.) I am going to return at least two of the emery boards, which will give me back $1.99. If they will take 4 back and give me $3.98 on my money card, I will be a very happy woman indeed.

SUMMARY
I walked into the store with $15.48 ECBs and came out with $11.00 ECBs and I spent $2.30 on my money card. I am hopeful that CVS will take back 4 of the emery boards. If so, for $2.60 I got everything pictured above.

P.S. CVS gave me a refund on four packages of emery boards, so it was a good week after all.

See more money-saving ideas & examples at The "Cent"sible Sawyer & MoneySavingMom!!

Freebie of the Day

2008-06-17T13:56:00.002-04:00

There are two free books available to download today HERE. The first is The Intentional Planner (June-Dec 2008) by Sheri Graham. The other is My Bible Copy Work.

Mandi's Giveaways

2008-06-16T08:04:00.003-04:00

Did you notice the new button on my blog for Mandi's Favorite Things? She is well into her six weeks of giveaways, but this week is my favorite so I just had to tell you about it. This week's winner will receive a $25 gift certificate and free shipping from Duck Duck Goose Boutique, where you will find a wonderful assortment of clothes, toys, and gear. There is a large selection of Melissa & Doug toys that I am drooling over. Check it out!

Buyer Beware!

2008-06-15T17:21:00.000-04:00

If you use credit cards, I hope that you check your statements carefully to make sure that all of your charges are legitimate. I just received a call from the fraud department of Chase Bank in reference to my Sheetz MasterCard and they wanted to verify recent transactions on my account. Along with my usual charges to CVS and Food Lion, etc. there were a couple of transactions that I did not recognize. There were two $200 transactions to Apple I-Tunes and one for over $1,000 to an airline. I KNOW I didn't make them, and apparently Chase didn't think I did either because those were among the first transactions that they mentioned even though they happened several days apart with plenty of legitimate transactions in between. All of the false charges were completed over the Internet and I am not sure why, but the airline charge was refused. Chase is closing my account, issuing a new card, and notifying the credit bureaus. I am thankful that they caught it right away and called me.

Now, before you get the impression that I am living off of credit, let me explain. I use my Sheetz card for just about every purchase over $2 because I like the rebate program. I earn 3% on all of my Sheetz purchases (like gas) and 1-2% on other purchases. My rebates are paid in $25 gift cards, and I can choose from places like Sheetz, Walgreens, Target, and many other stores. Unlike some rebate accounts, I earn rebates even though I never pay a penny in interest. Every time I make a purchase, I stuff the receipt into a ziploc bag that I have hung in my van. When I get home, I write down everything on a spread sheet with separate categories for food, gas, home maintenance, clothes & gifts, and school & office. There are never any surprises when my bill comes and I pay the statement balance right away. This has been the easiest way for me to keep track of my spending.

If you want to read more about identity theft, you can start HERE. Meanwhile, the United States Department of Justice suggests remembering the word "SCAM":

S Be stingy about giving out your personal information to others unless you have a reason to trust them, regardless of where you are.

C Check your financial information regularly, and look for what should be there and what shouldn't.

A Ask periodically for a copy of your credit report.

M Maintain careful records of your banking and financial accounts.

CVS June 15-21

2008-06-15T07:34:00.000-04:00

Gina has some CVS deals that I overlooked. Check them out on her Mommy Making Money blog here. Denise at the "Cent"sible Sawyer has quite a list, too.

Walgreens deal

2008-06-15T07:13:00.000-04:00

I have never shopped at Walgreens, but I do look through their weekly circular once in awhile. Two deals caught my eye this week. They have Oral-B Cross Action Power Toothbrushes or Brush Heads for $5.50 with register rewards for $5.50 making it free. The Sunday inserts inlude one coupon to "Buy any 1, Get any 1 CrossAction Power or CrossAction Power Whitening toothbrush" and one BOGO refill. The Coffee-mate 16 oz. flavors are on sale for 2/$3. Click here for a coupon for $1 off on one or $1.50 off on two.

Free DVD

2008-06-14T09:20:00.000-04:00

Discover the proven secrets of potty-training success with this interactive FREE DVD available from Pull-Ups.com while supplies last!

CVS week of June 15-21

2008-06-14T08:34:00.000-04:00

Nothing excites me in the CVS ad this week. I needed several expensive items last week and used up most of my "free after ECB" items to get them cheaply. Otherwise I might stock up on some CVS brand items. The best deal I see is the 6-pack of Hershey bars that are on sale 2/$5, buy $10 and get $5 ECBs. I could buy 3 for $15 twice and use 2 $3/15 coupons and earn $15 ECBs. That makes 72 candy bars at $0.13 each. I can sell them at next month's yard sale for 3/$1 and make $14.64 if I sell them all. The leftovers would be saved to make S'mores at our family bon-fire in December. Hmm...I'll have to think on that.

"CVS-ing": How to make it work

2008-06-13T18:29:00.000-04:00

My newest and best-loved hobby is shopping at CVS Pharmacy. One month of shopping has me well stocked with shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, diapers, cereal, and many other things we use. I also have a stockpile of items to donate to various charities like Operation Christmas Child and UMCOR as well as our local shelters and food bank. What makes it so much fun is that most of the items were free. That's right. FREE. I bring home several bags each week of free items and sometimes I make a profit! (See Brittany's post for an awesome transaction this week.)

Want to try it? Here's how to get started:

First, you need to sign up to earn ExtraCare rewards (ECBs), which you can do here or at your local store. You can also go here to sign up for email offers, and they will send you a coupon to save $4 on a purchase of $20 or more. Next, go to the store and get their fliers: they have one weekly sales flier and one monthly booklet, usually on a rack in the store entrance. (You can go here to find a store or to look at the weekly flier.) Look for items that say something like, "Buy $20 of (item) + get $10 extra bucks." or "It's like getting it for FREE". When you purchase these items, your extra bucks will print at the end of your receipt. They are good for a month and spend like cash at CVS (with only a few limits). This may not seem very exciting, especially if you don't need any of the items that are on sale this week/month. But wait...it gets better. Suppose you use some coupons toward "free" items and pay with your ECBs? You can use your ECBs to pay for other items that earn ECBs (rolling over) and "spend" the value of your coupons on things you need.

Here are some tips:

Try to keep your purchase between $15 and $16 if you have a $3/15 coupon or between $20-21 if you are using a $4/20 coupon. (Sometimes you will find these on your receipt or you can print them from ads on the Internet.)

When you check out, have them scan your card first. Then give them a $3/15 or $4/20 coupon followed by your other coupons. (This is important because once they scan the first coupon, your total drops and can disqualify your CVS coupon.)

Some CVS stores have a machine that checks prices and prints coupons. Scan your card every time you go there.

Extra bucks for the same item purchased at the same time will print together. For example, if you buy 2 ECB items for $6.99 each in the same transaction, you will earn one Extra Buck coupon for $13.98. It is hard to spend that much at a time when you are using coupons, so try to mix up your items and earn smaller ECBs.

Watch for coupons for a free $25 gift card if you transfer a prescription.

Some CVS stores accept other pharmacy coupons.

CVS offers rain checks on sales items, but I don't know if you can earn ECBs on them.

You can use a CVS coupon and a manufacturer's coupon at the same time. (I have found CVS coupons attached to items in the store.)

Work your own deals or watch your receipt closely. Sometimes you will find suggested transactions on various blogs that won't work at your store. (My store requires that you spend $15 to use a $3/15 coupon, will not accept expired coupons, and only gives you ECBs on items that are labeled or listed in the circular.)

Have fun!