~Payless Shoesource Coupon!~

Get a 15% off Payless Shoesource coupon HERE! There is also a $10 off $50 on-line purchase coupon!
*Offers expire Jan. 17, 2010

~Financial Goals for 2010!~

Let's talk about New Year's Resolutions. I am making several financial resolutions in 2010. My cute hubby and I have sat down and came up with a number that will be a challenge to save, but I'm certain it can be done if we stick to our plan. We also want to travel more during the summer (pre-paid travel...it is not a vacation to me if you have to pay for it when you get back!). All of this will be possible if we purpose every dollar (as we have been doing). We budget down to zero each month and that has been key to saving. We have 2 categories that don't get touched and are non-negotiable. 1. Tithe 2. Savings...These 2 come off the top. They are considered our "first fruits". Tithing has been something that we have done since we first got married. We believe it is why we are so blessed. God is honoring the sacrifice of our 10% and making the other 90% go above and beyond. We also live within our budget and don't EVER buy anything unless we can pay for it then. Things are so much more enjoyable when you know there is not a payment plan involved!
Couponing has been the key to us putting money into savings each month. I know that if you set your mind to it, you can save and reach your financial goals. As Dave Ramsey says "On paper...on purpose". I never truly understood this until I started doing it.
I would love to hear about your resolutions. Many of you are new to couponing, so I know you have set some goals :)
I hope this blog is helping you and your family save money and live a more financially blessed life.
Wishing you a very Happy New Year's Eve!

In His Grace~
SHO

P&G Coupons!

Go HERE to sign up for a FREE Home Made Simple coupon booklet. These are typically great coupons!

~FREE Pregnancy Journal!~

Get a FREE PreNexa pregnancy journal HERE!

~Rebate Offer~

Rebate offer: Buy $10 of ConAgra products and get a $25 coupon booklet. I love these types of offers. I will easily buy $10 worth of Rotel. Go HERE to print out the rebate form to mail-in!
Here is a list of ConAgra products:
Orville Redenbacher’s
Crunch ‘n Munch
Banquet
Snack Pack
RO-TEL
Hunt’s
Manwich
Chef Boyardee
Kid Cuisine
Peter Pan

Happy Monday!

The other night we ran into CVS on the other side of town hoping they had some of my rain check items before my coupons expired. Well, they did! However, they were super duper busy and only had 1 cashier. I had to do 2 different transactions. I completely confused the poor cashier, heck I was even confusing myself with all of the paperwork in my hand. Anyway, it worked out and I was able to get my rain check items...use my coupons....use my ECBs....use my Green tag...use a gift card...then put the remaining balance on my debit card. Whew! It actually sounds less confusing than it was because my coupons got mixed up once I got up there (even though I spent at least 10 minutes getting them in order...not sure how that happened). My point here is that even when you are "experienced" at this, we all have our moments when we feel overwhelmed at the register. Take a deep breath and remember how much money you are saving. Then you can leave the stores smiling :)

My sweet hubby & daughter were watching all of the "paperwork" be exchanged. We left there and my husband said "I feel like I was taking the ACT calculus portion trying to figure out what you were doing!" I just cracked up and said "me too!"
Good times :)

~1 Insert Scheduled~

Typically, there are no coupon inserts on holiday weekends. However, Procter & Gamble like to slip one in from time to time. Lucky for us it is going to be a good one!
Happy Clipping!

~After Christmas Sales~

We left at 9 am to do some after Christmas sale shopping. Here is where we went and what they had. Honestly, not much.
Wal-mart-50% off Christmas decor and gift sets....GREAT time to buy these items to stock up through the year for birthday gifts or next year for teacher gifts.
Target- 50% off Christmas decor....they still had a nice selection left!
Home Depot- 50% off Christmas items...not much left!
Hobby Lobby-50% off Christmas...not much left!
Michael's-30-70% off Christmas...lots left!
Dollar Tree- 50% off Christmas...a little left.

I ended up buying several ornaments for our tree for next year. I like to add a few each year. Mostly purchased everything from Target & Michael's. We didn't go into any clothing stores. It was strange that there was not a crowd out shopping at all! Normally, it is crazy on this day.

FYI: Bath & Body Works big clearance sale starts tomorrow!

Happy Saturday! I'm hoping to put a few Christmas items up and away today :)

~Merry CHRISTmas!~

Wishing you a very Merry CHRISTmas from my family to your family.


Be Blessed!

~JCP $10 off $50 Coupon!~

JCPenny $10 off $50 purchase coupon. Good through January 12th. This is a good coupon to use during the after Christmas sales ;)
Go HERE to print!

~FREE Taco Bell!~

FREE Fresco taco at Taco Bell HERE! Hurry, they are only offering one million coupons and they will go fast.

Prior to couponing, I pretty much only shopped at Wal-mart. I believed that I was getting the best deals there. Now, I rarely purchase anything there. Literally, I went from spending $500-$800 per month there to less than $25 now! Of course, my grocery budget is now only $150-$175. Jenny at Southern Savers wrote an awesome post about how Supercenters can't compete with grocery stores. Here is some of her post:
*********************************************************
I have noticed that many people still seem to think that shopping at supercenters is the way to go. In an attempt to prove to you that you will save more money at grocery stores, I did a little test this past week. I took all of the on-sale items at Publix and Kroger and went into my local supercenter to look at how their prices matched up. To put it simply, they didn’t.

It may seem to be slightly biased to select only the on-sale items and compare but my particular local supercenter (and I suspect yours does as well) advertises “Always Low Prices”. In other words, their prices are always as low as they will get and they will not run a lower sale. Also, as you know, I only buy on-sale items.

After taking all the listed prices, I calculated the effect of coupons on both the grocery stores and the supercenter, remembering to double where it applied. I did the math based on buying one of every item on the weekly Southern Savers list. If it was a store brand, then a comparable brand was chosen at the supercenter. The results were:

Publix On-Sale Items Plus Coupons: $139.84
Same Items with Coupons At SuperCenter: $196.80

Kroger On-Sale Items Plus Coupons: $203.99
Same Items with Coupons At SuperCenter: $243.65

This again was pretending to only buy 1 of each item, and using Southern Savers we want to stock up for 6 weeks, which would only make the amount saved greater. To put these numbers in perspective, let’s say that you went to Publix and purchased only one of the on-sale items for a month (4 weeks) instead of the supercenter. You would save over $240 a month!

I hope this is convincing and shows you how much money you could be saving. I know that the supercenters are convenient and it can be easy to shop there. But if you really want to save money, the grocery stores are really the way to go.

Let’s dispel one other myth with these numbers too:

“Aren’t B1G1 prices increased so you really aren’t saving??”

Looking just at the Publix B1G1 deals and comparing the cost after coupons to the cost at the Super Center it truly shows that the Big Box store can’t compete with a grocery sale price. “Buying” one of each B1G1 item the numbers are:

Publix Buy One Get One items with coupon $43.22
Same items with coupons at SuperCenter: $81.17
Buy one get one deals are normally sold at the top retail price, but this shows that getting 50% off the top price is a considerable savings over the “everyday low price” at the supercenter
*******************************************************
Thanks Jenny!
http://www.southernsavers.com/

~Yankee Candle $10/$25 Coupon!~

Yankee Candle $10 off $25 purchase coupon HERE!
*Expires January 16th

~A Fun & FREE Day!~

Today we were out running a few errands around town. FYI: Swiped my CVS card and it printed out $5 off $15 purchase good for 3 days only. Be sure to do that if you go to CVS.
Back to my story...My hubby was going to drop me off at Wal-mart so I could get some summer sausage (FYI: it is the cheapest there). He and my daughter were going to run over to Whataburger for the FREE shake today. On our way we saw a sign at Culver's that said if your name is "Jeffrey" you get a FREE dish today! Well, my husband's name just happens to be Jeffrey. So, we went and got a FREE ice cream too! It made for a fun afternoon :)

Nothing beats FREE!

~Whataburger Coupon!~

FREE 16 oz. Malt or Shake at Whataburger TODAY ONLY! Print coupon HERE.

~CVS Coupon!~

CVS $5 off $20 purchase coupon HERE!

~Today I was reminded....

Why I do all of my shopping EARLY!!! There were so many unhappy and disgruntled people out shopping. It literally upset my stomach. I so badly wanted to say "If you are stressed out, feeling depressed, have no Christmas spirit or are not celebrating the true reason for the season...PLEASE DON'T BOTHER CELEBRATING! Do everyone a favor and don't do it. As I've stated before, this should be a time of celebration of our Savior's birth.
I hope that you all are enjoying your holiday season and are filled with joy, not worry, stress or anxiety. Remember, Jesus would not want any of these things in celebration of his birthday!

CHRISTmas blessings!

~CVS this week~

CVS is finally having some great FREE stuff this week. This is what I have gotten so far. I had to get a rain check for the Thermacare. I was in a hurry this morning before church, but plan to go back for some more goodies ;)

Listerine
$3.99
-$3 ECB
-$1 q
=FREE!

Revlon lipstick
$6.99
-$5 ECB
-$2 q
=FREE!

Nivea body wash
$5.99
-$5 ECB
-$1 q
=FREE!

~No Coupon Inserts Scheduled~

There are no coupon inserts scheduled for this weekend. Enjoy the break from clipping!

~$3 EPT Coupon~

$3 EPT coupon HERE! I know several of my readers are hoping for a positive result. Good luck girls!

Wednesday Already???

Oops,hope you got your menu planned! I'm just going to be honest...I have no plan for the week or month really. December is such a busy month for us. The past 2 weeks have been packed. Literally, 4 parties...a Christmas program....company...the list goes on. So, I have plenty of food here and we just figure it out. Sort of how we did previously! I like the new and improved planning method much better ;)
My parents are driving in from out-of-state, so I do have some meals planned for them. It's going to be fun!
My point is this...if you don't have a plan each day, you are still okay. Life is just a great deal easier if you do have a plan (so I'm remembering!)
Hope you all are having a very blessed Wednesday :)

~CVS $5 off $20 Coupon!~

I just found this coupon and was excited! It is for $5 off any purchase of $20 or more. Go HERE to print! Coupon expires on December 19th.

~30% Off Old Navy Coupon!~

Go HERE to print. Offer good through December 19th!

~$10 off $50 Old Navy Coupon!~

Go HERE to print!

~FREE Whataburger Fried Pie~

FREE fried pie coupon at Whataburger! Good today only. Go HERE for coupon!

~Whataburger Coupon!~

FREE Whataburger Breakfast on a Bun coupon HERE! Valid December 12th only.

~$10 off $20 Yankee coupon!~

This is an AWESOME coupon for Yankee candles!!! Yankee candle products make great gifts. I love this time of the year because I always burn my Home for the Holidays candle. Go HERE for a $10 off $20 purchase! This coupon is only valid through December 13th.

~3 Coupon Inserts Scheduled~

There are 3 coupon inserts scheduled for Sunday.
1 Red Plum
2 Smart Source

Happy Clipping!

~$5 Old Navy Fleece!~

Saturday, Dec. 12th, Old Navy will be offering $5 women's fleece jackets. I'm sure these will go fast, so plan to get there early if you are interested! They look really cute. Go HERE to see them.

~.75 coupon~

Get .75 off any egg purchase and Tabasco sauce at Kroger. Go HERE to sign up for the coupon.

~Veggie Tales Sale!~

Veggie Tales is having a 25% off sale and offering FREE shipping on orders of $25.
Enter Coupon Code SHIP223 at Checkout, U.S. Addresses only. Sale and shipping offer good through 12/16/09.
These movies are adorable and will make great stocking stuffers!

~This & That~

If you missed Kroger's sale last week, you are in luck. Most of the items are on sale again this week!
Also, my postings have been a bit random this week due to my internet being messed up. We just got a new modem shipped today, so I will be able to post more regularly again.
Hope you all are having a blessed week and saving BIG!!!

Exciting News!

One of my students was chosen for the diaper study that I posted about a while back. I'm so excited for you Jen! Can't wait to hear all about it :)
So, if you put your name on the list, they may still call you.

~FREE Whataburger!~

Get your Whataburger FREE Justaburger coupon HERE
Offer good on Dec. 10th only!

~$1 Puff's coupon!~

Fill out THIS FORM and get a $1 Puff's coupon by mail. This should score you some FREE tissue!

I just got mine in the mail yesterday!

~Whataburger FREE Dr. Pepper Coupon!~

Whataburger FREE Dr. Pepper coupon HERE! Offer good 12/8 only.

~A Few Things~

My internet is having probs, so this will be quick...
I will post pics of my Kroger trip and Wal-green's later. My internet is only wanting to work for short periods of time :/
Anyway, be sure to get the Chinet plates at Wal-green's this week. They end up being FREE after the B1G1 in-store coupon combined with the man. coupons. If they are out, be sure to ask for a raincheck.

It's Monday too! Do you have your menu ready??? I have 2 dinner parties this week, so my menu will be short. I love this season of celebration and parties!

Hope you all are having a very blessed Monday!

~It's Not Too Late!~

Kroger is having a 50% off sale on select Kellogg's products. If you have coupons to go along with it, there are some great deals! They are open until 10 pm tonight. This is a 1 day only sale!

~2 Coupon Inserts Scheduled~

There should be 2 coupon inserts this weekend.
1. Smartsource
2. RedPlum

Happy Clipping!

~Hobby Lobby Coupon!~

Tis the season for craft projects. Go HERE to get a 40% off Hobby Lobby coupon!

$3 Energy Start LED Coupon!

$3 Energy Start LED Christmas light coupon HERE!

~30% Off Yankee Candle!~

30% off Yankee Candle Coupon! Go HERE for details.

~The Picture People~

The Picture People are offering 15 FREE portrait gift tags with new portrait session. See HERE for more details!

~Free Millstone Coffee!~

FREE sample of Millstone Coffee from Walmart.com. Go HERE to sign up!

~NY & Company Deal!~

Today only, use code 4136 at New York & Company has 50% Off Everything And Free Shipping on ANY Purchase.

~It's Cyber Monday!~

Today is Cyber Monday! There are many stores offering great discounts and FREE shipping if you shop on-line today.

Today (November 30) Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy & Piperlime are offering 20% plus free shipping with no minimum purchase requirement! Use coupon code MONDAY.

Happy Shopping!

~1 Insert!~

There is 1 coupon insert in the paper today. I had read we were not going to get any, but we did! It is a P&G and has some good coupons in it.

Blessings!

~No Coupon Inserts Scheduled~

FYI: No coupon inserts are scheduled for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Be blessed and as always BOOMER SOONER!!!

~Black Friday!~

I'm finally back from Black Friday shopping. Oh my was it crazy! I'm sad to report that I did not get some of the items I really wanted. Oh well. I was still able to get several things on my list. Yeah!
Hope you all had fun shopping today (if you went).

Blessings!

~Happy Thanksgiving!~

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and enjoy time with your families.

Be blessed!

~Old Navy Coupon!~

Old Navy is having a Gobblepalooza sale starting on Thanksgiving Day. Go HERE for details and to get your $10 off $50 coupon!

~$20/$20 at Seventh Avenue~

Use code SA20 and get $20 off a $20 purchase. You will have to pay shipping. They have tons of stuff to choose from. Go HERE to shop!

~Shutterfly Offer-Today!~

Shutterfly is offering 50 FREE prints! Use code PRINTS4YOU and only pay shipping. Offer ends Nov. 23rd. Hurry!

~Menu Monday!~

It's Monday....is your menu ready? One thing I'm certain about is that everyone probably has their menu set for Thursday ;)
I'm happy to report that we did not eat at a restaurant for 2 weeks to the day. Yesterday was the first time in 2 weeks! I had a coupon for Arby's, so we ran their after church. We had a couple of errands to run and our little lady is always very hungry as soon as we leave the church parking lot!

Here is what I do know we will be eating this week:
Poppyseed chicken
Pork chops w/ veggie
Mexican
Turkey dinner

Happy planning & baking!

~FREE Calendar~

FREE 2010 Oriental Trading Company calendar. Go HERE to sign up!

~Walgreen's $5/$25 Coupon!~

Walgreen's has a $5 off $25 purchase valid on Sunday and Monday only. Go HERE for coupon!

~Coupon Inserts Scheduled~

There is only 1 Smartsource coupon insert scheduled for Sunday. This will be a great chance to clean out get caught up on organizing your binder! I plan on taking my own advice ;)

~.50 Rotel Coupon!~

I LOVE to cook with Rotel, so this coupon is great! Go HERE to print it (you might have to wait second or two to see it come up). Be sure to print it twice!
If you have a store that doubles, you can get it for FREE. If you don't have a store that doubles, it will still be cheaper than the store brand with the coupon. Everyone wins with this one ;)

~Gap 20% Off Coupon!~

Gap 20% off coupon good on in-store or on-line purchases. Go HERE for coupon!
Coupon good through Jan. 30, 2010. This coupon will come in handy for after Christmas sales too!

~The Dallas Zoo-November 24th!~

The Dallas Zoo is offer $1 admission on November 24th! See details HERE

~The Home Depot Black Friday Ad!~

Go HERE to see The Home Depot Black Friday ad!

~JCPenny's Black Friday Ad!~

Go HERE to see the JCPenny Black Friday ad!

~Bath & Body Works~

FREE Bath & Body Works travel item with any purchase. Coupon HERE

~Bath & Body Works~

FREE Bath & Body Works travel item with any purchase. Coupon HERE

~Ann Taylor 30%Off!~

Ann Taylor is having a "Friends & Family 30% Off Event" starting tomorrow! Go HERE for details!

~Menu Monday~

It's Monday! It was almost 80 here this weekend, but is finally starting to turn cooler this week. I'm ready to start cooking in my oven again! I will give you a recap of what we ate last week:

Roast, potatoes, carrots (twice...dinner & then lunch)
Tacos & queso
Beef Stroganoff (I always add extra noodles to it to make enough for leftovers...also, the beef used was from when I made tacos...I always make extra and take it out before seasoning)
Roast beef tacos & leftover queso(used the leftover roast meat with taco seasoning and it was delicious!)
Spaghetti, corn, salad & bread
BBQ chicken sandwiches (crockpot BBQ chicken)
Pizza

As you can see, we did not eat out this week! Yeah! Also, please note that I use a lot of leftovers too. They don't seem like leftovers if you are making them into something new. It makes cooking so much faster if you already have the meat portion ready!

Hope this is inspiring you all to plan your menu and eat at home more. Dining out is the #1 budget buster.

Happy Menu Monday!

~Rain Checks~

Noticing a trend in some of my posts??? I use a great deal of rainchecks! If a store is out of a special they are running (must be advertised), don't be afraid to ask (nicely) for a raincheck. It is a little bit of a hassle (only because they have to hand write it), but pays off when the item comes in and you get it super cheap, FREE or even make money on it!

Happy Rainchecking!

~Target Black Friday Ad!~

View the Target Black Friday ad HERE!

~Coupon Inserts Scheduled~

There are 3 inserts scheduled for Sunday.

1 Red Plum
2 Smartsource

Happy Clipping!

~My Kroger Trip (last week)~

Price I paid after coupons & discounts.

20 cans of veggies-.30 each
2 Dole canned fruit-.72 each
Turkey-.33 per lb= $3.58
8 boxes of cereal-$1 each
3 Dixie napkins-.95 each
Wonder bread-$1.44
3 Listerine-(used a $5/3 coupon)
Grande chips-$1
Noodles-FREE!
Salad kit-.49 (manager's special)

All of the items in the photo were $29.88. All of these groceries and toiletries for less than $30!
I have been encouraging everyone to purchase a turkey at this sale price. I'm not going to be cooking it for Thanksgiving, but I do plan to cook it and freeze the turky for lunch meat. Can't beat .33 per pound! Kroger has them on sale again this week through Tuesday. Be sure to get yours!

~$35 worth of coupons FREE!~

Sign up for over $35 worth of coupons HERE!
They will mail you a packet of coupons that include: Cascade, Dawn, Febreeze, Mr. Clean & Swiffer (to name a few). Last time these were high value coupons. Be sure to sign up while this offer is still available!

~20 Books FREE!~

Get 20 copies of The Christmas Box book and only pay $15 shipping! These would make great stocking stuffers or gifts. Can't beat the price! Go HERE for details :)

~Yankee Candle Buy 2 Get 2 FREE!~

Go HERE for details on this awesome Yankee Candle deal!

~Nikon/Canon Wireless Remote Deal!~

I just ordered a wireless remote control for my Nikon DSLR camera. I know several of my readers have the same camera as me, so I thought I would pass this awesome deal along. Go here Meritline and use code MLC401380111140N and get $2 off with free shipping. The sale price is $4.99, so that makes the wireless remote only 2.99!!!
*This remote also works for Canon cameras as well.

~Bath & Body Works Coupon!~

Bath & Body Works $10 off $30 purchase coupon. Print HERE
This will come in handy for teacher gifts to combine with one of the great sales they have. Enjoy!

Offer good through November 22nd :)

~Outback Steakhouse Bonus Gift Card!~

Purchase a $100 Outback Steakhouse gift card and get a $20 gift card FREE!!! If you eat Outback very often, this is a great deal to purchase for yourself. Here's an idea too, you could keep the $100 for your family and then give the $20 gift card as gift. Just an idea!
Go HERE for details.

30% Off Old Nav, Gap & Banana Repbulic!~

30% off Old Navy, Gap & Banana Republic coupon HERE!!

Offer valid November 12-15.

~Kroger Manager Special!~

I LOVE Manger's Specials!!!


We went out-of-town for a day trip on Saturday. On the way home I dropped by a Kroger in another city. I only had a few things to get, but then realized some of my coupons were about to expire the next day. So, we ended up getting another 10 items for the $5 off promo deal (some items not in pic). My real score was the "Manager's Special" meat that I found marked down. Literally, I may have done a happy dance in the store!
The meat is only 7% fat and was marked down half price PLUS I used .50 cent Kroger meat coupons that doubled. I ended up getting this meat for around $1.46 per lb! I can make 10 meals out of these 5 packages once I split it up and freeze it. That makes me smile just typing it :)
Yes, I could have gotten meat even cheaper. However, it would not be 93/7. It would be at least 15% fat. That is why I am so excited about this score!

2 Colgate-$1 -$1 =FREE!
2 Ricola-FREE (after BOGO q....$2.19 deducted...sale price .50, so this was a moneymaker!)
Chapstick-.50
Grande Chips $2-$1q =$1
Wonder bread $1.99 -.55q =$1.44
Rotel .99 -.50q (doubled)=FREE!

~Walgreen's Yesterday~

4 Sure (raincheck)
Reg. ? (over $3)
sale $1.50
-$1.50 q
=FREE! (These will be perfect for the Christmas shoe boxes that I will be making!)

4 Scotch tape (BOGO sale)
$1.79
-(4) .50 q
=$1.29 for 2 or .64 cents each! I will never use poor quality tape again! :)

~CVS Yesterday~

2 Bengay (these are the large tubes)
$5.99
-$2 ECB
-$2 q
=$1.99 each

Glade (raincheck)
Reg. $9.99
sale $6.99
-$6.99 ECB
-$3 q
=FREE + $3 money maker! Woohoo!

I had also bought a couple other things (vitamins, etc) and used a $5/$15 purchase coupon that printed from my card at the store. It was a very good CVS day for me!

~Fall Savings!~

There is a new ecoupon site that you can now load onto your grocery card. Yeah!
Go HERE to register and load!

Oh Happy Day!

~Denny's BOGO Coupon!~

FREE burger and fries when you purchase a burger, fries & 2 drinks at Denny's!
Print coupon HERE

Offer expires 11/23/09

~Coupon Inserts Scheduled~

There are 2 coupon inserts scheduled for Sunday.

1 Red Plum
1 Smart Source

Happy Clipping!

~Old Navy Scarf Sale!~

Old Navy is having an awesome $1 scarf sale on Saturday (November 7th)! These scarves are normally $5. (Limit 5)

These would make great Christmas Stocking Stuffers!

~VS FREE Shipping Code!~

Today only (November 6th) use code SHIPFREE and get free shipping on any order at Victoria's Secret. Hurry!

~Gap 25% off Coupon!~

Gap 25% off coupon! Print HERE.

Offer ends November 8th.

~Coupons Inserts Scheduled~

There are 2 coupon inserts scheduled for Sunday.

1 Red Plum
1 Smart Source

Happy Clipping!

~Toys"R"Us Game Trade-in Offer!~

Toys"R"Us is having a game trade-in offer right now. See HERE for details!

This is perfect timing for the holiday season!

~Gymboree Coupon!~

Gymboree has a 30% off coupon you can print HERE

If shopping online, use code GYMFAMILY online to save 30% November 5th-8th.

Happy Shopping!

~Brookshire's Deal!~

I was just glancing through the Brookshire's sale ad and they have 5 lb bag of Russet Potatoes for .99! That is a great deal!

Prices good through November 10th.

~Home Depot Coupon Offer~

Those of you who have been reading this blog for anytime know that I love saving energy and money. So, I am super excited about this LED Christmas light offer from Home Depot!
Here's the deal: Bring in your old Christmas lights to Home Depot and get a $3 coupon for each set (limit 5) good on any energy efficient LED Christmas lights. That should make the lights (with promo) as low as $2.97 after the coupon.
Still sound expensive??? Well, the LED lights use 80% less energy than the old lights. So, you will be saving on your electric bill too! I can't wait to get my lights down and trade them in :)

Offer good November 5-15, 2009.

~CVS $5 off $30 Coupon~

CVS has another great $5 off $30 purchase coupon by taking a Medicare quiz HERE
It only takes a minute or two to take the quiz.

~Chick-Fil-A Offer!~

Chick-Fil-A has a great deal going on through November. Purchase a $20 gift card and get a FREE 2010 calendar. The calendar has $30 worth of coupons in it. We love Chick-Fil-A, so this is a super offer for us. Actually, everyone I know loves it too! Enjoy :)
You can view the calendar and coupons HERE

~The Power of Clearance!~

This is an example of what you can get by looking at the clearance section. Last week I ran into CVS to check on something and noticed a 90% off clearance basket. Woohoo! So, I got 21 items for $2.10!!!

~Menu Monday~

Yes, it's Monday again. You know what that means...get in the kitchen and start planning your menu out :)
We have been gone for the past 3 days and I'm exhausted! I love to eat out, which we did. However, after about 2 days I'm ready for something else.

Hope you all had a great weekend and saved BIG!

~Old Navy Codes~

Don't have time to go shopping? Today is your lucky day! I have several great on-line offers. Enjoy!

Get FREE shipping at Oldnavy.com by using code ONSHIPFREE TODAY! Also, get an additional 30% off by using your Old Navy card along with code ONSTUFF30.

~Forever 21 Free Shipping Code!~

Fan of Forever 21? If so, this is a good offer for you!

Use code F21FRIENDS to get FREE shipping on your order. Offer good through November 2nd.

I just looked at forever21.com and they have tons of sale stuff for $5.99!

~FREE Offer~

Get a FREE Soccer ball when you send in 3 UPC labels from Scott products! See details HERE
Offer ends November 15th.

Mail the UPC codes along with your full name, address and phone number (no receipt is needed) to:

Soccer Ball Offer
8250 NW 27th Street, Suite 301
Miami, FL 33122

If you have any Scott products in your stockpile, this is a really great offer for you. Again, think Christmas gifts!

~Payless Coupon!~

Get 50% off at Payless Shoe Source thanks to Oprah. Go HERE for details!

~Coupon Inserts Scheduled~

Just wanted to let you all know that I will be taking a long weekend away from the blog. Hope you all save BIG over the weekend!
Also, there are several printable coupons that match up with Kroger's sale on my coupons.com sidebar. Go there and print to take advantage of the FREE or super cheap items.

One more thing...

On Sunday (October 1st), the following coupon inserts are scheduled to be in the paper:
Smart Source
RedPlum
Procter & Gamble

Have a blessed weekend!

~My Couponing Trip Today!~

Kroger is having an AWESOME sale that started today. There are some really great deals with coupons. FREE stuff too! Be sure to plan your trip and count your items, so that you can get the promo discount. It can be a little confusing. Remember that you have to buy 10 participating (mix & match) sale items to get the $5 off. Happy Krogering :)


Spent $7.35
Saved -over $70!
*I also bought 3 roast, but they are not included in the price spent or the pic.

Spent: $3.43
Saved: $71.76 or 95%!!!


Wal-mart
sale $1
-$1/2 coupon
=.50 each
*I have not bought bologna in years, but at this price I couldn't pass it up. My hubby will be excited to see something other than turkey!

Here's another FREE panty and $10 off bra at Victoria's Secret coupon HERE

No purchase necessary. Great deal!

~$1 Yankee Candles!~

Awesome Yankee candle deal! $1 Tarts & Votives, click HERE for details. They offer $5 flat rate shipping too.
These make great little add-on gifts for teachers!

~Menu Monday~

What ya got cookin'? How's about cookin' something up with me!

Well, folks...it's Monday again. Is it just me or are these weeks flying by??? I have not set my menu just yet. I do know I will be making baked ziti w/ french bread one night because I'm taking it to a friend who just had baby #2.

What's cooking in your house this week?

After looking at the ads this morning, I don't think I will be going to CVS or Walgreen's this week. I'm a little excited about that. Sometimes it is nice to not have to worry about missing a deal. I'm hoping they have some great deals next week!
Reminder: You have until Tuesday at close to get your FREE after coupon Aquafresh and Colgate toothpaste at Kroger. Aquafresh is on sale for $1 and Colgate is on sale for .94. Even if you don't use these brands, these are great items to donate.

Looking for a place to donate? Please email me at coachoshields@hotmail.com and I will tell you where my donations will be going for the holiday season.

Blessings!

~Yankee Candle coupon codes!~

You all know how much I LOVE Yankee Candles! I ordered 2 (Home for the Holidays) candles when they had the last sale. They are such awesome candles! They have some pretty sweet coupon codes again:

*Use code CRM911L and get 2 FREE large candles when you buy 2!

*Use code CRM911M and get 2 FREE medium jar candles when you buy 2!

*Use code CRM911S and get 2 FREE small jar candles when you buy 2!

Offer expires November 29th and shipping starts at $6.

These make great Christmas gifts :)

~2 Coupon Inserts Scheduled~

There are 2 coupon inserts scheduled for the Sunday paper.
1 Red Plum
1 Smart Source

Happy Saturday!

~Children's Place Coupon~

Enjoy a 15% off coupon to The Children's Place. My favorite store to shop for my little lady! Print Here
Offer good through November 16th.

~FREE Island Magazine~

You all know how much I LOVE the islands. If you like them also, sign up for a complimentary subscription to Islands. Enjoy a 12 issues with no strings attached. I have been signing up for FREE magazines the past couple months and have already received 8 in the mail. Now, if I could only find time to read them!


http://www.valuemags.com/freeoffer/freeoffer.asp?offer=Islands-RDC.asp

~Printable Coupons!~

I'm excited to offer printable coupons from Coupons.com now on my side bar. This is something that I have been wanting to offer for a while. So, go print and enjoy.

Blessings!

~Sassy Savings Seminar/Party!~

Last night Toni hosted a Sassy Savings Coupon Seminar/party. We had so much fun! Who knew you laugh so much while learning about coupons?! Thanks to everyone who came last night. A special thanks to Toni for hosting in her beautifully decorated home.


*Mother & Daughter Sassy Savers!

*Some of my church friends and the youngest Sassy Saver yet! This little Sassy Saver is only 4 months old :)

*Toni (the hostess) is wearing the black shirt. There was another Sassy Saver (Heather), but I didn't get her picture.

Thanks again girls!

~20% Off Container Store!~

I'm so excited! I just found a 20% off printable coupon to one of my favorite stores EVER!!! The Container Store is amazing. We invested in the Elfa system for the kitchen pantry and bathroom and LOVE THEM! Yes, they were expensive...however I plan on using them forever. There is also an online code savenow you can use at checkout if shopping on-line.

http://images.containerstore.com/pdf/octoffer.pdf

~Great Gifts From Couponing!~

Several of you have asked me to write about different gift ideas from coupons. This year I will be giving the best gifts and will have spent the least amount of money. I will be giving good quality gifts (the kind I would like to receive).
Here is a list of gift ideas from couponing:

Candles (you can get these FREE or nearly FREE)

Diffuser (FREE or super cheap)

Starbucks coffee ($1/2 bags coupon) I'm not a coffee drinker, but most people are. You could make a cute little gift with a bag of Starbucks and I'm sure it would be cheaper than a Starbucks gift card.

Lotions (Bath & Body works is always having a promo of some sort)

A Dessert Basket (take a recipe and include all of the ingredients into the basket)...gifts like this presentation is important! You could include all of the FREE ingredients that you have been collecting. Yeah!

Travel kits (if you are buying for someone who travels a great deal or has a special trip planned, get them a bunch of travel sized goodies) You can get tons of this stuff for FREE with coupons!

Household items...I made a basket full of cleaning supplies, paper goods and other household items as a wedding gift for some friends. The recipients were thrilled because it is all stuff they needed. I put it in a dishpan and added a super cute poem that related to the items and marriage. I was very proud to give it to them. The best part....everything was purchased with coupons! What retailed for over $30, I spent less than $5.

Favorite Things...Figure out what your recipients favorite things are and make them a basket. The fact that you took time to put together their favorite things will be so special. There are coupons out there for most every personal care item, so have fun with it!

Grilling Gifts...If you have someone who loves to grill or just loves to eat (he he), put together a basket with different seasonings & marinades. Men love these types of gifts!

Coupon booklet...If you know of a service that you could offer, make a personalized coupon booklet for the recipient. Example: 2 hours of FREE babysitting, etc. There are endless possibilities for a personalized coupon booklet!

Animal Lover Gift Basket...If the recipient is a cat or dog lover, make them a gift with treats and toys for their animal. There are always tons of coupons for treats.

Don't underestimate your local dollar store for add-on items to combine with your coupon gifts. They have cute gift bags and other plastic items that would be cute to put a gift in. Again, you might have to think outside the box (put a ribbon on a plastic trashcan to make a basket). It is also a great place to shop if you go with the recipe gift basket. They have $1 utensils that would be cute to put in with the basket. Also, they have cute mugs to put with the Starbucks coffee. Literally, the possibilities are endless here.

Remember giving gifts is not about the amount spent, but the thought and the quality of the item (meaning-don't give people a bunch of junk they are going to throw away...it is a waste of your precious money). Instead give them thoughtful gifts by using coupons that you can afford. Have fun with it and enjoy giving this year. The season is not about being stressed about giving gifts. Giving should bring you joy!

If you have an idea you would like to share, please leave a comment or email me (coachoshields@hotmail.com).

Hope this helps!

Be Blessed :)

~American Girl Deal!~

Think Christmas gifts....if you have a little girl in your life who likes American girl, this might be the perfect gift!

Americangirl.com has a Schooltime Backpacks for Dolls and Girls for $8 (orig. $20). Plus, free shipping use coupon code: PF99058 .

http://store.americangirl.com/agshop/html/ProductPage.jsf/itemId/141855/itemType/TOY/webTemplateId/3/uniqueId/445/saleGroupId/480

~Be a winner at Gap!~

Be a Winner at Gap! Bring in the coupon and you will win. See below for details. Offer ends October 25.

http://gap.m.delivery.net/w/webView?cid=16115463750&mid=1858756459&pid=780062&vid=3&ee=cmFjaGFlbGRld2JlcnJ5QHlhaG9vLmNvbQ__&si=&mv=H&bv=H&oc=H&sc=&k=1kobzh

Thanks Rach ;)

~Menu Monday~

It is Monday already again, can you believe it? I have a super busy week this week. I need to be serious about my menu plan of attack!

Crock pot BBQ Chicken
Enchiladas
Hamburgers
Grilled Steak, potato, broccoli

This is my game plan so far. Depending on time, I may just do tacos instead of the enchiladas. What's on your menu?

Have a great Monday!

~CVS Coupons Today~

What am I getting at CVS this week???


Glade Reed Diffuser or 10 oz Soy Candle $6.99
-get $6.99 ECB
- 3.00 q
=FREE + profit


I was excited this morning when they actually still had a candle left. I would have been fine with the diffuser, but really wanted the candle. When I returned to the car my hubby said "do we get to keep that one?" Ha! I am forever looking for "gifts", however we may just be burning this one for ourselves :)

*This qualifies for the SC Johnson $5 Rebate also. Yeah!

Be blessed!

~Bath & Body Works Coupon~

Free travel size item with any purchase. Right now they have some $1 lotions at the counter. These make great gifts!

http://f.chtah.com/i/34/528207786/20090922_coupon.html?email=

Couponing & deals today

Here are some of the deals that I went in to Kroger for today. A couple are not in the pic (my "helper" was hiding a sack full of goldfish!). I've listed the things that are "stock-up" on prices. The only reason I only purchased 3 cheeses is because I have at least 6 in my freezer (if you were wondering).

Goldfish
sale $1 (stock-up price!)

Grapes
sale $1 per lb

Apples
sale $1 per lb

Carrots
sale $1 per bag

Potatoes
sale $2.99

8 Campbell's cooking soups
sale 4/$3
-.30/3 (tripled)
=.52 per can (stock-up price!)

4 Campbell's Chunky soups
sale $1
-.40/2 (doubled)
=.60 per can! (stock-up price!)

Cheerios
sale $2.50
-.55q
=$1.95 (not the greatest deal, but it is a big box)

3 Cheese
sale $1 (this is a stock-up price! This cheese freezes well)

Peanut Butter
sale $1

Airwick
sale $1
-.50 q (doubled)
=FREE!

4 AquaFresh
sale $1
-$1 q (also some .50 q's doubled)
=FREE

Dial Soap
sale $1
-.35 q (tripled)
=FREE!

Lunchable w/ water
$3.89
-FREE coupon
=FREE!

Yoplait
.50
-FREE coupon
=FREE!

Turkey
$1.88
-.45 (doubled)
=.98

Tortillas
sale $1 (stock-up price....these also freeze well)
-$1 q
=FREE!


Spent less than $20...saved over $50!

~Coupons Inserts Sunday~

There are 2 coupon inserts scheduled for this Sunday:

Smart Source
Red Plum

Happy Clipping!

~VS Coupon~

Get a free Pink Panty plus $10 off any bra coupon from Victoria’s Secret!

Join or sign in to get your coupon:
https://secure.vspink.com/pink_nation/login.jsp

I heart FREE VS Panties!

Coupons and Donations

Christmas is coming and that means DONATIONS, DONATIONS, DONATIONS! Couponing is a perfect way to be able to give when you normally would not be able too. It feels so good to bless others.
Will you all join me in my excitement for being able to help families in need this holiday season? This is a great opportunity to bless others and remember the true meaning of the season.

Great things to donate (from couponing):
boxed food items
canned food items
shampoo
razors
toothbrushes
toothpaste

Be blessed!

~Denny's Coupon!~

Denny's FREE burger & fries w/ purchase of burger, fries and 2 drinks coupon!


http://dennys.com/en/emailblast1009.html

~La Madeleine FREE Pastry Coupon!~

Get a free Pastry at La Madeleine! Offer expires 11/15/09. Enjoy!


http://lamadeleinecafe.fbmta.com/members/ViewMailing.aspx?MailingID=40802191723

~Land's End shoe sale for girls!~

*Update: This deal has now EXPIRED!


Land's End has Girls Everyday Trekker Zip Shoes marked from $34.50 down to $5.00 with many colors and sizes to choose from.

Use code HEARTH with pin 4330 for FREE shipping!


http://www.landsend.com/pp/TrekkerZipShoes~198286_-1.html?bcc=y&action=order_more&sku_0=::CAM&CM_MERCH=IDX_00004_0000000022&origin=index



Thanks Slickdeals!

~Menu Monday!~

Almost forgot....is your menu ready for the week???

Roast, potatoes & carrots
Poppyseed Chicken
Chili w/ beans
Baked Ziti w/ french bread
bbq crock pot chicken, brocolli & noodles

Happy planning ;)

~Frozen Foods Rebate~

I don't buy any of these items, but some of you might. So, I thought I would pass this along.
A Frozen foods rebate. The “Real Meal Deal” is buy 5 participating products and get $5 in coupons back.

Participating Products are:
Duncan Hines Oven Ready Brownies
Mrs. Paul’s Seafood
Van de Kamps Seafood
Lenders Bagels
Aunt Jemima Breakfast
Hungry Man Dinners

Purchase your items between 10/11/09 -11/09/09. Link to form below:

http://therealmealdeal.com/

~Johnson's deal~

Purchase any Johnson's bath or lotion product between 9/28/09 - 12/01/09 and get a FREE bath toy frog set ($10 value) in the mail! Allow 6-8 weeks for delivery.

Mail your receipt (dated) to:

Johnson & Johnson / Parents GWP
375 Lexington Avenue, 10th Floor
New York, NY 10017

*Even if you don't have children who use Johnson's, this is a great gift combo for someone else! Plan ahead and save money :)

~Walgreens photo deal~

Walgreen's .10 prints on orders of 50 or more!

Enter coupon code EVERYLAST at checkout. Offer valid until Saturday, October 17th.

~Groceries this week~

Several of you have emailed and asked what I buy when I'm not stocking up on great deals. So, here are my groceries that I bought today. I did use coupons on the soups, Hunt's sauce and lunch meat. Most everything else was on sale. After coupons and using a $10 credit, I spent around $9.00! It is amazing how little you can spend when you don't have to buy meat, toiletries and snack items each week. The weeks that I am not stocking up, try to spend around $20-$30.

~Saving big, but not always!~

I thought this went without saying, but I guess not. A "deal" is only a deal if you can afford it. You can go into debt "saving money". I know, sounds weird! That is why a budget is so important. Deals are only sweet if you are truly saving money.

Example 1: I had a girl tell me that she saved over $1000 last month. Sounds impressive, right?
Reality: Wrong! She had to spend over $700 to save $1000. Not good!

Example 2: A girl told me of a great deal she got on some clothes for herself.
Reality: She had no business spending any money on anything because she simply doesn't have money in her budget for it. Regardless if it was really inexpensive, it should not have been purchased. She didn't "save" any money, she spent money she didn't have.

My point here is that you must show some self restraint in all aspects of life, including couponing. You don't want to get caught up in every deal. If I went out and got in on every deal that I see each day, I would be WAY OVER BUDGET!

Be blessed!

~FREE!~

Get 10 FREE Ovulation tests or pregnancy tests. You can mix and match up to 10. Ovulation tests are normally super expensive, so this is a great deal! Thank you Sacred Heart Mission.


http://www.freeopks.com/

$10 off Rainforest Cafe Coupon!

$10 off $25 at Rainforest Cafe Coupon! Offer is good until 12/31/09.

http://www.murgent.com/users/job_link.php?job=2524-EC-091007-00&tr=41ea6210&mqcid=116222003

~Kellogg's $10 Bonus Bucks!~

Kellogg's is running a new promotion that sounds pretty great! Buy 3 participating boxes of cereal and get $10 in bonus bucks via mail. To find out all of the details, please see the link below.


http://www2.kelloggs.com/Promotion/PromotionDetail.aspx?PID=20116

~Big Lots 20% coupon!~

Go to the link below and sign up for the Big Lots Buzz Club and get a 20% off coupon. I love Big Lots and think they have awesome deals already on certain things, so to add an additional 20% off it huge! We went and purchased some shelving units for the garage and a space heater. The coupon saved us over $20.

https://www.biglots.com/Join/default.aspx?carry=club%2fmember_profile.aspx

~3 Coupon Inserts Sunday~

This Sunday (October 11th) there should be 3 coupons inserts in the paper:

(1) SmartSource
(1) RedPlum
(1) P&G

~Walgreen's yesterday~

Without spending a ton of time, this is what I could make of all my receipts. Remember me saying that my receipts were not correct? Well, I ended up having to return a few items, exchange some items, etc. It got messy! Here is what I can make of it all ;)


Total out-of-pocket here (after all the q's, RR's, etc)= $2.71!


Total Out-of-pocket (after all the q's, RR's, etc)= $1.39!

*The receipts say that I saved over $140 on these purchases!

~Crazy Coupon Day!~

Again, no matter how long you have been doing this and how easy it starts to get...you run into a snag! Today I had a great game plan for Wal-greens. Tons on my list and tons of awesome deals. I get there and the parking lot is full. Really? I go in and they are remodeling, yet staying open. It was a nightmare! Nothing was where it normally is and many shelves were empty. Not good. I only got a portion that was on my list.
So, I try a different Wal-greens this evening in a different city. Long story long, it was not a good experience either. Very frustrating! It is my policy to be OVERLY nice regardless of the service (or lack of) that I am receiving. I try to be a blessing to the cashiers no matter what. It was challenging tonight, I've got to be honest. I won't go into details, but I am not happy with my customer service experience at all. This is why I prefer CVS over Wal-greens. ECB's are so much more user friendly than Register Rewards ANYDAY!
I will post pics of my deals tomorrow once I figure them out! Literally, I had to return, exchange, you name it because my receipts were wrong. What a mess!
Having said that, not every day is easy coupon day....However, I still LOVE it and am blessing my family beyond belief by saving us so much money.
Be blessed!

~Coach Outlet Coupon!~

This is a coupon that doesn't come around very often. So, if you are a Coach purse girl....this one is for you!

Get 20% off your purchase coupon at Coach Outlet stores! This coupon is good October 6th to October 12th only.

https://e.coach.com/servlet/website/PersonalizedForm?JhHJoEVTTCUTTY_XVWVZ_.40HJmhkRE.26f7be_7.2e.2ey.26zzEnHKKR_KLHslFHmmDgLmEikpgmwHnLEmkNL

~Another Christmas Gift Idea~

Have a history buff in your life??? Want the perfect Christmas gift for them? This just might be it! The History Channel Store has a great sale going on right now. There are over 1500 exclusive titles to choose from. Just add three to your cart, and it will total $30. These DVDs are all regularly $24.95 and up each, which makes this a great deal! Free shipping on orders of $75 or more.



http://shop.history.com/?ecid=AFF-7975437&afsrc=1

~FREE from The Picture People!~

FREE 8X10 or 10X13 plus 20% off additional portrait order coupon from The Picture People. Offer good October 4-31, 2009.


http://www.picturepeople.com/promotion/web_landing.html

~FREE Movie!~

Use code QNGJ7KD to get a FREE movie rental at any Redbox. Offer good today only!

~Kroger .19 cents!~

10 AirWick (I think that will cover me for 2010 now!)
Reg. $1.09
Sale .69-$1
-$1 q
=FREE + .39 overage on some!

3 BC Cake Mix
Reg. $1.99
Sale $1.00
-.50q (doubled)
=FREE!


4 Campbell's soup
Reg. .73
sale .50
-.40/2 (doubled)
-.30/2 (tripled)
=.30 for all 4!

Bananas (not in pic)
.74

Retail: $20.53
Spent: .19 cents or a savings of 99%!

~Expired Coupons 9/30/09~

FYI: I just went through my binder and tons of coupons expired on 9/30/09.

Don't think you have time to keep up with a binder??? Multi-task with it! I was just watching the game with my hubby and cleaning out and clipping coupons at the same time. We all sit down to watch t.v. at some point during the week. Why not make it productive?

Boomer Sooner! (they are playing as I type)

Hope you all are having a great weekend :)

Be blessed!

~Kroger~

Ran to Kroger to pick up a few deals this week.

2 Softsoap
Reg. $1.59
sale .99 (this might be a closeout item, because it was the only scent marked down)
-$1 q
=FREE!

2 Pizza Rolls
Reg. $1.99
sale .99
-.35 q (tripled)
=FREE!

1 Tony's pizza
Reg. $2.75
sale $1.99
-.50 q (doubled)
=.99

Green Giant
Reg. $1.89
sale $1.25
-.50 q (doubled)
=.25

BC Cake Mix
Reg. $1.99
sale $1.00
-.50 q (doubled)
=FREE!

Retail: $13.79
Spent: $1.24 or 91% savings!!!

~CVS Deal~

4 Tide
$6 = $24
-(4) $1 q's
=$20

1 Dawn
$1.00
-.75 q
=.25

*Spend $25 (before q's) get $10 ECB back deal.

Total: $20.25
-$5 CVS q
=$15.25
-$10 ECB earned
=$5.25!!! (Basically, I got each item for $1.05!!!)

Woohoo!!!

~Coupon Comedy~

My 3 year old daughter had some of my heels on and said to me:
"Mommy, tell me my shoes are cute"
Me:
"Your shoes are super cute!"
Her:
"Thank you so much. I got them at CVS!"
Me:
"Did you get a good deal on them?"
Her:
"Yes, $6!"
Me:
"Did you use coupons?"
Her:
"Yes, I used coupons and a gift card!"


That really cracked me up! I was waiting for her to say that she transferred a script too!!! :)

~3 Coupon Inserts Sunday~

The Sunday paper should have 3 coupons inserts:

Smartsource
Red Plum
General Mills


Happy Clipping!

~B1G1 Yankee Candles!~

This is a great deal on my favorite candles!!! These candles make awesome Christmas gifts :)

Yankee Candle is having a B1G1 Free sale on the large candles! Use code XF910A7 at checkout. The large candles end up being 2 for $25. Offer expires October 4, 2009.

*Shipping is a flat rate of $5 or free shipping if you spend over $100.

If you plan on going to the store, print the coupon below:

http://www.yankeecandle.com/yc/html/retail/Email_HTML/webCoupon_XF910A7.html

~Great Rebate Offer!~

SC Johnson is offering a $5 rebate for any 3 items purchased. I don't do many rebates, but this one it worth it! You can print the form from the link below:



http://www.scjohnson.com/en/products/coupons.aspx

~Stockpile~

So, are you wondering what I could possibly be doing with all of this stuff???
Well, there are 3 things I do with it:

1. Use it!
2. Sell some of it to my mom
3. Donate some of it

I've set a little (gigantic) goal for myself for 2010. My goal is to not have to buy any shampoo, toothpaste, dish soap, laundry detergent, plastic sandwich bags, tissue, foil, deo., feminine products, etc. in 2010. I know, crazy! I have a very large stockpile growing for all of these items currently. Now, I will go ahead and get it if the item is for free in 2010. I want to see just how much those items impact my bottom line for 1 year. Since I have tracked all of my spending for 2009, this should be interesting.

Did I mention that I love challenging myself?!

Do you have any goals set for 2010??? (Jamie~ I fully expect to hear from you on this!)

~CVS deals!~

CVS:

4 Airwick (rain check item)
Reg. $9.99
Sale $4.99
-$6 q
=FREE + $1.01 overage each!!!

4 Dawn
Reg. $1.99
Sale $1.00
-$1 q
-$1 q
-.75 q
-.75 q
=2 FREE & 2 for .25 each

2 Scope
Reg. $4.79
Sale $3.49
-$1
-$1.50 ECB
=.99 each

Carefree (rain check item)
Reg. $4.19
Sale $3.79
-$1q
-$3.79 ECB
=FREE + $1 overage!

Vaseline lotion
$7.99
-$1.50 q
-$7 ECB
=FREE + .51 overage!

Retail = $69.68
*After ECB's and coupons, I actually made $3.07 off of these purchases!

~$5 off $25 at Wal-green's TODAY!~

Print this $5 off $25 coupon and take it with you to Wal-green's today (9/30/09)! Total must equal $25 before taxes and after coupons that you are using.

http://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/5off25.jsp

~VS FREE Shipping Today Only!~

Today only get FREE shipping on any Victoria's Secret order by entering code FREESHIP. If you order any Victoria Secret Pink item then use code
PINK09 to get a tote for FREE.

~Bath & Body Works deal~

Take the coupon below to Bath & Body Works to get a FREE Home Fragrance Diffuser or refill with any $15 purchase. This offer is valid through 10/13.

I love these things!!! This would make a great Christmas gift. You can get $15 worth of hand soap that is on sale for $3 and then get the FREE Diffuser. That would be 6 gifts for $15. Everyone likes Bath & Body Works ;)

http://ebm.cheetahmail.com/r/regf2?aid=528207786&a=0&n=43&D_CODE=1378&cm_mmc=CH-_-20090928RDM-_--_-mainPrintCoupon&cm_lm=

~Kroger $3.38!~

Kroger purchases yesterday. This sale is good through Tuesday :)

Charmin
reg. $2.69
sale $1.88
-.25 q (tripled)
=$1.13

2 Softsoap
Reg. $1.59 = $3.18
sale .94 = $1.88
-$1 q
=FREE + .12 overage

2 Colgate toothbrushes
reg. $1.69 = $3.38
sale .94 = $1.88
-$1 q
=FREE + .12 overage

9 Colgate toothpaste
reg. $1.89 = $17.01
sale .94 = $8.46
-$1 q
=FREE + .54 overage

4 Cheerios
Reg. $3.19 = $12.76
sale $1.77 = $7.08
-$1 q
-$1 q
-.75 q
-.75 q
-.55 q(shortcuts)
=$3.03 or .75 per box

Retail= $39.02
Spent = $3.38 or roughly 91% savings!!!

~$25 CVS~

Transfer any prescription to CVS and get a $25 gift card with the coupon below. Offer expires 10/04/2009.


http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/images/promotions/landingpages/rx/rx09027_triple_adv/coupon.html#

~Teacher Gifts~

Let's talk teacher gifts...Most everyone who reads this blog either has children in school, MDO or at least have children in a church nursery. I like to give those people gifts for holidays (not just Christmas) and during teacher appreciation. I know, sounds expensive! However, it does not have to be. Today I bought $40 worth of teacher gifts and actually made money on the deal! I see coupons for candles in the paper most every Sunday. I encourage you to challenge yourself to give those people who take such great care of your children a gift. A small gift goes a long way!

Be blessed!

~VS 10 for $25!~

Members of Victoria’s Secret Pink Nation can log in and get a coupon for 10 VS Pink Panties for only $25! This is a HOT deal! You can use the coupon in-store or online. If you order online use the code: 10PANTIES.
If you are not a member of VS Pink Nation, sign up now to get this coupon! It is only valid for 4 days.

http://www.vspink.com/

Thanks Thrifty Mom!

~FREE Soap!~

Print coupon for a FREE Bath & Body Works Anti-Bacterial Hand Soap (up to a $5 value) with any purchase. This coupon expires Sunday (9/27).



http://f.chtah.com/i/34/528207786/20090925_coupon_1396.html?cm_mmc=CH-_-20090925RDM-_-7012000-_-subPrintCoupon&cm_lm=

~3 Inserts Sunday~

There will be 3 inserts in the Sunday paper.

Happy Clipping!

~Tylenol Recall!~

http://www.tylenol.com/page.jhtml?id=tylenol/news/subpchildinfantnews.inc

~Cutting Corners~

A reader emailed me asking ways to cut corners. So, here is a list of a few things that I do that I thought of quickly. If you all have anything that you do, please email me or leave a comment. I love hearing from you all!

Simple ways to cut corners:
Save gas!
*Don't drive all around town everyday.
*Schedule all of your errands the same day so that you are not wasting gas.

Only shop sale items.
*Wait until something goes on sale and then try to have a coupon for it.

Stock up when food staples go on sale.
*If the meat you like goes on sale at it's "rock bottom price", be sure to buy enough to last you until it goes on sale again.

Set a weekly budget and stick to it!

Pay CASH for things.
*If you pay cash, then you can't go over budget!

Brown bag it
*Always take your lunch to work with you or eat at home (if you stay-at-home)

Eat leftovers
*I know, not so glamorous....however, you can usually make great lunches out of leftovers!

Electric bills
*Turn the air up! Be sure to turn the thermostat up when you leave during the day. It really does save money.
*Unplug it! If you are not using an appliance, unplug it. I have tested this theory and it saves big on the electric bill.
*Buy Energy Star appliances (yes they are more expensive, but will pay for themselves)

Buy a year ahead
*I always buy my daughters clothing 1 year in advance when it goes on the end of season clearance.

Shop garage sales
*I love garage sales, but am very picky at what I will purchase. I don't normally do pre-owned shoes. Also, the clothing has to look new or still have tags on it. I'm not interested in anything that looks like it came from a garage sale! You would be shocked to see some of the brand new clothes that I have found over the years. So many things still had the tags on them!

Have a garage sale
*I think I've mentioned this before. It does take a little work, but I've never made less than $200 in one day. Totally worth the effort. Be sure to mark everything wih a price. Nothing is more annoying than to have to ask the price on every single item! Be prepared, few people actually pay the sticker price (I rarely do). Just know that it is a starting price :)

Trade with friends
*If you have an event coming up (costume party for kids), get together with your other mommy friends and swap the costumes. That way you are not out the money and the kids get to wear something new and fun.

Check your receipts!
*This is a big one. Just last week, my grocery bill was $15 more than it should have been. I realized it once I got home. Easy fix, went back to the store with my receipt and the items in question and got my money back.

Water bills
*Turn off the water when brushing
*Turn off the water when washing your face
*Only water 5 minutes per unit (if you have a sprinkler system)
*Wait until your dishwasher is full to wash
*Do large loads of laundry, instead of a bunch of little ones

Pay extra on the mortgage
*We pay a little extra on our home each month toward the principal. This is beneficial if you are planning to stay in a home forever or sell it in a few years.

Hope this helps! Thanks for the question, Jenn :)

~Another Success!~

Last week my total was $51.23 before coupons and discounts. I walked out only spending $3.36. I've had a couple of really great shopping weeks! I'm under budget for the month and LOVING IT!!!

Some questions from readers:
Do I ever get sick of saving money (yes, someone actually asked that)???
NO WAY!

Do I ever get tired of figuring out different scenarios?
NEVER!

Do I always giggle when leaving the store?
Pretty much :)


How are all of my students doing? Please, email me! I'd love to hear from you all.

Be blessed!

~$3.00 at Kroger!~

Yes, you read that correctly! Kroger is having another buy 10 participating items, get $5 instantly event. The sale prices below reflect the discount. A few of the items were just sale, not part of the "event". I was super excited when I walked away only spending $3!

3 Ritz
Reg. $2.99
Sale $1.99
-$1 q
=.99 each

3 Nabisco crackers
Reg. $3.59
sale $3.34
-FREE q (with purchase of Ritz cracker)
=FREE!!!

8 Trident Gum
Reg. $1.29
Sale BOGO
-$1
= Free-.29 each!

4 Hot Pockets
Reg. $2.14
Sale $1.99
-.50 q (doubled)
=.49 each

3 Digorno Pizza
Reg. $6.59
Sale $3.97
-$1 q
=$2.97

2 Avocado
$1.99
-$1.50 q
=.49 each

2 Guacamole
Reg. $2.79
Sale $2.49
-$1.50 q
=.99

4 Salsa
Reg. $2.99
-FREE q (buy 1 get 1 FREE)
=FREE!!!!

Wonder Bread
Reg. $2.19
sale $1.59
-.55 q
=$1.04

Retail = $82.10
Total = $19.00
-(8) $2 Discover Card q's
Spent = $3.00
Saved = $79.10 or 97%!!!

Less than 100....

Days until Christmas! 95 to be exact! Is your budget set and ready???


I've been reading a ton on personal finance over the past 2 years really, but more extensively lately. I LOVE to read about ordinary people doing extraordinary things with their money. I was just reading today about a family who has 65% of their future home saved. People keep asking them why they don't just finance the rest? Their answer is because they want to pay CASH for the entire 100%. What an awesome goal!
Another family I read about have been unemployed for 8 months now and are still debt free. That is pretty amazing! They are big Dave Ramsey people (as am I). They always lived below their means and had a very large emergency fund in the event something like this happens. Sort of like my mom always said to me "It will rain at some point...you better be prepared".

Do you have any financial goals set?
Do you dream of paying CASH for a house??? I sure do!
Do you have an emergency fund?

Be blessed!

~Cook Once...Eat Twice!~

Those of you in a cooking rut (who isn't at times?), this is a great motto to cook by. "Cook Once...Eat twice" Example: Make a large serving of crock pot chicken and then use it in 2 different meals. I usually break it up by eating a meal of some sort of chicken one night, then do a beef or pork meal the next and then on the third night go back to a chicken dish. Eating at home doesn't have to feel like a penalty, however if you only make the same things OVER AND OVER AND OVER, it will get old very quickly!

I currently have chicken and pork chops thawing for today and tomorrow. Technically, I will have four meals out of the two. I will do 2 chicken meals along with pork chops one night and then I will use the remaining chops and probably put on some nachos (one of my hubby' favs).

Also, remember that grilled avocado w/ chicken that I was going to try to make a while back??? It was awesome! I've also tried it with grilled steak (leftovers)and it was even better!

Hope this helps!

~Is it Monday again?~

It just seems like I was blogging about my menu yesterday. Ha! My hubby has worked between 70-80 hours each week for 3 weeks now. So, my menu has been a bit crazy! The evenings that he has been working late, we have been eating smaller meals that don't require any planning.
Below are a few of the meals that we ate:

Beef Enchiladas
Soft Tacos
Chili w/ beans
Chicken wraps
Pizza

Do you have your menu set for this week?

Happy Planning!

~Glade Soy Candles~

Finally, a store had these in stock. Yeah! I picked these up at Wal-mart today with my FREE coupons.


*These make great little gifts too!

~CVS Today!~

Dry Idea
$2.99
-$1 ECB
-$2 q
=FREE!

Can't beat that :)

~CVS Deals!~

2 Listerine
$3.99
-$2 ECB
-$2 q
=FREE!

2 Purex
$3.49
-$1 ECB
-$1 q
=$1.49 each

Colgate
$2.99
-$2 ECB
-$1 q
=FREE!

~Wal-green's Degree Deal~

Wal-greens:
Spent $1.93!
Saved $19.80 (per the receipt)
*Several different value coupons were used in combination with in-store coupons

~$5 off $10 Build-A-Bear!~

Below is the link for the $5 off $10 coupon at Build-A-Bear!
Coupon expires September 28, 2009

http://buildabearnewsletter.com/P/v3/CouponWrapper.asp?E=3180;194631;9928825;22;02&R=T1_CPN_50129&A=1007&ci=50129

$5 off $25 Sally's Beauty Supply

Below is the link for a $5 off $25 purchase at Sally's Beauty Supply. Coupon expires December 31, 2009!

http://www.studentrate.com/STUDENTRATE/Assets/Rad/Images/vendorImages/24135/College-Discount-sally-coupon.jpg?sid=cc-00hc-0742-251998-00-00-0000-091709

I'm excited about this because I'm needing to replace my hair dryer. Score!


Speaking of scoring...Boomer Sooner!!!

~2 Inserts Scheduled~

Smart Source and Red Plum are scheduled to be in the Sunday paper.

Have a great weekend!

~Diaper Study~

If you have a child in size 4 diapers, this is a great chance for you to score some FREE diapers from the nations premier diaper manufacturer Arquest! They are looking for babies that wear size 4 diapers to try out a new diaper study. Call

1-888-342-7372 ext. 646 (girls diapers)
1-888-342-7372 ext. 634 (boys diapers)

Be sure to leave your contact info and the will call you back and send out packages of diapers to start the study. If you qualify for the study you will get free diapers and a $10 check after the study has completed

*Thanks UtahDealDiva

This offer will go fast! Go ahead and leave your information and they may call you for a future study if you miss out on this one. Free diapers are pretty awesome!

~Crazy Week!~

I have a crazy busy schedule this week. Did I mention it is football season? Ha! I have not forgotten about you all, just haven't seen anything really worthy of blogging about. I do not post unless there is something that I would do or use myself.
Have you gotten all of your coupons clipped and in your binders?

Hope you all have a very blessed Wednesday!

~It's Menu Monday!~

Alright...who has their menu planned for this week? Last weekend (Labor Day Weekend) we had a house full of guests and I had my menu set for that. Then Monday was a holiday and I never made my weekly menu. So, all week I had to figure things out each day. I definitely prefer to have a menu set now. Much less thinking and staring at the pantry and freezer!
Here are a few meals that we had:
Burgers on the grill (veggie side)
Chicken sandwiches
Crock pot BBQ chicken, corn on the cob (was so good!)...This was the Sunday meal!
Ham/Turkey/Cheese Calzones (veggie side)
Eggs, bacon & biscuits (love breakfast for dinner once in a while)

Again, nothing too excited but it got the job done.

~Kroger~

Final price= $0.00

FREE!!!

~Tom Thumb~

Tom Thumb specials:
3 Tyson Chicken
Reg. $7.99
sale $3.99 (in-store q)
-$1.50 q
=$2.49 per bag

3 Mission Chips
Reg. $2.99
Sale $.99 per bag

I don't go to Tom Thumb often, but was in the area and didn't want to pass up these deals.

5 Coupon Inserts Scheduled!

Woohoo! There should be 5 coupon inserts in the paper Sunday.
Get your scissors ready!

~Spaghetti Warehouse BOGO!~

Spaghetti Warehouse is offering a FREE entrée with the purchase of a second entrée and beverage with the coupon below. Offer good through Saturday (9/12).

Be sure to print the coupon from the link below.
http://www.facebook.com/SpaghettiWarehouse?v=app_4949752878&viewas=1830632033&ref=nf

Why do you coupon?

I would love to hear from my readers as to why you coupon? Obviously, we all coupon to save money! However, is there something specifically you are saving for? A new car, vacation, Christmas, retirement, bad economy, kids in college, etc.
As you all know (if you've read my previous posts)...I coupon to fully fund our beach vacations. Yes, I'm already island dreaming. It is fun to coupon when you have a goal. Every month that I hit my target goal, I just giggle at the thought of my tropical paradise.
Email me or leave a comment. I love hearing from you all!

Remember that couponing is just being smart with your finances. Even if you don't have a major goal, every penny saved is a penny earned.

~You ask...I tell!~

Some of you are asking about the coupons that I have been using. I get my coupons from 3 different major city papers.
1. Dallas Morning News
2. Tulsa World
3. Daily Oklahoman (OKC)

I don't get the Tulsa World or the Daily Oklahoman every week, only when my sweet mom & MIL send them to me. Thanks again you two! The interesting thing is that some their coupons have different values.
Example:
Pace
.50 (DMN)
.55 (Tulsa World)
.75 (Daily Oklahoman)

I've noticed this on several products. I just never know until I get them. So, if you are a bit confused on a few of my coupons, that is probably the deal.

Hope you all are having a very blessed Wednesday!

~Exciting News!~

It's official...Target will now price match! Woohoo! Please read the link below for all of the details. Pretty exciting!

http://pressroom.target.com/pr/news/value/our-low-price-promise-facts.aspx

~Snapfish FREE Shipping!~

Snapfish.com is offering FREE shipping on all orders through September 13th!
Use code, FREELABOR at checkout.

~Free Redbox today!~

Use Redbox code T46T3Q7 for one FREE movie rental!
Valid only on Labor Day (today).

~Today is the Day!~

~Chick-fil-a Labor Day Deal!~

Get a FREE Chick-fil-A Original Chicken Sandwich on Labor Day (9/7) when you wear your favorite sports team logo. Anytime from 10:30-close...No purchase necessary.

Boomer Sooner (yes we still wore our Sooner gear with pride....that is what true fans do)! We bleed crimson :)