New Single Check Rebates out for RiteAid!

It is a new month for Single Check Rebates at RiteAid....which means....the Adperk vidoes have been reset! This means you will have a new opportunity to watch enough to earn 20 points to get your $5/$20 purchase....a GREAT coupon to have on hand to make good sales at RiteAid EVEN BETTER! Go to www.Riteaid.com to check it all out. Click on the Single Check Rebate Logo to read more about the program (bottom left when you scroll down)....or click on the Rite Aid Video Values box on the right to begin watching videos and collecting coupons! Have fun....I am off to watch my videos right now!

*Okay...just tried to do the videos....and they must reload at the 'actual' beginning of each month....not new just yet. :( Hopefully tomorrow they will be up and ready to go....all brand spankin' new!*

Target deals/advice

I went to Target yesterday, by myself!!!!, since my mom was here to watch Owen and came across some GREAT deals! Here is some of what I found


HUGE box of Quaker instant oatmeal (30 count) on clearance for $3.48 (regular price $6.99) plus I had a coupon for $1 off any box of instant oatmeal making it only $2.48 for all 30! Plus they had the lower sugar variety available!

I also found Rimmel nail polish on clearance for $1.74 (good colors too) which paired nicely with a $1 off any Rimmel coupon I had from awhile ago!


FREE deoderant. Use the $2 off 2 Rightguard deoderant coupon and buy the $.97 trial size ones. Perfect to give to the Hope Center or save for your husband when traveling.

Here is my advice on Target. Travel the outside perimeter of the store. At least at the Rosedale one, all the good clearance is set up on the back endcaps. I just always make it a point to shop from the outside in so I see all the clearance items available to me. That is how I discovered the Oatmeal and the nail polish this time!

FREE 8x10 @ Walgreens

Tomorrow, you can get a free 8x10 print at Walgreens! Go to http://www.walgreens.com/topic/photo/thursday.jsp to print off your coupon! :) Can't wait to get mine!

Cheerios!

We LOVE cheerios....and eat TONS of them...so this offer makes me happy! Go to http://www.cheerios.com/promotions/begin/Default.aspx to sign up for 4 free $1 off coupons and a chance to win a free box! They will send a coupon to your email each week for the next 4 weeks and will be giving away 50,000 free boxes! Can't win (or get your high value coupons) without signing up! :)

FREE food tomorrow!

Well, tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb. 23) is a fun day! It is pancake day at IHOP where you can go and get a free stack of 3 pancakes. They just ask that you make a donation to the 'Children's Network' (I think....it's the one with the balloons!). Anyways....plus Jack in the Box is also offering a free grilled sandwich when you buy a large drink. Enjoy your day and happy eating! :)

3, THREE, 3!

I just read that there will be THREE coupon ads in the paper this weekend....YAY! Just wanted to give you a heads up so you remembered to grab your paper (LA Times is the one to get!). Can't wait for Sunday to get here! Anyone find any good deals this week? Comment below and let me know what you all have found....let's share the 'wealth'! Plus....I have been a bit out of it this week....so I am feeling a little out of the 'saving' loop! :)

$100 Coupon book from P&G

So, I have been hearing about this for awhile now and decided to research a little bit about it and do a post! This is a coupon book offer from Proctor & Gamble valued at $100 (pretty good) when you purchase $50 worth of their products. At first I thought that was a pretty high amount to purchase, but when I looked at what all really was a P&G brand, I realized $50 bucks would be easy to hit! And this total is taken BEFORE coupons! All you have to do it start saving your receipts (beginning Feb.1-April 15), circle the purchased P&G products with their price, fill out the form, mail it in, and TA-DA they send you your coupons! Sounds simple enough right?

Find all the information you need, included a list of all the coupons included, plus the form @ www.thankyoumom.com & click on the far right tab labeled $100 Coupon Book. Below I have listed the most common P&G brands (you can find the whole list on their web-site!)

Bounce, Tide, Gain, Joy, Dawn, Cascade, Puffs, Pampers, Charmin, Cheer, Comet, Downy, Dreft, Duracell, Febreeze, Luvs, Mr. Clean, Covergirl, Olay, Pantene, Aussie, Braun, Gillete, Herbal Essence, MACH3, Nice & Easy, Old Spice, Secret, Always, Crest, Oral B, PUR, Pringles, Tampax, Pepto Bismol, Vicks, Scope, & many more! :)

GOOD LUCK! & Don't forget to save those receipts! :)

Diaper deal at Rite Aid

I did make it to Rite Aid this afternoon but just ran in real quick to do the diaper deal. Nothing else looked too stellar to me! :) These diapers were on sale for $8.99 plus I had a Rite Aid Video Values coupon for $1 off(could be found at www.RiteAid.com...but is gone now) plus a manufacturers coupon for $2 off (can be found at http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?bt=vi&tqnm=zasmbtx77899695&o=61293&c=WM&p=x1noivPl). Then I will get $3 back with their Single Check Rebate program making this pack of diapers about $2.99....not too shabby!

P.S. Even if you are not stocking up on baby diapers like I am....it is still a good deal to consider since bringing diapers to baby showers seems to be a popular thing these days. I always like to get diapers like these when they get cheap and store them away for a baby shower....just a thought! :)

Coupon Binder!

I just got notifed that saveathomemommy.com is giving away one of her sweet coupon binders this week! Go to her website to sign up for your chance to win. This is the binder I have been eye-balling for awhile now.... :) She also has them on sale this week for $20....if I don't win I may have to snag myself one anyways! Good luck!

SO sorry

So sorry I have not been keeping very 'up' on the blog lately. We have a few things going on around here that are taking up time and 'mind space'. :) No worries....they are all good things...but consuming things none the less. I didn't even get a paper this weekend. :( Were there any good coupons? Comment and let me know what you all found! Hopefully I will be back to my normal couponing self soon!

I am planning a trip to Rite Aid for some good deals either today or tomorrow so I will post what I find! (I am already up to $15 cash back from Single Check Rebate and will ad a bit more this week!!!! Can't beat CASH!)

Hope you all are having a wonderful week! :) Happy couponing!

Don't forget to check out these wonderful couponing sites:
-www.athriftymom.com
-www.saveathomemommy.com

Expired Coupons?

I just wanted to remind you all that there is a WONDERFUL way to use all those expired coupons for good! Military families overseas can use expired coupons in the commissaries. You do have to sort the coupons into food items & non food items...I just keep 2 ziploc bags in my coupon folder so I can sort as I go! It is SUPER easy and about a dollar or so each time you send the coupons in the mail.

So....go to www.ocpnet.org today and sign up with a specific military base and start sending those coupons! :)

FREE PHOTOS!

Free 8x10 Collage print is BACK! Go to the photo center at www.walgreens.com to create your free 8x10 collage print. Just enter the code VDAY when you go to check out! It is super easy! You can even opt to pick it up in the store the same day! I did this a couple months ago....and it turned out GREAT!

Walgreen's also has a deal where you get 25 free 4x6 prints when you order 25. It comes out to be under $5 for 50 Prints! Just enter the code LOVE10 at checkout!

Another thought

Another thought about things to donate....always keep an eye out for items that are suitable for an individual serving. Here's what I mean. The Hope Center always has bags ready to go for men & women who are homeless. To do this, they need canned goods that have a 'pop-top', not requiring a can opener. They also need items that can be stored and eaten easily 'on the road' so to speak. Like individual pudding cups and fruit cups, granola bars, etc. So....keep your eye out for these items when you are out shopping/couponing! I know they would GREATLY appreciate it! Just another little way we can help!

FOOD MAXX coupons!

Did you get this in the mail today? If so, don't throw it away! It has quite a few valuable coupons hiding inside! Now, I typically don't shop at FoodMaxx since Winco came into town....but I will venture over there when they put out these coupons. So, check your mail....you may have some waiting for you too!

Plus many of these items are GREAT to donate if you don't think you will use them yourself!!!!! I put a '*' next to the items okay to donate.

Here are the coupons I found in mine!
-$1.49 Sunny Select Drinking Water limit 1* (or bring to SNC!)
-$.89 dozen eggs limit 1
-$.79 Sunny Select Apple Juice limit 1*
-$.99 General Mills cereal (lucky charms, cinnamon toast crunch, trix, cocoa puffs) limit 1*
-$2.99 Valu Time Bathroom Tissue limit 1*
-$.99 Hot Pockets limit 1
-$.99 Armour LunchMakers limit 1
-$.69 10 lb bag of potatoes limit 1

CVS success!

Here it is....I know you all have been sitting on the edge of you seats, just waiting to see what I got at CVS this week....umm....yeah. Well, I managed to get to CVS this morning before making my weekly Winco run and was pleased with how it went!

I got all this for $9.82 but saved $40.23....not too bad. Plus I have $5 in ECBs to roll to next week! I am hoping that as the weeks continue I can increase the ECBs I roll from week to week and make the deals even sweeter! :)

Here's how I did it (hope it makes sense....if not, just ask!).

4 Ragu $1 each-2 $1/2 coupons from Sunday paper(red plum?)1/31

2 Goldfish crackers $.99 each-2 $.75 off coupons from the internet....somewhere....

2 Trident Layers gum-YUM $.99 each
-2 $.75 off coupons from Sunday paper (red plum?) 2/7

Campbells soup at hand $.97-$.50 off coupon

Reach toothbrush 2 pack $3.99
-$1 off coupon
-$2 back ECB

Nabisco crackers 5/$10
-5 $1 off coupons from internet and sunday paper
-$3 back ECB

CVS Green Bag Tag $.99
-(this will give me a $1 ECB every 4th time I use it!)

A whole new strategy....

So, I have a new strategy for CVS....I know, I know....I have only gone there once....but I am having a difficult time making multiple trips...let alone ONE trip! And I forsee having much difficulty in the oh so near future!

So, this is what I am going to do....just make one trip...and save my ECBs (Extra Care Bucks) from week to week and use them all at once, instead of trying to do multiple transactions to minimize my out of pocket cost. I figure I may have to pay a little more up front the first week, but will be able to use all those ECBs the next week to limit my out of pocket cost, and continue week after week. Plus ECBs are valid for a month (instead of just one week like Register Rewards at Walgreens), giving a bit more wiggle room! Hope that all makes sense! :) I guess we will see huh?

Well...my 'new strategy trip' will hopefully happen tomorrow afternoon....or possibly Friday....see what I mean? :) I will post what I find!

Quick tease of what I am going to be getting....
-Trident gum $.99 ($.75 coupon) = $.25
-goldfish crackers $.99 ($.75 cent coupon) = $.25
-5 boxes of Nabisco crackers 5/$10 (5 $1 off coupons)$3 ECB = 5/$2
-Ragu pasta sauce $1 ($1/2 coupon) = $.50 each*most of the coupons could be found in last week's paper, this week's paper and online!*

Surprise!

Have you tried Rite Aid yet? Don't forget to enter all those receipts on their website for the Single Check Rebate program! Just go to www.riteaid.com and click on the Single Check Rebate logo at the bottom left of the page. You may have to scroll down a bit. Follow the directions to create an account and then you are ready to go!

I have been entering my receipts every week (it is super easy-they do all the hard work!) and just noticed that I qualified for an extra rebate that I wasn't even aware of! I am getting an extra $5 Visa Gift Card! Once you enter your receipt they keep track of EVERYTHING and EVERY purchase and you may just get a rebate you weren't expecting! So far I have $15 CASH coming back to me from Rite Aid....and we are only half-way through the month....can't beat CASH! :)

Help! I'm drowning in coupons!

If you have been collecting coupons long, you already know that they can get out of hand in a hurry! :) So, organization is crucial for success! To begin, I suggest getting a small accordian style folder. These could be found for awhile in the $1 section at Target, or you can find them in any store in the home/office supply section. These are great to begin with, because they will hold quite a few coupons and can slide easily into most purses! That way your coupons are always with you! :)



I began there, but have since moved up to a much larger version of the accordian folder (which now unfortunately does not fit very well in my purse).



Now they will have anywhere from 10-12 slots to slide you coupons. You will want to label each section for better organization. I have my slots labeled according to where the product will go in my house:

-fridge (dairy, fruit/veggies, meat, etc.)
-freezer
-pantry (canned goods, pasta, spices/seasonings, etc.)
-cereal/granola bars
-snacks (chips, candy, gum, nuts, etc.)

-health & beauty (lotion, soap, makeup, razors, etc.)
-cleaning (all cleaning supplies)
-misc household supplies (paper products, batteries, candles, etc.)
-medicine
-baby (diapers, baby food, etc.)


Now, my folder has 12 slots (and I only have 10 labeled) so it leaves me room to store my 'store specific' things (store specific coupons, special ads, Register Rewards/Extra Care Bucks, etc.). I have envelopes labeled with the following stores

-Winco
-Albertsons
-Vons
-Target
-Walgreens
-RiteAid
-CVS

Then when I plan my trips (mostly on Sunday afternoon), I just slide my store specific list and any needed coupons paper clipped to it into the envelope and slide it into my coupon folder so it is all ready to go. Then, when I go to the store, I just have to grab the store specific envelope and all should be there waiting for me! :)

The main thing, is to find a system that works for you, and to be willing to change if necessary to make things easier on you! I have to admit that I may be graduating soon to an official 'coupon binder'. Don't know if I am ready for that 'scarlet letter' just yet....but fear it must happen soon....for my own sanity!

Good luck on getting organized-hope this helped a little!

Super Sunday!

Hope you got your LA times....because Holy Hannah are there some GOOD coupons in there! :) Sunday is usually my day to sit on my hind end, relax, find the deals and plan my trips sooooooo today I will be doing it with yummy snacks while the game is playing! Maybe I will catch a moment to post what I find! :) If you want to start your own search, check out www.Saveathomemommy.com & www.Athriftymom.com (my 2 personal favs!) to see what is out there! :) Happy Sunday and enjoy the game (or commercials....hoping for some good laughs this year!)

P.S. Don't forget to be on the search for things you can donate to others in need! There are LOTS of coupons for those types of items this week! :)

Sunday inserts!

Just wanted to give you a head's up for Sunday's paper! I read on a blog today that there will be 4 coupon inserts in the paper this weekend! Wa-hoo! I highly recommend getting the LA Times since they tend to have MUCH better coupons that the Bakersfield Californian. :) I can't wait....I'm SO excited!

CVS trip...the details...good & bad!

Here is how my CVS trip went....and my serious mistake I made! Hopefully my confession will keep you all from doing the same! :)


First transaction Dove Men's Body Wash $5.49 (used $1.25 coupon)= $4.69 (but got $5.49 back in Extra Care Bucks ECB)


Second transaction Dove Men's Body Wash $5.49 (used $1.25 coupon), 2 Raisin bran 2/$1.29 (used $1 off 2)=used $5.49 ECB to pay = $.78 (got back $5.49 ECB)


Third transaction *here's where the mistake happened* Dove Men's Body Wash $5.49 (used $1.50 off coupon), Colgate Max Fresh toothpaste (used $.50 off coupon)=used $5.49 ECB to pay = 1.69 (got back $2 ECB/did not get $5.49 ECB back as planned since I had hit my limit!!!!)


Fourth transaction 2 skippy peanut butter 3/$5 (used $.75 off 2 coupon), 4 ragu sauce 3/$5 (used 2 $1 off 2 coupons), 1 rice krispies $1.29 (used $1 off coupon) = used $2 ECB to pay = $5.54 (got back $3 ECB)

There it is....could have been better....but oh well! The goal with places like CVS and Walgreen's is to do multiple transactions at a time utilizing those ECBs/Register Rewards, so that you limit how much money you have to pay out of pocket each week! :) Hopefully there are some good deals next week! :)

Lesson learned. :(

Okay-went on an adventure to CVS to try and figure them out. I got a bit overambitious and totally forgot something SUPER important. Beware of the limits they put on 'deals'. By the way, the Dove Men's Body Wash has a limit of 2. :( I will post more later on my CVS adventure...it was pretty good, but would have been STELLAR if I had paid attention to what I was doing. :( Oh well.

Another bit of advice that I need to pass on to you....and at first it will sound silly....but you will TOTALLY understand once you get serious about couponing. Scope out your cashier....seriously. Figure out which cashiers are coupon friendly at your stores and always go to them. I have a lady that I always go to at Target (Rosedale) because she knows the policy and is friendly even though I hand her a huge stack of coupons each time! I started in her line today, but ended up having to move to another line because her computer froze, and ended up in an older man's line who gave me grief about using a manufacturer's coupon and a target coupon to get 2 SOBE drinks for free....he gave me that 'I'm disappointed in you grandfatherly' stare....but I stuck to my guns, informed him of his companies policy and tried to not let it get to me. Thank heaven I didn't have my usual stack this week....he would have wanted to arrest me. Moral of the story...find your favorite checker...and stick to her/him!

P.S. Just a head's up about Target. Do not try to use coupons at the Target on Ming. They are NOT coupon friendly and you will just leave frustrated. I have tried to use them multiple times since they are the closest to me....but never again....just a head's up! :)

Coupons.com

Have you discovered www.coupons.com? :) They have WONDERFUL coupons that get restocked every month. You are able to print off each coupon a total of 2 times! Some coupons have a total print limit (meaning total prints from EVERYONE out there in internet land) so it pays off to print the ones you think you will need at the beginning of the month. Have fun!

A wee bit more on Rite Aid

Well...ventured out to Rite Aid real quick this afternoon to do some couponing. Before I went I decided to call customer service to ask them a question that had been bugging me for a long time. If you have started watching their Ad Perk videos (can be found at www.riteaid.com) you will find that coupons are attached to each video and can be printed off. I had always thought that these were treated like manufacturer's coupons since they have that title at the top....BUT I WAS WRONG! & I AM KICKING MYSELF FOR NOT ASKING SOONER! also...I am trying not to think of all the other amazing deals I could have had.... :( The lady at 1-800-Rite-Aid was so kind and informed me that they could indeed be used with other manufacturer's coupons...and it worked today at the store!

Wa-hoo for saving lots of money! :)

The other thing I learned however, after an incident upon checking out, and yet another call to customer service is that you cannot use a coupon for above the purchase price. Here is what I mean. Dawn dish soap is on sale this week for $.88. I had a coupon for $1.00 off a certain kind and wouldn't you know...they had it! So I trid to use the coupon and the lady wouldn't let me. So I asked her if she could adjust the price to match the coupon (some places will do this like Target) or adjust the coupon value down to the price of the item (Walgreen's will do this) and was told they could do neither. :( Even the nice guy at 1-800-Rite-Aid said the same thing. :( Oh well....it was worth a shot!

All in all...keep watching those videos and clipping those coupons!

Yay for Tuesdays! :)

Tuesdays are a happy day around our home....it is new grocery ad in the mail day! Today is usually the day that I take time, during Owen's nap, to map out any good deals from the grocery ads (mainly Vons/Safeway & Albertson's). I used to throw the 'other' grocery store ads away into the the recycling bin until I made an AMAZING discovery! Those other ads have manufacturer's coupons in them!!!!!! Even if it is in another stores ad, if it says manufacturer's coupon at the top....you can use it ANYWHERE! :) Here is one that I found today in the Superior Grocers ad.

It is hard to see, but it is for $4 off 4 packs of 12 Coke cans! That is a good coupon...and paired with a Super Bowl Sale...makes for a stellar deal!

So...don't throw these ads out/recycle...check them every week for those sneaky manufacturer's coupons. You never know what you will find!

What is your something?

I just got back from a meeting at our church about the direction we are taking with Small groups. If you happen to attend Olive Knolls...get ready...it is going to be great and intense. Without giving too much away, it follows the story of the Good Samaritan, and it challenges us to act. To start. To do something. The world is full of hurt and pain and sorrow and as Christians....as humans....we have to do something, even if it is just a small something. This is something that the Lord has been throwing at me personally in SO many ways recently and has led Mike and I to make some BIG decisions about the future of our family and what WE WILL DO.

Another aspect of what I can do involves all this silly couponing. As I improve on this skill, I am able to get many items for free or near free. I began to think what an awesome opportunity this provides me to 'spread the wealth'. So, I now have a bag in the garage that I fill with some of the things that I get that I know can be used at the Hope Center/food bank, and it doesn't cost me much at all. It is just a little thing that I can do. And so, I challenge you to think....what is your something?

Items the Hope Center/food bank can ALWAYS use and ALWAYS need
-toothpaste
-toothbrushes
-shampoo
-soap
-deoderant
-other personal hygiene items
-toilet paper
-diapers
-canned meat goods
-canned fruit
-any other non-perishable food items

Happy Couponing! :)

Head's up for CVS items!

The plan is to get to CVS tonite or tomorrow morning sometime. They seem to have some REALLY good deals in the store on grocery staples right now that when paired with a manufacturer's coupon make them even better! PLUS many of these are also GREAT items to donate to the Hope Center or any food bank. You can check out their on-line weekly ad at www.cvs.com but have heard from a friend (Keri) that there are also good coupons in the paper ad as well, and you can find that in store!

Dove Men's Body Wash %5.49 (but you will receive $5.49 back in Extra Care Bucks (ECB)making it free! Plus you can use a the coupon found in last Sunday's paper to turn it into a money maker!)

Ragu/skippy peanut butter 3/$5 (but if you buy $10 worth of product you get $3 back in Extra Care Bucks (ECB)making the deal better. Plus you can use the $.75/2 coupon for the skippy peanut butter from Sunday or the $1/2 for the Ragu)

Colgate Max toothpaste $2.99 (you will receive $2 ECB plus you can use the $.50 off 1 coupon from the Sunday paper)

dozen eggs $.77 ....just a good deal!

Fruit loops, Raisin Bran, Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes, Apple Jacks $1.29 ....just another good deal....and check....you may have coupons for these. I know I do but I don't think they are very recent.

Hope that made some sort of sense...and those are just some of the deals I found this week! I will hopefully post more once I get back from CVS! This will be my first trip there to use my coupons and get ECBs....wish me luck! :)

BEWARE :)

Just a bit of a warning for everyone who is beginning this couponing adventure. Don't fall into the trap of HAVING to use a coupon. I have been there....the GREAT coupon burning a hole in your pocket....just waiting to be used....calling out to you. But the reality is, some coupons are not worth using. Either it is for an item you will NEVER use or should not use(and cannot donate) or you can get it cheaper without the coupon by buying the store brand. The goal with couponing is to save money. Period. So, just be careful and remember, it's okay to say no to the coupon! :)