Current Projects

  • Couponing like crazy!
  • Turning Junk into Treasure!
  • Saving Plastic Bottles from Landfills!

Friday, April 30, 2010

Surgery!

I am off to have carpal tunnel surgery this morning. I don't think it will slow me down too much, mostly because I am incredibly stubborn. :) I will do my best to keep up with the current great deals and money saving ideas. You just might have to do a bit of the leg work on your own for a couple days. Good luck!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Four Stores in 2 Hours w/2 kids!

Today was a triumph! I hit four different stores with both kids in tow! My goal was five, the only one I missed was Target. I am pretty darn proud though.
There were so many deals this week, it was hard to stay in my budget. Fresh Market is having it's 'Grand Opening' and so there are savings galore! I highly recommend checking it out. The best deal there, and it's a good one if you can find them in stock, were the Colgate Wave toothbrushes. Advertised for $.87, with a limit of four, they went perfectly with the Colgate toothbrush $.75 coupon that came out last Sunday. Yes, I got the last 3 that Provo had on the shelf for just $.12 each!!! I'm going to hit a couple other locations before the sale ends. 
Macey's also had some good stuff, probably to compete with FM's grand opening. The best deal I got there would have to be the 24oz Pace Salsa for $1.88. I got four of them but would liked to have gotten more.
Smith's got a visit. They had a couple of stellar things. The milk is on for 3/$5 again. Super price! They also had an off brand of 2 ltr sodas for just $.65 each! I stocked up! My hubby can't say there's nothing but diet soda in the house anymore! :)
Finally, Big! Lots! was a must! I needed baby food and Big! Lots! is the ONLY place to buy it! I haven't found a sale or coupon deal yet that can match their prices. I stocked on several varieties of bottled food, and also some Gerber Graduate snacks and meals. The prices were phenomenal. I was very pleased with today's selection. I haven't seen it this good before. It is a hit and miss store, you never know for sure what you might find. I always leave pleased however. :)

Deal of the Day!

Today's deal of the day! is at Target. This is probably nationwide, as far as I can tell anyway. 
GE Reveal 4 pk light bulbs are on sale for $2.00. Use Target's online printable coupon for $1.50 off of each. Then use your Sunday GE Light bulb coupon for another $1.00 off! Free plus overage!!!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Consumer testing

Based on an experience this morning using a new bathroom cleaning product, I have decided to begin doing a thorough test of one new item every two weeks. It may be brand new to the market or brand new to me. 
I will give each product a 100% open minded opportunity and use it exactly as instructed and then give a detailed report.
If there are any items that you are interested in trying out but are not yet sure if you want to invest in, suggest them here and I will pick a reader's suggestion once a month to try out and report on.
I'm pretty excited about this. :)

Local Grocery Deals *Utah County*

I've picked the best of the best again!

Buy Low

Post Cereals 11-20 oz. $1.68
TJ Farms Shoestring Potatoes  .48 each
Wonder Bread English Muffins  .98 ea
1 Doz Large Eggs  .78 ea

Harmons

Dreyer's Ice Cream  2/$4
Don Julio Tortilla Chips  .69 ea

Macey's

Iceberg Lettuce  .98ea
85% Lean Ground Beef  1.69/lb
Old El Paso 10 oz Enchilada Sauce .98
Western Family 8 oz Shredded Cheese  2/$3
Large Hass Avacados  .68ea
Don Julio 10 in Flour Tortillas .88
Western Family 16 oz Sour Cream .78
6 ct Kool Aid Bursts  .68

with in-ad purchase of 2:
Lay's 10.5-12 oz Regular Potato chips 1.68 ea
use $2/2 Lay's tear pad coupon= .68 ea!!!
Corn nut chips 3.2 oz   .39  ea
*****
11-20 oz select Post Cereal  5/$10
w/in-ad coupon and purchase of 5

Sara Lee Soft and Smooth 20 oz Whole Grain white or 100% whole wheat  1.79
use .55 Sara Lee on any bread,buns or bagels coupon=1.24
4 pk  4-4.5 oz cups fruit or fruit in gel Del Monte Fruit  1.88
Kraft Jet puffed Marshmallows Reg or mini 16 oz   1.39
6-8 oz Hawaiian Tropic Sun Care Products  7.84
use $1.00 on 1 Hawaiian Tropic suncare product 6oz or larger coupon
Western Family 8 oz Cream Cheese  .99
8 oz loaf Western Family Cheese  2/$3
Western Family 16 oz Butter quarters  1.99
Western Family 16 oz tub Margerine  .89
64 oz Sunny D   .99
use .25 Sunny D coupon 
Fresh Cucumbers  2/$1
8-11 oz Dole Salads   shredded lettuce, classic romaine, just lettuce    2/$3
Ataulfo Mangoes  .59ea

Fresh Market

Red or green seedless grapes   .98/lb
Red cluster tomatoes  .98/lb
4 lb Strawberries  3.98
Guittard 11.5-12 oz asst. Baking Chips (limit 6)  .98
2 ltr Coke products  .78
Tillamook 2lb loaf Medium Cheese  3.98
9.6-18 oz Oreo cookies  1.98
50-63 oz powder or liquid Gain 2x   5.47
use $1.00 on any one Gain detergent coupon
Tide 2x 50 oz liquid  5.98
use $1.00 off any size Tide detergent coupon
Colgate 6.4 oz select varieties Toothpaste or Toothbrush (limit 4)  .87
use .75 off any ONE Colgate adult or children's toothbrush coupon= .12!!!!!!
Large Hershey's candy bars  .98
Del Monte ketchup  24 oz   .77
Hidden Valley 20-24 oz pourable asst. dressings  3.44
use (if included) $2.00 on any flavor Hidden Valley Farmhouse Originals coupon 
Mission 10 ct Flour tortillas  .99
Western Family Olives 6oz  .98
10-12 ct Old El Paso taco shells   .98
Western Family 4oz green chiles  .38
Rosarita 16oz refried beans  .78
8oz Western Family cheese loaf   2/$3
Western Family Cream cheese  .99
Tyson chicken 22-32oz Cordon Bleu, Strips, Wings, Fillets, or Bites   6.49
use $1.00 on on ebag Tyson Frozen Breaded Chicken coupon (if included)
Meadow Gold 48oz asst ice cream  2/$5
Western Family Butter quarters 16oz  1.99
Western Family 11oz breadsticks  1.79
Western Family 32oz yogurt 2/$3
Hass Avacados  2/$1
Pineapple  .78/lb
Cucumbers 2/$1
Large Red delicious apples  .99/lb
Mangoes  2/$1
Celery .79ea
Cilantro bunches  3/$1
Pkg. Red grape tomatoes  2/$3
D'Anjou Pears  .99/lb
5.6 oz pkg Blackberries  3/$5


Smith's 
 Mountain Dairy 1 gal Milk  3/$5
Navel Oranges  2lb/$1
asst. Kelloggs or Quaker cereal  4/$10
use the following coupons if included:
$2.00 on any 2 Kelloggs
$1.00 on any 1 Smart Start 
$1.00 on 2 Kelloggs Frosted Mini Wheats 
Kroger cheese 8oz bars or shredded or 6oz sliced   2/$3
Avacados  .89ea
Lay's Potato chips 10.5-12oz  1.99
use $2.00/2 Lay's potato chips tear pad coupon
Slimfast shakes 6ct  2/$10
use $1.50 on any one Slim fast shake multi pack or shake mix coupon

10/$10 Mix or Match Savings

Propel fitness, sobe or sobe life water
Kroger peanut butter 18oz

Angel Soft bath tissue 4 rolls  
Colgate 4.6oz
Softsoap Handsoap 7.5oz pump
use online .35 off any one Softsoap printable coupon(colgate.com)
Green Giant frozen boxed veggies 
use .50/2 any variety Green Giant frozen boxed veggies online print coupon
Frito Lay Stax
Manwich  15.5-16oz
Infectiguard Sanitizer lotion 8oz pump
 *********
Powerade 32oz  .69ea
Thomas Bagels  2/$4
Mngoes  .89ea
Tyson Chicken 18-32oz  5.78
use $1.00 on one bag Tyson frozen breaded chicken coupon (if included)
Athenos Hummus  7oz  2/$3
Kids Zoo Park bench  19.99
Tampico Punch 128oz  .98
Red Roma tomatoes  .99/lb
Kroger Cottage cheese, Sour cream, dip  10/$10
Pace 16oz sauce or salsa  1.99
Ortega line sale  33% off
use .75/2 Ortega Products coupon
Mission soft taco tortillas 10ct  2/$3 
 

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Ideas for recycling baby food jars CONTEST!!!

So I am looking for creative ways of recycling used glass baby food jars. So far I have used them to hold bathroom items, like cotton balls, and eyebrow tools.
Please give me your ideas and suggestions of other creative ways to use these many empty jars I have and I will send the winner a $5 Gift Card to your local Home Depot(my favorite store).
You can even vote on other people's ideas.
Get your imaginations working!

Monday, April 26, 2010

Today's Treasure Hunting Adventure!


We only made it to one thrift store today, Deseret Industries. I feel pretty good about it though. I got a few things that I've been needing at seriously great deals and surprising quality.
For me, I got an absolutely luxurious bedskirt($3.00) for my bed. I will post tomorrow the finished product of my bed makeover. 
I also got two beautiful pillowcases($2.00) that look new. they will be a great accent.
The sunglasses are fabulous! And for $1.50, you can't go wrong, especially with how often my glasses get broken. This will be my third pair this year! 
Finally, I got a fun tote bag($1.00) that spouts Recycling propaganda beautifully! It will be my 'church' bag. My purse just can't hold everything, even though my hubby calls it a duffle bag.
For the kids, my boy got 5 much needed summer t-shirts and my daughter got 4 of her own. They were all $1.00 each and my kids are set on t-shirts for the summer, combining these with what they already have. Since young kids tend to destroy their clothes anyway, this is a very cost effective way to clothe your kids and promote recycling at the same time!
Finally, I found a white fitted bed sheet for my daughter's bed. It was still in the package!!! It cost me just $3.00.
Do the math and you will see that it's worth the time and hunting at your local thrift stores to find great bargains and household necessities without breaking the bank!

Target's new deals!

There are some really great deals at Target this week, depending on your interests. I of course put down my favorites and a few that aren't really for me, but might be impressive to some of you. As always, if you want me to keep an eye out for anything particular, in any state, just let me know!
I would recommend that before you hit Target, stop by Big Lots! to see if you can get these same items(sans coupons) any cheaper. Let me know if you do!
Here goes!
Vitamin Water 10/$10
use $1/2 Sunday coupon= .50 ea

Jell-o 6 pk sugarfree jell-o gelatin or   $2.25
pudding cups   
use .60 Sunday coupon= $1.65 ea

Dannon Activia yogurt 4 pk  $2.00
use $1 sunday coupon= $1.00 

GE Reveal 4 pk 60-watt Light Bulbs  $2.00
use $1.50 Target printable coupon
and  $1.00 sunday coupon= FREE!

Buy 3 of either of the following two items, get free $5 Target Gift Card!

Huggies Jumbo Pack Diapers $8.99
use $2 Sunday coupon= $6.99

Pampers Cruisers Jumbo pk Diapers $8.99
use $2 Target coupon (from magazine)
use $2 sunday coupon= $4.99!

Edge 7 oz or Skintimate Shave Gel  $1.79
use $1.50/2 Skintimate sunday coupon= $1.04 ea

Crest 3-D Whitestrips 14 ct. $34.99
use $10 sunday coupon= $24.99

Crest 3-D White Toothpaste  $2.99
use $1 sunday coupon= $1.99

York Peppermint Patties 'Pieces'  $2.49
use $1 sunday coupon= $1.49

10 pk 110 ct Kleenex or  $8.99
8 pk 60 ct Puffs Lotion 
use .25 Kleenex sunday coupon

Palmolive 30 oz dish liquid  $2.99
use $1 online printable coupon (Colgate.com)= $1.99

Gerber Graduates selected juice treats or finger foods  2/$4
use .75/2 coupon from Gerber mailer (order online)
use .55/2    same
use .55/2 Fruit Splashers (if included)

Huggies Wipes Refills 420-504 ct  $11.99
use .50 sunday coupon

Pampers Wipes Refills 420-504 ct  $11.99

Family Size Honey Bunches of Oats 18 oz  $2.50
or Multigrain Cheerios 12.8 oz 
use $1/1 Cheerios coupon (coupons.com)
use $1/3  Cheerios sunday coupon

Nature Valley Granola Bars 6 pk  $2.50
use .40 online mfg coupon

24 oz Pace Picante Sauce or Salsa  $2.00

8 pk Juicy Juice or 64 oz Mott's juice  $1.89

Kiwi .33 ea

Red Seedless Grapes  $.99/lb!!!!!!!

Ziplock Selected 7 to 100 ct bags   $2.27
or 2-5 ct containers
use $1.50/2 (containers) sunday coupon
use $1/2 (bags) sunday coupon
Vaseline 20.3 oz spf 15 Aloe Lotion   $5.00
use $1 Target printable coupon (under racing)
use $1.25 sunday coupon= $2.75!!

18 oz Jif Peanut Butter 2/$4

Planters 20 oz nuts $4
use $1 Target printable coupon

10 ct Mission Tortillas  $2.00
24 oz Hershey's Chocolate syrup $1.79

Best Foods Real Mayonnaise  22-30 oz  $2.99
use .60 sunday coupon

Free $5 Target Gift Card with purchase of any 2 of the following items!

8 pk Bounty  $9.99

Charmin 18 pk Mega or 30 pk Big roll  $14.97
use .25 sunday coupon

Downy Liquid Softener  105-120 load  $8.99
use $1 Sunday coupon

Bounce 240 ct Dryer Sheets  $8.99
use .25 sunday coupon

Gain 150 oz Liquid or 95 or 120 load powder  $14.99
use $1 sunday coupon

Cheer 150 oz liquid  $14.99
use $1 sunday coupon

Luvs Big pk Diapers approx 96 ct   $16.99
use $1 sunday coupon

100 oz All or Snuggle laundry care  $8.49
use $3 Snuggle sunday coupon
use $1 All sunday coupon

Lysol Healthy Touch No-Touch Hand Soap system  $9.99
use $1 Target printable coupon

I will be hitting Target this weekend. I have picked about 5 or 6 of these sale items to take advantage of, along with some of my regulars. 
As always, check your local ad to make sure that these prices apply to you! I hope you can see the benefit of gathering coupons!!!   
   
 
 

 

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Don't forget!!!

There are some super fabulous coupons in today's paper!!! Grab a couple of copies from your local news stand or else get ready to scavenge tomorrow at the recycling bins! That is where I'll be of course!
I recommend waiting till the afternoon, around 2 or 3 for best results. 
The only other thing I wanted to touch on today, is FREE SAMPLES! How many freebies have you signed up for lately?? If you haven't, it's time! Everything from haircare to laundry soap is available if you will just look for it. Shopathome.com has a link for all kinds of great samples that usually come with coupons. Bonus!!! 
I steer clear of any that require a survey first or your phone number. Too many scams and too many telemarketers! Other than that though, I've had great success with free samples and have enjoyed trying new things or else using the usually travel size samples in my hygiene or emergency kits.
Happy hunting!!!! 

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Big shopping day!

Boy did I go shopping today! I hit Smiths, Target, and the Dollar Store. All sans kids! It went quite smoothly.
The total value was $132.87(before tax). I spent $80.42(before tax). My savings: $52.42!
Not my super best catch ever, but definitely a score!
The Freebies:
(1) 2 liter Sprite
(3) Tide travel size detergents
(1) Beech nut to grow mac n'cheese 2 pk
(2) Arm and Hammer travel size toothpaste

Some of the goodies:
50 load Snuggle fabric softener $.99
  Milk 1 gallon $1.67            
Sunny Delight  $.54
Green Giant frozen microwave veggies $.50
Dannon Activia yogurt 4 pk  $.97
Red Seedless grapes  $1.49/lb.
Bananas $.49/lb.
8 pk Travel size tissues $1.00
500 ml Extra Virgin Olive oil $3.99

These were a few of my best deals, but I feel that I got good deals on everything. I need to hit Macey's before Wednesday. They have some fabulous deals I don't want to miss out on. 
I would call today quite productive! I am now ready to rest!                                   
 

Friday, April 23, 2010

Walgreen's coupon correction!

So on that last post, the Skintimate shave cream coupon is actually when you buy two. I would just buy one though, or it will mess up your Register Rewards. Walgreen's is funny like that. So I say, skip the coupon!
Also, I found a $1 Tone coupon online to get yourself an even better deal on the bodywash! :)

New Walgreen's ad!

Beautiful, wonderful Walgreen's! They just keep getting better! Here are the goodies beginning Sunday!
Stayfree pads 16 or 24 count  $2.99
use $2.00 sunday coupon
Pay $.99, Earn: $2.99 Register Rewards!!!!  Free and then some!

Placker's flossers $2.00
use $.50 Sunday coupon
Pay $1.50, Earn $2.00 Register Rewards!

Skintimate Shave Cream 6 oz. $2.99
use $1.50 Sunday coupon
Pay $1.49, Earn $2.99 Register Rewards!

Softsoap  $.99 w/in ad coupon
use .35 online coupon (Colgate.com)
= $.64

Tone Body Wash $3.99
Earn $3 in Register Rewards!
Like paying $.99!


Schick Hydro Blade System $7.99
use $3 Sunday coupon
Pay $4.99, Earn $5.00 Register Rewards!


Speedstick or Lady Speedstick Deoderant $1.99 w/in ad coupon
use $.50 Sunday coupon= $$1.49


Johnson's skin care products (for adults) Buy one, get one 50%
use Sunday $1 Sunday coupon


Johnson's baby products Buy one, get one 50% 
use $1 Sunday coupon (come in this Sunday's ad!)


These are just a few of the great deals coming to Walgreen's this Sunday. Remember, if you tell me certain items that you're looking to get a great deal on, I WILL FIND A DEAL FOR YOU! You just need to let me know!

 

A cheaper, greener 'fence'

We need a fence in our back yard. There is a really nice white vinyl fence around the patio immediately behind our house, but the majority of our yard is wide open on one side and then fenced off with a sad excuse for chain link on the other. 
We got estimates on chain link fence and decided against the $2-3000 we'd have to fork out. I just can't wait one more week though to have our backyard fenced off from the wild neighborhood monsters... I mean kids.
Here's what I came up with! I found arborvitae hedge type trees that grow super quick at our local Home Depot for around $12 each. They reach their full height of 15 feet in just 3-4 years! Four feet wide, placed closely together, they will provide an effective fence and also some shade. 
We put in four of them last week and will be using some of our tax return today to get about 8 more. My sweet husband will be planting them, bless his strong heart! I am so excited to be helping the environment by planting tree and not investing in a fence that will someday be dug up and thrown away when it is no longer pretty. We will get our privacy and some nice shade for just a fraction of the cost of a traditional fence. Yes it will require a bit of patience, but I figure I'm making money during those years of waiting for the trees to grow by not having wasted money on the labor and supplies of an ugly chain link.
If you just take a minute to explore creative options, and are willing to do some work and exercise a little bit of patience, there are so many ways you can save your family's money!

Thursday, April 22, 2010

All the trimmings!



To the not so savvy decorators in need of ideas, here is a way to brighten up your decor for FREE with a little bit of creative recycling!

First we have a pillow I made from left over curtains that I inherited and hung in my bedroom. There were lots, so I made a couple of throw pillows and added beads from a broken necklace, attached with hot glue and left over hemp twine.
 The other throw pillow. I used the hang tabs of the curtain as decorative fringe on this one. It was a really fun project!
To the right, I grabbed one of my many large flower vases and used branches and trimmings from my front yard. I had spent the morning trimming trees and shrubs. Most of the waste ended up in the trash, but this bit brightened up my home!
Finally, this was a table runner that I had in my bedroom back in my single days. We no longer needed it for a bedroom or a runner for that matter, so it became a curtain for my upstairs bathroom. With a couple of rings sewn on, I hung it over a tension rod which I hung with gold hooks for a delicate feel. It is the perfect addition to the bathroom and a great way to repurpose something!
Get creative! You never know what you might come up with!

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Still learning at Walgreen's!




I made it to Walgreen's today! Even with the kids! Spent approx $28 for approx $73 worth of merchandise! Feeling pretty good about it! I'm done with cereals and crackers, so today I worked on feminine products and kitchen goods. 
Here is why I'm still learning! With the Kotex U products, You need to buy them individually to get the Register Rewards. Definitely a pain, but well worth it!
Many thanks to the fabulous manager and sweet cashier at the Springville store!
Now I have all the girly stuff I will need for a LONG time! I also have plenty of foil, dish soap, sponges, and chewing gum! Not to mention the M&M's I'm having for dinner! ;)

Just tell me what you're looking for!

I offered this to a couple of my siblings, so I may as well offer it to everyone!
Just tell me what items you are looking for a deal on(anything you want to try out or that you regularly buy) and I will post on here when I find you a great deal! If you are close to me and aren't able to collect coupons yet, let me know that too. If it's an item I don't use/need and I have coupons for it, I am more than happy to pass them on to you if you wanna stop by.
Yes, I am this passionate about this! :)

Ode to Big Lots

Most towns have a Big Lots! discount store at least relatively close by. Even if it's a bit of a drive, I highly recommend you get yourself over there! It's a revolving door of deals at rock bottom prices. You can't use coupons, but often you don't need to as the prices are so low. 
It's hit and miss. You never know what will be there for sure, but there will ALWAYS be certain categories there and then a nice variety of each.
My super favorites that I will ONLY buy at Big Lots! are Bottled Baby Food (AMAZING PRICES!!!!), and Slim Fast meal bars. Their prices can't be beat, even with coupons and sales at my other favorite stores.
They also have many other staples, like cold cereal, bottled juice, canned fruits and veggies, hamburger helper, granola bars, etc. No fresh produce, so this is gonna be a food storage stop. 
They also have a great selection of bedding, furniture, household and domestic goods, books, school supplies, hardware, etc. I love getting my light bulbs and tools at Big Lots!
Stop in when you have time to browse, and let me know what great deals you find!

Wow! Great new deals!

I will be heading out to Walgreen's today! Wish me luck! I also might have to hit Macey's again... Their new ad has some super awesome new deals and has carried over some of the great deals from last week.
My favorites:
Suave 15oz. Shampoo or Conditioner $.68
Hot/Lean Pockets $1.48
Kellogg's Pop Tarts  $.98
Farm Bread $.98
10 lb. Russet Potatoes $.88
Tillamook 8oz. shredded cheese  $1.89
Western Family 2lb. Cheese loaf  $3.99
21-72 ct. Huggies mega pak $16.49
use online coupon and it's just $13.49!
Motrin PM $3.47
- Sunday coupon= $.47!
Cucumbers 2/$1
Roma tomatoes $.98/lb
red or green seedless grapes $1.48/lb
Those are my favorites, but be sure to check your ad for more great sales!
And now Buy Low Market:
Shasta soda 2 lt $.59!
Betty Crocker fruit muffin mix 6.5 oz. $.59
Powerade 32 oz $.59
and the icing on the cake....... 1 lb Baby Carrots.... 2/$.79!!!!!!!!!
Such a great price and a great summer munchie! I will be buying several! There is a limit of 4 per visit, so head back a couple times!
I will be reviewing Smiths and Fresh Market later today. :)    

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Reporting!

So I went to Fresh Market and Macey's today. I had my wonderful sister to help me with the kids. That made such a difference!
The fruit is at great prices at Fresh Market. Oranges .59/lb. Grapes 1.49/lb. Strawberries $5/4 lb. I was very pleased with those deals and will be enjoying the fresh fruit. A lesson learned yet again though and that I must warn newbies of is this; some cashiers are sticklers and 'law enforcers.' Sometimes even where there is no law to enforce. Every now and then you will come across a cashier who will deny a coupon for one reason or another. Depending on my mood, I will either argue till I win or, like today, I let it go and will buy the item at another store. This happens even at stores where you have already used the same coupon before. It's just how different cashiers are. Usually if you argue or throw a fit, their manager will okay it. I have done this. :) Often it is just the ignorance or inexperience of the cashier that is the problem. Make sure that you are in the right by reading the details of the coupon and also being familiar with that store's coupon policy before you plead your case. 
I was tired and there was a long line behind me. Out of my great humanity, I let this one go. It will probably be the only one this week, since I am a bit of a fighter. :)
New sales begin tomorrow at our local grocery stores, so the deals that I am talking about are last chance! Hurry hurry!!!!
At Macey's they are still having their case lot sale. As far as I know it ends today. I strongly recommend you get in there and check it out!!! I got a huge bag of wheat flour and another of white rice. I got smaller bags of brown rice since it does not store as long and I am the only one who loves it. 
Their store brand cereal is still just $.88 each!!!! You just have to buy 5. I got 10 boxes and feel like with this recent installment, my cereal quota is met for the month!
Milk is $1.89 I think, which is the best price in Spanish Fork right now. Smith's has it like 10 cents cheaper if you are willing to travel. I did the math with gas though and felt good about staying local.
Macey's also has Betty Crocker cake and brownie mixes for $.88 each. There is a huge selection and I got a little carried away. Cake anyone??
Overall I feel good about today's purchases. I picked up lots of things that we really do use quite often, and also some things that are good to have on hand just in case, such as the new Lay's Kettle Cooked chips I got at Fresh Market. They were $2 after I bought 2 and used a coupon. These are great to have on hand next time you get invited to a BBQ. My hubby usually runs to the store and grabs chips(expensive ones) for us to take. This will save us in the long run. Just make sure that you let everyone know that they have a purpose and not to snack on them. I believe in hiding things. :)
 

Monday, April 19, 2010

Walgreens

I finally got a chance to review all of the other amazing deals at Walgreen's besides the one day only $1 ink jet refill this Thursday. There are SO many great deals!!!!!
I won't be hitting Walgreens till Friday this week. I learned my lesson last time and will wait till I can go sans kids!!! Be looking this weekend for my shopping report! You seriously will be blown away! I will also hit Target on Friday.
Tomorrow I am going to hit Smith's, Fresh Market, and Macey's to grab a couple of their deals before the prices change on Wednesday. I will report! It should be mostly produce, but you never know! 

Today's haul and deal of the day!

I scored big time at the recycling bins today! The kids were super patient as I went through all 3 bins! I got lots of great coupons that I am sooo excited to tell you about and how you can use them best!
I was only dissapointed that I didn't find any great new magazines or books. I did find a Prevention short magazine, but I will probably check back tomorrow to see what else I might find.
The deal of the day, big surprise, has to do with gift/emergency kits. There is a $1 off ANY Tide detergent coupon that came out last week I believe. Many big box stores; Target, Walmart, Kmart, have to-go packs of Tide in their travel size sections. They are usually right around $1 each. That of course means FREE for you! Gather as many of the coupons as you can and make a killing! I bet they'll come in handy this summer when you go on any fun vacations!
(most laundramats charge approx $2.50 per mini box of detergent! You don't want to be without you own!)

Recycling Bin

It's Monday again, which means that we'll hit the recycling bins at some point. I've got lots of paper and cardboard to get rid of, and lots of great coupons came out in yesterday's newspaper, so check back later to see what I score!
I challenge you all to be brave today and see what coupons and other goodies you can find as you do your own recycling today!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

dumpster diving!

Here is one of my free finds. I was walking with my daughter one day and this lovely chair was sitting on the sidewalk in front of an office. There was no sign so I went into the building and asked what the deal was. How much did they want for the chair? They said I could just have it and that they had a matching chair to go with it plus several other pieces of office furniture as they were redecorating.
I ended up with the two wing back chairs, 3 office chairs, and a book shelf. If I hadn't taken it, this was all set to go to the dump. That in itself is a travesty. I can't believe what people throw away!!
The lesson here is to be brave and ask questions. I asked and ended up with a gold mine!
   The picture to the right is one of dumpster treasures! It is a lovely faux plant from the dumpster behind my health club. I couldn't reach the basket that it was originally in, so I re-purposed a sparkly green waste basket as it's new pot. It was a little too large and overhang a bit, so I added dry decorative moss from my craft supplies and then a faux fern that I've had for years. It was a great $.75 find at a thrift store.
I ended up with a lovely addition to my front entry without spending any new money!
Lesson here: sort through your storage totes now and then and let your imagination come alive. If you cannot think of anything to use certain items for within a week's time, that's a sign that it belongs in the 'declutter' pile. You'll kill two birds with one stone; declutter your home, and also come up with fresh new decorations to liven up your living spaces!
I'd love to see/hear about any of your great finds!

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Walgreen's

So here are the AMAZING deals coming up at Walgreen's! (check your local store to make sure these prices apply. Sale starts tomorrow!) There are many other great deals, but I only pick the best of the best to put on here, so here they are! (RR stands for Register Rewards. This a coupon you receive when you purchase this specific item that can be used toward your next purchase. Often times I will do 2-3 transactions per visit to get the most value. Yes, you will be that annoying person holding up the line. If it bothers you so much, go in the middle of the night. :)
$5 RR Nature's Bounty Vitamin D supplements 120 ct. @ $5
-$1 coupon from Sunday ad 3/14  or
-$2 online printable coupon
Either way, FREE plus overage!!!


$2.50 RR U by Kotex (pads, liners, tampons) @ $3.49
-$1 online coupon= FREE

$2 RR Colgate Pro Clinical Toothpaste 4 oz @ $3.99
-$1.50 Sunday coupon 4/11= .49 each  or
-$1 printable coupon= .99 each


Huggies assorted diaper, including Goodnites @ $8.99
-$2 in store add
- $3 printable add at coupons.com= $3.99!!!!!!!!

Loreal Preference Hair Color @ $6.50 w/in ad coupon
-$2 Sunday coupon 3/28= $4.50

Bic Hybrid Advance Disposable Razor System or Disposable Razors 3-4 pack $4.99 ea
-$1 coupon from April Walgreens coupon booklet (find by registers)
-$3 Sunday coupon 3/28= .99 each!

Dawn Dish Liquid 10.3 oz $.99 w/in ad coupon
-$.50 Sunday coupon 4/04= .49! 
**Great  addition to Gift or Emergency kits discussed in previous blog message**

Scotch Brite or O-Cel-O 3 pack sponges B1G1 FREE @ $3.99 w/in ad coupon
-$1 online coupon= .99 each

Good Filler Items
**You will always need inexpensive filler items when redeeming your Register Rewards coupons. If you have questions, hop onto Walgreen's.com and you can read all about the policy and how it works! Their cashiers are sometimes helpful with this too. :) **

Black Forest Gummy Bears or Worms 4.5 oz @ $.39 ea
Ajax Cleanser 14 oz @ $.50 ea w/in ad coupon
Walgreen's Reusable Shopping Bag @ $.33 each w/in ad coupon
 ideas:
Transaction #1
Buy
(1) Natures Bounty Vitamin D @ $5
-$2 coupon (online)
Total due: $3 (plus tax)
Get back $5 RR

Transaction #2
Buy 
(1) Kotex U product $3.49
(1) Colgate Pro Clinical Toothpaste $3.99
(1) Huggies diapers $8.99
(1) Black Forest Gummy Bears $.39


-$1  U by Kotex online coupon
-$1.50 Colgate Pro Clinical Sunday coupon
-$2 Huggies in store coupon
-$3 Huggies online coupon
-$5 Register Rewards

Total due: $4.36! (plus tax)
Get back: $4.50 RR toward you next purchase!
Please ask questions if you need to! :)