Too Poor To Eat

Goodbye Nebraska

2010-08-20T12:16:00.000-07:00

We are leaving Nebraska and I am getting rid of this blog. I will either delete it entirely or change it to reflect the info that is pertinent to my new location.

So, I think there are 3 or 4 of you that visit this site. If any of you want to keep this site I would be glad to transfer it over to you so my name is no longer associated with it. It is pretty easy to do. If no one wants it, then jot down the links that you need because this blog is going the way of the Dodo. It will be gone by September.

Muchas Smoochas
Anna

Pampers and Luvs jumbo packs for < $4

2010-02-23T09:34:00.000-08:00

I ended up spending $3.72 each for 7 Jumbo packs (6 Pampers and 1 Luvs)

Variations of the deal can be found here and here.

I adjusted things because I didn't mind mixing Pampers and Luvs, which makes the cheapest deal. If you want all Luvs or all Pampers then you can easily adjust your sale and the price only goes up to a max of $4.54 per Jumbo pack.

Oh, you have to have never ordered from Diapers.com for this to work.

So, here are the steps:

1. Go to Diapers.com

(If you belong to ShopatHome or Ebates or Upromise go to Diapers.com through one of them. If not, you should join them all but don't worry it doesn't change the deal.)

2. Find the Pampers Baby Dry XL Case. Click the $1.50 ecoupon box. Add the Pampers to your shopping cart. I got size 1 diapers.

3. Add a Luvs jumbo pack to you shopping cart. I got the newborn ones because...I am having a newborn. It turns out they are on sale as well. The sizes you choose will change your total a bit.

4. Now your total is over $49 which is important because this is how you qualify for free shipping.

5. Type in the code: 100C7696 This will take $10 off your order.

6. Buy your diapers. If you ordered the same sizes I did your total out of pocket would be $40.98 for the equivalent of 7.25 Jumbo packs. That's about $5.25 per pack This is a pretty good deal by itself...but there's a rebate!

7. Print this form here that offers you either a free magazine subscription or a $14.97 rebate. You can also print the rebate when you are checking out if you'd rather. It's at the bottom of the screen. Anyway, fill it out, mail it in, and get sweet $14.97 back.

8. Your total: 26.01 for 7 Jumbo packs of Diapers (6 Pampers and 1 Luvs). That's $3.72 a pack. Whoop Whoop!

Question

2009-11-09T14:28:00.001-08:00

I am not sure if any still checks this, but I have a question. So I have noticed a lot of items going on sale for Christmas. I have been looking for varies presents and I have seen some cheaper items. I don't know whether to wait to by it to see if it will go any cheaper or snag it while I can. Cause you never know what future deals there will be like the day after Thanksgiving. What advice or experiences do you have? So you wait and risk it being any cheaper than it is? Just comment and let me know. Thanks!

2009-08-30T06:37:00.000-07:00

You’re invited to the revival of

THE COUPONING GROUP

10:00 Thursday, September 3 at Alysson's House

We’ll have a 5 minute presentation on how to save money on your heating bill this winter, and then spend the rest of the time trading coupons, showing off our awesome deals, and throwing all our extra money in the air and letting it rain down onto our happy faces.

Come at 10:00 a.m. if you have never couponed before and would like to learn how.
Come at 10:30 a.m. for everything else.

Children welcome.

Couponing Group Rises Again!

2009-08-21T08:05:00.001-07:00

Hi guys.

It's Fall and the smell of apples, the bright colors of changing leaves, and crisp clip of scissors cutting coupons is on my mind. A lot of people have approached me about a fall coupon group.Some people want to learn and some people want to swap and show and tell.

So, I want to resurrect the coupon group. Here is my plan:

1/2 hour before the group starts there will be a couponing class. This is strictly for people who want to get started.

Then the group starts and will consist of the following:

-one 5-8 minute presentation of some frugal/ money saving skill (for example I was thinking of someone explaining how to make their own cleaning solutions, or laundry soap)

-coupon trading

-show and tell (everyone can show off and share their awesome deals if they want.)

The End.

I figure the added structure might be good so that everyone at different levels of couponing would benefit. And, if you don't want to hear another lecture about how to cut coupons you can just show up after the couponing class.

I was thinking that it might be beneficial to have the group either on Mondays (right after coupons come out) or on Thursdays (Right after we have new grocery store ads).

I know some of you have classes (Christina) and if you want to come I don't want to schedule a time when you are in school. Let me know if you have preferences on times.

Roberts Dairy Club

2009-08-20T08:39:00.001-07:00

Robert's Milk goes on sale periodically for $1.99 a gallon at SuperSaver. You can sign up here to become a member and get coupons. I just signed up and they offered me a coupon for 40 cents off sour cream. I am hoping that milk coupons will be put up in the future.

CVS deals

2009-08-11T11:53:00.000-07:00

Thanks Books*Deals*Birds*Meals for this post.

Transaction 1

Sun.-Tues. Only

Revlon Colorstay Mineral Mouse Makeup $9.99

get $9.99 EB back

All week

Neutrogena neutrashield sunscreen $8.99

-$5.00 MC here

=$3.99, get $2 EB

Bic Soleil Razor $6.99

-$3.00 MC from newspaper

=$3.99, get $3 EB

Total before coupons: $27.44

-$5 off $25 (quiz here)

-$5 Neutrogena sunscreen

-$3.00 Bic Soleil Razor

=$14.44, get $14.99 EB back + my free gift for August, coupon for free 100 ct. aspirin

Reg. price w/o coupons (I count EB savings when I use them) = $37.42, savings of 61.5%

Transaction 2

100 ct. CVS Aspirin

Clearance items

Sandisk 1 GB USB drive $2.49 x 5 (reg. $19.99 each, commonly sold online for $12 each)

8 oz. CVS gentle skin cleanser $1.62 x 2 (reg. $6.49 each)

=$17.92

-FREE Aspirin coupon

-$14.99 EB

=$1.80

Regular price w/o clearance = $122.97, savings of 99.6%

I normally don't use EB on items that don't generate EB, but I couldn't pass up these great deals on clearance items!

Walgreens deals

2009-08-11T11:51:00.000-07:00

Thanks Books*Deals*Birds*Meals for this post.
There are a few great deals at Walgreens this week.

Sharpie 4 pk. highlighters $.99

-$1.00 MC here

=FREE

BIC Grips 8 ct. pens 2/$1

-$1/2 MC here or from newspaper

=FREE

Scotch Tape 3 ct. packs (+1 bonus roll at my store) $3.99, BOGO

-$1.00/3 ct. pack MC x 2

=$1.99 for 8 rolls of tape

Mentos Gum $.99 w/ in-ad coupon (limit 4)

-$.55/1 MC

=$.44/each

Listerine mouthwash OR Reach toothbrush 2 pk. OR Reach dental floss 3/$9

-$3/3 MC

=$6.00, get $6 RR

School Supplies under $1

2009-08-10T06:38:00.000-07:00

Thanks Books*Deals*Birds*Meals for this post

As you look over this list, think about how much you can spare for People's City Mission or another reputable agency collecting supplies for those in need.

I'm only going to list things that are under $1.00 and at a price near or better than I've seen this year.

Office Max
24 pk. Crayola Crayons, $.20, (limit 3)
10 pk. Dixon #2 Pencils, $.10, (limit 3)
12" wooden ruler, $.05, (limit 3)
70 sheets Spiral Wide or College-Ruled 1 Subject notebook, $.01, (limit 3)

Office Depot
2 pocket folders, $.05, (limit 5)
2 pk. scissors, $.25, (limit 3)
Wilson Jones binders, $.50, (limit 5)
Composition books, $.50, (limit 3)
3 pk. Papermate Pink Pearl erasers, $.75
Acrylic ruler, $.40

Shopko
2 pocket folders, $.10, (limit 18)
24 pk. Crayola crayons, $.20, (limit 4)
4 oz. Elmer's glue, $.20, (limit 4)
10 pk. Crayola Markers, $.99, (limit 2 each size)

CVS
4-6 pk. Sharpie or Paper Mate highlighters, $.99
10 pk. Paper Mate pens, 3/$1

Walgreens
120-130 sheets filler paper, $.49, (limit 3, w/ in-ad coupon)
2 pocket folder w/ prongs, $.19, (limit 6, w/ in-ad coupon)
50-80 sheets Mini memo or Composition Book, $.19, (limit 6, w/ in-ad coupon)
Highlighter or Jelly Belly scented gel pen, $.19, (limit 6, w/ in-ad coupon)
4 pk. Sharpie highlighters, $.99

Coupons for you

2009-08-09T08:01:00.001-07:00

Thanks Books*Deals*Birds*Meals for this post

I have a couple of coupons for someone who can use them:

*2 McDonald's FREE Med. fries and soft drink w/ purchase of Angus Third Pounder
*50 bonus box tops for education

I am pretty well stocked, so I don't need very many coupons at the moment. If you are in need of other coupons, leave a comment and I'll let you know if I have one to spare. There is a fairly good chance that I might have what you need.

People's City Mission needs School Supplies

2009-08-08T10:30:00.000-07:00

I dropped these things off at People's City Mission on Thursday, and they said they are in great need of school supplies right now. I got everything pictured for under $10 by picking up the best deals at Target, CVS, Office Max, and Office Depot over the last few weeks.Watch for great deals and donate what you can. I found it was easiest to get to PCM by driving west on O st. and turning left (south) on 21st. It is located on the corner of 21st and N St. just east of Randall's car wash. You can drive around to the back to leave your donation.

Clearance at Target

2009-08-08T08:45:00.000-07:00

Target on 48th & O has some great clearance items to match up with coupons right now. Thanks to Chicks Dig Deals for finding them.

Poptarts are $1.52
-$.55/1 MQ here
-$.75/1 TQ here
= $.22

Kraft Deluxe shells and cheese $1.38
-$1.50/2 MQ here
= $.63 each

Kelloggs Cinnabons bars $1.75
-$1/1 MQ here
= $.75

Quilted Northern Price Match

2009-08-06T13:50:00.000-07:00

Super Saver has a store coupon here for $2 off 12 double rolls of Quilted Northern.

Quilted Northern is on sale for $6.49 for 12 double rolls at Russ's.

You can price match Russ's price at Super Saver (bring the Russ's ad with you).

-$2.00 SC

-$1.00 MC from 7/26 RP

=$3.49/ 12 double rolls!

(I don't pay over $0.50 a double roll for toilet paper, this works out to $0.29/roll!)

20 cent Ziploc containers

2009-08-05T19:57:00.000-07:00

****This is a lot of rambling, but I was so excited to catch this deal!!!! ******
Actual 'deal' is bolded for those who want to skip my rambling:)

I have learned to clip every coupon that I would possibly use if I found a good enough deal. This leaves me clipping WAY more coupons then I would ever use, but I have it 'just in case'. So anyway, I normally purchase dollar store containers because they are usually cheaper, but this week I clipped the ziploc coupons out of the sunday paper and got a steal of a deal!! Here is the Deal:

ONLY AT O-STREET HYVEE (that I know of)
x-small to medium containers are on sale for $.88 ----I was told this is an instore sale, so it is not in the ads. Anyway, $.88 is a great deal so I picked up 3 of them. As I was shopping, I realized that I could make this deal better. Sunday's paper had 2 ziplock coupons in it. One for $1.50 off 2 and one for $.55 off one. So I used both of those and got

3 packs of ziplock containers for $.59

Another Ziploc coupon

2009-08-05T17:47:00.000-07:00

(In reference to Becky's post above) - You can also print another Ziploc coupon here. Remember to click back to print a second copy.

2009-07-30T16:25:00.000-07:00

For those of you who haven't heard, we are moving back to Utah. We will be leaving Monday! I will miss all of you, it was fun to get to know everyone.

If anyone is in need of, or knows anyone that would like a stroller/ carseat combo, we are trying to get rid of ours and just asking for a little money for it. It is Winnie the Pooh with light green and blue colors. We bought it in 2006 and it is still in really good condition. Just let me know if you are interested by Sunday. Thanks!

Use your freezer to stock up

2009-07-29T12:41:00.000-07:00

Whether you grow your own garden or find a great sale, here are some tips for freezing extras, courtesy of Jolene Taylor.

Before we start with the alphabet, a little lesson for gardeners on how to prepare those home-grown veggies for the freezer.

Blanching: Most raw vegetables should be blanched before frozen.(Exceptions are onions, garlic, and bell peppers.) Blanching means to boil for a few minutes to stop enzyme actions and keep flavor, texture and color. Method: Bring water to a boil, add vegetables. After boiling recommended time, drain and plunge into ice water to cool quickly. Drain.Freeze. Look up specific time guidelines in a cookbook or on the web. DO NOT blanch in the microwave. Foods are safe to eat without blanching, but may suffer undesirable changes in flavor, texture and color.

Now specifics from Apples to Zucchini!

Apples: Peel and slice a few at a time. Treat with lemon juice or cold salt water to prevent darkening. Place in freezer bags. Great for pies, applesauce and more.

Asparagus: See blanching above.

Bananas: Peel and place in a freezer bag. They will mash easily after defrosting for use in smoothies, breads, etc. The whole banana in the peel can also be frozen.

Refried Beans: Didn’t use the whole can? Freeze what’s left for a lunchtime quesadilla.

Berries (whole): Wash and pat dry. Lay out on a cookie sheet and freeze, then put in a bag for long-term.

Broccoli: See blanching above.

Butter/Margerine: Freezes fine in the tub or the box.

Carrots: Peel, slice, blanch.

Cheese: Grate it and freeze it.

Cherries, whole or pitted: Treat them same as berries.

Chips (as in potato and tortilla): Freeze in the bag to extend shelf life.

Chocolate: Absolutely. Wrap in foil. Chips and candy bars too.

Cookie Dough: Don’t make it too thick or it takes a long time to thaw. You can freeze it in balls (see whole berries, above) ready to bake.

Corn on the cob: Clean ears by trimming ends and removing silks. Do not wash. Freeze in freezer bags. To serve: Drop ears in boiling water and cook 6-8 minutes after water returns to a boil. For fresher taste,blanch and cut off the kernels before freezing.

Fresh Fish: Put filet in freezer bag, add water to cover fish, freeze.

Fresh Herbs: Parsley, basil, etc. Wash. Put leaves in ice cube trays, add hot water. Put in freezer. Later, pop out and put in zip bags to use for soups and recipes as needed.

Green beans: See blanching above.

Leftover vegetables: A spoonful of this and that can be put in a container in the freezer and later used in vegetable soup.

Lemons/Oranges: Wash thoroughly. Grate the peel before using and freeze the zest for later use. The juice can be frozen also. Ice cube trays work well for this.

Liquids: Allow 1 inch headspace. Cover with plastic wrap, then with foil.

Milk: Freeze in the container. Pour off a little to allow for expansion. Use within 2 weeks for best quality.

Melon: Honeydew and cantaloupe. Peel and cube, put in zip bag. Use for smoothies. (Makes good smoothies combined with citrus).

Nuts: Freeze whole for best results. Always double bag.

Onions and Peppers: Dice and bag. Best for cooked dishes, not fresh salads. Great in eggs and on quesadillas – just sauté right from the freezer bag.

Pasta: Leftover pasta can be put in a zip bag. Squeeze out the air and freeze. Thaw and microwave; or put into boiling water and reheat.

Peaches, nectarines: Peel and slice. Fruits that darken can be helped by adding 1/8 tsp. lemon juice to keep them from browning. Or use ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) or Fruit Fresh type product. Sugar also works as a preservative.

Peas: See blanching above.

Pies: Most can be frozen whole, cooked or uncooked. (Exceptions:custards, cream pies, meringue.) Filling only: Line a pie plate with foil.Prepare filling and pour into dish. Freeze until solid, remove pie plate and wrap frozen, pie-shaped filling with foil, label and return to freezer until needed. Crust only: Roll out circles of pie crust dough, place layers of plastic wrap or wax paper between; stack, wrap with foil, label and freeze until needed. You can also freeze a ball of pie dough. Whole pie UNBAKED:Sometimes results in soggy bottom crust. Don’t slit the crust when preparing for freezing. Be sure to pre-treat fresh peaches or apples to prevent browning. Freezes well 2-3 months. Bake 450 degrees 10-15 min, then 375 degrees until done. Whole BAKED pie: Slightly undercook before freezing. Keeps well 4-6 months. When ready to use, thaw about 30 minutes, then bake 350 for about 30 minutes.

Soup: Line container with foil. Pour in leftover soup. Freeze. Take out foil and put in zip bag for a serving later.

Tomatoes: Can be frozen whole. Rinse and dry. When ready to use, hold under hot water while still frozen. Skin will fall off. I prefer to scald and peel my tomatoes as they ripen in the garden. I put them in a large bucket with lid in the freezer. When I have a full bucket, I thaw them overnight and bottle them.

Leftover Spaghetti Sauce, Tomato Paste: Freeze and add to it until there’s enough for a meal.

Zucchini: Slice and blanch. Or, grate and freeze for bread. Moisture levels will vary when you don’t blanch. This is not an exact science, there will be extra liquid when you thaw. Adjust your flour ratio and/or pour off a little of the liquid.

Now be sure to enjoy eating those frozen foods all year!

Free Deodorant at Hyvee

2009-07-17T14:45:00.001-07:00

There is an coupon in the Hyvee ad that gives you Secret or Old Spice Deodorant for 99 cents.

There was a coupon in last Sunday's paper for $1.00 off any Secret deodorant. I also had two $1 off Old Spice deodorant coupons in my stash from earlier.

Since you can combine manufacturer coupons with in store coupons you end up with free deodorant. Nice

Remember you can only use one in store coupon per visit.

Clearance rack at Supersaver on 48th and O

2009-07-16T12:38:00.000-07:00

I love the clearance racks at Supersaver and Russ's Market.

Today at SuperSaver they have a whole bunch of children's medication for sale for $1 to $3. They had Triaminic, Benadryl, and Tylenol. They also had Citrucel and Bufferin.

Remember that manufacturer's coupons work on clearanced items as well.

Go here for $1.50 of any Triaminic item.

Go here for $1.00 Tylenol.

There have been a bunch of Benadryl coupons in the paper so check your coupons.

These will go fast!

Free school supplies at CVS

2009-07-13T18:39:00.000-07:00

I was able to get a few freebies and almost freebies at CVS this week. I started with just $4.00 EB, ended up with $6.00 EB, and I got everything in this picture for $1.40 w/tax OOP. I did 4 separate transactions to avoid spending more OOP.

I was especially excited because I plan to donate most (if not all) of the school supplies to a shelter or some kind of school supply donations program - so I get to help others without spending much. It's always nice to pass the savings on.

The breakdown:

3 X Papermate pens, 8 ct. @ $.99
(receive $.99 EB for each, limit 3)
FREE after EB (especially if you roll EB)

2 X CVS 1 subject notebooks (wide or college rule) @ $.99
(receive $.99 EB for each, limit 2)
FREE after EB

2 X CVS ruler (wood or plastic) @ $.99
(receive $.99 EB for each, limit 2)
FREE after EB

2 X CVS 5 oz. school glue @ $.99
(receive $.99 EB for each, limit 2)
FREE after EB

2 X CVS scissors @ $2.99
(receive $2.99 EB for each, limit 2)
FREE after EB

2 X Tylenol 8-Hour 24 ct. @ $3.99
-2 X 1.00 off any Tylenol here
(receive $3.00 EB for each, limit 3)
FREE after EB & coupon

2 X Honey Nut Cheerios single serve cups @ $1.00
-2 X $1.00 off any Honey Nut Cheerios (printable coupon - search online - can't remember where I got it but I just printed it today)
FREE after coupon

=$1.40 OOP (tax), plus I have $6.00 EB to use later

The good news:
All of the school supplies are on sale through tomorrow, Tues. July 13, and the Tylenol deal is good all week. This appeared to be the regular price for the Cheerios, so as long as you can print the coupon and it's not expired, that deal should work.

Working at Home

2009-07-13T06:56:00.000-07:00

Have you ever thought about working at home? Have you ever wondered if there are any real jobs that can be done at home? I'm sure you've all seen e-mails and ads about "work-at-home opportunities" where you can make "$10,000 a month guaranteed!" I'm here to tell you about an actual job that is usually done at home. Is it easy? No. Can you make millions in the comfort of your own home? No. But you may be able to supplement your family's income in a reasonable amount of time if you're willing to work hard. It's called medical transcription, and I've been doing it for a year now. When my husband lost his business and decided to go back to school last year, I decided I was going to have to do something to help support our family. I had a 2-year-old at the time, and I'm not into the whole daycare thing, so I was looking for something I could do at home. My sister works as a transcriptionist for an insurance company, and I had actually done that before, so that's the first thing I looked into. Unfortunately, her company didn't hire any subcontractors in my state, and I couldn't find any other similar companies to apply to. Every transcription company I could find online needed medical transcriptionists, and I had no idea how to do that. I noticed on several national medical transcription companies' websites an ad for something called Career Step. I finally clicked on it and found information about how to train to be a medical transcriptionist (MT). After a lot of thought and waiting to see if I would qualify for a student loan, I decided to go for it.

Career Step's course was designed by an MT named Andrea Anaya. She started working as an MT as a teenager. When her friends learned how much money she was able to make, they were constantly asking her if she could teach them. Since she didn't have the time to personally teach everyone who wanted to learn, she decided to develop a course to teach people how to become MTs. Career Step is now a very large company and one of the top three schools for medical transcription in the nation. Currently, you can train to be an MT through Career Step for less than $2000.

Are you wondering what an MT does? Basically, whenever a person has an encounter with a physician, he or she will dictate a note about your visit into a handheld recorder. MTs listen to that recording and transcribe it so that it can be placed in the patient's medical chart. MTs type notes on basic doctor visits, specialist visits, consultations, letters to other physicians, emergency room notes, surgical procedures, etc. Sounds easy right? All you have to do is listen to what the doctor says and type it? Well, it's not easy! Please don't think this is a get-rich-quick kind of job, because it isn't. It takes a lot of time to develop the skills necessary to be a good MT. You have to be very familiar with medical language, have a good handle on spelling and grammar, top-notch research skills, excellent typing skills and, most importantly, you have to enjoy being on the computer for hours and hours every day. If this doesn't sound like fun to you, then this probably isn't the right job for you. But, if you're intrigued, keep reading!

I took Career Step's course from March through June of 2008. It takes most people 12-18 months to finish the course, but it can be done in four months if you have at least 40 hours a week to work on it. I was a bit desperate to start making some money, so I put as much time as I possibly could into my studies. I graduated with High Honors on June 4, 2008. The very next week, I received four job offers. When you are looking for a job as an MT, you have to take employment tests. The employers give you actual dictation to transcribe and see how you do with it. It's very time consuming and sometimes frustrating, but if you do well on the test and they have an opening, they will offer you a job. I work as an independent contractor, but there are employee positions available also. The main differences between the two are flexibility and benefits. As an independent contractor, your company can't tell you when to work as long as your work is back by the time it's due, but you will not be offered benefits, and you have to pay self-employment taxes. Employees usually have to work a set shift, but they are also offered benefits like health insurance, 401K plans, etc., and the employer takes care of withholding your taxes from your paycheck.

MTs are almost always paid on a production basis. The more you type, the more you make! I started out making about $10/hour, which is pretty good for a brand new MT. Most people struggle for a few months just to make minimum wage. There is a lot of luck involved in how much you can make when you're first starting out. On my first account, I had a small group of seven doctors to transcribe for who all worked in the same specialty and were all fairly easy to understand. If you start out on a hospital account in a large city, you could be transcribing for several hundred doctors, many of whom are still learning English, so it can be very difficult to make a decent living. However, there are plenty of transcription companies who specialize in clinic accounts (doctor's offices), and those companies will typically have much easier accounts. I now average over $25/hour. If I was able to transcribe for my favorite doctors only, I could make $35/hour, but that's not how it works. I now work on a small hospital account, and there are about 30 doctors who I transcribe for. I never know who will be in my workload that day. Some days, I make $150 and some days, I make $50. I usually work anywhere from 4-7 hours a day. My first year, I made $17,500, but I was struggling with a company who had too many MTs for the amount of work that was available. I now work for a company that is able to supply me with plenty of work, so that has really helped my bank balance!

I really love my job, even though I have days where I want to throw my computer through the window! The patients never see me and most of them aren't even aware of my existence, but I am still able to help them receive the best care possible. When patients' medical records are clear and error-free, physicians are better able to treat them. This isn't a glamorous job (most days, I work in my pajamas!), but it makes me feel good to be helping someone else and supporting my family at the same time.

If you have any questions or are interested in training through Career Step, please visit my website at http://homecareerinfo.com/1140.

Ashley Killingsworth

Free music class for you and your child

2009-07-09T09:13:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine, Jentry Barrett, teaches music lessons. I have known her since we were very young, and as long as I have known her, she has been a talented musician. Read on for information on how you can experience her talent with your toddler or preschooler for FREE! This is a wonderful experience. I have even considered borrowing a child so I can go!

"This upcoming fall Jentry Barrett will start teaching some Kindermusik classes at Harris Music Studio. As part of her licensing she needs to teach a 4 week practice course. This course would be free and each session would last about 50 minutes. The class is for 18 month-4 year olds and a parent. She is teaching these classes on Wednesdays in August (5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th) at 2:00 at Harris Music Studio (27th and Pine Lake). If there is enough interest she will also teach another at 3:00 and at 6:00 (same days).

"This class is a really neat bonding experience with you and your child. We make music with instruments, sing, and play. This exposes your child to music, but it also helps them develop cognitively, socially, emotionally and physically. 99% of parents who do Kindermusik would recommend it to a another parent. If you are interested email Jentry at jentrybarrett@gmail.com. To learn more about Kindermusik you can visit their website at www.kindermusik.com. You can also visit her blog at polkadotsound.wordpress.com to learn more about Jentry."

Great deal on Kool-Aid and Sugar

2009-07-02T08:53:00.000-07:00

Right now, Super Saver has reduced their price on C&H 4 lb. sugar to $1.87 to beat Hy-Vee's price. Also, Kool-Aid is on sale 15/$1.00. If you have one or more of the $2.00 off sugar wyb 10 Kool-Aid packets (from 6/28 newspaper), you can get 10 packets of Kool-Aid (I didn't have to buy exactly 15) and 4 lbs. of sugar for $0.57! I got mine at the 48th & O store with no problems.

Best time to buy

2009-06-29T18:07:00.000-07:00

I am anxious to buy a propane grill to use for cooking this summer (it's too hot inside!), but I need a good deal. I would hate to buy one only to discover it will go on sale soon after. I've gone to some yard sales to find one, but I have no way to get it home. My goal is to get something cheap so we can use it here and gift it when we're ready to move. While searching for information on when it is most prudent to buy a grill, I came across this list of the best times to buy a large number of items. I haven't verified any of this information, but you can go here to check out the source.

If you're wondering, Sept/Oct are the best times to buy a grill according to this. It makes sense, but bummer! I should have thought of it last year! Hopefully you will find this to be useful for large purchases/stocking up!

January

Food:
Chocolate (Christmas clearance)
Soda
Diet foods
Frozen finger foods

Non-food:
Linens
Electronics
Computers
Small appliances
Air conditioners
Carpeting and flooring
Furniture
Winter clothes
Toys (on clearance after the holidays)
Bicycles
Christmas gift wrap
Christmas decorations
Athletic shoes
Exercise equipment
Motorcycles
Houses
Boats

February

Food:
Chocolate (post Valentine’s Day)
Steak (post Valentine’s Day)
Seafood (post Valentine’s Day)
Oatmeal

Non-food:
Big screen TVs (before the Super Bowl)
Boats

March

Food:
Frozen foods

Non-food:
Boats

April

Food:
Candy (Easter clearance)
Eggs
Ham
Cheese
Mustard
Ready-made dough
Dinner rolls
Frozen pies
Cake mix
Cake frosting
Pie crusts

Non-Food:
Electronics
Vacuums
Cookware
Tires and other car care supplies

May

Food:
Hotdogs
Ground beef
Hamburger and hot dog buns
Condiments (ketchup, mustard, barbeque sauce, relish)
Salad dressing
Chips
Ice cream
Popsicles
Frozen pies
Soda
Bottled water

Non-food:
Party supplies (disposable plates, cups, napkins and utensils)
Grill supplies (charcoal, lighter fluid)
Vacuums
Cookware

June

Food:
Ice cream
Popsicles
Soda
Bottled water
Iced tea mix and bags

Non-food:
Tools (around Father’s Day)

July

Food:
Hot dogs
Ground beef
Hamburger and hot dog buns
Condiments (ketchup, mustard, barbeque sauce, relish)
Salad dressing
Chips
Ice cream
Popsicles
Soda
Bottled water
Iced tea mix and bags

Non-food:
Grill supplies (charcoal, lighter fluid)
Party supplies (disposable plates, cups, napkins and utensils)
Furniture

August

Food:
Cereal
Breakfast bars
Peanut butter
Jelly
Lunch meat
American cheese
Yogurt
Chips
Snack cakes
Cookies
Ice cream
Soda
Bottled water
Iced tea mix and bags
Drink boxes

Non-food:
Pool supplies
Outdoor toys
Outdoor furniture
Bathing suits
Summer clothes
Summer shoes

September

Food:
Cereal
Breakfast bars
Peanut butter
Jelly
Lunch meat
American cheese
Yogurt
Chips
Snack cakes
Cookies
Hot dogs
Ground beef
Hamburger and hot dog buns
Condiments (ketchup, mustard, barbeque sauce, relish)
Salad dressing
Canned fruits and vegetables
Soups
Broth
Frozen pies
Soda
Drink boxes

Non-food:
Grill supplies (charcoal, lighter fluid)
Party supplies (disposable plates, cups, napkins and utensils)
School supplies
Large appliances (refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers)
Cars
Lawn mowers
Grills

October

Food:
Canned fruits and vegetables
Dried fruits (raisins, apricots, cranberries)
Soups
Broth

Non-food:
Large appliances
Lawn mowers
Grills
Tires and other car care supplies

November

Food:
Turkey
Butter
Cheese
Baking supplies (flour, sugar, yeast chocolate chips, baker’s chocolate, sweetened condensed milk, cooking oil)
Pie crusts
Ready-made dough
Dinner rolls
Frozen pies
Cake mix
Cake frosting
Pie filling
Spices
Nuts
Dried fruits (raisins, apricots, cranberries)
Oatmeal
Candy (Halloween clearance)
Marshmallows
Soup
Broth

Non-food:
Aluminum foil
Plastic wrap
Disposable baking pans
Cookware
Electronics
Tools
Carpeting and flooring

December

Food:
Ham
Butter
Cheese
Baking supplies (flour, sugar, yeast chocolate chips, baker’s chocolate, sweetened condensed
milk, cooking oil)
Pie crusts
Ready-made dough
Dinner rolls
Frozen pies
Cake mix
Cake frosting
Pie filling
Refrigerated cookie dough
Spices
Nuts
Dried fruits (raisins, apricots, cranberries)
Oatmeal
Soda

Non-food:
Disposable baking pans
Aluminum foil
Plastic wrap
Electronics
Computers
Carpeting and flooring
Tools
Toys
Winter clothes
Cars
Motorcycles

Bartering Group is On

2009-06-28T19:18:00.000-07:00

Okay everyone, here is the scoop: we are meeting tomorrow (Monday) at 1:00 p.m. at my apartment. It will be part play group, part bartering so, if you just want to come hang out at my house with your kids, we would love to have you :) I think we will meet for an 1 to 1.5 hours.

Mostly, it looks like we will be swapping baby toys, coupons, and advice. I am pretty psyched. There will be treats as well.

Please pass the word on and I will see you all tomorrow.

Anna

Target & CVS deals

2009-06-25T11:12:00.000-07:00

Lest you think CVS is the only place to get a good deal, this post will contain sweet CVS deals AND nearly-unbeatable Target deals. Are you ready?

To appease those who don't have a CVS near them, we'll start with Target:
I got all of this for $6.33. Reg. price w/o coupons, it would have cost $28.10!

8 Pace Specialty Salsa, reg. $2.89, sale price $2.09
-8 X $1.00 Manufacturer Coupon (from newspaper - came out the same week I needed multiples of other coupons)
-8 X $0.50 Target Coupon*
= $0.59/each (no tax on groceries in NE), a savings of 80%!

2 pkgs. Ziploc (any size) containers, reg. $2.49, not on sale
-$1.50/off 2 Manufacturer Coupon (from newspaper)
-2 X $1.00 Target Coupon
= $0.80/package w/tax, a savings of 68%!

And now, for the lucky people who have a CVS near them:I got all of this for $2.91 OOP using sales, coupons, and EB from last week, reg. price $91.05 - a savings of 97%! - MY BEST YET! One transaction came out to exactly $0.00!

Here's how I did it:

Transaction 1:
10 SoyJoy Bars, reg. $1.29, sale $1.00
-2 X $1.00 off 5 bars Printable Manufacturer's Coupon
= $8.00, got $8.00 EB to use later (buy 4 bars for $4, get $4 EB, limit 5) w/2 bars toward next EB deal

4 SOBE Life Water, reg. $1.59, BOGO
-2 X BOGO Printable Manufacturer's Coupon
=FREE

2 Thermacare Neck/Arm reg. 2.49, not on sale
-2 X $1.00 Manufacturer's Coupon from newspaper
=$2.98, got $4.98 EB (Buy Thermacare Neck/Arm @ $2.49, get $2.49 EB, limit 2)

-$10 EB from Aveeno Lotion deal last week
=$0.98, w/ 12.98 EB to use

Transaction 2:
3 Aveeno Positively Ageless Face Sunscreen SPF 70, reg. price $11.99, sale price $9.00 ea.
-$10.00/3 Aveeno Positively Ageless products
-$4.00 off $20 purchase (email coupon from CVS)
-4.98 EB from transaction 1 -$8.00 EB from transaction 1
= $0.72 w/ tax, a savings of 93%!, Got $10 EB (buy $20 of Aveeno suncare, get $10 EB) to use for another purchase

Transaction 3:
10 Soyjoy bars, reg. $1.29, sale $1.00
-2 X $1.00 off 5 bars Printable Manufacturer's Coupon
= $8.00, got $12.00 EB (using 2 bars from earlier deal - CVS keeps a running total for the week of all EB purchases you make) to use later (buy 4 bars for $4, get $4 EB)

CVS baby wipe 72 ct., reg. $2.99, sale $2.00 (got these for camping, and to use the last $2.00 of the EB - each receipt of EB must be used in one purchase)

-$10 EB from Transaction 2

get this! = $0.00. Yup, exactly free!, with $12 EB to use on next purchase

Transaction 4:
2 Clear Care Contact Solution (need to stock up), reg. $9.49, sale $8.99
-2 X $3.00 Manufacturer's Coupon from newspaper (the reason I stocked up on the newspapers mentioned above)
-$12 EB from Transaction 3

1 CVS hand wipes $0.99 (got to absorb extra EB - also useful for camping)

=$1.46 w/tax, got $4 EB to use later

Normally I would avoid purchases that decrease my EB (I like to have $10 EB on hand for good deals), but I really needed this contact solution. Besides, we are getting very well stocked!

*One caveat - you can only use one of each type of Target coupon per transaction, so you will have to pay separately for each jar of salsa. I suggest using cash to make this go quickly, and be considerate of anyone waiting in line. Normally, if you approach it with kindness, the cashier is very kind about doing separate transactions. I was only able to use 2 Ziploc container Target coupons in one order because the cashier took pity on me since I needed to buy 2 in one order to use my Manufacturer's Coupon

Bartering Group?

2009-06-23T18:46:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone.

I was wondering if anyone would be interested in coming to a bartering group? Essentially I am envisioning us getting together, trading coupons and other stuff and bragging about the good deals we have gotten in the week. It would also work as an extra playgroup :)

This is not just about coupons: I do have a lot of coupons I would like to trade, BUT I also have other stuff I would like to trade. For example, I have some awesome sippy cups with handles that my baby will not use. I'd love to trade one or more of them for sippy cups without handles. If people show interest in coming we can post listso f all the cool things we have to barter and what we are looking for.

I think the idea of us getting together to barter sound pretty cool. Post a comment if you would be interested. Right now I am thinking of Monday morning (we get coupons on Sunday) at my apartment, but I am very open to ideas seeing as so far I am the only one coming. If the bartering group goes well maybe we'll do it again!

Anna

Hyvee Shoppers

2009-06-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

I was at Hyvee, yesterday and they have some Children's books there. Right now they are all 75% off!! They are a steal. I bought a Winnie the Pooh book with magnets for $1.25 and a Mickey Mouse book on CD for 75 cents. They have many different books to choose from. I am not sure how long the sale lasts! Go check it out!

Attention: All Walmart Shoppers!

2009-06-18T11:55:00.001-07:00

I just thought I would let everyone know to avoid going shopping at the 27th Walmart. They are remodeling for the next 2 months. We went the other night and it was very hard to find anything, because they were switching everything around. So if you don't have to go to that one, I wouldn't. Or at least be prepared to go down every aisle to find what you need.

Free Lunch

2009-06-16T20:16:00.000-07:00

DiGiorno is offering a coupon for a free Flatbread. Click here to request yours.

Thanks Being Frugal is Fabulous!*

*Before signing up for deals online, read this post.

Aveeno deal at CVS

2009-06-15T16:07:00.000-07:00

If you've got some EB to roll and Aveeno coupons, I have a great deal for you. Right now, if you buy $20 in select Aveeno products (there is a pretty good selection), you get $10 EB back.

I got the bottles above for $0.59/each!

Here's the deal I did:
2 Aveeno Positively Ageless 8 oz. body lotion @ $7.00 (reg. $8.99)
1 Aveeno Positively Ageless 6.7 oz. Cleanser @ 7.00 (reg. $7.99)
= $21.00 before tax and coupons
-$10/3 Aveeno Positively Ageless products
-$10 EB from last week's Dove deal
TOTAL = $1.77 w/ tax (plus $10 EB to use later)

If you didn't print the $10/3 coupon earlier, I think you still can when you register here. This also has a $2/1 and $5/2 coupon. CVS has quite a few eligible items for $7 this week. If you prefer, you can also print a $2/1 MQ here or here. If you use 3-$2/1 coupons, and buy 3 $7 items, your total would be about $15. If you have EB to use, it will be even cheaper.

At regular price, I would have spent $27.79 (granted, it would be a rip-off so I wouldn't do it). With sales, coupons, and EB, I spent $1.77. A savings of 94%!

2009-06-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

Is there anyone that eats Glucerna cereal? I have 6 boxes that I will never use, just let me know if you want them. I also have some clothes I am trying to get rid of, if anyone needs boy clothes size 2T (mostly long sleeve shirts, some pajamas), girl clothes from 3-6 months up to 12 month or snow clothes/ snow boots, let me know and you can come get them, or come look at them and see if there is anything you want.

CVS is my new best friend

2009-06-13T07:09:00.001-07:00

I love shopping at CVS, and I especially love the ease of their EB program. I went there yesterday, and got:

8 Dove Deodorants,
1 Gillette Fusion Razor, and
1 Clearasil face wash.

My total (drum roll please)...
$5.53
I also got $10 EB to use later!

At the bottom of my receipt it says: "Today you saved 36.52" A savings of 87%? I'll take it!

Here's how I did it:
I had a $4 EB and a $5 EB to use from previous purchases.

Transaction 1:
Clearasil Facewash $5.29 (I had a raincheck which made it $3.99)
-$2 MC from ? newspaper
=$1.99 (Got $3.99 EB back)

Gillette Fusion Razor $7.99 on sale
-$4 MC from 6/7 newspaper
=$3.99 (Got $4 EB back)

Used $5 EB from previous purchase

TOTAL: $1.47 with tax

Transaction 2:
8 Dove deodorant (reg. price 3.29) on sale 2/$5 = $20 before tax & coupons
-3 x $1.50/2 MC (2 printed from online, one from 6/7 newspaper - could have used up to 4 of these coupons and saved more, but I only had 3).
=$15.50 (Got $10 EB back) - buy $20 in Dove products, get $10 EB back

Used $4 EB from past deal, $4 EB from the Razor and $3.99 EB from the face wash

TOTAL: $4.06 w/ tax - with $10 EB to use later

I have found the best way to save money at CVS is to roll EB, so I only use my EB on other EB deals. I went into the store with $9 EB, and came out with all of the above items for $6.50, and $10 EB to use later. Essentially, I got a free razor, free face wash, and 8 deodorant sticks @ $0.69/each. NOT BAD!

EB normally expire about a month after you get them, so you'll want to keep rolling deals. If you don't see another EB deal you're interested in before they expire, just stock up on something else that is on sale and for which you have coupons. After the intial purchase (meaning you spend $4 and get $4 EB to use later), you can get a lot of items free by rolling EB. Just be sure you don't count the EB savings twice. I only count them into my total when I USE them, not when I get them.

**NOTE: You have to use the full amount of the EB on each receipt in one purchase, so you'll want your total before tax to equal or exceed the amount on your EB receipt. This is why I only used the $5 EB on the first transaction. (EXAMPLE: I had a $4 EB receipt and $5 EB receipt. I could use each of these separately since they are on separate receipts. If they were both on one $9 receipt, my total for a single transaction would have needed to equal or exceed $9 before taxes. Clear as mud?)

JollyTime Popcorn Coupon

2009-06-13T05:33:00.000-07:00

Want to save up to $7 on Jolly Time microwave popcorn? Go here. After a brief sign-up or sign-in (remember the tips for signing up for things online, found here), you'll be offered a coupon for $1.50 of any 3 or 6 pack of Better Butter popcorn, $1.00 off any box, and $1.00 off any 2 boxes. Remember to hit the back button to print each coupon twice. When used with sales, such as the Mon. & Tues. sale at Super Saver ($0.96), you will end up with some free to cheap popcorn! Now we just need a free RedBox code.

Coupon Group

2009-06-01T21:49:00.000-07:00

If someone would like to head up Coupon Group, it is in need of a little leadership. Some of those involved are taking the summer off or resuming work/school. Unless someone is interested in getting it going, it won't be held until further notice. If you would like to take over, just post on the blog.

Hyvee Coupon Policy Change

2009-05-31T19:54:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone.

So, it turns out Hyvee has changed it's coupon policy as of May 14, 2009. You can read about it here on their site. You have to scroll down to find it. Here are some of the important points:

* Coupon values that exceed the price of the item will not be accepted.

Due to the unfortunate rise of counterfeit activity, the following two additional guidelines apply to Internet coupons:

* Manufacturer coupons that involve any kind of free product will not be accepted, including “buy one, get one free” offers.

* No coupon that exceeds $2.50 will be accepted.

Thanks to The Grocery Weekly for this tip!

Tips when seeking deals online

2009-05-27T22:00:00.000-07:00

Great deals and coupons can be found online. It is up to you how much/how little you want to use the internet in your quest for good deals. Before you begin, it is wise to consider the following:

*If possible, back up everything important on your computer on a separate hard drive before you begin to download anything new.

*Be sure the following are up-to-date on your computer: virus protection, firewall, and spyware protection. You can get free virus protection at pctools.com (if you are connected to UNL, you can get Sophos virus protection through the university for free) and free spyware protection from spybot.com.

*Read all terms & conditions, privacy policies, etc. before downloading anything. Some couponing sites install spyware, adware, malware, etc. on your computer, which you want to avoid.

*Make an extra email account just for couponing/deal seeking. This will keep junk mail out of your regular mailbox, and will protect your normal email if one of the companies you sign up with shares/loses your information and it gets into the wrong hands. If possible, do not include your name in this email address. (BAD EXAMPLE: janedoe@gmail.com, GOOD EXAMPLE: couponingfun@gmail.com)

*For added identity security, when a site asks for your birthdate this is usually for marketing purposes (based on your age). List a birthdate different from your own which would put you in the right age range. This way you aren't providing strangers with your birthdate, but they get the information they need (your approximate age) (thanks for this one, Anna).

*Use a different password for each of your accounts, and change them periodically.

If anyone has other ideas for protecting your personal information, please share them!

Off Clip-on Repellent

2009-05-27T21:25:00.000-07:00

I got a pretty sweet deal on Off Clip-on Repellent at CVS today. I normally wouldn't buy something like this, but I try to live outside as much as possible in the summer, and bugs can be a pain. I also dislike spraying repellent all over myself. I'll give this a try on a really buggy night and let you know how it goes.

Here's the deal:
Clip-on starter kit reg. 8.99 (For comparison it's 9.99 at Walgreens)
-1.00 (automatically with CVS card)
-3.00 CVS coupon (I can't get this link to work - go to CVS.com and type "coupons" into search. It should come up)
-2.00 MC (from 5/17 insert)
Clip-on refill 3.99
-3.99 MC here (Buy 1 starter kit, get refill free) (Fill out simple form - for suggestions when filling out/downloading things online, see here)
=3.62 total with tax for both!

This is a savings of 74%! This is definitely over my general rule of not paying more than $0.50 for something I wouldn't normally buy, but I have been fascinated with these since I first saw them in the store.

Sun Mart coupon problem

2009-05-27T21:08:00.001-07:00

When I tried to use my $0.55 cents off an Our Family item tonight at Sun Mart, the cashier told me they no longer accept internet coupons. I used some a couple of months ago there. Has anyone else had a success or failure there recently? I was at the 48th & Van Dorn location.

My favorite good deal blogs

2009-05-26T21:04:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are some of my favorite coupon/deal blogs for each store:

Target - Attention Target Shoppers

CVS - Common Sense with Money

CVS Ad Scan - I Heart CVS

Hopefully I'll share more later.

Sunmart Coupons

2009-05-26T13:13:00.000-07:00

Go here to view Sunmart coupons.

If the link doesn't work, copy and paste this address:
http://www.ourfamilycoupons.com/

Printing Target Coupons

2009-05-26T13:06:00.000-07:00

To print multiple Target coupons per page and have longer access to each coupon, visit here.

If the link doesn't work, copy and paste this link:
http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/view.php?pg=cpngenerator

Coupon Group - UPDATED TIME

2009-05-25T11:16:00.000-07:00

UPDATED TIME
Since turnout has been small for past coupon gatherings, this week we'll be meeting at Christina's house. If you don't know where that is, email christinamoneysaving@gmail.com. Include your name in the email, and I will give you the address.

If you have any extra coupons or money saving ideas bring them along to share.

Christina's house
2:00 p.m.
Tuesday, May 26th

Hope to see you there!

Quote

2009-05-21T11:33:00.000-07:00

I saw this quote and thought of this blog...

"How come anything you buy will go on sale next week?"

That has never happened to anyone right? I would like to add to the end "or someone posted a coupon for something you just bought"

Coupon Group Today?

2009-05-19T05:25:00.000-07:00

Anyone interested in getting together to talk about coupons....you know buy, sell and trade?

I'll be there. 10am at the Trendwood building.

Hopefully it won't just be me.

Dollar General

2009-05-15T04:07:00.000-07:00

I visited Dollar General yesterday for the first time since moving to Nebraska. They have some items there at regular price that equal sale prices elsewhere. The best part is, they accept manufacturer's coupons (at least at their 6800 P St. location). I didn't even know this store was there until about a week ago. If you are unfamiliar with the area, it is just east of Russ's Market and CVS. The easiest way to get there is if you are already at CVS or Russ's, just drive eastbound on the North side of CVS. Confused yet? Sorry. I'm horrible with directions.

Some of the deals I found with coupon matchups were (sorry, these coupons expire tomorrow - if you still have some, hurry!):

16 oz. Palmolive dish soap, $1, use $0.25* off coupon from newspaper (exp. 5/16), $0.75*
(If you prefer Palmolive Ultra, you can get 10 oz. for $1-$1.30 minus coupon, $0.75*-$1.05*).
Colgate toothbrushes $1, use $1 off coupon from newspaper (exp. 5/16), FREE

They also have inexpensive paper products and other cleaning products, but I didn't note the prices.

Check it out, and let me know if you find any great deals there!

*Corrected from earlier post. Please forgive the mistakes if you read this earlier. My husband is taking a 7 hour essay exam today to determine who gets to stay in his Master's program. We only slept 2 1/2 restless hours last night, and we've been up and about since 1:30 a.m. Seriously.

FREE chocolate Fridays

2009-05-14T21:01:00.000-07:00

Yes, you did read that right, FREE chocolate!

Who doesn't like chocolate? I am super excited about this! Starting at 9am ET, every Friday through September Mars will giveaway 250,000 coupons for a FREE Mars product. Including M&Ms, Snickers, Twix, Dove, 3 Musketters and Milky Way.

You will get a coupon in the mail within 6 weeks to redeem for your FREE chocolate. There is a limit of 4 per household during the contest. Click here for your FREE chocolate.

Best Sunmart Deal for using $5 off coupon...

2009-05-14T20:25:00.000-07:00

Do you love real butter? We do at our house. This is the best deal I've seen in a long time for real butter! Our Family Butter (1 lb.) is on sale 3 for $5. Buy 6 for $10 and then use your $5 off coupon. That's 6 lbs. of butter for $5 or .84 cents a lb. What a steal!

Patience is paying off at CVS and Walgreens!

2009-05-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to post my success this morning. I got everything in the picture at Walgreen's and CVS this morning. I only paid .96 cents out of pocket. I had to wait on the Kellogg's deal from last week (I got a rain check) since they were all out of cereal by the time I got there, but it paid off and actually really helped on this weeks deal. I was able to use coupons, ECB's and RR's that I have been saving and really scored. I also came away with $7.00 in ECB's and $2.00 in RR's, and a $4.00 off a $20.00 purchase coupon for CVS to use in the future. I'm not going to post all of the exact details, but if you want to know, you can call me or email me. Good Luck on your deals this week!

SunMart Coupon in today's paper

2009-05-13T06:49:00.000-07:00

If you get the Wednesday paper, check the inserts carefully. There is a $5 off Our Family Products when you spend $10 at the SunMart on Van Dorn. I didn't see that many great deals this week but the coupon is good until the 27th so maybe next week. Or maybe you see some good deals... leave a comment if you do!

Want more Kraft Coupons?

2009-05-12T06:26:00.000-07:00

If you think you have printed out all the Kraft Coupons you can, you are wrong. After Sonia commented that you could find more on couponbug.com I started searching around on blogs for more.

Check out this list of places that will let you print off the coupons again, put together by Moms by Heart.

Thanks, Moms by Heart!

Another Free Hallmark Card

2009-05-11T20:37:00.001-07:00

THIS OFFER IS EXPIRED.

Go here to get info on getting another free Hallmark card. I used one of the earlier ones to send my Mom a card for Mother's Day. She called me up and wanted to know why, if I was so determined to save money, was I wasting money paying other people to put stamps on my Hallmark card? I finally had to tell her it was free.

Anyway, Father's Day is coming up...

Thanks, Freebie Blogger!

More Kraft Coupon Deals: Target

2009-05-11T20:12:00.000-07:00

So I two posts earlier I posted some ideas I had for using the Kraft coupons at Super Saver. Here are tons of ways Cents to Save for Moms came up with for using them at Target, combined with Target coupons.

Very impressive.

One Day Sam's Club Membership

2009-05-11T20:07:00.000-07:00

Go here to print out a free one day Sam's Club Membership. It is good until May 25th.

Thanks, Jaycie (AKA Coupon Geek).

Kraft Coupons = free bbq sauce and cheap pizza at Super Saver

2009-05-11T19:45:00.000-07:00

Go here and here to get some awesome Kraft coupons. You have to log in to the Kraft website for the first one. They are mostly the same coupons, but if you go to both sites you get 4 coupons. If you just go to the coupons.com one you only get 2 of each.

They are pretty high value, so you should check them out. I printed some off and went to Super saver to get (ahem)

Kraft BBQ Sauce
77 cents on sale
$1 off Kraft coupon
= Free Barbecue Sauce (Whoop Whoop!)

(Make sure to take off the little peelie coupons on the bottles before you give them to the cashier. They will automatically scan the coupons attached to the bottles, and then you won't be able to use your printed coupons. Or at least, you will have to make a fuss about it.)

Jack's Pizza
$1.87 on sale
$1 off 2 coupon
= $2.74 for 2 coupons

There were a bunch of others, so be sure to check them out.

Coupon Group!

2009-05-10T15:34:00.000-07:00

There will be a coupon group!

We plan on getting together to share deals, share and trade coupons and even talk about how to find deals online!

So, if you have a laptop, bring it! If you don't, that's okay, come anyway!

We will meet for the first time

Tuesday (the 12th) at 10am, at the Trendwood ward church building.

It is possible that this group will meet weekly, if enough people are interested.

Not sure yet if the group will meet every Tuesday. So, if another day or time works better for you, come and let us know!

(or if you really can't come, leave a comment)

Hope to see you there!

THANKS!

Yummy Snacks on Sale

2009-05-08T12:25:00.000-07:00

After Target, I went to Supersaver, and found the Nabisco little snack bags are only 98 cents! The sign said that you save $1.20, not bad! That includes Teddy Grahams (honey and chocolate flavor), Mini Chips Ahoy, Mini Oreos, Ritz mini crackers, and Barnum Animal crackers. I thought it is great snack for kids and grown-ups! I am not positive, but think they sale will end Tuesday night.

Puffs

2009-05-08T12:19:00.000-07:00

Most of you probably already know this, but today I was at Target, in the baby section and noticed something new. Target now has their own brand of little puffs (like the Gerber and Parent Choice at Walmart.) They only cost $1.59 compared to Gerber at like $2.28. They have 5 flavors: sweet potato, banana, strawberry-apple, blueberry, and peach-mango. Thought this would be helpful for those who have little ones that like to eat the puffs.

Hyvee Dannon Yogurt

2009-05-08T06:56:00.000-07:00

Hyvee is having a sale on Dannon yogurt: 10 for $4.

Plus they have an in ad coupon for a dollar off 10 Dannon yogurts.

Plus in last Sunday's paper there is a $1 off coupon for 10 Dannon Light and Fit yogurts.

So, combine these coupons and you get:

10 yogurts for $2.

Free Mars bar every Friday

2009-05-08T06:32:00.000-07:00

Be one of the first 250,000 people to visit www.realchocolate.com starting at 9:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) Fridays to get a coupon for a free Mars bar. You can get a free M&Ms, Milky Way, Snickers, 3 Musketeers, Twix or Dove product. The offer lasts until September.

Thanks for the tip, Greg!

KFC Coupon Update

2009-05-08T06:14:00.001-07:00

You've probably heard about the KFC coupon craziness on the news. They can't honor the coupons anymore because too many were printed and their stores are being rushed. They decided instead to stagger the coupons...you get more info at the KFC site here.

Deals at HyVee and SuperSaver

2009-05-07T13:08:00.001-07:00

HyVee has Kelloggs cereal on sale for $1.58 a box - Fruit Loops, Frosted Flakes, Rice Krispies, Corn Flakes and Frosted Mini Wheats. So you can use the coupons from here and get $1.00 off each, making them .58 cents a box!

Also, at the HyVee on 50th and O, at the customer service desk, there's a bunch of coupons for $1.00 off toilet paper (I believe it's Cottonelle). It comes on a little sample of the toilet paper and it's just sitting on the counter.

Super Saver has ground turkey for $1.00 a pound. Sale ends today though, I think. Ground turkey is a cheap and healthy substitute for ground beef (less fat)! Just season it up! I'll post a recipe for turkey burgers on the recipe blog.

Deals at Super Saver

2009-05-07T08:29:00.000-07:00

Super Saver is having a 25th Anniversary sale right now and some of their sales are pretty good. The one that I enjoyed was they have Kraft Pasta Salads on sale for .98 cents and on the box it gives you a coupon for buy 2 get $1.00 of. So you end up paying .96 cents for 2 boxes of pasta salad that you can use for a picnic or something. They also have 85% lean ground beef for $1.78 per pound (you have to buy the 10 pound tube though).

The Winner!

2009-05-06T12:43:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Erin, the winner of our The Great Leaping Race Giveaway! If you want to buy the book yourself, go here to read about the 20% discount the author is giving our readers.

CiCi's Penny Promotion Round Two

2009-05-05T19:12:00.000-07:00

Wow, I feel so famous. I just got an email from Cici's Pizza addressed to me by name about this blog. They must have done a blog search for the Cici's Pizza Promotion to find blogs that mentioned it. I am so flattered that I got a personal email that not only am I going to replicate the email here, but I am also going to make an effort to go to Cici's and try to get a penny. Anyway, here's the email:

---
Anna,

My name is Steve and I’m part of the team that’s helping promote the CiCi’s Pizza Penny Picker Upper Program. I just wanted to let you and your readers know that CiCi’s Pizza’s all over the country have recently released another batch of specially-marked pennies that can be redeemed for a variety of free or reduced price offers.

You can learn more about the locations of the specially-marked pennies by visiting [http://www.BeAPennyPickerUpper.com] or the official CiCi’s Pizza Facebook page at [http://www.facebook.com/pages/CiCis-Pizza/63322161215#] to see where other CiCi’s customers found their free meal coupon. The coupons must be redeemed by June 30.
---

Free KFC meal coupons!

2009-05-05T10:57:00.001-07:00

Check out the info on this KFC coupon here. Thanks Abundant Food Savings!

Last Day for the Giveaway!

2009-05-05T10:27:00.000-07:00

We will be selecting the winner of the free book tomorrow so be sure to enter! Check out the details here!

Redbox code for today

2009-05-04T11:26:00.000-07:00

BT73H9

Another Huggies deal at Shopko

2009-05-03T18:43:00.000-07:00

So, if you are willing to spend at least 40 bucks on Huggies, check out a great deal deal here! Thanks, Chicks Dig Deals!

Huggies at Wal-Mart

2009-05-03T17:59:00.001-07:00

For those of you who haven't bought diapers at Wal-mart lately because you have so much overstock from your Walgreen's deals, Wal-mart just lowered their prices on Huggies diapers. They are now $18.97 per box, BUT they have also reduced the amount of diapers per box. I know that the size 3 now has 96 diapers instead of 100 (when I was there though I found a box that still had 100 in it, which means that I got a better deal). This only makes them slightly cheaper then before but if you have coupons for $1.50 off like I do then it makes them about .18 cents per diaper.

Cvs Deals May 3 -May 6

2009-05-02T21:36:00.001-07:00

Check out the deals Deal Seeking Mom found here!

Gettting started with the whole couponing thing?

2009-05-02T18:36:00.000-07:00

I have been struggling to get started. My view of coupons has changed. I used to think it was too much of a hassle to cut and clip and keep track of and then use coupons, but when I SEE the savings, it is SO worth it.

Last Monday was my first official coupon clipping day.

I bought a Sunday paper at Family Dollar on 48th for, you guessed it, a dollar. I only clipped coupons of stuff that my family will use. I know there are many who clip EVERYTHING, remember I'm still learning....maybe I will....one day.

Today was my first official coupon shopping day.

Walgreens (I have NEVER shopped at Walgreens before...am I weird?):
I bought 26 items and the bill came out to $87.50 without coupons. WITH coupons it was $53.59! I saved $33.91! I know it's still a big bill but, I'm measuring progress, I USED COUPONS!!!! AND I'm still learning how to "use" coupons and shop to my monitary advantage. So, I'm sure I committed some couponing blunders...but you gotta start somewhere!

I don't know if this has already been posted on this site but I found a great little helper to get you started on the road to being, what CouponMom.com calls a Stategic Shopper. It's only eight pages, well worth the read, and it is very helpful in how to "Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half." I'm going to get busy making a little Price Book! I'm glad they didn't suggest keeping all the prices stored in your head...I have a terrible memory.

Anyway! Get Saving!

Walgreens Deals May 3 - May 9

2009-05-02T18:33:00.000-07:00

Check out the deals Common Sense With Money has found here for Walgreens next week.

Always Check Your Receipts...

2009-05-02T12:11:00.000-07:00

One thing I learned long ago while trying to save a few bucks, is that store cashiers are not too careful when they ring in your groceries and that posted prices don't always ring up correctly at the registers. I'm also learning that coupons don't always ring up correctly either. So, I have learned to scrutinize my receipts before I leave the store because I am always mad when I come home and paid more than I owed.

Just last night I went to do my grocery shopping late (without any children) and went to 3 different stores. At SuperSaver the checker tried to charge me $3.98 for a 3 lb bag of oranges that was on sale for 1.86 a bag. When I brought the mistake to his attention, he deleted the charge and gave them to me for free (He said it was store policy?). There was one other item on my receipt that rang up for .96 cents instead of .65 cents (I let that one go since he gave the oranges to me for free.) I then went to Hyvee and didn't have any problems there. Next I went to Russ' where I used the coupon for the free hot dogs with a $10 purchase. The hot dogs rang up at $2.49 but the coupon only took off 1.99. I noticed this when I went to my car, so I went back in and he gave me the .60 cents I was owed.

Now, you may say, who cares about .60 cents? Well, when .60 or .80 or $2 extra gets charged to your bill every 3rd or 4th time you shop, it begins to add up. I have had it happen at all three grocery stores, Wal-mart, and Target.

So, just remember, to Always Check Your Receipts before you leave the store!

Bragging about my Target Trip

2009-05-02T11:16:00.001-07:00

Ahem.

I just got back from Target. I got all this for $1.27 including tax! Whoop Whoop!

You can tell I was excited because I arranged my groceries so nicely. I even wiped off the table for this picture.

The Special K deal, you have already read about here, The Dry Idea deodorant $2 off coupons have been reset here, and the deodorant is still on sale until Monday I think, for $2. Then, lo and behold I walked by the Glade candles and not only was the deal still going on ( I thought it was over), but they had some in stock. (The Target on 48th an O still has some candles. However, they are out of Dry Idea deodorant thanks to me. They had plenty of cereal.)

So, after coupons the total charge was 11.27, but then I got 2 five dollar gift cards back. $1.27!

More Kelloggs Coupons

2009-05-01T22:25:00.000-07:00

This is getting ridiculous.

Go to the Kellogg's Website here and you can print two more copies of those $1 off coupons. The only thing is these coupons print one per page so it takes a lot of ink.

Go here to get some advice on how to use them.

Thanks, Abundant Food Savings!

The Month of May I give you some free deodorant?

2009-05-01T20:43:00.001-07:00

Okay. We have gotten so many sweet deals, it is time to start using our powers for good.

What I mean is, we need to start donating some stuff to local shelters and charities in our area.

So I am challenging all the readers of this blog to a contest this month (Did you see my clever title? THE MONTH OF MAY I GIVE YOU SOME FREE DEODORANT? So funny.)

Here is the contest. Take $5 out of your monthly budget for May. Then, spend it on goods for a yet-to-be-chosen charity in the Lincoln/Lancaster Area (If you don't live around here, that's ok, just pick one in your own area.) Whoever is able to compile the most items, (or the COOLEST items) will get an awesome picture drawn by me in Microsoft Paint and posted on this very blog. That is an awesome prize. Just so you are aware of how great an artist I am, here is an example of something I have drawn before in Microsoft Paint.

Yeah, I know it's awesome.

Please post your awesome deals as a comment to this posting. I will also be putting a link on the right hand side so you can easily access this post. If you want to donate more than $5 to charity, I guess that's ok.

Also, it doesn't have to be deodorant. I just used that in the title because I have eight sticks of free deodorant sitting under my bathroom sink right now. How does that even happen?

Best way to use the Kelloggs Coupons

2009-05-01T13:59:00.000-07:00

So, I hope you all printed the Kelloggs coupons I posted about here. If not, do it now. Here are a three different ways to use them.

1. Hyvee
Hyvee's Springtime Party Sale that goes until this Sunday has a bunch of different Kelloggs cereals for $1.88 each. The brands on sale include: Pops, Apple Jacks, Fruit Loops, Rice Crispies, Frosted Flakes,Cocoa Crispies, and Frosted Mini Wheats.

Total: 88 cents a box.

2. Target
Target has a deal until Sunday where Special K products are $2.39 each. If you buy 5 of them, you get a $5 gift card back.
So, if you have 5 coupons, and buy 5 boxes of Special K cereal you spend $6.95 but then you get $5 back in a gift card.
Total: 39 cents per box

(If you only have four coupons like me it makes it 59 cents per box)

3. CVS
Starting next Sunday CVS has a deal where you can buy three Kelloggs cereals for $10 and get $5 Easy Cash Back (like a CVS gift card). Go here to see which cereals are on sale (also, there are a few more coupons). With coupons you spend $7 out of pocket. You get $5 back.

Total $.67 cents per box.
NOTE: You can only do this once at CVS.

If you don't want to bother with gift cards and Easy Cash then Hyvee is your best option.

Here's my plan:

Since CVS has the most variety, I will set aside 3 coupons for cereals I can only get there. Then, I will use all my Special K coupons at Target. Finally, I will use my remaining coupons to get my cereal at Hyvee. Then, I will have so much cereal I will never have to buy it again... :)

Great Site

2009-05-01T07:15:00.000-07:00

I have a friend that has a Savvy Shopping blog. She always find fantastic deals and coupons. I will add the link, but also add some of the great deals she finds here as well so you don't have to go to both sites! You can go here.

I am so glad that Anna asked/invited me to contribute to this blog! It is such a great idea.

For some of you that live close to a Safeway you can download coupons right onto your Club Member card! You simply need to go to the website, on the right side it will say "2easy ways to save" click on it. You will be taken to P&G eSAVER where you enter your card number and download the coupons you want on your card. When your card is swiped, the coupons are automatically used and your total discounted.

Book Discount and Giveaway Again!

2009-04-30T14:25:00.000-07:00

Remember this book? The Great Leaping Adventure by Lynne Kohler?

We gave it away last week in a give away. The author, Lynne Kohler liked doing it so much she has offered a discount to all readers of this blog. On Amazon this book sells for $16.99. On her personal site it sells for $10.00 . If you send an email to the address listed on her site (here) and mention the TOO POOR TO EAT DISCOUNT she will give you a 20% discount. That's $8.00 for a $18.00 book! Read a synopsis of her book on her site.

Also, she is giving away another book. This time there will be THREE ways to enter the giveaway, so you can enter up to three times to improve your chances.

How to enter:

1. Leave a comment ON THIS POST with your name.

2. Link to this blog on your own blog, site, or twitter and then leave a comment saying you have done so ON THIS POST.

3. Sign up for Swagbucks through this site (here) and then leave a comment ON THIS POST saying you have done so :)

FYI, last time we did this give away a hundred people visited the site a day, but after five days only 23 people actually entered. My friends, chances are good you will win :)

The contest starts today, Thursday April 30th, and ends on Wednesday, May 6th. We will then use random.org to choose a winner. They will be contacted by email and have two days to respond in order to get their free book.

May the best blog reader win!

Kelloggs and Digiorno Coupons

2009-04-30T10:37:00.000-07:00

Check out coupon.com for some great Kelloggs Cereal coupons. These coupons are $1 in value and will probably go fast. Don't forget to print them twice!

While you are at it, print off the Digiorno Pizza coupons at the same site, and then combine them with the Super Saver coupon here for a total of $3.25 off a pizza.

Swagbucks code for 1 free swag buck

2009-04-30T07:14:00.000-07:00

Go to your swag buck account and type in this code twitter10K and it gives you a swag buck! Note: don't type this in the search box. Type it in in the Code box on your account page.

Thanks, Freebie Blogger!

Don't have a swagbucks account yet? Sign up here.

Kashi coupons!

2009-04-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

Check out Frugal Chick Living for some great Kashi coupons that include one for free waffles!

Thanks, Chrystal!

Malt O Meal Coupon

2009-04-30T06:56:00.000-07:00

Go here for a 50 cents off Malt O Meal coupon.

Thanks, Coupon Geek!

Super Saver Keebler Deal

2009-04-28T18:09:00.000-07:00

So.

This is a little late, but whatever.

Super Saver has all Keebler products on sale for 50% off until tomorrow.

Check out Abundant Food Savings here to get two coupons. Remember to click back and print 2.

If you have time for a late night cookie run, tonight is the night.

Free Dove Deodorant Sample

2009-04-28T11:46:00.000-07:00

First of all, sorry I haven't posted so much. I just started a part time job and am still figuring out how to balance my time.

Go here to sign up for a free sample. It is a freebie from Costco, but you don't have to be a member to get it. Just leave the membership number blank.

Thanks, Being Frugal is Fabulous!

Free Hallmark Card For Your Mom

2009-04-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

Go here to sign up for a free Mother's Day card for your Mom. Not only does Hallmark give you the card, they mail it to your Mom for free.

You have to sign up to be a member and then use CARD4MOM as the promotional code!

Thanks, Coupon Geek!

cheap cereal at Hyvee

2009-04-27T16:01:00.000-07:00

I got an ad in the mail today for Hyvee's Springtime Party Sale running today through Sunday. Kelloggs Frosted Mini Wheats are on sale for $1.88 and I have some pretty good coupons for them. If anyone is interested in them, we don't care for Frosted Mini Wheats at our house, just let me know if you would like them!

Redbox code for today

2009-04-27T10:11:00.000-07:00

4CW33N

Money Saving Idea...

2009-04-26T18:22:00.000-07:00

Tonight we had pancakes for dinner. When I make them I usually make a double batch because my kids love them and I usually freeze the leftovers. I was about to pull the milk out of the refrigerater to pour in my 2 cups when a thought occurred to me. Why don't I try powdered milk? It would definitely be cheaper than 2 cups of the other stuff. So, I pulled down the box of powdered milk (which has been in my pantry for at least two years unopened and is going to expire in about 6 months) and mixed in two cups. The pancakes turned out great and no one knew the difference. So from now on I am going to start using powdered milk in my pancakes and other recipes that call for larger quantities of milk. I'm sure it is bound to save me a few bucks in the long run and hey, it is also non-fat so maybe it will save me a few pounds too.

SuperSaver - Ad Matches!

2009-04-25T22:02:00.000-07:00

I posted a similar comment to one of Anna's previous posts, but since not everyone reads the comments I thought I would post this now that I am an official contributor.

For those of you that don't know, SuperSaver Ad matches. I always make my list, take my ads with me, and start my weekly shopping at SuperSaver. Often times they have already put up ad match prices for the items I want, but if they haven't, I just show them the price in the competitor's Ad and they match it. (They do not match in-ad coupons - but they match all sale prices.) Sometimes the items I want are on sale at SuperSaver also, for 10-20 cents cheaper than the sale prices in the other stores. Occasionally, I never even have to visit the other stores and I get everything on my list in one trip to SuperSaver. But, if I have to visit the other stores it makes those trips more efficient and quicker.

Baby Gap

2009-04-24T13:01:00.001-07:00

THE WINNER

2009-04-24T12:12:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to Cheryl S. who is the lucky winner of The Great Leaping Adventure by Lynne Kohler! She has been emailed and now has 2 days to get back to us to claim her prize.

Glade Candles Update

2009-04-24T11:19:00.000-07:00

So, all the Targets are sold out of the candles, and you can't get rain checks on them. Use the coupons you printed off earlie with the coupon in the Walgreens Easy Saver rebate Book (found in all Walgreens stores, usually in the carts or the baskets) to get the candles for free. Not as good as a Target money maker, but still nice.

Note: The Walgreens at 48th and O has told me they won't accept the Easy Saver coupons with manufacturer coupons. This is just their particular policy and doesn't apply to other Walgreens.

Money Maker Ecotrin at Walgreens Next Week

2009-04-24T10:55:00.001-07:00

Check out Money Saving Mom's post here to get coupons for Ecotrin (a type of Aspirin I guess).

Walgreens Deals starting Sunday, April 26th

2009-04-23T15:18:00.000-07:00

Check out what Sisterly Savings has to say about next weeks Walgreen's deals here.

CVS Deals starting Sunday, April 26th

2009-04-23T15:15:00.000-07:00

Check out what Sisterly Savings has to say about CVS deals for next week here.

Free Schick Quatro Razor

2009-04-23T15:01:00.000-07:00

Thanks, Money Saving Mom, for this one!

Sign up for your free Schick Quattro Razor here. It takes a little while to load, but it's not bad.

Current Walmart deals

2009-04-23T14:55:00.000-07:00

Check out what Money Saving Mom has to say about current Walmart deals here. Beware, it is extremely comprehensive!

Target Deals starting Sunday, April 26th

2009-04-23T14:53:00.000-07:00

Check out what Abundant Food Savings has to say about next week's Target deals here.