Thursday, July 28, 2011

Souvenir Coupons

Coupons my mom saved for me to take home as a "souvenir"!

Pier 1 Shopping Free Spree :)

I was able to take advantage of that Pier 1 offer a few days ago and, not only that, I had a really old GC worth $8.09 so it was time to go shopping!  When all was said and done they paid me $0.43 to shop that day :) :) :)
MY LOOT :)
(& a foam vanilla hand sanitizer not pictured)

Saturday, July 23, 2011

You Saved 100%

:) Safeway 3 day sale, Kraft Mac & Cheese $0.75, limit 10. Printable coupon $0.75/1 = FREE :)

Nothing like hearing the cashier say, "And your total is... zero. You saved 100%."

Friday, July 22, 2011

I love my CHEST! ;)

Hahaha, no not THAT chest!  Hubby and I invested in a freezer chest from Sears the other day to accommodate  bulk buying meat and other frozens when they are on sale, without having to stuff stuff in my neighbors freezer because I can't squeeze another ice cube into mine! We got a super deal with 25% off and FREE shipping!
Oh, and talk about luck and timing I won a 75% off discount on a FoodSaver® V3250 Vacuum Sealer Kit!  Regular price $129.99, my price $32!!!  (This was a facebook promo, and boy did I have to be quick on the draw, the deal was gone in 30 seconds!)
What a great combo! Thanks mom & dad for the early Christmas presents! :) :) :)

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Fun fly-on-a-dime travel tips :D

Ok... so naturally with the outrageous cost of plane tickets, all the extra fees, the lack of meal, the "practically probe you" at security protective measures, and the airplane aisle reminiscent of a cattle chute to get to your seat that is about as comfortable as that pair of pants that is two sizes too small, I think it is safe to say that flying kinda sucks!

Sadly, sometimes flying unavoidable, so do what you can to make it just a tad less painful.  Here are some ways I have strategized my travel plans this week:

Some of my free and cheap travel items.


Pack an empty water bottle.
You can fill it up after you get through security so you don't have to pay $3 a bottle!

ROUND UP ALL YOUR SAMPLES! 
You should find you have plenty of shampoo, conditioner, soap, makeup, sunblock, chap stick, tooth paste, floss, deodorant, etc....  For anything you are missing see if you can score some freebies from places like Aveada, Origins, and The Body Shop who will give you a trial size sample of just about anything they carry!  Also check for samples at makeup counters, and if you ask your dentist nicely I'm sure they will give you that little kit they have of a toothbrush, mini toothpaste, and floss.

Purchase cheap snacks.
They ain't gonna feed you, and that $5 snack pack is a joke!  Dig out your coupons and find a sale to pick up a wallet friendly treat you can look forward to! :) I chose pizza goldfish at $1.20 a bag :)

GET COMFORTABLE!
Lucky me they are giving away FREE travel pillows at Sleep Number stores right now (go to their facebook page and "like" them to snag one)!  I sew, so I made my own pillow case and "Voila!".  You will be the envy of everyone resting their head against the wall!  I was also lucky to snag my legging deal at Walmart today, and paired with a sweet deal I got on t-shirts and some smokin' hot Guess flip flops from Ross a few months ago, I will be lounging in savvy style!

Don't be afraid to let your freak flag fly!
Are you a poster child for Xanax? Does looking out the window make you want to barf? Would a basketball player refer to you as "tall"? Do you have an in flight bladder issue and would prefer not to have to push your rear end past/into two strangers' faces twice an hour?  Call the airline ahead of time and let them know you have issues, lol!  But seriously, if you do (please don't lie!) you may be able to score a MUCH better seat.

CARRY ON!...
While not all airlines charge to check bags, some do.  If you can get away with it, only pack a carry on.  I was surprised how big a carry on can be, plus they let you bring a "bonus" bag like your purse or a small gym bag that will fit under the seat.  This is a good tip regardless of the bag fee or not... I have had my luggage lost more than once.  Spending beaucoup bucks on all new stuff because the airline lost yours and you have no underwear for the week is NOT my idea of a fun shopping trip!  Especially infuriating if you spent that $25 for them to loose it too!

If at first you don't succeed... SHOP, SHOP AGAIN! (Walmart success!)

Wal-Mart & Target 7/21

Ha ha! Success!  Tried again today at another Walmart.  Sadly the Bengay was also overpriced at this Walmart too and I had to pass, but they DID have the deodorant, the tape, and my leggins! :) Oh happy day, I was able to use my coupons to get my free stuff plus get an additional $3.50 to put toward the leggins! Not only that, but right by the express checkout they had just set up a table giving away free samples of Banana Boat and Hawaiian Tropic sun screen, BONUS! Perfect travel size for my trip!

Next I headed to Sephora inside JC Penny and picked up my FREE lipbalm. Right next door is Target, so I pop in there to pick up a few freebies and snacks for the plane and I find bags of clearance Hershey's chocolate chips for only $1.63 each... sweet!  I needed chocolate chips, but even store brand is usually 2/$5, so I was waiting for a better deal.

All in all today I spent about $20 including taxes (ours are crappily high at 9.1%) and got:

  • Danskin Now, mid-rise crop leggings(for the plane) ($5.42)
  • 6 Old Spice Swagger men's trial size deodorants (FREE)
  • 6 Scotch Magic tape (FREE)
  • Banana Boat Sport spf 30, trial size (for the trip) (FREE)
  • Hawaiian Tropic Shimmer Effect spf 20, trial size (for the trip)(FREE)
  • Sephora Supergoop Mint Fusion spf 30 lip balm (for the trip) (FREE) 
  • 2 Lipton Recipe Secrets ($0.29 ea)
  • 2 Uncle Bens Whole Grain White Rice, Broccoli Cheddar ($0.54 each)
  • 2 Pizza Goldfish snacks (for the plane) ($1.20 each)
  • 5 bags Hershey's chocolate chips ($1.63 each)
  • Cottonelle Fresh wipes, 15ct (FREE)
  • Papermate pens, 10pk (FREE)
  • Wet Ones Antibacterial wipes (for the plane) ($0.47)
  • Post-It sticky tabs ($0.24)
  • Rain check: 2 Ziplock snack baggies ($0.75 each)
  • Out of stock, will pick up next time: 2 Bengay Vanishing Scent (FREE)


See how this ties in to my next post "Fly on a Dime"!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

"Well they can't all be winners, now can they..."

So, I just got back from Walmart and am thoroughly disappointed :( ... We needed some printer ink, and I had some fabulous coupons to use at the store!  Here was my plan:

Purchase:

  • 6 Old Spice trial size deodorants, $0.97 each, use 3 $2/2 Mfg coupons. Pay FREE + $0.18 MM
  • 2 Original Bengay, $4.23 each, use 2 $5/1 Mfg coupons = FREE + $1.54 MM
  • 6 Scotch Magic Tape, $2.88 (price match to Target $0.60), use 6 $1/1 Mfg coupons = FREE + $2.40 MM

...So at this point I would have all that stuff + $4.12 to put toward my other items.... NOPE!

My Walmart did not have the deodorants, was out of stock on the tape, and the Bengay was priced much higher at a whopping $5.98!!! (Not to mention I checked on a Zantac deal, and that too was priced higher at my store than others, making it not such a great deal for us :( )

SO, I got the printer ink anyway b/c we are all out and needed it, but they did NOT have the XL cartridges... grrrr!  I also had wanted to pick up a pair of leggins for my flight this weekend and, as usual, they had ALL the sizes lower and higher except one I needed... GRRR!!!

Walmart 7/19/11... DISLIKE! >(

FREE STUFF TODAY...

 
Amazon has a new daily deal site called MyHabit, and now through August 1st, you can get $25 off any purchase with code SUMMER25. Shipping is always free, so this means you can get some totally free items! 
*This is how I got my $211 dress! ;)



Shredded Wheat @ Walgreens
Still time to get your FREE Chocolate too!

Bengay @ Target or WalMart (they actually give you $ back @ WalMart!)

and not FREE, but awesome:
Starbucks Treat Receipt!



Sunday, July 17, 2011

I *heart* free chocolate!

Went to Walgreens to get my free chocolate and wouldn't you know it BONUS savings!  Instead of 2/$3 the Milka bars were marked 2/$2!  I had 2 coupons for $1/1 and 1 coupon for $1/2 to get the 2 free with the original sale.  Since they were 2/$2 (the cashier took the extra off at the end), I got the two free ones, plus 2 more for $1 TOTAL!
Milka bars originally priced $2.29 each, my price $0.25 each!!!  Yummy!












(See "Paint the Town Red 7/17" for details on how to snag this deal!)

Time to shop!

My practical deals for 7/17-7/19:

Safeway:
- Boneless skinless chicken breadts, $1.99/lb
- Boneless beef full cut round steak, $1.99/lb
-Cascade action packs, $4.99, $3.99 sale w/store coup (limit2).  Mfg coup $1/1 (x2). Final price $2.99 each

Fry's:
-Cascade detergent, $4.99, $3.99 sale w/competitor coup (limit2).  Mfg coup $1/1 (x2). Final price $2.99 each
-Select Kellog's cereals, sale $1.79 ea. Mfg coupon $0.70/1 (worth $1/1) (x4). Final price $0.79 each
-Dawn Dish Liquid 10.3oz, competitor coupon $0.99 each (limit 3)

CVS:
-Cottonelle Ultra 18pk $9.99 (limit 3), Mfg coups $0.75/2, $0.50/1.  Spend $30 get $10 gas card (purchace $1.28 more in participating items). Final price $6.72 each
-Cottonelle wipes, sale $1.99 ea. Mfg coup $1/2. Final price $1.50 each
-Bumblebee white albacore, $1.99 ea, sale $0.88 ea (limit 10)

Target (7/17-7/23):
- Febreeze Noticables Warmer: 2/$5, MIR up to $3.50.  Final price FREE
-Lipton Soup mix 2oz, $1.24.  Mfg coup $1/1 (x2).  Final price $0.24 each
-Uncle Bens Whole Grain Rice 4.4-5.1oz, $1.29. Mfg coup $0.75/1 (x2). Final price $0.54 each
-Ziploc: Storage bags 2/$5, Snack bags $1.75.  Mfg coup $1/2, stack w/store coup $1/2. Final price $0.75 each
-Goldfish ,$1.75. Mfg coup $0.55/1.  Final price $1.20
-Scotch magic tape, $0.50. Mfg coup $1/1. Final price FREE
-PaperMate pens, $1.02. Store coup $1/1. Final price $0.02
-Bic pens, $0.60. Mfg coup $1/2. Final price $0.10
-Sharpie highlighters 2pk, $0.60.  Store coup $1/1. Final price FREE
-Post it Flags, $3.59. Mfg coup $2/1 on $3 purchace, stack w/store coup $1/1. Final price $0.59
-Wet ones wipes, $0.97. Store coup $0.50/1. Final price $0.47
-Cottonelle wipes, $0.97. Mfg coup $1/1. Final price FREE

WalMart:
- Old Spice Swagger Deoderant, $0.97 (travel size). Mfg coup $2/2 (x3).  Final price FREE + $0.03 MM each!!!
- Great Day Farms eggs, apx $1.67. Mfg coup $0.75/1. Final price apx $0.97/dz

Saturday, July 16, 2011

This week's "In My Mailbox"...

Freebies I have gotten in my mailbox this week*:
$211 designer dress, FREE!!!
  • 2 Swiffer 360 Duster kits
  • $15 gift certificate for nail art
  • $49 teeeth whitening pen
  • Garnier shampoo/conditioner samples
  • Sephora  mineral moisturizer, and spf moisturizer
  • Philosopy miracle worker anti-aging eye cream


*This week's "In My Mailbox" is the first on this blog, so all freebies from the past 2 weeks will be included.

Couponing Fun from week 1

CVS 7/7/11, $5.32
Target 7/8/11, $3.37
Mall & Target 7/12/11, $1.75

Paint the Town Red 7/17/11

Paint the town red for 2 with less than $4 on 7/17. 

2 FREE Milka chocolate bars @ Walgreens, 2 $0.70 Carls Jr star burgers, and 2 medium BOGO DQ blizzards. 

FREE chocolate: 

Join DQ blizzard club, instant BOGO printable
(scroll down for deal)

Join Carls JR club, emailed coupon w/in 24hrs, use 2 emails.

Some of my favorite Deals this past week 7/16/11

3 Kraft Shredded Cheese 8oz bags: Originally $4.69 ea, on sale $1.99ea.  Frys coupon $1.50/3, Target coupon $1.50/3, Catalina $0.75 off any cheese.  Final price: $0.74 each!

12 Kleenex Tissues (6 regular, 3 soft, 3 w/lotion): Originally $1.99 ea, on sale $0.99 ea.  MFG coupon $0.60/3 (x4), each coupon "doubles" up to $1.00.  Final price $0.66 each!

2 bags Boulder Potato Chips (1 BBQ, 1 Parmesean Garlic): Originally $2.63 ea, sale $1.67 ea.  MFG coupon $1/1 (x2), Catalina $1/any 2 chips.  Final price $0.17 each!!!

3 Colgate Toothpaste: Originally $1.99, sale $0.99.  MFG coupon $0.75/1 (x3), each coupon "doubles" up to $1.00.  Final price FREE + $0.01 MM!!!

2 Bryers Blasts Ice Cream: Originally $5.69 ea.  Safeway price match coupon $2.49 ea, MFG coupon $0.75/1 (x2), each coupon "doubles" up to $1.00. Final price $1.50 ea!

Kashi Frozen entree: Originally $3.27, sale $2.99.  MFG coupon $2.00/1 (Recyclebank).  Final price $0.99!

Silk Vanilla Almond Milk: Originally $3.69, sale $2.19.  MFG coupon $0.75/1,  coupon "doubles" up to $1.00. Final price$1.19!

8 Ronzoni Garden Delights Pasta: Originally $1.99, sale $1.00.  MFG coupon $1.00/2 (x4).  Final price $0.50 each!

*Coupons given to my neighbor for her baby: 6 Beech Nut Baby Food: Originally ?, sale $0.45/ea.  2 Mfg coupon $1.00/3.  Final price $0.12 each!!!