Red Box

If you haven't discovered Red Box, you should! Red Box is a movie rental kiosk where you can rent movies for $1 per day. Rent a movie for $1 and you have until 9 p.m. the next day to return it. Go here to sign up to receive email updates and receive a promo code for a free rental. If you sign up to receive text updates, you'll receive Monthly Monday Movie updates (which usually includes a free rental code).

Promotional Gifts Cards

Right now there are many companies that are offering a promotional gift card when you buy gift cards. (A promotional gift card is usually a gift card that has a 30-60 day expiration date. Although some promotional gift cards do not have an expiration date...depends on the company). Here are a few that I know about. Feel free to leave a comment about others that you know about.

Taco Cabana - Buy $25 in gift cards, receive a $5 promo gift card
Little Caesars - Buy $25 in gift cards, receive a $5 promo gift card
The Container Store - Buy $100 in gift cards, receive a $25 promo gift card
The Melting Pot - Buy a $100 gift card, receive $100 gift card in gift certificates
Fish City Grill - Buy $100 in gift cards, get $20 free
Chick-fil-a - Buy $20 gift card, get a free chick-fil-a calendar (each month has a free item coupon)
Kroger - Buy $100 worth of gift cards from their "gift card center" and get $10 off at the checkout.

I know there are more out there. Feel free to let others know by commenting!

Cyber Monday

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving holiday and enjoyed the Black Friday sales! Just a reminder that today is Cyber Monday. So, if you still have shopping you need to do, be sure to check out your online stores today. Everyone is having some type of special...from free shipping to discounts off your purchase. A few deals that were in my inbox this morning:

Bath and Body Works - 25% off entire order (enter CYBERMONDAY at checkout)

Gymboree - 20% off online order and free shipping (no minimum)

Origins - free shipping plus $10 off any $25 order (enter TenOff09 at checkout)

Gap - 20% off online order plus free shipping

Crazy 8 - 20% off online order plus free shipping

Amazon - lots of deals

There are so many more deals out there. Remember to check with Mr. Rebates and Fatwallet when doing online shopping so that you can get extra cash back. And, if you are searching for the store's website, remember to search through Swagbucks so you can earn some extra swag bucks to redeem for gift certificates! (if you haven't signed up for swagbucks yet, click here and you will get 3 extra swagbucks to start you off!)

Happy Shopping!

Yankee Candles Coupon

Click here for a coupon for Yankee Candles - buy 2, get 2 free.

Giveaway

My friend "Romaine" over at Salad In A Jar is having a great giveaway! She is celebrating her blog anniversary and is giving away an Apple iPod Touch! To check out her blog and enter her giveaway go here.

Academy Birthday Club

Click here to sign up for the Academy Sports & Outdoors Birthday Club. You will be added to their email list and receive a $5 Academy gift card on your birthday!

Krispy Kreme Calendar

I received an email from Krispy Kreme about their calendar promotion. The 2010 Krispy Kreme calendar includes more than $75 of money-saving coupons and sells for $5. I haven't seen the coupons but if you like Krispy Kreme treats it may be a good deal for you!

Another Hallmark Coupon

I just got my December issue of Woman's Day magazine (another free subscription) and there's a Hallmark Coupon in it (pg. 32). The coupon is $5 off a $5 or more purchase. Basically, you can get $5 in free stuff! If you get the magazine, make sure you get your coupon and use it! (it's good until 12/24/09)

Chick-fil-a Calendar Deal

It's back!!!!! Get a FREE Chick-fil-a calendar when you buy a $20 Chick-fil-a gift card. I haven't seen it yet but my sister said the 2010 calendar is full of great & "FREE" coupons! Chick-fil-a did this promotion 2 years ago and I ended up buying 3 gift cards to get 3 calendars. It was great! Lots of FREE food and the part that wasn't free I could use my gift cards. If you love Chick-fil-a (like I do!!), you want to take advantage of this deal! (and don't forget...Chick-fil-a will accept your expired coupons!)

Martha Stewart Magazine

I was thumbing through the December issue of the Martha Stewart magazine (a free subscription I got a few months ago) and saw that there were 2 great coupons:

1) $5 Hallmark coupon - Save $5 off your total purchase of $5 or more. Great deal!
2) Michaels 50% off any one Martha Stewart Crafts product (usually the Michaels coupons exclude Martha Stewart Crafts)

If you get this magazine, make sure you cut out your coupons!

New Swagbucks Code

For all of you Swagbucks users, here's a code for a free Swag Buck.
What is Swagbucks? Click here.
Want to sign up for Swagbucks? Click here.

Go to the Swagbucks Home Page. On the top menu, click Ways to Earn and then click Special Offers. This page has different offers for you to try, but at the top or bottom of the offer there will be a SKIP button. Click "SKIP" on each offer page until you get to the end. There will be a code for a free Swagbuck. Go back to the Swagbucks Home Page and enter the code in the "Enter the Swag Code" box. You'll earn a free Swag Buck!

Also, on the left side of my Be Centsible blog page, there is a Swag Bucks widget. There's a box that says "Swag Codes" (SC). Click on that and it will let you know if there are any swag codes out there to redeem for a swag buck! (You actually have to be on the Be Centsible blog to see the widget/box. You won't be able to see it or access it if you are viewing the blog through a reader or email)

Swagbucks is an easy way to earn free gift cards just by searching in the Internet. If haven't signed up yet, you should give it a try!

Baby Wipes Deal

Hot Coupon World has a coupon for up & up baby wipes (found at Target) - $1 off. The wipes cost $1.54 so after the coupon it is only $.54 for a container of baby wipes. I also found up & up flushable wipes on clearance for $.97. After the coupon, they were FREE! Go here to the Target Coupon Generator. (This is a GREAT source for Target Store coupons) You can print as many as you want. You can use as many as your store will allow. (My store will usually take 6 at a time. Though sometimes they only say 1 or 2. Just depends who is ringing up your purchase.)

Up Movie Deal!

Right now, Target has the movie UP (DVD/Blu-Ray version) on sale for $19.99. You can get a $10 off coupon here. That brings the price to $9.99. There are also 2 rebates for this movie:

Get a $4 rebate here.
Get a $5 rebate here.

For each of the rebates, you will need to include the proof-of-purchase tab from the UP movie (the movie has 2 tabs on the back...so you have 1 for each rebate). You will also need to include a receipt showing the purchase of the movie...both rebates will accept photo copies of the receipt. Each rebate also has a couple other submission requirements so make sure you read them.

After the $9 in rebates, UP will only cost you $.99! What a great deal!

Free $10 gift card

Coinstar is currently having a holiday bonus promotion. In a single transaction, when you cash in at least $40 of your coins and choose to receive a gift card, you will receive a claim form. Complete the claim form and mail in with your receipt and you will receive a $10 bonus gift card by mail. Go here for more info. This is a great deal! If you decide to take advantage of it, make sure you find a coinstar that has the gift card/certificate option.

Halloween Candy

There are so many stores that are putting their Halloween candy on clearance. This is a GREAT time to stock up on your candy for next year. I have been doing this for years and have never had a problem with my candy going bad or chocolate turning gray. Here's what I do:

* Chocolate Candy - Place unopened bags in Ziploc freezer bags. Squeeze as much air out when sealing it. Place in the freezer and leave until you need it. When you are ready to use, take it out and use it. The chocolate is perfect and it taste great. When I first started freezing chocolate I didn't put in freezer bags...I just put the unopened chocolate bag in the freezer. The bag absorbed other smells and the chocolate didn't taste fresh. But, if you put them in freezer bags it keeps the chocolate fresh!

* Regular Candy - Take a look at the expiration date on the bags. I bought some yesterday and the expiration date on the bags was 11/2010 and 01/2011. That's after Halloween next year...so it's good to go! I put the candy bags in freezer Ziploc bags, squeeze the air out and seal it. I store these in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. (the back part of my pantry) I've been doing this as well and the candy stays fresh. Just make sure you check out the expiration date.

Target finally has their candy on 50% off (not sure why they tried to start with 30% this year???). Hot Coupon World has the Target coupons and there are some candy coupons that expire on 11/7. Combine the coupons with the clearance candy and you can score some great deals! Get the coupons here.

Wii Games

If you have a Wii or are getting one for Christmas, this is great deal:

Target currently has a promotion on Wii games - Buy 2, Get 1 Free. It's for games priced $49.99 or less. Plus, there is a Target coupon - Buy 2 Wii games, get $10 off. You can find the coupon here. (The coupon is from Hot Coupon World...but you can also find the coupon in the Target Holiday Toy Book found in the toy section).

There are a couple of other bloggers that have bought 6 Wii games (priced at $14.99) and used 3 Target coupons. Their total out of pocket is $30 for 6 games. Not a bad deal! I went to Target yesterday to look at the games. I didn't see any $14.99 games but there were plenty of $19.99 games. So, if you are in the market for games or want to give some as Christmas presents, this is a great deal. Note: The coupon doesn't expire until 11/25/09 but the buy 2 get 1 free deal ends Saturday.

Grocery Ads

Have you received your new grocery ads this week?

Kroger is still have the Mega Event - purchase 10 select products (a huge amount to choose from...mix and match) and receive $5 off instantly. Just looking over the ad, the prices are really good. Add coupons and the prices are great!

Albertsons has an awesome coupon in their ad - Spend $100 get $10 off! This coupons is valid Friday 11/6 - Sunday 11/8. Plus, if you shop on Sunday and wear your Cowboy Jersey, you will get an additional 10% off! Albertsons also has some in-store coupons in the ad and some pretty good sale prices.

As the holidays approach, the grocery stores will really start competing with each other on sales. As your budget and space allows, the next couple of months can be a great time to stock up on basics. And don't forget, Target and Walmart will price match all ads (the actually price...not discounts or percent off).

50% off Payless Coupon - ends TODAY

Need shoes? Here's a great deal at Payless:

Text OPRAH SHOW to 242424. Within a minute you will receive a text with a coupon code for 50% off your purchase. As far as I know, there is no limit to the number of shoes you can buy at 50% off. The coupons ends today, October 30th.

Thanks Traci for the info!

Sonic 50-cent Corn Dogs

I'm sure you have all seen the signs so here's a reminder...

Sonic is having 50-cent corn dogs on Halloween from 5-10 p.m. Happy Trick-or-Treating!

McDonald's Treat Coupons

McDonalds is selling treat coupon books for Halloween. You get 12 coupons - (3) free ice cream cone, (3) free hamburger, (3) free apple dippers, and (3) free milk jug. You can use one coupon per person per visit and the coupons are good until 12/31/09. The cost is usually $1 for the coupon book (but this year I have seen them also sell for $3 per coupon book.) Either way is a great deal! And keep your eyes out for the Christmas coupon books. It's the same type of coupons...they usually come out around Thanksgiving!

Thanks Lindsey for the tip!

Yoplait Giveaway Winners!

And the winners of the Yoplait Giveaway (selected by Random.org):

#4 - Staci
#5 - Amy G.

Congrats! I'll contact you by email with the details!

4-cent photo prints

Winkflash is having a 4 cent print sale. Get 4-cent prints on the first 100 4x6 pictures. Use code TREAT09. Offer ends November 5. I use Winkflash and have always been very satisfied with the quality and service!

*Don't forget to enter the Yoplait Giveaway. It ends tonight at 9 p.m.

Hobby Lobby sale

Hobby Lobby has a 40% off coupon this week. You can find it in the newspaper and online. Also, if you are a scrapbooker...there are lots of items 50% off this week!

** Don't forget to enter the Yoplait Kids giveaway!

Free Grilled Chicken at KFC

Monday, October 26, KFC is offering one piece of grilled chicken to every customer. No coupon is needed. Just ask for your free piece. Free piece selection is manager's choice and it may vary by location. Limit one free piece per person. (And this time KFC is promising it won't be a disaster like the previous offer in May). :o)

Albertsons Shopping

You may have seen this in Albertsons stores or ads, but when you wear your Dallas Cowboy jersey on game day at Albertsons, you get 10% off your total bill! And, you can still use your coupons as well! It's a great way to save extra on your bill. Don't have a jersey? I've done some looking and jerseys can be pretty expensive. Most Alberstons currently have a "Cowboy Store" by their Service Desk where you can buy a jersey. The average price is $29.99 (to me, that is still pretty pricey for a shirt) but it is the best price I can find (right now). Plus, when you consider that it will get you 10% off your order, the savings can add up and end up paying for your jersey! (oh, and as far as I know, you have to wear a jersey. T-shirts don't count. But, you can always double check at your store)

Don't forget about the Yoplait Kids giveaway end this Tuesday at 9 p.m. Be sure to enter. There are two prize packs to win!

Yoplait Kids Yogurt Review and Giveaway!!

"Can I have a snack?" It seems like I hear that phrase all the time! I am trying to encourage my kids to make good eating choices. So to help empower them, I created two snack baskets - one for my pantry and one for my refrigerator. I keep a variety of healthy snacks in the baskets so that when my kids want a snack they can look in the basket and choose their snack.

I was excited to get the opportunity from MyBlogSpark to try Yoplait Kids yogurt. My kids love yogurt and I thought this would be a great addition to the refrigerator snack basket. But I quickly realized, this isn't just any yogurt. Yoplait Kids yogurt has 25% less sugar than the leading kids’ yogurt. Plus, with its thick and creamy texture that will "hug" your child’s spoon, you won’t have to worry about a mess to clean up afterwards. My 3 year old is a very independent eater...and the thick and creamy yogurt let him eat without any mess! Yoplait Kids also contains no artificial sweeteners or flavors, so you can feel good about serving it to your kids. In addition, Yoplait Kids is a good source of vitamin D. Many kids are deficient on vitamin D, so Yoplait Kids is a great source for it...and calcium too!

My kids love Yoplait Kids yogurt...and I have to admit...it is really tasty! Not only is it thick, creamy and yummy, but it is good for you too. All in all it is a great addition to our refrigerator snack basket!

MyBlogSpark would like to give two of my readers a "Yoplait Less Sugar, More Fun" prize pack to two (2) of my readers! The prize pack includes a coupon for a Yoplait Kids yogurt, a travel cooler (to take your yogurt on-the-go), a fun spoon that changes colors in warm water, a reusable place mat with games to keep the kids happy while snacking, and a fuzzy tangle puzzle for some after-snack fun.

How to enter? Leave a comment and share your favorite healthy snack.

Want more entries? (leave a separate comment for each entry)
* Subscribe to my blog and leave me a comment telling me that you subscribed.
* Blog about this giveaway and then leave me a comment telling me that you did and where.
* Email 5 friends to let them know about this giveaway and then comment telling me you did.

This giveaway will be open until Tuesday, October 27 at 9 p.m. (CST) and I will use Random.org to select the winners.

Free Sample Burt Bees Natural Acne Solutions

Click here for a free sample of Burt Bees Natural Acne Solutions.

$1 BBQ Sandwiches

Dicky's BBQ is celebrating their 68th anniversary. On Tuesday, October 20th from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m., you can get a big BBQ sandwich for only $1. Limit 2 per customer.

PineCone Research

PineCone Research is an online research company that gathers consumer opinions for the development of new and improved products. Their consumer opinion surveys are done online at your convenience...and you get paid $3 for each product survey. PineCone Research is currently looking for new panelists and have opened the registration. For more information on PineCone Research, you can go here and here.

To sign up, click here.

Great Price on Kids Clothing and Toys

If you live in or around the Arlington area, the fall JBF sale starts tomorrow. I mentioned JBF in an earlier post, but if you haven't gone to their website or been to one of their sales, you should check it out. JBF has great deals on kids clothes (sizes preemie thru preteen), shoes, toys, bedding, maternity clothes, books, equipment, etc. The Arlington sale starts tomorrow at the North Davis Church of Christ in Arlington. The hours are 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. on Friday and 8 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Saturday. AND, on Saturday everything is 1/2 off (unless the tag is marked otherwise). Go check it out and get some deals!

Taco Cabana Coupons

In my mailbox today, I found a Taco Cabana ad with coupons. The ad was in the newspaper-type flyer (you know, the big bulky papers containing a bunch of ads that you usually don't even look at). It's rare to see Cabana coupons and not every area will get the coupons this week. But keep watching...they market different areas at different times. Oh, and if you like Cabana, you'll LOVE the coupons...they are buy one get one free meals!

Free Taco Tuesday, 10/13

Freebirds is giving every Freebirds Fanatic a free taco Today, 10/13. Just show your registered fanatic card to receive a free taco. View details here.

Crafting Coupons

For those of you who like crafting...this post is for you!

This past Sunday, there were 3 coupons in the DFW paper/ads - Michaels, Joanns, Hobby Lobby. (This also may be true for areas outside of DFW, so you may want to check your local paper).

Some interesting facts about these craft stores that you may or may not know:

Hobby Lobby (HL) - HL usually has a 40% off coupon every other week (this week there is a 40% off coupon). The original coupon is found in the newspaper on the same page as the HL ad. If you go to HL's website, you will find the coupon to print. You can print and use the coupon every day. On the weeks that do not have a 40% off coupon, there is usually a different type of coupon (30% off xxxx) on the website. Make sure you check the fine print on the coupon...it's only for regular price merchandise and there are a few restrictions.

Michaels - Michaels coupons are found in the ad insert in the Sunday newspaper. Inserts are usually every other week (there is one this week). You can sign up/register on Michaels website and receive coupons via email. Michaels also accepts original competitor coupons (meaning it has to be the original coupon...not one you have printed from a website or email). Michaels coupons are usually only for regular price merchandise and have restrictions. (Sometimes the coupons do cover sale items...so make sure you read the coupon).

Jo-ann - Jo-ann coupons are also found in the ad insert in the Sunday newspaper. Inserts are usually every other week (there is one this week). You can also sign up to receive emails from Jo-ann and they will send you coupons via email. I've heard that Jo-ann also accepts original competitor coupons (but I personally haven't tried it yet at Joann). Joann coupons are for regular price merchandise and have restrictions...however, their restrictions don't see to be as strict as Hobby Lobby or Michaels....so make sure you read the coupon.

Kids Eat Free

sorry it's been a while since my last post...life has been crazy! And if you have kids, I know you understand!!

Many restaurants offer Kids Eat Free specials on certain days of the week. Usually you need to buy 1 adult meal and you can receive 1 Kid's meal for free. "My Kids Eat Free" is a website that list "kids eat free" deals all around the country. And, they are continuing to add new restaurants. If you plan on going out to eat, it's a good website to visit.

One restaurant to point out is Boston Market. Now through October 31st, you get 2 free kid's meals with the purchase of 1 adult meal. This is a great deal for bigger families!! Go here for the details. (thanks Juli Beth for sharing this good deal!)

Whew!

For the past week, every single minute of my spare time has been spent tagging my kids old clothes and accessories for the Just Between Friends sale this weekend! If you've never heard of JBF, then you should go check it out. It's a franchise "consignment" business that has two weekend sales a year (one in the Fall and one in the Spring). I've consigned with JBF before and it was profitable! It takes time and work preparing your items but it's great having someone else "sell" them for you. Plus, they have some great finds and bargains! So, if you need to "clean out" your kids clothes, accessories and toys, or if you are looking for some great deals on children's items, check out their website for upcoming sales near you!

CVS coupon

Receive a printable $5 off $25 in-store purchase at CVS when you take the Flu IQ test at CVS.com. Click here for the link to the test.

Pharmacy Coupons

The flu has been to our house this week and we got to spend some money at the CVS pharmacy. Before I went to pick up my prescriptions, I did an online search for pharmacy coupons. And I found one! It was a coupon for a $25 gift card on a transferred prescription at CVS. I had 3 prescriptions and all of them were new but I thought I would take the coupon and try it. The pharmacy tech took the coupon and I received a $25 gift card. (The $25 doesn't even begin to compare on how much I spent on the prescriptions but at least it was something).

CVS advertises that they will accept all competitor pharmacy coupons. (Competitor means that there is a brick & mortar store nearby. They usually don't accept coupons from online companies or retailers that do not have any stores in the area). So if you see pharmacy coupons in the paper, ads, etc., clip them and hold on to them. You never know when you might need a prescription filled. And if you don't get your prescriptions at CVS, find out if and what coupons your pharmacy will accept.

Grocery Deals

Here are some good deal this week:

Albertsons
* Cereal and Breakfast sale - Selected Quaker cereals, pancake mixes, granola bars, oatmeal and grits are on sale for 5 for $8. There is a manufacturer coupon in the ad ($3 off any 5 products) which makes it 5 for $5!
Other Quaker items are 5 for $10 and if you use the same type coupon (there are actually two of them in the ad) the final price is 5 for $7.

* The ad also has lots of Buy 1, Get 1 FREE (B1G1F). If you are using coupons on the B1G1F, remember to use 2 coupons (one for the "buy" and one for the "free").

Kroger
* Kroger is having a 10 item Mega Event. Save $5 instantly at the checkout when you buy 10 participating Nestle or Kraft products in a single transaction (using your Plus card). Remember to use your coupons for further savings!

* Crazy Meal Deal - Buy 1 Kroger 2 pound package of marinated beef or chicken fajita meat and get free: Mi Casa 10 count flour tortillas, Gebhardt refried beans, Country Fresh Pico De Gallo, and Dole Shredded Lettuce.

Chick-fil-A

Who doesn't just LOVE Chick-fil-A?!?!!

Chick-fil-A is such a great company...great food, great employees and great customer service! I love that they always say "my pleasure" and make you feel that they truly want to please you as a customer!

A few of things I wanted to mention:

1) Chick-fil-A coupons: Chick-fil-A coupons will come in the mail, you can get them from their "cow" calendars and sometimes you can sign up online to get coupons. Even though all coupons have an expiration date, Chick-fil-A will always take the coupon...even if it is expired. So, if you missed using the coupon prior to the expiration date, don't throw it away! You can still use it. (aahhh, this is why I love Chick-fil-A!!)

2) They give away food! On Thursdays, 9/17 and 9/24, Chick-fil-A is giving away Chicken Sandwiches at the Dallas/Ft. Worth area locations.
* Thursday, 9/17 from 6 -7 p.m. only: FREE Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich with Cheese
* Thursday, 9/24 from 6-7 p.m. only: FREE Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwich on a Wheat Bun
(one offer per person per visit)

3) Join the Chicken Wave and get a coupon for a free Coke Zero (and of course, they will let you choose a different drink choice if you're not a fan of Coke Zero)

If you shop at Kroger...

make sure you look at the bottom of your receipt! During the month of September, Kroger is keeping track of your purchases. When you spend the specified $$ amount on your receipt (there is not a set $$ amount - it is personalized for each Kroger customer), you will get 10% off one grocery purchase between October 5-24. So if you shop at Kroger, this is a great way to get more savings!

Swagbucks update

If you do Swagbucks, remember that during the month of September, Swagbucks is giving away a free "swag code" each day. I have the Swagbucks toolbar (where I can conveniently do all my searches) and on the toolbar is a box where I receive messages from Swagbucks. Every day in September, Swagbucks is sending out a swagcode (in the message box) to redeem for (at least) one swagbuck. Just copy the code (from your message area on the toolbar), go to the Swagbucks home page, and on the right hand side of the page paste your swag code in the "enter a swag code" box. This is an easy way to earn some extra Swagbucks.

Want more info on Swagbucks? Go to my previous post here.

American Girl Movies

The American Girl website has 4 DVDs on sale for $5 each. Shipping is $4.95. So you could get all 4 movies for just $24.95 (shipping included). Click here for the info.

FREEBIES

Get a free sample of Kashi Cereal here.

Get a free sample of Tampax Pearl here.

Get a free sample of Huggies Diapers (size 3, 4 or 5) here.

Get a coupon for free Mars brand chocolate - click here. (This is only for Friday morning from 8-11 a.m. CST...or until coupons are gone!)

Get free Amazon giftcards through Swagbucks just by doing normal everyday online searches. Swagbucks is powered by google and is Free. Sign up here!

Get a free sample of Honey Nut Cheerios here.

Free Chick-fil-a Sandwich

I saw a sign advertising a free Chick-fil-a sandwich on Labor Day, September 7th from 10:30 a.m. to close - Wear any sports-related apparel and they'll give you a free chick-fil-a sandwich!!

Labor Day sales

Sorry for the delay in posts! Life has been so crazy with school starting and I haven't been able to post deals lately. I have a few that I'll post and then take a break for Labor Day weekend!

Kroger and Albertsons has some great Labor Day sales this week. Here are a few good buys:

Kroger
Avocados - 3 for $1
Ball Park Franks - Buy 1, get 1 free
Dr Pepper/Pepsi - 5 for $11
Pepperidge Farm Goldfish - $1
Hefty OneZip Storage Bags - $1
Lunchables - $1
Softsoap hand soap - $1
Oscar Mayer Bacon - Buy 1, get 1 free
Crazy Meal Deal:
* buy 3 Kelloggs selected cereals or selected Keebler cookies, get FREE one gallon Kroger milk, 6 oz Kroger yogurt, 6 ct. English muffins, Kroger 6 pk raisins. (use your coupons on the cereal and/or cookies)

Albertsons
Blue Bell Half Gallon - $2.99
Hormel Bacon - Buy 1, get 1 free
Oscar Mayer hotdogs - buy 1, get 1 free
Coke - 5 for $10.88
There's a coupon in the ad for:
* Pre-seasoned boneless pork loin chops - Buy 1, get 2 free
* Ball park hot dogs (regular) - Buy 1, get 2 free
Seedless red grapes - $.89 per pound (special sale Friday - Sunday)

This is just a sampling of the good deals in the ads this week. Don't forget to match up your coupons with the ads. Also, if there is a buy 1 get 1 free, remember to use 2 coupons for those items! (for greater savings!)

Albertsons Ad

Have you seen your Albertsons ad this week? Make sure you take a look at it before you make out your grocery list. They have some great 10 for $10 deals and there are some coupons for a free $1 item when you buy 10 $1 items. There are also several meat/poultry coupons (buy 1 get 2 free) in the ad this week. If you don't have an ad, go by the store to get one. They usually have some ads at the front of the store. But hurry...when the ads have in-store coupons, they usually disappear during the weekend!

Good Deals on Nursing Covers

Udder Covers is having a "free" nursing cover promo. Add your item to your cart, enter "backorder1" in the coupon code and it takes $32 off your order. Nursing covers are $32 so all you pay for is shipping and handling which is $8.95. (Thanks Laura for the info!)

Hooter Hiders is having a "birthday celebration". Buy 1 Hooter Hider, get 1 for $5. And shipping is free. So select 2 Hooter Hiders and then enter the coupon code HHFOR5. (I personally have a Hooter Hider and I LOVE it. It's a great size to cover everything when nursing!)

Huge Blog Giveaway

I came across this blog, The Dress-up Drawer, and discovered that they are having a huge blog giveaway this week (17th-24th).

Entering blog giveaways is a great way to discover new companies and to try to win a free gift! (Just this summer, I have won 4 different blog giveaways!) Plus, it's always fun to get a special package in the mail! :)

Yoplait YoPlus Yogurt - Swith for Free

If you buy Activia Yogurt, this deal is for you.

YoPlus Yogurt will send you a coupon (by mail) for FREE YoPlus Yogurt. Just print of this rebate form, include the original store receipt for your Activia yogurt, and the UPC barcode. Send it in and they'll send you the coupon. For more details, check out the rebate form.

Free Nature Valley Granola Sample

Sign up here to receive a free Nature Valley Granola Sample.

Walgreens Photo Deal - 25 prints for 25 cents

Today only (Monday) Walgreens has a photo deal - get 25 prints for 25 cents. Enter the code PENNY. Select in-store pick up and it won't charge shipping...total should be 25 cents!

My Kroger Trip!

Well, today is the big DOUBLE coupons up to $1 at Kroger! I found a 24-hour store and discovered that they would start doubling coupons at 1:30 a.m. So, a field trip was planned to Kroger at 12:00 a.m. (this morning)!We started shopping at midnight. By 12:20 a.m. the store started getting more crowded (for 12:20 in the morning!).By 1:45 a.m. we had finally made it to the frozen/refrigerated section (which means the shopping trip was almost over!). (oops, I mean by 1:46 a.m.)
We finally are ready to get in line...only to find a long line with one checker. But I had my friend Amy with me so we had some good girly chat time!It was finally my turn to check out. As the lady was scanning all my items I looked up to see that my total was already over $200! yikes! I think my heart skipped a couple of beats! When she finished scanning everything, my total was over $280! I was hoping that I had enough coupons to bring down the total!! ($280 was not in my grocery budget!) As my coupons were scanned, the total slowly went down. My final price? $101.99! (aw, man. Those 2 cans of yummy, indulgent Pringles kept me from being under $100! Oh well. Worth it.) I saved $178.50! Woohoo! That just makes me happy! The receipt was almost as tall as me! Love it!
We finally left Kroger at 2:45.
I finally got to bed at 3:30 a.m. (oh, and was awakened twice because of my little munchkins having scary dreams). Right now, I'm a little tired but I'm still so pumped about the money I saved! (I may have a sickness.)

So, if you would like to save some big bucks, go to Kroger today! However, as busy as it was in the middle of the night, I can't imagine what the stores will be like today...in the middle of the day!

Calling all COUPON LoVerS!!

Kroger has an incredible coupon day coming up! On Saturday, August 15th, Kroger is doubling up to $1 all manufacturer coupons!

Kroger's "Here's How It Works":
Kroger will double manufacturer's "cents off" coupons valued between $.40 and $1.00. Kroger will continue to Triple Manufacturer's "Cents Off" coupons valued up to $.39. Coupons greater than $1.00 will be redeemed at face value. Valid with Plus Card. Limit 1 like item per transaction. No cash back. Manufacturer's coupons issued in store do not apply. See store for details. Valid August 15th only.

I'm in Arlington and I assume this is for all DFW. If you are outside of DFW, check your Kroger to see if they are participating!

Free Sandwich at Arby's - Wednesday Only

Just a reminder about the Wednesdays FREEbies at Arby's. Today, Wednesday 8/12, get a free Roast Chicken Club with any soft drink purchase. If you are wanting to treat yourself to lunch, this is a cheap way to go!

If you do this, make sure you take a look at your receipt. A few weeks ago, I did the Wednesday FREEbies and when I got my receipt there was a survey coupon - complete the survey and get a free sandwich! What a great deal!

Honey Nut Cheerios sample

Click here for a free sample of Honey Nut Cheerios.

Somersault Snacks Sample

Click here for a free sample of Somersault Snacks.

Good deal at Albertsons

Have you seen the Albertsons ad this week? They have a great deal on Kelloggs cereal this week. In the ad, there is an in-store coupon for $10 off the purchase of 10 Kelloggs cereals/misc items. There is also a $10 mail-in rebate for the purchase of 10 Kelloggs products. Use them both and you can get the listed Kelloggs and Sunshine products for $1 per box/package. And, I noticed today that the coupon in the ad is a store coupon...which means you can use manufacturer coupons with it. So you could possibly get your items for less than $1 per box/package. So, check out your ad!

Another cash back site

Another cash back site that I like is Fat Wallet. Fat Wallet works the same as Mr. Rebates. You sign up for an account and when you are ready to do online shopping, click on the store link through Fat Wallet. By doing that you earn a percentage back on your shopping. Like Mr. Rebates, it also takes about 90 days to process but after that you can request a check for your money. Fat Wallet also has a list of coupon codes for online stores. Again, if you are going to shop online, you need to go through a site that gives cash back! It's more savings!!

Mr. Rebates

If you do ANY online shopping, you need to make sure you go through a site that offers cashback. I've used a few sites and I have two that I like the best. Mr. Rebates is one of those sites.

Mr. Rebates - When you are ready to shop online, go to Mr. Rebates and search for the store you are wanting to shop. If they are part of the Mr. Rebates program, they will be listed with a percentage number by the store name. That percentage number is the cash back percentage you will get when you shop at that store through Mr. Rebates. Plus, Mr. Rebates always has a listing of online coupons for online stores. It's a great resource when doing online shopping.

A few things to remember...it takes a couple of days for the store to report back your purchase to Mr. Rebates. Once Mr. Rebates gets that report, your account will be credited with the correct cash back. Second, you have to link to the store through Mr. Rebates. That's how the store knows to give Mr. Rebates your purchase amount. If you forget to do that, you lose out on free money. Once your money is ready to be cashed out (usually around 90 days...that's how long it takes for the stores to report and to record any "merchandise returns" transactions), you can request a check or have them credit your paypal account. Mr. Rebates is a great way to find online coupons plus get cash back for your online shopping!

So, if you do any online shopping...especially during the holiday season, be sure to go to sign up for an account and earn cash back on your purchases! **Right now, you get $5 from Mr. Rebates just from signing up!**

Try it...you'll like it!

That is something I tell my kids often...I thought it might be appropriate for the next few posts. :o)

There are a few websites that I use on a regular basis to earn free stuff. They are legit and easy to use. Here's the first...

SWAGBUCKS - I've mentioned this one before but it is so seriously easy, I wanted to mention again. Just sign up for an account and every time you want to do a search on the web, do it through swagbucks. You'll earn swag"bucks" on random searches. (you'll know if you earned them...a message will pop up saying "congratulations, you earned xx swagbucks") Anytime I want to do a web search, I just go to swagbucks (actually I installed the swagbucks search on my toolbar so it's there all the time) and type in my search. Sometimes I earn swagbucks, sometimes I don't. But it's easy to do and they accumulate quickly. When you are ready to redeem, just go to the swag store to redeem. You can redeem for merchandise, music downloads, gift cards, etc. I love the Amazon.com, Starbucks and Barnes & Noble gift cards! So try it! It's like getting free stuff for doing your web searching! (oh, and swagbucks search results are google and ask.com)

Free Scope Sample

Click here for a free sample of Scope Outlast.

Free Tacos

Get your coupon here for free Jack-in-the-Box tacos. Valid Tuesday, 8/4.

Free food from Schwans

Mark your calendars for Saturday, August 1, 2009 because Schwans is giving away $10 worth of FREE food to the first 500,000 new customers. Go here for the details.

Coupon Booklet

Get a free Home Made Simple Coupon Booklet here. This booklet contains over $30 in coupons and usually has a coupon for a free item.

Taco Cabana coupon

Sign up here for Taco Cabana's eClub and receive a coupon for a free fajita taco dinner with any drink purchase.

National Cheesecake Day

Thursday, July 30th is National Cheesecake Day and the Cheesecake Factory is celebrating! You can get any slice of cheesecake for half price. (One slice per person, must be present, dine-in only)

Free sample of Total cereal

Get a free sample of Total Blueberry Pomegranate cereal - click here.

Dunkin' Donuts Coffee

Get a free sample of Dunkin' Donuts Coffee - click here.

Free Sample of Gain with Febreze

Get your free sample of Gain with Febreze here.

Free Chocolate

Don't forget every Friday morning between 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. (EST) is Free Chocolate Friday. Go HERE to get your free chocolate (quantities are limited each Friday so hurry!). And there's a limit of 4 per household.

Price Matching

There are more stores that are starting to offer price matching. It might take a little more effort for you to search the ads and then use them at the store but doing so will save you money! Wal-mart has always done price matching. When I price match at Wal-mart, I take my other store ads with the product and price circled and I check out, I give the cashier the items and the ad(s). It's pretty easy. In Target's weekly ad, they advertised that they price-match. My understanding is that you purchase your items at "Target price" and then go to customer service with your ad and your Target receipt and they will adjust your purchase price. Best Buy also does price matching (which is great when you are trying to make a "big" purchase).

Note: when price matching you have to buy the item listed in the ad (correct brand and size). The store matches the ad price. Most stores do not honor % off, buy X and get $ off your purchase, or buy X and get X free.

Are there other stores where you do price matching?

All about YOU

I believe that we should "document" our lives...for our family, for our children, for future generations, for ourselves. Years ago, I kept a prayer journal where I wrote down the different things that were taking place in my life and my daily prayers. I love reading it now...especially to see how I've changed and how God has worked in my life. When my grandparents were still living, they wrote down stories, events, feelings, etc about themselves. Although I spent lots of time with my grandparents, I learned so much more about them when I read the things they wrote. Now, I scrapbook and blog for my family. It's fun to look at and read now, and I know we will continue to enjoy our "life documentation" in the years to come.

Becky Higgins, from Creating Keepsakes, has posted "Life Story Pages" that you can print off her blog. She has one for teenagers and one for adults. These are FREE to print. Take the time to print these and fill them out. You will enjoy reading them and your family/kids will enjoy reading them in the future. If you have teenagers, really encourage them to fill them out. We all have a story to tell!

Back to School Time

Many stores are advertising specials for Back to School. If you get the Sunday paper (which is worth it just for the coupons), make sure you look through the ads to check out the back to school specials. Many things are discounted and some things are FREE.

This best deal this week is at Staples. Purchase any backpack at Staples, have them scan your Staples Reward card, and in October you'll get your full purchase price back in Staples Rewards (which is like store credit to be used in staples). We are always needing printer paper, ink cartridge and random office supplies so this is a great deal for us! (the backpacks at Staples are really nice) If you don't have a Staples Reward card, go here to sign up (it's free). If you don't have time to get out and shop, you can do this deal online.

free food at Genghis Grill

Sign up for the Genghis Grill Khan's Klub and they will email you a FREE BOWL in the month of your birthday.

Free Baja Fish Taco

On Tuesday, July 14th (from open until 2:30 p.m.) Long John Silvers is giving away a free baja fish taco. (you might want to call to make sure your local LJS is participating)

Free Mocha Mondays

McDonalds is having free Mocha Mondays until August 3rd. Go between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Mondays and get a sample size of a hot (8 oz) or iced mocha (7 oz). Details are here.

Free Food on Wednesdays

Arby's has been doing a special "Free Food on Wednesdays" this summer. No coupon is required! Here's the list so you can know what free items are coming up. (you might want to call ahead to make sure your local Arby's is participating)

July 15th – Free Regular Roast Beef with any soft drink purchase
July 22nd – Free Roastburger with any soft drink purchase
July 29th – Free FruiTea with any sandwich purchase
August 5th – Free Regular Roast Beef with any soft drink purchase
August 12th – Free Roast Chicken Club with any soft drink purchase
August 19th – Free FruiTea with any sandwich purchase
August 26th – Free Regular Beef ‘n Cheddar with any soft drink purchase

freebies

Free sample of NIVEA Touch of Sparkle Body Wash - click here

Free sample of Viva Paper towels - click here

Free sample of NIVEA for men - click here

Free Lego Magazine

You can get a free 2 year subscription to Club Lego Jr. magazine. Looks like a neat thing for Lego loving kids!

Ice Cream Lovers...

If you love Blue Bell (like I do!), you can go to their website and get a coupon for $1 off a half gallon purchase. AND, now through Tuesday, July 7, Albertsons has half gallons of Blue Bell on sale 3 for $10.

I'm Back!

It's been a while since I've posted....we've been on vacation! We went to Camp Jellystone in Waller, TX and had a great time! If you've never heard of it, go check out their website. Our family really enjoyed it...there were lots of different activities throughout the day. We stayed in a cabin and enjoyed it so much more than a hotel room! We went to Sea World a couple of years ago and the kids said they enjoyed Camp Jellystone more! If you decide you want to check it out yourself, a couple of things: 1) Sign up for the Club Yogi Rewards before you go. You get points on all "Yogi" purchases...that includes cabin rentals, RV hookups, etc. 2) It is less crowded to go during the week (vs. the weekend). And it's less crowded during the school year (vs. the summer).

$5 Shorts and Swim Wear

Old Navy is having a $5 sale on all swim wear and selected shorts. The sale starts today- 6/28. I went today and was able to set some swim wear for the boys (for now and next year)...but there weren't many shorts to pick from. :o( too bad.

Free Yoplait Whips

If you are not receiving the Betty Crocker email Newsletter, sign up here to receive it and get a free sample of Yoplait Whips.

Coupon for Minute Maid Frozen Novelty Product

Click here to receive a coupon good towards the purchase of any Minute Maid Frozen Novelty product. (Some info I saw said that the coupon was for a free product...but the website just says "coupons". Guess we'll see what comes in the mail!)

Free 8x10

Get a free 8x10 enlargement from CVSphoto.com. Enter promo code: FREE8X10. Offer expires June 21, 2009.

Free Chocolate

Mars candy is giving away 250,000 coupons for a free chocolate candy bar from 8-11 a.m. CST every Friday through September. Go to realchocolate.com for your chance for a free coupon. Limit 1 free coupon per Friday and 4 free coupons per household during the offer period.

Great deals at Albertsons (June 3-9)!

If you like cereal and milk, here's a great deal!

Buy 4 boxes of Kellogg's cereals (listed in this weeks ad)* for $14, get 3 boxes free. PLUS, you will receive an instant coupon at the checkstand for 3 gallons of free milk (on your next purchase)! I did this and got 3 separate coupons for free milk (up to $3 value on each gallon). So, you basically get 7 boxes of cereal and 3 gallons of milk for $14. If you have any cereal coupons, the deal could be even better!
*The eligible Kellogg's cereals are:
Corn Flakes 18 oz
Frosted Flakes 23 oz
Rice Krispies 18 oz
Corn Pops 17.2 oz
Froot Loops 17 oz
Apple Jacks 17 oz

And there is also a great deal on meat. In the Albertsons ad, there are some great meat coupons:
* Buy 1 pre-seasoned Albertsons Boneless Pork Loin Chops, Get 2 Free.
* Buy 1 Albertsons Petite Sirloin Steaks, Get 2 Free.
* Buy 1 Tyson Center Cut or Regular Bacon, Get 2 Free.

**********************
If you haven't done so already, check the comments section for a good deal on cereal at Tom Thumb as well. Thanks Jennifer for the info! If you need coupons for the General Mills cereal at Tom Thumb go here.

SWEET deals!

* Today and tomorrow (June 1 & 2) Kroger has their Country Time Lemonade Canisters on sale for $1 each. When you buy 2 or more, you will receive a catalina coupon (coupon at the register) for $1 off your next purchase. To make the deal even sweeter, Kraft Foods has a printable coupon for $1.50 off when you buy any 2 Country Time Lemonade Canisters. So, you can get the lemonade for $.25 each and then also get $1 off your next Kroger purchase.

Kraft Foods also has a printable coupon for $1.00 off any 2 Kool-Aid canisters. The Kool-Aid canisters are also on sale for $1 each today and tomorrow. So, after the coupon they would be $.50 each!

* On Wednesday June 3rd from 8 p.m. - midnight, Sonic is giving away FREE root beer floats! The fine print says "free while supplies last"....so you might not want to wait until midnight! :o)

$5 off at Kohls

Sign up for Kohls email alerts and you will receive a coupon for $5 off your next in-store purchase. I did this, got the coupon, went shopping (had to buy boring socks) and saved $5! :o) Click here to sign up.

Earn free gift cards

Have you heard of Swagbucks? If so, you know how great and easy it is to use! If not, here's the scoop:

Swagbucks is an online portal dedicated to helping you earn digital dollars called "Swag Bucks", which can be redeemed for exclusive swagbucks.com merchandise. I mainly use it when searching the web. When you search using swagbucks, you receive results from Google & Ask.com.

Just go to Swagbucks.com to log in and start searching (or you can download their tool bar and just do your searches through the toolbar). At random times you will have a "swag buck" pop up saying you've won. You accumulate swagbucks to redeem in their online store. You can redeem for merchandise and/or gift cards. It's super easy and it's an easy way to earn free gift cards! (note: it's doesn't take very long for the swag bucks to add up!)

There are other ways to get swag bucks (ie: online shopping and recycling your cell phone). You can go to their website to check it out and/or sign up. I've been doing this for a while and it's super easy.

Free stuff

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted. You can tell that school is almost out...life is crazy!

Just wanted to post of few good deals I've come across...

* Sign up for the Quizno's email list and get a coupon for a free Flatbread Sammie.

* Get Blue Bunny Frozen Yogurt Treat Aspen or Sedona for free! Buy the product May 23, 24, or 25 and fill out this rebate form. Don't forget to do exactly what the rebate form states!

* Get a free sample of Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra- Lift Pro Deep Wrinkle Cream.

* Get free lettuce wraps (with purchase of entree) from PF Changs. Go here and enter your email address. They will email you the coupon.

More Freebies/Samples

* Hawaiian Tropics After Sun Body Butter

* Kellogg's All Bran Promise Pack (includes 3 samples plus coupons!)

* Reusable Shopping Bag from Kroger (create a design for a reusable shopping bag...it only takes about 2 minutes...and you will get a "coupon" on your Kroger Plus card for a reusable shopping bag. To redeem it, just got to Kroger, pick up a reusable shopping bag, give them your Kroger Plus card and it will be FREE!)

* Mini Facial from Origins (you'll need to call the store in advance to set up an appointment)

Freebies/Samples

* Sun Crystals all-natural sweetener sample

* Free DiGiorno Flatbread Melt (coupon available Monday, May 18)

* Free CroisSONIC Breakfast Sandwich with purchase of large drink (now through May 18th)

* Taster's Choice Coffee Stick pack (these are great to have when you need instant coffee for your recipes!)

Summer Reading Program

Half-Price Books has a summer reading program from June 1-July 31. Kids participating in the program can receive Half-Price Books gift cards. Check out the details here.

KFC Free Meal Update

Well, it looks like KFC didn't anticipate people wanting a free meal! Because of the overwhelming response, you can no longer redeem your free meal coupon at KFC. Instead, you need to go to KFC and get a rain check form. Mail in the form and your coupon and they will mail you another one. (Note: it says you can give to the store manger and he/she will mail it in. I would mail it myself).
Click here for all the details.

FREE Strawberries at Tom Thumb

Tom Thumb and Kroger offer store and manufacturer coupons on their websites. For Kroger, you select which coupons you want to use and then upload them to your Kroger card (great way to use coupons if you always seem to forget them at home!). Tom Thumb offers the same service or you can print them out.

Right now, Tom Thumb is offering a FREE 1 lb. container of strawberries with the coupon and your Rewards Card. Go here for the coupon. There are many coupons to look at and add to your card. Or you can "view by category", select Tom Thumb coupons and it will appear at the bottom. The coupon is with a $10 produce purchase and good through May 31st. Shop the ads and get a great deal!

FREE 2pc. Kentucky Grilled Chicken

Kentucky Fried Chicken has a coupon for a 2 piece Kentucky Grilled Chicken meal (includes 2 pieces of grilled chicken, 2 individual sides and a biscuit) for FREE! You can only print the coupon TODAY, May 6th until 11:59 p.m. CST. The coupon is valid now through May 19th and is not good on Mother's Day (5/10). Click here for the coupon. (note: you can print this coupon twice. After it prints once, hit the back button on your browser and it will print again).

Free 8x10 from Walgreens

On May 6th, you can get a free 8x10 enlargement from Walgreens. Go here for more info.

Free FruiTea from Arby's

On May 6th, celebrate National Beverage Day with a FREE FruiTea from Arby's. Just say "I'm Parched, FruiTea Me" to try one of their new teas for free. Contact your local Arby's to make sure they are participating. If you live in Arlington TX, the Arby's on Little Road is participating!

Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program

When your child reads 8 books, he/she will earn a free book! Go here for details of the Barnes & Noble Summer Reading Program.

Baskin Robbins 31 Cent Scoop Night

On Wednesday, April 29th, from 5-10 p.m. Baskin Robbins is hosting 31 Cent Scoop night to honor America's Firefighters. Participating stores will reduce prices of small ice cream scoops to 31 cents. At some locations, you may also have an opportunity to make a donation to local fire charities. Great ice cream price for a great cause!

Free Grilled Chicken

Get a free piece of grilled chicken at KFC today, April 27th. No coupon is required. This offer is good all day at participating locations.

Freebies

* Free Schick Quattro Razor.

* Free sample of Dove's Deodorant. (this is from Costco but you don't need a Costco membership)

Remember to use your "junk mail" email account. Many times when you sign up for a freebie, you will start receiving emails from that company. Some emails are good to receive (more freebies, coupons, etc), but some are just junk. If you are tired of receiving the junk, you can always "unsubscribe" from the email list (the unsubscribe link is located on the bottom of the email).

Walgreens Savings plus Free Tote

Celebrate Earth Day - Save 15%-20% on eligible items at Walgreens TODAY, Wednesday, April 22 only. Get a re-usable bag for free with in-store purchase. You must present the coupon at the photo or beauty counter only. Click here for coupon.

Go Green - Free Tote

Many stores are offering/selling reusable shopping totes to help consumers "go green". Kraft foods and Everyday with Rachael Ray are offering a free tote with a Kraft foods purchase during the month of May. Go here for all the details.

Note: When doing mail-in offers or rebates, make sure you follow ALL the instructions listed. Some companies are so picky that if you don't follow every detail, they won't "fulfill" your offer/rebate request.

Making Extra Money

A great way to make some extra money (and clean your house at the same time) is to sell items in a garage sale, on Ebay or Craigslist. I have done all 3 and I prefer Ebay and Craigslist over garage sales (I can sell at my own pace and not have to worry about the weather!).

If you sell on Craigslist, make sure you state "cash only" so that you don't have to worry about the hassle of bad checks. Also, be aware that there are people out there to scam you. So, if you get an email about your item saying "I want to buy your item but am traveling so I'm just going to have my secretary send you the money"...delete it! It's a scam.

If you sell on Ebay, you might want to check out this ebook that teaches you about Ebaying and gives pointers. Suzanne Wells is the author of this ebook and is currently offering it for free. Check it out!

I'm going to challenge myself to clean out some closets and sell some unnecessary items so that I can have some summer "play" money when the kids are out of school. If you decide to take the challenge as well, let me know how it goes!

Freebies

* Celebrate Earth Day at the Disney Store - bring in 3 plastic bottles on April 22 and receive a free gift.

* Free Quaker Rice Snacks sample.

* Sample of Jergens Natural Glow moisturizer.

* Huggies Pure and Natural diaper sample.

* For those of you who like to shop with a good, detailed grocery list, here's a great one for you to download and use each week - Ultimate Grocery List.

Cleaning Website...plus freebie

I came across these 2 websites that I thought were pretty neat...so I thought I'd share.

www.howtocleanstuff.net

www.cleanupthatfilthyhouse.com

The second website, www.cleanupthatfilthyhouse.com is offering a free Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. Go to the menu on the left, click on Promotions and Contests, fill out the form. They will send a confirmation to your email so check your email and then click the link to confirm it.

CVS Deals

If you are new to CVS shopping, here are the basics:
* First, get your ExtraCare Card. (you can sign up at the register or get it online...although if you get it online, you are going to have to wait to shop until your card arrives in the mail).
* You need to use your card (have the cashier scan it) every time you shop. Don't just use your telephone number associated with your card...it doesn't always work.
* CVS issues Extra Bucks through promotions (ie: buy xxx and receive $xxx in Extra Bucks). These promotions are in the monthly and weekly ads. The Extra Bucks will print at the end of your receipt. Clip them and keep them safe as your would cash (they cannot be reissued if you lose them).
* You can use manufacturer coupons for your purchases (it does not affect the Extra Bucks).
* Extra Buck can be used to purchase just about anything in the store (except prescriptions, alcohol, tobacco and gift cards).
* When you use your Extra Bucks, you cannot get change back (so plan ahead).
* Extra Bucks have an expiration date (about 4 weeks from the date they are issued). So use them before they expire.
* Some CVS coupons will print at the bottom of your receipt. You can use these coupons along with your manufacturer coupons for additional savings.
* The biggest benefit with Extra Bucks is to "roll" them. Purchase items that give you Extra Bucks. Then on your next purchase, you will use your Extra Bucks to pay for the purchase (and hopefully that purchase includes receiving Extra Bucks so that you can use them on your next purchase). And the "rolling" begins.
Hope that all makes sense.

So, here are 2 good deals in this week's ad:
** Buy Softsoap Scrub Body Wash (18 oz) for $4.99, get $4.99 in Extra Bucks (it's like getting it for FREE). (limit 1)
** Buy Colgate Enamel Protect, Sensitive Whitening toothpaste (6 oz) or 360 sensitive toothbrush for $3.99 and get $3.99 in Extra Bucks (again, it's like getting it for FREE). (limit 2)

To give you an idea about rolling Extra Bucks, today I bought:
* 5 bottles of Garnier Fructis shampoo/conditioner (buy $15 worth get $5 Extra Bucks)
* 1 Colgate Sensitive Whitening toothpaste
* 1 Colgate 360 toothbrush
* 1 Softsoap Body Wash

I used $6.50 in manufacturer coupons.
Then used $16.49 in Extra Bucks.
My total was $6.86. (and I used my $10 new prescription gift card so I really didn't have to pay anything out of pocket.)
AND, I got $17.97 in Extra Bucks for my next purchase. I LOVE good deals!!

Free Food

If there is a restaurant you enjoy, check online to see if there is a special "club" for you to join. Many times there is an "email club" or a "birthday club" that you can sign up for to get special offers, coupons, and free food. Here are a few:

* Chili's - coupon for a free chips and queso (with purchase of entree) when you sign up. Plus, you may also get special birthday coupons.
* On The Border - coupon for a free appetizer when you sign up. They may also send another coupon on your birthday.
* Dickey's BBQ - coupon for a free yellow cup drink with your purchase.
* Pizza Hut - coupon for a free dessert (with pizza purchase) on your birthday.
* Cold Stone - coupon for a free ice cream on your birthday.

If I know we are going out to eat at a restaurant, I try to plan in advance...check online for coupons, sign up for any email clubs, and hope to get a deal! :o)

If you do this, don't forget to use your "free" email account so that your main email inbox doesn't get too full!

Free Turkey or Ham

I came across this blog Once A Month Mom (they do once a month cooking) and they mentioned that there was possibly going to be a deal in the Sunday, April 5, newspaper for $20 off a ham. I went to Making Life Better so get the scoop. It looks like Making Life Better (Unilever) will have an insert in the paper advertising the deal plus some coupons for their products. Basically, if you buy $40 worth of Unilever products, you will get a $20 rebate (via mail-in rebate) on a ham or turkey purchase. Check out the ad to see if there are any restrictions. And don't forget to use your coupons on the products for additional savings!

Need clothes?

I almost never pay full price for clothes. I either wait for a sale or wait for a coupon. Right now, Old Navy has a coupon promotion going on. Each week (starting on Thursdays), they are offering new coupons for in-store purchases. Go to www.oldnavyweekly.com and search around for things to "click" on. There are coupons for 20% off a single item, 30% off a single item, and 40 % off a single item. The banner on top said there were still some 50% off a single item coupons but I couldn't find them. But a did score a 40% off coupon! You can only get one coupon per week (and it is a one time use coupon).

Remember, to be "centsible" when shopping. Only shop if you (or a family member) needs clothes. Look for deals. Try not to pay full price. Search for coupons. (and you don't have to sign up for a store credit card to get coupons!!!)

Happy Shopping!

It's Birthday Time!

My kids' birthdays are coming up and my inbox is starting to get full of special offers! Did you know that some places have "kids clubs" that send a little something special for birthdays? Here's a few...go to these websites to sign up:

* Baskin Robbins (free scoop of ice cream)
* Sonic Drive-In (free Wacky Pack kids meal)
* Toys R Us (sign up for Geoffrey's bday club and receive a $1-3 gift card in the mail. In my house, that's enough for a couple of hot wheels!) :o)
* Chuck E. Cheese (free tokens)

Enjoy!

Subscribing to this Blog

Apparently, there have been some "subscription" problems for this blog. If you manually added this subscription to your "reader", you may not be receiving updated info. If so, you need to "unsubscribe" and then subscribe again using the link on the left. It will subscribe for you using the reader you prefer to use. It should work doing it that way! Sorry for any problems!

Freebies - Getting Started

I like freebies. I've gotten all kinds...food, haircare, cleaning products, clothing, etc. I have a stash of personal care "samples" (shampoo/conditioner, toothpaste, floss, face care, etc) at my house that are perfect for when I travel. That way, you don't have to pack your full size products, you can just grab a little sample product. (Plus, you can try it out and see if you really like it). I find most of these freebies online. If you like the thought of getting freebies and want to start receiving them, here are some suggestions.

* Set up a separate email account. When you sign up to receive something free, they will ask for your Name, Address, and Email address. The company will use your email address to send you updates on their products, etc. Most companies do not sell their "list". But, on occasion, one will and then you will start receive random emails from other companies. I set up a separate email account that I use when I sign up for freebies. That way, I can keep my main email inbox clean and it won't be cluttered with junk. (I've been doing this for years...I get around 45-60 emails...sometimes more... PER DAY. I don't want all of that in my personal/home email account!) There are several different places you can get a free email account...so sign up!

* Don't use your first name. When signing up for a freebie, use a nickname or middle name. I use my middle name (I never receive personal mail addressed to my middle name). By doing that, I know that when I receive a piece of mail addressed to my middle name, I know it is something I signed up for on the web. Or there are times, that my "info" has been sold to a random company and they will send out junk mail. If I have mail addressed to my middle name and it does not include a sample or coupon, then it goes directly into the recycle bin. (I don't have to worry about it being a personal piece of mail that needs my attention).

* Never give out your credit card, bank info, or social security number for a freebie/sample. A freebie/sample is just that...FREE. The company only needs your name and address to mail you the freebie and your email to send you their product info. (sometimes, they do ask for the year you were born to make sure you are over 13 or 18 and they may ask if your male/female for marketing purposes). If they want other info from you, you don't need to sign up for that product.

* When you are signing up for a freebie, you may have to register for an account (which includes your name, address, email, and possibly some other questions) but it also may ask you to create a user name and password. If it's a company that you like, feel free to do it. You may want to go back to their website for product info or to get more freebies.

* If you register for an account, keep a list of your login/password info so that you can reference it when you go back to that website.

So, those are some basic suggestions for getting started on freebies. Here are some freebies I came across:

- Walmart has a sample of Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal
- Juicy Juice is offering a free sippy cup when you join Juicy Juice.com

Be Centsible

I've had several friends suggest that I share my good deals, finds, coupon info, how to be frugal tidbits & advice, etc. on a blog. So, here it is...my new blog "Be Centsible". With the economy the way it is, now is a good time to be "cents"ible with spending. Plus, it's always nice to have a little extra change in your wallet! I will do my best to keep it updated so that you can be updated on the best deals out there and how to save money...and be more frugal with every day expenses. Of course, I also have 4 small children, my involvement with church and school, kids activities, housework, a part-time job and basic home life. So, if I don't post every day, you know why! Feel free to share this blog with any friends or family that would be interested! You can also "subscribe" to this blog (located on the left) so that you can be notified through your blog reader or email when I post.

And, thanks to Laura for creating my header! Isn't it cute?!?!

Stay tuned...