Thursday, October 30, 2008

I have been tagged!

I've been tagged! I feel so special- i am a new blogger and this makes me feel pretty welcome!



I've never done this before so hopefully I get this right!



I have to first acknowledge who tagged me. :
Jamie at http://www.thriftyinthecincy.blogspot.com/



Here's the official rules:

1. Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog. (I hope i linked right by typing the address up there)

2. Share seven facts about yourself.

3. Tag seven people, listing the links to their blogs.

4. Let the seven people know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.



Ok, so #2 seven facts about me:





1. I have lived in the same county for almost all of my life ( when I was 4-7 I lived in the next county over and I went to college in KY).



2. I have known my husband since we were about 12 yrs old in the church youth group. Then he dumped my step-cousin for me in 1996! OOPS!
We celebrated our 10th anniversary this month!



3. I used to say that when I grew up I wanted to be a school counselor and a French teacher ( I had a high school teacher who was my inspiration - thank you Mrs. Mills!) and the first female race car driver on the side, but I dont even like NASCAR! ( darn that Danica Patrick beat me!)
I didnt even get close to any of that!



4. Along those lines... I took French classes from 6th grade through college. I used to be REALLY good, but since i have been out of school for a LONG time I havent used it much. I can read it very,very well.
To listen to it, i have a hard time since I am out of practice. ( Ratatouille embarrassed me!) I'd be too embarrassed to speak it in public too, but i have done it in the past.

I did try to teach a basic intro to French to 7 PAYING families when I taught at KinderCare a LONG time ago.
I think I am going to take a spanish class at the local career center so I can talk to some of the ESL families at J's school.


5. I was in a sorority in college! Phi Mu ( myoo not moo) Those of you who know me now but not then are probably surprised by that... well maybe not... but you do know i am the least stereotypical sorority girl ever! I didnt go through rush, I was given an open bid - which is an invitation to join. It was fun and I was glad to have a place to "belong." I was terribly lonely in college my sophomore year and was on a very small campus that didnt have much else going on, so it was helpful. It was too expensive for my budget but worthwhile at the time. I still read the news of what is going on, but i have never joined an alumni ( alumnae??) group. And mty favorite color was pink even before then, but it certainly fit right in!





6. I have always been a coupon clipper/deal seeker, but have only gotten really serious in the past year. My husband and I even have a silly song about it ( i am such a coupon nerd!)

My neighbor growing up was (is) my inspiration. She was featured in the newspaper for getting 2 or 3 CARTS of groceries for like $20 or something insane. Her daughter was my friend and she used to get us all kinds of free fun things through mail in offers. My mom would save box lids and upc's for her ( that was before you had to mail in the receipt). The best thing she ever got us was a huge cardboard playhouse AND a rocket ship. We had to bend over to get into it cuz we were probably about 10 or so, but a 5 yr old probably could've walked into it. It was so awesome! ha!

She still sends me coupons in the mail. :D



hmmm...what else.



7. I AM a complete and total nerd and have always been.
But I can be a ditz too! I am smarter than i look i guess! haha! (I am older than I look too. Most people guess me 10 yrs younger- I love them!)
I was in the county spelling bee several times growing up ( placed 2nd!)
Was almost a natl merit scholar- unfortunately i didnt realize how important the PSAT was and wasnt very serious about it (oops)
My DH and I used to do math problems FOR FUN! and we like those "figure it out" kinda problems. ( what are those called? ) We fight over the daily crossword puzzle in the paper. And like watching Jeopardy.
We used to link two computers together and play Age Of Empires. (that was before children! I miss that!)

Anyway, enough of my nerdiness. :)

Now to finish this tag:
#3
I cant tag seven people, i only know a couple!

So, enjoy my useless facts about me!

FREE Mom's night out at Whole Foods! (monthly! )

Who doesnt need a free mom's night out?
And if I am alone i am usually at a store anyway! LOL

Tonight and the last Thursday of every month is Mom's night out at Whole Foods.
I found this in the local Cincinnati Family Magazine ( free at the front of lots of stores).

I am not sure when all the stores do it, but our local store does it at this time.
You can call your local store or check online.

Here's a blurb about what goes on:

http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/mason/storecalendar.php
Thursday, October 30th
Mom's Night Out! - A Halloween Party for Grown ups!
6:00-8:00 p.m. Free
Join us the last Thursday of every month for Mom's Night Out. Mom's Night Out is an opportunity for local mothers to get together without the kids to socialize, relax, and be pampered. We know it's hard being a mom - you deserve a break! We'll have delicious bites and fabulous drinks, goodie bags and giveaways!


If I am feeling better I think I will go. I have a terrible cold and I am pretty sure i have an ear infection :( It is killing me to not be running around getting my deals this week like normal!

Have you heard of House Party??!!

If you have never heard of House Party - you've got to join!
http://www.houseparty.com/
If it asks for a referral I am amybwest


Anyway.... I have always loved attending parties - PartyLite, TupperWare, Discovery Toys, etc, etc... and I was a PartyLite consultant for 7 yrs.

Well, when I learned about House Party ( and i dont even know how i heard about it!) I thought it was awesome!

What it is - it is a website that offers things that you debut in your home to your friends ( free marketing for the company, free stuff for you). You are sent a party package and you plan the party around this item, idea, etc. In return you and your friends get free samples, coupons, etc...

Well, I applied to do an Arm & Hammer Essentials Be Green Save More party.
I got my package delivered last week - it was HUGE. I was shocked!

Included are enough supplies for 16 guests!

FREE Party Package includes:

16 Reusable canvas tote bags
16 Microfiber cleaning cloths
16 New ARM & HAMMER® Essentials™ Cleaners ( a full size bottle!)
16 A&H Refrigerator deodorizers
Coupons for a variety of ARM & HAMMER® products and an extra to pass on to a friend not at the party ( so 32)

And there was 1 coupon for a free laundry detergent and a free cat litter! I am guessing those are for me since there is just one. Or those are probably for prizes. haha!

Anyway, there are so many different kinds of parties that go on. I missed out on the Philadelphia Cream Cheese one - that would have been perfect for making the party food!

I havent set a date for my party yet ( you can use the date they suggest or pick your own) since we have had so much going on! October is crazy busy for us.
Let me know if you want to come! I'd love a house full of fun ladies for this!

I could use some help on ideas for "green" games and food. I am guessing I shouldnt use paper plates. (oops!)

So go sign up at house party, find a party you want to host, APPLY ( and when it asks how many people you talk to, round up ;) ) and wait to be picked! I hope you get to host a house party! Dont forget to invite me!

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

CVS week of Oct 26- Nov 1

Here are the best deals I see at CVS this week!

Also, the monthly deals will be ending on Friday. If you havent reached your limit- go get them! If they are out ASK FOR RAINCHECKS!

Weekly deals-

Free after ECBs

Buy 4 Soy Joy bars at $1 each get $4 ecbs back limit 1
there were coupons for b2g1 ang b1g1 in recent inserts
there's a printable here: http://www.soyjoy.com/specialoffers.aspx (for some reason it isnt letting me print it)

Novamax Blood Glucose monitoring system $9.99 w/ $9.99 back limit 1

Free after ECBS and/or coupons

Bic comfort 3 advanced 3 pk = $5.79 ( some stores have it $4.99) get $4 ecbs limit 4
There were $2/1 coupons in the Oct 12 paper and a sept paper
I got 3 last night! what a bargain!


There is also a special 8 pk of Advil PM liquigels on sale for 99c!
These are while supplies last. no rainchecks.
My store had them at the register.
You can use the $2 off coupon from a recent insert or print one here: http://www.advilpm.com/
FREE advil pm!
My cashier let me use 2 coupons on 4 pkgs since the coupon was over the amt!
It will depend on your cashier cuz the coupon really says "1 per purchase"
Some stores let you have the overage of coupons to apply towards other things and some stores adjust the coupon down to the amount of the item. In this case, 99c.

There is a buy $20 worth of various adult and kid cold supplies get $10 back, here's the best deal for that one that I see:
go to Kroger in mason, take 7 B1G1 coupons off of a tear off pad on the halls display

Go to CVS and get 14 bags of halls at $1.50 each
pay 10.50 get back $10

You'll be well stocked! haha!
OR add the 50c coupons from this past sunday's paper and I had some 35c ones from a few papers a long time ago and pay even less!
FYI you can use two coupons when you do a b1g1. 1 coupon per item. :)
You can also do coupons on a store's advertised b1g1.

there are other deals but those are the best i see for the week!


Monthly deals:

Thanks to www.moneysavingmom.com

******OCTOBER ECB DEALS******
Buy 1 WellPatch Arthritis Relief Pads (3-ct) at $5.99, Get $5.99 ECBs (Limit 5) Use $1/1 coupon from 7/13 SmartSource insert Free plus overage after coupon and ECBs
( I have heard that the stores are substituting others since they are sold out. )

Buy 1 CVS Vitamin D-400 (100-ct) at $2.99, Get $2.99 ECBs (Limit 1) Free after ECBs

Buy 2 Gatorade or Propel (20-24 oz), Get $1 ECB (Limit 5)

Buy 1 Colgate MaxFresh with Mouthwash Beads Toothpaste at $3.29 (my store has them for $2.99) , Get $2 ECBs (Limit 3)Use $1/1 coupon from 9/28 SmartSource insert free after ECBs
The register has also been spitting out coupons for this on the bottom the receipt. (called a CRT)
Toothbrushes are included too foro $2.99 I just got a CRT for $2 off the toothbrush too. I love free toothbrushes!

Buy 1 Ayr Saline Nasal Sinus Spray at $3.99, Get $3 ECBs (Limit 5)$0.99 after ECBs!

Monday, October 27, 2008

Monday...Monday... the new Kroger sales start today ( and a few other things)

Happy Monday!

Kroger's new ads start on Monday here.

After browsing the ad here are a few things i thought were a good deal.

  • Bananas are 38c/lb! WOW!! That's the best price i have seen in a long time!
  • 10lb bag of potatoes is $2.48 ! Defnitely a meal stretcher! I could eat them for EVERY meal and so could DS2, but DH isnt as crazy about them as I am so I have to get creative or sneaky.
  • 3 lb bag of apples (variety) = $1.88 lb My aim for fresh fruit is less than $1 /lb so this is a great deal!

  • Kroger buns are 10/$10 ( $1 each, you dont have to buy 10)

  • Ground beef ( not ground chuck) is $1.69/lb
  • one trick i do is buy 1 lb ground beef and one pound of ground turkey or chicken and mix them together. It is often cheaper than ground chuck/sirloin and healthier too! ( i do it with ground chuck/sirloin too sometimes.)

There are some Buy 1 Get 1 deals:

  • Kahn's hot dogs, smokies, brats
  • Hillshire Farm smoked sausage
  • Tyson Frozedn bags of Chicken Wings, Breasts or tenderloins
  • Eckrich Bologna pkgs ( not sure of the size)
  • Purdue fresh chicken ( although last time i bought this i was disappointed, it was gristly)
  • Nature Made Vitamins

  • Campbell's soups are still $1 each! combine this with several recent coupons for a GREAT deal!

  • Hot pockets , Lean pockets and Croissant pockets are 3/$5 ($1.66 each) there were recent coupons for 50c/1, doubled to $1 makes it 66c! I like these, although i know they arent the healthiest thing in the world! But for me that's a cheap, fast lunch or snack!
  • Healthy Choice and Marie Callender's frozen meals are 5/$10 ($2 each) That's the cheapest I've seen in awhile. The ad was unclear on what all is included. My Kroger had blinkie machines with coupons for the Healthy Choice.

  • 7up, RC and Sunkist 2 liters are Buy 5 Get 1 free - coming out to 79c each ( 94c separately) I think I will stock up for Thanksgiving!

  • Maxwell House coffee is $5.99 for the Lg container - my Kroger had $1 off 2 coupons in the blinkie machine in front of the shelf
  • Aquafresh is $1 each for select varieties. You can print 2 differnt kinds of coupons here http://www.aquafresh.com/ click on savings and special offers at the top (probably click your back button to print 2) I am not sure if these match the ones on sale or not, i will double check when I go to the store.

Tuesday ONLY special deals:

  • Kroger white buns 2/$1
  • Fritos or Cheetos $1.27
  • Big K 2 liters 39c
  • Tombstone pizzas $#1.99 ( i think there was a recent coupon but I'll hafta look)

and a few other things but ALSO there will be from 4pm to Midnight

  • store wide sampling
  • free cider and donuts
  • kids costume contest
  • trick or treat in store

I think we will go!

Happy Shopping everyone!

Sunday, October 19, 2008

It's Sunday- Do you know where the deals are?

If you don't get the Sunday paper - go out and buy one! Or three or four(like me) ...or... more!

Kroger has them on sale this month for 99c.



That may sound crazy to some, but when there is a GREAT coupon in the paper, i want more than one! I am a stock up kind of saver, so I get the deals when the deals are to be gotten.

I was devastated yesterday when we ran out of butter and i had to pay full price. (gasp!) I thought i had enough Land OLakes butter from the last time it was on sale at Kroger for $1 and I had several 50c off ( doubled to $1 so free butter! ) coupons! But no... :(



Anyway.... I just flipped through the paper quickly this morning since I didnt go to church. ( well for an hour as i sat on the back massager cuz i was in so much pain i could barely walk) We had a rough night...



Anyway, here's what i found. When you're out getting your papers, swing by CVS too.


They have some sales for today and Monday only!

ALL free after extra CareBucks (ECBS, which means you pay for it and then get that amount BACK to use next time you shop there)

Pumpkin pail $0.99 FREE after ECBS limit 2

Brach's Pumpkins, autumn mix, Indian or candy corn 10 oz. $1.29 FREE after ECBs limit 2

Funlight 6" smart light $0.99 FREE after ECBs limit 2


These ALWAYS go REALLY fast. I have found if you wait til Monday evening they are usually sold out.


There are more free after ECB's items this week too! woohoo!!

powerade 32oz $1.69 limit 1

Butler ToothBrush 2 pack $3.99 limit 5 these are for adults or kids ( cute crayon looking ones! )

Just for Men Touch of Gray $7.99 limit 1

there are free after rebate forms here: http://www.touchofgraycoupon.com/justformen/togCoupon.aspx?OfferID=1560 making this a BIG money maker


and these are free after ECBs AND coupons

$2 ecbs wyb Colgate toothpaste or toothbrush ($2.99 ) limit 2

$1.50 off Colgate Totla printable
$1.00 off Colgate Sensitve printable
$1.50/1 Colgate Advanced toothpaste from (exp 11/30/08) Oct. All You Mag
$1/1 Colgate Max fresh from all you mag
$1/1 Colgate Manual Toothbrush from All you mag
1.00 off q in the CVS RIB coupon booklet. ( i have yet to find these)
$1.50 Colgate Total coupon from ALL you October that expires 1-31-09
$1.00 off from CVS receipt


and a good deal on baby stuff

Spend $25 get 10.00 ecbs: (limit 1)
q-tips $2.49 (recent insert had a coupon)
Huggies jumbo pack $9.99 ( recent paper had $1 off and I got $1.50 off in the mail. sign up at their website to get coupons in the mail!)
Similac Advanced formula 23.2 oz $23.99 ($1 off in the 10-12 paper)
Huggies (42-80ct) or Playskool cottony cloths (80 ct) wipes $2.79 (50c huggies off expired yesterday- my CVS takes esps up to 1 week. Sign up at http://www.verybestkids.com/ to get playskool coupons, there are some printables right now)
Johnson's baby powder, lotion, oil, wash, shampoo 6.5-15 oz, balm 0.5oz, bedtime washcloths 4ct, or Desitin original 2 oz $2.99 ($2 off 2 and $3 off 3 from a recent insert, though the 3/3 would be better at Kroger, will explain later, peelables on baby wash bottles for $1 off desitin)
Gerber baby food, cereal, or juice 25% off (sign up at their site to get coupons in the mail)

thanks to http://www.afullcup.com/ for the lists and the coupon matches




FREE SHAMPOO at WalGreens

Pert Plus 13.5 oz is on sale for 3.49 use the $2 coupon from the WAlgreens easy saver booklet ( at the front of the store) and the $1 off coupon from today's newspaper inserts and get it for FREE!!! plus 1c overage!

I dont see any limit in the ad on this, but the walgreens coupon usually says limit 3. (you only neeed one walgreens coupon and it takes the $ off all 3 items)
So for the price of three newspapers = $2.97 you can get 3 shampoos too!

I will warn you though that these have been scarce at my stores lately cuz the sale has been going on all month. There are $2 coupons from a previous paper too so people have been getting it free plus overage.

If your store is out GET A RAINCHECK! I have saved lots of money at several places by getting rain checks. You dont have to miss a sale!

Gilette razors - Fusion and Embrace are 8.99 with $4 back in Register rewards (like CVS's extracare bucks).
There was a $4 coupon off the fusion in the October P&G newspaper insert. After RR's - 99c for a fusion razor is a good deal.

Alka seltzer plus cold 20 ct is on sale for $4.99 with $4.99 back in RRs! maling it FREE after rr's! I believe there are coupons for these...but i have to look.

They have quilted norhtern on sale for $4 for nine rolls, there was a recent $1 off coupon out there are *i think* there is a $1 off in the ewasy saver booklet. $2 toilet paper!





Target has the large size Folger's coffee on sale for $5. There were 25c coupons in the Oct P&G insert....i know, not much but every little bit helps!

They also have printable coupons on their website http://www.target.com/ scroll to the bottom where it says super target coupons
http://sites.target.com/site/en/supertarget/page.jsp?title=coupons_specials
You can print these in the store at their kiosks too!save ink and paper!
But there is a $1 off lipton tea. I used NINE of these the other day and got several pkgs of tea.
There are 99c 4 pks at the registers of green tea on the go.
there are 16 count packs of tea bags in the regular aisle for $1.09
I combined these with 60c off manufacturer coupons from a paper a long time ago and got $1.60 off the larger packs of on the go ( $2.48) and larger packs of tea bags.
yay for free tea!

Well, this was longer than i thought it'd be! haha!

I will come back later and give you some more tips on saving and coupon resources as well as other store deals with each store in its own post.

Happy Sunday!

:)
Amy

Friday, October 17, 2008

Here I am!

Welcome to my blog!
I can't believe I am doing this!!!!
My passion for savings and deal finding has driven me to "blogging" on the www! I cant believe it!

So if you are like me and want to "never pay full price!" then join me in the blogging adventure!

I want to give thanks to Jamie at http://www.thriftyinthecincy.blogspot.com/ for inspiring me to do this! even though she didnt know it! haha!

You will find that I will share my deals that I find from scouring the web and the stores. I will give credit where credit is due! I find most of my deals through Jamie's site, http://www.moneysavingmom.com/ and http://www.afullcup.com/ and sometimes http://www.hotcouponworld.com/

My favorite coupon sites are http://www.coupons.com/ , http://www.smartsource.com/, and individual companies who occasionally offer coupons.
I also like http://www.shortcuts.com/ and http://www.pgesaver.com/ where you can load coupons to your kroger card and then they automatically come off at the register! For now, you can double these with manufacturer coupons.

My favorite stores for saving are CVS, Walgreens, Kroger, Target and sometimes Meijer.

I like free samples in the mail especially when it comes with coupons!

And I like to save money on big purchases too like the TV we had to buy in June. (found a 10% best buy coupon!)

Well, for tonight, that is all....but I promise to start the money saving for all of us ASAP!

I look forward to hearing from anyone who wants to join me and NEVER PAY FULL PRICE!

:)
Amy