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Sunday, January 31, 2010

I am in LOVE with Walgreens this week


I usually prefer CVS, but Walgreens has won over my heart this week. At CVS there is only one great deal. But at Walgreens, their cup runneth over!

Here's what my trips looked like today:

I paid 14.15 out of pocket in cash for the following items:
4 30-day supply of Joint Juice (good for Kenn)
4 Johnson and Johnson Baby Lotion (scent free)
2 packages of Scalpicin wipes
3 packages of Blink Gel Eye Drops
2 Valentine Gift bags
1 Milkly Way Simply Caramel Bar
3 Valentine Ring Pops
2 DayQuil cold medicine packs
2 Nyquil Cold medicine packs
2 Puffs tissues
1 Zicam Cold Sore Remedy Creme

Yes - 14.15 OUT OF POCKET for ALL of the ABOVE!!!!!
And I started with 10.00 in Rapid Reward Bucks, and I now have 27.00 in Rapid Reward bucks. So, let's do the math.

27.00 RR - 10.00 RR that I started with = 17.00 RR - 14.15 cash paid = 2.85 OVER!!!!
I got all of the above free and actually came out 2.85 ahead.

Even if you don't count the Rapid Rewards, it's an amazing deal to get all of the above for only 14.15 out of pocket.

Why you MUST get this week's Sunday Paper!



This week is a "must" for the Sunday paper. With it, you can make money at Walgreens and it has many "staple" item coupons (butter, spaghetti sauce, etc)that can be tripled at Kroger or Albertsons for great savings later.

I strongly recommend you get at least 2 papers this week (I got 7 - one to preview yesterday, and 3 bundles today - you save on the bundles, it's 2.89 for 2 papers, instead of 2.00 each).

With 2 papers you can make money at both CVS and Walgreens. Here's how:

At CVS, clip out the Dove Men's Body and Face wash coupon (1.25 off) Go to CVS and use your Extra Care Card to buy the body wash. It is priced 5.49, but with the coupon you will pay 4.24. After you pay, you $5.49 in Extra care bucks will print out. You are allowed to get 2 of these deals! That means you can make 2.50 at CVS this week.


Note: At Walgreens, you will only get 1 Register Rewards per item for each transaction. So if you want to get 2 of the Blink Eye Drops you MUST do them in seperate transactions. I usually go to one Walgreens and then go to another.

At Walgreens there are several money makers and freebies.
Using this week's paper you can get 2.00 off Blink Gel Eye Drops. They are on sale at Walgreens for 7.99 with 7.99 in Rapid Rewards. So you will pay 5.99 and get 7.99 in rapid rewards back!
You can also get money back using a coupon for 5.00 off any Accu-Check diabetic meter. It has a mail in rebate, so you will make 5.00 or more if you are willing to wait for your rebate check.
Scalpicin is also on sale this week at Walgreens. Go here to print out a 1.00 off coupon for Scalicin. You can print it twice. So you can make 2.00 off this.

You can also get 2 Joint Juice Products for free. They are "free" this week at Walgreens (10.00, with 10.00 Rapid Rewards). So you can get 2 for free buy using the Buy One Get One Coupon (DO NOT do the 50 percent off, it is only good at the online store for Joint Juice)

There is also a GOOD deal on Vicks Products. You can buy $20 in products and get $10 back. In the paper earlier this month (I think last week) there were 2.00 off any Dayquil or Nyquil product. They are on sale for 5.00 each, so if you buy 4 you will be at $20.00, minus the 8.00 in coupons is 12.00, minus the 10.00 rapid reward (use your reward from the Joint Juice above!), it will be 2.00 out of pocket for all 4 items!!! I am also going to see if they will let me combine this with the "buy 2 vicks, get free Puffs" coupons, and if so, then it will be an even better deal!

Found some Extra "hidden" deals at Kroger


At my trip to Kroger I found a great "hidden deal"

The Krusteaz Bakery Style Cookie mix is on sale this week for 1.49. If you have been saving coupons for a while, you should have 1.00 any Krusteaz cookie mix. I picked up two boxes for 49 cents each!

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Great deals at Kroger this week! **Bonus Coupons!

Today I had to make a run to Kroger to get bread, milk, lunch meat and other neccessities. As I was there I found TWO bonus deals:

1. - Zip-loc containers. They are already on sale for a great price (less than 2.00 before coupons), but what made it better was that someone had placed a 1.00 off any Zip-loc container product. I was able to get two for 1.25 each, and one for 99 cents! So I spent 3.49 for 3 Zip-loc container packages AND I am sending off for the $5 rebate from SC Johnson (you get $5 back when you buy 3 participating products, and there a lot).
You've got plenty of time for this rebate, as it's good until June. This is a great "money maker" deal if you can stand to wait just a little bit for your money back.

2. They were giving away free samples of Totino's pizza and Toaster Strudel. The Pillsbury Toaster Strudel is on sale right now for 1.77 and with the free samples they were giving out 1.00 off one coupons! So I picked up two packages as a "gift" to the kids. I am willing to pay 77 cents for them, since the kids like them so much.

Update on Target Shopping Trip

I sent an email off to the Target corporate offices about my experience yesterday with the cashier and manager who did not want to accept coupons.
I got a very polite and timely response (Thanks Target!) that apologized and explained the following coupon policy:

We (Target) use the following guidelines:

- We accept two kinds of coupons: Target-issued and manufacturer-issued.
- We'll accept one Target coupon and one manufacturer coupon for the same item, unless either coupon prohibits it.
- We can't give cash back if the face value of a coupon is greater than the purchase value of the item; in this case, we're able to adjust the value of the coupon to equal the price of the item.
- We can't accept coupons from other retailers, or coupons for products not carried in our stores.
- All valid coupons should be presented to the cashier while you're checking out.


So I am printing this out and heading up there later to have a little chat with the manager. They should know their own store's policies! And Target WILL adjust coupons so you can get free items (just like they have always done...except this one time).

The response also gave me a number and contact person to call, which I will later today.

Friday, January 29, 2010

Freebies in the mail this week :)


This week I got a LOT of reading material in the mail. I received several free magazines (Cosmopolitan, Car and Driver, Parents, and American Baby) as well as two calendars. I also got two nice sized free samples. One was Lubriderm lotion and the other was a Green Works laundry detergent sample.

Did you get any freebies in the mail? If so, send me a picture or a leave a comment telling me what you got!

What's Free for my family today?



I went to Target today, since the kids had dental appointments and I had a little extra time.
I was able to get some great deals, although I did have to ask for a manager because the cashier didn't want to even scan my coupons. (That cost them a letter to the home office - I am famous for my letters.)

Free(no cost after coupons)
Johnson Buddies soap, SlimFast 6 count chocolate bars, Johnson and Johnson Band-Aids to go (2 of these), Hello Kitty Band-Aid packets (4 of these), Renu contact solution (2 of these), Johnson's baby bath/wash

Very Cheap deals I found
Extra gum 3 pack - 79cents
Ball Park Turkey franks - 89 cents
Uncle Bens Ready rice - 24 cents
Barilla Plus pasta (2 packages) - 75 cents each

They also had their grapes on sale for a reasonable seasonal price of 1.49 lb. So I picked up some of those.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Finding Some Freebies!

This afternoon was a bit rough. What I thought would be a quiet afternoon of testing and scoring ended up being an afternoon spent with what seemed like one hundred first graders (in actually I think there were 18).So, I am giving myself some "chill" time and found a good freebie that I had not come across before.

Another new-to-me free sample is for Ensure. They will ask some questions, but you can honestly answer them and still get the free sample. You can ask for the free sample coupon to be mailed to you or you can print it out.I like mine mailed to me :)

Another site that I don't visit nearly enough is Johnson's Baby Site. They have great coupons on there and "reload" them frequently, so check back at least once every couple of weeks. I am excited about these because I got some great Target Store coupons in the mail yesterday for Johnson's baby products, Desitin, and more. Using both the store coupons and the manufacturing coupons should enable me to get some free items!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Free groceries from Kroger and CVS




I went to the stores today (Kroger, CVS, and Walgreens).




At Kroger I was able to get the following free after coupons (no out of pocket at all) - 4 Birds Eye Frozen veggies, 1 Always Infinity, 1 GatorAde, 1 Hormel Pepperoni, and 1 Pillsbury Cinnamon rolls.


At CVS I got the following free after coupons (no out of pocket) - 1 pack of Ivory soap, 2 packages of cough drops.


I also got a GREAT deal on make-up at CVS. I got 2 blushes for 25 cents after coupons (they were 75 percent off and I had a 1.00 off coupon). I also got mascara and eye shadow for an amazing price (less than 1.00).
CVS is also have a great deal on Dove Ultimate Deodorate, so I snagged some of those!




I also was able to get the following "deals"




Walgreens: this week they have their Olay Quench body lotion on sale for 7.99 AND you get a free Olay Quench bath lotion FREE with purchase. So it's 7.99 for both - but it gets better! I had coupons that were 2.00 off any one Olay lotion, so my total for BOTH was 3.99! I did this twice, so I got 2 lotions and 2 bath lotions for 7.98! What makes it better is that Olay is offering a REBATE on 2 Olay Quench Lotions, so I am mailing that off and will get 15.98 back from Olay (you get your purchase price, which for me was 7.99)!!!!! So I paid 7.98 for 4, and in 6 weeks I will get back a check for 15.98 - I am making money to use Olay Quench!!!!! You too can do this deal. Just click here for the rebate. If you live near me, I have extra 2.00 coupons and will be glad to share on a first come, first serve basis. Just let me know.


Also at Walgreens, there is an AMAZING deal on Benefiber. If you buy $30 worth, you get $10 back in Rapid Rewards. The Benefiber is on sale for $5.00. Walgreens has a 2.00 off coupon (and it multiplies automatically). I found a benefiber coupon online for 2.00 off (you can print twice) and there are 1.00 off coupons from the newspaper. So, this is how the transaction went - 30.00 - 12.00 in walgreens coupons, -8.00 in manufacturer coupons= 10.00, with a 10.00 rapid reward, so it's FREE!




At CVS they have a great Rebate offer for Dulcolax ( it's a money maker). It's on sale for 10.99 and you will get 5.00 Extra care bucks after purchase. There are 3.00 off coupons with a 5.00 rebate form . So I paid 7.99 (I used Extra Care Bucks from a previous week's purchase) and got back 5.00, which meant that it cost 2.99. I am sending the 5.00 rebate off and soon I will be 2.00 richer AND have the product.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Free Grocery Shopping Items


Today I went grocery shopping (mini-shopping trip with Callie, our 2 year old). I first went to Kroger and picked up 3 bottles of Gatorade. After my 1.00 off coupons, they were free. I also picked up my free Digiorno pizza from Kraft First taste. which is a great website by Kraft that will peridically offer free samples.
I also went by CVS for a quick trip to see what was printing out of the Extra Care Card Scanner and got a 1.00 off any hand or body lotion coupon. So I picked up an Aveeno trial size bottle for .99 and got a nice free bottle of lotion.
I also went by Wal-Mart and picked up a few more Renu contact lens solutions bottles (which are a money-maker, since they are only 1.47 and you get 2.00 off with the Renu coupon).
I was able to print 2 out at a time (2 per email address, 4 per computer/printer). These can make great items to put in the Troop Care Packages! If you aren't going use the coupons, PLEASE print them out and I will use them and give you the items or put them in the Troop boxes at our school. Don't let free offers go to waste!
I also picked up some very cheap (but not free) Post-its. Wal-mart had post-its for a1.28 and I had 3 coupons for 1.00 off one package.
I did also find a good deal on Beech Nut "Let's Grow" mini-meals. They were on sale for 1.08 and I had 1.00 off one coupons. So I grabbed six chicken and stars packages for Callie. If she won't eat them then I will give them to the Community Storehouse which will always be glad to take your unwanted freebies!
I also picked up my last Thermacare from CVS.

Friday, January 22, 2010

Have you Joined Survey Head Yet?


I have made 46.00 so far on Survey Head in a little over a month. And I do this in my very limited spare time. I strongly encourage you to join www.surveyhead.com if you haven't already.

Summing up This Week's Free Samples and Fun





This was a great week as far as free went.
Each day the mail contained free items including:
2 magazines (Parents and Weight Watchers)
samples of Pull-Ups
Vitamin E sticks
Slim fast bar
Bounce dryer sheets
sugar substitute
and more!

I also used two great coupons to get free (actually more than free) items at Wal-mart. One was a coupon for Renu: http://www.renu.com/
which meant that I got 2.00 off a product that was 1.47!
I also used the Starkist Tuna coupons from VocalPoint (you will need to sign up for VocalPoint, which is a good tester site) to get 1.00 off tuna pouches that cost 93 cents. So I came out of Wal-Mart with four free items and actually had 1.20 off the book I was wanting.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Great Walgreens deals at the end of the month


This week Walgreens had a couple of good deals (free Wet Ones wipes and Theraflu/Lipton, as well as Neosporin products).

Next week, not so much...

On the 31st I only see one great deal.

Colgate Max Fresh is also on sale at Walgreens (and CVS) for 2.99 with 2.00 Rapid Rewards (RR). Combine this with the 1.00 coupon and it's free (or combine with the 75 cents off at colgate.com for a good deal as well)

Puffs tissues are on sale as well that week for 89 cents, which is a good price. You can combine this with a 25 cent coupon from the newspaper to get a good deal (good, but not free....).

Get Ready for CVS deals (1/31)


This week was a very "slow" week at CVS with no great deals to be had (unless you want a lot of Pepsi...but it wasn't for me).
Next week is not great either - I think because they are still running their monthly deals (which were great!) on SoyJoy bars, Oust, and other items.
BUT starting on the 31st of this month, there are finally a couple of great deals to be had.
1. Dove Men's care products are 5.49 with 5.49 Extra Care Bucks (ECB) - this means that it's FREE! You can get 2 of these. Want to make a great deal better - you can combine this with coupons to make this a Money maker (mm) deal!
https://secure.dove.us/mencare/Offers.aspx is the place to find 1.00 off Dove Men's products, so you can make some money and get some things for your honey :)
2. Colgate Max Fresh toothpaste is 2.99 with 2.00 ECB - so it will cost 99 cents. Combine this with the 1.00 off coupon in last weeks newspaper and it's FREE! The limit is one. If you don't have last week's (1/18) paper, then go to www.colgate.com and look under Special Offers for a coupon for 75 cents off - still a great deal on toothpaste.
3. This one is only good if you need and use ITunes. You can buy a $50 ITunes gift card and get 10$ in Extra Care Bucks.

So - get ready and I'll see you at CVS!

Sophie's new bed set


Here is Sophie's new bed set. It was on sale at Target and looks really cute. Sophie loves things "just so" (at least her bed, the rest of her room is another story). Isn't it cute?

What was in YOUR Mail today?


Wow! Today was a AMAZING mail day for me! It was difficult waiting TWO days for mail (Sunday and Monday, since Monday was the MLK holiday). But it was worth the wait.

Here's what was in my mail today(Yes, just today!):
1. a FULL SIZE sample of 5 hour energy and 5 hour energy extra. How did I get it? Simple - I emailed the company (5 Hour Energy) and told them how much I enjoy their product. That's it - I didn't even ask for the samples. Are there products you like? Have you told them? You would be surprised by what you will get in return for you kind comments.
I truly do enjoy 5 hour energy. It is a great way to get a little caffine in the morning for minimal calories and it has a lot of B vitamins. I haven't had any "crashes" or "jittery" feelings with 5 hour Energy. I do personally recommend this product.
2. A sample of Nature Made Triple Flex for joints. I got this just by going to Wal-Mart.com and looking at their free samples - this is a great way to get free samples for almost no effort. Just go here: http://instoresnow.walmart.com/In-Stores-Now-Free-Samples-And-Tools.aspx3. Slim fast bars from Wal-Mart.com
4. Free Parents magazine
5.Free sample of Bounce from Sam's Club (no membership required, just visit their site)
Well - I think that's a great mail day.
Please share what freebies were in your mail this week!

Monday, January 18, 2010

A New (and Unexpected) place for FREEBIES



I found new store where GREAT deals are to be had. Can you guess? No "reward bucks", no "loyalty cards" - straight FREE items (after coupons).
It's TARGET!
Yes - Target. How? Because Target issues their own store coupons which you can COMBINE with manufacturer coupons.
I went to Target today because on Friday I got a Target Coupon booklet in the mail. Inside were some great coupons on Burt's Bees products, Colgate Toothpaste, and more.

So, I searched online for other Target coupons and came up with two FREE items and a few VERY CHEAP items.

Free (No out of pocket expense to me at all!!!!)
1. Burt's Bees soap (Target had a 3.00 off any item over 3.50. I had a Burt's Bees 1.00 off any non-lip item. The soap is 3.99, minus 3.00 from target, and 1.00 from Burt's Bees themselves. I actually made a penny!
2. Nivea Body wash. Target has a 1.00 coupon on any Nivea item. I had a 2.00 off Body wash coupon from Nivea (in Sunday paper). It is on sale for 2.99. Take off the 1.00 from target, and the 2.00 Nivea, and it's FREE (actually plus a penny again for me!)

I then found a great deal on toothpaste. Colgate Max Whitening was on sale for 1.79. I had a 1.00 off coupon and a 75 cents off Target coupon. So I got it for 4 CENTS!

I also had to get some shampoo for my teeenage son. He will only use shampoo not deemed too "girly". I found Pantene 2 in 1 (Classic Clean) for 3.29 each - 6.58 for 2. I had a 3.00 off Pantene, so that was 3.58 for 2, then Target had a 2.00 off coupon, which makes it 1.58 for 2 Pantene (so 79 cents each!). I think that's pretty good for Pantene.
I also got two Healthy choice meals for a reasonably good deal - they were 1.75 each (which is a good price already) and I had 1.75 in coupons, so I paid 1.75 for 2. Much cheaper than the cafeteria lunch :)
I then went over to the Cat Treat Aisle and made a great deal. Purina Temptations were on sale for 1.49 and I had a buy one get one free coupon. That brought it down to 1.49 for 2. I then had 1.00 off coupon from target, so I paid 49 cents for both!!!!
I had to get something for the dogs, since I got our cat something. I found Cesar's treats on sale for 2.99. I had a 1.00 off coupon and a 1.00 off target coupon. So I paid 99 cents for them. They are high quality and great for training (the perfect size for teaching a new trick).

So - I plan to go to Target more often, especially with deals like these.

If

CVS and "Rain Checks" - making a good deal even better

I have had a rain check for Thermacare heat wraps at CVS for over a month now. I have been waiting and waiting for them to be in stock. There was a great deal back in December that you could get up to 5 thermacare heat wraps for 2.49 with 2.49 ECB (which makes them FREE).
I went all week and they were out, so I finally asked if they did rain checks. (Note - my Walgreens says they don't do rain checks on rapid rewards, so I was hesitant to ask, as I thought the answer would be NO). I was surprised that they do! The clerk wrote out a rain check for the 5 Thermacare heat wraps.
I found one heat wrap at the closest CVS to my house. To my glee I got 3.00 in ECB back! (I only paid 2.49).
I then went and found three more at another and got back 8.00 (paid 7.47).
So, being paitent does pay off. I am getting back more than I expected. The clerk said it (the register) rounds it up to the next dollar....good for me!)
So - once I find that last Thermacare, I will have made 1.55!

This makes me almost want to wait until later in the week and HOPE they are out, so I can get rain checks :)

Sunday, January 17, 2010

What to do on MLK day? Go to Walgreens and get FREE stuff

Want to know what to do on your day off? Try going to Walgreens!

You will need to do the following FIRST.

Go here:
http://www.theraflu.com/index.shtml
and print out one or more (usually the limit is 2) Theraflu coupons. You will need ONE coupon for this deal (you can do the deal more than once if you want to).

Then go here:
http://www.wetones.com/wo_couponregistration.asp
and "take the pledge" which will allow you to print out two coupons for Wet Ones. You will need BOTH (2) coupons for this deal. If you don't want to do the deal, print them out anyway and give them to Karen :)

Lastly, go here:
http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=qjalfgr5237947&bt=vi&o=58843&c=LH&p=fKqxGeu4
to print out TWO (2) Neosporin coupons. You will need two for this deal.

Now, head to Walgreens.
Enter the store with your printed coupons (2 Wet Ones, 2 Neosporin, and at least one Theraflu).
Go to the Pharmacy area. Find the "Diabeties/Diabetics" magazines. It is beige. It is free and usually hanging near the other free pamphlets. Ask if you can't find it.
Look in the free Diabetes magazine for a $2.00 off Walgreens coupon for Theraflu (sugar free). Get this coupon!

Now - pick up the following:
One box of Theraflu Sugar Free (6 count)
One box of Lipton Tea bags
Two Wet Ones canisters/containers (40 count)
Two Neosporin Lip products

Hand to the cashier like this:
First transaction: Two Wet Ones with coupons - pay the cash for them (1.00 out of pocket). You will get back 1.00 in register rewards.
Second transaction: One box of Theraflu Sugar Free and one box of Lipton Tea bags - give Walgreens coupon FIRST, then the printout. Try to give the 1.00 register rewards (it may not work, since they sometimes count this as your "third coupon"). You can either pay the $3.00 out of pocket OR pick up a very cheap (like 25 cents or less, usually a votive candle or Christmas candy that's at 90 percent off - I got several for 5 cents). You will pay either $3.00, or 2.00 and 1.00 register reward. You will get back 4.00 in register rewards (so either way you JUST made 1.00!!)
Now - pay for the Neosporin - give the coupons and again, if you see something CHEAP and/or something you "need" add it, so you can use your rewards here.
The Neosporin after coupons will be $2.00.

So - if you pay Out of Pocket on all 3 transactions (and save your rewards for next week, when you won't have to pay out of pocket at all!!!!)- then you have spent 6.00 and gotten 1 Theraflu, 1 Lipton, 2 Wet Ones, and two Neosporin. You will have $8.00 in register rewards, which you can use like cash next time. So basically, you just made 2.00 AND got all that stuff. And next week will be even more fun because your out of pocket will be less (if any)!

*****Look around for any really cheap stuff (like votive candles for 10 cents, or anything else you see at a GOOD price that you want)in case you need fillers. Remember that Walgreens is picky about one main thing - your number of coupons cannot exceed your number of items, and they do count register rewards as coupons.

Emergen-C Chance to Win IPOD and other great items


http://survey.emergenc.com/refer-jan-10.php

Follow the link above to Go to Emergen-C's refer a friend website. If you give them 3 valid email addresses, you will be entered into a chance to win an IPOD and Emergen-C gear. Your friends will then be invited to try Emergen-C free!

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Rebate from SC Johnson $5


You can use this link to print out a rebate form to get $5 back from SC Johnson. You will need to purchase 3 SC Johnson items including: ZipLoc, Glade, Saran, Scrubbing Bubbles, Shout, and Pledge. Since Glade and ZipLoc are often on sale for less than 2.00, this could mean you can get some "free" items!

Here is the link: http://www.scjohnson.com/files/Rebate_Form.pdf

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Want to Earn a little money or get free products?



Over the Christmas break, I signed up for a few survey sites. I have found some to be useful, and others not so much :)

Here are my recommendations. (If you want to join and it asks you who referred you, please give my name or contact me if you need my username)

1. Ipsos I-Say - this website does not give out "cash", but through it I have already gotten accepted for 2 programs where I have been sent items to try and give my opinion. The items ranged from personal/beauty products to food. You also earn "points" when you complete surveys and you can redeem your points for things. I haven't redeemded any points yet, so I can't comment on that part, but I am very pleased with the offers and freebies I have gotten through the surveys.

2. Surveyhead - I really like this site. I have already made over 40.00 on this site. My mom tried it and has not been so lucky, so I guess it depends on your profile. This one pays out cash via PayPal or you can donate your earnings to credible organizations. The only negative is that you have to "earn" 25.00 before you can "cash out" and actually get your money.

3. Dollar Surveys (.net) - This site is one of my favorites, but it is "hit or miss". Sometimes you complete most of a survey and then it suddenly tells you that you didn't qualify. I have gotten 14 dollars right into my PayPal account this week from them! They pay weekly, even if it is just 1.00, which is also nice.

4. You Data (this one does referrals - my username is granthamkk) - this one I am hesitant to refer. You will get paid weekly, directly to PayPal, no matter how low the payout. But the payouts are low. My first week I made about 2.00. The week after, around 1.00. Last week I made only 30 cents. You get paid to look at ads, but a lot of times there are no ads to view.

Stacy's Pita Chips Review


A few weeks ago I posted that Stacy's Pita Chips was giving away coupons for a free bag of chips if you became a fan on facebook. I recently recieved my coupon and hope you have also recieved yours (they are shipping out over the next couple of weeks, so don't worry if you haven't yet).
My mom and dad tried the original/plain version and were very dissatisfied. My mom kept saying it tasted like cardboard, even with dip.
I steered away from that flavor and opted for the Tuscan herb chips. They are sold at my local grocery store (Kroger) for 3.99 a bag. They were on sale this week for 3.49 (BONUS - my coupon was for 3.99 off and I got the full 3.99 off, not just 3.49!!!)
I opened the bag tonight. I must first say that it is a small bag and is a lot more expensive when compared to other "chips".
There are 130 calories per serving (7 chips) and the chips are thick and a nice size. Seven chips would be a large "snack" - very fulfilling.
The Tuscan Herb Pita chips were tasty. I would definitely recommend that you try this flavor with your free bag coupon.

So, what's the verdict? I really enjoy this chip and it seems to be a healthier alternative to the potato chip. But is it worth the price? To me, right now, no. But I am working on frugality and 4.00 for an 8 ounce bag of chips is quite a lot. THere are 8 servings in a bag, so I guess when you think of it that way, it's really only 32 cents per serving, which seems reasonable.
If I have a coupon and find a good sale and could get a bag for around 2.00/2.50 I would buy these again, but keep them away from the kids (they don't appreciate them enough for the cost!).
Let me know what flavor you tried - and if you liked it.

New YoPlait Frozen Smoothies Review


Yoplait Yogurt sent me a coupon for a free package of the new Yoplait Frozen Yogurt Smoothie Mix. It is available in your freezer section. I am not getting paid to make this review, but the product itself was free.

Sophie, my daughter, and I tried the smoothies last night. There are a few different flavors and we tried Triple Berry. Each package makes 2 servings and was priced $3.19 at my local grocery store (Kroger).
We put the frozen mixture into the blender (you do need a blender for this) and added milk. We ended up adding more milk than it initially said because the smoothies were too thick. I guess we like ours thinner - it depends on whether you want to EAT it or DRINK it.
The taste was nice - very strong, berry flavor that was not too sweet or too sour. Both of us commented on the grainy texture of the smoothie though. I don't know if this is just true for the berry flavor, but it was distracting while eating.

I finished mine off, but Sophie left some in her cup.
All in all, this is something I would give one more try IF it's one sale and I had a coupon. The company did send me several 1.25 off coupons, so if you are interested in trying a flavor, let me know. I would not be willing to pay 1.50 plus per serving for it, but if you like smoothies and normally spend more than 1.00, this might be a good deal for you (with the coupon).

If you try it, leave a message and let me know what you think. Also, let me know if you would like a coupon.

For more info on the product: http://www.yoplait.com/products_smoothie.aspx

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Jello Mousse Temptations


Jello Mousse Temptations was nice enough to send me coupons for 5 free containers. After trying them out myself and sharing with friends and family, here is the verdict: THEY ARE AMAZING!
First, I didn't notice any aftertaste (from artificial sweeteners). One sampler was worried that a 60 calorie mousse would taste like a 60 calorie mousse - but this is not the case. These taste great and have a great texture as well.
The packages cost around 3.00 at my local grocer's and each package has 6 servings/containers. You can find numerous coupons for 50 cents to 1.00 off which makes this a better price.
To sum it up - this is something I will be buying in the future. Because I am so cheap though, I will wait until I have a good coupon or they are on sale.
Pros - great taste, texture, flavor, no aftertaste
Cons - small size (I guess this is why it is only 60 calories), cost

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Want to Win Something Instantly?

I love scratch-off lottery tickets - winning instantly is the best way to go!

Here are a few LEGITIMATE daily (so make sure you try each day!)Instant Win Sweepstakes going on right now.

The Melting Pot Restaurant is having a Valentine's Day giveaway.
http://www.meltingpotvdaysweeps.com/


Dole is giving away free bags of its salad and other great prizes:
http://www.supersaladslider.com/supersaladslider2010/front.do
You can win a Sears gift card at: http://sears.promo.eprize.com/januaryfamily/


AT&T is givng aways 100 dollar Visa cards instantly as well as a 10,000 grand prize.
http://att.promo.eprize.com/green2010/

Nabisco Double Stuff Oreos are having a giveaway right now as well:
http://www.nabiscoworld.com/oreo/dsrl/

You could win a Nature Valley T-shirt or granola bars:
http://generalmills.promo.eprize.com/nv2and3/

Do you want to try to win a subscription to Consumer Reports?:
http://consumerreports.promo.eprize.com/smartshopper/

Dove is giving away free bars of soap, simply click where it says Spin for Your Skin:
http://content.dove.us/dimensions/default.aspx

Take the Hill's Science Dog Food 3 Bag Challenge: There is an instant win game, and more great deals: http://www.feedingisbelieving.com/believe/3-Bag-Challenge-Form.html

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Want to Come to Walgreens with me tomorrow?

After looking at the ads, the only thing at CVS I will be getting is a free box of Puffs. I have a 1.00 off coupon and they have it on sale for .94.
Walgreens has a few deals good enough that I am willing to shop there, even if they are a little more irritating to deal with (their coupon rules are much more stringent than CVS and they tend to be less friendly as well).
1. Colgate toothpaste (MaxFresh) is on sale for $2.99 with a 2.00 Rapid Reward (this means it "costs" .99). I have a 1.00 off coupon. So more free toothpaste!
2. Nivea hydrating shower gell is on sale for $4.99 with a 2.00 rapid reward (this means that "costs" 2.99). I have a 2.00 off coupon, so I MIGHT get this (not sure, as I know I can get it free if I wait, and I have 4 bottles already)
3. Thermacare Heat Wraps are on sale for 2.49 with 2.49 rapid rewards (so these are FREE). There is suppossed to be a coupon in Sunday's paper on these as well, but I have not verified it. Either way, I will definitely be picking up some of these.
NOTE - Because you CANNOT use Rapid Rewards on the same product (you can't use Thermacare Rapid Rewards on Thermacare). I will get the toothpaste, then the thermacare, then vice versa....... so it will be a couple of different transactions to get a few.
4. Triaminic Cough Strips are on sale 2 for 10.00, with a 5.00 rapid reward (so 2 for 5.00). I will have to check, but I believe I have one or two coupons that are 3.00 off one. I know I have a few 2.00 off one. So if I can find at least one 3.00 off one, this will be free.
5. They have their Post Cereals on sale for 1.75, which is a good price. I will pick some up if I have a coupon for at least .75 cents off one box.
6. Kleenex is on sale for 79 cents - a pretty good deal, especially if you have a coupon. I have a 50 cents off 3 - which makes it a little better.

So that's what I see in the ad. I will let you know what I actually get :)

Monday, January 4, 2010

Freebies in the mail today (and a good trip to Walgreens)




Today was the second mail day of the year and the second day I got free things in the mail. Today I got a free thermometer from CVS Minute Clinic. It was mailed in the most interesting plastic tube. I consider this a bonus gift!




I also decided to go to Walgreens tonight (I will try CVS tomorrow - no rush now that I know they do rain checks w/ Extra Care Bucks). They had no great "free" things, but I did end up with what I think is a great bargain. I purchased four packages (9 oz. each) of Oscar Meyer deli shaved ham, 2 packages of Kraft American Cheese Slices, a jar of Jif peanut butter, a squeezable container of Smucker's Strawberry spread, and there jars of Hunts Tomato Sauce for 10.0o (actually I think it was 9.99, but who's counting???). I consider this a good deal. What do you think?




I also checked into the "grocery salvage" stores around here. There is a local one off of Beach Street. I am considering going, but since they don't take coupons, I will probably only look for items that I don't often get coupons for that are at a "can't pass up" deal. I've been told there are no windows and lots of people - this is why I am considering NOT going.




Sunday, January 3, 2010

Coupons.com


Have you found Coupons.com yet?

Right now you can get a $5.00 off Sudafed coupon - and at Walmart they are running 4.99 - which means you can get free Sudafed triple action (behind the pharmacy counter). You can print up to 2 of each coupon.



Free Healthy, Tasty Cereal


http://www.barbarassamples.com/ - get a free sample of organic cereal and you can also sign up to be a part of their taste panel!

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Ready to Start the New Year by getting FREE stuff?

One of the easiest way to get free items is by signing up at well-known company websites.
Have you visited KRAFT http://www.kraftfirsttaste.com/foods lately? What about BETTY CROCKER? http://freeyoplus.yoplait.com/YoPlus2010/Default.aspx
(right now you can get a free sample of YoPlus Yogurt
http://www.yoplus.com/?WT.mc_id=paid_search_300401_636117&WT.srch=1)?
PROCTOR AND GAMBLE also offers free samples. I received free samples of Head and Shoulders shampoo, Olay Total Effects Body Wash, and more. If you haven't signed up at PROCTOR and GAMBLE http://www.pgeverydaysolutions.com/pgeds/index.jsp- do so right away, because on Jan. 11th they are "restocking" their free stuff, so you can sign up today and then check back on the 11th and get more free stuff. PILLSBURY also offers free items, samples, or coupons.

Free Stuff in the Mail!


I am planning on posting what I get free and keeping a log this year, so that I can know how much I saved this year.


Today was the first "mail" day of the year. In the mail I received a large can of Del Monte tomato sauce and Business Week magazine.


I wonder what Monday will bring?