Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Coffee-Mate coupon

Head over and "like" Coffee-Mate's Facebook page and print a $0.75 off any 1 Coffee-Mate product coupon.  Use it at a store that doubles, like Wegmans or Tops, and pair with a sale to get a good creamer deal...that is, if you're not swimming in coffee creamer after last week's $0.17 creamer stock-up sale at Tops! ;-)

Coupons are limited to the first 100,000.

Possible $10 Target gift card!

Are you a Target shopper?  Then you might want to head over to their Facebook page.  They have a link on their wall for a printable coupon: Spend $50 and get a free $10 Target gift card.

I will let you know up front that I had a very hard time getting this to print.  The first couple of times the screen froze, then I had a server error, and then several connection errors before it finally printed for me.  My guess is this offer is being printed by a ton of people and may not last much longer.  Good luck and happy shopping!

End-of-the-month reminder


Today is the last day of the month, so be sure to print out any Internet coupons from coupons.com, Red Plum, SmartSource, and Coupon Network in case they disappear tomorrow.  Hopefully we'll see some great new coupons for December!

New BOGO Dove chocolate coupon!

This morning I stopped in Tops to pick up some of their 10/$10 produce items.  While I was in the check-out lane, I noticed a tearpad attached to the candy shelves (for some reason, Blogger isn't letting me upload the picture) with "Get One Free (up to $0.69) when you buy any one Dove Chocolate Singles (1.16 oz. - 1.3 oz.)" coupons, with an expiration date of 2/29/12.  I didn't buy any because it looked like the Tops price was $0.99, which would make my second one not completely free.  However, I grabbed a couple and will see if Wegmans or Target sell them cheaper.  I think they'll be great stocking stuffers!

Update: Blogger seems to have resolved their earlier issue.  Here's the coupon to look for:

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

11/27 - 12/3 Tops deals

Let me start by saying that I found this week's Tops ad pretty unimpressive.  That being said, I did score a pretty awesome (although fairly small) haul today.  The only things I really, really wanted this week were the bread and lunchmeat featured in the ad.  Since those items required a $20 minimum purchase, I decided to use several of my coupons (and a raincheck) for free items to get my pre0coupon total up there without having to pay much out-of-pocket.  Here's what I walked away with today:

1 loaf of Tops bread - $0.88
On sale for $0.88 with the Tops in-ad coupon and $20 purchase

1 package Hillshire Farm Deli Select Ultra Thin lunchmeat - $2.49
On sale for $2.49 with the Tops in-ad coupon and $20 purchase

1 John Frieda precision foam hair color - FREE
Priced at $12.99, used coupon for a free hair color received via snail mail from the manufacturer

1 bottle Upstate Farms Intense milk singles - FREE
Priced at $1.49, used coupon for a free bottle received via snail mail from the manufacturer

1 carton YoCrunch Greek yogurt - FREE
Priced at $1.39, used Catalina coupon for a free carton that printed out at the register recently

1 half-gallon Tops apple cider - FREE
Priced at $2.50, used the coupon I received in the mail recently plus the raincheck the store issued last week when they had none in stock

1 Hatfield ham steak - $1.50
On sale 2/$5, used $1 coupon from the 10/16 Red Plum coupon insert (there was also one in the 10/9 Red Plum if you haven't used it already)

2 boxes of Dreamfields low carb lasagna noodles - $1.29 each
On sale for $2.29 each, used 2 $1 coupons printed from their website (sign-up required)
Note: This is higher than my typical pasta price point, but I was willing to pay more because it's more of a "specialty" pasta.

2 packages of Mission tortillas - $1.00 each
On sale 2/$4, used 2 $1 coupons I had gotten previously from a tearpad on the Mission display

The retail total was $39.49 and I paid only $7.79 after discounts and coupons for a savings of approximately 80% (I also used a Catalina coupon for $2.50 off your next purchase that I was given by a family member)!

Since I really like the bread and lunchmeat deals, I will probably go back later in the week and buy more tortillas (I still have several coupons) as well as some of their 10/$10 produce deals (back page of the weekly ad) so I can take advantage of those sales.

Lessons learned from today: 1) it pays to contact manufacturers with product feedback and to get on their mailing lists and 2) let friends and family know that you coupon and they may end up sharing some useful coupons with you!

One final note: If you are pomegranate fan, look for a POM tearpad in the produce section.  When I was buying my cider, I noticed the tearpad right below it on the cooler with coupons for $1 off any POM product.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Hot Old Navy deal from Groupon!


Groupon is offering a hot deal: get $20 worth of Old Navy apparel and accessories for only $10!  Great, right?  Well, it gets better...order through Ebates and get the deal PLUS earn 3.0% cash back!  If you're not already an Ebates member, sign up here then shop through the Groupon link to earn your cash back reward.

Just be sure to read the fine print: Limit 1 per person, may buy 1 addt'l as a gift. Limit 1 Groupon per visit. Purchase of Groupon may take up to 24hrs to process. Valid from 11/26-12/24/11 at US Old Navy Stores only. Product restrictions apply. Not transferable. Not valid for cash or cash equivalent. $20 minimum purchase required at Old Navy. Good for $20 of merchandise: $10 Paid For value (never expires) plus $10 Discount Offer value (expires 12/24/11).

New Muir Glen coupon = free organics!

Head over here (you'll need to register) and print a coupon for $0.85 off any flavor/variety Muir Glen product.  Once the coupon doubles, you'll be able to get FREE organic tomato sauce or tomato paste (or cheap diced tomatoes) at Wegmans!

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Holiday shopping with Ebates

Planning on doing some of your Black Friday shopping from your computer?  If you're not already an Ebates member, you will want to sign up and earn double cash back at over 500 stores this Friday.  All you have to do is search Ebates for the online retailer you're looking for (there are over 1000, including sites like Groupon, Lands' End, JC Penney, and Walmart just to name a few) then shop from their Ebates link.  Checks are mailed out quarterly -- I signed up earlier this year and have received 2 checks from them!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

11/21 Target shopping trip

It seems like it's been forever since I shopped at Target (the horror!), but there were a few deals that made it worth it for me to swing by yesterday:

1 Mossimo cardigan sweater - $5.99
On sale for $9.99 (which is a deal in itself, since the regular price is $19.99!), used $4 off any women's sweater Target coupon
I have access to 4 coupons, so I'm seriously contemplating going back and buying 3 more in different colors.  After the sale and coupons, it's almost like buying 1 at full price and getting 3 free!

1 package of up & up dental floss - $0.34
Priced at $0.84, used $0.50 off any up & up oral care item Target coupon
This will make a cheap (and useful) stocking stuffer!

1 jar of Market Pantry pasta sauce - $0.50
I box of Market Pantry pasta - $0.50
The pasta sauce is on sale for $1.00 (regularly $1.52) and the pasta is $1.00 (regular price), used $1.00 off when you buy both Market Pantry pasta and pasta sauce Target coupon

I also grabbed a bunch of dollar spot items (no coupons, but more cheap stocking stuffers!) and 2 games to be used as Christmas gifts (used the $5 off 2 coupon from the Target ad and also available here).  And to lower my out-of-pocket cost even more, I used a $10 Target gift card I received after signing up for EbatesI paid $30.94 after the gift card, and saved an additional $30.04 in sales and coupons!

Note: My Target doesn't carry Philadelphia cooking creme so I don't know the price, but there is a $1.00 Target coupon and a $1.00 printable manufacturer coupon a while ago (not sure if it's still available at coupons.com, but I had printed it already).  If your store stocks it, it may be a great deal after stacking both coupons!

More 11/20 - 11/26 Tops deals

I made another stop at Tops yesterday to grab a few more sale items:

12 bags of Birds Eye frozen steamfresh veggies - $0.67 each
On sale 10/$10, used 4 $1 off 3 coupons printed from here (must register)

4 International Delight coffee creamers - $0.17 each (I told you I was stocking up on these this week! And I still have coupons, so if I have time this week I may grab some more and keep my freezer well-stocked!)
On sale 3/$5, used 4 $0.75 coupons (double to $1.50) from here (see this post for a list of zip codes to use)

3 cans Dole tropical fruit - $0.67 each
On sale 10/$10, used $0.50 off 2 coupon from the November issue of All You magazine (there was also a coupon in the 11/6 SmartSource coupon insert.  Buying 3 also triggered a $0.50 Catalina coupon good on your next order.  It also printed out a $1 off 5 cans of Dole tropical fruit Catalina coupon.

3 cartons of Stonyfield Farm organic yogurt - $0.27 each, see note
On sale 10/$6, used $0.50 off 3 coupon (doubles to $1) printed from here (must register; this seems to allow only 1 print instead of the typical 2)
Note: I had also registered the e-coupon at SavingStar to get back $0.50 when you buy 3 which makes the final cost $.10 each!

I also bought some bulk items, which I had no coupons for but were on sale.

The total retail cost was $44.24 and I paid $17.28 after discounts and coupons, for a savings of approximately 61%.  I also now have a $0.50 Catalina coupon to use on my next trip and will get back an additional $0.50 from SavingStar, plus I am now up to a $0.90/gallon discount on gas. 

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Some 11/20 - 11/26 Tops deals

I swung by Tops today for 2 transactions.  Here is what I bought:

Transaction 1

2 bags 8 o'clock coffee - $2.99 each
On sale for $3.99 each, used 2 $1.00 coupons printed from here

1 bag T.G.I. Friday's Meals-for-One - $1.00
On sale for $2.00, used $1.00 coupon from the 10/23 SmartSource coupon insert

3 bottles of International Delight coffee creamer - $0.17 each
On sale 3/$5, used 3 $.75 coupons printed from here (there are a bunch of zip codes you can use to print multiples: 90210, 77477, 20010, 10022, 30013, 60013, 11793, 76114, 33602, 15801 - Thanks, Sarah Grace!). Plus, I registered for a $0.55 e-coupon at SavingStar, which makes one of my creamers a $0.38 money-maker! :-)

10 cans of Campbell's cream of chicken/mushroom soup - $0.59 each
On sale BOGO ($1.39), used $1.00 off 5 coupon printed from here

6 2-liters of 7-Up - $0.50 each (plus tax and deposit)
On sale 3/$4, no coupons used but these are part of a "buy 6, get $5 off instantly" Tops promo

2 10-packs Minute Maid juice boxes - $1.49 each
On sale for $3.49 each, used 2 $2.00 coupons I printed a while ago (no longer available and the coupons were expiring today)

I had planned to also get a free half-gallon of cider with the coupon I received in the mail last week, but they were all out.  I was able to get a raincheck, though. 

The total retail value was $55.16 and I paid $19.95 after discounts and coupons, for a savings of approximately 64%.  I also received 2 Dole Catalina coupons: $1.00 off any 1 frozen fruit cups and $0.75 any fruit smoothie shaker.

Since I had planned on getting 4 of the coffee creamers in the first transaction but realized at the check-out that I had accidentally left one of my coupons in the car, I decided to run back into the store afterwards and buy 4 more of them with coupons.  Total retail value of 4: $7.96.  Total paid after discounts and coupons: $0.67.  Amount saved: about 92%. Take that, Extreme Couponing!  ;-)

The shelf-life on the coffee creamer is longer than I thought it would be, so I'll be stocking up on them this week (I think I have something like 20 coupons).  After doing some research, it looks like it freezes well and I can use it in place of milk in some recipes, too (great for my one daughter who doesn't do well with milk).  There are also a few other deals I'd like to take advantage of this week as well, so I'll try to go back to the store tomorrow and update you all on my latest purchases!

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Board game coupon

Looking to buy some board games for holiday gifts?  Print a coupon from Scrabble's Facebook page for $5.00 off Scrabble Flash, Simon Flash, or Yahtzee Flash!

Free cider coupon!


If your weekly Tops ad comes in the mail, be on the lookout for the RedPlum mailer it comes in.  On the front of the one I received Thursday, there is a Tops store coupon for a free half-gallon of apple cider with any grocery purchase of $25 or more.  The coupon is valid though 11/26, so it will hopefully come in handy for everyone's Thanksgiving dinners!

Friday, November 18, 2011

Today is Mega Swag Bucks Day

Today is Friday, so you know what that means, right?  Every Friday is Mega Swag Bucks Day, where the chances of being rewarded large denominations of Swag Bucks is increased.  Go do your searches now!  I've been super busy all day, but I had to make time to earn my Swag Bucks today. :-)
 
Not familiar with Swagbucks?  Here's the deal:

Swagbucks is a search engine (like Google or Yahoo).  You are awarded points randomly (called Swag Bucks) when you search the internet, answer surveys, watch videos, play games, etc.  Once you sign up (it's free!), you can also refer friends and family and earn points from their referrals.

I normally earn my points through doing the web searches only (and really, who doesn't already do that?  Why not get rewarded for what you're already doing?). I seem to get points after my third or fourth search and I try to do it once in the morning and again in the evening.  When I earn points for a search, they are generally in the 7 - 10 point range.  Recently I've also done a couple of surveys and earned a bunch of points very quickly.  And every Friday is Mega Swag Bucks Day, where the odds of winning high-value Swag Bucks are increased.

Swag Bucks are redeemed in the Swagstore.  While there are a lot of things to choose from, my favorite item hands down is the $5 Amazon gift card for 450 points.  I know, that sounds like a lot of points, right?  I've only been using Swagbucks a short time (and as much as I try to get my search points twice a day, life often gets in the way or I forget) but I've already cashed in for $30 in Amazon gift cards that I plan to use towards Christmas gifts.  I figure by next year I'll be consistent enough about it that I will have quite a bit of free money to play with!

Interested?  Sign up at Swagbucks (remember, it's free) and start earning free stuff!

*Hot* International Delight creamer = $0.17!

Starting Sunday 11/20, International Delight creamer is on sale at Tops 3/$5 ($1.67 each).  Print out a $0.75 coupon here (use zip 90210 if you don't see it) and pay only $0.17 after the coupon doubles!  I wouldn't be surprised if this coupon disappears quickly, so you may want to print it out right away.

Update 1: When I was checking another zip code (77477) to see if I could find any other good coupons, I saw that this coupon appeared as being available for me to print another 2 copies!  Great news, since I have a lot of coffee drinkers visiting me next week for Thanksgiving.  :-)  So, if you need to stock up on creamer and have some free time, you may want to plug in some random zip codes to see if you can catch any others that reset this coupon.  If anyone finds any other zip codes that work, let us know in a comment!

Update 2: I logged into my SavingStar account and noticed that I had activated an e-coupon that will earn me a $0.55 credit for buying 1 International Delight creamer.  The limit is one, but that one will now be a money maker!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

11/13 - 11/19 Tops deals: part 2

As I mentioned earlier in the week, I had more grocery deals I wanted to take advantage of at Tops.  Today I was able to grab a few more items:
2 jars of Ragu pasta sauce - $1.67 each, see note below
On sale 3/$5, used the "buy 2 jars of Ragu, get a free box of pasta" coupon from the 11/13 Red Plum coupon insert

1 box Barilla jumbo shells - FREE, see note below
On sale 3/$5, used the above mentioned Ragu/pasta coupon
Note:  While 3/$5 for pasta sauce isn't a great price for me personally (I typically don't like to pay more than $1 per jar), I *needed* a box of jumbo shells and they can be pretty pricey.  I figured with the coupon, the combined price of the 2 jars of sauce and box of pasta was $3.33 or $1.11 each, which was a deal I was comfortable with.  Of course, I now notice on my receipt that the cashier only took off $1.00 for the pasta (the maximum value stated on the coupon was $1.75, so my full $1.67 should have been deducted).  Heh, so much for the best laid plans.

5 boxes of Scotties tissues - $0.80 each
On sale 10/$10, used the $1 off 5 coupon from a fairly recent coupon insert, but I can't find which one I cut it out of now (Sorry! Maybe another reader knows where it came from?)

2 cans Libby's pineapple chunks - $0.50 each
On sale 10/$10, used the $1 off 2 coupon from the 11/13 Red Plum coupon insert

3 boxes Green Giant frozen vegetables - $0.67 each
On sale 10/$10, used the $1 off 3 coupon from the 11/13 General Mills coupon insert

4 packages of Pillsbury refrigerated cookie dough - $1.95 each, see note below
On sale 4/$10, used 2 $1.10 off 2 coupons printed from here (it looks like there may no longer be any prints available for this coupon, but there is a $1 off 2 coupon in the 11/13 General Mills coupon insert which would make them $2 each)

1 gallon of Tops milk - FREE
Note: Tops is running a promo this week where you buy any combination of 4 select Pillsbury pie crust or cookie dough and get a free gallon of milk.  Since there is only one of these deals allowed per transaction and my kids can go through a crazy amount of milk, I'm actually planning on going back and buying 4 pie crusts with 2 $0.60 off 2 coupons (will double to $1.20 off, making them $1.90 each) here and getting another free gallon of milk.

2 Reddi-Whip toppings - $1.50 each
On sale 2/$4, used the $1 off 2 coupon from the 11/13 SmartSource coupon insert

3 cartons of Heluva Good dip - $0.67 each
On sale 3/$5, used 2 $1.00 off coupons from their Facebook page (note: these can be used on the Buffalo Wing flavor only) and a $0.50 coupon (doubles to $1) printed from here

My total retail value was $54.27 and I paid $20.21 after discounts and coupons (I also used my $5 Catalina from the Vanity Fair deal on Monday), for a savings of about 64%.  I have a few more purchases to make at Tops this week (and I wanted to buy them in a separate transaction to both maximize my gas points -- I'm at $0.60 off per gallon -- and be able to get another free gallon of milk), so I will most likely hit the store again tomorrow.

Monday, November 14, 2011

The egg coupon is back!

For a limited time, you can print a coupon for $0.55 off any 2 dozen eggs at the Incredible Edible Egg's Facebook page.  If you want this one be sure to print it soon, because this one has disappeared quickly in the past.  Take it a store that doubles, like Wegmans or Tops, to get the most bang for your buck!

11/13 - 11/19 Tops deals: part 1

I have 3 transactions planned for Tops this week, but due to time constraints I was only able to run out and complete one of them earlier today.  This trip consisted of:

1 22.35-pound Tops frozen turkey - $10.73
Priced at $37.77, discounted to $0.48 per pound when you buy an additional $25.00 in groceries

1 box of Reynolds turkey bags - $0.99
On sale for $1.99, used $1 coupon from the 11/13 SmartSource coupon insert

3 boxes of Swiss Miss hot cocoa mix - $0.92 each
On sale 4/$5, used $1 off 3 coupon from 11/13 SmartSource coupon insert
Note: Not all varieties are 4/$5, so be sure to double check the shelf price on these!

4 packages of Vanity Fair paper napkins - $0.90 each, see note below
On sale 2/$4, used 4 $0.55 coupons (double to $1.10) printed from here (use zip code 77477 if you don't see it)

6 packages of Vanity Fair plates and bowls - $1.50 each, see note below
On sale 2/$4, used 3 $1 off 2 coupons printed from here

Note about the Vanity Fair deal: In my ad, these are part of a 'get a $5 Catalina coupon for use on your next trip when you buy any $20' deal.  Since I'm hosting a large gathering for Thanksgiving and I'm all about easy clean-up, this sale and coupon match-up was perfect timing.  Looking at my receipt, I also earned 400 bonus gas points for these!  After doing some research, there is another deal going on at other stores that consists of 200 gas points when you buy 5 participating items.  Since I bought 10, I earned the gas points twice, plus was able to double-dip and get the $5 coupon to use on my next transaction.  Happy Monday to me! :-)

The retail cost for my order was $78.23 and I paid $22.76 after discounts and coupons (I also used my $5 Catalina I earned from my $25 iTunes gift card purchase last week), for a savings of approximately 71%!  Plus, I now have another $5 Catalina for next time and the register also spit out a random Catalina for a free YoCrunch yogurt (my kids will love that!).  And after my first shopping trip of the new gas points earning period, I already have earned $0.50/gallon off!

If I have time later today, I'll head back for more groceries.  Otherwise it will have to wait a couple of days.  Stay tuned!

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Start earning gas points at Tops today

Today is the start of the new gas points earning period at Tops!  If you're not familiar with the gas points program, you can earn 1 point per dollar spent, plus 10 bonus points per manufacturer coupon redeemed.  Keep in mind that there is a limit of 100 bonus points per transaction from coupons, so if you are planning on using more than 10 coupons, you may want to do separate transactions to get credit for all of them.  For every 100 points you earn, you'll get $0.10 off per gallon of gas.  Earn points now through the end of the year.

Using my coupons at Tops for the gas points has been a huge savings for me.  Last night I redeemed my points from the previous earnings period. After my $2.20/gallon discount, I paid $1.43 per gallon and was able to get a bit over 24 gallons of gas for $35.45.  In the past, I've paid as little as $0.47 per gallon., and I have my sights set high again this time around! :-)

Unfortunately, if you're in the Rochester area, there aren't too many Tops gas stations.  I regularly shop at the Mt. Read location in Greece, and they are supposed to be getting one at some point which will be so much more convenient for me.  Find a gas station location here.

Saturday, November 12, 2011

Children's Advil coupons

If your kids are like mine, they always come down with a fever whenever I don't have any fever reducing medicine in the house.  Head over here and print out some $1.10 coupons for Infants', Children's, and Junior Strength Advil products. Hopefully there will be some sales before your kids need any of these!

Sunday coupon preview

Wondering if the coupons in the Sunday paper are good enough to justify heading out to buy a newspaper (or an extra paper if you already get it delivered)?  Check out http://www.sundaycouponpreview.com/.  Keeping in mind that some coupons are regional so the ones you get in your paper may be different than the ones listed, this website can give you an idea of what's coming your way.  It will also let you know how many inserts to look for in a particular week, or if there will be no inserts due to a holiday weekend.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Hormel printable coupons

Head over here and print out over $7.00 in coupons for various Hormel products:
  • Save $0.55 on any two (2) HORMEL® Chili. Any variety.
  • Save $0.55 on any two (2) HORMEL® Pepperoni products. Any variety.
  • Save $2.00 on any one (1) LLOYD’S® Barbeque Ribs. Any variety.
  • Save $3.00 on any one (1) HORMEL® Party Tray. Any variety.
  • Save $0.55 on any two (2) HORMEL® Real Bacon Toppings. Any variety.
  • Save $0.55 on any two (2) HORMEL® Premium Chicken Breast. Any variety.
Hormel chili is on sale at Tops 2/$3 until tomorrow, 11/12, so you may want to take advantage of that coupon right away.  Coupon quantities are limited, so print what you want before they are gone!

Earn free gift cards this holiday season

Today is Friday, so you know what that means, right?  Every Friday is Mega Swag Bucks Day, where the chances of being rewarded large denominations of Swag Bucks is increased.  Go do your searches now!
 
Not familiar with Swagbucks?  Here's the deal:

Swagbucks is a search engine (like Google or Yahoo).  You are awarded points randomly (called Swag Bucks) when you search the internet, answer surveys, watch videos, play games, etc.  Once you sign up (it's free!), you can also refer friends and family and earn points from their referrals.

I normally earn my points through doing the web searches only (and really, who doesn't already do that?  Why not get rewarded for what you're already doing?). I seem to get points after my third or fourth search and I try to do it once in the morning and again in the evening.  When I earn points for a search, they are generally in the 7 - 10 point range.  Recently I've also done a couple of surveys and earned a bunch of points very quickly.  And every Friday is Mega Swag Bucks Day, where the odds of winning high-value Swag Bucks are increased.

Swag Bucks are redeemed in the Swagstore.  While there are a lot of things to choose from, my favorite item hands down is the $5 Amazon gift card for 450 points.  I know, that sounds like a lot of points, right?  I've only been using Swagbucks a short time (and as much as I try to get my search points twice a day, life often gets in the way or I forget) but I've already cashed in for $25 in Amazon gift cards that I plan to use towards Christmas gifts.  I figure by next year I'll be consistent enough about it that I will have quite a bit of free money to play with!

Interested?  Sign up at Swagbucks (remember, it's free) and start earning free stuff!

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Free Suave deodorant!


Go over to the Don't Fret the Sweat's Facebook page and get your choice of deodorant coupon to print.  One of the coupons is $0.75 off any Suave deodorant, which will get you a free stick at Wegmans after the coupon doubles, since it's on currently on sale for $1.29. 

Not sure if it's on sale at your local Wegmans?  Go to the Wegmans website, select your store, and search for any product.  It will not only tell you how much it costs, but if you add it to your shopping list, it'll also tell you where it's located in the store.  How convenient is that?!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Toy coupons on Facebook

Head over to Facebook to print some toy coupons for Little Tikes, Bratz, and Moxie Girlz.  Maybe these can help you stretch your holiday budget a little further this year!  Now, if I could only find some awesome Lego and Nerf coupons. :-)

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

New Kashi cereal coupon

Head over to the Kashi website, play their "Bowl Game," and print out a coupon for $1.00 off a box of their Honey Sunshine, Berry Blossoms, or Golden Goodness cereal.  It looks like these are $3.29 at Wegmans, which is still a little steep for my budget, so hopefully they will go on sale!

Monday, November 7, 2011

11/6 - 11/12 Tops deals & my weird shopping trip

I went to Tops today and while I ended up doing well, it was a weird trip in many ways.  I can't seem to get my camera to focus in on my receipt well enough to make it readable, but there are a bunch of things that rang up oddly.  With the 10/$10 get the 11th free sale, it would make sense for the first 10 items to ring up as $1 each and the 11th item as $0, right?  Well, I have a Mueller's pasta showing up as $0.30, Idahoan mashed potatoes as $0.03 for all 3, 1 Nestle cocoa as -$0.29, and 3 more cocoas at $5.97 for 3.  What the heck?!?  Along with all that weirdness, I also now think 2 of my Sargento cheese coupons didn't get deducted at all, and some of my coupons that shouldn't have doubled completely (since it would create an overage, which Tops doesn't allow) did and others didn't.  All those things may help explain why the total I paid was about $3 more than what I had estimated.
Anyway, since my receipt is so hard to figure out this week, I think I'll just show you what I bought and what coupons I used (and please excuse the mess in the background!):
4 boxes Mueller's pasta - part of the 10/$10, get 11th free sale
Used 4 $0.55 coupons from registering here (will need 2 email addresses, I'm sure you can convince your spouse or significant other!)

4 boxes Nestle hot cocoa - part of the 10/$10, get 11th free sale
Used 4 $0.55 coupons printed from here (hopefully it is still working if you didn't print it last week, I can't print any more to verify but they may have changed the wording on it -- it originally was for any size/flavor, but I thought I read somewhere online that they've made the coupon size and/or flavor restrictive)

3 pouches of Idahoan mashed potatoes - part of the 10/$10, get 11th free sale
Used a $0.75 off 3 coupon printed from here (look for the "print coupon" link in the upper right side, then register)

4 Pillsbury brownie mixes - on sale 4/$5, part of a save $4 instantly when you buy 8 select products sale
Used 4 $0.35 coupons from the Walmart  website (I think) that no longer seem to be available

4 Hungry Jack pancake mixes - on sale 2/$4, part of the above save $4 instantly when you buy 8 select products sale
Used 4 $0.55 coupons also from the Walmart site (again, I think) that are no longer available

4 boxes of Hot Pockets - on sale 5/$10
Used 2 $1 off 2 coupons printed from here (click on "get Nestle coupons")

3 Lipton/Knorr pasta and rice sides - on sale 5/$5
Used a $0.75 off 3 coupon printed from couponnetwork.com a while ago and doesn't seem to be available now

2 packages State Fair corn dogs - on sale 2/$7 (these sound gross to me, but my kids really wanted them!)
Used $1 off 2 coupon printed from their website

3 jars of Francesco Rinaldi ToBe Healthy pasta sauce - on sale 3/$5
Used 3 $0.35 coupons, 1 from the 11/6 RedPlum coupon insert and 2 printed from redplum.com
Note: These coupons all had the new barcodes and didn't scan.  Even though the coupon from the insert stated "Do not double" the cashier manually entered and doubled it.

4 packages of Sargento shredded cheese - on sale 2/$4, part of a save $2 instantly when you buy 8 selected items promo
Used 4 $0.55 coupons printed from the Believe in Heroes website
I had thought these coupons scanned fine, but while trying to decipher my receipt it looks like none scanned and she may have only entered 2 of them manually. ??

4 boxes of Annie's Homegrown Mac & Cheese - on sale for $1.79 each, part of the above save $2 instantly when you buy 8 selected items promo
Used 2 $0.75 off 2 coupons also printed from the  Believe in Heroes website

1 package of Marcal Small Steps paper napkins - on sale 2/$5
Used $1.00 coupon from the 11/6 RedPlum coupon insert (I think there's still a valid one from an earlier RedPlum insert, also)

I also bought a $25 iTunes gift card.  The promo featured in the ad is buy $25 in iTunes, get a $5 Catalina coupon to use on your next shopping trip.  Easy, right?  Not today.  Of course, my Catalina didn't print so a front end manager force printed it for me.  I was a little surprised by the wording on the coupon, "Limit one coupon per transaction per day." 

All in all, I think I did pretty well.  My retail value was $127.42 and I paid $54.49 after discounts and coupons, for a savings of 57%.  Considering $25 of my bill was a gift card, I think that it was a pretty decent haul!

Sunday, November 6, 2011

November Nature's Marketplace

When I stopped at Wegmans today to use up some of last month's printable Snikiddy Snacks coupons that were about to expire, I noticed that the November issue of Nature's Marketplace magazine was available.  The coupons aren't as good as October's issue in my opinion (loved the free Muir Glen tomato sauce!), but if you buy a lot of organic and natural foods hopefully these will help you lower your grocery bill:
  • $1.00 off any 1 Udi's whole grain or white sandwich bread, plain or whole grain bagels, or gluten free granola
  • $1.00 off any 5 oz. + Eatsmart Naturals snack
  • $1.00 off any 2 Dr. Oetker Organics baking mixes
  • $1.00 off any 2 bottles of Simply Oragnic spices or grinders
  • $2.00 off Olba's instant herbal tea
  • $1.00 off any 3 4.6 oz. + YoGreek yogurt
  • $1.00 off any box of Kashi TLC pita crisps
Don't forget to grab your free copy the next time you're in Wegmans!

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Loads of printable coupons!

As the wife of a veteran, my interest always perks up when I hear or see something relating to veterans.  Check out the Believe in Heroes website, where you can not only support our veterans through donations and purchases, but there a over 50 printable coupons available for brands that also show their support.  What a win-win for us all!

Friday, November 4, 2011

Coupons for holiday gifts!

I can't believe we're into November already and the holiday season approaching quickly!  I'll admit, I'm not a morning person at all so I've never been one to get up before the crack of dawn and fight the crowds for awesome Black Friday deals.  Instead, I'm starting to be on the lookout for coupons I can use to hopefully make my budget stretch a bit farther. 
My husband and I were just talking about buying the new Simon game for our kids, so imagine how thrilled I was to find a coupon!  Go "like" the Family Game Night Facebook page and get a printable $5 coupon for Simon Flash.

If you're looking to give the gift of movies, there are also DVDs/BlueRay coupons for several movies at coupons.com.  To find them quickly, click the "Home Entertainment" link on the left.

Today is Mega Swag Bucks Day!

Today is Friday, so you know what that means, right?  Every Friday is Mega Swag Bucks Day, where the chances of being rewarded large denominations of Swag Bucks is increased.  Go do your searches now!
 
Not familiar with Swagbucks?  Here's the deal:

Swagbucks is a search engine (like Google or Yahoo).  You are awarded points randomly (called Swag Bucks) when you search the internet, answer surveys, watch videos, play games, etc.  Once you sign up (it's free!), you can also refer friends and family and earn points from their referrals.

I normally earn my points through doing the web searches only (and really, who doesn't already do that?  Why not get rewarded for what you're already doing?). I seem to get points after my third or fourth search and I try to do it once in the morning and again in the evening.  When I earn points for a search, they are generally in the 7 - 10 point range.  This past week, I did a couple of surveys and earned a bunch of points very quickly.  And every Friday is Mega Swag Bucks Day, where the odds of winning high-value Swag Bucks are increased.

Swag Bucks are redeemed in the Swagstore.  While there are a lot of things to choose from, my favorite item hands down is the $5 Amazon gift card for 450 points.  I know, that sounds like a lot of points, right?  I've only been using Swagbucks a short time (and as much as I try to get my search points twice a day, life often gets in the way or I forget) but I've already cashed in for $25 in Amazon gift cards that I plan to use towards Christmas gifts.  I figure by next year I'll be consistent enough about it that I will have quite a bit of free money to play with!

Interested?  Sign up at Swagbucks (remember, it's free) and start earning free stuff!

Thursday, November 3, 2011

*Hot*: Free Nestle hot cocoa next week at Tops!

When I skimmed it this afternoon, I wasn't overly impressed with next week's Tops ad.  One thing that jumped out at me was the Nestle hot cocoa sale.  They will be on sale 10/$10 and get the 11th free.  I'm not a coffee drinker at all, and I'll drink tea if there isn't another choice, but I LOVE hot cocoa so buying 11 boxes is not a stretch for me at all.  The Walmart website has $0.55 coupons for any size Nestle hot cocoa mix (click "Get Nestle coupons" on the right-hand side), which will make them free after the coupon doubles!  So, if you're like me and plan on buying 11 boxes, these will be a steal!  With 4 coupons (if you have access to more than 2 computers and use more than 4 coupons, remember that only the first 4 will double per Tops' coupon policy), it'll cost $6.00 for 11 boxes, or $0.54 each! 

While you're there printing the cocoa coupons, you might also want to print the Hot Pocket coupons because they will be on sale 5/$10.

Tip of the day: When in doubt, print it out!

Just a few days ago I saw printable coupons for Hanover canned beans over at coupons.com.  Since I had never heard of them, I hemmed and hawed about whether or not I should print them.  I decided not to print them and guess what?  My Tops ad came in today's mail and lo and behold next week there is a promo on Hanover products (beans are 5/$5) where you get $2.00 off instantly when you buy any 10.  Grr!  So, learn your lesson from me and print any coupons you see if there is any doubt you may or may not ever need them!

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

10/30 - 11/5 Tops deals

I'm not really sure what to think about today's shopping trip at Tops. On the one hand, I'm a little shocked because I think it's the most money I've spent on any one transaction since I started hard-core couponing earlier this year.  On the other hand, I did save a pretty high percentage of my bill and I walked away with a lot of food.  Anyway, here's what I bought today:

4 cartons of Chobani yogurt - $0.40 each
On sale 10/$10, used 4 $0.30 coupons (double to $0.60) printed from here (sign-up required)
5 Hatfield ham steaks - $1.50 each
On sale 2/$5, used 5 $1.00 coupons (1 from the 10/16 Red Plum coupon insert and 4 from the Red Plum website that I no longer see available)
Notes:  I have picked these up cheaper in the past, but it was still a low enough price for me to justify buying them.  Also, I've already used mine, but if you haven't yet printed the coupon from registering here, it'll get you $2.00 off!  Who doesn't like $0.50 ham steaks?!

8 boxes of Yoplait Go-gurt - $1.25 each
On sale 3/$6, used 4 $0.75 off 2 coupons (double to $1.50) I printed from coupons.com but no longer are available - sorry!
8 packages of Yoplait Trix yogurt - $1.15 each
On sale 3/$6, used 4 $0.85 off 2 coupons (double to $1.70) printed from here (must register)

As you can see, my kids LOVE yogurt. It's a staple in our house!

4 boxes Jolly Time Homemade microwave popcorn - $1.75 each
On sale BOGO ($4.49), used 2 $1.00 off 2 coupons printed from here (sign-up required)

4 boxes Jolly Time Healthy Pop microwave popcorn - $1.75 each
On sale BOGO ($4.49), used 2 $1.00 off 2 coupons also printed from here

4 bags No Yolks egg noodles - $0.87 each
On sale 3/$5, used 4 $0.40 coupons (double to $0.80) printed here
Note:  If you are a Saving Star member, you will also get $0.40 back on this.
2 packages Dole fruit crisp (peach flavor) - $1.00 each
On sale 2/$4, used 2 $0.50 coupons (double to $1.00) printed from here
Note: While all the flavors are on sale, this coupon is good on the peach flavor only.

4 bags Nestle morsels - $1.49 each, see note below
On sale $1.99 each, used 2 $0.50 off 2 coupons (double to $1.00) from here

4 cans Carnation evaporated milk - $0.75 each, see note below
On sale 4/$5, used 2 $0.50 off 2 coupons (double to $1.00) also from here
Note regarding the Nestle and Carnation purchases: These are OK prices, but I could've done just as well with a store brand or at Aldi.  However, Tops is running a store promo where if you buy any 8 featured items (which included these) you get a bag of Diamond chopped walnuts FREE.  Since the nuts retailed for $3.99, I decided to buy these items (which I needed anyways) here instead of paying the same price for the generic versions, plus I was able to score a freebie.

8 cans of Progresso soup - $0.75 each
On sale 10/$10, used 2 $1.00 off 4 coupons printed from here (there are also coupons in the 10/23 SmartSource coupon insert)

I also bought produce and meat, which I didn't have coupons for (but I did use a $3.00 Catalina coupon I earned last week to help offset some of their costs).

The total retail for this trip was $219.79 and I paid $85.48 after discounts and coupons, for an approximate savings of 61%.  Like I mentioned earlier, I had some sticker shock at that total because it's been ages since I spent that much on one transaction!  Luckily, I have a boatload of food to show for it.

New printable coupons = free/cheap organics!

Today is the start of a new month of printable coupons!  I was excited to see coupons for organic food over at coupons.com, where there are coupons for $0.75 off any Muir Glen product and $0.75 off any Cascadian Farm product.  I know the Muir Glen coupon will score you some free tomato paste or tomato sauce at Wegmans after the coupon doubles, and the Cascadian Farms coupon should make for a good deal, too.  I know my Wegmans clearanced out a lot of the Cascadian Farms frozen veggies over the summer (which would've made them free with this coupon -- hopefully your local store still carries them), but the frozen potato products should be pretty reasonable after the coupon doubles. 

There is also an $0.85 Cascadian Farm coupon available here at the Pillsbury website, after you register. (Not organic, but while you're there you can also print a coupon for $0.85 off 2 Yoplait Go-gurts and other kid yogurts, which pairs up nicely with the 3/$6 sale going on this week at Tops!).

If you're looking for free organic milk, you can register here and get a coupon for $0.55 off any Horizon organic product.  If your Wegmans carries the milk singles (not all do, but you can search your local store's stock here), they'll be free after the coupon doubles.