Print January coupons today

Since tomorrow is a brand new month, many coupons you see online today will be gone tomorrow.  Make sure you print any coupons you want off sites like coupons.com, redplum.com, smartsource.com, and couponnetwork.com in case they aren't there in February.

Tops gas points = cheap gas!

We are now in a new gas points earning period.  So, I headed over to the Tops gas station on Saturday to redeem my gas points and this is what I managed to get...

Yes, that's right.  I paid $4.17 for 30 gallons of gas, or only $0.13 oer gallon.  Woo hoo!  That was definitely my frugal money-saving highlight of the week.  :-)  I'm looking forward to earning gas points again starting with this week's shopping trip at Tops, but I'm sure it'll be a long time before I'm this successful again.

Money Saving Challenge - week 4 in review

Here is a recap of the things I did this week to save money as part of the Money Saving Challenge hosted by Precious at Frugal Makes Sense:

• I matched up sales and coupons (as well as used a rain check) at Tops, BJ's, and Target to save money on my grocery bills.
• I cashed in Swag Bucks for a $5 Amazon gift card to be used for Christmas gifts later this year.
• After reading it on the Frugal Makes Sense blog, I started cutting my dishwasher tablets in half.  I love this idea!  I haven't noticed any difference in the cleanliness of my dishes and the tablets will now last me twice as long.  Thank you, Precious!
• I ordered free samples and coupons from Proctor & Gamble.
• I received a free reusable bag and coupons from Cabot cheese, as well as coupons from Charmin and Twix, in the mail this week.
• When I ran out of glass cleaner today, I made a homemade version I found online.  It works well, the ingredients are inexpensive and already in my home, and I didn't have to make a trip to the store and buy anything.  For anyone interested, I used the 4th recipe featured here on the Crunchy Betty blog (don't let the idea of cornstarch in your glass cleaner scare you!).
• Instead of paying full price for tonight's long-awaited girls' night out at the movies, I was able to purchase a ticket for $6 through Groupon, plus I'll be able to get 3% of the purchase price back through Ebates.
• I haven't done the biggest money saver for the week yet.  In a little while, I'll be cashing in my hard-earned Tops gas points and filling my tank for a steal.  I'll be sure to come back later and update about this one. :-)

Happy 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. I've also done some 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? Trust me, if you commit to doing 2 searches per day, the points can add up quickly. I started using Swagbucks in June 2011 and cashed in for $45 in Amazon gift cards which really helped with my Christmas shopping. I figure this 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!

Amazon gift cards earned in 2011: $45
Amazon gift cards earned in 2012: $10

New offers available from SavingStar

Before you head out shopping, you might want to head over to SavingStar and activate some new eCoupons that have become available for Trop50, Cottonelle, Aleve, and InStyle magazine. 

Not familiar with the SavingStar program?  You can learn more about it here and sign up here.

Get P & G samples and coupons!

Sign up or log in to the P & G Everyday Solutions website and you'll get to select several samples and coupons to be mailed to you.  I've always gotten some great coupons and freebies from their P&GbrandSAMPLER program!

1/22 - 1/28 Tops deals

Here are the grocery deals I picked up at Tops today...

8 cartons Yoplait Greek yogurt - $0.50 each
On sale 10/$10, used 4 $0.50 off 2 coupons (double to $1) printed from here (coupon link is on the right of the screen)

4 cartons Yoplait lactose-free  yogurt - FREE
On sale 5/$3, used 4 $0.30 coupons (double to $0.60) printed from here (coupon link is in the bottom right)

1 package (2 lbs) strawberries - $3.99
On sale for $.3.99, no coupon :-(

4 half gallons Silk almond milk - $1.50 each
On sale 2/$6, used 4 $0.75 coupons (double to $1.50!) printed from here

4 cartons Heluva Good chip dip - $0.67 each
On sale 3/$5, used 4 $0.50 coupons (double to $1) printed from the Heluva Good website

12 boxes Better Oats oatmeal - $0.91 each
On sale 4/$5, used 4 $1 off 3 coupons printed from here (you will need multiple email addresses)

1 Farm Rich frozen appetizer - $3.49
On sale for $4.99, used the $0.75 coupon (doubles to $1.50) from the 1/15 SmartSource coupon insert

3 boxes SuperPretzels - $1.50 each
On sale 2/$5, used 3 $0.50 coupons (double to $1) printed from redplum.com (I printed these last night but don't see them now.  I'm not sure if they're not available any longer or if it's because I've reached my print limit)

4 boxes Velveeta Cheesy Skillets - $1.00 each
On sale 2/$4, used 4 $0.50 coupons (double to $1) printed from Facebook
Just a warning, this coupon is very ink-heavy so you may want to print it in black & white

2 bags Fresh Express salads - $1.45 each
On sale 2/$4, used 2 $0.55 coupons received via snail mail
Note: I was a little bummed...the coupons do state "do not double" but the code starts with a "5" and automatically double at the register (I used 1 last week and discovered this).  However, my cashier today noticed the coupon wording before she scanned it, so she stopped it from doubling.

1 jar Wolfgang Puck pasta sauce - $1.49
On sale for $2.49, used the $1 coupon from the 1/15 SmartSource coupon insert
Note: This is generally more than I like to pay for pasta sauce (my personal preference is $1/jar or less), but it came in the arrabiata flavor which I don't generally see in cheaper priced sauces.

1 Zone Perfect bar - FREE
On sale 10/$10, used the $0.55 ("doubles" up to $1) coupon from the 1/22 SmartSource coupon insert

12 Balance bars - $0.67 each
On sale 10/$10, used 4 $1 off 3 coupons printed from Facebook
Note: Unlike most Internet printable coupons, this one allows you to print 3 copies per computer!

1 bottle POM juice - FREE
On sale 2/$3, used a rain check from the last sale for $1 plus used the $1 coupon from the 1/8 SmartSource coupon insert

The retail total for my trip was $121.23 and I paid $52.54 after discounts and coupons, for a savings of approximately 57%.  At the register, a BOGO Catalina coupon for Yoplait lactose-free yogurt printed out.  Since we eat tons of yogurt in our house, that coupon will definitely be used!

A few other Tops deals that I considered getting but decided against are:

• Butterball deli meat - 3/$10, there is a $1 off 2 coupon in the 1/15 SmartSource coupon insert
• Zatarain's rice mixes - 10/$10 (only certain varieties, though, and not the flavors I was interested in), there is a $0.50 off 3 coupon here (will double to $1, making these only $0.67 each)
• General Mills cereals - buy any 4 and get $4 off instantly, the smallest boxes of Cinnamon Toast Crunch are priced at $3.49 each and there are $0.60 coupons (double to $1.20) available here making them $1.29 each if you use 4 coupons
• Honey Bunches of Oats cereal - $2.50 each, there is a $1 coupon available here (click on the 3rd red circle on the middle right part of the screen) making these $1.50 each

Great mail day today!

I love it when I get something besides bills and junk mail in my mailbox.  Check out what came in my mail today:

The last time Cabot cheese was on sale at Tops and I went searching online for printable coupons to use, I came across an freebie for a reusable shopping bag if you bought a certain amount of their cheese.  Well, I bought the required amount and filled in my online request, and today my bag arrived containing recipes and 2 coupons good for $0.50 off any Cabot product. Since we eat cheese like it's an entire food group, I will definitely use these during a sale. 

I also received couple of coupons from past Facebook offers: a $2 coupon towards Charmin toilet paper and a coupon for a free Twix bar.  I especially love the Twix coupon -- not only is it chocolate, but I love using coupons for free products during a Tops gas points earning period.

Am I the only one who does a little happy dance when I get good freebies like this in the mail? ;-)

Frugal tip: Homemade toilet bowl cleaner

Recently I ran out of toilet bowl cleaner and with 3 messy kids, that is just not an option for me. :-)  Since there weren't any sales or coupons making it a great deal, I decide to consult my good friend Google for some help.  I came across a recipe at Everything is Homemade and gave it a shot, making just a couple minor changes.  I used the following:

3/4 cup baking soda
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp. Dr. Bronner's Hemp Almond Castile Soap
a few drops of grapefruit seed extract

I bought the Dr. Bronner's soap in the Nature's Marketplace section of Wegmans.  While it's not cheap ($8.99 for a 16-oz. bottle, I believe) a little goes a long way and will last quite a while.  I also only paid just over $6 for it, since I had some overage from other coupons I used (which is not their policy, I just lucked out in that regard so you may or may not have the same experience).  Since I love the smell of almond, I chose that variety (and since you can use this soap for so many things including body wash and shampoo, I wanted a scent I really liked).  I chose to add a bit of grapefruit seed extract as an aid to kill bacteria (I used to use that or tea tree oil back in my cloth diaper laundry days, and I still had some on hand).

I prepared my version the same way as the original (the measuring cup with a spout works wonderfully), but I didn't have a condiment bottle like the original recipe suggested. Instead, I was able to dig up an old peri bottle from after my 4-year-old  was born (how scary is it that I still had one and was able to locate it?!) and it worked great for applying the cleaner to the toilet bowl.

The original recipe claims to make enough to clean 2 toilets.  I will admit, the toilet I used this on was dreadfully gross (I mentioned my 3 messy kids, right?) and took the entire bottle. If you have a less gross toilet (which should probably be just about everyone), this recipe should easily clean 2 toilets. :-)

In the end, my toilet was clean, my bathroom smelled great, and I didn't have to run out and buy an expensive bottle of toilet bowl cleaner. I was pleased enough that I will use it again.

Do you have a frugal cleaner you use?  I'd love to read about it in the comments!

I found new tear pad coupons!

Since I had more YoCrunch yogurt coupons and my kids eat it like it's going out of style, I stopped by Tops yesterday to grab some more.  Because I wasn't in any hurry, I took my time walking around the store and found several tearpads I hadn't seen on my prior trip.  At the Mt. Read Tops in Greece, I found:

• $1.00 off any 2 Red Baron, Tony's, or Freschetta pizzas (11 oz. or larger), expires 2/12/12.
• $1.00 off any 2 bags of Rold Gold pretzels (7 oz. or larger), expires 2/12/12.  This coupon specifically states "Limit one coupon per customer."
• $1.00 off any 2 bags of Doritos (11 oz. or larger), expires 2/5/12.  This coupon also specifically states "Limit one coupon per customer."

If these are products you use, you might want to scope out your local store to see if you can locate them.  Also, since they are manufacturer coupons, they can be used at any store not just the one you find them in.

Money Saving Challenge - weeks 2 & 3 in review

Since I missed updating last week's activities, today's post will consists of the things I did in the past 2 weeks to save some money as part of the Money Saving Challenge hosted by Precious at Frugal Makes Sense:

• I matched sales and coupons at Tops and Wegmans to lower my grocery bill.
• I consolidated my errands on outings to help conserve gas.
• I used homemade toilet bowl cleaner to clean my toilet instead of running out to the store to buy more. (If anyone is interested in how to do it, you can check out my blog post here)
• I asked for rain checks for out-of-stock sale items so I can purchase them at the lower price in the future.
• I packed leftovers in my husband's work lunches on several days.
• I cashed in Swag Bucks for a $5 Amazon gift card that I will use to defray the cost of Christmas presents in 2012.
• I stayed home 2 days in order to save on gas.
• I repaired a plastic laundry basket with a few pieces of duct tape instead of throwing it out and buying a new one.
• I hung a load of laundry to dry in my laundry room instead of running the dryer.
• I baked on a cold day then opened the oven door while the oven was cooling after I was done baking, in order to help heat the kitchen.
• I deposited a portion of the money I saved from grocery shopping into our savings account.
• I downloaded some free ebooks onto my Nook.

I keep a running list throughout the week in order to keep track of my money saving actions.  I have to admit, my list looked pretty skimpy on paper and I was a bit disappointed, but now that I've typed it out I am much happier with what I accomplished the past 2 weeks.

I f you have a great frugal tip or are doing things to save money this year, I'd love to read about it in the comments!

It's 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. I've also done some 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? Trust me, if you commit to doing 2 searches per day, the points can add up quickly. I started using Swagbucks in June 2011 and cashed in for $45 in Amazon gift cards which really helped with my Christmas shopping. I figure this 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!

2011 Amazon gift cards earned: $45
2012 Amazon dift cards earned: $5

1/15 - 1/21 Tops deals

It took me until yesterday to hit the grocery store and until today to post my finds, so I'm sorry for the delay.  I was getting low on yogurt, coffee, and frozen meals for my husband's work lunches so this was a great week for me.  Here's what I brought home from Tops (sorry for the crummy picture!)...

2 bags 8 o'clock coffee - $2.99 each
On sale for $3.99 each, used $2 off 2 coupon printed from here (click on the $2 coupon link in the upper right corner)

2 bags Fresh Express salad - 1 @ $1.50, 1 @ $0.40
On sale 2/$5, both bags were marked down an additional $1 due to a near sell-by date, plus used a $0.55 coupon (doubles to $1.10) I received via snail mail.

1 bottle Top50 orange juice - $1.50, see note below
On sale 2/$5, used $1 coupon printed from their Facebook "True Resolution" offer
Note: Activate the $0.50 eCoupon at SavingStar for a final net price of $1.00

3 boxes Green Giant frozen veggies - $0.67 each
On sale 10/$10, used $1 off 3 coupon from the 1/8 General Mills coupon insert

10 Michelina's lean gourmet frozen entrees - $0.80 each
On sale 10/$10, used 2 $1 off 5 coupons printed from here (there is also a $1/5 coupon available here)

12 cartons Voskos Greek yogurt - $0.67 each
On sale 10/$10. used 4 $1 off 3 coupons from here

3 Nabisco Teddy Grahams Go-packs - FREE
On sale 10/$10, used the $3 off 3 coupon from the 1/8 SmartSource coupon insert

1 bag Mariani banana chips - FREE
On sale 10/$10, used the $0.50 coupon from the 1/8 SmartSource coupon insert (the coupon states "Do not double" but it doubled automatically to $1)

4 boxes Quaker chewy granola bars - $1.50 each
On sale 4/$10 plus part of a "save $2 automatically when you buy any 4 select items" promo, used 2 $1 off 2 coupons printed from their Facebook page

2 packages of Land O'Frost lunchmeat - $2.99 each
On sale for $3.99 each, used 2 $1 coupons printed from here

12 Banquet pot pies - $0.80 each
On sale 10/$10, used 2 $0.60 off 6 coupons (double to $1.20) found inside select boxes of frozen Banquet meals
Note: I feel like I should probably mention that you can get pot pies cheaper than this.  At my local Aldi, they sell them for $0.59 each.  However, my Aldi only sells chicken pot pies and my husband greatly prefers beef.  Since $0.80 is the cheapest I have been able to find beef pot pies, these are a stock-up item for me.

4 Banquet fruit pies - $0.60 each
On sale 10/$10, used 2 $0.40 off 2 coupons (double to $.80) found inside select frozen Banquet meals boxes

2 bottles Sunny D - $0.95 each
On sale 2/$3, used the $0.55 (doubles to $1.10) off 2 coupon from the 1/8 SmartSource coupon insert

4 bottles of International Delight coffee creamer - $0.57 each
On sale 3/$5, used 4 $0.55 coupons (double to $1.10) printed from their website (must register, will need multiple addresses to get more than 2 coupons)

1 4-pack Dannon Activia yogurt - $1.00
On sale 5/$10, used $1 coupon from the 1/15 SmartSource coupon insert

16 YoCrunch yogurts - $0.28 each
On sale 10/$6, used 4 $0.65 off 4 coupons (double to $1.30) from here

2 boxes Barilla whole grain pasta - $0.75 each
On sale 4/$5, used $1 off 2 coupon from the 1/8 SmartSource coupon insert (there are other varieties of Barilla pasta on sale, but the coupon I used is good only on the whole grain type)

4 boxes Nabisco Cheese Nips - $1.17 each
On sale 3/$5, used 2 $1 off 2 coupons printed from the Ritz Facebook page (even though it's Ritz, the coupon is good on any Nabisco crackers)

2 bottles of Kikkoman teriyaki sauce - $0.69 each
On sale for $1.69 each, used 2 $1 coupons printed from here (and more coupons are here), plus this triggered a $1.50 Catalina coupon to print at the register for me to use on my next shopping trip

3 Kikkoman seasoning packets - FREE
On sale 10/$10, used 3 $1 coupons printed from here and here

2 cartons of Land O Lakes Fresh Buttery Taste spread - $1.50, see note
On sale 2/$4, used the $1 off 2 coupon from the 1/8 SmartSource coupon insert
Note: there is a mail-in rebate here to get a coupon for a free package of Land O Lakes Fresh Buttery Taste with Olive Oil

The retail total for this trip was $168.68 and I paid $70.75 after discounts and coupons, for a savings of approximately 58%.  I also have a $1.50 Catalina coupon to use on my next shopping trip and will be getting a coupon good for a free Land O Lakes spread.

Get $46.50 in Johnson & Johnson coupons

If you're looking for some health and beauty coupons, head over here to check out a deal from Johnson & Johnson.  Buy $50 worth of J & J products (includes a ton of brands, see the offer for the complete list) between 1/8/12 and 3/8/12, mail in the receipt(s) and the certificate from the above link, and receive up to $46.50 in coupons via snail mail. 

Hitting the $50 mark may sound like a lot, but there are a lot of insert and printable coupons available right now making many of the qualifying products free or cheap (and the $50 threshold is pre-coupons!).

I'm baaack!

Between being busy and having some computer issues over the past week, I haven't had a chance to  keep up with the blog as much as I would've liked so I apologize for the lack of recent posts.  I'm back, however, and will be posting up a storm now. :-)

Target: good news & bad news

If you regularly shop at the Greece Target like I do, I'm sure you've seen the remodeling that is currently happening in the store.

Last week I picked up a free box of Market Pantry macaroni and cheese and stopped by today to grab another (coupon is here) but the shelf was empty.  I also wanted to grab the Smart Ones frozen entrees deal: get a $5 Target gift card when you buy 10 ($1.89) using the $3.00 off 10 manufacturer coupon here and the $3.00 off 10 Target coupon here.  Unfortunately, the freezer case was clear and there are no rain checks available for this promo. I found an employee in the grocery department and asked when/if they'd get more in. 

The bad news: due to the remodeling, they are not restocking frozen foods and will wait until the new freezer cases are installed in a few weeks. :-(

The good news: he showed me how large the new grocery department will be, and it looks like it will be substantially larger.  When searching for good Target deals, I often see them for grocery items that the Greece store doesn't carry.  A new grocery department should net a lot more cheap groceries for us! :-)

1/8 - 1/14 Tops deals

I didn't buy too many different items at Tops this week, but I did stock up on the things I did decide to purchase.  Check out my groceries this week (my last transaction isn't in the picture)...

In order to maximize my gas points and follow the 4 like coupon doubling limits, I made multiple transactions over 2 days.  Here's how my transactions worked out:

Transaction 1
4 boxes Dulce de Leche Cheerios - $1.00 each
On sale 4/$10, used 4 $0.75 coupons (double to $1.50) printed from here (use 77477 if you don't see it)

4 boxes Peanut Butter Cheerios - $1.00 each
On sale 4/$10, used 4 $0.75 coupons (double to $1.50) printed from here (use 77477 if you don't see it)

4 bottles POM juice - FREE
On sale 10/$10, used 4 $1.00 tearpad coupons (if you can't find any tearpad coupons in your local produce department, there are also $1 coupons from the 12/4 and 1/8 SmartSource coupon inserts)

Transaction 2
4 boxes Frosted Toast Crunch - $1.00 each
On sale 4/$10, used 4 $0.75 coupons (double to $1.50) printed from here but no are longer available

4 boxes of Yoplait Go-gurt - $1.15 each
On sale 5/$10, used 2 $0.85 off 2 coupons (double to $1.70) printed from here (it looks like this one isn't available now, but there are $0.75/2 coupons available over here which will make them $1.25 each)

4 bottles POM juice - FREE
On sale 10/$10, used 4 $1.00 tearpad coupons

Transaction 3
12 cans Campbell's chicken noodle soup - $0.23 each
On sale 20/$10, used 4 $0.40 off 3 coupons (double to $0.80) printed from here

5 bottles of POM juice - FREE
On sale 10/$10, used 4 $1.00 tearpad coupons

4 cans Libby's vegetables - $0.25 each
On sale 20/$10, used $1 off 4 coupon from the 11/13 Red Plum coupon insert

Transaction 4
4 boxes of Yoplait Go-gurt - $1.15 each
On sale 5/$10, used 2 $0.85 off 2 coupons (double to $1.70) printed from here

4 packages of Yoplait Splitz yogurt - $1.15 each
On sale 5/$10, used 2 $0.85 off 2 coupons (double to $1.70) printed from here

4 bottles POM juice - FREE
On sale 10/$10, used 4 $1.00 tearpad coupons

2 boxes Peanut Butter Cheerios - $1.00 each
On sale 4/$10, used 4 $0.75 coupons (double to $1.50) printed from here (zip 77477)

Transaction 5
4 bottles POM juice - FREE
On sale 10/$10, used 4 $1.00 tearpad coupons

6 cans Campbell's chicken noodle soup - $0.23 each
On sale 20/$10, used 2 $0.40 off 3 coupons (double to $0.80) printed from here

The total retail value was $163.72 but after discounts and coupons I paid only $30.50, for a savings of approximately 81%.  Can I just tell you how excited this made me?!  And the best part is, my gas discount is now...wait for it...$3.50 off per gallon!  I'm going to be able to fill my car for pennies!  After I fill up at the gas station, I think I'm going to have to frame my receipt as a memento.  :-)

Another great deal you might want to try to take advantage of:
Hot Pocket Snackers singles are on sale 10/$5.  Use the $1 off 2 coupons printed here and you can get the nacho bites for free!  I forgot to look for them when I hit the store Sunday morning, but I checked today and my Tops was completely cleared out. :-(  Since I still have my insert coupons for the POM juice, I'll try to remember to ask for a rain check for the Hot Pockets on my next shopping trip later this week.

Coupon giveaway ends tonight!

Remember to head over to this post to enter a drawing for an envelope of coupons!  The drawing will take place tonight and the winner announced tomorrow.

2012 Money Saving Challenge - Week 1 in review

As I mentioned on a previous blog post, I've joined the 2012 Money Saving Challenge hosted by Precious at Frugal Makes Cents.  It's been a week, and here are the things I've done in the past 7 days to help save money:

• I made homemade turkey stock from a free turkey carcass courtesy of my in-laws.  I had never made stock before because it seemed like a daunting task.  It turned out to be really easy to do, and it tastes great to boot!  I'll post a how-to in the future for anyone else who's never done it before.
• I avoided using my vehicle 2 days this week in an effort to save on gas.
• I picked up some hand-me-down clothes from a friend for my daughters.  The girls were so excited!
• We ate leftovers for dinner one night and packed other leftovers in my husband's lunch.
• I downloaded some free e-books onto my Nook.
• I was tempted one day to hit a drive-thru for lunch, but stayed strong and ate at home instead.
• I consolidated my errands on outings to help conserve gas.
• I held off running an "almost full" dishwasher until it was completely full.
• After I was done using the oven on a cold day, I opened the oven door while it was cooling down in order to help heat the kitchen.
• I matched coupons and sales at Wegmans, Tops, and Target.

Some of these things may only save me pennies at a time, but eventually those pennies add up.  I was able to put aside some of my grocery savings this week. Hopefully I can see my savings grow by the end of the year!

Are you taking steps to save money this year?  Do you have any great frugal tips?  I'd love to read about them in the comments. :-)

Print coupons for less

I refuse to pay a lot for paper I use for Internet printable coupons, so I always jump on a good paper deal when I see one. 

A 500-sheet ream of HammerMill Copy Plus paper is priced at $5.99 at Staples but they are offering a $4.99 easy rebate, which makes it only $1 after the rebate.  There is a limit of 2 rebates per household.

Hurry!  This rebate is valid only until tomorrow, January 7th.

My first giveaway!

To commemorate my recent 250th blog post, I'm going to do my first coupon giveaway!  I'll send the winner an envelope containing a minimum of 12 coupons.  For each giveaway entry I receive, I'll add another 2 coupons to the envelope!  You will earn one entry into the drawing for each of the following:

1.  Publicly follow Reality Couponing in Rochester via Google Friend Connect (see the link to the right) and leave me comment letting me know you did this.
2. "Like" Reality Couponing in Rochester on Facebook and leave me a comment letting me know you did this.
3. Follow Reality Couponing in Rochester via email (sign up to the right) and leave me a comment letting me know you did this.
4. Blog about this giveaway and leave me a comment letting me know you did this along with the link to your blog post.
5. Follow Reality Couponing in Rochester on NetworkedBlogs (see the link to the right) and leave me a comment letting me know you did this.

The coupon giveaway is open to U.S. residents and will end at 11:00pm on Monday, January 9th.  The winner will be chosen at random.org.  Good luck!

January Nature's Marketplace coupons

The next time you're in Wegmans, don't forget to stop by the Nature's Marketplace section and pick up the free January issue of Nature's Marketplace magazine.  The coupons inside this month's issue are:

• $1.00 off 2 single serve Kettle Cuisine soups (exp. 3/21/12)
• $1.00 off any one box of Cascadian Farm granola bars or cereal (exp. 4/1/12)
• $1.00 off Olbas inhaler (exp. 2/29/12)

To be honest, I'm a little disappointed that the coupons are so scarce in this issue.  But the cover is certainly bright and cheerful!

Happy 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. I've also done some 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 been using Swagbucks for about 6 months or so (and as much as I try to get my search points twice a day, life often gets in the way or I forget) and I've already cashed in for $45 in Amazon gift cards which really helped with my Christmas shopping. I figure this 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!

And on an entirely different topic, this is my 250th blog post!  That's a nice milestone number, right?  I think we'll have to celebrate in some way.  :-)  Stay tuned for more details to come shortly...

1/1 - 1/7: A couple good Target deals

Here are a few good deals I picked up at Target today...

1 box Market Pantry macaroni and cheese - FREE
On sale for $0.59, used the $1.00 Target coupon

1 pack Mentos Up2U gum - $0.29
Priced at $1.29, used the $1.00 coupon from the 1/1 SmartSource coupon insert

2 bottles Softsoap hand soap - $0.50 each
On sale at $1.00 each, used $1 off 2 coupon from the 1/1 SmartSource coupon insert
Note: The coupon specified 8oz.+ size and I didn't notice until I got home that these soaps are 7.5 oz.  :-/

1/1 - 1/7 Wegmans deals

I ran into Wegmans to grab a few things today, then realized as I was driving away that I forgot to add a couple of things to my list and of course didn't remember them while I was in the store.  Luckily I drove by another Wegmans a little while later and picked up the rest of my items.  Here is what I bought today:

1 gallon of milk - $1.99
No coupon, of course :-(

6 jars of Barilla pasta sauce - $0.99 each
Priced at $2.49 each, used 6 $0.75 coupons (double to $1.50) printed from here (try zip 33133 if you don't see it)

4 cans of Muir Glen organic tomato sauce - FREE
Priced at $0.99 each, used 4 $0.75 coupons printed from here

1 pack Mentos Pure Fresh gum - $0.39
Priced at $1.49, used $0.55 coupon (doubles to $1.10) from the 1/1 SmartSource coupon insert

4 bags of Snikiddy Snacks - $1.00 each
Priced at 2/$5, used 4 $0.75 coupons (double to $1.50) printed here (zip zip 90210 or 33133 if you don't see it)

2 bars Olay soap - FREE
On sale for $0.49 each, used 2 $1.00 coupons (1 from the 1/1 Proctor & Gamble coupon insert and 1 I received via snail mail)

4 bottles of Excedrin Extra Strength - $0.99 each
Priced at $2.99 each, used 4 $2.00 coupons printed from here

1 bag Ricola Dual Action lozenges - $0.49
Priced at $1.99, used $0.75 coupon (doubles to $1.50) from the 1/1 SmartSource coupon insert

1 carton Silk Almond Milk - $2.39
Priced at $3.39, used $1 coupon printed from the All You website (I think it may no longer be available)

The total retail cost of my groceries was $52.63 and I paid $16.13 after Shoppers Club and coupons, for a savings of about 69%.  I noticed that I did get some overages today.  Both of the Olay coupons were put through manually for the full $1.00 instead of being marked down to $0.49.  Also, all of the Muir Glen coupons gave me overage as well.  They've always "doubled" up to $0.99 in the past, but I believe the ones I used today all had the new style bar codes.  All the coupons I used with the new bar codes (there were several) at Wegmans had to be entered manually since they beeped.  I'm curious when Wegmans will update their registers, since I've seen tons of the new bar codes on coupons I've printed since January 1st.

1/1 - 1/7 Tops deals

After not buying much the past few weeks, I was pretty excited for my Tops trip today.  I was even more excited when I walked in and found a sign on the door saying that the gas points earning period that had ended on 12/31 has been extended until 1/14!  Since I had earned a discount of $2.30 per gallon as of last week, I could now potentially get free gas (or at least really, really cheap!  Gas points should be redeemed by 1/28.

Here is today's haul:

Since I had a lot of coupons, I ended up splitting my order into 3 transactions in order to maximize my gas points (10 points per manufacturer coupon with a 100 point maximum per transaction) and stay within Tops' coupon doubling policy (4 like coupons per transaction).  I bought the following:

4 Chobani Greek yogurts - $0.40 each
On sale 10/$10, used 4 $0.30 coupons (double to $0.60) printed from here

8 blocks of Heluva Good cheese - $1.50 each
On sale 2/$5, used 8 $0.50 coupons (double to $1) printed from here (click on the green 'Click & Save' block)
Note: Depending on how comfortable you are with doing this, I noticed that instead of 2 prints per computer, this coupon allowed me to print 2 per browser (I used Internet Explorer and Firefox) per computer.

2 boxes Banquet Brown & Serve sausage links - $0.50 each
On sale 10/$10, used 2 $0.25 coupons (double to $0.50) printed inside select boxes of Banquet value meals Note: The Banquet value meals had been on sale 10/$10 for most of last year (and still are on sale this week) and I noticed some of the boxes I had bought previously mentioned having $4 worth of Banquet coupons inside.  You may want to look for the specially marked packages if you're planning on buying any.

4 Banquet fruit pies - $0.60 each
On sale 10/$10, used 2 $0.40 off 2 coupons (double to $0.80) printed inside select Banquet value meals

12 Banquet pot pies - $0.80 each
On sale 10/$10, used 2 $0.60 off 6 coupons (double to $1.20) printed inside select Banquet value meals

2 dozen Eggland's Best eggs - $2.00 each
On sale 2/$5, used $1 off 2 coupon from the 10/2 SmartSource coupon insert (also in the 11/13 SmartSource insert), see note below

4 packages Weight Watchers spreadable cheese wedges - $0.90 each
On sale 2/$4, used 4 $0.55 coupons (double to $1.10) printed from here (click the coupon link on the right)Note: The eggs were more expensive than what I would usually pay, but they and the WW cheese were part of a store promo where you earn a $3.00 Catalina coupon when you buy 6 select products.  When I took into account the extra savings that I rolled into my next transaction, they were worth it in my opinion.  And on top of it, I also earned a bonus 200 gas points since my store will be getting a gas station in the future.

1 box Salada green tea - $0.49
On sale $1.99, used a $0.75 coupon (doubles to $1.50) printed from here

4 Hunt's Snack Pack puddings - $0.75 each
On sale 10/$10, used a $1 off 4 coupon from the 1/1 SmartSource coupon insert

2 boxes of Hefty OneZip bags - $1.50 each
On sale 2/$4, used a $1 off 2 coupon from the 1/1 RedPlum coupon insert

4 bottles of Pine-Sol cleaner - $1.00 each
On sale 2/$4, used 4 $0.50 coupons (double to $1) printed from here (click 'Start Now' and write a brief review)

The total retail cost of my 3 transactions was $98.73 and I paid $42.78 after discounts and coupons, for a savings of approximately 57%.  Plus, I now have a gas discount of $2.80 per gallon.  I am so stoked about this!  And I have another week to rack up gas points (along with some freebies and cheapies -- stay tuned for details, but I'd encourage you to print off cereal and soup coupons I blogged about here and here and check the produce department for POM tearpads ;-)).

Here are a few other deals I considered but didn't end up buying.  Maybe they will be useful to some readers:

• Louis Kemp Crab Delights are on sale BOGO ($2.99).  If you bought 14 (I know it's a lot, but I have freezer space and I'm still considering it) it would come to $20.93.  If you then used the Tops store coupon in this week's ad for $5 off a $20 seafood purchase, you'd pay $15.93 or $1.14 each.  That's a great price!
• Clif Bars are 10/$10.  Use the $1 off 3 coupon printed from the Mambo Sprouts website and pay $0.67 each when you buy 3.
• Select Full Circle canned veggies and beans are on sale 10/$10.  Buy 2, use the Tops store coupon printed from here, and pay $0.50 each.

Snikiddy Snacks = $1 at Wegmans

You can get bags of Snikiddy Snacks at Wegmans for just $1 each.  They are priced at $2.50 per bag, but head here to print out $0.75 coupons (use zip 90210 if you don't see it).  After the coupon doubles, you'll pay just a buck a bag!  I have to say, I absolutely love these snacks.  Both my taste buds and my wallet are happy. :-)

Update: I was searching another zip code just now (33133) and saw there is a $0.75 coupon for "Eat Your Vegetables" by Snikiddy.  I searched a few local-to-me stores on the Wegmans website and these came up as "available at select stores," so I have no idea how much these run or at which stores they're available.  If you have them at your local Wegmans, you might be able to get a deal on them with this coupon.  I'd love to know if any readers find them at their local store and how much they cost.  Leave me a comment if you find them!

New Campbell's coupons

Just in time for the cold weather we're having, there are a couple of new Campbell's soup coupons out that I'm excited about.  Head over here to print coupons for $0.40 off any 3 condensed soups (excludes 'Great for Cooking') and $0.40 off any 3 condensed 'Great for Cooking' soups.  The last time I saw these coupons I was able to get chicken noodle and tomato soups for dirt cheap at Tops (something like $0.13 per can if I remember correctly).  Hopefully we'll see another great sale to pair these up with soon!  And since I often use their cheddar cheese soup for cooking and it never seems to go on sale, having a decent coupon is helpful.

My goal this year: save more money



With prices on everything on the rise causing my budget to get stretched, I've decided to strive to cut costs and save more money during 2012.  As a result, I've joined the 2012 Money Saving Challenge being run by Precious at Frugal Makes Sense.  I just discovered her blog recently and have really enjoyed reading some of the ways she lives frugally.  I encourage you to check it out.

Obviously, my main method of saving has been and will continue to be through matching coupons to sales and using my stockpile.  In addition to couponing, I'm making it my goal to find at least one other way to save money each week.  It may not sound like much, but that's a lofty goal for me and I figure if I post about it online, it will make me more accountable for my actions. 

At this point, I think my plan is todo a post at the end of each week detailing what I did to save money during the previous 7 days.  This is new to me, though, so I might end up changing how I post my money-saving actions. 

I'd love to hear from other readers if you have money-saving goals for the year or other frugal tips you find helpful.

Happy New Year & Happy New Coupons!

Well, it's a brand new year and we are off to a great start with some new printable coupons!  Be sure to check all of the printable coupon sites for coupons that interest you.  Here are some of my favorites:

• At coupons.com -- $0.75 off any Muir Glen product (will be free tomato sauce and tomato paste at Wegmans!) and $0.75 coupons for Frosted Toast Crunch, Dulce de Leche Cheerios, and Multigrain Peanut Butter Cheerios (try zip 77477 if you don't see them, I'm hoping for a 2/$5 sale which would make these $1 each after they double at Tops or Wegmans)
• At smartsource.com -- $0.50 off 2 Yoplait Greek yogurts, $0.75 off Multigrain Cheerios, and $0.75 off 2 Yoplait Go-gurts
• At redplum.com -- $0.50 on any StarKist tuna pouch (should make for free or cheap after the coupon doubles) and $2.00 off 2 Sensodyne products
• At pillsbury.com -- $1.10 on 2 Pillsbury refrigerated cookie dough (I just saw some Christmas ones on clearance for $0.99 each at Wegmans = cheap, plus my kids won't care!), $0.85 off any Muir Glen product (free at Wegmans), $0.60 off Cinnamon Toast Crunch, $0.60 off Chex mix (should make for free or cheap when doubled and paired with a sale), and $0.85 off 2 Yoplait Go-gurts

I definitely have my work cut out for me today, with lots of printing, clipping, and organizing to do!