C'mon People, even a caveman can do it!

Ok, if you know me, you know that I have a coupon/discount/deal for practically everything I buy... I'm lucky that way I guess (though it has more to do with logic than luck) however, even if you don't feel you have any time to clip a coupon or the such... you can take advantage of the easy deals... what are these easy deals... the ones that drugstores offer for FREE... yes... that's right.... FREE... You follow their process, and the only $$$ you are out is tax (now of course, if you're a good deal hunter, you are probably going to combine a coupon in there, and make money, but that's a different post... this post is for the folks who are just starting out and trying to make sense of it all).

So, this week, let's start at CVS. I'm not going to go through the whole CVS101 - because it's been explained on other blogs... if you need a crash course, might I suggest.... CVS101 courtesy of Money Saving Mom to get you going. Basically, CVS is pretty shopper friendly, you don't have to wait for a rebate, the rebate prints back out to you instantly in the store, in the form of "ECB's" or Extra Care Bucks, which are just dollars that can be spent on store purchases... just make sure you have your handy dandy little CVS Extra Care Card. So... back to this week, combining some deals that CVS has for the week, along with what they have as some Monthly deals, here is what even the laziest among you can pick up... (Now please check your circular if you don't live in the Lexington Metro area, there are a couple of random places that get different CVS ads, but most should find this works just fine).

Purchase Always Infinity Pads - They are priced 4.98 this week, when you buy them you get 4.98 back... the advertisement says limit 1, it's actually coming back as 2... so here's how you do that... Your initial investment is $5.28 - that's the price of 1 pack (w/tax) - You get $4.98 printed back, then you buy your second one (you can carry them both up to the register at the same time, and have the cashier split the purchase, provided the line isn't out the door, the cashier won't mind, they are used to this!). Second pack, you use your $4.98 ECB that printed from the first one, and you pay the difference in tax ($0.30) - So far, you've spent $5.58, and you have 2 packs of these (If you have no need for them, I'm sure you know someone who does, or heck, send them to me, lol!) . You also, have ANOTHER $4.98 ECB from CVS... Then you can go back and buy the Well Patch Athritis Patches (3 Count) @ 5.99 each, they are generating 5.99 in ECB's, so you'll buy one, and it will be $6.35, you'll use your $4.98 ECB, and pay the difference ($1.37) and they will give you back $5.99, now you can roll this one 4 more times, each time, you'll now have a $5.99 ECB, and will only be paying tax ($0.35) each time. So, then... you buy Glaceau Vitamin Water, it's 2.29 (plus tax I believe) AND you pick up CVS Brand Vitamin D (because you know you need more Vitamins anyway) It's onsale for $2.99 this month for 100 count (actually it's a 120 Count bottle at my store) and they generate $2.99 back... so the total for these items is $5.28 before tax, so throw in a couple packs of travel tissue (they are by the register, and are 2 for $1... it's cold season, you need something to blow your nose) - That should bring your total up to $6.28 plus tax, and you'll use your $5.99 ECB, and pay the difference, less than a buck... You will also now have $5.28 in ECB's to use) So after all of it, you've spent somewhere in the neighborhood of $7 -$8 bucks (depending on how many times you got the Well Patch), and you have 2 packs of Always Infinity, 1-5 Boxes of Well Patch (great for achy bones), a vitamin water, some vitamins, and a couple travel packs of Tissue... PLUS you have $5.28 to spend again... at this point, you can go crazy and buy yourself something pretty... or... save them for the next deal... See was that so hard????

Now, we can move on to Walgreens.... Walgreen's system is a bit different, their rebates are submitted online or via mail. You can get real $$$ back, or if you put it on a Walgreens Gift Card, they will give you an extra 10%, I recommend this, because, well, it's extra money, and after the first month when you send off for it, you'll get your rebates FASTER. Now Walgreens also has something called, Register Rewards (RR) but I'm not going to talk about them in this post because we're not using them for these... Now you will spend a little more to get yourself started at Walgreens, but after that, you'll be able to re-spend the same money OVER and OVER... So What are you buying... This month, you can pick up Nivea Men's Body Wash, it's FREE after Rebate (FAR), Extreme Energy 2 Pack (FAR), Your Choice of L'Oreal Cleansers (FAR) & Rimmel Lasting Finish Mineral Foundation (FAR) - You simply pay for them, go home, sign into their website, enter a couple things from your receipt, and submit... they will mail you your Gift Card... no UPC's to clip, nuttin... Then that money comes back to you, and you can use it next month for their Freebies.

Now let's move on to Rite Aid... I have to admit, I don't shop Rite Aid as often, so if you really want to know about alot of their deals, check out IHEARTRITEAID for all the scenarios and deals. However I do know that this week, you can buy Crest Whitening Rinse for $3.99 and then use their SCR (Single Check Rebate) to get your $ back...

So... was that so hard? I mean, very minimal effort, and you start the cycle... once you get started, you just keep rolling your "refunded" money back into the store, so you continue to bring home products at little to no cost to yourself... and then... you can use COUPONS to actually make money... but if that overwhelms you, BABY STEPS... start with Free...

And you know those dollars I was pointing out spending at CVS... Check and see if your bank offers a rewards program, I earn points for all the $ I spend through my bank (National City) that I cash in and get CVS gift cards, which takes care of my tax, so then I spend almost nothing out of pocket there too!

Sometimes it's ok to get lost

Are you looking for something fun to do this fall... I'm suprised each year, when I mention the words "Corn Maze" to people, just how many people look at me like I've sprouted a third arm... yet those that have joined in on the fun, have had a blast and look forward to doing it every year! So, to start with... I'll get real simple... a corn maze is exactly what it sounds like, it's a maze... in a corn field... there are a variety of themes, sizes, levels of difficulty, and entertainment value to each one. If you're not sure if there is one near you, I recommend starting clicking here to check out a HUGE directory for pumpkin patches, corn mazes and the works!

Now I do have some tips...

* call ahead or check online, to confirm hours & pricing... everything changes...

* wear comfortable shoes, preferably tennis shoes... your feet will thank you

* make sure the size of the maze is appropriate for the people attending, small kids might not be able to make it through a 9 acre maze and you may be carrying them!

*get a group together, it's much more fun with a group of people, and depending on the size, you might get a discount

*don't wear your Sunday best, it's a farm after all... chances are, you'll end up a bit dirty or dusty

*make sure you hit the bathroom before you hit the maze... Read on and you'll find out why!

So, here's my own little tale of this year's corn maze adventure. We decided to check out a relatively new one this year. Kelley Farms did their 2nd annual corn maze... It's pretty big, something like 8 acres, this year it's in the shape of Abraham Lincoln. It's actually 2 different mazes, we were brave enough to try both. We of course headed out once it got dark... because corn mazing is even more fun with a flash light! They gave us a diagram of the maze, so you could figure your way through, we of course took it, but decided we'd just figure this sucker out on our own... We did pretty good. We managed to only go in circles about 20 times (this is half the fun!) in the first maze... Remember me telling you that tip about bathroom visits... very important... one of my dear friends decided she couldn't hold it any longer, so we purposely found a dead end that curved around.... and stood guard while she crept into the dark to pee! Let me just say it's very quiet out there too... so we had to talk kinda loud to drown it out... Sadly, this isn't the first time I've known a friend to have to pee in the corn maze!

Now at one point, I'm sure I personally made parents grab their children a little tighter... See earlier in the evening, as we were getting ready to head out, one of my friends was on the phone, recanting a very funny comment to another friend, and for some reason I got tickled, just as I was trying to take a drink of soda... and unfortunately, while trying to keep from spewing the soda out my mouth (which I was succeeded at preventing!) I managed to spew soda through my nose! I know, not a very pretty picture! Definitely not one of my more graceful moments, that's for sure... So fast forward to about an hour later, in the maze, as I exclaim (and unfortunately, in my "outside voice" )for all the world to hear, "I can still smell COKE in my nose!" At which point I realized that the words tumbling forth from my mouth, might have different connotations to those said parents who were probably now trying to herd their children away from the crazy druggie in the corn maze!

After making it through the first maze, which was dubbed... "Harder" we decided to give the "easier" one a shot... now mind you, there are these little numbered check points as you go through the maze, so you can kind of figure out if you're headed on the right path... so we pass Check point 1 very easily, before you know it, we're onto #2, and in the blink of an eye, #3 is in our sights... at which point, I point out, "Wow, this one is easier"... which as you probably have guessed, was a little presumptive... because as we trudge on... we see another checkpoint...and as we get closer, realize we're back at #2... SUPER, so we backtrack.... and instead of seeing #3, the next one we spy is #1! Somehow, we manage to get our heads in the game, and start back over, of course, through the rest of the maze, the following comments can be overheard by our group "Hey, this is the same hole we stepped over 5 minutes ago!" and "Haven't we been by this row before???" But finally, Victory was ours! We successfully made it out of Maze #2... We had managed to hit all the checkpoints in both mazes (with the exception of C.P. #5 in the first one) and had a bunch of letters to unscramble.... I am pleased to say I solved the puzzle, and we headed back to claim our prize... mini pumpkins & gourds... although each of us heard a different description of the quantity we were supposed to claim... so we possibly stole an extra gourd... if so, I blame Misha!

Here's Misha & Kev as we entered the Maze:

And here is Kevin & Me!

So that was Corn Maze adventure '08 - Who knows where we'll end up next year!

$1 Butter Burgers!!

Check it out! Culver's will be celebrating their 24th Year on Tuesday Oct 7th by serving up their famous ButterBurgers for just $1 (Limit of 5 per order)

Such a lovely day

I love it, I woke up this morning and weather guy tells me today was going to be in the 60's... WOOHOO!!! I happen to be one of those people who loves the cooler weather.... I stepped out to head to work (in Capris & Sandals... because that is the perfect attire for this weather) and was a little sad that I had to spend the day at work. I did manage to sneak outside for lunch & read... this was my view:

It was great, not too sunny (my pale complection doesn't appreciate alot of that) with a light breeze, it was heavenly! I can't wait for the day to be over so I can get out and at least enjoy the evening. This is definitely good corn maze weather, which is hopefully going to take place this weekend!

That's all for now... go get out from behind your computer and get some fresh air!

Free Flu Shot in Lexington

I saw this article on WLEX's website. Fayette County Health Department is doing free flu shots this Saturday (Oct 4th) at Lexmark - it's drive thru service, just drive up and roll down your window :)

You can get all the details on their website, by clicking here

It's the little things

Yesterday was a good day. Nothing spectacular happened, and that's okk. If you wait for something spectacular to make your day, you could spend much more of your life waiting around, instead of enjoying the simplest of things. Even the smallest or most random things can brighten your day, if you let them. So, here's what made me happy yesterday:

Lunch w/ the best friend - Yes, I see him everyday, but it's great to steal a few minutes with a great friend, just to help you finish out the day

Fresh Breadsticks @ Lunch - Hey, I'm easy to please! There is something to be said for hot & fresh bread, lol!

Silly Text Messages - Another acquaintance & I got into a short text discussion on some pretty absurd topics, that made me laugh so hard I was crying

Smooth commute home - I drive the interstate home most days, a day with no backups, pile ups or speed traps... is wonderful

P&G Mail - I did a survey online for P&G awhile back, and was rewarded with coupons... this was really cool, because it is the full coupon insert for October, so I can use them early!

Free Ice Cream - Stopped at Coldstone Creamery & picked up a free ice cream during their Make-A-Wish Ice Cream Social. Nutter Butter... YUMMY

Rite Aid actually had something in stock - Advil was on sale, I had a coupon, it was on the shelf... so I picked up 3 bottles of Advil for FREE... YAY ME!

Yup, all in all, not a bad day!

Free Ice Cream & a Good Cause

Tonight is Coldstone Creamery's Make-a-Wish night. They will be giving away ice cream - in your choice of:

Jack's Creation - Marshmallow ice cream with OREO® Cookies, Chocolate Chips & Fudge

Emily's Creation - Nutter Butter® ice cream with White Chocolate Chips, Kit Kat & Yellow Cake

It's their 7th annual Ice Cream Social, from 5PM - 8PM - and donations made will benefit Make-a-Wish

So stop in and grab an ice cream & make a donation!

Click here for full story

Check 'em out

Here are some great giveaways out there by some bloggers:

Do you need to be organized? Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls can get you started with a "Truly Mom" planner, this one is a great planner, go check it out here.

How about a free 2 year mag subscription to the greatest magazine ever? Then you'll want to check out Thrify Mama's All You giveaway

It's not over... but it's different

So, in creating my blog, I made a pretty bold statement. "It's not over after 30" And I do believe that statement wholeheartedly. I guess I forgot to give my foot that memo. About 2 years ago, being the completely put together and graceful person that I am, while attempting to be a good samaritan, I fell... not once... but twice in a matter of 60 seconds (yes, I know... this takes talent). This resulted in a very scratched cell phone, a wounded ego and unfortunately... a sprained ankle, dislocated kneecap and a broke foot! I spent months in tennis shoes (which was fate's little fashion torture for me) and made a full recovery... well as full as one can expect. Once you break something, it's never quite right.

My most recent affliction began about a month ago...I noticed that I was having some heel pain... which I have had from time to time, but this time... it just didn't go away... and there were times when the pain was excruciating... I kept thinking it would go away... (because you know that simply wishing away something is very effective, lol) but alas, last week my foot called my bluff and I was forced to bite the bullet... and call the doctor. Not just any doctor... nope, my 30 yr old foot was making me drag it to the podiatrist...

Now I'm not knocking these doctors... it's just when you walk in, and you see the display of "orthopedic shoes" you have to wonder if someone will be lurking behind the door ready to put on your medic alert bracelet and give you a Geritol chaser.

So, after a brief prodding & series of X-Rays to rule anything else out... Dr Po (as in POdiatrist) concludes that it's Plantar Facaiitis and then gives a scornful look over in the direction of my comfy Curve sandals... I guess from his tone, that "Extremely High Arches" are not as cool as they sound and am slightly disappointed when he gently points out, that I do need to remember that as we age, we have to start taking better care of ourselves and realize that we can no longer be as carefree... In short - I gather from him that 30yr olds should not be waltzing around barefoot nearly as much as I enjoy!

So I leave the doctor armed with a prescription (thinking to myself... hmmm which pharmacy can I get a GC from?), an arch binder (big ol' piece of elastic, suprisingly comfy) and a pair of inserts... feeling like Sophia from Golden Girls... and as I leave the doctor's office, I faintly hear the "flip-flop" of my youth staying behind...

I am sticking to my guns... it's not over... but it's different... and that's not always a bad thing... and at least I have my memories (for now!)

I was born to be a mother, just not today

For as long as I can remember, I've had names for my future children picked out. When I was very young, I told my mother that I wanted to have 16 kids! Of course, when I was 7, my mother became pregnant with my brother, and I got a little more formal of an education of pregnancy... at which point, I advised my mother I would adopt. Now my brother Ray, who was born right before I turned 8 might not agree so much that I was born to be a mother, considering when he was about 6 weeks old, I was holding him, and he started to spit up, at which time, I promptly tossed him in the air to my mother who was passing by with a laundry basket as I exlaimed "Here Mom, Catch!" - Thankfully, she caught him and I learned that little brothers are not footballs.

So you may wonder, at 30, how many children do I have? Well, I have a few furbabies (the herd) but none of the human variety. And that has been the intentional plan. You see, I love children, and I do plan to have some one day, it's just that... today isn't that day... and tomorrow isn't either. It's not that I don't think I could take care of one. If I were to wake up tomorrow a mom, I think I would manage just fine. But I'm not in a rush to start that portion of my life. I know what the challenges of motherhood can be, and I know one day, I'll be ready for that... but... (you guessed it) Not today.

When I was a freshman in high school, my mother announced that she was pregnant, and the following fall, they brought my baby brother home. I was 15. This time, as a teenager, I had a much more active role in the care of this little wiggly being. Due to unforseen family health emergencies, I actually wrapped up the last week or so of my sophomore year taking care of a 6 month old baby & an 8 year old child while going to school. Having a baby brother was fun, because babies are fun... but I also learned that waking up at 3 in the morning because a baby is crying... not so pleasant. And as the rest of my time at home went on, my baby brother got brought along to shopping trips & college computer labs & all sorts of things, because in my family, my parents worked, and everyone had responsibilities. And, looking back it was great, for many reasons, first & foremost, it was a great lesson in the responsibility of parenting...(hence, no kids now because I knew what came with those cute little babies). It also was a great opportunity for me to get to know my little brother. In fact, at 19 when I moved out on my own, 2 and 1/2 hours away from home... it was leaving that little booger that saddened me the most (I'm sure Trav would be mortified to know he's being referred to so fondly).

For these reasons, and many more, I know that motherhood is something that I want to experience first hand. However I also know that it is something that I can wait for. I'm encouraged, because I've recently ran across blogs from women who had children later in life, and some who did it by themselves by choice. I enjoy reading these women's stories because it's great to find other like minded women, who don't think it's odd that at 30 I am childless and am ok with it. I know one day, I will join their ranks... just not today :)

Some great giveaways

Life's hectic this week, so no giveaway from me... don't worry, I'll make up for it next week! But in the meantime... check out some of these blogs for great giveaways!

Light up the nights this fall. FrugalMommyof2 has an awesome Keystone Candle giveaway you should check out

AND she's also giving away some really cool Honeybee Makeup so you can look oh, so pretty in that candlelight!

You can really clean up if you check out Super Coupon Girl's Cleaning giveaway - she's got the products & the coupons to help you restock!

"Deal"ectible Mommies is helping you wage a battle on bathroom funk with her Scrubbing Bubbles giveaway! Check it out here

Frugal RI Mama is helping fund your "CVS'ing" with a $10 GC to CVS... are you just imagining the transactions in your head... lol

No Red Bull needed, just buy a pillow

Never underestimate the power of a good night's rest. And I am a firm believer that the bed should be a haven, it should be comfortable & inviting. For me, that means a my favorite down comforter (I use it year round, it's like sleeping in a cloud...)

I must be one of the pickiest people in the world when it comes to pillows... I have been wanting new pillows for my bed for awhile now, and every store I go into, if I make it to that part of the store, I am often sadly disappointed in the selection... I mean, how in the heck do people sleep on these things I keep finding...

So, this past Sunday, being completely oblivious to the Ike winds that were whipping through my town, I got the urge to head to the mall. Now I had decided to head to Macy's because they were doing a promotion... and my plan was to go buy some bakeware... as I have been needing to replace some of my existing pieces...

Getting there was quite an experience, the power had knocked out some traffic signals near the mall... OK... first... mall traffic here in Lex is a nightmare anyways... but it seems many drivers lose the ability to process the simplest of driving rules when the signals aren't working... but I digress...

Made it into Macy's, and luckily their power was on (it had been out earlier, I learned once I got there) and headed to the home section... I found some bakeware that I liked... but needed some "filler" because I had a coupon that was taking "x" dollars off my purchase, but I wanted my purchase to be "y" number of dollars, because Macy's was doing a promotion and for every "z" dollars you spent, you got back "q" dollars on your next purchase (I bet you didn't think you'd ever need algebra to read a blog, huh?!?!)

So as my roomie & I are wandering around the home section, we come across.... PILLOWS... and hey, it's a Sunday afternoon... there is housework to be done at home... the wind is knocking down trees & walls... so obviously this means... we must check out every pillow we can... and we proceed to do this... I don't wanna give away all the fun... but at one point... roomie actually laid down on the floor to check out how comfy one might be that we were contemplating...

However our efforts were rewarded... as we both found the "PERFECT" pillow... The pillow I got is "European Style" which is just a fancy way of saying it's square instead of rectangle. I made my purchases (bought bakeware too!) and headed home... and let me tell you, Sunday night when I finally crawled into bed, I realized I had found the perfect companion to my heavenly comforter... I slept divinely... cocooned in my bed, comforter up to my ears, head snugly resting on this lovely dream vessel.

And the following morning, while I didn't want to drag myself from this slumber, once up, I felt suprisingly well rested... all day... no energy drink required... makes me want to devote a whole day to it... there's just nothing like a good pillow & blankie...

Even Mollie would agree... as you can see from the pic, as she is snuggled under her own down blankie w/one of her many pillows throughout the house.

Saving Some is Lucky

Brandy over at Saving Some is the winner of the Lucky Mag giveaway! Check out her blog if you get a chance! Especially because she just announced a new giveaway... you're hearing about it here first... She's got Rachael Ray's 365 No Repeats Cookbook - you can go here to read about it!

Getting the most out of your dollars

Whether or not you "bargain shop" or clip coupons, most people still enjoy getting something for nothing. Everyone enjoys the perks that come unexpectedly. I highly recommend that if you want to make the most of your money, even if you don't want to put the effort into comparing sales prices or waiting for Black Friday, why not take advantage of the great offers that you may be passing up and not even realize it. What am I talking about? I'm talking about getting a bonus for the things you do on any given day anyways. Like paying your bills, grabbing a drink at work, putting gas in your car. I'm talking about rewards programs, loyalty cards, and the like. There are TONS of them out there, I'm just going to highlight a few that I'm familiar with.



First up... Banking Rewards. Many Banks now offer customers a "Points" program from Visa Extras, this used to be a program only available to credit card holders, but now, even a plain ol' banking customer can take advantage. For me, this is FREE MONEY... I mean, I have to spend money on rent, utilities, groceries, etc... so why not get something for doing it. At my bank, (National City) I earn points for just about everything I do with my account. And what has the payoff been? Let's see, I've paid for my hotel stays with Marriot Gift Cheques, I've used Circuit City Gift Cards to buy the latest gadget I want, I've used various restaurant gift cards to eat out without breaking my budget and lately, I've been redeeming for CVS Gift Cards (do you know how long I can make $10 last at CVS) - I've also taken the time to learn the in's & out's of their program, so I know how to maximize my earnings - And in fact, since April, I've earned $70 in various Gift Cards, so the payout isn't that bad or long to achieve



So what else can you get - Have you checked out programs like MyCokeRewards - you can go online (or text from your phone) the codes you get when you purchase products & redeem for all sorts of coupons or free merchandise.



Fuel Prices suck, but how about getting a loyalty card, such as Speedy Rewards, and you can earn some points - which you can redeem for gift cards, free food, or cents off the gallon at the pump.



Heck, even the cat litter I used to buy had a rewards program where you could earn points & get coupons! So what's my advice - you don't have to reinvent the wheel, but take a look at your daily habits and see who will reward you for being just good ol' you!

I is going back to school

So, it's official, I've started the process for going back to school. Now this is something I've tinkered with before... and been giving alot of thought to. My biggest dilemma has always been where/how/and for what. Meaning - at 30 years young, I have grown quite accustomed to the creature comforts that I am able to provide for myself, so the idea of not continuing to work in my typical setting isn't very practical, balancing a schedule of going to school, working, and having a life has seemed impossible. Where to go to school has been just as big of a question... I abhorred sitting in a classroom the first time around, add a few years and the life experience to me, and I can't see it being any more tolerable this time. So I started looking at alternative solutions, there are many. First you have specific trade schools, I'm not talking about going to school to be a diesel mechanic, but schools that offer more focused, practical classes, focusing on business, which I knew would be my focus... still I worried that I would spend time, energy, and money and be no better off, as many of these schools aren't as widely received. Then came thinking about online universities, which, to their credit, have became increasingly popular, and are becoming more & more recognized. Still, sometimes their setup is a bit different, and I want to ensure that my efforts wouldn't be futile.

So I finally did enough research to discover that a degree program that I've been bouncing around in my head for awhile, is actually being offered through an accredited university in my state, and I will be able to complete it 100% online! Woohoo! So I have began the process. I submitted my application, and sometime in October, should start the process of meeting with advisors, etc to determine what classes will transfer, what coursework I need, etc

So... what is it I'm seeking to do? Organizational Leadership... It's a Bachelor of Arts Degree - and is a rather broad based degree, it's also a bit newer than a traditional "Business Administration" degree (my previous major) - but after several years in a professional setting, I have come to realize is the perfect fit for me! My biggest question still outstanding, is I will first wrap up my Associate's degree (only need a few credit hours) and I need to determine if I will be doing that in Arts, Science, or Applied Science - as all of these would connect to my Bachelor degree. Perhaps meeting with an advisor will give me some more insight into that.

So, Organizational Leadership... are you curious to know more about it? I first heard the title a couple of years ago, and it sounded interesting, so I began reading up on it. This degree is rather diversified, it can be used in practically any industry. You can go here to read more about the degree.

So, I should begin classes in January of 2009 - My hope is that with some great budgeting, I'll actually be able to cut my full time job down a few hours while in school, so let's see how that goes.

Sometimes, one just ain't enough

Okay, so I couldn't fit all my deals into one picture... well, actually - I had alot of frozen foods, so I wanted to get them put up pretty quick! Stopped in at Meijer last night - there are still a few deals I need to go back for, because they were out, but suprisingly I was able to get most of what I wanted. Here's the "food" portion of what I picked up, not arranged to pretty, because I really wanted to get in in the freezer!

7 Green Giant Steamers - on sale $1 each - used $1 MFN coupon from Sunday = FREE

3 Land O Lakes Butters - on sale $1 each - used recent .50 MFN coupon = FREE

1 Michelina Pasta Frozen Meal - on sale $1 - was my 11th item in the 10/10 + 1 = FREE

4 Dannon Immunity Drinkable Yogurt 4 packs - on sale for $2 - used $1 from blinkie = $1 Each

1 Box Tofutti Cutie Ice Cream Sandwiches - on sale $2 - used $1.50 IP (coupons.com)

1 Box Ronzoni Smart Pasta - $1.69 - used recent $1 MFN = .69

2 Pillsbury Frozen Dinner Rolls - on sale $2 - used $1 IP (coupons.com) = $1 Each

Then, let's take a look at the "non food" purchases:

4 Lysol Kitchen Cleaners - On sale $1.14 - less .50 MFN (doubled) = .14 each

13 Lysol Bathroom Cleaners - On sale $1.04 - less .50 MFN (doubled) = .04 each

5 Lysol Refills - On sale for $1.39 - less .50 MFN (doubled) = .39 each

10 Assorted Spay N Wash - On sale $1.14 - less .50 MFN (doubled) = .14 each

5 Electrasol Tab Packs - On sale $3 - less $2.25 MFN = .75 each

5 Lady's Speed Stick Deodorants - On sale $2 - less $1 MFN = $1 ea PLUS buy 5 get $5 back on your next transaction, made them FREE

Not too bad!

Take a chance

You can't win, if you don't play! Here are some other great blogs giving away some cool stuff:

Looking for something a little different that what you'll find at your local Walmart - Check out the Lulufish giveaway and you just might find what you're looking for!

Looking for a good read? Check out Laura's book giveaway She's giving away 2 copies of Saturdays with Stella, How My Dog Taught Me to Sit, Stay, and Come When God Calls ( I want to win this one myself, looks pretty good!)

Want to win a GC (gift card) to Sear's (which btw, can also be used at K-Mart!), check out Mom's by Heart - she is giving away a $5 card & a Homemade Simple coupon book - these are really handy

Want to save some time cleaning? "Deal"ectible Mommies can help you. Check out the blog on how to win a Scrubbing Bubbles Action Scrubber!

Need to get a jump start on your latest home improvement? Frugal RI Mama can help with a $10 Lowe's GC - check it out!

Cheap is good, but Free is better! What could be better than FREE BREAD... Frugal in Virgina is giving away some coupons for FREE loaves of bread!

It will be all about you, when you win this free mani/pedi from A Day Spent, she's giving away a certificate for a free manicure or pedicure! Pampered toes are waiting....

You can never have too many purses, and Frugal Mommy of 2 is helping you out with a Purse-A-Nality giveaway! You'll get a cute pair, one for you & one for the little one!

So, if you're trying to budget, how about a cookbook that will help you??? Confessions of a Coupon Junkie can help you out, she's giving away a book full of $5 recipes & coupons to help you pick up those items!!!

What are you waiting for???? ENTER!!!

It's Tuesday, which means movie review

Okay, so last night was Free Movie Rental from REDBOX rentals. Lately we seem to have been on a pretty disappointing streak of movies... last night was no exception...

Picked up "The Morgue" because not much else looked appealing either... and well... this is one you can pass on... the only thing I did like, was at the end, there was a bit of an explanation to some of the events... but all in all... this is the perfect movie to put you to sleep... There's not alot of dialogue in many parts of it, and not much action either...

I don't even know much to write to complain about, other than, save your code, get a different movie!

I need a 30 hour day

I've decided that a mere 24 hour day just isn't enough... I'm getting too old to try to squeeze it all in. There was a time when I could squeeze in an hour of sleep & be good to go... but not these days... Of course the dilemma being, I'm tired when I need to be awake, and awake when I need to be tired, being an insomniac from way back (lol)

I'm trying to figure out how I used to do it, how did I get everything accomplished and still have time to do nothing? Because now, life just seems to be one giant juggling act... Granted I'm not working 60 hours a week at my full time job anymore (THANK GOD!) But still... I've noticed that I keep putting things off, and then thinking I'll catch up on the weekend, and then I come to realize that my list for the weekend is astronomical... and all I want to do is sit down on the couch and watch CSI:Miami reruns, lol!

I guess I am going to have to figure all this out, I'm starting back to school in January, so I'll be adding one more ball to juggle... It could be worse I guess!

*CONTEST CLOSED*This week's giveaway, feeling Lucky???

Are you feeling Lucky? Here's what I've got up for grabs this week. A paid 1 year subscription to Lucky magazine. For those of you who aren't familiar with the mag, click on the link & you can learn more. It is a transferable paid subscription card, so could be the perfect gift for a shopaholic or fashion diva! And, since Lucky mag is all about "trying the trend" I'm going to throw in a trend sample for you to try as well. You will also win a sample of "In a Wink" Eyeshadow Sheets from Avon.

How can you enter? Well, I'll give you a few entry opportunities:

#1 - Leave me a comment, letting me know which other post(s) on my blog you like (yep... this is a "reader" giveaway)

#2 - Subscribe to my blog (leave me a comment letting me know), I'm trying to gain readership! (If you're already a subscriber, let me know in a separate comment)

#3 - Spread the love, share my blog (with link of course) on your blog, message board, social networking site, etc (leave me a comment linking me to it)

That's it - Drawing ends Sunday at Midnight!

Yay! I won a Sears Card

I just won a Sears GC (Gift Card) from Z over at Deals - R - Us

You should check out her blog, it has an assortment of the net's best deals & specials!

Ok, a deal that just couldn't be passed up

K-Mart started a sale today, it's through Sunday I believe.... They are doubling coupons - up to a $2 coupon (you'd get $4) - There are a couple catches, you can only have 4 identical coupon(s)/item(s) , you won't get overage, they aren't accepting internet coupons & only 75 coupons per person per day. However... there are plenty of great deals to be had... I didn't get a chance to go until after work, so there were a few things I were looking for that had been cleaned out... but still I spent about $30 oop (Out Of Pocket). I had 2 transactions (and a great roomie who stopped by to help me check out in 2 separate transactions)


Transaction #1:
1 Dove Cream Oil Hand Cream $3.99 (less $1.50 coupon doubled to $3 = $ .99)
2 Dove Cream Oil Body Lotion $4.19 (less $1.50 coupon doubled to $3 = $1.19 X 2)
1 Jane Mineral Eye Liner $3.99 (less $2 coupon doubled to $3.99 = FREE)
1 Got2B Styltini Mouse $4.49 (less $2 coupon doubled to $4 = $ .49)
2 Visine Contact Drops $3.99 (less $2 coupon doubled to $3.99 = FREE X 2)
3 Sunsilk Hair Spray $3.89 (less $1.50 coupon doubled to $3 = $ .89 X 3)
1 Sunsilk Creme $3 (less $1 coupon doubled to $2 = $1)
2 Pantene Expressions Shampoo $4.50 (less $2 coupon doubled to $4 = $ .50 x 2)
2 Pantene Expressions Conditioners $4.50 (less $2 coupon doubled to $4 = $ .50 x 2)
4 Pantene Hair Spray $4.29 (less Buy Shampoo/Conditioner Get Free Product = FREE x 4)
2 St Joseph Aspirin $2.39 (less $1 coupon doubled to $2 = $ .29 x 2)
1 Maalox Chewables $3.99 (less $2 coupon doubled to $3.99)
4 Tums Smoothies $1.89 (less $1 coupon doubled to $1.89 = FREE x 4)
1 Rolaids 3 Pack $1.79 (less $1 coupon doubled to $1.79 = FREE)
2 Pepcid AC $4.99 (less $2 coupon doubled to $4 = $ .99 x 2)

Grand Total $18.89 w/ Total Savings of $102.48

Transaction #2
4 Ban Deodorant $2 (less $1 coupon doubled to $2 = FREE x 4)
1 Miralax $7.59 (less $2 coupon doubled to $4 = $3.59)
2 Edge Shaving Gel $2.50 (less $ .75 coupon doubled to $1.50 = $1 x 2)
4 Sunsilk Conditioners $3 (less $1.50 coupon doubled to $3 = FREE x 4)
3 Pantene Expressions Shampoo $4.50 (less $2 coupon doubled to $4 = $ .50 x 3)
3 Pantene Hair Spray $4.29 (less Buy Shampoo/Conditioner Get Free Product = FREE x 3)
1 8 Pack Scott Paper Towels $5 (less $1 coupon doubled to $2 = $3)

Grand Total $13.73 w/ Total Savings of $64.98

Total for Merchandise $200.08 - Total OOP $32.62 = almost 84% Savings!!!

There were some other great deals I passed on, and if your store has some other things in stock, plenty of other FREE items you could pick up with the right coupons...

A picture is worth a thousand words

They say a picture is worth a thousand words... tonight while flipping through one of my online photo books I ran into this pick and it made me smile... I don't know if a thousand words could even describe it... Now I'm not talking about the obvious, make you laugh, aspect of this pic... More about the times that this picture represents. This picture was taken a few years ago, and the two individuals who are fondly referred to as "Beckster" & "Gish" were on the team that I managed. No, this isn't how they came to work everyday, this was their Halloween costume, "Drew & Mimi"
This pic is kind of a snapshot of history, just a moment in time, and it was a great place. I've had the opportunity to work with many people in my years of managing people, but the team that these people are a part of, will forever stick in my mind. They were an amazing bunch, a little trying at times, but then again, I wasn't exactly a "cookie cutter" supervisor either - they complimented me well. From this team has sprang many new leaders, both in that company and beyond and I have formed lasting bonds with many of them, that I still have, though I haven't shared building space with them for over a year.

This is not saying that things aren't great now, in fact, quite the opposite, I just was browsing through my past and wanted to pay hommage to a moment in time, to an amazing cast that once shared the stage of life with me (now that sounds philosphical... or cheesy, not sure which!)

To any of my "Swiveler's" out there who may run across this - Know this - It was my privilege and my honor to have been a part of what we created, from "Beula" to "Cube Ball", from marathon days to dancing in the parking lot. I hope that even when you thought I was being difficult, you can now understand, it was because I know you'd get through it much wiser. I hope that you were able to learn as much from me, as I from you... and lastly... Be Good OR Be Gone!

Awareness & Action

What exactly is psoriasis? Let's start with what it's not. It is not contagious and it is not just a skin disease. Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the immune system. The exact cause is unknown; however, researchers believe that heredity, environment, and the immune system may also play a role in psoriasis. According to the National Institutes of Health, as many as 7.5 million Americans have psoriasis. About 10 percent to 30 percent of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic [sore-ee-AA-tic] arthritis, which causes pain, stiffness and swelling in and around the joints.

But for millions of Americans, psoriasis is a daily impediment, one that dramatically and negatively impacts their quality of life. For many, it is debilitating. A National Institute of Mental Health-sponsored study in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology found that "Patients with psoriasis reported reduction in physical functioning and mental functioning comparable to that seen in cancer, arthritis, hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, and depression." Psoriasis hurts. Psoriasis itches. Some people have extensive coverage—on their arms, legs, trunk, face, and/or genitals

But what is striking and even less well known is how devastating psoriasis can be emotionally and psychologically. It is not just a disease that harms the body. Psoriasis patients have a higher incidence of depression, and even of suicidal thoughts. The visible nature of psoriasis exacerbates its interference with intimacy and one’s sense of self. Self-esteem can take a hit

So what's going on in the community?

Between 1995-2005, as the federal government DOUBLED research funding for other diseases, psoriasis research funding FELL. It is finally rising, but psoriasis research is still $40 MILLION short of where it would be had it been treated fairly since 1995. You can click here to write to Congress in support of funding & research.

If you have a child with Psoriasis, you can go here to receive back to school resources that includes: a fact sheet on children's psoriasis that parents can print off the internet and deliver to their child's school teacher; and a podcast interview with a leading pediatric dermatologist discussing how to treat psoriasis in children and how to help them cope with it.

Short Sleve day is coming! September 12-14 -You can go here to get all the info

Coupon Give away # 4

This is my last & by far biggest coupon giveaway - I didn't take the time to count, but I'm guessing around 200 or so coupons - all future dated, variety of products (Cheerios, Cleaning Products, Hot Dogs, you name it) Basically my own coupon organizing system was exploding, and currently my kitchen cabinets/garage/closets are exploding with surplus so I had to realistically look through my coupons and decide that there were plenty that I wasn't going to be needing to use anytime soon.

So there are a few ways you can get entries into this contest.

#1 Leave a comment (don't forget to include a way to contact you)
#2 Subscribe to my blog (leave a comment after you subscribe)
#3 Spread the word (leave a blurb on your blog/forum/etc and then leave me a comment w/ a link to that)

I'll select a random person on Sunday morning!

Interested in my other give aways? (There are a total of 4!) Just check out my blog

Coupon Give away # 3

There are no ankle biters in my household, and while I have found that with my couponing, I do buy some off the wall products (such as my huge inventory of prep H wipes because they were a money maker @ Walgreens recently) I've never put any time into strategizing diaper purchases. So I'm handing over all my diaper coupons - assorted brands, assorted varieties - it's a pretty good stack.

I'll close this drawing out over the weekend (Sunday morning) If you are interested in entering, leave me a comment (include a way to reach you) and tell me your most off the wall purchase you've made with coupons.

Interested in my other give aways (I've got 4 this week!) Just check out the rest of my blog!

Coupon Give away #2

This give away is for those of you with four legged friends. I have a small stash (maybe 20) of pet coupons - the majority of these coupons are for IAMS or ALPO (my little dog doesn't eat either) w/ a couple of a Tidy Cat Breeze coupons thrown in for good measure (my cats weren't so fond of this new fangled litter box, but it seems like a good concept for those of you out there using it).

If you are interested in this give away, leave a comment on this blog and tell me a little about your furbaby. (don't forget to leave a way to contact yourself) I'll randomly select the winner on Sunday

Interested in my other give aways (I have 4 total!) Check out the rest of my blog.

Coupon Give Away #1

I recently cleaned out my coupon organizer(s) and pulled out all of my expired(ing) coupons - The stores in my area do not take expired coupons but I know that many of you are still able to use them, so I wanted to pass them along. I have over 100 coupons that have just expired, (a handful of them expire this week) Many .50 value, several BOGO. Because these are expired, this will be a short give away, I'll randomly select a name tomorrow (Thursday 9.4.08). In order to enter this drawing - just leave me a comment on this blog & be sure to include a way to contact you!

Interested in my other giveaways? (I have 3 others) - Just check out the rest of my blog for details on those give aways!

Have a great day!

Yes, I'm still here

So, I haven't had a chance to post much lately. There have been a few things going on. I have taken advantage of some great deals, I'll try to post them later. I've also enjoyed the wonderful Labor Day weekend, it was great to get an extra day of time off!

Please keep my family in your thoughts, last week my stepfather had to have surgery to have a melanoma removed from his back. We are hoping for a good recovery & good news from the doctor.

Awareness

Check out this site...
http://www.freetogetinthepool.org/

Meijer Deals $8.95 out of pocket

I had another presciption to refill, and Meijer is doing $20 for a transfer, so off to Meijer I went. Here's what I got:

Rice a Roni - 1.16
Thomas English Muffins x 2 - BOGO @ 3.99
Tony's Frozen Pizza x 3 - price drop .99
Ramen Noodles x 10 - 10/$1
Ragu Pasta Sauce x 2 - 1.49 ea sale
Shout Laundry Spray - 1.94 Sale
Pop Tarts x 2 - 1.33 ea sale
Oscar Mayer Precooked Bacon x 2 - $2 ea - price drop
Skippy Peanut Butter - $2 sale
Lowry's Marinade - $1.67 sale
Q tips Vanity Case x 2 - 2/$5 sale
Lysol Neutra Air x 5 - 5.99 sale
KY Warming Mist - $1.28 Clearance

Here's what I used:
IP (Internet Printable) for Rice A Roni - .50 doubled
$1 MFN for Thomas's English Muffins - I emailed them because I love these & they sent me some coupons!
.50 off 2 Ragu MFN from Sunday's paper - doubled
.75 off Shout MFN from recent insert
$1 off 2 Poptarts MFN from recent insert
$3 off 2 Oscar Mayer Bacon, Meijer Mealbox - this is a great deal, 2 boxes for $1 after coupon!
.40 off 1 Skippy from Sunday's paper - doubled
.50 off 1 Lowry's from Sunday's paper - doubled
.30 off 1 Qtip x 2 from Sunday's paper - doubled
$4 peelie on each of the Lysol Neutra Air - I don't think people are catching this sale, because it's half off, but the sign isn't on the shelf - but it rings up!
$2 off any KY product - gave me overage!!!
$20 off Purchase from Pharmacy

So how'd it add up????
Meijer Promotions Saving: $23.99
Non Coupon Savings: $48.96
Coupon Savings: $32.75

Total Savings was: $105.70
My Oop (out of pocket) was $8.95

Which is over 90% savings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Absolutely Free @ Rite Aid

So, I had to have a prescription refilled - Rite Aid was doing the $30 for a transfer AND we just had a new store open, so there were GRAND OPENING specials... Now technically I guess I spent the $10 on my prescription co-pay, but that was going to be bought regardless... So what else did I buy:

(4) 12 Packs of Coke Products (on sale 4/$11) - used my last FREE 12 pack Coke Reward, and 3 $1 off Coke Zero from Vocal Point

(8) 6 Packs of Sunmade Raisins (on sale for .88 ea) - used $1 off two from Sunday's paper x 4

(6) Airwich Airfreshner Sprays (on sale .59 ea) - used BOGO coupons from recent insert x 3

(1) Cotton Balls (on sale .88)

(1) Quilted Northern 4 pack double rolls (on sale 1.99)

(1) Rite Aid Baby Wipes 80 ct (on sale .99)

(2) 26 oz Motts Applesauce (on sale 2/$1)

(2) Kraft Mac N Cheese to go (on sale 2/$1)

(2) L'oreal Vive Shampoo (w/bonus package of free conditioner) (on sale BOGO) - used $1 MFN for each

The total was around $20 so I still have $10 to spend!

Small trip to Walgreens

Made a quick stop at Walgreens during lunch the other day - I must say, my faith in Walgreens is being restored - I had almost given up on shopping there. The store near my home never has what I want, the cashiers are slow, things ring up the wrong price and it takes 20 minutes to get it corrected. It was always an ordeal. I have noticed however that the Walgreens by my office is quite different. The people are friendly (the cashier was actually excited to see how much I had saved), most everything was in stock, everything was priced correctly... this is where I will be going from now on.

I spent $6.51 out of pocket on:

Dove Shampoo & Conditioner (4.99 each, BOGO @ Walgreens, minus 2 x $2 coupon from Sunday's paper)

Fiber One x 2 (1.99 @ Walgreens, had a $1 and a .70 off coupon)

Prep H Wipes (I'll be giving these away, but they were $3.99 - stack a $2 Walgreens Saver coupon with $3 IP coupon, made them free AND gave me $1 off the rest of my total)

Revlon Nail Files x 2 (1.59 @ Walgreens - less Walgreens $1 Revlon coupon found in store for each)

Soho Chocolates (Clearanced to 2.99, had a $2 off coupon)

Russel Stover Chocolates (Clearanced to 2.99, had a $2 off coupon)

Wednesday is movie night...

Redbox has their August promo code out - Free Rental tonight - Just use JK4HM5 to rent it - you can also visit their website and sign up, they'll text you the code every Wednesday (and Monday) in August

Wait for it on DVD, and only on Free Movie night

Okay, so last night I went to check out "Mirrors" - I had some free movie passes I won from the radio station and the previous for this one looked good... well... I won't spoil it for you (it will do that itself) but you know in the first 5 minutes that this is not a good movie... Why???

CHEESY Special Effects... I mean... WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY Cheesy... and not the good cheese... See, if I'm going to see some independent, low budget film, I expect this sorta thing... they don't have as much $$$ to spend on it... or if I'm in the mood to watch the wonderful scary movies from the 80's... or even "spoofs" of real scary movies...

But this one... released in theaters, from a major motion picture company... and the "Gore-y" scenes... SO OBVIOUSLY FAKE...

Now there are some scenes that will make you jump... it does have some moments that are suspense filled, where something jumps out when you're not expecting it... but that alone isn't worth forking over a mortgage payment (isn't that the going rate for a trip to the theater these days?) - and the ending... well. let's just say it's disappointing...

If you must see it, wait for it at a discount theater, or a matinee... or wait for the DVD and rent it for the $1

Great food & Great People

I wanted to give everyone a quick recommendation on one of Lexington's newest restaurants that I had the opportunity to check out. (And no, this isn't a paid advertisement... those of you who know me, know that if there's a new pizza place in town, I'm there!) I've been anxiously awaiting this one, since reading about them opening in the old Don Pablo's a few months ago - Don Pablo's was one of my "go-to" places for small sales meetings, looks like I might have found a good replacement.

So where did I go... Old Chicago Pizza, Bar & Grill - If you've never been to one, you'll wanna go... NOW! I stopped in this past Monday, which was opening night, after my sales meeting, since it's kinda on the way home, and met the roomie there for a quick bite...

Now, we happened to stop in at one of the busiest times... and were told we'd have a 20 minute wait or so... normally on a week night, when it's already 8 o'clock, I'd be heading somewhere else for dinner, but ah... the smell of that place... you won't mind... and in fact our wait was only 10 minutes...

Good luck trying to figure out what you want, they have a huge menu variety... and if Pizza isn't your thing, don't worry, there are plenty of other options... Dinner was great... and really affordable - We had beverages, an appetizer and 2 individual pizzas that provided left overs for the next day for right around $30 - and it was GOOD FOOD

But that's not the only reason I recommend them. I signed on to their website today, and they had a "contact us" option - so I wanted to provide feedback on our experience (which was good) - I actually got a response, from one of the local owners, just a few hours after sending in my feedback, thanking me for my comments and asking for some clarification... this was a welcome change from those canned "auto-replys" that you usually get - he seemed genuinely happy for the feedback and welcomed my additional responses.

So if you're in the Hamburg area, or heck even if you're not, it's worth the drive, check them out... Happy Hour starts back up at 10PM... and call me... i'll come too!

Are you a bit lost?

Okay, so I've heard through the grapevine that I have a few Lexi-tonians out there who are reading my blog... and want to be able to take advantage of some of the great deals that I pick up, but feel a bit overwhelmed...

Now first I should say, I've been doing this bargain shopping thing, to some extent for my entire adult life! (and I'm old, hehehe) so it's almost second nature to me... but I've spent the past several years honing my skills into the finely tuned bargain power shopper that you see in these blogs... This whole "bargain shopping" concept has gotten ALOT easier in recent years, with more & more internet availability, making much less work for the average shopper.

If you're new to this, it can seem a bit overwhelming... there are terms you aren't familiar with, secret sales, coupon tricks, etc - As a beginner, you may not know where to start... I'm here to help... Recently I've had more than one friend suggest that I should figure out how to do this for a living... and well, I'll be posting another blog soon about a recent ephiphany that I've had career wise, but I have decided to start as a little side business some frugal education...

Now if you search online, you'll see plenty of E-Books, real books, classes, seminars, subscription services that you can buy... Some of them are useful, others not so much... I'm not going to claim that I can outshop the likes of MoneySavingMom or the like... but I am pretty good at what I do! So here is what I am offering -

If you want my help in getting started, understanding, making sense of all this - I'm available. I'm starting out with a very affordable cost of $10 for one hour of individual, personalized, instructional & informative coupon/shopping/budgeting advice. This will be tailored to you specifically based on what you want to learn, become more familiar with, etc. If you want to know what I can accomplish in an hour, you can click here to read about her CVS adventure. Now my trip with Misha was a practical application, what I envision you will learn the most from, isn't neccesarily the shopping trip, but rather an hour of helping you at home, familiarizing yourself with how to prepare for a trip... (i.e. what sites to visit, where to get coupons, how to plan, etc) If you are interested in combining that hour with an accompanied shopping trip as well, you can receive that service at a discounted rate.

So why am I charging $10 - if you compare this to the cost of many seminars & the like, you will find it is extremely discounted, considering this is a one on one education for you. I am just getting started into this little side venture, so I'm starting out at a low price, because your word of mouth advertising on how easy it is and how helpful I was will help me turn this into what I am envisioning.

So that's it... If you're interested, let me know!

Some great give aways going on!

There are some great give aways going on this week from various bloggers! Just take a look at what you can win:

Jenna over @ Newlyweds is giving away $25 Giftcard to CVS - Uh...do you know how many shopping trips this could fund??? For you die hards... this is like a year of CVS'ing! LOL! Click Here to read all about it!

Merrimom is giving away a bundle of coupons for FREE products!! These are the coupons from the current ALL YOU magazine... Click Here to check it out!

Frugal in Virginia has a $160 face value coupon bundle up for grabs. Click Here to get in on this one!

Frugal Mommy is going to be giving away some Garnier Nutriste products! You get 3 Microbead Scrubs, click here if you want to find out how!

Ah the life of the non-couponer

I was directed to this blog through MoneysavingMom... It's a pretty humorous take on the whole bargain shopping from the perspective of a husband of a "Frugal"... You can click here to check it out.

I must say, I really got a laugh out of it... and I'm sure my room mate can relate... He doesn't mind the free stuff that I score, but I'm waiting for him to snap the next time I bring in more toothpaste, It looks like I might be building a fort!

Good Night All

Not free, but a good deal

I made a stop at my local Half Priced Bookstore - this is a great store that for some reason I always forget about. I ended up buying 5 books for $13.48 - Good deal for some great entertainment. I do try to frequent the library, but the one book I picked up is on hold at the library with a very long waiting list... so this seemed a better option for me! For me, getting lost in a book is one of the best possible forms of entertainment... I mean, I get absorbed into them, and lost track of time, I become oblivious to the world around me. I am trying to keep up the habit, it's easy when times are busy, to not find the time to read... but it is the ultimate in stress reduction and relaxation for me... Here's what I bought

$7.48 - Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister - This is by the same author who wrote Wicked, which I loved!

$1 - Check, Please! Dating, Mating & Extricating - This is by Janice Dickinson, I figured it would be entertaining

$1 - Enemy Women - It looks similiar to a prairie book(I have a thing for prairies you know)

$1 - Running with Scissors - It looked interesting

$2 - Harry Potter - This is the first of the series, yes, I'm slow jumping on the bandwagon!

Let's go Krogering!

So after my early morning outting to Meijer, I came home and had my usual Sunday morning ritual of clipping coupons while catching up on DVR. I decided to make a quick run to Kroger, since I was going to be checking on a friend's cat, and would be in the area.

Here's what I picked up:

Cheerios - on sale for $2

Post Raisin Bran - $2.69

Bounty Basic Paper Towles - on sale $1

Sarah Lee White Whole Grain Bread - on sale $2

4 Clearisil Products - BOGO @ $4.99 each

2 Nature Made Vitamins (Folic Acid)- BOGO $4.15 each

2 Sundown Vitamins (Garlic Supplement & Niacin) - BOGO - around $3 each

1 Sure Botanical Deoderant - $2.45

I had the following coupons:

$1 Cheerio Challenge

Free Post - Kroger mailed me

$2 off Nature Made x 2 (IP coupon)

$1 off Sundown x 2 (From the little dispenser in front of them)

$2 off Clearisil x 4 (Recent Insert)

$2 off $10 HBA from Kroger

FREE Sarah Lee Bread Coupon from Yesterday's paper

.50 off Bounty (IP coupon)

Out of Pocket - $7 and some change!

I can save more $ before 8 am than most people do all day!

LOL, ok... serioulsy... Over the years, I have learned that in the city I live in, for certain stores, if you want to take advantage of a great sale, you have to be there BEFORE it starts...

This is true for Meijer more than any other place... I can remember a few times over, when I was really low on cash and needed to stretch my $$$ - I would be there on a Saturday, for their "super saturday sale" at least an hour before it started, and would go ahead and put all the items in the cart, and wait until the sale started to check out.

So this Sunday was another one of those, I had some good coupons for the nutra air products, but knew they would go fast... So I was there, at 6:30 in the morning. I bought:

Tidy Cat Breeze Litterbox System - On Sale 25% off AND I had a $10 coupon!

4 Lysol Nutra Air Starter kits - On sale 50% off AND I had a $5 coupon for each!

2 Airwick Mini's - On sale 50% off AND I had a $4 & $3 coupon

4 Boxes of Assorted Eggos - On sale $1.15 a box AND I had coupons for $1 off each 2

Grand total for my shopping trip was $27 - which may seem like alot, but is less than the cost of the litter box system normally!

Afterwards, I stopped and picked up a couple extra papers, hit Spaldings, a local bakery that is simply amazing, and luckily wasn't lined around the block - and was home - before 8AM

It's Friday, WooHoo!

So it's Friday! I am glad, as this week has seemed quite long... I'm on pet patrol this weekend. A few of my friends are going to be out of town this weekend, and I am of course honorary pet sitter for everyone, so I'll be checking on furbabies across Lexington this week! I hope to finish the chore of garage organization this weekend... that will be great to check off my list.

I guess this will be short & sweet for now, have a good weekend folks!

Free food from Penn Station Subs

Click here to sign up for Penn Station sub Club & get a coupon for a free sub. This is a new one, even if you were a member of the old club, they want to give you a sub!

Saving is contagious

Okay, so many of my friends know that if something can be acquired for little or no money, I'm the one that knows how to do it. Often times I pass this info along to them.... Sometimes they use it, othertimes they don't.

Yesterday, while on the phone w/ my friend Mish, she mentioned something about going to CVS because she had a coupon from them that was soon to expire... Hearing the letters "C-V-S" my ears perked up, so I asked what coupon she had, she explained, then threw in, "Oh yeah, and I have a $5 off $25, but I can't imagine $25 worth of stuff I would need" Now for any of you CVS'ers out there... you can probably relate when I say, I was almost speechless... a $5/$25 and and you can't figure out how to use it?!?! I mean, there are people who would hunt you down for those!!!

After a couple of texts back and forth, I convice my dear friend to not go to CVS until that evening, assuring her I can help her get waaaaaaay more than she would have thought about getting.... So after work, I head over... now mind you, this girl is very new to the idea of coupons, so my "Couponizer" was probably a bit scary to look at... I had to help her set up her printer, because she had kept it in the box for months!!! So, I started looking at what coupons she had from CVS, what the sales were, and what coupons I could quickly gather online, etc... In about 30 minutes, we had our coupons, our list and were ready to go to CVS.

Now, weird as it was, I did no shopping of my own... I didn't want to get caught up in my own deals, and end up with Mish walking out with nothing but pennies in her pocket. So we quickly went through the store... It was interesting explaining to her why she getting some of the items, if you're new to CVS, "Fillers" isn't a term you're too familiar with.

So right before we get ready to check out, I quickly verify her coupons, put them in the right order, and explain the way she'll want to hand them to the cashier... We head up to check out, and the process was pretty painless. Now mind you, she didn't have many coupons herself, and no ECB's to speak of, so while this transaction may not seem outstanding to many, for her, this was quite possibly the best shopping trip ever (Her words not mine!)

We bought:

3 12-Packs of Coke (sale $10 for 3)

2 Boxes of Cheerios (sale $5 for 2)

1 Box Carefree Pantiliners (sale $2.79)

1 CVS Chapstick (.99)

2 Tubes Colgate Total (sale BOGO)

2 Johnson Buddies Soaps (.98 each)

1 Allavert (sale 5.99)

We used these coupons:

2 Colgate IP's for $1.50 each from Colgate's website

2 Cheerios IP's for $1 each from Cheerio Challenge

3 Coke IP's redeemed from Coke Rewards for $1 each

1 CVS Carefree Coupon for $2 from previous shopping trip

1 CVS Free Chapstick coupon from August promotions

1 Johnson Buddies IP for $2 off 2 from Johnson's link

1 Allavert IP for $4 off from IHEARTCVS website link

1 $5 off $25 CVS Coupon

Grand total: $8.47 - Total savings of $39.41 and she got $3 in ECB's for next time.

I didn't snap a pic of her purchases, but this pic is from as we left the store...

This was before she proceeded, while standing in the parking lot, to call everyone she could think of and tell them what a great deal she got... I think she'll be more responsive to my savings suggestions in the future!

It's not easy being pink

anyone else out there reading this a "Rosacea-ian" like me? If so, curious what your current treatment is? I've been taking tetracycline for a couple years, but recently my derm switched me to Solodyn, it seems to work about the same, don't have to take it as often - of course it's more expensive... I got an instant rebate card for the first 3 refills - so I'm only paying $10 a pop, but w/out insurance it would be almost $600 a month for a bottle!!!!
Mine is pretty much under control, provided I time my dosings right, if i get that screwed up though, I flare... but my nose is still so pink... my derm has advised I'll need to do laser to correct it, since it hasn't faded on my own. Weird thing is, I've had this for years, and still can't pinpoint my triggers... I avoid the sun, because I know that is one, but alot of the normal triggers aren't affecting me, but then out of nowhere, I'll flush for no apparent reason... anyone else out there like that? Just curious...

*UPDATED*Free subscription to Glamour - Compliments of Yours Truly

CONGRATS TO JENNA over at NewlyWeds - she is the winner for this give away. Don't forget to check my blog frequently, I have more give aways coming up!!!!

Ok, so my blog is fairly new, and I would like to increase readership. So here is what I am offering. I will give away to one lucky reader a 1 year subscription to Glamour magazine. No strings attached, you don't have to sign up for anything, get any spam, or watch commercials. All you need to do is leave a comment on this blog (be sure you leave me an email address when you are posting, doesn't have to be in the post). One week from today, I will select one lucky reader. The subscription is in the form of a mail in subscription card - This means you can keep the subscription or give it as a gift to anyone you'd like. I want to clarify, this isn't a subscription card like you normally find in the magazines. This is a paid subscription card - all you have to do is complete the card and mail it in!

While you're here, feel free to browse my blog & check back often for new stuff, and new give aways!

Update from Blockbuster

I got my DVD's today! I also got a free cereal sample from Walmart. Good day for me!

Decided that since I was already going to be out at Target, I would stop at Meijer as well - they were having some good sales. Spent more than I would have anticipated, but very well stocked!

For just over $20 I bought:

10 Snapple Anti Oxidant Drinks - on sale 5 for $5 and you get 5 more free!
3 Powerade Zero - .69 sale, $1 MFN
2 Doritos - 3.79 BOGO
2 Salad Mixes - 2.79 BOGO
Cheerios - 1.67 Sale, $1 internet printable from Cheerio Challenge
2 Tony's Pizza's for one - .99 sale
2 Cheerios Snack Mix - 1.67 sale, MFN .50 doubled
2 Chex Mix - 1.67 sale, MFN .50 doubled
2 Van's Organic Waffles, Sale $2.50 each, MFN $1 off 2 from Mambo Sprouts
1 Crystal Light - 3.99, FREE w/ coupon from new edition of ALL YOU & 3 Kraft Purchases
3 Kool Aid Packets - .10 each, sale - bought because these count as my 3 Kraft Purchases!

A couple of quick deals at Target today

I actually needed contact solution, as I was out. Target had it BOGO... Figured I would grab a couple bargains while I was there:

Grand Total was $10 and some change

2 Bottles Complete Contact solution - BOGO @ 6.94 AND 2 internet printables for $2 off each

1 Tide Total Care - 5.99 Sale, w/ $1 Target coupon (was on the container) & $1 MFN

1 Scotch Fur Grabber - 9.99 w/ $4 Target web coupon (courtesy Full Cup) & $4 MFN

1 Dove Travel Beauty Bar - .97 w/ $1 MFN

Catching up - some weekend deals

This was a last minute trip to Meijer, at the end of last week. Grand total for everything was $4.50. Each item I bought was part of Meijer's 10 for $10 w/ 11th item free sale.

I bought:

Organic Mushrooms - less .50 Mealbox coupon

Aunt Millie's Bread - no coupon

Hunt's Ketchup - less .20 Manufacturer's coupon (MFN), doubled

Meijer Pasta Sauce - less .50 Mealbox coupon

4 Pillsbury Frostings - less .40 MFN each, doubled

2 Arm & Hammer Carpet Fresh - less $1 internet printable coupon

Meijer Brand Popsicles - no coupon

Rice Roni - less .50 internet printable, doubled

Practically Free Movies from Blockbuster!

I ran across this at Wisebread.com Click here to read the full post

So, Blockbuster is giving you a $10 Credit on $10 or more purchase. You don't have to be a member of Blockbuster Online to qualify. You just visit their website, and click on "Buy" - and pick out the movies you want, and when you check out, you can apply the promotional code. You don't see the actual discount until after you've entered your billing info, etc... but you will be able to verify that it was taken off before you process your card. Now you may wonder about shipping charges... as long as you are purchasing previously rented DVD's, shipping is free!

I got 3 movies:

The Omen (the 2006 remake) for 3.99
The Messeners for 3.99
Starsky and Hutch for 4.49

after tax and discount, I paid just $2.62 for my movies!

So... how do you get them, just use this promo code "augappreciation"

The offer is supposed to be good for the month of August, but I'd go early, these sometimes get pulled.

Let me know what you buy!

Free Movie Rental for Today

Looks like Red Box is back to sending out Wednesday movie codes too! I got a text this morning, so if you want to get a free movie tonight, just rent with this code:

W6CT98

Don't forget, this code expires at Midnight tonight, so you have to use it today if you want one!

Let me know what you rented and if it was any good, I've been on a movie binge lately

MJ

I'm on a movie marathon I guess

So lately it seems I've been watching a TON of movies. Saturday I saw both the new Batman movie "The Dark Knight" and the new X-Files Movie "X-Files I want to believe" On Sunday, I saw the new horror flick, "Midnight Meat Train" and last night, w/ my free redbox rental, I watched "Good Luck Chuck"

If you've seen any of them, feel free to share your opinion.

The Dark Knight - There were several people who brought small children to see this, I'm not sure how good of an idea that was, this is a pretty dark movie. Heath Ledger was phenomenal as the Joker, I could definitely see an Oscar nod for the role. The movie was good, but a little over hyped I think. I am interested in seeing the third one in the trilogy when it comes out, especially since it's rumored Johnny Dep will be taking on the role of the Riddler, I think he would be great.

X Files - I was an X Files fan, I loved the show, and the first movie, so I was excited to get to see another film. I am glad I saw it, but it wasn't as good as it could have been. It was a little slow at times but if you're a fan, you always look forward for the opportunity to see your favorite characters again. Unfortunately the last 15 minutes or so were very anti climatic for me, as the projector actually melted the film and had to be repaired. Afterwards the movie kept starting and stopping, so it was hard to get into the flow.

Midnight Meat Train - OMG! This movie is not for the faint... It's not so much scary... as it is GORY... and I mean GORY... from the very beginning to the very end, there is alot of blood and guts, and it's pretty graphic... I was suprised that as a new release, it was released straight to discount theaters... It wasn't the best horror movie I've seen, but I have paid more to see far worse. It was pretty good, but it will make you think twice about grabbing a hamburger afterwards.

Good Luck Chuck - Pretty good comedy, the only thing I would fault it, is that it tries to go from very raunchy humor to a happy fairy tale ending about love... and that's just a bit weird... but this one had alot of laughs...

Okay, that's all for now

MJ

One of last weeks deals, I know, it's a bit late, but...

Here's what I picked up on Saturday at Kroger, since it was the last day of their mega event. I could have done better, but I am without a printer at the moment, so no printables!!

At Kroger, I spent just $18.51 for all of this

I'm not certain that you can see it all, but there is:

2 Boxes Rice Crispies w/ Strawberries ($1 coupon off each)

4 Refill Bottles of Lysol Cleaner ($1 coupon off each)

4 Lysol Sprays ($1 coupon off each)

1 Cole's Garlic Toast - no coupon, just needed

2 Bottles of Clorox - no coupon, filler for the mega event discount

2 Packages Ball Park Hotdogs ($1 off 2 coupon)

1 Jar Ragu Pasta Sauce no coupon, just needed

1 French's Mustard ($1 coupon)

5 Dove Ice Cream Pints ($1 coupon each)

add to that 2 $5 mega event discounts and it wasn't too bad, I'm pretty well stocked on cleaners now

Some great deals at CVS today

I was kinda bummed, thinking there wouldn't be that much in the way of ECB this week, but did pretty well once I started. I spent $2.62 OOP & still have $11.50 in ECB's


I actually did it all in one transaction supringly, normally, I would do smaller ones, but I had enough big coupons & a 10/50 from CVS.





I bought:
6 Bottles of Pert Plus Shampoo Price 3.69 each, BOGO sale from CVS = 3 x 3.69
8 Sure Deodorants Price 2.99 each, BOGO sale from CVS = 4 x 2.99
3 Crest Toothpastes Price 2.49 each
2 Colgate Toothpaste Price 2.99 each
2 Oral B Toothbrushes Price 2.49 each
5 Excederin Price 2.50 each
6 Packs Trident Extra Care gum Price 1.49 each

So after BOGO's, my total before taxes should have been around $63

Coupons used:
3 Pert BOGO (made all the shampoo free!)
3 Sure BOGO (made 6 of them free!)
2 Sure $1 off (made the last two only $1 for both)
3 Crest $0.75
2 Colgate $1.50 (sadly my last of these)
2 $1 Oral B
5 $2 Excederin
3 Trident BOGO's ( this was a last second purchase, I had to bump up my total to use by ECB's to pay)
$10/$50 CVS Coupon

Grand Total:
$2.62 OOP (also used $12 in ECB)

Total savings $110.78

Earned $11.50 in ECB from Crest/Oral B/Colgate purchases

a quick bargain from Ulta

I ran to Ulta today at lunch and spent $3.13 for $57.13 worth of cosmetics. Not too bad for a quick stop. I was only in the store about 15 minutes.















Here's how I did it:

1st Transaction:

Revlon Eye Shadow Quad x 2 @ $6.59 each
Max Factor Eye Trio x 2 @ 4.59 each

Subtotal for this transaction $22.36 plus tax
Less Revlon BOGO ($6.59)
Less Max Factor BOGO (4.59)
Less Ulta Coupon $3.50 off $10 purchase
Less Revlon $2 off any 1 Coupon x 2 ($4)
Less Max Factor $3 off any 2 Coupon ($3)

Brings us to $0.68 plus tax for a GRAND TOTAL of $0.72

2nd Transaction
Revlon Eye Shadow Quad x 2 @ $6.59 each
Max Factor Eye Trio x 4 @ 4.59 each

Subtotal for this transaction $31.54 plus tax
Less Revlon BOGO ($6.59)
Less Max Factor BOGO (4.59)
Less Ulta Coupon $3.50 off $10 purchase
Less Revlon $2 off any 1 Coupon x 2 ($4)
Less Max Factor $3 off any 2 Coupon x 2 ($6)

Brings us to $2.27 plus tax for a GRAND TOTAL of $2.41

Obviously I could have just repeated transaction 1 instead, but I had an extra Max Factor coupon and didn't need anything else there, so I rolled it into the transaction.