Sunday, February 27, 2011

Taco Bell: $.88 Crunchwrap Surpreme (YUM!)

Taco Bell is offering their Crunchwrap Supremes for just $.88 through March 5th.  These are normally priced at $2.79.  Limit 2 per person!  GO HERE to view the ad.
“After deducting the coupons, we owe her $104″
WARNING: “Coupon Clipping is addicting and habit forming, and could cause lack of sleep!” ;)

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Flip Ultra Video $59.99!!!!! Great Price!!!


Buy.com is offering the Flip Ultra Video Camcorder 120 minutes in white for $59.99, regularly $149.99!  I am not sure how long this deal will last so better grab it if interested. They are amazing!  So easy to use!  All you do is video, then pop out the stick on the side, plug into computer and watch your video or save it.  No more wires and plugs.  It is about as easy as it gets! 

Restuarant Deals

Here is a list of Restuarants and their coupons! Click on each Restuarant name to access the coupon! Enjoy!


  • Free Small Smoothie wyb 1 Gladiator Meal Replacement (exp: 9/30/2011) @ Smoothie King

  • Free Korean BBQ wyb 1 Entree (exp: 2/27/2011) @ Pei Wei

  • $2 Off any Little Italy Favorite (exp: 3/30/2011) @ Maggianos
Happy Savings!
Feona

Arm & Hammer Laundry Detergent only $1.74 at Rite Aid (starting 2/27)



Need any laundry detergent? Well starting next week the Arm & Hammer Laundry Detergent will be $1.74. Not a bad deal (I've seen cheaper) but I would buy a couple but a great deal if your are low on detergent. As always you can print 2 per computer.

Arm & Hammer Laundry Detergent 45-50 oz $3.99
$1.25/1 – Arm & Hammer Laundry Detergent – (smartsource.com)
Pay:  $2.74
Receive $1 +Up Reward

Walgreens Best Deals

Here are some deals for Walgreens that I have come up with. If you read my Understanding Coupon Lingo you will see coupons I post from previous inserts that you may not have. But never fear...you can order your coupons from Ebay, Coupon Dede, or my coupon clipper. These are websites that always have coupons that you are looking for. Now on to my Walgreens deals! Walgreens is like CVS the RR (Register Rewards) is money back to go towards your next purchase. Now Walgreens is a bit different...if you have a RR and a coupon for an item you can't use both since its 2 coupons for one item. They count the RR as a coupon. You will not run into this problem with Rite Aid or CVS.

Motrin IB pain relief 20 ct $3 = $3 RR
Use the $6/2 coupon found in the 1/9 SS
Pay $0
Get back $3 RR
Final cost 2 for FREE + a $3 Moneymaker!
**There is also a $1/1 coupon found in the 1/9 SS or here


Applied Nutrition Anti-aging total body defense 50 ct $10 = $10 RR
Final cost FREE!


NasoGel drip-free gel spray 1 oz $4.99 = $4.99 RR
Aquaphor lip repair 0.35 oz $4.99 = $4 RRUse the $1/1 coupon found herePay $3.99
Get back a $4 RR
Final cost FREE!
 

Baby Magic lotion or hair & body 16.5 oz $3 = $3 RR
Final cost FREE!


Schick Hydro razor system $8.99 = $6 RR
Use the $2/1 coupon found in the 1/30 SS
Pay $6.99
Get back a $6 RR
Final cost $0.99!


Happy Savings!
Feona

*HOT* Free Oral B Cross Action Toothbrush and Revitalens at CVS (starting 2/27)

WOW another great week! If this is your first week couponing this would be a great deal for you. Make sure you buy your newpaper tomorrow (Sunday) because your gonna need it. You can get the paper cheapest at Walgreens for $1.50 (here in NC). So onto the deal...this week CVS has the Oral B Cross Action Toothbrush on sale 2/$6. There will be a $3 off coupon in the PG insert making it $3 oop and you will receive a $3 ECB back making it FREE. The ECB is CVS money that is good on your next purchase and it prints on the bottom of the receipt. There is always a limit and in this case there is a limit of 2. So if there is something else you have to purchase you can use the ECB to pay for it!

Oral-B cross action power toothbrush 1 ct, or brush heads 2 pk $6 = $3 Ecb (limit 2)
Use the $3/1 coupon found in the 2/27 PG
Pay $3
Get back a $3 Ecb
Final cost FREE!


Revitalens multi-purpose solution 4 oz $5.99 = $5.99 Ecb (limit 1)
Final cost FREE!



Happy Savings!
Feona

*HOT* Nivea Lip Care Free at Rite Aid

Starting tomorrow 2/27 Rite Aid is having their Nivea Lip Care on sale for $1. Go on Facebook and print the $2/2 coupon and that makes 2 for FREE! *Note* you can print two coupons per computer just hit the back button twice. Also if you have more than 1 computer you can print more. NEVER copy coupons because its illegal and they can track you down and disable your computer(s) for GOOD!

Nivea Lip Care 0.17 oz. $1
Use the $2/2 Facebook coupon found here
Final Cost FREE!

Happy Savings!
Feona

*Tonight* 3 Redbox Rentals for only $1!!!!!!!!!!


Starting tonight, Feb 26th at 11:00pm, Groupon will be running another fun Redbox special. You can get 3 Redbox Rentals for only $1.00!  (Remember, this link will NOT show the Redbox deal until 11:00pm MST tonight)
It will be available for purchase, unless it sells out until Tuesday, March 1st.

Happy Savings!!!
Feona

BOGO Free Chipotle Coupon

If you are like me and LOVE Chipotle or Qdoba then this is an awesome deal. I went today in Cary and picked me up some! Offer good til Thurs March 3,2011!


Head over and “Like” The Next Great Restaurant on Facebook and then watch a short video. You will then receive a coupon good for a free burrito with the purchase of a second one.
Chipotle Coupons

*HOT DEAL* 2 Packs of Hot Dogs and 2 Packs of Buns for $.94!!!!!

 


"Harris Teeter has an unadvertised e-vic listed on facebook.  Ballpark beef franks for 99c when you buy Harris Teeter hotdog buns for 47c.  Use the 55c Ballpark coupon from the 1/23 Redplum and the hotdogs are free.  Limit of 2 each and you must buy the hotdogs and the buns to get the price.  You can get 2 packs of hotdogs and 2 packs of buns for 94c!"

Looks like I am heading to Harris Teeter for  a hotdog deal!!!  Today is the last day of the freezer deal at Target (buy 7 frozen foods get a $5 gift card).  If you were planning on going tonight, then make one of your freezer items french fries and your hot dog meal is set! 

Plus this week Harris Teeter is offering a sweet deal with their no fee Express Lane system ($4.95 value), you can still use coupons they will come off the next order!

Happy Savings!
Feona

Friday, February 25, 2011

Understanding Coupon Lingo

I know that in the coupon world we use alot of acronyms so here is a list of them so when I post deals on my blog you have a great understanding of what I am talking about!

$$/$$ – This means $ off when you spend $ amount. Example: $5/$30 is $5 off your purchase when you spend $30.

$/# – This means that you get $ off for every # you buy. Example: $5/2 would mean that you get $5 off every 2 that you buy.

B1G1 = Buy One Get One Free

Blinkie = A coupon that prints out at a machine in the store. They are located by the product associated with that particular coupon.

BOGO = Buy One Get One Free

CAT = Catalina. A coupon that prints out at the register that is either $$ off your next purchase or $$ off a certain product.

Catalina = Also referred to as CAT. A coupon that prints out at the register that is either $$ off your next purchase or $$ off a certain product.

Coupon Insert – This is what comes in your Sunday paper. They are usually the Smart Source (SS or S), Red Plum (RP) and Proctor & Gamble (PG)They are also referred to as inserts, S, SS, RP and PG.

ECB = Extra Care Bucks. Exclusive to CVS. They work like cash on your next order.

ES =Easy Saver. This is Walgreens’ monthly rebate program. You can find the books by their ads in the store.

EXP = Expires or Expiration Date

Internet Printable = A coupon that can be printed online. Also refered to as IP or Printable.

IVC = Instant Value Coupon. These are found at Walgreens in their weekly ads.

MFR = Manufacturer

MIR = Mail In Rebate. These are checks or coupons that the manufacturers/stores will send you if you meet the requirements on the rebate form.

OOP = Out-of-Pocket. This is the amount of money that you have spent after coupons, ECBs, RRs, Catalinas

OYNO = On Your Next Order.

OYNP = On Your Next Purchase.

Peelie = Coupons found stuck onto the product

PG = Proctor & Gamble.

Prinables - These are coupons that you can print online. Also refered to as IP or Internet Printables.

Q = Coupon

RP = Red Plum. This is a coupon insert that you’ll either find in your paper or the mail.

Register Rewards (RR) = Exclusive to Walgreens. They work like cash on your next order.

SS = Smart Source.

Stacking Coupons = This is the term used when stores will let you use their own store coupons along with a manufacturer’s coupon for the same item. Example: Most Targets would let you use their $ off “specific brand” product coupons along with a manufacturer’s coupon for that same “specific brand” product.

WAGS = Abbreviation for Walgreens

YMMV = Your Mileage (Manager) May Vary. This is what you’ll see when someone finds a deal but they want you to know that your store branch may not offer the same deal.

WYB = When You Buy

Some of these you will not see but the common ones are PG, SS, RP, RR, Q, OOP, EXP, $$/$$,BOGO, CAT, Peelie, and YMMV. If there is any questions please feel free to leave a comment on the blog!

Happy Savings!
Feona

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Couponing 101-Getting Started -4 Easy Steps

I began couponing almost a year ago when a friend of mine posted a deal from Food Lion on her Facebook page. I emailed her on how she did it and my friend took my hand and taught me that there was actually a method and way to coupon and it changed everything. I was able to see success in cutting those coupons out!

We cut our food budget from $400 a month for food and toiletries to $120 (in May of 2010) a month and are always looking for ways to make it even less. We found a few things that were very interesting.

1. Statistics show if you go to the store without a list you spend on average 40% more.
2. If you have someone (usually husbands) run in on the way home to “grab a few things” they buy on average 60% more than what they came in for.
3. You re-buy many of the items that you already have at home because you don’t know that you have them.

Basically, you want to have a “stockpile” or have “food storage” in your home of items that you have gotten for free or almost free. These are items that you have you bought at the lowest possible price. When they are at their lowest price you buy as many of them as you have coupons for with the idea of not buying them again until you can get them at that price again.


I store everything that you can imagine. Anything that my family would need if we were not able to go to the store for a solid 3 months. Food, toiletries, diapers and wipes. At times there are items that I don’t need or use that I can get for free. If it isn’t a special trip out I still pick up these items so that I might be able to donate them.

1. The first thing that you need to do is start collecting coupons. You have to have coupons to coupon right?! Where do you get them from:
  1. Sunday Newspapers
  2. Printable Sites
  3. Manufacturers Websites
  4. In-Store
  5. In the Mail
  6. Magazines
  7. E-Coupons or Loadable coupons
  8. Coupon Clipping Sites
It takes about 6 weeks of consistently collecting coupons to really make a difference so don’t give up. Just keep looking for them everywhere around you and get at least 2 Sunday papers each week.

2. Now you need a way to store them so that you know what you have. It is important to be organized, although I am normally not an organized person but I am with my coupons, I hate missing a deal because I didn’t know where a coupon was or that I had it at all.
There are a few different methods of coupons organization.
  1. Binder Method ( this is what I use)
  2. Whole Insert Method
  3. Coupon Box
You need to find a way that works for you, you might even come up with your own system. I use the coupon binder method. It is easiest for me to understand and work with.

3. Next, this is what really is the key to couponing and saving the “Big Bucks”. If you did nothing else but just pay attentions to sales, and every now and then use coupons you can still make a big difference in your families budget. But “stockpiling” is what is really the key to taking your grocery budget from $400 to $120 like I did.
The idea is that you buy the items that you use the most at the lowest possible price and buy as many as you can or have coupons for. This way you do not have to purchase them again until they are at their lowest price. This is how to spend the least amount of money shopping for food.
For example, sales are cyclical in a grocery store. Every three months or so every item in the store will be on sale at one time or another. Because I buy 6 papers a week I have anywhere from 6-12 coupons. Lets say that soft soap goes on sale at Kroger for 10 for $10. I have 12 coupons for $.50 each, they double for $1 making the soft soap free! Because I have 12 coupons I get 12 things of soap. Now I do not have to purchase soap again until it is at the lowest possible price (which for me is free!) I can hold out until it is on sale again within that 3 months.

The question is how do you stockpile?
  1. Like I said above you buy at the stores lowest price, combined with a coupon and get as many as you can.
  2. Realize that coupons are cyclical just like store sales. I am going to find that I get a lot of baking coupons and canned good coupons in the fall and around the Holiday’s, I want to stock up on these things at this time.
  3. Where am I going to store it? EVERYWHERE! We have a small house and 4 people. My closets are full, the coat closet is a pantry and under the beds are sweater drawers to keep items.
  4. Have a budget. In the beginning some people spend more couponing. They are buying things that they normally would not have bought. Set aside a little extra money and spend on building your stockpile, this will save you money in the long run. Once you run out of budget, only get those things that are free after coupons.
4. This is the step that took me the longest. I have a few printable sheets to make it easier for you below. Each of us have about 10-12 recipes that we make consistency every month. Write down the ingredients for those and pay attention at the store to what the cost of those items are. Then pay attention to what the sale price is, write that price down. Then find coupons for those items. When they go on sale at the store combine a coupon with that store sale and get that item for the “lowest possible price” and get as many as you can. Now hopefully you wont need it again until you can get it for that great price.

So thats it. Easy huh?! Not always, it will take a little time to figure it out, but don’t give up it is soooo worth it. Pick 1 grocery store and 1 drug store to start with. Get familiar with them and learn their coupon policy. Star slow and have a goal of just saving $40 a week, that $160 extra a month that you saved will be motivation to keep going! I like to think of the $400 a month that I save as a great part time job.