Bargain Seeker on the Prowl

Last night I did a little bargain shopping and here are the results:

Walmart:

3 Valley Fresh Steamers = $3.81 - $3.00 (coupons) = .81

2 Fusion Razors = $9.88 - $8.00 (coupons) = $1.88

Febreze Starter Kits = $11.94 - $10.00 (coupons) = $1.94

Nestle Good Start = $11.97 - $11.00 (coupon/check) = .97

Aleve 200 ct. = 13.77 - $13.77 (coupon/free) = .00

Ore Ida Steam N Mash = $3.44 - $3.44 (coupon/free) = .00

Walgreens:

2 Glade Wisp air fresheners = $11.98 - $10.00 (coupons) = $1.98

Visine 0.5 oz = $3.99 - $5.00 (coupons) = -$1.01

Glade 4 oz candle = $1.99 - $2.00 (coupon/rebate) = -.01

3 Trident Splash Gum = $2.00 - $1.65 (coupons) = .35

Kroger:

2 Hot Pockets = $3.34 - $2.00 (coupons) = $1.34

Totals:

Before coupons = $78.11

After coupons = $8.25

The products pictured above include razors (stocking stuffers), Trident gum (stocking stuffers), Nestle formula (niece is having a baby), Glade Wisp (Christmas gifts), Febreze starter kits (Christmas Gifts), and the rest will be used by my family.

I received the Ore Ida Steam n Mash coupon from SheSpeaks as a trial product, the Aleve coupon from writing to the manufacturer and bragging on their product, and the Nestle coupon/check from signing up to receive offers from Nestle. The rest of the coupons were from our local inserts, All You magazine and in-ad coupons.

With ONLY 116 days until Christmas, I am busting my rump trying to get the best bargains for this year’s Christmas gifts. Stocking stuffers are in the bag with all of the freebies from couponing including razors, shaving cream, candy, gum, Band-Aids, no wait, those are for the first aid kit.

We went to Old Time Pottery last week and purchased 2 outdoor furniture sets which were regular priced at $69.99 and on sale for 75% off, making them $17.50 each. We have a $20.00 limit on gifts for the bad Santa game at my in-law’s on Christmas Day and with tax and all I think the total was about $19.11 for each set, which is close enough to the limit for me.

I took the plunge and am learning to make soap. I plan to have candle and soap baskets as gifts this year to give to friends and family. I have also been doing a little work on the side testing programs and am paid in Best Buy gift cards which are being used to purchase electronics, DVDs, etc., as gifts for my kids.

I am planning out my menu for this year’s Christmas party and also planning out my “goodies” to bake to give to neighbors and co-workers. Last year, we took the whole family on a ski vacation the day after Christmas. This year, we plan to stay home so we probably will not see any snow, just ice.

My daughter and I enjoy making crafts together, especially at Christmas. When she was small, we made a Christmas Clothesline similar to this one and it is still a part of our decoration to this day.

This is my favorite Peanut Brittle Recipe for the holidays:

Southern Living Peanut Brittle

1/2 cup raw peanuts

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/4 tsp. salt

1 TBS. butter

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

1. Combine peanuts, sugar, corn syrup and salt.

2. Cook over low heat; stirring gently until sugar dissolves.

3. Cook, stirring occasionally to hard crack stage (300°)

4. Stir in butter, soda and vanilla.

5. Pour onto a buttered baking sheet. When cool, break into pieces.

This year is just flying by and I hope to have all of the above accomplished and all gifts bought by Thanksgiving as I HATE going to the stores after Thanksgiving. What are you doing at the moment to prepare for the holidays?

Today is the first full day back to school for my babies. I know, I know, they aren’t babies any longer. My son is a senior this year and my daughter is a freshman. This is the first year they have ever attended the same school. I am both sad and happy. I am sad in that they are growing up so quickly and yet happy at the fine young adults they are becoming.

I was very happy to wake up and see wet deck boards outside. This is the first rain we have had in, well, so long that I cannot remember. I think it may be too late for my garden because the sun has pretty much torched it, but maybe there are still a few feisty plants left. A real cold front has moved through in that it is only 75° at 6:30 a.m.

I may have mentioned before that I joined several yard sale-type Yahoo Groups for my area and am having a blast with all of the bargains I am finding. We have also sold several items through these groups. I met one lady who has a daughter a little older than mine and I was able to purchase like-new jeans and tops for the new school year from her. These were all brand name, in mint condition items. A few still had the price tags on them. My daughter was very happy and so was I.

Through our local Freecycle Group I was able to get a nice coffee table, end table, comforter, dishes, 2 lamps, silverware, candle stands, a bathroom shelf, and a set of kitchen canisters for my nephew who is trying to find a place of his own, but he does not have any furnishings. It may be worth your while to search Yahoo and see if there are any bargain groups in your area.

There are more people trading items now than I have seen in a long time. I belong to a local coupon swap group that is forming so we can help each other out on getting the best deals. Neighbors helping neighbors, that is what it is all about. Some may call me weird, but my husband calls me darling.

I came across Our Green House and I am so sending this site to my husband (hint, hint honey)! I could spend all day searching this site as they offer AMAZING earth friendly products.

I LOVE the handmade soaps they offer as well as the Midnight Honey Bath & Beauty Oil. I can’t wait to try the Nourishing Lavender Milk. I like that they offer Garden Seed Kits for herbs and flowers. They also offer Organic Honey!! There is TONS of stuff for babies and children, however Mother’s Day is but once a year. : )

If like me and you can’t pick something in particular for your mom, they offer gift certificates. : )

Now, off to drop major hints to my husband and kids…

Kroger’s is doing another great deal on General Mills cereal (select varieties) of 4/$10.00 and receiving $4.00 off your total price at the register. I will use (2) 1.00/2 GM manufacturer’s coupons making the total for cereal $1.00 per box. This same deal is available for Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks or Nature Valley Breakfast Bars. My crew here runs through cereal fairly quickly so I will concentrate on that area. This is limited to once per transaction. (The Betty Crocker Fruit Snack coupon is .50/2 which will double to $1.00/2. The Nature Valley coupon is .75/2.)

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Dinners or Entrees are 5/$10.00 and receive $3.00 off at the register and using the March issue of All You magazine coupon for $1.00/5 Weight Watchers Entrees will work out to be $1.20 each. (coupon does specify entrees)

I will add more to this post later after I visit the store to see what other deals I can find using coupons. The sales ad looks to be a repeat of the same 10/$10.00 they have been running lately with the addition of Kool Aid Bursts drinks.

I am a little late in posting my deals from the Walgreens ad this week. I have been spending time working in my rock garden and planting flowers.

Here is what I am doing this week at Walgreens:

Using coupons from the sales flyer combined with manufacturer’s coupons; Palmolive dish liquid is on sale for 2/1.89 and I will use (2) .25/1 coupons from a previous Sunday paper insert making it approximately .70 per bottle. (Not a GREAT price but okay) Limit 2

Wrigley’s 10-pack gum is on sale 2/2.49 and using (2) 1.00/1 coupons making it approx. .25 per pack. No limit specified.

Schick disposable razors are $6.99 less the EasySaver coupon of $2.00 and using the B1G1 free coupon from this past Sunday insert making it $2.50 ea. No limit specified.

Adult Wash Cloths 12-pack are Free after mail in rebate. (perfect for taking fishing) Limit 1.

Maxwell House Coffee is 2/5.00 when using the coupon from the sales flyer and then using (2) 1.00/1 coupons from a previous insert making it $1.50 ea. (11.5 oz-13 oz) Limit 4.

Colgate 360 Clean or Deep Clean toothbrush is Free after mail-in rebate and using 1.00/1 coupon from a previous insert makes this a money maker. Limit 1.

There are more deals to be had but this is what I am focusing on this week. I know my husband will be very happy about the coffee deal! Happy Shopping!

I would love to have new lawn furniture this year as my old furniture is beginning to look a little faded and worn in spots, but I cannot afford to buy a new set this year as it is not in my budget. I decided to hunt around the internet to find something to give my old furniture a lift and add some spots of color to the otherwise dull appearance.

I have found what I was looking for at the  Pillow SuperStore!! I LOVE the bright, vibrant colors of their outdoor pillows! There are so many different designs to choose from and different colors to implement into my outdoor theme. Their prices are quite reasonable as I was browsing at different brick and mortar stores and in comparison the pillows are much more reasonable at The Pillow SuperStore.

They also offer free shipping on orders over $100.00. If you shop today, you can also receive 30% off during their Super Sale.

I am sure you can find something absolutely fabulous to brighten up your outdoor lawn furniture and make your “peaceful, tranquil, escape” area more warm and welcoming. You may even find some unique styles to implement inside your home to brighten up trouble areas that need a lift.

Hi everyone! I have been searching this morning to find printable coupons from Bricks as I want to make sure we all have the option of printing or having them mailed to us. If you cannot print the coupons,  click on the “help” link at the bottom of the bricks page, fill out the form and you should receive the coupon within a few days. The only bad thing about doing this is you can only have 1 coupon versus printing it and receiving 2 coupons.

I am also including some random links to sites for “request by mail” and also “register to receive” coupons.

Here is what I have found:

Print $5.00/1 coupon for Nature Made RX Essentials Nutritional Supplement.

Save $1.50/1 on OPTI-FREE Replenish.

Save $1.00/1 Airborne product.

This next coupon page is from Scotch-Brite. They are offering a coupon for a ”Try it Free” Scotch-Brite Disposable Toilet Scrubber with Bleach (up to $4.99) This is a pdf file. They also offer assorted other coupons to print.

Request by mail a $2.00 coupon from Ivory Snow.

Request by mail $1.00 off coupon for Downy Wrinkle Releaser.

Request by mail $2.00 coupon for Febreeze.

Request by mail $1.00 coupon for Bounce Lint & Freshness Roller.

Sign up with the Betty Crocker Website in order to print their monthly coupons.

Sign up to receive a custom beach towel from Parliament. Use code PMT2379. You must be at least 21 years old to register. This offer is good until 05/31/2008. (not a coupon, but hey, it is a neat offer)

Sign up to print an $8.00 coupon for Hill’s Science Diet pet food.

Eat Better America is offering $10.00 in printable coupons on assorted General Mills Products.

Are you new to Amazon’s Deals of the Day section? They offer amazing products for greatly discounted prices. Here is Amazon’s Gold Box Deals of the Day.

From Amazon’s Bargain Book Section I have chosen to highlight The Book of NO, by Susan Newman. I know there are many times that I have difficulty saying “no” to friends or organizations who request volunteers, even though I push myself to the limit while trying to please everyone.

This book offers different scenarios and situations that show you how to say “no” and set boundaries on what you are willing or capable of doing for others. It is wonderful to be kind and generous, but not at the expense of your own health or family time. If you are like me and sometimes have difficulty saying “no,” I believe this book will be a useful tool for your life and health. For $4.99 plus shipping, this is definitely a bargain for your bookshelf.

As you can probably tell by now I REALLY like to shop, however I do not like paying full price for anything. I even dicker with my family physician as well as my dentist to reduce their rates! My husband calls me a snob because I cringe at the thought of paying more than $1.00 for a box of brand name cereal. Snobbish in the reverse sense? Hmm, maybe he has something there, but this does not stop him from bragging to his buddies about how much money I save when shopping for items we need.

Here are my coupon deals for today:

Walgreens has Reynolds Wrap Aluminum Foil (20 sq. ft.) on sale for 4/$3.00. Using the sales ad coupon and (4) .75/1 manufacturer’s coupons from a previous Sunday insert, I received these 4 rolls for tax only. I did this deal twice at 2 different Walgreens stores.

Walgreens also has Aveeno Skin and Bath Care products on sale for 20% off. I bought 4 small Aveeno  Hand Lotions for $2.63 (after discount), used (4) 2.00/1 manufacturer’s coupons (I traded Free Frank’s Redhot sauce with another person for the Aveeno coupons) and received $10.00 back in register rewards. Total deal = $7.48 profit minus tax on above aluminum foil. I repeated this same deal at another Walgreens store. Not a bad day of shopping at Walgreens.

I stopped by Kroger’s on the way home and as it was later in the evening I purchased two of their marked-down Fresh Express Salad mixes for .99 a bag and used (2) .50/1 manufacturer’s coupons which they doubled to $1.00. Not exactly free after tax, but close enough. ; )

Tomorrow, Rite Aid.