You need FREE stuff

Reminder: 31 Cent Scoop Night Wednesday! Learn more.
FREE Sample Purex with Zout
FREE Arm & Hammer toothpaste sample
FREE Sample Folgers Coffee on Facebook
BOGO Pretzel Crisps on Facebook
FREE Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich
FREE Vplenish Vitamin Powder Samples
FREE Japanese Cherry Blossom Tea
Email your first and last name  to mypetsavings@gmail.com and she will send you the sample invite for your FREE Sample of Nature’s Variety Dog Food.

Get a $6 credit toward Tribeca Film Festival rentals from Amazon when you connect your Amazon.com and Twitter accounts and let it send an automatic tweet for you. These films are priced at $2.99 or $5.99, so you'll be able to rent one or two movies FREE with your credit! 


This week, Target has 4×6 prints on sale in-store for 10c each!
Print the $2 off 20 4×6 Prints Target Printable Coupon and get 20 4×6 Prints for FREE!!  (search under the Photo coupon category)

I got my hair colored for FREE today! I had a $25 gift card to my daughter's beauty school. She did my color and I got a friends and family discount, making the bill $23. The I took my stylist, er, I mean my daughter, out to lunch with my Daphne's coupon (saving me $6) and dessert at Baskin Robbins with my BOGO Cone coupon. 

Quick Pics!

I relaxed (as much as a mom can) over the Easter weekend. Taking a break from shopping this week, and going out of town next weekend.
I did have Staples Rewards burning a hold in my pocket, though, so I stopped by today when I was nearby. I got this stuff for FREE:

I have always wanted one of those windshield thingys...just never wanted to pay $10 for one! Treklet ran out of glitter glue last week, and I had my eye on that multitool for a while. I had planned on using rewards on it since I first saw it.This stuff was worth $26 and i paid ZERO. the only thing I would have paid for if I had to is the glitter glue. That's how moms are.

I still have $10 rewards left, but they don't expire until June 30, and I returned 2 ink cartridges today, so I'll have $4 more coming next month.

Here's what came in the mail in the past week:

Cute packaging for the International Delight  creamer from Vocalpoint. A coupon for a free pint, plus 5 .55 coupons, all in a cup with marketing materials inside. Wipes from Costco, Fekkai shampoo & conditioner, Oxy Clinical with coupon, Degree with coupon.

I'm sick, but still rocking the deals.

Wow, I am pretty proud of myself! Look at what I got for FORTY CENTS at CVS:

How did I do it? Here's how:
Nivea Body Wash  $3.88
Lindsey Olives 5 at .88 ea
Stove Top 2 at .88 ea
2 liter Coke products 2 at .99 ea

Nivea coupon $3
2 Stovetop coupons .50 ea
Quarterly ECBs $7
ECB from bag tag $1

Total OOP .40
Total savings from sales and coupons: $25.64

I did pretty well at Walgreens today, too, despite being sick with a sinus infection.  I made 3 transactions and spent a total $7.44 OOP for all this:

 

Transaction #1:

Goody Barrette & Hair Band package $3
Used $1 RR
Paid $2.26 OOP  Got $3 RR back

Transaction #2:
2 Chocolate Peeps  2/$1.50
3 rolls 3-M Magic Tape 450' $1.99 B1G2
3 Splenda with Fiber 80 ct. packets  $2.99 ea
2 Domino Sugar 4 lb  $3.29 ea
Diamond Almonds 19 oz $4.99

Wags coupon for Domino -$1.60
Wags coupon for Tape -$3.98
2 MQ for Dominos .40 ea  -$.80
MQ for Splenda   -$2.00
2 MQ for Splenda $3 ea  -$6.00
2 MQ for Tape $1 ea  - $2.00
MQ for Peeps -$1.00
RR from previous transaction -$3.00
RR from last week  -$1.00

Total OOP $6.80  Total savings with sales and coupons: $33.58
Received $4 RR from Splenda

Transaction #3:
Blue Diamond Almonds 19 oz  $4.99
Russell Stover Peanut Butter Egg  .39

RR from previous transaction - $4.00
RR from last week   -$1

Total OOP .38  Total savings from sales and coupons $9.00

Since I had to go to CVS again for prescriptions, I picked up another Nivea Body Wash. My neighbor gives me her inserts, so I had another $3 coupon. I also found the body wash with a sample size lotion attached. I needed some Mucinex D for my daughter and I but I didn't have a coupon, but I did have an email 20% off CVS coupon, so I was able to save $5.60 on the 24 count package, making it less than the store brand.

On sale for $3.88
MQ -$3.00

FREE Peeps and More!

Like Peeps on Facebook and get a coupon that you can use to get them FREE at Walgreens this week.
Like Stovetop on Facebook and get a .50 coupon. It's on sale this week at CVS for .88
Like H2O Plus on Facebook and get a FREE sample of  Sea Pure moisture cream.
Like Old Navy on Facebook and get a $10/$50 coupon
Like Baskin Robbins on Facebook for a BOGO cone coupon

Wild for Wags has a great moneymaker deal scenario for Splenda this week:

BUY
(3) Splenda with Fiber 80ct $2.99
Total = $8.97
(2) – $3/1 Splenda Sweetener Product, any 80 ct/3.8 oz+  – 04-17-11 SS x5/2
(1) – $2/1 Splenda Sweetener with Fiber PRINT (must register)
= $.97, Get Back $4 Register Reward
= $3.03 MONEY MAKER!!!!!

Buy 3 participating Disney movies at Amazon and get $20 Amazon Credit

Eat at Denny's and order a Coke product and get a coupon for a FREE Child Hopper ticket with paid adult ticket to Legoland

My Vons list this week:
Lucerne butter 2.99  .55 coupon here
Lucerne cream cheese 1.50  .55 coupon here
C & H Sugar 4 lbs  2.99  .55 coupon in the 3/27 RP insert
whole pineapple 2.99
broccoli crowns, red potatoes, leaf lettuce, cantaloupe, yellow onions, zucchini, baby carrots and mangos are all  $1/lb
red grapes .96/lb
Jet-Puffed Marshmallows $1
Monday only: Cottonelle 12 ct toilet paper $4.88 .50 off coupon in the 3/13 Smartsource insert

Look How I Rocked the Deals!

First, here are some deals you can get in on:
FREE Sample Garnier Fructis
FREE Sample Gucci Fragrance for Him when you "Like" on Facebook
2 FREE Suave samples when you watch the video and answer the questions.
FREE Sample Gold Bond Bodywash
Wednesday April 27th is 31 Cent Scoop Night at Baskin Robbins, 5-10 pm.

 Walgreens has some smokin' deals this week. You can get FREE Scotch Magic Tape prices BOG2FREE at  $1.99. Use two $1/1 printable coupons and get THREE FOR FREE.

 Pair up the Wags ad coupons with the Wags Smartsource coupons from the 4/17 newspaper insert and get cheap canned veggies and Better Crocker brownie or cake mix and frosting. MojoSavings has the scoop.

Speaking of baking, Vons has flour and sugar on sale and you can get C & H printable coupons here 
and Dominos coupons here. I'm stocking up on sugar for my hummingbird feeders this week!

I got a request for diaper deals last week. I normally don't pay much attention, but if you need them, here's a good post.

At CVS I got a FREE 4.25 oz Symphony Chocolate Bar for FREE thanks to an email coupon I got via Twitter. I also picked up 3 theater size boxes of Jujyfruits which were on sale for .99 each and used 3 ECBs to pay. I love looking at a receipt that says

Total due $0.00. Today You Saved 6.49. 100% Savings.

(even if it is for candy!)

The next day I went back to CVS and to an 8.72 oz size Essence Of Beauty Hand Sanitizer for FREE with the coupon I got for "liking" CVS Beauty Club on Facebook (see previous post).

The next day I found myself back at CVS, trying to work a shaving cream deal. However, that deal was dependent upon finding "peelies" on the product, which I did not. Instead, I used my $1/2 Cadbury Creme Egg coupon from the scanner, paid .50 for the eggs and got 1 ECB back from my Bag Tag. That was better than FREE---CVS gave me .50 to take the treats!


My favorite deal of the week came from an unlikely store: Nordstrom. I had made an appointment for a FREE makeover with my favorite Estee Lauder consultant, Sabrina, knowing in advance that there was a FREE gift with purchase this month. I got pampered a little, got some makeup tips, and bought a tube of tinted moisturizer with sunscreeen to take on the road with me this summer. I had a $20 reward certificate, thanks to last month's triple points days, so my expensive foundation ($43 retail) cost me $26.76 including tax. But wait! There's more! I would never in a million years think that $26 for a tube of foundation was a deal! What did I get as my FREE gift with purchase? I got all this:

A Chic Cosmetic Bag, A Chic Mini Cosmetic Bag, Moisturizer, Eye Creme, Concealer, 2 Lipsticks, 4 Eye Shadows, Mascara, Eyeliner, Eye Makeup Remover

All that was worth $140!! Just look at my fancy-schmancy cosmetic stash!

 

When I was finished at Nordy's I walked over to Bath and Body Works and got a FREE 2 oz. Into the Wild Body Lotion with a coupon I found on the blogs.  No purchase necessary! Later that evening my little girl and I went to see Classical Academy's production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. On the way to the show we enjoyed a delicious Italian dinner with a Groupon I had purchased last month. We enjoyed the meal and the show very much!

Links, My Wags Trip, & Mailbox

Wal-Mart Ready for Battle


Amazon Game Deals for Easter

Tuesday, April 12th is FREE Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's from noon 'til 8 pm
Get FREE Essence of Beauty when you "Like" CVS Beauty Club on Facebook
Get 2 FREE samples & coupons when you "Like" Eucerin on Facebook

$1/2 Coca-cola or Dasani 20-oz products

I got some great deals at Walgreens today. My daughter went with me, so we doubled the deals!

My transaction:
Heinz Vinegar, 32 oz
5 pkgs Royal Gelatin
Sensodyne Pronamel Toothpaste
Carefree 20 ct. panty liners
Total before coupons: 15.13
Net total OOP: $2.28  85% savings

Katie's transaction:
Sensodyne ProNamel Toothpaste
Carefree 20 ct panty liners
2  6.5 oz pkgs Betty Crocker Cornbread Mix
Total before coupons: 10.77
Net total OOP: 4. 37 60% savings

(combined savings average 72.5%)

We each received a RR for the Carefree.

We went to 2 other Walgreens to use our RR on some OB Tampons which are on sale this week for $3.99. I also have MQ for $1 off. However, both stores were out of stock on OB! I will try a 3rd store tomorrow when I will be right next door at my youngest's karate class.

I've got 10 ECBs and a coupon for a FREE Essence of Beauty product and a FREE candy or beverage item at CVS, but I don't see anything in this week's ad that I want to get. Since CVS is just across the street from karate, I might just run in for the FREE items tomorrow.

Finally, here's what came in my mailbox today:

Extreme Couponing? Not Inspiring.

I've been watching Extreme Couponing on TLC. I must say that most of the people on the show have NOT inspired me at all. I haven't learned anything new about shopping the sales and using coupons. What I have learned is that some people are OCD and/or shopping addicts, as well as hoarders! Seriously! If you have to store hundreds of rolls of toilet paper in your shower, dozens of bottles of mustard in your closet and cases of mouthwash under your bed, you have a mental problem. Storing enough toilet paper for 2 years? Working on your shopping plans for 70 hours a week? Buying hundreds of candy bars at once? Insuring your hoard for $30,000? That's nuts.
Why not use your amazing talent at getting things for 90% or more off to help the needy? Donate some of that stuff to local charities. Make a difference?

OK I sometimes like to just play the "Drugstore Game." I have canned good and nonperishables in my garage in a dedicated cabinet and a cupboard of toiletries in my hallway. I do NOT have more than 6-12 months supply of anything, and when donation requests come my way I go straight to my stash. If toothpaste is free, I'll get it, but I won't keep a 10 year supply of it in my house! I've been able to cheerfully give to our Second Saturday drive, Operation Christmas Child, Interfaith, Alternatives Women's Center and our Church with little financial sacrifice. It makes me feel good to use my Ferengi talents to help others.

::Exit Soapbox::

Now, back to your regularly scheduled blog:

Yesterday I rocked the coupons. Last week my daughter told me she was nearly out of tampons (how could I let that happen? maybe I need a 5 year supply! JK) and I also noticed I was down to only one jug of laundry detergent in the garage. Time to look specifically for those items on the blogs and in the ads. I found everything I needed this week at Walgreens.

My first trip was just to buy tampons. I got 2 boxes (and found one that had 4 extra bonus tampons in it!) of Kotex U on sale 2/$7. I used 2 MQ for $1 off and paid $5 OOP. I received a $3 RR. I went to another store with intentions of buying Purex on sale with WQ for $1.99 and MQ $1, however, they were out of stock! So instead I bought 2 more boxes of the tampons, using the same deal, and got $3 RR again. Later in the day I found myself near the first Wags with 20 minutes to kill, so I picked up 3 bottles of the Purex HD, used my WQ & MQ, added 2 Cadbury Creme Eggs at .39 ea. My OOP was $1.27 and I still have 3 RR. If I can get my hands on 3 more Purex coupons I'm going back today, otherwise I'll save my RRs for next week. So even though my total OOP was $1just over $11 (mostly tax) I have $3 RR to spend making my actual cost $8 for 4 boxes of tampons, 3 bottles of laundry detergent and 2 delectable sweets.

I also made a CVS run. I scanned my card at the kiosk and got my $7 ECB quarterly rewards. I picked up one each of John Frieda Frizz Ease shampoo and conditioner, on sale for $5 each. I used 2 $2 off coupons and a $1 ECB from my Bag Tag. My OOP was $5 and I got 3 ECBs back! I now have $10 ECB to spend next week. I'd still like to increase the stash of tampons and laundry detergent so I won't have to worry about those items for 6 months, so I'll be on the lookout. I have coupons for OB and Playtex that came with samples.

I'm going to be looking for deals on sugar since the orioles have returned to our yard and I like to keep the nectar feeders full for them and the hummingbirds. There should be sale prices on baking supplies for Easter.

I made a trip to PetSmart as well. I picked up some sale with a coupon that I received with a sample. I paid .05/oz for premium food, which I have found to be a difficult target price to achieve. I could probably get dog food cheaper, but I don't believe the quality is as high. You can get free candy bars all the time, but would you feed them to your kids for dinner every day? I could not find the HealthiDent dog treats that I had a coupon for. I got a sample in the mail, and was going to pick some up if the price was right, but they don't carry them. Later, after my Wags trip, I was near Kahoots and decided to see if they carried them. They did not, but they did give me a free sample of their dog food! Score! I guess I'll look at the HealthiDent website to see where they are sold.

I know I probably look like a failure to those Extreme Couponers on the TV, but my ability to spend more time with my daughter, friends and recreation and my extreme hatred of clutter make me OK with that! I've got my budget under control and I am debt-free except for our mortgage. We have a several-month emergency fund in high-interest savings, and that's better than most Americans, and I am grateful.

Oops, was I on the soapbox again?

Here's some freebies I got in the mail recently:

2 magazines, ASPCA magnet & window sticker, Stevia Cane sweetener with recipe

and here are some that you can sign up for:


$1 off  Medium or Large Frozen Beverage at Baskin Robbins
BOGO Scoop Flavor of the Month at Baskin Robbins

FREE Sample Zantac
FREE Organic Valley Kids' Activity book and coupons
FREE P&G Samples
Kids eat free every day in April from 4 p.m.-10 p.m. at IHOP. (1 free kids meal with each adult entree purchase)
April 22 is Earth Day. Bring a reusable cup to Starbucks and get FREE brewed coffee or tea.
FREE travel size Signature item with any purchase from Bath and Body Works  
FREE Happy Me Skin Care Samples
MojoSavings passed on this deal from Spoiled But Not Rotten:

Now is a great time for your kids to start thinking about what books they might want to read this summer. This is a great program for those kids that love to read!

1. Kids read any 8 books this summer and record them in the downloadable Journal.
2. Kids bring your completed Journal to a Barnes & Noble store between May 24 and September 6, 2011.
3. Kids choose  your FREE book from a  book list provided to you when you turn in your journal at any Barnes & Noble store.

Also from MojoSavings:

Volunteer Match is looking for volunteers all over America. Newman’s Own has teamed up with them to offer a FREE product to you just for offering a helping hand to those in need!  Any help that you can provide to this very worthy cause is always appreciated. Click here to help with projects in your area and know that each and everyone of you can make a difference.

From Chief Family Officer:

If you shop online or bank online with major institutions, chances are good that you've received email(s) this week advising you that your name and email address were obtained by hackers who accessed third-party servers, and to be careful not to fall for phishing emails. There's a passing mention in this Above the Law post that opting for "the html version [of emails] means more than just pretty pictures; it also allows for tracking of that email." I never really thought about it, and have generally opted for the html version of emails because I find them easier to read. But it turns out that plain text versions are safer and more private. So I'm thinking of switching to plain text versions from now on.

And don't forget to search the Amazon Music Store for free MP#s and the Amazon Kindle Store for free books! You can find free music offerings on iTunes, too!