My Shopping Trip (3/31/09)

This was a real simple trip. I had coupons and this trip was solely to use those coupons. Well...really any trip is to get coupon items...but you know what I mean lol. I got:

2 Bottles Snuggle Creme Fabric Softener $4.00 ea
5 Jars Pace Salsa $2.98 ea
1 Golf Set for DS' birthday (I couldn't take a picture since DS was underfoot) $5.00

Total: $27.62 (without tax)

I had (2) $2 off Snuggle Creme click here for coupon (print out twice)
I had (5) $4 off any Pace

Total after coupons: $3.62 (without tax)

The Walmart I go to does not adjust the coupon to fit price so I had $5.10 in overage from the Pace coupons. I ended up getting the fabric softener for free and some taken off DS' golf set.

CVS on a $10 Budget (3/30/09)

Here's Juanita from The Frugalicious Mommy with her CVS deals on a $10 budget:

For those you that follow our Monday post, you know sometimes I use my previous ECB's and sometimes I start from scratch. Today I started with $10.00 in ECB's. I usually roll them over to the next week so I spend less cash OOP. I may update this because I wasn't really finished but my foot was telling me to go home (still suffering from post-op pain).

Here are my purchases:

Trans #1

1-Glade Lasting Impressions $5.99 ($4 Q + $1 CVS Q)

2-Scrubbing Bubbles Kits $2.99 ea (2/$2.75 Q)

Total=$11.97

-Q's

=$1.47 OOP

Earned $4.00 ECB from the Glade

Trans #2

1-Shout $2.50 (.75 Q)

1-Fantastik $2.50 ($1.00 Q)

1-Scrubbing Bubbles $2.50 (.75 Q)

1-Sense and Spray $5.99 ($4 Q)

2- Scrubbing Bubble Kits $2.99 ea (2-$2.75 Q)

2-Clean & Clear Wash $4.99 ea (2/$2.00 Q)

1-Clean & Clear Pore $6.99 ($5.00 Q)

Total=$36.44

-$5 off $25

=$31.44

-Q's

=$10.44

Used $10.00 ECB from previous week

=.44 OOP

Earned $7.00 ECB ($5/Clean & Clear, $1/Glade, $1/Shout)

Totals=$48.41

Total OOP=$1.91

ECB left-$11.00

Random Act of Kindness

I was at Target the other day fishing in the dog food aisle. I was trying to see what the best deal I could get with the million and one dog treat coupons I had. A lady came down the aisle and she was looking at dog treats too. She had two bags in her hand and was looking at a third. It seemed like she was pretty torn. I couldn't help but noticed because I mean, it was just dog treats and it seemed like it was a pretty big decision for her. I stepped over to her and asked "would you like a coupon for those treats?" surprised she responded "Oh my God, thank you thank you!"

I was kind of taken off guard as to how surprised and super thankful she was that I offered her the $1 off coupon. She proceeded to tell me that she had a nine week old puppy she was trying to potty train and how she wanted to use treats. She was concerned that she didn't know how much she was going to need and she wanted something softer because of puppy's teeth. She was also concerned about the price of the bags...she didn't really know how much she was gonna need and she didn't know what the best deal was.

I showed her a bag that I had used before since I also have a young puppy. I also showed her how she could make it last longer by breaking the big treats up into smaller yet effective treats. After that, I introduced her to unit pricing. Again, surprisingly, she'd never heard of that term. So, I stood there and broke it down for her with the different bags of treats and explained how she should apply that to really anything she buys. I found her a good deal on a bag of dog treats that would last her a while especially if she breaks them up. I made sure she understood why it was a good deal. She thanked me several more times and went on her way.

I really hadn't planned on having a little class in the dog food aisle but it was so satisfying that this woman totally took in what I said and she was so grateful for it. When I got home, I was explaining to DH why I was late. I was telling him how surprised I was with that lady's response. How super thankful she was. I mean, I really didn't think it was that big of a deal on my part. I love spreading the "gospel" about saving money. DH then brought a point that is so true, that I didn't think of. He said "people don't do nice things for folks anymore like they use to. Being helpful to that lady probably caught her off guard as much as her reaction caught you off guard".

That really makes me sad. The world shouldn't be that way. So, my challenge to you is to do one act of kindness this week. You don't have to spend any money to do it yet you'll feel like a million bucks.

Shopping For Christmas Already?!?

Thaaaat's right! We all know that the holidays can be the worst. Not the holidays but rather the stress that goes into the holidays. Whether it's shopping, traveling, cooking, planning get togethers...ect it adds up. It adds up both as stress on you as well as stress on the wallet. This year especially is probably going to be more stressful for more families with layoffs, pay cuts, and such. I know for us, DH's pay cut has us being even more frugal.

So, about shopping for Christmas. Start doing it now. Start thinking about who you're going to buy for and what they might like. Don't get carried away though. Just like anything else you need to setup a budget for Christmas. For example, I'm keeping the same budget I had for last Christmas, $10 per person. Now on that budget I'm sure you're thinking you can't get much. Our parents, DH's sisters and their husbands got nice comforters I found with Brylane Home for $20 ($10 per person), all of the nieces and nephews got outfits (Thank you Walmart clearance) for $10 each, and my sisters got 2 sets of PJs each for $10. So like I said, if you're constantly shopping clearance throughout the year you're bound to get everyone taken care of. You could probably even do it for less than $10 a person if you time it right. Right now (since we're transitioning to spring) would be a great time to buy winter outfits and jackets.

I actually just started looking myself. I came across a website the other day called The Lakeside Collection. It was an email offer through Mypoints so I figured I'd see what they had. I was quite surprised of how many low cost items they had. I found some camo sleeping bags for our nephews for only $9.95. I was also able to find a fun Spider Man cup for DS' birthday (He loooooves Spider Man).


I did buy some socks and random jewelry sets at the Christmas clearance sales so I think I have enough to use as stocking stuffers and gifts for co-workers.

Ebay could also be a good place to look too. I say "could" because Ebay isn't as great as it use to be. Don't get me wrong, I just bought a $400 Roomba on there for $50...but I mean as a whole. It's kind of looking at the bargain bin. You have to dig all the way to the bottom only to find a deal maybe in the middle on the left side. Anyway, you can look there for your higher priced items. For the most part, people aren't going to be looking for those high dollar items usually reserved for Christmas gifts.

I'm also starting to think as the bad news continues to come in as far as the economy goes, more coupons and sales are going to surface. A great example to that would be that Hasbro has coupons out for their games. Just make sure to keep your eyes open.

Christmas shopping early is great for your budget but let me throw this out there: You know your budget better than anyone. Always remember that household necessities always take top priority.

Earth Hour - Saturday Night

I just wanted to let you know that tomorrow night at 8:30 PM (your local time) will be the Earth Hour. What is Earth Hour? It's a movement to help Global Warming. You simply turn off your lights for one hour (8:30pm-9:30pm your local time). I know that a lot of the buildings in downtown Atlanta will be participating.

Whether you believe Global Warming is a true issue or not, it's an excellent way to save a little bit of $$ on your power bill. Especially if you choose to turn other stuff off as well.

If you're not currently conscious of your power bill, why don't you try this and see what types of changes you can make on a daily basis.

For more information, check out http://www.earthhour.org/about

Laptop Stand Giveaway at Any Lucky Day

The folks over at Any Lucky Day are giving away a laptop stand from LapDawg. This bad boy is the swiss army knifes of laptop stands. The contest ends Sunday at 11:59pm EST. Go check it out by clicking here!

Cheapcheapcheap.com Has Got It Goin' On

If you haven't figured it out yet, I love a deal! I especially love it when you can find a bulk amount of deals in one place! Cheapcheapcheap.com is your one stop! You can find coupons, steals, and all of your sales circulars in one place!

Albert Ko and his friend Chris (Two frugal college graduates from Cornell University) started Cheapcheapcheap.com after deciding that retail prices were too high. They are constantly updating (many times a day) price drops, exclusive sales, and coupon codes. Originally they posted for their friends and family but their website's growth went through the roof! I'd say, with so many major news blurbs...they've gotta be something big!

So here's a breakdown of the site. There is a "weekly ad" section which allows you to see the sales papers of major retailers without having to go to each individual site. After you see what's on sale, you can then click on the "coupon" tab and see if any of your service providers, restaurants, clothing retailers, ect have any nice coupons such as $5 off a Great Clips hair cut! Want to chime in with your deal? Not a problem! Just click on the "forums" tab, sign up, and share your deal with the world! Also, make sure to click the "blog" tab to see other sales as well! Albert and his buddies have put together one awesome website! I mean seriously! I love how you can find so much information in one spot! You get to be frugal with both your time and money!

(Click for Larger)

You can rest assured that Cheapcheapcheap.com is the real deal. They do the work so you don't have to! All sales and prices that are posted are the lowest they could find (yay for their comparison shopping!). They make sure that all merchants are reputable meaning they will not list a merchant with poor customer service history. Also, they have your best interest at heart when they get the best coupon codes from their advertisers!

Go check out Cheapcheapcheap.com! You will not be disappointed! Also, make sure to follow Cheapcheapcheap on Twitter to catch all their deal tweets http://www.twitter.com/cheapcheapcheap

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There was no monetary compensation received for this review.

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Neat Receipts Review and Giveaway

Y'all need to go over to Organize with Sandy and check out her giveaway she has going on. It is for the neatest lil gadget called Neat Receipts! It's a $200 value.

Click here to check it out

Hotslings Baby Sling Review

Ok so I know I'm kind of late to the whole world of baby slings. To be perfectly honest with you I was scared of them. Why? you ask. It's simple. I was scared I wouldn't do it right. Did you know that I am an expert at flipping out of hammocks? Now I know I don't have to persuade you to believe that. But as strange as it sounds, I kind of treated the baby swing concept the same way. I know it sounds silly, but I know I can't be the only one that felt that way! However, if I am...I can accept that.

So I finally bit the bullet and decided to investigate further. You know how it goes, if you're scared, go research it and figure out what it is you're really scared of. I was fortunate enough to be offered a chance to review a sling from Hotslings. I thought this was an excellent chance to try it out and work through my fear.

Let me start off by saying that the folks over at Hotslings are sooo nice! I had a couple of questions and they were quick to respond. It really didn't seem like I could ask a stupid question. Definitely brownie points there. The Hotslings website is very user friendly. The F.A.Q. section was extremely helpful in helping me pick the size I needed and it also helped me feel a little bit better about the sling. I ended up picking out the Tokyo print. I thought it was just so cute and could either go with a girl or boy. Since I was looking for something to be used long term....when baby #2 comes (still in the planning stages) it could be either a boy or a girl. When buying items like this, it is good to look at it for the long term to maximize savings.

(Tokyo Print)

Once I received the sling, woo doggie was I thrilled that a instructional DVD came with it! I am a visual person and do very well with pictures. However, actually watching someone put it together from beginning to end...wow...yeah...it helped tremendously. It made me feel a lot better letting me see for sure that I was doing it right.

Before I actually put DS in it I did the stretch test. You know I pulled from one side to another to see how strong the material really was. The material is 97% cotton sateen and 3% spandex. It has just about the same give as say stretch denim. I was impressed with the results of my testing. The material will stretch just enough, however it will not lose shape. I also liked how breathable the material was. It just makes it that much more comfortable. So, in frugal terms that means you can get longer use out of it. Just make sure you machine wash it and line dry it. Tossing it in the dryer may cause it to shrink.

Braving it, I finally put DS in the sling. I had DH spotting me while I did it. We walked about the house and we even walked to the bathroom so DS could see himself. He really enjoyed it and still does. I really like the opportunity to bond with him being right there with me. You know being a working mommy, I've gotta maximize that every chance I get! Since he's a toddler, he sits in the sling rather than lay. Hotslings' baby slings feature leg padding to make it more comfortable for toddlers in that stage.

End result, I love it! I wonder how I ever lived without it! Once I got it, figured it out, and used it...I lost all fear! I use it every chance I get! So I hope you learned a lesson in this post. If you're scared, figure out what you're scared of and confront it. Oh yeah, and the other....go to Hotslings and order your baby sling today!

Hotslings offers baby slings and nursing covers.

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There was no monetary compensation received for this review.
I received a Hotsling for the sake of completing this review.
Receipt of this did not sway my opinion.

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Cut Your Grocery Budget In Half Review

I was recently asked to review a report called How To Cut Your Grocery Budget In Half. It was written by Susanne over at The Hillbilly Housewife. That lady has some super great, frugal ideas. I absolutely love her blog! After reading several of her e-books, her report was nothing short of what I expect from her. It was great! Talk about some good information!

I loved Susanne's report because she actually shows a comparison regarding time and money between shopping with a plan in comparison to shopping without a plan. "Plan" meaning planning out your week for each day's meals then compiling a list to go to the store with. Advanced meal planning can be a little difficult at first, but Susanne was great enough to include some meal plans to get you started! She made meal plans to follow a $45 budget, a $70 budget, and meal plans that follow the boxes you can get from Angel Food Ministries. If you haven't heard of Angel Food Ministries, it is definitely something to look into. Angel Food Ministries is a Georgia based nonprofit organization that provides anyone who wants to participate with a big box worth of food (enough to feed a family of four for a week) for $30. Learn more at www.angelfoodministries.com . Please know that you do not have to be in need to receive this food. Anyone can participate!

I also loved how Susanne made an effort to help break up the monotony. Sometimes people feel like when they eat on a budget they have to eat the same thing over and over again. Or sometimes when people hear the word "budget" they feel like they're gonna be eating beans and franks for the rest of their lives. Just for you, she included a couple of recipes to get you started.

I really felt like Susanne did a good job putting this review together. I was very surprised at some of the statistics that she included! The report is definitely worth reading. No one should pay more than they have to!! You should read it even if you feel like you save enough already. There may be something you didn't think about. Besides, it's free.

Click here to read the report. You can also sign up to receive a free meal planning guide as well.

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There was no monetary compensation received for this review.

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$2 Off Snugglecreme Fabric Softener

I know I just had the coupon post...but I just loved the animation so much it deserved a post of it's own. Take advantage of the coupon! Remember, you can print it out twice!

Free Coupons

Ok so I know that you can get coupons from coupons.com but I thought I'd share with you other coupons I have found from the actual manufactures' websites.

Various Lysol Products
Degree for Women (.75 off)
Pert Plus ($1 off)
The Good Life Recipe ($2 off Dog Food/$1 Treats $2 off Cat Food/$1 off Treats)
Degree Clinical Protection for Men ($2 off)
Ultra Downy Total Care ($1 off)
Aquafresh White Trays ($7 off)
Various Aquafresh Products
Crest Pro Health Whitening Toothpaste ($1 off)
Pampers ($1.50 off)

Awesome Shopping Trip

I am super pleased with myself! It was a super simple trip....just needed dog food. I happened to have 12 $5 off Iams dog food coupons. When I got there I noticed that they were on sale. (This was one of the few trips that I did not plan ahead). To my surprise the 4 lb bags were on sale for....get this....$5! So, I yanked up 12 of them! I also remembered that I needed to get DS some Easter stuff so I grabbed a basket for $4.98. I couldn't take a picture since DS was around but it was a good sized basket with a bubble set, water gun, and some assorted candy. I don't think I could've put it together for cheaper than that...but hey someone prove me wrong!

I thought it was funny that as I was checking out the cashier looked at my buggy and said "You know, buying the larger bag would've been cheaper". I just smiled and said "Not tonight!" It was a quick ring up since I was courteous enough to tell her how many I had of the same exact item so she would only have to ring one each rather than each individual bag. Heck, I even bagged it all myself while she rung up the coupons. My total ended up being $64.98 (not including tax would've been like $68 with tax). I was totally stoked that my total (12 bags of Iams dog food + 1 Easter basket) ended up only being $9.53. Too bad I got stuck with the tax huh? The cashier just looked at me and said "Oh my God, you got all that dog food for free!" I said "Yes m'am...and I got more food than what's in that big bag"

(Click photo to see larger)

Attention Coffee Drinkers...This Deal is For You!

Wow! What a deal! Choose any three coffees from Gevalia for $3 and receive a free stainless steel travel mug. If you're a coffee drinker, this deal is for you!


Click here to get your coffee!!

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Spring Recipes newsletter and savings offers.

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$10 In Free Coupons!

Eat Better America - Sign up for the Eat Better America newsletter and
receive $10 in valuable coupons.

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It's Hip Hop Baby Winner

Congratulations to Tess! She won the It's Hip Hop Baby DVD for being the 10th comment!


Congratulations to Sarah! She won the It's Hip Hop Baby CD for being the 12th comment!


Thanks to those who played! I will have more giveaways soon!

Free Samples!

Ok here's a list I've put together for you to take advantage of some freebies!

Quaker True Delights Granola Bars
Roots of Nature Hair Products
Poise Liners
Parents Choice Baby Formula
Kotex Pads
Crest Whitestrips Advanced Seal
All-Bran Fiber Drink Mix
Toby The Train Coloring Book
GoodNites Boxers
Pegetables Dog Treats (made from real vegetables)
Free Tote & 20% Coupon from Vix
Cream of Wheat Sample
Billy Boy Candy
Tide Total Care
Caress Evenly Gorgeous Body Wash
Men's Degree Absolute Protection
Always Infinity Sample
Spring Gift Pack including Tote
Sun Crystals
UnderJams
Free Kids Meal and Drink at Bob Evans
Greenies (Dog or Cat)
Rachael Ray Nutrish Dog Food
Free eco-friendly, BPA-free reusable bottle
Total Cranberry Crunch Cereal
Playtex Sport
Beinggirl Sample Kit
AquaFresh Extreme Clean
Dove Haircare

CVS on A $10 Budget (3/23/09)

Here's Juanita from The Frugalicious Mommy with her CVS deals on a $10 budget:

It's Monday and you know what that means, it's CVS on a Ten
Dollar Budget Day. I started today off with $4.99 in ECB's, from a purchase I made during the week.

I would like to mention that the Contour Monitors also have a rebate. I know there are so many stories about this, most stating you wouldn't get the rebate because you used a Q and got it for free. Well I sent mine in and yes, I received my rebates. I read on someone's blog that if you mark out the total you paid and the coupons on your receipt that you would get the rebate so I decided to do that" just in case". Well it turns out the ones I had marked out were returned stating they would not accept altered receipts but the ones I did not alter I did in fact receive rebates. Also the rebate say it ended but it says to call so that's what I'll do and hopefully I'll still be able to take advantage of the rebate.

Trans#1
1-Contour Monitor $14.99 ($14.99 Q) + rebate
1-Crest Pro Health Rinse $3.49 (.75 Q- earned $3.49 EB)
1-St Ives Body Wash $3.99 ( $2.00 CVS Q)
2-Cinn Toast Cereal Bars .89 ea
1-Cinn Toast Cereal Bowl $1.00

Total $25.25
-above Q's and $5 off $25
= $2.51 OOP
Earned $2.00 EB

Trans#2
2-Clorox Anywhere Spray 2/$5 (2/.75 q=)
1-Clorox Wipes $2.50 (B2G1)

Total $7.50
-above Q's
=$3.50
Use EB from Trans #1
OOP Big fat ZERO

Trans #3
**Used my husbands card so I could get another Crest Rinse
1-Crest Rinse $3.49 (.75 Q earned $3.49 EB)
4-Campbells Soups $1.49 ea (B1GO + 2/$1.00 Q's)
1-J & J Bath Buddy $1.19 ($1.00 Q)
2-Zone Bars $1.59 ea (BOGO + .50 Q)

Total-$13.82
-Card savings+Q's
=$5.00
Used $4.99 EB from my purchase earlier in the week
.01 OOP
Earned $3.49 EB

Trans #4
1-Monitor $14.99 ($14.99 Q)
3-Pepsi 3/$11 (used B2G1)

Total $25.99
-Q's + $5 off $25
=$2.33 + tax = $2.52 OOP

Total for the Day $72.56
OOP $5.04
I still have $3.49 EB left from trans #3

The Couponizer Winner

Congratulations to Susan! She was the 24th comment and won The Couponizer!



If you didn't win, you should really buy The Couponizer because it is a HUGE help! Also It's Hip Hop Baby contest is ending tomorrow night so you can still enter that. I also have more giveaways to come!

You Data - An Easy Money Maker

I am a member of a website called You Data. I make a couple of extra bucks a week by clicking on ads and looking over websites. I love how it may only take maybe 10-20 minutes of my time depending on how many ads/websites I need to look at. It really is super simple!




What's even better is they pay out every Friday via Paypal! Now, I don't make millions...but what little bit I do make goes to my CVS shopping and of course you know how much you can get there for very little :)


It's certainly worth checking out. Click here to find out more!

Do You Realize How Easy It Is To Spend $100?

At some point I must've lost track of how much stuff costs these days. DS was home again from school today recovering from being sick so it was my turn to stay home. Since the weekend is going to be kind of hectic, and DS was looking like he was feeling better I decided to go ahead and make a shopping trip.

First we stopped at Target. Now I know some of you just love it...but to me, it seems kind of pricey. One just opened up about a mile down the street so I figured since it was closer than Walmart or anything else for that matter (I live in a very rural area) it would be cheaper once you added the cost of gas in of going to Walmart. The jury is still out on that one. This is what I got:

2 - Lysol Cans - $7.98
4 - Neutra Air Cans - $8.16
1 - Dawn Foam Dish Soap - $2.49
2 - Dawn Hand Renewal - $4.98
1 - Cascade Box Powder - $2.99
2 - Finish Dish Soap Tablets - $5.40
1 - Pampers Wipes - $2.54
2 - Huggies 360 ct Wipes - $17.98
7 - Johnson & Johnson Bath Buddies Soaps - $6.79
2 - Bottles Suave Lotion - $5.20
4 - Trial Sized Old Spice Deodorant- $3.96
4 - Trial Sized Right Guard - $4.48
2 - Daisy 3 Razors - $9.98
2- Kotex 16 ct panty liners - $2.04

The cashier looked at me and told me the total. $90.40! Once I laid out everything to get a picture, I seriously could not believe it. It certainly does not look like almost a $100 worth of stuff!!! Of course y'all know I didn't pay that for it. I used the following coupons:

2 - BOGO on the Neutra Air Cans
2 - $2.00 off Lysol Can
1 - $1.00 off Dawn Foam Soap
2 - $1.50 off Dawn Hand Renewal
1 - $3 off Cascade Detergent
2 - $1 off Finish Dish Tabs
1 - $1.50 off Pampers Wipes
2 - $5.00 off Huggies Wipes
7 - $1.00 off Johnson Bath Buddies Soaps
2 - $1.00 off Suave Lotion
2 - $1.00 off any 2 Old Spice Deodorant
2 - $1.00 off any 2 Right Guard Deodorant
2 - $2.00 off 3 pack Daisy Razors
2 - $.75 off any Kotex Panty Liners

I think that covers all the coupons all the coupons I used. The total ended up being $43.82 including tax. It was just crazy.

My next trip was to Publix. The real reason I went was because they had their Fast Fixin's on sale BOGO and I have a whole stack of free coupons I won from Consumer Queen. So I knew I was going to be able to get 2 for free with 1 coupon. Ok so this is what I got:

4 - Boxes Wheat Thins Artisan Crackers - $13.00
Bananas - $1.56
6 - Fast Fixin bags - $17.97
2 - 12 Big = 24 roll Angel Soft - $10.98
2 - 8 Roll Sparkle Paper Towels - $10.98

I don't remember what the total was....I really hate that it's not printed on the recipt :(. These are the coupons I used:

2 - BOGO Free Wheat Thins Artisan Crackers
3 - 1 Free Fast Fixin Bag
2 - .50 (doubled to $1) off Angel Soft
2 - .75 off Sparkle

The total was $37.99. I really do hate buying paper products. They really do take up a lot of the budget in regards to what they are. The receipt told me that my coupon savings were $18.99 and my total savings with sale prices was $42.93. So you're telling me for that little bit the total could've been $80.92? Doesn't that sound a little crazy to you?

My last trip was to Kroger. I hadn't planned on going there but we met DH for lunch and the Kroger was in the same shopping center. I only bought one thing:


These Pampers were put on clearance for $9.99. I can only assume because of the shape the box was in:


Nevertheless, the diapers were in great shape and still sealed up in the plastic. I also had $1.00 Pampers Baby Dry so they ended up being $8.99

I was just crazy to me how fast and easy it is to get to $100!

What are your thoughts on today's shopping trip? Could I have done better? Do you agree/disagree with my thoughts on insane pricing? Share!

Milkshake DVD & CD Winner

Congratulations to Stacy of KCW for being the 10th comment and winning the Milkshake DVD & CD set.

If you didn't win, no worries! I have 2 giveaways currently going on! One for The Couponizer and one for It's Hip Hop Baby DVD or CD!

My Shopping Trips

Sunday 3/15
CVS
Ok, I'm still learning the CVS plan. This was my first attempt at multiple transactions.

Transaction #1
Irish Spring Body Wash - $4.99
Used $4.00 ECBs I had
Out of Pocket: $1.06
Received $4.99 in ECBs

Transaction # 2
4 Progresso Soups -$5
1 Dry Idea - $2.99
2 Johnson Buddy Soaps - $2.38
$2 off 4 Progresso Soups Coupon
$2 off 2 Johnson & Johnson Products Coupon
$2 off 1 Dry Idea Coupon
$4.99 ECBs from previous transaction
Out of Pocket $1.16
Received $2 ECBs



For a first time deal on multiple transactions I felt like this was a good trip but I know I could probably do better

Monday 3/16
CVS
I was in a hurry so I didn't have time to do multiple transactions.

3 Dry Ideas - $8.97
1 Colgate Max Whitening - $2.99
2 Johnson Buddies Soaps - $2.38
$2 off 1 Dry Idea Coupon (had 2 coupons)
$2 off 2 Johnson & Johnson Products Coupon
Used $4 in ECBs
Out of Pocket $5.06
Received $8.99 in ECBs



I'm not as happy with this transaction. I forgot my extra Dry Idea coupon. Also if I had done multiple transactions it would've been better.

Kroger

1 - Good Life Puppy Food - $4.89
6 - Johnson Buddies Soaps - $ 6. 54
$3 off one bag Good Life Puppy Food Coupon
$3 off 3 Johnson & Johnson Products Coupon ( I had 2)
Total out of pocket was $3.23
Receipt told me I saved $9.80
**I even got a catalina for another $3 off 3 Johnson & Johnson Products**



Walmart

7 - Good Life Cat Food Bags - $31.36
8 - Johnson Buddies Soaps - $7.76
4 - Progresso Soups - $6
2 - Danonino Yogurt Packs - $3.72
$3 off one bag Good Life Cat Food (I had 5)
$2 off one bag Good Life Cat Food (I had 2)
$3 off 3 Johnson & Johnson Products (I had 2)
$2 off 2 Johnson & Johnson Products
$2 off 4 Progresso Soups
$1 off 1 Danonino Yogurt (I had 2)
Total $21.87



I felt like this was a good trip because I was able to get all the cat food for my dad. He's experiencing a lack in funds due to the lack of construction work and so we're trying to do our part to help him out. The cat food alone with coupons ended up being $12.36 and my sister offered to half it so really it only cost me 6.18.

I even bought dinner for the 3 of us for $5 at Arby's. I used this coupon for the Roast Burger. It requires you to buy a Pepsi drink but doesn't have a required size. So I bought 3 small. Surprisingly enough, the Arby's I went to only served Coke but they accepted the coupon with no hesitation. I then took them home and made french fries. Nice to be a quick cheap dinner....the sammich wasn't bad either.

It's Hip Hop Baby Review and Giveaway (closed)

Talk about an entertaining experience! Anytime I get in the car or there's some quiet time in the house, my son demands It's Hip Hop Baby Once it starts, so does my son. The singing and dancing.....classic! My son loooooooves It's Hip Hop, Baby!

It's Hip Hop, Baby came to be whenever Candi Carter (who's a mother of two) realized that there were very few educational children's programs that used America's most popular genre of music to educate toddlers and preschoolers. The first 4 volumes of CDs and DVDs are directed towards children ages 2-6. These CDs and DVDs make learning about animals, body parts, ABCs, and numbers fun with musical performances and interviews with the hip hop kids.

The songs included on It's Hip Hop Baby have a very catchy hip hop beat. While watching the DVD I thought the kids were just adorable doing their singing and dancing. (Click here for a preview!) It's very contagious. While my son will go around the house singing "ip op baby ip op baby" (he hasn't mastered the h's) I cannot say that I didn't find myself singing the classic children's songs like Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes and the ABCs at very random times. Heck, after watching the DVD my son even tries to do the Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes dance in his car seat. I love the fact while my son is enjoying singing and dancing, that he's also learning! Like I said, it's a very entertaing experience.

It's Hip, Hop Baby makes learning fun! So it's no wonder that it won the iParenting Media Award! You can find It's Hip Hop Baby at Amazon.com! Oh yeah, and there are three new titles are being released this Tuesday! So you can get triple the entertainment!

Surprise! I am offering a giveaway for It's Hip Hop Baby! I have a DVD and CD to give away! I will pick one winner for each!

Go to www.itshiphopbaby.com. Look it over, come back here, and leave a comment telling what you think you or your children will like the most about it.

For Extra Entries You May:

Follow My Blog
Follow me on Twitter (copperbrickroad)
ReTweet this contest on Twitter (@copperbrickroad)(Once per day)

**Make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry to maximize chances of winning.**

One winner will be selected randomly using Random.org.

----------------------------

There was no monetary compensation received for this review.
I received a Hip Hop Baby DVD for the sake of completing this review.
Receipt of this did not sway my opinion.

---------------------------

This contest starts today and will end on 3/23 at 11:00pm EST.

CVS on A $10 Budget (3/16/09)

I am so excited that Juanita from The Frugalicious Mommy will be guest posting every Monday with her CVS deals! Below are this week's deals.

Monday is here again, where did the weekend go?????

This Monday I started with ZERO ECBs, I do this so that those of you that are just beginning will at least have a starting point. Every time I walk into any CVS I scan my card, usually I get several coupons (hoping to get a $5 off $25, I just love these). As you may have noticed I usually buy the Glucose monitors every week, I buy these just to get me closer to the $25 total without actually spending the $25 (since I have q's for these I get them for free). Okay, here are my purchases this week:


Trans #1

2- Kotex Pantyliners $3.89 ea (-1 CVS $1.50 q stacked with 2/$1.00 q's & earned $4 ECB)
1-Sucrets $3.99 (-$1.50 q & earned $1 ECB)

1-Monitor $14.99 (-$14.99 q)

Total $26.76

-q's from above + $5/off $25
=$1.77 OOP

Earned $5.00 ECB

Trans #2

1-Monitor $14.99 (-$14.99 q)
1-Aveeno Anti Itch $4.49 (-$2.00 q & earned $2 ECB)

1-Theraflu $5.99 (-$1.50 q & earned $2 ECB)

Total $25.47

-q's from above + $5/ off $25
=$1.98

-$1.00 ECB from last trans.
=98 cents OOP

Earned $4.00 ECB

Trans #3

2-Suave Body Wash $1.99 ea (-$1.00 q & earned $2 ECB)

2-Gold Emblem Candy .88 ea (-$1 off/2 q)

2-Pringles $1.47ea (-two $1 q)
2-Monitors $14.99 ea (-$15.00 q)

1-Colgate Toothpaste $2.99 (-$1.00 q & earned $2.99 ECB)
1-Aveeno Cream $4.49 (-$2.00 q & earned $2 ECB)

1-24 pack Gold Emblem Water $3.99
1-Playskool Wipes $1.99 (-$2.00 CVS q)

Total=$52.12
-25% off q that CVS sent me and the above q's (BOO, I thought I could use this all weekend)

=11 cents OOP
Earned $6.99 ECB

Trans#4

2-Monitors $14.99 (-$15.00 q)

1-Irish Spring Body Wash $4.99 (-$1.00 q & earned $4.99 ECB)
1-Dry Idea $2.99 (-$2.00 q & earned $2.00 ECB)

1-Purina Dog Food $5.29 (-$1.00 q)
1-CVS Vitamin D $2.99 (Earned $2.99 ECB)

1-Pepsi $1.49 (I was thirsty)

Total=$47.73
-$5 off $25 + the above q's

=$8.73
-used $8.00 ECB

Note: The register ate my receipt and I can't remember if I paid a few cents but lets just say 73 cents OOP. Cashier had to manually give me my ECB's. There was a long line so I waited for the other customers, thats why I never got a duplicate copy. I always hate for people to have to wait for me with all my q's.

Earned $9.98 ECB

Trans #5

2-Vaseline lotion $3.69 (- two $1.25 q & earned $4 ECB)
Note: they still had these flagged from last week so I was able to get them.

Total=$7.38

-above q's
=$4.88

used $5.00 ECB
Zero OOP

Trans#6

1-Topsy Turvy $9.99 (I have been wanting this, can't wait to plant)

2-Gold emblem Candy .88 ea ($1 CVS q)

1-Playskool Wipes $1.99 ($2.00 q)

Total $13.74

-above q's

=$10.76

Used $9.98 ECB

=78 cents OOP

Totals for the Day
=$173.20

=$4.37 OOP
ECB's left $6.00

MiYim Organic Toy Review

I recently was offered the opportunity to review two stuffed animal toys from MiYim. Talk about too stinkin' cute! These toys were so cute and soft, they are bound to become your baby's next best friend! I know my son loved them to death.

I received a monkey from the My Natural line.


He has a velvety touch and of course is super plush! I am intrigued by the little things and this case is no different.


I was very happy to see that the monkey was not secured into the packaging by those tough plastic cable ties or screws. It was a simple piece of rope. Yay! I didn't have to fight to get into it! My All of the animals from the My Natural line are available from Target. My Natural received an award from Cookie Magazine, so you don't have to just take my word for it!


I also received the Baby Ben Plush Frog. It is from the Fairy Tale Plush Collection. This collection is not available at Target but yet at specialty stores. Click here to see where it's available. Baby Ben is a doll baby. He too is very velvety soft and very plush. He too is 100% natural.




MiYim specializes in all natural, organic toys. You can feel comfortable knowing that their toys are:

• Made safely with Non-Toxic all natural cotton
• Free from harmful bleaches and chemicals
• Made with mineral and soy natural coloring
• Made with a low eco-impact dye process
• MiYim also supports fair labor ethics so they're doing their part all around!

MiYim uses raw beauty...meaning that untreated cotton thread is woven into gently flowing fabric, then brightened with nature's own plants and minerals.

MiYim's toys receive my Mommy Seal of Approval! So get over to Target or check our their website to get your child's new best friend!

----------------------------

There was no monetary compensation received for this review.
I received these MiYim toys for the sake of completing this review.
Receipt of these did not sway my opinion.

---------------------------

Free Johnson's Buddies Soap (3 Different Coupons!)

Ever since I heard that there were printable coupons out for Johnson's Buddies Soap that ended up making them free....I searched high and low. Every coupon link I found came to a page that never ended loading. I finally found links that worked with Firefox. I really never thought that would be a problem! Anyways, here are three coupons to print out. The price at Walmart was .97 while CVS was $1.12. So you can end up getting these free or close to free depending on where you go! Click the link that corresponds to the browser you're using. Remember to hit the back button after printing to print again (Max 2 times).

• $1/1 Johnson’s Buddies (IE) (Firefox)
• $2/2 Johnson’s Buddies (IE) (Firefox)
• $2/2 Johnson’s Shampoo, Conditioner or Buddies (IE) (Firefox)
• $3/3 Johnson’s Products (IE) (Firefox)

The Couponizer Review and Giveaway (closed)

I absolutely looooove The Couponizer! It really is a great product! For such a long time I've been looking for a real simple way to effectively organize my coupons. I am happy to report that The Couponizer did the job!

Couponing can be daunting task. I know some who are intimidated by the fact that you have to figure out some system to keep up with what you have and figure out how to keep up with which coupons you'll be using during your shopping trip. I know I don't have to say that using coupons is the way to go because I know everyone knows that. But I do want you to know that if you are one that is concerned about organizing your coupons, The Couponizer can really help!

The Couponizer comes with the following:

• The Couponizer™ - wire bound booklet
• Your Guide to Smart Savings
• CoupStacker - presorting mat
• Shopping List
• CoupTracker - record monthly savings
• Scissors
• Carrying Bag

This is your one stop shop for everything you need to get and keep up with your coupons!



The Couponizer book is a book of pockets that you put your coupons into. Each page is devoted to a certain catagory i.e dairy, cleaning products, meat, snacks. dairy, services, resturaunts, ect. Your coupons sit here until you're ready to use them. So how do you use The Couponizer? Let's start from the begining.....at your Sunday paper.

-Before you start to cut your coupons out, you lay out the CoupStacker persorting mat. This mat has squares on it that correspond to The Couponizer's pocket pages. Say you cut a coupon out for cheese. You would then lay it on the "dairy" square and when you are done clipping....everything in that "dairy" square would go into the "dairy" pocket page. This would follow the same for all of the other catagories. So then when you are planning your store visit and see that cheese is on sale, you can flip to the "dairy" pocket page and there's your coupon.

-When you are planning your shopping visit use the shopping list included to plan. Together with your sales paper, you flip through your pocket pages to the different catagories to grab your coupons that correspond with the sales. Then, once you find your coupons you're going to use, they go into the front in the pocket page called "coupons to use this shopping trip"

-While shopping, once you pick up an item that you had a coupon for, you transfer that coupon into the next pocket page called "checkout". Then, once it's ready to check out, you have all applicable coupons right there just to pull out the stack and give to the cashier! How easy!

The Couponizer really does handle the test of time. My Couponizer has lived a very tough life and does not show any signs of wear! So now you can understand why I love it so much! It even comes with a handy little zipper bag so your coupons are safe and secure! Please visit The Couponizer's webpage for more information or to buy www.couponizer.com!

I have been lucky enough to be able to giveaway a free copy of The Couponizer!

Want to win it?

Go to www.couponizer.com. Look it over, come back here, and leave a comment telling me something about The Couponizer that I didn't already mention.

For Extra Entries You May:

Follow My Blog
Follow me on Twitter (copperbrickroad)
ReTweet this contest on Twitter (@copperbrickroad)(Once per day)

**Make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry to maximize chances of winning.**

One winner will be selected randomly using Random.org.

This contest starts today and will end on 3/21 at 11:00pm EST

----------------------------

There was no monetary compensation received for this review.
I received a Couponizer for the sake of completing this review.
Receipt of this did not sway my opinion.

---------------------------

Freebie From Bath & Body Works

Ok ladies...here you go.

Click here for a printable coupon to take $10 off any Patricia Wexler M.D. Dermatology purchase through 4/5. There are several items on sale right now that are $10 making it free.

Home Made Simple Coupon Book

Get $30 in savings by clicking here! They will send you a booklet of coupons including one for a free bottle of Cascade Clear Rinse Agent. I actually redeemed that coupon and several others for $1.00 off Cascade Action Pacs. End result made the Action Pacs only $2! Definitely worth filling out the survey for!

Slanket Review

It's been a surprising winter down here in Georgia. It's been pretty cold and we got surprised with 8 inches of snow! That snow was totally insane. I can't remember getting that kind of snow since probably the blizzard of '93. Don't get me wrong....it was totally welcomed since we don't ever see it...but insane nevertheless.

So in these desperate economic times, cutting back is definitely a necessity. With the power bill being a huge one, that's one we always try to cut back on the most. Even though the winter has been rough, the heat was a sacrifice we needed to make. Thank goodness I got the chance to review the Slanket!

The Slanket is a totally neat concept! It's a blanket with sleeves! So you can do whatever with your hands (i.e. talk on the phone, channel surf, heck even eat) and still stay warm! It made of 100% polyester microfibers so it's super soft and super warm! It is also very long so your whole body is covered. I loved the Slanket! It's totally awesome!

I waited to do the review on the Slanket to see if it could handle the abuse of my family. It has been used A LOT, drug around, washed several times, and DS even threw up on it (nice...I know) and it still looks the same as when I got it. This is definitely a frugal buy as it will allow you to keep the thermostat turned low and it will handle the test of time.

So remember....even though it may be like this outside.




Know that you can have the thermostat turned down and the warmth of the Slanket inside




Go to www.slanket.com to get yours!

----------------------------

There was no monetary compensation received for this review.
I received a Slanket for the sake of completing this review.
Receipt of this did not sway my opinion.

---------------------------

Milkshake DVD/CD Review and Giveaway (closed)

I'm not really sure if it's because I haven't been a parent long enough.....but a lot of children's songs and various children's programing, to me, is very annoying. Some of it almost sound like they don't give our children enough credit and talk to them like they're idiots. I know that's not the case...but still, it bothers me.



I was recently offered the opportunity to review the band Milkshake. They sing children's songs and are not the least bit annoying. After a while I actually found myself singing along. I was very impressed! Not only that, but DS LOOOOOVES Milkshake. He either has to watch the DVD or listen to the CD whenever we're in the car. Finally, something I'm ok with hearing over and over again! The choices of there songs are great too! I really like "Okay to Be Different" because that's something kids really need to understand.

This information is quoted from their comic book:

"Milkshake began in 2002 when lead singer Lisa Mathews and guitarist Mikel Gehl started to write songs inspired by their children. The band lives in Baltimore Maryland. Milkshake has released a DVD and Three Award Winning CDs and their music videos have appeared on Noggin, PBS Kids, and Discovery Kids' Emmy-Winning ToddWorld Cartoon. Alongside Lisa's singing and Mikel's acoustic guitar, Tom Moon plays drum, Cord Neal plays bass, Michael "Shepp" Sheppard strums electric guitar and Brian Simms brings it all together on keyboard, accordion, and harmonica. All the members of Milkshake sing."

The CD Play Includes the following Tracks:
Songs on PLAY!
(Click Titles with * for MP3)
WE GOT A BAND*
IMAGINATION NATION*
PIRATES*
SUPERHERO*
BOWLING WITH YOU
HOME ON THE RANGE
GO WILD
PLANT A GARDEN
PARADE
BASEBALL
MAGIC RIDE
PLAY

The DVD is actually the first DVD from Milkshake! It features live action videos, animations and backstage interviews with the band. Bonus tracks include two videos created for PBS KIDS, and in-concert footage of the Noggin hit "Bottle of Sunshine." Click here for video clips

This DVD and CD set are worth having for your kids! So yay for you that Milkshake was kind enough to provide the set along with a comic book to giveaway!

So how do you win this great set?

Go to www.milkshakemusic.com. Look it over, come back here, and leave a comment telling me something about Milkshake that I didn't mention

For Extra Entries You May:

Follow My Blog
Follow me on Twitter (copperbrickroad)
ReTweet this contest on Twitter (@copperbrickroad)(Once per day)

**Make sure to leave a separate comment for each entry to maximize chances of winning.**

One winner will be selected randomly using Random.org.

This contest starts today and will end on 3/18 at 11:00pm EST.

----------------------------

There was no monetary compensation received for this review.
I received a Milkshake DVD and CD for the sake of completing this review.
Receipt of these did not sway my opinion.

---------------------------

Introducing: The New 31 Kids Line!

Yes I know tons of you have been waiting for a while now to see the new 31 Kids line! The line will not become available until April 1st, but I wanted to show you the pictures we've released!



This line includes items for baby (changing pads, bibs, burp cloths...ect) items for the kids (wallets, aprons, little bags...ect) and of course bags for mom! If you would like to receive the catalog for 31 Kids click here to send me an email with your mailing information!

https://www.mythirtyone.com/15463/