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Friday, April 30, 2010

Sunday Coupon Preview 5/2



I feel like my week is just flying by. I realized today that it was already time to look at what coupons and sales will be out next week. This Sunday there should be one Redplum, one Smart Source and one P&G.

As always not all areas will get the same coupon or the same value of coupon so this is just a general idea of what is out there. If your area doesn't get a coupon that you want I would suggest buying some from Ebay.


Redplum:
Adult Zyrtec 24ct or larger Save $4.00/1
Aunt Jemima Mix or Syrup 24oz or larger Save $2.00/2
Ball Park Angus Product Save $0.55/1
Ball Park Angus Products Save $0.75/1
Beano Meltaways 15 ct or larger Save $1.50/1
Bengay ETS Save $2.00/1
Betty Crocker Cupcake Icing & Cupcake Creations Save $2.00/1
Blueberry Juice Drink 64oz Save $0.55/1
Caltrate 155 ct or larger Save $2.00/1
Caltrate Except 30 ct Save $1.00/1
Centrum Cardio Save $1.00/1
Centrum Ultra 100ct or larger Save $1.00/1
Centrum Ultra 200 ct or larger Save $3.00/2
Children’s Zyrtec Save $3.00/1 ETS
Endust Save $0.55/1
Fiber Choice 90 count Save $0.50/1
Finishing Touch Lumina Personal Hair Remover Save $1.00/1
Garnier Fructis stylers ETS Save $1.00/1
Garnier Fructis Shampoo, Conditioner or Treatment Save $1.00/1 ETS
Garnier Headshine Color Crème with Bamboo Extract Save $2.00/1
Garnier Nutritioniste Cleanser or Moisturizer Save $1.00/1
Hillshire Farm Deli Select packages Save $0.35/1
Hillshire Farm Deli Select Hearty Slices packages Save $0.55/1
Jimmy Dean Breakfast Bowls Save $0.75/1
Jimmy Dean Breakfast Sandwiches Save $0.75/1
Kellogg’s Special K Save $1.00/2
Kellogg’s Special K Protein Products Save $1.00/2
Luigi’s Real Italian Ice Save $0.50/1
Morton Sea Salt Grinder Save $1.00/1
Morton Sea Salt Grinder Refill Save $1.00/1
Nicorette Mini Lozenge, Lozenge 81ct or Nicorette Gum 100ct or larger Save $7.00/1
Nivea Body Lotion 8.4-16.9 fl oz Save $1.00/1
Nivea Body Wash for Men 16.9fl oz Save $3.00/1
Nivea Body Wash for Women 8.4oz-16.9oz Save $4.00/1
Nivea Lip Care .17-.35oz Save $1.00/1
OneTouch Ultra Meter Save $10.00/1
OneTouch Ultra Soft Lancets Save $2.00/1
People Magazine Save $1.00/1
Polident Save $1.00/1
Quaker Chewy Granola Bars boxes Save $1.00/2
Rhodes Cinnamon Rolls Save $1.00/1
Rhodes Warm-n-Serv Rolls Save $1.00/1
Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipcolour SPF 18 or Sexy Curves Mascara Save $1.00/1
Rimmel Product Save $1.00/1
Russell Stover 7.75 oz or larger Save $1.00/1
Russell Stover Boxed Chocolate 8.25oz or larger Save $1.00/1
Sensodyne ProNamel Toothpaste Save $1.00/1
Sensodyne Toothpaste or Sensodyne Iso-Active Foaming Gel Save $0.75/1
Super Polident Free Denture Adhesive Save $1.00/1
Superpretzel Soft Pretzel Save $0.50/1
Tic Tac Singles Excludes Multipacks BOGO
Whitman’s Boxed Chocolate, 10oz-12oz Sampler or 7oz Whitman’s Reserve Save $1.00/1
Whitman’s Sampler ,24oz Whitman’s Sampler boxed chocolate Save $2.00/1







Smartsource:

Activia 4 pack, 8 pack, 12 pack or 24 oz Save $1/1 (6/30)
Aleve 40 ct Save $1/1 (7/31)
Aleve 80 ct+ Save $2/1 (7/31)
Baked Sun Chips or Rold Gold Snacks 7 oz+ Save $.55/1 (6/20)
Bic Hybrid Advance Shaver, Bic Comfort 3 Advance Shaver 4 pack or Bic Flex 4 3 pack Save $3/1 (6/13)
Bic Soleil Disposable Shaver Save $3/1 (6/13)
Bic Soleil Refillable Razor Handle or Cartridge Refill Save $2/1 (6/13)
BirdsEye Steamfresh Vegetable, Pasta or Rice Save $.50/1 (5/30)
Breeze or Tidy Cats Litter System Save $5/1 (8/2)
California Pizza Kitchen Pizza Save $1/1 (6/30)
Cortizone Intensive Healing Eczema Lotion Save $1/1 (7/31)
Cortizone 10 item Save $1/1 (7/31)
Crest 3D White Multi-Care Whitening Rinse Target Save $.75/1 (6/30)
DanActive 4-pack or 8-pack Save $1/1 (6/30)
Danimals Smoothie 6 pack, Danimals Smoothie 12 pack, Crush Cup 4 pack Save $.75/1 (6/6)
Dannon Dan-o-nino two 6 packs or one 12 pack or 24 pack Save $1/1 (6/6)
Dibs Bite Size Frozen Snacks Save $1/1 (7/4)
Egglands Best Cage or Organic Dozen Eggs Save $.50/1 (9/30)
Egglands Best Eggs Save $.35/1 (9/30)
Farmland Breakfast Sausage Links Save $1/2 (7/31)
Farmland Sausage Rolls Save $1/2 (7/31)
Farmland Cubed, Diced or Julienne Ham or Turkey Save $1/2 (7/31)
Farmland Deli Style Lunch Meats, Special Select Sliced Meats or Ham Steaks Save $1/2 (7/31)
Frappuccino Coffee Drinks 4 pack 41 (7/31)
Frigo Cheese Heads String Cheese Save $.50/1 (8/31)
Icy Hot, Capzasin, Flexall, Aspercreme, SportsCreme Save $1/1 (7/31)
John Frieda Root Awakening Save $5/2 (6/5)
Kraft Dressing 14 or 16 oz Save $.55/1 (6/19)
Kleenex Hand Towels Save $1/1 (6/27)
Lean Cuisine Save $1/1/5 (8/1)
LightHouse Save $1/2 (8/31)
Lindt Bars 3.5 oz+ Save $1/1/2 (8/31)
Lubriderm Advanced Therapy Lotion Moisturizer with Sunscreen Save $1/1 (6/3)
Lubriderm Body Lotion, Cream or Ointment Save $1/1 (7/3)
Miralax 14 dose or 10 ct carton Save $2/1 (6/30)
Miralax 30 dose Save $5/1 (6/30)
Natural Almond Accents Save $.50/1 (8/31)
Nestle Coffeemate Liquid Save $.50/1 (8/2)
Nestle Coffeemate Powder Save $.50/1 (8/2)
Nestle Nesquik 4 pack Save $1/1 (7/25)
Nestle Nesquik Save $1/2 (7/25)
Nestle Drumstick Lil’Drums Sundae Cones Save $1/1 (7/4)
Nexcare Bandages Save $.55/1 (9/30)
Oral-B 3D White Manual Toothbrush Target Save $.75/1 (6/30)
Oxy product Save $1/1 (6/30)
Pace Picante Sauce Save $.40/2 (6/27)
Pace Salsa Save $.50/2 (6/27)
Pert Plus 3-in-1 or Pert Plus for Men Save $1/1 (6/30)
Pert Plus 12 oz+ Save $1/1 (6/30)
Pledge Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair Save $1/1 (6/27)
Purina Busy Chewnola or Purina Busy any size any variety Save $1/1 (8/8)
Purina Beggin’s Canadian Cuts or Purina Beggin’ any size, any variety Save $1/1 (8/8)
Purina Dry Dog Food 3.5 lb bag (Dog Chow, Puppy Chow, Healthy Morsels, Little Bites, Active Senior, Fit & Trim) Save $1/1 (5/29)
Purina Friskies 3.15 lb bag Save $1/1 (8/2)
Friskies 15 cans , two 12 ct, one 24 ct, one 32 ct Save $1/1 (8/2)
Purina Friskies Selects Indoor B1G1F to Save $.92/ (8/2)
Purina Friskies any size, any variety Save $1/1 (8/2)
Purina Alpo Chop House Save $1/1/4 (6/21)
Purina Alpo Save $1/6 (6/21)
Purina Mighty Dog B1G1F to Save $.99 (6/21)
Purina Mighty Dog Variety Pack Save $1/1 (6/21)
Purina Kitten Chow 16-18 oz FREE or Save $2/1.19 on any size Kitten Chow (9/1)
Shout Laundry product Save $.55/1 (6/12)
Schiff Vitamin or Supplement Save $2/1 (7/31)
Schiff Glucosamine Save $3/1 (7/31)
Schiff MegaRed Save $3/1 (7/31)
SonicCare FlexCare+ or FlexCare Rechargeable Toothbrush Save $1/15 (6/30)
Sonicare HealthyWhite, Essence or Sonicare For Kids Rechargeable Toothbrush Save $1/10 (6/30)
Soinicare Healthy Heads Multi-Pack Save $5/1 (6/30)
Starbucks Doubleshot 4 pack Save $1/1 (7/31)
Sure for Women or Men Save $1/1Save $.50/1 (6/30)
Sure 2 oz+ Save $1/1 (6/30)
Tidy Cat Save $1/1 (8/2)
White Castle Microwaveable Hamburgers or Cheeseburgers $Save $.50/1 (7/31)


P&G:
Downy Liquid Fabric Softener or Sheets Save $1.00/1 (5/31)
Downy Liquid Fabric Softener, 90-load+ Save $2.00/1 (5/31)
Bounce Dryer Bar Save $.50/1 (5/31)
Bounce Dryer Sheets Save $.25/1 (5/31)
Tide Stain Release Save $1.00/1 (5/31)
Tide Stain Release, 25-50oz powder, 15-34ct Duo Pack or 36-68oz Liquid Save $3.00/1 (5/31)
Tide Detergent Save $1.00/1 (5/31)
Tide To Go Save $.35/1 (5/31)
Cascade Complete Pacs, Gel or Powder Save $.50/1 (5/31)
Cascade Regular ActionPacs, Gel or Powder Save $.25/1 (5/31)
Cascade Rinse Aid Save $1.00/1 (5/31)
Dawn Plus Save $.50/1 (5/31)
Dawn Save $.25/1 (5/31)
Dawn Hand Renewal with Olay Beauty Save $.50/1 (5/31)
Mr. Clean Erasers, Liquids or Sprays Save $1.00/2 (5/31)
Mr. Clean Erasers, Liquids or Sprays Save $2.00/3 (5/31)
Swiffer Starter Kit Save $2.00/1 (5/31)
Febreeze Fabric Refresher Save $1.00/1 (5/31)
Febreeze Air Effects Save $.50/1 (5/31)
Febreeze Noticables Starter Kit Save $4.00/1 (5/31)
Febreeze Candle Save $1.00/1 (5/31)
Bounty Towels or Napkins Save $.25/1 (5/31)
Pampers Diapers or Pants Save $1.50/1 (5/31)
Pampers Diapers or Pants AND Pampers Wipes 60ct+ Save $2.00 off wyb BOTH (5/31)
Align product Save $5.00/1 (5/31)
Pepto product Save $.75/1 (5/31)
Metamucil product Save $3.00/1 (5/31)
Metamucil Fiber Singles, Capsules, or Wafers product Save $3.00/1 (5/31)
Prilosec OTC Save $1.00/1 (5/31)
Prilosec OTC Save $3.00/1 (5/31)
NyQuil Sinus, DayQuil Sinus, or Sinex product Save $1.00/1 (5/31)
Vicks product Save $.55/1 (5/31)
Fixodent Adhesive, 1.2oz+ Save $.50/1 (5/31)
Fixodent Adhesives, 1.2oz+ Save $1.50/2 (5/31)
Oral-B Stages or Power Toothbrush Save $.50/1 (5/31)
Oral-B Stages or or Kids Crest Toothpaste or Liquid Gel Save $.50/1 (5/31)
Crest 3D White Professional Effects Whitestrips Save $10.00/1 (5/31)
Crest 3D White Advanced Vivid 14ct, Gentle Routine or Stain Shield Whitestrips, excludes 3D White Vivid Whitestrips Save $5.00/1 (5/31)
Crest Rinse 946mL+ Save $.75/1 (5/31)
Oral-B (1) Pulsar, CrossAction Advantage, or (2) Indicator Toothbrushes Save $.75 (5/31)
Crest Toothpaste 4.0oz+ or Liquid Gel Save $.75/1 (5/31)
Scope 473mL+ Save $.75/1 (5/31)
Head & Shoulders Shampoos or Conditioners Save $1.00/2 (5/31)
Charmin product Save $.25/1 (5/31)
Iams Premium Protection Cat Food Save $3.00/1 (5/31)
Iams Premium Protection Dog Food Save $3.00/1 (5/31)
Iams (3) Dog Cans or (5) Cat Cans or (1) Variety Pack or Multipack Save $1.50 (5/31)
Mach3 Disposable 3ct, Sensor3 4ct, CustomPlus3 4ct, Venus Disposable 2ct or 3ct, Simply Venus 4ct, Daisy or Daisy3 4ct, 8ct, 10ct or 12ct Save $2.00/1 (5/31)
Mach3 or Venus Disposable 6ct, Sensor3 8ct or Custom Plus3 8ct Save $3.00/1 (5/31)
Gillette Mach3 Cartridge Save $4.00/1 (5/31)
Gillette Fusion Razor Save $1.00/1 (5/31)
Gillette Body Wash Save BOGO Save no max value (5/31)
Gillette Anti-perspirant/Deodorants or Body Washes Save $4.00/2 (6/30)
Gillette Series Shave Gel, 7oz or Foam 9oz Save $1.00/1 *ETS
Old Spice Fresh Collection Anti-perspirant/Deodorant FREE wyb any Old Spice Body Wash or Fresh Collection Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant Save no max value (6/30)
Old Spice Body Wash FREE wyb any Old Spice Body Wash or Fresh Collection Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant, 1.7oz+ Save no max value (6/30)
Old Spice Body Spray FREE wyb any (2) Old Spice Body Wash or Red Zone Anti-Perspirant/Deodorants, 1.7oz+ Save no max value (x6/30)
Old Spice Anti-Perspirant/Deodorants or Body Washes, 1.7oz+ Save $1.00/2 (6/30)
Secret Clinical Strength or Soothing Effects Save $2.00/1 (6/30) ETS
Secret Save $.50/1 (6/30) ETS
Always Infinity, 14ct+ Save $1.00/1 (5/31)
Always Pantiliners, 34ct+ Save $1.00/1 (5/31)
Always Pads, Clean or Feminine Cleansing Cloths Save $1.00/1 (5/31)
Tampax Pearl or Compak Pearl, 18ct+ Save $2.00/1 (5/31)
Tampax, 18ct+ Save $1.00/1 (5/31)
Venus Bikini Kit or Venus Embrace or Spa Breeze Refillable Razor Save $2.00/1 (5/31)
Venus Cartridge Save $2.00/1 (5/31)
Satin Care Shave Gel Save $.55/1 (5/31)
Pantene products Save $1.00/2 (5/31) ETS
Pantene Styler, Hairspray or Treatment Save $1.00/1 (5/31) ETS
Nice ‘n Easy hair Color product Save $2.00/1 (5/31)
Natural Instincts hair Color product Save $2.00/1 (5/31)
Olay Facial Cleanser or Complete/Active hydrating Facial Moisturizers Save $2.00/1 (5/31)
Olay FAcial Moisturizer or Facial Cleanser Save $1.00/1 (5/31)
Olay Body Wash, In-Shower Body Lotion, Bar Soap, or Hand & Body Lotion, excludes 30mL Save $1.00/1 (5/31)


My Favorites are

Redplum
Rhodes Warm-n-Serv Rolls Save $1.00/1 ( I use these at Albertson's with doublers)

Betty Crocker Cupcake Icing & Cupcake Creations Save $2.00/1(not sure on the price of these but it seems like a high value)

Aunt Jemima Mix or Syrup 24oz or larger Save $2.00/2

Rimmel Product Save $1.00/1 (nail clippers at Walmart for only 1.48. so only .48 after coupon)


Smartsource:
Danimals Smoothie 6 pack, Danimals Smoothie 12 pack, Crush Cup 4 pack Save $.75/1 (6/6)

Dannon Dan-o-nino two 6 packs or one 12 pack or 24 pack Save $1/1 (6/6)

Nestle Nesquik Save $1/2 (7/25) (some times the little milks go on sale for 1.00 at Albertson's so with doubles you might be able to get them for free or really cheap)


P&G:

I love almost all of these coupons because they go so great with the Albertson's sale this week. Check it out here.



Thanks Sunday Coupon Preview!

Free Redbox Codes with Capri Sun at Albertson's


The Capri Sun deal at Albertson's just keep getting sweeter!

There's a Catalina:
Buy 3 Capri Sun (10 ct.) or Tomestone pizza between 4/25 and 5/22 receive 2 Redbox codes.

Capri Sun are on sale this week for 2/4.00.
And there's a coupon for 1.00/1 Capri Sun Sunrise from the 4/25 SS.
So with doubles this weekend they are free plus 2 Redbox codes (if you buy in multiples of 3).

I am so excited!



Thanks Carolyn and Rebbecca!


Attention: Free Covergirl Makeup


I am so excited. Next week at Rite Aid their Cover Girl Makeup is on sale Buy1 Get 1 Free! If you use the BOGO coupon from the 4/11 P&G insert then you can score 2 free things of makeup. It is perfectly legit to use this coupon for this sale; however I have heard of people not being allowed to. If you don't know your Rite Aid employees very well I would suggest taking a copy of their coupon policy with you. It clearly states that you can do this. Go here to get your copy.

I have done this in the past, and have also been able to use a 5.00/20.00 coupon from here (you have to watch short ads to earn it) to get other products for free. I usually like to get milk and egg there for free since there are hardly ever coupons for them.

If you could see me now I am so excited. I absolutely love it when Rite Aid has this deal. Check back later this week for more Rite Aid match-ups.

May Means Free Comic Book Day




This post is inspired by my husband. Tomorrow is Free Comic Book Day and we go to this every year. I have made a deal with my husband that if he will support me with my coupons then I will support him with his love of comic books. So every year we pack up the whole family and head to multiple comic book stores to load up on free comic books and comic book related paraphernalia.

This year the men at my house are very excited that they are giving away a free Marval Hero Click of War Machine (A character in Iron Man. And yes it is sad that I know that.) And our local stores are also offering special discounts and prizes.

If you or someone you love is really into comic books this is a great event. Most comic book stores participate but I would recomend giving your local one a call just to make sure they are participating and to find out what their sales may be. Go here to find out more about Free Comic Book Day!

Maybe we'll see you there!

Feeling Lucky: Mega Swagbucks Are Here


Start your engines,
Do some finger exercises,
And start searching!


It's Mega Swagbucks day!


I've been on a lucky streak lately. So I'm hoping for some major bucks today. (But now that I have said it I probably have jinxed myself.)

New to Swagbucks?
Check out my post here for more details.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Potty Training: Will It Ever End?


I am so sick of potty training. My daughter is just taking so long (or a least it feels that way). Not that I want to rush her into it and make her hate the potty. But I am so done with cleaning messy pants. Not to mention having to buy pull ups and wipes and flushable wipes and all that junk. Whenever I tell her it's time to use the bathroom she politely says "No thank you". Yea how cute is that.

Cute or not she this is one of those things she has to learn. So for the last few weeks we have been using a potty chart to motivate her. It has been such a big help. I found that using her favorite character Dora stickers works well. Being as cheap as I am I can't bring myself to buy any though. I was so excited to see that Pampers is offering another free potty training kit. It comes equipped with stickers and a chart. And best of all it is Dora. I have gotten one in the past but this is a new offer so I should be able to do it again. Yay!

Go here to get your potty training kit. And if you too are potty training your toddler; here's a big Good Luck from me. I feel your pain!


Thanks Hip 2 Save!

Free Capri Sun Sunrise at Albertson's




This week at Albertson's Capri Sun Sunrise juice pouches are on sale for 2/4.00.
There is a coupon for 1.00/1 from the 4/25 SS (my area didn't get it) which will make it only 1.00 per 10 ct. box. But if we do get doubles on Sunday then they will be free. Yay!

I bought 20 coupons off of Ebay for a little over 5.00. I know the price seems high but believe me some were going for 9.00 per 20 coupons. Plus if you figure that the 5.00 that I spent on coupons really equals 40.00 worth of savings then it is not so bad. My final price per box will only be around .25 plus tax. I plan on saving them for this summer when we are out of the house more and for the next school year to send in lunches.

If you didn't get them in your area then you can still snag some here. I would suggest doing it today and to pay for priority shipping so they get to you in time.

Also, I special ordered the 20 that I wanted. When I was talking to my local manager he said that since those are not the kind that people normally buy he was glad that I special ordered. He only had one case in the back for an upcoming sale. So if you want a large amount of them, I would strongly suggest that you special order. Plus then you don't clear the shelves and those who just want one or two can get them.


Free P&G Samples


Go here to get a bunch of different P&G samples and coupons sent to you by mail. You do not have to be a Sam's Club member to get them. Just click on the "Get Sample Link" on the right. You will have to log in or register to P&G solutions. It should take 4-6 weeks for delivery. I just did this and got about 8 samples and coupons sent to me by filling out one form.



Thanks Utah Deal Diva!

Another Homemade Simple Coupon Book





This little coupon book is one of my favorites. It is full of P&G coupons. All of the coupons in it will go great with the Albertson's deals this week.



Go Here to request one for yourself!


Thanks Utah Deal Diva!

Cheap Birthday Cakes

I love to go all out on my kids birthdays. I just really want their big day to be special. Every year my kids get to pick the theme of their choice and then I plan a party around that.
I try to throw the party for as little as I can but there are just some things that cost money. So to offset the cost I normally make the birthday cake instead of opting to buy one. You don't have to be incredibly talented at baking (box mixes and premaid frosting are great) or decorating to make a cake that looks like you have spent some money on it.




My daughters cake from this year. The theme was Dora the Explorer. I used game peices from our Dora candy land game for the characters. I had cake mix and rainbow chip frosting that I paid about .25 for with coupons. For the other decorations I created my own version of fondant( see recipe below), rolled it out and used cookie cutters. It took a bit of time to do so I gave my daughter some of the fondant to play with while I worked. She had lots of fun. It was the most time consuming cake that I have made but my nephews thought that I had bought it was so good that I bought it. I felt pretty good about that and I only spent about 2.00 to make it.

Imitation Fondant Recipe:

1 stick butter or margarine
powdered sugar (as needed to stiffen dough)
vanilla extract (about 1/2 tsp.)
food coloring (amount depends on the color desired)

In a stand mixer mix butter, powdered sugar and vanilla on low to medium speed until it makes a stiff dough (like a slightly stiff playdough consistancy). The amount of powdered sugar you will use depends on your humidity and the amount of food color you use. Form into ball, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 to 30 minutes. Roll out between two peices of plastic wrap as it will stick to counter tops. Cut into desired shapes. I found that the key to using this dough is to try to keep the fondant as cold as possible. It helps to work in small amounts while keeping the unused portion in the fridge. It didn't look like it would taste very good (regular fondant can be really gross) but it is actually very good.








My son's cake from last year. The theme was army. This cake was so easy to do. Using packaged cake mix and canned frosting (all that I got for free with coupons), I just frosted the cake. In order to make it look more like dirt and mud that the army men were standing in ;I grated a chocolate bar (also free)to look like dirt and broke off bigger peices of the bar for rocks. I decided with all that chocolate that it would be really good with some vanilla so I scooped out the middle of the cake and put in vanilla pudding (I got it for free at Walgreens).
The army men we bought at the dollar store and with the cost of eggs and oil to make the cake I only spent about 1.50 for the cake. The time to decorate it was about 20 minutes. It was really yummy!





This cake was for my son's 6th birthday. He was absolutly obsessed with Speed Racer that Year. We had invited a lot of kids to a party in the garage and I thought that it would be easier to have cupcakes instead of a regular cake. I covered a piece of cardboard with foil for a base.(makes for a really easy cleanup) Then I set out the cupcakes in the shape of a rectangle. I spread frosting over all the cupcakes so it looked like a regular cake. In the center of the cake I used black frosting (canned white tinted black from food coloring I had bought on Halloween clearance) to make a road and then decorated it to look like a street. At the dollar store I was fortunate to find the cars for only 1.00 each. I used canned frosting and cake mix that I had gotten for free and cupcake liner that were from Christmas clearance. It took me maybe 25 minutes to decorate the cake. But I only spent about 3.50 on it. What made the price of this even better was that I had seen the same Speed Racer cupcake cake with similar cars at the store for over 20.00. Not the best tasting ( (I think that black frosting is disgusting), but the kids ate it just fine. And more importantly my son had a great birthday.


Here are a couple more pictures of cakes that I have made for my kids.


Pooh Bear Theme



Princess Theme





I have had no training in making cakes or decorating them. But with a little help from Betty Crocker and looking at websites with cakes to get ideas; I was able to create special birthday memories for just pennies compared to buying a cake retail. I have found that if you use what you have (ie. action figures, barbi dolls) and if you shop sales and clearance you can come up with creative birthday cakes with out breaking the bank.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

A Tower of Pudding: My Albertson's Trip

I waited until the last day of the sale to do my Albertson's shopping this week. I had bought some pudding coupons and they finally came on Monday. Here's what I got:





Transaction 1:
9 Pudding Packs
4 Van's Pork and Beans
6 Dano-0-nino Yougurt
7 McCormick seasoning mix
Paid: 13.44
Got 10.00 in cats back.






Transaction 2:
21 Pudding packs
8 Hunts Tomato sauce
Paid: 8.05
Got back 10.00 in cats.


I bought 55 items for a total of 22.38 out of pocket (this includes the tax). That's just .22 per item if you include the 10.00 catalina that I have left. I am planning on donating some of the pudding, freezing some into popsicles for the summer and saving some for lunches next year. (I'm not sure that it will last until the next school year because my family just loves pudding.)

Almost Free Tortillas at Albertson's


Go here to get a .75/1 coupon for Mission Tortillas. It is on the Kroger web site but is just a regular manufacture coupon. I printed mine but only 1 is good because my printer went crazy on my second one. But people with non-possessed printers should be able to print 2 per computer.

This will make for cheap tortillas at Albertson's this week. They have an in ad store coupon for .79 Mission Tortillas; combine that with the .75/1 manufactures coupon and you have .04 tortillas. I normally make my own but these are cheaper than that. Now my family can really live it up like fancy folks.

You can even get whole wheat which is something that I am really excited about. I love wheat tortillas.

Substitution For Ground Beef at Fred Meyer

I went to Fred Meyer to get the ground beef they have on sale this week for 1.68 lb sold in 3 lb packages. Unfortunately they were all out of it. I talked to the butcher and he said they were substituting the sale packages for the 80% lean meat 3lb package (too high of fat content for me) or the 85% extra lean meat in the 1 lb packages (smaller versions of what was on sale). I was excited about this because it is already portioned out for me. I am not sure if I am supposed to do this but I just left the meat in the wrapper and stuck it in the freezer. I have done this before and it has worked fine. It saved me so much time and I didn't have to factor in the cost of packaging it. So if your store is out I would ask and see if they are substituting it for the smaller version.




I bought 10 of the 1 lb packages.



Swiffer 10.00 Rebate Albertson's Deal


I love to have Swiffer products around. They are really great to have when you have to mop or sweep quickly. (Like someone is coming over in 10 minutes and your house is a mess. This happened to me this past weekend.)

Well I found this 10.00 Swiffer rebate that will go great with the Albertson's P&G catalina promotion this week.
Spend 20.00 on Swiffer refill products and get a 10.00 reward card that is accepted at over 100,000 retailers.

So here's a scenario that I came up with:

Buy 3 Swiffer refills 6.99
-1.00/2 coupon (3/7 PG)
pay: 19.97
or pay 18.97 with doubles
Get Back 5.00 catalina and 5 redbox rentals
Submit for 10.00 reward card

It's like paying 4.97 for 3 refills. That's just 1.66 each !

Plus you'll have 5 movies you can rent to watch in your clean home.

This is a hot deal!

Albertson's Matchups 4/28




Here are the deals that I have found to be the best for this week. There are no double coupons in this ad, but as I mentioned previously I have it on good authority that there will be doubles on Sunday. I am waiting til then to do my shopping at Albertson's.
Please note that I do not factor in the Catalina saving for the P&G promo.

Produce:

Fresh Express Garden Salad, Slaw, or Shreds .99

Cilantro 3/1.00

Meat:

Albertson's split chicken breast 1.00 lb

Pork Loin Sirloin Chops or Spareribs 1.99 lb

In Ad Store Coupons:

Taco Bell Salsa 16 oz. selected varieties .99

Mission Soft Taco White or Whole Wheat Tortillas .79 Limit 6
( I am so excited about this. Especially the whole wheat ones.)

Sara Lee Soft and Smooth, Whole grain white or wheat bread 1.29 Limit 4

Platter Style Bacon at butcher block 1.99 lb limit 5 lbs

Other good deals:

Capri Sun Juice 10-ct. 2/4.00
Capri sun 1.00/1 SS-4/25 (idaho did not get this)
price: 1.00
with doubles free

Cheez-it Crackers 7.5- 9 oz. 2/3.00 when you buy 2
Printable .75/1
price: .75
with doubles free if you buy 2 and print 2 coupons




P& G Promotion Rebox and 5.00 Catalina:

5.00 off your next purchase plus 5 free Redbox one night movie rentals when you buy 20.00 or more of participating products. Coupon prints at register. Purchase made in a single transaction using your Albertson's preferred card.

Items include:

Tide Laundry Detergent 100 oz. liquid selected varieties 10.99 first 2

Bounty paper towels 8 ct. 5.99
-.25/1 3/7 PG
Charmin Bath Tissue 12 big roll or 6 mega roll 5.99

Downey or Bounce Fabric Softners 41-51 oz. liquid or 105-120ct. sheets 4.99

Bounty Napkins 160-200 ct. - 2.99

Puff Facial Tissue 60 ct.- 10/10.00
- .50/1 vocal point mailer
-.25/3 PG 3/7
-1.00/6 PG 4/4
pay: as low as .50
as low as for free with doubler

Charmin Freshmates 40 ct.- 2.99

Iams Cat Food 4 lbs. - 7.99

Iams Dog Food 30lbs. - 26.99

Cascade Dishwasher Detergent 75 oz. liquid or powder, 16-20 ct. action packs 3.99

Dawn or Ivory Dish Detergent 10.1-24 oz. 1.99
-1.00/1 Dawn Hand Renewal (home made simple booklet)
- .50/1 (3/7 PG)
- .25/1 (4/4 PG)
Pay: as low as 1.00
as low as free with doubles

Mr. Clean cleaner 40 oz. or magic eraser extra powder 2/5.00

Swiffer duster, dry or wet refill 6.99
lots of coupons from homemade simple coupon booklet

Febreeze Air Effects 9.7 oz. 2/5.00

Tide stain release pacs, powder, or liquid 10.99

Pringles Super Stack 5.71-6.42 oz.- 1.49

Crest Tooth paste 2.49

Oral B Toothbrush 2.49

Glide Dental Floss 2.49

Gillette Venus Razor Cartridges 4 ct.- 9.99

Always pads or Tampax Tampons 4.99
-B1G1 Free from 4/4 PG and 1.00/1 3/7 PG


Prilosec OTC 42 ct. - 24.99

Pampers Jumbo Pack Diapers 13-56 ct. 9.99
-2.00/1 (3/14 &4/18 PG)

Head and Shoulders shampoo and conditioner 14.2 oz. -4.49
-Buy 1 get 1 Free (4/4 PG)
also use 1.00/1 (3/7 PG)
as low as 2.49 for 2 with doubles

Covergirl Cosmetics 30 % off
BOGO coupon (4/11 PG)
also use 1.00/1 (3/7 PG)

Duracell Alkaline Batteries 1-4 ct. - 1.99



Note: There are lots of other coupons out for the products in the P&G promo. I have only list the ones that I think are the best.

If I have missed any great deals please let me know.




Thanks Fabulessly Frugal and Discount Queens.




Doubles are Coming!

The Albertson's ad came out today and I wanted to give everyone the good news.


The doubles are coming on Sunday!



I talked to my favorite store manager and he gave me a heads up.
I will be back with coupons match-ups later.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Fresh Baked Bread Recipe

I love to eat fresh baked bread. The problem is that I am too cheap to buy it. It took me a bit of altering but I have found this recipe that my family just loves. It has produced great loves of bread every time that I've made it.

Ingredients:

2 pkgs. yeast (I buy mine in bulk at Winco and use about 4 1/2 tsp.)
2 cups warm water
2 T. cooking oil (I use vegetable oil)
2 T. granulated sugar
2 tsp. salt
4-5 cups flour

Grease two loaf pans. I use cooking spray but shortening or oil will also work.

Dissolve yeast and sugar in 1 cup water. Use a 2 c. glass measuring cup.


Let this mixture stand for about 10 min. or until it reaches the top of the measuring cup.



In the meantime, combine 2 cups flour, oil, and salt in mixing bowel.



Add 1 cup warm water. Combine well.




When yeast mixture is ready dump it on top of flour mixture do not stir. Let sit an additional 10 minutes. You can skip this step but the bread will not be as light.



Using a standing mixer combine flour, 1 cup at a time until the dough is elastic and does not stick to sides. You can also do this step by hand. Mix in as much flour as you can in the bowl. Then knead in the remainder of flour. Knead dough 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic.



If using mixer pour dough onto floured surface.
Separate into two even balls.



Shape dough into logs that will fit into loaf pans. To do this I use my hands to make a rectangle out of each ball and then roll it into a log. Place in loaf pans.



Cover pans with plastic wrap. I also like to throw a towel over the top.



Let rise for 30 minutes in a warm place til double in size.
At this time I preheat my oven to 375.



Bake in 375 oven for 30 minutes. The tops should be golden and there should be a hallow sound when you tap on the top.

Let cool in pan until you are able to handle and finish cooling on a wire rack.



For best results don't cut bread until it is completely cool. Also cutting is easier with an electric knife. ( I don't have one but a sharp regular knife also works well). Store in plastic zipper bags.

Where I live my bread tends to last 4-5 days. But the life of the bread will vary by person depending on where you live and how you store it. Honestly it is so good that it never lasts 5 days.

You can substitute white flour for wheat but I find that it is a lighter bread with at least 1 cup of white flour in it. This again will depend on your preference.


Finally, enjoy your bread. It is best eaten with friends and family.



Target Deals 4/25-5/2




With last weeks shopping trip to Target going so well I am a little hesitant on shopping there this week. (I am afraid last week was a one shot kind of thing.) Plus I haven't found anything that is speaking to me this week.

The people over at Attention Target Shoppers are really good at putting together matchups so go here and see what kind of deal scenarios they have come up with.

Fred Meyer: 4/25

I have talked of my family's long standing love of Fred Meyer.

Here are the deals I think are the best this week:


Fresh Extra lean ground beef 1.68 lb. (I'm stocking up on this as it is a great price)

Tomatoes on the Vine .97 lb

Broccoli Crowns and Cauliflour .68lb

Fred Meyer Yogurt 3/1.00

In store coupons:

3.99 Kroger 2lb Medium Cheddar Cheese (your 1st one)

4/5.00 Fred Meyer 1/2 Gallon milk or orange juice (first 8)only a good deal for chocolate milk or juice

Lady's Speed Stick .99 (with in store mfrs. coupon)

Monday, April 26, 2010

Lots of Freebies

I was able to snag a few free samples this morning.
You know I loves me some free samples.

Here's the list of what I did:



Go here and click on the free sample link to get a FREE U By Kotex sample! Allow up to 4 weeks for delivery.



Free sample of Renu contact solution here.



Free sample of Galaxy Not Sweet Vanilla or Vanilla Almond Granola!Go here and fill out the sample request form. A few times each month they conduct a drawing and will mail out up to 1,000 FREE samples! If your sample request isn’t pulled in this months drawings, it will remain active until you win!


Thanks Hip 2 Save!

Summer Reading!





Although our family always does the summer reading program from the library; I just saw that Barnes and Noble is also having a summer reading program. If your child reads eight books this summer then they recieve one for free. All you have to do is go here and sign up. I love these types of programs because my kids read a lot during the school year and it is a big encouragement for them to continue doing so even though it"s summer.




I also like it because it is free and it is one more thing that will keep them entertained. I sometimes wonder if I am the only one who struggles with ideas to keep my kids busy when were home. What does everyone else does with their kids in the summer? Any suggestions would be helpful!

Stonehenge Produce: Quickest Trip Ever

I had about ten minutes to spare this morning. Look at what I accomplished at Stonehenge Produce (corner of Fairview and Cloverdale in Boise).








I paid 4.67 for everything here (we had another cucumber but my daughter had that for lunch).

Lettuce: 4/100

Watermelon: .29 lb

Cucumbers: 3/1.00

Apples: .49 lb

Avocados: 2/.89

Oranges: .69 lb

They also have:

Sweet Corn: 3/1.00

I was in and out in less than 8 minutes. This included having to write a check (they only take cash or checks) and I had my daughter with me. I felt like a super shopper.





Today's Wags Trip And Regrets

Today I had a meeting with my mom's doctors so I thought that I would go to Walgreens before the appointment . I want to mention before I say any more that I am so tired today because my kids were up half the night (I'll explain why that is important in a minute).
I went to a total of 3 (yes 3) Wags trying to kill time before my appointment because I had thought it was about 45 minutes before it really was. It worked out because two of them were cleared out of some of the things that I really wanted.

With that all said here is what I did(please note there are a lot of transactions involved):

Transaction 1:



Plackers Dental Flossers Mint Flavor 2.00
Paid 2.12
Got back 2.00 Register Reward




Transaction 2:
1 Stayfree Maxi pad 2.99
1 Royal Pudding .39 (filler)

Used 1.00/1 stayfree coupon 4/25 SS
2.00 Register Reward from previous transaction
Paid: .59
Got 3.00 Register Reward



Transaction 3:
1 skintimate Shave Gel 2.99
1 Clearanced Calender .50 (filler)
Used 3.00 Register Reward from previous transaction
Paid: .70
Got 3.00 Register Reward



Then off to another Walgreens.

I was going to buy another shave gel and maxi pad but they were out. Note this is where being tired kicked in. I tried to buy some Hallmark cards that were the really small ones marked .60 each to see if the 5.00 Register Reward would print out but it did not work. So I returned it. When I returned them, I decided to buy some Hershey kisses that I thought would be able to get a free movie ticket with.
So here's what I bought:





Transaction 4:
4 Hershey kisses caramal 8.5 0z. 2.49
- 4.80 for return of cards
- 3.00 Register Reward from previous transaction
-2.00 In store coupon (.50/1 x 4)
Paid: .47

Being tired I didn't realize that in order to get the movie ticket the bags have to be the 10 oz. size. I figured this out when I got home and after my daughter had already ripped open and started eating some. I have never had luck returning things that I paid with a register reward, so I am just going to keep the candy. ( If I hide it then it possibly will make it to Christmas time and it will not be a total waste. Time will only tell.)

On to my third Wags trip.



Transaction 5:
1 Plackers dental flossers 2.00
Paid 2.12
Got 2.00 Register reward.







Transaction 6:
8 Halmark Cards .99 each
used 2.00 register reward from previous transaction
Paid: 6.40
Got 5.00 Register reward.

My total for the day at Walgreens was 17.20 and I have a 5.00 register reward to spend.

It was definitely way more than I was planning on spending with my biggest mistake trying to go to Walgreens on a small amount of sleep. Next time I will have at least 8 hours of sleep before I try so many transactions. Although I may never go back to Walgreens if I really stick to that.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Nothing Today








Between church, visiting my mom and having people over a lot; I have decided not to publish any posts on Sundays. I think that it should be a day where everyone can rest and spend time with their families.




Everyone enjoy your Sunday!

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Sunday Coupon Preview 4/25


I am so tired today. I guess that comes with having a sleep disorder huh! So I haven't really looked at the coupons that will be coming out this weekend. I guess I will have to be surprised. It'll be like before there was the internet when people actually had to wait for Sunday to see what would be in the paper. I do know that there will be one Smart Source and one Red Plum.


Go here to see what coupons will be out there this weekend.


Here's a tip:

Sometimes I will look at the preview and see what coupons I want. Then I look on Ebay on Saturday night or Sunday morning and pick up a some extra ones that I know I will use. By doing this I will be able to get the ones I want before they get picked over. I have always had great luck ordering coupons on Ebay.

Walgreens: Ad Preview 4/25

I have been having trouble with my computer so I couldn't view the whole ad for Walgreens this week. I need a new computer so badly but that's just not in the budget right now. I will just have to dream about a new one for awhile. There were a few deals that I found but you can check out the ad here for yourself.

.39 Nestle Candy Bars Limit 3


Hallmark cards( normaly priced 1.50 or higher) .44 off limit 6 with in ad coupon
Additional Register Reward deal:

Buy 8 or more Halmark cards get 5.00 RR
Buy 4 Hallmark cards get 2.00 RR

Should make for some cheap cards.

Plackers Dental Flossers 90 ct $2 get $2 RR
-.50 Plackers Dental Flossers, 60 ct or higher 04/18/10 RP

Clio Beautytrim Personal Hair Trimmer $4.99 get $5 RR

Skintimate Shave Cream 6 oz $2.99 get $3 RR
-$1.50 off 2 Skintimate Shave Gel or Cream 03/28/10 SS

Stayfree Maxi Pads 16 or 24 ct $2.99 get $3 RR
-$2 Stayfree product 03/28/10 RP

Tone Body Wash 18 oz $3.99 get $3 RR

I will probably try to go to Walgreens this week for the Hallmark cards, the flossers and the shave cream. Lets see if they have anything left by Monday morning.

Thanks I Heart Wags.

Albertson's Doublers A No Go This Weekend?




I talked to one of my favorite grocery managers and he told me that there are no Sunday doublers this weekend. (He kind of let it slip, I'm not sure he was supposed to say anything as they are trying to keep a tight lid on when they put them out.) But since he did slip I thought that I would let everyone know. He also said that there is a trend that they come out on the 1st and the 15th of the month (or around that time). The way he was talking I am thinking that he might have some knowledge that they will be out on the 2nd of May. Although that is totally speculation on my part, so don't be mad if they don't have any.

As I have learned in the past Albertson's has a pattern of surprising us (and the managers with doublers). A couple of other websites have reported doubles but no one has a visual so it makes me feel a bit skeptical about who their sources are. So we will just have to see. I was really hoping for some this weekend. I bought a bunch of pudding coupons on the internet (sorry Carolyn if I was the one who out bid you). I'll be shopping on Tuesday at Albertson's for that and will post my deals then. Lets keep are fingers crossed for doublers soon.

Don't know what a doubler is check out my post here.


Friday, April 23, 2010

Snapfish Photo Book Deal (Only Today!)



I just ordered a great Mother's Day gift for my mother-in-law. A fun 5"x7" photo book from Snapfish. I used the code AllYouMOM at the check and snagged it for only 1.99 shipped. This offer is only good today and is for the first 10,000 orders. I really think that she will love it. Is is just me or do most wives have to shop for thier husbands family when there is a special occasion? Not to toot my own horn, but I wonder what my husband would do without me.

Go here to snag yours.

Remember it is today only!



Mega Swagbucks Day: Good Luck




It's that time of the week again when we stretch out fingers and start searching the internet. It's Mega Swagbucks Day and the chances of winning are increased by a lot. If you are new to Swagbucks view my post here. I am only a few points away from another 5.00 Amazon gift card which I am saving to use for Christmas presents this year.

Go here to sign up and start searching.

The Great Ant Invasion




On Monday we had a few univited guests at my house. We have been invaded by ants. I hate all creepy crawly things but I'm not the type of girl to run screaming out of the room at the sight of a spider. My kids on the other hand have some type of hardwired scream reflex whenever they think they see a bug. My daughter is constantly yelling spider. She is so afraid of bugs that every peice of fuzz or crumb on the ground is a bug to her. To her our house is filled with bugs and she is very vocal about it. So as you can imagine, we have been trying to take care of the ant situation as quickly as possible (for sanity reasons).


Although we sprayed some ant killer I am still finding stray ants here and there. We used the cheap ant killer so I think we have to move to something a little stronger. And possibly set up some ant traps.

I printed out this 3.00 coupon for a Raid Bug Barrier Starter Kit. A bug barrier sounds good to me. Hopefully it works.

Does anyone have a suggestion on how to keep ants out?

Thursday, April 22, 2010

I'm On Facebook





I'm on Facebook.


Go here to see my page and become a friend.


I will be posting additional deals there for friends only.