School Supplies, Mad Rush, and Saving Money

Every year I tell myself that I won't wait until the last minute to buy school supplies and that I won't torture myself by dealing with the mass crowds in the school supply section. Every year, however, I am fighting my way thru the aisles wishing I had not waited till the last minute only to get home and be totally stressed out. This year WILL be different. For one thing, last years teachers were nice enough to send home the unused supplies for that year so my list already had a few items checked off. Then last week I was at Target and bought my composition notebooks for .25 each. It wasn't a sale price but it's the lowest price I've seen, so if you need some too, head over there. This week, Walgreens has pocket folders and spiral notebooks on sale so I will be crossing those off my list. I'm still waiting on a good price for glue sticks, tissues, colored pencils, and markers and then my list is complete.


*Went to Walgreens and bought a pack of G2 pens that are priced at 2.19. These are pretty nice gel pens in blue, black, or red. Anyway, I used a printable coupon for 1.00 off and a walgreens coupon from the July book for 1.00 off which left me with .80 overage. I also picked up 4 spiral notebooks at .29 each so paid total of .24 for the pens and notebooks! I've never done the overage deals I see but it went thru just like I've read on blogs. So when I came home I totaled what I've spent so far on supplies and it's a whopping 2.00 for both boys so far and I"m just about done. Besides backpack and lunchbox I'm estimating I'm gonna only spend about 10.00 this year for both boys! That is the best I've ever done!

My Points, Printable Coupons, and Earning FREE Rewards

The new coupons for the month are out for July at Coupons.com and some good ones I see are:

.55 off one Chex Mix
.55 off one Original Cheerios
1.00 off one Trop50 OJ
.55 off fiber one Pastries
.75 off 2 Yoplait Trix or Go-Gurt
.75 off Kix
.50 off one Chex mix treats or Golden Grahams Treats
.75 off two Betty Crocker Supreme


These deals get even sweeter if you sign up for Mypoints here. You can earn 10 points for each coupon you print and redeem and a bonus 25 points for redeeming 10 coupons. That's 125 points just for using coupons. You can read more about the program here. I am currently saving for a free target gift card! It takes a while to earn points if you are not shopping online or signing up for offers. I am currently earning points only thru reading emails so it's slow but they are adding up and if I can earn a 10.00 Starbucks card for FREE and a few clicks I'm game!

Asthma, Kids, and Medical Bills: How to Save Money

This year we have met with a lot of unexpected medical costs associated with both my boys being diagnosed this year with asthma. It all began in October, 2009 when my youngest developed bacterial pneumonia and got very ill very fast. It was a scary ordeal that sent us from doctor to doctor, specialist to specialist. My older son struggled with bronchitis, and allergies that resulted in numerous doctor visits and asthma medicaitons, and antibiotics. Between the doctor visits and prescriptions for both boys and even some hospital visits, the totals quickly skyrocketed! It did not take long before finding ways to save money on prescriptions was a necessity.

Most of the asthma controller medications have online coupons you can print. Advair right now has a printable coupon for 10.00 off and as long as you print a new coupon each month it is valid. The coupon will expire 15 days after you print it so be sure to not print it until you are ready to use it. This coupon can be found here.

Another medication that we use each month is singular. There is a great 20.00 coupon available at the singular website here. While this is a high dollar coupon amount, it is only valid for one use, unfortunately.

Finally, Nasonex, is a third monthly controller medication my children are both using. There is a 15.00 coupon available at their website here and as far as I know you can use it each month for the duration of the program.

While these coupons have helped me save money on my copays each month, totals were still adding up between both boys. Rite Aid currently has a program where you can transfer prescriptions and receive a 25.00 rite aid gift card. I thought this was great until I read the bottom of my harris teeter receipt. Harris Teeter pharmacy is offering a promotion thru the end of August where if you transfer or fill a new prescription there, they will credit your VIC card with 20.00 worth of groceries! The wonderful pharmacist there issues you a punch card and you can participate in this program for 5 prescriptions or refills! That's 100.00 worth of groceries for FREE!!!!!

So far the month of July has been great savings for us! Using coupons for prescriptions, I have saved 100.00 off copays that I normally pay and I have received 100.00 in FREE groceries!

I am really happy with Harris Teeter pharmacy too. There is one pharmacist there so she already knows me and she is so nice and helpful. I like to have all my prescriptions at one pharmacy so I will not be transferring again. I had previously used Walgreens and while they pharmacy techs are nice, I've had mistakes made and there are rarely any money saving opportunities.

Pay Per Post

Another new endeavor on a small way to make money online. Pay per Post is a website that pays you a small amount for each blog you post. I have read about many bloggers that use this site and while alone it doesn't pay out too much, combined with other survey sites, pay per click sites, shopping sites, etc the pay outs can begin to add up. Will the time devoted to such sites be worth the payouts? Stay tuned as I test them out and let you know. Thanks for reading!

The contrived tree rends a healthy workload

Making Money Online Part One

Since the time I have started this blog I have consistently read other money saving blogs. Bargain Brianna and Money Saving Mom are two of my favorites but I recently came across Money Saving Mommy as well. I primarily followed these blogs for the latest grocery deals and printable coupons but from time to time I would glance at posts about "swagbucks" or "mypoints." There were always awesome stories about all the various gift cards that were earned but I figured it was a scam and didn't ever bother trying- until a few days ago that is. I signed up for mypoints, swagbucks, inbox dollars, and you data and have already earned a few dollars in my paypall account, cash totals that I'm almost able to cash out, and points that will eventually be redeemable for free gift cards. Pretty easy to do but you must devote some time each day to do it. I have read where different bloggers earn about 200 per month with various sites like these combined. Since I'm just starting I don't think I'll make that much but I'm going to stick with it and see what happens. Here are some links to check them out. I have to say, swagbucks and you data are the easiest and most fun.

Hurry! Free Vitamin Water for first 100,000 people

The first 100,000 people to fill out form here will receive a coupon in the mail for free bottle of vitamin water!

Thanks, Money Saving Mom

Free Nabisco Cookies Each Month

How does free cookies each month sound? Just become a fan of Nabisco cookies on facebook and receive a coupon each month for free cookies. (Must buy milk and another pack of cookies). I already buy the milk so I will use this coupon only if I can snag a good deal on the other pack of cookies you must purchase.

Click here to become a Nabisco Cookie Fan on facebook!

Printable Coupons Alert

There are quite a few new coupons available at coupons.com. Most do not double but can still be used for a good deal when combined with a sale. Some hot ones include the Green Giant frozen veggies combined with the current sale. Buy 12 and get an instant 4.00 off. Boxed veggies are priced at 1.00, so here is a scenerio:

Buy 12 Green Giant Frozen Veggies (priced on sale at 1.00) = 12.00

Save instant 4.00

Use various IP coupons for .50 off found here.

Total OOP has ranged from 3.00 to 4.50 for 12 boxes of veggies depending on coupons used

*remember ht policy states you can only use TWO like IP coupons per order.

Other hot IP coupons found include:

.75 on Nature's Own Bread
.75 on Gold Medal Flour
.50 on two Betty Crocker cake and frosting (on sale for 1.00 and 1.50 each with .25 peelies found on icing, making OOP for both 1.50)

Stock Your Freezer

I did not buy a paper this Sunday because quite honestly none of the coupons in the one Smart Source due out excited me too much. However, this Sunday, March 7,2010 there is a special insert coming out good for various frozen food items. Buy a few papers and start stocking your freezer!

To read more about this insert and find out about a sweepstakes that accompanies it, read Denise's blog at The Centsible Sawyer.

Recycle Bank

Recycle bank is a great website to earn points for coupons (often resulting in free groceries of course), and savings on household items, clothing, flowers and much more. You earn points pretty easily and right now you can get 40 points just for signing up and another 50 points for joining ebay's recyling team. These 90 points can be redeemed for a free box of Kashi cereal or you can save up your points for other savings.

Go here to register and start earning points!

Visit Mojo Savings here for more information!

Best of Target Deals 2/28 thru 3/6

Gillette Body Wash 1.99 each
*Use 4.00/1 Coupon from 2/21 PG
Final Price FREE after Coupons

Reach Floss .97 each
*Use 1.00/1 printable coupon here.
Final price FREE after coupons

Crest Whitestrips on Clearance for 11.48
*Use 7.00/1 from PG (can't remember date)
Final price 4.48

For more target deals and matchups visit Ginger's blog Attention Target Shoppers

Best Walgreens Deals 2/28 thru 3/6

These are the best deals I see for this week!

Reach toothbrush or floss .99 with in store ad
*Use 1.00/1 printable coupon found here.
Final Price FREE after both coupons

Crest Dental Care at 3.00 each
*Buy 3 and get 3.00 Register Rewards
*Use 3 2.00/1 coupons from 2/7 PG
Final price FREE after coupons and Register Rewards

For more weekly Walgreens deals, visit Money Saving Mom

Freezer Cooking Baby Steps

I have started to research the idea of freezer cooking, otherwise known as Once a Month Cooking. At this point I am not organized or stocked enough to cook and freeze once a month so I have made some notes and decided that for me, I need to start with breakfast. The kids are out the door super early so unless I want to wake up at 5am, which I don't, it is a rush to cook and eat a hot breakfast. I don't like my kids to have cereal every day so this is why I decided to start here in my Freezer Cooking Adventure. My first attempt will be to make and freeze pancakes, waffles, and biscuits. These are 3 things my kids LOVE, are costly and not very nutritious to buy already frozen, and make a nice warm breakfast before school.

What I have found is that cooking each just a little underdone and then flash freezing is a good way to start. Now if you are very new to this, as I am you are probably wondering what flash freezing is. So, let me tell you what I learned. Flash freezing is simply lining a cookie sheet with waxed paper and freezing your food on this. Once frozen, you transfer the food to your freezer storage (aka ziplock or containers or combo of both.) Flash freezing keeps the food from sticking together. So far I have flash frozen some bananas but, you can flash freeze rice, pancakes, waffles, meatballs, shredded cheese and so many other things!

So, here I go to start my pancakes. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Sunday Coupon Insert Preview

There is only going to be ONE Smartsource insert in Sunday's paper. Not great coupons this week but a few will likely generate some good deals or free groceries. I have marked the coupons for possible good deals in bold.

SMARTSOURCE
Act II Popcorn .40 (4/30/10)
Baileys Coffee Creamer $1 (4-30-10)
Birdseye Steamfresh Vegetable Pasta or Rice variety .35 (3/26/10?)
Ensure, 6 pack shake $1 (4/25/10)
EAS Myoplex Product $1 (4/25/10)
Fisher Nut Products, 4 oz.+ $1 (8-31-10)
Glucerna $2.50/2 (4/25/10) .15 each
Louisiana Fish Fry Breadings $1 on 2 (5/31/10)
Louisiana Fish Fry Sauce .55 (5/31/10)
Louisiana Fish Fry Entrees $1 on 2 (5/31/10)
Pedialyte + Disney My Friends Tigger & Pooh DVD $5 rebate (5/31/10)
Pert Plus for Men $1.50 (4/30/10)
Pert Plus, 12 oz+ $1 (4/30/10)
Pert Plus 25.4 oz Family Size $2 (4/30/10)
Pioneer Gravy Mix .55/2 (5-29-10)
Post Cereals $1 on 2 (4/11/10)
Post Cereals Kids Favorites $1 on 2 (4/11/10)
PullUps Training Pants, Jumbo+ $1.50 (4/25/10)
Red Baron Single Serve Pizzas .75 (5/2/10)
Resolve Laundry Pre-Treat .50 (4/11/10)
Resolve Bright & White $1 (4/11/10)
Rold Gold, 7 oz+ .55 (4/10/10)
SlimShots Liquid Portion Control $3 (5/30/10)
Smithfield package or tub Lunchmeat .55 (4-16-10)
Sprout Organic Baby Food B3G1F (4-1-10)
Sure for Men Anti-Perspirant $1.50 (4/30/10)
Sure Anti-perspirant $1 (4/30/10)
Zirtec Adult Product, 12 ct.+ $2.50 (4-3-10)
Zirtec Adult Product, 24 ct.+ $4 (4-30-10)
Zone Perfect single bar or multipack .55 (4/25/10)

Blog Goals

Wow! It sure has been a while since I have regularly posted on this blog. I am still couponing and saving a lot so I have decided to really commit myself to getting this blog going again. Some of the things I am trying to learn more about are Freezer Cooking on a Budget and becoming more organized and efficient with my couponing. The only store I really shop at his Harris Teeter. They are the most customer friendly store with coupons and I never have any problems. Once in a while I snag some of the good Target deals out there but stacking Target coupons with manufacturer coupons is a hassle and the registers almost always beep and no cashier ever knows what to do. Same problem with Walgreens and stacking so it's not worth the hassle in my opinion. So, anyway, as this blog gets back up and running here is a general idea of what to look for:

Sunday: Walgreens and Target Deals with Coupon Matchups
Monday: Menu Plan Monday/ Freezer Cooking Day
Tuesday: Tackle it Tuesday
Wednesday: Harris Teeter Weekly Deals and Coupon Matchups
Thursday: Recipes and Fun Stuff
Friday: Freebies and Harris Teeter E-Vic Specials with Matchups
Saturday: Coupon Insert Peview

Dinner Tonight: Sirloin, Frozen Peas, Rice Pilaf, Bread Machine Rolls

Sirloin Steak marinated in Balsalmic, grill mates seasoning, and garlic (reg. 12.00 on sale for 6.00)
Rice Pilaf (1.00)
Birdseye Frozen Peas (Free with sale and coupon)
Bread Machine Rolls (about .50 or less... made with free yeast from sale and coupons)

Total Cost of Meal for 5: about 7.50

(pics to follow tonight)

Harris Teeter E-Vic Alert 11/15/10

I received an email in my inbox of an evic alert for a 6 pack of Aquarius water for .87 and one 4 pack of Activia yogurt for .99 Use the 1.00/1 Activia coupon in the SS 1/10/10 and pay just .97 including tax for both.

*limit one of each item per household at this evic price.

Haven't signed up for Harris Teeter's E-Vic program yet? Go here and have your vic card ready. Every week there are different rock bottom prices that combined with coupon mean FREE stuff!