Diapers Deals - 3/1

There are three diaper deals I'd like to highlight for this week.

(1) CVS has Pampers on sale starting Sunday 3/1 for $10 per bag. Combine manufacturers coupons and the "Buy $20 get $5 ECB" promotion, and you'll get them for less than $7.50 per bag. Thanks FatWallet!

(2) Today when I was at Safeway I noticed that Safeway is running a Pampers deal starting 3/1 as well. They had "Buy any 2 save $6 instantly at checkout" signs on Pampers diapers only. I can't find a note of it on the Safeway website but will post any updates I find.

(3) This isn't a deal so to speak, but there are some unprecedented Huggies coupons that are new to the internet. Get them while you can - there will be a print limit. Check out Deal Seeking Mom for more details. I've never seen diaper coupons over $1.50, and there are coupons for $3 and $5 off different Huggies brands. Truly unprecedented!

Reasons to Check Out CVS in March 2009

When you're looking for monthly deals, it usually helps a great deal to have your monthly ad copy in your hand while browsing the aisles. This helps to prevent you from picking up the wrong size/version of the ExtraCare Buck deal item(s) you are seeking! See the rest of CVS March Coupon Matchups that Erica posted.

CVS March Freebie:

CVS Pharmacy Vitamin D/400, 100 count bottles are $2.99, and you get $2.99 ECBs in return. FAECBs
Limit 1

==========================================

Now for "Let's Roll an ECB Deal!"

In March, when you buy $15 worth of Dove products, you earn $5 ECBs.
(Note: You are not required to buy the $15 in the same transaction; the CVS account system keeps track automatically and prints your running totals for the weekly deals at the bottom of each receipt!)
Limit 5 completions of this deal

Prices are as follows, but may differ if sales cut them during the weekly deals in March.

• Dove Beauty Bar 2-pack $4.19
• Shampoo $4.99
• Conditioner $4.99
• Deodorant $3.49
• Skin Vitalizer $12.99
• Facial Cleansing Cloths $5.99
• Energy Glow Cleansing Pillows $4.99
• Body Wash $8.69, Lotion or Creme Oil $7.99
• Caress $3.39
• Lever Bar Soap 2-pack $2.79

Applicable coupons:
$1 off Dove Beauty Bars, any 6 pack or larger (expires 3/22/09) 01/18 Valassis/RP insert
$1 off Dove Body Wash, any 10 oz or larger (expires 3/22/09) 01/18 Valassis/RP insert
$1.50 off Dove Cream Oil Hand or Body Lotion, any, (expires 3/29/09) 01/18 Valassis/RP insert
$1.50 off 2 Dove Deodorant and/or Body Mist, any, 01/18 Valassis/RP
$1.50 off Dove Hair Care Product, any except trial, (expires 3/22/09) 01/18 Valassis/RP insert
$3.50 off Dove SkinVitalizer, any, 01/18 Valassis/RP
$3.75 off Dove SkinVitalizer
$1 off Lever 2000 Refreshing Soap, any 4 bar or larger (expires 3/15/09) Valassis/RP

Sample transaction for the Dove deal, even if you only have one copy of the 01/18 Valassis/RP ad insert:
3 x Dove Deodorants: $10.47
1 x Dove Shampoo: $4.99
=================
Subtotal: $15.46
Use coupons:
$1.50/2 deodorants
$1.50 off any haircare product

Post-Coupon Total: $12.46.

Say you have 12 ECBs. If you pay 12 ECBs, you only pay $0.46+tax out of pocket (oop), and your receipt will print the 5 ECBs!

If you have no ECBs, you would pay $12.46, and get 5 ECBs in return (a 'net' of $7.46). If you're up for a challenge, see how many times in March you can roll your ECBs to keep snagging under $1 oop CVS deals before running out of ECBs. :)

5 Reasons to go to CVS this week - 03/01-03/07

Five that are free or Free After ExtraCare Bucks this week (FAECBs)! (Zowie!)

• Act Total Care Trial Size is $.99, and you get $.99 ExtraCare Bucks back. FAECBs! Stated limit is 1, but iheartcvs reports that it's actually limit 2.
  
  
• Carnation Instant Breakfast is $4.99, and you get $4.99 ECBs back.
  Limit 1
  There was a $0.75 off Carnation Instant Breakfast Jan 23 Issue of All You Magazine (aka $0.75 profit!).
  
  
• As in past weeks: Gillette Fusion Gamers or Venus Razors are $7.99, and you earn $4 ECBs back
  Limit 1
  Use the $4 off Gillette razor from the 02/08/09 P&G to make this FAECBs!
  
  
• Hershey candy bars are 2/$1, including Reese's Whipps.
  Use the $1 off 2 Reese's Whipps Bars coupon from the 01/04 SS to make them FREE! (Or use the same coupon at Shopper's Food Warehouse while it's doubling to make the $0.79-priced Whipps free as well.)
  
  
• Slimquick Energy Shot 2 packs are $4.99, and you get $4.99 ECBs back. Ergo, FAECBs! :)
  Limit 1

To see the rest of this week's matchups for CVS, we recommend consulting with Erica.

Edy's for $1.99

When you buy 5 48-oz tubs of Edy's ice cream at Bloom with your Breeze card, they are $1.99 each. Are you thinking: "Yea, but I don't eat that much ice cream!"?

True; Turkey Hill is 2/$5 at Giant, so don't go all out and buy 5 at Bloom if you only need a couple.

But consider this idea:

If you have a kid with an upcoming birthday party, you could have a make-your-own Sundae spread instead of cake - and five flavors should be enough for anybody to find something they like. Bonus points if you use CVS ECB deal candy as toppings. ;)

$9.95 + ECB'ed candy = a lot cheaper than most large store-ordered sheet cakes.

Cheap, Healthy Weekend, 02/27-03/02

Before the weekend kicks off, we try to post a list of healthy eats deals - including produce, lean meats, and coupon matchups on healthier items. This can slash your produce and meat budget, even without a huge coupon stash, so look out for Cheap, Healthy Weekend in the future. You will also see a bit of coverage on what health benefits certain items have to offer - like links to what NutritionData.com has to say!

Feel free to contribute to the Cheap Healthy Weekend lovin' with ideas of your own by adding a comment! :)

Your Cheap, Healthy Weekend Shopping List, 02/27-03/02:

Giant

• Chicken Breast, Boneless, $1.79/lb. (3 lbs. +) - ~250 calories, 90% from protein!
  (See Gina's Cook Once, Eat 10 Times Chicken Edition!)
• Seedless Grapes, $0.99/lb.
• Avocados, $1 each at - packed with Vitamins C, E, and K, as well as folate
• Green Giant Frozen Boxed Veggies, $1.25 (listed as 4/$5)
  Use this $0.50/1 printable (limit 2 per Windows-run computer) to double, making them just $0.25 each!
• Green Giant Steamers are $1.00/bag. Use the $0.50 off coupon from the 01/04 General Mills Sunday ad insert. Since Giant doubles coupons under $0.99, this makes them FREE. Woo hoo!
  
• Bumble Bee Solid White Tuna, $1/can, Vitamin B12
• Thomas' English Muffins, 2/$5 (go for whole wheat!)

Bloom

• Split Chicken Breasts are 10 lbs./$10...so...I'll venture, $1/lb.? Seems too good to be true!
  
• Seedless Grapes, 10 lbs./$10...so...$1/lb.
• Fuji or Granny Smith Apples, 10 lbs./$10...so...$1/lb. (This is cheap for Fujis!)
• Grapefruit, 10/$10...so...$1/each, Vitamin A
• Mangos, 10/$10...so...$1/each, Vitamins A and C

Wegmans - through Saturday 02/28
Courtesy of Frugally Blonde and Frugal in Virginia

• Wegmans gallon milk - $2.25 - $2.59 (through 02/28)
• Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheats - $2.50 (through 02/28)
  or $1.50/2 Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheats from 1/18 insert.
  Final price: $1.50-$1.75
• Dannon Fruit on the Bottom or Light & Fit Yoghurt - $.50
  Use $1.00/10 coupon here.

Shopper's Food Warehouse
Doing coupon doubling and tripling!

• Yo-Plus yoghurt, 2/$4, FREE after $1 coupon (01/18 SS)
  
• Activia yoghurt, 2/$4, FREE after $1 coupon (01/11 and 03/01 SS)
  
• Dannon DanActive Immunity Shots (yoghurt drink), 2/$4, FREE after $1 coupon (01/11 SS)
  
• Success Rice, $2.19, $0.19 after $1 coupon (go for the brown rice! - 02/08 SS)
  
• Quaker Rice Cakes, $2.39, $0.39 after $1 coupon (01/18 RP)
  
• Ken's Salad Dressings (spritzers, just a calorie or few per spritz), $2.75, $0.75 after $1 coupon (01/11 SS)
  
• Celestial Seasonings teas, $3.19, but $1.19 after $1 coupon (01/11 SS)
  
• Stash Teas, $2.43-$2.59, but $0.93-$1.09 after $0.50 coupon (01/11 RP)
  
• Buitoni refrigerated pastas (ravioli, tortellini, etc.), $3.99, $1.99 after $1 coupon (go for the whole wheat version! - 12/07/08 SS)
  
• Cascadian Farm frozen organic veggies - the sweet corn and sweet peas are the cheapest at $2.19, and last weekend's SS $1 coupon makes them just $0.19/bag! (01/04 and 02/22 SS) As our tipster Lisa pointed out (See comments! Thanks, Lisa!), frozen strawberries might also be available for $2/package, aka FREE. :)

Safeway
Courtesy of Mommy Making Money

• Kellogg's Frosted Mini Wheats or Raisin Bran is just .99, limit 1, with a SuperCoupon from the Safeway ad.
• Eating Right Salad Blends are $1.98 each. (Salad normally goes for about $3/bag anywhere.)
• Clif and Balance Bars are $1.00 each. If you have the Mambo Sprouts coupon book, there's a coupon for .50/2 Clif Bars, which will double, so you get two for $1.
• Thomas's Muffins and Bagels are $2.00 each.
• Nabisco Crackers are $2.49 each. Use the $2.00/2 coupon from the 1/25 paper - or use these coupons for the Nabisco BOGO sale at CVS to get 2 boxes for $1.99, about $0.50 cheaper than Safeway. Either way, $1.00-$1.49 is a good price for high-fiber Triscuits!
  

*********

Seedless Grapes are also $0.99/lb. at Food Lion, but there's not much else worth pursuing in that ad healthy-eats-wise.

*********

Note: since we have had some bad luck with Shopper's Food Warehouse fresh foods in the past, we will only include SFW when the healthy deals are for prepackaged foods with coupon matchups.

$5 off $5 purchase at JCPenney

Free Socks! Or something!

AFullCup's Stacey012345 said:

Get your $5 off $5 or more coupon valid for online and in-store purchases when you sign up for JC Penney Rewards using source code 3008 or 3050 and this link:
https://www.jcprewards.com/index.aspx

Note that you will be prompted to register a credit card, which is required to earn future rewards, however, it's not required to get the $5 certificate. After signing up, log into your account and then go to rewards to print out the reward certificate.

Enjoy!

Free Hard Times Cafe Chili with Purchase (Soda Counts!)

We just got an exciting email tip: Tomorrow, Thursday February 26, you can snag a free Hard Times Cafe Chili with any purchase (and yes...sodas are rumored to count as your 'purchase'!). Thanks, J.! :)




Find your nearest Hard Times Cafe here.

Freebies and...BOG3?

Some fun freebies and BOGs (Buy One Get...) just hit the 'net:

Subscribe to the Wendy's email list here and you'll receive a $1 off coupon in your inbox within the next week. Good for even dollar-menu items!

Denny's is offering three different B1G1 coupons which are good through Friday (February 27, 2009). You can print them here.

Subscribe to the Texas Roadhouse email list and you'll get a coupon for a free appetizer.

Subscribe to the Chili's email club here and you'll get a coupon for free chips and queso.

These Zone Perfect bars often go on sale at CVS - or even come with ECBs, so my advice is to avoid spending this Buy One, Get Three Free coupon elsewhere unless you're getting the stuff totally free.

Follow these steps:

1) Go here and register to become a Zone Perfect VIP member. You'll be able to print a B1G1 coupon after you register.

2) Then, go here and login. You'll then be able to print your B1G3 coupon.

Thanks so much, Mommy Saving Money and Freebies 4 Mom, for the alerts!

5 Reasons to Visit Giant (aka Stop and Shop) This Week, 02/27-03/05

1. $1.79/lb. Boneless Chicken Breast - about as cheap as it gets. Buy some for cooking now, and freeze some for later. Check out Gina's Cook Once, Eat 10 Times Chicken Edition for ideas on how a morning or afternoon of cooking lowest-cost chicken breast can feed you family for a long time to come. Me? I'll probably be using the $0.68 bottles of Ken's marinades, still good during this coming week's Shopper's multiplied coupons. :)
   
   
2. $0.99/lb white seedless grapes. This is about as cheap as grapes get, too.
   
   
3. 2/$5 Turkey Hill ice cream - Supposedly the 02/22 Red Plum insert had a $1/1 Turkey Hill light or fro-yo, but since we're not getting Red Plums in the Post anymore, I wouldn't know! (snifsnif)
   
   
4. $1 Avocados - For recipes beyond (delicious delicious) guacamole, check out what AllRecipes.com has to offer - dressings, salads, etc.
   
   
5. (aka 5.a.) $1.25 (listed as 4/$5) Green Giant Boxed Veggies - Use this $0.50/1 printable (limit 2 per Windows-run computer) to double, making them just $0.25 each!
6. (aka 5.b.) Green Giant Steamers are $1.00/bag. Use the $0.50 off coupon from the 01/04 General Mills Sunday ad insert. Since Giant doubles coupons under $0.99, this makes them FREE. Woo hoo!
   

NEWSFLASH: Shopper's Does SECOND Full Week of Coupon Doubles/Triples, 02/26-02/04

It's unbelievable - another full week of coupon doubles and triples at Shopper's, through Wednesday. Which means...another round of matchups - though only those on sale items who switchover. Call it an endurance test, peeps.

If you want a general idea of potential steals and deals coupon matchups, see our post of matchups from the last week, including freebies and under $0.50 items.

But - today is the last day for Buy 10, get $10 on General Mills, Pillsbury, and other items.

One deal I see right now: Cap'n Crunch will be on sale 2/$5, and with a recent SS $0.50/1 coupon, it will be $1/box. See the Shopper's circular here, though it may take a day to switch over since the new sale prices start tomorrow.

Let's Hear It For Free Kashi

This deal has been all over the frugality blogosphere in the last couple of days:
Get a coupon for a free Kashi frozen entrée!



Credit on this one goes to, um, everyone - and one eagle-eyed email tipster! :)

Lands' End Free Shipping Continues

Last week, I mentioned a whole lot of bargains in a Lands' End post (boys' chinos, women's belts and intimates, starting at $2.99 each!)

There is a new free shipping code good for free shipping on almost any order, good through Thursday 02/26:

Enter the Promotion Code GROOVY and the PIN 00004672 in the space provided.

I just discovered these:

Lands' End version of Robeez for $12.99

Adult Fleece "Gaitors" (fleece neck warmers) for $3.99

Baby Wash Cloths with Rubber Duck Gift Set, $6.99

Women's Fleece Gloves for $5.59

Enter for Free Tickets/Vacation for Four to Philly Flower Show

Looking for a short-distance vacation? This family-friendly giveaway is courtesy of Gina of Mommy Making Money!

The giveaway ends Thursday, so go get yourselves some M-Cubed Vacay Giveaway Lovin' for a chance to win a Family Fun Pak. :)

The Philadelphia Flower Show runs March 1-8 at the Philadelphia Convention Center

An excerpt from Gina's enticing post:
"The theme this year, Bella Italia, means that in addition to the incredible visuals, there will also be Italian-themed food and wine sampling, live music and dance performances, and lots of vendor shopping to enjoy. ... The Family Fun Pak ... includes two adult and two children's tickets to the Flower Show, plus a one-year Family Associate Membership to PHS so you can enjoy their events all year long. Be sure and check out the Family Lounge, just outside the Show entrance. It's sponsored by the Philadelphia Zoo, and it's the perfect place to relax with the kids while they participate in activities and storytimes."

'Free' Pancakes Tomorrow at IHOP on Tuesday 02/24

Line up your appetites, ladies and germs:

Tomorrow 02/24 is IHOP's Pancake Day! Per Frugal in Virginia:

"IHOP is celebrating National Pancake Day from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. tomorrow. Three free flapjacks for each guest. Please consider making a donation to the Children's Miracle Network while you're there. More details here."

Yet ANOTHER Great Consignment Sale Opportunity!

Gina over at Mommy Making Money just sent us a great tip on yet another consignment sale coming this Saturday 02/28/09. THANKS so much, Gina, for the hot tip!

"It's HUGE and very well-run:

Fairfax County Mothers of Multiples Children's Clothing & Equipment Sale
Saturday, February 28, 2009
9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Chantilly High School Cafeteria (Entrance 11)
4201 Stringfellow Rd
Chantilly, VA 20151

This is large sale with over 150 families selling good quality clothing, shoes, equipment, toys, books, baby/kids furniture, maternity wear, all nursery/layette items. At past sales, 90+% of items were priced $5.00 and under!

The sale is open to the public with FREE admission. Cash and checks are accepted.

For questions and more information, or to sign up for announcements for future sales, see www.fcmom.org."

Look here to see the page of all of the latest Redemption Unlimited posts on local consignment sales. Also, see the blog's right-hand sidebar where we list upcoming consignment sales!

New consignment sale posting - March 7, 2009 - Burke, VA

New children's consignment sale posting spotted! It will be March 7, 2009 in Burke, VA.

Thanks to Craigslist for this posting. I'm going to try to check this one out and will give you a full report if I'm able to go.

Remember to check out our post about the other two NOVA consignment sales coming up in March!

Look here to see the page of all of the latest Redemption Unlimited posts on local consignment sales. Also, see the blog's right-hand sidebar where we list upcoming consignment sales!

Get your free Quizno's sub - quick!

Thanks to Freebies4Mom and Frugal in Virginia for the tip on getting a coupon for a free Quizno's sub. Sign up here - quick!

The coupon expires soon but if you can act quickly, this is a great free lunch!

Frugality Hack - Home-Flavored Coffee

Who doesn't enjoy flavored coffee (esp. flavored - but harder to find - decaf varieties)? My favorites are French Vanilla Dunkin' Donuts or any brand hazelnut decaf with lots of half'n'half and some Splenda - "sissified"! OK, OK...I know there are some of you out there who can't abide a flavored cup of Joe, and drink only plain coffee, or even plain black coffee. Needless to say, you probably won't find too much useful info in this post. :)

What I don't love about flavored coffee all the current gourmet prices.

So, my solution is: unflavored regular or decaf of your normal brand, plus some added pizazz. To my perhaps unsophisticated palate, indistinguishable from already-flavored store bought coffee, and around half the price (or less if you bought it in a coupon deal - yee haw!).

Add the following on top of the coffee as it sits in the filter (I have a cone-filter drip machine):

Regular Ol' Vanilla: 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Fall/Winter Mix: 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 2 dashes nutmeg

Almond Rocha: 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp. almond extract (+ dash cinnamon if desired)

Any of you do similar home doctoring? I always welcome others' homemade coffee confection recipes. :)

5 Reasons to go to CVS this week - 02/22-02/28

CVS is not really bringin' the game this week, I must say. Nevertheless, there are a few incentives:

1. Wheat Thins, Triscuits, and Ritz are BOGO at 3.99. This means that if you still have your $2/2 coupon from the 01/25 SS, you can get two full-size boxes of these crackers for $1.99, or ~$1 each, about as low as it gets for the three brands.
   
   
2. Post Cereals (Trail Mix Crunch, Shredded Wheat, Honey Bunches of Oats, Cocoa or Fruity Pebbles) are BOGO, too, normally $4.79. If you use this printable $2 off Post Trail Mix Cruch (print limit 2 to each Windows-run computer), you can get 2 for $0.79, or $0.40 each! There were also $1/2 Post cereal and a $1/2 Post Kids cereal coupons in the 01/25 SS insert, so you can get these other kinds, normally $3.50-$4.50ish each, for $2.50ish-$3.50ish for two boxes.
   
   
3. 7-Up 12 pks are 4/$12 ($3 each), but you get get $3 ECB back.
   Use this printable $1 off one 12-Pack 7-Up (limit 2 per Windows-run computer).
   If you use four coupons, you could get four 12-packs for $5 after ExtraCare Bucks, or $1.25 per 12-pack!
   
   
4. Maybelline Dream Mousse Matte Foundation or Dream Matte Powder yields $5 ExtraCare Bucks. Prices start at $8.39.
   Limit 1
   Use the $2 off any Maybelline foundation from 02/08/09 Red Plum to make this $1.39 after ExtraCare Bucks.
   
   
5. Revlon Cosmetics: earn $10 ExtraCare Bucks with $20 total purchase (the purchases do not need to take place in the same transaction, just over the course of the week - and your ECBs will print during the transaction in which your Revlon total tops $20). Prices start at $1.99.
   Limit 2
   Relevant Coupons:
   $1 off Revlon Beauty Tool, any SS 11/16/08
   $1 off Revlon Color Cosmetic Product, any SS 11/16/08, SS 12/07/08, SS 02/08/09
   $2 off any Revlon color cosmetic product SS 02/08/09
   

Also:
Erica at I Heart CVS noted:
"♥ Extreme Energy 6 Hour $4.99 get $4.99 eb Limit 1 (reported not to print eb if you already bought 2 for the February monthly deal)"

Thanks for the useful info, Erica! Check out the rest of her post to see the other CVS coupon matchups for this week.

Similar to last week:

Gillette Fusion Gamer, Venus Embrace or Spa Breeze razors are $7.99, and you get $4 ECB
Limit 1
Use the $4 off any Gillette Fusion Razor from the 02/09/09 P&G insert to make this free after ExtraCare Bucks (FAECBs)!

Find out What Coupons Are Coming!

Did you know that you can find out what coupons are in the coming coupon inserts before you even get a hold of your Sunday paper?

I am excited to get back to coupon accumulation because last week's papers had no coupons because of President's Day. Here is a link which shows which inserts will be distributed during which weekends in 2009. Here is a link which shows lists of coupons anticipated to appear in those inserts. Beware the extra "sample" and "freebie" links on this site, though, which are run through networks/ad schemes, ergo bogus, time wasters, and privacy pilferers! In the future, we will probably blog on what constitutes a worthwhile "send in for a free..." offers.

Remember that there are no guarantees, especially because of regional ad differences, and that Red Plum ad inserts have vanished from many major papers. Nevertheless, these links can give you a good idea of when you'd like to stock up!

Here's a sample list, for this week. I'll be stocking up on Sunday papers because I looove these $1 Cascadian Farm coupons, which enable me to buy frozen organic fruits and veggies for very cheap during coupon doubling sales. (The frozen pureed butternut squash is a great baby food, too!) I'm intrigued...Banana Nut Cheerios? Has anybody tried these?

SMARTSOURCE
Ban Product 0.40 (4-4-09)
Banana Nut Cheerios Cereal 0.50 (4/4/09)
Benefiber Chewable or Caplet $2 (5-31-09)
Benefiber Powder $2 (5-31-09)
Benefiber Stick Pack $2 (5-31-09)
Cascadian Farm Product, any $1 (5/02/09)
Cheerios Snack Mix or any flavor 4.5 oz. Or Larger Chex Mix OR Chex 100 Calorie Snack 0.50 ( 4/18/09)
Claritin Adult or Childrens Non-Drowsy, 4 oz. Syrup, 10 ct. $2 (3/22/09)
Claritin, Non Drowsy, 24 ct. $5 (3/22/09)
Clearasil Vanishing or Tinted Rapid Action Treatment Cream $1.50 (5/17/09)
Colgate Adult of Kids Toothbrush .75 (3-14-09)
Daisy Cottage Cheese $1 (5-31-09)
Dentyne Gum, 3 pack $1 (4-19-09)
Dentyne Gum, Single pkg .75 (4-19-09)
Colgate Adult or Kids Toothpaste, 4 oz.+ .75 (5/31/09)
Fiber One Original, Fiber One Honey Clusters, Fiber One Raisin Bran Clusters Cereal, etc. .50 (4/4/09)
Fiber One Toaster Pastries, any .50 (4/4/09)
Glade Carpet & Room Odor Eliminator $1 (4/4/09)
Huggies Pull-Ups Training Pants, jumbo pk.+ $2 (3/21/09)
Huggies Pull-Ups Training Pants, jumbo pk.+ $2 (4/18/09)
Joint Juice Product $2 (4-30-09)
Kotex Lightdays Pantiliners .75 (4-19-8-09)
Kotex Pads $1 (4-18-09)
Kotex Security Tampons .75 (4-18-09) .10 each
LOreal Excellence to-Go 10 Minute Creme Colorant $3 (5/17/09)
LOreal Vive Pro Shampoo, Conditioner or Treatment $1 (5/17/09)
LOreal Vive Pro Glossy Style or StudioLine Styling Product $1 (5/17/09)
Maalox Product $3/2 (5-31-09) .15 each
Maalox Total Relief $1.50 (5-31-09)
NatureSweet Cherry Tomatoes $1 on 2 bags (7-31-09)
Nonnis Biscottie, 5 oz.+ $1 on 2 (5-31-09)
Nut-tastics, Guilt-Free Treats, or Better-Than- Ears $1 (5/31/09)
Pepperidge Farm Swirl Bread .40 (5-22-09)
Physicians Formula Cosmetic Product $1 (5-31-09)
Planters Big Nut Bars, 100 Calorie Honey Maid Delight Bars, etc. .75 (4-30-09)
Pledge Multi Surface Product $1.25 (4/19/09)
Pledge Fabric Sweeper for Pet Hair $1 (4/19/09)
Pull-Ups Training Pants, jumbo+ $2 (3-21-09)
Remifemin or Remifemin Good Night $2 (5-22-09)
Renuzit Adjustables .55/3 (4-30-09)
Renuzit Super Odor Neutralizer Air Freshening Pearls or Fine Mist Spray $1 (4-30-09)
Renuzit TriScents Starter Kit $4 (4-30-09)
Rosetto Pasta $1 (5-31-09)
Snyders of Hanover Pretzel Sandwiches, 8 oz.+ .75 (5-31-09)
SoyJoy $2 on 10 bars (5-31-09)
SoyJoy B1G1F up to $1.39 (4-30-09)
Stonyfield Farm Organic Yogurt, 6 oz. cups $1 on 3 (3-31-9)
Woolite Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner $1 (5-31-09)
Ziploc Brand Easy Zipper Bags with Expandable Bottom .55 (4/18/09)

RED PLUM
Angel Soft Toilet Paper, 6 Double-roll+ .50 (4/19/09)
Brawny Paper Towels 1.50/2 6-roll+ or one 12-roll (3/22/09)
Carefree Products, 34ct+ $1 on 2 (4/30/09)
Centrum, any $1 (5/31/09)
Centrum Silver, any $1 (5/31/09)
Centrum Performance, any $3 (5/31/09)
Crest Toothpaste or Liquid Gel, any 4.2 oz + .50 (3/31/09)
Hillshire Farm Deli Select Lunchmeats .55 (4/25/09)
Hillshire Farm + Sara Lee Soft + High School Musical DVD $5 Refund (4-30-09)
Hostess Snack Cakes, any family-size pkg .50 (5/03/09)
Jimmy Dean D-Lights Sandwich $1 (4/30/2009)
Jimmy Dean D-Lights Breakfast Bowl .55 (4/30/09)
Johnsons Body Care Product, any $1 (5/31/09)
Kelloggs Multi-Grain Krispies, Raisin Bran Extra, Mini-Wheats Little Bites, Special K Blueberry, etc., 11.2 oz.+ $1 (4-5-09)
Kelloggs Special K Protein or Kelloggs All-Bran Fiber Product, any 4ct.+ .70 (4/19/09)
Kelloggs Pop Tarts, any 8ct.+ $1 on 2 (4/19/09)
Kelloggs Cereal, any 10oz + .70 (4/05/09)
Milky Way, 10.5 oz.+ .50 (4-19-09)
Motrin Infants, Tylenol Infants, Simply Soothing Products $2/2 (4/30/09)
Motrin Childrens, Tylenol Childrens, Tylenol Plus Childrens, Pediacare Products $2/2 (4/30/09)
Nexcare Cold Sore Treatment $1 (4/30/09)
o.b. Product, any except trial $1 (4/30/09)
Olay Facial Moisturer or Facial Cleanser, any $1 (3/31/09)
Pedigree Good Bites Treats for Dogs $1 (5/16/09)
Pedigree Jumbone Treats for Dogs, any $1 (5/16/09)
Rimmel Foundation, any $1 (4/30/09)
Rimmel Product $1 (4/30/09)
Secret Flawless or Flawless Touch $2 (4/30/09)
Starkist Pouch Product B2G1F up to $2.10 (4-18-09)
Stayfree Product $2/2 (4/30/09)
Sudafed OM, excludes trial size $1.50 (5/22/09)
Sudafed PE, excludes trial size $1.50 (5/22/09)
Sundown Naturals Vitamin Product, any $1 (4/05/09)
Temptations Treats for Cats, 2.1 oz or 3 oz size pouches (5/16/09)
Uncle Bens Whole Grain Brown Rice .40 (4/19/09)
Uncle Bens Ready Rice .75/2 pouches (4/19/09)

Bloom matchups

Here are the Bloom coupon matchups we've seen. Credit goes to Gina and Laura and their faithful readers for their comments. :)

Free/overage* items:

Mentos gum, $0.75 overage on each Mentos gum with the $0.55 coupon
French's Worchestershire sauce provide $0.24 in overage after $0.50 coupon.
Frank's Red Hot Sauce is free after $0.50 coupon.
Muir Glen Fire Roasted Tomatoes @ $1.99, $0.75/1 from the 2/8 SS, makes it FREE (other Muir Glen products can also be picked up for free with this coupon)
Green Giant Steam Fresh Vegetables @ $1.50, $0.50/1 from the 2/8 GM, makes it FREE
Betty Crocker Warm Delights @ $1.49, $0.50/1 from the 2/8 GM, makes it FREE - though if you have a lot of these, use them in the $10 off 10 deal matchups at Shoppers.

Other steals (under $0.50 are bolded):

Quaker Oats Oatmeal @ $1.99, $0.60/1 from the 1/4 RP, makes it $0.19 after coupon
Wet Ones @ $2.48, $0.75/1 from the 2/8 SS, makes it $0.23 after coupon
Pillsbury Savorings @ $3.99, $0.75/1 from the 12/7 SS, makes it $1.74 after coupon
Fiber One Granola Bars @ $3.36, $0.75/1 (source uncertain), $1.11 after coupon
Kellogg's Fiber Plus Bars are $0.25 after $0.75 coupon.
Freschetta pizzas are $2.75 after $0.75 coupon.
Cottonelle is $0.97 after $0.50 printable. (6 pack that is BOGO)
Betty Crocker Warm Delights are $0.01 after $0.55 printable, but if have a lot, remember the $10 when you buy 10 at Shopper's!
Texas Toast croutons are $0.23 after $0.55 coupon from March All You.

*What is overage? Overage is better than free - it is when the value of a coupon is greater than the value of the product being sold - and the surplus gets credited to the rest of your transaction!

Giant Deals this Week - 02/20-02/26

Mommy Making Money and Frugal in Virginia already did boffo jobs of covering the Giant deals, including coupon matchups, for the coming week. As I mentioned, pickings are slim in terms of stocking-up potential.

I have thus far spotted only three other deals worth mentioning:

• Healthy Choice meals are listed on the front of the ad as 5/$10, and the tiny print mentions that Café Steamers are included. The 01/04 SS Sunday insert had a $1/2 coupon, which makes these $1.50 each - not a huge bargain, but for comparison's sake - even if you used the $1/2 coupon to double at Shopper's right now (retail close to $4) you'd still be paying close to $3 each. As if!
  
  
• The chuck roast and steak are $1.77/lb (save $2.52). Since I'm a big crock pot/slow cooking fan, I'll probably consider this. I've been able to freeze Giant's beef roasts (raw, not cooked) without any issues in the past, too, so they are convenient for backup meals if you need to defrost something quickly and throw it in to simmer.
  
  
• The bagged European blend salads (Giant brand) are $1.77 - normal price, I believe, is $2.99, exactly the same as the Dole bags of salad. (I always have bad luck with bagged salad of any brand going south real fast, so I only grab deals like this if it looks fresh and I'm planning on serving it right away.)

A Seemingly Random Pantry - Transformed into Dinner, no spending required.

When you're looking at your pantry, trying to find inspiration for dinner - and failing - take a mental inventory, then head over to AllRecipes.com's by-ingredient recipe search! This lets you put in the ingredients you do want to use, along with ingredients you don't want to use (that is, those you don't have on hand), and it will pull up a list of its recipes that meet your criteria.

Why does this boost your budget? This tool makes you aware of new-to-you recipes that use your stockpiled items, and also prevents you from making unnecessary extra grocery store trips to buy a few items just to get through the evening meal.

Recipezaar also has a similar function, in case you want even more ideas. Just click the Ingredients toggle before you enter your desired ingredient(s) in the search field at the top of the page.

Shopper's Summary

OK, I'm 99% sure I'm done with my Shopper's run. As mentioned a few posts ago, I had to take back some IcyHot back patches that I thought I was getting free. Fortunately for me, the cashier was so gracious and my refund took me less than 3 minutes, tops. Yeah, customer service! But while you're there - already hauled the toddler into the carseat, everyone's clean and fed and there's a clean diaper - might as well use any of the surplus (over the 4 limit) coupons that you couldn't use last time, right?

So I hauled out all my $1 soon-to-expire yoghurt coupons, along with some other freebies (Whipps) and did one more run.

Here's the sum:

~$94.56 spent for ~$397.84 worth of groceries, household products, and toiletries - a savings of 76%. Since I'll be MIA a few states away on a family trip in a few days, I'll be able to spread a lot of these groceries across our week-long trip. Somebody fetch the cooler! I've got a lifetime supply of free yoghurt here...

In all seriousness, yoghurt has a long shelf life. This time at Shopper's, I was careful to pick out 4-packs that had expiration dates toward the end of March, so none would go to waste.

I learned something new today: apparently the bar codes on coupons don't necessarily communicate the expiration date, at least not with some systems. I had one valid coupon refused because in my zeal of clipping several copies of that one, I had that one out of alignment and had inadvertently chopped off the expiration date. The lady said that they are required to eyeball every coupon to check the expiration dates! She also said that some people try to clip off the expiration dates to get expired manufacturer coupons through - talk about bold - and unethical (unless the store has an expressed policy of accepting expired coupons). So don't get all scissor-happy like me and accidentally shave off those expiration dates. :)

I don't know if I have any motivation to hit either Bloom or Shopper's at this point; I guess I'll monitor our other money-saving blogs to see if anybody else has scoops on freebies at Bloom.

Free Shipping - is it really worthwhile?

We Redemption Unlimited gals lurrrrrv ourselves some free shipping deals. If you think about gift-giving events a month or two in advance, you should almost never need to pay for shipping on an item that you order online, especially if it can be found at more than one store. Good news for those of us without the time or capability to shop at retail locations, right?

Well, it often take a little discernment to tell.

Think these three issues through:

1. Is there a minimum order involved? If so, watch out. Any minimum that requires you to spend more than you were planning is already a red flag. Say your budget was $30, shipping is $5, and the minimum for free shipping is $40. This is an example of a signal to reconsider whether the free shipping is worthwhile. Some stores take this to ridiculous lengths. Notorious offenders are J. Crew (Classic minimums in its email campaigns are $150, $175, and up. Please!), Macy's (often $100+), Nordstrom (often $200), Bloomingdales, Saks, and most upscale stores. If you're buying something from these retailers, consider going to the physical retail location to spend your money and be done with the operation sans free shipping minimums, instead of pondering whether you should buy a $60 cardigan for Great Aunt Myrtle to get to that minimum, trying to save yourself a $15 shipping charge.
   
   
2. Does this store offer free shipping always/often? If so, odds are good that your shipping costs are built into the product price. Online shoe stores are usually good examples of this. Though the free shipping/free returns 24/7/365 business model is great for shoe-selling online, if you as the consumer have the ability to buy your desired shoes in the retail location, you'll probably get them for cheaper, even taking gas into account.
   
   
3. Does the shipping offer require you to buy an item you wouldn't otherwise buy? For example: "Buy any regular price cashmere sweater, get free shipping!"...and the sweaters start at $70. Caveat emptor!
   

So when are free shipping deals worthwhile?

A good example of a really worthwhile free shipping online purchase fulfills one or more of the following conditions:

• The free shipping is on any purchase. The fewer strings, the more flexibility for your transaction. 'Nuff said.
  
  
• The company rarely offers free shipping deals. As in: one, maybe twice a year.
  
  
• You have no retail location of the store within driving distance.
  
  
• Shipping charges are normally hefty (as in the case of heavier items like car seats).
  
  
• The free shipping deal coincides with a terrific sale. Take free shipping codes, so prevalent during the holiday season, which happen to expire after 12/25. Post-Christmas clearance + free shipping = potential steals. Even better when you're shopping with gift cards!
  
  
• The free shipping offer can be stacked with other offers. Sometimes the company defaults the whole site to ship everything free for a time, no code required. If you can find another coupon code (like at retailmenot.com), then you can score big! Other sites allow for more than one code to be entered, like a free shipping code and a %/$ off code (Victoria's Secret and Shutterfly are examples of such sites).
  
  
• The free shipping is in a transaction where your selected items are priced the same or cheaper than in retail locations. You have saved money on shipping and the time and headache of traveling to the retail location. Bingo!

Free Shipping - Banana Republic, Gap, Old Navy, until April 30 with Piperlime Purchase

Add any product from (the BR/G/ON shoe store) Piperlime, and your whole order ships free. Remember that the 4 stores now have a single checkout! Use the code SHIPPL. Piperlime.com

From a quick glance, we can see shoes starting at:

$19.97 for women
$19.99 for men
$14.97 for girls
$16.97 for boys

Handbags start at $19.97.

Click here to see all of the latest Redemption Unlimited Old Navy posts.
Click here to see all of the latest Redemption Unlimited Gap posts.
Click here to see all of the latest Redemption Unlimited Banana Republic posts.
.

Hot! $25 certificates on Restaurant.com only $3 until midnight tonight!

I just got a scoop from a girl friend of ours by email. THANKS, J.! :)

"Gift certificates for $25 that usually cost $10, cost only $3 until midnight tonight. The discount is applied at checkout. I got some for our favorite Mexican restaurant and the new Italian restaurant about 5 min. from our house - we've heard good things about it."

And from this SlickDeals.net post:
Restaurant.com is offering 70% off their already reduced restaurant certificates when you enter code PREZ at checkout through 2/19/09. $25 certificates which normally sell for $10, are now $3.

Finding your Local Food Banks

Do you have lots of CVS/couponing overflow? Enough toothpaste to maintain the dental health of your entire county?

Please consider your local charitable organizations and food banks! Especially in times like these, your donations are all the more welcomed and needed.

Here is a general link to find your nearest food bank across the U.S. (see the lower right hand corner for a locator):

Feeding America

Here are some Northern Virginia ideas:
Prince William County ACTS
Volunteer Fairfax Donations Guide
Where and What to Donate in Stafford
Fauquier County Food Distribution Coalition
Fredericksburg Area Food Bank
Federation of Virginia Food Banks
Arlington Food Assistance Center
Loudon Interfaith Relief
Virginia Domestic Violence Shelters (scroll down a ways to see the table)

Washington, D.C.
Central Union Mission
One affiliate is Immanuel Bible Church of Springfield, VA - so you can drop off at IBC and it will get to D.C.
IBC/Central Union Mission POCs: Dee Dee Collins & Dave Treadwell
Capital Area Food Bank
Bread for the City
D.C. Domestic Violence Shelters

What other venues have you used for donation? We'd love to hear your ideas!

Shopper's Wins the Coin Toss

Actually, Shopper's Food Warehouse's couponing doubling/tripling deal just starts a day earlier than Bloom's does. This morning I took my daughter, days away from her second birthday, for a Shopper's Food Warehouse trip with two coupon wallets stuffed to the gills. (You people with toddlers and preschoolers know what kind of gumption and endurance that takes.) I picked up a lot of stuff this time around, in large part because the $1 coupons accumulating since Christmastime were expiring soon, and it is hard to pass up those kind of discounts when they are staring you in the face. The food bank beckons!

At check out my groceries ran up around $323. I paid $93.54 for an overflowing cart - a savings of 72%. But I just noticed that the IcyHot patches I had bought, were labeled $1.99 on the shelf (ergo free after $1 coupon), rang up at $7.99! Ack! I'm not paying that much to smell like menthol. I'm taking these puppies back, and after that, my total percentage saved will be more like 77%.

The best steals were in the dairy section - and now my garage refrigerator pretty much resembles the dairy section at Shopper's.

DanActive yoghurt drinks: 2/$4, FREE after $1 coupon
Activia yoghurt: 2/$4, FREE after $1 coupon
Yoplait Yo-Plus: 2/$4, FREE after $1 coupon (I heartily recommend the blackberry pomegranate flavor)

Since I had 4 of each of these coupons, that was $24 worth of free yoghurt, peeps. Time for the happy free yoghurt dance...uh huh...oh yea...walk like an Egyptian...

Other freebies included:

French's Worchestershire Sauce, $1.49, FREE after $0.50 coupon
Reese's Whipps, $0.79, FREE after $1/2 coupon
Johnson and Johnson Buddies soap, $1.69, FREE after $1 coupon
Mentos gum, over $1, FREE after $1 coupon
Oetker Lemon Pie Mix, $1.49, FREE after in-store tearpad $0.50 coupon
Hershey 3.5 oz Bars Dark Chocolate, $1.69, FREE after $1 coupon
GUM Crayola Style kids' toothbrushes 2-packs, $1.50, FREE after $0.75 coupon
Colgate, $1.99, FREE after in-ad $1 coupon

Hot deals also included (deals $0.50 and under bolded):

Ortega Taco Mix and Fajita Mix packets, $0.89, $0.14 after $0.75/2 coupon
Success Rice, $2.19, $0.19 after $1 coupon
Quaker Rice Cakes, $2.39, $0.39 after $1 coupon
Hormel Compleats microwavable meals, $2.49, $0.49 after $1 coupon
Chinet Dessert Paper Plates, $2.99, $0.99 after $1 coupon
Chinet Crystal Cut Tumblers, $2.49, $0.49 after $1 coupon
Ken's Marinades and Wing Sauce, $2.68, $0.68 after $1 coupon
Ken's Salad Dressings (spritzers), $2.75, $0.75 after coupon
French's Spicy Brown mustard, $1.59. $0.09 after $0.50 coupon
Diet Orange Crush 2-liter, $1.25, just $0.25 after $1/2 coupon
Pledge Furniture Dusters (these are cool!), $2.79, $0.79 after $1 coupon
Campbells Microwaveable Soup Cups, 10/$10, but after $0.50/2 coupon, just $0.25 each!
Chock Full'o'Nuts Coffee, $3.29, but $1.79 after $0.75 coupon
Celestial Seasonings teas, $3.19, but $1.19 after $1 coupon
Stash Teas, $2.43-$2.59, but $0.93-$1.09 after $0.50 coupon
Buitoni refrigerated pastas (ravioli, tortellini, etc.), $3.99, $1.99 after $1 coupon
Daisy Sour Cream, 2/$4, $0.50 after $0.50 coupon
Rubbermaid EZ find lid 1.25 c. containers, $2.39, $0.39 after $1 coupon
Rubbermaid Takealongs pack of 2 round bowls, 2/$3, but use the $1/2 coupon to make them $0.50 per 2-pack!
FruitSense drinks (by the juice), 2/$5, just $0.50 each after coupon. Flavors like blueberry pomogranate mangosteen, kiwi lime colada, and cranberry raspberry.
Cascadian Farm frozen organic veggies - the sweet corn is the cheapest at $2.19, and the $1 coupon makes them just $0.19/bag!
Frank's Hot Sauce, $1.99, $0.49 after $0.50 coupon
L'Oreal kids' shampoo, 2/$4 this week, but after $0.75 coupon, just $0.50.
Sargento Cheese, 3/$10, but after $1/2 coupon, it comes to $2.33/bag. Not a steal, but good enough for a household bereft of cheese of any kind. ;o)
Also see my Buy 10 get $10 post for all product/coupon matchups from that part of the ad.

One tiny sour note: My Coke manufacturer coupon from Wawa was rejected! Bummer...not that it won't stop me from trying at Giant or Safeway.

If you are curious to know the inserts associated with these coupons, I recommend doing the quick lookup on AFullCup's coupon database - which keeps track of every coupon out there...provenance, expiration dates, etc. Amazing what resources can result when couponers join forces! :)

Let us know what deals you found in the comments section!

Shopper's kickoff - two deals to keep in mind

On page 2 of the Shopper's ad,
there is an intriguing proposition:

If you buy 10 of any of the listed products, you will get a coupon for $10 off your next Shopper's Food Warehouse shopping visit. That's 2-3 gallons of milk! (Or, if you do another run this week with coupons, at least $30 of food! ;-p)
Here are the products that qualify (you can also click the pic above for a closer look):

General Mills Cereals (Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Lucky Charms, Trix, or Cookie Crisp), 2/$6
There was a $1/3 in the 02/08 General Mills insert.

Progresso Soups, 2/$4
There were coupons for $1/4 and $0.50/2 in the 01/04 and 02/08 Sunday inserts.

Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks, 3/$7
There were several coupons for these in recent weeks, but the best is $0.50/1 from the 02/01 SS insert

General Mills Nature Valley Roasted Nut Crunch Bars, $2.99
The 01/04 General Mills insert had a $0.50/1 coupon.

Totinos Pizza Rolls, $5.99
$1.00/2, 01/11 SS.

Pillsbury Savorings Pastry Bites, $3.79
12/07/08 SS was $1.00/1 and/or $0.75/1, 01/25 SS was $0.55/1

Betty Crocker Warm Delights, $1.95
02/08 General Mills insert was $0.50/1

Betty Crocker Brownie Mixes, 2/$5
$0.75/2 in 02/08 General Mills insert

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, $2.39
There are have been coupons for these in varying amounts almost weekly in the SS or General Mills inserts.

Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, $2.49
There are have been coupons for these in varying amounts almost weekly in the SS or General Mills inserts.

(In teeny tiny print:)
Pillsbury Ready to Bake Cookie Dough, $2.98
$1.00/2 from 12/14 SS insert.

Chex 100 Calorie Mix, 2/$5
Chex Mix (caramel, cheddar, traditional), $2.29
Chex Mix (dark chocolate, turtle, or trail), 2/$5
There were coupons good for any of these, $0.50/1, in the 01/25 SS and the 02/22 SS.

Betty Crocker Cake Mix, 2/$3
My coupon research turns up zero active coupons for this, but of course I'd welcome anybody submitting a correction on that point! ;)

Betty Crocker Frosting, $1.59
There was a $0.50/1 coupon in the 02/08 General Mills insert.

Macaroni Grill Prepared Meals, $4.69
There was a couponf or $1.00/1 in the 02/01 SS insert.

You maximum savings plan on this is to buy anything that discounts your product under a dollar - that way you are getting "paid" to pick up these products! And really, as long as your total for the 10 items after coupons is less than $10, you've gotten them free.

Example transaction, even if you only have one of each coupon:

Caramel Chex Mix, $0.79 after coupon
Caramel Chex Mix, $0.79 after other paper insert coupon
Betty Crocker Frosting, just $0.09 after coupon
Betty Crocker Warm Delights, just $0.45 after coupon
Pillsbury Crescent Rolls, $1.34 after $0.35 01/25 SS coupon
Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, $1.59 after $0.30 02/08 General Mills coupon
Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks, $0.83 after coupon
2 Progresso soups, $2.50 after $0.50/2 coupon ($1.25 each)
Nature Valley Granola Bars, $1.49 after coupon

Total: $9.87, and walk out the door with your $10.00 of future purchase coupon.

Did you just 'profit' $0.13? Why, yes, yes you did.

Also: There is free Colgate! Check the back of your Shopper's ad for a $1 off manufacturer coupon. It says $0.99 after coupon, but after the $1 off doubles, it should be free. If you see the ads on your way in, grab 3 more since you can use 4 coupons for the same items in one transaction.

Birthday freebies!

With my birthday this past week, I have enjoyed more than my share of freebies.

For the past 3 years, I have enjoyed the most expensive entree on the menu at Austin Grill just because I signed up for their email club. I receive a coupon for that each year.

I have also enjoyed a free meal at Red Robin, free Coldstone Creamery ice cream, a free entree at Moe's, free Baskin-Robbins ice cream, and a coupon from Victoria's Secret. I have Noodles & Company, Orange Julius and Smoothie King that I don't know if I'll get to use before expiration.
Nothing makes a birthday more fun than freebies!

Sign yourself up! Heather at Freebies 4 Mom has by far the best, most comprehensive list of birthday freebies I've found. If you sign up for any of the email clubs, I recommend having your emails sent to a separate email account, one different from your personal one. That way you're not bombarded with bunches of email throughout the year, and it allows you to keep things separate. I have all coupons sent to my separate, non-personal email address.

Another website I just stumbled upon is birthdayfreebies.com.

Safeway Deals - Mommy Making Money

We love Gina's Mommy Making Money! Her blog is largely responsible for getting us hooked on couponing in the first place. Here is a great example of her posts: this week's Safeway deals!

The biggest tidbit from Gina's Safeway post? Apparently Safeway is now doubling all coupons up to $0.99, just like Giant, every day! Let us know if you try this out and have luck.

Oh, it is SO on! Bloom triples coupons this weekend, too!

Laura over at Blessings in Bargains just sent out the alert: Bloom is tripling coupons this weekend, too! Awwww snap! Did Shopper's just get served? Well, we shall see.

In the past six months, the coupon doubling/tripling has happened during different weekends. I guess that I'll take the positive outlook: this time my efforts dedicated to organizing will be good for two sales.

Details for the Bloom deal as follows:

Coupons valued up to $.99 triple.
Triple up to 20 coupons per visit, per day.

Now don't y'all break a sweat over this. Here's one effective general metric to sort out your "Where shall I use what coupons?" dilemma.

Your $0.00-$0.50 coupons are worth the same (triple their value) at both places. Since SFW routinely has lower prices, unless the Bloom ad for the coming week shows something really on sale, you will likely do best reserving $0.00-$0.50 coupons for SFW. Also, since Bloom doesn't truck with $1.00 coupons, your $1.00 should be used at SFW for a doubled value of $2.00!

Meanwhile, anything $0.51-$0.99 will be worth triple at Bloom (instead of double at SFW), so you are likely to save the most saving the $0.51-$0.99ers for your Bloom run(s).

Check your local Bloom Ad here to determine if your Bloom is participating, and follow the coupon matchups on Hot Coupon World. Thanks so much, Laura, for the heads-up!

I should also take the time to mention here that in past months, both of us Redemption Unlimited Girls have had trouble redeeming internet printable coupons at SFW and Bloom. I think it really is a case-by-case and sometimes cashier-by-cashier basis, even when the expressed company policy is to accept them. I've talked to more than one manager who has said that fraudulent IP coupons have made them/their company reluctant to accept them. Incentives to keep within printing limits to keep the IP industry honest, right?

Which is to say: don't get your hopes up with the IPs. In all honesty, the only places that we've had routinely accept IPs without hassle are CVS, Safeway, and Giant (though Giant will not accept IPs labeled, "Get Free.").

Triple Coupons at Shopper's, 02/19-02/25

Hot diggity. Though there's much to be desired in the Giant ad for next week, my morning was redeemed -

Not only is Shopper's Food Warehouse doing coupon tripling again, they have reverted to their old pattern of $0.00-$0.50 coupons tripling and $0.51-$1.00 doubling (in January they did all coupons up to $0.99 triple). Why does this return to old form excite me? Because Bloom already has traditionally tripled all coupons up to $0.99 - so now I can finally purge my coupon file of $1.00 off coupons. Shopper's had me a little worried there! ;)

Also, Shopper's coupon multiplying days are probably the best grocery chain chance to stock up on nonperishables - pasta, rice, tuna, cake mixes and frosting - cheaply. Even if you wouldn't normally pick up what's free or near-free, it's a great opportunity to get items to donate to your local shelter or food bank.

To give you an idea of the possibilities, my best trip last fall (click to see closer):

This trip to Shopper's, I spent $29 on $135 of groceries, for a savings of 79%. The Nature's Promise, not included in those numbers, was bought with a free milk coupon at Giant, the only thing I bought at Giant that day. ;)

So, ladies and gents, start your engines. Tomorrow morning, a full week of coupon doubling/tripling starts, and I will try to post matchups of coupons with deals very soon.

Double Coupons up to $2 at K-Mart February 22-28

Coupon clippers, beware:

Select K-Mart stores will be doubling coupons up to $2 February 22-28?!

Thanks to My Good Cents for the tip. Check your local circular to confirm - can't beat double coupons up to $4!

Are you missing your Red Plum coupon inserts?

Erica at I Heart CVS has scooped on a rather depressing proposition: Red Plum/Valassis will now be direct-mailing its weekly coupon insert to folks' home addresses instead of offering them in the Sunday paper. If you use CVS ECBs or just invest money in multiple copies of Sunday papers in a bid to collect more coupons, this is a big deal.

Read more about it here! Thanks, Erica!

As for Northern Virginia, it looks like a lot of smaller local papers will still have the ads, but that the Washington Post might be dropped. Ack!!!

Two other Giant deals, courtesy of Frugal in Virginia

Gotta love our fellow frugality bloggers! Frugal in Virginia spotted two big Giant deals, still good for this week, through Thursday:

Skippy Peanut Butter is $2, and use the 01/18 insert coupon for $0.60 to pay only $0.80.

Colgate Kids toothpaste is also $2, and with the $0.75 coupon from the 02/01 ad insert, you can get it for just $0.50!

Check out the rest of Frugal in Virginia's Giant coupon matchup here. Thanks, FIV!

Lands' End Steals with Free Shipping, through 02/18

Almost anything ships FREE from Lands' End through Wednesday 02/18. Enter the Promotion code SHIPFREE and the PIN 00005802 in the space provided.

Lands' End has one of the best guarantees in the business ("Guaranteed. Period."). I know of customers who have returned winter jackets LE no longer carries because of broken zippers and the like, and LE still made it right by replacing it with the nearest possible equivalent. You can't beat that commitment to customer service. LE clothing - including outerwear and accessories - easily lasts through several seasons and several kids, so consider this an opportunity to stock up on the cheap.

Check out this button-up dress maternity shirt, in a variety of shades, for just $5.99.

Women's colorful reversible grosgrain ribbon belts, just $2.99, and intimates start at $2.99, too!

As for the kids, this girls' short sleeve Fair Isle mock neck sweater is $5.99 - a great spring item. Boys' chinos (a variety of styles and colors) start at just $2.99!

Got any friends expecting a little one this fall/winter? Think baby showers! Here's a baby fleece hat and bootie set, $4.99.

Don't forget the men in your life: This fleece Balaclava could come in handy in very cold climates, $7.99 (foxy! ;-p). OK, seriously, these mens' short sleeve rugby stripe shirts are $9.99, and looking good for spring.

New to the Couponingverse? A Perspective Check for Couponing Anxiety

If you are couponing, and just starting to browse blogs and forums for coupon matchups and inspiration, it is easy to be overwhelmed.

But take heart! Couponing and deal-hunting is very worth it. Of course, we'd like to assist you with our blog content, but there are a lot of resources out there. You can always email us at redemptionunlimited@gmail.com if you have questions. In the meantime, consider the following guiding principles:

1. You won't get every deal every time. This is just a fact of life - the sooner you accept it, the sooner you can focus on "What great deals did I get this week?" instead of "What deals did I miss?" Try to prioritize your time and energies toward your most-used products to maximize savings, and consider the rest gravy. :) Trust us, if you acknowledge your human incapacity to conquer every deal out there, you will still be sane come the 2009 Christmas season, when Black Friday deals at CVS are enough to inspire regret because not all deals can be done.

2. Pat yourself on the back for whatever couponing you can manage to do, and enjoy your savings. Whether it's one store trip per week or one daily, you are saving money that would otherwise be spent. Remember not to let the tail wag the dog, and don't let couponing drive you crazy - you are in the driver's seat, and any couponing you elect to pursue is like extra money in your bank.

Update on "Nature's Promise" coupon rolling at Giant

About a week and a half ago, I blogged about rolling the $3 Nature's Promise coupons at Giant.

Since then, I've had a couple of chances to attempt to roll this coupon - with no luck. I asked the Customer Service lady about it today - and she said that since my $3 coupon used in the transaction took my $10.49 of Nature's Promise total down to $7.49, it was not registering the total as being over $10.

I asked her if I could go buy another loaf of bread to get my total high enough to get my $3 coupon (since I had already bought that much NP stuff). She said that there was no need for that, and she then cheerfully reimbursed me $3 cash on the spot - and told me that to avoid the scenario, I should check out without using my old NP coupon, so that the computer will recognize my total and the Catalina machine will print a new NP coupon, and then I should bring my receipt and my old NP coupon straight to the customer service desk for a $3 reimbursement.

Nice! Despite the Giant computer system's inability to roll the coupons (Hellloooo, CVS ECBs roll automatically just fine in their computer system... ;-p) , I couldn't ask for better customer service! And although this ex-post-facto system proposed by the customer service lady adds a few minutes to my grocery run, it's worth it to me, especially since the organics deal expires 02/28/09.

Coupon Location Alert - Gotta Go'ta' Wawa!

I had a delightful surprise today. Though I normally go to Sam's Club to get gas (it generally being $0.05-$0.15 or so lower than other places), today I had to stop at a Wawa for gas. I saw the previous occupant's receipt still hanging out of the printer on the pump. I took it off, and noticed COUPONS on the back. There were three different kinds:

1. Wawa food-to-go, like $0.50-$1.00 off certain sandwiches.
2. Candy/gum store coupons, ~$0.50 off, for candy bars and gum (like Stride and Snickers), redeemable only at Wawas.
   
   And...drumroll please...
   
3. Manufacturer coupons! -- like the $0.50 off any Coke product 20 oz drink.

Why the big fuss over manufacturer coupons? These could be used at any store that accepts coupons. So - I have a couple of available strategies to maximize this Coke coupon:

1. I could go to Giant and have it double any day of the week - making a $1.50 drink $0.50.
   Or:
2. I could go to Bloom or Shopper's Food Warehouse when they do coupon tripling (which they each do about once monthly) and get the drink for free or pretty close to it.

So, I learned two lessons today:

1. Wawa receipts now have coupons on the back. A new source of coupons - including manufacturer coupons! So, when the machine asks if I want a receipt Y/N, I will always press "Yes"!
   
2. I can apply the same 'coupon-stalking' strategy that I do at Giant when I check empty self-checkouts for Catalina coupons that previous customers have left behind - when I'm waiting at my pump as the gas fills the tank, I can glance around at other nearby empty pumps to see if there are any stray receipts hanging out.

5 Reasons to go to CVS this week - 02/15-02/21

Credit goes to Erica at I Heart CVS for the matchups. Check out the link here to see the rest of the deals Erica has found for this week!

1. Colgate Total is $2.99, $2.99 back in ECBs. ("Free after ExtraCare Bucks" = FAECBs)
   Limit 2
   Use the $1 off coupon from the 02/01/09 SS Sunday ad section to get a $1 ECB profit!
   (There is also a $0.75 coupon you can use in this same ad section to get $0.75 ECB profit)
   
   
2. Gillette Fusion Gamer, Venus Embrace or Spa Breeze razors (1 ct) are $7.99 get $4 ECBs
   Limit 1
   Use the $4 any Fusion Razor coupon on the Fusion Gamer, 02/08/09 P&G Sunday insert.
   FAECBs!
   
   
3. Gillette Shampoo is on sale for $4.99 this week, and you get $3 ECBs (this is a February ECB deal)
   Limit 5
   There was a $2 Gillette Shampoo, Conditioner or Styling Product coupon in 01/18/09 P&G.
   FAECBs!
   
   
4. Aussie or Herbal Essences Shampoo, conditioner 10.1-13.5 oz or styler 5-16oz $2.99 get $1 ECB
   Limit 5
   Use the $3 off 2 Herbal Essences coupon from the 02/08 P&G.
   Cost after coupon and ECBs: $5.98-3-1-1=$0.98, or $0.49/bottle
   
   
5. L'Oreal's HIP line of high-pigment cosmetics are BOGO. The eyeshadows start at $6.99.
   There was a $2 off HIP lip or eye product in the 01/04/09 V/RP, and you can use two!
   This makes the two of the dual-eyeshadow compacts cost $2.99 or ~$1.50/each.

And for a bonus, if you drink Diet Coke:
Diet Coke is 4/$14 (limit 8 12 pks) this week, and you get $10 ECBs when you spend $20
Limit 1
SO, buy 6 12-packs of Diet Coke for $21, earn back 10 ECBs, net $11 for six 12-packs, or $1.83/12-pack.

Mark your calendar: 31-cent scoop night at Baskin-Robbins - April 29

Our family favorite for ice cream is Baskin-Robbins. I always go wait in line on their 31-cent scoop night and bring as many scoops home as they'll let me. Last year I think the limit was 10 scoops, but 2 years ago there was no limit. Hubby likey!

http://www.baskinrobbins.com/firefighters/

Store locator

Free Shipping on all photo gifts at Snapfish until February 16

This just in from Snapfish:

To celebrate President's Day, we're giving you FREE STANDARD SHIPPING on all photo gifts. Just use coupon 3DAYSALE at checkout. Offer does not apply to prints.*
Hurry! This great deal only lasts until February 16.

http://www.snapfish.com/

Items to Buy at CVS

CVS is a cornucopia of the relevant and bizarre when it comes to ExtraCare Buck deals. When approaching deals, you must bring two BIG attitudes to your overall mindset:

1. A sense of humor about people, especially yourself! To get the best deals, occasionally you will need to work items into your transactions (say, to get you up to $20 for a $4 off $20 CVS purchase coupon) that have nothing to do with your actual consuming needs. Fear not! It can be donated, regifted, or sold, if need be. For example, one night before Halloween last year, I picked up a blood glucose monitor and Butterfingers in the same transaction, because they had hot deals for both that week and I had a $3 off $15 coupon. The lady checking me out was amused to say the least.

2. A willingness to flex - to try out new brands when they've got good deals, and to strike while the iron is hot on your favorites. Me getting over most of my brand loyalties is what enabled me to embrace the CVS loyalty system for its possibilities.

That said, if you collect coupons and watch the ExtraCare deals, you should be able to pick up lots of the following for free or pennies on the dollar, on a regular basis:

Haircare (Garnier, Pantene, Head and Shoulders, Nivea, Pert Plus, Herbal Essences, etc.)
Skincare and Cosmetics (Olay, Neutrogena, Jergens, L'Oreal, Maybelline, Cover Girl, Almay, Revlon, etc.)
Toothbrushes and toothpaste (Colgate, Crest, etc.)
Deodorant (Right Guard, Blade, Old Spice, Soft'n'Dri, Suave, etc.)
Body Washes and Soaps (St. Ives, Dove, Softsoap, Irish Spring, etc.)
Feminine hygiene products (Always, Stayfree, Kotex, Playtex, etc.)
Meds for Cold, Sinus, Allergies, Painkillers, Fever Reducers (Aleve, Aleve-D, Zyrtec, Advil, Claritin, etc.)
Travel sizes of toiletries
Drinks (soda 12-packs, single drinks from refrigerator, etc.)
Snacks and candy, especially before big holidays

And you can often get the following baby and kid gear for much cheaper than even WalMart and warehouse store prices:

Diapers (Pampers, Huggies, Playskool, CVS brand)
Diaper creams (Desitin, etc.)
Wipes (Same as diaper brands)
Sippy cups (Playtex, Gerber, etc.)
Kid toothbrushes and toothpaste (Oragel, Colgate, etc. with or without fluoride)

Rolling ExtraCare Bucks at CVS

Tonight I made a CVS run.

4 x $3.98 StayFree maxipads (various types apply for the ECB deal)
2 x $4.99 two-packs 6-hr. energy drinks
=======
$25.90 subtotal, $1.03 tax, total: $26.93

I used two BOGO (buy one get one free) Stayfree coupons from the 1/04 paper, and $5 ECB (expiring tonight), bringing the total down to $13.79 out of pocket, charged to my CVS gift card.

I received $17.98 in ExtraCare Bucks on my receipt when it printed.

Net imput: $18.79 ($13.79+ $5 ECB)
Net output: $17.98 ECB ((Energy Drink 2x$4.99 ECB)+(Stayfree 4x$2 ECB))
==============
$0.81 invested for $26.93 of merchandise

Year to date savings: $362.85
Year to date spending: $15.88 (saving 96% so far)

If you are a beginner to the CVS process, check out this lil' diagram I made tonight.

Hopefully it will help to give you a frame of reference for how coupons can be applied to where you are paying pennies on the dollar for household essentials (maxipads) and other random stuff (energy drinks...?).

Upcoming NOVA Consignment Sales

Hold on to your hats, because two BIG semi-annual NOVA consignment sales are about to kick off!

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One is sponsored by the Christ Church of Fairfax:
http://www.christchurchva.org/aspnet2/consignment_sale/index.aspx
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Saturday, March 14, 2009
8:00am to 1:00pm

Come and shop for quality, gently used children’s clothing, toys, infant items, shoes, books, games, DVD’s, videos, furniture and much more. This is a HUGE sale with items from over 200 consignors. Shop from noon to 1:00pm and receive ½ off some items.
We accept cash, checks and credit cards. 30% of all proceeds benefit various ministries and missions of Christ Church.
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The other takes place the following weekend - the Weecycled Wardrobe's semi-annual sale, which takes place in Fredericksburg and Stafford, VA:
http://weecycledwardrobe.com/
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Fredericksburg Sale
March 21st - 24th
Open 10 - 7 every day
Location coming soon

Stafford times/locations TBA.
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Both of these events are massive.

Remember that being a consignor at these events has major advantages beyond just earning money for your used kids' clothes and toys. Discounts and early sneak peeks are involved, too!

Look here to see the page of all of the latest Redemption Unlimited posts on local consignment sales. Also, see the blog's right-hand sidebar where we list upcoming consignment sales!