Saturday, December 12, 2009
Old Navy: 20% off any online purchase through 12/15
Enter code ONSAVE20 at checkout.
And now for the fine print:
**Offer valid on Old Navy merchandise only through 12/15/09 at 11:59 pm ET in the U.S. (including Puerto Rico) at Old Navy online. Not valid at Old Navy stores. Qualifying amount applies to merchandise only, not value of GiftCards purchased, packaging, applicable taxes or shipping & handling charges. Offer limited to one-time use only. No adjustments on previous purchases. Cannot be combined with other offers or discounts, including Gap Inc. employee discount

Friday, December 11, 2009
Lands' End: 25% off everything + free shipping through 12/14!
25% off everything + free shipping through 12/14.
The fine print: excludes gift cards.
Enter promotion code DEC14 and pin 00001248 at checkout.
Happy shopping!

DSW: Save $10/$49 or $20/$99 off online purchases!
Since becoming a DSW Rewards member, I've realized that it pays over time to buy shoes for myself in the same place, like DSW. I don't spend over $200 a year on shoes for myself, including sneakers, but I do enjoy buying a new pair every few months depending on my needs. It's even more enjoyable when I get great deals!
This fall I fell in love with these ruffled flats when I visited the store. I *really* liked the teal color and noticed the store didn't have my size in stock. I also remembered that I had a DSW rewards coupon at home from my last purchase. So I went home and bought the same shoes online, saved $10 from the rewards coupon, found a coupon code on RetailMeNot for free shipping, and bought my husband some socks to make up the difference. $10 of free socks and adorable shoes delivered to my home? Can't be beat!
On to the latest DSW sale... you can save $10 on a $49 purchase or $20 on a $99 purchase by shopping online. Use promotion code 2XLOVE at checkout. Let us know what you buy!

It's Friday: Earn Mega Swag Bucks today!
It's Friday: Earn Mega Swag Bucks today!
Every Friday is Mega Swag Bucks Day!
Never heard of Swagbucks? It's one of our favorite websites because it's easy to earn free prizes by using the Swagbucks search engine. And on Fridays, users have better chances of winning Mega Swagbucks denominations.
The way it works:
- Go to Swagbucks through our referral link by clicking here.
- Sign up and create a new profile for yourself.
- Search a few times a day, and you'll start seeing points accumulate.
As a disclaimer, if you sign up under our referral link, we will receive Swagbucks thanks to you.

Thursday, December 10, 2009
A.C. Moore: BOGO Crayola, 40% off Thomas & Friends
In the Sunday circulars, A.C. Moore always has a 40% off one item coupon. In November, I started driving out of my way to visit the store to stockpile wooden engines one at a time at the discounted price. The Thomas engines all run over $12 a piece, which adds up quickly!
Well, this week ALL Thomas & Friends wooden railway, cars, vehicles & playsets are on sale for 40% off. That's the cheapest you'll find Thomas gear, cheaper than the sales Amazon runs for sure. So if you have a Thomas lover on your giving list, head to A.C. Moore!
And don't forget to sign up for A.C. Moore's new rewards program. I just got a notice that I've already accumulated $10 in rewards! Yeah!

Rite Aid: $25 gift card for prescription transfer
I located them on page 14 of the D.C. area circular. Rite Aid included 2 coupons for "Get a $25 gift card and a coupon booklet with over $75 in savings when you transfer your prescription."
I clip these whenever I see them and keep them in my coupon organizer. When my husband had his wisdom teeth removed last month, I used 2 coupons on his prescriptions at CVS and received $50 in gift cards! I'll be using those gift cards for toiletries we need and stocking stuffers. Can't beat that!
Target also had a coupon on page 39 of this week's circular for a $10 gift card with a prescription transfer. Most drug stores honor competitors' coupons; all it takes is asking!

Wednesday, December 9, 2009
5 Reasons to Visit Giant this week!
5 Reasons to Visit Giant This Week, 12/11-12/17
1. Super G Boneless Chicken Breast, $1.99/lb Sold in packages of 3 lbs. or more - a great stock-up price to get ready for the holidays! For chicken recipes, check out my meal plan here.
2. Blueberries or Blackberries, 2/$4
3. Progresso traditional soup, Buy Two Get Two Free
$.50/2 11/08/2009 SS (should double), $.50/2 10/25/2009 SS (should double), Printable $1.10/3 here
Final price: ~$1.50-$2.00 each
4. Ragu Pasta Sauce, 2/$4
$.60/2 11/15/2009 RP, should double
Final price: ~$1.40 each
5. Giant Apple Sauce, 3/$4
This is a great stock-up price! I use applesauce as a substitute for oil in some of my holiday baking.
This post is part of BeCentsAble's Grocery Gathering
What other Giant coupon matchups and deals did you spot for the coming week? Post a comment to let us know!

Old Navy: 25% off one item coupons in Sunday paper circulars
I clipped mine last weekend and was pleasantly surprised to find lots of deals in-store that weren't published on the website. For instance, I found a new pair of "Sweetheart" jeans on sale for $19 and used the 25% coupon on them. If you're looking for gift ideas, Old Navy also has lots of fun flannel pants, socks, colorful hat/scarf combos, and fun gloves & mittens for all ages. There is a suite of argyle tops/sweaters for most sizes if you or someone on your giving list like argyle.
During my store visit, my cashier put a coupon for $10 off a $50 or more purchase. The coupon is only good in-store and expires December 24.
I plan to go back this week with my 25% coupon and $10 coupon if possible! This might be a great "double dipping" deal.

Nursing cover for $8.95 shipped!
Full price for these is $32.95, so be sure to enter discount code Christmas before checking out. I just tried it and know it works! Hop on the deal; I'm not sure when it will run out.
There are 6 different fabrics available, and the nursing cover features a rigid top to offer better sight lines to baby but also offer privacy for Mama.
Thanks to reader Kamber for the tip!

Lands' End deal through 12/10: 50% off most outerwear PLUS free shipping!
Today and tomorrow, Lands' End has a 50% off most outerwear sale running, complete with free shipping. Hats, boots, scarves, coats, vests, etc. are all included for all ages.
To capitalize on the sale, use Promotion Code DEC10 and PIN 00008104 at checkout.
And don't forget to sign up for an Ebates account using our link below if you don't have one already. Save those pennies! Currently Ebates is offering 3% cash back on Lands' End purchases.

Works for Me Wednesday: making my own sausage
In a pinch while trying to come up with a meal to take to a friend who recently had surgery, I needed sausage but didn't have any. I spotted a package of ground turkey in my freezer and bing! the idea light came on. This isn't the first time I've made sausage, but it was the first time I made turkey sausage.
It's so easy - and I like that I can control the type of meat,amount of fat, and amount of salt by making it at home. Plus, it's cheaper than buying prepackaged sausage at the grocery store. Here is the seasoning I like for either ground turkey or ground pork. I've tried several different recipes I found online, and this combines a few of my favorites.
Homemade Sausage Recipe
1/2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. sage
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
*** Perdue 93% lean ground turkey is on sale at Giant this week through 12/10 for $1.99/lb. Stock up on some to have in your house over the holidays - I know I'll be making stuffed shells and breakfast casseroles for all my guests and this will come in handy!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Staying sane during busy times
I feel like the past 4 weeks have been a blur. My husband and I both had surgery during a 2-week window, and we also started potty training our toddler around the same time. I went away for a weekend to attend a wedding, then we all went away for Thanksgiving, and I feel like I've been catching up ever since. Or is catching up an elusive, unattainable balance?
Whatever the case, the holiday frenzy seems to be hitting me early this year. So back to my main question - what keeps you sane during busy times? For me, it has been to get out some of my organizing tools that I haven't used since the end of the summer. I'll share some details on those in this post.
Weekly Organizing Spreadsheet
I tabled my old standby, a one-page printed Excel spreadsheet that a friend shared with me when I became a stay-at-home-mom. I keep it in a clipboard near my computer, and the clipboard is a bright color that is easy to spot if it gets piled upon. That happens a lot, unfortunately, thanks to my paper organization problem! I date each day at the top of the sheet, using one page per week, and write my to-dos, meals, cleaning to-dos, shopping/errands, etc. Please open the attachment to view a sample of this spreadsheet. Tailor it and print away!
I've also gotten out my tote bag and placed it where I see it each time I leave the house. Again, for some reason with all the craziness I haven't been doing it. Since getting it out again last week, I returned a few items, did an ATM deposit, and took some books back to the library. How was I getting by without it?!
Gift Planning Spreadsheet
As we head into the holidays, I'm also using a gift planning spreadsheet. I blogged here about how we're doing a gift exchange on one side of the family this year, and I'm excited about that. But when November comes around each year, I'm generally overwhelmed by the fact that we have 6 family birthdays in the 8 weeks leading up to Christmas! Those coupled with our regular Christmas gift giving and the coordinating of a gift program I do for a ministry organization tap me out. Oh, and did I mention that my toddler's birthday is also in December? There's a party to plan each December, too!
Check out my version of a gift planning spreadsheet. In it I track names and wish list items, prices, and items yet to buy. I print this every 2 weeks to keep myself current and place it in my purse. That way it's with me when I'm out; I certainly can't keep it all in my head.
Meal Planning
I've fallen off the band wagon with meal planning during the past few weeks, but I follow my blogging partner A.'s menu plan when I don't have the energy or creativity to come up with my own. I also maintain a "Meals We Like" spreadsheet that is a simple list of meals I know that we all like in the event that I have absolutely no ideas. Which happens a lot at this time of year!
Let us know what works for you!

Monday, December 7, 2009
Menu Plan Monday: chicken week!

Here's what's cookin' this week:
Monday: Grilled margarita chicken, bean salad
Tuesday: Aglio e olio with peas, garden salad
Wednesday: Chicken parmesan, steamed vegetables
Thursday: Slow Cooker Tortilla Chicken Soup, cornbread muffins
Friday: Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina, garden salad, bread
Saturday: Tomato soup & grilled cheese sandwiches
Happy eating!

Anatomy of a Freebie - Wielding November's 1800Flowers $40.00 Fresh Rewards

Today I received my serial number and PIN for a $40.00 credit. It was fabulous! I ordered some flowers for my mother-in-law's upcoming birthday, and here are how the discounts stacked up:
$29.99 for the flowers (white calla lilies with red roses, so pretty!)
$12.99 for weekday delivery
====================
$42.98
+$1.92 tax
====================
$44.90
($40.00 Fresh Rewards code)
(15% discount of $4.50 using code BIRTHDAY15)
Grand total: $0.40
Did I mention I also clicked through ebates to get 10% cash back? Yes, that's only $0.04 cash back, but at this point, it's pure sport. So real grand total = $0.36.
I am so excited to hear how the delivery/quality of the flowers goes. You can bet I'll be on the lookout for future 1800flowers offers. The November-era posts about this deal didn't reveal any expiration date, so it may still be good if you haven't checked it out yet!
Disclosure: If you join ebates using our referral link, you'll get a $5 bonus to start, and so (thanks!) will we..
.

Sunday, December 6, 2009
Unusual Stocking Stuffer: Baconnaise, Cheap Today on Amazon.com

When I went to check out the gift pack on Amazon, it was out of stock at the moment, but I looked further down the page, in the "Customers that Bought This Item Also Bought..." section - and saw the Baconnaise by itself! Three 15-oz. jars are priced at $14.29, but after a 15% Subscribe and Save discount (you can cancel the subscription immediately after placing your order) and a 20% discount offered on J&D products through December 31, I paid $9.29 for three jars.
True, normally couponing would lead me to pay much, much less for mayo, much less any condiment, but in this case I was willing to pay ~$3.10 per jar for the novelty aspect - and for those bacon-loving family members of mine. :) This is one stocking stuffer they'll never see coming.
.

Saturday, December 5, 2009
Some Can't Miss Deals and FREEBIES: $5 Hallmark freebie, MORE FREE Amazon MP3s, Robeez, Vera Bradley, Burt's Bees, World Market, etc.!
A $5-off-any-purchase (no minimum!) coupon good for Hallmark Gold Crown stores. Won't last long - print now. Expires 12/24.
Amazon keeps on giving away the music! I've downloaded so many free holiday MP3s that I've almost doubled my Christmas music collection. Freebies 4 Mom gave the scoop on 3 freebies available today - thanks, Heather!
Today you can get 30% off Robeez and free shipping at Endless.com. Robeez deals are harder to find, so if you like the brand, shop this deal! Thanks, Baby Cheapskate!
Use code 20offsale to get an extra 20% off sale items at VeraBradley.com this weekend. Clicking through ebates to get to the Vera Bradley site will get you an extra 3% cash back.
Whooowee, I love it when you can stack coupons and discounts. Dana of Mrs. Moneysaver posted a great scenario for ending up with LOTS (and lots!) of Burt's Bees products for a scant $25. This is is an ideal opportunity to split up the variety for stocking stuffers. Thanks for the tips, Dana!
Mommy's Wish List posted a coupon good through tomorrow, December 6th, for 25% off your purchase at World Market. Thanks, Lea Ann!
Bargain Briana says if you go to Denny's, you can use her linked coupon to get a free Peppermint Pancake Puppies coupon with any purchase at Denny's through 12/11. Thanks, Briana!
.
Disclosure: If you join ebates using any of our referral links, you'll get a $5 bonus to start, and so (thanks!) will we..

Thursday, December 3, 2009
Starbucks: bring your own travel mug to get more and save money!
I recently stumbled onto this truth because I noticed it in fine print at the bottom of one of the pricing signs in my local store. I finally remembered to put my travel mug in the car a few weeks ago, and I was pleasantly surprised when my large mug came back to me overflowing with my favorite tall skinny vanilla latte. I'm not kidding, I couldn't even put the lid on, the steamed milk was so high!
I tried this again at another location about 2 weeks ago, and then again this morning. Starbucks consistently fills my 16-ounce mug to the brim even when I order a tall (12 ounces) sized drink. Yahoo! I even filled my mug up with water at home to be sure it is larger than 12 ounces. It's definitely 16 ounces, thanks to my chemistry experiment!
So next time you visit your local coffee shop, take your own mug. I know for sure that both Starbucks and Caribou Coffee offer the discount. Let us know if anyone else gives your more drink for free!
If you haven't signed up for their email newsletters yet, I encourage you to do so. Both Caribou Coffee and Starbucks offer a coupon for a free drink on your birthday amongst other deals.
Click here to sign up for the Starbucks emails. **You have to create a profile and register a gift card to participate.
Click here to sign up for the Caribou Coffee emails.

FREE MP3 of the Day, Every Day 'Til Christmas, on Amazon.com
.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009
5 Reasons to Visit Giant This Week, 12/04-12/10
Five Reasons to Visit Giant This Week:
- General Mills, Kellogg's or Quaker Cereal, $1.88/box
Trix, Kellogg's Raisin Bran, Corn Pops, Apple Jacks, Froot Loops, Rice Krispies, Quaker Life Cereal, Cap'n Crunch Cereal
$1/2 General Mills Cereals, Coupons.com AND Betty Crocker website AND Pillsbury website, final price: $1.38/box
$1.50/2 Kellogg's Raisin Bran, final price $1.13/box
$1/3 Raisin Bran, 11/08 RP
$1/2 Kellogg's Froot Loops, Corn Pops, Apple Jacks or Frosted Flakes cereal, 11/08 RP, final price: $1.38/box$1/1 Kellogg's Crispix, All-Bran, Rice Krispies or Corn Flakes cereal , 11/08 RP, final price $0.88/boxReader Kate let us know that this Rice Krispies coupon was for a 10 oz.+ box, and the sale item is for a 9 oz. box. Thanks again, Kate! - Dannon Yoghurt, 20/$10
$1/10, 09/13 insert, 10/25 SS, 11/15 SS
Final price: $0.40/cup - Wish-Bone Salad Dressing, 2/$5
$0.75/1 printable
Final price: $1 - Reach Dental Floss, Waxed, Mint, Unwaxed, or Clean Burst, $0.99
$1/1, 04/26 RP, 06/21 SS, 10/18 RP
Final price: FREE! - Birds Eye Boxed Vegetables, 10/$10
$0.50/1, 11/08 SS, probably applies
Final price: FREE
Porterhouse or T-Bone Steak, $4.99/lb.
SUPER G Homestyle Roasting Chicken, $0.99/lb.
Sweet Sweedless Clementines, 5 lb. box, $4.77, limit 2
Bunched Broccoli or Broccoli Crowns, $0.99/lb.
Snow Crab Clusters, $4.99/lb. (Save at least $4/lb.)
Stouffer's Entrees, 5/$10
10/$10 Sale
Pepsi 2-Liters
Progresso Vegetable Classics Soup - coupons vary regionally - ($1/4, 10/25 SS) ($0.50/2, 11/08 SS, 11/15 GM, 10/25 SS)
Barilla Pasta
Glaceau Vitamin Water
Furmano's Tomatoes
Celeste Pizza for One
Oscar Mayer Basic or Jr. Lunchables
Giant White Bread
Second Page
SUPER G Drumsticks or Thighs, $0.99/lb.
Oscar Mayer Fully Cooked Bacon, 2/$6
$0.75/1, 11/15 SS
Final price: $1.50/each
Nature's Promise Boneless Chicken Breast, $4.99/lb.
Nature's Promise Boneless Beef Chuck Steak, $3.99/lb.
Third Page
Minute Maid Orange Juice and Simply Lemonade and Simply Limade, or Gold Peak Iced Tea, 2/$4
Cabot Bar Cheese, 2/$5
$1/3, 08/02 SS
Final price: $2.17/each
Giant Fancy Shredded Cheese, 2/$4
Nature's Promise Instant Oeatmeal, 2/$5
Blue Diamond Nut Thins, 2/$5
Toiletries and Health
Nature's Bounty Vitamins, BOGO
$2/1 and $1/1, 11/01 SS
Use two coupons since you are getting two bottles!
Met-Rx Protein Plus Bars, 2/$4
BOGO coupon, 09/20 insert ("other")
Final price: $1/each
Catalina deal: Buy $10 worth of Garnier products in one transaction and receive a coupon at checkout for $3 off your next order.
Fructis Hair Care, $2.99
$0.75/1, 11/08 RP
Final price: $1.49
Nutrisse Hair Color, $6.99
$2/1, 11/08 RP
Final price: $4.99
Nutritioniste Skin Care, $2 off retail
$1/1, 10/11 RP
$2.50/1, 11/08 RP
$1/1, 09/13 insert ("other")
Deal idea: Buy 4 Garnier hair products, use four $0.75/1 coupons, spend $6, get $3 back. Net: 4 for $3, or $0.75/bottle
***
This post is part of BeCentsAble's Grocery Gathering
What other Giant coupon matchups and deals did you spot for the coming week? Post a comment to let us know!

PARADE Magazine: Huggies coupon spotted!
We just spotted a high-dollar Huggies coupon on page 19. It's a manufacturers coupon for $2 off any one Huggies diapers (48-count or larger). Expires 12/31/09.

Works for Me Wednesday: Freezing Cookie Dough - for You and for Others!

If you're like me, cocooning indoors on icy cold winter nights conjures an urge for a hot drink...and a fresh-from-the-oven cookie!
Unfortunately for me, making a huge bowl of cookie dough when this craving strikes can be disastrous - sampling (ahem) suddenly snowballs into just plain snarfing cookie dough while I wait for multiple batches to bake. Even worse: I'm 'tied' to the oven all evening if I plan on baking it all.
So I freeze cookie dough. Though I commonly make double or triple batches, I bake just enough for whatever immediate purposes I have - and freeze the rest. Unlike other baked goods, like muffins, which do better baked then frozen, freezing then baking is generally best for cookies. This saves me calories (from sampling and overbaking), time (from not being tied to the oven all evening), and future hassle (say, if I suddenly need to attend an event requiring a dessert).
Here are some tips to get started if you want to freeze cookie dough:
If your cookie recipe calls for balled up cookie dough, freeze it in the ball shapes. If it calls for "flattened" pieces (as with the fork-indented peanut butter cookie recipes), freeze it already flattened. To prevent the cookie dough pieces from sticking to each other, you can do some or all of the following to reduce stickiness:
- Coat the cookie dough in a layer of granulated sugar (this works well for molasses crinkles)
- Set cookie dough balls in ice cube slots of an ice cube tray. Freeze for at least half an hour before consolidating the frozen dough balls into a container together.
- Use wax paper to separate layers of cookie dough pieces - this works well with "flattened" dough pieces, which you can then store in a gallon zip bag with extra air squeezed out.
- For storage in the freezer, use a gallon storage bag (see above), or an airtight container. If you make lots of cookie dough to freeze, consider labeling the container with the type and date of dough involved.
Finally, one last tip: if you get struck by a "cookie craving" on one of those cold nights, having a frozen stash of dough and a toaster oven can be just the ticket! Frozen dough is less appetizing (so less sampling temptation), and your mini batch can be fresh out of the oven in less than 15 minutes. Way to streamline the process!
What works for you in terms of cookie dough storage?
.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009
New Redbox Freebie Rental Code, Expires Wednesday 12/2
.
