Learn how to
8/31/08
2009 Entertainment Book For $4?
Do you know how to get your 2009 Entertainment Book loaded full of coupons, over $18,000 worth of savings in the Kansas City area book, for ONLY $4?
If not, check out Broke Not Broken, and she will tell you exactly how to do that!
Another tip: If you are planning a vacation next year, be sure to get your Entertainment Book for the area you will be staying at. There will be tons of savings to use on your vacation. For $4 bucks, how could you go wrong?
8/30/08
Saturday Cake Mix Special-Chewy Lemon Cookies
1 lemon cake mix
2 cups whipped topping
2 eggs
powdered sugar
Mix together cake mix, whipped topping and eggs. Be sure to not over mix. Refrigerate 2 hours or longer. Can be refrigerated a day ahead of baking.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Lightly grease a cookie sheet. Roll cookie dough into small balls, dip tops of balls into powdered sugar and space evenly on cookie sheet, sugared top up.
Bake 6-8 minutes. Do not overbake. You want the edge barely brown. Remove from pan and cool.
Variations:
add 1 tsp lemon extract
add 1 package lemonade flavored kool-aid
add 1 tblsp lemon juice
add 2 tsp lemon zest
8/29/08
Friday Freebies
Click here for a free full size sample of Secret Clinical Strength
Click here for a free sample of Clorox2.
Click here for a free Dryer Vent Wizard. Keeping your dryer vent is very important for preventing fires. I'm really excited about receiving this. I've seen and heard about these in the media but have never been able to find any.
8/28/08
Can I Use a BOGO coupon with a BOGO sale
The Buy One Get One coupon combined with the BOGO sale works different ways, depending on the store policy, manager and or cashier that you happen to be working with.
In some cases, you will get managers and cashiers who let you get two for free, the logic being that the sale gets you one for free and the coupon covers the other. In other cases, they think that this is not legit and make you buy at least one, meaning you wind up with a buy one get TWO free (one from the sale and one from the coupon). It's a YMMV (your mileage may vary) that's widespread. What I mean by widespread is that there doesnt seem to be a Wags, Wal-Mart, Target, or CVS policy. It's mainly left up to the cashier... Pick him wisely!! But either scenario usually nets a pretty good deal.
I always start out with two items and one coupon. So, if you buy 2 and use 1 B1G1 coupon, you'll get two free! (The store will give you one free as part of their promotion and the coupon will give you one free from the manufacturer!) They will let you know if they wont allow it.If your store wont allow any type of bogo coupon to be used on a bogo sale, then here is another way you can bring the cost down.
Combine BOGO (buy one get one free) sales with coupons. Here is an example: Last week Yoss had Lipton 100 count Tea Bags for $3.79 BOGO. You do not have to buy two at Yoss to get the discount. I only needed one, so it was on sale for $1.89. I had a $1.00 coupon from a fund raiser book. So, I got an additional $1.00 off. My total price for the tea bags was $.89!! That is over 75% off the regular price!
I could have gotten two boxes, used two of those $1 coupons and receivd the two boxes for $1.79. That's pretty cheap tea bags.
Do you know of another tip on the BOGO/BOGO deals? Be sure to let me know.
8/27/08
Vyrl Facebook Fraudulent Coupons and Couponers
I'm po'd at vyrl for being so dumb. And I believe they should pay retailers for all that needs to be reimbursed. I feel they will be called into court over this and will have to pay!
I'm also po'd at every one of the people who actually used these coupons. There will be repercussions for those honest couponers who didnt use them, in the future when it comes to the world of coupons. We will be scrutinized even more now.
My first clue something wasnt right about the coupons was, $6 off Pantene! Give me a break, a $6 coupon? And now there are so many people claiming to be honest couponers (after they used those coupons and have merchandise in their homes from them) and po'd because they trusted Vyrl only to find out that some of them were fraudulent.
Like my mother always said, if something seems too good to be true, it is.
Has anyone found any articles about any of the honest couponers taking the stuff they got for free back to the retailers? Hell no!!
For all these people who claim to be so honest I have a question. If you were given back $10 too much change you would go back to the store and return it, correct? This is no different. There was a mistake made, return the merchandise!! If you had ANY out of pocket, take your receipt and I'm sure they will give you back what little you paid out. Keeping the merchandise, knowing it was received with a fraudulent coupon, even though you thought it was legit in the begining, is still being dishonest.
Do the right thing and return the merchandise to your retailer. They will respect you for your decision and will probably be more apt to give you less hassles over legit coupons in the future, knowing you are one of their honest customers.
8/26/08
Limit One Coupon Per Purchase
The wording on coupons varies and continues to change. The cashier was wrong in refusing to accept all three coupons. All of your items together are one transaction, but each individual item is a purchase. You have three purchases of Crisco so you could use the three coupons. The limit one per purchase excludes using two of the same manufacturer coupons on one item.
Alot of manufacturers realize that vendors view the definition of purchase different and they have started to word their coupons as "One coupon valid for item(s) indicated". Kraft Foods being one of them, as well as Kellogg's wording of "Offer is limited to one coupon per package purchased".
Manufacturers will use wording such as "Limit one coupon per family", "One coupon per household", "One coupon per purchase/household" or "Limit one per customer" when they want us to only be able to use one of their coupons per transaction or visit.
CVS and Wal-Mart cashiers both have tried the same tactic with me. As a consumer you have a choice, you can either let the cashier dictate to you how you will use your coupons and accept what they tell you, or you can make the decision to refuse to purchase the items they have refused a coupon for that is legit. I always explain to them a purchase means the item, my whole order is a transaction. If they do not comply and accept the other coupons, then I ask for the items that will not be bought with the coupons to be removed from my transaction. Most cashiers will comply.
There have been two occasions when the cashier and service manager have been totally out of line refusing my coupons for one reason or another and I have told them to void my ENTIRE transaction and return my coupons to me, I would be contacting their corporate office. Both times the manager has put the coupons through.
8/24/08
Crockpot Sweet & Sour Chicken
4 tablespoons melted butter
3/4 c. ketchup
1/2 c. white vinegar
3/4 c. brown sugar
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
dash salt and pepper
dash ground cayenne pepper
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 can drained pineapple chunks
Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine melted butter, ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, salt and pepper, hot pepper, chicken broth and pour over chicken.
Cover and cook on LOW for 5 to 7 hours, until chicken is tender but still moist. Add pineapple and cook for 20 minutes longer. Serves 6.
Serve over rice.
LE1
8/23/08
Saturday Cake Mix Special-Chunky Peanut Chocolate Bars
Be sure to clip those coupons and get those great deals on cake mix sales!
1 yellow or chocolate chip cake mix
2 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together cake mix, eggs, and oil for 2 minutes. Mix in peanut butter. Stir in chocolate chips. Pat mixture into a 9 x 13 pan.
Bake 14-17 minutes until golden brown. Do not overbake!
8/21/08
Friday Freebies
This is a double freebie of Cascade and Mr Clean eraser! Be sure to click on the button below to sign up. Simple sign up. Get yours before they are gone. They usually will also have a coupon or two included.
Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Acne Wash Sign up is fast and easy. Submit your name, address, age, and an email address. You will receive an email to confirm by clicking on the submit button and then you are done! There is a counter on their page showing you before you ever submit information if there is any left. As I type this there was over 11,000 left. Better grab yours now... they are going quick.
Anyone potty training? Then this deal is for you. Pampers offers a FREE Potty Training Kit. Sign up is painless, quick and easy. (the only way I like a FREEBIE!)
How to get your stores to accept internet printed coupons
Save your cereal boxes, cut them apart, you can get 2 sheets of cardstock from them. Use the inside that is blank and print the coupons on those. Make sure that you set your printer for cardstock, not paper so that it won't get stuck.
Most cashiers are used to coupons being printed on the inside of these boxes and won't even think twice about accepting them. They also expect them to be in black ink only so you save there too.
Even if you don't have problems, it is a great way to recycle! You could probably use the cardboard from your soda packs too, just cut to size.
EDITED:
This sheet of coupons was printed on the back of a Honey Bunches Of Oats box. My printer settings does not list cardstock but has a greeting card option that I chose. I also changed the paper size to A4. Worked like a charm!
8/20/08
Blog Awards Received
On August 18th Ginger from Attention Target Shoppers awarded me this fun and cute award
Thanks Ginger, I'm honored you thought of me. Love your blog too!
Here's the rules for this award:
1. The winner can put the logo on his/her blog.
2. Link to the blog that gave you the award.
3. Nominate up to 7 other blogs.
4. Put links of those blogs on yours.
5. Leave a message on the blogs of the people you’ve nominated
So I am choosing the following 5 for this award...
1) Broke Not Broken is one of my newest reads. Love it!
2) Frugal Makes Cents I read here daily. She has helped me become such a frugal savvy shopper. Thanks Precious!
3) Picky Palate Pioneer Woman doesnt hold a candle to this blogger! Check her blog out people!
4) Win Your Battle With Finances I love reading her posts, she has a way of writing. You feel what she is feeling.
5) Real Life Living This is another one of my frequented stops. There is all kinds of posts to read here. Frugal tips to real living.
8/19/08
August All You Coupons
There are apparently two different covers. One is pink with a pitcher of lemonade or something and here's a picture of the one with all the coupons
Here's a list of the coupons. Check out page 159-- I LOVE those!
All You magazine Coupon list (Aug 29th Edition): Page Coupon Expiration
1) $1 off 1 All small and mighty 3x - 09/26/08
10) $1 off Two Tyson Frozen Breaded Boxed or one Bagged item. - 10/31/08
12) $0.75 off 1 Jiff to go - 11/30/08
27) $1 off any Kotex product. - 09/30/08
29) $1 off and ban product 1.5 fl oz or larger. - 09/15/08
31) $0.75 off any single pack or multipack Trident Xtra Care gum - 10/31/08
39) $2 off any one Abaya or Hydrolage hair care product - 10/31/08
47) $3 off any 2 Neutrogena Cosmetics Products - 09/12/08
53) $1 off any Orville Redenbackers Popcorn Cakes - 08/28/08
57) $3 off any Visine product 1/2 FL OZ or larger - 12/31/08
65) $1 off any Emerald Breakfast on the Go! 6 pouch carton. - 11/01/08
71) $1 off any Nature Made Liqued Softgel - 10/31/2008
83) BOGO 1.8oz single Wonka Giant Chewy Nerds (up to $0.79) - 09/12/08
84) $1 off any size Peter Pan Peanut Butter. (coupon is on insert) - 08/29/08
84) $1 off any two Kid Cuisine (coupon is on insert) - 08/29/08
89) $1 off Splenda No Calorie Sweetener Minis - 12/31/08
108) $0.75 off any 1 package of Dole Fruit Parfaits. - 10/31/08
111) $0.50 off package of 6 White Castle (Cheese)Burgers - 10/31/08
115) $1 off one package of Kellogs Frosted Mini Wheats Blueberry Muffin Cereal (16 oz or larger) - 10/31/08
119) $1 off any 1 Farm Rich Product - 12/31/08
122) $0.55 off 1 box of Smuckers Uncrustables Sandwiches - 12/31/08
122) $0.55 off any two SunnyD Chilled Products - 11/30/08
122) $1 off any two varieties Del Monte Fruit Chillers - 09/27/08
128) $1 off any 1 T.G.I.F. Complete meals - 09/30/08
128) $1 off any 2 T.G.I.F. frozen snacks. - 09/30/08
129) $1 off any 4 Boston Market frozen entrees. - 09/30/08
129) $1 off any 2 Ore-Ida frozen potatoes (20 oz or larger) - 09/30/08
130) Purchase 5 Weight Watcher Smart One products get free dessert - 09/30/08
132) $2.50 off any size BIZ product. - 12/31/08
136) $1 off any 1 Spot Shot Instant Carpet Stain and Odor eliminator - 10/31/08
143) One day pass to Sam's Club - 08/31/08
149) $1 off any one Glade Fabric & Air Odor eliminator. - 11/30/2008
151) $1 off any 2000 Flushes Automatic Toilet Bowl Cleaners - 11/30/08
155) Link to print "Try me free" rebate (1 per household) for 22oz Zout Laundry Stain Remover (up to $4) - 10/31/08
159) Buy any 3 Kraft, Nabisco, or Oscar Mayer products and get Free Nabisco Wheat thin Crackers (up to $4.50) - 09/30/08
159) Buy any 3 Kraft, Nabisco, or Oscar Mayer products and get Free 16 oz Kraft Dressing (up to $3.20) - 09/30/08
159) Buy any 3 Kraft, Nabisco, or Oscar Mayer products and get Free Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs (up to $4.51) - 09/30/08
159) Buy any 3 Kraft, Nabisco, or Oscar Mayer products and get Free Crystal Light (up to $4.50) - 09/30/08
159) Buy any 3 Kraft, Nabisco, or Oscar Mayer products and get Free Kraft Singles (12 oz) (up to $4.00) - 09/30/08
165) $2 off any MiraLAX product - 10/31/08
174) $2 off on Whole Body Cleanse - 11/30/08
181) $0.50 off any 1 BUNdinos 7oz or larger - 09/30/08
183) $1.50 on any 32 oz Greased Lightning cleaning product - 10/31/08
8/18/08
Coupon Alert!
8/16/08
Saturday Cake Mix Special- Chocolate Chocolate Chip Muffin
1 small box chocolate instant pudding
3/4 cup water
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 tsp almond extract
3/4 cup chocolate chips, frozen
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour muffin pan or line with paper liners. Mix together cake mix, pudding, water, eggs, applesauce, oil, and almond extract until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips. Fill cups 3/4 full.
Bake about 23-33 minutes or until done.
Does anyone know how to get the mushroom shaped muffins? You know, the big top on the smaller bottom, not domed like in the picture. Also, does anyone use a muffin top pan? IF so, do you like it?
Friday Freebies
Free Book Marks, Book Covers, Pencils, Kids' Activity Book and stickers from Texas Citrus.
Be one of the first 500 to submit your contact information to receive a complimentary Venus® Embrace™ Razor. This razor features five blades
that individually adjust as you shave so they maintain contact with skin at all times, even over awkward-to-reach areas like ankles, knees, and your bikini line!
Would you rather have the Schick Intuition? Then they offer that also...
Be one of the first 500 to submit your contact information to receive a complimentary Schick® Intuition Plus® Soothing Moisture Razor infused with Milk & Honey.
Intuition Plus is also available in Cucumber Melon scented Refreshing Moisture, Sensitive Care with Aloe and Vitamin E, and Advanced Moisture with Shea Butter.
Four FREE Beauty Products. 5 days only! Hurry .... before this freebie disappears.
8/15/08
My Mother's Swiss Steak
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds round steak, cut into 6 steaks or strips about 1 inch wide and 3 inches in length
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 beef bullion cube dissolved in 1/2 cup water
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sweet relish
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 small cans tomato sauce or 1 can (14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with juices
1-2 medium green bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips
If using diced tomatoes: use 1/4 cup cold water blended with 1 tablespoon cornstarch
PREPARATION:Heat oil in a skillet and brown beef steaks/strips quickly. Place in crockpot. Add onion. Combine water/buillion, garlic, sugar, relish, salt, and pepper; pour over beef and onion. Cover slow cooker; cook on LOW setting for 6 hours. Add tomatoe sauce or tomatoes and green bell peppers; cook 1 hour longer. If tomatoes was used, stir cornstarch mixture into the pot; cook on HIGH setting until thickened. Sometimes I even use the cornstarch when I've used tomatoe sauce depending upon the amount of moisture that has cooked out of the steak. You want it to be a thick gravy like consistency.
Also, the beef bullion/water can be substitued with a 1/4 cup of soy sauce and 1/4 cup water. This liquid is what tenderizes the round steak. The recipe is very versatile, tomatoe juice can be used instead of diced tomatoes or the sauce and cube steak can be used instead of round steak. Most times I add the green pepper with the onion instead of after the steak cooks for 6 hours, but I like the green peppers cooked to death! lol I really dont think you can mess it up, no matter how you put it together. Just do not add the tomatoes (whether it be sauce, diced, or juice) or the cornstarch/water to thicken, until the steak is very tender, otherwise the tomatoe base will scorch before the steak is tender.
You can serve it over rice with green beans on the side OR (my family's fav) with mashed potatoes instead of rice with the green beans.
8/14/08
$5 CVS Challenge
8/13/08
Home Made Crescent Rolls
The first one is a refrigerator dough. So simple and yummy. Mix it up the night before so it's ready to go the next day when time to prepare dinner.
The second one is the one I use in my bread machine. Now you can have crescent rolls in a snap whenever you want!
Refrigerated Crescent Roll Dough
1 package yeast
3 Tbs water
½ c Crisco
1 tsp salt
1 c boiling water
2 eggs
½ c sugar
4 c flour
The day before baking day:
Put Crisco and salt in glass measuring cup, add 1 cup of boiling water, stir until dissolved and becomes lukewarm.
Dissolve yeast in the warm water.
Beat the eggs with the sugar till well beaten.
Add the lukewarm Crisco mixture and the dissolved yeast.
Add 2 cups of flour, mix in well, then add the remaining flour, mix in well.
Add sufficient flour to until kneadable and knead it lightly till well mixed.
Put into a covered bowl overnite in the refrigerator. (This can be left in refrig for a couple of days and will still be wonderful)
The day of baking:
Cut the dough in half.
Roll into two pizza rounds that are about 1/4 inch thickness.
Spread with soft butter, cut into wedges (each round into 12 wedges) and roll.
Place on baking sheet, point side down and shape and let rise till approximately double in size.
Bake at 375 degrees about 8- 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Bread Machine Crescent Roll Dough
1 egg plus enough water to equal 1 1/3 cups
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 c sugar
1 c margarine or buttered, softened
4 c Bread Flour
2 tsp Bread Machine Yeast
2 TBL margarine or butter melted
Measure carefully, placing all ingredients except 2 Tbl margarine in bread machine pan in the order recomneded by your machine's manufacturer.
Select Dough/Manual cycle. Do not use delay cycle.
Place dough in greased bowl and turn greased side up. Cover and let rise in warm place about 30 minutes or until double. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
Grease cookie sheet. Punch down dough. Roll dough into 20 inch circle on lightly floured surface. Brush with some of the melted butter. Cut into 20 wedges. Roll each wedge. Place rolls point side down on cookie sheet and curve slightly. Cover and let rise in warm place 20 to 30 minutes or until almost double.
Heat oven to 375. Brush rolls with remaining melted margarine. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
8/10/08
Shoppin on Saturday
What will $18 buy you at Price Chopper?
10 boxes of Kleenex @ .99 each minus 10 .50/1 coupons = $4.90
2 Hunts Ketchup .99 each minus 1 .20/1 coupon = $1.78
2 Betty Crocker Brownie Mix $1.00 each = $2.00
7 32 oz Power Ades .79 each minus 3 $1/1 and 3 .75/1 = .28
6 Starkist Pouch Tuna .89 each minus 2 $1/3 = $3.34
10 70 page wide rule notebooks .05 each = .50
2 Elmers School glue .20 each = .40
2 Bic 10 pack pens 2 for $1 minus $1/2 = FREE
1 Uncle Bens Cajun Rice $2.09 minus Try It Free Coupon = FREE
2 Electrasol Dishwashing gel pacs $4.49 each minus 2 $2.25/1 coupons = $4.48
1 Betty Crocker Superman Fruit Snack $2.65 minus KIDS CLUB FREE coupon = FREE
I will be picking son up tomorow and will go back to get more of the Kleenex. I can only buy 10 at a time. Thank you Precious, Jenny, Keagle and OotNAboot for those awesome coupons. They were a life saver.
8/8/08
Saturday Cake Mix Special- So Sinful Chocolate Cake
3/4 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1 chocolate cake mix
1 small box instant chocolate pudding
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Beat sour cream, eggs, water and oil together in a large bowl until thorougly mixed. Add cake mix and pudding mix. Stir in chocolate chips. Place batter in a greased and floured bundt pan.
Bake 45-55 minutes, or until a fork inserted into cake comes out clean.
While still hot, invert cake onto a serving platter. When cool, sift powdered sugar over top of cake.
8/7/08
Friday Freebies
you a free sample of their organic tea plus some other cool stuff. Go HERE, let them know your name, address and email and that's it!
one lite Tampax Pearl tampon, one Always Infinity feminine pad, two Always pantiliners, and one Always feminine wipe.
Motts for Tots is offering a free Sippy cup, Bowl, lid, fork, spoon and a .75 printable coupon from Motts for tots!!!!!! Other than the basic mailing information they ask you three questions.
8/6/08
Tuesday Trips- CVS
I knew better than to go to CVS on a Sunday. I wanted to work the Dove candy deal since I had two ip coupons for B1G1 FREE and the coffee. The coffee rang up the sale price but printed no ECB's and the cashier would not let me use both ip coupons on one order. So they refunded me the money on the coffee and I still took the four bags of Doves.
I went home and started doing some figuring to see how I could better my deal on the candy because at this point the four bags on sale for $4.29 each had cost me $12.87 minus the $5 ECB I recvd back.
I went back today and here's how I worked it to get my out of pocket back down. I also repurchased the coffee and it printed the ECB for it.
Order #1
2 Twin Packs of Folgers 6.99 each
1 Dove Dark Chocolate $4.29
minus 1 Dove $1.50 off manuf coupon
minus 2 $5 ECB's
Total OOP $7.10
I recvd another $5 ECB for the candy bringing my total OOP for the 5 bags so far down to $5.66.
I also recvd the $6 ECB for the coffee.
Order #2
2 Pert Plus B1G1 FREE $3.69 minus 2 $2.00 manuf coupon
2 Schick Intuition Razors 9.99, used $3.99 rain check for 2 and 2 manuf coupons $4 each
1 CVS ibprfn $2.99 minus FREE CVS coupon
2 Dove Dark Chocolate $4.29 each minus ip coupon B1G1 FREE
1 CVS twin pack beauty soap $2.49 minus cvs $2 skin care coupon
Total OOP $5.66
Recvd another $5 ECB for candy
So to recap my candy deal:
Sunday: 4 bags @ $4.29 each
Sub total $17.16 (this total is what counts towards ECB's)
minus 1 ip B1G1 FREE -$4.29
OOP was $12.87
Revd $5 ECB
Tuesday #1: 1 bag @ $4.29
Subtotal $21.45
minus 1 manuf coupon $1.50
OOP $5.66 so far
Recvd $5 ECB
Tuesday #2: 2 bags @ 4.29 ea
Subtotal $30.03
minus ip B1G1 Free -$4.29
Recvd $5 ECB
Final out of pocket on 7 bags: $30.03 minus 2 ip B1G1F coupons and 1 $1.50 off coupon was $19.95 minus the 3 $5 ECB's = $4.95 for 7 bags!!
8/4/08
Hey Mom, What's For Dinner?
I find the suggestions helpful when I'm stuck in a rut. There's always something new. Go check it out and let me know what you think.
8/3/08
CVS WHAT'S FREE IN AUGUST?
8/2/08
Saturday Cake Mix Special-Quick Snicker Doodles
1 yellow cake mix
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix sugar and cinnamon and set aside.
Mix cake mix, vanilla, oil and eggs until a dough consistency. Shape into 1 inch balls. Roll balls in sugar cinnamon mixture.
Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan to cool.
If you missed last Saturday's Cake Mix Special, check it out. Next week will be Sooo Sinful Chocolate Cake!