In honor of the Thanksgiving holiday this month, I’m sure most of you have friends or family on Facebook that have been posting something each day that they are thankful for. I have whole-heartedly enjoyed reading each and every one of those posts because it has not only helped me to get to know my friends and family better, but it reminded me to be thankful for those things, too. I consider myself to be a very thankful person who is ever-mindful of the many blessings I have in my life but after reading some of my friend’s “thankful” posts, I realized that I have overlooked some of the most basic blessings.
The past several years have been a huge financial struggle for our family. There were times when I didn’t know how much longer we could afford to keep our home. That worry was a constant weight on my heart and it got to the point where at the end of each day I would have to think, “Today was another day that we have a roof over our heads.” Shelter, like so many other things, is a basic blessing that we so often take for granted.
Now that things are improving for us financially, I hope I never forget how humbling it was to feel that way. When you strip away all the daily chaos of our lives and our never-ending to-do lists, I hope we all can remember to be thankful for everything, even the smallest thing; our family, the health of our children, a warm house, food in the pantry, our jobs…
It’s important to give that feeling of hope and thankfulness to others who are less fortunate. There are so many things we can do to help those in need and with the holidays coming up, now is the perfect time. When you’re an avid deal-watcher/couponer, there are tons of incredible deals to be had all year long. Try to scoop up a couple extra of those items throughout the year and donate them to a toy drive, a food pantry, homeless shelters, etc. Our stockpiles, another blessing, are full of items that can be donated to help others who are struggling.
I hope you can find some time to stop and think about how we all let our daily blessings slip by without even noticing them. Normally, I wouldn’t consider Facebook to be anyplace that I might find anything inspirational or life-changing but in this case, it has been and I’m thankful for that. I just wish that the “thankful posts” were something that we all did every day, not just when Thanksgiving is coming.
Have a happy, healthy and thankful Thanksgiving!
Friday, November 18, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Beauty: Good ‘Till The Last Drop!
Hey Smarty Pants...let's face it, women, and men (even though they might not admit it) spend a fortune on beauty and personal hygiene products every year. No matter how much money I save in other areas, I tend not to change some of the beauty products I use and their prices add up quickly. I have devised a couple of methods for getting the most out of my beauty products and my budget.
• Makeup pencils: A lot of cosmetic companies have jumbo lip or eye “crayons” that work well but once you sharpen them you end up sharpening away a lot of product, too. A great way around this is to “de-pot” those pencils. You can purchase little containers at the dollar store or a beauty supply store to put the product in. All you need is a hairdryer and a pair of pliers or tongs. Holding the pencil, product side down, use the pliers or tongs (to avoid burning yourself) to hold the pencil in one hand while you apply the heat from the hairdryer in the other. It does take some time but eventually the product will begin to drip from the pencil into the container. Let it cool and voila, you will have use of the full amount of product without sharpening it and your hard earned dollars away.
o This is also a great technique to save a broken tube of lipstick. Instead of using a hairdryer, simply scoop the remaining lipstick into a container and use a lip brush to apply.
• Eye Creams: Anybody that has used a product that comes in a tube knows the frustration of trying to use “every last drop.” A great way to easily do this is to use a toothpaste squeezer. You can purchase them at places like Bed Bath and Beyond and while they’re designed to be used for tubes of toothpaste, they work well for other tubed products, too! Also, don’t forget about cutting off the end and getting to the product that way, too.
• Bar Soap: My husband is apparently “too good” to use those last little pieces of bar soap. He refuses to use liquid body wash to avoid this problem (even though I have about 20 in my stockpile) but leaves the little soap tidbits for me. An easy way to make use of those little scraps is to make them into a brand new bar of soap. Leave a glass jar in your tub and throw all the soap scraps into the jar. Keep a lid on the jar until you’re ready to make your new bar of soap. When you’ve collected enough scraps, fill the jar with about 1/3 the amount of water as there is soap and wait several days so the soap and water have time to melt into one another. Next, use a small dish that is about the size of a bar of soap (a plastic soap dish works well) and spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the soap and water mixture into the dish and wait until it hardens and dries and you’ll have a brand new bar of soap.
o By mixing soap scraps of various scents you can even make your own custom soap blends. This is a fun project that the kids will love doing!
• Brush Cleanser: When I worked in the makeup artistry field, we used expensive brush cleanser to clean our makeup brushes. I have found over the years that baby shampoo works just as well and is much cheaper. Anything that’s gentle enough to be used on a baby is gentle enough for your makeup brushes. Put a small amount of baby shampoo in the palm or your hand, wet your makeup brush and swirl into the shampoo. Continue swirling and rinsing until the brushes rinse clean, reshape and lay flat to dry.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
• Makeup pencils: A lot of cosmetic companies have jumbo lip or eye “crayons” that work well but once you sharpen them you end up sharpening away a lot of product, too. A great way around this is to “de-pot” those pencils. You can purchase little containers at the dollar store or a beauty supply store to put the product in. All you need is a hairdryer and a pair of pliers or tongs. Holding the pencil, product side down, use the pliers or tongs (to avoid burning yourself) to hold the pencil in one hand while you apply the heat from the hairdryer in the other. It does take some time but eventually the product will begin to drip from the pencil into the container. Let it cool and voila, you will have use of the full amount of product without sharpening it and your hard earned dollars away.
o This is also a great technique to save a broken tube of lipstick. Instead of using a hairdryer, simply scoop the remaining lipstick into a container and use a lip brush to apply.
• Eye Creams: Anybody that has used a product that comes in a tube knows the frustration of trying to use “every last drop.” A great way to easily do this is to use a toothpaste squeezer. You can purchase them at places like Bed Bath and Beyond and while they’re designed to be used for tubes of toothpaste, they work well for other tubed products, too! Also, don’t forget about cutting off the end and getting to the product that way, too.
• Bar Soap: My husband is apparently “too good” to use those last little pieces of bar soap. He refuses to use liquid body wash to avoid this problem (even though I have about 20 in my stockpile) but leaves the little soap tidbits for me. An easy way to make use of those little scraps is to make them into a brand new bar of soap. Leave a glass jar in your tub and throw all the soap scraps into the jar. Keep a lid on the jar until you’re ready to make your new bar of soap. When you’ve collected enough scraps, fill the jar with about 1/3 the amount of water as there is soap and wait several days so the soap and water have time to melt into one another. Next, use a small dish that is about the size of a bar of soap (a plastic soap dish works well) and spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the soap and water mixture into the dish and wait until it hardens and dries and you’ll have a brand new bar of soap.
o By mixing soap scraps of various scents you can even make your own custom soap blends. This is a fun project that the kids will love doing!
• Brush Cleanser: When I worked in the makeup artistry field, we used expensive brush cleanser to clean our makeup brushes. I have found over the years that baby shampoo works just as well and is much cheaper. Anything that’s gentle enough to be used on a baby is gentle enough for your makeup brushes. Put a small amount of baby shampoo in the palm or your hand, wet your makeup brush and swirl into the shampoo. Continue swirling and rinsing until the brushes rinse clean, reshape and lay flat to dry.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Beauty: Good ‘Till The Last Drop!
Hey Smarty Pants...let's face it, women, and men (even though they might not admit it) spend a fortune on beauty and personal hygiene products every year. No matter how much money I save in other areas, I tend not to change some of the beauty products I use and their prices add up quickly. I have devised a couple of methods for getting the most out of my beauty products and my budget.
· Makeup pencils: A lot of cosmetic companies have jumbo lip or eye “crayons” that work well but once you sharpen them you end up sharpening away a lot of product, too. A great way around this is to “de-pot” those pencils. You can purchase little containers at the dollar store or a beauty supply store to put the product in. All you need is a hairdryer and a pair of pliers or tongs. Holding the pencil, product side down, use the pliers or tongs (to avoid burning yourself) to hold the pencil in one hand while you apply the heat from the hairdryer in the other. It does take some time but eventually the product will begin to drip from the pencil into the container. Let it cool and voila, you will have use of the full amount of product without sharpening it and your hard earned dollars away.
o This is also a great technique to save a broken tube of lipstick. Instead of using a hairdryer, simply scoop the remaining lipstick into a container and use a lip brush to apply.
· Eye Creams: Anybody that has used a product that comes in a tube knows the frustration of trying to use “every last drop.” A great way to easily do this is to use a toothpaste squeezer. You can purchase them at places like Bed Bath and Beyond and while they’re designed to be used for tubes of toothpaste, they work well for other tubed products, too! Also, don’t forget about cutting off the end and getting to the product that way, too.
· Bar Soap: My husband is apparently “too good” to use those last little pieces of bar soap. He refuses to use liquid body wash to avoid this problem (even though I have about 20 in my stockpile) but leaves the little soap tidbits for me. An easy way to make use of those little scraps is to make them into a brand new bar of soap. Leave a glass jar in your tub and throw all the soap scraps into the jar. Keep a lid on the jar until you’re ready to make your new bar of soap. When you’ve collected enough scraps, fill the jar with about 1/3 the amount of water as there is soap and wait several days so the soap and water have time to melt into one another. Next, use a small dish that is about the size of a bar of soap (a plastic soap dish works well) and spray it with non-stick cooking spray. Pour the soap and water mixture into the dish and wait until it hardens and dries and you’ll have a brand new bar of soap.
o By mixing soap scraps of various scents you can even make your own custom soap blends. This is a fun project that the kids will love doing!
· Brush Cleanser: When I worked in the makeup artistry field, we used expensive brush cleanser to clean our makeup brushes. I have found over the years that baby shampoo works just as well and is much cheaper. Anything that’s gentle enough to be used on a baby is gentle enough for your makeup brushes. Put a small amount of baby shampoo in the palm or your hand, wet your makeup brush and swirl into the shampoo. Continue swirling and rinsing until the brushes rinse clean, reshape and lay flat to dry.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!Tuesday, October 25, 2011
How To Save Money On Groceries
Hey Smart Pants...You might have noticed that it’s easier to get great deals on non-food items while the cost of groceries is “eating up” most of your monthly budget. The following are some tips to help you plan and make meals on-the-cheap.
Plan your meals around what’s on sale:
This sounds basic but make sure you are using your store’s weekly ad to plan your meals for that week. Even without using coupons, planning your family’s meals around only the items that are on sale will save you a bundle. You should never allow yourself to shop without knowing what’s on sale and what you really need. You will not only spend more money than you would have to for your ingredients, but will also be more likely to buy things you didn't intend to.
Shop from your stockpile before you shop at the store:
If you’re lucky enough to have any food items in your stockpile, try to find recipes that use those stockpile ingredients. There are several great recipe websites that allow you to input the ingredients you want to center your meal around. Some of my favorites are:
• Kraftfoods.com
• Allreceipes.com
• Supercook.com
Stock up when meat is on sale!
I found that while I usually had almost all of the ingredients I needed for a recipe in my stockpile that I still had to purchase meat…sometimes even at non-sale prices. GASP! I thought I was stocking up when there was a sale on meat but I usually underestimated how much meat my family consumes in one week. When meat is at its lowest price, make sure that you’re purchasing enough to sustain your family until meat is on sale again.
When you combine using your stockpile food items along with a store’s sale price and coupons, your meals will not only be delicious but inexpensive as well!
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Plan your meals around what’s on sale:
This sounds basic but make sure you are using your store’s weekly ad to plan your meals for that week. Even without using coupons, planning your family’s meals around only the items that are on sale will save you a bundle. You should never allow yourself to shop without knowing what’s on sale and what you really need. You will not only spend more money than you would have to for your ingredients, but will also be more likely to buy things you didn't intend to.
Shop from your stockpile before you shop at the store:
If you’re lucky enough to have any food items in your stockpile, try to find recipes that use those stockpile ingredients. There are several great recipe websites that allow you to input the ingredients you want to center your meal around. Some of my favorites are:
• Kraftfoods.com
• Allreceipes.com
• Supercook.com
Stock up when meat is on sale!
I found that while I usually had almost all of the ingredients I needed for a recipe in my stockpile that I still had to purchase meat…sometimes even at non-sale prices. GASP! I thought I was stocking up when there was a sale on meat but I usually underestimated how much meat my family consumes in one week. When meat is at its lowest price, make sure that you’re purchasing enough to sustain your family until meat is on sale again.
When you combine using your stockpile food items along with a store’s sale price and coupons, your meals will not only be delicious but inexpensive as well!
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Sorry!
Hey Smarty Pants...I'm sorry I haven't posted much these past couple of days...I've been doing some freelance writing for various coupon-based websites and haven't been able to do as much on my blog. Stay tuned though...good things are coming!
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Thursday, September 29, 2011
This Sunday, 10/02, there will be 4 coupon inserts, one of which is the holy grail of coupon inserts....The Proctor & Gamble insert. I suggest you buy several papers this week! Don't forget you can also purchase coupon inserts on ebay if you'd prefer.
P&G Insert:
$1 off Always Infinity, 14 ct. +
.50/1 Always pads, clean or feminine cleansing cloths
.50/1 Always pantiliners, 30 ct. +
.75/1 Bounce product
.25/1 Bounty napkins
.25/1 Bounty towels or napkins
.35/1 Charmin product
$2 off Clairol hair color
$8/2 CoverGirl face products
$1 off CoverGirl product
$7 off Crest select whitestrips, excl Vivid
$1 off Crest toothpaste 4 oz + or liquid gel, excl Cavity, Baking Soda or Tartar
.50/1 Crest toothpaste 4 oz + or liquid gel
.50/1 Dawn Plus
.25/1 Dawn product
$2 off Downy Unstoppables
$1 off Febreze Air Effects
$1 off Febreze fabric refresher
$1 off Febreze Noticeables refill
$2 off Febreze Noticeables warmer pk.
$2/2 Febreze product
Free Febreze Set & Refresh wyb candle, max $3.29
.50/1 Fixodent adhesive, 1.05 oz +
.75/1 Fixodent cleanser
$2 off Gillette body wash, excl trial size
$2 off Gillette deodorant, excl trial size
$5 off Gillette Fusion ProGlide razor wyb cartridge 4 ct. +
$3 off Gillette Venus razor or refill excl disposable AND Secret deodorant
.75/1 Glad trash bag (exp 11/12)
$1 off Head & Shoulders shampoo or conditioner, excl trial size
.35/1 Ivory body wash or bar or Safeguard bar or liquid hand soap
$1 off Metamucil product
Free Olay bar, body wash or in shower lotion wyb Gillette Venus 6 or 8 ct. refill
$3 off Olay Regenerist facial moisturizer or cleanser, excl trial size
$2 off Old Spice body spray or fragrance, excl trial size
$1 off Old Spice product, 1.7 oz +
$3 off Oral-B battery toothbrush
$1.50/2 Oral-B floss or floss picks, 30 ct. +
.75/1 Oral-B select power toothbrushes or (2) select manual toothbrushes
$1.50 off Pampers (2) bags or (1) box diapers or pants
.50/1 Pampers wipes, 60 ct. +
$1/2 Pantene product, excl trial size
$1 off Prilosec OTC product
$1/2 Pringles Fat Free cans, 165 g +
.50/1 Pringles Snack Stacks or Stix
$1/4 Pringles Super Stack can, 180 g +
.25/1 Puffs tissue, 3 pk. or (3) singles
.75/1 Scope mouthwash, 710 mL +
B1G1 Swiffer Dust & Shine, max $3.99
Free Swiffer refill wyb starter kit, max $7
B1G1 Tampax Pearl Compak, 12-20 ct, max $3.99
$1 off Tampax Pearl or Pearl compak, 18 ct. +
.50/1 Tampax product, 18 ct. +
.50/1 Tide detergent or Stain Release or Downy product
$1/2 Tide detergent or Stain Release, Downy, or Bounce product
$2/3 Tide detergent or Stain Release, Downy, or Bounce product
.50/1 Tide washing machine cleaner
$1.50 off Vicks Nature Fusion
$1 off Vicks product
RedPlum 10/02
$1 off select Advantage medication (exp 12/31)
$1 off all laundry detergent, 28 load + (exp 11/13)
$1 off Bertolli meal soup or frozen emal (exp 10/30)
$1.50 off Citrucel bulk fiber therapy (exp 12/31)
$1 off Disney or Marvel vitamins (exp 11/23)
.75/1 Dove beauty bar, 6 bar +, excl Men+Care (exp 10/30)
$1 off Dove body wash, 10 oz +, excl Men+Care (exp 10/30)
.75/1 Dove deodorant or body mist, excl trial size or Men+Care (exp 10/30)
B1G1 Dove hair care product, max $6, excl trial size (exp 10/30)
.75/1 Dove hair care treatment, excl trial size (exp 10/30)
$1 off Dove Men+Care deodorant 2.7-3 oz, ets (exp 10/30)
$1.50 off Dove Men+Care body and face bar, 6 pk. +, excl trial size (exp 10/30)
$1 off Dove Men+Care body & face wash or Active Clean tool, ets (exp 10/30)
$1.50 off Ecotrin Aspirin therapy (exp 12/31)
$1 off Emetrol Breakfast on the Go product, 7.5 oz + (exp 11/20)
$1 off Folgers coffee, 3 oz + (exp 11/2)
.35/1 Folgers instant coffee, single serve pk. (exp 11/2)
.75/2 Jimmy Dean sausage roll (exp 11/6)
$1 off L’Oreal Paris cosmetic product (exp 11/27)
$2 off L’Oreal Preference shade (exp 11/27)
$2 off L’Oreal Root Rescue shade (exp 11/27)
.75/1 Mother’s cookies, 11.5 oz + (exp 11/27)
$1 off Nivea lip care stick 0.17 oz or tube 0.35 oz (exp 10/16)
$3/2 Nivea lip care stick 0.17 oz or tube 0.35 oz (exp 10/16)
$1.50 off OsCal calcium supplement (exp 12/31)
$1 off Pond’s cream, towelettes or cleansing product, excl trial size (exp 10/30)
$1 off Pond’s wet cleansing towelettes, 30 ct. (exp 10/30)
B1G1 Pure Protein bar, max $1.69 (exp 11/13)
$1 off Pure Protein powder or drink (exp 11/13)
.50/1 Purina Cat or Kitten Chow, excl 16-18 oz (exp 11/27)
.75/2 Purina Whisker Lickin’s (exp 1/2/12)
$1.50 off Sarna anti-itch product (exp 12/31)
.75/1 Snuggle fabric softener liquid or sheets (exp 11/13)
B1G1 Suave Kids hair care, max $3.50 (exp 10/30)
B1G1 Suave Professional Dry shampoo or stylant, max $3.50 (exp 10/30)
B1G1 Suave Professional shampoo or conditioner, max $3 (exp 10/30)
.50/1 Success rice (exp 11/30)
$1 off Sundown Naturals vitamin or supplement (exp 11/16)
$1/2 Tic Tac mints, single or multipk (exp 11/30)
B1G1 TresEmme shampoo or conditioner, max $6, excl trial size (exp 10/31)
B1G1 TresEmme stylant, max $6, excl trial size (exp 10/31)
Free Vaseline lotion max 13 oz wyb (1) 20.3 oz + (exp 10/30)
.50/1 Vicks Cold & Flu or Cough relief item (Target coupon), ets (exp 12/2)
SmartSource 10/02
.75/1 3M Command product (exp 11/6)
$1 off Activia Selects, multipk or (3) singles (exp 11/27)
$2 off ActivOn Arthritis or Joint & Muscle product (exp 10/31)
.55/1 Alexia frozen product (exp 11/14)
.30/1 Argo baking powder, 12 oz (exp 12/31)
.50/1 Bestlife buttery spread, spray or baking sticks (exp 12/11)
.40/2 Campbell’s condensed chicken noodle or tomato soup (exp 12/15)
.40/2 Campbell’s select condensed soups (exp 12/15)
.50/2 Campbell’s microwave bowls or Soup at Hand (exp 12/15)
.50/1 Campbell’s V8 vegetable juice, 46 oz + (exp 11/13)
$1 off Campbell’s V8 vegetable juice, 5.5 or 11.5 oz can 6 pk. (exp 11/13)
$1 off Caribou coffee, 12 oz (exp 11/19)
.40/1 Colgate manual toothbrush, excl Plus and Extra Clean (exp 10/22)
$1 off Colgate 360 battery toothbrush or refill (exp 10/22)
.50/1 Colgate toothpaste, 4 oz + (exp 10/22)
.75/1 Colgate Total, Max Fresh or Sensitive toothpaste, 4 oz + (exp 10/22)
.50/1 Colgate Wisp product, 4 ct. + (exp 10/22)
.50/1 Cottonelle toilet paper, 12 pk. + or (2) 4 pk. (exp 10/30)
$3 off Dr. Scholl’s massaging gel insoles (exp 11/27)
$4 off Dr. Scholl’s pain relief orthotics (exp 11/27)
.75/1 Eggland’s Best Cage Free or Organic eggs, 1 dozen (exp 3/31/12)
.50/1 Eggland’s Best eggs (exp 3/31/12)
$1 off Energizer batteries or flashlight (exp 11/15)
$2 off Farmer John bacon (exp 11/2)
.40/1 Fleischmann’s jar or strip yeast (exp 1/6/12)
.40/1 Fleischmann’s pizza crust yeast strip (exp 1/6/12)
$1 off Foster Farms fresh turkey tray pk. (exp 4/30/12)
.50/1 Frank’s RedHot sauce, 12 oz + (exp 11/30)
.55/1 Frigo Cheese Heads string cheese, 10 oz + (exp 1/31/12)
$1 off Glad To Go containers w/ snap-in dressing cups (exp 11/19)
$3 off Glucerna Hunger Smart product (exp 11/30)
$2.50/2 Glucerna product (exp 11/30)
$1/3 Healthy Choice frozen meals (exp 11/14)
$1 off Hidden Valley Farmhouse Original salad dressing (exp 11/19)
.40/1 Karo syrup, 16 oz + (exp 11/23)
.40/1 Karo syrup, 16 oz + (exp 4/15/12)
.30/1 Kingsford’s corn starch, 16 oz (exp 12/31)
.50/3 Kleenex bundle pk. or (3) boxes 50 ct. + (exp 10/30)
.50/1 Kleenex Cool Touch facial tissue, 50 ct. + (exp 10/30)
.75/1 Kleenex hand towels, excl trial size (exp 11/27)
$1 off L’Oreal Paris cleanser (exp 11/27)
$2 off L’Oreal Paris moisturizer (exp 11/27)
$2.50 off Lactaid Fast Act dietary supplement, 32 ct. + (exp 12/31)
$1 off Little Remedies product (exp 11/30)
.50/1 Mazola oil or spray (exp 11/27)
$1 off MiraLax product, excl 7 dose (exp 11/13)
$3 off MiraLax product, 30 dose (exp 11/13)
$1 off Nature Made fish oil (exp 11/2)
$1 off Nature Made vitamin B (exp 11/2)
$1 off Nature Made vitamin D (exp 11/2)
$2 off Neutrogena face makeup (exp 11/6)
$1 off Neutrogena lip or eye makeup (exp 11/6)
.25/1 Palmolive Ultra dish liquid, 25 oz + (exp 10/22)
$1.50 off Pedialyte product (exp 3/31/12)
$10/$50 Perfumania purchase (exp 10/31)
$1 off Pert Plus 3-in-1 or 2-in-1 product, excl trial size (exp 10/31)
$1 off Playtex Gentle Glide tampons, 18 ct. + (exp 11/30)
$1 off Playtex Sport tampons, 14 ct. + (exp 11/30)
$1 off Pom Reg or Lite, 16 or 48 oz (exp 12/31)
.50/1 Reynolds Baked for You StayBrite baking cups (exp 1/31/12)
.25/2 Reynolds baking cups (exp 1/31/12)
.50/1 Reynolds foil, excl 18-30 sq ft and wrappers (exp 11/30)
$1.50 off Reynolds foil AND parchment paper (exp 11/30)
.50/1 Reynolds parchment paper (exp 11/30)
Free Ricola 19-30 ct. bag wyb Dual Action, max $3.99 (exp 12/31)
$1 off Sure deodorant (exp 10/31)
.40/2 Swanson broth or stock carton (exp 11/5)
$1 off Swanson Flavor Boost concentrated broth (exp 11/5)
.75/1 Tai Pei entree, 12-14 oz (exp 11/30)
$1 off Tai Pei Stir Fry Creations entree, 24 oz (exp 11/30)
$1 off Trojan condoms, 10 ct. + (exp 1/2/12)
$1 off Trojan Vibrations product (exp 1/2/12)
$1 off Tucks product (exp 12/31)
.75/1 Tyson Crispy chicken strips (exp 12/31)
$1 off Viactiv soft chews dietary supplement (exp 11/20)
.60/1 Viva Big Roll paper towels, 1 roll + (exp 11/13)
$1/2 Werther’s Original caramels (exp 12/31)
.50/1 Wholly product (exp 10/23)
$1 off Woolite carpet & upholstery formula (exp 12/31)
$1.50 off Zyrtec product, 12 ct. + (exp 12/31)
$3 off Zyrtec product, 24 ct. + (exp 12/31)
Pepsico “Moments to Save” 10/02
(all exp 10/22)
$1/2 Cheetos or Fritos snacks, 8.5 oz +
$2/2 Frito-Lay variety pks, 20 ct. +
$1/4 Lipton Pure Leaf 16 oz, Natural Lipton iced tea 20 oz or Tazo tea 13.8 oz
$2/2 Lipton tea, 12 pk.
Free Diet Pepsi 2 L wyb tortilla chips 9 oz + AND dip jar 15 oz +
$2/2 Pepsi drink, 18 pk, 20 pk. or 12 oz 24 pk. + cans
.55/1 Pepsi Max, 2 L
Free Pepsi Max 2 L wyb (2) Cheetos bags 8.5 oz +
$1/3 Quaker Life or Oatmeal Squares cereal 12-24 oz or instant oatmeal
$1/2 Sierra Mist Natural drink, 2 L
$1/5 SoBe 20 oz, Propel 24 oz or Propel Zero 24 oz
$2/2 Starbucks Frappuccino or Double Shot, 4 pk.
$1/2 SunChips product, 10 oz +
$1 off Tostitos tortilla chips 9 oz + AND dip jar 15 oz +
$1 off Tropicana Pure Premium or Trop50, 59 oz
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
P&G Insert:
$1 off Always Infinity, 14 ct. +
.50/1 Always pads, clean or feminine cleansing cloths
.50/1 Always pantiliners, 30 ct. +
.75/1 Bounce product
.25/1 Bounty napkins
.25/1 Bounty towels or napkins
.35/1 Charmin product
$2 off Clairol hair color
$8/2 CoverGirl face products
$1 off CoverGirl product
$7 off Crest select whitestrips, excl Vivid
$1 off Crest toothpaste 4 oz + or liquid gel, excl Cavity, Baking Soda or Tartar
.50/1 Crest toothpaste 4 oz + or liquid gel
.50/1 Dawn Plus
.25/1 Dawn product
$2 off Downy Unstoppables
$1 off Febreze Air Effects
$1 off Febreze fabric refresher
$1 off Febreze Noticeables refill
$2 off Febreze Noticeables warmer pk.
$2/2 Febreze product
Free Febreze Set & Refresh wyb candle, max $3.29
.50/1 Fixodent adhesive, 1.05 oz +
.75/1 Fixodent cleanser
$2 off Gillette body wash, excl trial size
$2 off Gillette deodorant, excl trial size
$5 off Gillette Fusion ProGlide razor wyb cartridge 4 ct. +
$3 off Gillette Venus razor or refill excl disposable AND Secret deodorant
.75/1 Glad trash bag (exp 11/12)
$1 off Head & Shoulders shampoo or conditioner, excl trial size
.35/1 Ivory body wash or bar or Safeguard bar or liquid hand soap
$1 off Metamucil product
Free Olay bar, body wash or in shower lotion wyb Gillette Venus 6 or 8 ct. refill
$3 off Olay Regenerist facial moisturizer or cleanser, excl trial size
$2 off Old Spice body spray or fragrance, excl trial size
$1 off Old Spice product, 1.7 oz +
$3 off Oral-B battery toothbrush
$1.50/2 Oral-B floss or floss picks, 30 ct. +
.75/1 Oral-B select power toothbrushes or (2) select manual toothbrushes
$1.50 off Pampers (2) bags or (1) box diapers or pants
.50/1 Pampers wipes, 60 ct. +
$1/2 Pantene product, excl trial size
$1 off Prilosec OTC product
$1/2 Pringles Fat Free cans, 165 g +
.50/1 Pringles Snack Stacks or Stix
$1/4 Pringles Super Stack can, 180 g +
.25/1 Puffs tissue, 3 pk. or (3) singles
.75/1 Scope mouthwash, 710 mL +
B1G1 Swiffer Dust & Shine, max $3.99
Free Swiffer refill wyb starter kit, max $7
B1G1 Tampax Pearl Compak, 12-20 ct, max $3.99
$1 off Tampax Pearl or Pearl compak, 18 ct. +
.50/1 Tampax product, 18 ct. +
.50/1 Tide detergent or Stain Release or Downy product
$1/2 Tide detergent or Stain Release, Downy, or Bounce product
$2/3 Tide detergent or Stain Release, Downy, or Bounce product
.50/1 Tide washing machine cleaner
$1.50 off Vicks Nature Fusion
$1 off Vicks product
RedPlum 10/02
$1 off select Advantage medication (exp 12/31)
$1 off all laundry detergent, 28 load + (exp 11/13)
$1 off Bertolli meal soup or frozen emal (exp 10/30)
$1.50 off Citrucel bulk fiber therapy (exp 12/31)
$1 off Disney or Marvel vitamins (exp 11/23)
.75/1 Dove beauty bar, 6 bar +, excl Men+Care (exp 10/30)
$1 off Dove body wash, 10 oz +, excl Men+Care (exp 10/30)
.75/1 Dove deodorant or body mist, excl trial size or Men+Care (exp 10/30)
B1G1 Dove hair care product, max $6, excl trial size (exp 10/30)
.75/1 Dove hair care treatment, excl trial size (exp 10/30)
$1 off Dove Men+Care deodorant 2.7-3 oz, ets (exp 10/30)
$1.50 off Dove Men+Care body and face bar, 6 pk. +, excl trial size (exp 10/30)
$1 off Dove Men+Care body & face wash or Active Clean tool, ets (exp 10/30)
$1.50 off Ecotrin Aspirin therapy (exp 12/31)
$1 off Emetrol Breakfast on the Go product, 7.5 oz + (exp 11/20)
$1 off Folgers coffee, 3 oz + (exp 11/2)
.35/1 Folgers instant coffee, single serve pk. (exp 11/2)
.75/2 Jimmy Dean sausage roll (exp 11/6)
$1 off L’Oreal Paris cosmetic product (exp 11/27)
$2 off L’Oreal Preference shade (exp 11/27)
$2 off L’Oreal Root Rescue shade (exp 11/27)
.75/1 Mother’s cookies, 11.5 oz + (exp 11/27)
$1 off Nivea lip care stick 0.17 oz or tube 0.35 oz (exp 10/16)
$3/2 Nivea lip care stick 0.17 oz or tube 0.35 oz (exp 10/16)
$1.50 off OsCal calcium supplement (exp 12/31)
$1 off Pond’s cream, towelettes or cleansing product, excl trial size (exp 10/30)
$1 off Pond’s wet cleansing towelettes, 30 ct. (exp 10/30)
B1G1 Pure Protein bar, max $1.69 (exp 11/13)
$1 off Pure Protein powder or drink (exp 11/13)
.50/1 Purina Cat or Kitten Chow, excl 16-18 oz (exp 11/27)
.75/2 Purina Whisker Lickin’s (exp 1/2/12)
$1.50 off Sarna anti-itch product (exp 12/31)
.75/1 Snuggle fabric softener liquid or sheets (exp 11/13)
B1G1 Suave Kids hair care, max $3.50 (exp 10/30)
B1G1 Suave Professional Dry shampoo or stylant, max $3.50 (exp 10/30)
B1G1 Suave Professional shampoo or conditioner, max $3 (exp 10/30)
.50/1 Success rice (exp 11/30)
$1 off Sundown Naturals vitamin or supplement (exp 11/16)
$1/2 Tic Tac mints, single or multipk (exp 11/30)
B1G1 TresEmme shampoo or conditioner, max $6, excl trial size (exp 10/31)
B1G1 TresEmme stylant, max $6, excl trial size (exp 10/31)
Free Vaseline lotion max 13 oz wyb (1) 20.3 oz + (exp 10/30)
.50/1 Vicks Cold & Flu or Cough relief item (Target coupon), ets (exp 12/2)
SmartSource 10/02
.75/1 3M Command product (exp 11/6)
$1 off Activia Selects, multipk or (3) singles (exp 11/27)
$2 off ActivOn Arthritis or Joint & Muscle product (exp 10/31)
.55/1 Alexia frozen product (exp 11/14)
.30/1 Argo baking powder, 12 oz (exp 12/31)
.50/1 Bestlife buttery spread, spray or baking sticks (exp 12/11)
.40/2 Campbell’s condensed chicken noodle or tomato soup (exp 12/15)
.40/2 Campbell’s select condensed soups (exp 12/15)
.50/2 Campbell’s microwave bowls or Soup at Hand (exp 12/15)
.50/1 Campbell’s V8 vegetable juice, 46 oz + (exp 11/13)
$1 off Campbell’s V8 vegetable juice, 5.5 or 11.5 oz can 6 pk. (exp 11/13)
$1 off Caribou coffee, 12 oz (exp 11/19)
.40/1 Colgate manual toothbrush, excl Plus and Extra Clean (exp 10/22)
$1 off Colgate 360 battery toothbrush or refill (exp 10/22)
.50/1 Colgate toothpaste, 4 oz + (exp 10/22)
.75/1 Colgate Total, Max Fresh or Sensitive toothpaste, 4 oz + (exp 10/22)
.50/1 Colgate Wisp product, 4 ct. + (exp 10/22)
.50/1 Cottonelle toilet paper, 12 pk. + or (2) 4 pk. (exp 10/30)
$3 off Dr. Scholl’s massaging gel insoles (exp 11/27)
$4 off Dr. Scholl’s pain relief orthotics (exp 11/27)
.75/1 Eggland’s Best Cage Free or Organic eggs, 1 dozen (exp 3/31/12)
.50/1 Eggland’s Best eggs (exp 3/31/12)
$1 off Energizer batteries or flashlight (exp 11/15)
$2 off Farmer John bacon (exp 11/2)
.40/1 Fleischmann’s jar or strip yeast (exp 1/6/12)
.40/1 Fleischmann’s pizza crust yeast strip (exp 1/6/12)
$1 off Foster Farms fresh turkey tray pk. (exp 4/30/12)
.50/1 Frank’s RedHot sauce, 12 oz + (exp 11/30)
.55/1 Frigo Cheese Heads string cheese, 10 oz + (exp 1/31/12)
$1 off Glad To Go containers w/ snap-in dressing cups (exp 11/19)
$3 off Glucerna Hunger Smart product (exp 11/30)
$2.50/2 Glucerna product (exp 11/30)
$1/3 Healthy Choice frozen meals (exp 11/14)
$1 off Hidden Valley Farmhouse Original salad dressing (exp 11/19)
.40/1 Karo syrup, 16 oz + (exp 11/23)
.40/1 Karo syrup, 16 oz + (exp 4/15/12)
.30/1 Kingsford’s corn starch, 16 oz (exp 12/31)
.50/3 Kleenex bundle pk. or (3) boxes 50 ct. + (exp 10/30)
.50/1 Kleenex Cool Touch facial tissue, 50 ct. + (exp 10/30)
.75/1 Kleenex hand towels, excl trial size (exp 11/27)
$1 off L’Oreal Paris cleanser (exp 11/27)
$2 off L’Oreal Paris moisturizer (exp 11/27)
$2.50 off Lactaid Fast Act dietary supplement, 32 ct. + (exp 12/31)
$1 off Little Remedies product (exp 11/30)
.50/1 Mazola oil or spray (exp 11/27)
$1 off MiraLax product, excl 7 dose (exp 11/13)
$3 off MiraLax product, 30 dose (exp 11/13)
$1 off Nature Made fish oil (exp 11/2)
$1 off Nature Made vitamin B (exp 11/2)
$1 off Nature Made vitamin D (exp 11/2)
$2 off Neutrogena face makeup (exp 11/6)
$1 off Neutrogena lip or eye makeup (exp 11/6)
.25/1 Palmolive Ultra dish liquid, 25 oz + (exp 10/22)
$1.50 off Pedialyte product (exp 3/31/12)
$10/$50 Perfumania purchase (exp 10/31)
$1 off Pert Plus 3-in-1 or 2-in-1 product, excl trial size (exp 10/31)
$1 off Playtex Gentle Glide tampons, 18 ct. + (exp 11/30)
$1 off Playtex Sport tampons, 14 ct. + (exp 11/30)
$1 off Pom Reg or Lite, 16 or 48 oz (exp 12/31)
.50/1 Reynolds Baked for You StayBrite baking cups (exp 1/31/12)
.25/2 Reynolds baking cups (exp 1/31/12)
.50/1 Reynolds foil, excl 18-30 sq ft and wrappers (exp 11/30)
$1.50 off Reynolds foil AND parchment paper (exp 11/30)
.50/1 Reynolds parchment paper (exp 11/30)
Free Ricola 19-30 ct. bag wyb Dual Action, max $3.99 (exp 12/31)
$1 off Sure deodorant (exp 10/31)
.40/2 Swanson broth or stock carton (exp 11/5)
$1 off Swanson Flavor Boost concentrated broth (exp 11/5)
.75/1 Tai Pei entree, 12-14 oz (exp 11/30)
$1 off Tai Pei Stir Fry Creations entree, 24 oz (exp 11/30)
$1 off Trojan condoms, 10 ct. + (exp 1/2/12)
$1 off Trojan Vibrations product (exp 1/2/12)
$1 off Tucks product (exp 12/31)
.75/1 Tyson Crispy chicken strips (exp 12/31)
$1 off Viactiv soft chews dietary supplement (exp 11/20)
.60/1 Viva Big Roll paper towels, 1 roll + (exp 11/13)
$1/2 Werther’s Original caramels (exp 12/31)
.50/1 Wholly product (exp 10/23)
$1 off Woolite carpet & upholstery formula (exp 12/31)
$1.50 off Zyrtec product, 12 ct. + (exp 12/31)
$3 off Zyrtec product, 24 ct. + (exp 12/31)
Pepsico “Moments to Save” 10/02
(all exp 10/22)
$1/2 Cheetos or Fritos snacks, 8.5 oz +
$2/2 Frito-Lay variety pks, 20 ct. +
$1/4 Lipton Pure Leaf 16 oz, Natural Lipton iced tea 20 oz or Tazo tea 13.8 oz
$2/2 Lipton tea, 12 pk.
Free Diet Pepsi 2 L wyb tortilla chips 9 oz + AND dip jar 15 oz +
$2/2 Pepsi drink, 18 pk, 20 pk. or 12 oz 24 pk. + cans
.55/1 Pepsi Max, 2 L
Free Pepsi Max 2 L wyb (2) Cheetos bags 8.5 oz +
$1/3 Quaker Life or Oatmeal Squares cereal 12-24 oz or instant oatmeal
$1/2 Sierra Mist Natural drink, 2 L
$1/5 SoBe 20 oz, Propel 24 oz or Propel Zero 24 oz
$2/2 Starbucks Frappuccino or Double Shot, 4 pk.
$1/2 SunChips product, 10 oz +
$1 off Tostitos tortilla chips 9 oz + AND dip jar 15 oz +
$1 off Tropicana Pure Premium or Trop50, 59 oz
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Free Shampoo, Haircut & Style at Ulta Salon!!!
Hey Smarty Pants...Need a haircut? This deal is amazing and it's for a good cause! In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness month, which is October, Ulta Salon & Cosmetics is giving away free shampoos, haircuts and styles. On October 16th from
11 a.m.-6 p.m. only, make a minimum donation of $10 and the Ulta Salon professionals will shampoo, cut and style your hair for FREE! 100% of the proceeds will be donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation. This offer is for walk-in's only so get there early. This is a great cause so donate generously and enjoy your free haircut! Don't forget to tell your girlfriends and as always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Monday, September 26, 2011
How to Get Free Coupons
Hey Smarty Pants...I mentioned in a previous post about some resources for finding coupons but another great way to get them is to contact the manufacturer. This method might not always work 100% of the time but it does work sometimes.
Start by making a list of your family's favorite products that you use frequently, as well as a list of products that your family loves and uses but you rarely find coupons for. Next, go to each of those company websites and find their contact form and send them a message telling them how much your family loves their product. You don't have to come right out and ask for a coupon but you can if you want. I've found that it isn't necessary to ask, they usually volunteer. To save on time you can also type a basic message that would be relevant to any of those company's and copy and paste it into each contact section rather than typing the same message over and over.
As I said, this method doesn't always work but when it does, they tend to send very high value coupons or even coupons for FREE products! This is a great way to get coupons from some of the more expensive brands and for organic food companies since their coupons are very hard to come by.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Start by making a list of your family's favorite products that you use frequently, as well as a list of products that your family loves and uses but you rarely find coupons for. Next, go to each of those company websites and find their contact form and send them a message telling them how much your family loves their product. You don't have to come right out and ask for a coupon but you can if you want. I've found that it isn't necessary to ask, they usually volunteer. To save on time you can also type a basic message that would be relevant to any of those company's and copy and paste it into each contact section rather than typing the same message over and over.
As I said, this method doesn't always work but when it does, they tend to send very high value coupons or even coupons for FREE products! This is a great way to get coupons from some of the more expensive brands and for organic food companies since their coupons are very hard to come by.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Thursday, September 22, 2011
How to Video Series: How to follow sales cycles to save the most money!
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
How to Video Series: How to get Smashbox Cosmetics Makeup for FREE!
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
9/25/11 Sunday Newspaper Coupon Insert Preview
RedPlum
.75/1 C&H Organic Agave Nectar light or amber (exp 11/30)
$1 off California Pizza Kitchen product (exp 11/30)
.50/2 Carnation Evaporated milk 12 oz (exp 12/31)
.50/1 Carnation instant nonfat dry milk (exp 12/31)
$3 off Centrum ProNutrients supplement (exp 10/15)
$3 off Centrum ProNutrients supplement or Specialist multivitamin (exp 10/15)
$2/2 CoverGirl or Olay select beauty products (Target coupon) ets (exp 11/26)
$1 off Crest 3D White oral care item (Target coupon) excl trial size (exp 10/31)
$7 off Crest select 3D White products (Target coupon) (exp 10/31)
$2 off Garnier Nutrisse shade or multi-lights kit (exp 11/5)
$1/2 select Gillette, Pantene, Secret or Olay products (Target coupon) (exp 11/26)
$1 off Kettle baked potato chips 4 oz (exp 11/26)
$1 off Kettle potato chips 5 oz + (exp 11/26)
$1.50 off Kibbles ‘n Bits dry dog food (exp 11/19)
$1/3 Mars M&M’s fun size chocolate candy 8.67 oz + (exp 10/31)
$1.50/2 Milk-Bone dog snacks (exp 11/25)
$1 off Milk-Bone Mini’s dog snacks (exp 11/25)
$1 off Morton System Saver reg, II or Rust Remover pellets (exp 1/29/12)
$2 off Olay facial cleanser excl Pro-X cleansing device, refill and trial (exp 10/31)
$10/2 Olay select moisturizers or Smooth Finish facial hair remover (exp 10/31)
$3/2 Pantene product excl trial size (exp 10/31)
Free Purina Friskies Crispies wyb Friskies treats max $1.85 (exp 12/25)
$1 off Secret product twin pk (exp 10/31)
.50/1 Sparkle paper towels 2 giant roll (exp 12/31)
.55/1 State Fair product (exp 11/30)
.50/1 SuperPretzel soft pretzel (exp 10/13)
.50/1 Tide laundry detergent (exp 10/31)
.50/1 Tio Pepe’s churros (exp 10/13)
Free Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain White rice wyb (3) Ready Rice pouches (exp 11/20)
SmartSource 9/25
.50/1 Birds Eye Steamfresh Chef’s Favorites (exp 11/1)
$1 off Bissel carpet cleaning powder or foam (exp 10/31)
$1 off Blink Tears or GelTears lubricating eye drops (exp 10/31)
.50/1 Brawny paper towels (exp 12/31)
$1 off Clearasil product (exp 11/6)
$1 off Complete Blink-n-Clean lens drops or Blink eye drops (exp 10/31)
$1 off Complete multi-purpose solution 12 oz + (exp 10/31)
.55/1 Edge shave gel 7 oz + (exp 11/6)
$1/2 Extra gum 15 pc (exp 12/31)
$1/2 General Mills select cereals (exp 11/15)
$1/2 General Mills Cheerios cereal (exp 11/5)
$1 off Glade PlugIns Scented Oil refill twin pk or (2) singles (exp 11/5)
.55/1 Glade Premium room spray 9.7 oz (exp 11/5)
$1 off Glade Press & Spray starter kit (exp 11/5)
.75/2 Glade Scented Oil candles or 4 oz jars (exp 11/5)
$2 off Glade Sense & Spray starter kit (exp 11/5)
$1/2 Hershey’s Bliss chocolate 8 oz + (exp 11/20)
$1/3 Hershey’s select snack size bags 9-22 oz (exp 10/15)
$1 off Icy Hot, Aspercreme, Capzasin, Sportscreme or Flexal (exp 12/31)
$1 off Indiana popcorn family size 5-18 oz (exp 12/31)
.50/1 Irish Spring body wash excl 2.5 oz or (2) multi-bar pk 3 ct + (exp 10/15)
.50/1 Irish Spring deodorant (exp 10/15)
$1 off John Frieda Frizz-Ease product excl trial size (exp 11/27)
$2 off John Frieda Precision Foam colour (exp 11/30)
$1/2 Kaukauna balls and logs (exp 12/31)
$1/2 Kaukauna cups (exp 12/31)
.50/1 KC Masterpiece barbecue sauce or marinade (exp 12/31)
$2 off Meat wyb 8.3 lb + Kingsford or 6.3 lb + Match Light charcoal (exp 12/31)
.55/1 Morton Season-All (exp 12/31)
$1 off One-A-Day adult or teen multivitamin (exp 12/31)
$3/2 One-A-Day adult or teen multivitamin (exp 12/31)
.75/2 Pillsbury refrigerated cookie dough (exp 12/17)
$1 off Pledge Fabric Sweeper for pet hair (exp 11/5)
$2/2 Pledge furniture care products (exp 11/5)
$1 off Pyrex glass storage (exp 12/31)
$1 off Revlon beauty tool (exp 11/30)
$2 off Schick Quattro for Women razor (exp 11/5)
$4 off Schick Quattro for Women refill (exp 11/5)
$2 off Schick Quattro Titanium razor ro trimmer (exp 11/6)
$2 off Schick Quattro Titanium refill (exp 11/6)
$2 off Schick Slim Twin or Quattro disposable razor pk excl 2 ct (exp 11/6)
$4/2 Schick Slim Twin or Quattro disposable razor pk excl 2 ct (exp 11/6)
$2/2 Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaner (exp 11/5)
.75/1 Scrubbing Bubbles Fantastik all purpose cleaner (exp 11/5)
$2/2 Scrubbing Bubbles toilet cleaning products (exp 11/5)
.55/1 Shout product (exp 11/5)
.50/1 Softsoap bar soap 2 pk + (exp 10/15)
.75/1 Softsoap body wash 12 oz + (exp 10/15)
.35/1 Softsoap hand soap pump 8 oz + or refill (exp 10/15)
$1 off Stouffer’s family size entree (exp 12/31)
$1/2 Sunsweet dried fruit (exp 12/31)
$2 off Theraflu multisymptom Severe Cold green tea or honey lemon (exp 12/3)
$3/2 Theraflu product (exp 12/3)
.55/1 Tomcat product (exp 11/30)
.55/1 TruMoo chocolate milk half gal + (exp 10/22)
$1 off Windex multi-surface product (exp 11/5)
$1/2 Windex product (exp 11/5)
$1 off Zantac product 24 ct + (exp 12/31)
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
.75/1 C&H Organic Agave Nectar light or amber (exp 11/30)
$1 off California Pizza Kitchen product (exp 11/30)
.50/2 Carnation Evaporated milk 12 oz (exp 12/31)
.50/1 Carnation instant nonfat dry milk (exp 12/31)
$3 off Centrum ProNutrients supplement (exp 10/15)
$3 off Centrum ProNutrients supplement or Specialist multivitamin (exp 10/15)
$2/2 CoverGirl or Olay select beauty products (Target coupon) ets (exp 11/26)
$1 off Crest 3D White oral care item (Target coupon) excl trial size (exp 10/31)
$7 off Crest select 3D White products (Target coupon) (exp 10/31)
$2 off Garnier Nutrisse shade or multi-lights kit (exp 11/5)
$1/2 select Gillette, Pantene, Secret or Olay products (Target coupon) (exp 11/26)
$1 off Kettle baked potato chips 4 oz (exp 11/26)
$1 off Kettle potato chips 5 oz + (exp 11/26)
$1.50 off Kibbles ‘n Bits dry dog food (exp 11/19)
$1/3 Mars M&M’s fun size chocolate candy 8.67 oz + (exp 10/31)
$1.50/2 Milk-Bone dog snacks (exp 11/25)
$1 off Milk-Bone Mini’s dog snacks (exp 11/25)
$1 off Morton System Saver reg, II or Rust Remover pellets (exp 1/29/12)
$2 off Olay facial cleanser excl Pro-X cleansing device, refill and trial (exp 10/31)
$10/2 Olay select moisturizers or Smooth Finish facial hair remover (exp 10/31)
$3/2 Pantene product excl trial size (exp 10/31)
Free Purina Friskies Crispies wyb Friskies treats max $1.85 (exp 12/25)
$1 off Secret product twin pk (exp 10/31)
.50/1 Sparkle paper towels 2 giant roll (exp 12/31)
.55/1 State Fair product (exp 11/30)
.50/1 SuperPretzel soft pretzel (exp 10/13)
.50/1 Tide laundry detergent (exp 10/31)
.50/1 Tio Pepe’s churros (exp 10/13)
Free Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain White rice wyb (3) Ready Rice pouches (exp 11/20)
SmartSource 9/25
.50/1 Birds Eye Steamfresh Chef’s Favorites (exp 11/1)
$1 off Bissel carpet cleaning powder or foam (exp 10/31)
$1 off Blink Tears or GelTears lubricating eye drops (exp 10/31)
.50/1 Brawny paper towels (exp 12/31)
$1 off Clearasil product (exp 11/6)
$1 off Complete Blink-n-Clean lens drops or Blink eye drops (exp 10/31)
$1 off Complete multi-purpose solution 12 oz + (exp 10/31)
.55/1 Edge shave gel 7 oz + (exp 11/6)
$1/2 Extra gum 15 pc (exp 12/31)
$1/2 General Mills select cereals (exp 11/15)
$1/2 General Mills Cheerios cereal (exp 11/5)
$1 off Glade PlugIns Scented Oil refill twin pk or (2) singles (exp 11/5)
.55/1 Glade Premium room spray 9.7 oz (exp 11/5)
$1 off Glade Press & Spray starter kit (exp 11/5)
.75/2 Glade Scented Oil candles or 4 oz jars (exp 11/5)
$2 off Glade Sense & Spray starter kit (exp 11/5)
$1/2 Hershey’s Bliss chocolate 8 oz + (exp 11/20)
$1/3 Hershey’s select snack size bags 9-22 oz (exp 10/15)
$1 off Icy Hot, Aspercreme, Capzasin, Sportscreme or Flexal (exp 12/31)
$1 off Indiana popcorn family size 5-18 oz (exp 12/31)
.50/1 Irish Spring body wash excl 2.5 oz or (2) multi-bar pk 3 ct + (exp 10/15)
.50/1 Irish Spring deodorant (exp 10/15)
$1 off John Frieda Frizz-Ease product excl trial size (exp 11/27)
$2 off John Frieda Precision Foam colour (exp 11/30)
$1/2 Kaukauna balls and logs (exp 12/31)
$1/2 Kaukauna cups (exp 12/31)
.50/1 KC Masterpiece barbecue sauce or marinade (exp 12/31)
$2 off Meat wyb 8.3 lb + Kingsford or 6.3 lb + Match Light charcoal (exp 12/31)
.55/1 Morton Season-All (exp 12/31)
$1 off One-A-Day adult or teen multivitamin (exp 12/31)
$3/2 One-A-Day adult or teen multivitamin (exp 12/31)
.75/2 Pillsbury refrigerated cookie dough (exp 12/17)
$1 off Pledge Fabric Sweeper for pet hair (exp 11/5)
$2/2 Pledge furniture care products (exp 11/5)
$1 off Pyrex glass storage (exp 12/31)
$1 off Revlon beauty tool (exp 11/30)
$2 off Schick Quattro for Women razor (exp 11/5)
$4 off Schick Quattro for Women refill (exp 11/5)
$2 off Schick Quattro Titanium razor ro trimmer (exp 11/6)
$2 off Schick Quattro Titanium refill (exp 11/6)
$2 off Schick Slim Twin or Quattro disposable razor pk excl 2 ct (exp 11/6)
$4/2 Schick Slim Twin or Quattro disposable razor pk excl 2 ct (exp 11/6)
$2/2 Scrubbing Bubbles bathroom cleaner (exp 11/5)
.75/1 Scrubbing Bubbles Fantastik all purpose cleaner (exp 11/5)
$2/2 Scrubbing Bubbles toilet cleaning products (exp 11/5)
.55/1 Shout product (exp 11/5)
.50/1 Softsoap bar soap 2 pk + (exp 10/15)
.75/1 Softsoap body wash 12 oz + (exp 10/15)
.35/1 Softsoap hand soap pump 8 oz + or refill (exp 10/15)
$1 off Stouffer’s family size entree (exp 12/31)
$1/2 Sunsweet dried fruit (exp 12/31)
$2 off Theraflu multisymptom Severe Cold green tea or honey lemon (exp 12/3)
$3/2 Theraflu product (exp 12/3)
.55/1 Tomcat product (exp 11/30)
.55/1 TruMoo chocolate milk half gal + (exp 10/22)
$1 off Windex multi-surface product (exp 11/5)
$1/2 Windex product (exp 11/5)
$1 off Zantac product 24 ct + (exp 12/31)
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Free Oil of Olay Gift Set at Walmart.com
Hey Smarty Pants...Walmart.com has a really great deal on Olay Spa Gift Sets, they're only $10 with free shipping but wait...it gets better! With the purchase of either gift set offered, you will receive a free subscription to Allure Magazine. If you aren't interested in the subscription, there is an option to receive a 9.99 rebate check back by mail instead. The form you'll need to either order the subscription or ask for your 9.99 rebate will come inside the gift set and is limited to one per household. So for just pennies, you'll receive an awesome gift set for yourself or to give as a gift.
Go here to head to Walmart.com's website and search for Olay Gift Set. Also, keep in mind this should be eligible to go towards the P&G Mail-In Rebate offer I posted about several days ago. If you missed it, you can find a link to the rebate form here
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Check Out My Youtube Video On Getting Started With Coupons
Hey Smarty Pants...I told you Youtube videos were coming and here is the first one....it's a little rough since I don't really have high-tech equipment but I hope it is helpful. It's basically a review of my blog post "How to use coupons-where to begin." There will be more videos to come very soon so be sure to subscribe to my Youtube channel.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
9/25/11 Sunday Newspaper Coupon Insert Preview
9-25 RedPlum Coupon Preview
RedPlum Coupon Insert
C&H Save $.75/1 bottle of Light or Amber Organic Agave Nectar (11/30)
California Pizza Kitchen Save $1/1 product (11/30)
Carnation Save $.50/1 instant nonfat dry milk (12/31)
Carnation Save $.50/2 12oz can evaporated milk (12/31)
Centrum Save $3/1 ProNutrients supplement (10/15)
Centrum Save $3/1 ProNutrients supplement or Specialist multivitamin (10/15)
Crest Save $1/1 3D White oral care item ets Target coupon (10/31)
Crest Save $7/1 3D White Whitestrips 20ct Professional Effects or 4ct 2-hour express Target coupons (10/31)
Garnier Nutrisse Save $2/1 shade or multi-lights kit (11/5)
Kettle Save $1/1 4oz bag baked potato chips (11/26)
Kettle Save $1/1 5oz+ bag potato chips (11/26)
Kibbles ‘n Bits Save $1.50/1 dry dog food (11/19)As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
RedPlum Coupon Insert
C&H Save $.75/1 bottle of Light or Amber Organic Agave Nectar (11/30)
California Pizza Kitchen Save $1/1 product (11/30)
Carnation Save $.50/1 instant nonfat dry milk (12/31)
Carnation Save $.50/2 12oz can evaporated milk (12/31)
Centrum Save $3/1 ProNutrients supplement (10/15)
Centrum Save $3/1 ProNutrients supplement or Specialist multivitamin (10/15)
Crest Save $1/1 3D White oral care item ets Target coupon (10/31)
Crest Save $7/1 3D White Whitestrips 20ct Professional Effects or 4ct 2-hour express Target coupons (10/31)
Garnier Nutrisse Save $2/1 shade or multi-lights kit (11/5)
Kettle Save $1/1 4oz bag baked potato chips (11/26)
Kettle Save $1/1 5oz+ bag potato chips (11/26)
Kibbles ‘n Bits Save $1.50/1 dry dog food (11/19)As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Monday, September 19, 2011
Free Full-Size Smashbox Cosmetics Makeup with Free Shipping & Samples
Hey Smarty Pants…for all you beauty junkies out there…I have a great deal for you that you might not have heard of. Every Tuesday and Thursday at Smashbox.com from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. PST you will receive a free gift with any purchase. You may not think that’s exciting because you’re probably thinking it is some tiny dinky sample…WRONG! They send you a full size product in addition to some other great deluxe sized samples and include free shipping on your entire purchase.
The first thing you need to do is sign up at Smashbox.com to be a Pretty Points member. If you already have an account, log in and click on the Pretty Points Rewards tab in the right hand corner and then click on the Free Weekly Gifts box. It’s free to join and once you sign up you’ll begin earning reward certificates based on how much you spend. Plus, you’ll receive a free gift set during the month of your birthday.
Make sure as you checkout that you don’t forget to choose form the deluxe samples they offer. You should also see your free item show up in your cart once you begin the checkout process. If you don’t, make sure you are signed in to your Pretty Points account and try again.
They do this every Tuesday and Thursday and the free gift is different each time. Mark your calendars and make sure you take advantage of this awesome offer. It’s not only a great way to build up your makeup collection but these could also make great gifts for friends and family….if you can part with them that is.
Want to make this deal even sweeter…when you make your purchase through www.ebates.com, you’ll earn 4% of your purchase price in cash back to your Ebates account. Don’t know what Ebates is? Ebates is totally free and legitimate (I’ve been a member for a long time) Basically you sign up for your free Ebates.com account and anytime you do online shopping, check Ebates.com to see if the online store you are purchasing from is listed on the Ebates website. If it is and you click on that store’s link, you’ll receive a certain percentage of your order total back in your Ebates account. They mail out checks every quarter so that’s money back in your pocket. Think of it as a rebate. If you don’t already have an Ebates account, you can sign up here:
http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=wOb3nc7TNHqT538w96BbwQ%3D%3D
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
How To Use Coupons-Where to Begin
Hey Smarty Pants! Aren't you excited??? You're about to learn how to coupon and save a TON of money along the way. While learning to coupon can be challenging, I will break it down into small steps for you, that way, you'll be less likely to become overwhelmed and give up before you even begin.
Sign up for every store's loyalty card: I remember the days when I was "too cool" to attach anything to my keyring except the keys to my shiny black Mustang GT but since having kids and trading in my 'Stang (sniff sniff), I've learned not to be so proud. Having a loyalty card is especially important at stores like Kroger and Rite Aid since they require you to have a loyalty card in order to receive their sale prices that week.
Start collecting coupons: Loyalty cards are a great way to save but manufacturer and in-store coupons are the bread and butter to any couponers success. Coupons can be found almost everywhere. It seems you can't fall down anymore without landing on a coupon. That's great news for you. These are some of my favorite places to find coupons:
The Sunday newspaper is the jackpot for money saving coupons. Each Sunday you will find several coupon inserts, usually from RedPlum, Proctor & Gamble and Smart Source. Proctor & Gamble (or P&G) is usually only included in the Sunday newspaper one time per month I recommend purchasing at least 2 newspapers every Sunday. (See #5 for an alternative to this.)
Coupons.com
Redplum.com
Target.com (although those are almost always only for use at that store but they can be "stacked" or used in conjunction with, a manufacturer coupon for even more savings.
Ebay.com Yes, you can actually purchase coupons on Ebay.com. While it's illegal to sell or trade coupons, it's perfectly okay to charge for the time it takes to gather, clip and mail coupons which is what these ebay coupon-sellers do. This is a great way to get a jump-start on your coupon collection. It's also a great way to purchase more of a particular coupon you like without having to purchase multiple newspapers. You can even purchase whole coupon inserts!
Social Media: Businesses constantly use Facebook.com and Twitter.com to post coupons for their products. While I don't "tweet" I do use Facebook and have gotten many high value manufacturer coupons and even some free products just by "liking" a company on Facebook.
Organize, Organize, Organize: Organization is the key to couponing success. Without a proper organization method in place you will most likely lose your coupons, not know what you have and let them expire before you even remember you have them. There are several methods that are popular and if you start one method and find it isn't working for you, then try another.
The coupon binder: A lot of couponers use a coupon binder to organize their coupons. You can purchase baseball card protector pages to slip the clipped coupons into. I personally think that is too tedious, especially if you only have one or two of a certain coupon.
Accordion file: This is my personal method of choice. I have 2 coupon files. One for foods and the other for anything that is non-food. I like this because I can break coupons down into 13 categories, one for each of the divider tabs in my accordion file.
Search Youtube.com for videos on coupon organization.
Shew, I hope that helps those of you who are new to couponing. These things must be done in order to move on to the next level....learning how and when to use your coupons.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Sign up for every store's loyalty card: I remember the days when I was "too cool" to attach anything to my keyring except the keys to my shiny black Mustang GT but since having kids and trading in my 'Stang (sniff sniff), I've learned not to be so proud. Having a loyalty card is especially important at stores like Kroger and Rite Aid since they require you to have a loyalty card in order to receive their sale prices that week.
Start collecting coupons: Loyalty cards are a great way to save but manufacturer and in-store coupons are the bread and butter to any couponers success. Coupons can be found almost everywhere. It seems you can't fall down anymore without landing on a coupon. That's great news for you. These are some of my favorite places to find coupons:
The Sunday newspaper is the jackpot for money saving coupons. Each Sunday you will find several coupon inserts, usually from RedPlum, Proctor & Gamble and Smart Source. Proctor & Gamble (or P&G) is usually only included in the Sunday newspaper one time per month I recommend purchasing at least 2 newspapers every Sunday. (See #5 for an alternative to this.)
Coupons.com
Redplum.com
Target.com (although those are almost always only for use at that store but they can be "stacked" or used in conjunction with, a manufacturer coupon for even more savings.
Ebay.com Yes, you can actually purchase coupons on Ebay.com. While it's illegal to sell or trade coupons, it's perfectly okay to charge for the time it takes to gather, clip and mail coupons which is what these ebay coupon-sellers do. This is a great way to get a jump-start on your coupon collection. It's also a great way to purchase more of a particular coupon you like without having to purchase multiple newspapers. You can even purchase whole coupon inserts!
Social Media: Businesses constantly use Facebook.com and Twitter.com to post coupons for their products. While I don't "tweet" I do use Facebook and have gotten many high value manufacturer coupons and even some free products just by "liking" a company on Facebook.
Organize, Organize, Organize: Organization is the key to couponing success. Without a proper organization method in place you will most likely lose your coupons, not know what you have and let them expire before you even remember you have them. There are several methods that are popular and if you start one method and find it isn't working for you, then try another.
The coupon binder: A lot of couponers use a coupon binder to organize their coupons. You can purchase baseball card protector pages to slip the clipped coupons into. I personally think that is too tedious, especially if you only have one or two of a certain coupon.
Accordion file: This is my personal method of choice. I have 2 coupon files. One for foods and the other for anything that is non-food. I like this because I can break coupons down into 13 categories, one for each of the divider tabs in my accordion file.
Search Youtube.com for videos on coupon organization.
Shew, I hope that helps those of you who are new to couponing. These things must be done in order to move on to the next level....learning how and when to use your coupons.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
INEXPENSIVE HOME DECOR-FABRIC WALL ART
Hey Smarty Pants...It can cost a small fortune to furnish and decorate our homes. I usually had to purchase things only when the budget allowed and by the time the room was finally finished, I was already tired of it. Over the years I’ve learned some creative ways to save when it comes to decorating my home and I hope they help you to decorate yours.
Utilize professional painters’ “slow season”:
If you’re going to have your house professionally painted, painters are usually the busiest in the spring and summer months and less concerned about earning your business. The way to get the best deal on having your house professionally painted is to wait until their slow seasons…typically between October and January. Most people are busy with back-to-school and planning for the holidays and aren’t interested in having their homes in turmoil while it’s being painted. Use this to your advantage when negotiating with painters to drive the cost down. I did this and was able to knock $400 of the original estimate I was given.
Be creative and make your own wall art:
Even if you are fortunate enough to find wall décor that matches your room, it can be extremely expensive! There are several great ways to make your own wall art for several dollars rather than several hundred dollars.
• Use scrapbook paper: Scrapbook paper comes in such a wide variety of colors and patterns; you’re bound to find some that matches your décor. You can cut it and frame it like I did or you can use spray adhesive to mount it on Styrofoam or canvas. The great thing about using scrapbook paper is you can usually find several that coordinate with each other so you can have a grouping of wall art that looks great together.
• Use wallpaper: Wallpaper is also a great way to make your own art. While most people shy away from wallpapering their entire rooms, it looks great when framed or adhered to canvas. Lowe’s has even been known to give away their old wallpaper books after they have been discontinued by the manufacturer. Imagine all of the art you could make with an entire book of coordinating wallpaper samples!
• Fabric/Pillow cases: Want artwork that matches your bedding set perfectly? Try buying an extra sheet or pillow case set and wrapping it around canvas. You could even make your own headboard by wrapping Styrofoam with coordinating fabric and attaching it to the wall where a headboard would normally go. This would also be perfect for college students to make a memo board that matches their bedding.
It definitely pays to think “outside the box” when it comes to home décor. Your home is an expression of you and what better way to demonstrate that than by making your own art. Plus, it’s much cheaper to change it out whenever the mood strikes.
Remember that craft and hobby stores usually carry a large selection of home décor items such as fabric, candles, accessories and frames and they’re almost always 40-50%.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Disney World Vacation Package Discount Coupon-Free Disney Dining Plan
Hey Smarty Pants...are you planning a Disney vacation between now and the early part of next year...if you are here is a great deal for you:
For a limited time, get a FREE Disney dining plan when you buy a full price 2011 Magic Your Way or 2012 Magic Your Way vacation package (including accommodations and tickets) for select dates at select Walt Disney World resort hotels.
Offer is valid for check-ins 10/1/11–10/6/11, 10/22/11–11/3/11, 11/12/11–11/17/11, 11/26/11–12/1/11, 12/10/11–12/15/11, 1/8/12–1/12/12, 1/21/12–2/2/12, 2/11/12–2/16/12, 3/3/12–3/8/12 and 3/24/12–3/29/12. Some dates may have extremely limited availability. Some of the most popular resorts and/or room types may not have any availability. Based on similar offers in the past, the offer can apply to your entire stay as long as you check in within one of the allowed sets of dates.
Stay at select Disney Value resorts and get the 2011 Quick Service Dining Plan or 2012 Quick Service Dining Plan for FREE.
Stay at select Disney Moderate, Deluxe and Deluxe Villas resorts and get the regular 2011 Dining Plan or 2012 Dining Plan for FREE.
The package includes:
Accommodations in a select Walt Disney World resort hotel (3 nights minimum, 14 nights maximum)
Walt Disney World theme park Base Tickets (2 days minimum; can be upgraded to include add-ons such as Park Hopper and/or Water Park Fun & More at an additional cost)
Book by 10/29/11. No group rates or other discounts apply. Excludes suites, campsites and 3-Bedroom Villas. Advance reservations required. Excludes gratuities and alcoholic beverages. Children ages 3-9 must order from the children's menu if available. Some table-service restaurants may have limited or no availability at time of package purchase.
2011 packages: D3X for Quick Service Dining Plan at Value Resorts; J4J for regular Dining Plan at Moderate, Deluxe & Deluxe Villa Resorts
2012 packages: RSV for Quick Service Dining Plan at Value Resorts; H3G for regular Dining Plan at Moderate, Deluxe & Deluxe Villa Resorts
Unless you don't want to eat at any of the sit-down type restaurants, I would highly recommend upgrading to the Plus Dining Plan that includes table service meals rather than just the Quick Service Dining Plan (which only includes buffet-style restaurants and snacks.) You will need table service dining credits to allow you to receive your free meal at places like Cinderella Castle, Liberty Tree, The Hollywood Brown Derby and Le Cellier.
This information was provided by www.mousesavers.com. Make sure to subscribe to their newsletter to be notified of any new discounts, tips or deals that are going on at Disney World or Disneyland.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
How to Stack Coupons:
Hey Smarty Pants...you might or might not have heard about something called "stacking coupons." If you are just learning how to coupon, first read my post called "Learn how to coupon" from 9/7/2011. If you are already using coupons but want to save even more money, you're ready for the next step....stacking coupons. We all know that you're only allowed to use one manufacturer coupon per one of that item but did you know that if the store has an in-ad or in-store coupon for that same item that you can use both the manufacturer coupon AND the store coupon on that one item? Keep in mind that this works at other stores besides grocery stores. In fact, I've been able to stack coupons with the most success outside of the grocery store just because our local grocery store doesn't typically offer in-store coupons.
Target is the first store that comes to mind when I think of stacking coupons. If you go to Target.com and scroll down to the very bottom you should see a link that says "Ways to save." Under that is a coupon link. Click on that and a wide variety of coupons that can be printed should pop up. Each of these coupons can be printed two times by hitting the back button on your browser once the first coupon prints. You don't have to print all of these if you don't want to. You're able to click just the ones you want to print if you prefer. Most all of these coupons are in-store coupons but occasionally you will find a manufacturer coupon. These in-store coupons can be used in conjunction with a manufacturer coupon that matches that item. Make sure you read the item description and size specifications on both the manufacturer coupon and the in-store coupon to make sure they are indeed both for the same item. If they are, then you're good to go.
Try to resist the urge to go to the store right then. Watch the Target sales ad in hope that the item that you have "stacked coupons" for will go on sale. When it does, you'll save even more money!
Stacking coupons works out great at Target, especially in the summer and winter months because it seems that those are the times when toy manufacturers, such as Fisher Price and Mattel, have a ton of manufacturer coupons for toys and games. That is also around the time when Target has a big sale on their toys and games. When the stars align like that, you can get some great toys for really cheap or even FREE!
Couponing isn't complicated once you get the hang of it but it is a new mindset that you need to adopt. Always think about what coupons you might have for an item before purchasing it. If you don't have a coupon or that item isn't on sale, can you wait until you do have a coupon or it does go on sale? The same goes for stacking coupons. When you're making your weekly shopping list, look at the store's website and sales ad for in-store coupons that you can stack with a manufacturers coupon.
I hope this has helped you learn how to "stack" coupons. Keep your eyes peeled for those in-store coupons and as always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Saturday, September 17, 2011
$10 Proctor & Gamble Main-In Rebate on Beauty Items: Venus, Olay, Secret, Cover Girl & More
Hey Smarty Pants...P&G has a great rebate for beauty and skincare products! When you spend $50 on Venus, Olay, Secret, CoverGirl, Clairol, Pantene, Safeguard, and/or Ivory between 9/1/11-10/31/11 you'll receive $10 back by mail. You'll find the Official Mail-In rebate form and all the details at:
http://www.pgpinkrebate.com/pink_rebate.pdf
This is a great deal and when combined with the sales at Rite Aid the week of 9/25, you can really get an awesome deal. For example:
•Cover Girl Cosmetics will be Buy 1 Get 1 50% off
•Secret Antiperspirant/Deodorant will be Buy 1 Get 1 50% off
•Venus razors will be Buy 1 Get 1 50% off
•Olay Regenerist will be 2/$44 (a $10 manufacturer coupon is scheduled to be in the Sunday newspaper that week making the deal 2/$34.00. On top of that there is a Rite Aid Single Check Rebate when you purchase 2 eligible Regenerist products. See Riteaid.com/SCR for details on which products are included in the $10 Single Check Rebate.)
•Pantene Shampoo, Conditioners or Stylers 2/$8.00 (a $3/2 manufacturer coupon is scheduled to be in the 9/25 Sunday newspaper.)
Keep in mind that while the $10 rebate requires you spend $50, that is BEFORE coupons!!!
You can also find a wide variety of Olay products at Amazon.com if you prefer the convenience of shopping from home.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
http://www.pgpinkrebate.com/pink_rebate.pdf
This is a great deal and when combined with the sales at Rite Aid the week of 9/25, you can really get an awesome deal. For example:
•Cover Girl Cosmetics will be Buy 1 Get 1 50% off
•Secret Antiperspirant/Deodorant will be Buy 1 Get 1 50% off
•Venus razors will be Buy 1 Get 1 50% off
•Olay Regenerist will be 2/$44 (a $10 manufacturer coupon is scheduled to be in the Sunday newspaper that week making the deal 2/$34.00. On top of that there is a Rite Aid Single Check Rebate when you purchase 2 eligible Regenerist products. See Riteaid.com/SCR for details on which products are included in the $10 Single Check Rebate.)
•Pantene Shampoo, Conditioners or Stylers 2/$8.00 (a $3/2 manufacturer coupon is scheduled to be in the 9/25 Sunday newspaper.)
Keep in mind that while the $10 rebate requires you spend $50, that is BEFORE coupons!!!
You can also find a wide variety of Olay products at Amazon.com if you prefer the convenience of shopping from home.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Friday, September 16, 2011
EARN A FREE $10 DEBIT MASTERCARD FOR FREE GAS WHEN YOU BUY KELLOGG'S CEREALS
Hey Smarty Pants...if you're looking for a way to save on gas, and let's face it, who isn't, head on over to http://www2.kelloggs.com/AARP/rewards. When you purchase 10 participating Kellogg's cereals and mail the UPC's in along with the Official Order Form you will receive a $10 debit Mastercard. The limit on these offers is 5 per household which is a great deal since most offers like this are limited to one per household. You'll find a list of participating cereals and the Official Order Form at the above mentioned website. Just make sure to catch these cereals when they're on sale and USE COUPONS with them to maximize the awesomeness of this deal. Hurry, you only have until 12/31/11!
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
CHEAP HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS-HALLOWEEN CRAFTS FOR KIDS!
Hey Smarty Pants....Halloween is coming and I have a super cute and easy Halloween decorating idea. These pumpkin characters were really easy to make and I already had most of the items needed. You can purchase the foam pumpkins at any craft store (make sure you wait until they are at least 40% off) and paint them any color you like. You probably already have craft paint so use the colors you have to decide which character you're going to make. You might also already have craft foam, pipe cleaners and googly eyes. Use what you have and see what you can come up with. I have these on my front porch but they would also be adorable for Halloween parties, centerpieces, etc. Get your kid's involved and use your imagination.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Sunday, September 11, 2011
HOW TO MAKE MONEY SHOPPING AT WALMART WITH COUPONS!!
Hey Smarty Pants...One thing you should always have with you when you're shopping with coupons, besides your coupons of course, is every store's coupon policy. It's always best to know your store's coupon policy and to also have it with you in case you run into a problem at the store.
If you read the post previous to this one, you should see Walmart's Coupon Policy. In addition to the fact that Walmart will match other store's sale prices, there's a little line in their coupon policy that is every couponers dream and that is, " If coupon value exceeds the price of the item, the excess may be given to the customer as cash or applied toward the basket purchase." Can you believe that? Walmart is the only store that I know of that does that and I think it's only fair. If you know how manufacturer coupons work, the store is reimbursed for the full value of the manufacturer coupon plus a little extra for shipping and handling charges. If the coupon value exceeds the actual price of the item, most stores manually price adjust the value of the coupon so that there is no overage but they are still going to receive the full face value of the coupon. I don't think that's fair but that's how most stores do it, except Walmart.
With that being said, your new mission is to find coupons that have values greater than the item's price. At Walmart it's pretty easy to do that. For example, just several days ago there was a $3 printable manufacturer coupon for KY Jelly. At my local Walmart, the original KY Jelly is around $2.64 so that means you get to use that coupon overage of .36 to either apply to the other items in your cart or as cash back if that's the only item you are purchasing. .36 doesn't sound like much but every little bit does help and if you have several items that will end up with an overage, it adds up fast! If are always on the lookout for those items that will have coupon overage, you'll be making money just to shop at Walmart!
While this tip is beneficial for everybody, it's especially valuable to those people that believe you never can find coupons for healthy/organic foods, produce, dairy, meat or eggs. While coupon overage isn't technically a coupon, it's still extra money that can be applied to those items that rarely have coupons.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
If you read the post previous to this one, you should see Walmart's Coupon Policy. In addition to the fact that Walmart will match other store's sale prices, there's a little line in their coupon policy that is every couponers dream and that is, " If coupon value exceeds the price of the item, the excess may be given to the customer as cash or applied toward the basket purchase." Can you believe that? Walmart is the only store that I know of that does that and I think it's only fair. If you know how manufacturer coupons work, the store is reimbursed for the full value of the manufacturer coupon plus a little extra for shipping and handling charges. If the coupon value exceeds the actual price of the item, most stores manually price adjust the value of the coupon so that there is no overage but they are still going to receive the full face value of the coupon. I don't think that's fair but that's how most stores do it, except Walmart.
With that being said, your new mission is to find coupons that have values greater than the item's price. At Walmart it's pretty easy to do that. For example, just several days ago there was a $3 printable manufacturer coupon for KY Jelly. At my local Walmart, the original KY Jelly is around $2.64 so that means you get to use that coupon overage of .36 to either apply to the other items in your cart or as cash back if that's the only item you are purchasing. .36 doesn't sound like much but every little bit does help and if you have several items that will end up with an overage, it adds up fast! If are always on the lookout for those items that will have coupon overage, you'll be making money just to shop at Walmart!
While this tip is beneficial for everybody, it's especially valuable to those people that believe you never can find coupons for healthy/organic foods, produce, dairy, meat or eggs. While coupon overage isn't technically a coupon, it's still extra money that can be applied to those items that rarely have coupons.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Walmart Coupon Policy
Walmart Coupon Policy
We gladly accept the following types of coupons*
Print-at-home internet coupons
Must be legible
Must have "Manufacturer Coupon" printed on them
Must have a valid remit address for the manufacturer
Must have a valid expiration date
Must have a scannable bar code
Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons with a specified price
Are acceptable in black and white or color
May not be duplicated
Manufacturers' coupons
For dollar/cents off
For free items (except those printed off the Internet)
Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons
Must have "Manufacturer Coupon" printed on them
Must have a valid remit address for the manufacturer
Must have a valid expiration date
Must have a scannable bar code
May not be duplicated
Competitors' coupons
A specific item for a specified price, for example, $2.99
Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons for items with a specified price
Have a valid expiration date
Are acceptable in black and white
Soft drink container caps
Checkout coupons ("Catalinas")
Printed at our competitors' registers for dollar/cents off on a specific item
Must have "Manufacturer Coupon" with specific item requirements printed on them
Must have a valid remit address for the manufacturer
Must have a valid expiration date
Must have a scannable bar code
Are acceptable in black and white
May not be duplicated
We DO NOT accept the following coupons:
Checkout coupons
Dollars/cents off the entire basket purchase
Percentage off the entire basket purchase
Print-at-home Internet coupons that require no purchase
Competitors' coupons
Dollars/cents off at a specific retailer
Percentage off
Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons without a specified price
Double- or triple-value coupons
*The following are guidelines and limitations:
We only accepts coupons for merchandise that we sell.
Coupons must be presented at the time of purchase.
Only one coupon per item.
Item purchased must be identical to the coupon (size, quantity, brand, flavor, color, etc).
There is no limit on the number of coupons per transaction.
Coupons must have an expiration date and be redeemed prior to expiration.
If coupon value exceeds the price of the item, the excess may be given to the customer as cash or applied toward the basket purchase.
SNAP items purchased in a SNAP transaction are ineligible for cash back.
WIC items purchased in a WIC transaction are applied to the basket purchase and may not be eligible for cash back. Refer to state-specific WIC guidelines.
Great Value, Marketside, Equate, Parents Choice, and World Table coupons have no cash value and are ineligible for cash back or application to the basket purchase.
The system will prompt for supervisor verification for:
40 coupons per transaction.
A coupon of $20 or greater on one item.
$50 or more in coupons in one transaction.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
We gladly accept the following types of coupons*
Print-at-home internet coupons
Must be legible
Must have "Manufacturer Coupon" printed on them
Must have a valid remit address for the manufacturer
Must have a valid expiration date
Must have a scannable bar code
Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons with a specified price
Are acceptable in black and white or color
May not be duplicated
Manufacturers' coupons
For dollar/cents off
For free items (except those printed off the Internet)
Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons
Must have "Manufacturer Coupon" printed on them
Must have a valid remit address for the manufacturer
Must have a valid expiration date
Must have a scannable bar code
May not be duplicated
Competitors' coupons
A specific item for a specified price, for example, $2.99
Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons for items with a specified price
Have a valid expiration date
Are acceptable in black and white
Soft drink container caps
Checkout coupons ("Catalinas")
Printed at our competitors' registers for dollar/cents off on a specific item
Must have "Manufacturer Coupon" with specific item requirements printed on them
Must have a valid remit address for the manufacturer
Must have a valid expiration date
Must have a scannable bar code
Are acceptable in black and white
May not be duplicated
We DO NOT accept the following coupons:
Checkout coupons
Dollars/cents off the entire basket purchase
Percentage off the entire basket purchase
Print-at-home Internet coupons that require no purchase
Competitors' coupons
Dollars/cents off at a specific retailer
Percentage off
Buy one, get one free (BOGO) coupons without a specified price
Double- or triple-value coupons
*The following are guidelines and limitations:
We only accepts coupons for merchandise that we sell.
Coupons must be presented at the time of purchase.
Only one coupon per item.
Item purchased must be identical to the coupon (size, quantity, brand, flavor, color, etc).
There is no limit on the number of coupons per transaction.
Coupons must have an expiration date and be redeemed prior to expiration.
If coupon value exceeds the price of the item, the excess may be given to the customer as cash or applied toward the basket purchase.
SNAP items purchased in a SNAP transaction are ineligible for cash back.
WIC items purchased in a WIC transaction are applied to the basket purchase and may not be eligible for cash back. Refer to state-specific WIC guidelines.
Great Value, Marketside, Equate, Parents Choice, and World Table coupons have no cash value and are ineligible for cash back or application to the basket purchase.
The system will prompt for supervisor verification for:
40 coupons per transaction.
A coupon of $20 or greater on one item.
$50 or more in coupons in one transaction.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
IT'S OKAY TO BE CHEAP-YOUR KIDS WILL THANK YOU FOR IT!
Hey Smarty Pants...Let’s face it, raising children is one of, if not the, most expensive things we will ever do. Even giving birth to a child can cost a small fortune and let’s be honest, there is no coupon for the delivery room. There’s no Baby Happy Hour where if you have your baby from 5:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. then your baby is half-price. There is no Baby BOGO (Buy One Get One Free, for you coupon newbies)
From the time babies are born they require a constant stream of cash to feed, diaper, clothe and entertain them. As well-meaning parents, it’s very easy to get caught up in purchasing all of the things that you think your child needs to be healthy and happy. More money spent equates a happy child. That is definitely a misconception and I hope the following tips will help you re-think how your family finds fun.
Our family has taken a big vacation every year since our oldest daughter was small. We couldn’t always afford to go but we had credit cards, right? Well, after that theory came back to bite us, we learned not to take vacations that we can’t afford. This summer, it wasn’t in the budget for our family to take a vacation but I still wanted to make it a fun and memorable summer for my kids. The baby doesn’t care a whole lot about where we go or what we do but our oldest daughter, being that it was her break from school, wanted to party like it was 1999. If you do a little research there is so much out there for kids to do for cheap or even free!
The first place I started was our public library. Libraries are for so much more than checking out musty old books, although that’s a great way to save money, too. Our public library had a summer reading program for babies thru adults. After reading a certain number of books you’re given a brand-new book of your choice. Even the baby got a free book! Barnes & Noble also has an offer like this for kids.
Our library also had some great free events that my kids loved! We went to a magic show and a ventriloquist show that were amazing. I was extremely impressed with the quality of the entertainment they had and they were definitely something I would’ve paid to see but didn’t have to. Most public libraries also have daily programs for babies and book clubs and crafts for older kids. Don’t forget to check out the libraries in surrounding counties. From my experience, you don’t have to live in that county to visit their library or participate in their special events.
One of the hardest places to save money is at kid’s entertainment centers. Places like Chuck E. Cheese, Gattitown and Monkey Joe’s can take a big chunk out of your wallet. When I was working part-time for a local restaurant I would often speak with the manager of my kid’s favorite places and trade coupons. Just make sure you have the authority to pass out coupons from your workplace. It amazed me how willing the managers were to trade and it saved me at least 50% on admission prices. The same goes for trading a service. If you teach dance, art or music, consider trading free lessons for the manager’s child in exchange for coupons or gift certificates.
When it comes to free entertainment, we often forget about the fun that nature has to offer. Use the internet to research if your town has any nature preserves or sanctuaries. Our town has several and they offer free programs for kids year-round.
Don’t forget to utilize your favorite stores as well. Craft stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby offer free crafts for kids throughout the year. Even Lowe’s has a Saturday Kid’s Clinic for free.
Some of the best times I’ve had with my children have been while doing inexpensive or free things. We take lots of picnics, feed the ducks, visit our favorite pet store, take nature walks, and lay outside after dark and count stars. After all the time and money I’ve spent trying to make my daughters happy, I finally realized that what they really wanted was me, just my time and attention, and that is free!
If you're looking for a great book for kids and parents, check out The Ultimate Book of Kid Concoctions. My Mom has this book and my daughter loves doing the "speriments."
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
From the time babies are born they require a constant stream of cash to feed, diaper, clothe and entertain them. As well-meaning parents, it’s very easy to get caught up in purchasing all of the things that you think your child needs to be healthy and happy. More money spent equates a happy child. That is definitely a misconception and I hope the following tips will help you re-think how your family finds fun.
Our family has taken a big vacation every year since our oldest daughter was small. We couldn’t always afford to go but we had credit cards, right? Well, after that theory came back to bite us, we learned not to take vacations that we can’t afford. This summer, it wasn’t in the budget for our family to take a vacation but I still wanted to make it a fun and memorable summer for my kids. The baby doesn’t care a whole lot about where we go or what we do but our oldest daughter, being that it was her break from school, wanted to party like it was 1999. If you do a little research there is so much out there for kids to do for cheap or even free!
The first place I started was our public library. Libraries are for so much more than checking out musty old books, although that’s a great way to save money, too. Our public library had a summer reading program for babies thru adults. After reading a certain number of books you’re given a brand-new book of your choice. Even the baby got a free book! Barnes & Noble also has an offer like this for kids.
Our library also had some great free events that my kids loved! We went to a magic show and a ventriloquist show that were amazing. I was extremely impressed with the quality of the entertainment they had and they were definitely something I would’ve paid to see but didn’t have to. Most public libraries also have daily programs for babies and book clubs and crafts for older kids. Don’t forget to check out the libraries in surrounding counties. From my experience, you don’t have to live in that county to visit their library or participate in their special events.
One of the hardest places to save money is at kid’s entertainment centers. Places like Chuck E. Cheese, Gattitown and Monkey Joe’s can take a big chunk out of your wallet. When I was working part-time for a local restaurant I would often speak with the manager of my kid’s favorite places and trade coupons. Just make sure you have the authority to pass out coupons from your workplace. It amazed me how willing the managers were to trade and it saved me at least 50% on admission prices. The same goes for trading a service. If you teach dance, art or music, consider trading free lessons for the manager’s child in exchange for coupons or gift certificates.
When it comes to free entertainment, we often forget about the fun that nature has to offer. Use the internet to research if your town has any nature preserves or sanctuaries. Our town has several and they offer free programs for kids year-round.
Don’t forget to utilize your favorite stores as well. Craft stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby offer free crafts for kids throughout the year. Even Lowe’s has a Saturday Kid’s Clinic for free.
Some of the best times I’ve had with my children have been while doing inexpensive or free things. We take lots of picnics, feed the ducks, visit our favorite pet store, take nature walks, and lay outside after dark and count stars. After all the time and money I’ve spent trying to make my daughters happy, I finally realized that what they really wanted was me, just my time and attention, and that is free!
If you're looking for a great book for kids and parents, check out The Ultimate Book of Kid Concoctions. My Mom has this book and my daughter loves doing the "speriments."
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
SHOP FROM YOUR STOCKPILE!
Hey Smarty Pants...If you’ve been couponing for a while you have probably noticed that it’s easier to get great deals on non-food items while the cost of groceries is “eating up” most of your monthly budget. It might sound basic but make sure you are using your store’s weekly ad to plan your meals for that week. Even without using coupons, planning your family’s meals around only the items that are on sale will save you a bundle. You should never allow yourself to shop without knowing what’s on sale and what you really need. You will not only spend more money than you would have to for your ingredients, but will also be more likely to buy things you didn't intend to.
While you’re using the ad to plan your meals, don’t forget to always shop from your stockpile before you shop at the store! If you’re lucky enough to have a stockpile of food items, try to find recipes that use those ingredients. There are several great recipe websites that allow you to input the ingredients you want to center your meal around. Some of my favorites are:
• Kraftfoods.com
• Allreceipes.com
• Supercook.com
Combine using your stockpile food items along with a store’s sale price and coupons and your meals will not only be delicious but inexpensive as well!
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
While you’re using the ad to plan your meals, don’t forget to always shop from your stockpile before you shop at the store! If you’re lucky enough to have a stockpile of food items, try to find recipes that use those ingredients. There are several great recipe websites that allow you to input the ingredients you want to center your meal around. Some of my favorites are:
• Kraftfoods.com
• Allreceipes.com
• Supercook.com
Combine using your stockpile food items along with a store’s sale price and coupons and your meals will not only be delicious but inexpensive as well!
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
WHEN TO USE COUPONS!
Hey Smarty Pants...step away from that coupon and keep your hands where I can see them!!! Why, you might ask, would I be telling you to put a coupon down right after I told you how imperative they are to saving you hundreds and even thousands of dollars? It's because you have a happy coupon trigger finger and you need to learn when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. Wow, that's a lot of country western references in a row. Sorry, I must be tired.
Knowing when and how to use a coupon to it's highest potential is just as important as having the coupon in the first place. So you've got a $1.00 coupon for Oreos just sitting there staring at you? You hadn't planned on buying any Oreos this week but since you have the coupon, why not use it, right? WRONG! First of all, you're buying something that isn't on your shopping list (we'll talk more about that later) and you're buying something you hadn't planned on buying just to save $1.00. Well, that's not really saving $1.00 is it? Plus, chances are those Oreos aren't on sale this week and you're wasting the $1.00 coupon on a full-priced item. The idea is to "sit on" your coupons until the item goes on sale...then use your coupon along with the sale to maximize your savings.
Over time, you'll learn what a good sale price is for the items you typically purchase and that's when you want to use your coupons. Sales usually run on a 6 week cycle. Chances are if Life cereal is on sale today, you can pretty much count on it being on sale again in about 6 weeks. Items do also go on sale in between those periods but the greatest savings usually average 6 weeks. When an item is on sale and you have a coupon, that's when you want to stock up. Purchase at least 6 weeks worth of that particular item. If the item has a really long shelf life, maybe you would want to purchase more if it's something your family uses frequently and a stockpile is born.
If you apply this method of sale+coupon=maximum savings, pretty soon you'll have your own mini-mart in your home and that's when you really start to notice the money you're saving.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Knowing when and how to use a coupon to it's highest potential is just as important as having the coupon in the first place. So you've got a $1.00 coupon for Oreos just sitting there staring at you? You hadn't planned on buying any Oreos this week but since you have the coupon, why not use it, right? WRONG! First of all, you're buying something that isn't on your shopping list (we'll talk more about that later) and you're buying something you hadn't planned on buying just to save $1.00. Well, that's not really saving $1.00 is it? Plus, chances are those Oreos aren't on sale this week and you're wasting the $1.00 coupon on a full-priced item. The idea is to "sit on" your coupons until the item goes on sale...then use your coupon along with the sale to maximize your savings.
Over time, you'll learn what a good sale price is for the items you typically purchase and that's when you want to use your coupons. Sales usually run on a 6 week cycle. Chances are if Life cereal is on sale today, you can pretty much count on it being on sale again in about 6 weeks. Items do also go on sale in between those periods but the greatest savings usually average 6 weeks. When an item is on sale and you have a coupon, that's when you want to stock up. Purchase at least 6 weeks worth of that particular item. If the item has a really long shelf life, maybe you would want to purchase more if it's something your family uses frequently and a stockpile is born.
If you apply this method of sale+coupon=maximum savings, pretty soon you'll have your own mini-mart in your home and that's when you really start to notice the money you're saving.
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
As always...shop like a Smarty Pants!
Be Clean, Green and Cheap!
Hey Smarty Pants...are you spending too much on household cleansers? For several years now I've been making my own and haven't looked back since. It all started when I was pregnant with our second child and I knew I didn't want to use any harsh chemicals. My poor first child, I didn't know any better when I was pregnant with her and didn't really think much about breathing in those toxic fumes. With the "green" movement that hit mainstream media several years ago, I'm a lot more conscious about the chemicals my family is exposed to.
Anyway, I purchased an empty spray bottle from Walmart for about .97 cents and fill it with equal parts white vinegar and water. I have one for upstairs and downstairs. It's also nice to know that when I have my oldest clean something, she won't be coming in contact with any hazardous chemicals. It doesn't smell that great but neither do regular cleansers. If the smell of vinegar bothers you, like it does my husband, you can always mix in some essential oils. But I'm a real woman, I like my cleaners straight up with no chaser. :) Just kidding. I don't drink, I heard that on t.v. once. :)
Baking Soda is also a great household cleanser that is natural and non-toxic. It's a natural abrasive that's effective yet gentle. I sprinkle baking soda on the bottom of our textured bath tub, spray some of the vinegar/water solution on top and wait for it to sizzle and foam up. I let it sit for 10-15 minutes and then scrub it with a cleaning brush. It works way better than Scrubbing Bubbles and is much cheaper to make.
The two cleaning products that I do purchase are Clorox Wipes and Clorox or Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner. Of course, I use coupons and get them for ridiculously low prices but I feel that the toilet HAS to be disinfected more than vinegar can do. The same goes for the Clorox Wipes. I like to use them on doorknobs, phones, remote controls and any surfaces that might have a high-germ potential but I'm not having to spray anything into the air.
I hope these tips help you re-think how you clean your home. When you make your own cleansers you not only save money but you're doing something great for your family and that's a win-win!
As always, Shop Like a Smarty Pants!
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