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!

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!

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!

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!

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!