Well, I was happy that Kashi sent a second packet of their promotional coupons after I told them mine went in sixty seconds.

And, even though it's almost impossible to get a "FREE" product coupon accepted around here (coupon fraud worries, no printables, no frees)...it's a bit humbling to give away dozens of FREE product coupons. Hoping it's $$$ saved for people learning to save.

I received a really nice surprise in today's mail. Kashi sent -- 6 FREE PRODUCT coupons! The promo packets only had one free product coupon, and 5 $1.50 off one item coupons, and receiving a second set to share was nice.

But, by giving away that one free product coupon...I've received 7 more!.

What goes around does come around, and what you give does come back abundantly...just not usually in coupons!

Eddie Bauer is having their summer clearance, actually ENDING their clearance (and it's only July!). To mark the occasion, they are offering a $25 g/c for any $75 purchase. Add in the 50 - 70% savings...and that's my deal of the day.

Now...do I NEED anything...no. But hopefully someone else can use the info!

http://www.eddiebauer.com/eb/default.asp

Last week I placed my quarterly order with drugstore.com. They have a quarterly 5% back, plus it was gold card week for GNC items...and I went through eBates for another 5%. Several items we still can't purchase locally...

And, they had a offer, buy two soy nation products, get a $50 sample pack of all the different products they offer. It "sounded" reasonable.

I received it today. Whomever priced this at $50 worth of samples...well, hmmm...let's say I have NO interest in buying anything that would be THAT expensive. I'd have just said free samples myself.

I usually like drugstore.com's free with purchases. I'm adjusting to their new online manufacturer coupons...albeit I have not used one! And their online manufacturer rebates...well, okay, maybe.

But, this was a WASTE of my money. I purchased two packs of soy protein nutrition bars to get the sample pack, and yes, we do eat protein bars every day. But soy protein is not optimal, and we already know our favorite bars.

I KNEW better, if it's too good to be true to it usually is...but curiousity and savings greed got the best of me.

Yes, SAVINGS GREED. The greedy obsession to SAVE, even if you don't need to.

S-H-A-M-E.

We all make mistakes. We all learn (hopefully).

So, on to the next saving adventure.

The coupons in tomorrow's paper are not outstanding, at least for me. If you've been looking for the Advil PM TMF rebate, there is a form. Colgate coupons.

The items of interest, though, are found in the store circulars. Target, $25 g/c for new or transferred prescriptions. RiteAid, $20 g/c for new or transferred prescriptions.

I know quite a few bargain hunters are taking advantage of this trend. You can pick up a voucher for a free Rx sample, usually 2 weeks worth (check www.reduceprescriptioncosts.com for current offers), have it filled, no copay or cost, and a g/c.

Or, you can fill new Rx, or transfer, and the g/c will at least cover the co-pay, a nice way to reduce your cost of prescriptions on it's own.

I could write a full blog on this...

but, also, look in the CVS ad, a manufacturer's TMF rebate for the new Herbal Esscenses products, does not need to be PURCHASED at CVS. On, and on...those ads are similar to JUNK MAIL...before you recycle them, skim through for deals you may not want to miss out on!

I'll be the first to admit, I rarely do try me free (TMF) rebates. First, I don't want to have an item just to have it...I'm already overstocked on life and stuff. And, it seems complicated to keep the receipt for a single item, remove the UPC (which will probably start a war with me, and either tear or I'll burst open the package). If I wait to take the UPC off until after I've used the product, the chances of finding the rebate form AND the receipt AND it still being before the deadline, well...I've got too much to do.

But, having accumulated all these TMF and other rebates, I actually sat down and cranked them out today!

First - Resolve new dual action carpet cleaner. NICE, just a form and receipt, no trying to get the UPC off the cleanser (definite hazard there!). $6.

Second - Boost with Benefiber, also easy, and $8. Boost we use anyway, so trying the benefiber version was not a stretch.

Third, the new Act restoring mouthwash. Very easy. $6.

Fourth, well, not TMF, but $5 coupon rebate on Land of Lakes. Their cheese blocks are usually $4.19 each, but they were on sale at 2/$4, and after a $1 coupon on each, the $12 purchase requirement (3 blocks) was easily met, for $3. I bought 6, but it was a great deal!

Sunny D was on sale, so I did the movie ticket rebate. We rarely go to the movies, but a ticket without restrictions is impossible to find, and would cost us $12 EACH at our theater. Of course, we'd hit the matinee...

I still haven't done the FREE Advil PM 20 count, I think I used the receipt on something else.

And, having a form for Aquafresh White & Shine or Extreme Clean 4.3 oz or larger, and a separate form for just the White % Shine, means I can do them both...but I've got more toothpaste stockpiled than we can use in a year. Of course, those rebates are good through '08, so if the product is still around, I may just use one later.

MEAT...well, DH is still in charge of that one. $25, but it's due this next week. No nagging, though, he asked to be in charge of it, and whatever happens, it's fine. I love him LOTS more than the $25. As long as HE loves ME more than the steaks...

15 inches of rain in 24 hours are enough to bring down the best plants, especially when their limbs are heavy with wet fruit. But I finally held my breath and headed out to survey the damage.

Our homeowners covenants don't let visible gardens detract from the property. So, we have a postage stamp size garden hidden behind a home grown fence of flowing ornamental grasses and pine trees.

Hidden away, we have a vegetable patch, yet to be planted. A frugal tip - don't overcommit yourself to a giant gardening project and lose your investment in plants if you can't establish and maintain them.

We have a line of blueberry plants, a range of varieties to pollinate and keep blueberries ripening throughout the summer. Most seem to have hung on through the storms, and only a few succumbed to a hungry deer tearing away the protective netting:



We also have six dwarf fruit trees. Growing up in California farm country, the concept of dwarf trees affronts me. How can you possible get decent fruit from dwarf trees? Do they produce much? Is the fruit dwarf?



I'm happy to report they are also doing well...and the quality, well, the pile of pits on the ground from said deer indicates they are doing well. Not ripe yet, but growing quickly.





Savings of the day...well, a cup of blueberries runs around $4? We and our friends, family, neighbors, dental hygenist...picked around twenty quarts last year. The cost...well, the fertilizer won't put a dent in the Home Depot g/c I just received. Blueberries are remarkably hardy, and one of the easiest to grow organically.

Finding storage space in the freezer...well, you can do worse things to your friends than donating buckets of fresh blueberries to their homes!

Today I received a $50 Home Depot card from My Points. I think I purchased some Avon or Lancome, free gifts and sale, all that. Things I would have purchased elsewhere anyway, in my new TAKE CARE OF ME OCCASIONALLY state. The Home Depot card, definite bonus.

Well, maybe I wouldn't have purchased bath gels, and stuff, without the additional incentive of the gift card and the free gifts and the half price sale. But, this is one thing I am TRYING to learn. A bit of self-nuturing. I'm horrible at it, but I'm trying to get better. A nice bubble bath is a great start.

I also received two $20 rebates from amazon.com, g/cs of course. $40, but I won't add that in to my totals until I use them. DH still wants that software, but I'm hoping for, maybe a new vacuum? Ionic Breeze?

Shopping, well, that was fairly excellent. Dropped by the store to see if they had more Oreo coupons, and use another meat coupon. They had a package of premium cut beef, originally $39.45, on sale for 17.45, and we had a $10 beef certificate WYB 5 oral-b, so we picked up a few more packages of floss. We run through loads of it for health reasons. DH wasn't happy...until he saw the meat. We'd never purchase something that expensive.

I've seen people in other stores finding sample sizes of floss, 18 cents a piece or so. Five of those for $10 of beef would be excellent. No such luck here. But, I'll take the savings we did find.

Also picked up cranberry juice at BOGO, and more salad. Last day to use the $2 coupon, and at BOGO it came out free.

So, new totals:

Current savings:\\
2006 $20 challenge: $4852
2006 grocery savings: $6661

Pretty good day, other than not getting home in time to be online. So much to read, so little time!

Did indeed receive $21 check back from Novartis for the Lamisil I didn't like. They really seem to be a good company.

Meat, well...we have a $10 off $10 or more meat, Safeway, when purchase 5 Oral B items. I found the coupon in the pharmacy aisle, displayed with all the $10 - $20 packs of Oral-B and other products. Found the $1 each floss, bought 5 and a $14 back of meat reduced to $10.

Now, there is a rebate, $15 back with purchase of $20 meat, charcoal, and BBQ sauce.

Charcoal is half price this week, $3.99 a bag, have a $2 coupon, and a $2 rebate. But the rebate requires the receipt. So, that's a complete loop ($4 for product minus coupon minus rebate is free, but receipt is used).

Also have a buy charcoal, get free BBQ, and since charcoal is half price, that's pretty good, and fits the meat deal. And the $14 of meat receipt would count towards the meat purchase.

But we still have that $25 on $75 on meat, which I was so positive we would never use...purchase $75 in MEAT?????

But then Jeffrey asked me to show people how to cut costs shopping, so I did a free ham deal and a free chicken deal, and so much more, so now I have all these receipts, I probably have purchased that much meat! Yikes!

I have all you to thank for that, or DH does. He loves meat. Protein.

Of course, now we are having a bit of a disagreement...what to do with so much charcoal. Three years ago we were BBQing all the time, and bought up a bunch. DH left it under the BBQ cover over three winters of snow and ice, and three summers of heat and rain. So, *I* say it won't light, and we need to pitch (recycle). DH says it is still perfectly fine. We'll see...

In the meantime, he has been inspired to take the cover off, remove the wasp nests and what nots, and is scrubbing off the rust to refurbish and repaint. YEAH! BBQ! We've had POURING rain for two days, 7 inches in the last 24 hours, I think they said. I know it was 5 yesterday.

I spent the rest of the time in the store looking for the elusive Oreo coupon. A nice find, I posted, buy any two Oreos, any size, get $3.99 free milk. I didn't pick extra's up, because we don't eat oreos or milk, except when the kids are in. Turns out they are a hot item, and no one else seems to have them. So many requests.

The rest of the evening...chasing down coupon trains that have gone MIA.

Anyway, $75 to add to grocery challenge, and $26 dollars (haven't added in last one) to the $20 challenge.

Current savings:\\
2006 $20 challenge: $4802
2006 grocery savings: $6629

Okay, I'm a bit excited. I did a bit of spontaneous shopping to conclude the "article", and found some great savings. Shopping sales, using coupons, rebates, and relying on my own "store" of a.k.a. the stockpile, to suplement my purchases, I was able to purchase $600 of groceries for almost nothing.

Photos and receipts, and details are in the article, which Jeffrey has posted on www.grocerycouponguide.com, at

Success Story!

No brags, but I do hope that it's a bit inspiring. Those of you on our coupon trains know I don't cherry pick and keep the best coupons for myself, and I didn't "cheat" with free product coupons.

Lot of assistance from DH, who made sure we only purchased items WE can use (I think it's cheating to show great savings that you can't use yourself! Nothing wrong with giving away, but I want to show REAL LIFE savings).

For someone like me, who was spending $400 or more a week last year, no coupons or sales in sight, it's nice to see I can get back to the saving mindset.

And, turns out I'm SPENDING much less than I thought! I've been tracking the savings, but the spending is MUCH less than it was.

Hope you find it enlightening and inspiring!

A quick trip to the store, and a VERY grouchy clerk. I did redeem one of my Coke coupons, with MUCH ado from the staff. If I have time, I will contact Coke and let them know what a pain it is to redeem these!

Found a great sale, chicken, ham, dog food...spent under $9, and the receipt was $66 to start. Not bad!

I finally emailed the great savings day article to Jeffrey...it's long, with all the details. Hopefully it won't crash his computer! Or yours...although I am sure he will clean up any data overloads before he loads it onto the site.

So, I did indeed do my "standard savings", and documented it all with photos, receipts, and spreadsheets. Ick! But, it was good, too. Haven't allowed myself to shop in awhile.

So, now we are TRULY overstocked in our stockpile! Back to USE IT OR LOSE IT.

DH...well, we won't be taking any pictures of the stockpiles now! He's past embarrassed!

But tonight...tonight is SUSHI. Someone else is fixing, and I am taking some down time.

Been working on contacting manufacturers, good, bad, happy, sad...and most are sending coupons. Another big boo to THAT COMPANY...but YEAHS to so many more.

Nothing like getting a coupon for a FREE PRODUCT from a great brand.

Can you hear the article being written?

Now, just need to get the word processing worked out...

Started out simply enough, we had a few things to pick up on clearance...Safeway is having Tums for $1, and we have $1 coupons, Ensure for $2.99 and we have $1 coupons, etc...remodeling sale...

Dropped by Target to see if the Biotene really was cheaper there...we pay $7.50 minimum per bottle; it is regular $5.15 at Target (WOW), and on unadvertised sale for $3.99! THANKS FOR THE HEADSUP JEN!

So, I checked, yep, the sale tag is out. They only have 6 left, but HAPPY, take them to the register, get rung up, give them my last $5 g/c for Target (MUST STOP GIVING THOSE AWAY!). As we walk to the jeep, I am looking at the receipt...does not make sense...we were charged full price. Quick debate with DH on going back in, but we do...waited, were sent to CS, to a VERY grumpy clerk who said they were NOT on clearance and NO STORE IN CA has the same sales as MD and it was not possible...I did get her to walk back to the aisle and see the tag...turns out the sale expired yesterday...but since they were marked, she had to give us the price and refund the difference...but she was TICKED OFF that someone left an old tag up. Wow, hate to work for her!

Took forever, but very worth it. DH uses at least 60 bottles a year...so saving $2 - $2.50 regularly, or this, around $4.50 each, well...$120 or more saved EACH YEAR by changing stores. More if I have survey gift cards or other rewards for Target. Hmmm...

So, we dropped by the next store, which was completely backed up in check-out, so we went for the self-express. Hmmm...always a bad idea with coupons. It works sometimes, but there always seem to be problems. And of course, the clerk was NOT responsive to the computer locked up blinking light...first when a coupon got stuck, then when an item went through as unscanned and it was rescanned and then we were charged twice, and in the meantime our "buy 4 get one free" summer rebate was cashed out and lost...and Breyer's was BOGO, but the computer was not coded for my coupon, so the clerk voided the transaction, took my $6 coupon, and of course the computer then removed my free half of the BOGO...and charged me for it...and on and on...

It's just SO much nicer to work with a person.

We went to Giant, where the cashiers are friendly and know us, never mind processing loads of coupons, make sure we get a deal, even remind us to get rainchecks! Of course, we never let them get shorted. Coupons ring up twice, or they input $5 instead of $0.50, we correct them. Couponing, and saving, is only at the manufacturer's expense, only by the rules.

Still, a VERY long day, and stressful. I keep thinking I am just going to send my lot of coupons off to someone and stick to buying what we need...then I'm reminded that we do SAVE money...and we did make a donation in our friends name...the savings really help us do what WE want with our money.

So, for today

Current savings:\\
2006 $20 challenge: $4738
2006 grocery savings: $6502

Tonight we eat salmon, asparagus, fresh corn on the cob, and mangos!

It's a strange perspective for me, personally. DivaJen, you asked about our spending...last year at this time, this would have been my weekly purchase, no sales, coupons, discounts, cash back cards and rebates to follow...

We had salmon at least once a week, steak, wonderful salads. To the mix, I would have added another $50 - 100 at Trader Joes, some DVDs from Costco.

The eye shadow compact from Costco, which I purchased after trying a free sample, well, that would have been at least $50 of MAC from Nordstrom. And I would not have tried it first, no time or interest, just pitch it if I didn't like it.

Yesterday DH and I both picked up additional items and put them in the cart...and then thought, what are we doing??? I don't need a 30 pack of post-its, just because I can't FIND the ones I purchased last time. They are somewhere in the house, probably buried by DH. He'll find them. We didn't need two boxes of Zone bars, when I can find them much cheaper elsewhere.

So, in contrast to last year, when we would have spent $500 a week easily, each and every week, because it was EASY, and would have tossed out anything that wasn't right, we have both changed our ATTITUDES. Takes a bit more time, thought, effort, and planning up front, but so much easier in the after math!

Jeffrey got my husband's article up before he (Jeffrey) left for the US...

Grocery stockpiling, and savings, from my husbands perspective!

My DH's Guide to Stockpiling


Before you view the pictures...they were taken BEFORE yesterday's shopping and AFTER I have seriously been trying to use the stockpile up. And I do have other stashes that aren't getting photographed...like under the bathroom sink!

I needed a challenge today. Having a down day, and wanted a tangible success. And, I needed something interesting to blog about. The question was asked about how I shop/save/spend...so, I gave myself a challenge.

My challenge: get a months worth of stuff, or at least grocery products across the board (hey, I've already got a HUGE stockpile - one more tube of toothpaste and I'll be in the dog house with DH, and the freezer is PACKED), for as little as possible. Keeping it real.

Realism, well, I did NOT want to use any FREE PRODUCT coupons, or do anything that every one else can't do fairly painlessly, and routinely, once they have built up their savings muscles (good analogy, Baselle!) It's not real to save up all your super show stopper coupons and dump them down in one fell swoop and then claim the wonders of couponing.

Well, I do plan to do that for an article, but as a different challenge. Today was just, well, rather spontaneous.

So...here's what I brought back, for $27:



Yep, that's crab-stuffed fresh salmon, fresh organic beef, four pounds of premium bacon, fresh asparagus, corn, portabella mushrooms...peanuts for my dear squirrels, dog food, drinks, CheerFree, Dole...an array of what WE needed to balance our STOCKPILE.

Part of our three month plan.

How? It started this morning, got today's ad, nothing at all exciting, but I made a list, cross referenced against coupons and our stockpile/needs, and went out shopping, with DH in tow, of course.

The details, well, Jeffrey has requested an article, and it shall be coming once he is back and running. Stay tuned!

Back to the savings challenge:

Totals before savings, $310. So, saved $283.

Also received the Mopar rebate from the car...great and surprising find! $40

Current savings:\\
2006 $20 challenge: $4668
2006 grocery savings: $6370

Well, not quite, but even better.

My DH can only use Biotene mouthwash since his radiation treatments. It hasn't been easy to find locally, so I've been ordering from drugstore.com.

It's $7.29 a bottle. He uses 3 - 4 bottles a week.

I found it locally in limited quantity last week, at $7 a bottle. No shipping. But, alas, no coupons yet.

I contacted Biotene, and told them of my plight. Drugstore.com is a preferred vendor, linked and highlighted on their website. In my email to Biotene, I noted that I had purchased over 100 bottles from drugstore.com to date, and asked if they had samples or coupons available.

In their GREAT kindness, they are sending a free travel kit with all their products. Very nice.

Even better, and more surprising, Biotene responded that I could find their mouthwash much cheaper at Target.

It's around $5 there!

That's a minimum of $120 savings each year. That's BETTER than a one time coupon! And since I have contacted several other companies (crest, colgate, etc.) to see if their products would be suitable, and they aren't, it's a small miracle for us.

Of course, I received 3 travel kits for Tom's of Maine, valued at $10 each, which I have no use for. Stocking stuffers maybe? Hmmm...

One email, $120 a year.

Who knew!?!

But pretty close. Safeway we saved 90%. Weis, Ensure was on sale, regularly $10 down to $7, and had several $1 coupons from the trains...so stockpiled. Not quite half, but then again, they have a rebate for a FREE ensure 6 pack with every 5 (or 6?) purchased, so looking forward to the freebies!

Saved $72 total, between the two stores. So...

Current savings:\\
2006 $20 challenge: $4628
2006 grocery savings: $6087

So, before the attack of the Huggies coupons...I was starting a challenge for this month. The good news continues...SCJ not only sent two free product coupons, $4.50 each, but also two coupon booklets. They always send sets of two coupons, one for you and one for a friend...and I have friends!

I also complained to Meow Mix that my cat does not like the hair ball formula. Loves regular. What's the difference, what to do...they sent helpful suggestions, and 4 $1 coupons on any package, exp. 6/30/07. Yep, 07. Told ya, manufacturer direct coupons tend to have long expiration dates. It's a very different customer support psychology of marketing process.

Now, a good coupon...but if Meow Mix goes on sale half price or better in the next YEAR, that's nearly free cat food. And if transferred to ziplocs, it keeps quite awhile.

Or, freeze it, and it lasts even longer!

Well...back to work, I've got trains to get out!

My deal of the day.

I love SCJ. I received a sample of their new Windex microfiber cloths, and they are fantastic on glass. I used the coupon/sale, bought a box, and ran right through them. Hmmm...

In the newsletter they just sent, SCJ claims the cloths are reuseable. Hmmm...so I emailed to ask. Are they?

Yes! Just rinse, let dry, and use again!

Cool.

Just for contacting them, they are sending a coupon for a free box. I didn't ask for the coupon, but SCJ frequently provides free product coupons in response to any customer query. I know they will follow up with a survey by mail on the support I received for my question. Assuming the coupon arrives, they will get a big thumbs up.

Proctor and Gamble, on the other hand...I had a reaction to one of their products. I was sent an expired, 25 cent coupon, for Ivory soap to wash off the skin. Boo. But, they put out their own coupon inserts, and receive THOUSANDS of requests for coupons every day. Unless you have a SERIOUS problem, they prefer you not contact them, and they certainly are NOT going to encourage you to do so.

Thanks for all the tips. No offense from the laughter...if you could have seen my DH's face when I came out of the bath in stripes

I'd have thought GoJo would take anything off. We use it mucking out stables. Nope, don't have a horse farm, but I'm on the board of directors for a non-profit giving counseling to abused kids, and they spend quite a bit of time with the horses, equine therapy. I don't mind mucking stalls for a good cause!

I'm now gray and pink...Calamine lotion. Poison oak, ivy, AND sumac.

I do this every year. We have wild strawberry vines as a ground cover in our wild back frontier, and it is lovely every spring as it spreads its way out. So I am thrilled to see it spreading even more, in new places, and I nuture it and trim it...and realize it IS NOT wild strawberry.

The savings lesson for the day...be careful before you grab up those great offers that seem too good to be true. Like my magically spreading wild strawberries, they may not be what they seem!

Me.

As part of our gardening odyssey of savings, DH upgraded our mulch to a high quality. Hmm...very dark. Mulch is usually very dark in a wet pile, but fades out once it dries in the sun. So...I didn't think too much about it...

SLATHERED myself in sun screen. Red headed, fair skinned me.

Turns out, DH paid extra to buy the permanently dyed mulch...black...and it is quite stunning. It resists fading, so keeps that beautiful freshly laid look year round. So they say.

And it was still such a huge savings!!! I'm thrilled!!!

Except...I wore sandals for part of the day. Didn't really look at the bottoms of my feet when I showered yesterday. Knees were a bit dark. But today...knees are BLACK. Feet are BLACK. It won't scrub off. It won't PUMICE off!

That's when DH tells me he bought PERMANENTLY DYED black mulch...and yep, it's PERMANENTLY on me. With the sunburn, the black feet, and the white lines of where the sun stopped and my shirt and shorts were...well, I'm quite a sight!

So, a tiny extra expensive from this garden savings. And I really do hate to say this, it goes against everything...but if we saved $4500 on gardening, I am going to spend $20 and get some nice bath gel to SOAK this stuff off in!

AH.

This is, of course, the downfall of any savings plan. Saving money and considering the savings as something to be spent elsewhere. NEVER EVER EVER allow yourself to do this. Saving is the reward!

Unless you have permanently dyed black knees and feet.

I was disappointed when Yves Rocher became popular enough that eBates dropped their cash back from 15% to 8%. Still, Yves Rocher is having a 50% off the site sale, with an extra 10% off using the code

10YRNEW

And, a free tote or sample package, free shipping, a free bathroom set, and free samples. Plus the 8% back, plus the credit card rebate. So, not bad...after a day digging and laying down BLACK mulch, I am looking forward to a delivery of some nice botanical bath products!

Well, as you can see from my last post, we got through the murder, and life returned to normal, so back to coupons!

The murder, well, teenage road rage, just happened to be at the court house, mid day, with dozens of people and police officers around...one of the kids pulled a knife, and then they ran. Not unusual for city life, but for the sleepy little down with one Main Street, the first murder in 20 years. And having police and news helicopters hovering for hours while every thing was roped off certainly shut the town down for awhile.

Yesterday and today we have continued on the mulch. DH decided (after years of my encouragement) that we should put landscape fabric down in areas without ground cover. Added to the work, looks great. But, it's 91F outside, and we are taking a break. Still lots to do.

Doing some additional trimming and things we have hired out in the past. I'm not afraid to hang atop a 3 story ladder, as long as DH is holding it. And, he's much stronger this year, and can dig out a trench or haul loads much easier.

So, our gardening savings this year, compared to paying for the same (not as good!) work the past three years, is now...

$4500.

Unbelieveable to me, but we never added up ALL the different spring time costs before. Occasionally we've done a small piece of it before, but since we initially did the back breaking work of landscaping, maintenance has been shared with many people with deep pockets. And, since they don't CARE about the quality of work as much as WE do, since we live with it all year, we are doing a careful and better job, especially in areas we know are problem areas.


Ah...if I had a savings category for gardening, this would go into it

Finishing it continues to be our weekly challenge.

Who knew?

I was working on the list of company contacts, and sorting through the links and newsletters for Dove freebies and coupons and there it was...

a page of ALL their free offers

Dove Freebies

I believe there are 7 freebies right now, four shampoos, night cream, deodorants...

so why have I been working so hard to find and post these things?

Just proves, when you do things for others, they turn around for you too!

Mail call today, and full of coupons...

Fairfield farms not only sent a brochure with coupons, but a personal letter, and additional coupons, which they noted in the letter were going to expire the end of June, but the ones in the brochure are good until 2/07. Please use

Gerber newsletter came, packed with coupons.

Dove newsletter and samples came, packed with coupons. Hair care samples are freebies of the day; Nexxus samples also came. They are actually travel size bottles. Can't wait to try them.

DH cleaned out the coupon box for expired and soon to expire (end of month). Teamwork! It's great to have a DH who helps to save...and realizes that it's not in a "little way". This week's receipt he STUDIED with pride.

And...while I was running through the days 200 new emails, he submitted a rebate for his Biotene. I love that. I give him the receipt and the rebate forms, now, and he pretty much takes care of them.

We did get a bounce back on one rebate from the computer...but since I PAID Circuit City to file them all for me, they get the aggrevation of fixing it. When there are 10 or more stacked rebates, requiring multiple receipts and UPCs and codes, and the rebates are more than $500 total, I'd rather "waste" the money having them guaranteed and processed by someone else who does it for a living. Especially since our local news has carried multiple stories on rebates not being processed from this state. Dell, apparently, is the worst. I don't have a Dell, so didn't have to deal with that.

We did get another $50 rebate through, though. Adding it in to the challenge...

Current savings:\\
2006 $20 challenge: $4401
2006 grocery savings: $6015

No, I'm not talking about decoupage or collages out of coupons...although those would be quite interesting...

...but with a bit of creativity, you can decorate your home from almost any grocers, for little to no money.

Almost every store, from your local convenience market, to the super market, to the super stores, have a range of office and home supplies. They are typically more expensive than at other stores, and a smaller selection, because they are available as a convenience. It's easier to pay $10 for a stapler while you pick up milk than to drive across down to the office supply discount store.

Enter the coupon. Catalina coupons, $5 -10 off on your next purchase at the store. Promotions, $10 off of a $20 purchase. Gift cards, $25 when you transfer a prescription. Wine tags frequently offer $5 off stationery supplies. And the seasonal back to school specials and promotions.

Instincts may tell you that you can't let that free money go to waste...and encouage you to SPEND $50 on something to use up that $5 coupon. This may be appropriate for you. But, if you are looking to decorate your walls, consider a few alternatives:


A coupon for a free 8 x 10 photo enlargement, with a frame on sale, and a $2 coupon..provide a free accent to any setting.





A photo taken from a $1 sale book; the store was also running a co-promotion with a craft store, $5 off any purchase, so the frame was...$2.




Calendars, 12 coordinated perfect photos, on clearance for $1. Mounted in frames from the store, $1 each.




Last, but a personal favorite...wallpaper border taken from a sample book. Sample books are given away free as new books come, and are loaded with beautiful pictures and coordinated sets. They can be easily mounted in that $1 frame, for a charming kitchen setting.




The mats in each of these pictures were less than 50 cents EACH; craft stores generally book the entire mat cost into custom frames, and sell the center cut as remnant for 10 cents or so, depending on the quality of the material. If you are willing to cut your own mats, this is a great savings!

One of my closest friends recently purchased a floral arrangement for $500. Part of the "bringing the outside in" trend of home decor.

I thought she was, well...not spending wisely. I'm not one to judge, we all make our own choices and do things to the best of our own abilities, and personal tastes.

But, the last few days I've been crawling around the yard, laying down mulch. And, picking up the decor our bouncing squirrels have contributed: broken branches, leaves, pinecones, even a few plants they have pulled up and dried. I had a nice "trash pile" as my friend put it.

Now, however, she's a bit envious of my own new arrangements:


birch branches, with a few old silk stems, add height and drama to a very boring stairway corner...

...while a few pinecones and florals make a potpourri in a freshly scrubbed bird feeder.



Cost: a pound of peanuts for the squirrels.

Added value:

DH needed to go into to town, to the bank, today, so I decided to tag along and check out the sales and new in store coupons.

Quite a few BBQ items are on sale for the holiday weekend. BOGO for Ball Park hot dogs, Hebrew National, and Hillshire farms. Coupons from Sunday's inserts, and a $10 rebate on $20 from sara lee (the manufacturer of all).

Rebates are separate from sales, and BOGO already puts everything half off. So the $10 on $20 of product is free in the end. But...DH and I were pretty tired from all that mulching, and in the end, we purchased $40 worth, which is $20 BOGO, but...

I have another rebate, $25 on $75 of meat, over a three month period. Rib Eye was also more than half off, and I had wine tags, courtesy of a friend at DAGG, for $ off any meat. So, we treated ourselves, well, DH. I'm not a huge meat eater.

Our total bill for the store was $123, but $42 after sales and coupons. I'm stocked on meat, but at $62 for this trip, a bit more over the next month, and I could get the $25 rebate. But, then I use up the receipt and rebate for Sara Lee. Hmmm...

I handed this one off to DH to figure out. FINDING deals, I'm good at, but CHOOSING, that's tough. Especially with MEAT, since deals, coupons, and rebates aren't that common.

Anyway for the grocery challenge, that's $81 saved (before rebates).

And, for this store, the years savings shows at the bottom of the receipt...over $1000 at this store. Last November when I started focusing on saving, sales, and coupons, the total for the year was less than $300.

Does shopping sales, using coupons, and stockpiling help with costs? Does for us!

YEAH

Current savings:\\
2006 $20 challenge: $4351
2006 grocery savings: $6096

Today in the mail, the free Trial Size of White and Shine, with a $1 coupon...goes nicely with the TRY ME FREE rebate they put out. I'm stockpiled on toothpaste right now, but the coupon is good until 12/31, and the rebate is good until '08. So, a deal for another day.

If you are signing up for freebies, don't forget to look for the coupons that may be included with the freebie. Manufacturers want you to try it...but they also want you to remember to BUY it next time you are in the store. The coupon is a walk-in reminder that you bring with you, so it's a great promotion for the manufacturer, and can be a great deal for you.

Well, Breyers has fully rolled out their summer line...with a $1 Smart Source in store (blinkie) coupon.

The fruit swirl bars are currently on sale for $3 or more each; I still have that rain check for 10/$10. When the 75 cents coupon came out in inserts, I said I was waiting for the $1 coupons..and now it's here!

It's rude to hover over a coupon machine, but, well, I did! I rarely do this, but it's one product that we treat ourselves to every night.

I didn't purchase them, though. Not yet. The rain check doesn't expire for a year, the coupons are good through the end of July, and I've got a full freezer right now.

But patience, diligence, and watching the trends have paid off!

I still have 3 coupon for FREE $6 ice packages from Breyers, just for emailing them. Not going to waste FREE product coupons on products that are ALREADY free!

Got to know when to hold 'em...know when to fold 'em...know when to walk away...