Money Saving Mainers

Freebie: Personalized Mouse Pad from Rite Aid

2010-05-10T15:03:00.000-07:00

http://my.adperk.com/splash/d30b50da/index.htmlGet a coupon for a FREE personalized Mouse Pad. All you have to do is watch the Fuji Film at the Video Values site. These mouse pads normally cost around $12.99.

The coupon can be used in-store or you can create your mouse pad at RiteAid.com (If you order online and choose to pick-up in-store. shipping is FREE)

This coupon EXPIRES June 30, 2010.

Freebie: Digital Subscription to Mothering Magazine

2010-05-10T08:29:00.000-07:00

Get a FREE 1 year DIGITAL subscription to Mothering Magazine when you use
coupon code: CDIGM

Get $3 ECB at CVS for Your Birthday

2010-05-10T08:25:00.000-07:00

Go online to CVS and log-in or create new account
Attach your Extra Care Card to account
Receive $3 ECB on your birthday

Thanks to Freebies 4 Mom!!

Freebie: Pedometer from Nature's Bounty

2010-05-10T05:53:00.000-07:00

Sign-up for Nature's Bounty mailing list and receive a FREE pedometer!!

Coupon Code: 15% off Mineralicious! Mineral Makeup for Mother's Day

2010-05-09T10:47:00.000-07:00

This is my favorite kind of makeup!

15% off in honor of Mother's Day at Mineralicious! Mineral Makeup!

Discount not valid on Consultant Kits, Diva Discount Club or Color of the Month Club

Freebie: Walt Disney Records 50 Days of Disney Music

2010-05-03T08:06:00.000-07:00

Walt Disney Records is giving away a free MP3 of a Disney song every day for the next 50 days. The first one was just announced. Phineas and Ferb - "Squirrels in My Pants". "Like" their page on Facebook to see the freebie each day!

This came out just in time too! My two boys have a hard time NOT annoying each other, so we just ordered them each an MP3 player (using Amazon.com gift cards from Swagbucks!) to listen to to help tune each other out during tough times. I've been trying to decide what to put on the Mp3 Players when they arrive, and now I've started a collection of kid friendly music!

Thanks Disney!

Free Sample: Dove Damage Therapy Conditioner

2010-04-28T09:02:00.001-07:00

We love free samples from Dove! Sign up now for the freebie they just announced on their Facebook Page!

Dove Damage Therapy - you can choose from Intensive Repair and Daily Moisture

Limited Time: Arm & Hammer Clumping Litter $10.50 in Coupons!

2010-04-27T15:49:00.000-07:00

Sign up for over $10 in FREE coupons for Arm & Hammer Clumping cat litter!

I hear a rumor this offer won't be valid after Friday, so hurry!

FREE CARD @ Kodak Gallery, Pay .99 shipping

2010-04-27T11:31:00.000-07:00

Get a FREE 5x7 folded greeting card at Kodak Gallery!! Use coupons code 4MOM, then pay .99 cent shipping. Even though this is a promotion for Mother's Day, coupon works on ANY 5x7 folded greeting card. This offer expires May 4th!!

link:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/category.jsp?parentCatId=Products&catId=Cards&cm_mmc=Affilate_-_CJ_-_2734597_-_10574745&sourceId=93687970703

REMBER if you are a new customer to Kodak Gallery, you also can get 50 FREE prints!!

link:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/lp/new-member-offer-a/offer.jsp?cm_mmc=Affilate_-_CJ_-_2734597_-_10476874&sourceId=93687970703

Big Thanks goes out to Freebies 4 Mom for this deal!!

Contributor Bio: Desiree S.

2010-04-27T10:51:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone!! My name is Desiree and I will be posting deals/freebies. I live in Canaan, Maine with my fiance Harry and our beautiful daughter, Delani. I am currently a stay-at-home mom and love it!

My journey to save money began when I found out I was pregnant. It began with saving money on baby items, and grew to saving money all around the budget. I love to save money because this is what allows me to stay home with Delani!! I view saving money as "my job", because with only Harry's income, I have to make every dollar stretch.

My number one favorite way to save money: COUPONS!!! To me, this is "free" money. By pairing coupons with sales and other deals, you can get a lot for almost nothing!! Who doesn't like that? In close second, comes buying second-hand or used clothing. This is especially money-saving when you have a little one!

Well, I hope that I can help everyone save some money because who doesn't love spending less and getting more!!

Free Sample: Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Detergent

2010-04-26T20:29:00.000-07:00

Sign up now for a Free sample of Purex 3-in-1 laundry detergent, fabric softener, and dryer sheets! This sample is 2 sheets, I've received one of these samples in the past, and they were ok, the fragrance lasted really well on my laundry, though I normally use dye and fragrance free detergent, so that may be why the fragrance seemed so strong to me!

Anyway, don't miss out, I just signed up for this one so it's still valid!

Free Sample: Nescafe

2010-04-26T18:53:00.000-07:00

This will be the third time I've managed to snag this great freebie! A pack of 6 different Nescafe instant coffee samples!

I'm not a big instant coffee drinker, but sometimes these will "fix" a bad/weak cup of coffee, so they are great to have around! They are also good for adding coffee flavor to other drinks!

Free Sample: Eucerin Daily Skin Balance Lotion

2010-04-26T15:42:00.000-07:00

Walmart has a great freebie! I just signed up for some Eucerin Daily Skin Balance Lotion! Click the link to sign up for yours today!

Edited: You can get this directly from the manufacturer's website now too! Click here to sign up!

Free Address Labels from Vistaprint - Limited Time!

2010-04-26T15:24:00.000-07:00

Check out Vistaprint.com for a great deal on Return Address Labels!

They are free, you just pay shipping!

Shop through your Upromise toolbar and get 5% back for College!

Healthful Eating on a Budget (Part 2)

2010-04-02T04:58:00.000-07:00

Note: This is part 2 of a 2 part essay, to read part 1 click here

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While it is possible to grow a good deal of food at home in containers or a garden, there will always be food items that you are just not able to grow or produce for yourself. For the foods that still need to be purchased, consumers can save money on them by using coupons. Many people do not understand how to use coupons, causing them to believe that they are not worth the time it takes to find them. However, once the proper way to use coupons is learned, consumers can save a lot of money on food and other items that are needed. There are many places that one can find coupons.

Traditionally, people think of finding coupons in the Sunday paper, which is still a reliable source for finding them. Coupons can also be printed off the computer from various websites such as Coupons.com, SmartSource.com, RedPlum.com, and even directly from different manufacturers’ websites. Many people mistakenly believe that there is nothing more to using coupons than clipping them and then using them. However, there are occasionally situations when it would be in their best interest to avoid using a coupon that they may have.

According to Mommy Savers (2007), “You will need to become coupon-savvy in order to recognize when coupons are a good deal and when they’re not”. (Perfecting the Art of Couponing: How to Use Coupons, para. 2). Coupons are more effective when used in stores that will double them, meaning people can receive twice the value for one coupon. Coupons can also be paired up with sales, and store deals, to increase the savings. Shaw’s supermarkets will double coupons with a value up to 99 cents. In this case, it is better to have a coupon worth 75 cents than one worth $1. Once the value is doubles, consumers will end up receiving $1.50 of the normal purchase price. People should also always remember to purchase the smallest item allowed by the coupon to increase savings by volume.

In order to maximize the savings, and decrease the frustration that can result from trying to use a variety of coupons, it is best to find an organizational method that suits each person’s individuality. Many people use a three ring binder with trading card sleeves and tabbed dividers to keep their coupons organized, whereas others use a simple accordion style folder or a small file box. After finding a method that works effectively, it will become much easier to save money and plan shopping trips, and also to plan menus around the use of the coupons.

When planning a shopping list, keep in mind which local stores are having sales, and which coupons are available for the sale items. Using coupons on sale items is a good way to get the best possible price and to save money. This method is especially effective if the store also happens to be participating in a Catalina deal. A Catalina deal is when purchased items meet a predetermined requirement (usually $20 or $25 of participating items). Then, at the check out, the purchaser will receive a certain dollar amount off on their next shopping trip. These coupons can be “rolled-over” and used for multiple trips through the checkout, at the same store, to increase their savings. I have been known to take three or four trips through the check out, in one day, to take advantage of these Catalina deals, just to go in one more time to buy other items that were needed that I either did not have a coupon for, or were not part of a current store deal. On my best day I brought home over $140 worth of groceries and personal care products, but I only spent a little more than $16.

When it is possible to find really good deals on fruits and vegetables do not pass it up just because of the fear that they will go bad before they can be used up. Berries can be spread out and frozen, and then bagged for storage. Many other fruits can be frozen and saved for future use, as well. Erin Chase ("The $5 Dinner Mom Cookbook", 2009) stated, “Frozen fresh fruit is best used to make smoothies or for baking, as it tends to turn ‘mushy’ as it thaws” (p.31).

Building a stockpile is probably the most important part of saving money on food. A stockpile is exactly what it sounds like—a large collection of products that are used regularly. Some people stockpile toilet paper or canned foods, while others stockpile diapers and other items. By using coupons in conjunction with deals and sales, and purchasing items that a family will use regularly, instead of just whatever happens to be on sale, a stockpile will slowly be built. By purchasing items when they can be obtained at their absolute lowest price, and building a stockpile of non-perishable foods and other items such as toiletries (shampoo, deodorant, toilet paper, etc.), then room can be freed in the budget for healthier items, such as fresh, organic fruits and vegetables. Having an established stockpile helps to cut down on costs because when a person sits down to plan out their weekly or monthly menus (a very important part of saving money) they can check their stockpile, the current sales fliers, and available coupons to see what they have and what is inexpensive that they can pick up to complete meals for the least amount of money possible.

Although healthy food costs more, people can indeed eat healthy without breaking the bank. By shopping sales, and taking advantage of deals to stock up on non-perishable items that are used frequently, people can easily free up money from those areas of their budget to make room for the more expensive fresh and healthy foods that their family will thrive on.

Healthful Eating on a Budget (Part 1)

2010-03-30T04:52:00.000-07:00

Note: This will be a two part series, based on an essay I wrote for one of my college classes.

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In today’s economy it is equally important to remain healthy and to save money. One of the most important things people can do to keep themselves and their family healthy is to maintain a healthy diet. Most people believe that when their household budget is tight, they will not be able to afford to eat healthily. Even though healthy foods cost more, they can eat healthily without spending a lot by using coupons, shopping sales, and growing a garden of their own.

One of the most important parts of a healthy diet is including plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. These can be expensive to purchase, especially in the colder months when very little is “in season” locally, and consumers have to pay higher prices for items that are grown in warmer climates and shipped to cooler areas. On top of being more expensive, these foods can also have lower nutritional values because they are harvested before they are entirely ripe.

By growing fruits and vegetables at home, people can avoid some of the expense and inferior nutritional values. There are a variety of fruits and vegetables that can easily be grown at home, even in the smallest spaces. One method, called Square Food Gardening, uses grids to help lay out small spaces using boxes with aisles to maximize the space available, and uses only two or three seeds per section (Square Foot Gardening, 2009). This method can be used in window boxes or balconies, using containers of all sorts, and even indoors in the winter time.

When it concerns eating healthily, an important reminder is that commercial pesticides and fertilizers are full of chemicals of all kinds. Eating organic is ideal when it comes to fruits and vegetables. But again, this can be costly. One way to avoid this issue with an individual’s own garden is to make their own compost. There are many methods of composting, from using a bucket with worms in the house that turn food scraps into compost, to having a rotating compost barrel, or if there is a larger area available, using compost bins. Composting is actually very easy once an individual has gotten the hang of it. Remember no to add any meat, bones, or dairy products. Most food scraps, paper waste,, and yard waste can be composted, leaving an amazing fertilizer that is great for gardens. In addition, people should try to avoid using chemical filled pesticides.

Companion planting is a wonderful way to minimize the amount of pest control needed. Companion planting is a method of placing plants that will benefit each other in some way near each other. One example of this is what is traditionally known as “the three sisters.” Beans, corn, and squash would be planted together; the beans grow up the corn stalks, and the squash grow around the base, preventing many animals from coming in and eating the crops.

After learning to grow fruits and vegetables at home, using minimal amounts of chemicals in the fertilizer and pesticides, the next step is learning ways to preserve the harvest. Three effective methods of prolonging the usefulness of the harvest are: canning, freezing, and dehydrating. The method of preservation that a person chooses will be based on what they are trying to store. For instance, broccoli and cauliflower can be blanched and frozen, while tomatoes should be prepared and stored in sealed canning jars. Herbs, peas, and even carrots can be easily dehydrated and stored in jars or bags for use in many different kinds of recipes.

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To be continued... part two - Shopping sales, using coupons and stockpiling

Make Money By Saving Money

2010-03-11T07:46:00.000-08:00

Saving money in this day and age is important to everyone. Since I stay home with the kids and work from home for the time being, I make it my job to find ways for my family to save money. We've got four kids and survive on basically one income, this wouldn't be possible without my hard work in the savings department.

One of my favorite ways to save is by shopping online. I'm always finding coupon codes for stores we buy from, and use them online to save money or get free shipping, and when that is doubled up with a great program like BigCrumbs.com, the savings can't be beat!

Log into your BigCrumbs.com account (and if you don't have one, you can sign up here).
Do a search for the store you want to shop through, or the product you're looking for (such as a few weeks ago when my husband and I were searching for a new kitchen mixer, we searched KitchenAid Mixer)
If you are searching for a product, compare the amount of money you'll get back by shopping at each place, be sure to take into consideration the price each place is asking for similar items. Evaluate your options, including any shipping costs, and choose where you'll be shopping through
Make your purchase!
Get money in your Paypal account monthly!

It really is as easy as that. I've been a member of this site since November 11, 2007 and love it! Ebay members who have stores can have their stores featured on the site, so BigCrumbs users who are searching for specific products will find your store before a Non member store! I love shopping on here, it saves so much time and money!

Give it a shot! It's free to sign up, you won't be disappointed!

Free Winter Fun!

2010-01-02T06:18:00.001-08:00

I've been researching for ideas on how to encourage my kids to have fun playing outside (for days like now, when they are on vacation from school and my girls need to nap), here is a really great one I came across!

"Get 4 spray bottles, I get mine at the dollar store and sometimes they have the ones that come four in a package with different colored tops. Now take 1 of those little packages of food coloring you get in the baking aisle at the grocery store. Empty 1 bottle of the food coloring into each spray bottle and fill the bottle almost to the top with tap water. Gently shake each full spray bottle. Now take your "Snow Paint" outside and create snowbank graffiti. The food coloring will fade away slowly and disappear as the snow melts. It will not harm your soil or stain anything but the clothing of the person wearing it. Just be sure no-one is wearing their "best coat" when they're playing"

Day After Christmas Deals?

2009-12-27T06:54:00.000-08:00

How many of you went shopping the day after Christmas? Where did you go and what scores did you find? Unfortunately I wasn't able to. I am hoping to get out at some point today to hit some sales if I can find any, but I'm not really sure how much I'll find. My goal is to stock up on at least some wrapping paper, bows, tape, etc. for next year!

Tell me about your trip!

Shaw's Trip for 12/13 With Pics

2009-12-14T05:56:00.000-08:00

We ventured out into the nasty snow last night to head to Shaw's in Rockland. The first 15 or so minutes of the trip were awful with the snow. We almost got into two accidents, but once we got out of the hills around Belfast it turned to rain and the roads were much easier to deal with. We got dinner for all of us at Subway because we knew we would be out late and Subway is about the cheapest/healthiest place we can find to feed all 6 of us!

We got to Rockland Shaw's a little after 7pm and had our shopping DONE about 8:30. Not bad if I do say so myself. It was nice having hubby with me, we doubled up and got the shopping done twice as fast as I would have if I had done it alone.

I planned my trips through the checkout lines before we left the house, I knew how many of what item I wanted to get in each transaction, wrote the details on an envelope and put the coupons for that transaction IN the envelope and numbered each envelope in order. I also brought extra coupons because we wanted to try and get more veggies than I had planned for but weren't sure we would find enough available to complete any transaction I would create, so I left room between my planned 2nd and 3rd transactions for an extra trip if it were possible.

Here's the rundown:
First of all ROCKLAND SHAW'S DOUBLED COUPONS! Just thought I'd throw that out there since I know this has been an issue at some stores :)

Trip One:
12 Boxes of Chex Cereal (Cinnamon was all that was left)
8 cans of Pillsbury Grands
4 Green Giant Boxed Veggies

I wasn't sure the pre sale price of the Chex so I estimated $3 and since they were $1.50 when you buy 3, I got them in multiples of 3 and made sure to get enough so I would exceed $45 PSP in the end. Hubby actually did this transaction and the Asparagus didn't ring up at sale price.

Pre-Sale Price: $68.64
Price With Sales: $38.98
Total After Coupons: $28.68

--------------------------------

Trip Two:

8 Bags of Chex Mix
8 Cans of Progresso Bread Crumbs
4 Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers

Unfortunately either something didn't ring up right to trigger the Catalina's or I did something wrong in this transaction because I only got one $5 Catalina back with my receipt.

Total Pre-Sale Price: $52.49
Price With Sales: $24.90
Price After Coupons: $14.40

-------------------------------

Trip Three:
9 Cans Progresso Soup
8 Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers
12 Green Giant Boxed Veggies

Pre Sale Price: $49.62
Price With Sales: $40.60
Price After Coupons: $29.30

----------------
Trip Four:
I did this transaction separate because I like to be able to easily separate my food purchases and non food purchases when figuring the budget. And these were all Free!

2 Bottles of Homelife Dye/Fragrance Free Laundry Detergent
1 Cascade Dishwashing Detergent
1 Jet Dry
2 Huggies Natural Care Refill Packs
1 Bottle Glass Plus Glass Cleaner

Pre Sale Price: $46.20
Price With Sales: $26.83
Price After Coupons: $ -$1.71 - Yep, they paid me :)

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Trip Five:
Saved the big trip for last, so we could roll over any coupons from the previous trips, I don't do the Catalina deals on my final trip through because most Catalina's are only good for 2 weeks and I really only shop once a month unless there's a deal I absolutely would be stupid to miss out on. I use the last trip through to fill in wherever we may need to with things that are on sale or that I have coupons for, and make sure to make it a large enough transaction to trigger Gas rewards! Everything in this picture except the Gravy and Juice was purchased using coupons.

2 Bottles Shaw's Brand cranberry juice
2 Bags Sargento Shredded Cheese
4 Skippy Naturals Peanut Butter
10 Earth's Best Baby food jars
4 Hellmann's Olive Oil Mayo
4 Boxes Taquito's
5 Boxes Duncan Hine's Whole Grain Muffin Mix
1 Sorrento Mozzarella Cheese
1 Sorrento Ricotta Cheese
4 Boxes Texas Toast Garlic Bread
2 Boxes Texas Toast Pizzeria Dip n Sticks
2 Boxes Tomato and Basil Wheat Thins
3 Boxes El Monterey Tornados

Price Before Sales: $168.23
Price With Sales: $139.48
Price After Coupons: $106.93

For a GRAND Total of $177.60 spent on $385.18 worth of groceries!

Shaws General Mills Catalina Deal 12/11-12/17

2009-12-11T13:21:00.000-08:00

Here are some items I'm getting that are part of this deal:

Chex Mix Snack - $1.69 [I have two $1 Off Two Coupons from the paper]
Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers - $1.99 [Unfortunately I used all my GG Q's last week - Will check Coupons.com and Smartsource.com for printable ones]
Green Giant Frozen Veggies - .99
Pillsbury Grands - $1.69 [I have three $1 Off Two Peelies I found last month plus two $1 off 3 Smart Source Q's we picked up at Hannaford I believe]
Old El Paso Taco Kits - $2.49 []
Nature Valley granola bars - 2/$5 [Hoping to find some printable ones!]

For more details on what's involved check out this link

Shaw's Trip for 12/13

2009-12-11T11:38:00.000-08:00

My plan for Shaw's this weekend:

Just found out about a great General Mills Catalina deal on A Full Cup! Get $5 back when you buy $15 of participating products! I'll be sure to take that into consideration when I plan out my detailed trip, but below are the things I know I will be picking up because they are on sale and/or I have coupons! I'll write another post with some items I'll grab that are part of the deal!

Hellmann's Olive Oil Mayo - $2.49 [Two coupons for $1 off 2 from the paper]
Land O Lakes Butter - $1.99
Sargento Shredded Cheese - $1.99 [One coupon for $1 off 2 bags of shredded cheese]
Kellogg's Cereal - B1G1
New York Texas Toast or breadsticks AND Mrs. T's Pierogies - 2/$5 [Two coupons for $1 off 2 Texas Toast Garlic Bread, and a peelie for 55 cents off Dip N Sticks]
El Monterey's Tornados - $2.29 [3 Coupons for 50 cents off that I found on the inside of the last ones I bought!]
Nabisco Snack Crackers (Wheat Thins!) - 2/$5
Shaw's Granulated Sugar - $2.49 (Thank goodness cause we just ran out!)
Chex Cereals - $1.50! [4 Coupons for $1 off 2]
No Yolks Noodles - $1.49!
McCormick Gravy Mix - 10/$10
Prince Pasta - $1
Sorrento Mozzarella or Ricotta cheese - $3.49 [Two coupons for $1 off 1]
Curel Lotion - $5.99 (Getting two of these for my mom, and using a Rebate to get them free!)
Huggies Wipes refill - $5.99 [Three Coupons for 50 cents off one]
Always Infinity Maxi Pads - $4.79 []
Bounce Fabric Softener Sheets - $3.99 []
Halls Cough Drops - $1.79 [I have 4 Tear pad Q's I grabbed at Rite aid 50cents off one bag! Making 4 bags a total of $3.16]
Glass Plus Glass Cleaner - $1.29 [One coupon for 35 cents off 1]
Oxy Clean - 25% off! []

Some of these items may be part of the GM catalina deal, but I've tried to remove the ones that I know definitely are... and will post them later in a separate post.

Our Super Cheap Christmas

2009-12-11T10:40:00.000-08:00

Ok, so this year, we got frugal for Christmas!

Here's a rundown of what the kids are getting:

Boy #1 - 8 years old... LOVES Rocks and Crystals, has been begging since his birthday for a Crystal growing kit. I looked and looked but didn't see anything that looked worth buying.

What he's getting:

Crystal Mining Kit ($9.99) Purchased on Amazon.com using Gift cards from Swagbucks.com
The book:Looking at Rocks (My First Field Guides) ($6.99) also using Gift cards from Swagbucks.com
Taboo Game - $1.99 at Goodwill - New in package!
Transformers PJ's - An even trade with another work at home mom for $15 Avon products

Boy #2 is our Artist, so at Ocean State Job Lot in Belfast, I found him these:

Blue Three Ring Binder with Zipper Pocket on front
Sketch Pad
Set of Colored Pencils (short and pre-sharpened)
Smelly Erasers (YUMMY blueberry scented and an Apple scented one as well!)
Two Disney / Pixar CARS Movie Die Cast Cars I got him ($6.48 and $9.99) using Amazon.com gift cards from Swagbucks.com

All together was $10.59!

Girl #1 I started months ago when I found some things at Ocean State Job Lot that I knew she would love. She's the family Princess, and is all about princesses and Tinkerbell, so here is her list:

Tinkerbell room freshener (you put fragrance cartridges in it and it's like those Glade ones and sends out a puff of fragrance every now and then) for $1.99!
Large Magnetic "Paper doll" - Cinderella - $10 at Family Dollar
Disney Princess plastic cookware - Walmart.com on Cyber Monday for $14 (Down from $18.99 I believe)
Elefun game - $1.99 from Goodwill, brand new, in the package.
Disney Princess Lip Balms - $0.49 each from Avon
Disney Precious Princess Collectible - Belle - For $15.99 using Amazon.com gift cards from Swagbucks.com

Girl #2 is still little so she was easy!

Munchkin Fun Ice Chewy Teethers from Amazon.com for $1.99 using gift cards from Swagbucks.com
Sassy - Baby Toy Value Bundle, 6-Piece (Pictured Above) from Walmart.com on Cyber Monday. $20.00 HUGE deal since the Mirror alone costs $15, and the other pieces are similarly priced!

All of the kids are getting a package of Socks because they all seem to have worn holes into the ones they have or have outgrown or lost them at the same time over the past few weeks! They are also getting these Virtual Pet Keychain's They are like a generic "Giga Pet" that came out years ago. I remember having a few and LOVED them, and I thought these would be a good alternative for Boy #2 because he desperately wants a pet, but we just aren't ready for that yet as a family.

The BIG gift for the year...!

A Swinxs Game Console... This thing is AWESOME... Sells for nearly $200 - We paid: NOTHING! I won it on a blog giveaway, and the kids are going to be THRILLED when they open that on Christmas morning!

Conclusion:
Christmas this year has a value of over $400

And we have paid out of pocket: $79.44 before tax.

Checks Unlimited Coupon Code

2009-12-04T07:03:00.000-08:00

I just ordered 250 checks for my new bank account through Checks Unlimited. I have always used this company to order my checks, and love all the designs they offer.

I chose the In Full Bloom by Kathy Davis checks, regularly priced at 2 boxes for $21.90 and 4 boxes for $31.90 (before shipping).

When I used the coupon code: R5YV

I was able to get 2 boxes of checks, and free return address labels for $13.00.

I also received:

Free shipping

Free Caligraphy Font (regularly $2.50)

Full Disclosure: Yes, the link is an affiliate link, I will be compensated, but that in no way impacted my decision to post about this deal. I have always ordered checks from Checks Unlimited, for years now, and only looked into their affiliate program AFTER ordering these checks... So please, feel free to order and enjoy, they are great quality and I love the address labels that they come with!!!

Entenmann's $4 Coupon Offer

2009-12-02T05:29:00.000-08:00

Saw this great offer on Facebook this morning!

Just over 18 hours left for you to enter to win a $4 coupon for Entenmann's products. We love their baked goods, all of them that we have tried, and considering their prices are already awesome, a $4 coupon could make some super cheap or even free goodies!

Black Friday Super Avon Sale!

2009-11-27T06:57:00.000-08:00

Need some last minute Christmas gifts? Or looking to stock up on some beauty supplies for yourself? Today would be a great day to place your Avon order! As part of the Black Friday Savings you can get a HUGE discount on your Avon order! The more you order, the larger your discount will be - Today only!

$0.00 - $25.00 in products = 5% off
$25.01 - $50.00 in products = 10% off
$50.01 - $75.00 in products = 15% off
$75.01 - $100.00 in products = 20% off
$100.01 or More in products = 25% off

Orders must be placed through the links in this post to qualify for this discount offer, because this offer is not a Company offer, it is specifically through this Avon Independent Sales Representative. Place your order by midnight tonight to qualify!

Become a Facebook Fan to stay informed of future Avon deals!

Black Friday $1 Sale At Twice Loved Boutique In Brooks!

2009-11-27T06:49:00.000-08:00

Have YOU been to Twice Loved Boutique in Brooks lately?

Today would be a good day to stop by! In the fun of Black Friday, EVERYTHING is just ONE DOLLAR! $1 for all clothing, shoes, everything! You can even grab some gently used books 4 for $1!

Open 9 to 5 today (regular hours 10-4 Monday thru Saturday), you have two extra hours to get in on the savings!

Become a Facebook Fan to stay informed of future sales and deals by Twice Loved Boutique!

Black Friday Deals At Rite Aid

2009-11-25T07:51:00.000-08:00

Check out ForTheMommas.com for a list of Black Friday deals you can find at Rite Aid! If I wasn't working I would probably go hit Rite Aid at least for some of these!

http://www.forthemommas.com/riteaid/rite-aid-black-friday-deals

cleveland's a plum: win a HP Pavilion dm3 laptop

2009-11-18T06:26:00.000-08:00

Check out this AWESOME drawing for a FREE LAPTOP Computer!!!! You can enter as many times as you want and the more interest she gets, the better chance SHE has to win her OWN laptop!!! GET POSTING!

cleveland's a plum: win a HP Pavilion dm3 laptop

Swynxs Game System

2009-11-12T07:05:00.000-08:00

Lots of great things to go over today... starting with this post and then I'll post two others!

I found a link the other night to a blog listing a TON of links to contests and drawings for free stuff... I took some time, and I entered a bunch that sounded interesting.
There was one drawing for a Swinxs Gaming Console, which I had NEVER heard of, but at first sight it kind of reminded me of the Nintendo Wii, and I almost clicked away because I am NOT a Video Game advocate of any kind. My kids have a Vsmile, and that doesn't even get used often because I prefer my kids get outside, be active, have creative play, etc. We are ALL about the arts and crafts here in our house!

So anyway, I decided to read more about it, and it looked kinda interesting. This game console does NOT use a television! TV FREE GAME... what could be better than that? How about a game that can be played by up to TEN people... that's our ENTIRE family, PLUS 4 guests! Ideas are rolling now... Birthday parties? Holiday get togethers? SNOW DAYS! It sounded good, can be played indoors and out, plugs in to charge so it doesn't have to be plugged in to be used, even better... Comes pre loaded with 10 games and you can download others for FREE....! Seriously? How much better could this thing get! Then I looked at the price tag.. nearly $200... YIKES! No way I'm spending that much on a game no matter HOW cool it is...

Unfortunately I had already told hubby about it and the kids swarmed around the computer to check it out and both the boys were singing in chorus "MOMMY, CAN WE GET ONE?!?! MOMMY, CAN WE GET ONE?!?!?!" Over and over and over again, hehe... I told them it was really expensive and that I would enter the drawing, but if I didn't win it, I couldn't afford to buy one, so not to get their hopes up.

I logged in to my email this morning and found a CONGRATULATIONS email from Amy at MomAdvice.com saying "Congrats: Winner Of The Swinxs Game Console!"

I had to read it 3 times to make sure she was really saying that YES, I had WON the game console!

My kids are gonna be THRILLED when they open this on Christmas morning... and Hubby will probably kick himself for getting frustrated about the half our of family time I "wasted" on the computer entering drawings, hehe...

Ok, no, really, there's no excuse for being on the computer during family time, but it worked out ok in the end!

November 15 Coupon Previews Available

2009-11-11T04:47:00.000-08:00

Time to start planning your shopping trips for the next week! Sunday Coupon Preview has the November 15th coupon previews ready (RedPlum is up, SmartSource is not available yet but will be soon!)... I'm hoping the SmartSource insert has more to offer, personally I won't use any of the coupons in the RedPlum so it may not even be worth me buying a paper this week! Which is good in one sense because I am doing my big shopping trip on Friday to hit some good deals at Shaw's (last day of the deal I'm going after), and it would really be a shame to do this huge shopping trip 2 days before really good coupons come out!

I will be planning my shopping trip either today or tomorrow, whenever I am able to come up with either a Shaw's Ad Scan or when they email the weekly flier out, and as soon as I have my plan I'll post!

Until then... Here are your Coupon Previews! http://www.sundaycouponpreview.com/11-15-redplum-coupon-insert/

3rd Night FREE at Kenniston Hill Inn - Boothbay Harbor

2009-11-06T12:43:00.000-08:00

Kenniston Hill Inn let us know about a great deal on Twitter! They are offering the third night free for guests at their Inn located in Boothbay Harbor, Maine through this Winter!

It's a beautiful inn, as you can see in the photographs on their website, and apparently has a little supernatural appeal as well! The Maine Ghost Hunters Society believes that even if all the rooms are vacant, Kenniston Hill Inn may have plenty of guests!

Exciting stuff, I'd stay there!

Free AVEENO Nourish Hair Care Sample

2009-11-05T18:03:00.000-08:00

Check out this sample: Try the new Aveeno Nourish+ Hair Care Collection - Just fill out a short survey about the condition of your hair and scalp, put in your mailing info, and go!

Free Dunkin Donuts Coffee Sample

2009-11-05T16:07:00.000-08:00

Grab this before it's all gone! I just signed up for mine!

Free Book Download: James Patterson - Witch & Wizard

2009-11-04T06:54:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I absolutely LOVE James Patterson, he is one of my all time favorite authors, and I am slowly working on collecting EVERY book written by him, and making pretty good progress at it if I do say so myself!

So yeah, I just about flipped when I just found out that this new book "Witch & Wizard" that he has coming out in December was available for free Download online!!!

I'm not sure if it's the entire book or just one section, but hey, I'm not picky... if it's just a section then it will get me hooked and I'll have to find a way to go get the book for my collection, Christmas is coming! Otherwise, oh well... but it sounds absolutely fantastic!

The Description:
"You are holding an urgent and vital narrative that reveals the forbidden truth about our perilous times....

This is the astonishing testimonial of Wisty and Whit Allgood, a sister and brother who were torn from their family in the middle of the night, slammed into prison, and accused of being a witch and a wizard. Thousands of young people have been kidnapped; some have been accused; many others remain missing. Their fate is unknown, and the worst is feared—for the ruling regime will stop at nothing to suppress life and liberty, music and books, art and magic...and the pursuit of being a normal teenager."

Fascinating... I can't wait to read it!

The Debate Over Diapers

2009-11-04T05:16:00.000-08:00

(Photo was taken by Me and is not to be used anywhere I have not posted it!)

There is a LOT of controversy about whether or not cloth diapers A.) Save money and B.) Are better for the environment.

When my 3rd child was about a year old I started researching cloth diapers, I even bought a few handmade ones from a work at home mom. Unfortunately I wasn't pleased with the quality of the diapers I had purchased, and an order through another work at home mom left me with no diapers and out about $30 and having to deal with a Paypal dispute. Thankfully I got my money back but I needed it for other things by the time it was returned, so I gave up my trial of cloth diapers.

Months later, when my husband and I decided to have a 4th child, the subject was brought up again. We already had a tight budget, and it was about to become even tighter!

After weighing our options we decided that cloth diapers were the best option for us, and we were happy with the impact our usage of them would have on the environment as well. We started out by purchasing some gently used BumGenius 3.0 diapers and a couple other brands to try out on the 2 year old. We fell in love with the BumGenius 3.0 diapers almost instantly. When we got our income tax return I was in my last trimester of my pregnancy and we immediately ordered enough BumGenius 3.0 diapers to use on both the girls. Thankfully within a few months, the oldest girl was completely potty trained, and that cut laundry a ton!

Here are some things I learned in my research:

Cloth diapers are NOT always the more economical/environmentally friendly choice if you live in an area where water conservation is an issue, or if you have to pay for your water. Thankfully that isn't a concern where we live!
In a study published in 1999 by Anderson Laboratories found that lab mice exposed to various brands of disposable diapers experienced asthma-like symptoms, as well as eye, nose and throat irritation. Exposure to cloth diapers did not cause the symptoms. (ABC News - May, 2005)
Assuming most kids don't potty train completely until 3 or 4 years old (especially when your family has a history of bedwetting and bladder control issues like mine), that's 48 months (give or take) spending $35 a month (give or take) on diapers... not to mention baby wipes, etc. Which comes to nearly $2,000 - The entire supply of cloth diapers I had to purchase to diaper both daughters came to less than $500 - a savings of over $1,500!
Children who have been cloth diapered tend to potty train earlier, and without less trouble (for example, my oldest 2 both wore disposables and didn't train until age 3 1/2, and took a LOT of work- switched to cloth with my third and she potty trained by age 2 1/2 - BY HERSELF!)
By drying our cloth diapers on a clothes line whenever possible it keeps them smelling fresher, the sun removes stains (yep it really does!) and we use less energy!
Using cloth diapers has NOT increased our laundry loads by a great deal... two extra loads a week, it's really not noticeable.

So over all it really is something that each family has to decide for themselves, because there are a LOT of factors that will decide if it will be cheaper and/or more economical for you to decide one way or the other. From what I can tell though, the MAJORITY Of Mainers (aside from maybe those in larger cities) would benefit from switching to Cloth Diapers... and I wholeheartedly recommend BumGenius 3.0's and I know a number of other families in the area who do as well!

BumGenius 3.0 diapers are available at Target, and many other small businesses. I purchased mine from a work at home mom who was a regular chatter on a cloth diapering forum that I used, I compared prices at many different places, and the price per diaper, after discount and with free shipping she offered, it was a great deal, about $14 per diaper!

Want to buy local? The Maine Cloth Diaper Company has a variety of different kinds of diapers available, and very friendly staff from what I saw at the Common Ground Fair this past September! I did not get my diapers from them, but have heard great things!

Note: I am receiving NO compensation by any of the Businesses/Brands/Websites mentioned in this post (though I wouldn't turn it down!). Everything posted has been my own opinion or information gathered by me through my own research.

Target Christmas Gift Deals!

2009-11-03T09:03:00.001-08:00

There are 15 pages of Target Store Coupons available for printing right now! Some for as little as $3 off up to $10 off and some for 20% off certain items too!

These coupons are Store coupons so you SHOULD be able to combine them with a manufacturer coupon for even more savings.

Each coupon also features a Coupon Code so you can use them on Target.com!

By shopping through BigCrumbs or Mr. Rebates you can also receive other special deals, like Free shipping on certain sized orders, as well as cash back on your purchase!

I recommend signing up for both sites and whenever you shop online, check them both to see which provides the bigger deal!

The coupons DO expire the day before Thanksgiving, so no Black Friday savings unfortunately, But hey, hold onto them just in case you see a good deal between now and then! I've never shopped on Black Friday, though I just might start...

Folgers Gourmet Coffee Sample

2009-11-02T12:08:00.000-08:00

We usually buy Folgers Coffee but usually just the regular, we don't splurge very often on Gourmet coffee, but I won't turn down free coffee!

Hurry cause at last count there were just over 17,000 left... Go to AllYou.com to request yours!

Kashi Granola Bars Free Sample

2009-11-02T11:58:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple free samples you can sign up for... Hurry cause supplies are limited.

Click the images to sign up!

I've never tried these, but my family loves Granola bars! We are all about eating healthy :)

Ocean State Job Lot: Inkjet Refill Kits for $3 Each

2009-11-01T12:03:00.001-08:00

My printer ran out of black ink on me when I was printing some important papers for school, right after having a short week at work and paying a bunch of bills, so what was I to do? I certainly wasn't going to go out and spend almost $30 on a SINGLE color ink cartridge just so I could print some school work... no way.

We were on our way to Belfast that evening and I had to pickup a few odds and ends at Ocean State Job Lot (they had some good deals on their weekly internet coupons!) so while we were there I looked in their Office Supply aisle and found Single Color Inkjet Refill Kits for $3 each!!! I grabbed two black ones since my colored cartridge is fine and I wanted to make sure these worked ok before I bought too many.

It's been busy since I got these so I was JUST able to try them out today, and it worked! It took me awhile to find the holes to fill my cartridge since mine wasn't listed in the instructions, but once I peeled away the label on the top of the cartridge I found 5 holes. I filled the cartridge, let it set for a few minutes, then printed a test page and my black, while not super high quality, was back! It's good enough for printing school papers (for my own viewing) and coupons, so that's good enough for me! I just got my black ink for about 1/10th the normal cost!

Sunday Coupon Preview!

2009-10-19T12:26:00.000-07:00

This site should help you prepare your shopping lists ahead of time... Check Sunday Coupon Preview for exactly what it says! A preview of what coupons you can expect in the Sunday paper!

Use this knowledge, along with your favorite store's weekly circular (I typically compare prices and sales of multiple stores and decide what to buy and where from depending on what's cheap, what I've got coupons for, current store promotions, etc.)

Printable Coupon: $1 Off Any 5 BumbleBee Tuna Products

2009-10-19T12:17:00.001-07:00

Click the image above to visit their site, register and you'll gain access to a printable Bricks coupon for $1 off any FIVE bumble bee tuna products... You should be able to hit back or refresh and print this coupon twice (although my computer messed up and shut down so I only got one *sad*). Along with your coupon will print a free recipe... I got Tuna Farfalle alla Puttanesca, it sounds yummy!

Freebie! Hottest Moms In America: Hot Mom Driving Car Magnet

2009-10-19T11:33:00.001-07:00

Click the picture above to register to get your FREE Hot Mom Driving Car Magnet! No surveys or offers to complete, just put in your name, email and mailing address!

Earth's Best Baby Food Promotions

2009-10-19T11:18:00.001-07:00

My husband and I prefer to feed our children Organic food, right from the start, so Earth's Best is our first choice!

Click the image above to visit their website, where you will find coupons for Earth's Best Baby Formula, Toddler Snacks, Jar Baby Food, Baby Cereal and other great deals as well!

Shaw's Scenarios - $80 worth of groceries for $7

2009-10-16T08:57:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I was up ALL last night couldn't sleep because I was running scenarios through my head trying to figure out the best way to make this trip to Shaw's to get the most amount of food for the least amount of money, and I think I've figured it out!

So to start with I've got $27 in Catalina's (Coupons that print at the register with your receipt)

There is a deal on General Mills products, spend $25 on selected products and get a $10 catalina at the register (List of participating products can be found here).

This will require multiple trips through the checkout.

-----------------

Trip #1:
4 Bags of Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers Pre Sale Price: $2.39 each Sale Price: $1.79 each
4 Bags Chex Mix Total: $10.76
2 Boxes Nature Valley Granola Bars Pre Sale Price: $3.50 each Sale Price: 2 for $4

Pre Sale Total: $27.32
Price With Sales: $16.55
Price After Product Coupons: $12.75
Price With Tax: $14.12
Minus $14 in Catalina's = $0.12 Out of Pocket

-----------------

Trip #2:
$13 leftover Catalina's + $10 Catalina from Trip #1

8 Boxes Cinnamon Toast Crunch Pre Sale Price: $2.79 each Sale Price: 2 for $4
2 Boxes Nature Valley Granola Bars Pre Sale Price: $3.50 each Sale Price: 2 For $4

Pre Sale Total: $29.32
Price With Sales: $20.00
Price After Product Coupons: $15.60
Price With Tax: $17.07
Minus $13 in Catalina's = $4.07 Out of Pocket

-----------------

Trip #3
$10 Catalina from Trip #2

9 Jars Prego Spaghetti Sauce Pre Sale Price: $2.49 (Approx.) Sale Price: $1.49 each

Pre Sale Total: $22.41
Price With Sale: $13.41
Price after Product Coupons: $11.16
Price With Tax: $12.28
Minus $10 Catalina = $2.28

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Total Value Of Trip To Shaws: $79.05 (Before Tax)
Total I'll Spend Out Of Pocket: $6.47 (Including Tax)

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Keep in mind that SOME of the prices above may NOT be correct, I could not find a price anywhere for Prego pasta sauce so I was trying to remember what it was Monday and Estimated. Some prices I used were from stores in New Hampshire and Mass. because that's what I had available... But it's a good estimate and I will be sure to bring extra money in case my figuring is a little off, but even if prices in Rockland are lower than I figured, each transaction SHOULD still come to more than $25 Pre Sale Price, and should trigger the $10 Catalina to print if I am correct!

Note: I purposely plan to leave a balance on the end of the transaction instead of just paying completely in Catalinas because this would result in the store owing ME money (called Overage) and some stores will not honor "overage".

Note 2: Prego is NOT part of the Spend $25 get $10 deal... It's just really cheap and I have coupons so thought I'd take advantage of that!

Shaw's Trip Week of 10/15-10/21

2009-10-15T10:23:00.000-07:00

I didn't post my trip from Monday night but it was great, I bought about $300 worth of groceries, and only paid about $250 after Shaw's rewards and coupons... Plus scored myself 50 cents per gallon Gass savings on my next fill up at Irvings... That will come to about $10 on gas alone!

I also scored $27 worth of coupons for money off my next shopping trip. These aren't product specific, I can use them for any item at Shaw's basically.

Money will be tight this week for bills that need to be sent out, so that $27 worth of coupons will come in VERY handy for refreshing my stockpile! Free groceries!

I plan to double those coupons up along with regular coupons for specific products to maximize my savings and take advantage of some deals that will get me more coupons for money off at the register!

After viewing the Shaw's circular online (http://www.shaws.com - you can view it there, print store coupons and also register for a FREE Shaws rewards card!) and reading the Shaw's forum at http://afullcup.com I found a number of items that we use that are on sale and that would generate some good money saving coupons at the register!

Here is what I'm planning:

Nature Valley Granola Bars - 2/$4 sale - paired with 2 coupons for 40 cents off from http://coupons.com
Refrigerated Pillsbury Grands Biscuits - 3/$5 sale - Paired with coupons for 75cents off 2 from Coupons.com - Also Part of a current Catalina deal (buy so many get coupons for so much off your next order)
Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers - On sale for $1.79 each - Coupons.com has a coupon for .50 off one.
Skippy Naturals - Multiples of 2 will generate a Catalina for money off your next purchase
Fleischmann's Yeast strips or jar - will generate Catalina for money off - Last weeks paper had coupons for 40 cents off one
Prego Pasta Sauce - On sale for $1.49 a jar - Coupons from last weeks paper for 75 cents off 3 jars.
Shaw's brand butter on sale for $1.88 for 4 sticks
Silk Soymilk - On sale for $2.99 per half gallon
Green Giant Boxed Veggies - 3/$5 plus coupons.com printable for 50 cents off 2
BumbleBee Tuna cans - on sale 2/$3 - I know there are coupons out there for BumbleBee tuna any product, believe they were on a tear pad at a store, email me if you have details or know where to get some.
Kelloggs Cereal - Store circular has store coupon for $5/3 - can be paired with Manufacturer coupon for even more savings.
General Mills cereal - on sale for 2/$4 - Multiple coupons available on coupons.com, http://smartsource.com and from recent newspaper inserts

PLUS: A current promotion - Spend $25 get $10 off your next purchase.

So if this is worked right, I can buy $25 worth of products, the other $2 will cover tax with overage (meaning the store owes YOU money - some stores don't honor Overage, so you may want to throw in a cheap "filler" item so that it doesn't cause issues), get the $10 coupon, take care of your groceries, go back in, and get some more goodies!

I'll post an update on this after I have done it and tell you how it works out for me!

Welcome!

2009-10-15T08:38:00.000-07:00

I am starting this blog because I have been learning all kinds of different ways to save money over the last year, and I enjoy being able to share my finds with other people who are as excited about saving money as I am!

This blog will be a place for me to post places to get coupons, freebies, to tell about my successful and not so successful shopping trips, and also to showcase deals found in stores found in Maine!

The stores I shop most frequently are Shaw's, Target, Rite Aid, Hannaford and occasionally Walmart, Home Depot and miscellaneous other stores!

If you know of a current sale or money saving deal online or offline, that isn't already posted here, PLEASE feel free to email me at moneysavingmainers (at) gmail (dot) com and let me know!