Teasure Box aka Mail Box , 05/16/09

Just to show you that it does pay off to sign up for coupons & samples, here is what I got in my Teasure Box, aka Mail Box, this morning:

Home Made Simple Coupon Book with over $30 in savings including a coupon for FREE Cascade Crystal Clear Rinse Agent, I told you about this book here

Huggies Home Mailer with a coupon for $5 off Pull-Ups, I told you about a FREE sample here & by selecting to receive communication from Huggies you get put on the coupon mailing list

Coupon for a FREE tube of Crest Pro-Health TP, this was a MIR that I told you about here but in order to get this coupon you had to have found the MIR tear pad.

Central Market Home Mailer coupons, click here for more info

Tom Thumb Home Mailer coupons, register your Reward card to your mailing address in order to start receiving these

Nivea Touch of Happiness Bodywash sample & coupons, I told you about this here

Schick Quattro Titanium Razor & coupon from CVS, register your Extra Care card to your mailing address in order to start receiving samples & coupons

Isn't this way more fun to get than bills????

Albertson's Trip 05/15/09, $91.21 for $3.96

Here is what I got this morning at Albertson's in 4 transactions:

(4) Premium Saltine Crackers @ $2.50 each = $10.00
Used (4) <$0.62> Albertson's in-ad coupon = $7.52
Used (4) <$1.00> IP = $3.52/4 or $0.88 each

(2) Green Giant Frozen Corn @ $1.00 each = $2.00
Used (2) <$0.50> IP = 2/FREE

(4) Campbell’s Chicken Noodle Soup @ $0.39 each = $1.56
Used (2) <$1.00>/2 IP = +$0.44

(2) Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs @ $2.00 each = $4.00
Used (2) <$1.00> IP = $2.00/2 or $1.00 each

(6) GE Energy Smart CFL Bulbs @ $1.00 each (Rain Check) = $6.00
Used (6) <$1.00> 04/19 SS = 6/FREE

(16) Kraft BBQ Sauce @ $1.00 each = $16.00
Used (12) <$0.35> peelies = $4.00/16
Used (3) <$1.00> IP = $1.00/16
Used (1) MFGC <$0.75> = $0.25/16
Earned $8.00 in Catalina's = +$7.75

(3) Vitamin Water @ $1.00 each = $3.00
Used (3) <$0.50> IP = 3/FREE
Used (3) Albertson's Monopoly Coupons = +$0.75

(1) Cherries, 1.85 lbs @ $3.99/lb = $7.38

Sub-Total: $91.21
Albertson's Sale Savings: <$41.27>
In-ad Coupons: <$2.48>
Albertson's Monopoly Coupons: <$0.75>
MFGC: <$24.45>
Dbl/Tpl MFGC: <$10.30>
Total: $11.96
Catalina's Earned: $8.00 ($2, $3 & $3)
Cost: $3.96

That's a savings of 96%!


For these coupon match-ups and more, click here

PS - I left some peelies on the BBQ sauce bottles so that you could see what to look for.

Sunny D Coupon

To get your coupon for 55¢ off any 48 oz Sunny D Smoothie product follow the steps below:

#1 - Turn off Pop-up Blocker or if your settings are like mine you will have an option to allow the pop-up when it tries to load
#2 - Click here
#3 - Select "Skip Into"
#4 - Select "Go Get It" under the tab "Coupons"
#5 - Where is says "click to get a coupon" like in the above pic - do that
#6 - Another page will open asking you "Print Coupons" - click that
#7 - Coupons should print

I have never had to hop through so many hoops in my life to get a lousy 55¢ coupon but if you are a fan of Sunny D then you know that coupons for their products are few and far in between.

FREE Samples, People!!

FREE Bag of Popcorn here (scroll down, on the right)

FREE Annunity Guide here

FREE Tatouage Sample here (click on “Add to Cart”, “Proceed to Checkout” the follow instructions)

FREE Diabetic Meal Planner here

FREE 7-day pass to Bally's Health Club here

FREE Hawaiian Tropic After Sun Body Butter or Sheer Touch Sunscreen Lotion with SPF 15 Sample here

FREE Baby Samples here

FREE Bodycology Hand Soap, Lotion & Mist Sample here

FREE Kotex Ultra Thin Overnight with Wings Sample here

FREE Slim Fast Weight Loss Program & LOTS of coupons here

Lots of FREE Samples here

FREE DiGiorno Flatbread Melts

On May 18th be one of the first 100,000 people to register here & get a coupon for a FREE DiGiorno Flatbread Melts!

Thanks, Stephanie!

Frugal Tip Friday

If your house if filled with those little plastic grocery bags then have I got some tips for you today!

Storage

This is the easiest and neatest way that I have found to store my bags - I shake them out, wrap my hand around the bottom & run it up the scrunched bag once I get to the top most of the air is out so I wind the bag around my fingers & stuff in a empty tissue cube. I can fit about 30 bags in each cube. I have cubes in all our cars, the bathrooms, the kitchen, the baby's room, outside in a deck box & the utility room - you never know when they will come in handy!

Grocery Uses

I mostly use reusable bags but sometimes when I hit one store after the other I run out so I take my handy tissue cube in the stores and have them use those bags instead of giving me a new one. Also I don't like the bag boy to put raw meat in my reusables so I always use my old bags or a paper bag for that. Once (and only once) I forgot to verbally tell the cashier what was in the box and what to do with it and yes he charged me for my empty tissue box full of used plastic bags - that was fun to explain to customer service! Don't forget to check your local stores policy on bringing your own bags, Albertson's here in D/FW gives you a nickle for each bag that you bring in and use - even the plastic ones!

Home Uses

I like to use my bags as trash bags in our bathroom wastebaskets (if you don't want the handles covering the outside then tuck them in) they fit perfectly and get the job done.

I don't have a place in my kitchen for a wastebasket except under the sink & #1 that is just not going to be big enough & #2 under the sink is full of FREE Softsoap but my utility door is right next to the kitchen so I hang a bag around the lever and voila! instant, disposable trash bag! Another great kitchen tip is for when you are trimming fat just cut a gallon milk jug in half then roll a bag inside - instant disposable sink-side trash can that you can tie up and take right outside! I of course recycle the top of the milk jug but I wash and reuse the bottom until another jug is empty then out with the old in with the new. In my area we have trash carts so I can toss my tied up plastic bag full of trash straight in there, no extra garbage bag needed. Since we started doing this I only buy trash bags once a year at CVS during a BOGO sale. I am not sure if this is green or not but I don't see the difference in a grocery bag and a true trash bag so until I read otherwise I am gonna keep on!

Baby Uses

This time around I didn't get a diaper pail - what for they all stink?? Plus if you get the kind with special bags then there is one more expense for the budget. I have a large wastebasket that I fill with pee-pee diapers but once a poo has landed I grab a bag (from the cube on the changing hutch) and empty the pee-pee's plus the poo inside and straight out it goes. A quick shot of Lysol in the can and a good washing once a month - no smell & cheap too!

When I still carried a diaper bag I kept a few rolled up bags in the side bottle pockets for those extra messy times! So glad those days are behind me for now!

Recycle

Most grocery stores have a bin where you can put your old bags and they recycle them to save our landfills. Also check your local food banks & needy family church stores, the ones in my area take your old bags (no holes or stinky ones, please) and reuse them. I have also heard about a charity taking your used bags to stuff them into old mattresses to give to the poor in Mexico.

Other

Scrunched up bags make great packing filler & cushions your Christmas decorations too!

Lunch Bags

Wet Laundry Bags

To keep your dirty laundry separate from your clean clothes when traveling

To keep your shoes from touching your clothes when traveling

Dog poo pickin' up duty or litter box detail

Of course sending stuff home with guests - duhhh!



Did you find this Frugal Tip Friday helpful or do you have a great tip for plastic bags? Leave a comment & share.

Don't Forget - FREE Chocolate Friday

Click here at 9 AM ET for your chance at one of 500,000 coupons good for a FREE Mars chocolate bar.

PS It it 12:40 PM on Friday and bars are still available!!!

Snapple BOGO Coupon

Click here to become a fan of Snapple on Facebook & in doing so you get rewarded with a BOGO Coupon!!! Once on the site, in the upper left hand side click on "Become A Fan" then under that will be a link to the coupon. You have to click on that link twice then a banner will come up that you have to click on twice as well then it will take you to the coupon print page. Don't forget to hit the back button and get 2 coupons. Now let's just cross our fingers for a BOGO sale.

Thanks, Rachel!

FREE Home Depot Do-It-Herself Workshop TONIGHT

Just wanted to remind everyone that the Do-It Herself Workshop is tonight from 7 - 8:30 at Home Depot. Most of the time once the workshop is over they give you a $5/$25 coupon - extra score! Tonight's Workshop Highlights are:

~ Effective watering and fertilizing techniques
~ Creating colorful accents with containers and baskets
~ Go organic and grow your own vegetables

So come on ladies put down the dish towel, leave the dishes to Dad like I am going to do (thanks hubby!) & join me. Yes, you can do it just leave the kids with Dad, grab your girls & head on over to the Depot.

Don't forget to Pre-Register here, see you there!

Publix 05/14 - 05/20/09

Click here to see the weekly Publix grocery deals from Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living.

Here are the top 5 deals that I see from her list:

~ Johnsonville Bratwurst or Smoked Sausage or Fresh Breakfast Links - $2.50
Use <$1.00> SC - Publix Family Style Magazine &
Use <$1.50> 05/03 SS = FREE or
Use <$1.00> 03/29 SS = $0.50 or
Use <$1.00> 04/05 SS = $0.50 or
Use <$1.00>/2 03/29 SS = $2.00/2 or $1.00 each
Use <$1.00>/2 04/05 SS = $2.00/2 or $1.00 each

~ Kraft Shredded Cheese or Cubes - $2.00
Use <$1.00>/2 here = $3.00/2 or $1.50 each &
Use <$1.00>/2 Target IP here = $2.00/2 or $1.00 each

~ Yoplait Yo-Plus Yogurt or Fiber One, 4 pk - BOGO @ $2.50
Use (2) <$1.50> here = +$0.50
Use (2) <$1.00> here or here = $0.50/2 or $0.25 each
Use (2) <$0.50> 03/29 SS = $1.50/2 - 0.75/2

~ Friskies Cat Food - $3.00
Use <$3.50> here = +$0.50 or
Use <$1.50>/2 04/26 SS = $4.50/2 or $2.25 each
(donate to a shelter)

~ Nabisco Ritz Crackers - BOGO @ $3.79
Use (2) <$1.00> here = $1.79 &
Use (2) <$1.00> Target IP here = +$0.21/2


Thanks, Ashley! If you should have any questions regarding the deals for Kroger SE or to see the full list please visit Ashley at Frugal Coupon Living.