Post Cereal for $.17 or Less at Albertsons!

I read about this deal on multiple deal blogs and went to Albertsons today to try it out. What a great deal!

Albertsons is having a promotion on Post cereals. They're $2.07 on sale, but when you buy 2 it takes off $1.00. When you buy 4 it takes off $2.00 and so on. If you buy 5 boxes, you get the $2.00 off and a $5.00 catalina prints out! Here are some deal ideas:

Deal #1
Buy 2 boxes of Shredded Wheat, Raisin Bran or Grape-Nuts (any combination) - $3.14
Buy 2 boxes of Post Selects (any combination) - $3.14
Buy 1 box of Honeycomb cereal - $2.07
Total: $8.35

Use (1) $1/2 Post Selects coupon from 3/1 SS insert
Use (1) $1/2 Post Shredded Wheat, Raisin Bran or Grape-Nuts coupon from 3/29 SS insert
Use (1) $0.55/1 Honeycomb coupon from 3/1 SS insert
Receive $5 catalina at checkout

Total after catalina: $0.80 for 5 boxes!

Deal #2
Buy 2 boxes of Shredded Wheat, Raisin Bran or Grape-Nuts (any combination) - $3.14
Buy 2 boxes of Post Selects (any combination) - $3.14
Buy 1 box of Post Trail Mix Crunch - $2.07
Total: $8.35

Use (1) $1/2 Post Shredded Wheat, Raisin Bran or Grape-Nuts coupon from 3/29 SS insert
Use (1) $1/2 Post Selects coupon from 3/1 SS insert
Use (1) $2/1 Trail Mix Crunch printable coupon here
Receive $5 catalina

Total after catalina: $0.65 profit for 5 boxes!

Even if you have none of the above coupons, you'll still be getting 5 boxes of cereal for $3.35. That's only $0.67 per box. Not bad.

Try your own combinations to get the cereal your family will enjoy. Or, if some are just not your favorites, donate them to your local food pantry.

Thanks, Deal Seeking Mom!

$30 Coupon Booklet Free by Mail

Check out this link to get your copy of the Home Made Simple coupon booklet (put out by Proctor & Gamble). It contains $30 in high-value coupons for products like Dawn, Febreeze, Swiffer and Cascade. Click on the Special Savings tab and enter your information. This is a new booklet, so you can request yours even if you've gotten one previously.

Thanks, It's Hip to Save!

Free Reusable Tote from Earthbound Farms

Earthbound Farms is offering a free reusable tote to the first 10,000 people who take their pledge, Sustain Yourself, Sustain the Planet. Go here and take the pledge at the bottom of the page. I clicked on a couple of the sun icons and added them to my pledge (make sure you add the bag). They're doing this each week in April, so if you don't get one right away, come back at the start of the next week.




Thanks, Coupon Cravings!

Target Coupons *Updated*

Did you know that Target has their own in-store coupons that you can stack with manufacturer's coupons? I just recently have discovered the fun of this! It often leads to free or nearly free items (and who doesn't love that!).

Here is a post about the current Target coupons from Common Sense with Money. There is a link in the post for Hot Coupon World where you can print as many of each coupon as you want.

Note the Johnson's Baby toiletry one (this may work with the Johnson's Buddies soaps which are $.97) and the Kellogg's Nutri-grain bar coupon.

Update: I used the $0.75/1 Johnson's Baby coupon today for the Johnson's Buddies soap and it worked just fine. This made the soap just $0.22. These bars of soap are so awesome for my kids, so I love a great deal like this!

Target's coupon policy is to pair an in-store coupon with a manufacturer's coupon as long as it doesn't exceed the price of the item. If the coupon is for more than the item, they will adjust the coupon down. In my experience, the cashiers don't know this policy. Last time the cashier told me she couldn't do that I showed her my copy of their policy (I carry it in my coupon box) and they gladly did it for me.

More Free Stuff at Walgreens This Week!

I just returned from a Walgreens trip with my dear mom and discovered a few things that are free this week.

Edge Infused Shaving Gel or Edge Energy Shaving Gel on sale for $2.99; get a $3.00 RR at checkout.
Chapstick 100% Natural or True Shimmer $1.99; get a $2.00 RR at checkout.
Skintimate Shave Gel $2.99; get $3.00 RR at checkout.

And don't forget the Softsoap deal I mentioned yesterday.

*Note: don't try to buy the Edge shave gel and the Skintimate shave gel in the same transaction, because only one RR will print out (they're both from the same manufacturer). Also, if you go back to buy another shave gel or chapstick, don't use the RR from your previous transaction to pay for it, because then it won't spit out another RR.

Any questions? Leave a comment and I'll respond.

Redbox Code

Today's free Redbox rental code is:

89ZQJ3

Remember: one code per credit/debit card; return your movie before 9:00 p.m. Tuesday to avoid any charges on your card.

UPDATED: Walgreens - Softsoap Bodywash Deal

UPDATE: This deal is no longer "rolling" (the register will no longer print another "free" coupon when you redeem your previous "free" coupon). You will still get a coupon for a free bodywash when you purchase one. So, when you buy one at $3.99, use a $.75/1 coupon and redeem your "free" coupon, you'll get 2 for $$3.24 (or $1.62 each). Not the absolute best price, but not bad!

Hurry to Walgreens! This week if you buy Softsoap Bodywash you'll get a printed coupon for another free bodywash! And that's not all! There was a $.75/1 coupon in the 3/29 SS insert and a $1.00/1 coupon in the All You magazine that make this deal even sweeter. But wait, when you go to redeem your coupon, it will spit out another coupon for free bodywash!

This happens periodically at Walgreens, and it usually takes a few days for the manufacturer to catch it. Once they do, it will no longer print another coupon, so don't be alarmed. Even if the "rolling" stops, it will continue to give you a free coupon if you purchase a bodywash.

5 Free Photo Books

Have you heard of ArtsCow? It's a new photo site that has TONS of different ways to use your photos, from bags to coasters to keychains to photo books. I get e-mails all the time with offers for free stuff. Today I got one for 5 free photo books! I have so many credits in my account I can't even keep track.

ArtsCow just came out with a new photo book application that looks pretty awesome. They call it "Decoupage". It looks like the free books each have a shipping charge of around $8.00 (there's no reduction in shipping for multiple books). Sounds like a lot, I know, but basically it means each book will cost $8. Better price than any I've seen on the web!

When you sign up for ArtsCow you get 1200 free prints (600 4x6 and 600 5x7). You have to pay shipping, of course, but it still turns out to be cheaper than any place I've found.

If you're interested in the free photobooks, the code is FREE5BOOK. Just go to ArtsCow and sign up for an account. After you've gotten an account, go to the "Members Area"; click on "Credit and Discount" and enter the code. Then, create your books!

New FREE 411

I just found out (the hard way) that calling 411 on my cell phone costs me $1.79! So, imagine how thrilled I was to read Moms by Heart's post on an alternate number you can call to get the same information for free!

1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411)

Apparently it works the same as calling 411 and they'll even connect you for free. I'll be programming this into my phone tonight!

Are You Checking Your Bills?

Okay, I just changed wireless phone carriers after about 8 years with Qwest. I never would have changed, because I've had a customer loyalty plan that cost me $14.99/month for 500 anytime minutes, but I received notification from Qwest that they were going to be discontinuing their wireless service. I called Qwest directly to find out when the final date of service would be and was informed it would be 2/28/09. So, I had about 3 months to research other carriers and plans.

Thankfully, my husband works for a company that gets fairly good corporate wireless deals, so I settled on AT&T. My new plan costs twice as much as my old plan, but I get a few more perks and it's still better than most others I had found. So, on about the 20th of February, I ported my Qwest phone number over to AT&T and started enjoying my new service.

On about the 5th of March I received my closing bill from Qwest. My normal bill was $41 or so (two lines) but this closing bill was $209.45! Of course I checked the bill out thoroughly and finally found the line with "detail" (I'll use that term loosely) - $207.95 "Debit Adjustment". My current charges were the balance of $1.50. I immediately called the billing department and asked for some explanation of the huge charge. The lady I talked to told me it had been a mistake and had since been credited off my bill. I asked her to double-check, because we had auto-pay and I was not interested in having Qwest debit $209.45 from my checking account. She assured me that it was not going to be taken from my account - my balance was indeed $1.50. Relieved (and sure I had done all I could do as the consumer), I hung up and didn't think about it again.

On the 20th of March, my husband mentioned that Qwest had debited our checking account $209.45! I was so upset I could hardly think straight! I called Qwest right away and asked for a manager. The manager immediately told me it had been a mistake, shouldn't have been debited, yada, yada, and then informed me she would make sure a check was cut for our refund... in 60 days!!! WHAT???? I calmly explained that that was an unacceptable solution and asked for a manager with more authority than her. She became rude and told me there were not other options - checks could not be cut faster than that. I finally convinced her to transfer me and I got the billing department. No manager, just a billing representative. I explained again what was going on and was transferred to the manager of the customer care department (again, I use that term very loosely). No care going on here! After an hour on the phone, I was told the original charge was an early termination fee, but that they would wave it for me. I asked how I could be charged an early termination fee since they discontinued their service? He told me they still offer wireless through OCTOBER! Apparently, I can't trust the Qwest representatives to tell me anything remotely accurate! In the end, I'll get my refund in 30 days (better than 60, I guess).

Not 2 days later I received my 2nd AT&T bill, which rebilled us for the Feb/March cycle and prebilled us for the March/April cycle. Since I had already been billed for Feb/March cycle, I called to report the mistake. It took nearly an hour to get that straightened out, and during the long hold times, I continued to peruse my bill. I discovered they had not applied some credits that were due to me, and there was a charge for a fraudulent subscription on my account ($9.99). Fortunately, AT&T customer service was extremely kind and helpful, and in the end all of my credits were applied, the subscription was reversed and I was satisfied.

Moral of the story? Always check your bill! It is shocking how many mistakes are made on our utility bills, and we end up paying for them if we don't scrutinize each one very carefully.

Free 8x10 From Canon & Free Shipping

Found this offer for a free 8x10 from Canon and I just did it myself. I guess they want you to see the quality of their different printers. If you click here you'll be asked to enter your e-mail and home address, then you will select which printer you want them to use and then upload one of your photos. After it is uploaded it will tell you a confirmation has been sent to your email. It will also give you the option of clicking on a link if you want to try another printer. You can then upload another photo! I got the chance to upload three different photos! Not bad for free...

Thanks, Moms by Heart!

Changes Coming to Walgreens

Apparently it's official: Walgreens will no longer have the Easy Saver Catalog (and therefore the Easy Saver Coupons and Rebates) after April! There have been rumors flying around for a while, but Deal Seeking Mom has received confirmation from Walgreens Corporate.

Sounds like they will be revamping their customer loyalty program, so I'm looking forward to seeing what changes are to come! Stay tuned.

Easy Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff

One of the best ways to save money is to cook at home! Some of us aren't huge fans of cooking, so we are always looking for ways to make it easier or more fun. So, I've decided to start posting an easy meal idea on Thursdays.

This week I'm giving you the recipe for Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff. It's the easiest recipe ever and I absolutely LOVE it! Before I tried this, I'd always had stroganoff with beef. This was new for me, but I'm a fan now!

3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 pt. sour cream (regular, light or fat free)

1 package dry onion soup mix

1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup

Egg noodles or rice

Place 3-4 chicken breasts in the crockpot.

In separate bowl, mix sour cream, onion soup mix and mushroom soup. Pour it over chicken and cook on low 8 hours or 4 hours on high.

Pull chicken breasts out of sauce and shred it. Place it back into the sauce and stir to mix.

Pour over egg noodles or rice. We use whole wheat noodles or brown rice for added nutrition.

*Note: For those of you who know about Weight Watchers, this recipe is CORE if you use fat free sour cream, 98% (or higher) fat free condensed soup and whole wheat pasta or brown rice.

Product Testing Opportunity

I received an e-mail today from a company that I do product testing for. It's super simple, and the products they send vary from food items to air fresheners. This current opportunity is for a prepared meal for 4. It's free to join and so far I've received no spam in my e-mail account as a result.

The company is called Bzz Agent. If you're interested in joining, follow this link and it will take you directly to the current campaign for the ready meal.

When you receive a product sample, you usually receive coupons to pass out to your friends as well as product for you to try. Once you sign up, you may receive offers to try other campaigns. After you have tried the product, you return to the website and give your opinion of it.

Remember to use a free e-mail account for signing up for this.

This opportunity is for people in the Portland, OR or Omaha, NE areas.

$.99 Bowling at AMF

Looking for something frugal to do during spring break? Here's an idea! Go here to print a coupon for $.99/game bowling at AMF. There are two locations in our area (both in SE Portland). The coupon allows up to 10 people in your group to enjoy one $.99 game each.

Thanks, Coupon Cravings!

Thriftway 3/25-3/31

For those of you on the West side of Portland, you may be lucky enough to live near a Thriftway. This week's ad includes a coupon for FREE Western Family cottage cheese, FREE Coke, Pepsi or 7-Up 2-liter, buy-3-get-3-free Kellogg's cereals (participating cereals listed in ad) making 6 boxes $12. Also, on the back of the "This Week" front section of the Food Day there is a coupon for 1 dozen Western Family eggs for $.19! All coupons (except the cereal one) are with minimum $10 purchase, but the cost of the "free" item before coupon counts towards that minimum. You do NOT have to buy $10 worth of groceries for each coupon. And the $10 is BEFORE your other manufacturer coupons, too.

Be careful with Thriftway - prices on other items that are not their "loss leaders" are quite high. Go in with your list of sale items to buy and don't stray from it!

Redbox Wednesday Free Rental Code

Here's today's free rental code for Redbox:

MMM325

This code is good for one free rental per credit/debit card. Remember to return it before 9:00 p.m. tomorrow night!

Redbox Monday Free Rental Code

Here is today's free rental code for your local Redbox:

HG7W56

This code is good for one rental per credit/debit card. Remember to return the movie before 9:00 p.m. Tuesday.

I heart Kmart!

Today was quite the day at Kmart! I never shop there, because as a general rule, their prices are much higher than anywhere else. However, when they do their double coupon week, I love them!

I set out today with all my coupons organized for my adventure and was hoping that some items I wanted were still in stock. And, they were! Here's what I got:

3 Gillette Body Washes ($4.49 each)

3 Vaseline Lotions ($3.49 each)

3 Aveno Lotions ($3.29 each)

4 Oral B Indicator Toothbrush twin packs ($3.69 each)

1 Soft Scrub Scrubby Pads ($2.79)

1 Glade Carpet Fresh Powder ($2.19)

4 Pledge Multi-Surface wipes ($3.50 each)

2 Friskies Party Mix Treats ($1.69 each)

4 Trident Gum 3-packs ($2.50)

4 Trident Xtra Care Gum ($1.49 each)

1 Hershey's Cacao Dark Chocolate Bar ($1.99)

2 Ritz Crackers ($2.50)

4 Celestial Seasonings Teas ($2.00 each)

Total: $101.88

Coupons Used:

(1) $5/$50 purchase Kmart coupon

(3) $2/1 Gillette Bodywash

(3) $1.25/1 Vaseline Lotion

(4) $2/1 Oral B Twin-pack

(1) $1.50/1 Soft Scrub Scrubby Pads

(1) $1/1 Glade Carpet Powder

(4) $2/1 Pledge Multi-Surface Cleaner

(2) $1/1 Friskies Party Mix Treats

(4) $1/1 Trident Gum 3-packs

(4) $.75/1 Trident Xtra Care Gum

(1) $1/1 Hershey's Cacao Dark Chocolate Bar

(1) $2/1 Ritz

(4) $1/1 Celestial Seasonings Tea

Total Coupons:

$49.25

Total Double Amount:

$41.94

Total Paid: $10.69

Not bad for nearly $102 worth of products! That's a 90% savings!

Just goes to show that if you are organized and stick to items you have coupons for, you can get amazing deals!

KMart Double Coupon Week

Did you know that Kmart sometimes doubles manufacturer coupons? Once in a while, they will double coupons with a face value of up to $2.00 (that's a total of $4 off)! That can mean lots of free products. This sale starts tomorrow (3/22) and goes through Saturday. Go early for the best selection.

Here is a link to some possible deal scenarios (keep in mind these are not posted by West Coast bloggers, so some prices may not be accurate).

To Sample or Not To Sample

I have been bitten by the sample bug! I love getting free samples in my mailbox, partly because I get to try new stuff for free and partly because samples are almost always accompanied by coupons. Requesting samples is a great way to get coupons you couldn't get any other way.

Now, to be fair, I will admit I've gotten some samples for items I will never use. When they arrive, I sometimes ask myself why I even signed up for it! Like couponing, I will become more choosy over time.

Another benefit I've gotten from sampling is that my name is "out there" and I've gotten some fun offers to try new products if I'm willing to give my feedback. I recently did a product trial for a foaming carpet cleaner, and I've got one on the way for air fresheners. These trials usually include full-size products. The carpet cleaner company sent me 2 full-size cans of their product; the air freshener company is sending multiple full-size units so that I can share them with friends and get their feedback.

Which brings me to my next point. When I receive my air fresheners (Sense 'n Spray units from Glade), I will need to give some away to others to test. If you'd like one and are willing to give me your feedback, leave a comment to this post with your name and e-mail and I'll choose winners when I get the products.

Good luck, and here are some links to free samples to get you started. *Remember to sign up for a free e-mail account that is only used for requesting samples, because you will get a lot of spam!*

Sample of Gain Laundry Detergent

Send an e-mail to ecocentsible@comcast.net requesting your free sample of ECO Cents-ible Powdered Laundry Detergent

Sample of The Laundry's Finest Laundry Powder

Walmart's Samples - list of all the free samples they offer

Free Sample of Cream of Wheat

There are lots more out there; check back for more links later!

Thanks, Free Stuff Times!

Stockpiling vs. Hoarding

I have been couponing (seriously) since November of last year.  In that short amount of time, I have built up quite a stockpile of different foods and health & beauty products.  I have a huge supply of razors, shampoo, body wash, hand soap, dish soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, granola bars, cereal, chicken broth, soup, and much more.  I even have 9 jumbo packs of newborn diapers and 2 jumbo packs of nighttime pull-ups, even though I don't have a child who needs them!  Why do I have all this, you may ask?

Well, let me tell you.  Most of what I have stockpiled my family will use at some point.  All of us need shampoo, but none of us has a brand preference.  This is one key to stockpiling.  You can almost always find some type of shampoo on sale, and when you pair it with manufacturer coupons, store coupons and store sales, you can often score it for free.  This is true for many of the products I listed above.

The items I won't use (like the diapers) make excellent donations.  I recently made a donation to a friend's food pantry of 3 big Winco paper bags full of products my family won't use.  They cost me little or nothing, and I know there are people who can really use the food right now.  I bought the diapers last week during a Walgreens promotion where I got them all for free.  Incredible, I know, but it does happen.  I will enjoy taking those to a food pantry or to Pregnancy Resource Center where someone will benefit from that Walgreens sale.  All it cost me was a little time and research.

So, here's how you can tell if you are stockpiling or hoarding.  (I learned this from Angela at Frugal Living NW.)  If you are stockpiling, you are willing to share things from your stockpile when you learn of a need (friend or stranger).  If you are hoarding, you are not willing to give any of your stockpiled items away, even if you know someone is in need.  Keep this in mind when you begin to accumulate items you've gotten on sale.

If you are looking for a place to donate excess food or other items you've accumulated from couponing, check online by doing a search for food pantries in your area.  I prefer the ones run by churches, but any of them will be grateful.  

P.S.  You can even donate dog or cat food or treats that you may find for free.

Hurry to Target!

I went to Target this morning and found a great deal I just had to report.  If you like Quaker products, this is for you!

There is a promotion going on where you buy 5 participating Quaker products and get a $5 Target gift card at checkout.  

Quaker Rice Snacks (including Quakes, Mini Delights and Rice Cakes) and Chewy Granola Bars are all on sale for $2 each.  There was a $1/1 coupon in the 1/18 Red Plum insert for any Rice Snack.  

Quaker True Delights are on sale for $2.50 each.  There are multiple $1/1 coupons from various Sunday inserts, and here is a link for a printable one.  Looks like you can print it multiple times if you hit your browser's "back" button a few times.

I bought 2 boxes of the Mini Delights and 3 bags of the Quakes, for a total of $10.  I used 5 $1/1 coupons for Rice Snacks, making my total $5.  I then got a $5 gift card, for a total of $0!  I can go back again and do the same thing, using the previous gift card and my total will be $0 out of pocket, and I'll get another gift card.

If you want to buy the chewy granola bars, there's a $.75/2 coupon from a Sunday insert.  You could buy 4 boxes of granola bars, and 1 box of Rice Snacks and pay only $2.50 after coupons and gift card.

If you want the True Delights, you could buy 5 boxes, use 5 $1/1 coupons and pay only $2.50 after coupons and gift card.

Mix and match for the best combination for your family.  

*Note: At some Target stores the $5 gift card promotion is not displayed by all the Quaker items that are included.  If you aren't sure if a specific item is included, scan it at one of those price checkers and it will say "$5 Gift Card with purchase" on the right side.  That will assure you that that item is included.

The Art of Couponing

Funny title, huh?  Since when is art involved in couponing?  Well, if you ask me, it takes a lot of skill to coupon effectively.  I have definitely not mastered it, but am enjoying the process of learning it!

For those of us that are new or somewhat new to this idea, I have found a series of posts from Bargain Briana called 15 Days of Couponing that I think are incredibly valuable!  She addresses many important issues related to couponing effectively.  She's currently on day 11, but I thought you should check it out and then continue following her posts through day 15.

Enjoy!

Do You Pay For Your Magazines?

I have discovered over the past few months that it is almost never necessary to pay for a magazine subscription.  Why?  Because every day there are new offers for free ones!

Here are a few you might be interested in:

Bridal Guide Magazine

Metropolitan Home

Elle

Woman's Day

I've subscribed to many magazines recently and it's true, you never receive a bill and you are not required to give a credit card number.  What could be better?

Thanks, Coupon Cravings!

Another Free Redbox Movie Rental Code

During the month of March, Redbox is giving codes for free rentals on Wednesdays (in addition to their regular Monday codes). Here is today's code.

GTL456

This code is valid once per credit/debit card. Remember to return your movie before 9:00 p.m. Thursday night to avoid a charge.

New Albertsons Coupon Rules

Well, the inevitable has occured! As of tomorrow, Albertsons will no longer accept competitor coupons. In other words, you cannot use the Safeway double coupons or any other coupons from competitor stores.

Even though this sounds like a bad thing, it seems they are trying to make up for this change by issuing their own double coupons. In this week's ad (found in the food day that arrived today) there are 4 double coupons on the front page. Each one can be used to double one manufacturer coupon, up to $1.00 each! That's twice as good as Safeway. Note, however, that the coupons are only good March 22-24. So, get out those high value coupons and use them to get some cheap or free items.

Computer Trouble

(No, this picture has NOTHING to do with this post!  This is my adorable daughter when she was about 2...)

My computer died (officially) yesterday, so I'm stuck using my DH's when he gets home from work!  So, I may not be able to post each day.  Please feel free to check out the blogs I follow (found on the left side of the page).

10% off Ebay Purchase Today Only!

If you shop on Ebay, you'll love this! Today only there's a 10% off code when you use Paypal to pay for your purchase. Just enter this code when checking out:

CSP49UNW76CP33YM

Happy shopping!

Coupon Lingo Demystified

I've heard lots of people say they don't understand the jargon used on many of the couponer blogs, so I thought I'd address this problem. Here is a guide that should help you wade through the various blogs and their lingo.

Types of Coupons:

MQ=Manufacturer Coupons

IP=Internet Printable Coupons

SC=Store Coupons

Store-Specific Lingo:

RR=Walgreens Register Rewards (these print out after your order is complete, and they can be used on your next purchase)

IVC=Walgreens Instant Value Coupon (found in the monthly Easy Saver Catalog)

MIR=Mail-in Rebate

SCR=Single Check Rebate (at the end of the month all of your rebates from Rite Aid will be mailed in a single check)

Catalina=Albertsons or Safeway coupons that print out at the end of your order and can be used on your next purchase

Double Coupons=Safeway, Thriftway and sometimes Albertsons have in-store double coupons that allow you to double up to 4 manufacturer coupons at up to $.50 each, for a total of $2.00

Coupon Sources:

SS=Smart Source Insert (found in your Sunday paper)

RP=Red Plum Insert (found in your Sunday paper)

P&G=Proctor & Gamble (found in your Sunday paper)

Leave me a comment if there's other lingo that I haven't addressed here and I'll add it.

Free Organix Beauty Product

I came across this brand of product while at Target the other day. I noticed it because it comes in a different-looking bottle, and because it has a "hang tag" on it (a tag hanging from the neck of the bottle). I checked out the different kinds and was struck by the wonderful smells of each one! I finally settled on "Pomegranate Green Tea" shampoo. It smells incredible! Other "flavors" include Passionfruit Guava, Cucumber Yogurt, Lavender Soymilk and Grapefruit Mango Butter, to name a few.

So, this is a mail-in-rebate deal. Buy any of their styling products, shampoos or conditioners and mail in your receipt and the hang tag to receive a full refund (up to $6.99). What a great way to try a new product with no risk!

I've found these products at Target and Walgreens, but they may be at other retailers as well. If you buy it at Walgreens, you could use a Register Reward to pay for it and therefore spend less out of pocket. UPDATE: I found these at Rite Aid, but there were no "Try Me Free" hang tags, so make sure you are buying one with a hang tag or you will NOT be able to get your rebate.

*As with any mail-in-rebate, make sure you check the rebate period on the tag to make sure you're within the correct time frame, and be sure to make a copy of anything you mail in in case it gets lost or they have no record of your submission.

Redbox

Have you heard about Redbox? Those big red machines at Albertsons or McDonalds from which you can rent movies for $1 per night? I think it's a great concept, because I can't stand paying $4 or $5 to rent a movie! Anyway, every Monday you can rent a movie for free at Redbox! When you are renting your movie, it will ask if you have a code, and that's where you enter the following code:

2GR4N8

You can only use this once per credit/debit card. The code expires at midnight. Make sure you get your movie back before 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday night to avoid being charged $1 for the next night.

EXPIRED - Gap, Old Navy & Banana Republic 30% off Coupon!

If you shop at any of these stores, you'll want this coupon. It's good March 12-15, so use it this weekend. And as a bonus, they will donate 5% of your purchase amount to a non-profit!

This coupon can be used multiple times, so just print it once.

Crazy Walgreens Deals This Week!

I can't believe the incredible deals at Walgreens this week! I just returned from my 3rd run of the week where I got $62.90 worth of products for $.42! I found the most complete list I've seen on the web here . Thanks, HappyCouponing!

Also, check out this week's Albertsons deals here . Thanks, IAmFrugal !

Link to Weekly Deals

Right now, as I'm just getting started with this blogging thing, I'm not listing the deals for the stores each week. What I will do for now, however, is link you to some of my favorite blogs, which list deals for all of our local stores.

FrugalLivingNW

Walgreens for March 8-14

Safeway for March 4-10 (these sales run Wednesday-Tuesday)

For Rite Aid deals, check out IAmFrugal . The deals aren't fabulous this week, however.

Be sure to read other posts on these blogs for advanced deals at Walgreens and Safeway, as well as other interesting things.

Free Kellogg's All-Bran Product

Photo credit jackandfriends.com

Click here for a rebate on a Kellogg's All-Bran product, including All-Bran Strawberry Medley cereal, All-Bran Fiber Bars, All-Bran Fiber Drink Mixes, and All-Bran Rolled Fiber Wafers. Great way to try out a new product. Of course, you have to wait a while for your money, but it has the potential to be a money-maker.

Use the $.70/1 coupon from the 2/22 Red Plum insert, do the deal at Albertsons or Safeway so you can double the coupon, and make a $1.20 profit.

Walgreens Score!

*Let me preface this post by saying that I have been wanting to find deals I could do where I can donate the things I'm getting for free or nearly free.*

I went to Walgreens today to see what kind of deals I could score. And score I did! I have been reading about the Huggies deal at Walgreens for a week now, and it's finally here. Here's what I bought:

2 Fructis Shampoos $5.98

3 Orbit Gums $1.98

1 Trial Size Gillette Body Wash $.99

1 Advil PM 20 ct. $4.49

3 Huggies Jumbo Packs Size 1 $30

1 Sambucol Cold & Flu Relief $12.99

Total: $56.43

Coupons Used:

(2) $1/1 Fructis Shampoo (-$2)

(2) $2/1 Walgreens Fructis IVC* (-$4)

(1) $.99/3 Walgreens Orbit IVC (-$.99)

(1) $2/1 Advil PM (-$2)

(3) $5/1 Huggies (-$15)

(1) $4/1 Sambucol (-$4)

(1) $10/1 Walgreens Sambucol IVC (-$10)

I also used 3 Register Rewards (RR) from a previous purchase totalling $7.50, bringing my total coupons used to $45.49.

My total OOP was $10.94. I received a $10 RR for the diaper purchase and a $2 RR for the Advil PM, making my actual total $1.06 profit!

Now I can take those 3 Jumbo packs of Huggies diapers to Pregnancy Resource Center or something similar and benefit some other mothers in need.

*IVC's are "Instant Value Coupons" that are in the Walgreens Easy Saver Catalog. Even when the coupon has a limit (as on the Garnier Fructis coupon), scanning the coupon will take the discount off each of the items.

Free Tea Club

photo from Culinary Teas

I discovered this tea company that has a tea club where you get free samples every two weeks! And, this company, the Tropical Tea Co., is part of the effort to bring clean water to Africa! What could be better? So, sign up here to start receiving your tea samples (scroll down their blog to the "FREE TEA CLUB" post and look for the link there).

BOGO Sundaes at Baskin-Robbins

Click here for a coupon for buy-one-get-one sundaes at Baskin-Robbins (through 3/28).

Thanks Abundant Food Savings!

Free Fries & Drink at Jack in the Box 3/10 ONLY!

Found this coupon today for free fries and drink at Jack in the Box on March 10. Click here for yours!

Thanks Abundant Food Savings!