Shopping Today: QFC and Walgreens

Walgreens: $0.13 spent, $9.02 saved

My $3 RR from the huggies deal a few weeks ago was going to expire today and since I didn't see anything super amazing- I decided to use it on something practical. I bought 3 cans of Hunt's Tomato Sauce at $0.39 each (after in-ad coupon) and 4 boxes chocolate pudding for $1 (after in-ad coupon). I decided to check out Valentines day clearance and was thrilled to see chocolate sweethearts- those are some of my favorites! 8 boxes cost only $0.96.

QFC: $6.59 spent, $8.89 saved

I was really just running in to use the last of my $1 Fresh Express coupons from the Albertsons booklet on the $1 salad (yes, that means it's free). Then, I saw cheesecake marked down to $6.59 and I have very little willpower when it comes to delicious looking New York Cheese Cakes so my quick freebie turned into a not-so-free trip and honestly- that's fine by me! I gave a couple of salad coupons away because they do expire on the 28th.

March is Frozen food month

Just wanted to give you all a heads up/reminder that March is "Frozen Food Month" so now is a good time to make sure all your frozen food coupons are clipped and organized (or order some from ebay/your favorite clipping service). I have yet to order anything for this promo, although I did order a few Post coupons yesterday (based purely on rumor and speculation... but I doubt I'm the only one thinking about this).

Safeway is gearing up for what should be an awesome spend $25, get $10 off your next order catalina deal! You can get a sneak peek of that ad courtesy of SlickCate @ SD.

Albertsons is also currently running a Chill Deal- in the buy 10 items, get a $10 catalina good on your next order format. I haven't seen a lot of talk about this deal or participating items (maybe it'll be in next week's ad?) but it might be worth checking out in store.

The Children's Place: free shipping and 15% off

The Children's Place put up a code good for free shipping on their Facebook page recently, but did you know you can also combine it with a 15% off coupon? Combined with the hot sales they're running to clear out their winter items- you're bound to find something for your little one(s). You'll need to use code FSFEB2010 for free shipping and SPRING22A for the extra 15% off. I'm not entirely sure when either code expires, but with items selling as quickly as they are, you'll probably want to hurry on over and check it out!

Thanks SD!

Coldwater Creek: free shipping plus an extra 25% off clearance!

Coldwater Creek currently has up to 80% off their clearance section and using code WHH8520 will not only give you free shipping but also take an extra 25% off! This is not a store I'd probably shop at for myself, but they do have good quality items that will make awesome gifts. If starting out looking through their entire clearance selection seems like too much, you can use the links below to navigate a bit easier:

• Accessories
• Home and Gift
• Apparel

Happy shopping!

World Market: $10 off a $30 purchase

World Market has put out a new printable $10 off a $30 purchase coupon- and it's valid through March 14th. You can use it on anything besides giftcards and alcohol. There are always so many fun and interesting things to check out in the stores, I'm sure you'll have no problem finding something to use this coupon on.

Thanks Queen Bee Coupons!

Safeway: we needed milk

Well... milk and more instant oatmeal. The cold we had for weeks resulted in my oatmeal stockpile (which should have been enough for a year or so) getting significantly depleted. $0.99 a box is certainly not the best deal ever, but it's a price I'm willing to pay- so I picked up a few boxes.

$12.58 spent, $39.90 saved (76%)

I used my last two free half gallon chocolate milk wyb milk coupons. The beans were nothing special except that I needed them for dinner the other night and had forgotten to pre-soak beans. I also had an awesome $3 off milk when you buy 5 Quaker products (I don't have any idea where it came from, a lovely fellow couponer sent that and a ton of quaker coupons my way last week) which helped cut down the overall cost.

FM: my clearance finds!

I mentioned Fred Meyer was doing their extra 70% off clearance apparel this week, so I thought I'd share a few of my finds with you (you still have til Saturday!). I have two boys (one 2.5 years and one soon-to-be 1 year old) so I'm always looking at clearance clothes. We do shop thrift stores as well (especially for jeans) but I'd say most of our clothing purchases are things I pick up year-round on clearance. Of course, I did get a little bit lucky at Fred Meyer this week:

I know this isn't a ton of clothing, but I was looking for something Birthday for the youngest to wear and was happy to find this cute onsie in the right size for only $1.80! They had matching bibs (both girl and boy) but they were the same price as the onsie so I skipped it. I also found a pair of Christmas pj's for the older boy for only $2.40- perfect because we do Christmas jammie photos every year (alone with our boys and with the other babies on the husbands family's side). I skipped buying any for the younger because I already have some. The Super hero dog pj's were $4.50, a little steep comparatively but pajamas the oldest will wear so rarely go on clearance and he's going to LOVE these. We wandered a bit as well, and noticed that they're taking an additional 50% off toys so I grabbed a pack of 6 mini Tonka trucks for $3 that I can split into Christmas stockings later this year.

Victoria's Secret: Rewards Cards today and tomorrow!

Victoria's Secret is doing Secret Rewards cards again today and tomorrow only (2/22 and 2/23 until 11:59 pm EST). This is an online only deal, and you must check out using code SECRETVS in order to get a SRC. Each order placed using this code will arrive with a Secret Reward card worth either $10, $50, $100, or $500- but you won't be able to check and see what you get until April! Secret Reward Cards will be redeemable April 1-30, 2010 in stores, online or by phone. Here's how to make the best of this deal (in case you want to try your luck!).

I purchased an item this morning that was on clearance for $2.99 (from $12, it's one I plan on including in a gift eventually). After shipping and tax, I paid $9.76 for my item, but when I receive it- it'll come with a rewards card worth at least $10 (and hopefully more!). I can use that to either treat myself to something or purchase another item as a gift. (Note: the rewards card works like a gift card). It would have been even cooler to have free shipping, but this still has some good potential.

Sound like fun? Here are a few cheap items:

• Amber Romance Anti-bacterial hand sanitizing wipes $1.99
• VS Pink Soothing Body Freshening mist $2.99
• VS Pink Nourishing Body Freshening Mist $2.99
• VS Panties (some as low as $2.99, lots at $3.99)

Note: If you place too many of the same kind of order, it's likely VS will cancel them for you. Two of the same/similar orders should be just fine. If you need to place more, you might need to do so under a different account.

Safeway Coupon Policy Change

I just wanted to give you all a heads up on a change in Safeway's coupon policy. This is in regards to "minimum purchase requirements" on their store coupons. The old wording in the policy stated that the minimum was based on your total before club card discount and all coupons, but the new wording says this:

What does "minimum $10 (or $20) purchase required" mean? To use store coupons that include a minimum purchase requirement, you must spend a minimum dollar amount on that shopping trip. You will reach the minimum purchase amount based upon total purchases after your Club Card discount is applied. For example, the regular retail price of a box of Cheerios (after Club Card discounts) will count toward the minimum purchase required in order to use the Cheerios coupon.

If you are using several store coupons in a shopping trip, you will only need to meet one minimum purchase requirement. For example, if you are using three coupons, and they each specify a minimum purchase requirement of $20, your minimum purchase requirement for the total shopping trip is $20, and not $60.

The difference is that now your minimum purchase requirement is based on your total after club card discount. Of course, that total is still reached before coupons are applied- and that's a plus. It also means your total will be easier to calculate (since it's based on the sale price). You may want to print a new copy of this sheet to have on hand.

IHOP: FREE pancakes tomorrow (2/23)

Tomorrow, February 23rd, is National Pancake Day and in celebration IHOP will be giving away free pancakes! They are accepting donations in return for The Children's Miracle Network. You can stop in anytime between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., and they’ll give you one free short stack (three) of their buttermilk pancakes. I don't really like pancakes, but this still sound fun and is a great cause! You can read more about it (or find a location near you) on IHOP's website.

Edit: Looks Like Shari's is also running a free pancake promotion tomorrow for Facebook fans- Thrifty NW Mom has the scoop!

HUGE shopping trip today

Safeway: $25.14 spent, $90.81 saved (79%)

I did two transactions (one at each Safeway I stopped in at this morning). I still have one $3 catalina from purchasing the Stove Top. You can read my breakdowns of scenarios for this week in these posts. Here's what I bought (because it is hard to see):

• 2 boxes Cheerios
• 6 boxes Saltines (3 of which are going to St. Vincents)
• 10 boxes Stove Top Stuffing
• 10 boxes Rice A Roni
• 3 6packs of Coke
• 6 bags Oreo Cookies
• 3 cans Nalley Chili
• 3 2lb bags Mahatma Rice (free from BuzzAgent, I know people who would love to try it and won't use coupons so I bought the bags to give them myself.)
• 2 Whole Chickens
• Broccoli
• 2 Onions
• 2 Zucchini
• Jalapeno
• Bell Pepper
• (or a total of 70 items!!)
  

QFC and Albies: $26.97 spent, $41.90 saved (56%)

I needed some meat and QFC seemed to have the best prices so I picked up some Flank Steak (separated it into enough for 4 meals), a pork roast, and a frozen turkey breast. I also bought grapes, 2 things of sour cream, and 3 doughnuts (not pictured). The pinto beans were $1 a bag at Albies and the Dr. Pepper was free (today only), I used a $2 catalina from last week and only spent $1.11 out of pocket. My grand total in spending for this week is $52.11 with $132.71 saved (or 72%). I shouldn't need to buy anything for a while (or until we run out of milk) and I was able to stock up a little bit on meat- so all in all, it's not too bad.

Fred Meyer: extra 70% off clearance starts Sunday

Fred Meyer will be running an extra 70% off clearance items starting this Sunday, February 21. I love sales like this because it makes stocking up on kids clothes so much cheaper! Some of the prices are still more than what I'd like to pay, but they tend to have good quality clothing and sometimes you can find some awesome deals. I have to head back out to Fred Meyer and use up my last $4 catalina from the (dead) Purex deal anyways, so this is a perfect excuse!

Thanks to Christy from The Bargain Jargon for the heads up!

A few FREE samples

Are you looking for some easy freebies? Here's a list with some current freebies you can request (remember, sometimes they come with great coupons too!).

• Green Magma Juice (a barley grass supplement)
• A variety of Kotex product samples (3 separate links)
• Crest 3D White Strips
• 1 of 3 Fekkai Products: Glossing Shampoo&Conditioner, Technician Color Care Shampoo and 3-Minute Mask, or a Glossing Cream.
• Underjams
• Free OneTouch® UltraMini® Meter & 10 Test Strips (for those with diabetes)
• Tide plus Febreeze

Fred Meyer: Purex deal ENDED

UPDATE: This deal is officially over at Kroger chain stores (Fred Meyer and QFC are both a part of this chain). Catalina (the company responsible for running catalina promos) says that because Kroger has reached their limit on this deal, the promo has been shut off. I hope you were able to get in on this deal before it was ended!

I'm hearing a lot of talk that this deal is no longer producing a catalina. I'm not sure why (but I have heard rumors) so please be aware that it may not work today. I'll update you all once I know more about it!

Safeway: a few deal ideas

Are you looking for good deals this week at Safeway? Maybe you noticed the Premium Saltines on sale Saturday and Sunday only for only $1.29 and thought "combined with that $1 Nabisco coupon, these are cheap"? Of course, if you have any of these coupons you may be able to get an even better deal:If you purchase the a box of the Premium Saltines and a can of either Nalley Chili or Campbell's Select Harvest soup (each are $1) you can use both the $1 off Nabisco crackers from the MIT booklet (a Safeway coupon) and the $1 off wyb Saltines and any soup or chili. You'll still pay only $0.29 but now you'll have a can of soup or chili in addition to your crackers! There's a limit of 4, which would make it only $1.16 for 4 boxes of crackers and 4 cans of soup or chili!

Maybe you've been on the lookout for a good soda deal? I frequently am, because the husband likes to have soda with his lunch. Try this scenario:

• buy 3 6pack bottles of Coke (16.9oz bottles) $7.00 (with in ad coupon)
• buy 3 boxes Saltines @ $1.29 each =$3.87
• use three $1 Nabisco cracker coupons from the MIT booklet
• use three $2 off wyb Coke and Nabisco crackers tearpads
• Pay only $1.87 for 3 boxes of crackers and a total of 18 16.9oz bottles of Coke!

Most of these coupons are available in-stores now, although you might have to check at Safeway's CS desk for any leftover MIT booklets. I found the Saltine/Chili tearpads at both Albertsons and Fred Meyer, and the Coke/Nabisco coupons at both Safeway and Albertsons. For a more complete matchup this week (including details on the great P&G promo) check out The Krazy Coupon Lady's matchup post!

Coupon Request Wednesday!

It's that time of the week again! Just yesterday I received 2 Michelina's FREE item coupons and a FREE item coupon from Dannon, writing to companies is really paying off (and it makes checking the mail even more fun!). This week I only wrote to two companies because we've all been sick and I haven't been able to find the time:

• Smithfield: I was really impressed with their bacon and wrote in to let them know that. Response: A nice thank you along with a note that they occasionally release printable coupons and are currently developing a new coupon program for members of their online community to use at certain retailers.


• Zatarain's: Sent a compliment about the red beans and rice, also mentioned that I'm really looking forward to the new low sodium varieites. Response: Waiting, will update as soon as I hear back.

VS Pink Nation: new freebie!

Are you a member of Victoria's Secret Pink Nation yet? If so, then you'll want to hop on over there and print the latest coupon. This one is good for a FREE Fragrance Deluxe Sampler- no purchase required! It's valid from 2/17-3/8 or while supplies last and there's a limit of one per person.

If you aren't a member, now is a good time to sign up! You'll get this freebie, a $10 off and $35 PINK purchase coupon, and they offer new special promotions every month. Be sure to tell your friends as well because VS is promising to reveal another FREE gift for members once they hit 1 million members, and who doesn't love a good freebie?

More Purex at FM!

Fred Meyers: $1.48 spent, $10.04 saved ...and I still have my $4 catalina! I bought the Purex in two separate transactions, once with $0.39 of almonds from the bulk section and once with a $0.34 clove of garlic that I needed to pick up anyways. If you're looking for a cheaper filler, single carrots from the bulk bin work out to about $0.05 each. You do still have until Saturday to do this deal!

Note: I have heard people are having issues with this catalina. Make sure you only buy the 50oz bottles, as the 20% more variety do not work. This catalina can take a moment to print so sticking around for a moment and letting the cashier know you're waiting for a coupon to print might work. Otherwise, you can call the catalina company at 1-888-8COUPONS (1-888-826-8766) as long as you have your receipt(s) handy- they should be able to help. They're open from 7AM - 8PM EST M-F.

Albertsons: $2.49 spent, $18.50 saved

I also got another $2 cat from the canned veggies. Since these deals are over today, I won't bore you with the details. I did use FREE item coupons for the Texas Toast and the Michelina's- both from my Coupon Request Wednesday endeavours.

(Dead deal) Vocalpoint: FREE full-sized shampoo

edit: They've already run out- hope you were able to claim yours in time!!
Sign in or register with Vocalpoint to receive a FREE full sized bottle of Pantene Nature Fusion Smooth Vitality Shampoo now! These freebies go quickly most of the time so I'd hurry.

more shopping today

FM & Albies: $9.22 spent, $42.86 saved and $12 in catalinas earned

Not pictured are the clearanced window clings I picked up for Valentines day next year at Albies and the small candies from the bulk section my mom picked up as a filler on her second Purex transaction (She's my favorite coupon buddy!). I already posted all the details on the FREE Purex at Fred Meyers. I used carrots as my filler, 5 of them from the bulk bin cost only $0.23- making my total for 2 bottles of Purex only $0.60 (because of tax). I also have the all the details on our Albies trips broken down for you (with coupon links) except the canned tuna. Bumblebee canned tuna is on sale for $0.50 a can, so when you buy 5 and when you use this $1 off 5 printable coupon combined with a doubler it works out to be $0.50 for all 5 cans (or $0.10/can!). (Note: I only spent $2.63, earned a new $2 catalina and kept my $4 purex catalina. The rest was my mom's shopping!)

(Remember that most of the time when you print a coupon, you can print it two times per computer! Simply hit your back button three times)

Hallmark: FREE kid's card

Through March 14th, you can stop by any participating Hallmark Gold Crown store and pick up a FREE Kid's card (valued at $1.99). There is no purchase required and there's a limit of one per customer. You may want to call ahead to see if your store is participating, the store locater should make finding the phone number easy. What a fun (and free!) way to perk up your kid's day!

Thanks Freebies4Mom!

Fred Meyer: FREE Purex

Fred Meyer: $4.32 spent, $4 earned!

This week, you can find a coupon in the ad that makes Purex only $1.99 a bottle (limit 2) but when you buy 2 bottles, you'll also earn a $4 catalina good on your next purchase! I paid $4.32 for 2 bottles this morning, including $0.34 in tax. You can roll this catalina, but be prepared to
include something worth at least $0.02 as a filler (single carrots or other small amount of veggies or fruit work great). Just be sure to only purchase the 50oz bottles as the 20% more variety (60oz) don't seem to be producing the $4 catalina.

You might also wait on this, because I've heard rumors this weeks Red Plum will contain a Purex BOGO coupon- and that would make this one sweet moneymaking deal. Of course, that's just a rumor as of now. This deal is good through Saturday. Thanks SD!!

Albertsons: 84% savings

Albertsons: $12.72 spent, $66.32 saved

After realizing this morning that we were down to one roll of TP and no boxes of wipes, I knew I'd have to make another albies run. I purchased everything above in two transactions, although I could have split it into three and saved another $3- but I wanted to make it a quick trip (and sometimes saving a little bit of time is worth spending a little bit more- especially when you're out of baby wipes!). I used free item coupons on the STAR Olive Oil and Herbal Essences. I used a few more $1/2 Ronzoni printable coupons to make those free after doublers. The Starkist pouches were $1 each, so I got four of those for free using this $1/1 Starkist printable and a fifth for free using a BOGO coupon from Vocalpoint. The wipes were $1.79/box after $1 coupon and the 6 cans of Del Monte green beans ended up being a $1 moneymaker after this $1/4 coupon and the $2 catalina I earned for buying 6*. The Angel Soft was $2.99 for 12 double rolls after $1/1 printable and doublers. The Cinnamon rolls were marked down to $0.99 and made a nice treat for the husband and toddler who waited patiently while baby and I did our shopping this morning. These deals are all good through tomorrow (2/16).

*My store had select varieties of Del Monte veggies down to $0.50 a can instead of $1 a can. Most stores are $1 a can, so after coupons and catalina they're cheap but not a money maker.

Lots of shopping today!

My mom came by this afternoon and we embarked on quite the shopping trip (3 Walgreens and Albertsons). We had some rainchecks from the quaker sale at Albies, and a very kind online bargain hunter sent me enough of the $2/2 Instant Oatmeal coupons to get a whopping 20 boxes (all of which are going straight to St. Vincents). Plus, I couldn't resist a good deal on Huggies at Walgreens. Here's everything we bought today:

Albertsons: $0.99 spent, $39.02 saved

I'm sure our savings were actually greater than $39.02 considering that each box of oatmeal sells for $4.xx regularly, but they punched in the price at $1 so no additional savings showed up there. The Ronzoni were $1/box so we combined these $1/2 Smart Taste and $1/2 Healthy Harvest printables with doublers to get them free. I paid $0.99 for the bread, because we needed it.

Walgreens: $26.32 spent, and I saved a ton

I don't have exact savings totals for you, because the items above were about 11 transactions worth. We hit three stores and took turns going in and doing two transactions each. The husband needed carmex so I used it as a filler once ($3/2 tubes), one of the stores catalina machines goofed so I need to call about getting a $3RR, and I ended with a $3RR. The diapers ended up being about $2.89 (including the small amount spent on candy, tax, and poligrip). I did not use the $1 coupon from the Wags coloring book, because it does say off the full regular price and I didn't want to bother with it. The poligrip is all going to be donated. I'll skip the details because the combination of 15%, coupons, and RR working together on this was a today-only thing.

Walgreens (today only): Free 8x10 and store-wide discount!

Today only, Walgreens is offering a FREE 8x10 collage print when you use code "VDAY". You'll have to upload your photos here, and then be sure to select in-store pickup so as to avoid shipping charges. I used to skip these freebies all the time as "photo collages" aren't my style, but have heard your collage can actually be just one photo. That's an awesome freebie!

Even better, they're offering a Friend's & Family Discount today! You'll need to print this page, but you'll save 15% all eligible items in store and 20% off Walgreen's brand items. If you have unlimited texting and want to save printer ink, you can also text HEART to 21525 to get your Friends & Family discount on your phone to use in store. You'll need to check out at the beauty counter or photo (super convenient if you're already picking up your photo freebie!) and be sure to give them this coupon first. Jane over at Jane4Girls $800 Annual Budget has a few great ideas on what to buy using your discount!

My shopping trips this week

Safeway: $11.67 spent, $14.85 saved (58%)

I had to run out last night for more motrin (I guess we used the last box in my stockpile without thinking) so this trip cost more than I would have liked. I also grabbed the wrong sized bag of chex mix so it wasn't free, but here's what I bought:

• Chex mix $4.19 (minus $0.50 IP and $1.50 eq's) $2.19
• BC Frosting $1.39 (minus $0.50 coupon and $1.50 eq's) -$0.61
• Nestle Chocolate Chips $1.99 (minus $0.75 IP and $1 eq's) $0.24
• 6 cups Yoplait $3 (minus $0.50/6 coupon and $1.50 eq's) $1.00
• Fiber One Yogurt $2 (minus $1 IP and $2 eq's) -$1.00
• Motrin $9.99 (minus $1 coupon) $8.99

I also spent another $27 between Safeway and Rite Aid on Tuesday for the following items:

• Palmolive dish soap
• bag M&M's
• bag of conversation hearts
• 2 boxes Wheat Thins and 2 boxes Triscuits (free last week, went into donation box)
• 3 12packs coke (for husband's lunches)
• 2 gallons milk
• 2 half gallons chocolate milk (used FREE w/milk purchase coupons)
• $22.75 of Rib Eyes (2 for VDay dinner in, and 2 for later)
• 2 marked down seasoning packets

FREE Excedrin

Excedrin is currently offering coupons for a FREE bottle (up tp $5.99) to people who have not used their product within the last 12 months. Otherwise you'll receive a $2 printable coupon- which paired with a sale should get you some very cheap Excedrin! It says the coupon may take 3-5 days to get to you. Thanks SD!

QFC Matchup 2/10-2/16

There's not much going on at QFC this week besides $0.25 Fresh Express and $2 artichokes, both of which are enough to get me in-store!

Meat & Produce deals:

• Fresh Asparagus $1.48/lb
• Large Del Monte Gold Pineapple, $1.99 (they'll core them free)
• Artichokes $2
• Fresh Express Salads (American, Romaine, or Italian) $1.25 each (Use $1/1 from the Albertsons "Value Your Heart" booklet)
• 1lb carton Strawberries $2.99

Other deals:

• Healthy Choice Steamers $1.88 (use $1/1 from Con Agra home mailer, or various $1/2 coupons)
• Marie Callender's Pasta Al Dente or Pot Pies $1.88 (use $0.75/1 printable)
• Sara Lee Deluxe Bagles $1.77
• Annie Chun's Noodle or Soup Bowls $2.99 (various $1 coupons)
• Kikkoman Sweet and Sour Sauce $1.99
• Kikkoman Asian Sauce, select varieties $2.99
• Kikkoman Teriyaki Baste $2.49
• Kikkoman Takumi $3.99 (Enter here for a chance at a $1/1 coupon good on any Kikkoman sauce, or look for various $0.55/1 hangtags)
• Thai Kitchen Coconut Milk $1.99 (use $1/1 printable, or there are $1 peelies floating around)

Did you see anything I missed? Let me know!

Coupon Request Wednesday

I hope some of you are following along with me as I write to companies in request of coupons. So far, I've had great results in scoring tons of high-value and FREE item coupons...and I'd love to know that some of you are seeing the same results! Here are the three most recent companies I've written to:

• Dannon: Compliment about the convenience and cuteness of their Danimals line for my toddler. I also wrote that I love being able to serve him such a fun healthy snack option, especially as he's starting to get picky about what he'll eat some days. Response: Sent a coupon for one FREE (up to $5.50) 4 or 6 pack Dannon cup, drink, or dual tubes and two $0.50 on any one Dannon product (excluding 5.3 and 6 oz cups).
• Duracell (P&G): Compliment on the long-life of their batteries (on a recommendation that they send free item coupons) especially compared to the cheaper battery options we've tried. Response: Thanks, but they have no coupons or samples to send at this time. They mentioned checking the P&G inserts for coupons.
• Michelinas (Bellisio Foods): Compliment of their Chicken Fried Steak. Response: A thank you letter with two FREE entree coupons (max. value $2.50)

So, who are you writing to? I'd love to hear how this experiment is working out for you! If you're new to this series, you can see a list of companies I've contacted and the results or else just catch up on all the posts with this label. Good luck!

I'm still here

You may have noticed a recent lack of posts around here! It's not because there aren't great deals going on (there are), but both of my boys have come down with a cold (the husband and I are fighting it off right now as well) so finding time to get on the computer and blog is difficult this week. I'll probably be mostly offline for a few more days this week, but will still be posting Coupon Request Wednesday tomorrow. Thanks for understanding!

(P.S. If you want to wish us luck with the boys' colds or pray for us, I'd appreciate it! The baby actually spent all but 2 hours of last night screaming at us, and we could use all the prayers and good thoughts we can get right now.)

New Cellfire coupons are up!

Cellfire released new coupons, don't forget to sign in and load them to your store loyalty cards today! While you're at it, you may also want to swing by Shortcuts and make sure all the coupons you want from them are loaded to your card as well. They don't release all of their coupons in batches, it seems like more of a slow trickle- so it's always a good idea to double check!

Tomorrow (2/9): FREE Grand Slam @ Denny's

Tomorrow only, Denny's Will be offering a FREE Grand Slam Breakfast from 6am until 2pm. They advertise this deal well and from what I heard the lines get to be pretty crazy. If you're planning to go, I'd head in early!

Thanks to Kim at Puget Sound Prudence for the reminder!

Keeping Track of Coupons

Do you ever look at coupon matchups people post and wonder how on earth they know about all these printable coupons or which insert coupons came from where? I know that when I first started out, I couldn't figure out how they remembered all this stuff! I had a hard enough time figuring out how to organize the coupons I did have, there's no way I could remember what had come out months ago and where I got it.

Then, I found out about coupon databases. There are several websites that keeps tabs on what coupons are floating around unexpired out there, and I absolutely love referring back to them. There's something so easy about hoping online and doing a quick search to see if there are coupons I can pair with a sale and where they came from. Especially since I don't always get the paper every weekend (*gasp*). I wanted to share my two favorite databases with you because sometimes it's easier to find a deal for yourself then to wait for someone else to announce it.

Hot Coupon World's database: This one is very user friendly (really! just start typing in the name of the product you're looking for) and is always very up to date. They list tons of coupons and I love that they post both the form of coupon and expiration date. I use this all the time!

Slickdeal's Printable Manufacturer's Coupon Compilation: By far, this is the best and most complete list of available printable coupons I have ever seen. Even when I'm not looking for something specific, I sometimes like to scroll through the list to see what's new. Seriously, it's worth checking out...I can almost guarantee you'll find something you just have to print. (If you're a member at SD, please please rep the OP and contributors to this thread, they do amazing work!).

I hope that these two resources will help you and am almost positive they will. Enjoy them!

Old Navy Weekly

ON Weekly has a fresh batch of coupons, perfect for combining with that awesome $2 Women's tank top sale! Here's how to find the coupon you want:

• 10% off purchase: Click the star that says "Boys" then click Zach's head
• 15% off purchase: Click the star that says "Girls" and position your mouse above the circle that says $8 graphic tees. Simply click the butterfly when it lands.
• $15 off a $75 purchase (20%): Click the star that says "Girls" then bring the sandals from the right hand column to where the girl's shoes are.
• $5 off a $25 purchase (20%): Click the star that says "Toddler Girls" and drag the red heart from the middle of the hoodie to the red heart outline on the left sleeve.
• $10 off a $50 purchase (20%): Click the star that says "Toddler Boys". Drag the sweater vest combo from the right hand column to the orange hoodie.

Better hurry though! They have a limited number of each coupon and while the ones listed are all currently available- they may not last long. Happy shopping!

FREE KIND Bar @ Starbucks today!

Today only, February 5th, Starbucks will be offering KIND bars for free at all of their 7,000 stores across the country! You'll be able to try one of the two flavors selling at your local Starbucks: Fruit & Nut Delight and Cranberry Almond+Antioxidants. Sounds like a neat freebie! You can read more information on this promotion in the KIND Newsletter.

Old Navy: $2 tanks starting tomorrow

This looks like a great deal to me! I got this info from m80:

"Looking for a colorful, sultry way to layer your look? Try this sweet deal: Women’s Natural Lace-Trim Camis from Old Navy. They’re $2 (Reg. $12.50) and come in an assortment of bold colors that will add daring to anything you’re wearing – even if you keep them under wraps. Stock up on this irresistible deal – you’ll love ‘em!
Get the Women’s Natural Lace-Trim Camis 2/5 – 2/11 and check them out today at OldNavyWeekly.com, where the highest value coupon is 10% off your purchase!"

I have a few of these in plain solid colors and they're great for layering, or wearing to bed, or around the house (I wear them almost all the time). For $2 a piece, you can bet I'll be picking up more than just a few, and the colors are super cute for spring and summer. Can't wait! Edit: the colors in store were not nearly as bright as pictured. They had white, brown, dark grey, yellow, blue, neon green, and pink at my store.

My favorite Albertsons deals this week!

Albertsons:

• Darigold Sour Cream, $0.99 with in ad coupon (limit 3). Pair it with the Buy One Get One FREE q from a recent insert and get 2 for $0.99!
• Philadelphia Cream Cheese, $0.99 each with in ad coupon (limit 3). Use it with the $1/2 from the yellow Bud Bowl booklet and get 2 for $0.98!
• Fresh Express (Romaine, Green&Crisp, or Spinach) for only $0.47 each with in-ad coupons and the $1 coupon from the red "Wellness Ideas" showing up in-stores.
• Mission Tortillas are $1.49 with in ad coupon and Albies will have no problems letting you use the $1 IP if you have it. (If not, it's a better deal at Safeway).
• Bar S Jumbo Meat Franks are $0.88 with in-ad coupon (limit 4), or $0.76 for 2 with this $1/2 printable.
• Check out Jane at All Together Beautiful to see what other deals there are to be had at Albies this week.

Coupon Request Wednesday

Sorry to get this up so late! I hope that those of you who are participating are starting to see some coupons roll in. Here's the latest in who I'm writing to:

• Rosarita Refried Beans (ConAgra): I wrote in to say we love thecreaminess and flavor if their vegetarian refried beans, and that I'm excited to hear they'll be releasing a salsa soon. I also asked for coupons. Response: They sent me a letter with details on the new salsa and a $0.50 off any 1 can of Refried Beans coupon.
• Lindsay Olives (Bell-Carter Foods): Sent an email letting them know how much we love their black olives and described an old family tradition I'm continuing with my kids involving olives (in order to let them "help" with fancy holiday meal prep, they get to stuff olives with cream cheese. It's yummy and time consuming.) Response: They sent a nice letter and two $0.55 coupons.
• Windex (SC Johnson): Emailed them with a story about my attempt to switch from Windex to a knockoff brand (this was pre-couponing) and how badly the other product worked in comparison. Told them we don't use any other brands for window cleaning products now, and thanked them for continuing to make such an excellent product. Response: they're sending me a FREE product coupon to thank me for my loyalty.

If you're new to this, or want to see what my past results have been so far, you can check that out here. Have you had success in writing to any other companies? If so, I'd love to hear about it!!

Safeway trip

$11.02 spent, $45.78 saved (81%)

2 Chex Cereal $3 ($1.50 each wyb 4)
used two $0.50 Safeway coupons from Make It Tonight Book and $1/2 ecoupon
total: $1.00

Trix $1.50 (wyb 4)
used $1/1 printable and a $0.55 ecoupon
total: -$0.05

Lucky Charms $1.50 (wyb 4)
used $1/1 printable and two $0.55 ecoupons
total: -$0.60

2 Cheerios $3.00 ($1.50 each wyb 4)
used two $1/1 printables and one $0.55 ecoupon
total: $0.45

2 Nature Valley Nut Clusters $3.00 ($1.50 each wyb 4)
used two $1/1 printables and $1.40 in ecoupons
total: -$0.40

2 Mission Flour Tortillas $1.98 (with Safeway coupon from ad)
used two $1/1 printable coupons (no longer available)
total: -$0.02

Mission Corn Tortillas $1.59
used $1/1 printable (no longer available)
total: $0.59

John Frieda Root Awakening Conditioner $5.49
used $2 printable and two $2 ecoupons
total: -$0.41

...and items for which I had no coupons:

• Fajita Seasoning $1.15
• Safeway Bagels $2
• Bread $1.19
• Broccoli $1.16
• 3 Avocados $1.50
• Red Potatoes $0.73
• Celery $0.71
• Garlic $0.50
• Bell Pepper $0.99
• Jalapeno $0.16
• (or a total of: $10.09 and $0.47 in tax)

All in all, a great trip- except that I forgot to bring along the $6.50 in catalinas I had! I do want to warn you though, not all stores allow the stacking of ecoupons with paper coupons (my store manager has okay'ed it) so your store might say no. Since there's no official written policy on this, it really is up to each individual store manager. They do however, allow for the stacking of ecoupons with other ecoupons. Also, because the Mission tortilla store q brings the price down to $0.99, some stores may not allow you to use the $1 printable (and technically they can say no because it would fall under the "no IP coupons worth more than 50% of the item" part of their policy). I chose to go to the store across town who always allows this because the one closest to me does not.

Albies trip: more oatmeal!

Albertsons: $2.69 spent, $107.82 saved

I still had a few Quaker coupons, so my mom and I headed to Albies tonight to finish using them up. We lucked out and found exactly 5 of the coupon books we needed (to make 10 boxes of instant oats FREE). We each did one transaction, then headed to an Albies we knew would be out of stock on almost everything to pick up some rainchecks! My mom took 10 boxes (a few for herself, the rest for St. Vincents) home and the rest is going into my pantry. I LOVE shopping trips like this!