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Family Fun Friday: Lowe’s and Redbox

January 8, 2010 by

If you’re looking for some fun family activities that won’t break your budget, both of these are free!


Lowe’s will be offering a “Build and Grow” Clinic on Saturday, January 9 from 10-11 a.m. This week, kids will learn how to make their very own coin bank. If you’ve been wanting to teach your kids about savings, this is a great project to help get them started! Click here to sign up and to get the details.

Redbox has a new free rental code that is valid through 2/28/10. The code is GT9SA and can be used once per card.

Here are a few other codes that may work if you have not used them before:
BREAKROOM
DVDONME
REDBOX

For use at Walgreens only: DVDATWAG

You can use these codes once per card (you do have to swipe a credit or debit card to “rent” the movie).

To learn more about Redbox (or to find a location, see what’s available, or reserve a selection online), check out their blog here and their site here.

If you are new to using Redbox, Dealseeking Mom has a great tutorial here.

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Baby Bjorn for $22.49 from Target.com!

January 8, 2010 by

If you know someone who is expecting a baby and you’re looking for a great but affordable gift, this is a great option! Right now on Target.com, you can get a Baby Bjorn carrier in Chocolate Brown for $22.49 shipped (plus get an additional 3% cash back if you shop through Ebates). The carrier is designed for babies between 8 and 25 pounds.

Here’s how this deal works:

1. Click here if you want to shop through Ebates to get your 3% cash back. Select “Target” from the store list and a tracking ticket will be opened.

2. Once you get to the Target site, cut and paste the link here.

3. Enter this code at check-out: URTYJLI8

Your total should be $22.49 (other taxes may apply based on your area). Shipping is free and you get 3% back if you shopped through Ebates!

Thanks Dealnews!

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: ,

Randalls Deals for the week of 1/6-1/12

January 7, 2010 by

At my Randalls store (Texas), they double the face value of one ‘like’ coupon up to .50 and triple the face value of one ‘like’ coupon up to .39. Check with your store for details on their policy for doubling and tripling coupons.

Here are the highlights of the Randalls ad this week:

*Campbell’s Select Harvest Soup – Buy one (priced at $2.49), get one free – $1.49 for 2!
.50/2 Campbell’s Select Harvest Healthy Request soup – 1-3 SS (should double)

*Doritos Tortilla Chips – Buy One, Get One Free

*Fresh Express or Eating Right salad mixes – Buy One, Get One Free

*Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers – 2/$6 – $1 each after coupons!
$2/1 Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers – 1-3 SS2

*Lean Cuisine or Eating Right meals – $1.79/each (must buy 5 to get this price)

*Special K cereal or bars – $1.99/each (must buy 3 or more to get discounted price)
$5/4 Kellogg’s cereals printable here (click on “grocery” at the left) = $2.96 (.74/each) when you buy 4!
$1/2 Special K Crackers – 1-3 RP
$1/2 Special K cereal bars, fruit crisps, or Bliss Bars – 1-3 RP

*Softsoap liquid hand soap – $.99/each – FREE after coupons!
.35/1 Softsoap liquid hand soap – 1-3 SS2 (will triple)

*Yoplait Yogurt – 10/$5
.40/6 Yoplait yogurt cups (should double) – 1-3 GM insert

SATURDAY SPECIALS:

*Capri Sun – $1.49/each

*Hormel Natural Choice lunchmeat – $1.99/each – $1.24
.75/1 Hormel Natural Choices lunchmeat printable here

*Hostess Multi-packs or 100 calorie packs – $1.89 – $.99 after coupons!
.45/1 Hostess family packs – 12-6 RP (should double)

*Large cantaloupe melons – 2/$3

*Nabisco tray packs (12-15 ct) – $2.99

*Pillsbury brownie mix – 10/$10 – $.20/each after coupons!
.40/1 Pillsbury brownie mix – 11-8 RP

*Quaker chewy granola bars – $1.99 – $1.44/each after coupons!
.55/1 Quaker Chewy Granola bars – 1-3SS

*Ragu pasta sauce – 2/$3 – $.95 each after coupons (when you buy 2!)
.60/1 Ragu pasta sauce – 11-15 RP
.50/1 coupons.com loadable here

*Rice a Roni or Kraft Macaroni and Cheese – 10/$10 – $.67/each for Rice a Roni (when you buy 3!), $.75/each for macaroni and cheese (when you buy 4!)
$1/3 Rice a Roni – 1-3
Buy 3, Get 1 Free – 12-13 SS

BUY 1, GET 1 FREE MIX & MATCH: Pictured in ad ~ Fantastik, Scrubbing Bubbles, Pledge, Windex, Spot Shot, 2000 Flushes, Glade Sense & Spray, and Scotch Brite

BUY 5, SAVE 5 MIX & MATCH: Pictured in ad (priced reflect the instant discount, so you must buy 5 to get these prices) ~ Oscar Mayer sliced bacon – $2.99, Oscar Mayer Deli Shaved Lunchmeat – $2.79, Oscar Mayer Beef Bologna Lunchmeat – $2.79, Oscar Mayer Two Pack Lunchables – $1.79, Oscar Mayer Beef Franks – $2.99, Oscar Mayer Deli Creations – $1.69
.75/1 Oscar Mayer bacon – 11-15 SS
$1/2 Oscar Mayer cold cuts – 12-13 SS

SUPER COUPONS: (must spend $20 BEFORE coupons to use these)

*Chef Boyardee canned pasta – $.79 (limit 4)

*Dole fruit bowls – $1.49/each (limit 3)

*Frito Lay variety pack – $4.99

*Kellogg’s Pop Tarts – 3/$3 (must buy 3)

*Lucerne Creamery Fresh or Safeway SELECT ice cream cups – $.49/each

*Lucerne string cheese – $1.99 (limit 1)

*Mrs. Baird’s Bread – $1.49/each

*Ozarka water -2 /$4 (must buy 2) – 2/$3 after coupons!
$1/2 printable here

*Safeway Select or O Organics pizza – $2.99 (limit 1)

*Signature Cafe garden salads – $3.99/each

*Skippy peanut butter or Welch’s grape squeeze jelly – $1.49/each (limit 4) – $.69/each after coupons!
.40/1 Skippy peanut butter – 11/15 RP (should double)

*Totino’s pizza rolls – $2.99 (limit 1)

*Van de Kamp’s seafood selections – $3.99/each (limit 1)

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Thrifty Thursday: Start a change jar

January 7, 2010 by


About a year ago, my husband and I took Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University class and it was life-changing for us. One of Dave’s big recommendations is that you use a “cash only” system for paying for things. At first this was an adjustment for us, but we quickly realized how much money we had LEFT at the end of the month when we started doing this. It was powerful.

Going to a “cash only” system meant that we did a “cash only” vacation last year (we used some of our cash to purchase gift cards beforehand so it was a bit “safer”) and that was the first vacation where we’ve ever come home with money left (it was $150 to be exact if I’m remembering correctly).

We also managed to do a “100% Cash Christmas” this year and I shared in my post here that we plan to do the same thing again this year. Planning for a 100% Cash Christmas means you need to start NOW. Some of you may be thinking “No big deal. We’ll set aside X amount of money each month and that’s how we can save for Christmas.” We tried that. But for us, I found that each month, Christmas seemed pretty far away and we needed that money from our monthly paychecks NOW for other things. Sound familiar? We decided that in saving up our cash for Christmas, we weren’t going to touch our monthly paychecks. We managed to do this last year and it worked and I’m hoping we’ll be able to do it again this year.

One of the things that we decided to do this year was to start a change jar. Using cash only to pay for things, we found out that sometimes we ended up with a lot of change at the end of the day. To be honest, I found myself leaving it in my car so that I could treat myself to a $.99 Sonic drink from time to time in the mornings or using it to buy a “treat” from the vending machine at work from time to time. With my new weight loss plan, I decided I don’t need to be doing those things anymore anyway. So, about a month ago, my husband and I decided to start a change jar.

I counted the change yesterday and I was surprised at how quickly those pennies, nickels, and dimes could add up! We had almost $30 in there already! Our plan is to just let the change accumulate throughout the year and then “cash it out” in early November so we have the money for our Christmas spending. I know several people who have found that they can easily save $200-300 throughout the year by doing this.

If you decide to take on this challenge, let me know how it goes!

Do you have your own Thrifty Thursday tip to share? Feel free to link up below!

For more thrifty ideas, check out The Coupon Teacher and Life as a Mom.

Filed Under: 100% cash Christmas, Thrifty Thursday

Weight Loss Wednesday

January 6, 2010 by
MamaNotes

I realize that my blog typically focuses on “bargains” and that this post is not bargain related, but one of my goals for 2010 is to get in shape! I’m also always striving to find some sort of balance in my life, and I figure that there are others out there who are in the same boat that I’m in! So, I plan on having a weekly “Weight Loss Wednesday” post. I figure it will help me to be accountable. If one of your goals for 2010 is also to get in shape and you’re blogging about it, feel free to link up below!

My post today is inspired by the “Body After Baby” challenge that Mama Notes has started.

Here are my initial goals: (I’d like to set much higher goals, but I also want to be realistic and I don’t want to get discouraged early on)

*Exercise a minimum of four times per week
*Lose 10 pounds by 2/14/10

Here’s my plan:

*Commit myself to Weight Watchers ~ My weight has always been a struggle for me and Weight Watchers is the only program that has really “worked” for me. About 10 years ago, I became a lifetime member and I managed to keep the weight off….until I had my first baby. After two babies, I’m read to get back on track. My first goal is to just TRACK consistently so I actually know what I’m eating and by tracking, I also know that I’ll be less likely to “cheat.”

(On a side note, if you’re wondering, I have a monthly pass so I can use the online tools, but I can also attend meetings. I love being able to use the online trackers and being able to put in my recipes and calculate the points values, but I also do best when I have the accountability of actually attending a meeting).

If you’d like to try Weight Watchers, they are waiving the registration fee right now (that IS bargain related!)

*Drink more water – I never drink enough water! I plan on taking a huge water bottle with me to work and filling it up a couple of times each day. I know that is one of the keys to weight loss (for me at least).

*Create an exercise plan for each week – Exercise tends to be the thing that gets pushed aside when other things come up, but I’m an “emotional” eater and I know that when I exercise, it helps me deal with those other issues. I also know if I make a plan, I’m more likely to stick to it! Eventually, I would like to do a 5K so in an effort to prepare for that, I am using the “Couch Potato to 5K” plan as part of my work-out.

I started this plan on January 1st and so far it’s working out well. A few things that have been helped me to stay on track? Crystal Light and carrots (carrots are a zero point food on Weight Watchers, so when I have a craving, I pick up a few carrots instead and Crystal Light helps me get all of that water in)

Do you have a goal to lose weight this year? How’s it going so far? If you’ve blogged about it, feel free to share your link below!

Filed Under: Weight Loss Wednesday