Coupons/Ads:
One thing I've found out with coupons though is only to buy stuff I use regularly or would replace a regular item. Otherwise my cupboard gets full of a bunch of stuff I don't need and might not use. It's also wise to stockpile things you use frequently when they go on sale! I like to get my Sunday paper at the grocery store on Sat. evenings (they do it here in GA, but I'm not sure if it's other places as well). I look through the ads and get my coupons and then plan my week's worth of meals and make my grocery list. I usually save between 25-50% when I take the time to do this. I love Publix grocery store because they often have buy on get one free deals on things I use a lot: cereal, chips, salad etc. Plus there is always lots of coupons for cereal so I stock up and usually don't spend more than $1-2 per box. Kroger often has deals of 10 for $10 or buy $20 worth of certain items and get $5 back etc.
There are also several online coupon sources now that have printable coupons.
And there are probably more than these too.
*The best deal I got so far was at Walgreens. During their back to school sales they
had Bic pens on sale for 2/$1. Several online coupons sites had printable coupons for $1 off of 2. You could only print it once, so I got to as many computers as I could and was able to get 9 printed. So I got 18 packs of pens and only paid the tax of 60 something cents! A few of the packs were 8ct. but most were 8+2 bonus. It was awesome!!
had Bic pens on sale for 2/$1. Several online coupons sites had printable coupons for $1 off of 2. You could only print it once, so I got to as many computers as I could and was able to get 9 printed. So I got 18 packs of pens and only paid the tax of 60 something cents! A few of the packs were 8ct. but most were 8+2 bonus. It was awesome!!
*All You magazine (Sold at Walmart) is full of coupons and is also a great magazine! It's under $2 and you will totally make that back with the coupons it has inside!
Target:
I think it's no secret that Target is one of my favorite stores! They are always marking down things and if you know when to look you can get some great deals! Twice a year (Beg. of Aug. and right after Christmas) they have a toy clearance. Some are 30%, 50%, or even 75% off!! I've stocked up on some great stuff and paid 1/4 the regualr price! There are some websites that keeps tabs on current sales etc:
-www.schumanfamily.com/fatwallet/targetasin.php (this one allows you to check inventory at your local target)
-www.schumanfamily.com/fatwallet/targetUPC.html (this lists current markdowns)
-attentiontargetshoppers.blogspot.com (blog dedicated to Target)
Even the dollar section gets cleared out several times a year. I once got a bunch of scrapbook paper from the dollar aisle for 25 cents for 10 sheets.
*Best tip is to check the endcaps and walk along the back walls, that is where they keep clearance and sale stuff.
Craigslist:
While there is a huge variability of stuff on this website, there are often great deals for everything! I always check here before paying more somewhere else! I've bought some Winni-The-Pooh tapes for Emery, Emery's crib, and sold some things too.
LiveSearch:
I just recently found this and I'm really excited about it! It's a search engine that pays you back! Once you sign up for an account it's as easy as google. It lists how much in % you'll get back if you buy something. For example, I just bought a subscription to All You Magazine (as talked about above). The list price for a year subscription was $19.99. Since I went to the sight through livesearch, all purchases would be given 62% back (the % varies for each website). It does take 60 days before you get it back (sort of like a rebate program) but that's fine with me and I'll be getting my mag for the year for only $7.60! Now I always check there before buying ANYTHING online just to check see if I can get some cash back!
*One thing to watch though is the % you get back. It is NOT constant! For example I got emery's Halloween costume for 50% back, but I just checked again and now you only get 20% back!! I guess it could always go up though too!
Heavenly Couture-
First I just have to say I love to shop, but it makes it even better when you get great stuff for a decent price! I went to Gap the other day and found a dress I liked. I bought it but then regretted it later since (after the outrages GA sales tax) it came to almost $60. Yeah for returns, and I took it back. I was still wanting something new though and read about Heavenly Couture on a blog. Everything (except a few pairs of jeans) is $17.95 or under!! And if you spend $75 you get free shipping. I'm all about the free!! So for 75 bucks later I had 2 jackets, a pair of jeans, 3 t-shirts and 2 tank tops! Way better than that 1 Gap dress for sure!! I really don't think I could have gotten that much stuff (especially the jackets) anywhere for that price! And I'm going to save it for my birthday in October :) You should really check it out! Even if you don't want to spend $75, you just get one cute pair of jeans for under $20 bucks! What a steal!
Ross Dress for Less-
Now, some stuff here is NOT a good deal, so you just have to know what the "regular" price somewhere else is to compare it to. Some things I've gotten there for a good deal include: clothes, paper goods (stationary etc), decorateive boxes, aprons, kitchenware, childrens clothes/toys, and holiday decorations. My latest example is I found a Step 2 Mainstreet Village Set for $13. The cheapest I found it online was $25-30. Pretty sweet.
Free Samples:
Quite a few blogs I read list free samples available. Walmart is constantly doing one or two, plus a handful of other vendors. I'm thinking of posting about them here. Would anyone be interested?
RedBox Code:
You know those DVD rental boxes at Walmart and McDonalds etc? Well on Mondays and Wednesdays, they put out codes to get a rental for free! I haven't used one yet because there isn't a movie I want to see but next time one comes out I'll be sure to get my free rental. Would anyone be interested in me listing them on my blog?
Giveaways/Reviews of products:
Wow, there are at any given time hundreds of givaways going on in the blog world! You just have to know where to look! I'm thinking of adding a new side bar list with my fav. blogs that let me know about giveaways. And quartly at bloggygiveaways.com they have a "carnival". Bascially anyone can put their blog on the list and do a giveaway. The point is to drive traffic to their blog or website to get sales and readers. I participated in my 1st one in August and there is another in October! By the end of the last one over 1000 people had joined. I didn't enter them all (some of the prizes didn't interest me) but I did a lot!! And I won 3! I won a Sweet Pea 3 MP3 player for Emery, a gift certificate to 2 different online shops. With my first gift card I got 2 capes and a rattle. With the second I got a bib and birp cloth set. Yeah for free stuff. It's a lot of work to enter them, but I like to do it and every once in a while I win one!
I like that some blogs do product reviews with the giveaways. They try out the products and tell you about it. It saves you the trouble of buying it and regretting it if you read a review first!
Magazines:
There are often places that offer free subscriptions to magazines. Some better than others but free or nearly free is always good in my book. Again, I could list them here if anyone is interested.
Swaps:
I've only done 1 and am still in the middle of it, but it's really fun. You sign up and then are asigned a buddy. This one is a favorite things swap. So I pick 3 of my favorite things and mail them to my buddy, who will also do the same thing. I've sent mine off and should recieve my buddy's soon! There are all different kinds of swaps like recipes, or books etc.
2 comments:
Try ebates.com (if you are an internet shopper) and mommieswithcents.com (which will spin you off on about eight or nine more websites). Even MORE fun money saving stuff. I use ebates as much as I possibly can. It's kind of addicting!
Oh, and just as a PS, if you want to sign up for ebates (it's free), let me know. If you put my email address in as the one who referred you, we both get a $10 bonus cash back...I know, I'm selfish, right?? I can't help it! I love to save money!!
ok, so i am totally impressed with your saving skills! thanks for all the tips, that's awesome.......if i can remember them all!
we had fun today, desmond loved em and was sad again when you left!
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