One last note...

Before I hit the road, I noticed this and have to point it out! Albertson's is offering a 10% military discount on all grocery/household items on Saturday, August 1. Bring your id, and save a little more!! YAY!

Very brief overview...

So camping is the order of the day, and I'll be incommunicado for a couple more before I get home and back into the blogging biz. BUT...I didn't see a whole lot to get excited about in the grocery store ads this week.

I plan to hit Save-A-Lot to snag $1 popsicles, free after coupon-I ordered these.
I will hit Albertsons to get a few things from their anniversary coupons, using my milk coupons to score nearly free stuff, again. Sunny D, Cake Mix/Brownies, Hot Pockets, Grape Jam, maybe Purex detergent over there.
I hit King Soopers this morning to snag the under a dollar a pound black grapes, which are cheaper at Sunflower Market, but I didn't have time to go all the way up there or mess with price matching.
I also snagged some corn on the cob 6/$1 at Safeway early this morning.

Check out SpringsBargains or savinglikecrazy if you want more details, they are both local and do more complete write ups.

I'll be in touch when I get done smelling like campfire!

Albertsons Savings

A quick trip up to Albie's this morning, with great results. This is what you hope for as you get into couponing.

We purchased:
3 Gallons Viva Milk
2 cans Hunts spaghetti sauce
1 can Doritos (clearance-great camping treat)
2 boxes Cheeze-its crackers
2 8 count Sara Lee Hamburger Buns
1 Fresh Express Iceberg Salad-smallish bag
18 count eggs
3 cantelope

Total out of pocket after in-add coupons and 3 of those $4.50 milk coupons from last week...
$3.92!!!
I save a total of $27.76! SCORE!

Jamba Juice??

If you are like me, you LOVE a good smoothie! So, print up THIS coupon, and head over to Jamba Juice and you'll BOGO, which is Buy One Get One. The fine print says any item--pretty much anything smoothie-ish, it sounds like. I LOVE Jamba Juice, and the one up on Austin Bluffs, near Barnes, has a drive-through! Score for the hot date treat with the kiddos in the back! Bon apetit!

Printable coupon links

Scrubbing Bubbles automatic shower cleaner and toilet gel
All travel size free at Target
Old Orchard Juice
Heinz vinegar
Stayfree product
All these here:

• $1 off ONE (1) Chef Boyardee® 15-oz can
• $.50 off any ONE (1) Peter Pan® Peanut Butter
• $.50 off any TWO (2) Crunch 'n Munch®
• $1 off any FOUR (4) Snack Pack® 4-packs

Samples:
Gain-these samples usually come with coupons

School Shoes?

My tennis shoes are over 2 1/2 years old, and very nearly dead. So...Target's athletic shoes for $9 sounds like a GREAT deal to me! I get my kids tennis shoes at Sears, where they replace them until they outgrow them, and I have 3 boys that are hard on shoes...so that $20-$30 is well spent as often as they get replaced. But no one will replace my shoes but me...so off to Target we go! If your kids need tennies and aren't too hard on them, maybe I'll see you there checking them out as well!

Happy Shopping!

School supply break down-7/26-8/1

Go here to see a great list of the school supplies on sale this week. I, for one, will be heading to Office Max for poly folders, and Staples for index cards, pencil cases, and one item that Savinglikecrazy missed: $1 copy paper after MIR. I think I still need 4 reams, so $1 is a great final price! If you see anything else, not on the list, let me know. Happy shopping!

Free Saturday Entertainment

It's about gaining skills, solving puzzles, and having fun...for free! At least, that's what it's about for us. Home Depot's Kids Workshops, and Lowe's Build and Grow Clinics are basically the same. You show up on Saturday morning-9-12 at HD, 10-11 at L, they provide each child with a kit to build the day's project, and then you try to figure out how to assemble the project and help your child(ren) get it together. It's fun, it's free, and even the youngest of children learns some great skills. We've taken my boys, 9,8, and 6 often lately, and even my barely 4 year old daughter went once--Dad had to do most of hers. From pirate ships and wheelbarrow planters, to message boards and paddle boats, the kids come home feeling like they've accomplished something, the parents' feel like they've filled at least part of the day with productive fun (which they didn't have to plan, prepare or clean up after) and the store gets some customers (they hope) in the door.

A few minor differences in the programs: Lowe's requires pre-registration and has a much smaller time frame. I've also noticed that Lowe's seems to have more playful projects-boats, cars, trains, helicopters...toys, while Home Depot seems to be more useful-tool box, birdhouse, bookends, message board, etc. Each provides a nifty apron for each participant, and they are completely worth it! Find details (and registration info) at Lowes and at Home Depot. Happy building!

I haven't forgotten

I promise I'll be posting more deals soon...I know there are a few good ones at Staples next week...I just haven't seen any really amazing deals that need posting the last couple days. And I've been busy saving my family money. Really. By the end of the night I'll have baked 16 loaves of bread over the last two days. How does that save us money? Because we are all happy with a slice of homemade bread for a snack, we save what we would have spent on anything else; bread works out to what, $.10 a slice, maybe? I should figure that out. 25 lbs flour for 25 loaves = about $5...yeast for 128 loaves= about $4...margarine=$.08 a loaf, 4 lbs sugar=1.80 for18 loaves, honey=?? salt=$.05 maybe a loaf, milk=$.10 a loaf...what does that add up to a loaf??? I have no idea...but someday, I'll figure it out. I promise. Happy saving!

Eggplant and blueberry ideas

I love the 5dollardinners blog, and found some great ideas here, here and here...check them out! If you do, and like the result, let me know. I don't think I've ever eaten eggplant, but I might have to try it! My 2 big boys LOVE to try new fruits and veggies!

Wednesday-Tuesday deal round-up

• So I thought I'd put all the deals this week in one place...hI tried to give you the best information, but if I missed something, or mistyped something, please leave a comment so I can correct it. Happy Shopping!!!
  

RANCHO LIBORIO

• Wednesday ONLY
  
• Jumbo Carrots 3 lbs for 97¢
• Italian Squash 3 lbs for 97¢ - zucchini?!
• Bulk Rice 3 lbs for 97¢ – Sounds really cheap to me!
  
• Bulk Tamarind 97¢/lb-anyone know what this is?
  
• Canteloupe 4 lbs for 97¢
• Green Limes 15 for 97¢--great deal
  
• Red Plums 2 lbs for 97¢--really, really good deal!
  
• Pinto Beans 2 lbs for 97¢ -not hard to find this price.
  
• Red Delicious Apples 2 lbs for 97¢ - yummy!

They have Thursday meat specials, but their meat department is overwhelming to me, so I avoid it. If you have experience there, please let me know.

White Onions 3 lbs for 97¢

Pineapples 2 lbs for 97¢

Black Plums 67¢/lb--my kids LOVE these and they usually are over $1/lb


Carrots (1 lb bag) 2 for 87¢

Cucumbers 5 for 97¢

Canteloupe 3 lbs for 97¢

Key Limes 4 for 97¢

Pork Sirloin End Chops 97¢/lb

Whole Cleaned Tilapia 87¢/lb – I don't care for fish much, but this sounds like a great deal


Chicken Drumsticks 77¢/lb

Whole Pork Spareribs $1.27/lb


Powerade Sports Drink 67¢ – I don't think I've seen these go this low without a buy 10 get $5 off kind of deal.

ALBERTSONS

Meat, Dairy, and Frozen:

• Albertsons Gallon Milk $1.58--regular price for store brand almost everywhere these days.

• Dannon Yogurt 27¢ each with in-ad coupon (limit 8) – Great price, we'd be getting some if we weren't up to our eyeballs in yogurt from last weeks deals.
  
• Oscar Mayer Bologna or Cotto Salami 97¢ (must buy 2 and use in-ad coupon) – this sounds like a good deal but we don't eat these at all
  

Produce:

• Fresh Express Garden Salad 77¢ with in-ad coupon (limit 2)-Great deal!
  
• Large Canteloupe $1 - I've gotten these before and think they're big enough to be a good deal.
  
• Bartlett Pears 97¢/lb- cheaper at Sunflower Market
  
• Del Monte Gold Pineapple 77¢/lb – cheaper at Rancho Liborio
  
• Northwest Bing Cherries $1.97/lb – I think these have been $.99/lb this summer, so if you don't NEED them, pass
  
• Green Beans 97¢/lb – never bought fresh before...I think this is a good price.
  
• Red or Green Bell Peppers 97¢ – red is a good price...green, not so much.
  

General Grocery and Household:

• Various Kellogg’s, Keebler, and Post Products 4 for $10, plus receive 2 free gallons milk when you buy 4 -If you can't use manufacturer coupons with these, I'm not sure I'd do it.
  
• Kraft Easy Mac Cups 3 for $1 (must buy 3 and use in-store coupon) – Good price-IF you already use these
  
• Planters Peanuts 2 for $3 (ust buy two with in-store coupon) – Good price
• Sara Lee Bread or Buns 97¢ with in-ad coupon (limit 2)Not bad, but I tend to hit the outlet bakery on Chelton where it's always this price.
  
• Hunt’s Tomato Sauce (15 oz cans) 47¢ with in-ad coupon (limit 4)--These are the big cans, which makes it a pretty good deal, I'll probably grab these.
  
• Hunt’s Spaghetti Sauce 77¢ with in-ad coupon (limit 2)--great price...even the base doesn't usually go this low!
  
• Chef Boyardee Pasta 87¢ with in-ad coupon (limit 4)--Not bad, but I can get this cheaper at the base if I'm paying attention
  
• Nabisco Cheese Nips or Kraft Mac and Cheese Crackers 97¢ (must buy two and use in-ad coupon)--I'll be snagging these
  
• Nabisco Go-Paks 77¢ each with in-ad coupon (limit 6)--I'd pack my own snack size and save money that way
  
• Kraft BBQ Sauce 67¢ each (must buy 2 and use in-ad coupon) – Not a bad couponless price, but I won't need any for a long time!
  
• Ken’s Salad Dressing 97¢ with in-ad coupon (limit 2) – I'm stocked for awhile on this, but if you need it, this is a decent price.
  
• Fresh Baked French Bread 87¢ with in-ad coupon (limit 2)-Garlic bread anyone?
  

SAFEWAY

Meat and Dairy:
80% lean ground beef - $1.59/lb--too expensive for me, regular price at the commissary is around $1.29/lb
90% lean ground beef - $1.99/lb--good price? anyone know for sure?
93% lean ground beef - $2.59/lb--good price? anyone know for sure?
Pork shoulder country style ribs - $1.99/lb
Lucerne milk - $1.58/gallon--my FaVoRiTe brand and price!
Lucerne butter - $1.49 (limit 1) with in ad coupon--I will be making lots of trips and stocking up!
Lucerne large eggs 18 ct - .99 ( limit 1) with in ad coupon-great deal
Kraft shreds or chunks - $1.49 (limit 1) with in ad coupon-great deal, and I still have coupons to bring it down to $.49!

Produce:
Sweet Northwest cherries - $1.28/lb
Green beans - .98/lb

72 hour sale - Friday, Saturday & Sunday only:
Hillshire Farm Smoked Sausage - $1.99 each-not a bad price
Fresh Express Salads, Shreds or Spinach - $1-cheaper at Albies
Cinnamon Toast Crunch or Honey Nut Cheerios - $1.50 each (limit 6), use the $1/2 coupons from the 6/14 or 7/19 SS inserts to get them for $1 each-I don't need cereal, but if you've got the coupons to bring it down, $1/box is a good deal.
Pepsi 2 liters - .59 each (limit 4)--this sounds like a really good deal for name brand soda

General Grocery:
Cheez-Its - $1.88-not bad, but I'd rather do the sale price at Albies
Betty Crocker fruit snacks - 4/$6 with in ad coupon (must buy 4!), check bettycrocker.com and coupons.com for a coupon to bring it down to a good deal.

Buy 5, Save $5 promotion--I don't use these, but if you do, this sounds like a deal
7Up and A&W 12 packs - $1.99 each
Tostitos Tortilla chips - $1.49 each
Snyder's pretzels - $1.50 each

SUNFLOWER MARKET

Here are the deals that are good all week long:
Blueberries (pint) - .99 (Great price, but I stocked up at Albie's last week)
Eggplant - .55 each
Red or green leaf lettuce - .88 each
Green onions - .50 per bunch
Radishes - .50 per bunch
Cilantro - .50 per bunch
Carrots - .50 per bunch
Parsley - .50 per bunch--we're enjoying fresh from the garden...should I post the recipe? Comment with your opinon, please?
Red onions - .50/lb
Red potatoes - .50/lb
On-the-vine cluster tomatoes - .99/lb
Cauliflower - .99 each
White flesh peaches or nectarines - .99/lb
Chicken tenders - $1.97/lb--beats the commissary price, I think.
Extra large EZ peel shrimp - $3.97/lb--good price? we don't do shrimp often enough to remember.

Sweetened banana chips - $1/lb --I wonder if my kids would eat these...

KING SOOPERS

Olathe Sweet Corn-$.19/each--Stock up!!
Speed Stick Deodorant(small)-$.88/each
Kroger Bacon $1.49/12 oz
Pasta Roni or Rice a Roni-10 for $10...anyone know of a coupon for these?
Black Grapes 2lbs for $3--these are my favorite and I don't think I've seen them cheaper than this lately.

Buy 10 get $5 off items with after $5 off prices
Philadelphia Cream Cheese-$.79
Sunny D-$.79
Betty Crocker Brownie Mix-$.88
Kroger Cake Mix $.88--these come with cool character decorations, the flat edible kind
Kroger Microwave Pizza--$.49
Speed Stick Deodorant (large)-$1.00
Stayfree or Carefree 16-60 ct, selected-$2--there are coupons from past papers that make these a good deal
Chex Mix Snacks -$1.49--there are coupons at coupons.com and bettycrocker.com
Simply Potatoes 20 oz-$.99--I've never used these but it sounds like a good price.
SoBe Lifewater or Arrowhead Spring Water-$.49
glaceau vitaminwater or Quaker Quakes-$.49

I went this morning and did more yogurt and granola bars, and I learned a few things.

#1-Double coupons this week...that means those printable $.40-80 coupons out there for these items are now worth double-up to $1 each. WOW This good deal just got great! Instead of $1.50 for granola bars, we're down to $1, and the yogurt is down around $.80-$1 each.

#2-Add milk to your order, and you can use the milk coupon that printed out...even if it's only been 2 minutes between orders! It will still print out however many you earn the next time around. (For any new couponers out there, this is called rolling the deal.)

#3-The coupon for milk says it is good for one gallon up to $4.50...guess what? It automatically takes $4.50 off your order, YAY!

I did one round this morning to test all these, 3 yogurts and a gallon of milk...coupons on each yogurt, and the milk coupon made it...I think it was $.08!!! I will be heading to Albie's one more time before the sales change over Wednesday morning. We're swimming in yogurt, but there's always room for more granola bars and we drink milk like crazy! So...print those coupons and run to Albie's!!!

School supply break down

I love what Carrie at SpringsBargains has done here. Check it out if you want to easily compare the sale prices at various stores this week...I know I will be making a list and checking hers twice!

King Soopers Trip:

Check this out!

8 Kraft shredded cheese-$.49 each after coupon--I had three different kinds
2 Stayfree pads-$1 each after BOGO coupon
3 Dixie paper products, 1 each of bowls, big and small plates-$.49 after coupon
5 Kroger Personal Cheese Pizza-$.49 each
1 Lady Speed Stick-$1
1 Kraft Salad Dressing-$.19 after coupon
All that added up to get me the buy 10 get $5 off deal twice...which I factored into the final prices.
I also nabbed:
1lb Kroger butter-$1.65
1 Gal 1% milk, clearance price $1.25
1 1/2 Gal 1% milk, clearance price $.75
2 Kroger Tomato Soup @ $.47 each
and 2 Pillsbury Cake Mixes @ $.59 each after coupon
and I saved $.15 using my own bags!

My total was $16.47 and the receipt tells me I saved $47.21 or 74%! Now THAT'S what I'm talking about!!!

Walgreens next week...

Go here to see this week's deals. I am liking all the under a dollar school supplies...yay! And the Pilot pens--my kids love those. In case you don't know what a Walgreens RR (Register Rewards) is, it works like this. Buy the product, and the coupon/ad machine at checkout will print you a coupon=RR for $ to use the next time you make a purchase. I tend to buy more than one each trip to the store, but each on a different receipt. And I don't use the RR to purchase RR items...I don't like to take a chance that they won't print. I'll be buying the pens first, and then using the RR to get a bunch of the under a dollar items--be aware, CO stores generally have the one RR per receipt policy.

Penney's clearance

Rumor has it that Penney's final clearance is coming the 26th. I've scored big time in the past, getting some adorable dresses for my daughters for just a few dollars. These final clearance items will be marked with green 75% off stickers. Check it out in the Citadel Mall or over on Powers and Constitution. And yes, Powers and Constitution generally seems to carry more and a wider variety of the things I shop for, so I'd expect their clearance to be more productive too. Happy Shopping!

Roses anyone?

Big discount at FTD here. Get a dozen roses in the Mixed Summer Bouquet for $14.99. I don't do flowers often at all, but this includes delivery and sounds like a great deal!

Upcoming Staples Deals

Free after rebate next week:
Zebra Cadoozles mechanical pencils
Zebra Sarasa retractable gel pens
Pentel Handy Lines retractable assorted highlighters

I LOVE Staples easy rebates...less than a minute to fill out online, wait 4-6 weeks and VIOLA! Free stuff!

Dry Erase Markers for $1 is also a good deal.

Go here to see the whole ad.

Albertson's victory!

I always feel like I've won some big contest when I come home with this much food at a bargain! I spent $46...they will be refunding $4.50 for the missed popsicles...and the receipt says I saved $110 with sales and coupons! That's before the 6 FREE gallons of milk I have coupons for. WOW!

Here it all is:
8 ice cream
4 popsicles
9 gogurt
3 trix yogurt
4 nature valley granola bars
2 chex bars
1 sour cream
2 strawberries
3 blueberries
1 bag salad
3 yo plus yogurt

Printable matchups galore!

Okay all...if you're heading to Albertson's for yogurt, cereal, ice cream or granola bars, be sure to check out these links for coupons that match up. I saved a bundle today, and will post that trip with a picture and details later.
eatbetteramerica-for yogurt and granola bars
BettyCrocker--for yogurt, granola bars, fruit roll-ups and such, and chex mix-for KSoopers, and I'd print the Muir Glen too.
coupons.com-yogurt, granola bars, ice cream and MORE---it appears that these have been reset since yesterday...it's letting me print more of everything I'd already printed.
smartsource.com--never works for me, but you should try anyway

There are a few others out there, but I have got to get on dinner and birthday stuff for a while. Happy Shopping!

A few more groceries...

I don't see much worth mentioning at Safeway...a few produce prices that are nearly as low as other places, and some in-ad coupons...but I wouldn't make a special trip out there.

However, ALBERTSONS is exciting this week.
Buy 2 Breyers Ice Cream and 1 Popsicle Frozen Ice Pops...$1.99 each--it looks like the popsicles will be $1.50, but it's a little unclear.. Either way, WOW! Add to that deal the $1.50 Breyers coupons that were available a few weeks back, and the $1 Popsicles coupon from that same time frame, and we're looking at $2 for all three OR LESS!!! YIPEE!

Also, buy any 3 of the following to get a catalina-spends like cash at Albie's on your next purchase-for up to $4.50 on milk. Safeway did this deal a few weeks ago, and the whole $4.50 automatically applied to the order, even though the milk was only $1.58, so this could be an AMAZING deal! These are all 2 for $3 before any coupons or the catalina
Cinnamon Toast Crunch,
Cocoa Puffs
Cookie Crisp
Golden Grahams
Honey Nut Cheerios
Bisquick
Fiber One Toaster Pastries
Fiber One Yougurt
Fruit Roolups Miis
Fruit Gushers
Froot by the Foot
Trix Yogurt
Gogurt
Yoplait Yo+
Yoplait Kids Yogurt or Yogurt drinks
Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks

If your family likes yogurt as much as mine...WOW! Make sure you go to coupons.com and print up the yogurt coupons, AND the granola bar coupons that match this next deal:

Same deal with the $4.50 off milk, but it's but 3 of the following 3 for $6 deals:
Nature Valley Granola Bars
Chex Mix Bars
GM Fiber One Bars

WOW!!!

They also have Fresh Express salads 5 for $5
11 oz Blueberries or 1 lb Strawberries 5 for $5

Can you see my happy dance??

Groceries Galore!

So I see lots of good, even GREAT, deals this week but they seem to be somewhat scattered...a few here, and a few there. Be sure to factor in your gas $$ and time when you decide where you'll be shopping.

At SunflowerMarket, the only thing I will be wanting is the 2 for $1 cantelope-so I'll price match it at Walmart. Here are a few more deals good this week:

Bing Cherries .99/lb
Walla Walla Sweet Onions .88/lb
Broccoli Crowns .88/lb
Ruby Red Grapefruit .50 each
Green Bell Peppers .50 each
Red or Golden Delicious, or Granny Smith Apples .88/lb
Roma Tomatoes .88/lb
Yellow Flesh Peaches and Nectarines .88/lb
Italian, Yellow, and Mexican Gray Squash .88/lb
Country Style Pork Ribs 99¢/lb
Pork Sausage $1.97/lb
Top Sirloin Steak $2.97/lb

Rancho Liborio is another place where produce tend to be less expensive by far, and I LOVE jicama, which other stores don't usually carry much of, so I'll be heading down there as well. Here is the rundown:

Wednesday ONLY :

• White Onions 4 lbs for 97¢
• Mexican Squash 3 lbs for 97¢
  
• Jumbo Yams 3 lbs for 97¢
• Tomatillos 3 lbs for 97¢
• Mangos 2 for 97¢
• Cello Lettuce 2 for 97¢
• Jicama 3 lbs for 97¢--usually around $1.69/lb other places!
  
• Nectarines 77¢/lb
• Pineapple 2 lbs for 97¢
• Fuji Apples 2 lbs for 97¢--great price
  

Thursday ONLY:

• Beef Stew Meat $1.99/lb
• Chicken Drumsticks 79¢/lb
• 51/60 Count White Shrimp $2.69/lb
• Monterey Jack Cheese, Bulk $1.49/lb - This sounds like a great price!
  
• Mexican Chorizo $1.29/lb
• Ground Pork $1.29/lb
  

All week deals:

• Key Limes 2 lbs for 97¢
• Peaches 77¢/lb
• Green Beans 77¢/lb
• Red Potatoes 2 lbs for 97¢
• Kiwi Fruit 5 for 97¢
• Papaya 2 lbs for 97¢
• Roma Tomatoes 2 lbs for 97¢
• Seedless Watermelon 4 lbs for 97¢
• Jalapeno Peppers 3 lbs for 97¢
  
• 18 Ct Large Eggs 99¢ each - YAY!
• Beef London Broil Roast $1.77/lb - WOW!

King Soopers has a buy 10 get $5 off deal going that makes these great deals:
Kraft or Sargento Cheese--$1.49--I have coupons that'll bring it down another $1...do you?
Philadelphia Cream Cheese-$.79--again, I have coupons, this should be free!
SoBe Lifewater-$.49--if you didn't already use the printables at Target these would be $.25
--Rememer to buy in groups of 10 to get the best deal.
Store brand sugar, 4lb for $1.88 sounds like a decent price
Store brand yogurt 3 for $1 is decent too, if you don't mind store brand.

There is a new store policy of 3 like coupons per day at King Soopers, but I don't know how serious they are about enforcing it...I'll let you know how it goes!

Walgreens today...

I totally spaced it, but today is Tuesday. So I'm checking out with my cheap mechanical pencils, wireless notebooks, gelatin and all when I notice the sign. Military Discount-15% on Tuesdays with ID. WAHOO!! They also had their summer merchandise-think swim toys and barbeque stuff,- on clearance 50% off. I found foam play swords for $1.41 after all the discounts...original price was 3 for $10! Yippee Skippee! I am hoping to have 4 pirates for Halloween, and the swords will be put away til then. Happy Deal Hunting!

One more Target note...

It's the time of year when baby merchandise goes on clearance at Target...I saw car seats, bibs, onesies, blankies, etc. If you need anything now, or will soon...check it out!

A Freebie For Your BIRTHDAY!

If you like chocolate, or cheesecake and your birthday is coming, print up this coupon and take it to Jack In The Box on your birthday for a free dessert! The coupon is only good on your actual birthday, and you will need to have some kind of id to prove it's your birthday. But hey, happy, happy birthday to YOU! Here is the coupon. I imagine you could print one for each adult in your home, if you like. Our birthdays are in April, so I don't know if I'll print this one.

Shoes for the little girls...and socks!

Target has lots of shoes on clearance right now...S Academy store. We found adorable ballet flat-type shoes for under $4! That's 75% off regular price. There were lots of sandals and cute flats on clearance, and a few tennis shoes. They were mostly size 5 and up, and I only really looked at little girls, though there were some boys' mixed in. There are also a few packages left of Hanes kids socks, only sale for $3.39 or so...some of them have $.50 coupons right on the package, making it less than $3 for 7 pair of socks...YAY!!!

Back to School @ Walmart

Walmart has lots of brightly colored room accents on sale, so if you need anything for the kids' bedrooms, you may want to check out the whole ad...As far as supplies go, here are the highlights:

• 1-Subject Notebook (70-pg.), $0.15
• Sharpie Accent Major Highlighters (4-pk.), $1.50
• Sharpie Fine Markers (2-pk.), $1.50
• Five Star 1-Subject Notebook, $1.50
• Avery 1″ Durable View Binder, $2.50
• Georgia Pacific Copy Paper (500-sheets), $2.50

Keep in mind that if you're willing to shop around, you'll find deal to be most of these before school starts. If you want one-stop shopping, Walmart is probably your best bet. Also, remember that you can take the ad from any other store with you to Walmart, and they'll match the price on identical items. Happy shopping!

Tyson Skillet Creations!

Get one of these for better than free by using the coupon and mail in rebate from here. Dinner anyone?!

A few nickels here and there...

...Can really save you in the long run! Did you know that King Soopers, Albertson's, Safeway and Sunflower Market all give you a credit for each bag you use from home? Bring in reusable vinyl bags, brown paper, or even reuse plastic grocery bags, and they'll credit your order for each one! Sunflower Market gives you $.10 each, and the others each give you $.05...I've started keeping bags in my car, in the front where I'll see them, so that if I pop in to one of these stores, I have my bags!

Staples Teacher Perks

Okay...so if you can prove that you are a teacher--or school district employee (I assume), Staples will give you some great perks. I was thrilled today to learn that I could purchase 25, yes 25! of the penny pencils because of my teacher status. They said that sometimes it's 10 items, sometimes it's 25, but it's always more than the regular limit...in this case, 2! So all you teachers, head over to Staples and stock up for the school year...I got 200 pencils for a quarter! WAHOO!!!

Sonic Chiller coupon

Here is a coupon that makes a Sonic Chiller just $.99! Sonic Chillers are normally priced at $2.49, so this is a great deal on a summer treat--basically Limeade drinks mixed with soft serve ice cream!

Interested in snagging a .99 Sonic Chiller?!
Just go here and enter your email address. They'll email you with a link to the coupon.

Grab a few at Walgreens

For $.39, Papermate Mechanical Pencils-10 count, and 100 count white index cards is a good deal. $.79 is a good, maybe even great, price for Fiskars scissors, if you want name brand. And the in ad coupons for wireless notebooks at 3 for $1 and Royal Gelatin at 5 for $1 make those great deals...watch for limits, usually imposed on the coupon items.

Arby's anyone?

Arby's has a coupon out for a free BBQ Bacon Cheddar Burger with any drink purchase here that is good through the 16th...so if you like Arby's, print one out and enjoy a really cheap lunch!

Free Coupon Booklet!

Go here to request a coupon booklet from Kraft/Nabisco and other great brands...Just a few minutes to register and ta-da!

At Target this week...

A few school supplies that my kids needs, and I'll be stocking up some for the year, so I never have to pay full price. Keep in mind that kids love art stuff, and markers, crayons, colored pencils, scissors and glue all make great birthday gifts when paired with some fun paper, or a colorbook.

For $.50 each:
Bic Crystal ballpoint pens-10 count-pair with the Bic printable to get them for free.
24 count wood pencils
pencil box, pink or blue
Rose Art 8 count washable markers
Rose Art 12 count colored pencils

Also, SoBe Lifewater is 10 for $10, and when you buy 10 in one transaction you'll get a $5 Target gift card. Use the BOGO coupon here to get 10 for $3 after the GC and coupons, or use multiple computers to get them all free!

Here are some FREE after coupon travel sizes:

ALL Small & Mighty (2-loads), $1
$1/1 ALL Small & Mighty, exp. 8-23-09 (RP 6/28/09)
FREE after coupon!

Banana Boat Sunscreen, $0.99
$1/1 Banana Boat Sunscreen, exp. 8-31-09 (SS 5/3/09)
FREE after coupon!

Dove Facial Wipes (5-ct.), $0.99
$1/1 Dove Face Care Product, exp. 8-30-09 (V 6/7/09)
FREE after coupon!!

Dove Go Fresh Deodorant, $0.97
$1/1 Dove Anti-Perspirant/Deodorant, exp. 8-30-09 (V 6/7/09)
FREE after coupon!!

Johnson & Johnson First Aid Kit, $0.99
$1/1 Johnson & Johnson Red Cross Product, exp. 8-31-09 (V 5/17/09)
FREE after coupon!!

Nexcare Bandages, $0.99
$1/1 Nexcare Bandages
FREE after coupon!

Tide Laundry Detergent, $0.99
$1/1 Tide Laundry Detergent, exp. 7-31-09 (P&G 7/5/09)
FREE after coupon!
(Thanks, NWA Deals!)

Vaseline Aloe Fresh Lotion, $0.99
$1/1 Vaseline printable
FREE after coupon!

A personal note on these, you'll usually find these items near the health and beauty aisles, all together. I've had the best luck finding them at the store on S. Academy.

Real Simple subscription deal

If you like Real Simple magazine, get to Amazon.com and you can get a one year subscription for FIVE DOLLARS! If you have been doing Swagbucks and have any $5 e-gift cards this would be FREE! You just can't beat free, and I'm hearing rumors-I've never looked at this magazine myself-that there are usually coupons inside. If you are familiar with Real Simple, could you let me know?

50% coupon from Michael's, exp 7/18

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ9Pfg-r8r-nYgoRPOsTLOpqkLotH9RyLZFuXL-7ym31na2mSLuye88ugIIoIjAi6ElpM3jq27xHdEMhydTBHPM2MDjMhtntMUq5ho3uTeTu2hQXJUfZ7ZiscvtaFJEAfPVa3l4v6iawg/s1600-h/michaels+718.JPG

Swagbucks are like free money!

If you haven't already signed up for Swagbucks, please consider it. You use it as your search engine, and it's not perfect, but I've been happy with it, and every so often they reward you with 1, 2 or 5 "swagbucks" that you accumulate and then redeem for prizes. I average 2 swagbucks a day, and like to redeem my bucks for $5 Amazon e-gift cards. 45 swagbucks=$5...not hard to see the value in that is it? And somethime there are swagcodes, that earn you extra bucks, just for entering them at the site...I'll post big hints to those here, it's against the rules to just tell them to you.

If you like stuff, purchase gifts for birthdays, Christmas or just cuz, or even just want free music downloads (that's one of the prizes--there are TONS of choices) you might consider signing up. And since referrals and friends are another way to earn bucks, I'd love it if you'd follow the link at the bottom of the post here, so you can be my friend, and I can get closer to the stuff I want from Amazon! Santa loves help, you know!

http://swagbucks.com/refer/playnlots2

I get my coupons from...

the store. Often, there will be coupons attached to product packaging in the store, or in the red SmartSource "blinkie" dispensers. If I know I will use the coupon, but not that day, I usually grab a couple. Some stores, like the comissary, have coupon fliers in designated areas of the store. And sometimes, other customers leave coupons on the shelves near products--I've been known to do this when expiration is looming and I know I won't use the coupon.

the printer. Printable coupons are all over the place. I'll be putting up links here when things match up or are too good not to print, but smartsource.com and coupons.com are two of the best sites for grocery coupons. For example, pair this coupon: http://www.3m.com/us/home_leisure/nexcare/maynewslettercoupon.pdf

with Target's travel package-if they give you a hard time be willing to walk out without it and try again when different staff are working--to get FREE bandaids! Or use this awesome coupon: http://www.gatherroundthegrill.com/coupon.php?store ! To maximize your savings on this one, look for markdown meat.

the web. Ebay is a great place to look for coupons. I recently ordered 10 $1 off on fresh Tyson chicken coupons for under $2. So once I use 2 coupons, I will be into real savings...and I have the freezer space to make use of 10 coupons in a short time frame. And we eat chicken ALL THE TIME! I'll look for the smallest packages to get the most bang for my buck. I also order coupons from thecouponclippers.com fairly often. With a minimum order of $3 in coupons, low shipping and administrative fees, I usually spend about $5 on coupons that will save me around $45-50, and since I often use coupons at Safeway and King Soopers-where they double up to $1, I save even more than that!

the MOM. I don't get the paper, but my mother does. So every now and then, when she thinks about it or I'm visiting, she gives me the coupons from her paper. These cost me nothing, and she isn't going to use them anyway! If you know someone gets the paper but doesn't "do" coupons, you might consider asking them if you can make use of them.

Once you start really paying attention, you'll be amaze at how many great coupons are out there, and what you can save with them. I consistently save 30-50% with my coupons, and that really adds up! I am in the stockpiling stage, so I'm spending the same amount as always, but getting a lot more for that $$ every time I shop.

Good luck!

School/Office deal

Staples has some great deals this coming week that I'll be there early Monday morning to snag...there will be a $5 off $20 purchase coupon in the ad Sunday, but even without that, there are two deals I won't miss! Pencils and paper, here I come!

:: Easy Rebate Deals

Staples Copy Paper (8.5″ x 11″), $3.69--limit 2
$3.68 Staples Easy Rebate (through 7/15)
$0.01 after rebate!

Staples Photo Plus Paper (4″ x 6″), $9.99--limit 2
$8.99 Staples Easy Rebate
$1 after rebate!

:: 1-Cent Deals--limit 2

• 8-Pack Pencils (through 7/15)

:: $1 Deals--limit 2

• Acme Junior 5″ Blunt or Pointed Scissors (2-pk.)
• BIC Velocity Stick Fashion Pens (5-pk.)-use this coupon to get them FREE http://print.coupons.com/Couponweb/Offers.aspx?pid=14808&nid=20&zid=hn62
• BIC Wite-Out Quick Dry (2-pk.) use this coupon to get them for $.50 http://print.coupons.com/Couponweb/Offers.aspx?pid=14808&nid=20&zid=hn62
• Scotch Magic Tape-I could swear I saw a coupon for this somewhere, anyone know where?
• Sharpie Major Accent Highlighters (6-pk.)
• Staples Mini Magnetic Stapler
• Staples Pink Wedge Erasers (3-pk.)
• Staples Translucent Pencil Boxes

King Soopers deals

So I don't need all of these this time around, but here are the deals I would snag if I needed them..

Colorado Proud Milk-$1.58/gal--This is the same price as Safeway, but I prefer the Lucerne brand, so I'll get my milk there.

18 ct KS Large Eggs-$1.29

Hot Pockets of Subs-$1.69-- I have coupons for these that will bring them down to $.69--We'll save them for school lunches, the kids'll be sooo happy!

Aquafresh toothpaste, 4.6-6.4 oz, selected-$1--this would be a good deal if you have a coupon to bring it down a bit...I think there are coupons out there somewhere.

Kroger Pork and Beans-$.49/16 oz can--I think this is an okay deal, you might find name brand for cheaper when you match a sale and a coupon.

Kroger Granulated Value Sugar-$1.88/4lb--not a bad price

Fresh Express Garden Salad-$.99/12oz--lunch for a couple of days for me, yay!

Cook's Shank Portion Ham-$.88/lb--good price, if you need ham

Sunflower deals I plan to have Walmart match

Green and Red Seedless Grapes-$.69/lb

Bib lettuce-$.88 each

Russet potatoes, 5lb bag-$1.50 each

If you won't eat grapes or potatoes or lettuce, these won't be good deals. But if you will eat them during the week, go for it! I think the grapes are a steal at this price, and since my kids LOVE them, I'll be getting a bunch! In fact, I may toss a bag full in the freezer so they can have frozen grapes for a treat...my kids think almost anything frozen is a treat, even if it's fruit or yogurt!!

OK, OK...I'll do it!

At the persistent request of several friends, I have started a new blog. This will be open to the world, and will contain the deals, coupons, sales, rebates and strategies I have for using my resources wisely...especially the financial ones. I will confess up front that I shop at the comissary at Peterson AFB primarily, stockpiling things that are awesome deals elsewhere so I can shop from my pantry for those non-perishables. Some deals will be store specific, others will be amazing coupons...feel free to ask questions, and I'll do my best to respond quickly. I hope you find some bits of information here that will help you take better care of your family with whatever resources are available to you!