Have You Hugged Your Swag Today?

It's Friday, and you know what that means!?  It's Mega Swagbucks Day!

So what's the deal with Swagbucks?
Basically, they give you points for doing things online that you'd be doing anyway, like searching the internet.  Just use their search engine and you could win points.  They also give you points for other things like surveys or even for buying deals on Groupon or Living Social.  You can even get points for printing and using coupons! How bout that?


Normally, Swagbucks starts out  new users with 30 Swagbucks, but right now they are running a promotion to encourage new users (and everyone else) to Help Japan.  When you join Swagbucks,  and enter the code HelpJapan they will give you a bonus 50 Swagbucks (through midnight May 2), for a total of 80 Swagbucks to start (you only need 450 to snag a $5 Amazon card).


So what's the Help Japan thing about? Right now you can donate your Swagbucks (any amount) to Help the victims of the Japan earthquakes.  Swagbucks is collecting them and will add them all up and make a huge donation.

Free Sample of Dove Ultimate Go Sleeveless Deodorant

Go HERE to get a free sample of Dove Ultimate Go Sleeveless Deodorant. Grab it before they are gone!

Be Prepared

As I'm sure you all know, the Southern US has been smacked with some very bad weather this week resulting in alot of destruction and sadly some loss of life.  Julie is in one of the areas that was affected, but she and her husband are safe and have no property damage.  Their neighborhood got hit pretty badly though. There are downed power lines and some of her neighbors have damaged homes from falling trees.  The power company is saying that it will be 4-5 days before her county gets power back, and possibly longer for Julie's neighborhood. Posts here at Money Saving Mode/Dual Income Need Coupons may be a bit slim for a few days.

If there was a natural disaster in your area, would you be prepared?  As we develop or are developing our stockpiles, we need to keep in mind that we also need to have an emergency kit prepared too.

Ready.gov is a wonderful resource for preparing for an emergency.   Below is the basic list for an Emergency Supply Kit. 

Recommended Items to Include in a Basic Emergency Supply Kit:

• Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First Aid Kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust Mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
• Local maps
• Cell phone with chargers, inverter or solar charge

Additional Items to Consider Adding to an Emergency Supply Kit:

• Prescription medications and glasses
• Infant formula and diapers
• Pet food and extra water for your pet
• Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
• Cash or traveler's checks and change
• Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov.
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
• Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
• Fire Extinguisher
• Matches in a waterproof container
• Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
• Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
• Paper and pencil
• Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children

Of course, this list will differ from household to household, based on the people that live there's needs and the area of the country that you live in.

As I look over this list, these are things that most of us are currently stockpiling or have in our homes already.  In Julie and her hubby's case, they have plenty of non-perishable goods.  They are using their gas grill to cook the perishable goods that they have, hopefully before they spoil.

Seeing as this is affecting our friend Julie and countless other people across the Southern US, I thought that this was the right time to remind everyone to just be prepared.  You never know when this might happen in your neighborhood.  Mother Nature can be so fickle.  My thoughts and prayers are with all of the people affected by this.

Extreme Couponing: Coupon Diva Desiraeh

On tonight's episode of Extreme Couponing, our friend Desiraeh will be featured.  You had a chance to ask her some questions, and here are her answers.  Be sure to share your thoughts here, and any questions you have for her after you watch tonight's episode.

Coupon: $2 Off Ribs

Get $2 off pork ribs when you buy KC Masterpiece bbq sauce from grilling.com

Interview With The Couponer: Passionate Penny Pincher

Today we are interviewing Laurie from Passionate Penny Pincher, she has a great site that focuses a lot on the savings to be had at Publix, while still giving a broad grasp of the deals available in many forms and sources.  She also does a great little series on her blog to help us remember to do those little cleaning jobs that seem to so often get swept under the rug.  Laurie is also in my local area, although we have not yet had the pleasure of meeting in person.

The Interview

Julie:  How long have you been couponing? What made you decide to start?
Laurie: I've always been a frugal girl, and even tried couponing when my hubby and I were first married fifteen years ago. Back then I'd always get frustrated because after spending time to clip my coupons, I'd get to the store to find the generic items cheaper than the items with coupons! Five years ago, my best friend introduced me to "super" couponing, and now, thanks to the internet, it's easy to find out what the best prices are and which coupons coincide with the top grocery deals!

Julie: Could you explain what you mean by "super" couponing?
Laurie: I guess before the term "extreme" couponing came out, I learned the term "super" couponing (I'm sure some blogger out there started it!) Basically, it's matching up the sale price with a coupon so that you get the benefit of both!

Julie: What is your grocery budget? How has it changed since you started couponing?
Laurie: Our family spends about $50-$60 each week on groceries. When I first started couponing it was substantially less - maybe $40 a week. But as my family as grown (and my time to spent clipping coupons has become less frequent!), I've chosen not to get every deal in town just to save my sanity.

Julie: That's a relief.  I think new couponers can often get the idea that they just aren't saving enough and can never keep up.  So the idea that someone as involved in couponing as you would "back off" and "slow down" a bit on couponing and even increase her grocery budget, makes me feel better, anyway.


Julie: How large is your family? Are you teaching your children the value of couponing?
Laurie: My husband and I have three children, aged 4, 8, and 11. My kids definitely know the value of a coupon, in fact when I mentioned to my littlest that her Barbie doll might need some clothes on :), she said "nope. . . we don't got a coupon for dat".

Julie: What do you think is the most important thing for new couponers to learn? What one piece of advice do you want to pass on?
Laurie: START SLOWLY. Find out where the best store in your area is to grocery shop at (with coupons), and learn to shop it well. Be patient and remember that just about every item in the store goes on sale every six to twelve weeks!

Julie: You have a great blog, what made you decide to share your coupon knowledge in this way?
Laurie: My husband's dad became very sick about eighteen months ago. While my husband was away taking care of his dad, I couldn't sleep so I stayed up reading coupon blogs all night long. The thing that I didn't see often promoted on blogs was an encouragement to donate inexpensive or free items, as well as ways to create recipes each week that matched up with the sales ad. So, I started Passionate Penny Pincher! (Well, Publix Penny Pincher at the time.) I also wanted a way to earn money to donate to overseas missions, so God just kind of nudged me this way! One half of the proceeds from Passionate Penny Pincher go towards mission work (and the other half is in my kiddo's college fund!)

Julie: Giving is very important for you, how has couponing allowed you to help others?
Laurie: Giving is really just about the only reason I hang in there some days with coupons (and blogging, to be honest!) Our family is incredibly blessed, and thanks to couponing it really isn't even a big deal to give from our abundance. A few years ago our church handed out $100 to several members, and I spent that $100 to get over $600 worth of food, cleaning products, and toiletries to donate to our local food pantry. Being able to make that kind of a donation to others was just amazing, and giving is what has kept me going on days when I wonder if it's worth the time that it takes!

Julie:  Have you watched Extreme Couponing? What are your thoughts about the show? What impact have you seen it having on couponers and couponing?
Laurie: Ughhhhhhh . . . yes I've watched it. My biggest disappointment is that I don't think TLC is accurately portraying couponers . . . and I wish they'd focus more on the true heart of giving that I believe so many couponers have. I am a little frustrated at watching people clear the shelves, because I've found that our family has plenty without ever having to buy dozens of one specific item. I do think there will be an impact in the near future to couponers (as many of us have seen in the grocery stores), however I believe it will be short-lived as people recognize the amount of work that is involved in that kind of "extreme" shopping.

Julie:  any final thoughts you'd like to share?
Laurie: If you're new couponing, don't get overwhelmed! Start slowly, and create a realistic budget for your family. . . then determine to stick to it. Also remember that groceries are one of the few items in your family's budget that you have complete control over. So, decide to pinch a few pennies to see huge savings at the grocery store!

Laurie, as you can see, is pretty awesome. I suggest you take the time to get to know her better by visiting her blog, as well as her Facebook page.

- if you are interested in being interviewed and sharing your couponing story for this series, please just comment or email me (drunkitty2000 at yahoo.com).  You don't need to have a blog of your own to share your story.

Facebook Freebies

There are two new Facebook Freebies today, head over and
"like" Folgers for a free sample of coffee and then go
"like" Quest Bar for a free bar
"like" Ore-Ida Potatoes for a free bag of Sweet Potato Fries

CVS Shopping Trip - 4/26

One thing I'm finding at my CVS stores around my neighborhood (I have 3 within 5 miles of my house) is that if I don't go first thing Sunday morning or right after their trucks come in the middle of the week, (truck days are Wednesday afternoons at my stores)  the shelves are cleared out of the sale items that I want.  Last week, it was the Reach and Aquafresh Kids' toothbrushes and the Aquafresh Kids' Toothpaste.  This week, its the Dove Men's deodorant.  I make sure that I get rainchecks for the items that CVS is out.  The best thing about CVS rainchecks is that they don't expire!  As long as they get those products in before my coupons expire, I'm golden.

My CVS trip this week was small, but successful. 

(2) Clean & Clear Morning Burst Body Washes 16 oz, $5.79
(1) Clean & Clear Morning Burst Facial Cleanser $6.79

Used:
(1)-B1G1 Clean & Clear body wash, max $5.99, SS 3/27
(2) -$2 off Clean & Clear product printable , printable
$1.99, $0.99, $1.00 ECB from prior trips

Total including tax - $5.82
Savings of $13.77 - That's a 65% savings.  Not as good as some of my past trips, but good enough for me!

EDIT - I also earned a $5 ECB for spending $15 on Clean and Clear products.  And I also received a 25% off your total purchase that expires 4/29. Thanks for the reminder Julie.

Interview With The Couponer: The Coupon Hustler

Morgan from The Coupon Hustler has been gracious enough to let me interview her today.  I think you'll enjoy getting to know her better.

Julie: How long have you been couponing? Why did you decide to start?

Morgan: I started couponing in December of 2005 when my first son was born. I was a teen mom, and we didn't have help from any family, and we lived on our own. Back then, I would use coupons, but I never even thought of matching the coupons to the sales. I eventually realized I was spending more than I was realistically saving! In January 2011, during a period of time both my husband and I found ourselves unemployed, I saw the first episode of Extreme Couponing. Seeing this episode couldn't have come at a better time. It was a daily struggle for me just to buy the store brand laundry detergent, dish soap, shampoo, etc. I thought to myself, "Wow! I never thought of that!" (referring to matching coupons with the sales). I said to my husband that night, "On Sunday, we are going to buy 4 Sunday Papers, we can do this!" I did exactly that, on that following Sunday! I heard about WUC on the show, and went to Nathan's website, along with several other couponing websites and taught myself how to coupon!

Julie: How big is your family? What is your grocery budget? Has your grocery budget changed since you started couponing?

Morgan: My family consists of me, my husband, and my two boys (ages 5 and 3) along with 2 German Shepherd dogs, a Chihuahua, a cat, a California King Snake, 7 Chickens, and 4 Ducks! We have many to feed! My budget is $500 a month for groceries, and $20/month for H&B/Cleaning products. I don't ever purchase garbage bags, and that saves me about $10/month. I buy so many groceries, that I use the grocery bags for garbage bags! I used to spend $250/week on groceries; which in my book is insane! I am buying the same products as before, except now I'm getting the name brands for less than the store brands!

Julie: What is your favorite store to shop at?

Morgan: Personally, my favorite store is Publix. We just moved from FL to TN and in FL there is no coupon doubling. Although, Publix in FL accepts stacked coupons (store coupons combined with MFG coupons for one item); competitors coupons; and of course the Publix Promise. Now, we live where prices of groceries are significantly cheaper, and they double coupons (at Kroger). I haven't been able to find as many deals as I was able to at Publix. Kroger does offer the mega sales, which I believe makes shopping at Kroger worth it!

Julie: What has been your favorite coupon deal?

Morgan: My favorite coupon deal was the 10/$10 Mueller's Pasta deal at Winn Dixie in FL. In February 2011, just a month after starting out, I found a wonderful deal at WD! Mueller's Pasta was on sale for $1, and there was an IP on Mueller's website for $1/1 (which allowed unlimited prints). I printed about 200 coupons and went to three different stores. At the same time, there was a $5/$25 store coupon in the weekly ad, so I separated my pasta, meat, and milk (because of the overage) into about 6 or 7 different transactions! This was when I realized, I CAN do it even though my store doesn't double coupons! I later found a similar, but better deal, at Publix for Mueller's Pasta! It went on sale BOGO (Price for one: $1.43), and I had more of the $1/1 coupons! This time, I had $0.57 overage for every two that I bought. I combined this deal with another favorite of mine, the Purina One Beyond Free or $3/1 cat food (about 30 boxes or so), along with meat, laundry detergent, lysol, etc, and ended my transaction spending $2 and saving over $400!!

Julie: I did that deal at Publix, and it worked out great!.

Julie: Do you stockpile? If so, where do you keep your stockpile? Got any pictures to share?

Morgan: Yes, I do stockpile! Right now, since we just moved out of state, I had to say bye-bye to my refrigerated and frozen stockpile, but as of right now here's a few things in my pantry I have stockpiled the following using coupons: Hunts Tomato Sauce/Paste/Diced Tomatoes, Kraft Homestyle Mac N Cheese, Mueller's Pasta, Kraft BBQ Sauce, Manwich, Cereal, Coca-Cola, Manhatma's Yellow Rice, and Steamfresh Veggies (frozen). In my bathrooms, I have Purina Beyond Cat Food, Dentastix, Kibbles N Bits, Pedigree Dog Food, Herbal Essences Shampoo/Conditioner, Nivea Body Wash, Dove Body Wash, Rightguard Body Wash, Dove Deodorant, Maalox, Halls Cough Drops, Advil, Aleve, Excedrin, etc.! My food stockpile stays in the pantry and the kitchen, but my H&B stockpile is spread throughout 3 of my bathrooms, and under the kitchen sink! I don't have any pictures at this time. :(

Julie: What made you decide to start a blog? What do you hope to share with your blog?

Morgan: After successfully teaching my neighbor how to coupon, I sought out to teach more people. I am a very resourceful person, and I needed somewhere to share all my good finds, deals, success trips, etc.! My blog is still in the works, but it is new and should be fully loaded by May 2011!

Julie: Congratulations on getting started!

Julie: If you could give one piece of advice to coupon newbies what would it be?

Morgan: I would tell them to start slow! My first month of couponing, I spent way too much at the drug stores, even after coupons! I was going coupon crazy! Get comfortable with the prices at your stores and do the math at home before you go to the store to avoid overspending! Always go with a list!

Get to know Morgan better:
Blog: http://thecouponhustler.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thecouponhustler
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/pinksblog

- Would you like to be interviewed and share your couponing story? You don't have to have a blog of your own to share, just comment or email me at drunkitty2000 at yahoo.com and we'll get the interview started.

Sent Hubby to the Store Trip

Since I wasn't feeling well and we needed eggs, I figured it would be smart to go ahead and give hubby my Publix list.  I did take the "stock up" items off the list (except 1) and cut it down to just the things we actually needed. 

Eggs
Yogurt (Voskos on sale 10/$10)
Oranges
Grapefruit
Salad (Publix brand on sale 2/$4)
BIC razors

I wrote in the amounts next to the items corresponding to the number of coupons I was giving him - 10 BIC razors, 3 Voskos yogurt.  He texted me to say that they were out of the BIC razors.  So, I'll have to go back sometimes this week and at least get a raincheck.

He came home to tell me that he's spent the entire $20 I gave him.  How the heck?  He handed me the receipt and the first half was filled with Voskos yogurt.  How many yogurts did you buy?  Well, your list said to get 10!

I really hope I like Voskos yogurt!

So here's what the trip turned out to be....

10 Voskos Yogurt @ 10/$10
- (2) $.75/1 coupons
- (1) B2G1 free coupon
1 Spring salad mix @ 2/$4
18ct Egglands Best Eggs @ $3.49 (I should have specified that the coupon I gave him was best for the 12ct)
- (1) $.35/1 coupon
1 bag Grapefruit @ $3.29
1 bag oranges @ $3.99

= $19.57 +tax

Saving Star - A New Way to Save

I learned about this from Stacie over at Simply CVS, I haven't tried it yet but I'm looking forward to it.

Saving Star is a new website that you can link your savings cards up to.  Saving Star has their own coupons that you can add to your cards (add the coupons to all your cards at once), where Saving Star is really different is that instead of taking the amount off of your total (like typical e-coupons from Cellfire or Shortcuts), SavingStar tracks the savings you earn through them and when you reach $5 you can redeem your savings in the form of an Amazon.com gift card, Paypal credit or other options.  From what I'm seeing, it shouldn't be hard to hit $5 with many of their coupons being in the $1 range.

I signed up and added my CVS, Rite Aid & Kroger card all at one time.  I'll be sure to report back how this works out for me after I've had a chance to earn some savings.

BIC Razor Deal

I'm so glad I've hung on to all those great BIC razor coupons that have come out in the last month.  I've got quite a few thanks to some of the wonderful coupon traders over at WeUseCoupons, and now is the time to use them.

Publix has an awesome deal this week on BIC disposable razors.  They have the 3packs on BOGO for $5.49 (aka $2.75 each).  There have been two great coupons in the last month, 1 for $2 off BIC disposable razors and the other for $3 off BIC disposable razors.  If you have the $3 coupon you'll be making some money, but even the $2 coupon makes for an awesome deal.

Timing on this one couldn't be better as my hubby just loaded the last of his razors into his baggie and our stockpile is now empty!

Great Deal on NatureLuxe at CVS

Last week, I posted about being a BzzAgent for Covergirl NatureLuxe.  Over the weekend, I finally got a chance to try the new Natureluxe Silk foundation and I have to say I like it quite a bit.  I'll be posting a full on review (with pictures) in the next few days, but in the meantime I wanted to share a deal on this product at CVS this week.

CVS is offering you a $2ECB when you buy Covergirl NatureLuxe Foundation this week.  Now, combine that with the $2 coupon (which has been available in the paper as recently as this week, or let me know and I'll send you one) and that makes for a nice deal.

As for a preview of my review, let me just say that Covergirl Natureluxe Silk foundation could easily replace two products I've been using from Clinque (and save me a whole lot of money, in doing so).

Free Tea Sample

Sign up for the Healthy Tea Store's newsletter and get a free sample of their Japanese Cherry Blossom Tea.

Huntsville Peeps: Get 50% Off on Huntsville Times

For my friends in Huntsville AL, if you've been considering getting a subscription to the Huntsville Times but have been putting it off for whatever reason, you'll want to call THIS WEEK to get one.

They currently have a deal where you can get 50% Off either a weekly subscription or Sunday only.  I picked up a 6 Month Sunday Only subscription for just $21.75 (that's about 80 cents/wk).  If you prefer you can get the full week delivered for $41.10 for 6 months.  This offer is only good until May 1.  When you call, be sure to tell them that you want the 50% off deal (and mention the price listed), as evidenced from when I called they aren't going to give it to you automatically.

My Rite Aid Trip - Using Rewards Before They Expire

I posted on Facebook Saturday that I'd actually managed to go an entire week without shopping, ANYWHERE!  I have to admit I was impressed.  But, the truth is that I hadn't shopped because I hadn't felt good.  Last Sunday, I realized that my not feeling good the week before had allowed $9 in rewards (between Walgreens and Rite Aid) to expire without being used.  Weirdly, I wasn't that upset by it.  However, after posted on Saturday that I'd made it an entire week without shopping anywhere (even the grocery store) I figured I'd better check to make sure I didn't have any more rewards about to expire.  It was a good thing I checked, as I had $10 in +UPs for Rite Aid that were expiring that day.

I hadn't really looked at the ads very closely during week, so I took another look and I was happy to see the great Nivea deal (buy $15, get $5+UP), and figured that after coupons I'd be trading $6 in +UPs for $5 in +UPs, so that only left another $4 to spend.  That is, if I could find the Nivea, which I couldn't.

Two stores later I finally decided to just do it and here's what I ended up with.

• 2 Dixie paper plates @ $3.59 each (after 10% wellness discount) = $7.18
• - (1) $2/2 Dixie Plates (April VV coupon)
• 2 Post Great Grains cereals @ $4.29 BOGO = $4.29
• (2) $1/1 Post Cereals
• 2 4pks Cadbury Cream Eggs @ $1.99 each = $3.98
• (1) $.50/2 Cadbury Cream Eggs (April VV coupon)
• 2 Reese's peanut butter eggs @ $.50 each = $1
• (1) $.50/2 Reese's Eggs (April VV coupon)
• 2 CK kitchen tools @ $.90 each (after 10% wellness discount) = $1.80
• 1 Diet Dr Pepper @ $1.34 (after 10% wellness discount) = $1.34
• used $3/$15 survey coupon
• used $10 in +UPs

Total Before Coupons & Discounts =  $28.98
Total After Discounts = $19.49
Total After Discounts & Coupons = $2.92 (95% savings)

Unfortunately, that used up all my +UPs, so I'll have to start over again with building them.  I was doing really well for several months there with rolling them regularly and keeping at least $10 worth at all times.  Luckily, Rite Aid seems to be the easiest of the drugstores for me to shop, so I'm sure I'll have them back soon.

Hobby Lobby 40% Off Coupon

Hobby Lobby has another 40% OFF any 1 Item coupon available this week.  You can print it and take it with you or you can pull it up on your phone or mobile device and just show it to the cashier to get your discount.  You can also use it when shopping at HobbyLobby.com online.  Click here for the coupon (valid through April 30, 2011)

Hot Deal: Resin Knives & Cutting board

HousewaresDeals is the daily deal site for houseware items, and today's deal is a pretty nice ones.  It's 4 resin- coated knives and a glass cutting board for just $19.

I bought a similar set a month or so ago from them and I love it.  The knives are amazing.  Even my husband, the knife snob really liked them and commented on how easily they slice, dice and chop.

New $35 P&G Booklet Available

There's a new offer for a new P&G Home Made Simple booklet available here. Be sure to go sign up and get the latest coupons!

Free $6 Amazon Credit

Head over to the Amex-Tribecca Film Festival page on Amazon and look for the banner on the right side of the page to get a $6 credit for linking your Twitter account.  The credit will only be good on films that are part of the Amex-Tribecca Film Festival but Free movies are free movies! 

Note: You will be set to follow American Express and Amazon on your twitter account, and there will be auto-post from your twitter account about this promo.

No Inserts This Week!

Just a reminder that since this is a holiday weekend (Easter) there will be no inserts in the Sunday paper!  I'm sure we can make do with the 4 from last weekend right? I can't be the only one who hasn't manage to finish clipping them all yet!

Interview With The Couponer: Crunchy Frugalista

Today I'm interviewing Ashley from Crunchy Frugalista about her couponing story.


How long have you been couponing, and what got you started?
I have been couponing for about 3 years. I was in the mortgage industry and my income drastically dropped, so I googled ways to save money and came across the couponing stories and have been couponing ever since.

How big is your family? Do you have any children?
There are 5 in my family. 8 if you count my two dogs and the turtle. I am blessed with 3 great kids ages 12, 9, and 8

If you don't mind sharing, what is your grocery budget? (I'm always amazed at how Mom's can make money stretch).
My budget is probably higher than most couponers. We spend about $300 a month, but that includes household items like papergoods and health and beauty items also.

What has been your favorite coupon deal?
Not sure how to pick just one! I love the free/ cheap Finish Dish Detergent deal. I was able to buy over a year's supply for less than .25/box!

Do you stockpile? If so, where do you keep it?
Having a family of five, I feel the need to stockpile. I actually keep my stockpile in various places. Some of it is in my pantry, my laundry room, in an armoire in my room,and even in my garage.

What made you decide you wanted to start a blog?
I had posted one of my CVS shopping trips on my personal Facebook page, and my friends and family wanted to know how I scored such a great deal. I thought it would be easier to blog about it than type a million comments on Facebook!

If you could give one piece of advice to new coupon users, what would it be?
I always advise newbie couponers to start small and don't let the details overwhelm you. When I first started, I wanted to save hundreds of dollars instantly, then I realized it takes time to learn your stores and how/when to get good prices on products.

How do you organize your coupons?
I just moved to a binder system where I clip my coupons out each week, and separate them by categories. (ie Dairy, meat, hair care, etc) I find it is easier for me to find them that way.

How did you organize your coupons before you went to the binder system? What made you decide to move to the binder system?
Before the binder system, I used small accordian folders, but I found they quickly filled up and I would find coupons all over my house! Then I progressed to the binder with baseball card inserts b/c I don't find Qs all over my house, and I can find them more quickly.

Follow Ashley's blog
Follow Ashley on Facebook
Follow Ashley on Twitter

DSW $10 Bonus

Any holiday is a great excuse to buy gift cards FOR YOURSELF!  It seems like everyone is offering bonus bucks on gift cards right now.  Even DSW is in on the action, offering you a $10 Bonus when you buy a $50 gift card.  Get the Details.

Coupon: Skinny Cow Buy 2 Get 1 Free

Click here for a Skinny Cow coupon good toward 1 Free Cup when you buy 2 cups!

Jimmy Dean Sausage Coupons

I love these pre-cooked sausage crumbles from Jimmy Dean and this is a great coupon!  There is a $1/1 coupon available for the pre-cooked sausage, and a $.55/1 coupon for the sausage roll.

That Expired a Month Ago! Is It Still Good?

This is a common occurrence in our house, even before we started stock-piling. There are just some things we don't eat often (mayo for example) that I almost wish we could buy it in sample sizes.

Happy Money Saver just posted a really great article on Expired Foods and just how long past an expiration date things are still good.  If you are stockpiling, this is a great reference list you'll definitely want to bookmark (and maybe even print a copy to keep with your stockpile).

Read the Post Here.

New SnackPicks Coupons

Snackpicks has some new coupons available for Kellogg's & Keebler products, click here to login (or register) and print the coupons.

Free Book from Read It Forward - Floor of Heaven

The Floor of Heaven

by Howard Blum

It is the last decade of the 19th century. The Wild West has been tamed and its fierce, independent and often violent larger-than-life figures—gun-toting wanderers, trappers, prospectors, Indian fighters, cowboys, and lawmen—are now victims of their own success. They are heroes who've outlived their usefulness. But then gold is discovered in Alaska and the adjacent Canadian Klondike and a new frontier suddenly looms.

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Coupon: $1 Off True Lemon

Click here to get $1 Off True Lemon products.

New Coupons - Newman's Own , 8th Continent & More

There's a bunch of new grocery coupons on Coupons.com - check 'em out!

• Buy 1 Get 1 FREE Fresh Gourmet Tuna Bites and Salmon Bites 
• Buy 1 Get 1 FREE POWER BAR Harvest Bar, any variety 
• $1.50 OFF 1 NESTLE BUTTERFINGER 9.2oz Fun Size Bag
• $1.00 OFF 1 lb. or more of Sara Lee meat at the service deli or 1 package of any pre-sliced meat
• $1.00 OFF 2 Sweet Home Farm Granolas  
• $1.00 OFF 1 Smart Chicken Product. Redeem at The Fresh Grocer. 
• $1.00 OFF 1 box of Power of Fruit Frozen All-Fruit Bars  
• $1.00 OFF 1 OSCAR MAYER Selects Hot Dogs  
• $1.00 OFF 1 Emerald Breakfast on the go! Product 7.5 oz or larger 
• $1.00 OFF 2 Boxes of Peace Cereal  
• $1.00 OFF 2 Yogi Granola Snack Crisps  
• $1.00 OFF 1 Newman's Own Thin & Crispy Pizza  
• $1.00 OFF 1 McCann's Irish Oatmeal product  
• $0.75 OFF 1 Delizza Patisserie Products  
• $0.55 OFF 1 Ball Park Product 
• $0.55 OFF 1 loaf of Wonder Smartwheat  
• $0.50 OFF 1 Parkay Product  
• $0.50 OFF 1 Bob Evans Potato Wedges 
• $0.50 OFF 1 package of Treasure Cave cheese product  
• $0.50 OFF 1 Newman's Own Product  
• $1.00 OFF 1 One Half Gallon of 8th Continent Soymilk  
• $1.00 OFF 1 SO DELICIOUS COCONUT MILK BEVERAGE (64oz. or 32oz. )

General Mills Sampler Pack and Coupons

UPDATE - The St Paul one is sold out, but theres one for SF, CA that isn't sold out yet! Here's the link! http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/04/groupon-general-mills-sampler-pack-coupon-booklet-for-20-shipped.html

There's an awesome sampler pack from General Mills on Groupon for $20 and that includes shipping.  . It is listed on St. Paul but since it is online, anyone can grab it!  This sampler pack includes

• 12.8 ounce Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
• 13 ounce Reese's Puffs cereal
• 12 ounce Kix cereal
• 12.8 ounce Cascadian Farms Organic cereal
• 5.8 ounce Fiber One 90-Calorie Chewy Bars
• 5.8 ounce Hamburger Helper
• 11 ounce Green Giant Corn Niblets
• 9.5 ounce Old El Paso Tortilla Stuffers
• 5 ounce Fruit Roll-Ups
• 10.5 ounce Chex Mix Muddy Buddies snack mix
• 17.5 ounce Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie mix
• 13.7 ounce Wanchai Ferry Orange Chicken dinner kit

Plus a General Mills Coupon book. 
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This is a great deal, better grab it before its gone!

Speaking of Keurig!

I ordered one of these a couple of weeks ago after seeing several really good reviews for it and I have to say that it is every bit as good as everyone says.  The Solofill Refillable K-Cup for the Keurig just rocks.  I was actually perfectly happy with the MyKCup that came with my Keurig, but it was kind of a pain to clean out and it was also a pain to store.  The Solofill K-Cup is the same size as other K-Cups so you can store it in the same way you store any of your K-Cups. It's also one single unit, with a built-in filter, so it cleans much easier.

The awesome thing about this (or even the MyKCup) is that it can save you a ton of money because you can use whatever coffee you like in it.  It also helps save the environment because you aren't throwing away a piece of plastic every time you make a cup of coffee.

Look What Came In the Mail!

I can't quite figure out how I "won" this and the only thing I can think is that it was from the "Choose It, Brew It" giveaway. However it came to be, I LOVE IT!

I figured it out, it was from the Alaskan Cruise Giveaway on the "Brew Over Ice" Facebook page.

12 5oz Bacon Wrapped Filet's for $59.99

For 48 Hours Only get Omaha Steaks® Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignons for as low as $5.00 a steak!

I've heard of Omaha Steaks but it wasn't until after I watched this week's Celebrity Apprentice that I really looked at them.  Knowing what I know about saving money I know I could probably get as good a price or better at one of our local grocery stores by shopping their sales, but when this particular deal came across my email - I'm really not sure I could beat $5 a steak!

So until Midnight on Thursday (4/21) you can get this deal by clicking here.

Four FREE Omaha Steaks!

Attention steak lovers! Fire up the grill and serve world-famous Omaha Steaks! Order $50 in 100% Guaranteed to Thrill Omaha Steaks delicious delicacies through this link and you’ll get 4 FREE Omaha Steaks Top Sirloins with your order.

View >>

$1 Off Frank's Red Hot Sauce

YUM!  Head over to Facebook and "like" Frank's RedHot Sauce page to grab a coupon for $1/1 bottle of Frank's.  This should score you a free small size bottle (or come really close).

What's the Buzz About Covergirl NatureLuxe

I recently signed on to be a BzzAgent and my first opportunity to BUZZ about a new product is for the new Covergirl NatureLuxe line.  As part of that Bzz Campaign they sent me two products to try; the new Natureluxe Foundation and the NatureLuxe lip balm.

I used to use nothing but Covergirl but several years ago I switched to Clinique.  Clinique is expensive and I'd happily switch back for the right product, but I also hate spending money to try new products.  So, this opportunity to try it for free is right up my alley.  However, had I known what I just learned I might have already tried it.  They offer a "Love it or 2x your money back!" guarantee.  If you don't love this new foundation just send it back with your receipt and they will send you 2x what you paid for it!

Upon taking a look at these new products the one thing that stands out to me the most is that both products contain SPF, the foundation is SPF 10 and the lip balm is SPF 15.  This is an awesome addition.

I'll be giving both of these products a try and reporting back to you what I think of them.  In the meantime, they also sent me 5 coupons for $2 Off Covergirl NatureLuxe Silk Foundation.  If you'd like one of these coupons, just comment below with what foundation you currently use and include your email address.  I'll contact you to get your address and send you the coupon!

Graduation Gift Ideas

In my post about Economical Graduation Gift Ideas, I mentioned planning ahead and using Swagbucks to earn Amazon gift cards which could then be used to buy any number of great gifts for your grad.  I thought I'd take that a step further and share with you some gift ideas from Amazon.com that your grad might appreciate.

$25 Or Less

• Restaurant Gift Cards
• Books On Writing Resumes & Cover Letters
• Hamilton Beach 48274 Brew Station 6-Cup Coffeemaker, Black
• The Healthy College Cookbook
• Where's Mom Now That I Need Her?: Surviving Away from Home
• Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen Cookbook: 100 + Great Recipes with Foolproof Instructions
• Italian MosaicTM Design Genuine Leather Briefcase
• Southworth Fine Business Paper, 25% Cotton, 20 lb, White, 500 Sheets (403C)

$50 Or Less

• Apollo Precision Tools DT9411 79-Piece Tool Kit
• Black & Decker TRO480BS Toast-R-Oven 4-Slice Toaster Oven
• Olympia 30" Rollling Duffle
• Belkin TuneTalk Stereo for iPod (Ipod Microphone)
• Kingston Digital 8 GB USB 2.0 Hi-speed Datatraveler Flash Drive DT101G2/8GBZ, Red

$100 Or Less

• Emerson 1.8 Cu. Ft Compact Refrigerator
• Kenneth Cole Reaction Luggage A Brief History
• Sharp R-230KK 800-Watt 4/5-Cubic-Foot Compact Microwave, Black
  
• A Nice Watch
• Travelers Choice Luggage Rio Two Piece Expandable Carry-On Luggage Set
• Digital Camera
• Sony BDP-S370 Blu-ray Disc Player
  
• Canon PIXMA MP495 Wireless Inkjet Photo All-In-One (4499B026)

HOT DEAL! 5 Piece Luggage Set $90.71

There's a hot deal on Amazon.com right on a 5 piece American Airlines luggage set, regularly priced at over $270, currently on sale for $90.71.  This would make an awesome graduation gift, but you may want to act fast as you know how prices can go up in a heartbeat on Amazon.

American Airlines by Olympia Summerlin 5-Piece Travel Luggage Set

Economical Graduation Gift Ideas

With graduation just around the corner you may be thinking about how much you are going to have to spend on gifts, the good news is that you don't have to spend a lot to give a great graduation gift, and better yet it's not too late to start planning for next year's gifts and save even more.  Remembering back to when I graduated high school, the gifts that I still remember are the ones that I could really use, things like clothes, or luggage. Things that would help me as I headed off to college, or things with special meaning.  Cash is great but not only will the graduate not remember it later, it costs you more and it will likely be gone before it can do them any good.

Here are a few ideas to help you give big without spending big!

1. Dave Ramsey's Graduate Survival Guide - this is a new product from Dave Ramsey geared toward graduates and right now it has a promotional price of just $19.99.  The best thing about this gift is that it will not only save you some money but it will go a long way towards helping new graduates save money.  This new DVD discussion is hosted by Rachel Cruze (Dave Ramsey's daughter) and includes a reference book.  Topics include basics like balancing a check book, credit cards, part-time jobs, student loans and other practical advice about money.

2. Save Money On Gifts with Cash Back - If you purchase a gift for your grad online you can save some green by going through a cash back site like Ebates.  These sites allow you to shop on most websites, getting the same deals you would normally get but also getting a percentage of what you spend back in your pocket.  For instance, right now you can get 5% back when you shop at Brookstone through Ebates, 3.5% back at Things Remembered (think monogrammed) or 6% back from Barnes & Noble.

3. Discount Gift Cards - go through Ebates to purchase gift cards online and get the same % back, or get discount gift cards online through reseller sites like Plastic Jungle.  Even if your graduate isn't a reader, if they are planning to head off to college in the fall they will appreciate a gift card to Barnes & Noble (now one of the largest suppliers of college text books).  Just keep in mind that if you give a gift card as a gift, it may end up on Plastic Jungle, which works by providing those with unused / unwanted gift cards a way to sell them for cash, and also a place for others to buy them at a discount.

4. Plan Ahead - If your graduate isn't graduating this year, you have time to plan ahead.  Instead of spending actual money, you can always get their gift for free by signing up for Swagbucks and earning points for doing things you already do.  Then, you can trade those points in for actual items or Amazon gift cards that you can use to purchase their preferred gifts, without spending an actual penny. 

5. Get Creative - One of my favorite gift ideas for any special occasion is a creative idea that my mom passed along to me.  This works especially well if your grad is heading off to college or planning to move out on their own or travel over the summer.  Start with a large container that they can re-use often and easily.  If they are moving out on their own you might start with a hamper or nice kitchen or bathroom trash can. If they are heading off to college a nice laundry basket, backpack or small piece of luggage (these last two work great if they are planning to travel over the summer).  Fill the backpack or travel bag with travel size hygiene products.  Fill the laundry basket with laundry soap, & fabric softener or fill a backpack with notebooks and school supplies (or mix and match with a little of everything).

6. Use Your Stockpile - we all have a huge stockpile of drug store items, so either use the idea above or create a gift basket using some of your stockpile items.  They will especially appreciate these items if they are heading off to college (or traveling).

7. Magazine Subscriptions - Whether it's their favorite hobby or a magazine geared towards their chosen profession or college major, a magazine subscription is a gift that keeps giving (and reminding them of you) for at least a year.  This is another area where Ebates comes in handy, currently offering 26% cash back at Magazines.com (and often doubling to 50% cash back).

8. Personalized Coupon Book - Create your own IOU book of coupons that the graduate can redeem at a later date, include coupons for "batch of cookies", "care package of 4 items of their choice", "laundry service", and a "home cooked meal".  Whether they are heading off to college or out on their own, these are comfort items they will appreciate.

9. Ream of Resume Paper - If they are graduating from college, this is something that will come in handy for them as they head out into the world of job-hunting.

10. Netflix Subscription - A Netflix subscription allows them to get what they want when they want it, and you can choose how much of a gift you want to give, whether it's 1 month of online viewing for just $7.99 or a full year of streaming plus unlimited DVDs (1 out at a time) for $119.88.

Avoid gifts that are graduation themed. While they are cute at the moment, within 6 months they will be tossed aside and forgotten.

Free Sample of Woolite Dry Cleaners Secret

Send in your dry cleaner receipt and this form to get a free sample of Dry Cleaner Secret from Woolite.  Give it a try and see if you can save some money on your dry cleaning bill.

$5 Off $10 At Ulta!

Here's a sweet coupon for Ulta shoppers, click over to print a coupon for $5 off a $10 purchase at Ulta. There's also a code available for use online.

Interview With The Couponer: The Coupon Diva Desirea

We are starting a new series here on Dual Income Need Coupons/ Money Saving Mode of "Interview with the Couponer", where we will be interviewing different coupon users and asking them about their experiences.

To get us started, I'm interviewing Coupon Diva Desirae from My New Addiction Savings.  She will be featured on the April 27 episode of Extreme Couponing on TLC, so be sure to watch for that.


Julie: How / Why did you get started couponing?

Desirae: I started couponing about 4yrs ago when my husband just graduated from college, working 2 jobs & we just had a baby. We were living paycheck to paycheck, driving one car and had over $30,000 in student loans to pay. I couldn't stand living like that anymore so I looked into couponing and after that it was history...

Julie: What made you decide to participate on the Extreme Couponing show?

Desirae: Because I wanted to show families & mothers around the world that you don't have to live paycheck to paycheck. That you don't have to spend your last dime on food, and you don't have to worry about providing for your family. You don't have to be extreme like us but you can start somewhere.

Julie: How do you feel about all the controversy that has occurred recently about the show? Do you worry that it may affect how viewers view you?

Desirae: There is tons of controversy about the show. People believe we are the reason for everything [changes to coupon policy] that is going on right now. When really it's because of coupon fraud and people misusing coupons. If the show wasn't here they would blame it on something else. The thing people need to realize is that its TV. we don't shop like this daily, weekly or all the time. This was the film crew following us for 1 day to 1 store. We are trying to show you that you can save extreme. Stockpilers dont buy 500 mustards in 1 shopping trip it takes us weeks or years to get that much. But we are just showing you that you can save extreme & that it's possible. Also almost every single one of us on the show pre-ordered their [groceries]. It might look like shelves got cleared but really its our part cleared and then the store comes behind us to restock the stores stock!

Katie asks: Why buy and hoard things you get with coupons, especially if you are never going to use them? Why not donate?

Desirae: I dont consider it hoarding. Hoarding to me is living in filth, having no clue what you have, expired food & greedy, not donating. I donate everything. My neighbors, family and friends are welcomed to come over anytime to get what they need. I give to the great dane rescue, the pregnancy centers, and shelters. What I use I keep for myself & what I don't need I give away.

Just because they don't show the giving part on the show don't assume we don't donate

Abed asks: How do you have time to Coupon to that extreme, work, keep the house clean, and spend time with your family?

Desirae: I ask myself that often! I am a wife, mother, cook, housekeeper, photographer, extreme couponer, blogger, & about to be a college student. I just have to find time to balance everything.

Julie: Do you ever have moments where you wonder if all the effort is really worth it?

Desirae: Nope, because I know it's worth it. When I can feed my family on $150 a month I know its worth it. I will never ever ever pay full retail for anything. Even if i win the lottery i wouldn't stop :]

Julie: What do you hope comes from this show? Do you think the overall lasting effect will be positive or negative?

Desirae: We are always going to have those negative people that are either jealous, or don't have anything to do with their time. People aren't always going to agree with what I do. Instead of them creating negative all over they need to find time to create positive. Extreme couponing is like talking about abortion or Obama. Someone is always not going to agree with my actions or beliefs.

Julie: If you could give one piece of advice to new couponers, what would it be?

Desirae: To be organized & don’t get overwhelmed! Start off slow & don’t overdo yourself or you will get burnt out. Don’t try to be like me in the first week of couponing because it’s taken me a long time to get where I am! Stay organized so that you can stay focused & have more drive to coupon!

Thank you to Desirae for taking the time to answer our questions.  You can get to know Desirae better on her blog, Facebook and Youtube Channel.

Coupon Noob Strikes Again - $1.53 OOP at CVS

This week, I tried to plot out my own trip to CVS.  I looked at a few scenarios online, but they didn't quite work for me because it was things that we wouldn't have used.  So this week, I took a stab at making my own scenario.  One thing that I was disappointed about was I didn't get some of the coupons in my Red Plum that were talked about on other websites (The -$3/1 Nieva Body Wash Coupons in Red Plum).  I can only assume that they were region specific.  So I had to redo my scenario a couple of times.

On to the savings!


Transaction #1

(1) CoverGirl NatureLuxe Gloss Balm - $6
(1) CoverGirl Eye Shadow - $5.79
     Using -$2.50/2 CoverGirl product, PG 4/03
(1) Aquafresh Kids toothbrush - $1 
     Using $1/1  Aquafresh Kids Toothbrush RP  4/17

Total Before Coupons and tax-  $12.79
Total AFTER Coupons, $10 ECB from last week plus tax - $0.19!

The CoverGirl products were get $3 ECB WTB $10 worth of CoverGirl products, Limit 1


Transaction #2

(1) Edge Infused Shave Gel - $3.29
     Using .55/1 Edge Shave gel, SS 3/20
(2) Colgate Toothpaste 4.6 oz - 2 @ $1 Each
     Using (2) $0.75/1 Colgate Toothpaste SS 4/03 
(1) Easter Grass - $0.99


Total Before Coupons and tax - $6.28
Total AFTER Coupons, $3 ECB from transaction #1, $1 ECB from last week plus tax - $0.60 

On this order I got a $2.30 ECB for buying the Edge Shaving Gel and a $0.99 ECB for buying the  Easter grass.

Transaction #3
 
(1) Paas Classic Easter egg coloring kit - $1.99
(1) Clearance bag of Pepperidge Farm Milano Mint cookies (I had my daughter with me) - $0.85

Total before Coupons and tax - $2.84
Total AFTER Coupons, $2.30 ECB from Transaction #2 and tax - $0.74

Total OOP for all transactions -  $1.53 for $21.91 of merchandise!

Buying the Paas egg coloring kit, got me another $1.99 ECB.  So for Next week I have $1.99, $0.99 and $1 ECBs to start with.

New Publix Coupons

There are several new Publix coupons available here, including a $.55 off Yoplait Delights yogurt and $1/1 Fiber One bars, as well as a few other General Mills coupons.  These are Publix coupons so they can be stacked with manufacturer coupons for even more savings!

6 Free Items at VistaPrint for Easter

VistaPrint is always running some great promotion or another. If you need business cards, there is really no reason to pay full price for them as you can almost always get 250 of them for free with Vistaprint.

For Easter, they are also offering a free pen, tote bag, photo flip book and several other items. Just click here to see the current deals.

Amazon Has Coupons!

Did you know that Amazon has coupons? I had no idea until I saw a reference to them on another blog today, but they do! And sometimes those coupons mean really good deals.  You can check out Amazon's Coupon Page here to see what great offers are currently available.

Free Sample: Texas Pete Hot Sauce

Texas Pete invites you to "wake up your food" with two free samples of their new Chipotle Hot Sauce and Fiery Sweet Wing Sauce.  Just click here, then select the bottle (one request will get you both free samples)

How to Get the Sunday Coupon Inserts If Not In Your Sunday Paper

For some reason, not all areas get the Sunday Coupon Inserts as part of their Sunday paper. Evidently, there are different contracts each paper has with the insert providers, so your paper may only carry inserts from one or two or none of the three insert providers (SmartSource, Redplum, and Proctor & Gamble).  Not to worry, if you are one of the unlucky ones, there are other ways to get your inserts.

By Mail: In some areas these inserts are mailed out to your home instead of included in the Sunday paper.  Personally, I think this is a nice perk as it would save you a bit of money.  If you have a PO Box it's even better because you can often find extra copies that have been left behind by other box holders who don't want them.

If the inserts are not included in your Sunday paper and are not delivered to you automatically, you can sign up to have them delivered at the provider's websites.  To see if Redplum is included in your local newspaper and where to find it, click here.  You can also sign up to receive the RedPlum Mail Package here.

If your area does deliver the inserts via regular mail, you may want to stop by the post office the day after they are delivered to see if they have any extras.  You can also check around the PO box area for those left behind by others.

By a Different Paper: If you live near a larger city, you may want to pick up that paper instead of your local paper, as it's more likely to have more inserts.

Extra Sources: Some areas may have other local freebie papers that include copies of certain inserts.  For instance, in my area there is a small paper geared towards military and government contractors, called "The Redstone Rocket" which usually includes the weekly SmartSource insert. 

Ask Friends & Neighbors: If your area does include the coupon inserts but you don't want to pay for the paper, ask your friends and neighbors if you can have their inserts.  Most of them probably don't use them and would be happy to save them for you, rather than throwing them away.

Coupon Lingo

BOGO, $1/2, Blinkies...What does it all mean?   When you are reading here at Money Saving Mode/Dual Income Need Coupons or are other places online, you might see an acronym that you aren't familiar with.  This list is here to help you decipher the couponing lingo. 

$1/1, $1/2: One dollar off one item, one dollar off two items, etc.

2/$1, 3/$2: Two items for one dollar, three items for two dollars, etc.


B1G1: Buy one item get one item free
B2G1: Buy two items get one item free 
Blinkie – SmartSource machine with a red blinking light on it. Coupons from those machines are referred to as ‘Blinkies’
BOGO: Buy One, Get One

Catalina/CAT: Catalina coupon machines located at register, dispense long receipt-like coupons that may be used on a future purchase. Catalinas, refer to the coupons themselves which may be manufacturer or store coupons. Some Catalina coupons are advertised and some are generated based on consumer behavior.
Coupon: a note from a store or manufacturer that entitles shopper to a discount on specific product.  Coupons may be clipped form the newspaper, printed from the internet
or even downloaded to your store loyalty card.  
Couponing: [koo-pon-ing, Kyoo-] (v.) the practice of redeeming discount coupons in order to save money.
Couponer: [koo-pon-er, kyoo-] (n.) A person who collects and saves coupons to redeem them on products, such as groceries. 

DND: Do not double
Double Coupon - Value of the coupon can be doubled. For example, if you had a coupon for dog food for .50 cents off,  the coupon would be redeemed for $1.00 off or double of face value of the coupon. (Kroger Delta doubles up so $0.60!)
ECB: Extra Care Buck CVS pharmacy program; now renamed Extra Bucks.
E-Coupons: Electronic coupons may be downloaded onto your store loyalty card or cell phone. Download from your PC or go mobile and download to your loyalty card through your cell phone. Grocery coupons must be downloaded to your loyalty card and will be deducted automatically when you swipe your card at checkout. E-coupons may be downloaded to your cell-phone for other retail items such as movie rentals. Download a coupon using the mobile ap and show your discount code to your cashier.
Extra Bucks: CVS rewards program, formerly called ECBs. Extra Bucks print according to the store‟s weekly or monthly advertised deals. When you make a qualifying purchase, you receive the coordinating Extra Bucks value as advertised. Extra Bucks are similar to catalinas or register rewards, but they print directly onto the bottom of your receipt.
ETS: Excludes trial size
Exp.: Expires

Inserts: Coupons found in the Sunday paper
IP: Internet Printable coupons may be printed right from your home computer. Usually limited to 2 prints per computer, download quick and safe printing software to be able to print securely from home.
IVC: Instant Value Coupon. Walgreens store coupon, found in Walgreens Easy Saver Catalog and on in store tearpads. IVCs may be stacked with a manufacturer coupon.

 

MIR: Mail in Rebate, refers to rebates which must be submitted by mail. These are the traditional rebates that require you to mail in both your receipt and proof of purchase in the form of UPC barcodes. Manufacturer: The company who produces the brand items: Dove soap manufacturer, Pace Salsa manufacturer, etc.
MFR:  abbreviation for manufacturer
Manufacturer Coupon: A coupon created by the manufacturer, or by a marketing company on the manufacturer‟s behalf. Manufacturer offers a discount to shoppers in order to entice them to buy their product. When a coupon is redeemed the manufacturer reimburses the store for the entire value of the coupon, plus a handling fee, aprox $0.08.

OOP: Out-of-Pocket; refers to the amount of money you will pay a store to make your purchase. Does not include and after-purchase savings, coupons or rebates.
OYNO = On Your Next Order

Peelie: Adhesive manufacturer coupons found on products in the store. Peelies are often good on a wider selection of products than the one it is stuck to. Be sure to read the fine print on the peelie to discover if the coupon may be used on a smaller size or different variety of the same product, to allow you to maximize savings.
PG or P&G = Proctor & Gamble Insert
PSA: Prices starting at

Q: Abbreviation for coupon

Raincheck: A Rain Check is a written slip that you can request from a store when a sale item is out of stock. When the store restocks the item, after the sale period is over, a rain check entitles you to purchase for the previous sale price. Store may include an expiration date as well as a quantity limit on your rain check. Rain checks are usually issued at the customer service desk.
Rebate: A rebate is a refund of part or all of the amount paid. Rebates are sponsored by a store or a manufacturer. Either clip and mail UPC barcodes or enter receipt proof of purchase online, then wait for your rebate check in the mail.
RP:  Red Plum Insert
RR: Register Rewards. Walgreens drugstore rewards program, and version of the catalina coupon. Look for the same machines located at register, dispensing long receipt-like coupons that may be used on a future purchase.

SCR: Single Check Rebate, Rite Aid Drugstore monthly rebate program. Each month pick up your rebate booklet to see hundreds of dollars in possible rebate savings. Shop with coupons, save your receipts and enter quick information online. The SCR system stores all your rebates and totals them each month. Request your monthly check be mailed to you and cash it like any other check!
SS: Smart Source Insert
Stacking: Stacking may refer to using any two promotions together. When a coupon coincides with a promotion, we say “stack the coupon with the sale or promotion”.
Stacking Coupons: Stacking coupons refers to using both a store coupon and a manufacturer coupon on one product. Nearly all stores will allow you to “stack”. Only one manufacturer coupon may be used per item.
Stockpile (v.): to buy many items at a time in order to build your stockpile.
Stockpile (n.): a food storage or stash of food and non-food items.  Buy items when they‟re on sale and you have a coupon. Buy products before you need them and build up a stockpile of food and toiletries. When you run out of an item, shop from your stockpile.
Store Coupon: A coupon created by the store to entice you to buy a certain product at their store. Stores receive no reimbursement from store coupons. Store coupons may be found in the weekly ad, printed online or downloaded as e-coupons.
Store Loyalty Card: A free card which you present at checkout to receive additional savings. Fill out a short application to receive a loyalty card at your local grocer. If you don‟t want to carry the card, the cashier can look up your preferred card by entering your ten digit phone number.

Transaction: a transaction refers to your entire purchase, especially the payment you make for that purchase. If I buy 30 items and then pay the cashier, I just made one transaction.
Tear Pad: A pad of manufacturer coupons found near product on shopping aisles. Tear pad manufacturer coupons may be used at any store, not just the one where you found the coupon.

WAGS: Abbreviation for Walgreens Drugstore

UPC: Universal Product Code, barcode on the product

WYB - When You Buy 

YMMV - Your Mileage May Vary - This is often seen in a couponers post on a forum and it means that depending on your store's policies, the deal posted may or may not work.

Baby Steps Towards Making a Stockpile.

I read about a sweet deal on Free Starburst Easter Eggs from Walgreens over at Money Saving Mom and I had to go and see if I could make this deal work for me too!

I ended up doing this in 2 transactions since the scenario only talked about doing 2 eggs, but I had 2 printable coupons, and I didn't want to "do it wrong." 

I bought 2 Starburst Easter Candy Eggs for $0.75 each.  I then used a printable coupon for $0.50/2 Skittles/Starburst coupon.  I stacked it with the $0.50/1 Skittles/Starburst Easter coupon from the Walgreens coupon booklet that came off twice since I was buying 2.  My total OOP for this transaction was $0.11.  So I did it again.  Total for 4 Easter Candy eggs -  $0.22!!

I headed to Kroger next and scored another GREAT deal!  This week (our sale week is from Wednesday-Tuesday)  the Krogers in my area were running 2 great deals that I had gotten coupons for.  Suave Deodorant was $0.88 each and Birds Eye Steamfresh Vegetables were $1.00 each.

I ended up with 9 bags of Birds Eye Steamfresh Vegetables and 10 Suave Deodorants for #6.98 OOP!

One thing I did was to confirm what my local Kroger's coupon policy was.  (Kroger Delta Region Coupon Policy, link from My Memphis Mommy)  They did confirm that I could only use "up to Eight (8) coupons will be "Doubled" per Identical or "like" item per shopping visit. Any additional manufacturer coupons for that "like" item will be redeemed at face value."  I had 10 coupons for the deodorant, so I knew that I would be doing 2 transactions.


Transaction #1 

(2) Suave Deodorant @ $0.88 each
Used (2) - $0.50/1 Suave Deodorant Product, exp. 4-17-11 (RP 03/20/11) (My Kroger doubles!)
Total for transaction #1 - $0.07


Transaction #2

(8) Suave Deodorant @$0.88 each
Used (8) - $0.50/1 Suave Deodorant Product, (RP 03/20/11) (exp. 4-17-11)
(9) Bags of Birds Eye Steamfresh Vegetables @ $1.00 each
Used  (3) -$1/3 Birdseye Steamfresh (RP 3/6/2011)  (exp 4/30/2011)
Total for Transaction #2 - $6.91

Little by little, I'm starting to develop a stockpile of things that my family uses.  I might have to make more room if I keep getting these deals!