I found the 24oz version of this bottle on Price Cut at Target a few weeks ago (for $6.99) and I'm loving it. My drink of choice is water and before I found this bottle I tried several different reusable water bottles, and always ended up just buying my water. I'd buy a liter size bottle of water and then just refill it for a week or so and then throw it away. I knew this wasn't the greatest idea for so many reasons but I couldn't find a bottle I liked. I don't like the ones that use straws, and I wanted something that I could easily close and I didn't want to spend a lot. The last one I bought prior to this one ended up leaking on me after the first use.
This is a great bottle, it doesn't leak, it's impossible to spill your water on accident and it's easy to fill. The wide opening makes it easy to add ice cubes (if I so desire) and the volume markings make it easy for me to know just how much water I've drank. Oh, and it's dishwasher safe! So, I finally found a reusable water bottle that I can actually use!
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Last Call for $10 Amazon Toy GiveAway
This is the last call to enter for my $10 Amazon Toy Giveaway. Giveaway ends at midnight tonight, and I will choose and notify a winner tomorrow (Monday, Jan 3).
Saturday, January 1, 2011
It's January, so it's Time to Buy.....
Sheets, Bedding, Towels - it's a well-known fact that January is the time of White Sales... so that means Towels and Sheets at 50% or better.
Video Games - all the new stuff came out in time for the Christmas rush, so if you procrastinate (or just delay pleasure) you should be able to find some good deals starting right about now.
Winter Clothing & Coats - whether it's just the winter/fall collection or an actual coat, now is the time to buy it. There are always some good styles that never go out of style so you don't have to worry about them not being "in" when the weather cyles back around to be cold... then again, in most of the country you've still got at least a couple more months of cold weather to enjoy that new outfit or coat.
Boats/ Campers - not too many people get out and go camping or enjoy a day on the lake when it's 20 degrees outside, so you can guarantee you will find some good deals on the outdoor toys right about now (unless you are wanting a snow-mobile, in which case you may want to wait till July).
Christmas Decorations and Wrapping - if you can find any left, now is the time to buy them. Most stores start marking these items down the day after Christmas (at the latest), and many are cutting the prices as early as the first of December just to avoid having to deal with it after the holidays and to make sure they can get Easter out as early as possible.
Furniture - new models of furniture typically come out in February, so start hitting the stores in January when they are trying to clear space for the new stuff, and get last year's models cheap.
Video Games - all the new stuff came out in time for the Christmas rush, so if you procrastinate (or just delay pleasure) you should be able to find some good deals starting right about now.
Winter Clothing & Coats - whether it's just the winter/fall collection or an actual coat, now is the time to buy it. There are always some good styles that never go out of style so you don't have to worry about them not being "in" when the weather cyles back around to be cold... then again, in most of the country you've still got at least a couple more months of cold weather to enjoy that new outfit or coat.
Boats/ Campers - not too many people get out and go camping or enjoy a day on the lake when it's 20 degrees outside, so you can guarantee you will find some good deals on the outdoor toys right about now (unless you are wanting a snow-mobile, in which case you may want to wait till July).
Christmas Decorations and Wrapping - if you can find any left, now is the time to buy them. Most stores start marking these items down the day after Christmas (at the latest), and many are cutting the prices as early as the first of December just to avoid having to deal with it after the holidays and to make sure they can get Easter out as early as possible.
Furniture - new models of furniture typically come out in February, so start hitting the stores in January when they are trying to clear space for the new stuff, and get last year's models cheap.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Spending Goals For the New Year
As I head into my first full year of doing this Money Saving Mode thing, shopping sales and using coupons, I've decided to set a few goals for myself on spending. I would call them New Years Resolutions, but we all know what happens to those.
- Cut Grocery/Drugstore spending to $50/wk - this is an average amount. We use the envelope system so what remains from a previous budgeting period (2 weeks, for us) rolls over to the next period. I'd like to see this get cut even further as the year progresses (but for the start of the year, we'll be going down to $50/wk).
- Reduce OOP spending at drugstores to no more than $5/wk. This one is going to be tricky, but I know it's something I need to do and it will keep me from stockpiling too much of some things that we will probably never get around to using (like the never-ending supply of shampoo and conditioner we already have). I'll be recording these purchases here so you can help keep me honest.
4 Coupon Inserts This Sunday
The start of the new year and Sunday should be a very good day to pick up a newspaper. There are expected to be 4 coupon inserts this week. For details on which ones to expect, check out the Sunday Coupon Preview here
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Water Water Everywhere.... and plenty to drink (with coupons)
There are several great bottled water coupons out right now.... just like these companies on Facebook and they will each give you a $1/1 multi-pack of bottled water coupon
Rite AId Trip 12/30/10
I'm not usually one to be proud of a drugstore trip that costs me $30 OOP, but in this case I'm gonna be, because I got close to $90 worth of stuff for that $30.
I ended up doing transactions because I wanted to make sure the Gillette deodorant deal worked like I thought it would (and it did = $1 money maker)
Transaction 1
Used
$20 Gift of Savings Certificate
$1 Video Value coupon
$1 Video Value coupon
$4 Gillette Fusion coupon
BOGO Gillette deodorant
$2/1 Gillette deodorant
$1.50/1 Mucinex VV coupon
$1.50/1 Dayquil coupon
$10 +UPs rewards
Total OOP = $27.95 +tax Got back $12 +UPs
Transaction 2
2 Gillette deodorants on sale 2/$8
used BOGO Gillette deodorant
used $2/1 Gillette deodorant
=$2 OOP, Got back $3 +UP
So total $27.95 OOP, got back $15 in +UPs
Transaction 1
- Gillette Fusion ProGlide Razor on sale for 9.89
- 2 Gillette deodorants on sale for 2/$8
- Ferro Sequels Iron supplement $18.89 (after 10% shopping pass discount)
- Daquil Liquicaps on sale for $5
- Mucinex Max 28 ct on sale for $19.99
- 2 Rite Aid eye drops on sale for $3.49 BOGO
- 2 Natural Bounty supplements on sale for $7.69 BOGO
Used
$20 Gift of Savings Certificate
$1 Video Value coupon
$1 Video Value coupon
$4 Gillette Fusion coupon
BOGO Gillette deodorant
$2/1 Gillette deodorant
$1.50/1 Mucinex VV coupon
$1.50/1 Dayquil coupon
$10 +UPs rewards
Total OOP = $27.95 +tax Got back $12 +UPs
Transaction 2
2 Gillette deodorants on sale 2/$8
used BOGO Gillette deodorant
used $2/1 Gillette deodorant
=$2 OOP, Got back $3 +UP
So total $27.95 OOP, got back $15 in +UPs
Gillette Deodarant Money Maker @ Rite Aid
If you still have your Gillette coupons from the 11/28 Proctor & Gamble insert, you can make some money this week at Rite Aid (through Saturday).
Buy - 2 Gillette deodorants @ 2/$8
Use - BOGO Gillette deodorant coupon
Use - $2/1 Gillette deodorant coupon
= 2/$2 OOP
Get back $3 +UP
I had two sets of these coupons I was about to leave as a random act of kindness (since they expire on Saturday) before I realized the money making ability of this deal.
Publix Preview Week of 1/1
Passionate Penny Pincher has the Publix preview posted for the week starting Sunday 1/1 - 1/5. There are a few good deals but not too many great ones.
My favorite is the Al Fresco Chicken Sausage BOGO at $5.49, with 2 of the $2/1 printable coupons, you can grab two packs for $.74 each!
Check out the preview here.
My favorite is the Al Fresco Chicken Sausage BOGO at $5.49, with 2 of the $2/1 printable coupons, you can grab two packs for $.74 each!
Check out the preview here.
Book Review: Extraordinary, Ordinary People
Often, I pick up auto-biographical books only to put them down after a few chapters, or I find that I read them but slowly, trudging through them. That was not the case with "Extraordinary, Ordinary People" by Condoleezza Rice.
I have found Condoleezza Rice to be a very interesting person, while knowing little about her. Reading her book, I learned that we have a bit in common: she's from Alabama and she graduated from high school at a young age. I expected a book about someone who is known politically to be more about her political life. I think it was largely because this book was not about her as a political figure that I found it so interesting.
"Extraordinary, Ordinary People" is really about her family (which, of course, includes her). It begins with her parents stories, their parents, how they were raised and how they came to be married to each other. She details her childhood, growing up in segregated Birmingham, living through the race riots, bombings and generally what it felt like to her during this time. As well as, how it felt when things finally started changing. She shares her experiences both there and in Colorado where her parents moved when she was in high school.
As a child, Condeleezza planned to become a concert pianist, and it wasn't until her Junior year of college that she discovered foreign affairs and decided to pursue that route of study, leading her to become the figure we know her to be. Along the way, she wore many hats and accomplished many firsts. It would seem that she could accomplish anything she set out to do and often found doors opening that she never considered.
The book starts and ends with her parents lives. As a testmament to the fact that this book is not about politics, or Condoleezza has a political figure, the book ends with the death of her father, just weeks before she begins her job as National Security Adviser. I had hoped that it would go further, and share more of her story, not just during her time in the White House, but also what she has been doing since then.
*I received a free review copy of this book from ReaditForward.com
I have found Condoleezza Rice to be a very interesting person, while knowing little about her. Reading her book, I learned that we have a bit in common: she's from Alabama and she graduated from high school at a young age. I expected a book about someone who is known politically to be more about her political life. I think it was largely because this book was not about her as a political figure that I found it so interesting.
"Extraordinary, Ordinary People" is really about her family (which, of course, includes her). It begins with her parents stories, their parents, how they were raised and how they came to be married to each other. She details her childhood, growing up in segregated Birmingham, living through the race riots, bombings and generally what it felt like to her during this time. As well as, how it felt when things finally started changing. She shares her experiences both there and in Colorado where her parents moved when she was in high school.
As a child, Condeleezza planned to become a concert pianist, and it wasn't until her Junior year of college that she discovered foreign affairs and decided to pursue that route of study, leading her to become the figure we know her to be. Along the way, she wore many hats and accomplished many firsts. It would seem that she could accomplish anything she set out to do and often found doors opening that she never considered.
The book starts and ends with her parents lives. As a testmament to the fact that this book is not about politics, or Condoleezza has a political figure, the book ends with the death of her father, just weeks before she begins her job as National Security Adviser. I had hoped that it would go further, and share more of her story, not just during her time in the White House, but also what she has been doing since then.
*I received a free review copy of this book from ReaditForward.com
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