Friday, January 29, 2010

Peet's Coffee & Tea: BOGO


Now through February 3rd you can get a Free beverage when you buy one for a friend at Peet's Coffee and Tea!

Print your BOGO coupon HERE! For locations go HERE.

HOT Free Sample: Pampers Cruisers

Hurry over HERE now to sign up for your free 3 pack of Pampers Cruisers DRY-MAX diapers! When you receive your sample pack if your diapers are printed in an Olympics theme, you win free diapers for a year! How Fabule$$ would that be?! While you are there you can also sign up for some great Tide, Iams and Olay coupons as well!

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Fabule$$ Couponer's Resources

I just wanted give you a couple of links that have GREATLY helped me in learning more about pricing and using coupons over the last few months and have increased my savings as well!

One of the best resources I have come across is Frugal Chic Living's Costco Price List. I can't tell you how many times I have found items on sale at the store and thought, "Is this a good deal, or not?" I highly recommend printing of this handy-dandy little spreadsheet and keeping it in your coupon organizer, that way if you come across a great deal you can cross-check to make sure you are getting the best price possible! I consider a sale price a "good deal" when it ends up being cheaper than Costco. For example: Kirkland Signature toilet paper is 17.99 for 36 rolls, that ends up being .49/roll before tax. If I can use a coupon and a sale to get toilet paper (most of the time good name brands) for less than .40 per roll I consider it a good deal. Last week at Fred Meyer I was able to stock up on Cottonelle toilet paper for $.33/roll, way better than the Costco price! A huge thanks to Frugal Chic Living for taking the time to put this together for all of us!

Another Fabule$$ resource is The Krazy Coupon Lady's Printable Coupon Database! This website has a link for just about every printable coupon currently available on the internet. If I have an item on my list that I don't have a coupon for I go check out this list before leaving for the store to see if there is a printable coupon available for that product somewhere out there!

Along the same lines, Deal Seeking Mom has a wonderful Coupon Database. This is a listing of EVERY coupon out there whether printable, from a coupon insert or a magazine! If you are trying to gather coupons for a sale, check out this source to get as many coupons for that product as you can. Just do a search on the database for the brand name you are looking for and it will pop up with all the coupons available for that brand. It's awesome!

I hope this list of helpful resources helps you out as much as they have helped me!

Another Facebook Freebie!

Just this month alone from facebook freebies I have received free creamer, free Airborne (2 bottles!), free pita chips and will be getting free cookies! Facebook is a hot spot for companies giving stuff away and today is no exception!

TODAY ONLY - While Supplies Last - Become a fan of Babies R Us on Facebook and sign up for your free $5 e-gift card!

Go HERE to become a fan, must have a Facebook account to get in on the deal. If you don't have a Facebook account yet, I suggest you get one, just to become fans of companies and get in on all the freebie action!

Thanks for the heads up Money Saving Mom!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Fabule$$ Free Samples!

I love receiving free samples and coupons in the mail! It makes mail time one of my favorite and my daughter's favorite times of day. She gets in her wagon and we walk down the block to get the mail. This is also a great way to try new products that you are interested in or otherwise wouldn't buy. Plus samples usually come with high value coupons! I am actually going to be posting a list of all the free stuff that came in my mailbox this month early next week! Let me tell you, there is a LOT of stuff that came, you will see the photos to prove it!

Sign up at the sites below to get some great samples sent to your mailbox!

Free Sample of Cream of Wheat - You can choose your flavor!

Free Kashi Samples - Choose 1 of 3, while you are there sign up to join their online community, it's worth it for the great free samples and coupons!

Free Sample of Playtex Gentle Glide Tampons

Receive $5 worth of coupons in the mail over 5 weeks for Multi-Grain Cheerios

Thanks to the bloggers from which I found these samples! (Money Saving Mom, Stretching a Buck and Deal Seeking Mom)

Want some FREE Quaker Oatmeal? I Do!

There is a Fabule$$ Quaker Oats promotion going on at Albertsons this week, it is HOT HOT HOT!! My suggestion is that you access as many computers as possible to print coupons, call your friends and family to get these coupons!

Ok so here is the deal: Buy 5, Get All Items for $1 and there is no limit of items per transaction! Basically buy as much as you want, but make sure it's in increments of 5 so you can get every item for $1 (or less or free because you will have coupons!)

Here are the items that qualify:
Quaker Cap’n Crunch $1.00
Life Cereal $1.00
Oatmeal Squares Cereal $1.00
Quaker Chewy Granola Bars $1.00
Quaker Dipps $1.00
Quaker Pancake Mix $1.00
Aunt Jemima Pancake Mix $1.00
Quaker Breakfast Cookies $1.00
Quaker Instant Oatmeal $1.00

Buy 5, Get Items for $1.40
Quaker Oats (big tube)
Aunt Jemima Syrup
(Must by these two items in seperate incraments of 5 to get them for $1.40 each.)

Here are some printable coupons you should be able to use:
$1.00 off 1 Instant Oatmeal or Old Fashioned Oats (For some reason, I can only print 1 per computer, bummer)
$1.00 off 1 Instant Oatmeal or Oats - Must "Create Your Day" to get the coupon.
$1.00 off 2 True Delights or Fiber & Omega 3 Chewy Granola Bars - Not sure if these work for the promo, fingers crossed!

Deal Scenario:
Buy 5 Boxes of Quaker Instant Oatmeal - $5.00
Use 5 - $1 off coupons
Final Price: 5 Boxes for FREE!!!!!

If you have exhausted all of your computers, you can try buying the coupons on eBay. Make sure you contact the seller before buying to make sure they will reach you in time. I suggest the "Buy It Now" option as well so you don't have to wait for the end of an auction.

Also - There should be DOUBLERS in the Sunday Paper!! This means that if you have any $1.00 off 2 coupons you can use a doubler to get both items free! This is a perfect time to stock up on oatmeal for the next few months or even the year if your store isn't cleaned out by the time you get there on Sunday to use the doublers!

To see the other Fabule$$ Albertsons Coupon Match-Ups (NW States), Check out The Krazy Coupon Lady!

Win Free Food From Qdoba!

As most of you probably already know, Qdoba Mexican Grill is probably my favorite restaurant! My friend and I eat there at least once a week for lunch and my 2 year old daughter knows how to say "Doba Day!" Go play the Craft Your Life MASH game and see if you win free food! You can play once a day, I played yesterday and didn't win, but today I won a free drink!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

When Good Deals Don't Work Out - Bummer!

Have you ever gone to a store specifically to stock up on a few things for a promotion only to get to the register with your coupons, pay and then have it not work out? Doesn't it just ruin your day?!

Well that happened with me today! I went to Fred Meyer to pick up my Kraft Cheese for the buy 5, save $5 Catalina promotion that ends today. Well after the cashier forgot to scan and then lost one of my coupons and I had to stand there going back and forth with her for several minutes about the location of my extra $1 off coupon; I finally paid and my $5 catalina did not print. Maybe the promo ended early or maybe the cashier didn't scan something right, I am not sure, but I was seriously bummed! I would have just turned around and went to customer service to return the cheese, but I was in a hurry and I ended up paying under $1 per bag for the cheese which is technically my stock up price anyway. I do plan on calling Catalina (1-888-8COUPON) today to see if they can mail me my $5 Catalina as I have heard they do that occaisionally.

I just wanted to post this story for you all to let you know sometimes deals don't work out; seems to be a lot for me lately, but it's not the end of the world. Another deal scenario will work out soon and then I'll be happy!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Updated! Oreo Facebook Freebie TODAY!

**UPDATED**

The free Oreos are LIVE now! Hurry and get your's before they are gone!

If you have a Facebook account, go HERE and become a fan of Oreo Cookies tonight. Tomorrow Oreo will be giving away up to 150,000 packages of Oreo cookies between 3pm EST and 11:59pm EST (12pm PST-9pm PST).

Fabule$$ Printable Coupon: Kraft Natural Cheese!

Hurry and go to Coupons.com now to print off 2 of this HOT coupon!

$1.00 off 2 Kraft Natural or Cracker Barrel Cheese

You can use these coupons in conjunction with the Kraft Catalina promotion going on through tomorrow (1/24) at most major supermarkets; Fred Meyer, Safeway, Albertsons, Kroger. Buy any 5 Kraft cheese products in one transaction and receive a $5 Catalina for your next purchase.
Head over to The Krazy Coupon Lady's post HERE with a couple of good scenarios for this promo!

**UPDATE!**


Tomorrow Only at Fred Meyer! Use Fred Meyer's in-ad coupon to get the Kraft Shredded cheese for $1.25 per bag for your first 8 bags.


Scenario:
Buy 5 Bags: $6.25
Use 2 $1.00/2 Printables above
Final Price: $4.25, Receive $5 Catalina coupon for your next purchase!


That is like getting PAID $.75 to take home 5 bags of cheese!


You can also roll this Catalina to another transaction. You will need another computer to print 2 more $1.00 off coupons. Buy 5 more bags of cheese and an additional $.75 worth of filler items, pay for your transaction with the $5 Catalina and your total out of pocket will be $0.00. You will also receive another $5 Catalina! Basically you will pay $4.75 out of pocket for 10 bags of cheese and have $5 off your next trip to Fred Meyer, FABULE$$!!

Too much cheese for you to handle? Did you know you can freeze cheese for up to 3 months? I just found that out a couple of months ago, now I can stock up with confidence!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Fabule$$ Free Sample: Barney Butter

Ever wanted to try almond butter? Well here is your chance! Barney Butter is giving away a free samples when you sign up HERE.

Thanks go to The Clean Eating Mama!

Safeway: CHEAP! Annie's Organic Mac and Cheese

Safeway actually has a lot of Fabule$$ deals this week!

Annie's Organic Macaroni and Cheese - $.99/box
Use $.50 off 1 Printable
Final Price: $.49/box!
If your Safeway doubles coupons these will be FREE, LUCKY YOU! I wish the Seattle area stores would double, but alas, I will have to settle for $.49/box.

This is a GREAT stock up price! At Costco you can buy a case of 15 boxes for just under $1 per box and at the grocery store the base price is usually over $2/box. So definitely print these coupons from as many computers as you can and stock up! I used to use Kraft, but I have to say, this brand has become a staple in my household now that we are eating primarily organic foods and I have a 2 year old who loves "MacCheese"!

Philadelphia Cream Cheese – $1.99
Buy 5, receive a $5 Catalina for your next purchase
Final Price: $4.95 for 5 when factoring in Catalina
This deal works for a lot of other Kraft cheese products as well. If you have any coupons this deal is even better!

Sargento Shredded or Natural Cheese – $1.49 with Super Coupon in weekly ad. Minimum $10 purchase BEFORE coupons to be able to use.
Stack with $.55/1 Sargento coupon (Dec All You Magazine)
Final Price: $.94

Buy 4, Save $4 Instantly Promotion
There is a HOT money-maker scenario for this promo HERE for buying Quaker Oats and Betty Crocker fruit snacks, thanks Krazy Coupon Ladies!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Fabule$$ Printable Coupon: $1.50 off Ziploc

Are you a member of Right At Home? It is a great e-newsletter to be a part of; they often have great samples, giveaways and coupons available to their members including a great coupon they issued today!

Sign up to be a member for FREE and print 2 copies of this high value Ziploc coupon!

Another great e-newsletter to sign up for is Betty Crocker. Sign up HERE today and then request your free $10 coupon book to be mailed to your home!

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Fabule$$ Target Deals: Week of 1/17 to 1/23


Here are a couple of great deals going on at Target this week:

Method Hand Soap - $2.49
Use this $2.00 off 1 Printable
Final Price: $.49!

Nivea Body Wash, 16.9 oz. - $2.99
Use $2 off 1 coupon from 1/3 RP Insert
Stack with:
$1 off Nivea Target Printable
Final Price: FREE!

Band-aids Travel Pack – $.97-1.07
Use $1/1 in 1/3 Red Plum insert
Final Price = FREE to $.07

Gift Card Deal

Receive $5 Target gift card when you purchase any 2 of the following:

Iams Large Breed Dog Food (40 lb) – $34.49
Swiffer WetJet Starter Kit – $18.99
Puffs Tissues (8 pk 60 ct cube or 6 pk 132 ct soft & strong) – $8.99
Cheer Liquid Laundry Detergent (150 oz) – $14.99
Luvs Diapers (big pack) – $16.99
Bounty Basic Paper Towels (12 pk big roll = 16 reg rolls) – $10.99

Krispy Kreme - Valentine's Doughnuts!

Here is a very tasty promo going on at Krispy Kreme right now: buy a dozen doughnuts and receive 12 Valentines cards with a coupon for a free doughnut on them! Go HERE for a list of participating restaurants!

Thanks Money Saving Mom!

Fabule$$ Freebie! Uni-Ball Super Ink Pen

Every day starting at 10 am PST /1 pm EST Uni-Ball is giving away a FREE Super Ink pen to the first 10,000 people who sign up. Looks like they are gone already for today, but check back tomorrow morning to see if you can get one!

Go HERE tomorrow morning to sign up!

Thanks Thrifty NW Mom!

Monday, January 18, 2010

The Coupner's Burnout!

Happy Monday!
Man, I feel so behind these days! January is almost over already and I feel like it only just began, how is that possible? I am currently experiencing what a lot of frugalistas refer to as "The Couponing Burnout!"

So many great deals, so little time, and no motivation! I have had a lot going on in my personal life these past two months that I honestly have not had much time for couponing and deal searching. However, the good news is, things are finally going to even out for a bit, I hope! We have no plans to take off out of town for a few weeks so I am hoping that this stretch at home will motivate me to get back into coupon-mode and start saving the big bucks again.

Have I gone back to paying retail? No! I just haven't had time to work on a stockpile so I have had a few times where we needed to pay higher prices for items because we ran out. Couponing is great, but really only when you take full advantage of the benefits. If I can use coupons and sales to stock up on an item that is extremely below retail price (or free!) on a couple of items that is awesome. But what happens when I run out of those items and I need them as an ingredient in my Weekly Dinner Challenge this week?! I have to pay higher or (gasp!) even full retail for it and it feels aweful. I usually try and build a "stockpile" for items that we use a lot in our household. Especially things like toilet paper, cheese, etc, etc... If I can get an item that normally costs $2.50 retail for $.25, I should buy enough to last for a few months so next time I need it, I can just run to my little shopping center in my pantry and grab it vs. sending my husband on a last minute store run.

So... am I getting back into it? Yes! My goal this year is to save as much as possible on our household expenses including groceries and also to learn more about ways to save, so I am going to go through my little couponing system tonight and re-vamp it to make my life a little easier at the store this week. Also, I am going to catch up on all of my Deal-Finding blogs to find the best store deals and really try to save big these next couple of weeks while building my stockpile as well.

I will do my best to post more often as well. I love running this blog and the only reason I do it is so all of you can save big right along with me!

Have any of you experienced "The Burnout"? What did you do to pull yourself out of it?

Friday, January 15, 2010

75% Off Toy Clearance at Target??

**Update: Washington stores have the 75% off toys! There was not much left tonight, sure wish I would have gone this morning but I was able to get a few great deals! Plus I am covered for a couple of kid's birthdays and Christmas gifts for the coming year now!

Today might be a good day for a trip to Target. A few of my fellow bloggers are reporting HUGE savings on toys today. Here in WA state I have not verified anything but check out what Carrie at Money Saving Methods scored in Ohio today! I plan on going shortly to check it out and I'll post an update when I return!

Also, check out Stretching a Buck's post HERE to see the great coupon match-ups good through tomorrow.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

New Printable Coupon: $1 off ALL Detergent

Coupons.com has a couple of good coupons right now including $1.00 off any 50 oz or larger ALL Detergent. As always, you can print these coupons right from my blog in the widget in the right column, just scroll through and print! You should be able to print 2 of each coupon per computer.

There is a store coupon for ALL in the weekly Fred Meyer ad for $2.99, if the size measurements are correct you should be able to get a 2X Concentrated ALL for only $1.99! This is a great stock up price!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Weekly Dinner Challenge - Butternut Squash Risotto!

Good Evening Friends! Well it is time again for me to share with you my weekly adventures in the kitchen.

This week's challenge: Butternut Squash Risotto!

I have to say, after doing these challenges and others that I haven't blogged about, I am beginning to feel much more comfortable in my kitchen and cooking abilities. I used to think of myself a pretty good cook, but a lot of that cooking involved very simple recipes that didn't require much prep or concentration to make! Now that I am stepping outside my comfort zone and making more recipes from scratch, I am loving cooking more and more!

Ok onto the recipe! My neighbor and good friend, Emily, cooked this for our family for dinner one night a month or so ago and I have been wanting to try it out for myself ever since. I have never cooked squash or risotto before so this was definitely a challenging meal. This is another recipe from Allrecipes.com and I have once again modified it slightly to fit my family's needs and tastes.

First thing was first, I had to roast my butternut squash. I bought this little beauty at Trader Joe's a couple of weeks ago for only $1.50! I sliced it down the middle, scooped out all the seeds and goo, and placed both halves skin down in a pan with about 1/4 inch of water on the bottom. I brushed a thin layer of olive oil on the top of the "meaty" part and sprinkled with a little salt and pepper. Baked in the oven for 1 hour at 375 degrees. Once baked, the meat of the squash separates from the skin easily and since I was at the dentist getting my teeth cleaned my husband helped me out by mashing up the squash in a bowl. Overall I got about 2 1/2 cups of mashed squash.

You can find the original recipe HERE. This is how I modified it:

2 Tablespoons Butter

1/2 Onion - finely chopped

2 cups Arborio rice (Trader Joe's $2.99)

2 1/2 cups Mashed Butternut Squash

1/2 cup white wine (Thanks is due to my other neighbor, Trish, who luckily had some so I didn't have to make a last minute trip to the store!)

4 1/2 cups Organic, Free-Range Chicken Broth (Trader Joe's $1.98)

1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan Cheese (bought previously for another recipe, spent $4)

Salt and Pepper to taste, and a sprinkle of garlic salt!

I read a few of the recipe's reviews and a lot of people actually reduced the broth to only 3 cups to make it creamier. Some others just doubled the rice and squash amounts. I kind of did a little of both. I also only added 1/2 the squash in the beginning and the other 1/2 near the end.

What I learned: Risotto is complicated! You have to stir it from pretty much start to finish, but it also turned out very creamy and yummy!


It's pretty a pretty healthy, vegetarian meal that can be served as a side dish or a main dish in itelf, which is what we did tonight. We had it with a slice of fresh $.99 french bread from Safeway. Next time, I will probably serve it with a piece of grilled chicken or something. But let me tell you, I am still FULL! Only a small amount and I was stuffed!

How much did it cost? Overall this dinner cost us about $8 and we have a TON of leftovers, plenty for a second dinner or a few lunches. I think I might actually try and freeze it!

How did your kitchen adventures go this week? Any successes or failures? Leave a comment!

Fabule$$ Printable Coupon: $1 off StarKist Tuna

Just another reason why I love Vocalpoint! If you haven't signed up for this free site yet, go now! Here is a previous post I did about why I love Vocalpoint. (and HERE.) They randomly send out little freebies, samples and high value coupons to their members.

Today I got an email in my inbox with a printable coupon for $1.00 off StarKist Tuna!

If you are already a member, go HERE for your coupon! You can print 2 per computer.

You lucky ducks who live near a Kroger grocery store can get 2 packs for free this coming week as they are on sale for 2 for $1. I will hang on to mine for a couple of weeks to see if a 10 for $10 sale at a store near me comes up. I don't usually buy tuna but hey, if it's free, I'll buy it and make some Tuna Noodle Casserole!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Fred Meyer: 2 FREE La Victoria Salsas!


**Update: The La Victoria coupon is no longer available, sorry!

I had a great deal day at Fred Meyer today, sorry, I totally forgot to take a photo of all my loot when I got home before putting it all away! I found a few great items in the clearance bins in the grocery section that I was able to stack with coupons and paid only a few cents each. Note: ALWAYS look at the clearance section at the grocery store! You can still use coupons on these items!

The best deal I got today though was 2 free 16 oz jars of La Victoria salsa!

La Victoria is on sale this week for $2.oo each

Used $4 off 2 printable coupon from La Victoria, no longer available.

Final Price: ZERO, ZIP, ZILCH for 2 jars!

It get's better! In the Fred Meyer monthly savings booklets at the front of the store there is a coupon for $.50 off La Victoria, limit 2. If your cashier lets it go through* you will actually MAKE $1.00 profit! Make sure you have another item or two worth at least $1 as they will not pay you overage. *My cashier didn't let me use both coupons. It happens and free is still great but it's always worth a shot to see if you can save the extra dollar!

I have another $4 off 2 coupon as you can print 2 per computer, so I will be going back for 2 more jars before the end of the week!
Heading to Fred Meyer for salsa? Check out Frugal Chic Living's coupon match-ups HERE for the other Fabule$$ deals for this week!

PUR Pitcher Winner Announcement!

A big thanks to those Fabule$$ly Frugal Mom readers who entered the PUR Pitcher giveaway this past week! Random.org has selected the following number to be the winner of the giveaway!Rebecca - Congratulations! You should have received an email at the address you provided. Please respond within 24 hours or another winner will be selected. Thanks for "Tweeting" about the giveaway as well!

For those of you who didn't win, consider purchasing a PUR pitcher in the near future, remember, for every PUR product purchased, one week of clean drinking water is provided to a child in a developing country. Please check back here often for super savings and future giveaways!

Free Sample: Purex 3-in1 Laundry Sheets

Go HERE now to request your free 2-pack sample of Purex 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets!

Thanks The Good Deal Gal!

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Reminder: PUR Giveaway Ends Tomorrow!

Hi All!

Sorry I have been away again this weekend, this time on the Oregon Coast! We have been gone from home a lot lately with the holidays, but things should be settling back to normal soon... I hope anyway!

Just wanted to give a little reminder that the giveaway for the PUR Pitcher ends tomorrow (1/11) so get your entries in now!

Go HERE for details on entering the giveaway, good luck!

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Peet's Coffee & Tea: BOGO + Coupon!

YAY! Go HERE now to print a coupon good for a buy one, get one free beverage at Peet's Coffee & Tea from now til Jan. 18th. There are several locations in the Greater Seattle area, go HERE to see if there is a location near you!

ALSO, sign up HERE for your $2.00 off printable coupon good for Peet's at the grocery store! Should be able to print off 2 per computer.

I am excited about this one! I am a self-admitted coffee-snob so it is always nice when we can get Peet's and Starbucks grocery coupons! While we aren't going to Starbucks every morning for drinks like we used to, it is still more expensive for these two brands than other coffee brands out there, so it's nice to be able to save a little. Pair these with a sale and/or a store coupon and you've got yourself some super cheap and super good coffee!!

Thanks Cha Ching on a Shoestring!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Wordless Wednesday

Weekly Dinner Challenge - Eating from the Pantry!

We are heading to Oregon for our yearly family trip to Seaside tomorrow, so I actually haven't done any actual grocery shopping this week other than a few great deals I couldn't pass up and a little fresh produce. I have been inspired by my favorite blog, MoneySavingMom.com; she along with a lot of other bloggers are doing an Eating from the Pantry Challenge the whole month of January! I decided to go along this week but next week we need to go to the store; I am out of almost everything after the holidays!

I did a little research at AllRecipes.com and found THIS great looking recipe for meatballs using things I already had in my pantry! I have never made homemade meatballs before so I thought this would be a good challenge. I did vary from the online recipe, but they ended up turning out GREAT! (Sorry to those of you who don't like meat photos!)

My Variation:
- 1 lb Organic Ground Beef
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 1 Egg (Organic, Cage-free - $2.00 dzn at Fred Meyer this week)
- 1/4 Bread Crumbs, Italian style
- 1 Tbsp Garlic Salt
- 1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
- 1/2 cup finely chopped Fresh Spinach (Fresh Express Baby Spinach, $1 per bag at Fred Meyer this week.) Can't taste the spinach, 2 year old LOVED them!
- additional Italian seasoning and dried parsley
- I wanted to add some chopped onion but I was out and didn't have any dried either.

Pre-heat oven to 350. Mix together in a bowl and form into balls the size of golf balls; place on cookie sheet. (Tip: Line sheet with aluminum foil, will help with clean-up!) Bake meatballs for approx 30 min. Made about 18 Meatballs.

These taste great all by themselves along with a salad or steamed veggies. I cooked some No Yolk egg noodles and served the meatballs with brown gravy over the noodles along with some green beans on the side. (Sorry forgot to take a meal photo!)

Since I was on a roll with the whole pantry idea, I decided to use up the last of my organic pumpkin puree from Trader Joe's and make a loaf of Pumpkin Pie Bread to take with us for breakfasts down in Seaside this weekend! Yummy!

Walgreens: My Moneymaker Trip!

Just made a quick run to Walgreens and I wanted to share with you how I actually just made $3.41 by purchasing the above items!

Finish Electrasol Tabs - On sale for $3.49 each
Glade 2 oz. Soy Candles - On sale for $2.50 each

My Purchase:
2 boxes of Finish Tabs (25 loads per box)
4 Soy Candles
Sub-Total: 16.98 + sales tax
Used 2 $2.50 off 1 coupons for Finish from 1/3 Smart Source insert
Used 2 $3.00 off 2 coupons for Glade Printable
Total Paid OOP: $7.59
Received $6.00 in Register Rewards* ($1 for buying 1 Finish and $5 for buying 4 candles.)
Eligible for $5 cash rebate from SC Johnson - HERE
After the Register Rewards and Rebate, I will have actually been paid $3.49!!

I am planning on going back to Walgreens tomorrow to roll my register rewards on 2 bottles of Children's Tylenol.

Scenario:
Buy 2 Childrens Tylenol - $4.99 each
use $3.00 off 2 coupon from 1/3 Red Plum
$1 off from the Wags Childrens Activity Book (register will take off $2)
Final OOP: $4.98 + tax
Receive another Register Reward for $3 for buying 2 bottles; that is like paying only $1.98 for both!

There are a few other great freebies and great deals at Walgreens through Saturday, go check out Frugal Living NW's posts HERE to see some other ideas!

*Register Rewards are coupons that print out at the register after you pay and are basically coupons for money off your next Walgreens purchase, like a Catalina coupon at the grocery store.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Yummy Freebie! Gourmet Caramel Apple Sample


Go HERE to request your free sample of Ivan Mog's Gourmet Caramel Apples! You get to pick the topping and it should arrive within 6 weeks!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Keep Track in 2010!

As an update to my last post, I want to keep better track this year of my savings and earnings. Here is a great Excel template to do that with!

Go HERE to download your FREE 2010 Savings Tracker!

Thanks to The Coupon Project!

2009 Year in Review and Goals for the Future

I wanted to take a minute and do a post about my last year and my goals for 2010. I am not really one for New Year's Resolutions, but I do believe in having attainable goals and I would like to share with you my blogging goals for this coming year.

Let's start with 2009. I became acquainted with the saving and couponing world relatively early in the year when I started reading a couple of money-saving blogs. By May-July I was using lots of coupons and noticing a huge savings at the grocery store. I was also beginning to use the internet to earn money and by August I decided it was time to write about my experiences and share what I was doing with the world. Hence, The Fabule$$ly Frugal Mom blog was born!

One thing I wish I would have done but didn't was keep track of exactly how much I saved in 2009 using coupons and sales, alas, I don't have even a hint of an idea of what that number was, but I know that it was substantial! I did however, keep track of what I earned through various outlets on the internet. I did this not only for my own tracking purposes but for tax purposes as well!

2009 Internet Earnings:

Online Survey Companies: $240.30
This total only includes the money I have physically received. There are several accounts that I have money in but have not earned enough to cash out yet. I know that there is at least another $50 in survey money ready to be redeemed! I have also gotten to test at least 10 different new products and gotten paid to do it! Learn more about how I make money taking online surveys HERE.

Swagbucks: $95 worth of gift cards to Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble and Starbucks.
To sign up for SwagBucks and start earning points today, go HERE.

Magazines.com: $20
I have earned this money only for being a subscriber of their e-newsletters. To learn more, read my post HERE.

Prescription Transfers: $90
Did you know that pharmacies often issue coupons for free gift cards when you transfer a prescription to their store? I have a prescription that I fill monthly, and since May I have taken this same prescription to at least 5 different pharmacies and received gift cards! For example, Rite Aid often has coupons for a free $25 gift card for a transfer, my co-pay is only $5 so I just earned $20!

Blog/Affiliates: $100 + Free Products
By starting this blog and adding ads to my sidebar and a couple of other affiliates I have already earned a little money. One of my goals for 2010 is to increase this earning through affiliates. If you have a passion about ANYTHING, consider starting a blog and writing about your passion!

Ebay/Etsy: Approx. $1,000
I have been a crafty kinda gal since I can remember. If you make something, consider opening an Etsy store. This is an outlet for crafters to sell their wares online for only a small fee. It is also a great outlet for meeting other artists locally. I also do a little re-selling on eBay as a hobby and it has been somewhat lucrative this year!

My internet workings are by no means a stable source of income, however, this extra money this year has helped us out greatly! Add this up with my store savings and we are sitting at about $3,000 saved and earned! In September Naomi and I started working part time at a daycare and that has gained us a little income as well. It feels good to be able to help out a little with the household expenses, even though it isn't much!

My 2010 Blog Goals!

I have to say, I am having a great time writing my little blog! I don't have a huge amount of readers yet, however, one of my goals for 2010 is to increase that number.

Here are a few others:

- Do a monthly savings/earnings post which will include what I am saving at the grocery store using coupons and also what I am earning.
- Do a monthly "What Came for Free in My Mailbox" post with a photo and list of all the free stuff I received the past month.
- Re-Start "The Weekly Dinner Challenge" posts!
- Streamline my blog and get a new look!
- Write a few more How-To posts to help people who are new to the world of super-saving.
- Do more reviews and giveaways, hopefully one a month at least.

I would love to hear any suggestions you may have for making this blog a better place or anything you would like to see more of in 2010! I would love to have a Q&A section as well, so if you have any questions about the things I write about, please feel free to comment or email me at FabulesslyFrugalMom@hotmail.com!

As always, thanks for reading and I hope you continue to come back often!

Christmas Clearance at Target: 90% Off!

Thanks to my friend Michelle for letting me know that Target has marked down all Christmas merchandise down to 90% off today!
I just bought a bunch of cute ornaments, a floor mat and a couple gift sets for next Christmas last night at 75% off, wishing now that I would have waited one day!

This is a great time to stock up on gift wrap, tags, bows, decorations, you name it for next year as it is such a great price!

Fabule$$ Photo Deals!

I am currently in need of prints, lots of prints after the holidays! Luckily there are quite a few great photo printing deals out right now!


- Get 50 4x6 prints for 50 pennies at Snapfish.com. Just enter the code: NEWYEAR50 at checkout. Good through Jan. 7th. Thanks Rebecca!

- Get a FREE 16x20 photo calendar from Shutterfly and Target, just pay for shipping. Enter code: FREECALENDAR before Jan. 17th.

- 50 Free prints from Kodak for new members. Just pay 1.99 shipping. Thanks Cha Ching on a Shoestring!

- Get 100 free prints at SeeHere.com for new members, just enter PRINTS at checkout. Shipping not included.

Free Sample: Barbara's Organic Cereal

Go HERE to request your free sample of organic cereal from Barbara's Bakery. Be sure you answer all the questions or it will error and not submit.

Thanks Money Saving Mom!

New GIVEAWAY! PUR Water Pitcher


**Update: This giveaway has now ended. Please view the winner announcement HERE!**

Did you know, 4,000 children in developing countries die every day from illness and disease related to unsafe drinking water? PUR along with its not-for-profit partner, the Children’s Safe Drinking Water Program, is committed to alleviating this global crisis by providing clean drinking water to those in need.

How can you help? For every PUR water filtration system you purchase, one week of clean drinking water is provided to a child in a developing community by the Children's Safe Drinking Water Program. So far, over 1.8 billion liters of water has been distributed world-wide.

This January, PUR is partnering with "Summit on the Summit", a celebrity climb of Mt. Kilaminjaro to benefit clean water efforts. Read more HERE.

In celebration of this great event, PUR is giving away a PUR Pitcher to one lucky Fabule$$ly Frugal Mom reader!

Using a PUR water filter will remove many of the common contaminants found in drinking water. Including: 94% of atrazine, 98% of lead and other metals, 99.9% of microbial cysts and 96-99% of pharmaceuticals. Plus by switching, you will be helping the environment and your finances by saving about $600 a year in bottled water costs and over 3,000 plastic bottles!

Here is how to win: Earn up to 5 entries!

1st entry is mandatory and simple : Leave a comment with your email address and tell me you want to win!

For all other entries, please be sure you leave a separate comment each time and your email address as well so I can reach you if you win.

- Subscribe to my blog via the reader of your choice or leave a comment letting me know you are already a follower.

- Follow me on Twitter HERE!

- Tweet about this giveaway with a link back to this post in your tweet.

- Blog about this giveaway on your own blog and leave a link to your post in a comment.

Comments will close at 2:00 PM PST on Monday, January 11th. All entries received after that time will not be counted. The winner will be emailed and announced here on the blog that afternoon and will have 24 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.

Good Luck!

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Don't Forget Your Sunday Paper!

Just a quick reminder, if you don't have a subscription to the Sunday paper you should run out an buy one or two copies today. There are up to 5 coupon inserts in each paper! I received 3 in the Seattle Times + 2 Red Plum's via my mailbox on Tuesday.

If you are new to couponing this is a great way to build up your stash. This week there were some really great coupons, including one for $2.50 off any 1 Finish (Electrasol) dishwasher detergent! At Target this week they are on sale for $3.49 and with that coupon it makes them only $.99!

I highly recommend subscribing to your local paper, if you don't read the paper on a daily basis, ask for a Sunday only subscription. That way you don't have to think about it when these great coupon weeks come along!

New $5 Magazines from Amazon.com

Amazon has a new set of magazine subscriptions on sale for only $5 from now until 1/9/10!

This sale is trending with a New Year's resolution theme - Health and Wellness!

- Eating Well

- Fitness

- Vegetarian Times

- Backpacker

- Yoga Journal


Go Here for the complete list!


Do you have any $5 Amazon gift cards from Swagbucks saved up? Now would be a great time to get a subscription or two for free! New to using Swagbucks? See my post HERE to learn how to start earning!

Thanks Cha Ching on A Shoestring!

Saturday, January 2, 2010

Finally Home!

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the holidays and are relaxing for the weekend before jumping back into work!

My family and I just returned home tonight. We weren't supposed to come home until tomorrow but since we have been gone so long and were so busy, we decided a day at home before work would be great! So we loaded our car up and came back over the mountains.

Deals look like they are going to be great over the next few days so I am going to do a lot of posts tomorrow to let you know about where to get the best stuff this coming week! Definitely go pick up a Sunday paper in the morning, or even two, there will be up to 5 coupon inserts per paper plus a sheet of Albertsons doubler coupons, woohoo!

Have a good evening and check back tomorrow for a tidal wave of posts!

How is 2010 so far for you?! Leave a comment!