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Home > Archive: March, 2010

Archive for March, 2010

Birthday coupons and freebies, plus survey payments

March 25th, 2010 at 07:44 pm

Well, this morning was great. I went to Denny's for a free birthday breakfast. (Grand Slam).

I also received an email from Red Lobster for $5 off on my birthday dinner. Pretty nice and we will go there tonight.

Also, received a $3.00 survey payment in my paypal from a product that I tested. I also received a check from My Survey. Both of these will go into the $20 Challenge fund.

I also went to Walgreens which was almost side by side to the Denny's and bought 2 packages of bacon for $6.00. I had 1.50 off from a coupon and I also received a Wags reward for $1.00 toward a future purchase. Granddaughters are coming down soon and the oldest loves bacon.

All in all a good day.

March 25th, 2010 at 07:37 pm

Savings on Antibiotics

March 23rd, 2010 at 09:19 pm

We have a supermarket/pharmacy that gives you free antibiotics.

My husband's doc gave him some antibiotics and he needed more than the 30 that was prescribed. He made the remainder a refill so that the pharmacy would recognize it as the next refill of 30.

The pharmacy bill would have been $54.95 for 30 pills and that was for generic.I saved not paying $109.90. Our Dr knows that we have to pay for all of our meds and visits so he works with us.

If you're in the same situation of having to pay out of pocket costs; talk to your Dr and he will work with you. Ours have even given us coupons and instant rebates.
We have a super nice and understanding physician that understands our insurance situation.

Grocery savings last week

March 22nd, 2010 at 08:40 pm

I had really good savings this past week. I should have spent $129.91 and spent $50.97. I saved $78.94 which is a 60.8% savings.

Savings $53.92
Tax .33
Coupons 13.70
Free 3.99
Wags Rewards 7.00
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$78,94

When I put down free, I mean an actual coupon that would give you the item free without having to buy an identical product in order to receive it.

We had a grand opening which had alot of good sales. I also had a free movie from Red Box. Received a rebate check which I mentioned earlier.

Grand Opening for a Grocery Store

March 21st, 2010 at 03:21 am

I love grand openings for new stores. I'm usually not around when they open up because something usually occurs around that time to keep me from going.

But today, I made it. Love all of the grand opening sales and the food samplings.

There were very few parking spaces available. I'll write more later on my savings.

Received a Rebate on Friday

March 21st, 2010 at 03:12 am

I love it when I receive a rebate. I bought a Schick Quattro Razor from Walgreens and I submmitted a rebate for the amount of $8.99. I love these rebates because I use them at Xmas time for stocking stuffers for my adult children. They always appreciate razors.

Free Red box movie on St Patty's Day

March 17th, 2010 at 04:51 pm

You'll receive a promotiomal code when you go to Facebook and click on a tab called fan freebie. You will have to join to get the code.

I picked the movie up this morning. Happy St Patrick's Day to all.

Grocery Savings and Deposits

March 16th, 2010 at 01:12 pm

My savings for the week were: $43.08, saving 40.3%. These buys come not only from the grocery store but from stores like Walgreen, CVS, etc.

Savings $31.21
Tax saved .06
Manufacture Coupons 6.30
free 5.51
______
$43.08.

Free items were a large roll of bathroom tissue, Yoplait Greek yogurt, and a 12 oz size of Michael Angelo Lasagna.

I also made a deposit into my $20 challenge account for $8.00, Coupons had totaled $7.54. The .27 was from pennies from my change purse and my husband. I found .02. I also added .11 to round it up to $8.00. These amounts really add up over time.

Sunday was a no spend day

March 15th, 2010 at 10:28 pm

I stayed home yesterday. My hubby worked Saturday and Sunday. I got much accomplished. Sometimes, I wish that I would take some time out for myself. I think a lot of it is just habit for most women. This is one aspect of my life I'd like to start changing. I love to go outside and enjoy the sun and warm weather. Wish it would warm up soon.

Some people consider working around the garden as work, but I really enjoy it. and it's relaxing for me. I get a lot of pleasure our of seeing an area that I just weeded.

$20 challenge and refunds

March 14th, 2010 at 04:54 pm

On Thursday, I received $3.00 in my paypal account for a survey. It will go into the $20 challenge account.

On Friday, I checked online at my bank and saw that we received our 2009 tax refund. It is such a great service and convenience to have this money deposited into our account.

On Friday, I received a product from one of the survey companies to try and do a follow-up survey. I really enjoy receiving these products. I've discovered some really great products and some that I wasn't that happy with. I receive compensation after using and replying to the survey plus you get to keep the rest of the product. That money wlll also be added to my $20 savings challenge.

Coupons and how to find them

March 13th, 2010 at 01:09 am

I read on Jeffrey Strain's blog about ssving time by not clipping your coupons but insread of keeping your entire sales insert intact until you were ready to use the coupons.

I thought that was insane until I tried it. In the past, I would clip the coupons that I thought that I would use and would throw out the rest. I have found out that there were many coupons that came into the the different sales flyers that would have been been free had I kept them. I have thrown away alot of money.

What I do now is to put a date or dates on the top of the flyer when it comes to my newspaper or date that I received it in the mail. There were items that I would never have used but after going to other websites and seeing what would be free or minimal after purchase, I changed my mind.

There are particular brands that you know you will buy and you should just clip them.

My favorite website is www.southernsavers.com. I live in the SouthEast and it is a great resource. Even if you don't live there, you can still download the coupons according to your zip code. I find out free codes for movies, free deals for restaurants, grocers sales flyers, etc.

The next best website for me is HotCouponWorld. I go to the website, and go to a section that is called coupon data base. Click it. Type in the brand that you are looking for and it will list the different ways and lists that you can find the coupon.

If I can't find a coupon, I sometimes go to the manufacturer of the product that I'm looking for. Georgia Pacific makes Angel Soft Bathroom Tissue and Sparkle Paper Towels.

Bought a Topsy Turvy

March 11th, 2010 at 05:20 pm

For those of you who don't know what a Topsy Turvy is; it is a planter that holds a plant from an upside down position. They have been featured on TV infomercials.

Mine is for tomatoes but will grow other vegetables as well. My supermarket had them marked down from $10.00 to $4.99.

I have a friend who lives in a townhouse that has a small backyard patio that is fenced in with a private concrete fence. She grows the small grape tomatoes in a good sized pot where she has staked the plant. It gives out an abundance of tomatoes. Her patio is very attractive because she has other vegetables growing there instead of plants.

You have to have a small plant to grow there first. We'll see how it goes. I have to plant my beefsteak tomatoe seeds soon.

A good week of savings

March 8th, 2010 at 07:57 pm

I went to 4 different stores last week and saved alot.

My purchases should have been: $194.91. In the end, I paid $93.24. I saved 52.6% overall. I will break down my savings. In Fla we don't pay taxes on food like I have seen in other states. Tax savings is the difference between the regular and sale price.

Savings $62.13
Tax Savings 1.28
Manufact. Coupons 18.60
Walgreens Register Rewards 6.00
Free Coupons 13.66
------
$106.67

I also had 2 free movies from codes. One was from red box and the other was from the blockbuster kiosks.

I went to Wendy's and had a double stack hamburger a a coffee free.

$20 Challenge

March 8th, 2010 at 02:00 am

A few years ago I started the $20 Challenge. On Dec. 31, 2009, I had saved $2,745.40. It has its own account and is earning interest.

Mine is going to be used for retirement. It is my own contribution by finding extra ways to add to it.

I have opened bank accouts and received rewards, reccommending others and receiving rewards, credit card cash rewards, coupons, change that I have found, pennies from me and my husband from change in my purse. I have started a new category this year. If I play the lotto, I add in the same amount that I spent in lotto. I don't play alot. Sometimes one time a month and it's usually a dollar. I also do surveys. All of this money is added to the account.

In January I added $55.21. February was $70.53 and March is on going and I'll add that in later.

You Can File Your Taxes Online Free

March 6th, 2010 at 06:38 pm

I was checking information for myself about getting our refund sent to our bank and came across information that some may be able to use.

Filers can file electronically free if their adjusted gross income in $57,000. or less. That would save some people alot of money. Thought that I would pass it on because I didn't know that was available. When you go online just type in Free File.

Stay focused at the cash registers

March 6th, 2010 at 02:49 pm

I think that alot of money mistakes occur when you are in a hurry or become distracted. Yeserday, I was focused in two stores but not in the last one.

The first store that I went to was mostly for fruits and vegetables and special advertised sales. I had two coupons. One was for eggs at .50 and the cashier wouldn't take it because she said the eggs were on sale already. The next one was for $1.00 off of Marcal single roll toilet paper. The same cashier said that because it was $1.00 that she couldn't except it. She eventually wrote in on the coupon .99 I had to get a manager to get my .50 back for the eggs.

The next store was for a B1G1 Free item (vitamins)for which I had a couple for $3.00 off on 2. I like the self-checkout registers more because they don't talk back to you. They scan, read the coupon, and deduct it.

The next store was for a beverage that was $3. off plus it had a $2.00 hanger coupon that the cashier didn't deduct. We started talking and I became distracted. Thank goodness that I live less than 1/2 mile away because I went back and retrieved my $2.

What helps me is to have a sheet of paper for each store and the coupons to be used. I have had cashiers not deduct all of the coupons which is why I like the self-check out registers. So, for me I like the plan in front of me and try to stay focused on what I'm doing. Everytime you have to go back to correct a mistake is time, gas, and wear and tear on your car.

$'s Thrown Away

March 6th, 2010 at 03:48 am

I didn't say Why I Save because it is a complex answer for most people. I don't like wasting or losing opportunities to make money even if it's small amounts.

I had read an article from The Wall Street Journal, on Feb 11, 2010 by Brett Arends. The title was "Doing The Math On Coupons". What he said that stayed with me was "money saved coupons come with an added benefit. Unlike money that you earn, it is tax free/ no payroll taxes/ no federal or state income taxes". In my thinking, this is passive income.

Last Saturday I was returning my shopping cart at Walgreens when I saw a coupon in another cart. When I picked it up, it said Walgreens Register Rewards for $1.00 for buying an item from Procter and Gamble. Someone just threw away $1.00. A few days later, I redeemed the coupon from an item that I bought.

That was the day that I decided to start my blog.

A dollar might not sound like much to most people but if I were to ask you to give me a dollar and then start to burn it or throw it away - you would say - HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH MY DOLLAR? That's basically what you are doing when you let coupons lay in a cart or have them and not cash them in.

In future posts. I'll share my own experiences in seeing money thrown away.