Colonoscopy and CVS

I had a colonoscopy this week.  The day before is YUCKY.  Among other things, you have to mix a 14 day supply of Miralax with 64 oz. of Gatorade and drink it within 2-4 hours!  Yup.

All that said, my colon ended up being pretty, pink, and perfect!

Why am I posting this here, you may ask?  Because I used some coupons to save money on all the yucky stuff I had to take, of course.

First, I grabbed the freebie of the week, because it's free.


Blink Tears (.5 oz) or Gel Tears (.34 oz) - $7.99
Earn $7.99 Extra Bucks (Limit 1)
$1/1 Blink Tears or Blink GelTears Lubricating Eye Drops 04/03/11 SS Insert (exp 05/09/11)
Betsy's Price FREE


I then went to Miralax.com to score a $2/1 coupon for any size Miralax.  I know the 30 day is on sale this week, but this was cheaper and I didn't need that much.

I took a coupon for the Dulcolax tablets I needed as well.  However, the store brand ended up being cheaper than with the $1/1 coupon I found in 1/16 SS.
My  retail total for these three items was $23.75.  After ECB and Qs, I paid $15.78 which is a savings of 34%.  After receiving the $7.99 in ECB for the Blink Tears, my total became $7.79 which is a savings of 67%. 

Just because I ended up spending a lot of time on the toilet, didn't mean I had to throw my money down the drain! 

Earn Free Books from Scholastic

Mrs. Price is Right about Homeschooling: Earn Free Books from Scholastic: "Scholastic is offering a program that enables your child to earn up to five free books. There are math and reading activity sheets. Once t..."

Bunnies and Eggs and Ham, Oh, My!

 Some great post-Easter ideas from Living on a Dime

 

 

It's almost that time of year again. You're standing, dumbfounded, in front of a mound of hard boiled eggs, sliced ham and chocolate Easter bunnies. You wonder "what am I going to do with 6 dozen eggs, 6 lbs. of ham and 25 chocolate bunnies". The stress of it is almost enough to send you to bed for a week--or at least tear most of your hair out. Here are a few ideas and recipes to help you avoid both of those.

 

First the bunnies:

 

Take a rolling pin and crush the life out of them! Then use the crumbs to:

• sprinkle on ice cream 
• use in milk shakes 
• stir a few in a mug of hot chocolate
• use in place of chocolate chips for making cookies
• melt for dipping fruit and candy

If your kids didn't receive an excess of bunnies this year, buy solid bunnies after Easter on Clearance and use in place of chocolate chips for baking. You can usually get them for 1/4 the price of chocolate chips.

• Next the eggs:
• Deviled eggs
• slice them on tossed salad
• Egg Salad
• Golden Morning Sunshine

__________ 

 

Use the extra ham:

 

• diced in omelets and chef salads
•  added to Golden Morning Sunshine
•  sliced thin for sandwiches
•  Cubed ham with cubed fruit such as Mandarin oranges, pineapple, bananas, strawberries or kiwi on skewers to make fruit kabobs.
•  Top a tortilla with ham, salsa, and cheddar cheese and warm, for a hot ham and cheese sandwich.
•  Save bone for bean or split pea soup.
•  Sheala's Ham and Noodles
•  Ham and Potatoes
•  Ham Casserole
•  Ham Salad
•  Chop ham and freeze to use in:  potato salad, green beans, scrambled eggs, omelets, potato soup, scalloped potatoes, au gratin potatoes, pasties or pizza (with pineapple) or to top baked potatoes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Was coupon fraud shown on TLC's Extreme Couponing?

By Jill Cataldo

Earlier this week, I posted an article about Jaime Kirlew, one of the shoppers featured in TLC's new season of "Extreme Couponing." Jaime made a name for herself last year when she posted YouTube videos showing her shopping at Target and fraudulently using coupons for one product on another (coupons for Crest Whitestrips on Tide, coupons for Olay Body Wash on Secret deodorant, and so on.) When commercials for the new show began airing, many members of well-read messageboards among the couponing community recognized Jaime from her YouTube videos and raised concerns about whether she would use coupons in a fraudulent manner on TLC's Extreme Couponing.

Read the rest here...
Was coupon fraud shown on TLC's Extreme Couponing?

BeCentsAble--My Coupon Keeper Giveaway

BeCentsAble.net is having a giveaway of My Coupon Keeper.  It looks awesome!  Go HERE to find out more about it.  Basically, you need to like BeCentsAble and My Coupon Keeper on Facebook and then post on Becentsable that you did it.  That's some of the fewest hoops you have to jump through in order to enter!

Kmart and Apple Market

Here's my confession.  After my husband got paid on Friday, I went out that evening to Kmart to purchase Easter "stuff."   I just wanted to make sure we got our stuff before the money ran out!

Well, to my shame, I did not shop sales or have coupons.  I know!  Crazy! 

But God redeemed my hastiness.  You see, two things that I purchased went on sale yesterday.  Did I pout and fret?  No.  I merely took my receipt into Kmart and they gave me back the difference which was $10!

Now, getting $10 back would have been a good enough deal, but I wanted chicken.

You see, Apple Market had some chicken.  It was on sale for $0.89 a pound.  I had two coupons for $1 a package of the Pilgrim Brand chicken that was on sale.  Sounds easy enough.  The problem is the Apple Market by us STILL DOESN'T TAKE INTERNET COUPONS!!!!!!  (Can you tell I'm a little frustrated?  I'm like "Wake up and join the 21st century already!)

So, on the way home from Kmart we stopped at another Apple Market.  I pickup two packages totalling 6 pounds for $5.34.  After my $2 off in coupons, my total became $3.34 which is $0.56 a pound.  That's a savings of 37% off the sale price.  I'm not sure how much the chicken regularly goes for, but I think I did a good job.

CVS today

I had a free full-size Essence of Beauty Antibacterial product coming to me.  The coupon expires tomorrow, so I am making an effort to go there TODAY.  Sunday. Waking up early from my Sunday afternoon nap just to get it done.  I finally made it at 10:15 PM.

Went to BargainBriana.com for the deals.




Essence of Beauty Products

Full-size Essence of Beauty Product
Internet Coupon
Betsy's Price: FREE

Select Easter Grass (2 oz) - $0.99
Earn $0.99 Extra Bucks (Limit 1)
Betsy's Price FREE

Paas Classic Easter Egg Decorating Kit - $1.99
Earn $1.99 Extra Bucks (Limit 1)
Betsy's Price FREE

Reach Total Care Brush and/or Reach Floss (55 yards) - $1
$3/3 Listerine Antiseptic Mouthwash 500mL+ AND (1) Reach Toothbrush AND (1) Reach Floss or Reach Access Floss 01/09/11 SS Insert (exp 12/31/11)
$1/1 Reach Toothbrush or Floss Product
Betsy's Price FREE

Nivea Body Wash (16.9 oz) or Shower Gel (8.4 oz) - $3.88
$3/1 Nivea for Woman Body Wash 04/17/11 RP Insert (exp 05/14/11)
$3/1 Nivea for Men Body Wash 04/17/11 RP Insert (exp 05/14/11)
Betsy's Price $0.88


My retail on this would have been $25.23.  I paid $4.74 which was a savings of 81%.  I received $3 back in ECB making my final price $1.74.  That's a final savings of 93%.  Not my usual free, but not bad.

Big List of Frugal Summer Ideas for Kids!

Mrs. Price is Right about Homeschooling: Big List of Frugal Summer Ideas for Kids!:

 "The Frugral Girls have made a tremendous list of summer ideas. Nothing like preparing ahead of time. Just go HERE to s..."

Price Chopper

I have just been hitting my head against the wall today trying to coupon.  Here's a few things I found for Price Chopper for myself.

Bird's Eye Frozen Vegetables 10/$10
$1/3 coupon 3/20 SS
Final Price: $0.70 each

Suddenly Salad 10/$10
$0.50/2 coupon HERE
Final Price: $0.75 each

Yoplait Greek Yogurt  $10/10
$0.60/2 coupon 3/13 SS
$0.30/1 coupon here
Final Price: $0.70 each

Mccormick Grill-Mates 2/$3
$0.75/1 from 4/10 RP
Final Price: $0.75 each

Frito-lay peanuts
Free monthly product from Kid's Club

I paid $8.55.  The retail price was $22.22, so I had a 62% savings using coupons and sales.

Should You Extreme Coupon?

I am so glad Bargain Briana herself said that 50% savings at a grocery store is a realistic goal.  It means I'm doing my job!


by Briana Carter on April 7, 2011


Many of you are probably searching for tips on how to Extreme Coupon after watching TLC’s Extreme Couponing series. Should you extreme coupon? How do you Extreme Coupon?


Extreme couponing is possible without it becoming a coupon addict, an extreme hoarder or it completely taking over your life. I think most people can save HUGE on their grocery bill but a realistic goal is going to be 50% saving. You can see my methods and learn how to get started in the 15 Days of Couponing. You can also get started by printing coupons or searching the Coupon Database for more coupons.


Again, you can extreme coupon without it taking over your life. When you choose to go shopping or clip your coupons instead of spending time with your friends and family, you have a problem. It is like any other addiction. I’m not sure there is a 12 step problem for couponing yet! It is better than other addictions that cost you money but it still can take over your life.


______________________________________________




What do you think about extremely extreme couponers?

Walgreens Photo Deals

Walgreens is offering another 7 Days of Deals in their photo department this week.

Today's deal is a FREE 8x10 enlargement.  Just go here and enter the coupon code DEAL8X10 at checkout.  Mark it for pick-up and it's totally free!

Don't know what the rest of the deals will be, but here is the ad, so you can get an idea about the rest of the week.

HYVEE gave me gas



Got these few deals from PennyPinchinmom.com.

Ok, they didn't give me gas...see details at the end.

2 day sale

Kraft Shredded Cheese 8 or 9.6 oz, 4/$5 or $1.25 each
Use $1/2 Kraft Natural Shredded Cheese 3/13/2011 SS Insert (exp 4/24/2011)
Final Price: 2/$1.50 or $0.75 each
 
 
Kellogg’s Cereals, $1.38
$1/2 Kellogg’s Corn Flakes Cereals
Final Price: As Low As $0.68
 
 
Regular sale:
 
Celestial Seasonings Tea 18 or 20 ct, 2/$5 or $2.50 each
Use $1/1 Celestial Seasonings Tea 3/6/2011 SS Insert (exp 6/6/2011)
Final Price: $1.50 each

HyVee's receipt didn't list actual retail prices or savings, so my guestimate retail price was $14.08.  I paid $4.76 for these items after sales and coupons.  That's a savings of 66%.  I only paid one-third price for these items.

BUT WAIT!  THERE'S MORE!

HyVee Gas was offering $0.10 off per gallon of gas today only with HyVee receipt.  OK, so I only saved $1.60, but gas at $0.10 cheaper a gallon is a big deal these days!