It's one of those money-saving tactics that I always forget about. With a little foresight, your savings can really stack up!
I have used Card Pool for buying discounted gift cards for about the past year and I must say, I wish I had picked up on that little trick a lot earlier. There are other sites, Raise, Gift Card Granny etc, but Card Pool was the most straight forward.
Here are two examples of places you can really save a bunch with discounted gift cards:
Home Depot: I own my home, so I go to Home Depot at least once a month. There are always projects to be done and supplies needed. Right now, Card Pool has their gift cards with a 7% discount, but I have gotten them at 10% before. When I know I'll be going to Home Depot in the near future, I will look on Card Pool and pick the gift card closest to what I think I'll spend. I then ask my neighbor friend who is in the military if he will go with me to grab the items needed.
Example:
$100 gift card, paid $93
Purchased $100 worth of products, with military discount used $90 of my Gift Card
Total savings = $17 or 17%
Target: With all the discounts and coupons Target offers, you can save even more with discounted gift cards. Personally, I would buy discounted gift cards for Target when I am planning a larger purchase. Remember, to get the 5% REDcard discount, you have to pay with your REDcard. Only buy discounted gift cards for Target when the discount exceeds 5% to get the most bang for your buck.
Restaurants tend to have a higher discount than retail stores, so it might be worthwhile to purchase one or two to your favorite chain restaurant for special occasions, travel, vacations or those often occurring "I just don't feel like cooking and need a treat" days.
AND, the cherry on the sundae! I use my 5% cash back rewards credit card to purchase the discounted gift cards and rack up more points. I have the option of getting cash back or using it for other merchandise or gift cards, and since I pay off my credit card every month, I use those points to get free gift cards.
If you're thinking about buying a discounted gift card and decide to give Card Pool your business, please use my referral code to get $5 off your first order. I will also receive $5 in Card Pool credit :-)
http://refer.cardpool.com/v2/share/6192665213118795816
Monday, July 27, 2015
Sunday, July 26, 2015
Deals for the week 7/26/2015
CVS
I finally get to post about a truly free item that only requires you to have a CVS ExtraCare card and a printable coupon!Here's how you do it:
1. Print this $2 off Colgate Mouthwash coupon before you go to the store (you might print 2, I bet there will be other deals next week!)
2. Scan your ExtraCare card when you walk in the store, it will spit out a bunch of coupons at you, I'm serious, like a yard long with the coupons. The first one should be for $2.79 off Colgate Total mouthwash 33.8 oz. (update, this is a misprint! it should be for the 16.9oz size)
3. Go grab the correct mouthwash from the shelf and bring it to the register. They weren't marked at my store as being on sale but you can scan them at the coupon kiosk to double check.
4. Scan your ExtraCare card again, hand over your 2 coupons and receive the magical receipt that says Total: $0.00
5. Optional: do a little happy dance
CVS is also running their special promotion where you get a free reusable bag and a 30% off coupon for almost anything with the CVS brand. This might be a good time to stock up on store brand pain relief, first aid items, or household necessities.
Shaw's
I hope you were able to take advantage of the Kellogg's 3-day sale!~ Green Grapes 97 cents a pound! WOOHOO, toss 'em in the freezer for a healthy treat!
~ Yoplait 6oz yogurt, 20/$10 (you don't have to get 20!) and use this 50 cents off 5 printable coupon which will double to $1.00, 30 cents each if you get 5!
~ There is a whole page of stuff that is 79 cents if you buy 10, mix or match. A few things that stuck out at me as being a good price were: Chef Boyardee cans or cups, Starkist solid white tuna, a variety of Greek yogurts, Green Giant boxed veggies and Hunt's canned tomatoes or pasta sauce.
~Perdue fully cooked refrigerated breaded chicken, $2.50 for 12oz package. This is an unadvertised deal through Labor Day! I get the cutlets and make super quick and easy chicken parm. There was a 75 cent coupon in the 6/14 Red Plum insert, if you use that, it will double to $1.50 and make them A DOLLAR!!! Guess what's on my meal plan this week :-)
Market Basket
~ Perdue breaded chicken (same as above) $1.99 per package, this is a better deal if you don't have the newspaper coupon.~ Perdue chicken breast short cuts $2.99 7oz package. I usually buy fresh or frozen chicken breasts and cook them myself, but I'm also a realist. I'm usually hungry when I get home from work so these can be a lifesaver thrown on a salad or in some sort of stir fry. Still cheaper than ordering out!
* While I was navigating the masses, I noticed that the fully cooked Perdue frozen chicken was on sale for $5.99. I can't find it anywhere in the current or previous flyer but it was marked "sale item". This is $2 cheaper than Shaw's sale price! There's a good variety of items too.
~ Hefty trash bags $5.99, there are some things I won't buy the generic brand of, and trash bags is one of them. If Hefty is your brand, this is a great price!
Did you score a great deal? See something I missed? Please post in the comments!
Friday, July 24, 2015
Stock up on cereal at Shaw's (3-day sale)
I don't usually post about the 3 day sales items for Shaw's because they start on Friday and end on Sunday, which is when I'm collecting information for the week's sales. This is an exception because the deal is THAT GOOD!
Here's the wording from the flyer:
The "select varieties" cereal include these four only: Frosted Flakes, Corn Pops, Apple Jacks, and Fruit Loops.
You can reduce your out of pocket by joining Kellogg's Family Rewards and printing the $1 off 3 cereals and $1 off 3 Pop-Tarts.
Checkout 51 has $1 on 2 Fruit Loops and $1 on 2 Pop-Tarts offers.
Even without coupons or rebates, a dollar a box on cereal is pretty darn good!
Rice Krispies Treats, Fruit Snacks and Pop-Tarts, a dollar a box is a great price too! These are all excellent items to donate to your local food pantry. With the kids out of school and limited access to free lunches, grocery budgets are even tighter this time of year.
Here's the wording from the flyer:
Kellogg’s Cereals 12.2-15 oz., select varieties Rice
Krispies Treats 4.68-6.2 oz., 8 ct., select varieties Fruity Snacks 8
oz. Pop-Tarts 21-22 oz., 12 ct.
4/$4 MUST BUY 4 LIMIT 8
Details:
4/$6 MUST BUY 4 after 3 Day Sale
WICKED AWESOME
3 DAY sale
Friday, Saturday & Sunday.
July 24th through July 26th
Price Valid 07/24/15 - 07/26/15
The "select varieties" cereal include these four only: Frosted Flakes, Corn Pops, Apple Jacks, and Fruit Loops.
You can reduce your out of pocket by joining Kellogg's Family Rewards and printing the $1 off 3 cereals and $1 off 3 Pop-Tarts.
Checkout 51 has $1 on 2 Fruit Loops and $1 on 2 Pop-Tarts offers.
Even without coupons or rebates, a dollar a box on cereal is pretty darn good!
Rice Krispies Treats, Fruit Snacks and Pop-Tarts, a dollar a box is a great price too! These are all excellent items to donate to your local food pantry. With the kids out of school and limited access to free lunches, grocery budgets are even tighter this time of year.
Tuesday, July 21, 2015
Deals and Steals! 7/21/2015
Target
The big deal at Target this week is the 4 packs of Kraft mac & cheese cups for $0.75! Go stock up!
Shaw's
Not the healthiest item, but might save you a trip to Dunks when you're craving an iced coffee, and it's FREE
Print this $0.80 off Iced Coffee coupon, which will double to $1.60!
On your way into the store, stop and grab the Big Book of Savings, on the front there is a store coupon for $1 OFF Any ONE (1) International Delight Iced Coffee 64 oz.
These are on sale 2/$5 this week, so if you only buy this one item, your total will be ZERO, I love it when that happens!
Keep in mind that Shaw's store coupon policy only allows one store coupon, so you may need to break up your order if you want more than one.
Staples
Get their mobile app and get this coupon
http://stpl.mobi/cb/access/crp/shEcucH6Pur3/spn.jsp?p=T1WX60A-9BFFQMM-E5O6OO
|
|
Free box of 12 Poppin Signature ballpoint pens. No purc. necc. It's easy. Just pick your pens up and show this coupon at checkout. Valid in store only. |
|
| Coupon code: | 9838 6210 3651 1758 |
| Ends: 7/25/15 | |
Monday, July 20, 2015
How to make out like a bandit at Target
Seriously, I feel like I'm stealing sometimes when I leave my beloved Target!
If you do a little work and make a plan, you can get items like razors and body wash for free or pennies.
Here's how you do it:
#1 Cartwheel - after you sign up on a computer, print your bar code. Your bar code is basically like a store rewards card and no matter how many changes you make to it, it stays the same. You can even use the app to add deals on your phone while you're in the store and have the cashier scan your bar code when you checkout. My phone is fickle, I don't trust it, so I keep my printed bar code in the envelope with the coupons and my list. The cartwheel offers seem to update almost daily, so keep an eye out towards the end of the week for big percentages to pop up for only a few days. You are allowed to use each offer on up to four items, but you can use your Cartwheel up to six times per day.
#2 Target printable coupons - Target has recently updated their coupons to include most of the printable coupons you would find on coupons.com, plus you can search and sort them. The Target store coupons are mixed in there, so you will have to do a little digging for the items you want. The feature I really like about this new combination is I can print both Target and Manufacturer's coupons on the same page. For example, there is a Target coupon for 75 cents off 49-ct or larger Carefree liners and a manufacturer coupon for $1.50 off two Carefree products. I can type Carefree in the search bar, both coupons pop up, select and print! You can stack coupons and use 4 of each per shopping trip.
#3 Manufacturer's Coupons - use printed or newspaper coupons and get the full value! BOGO coupons have been deducting the full amount and applying any overage to the rest of your order. No cash back, but hey, some of those BOGO coupons are big money. I usually print at least one BOGO coupon whenever I see it and wait for a sale.
#4 Gift Card offers - this is where it gets a little more complicated, but you can totally do this! During the Personal Care promotion, I was able to get $40 worth of products for a little over $8. Target always has gift card offers for buying $x amount or buying # of a certain item. Combine this with coupons and you can work it so they pay you to take items out of their store. You have to really look for the best combination and do some math on the fly, but would you rather pay $10 or $2 for razors or body wash? I have yet to see limits on gift card offers, but I'm sure they will implement them eventually.
#5 Reusable bags
You will get five cents for each reusable bag you use!
#6 Target REDcard
Save 5% off your purchase at the register by using your REDcard. They now offer a debit card which links to your checking account, so you don't have to worry about opening another line of credit or making payments to another bill.
Order of operations:
#1. Have the cashier scan everything first, they will issue gift cards if prompted.
#2. Scan your cartwheel bar code, then coupons. The register will do the work for them, but you can catch wrong prices as they go through instead of trying to figure out your receipt after.
~ If you are breaking up your order into multiple transactions, let the cashier know up front. Most cashiers are very good and even encouraging your savings, but if you get a newbie it can be very overwhelming and they will end up calling a manager over.
Other tips for successful Target adventures:
~ Find out when your store gets their truck so you can plan your trip when they are fully stocked.
~ Go during a quiet time of day if you can. Saturday afternoon is usually a zoo.
~Target likes to put things on clearance and not mark anything or put signage out. There are price scanners in every department, use them to your advantage.
~ If you know someone that works at Target, ask when things will be going on clearance. And then let the rest of us know :-) Target has some of the best clearance section finds I've ever seen, but it gets cleared out so fast!
If you know a trick I missed, please share in the comments! So far I've had really great luck at Target and every store employee was pleasant.
If you do a little work and make a plan, you can get items like razors and body wash for free or pennies.
Here's how you do it:
#1 Cartwheel - after you sign up on a computer, print your bar code. Your bar code is basically like a store rewards card and no matter how many changes you make to it, it stays the same. You can even use the app to add deals on your phone while you're in the store and have the cashier scan your bar code when you checkout. My phone is fickle, I don't trust it, so I keep my printed bar code in the envelope with the coupons and my list. The cartwheel offers seem to update almost daily, so keep an eye out towards the end of the week for big percentages to pop up for only a few days. You are allowed to use each offer on up to four items, but you can use your Cartwheel up to six times per day.
#2 Target printable coupons - Target has recently updated their coupons to include most of the printable coupons you would find on coupons.com, plus you can search and sort them. The Target store coupons are mixed in there, so you will have to do a little digging for the items you want. The feature I really like about this new combination is I can print both Target and Manufacturer's coupons on the same page. For example, there is a Target coupon for 75 cents off 49-ct or larger Carefree liners and a manufacturer coupon for $1.50 off two Carefree products. I can type Carefree in the search bar, both coupons pop up, select and print! You can stack coupons and use 4 of each per shopping trip.
#3 Manufacturer's Coupons - use printed or newspaper coupons and get the full value! BOGO coupons have been deducting the full amount and applying any overage to the rest of your order. No cash back, but hey, some of those BOGO coupons are big money. I usually print at least one BOGO coupon whenever I see it and wait for a sale.
#4 Gift Card offers - this is where it gets a little more complicated, but you can totally do this! During the Personal Care promotion, I was able to get $40 worth of products for a little over $8. Target always has gift card offers for buying $x amount or buying # of a certain item. Combine this with coupons and you can work it so they pay you to take items out of their store. You have to really look for the best combination and do some math on the fly, but would you rather pay $10 or $2 for razors or body wash? I have yet to see limits on gift card offers, but I'm sure they will implement them eventually.
#5 Reusable bags
You will get five cents for each reusable bag you use!
#6 Target REDcard
Save 5% off your purchase at the register by using your REDcard. They now offer a debit card which links to your checking account, so you don't have to worry about opening another line of credit or making payments to another bill.
Order of operations:
#1. Have the cashier scan everything first, they will issue gift cards if prompted.
#2. Scan your cartwheel bar code, then coupons. The register will do the work for them, but you can catch wrong prices as they go through instead of trying to figure out your receipt after.
~ If you are breaking up your order into multiple transactions, let the cashier know up front. Most cashiers are very good and even encouraging your savings, but if you get a newbie it can be very overwhelming and they will end up calling a manager over.
Other tips for successful Target adventures:
~ Find out when your store gets their truck so you can plan your trip when they are fully stocked.
~ Go during a quiet time of day if you can. Saturday afternoon is usually a zoo.
~Target likes to put things on clearance and not mark anything or put signage out. There are price scanners in every department, use them to your advantage.
~ If you know someone that works at Target, ask when things will be going on clearance. And then let the rest of us know :-) Target has some of the best clearance section finds I've ever seen, but it gets cleared out so fast!
If you know a trick I missed, please share in the comments! So far I've had really great luck at Target and every store employee was pleasant.
Sunday, July 12, 2015
Cooking up an August challenge!
Good and Cheap: Eat Well on $4 a day
A perfect and irresistible idea: A cookbook filled with delicious, healthful recipes created for everyone on a tight budget—and a cookbook with a strong charitable component: With every copy of Good and Cheap purchased, a second copy will be given to a person or family in need.
I ordered this book about 6 months ago and just received it in the "mail" today. You can either order a copy on Amazon via the link above for about $12, or you can download the FREE PDF here. Receiving the cookbook reignited my fervor to stick to my budget and be better about meal planning. Honestly, even with the help of coupons and sales, I don't think I could eat on $4 a day, but I think I could come close! After delving into the book at bit, Leanne Brown gives tons of tips and tricks on saving money on your grocery bill, and you don't have to print or use a single coupon. The main point is to learn how to prepare food, and keep basic staples on hand so you can throw a healthy meal together quickly.
Now, for the challenge! I've let my grocery budget slip lately and I need to reign that back in. I'm going to challenge myself to get as close as possible to $4 a day for food, or $30 a week ($2 wiggle room for treats) while sticking to a healthy eating plan. Here's what a typical weekday looks like for me right now:
Breakfast
Cereal $0.33
Fruit $0.33
Almond Milk $0.25
Total $0.92
Lunch
Frozen meal $2.00
Apple $0.50
Yogurt $1.00
Snacks $1.00
Total $4.50
Dinner
Protein $0.75
Grain $0.31
Veggie $0.25
juice $0.17
Total $1.48
Total Day $6.90
I usually allow myself $50 a week for groceries, but that includes supplies for the furkids and all those things that food stamps doesn't cover like toilet paper and shampoo. For the month of August I will be diligent about meal planning and recording how much I spent on just food for human consumption. I don't have any major life events happening in August, and it's a super month for fresh veggies. The challenge for me will be committing to cooking in the summer. I have a feeling I will be doing some freezer meals, crock pot dinners and some batch cooking on the cooler days.
So what do you think? Want to join me in this adventure? You can download the free PDF to get you started with meal planning, maybe order the book later when your budget allows, and post your progress in the comments after I post my weekly update? I think we can learn from each other through this, but I'm happy to get it rolling!
I will still post weekly deals, as a separate post.
A perfect and irresistible idea: A cookbook filled with delicious, healthful recipes created for everyone on a tight budget—and a cookbook with a strong charitable component: With every copy of Good and Cheap purchased, a second copy will be given to a person or family in need.
I ordered this book about 6 months ago and just received it in the "mail" today. You can either order a copy on Amazon via the link above for about $12, or you can download the FREE PDF here. Receiving the cookbook reignited my fervor to stick to my budget and be better about meal planning. Honestly, even with the help of coupons and sales, I don't think I could eat on $4 a day, but I think I could come close! After delving into the book at bit, Leanne Brown gives tons of tips and tricks on saving money on your grocery bill, and you don't have to print or use a single coupon. The main point is to learn how to prepare food, and keep basic staples on hand so you can throw a healthy meal together quickly.
Now, for the challenge! I've let my grocery budget slip lately and I need to reign that back in. I'm going to challenge myself to get as close as possible to $4 a day for food, or $30 a week ($2 wiggle room for treats) while sticking to a healthy eating plan. Here's what a typical weekday looks like for me right now:
Breakfast
Cereal $0.33
Fruit $0.33
Almond Milk $0.25
Total $0.92
Lunch
Frozen meal $2.00
Apple $0.50
Yogurt $1.00
Snacks $1.00
Total $4.50
Dinner
Protein $0.75
Grain $0.31
Veggie $0.25
juice $0.17
Total $1.48
Total Day $6.90
I usually allow myself $50 a week for groceries, but that includes supplies for the furkids and all those things that food stamps doesn't cover like toilet paper and shampoo. For the month of August I will be diligent about meal planning and recording how much I spent on just food for human consumption. I don't have any major life events happening in August, and it's a super month for fresh veggies. The challenge for me will be committing to cooking in the summer. I have a feeling I will be doing some freezer meals, crock pot dinners and some batch cooking on the cooler days.
So what do you think? Want to join me in this adventure? You can download the free PDF to get you started with meal planning, maybe order the book later when your budget allows, and post your progress in the comments after I post my weekly update? I think we can learn from each other through this, but I'm happy to get it rolling!
I will still post weekly deals, as a separate post.
Tuesday, July 7, 2015
Target diaper deal
Here’s how the deal works:
Buy:
(8) up & up Diapers Giant Pack, $24.99 = $199.92
(1) up & up Baby Wipes Tub, Unscented, 72 ct. $1.89
-$1.50 Target printable coupon 1.50 off With purchase of both up & up™ baby care items • Boxed diapers and • 72-ct. or larger wipes
Total out of pocket = $200.31
Get Back:
$40 Target Gift card for $200 in baby items
(4) $10 Target Gift cards for purchase of 2 up & up diapers
Buy:
(5) boxes of diapers @ $24.99 = $124.95
(1) package of wipes @ $1.89
- $1.50 Target coupon
Total out of pocket: $125.34
Get Back:
$20 Target gift card for $125 in baby items
(2) $10 gift cards for purchase of 2 up & up diapers
There are other promotions for Pampers and Huggies (the above combo was the least out of pocket that I could find), combined with printable coupons, you can really stock up if you have the funds!
You’ll get FREE shipping with this deal and, if you’re a REDcard member, you can save an additional 5% on this order.
This offer ends 7/11.
Additional note: food stamps and WIC do not cover diapers and wipes. Food pantries, shelters and other charities LOVE getting Target gift cards to help those in need or to buy their own miscellaneous supplies.
You could also use the gift cards you earn to buy more baby items and earn more gift cards with less out of pocket money.
Happy saving!
Sunday, July 5, 2015
Deals for the week of 7/5/2015
Market Basket
Great stock up sale on Pampers diapers and wipes! The economy packs (104-168 count) are a "special purchase" this week for $29.99, that's $17 less than Wal-Mart and Target. HOLY SMOKES!
The 192 count of Pampers wipes are also on sale for $4.99.
Check out your favorite coupon printing site, there are multiple coupons available to print as well as newspaper coupons.
special note: food stamps and WIC do not pay for diapers and wipes
Always pads on sale 2/$5 use this $1.50 off 2 printable coupon, or the $1 off one newspaper coupon for an even better deal.
Shaw's
Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad 10/$10 (you don't have to buy 10) and use this printable 50 cents off 2 it will double to $1 making each box 50 cents. I personally love to use these and doctor them up with veggies and bits of cheese for a cool summer side or lunch.General Mills cereals, select varieties, 4/$10 (you don't have to buy 4) so $2.50 a box. Use this printable 50 cents off one box of original Cheerios it will double, making your Cheerios $1.50 a box. Not the best deal, but still cheaper than the store brand :-)
select varieties = Cheerios, Honey Nut, Medley Crunch, most varieties of Chex, Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Toast Crunch
Wanted to try and get these up earlier so you could decide if it was worth buying the newspaper. There is only one P&G insert today, but the diaper coupon might be worth buying multiples if you want to stock up.
I encourage you to comment any deals you've found that I haven't mentioned here. I only post deals that I know for certain will work.
Happy shopping!
Wednesday, July 1, 2015
Update 7/1/2015
Hey all, sorry for the lack of posts recently, I got busy with life and participating in Relay for Life.
Since it's already Wednesday, here's my quick picks :)
Shaw's has 12 can packs of all Coke products on sale 5/$10, limit 5. You don't have to buy 5 to get this price and the stores are pretty well stocked so you can get what you need without a rain check.
Blueberries are on sale for 97 cents a pint, limit 2. This is cheaper than picking them yourself!
Bulk chicken packs are $1.77/pound, minimum 3 pound package.
Market Basket has started carrying gallons of the Almond Breeze almond milk. They were $3.99 at my store in Seabrook, and if you use this printable $1 off coupon you'll be getting your almond milk for the same price as the half gallons.
And since today is the first of the month, printable coupons have refreshed! Go print 2 of every coupon you think you might use from each computer.
Since it's already Wednesday, here's my quick picks :)
Shaw's has 12 can packs of all Coke products on sale 5/$10, limit 5. You don't have to buy 5 to get this price and the stores are pretty well stocked so you can get what you need without a rain check.
Blueberries are on sale for 97 cents a pint, limit 2. This is cheaper than picking them yourself!
Bulk chicken packs are $1.77/pound, minimum 3 pound package.
Market Basket has started carrying gallons of the Almond Breeze almond milk. They were $3.99 at my store in Seabrook, and if you use this printable $1 off coupon you'll be getting your almond milk for the same price as the half gallons.
And since today is the first of the month, printable coupons have refreshed! Go print 2 of every coupon you think you might use from each computer.
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