OK, so we went back to Publix tonight.
I got 12 - TWELVE - different Morningstar Farms things for $1 or 99 cents each (every other one was 99 cents because of the way they do the BOGOs). I used 5 of my $2/2 coupons (BEST TRADE EVER) (I have one left, and our freezer has a bit more room, and tomorrow we're taking some of the burgers to a friend's house...) and two of the $1/1 Entree coupons from the boxes themselves. These new boxes also have those coupons but, well, we're running out of room.
I also was emailed another link for the Breyers $1 coupons, so I got two more boxes of those for $1.15 each. (Yum.)
And I got two more boxes of Cheerios for $1 each.
Plus another free mayo bottle. I still feel like I should only use one Publix coupon per transaction (since they key them in) but if I go back one more time I'll....get another bottle!
So everything was either 75% off or free. Well, everything I got. I mean, the chips we got for tomorrow were BOGO (but no coupon, at least none that I brought), and the buns were on sale...but yeah. Even so, I spent $35 and saved OVER FIFTY DOLLARS. YES.
I noticed in Publix a lot of pricetags with lowered prices that indicated it wasn't a sale price but an everyday ALWAYS low price. I"m not positive that's what it meant, but if it does, my beloved Laughing Cow is $2 now. YAY. And I left a message in the suggestion box for them to continue to carry the new flavors. I hope they do. I HOPE THEY DO.
Showing posts with label freebies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label freebies. Show all posts
Friday, July 2, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Freebies in the mail today
A coupon for a free bottle of Suave professional shampoo or conditioner (wouldn't it be fabulous if CVS had a sale with ECBs for this? But it expires 7/31 so probably not...)
A free box of DaVinci cheese tortellini (yum)
A free box of DaVinci cheese tortellini (yum)
Monday, June 21, 2010
Get Rich Slowly on the Internet - A Guide to My Favorite Sites
I find myself telling my friends the same thing over and over, so I'm going to make this into a post that I can email to them. If it helps you, please leave a comment!
My favorite sites to find out about deals/sales/coupons/savings:
http://www.couponmom.com - my most-checked site, she breaks down the sales for all major grocery stores plus Target, CVS, Walgreens, and more, and matches up coupons. She sticks to coupons in circulars and the occasional printable from coupons.com or smartsource.com, but this makes it MUCH easier to handle.
http://www.moneysavingmom.com - my second-most-checked site. If there's a freebie out there, she probably knows about it. If there's a sale, she'll tell you about it. There's a new feature of the site that breaks down coupon matchups/sales for individual stores around the country, and those DO go further than the circulars and easy printables.
http://www.iheartcvs.com - Want to shop CVS? This is the best site for info.
http://www.iheartpublix.com - a new discovery - she has matchups for Publix sales, makes separate posts for the best deals of the week, notes new coupons, lists recipes, and more!
My favorite sites to make a bit of money (NOT A LOT) or to earn gift certificates or free stuff:
http://www.youdata.com - pays you to click on ads that are targeted to your interests. No minimum payout, pays to PayPal each week. Note that lately I haven't gotten any ads at all, but in the past I've gotten about 50 cents a week. Not bad for just a few seconds of time, and I've really enjoyed the websites I've found through the site.
http://www.swagbucks.com - a search engine that awards "bucks" randomly as you search and also awards them for viewing offers or other things. You can earn between 10 and 30 bucks a day with minor effort, and 450 bucks is a $5 Amazon gift card. I've earned about $400 in gift cards over time, so yes, it's worth it. Just use it for your regular searching!
https://www.mysurvey.com/ - points for taking surveys, cash rewards.
http://www.bzzagent.com - they'll send you full-sized products to try out and then "Bzz" about (talk about with others on and offline). Usually you get high-value coupons too.
http://www.vocalpoint.com - they'll randomly send you samples or even full-sized products to try, plus coupons.
http://www.mypoints.com - emails with click-throughs that are worth a few points, plus a site through which you can click to get to sites on which you shop. I've earned hundreds of dollars in Amazon gift cards here too. I suggest setting up a folder in your email box and filtering all their emails to it so you can click through at your leisure. If you want to sign up, I'd love it if you'd use me as a referral - just comment with your email address and I'll send you an email through the site. (They don't do referral links.)
I'll add to and update this post periodically. I know I've made posts like this in the past, but I've finally set it up so I can find this one easily and refer back to it!
My favorite sites to find out about deals/sales/coupons/savings:
http://www.couponmom.com - my most-checked site, she breaks down the sales for all major grocery stores plus Target, CVS, Walgreens, and more, and matches up coupons. She sticks to coupons in circulars and the occasional printable from coupons.com or smartsource.com, but this makes it MUCH easier to handle.
http://www.moneysavingmom.com - my second-most-checked site. If there's a freebie out there, she probably knows about it. If there's a sale, she'll tell you about it. There's a new feature of the site that breaks down coupon matchups/sales for individual stores around the country, and those DO go further than the circulars and easy printables.
http://www.iheartcvs.com - Want to shop CVS? This is the best site for info.
http://www.iheartpublix.com - a new discovery - she has matchups for Publix sales, makes separate posts for the best deals of the week, notes new coupons, lists recipes, and more!
My favorite sites to make a bit of money (NOT A LOT) or to earn gift certificates or free stuff:
http://www.youdata.com - pays you to click on ads that are targeted to your interests. No minimum payout, pays to PayPal each week. Note that lately I haven't gotten any ads at all, but in the past I've gotten about 50 cents a week. Not bad for just a few seconds of time, and I've really enjoyed the websites I've found through the site.
http://www.swagbucks.com - a search engine that awards "bucks" randomly as you search and also awards them for viewing offers or other things. You can earn between 10 and 30 bucks a day with minor effort, and 450 bucks is a $5 Amazon gift card. I've earned about $400 in gift cards over time, so yes, it's worth it. Just use it for your regular searching!
https://www.mysurvey.com/ - points for taking surveys, cash rewards.
http://www.bzzagent.com - they'll send you full-sized products to try out and then "Bzz" about (talk about with others on and offline). Usually you get high-value coupons too.
http://www.vocalpoint.com - they'll randomly send you samples or even full-sized products to try, plus coupons.
http://www.mypoints.com - emails with click-throughs that are worth a few points, plus a site through which you can click to get to sites on which you shop. I've earned hundreds of dollars in Amazon gift cards here too. I suggest setting up a folder in your email box and filtering all their emails to it so you can click through at your leisure. If you want to sign up, I'd love it if you'd use me as a referral - just comment with your email address and I'll send you an email through the site. (They don't do referral links.)
I'll add to and update this post periodically. I know I've made posts like this in the past, but I've finally set it up so I can find this one easily and refer back to it!
Friday, June 18, 2010
Publix - Free Baileys coffee creamer and Muir Glen tomato sauce, and free isn't always worth it
Yes, I have been going to the grocery store a lot lately. That should slow down enormously soon.
At Publix tonight I spent $33 (before tax) and saved $25.50. Nice.
I got the free Baileys coffee creamer - it was BOGO at $2.09, I used two $1 coupons and one Publix store coupon for 55 cents off. (I'm still not 100% sure about using more than one Publix store coupon at a time, but I only had one with me anyway and figured it was still free+overage - and I don't like to be greedy!)
I also got more free Muir Glen tomato sauce - 89 cents for the can, use the $1 printable. It still stings that I got yelled at for doing this once at a different Publix, but whatever, it's a legitimate purchase and I don't go to that Publix anymore so there.
Plus I got Laughing Cow cheese for $1.50 each (on sale 3/$6, I got 4, used two $1/2 coupons from a tearpad on the display woohoo - this stuff lasts forever and ever so it's worth stocking up), I found the "Eat This" type of tortillas (I got a copy of Eat This Not That for about 15 cents at a yard sale last year), and I decided that since I was getting some nice overage, I'd try Vitalicious Vitatops. They're not terribly priced - I was expecting them to cost more but they're $4.49 for four. If I like them, I'll probably only buy them if I either have a coupon (which apparently is a rare thing) or overage (which I can often get at least a little of with the Muir Glen deal that happens periodically).
Meanwhile, Kraft sent me six try-me-free coupons via their First Taste program - I mentioned this in an earlier post. I gave away the shaved meat coupon, as I'm vegetarian. And then I went tonight to get the rest - well, the Kool Aid fizzies have aspartame (which I refuse to ingest) (I also try to avoid other artificial sweeteners as best as I can) and the Crackerfuls have HFCS (I try very hard to avoid this), so I skipped them both. I forgot to look for the DiGiorno pizza (I hope it doesn't have trans fat or HFCS) and the 100-calorie cheese bites (which are processed cheese but which I will consider getting since, well, I eat tons of Laughing Cow...). I did get the Homestyle mac and cheese - the ingredient list is really long and probably contains some of the above, but it's also mac and cheese - and since it's shelf-stable/nonperishable, I could donate it. Remember, I *try* to avoid these things... ;) I think I will try to trade these high-value coupons though, because I know not everyone cares about food additives in the way I do. But just because it's free doesn't mean I'll automatically grab it.
ETA: I've found a good home for the other free coupons. The breadcrumbs in the Homestyle mac and cheese have partially hydrogenated soybean oil, so we're going to just make it without them. Remember, just because a package says 0% trans fat does NOT mean it doesn't have trans fat. My chewable Rolaids that I got for free at CVS a few weeks ago have hydrogenated oil in them!
At Publix tonight I spent $33 (before tax) and saved $25.50. Nice.
I got the free Baileys coffee creamer - it was BOGO at $2.09, I used two $1 coupons and one Publix store coupon for 55 cents off. (I'm still not 100% sure about using more than one Publix store coupon at a time, but I only had one with me anyway and figured it was still free+overage - and I don't like to be greedy!)
I also got more free Muir Glen tomato sauce - 89 cents for the can, use the $1 printable. It still stings that I got yelled at for doing this once at a different Publix, but whatever, it's a legitimate purchase and I don't go to that Publix anymore so there.
Plus I got Laughing Cow cheese for $1.50 each (on sale 3/$6, I got 4, used two $1/2 coupons from a tearpad on the display woohoo - this stuff lasts forever and ever so it's worth stocking up), I found the "Eat This" type of tortillas (I got a copy of Eat This Not That for about 15 cents at a yard sale last year), and I decided that since I was getting some nice overage, I'd try Vitalicious Vitatops. They're not terribly priced - I was expecting them to cost more but they're $4.49 for four. If I like them, I'll probably only buy them if I either have a coupon (which apparently is a rare thing) or overage (which I can often get at least a little of with the Muir Glen deal that happens periodically).
Meanwhile, Kraft sent me six try-me-free coupons via their First Taste program - I mentioned this in an earlier post. I gave away the shaved meat coupon, as I'm vegetarian. And then I went tonight to get the rest - well, the Kool Aid fizzies have aspartame (which I refuse to ingest) (I also try to avoid other artificial sweeteners as best as I can) and the Crackerfuls have HFCS (I try very hard to avoid this), so I skipped them both. I forgot to look for the DiGiorno pizza (I hope it doesn't have trans fat or HFCS) and the 100-calorie cheese bites (which are processed cheese but which I will consider getting since, well, I eat tons of Laughing Cow...). I did get the Homestyle mac and cheese - the ingredient list is really long and probably contains some of the above, but it's also mac and cheese - and since it's shelf-stable/nonperishable, I could donate it. Remember, I *try* to avoid these things... ;) I think I will try to trade these high-value coupons though, because I know not everyone cares about food additives in the way I do. But just because it's free doesn't mean I'll automatically grab it.
ETA: I've found a good home for the other free coupons. The breadcrumbs in the Homestyle mac and cheese have partially hydrogenated soybean oil, so we're going to just make it without them. Remember, just because a package says 0% trans fat does NOT mean it doesn't have trans fat. My chewable Rolaids that I got for free at CVS a few weeks ago have hydrogenated oil in them!
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Free stuff in the mail - June 16, 2010
Six coupons for free products from Kraft: shaved meat (which I'm giving away since I'm a vegetarian), pizza, Kool Aid fizzies, Homestyle mac&cheese (second freebie of this one), Crackerfuls, and 100 calorie "cheese" (I shouldn't turn my nose up at it though - I'm the Laughing Cow fan after all!).
One big lovely reusable bag from Earthbound Farms, plus coupons.
I tried the Laughing Cow mozzarella and tomato flavor today. I just ate it by itself - I think it really needs something else to complement it, whether a cracker or melted over pasta/shirataki noodles. The tomato was stronger than I expected, but overall it was good. I'm excited to try the queso one next, and I'm really glad I found those $1/2 coupons on the display...
One big lovely reusable bag from Earthbound Farms, plus coupons.
I tried the Laughing Cow mozzarella and tomato flavor today. I just ate it by itself - I think it really needs something else to complement it, whether a cracker or melted over pasta/shirataki noodles. The tomato was stronger than I expected, but overall it was good. I'm excited to try the queso one next, and I'm really glad I found those $1/2 coupons on the display...
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
CVS and Publix - Free stuff and savings!
I went to CVS with $4.99 on "my" card. First, I got another Covergirl Wet Slicks lipgloss and a Powerbar and used $4 and a $2 coupon. The cashier adjusted down my ECB without problems, and I paid about 40 cents OOP. Got back $3 and 99 cents. Then used those plus the other 99 cents and a BOGO coupon to get two bottles of Old Spice bodywash and another Powerbar. Paid about 60 cents OOP, got back $8.99. Not bad at all.
Then Publix. I found two out of the three new Laughing Cow flavors - hooray! They were $2.99 each, the "regular" flavors were $2 each. The display had $1/2 coupons on it, and I got four (two new, two regular). I also got Skinny Cow bars for $1.50 and then a bunch of other deals I won't bore you with. We spent less than $50 and saved around $30.
Does anyone know a) if I can use more than one of one type of Publix coupon in a transaction? I actually have done this once but I'm not sure how legit that was... and b) how long the Laughing Cow is on sale 3/$6? (I forgot to check, it's not listed in the Advantage or regular sale flyers.)
Next week, Publix has Baileys creamers on BOGO so they're $1.05 each. I have $1 printables! And a 55 cent Publix coupon! (Thus the question - could I get two Baileys and use two $1s and two 55 cents Publix coupons for mega overage?) I could go crazy with creamers because I also have a BOGO for International Delight and then a 55 cent Publix coupon for those...I do love flavored coffee!
Then Publix. I found two out of the three new Laughing Cow flavors - hooray! They were $2.99 each, the "regular" flavors were $2 each. The display had $1/2 coupons on it, and I got four (two new, two regular). I also got Skinny Cow bars for $1.50 and then a bunch of other deals I won't bore you with. We spent less than $50 and saved around $30.
Does anyone know a) if I can use more than one of one type of Publix coupon in a transaction? I actually have done this once but I'm not sure how legit that was... and b) how long the Laughing Cow is on sale 3/$6? (I forgot to check, it's not listed in the Advantage or regular sale flyers.)
Next week, Publix has Baileys creamers on BOGO so they're $1.05 each. I have $1 printables! And a 55 cent Publix coupon! (Thus the question - could I get two Baileys and use two $1s and two 55 cents Publix coupons for mega overage?) I could go crazy with creamers because I also have a BOGO for International Delight and then a 55 cent Publix coupon for those...I do love flavored coffee!
Sunday, June 13, 2010
CVS - Free Schick Hydro razor, free Covergirl Wetslicks lipgloss, free Powerbar, free Old Spice bodywash
Today was like the old days at CVS! I didn't take a picture but...
First I got the double paper. It's $3. I used the $2 that the scanner spat out at me (so, that one was free money) and the $1 I got from the Green Bag Tag (more free money). The manager was at the register so he zeroed out the tax. Free.
I fished out the $5 Schick coupon from one of the papers.
Then I used that, my $2 Covergirl coupon that I got from being a BzzAgent, and $8 in ECBs (expiring soon, no great deals next week...) and got a Schick razor for my husband (his preferred brand! He also tried the new free-ish Gillette and declared Schick the winner), my favorite shade of Covergirl Wetslicks mint (Un-Wined), and a Powerbar. The Covergirl coupon was PISSY and beeped and said no no no and I argued back and finally the manager/cashier just pushed it through for $1.95. I have no idea why this beeped, but I had asked to put the ECBs first and the coupons second to avoid beeps and I guess that was my mistake. Anyway I paid $1 for all that. Got back $4 for the Schick, $3 for the Covergirl, 99 cents for the Powerbar.
Then I got two Old Spice bodywashes. I used the BOGO coupon from a few weeks ago and a $4 ECB. It was supposed to be pay $4, get $4, limit one. But HAPPY DAY it was limit two, so I got $8 back! I paid 56 cents OOP.
So in the end I came out a dollar ahead ECB-wise and spent $1.56 in cash for the double paper, a Powerbar, two bottles of bodywash, my husband's preferred razor, and my favorite shade of lipgloss. Nice.
I still have my second card kicking around, by the way, and I recently did a survey that scored me $5 ECBs tied to that card. While I hate juggling two cards, I will take advantage of this by using that $5 plus the other $5 Schick coupon I have to get my husband yet another Schick razor (that would be our fourth free one) and another Powerbar. Then I'll have $4.99 on that card to buy...stuff.
First I got the double paper. It's $3. I used the $2 that the scanner spat out at me (so, that one was free money) and the $1 I got from the Green Bag Tag (more free money). The manager was at the register so he zeroed out the tax. Free.
I fished out the $5 Schick coupon from one of the papers.
Then I used that, my $2 Covergirl coupon that I got from being a BzzAgent, and $8 in ECBs (expiring soon, no great deals next week...) and got a Schick razor for my husband (his preferred brand! He also tried the new free-ish Gillette and declared Schick the winner), my favorite shade of Covergirl Wetslicks mint (Un-Wined), and a Powerbar. The Covergirl coupon was PISSY and beeped and said no no no and I argued back and finally the manager/cashier just pushed it through for $1.95. I have no idea why this beeped, but I had asked to put the ECBs first and the coupons second to avoid beeps and I guess that was my mistake. Anyway I paid $1 for all that. Got back $4 for the Schick, $3 for the Covergirl, 99 cents for the Powerbar.
Then I got two Old Spice bodywashes. I used the BOGO coupon from a few weeks ago and a $4 ECB. It was supposed to be pay $4, get $4, limit one. But HAPPY DAY it was limit two, so I got $8 back! I paid 56 cents OOP.
So in the end I came out a dollar ahead ECB-wise and spent $1.56 in cash for the double paper, a Powerbar, two bottles of bodywash, my husband's preferred razor, and my favorite shade of lipgloss. Nice.
I still have my second card kicking around, by the way, and I recently did a survey that scored me $5 ECBs tied to that card. While I hate juggling two cards, I will take advantage of this by using that $5 plus the other $5 Schick coupon I have to get my husband yet another Schick razor (that would be our fourth free one) and another Powerbar. Then I'll have $4.99 on that card to buy...stuff.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Free Skinny Cow single-serving cups at CVS, free ECBs too!
Today I used one of my $1-off-any-Skinny-Cow coupons (I have three - two for liking Skinny Cow on Facebook and one from their site - should've been able to print two from the site but couldn't) at CVS and voila, scored a single-serving cup of chocolate brownie for 2 cents. However, the cashier was all concerned about the coupon, gave me the third degree, and called over a manager. They both indicated there had been memos about "Internet coupons" but this one wasn't on the memo (because, you know, it's LEGIT) so they let it go. I only used one because I was at the CVS that I walk to and it's 90 degrees out (I ate the cup when I got home, it was only slightly melty) but I'm glad I didn't use more anyway. I'll try to get to a CVS before Saturday to get two more - if not, no big, these are a nice treat but I don't NEED them. The store also didn't have the Gillette pack that includes a razor AND extra stuff, and my husband says he's a "Schick guy" so I skipped doing that deal a second time. Oh and I got my Green Bag Tag dollar.
Also I scored the much-discussed-elsewhere free $2 ECB from the scanner. Mine's good until Sunday, so I'm going to use that plus the GBT dollar plus my $3 coupon from BzzAgent to get free CoverGirl lip gloss on Sunday. Hooray! (It's on sale for $5.99, get back $3, next week.)
I'm also currently obsessed with Hungry Girl - granted, a lot of her recipes call for name-brand food (and non-food, sorry HG but it's true), and she LOVES Splenda and I will not touch the stuff, but she also has some very cool and cute ideas. I just got one of her cookbooks from the library (her first book). Best tip I've learned so far? That Laughing Cow wedges MELT. They MELT! I've been eating Laughing Cow cheese for years ("the little cheeses in the red knit bag") and I got addicted to the French Onion wedges a while back (they remind me of onion dip). But I never thought to melt one - so I threw some leftover whole wheat pasta and blanched broccoli in the microwave with a Swiss LC wedge and voila - cheesey, low cal snack. YAY. AND they are launching three new flavors and I am dyyyying to try them. Yum.
Also I scored the much-discussed-elsewhere free $2 ECB from the scanner. Mine's good until Sunday, so I'm going to use that plus the GBT dollar plus my $3 coupon from BzzAgent to get free CoverGirl lip gloss on Sunday. Hooray! (It's on sale for $5.99, get back $3, next week.)
I'm also currently obsessed with Hungry Girl - granted, a lot of her recipes call for name-brand food (and non-food, sorry HG but it's true), and she LOVES Splenda and I will not touch the stuff, but she also has some very cool and cute ideas. I just got one of her cookbooks from the library (her first book). Best tip I've learned so far? That Laughing Cow wedges MELT. They MELT! I've been eating Laughing Cow cheese for years ("the little cheeses in the red knit bag") and I got addicted to the French Onion wedges a while back (they remind me of onion dip). But I never thought to melt one - so I threw some leftover whole wheat pasta and blanched broccoli in the microwave with a Swiss LC wedge and voila - cheesey, low cal snack. YAY. AND they are launching three new flavors and I am dyyyying to try them. Yum.
Sunday, June 6, 2010
CVS - Free Rolaids, free Gillette razor, free Dawn dishwashing liquid plus other freebies!
Today I got the following for free:
Goat cheese (basil and roasted garlic) using coupon from Chevrie
Kraft Mac and Cheese "cheesy explosion" using coupon from Kraft
Kraft Homestyle Mac and Cheese (which appears to be regular m&c with breadcrumbs, in a fancier bag) using coupon from Kraft
At CVS, I spent less than $2 out of pocket and got 2 bags of Rolaids, a Gillette Fusion razor, and a bottle of Dawn Hand Renewal dishwashing liquid. I handed over $4 in ECBs as well, plus a $5-off-$15 coupon (only available through the register - my new favorite cashier hooked me up with it without my needing to make an initial purchase), $4-off-two Rolaids coupon, $4 off Gillette coupon, and $1 off Dawn coupon (which got adjusted down to 97 cents), and I got back $9 in ECBs. Apparently the Gillette deal is more than one, despite what it says in the flyer (my receipt says I haven't completed it yet), so I'll go do that again - ECBs + coupon = razor for $1, but I will get $1 extra back from my Green Bag Tag so it will come out even.
Also I got Shout stain treater for 42 cents and two t-shirts for $10 ($5 each) at Target.
Goat cheese (basil and roasted garlic) using coupon from Chevrie
Kraft Mac and Cheese "cheesy explosion" using coupon from Kraft
Kraft Homestyle Mac and Cheese (which appears to be regular m&c with breadcrumbs, in a fancier bag) using coupon from Kraft
At CVS, I spent less than $2 out of pocket and got 2 bags of Rolaids, a Gillette Fusion razor, and a bottle of Dawn Hand Renewal dishwashing liquid. I handed over $4 in ECBs as well, plus a $5-off-$15 coupon (only available through the register - my new favorite cashier hooked me up with it without my needing to make an initial purchase), $4-off-two Rolaids coupon, $4 off Gillette coupon, and $1 off Dawn coupon (which got adjusted down to 97 cents), and I got back $9 in ECBs. Apparently the Gillette deal is more than one, despite what it says in the flyer (my receipt says I haven't completed it yet), so I'll go do that again - ECBs + coupon = razor for $1, but I will get $1 extra back from my Green Bag Tag so it will come out even.
Also I got Shout stain treater for 42 cents and two t-shirts for $10 ($5 each) at Target.
Monday, May 24, 2010
CVS - Profit-making Gillette bodywash + outlet shopping
First, I went to CVS, where I used $4.99 ECBs + $1 ECBs (my green bag tag ECBs) and a BOGO coupon to get two bottles of Gillette bodywash plus the double Sunday paper ($3). I paid about $1 OOP and got back $8. Nice.
Then yesterday we hit the outlet stores. I had a 25% off any purchase coupon from Carters so I got:
4 pairs of socks
2 pajama onesies
1 pajama shirt/pant set
3 onesies
1 "Birthday Girl" shirt
2 outfits (onesie/top plus pants)
1 pair jean shorts
for $58 plus tax. I also bought a non-stick-pot-usable spatula ($3.99), an electric tart warmer ($14), and two pairs of Stride Rite sneakers for my daughter ($35-ish - one pair lights up!). Oh and one book at the awesome closeout bookstore that always has many things I want.
And my friend who thrifts like nobody's business hooked me up with tons of books including three beautiful giant cookbooks - Babbo, Nigella Eats, and The Naked Chef Takes Off. I suspect she paid around $6 for them, total. They are lovely.
And today's mail brought a coupon for a free carton of Simply Smart milk and a free bottle of non-alcoholic Baileys creamer. Yum yum. I still have two free Kraft coupons for products I cannot find in stores, sadly. At least those expire in October, so there's time...
Then yesterday we hit the outlet stores. I had a 25% off any purchase coupon from Carters so I got:
4 pairs of socks
2 pajama onesies
1 pajama shirt/pant set
3 onesies
1 "Birthday Girl" shirt
2 outfits (onesie/top plus pants)
1 pair jean shorts
for $58 plus tax. I also bought a non-stick-pot-usable spatula ($3.99), an electric tart warmer ($14), and two pairs of Stride Rite sneakers for my daughter ($35-ish - one pair lights up!). Oh and one book at the awesome closeout bookstore that always has many things I want.
And my friend who thrifts like nobody's business hooked me up with tons of books including three beautiful giant cookbooks - Babbo, Nigella Eats, and The Naked Chef Takes Off. I suspect she paid around $6 for them, total. They are lovely.
And today's mail brought a coupon for a free carton of Simply Smart milk and a free bottle of non-alcoholic Baileys creamer. Yum yum. I still have two free Kraft coupons for products I cannot find in stores, sadly. At least those expire in October, so there's time...
Monday, May 17, 2010
CVS - Free Herbal Essences shampoo - plus the mailed freebies I've gotten lately
First, CVS was nice this week. I had a $4 ECB and I used that plus 40 cents (my pre-tax total was negative 2 cents) to get a bottle of shampoo and a bottle of conditioner from Herbal Essences aka the brand I use anyway. Got my $4 back plus $1 for my Green Bag Tag (I LOVE THAT THING). Since I have a $4, $4.99 (or is it $4.50? I forget), and $1, I skipped the razor this week - I would've only gotten it if it were free-with-tax or a brand my husband loves.
Then, in the past few days I've gotten in the mail:
A sample of fancy Suave shampoo
A sample of Pantene shampoo and conditioner
A sample of Philosophy's anti-aging moisturizer
A coupon for a free box of Kraft mac and cheese
A coupon for a free bag of fancy Kraft mac and cheese something or other
A coupon for a free thing of Kraft mayo with olive oil
3 little bags of Wheat Thins (sun-dried tomato I think?)
3 little sample packs of instant coffee with vanilla and stuff - International Cafe or something?
2 Cascade action packs (we use these in the dishwasher)
A sample of Metamucil (I keep getting these and not using them...)
Plus we went to the Alive! Expo in Atlanta thanks to Half Off Green - I got two tickets for $10 (and brought a can of beans as a donation) to this organic/natural expo. It was totally worth it - we got several reusable bags, some samples of Omega-3 supplements, and a bunch of food samples (including Cascadian Farms organic granola and granola bars and some gluten-free chips), and we also snacked our way through. Apparently we should've gotten a free loaf of bread too, but ah well, we missed that. Oh and I got a free 5 minute massage that really helped get the kinks out after I spent almost 11 hours on my feet on Saturday selling my wares at a craft show. Heavenly.
Then, in the past few days I've gotten in the mail:
A sample of fancy Suave shampoo
A sample of Pantene shampoo and conditioner
A sample of Philosophy's anti-aging moisturizer
A coupon for a free box of Kraft mac and cheese
A coupon for a free bag of fancy Kraft mac and cheese something or other
A coupon for a free thing of Kraft mayo with olive oil
3 little bags of Wheat Thins (sun-dried tomato I think?)
3 little sample packs of instant coffee with vanilla and stuff - International Cafe or something?
2 Cascade action packs (we use these in the dishwasher)
A sample of Metamucil (I keep getting these and not using them...)
Plus we went to the Alive! Expo in Atlanta thanks to Half Off Green - I got two tickets for $10 (and brought a can of beans as a donation) to this organic/natural expo. It was totally worth it - we got several reusable bags, some samples of Omega-3 supplements, and a bunch of food samples (including Cascadian Farms organic granola and granola bars and some gluten-free chips), and we also snacked our way through. Apparently we should've gotten a free loaf of bread too, but ah well, we missed that. Oh and I got a free 5 minute massage that really helped get the kinks out after I spent almost 11 hours on my feet on Saturday selling my wares at a craft show. Heavenly.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
How to make a bit of money online - but NOT how to get rich!
I'm currently a stay at home mom, although I'm also a writer (check out http://www.ruckusmag.net to see some of my work that also appears in the print version of Ruckus magazine; also check out my articles I've written as the Atlanta Budget Grocery Examiner) and I make pinback buttons, magnets, bottle openers, pocket mirrors, and jewelry and sell them on etsy and in local stores - and my first craft show is coming up!
I also like to make a bit of extra money with various websites. Again - YOU WILL NOT GET RICH with any of these sites. You'll get a few cents to a few dollars here and there. But it's enough to buy you a lunch out with friends or a new book or a special treat - and sometimes it might be a little bit more.
Cash:
YouData - This site pays you to look at targeted ads. You fill out a "Me File" with as much or as little information as you like, and the site pairs you with advertisers. You go to the site as often as you want and check the widget for ads. You'll make about 10 cents for each ad delivered to you (clicking through to a website). And I *have* found great websites that I've bookmarked via YouData. The great thing is that there's no minimum payout - if you make 10 cents, you'll get 10 cents that week, deposited directly into your PayPal account (the only way they pay). It takes a minute or two to click the ad. Some weeks you'll get nothing, some weeks you'll get a few dollars. I love it.
Pinecone Research - This site periodically offers signups. They don't do referrals and you MUST find a link or banner ad to sign up. But once you're in, you'll periodically get surveys and be paid $3 for each one you complete. You might make $6-$9 in a good month, but money is money! They'll send you $3 checks or deposit your $3 into your PayPal account.
MySurvey - Another survey site. They give you points for each survey you take, even if you don't wind up qualifying. While there are other prizes available, the simplest and best item I find is 1000 points = $10, sent in the mail as a check. I've earned about $30 from this site. The link to sign up can be found in my previous entry or via the icon in the right-hand column of my blog.
Prizes (or sometimes cash-as-prizes):
MyPoints - I've been using MyPoints for years. The site primarily works by sending you targeted emails with links. Most of the time, clicking on a link in an email will net you 5 or 10 points. If you complete the offer, you'll usually get a much larger number of points. (I recommend setting up a filter for these emails - but continuing to use your main email account - you get credited for purchases you make by connecting you to that email account. I have NOT gotten extra spam from mypoints, ever.) You can also use the site itself by clicking through its links to sites like eBay and Overstock to make purchases and earn points. Plus, you can print manufacturers' coupons through the site and earn points for each one you redeem, and you can earn points by using the site's search engine as well. I've earned hundreds of dollars in Amazon gift cards through them - points add up surprisingly quickly. If you are interested in using me as a referral, leave a comment with your email address - it's not required, but I'd personally appreciate it!
SwagBucks - I feel like everyone knows about SwagBucks at this point, but if you don't, allow me to explain. It's a search engine. And randomly when you search, you'll be awarded "Swagbucks" that you can redeem for prizes (or cash in your PayPal account). Search a few times a day and you'll likely get 10-30 bucks. Have a little more time? Follow Swagbucks on Twitter or Facebook and learn about special codes you can enter to earn more bucks. You can also do "tasks" or click through the site to earn bucks (although I rarely do this). 450 bucks = $5 in Amazon cash. It doesn't sound like much but it adds up quickly - I have earned over $300 in Amazon credit this way.
And there you have it! These are the only five sites I use regularly. I've checked out other sites and found them too time consuming or too shady or both. The above sites have paid me promptly, have not increased my spam, and have caused me no problems.
I also like to make a bit of extra money with various websites. Again - YOU WILL NOT GET RICH with any of these sites. You'll get a few cents to a few dollars here and there. But it's enough to buy you a lunch out with friends or a new book or a special treat - and sometimes it might be a little bit more.
Cash:
YouData - This site pays you to look at targeted ads. You fill out a "Me File" with as much or as little information as you like, and the site pairs you with advertisers. You go to the site as often as you want and check the widget for ads. You'll make about 10 cents for each ad delivered to you (clicking through to a website). And I *have* found great websites that I've bookmarked via YouData. The great thing is that there's no minimum payout - if you make 10 cents, you'll get 10 cents that week, deposited directly into your PayPal account (the only way they pay). It takes a minute or two to click the ad. Some weeks you'll get nothing, some weeks you'll get a few dollars. I love it.
Pinecone Research - This site periodically offers signups. They don't do referrals and you MUST find a link or banner ad to sign up. But once you're in, you'll periodically get surveys and be paid $3 for each one you complete. You might make $6-$9 in a good month, but money is money! They'll send you $3 checks or deposit your $3 into your PayPal account.
MySurvey - Another survey site. They give you points for each survey you take, even if you don't wind up qualifying. While there are other prizes available, the simplest and best item I find is 1000 points = $10, sent in the mail as a check. I've earned about $30 from this site. The link to sign up can be found in my previous entry or via the icon in the right-hand column of my blog.
Prizes (or sometimes cash-as-prizes):
MyPoints - I've been using MyPoints for years. The site primarily works by sending you targeted emails with links. Most of the time, clicking on a link in an email will net you 5 or 10 points. If you complete the offer, you'll usually get a much larger number of points. (I recommend setting up a filter for these emails - but continuing to use your main email account - you get credited for purchases you make by connecting you to that email account. I have NOT gotten extra spam from mypoints, ever.) You can also use the site itself by clicking through its links to sites like eBay and Overstock to make purchases and earn points. Plus, you can print manufacturers' coupons through the site and earn points for each one you redeem, and you can earn points by using the site's search engine as well. I've earned hundreds of dollars in Amazon gift cards through them - points add up surprisingly quickly. If you are interested in using me as a referral, leave a comment with your email address - it's not required, but I'd personally appreciate it!
SwagBucks - I feel like everyone knows about SwagBucks at this point, but if you don't, allow me to explain. It's a search engine. And randomly when you search, you'll be awarded "Swagbucks" that you can redeem for prizes (or cash in your PayPal account). Search a few times a day and you'll likely get 10-30 bucks. Have a little more time? Follow Swagbucks on Twitter or Facebook and learn about special codes you can enter to earn more bucks. You can also do "tasks" or click through the site to earn bucks (although I rarely do this). 450 bucks = $5 in Amazon cash. It doesn't sound like much but it adds up quickly - I have earned over $300 in Amazon credit this way.
And there you have it! These are the only five sites I use regularly. I've checked out other sites and found them too time consuming or too shady or both. The above sites have paid me promptly, have not increased my spam, and have caused me no problems.
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