Rite Aid has the best freebies this week – including free Snickers’ bars!!! This list now includes Staples coupons each week!
Target - This week’s list of Target coupons includes Aveeno products for as low as $2.82 with coupons and SunChips for $1.50-$2 per with coupon.
Staples – Hip 2 Save lists the hot Staples coupons this week, including free ballpoint pens, paperclips, and envelopes with Staples Rewards. (more…)
Win an all-expense paid trip to the American Idol finals!
What’s better than having fun with your family? Finding frugal ways to have fun with your family!
On Coca-Cola’s MyCokeRewards.com site, there are seven weeks worth of wallet-friendly ideas to start your family night tradition, including:
- Old School Game Night – Stir up the fun with classic games or a scavenger hunt that will make Mom and Dad feel young again.
- Movie Night – The Coca-Cola HULU channel has a trove of family-friendly films.
- Minute to Win It! – Browse through a gallery of “Minute to Win It” games sponsored by Coca-Cola and choose an activity family members must complete in less than 60 seconds. It works for all ages and uses items around your home.
It’s easy to think that kids will only remember an expensive family trip to Florida but Cindy Copeland, author of Family Fun Night, says that’s not true. Cindy says that what kids actually remember is mom having trouble carrying a tune or dad doing a funny dance move during weekly family nights.
That’s great news for families and the wallet! To hear more Family Night tips from Cindy, including how to engage reluctant teenagers, check out this video:
This week on MyCokeRewards.com/Family you can see how other families have fun together and get some inspiration to start your own Family Night! Don’t forget to vote for your favorite — the two families with the most votes will win trips to the American Idol finale for their entire families!
This is paid content. Interested in an ad? Read by blog advertising page.
Giant kids consignment sale this weekend in LA!
There are 16 deals and coupons today. Enjoy your weekend!
Free Swagbucks – Today is mega swagbucks day! Earn points you can redeem for gift cards by doing your normal Internet searching.
CVS coupon – Get 20% off your entire online purchase with this CVS coupon. Only prescriptions are excluded. Expires Mar. 6, 2011.
LA only! Kids Consignment sale is this weekend! The prices on 60,000 used kids toys, clothes, gear, books, and more are incredible at the LA Kids Consignment sale Mar 4-6, 2011. Hours are Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Items are 50% off on Sunday. Location is 157 W. Providencia Ave. in Burbank. (more…)
Price war: giant Kale v. tiny pepper
I purchased this giant bunch of kale yesterday and I could not believe how cheap it was! Especially after seeing a red and green pepper ring up for $2.09. I really love to munch on peppers, but paying $2.99/lb is too much.
This just proves that buying in-season produce really can reduce your grocery bills. Kale not one of your faves? I’m not surprised. I can hear you recoiling as you read this. She wants me to eat…kale?
I’ve actually started to crave kale after my step-father made it for me. Here is his easy kale recipe. (Click “more” to see how cheap this kale was.) (more…)
Drivers won’t change their habits until gas costs more than $4 per gallon, says the car leasing website LeaseTrader.com. REALLY?
AAA calculates the national average price for a gallon of regular gas is already at $3.47. Last year the average was just $2.70. In my neighborhood, I’m already seeing $3.59 a gallon.
At what gas price do you start changing habits?
When filling my 12.5 gallon tank hit $50 two years ago, I freaked out. I began riding my bike to do errands around town and carpooling whenever possible. Incremental increases don’t seem so big until you realize how much it adds up to. I’m not the only one who took note back then. When gas prices spiked in the summer of 2008, 78% of all SUV/truck transfers were due to high gas prices, according to LeaseTrader. Now, gas prices are the reason behind just 16% of SUV/truck transfers.
I’m giving up my car for 40 days (for Lent) starting Mar. 9, so I won’t have to worry about gas prices in the short term. Scary thing is that I doubt gas prices will come back down before I start driving again on Easter Sunday, Apr. 24, 2011. The combination of rising gas prices and my temporary auto sacrifice may convince me to give up my car for good.
Are you content to pay $4 per gallon?
Scoops are buy one get one free with a Baskin Robbins coupon below!
There are 9 freebies and coupons today!
FREE GLASSES - The free glasses promotion through CoastalContacts.com is back! Residents of 25 states are eligible. Find out what day your state’s giveaway is.
Free Tide - Get a free sample of Tide when you share a bit of info about yourself. Note, this freebie is through a third party. The website is just hosting the giveaway.
Tomorrow! Free fries - Friday, Mar. 4, 2011 is free fry day at Chick-fil-A. No purchase necessary! (more…)
As per your requests, here is my weekly round up of the best Groupon deals. If a link does not take you to the exact deal, look for it in the sidebar. New to Groupon? See below.
National Deals
Photobooks 70% off – Get $100 for $30 with this Picaboo photo discount.
Tea 50% off - Pay $12 for $25 of tea and accessories at Tea District with a tea sale through Groupon.
Shop the Look discount - Pay $15 for $35 with a Shop The Look discount through Groupon. This store helps you find looks seen in celebrity magazines. (more…)
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains.
LA Swapaholics Sip & Swap
Last week I went to a great swap run by The Swapaholics, co-hosts of last year’s Frugal Festival. Swaps come in all different sizes and shapes. Some are free. Some you have to pay to get in. Some are in person. Some are virtual. You can swap everything from houses to horses. Either way, swaps are a big money saver.
To get the most value out of a swap, here are the five things you need to know:
- The merchandise is tied to the people who attend the event. If you are looking for plus-size clothes and everyone at the swap is pencil thin, you won’t find anything but accessories. The best way to find the kind of swap you want is to search online for “swap”+ “your city”+ “qualifier.” The qualifier is the kind of swap that you are looking for such as mom, kid, toys, plants, plus-size, books, or recipes. So you might search “swap Los Angeles kids.”
- I believe in swapping karma. (more…)
This list now includes grocery coupons for Harris Teeter!
Ralphs - The Ralphs prices assume coupon doubling up to $1. Get all the Ralphs coupons later today.
Safeway/Vons - Get all the Safeway/Vons coupons and deals later today.
Albertsons - Get the full list of Albertsons coupons later today. Check out the hot 8 hour sale at Albertsons Thursday Mar. 3, 2011.
Whole Foods - Get Whole Foods coupons later today.
Publix – Southern Savers posted this week’s Publix grocery coupons. Highlights include New York Style Bagel Chips for $.34 with coupon, Quaker Instant hot cereal or oatmeal for free with coupon, and Nature’s Own Bread for $1.44. (more…)
Today there are 16 freebies and coupons!
Free Eucerin lotion – Get a free sample of Eucerin lotion when you take a healthy skin pledge on Facebook.
Free photo magnet – Kodak Gallery is giving away free photo magnets when you join the site. You pay $1 shipping and that’s it.
Free breadsticks - Get free breadsticks at Pizza Hut when you like the company’s Facebook page and place an online order.
Free Vista Print office supplies – Get more than a dozen free office supplies, from free address labels to business cards, through Vista Print. You pay shipping.
Movie tickets discount - Get two cheap movie tickets for $9 through a Fandango deal on Living Social. (more…)
norwichnuts/Flickr
I like to share updates on what produce is in season because it helps me reduce my grocery bill. In season veggies and fruit are almost always cheaper than out of season produce! Look for prices on the below produce to start falling. If gas prices continue to rise, prices for food that travels long distances to get to your grocery store will climb, offsetting in season price drops.
This list comes from FruitsandVeggiesMoreMatters.org, which has more info and recipes when you click on the links below. My favorite spring foods are asparagus, green beans, and snow peas. I’m surprised to see corn and strawberries on the list, which I consider summer produce.
To rent or not to rent? Credit: dennis/Flickr
Perhaps as a sign that going car-less for Lent is a good idea, yesterday for the first time I saw a bus go by my house. I can’t pretend to need a car when there is a bus route at my doorstep, can I?
Didn’t think so. Where I was in doubt about this sacrifice, you had none. Other than Linda O., commenters unanimously want me to ditch my car keys.
Final answer? I’m going car-less for Lent, which starts Wednesday, Mar. 9 and ends on Easter Sunday, Apr. 24, 2011. (The end of Lent is debated, but I’m sticking to Easter). During my auto fast, I’m allowed to drive my car on Sundays, which is another issue hotly debated among Catholics. I’m not religious, so instead of giving up a sin for Lent, my twist is that I’m giving up a financial sin.
Owning a car is a financial sin? One calculation shows that driving takes $7,095 out of my community each year. Not only is that a lot of money leaving my pocket, it is a lot of money leaving my community. By riding my bike, I’m improving my health and reducing my pollution output. By taking the bus, I’m supporting local economy. By taking a taxi, I’m really supporting the local economy.
Just one problem. During my auto fast I have a business trip to Los Angeles. I no longer have a functioning bicycle in Los Angeles, so I may have to rely on buses. Or, I could exclude business needs from my fast, just like I did during my no-spend month, which means I could rent a car in Los Angeles.
Would renting a car on a business trip during my auto fast be cheating?
Chuck works at "Buy More" electronics store. Coincidence? I think not!
UPDATE! Your tips pointed out an additional three ways retailers trick us to spend more (listed first).
I teamed up with BargainBabe.com writers Bobbi and Yazmin and readers to create this list of 19 tricks retailers pull to get you to spend more. The sad thing is, we all independently thought of five and there was not one duplicate! Watch out for these tricks because they are everywhere.
- Final temptation. Racks with cheap goodies that are by no means necessary but a lot of fun test your resolve one last time as you wait in line to check out. Need batteries? Craving candy? Ron, who contributed this tip, says he falls for this trick at the electronic store Frys!
- 2-for-1 coupons. Discounts that can be had only when you buy multiples sucks in shoppers (read: me), but Ellie says this stipulation actually turns her off. She rarely buys more than one of an item at a time.
- Moving parts. Shari has noticed stores move merchandise. “I believe they go through this labor expense to keep us from getting too familiar with the way things are laid out and getting in and out quicker.”
- You can’t just have one. Once you put one thing in your cart, you are more likely to put in more. Yesterday I was at Staples and actually purchased something that was $2 that I knew was only $1 at the 99 Cent Only store next door. I chose to spend $2 instead of going to the 99 Cent Only store because I KNEW that I would buy more than that one item.
- Big carts. Stew Leonard’s (the Disneyland of dairy stores) in Danbury, Connecticut was the first store I ever saw that had HUGE carts. They were so big, that even when you put lots of stuff in them, it didn’t seem like a lot… until you (more…)
Free pancakes today at IHOP!
There are 12 freebies and deals today!
Free IHOP today – Today is the day to get free pancakes at IHOP. Ends Mar. 1, 2011 at 10 p.m.
Free peach drinks – Today is also the day to get free peach lattes and tea at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.
Free Legos tonight - The first Tuesday of every month is when kids 6-14 can learn how to build a small Lego creature (tonight it’s a bird) and keep their free Lego creation! This is happening tonight. Call your local store to find out what time. Thanks It’s Hip to Save!
Free Newsweek – Get a year long subscription to Newsweek for free when you join RewardsGold, a free site where you earn points for shopping through partner sites and stuff. (more…)
Art gallery openings are free and even have snacks! Credit: robokirby/Flickr
My little brother confided in me that having a girlfriend is squeezing his budget. When he was in college, she often picked up the tab. But now that he has his degree and is working, it’s his turn to take her out. “Eating out is expensive!” he told me. Um, yeah.
Part of the problem is that because of their work schedules, the evening is the only time they can get together. In my budget for a new college grad I allotted $20/week for fun and $30/week for food. That is not enough to eat out every night. So how are two twenty-somethings to find fun without spending a lot? I brainstormed this list of 9 dates.
1. Get a Netflix subscription for $10.69 per month, including tax. This “one DVD at a time” subscription gives you about 3-6 DVDs per month, depending on how quick you watch and return each disc. The two of you can fill your Netflix queue with movies and TV shows you pick together. Cost: $2.50 per week.
2. Get moving. Pull on your sweats and go (more…)
