Illustration by OConnorCartoons.com
$10 iTunes offer - Get a bonus $10 iTunes gift certificate when you cash in at least $40 worth of coins at participating Coinstar machines. If you cash in $40, that puts you $6 ahead! Ends Sept. 30, 2010.
Free soda at movies – Get a free small drink at Regal Theaters, United Artists Cinemas, or Edwards Theaters this Friday, Sept. 17 only when you like the Regal Facebook page.
Magazine sale – Amazon has put 14 magazines on sale, plus get an extra $5-$10 off. A year of Rolling Stone is just $15, for example.
Prescription transfer coupon – Get a $20 RiteAid gift card and send $5 to your local PTA when you use this prescription transfer coupon.
Check out all the coupons and offers on my WalletPop blog.
You may recall I recently moved across the country to Rhode Island. I made a video about how I scoped out ways to save in my new neighborhood.
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains.
ToddBaker/Flickr
Last week I wrote about my decision to hire a professional cleaning person. Many of you commented on that post and I appreciate all the feedback as I went into the adventure ready and willing to learn. I said I would share my revelations. Here they are:
- I felt safe having this person in my home because I had several recommendations from people I trust who have used her for several years. That was important. Getting personal recommendations is essential.
- I spent a couple of hours prior to the cleaner arriving picking (more…)
programwitch / flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
With shorter days and longer nights approaching, it�s time to start preparing your garden for fall. �Before you begin planting, there are many tasks that need to be completed. Here are some fall gardening tips to get ready for the next growing season and continue to save money through gardening.
Rearrange
Here’s one of the toughest jobs you must accomplish, but it must be done. You need to get rid of all the diseased or damaged plants that have stopped producing and look tired in your garden. This is work – some of your spring plants may be monstrously (more…)
Home decor from Dollar Tree: SavinSome.com
Every Friday I link to my favorite money-saving posts. If you came across a great money-saving tip, please link to it in the comments.
If you’re interested in being a mystery shopper, make sure to read Nicole’s Nickels post about mystery shopping FAQs.
Create back to school traditions to get your kids excited for learning, says Jen at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam.
Stock up on these eight green back to school supplies, courtesy of Bargain Briana.
Think the dollar stores are full of junk? Brandy at SavinSome will prove you wrong with her ye for frugal home decor.
How much food do you waste each week? Nikki at CouponCookin has tips to reduce food waste.
Kacy at Valuing Today shares a personal story about cutting her medical bills by negotiating monthly payments with her doctor and dentist.
DanBrady/Flickr
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains.
Part of my life philosophy is “I can do it myself.” This concept has helped me to learn to do everything from baking bread to teaching my daughter to read. However, I am finally ready to cry “uncle” in one subject. CLEANING!
OK, I’m going to out myself here. I have decided to make a very un-frugal financial decision and hire a professional cleaning person. There! I said it to the world. I feel so weird spending money on something that I can do myself, but I have to try it.
I recently realized that at least half of the conflicts in my household have been about cleaning. Now that is just plain silly. I don’t like to clean, so I am trying to get my family to do it. And guess what? It isn’t going well. (more…)
Illustration by OConnorCartoons.com
Walgreens – Get $5 off your next online purchase of $30 or more using this Walgreens coupon. Expires Aug. 21, 2010.
Target - Did you hear they are closing the 262 remaining garden centers by September? That means super garden deals.
Payless – Get free shipping during their buy one get one 50% off sale. Valid on orders of $50 or more. Expires Aug. 20, 2010.
Emergen-C – Get two free samples of this vitamin-packed powder packets.
Check out all the coupons and deals on my WalletPop blog.
Anderson Mancini / flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
Pest in your garden will destroy your plants and your edible investment. If you’re willing to make your own remedies, your plants will have a chance to thrive. Here’s how to naturally combat some major offenders with supplies you have around your home.
Ants
They crawl all over your plants and transmit diseases from sick to healthy plants. It seems like they just keep on coming, but here’s how to deter them from staying in your garden or coming into your home.
- Ants hate cucumber peels. They dislike the bitterness of the peel so place them where they have made their trails to deter them from crawling on your plants.
- Make a concoction of borax and sugar. A master gardener once told me to use a 50-50 concentration but I use more borax than sugar and it gets the job done. The goal is to have the ants (more…)
deb roby/Flickr
Here is an update on what produce is currently in season and a resource for what to plant in your late summer/fall garden. The below list of in-season produce is a good indicator of what fruit and vegetables will have the best prices. Greater supply…lower prices. Plus, in-season produce is often grown closer to home than out-of-season produce, which we import from Chile, Mexico, and other countries. Expect prices for early summer fruits and vegetables to rise.
The following list of fall fruits and vegetables comes from FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org. The list includes many hardy lettuces and squashes. If you can’t remember what is in season, price is a good indication.
Acorn Squash
Belgian Endive
Broccoli (more…)
CVS - There are six freebies at CVS this week. Wahoo! Highlights include free Crest or Oral B Health, free Sobe Lifewater 20 oz. or Gataorade 32 oz., free Pepsi 2 Liter, free Right Guard or Dry Idea, free Zegerid OTC 14 count and free Blink Tears Lubricating Drops .5 oz. Get the coupon match ups and read more CVS deals on BargainBriana.
Walgreens – Highligths include Puffs Facial Tissues for $.83, free Stride gum, free Pilot Frixion pens, and Colgate for $.99. Get the coupon match ups and read more Walgreens deals on CommonSenseWithMoney.
Rite Aid – Higlights include free AMO Complete Multi Purpose Solution, free Rolaids Soft Chews, and BIC Crystal Pens for $.25 each. Get the coupon match ups and read more Rite Aid deals on MoneySavingMom.
New to coupons? Check out my post on coupon clipping basics. If you want to take advantage of these deals, make sure to save the coupon inserts you receive in the mail or with your Sunday newspaper. Here’s a great suggestion for how to handle coupon organization.
Illustration by OConnorCartoons.com
A roundup of coupons from Savings.com and my blog on WalletPop.
Vista Print - Get a ton of free back to school supplies through Vista Print. You pay for shipping only.
Swagbucks - Join Swagbucks by Sunday, August 15, 2010 and get a total of 70 swagbucks (30 for signing up plus 40 as a bonus)
Restaurant.com – Their latest restaurant discount is for 80% off!
Shoesteal.com - Get 15% off your entire purchase at Shoesteal.com. Expires January 31, 2011.
Winn-Dixie - If you live in the South, check out this awesome Winn-Dixie coupon on Tide and household cleaners.
Sally Beauty – Get 20% off your entire order at Sally Beauty Supply. Expires August 31, 2010.
Barneys NY – Get 20% off all full-priced denim at Barney’s New York. Expires August 28, 2010.
LinenSource – Get 10% off your purchase at LinenSource. Expires August 28, 2010.
Home Depot - Join Home Depot’s garden club and you’ll get gardening coupons and tips.
By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of Bobbisbargains.
pupismyname/Flickr
I am against paying retail. Hence my motto, “Friends don’t let friends pay retail.”
However, sometimes even I have to go to a store and purchase something new. Hey, it happens to the best of us.
Let me assure you that when I do this deed I also ENSURE that I know the store return policy and keep my receipt, packaging and tags. If I am not 100% satisfied with my purchase, I return it.
I am amazed how many times I see items at yard sales, thrift shops and swaps that are brand new with their tags still attached. I always wonder about the economic condition of the seller. Are they wildly wealthy? Did they lose the receipt and figured they couldn’t get their money back? Or did they think it wasn’t worth the trouble?
I doubt anyone that is wildly wealthy is reading my blog (but if you are and want to make a donation to me, I am a willing recipient.) As far as returning items without a receipt; many stores will give you (more…)
domib34/flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
I’ve written about ways to save money by gardening but here’s the real dirt on how to cut household costs by using herbs and produce that grow in your garden instead of spending money on store bought products.
Rosemary – Not only can you use rosemary to season your Thanksgiving turkey but you can also use it on your locks. Rosemary is known to stimulate hair growth, naturally darken it and battle dandruff. Simply pour one cup of boiling water over dried rosemary and steep overnight. Strain the tea and use it in the shower as a final rinse. Rosemary along with other fragrant herbs like lavender and thyme makes natural potpourris or sachets.
Parsley and Mint – Next time you’ve got garlic breath don’t reach for a mint candy, but instead chew on parsley or fresh mint. These herbs are great bad breath fighters.
Apples – If for some reason you do not have your toothbrush and toothpaste handy, chew on an apple or any food that requires a lot of chewing like celery and carrots. These can help keep teeth clean and whiten teeth naturally.
Tomatoes – They’re delicious in salads and sandwiches and combat bad sunburns. Sliced tomato can be directly placed on (more…)
Ill-fated McDonald's smoothie deal. Credit: bgottsab/Flickr
Restaurant.com – The latest Restaurant.com coupon code is for 80% off.
Borders - Get 33% off with this Borders coupon.
Jamba Juice and McDonalds - Jamba Juice is honoring McDonald’s smoothie coupons. Plus get this Jamba Juice coupon for $1 off.
Old Navy – get free shipping on a purchase of $50 or more, or 20% off kids clothes with these Old Navy coupon codes.
Boston’s Gourmet Pizza – Through August 13, 2010 kids eat free with any adult entree purchase.
Worst drugstore deals – Check my hit list for what to avoid at the drugstore.
Check out the latest coupons and deals this afternoon on my WalletPop blog.
The bathroom's new look
I’ve banded together with a handful of bloggers I met last month at the Savvy Blogging Summit to share interesting posts. Here are two I think you should check out.
Jen from Balancing Beauty and Bedlam wrote about transforming her bathroom from a tacky maroon sponge-painted room to a delicate blue with modern accents, see right. With patience, determination, and a lot of garage saleing, she paid for the whole project with just $20! Her post has tons of before and after pictures and she explains in detail how she did each step. Jen, you inspire me!
Jennie at Bargain Blessings shared a $10 off $30 coupon at Cost Plus World Market. If you drink coffee, Jennie found an amazing scenario where you can get six 12-ounce bags of coffee for $3.24 per bag. Hot stuff!
Kacy at Valuing Today created a 2-minute video showing how she makes easy Hawaiian macaroni salad, a nice compliment to any summer BBQ.
