Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Fan Giveaway

I promised a special giveaway once we reached 250 fans on facebook. I will be giving away a $10 Amazon gift card or $10 through paypal (winner's choice).

To enter, just leave a comment below with your name and email. The giveaway will run from 8PM ET (August 31) to 8PM ET (September 1). The winner will be chosen by random.org. The winner will be notified by email and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
Good luck everyone and thanks!

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Money Mavens August Celebration‏ - Reminder

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There are only two days left for our huge Money Maven's August Celebration Giveaway! If you haven't join this amazing giveaway, make sure to do so now! We have over $1500 worth of prizes to give away and we're so excited to draw the winners. We will have a total of 47 winners! Again contest ends on 8/31/11 at 11:59pm EST.




Money Mavens Group:




MadameDeals, This Mama Loves Her Bargains, Living on Love and Cents, Coupons are Great, Mom on Dealz, Stretching Your Budget, Saving Toward a Better Life, We Use Coupons, The Coupon Challenge, Just Trying to Save Money, A Frugal Chick, Time 2 Save and Cincinatti Cents.

Huge thanks to our sponsors! Check out the great prizes that you can win!




Win $25 Amazon Gift Card from Madame Deals
Win Mario Party for Nintendo DS from The Coupon Challenge
Win Mario Party DS from This Mama Loves Her Bargains
Win Super Mario 64 for Nintendo DS from Living on Love and Cents
Win 100 Cut Coupons from A Frugal Chick
Win 100 Cut Coupons from Just Trying to Save Money
Win 100 Cut Coupons from Mom on Dealz
Win a Mario & Luigi: Bowsers Inside Story for the Nintendo DS from Saving Toward a Better Life
Win 100 Cut Coupons from The Dealyo
Win $25 Jockey Gift Card from Time 2 Save
Win 100 Cut Coupons from Stretching Your Budget
Win $10 Amazon Gift Card from Coupons are Great
Win 100 Cut Coupons from Cincinatti Cents
Win 100 Cut Coupons from The Giveaway Train
Win an iPod Touch $230.00 from Born 2 Impress
Win an authentic black leather Coach purse. It's a cute little purse for on the go, with a fold over flap, and of course the Coach "C" pattern. Value $200. from Crunchy Frugalista
Win 10 Disney Cars Birthday Invitations includes envelopes. Prize Value $12 from Moms Saving Money
Win $20 Amazon Gift Card from The Frugal Free Gal
Win an Ultimate Body Applicator. This wrap will help you to tighten, firm, and tone in just 45 minutes. The value of this wrap is $29! From Wrap Yourself Skinny by Jennifer
Win a $25 Restaurant.com Gift Certificate from The Tween & Me
Win a $15 Walmart Gift Card from Slick Housewives
Win $10 Amazon gift card from Frugal Mom Rocks
Win $10 Amazon Giftcard from Yanky Texan
Win $10 Amazon Gift Card from Melissa's Bargain Blog
Win $25 Amazon Gift Card from Mummy Deals
Love is Photography is a new Etsy Shop that offers various photos taken over the years. They are all downloadable files that once purchased will be sent via e-mail. One winner will get to choose any 1 photo from Love with Katie
Win a bow a month club membership $75 value. A hair bow mailed on the first of the month for a year as well as a special birthday bow in their birthday month. Also another one will win one tutu of your choice... up to a $40 value. From Priss Pot Creations
Win a mark Powder Brush from Bountiful Beauty with Mark Beauty Products
Win a 1 inch glass tile necklace with a beautiful daisies that includes a 24" sea green color ball chain. From Glass Creations
Win a $25.00 E-gift card for Restaurant.com from Coupon Clipinista
Win a Starfish Hand Stamped Sterling Silver Necklace $30 from Kristy Lynn Jewelry
Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card from Just Married with Coupons
Win $50 in Coupons from Going Crazy!! Wanna Go??!!
Win $10 Amazon Gift Card from Insights by April
Win $25 Restaurant.com Certificate from Deal Hunting Diva
Win $5 Amazon Gift Card from ISave "A 2 Z"
Win $25 Restaurant.com Certificate from Centless Deals
$12 Worth of Cell Phone Accessories from CellPig.com + FREE shipping!! Use for any cell phone accessories from A Proverb's Wife
Win $25 Amazon Gift Card from Shereen Travels Cheap
Win $10 Amazon Gift Card from The Surviving Stay at Home Mom
Win $10 Starbucks Gift Card from Frugalista Chick
Win a set of handmade Labor Day "stars and stripes" themed placemats. Or win one set of Cancer Awareness placemats. Retail value: $40 from Lesson's Learned
Win an anklet made from Light Sapphire Swarovski Crystals and Swarovski Pearls. It has a sterling silver lobster clasp on the end and is 9 1/2 inches long. This is a One-Of-A Kind Anklet, Value $24.00 from Belly Charms
Win a Gold Leaf Necklace with Pearls and Swarovski Crystals, $18.00 value. This intricately detailed, lightweight metal leaf measures 1 3/8 inches tall. I wire wrapped two 4mm Swarovski Red Magma crystals and 2 8mm plum glass pearls, which resemble berries next to the beautiful leaf.The chain is 20 inches long and closes with a hook and eye clasp. From Jewelry 4 Change
Win 2 inserts from the current newspaper from 2 Kouponing Ks



To Join This Contest Click here


Saturday, August 27, 2011

Great Deal while Preparing for Hurricane Irene

Today as I prepared for Hurricane Irene, I found that thanks to couponing I had most things in my house already. The one thing I was most in need of was AA and AAA batteries. Mainly because my kids have too many battery operated toys that they actually use. My flashlights have batteries but I wanted to be safe.

I pulled out this weeks ads because I have a half photographic memory. I can remember I saw something but can't remember the exact place; thus, I knew I had seen batteries in one of the ads. Lucky for me, it was at CVS. Lucky because it was the first ad I pulled and also because it is right at the corner of my street.

So, Duracell coppertop batteries were 2/$6.00. They were 4-packs. I needed to buy 4 packs to be safe (2 AA and 2 AAA). I had a coupon for $1.00 of one pack (yes, this is one of those times where I wished I had more than one coupon). But that's OK, because with tax, the total came to $11.84.

Now I know you are all thinking that this is not a deal at all. Especially when Saveology has a deal of 40 AA for $12. As I was on my way to the cash register I remembered my $10 CVS gift card that I bought for $5 a few weeks ago. I immediately used it and paid just $1.84.

So if you factor in the cost of the gist card, in an emergency I bought 16 batteries (two different sizes) for $6.84. That sounds like a good deal to me. Usually when you have to buy something in an emergency you end up paying full price. Was this the best saving ever? No, but it was the best saving given my situation.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

More Coupons at Coupons.com

Coupons.com has some new coupons:

$1.25 off any 2 Smucker's ice cream toppings

$1.00 off 2 (3oz or larger) Folgers products

Click here and get these before they are gone.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Saveology Offer for New Sign Ups


Saveology has a great offer for new sign ups. Pay $5for a $10 Gift Card to be used at  Chili’s, Maggiano’s Little Italy, Macaroni Grill, among others. Hurry and grab this special offer because it will definitely go fast! This offer is for new members only, so click here and sign up today.

Great 1 Day Sale Deal


Are you always running out of battery on your portable electronic devices? Are you tired of carrying so many charge cables? Here is a great deal to charge most portable electronic devices and it's solar powered! Only $9.98 with shipping (4.99 the device + 4.99 shipping). Go here to get yours now.

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Supermarket Trip without Coupons

Yes! You read the title correctly. I made a trip to the supermarket without any coupons. Even though most supermarkets have done a good job of stocking up their international aisles, being from Puerto Rico, there are still many things I can only find in certain supermarkets. I usually plan my shopping trips so I buy everything at the supermarkets that accept coupons and the unusual items at the smaller Hispanic markets, that don't accept coupons.

Today, however, I bought everything at Supremo. This is a supermarket that recently re-opened in the area and has lots of things from Puerto Rico and other Caribbean and Latin American countries. They were having what they call their 88 sale.  Most items in the store were $0.88 and some were $8.88. Among the things I bought were $0.88 cans of Goya pigeon peas, 2 fresh whole chickens at $0.88/lb, pork loin chops $0.88/lb, green peppers $0.88/lb, a dozen eggs for $0.88 and all my other food and seasonings for a total of $64.46. First time I have ever been to a supermarket for all my shopping needs and spent this amount without any coupons.

So you see, if you take advantage of sales, you don't always need coupons to meet your shopping needs.


Small Shopping Trip to Walgreens

OK. So I hadn't been shopping at Walgreens in quite some time, simply because the closest one to my house was in a direction I hardly ever take anymore. They recently, however, built one two traffic lights away and another one right next to my husband's job.

Two nights ago I was getting all the kids school supplies ready only to discover that because I always buy more than I need when I find a great sale, I thought I had dry erase markers and I didn't.  I remembered the coupon from a few weeks back for $2 off 2 packs of dry erase markers and immediately went to my coupon binder (yes, I use the binder method) to get it. With coupon in hand and binder as well, just in case, off I went to Walgreens.

When I got there I only found 1 pack of colored dry erase markers, the ones my daughter needed. I was sad because I wouldn't be able to use my coupon and I needed these markers this weekend because I won't have time to get them later. When I looked closely at the package I realized it was the one that has a $3 coupon in the Walgreens August coupon booklet! I got the coupon and was happy that my markers were going to be only $0.99.

With markers and coupon in hand I went off to look around and see if there was anything else I needed worth buying. I found myself in the shampoo section to find that Herbal Essence Shampoo was $3.00. I remembered my coupon for a free Herbal Essence Shampoo and got it right away. The best part about this was that it has $1RR. So I paid $1.48 for both items and got $1RR. That's like getting both items for $0.48! It's the little things that make me so happy!

Friday, August 19, 2011

Pampers Gift to Grow Rewards

I love Pampers Gift to Grow Rewards. If you are not already a member head over to www.pampers.com and become a member now. Enter codes from pampers products you buy and get points. You get 100 points for joining.

I just started potty training and got a great Diego potty seat for 1000 points and free shipping. Just to get you started here are a few points you can enter right away.

2beginearning10 - 10 points
BABYISDUEANYDAY – 5 points
TWITTERBOTLEPAC - 5 points
4XGHB4HPE7PB7NK - 10 points
WELCOMEGTGPTS10 - 10 points
                                    GTGREWARDS4MOMS – 10 points
                                    pampers4momjfm1 - 10 points
                                   CONGRATS2NEWMOM - 10 points
                                   GTGWELCOME10PTS - 10 points
                                   PAMPERSGTG10PTS – 10 points
                                   PAMPERS4MOMSOND – 10 points
                                   2BEGINEARNING50 - 50 points
                                   GIFTSTOGROW4MOM - 50 points
                                   10ptsfreecode4u - 10 points
                                   JOINNOW4REWARDS - 50 points
                                   PUNTOSPARAMI123 - 10 points
                                   GTGCOUPONPOINTS - 10 points
                                   WELCOME2PAMPERS - 50 points
                                   GETSTARTEDNOW10 - 10 points
                                   WELCOME2VILLAGE - 10 points

If any of these have expired, please let me know so that I can remove it from the list.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Goya Product Coupons


If you like Goya Products join the Goya website and print coupons from the coupon tab. There's coupons for beans, low sodium beans, adobo, olive oil, rice and other products. Two coupons of each can be printed per person per 12 month period.

Hot Toys

I know Christmas is still a few months away, but once school starts it seems the calendar goes fast forward ans before we know it Christmas arrives. I guess it's because the back to school excitement wears off and soon kids are looking forward to some days off.

I understand them completely because I'm a hands on mom. I help with homework and projects. I verify all papers that are sent home. I keep a calendar in a visible place to let them know what tests they have each week and what assignments are coming up. I go to school functions and too many other things to mention. So by the time vacation time rolls around, I'm as tired as they are.

That makes it difficult to find time as well to go Christmas shopping, so I start my shopping early. I mean with 3 kids and 3 step-children I have my work cut out for me anyway. After a few years of shopping early and then having my kids tell me at the last minute they wanted the hottest toy that is no longer available; I decided to do a little search for help. I found this great site that helps me keep track of the hottest toys.

It has been spot on for the past two years. Telling me about the hard to find zhu zhu pets and last year's Dance Mickey, Lalaloopsy and others. What I love about this site is that it takes four retailers (Amazon, Walmart, Target, and Ebay) and let's you know if the toys are still available at that store. What I don't like is it doesn't compare prices. But it's a great site to find the hottest toys and know which of these retailers still has them available. I do believe however that they report availability by what is online at Walmart and Target. You can however, sometimes search online to see if they are available in store. Though I will give you an heads up, their system to tell you store inventory is usually not updated.

I don't have to wait to the last minute though to find out if my kids want the hottest toys. I search the sight and ask them if they've heard of certain toys. Sometimes they say no and I know that means they don't want it. Other times their face will light up and they get all excited talking about the toy. I know that's the toy I have to be on the lookout for. I have the site bookmarked and suggest you should too. Just click here and take a look!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Free Seventh Generation Dish Washing Liquid- After Cash Back


Today's WILD deal from ShopAtHome  is Seventh Generation dish washing liquid. Cost is 2.21 with 2.21 cash back, making it free! Hurry and grab this deal now.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Staples 20% off One Item

Staples has a 20% of one item coupon available. Great opportunity to use it for your back to school shopping. They still have a lot of great prices and coupon will be applied to highest-priced item (make sure you check the exclusions). If you have the 15% school savings pass, it can still be used even if you use this coupon. Click here to print your coupon now.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Nestle Coupons



Planning on baking? Join Nestle's Very Best Baking site and click on their Coupons and Promotions tab and print coupons for morsels, refrigerated cookies and Carnation evaporated milk. You can print two of each coupon per month.

Coupon for Aches and Pains

Smart Source has a coupon for $3.00 of any Bengay. Take advantage of this coupon to get rid of those aches and pains.
 



Party City Sale

Do you have a party coming up? Today and tomorrow only, Party City has free shipping on any order. Use promo code PCY7NK. Most kids part themes are 50% off and all 50 count colored cups are BOGO free! Click here to get your party supplies now.

Are your kids too attached to you?

My youngest son just turned two and over this past month he has become super attached to me. I used to be able to leave and if my husband was here he would say bye-bye and keep playing. The same would happen if it was my husband that was leaving.

The past few weeks, however, I have noticed a big change. It started with little things. He wouldn't want to sleep unless I sat beside him. The he wouldn't sleep without holding my hand. Then this weekend, he saw me getting dressed and rushed to get clothes. I told him he was staying with daddy while I went out to get some shopping done. He said his usual OK, but still insisted that I dress him.

He then went on to play with his toys. Everything was fine, until it came time for me to leave. I didn't realize he was watching my every move and as soon as I grabbed my purse, he bolted for the door. My husband called him and he wouldn't budge. Then he cam and picked him up to remove him from the door and the screaming and arm flapping began. All I could hear as I walked out the door was "Mama, Mama, Maaaaaama!"

I quickly got in the car and drove away. I knew if I didn't get in and drive away I would turn around and go back in to try and quiet him down (I know, he has me wrapped around his little finger). This had never happened before so I found his behavior a bit odd. In fact none of my children have ever been attached to either of us.

When I returned home, he was sleeping and my husband told me he cried until he fell asleep. When he woke up and saw me he hugged me and gave me a big smile. For the rest of the weekend he followed me everywhere. I know it's normal for kids to get attached to their parents and they go through phases, but this is new for me since none of my other children went through it. Of course, I was never home all day with my other children either.

I'm sure this is just a phase that will soon pass and I don't leave the house on my own too often but it breaks my heart to hear him cry for me that way. I know I can't let that feeling take over and just take him with me everywhere, but a little part of me wishes I could. They grow up so fast and I know soon he won't want me near him so I just want to cherish that now he doesn't want me far away. I guess it's all part of getting used to this new phase of my life and not allowing him to take over.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Back to School Shoes- Famous Footwear



If you are still shopping for back to school shoes, famous footwear has a great sale! BOGO 50% and an additional 20% off with code BTS2011. Plus as an added bonus if you buy online through Ebates you get 9% cash back. This is a great deal for back to school shopping. Deal is available in stores as well (no cash back though) and you can print the coupon right here.

If you still haven't signed up for Ebates sign up now and get a $10 gift card from one of your favorite stores just for signing up. Don't shop without checking for cash back offers through Ebates. Sign up here now.







Saturday, August 13, 2011

Country Crock Coupon



There's a $0.40 coupon here. Take a short 5 question quiz and print your coupon.

Johnson and Johnson coupons

If you are looking to get coupons for Johnson and Johnson products, they have some here for different prodcuts including desitin, shampoo and baby wash. Click here to register and the click on the product to print the coupon.

The Joys of Celebrating Birthdays



Today was my baby boy's birthday. He is now entering the terrible twos, though to be honest he is advanced for his age and entered this phase about 6 months ago! Does that mean he will exit them faster? (Wishful thinking!)

As a working mom, I never really had time to enjoy a full day of my child's birthday unless it was during the weekend. Being home allows me to have those special moments. Today I took him and his brother to the park and then to eat. (Of course I used coupons for the food!) I was able to enjoy a full day of his birthday.

My husband picked up a small cake on his way home from work and we sang to him this evening. He had so much fun and the best part is that I was there for all of it. We are having a big celebration for him with family and friends and combining it with my daughter's birthday next month, but to me this was the best celebration.

I know he won't remember either celebration, but I will and I will have wonderful stories to tell him about the day we celebrated his second birthday.



Friday, August 12, 2011

School Supply Deals from Staples


If you still have back to school shopping to get done, Staples has more great sales starting this Sunday. You also have until tomorrow to buy your Back to School Savings Pass. It costs $10 and you get 15% off all back to school supplies every time you shop until September 17. I have used mine with sale items each week and saved the $10 it cost by my second purchase. So it really is worth it.

So what extreme deals are available this week?

$0.10 Composition notebooks with a $5 purchase.

$0.25 rulers

$0.50 scissors

Bic pens, pencils and highlighters are Buy 2 get 1 Free

And there are still rebates available for copy paper and Zebra Cadoozles 0.7mm mechanical pencils, making paper $0.50 and pencils free after rebate.

Click on the Staples logo and get a sneak peak at these great upcoming deals when you click on the upcoming deal tab.

Great August Giveaway

Starting tonight at 8PM, a wonderful giveaway with many sponsors. Check it out and make sure to enter.
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Welcome to Money Maven’s August Celebration Giveaway! We are an elite group of bloggers working to save you time and money. And because we want to thank you for being our loyal readers, we also love to see you win lots of stuff. This month Money Maven’s together with some of our friends have joined forces for this huge celebration.

Check out this page


to see our sponsors and the great prizes that you can win!


Thursday, August 11, 2011

The Wonderful World of Slow Cooking

If you are a busy mother with children who can't be left alone in a room for more that 10 minutes. (My 2 year old is a walking tornado who takes advantage of being left alone to do the most damage!) Then slow cookers will become your new best friend.

I never wanted a slow cooker. I like to take time to make my food and invent new dishes. I love cooking! With my other children I never had any issues. They would sit and play while I was in the kitchen and nothing major would occur. With my current 2 year old, I walk into the kitchen and I walk right back out to find him touching the computer or disconnecting something. (Last time he flicked all the keys off the keyboard from my laptop.)

Because of this, the slow cooker has become my new best friend. I chop and gather all the ingredients once the kids fall asleep and first thing in the morning I place everything in the slow cooker. Now dinner can cook all day without having to worry about my little terror tearing the house apart. I still get to make my own inventions in the kitchen but I don't have to spend all those long hours in the kitchen to get my dishes done. Last nights creation was Double Chocolate Stout slow cooked ribs. It was a big hit! The icing on the cake: Dinner is always ready when my husband gets home and it still tastes like I was slaving away all day.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Swagbucks - What is it and Should I Join?

Today I will be taking a moment to talk to you about Swagbucks. If you have been following me on facebook (and if you haven't, you definitely should), you have seen my posts about winning swagbucks. What is this? Well, it's this wonderful place that gives you swagbucks for things like searching the web, participating in the daily poll, inviting friends to join, using the No Obligation Special Offers (NOSO), participating in surveys and even gives you swagcodes to earn swagbucks if you find them before they expire.

The great thing about this site is that every Friday they have Mega Swagbuck Fridays. On this particular day you can earn more swagbucks for each search you perform. So what are these swagbucks good for? Well with 450 swagbucks you can get a $5 gift card for Amazon. With 700 swagbucks you can get $5 from paypal. They have lots of other gift cards and items that swagbucks can be traded for. If you're an Amazon Christmas shopper this is definitely the site for you. With little effort you can get Amazon gift cards and get all your shopping done.

Should you join? Definitely! Also, for every referal you get you get 100% match up to 100 swagbucks. They also do Swagbucks Extravaganzas, that's a full day of swagcodes so you can earn more swagbucks. If you are a couponer, you can even get 10 swagbucks for every coupon you redeem printed off of their page. So, you have nothing to lose and lots to gain! Get started right away!

BTW, here are some hints to earn swagbucks every day:
 Under the Earn tab:

Daily Poll: 1 swagbuck for answering
NOSO: Skip through all the offers and earn 2 swagbucks at the end
Trusted Survey: You earn the amount stated by the survey, but if you don't qualify you get 1 survey for trying (up to 5 of these points per day).
Search: Earn swagbucks for searching. Sometimes you have to search 3 or 4 times before you receive one but you will get one. I personally do searches 3 times a day (morning, mid-day and evening). Usually you won't get swagbucks more than 3 times for searching.
Swagbucks TV: For every 10 videos you watch you get 3 swagbucks and you can repeat the process 50 times a day for a total of 150 swagbucks from swagbucks TV per day. I usually play them in the background while I am on other pages doing my daily activities.

I hope all this helps! Feel free to contact me with any questions. Hurry and join here and let the fun begin!

Monday, August 8, 2011

More New Coupons

Today new coupons have been added to www.coupons.com so hurry on over and print your before they are gone! An Expo Washable markers coupon is available for $2.00 off 2 packs of markers. At most Walmarts that means free markers.

Using zipcode 90210 you can get $1.00 off Kettle potato chips.

Zipcode  44542 is ofering a coupon for $1.50 off Hormel Canadian Bacon.

Get all you coupons now and Happy Shopping!

Sunday, August 7, 2011

New Coupons

Remember that there are new coupons for the month of August. If you are looking for hair products, Redplum has lots of new coupons. Go print right away because Redplum coupons go really fast! Saving Star has stocked new coupons as well. Coupons.com has coupons for eggs, triple paste, triple cream, among others.

Also remember that Old Navy has a coupon out for $10 off a $50 purchase. The coupon is in their weekly shopper but you can also "Like" them on Facebook an print the coupon out. You also get "Navy Cash" back on your purchase to be used two weeks later. You get $10 "Navy Cash" for every $20 spent. Great opportunity to stock up on back to school clothes.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Mega Swagbucks Friday

Today is Mega Swagbucks Friday. Make sure you login or join. Today and every Friday you get more swagbucks for searching. If you haven't joined, today is a great day to do so. Start earning swabucks right away and get closer to exchanging them for those much wanted amazon gift cards!

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Saving Money (Part 2)

I know it's been a while from Part 1, but I took a small vacation and now I am back and things are back on track. I hope in that time you had a chance to try out Saving Star. It is now August so a whole new array of coupons are up. 

OK. So today I will be talking about Ebates. This is one of my favorite shopping sites to get cash back. How does Ebates work? It's simple. You sign up and then look for your favorite stores that you like to shop online.

Once you find the store, check the cash back column (most stores offer cash back). The percentage is what you will receive into your Ebates account from your total purchase from that store. Every quarter you will receive that cash back amount as long as you accumulate more than $5.01. If you don't have that amount, it rolls overs to the next quarterly payment.

You can get paid in a check, though paypal or even have it given away to charity. I have been using ebates for a few months and love it. It has all the stores I usually shop online and now I'm getting cash back as well.They also offer all the sales and coupons the store is offering at that moment.  It doesn't get much better!

If you really love buying online check it out. You have nothing to lose and money to earn. Happy Shopping!