the shoe/diaper deal!

This is truuuuly a great deal- and thanks SHELBY for hooking me up with it!

SO here goes...
FIRST, go to Diapers.com. There are 2 things you need to know prior to "shopping." First, there is a promotional code FIRST49 -this will take $10.00 off for FIRST TIME CUSTOMERS ONLY (which I happened to be) your purchase of 49.00 or more. THEN there is a 2nd code SPRING40 (which expires on 4/11 and can be used by ANYONE- not just first time customers) that takes 40% off of shoes or clothing when you purchase a pack of diapers!!!

Here's how my deal worked out:

I bought THESE, THESE, and THESE. I also got a pack of diapers (Huggies- 9.99... BUT if you have a newborn or a baby on the way, you can get a pack of Luvs for 6.99 to make it cheaper!) First enter the code FIRST49- that will take 10.00 off. And then, by buying the pack of diapers, and entering the code SPRING40 it automatically takes each pair of shoes down (40% OFF!!!!- which meant 7.50 Robeez, SKR, etc.) So my total was 27 even- and got free shipping because (originally) the order was over 49.00! Get it? If not, message me!

Happy shopping!


Oh- and if you do end up doing "the deal" let me know what shoes you get!! I am curious to see what your totals came out to w/ buying different shoes/diapers :)

The Diaper Deal.

Here it is... and I am going to TRY and explain it the best I can! Walgreens is SUPER tricky... even though I've been "wagging" for awhile, I still get my transactions messed up!!!

First off, in order to do this deal you HAVE TO HAVE HUGGIES MANUFACTURER coupons!!! So those of you who have been good couponers and have been clipping away, it will be easier for you & you'll be able to do the deal more. If you haven't clipped coupons or signed up at huggies.com (that's where the BEST coupons come from!) search the internet for some printable coupons. Wait... did you REALLY think I'd make you SCOUR the internet? No... here's the link :) PRINT 'EM HERE!

Secondly... you need a crash course in couponing at Walgreens. At Wags, they will allow you to combine a WALGREENS IVC (instant value coupon- found at the front of the store, or in this case...mine was from a Walgreens kids coloring book (more on where to find this book later). You also earn Register Rewards- this is how you can get things at Wags for so cheap. HOWEVER- lets say you want to use 1 Register Reward, 1 Manu coupon and 1 Wags coupon on one pack of diapers, you need to have 2 "filler" items- (I used 35 cent caramels today). Get it? The amount of coupons have to match up with the amount of items.

Third... once you have your manu coupons all in order, try your hardest to find a Walgreens Kid activity book (they're sometimes located by the pharmacy). The book itself costs 1.99 I believe, but there are so many valuable coupons in it. AND the best part, you can reuse those coupons again and again! SO make sure to ask for your IVC back!!! After you have the Wags IVC Huggies coupon, you're set to go.

Here's how I did the deal... step by step:

Step one: Pick up a pack of Huggies :) and a CHEAP item (such as the 35 cent caramels!)

Step two: Go to the COSMETICS counter to pay (especially if you're in the Jax. area- they are much nicer about coupons at the cos. counter!)

Step three: Hand the cashier the huggies & 1 caramel and then your two coupons: the manu. q & the Wags IVC. Diapers are on sale this week for 8.99. With whatever manu q you have (I had 2.00 ones) and the Wags IVC, this will bring your total to 5.99 per pack- BUT WAIT! After you pay, you will receive a $3.00 Register Reward! Soooooo.... turn around and do the diaper deal again. and again. and again. (or if you have a ton of coupons like I did... 6 times!)

Step four: Hand the cashier the huggies & TWO caramels... then your coupons: the manu q. the Wags IVC, and the Register Reward. THIS time your total should come out to be $2.99. Or around there.


I decided to go a different route however, because Ryan needed some shower gel. This is what I did:

Trans #1: 1 Dove shower gel -5.99
I got back $6.00 in register rewards (that's right- its like the shower gel was FREE!)

Trans#2: 1 pack of Huggies-8.99 & 2 caramels.
I used the $6.00 RR, $2.00 Manu q, and $1.00 Wags IVC bringing my diaper total down to 86 cents. Yes folks, I paid 86 cents for a pack of diapers :) I ALSO got back the $3.00 RR.

Trans #3: 1 Dove shower gel- 5.99
I used the $3.00 RR from transaction #2 and paid $3.18. BUT got back a $6.00 RR which I then turned around and used on another pack of diapers, again paying 86 cents.

OMG that is the most confusing thing I've ever read. But I really can't figure out how to explain it any easier!! AHHH! Shelby? Any ideas??? :)

couponing....sigh. :)

A lot of you have asked about my couponing/grocery shopping. I got started in couponing with the help of my friend Shelby. She is the coupon QUEEN! And so I, in a much needed effort to save money started learning. It's tricky. It takes time. It takes energy. BUT- you save money, become more organized and get freebies! I had blogged awhile back that Sunday's were my day to do all the couponing stuff. It still is- I just haven't blogged about it in awhile.

Recently, I joined "Menu Plan Mondays"- it's a great site that holds you accountable to your grocery list and menu plan. Like I said, I've been doing the couponing for awhile now, but just started planning my meals a month ago. Today marks that 1 month of menu planning- and I must say, I am pretty proud of myself for sticking to it! This past week was the one week we strayed from the menu- I ruined my Mexican Hotdish and we ended up getting Applebees. Rest assured, I am going to CONQUER that pesky hotdish this week! :) I HIGHLY suggest checking out THIS SITE if you're interested in menu planning. It's such a great resource! On top of planning out our meals, I then go through ALL the different grocery store ads and figure out where the deals are. By running all over town (Kroger, Meijer, Walmart) I've been able to keep our grocery bill around 50 bucks per week- this is with using coupons and getting the in store specials/savings. Yes, its a lot of busy work but I actually enjoy Sunday nights- going through my ads, figuring out dinners- it makes me feel like we've got a PLAN and a destination for the week. No more flying by the seat of our pants! :) Here is our menu plan for this week and here are my coupon/grocery store match-ups (and lucky for me- ALL my "deals" are at ONE store this week!!!) ...Meijer -oh and here is some coupon lingo for you- MM= Meijer Mealbox coupons located HERE Q= coupon!:

Monday-
Mexican Chicken Hotdish w/ yellow rice
-SNOW POPS will also be made (these are awesome little treats that are great for Maeve to snack on through the week... not the healthiest but she loves them)


Tuesday-
Chicken Parm. in the crockpot w/ salad

Wednesday-
Broccoli Casserole with chicken

Thursday-
Chicken Tortilla soup

Friday- PIZZA!

(can you tell there is a great deal on Chicken this week??? :)

And here is what my grocery list looks like along with matchups:
-CHICKEN, CHICKEN, CHICKEN! (3 packs) Tyson on special 1.99/lb. @ Meijer
-Dole Salad- using (1) 1.00 MM Q
-white chocolate (for my snowpops)
-cream cheese
-powdered sugar
-butter
-yellow rice
-2 cans diced tomatoes -using (2) 25 cent MM Q's
-2 onions
-1 can chicken broth
-5 cans corn (delmonte)-using (1) $1.00/5 MM Q AND combining w/ (1) $1.00/4 printable coupon found HERE
-2 cans beans
-velveeta cheese -using (1) 55 cent printable Q found HERE
-4 frozen broccoli (birdseye) -using (1) $1.00/4 printable Q found HERE
-brown rice (Minute) -using (1) $1.00 Printable Q found HERE
-milk
-goldfish (as many as I can get!) -using (????maybe 25????) MM q's for 1.00 off. GOLDFISH ARE ON SALE THIS WEEK FOR $1.00- making these FREEEEEEEEE!
-3 boxes of cake mix (Duncan Hines)- using (1) $1.00/3 Q from newspaper(10/11)
-2 tubs of oats (Quaker) -using (1) 1.00 off Quaker oats MM coupon
-4 boxes of cereal (Kelloggs) -using (2) 1.00 off Q's from newspapers
-4 cans cream of chicken/mushroom soup (Campbells) -using (1) $1.00/4 Q found HERE

Well... that's my list! Since having Henry, my grocery trips have to be QUICK and condensed! I usually make my list up, print/clip my coupons on Sunday night and highlight each item on my list that I have coupons for. That way, I am sure to use all my coupons. I'm not sure the total of this grocery bill- I will post a pic and all that info tomorrow.

***EDITING NOTE!***** Thanks to my fellow coupoining cousin MAL :) she corrected me with the goldfish deal :( Sorry to say but the coupon is for a larger size than the ones on sale... boooooo- no free fishies this week! THANKS FOR LETTING ME KNOW MAL!

I Can SMELL The Good Deals :)

Okay so I know this blog is turning into a place for me to show off my deals, but gosh, isn't this the season of buying and spending? And plus thankfully, things have been pretty uneventful here at home. Maeve is feeling better and she has cut a new tooth (I'm thinking that was part of the really bad diarrhea she had last week). SO anyways if you're up for some coupon clipping, Target will PAY you to take some Glade candles, oil plug ins, and refills! Here's the deal- first you have to buy that magazine "All You" at Walmart- buy a few copies (I think its 2.15?) You will then have 9 coupons (if you buy 3 copies of the mag) for glade stuff. At Target, they're running a sale where glade candles, oils and burners are 2.50. And if you buy 4, you get a 5 dollar gift card. The coupons in the mag are for TWO bucks off of a glade candle- so yes, that means you will pay 2.00 out of pocket, and GET 5.00 back! A PROFIT of 3 bucks!!!! I have been ROBBING this poor Jackson store- I mean its all legal, but ya know... I am walking out with a fuller pocket than I went in with! AWESOME!!!!! I will have to post a pic when I get all my stuff together but for now I will just post about what exactly I bought:

16 glade candle holders- on sale for 2.50
-I used 16 2.00 off coupons (not all from that mag. some were printed!)
So that makes each holder .50! For a grand total of....8 bucks! I then received 4 $5.00 gift cards (which I used to buy a couple xmas presents for Maeve). And here's the best part- when I got home I opened one of the candle holders up and inside there were TWO more coupons for 2.00 off a candle holder!!!! So guess where Ryan and I will be tonight? YUP! I opened all the packages up and I have enough coupons (between the candle packages and printed coups) to make FIFTY dollars in gift cards. Is this amazing or what?

So go to Walmart, pick up an "All You" mag to get you started. Buy a bunch of the holders and open up the packages to get even MORE coupons and rack up the bucks in gift cards!!! HOORAY for Christmas time deals!

-Oh on a side note, all the candles are Christmas scented- I bought the glistening snow and Apple cinnamon. And they smell delish.

I Am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Addicted!

TO WALGREENS!!!!!!!!!! I can't get enough- when I walk out of there with bags of goodies and a full pocket it is the greatest feeling!!! Here was my deal today:

Transaction #1:
Bought 2/6.00 Kotex tampons
-had TWO 1.50 off Kotex products (smartsource coupon)
Total of 1st Transaction: 3.00 PLUS 1 dollar back in register rewards

Transaction #2:
Bought 4/5 Progresso Soups
-had FOUR 1.00 off any Progresso Soup (smartsource coupon)
Bought 2 packages of Raisins on sale for 1.99 each
-had two 1.00 of Raisens coupons (smarsource coupon)
Bought 4/10.00 boxes of Kellogg cereal
-had FOUR 1.00 off any box kellogg cereal (smartsource coupon)
Total of 2nd Transaction: $9.00

Transaction #3 (which I would've done second if I would've known pampers were on sale and included RR!!! So I could have used the RR on transaction 2... get it?)
Bought 2 packs of Jumbo Pampers-
9.99 each
2- 1.50 off Pampers
- I had 6.00 in register rewards from a few weeks ago so I used those for the dipes.
Total of Trans 3: 11 bucks and some change PLUS 2 dollars in RR.

Transaction #4
Bought 1 pack of Jumbo Pampers
1-1.50 off
2 dollars in RR
Total of Trans 4: 6.50 Plus 1 dollar in RR.


Pretty good trip huh???? I was SO excited to call Ryan and tell him all the stuff I got for a grand total of..... thirty bucks & some change!

Second store we hit today was "Toys R US" Which isn't having terrific toy deals but I had a 100 dollar gift card from Maeves birthday that I was planning on saving for Black Friday, BUT I got a coupon in the Smartsource this weekend for a 10 dollar gift card when you spend 75. And it is only valid until Nov. 19 or something like that, so I couldn't resist. Here's what I got:

1- baby Alive "Coo" baby (I as planning on giving it to Maeve for a xmas gift but she is so in love with that thing that I opened it and let her play with it when we went to Kroger...) on sale for 21.99

1- REALLY, REALLY cool spinning farm? By Vtech- I am going to use this as a was gift for Maeve- its awesome! It was thirty bucks (not on sale) but super, SUPER cool. A must have for one year olds! :) haha...

Then I got a couple "boy" toys for Maeve's cousins for xmas.

Our grand total was 70 bucks and some cents, and I needed to spend 75 to get 10 off. So the cashier told me about this awesome deal- if you spend over fifty, you get a "Wonder Pets, Ming-Ming" toy (retail value of 29.99!!!!) for FIVE DOLLARS! Maeve LOVES Ming-Ming, so I got that which put us right over 75- then we got the 10 dollar gift card, that I was planning on using immediately (so it would make my total 65) but it isn't activated for 12 hours... probably so you CAN'T turn around and use it... but still, I have about 20 bucks left on my original gift card and the new 10 dollar gift card which I'm saving for Black Friday... I can't wait!!!! :)

Anyways, I am now officially a coupon clipping, Wags lover, Toys-R-Us- aholic, momma!

And you can be too! haha I sound like an ad! But really, check out your smartsource in Jax. Cit Pat. And if you really wanna start doing the whole coupon thing, venture out on Sunday morning and pick up the Det. Free Press- the smartsource in there is about 10 times bigger and better than Jacksons! Plus DOUBLE COUPONS!!!!!!! Do a little clipping, browsing on the internet for the best deals and a bit of math... And you got it! You can save a bundle!!! :)

Check out these websites:
The Full Mailbox
http://www.thefullmailbox.com

and

I <3 Wags
http://www.iheartwags.com

I <3 CVS
http://www.iheartcvs.com

-Just a note- I don't do CVS- YET. But I know a ton of moms who swear by it- Its kinda confusing with the Extra Care Bucks and the card... but I am going to brave it sometime when I don't have Maeve with me... so I can really figure the math out and all that.

Anyways happy shopping!!!! :)

Looooooook!!!!

So I went for a little mini shopping trip today to get some things we needed for around the house: Here is what I got:

TARGET:
1 pack of Huggies wipes- originally 2.99- on sale for 1.99
1 pack of electrosol dish pod things-4.99- on sale for 2.99
1 pack of brownies- originally 2.99- on sale for 1.99

Here is how it broke down: 50 cents of Huggies wipes- 1.50
2.00 off a pack of electrosol dish anything- so.99 cents
30 cents off any pilsbury brownies-1.50
SO my total was 4.00 :) Nice huh?

Then the real good deals came from Walgreens:

Shick quatro razors- 8.99- on sale for 3.99- I had 2 $2 dollar off coupons SO I bought 2 packs for 4 dollars :)
Mitchum deoderant was BOGO (buy one get one free) I had a 2 dollar off coupon- originally each deodorant was 4.99-2= 2.99
THEN I had 6 dollars in Register Rewards so that took my total from 7.00 to 1.00!!!
So I paid a grand total of 1 dollar and some cents for 3 packs of razors and 2 deodorants :) YEA!

I think I'm getting the hang of this! :)

P.S.- I don't have the other pack of razors in the pick because I already used them :) haha.... had to shave those legs today!

Walgreens, Shots and Pots

WALGREENS, Wags, whatever you wanna call it- is truly an amazing store. I scored big today- well again, not as big as Shelby but I was super excited and had to share my news:
SO pampers wipes were on sale- 2 for 5 bucks (originally 2.99 each) I got 4 packs of the 60 count Swipers/Calming Touch (?I think thats what they're called) and then the pampers clean and go 60 count wipes were also on sale 2/5 origionally 2.99 each. SO heres how it all broke down:

6 manufacter coupons for 1.00 of pampers wipes so 2.50-1.00=1.50
1.50 x 6= 9.00 But I also had register rewards for 6 dollars so that brought my total down to 3.67. (9.00-6.00=3 plus some tax)

Ryan worked it out for me and I paid about 61 cents a pack!!!! YEA FOR ME!!!! I would've bought more but I didn't have any more manu coupons left... gotta rebuild my stash I guess. But the wipes should last at least a couple weeks!!




Onto the shots- BLAH. I feel so guilty everytime I take Maeve in for shots, but I truly believe the benefit outweighs the risk. HOWEVER, on the way back from Florida I read an article about Jenny McCarthy's autistic son. She completely blames the MMR shot on his autism. AHHH freaked me the freak out. Because in a few months Maeve is due for hers... Well anyways, today I was scheduled to take her for her 1 year shots (polio, chicken pox) and I almost *ALMOST* didn't take her because of that article I read... but I'm glad I did- I talked to the doctor again (for the millionth time about vaccines) and she said I had to look at the facts- the MMR shot (the "autism" shot) is scheduled to be given at 15 months. The earliest autism can be diagnosed is 18 months- so the timing is coincidental she said, but research shows NO link to autism. She said if we want to find the real answers about autism and its causes, its more likely to be in the processed foods, the chemicals and steroids in our milk and meat, enviornmental toxins, etc. I felt a lot better about the whole vaccination thing after I talked with her. I am STILL on the fence about the MMR shot but I am def. going to stay on schedule with her other shots. It feels good to know she can't get polio, whooping cough, hepatitis, tetanus and all those other horrific conditions. Anyways she got 3 pokes today and she screamed and it was terribly sad. But I got her some ice cream afterwards and all was good again in the world of Maeve.


POTS! Pot PIES that is- I made my first today! HOMEMADE! I am so stinkin' proud of myself! First off I haaaaaate cooking chicken so I overcame that hurdle, and secondly, I spent what seemed like hours (probably just AN hour) washing veggies and chopping. The pie is in the oven right now (its 7:45) and it smells delicious, but I've got a screaming baby who wants her dinner NOW (we've been trying to hold her off by giving her gold fish and cheese), and a husband who is pacing the kitchen and opening the oven door every 2 minutes to see if the dang crust is brown yet. The recipe said it would only take 30 minutes at 350 but we're going on a solid hour here... ugh hopefully it will be worth the wait???



Oh one more thing- I know I totally skipped blogging about Disney- ITS COMING! There is just SO much to write about I haven't really had the time...

Diaper Deals :)

Thanks to the fabulous Shelby Paulk, I have been able to start learning some of the tricks of buying diapers and other baby stuff cheap. My jaw still drops every time I see Shelbys beautiful stash of diapers :) haha maybe someday my closet will look like that... Anyways in the meantime, here is the deal I found today on diapers:

Walgreens has their huggies natural fit diapers on sale for 9.99. Plus 2 dollars in register rewards- so really, thats like 7.99 per pack. That in itself is a great deal- but wait! I had a bunch of 2 dollar off coupons for huggies... SO I ended up getting each pack for around 5.99. These are the jumbo packs we're talking about!!! :) I was super excited and we're kind of stocked up for awhile now. But I will definitely be scoping out that baby cheapskate site more often!! :)

Thanks Shelby for inspiring me to save some money!!! HAHA... my hubby thanks you too :)

Oh and if you have any more tips let me know!!!