Merry Christmas and Freebies!

I am signing off for the rest of 2009! I am literally going to be out of the country, so not able to update and research deals. Please check back on January 1 for the deals and plan for the new year! Remember, check the other great blogs links on my side bar to keep up on the deals, coupons, and freebies. This is what I got for FREE today. Be sure to check through your coupons and see if any freebies or really great ones are expiring on 12/31/09. Also, watch your favorite stores on 12/26 for some excellent after Christmas sales. I hope you all have a happy, safe, and deal-filled holiday! Thanks for reading and your support, Dawn!

Deals of the day

Braved the crowds and listening to how "boring" shopping was from my daughter to get some deals! Albertsons: Oh, I love doubles. $5.64 for all of this! I used to pay that much for 2 juices and think that was a good deal! I could have even broken it up into two transactions to save $2 more, but again the "bored" shoppers was done, so I was too! I love how it is all "healthy" food too!

Rite Aid: Spent $14.47, but will get back $12.48 from Olay and the batteries put me over the top for getting the battery $5 SCR. The sunscreen and vitamins were free from coupons earned in the summer.

Updates on my favorites...

No new grocery ads this week. Albertson's does have doublers in their Sunday ad (or you should be able to get it in the store). This makes my coupon matchups even better, with doubles:

• Clementines are now $2.99
• Kraft Cheese now $0.49
• Del Monte veggies, four cans for FREE
• Tree Top Juice now $0.67

Also I have heard reports of $5/25 coupons for Rite Aid at coupons.com. However, I haven't been able to find it in my zip code. Try yours and you might get lucky. There is one at red plum (Thanks, Nicole!)

I am planning on hitting the stores tomorrow, with all the shoppers and two children. Wish me luck and I will post my deals for you to see.

Rite Aid 12/20-12/26

No $5/25 floating around out there, so head on over to video values to earn you $5/20 coupon. It takes about 15 minutes to earn enough points to print out the coupon, some good ones to watch are Progresso Soups, Huggies (if you are going for diaper deals), Pull-ups (two coupons), and Ziploc. Remember these are Rite Aid coupons, so they are stackable.

Deals:

• Toys 50% off



• Lots of candy deals



• Welch's Sparkling Cider $2.50, use $1.50 from 11/15 SS



• Duracell Batteries, packs on sale for $5.99, $6.99, and $9.99, spend $15 get $5 SCR, varies coupons in 12/13 RP and 11/22 SS



• Ziplocs $1.99, use $1/2 from 12/6 SS and the $0.50 coupon from video values. Buy three and submit for SCJohnson rebate worth $5. Remember you can get this rebate 3 times before June 2010.



• Olay lotions and body wash $4.99 each. Buy two lotions, use two Buy body wash, get lotion free coupons from 11/29 PG. Submit for Olay rebate to get the purchase price of two lotions free. You get two lotions and two body washes free!



• Huggies $8.99, Remember this is the last week to earn your free Huggies coupon (by 5 packs get a coupon for a free pack). the coupon project has all the great diapers scenarios for you. I have to admit diaper deals are my "Kryptonite!" After six plus years of having one or two kids in diapers and always buying name brand. I am loving all these deals to get good diapers for cheap! I might have to pass on this though as I have already earned my Huggies SCR and my gift of savings, not to mention my daughter has a good few months of diapers. I also have to hide them from my husband, because I have too many! Sigh, cheap diapers will come again.
  

This is also the last week to get your gift of savings, actually until December 24. So, if you need any last minute stocking stuffers, spend your money at Rite Aid.

Friday Food for Thought

The other day I got a sample of Dentek tooth pics from Walmart.com. They are great to use especially for kids to floss. The package had a coupon on the back. It is for $1 off and doesn't expire until 2023! That is the year when my daughter turns 20! Which lead to me thinking, are we even going to still have "paper" coupons then or is everything going to be electronic? Is a coupon that is worth $1 going to even valuable then or will it be like a 10 cent coupon. Is Dentek even still going to be around? Crazy, I would like to know what marketer decided they needed to produce a coupon that didn't expire for 13 years and what is the logic behind it! What do you think? How old is your "oldest" coupon?

By the way this is my 101 post on this blog. How have you liked it? Did you learn anything? What would you like to see more of or less of? I have some big ideas that I am going to implement in January, but I would really like your input. Please leave a comment to let me know how I can best help you become a "deal diva!"

Fred Meyer coupon booklet

Did you know that Fred Meyer has a coupon booklet at the front of the store? They put this out every month. The best part is they are store coupons so they can be stacked with manufacturer's coupons. Here are a few that caught my eye:

• Free Fred Meyer preserves when you buy 2 jars Skippy Peanut Butter
• 7-up, A&W, Sunkist, Squirt $6/6, stack with $1/2 Sunkist coupon from 11/15 SS to get six Sunkists for $3
• Save $1/2 SC Johnson cleaning products, can be stack with manu and applies to SC Johnson rebate
• Free Huggies Wipes with 2 packs of Huggies Diapers. Huggies diapers are $8.99 for Jumbo pack, use coupon for both packs of diapers and wipes. If you have a Fred Meyer rewards card, you can also load ecoupons ($2/pack) on your card. Go to fredmeyer.com and log in to your account (need card number) and then select your coupons. When you scan your card, they automatically come off. These are again considered "store" coupons so they can be stacked. (I have never done ecoupons, so I am going to try this and post my results next week!)
• Save $10 of Spiral Sliced 1/2 ham

Store Secrets: Superstores

So I was discussing this today on facebook and with friends...this question of the day do you WalMart? (or Kmart or Target, but mostly Walmart) You know when you walk in the store and just aimlessly fill your cart with things you "need." Walmart is the biggest spending trap out there people! After $150 and a visual assault later (you know what I mean, if not click here) you still need to repeat the experience next week. Yes, I used to do this.

Happy to say since I coupon and found the secret of drug stores, I do not. I still go in there, but it is rare and it always has a purpose (such as buying an AllYou mag). I have eliminated my several hundred dollar Walmart expense each month. I even have fuller pantry/bathroom/laundry room cupboards and am spending less. What some freedom to have to spend less time in super stores.

Now of course, I shop at walmart.com all the time, but it is a totally different experience. Plus, it is a great source of free samples. Be sure and check to see if there are any new ones you need here. They still have the Huggies and Pampers samples if you haven't got them yet.

So I need to know, do you "Walmart"?

Albertsons 12/16-12/24

Lots of good deals on soda pop, meat, baking good, party items, check out grocery smarts matchups if you need a ingredient for that special holiday dish.

• Clementines $4.99 for 5 lbs box, $1 coupon from 12/6 SS


• Kraft Shredded Cheese $1.49, use $1/2 from 11/15 RP


• Minute Maid Orange Juice $1.99


• Del Monte canned veggies $0.50, use with this $1/4 coupon


• Buy one Sara Lee Pie, get another pie and 2 Cool Whips free


• Dole Pineapple and Mandarin Oranges $1, use coupon for both in 11/8 SS


• Tree Top Juice $1.67, use $1/2 at this link

Rite Aid 4 day sale 12/16-12/19

I am loving these four day sales, wish they did it every week. Check out the deals of the week here, including the updated Prell deals, no coupons needed!

• Duracell Batteries $5.99, use with $0.50 coupon from Sunday's paper, spend $15 get $5 SCR


• Buy any Gillette Razor or cartridge, get a Gillette Deodorant free. Use get free Gillette body wash, when you buy any Gillette Deodorant (11/1 P&G), $4 off Gillette razor (11/29 P&G), and $1 off Deodorant (11/29 P&G)


• Buy two Old Spice or Secret Deodorant, get one free. Use get free Old Spice Body Spray when you buy 3 Old Spice deodorants (11/1 P&G), $1 off two Old Spice deodorant (11/29 P&G) or Buy 2 secret deodorants get one free (11/1 P&G), $0.50 off Secret deodorant (11/1 P&G) PLUS qualify for a $2 SCR when you buy any two Old Spice or Secret Deodorants.

The 12 steps to couponing

Let's review the steps

1. The rules you must obey
A. Always use coupons with a sale
B. It's okay to let coupons expire
C. Don't hit every deal
2. Gather info (read blogs!!)
3. Gather coupons (paper, online, packages, in store, mail, magazines, etc..etc..)
4. Organize your coupons (find a system that works for you)
5. Plan your trip (list and coupon to use)
6. Shop (be vigilant, observant, and polite)
7. Home (look it over, plan your meals)
8. Balance your stockpile (become a storer not a hoarder!)
9. Use rebates
10. Share (what your learned, deals you find with others)
11. Make it a habit (fit your new way of shopping into your schedule)
12. Limit (learn what deals to hit or miss and stay on budget)

I hoped these steps have helped you become a better shopper and couponer. Please take a minute to review them. Don't give up and don't get frustrated. Start slow and simple, you will get it! Remember couponing is like a part time job (10-20 hours/week for me, including blog time). I saved $60 today at the grocery store and it took me about 1 hour to plan. $60 an hour is a pretty nice part time job if you ask me.