Couponing 101: Internet Coupons and The Coupon Printer

Now a lot of people don't know this, but you can print TONS of coupons off the internet.  It's true!  But before you start printing off your coupons, most sites require you to have the Coupon Printer.  You will see a window like the one below when it asks you to install it, just follow the easy instructions and you will be all set to go.

Now my work blocks adding new programs.  Did I call the Help Desk to have them come up and install this on my computer?  Why yes I did.  I've had it for years, and it's awesome.

Now the main places to print coupons on the internet are: 

Smartsource

and

Redplum

and

Coupons.com

I would recommend scanning these sites every so often, and definitely before your trip to the grocery store, to print off the coupons that you want to use.  

Here is my routine before I go to the grocery store:

1. Check the ads while making a list.

2. Check Smartsource.com and print any relevant coupons.

3. For any other brand named items, google for coupons.  You would be surprised how often a google search of "Jimmy Dean coupon" will send you to their website with a coupon on it.

4. Go through my coupon holder to pull out any other coupons I've cut out from my Sunday paper that I want to use on this trip.

5. Lastly I mark all items with a *star* that I have coupons for on my list.  I have forgotten to use one way to many times!

Beware - sometimes cashiers will be surly (don't worry, I have a post on dealing with them coming up) and say that you "can't used photocopied coupons."  Just assure them that you printed it off your computer today, and that it is not copied.  Just starting to print coupons off your computer will begin to save you tons of money.

And try and be green, use scrap paper to print all of your money saving coupons!

CVS Adventure - 4/3

Following up on my post yesterday I headed straight out to CVS.

Here's what I got:

• complete multi-purpose solution $8.99 (used -$1 complete solution COUPON - 4/3/11 ss)
• get $8.99 back in extrabucks - ($1.00 $ MONEY MAKER $)
• 2 oral-b manual toothbrush - $2.99 each (used $2 Oral b toothbrush COUPON - 4/3/11 p&g)
• get $.99 back in extrabucks (each) (FREE)
• crest pro-health complete rinse - $3.49 (USED $1 CREST RINSE COUPON - 4/3/11 P&G)
• GET $2.50 BACK IN EXTRABUCKS (FREE)

I used ExtraBucks I had from last week, to pay for the majority of these goods - which I will do next week too.  This is the beauty of the system...it just keeps rolling!

Unsurprisingly, I forgot a few coupons (as I mentioned before, I can be a bit scatterbrained/my purse is a hot mess!), so I will be heading back this week to snag these as they are FREE:

And right now, if you "Like" CVS on Facebook, you can print a $5 off $40 coupon to use! (Though I rarely spend that much...you might need some goods!)  Find that coupon here: CVS Facebook Coupon Offer.  

Actually, a great way to use that $5 off $40 would be to buy (only if you want or need them!) Crest WhiteStrips.  This week, they are on sale for $34.99 AND you get $10 ExtraBucks back AND there is a coupon in this week's Sunday paper/coupon inserts for $10 off Crest WhiteStrips.  So you would pay out of pocket $24.99 - but ALSO get $10 back.  So it's like getting them for $14.99 - which is an excellent deal.

And don't forget to ALWAYS scan your CVS card at checkout!

Como se dice - Spring?!

It is 80 degrees right now in DC. It's supposed to be 50 tomorrow.  DC what are you doing to us?!

This is a picture of the tree that is in our front yard.  Our downstairs neighbor cuts this tree off every year, because it gets huge and out of control.  This is what it looks like bare bones.  Just WAIT to see it in a few months.  I'll document it's growth here.  It's insane.  In the winter you wouldn't believe how much snow hangs on this beast.

A few doors down, our neighbors have planted a whole yard of beautiful tulips.  I took this picture only one week ago.

And BAM - this is what they look like today!  Even the tulips love the 80 degree weather!

CVS Deals - This Week - Get Movin'!

This week is a GREAT week to go to CVS for FREEBIES!  And it's also a great week to prove just how valuable the Sunday paper is.  So if you haven't already signed up at my urging then you should buy a copy this week when you go to CVS.

This week, with JUST the coupons you can get from this week's Sunday paper you can get the following for FREE or they are even "money makers."  Which means you might pay less than you get back in ExtraBucks!

• complete multi-purpose solution
• oral-b manual toothbrush
• crest or oral-b pro-health complete rinse 16.9 oz, or clinical gum toothpaste 4 oz, or glide clinical protection floss 38.2 yd
• gum eez-thru flossers 75-150 ct

You can see exactly what coupons to use here

Now originally, you will have to pay out some cash to get these items.  BUT you will get tons of ExtraBucks back, and next week you can use those to get MORE stuff for free.  Or you can always just use them to get stuff you need (with the added benefit of having gotten all of the stuff above free!).

I won't even pretend to be the CVS Deal pro.  That crown goes to Erica at http://www.iheartcvs.com/

My Laziness > My Frugality

Lest you think that I only buy things on sale, think again.  While I'm usually very frugal and go out of my way to save money, it doesn't always happen that way.  If you don't know me well, I'm also very lazy.  And if I'm hangry (hungry + angry), there's very small chance I'm getting in the car, driving to the grocery store, etc.  

Luckily, I have another option. The other night I had some guacamole (FREE from my recent Harris Teeter trip! ) that was about to expire, and no chips (a rarity in my house).  So I went to the store on our street, Adam's Market.

Now, "Adam" is smart.  They have a huge up-charge on their items, due to the fact that they are so close and convenient.  So when you are cooking and need one ingredient, they know you are going to just pop across the street.  So smart.  

I got some chips for $3.99 - which isn't a great deal at all.  Usually you can get them for $2.50 on sale.

The moral of this story is, it's OK not to get great deals all of the time. And no one is perfect, not even the coupon gurus all over the web.  90% of the time, I work really hard to save money BUT when I am lazy, or want to buy something more expensive, I feel great thinking "hey, this is why it's so great that I saved x amount of dollars last week!"  So I'm going to continue working hard to save money...as I know I'll be hitting up Adam's again soon... for more chips.

(I have been known to consume a whole bag of Lime Tostitos for dinner)

Goldstar - Local Events - Last Minute Deals

To celebrate the fact that it is Friday (TGIF), you should probably get to making some weekend plans!

For those of you who love, well any event, Goldstar is the website for you!  It's this awesome site where you can customize your location, and they will send you daily deals (usually 50% or more) for (usually) last minute tickets. I've gotten tickets to the opera at the Kennedy Center for crazy cheap, tickets to a musical (Next to Normal before it went to Broadway!), etc on here.  

They have such a huge variety from site-seeing activities, to speed dating, museum tickets, to theater events, no matter what your interest, you will find something you love. 

This site is especially great if you are new to a city, and want to try different events out. I know I love it, and look forward to it every day, hoping there is some new musical coming to town that I am unaware of.  Did I mention I'm obsessed with musicals?  :)  

Join GOLDSTAR here!

Couponing 101: The Sunday Paper

My advice: get it immediately.

This is one of the top 2 places I get coupons (the other is the internet, I'll post about that soon!).  Usually there are deals running through your local papers, to only get the Sunday editions.  Sometimes, there are even bonuses for signing up for a year, rather than just 6 months.  I think when I signed up, I got a $10 Target gift card.

Right now, you can go here to get the Sunday Washington Post for only $.59cents a week!  That is an insanely good deal, considering your return on investment.  I guarantee you will cut out at least one (if not tons) $1.00 off coupon.  So right there, cutting out only ONE measly coupon, will save you $.41cents a week.

So not only does the Sunday paper come full of ads, (and if you are lucky like me, the Washington Post Magazine and the DateLab article), it comes with usually 2-3 coupon inserts a week!

Then you will have all of the weekly ads, that will encourage you to look through them, and find the best deals for what you are looking for.  For you couponing newbies out there, I would simply recommending flipping through the inserts, and cutting out any coupons for items that you already use or plan on buying.

Lastly - SAVE your coupon inserts.  Write the date you got them in Sharpie across the front, get a shoebox, throw them in, and save them.  I'll post later about my process for sorting coupons and saving them (again, thanks to Lina - BFF).  But trust me, if you want to become more into couponing (especially matching up coupons to get freebies), save your inserts.  And if you aren't going to save them -bring them to me! :)

Next up: Internet coupons - where to find them, and how to print them!

PS, I just got this cd, and it's is amazing and the BOMB.  Adele - 21