What fun cheap or free stuff do you like to do?

I am curious as to what fun cheap or free things you do for entertainment with the family.

We love the library.  The storytimes and special programs they put on are AWESOME - and most are free!

Though not initially cheap up front, we have a zoo membership and a children's museum membership this year.  We use some of the money that we get for birthdays and Christmas to purchase two memberships each year.  I usually try to do one outdoor and one indoor to get a nice variety.  Then when we have days when we think we have nothing to do, we can always take advantage of one of the memberships and spend nothing out of pocket.  I do this instead of going to all of the kid places that are around town and spending about $15 each time!  We use the memberships at least once per month so they more than pay for themselves.

Once the nicer weather arrives, we love to go to all of the parks Colorado has to offer.  We also love the summer concerts in the parks that lots of cities are now putting on.

So my question for you is what do you do for cheap or free fun?  Leave a comment to let others in on your secrets!

Shoppers Cards...

 
Make sure that the shoppers cards you use at King Soopers and Safeway have your correct address on them.  If you aren't sure whether or not yours is correct, I know you can log into your account on the King Soopers website to update information and I'm sure you probably can on Safeway's website too.

The reason I say this is because I get mailers about every 2 months from King Soopers (which is where I do most of my shopping at) with great coupons in them, usually there are a couple for completely free items.  My last mailer had a coupon for a free box of Cheerios and one for a free shampoo in it!

I love getting coupons, especially for free items - without any extra effort on my end!

Walgreens Diapers - As low as $2/pack?

I have heard that Walgreens is clearancing out some of their Walgreens brand diapers for around $2.19/pack and it isn't a small pack, it is a regular sized pack!  If you have little ones that use disposable diapers, you know what a great deal this is.  I used cloth diapers on my little ones, but when we went on vacation last year I used these diapers and didn't have any issues with them.

You may also be able to find some Cool Alert Pull-Ups for around $3/pack and pair that with the $2 coupon here for a great deal on Pull-Ups, less than $1/pack!

I haven't been by Walgreens to verify so if you do find this deal, can you post a comment to let everyone know?  Good luck finding this great clearance deal!!

Lila Guide - 10 Reviews = $5 Target Gift Card

Lila Guide is a local parenting resource and review guide.  Right now they are offering a $5 Target gift card if you complete 10 reviews.  There are no minimum word counts on the reviews and are super easy to complete.  Go to the website here and create an account (make sure to put your address in as they mail you the gift card).  You can then search by your area to find available places and things to review.

I just did my 10 reviews in about 13 minutes, so time well spent in my opinion!  I also already got my confirmation email about my gift card.

I love opportunities like this to score free gift cards without a lot of work!

Are you interested in hearing more about these kind of opportunities?  Let me know in the comment section if you would like me to continue posting about opportunities like this to earn gift cards or other things.

2010 Entertainment Coupon Book

This deal keeps getting better!  If you didn't already order this great book full of local coupons, now may be the time.  Now through 3/14 the books are on sale for 50% off, which is $17.50 for the Denver one.  Shop through Cashbaq and you will get $6 back.  If you are a new customer, then you will get an additional $5 start up bonus which would make the book only $6.50 after the cash back!

Just make sure to start at the Cashbaq site and not at the Entertainment book website to get the cash back credited to your account.

Once you log in or create your account, search "entertainment book" and it should pull up the offer.  Click the link and a tracking ticket will come up to show that the transaction will be posted to your account.

If you only use one coupon, it will pay for this book!!  I love this book and usually purchase multiple copies each year.

Internet Printed Coupons - How to tell they aren't copies...

If ever you are in a situation where a store employee is questioning your internet printed coupons and wondering if they are copies, you can show them that they are each unique.  On most internet printed coupons underneath the dot scan bar codes in the upper right hand corner is the unique bar code for that specific coupon.  Even if you use the back button to print two copies of a coupon, each will have a unique number.  Most internet coupons have unique bar codes that you can find to show that they are different if the need ever arises.

Shopping Ahead...Part 3 - The Gift Stash

Another way to "shop ahead" is to stock up on gifts during great sales for upcoming birthdays, holidays and special occasions.  It seems like every year around Christmas time, manufacturers start releasing some great toy coupons.  I always print these coupons right away as they seem to go really fast and hold on to them for a sale, or even better, for the after holiday clearance.  I have gotten Leapfrog toys/books, Playskool toys and other great name brand gifts for little cost or even free by doing this!

I try to buy fairly generic presents, meaning not too boy themed or girl themed unless I have a specific person or event in mind for the gift.  I also try really hard to not buy "trendy" presents because who knows how long they will be "cool."  You don't want to end up with a million Zhu-Zhu pets in your gift stash when they aren't the rage anymore!

Amazon had some killer deals around the holidays last year and I stocked up on enough toys for the kids in our lives, that I don't think I'll have to buy a single present this year, for a fraction of their retail cost!

My favorite presents to keep stocked in my kids gift stash are games, books, and puzzles - these toys are almost always a hit.

I also stock up on adult gifts when I get a great deal.  Even if I'm not sure who it is for, if it is 75% off or more on a quality item, I tend to buy it to throw in my gift stash.  Retailers like Hickory Farms have seasonal items that they clearance out after the holidays but have long shelf lives, so you can stock up to have around for gifts.

Do you "shop ahead" for gifts?  If so, what do you like to buy and what suggestions do you have for others?

Safeway coupons online!

Did you know Safeway offers coupons that you can load directly to your shoppers card or print out and bring to the store with you?  Go here to see the selection right now.  I was super excited to see the $.50 Asparagus coupon because it is on sale for $.99/lb. this week and if you buy 1 lb. and use the coupon, you will only be paying $.49 for the pound - that is a GREAT price on fresh asparagus.

I know what I'll be buying when I'm shopping at Safeway to take advantage of the great frozen food catalina deal I posted about here.

Free Kids Clinic this Saturday at The Home Depot

This Saturday March 6th, The Home Depot is having their monthly kids workshop between 9 am - noon.  These workshops are completely free and a really fun activity to do with your little ones.  The recommended ages for this project is 5-12 years old. 

Go here for more information or to find your closest store.  Have fun building!

Safeway Weekly Deals - 3/3 - 3/9

 

Safeway has an awesome frozen food catalina promotion running through the end of this month.  You must purchase $25 in frozen food in a single transaction and you will receive a $10 catalina good toward your next purchase!  You are limited to one of these per transaction so you will need to do multiple transactions if you want to do this more than once.  The $25 amount is before manufacturer coupons but after any Safeway coupons.  I am going to list coupon match ups and try to give you some scenarios of how to do this deal.  The beautiful thing about this promotion is you can "roll" the catalina, so if you do one transaction and get a $10 catalina, you can use that one toward your next purchase and still get another $10 catalina - WOO HOO!  The costs I am listing below are before you calculate the $10 catalina in.

Since this promotion is so long, you have time to order coupons if you would like to really stock up.  Go here for more information about how to get more coupons!

Here's the deals that I see...

Red Baron Single Serve Pizzas $2.50 

Use $.75/1 from the 1/17 SS (this coupon expires 3//14)

Cost = $1.50

Dreyer's Ice Cream $3

Use $1/1 from the 1/31 SS

Cost = $2

Contessa Meal Kits $5.99

Use $1.50/2 printable here, you must buy 2 to use this coupon (I know the green cuisine is included in this promo, not sure about the other varieties)

Cost = $5.24 each, when you buy 2

Birdseye Steam Fresh Meals for Two $6.99

Use $1.50/1 from the 1/17 SS or $1.50/1 printable here

Cost = $5.49

Freschetta Pizza $4.99

Use $1/1 printable here 

Cost = $3.99

Sara Lee Pies $4.99

Use $1/1 printable here 

Cost = $3.99

Birds Eye Steamfresh Veggies $1.99, you must buy 3 or more for this price!

I believe there was a coupon in the 2/28 SS, but I don't have a copy yet!

Cost = not sure without the coupon amount!

Yoplait Smoothies $3

Use $1.25/1 printable here or $1.1 from the 2/7 GM

Cost = as low as $1.75

SeaPak Seafood Selections $5.99

Use $1/1 from the 2/7 SS

Cost = $4.99

Items on sale without coupons...

Michelina's Frozen Entrees $1

Safeway Mini Pizza Bagels $5.99

Foster Farms Corn Dogs $5.99

Tombstone Original Pizza $3.99

Jimmy Dean Breakfast Bowls $2.50

Hawaii's Own Frozen Juice $1

Skinny Cow Novelties $3.99

Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream $3

Safeway Frozen Potatoes $2.50

Some possible scenarios are:

Buy 4 Red Baron Single Serve Pizzas = $10
Buy 5 Dreyer's Ice Creams = $15
Use 4, $.75/1 Red Baron Pizza coupons = $4
Use 5, $1/1 Dreyer's Ice Cream coupons = $5
Cost = $16 after coupons, get $10 catalina, like spending $6 for everything above after catalina!

Buy 5 Yoplait Smoothies = $15
Buy 2 Dreyer's Ice Creams = $6
Buy 1 Freschetta Pizza = $4.99
Use 5, $1.25/1 printables (you must have access to 3 computers to get this many coupons) = $6.25
Use 2, $1/1 Dreyer's Ice Cream coupons = $2
Use 1, $1/1 Freschetta printable coupon = $1
Cost = $16.74 after coupons, get $10 catalina, like spending $6.74 for everything above after catalina!

Buy 1 SeaPak = $5.99
Buy 1 Sara Lee Pie = $4.99
Buy 1 Birds Eye Steamfresh Meal for Two = $6.99
Buy 2 Red Baron Single Serve Pizzas = $5
Buy 1 Haagen Dazs Ice Cream = $3
Use 1, $1/1 Seapak coupon = $1
Use 1, $1/1 Sara Lee coupon = $1
Use 1, $1.50/1 Birds Eye oupon = $1.50
Use 2, $.75/1 Red Baron coupons = $2
Cost = $20.47 after coupons, get $10 catalina, like spending $6.74 for everything above after catalina!

There are many more participating items in this event and I will update as I find out what they are!

Other deals this week...

Mix and match cheese deals.

$1.49 each when you buy 2 or more:

Sargento Shredded Cheese

Sargento Natural Slices

Kraft Singles

Kraft Cream Cheese

$1.99 each when you buy 2 or more:

Precious String Cheese

Cheerios $1.99
Use $1/1 printable here
Cost = $.99


Safeway Apple Juice $.99 with in-ad coupon, limit 4
Barilla Pasta Sauce $1.49 with in-ad coupon, limit 4
Del Monte Fruit Cups $1.49 with in-ad coupon, limit 4
Safeway Cooking Vegetable Oil $1.99 with in-ad coupon, limit 5


12 Pack Coca-Cola or 7-Up $3.33, when you buy 3 or more

They are also advertising a $4 instant savings when you purchase any 4 participating Pillsbury products.  The picture shows cinnamon rolls and refrigerated cookie dough.  I know there are printable coupons on coupons.com and smartsource.com to pair with this deal to make it even better!

Meat/Seafood:

Hillshire Farms Smoked Sausage BOGO

Use $1/2 from the 1/31 RP, you must buy two to use this coupon

Cost = will vary

Bob Evans Sausage Rolls $2.99

Use $1/2 from the 1/24 SS, you must buy two to use this coupon or $.35/1 printable here 

Cost = as low as $2.29

John Morrell Lunch Meat $3.29

USe B3G1 Free from the 1/31 SS, you must get a total of 4 to use this coupon

Cost = $2.47 each, when you buy 3 get one free

 

Rancher's Reserve 7-Bone Beef Chuck Pot Roast $1.69/lb.

Fresh Safeway Chicken Thighs, Drumsticks or Leg Quarters $.99/lb.

Safeway Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.99/lb.

80% Lean Ground Beef $1.99/lb.

Produce:

Asparagus $.99/lb.

Pineapple $1.99 each

Red Texas Grapefruit $.50/lb.

Large Hass Avocados $1

Sweet Jumbo Navel Oranges $.99/lb.

As always, this list isn't all inclusive.  If you find a great deal, let me know and I'll add it to the list!

My Walgreens shopping trip this week...

As promised, here is how I am spending my Walgreens RRs.

I had 2 RRs that were expiring on Sunday worth $7.50, so I made a quick trip to Walgreens. I know I just recently said that my target price for toothpaste is free and it is, but since the RR deals this week are lacking, I went ahead and purchased 2 for $.25 each to get more RRs for future use. As you can see, it was not a very exciting shopping trip for me.

Not pictured is the newspaper I bought for $1.50 since my subscription just expired and I haven't yet renewed. It isn't pictured because when I got home and realized I spend $1.50 for a newspaper that had ZERO inserts in it, I was mad and threw it into the recycling bin right away!

It wasn't a very "thrifty" trip to Walgreens but I was super excited to get a killer deal on the Burt's Bees Sunscreen. It retails for around $15 a bottle and I got it on clearance for $3.XX. Sunscreen is something I don't do thriftily because I feel like it is important to not be putting chemicals onto and into my kiddos bodies. Natural sunscreens are super expensive, so I was really pumped about getting such a great deal!

Here's what I did...
Transaction 1:
Colgate Total - $2.99
Newspaper - $1.50

Used $.75/1 Colgate coupon and
$2.50 RR
Cost = $1.49 including tax, got back $2 RR

Transaction 2:
Colgate Total - $2.99
Burt's Bee's Sunscreen - $3.79

Used $.75/1 Colgate coupon and
$5 RR
Cost = $1.54 including tax, got back $2 RR

I used a Walgreens gift card that I still have some money left on, so I spent $0 oop (out of pocket).

I now have a whopping $4 of RR to work on rolling for future deals. Hopefully my next Walgreens shopping trip is a little bit more exciting!

Sprouts Weekly Deals 3/3 - 3/10

If you are going shopping at Sprouts today, make sure to take advantage of the sales from last week that are still available today that I posted about here as well as the ones listed below.

These are the best deals for the upcoming week...

Navel Oranges $.19/lb.
Honey Tangerines or Minneola Tangelos $.88/lb.
Green Leaf, Red Leaf or Romaine Lettuce $.88 each
Large Canteloupes $1.50

Bulk Bin, Bulk Spices and Bulk Coffee items are all 25% off


Marinated Pollo Asado (Boneless chicken thighs marinated in a smokey, tangy sauce) $1.99/lb.  I've never had this but it sounds yummy and like a great way to make chicken tacos, burritos or enchiladas!

Seafood Cuisine 10 oz. entrees BOGO, 2 for $6.99

King Soopers Weekly Deals 3/3 - 3/9

King Soopers is having a Cart Buster savings event.  This is a sale where tons of name brand items are on sale for great prices!  As always, this list is not all inclusive - let me know if I missed a great deal and I'll add it to this list.

Here are the deals I see...

Green Giant Steamers $1.28
Use $.50/1 printable here or the $.50/2 from the 2/21 SS
Cost = as low as $.28 each!

Chex Mix $1.50
Use $.50/1 printable here (good on any flavor) or $.50/1 printable here (good only on chocolate flavor) or $.50/2 from the 1/24 SS
Cost = as low as $.50!

Yoplait Yo Plus $2
Use $1/1 from the 2/7 GM or $1/1 printable here
Cost = $1


Hamburger Helper $1.68
Use $.75/3 from the 2/7 SS, you must buy 3 to use this coupon
Cost = $1.35 each

Pillsbury Dough $1.25
Use $.40/2 printable here or $.02/2 from the 1/24 SS, you must buy 2 to use this coupon
Cost = $.85 each!

Pillsbury Cookie Dough $2
Use $1/2 printable here, you must buy 2 to use this coupon
Cost = $1.50 each!

Tide Detergent $5.88
Use $.35/1 from the 2/7 PG
Cost = $5.18

Tide Stain Release $5.88
USe $1/1 from the 2/7 PG
Cost = $4.88


Charmin Bath Tissue or Bounty Paper Towels $5.99
Use $.25/1 from the 2/7 PG
Cost = $5.49

Old El Paso Refried Beans or Taco Shells $1



Betty Crocker Cake Mix $1


Betty Crocker Frosting $1.50
Buy 1 BC Cake Mix and 1 BC Frosting = $2.50
Use $.50/2, when you buy a cake mix and a frosting printable here
Cost = $1.50 for a cake mix and frosting!

Meat/Seafood:

Jennie O Fresh Ground Turkey or Turkey Sausage BOGO 50%
Use $1/2 from the 1/3 SS
Cost = will vary

Foster Farms Chicken Breasts $1.88 lb.
King Soopers Italian Sausage Rolls $1.30
King Soopers Ground Pork $1.18
Extra Large Raw White Shrimp $4.99/lb.
Hormel Pork Tenderloin or Loin Filet BOGO

Produce:
Cascadian Farm Organic Frozen Potatoes 25% off
Use $1/1 printable here
Cost = will vary


Organic Green Pears $1/lb.
Strawberries BOGO = $4.99 for 2 lbs.
Romaine, Bibb, Red or Green Leaf Lettuce $1
Large Avocados $1
Roma Tomatoes $1

Organic Navel Oranges 4 lb. bag for $2.50

Safeway - Cheap Paper Towels/Toilet Paper!

UPDATE:  I wasn't able to make it to Safeway to do this deal tonight, but also had issues getting my ecoupons loaded to my card, so I don't think that they would have come off anyway.  I believe this deal was only through today, so if you didn't go today, you missed out (like I did) on this great sale!

I'm not sure whether or not this sale ends today or continues through next week as well.  The deal is, buy one Charmin Big Roll 24 pack at $12.99 and one Bounty Paper Towels 12 pack at $12.99.  This will qualify you to receive a $10 catalina good toward your next purchase of anything at Safeway.  There are some ecoupons you can load to your shopper card from P&G Esaver for $3 each, so here is the scenario:

Buy:
1 pack Charmin Big Roll 24 pack at $12.99
1 pack Bounty Paper Towels 12 pack at $12.99
The register should deduct $6 when you buy both of these in the same transaction, making each one $9.99.

Use:
$3 ecoupon for Bounty
$3 ecoupon for Charmin

Cost: $13.98, get $10 catalina toward your next purchase.  Like spending $3.98 for both packs after catalina!!  This is a stock up price!

I'm hoping to swing by the store this evening to do this and I'll update if I find out whether this sale is only through today or not.

(Thanks, AFC!)

Sprouts - Good deals through Wednesday!

I always try to shop at Sprouts on Wednesdays as they have double ad Wednesdays, meaning they honor sale prices from the previous week and upcoming weeks sales flyers both on the same day!

I wanted to pass along a couple of great deals they have this week...

10 lb. bag of potatoes - $.67 each, less than $.07/lb!
ORGANIC Braeburn Apples - $.67/lb. - that is cheaper than you can usually buy regular apples!
Colby Jack, Monterey Jack and Cheddar Cheese -$2.49/lb. 
Chicken Breasts - $1.97/lb. - any time I see boneless skinless fresh chicken breasts for less than $2/lb. I stock up!

I'm excited to see what comes in the sales flyer for next week!

Did you notice the Amazon deal of the day?

It is in the toolbar on the left side of this page.  They are super cute Bearpaw women's boots that usually retail for around $60, on sale today only for $29.90, shipped free!  I have been wanting a pair of boots this style but didn't want to spend $60 on them.  Today is a great day to get these boots if you have been in the market for a pair!

Lego Sets - BOGO 50% off!

This week at Toys R Us all Lego building sets are on sale buy one get one 50% off. This is a decent sale as Legos don't seem to go on sale very often. No coupon or code needed for this offer, it should ring up automatically when you purchase 2.

If you have little ones who love Legos, you know how expensive they are!

If you want to shop online, Toys R Us is offering free shipping on orders of $100 or more.

Homemade Cleaners...

I asked what you do to save money yesterday and several people asked about homemade cleaners. I try very hard to not use commercial cleaners as many of them are toxic to ourselves and the environment, not to mention super expensive. My best friends for cleaning are (if you couldn't guess by the picture)...

White Vinegar and Baking Soda!!

I use white vinegar and baking soda for almost all of my cleaning around the house. You can go here for a great website with uses for vinegar for cleaning. You can also go here for a website about cleaning with baking soda.

I personally have a spray bottle filled with 100% vinegar for cleaning of really messy stuff and a spray bottle of half vinegar and half water for everyday cleaning. I usually add a couple of drops off essential oils to counteract the vinegar smell. I love citrus scented ones for their smell, but usually use tea tree oil as it is a disinfectant that has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. Pure essential oils (not the ones used for home fragrance) are pricey but a little bit goes a really long way.

I also use baking soda, usually mixed into a paste with water for harder to clean areas that need a scrub or to run down the garbage disposal to get rid of any stinky smells.

It is amazing how many different "specialized" products I used to buy and how now I pretty much use vinegar and baking soda to clean almost everything. It is also a nice benefit to know that if by some chance my kiddos get a hold of my cleaning supplies, there is no need to be worried!

I am venturing into making my own laundry detergent this month - I'll keep you posted on how that turns out!

Do you have any great recipes for homemade cleaners? If so, feel free to share them with us.

Don't forget to check out all of the new printable coupons!

The printable coupon sites have reloaded their coupons today. Go on over and check them out and print any you think you may use, as the good ones tend to go very quickly!

What is your favorite coupon you found?

This Tuesday is the Free Night at the Children's Museum!

This Tuesday (tomorrow) afternoon/evening from 4 - 8 pm you can swing by the Children's Museum to take advantage of some free play time - thanks to Target for sponsoring this great event. This happens on the first Tuesday of every month, so if you aren't able to make it tomorrow night, mark your calendar for the next one on April 6th!

Walgreens Weekly Deals - 2/28 - 3/6

I completely forgot to post the Walgreens deals last week, sorry - if that happens again, feel free to remind me!

It doesn't look like a super great week at Walgreens as far as free items or RR items.

Here's the best deals I see...

Register Reward Deals:
Colgate Total Toothpaste $2.99
Use $.75/1 from the 2/21 SS or printable here
Cost = $2.24, get $2 RR, like spending $.24 after RR!

Lady Speed Stick Stain Guard $1.99
Use $.75/1 printable here
Cost = $1.24, get $1 RR, like spending $.24 after RR!

Schick Razors $8.99, get $3 RR
Use $4/1 from the 2/28 RP (Did you get this as my paper didn't have any inserts in it?)
Cost = $4.99, get $3 RR, like spending $1.99 after RR!

Buy any 3 of the following products below, get a $5 RR:
Huggies Wipes 184 or 216 ct. - $5.99
Huggies Jumbo Pack Diapers, Pull-Ups or Goodnights - $8.99
Kotex Feminine Care 14-24 pack pads, 48 or 64 pack pantiliners, or 18 pack tampons - $2.99
Poise: 36-52 pack pads, Depend: 14-20 pack underwear, 30 pack belted shields, 16-26 pack briefs or 48 or 52 pack guards - $10.99
Scott Bathroom Tissue 12 rolls - $6.99
Cottonelle: 12 big rolls or Viva: 6 rolls - $5.99

Scenario:
Buy 3 Kotex pads, pantiliners or tampons = $8.97
Use $2/2 Pads or $1.50/2 Pantiliners or Tampons
Cost = As low as $6.97, get $5 RR, like spending $1.97 or $.66 each after RR!

Aveeno products 20%, get $3 RR when you buy 2
Use $2.50/1 Nourish + Hair Care Product or $2/1 Facial Care Product or $2/1 Body or Baby Care Product from the 1/10 SS
Cost = will vary, but you will get a $3 RR if you buy 2.

Vicks NyQuil or DayQuil 20 ct. or 10 oz. Liquid $5, buy $20 get $10 RR
Scenario:
Buy 4 DayQuil or NyQuil
Buy 2 Puffs Tissue (Free with coupon listed below)
Use 4 $1.50/1 coupon from the 2/7 PG
Use 2 of the Buy 2 Vicks products and Get Puffs Free coupon from the 2/7 PG
Cost = $14, Get back a $10RR, like spending $4 for all 6 items after RR!

Pepsi - 12 packs 3/$11, get 3 RR

I wouldn't try to roll the Colgate and Lady Speedstick RRs as they are made by the same company and may not produce a new RR when using one.

Other Deals:
Easter M & M's 2/$5
Use $1/2 coupon from the new Walgreens coupon book that is out and looks like this...
Lost of stores have these up by the registers or in little brochure holders on the ends of the aisles.
Cost = $2 each, when you buy 2.

Starbucks Frappuccino 4/$5, with in-ad coupon
Use in-ad coupon and $1/1 printable here
Cost = $.25 each!

Starbucks Ice Cream 2/$5
Use $1/1 printable here
Cost = $1.50 each!

Lindsay Olives $.99, with in ad coupon
Use $1/2 printable here
Cost = $.49 each, when you buy 2.

Did I miss a great deal? If so, let me know and I'll add it to the list!

What do you do to save money?

I am curious what you do and what tips you have to pass along to others about how your family saves money.

As you know, I love to coupon, shop sales, and stockpile but I also save money other ways.

We do not use paper towels or paper napkins in our house. This is partly a money saving idea, but was mostly an environmentally conscience decision for me. I was sick about how much paper products we were going through and throwing away on a daily basis in our house and wanted to cut some out. I bought a couple of packages of kitchen wash clothes and use them in place of paper towels and napkins. I wash them when we are almost out and make sure to sanitize them too!

We also don't have cable! I know this is shocking to most people, but we have been cable free for almost 4 years now and really haven't missed it. My husband did go through a bit of withdrawal when he couldn't watch every NFL football game on Sundays, but he learned to cope. I grew up not having cable in our house so I wasn't super reliant on TV. I was sick of spending close to $100/month just to have cable, so we cut it and now do other things with our time.

I also don't purchase many commercial cleaners and if I do I usually splurge and buy environmentally friendly ones from BioKleen. I love their products, but mostly use baking soda and vinegar for cleaning in our house. They are super environmentally friendly and kid safe and TONS cheaper than buying commercial cleaners.

So my question again for you is, what do you do to save money? Feel free to leave a comment so that others can see what information you have to share, you can even leave them anonymously. I hope to hear from you!

Don't forget to print your coupons!

Just a reminder that the printable coupons usually change over at the beginning of the month, so make sure to visit coupons, smartsource and redplum today to print any of the offers you want. They may be gone tomorrow and replaced with new ones! Check back tomorrow to see what great coupons they have added and you need to print.

Did you know...

that The Home Depot takes competitor coupons? They will happily accept Lowe's coupons on almost anything. We have been having some work done on our house and I was researching ways to save money while doing so. I knew that The Home Depot accepted competitor coupons but I didn't have any. Then I found out a nice little secret...

If you go to the post office and ask for a change of address packet, there is a Lowe's coupon for 10% off inside!! You can also sign up for the Lowe's moving newsletter here to get a 10% off coupon emailed to you (it takes a few days for them to send it). You can shop at either The Home Depot or Lowe's with these coupons to save some major cash!!

I asked if they honored this coupon on carpeting, since we are planning on having ours replaced soon and they said definitely, it just isn't good for the labor cost. Knowing about this policy and how to get these coupons is going to save me so much money - and I hope you do too!