Portland Penny Pincher

Hiatus

2010-08-11T09:57:00.001-07:00

Hi there,

After a lot of consideration, I'm going to be taking a break from this blog. I've been neglecting it lately and it just hasn't felt fun. I'm working on simplifying my life and realized that for now, having this half-neglected blog hanging over my head has become clutter. So I'm giving myself a break from it to see how that feels. Thanks for reading ~ I really appreciate it. For the best local penny-pinchin' blogs, visit the hilarious and unflinchingly honest broke207 and the dedicated, ever-frugal moneysavingmaineiac. Both are lovely.

Hugs and pennies,
Lynn

Good Deal on Clif Kid Z Bars

2010-08-09T10:23:00.000-07:00

Noticed that the organic Clif Kid Z Bars at the Portland Whole Foods are priced at $.69 each. Use the $.50 off from the August/September Whole Deal or here for a cheap treat.

Add it up...

2010-07-29T11:51:00.000-07:00

I decided to add up all my receipts from 2010 thus far and see exactly how much I've been able to save by being more frugal. This is an imperfect science as there's no way to figure out how much I've saved by shopping grocery store sales-- since not all the grocery stores give us that lovely "you saved" section like Shaw's does. But I can figure out how much I saved using coupons. And figure it out I did.

I took the giant, messy mound of receipts sitting on my desk and added it all up. Here's the data:

$947.80 saved with coupons on groceries & household items (Shaw's, Hannaford, Whole Foods, Rite-Aid, and Babies R Us (baby wipes))

Not bad! Especially considering it's still July and you know there's a margin for error as I'm not too organized and there are bound to be random receipts hanging out under the mud mats in my car, random coat pockets and other places. And $302.25 of those coupon savings were at Whole Foods. Likey. And like I said, that's not counting $ saved shopping sales or $ saved on non-grocery/household items.

How about you-- do you know how much you've saved?

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 7/28 to 8/3

2010-07-27T16:47:00.000-07:00

To see all of this week's advertised sales at the Portland Whole Foods, click here.

Avocado, 5 for $5
Organic white nectarines, $1.99 each
Tazo Iced Tea, 5 for $5, use $.50 off here
Annie's Natural salad dressings, $3.99. Use $.75 off from May/June/July Whole Deal and $.75 off from 2010 Annie's calendar
Back to Nature chocolate delight granola, 2 for $7. Use $1 off from Spring Mambo Sprouts coupon book
Nature's Path chocolate chip granola bars, 2 for $3. Use $1.50 off 2 from May/June/July Whole Deal
So Delicious Coconut milk creamer, 2 for $4, use $1 off here
Boca Burger Original Vegan, 2 for $7. Use $1 off 2 from 6/20 Smart Source insert
Michael Angelo's Baked Eggplant Parmesan, 2 for $7. Use $1 off from Spring Mambo Sprouts coupon book

Alexia Foods coupon

2010-07-23T13:16:00.000-07:00

Got a nice new $1 off coupon from BzzzAgent on any Alexia frozen product. I haven't actually tried these yet but I always look at their sweet potato fries... anyone like these products?

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 7/21 to 7/28

2010-07-20T16:30:00.000-07:00

To see all of this week's advertised sales at the Portland Whole Foods, click here.

Organic bunched carrots, $.99 each

Organic Braeburn apples, $1.79/lb.

Organic Red Italian onions, $.99/lb.

Stonyfield Farms nonfat yogurt, 10 for $5, use $.50 off 3 yogurts here

Ben & Jerry's ice cream, 2 for $7, use $1 off from May/June/July Whole Deal

Food Should Taste Good sweet potato chips, use $1 off 1 or $1.50 off 2 from 5/23 Smart Source

Seeds of Change organic tiki masala sauce, 2 for $6, use $1 off here
Blue Diamond Almond Milk, original unsweetened, $1.99. Use $1 off from Spring Mambo Sprouts booklet, or from 5-23 Smart Source, $.50 off here , or $.55 off here
Kiss My Face Liquid Hand Soaps, $4, use $1 off here

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 7/14 to 7/20

2010-07-14T16:19:00.000-07:00

I know, I've been a total blog slacker lately. Maybe it's the swampy heat, or the teething toddler, or some sort of celestial interference (moon in Uranus?). In any case, here are this week's Whole Foods sales/coupon goodies. To see all of this week's advertised sales for the Portland store, click here.

Olympus Greek Yogurt, 4 for $5
Boneless Sirloin Steak, $6.99/lb.
Cantalope, 2 for $4
Organic Figs, 2 for $6
Organic Pink Lady Apples, $1.79/lb.
Annie's Natural Salad Dressings, 2 for $5, use $.75 off from 2010 Annie's Calendar and $.75 off from May/June/July Whole Deal (Good deal alert!)
R.W. Knudsen Black Cherry Juice, 2 for $6, use $.75 off from Spring Mambo Sprouts book
Food Should Taste Good Tortilla or Sweet Potato Chips, 2 for $4, use $1 off 1 or $1.50 off 2 from 5/23 Smart Source insert
Seeds of Change Organic Tiki Masala Sauce, 2 for $6, use $1 off here
Blue Diamond Almond Milk Original Unsweetened 32 oz., $1.99, use $1 off from Spring Mambo Sprouts book or here (goes right to printer) or 5/23 Smart Source insert
Kiss My Face Liquid Hand Soaps, 2 for $8, use $1 off here

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 7/5 to 7/13

2010-07-04T15:23:00.001-07:00

To see all of the advertised sales this week at the Portland store, click here.

In-store made Chicken Kabobs, $4.99/lb.
In-store made Salmon Kabobs, $9.99/lb.
Organic Yellow Peaches, $2.49/lb.
Stonyfield Organic Lowfat Yogurt, 10 6 oz. for $5, use $.50 off 3 here
Snikiddy Snacks Baked Fries, 2 for $4, use $1 off here
Back to Nature Chocolate Chunk Cookies, 2 for $6, use $1 off from Mambo Sprouts Spring coupon book
Honest Tea Organic Kids Berry Good Lemonade, 2 for $7, use $.75 off coupon here
Nature's Path Organic Chocolate Chip Granola Bar, 2 for $6, use $1.50 off 2 from May/June/July Whole Deal
Soy Delicious Creamer Coconut Milk, $1.79, use $1 off here
Kiss My Face Liquid Rock Deodorant, 2 for $9, use $1 off here

Frugal F&$!-up

2010-07-01T14:41:00.001-07:00

It's been awhile, both since I've posted at all, but especially since I've shared any assinine financial mistakes with you. Well, this isn't a huge one, but it seems that I've surpassed my grocery budget every single week of June. What's up with that? Well, a few things:

Trying to hit that sweet Neutrogena rebate vortex that recently occured at both Rite-Aid and Neutrogena
A bunch of personal crap conspired and left me with a little attitude -- "eff the grocery budget! Just eff it!"
The hubster got a grill. So we've been getting stuff to cook on said grill, which is awesome. However, it does mean that he is eating less Clif bars (purchased at Whole Foods with stacked coupons, baby) over the sink for dinner and more pricey flesh o' the cow.
My kiddo is eating more. I know, blame it on the baby.

It's not the end of the world, and those are mostly legitimate reasons. But it doesn't feel great to this perfectionist. So July, you sweet blank slate, I'm going to try to stick to the budget...

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 6/23 to 7/4

2010-06-23T04:20:00.000-07:00

To see all of this week's advertised sales at the Portland store, click here. It looks like this week's specials are mostly the same as last week's:

Bread & Circus Bakehouse Organic Burger Buns, 8-pack for $1.50
85% Lean Beef Burgers, 10 for $10
Veggie Burgers, 5 for $10
Conventionally Grown Mangoes, $1/each
Organic Peeled Baby Carrots, 2 lbs . for $2.99
Bear Naked Granola, $3.99. Use $1 off from Whole Deal or here and $1 off from June Hannaford Organic & Natural booklet
Chobani Greek Yogurt, 1 for $1, use buy 2 get 1 free here
Honest Kids Organic Juice Boxes, 2 for $7, use $.75 off here
Honest Tea Organic Kids Berry Good Lemonade, 2 for $7, use coupon here
Kiss My Face SPF 30 Sunspray Lotion, $10.49, use $1 off here
Happy Baby Yogurt Melts, $2.69, use coupons from Recyclebank (have to accrue points and have coupon mailed to you)
Nature's Path Organic Chocolate Chip Granola Bar, 2 for $6, use $1.50 off 2 from May/June/July Whole Deal or here
Soy Delicious Coconut Milk Creamer, $1.79, use $1 off here
Kiss My Face Moisture Shaves, $6.49, use $1 off here
Kiss My Face Olive Oil Bar Soaps, 2 for $6.50, use $1 off here
Bach Rescue Remedy $14.99, use $2 off from Mambo Sprouts or $1 off from May Hannaford Organic & Natural book
Spectrum Ground Flax Seed, 2 for $9, use $3 off here

More So Delicious/Purely Decadent coconut milk ice cream...

2010-06-21T17:11:00.001-07:00

Happened to notice today that the Portland Back Bay Hannaford had the Purely Decadent coconut milk mint chocolate chip was on "close out" sale for $1 and change-- use this coupon to pick it up for super cheap. I haven't tried this flavor before but I'm betting it's worth the few dimes that you can get it for...

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 6/14 to 6/22

2010-06-13T10:39:00.000-07:00

To check out all of this week's advertised sales at the Portland Whole Foods, click here.

Mangoes, $1/each
Organic Baby Brocolli, $1.99 each
Organic Lettuce from Vermont/Massachusetts, 2 for $3
Honest Tea Iced Tea, 64 oz., 2 for $5, use $.75 off 1 here
R.W. Knudsen Organic Just Pear Juice, 2 for $6, use $.75 off spring Mambo Sprouts book
Food Should taste Good Cheddar Tortilla Chips, 2 for $4. Use $1 off 1 or $1.50 off 2 from 5/23 Smart Source insert
Annie's HomeGrown Bunny Fruit Snack, Organic Berry, 2 for $7, use $1 off from 2010 Annie's calendar
Nature's Path Organic Chocolate Chip Granola Bar, 2 for $6, use $1.50 off 2 from May/June July Whole Deal or here
Kiss My Face Moisture Shaves, $6.49, use $1 off here
Kiss My Face Olive Bar Soaps, 2 for $6.50, use $1 off here
Bach Rescue Remedy, $14.99, use $2 off here or $1 off from May Hannaford Organic & Natural book
Spectrum Ground Flax Seed, 2 for $9, use $3 off here

Cheapness paying it forward...

2010-06-12T05:51:00.000-07:00

I love stories like this.... every once in awhile you'll hear a story about a frugal priest or an old lady who skimps and lives on very little in order to leave something behind after they're gone. What motivates you to cheap it up?

Good Deal on Purely Decadent Coconut Milk "ice cream"

2010-06-10T16:36:00.001-07:00

Happened upon a tasty deal at the Portland Riverton Hannaford (aka "Bad Hannaford") today. They had So Delicious Coconut milk coconut flavored (the vanilla and chocolate mint weren't priced as low) ice cream-- which is dairy free, soy free and gluten free-- and frickin' delicious!!!-- for $2.15. With one of these little sugars it was $1.15. Sinful. Not sure why it was so cheap there-- it usually is about $5 at Whole Foods.

Also noticed several items in the healthy/organic freezer section that were "priced to clear out." I got a box of Cascadian Farms organic winter squash that was marked down to $1.50-- with one of their coupons here or at coupons.com or bettycrocker.com it was $.50. They had a few other ice creams and an Earth's Best frozen mac & cheese meal that were also "priced to clear." Anyone found these at other Hannafords, or was it just this one?

Hot Hot Hot Neutrogena Rebates

2010-06-09T10:58:00.001-07:00

You know I love the rebates. Just found this one for $10 back from Neutrogena when you spend $30 on their "facial moisturizers and/or facial treatments" between now and July 4th. And it doesn't say "Void in Maine." Rite Aid also has a rebate going on that includes Neutrogena Skin Care--spend $25 and get a $10 Rite Aid gift card, or spend $50 and get a $25 gift card. My brain is too excited to do the math but you could get some great deals by combining these two rebates. In addition there are coupons at Neutrogena AND coupons on some Neutrogena products in this week's Rite Aid flyer-- the Rite Aid coupons can be stacked with the Neutrogena coupons, as well as that sweet little $5 off $20 from watchin' your Rite Aid Video Values. The hubster uses a lot of Neutrogena products so we'll be stockin' up.

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 6/9 to 6/13

2010-06-08T16:24:00.000-07:00

To see all of this week's advertised sales at the Portland Whole Foods, click here.

Conventionally Grown Peaches, $.99/lb.
Organic Bunched Carrots, $1.99
Organic Packham Pears, $1.49/lb.
Cedar's Organic Hummus, 2 for $4
Blue Diamond Almond Milk, $2.69 for 64 oz. Use $1 off from 5/23 Smart Source, Spring Mambo Sprouts coupon book, or here
Olave Organic Olive Oil, $7.99-- 50% off
Cascadian Farms Cereal Multigrain Squares (and most of their other cereals and granola bars as well), 2 for $7. Use $1 off from May/June/July Whole Deal or here and $1 off from coupons.com, cascadianfarm.com or bettycrocker.com making these $1.50 per box
Nature's Path Organic Flaxplus Waffles, 2 for $5. Use $1 off from May/June/July Whole Deal.
Earth's Best Kids Baked Chicken Nuggets, 2 for $7. Use $1 off here
Seventh Generation Auto Dish Powder Free & Clear, $3.99, use $1 off here or from April Hannaford Organic & Natural boook
Terra Chips, 2 for $5. Use $1 off from 3/28 Smart Source insert
Odwalla Super Protein Nutri Juice, 2 for $5, use $1 off 2 here
Knudsen Pear Juice, 2 for $6, use $1 off from Spring Mambo Sprouts
Bach Rescue Remedy, $14.99. Use $2 off from Mambo Sprouts or $1 off from May Hannaford Organic & Natural
Think Thin Bars, 2 for $3. Use $.50 off from May/June/July Whole Deal and stack it with $.50 off here

Good Deal on Cascadian Farms

2010-06-07T12:09:00.001-07:00

Noticed a good deal on Cascadian Farms Cereals this morning at Whole Foods. Most of the cereals are on sale for $3.50/box. Use the $1 off coupon from the May/June/July Whole Deal or here, and stack that little lady with the $1 off from Cascadian Farms, or here, or here. I usually just get the Whole Foods 365 O's for my kiddo, but at $1.50 the Cascadian Farms win out! They're on sale for another week. Likey! It looked like most of the Cascadian Farms granola bars are on sale too, so if that's you're thing, the same deal works.

Holy Crocker!

2010-06-03T14:28:00.001-07:00

I was surprised to check the Betty Crocker coupons-- usually they are just for, well, Betty Crocker items. But right now, they have Cascadian Farms, Muir Glen, Ben & Jerrys (combine it with the Whole Foods q for extra savin') Huggies, and a ton of other coupons. Check it out here.

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 6/2 to 6/8

2010-06-03T08:27:00.001-07:00

To see all of the Portland store's advertised sales this week, click here.

Stonyfield Farm 6oz. Yogurt, 10 for $5. Go here for $.50 off 3.
Odwalla Bars, $1 each.
Tazo Iced Tea, 5 for $5. Use $.50 off coupon from May/June/July Whole Deal or here.
Fage Greek Yogurt, 3 for $4. Use $.50 off coupon here.
Cascadian Farms Cereal Multigrain Squares. Use $1 off from May/June/July Whole Deal or here, and $1 off from www.coupons.com.
Seventh Generation Auto Dish Powder Free & Clear, $3.99. Use $1 off from Spring Mambo Sprouts coupon book or here.
Terra Chips Sweets & Beets, 2 for $5. Use $1 off from 3-28 Smart Source.
Odwalla Super Protein Nutri Juice, 2 for $5. Use $1 off 2 here.
Nature's Path Waffles Organic Flaxplus, 2 for $5. Use $1.50 off 2 from May/June/July Whole Deal.
Bach Rescue Remedy, $14.99. Use $2 off 1 from mambosprouts.com $1 off 1 from May Hannaford's Organic & Natural magazine.
Think Think Bars, 2 for $3. Use $.50 off from May/June/July Whole deal and $.50 off here.

Oikos coupon

2010-05-30T08:31:00.001-07:00

The new June issue of Organic & Natural is out at Hannaford. There are only two coupons but they are decent ones:

$1 off any Bear Naked 12 oz. Granola
$1 off any 5.3 oz cup, 16 oz cup or 4oz 4-pack of Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt

The Oikos coupon is especially nice as they tend to go on sale regularly at Whole Foods and Shaws.

Kisses

2010-05-30T08:24:00.000-07:00

At Shaws (Westbrook) this morning I happened to notice they had a bunch of Kiss My Face products marked down to 50% off in the little clearance area in the back with the day old bread. There's a nice little $1.50 off Kiss My Face products on coupons.com. The coupon does say something about the products being available at Walmart, so Shaws may or may not take it.

I also got a $2 off my purchase of $10 or more from the freezer section-- I think I got this because I got the husband a California Pizza Kitchen pizza. Likey!

Trashy

2010-05-30T08:18:00.000-07:00

The other day at Rite Aid I noticed a little sign announcing the City of Portland trash bags would be going up in price from $7.5o for a roll to $10. If my math isn't failing me, this is a 33% increase, right? I believe this will be effective July 1st. In anticipation of shrewd shoppers hoardin' up on the $7.50 rolls, stores are limiting purchases to 2 rolls per transaction. So you might keep this in mind on your next several shopping trips. To make your dirty dollars go further, you might use the ever-fancy $5 off $20 from watching Rite Aid Video Values, or the recent $5 off $50 that Hannaford emailed out last week.

This is also a reminder to me to get back to composting, which though I never seem to use the compost for everything, it still makes me feel productive, and cuts down on our disposable trash, which cuts down on the $ we spend on trash bags. Just sayin'.

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 5/26 to 6/1

2010-05-25T16:50:00.001-07:00

To see all of the Portland store's advertised sales this week, click here. Not too much different from last week:

Glaceau Vitaminwater, 5 for $5, use $.50 off 1 from May/June/July Whole Deal or here

Corn, $.33 each

Think Thin Bars, 2 for $3, use $.50 from May/June/July Whole Deal and $.50 off here

Back to Nature Chocolate Chunk Cookes, 2 for $5, use $1 off from Spring Mambo Sprouts coupon book

Blue Diamond Almond Milk, Original Unsweetened, $1.99. Use $1 from March/April Whole Deal (expires 5/31) and $1 from 5/23 Smart Source or here = free!

R.W. Knudsen Organic Just Tart Cherry Juice, $3.99, use $.75 from Spring Mambo Sprouts coupon book or $1 off here
Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia Frozen Yogurt, 2 for $7, use $1 off from May/June/July Whole Deal or here
Ciao Bella Blood Orange Sorbetta, use $1 off 2 from May/June/July Whole Deal or here

Amazing Yard Sale Score

2010-05-22T08:59:00.001-07:00

I'm not much of a yard sale gal-- mostly because clutter seems to magically spring up around me like dirt around Pigpen. But this morning the hubster mentioned that the daycare across from us was having a big yard sale, and we mosied on over to check it out.

You know how sometimes when you go shopping and have an idea of what you're looking for, it's an utter failure. Tears in the dressing room, hours of frustrated wandering. And other times, things feel so serendipitous that it's like the Goddess of Shopping is waving her magic wand (or credit card?) down upon ye. Well this was one those magical, serendipitous days.

I'd been wanting to slowly change over the mountain of plastic toys in our living room to more natural toys, like wooden ones. Besides the health and environmental implications of plastic, it just looks crappy. Well, let's just say that at this yard sale I speak of, I got my wood on. Serious Woody. (And a few cool books and a xylophone.)

And to offset the influx of unshiny, faded, potentially cootie-infested toys coming into our home, I brought a few big bags of baby clothes and other toys that the kiddo could care less about over. When I went to pay for my second load of goodies, one of the women that works at the day care told me to just take the stuff because we had brought donations... So, basically, all of this for $2. And we cleared out some clutter.

Oh, and I apologize for the ultracraptacular photos. Someday I will learn to take a decent shot...

Buy one get one hummus q

2010-05-19T08:19:00.000-07:00

Hot hummus coupon-- thanks to Vegan Coupons. Click "like" on the Athenos Facebook page for a buy one, get one free coupon. I know Shaws does not accept b1g1 free internet coupons-- does anyone know if Hannaford or Whole Foods does?

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 5/19 to 5/25

2010-05-19T05:09:00.001-07:00

For all the advertised sales at the Portland Whole Foods, click here.

Not too much going on this week that floats my boat, but your mileage may vary:

Olympus Greek Yogurts, 10 for $10
Organic Brocolli, $1.99/lb.
Organic Gala Apples, $1.99/lb.
Gardenburger Veggie Burgers, 2 for $6
Back to Nature Chocolate Chunk Cookies, 2 for $5, use $1 from Mambo Sprouts coupon book
Blue Diamond Almond Milk Original Unsweetened, $1.99, use $1 off from March/April Whole Deal and $1 off from here = free
Glaceau Triple XXX Vitaminwater (what makes it XXX?!?), $5 for 5. Use $1 off 2 from the 4-25 SmartSource & $.50 from the May/June/July Whole Deal or here = free
Knudsen Organic Just Tart Cherry Juice, $3.99, use $.75 off from Spring Mambo Sprouts coupon book or $1 off here
Snikkidy Snacks Grilled Cheese Corn Puffs, 2 for $4, use coupon here = free!
Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia Frozen Yogurt, 2 for $7, use $1 off from May/June/July Whole Deal or here
Ciao Bella Blood Orange Sorbetto, 2 for $7, use $1 off 2 from May/June/July Whole Deal or here
Think Thin Bars, 2 for $3, use $.50 off from May/June/July Whole Deal & $.50 off here

A few good coups...

2010-05-16T07:17:00.000-07:00

I know, I've been completely slacking in here lately. Teething baby, day job and other life distractions have been squeezing out my free time. But wanted to point out a few coupons in todays newspaper that I liked:

For Portland area folks, there's a $3 off $10 coupon on the front of the Walgreen's ad. You can use this at the new Walgreens on Allen Ave or you can bring it to Rite Aid (and probably CVS too) as they take competitors coupons.
You know how I love the rebates, so imagine my delight to see a rebate form for $2.50 back when you buy a 25.5 oz or larger Bertolli olive oil between 5/16 and 6/30. I haven't been able to find any Bertolli olive oil coupons to pair with this, but I'll let you know if I do. And, it doesn't appear to be void in Maine. Smokin'.

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 5/12 to 5/18

2010-05-12T04:36:00.001-07:00

To see all of the Portland Whole Foods advertised sales, click here.

Olivia's Organics Salad Mixes, 2 for $4. Use $1 off coupon here
Paesano Unfiltered Olive Oil, $9.99/lt. (50% off)
Blue Diamond Almond Milk, Original Unsweetened, $1.99. Use $1 off from March/April Whole Deal, stacked with $1/off from Spring Mambo Sprouts coupon book, or here, = free!
Knudsen Organic Tart Cherry Just Juice, $3.99, use $1 off here
Snikiddy Snacks Grilled Cheese Corn Puffs, 2 for $4, use coupon here for free!
Odwalla Strawberry Banana Smoothie, 2 for $5, use
ThinkThin Bars, 2 for $3. Use $.50 from May/June/July Whole Deal or here, stacked with $.50 off here (good deal alert!)
Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia Frozen Yogurt, 2 for $7, use $1 off from May/June/July Whole Deal or here
Ciao Bella Blood Orange Sorbetto, 2 for $7, use $1 off 2 from May/June/July Whole Deal or here
Glaceau Triple XXX Vitamin Water, 5 for $5, use $.50 off 1 from May/June/July Whole Deal or here, stack with $1 off $2 from 4-25 Smart Source insert, making them free!

Coupon Blues?

2010-05-09T05:37:00.000-07:00

Got the coupon blues from the ultra lame, lone Smart Source insert in this morning's paper? Head on over to Broke 207 and check out her post on overage on lotion. Good stuff.

Free Bacon Salt

2010-05-06T04:45:00.001-07:00

Okay, this is bizarre and hilarious. Click here to sign up for free silly stickers regarding nasal abuse of bacon salt. The stickers come with a sample of bacon salt as well, which is, surprisingly, vegetarian, and "makes everything taste like bacon."

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 5/4 to 5/11

2010-05-04T17:02:00.000-07:00

For all of the Portland store's advertised sales this week, click here. There are a few really good deals this week:

Olivia's Organics Salad Mixes, 2 for $4. Use $1 off coupon here. (these are usually $3.99 each but with sale and coupon, they're $1)
Organic Leeks, $1.99/lb.
Purely Decadent Frozen Coconut Milk Dessert, 2 for $7, use $1 off here (these are usually $5.39 each and w/coupon they'd be $2.50 each)
Naked Coconut Water, 2 for $3, use $.50 off 1 from May/June/July Whole Deal
Naked Juice Red Machine Juice, $2.50, use $1 off here
Spectrum Fish Oil, $15.99, use $3 off here
Think Thin Bars, 2 for $3, use $.50 off here , stack with $.50 off from May/June/July Whole Deal (these are usually $1.69 each, this would make them $.50 each)

Hannaford coups

2010-05-02T13:09:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Teresa at Money Saving Maineiac for pointing out a few nice Hannaford coupons. Pick up their Close to Home coupon book (I found it at the front of the store by the produce). There's a $1 off coupon that can be used on any "close to home" products. Use the map here to find eligible products. I purchased some local Kate's butter for about $.70 after the coupon. I also got a 32 oz. jar of Casa Visco pasta sauce for about $.55.

There's also a coupon for $1 off 1 lb. or more of Old Neighborhood roast beef from the deli, and a free 6 oz. Stonyfield yogurt when you buy a 32 oz. Stonyfield yogurt.

Props (does anyone say that anymore?) to Hannaford, who can be skimpy on the coupons, for promoting local food.

New Healthy Coups

2010-04-30T11:32:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Organic Deals & Coupons for pointing out these great new coupons. Some of them can only be used at Earthfare, which we don't have in Maine, but others are manufacturers coupons and should be good anywhere. Check 'em out here.

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 4/28 to 5/4

2010-04-28T06:05:00.000-07:00

Below are this week's good deals and sales/coupon match-ups for Whole Foods. For all the advertised sales for the Portland store, click here. Don't forget to print out whatever you might need from the March/April Whole Deal here. These are good through 5-31.

Oikos Greek Yogurt, 4 for $5, use $.50 off coupon here
Grape Tomatoes, 2 for $4
Organic Cameo Apples, $1.49/lb.
Honest Iced Tea, 5 for $5, use $.50 off here, or use buy 1 get 1 from April Fool's Day promotion
Garden of Eatin' Organic Blue Corn Chips, 2 for $6, use $1 off here
Spectrum Fish Oil, $15.99, use $3 off here
Food Should Taste Good Yellow Corn Chips, 2 for $7, use $1 off here
Think Thin bars, 2 for $3, use $.50 off here

And you can still find free Almond Breeze almond milk-- $1.99-- use $1 off from the March/April Whole Deal or here, stacked with $1 off here.

Good deal on Yo Baby yogurt meals

2010-04-26T14:14:00.000-07:00

Was at Whole Foods today and happened to notice an unadvertised sale on the Yo Baby yogurt 3 in 1 meals-- $2.50 for a 4-pack. Use one of these $1 off coupons and stack it with a $1 off here, making these $.50. (There are also $1 off Yo Baby meals in the latest Mambo Sprouts coupon books, and there are blinkies out there somewhere too...) This sale is only good through tomorrow, 4-27-10.

Free Teeccino Sample

2010-04-22T15:25:00.001-07:00

Okay, so I just said I don't usually post on freebies. But this is a product I used to use a lot-- especially when I was trying to give up coffee. It's an "herbal coffee" but has no caffeine and just uses natural ingredients. Click here to register for a free sample.

Barterin'

2010-04-22T04:48:00.001-07:00

I'm no expert on bartering, not by any means. But recently I've had a couple of experiences that have peaked my interest and made me wonder if there were other areas I could use bartering in.

My first experience involved trading some coupons -- hurray!-- for some fresh, local, organic, vegetarian-fed rainbow eggs. We go through quite a few eggs around here, so this was a good one. The arrangement was struck by meeting on a coupon website, afullcup.com (awesome, amazing people here who put my couponing to shame) and we agreed to rendevous behind Hannafords for the exchange. Sounds a little smutty, but I promise it wasn't (sorry to disappoint)-- her kids and hubby were present, as was my tot and my mom. Easy, breezy, and we got a lovely array of rainbow eggs.

The second recent swap was babysitting. My husband and I hadn't been out together since last September and enough was enough. So we swapped babysittin' with some friends and that was great.

Do you barter?

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 4/21 to 4/27

2010-04-21T04:49:00.000-07:00

For all of this week's Portland specials, click here. For Whole Deal coupons, click here or here.

Blackberries, 2 packages for $4
Good Neighbors Organic Hummus, 2 for $4
Organic Kiwis, 2 for $1
Organic Gala Apples, $1.79/lb.
Goat Cheese Logs (Yea!) $2.99
Odwalla Bars, $1/bar
Biokleen Liquid Laundry Detergent, Free & Clear, $8.99, use $.75 off 1 here
Annie Chun Pad Thai Noodle Bowl, 3 for $7, use $1 off here
Nature's Path Corn Flakes Cereal, $4.99, use $1.50 off 2 from March/April Whole Deal
Seventh Generation 2-ply bath tissue, 2 for $7, use $2 off 2 from Winter Mambo Sprouts booklet or here
Cedar's Mediterranean Food Cucumber & Garlic Tzatziki, 2 for $4, use $.55 off 1 here

Free sample of Nescafe Taster's Choice coffee

2010-04-20T15:27:00.000-07:00

I don't usually post freebies because so many sites do, but I saw that this one was gluten-free according to befreeforme.com. Apparently most instant coffees have gluten in them, and this one doesn't. Click here to order free samples of six varieties of Nescafe.

Cheap Sammich meat

2010-04-19T07:49:00.000-07:00

So I don't eat meat, but some of my best friends do... Anyways, I was at Shaw's this morning and I happened to notice they have a buy one, get one sale on Hormel natural deli meats. They're just under $5 for two, and they had blinkie coupons for $1 off right next to the meat, meaning you could get two packages for $3.

Free Baby Sign class in May

2010-04-17T05:22:00.000-07:00

There's a free baby sign class next month through Community Counseling Center. Dates are Saturdays, May 1, 15 & 22 from 11a.m.- noon at the Portland Public Library in Monument Square. Parents/caregivers and kidlets 0-3 are welcome. I can't figure out how to add the attachment here, but if you're interested, let me know and I'll forward you the email. To sign up, contact the Children's Library at:

871-1700, ext. 707
or
childrens@portland.lib.me.us

Coupon Guilt

2010-04-15T08:33:00.001-07:00

So yesterday at BJ's I had a little coupon related incident. I was going to get frozen blueberries w/a $1.50 off coupon and olive oil with a $4 (sweet!) off coupon. I went to the self-checkout line and per usual the manager had to come over to make the incessant beeping stop. I was pretty sure that she scanned my $4 off coupon a second time, and sure enough when the receipt printed out, it $8 had been taken off of my giant jug o' olive oil. I brought the receipt up to the same manager who'd helped me and told her what happened, and she said "don't worry about it." Even though there wasn't really anything else I could have done at that point, I still felt guilty about it. Okay, and a little psyched too. I admit it.

Any thoughts? Would you have done anything differently?

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 4/14 to 4/20

2010-04-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

For all advertised sales at the Portland Whole Foods, click here. Print Whole Food coupons from here or here, or pick up some issues next time you're in the store.

Mangoes, 2 for $1.50

Organic Kiwis, 2 for $1

Knudsen Organic Cranberry Pomegrante Juice, 2 for $6, use $1 off from winter Mambo Sprouts coupon book

Annie Chun Pad Thai Noodle Bowls, 3 for $7, use $1 off when you sign up for newsletter here

Knudsen Juice Mega Antioxident, 2 for $5, use $1 off from winter Mambo Sprouts coupon book

Nature's Path Corn Flake Cereal, $4.99, use $1.50 off 2 from March/April Whole Deal

Seventh Generation 2-ply Bath Tissue, 2 for $7, use $2 off any 2 from winter Mambo Sprouts coupon, or $1 off 1 here

More goat cheese...

2010-04-11T05:37:00.000-07:00

So one of the things I've been doing to garner more sweet, sweet coupon love is writing companies whose products we purchase frequently and complimenting them. Some of them don't respond at all, others send an email thanking me for thanking them, and then there are others who send me some sugary coupon goodness. Yesterday I received a coupon for up to $6 off of President's cheese. They have big old creamy logs o' goat cheese at BJ's for just over $6, so this will make for some very inexpensive goat cheese. Likey!

Backed up?

2010-04-11T05:29:00.001-07:00

Click here and enter promo codo SUPERFRUIT for a free sample of Mariani dried plums (aka prunes). These are pretty tasty.

I'm back...

2010-04-10T04:58:00.000-07:00

I've been quiet this week-- we had a family emergency but all is well now and I'm back to daydreaming about coupons. I'm planning a lil' trip to Toys R Us and/or Babies R Us this weekend to check out the Seventh Generation deals going on and I'll report back. Looks like there should be some Seventh Generation coupons in tomorrow's paper if you can't hunt down enough on the interwebs.

50% off at Mesa Verde

2010-04-08T07:35:00.001-07:00

The 50% off gift certificates at Mesa Verde are back on the Maine Dollar Saver website. They have yummy Mexican food with several vegetarian and vegan options.

Sweet Seventh Generation Deal

2010-04-08T05:03:00.000-07:00

Organic Deals & Coupons has created a nice scenario for purchasing Seventh Generation products. Check it out here. Note that this is at Babies R Us or Toys R Us, but isn't just baby products-- they have lots of great cleaning products too.

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 4/7 to 4/13

2010-04-06T16:15:00.000-07:00

You can view all of this week's advertised specials at the Portland Whole Foods here. And coupons can be found here or here. Here are the highlights:

Mangoes, 2 for $1.50-- more than 50% off

Woolwich Goat Mozzarella, $3.99 -- 50% off (and super delicious!)

Santa Cruz Organic Orange Mango Juice, $3, use $.75 off from winter Mambo Sprouts coupon booklet
Nasoya Organic Extra Firm Tofu, $1.99, use $1.50 off 2 from March/April Whole Deal or here

Organic Valley Butter unsalted, $4.49, use $1 off from Rootstock or here
Kiss my Face Liquid Soap, 2 for $8, use $1 off here

Kiss my Face Shower Gels, 2 for $16, use $1 off here

Free goat cheese!

2010-04-03T04:28:00.000-07:00

Thanks Money Saving Maine-iac for this post on Chavrie goat cheese. Click here to sign up to receive a coupon for free goat cheese. I heart goat cheese...

So Delicious Coconut Milk Coupons

2010-04-02T06:12:00.000-07:00

Mambo Sprouts, a super resource for coupons for healthier foods, has some coupons for coconut milk beverage and coconut milk yogurt here. These are dairy-free, soy-free, and gluten-free.

Seventh Generation rebate

2010-04-02T04:07:00.003-07:00

A sweet little rebate for those of you who use Seventh Generation products. $5 back for any three Seventh Gen purchases. The form is here. I've gotten a couple of great deals at Babies & Toys R Us using Seventh Gen coupons, in store coupons, and the Seventh Generation $5 off when you buy $30 in products. This makes it an even better deal. And-- it doesn't seem to be void in Maine.

Honest Tea buy one, get one free coupon-- only printable today

2010-04-01T04:15:00.000-07:00

This April Fool's Day promo can only be printed today, so enjoy. Would be nice paired with one of these. These buy one get one can be printed as many times as you'd like (today), but I had to play around with my printer settings a bit because they were printing in a very large size.

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 3/31 to 4/6

2010-03-31T06:16:00.000-07:00

Here are the sales/coupon match-ups for this week at the Portland, Maine Whole Foods. You can check out the whole sales flyer here.

A few of these deals have coupons that expire today, 3/31.

• Stonyfield Farm Nonfat yogurt, 6oz, 5 for $3. Use buy 4, get 1 free only today, 3/31 from Jan/Feb Whole Deal

• Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime Tea, 2 for $6. Use $1 off 1 from Jan/Feb Whole Deal only good today! And/or $1 off from Smart Source insert, 1/10/10 or 2/21/10

• Terra Vegetable chips, 2 for $6. Use $1 off here or here

• Kiss My Face Liquid Moisture Soaps, 2 for $8, use $1 off here

• Steaz Organic Iced Tea, 5 for $4. Use buy one get one here

• Santa Cruz Organic Orange Mango Juice, $3. Use $.75 from winter Mambo Sprouts coupon book

• Organic Valley Butter, Unsalted, $4.49. Use $1 off here or from Rootstock pamphlet

More Whole Food coupons online

2010-03-30T06:49:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Vegan Coupons for letting us know about these semi-secret Whole Foods coupons. These are the same as the ones in this months Whole Deal, but there are more of them available to print than at the regular coupon section of WF's website. Check 'em out here.

Cutie Alert

2010-03-29T12:59:00.000-07:00

Those yummy California Cuties are on sale at Shaw's this week for $3.99 for a 3 lb bag. Use one of these to sweeten the deal. I just went to Shaws and they doubled the coupon, making it just under $3, which is a pretty good deal.

Zip it!

2010-03-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

Word on the street (okay, not really on the street, but on the coupon message boards I frequent) is there's a sweet little cat deal going on at Shaws right now on Ziplocs. Buy three boxes priced at $1.99 (not sure if there are certain requirements on the sizes-- the person who posted bought three quart sized boxes) and get a catalina coupon good for $2 off your next order. Combine this with coupons from the 3-21-10 Smart Source insert (or maybe from inside the boxes of Ziplocs you already have in your cupboards?) for a nice little deal. Then, shuffle on over to here where you can get a $5 rebate for your three boxes of Ziplocs. This rebate deal allows you three chances at the rebate-- so you might even want to roll your $2 cat and do the whole thing over again. Ah, the sweet, sweet quadumvirate (okay this is so not a word but I couldn't find the quad-equivalent of triumvirate) -- sale plus coupon plus catalina plus rebate. Swoon!

Couponin' article

2010-03-27T11:16:00.000-07:00

Thought this was an interesting (although a bit brief) article on couponing and "class." Have you ever been embarrased by a clerk while getting your coupon on? I admit there are certain stores-- like Whole Foods-- where I routinely hold my breath and/or seek out certain cashiers to avoid embarrasment/uncomfortable feelings.

Vegan Boca Burger coupon

2010-03-27T04:34:00.001-07:00

Nice little coupon for Boca Burgers here. I used to live on these, and would occasionally marry them to morningstar veggie bacon for a pseudo bacon burger. Good times.

Good deal on Earth's Best baby food

2010-03-25T13:33:00.000-07:00

Was at Babies R Us today and noticed they had cases of some flavors of Earth's Best organic 1st and 2nd baby food on sale-- buy one case for $8.99, get one case free. Not sure if you could double up and use one of these too, but worth a try?

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 3/24 to 3/30

2010-03-23T16:39:00.000-07:00

There are some good deals this week at Whole Foods. For this week's advertised sales, go here.

Organic bunched carrots, $1.79 each

Annie's Homegrown Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks, 2 for $6, use $1 off 2 from Jan/Feb Whole Deal

Stonyfield Yogurt, 6oz. 5 for $3, use buy 4, get 1 free from Jan/Feb Whole Deal, stack with $.50 off 3 here

Cascadian Farms Organic Granola Bars, 2 for $7, use $1 off from March/April Whole Deal, stack with $1 off here

Brown Cow West Maple Yogurt, 6oz., 5 for $3, use buy 4, get 1 free from March/April Whole Deal or here , stack with $.50 off 3 here

Boca Burger Organic Vegan Original, 2 for $7, use $1 off 2 here

Odwalla Mango Tango Smoothie, 15.2 oz, 2 for $5, use $.50 from Jan/Feb Whole Deal

Delallo Fusilli Pasta Organic Whole Wheat, 2 for $4, use $1 off 2 from Jan/Feb Whole Deal

Nature's Path Optimum Slim Cereal, 2 for $6, use $1.50 off any two Nature's Path Organic Cereal Items from March/April Whole Deal

Knudsen Just Juice Black Cherry, 2 for $6, use $1 off from Mambo Sprouts winter coupon book or here

Santa Cruz Organic Applesauce, 2 for $6, use $.75 off from Mambo Sprouts winter coupon book

Snikiddy Snacks Grilled Cheese Corn Puffs, 2 for $4, use buy 1, get 1 free here and $1 off here (thanks Money Saving Maine-iac!)

Kiss My Face Orange Cream Detangler, $6.99, use $1 off here

Kiss My Face Kids 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner, $6.99, use $2 off here

Also, Tazo tea is on sale until March 30th-- use the $1 off coupon from the Jan/Feb Whole Deal.

And the unsweetened Blue Diamond Almond Milk is $1.99, use $1 off from either Jan/Feb or March/April Whole Deal, and stack with $1 off from 2/28 Smart Source or here.
Likey the free almond milk!

My Little Purple Piggy...

2010-03-23T08:48:00.000-07:00

Alright, I'm back from my downer yesterday about my underearning. My little purple piggy bank is getting fat (but not yet ready for the slaughter). I am really quite pleasantly surprised at how those little pockets of cash here and there add up. Plus it's just plain fun. I have no idea what, if anything, I'll do with the innerds of my little piggy, which is probably a good thing. Maybe we'll put it towards the principal of our mortgage, or in our kiddo's college account, or maybe we'll just let it sit there collecting heaps of compound interest (haha). But I've grown to love my little trips to the bank with my three bucks here and my $1.72 there. The tellers puzzled faces be damned. And there's still a little pile of Euros from our trip to Spain several years ago that I need to cash in.

My experiment with the Examiner is not quite going so well. I've posted three articles so far and netted about $.90. I have to make it to $25 to even cash out, which probably means writing, oh, about 750 more articles. But hey, it's given me an excuse to write, and maybe some clips for my "portfolio." And it's been fun, which writing isn't always. And fun is something I can always use more of. Shameless self-promotion alert: if you click here or here , you can read about my fab friend Maggie and her Nia classes. And help me get to that $25 payout before I'm too old to drive myself to the bank.

Nocial Necurity

2010-03-22T04:45:00.001-07:00

The other day when the mail came, my heart started to race as usual. What kind of coupons might be waiting for me? Or tiny checks for hours spent doing surveys on facial moisturizers? Or samples I'd signed up to receive months ago and long since forgotten? Well, those things were there in the mail but so was my social security statement. In the past I've glanced at these statements and then filed them away in a dusty drawer. This time I really looked at it, or at least the part about my earnings. The statement basically documents, in one column, how much I've earned each year since I began working. I was disturbed and a little shocked to see how little it was. Actually it made me want to throw up a bit. I've never earned more than about, let's say, just under $30,000 a year. Now, I have a masters degree, for whatever that's worth. When I looked at that statement and saw the reality of it, it felt like a gut punch.

I know that there are many more important things than making money. The social security statement doesn't list time I've spent volunteering, or that I've worked in non-profits, or the awful, amazing time I spent with my family after my brother's death. But let's face it, money is charged. Most of us want more of it-- that's why we read and write blogs like this, right? And to perhaps oversimplify, there are two ways to have more money-- spend less, or earn more.

So this has really got me thinking about my "underearning" and why that might be. I haven't come up with any answers yet. Low self-esteem? Lack of ambition? The wrong personality type to follow a career path that would net me a big paycheck? The fact that I'm for the most part out of the workforce currently while I raise my little one complicates this even more.

I actually thought long and hard about even writing this, so ashamed I was about my underearning. But as they teach you in writing classes, or at least the good writing classes-- if you're feeling shame or other strong emotions-- write it. Somebody else is bound to relate. So, there it is. I'm Lynn and I'm an underearner. Anybody else?

Walgreens? Ehhh.

2010-03-19T13:39:00.001-07:00

My first encounter with Walgreens was not a stellar one. I went in armed with the $3 off $10 purchase that I mentioned was in the Sunday paper, a couple of $.50 off qs to use with the buy one, get one free Blue Diamond almonds, and a Walgreens coupon promising Reynolds wrap tin foil would be a breezy $.89. They were almost out of the kind of almonds I wanted, and totally out of the tin foil. I grabbed some dried fruit to make my purchase $10 so I could get the $3 off, but my other coupons brought my total down to $8 something, so I couldn't use the $3 off. Now in my experience, at Rite Aid, they'll take your $3 off $15 or $5 off $25 coupon even if your other coupons bring your total down under that amount. So yeah Walgreens, you're all shiny and new, and I'll probably explore you again, but for now-- still a Rite Aid girl.

Oh, and I saw a big sign on the Forest Ave Rite Aid exclaiming "We accept all competitors offers." So maybe I'll just jaunt over to Rite Aid with my tin foil coupon and my $3 off $10.

Shaws Gift Card Deal

2010-03-19T13:36:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Money Saving Maine-iac for pointing out a great Shaws promotion-- buy a $250 Shaws gift card and get a free $20 Shaws gift card, or buy a $300 Shaws gift card and get a free $30 gift card. A great way to shave an easy 10% off the top of your grocery bill. Read all of this weeks Shaws deals, including free Honest Tea, here.

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 3/17 to 3/23

2010-03-16T17:00:00.001-07:00

Here's what I'm seeing for good deals at WF this week. By the way, I had a great cashier the other day there who actually was cheering me on for my coupon usage. I'll be heading for her checkout lane whenever possible!

• Organic Cameo Apples, $.99 lb.-- 50% off

• Dancing Deer Chocolate Chunk Brownies, 6pack, 2 for $6-- over 50% off

• Garden of Eatin, Sesame Blues, 2 for $5, click here for $1 off 1

• Muir Glen Diced Tomatoes, 2 for $4, click here for $1 off

• Delallo Fusilli Pasta, Organic Whole Wheat, 2 for $4, use $1 off 2 from Jan/Feb Whole Deal

• Brown Cow West Maple Yogurt, 6oz., 5 for $3, use this and stack with buy 4 Brown Cow cups, get one free from March/April Whole Deal

• Odwalla Mango Tango Smoothie, 15.2 oz. 2 for $5, use $.50 off 1 from Jan/Feb Whole Deal

• Nature's Path Optimum Slim Cereal, 2 for $6, use $1.50 off any two Nature's Path Organic Cereal Items from March/April Whole Deal

• Knudsen Just Juice Black Cherry, 2 for $6, use $1 off from Mambo Sprouts winter coupon book or here

• Santa Cruz Organic Applesauce, 2 for $6, use $.75 off from Mambo Sprouts winter coupon book

Walgreens coupon alert

2010-03-15T12:09:00.000-07:00

Haven't tried Walgreens yet, despite several drive-bys... but I happened to notice in this Sunday's paper, that in the front of the Walgreens ad was a $3 off your $10 purchase, valid only at the new Forest Ave. store. Driving by I also noticed they have those yummy blue diamond almonds on sale for buy one, get one... I'm going in! Anyone else checked it out yet?

There are also some good Rite Aid deals this week. There's a $25 rebate when you buy $50 of Johnson & Johnson products (includes Neutrogena, which my hubby uses, Band-aids, etc.). The $50 is before coupons. I am seriously smitten with Rite Aid, and I will do a more in-depth post (love letter) on its best qualities soon. But yeah, I'm still going to have to have at least a brief fling with Walgreens. Just to see if I'm missing anything.

Extras, Extras!

2010-03-14T09:42:00.000-07:00

This weekend I was able to snag a couple extra newspaper coupon inserts. First, I have the best parent in-laws ever-- they not only are wonderful people, but my mama-in-law gave me her extra inserts yesterday and indulged my coupon talkin'.

Today, we ended up at Artemesia for brunch which was delightful in many ways (good food, efficient and pleasant waitress, baby who remained calm and entertained until it was time to go, and last but not least the sighting of a gentleman with a braided rattail), one of the ways being that as we waited for our table, I spied a lone Sunday paper spread out on a bench in the waiting area. I eyed it hungrily as other waiters perused it, forgetting for a moment that I was also hungry for brunch and that we had our little ticking timebomb of a toddler with us. As soon as the other folks were seated, taking some portion of the paper with them, I sidled up to the paper and held my breath as I rifled through the paper under the guise of trying to entertain my little one. And then... yes, I found the Red Plum. And a moment later-- Smart Source. Twas a good weekend for this couponer indeed.

Do you get extra coupons? Where do you find yours?

Examination Station

2010-03-14T06:31:00.001-07:00

So I'm trying another little experiment. That's how I convince myself I've not leapt over the deep end into crazy housewife land, by saying "it's just an experiment." I'm trying writing for the Examiner, which actually seems like a somewhat cool, well, experiment. I figure it's another way to keep me writing, make a few cents on the side (I've already made 20 cents, watch out purple piggy bank!) and gather up some clips for any future writing endeavors. So I'm now a Portland Healthy Living Examiner. Let me know if you have any ideas for little articles~ healthy living could include quite a bit. Of course my first article was about savin' money. Check 'er out here.

Free & Cheap drinks at Whole Foods

2010-03-13T04:42:00.001-08:00

Shoutout to Organic Deals & Coupons and The Thrifty Mama for the heads up that Clif Quench Sports Drinks are $1 off at Whole Foods this week. Use the $1 off coupon from the March/April Whole Deal, and that makes them free. I verified that these are indeed on sale at the Portland Whole Foods. Also on sale there are the small Izze sparkling sodas. Use this and they should ring up at about $.25 each. Plus they're super yummy and have no added sugar.

Envelope Me

2010-03-11T16:28:00.000-08:00

The envelope experiment has been pretty interesting. Despite my initial resistance and paranoia about carrying my grocery money around, I'm actually starting to enjoy the change. It feels much more immediate to pay with cash than swiping a little plastic card. And then there's the extra coins left over at the end of the week. I don't know that I'm spending less or more than I would otherwise-- it's just different. I do like knowing exactly how much I have left without having to do math-- I just peek in my envelope and that's that. So we'll see, but I may just continue with this cash thing, especially if I can make it to the end of the month without losing any of it.

Whole Food Deals

2010-03-11T14:02:00.000-08:00

Hi~

Sorry my posts have been sporadic this week. I should be able to post more from here on out. In the meantime, visit Money Saving Maineiac's coupon match-ups for this week's Whole Foods deals.

Trader Joes?

2010-03-10T12:11:00.000-08:00

Sounds like the sad hollow husk that used to be Wild Oats could be resuscitated in the form of a Trader Joes...

read about it here or here!

Sweet vegan coupon

2010-03-09T09:59:00.000-08:00

Go here for a $1 off any Purely Decadent or So Delicious dairy free frozen dessert. This stuff is pretty good. After you print the first one, if you hit your browser's back button three times, it should print you a second one. I noticed these were on sale at Whole Foods for about $1 off, around $4 something.

Tradin'

2010-03-08T07:59:00.000-08:00

Of the many places my newfound love of couponing has taken me, one of the more surprising and rewarding places has been trading of said coupons. Because like any addiction, you start off needing just a smidge, and before long you want more. Trading works, at least for me, because I also end up with a whole stack of coupons for things that my family can't use. And one of the saddest things in the world is an expired, unused coupon.

It also happens that many of my favorite coupons are internet printables, most of which limit you to two prints per computer. So into the exciting, underground world of coupon tradin' I went. I joined what is called a train, which is basically a congo line list of couponers. Each member must create a wishlist of coupons they are seeking. There are different rules for different trains-- on the one I'm a-ridin', every week you send 30 coupons to another member of the train, and at least half of those coupons must be from their wishlist. Which in turn means that I receive a nice packet of coupons I desire each week as well. It also means that occasionally I'm spending time that probably would be better spent sweeping the kitchen floor (since my kiddo seems to be on a constant scavenger hunt for scraps of food) or showering. But, on a good day, when I have a little snippet of time, it's almost like a scavenger hunt-- it becomes a fun challenge to try and put together an envelope (or envie, as they are slightly annoyingly referred to) that someone I'll never meet will be happy to open.

All in all, it's been a great way to score extra coupons. Some go the route of Ebay or a coupon clipping sight for coupons they want extra of, and that is definitely the most no-nonsense way to go. But if you're a little geeky and you like getting surprises in the mail (and who doesn't?!), I'd recommend this. All aboard!

Seventh Generation Products at Babies/Toys R Us

2010-03-07T10:18:00.000-08:00

I got a great deal the other day at Toys R Us on Seventh Generation Wipes. We used to order these by the case from Amazon and they averaged around $3-something a pack. At Babies & Toys R Us, they sell for around $3.50 a pack, but right now both stores are having a deal where if you buy $30 in any Seventh Generation product, they automatically take $5 off. This should be good until early April. I combined this deal with several of these coupons , which took $1 off each pack, and they also let me use a $5 off $25 Toys R Us coupon that I got for registering my kiddo on Geoffrey's Birthday Club. Altogether, I paid a little over $14 for 9 packs of chlorine-free wipes~ not bad.

Back soon....

2010-03-06T08:12:00.000-08:00

Sick kid + day job = not much posting. I'll be back soon.

Rite Aid update

2010-03-04T17:21:00.001-08:00

So I went back to Rite Aid for another round of nuts and found out that they do indeed have a Rite Aid rewards card and it's not just for seniors. Did y'all know about this? Pretty cool-- now if I can just remember to make my Rite Aid runs on Tuesdays, I'll be in good shape! And I have to say I've had excellent luck with the Rite Aid folk being very coupon friendly. I always feel slightly guilty when I head in there with my giant stack o' coupons, but I've had the best luck so far. So if you're a Rite Aid fancier and you don't already have a rewards card, ask for one-- it'll earn you an extra 10% off every Tuesday, and a plump 20% off on the first Tuesday of each month.

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 3/3 to 3/9

2010-03-03T10:41:00.000-08:00

You can view the entire Portland, Maine Whole Foods sales flyer here. Below are sales/coupon match-ups:

• Izze Sparkling Soda, 2 for $8, use $.75 off coupon here

• Celestial Seasonings Tea, 2 for $5, use $1 off 1 from Jan/Feb Whole Deal, stack with $1 off coupon from the 1/10 or 2/21 Smart Source insert-- this would bring the total down to $.50 per box!

• Odwalla Super Protein Soy Shake Almond, $2.50, use $.50 off 1 from Jan/Feb Whole Deal and $1 off 2 here

• Deboles Foods Angel Hair Rice Pasta, $1.79, use $1 off here

• Kettle Chips Krinkle Cuts Light Salted, $3.50, use $1 off from 1/31 Smart Source insert

• Muir Glen Soup Organic Chicken Noodle, $2.50, use $1 off 2 from Jan/Feb Whole Deal

Also, not listed as on sale this week, but both the Jan/Feb and March/April Whole Deal have $1 off Almond Breeze Almond Milk. Combine with this or the $1 off from last Sunday, 2/28 Smart Source, and get cheap or free almond milk (they make one variety that's in the non-refrigerated section that's $1.99, so free!).

Nuts for Rite Aid

2010-03-02T12:23:00.000-08:00

A Walgreens is opening not too far from my house this Thursday, but I'm feeling pretty smitten with Rite Aid. This week they have buy one, get one free Blue Diamond almonds, which I'll use for making almond butter. I combined the b1g1 sale with some Blue Diamond coupons I garnered from trading, and a $3 off $15 that I got via email because I've been participating in Rite Aid's Single Check Rebate program. And here's where things got a little dicey. The cashier offered to enroll me in a program where I could get an additional 20% off my purchase since it was the first Tuesday of the month-- anytime I used this card on the first Tuesday I'd get 20% off. And every other Tuesday I'd get 10% off. How could I have not known about this program before? And how lucky was I to have inadvertantly wandered in to do my Rite Aid bidding on the month's first Tuesday?

Well, when I got home I discovered why I hadn't heard of the program before. Because it's for senior citizens, that's why. Now, I haven't had a decent night's sleep in over a year, but do I look 55? Really? In full disclosure, I happen to know the cashier personally, and let's just say the Blue Diamond almonds were not the only nuts in the store. I suspect she was trying to do me a favor, but at what cost? Should I wheel back in on the first Tuesday of next month in my motorized cart and try and purchase some discounted Benevia (why are there always so many Rite Aid Video Value coupons for those?), and some denture cream? Sheesh.

So I now feel less than stellar about this deal, but still-- just over $10 for four packages of almonds, 1 Burts Bees lip balm that I grabbed as a filler, and a pack of City of Portland trash bags... which themselves are usually $7.50. It's hard not to feel a little satisfied.

Coupon Cows

2010-03-02T06:20:00.001-08:00

Love this post by The Thrifty Mama on Coupon Burnout, an affliction that could befall us with little warning. Terrifying!

Master-Rebater

2010-03-01T12:48:00.001-08:00

This week I've gotten two small yet supple rebate checks. One from a hummus rebate that I sent in back in December thanks to Money Saving Maine-iac, and one from the SC Johnson rebate that I used on Ziplocs. I might actually do that one a few more times, as it's good through June and they allow you to do three and Ziplocs always seem to get used around here. And they don't disciminate against us Mainers like Broke207 points out that many other rebates do. (that was terribly poor grammar but I'm in a rush and sleep-deprived.)

I'm still waiting on my Rite Aid Grab the Gold rebate Visa to come, but I did receive a $100 contact lens Visa rebate the other day too. I'm feeling pretty good about all this rebatin', I have to say. Plus here's a rebate site that, though lacking in options, cracks me up. I might pick up some cheapish Cottonelle bum wipes at Walgreens when they open this Thursday, and cash in on some rebate action here, too. Oh, and you don't have to be a caregiver to access this-- it even says that on the website lest you think I'm trying to partake in shady rebate shenanigans.

And what shall I do with all this rebate cash? Well, I consulted the husband on that one to see what he thought made the most sense. Should it go back into the grocery budget to allow for some saucy extras? Or go back into the grocery budget but without making space for extras? Or should it go into my purple piggy bank? He thought the purple piggy bank was the most sensical, since my experiment with said piggy was intended to be a repository for money I'd previously ignored. I agreed with his logic (having seemingly lost my own logic at the moment of giving birth), so looks like the little piggy bank will be getting chubbier soon (but not ready for slaughter!).

New Whole Foods Coupons

2010-03-01T12:14:00.000-08:00

It's March, and you know what that means... new Whole Foods coupons!

After my shopping trip there today, I grabbed a few and hunched over them greedily in the parking lot like an alkie who couldn't wait to tear into her paper bag. I even momentarily forgot that I'd purchased some delicious chocolate pomegranate thinkfruit bars. Anyways, here's the loot for March and April-- and these are all good through the end of May:

$1 off 365 Everyday Value Paper Towels 12-pack
Buy 1, Get 1 Free on 365 Everyday Value Nonfat Yogurt
$1 off 365 Everyday Value Organic Peanut Butter
$1 off any 1 Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Almondmilk
$1 off any 1 4.25 oz box of Blue Diamond Nut Thins
$1.50 off any 2 Nature's Path Organic Granola Bars or Hot Oatmeal Items
$1.50 off any 2 Nature's Path Organic Cereal Items
$1 off any 1 Method Item
$1 off any 2 Clif Builder's Protein Bars
$.50 off any Luna Bar or Luna Protein Bar
$1 off any 1 Clif Quench Sport Drink
$.55 off any 1 San-J Tamari, Cooking Sauce or Salad Dressing
$1 off any 2 Lifeway Products
$1 off any 2 32 oz. Helios Kefir Products
$1 off any Kashi Heart to Heart Product
$.75 off any Dagoba Organic Chocolate Product
$1 off any 1 Lightlife Product
$1 off any 1 4-pack of Stonyfield YoBaby Meals Organic Yogurt
$.75 off any 2 LaraBars or Jocalat Bars
$1 off any 1 32 oz. Odwalla Beverage
$1 off any box of Cascadian Farm Granola Bars or Cereal
$1.50 off any 2 Nasoya Products
$1 off any 1 Nature's Rancher Grilled Chicken Breasts or Strips (12-20oz package)
Buy any 4 Brown Cow Yogurt Cups, get one Free
$1 off any 1 Michael Angelo's Frozen Entree or Pocket Calzone
$1 off any 1 Seventh Generation Disinfecting Product (Sprays and Wipes)
$5 off any 1 Vitamin Code Raw Multivitamins
$1 off any 1 Organic Valley Yogurt
$1 off any 1 Organic Valley Cheese 6oz or larger

The Blue Diamond Almond Milk qs can be combined with the $1 off any Almond Milk found in yesterday's Smart Source insert, making for free almond milk if you buy the little asceptic cartons.

Otherwise, sadly, there actually isn't a whole lot in this month's issue that I use-- kind of excited about the Lara Bars though-- they're tasty and gluten and dairy-free. See anything you like?

Tryin' it

2010-03-01T06:37:00.001-08:00

This month, I'm trying something new as an experiment-- the envelope system. Pretty fancy, eh? Basically it just means that each week I'm taking my grocery budget out in cash, stuffing it in an envelope, and when it's gone-- if it's gone-- that's it for the week. I'm curious from a psychological angle if this will change my spending at all-- actually exchanging cash for goods instead of just swiping the old card through the credit card machine and voila! I get my groceries.

So far it hasn't affected my spending but it's definitely making me anxious. For one thing, I, sadly, had to call my bank to find out my pin number so I could withdraw said cash. That's how little I generally use cash-- I don't even know how to get it. When I called the bank, I could tell Banky Bryan was trying to supress his shock that I didn't know my pin number and hide it under his thick cloak of banky telephone professionalism.

I managed to procure my pin number though, and hit the ATM right before I hit Shaws. And was quickly reminded why I don't like to carry cash. I lose things. Phones, money, babies. Okay, the baby thing was just a nightmare but it was vivid! It wasn't long before, while scouring Shaws for Izze sparkling drinks (they're in the Wild Harvest section, and not in one of the eight other places that Shaws stores their drinks), my fresh new wad of cash was lying in the pasta aisle. Fortunately I too was in the pasta aisle and retrieved my cash quickly, but it made me anxious.

Since then, every place I go where I've had to leave my coat (which is where I store my grocery money currently) somewhere, I come back to it afterwards, eyeing everyone suspiciously like they'd stolen my grocery money. As soon as I can, I surrepticiously count it to make sure it's all there. Having cash on my person makes me feel like an old rich dude who thinks the hired help, and everyone else, is out for his goods. And I'm neurotic enough without this added pressure.

But press on I must, for that's what experiments are for. And April can't come quick enough.

Random Produce stuff

2010-02-28T05:49:00.000-08:00

Found something at the Westgate Shaws that I hadn't seen before (or at least haven't seen since I've delved into the coupon world)-- discounted produce. I got some great deals on summer squash that looked perfectly fine. They also had some fancy lookin' bell peppers and cucumbers. It can be challenging to find good deals on produce, so I was pretty psyched about that.

Sadly on the other hand, the 3 pound bag o' Cuties that I swear I saw the other day at a Shaw's for $3.99 was instead "on sale" for $5.99. And my $.55 coupon did not double. Good things those clementines are so tasty, or I'd be peeved!

Another great place to check regularly at Shaws is the area in the back by the double swinging doors. There's usually some day-old bread for good prices, cakes, Chanukah candles-- you never know what you're going to find back there. Fun times!

Under the wire

2010-02-27T05:30:00.000-08:00

So for the first time, this week I came in at around $40 under budget for groceries. I'm still not sure how it happened, except we didn't need of those big budget-busters this week, like diapers (thanks to the Rite Aid P&G deal, we're set on those for awhile) or the husband's fancy local coffee, and I didn't indulge my goat cheese addiction this week. Granted, we have a generous grocery budget, which includes stuff like diapers and other household stuff, and I eat mostly produce and expensive stuff that doesn't have wheat or cow's milk or food coloring in it, so I'm guessing our grocery budget probably looks pretty bloated compared to other frugalistas out there. But one thing I'm trying to learn is that the only person I can really compare my own progress to is... that's right, me. So from the last time I tracked our spending before my coupon lust began, when we spent over $800!!! on groceries, we've made awesome progress. We'll probably never have a $50 a week grocery budget, and that just has to be okay.

I'm also learning not to try and jump in on every great deal out there. There are some good catalina deals this week at Shaws, for example, but I'm restraining myself. If you want to learn all about them, go here. These ladies (and perhaps even a few gents) will amaze you. But there's really nothing we need from these deals this week, or even anything we'll need in the weeks to come, so I'm sitting out. There are some good deals at Shaws this week that I'll partake in, like free Izze's sparkling drinks when you print them here, (these will double, making them free or even giving you overage if you're lucky) and reasonably priced Newman's own pasta sauce when you print these which will also double at Shaws.

But other than that, I'm laying low. I like the feeling of under budget.

Cuties Oranges coupon

2010-02-25T15:15:00.001-08:00

One of the most rare of the coupons is the fresh produce coupons. I almost deleted this email with a Cuties orange coupon today when it came into my spam box-- horrors! Anyways, check these out. I noticed they had the 3 pound bags at Shaws,I think for $3.99 where the $.55 coupon would double giving you a juicy (sorry, I can't help myself) $1.10 off. Plus these oranges are delicious-- they're seriously the crack of citrus.

Tip-- if you click your backspace button of your browser thrice times after printing the first one, it should let you print another coupon.

Don't go changin'....

2010-02-24T09:51:00.001-08:00

You may have noticed that the layout of my blog keeps changing. Please bear with me-- I got some feedback that the old background, while pretty, was a bit hard on the eyes. So I'm experimenting-- and in the experimentation I managed to lose the basic layout that I had. So, keep coming back to my chameleon blog. And speaking of blog backgrounds, if I was ballsier, I'd go with one of the "dark fantasy" layouts from this designer.

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 2/24 to 3/2

2010-02-24T04:57:00.000-08:00

A lot of the same deals from last week, except no free yogurt. Fortunately my refrigerator is bursting with free Oikos-- which by the way, you can then enter the extremely challenging to read codes from the yogurt tops here to get more free stuff.

But I digress. Thanks to Money Saving Maine-iac for spotting some deals that I missed. Here's the match-ups:

• ThinkThin Bars-- 4 for $5, use $.50 off coupon

• Nature's Path Waffles Organic Buckwheat Wildberry, 2 for $5, use $1.50 off two from Jan/Feb Whole Deal, or go here

• Imagine Foods Soup, 2 for $4, use $.75 off two from Jan/Feb Whole Deal, stacked with this $1 off 2, making these 2 for $2.25!

• Method Laundry Detergent, $7.99. Use $1 off any Method product from Jan/Feb Whole Deal, stacked with this, makes it $4.99 (Usually $10.99!)

• Muir Glen Organic Pasta Sauce, 2 for $6. Use $1 off 1 here.

• Seventh Generation Paper Towels, $1.79. Use $1 off 1 or $2 off 2 here.

• Terra Chips, Sweets & Beets, 2 for $5. Use $1 off 1 from here, here, or here.

• Kiss my Face Olive Bar Soap, 4 oz 3 for $7.50, 8 oz 3 for $10. Use $1 off here.

• Goodbelly Probiotic Fruit Drink Blueberry Acai, 2 for $6. Use $1.50 off here.

Have fun and remember when something is advertised as "2 for $6", you don't have to buy 2 to get the deal.

Too Legit To Quit~ earning extra $ on the interwebs

2010-02-22T06:19:00.000-08:00

Part of my experiment this year with saving money is also trying to find ways to make a little extra cash. I do have a work from home day job that pays pretty well, but I don't get a lot of hours right now. So I've been spending some time sitting around in my mom jeans, scouring the internet for legitimate opportunities to earn a few extra bucks here and there. My research is far from complete, but I wanted to share a few ways things that I've found.

Pinecone Research. This is a survey company-- there are tons of these out there but this is my favorite so far. Why? They only send you surveys that you're already qualified for-- you don't have to answer questions for ten minutes only to find out you don't qualify for the survey. Why else? They pay a flat rate of $3 per survey, and it's in the mail within days. Or if you prefer you can use Paypal and get the $ even quicker. The downsides--they only accept new users at certain times, and I've only received a survey every few weeks.

Youdata. This site pays you to watch brief adds. You fill in as much personal info as you're comfortable with to help them know which adds to send you. They don't bombard you with annoying emails-- you simply go to their site whenever you want to see if you have any ads available. Every Friday they put whatever earnings you've accrued into your paypal account. The downside-- very infrequent adds. I've made about $2 so far with this. Their main target demographic is mommy bloggers in Texas. Cool idea though.

Swagbucks. This is cool and simple. It's a search engine, powered by Google. You just download their search engine and you earn swagbucks, seemingly randomly, from internet searches you do. You can also earn points by shopping online, taking special offers, recycling cell phones or mp3 players, or pimping out your friends to join under your name, as I've so subtly done here. You can redeem points for gift cards or paypal cash. The downside-- none really-- I generally only get one or two Swagbucks from searching each day, but I try and just forget about them until they add up.

MyPoints. Okay, so you can't get cash at this site, but you can get giftcards to Amazon, Target, and more. There are numerous ways to earn points here, from printing coupons (sweet!) to using their search engine (crappy), shopping online and taking surveys or special offers. The easiest (yet slowest) way to earn Mypoints is by clicking on email links they send you. I've been using this for a few months and am a little past being able to redeem for a $25 gift card, but I'm saving up for a $50.

I'm exploring a few other ways, like writing content for ehow (as evidenced by my new link to my articles there) and I'll let you know how that goes.

What ways do you have of bringing in a little extra cash? Has anybody tried mystery shopping? Side jobs? Answering those creepy Craigslist adds in search of lactating women? Tell me all about it.

Windowpain

2010-02-20T08:54:00.001-08:00

A few weeks ago we were leaving BJ's and a nice lady approached us asking us if we'd like a free $25 BJ's giftcard. Well duh! All we had to do was be the recipients of a free window inspection. No obligation to buy-- we'd even get some free energy-saving tips to boot. At this point, while I was having a tiny o, my husband was shaking his head and saying "no thanks." I gave him the devil woman death glare and we huddled. "Fine, but you have to deal with the inspection," he said. A bargain had been struck. For weeks I fantasized about that giftcard. Maybe it would arrive at the same time my Rite Aid P&G Visa card would, and I'd use the two together to create grocery budget magic. I waited by the phone like a giddy teen. Finally, the window people called. Unfortunately there was a small glitch-- my husband and I both had to be home during the inspection. "Why is that?" I asked Jose, the inspection coordinator. "It's our policy to have both property owners present," he replied.

Busted.

I scheduled anyways for Saturday morning. Husband was not ecstatic but was relatively docile about it. Then I started feeling guilty. We have no intention of replacing our windows at this time-- was it wrong to go through the process in lusty pursuit of a BJ's giftcard? We talked about it and neither my husband nor I was feeling very excited about spending 60-90 minutes on our Saturday morning with strangers tromping through our toy-strewn home putting the hard sell on us. Reluctantly, I cancelled our inspection.

So no BJ's giftcard for me. And yet, unlike our old, filthy windows ("who cleans your windows?" Jose had asked during the initial phone call. "Uh... the condo association?" I improved.) I felt somewhat virtuous about the whole thing. We did the right thing, and instead of getting pitched to I got to go to dance class this morning.

What would you do? Is it somewhat naughty to accept a giftcard or other reward in that type of situation when you know you're not even mildly interested in the product?

And the winner is...

2010-02-20T08:22:00.001-08:00

Megan! Just to be super cute, I had my kiddo pull the winning name from the basket. Of course, he triumphantly ripped it in half shortly thereafter, as captured in the photo above. Congratulations to Megan. We'll arrange to get you the exciting $10 gift card promptly.

Big Lots...

2010-02-19T15:10:00.000-08:00

After a mostly quiet day at home with the kiddo, with a playdate interspersed with toddler drama (think baby rumble!) to break up the day, I decided to check out Big Lots. Nestled in the Westgate shopping center between Little Ceasars and Mardens, and just a hop skip and a jump away from Fashion Bug, I had no idea what politically incorrect gems awaited me inside.

First the good deals-- there was some pretty cheap toilet paper, although one could probably do better with sales + coupons. I spotted some organic Yogi tea for $2~ I'm pretty sure these go for about $6 a box at Whole Foods. And Earth's Best baby food (and some other brands as well) for $.30-- usually you're lucky if you can get these for $.80 a jar. There was a limited selection-- mostly just some banana/oatmeal mixture, but still! Other grocery highlights were Popeye Spinach cans that looked like they'd been rusting on the shelves since 1953 and Dora the Explorer corn niblets.

Also a decent selection of toys, although some strange stuff too. A squirrel in a raincoat? Really? A Fisher Price rotary phone toy? What strange time warp had I entered into?!? I also spotted a Handy Manny ice cream cart with what I swear was a Woody Allen action figure.

Next stop, diapertown. A brand of diapers that I couldn't even find through Google called Comfees that were "cloth-like." I'm not even sure what that means. The strangest part was that all the large and extra large sizes featured African American babies. Was Comfees trying to say that they make bootylicious diapers?

Around the next corner lay the Delta Burke underwear section. Who knew Delta had been busy since Designing Women? This was all almost too much to bear, and I was nearing the exit. But then I spotted the book section I'd missed on the way in-- $3 for all the obscure books you could want. I almost purchased an amazing little book called Emily's Good Nightmares, a colorful thing which seems to be about a gothic girl and a cat on an acid trip, but I decided to stick to my rule of no impulse purchases. Buried (hidden?) under other books was a book called Vagina Warriers by Eve Ensler of Vagina Monologue fame, which in a random twist boasts a picture of my auntie on the cover. In another corner was "How to Get Pregnant." Who knew such salaciousness could be found in Big Lots?

No manufacturer coupons at Big Lots from what I could tell. But they are accepting this pretty little thing for 20% off your entire purchase this Sunday. You have to sign up to become a member of their BuzzClub, but still!

Last Chance on Mall Giveaway

2010-02-19T03:59:00.001-08:00

Just a gentle reminder that the $10 gift card, good at the Maine Mall and all ggp malls, ends tonight at midnight. You know you want it! You could buy, with this $10 gift card:

2 venti soy vanilla lattes, OR
1 t-shirt at the gap (at least last weekend when they were having a sale), OR
An Oscar the Grouch t-shirt or something else saucy from one of those dark-walled shops with the S&M gear

See entry details here.

Cheap Finds at the Christmas Tree Shop

2010-02-18T17:10:00.000-08:00

The babe and I jaunted out to the Christmas Tree Shop this afternoon after my mama-in-law let me know about the Bob's Red Mill goodies she spied there. All week I've been forgetting it's February vacation week-- I keep wondering why the grocery stores and other shops are so packed with (other) slightly harried looking women and their kiddos.

Anyways, though I vowed not to buy anything as I'm still recovering from last week's Frugal F&*!up, I used the opportunity to check the place out, particularly for good grocery deals. The Bob's Red Mill was indeed priced very well-- there were lots of varieties of goodies, from gluten and dairy-free pancake mix to brownie and cookie mix, gluten-free oats, etc. In fact there were so many different types I don't remember what they cost, just that I know there were some good deals, I'm guessing at least a dollar or two below what you'd find them for in most grocery stores. I also noticed some Newman's Own cookies for $1.99 (saw them later today at Hannaford for $3.99), some Indian food packets similar to Tasty Bite (yum!) for under $2, and rice cakes for $1 a package. I also saw a brand of salad dressing named "Fanny's" which just makes me giggle.

I of course had to sidle up to Customer Service to find out what the store's coupon policy is-- the only item they accept coupons for is their health and beauty items. Which could actually be a pretty decent deal as they have a fair selection of health and beauty items, and just off the top of my head I noticed, for instance, that Olay body wash was about $3 cheaper there than at Rite Aid.

My palms were starting to itch to spend some money, so I shortened our trip before the urges could take over, but it was a fun little field trip as I hadn't been there for ages. And I'm still smiling a little about the Fanny's salad dressing.

Bob's Red Mill flours and mixes at Christmas Tree Shoppe

2010-02-18T06:13:00.000-08:00

My fabulous mother-in-law let me know that she spied a new shipment of Bob's Red Mill flours and mixes, which are gluten and dairy-free, at the Christmas Tree Shoppe yesterday. I feel a "field research" trip coming on... will let you know what I find!

Cheapish Muir Glen Diced Tomatoes at BJ's

2010-02-17T14:53:00.000-08:00

Whilst cavorting with the morbidly obese at BJ's today, I noticed a decent deal on Muir Glen organic diced tomatoes. A six-pack goes for $6.99, and BJ's has a coupon for $3 off (on a rack of coupons found not too far from the front door). I'm not 100% positive but I believe you could combine this with the Muir Glen $1 off 2 coupon found here.. This would make them $2.99 for a six-pack of 14.5 oz organic tomatoes.

Whole Foods Sale and Coupon Match-ups, 2/17 to 2/23

2010-02-16T15:21:00.001-08:00

There are some pretty good deals this week at Whole Foods, including more free Oikos yogurt. Here's the link to the entire sales flyer. Below are sales items that can be combined with coupons.

• Oikos Greek Yogurt, 5.3 oz-- $1. Free with $1 coupon from the January/February issue of the Whole Deal.
• Muir Glen Pasta Sauce, $3. Use this coup for $1 off 2.
• Select Stonyfield Yogurt Drinks, $1.19. Go here to print a .50 coupon. You can also enter the codes here from your free Oikos yogurt to get even more free products or coupons.
• Imagine Foods Organic Soups, $2. Go here for $1 off 2.
• Method Laundry Detergent, $7.99. Sign up here and get $2 more off.
• Seventh Generation Paper Towels, $1.79. Sign up here for $1 off.
• Terra Chips, Sweets & Beets, $2.50. Go here or here (thanks Money Saving Maine-iac!) for $1 off coupon.
• ThinkThin bars, $1.25 each. Go here for $.50 off coupon. You can print these little nuggets as many times as you'd like.

Enjoy!

Read all about it!

2010-02-15T11:34:00.000-08:00

Check it out! One of my most favoritist bloggers, Broke 207 made the Press Herald today. And there's even a wee mention of myself and Money Saving Maine-iac to boot! Go Allie!

Shaws and Hannaford weekly grocery deals

2010-02-14T08:02:00.000-08:00

Check out Money Saving Maine-iac's fabulous posts on weekly deals at Shaws and Hannaford. And check out her Shaws Giveaway too. 'kay? 'kay.