Thursday, August 4, 2011

Big News for Our Family--and FREEBIES of course!

It's been a busy summer, and we're not through yet! My eight year old and I went to Phoenix Comic Con, then took an 18 day road trip from San Diego to Seattle and points in-between! We met up with several Twitter friends along the way. She went to Marine Biologist Camp at Birch Aquarium, and Summer Theater Arts Camp where she auditioned well enough for a solo.













Both my girls were in musicals, Treklet was a Munchkin in Wizard of Oz and her big sister, Katie,  was the Assistant Director and Makeup Artist. Katie was the Red Queen in Alice in Wonderland, and just after Labor Day she will be Tracy in Hairspray!




Although I only had tickets for San Diego Comic Con for Sunday, I spent the rest of the days hanging out in the Gaslamp, getting FREE swag, and attending shows and parties in the evenings. The last big summer event for me is coming up next week: The Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas! I'm looking forward to meeting up with old friends and new ones, and I've got my John Cho autograph ticket to add to my Star Trek XI poster.

After thinking long and hard about it, I've decided to homeschool my daughter again. We homeschooled in Kindergarten, but for 1st-3rd grade she went to the local Charter School. While I have no complaints about the school, she has been begging me to homeschool ever since we stopped. After our awesome road trip adventure (which was really a long field trip for us!)I decided we can do this. We are enrolled at the same school we used in Kindergarten. They provide us with an Education Specialist who we will meet with every 5 weeks to discuss and review the work we have done, and get our new packet. She will be in classes one day a week, for History, Science, Literature and Art (providing we get our requested schedule), and I'll cover the rest at home. We will have the freedom to take short trips, go camping, etc. as long as we get our work done. Since she is in theater, production week should be easier on her since she will be able to sleep in, too. I also like the idea of taking her to her karate class at noon instead of 6:00p.m. so we can have a decent dinner schedule. Win.

I've been getting lots of freebies in the mail, and I used free samples exclusively on our roadtrip for shampoo, conditioner and lotion. I saved all the little bottles and soaps from all of our hotels and donated almost all of them to our local temporary shelter.
 
Now for your deals and FREEBIES:

FREE downloads from the Kindle Store:
Raising Motivated Kids: Inspiring Enthusiasm for a Great Start in Life
5 of the USA’s Best Trips by Lonely Planet
25 Language Phrasebook
Fairy Tales Every Child Should Know
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Dracula
Les Miserables

You can find many more free Kindle Books by simply clicking here. You don't need a Kindle to read them! You can read them on your computer, or download a FREE Kindle app for, Android, iPhone or iPad.


Go get your FREE e-Cookbook Download: 23 Easy Chicken Recipes (.pdf)

FREE sample NoGii Gluten-Free Bar

FREE sample Purina Beneful Dogfood

FREE Post-It Product

FREE Huggies Diapers

FREE  3 month subscription to Fitness magazine

FREE Invisible Wipes Samples

FREE homeschool gradebook and record-keeping downloadables




FREE Sample John Frieda Root Awakening

Get a FREE invitation to Spotify, an award-winning digital music service, from Herbal Essence when you enter your email address here. You'll receive a code to unlock your account so you can listed to more than 15 million tracks on your computer, cell phone and other devices!


In honor of National Bowling Week, you can get one FREE Game of Bowling per person {per email address} on 8/6!
Sign up here or find a participating location here.  {enter your zip code at the top of the page}

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

We're Outta Here!

Headed out to Phoenix for Comic Con tomorrow. I'm not shopping, I'm not couponing. You're on your own, kids! haha
Here's what I got in the mail recently:
Your eyes are not deceiving you! That is $50 in FREE Amazon.com, a FREE Cottonelle Wipes coupon and some Eucerin samples, which will come in handy for my trip.

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

samples, deals, and a WARNING

FREE sample Gas-X
$14 for 3 DVDs...Father's Day gift?
FREE sample L'essance D'eau
FREE sample and coupons from L'Oreal
FREE sample Garnier Dandruff ShampooF
FREE Meguiar’s Tire Gel Sample just text message TIRE3 to 44567 – Standard text rates apply
FREE sample SebaMed Face Wash on Facebook
MojoSavings has a great photo tip:
Target has their 4×6″ prints on sale this week for just $.10 each. Combing with is $2/20 4×6 prints coupon and score 20 for Free
This Saturday, May 21, is Old Navy's $1 Flip Flop sale. (limit 5 pairs)
Michaels 40% Off one item coupon.
Get 6 free products from Vistaprint in time for Father’s Day. Select a photo flipbook, t-shirt, mug, mouse pad, magnets or calendar- all for free! The products are free, just pay shipping and processing.

Do you know a young animal lover? Get a year subscription to Ranger Rick or Your Big Back Yard magazine for $10 with this Mamapedia deal. 

Under the 2011 Barnes & Noble Summer Reading program kids earn one free book when they read 8 other ones.  The program provides them with a reading journal to record their progress.  When they turn in this journal they get to pick one free book from a list of options.  Plus parents are entered for a chance to win a Nook for each journal submitted. The submission period is 5/24-8/6.
Just a heads up on Vons! I went there the other day with a stack of manufacturer coupons for various snack foods and cereals, all on sale. I filled my cart! At checkout I was informed that Vons policy is now to accept only TWO of the same coupon. This was after all the items were rung up and bagged, so we had to dig through our bags and remove items. Thankfully, it was late at night and there was no one behind me in line!  the cashier would not let me use the the coupons for a second transaction, either!

I ended up visiting another store and purchasing more, but the 2 coupon limit is a real pain! It means if you really want to stock up and you have 5 of the same coupon, you are going to have to make 3 separate trips to the store. I really don't get it. The store gets paid by the manufacturer for the coupons, so they are not losing anything. Are they afraid someone will empty their shelves all at once? Highly unlikely, unless Extreme Couponing is planning to film in Escondido.

Now if you have 3 coupons for the same item, but they are different coupons (ie. one is a $1/1 and 2 are .75/1 coupons) you are OK. The limit is on identical coupons. Also, be warned that Vons will double your coupon up to $1 (if it's a .55 coupon, the computer will "double" .45 to equal $1) but only on the first coupon.

Couponing is getting more complicated. Stay on your toes!

Finally, here is some free stuff I got in the mail. I'm going to give the Wood magazines to my neighbor who has a woodworking hobby, and the Glamour for my daughter who is in beauty school. I love the cosmetic and laundry samples for traveling--and I will be traveling quite a bit this summer!

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Here's your Freebies!

Like Einstein Bros on Facebook, click "Happy Hour" on the left, and get a coupon for a FREE fresh-baked treat with purchase of a beverage after 2:00 p.m. through May 8th.

Like The Official Regal Entertainment Group on Facebook, click Exclusives on the left and get a coupon for $2 popcorn good through May 8th.

FREE sample of Fiber Choice
FREE Sample Osteo-BiFlex
FREE sample John Frieda Root Awakening 

Go to the KMart Sample Center to get  Zantac, Prilosec, Lanacane, Carefree, Purex, Taster's Choice, Brez, Shout, Miracle Whip and Dove samples!

May 6-15 Starbucks will be offering 1/2 price Frappuccinos from 3-5 p.m

This Saturday is FREE Comic Book Day. Get thee to a comic shop!! There is also a FREE App for iPad and iPhone

Common Sense With Money has a post on how to earn money with your smartphone. I will get the app and let you know what I think of it after a few weeks.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

You need FREE stuff

Reminder: 31 Cent Scoop Night Wednesday! Learn more.
FREE Sample Purex with Zout
FREE Arm & Hammer toothpaste sample
FREE Sample Folgers Coffee on Facebook
BOGO Pretzel Crisps on Facebook
FREE Arby's Roast Beef Sandwich
FREE Vplenish Vitamin Powder Samples
FREE Japanese Cherry Blossom Tea
Email your first and last name  to mypetsavings@gmail.com and she will send you the sample invite for your FREE Sample of Nature’s Variety Dog Food.

Get a $6 credit toward Tribeca Film Festival rentals from Amazon when you connect your Amazon.com and Twitter accounts and let it send an automatic tweet for you. These films are priced at $2.99 or $5.99, so you'll be able to rent one or two movies FREE with your credit! 


This week, Target has 4×6 prints on sale in-store for 10c each!
Print the $2 off 20 4×6 Prints Target Printable Coupon and get 20 4×6 Prints for FREE!!  (search under the Photo coupon category)

I got my hair colored for FREE today! I had a $25 gift card to my daughter's beauty school. She did my color and I got a friends and family discount, making the bill $23. The I took my stylist, er, I mean my daughter, out to lunch with my Daphne's coupon (saving me $6) and dessert at Baskin Robbins with my BOGO Cone coupon. 

Monday, April 25, 2011

Quick Pics!

I relaxed (as much as a mom can) over the Easter weekend. Taking a break from shopping this week, and going out of town next weekend.
I did have Staples Rewards burning a hold in my pocket, though, so I stopped by today when I was nearby. I got this stuff for FREE:
I have always wanted one of those windshield thingys...just never wanted to pay $10 for one! Treklet ran out of glitter glue last week, and I had my eye on that multitool for a while. I had planned on using rewards on it since I first saw it.This stuff was worth $26 and i paid ZERO. the only thing I would have paid for if I had to is the glitter glue. That's how moms are.


I still have $10 rewards left, but they don't expire until June 30, and I returned 2 ink cartridges today, so I'll have $4 more coming next month.

Here's what came in the mail in the past week:

Cute packaging for the International Delight  creamer from Vocalpoint. A coupon for a free pint, plus 5 .55 coupons, all in a cup with marketing materials inside. Wipes from Costco, Fekkai shampoo & conditioner, Oxy Clinical with coupon, Degree with coupon.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

I'm sick, but still rocking the deals.

Wow, I am pretty proud of myself! Look at what I got for FORTY CENTS at CVS:

How did I do it? Here's how:
Nivea Body Wash  $3.88
Lindsey Olives 5 at .88 ea
Stove Top 2 at .88 ea
2 liter Coke products 2 at .99 ea

Nivea coupon $3
2 Stovetop coupons .50 ea
Quarterly ECBs $7
ECB from bag tag $1

Total OOP .40
Total savings from sales and coupons: $25.64

I did pretty well at Walgreens today, too, despite being sick with a sinus infection.  I made 3 transactions and spent a total $7.44 OOP for all this:


Transaction #1:
Goody Barrette & Hair Band package $3
Used $1 RR
Paid $2.26 OOP  Got $3 RR back

Transaction #2:
2 Chocolate Peeps  2/$1.50
3 rolls 3-M Magic Tape 450' $1.99 B1G2
3 Splenda with Fiber 80 ct. packets  $2.99 ea
2 Domino Sugar 4 lb  $3.29 ea
Diamond Almonds 19 oz $4.99

Wags coupon for Domino -$1.60
Wags coupon for Tape -$3.98
2 MQ for Dominos .40 ea  -$.80
MQ for Splenda   -$2.00
2 MQ for Splenda $3 ea  -$6.00
2 MQ for Tape $1 ea  - $2.00
MQ for Peeps -$1.00
RR from previous transaction -$3.00
RR from last week  -$1.00

Total OOP $6.80  Total savings with sales and coupons: $33.58
Received $4 RR from Splenda

Transaction #3:
Blue Diamond Almonds 19 oz  $4.99
Russell Stover Peanut Butter Egg  .39

RR from previous transaction - $4.00
RR from last week   -$1

Total OOP .38  Total savings from sales and coupons $9.00

Since I had to go to CVS again for prescriptions, I picked up another Nivea Body Wash. My neighbor gives me her inserts, so I had another $3 coupon. I also found the body wash with a sample size lotion attached. I needed some Mucinex D for my daughter and I but I didn't have a coupon, but I did have an email 20% off CVS coupon, so I was able to save $5.60 on the 24 count package, making it less than the store brand.


On sale for $3.88
MQ -$3.00