Free Event ~ Disney Christmas Carol Train

Here is a great free weekend event! Disney has a train that is traveling to major cities in the US. You can get a behind the scenes look at the magic of the new movie "A Christmas Carol". The movie will be starring Jim Carrey.

The tour will consist of several special exhibit train cars. It is totally free. This weekend the tour is in St. Louis. Click here to see the train tour photos. Click here to see the complete list of cities.

Reminder: Free Food From Schwan's ~ Tomorrow

Just a reminder that tomorrow is the day for the $10 of Free Schwan's food. You need to click here to go to the promotion page. If the link doesn't work then cut and paste this: http://www.schwans.com/free . The free food starts at 12pm (noon) Central time.

Free food is hard to come by! Make yourself a post-it note. Stick it on your bathroom mirror or your refrigerator - somewhere that you will see it. Be prepared for a slow site because Schwan's is going to be swamped.

Haven't heard about the free Schwan's food? Click here for my original post.

Staples Ad 8/2 to 8/8

I just received my Staples preview ad. No free after rebate items this week. There are a lot of school supplies on sale for $1 or $2 but I am not listing those. The free school items have been so great that I am going for only the really cheap deals!


Here are the best sales:


The ad has a coupon for $10 off a $50 purchase coupon. HP ink and toner not included.


Sunday through Wednesday only Sale:

.01 Staples 8" x 10 1/2" Filler Paper 120 Sheets

Limit5

Free Candy Friday Reminder ~ Mars Candy

Remember that today is free candy Friday from Mars candy! Go here to sign up for your free coupon. See my original post here for full details.

$5 off $20 At Chevy's

Chevy's Tex Mex has a new coupon for $5 off a $20 purchase. Click here to print your coupon. Coupon expires August 22nd.

Free Tacos At Jack In The Box ~ August 4th

I love free food! You can get two free tacos at Jack In The Box on Tuesday August 4th. Click here to print your coupon.

Valid all day. Limit one coupon per guest per visit.

Shauna's Soy Blends Candle Winner

The winner is : Dierdra said... 45
Faved you on Technorati

Random Integer Generator
Here are your random numbers:

45

Timestamp: 2009-07-30 19:42:44 UTC

I have sent the winner an email and they have 48 hours to respond.

I want to thank everyone who participated in my giveaway! I loved reading all the comments! A special thanks to Shauna's Soy Blends for providing the giveaway.

Also thanks to all who have become followers or have subscribed to my feed. I will continue to bring you the great deals, my ramblings, and money saving tips!

When Is Your Teenager Allowed to Roam the Mall

When my kids were younger, I had decide when they were ready to cross the street alone or walk down the block to a friend's house by themselves. Things don't get any easier! Now that my daughter is a teenager, I have to develop a whole new set of boundaries.

When is she ready to roam the mall alone with her friends? Back to school shopping is in full swing. My daughter was invited by two separate groups of friends to go shopping at the mall. I let her go with one group and I made her tell the other friends that she couldn't go. I explained to my daughter as to how I made my decision.

Well. being in the information age, my daughter posted on Facebook that she was shopping with the one group of friends. The other friends saw it and asked why she couldn't go with them.

How did I decide? The group that she went with was being driven by a mom who I know well. They went to the nearest mall and the mom was shopping the mall also. Also that group of girls is very trustworthy.

The other group of friends was going to a larger mall that is about 1 hour away. They were being driven by a dad who works near that mall. He would drop them off on the way to work , come have lunch with them, and then pick them up after work. So the girls would basically be at the mall from 9 am to 5 pm. That seemed way too long to shop. Plus a few of these girls have bent some rules in the past. Not really bad things but just things that were wrong.

While my daughter understood my decision, it was hard for her to explain to her friends. It is important to remember that teenagers are still really kids. But now my decisions are based more on circumstances than hard rules.

Fuel For School Booklet Coupons

Be on the lookout for the Fuel for School booklet at your local grocery store. I found mine at HyVee. It has the Fuel for School rebate plus 12 coupons. All the coupons expire 9-3-09 .

Here are the coupons in the booklet: (wyb means when you buy)

Save 2.00 on ONE gallon of milk: wyb 2 packages of keebler graham crackers and/or grahams crackers sandwich bites

Save 2.00 on ONE gallon of milk wyb:two packages of keebler cookies and/or gripz products

Save 2.00 on fresh fruit wyb two packages of kelloggs eggo frozen waffles

Save 2.00 on store brand coffee wyb two packages of kelloggs nutri-grain cereal bars

Save 2.00 on 64 oz ocean spray cranberry juice or ocean spray crasins sweetened dried cranberries wyb two packages of kelloggs mini-wheats and/or kelloggs raisin bran cereals

Save 2.00 on one gallon of milk wyb: two packages of keebler and/or sunshine right bites

Save 2.00 on store brand bread wyb tow packages of kelloggs rice krispies treats

Save 2.00 on any 12-24 pack of store brand bottled water wyb one package of kelloggs special K cereal AND ONE package of special k protein products (4 count or larger)

Save 2.00 on 2- 2 liters or 1-12 pack of sprite or sprite zero wyb two boxes of sunshine cheez-it baked snack crackers

Save 2.00 on fresh fruit wyb two packages of keebler and/or austin sandwich crackers

Save 2.00 on any two dannon danimals crush cup 4 packs or danimals smoothie 6-packs wyb two packages of these kelloggs cereals - corn pops,apple jacks,froot loops,cocoa krispies,frosted flakes 10 oz or larger

FREE Coupon for Betty Crocker Gluten-free Dessert Mix

Betty Crocker is giving away a free coupon for you to try the new Betty Crocker Gluten Free Dessert Mixes. Call 1-800-446-1898 to request a free coupon for one of the new gluten free mixes. Just say that you are calling for the free Gluten Free Dessert Mix coupon.

These dessert mixes taste great! To see my review and giveway click here.

"In To Win" Wednesday Giveaway Round-up

I love giveaways! So let's all share the Linky love.

Do you have a giveaway on your blog or website? Please leave the link for it below. Only family friendly links please! The link should go directly to your giveaway page.

Format your link this way: Blog/Website Name - Prize - End Date

Betty Crocker Gluten Free Dessert Mixes Giveaway

Coming to your grocery shelves are the new Betty Crocker Gluten Free Dessert Mixes!

My son is on a gluten free diet. So when I was contacted by Betty Crocker to test their new gluten free dessert mixes, I was so excited!! Now I must say that I got my hopes up. Betty Crocker makes wonderful products so I was hoping that these dessert mixes would be great.

If you have never tried a gluten free baked food then you probably don't know that 75% of them are just plain awful and the other 25% are OK but not great.



Betty Crocker sent me a Sweet Moments prize pack containing four of the new dessert mixes. My family was able to taste test the yellow cake mix, devils food cake mix, brownie mix, and the chocolate chip cookie mix.

They taste absolutely wonderful. Here are the comments from my two kids on the Chocolate Chip cookies: "These taste like chocolate chip cookies", "Wow, these cookies are really good", and "I can't believe that they taste so good". I could not tell that the cookies were gluten free. They are really that good!

Betty Crocker has come through in a big way for people on a gluten free diet. All the mixes are easy to make . No more making two different kinds of cookies or brownies. Now I can make one batch that actually tastes good and everyone can eat. Click here to visit Betty Crocker for answers to FAQ's about the new gluten free dessert mixes.

Betty Crocker has generously offered to give a Sweet Moments prize package to one of my readers! The Sweet Moments prize package includes all 4 of the dessert mixes, 2 Free coupons for any of the varieties, a grocery tote bag, magnetic grocery list and pen to make shopping easier!

To enter: Just leave a comment below on which of the 4 new dessert mixes that you would like to try. You can do this once and must do this before doing the extra entries.

Additional entries: You can do any or all of the following to earn extra entries. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done.

• Follow my blog (see the left side bar to sign up) Already a follower, just leave a comment saying that you are a follower.
  
  
• Subscribe to my blog ( see the left side bar to sign up) Current subscribers are eligible too.
  
  
• Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to your post.
  
  
• Post my button on your blog and leave a link to your blog.
  
  
• Add me to Technorati Favorites ( see left side bar)

Giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on Thursday August 13th at 11:59 pm CST. Winner will be chosen using a random number generator. Winner will be posted on this blog and notified by email. Please make sure that you leave your email address in your comment or on your profile so I can contact you if you win. Winner has 48 hours to respond by email or a new winner will be chosen.

Free Food From Schwan's on August 1st

Schwan's is giving free food to new customers! Mark your calender!! If you are one of the first 500,000 people to visit the Schwan’s Free Food giveaway on August 1st then you can get $10 in Free food with Free delivery!!

Click here to access the promotion page and see the countdown clock. If the link doesn't work then use this: http://www.schwans.com/free .Looking at the countdown clock, it looks like the promotion starts at Noon CST on August 1st.

There are some restrictions:
1. You cannot have purchased from Schwan's Home Service in the past 14 weeks.
2. You must be located on an existing route of the delivery service


Thanks Deal Seeking Mom

Free Sample of Perfume

Ooh! Click here to get a free perfume sample from the Lovely Collection by Sarah Jessica Parker. You need to click on the Request a Free Sample on the toolbar.

Free Advance Copy of NutureShock

Another free book! Hurry because supplies are limited. Click here for details on getting a free advanced copy of NutureShock.

Jamba Juice: B1G1 Free Smoothie Deal

Buy one smoothie get one smoothie free at Jamba Juice. Good through August 8th . Click here to print your coupon. Limit one coupon per visit.

Tuesday Blog Hop: Favorite Kids Photo

It's Tuesday! Time again for another Blog Hop. This week's theme is your favorite kid's photo.

Here are a couple of my favorite photos:

The kids were having a great time running through the sprinkler! It was simple but so much fun!

Have fun on the Blog Hop!

Free ShamWow Drying Cloths

Great freebie!! Take a short survey and you will receive 2 free Shamwow cloths in the mail. Click here to take the survey. It is really easy!

This is great because I have been wanting to try the Shamwow cloths. Now I can for Free!!

Wendy's Twisted Frosty Game & Coupon

Wendy's has a new sweepstakes game! You can win $10,000 or other great prizes. Even if you don't win, you will receive a $1.00 off coupon. Click here to play & win!

Buca Di Beppo $10 off $20 Coupon

If you like Buca Di Beppo then don't miss out on their new coupon! The coupon is for $10 off any food purchase of $20 or more. Click here to print your coupon.

Dine in or carryout. Coupon expires 8/9/09.

Monday New Week Reminders

It's Monday again! Here is your weekly reminder of the great deals available for the next few weeks.

July 27 ~weekly~ Free Mocha Mondays at McDonald's ~ details here

July 29 – only ~ Free Iced FruiTea with any sandwich purchase at Arbys

July31 ~weekly ~ Free Candy from Mars - click here

August 1 ~only~ Home Depot Kids Workshop - Message Board

August 3 ~weekly~ Free Mocha Mondays at McDonald's ~ details here

August 5 ~only~ Free Regular Roast Beef with any soft drink purchase at Arby's

August 7 ~weekly ~ Free Candy from Mars - click here

August 8 ~only~ Lowe's Kids Build & Grow Clinic ~ Powerboat

23 Free iTunes Songs From Urban Outfitters

More free iTunes music! Click here to go to Urban Outfitters and download a mix of 23 free songs from iTunes.

Free Trial of BareMinerals at Ulta Store

Hey, someone tried to hide this freebie! In the Sunday Ulta store ad on page 3, they are advertising a FREE 10 day trial of bareMinerals Hydrating Veil and Brush. You need to go the Ulta store to pick up the free trial. No other purchase necessary.

I assume that it is a one per person. I plan to take my teenage daughter so we can both get the free trial.

Free Trial Bag of Castor & Pollux Organix Pet Food

New Freebie! You can receive a free trial bag of Caster & Pollux Organix Dog or Cat food. Click here to sign up. The sign up is at the bottom of the page.

Then you should receive an email asking if you prefer the dog food or the cat food.

Subway $5 Concert Tickets

Great deal for concert lovers! Subway is offering Lawn tickets for selected concerts for a mere $5 each.

Here are the step by step instructions.

1. Click here to access the promotion.
2. Then click on the large button that says "Buy $5 Tickets"
3. The next screen will show a list of cities and concert venues.
4. Choose a concert venue/city and click to see which music artists are performing
5. When you find a concert that you wish to see then click on Find Tickets
6. That will take you to the Live Nation website.
7. Near the top of the page, there is a box that says Promotions & Pre-Sales. Use the arrow in the box to select the Subway $5 tickets promotion.
8. Enter the code: subway$5tix
9. Then scroll to the bottom of the ticket list to find the Lawn tickets for $5
10. Select the number of tickets that you want. Add to your cart and follow the purchase instructions.

CVS Deals 7/26 - 8/1

More free school supplies at CVS this week! If you don't have kids in school, you could donate the school supplies to your local school.

3 Day Sale: Sunday, Monday &Tuesday

Colgate Total Advanced toothpaste 4oz or 360 Clean toothbrush $2.88
- $2.00 Extra Bucks
= Free after Extra Bucks
Limit 1

Caliber composition book (100 pages) .99
- .99 Extra Bucks
= Free after Extra Bucks
Limit 2

Caliber or CVS erasers, push pins or binder clips .99
- .99 Extra Bucks
= Free after Extra Bucks
Limit 2

Caliber pencil or index card case .99
- .99 Extra Bucks
= Free after Extra Bucks
Limit 2

Pilot EasyTouch pens 2 pack .99
- .99 Extra Bucks
= Free after Extra Bucks
Limit 2

Swingline Tot stapler or Caliber sticky notes
-.99 Extra Bucks
= Free after Extra Bucks
Limit 2

Good All Week:

Cvs Tampons 10 count $1.89
- $1.89 Extra Bucks
= Free after Extra Bucks
Limit 1

Menards Deals 7/26 - 8/9

Menards has good rebate sales this week. Remember to roll your Menards checks into new free items. Only completely free items need a $10 purchase of non-rebate items.

Here are Free After Rebate Items:

Weed & grass Killer 4 pack $5
Free after $5.00 mail in rebate
Limit 4

3" trim brush 0r 2" angle sash brush $4
Free after $4.00 mail in rebate
Limit 2

Car Wash or Tire Shine $5
Free after $5.00 mail in rebate
Limit 3

6'extension cord .75
Free after .75 mail in rebate
Limit 4

Saturday Mail Bag 7/25

I love getting great stuff in the mail or by email. What did you get the mail this week?

Here's what I received:

• $10 Amazon certificates from Swagbucks - click here for details
  
• Menard's rebate check for $18.00
  
• Free sample of Nivea For Men Active 3 body wash
  
• Coupon for Free Mars Candy Bar
  
• Free coupons from Suburban Jungle giveaway win

It was a great week for my mail. I hope you got something good in your mail too!

Target Back to School Coupons ~ $1 off 2 Bic

Target has some printable back to school coupons. There is a coupon for $1 off 2 Bic products. Print the Target coupons here. You stack the Target coupon with the $1 off 2 manufacturers coupon here. Free or cheap pens!

Free Books for Booksellers, Librarians, Reviewers Only

More free books! This deal is for booksellers. librarians, or book reviewers only. Atria Books has graciously offered 3 free books to booksellers and reviewers. Atria is a division of Simon & Schuster. Click here to see the wonderful selection of books available.

Aerie Get On The List

Aerie has a ongoing promotion called the A-List. If you join the Aerie A-List at the Aerie store, then you can receive a special free item each month by going to the store on a Thursday.

Aerie is part of American Eagle but the promotion is for the stand alone Aerie stores. You need to sign up in the store. You can click here to find the store nearest you.

The free items have been nice! They have included items such as floral notepad, body mist, candle etc. Great items for teenage girls!

Free Sample of Total Blueberry Pomegranate Cereal

Yippee! A new cereal to try! Sign up here to receive a free sample of Total Blueberry Pomegranate Cereal.

Blog Hop

OK, so there is a terrific party going on in Chicago called BlogHer 09 and I am not there! A fat bummer woo! So I could pout & eat chocolate but I am not! I am participating in the Blog Hop hosted by Pensieve and Musings of a Housewife.

Yoohoo! We can all have fun. Even if you are not a blogger, check out the Blog Hop list. There are so many wonderful blogs out there!

Welcome all Blog Hoppers! Glad you stopped by!

I am a mom with two great teenage kids and a wonderful husband.

I am a avid bargain hunter and coupon user

I love to travel & I have an addiction to Disney

For fun, I like to read and play board games

I am chatter box in real life

I never took typing class so I am a hunt & pecker - aaah!!

I have one giveaway going on right now. Check out the top of the right sidebar! If you like what you see, sign up for my feed or become a follower.

Want to check out the Blog Hopper list? Click here.

Staples Ad 7/26 to 8/1

I just received my Staples preview ad. No free after rebate items this week. Here are the best sales:

The ad has a coupon for $5 off a $30 purchase. HP ink and toner not included.

Items for .25 each - limit 2 per customer
Slider pencil case
Staples 3x5 ruled index cards 100 pack
Bic Matic Grip mechanical pencils 5 pack
Staples manual pencil sharpener
Elmer's non-toxic School Glue 4 oz
Staples cap erasers 12 pack

Free Itune Songs From Stanford

Kick off your summer with 30 free songs! Stanford is offering a summer mix of songs from Itunes for Free.

Click here to get your music. You do not need to be a Stanford student. Expires September 30, 2009.

Free Sample of Gain With Febreze

Oooh, a free sample of laundry detergent. I always have laundry. Actually, right now, I have a lot of laundry since my washer is broken again!

Anyways, click here to get your free sample of Gain with Frebreze. Free is good!

Free Subscription to Horse Illustrated Magazine

Do you know someone who loves horses? You can receive a free one year subscription to Horse Illustrated magazine by filling out a short form and survey. Click here to get your subscription.

Two More Wins For Me !

Hurray, I won two more great giveaway prizes yesterday.

I won free food coupons from the Suburban Jungle. Thank you Suburban Jungle! Yes, thanks to Suburban Jungle, my family will be enjoying KozyShack Ready Grains product, cups of Velveeta Shells & Cheese, Pillsbury Simply Refrigerated cookies, and a Mars candy bar. OK, truthfully, that candy bar is mine and I am not sharing!

I won a Surprise Bag of Tricks from Keeping Up with the Schultz Family. Thanks very much! I was excited to find out that the bag contained a whole bunch of goodies: crayons, napkins, mini notebook, book, stickers, pencils, erasers, movie, and M&M's . I know that several of these great items are going to be confiscated by my teenage daughter!

Have you won any prizes lately? Share with me. I would love to hear!

Schlotzsky's Sweet & Greet Event

Sounds fun! I wish I had a Schlotzsky's near me!

Schlotzsky's Free Cinabon Tasting & Cup of Coffee Event
Saturday July 25th from 3pm - 7 pm
At participating locations. Call to make sure that yours is participating.

TGI Fridays B1G1 Entree Free & $5 Friends Coupon

Great Deal !! TGI Fridays has a Buy One Entree, Get One Entree Free coupon. Click here to get your coupon. Valid through July 31st. Limit one coupon per table.

Another promotion from TGI Fridays! Bring your friends to TGI Fridays and your friends will each get $5 off their entree. Print your coupon here. Valid through August 31st. Not valid with other coupons.

(thanks Slickdeals.net)

Borders Books & Backpack Sale

Now at Borders, buy any 4 books and get the 5th book free! No store coupon needed. The least expensive book is the free book. Offer is good through Monday July 27th. Valid online or in store.

Also you can receive a free backpack with a purchase of $50 or more. Offer is valid in store only through Monday July 27th.

Barnes & Noble 20% Off Coupon

You can receive 20% off one item at Barnes & Noble online. Use code P3N9L8M. Offer expires July 27th. Valid online only

"In To Win" Wednesday Giveaway Round-up

Another new weekly feature that I have started. I love giveaways! So let's all share the Linky love.

Do you have a giveaway on your blog or website? Please leave the link for it below. Only family friendly links please! The link should go directly to your giveaway page.

Format your link this way: Blog/Website Name - Prize - End Date

How I Changed My Habits To Save Money

So I was thinking today about the other changes that I have made in the last 6 months to help my family budget.

1. I changed my phone plan. I wasn't using all my minutes so I switched to a cheaper plan. Total savings so far = $240

2. I gave up my gym membership. It was costing $55 a month and it was only for myself not the family. That was a hard one because at one time I did go regularly to the gym. But I had not been going to gym so I decided that it wasn't worth the money if I didn't go. I have been trying exercise at home. Total savings so far = $330 .

3. I have a thing about bugs. I hate bugs. They really bother me. So I had a pest control service that came every month to spray for bugs. I stopped the pest control service and now I do it myself. The cost of materials is about $10 a month. I was paying the pest control service $45 month. Total savings so far = $210

4. I called and checked veterinarian prices for my dog. I found a cheaper veterinarian who was just a few miles away from our regular veterinarian. Total savings = $33

5. My family has stopped going out to eat. OK, we have not stopped completely but we really think before we decide to go to a restaurant. I realized how much money we were wasting on eating out. Planning my meals has really helped us quit the restaurant habit. We go to a restaurant now for more special occasions. Total savings so far = about $960

6. We did not take a 2 week vacation. Ouch that hurt! I love traveling so I think that this was hardest change for me. Also, this is not a permanent change but hopefully a one time savings. Approximate savings = $1500

So that adds up to a grand total of $3273 in 6 months!! That total just includes items that we decided to change or not do. It does not include the extra money that I am saving by keeping up on the good deals and using my coupons.

So think about items in your budget that you could change or do without. Try to figure out how much you could save. It really adds up!

Bic Coupon = Free Stuff

Hurry the coupon for $1.00 off 2 Bic products is back at Coupons.com. Click here to get your coupon. You should be able to print 2 coupons.

This week you can use the coupon at Walgreens. Walgreens has Bic Brite Line Highlighters priced at $0.49 each. So you can get 4 packages free.

Restaurant.com Sale

Huge savings on gift certificates at Restaurant.com!

The $25.00 gift certificates are on sale for only $2.00 each! The $10 gift certificates are .60 each! This is a super deal if you have restaurants near you or plan ahead for a vacation.

Use the code: Napkin to get the discount. Click on the banner below! Offer expires July 28th.

Remember to read the fine print to see if there is a minimum purchase required at the restaurant or other restriction.

Aveda Hand Relief Lotion Sample

Free sample sized Aveda Hand Relief lotion. Print the coupon here and take it with you to any Aveda Spa. Coupon is good through September 30, 2009 or while supplies last.


Click here to find the Aveda location nearest you.

Winner: Sofya's Words Soap Giveaway

The winner is : lilyk said... 131
I love the Rosemary Cedarwood soap!

Here are your random numbers:
131
Timestamp: 2009-07-21 17:23:31 UTC

© 1998-2009 Mads Haahr
Valid XHTML 1.0 Transitional Valid CSS
Web Design by TSDA

I have sent the winner an email and they have 48 hours to respond.

I want to thank everyone who participated in my giveaway! I loved reading all the comments!

A special thanks to all who have become followers or have subscribed to my feed. I will continue to bring you the great deals, my ramblings, and money saving tips!

Free TGI Fridays Sampler Platter (Limited States)

Invite 3 of your friends to receive a Free TGI Friday's Jack Daniel's Sampler Platter coupon. No other purchase necessary. Click here to invite your friends. ( good only in AZ, CA, CT, NJ, NM, & NY).

Sampler Platter includes: Chicken Strips ,Golden Fried Shrimp w/ Dipping Sauce , and Marinated Baby Back Pork Ribs.

Expires 8.15.2009. Coupon valid for parties of 3 or more, one coupon per party, per table, per visit.

Tuesday Blog Hop: Favorite Recipe

Time again for another Blog Hop. This week's theme is your favorite recipe. I can't wait to read all the great recipes that are posted.

This is a family favorite. It is also great for parties or pot luck dinners.

Broccoli Slaw Salad

Ingredients:
2 packages of Chicken Flavored Ramen Noodles
1.4 Cup sugar
3/4 Cup oil
1/3 Cup vinegar
12 ounce package of Broccoli Slaw
1 Cup of sunflower seeds

Mix the flavor packet from the Ramen noodles with the sugar. Then add the oil and vinegar. Mix well. Store in refrigerator overnight.

Next day, crush the Ramen noodles. Then mix with the broccoli slaw and sunflowers seeds. Add the refrigerated sauce. Toss well. Ready to serve or refrigerate again.

There's An Eagle In The House

My son had his Eagle Scout ceremony on Sunday. The weather was beautiful and the ceremony went smoothly. My son was nervous but he did a great job. He is now officially an Eagle Scout. It was a fabulous achievement for him. I am so proud that he managed to make Eagle Scout.

Scouting is a great program for boys. It really does help form leadership and social skills.

My Purchases at Staples

I was expecting a big crowd at Staples on Sunday morning. I even went 20 minutes early in case there was a line. Nope, no line. When they opened at 11 am, there only about 5 people waiting in their cars. I don't understand why there were not more people.

Oh well, easier for me! I picked up the backpack that my son wanted and the other free after rebate items. See my earlier post about the free items at Staples by clicking here.

Here is the photo of my purchases:

Monday New Week Reminders

It's Monday again! Here is your weekly reminder of the great deals available for the next few weeks.

July 2o ~weekly~ Free Mocha Mondays at McDonald's ~ details here

July 20 ~expires ~ Free Beverage with purchase of Smoothie at Barnes & Noble ~ details here

July 21 ~ only ~ Free Pastry with any Beverage purchase at Starbucks ~ details here
July 21 ~only ~ Free Blueberry Donut at Tim Hortons 6:00 - 10:00 am

July 22 ~ only ~ Free Arby's Roastburger with any soft drink purchase

July 23 ~ only ~ Free 10 day sample of Advanced Night Repair 5 to 9 pm ~ details here

July 24 ~weekly ~ Free Candy from Mars - click here

July 25 ~only~ Lowe's Kids Build & Grow Clinic ~ Helicopter~ details here

July 29 – only ~ Free Iced FruiTea with any sandwich purchase at Arbys

Free Kashi Cereal at Target

Yahoo!! You can get the individual cups of Kashi cereal for FREE at Target. Print the Target coupon here.

There are 2 different kinds to choose from at my store. I choose to get the Kashi Go Lean Crunch. These are a great way to try a new cereal or to use on vacation.

Target Deals: Weight Watchers & Schick Razors

Target has a great deals this week.

Smart Ones Entrees Deal
Use Target's $1/1 coupon here
Then combine with these manufacturer coupons
Use $4/10 printable coupon here
Use $1/5 printable coupon here
Use $3/10 printable coupon here
Use $1.50/7 printable coupon here


Schick Razor Deal
Buy 2 Schick Quattro Razors $6.99 each = $13.98
- 2 of the $4 coupons (6/14 coupon insert)
- $5 gift card for buying 2 razors
= .98 after coupons and gift card

Giveaway: Candles From Shauna's Soy Blends

I love browsing and shopping at the Etsy stores! This week I have the pleasure of introducing you to Shauna's Soy Blends Etsy shop. Shauna's Soy Blends makes beautiful candles in a delicious array of scents. She makes her candles with high quality soy wax and they smell wonderful.

Shauna's Soy Blends has graciously offered a giveaway for the readers here at Smart Cents Mom but first, let’s get to know her a little better.

Tell us about yourself ?
My name is Shauna and I live in San Luis Obispo County, Ca. I've grown up here all my life

Tell us about your art? What do you make? How did you start creating your product?
I absolutely love and enjoy creating each unique soy candle that I pour. That is the exact reason I decided to create Shauna's Soy Blends! I pay great attention to decorating the candle so that it's pleasing to the eye as well as the senses. This is why I use only the highest quality SOY wax and fragrance oils that are very highly concentrated giving off an amazing ,long lasting fragrance experience each and every time!

I realized that in my home town there were NO 100% pure soy candles to be found, only paraffin (which releases toxins into the air)! So I decided to make my own. SOY has so many benefits, no toxins, burns evenly, you can re-use the containers after the candle has burned out, derived from soybeans so you're helping out the American farmer as opposed to the Oil industry(as Paraffin candles are derived from petroleum!!!) etc...

Where can we find you online?
Currently On etsy http://www.shaunassoyblends.etsy.com/ or http://www.shaunassoyblends.com/
and my up and coming blog http://www.shaunassoyblends.blogspot.com/

What is your favorite item in your shop?
I really enjoy all of my candles, I burn a candle everyday at home. My favorite scents are anything Berry or Fruity.

What have you learned from selling on Etsy?
I have learned that there is an overwhelming amount of competition out there, which is why I've tried to make my shop truly unique, and affordable as well. I offer all sorts of really neat containers, cups and mugs so that once the candle burns out, you can RE USE these containers over and over again!

Shauna's Soy Blends will be giving away 2 candles to one lucky reader! The candles are a 4 oz Pina Colada candle and a 8 oz Lemon Grass candle as shown below

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To enter: Go to Shauna's Soy Blends and find another item that you like. Leave a comment with the item name or link and why you like that item. You can do this once and must do this before doing the extra entries.

Additional entries: You can do any or all of the following to earn extra entries. Please leave a separate comment for each that you have done.

Follow my blog (see the left side bar to sign up) Already a follower, just leave a comment saying that you are a follower.

Subscribe to my blog ( see the left side bar to sign up) Current subscribers are eligible too.

Blog about this giveaway and leave a link to your post.

Post my button on your blog and leave a link to your blog.

Add to Technorati Favorites ( see left side bar)

Giveaway is open to US residents only and ends on Tuesday July 28th at 11:59 pm CST. Winner will be chosen using a random number generator. Winner will be posted on this blog and notified by email. Please make sure that you leave your email address in your comment or on your profile so I can contact you if you win. Winner has 48 hours to respond by email or a new winner will be chosen.

New House Parties Are Available

Hey, there are some new parties taking applications at the House Party website. Click here to see the parties & apply to host. If you have not heard of House Party, click here to see my previous post.

The parties available now include:

• Chef Michaels party
  
• Children International Kid-tribution party
  
• TruTv Black Gold party
  
• SoyJoy Whole Body Benefits party
  
• Bumble Bee Tuna Temptation party
  
• Oscar Mayer Quest For The Best party
  
• Hot Wheels Battle Force 5 party
  
• ESPN Fantasy Football Draft party
  
• Wizards of Waverly Place Island Magic party

CVS Deals 7/19 - 7/25

More free school supplies at CVS this week! If you don't have kids in school, you could donate the school suppplies to your local school.

3 Day Sale: Sunday, Monday &Tuesday

Papermate Pens 10 count
- .99 Extra Bucks
= Free after Extra Bucks
Limit 2

Caliber or CVS memo book (50-80 pages) .99
- $1.49 Extra Bucks
= Free after Extra Bucks
Limit 2

Caliber or CVS no.2 pencils 24 count $1.99
- $1.99 Extra Bucks
= Free after Extra Bucks
Limit 2

1" Vinyl Binder $3
- $3 Extra Bucks
= Free after Extra Bucks
Limit 2

Caliber or CVS filer paper 150 sheets $2
- $2 Extra Bucks
= Free after Extra Bucks
Limit 2

Good all Week

Kodak Picture Movie DVD,v$9.99
-$9.99 Extra Bucks
= Free after Extra Bucks

Speed Stick Pro Deodorant $2.99
- $2 Extra Bucks
= .99 after Extra Bucks
Limit 2

CVS Pantiliners 22 count .89
- .89 Extra Bucks
= Free after Extra Bucks
Limit 1

Walgreens Deals 7/19 - 7/25

There are a few good deals at Walgreen's this week. I will probably not go to Walgreen's this week.
Here are some of the better deals:

Pilot G2 Gel Pens 2 pack $1
- $1 RR
Final price FREE

Lots of cheap school supplies:

.09 Each
2 pocket folder
white poster board
Pencil
Highlighter

.19 each
Papermate Mechanical pencils 5 pk
Papermate Pens 10 pk
Papermate Prism Pens 10 pk
paperclips
ruler

.29 Each
Eraser 2 pk
Pencil top erasers 12 pk
Wooden pencils 10 pk

.39 Each
white glue
transparent Scotch tape

.49 Each
pencil box
Penway Crayons 24 pk
Bic Highlighters

.59 Each
Pencil sharpener
Mailers

.99 Each
colored pencils
Book cover
3 way Penway notebook 120 pages

Deal Seeking Mom has a list of more sale items here.

Free Magazine Subscriptions!!

Hey, here are some great magazine subscriptions to get for Free!!

Free subscriptions to Bassmaster, Weight Watchers, Muscle & Fitness, Field & Stream, Latina, and ESPN magazine. Click here to get the order form. I signed up for Weight Watchers.

No credit card needed. A good thing to do when signing up for freebies to use a separate "junk email".

Saturday Mail Bag 7/18

I love getting great stuff in the mail or by email. What did you get the mail this week?

Here's what I received:

• Menards rebate check for $67.50
• Free roll of Scott Toilet Paper ~ Walmart freebie
• Candles from ~ Shaunas Soy Blends ~ details to be posted soon ~~ hint hint "giveaway"
• Kotex pads sample
• Midwest dairy giveaway win ~ some free dairy product coupons
• New James Patterson book from a giveaway win ~ this will be a gift for my daughter
• $90 for June ink rewards from OfficeMax

It was a great week for my mail. I hope you got something good in your mail too!

Garage Sale Find: Wii Fit

Woo Hoo! I wanted to buy a Wii Fit at Christmas but they were sold out at the stores. The Wii Fit has been available at the stores now but I didn't want to part with $89.99 + tax for no special occasion. I am just too much of a cheapskate!

I was happily browsing my way through a block garage sale when I spotted the Wii Fit. The lady had barely used it because she has foot problems. Price? $50 and no tax!

My kids and I have been having fun playing with our new toy. I like that I am having some fun and getting some exercise at the same time.

Interested in finding some great garage sale finds then check out my garage sale posts here.

Bath & Body Works Free Lip Item Coupon

Bath and Body works is offering a free lip product (up to $12.99 value) with the purchase of any item. Good through Sunday 7/19. Click here to print your coupon.

Remember you can purchase a cheap item like the small gift bag or nail file. Great Christmas stocking stuffer or to put in a gift basket!

Ice Cream Rebate = Great Deal

Did you buy Edy's ice cream last week at Target for a $1.33 quart? Do you have your receipt? There is a new refund for Edy's, Haagen-Dazs, DrumStick, Eskimo Pie, or Skinny Cow ice cream products.


Buy 4 products and get $4 back by mail. Purchases have to be made between 7/6 and 7/19. You must purchase participating items. Click here to see a larger photo and list of the participating items. Then click here to print the refund form.


Target has Edy's ice cream on sale through Saturday 7/18 for $3.00 quart. You can print a $1.00 off coupon here. Please note: the coupon is still valid but no longer shown on Target's website so you cannot print this coupon at the store.

Thanks Short on Cents!

July 21 ~ Free Pastry With Starbucks Beverage Purchase

On July 21st, you can get a free pastry with a Starbucks beverage purchase. Click here to print your coupon.

Coupon is valid from opening until 10:30am or until pastries are gone. For 24 hour Starbucks, the opening time is 4am. Limit one free pastry per customer. Valid only at participating Starbucks.

Hot Hot!!! Staples Free Items Starting 7/19

Wow!! I just received the sneak peek of Staples ad starting Sunday 7/19. The deals are great!! You really need to get there early because this stuff is going to go fast! I am so excited!

Look at Deal #1 - backpacks are expensive but you can get 1 FREE!!!


**Hot Deal #1 **
Buy any backpack and get 100% back in Staples Rewards.
It is like getting a FREE backpack! Limit 1 backpack per mailing address. Purchase price of the backpack will be credited to the customer's Staples Rewards account. The Staples Rewards will be mailed in October. Valid in store, online, or by phone!

**Other Free Items** (limit 1 per household)
Zebra Cadoozles .7mm mechanical pencils 10 pack $2.99
-$2.99 Easy Rebate
= Free

Zebra Sarasa retractable gel pens, meduim, black, 5 pack $4.99
-$4.99 Easy Rebate
= Free

Pentel Handy Lines retractable assorted highlighters 4 pack $4.99
-$4.99 Easy Rebate
= Free

Staples Slim Line Pencil Sharpener $15.99
-$5.99 Instant Savings
-$10.00 Easy Rebate
= Free

Chili's 3 Courses for 2 People for $20

Chili's restaurants have started a new promotion. Basically two people split an appetizer, choose two entrees, and then split a dessert for $20 . There is a list of 15 entrees to choose from. No coupon needed. Click here to see the list of entrees.

Free Books!

Read it first! What could be better than learning about great new reads? Getting free copies of great new reads! Click here to get your free book. One per email address.

The three books listed are SOMETHING MISSING by Matthew Dicks, THE CRYING TREE by Naseem Rakha, and WHERE THE RIVER ENDS by Charles Martin.

Walgreen's $5 off $25 Coupon

Walgreen's has a new coupon for $5 off a $25 purchase. Valid only for Thursday July 16 and Friday July 17. Click here to print your coupon.

Laundry Woes!!

I am so not happy! My Whirlpool washing machine has decided to take a vacation. Yup, Tuesday afternoon the washing machine started flashing numbers and not starting. I looked at my manual and fiddled with the machine. I managed to get a load started so I patted myself on the back and went on my merry way. When I came back, more numbers flashing and the machine wouldn't do anything.

So starts what I believe could be a long saga of laundry woes. We bought this washer about 1 1/2 years ago from Lowes. We did purchase the extended warranty. On Wednesday, I called the service phone number that I had attached to machine. I was told by the service department that I needed the original receipt to claim my extended warranty. I told her that I was not sure where it was and that I was never told that I needed the receipt for the warranty. She explained that the receipt said to keep it for the warranty. Note to everyone: if you buy a warranty at Lowes then keep the receipt.

The service department said that they would give me a one-time courtesy service call but I will need my receipt for any more repairs. Looks like I will be spending Saturday looking for my receipt. The repair person cannot come until Monday. Hmm.. how long can I go before I have to go to a laundromat??

Now, here is the more worrisome part for me. My last washing machine lasted for 19 years! Yes, 19 years of wonderful washing with only 1 minor repair. When it died, my husband and I decided to go with the new front loader Whirlpool washer. We choose this washer because of the high ratings and energy efficiency. After owning it for only a 1 1/2 years , we are already having problems.

I did a little research on the Internet and I am not the only person having problems. From the research that I did, it looks like my Whirlpool washer is a big fat lemon. Lots of problems being reported on this machine. Check out the reviews here on Amazon.com . Very depressing!

Hopefully the repairman can fix my washer on Monday. I will just have to hope for the best!

SpongeBob Day of Happiness at Borders

Looking for a free activity for your kids this Saturday ? Borders is having a SpongeBob Day of Happiness Party! FREE!!

You can celebrate SpongeBob's Anniversary with games, crafts, & giveaways. The party is Saturday July 18 at 2:00 pm. Sounds fun!


Other details: Call your local Border's store to make sure that they are participating. Sorry, SpongeBob cannot attend because is he is busy in Bikini Botttom. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult.

New Target Coupons!!

Target has just released new coupons on their website. Oh boy, there are a lot of coupons! Click here to print your coupons at the Target website. The A Full Cup website has the older target coupons and the new ones should be added soon - click here. Also you can save your ink and print at the Target store kiosk.

I have listed all the coupons below. Remember that you can use a manufacturer coupon with a Target coupon. I put my personal favorites at the top of the list!

$1 off Smart Ones frozen meal - Great deal
$1 off Archer Farms foccacia bread Bakery Dept
$2 off With purchase of two Morningstar products
$1 off Kashi cereal
$1 off Glad trash bags ForceFlex or OdorShield
$1 off With purchase of three Kleenex facial tissue single packs Excludes trial size
$1 off 20-oz. or larger Tyson Foods frozen chicken product
Free 18.5-oz. Dasani Lime Essence with purchase of 12-pk. 12-oz. Dasani
$1 12-pk. .5-liter Nestea tea with purchase of 18- 20- or 24-pk. Coca-Cola
.75 off With purchase of two Alexia snacks
.50 off With purchase of two Family Size Nabisco crackers
$1 off Chips Ahoy! cookies with purchase of three Family Size Nabisco snacks
$1 off With purchase of two Popchips snacks
.25 off Kashi frozen waffle
$1 off With purchase of two Kashi products Cookies Crackers
.50 off With purchase of two Kashi products Granola bars Cereal bars
$1 off With purchase of two 4-pk. Kashi GoLean bars
.50 off Fruitabu strawberry rolls
.50 off Kashi hot cereal
.50 off Kashi frozen product Entrée or Pizza or Pocket Bread
$1 off With purchase of both 20-ct. Hefty Fresh Extend bags and Produce item
.75 off Ghirardelli baking chips

I Won : Build a Bear Gift Card

Wow, I won a $25 Build a Bear gift card from Annies Home. Thanks Annie! You can visit her blog here or check out her giveaways on my new Mr. Linky.

Yes, I am very proud of my new Mr. Linky giveaway list. If you have a giveaway, please post it on the Mr. Linky page. Remember to enter the giveaways and you could be a winner too!

Sale at Restaurant.com

Get 60% Off + FREE $10 Certificate with every $25 Gift Certificate Order when you use code KITCHEN.

Pay $4 for a $25 Gift Certificate thru 7/20/09 only at Restaurant.com.

Code: KITCHEN

Blog Hop Tuesday: 3 Things You Didn't Know About Me

I am always amazed at the fascinating things to be found on the Internet. I came across the MckLinky Blog Hop and it sounded like so much fun! A great way to visit new blogs and share items with other people.

The theme for this week is obviously as my title says 3 Things You Didn't Know About Me!


1. I am huge Disney fan. I love going to Disney World and Disneyland. My husband and I went on a Disney Cruise for our honeymoon.

2. I have been to China. My husband was doing some work in China and I was lucky enough to tag along. The highlights of the trip were seeing the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and Terracotta Warriors. I hope to go back someday.

3. I love to travel. OK, this may not be surprising news after reading the first two items above. When I was younger, my parents took the whole family on a cross country road trip every summer. I think they were crazy! They inspired my love of travel. Some people like to have big houses or fancy cars. I would rather plunk my money down on a National Park road trip or a European vacation. It is what I love to do!

Hardee's Free 6-Pack Biscuit Holes

Hardee's has a new coupon. Get a Free 6-Pack of Biscuit Holes with the purchase of any breakfast combo. Coupon is good through September 30. 2009. Click here to print your coupon.

"In To Win" Giveaway Round-Up

Another new weekly feature that I have started. I love giveaways! So let's all share the Linky love.

Do you have a giveaway on your blog or website? Please leave the link for it below. Only family friendly links please! The link should go directly to your giveaway page.

Format your link this way: Blog/Website Name - Prize - End Date

Reminder: Use Your Free KFC Meals

It just occurred to me today that my family had not used our coupons for Free KFC Grilled Chicken meals. Well, it was a good thing that I remembered. My four coupons expire on July 20th.

So Saturday for dinner, my family is eating KFC. If you got in on this deal, check your expiration dates. Friends don't let friends miss out on Free Chicken!!

Book Giveaway at My Red Apron

My friend, Heather, is having a book giveaway on her blog, My Red Apron. The book is Where The Heart Cries. The giveaway ends on 7/15 and she doesn't have a lot of entries yet. So if you love books, check out the giveaway here!

CVS Photo Books Are Great!!

I just returned from CVS. Right now, I have made 4 photo books for FREE!! I went last night to make one then I went this afternoon to make 3 more.

The regular price is $12.99 but they are on sale for $7.99 . Then you receive an Extra Bucks for $7.99 making it free after Extra Bucks. I made my books one at a time and used the Extra Bucks from the previous book to pay for the next book.

They are really easy to make once you figure out the machine. I had never made a photo book at the store until now. Just make sure that you choose the 6 x 8 photo book. The book is 10 pages and you can have up to 3 photos per page. The first page looks better with one photo because it will show through the cut-out of the book.

The limit must be five because I have not reached my limit after making four books. I plan to go tomorrow to make my last book.

Do you know someone who would like photo book? Maybe grandparents, friends, or other relatives? This would make a great Christmas or Birthday gift for someone!!