CVS ~ Free tooth paste plus overage

CVS is printing out $2 off Colgate toothpaste from its Red Machine.
There is a manufacturer coupon for $2 off Colgate Daily Repair.
The Colgate Daily Repair is $3.49.
Free +  $0.51 in overage.

A quick inexpensive deal would be to get the $.99 Cadbury Egg.  Purchase one and receive .99ECB for next purchase.

Spring Fever in February

We have a touch of Spring Fever these days.  This past week we have had temperatures that have hit 79 degrees!

On this Monday, I decided to head outside for a little bit.  I multi-tasked! (Multi-tasking like I once did is a thing of history for me.)  Multi-tasking has become the family joke around here.  I stocked up on some Vitamin D,  Decided to get me a sunny disposition for the afternoon.  AND since the boys had started tying the string for the raised beds, I started planting the cool weather plants.  Peas, carrots, onions, spinache and lettuce.

We have been accumulating a variety of seeds for indoor science experiments and not one to waste anything, we are experimenting out doors now.  Hopefully, we will end up with some tasty treats from the garden. The boys did great cleaning out last year's dead leftovers and the weeds.  They even pulled the asparagus out.  So sad.  Sure hoping, some of it managed to remain hiding under the soil.  I did discover some and replant.  Only time will tell.

This is the first year I have ever planted anything this early outside.  After a trip to the nearby garden center (just across the road..sort of, from us) to purchase some of the seeds for experiments and chatting with them, we discovered they recommended planting peas the last week of February.  So I am looking forward to see if we have better luck this year with these items.

Breakfast fun with the kids ** 2 dozen for 2-22 **

I have a love hate-relationship with donuts.
Love donuts.
Then I became a mom.
So not a fan of sugar high crazed kids.
But a late run to the grocery store last night and seeing these beauties marked down... and something came over me.
I was planning to just walk out with plain glazed.. and then I saw the chocolate.
Before I knew what was happening both boxes in the cart!
My kids know my feelings about donuts.
Donuts on a school morning translates into school work getting done issues.
The questions and shock were not disguised.
Without missing a beat, I looked at them and said, "Don't you know what tomorrow is?"  while getting dinner on the table.
The blank looks and quizzical looks.  I just don't know where this all came from, it was out of my mouth before my brain even knew what was happening.  A quick look at the calendar.  Tomorrow is 2-22.  We needed to have 2 dozen.  Happy 2-22 everyone!!

Then we prayed and had our chicken enchiladas.

This morning, I heard commotion about cereal.  Kids were eating cereal.  I said nothing.
About an hour into the morning my "wake up and eat later" kid asked if he could have a donut.
Jaws hit the floor.  Kids were saying, you know what mom thinks about donuts, you have to eat something else before you can have a donut!  I just looked at them. Because I was on the verge of saying "Yes! have a donut!"  Just don't know what alien has overtaken me.  I just hope the kids don't get used to it and expect the alien to stay.  Instead of allowing the alien to speak, I said have a yogurt or cereal and then have at the donuts!

They all went running for donuts.. It was a 2-22 score for this mom! They must be growing up because the sugar high isn't keeping them from their work.

Money Saving Tips: How I make my phone work for me ~ SWAGBUCKS

My phone works for me on this, but I also do most of my Swagbucks earning on my laptop.

But with more people going mostly mobile, this just may be a perfect for you. 

You can read more about Swagbucks here and here.   

This is my referral link.   Swagbucks has a referral program.  For each referral that signs up and earns swagbucks, Swagbucks will then award me with a bonus of 10% of your earnings into my account.  It is a win win for both!   Please consider signing up through my link if you decide this is something for you. 

Swagbucks is a search engine. You can earn swagbucks for just doing your normal every day online searches through their search engine.  There are also varying tasks that can be done each day that will earn you swagbucks.  Swagbucks can be earned for completing surveys, watching videos, printing and redeeming manufacturer coupons.  Finding and entering swagcodes.  

It took some creativity and time to figure out how to fit the tasks into my day, but now it is just apart of my online routine.  Between my phone and laptop, I earn enough swagbucks each month to trade them in for 2 $25 gift cards of my choice!  That is $50 !  This past weekend, I headed to Walmart with some of my gift cards earned from Swagbucks and went grocery shopping.  It was so exciting to buy groceries and not use any family budget money!! 

Finding creative ways to show my teens I love them

Sometimes it is just the little things.  Then sometimes it is the silly and frivolous things.

Last summer we learned there were people who would post it another person's car!  

The news and then seeing cars done was just a bit shocking for this frugal momma! 

Didn't they know how expensive post it notes could be??  

Especially to only be blown away and trashed and not used beyond prankstering?? !! ?? 

My practical side can be a bit of a buzz kill sometimes. 

So I often just keep my lips zipped. 

In all honesty though, post it notes are far easier to deal with than shoe polish. 

Especially in Kansas heat. 

Then one day, something possessed me.  A goofy, silly, overwhelming sense came over me.  

It started with activating the sticky notes on one teenager's computer.  I was just going to leave one little note that said "I love you."  And then I was taken over by creativity....

and silliness... 

and oneriness...

All I can say, is there is a limit to how many sticky notes that can be "placed" on a laptop screen!! 

Couponing ~ CVS ~ Stretching the budget & Making my phone work for me

So for some of you friends out there asking how I do what I do at CVS.
Here you go.
Sometimes I can sit down with the ad and pick my own deals.
Most of the times, I choose to check out a handful of blog posts to find the deals.

First I go to Money Saving Mom. 

Once there she has a tab marked "grocery store deals." A drop down menu will appear.  I then click on CVS deals.
Sometimes I follow the links for coupons.
Other times, I head on over to my Swagbucks home page and print the coupons from there.  (By doing this I earn swagbucks for each coupon I print and redeem.  I can then in turn redeem my swagbucks for gift cards.  Sometimes, that means CVS gift cards which means even more savings! If you aren't signed up with Swagbucks, you can sign up here. (this is my referral link) Swagbucks is a search engine and more.)

Below each of Money Saving Mom's posts on CVS each week is list of bloggers who have linked up with their deals.

I really like checking out the one titled $5 and $10 deals from Simply CVS Shopping. Here I can select deals I am interested and it will create a shopping list for me.
and
What's free or almost free at CVS from Couponaholic.
and
ECB deals with Q matchups also from Simply CVS Shopping.

Once I have deals in hand I head to the store.
What you will need when you get there:
Your coupons and list of course.
But you will also need to have a CVS Extra Care Card ,  a rewards shopping card.
I recommend loading the CVS app on your phone as well.  You will receive special app only offers.  But it also stores your rewards card number.
Once at the store, you will want to visit the CVS red machine.  You scan or enter your rewards card number/id and special coupon offers for that week will be printed.
These are CVS offers and can be combined with manufacturer coupons and ECBs.
Then shop away.

I have my CVS card loaded with Saving Star.  When I check out, I have the cashier scan my Extra Care Card number from the Saving Star app.  This way I am able to receive any eligible offers available through Saving Star and maximize my savings.

My $5 gift card to Starbucks came ~ joy, joy, joy!!

Last month I posted about an email I received from Starbucks.  I was asked to complete a survey, in exchange I would receive a $5 gift card.  For less than 5 minutes of my time.
Well it came !!   Thank you Starbucks!!  I am looking forward to my next treat.

Earasers!!

They came!  They fit!!
I discovered these over a year ago and they were a game changer.
I have issues with my auditory processing as the result of a car accident/concussion.
Too much noise and I struggle.
Struggle. A. Lot.
After joining a few online groups and discovering I was not alone in this, someone mentioned giving these a try.
Game changer.  My kids have noticed a huge improvement.
I am back to experiencing more of life.

I orginally bought size small but sometime late last year, they were not fitting me well.  They seemed to go a bit deeper in my ear.  Something seemed off.  It took me a while to just sit down and order new ones.  I took a chance and ordered the next size up and what a difference! The fit is better.  When the fit is better so is the noise blocking capabilities.  

Money saving tips: How I make my phone work for me ~ Shrink

Shrink is another grocery app I have on my phone. 

There is a variety of products offered for receiving either points or cash back.  

Points can be accumulated redeemed for rebate offers. 

Money Saving Tips: Making my phone work for me ~ Retail Me Not

I recently reloaded this app on my phone. 

I have been pleasantly suprised and pleased. 

I have received alerts for great offers that have been perfectly timed for that moment. 

Been blessed beyond measure and said, "Thank you God for this added blessing!" 

The first was a suprise alert that I could receive cash back for purchasing a drink at Starbucks.  

I combined this offer with another offer on my phone and used my free gift cards to score a special treat for myself at a significant savings.  

Money Saving Tips: Making my phone work for me ~Receipt Hog

RECEIPT HOG!  Another free app I have on my phone.  

Load your receipts and earn points or spins.  

Spins may or may not earn you more points.  

Points can be redeemed for Amazon gift cards or Paypal deposit.

No special purchases.  Just do what you normally do and load your receipt through the camera on your phone.  

Money Saving Tips: Making my phone work for me ~ Checkout 51

Checkout 51 was one of the first 3 apps I started out with.  (Ibotta and Snap by Groupon were the other two.)  

I still faithfully use Checkout 51.  The frequency varies depending on sales and coupons. Not every app will offer rebates that fit normal purchasing patterns.  Sometimes, the deals while the rebate runs are just not that great.  What keeps me looking up the offers is the weekly "pick your own offer."  I love the produce options each week.  I get to pick one item that often pairs up with a sale or sometimes can be used in combination with an offer in another app.  My household goes through produce like crazy.  Coupons can be a rarity for produce so I love every chance to save here.  Each quarter dropped in the bucket adds up.  Believe it or not, at the end of the month, if I add up all my rebates submitted my total is enough to keep me going.  

This past week's "pick your own offer": 

Union Station ~ Fun Memories

I have got some pretty awesome kids. They leave me amazed.  With my oldest son playing hockey, we find ourselves on the road quite a bit for games.  I have routinely tried to make sure each trip included something unique to the area we were visiting and something different than hockey.  Part of it is because I have felt sorry for the younger kids.  Part of it is for my own sanity.  If I am going to drive all those miles and freeze in a rink (loving almost every minute of it) I would like to see a little bit more of these towns than their local ice rinks.  Thankfully, the internet is a wonderful resource for finding things to do.  Kansas City is a frequent spot.  Sometimes we visit regular favorites like Legends Outdoor Mall, other times we find something new.  About a year ago, during a visit, we popped into Union Station.  It was decorated for Christmas and there were a whole bunch of Gingerbread Houses on display.  Our imaginations were caught.  Unfortunately we didn't have time to stay.  It was put on the list.  Recently, with a game forfeited and extra time I asked the kids what was one thing they would like to do for fun.  Anywhere between home and Kansas City.  We had some extra time.  Union Station was the answer!  This time I put them in charge of the internet search.  Times, details, etc.  With a little bit of guidance they figured out how to explore the internet and learn more about Union Station.
Anticipation was building. But none of it prepared them for what we found.

Money Saving Tips: Making my phone work for me ~ Shopmium

The first time I tried Shopmium I received the most delightful suprise.  I didn't have to wait till I reached a minimum for cash back to happen.  My rebates were deposited immediately into my PayPal account!  Guaranteed it wasn't a huge amount.  It didn't matter, I am not in this to become a millionaire.  Just to create some breathing room in my budget.  To add a little to my savings.  To quote my dad, every pound starts with an ounce and every dollar starts with a penny.  It is a little thing to scan a barcode and/or photograph a receipt.  Over the months, I have redeemed offers for crayons, mints, juices, coconut water and frozen pre-cooked chicken and more.  Pair any of these rebates up with coupons and other app deals and the budget stretches.  I paired the crayon offer with back to school sales and scored some free crayons! 

Shopmium does have a referral program.  If you download the app, open it up to register and use my code when you register (pictured below in the screen shot:  KUKCUUFW), I will earn $2 for the referral and you will receive an offer for a FREE Lindt Chocolate bar.  

Memories I want to savor

It all started with a 4 year old out of the blue saying he wanted to play hockey!
I looked at him and said, you don't even know what hockey is.
To which, he looked me straight and said, yes I do.  He proceeded to tell me all about it.
How did he know about hockey? I did not know.  We were a little bitty family of 5 in Kansas.  Basketball.  Baseball.  Football.  Those were the sports people talked about.  Occassionally swimming, volleyball, golf, etc.  Not hockey.

Apparantly, he flipped channels on the basement tv and came across a hockey game.  He was captivated.  He knew more about hockey at 4 years of age than anyone I knew. Sundays on his way home from church he would announce he was going to watch the hockey game.  The first time he did this, I told him there wasn't a hockey game on tv.  Kansas, mind you.  Hockey wasn't a Kansas thing back then.  He looked at me and said, yes there is.  Very respectfully and serious.  I responded with, "How do you know?"  "Because there is," he said.
Four years old and he didn't know how to read and I tried like the dickens to manage tv time.  But he intuitively knew and he was right!  His fascination did not abate.

Next step was ice skating lessons. I thought that would take some time and we would see how long his interest lasted.

Um yeah, right!?!?

Money Saving Tips: Making My Phone work for me ~ Saving Star

Saving Star is another one of my favorite apps. 

You are able to link selected loyalty cards to the app.  

If you open up the app and have the register scan the bar code in the Saving Star app you will then receive your offers this way.  

But have no fear,  If your favorite starts are not in the "selected" grouping of loyalty cards to link up not all is lost.  Saving Star still recognizes a wide variety of stores in offering savings.  

I have only used Saving Star for redeeming their grocery offers.  (They do have online shopping offers.  I have yet to explore this option.)  Saving Star offers a lot of offers that combine very well with the latest coupons that are released in the Sunday paper.  They do have a disclaimer in their "fine print" that this may change at some point, but for now it is possible to coupon paper coupons with their offers.   In addition, they offer an occasional limited time only "freebie."  They have a new "Healthy Offer"  every Tuesday and seems to be normally about 20% back on some type of produce item.  Currently it is on apples.  

The redemption process is pretty simple.  Purchase the item, submit the receipt or use the loyalty link bar card and receive the full purchase price back!  When submitting receipts for the offers, items have to be scanned with some exceptions like produce and the receipt is also photographed using the phone.  It is possible to verify a product's eligibility before purchasing and I strongly recommend doing this when time and data allows you to do so.  A few times, I have grabbed the wrong thing and been a little disappointed once home.  

Once you have redeemed  and have $5 in your Saving Star account you can request a payout.  Payouts can be made to a bank account, PayPal account, UPromise account, Starbucks gift code, iTunes gift code or AMC theaters gift code.  

Redemption seems to happen fairly quickly with transactions on linked cards.  Filing via a receipt and scanning bar codes seems to take quite a bit longer than it did initially.  Partly, I believe due to growing pains and keeping up with the number of people taking advantage of the savings.  I haven't had an issue yet and it has been so far so good.  

The app works for Iphones and Androids. 

Money Saving Tips: Making my phone work for me ~ ibotta

Ibotta was my first money saving/rebate app I tried.

It has a wide variety of shopping options.
Clothing, Groceries, Sporting Goods, Restaurants, Gifts, etc.

I primarily use the grocery offerings.  However, I have taken advantage of the other offerings periodically.  Especially during holiday shopping and back to school.

I try to "unlock" rebate offers while at home and my phone is on wi-fi.  I don't sweat it too much if I am out and need to "unlock" one for that trip because I do try to do as many as possible when at home.  Unlocking offers is as simple as clicking on the offer or letting it play a 15 sec. video, or answering a question.  It just depends.

While in the store, I have learned to use the "check product's barcode."  This will do 2 things.  It will let you know that you are selecting the correct item for earning the rebate. A few times, I tried to redeem at home and released I grabbed the wrong variety or size. It also, marks it as "bought".  After you have shopped and purchased your items, you will have to scan/photograph your receipt with your phone.  You will also have to scan bar codes for some items.  If this is already done in store, you need to only make sure each item is selected before continuing on with the submission.

The best part about Ibotta are the offerings of "any brand" items.  Dairy products including milk, cheese, eggs, yogurt.  Bread.  Produce.  Meat.  Standard dry goods: pasta, sauce, etc.  Occassionally if you purchase a branded item that has a rebate being offered and there is an any brand offering, you will be rewarded both.  My favorite example is Ragu sauce and any brand pasta sauce!

Bonuses are offered each month.   Some bonuses are for the number of times you redeem a specific rebate.  Additional savings above and beyond!  There are team bonuses as well.  Your team is based on whether you link your Ibotta account with Facebook and if you have any friend on Facebook using Ibotta or referrals. Bonuses are awarded based on the number of redemptions and/or the dollar amount earned in redemptions.  Depending on how active you and/or your team are in redeeming offerings, these bonuses can quickly add up.

Even better, Ibotta rebates are based on the actual purchase of the item. Presently, it is possible to purchase the item with the use of manufacturer deals/coupons and still receive the rebate.  So it is just another way to maximize savings.

Please consider using my referral links (through out this posting) and here.
Ibotta's referral program :  Get $5 when you invite friends using your referral code!  Each person who signs up and redeems their first rebate will get $10, and you'll get $5.

The app is free.
Earnings can be deposited into Paypal or Venmo or redeemed as gift cards.
There is a minimum $20 for deposits and a $25 minimum for gift cards.
Again, the great part is there is a tremendous flexibility in what you do with your earnings.

Happy Saving!

Money Saving Tips: Making my phone work for me ~ Find and Save

Find and Save is an app I have downloaded on my phone.  My referral code is CTGD

Find and Save has a program called: Cash Dash
The offerings provide opportunities to earn cash back on normal every day shopping.

Occasionally, there is something specific that needs to be bought.
ex. There was once an opportunity to earn $1 by going to Starbucks and ordering a latte.

More often than not, it is something like spend a minimum of $25 and get 3% back.  Or spend $10 and get $1 at the specified store. (please note these are only examples)

Money Saving Tips: Making my phone work for me

So, there are several people interested in what I do to stretch my budget. Especially as a single, stay home, homeschool mom!    One of the things I do is make my phone earn its KEEP, literally. This past summer, began my jump back into serious couponing and deal seeking.  No school to tend to and I could spend some serious brain energy learning some new stuff.

Currently I have about 12 apps on my phone I use for rebating/couponing.

For all the inquiring minds, I will start trying to post something once a day or every other day about what I am doing.  Hopefully, some of these tips will become helpful and/or inspire you to discover other ways to stretch your budget in small ways.