MONEY MAKER & FREE (and almost free) Baby Food at Publix!! Starting 10/17

Remember that Beech Nut deal a little while ago where jars of baby food were almost free at Publix?  Well the deal is even better this time around - snag some FREE baby food starting on 10/17 (or 10/16 for those of you who's deals run Wed-Tues).

Isn't that little one so adorable?!  Okay, so here's the deal and the breakdown, people!

Tampon Stockpile Price at Publix - Starting 10/10!!!

Brace yourselves people.... This is a HUGE deal that is going on this upcoming week at Publix... Can you say tampon stockpile!?  

 

Get ready, because you are NOT going to want to miss this stock-up price for tampons!  We're talking 83¢ a box! 

Ok.  Here's the situation:

Money Maker Razors at Walmart!

Everyone take a trip to Walmart to pick up some better than free Schick razors!  

A Reason to Always Save Your Receipts!

Those of you who know me or have been to one of my classes know how much I joke about my OCD couponing habits.  Well, it's times like this where I am super thankful for the craziness I put my own brain through!

Aside from tracking my spending and savings with my savings calculator software (soon available for purchase on CD), I file and save all of my receipts from my purchases.  One reason is to help as a teaching aid, one is incase I realize down the road that there was an error on my bill, or in the rare occasion I need to return something, I want to do it honestly and get back the value that I paid - not get back full value for something I paid pennies for.

Okay!  So my point is, that Kimberly Clark has released a rebate promotion!

Understanding Coupon Lingo! What are ECBs? What does DND mean? Is this even English?

There are a lot of things that you need to know when you first start couponing, and one is all of the abbreviations and terms/lingo that come along with the territory!  

When texting was first getting popular, I remember everyone freaking out about the abbreviations and "text slang" - heck, I still have to google what people mean sometimes when they send me "ROTFLMAO".  Uhhhh what?  

But no need to worry!  When you see a breakdown and the couponer is talking about their "MM" purchase, or their "ECBs" and "OOP", you will know right where to come to!  Your trusty coupon dictionary!  Here I have put together a list of the most common and frequent terms, abbreviations, and codes that you might find on coupon forums, facebook, or even here on my blog.  If there are some I missed, let me know!

Stock-Up Price on Peanut Butter & Jelly at Walgreens!!

Many of you know how much I love stock-up prices on anything that is used frequently in our household.... Well, Starting this Sunday (9/29) it's PEANUT BUTTER JELLY TIME!!!

Seriously, if you don't get that joke, you need to click here and amuse yourself for a second or two...

BUT!  Aside from dancing bananas, I am here to tell you about the Skippy peanut butter that you can grab at Walgreens this week for $1, and Welch's Jelly you can grab for only $1.50!!  Yup, only $1 or $1.50 a jar sounds pretty awesome to me, and even makes a great donation to your local charities, schools, and food pantries! Also, those of you who need "filler" items for WAG RR, this is a great option for you!

Coupon Preview Week of 9/29/13!!

So we already know from the insert preview I posted that this week we are getting one Red Plum and one Smart Source insert this week.  Thanks to the lovely world wide web, we have a sneak preview of that insert here at The Savings Pro so you can plan ahead for maximum savings!

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND!!!! Coupon inserts and values differ from state to state, region to region, and even from paper to paper - this is merely a rough guideline to what you should see on Sunday.

::RED PLUM INSERT::

Double Up! Understanding When "Do Not Double" STILL Doubles!

Ah, the beauty of a doubled coupon!

If you're like me, chances are you spend most of your time dreaming about a land where coupons are magically doubled and tripled, and envying the joyous couponers snatching up double deals!  Most of you know I live in sunny south Florida, and here we trade in double/triple coupon policies for sunshine and sandy shores... I guess some would consider it a fair trade!

Coupon Preview Week of 9/22/2013!

So we already know from the insert preview I posted that this week we are getting one Smart Source insert this week.  Thanks to the lovely world wide web, we have a sneak preview of that insert here at The Savings Pro so you can plan ahead for maximum savings!
 

 

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND!!!! Coupon inserts and values differ from state to state, region to region, and even from paper to paper - this is merely a rough guideline to what you should see on Sunday.

:: SmartSource Insert  - September 22, 2013::

Almay $1/1 cosmetics item (10/20) TARGET COUPON
Almay $3/2 cosmetics items (10/20) TARGET COUPON

7¢ for Baby Food at Publix - Don't Miss This 82% Savings!

 

Attention mommies!  Here is a way for you to feed your beautiful baby some of Beech Nut's finest food - for only 7¢ a jar! The deal is going on right now at Publix, so for those of you who live in double-coupon land - WOW!  You score even more!

 

 

Don't have a little one?  This item is at such a low cost that you could even choose to donate a bunch of jars to a family you know may need, a local food pantry, or church/organization! 

 

 

Here's how to do it!

This Week's CVS Savings! What to expect week of 9/15/2013

What does the “Magic Coupon Machine” have in store for us this week? Here is a list of coupons reported to be printing from the ExtraCare Coupon Center when you scan your CVS ExtraCare card. These are CVS store coupons and can be stacked with manufacturer coupons! They vary by customer, so this is only a list of what you may receive. Additionally, be sure to check your online ExtraCare account for customized coupons!

 

 

 

Did you know!?! Sometimes the MCM doesn't print all of the available deals for your card in one swipe!  To be sure you have received all coupons available to your account, continue to re-scan your card until you see the message: “No coupons available–please check tomorrow.”

 

 

Keep your eyes peeled for our upcoming posts this week highlighting the best matchups and stacks for these coupons!

Thank You for Supporting Me! Here's a $5 gift card!

Before I start this blog post, I truly want to thank ALL of you for stopping by and supporting my savings blog.  I am so happy to be able to help others save, so keep sharing and telling others about this page - get everyone in on the money saving ideas!!

 

The one thing I might love just as much, or even MORE than saving myself, is helping others save just as much as I do.  There is something so awesome about seeing others get excited about savings they are able to achieve!  I love what I do! Okay, okay... Enough babbling with my random emotions (can you say pregnancy hormones?!)... Let's get to the savings! 

I am here to get you access to the newest savings technology, AND get you a FREE $5 gift card, no purchase necessary!

Here's the details, and what you do to get your $5 gift card!

STOP! Why NOT to Throw Out Your Expired Coupons!

I know the feeling.... You spot a deal, remember you have a coupon for that brand in your stockpile and whip it out only to see..... Dangit!  I missed the expiration date!  From there you sulk like a sad schoolchild and feel couponer's remorse for missing a deal maturely throw away or toss your unused coupon in the recycling.

Coupon Preview week of 9/15/2013!

So we already know from the insert preview I posted that this week we are getting two inserts - one Red Plum and one Smart Source.  Thanks to the lovely world wide web, we have a sneak preview of that insert here at The Savings Pro so you can plan ahead for maximum savings!
 

 

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND!!!! Coupon inserts and values differ from state to state, region to region, and even from paper to paper - this is merely a rough guideline to what you should see on Sunday.

:: SmartSource Insert  - September 15, 2013

Arm & Hammer $1/2 liquid laundry detergents (11/15/13)
Campbell’s $.50/1 Homestyle soups (11/10/13)

Walgreens Steal - with NO Register Rewards or Points Needed!

Ladies and gentlemen of the savings world!  An amazing deal going on for the WHOLE MONTH at Walgreens!  Colgate Optic White mouth wash (yep, the good stuff!) can be scored for.....

 

 

FREE!!!

 

Oh yes... free is what we LOVE here at the Savings Pro, so head over to Walgreens before September ends to score this deal (click read more to learn how!)

Couponing & Goal Setting

I am going to be a mom in January!  Yikes!  I am so nervous and excited and confused all wrapped up into one!  Incase you couldn't guess, I am a first-time mom!  When my boyfriend and I found out that we were pregnant, it came as a BIG shock!  We were not planning on having a child immediately, and knew we weren't in the best financial position to take on this immense of a responsibility!  Nevertheless, we are having a baby! 

 

I immediately started getting into "crunch" mode - when I found out I was pregnant we had less than 8 months to start saving and planning for this baby!  So I broke down a budget and a savings plan... And then it hit me.  Couponing.  I had been a couponer before, and then fell off the coupon train with 1,000 excuses and an "I don't need this anymore" attitude.  I basically got lazy.  See, I had originally started couponing out of financial necessity.  Once I was making plenty of money again bartending, I didn't really see the need to keep taking the time to coupon.  What a foolish mistake!  I could have all of that money that I could have saved in a savings account or put towards paying off student loans... But instead I was lazy, and admittedly so. 

 

I digress!! The point is, when I found out that this baby was coming, I realized what I should have been doing all along - couponing.  At first, my boyfriend thought that I was absolutely crazy - clipping coupons late into the night, and using both of our laptops to print off stacks of internet and store coupons.  Then he saw me come home from CVS with a pack of diapers, 7 tubes of Desitin, & 2 bottles each of baby wash and baby lotion (along with 2 bottles of mouthwash and two tubes of tootpaste) all while waving a CVS ECBs coupon worth $12. 

“Look babe!  I got all of this for only $16, and I got $12 in ECBs, so it’s like I paid $4 for all of this stuff!”  I quickly found my enthusiasm was NOT matched!  “No.  It’s like you paid $16 for stuff we won’t need for almost a year.”  Okay.  So admittedly the first trip didn’t go so well, and I ended up taking all of the items back to CVS (with my original receipt OF COURSE) and sulking the whole way home.  But I didn’t give up!  A week later I left Target with all of this for only 47¢, plus a $5 gift card.

 

“Look babe!” (how most of my childish braggy couponing moments with my boyfriend go) “I got all of this stuff for about 50¢ AND they gave me a gift card – so it’s like they paid me $4.50 to bring this all home!”  Now I saw a little light go off.  He was on board!  And I was excited!

Arrival of Online Couponing Classes!!

You've asked for it, and now I am providing it! 

ONLINE COUPONING CLASSES!!!!(insert applause and cheering here!)

Really though, getexcited, people.  I have had so many friends and people from couponing blogs tell me "I wish you could teach me!" or "I wish I could come to your classes, but I don't live anywhere near Florida!".  Well, now, all of that has changed!  

okay, so I'm not a scientist but it was a lot of trial and error!



Over the past few months I have carefully crafted a live online version of my local Couponing 101 class, and finally!  I have a beautiful master product! 

I stuck to the basics of what I know works in my regular classes, but improved a lot of the features, and included things for free that the people in the live classes have to pay extra for (think my personally developed software for couponing and organizing gifted to you!) 

 

I decided to work with a great webinar software program that has excellent reviews in the technology community.  There were options to go with free servers, but I thought you all deserved better!  After many test runs

Coupon Preview week of 9/1/13

So we already know from the insert preview I posted that this week we are only getting one insert - the Proctor & Gamble (PG or P&G) insert.  Thanks to the lovely world wide web, we have a sneak preview of that insert here at The Savings Pro so you can plan ahead for maximum savings!

 

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND!!!! Coupon inserts and values differ from state to state, region to region, and even from paper to paper - this is merely a rough guideline to what you should see on Sunday.

 

P&G  Insert 9/1/13: 

How each coupon is listed:
Brand,  Value,  Description, Expiration 
ETS= Excludes Trial/Travel Size

Extreme Savings at CVS 8/27/2013!

Those of you who know me, or are learning a little more about me through this blog know that I LOVE CVS.  It is no secret that I find some of the best deals around on their beauty and personal products, and I always LOVE to share my deals with you! 


So check it out!  I got all of these shampoo and conditioners for only $2.60!! That averages to only 19¢ a bottle, when normally Head and Shoulders is $5.99/bottle, and Herbal Essence is $4.29/bottle!  Awesome, Huh?

 

Wanna know how I did it?  And how you can too?  Click Read More to see the break-down!

 

Can I use Coupons & Food Stamps together?

 

I get this question a LOT from families - they want to know if they can use coupons and then use Food Stamps (or EBT) as payment at the grocery store.

 

The short answer, Yes!   The mid-length answer, YES!  And might I add how smart of you for being a responsible steward of your assistance dollars and stretching them beyond their face value! 

 

Even though food stamps don't look like this anymore, they still provide the same assistance to families in need!

Think about the family who receives $200 monthly in food assistance.  By using coupons on dry goods, non perishables, and other coupon-yielding groceries, they will be able to use all of the surplus money to buy fresh produce (even organic!), eggs, milk, and meats that they may otherwise have had to pass up.  Here is a testimony from one of my first Savings Pro clients:

Don't Be a Dummy - Coupon LIES you should NEVER fall for!

I don’t know about you, but I pride myself on being an honest person.  I don't like liars, and so I strive to never lie to others, however in today's society I feel like people are lying more and more. 

 

Don't get me wrong, a lot of these lies may be "harmless" or “white lies” that aren’t meant to hurt anyone.  Like telling your boyfriend you already left the house to meet him for date night while you’re putting on makeup in the mirror.  However, at the end of the day, a lie is a lie… is a lie.

 

As you can see, the definition of a lie is intentionally spreading or sharing information with the knowledge that the information is false.  There are a LOT of rumors in the world of couponing regarding the legitimacy and value of “extreme” couponing (to read my post on “Extreme Couponing Redefined – Lies Revealed & Lines Drawn” click here!), and it’s hard to know if these myths were spread with the knowledge of false information or not.  It may be someone who thinks couponing is just silly and ridiculous (lots of people think that it is a waste of time to save the money we save), it may be someone who knows a person who has crossed the line and coupons unethically (to read my post on ethical couponing, and how it effects everyone, click here!), or it may be someone who is just not knowledgeable on the subject at all who is shocked and spreading the drama of “new” and “juicy” info!  

At the end of the day, I AM knowledgeable, and am here to save you from the myths and lies about couponing!  Keep reading, and I will negate all of these lies and get YOU on the knowledge train with me! 

Okay, so I'm not superwoman, but you get the idea of what I'm going for here!  Let me save you from these lies and rumors... I PROMISE it is worth your time (even with the cheesy jokes and silly clip art!).

Each "lie" will have a breakdown of why it isn't true, and then a dose of realism at the bottom  -  a little piece of realistic truth that other people may not be so up front about.  Hey, I'm here to show the good, the bads, and the uglies!

THE LIES 

Coupon Inserts By Month - What to Expect in 2013!!

This is a list that was published in January to help us plan ahead which inserts are coming in the Sunday papers!  Plan ahead on how to stock up and get the best savings possible! :)

 

Another tip?  Look for the early edition paper on Saturday to see if it has the same inserts, usually it does, and the paper is half the price or less!  That means if you normally can afford 3 papers at $2 each, you can take that same budget and buy 6 papers!  Woo-hoo!  Double the inserts!

 

 

Here is the breakdown, month by month: