Star News Versus News and Observer Round Four

 It's the first of the month so both newspapers will feature a Proctor and Gamble (P&G) Insert. I also noticed that both newspapers have Red Plum inserts and Smart Source inserts, so this is definitely a great week to buy the paper. You may even want to buy two or three copies this week! Below I will list all the coupons from each paper and let you know which paper has the most. May the best paper win!


Raleigh News and Observer Saturday, July 31st

Smart Source Insert
BIC Stationary Pens $1.00 off of two
General Mills Cereals $1.00 off of two
Yoplait Greek Yogurt $.50 off of two cups
Bestlife Buttery Spread $.50 off of one
Welch's Jam or Jelly $.35 off of one
Listerine $1.00 off of one
Band-Aids $.50 off of one
Efferdent $.75 off of one
Mitchun $.75 off of one
Rubbermaid $1.00 off of two
Wonderfile Workstation $3.00 off of one
Snackwells Bars $.75 off of one
Egglands Best Eggs $.35 off of a dozen Cage Free or Organic
Egglands Best Eggs $.35 off of one dozen
Eatsmart Naturals Snack $.75 off of one 5 oz or larger
Harris Teeter Brand Paper Towels 8 pack $3.00 off of one
Harris Teeter Brand Ice Cream $2.00 off of one
Harris Teeter Brand Pepperoni Pizza Thin Crust $1.00 off of one
Harris Teeter Brand Bath Tissue $3.00 off of one
Band-Aids $1.50 off of one
Listerine Smart Rinse for Kids or Reach Toothbrush $1.00 off of one
Aveeno Suncare $1.50 off of one
Clean and Clear $1.00 off of one
Precise Heat Patch from Tylenol $3.00 off of one
Schiff Megared $3.00 off of one
Schiff Mega D3 $2.00 off of one
Schiff Glucosamine $2.00 off of one
Schiff Vitamin or Supplement $1.00 off of one
Neutrogena Face Makeup $2.00 off of one
Neutrogena Lip or Eye Makeup $1.00 off of one
Glade Plug-ins $1.00 off a twin refill or two singles
Glade Scented Oil Lasting Impressions $3.00 off of one
Glade Fabric and Air Odor Eliminator $1.25 off of one
Glade Automatic Spray Refill $.75 off of one
Scrubbing Bubbles Cream Cleanser $1.00 off of one
Scrubbing Bubbles Bathroom Cleaners $1.00 off of two
Scrubbing Bubbles Fantastic Cleaner $.75 off of one
Scrubbing Bubbles Extend-a-Clean Bathroom or Shower Cleaner $1.00 off of one
Scrubbing Bubbles Antibacterial Wipes $.55 off of one
Scrubbing Bubbles Mega Shower Foamer $1.00 off of one
Buy One Scrubbing Bubbles Toilet Cleaning Gel and get one Scrubbing Bubbles Brush FREE
Windex Products $1.00 off of two
Icy Hot $2.00 off of one
Icy Hot, Sportscreme, Aspercreme, Flexall, Capzasin $1.00 off of one
Tyson Grilled and Ready Frozen Chicken $1.00 off of one
Carolina Pride Lunchmeat $.50 off of one
Carolina Pride Bologna $.50 off of one 12 oz
Finish Quantum $1.00 off of one
Finish Powerball or Gelpac $.75 off of one
Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief toothpaste $1.50 off of one
Colgate 360 Sensitive Pro-Relief Toothbrush $1.00 off of one
Scotch-brite Botanical Bacterial Wipes $.50 off of one
BIC Razors $2.00 off of one
Allegra Allergy Medicine $2.00 off of one
Listerine or Reach Toothbrush or Flosser $.50 off of one
Listerine or Reach Toothbrush or Flosser $1.50 off of two
Listerine or Reach Toothbrush or Flosser $3.00 off of three
Listerine Mouthwashes $1.00 off of one
Splenda Sugar $1.00 off of one
Splenda Essentials $3.00 off of one

Raleigh News and Observer July 31st, 2011


Red Plum Insert

Tresemme Shampoo or Conditioner $1.00 off of one
Tresemme Styling Product $1.00 off of one
Buy One Dove Shampoo or Conditioner and Get one Dove Treatment FREE
Dove Beauty Bar $.75 off of one
Dove Body Wash $1.00 off of one
Dove for Men $1.00 off
Dove for Men Body and Face Bar $1.00 off
Buy one Dove for Women Deoderant and Get One Dove for Men Deoderant FREE
Vaseline Prodcut $1.50 off of one 3.1 oz or larger
Degree Deoderant $1.00 off of one
Degree Deoderants $1.00 off of two
Axe Shower Gel or Detailer Buy one get one FREE
Q-Tips- $.30 off of one
Caress Body Wash or 6-pack $.75 off of one
Magnum Ice Cream $1.00 off of one
Hellmann's Product $.25 off of one
Wish Bone Dressing $1.00 off of one
Skippy Peanut Butter $.75 off of one
Lipton Iced Tea $.40 off of one
Ragu $.60 off of three jars
Country Crock Shedd's Spread $.40 off of one
AXE Products Buy one Get one FREE
Jimmy D's Product $.75 off of one
Sundown Product $1.00 off of one
Osteo Bi-Flex $4.00 off of o e
Marcal Small Steps Product $1.00 off of one
Domino Light or Amber Ogranic Agave Nectar $.75 off of one
Land-o-Frost $1.00 off of one wrap kit

Proctor and Gamble Insert (Both Newspapers Have this insert today)

Always Infinity product, 14 ct. $1.00 off of one

Always pads, clean or feminine cleansing cloths $.50 off of one
Always pantiliners, 30 ct. $1.00 off of one
Bounce dryer bar $.50 off of one
Bounce dryer sheets or bar refill $.25 off of one
Bounty napkins $.25 off of one
Bounty towels or napkins $.25 off of one
Braun Cruzer trimmer $5.00 off of one
Braun Series 3, 5 or 7 shaver $10 off of one
Cascade product $1.00 off of one
Charmin product $.25 off of one
Clairol hair color $2 off of one
CoverGirl product $1.00 off of one
Crest 3D White Professional Effects or 2 Hour Express whitestrips $10.00 off of one
Crest rinse, 946 mL  $2.00 off of one
Crest toothpaste, 4 oz + $.50 off of one
Crest toothpaste or liquid gel, 4 oz +, excl Cavity, Baking Soda or Tartar $.75 off of one
Crest White Advanced Vivid, Vivid, Stain Shield or Gentle Routine $5.00 off of one
 Dawn product $.50 off of one
Downy liquid fabric softener or dryer sheets $.50 off of one
Duracell select batteries $.50 off of one
Duracell rechargeable batteries, charger or 6 pk. hearing aid batteries $1.00 off of one
Fixodent adhesive, 1.05 oz + $.50 off of one
Fixodent cleanser $.75 off of one
Gillette body wash, excl trial size $2.00 off of one
Gillette Clinical deodorant or $3/2 reg deodorant, excl trial size $3.00 off of one 

Gillette Clinical Deoderant $3.00 off of two
Gillette Fusion ProGlide razor $4.00 off of one
Free Gillette Fusion ProGlide shave prep wyb ProGlide cartridge
Gillette Fusion skin care $2.00 off of one
Free Gillette Satin Care shave gel wyb Olay body wash, bar or hand & body lotion
Gillette Venus or Daisy disposable razor $2.00 off of one
Head & Shoulders shampoo or conditioner, excl trial size $.50 off of one
Iams canned dog or cat food Buy Three Get One Free
Iams Naturals dry dog or cat food $1.00 off of one $1.00 off of one
Iams Premium Protection dry dog or cat food $1.00 off of one
Iams ProActive Health dry dog or cat food $1.00 off of one
Ivory body wash or bar or Safeguard bar or liquid hand soap $.50 off of one
Metamucil Fiber singles, capsules or wafers $1.00 off of one
Metamucil product $1.00 off of one
Olay Pro-X facial moisturizer or Pro-X Clear, excl trial or cleanser $5.00 off of one
Olay Regenerist facial moisturizer, excl trial size $3.00 off of one
Oral-B battery toothbrush$3.00 off of one
Oral-B floss or floss picks, 3 ct. + $.75 off of one
Oral-B Pulsar CrossAction Advantage or (2) Indicator or Cavity Defense $.75 off of one
Oral-B replacement brush heads, 3 ct. + $10.00 off of two
Oral-B replacement brush heads, 3 ct. + $3.00 off of one three count
Oral-B Stages, Zooth or Crest kid’s toothbrush $.50 off of one
Oral-B Stages, Zooth or Crest kid’s toothpaste $.50 off of one
Pampers box diapers or pants or $1.00 off of one or $1.00 off of two bags

Pampers diapers or pants AND wipes 60 ct. $2.00 off of both

Pampers select diapers $2.00 off of one
Pantene product, excl trial size $1.00 off of two
Pringles fat free $1.00 off of two
Pringles Snack Stack or Stix $.50 off of one
Pringles Super Stack cans $1.00 off of four
Puffs tissues, 3 pk. or (3) singles $.25 off
Scope mouthwash, 710 mL $.75 off of one
Free Secret body spray wyb (2) Scent Expressions or Fresh Effects deodorant
Secret Flawless, Scent Expressions or Fresh Effects deodorant, twin pk. $1.00 off
Swiffer refill or Dust & Shine $.75 off of one
Swiffer Sweeper or Duster starter kit $1.00 off of one
Swiffer Wet Jet or Sweeper Vac starter kit $5 off of one
B1G1 Tampax Pearl Compak, 18-20 ct. max $3.99

Tampax Pearl Reg or Compak, 18 ct. $1.00 off of one

Tampax product $.50 off of one
Tide detergent $1.00 off one
Tide Stain Release powder 26-50 oz, duo pac 15-34 ct. or liquid 36-68 oz
Tide Stain Release product $.50 off of one
Venus razor $5.00 off when you buy a refill

Wilmington Star News Coupons July 31, 2011

Smart Source Insert
Egglands Best Eggs $.35 off of one
Egglands Best Eggs $.35 off of one Cage Free or Organic
Egglands Best Eggs $.35 off of one
Tylenol Precise Heat Patch $3.00 off of one
Snackwells Product $.75 off of one
Splenda $1.00 off of one
Splenda Essentials $3.00 off of one
Tysol Grilled and Ready Chicken $1.00 off of one bag
Efferdent Products $.75 off of one
Mitchum $.75 off of one
Rubbermaid Takealongs $1.0 off of two
Welch's Jam, Jelly or Spread $.35 off of one
Carolina Pride Lunchmeat $.50 off of one
Carolina Pride Bologna $.50 off of one
Wonderfile Portable Workstation $3.00 off of one
Eatsmart Naturals Snack $.75 off of one

Red Plum

Boost Multipack $1.50 off of one
Nestle Water $1.00 off of two multipacks
Nestle Water $1.00 off of tw multipacks
Carnation Breakfast Essentials $1.00 off of one
Mardi Gras Napkins $.55 off of one package
Mardi Gras Plates $.55 off of one package
Nivea Body Lotion $1.00 off of one
Nivea Body Wash for Womean $1.00 off of one
Nivea Body Wash for Men $1.00 of of one
Nivea for Men Face Care $1.00 off of one
Nivea Lip Care $3.00 off of two
Nivea Goodbye Cellulite $2.00 off of one
Centrum 60 ct or larger $2.00 off of one
LA Looks Product $1.00 off of one
BENGAY $3.00 off of one
Johnson and Johnson Red Cross Brand Products $1.50 off of two

Well, the obvious winner again is the Raleigh News and Observer! I would definitely buy two or three copies of it today. This brings the score to 3 wins for the Raleigh papers versus one win for the Wilmington paper.


Join me again next week for another analysis!

Racking Up at CVS!

 I bought all 20 items from CVS today for $17.44! Pictured: 2 Arm and Hammer Laundry Detergents, 10 Aussie/Herbal Essence Shampoos, Conditioners, and Products, Kleenex, 36 count Playtex Tampons, Kotex Tampons 18 count, Schick Intuition Women's Razor, Yardley Soap, Papermate Pens, Gatorade 32 ounce

Drugstore deals can be tedious but the rewards are so extreme that it can be worth it! 


So many people don't know that you can save tons of money by shopping at CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid. Pre-couponing, I thought drug stores were expensive. Boy was I wrong! If you shop the sales and PLAN your trip, drug stores can net you lots of free items.


I want to demonstrate with CVS because I shopped there this morning. This is an amazing week at CVS, so if you have time, try to get by there today. Their deals end on Saturday nights, so you still have time! 


At CVS, I always look through the sales flyer at home before I shop. I scope out items that are on sale and that I also have coupons for. Third and most importantly, I try to find items that offer Extra Care Bucks. Extra Care bucks are rewards money that you can spend at CVS only. After your purchase, they come attached to your receipt and you can redeem them on your next transaction, right away if you choose.


I buy items using coupons and then take the extra care bucks that I just earned to buy more things for free! You can also use coupons along with the extra care bucks to pay even less. Again, it can be complicated but it's worth it! Let me show you what I did this morning:


I bought:

Schick Intuition Women's Razor with 4 blades
A box of Kotex Tampons 18 count
Skintimate Shaving Cream
Playtex Tampons 36 count
PaperMate Pens 8 count


I used coupons on all of these items except the pens, and I ended up paying $25.04 including tax. For buying all of these items, I got back $14 in Extra Care Bucks to use inside of CVS. I spent them right away on my second transaction which was the following:

2 Arm and Hammer Laundry Detergents 50 ounces each
10 Herbal Essence and Aussie Shampoos, Conditioners and Mousse
1 Box of Kleenex 
1 Bar of Yardley Soap
1 Gatorade 32 ounce


I had 5 coupons for the shampoos, each coupon being for $3 off of two. Since I bought ten I could redeem five coupons, thus saving $15 off. I also had a CVS coupon for $5 off of a $25 purchase, which I could also redeem because it was a CVS coupon and I had certainly spent $5. Finally, I used all of my $14 in Extra Care Bucks towards the final price. So I SAVED $34 on that second order and only paid $2.10 for all of those items!


So, my total out of pocket was $27.14. Not bad for everything I got. But wait.....it gets even better....I earned a ten dollar gas card for buying the shampoo and detergent!


So if you factor in the gas card, you could say I paid $17.14 for everything I got (20 items), less than $1 per item. Considering that I bought some very expensive items (razor, laundry detergent, tampons), I think that's pretty good!

Kelloggs Cereal for Ten Cents a Box!!!

Pictured are some of the cereals that I got during the Lowes Foods sale.

I found a great sale this week on cereal and just yesterday had a chance to do it. It was at Lowes Foods and boy did I rack up. They had plenty in stock, too, so I didn't feel like I was doing the grocery store in.


The great thing about the sale is that there are several cereals to choose from- Rice Krispies, Cinnamon Corn Flakes, Froot Loops, Apple Jacks, Crunchy Nut, Eggo Maple Cereal, and Cinnabon Cereal. Each was on sale for $2.50, which is already a great deal.


Then, Lowes was running a promo where if you bought four boxes ($10 worth), you would get $4 off automatically at the register, making them $6 for all four ($1.50 each). I love promos like that because they are so easy- no coupon needed!


On top of all that, I had coupons for $.70 off of one box of Kellogs cereal, from the newspaper a few weeks back. Lowes Foods doubles coupons everyday, so that $.70 off turns into $1.40 off, thus making each box only $.10!!!! I paid ten cents a box plus tax!!!!!


Since I had 28 coupons, I bought 28 boxes. Lowes Foods will only double four of the same coupon at a time, so I did 7 separate transactions- two last night and five today. The cashiers were very friendly and to my surprise said not many people had done this deal!


Even without the coupons, it's still a great deal on cereal. I checked prices at Walmart last night and their prices don't even come close to beating this deal. The same size cereal for Crunchy Nut was $2.98 and Eggo Maple Syrup was $2.50. Even if I had redeemed my $.70 off coupon for the Crunchy Nut, it would have been $2.28 at best, since Walmart will not double and since they do not run fun promos like $4 off your bill. I always like to point that out because so many people assume they are getting the best deal at WalMart. 

The grocery store sales change over tonight, so you still have time to get this deal today!

Awesome Pier One Coupon

Apparently Pier One is doing some kind of daily deals offers on their website. I haven't checked them out yet but a friend of mine shared this awesome coupon with me!


Save $10 off a $10 purchase at Pier One! It really doesn't get much better than that!


Simply click and print the coupon. It expires July 27th, so you will need to use it soon. I would print it as soon as possible, in case too many people print it and it is removed. 


Coupon says one per customer per store, so keep that in mind. I guess that means you can print one for your hubby, too!


Click here to print the Pier One coupon!

Star News vs. News and Observer Round Three!

Last week the Raleigh News and Observer was the big winner, with way more coupons than the local Wilmington paper. Each newspaper has won a round, so this week will be the tiebreaker! 


The Star News inserts sure FEEL thinner than the Raleigh News and Observer, so I'm going to predict that the better bet this week is the Raleigh paper. See below for  list of all coupons in each paper.

Raleigh News and Observer July 24, 2011 (2 inserts this week- Red Plum and Smartsource)


Smart Source Insert
Palmolive Dish Liquid $.25 off of one
Colgate Toothpaste 4 oz. or larger $.50 off of one
Colgate Specialty Toothpaste 4 oz. or larger $.75 off of one
Colgate manual toothbrush $.40 off of one
Colgate Wisp 4 ct or larger $.50 off of one
Speed Stick Deoderants $.50 off of one
Irish Spring Body was or Multi-Bar Soap Packs $.50 off of one body wash or two soap packs
Irish Spring Deoderant $1.00 off of one
Softsoap Liquid Hand Soap $.35 off of one
Softsoap Body Wash $.75 off of one
Murphy Oil Soap Cleaners $.50 off of one
Planters Nutrition Bars or Big Nut Bars $.75 off of one
Chinet Plates $.55 off of one
Pediasure Sidekicks $3 off of one four pack
Air Wick Scented Oil Twin Refill Pack or 2 single refills $1.00 off of one
Kotex Pads $1.00 off of one
Kotex Liners $1.00 off of one
Kotex Tampons $1.00 off of one
Harmony Farms Dry Dogfood $3.00 off of one large bag
Harmoney Farms Dry Catfood or dogfood variety pack $2.00 off of one bag
Carpet Fresh $1.00 off of one
X-14 Cleaning Product $.55 off of one
Good Off $.50 off of one
2000 Flushes toilet bowl automatic cleaner $.55 off of one
Spot Shot Carpet Stain Remover $1.00 off of one
Eat Think Smile Crispy Thins or Granola Clusters $1.00 off of one
Ziploc Bags $1.00 off of two
Ziploc Containers $1.50 off of two
Arm and Hammer Laundry Products $1.00 off of two
Dole Tropical Fruit $.50 off of two cans
Schick Intuition or Quattro for Women Razor or Refill $2.00 off of one
Clearasil products $1.00 off of one
Edge Shave Gel $.55 off of one 7 oz or larger
Schick Quattro Titanium Razor or Trimmer $2.00 off of one
Schick Quattro Titanium Refill $2.00 off of one
Schick Quattro for Women Disposable Pack $1.00 off of one
Skintimate Shave Gel $.55 off of one
Skintimate Moisuritzing Cream Shave $1.00 off of one
Oxi Clean $1.00 off of one
Oxi Clean $3.00 off of two
Friskies $1.00 off of twenty small cans or two 12 count or one variety pack with 24 ct or larger
KY Products $2.00 off of one
Post Cereals $1.00 off of two
Post Cereals Treats $1.00 off of two


Red Plum Insert Raleigh Paper
Loreal Healthy Look Creme Gloss Color $2 off of one
Loreal Paris Face Product $2 off of one
Loreal Double Extend Eye Illuminator Mascara or Liner $3 off of one
Loreal Paris Eye Product $2 off of one
Loreal Paris Moisturizer $1 off of one
Loreal Paris Cleanser $1 off of one
Loreal Paris EverSleek, Everpure, or Everstrong Shampoo or Conditioner $2 off of one
Loreal Paris EverSleek Everpure or Everstrong Treatment $2 off of one
Whiskas Tray Catfood BOGO Free
Whiskas Dry Food for Cats $1.00 off of one bag
M&Ms Chocolate Candies $1.00 off of one
Temptations Cat Treats $.50 off of one
Garnier Fructis Shampoo or Conditioner $1.00 off of one
Garnier Fructis Style Products $1.00 off of one
Kibbles n Bits $1.50 off of one bag
Kelloggs PopTarts or Pop Tart Mini Crisps $1.00 off of three packages
Kelloggs Mini Wheats $1.00 off of two boxes 14.5 oz or larger
Kelloggs Frosted Flakes, Apple Jacks, Corn Pops, Froot Loops or Honey Smacks $1.00 off of three
Keebler Sandwich Crackers $.75 off of two packages, 8 ct or larger
Land o Frost Premium Lunchmeats $.55 off of one pound
I Flex $5 off of one
Land o Frost Lunch Wrap Kits $1.00 off of one
Purina Beggin Strips $1.00 off of two
Jimmy Dean Sausage Crumbles $.55 off of one
Jimmy Dean Fully Cooked Links or Patties $.55 off of one
Jimmy Dean Skillets $1.00 off of one package
Systane $2.00 off of one
ICaps $2 off of one
Opti Free $3.00 off of two 10oz bottles
One a Day Mulitvitamin $1.00 off of one
One a Day Multivitamin $2.00 off of one 100 count or larger
Flinstones Multivitamins $2.00 off of one
One a Day Women's Multivitamin and Dial Nutriskin Lotion or Bodywash $3.00 off WYB both items

Total Value of Coupons today: $90. 30



Wilmington Star News Coupons 7/24/11 2 inserts Smart Source and Red Plum

Smart Source Insert
Planters Nutrition Bars or Big Nut Bars $.75 off of one
Chinet Plates $.55 off of one
Air Wick Scented Oil Twin Refill Pack or 2 single refills $1.00 off of one
Harmony Farms Dry Dogfood $3.00 off of one large bag
Harmoney Farms Dry Catfood or dogfood variety pack $2.00 off of one bag
Eat Think Smile Crispy Thins or Granola Clusters $1.00 off of one
Arm and Hammer Laundry Products $1.00 off of two
Schick Intuition or Quattro for Women Razor or Refill $2.00 off of one
Clearasil products $1.00 off of one
Edge Shave Gel $.55 off of one 7 oz or larger
Schick Quattro Titanium Razor or Trimmer $2.00 off of one
Schick Quattro Titanium Refill $2.00 off of one
Schick Quattro for Women Disposable Pack $1.00 off of one
Skintimate Shave Gel $.55 off of one
Skintimate Moisuritzing Cream Shave $1.00 off of one
Certo, Jell, Sure, or MCP Prodcuts $1.00 off of two


Red Plum Insert
Loreal Healthy Look Creme Gloss Color $2 off of one
Loreal Paris Face Product $2 off of one
Loreal Double Extend Eye Illuminator Mascara or Liner $3 off of one
Loreal Paris Eye Product $2 off of one
Loreal Paris Moisturizer $1 off of one
Loreal Paris Cleanser $1 off of one
Loreal Paris EverSleek, Everpure, or Everstrong Shampoo or Conditioner $2 off of one
Loreal Paris EverSleek Everpure or Everstrong Treatment $2 off of one
Land o Frost Premium Lunchmeats $.55 off of one pound
Land o Frost Lunch Wrap Kits $1.00 off of one

Total Value of Wilmington Star News Coupons $36.95

Going by sheer value alone, the Raleigh paper definitely had more coupons. Add in the extraordinary variety of coupons that you got from the Raleigh paper and it's the best bet this week by far. I wouldn't even bother with the Star News this week, unless you just plan to read it!

Contacting the Manufacturer for Coupons

 Manufacturers really have to compete for our business nowadays! Just think of how many options we have out there. Consider chips or cereal for example. There are so many choices, not only amongst different manufacturers of similar products but also amongst the store brands. Most grocery stores offer their own versions of popular items from everything including cereals, chips, juices, milk, yogurt, bread- you name it! If there's a name brand, there's usually a store brand available too.


What this means for us, the consumers, is that the manufacturers have to compete a little harder for our business and one of the ways they do this is by offering coupons to entice us to try their product. Many manufacturers offer coupons repeatedly (each month) in the newspaper and online. For example, I can bet on the fact that Kelloggs will put coupons in the Sunday paper monthly for their products. Many manufacturers have web pages where you can sign up to be on their mailing list. I do this and quite often I get coupons sent to me in my e-mail from them monthly. Proctor and Gamble has even sent me coupon booklets in postal mail before!


Another way to get coupons is to write the manufacturer. I've been hearing stories in my workshops from people who have had success with this, so I decided to do a project. I'm going to write ten different manufacturers via email and see how many respond to me with coupons. I can't wait to report back on how this is going! I did one yesterday for a specialty shampoo that my husband has to use, Nizoral. It is SO expensive and I never can seem to find coupons for it, not even online. I wrote them and heard back the next day! They said they would be glad to send me coupons. I was so excited, so I will report as to how long they take to arrive.


One lady told me that she did this with all of her prescription meds and that each manufacturer sent her high value coupons, including some that were $25 off! She said that she could use them even with her insurance and the $25 off took care of the copay. How awesome is that? I definitely suggest writing the manufacturer especially when specialty or expensive products are involved.


I plan on writing ten manufacturers this week, so I will report back soon on the response! For now, here is a link to Kelloggs website. They sent me some great coupons in my e-mail today, including $.70 off of Cheese-its or Keebler crackers. These crackers are on sale this week at Harris Teeter, so with the coupon they end up being only $1.10 a box!

The Benefits of Stockpiling- Brownies for Life!

OK, well, maybe not brownies for life but for quite some time! 


One of the things I stress in my workshops is stockpiling. When you see a good sale (especially when items are free), you don't want to just get one- you want to get several! It makes no sense to only buy one and then when that one runs out go back to the store next week and buy another at full price. 

You don't have to go crazy stockpiling like they do on the Extreme Couponing TV show, but you should at least buy enough to last you 4-6 weeks. Most items in the grocery store will go on sale every 4-6 weeks, so within 4-6 weeks another sale will come along where you can buy more items again. I do this with cereal all of the time. When it's on sale, I buy several boxes for myself and my children. Those boxes last me quite some time, so I only return to the store to buy cereal again when I see another awesome sale. This way, I'm NEVER paying full price for cereal! I get it for $.50-$1.00 most of the time, and we're talking all name brand!


Here's a deal that you can go out and do this week! This week (and last week), I saw that Betty Crocker brownies were on sale at Harris Teeter for $1 a box. That is already a great deal. I recall in the past running out and buying brownies at full price because I had promised to make some for a party. I paid at least twice as much. 


Not only are the brownies on sale, but there is a coupon available for them. I knew this because I used my Delly's Deals Coupon Database to search for "Betty Crocker brownies." I saw that there was a coupon so I then went to Kuntry Klippers (on the front of my webpage) to buy them. Kuntry Klippers sells coupons in sets of 20, so I ordered one set for only $.85 plus a stamp for shipping!. 


The coupons are for $.75 off of two boxes of brownies. Harris Teeter will double that to $1.50 off! So, since the two boxes are on sale for $1 each ($2 total), that makes it $.50 for both boxes! That's only a quarter a box of name brand brownies.


So, of course I didn't just buy two boxes- I bought 18 (for only $4.50)! I could have bought 40 boxes with all of my coupons but I decided to share some coupons on the shelf for others. I figured that buying 18 boxes would be plenty to hold me until the next brownie sale comes up, probably around the holidays. Looks like I will be bringing brownies to any potluck dinners or special events for the next few months!. My son has a birthday coming up so what will we be having? Brownies of course!


One note about stockpiling- be careful and look at the expiration date. These brownies don't expire until mid 2012, so I figure that I should have used most of them by then. 


Happy Stockpiling!

Great Deal on Photo Books Buy 1 Get 2!

I love photo books! In the back of my mind, I have a dream of doing a beautiful scrapbook for each of my three children. Since that dream won't be a reality for a while, in the mean time I am doing photo books! I have ordered them from Shutterfly and Snapfish and was happy with the results from both companies. Simply upload your photos from your computer, memory card or camera and the company arranges them into a beautiful photo book for you. 


When my eight month old was born, we made him one. We also did one for Christmas and fall, highlighting all of the fun events that took place during that time. My children absolutely love looking through the photo books! You can also add text to each page to narrate your photos, as well as a title on the front page. There are also many different backgrounds and themes to choose from. If you don't like the order that the company puts your photos in, you can change it. You can also change the size of the photos, etc. I love how flexible they are; if you like the way the computer made it, you can't order it as is, but if not, you can change what you'd like.


Right now, Snapfish is running a crazy deal- buy two photo books and get one free! They can all be the same photo book (in case you want multiple copies to give to friends or family) or they can be different photo books (in case you have three different events that you want to make separate photo books for). Shipping is extra, but reasonable.


To get this deal, go to Snapfish and when you checkout enter the code: MYSUMMERBKS

Star News vs. News and Observer Round Two!

I have decided to list the coupons that come in each paper weekly, since each paper has different coupons. Last week the Star News and Observer smashed the Raleigh News and Observer with WAY more coupons, by over $36.


This week at first glance it appears that the winner will be Raleigh's paper. The Star News had a very thin insert, filled with mostly ads. Very disappointing at first glance, but let's take a closer look!

Wilmington Star News Coupons July 16th, 2011


Smart Source Insert
Clairol Hair Color $1.00 off of one
Clairol Hair Color $1.00 off of two
Pull Ups Training Pants $1.00 off of one
Cottonelle Flushable Moist Wiipes $.75 off of two
Cottonelle Bathroom Tissue $.75 off of two four packs or one twelve pack
Viva Paper Towels Big Rolls $.40 off of one or more
Gain or Tide Detergent $2.00 off of one (this is an AWESOME coupon)!
Revlon Grow Luscious Plumping Mascara $1.00 off of one
Schick Disposable Razors $1.00 off of One

Total Value: $8.90


Raleigh News and Observer Coupons July 16th, 2011


Smart Source Insert
Brach's Candy $.50 off of one
Fiber One 90 Calorie Brownies $.75 off of one
Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks $.50 off of two
Nature Valley Granola Bars $.75 off of two
Fiber One Chewy Bars or Brownies $.40 off of one
Fiber One Cereal $.50 off of one
Total Cereal (any) $.50 off of one
Cheerios (any) $.50 off of two
Hamburger Helper $.75 off of three
Wheaties $.75 off of one
Cocoa Puffs Brownie Crunch $.75 off of one
Gain or Tide Detergent $2.00 off of one
Excedrin $.75 off of one 20 count
Excedrin $1.50 off of one 80 count
Benefiber $1.00 off of one
Benefiber Sticks $1.00 off of one pack
Gas X $1.00 off of one
Gas X Prevention $1.00 off of one
Maalox Advanced Product $1.00 off of one
Maalox Advanced Product $2.50 off of two
Prevacid 24 hour $3.00 off of one
Prevacid 24 hour (42 count) $7.00 off of two
Pull Ups $1.00 off of one
Huggies Diapers $1.50 off of one
Huggies Diapers (60 ct or larger) $3.00 off of one
Huggies Wipes $.50 off of one
Purina Dog Foods $1.00 off of a 4 pound bag or larger
Bufferin  130 count $1.00 off
NoDoz 36 ct $1.00 off
Cottonelle Flushable Moist Wipes $.75 off of two
Cottonelle Bathroom Tissue $.75 off of two four packs or one twelve pack
Viva Paper Towels $.40 off of one or more rolls
Keri Lotion $2.00 off of one
GenTeal Eye Relief $1.50 off of one
Kleenex Tissues $.50 off of three or off of one bundle pack
Clairol Hair Color $1..00 off of one box
Clairol Hair Color $5.00 off of two boxes
Schick Disposable Razors $1.00 off of one
Noxema Facial Products $.50 off of one
Kleenex Hand Towels $.75 off of one package
Comet Spray or Scrub Cleaner $.35 off of one
Resolve Laundry Pre-Treat $.50 off of one
Resolve In-Wash Stain Remover $1.00 off of one
Revlon Grow Luscious Plumping Mascara $1.00 off of one
Wilkinson Sword Razor Triple Blade $2.00 off of one
Raid Max Bug Barrier Starter Kit $3.00 off of one
Raid Max Bug Barrier Refill $1.00 off of one

Total Value: $64.00

Need I say more? The Raleigh News and Observer is the obvious winner this week! Pretty much every coupon that was in the Wilmington Paper was also in the Raleigh paper, so I wouldn't even bother getting the Star News today, unless you got it for free!


By the way, today is the last day of Food Lion's three day sale. They have Gain 50 oz detergent for only $3.99, which is already a great deal. Take your $2.00 off coupon from today's paper and you can get it for $1.99! This is a great opportunity to STOCK UP!!!! Ask your neighbors for their extra papers if you can!

Saving on Water

I wanted to mention ways to save on water today, not only on drinking water but on your water bill as well.


If you buy water, as I do, it can begin to add up. I used to buy the gallons of water from the store, for around $.99 a gallon. I thought that was a great deal until I found Southern Water. They are a pure, distilled drinking water company here in Wilmington, located near the airport off of 23rd Street. Their water tastes crystal clear, like nothing I've ever tasted before. And no, Southern Water is not paying me to say this! 

Besides the fact that it tastes so good, all of the impurities are taken out of it, so there is nothing left in the water. I used to buy drinking water from the store because I was worried about the quality of the local tap water. Well, come to find out, I heard on the news that many bottled water companies were simply packaging tap water and selling it! Some filter it a little but some bottled water was still found to have fluoride, drugs, and bacteria in it! So, I opted for 100% pure distilled water. 

Best of all, it's only $.59 a gallon and you can take your own gallons or get water from them. I get the big 5 gallon jug and have a kitchen cooler unit. My unit is the basic kitchen cooler unit, but a friend of mine had a very nice cooler unit that was stainless steel and blended in well into her kitchen. As a bonus, the buttons on the top were not reachable for small children. 


To switch subjects, I wanted to mention a creative way to save on water for your yard. This idea is not mine; it came from a lady at my workshop, Virginia. She told everyone that her husband placed a bin under the air conditioning pipe behind their house. She said that you wouldn't believe how much water drips into that bin each day. He then went even further by building a rain barrel into the ground to catch all of the drippage from the unit and he attached a hose to the rain barrel and used that water to water the lawn! 


I decided to try this myself. I took my kids' water table and put it under the drain pipe. Sure enough, it filled up overnight! I have not gone as far as building a rain barrel but I do dip the water out and into a watering can and I use that water to water my garden rather than water from the faucet. I cannot believe how much water I am saving!


Below is a video of what I am talking about. Try it! (Please ignore the weeds and sediment in the water table). Unfortunately, the air conditioning pipe is not located in the most attractive area of my yard!

Staples 1 Cent Sale

 My friend, Tracy has a blog, over at A Slice of Smith life, where she shares her adventures in parenting and homeschooling. Among other topics, she also mentions the occasional sale. She wrote about the one cent sale at Staples that is going on right now and got some wonderful deals.


I went to the Staples on College Road this morning and there was still quite a bit in stock. My favorite deal was the $.25 printer paper. There is a limit of two, so I got two reams of 500 pages each for $.50! This will definitely come in handy for some of the coupons that I print! For the paper deal, you do have to do an easy rebate, but I promise you it really is easy. You can go online to fill it out and Staples will send you a check in the mail. I've done their rebates before and it took maybe five minutes to fill out each one. Well worth the savings in my opinion!

Other items that are part of their 1 cent sale include (and yes, the items really are 1 cent! there is a limit of two):


Staples erasers 12 pack
BIC Round Stic Ball point pens
Staples school glue

There are also some $.25 cent items, and $1 items. The sale ends today; I am not sure if they will have another 1 cent sale tomorrow, but I do know that there will be great deals for teachers and homeschool parents coming up soon, so stay tuned to Staples! As soon as I hear about more deals, I will post here and on Facebook.

Using Catalina Coupons- Sixty Cents for 8 Turkey Burgers!

I got a great deal tonight at Food Lion using a Catalina coupon. I paid only $.60 for 2 packs of turkey burgers from Butterball! Each pack had four burgers, so I got a total of 8 burgers for only $.60. I love saving on meat!


For those who don't know what a Catalina is, it's the little machine that prints out coupons at the register when you pay. They are the long, skinny coupons that you get with your receipt. Their bar code starts with the #9, so they do not double, but often they are special deals or promotions, sometimes related to your grocery store savings card and sometimes just special offers from the manufacturer.


Since they are manufacturer's coupons, they can be used at any grocery store, regardless of where they came from. They WILL ring up, provided that the cashier doesn't get confused and start thinking that they cannot take Catalinas from another store. Unfortunately, sometimes even cashiers don't know their own store policies.

Last week I received a Catalina at Harris Teeter for $3.00 off of one package of Butterball turkey burgers. I noticed that they were on sale at Food Lion this week for $2.50 a package, so I took my Catalina there and got them for FREE! Even better is that Food Lion let me keep the $.50 in overage, so I applied it to another pack of turkey burgers in the same transaction. I also had a manufacturer coupon for those turkey burgers for $1.50 off of one, so after tax I ended up paying only sixty cents! What a great deal, especially on meat.


Now, let's keep our fingers crossed that myself, my husband and my kids actually like the turkey burgers!

E-Coupons for Bounty and Charmin

I just found out today that Upromise has e-coupons available for Charmin Toilet Paper and Bounty Paper Towels and Bounty Napkins. These items are currently on sale at Harris Teeter and Lowes Foods. Remember, the Upromise digital coupons go to a college savings account for either your child or your own student loans, whereas the paper coupons will come off your bill immediately in the store. 

In addition, there are manufacturer's coupons for all of these items in the Proctor and Gamble coupon insert from July 3rd's newspaper.


At Harris Teeter you can combine a paper coupon with a digital coupon, so be sure to use both! I am not sure yet whether this will work at Lowes Foods. If you find out, I would love to know. 


Lowes Foods is having a nice sale on Bounty Paper Towels, where you can get 8 rolls or 6 big rolls for $5.99. If they allow you to use both the paper and digital coupons, you will save $1.00, making them $4.99. That's a pretty good deal for paper towels (although I must admit that I am already stocked up on paper towels after Harris Teeter's Saturday special where I got 8 rolls for $3.77 :)! At that price, I bought two packs, so I made out with 16 rolls of Bounty Select a Size for less than $8!

Star News vs. News and Observer Round One!

 Today the Raleigh News and Observer had one Red Plum Insert. The Wilmington Star News had two inserts- a Red Plum and a Smart Source Insert. Although they both had Red Plums, each city has differences as to which coupons appear in their insert. So, below I decided to list exactly what came in each insert and compare which paper had more dollar value worth of coupons. See who wins today!


Wilmington Star News 7/10/2011


Smart Source Insert:
Mentos UP2U Gum $1.00 off of two packs
Mentos 45 piece Gum $1.00 off of one
Mentos Gum 15 piece $1.00 off 3 bottles
Muellers Whole Grain Pasta $1.00 off of one package
Ball Canning Kit $2.00 off of one
Ball Accessory Item $1.00 off of one
Biotrue Multi Purpose Solution $2.00 off of one
Biotrue Multi Purpose Solution 2x10 oz pack $4.00 off
Purina Chef Michaels Canine Creations $2.00 off of 6 cans
Purina Chef Michaels Canine Creations $2.00 off of one 4.5 lb bag
Purina Chef Michaels Canine Creations $4.00 off of one 11.5 lb bag
Damp Rid Moisture Absorber $.50 off of any one
Air Wick Freshmatic Ultra Starter Kit $4.00 off of one
Air Wick Freshmatic Compact Starter Kit $4.00 off of one
Infusium 23 Products $1.00 off of one
One Touch Diabetes Monitor $10 off of one
One Touch Delica Lancets $5.00 off of two or $2 off of one box
Smart Balance Butter $1.00 off of two
Smart Balance Peanut Butter $.75 off of one
Smart Balance Milk $1.50 off of one
Smart Balance Cooking Spray or Oil $.75 off of one
Smart Balance Popcorn $.75 off of one
Smart Balance Eggs $.50 off of one


Star News Red Plum 7/10/2011

Folgers Coffee 10.3 oz $1.00 off of one
Folgers Coffee 3 oz. or larger $.25 off of one
Loreal Age Perfect Hydra-Nutrition $1 off of one
Loreal Paris Skincare $1.00 off of one
Loreal Shade of Preference $2.00 off of one
Adams Flea Control Product $3.00 off of one
Seed Body Care Product $1.00 off of any one
Cheer Laundry Detergent $.50 off of one
Era Laundry Detergent $.50 off of one
Gain Laundry Detergent $.50 off of one
Gain Fabric Sheets or softener $.50 off of one
Voortman Sugar Free Wafers $1.00 off of one
Rhodes Warm N Serv Rhodes $.75 off of one

Total Value of Wilmington Newspaper Coupons:  $65.75


Raleigh News and Observer Coupons 7/10/11

Red Plum Insert
Your Life Multivitamin Supplement $2.00 off of one
Flex-a-min Supplement $3.00 off of one
Natures Bounty Supplement or Vitamin $1.00 off of one
Loreal Age Perfect Hydra-Nutrition $1 off of one
Loreal Paris Skincare $1.00 off of one
Loreal Shade of Preference $2.00 off of one
M&Ms Candies 1.14-3.27 oz bags $.75 off of two
Kellogs Special K, Cruncy Nut, Mini Wheats, Rice Krispies, Fiber Plus $.70 off of one
Kellogs Special K, Cruncy Nut, Mini Wheats, Rice Krispies, Fiber Plus $1.50 off of two
Kellogs Special K, Cruncy Nut, Mini Wheats, Rice Krispies, Fiber Plus $2.25 off of three
Keebler Granola Fudge Bars $.75 off of one 6 ct.
Nine Lives Cat Food 3.15 lb or larger $1.00 off of one
Nine Lives Cat Food Cans $1.00 off 12 cans

Folgers Coffee 10.3 oz $1.00 off of one
Folgers Coffee 3 oz. or larger $.25 off of one
Jimmy Dean D-Lights $1.00 off of one Sandwich
Jimmy Dean D-Lights Bowls $.55 off of one
Hillshire Farms Lunchmeat $.35 off of one
Hillshire Farms Lunchmeat $.75 off of two
Voortman Sugar Free Wafers $1.00 off of one
Rhodes Warm N Serv Rhodes $.75 off of one
Hefty One Zip Bags $1.00 off of two packages
Freezer Queen Family Buffett Meals $1.00 off of two entrees
Noxema Spa Shave Shavers $2.00 off of one

Cheer Laundry Detergent $.50 off of one
Era Laundry Detergent $.50 off of one
Gain Laundry Detergent $.50 off of one
Gain Fabric Sheets or softener $.50 off of one

Total Value of Raleigh News and Observer Coupons: $29.60

WOW! In this first round of coupon comparisons, The Star News CRUSHED the News and Observer by $36.15!!!


Going on total value alone, I would recommend buying the Wilmington paper today. You can get it for only $1.00 at Dollar Tree, too. 

I cover everything and buy one of each paper to get the variety of coupons, including the Kellogs coupons which were in the Raleigh paper but not the Wilmington one. 

Let me know what you did today!

Video- Couponing on Carolina in the Morning Part Two- The Checkout

In my last blog post I wrote about being on WECT's Carolina in the Morning show with Claire Hossman on Tuesday morning. We did a shopping trip on T.V. where I gave advice on how to save in the store. At the end, for the grand finale, we did a shopping trip where my goal was to spend $20 or less for a cart full of groceries. I told Claire that I had only brought in a $20 bill, so if I went over I would have to put something back! I definitely didn't want to embarrass myself on TV like that, although I would have probably used it as a teachable moment learning experience for others.


I made a point to buy a variety of items; I got fresh vegetables, fruit, chicken, almonds, turkey hotdogs, toilet paper, and many other items. I wanted to show how people could get a variety of items in the grocery store for a great price, all name brand. I will list everything that I bought underneath the video. Do you think I met my goal? Take a look at the video to see!



Items that I bought: Cottonnelle toilet paper 12-count, Franks Red-Hot Sauce, 8 ears of fresh corn, 4 bananas, 24-count Lipton Iced Tea, Lloyds Pulled Chicken, Oscar Meyer Turkey Hotdogs, 2 Boxes of Muellers Spaghetti Noodles, 50 oz Gain Detergent, Mr. Clean cleaner, Crest Toothpaste, Reynold's Wrap (50 feet), Dove Deoderant, French's Spicy Brown Mustard, Domino Light Brown Sugar, French's Worceshire Sauce, Nesquick Chocolate Milk, Mahatma White Rice, Blue Diamond Can of Low Sodium Almonds

In the end, the grand total was $18.55 (you don't see this on camera because we needed two overrides), which was pretty amazing for  21 items (I counted the veggies and fruit as one item each for the group). The bill pre-discounts was $49.00 and change, so I saved over 50%, which is my base goal that I teach in my workshops! What a fun shopping trip and thank you to WECT and Claire Hossman for allowing me to do such a fun segment on air!

Couponing on Carolina in the Morning!

This past Tuesday I had the chance to do a shopping trip on WECT News' Carolina in the Morning show with Claire Hossman. It was so much fun and such a great opportunity to share some couponing tips with others. We shopped at the Harris Teeter store at Shipyard Blvd., which you must visit sometime if you never have! Harris Teeter specifically wanted to show off their flagship store, which is enormous with a Starbucks inside, and very well stocked.

Claire and I did eight segments, where we discussed shopping tips and the basics of how to save in the store.



For fun, we added a final segment where we had to shop for $20 or less and fill up a cart. I really wanted to drive home the fact that coupons are not just for unhealthy items. In fact, some of the items that I put in my cart included low sodium nuts, 8 ears of fresh corn, bananas, turkey hotdogs, rice, noodles and mustard. These, except for the hotdogs, are all whole foods, not boxed items. Also, I wanted to show that couponing can be helpful in the household items department as well. During the trip I also bought Cottonnelle toilet paper, Mr. Clean cleaner, Gain laundry detergent, Dove Deoderant for women, Crest toothpaste, and some other items.

The checkout was very exciting and I was nervous because I had only brought $20 cash! I told Claire that if we didn't meet our goal, that I would have to put something back! Think I met my goal? Check out my next post where I will put a video showing the results!

Using Coupons to Save for Your Child's Education

Sorry that I have been missing in action this past week! I was out of town on vacation with my family. I hated to miss Super Double Coupon week at Harris Teeter, but I was happy to get in at least one trip on the very first day before I headed out. Although I checked my emails, I promised my children and husband my full attention during vacation, which meant very little blogging or couponing!


Speaking of children, have you joined Upromise yet? If not, it's a must! I wanted to take a minute to explain what Upromise is and I assure you it is well worth your time to join, even if you don't have kids.


Upromise is a free college savings program, offered by Sallie Mae. Those of you who have taken my workshop know how much I love digital coupons because they are so stress-free. Simply click the coupons you want online and they automatically upload to your store savings card. Even better is the fact that you can use manufacturers coupons along with the digitial ones, as well as store coupons, too!


Upromise is simply a digital coupon service with lots of great coupons. In fact, they uploaded their new coupons online today. With Upromise, however, you don't get money off of your grocery bill; the money goes into a college savings account for your children. The great thing is that you can still use other digital coupons when you check out, and you can also use your paper coupons as well, so basically, using Upromise doesn't affect your usage of other coupons at all. You can still redeem other coupons when you pay. Upromise is just another simple, free way to save money!


A couple of notes about Upromise- you can also have other people (such as grandparents) link their store cards to your child's Upromise account. Think of how much money your child could accrue over the years in their account with yourself and relatives buying these items! Even if your family member (say grandmother) isn't very tech savvy, you could set up the account with her and link your child's name and go in and add the coupons onto their card for them each month. All they have to do is shop and if they buy any of the items, the money will accrue. I can't think of an easier way to save for college, honestly.



One other great thing about Upromise is that it can be used to pay down student loans! So even if you don't have children but you DO have student loans, you can use your savings to help pay down your loan. Again, what better way to get rid of debt than by shopping as usual in the grocery store? I love it!


To join or for more information, check out their website here.