Save Money Everyday on Stuff You Buy with Groupon Coupons

I have always been a deal shopper. I suppose I learned it watching my mom when I was a kid, I can remember my mom clipping coupons and submitting rebates for the items that we bought. I can remember Sunday mornings reading through the ads after church and deciding if there were deals worth heading to the store. One of my favorite days to go shopping each year was Black Friday. Not only was it a day out with my mom, grandma, aunts and cousins, but we got some great deals. I can remember one store giving us a $10/$10 coupon to use on top of all of their deals.

Deal shopping has changed a lot since I was a kid. You can get coupons online, apps provide instant rebates on the products you buy and you can find coupons online to your favorite stores.

Groupon Coupons is one source of great offers for your favorite stores. In fact, they currently have 84,186 free coupons at 12,116 stores. Not just any stores, but stores that I already shop at like Ann Taylor, Clarks, Amazon, Target, FootLocker, LL Bean and many others.

When it comes to shoes for work, going out or a casual day around town, I really enjoy wearing Clarks. Nothing compares with the fit and comfort of the shoes that I find at Clarks. My favorite heels that I can wear for hours are Clarks. I almost never wear heels, so that is saying a lot. Today, there are 31 offers for Clarks on Groupons Coupons. The offers are a mix of sales and coupon codes - 25% off, free shipping, and more.

Have you checked out Groupons Coupons? What is your favorite deal?

This is a sponsored post. All opinions expressed are my own.

All This for $1.02 at CVS

It has been forever since I was shopping at CVS and in order to actually check out today, I had to shop at CVS twice. I got some deals that felt reminiscent of the deals I used to get when I shopped - 4 bottles bodywashes, 2 tubes toothpaste, 4 greeting cards, 2 caramels and 1 bottle of dishsoap, for just over $1 OOP.

I wish that the trip overall was as easy as the deals were to put together. So, a week or two ago, I had received an ECB offer by e-mail. I did not PRINT the coupon before I went today, because it was an unplanned trip. I honestly thought nothing of it. I have the CVS app and have had both my card and the offers in the app scanned on my phone before, so why would a coupon that was e-mailed be any different.

I grabbed an ad, strategized on the fly and came up with a couple of transactions that would allow me to maximize my ECBs. I headed up to check out with my arms loaded (a cart or basket probably would have helped). I clicked on the coupon link in my e-mail and as it loaded, I set down my phone and went to get my ECB card from my purse. As the cashier attempted to scan the bar code on my phone, I told her that wasn't my card it was an ECB. She said, we can't scan those, store policy - you should be able to send it to your card. I checked the coupon and there was only a Print or Close option. I talked to the manager who reiterated that they could not use the ECB unless it was printed. This frustrated me. You allow me to scan deals in a Mobile App. You send me e-mails with links to deals that I can send to card. So, why oh why, did I get an e-mail that I could not scan in store nor could I send it to card? Frustrated, I set my stuff aside and said I will come back once I print the ECBs.

I returned a few hours later...all my stuff, restocked...so I shopped again.

The next surprise came at check out again. My first transaction went smoothly. Turns out that there was a 'better' price on the one item and my order came up just shy of my ECB when I had expected it to be slightly over. The register automatically adjusted the ECB down and completed the transaction.

The second transaction, not as smooth. I had $6 total ECBs from the first transaction that I was planning to spend in the second. I had $5.98 worth of stuff in the transaction. Historically, they could adjust it down and I would just pay tax. Now, the register wouldn't process the ECB unless my pretax total was at least as much as the ECB. So, I added a caramel and moved on.

Next transaction, I purchased the Dawn which had a 25c off coupon from the coupon machine. I had my order at 2.31 before coupons and handed her the 25c coupon and the $2 ECB. It processed the ECB fine, but only took off 13c for the coupon. I asked why and was told, the register does what it does, I don't know why and can't change it. So, instead of having 6c plus tax due, I had 18c plus tax due. What? I really want to understand why you can't process a coupon at face value when the purchase can fully support the coupon. The coupon even is called out on the receipt as $0.25 off Dawn Ultra!

Again, I was frustrated...it makes no sense...there is no reason that I can see why it couldn't apply the full value of the coupon to the order...but at the same time, I walked out with about $24 in product (at CVS prices) for $1.02 out of pocket. So, it's hard to be too frustrated.

CVS Deals - 2/1

Looking back, it is strange to realize that for several months, even years, a weekly or more frequent trip to CVS was part of my routine. I managed to save hundreds of dollars by shopping the deals at CVS. I'm not really sure what changed - I think part of it was that I stared to get busier, I think that part of it was that I had built up a pretty good stockpile of the products I would buy and I think that part of it was that the deals were not as consistently good as they had once been. I also think that there were fewer coupons being sent out that were $/$$ coupons and they started to use the % off coupons, which were only good on non-sale items.

Every once and again, I still find a deal worth heading to CVS for, like I did today.

2 - Nature Made Omega 3 Mini (BOGO at $14.99)
3 - Kleenex Tissues (100 ct bonus boxes - $1/ea)
1 - Colgate Max Toothpaste (on sale at $3)

-$5/$15 CVS coupon (e-mail offer)
-$7 Nature Made coupon (Wellness Rewards coupon)
-$1/2 Kleenex (CVS IP coupon)
-$1/3 Kleenex mfg coupon (IP on Kleenex.com)
-$2.50 CVS Coupon (Prints at Extra Care coupon center)
-$.50 Colgate Mfg coupon

Total $3.96 plus tax. A savings of $34.448 or 90% savings value. Not too bad of a trip in my opinion.

Have you found any deals at CVS lately?

Holiday Preparations #BJsHoliday2013

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. I was offered the opportunity to take a tour of the club and received a gift card from BJs.
It is so hard to believe that we are just days away from Christmas and that New Year's Eve is next week. Are you ready?

Whether you are planning and hosting a gathering for family and/or friends, or looking for that last minute gift or a hostess gift to take with you, you can find several options to fit your needs at BJs. From Buffet Servers, to cocktail mixers, to Lindt Lindor Milk Chocolate or Peppermint Truffles, to Gift Sets, they have a variety of options that can help make your holiday prep less stressful. Looking for more holiday decor? They have that to - from LED Christmas Tree to a Wreath and Garland Set to a 12 Ft. Snowman Lightshow. They also carry wrapping paper and gift tags.

We have been members at BJs since the kids were born. It was hard to dismiss their value advantage, not only can you buy in bulk typically for a better value than you can find at the grocery as with most club/warehouse stores, but you can also use manufacturer's coupons to help further reduce those prices. This was a huge opportunity when the kids were in diapers. At the time (can't speak to current packages) there were three inner packs in the diaper boxes, which meant that we could use three manufacturer's coupons on each that we purchased - allowing us to typically save an additional $3 per box. The same held true for baby food and other things that we were buying. To us, it made the switch an easy one.

BJs carries more than just bulk pack items and the things that we purchase at BJs has evolved, now that we don't need to pick up diapers anymore. They have a wide assortment of books, DVDs, CDs and toys for the kids. They offer sheets, towels and clothing, as well. In fact, the trench coat that I wear to work in the spring and fall, is one that I picked up at BJs a few years back. When my daughter was younger, we also were able to find a lot of dolly and me type pajama sets for her at BJs. They carry electronics - from telephones to TVs. They have kitchen accessories and party needs, paper goods and plastic ware. They have a nice selection of branded offerings, but also offer some products under their own label - in fact, we almost always purchase their brand of paper towels - we find it performs similar to the branded, but is a better value.

About BJ’s Wholesale Club
BJ’s Wholesale Club is a one-stop shopping destination for name brand, high-quality food and merchandise at
prices that are significantly lower than supermarkets, supercenters, department stores, drug stores and
specialty retail stores.
Headquartered in Westborough, Massachusetts, BJ's is a leading operator of warehouse clubs in the eastern
U.S., currently with 200 clubs and 113 gas stations in 15 states. Learn more and shop online at BJs.com, and
for exclusive content visit Facebook or Twitter.
BJ’s is one of the lowest cost operators in the retail industry. BJ’s values are compelling, especially when
people are looking to save money. BJ’s is able to pass the savings onto its members in the form of lower prices
for the following reasons:
* BJ’s is extremely efficient in shipping and handling goods
* BJ’s does not have expensive displays, fancy buildings, or high advertising costs
* BJ’s annual membership fee also helps eliminate factoring operating costs into pricing
* With such a large committed base of loyal Members, BJ’s merchandising team is able to negotiate with
vendors to bring Members the consistent value

BJ's carries the most product variety of any other wholesale club with more than 7,000 items, including
supermarket-sized staples.

BJ's is the only wholesale club to accept all manufacturers' coupons in addition to in-club coupons and for
greater convenience, offers the most payment options including EBT.

If you’re not a club member, you can still shop and save. The wholesale club is offering a Free 60-Day Trial Membership, which can be activated until December 31. The risk-free, trial membership consists of full-member benefits and no surcharge.

So, as you prepare for your holidays, consider a stop to BJs to help you wrap things up.

No compensation was received for this post. All opinions expressed are my own or that of my family. I was offered the opportunity to take a tour of the club and received a gift card from BJs.

CVS Scenarios - week of 6/16

As I mentioned, I am planning a trip to CVS this week to pick up some deals.

Transaction #1
6 - Purex Liquid Detergent (~$6.49)
1 - Almay Eye Makeup
2 - Glaceau Fruit Water
1 - Gold Emblem Gummy Bears

sub-total (after B2G1 deal) $21.76

-$4 $/$20 CVS e-mail offer
-$3 $3/2 Purex IP (coupons.com*)
-$3 $3/2 Purex IP
-$3 $3/2 Purex IP (need a second computer to get three)
-$4 Almay mfg coupon
$.25 Gold Emblem CRT (listed in ad)

Total $4.51 OOP, earn $3 and $1 ECB. Wow! A net cost of $.51 for all of this! A savings of about 91%.

For more CVS deals, check out Money Saving Mom and Deal Seeking Mom. For more $5 Scenarios, check out the CVS $5 Challenge.

Are you earning rewards for printing and using coupons? If you join MyPoints, you can earn points every time you print and use coupons. If you are not a member, I can send you a referral link.

Target - Pizza and Ice Cream Deal!

As I looked at the paper last week, I discovered a deal at Target, that I simply knew that I must take advantage of - free ice cream when you buy pizza. What is there not to like about that combination?

2 - DiGiorno Pizzas
1 - CPK Pizza
1 - Nestle Drumsticks

-$2 DiGiorno Pizza IP (printed a few weeks ago)
-$2 DiGiorno Pizza IP
-$1 DiGiorno Pizza Target coupon
-$1 DiGiorno Pizza Target coupon

-$5.99 FREE Drumsticks wyb 3 participating pizzas

-$.05 Reusable bag credit

-$.45 Target RedCard savings

Total $8.49 for 3 pizzas and ice cream. That is not a bad deal at all!

pv.body

I never used to have much concern or consideration for my workout clothes. Most of my exercise would take place in my family room or in the fuzzy light of pre-dawn. If I saw people, it certainly wasn't many and not usually the same people even. When I worked out at home, it wasn't uncommon for me to put on a workout top and keep on my pajama bottoms. Or, if I did change, I didn't worry much about them matching.

Now that I am working out most mornings at the Y, in organized classes, I feel like there is suddenly a need to be concerned about my workout fashion. I want to have clothes that are comfortable, but reasonably fashionable (matching?). There seems to be a common group of people that take the classes each morning, so having variety is also important so that I don't have to wear the same outfit each day.

pv.body is a company that, once you sign up and complete a survey of what type of athlete you are, they send you an awesome complete outfit of fitness apparel in brands people love – Lululemon, ALO, Nux, Nike, etc. Best of all, each outfit is only $49 (~$150 ARV).

pv. body keeps things simple. Basically, you take a quick quiz (answering questions about your favorite types of workouts, your size, style, color palettes you like, etc.) and a personal pv. body style profile is created for you. The pv. body team puts together a personalized outfit for you each month and ships it to you. You can decide how frequently you want to get a new outfit and take breaks from shipments too. Products are offered in sizes XS - L.

Want to check it out? As a special for A Busy Mom of Two readers, you can get 20% off your first outfit if you sign up through my link. This makes it only $39/month for a new workout outfit.

As a special bonus, after you sign up through the above link, you can then come back here and use this link to take the pv.body 30 Day Challenge and kick start your New Year resolutions and receive tons of fun prizes. (IMPORTANT: Please note that you will not receive the discount if you sign up for the challenge first; you have to sign up through the discount link above to receive the 20% off.) The pv.body 30 day challenge provides you with your own personal dietitian and trainer to help you meet your fitness and health goals. Everyday, our pv.body babes will be given a new challenge that they can share with friends! Challenges include workouts, recipes, meal plans, group activities and more!

No compensation was received for this post. As a pv.body ambassador, I will receive one free workout outfit based on my survey responses, so that I can experience the service. The discount link is also my referral link.

Entertainment Book - a giveaway

I like to save money, it is no secret. One tool that I have used to help me save money for several years (over 20 years to be sure!) has been the Entertainment Book. I first learned about the book when I was a kid. My parents had the book and I can remember using the coupons. It was when I went off to college and started dating that I became a first-time owner of my own Entertainment Book.

It may seem odd that a college student would own an Entertainment Book, but I got a book with my boyfriend because of all the fine dining offers. The offers in the front of the book, were BOGO offers at local fine dining locations. It allowed us to be 'fancy' in dating while still on a college budget. It was also a benefit for us when we would order pizza or go to the movie.

When I moved to Pittsburgh after college, I got an Entertainment Book for a different reason - to help me explore the area. Being new, I wasn't familiar with the local restaurants and entertainment venues (movies, bowling, sports, and more), but with the Entertainment Book, I was able to flip through by neighborhood and find places that were near to where I lived or where I was. It gave me a chance to try new things and save.

Now that I am married and have kids, we still use the Entertainment Book. There are a number of offers for local movie theaters, local mini-golf and entertainment centers, local sports teams (minor league), and zoos and museums. Since these are things that we would do anyway, it is nice to be able to save while we have fun with the kids. We still, of course, use the restaurant and the dry cleaning coupons too.

The book has gone more high-tech in recent years. Now, when you register your book online, you gain access to additional coupons through their website and now, through your phone too!

We also like giving the Entertainment Book as a gift. They are a great option for those in your life that like to try new restaurants or like to golf or like to check out the arts and culture in their community.

If you haven't checked out the Entertainment book, I highly recommend that you do. Review the discounts and deals in the book for your area. If you can find two or three offers that you know you will use and cover the cost of the book, then any other offers you use will be a good return on your investment. As an example, if you do a lot of dry cleaning, there are coupons in my book for 50% off your dry cleaning order, up to $10, each month. If I used these every month, I could save up to $120. Those coupons alone will pay for my book. If you are a golfer, or someone in your family is, there are a number of local courses that offer a free green fee with green fee, the senior rate to everyone, a free bucket of balls at the driving range, and more. Again, the savings opportunity for the golf alone will cover the cost of the book.

Giveaway!
Courtesy of Entertainment Book, I have the chance to give away to one A Busy Mom of Two reader an Entertainment Book for the community of your choice. Choose one for you or give it to a friend or family member (Christmas gift?!?)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway will remain open through December 6th. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. I received a complimentary Entertainment Book to facilitate my review and one to give away to a reader. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family.

Samples and Freebies

Requested
Free Bag of Lindt Lindor Truffles (up to $3.99) (Facebook - 'FREE' coupon; was able to redeem at CVS)
Clear Ultra Shea sample (Facebook)
Cream of Wheat Chocolate sample (Facebook)

Received:
Big Hunk candy bar

Kroger Buy 5 – Save $5 Event and Giftcard Giveaway

"Attention Kroger shoppers! Grab a cart (or two!) and head to your local Kroger Co. Family of Stores for the Kroger Buy 5 – Save $5 Event! From October 14th through October 24th purchase 5 participating General Mills products, and receive a coupon for $5 off your next shopping order* (coupon printed at checkout)!

Look for some of your favorite participating General Mills products like Cheerios, Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Pillsbury Toaster Strudel, Betty Crocker Cake and Brownie Mixes, Hamburger Helper, Totino’s Party Pizza, Yoplait** and many more!
Promotion varies in different locations so please be sure to check your local Kroger Co. Family of Stores*** for specific deals and offers which include: Kroger, Ralphs, King Scoopers, City Market, Dillons, Smith’s, Fry’s, QFC, Baker’s, Owen’s, Jay C Food Stores, Hilander, Gerbes, Fred Meyer, Pay Less Supermarkets and Scott’s Food & Pharmacy

Don’t let the savings pass you by! Fill up your cart and save with the General Mills products you love at the Kroger Buy 5 – Save $5 Event! If you’d like to participate in this Spark, we will provide you with a $25 Kroger Family of Stores gift card that you can use on the great savings available during the Kroger Buy 5 – Save $5 Event. We will also provide you with an additional $25 gift card for a family member, friend, or blog reader.

* Products must be purchased during one shopping visit. To view a list of participating products see your store for details. The $5 coupon offer off your next shopping trip offer expires 1 week from the print date, with the coupon prints ending October 24th. Any offers printed on October 24th will expire on October 31st.
**Yoplait items vary by state
***Excludes Food 4 Less"
You can find Kroger on Facebook and Twitter. You can learn more about your favorite General Mills products on their website.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway will remain open through October 22nd. Giveaway is open to residents of the US only. One winner will be selected through Rafflecopter. The winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

No compensation was received for this post. The gift card, information, and additional sample have been provided by Kroger and General Mills through MyBlogSpark. All opinions expressed are entirely my own or that of my family.

Free Lunch at Macaroni Grill on Friday!

Whoever said that there is no such thing as a free lunch, may have been wrong!

Right now, you can get a coupon for a Free Lunch at Macaroni Grill.

Simply, head on over to the Macaroni Grill Facebook page, Like them, Click on the Free Lunch Friday tab and you can print a coupon for a Free Choose 2 Lunch Combination on Friday.

There are a limited number of prints and it is restricted to one offer per table, valid during lunch hours only on Friday September 28.

Now, if only there were a Macaroni Grill close enough to work that I could actually take advantage of this offer.

Toys "R" Us deals

Right now, there are two Toys "R" Us offers available that can let you get some stuff for a really great deal.

First, you can head here and print the coupon for $5 off of $5. The offer is good until 8/16.

Second, you can text 5ONUS to 78697 and you will get a message with a link that you can follow at the store and get $5 off of $5.

We grabbed both of these offers this morning and headed to Toys "R" Us this morning. We also had a $3/$3 coupon that my son received for his birthday.

They seem to restrict a lot of the standard Toys "R" Us restricted items on these coupons - like diapers, formula, FAO Schwarz, etc., so you will want to watch the restrictions as you make your selections.

We had to do two transactions, they allowed us to stack the $3/$3 and one of the $5/$5, but not all three in one.

Transaction #1
Racko game

-$3
-$5

Total $1.99 plus tax.

Transaction #2
2 - Craft Sticks (one plain, one colored)

-$5

Total $.98 plus tax.

I was pleased to get us a new (old) game that I used to play as a child and some craft supplies for only a total of $3.16 OOP.

What will you get with your coupons?

Arby's 64c Roast Beef - July 23rd Only!

Growing up, I remember going to Arby's for meals out. When my dad was taking classes, I can remember having dinner there on his school nights. At the time, they had a sandwich called the All American, which came with shredded lettuce and tomato slices. I enjoyed this sandwich, but I am still partial to their Original Roast Beef. I top mine with a mix of Arby's sauce and Horsey sauce.

Founded in Boardman, Ohio on July 23, 1964. To celebrate their anniversary, they are offering a coupon for 64c Original Roast Beef Sandwiches, good on Monday, July 23rd only.

Head over to Arby's Facebook page, travel back in time to their founding in 1964 and click on the link to print the coupon.

What a deal and what a clever use of Facebook's timeline feature.

Walgreens Deals - 7/15

When we had to stop at a Walgreens to fill a prescription on Sunday evening (they are the only 'late' night pharmacy in our area), I decided to pick up a few of their back to school deals. I hadn't looked at the ad and had no coupons with me, so it was really just a glance through the ad and pick up some no coupon needed type of deals.

6 - 2 pocket folders (w/ in ad coupon)
2 - Penway Dual Pencil Sharpeners
1 - 280 sheet filler paper

Total $3.37, plus $.22 tax.

Have you picked up any good back to school deals?

Staples Deals - 7/8

While we were out running errands, we decided we should stop at Staples for some of their back to school deals, too.

1 - Staples Paper 8.5x11
1 - Staples Pink Eraser
2 - Bic Dry Erase Markers
2 - Staples School Glue
1 - Bic Roundstick Pens

Total $7.82, plus $.51 tax OOP. Will submit for the Easy Rebate of $6.99 for the paper - making this transaction just over $1 net.

The Children's Place - extra 20% off and free shipping

I have been doing a lot of ordering online lately, I love to shop, but get frustrated when I can't find what I am looking for. Both of my kids will wear a uniform to school next year, so doing school shopping ahead of time is easy. One place that I am able to find the navy bottoms and white tops that I need is The Children's Place. A few weeks ago, I took advantage of a sale and ordered some shorts and some short sleeve uniform pieces for the kids.

Last night, I was catching up on some e-mails and saw that The Children’s Place is offering free shipping through July 4, 2012 on any size order. Not only that, but there is a coupon code available for an additional 20% off. Simply enter coupon code J7H2012 when you checkout.

This time, I grabbed some long sleeve uniform shirts for $7.50 and $7.77 each (why are the girl versions more expensive?) but also shopped the clearance section where I got my son a pair of jeans for $10.80, some tank tops for next summer at $3.19 each, and my daughter a shorts and tank outfit for next summer for under $10.

I love that aside from picking up some uniform plaid for my daughter, that the kids are just about ready from a clothing perspective for school and I haven't had to leave the house to get ready.

Tax Day Freebies

As seems to be the case each year, many businesses embrace Tax Day (and the days leading up) by offering some special deals.

From now through April 17th (tax day) Bruegger’s Bakery Café is offering a Big Bagel Bundle for $10.40, a reference to the 1040 tax form. The bundle includes 13 bagels and two tubs of cream cheese, which amounts to savings of between $4 and $5, depending on location. You can become a fan of their Facebook page to get the coupon that is required to take advantage of this offer.

Arby’s is giving away a free order curly fries on Tuesday, April 17th. You can print the coupon when you like them on Facebook. In addition, you can enter to win $5000 in Tax Relief.

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro is offering a 15% discount on meals Tuesday. Happy Hour deals and PF Changs for Two are excluded. You can use this offer on dine in or carry out. I can't find anything that suggests a coupon is requried.

Sounds like a tasty day to me!

There are several other Tax Day offers out there. What offers have you heard about?

Samples and Freebies

Requested:

Gud Lotion Sample from Burt's Bees (Facebook)
Tide Pods sample (different than the Facebook offer last week)
Kleenex Share a Pack
Lipton Tea & Honey sample (Facebook)
Eucerin Calming Itch Relief (Facebook)

Received:
slow week at the mailbox.

Samples and Freebies

Requested:
Tide Pods sample (Facebook)
Simple Moisturizing Facial Wash (CVS)
$1 Coupon for Lipton Tea Superfruit - had thought it was a sample offer, but like coupons too! (Facebook)

Received:
$5 CVS Gift Card (Theraflu gift offer a few weeks back)

Clearly Fresh Bags - discount code!

Recently, I shared about my experience with Clearly Fresh Bags and how effective I had found them to be in extending the life of my produce. This is day 10:

Now, the group at Clearly Fresh Bags is providing a special discount code to A Busy Mom of Two readers. Simply visit their site, place the bags in your cart and then enter the code 'BUSYMOM' to receive a 15% discount on your order.

Hurry though! The coupon code is only good through 2/15/2012.