Walgreens clearance deals

While at Walgreens today, I noticed several clearance items that match January EasySaver coupons.

Garnier Fructis Shampoo, Conditioner, or Stylers, save $1.50 (EasySaver catalog page 12). Several varieties are clearanced.

Garnier Nutrisse Hair Color, save $3.00 (EasySaver catalog page 15). Several varieties were marked down to $2.99.

Vive Pro Shampoo or Conditioner, save $3.00/2 (EasySaver catalog page 15). There are also printables for $1/1. At the store I was in today, the clearanced ones were marked $1.29-2.59, so you could get some overage here. (I even managed to score a "bonus pack," with a small extra hair care item! :-) )

Benefiber Chewables, save $3/1 (EasySaver catalog page 23). The 36-count are reported to be clearanced to $3.19 a box. Use with $2/1 manufacturer's coupon (10/21 or 11/11 insert) for some overage.

What other clearance deals did you find?

Walgreens Deals: December 30 to January 5

Wrigley's 17-piece gum: 7-day coupon BOGO. Use with BOGO from SmartSource for free gum.

Mars candy bars: 7-day coupon 3/$1.

Glade Scented Oil Candle: (BOGO) 2/$6.99. Use with printable BOGO.

Glade Scented Oil Refills: 2/$5, ESR for $2. Use with 2 $1.50/1 printable.

Oust Candle Holders and Air Sanitizer: BOGO candle holder $6.99. Use with recent insert coupon Buy Oust Candle Holder, get any 10 oz. Oust Air Sanitizer for two candle holders and two air sanitizers for $6.99. (Not the best deal unless you're already buying the Oust--there are a couple other not-so-common coupons that could be combined with this deal to make it better, either for the candle holders or for the air sanitizer.)

Nail Implements: 7-day coupon $.39.

SoftSoap Liquid Handsoap, 7.5 oz: 7-day coupon $.99. Use with $.40-.75 coupons from booklet, mailer, or tearpad for total of $.24-.59.

Revlon foundation, blush, powder, concealer, primers, & eye cosmetics: BOGO. Use with $2/1 insert coupon from 10/21/07 SmartSource.

Cover Girl cosmetics: BOGO1/2 off. Use with P&G Saver coupon BOGO lip product (expires 12/31), $1/1 eye product (Valassis 11/11--expires 12/31).

Olay skin care: BOGO1/2 off. Use with $1-$3/1 coupons from December P&G Saver (expires 12/31).

There is a Vicks buy $20, get $10 RR, but I've been unable to locate coupons to make this a very good deal. Let me know if you find some to match up.

Dimetapp: Children's Cold & Allergy: $4, produces $4 RR. Use $2/1 printable (second row from the bottom in the middle) for some profit.

Dawn Dish Liquid: 7-day coupon for $.50. Use with $1/2 coupon from 12/30 P&G insert for some cheap soap.

Walgreens Hand Sanitizer: FAR with this deal.

Rx Essentials: BOGO, use EasySaver $2/1 coupon (page 22--computer automatically applies coupon to both for $4 discount), 2 printable $5/1 coupons and the mail-in rebate (up to $15.99) for an end result of up to $14 overage.

Remember that the photo deal is running through January 12.

Make sure you check out the latest in clearance deals!

And how 'bout some free Dove chocolate?

Last updated Friday, 1/4/08 at 2:30 P.M.

Walgreens: Free hand sanitizer

Walgreens brand of hand sanitizer on sale BOGO $2.99. There is a rebate in the January EasySaver catalog (begins December 28) for $10 when you buy five, so you can get six hand sanitizers, free and clear.

Watch later today for next week's Walgreens deals....

Edit: Because of how this rings up, most people are reporting that they only need to buy five (not six) and will still get the price of $1.50 each, bringing the total spent to $7.50 plus tax.

Expiring coupons

This is a great time to sort through your coupon box. Numerous coupons are expiring on December 31, and you can use or toss them now--or donate them to overseas military. I know my coupon box is about to explode, and it will be incredibly refreshing to have some "breathing room" again!

Walgreens: Mail your EasySaver rebates!

Just a quick reminder: tomorrow is the last day for buying December's EasySaver items. The mailing deadline is not until January 5, but if you mail your rebate form now, you can be in the front of the line.

Be sure to copy or take a picture of all of your documentation before mailing it, in case there are any issues in getting your rebates.

More Cheap Photos

I thought I'd found a good deal on pictures, but after ordering quite a few earlier today, I received several great offers from York Photo. Their current promos include 5¢ prints (code YLDPRINTS), free shipping (YSAJ2L), BOGO posters (FREEPOST), and $10/$25 calendar order (SAVETEN). You can only use one promo code per order, so you unfortunately can't combine the 5¢ prints with free shipping. :-)

It's a great time to print all those Christmas and Thanksgiving pictures!

Edit: Expiration dates on the above codes appear to range from January 3 to January 8, 2008

Year-End Ideas

I've read a number of good, frugal year-end blog posts recently and wanted to share some of the best with you.

Mighty Bargain Hunter has suggestions for year-end bargains. And combine the after-Christmas sales with coupons, and you could get some really sweet deals!

Money Smart Life suggests selling on eBay after Christmas.

It's a bit late for this, but Punny Money has some ideas for inexpensive Christmas decorating.

Free Money Finance puts Christmas spending in perspective by reminding us of the actual cost.

Five Cent Nickel talks about some of the advantages of de-cluttering before the end of the year.

No Credit Needed has some great input for those working to get out of debt during the holidays.

Merry Christmas! May you each be truely blessed as you celebrate Christ's birth!

While You're Buying Post-Its...

If you're taking advantage of the deal on Post-Its, you might also want to check this out. When you buy $15 worth of Post-It products, they will send you $5 in McDonald's gift certificates. Hurry, though--the coupons and the gift certificate offer both expire December 31. (This should work even if you got the Post-Its for free after coupons. The rebates are generally calculated by the retail price, not the after-coupon price, though I'd be more likely to send in a receipt that had a total above $0.00. :-) )

A Couple Good Deals

Thanks to My Good Cents for highlighting the free buffet visit from Old Country Buffet (or Country Buffet, Ryan's, Fire Mountain, or HomeTown Buffet in your area). Sign up for their eClub to get the free buffet, a birthday coupon, and deals throughout the year.

iMommies.com also pointed out an sweet deal: $15 off a purchase at American Eagle (in-store only, not online), good through December 31. There is no minimum purchase stated on the coupon. I love to check their clearance for Bermudas.

Edit: A number of people have been refused use of the coupon, with American Eagle claiming coupon fraud. I don't know all the technicalities, but because I cannot verify the coupon beyond someone's word and want to remain completely above board, I have removed the link.

Walgreens: 10¢ Photos

Walgreens is doing yet another Christmas promo: 10¢ each for 4x6 photos, from either film or digital media. The coupons can be found online to use in-store or order digital prints from their site using the code JOY. There is a 30-print minimum and the code expires December 29.

Edit: The Walgreens site now states an expiration date of January 12 for the online offer, with a maximum of five uses per account.

More Free Glade

With Target giving away Glade products, it looks like Clean Home Journal wants to get in on the fun, too. From the Clean Home Journal website:

Were giving away 50, 000 Glade® PlugIns® Scented Gel Refills in classic Apple Cinnamon fragrance. Each Refill comes with one coupon for an additional Refill and one coupon for a Scented Gel Warmer.

My guess is the 50,000 won't last long, so sign up soon!

Walgreens: Coupon Updates

It's rumored that tomorrow's Walgreens coupon is going to be $10/$30.

If you take advantage of any of these coupon deals, make sure you give the cashier your $x/$x coupon before any others. That way the register can recognize that you are indeed buying enough merchandise to qualify for the discount.

Super Savings Saturday: Kroger

Though I'm really excited about my deals this week, most of them are Christmas gifts and therefore still under wraps. But it was a great week for Kroger... and none of that is a Christmas secret! Due to weather issues, I hadn't done much grocery shopping recently, and this was a great week to catch up. I actually made two Kroger purchases, and I didn't do too well the second time around. In fact, I was shocked to discover that my second purchase, which consisted of four boxes of cereal and a bottle of vinegar, cost more than everything else in the picture below. Ouch!


I didn't need more cereal, but I've been wanting to make puppy chow for Christmas and this seemed like a good chance to pick up the cereal. The Chex wasn't on sale, but it worked toward the $4/4 General Mills cereal deal. And I did not need the Reeses Puffs, but I've been tempted by the Chocolate Chex Mix for weeks, and the Puffs boxes each had a coupon for a free bag of Chocolate Mix--and the Puffs were cheaper than the mix.

My total for the first order (everything except the vinegar and cereal) was $6.07, and my second order (the vinegar and four cereals) was an inglorious $6.98. All in all not that bad, but I like the averages of the first order better. :-) My total before discounts on that order was $40+.

I was also able to find some great deals at K-Mart and Target this week.

Visit Crystal at Money Saving Mom for lots of saving success stories.

Gift Tags

I hadn't thought much about gift tags until reading Crystal's blog post today. She provides links to a number of cute gift tags, but there is one link I love more than all the others put together. My family has a unique sense of humor, and I can't wait till they see their gifts with these special tags.

Walgreens: $5 off WYB $20... round two!

I don't know what's up with Walgreens lately, but they're doing another $5/$20 promotion. Perhaps they're trying to compete with CVS. It certainly wouldn't bother me! :-)

I finished my Christmas shopping this afternoon (I think that's a record for me: four days before Christmas), and I'm really not thinking of anything I need at Walgreens. (The B1G2 Patriot candles tugged on my heart... until I reminded myself that I didn't like any of the scents they had in stock earlier this week.) It certainly is tempting, though. Perhaps I should show visiting family members our local Walgreens, and make it a family affair. :-)

The email I received also hinted at a one-day special on Sunday, accessed by clicking the same link.

Quick Savings Tip: Check Your Receipts

Yesterday I was doing some Christmas shopping at K-Mart, and when the cashier rang up my order, I was surprised to find my total after coupons to be about $5 more than I had expected. When I asked him if a clearance item had rung up at the correct price, he said yes. I decided to go ahead and pay and look at it afterwards.

As I was walking out, I looked over my receipt, only to discover that I had been overcharged for one item and one of my coupons hadn't been applied. I returned to the cashier, who gave me back the coupon he hadn't applied, sending me on to customer service. The lady at customer service was very helpful in getting it sorted out, and I left much happier with what I'd spent--$3.44 for about $25 worth of merchandise.

As a funny side note, I looked through the Post-It notes to see if I could find some clearanced ones to use with the Post-It coupons. I found a package with a price tag of $.49--it looked years old, dirty, and moldy, but an overage treasure in my book--and it appeared to have a coupon inside the package. :-) It rang up at $.10.

I opened the package, curious about the coupon. It was for a whopping $.55 off Super-Sticky Notes. The funny part? It expired June 30, 2004. I won't be using that one any time soon!

Target Huggies Coupon

If you're making a trip to Target, make sure you take advantage of the $3/2 Huggies coupons. There are also manufacturer's coupons, so stack to your heart's content. :-) The Huggies coupons are also reported to work on travel sizes, so it could be a money-maker, too.

Walgreens: Free 8x10

Thanks to iMommies.com for highlighting this Christmas promo: Friday, December 21, Walgreens is offering free 8x10 photo prints. Upload your photo here, and use the code VERYNICE to get your free print. Pick it up in-store to avoid shipping charges.

Airborne: Choose Your Savings

If you like Airborne, check out their Christmas promotion: You can choose a coupon for $1/1, $2/2, $3/3, or $4/4.

Target Deals

I went to Target yesterday, hoping that I wasn't too late to pick up some of the Glade deals. After all the cyber-talk I'd heard about the promo, I was doubtful my store would still have any. I was pleasantly surprised to find the store well stocked and then to discover another deal on the scented oil ones. The scented oil candles were on sale for $4.99, and I had BOGO coupons, as well as $4/1.

I did three transactions, using overage from the Post-It deal and Purell (on sale for $1.29 and I had $1.50 coupons) toward my first flameless candle purchase. I spent a total of $3.90 out of pocket and have one $5.00 gift card left. (I was surprised to find my total that low and in looking at my receipt this morning, I think the cashier may have entered more Post-It coupons than I had items for, though apparently she also missed one of my Purell coupons.) I had a new but very helpful cashier. She had to push almost every single coupon through and did it without complaint. Here's what I picked up at Target, along with a few extra Post-Its from Wal-Mart.


I also went to Walgreens and Kroger yesterday. At Walgreens I picked up a Christmas gift (which won't be posted here for obvious reasons) as well as doing the P&G hair care deal again, using the one-day coupon and getting back a $10 Register Reward. And I'm saving my Kroger deals to share for Super Savings Saturday, but I will say I was quite pleased. :-)

Chocolate Apple Cake

This is not the most frugal recipe I've ever used, but since I mentioned it in my other apple post, I thought I'd share. :-) The chocolate-apple-cinnamon combination may sound weird--it did to me--, but the results are amazing!

Chocolate Apple Cake

2 C. grated apple
2 C. sugar
1 C. butter, softened
3 eggs
1/2 cup water
1 T. vanilla
3/4 C. semisweet chocolate chips
1 3/4 C. white flour
1 C. whole-wheat flour
3 T. baking cocoa
1 t. baking soda
2 t. ground cinnamon

Combine apples and one cup of the sugar and allow to rest one hour. In a separate bowl, cream butter with the remaining cup of sugar. Beat in eggs, water, apple mixture, and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Fold into wet mixture. Pour into greased 9" x 13"cake pan. Bake in oven preheated to 325 until cake tests done (about 55-70 minutes).

Apples, Apples, Everywhere....

After finding some good deals on apples recently, I had more than I could use. So, in the last week or so, I made several breads, cakes, and muffins. On Monday I still had extra apples, so I froze three bags, ready for some of my favorite recipes. To save time while baking, I pre-mixed the apples and sugar, which are supposed to be mixed and rest for an hour or so before baking.

Before:


After:

Walgreens: $5 off WYB $20

Walgreens is doing a Christmas promo, good only on Tuesday, December 18. Visit their site to print your coupon for $5 off when you buy $20 worth. I was thinking of skipping Walgreens this week, but I think I'll probably do this deal, combining it with some others (such as the Energizer deal) to make the most of it.

A Few Good Deals...

There are a number excellent buys to be had this week. Crystal highlights several Target deals, and here are a couple more...

If you have the store coupons, you can still get free string cheese and cheap cream cheese. (If you don't have the coupons, you can go here and print as many as you need.)

Boodle.com has coupons for BOGO Tropicana Juice Drinks. I believe they retail for about $1.59. There are Target printables for Troicana non-chilled juice for $1/1, which I think would work to combine. (Let me know your experience... I haven't actually done it yet.) Using two Target printables and one BOGO, you should be able to get them free with a bit of overage.

Cuties clementines are reported to be on sale for $4.99/5 lb box this week. You can combine the $1.50 Target printable with the $1.00 insert coupon to get them for $2.49 a box.

Due to the weather, I've hardly done any grocery shopping recently. I thought I finally had my chance last week, but it ended up being a grab-a-few-things-and-get-home-as-soon-as-possible trip, when the weather turned bad yet again. I need to pick up some basics at Aldi, but I'm really looking forward to hitting Kroger. Check out Crystals' run-down of the deals.

Energizer Printable Coupon

Suzanne sent me information on this Energizer coupon (right side of page, in the middle)... You could combine with rebate deals at Walgreens this month for a better deal.

Edit: The Energizer rechargeable batteries and charger is priced at $9.99, with a $10 rebate. Add the $2.00 coupon for a bit of profit.

And again: I didn't realize until I went to print the coupon myself that you had to buy two Energizer products. Could still be a good deal, but a bit more complicated.

More Free Yeast?

If you didn't already take advantage of the yeast deal, here's some good news: Kroger has Fleischmann's 3-packs of yeast on sale for $1.00 this week. The better news is that, as of this afternoon, the $.50 Catalina still prints (and doubles as other coupons). Hurray for free yeast--and overage if you still have coupons!

Update on the expiration date: It's reported to run through either Jan. 5 or 28.

Frugal Friday: Discount Dairy

I have recently begun checking expiration dates on dairy products when I'm grocery shopping. Not because I'm afraid of spoiling--yogurt in particular can be kept weeks past the "sell by" date--but because I can often get nearly-free food this way. If I find items that are already expired or are within a couple of days of the expiration, I will point it out to an employee and ask I could get a discount on the almost-expired goods. I have never been refused. They usually charge $.25 to $.33 per box/carton. The policy at our local Kroger is to mark down dairy items when they are within a week of the expiration, so I definitely wouldn't ask for a discount on an item that was fresher than that. Their marking down frequently doesn't happen on schedule, which means you may be able to hit quite a stock of cheap yogurt. :-)

When I was at Kroger recently, I found about ten boxes of kids' yogurt snacks that had either already expired or were to expire in the next couple days. I asked an employee in the dairy department if I could have a discount. I was charged about $2 for all ten boxes. I had a $.55 manufacturer's coupon, which Kroger doubled up to $1. All told, I paid about a dollar plus tax for ten boxes--and the stuff usually runs about three or four dollars a box. Here's part of what I picked up...


Edit: I wrote this a couple weeks ago and, as Murphy's law would dictate, it hasn't worked the one time since that I've asked. But I'd still advise you to try it--the worst they can say is no! :-)

Check out Crystal's blog for more frugal ideas.

Financial Peace University

Over the last few years, I have seen Dave Ramsey bumper stickers and heard his name in passing, but never really paid attention until about a year ago. I started reading The Total Money Makeover and I was hooked. I've since enjoyed listening to The Dave Ramsey Show podcast and appreciated his simple, common-sense advice. I also bought the Financial Peace software, and have loved the simplicity of it.

For months I have wanted to participate in the Financial Peace University. However, between traveling and the class not being offered within reasonable driving distance, I haven't done it. I was thrilled last week to find out that a local church is hosting FPU, beginning early next year. FPU covers a wide variety of finance-related topics, including budgeting, getting out of debt, insurance, investing, real estate, and giving. I'm looking forward to learning as much as possible and to interacting with others who have similar goals.

Through Monday, Dave Ramsey's online store is offering several of their products at a greatly-reduced rate--$10 each for a number of books, CDs, & DVDs. It's a great time to pick up any of their products you've been saving for or to grab some Christmas gifts. There are several other specials running right now, and you can combine to get an even sweeter deal.

Note: If you're hoping to particpate in an FPU class, check with your course coordinator about a discount on course materials. I was able to save a significant amount by ordering through the church where the classes will be held.

Save Gas: Don't Drive

While the title has a lot of truth in it, I say it rather tongue-in-cheek. We've been in the middle of an ice storm the last few days, and I've been sticking pretty close to home. I'm grateful to have electricity once again--many people are still without it. I don't think a whole lot about how much I enjoy heat and light until I don't have them. :-)

Free Fruit + Nut Bar, Post-It Notes, and Parchment Paper

Thanks to Suzanne for alerting me to the free Fruit + Nut bar from Kind Snacks. Hurry, though--it's only good December 12 & 13.

I don't know about you, but I can always use more Post-It notes. Check out this post at iMommies.com to learn how to get Post-Its for free or even with overage.

And, finally, request a sample of Reynold's parchment paper here. I don't know if I've ever used the Reynold's brand, but working in several industrial kitchens spoiled me when it comes to using parchment paper. I love the stuff.

Catalina Didn't Print?

I have occasionally been owed a Catalina coupon, yet it didn't print. While in this situation a few weeks ago, I discovered the Catalina website and this form. I filled it out, and was pleasantly surprised when my query was answered in a very prompt, professional, and helpful manner. I gave the representative some information from my receipt, and they promptly mailed me the missing Catalina. I was more than impressed.

Walgreens: Batteries, Foil, & More

Several good deals I noticed at Walgreens this week...

$5 Catalina when you buy $15 worth of Duracell products. There have been numerous recent manufacturer's coupons, most for $.75 off. There is also a $3 EasySaver rebate for several different sizes of Duracell CopperTop packs. (Limit four, totaling $12 in rebates.) And a $2 IVC (Instant Value Coupon) for Duracell Ultra 8 packs. Not as good a deal as I originally thought, but it works if you need batteries.

$.01 overage on Reynold's foil. There is a 7-day coupon for Reynold's 20-foot aluminum foil for $.99 and there were recent insert coupons for $1.00 off Reynold's foil. Great time to stock up! To avoid problems ringing it up, make sure you give the cashier your manufacturer's coupon before the store coupon.

Celestial Seasonings herbal tea 2/$3.00 or better. If you can locate two of the $.55 manufacturer's coupons rumoured to exist--I've been unable to find any myself--, it would make a pretty nice deal.

Walgreens writing tablet or envelopes $.59 each.

Hershey's kisses and more $.50/bag. Hershey's kisses, nuggets, bells and minis are on sale 2/$4, with an IVC for $2 off two bags. There are recent insert coupons for $1.50 off 3 bags and for $1.00 off 2 bags. Make sure you match up the right sizes--the manufacturer's coupons aren't applicable to everything that's on sale.

Free Clinique Makeup

Thanks to Suzanne for alerting me to a current Clinique deal: free eye cream and lip gloss, just for the asking. Here's what their website had to say:

The not-quite-right makeup shade never does it. But when you find the perfect match, it’s wow! That’s the one! Well, smile. Clinique’s got the colours at a counter near you, where the Clinique expert will find the shades that work best with your skin tone. And get two free* gifts with your consultation:

A full-months worth of All About Eyes OR All About Eyes Rich and two-months of Full Potential Lips Plump and Shine in your choice of shades - Peach Plump, Voluptuous Violet or Cherry Bomb

*One per customer. While supplies last.

Good December 6-15. Check here for more details.

Super Savings Saturday

I'm feeling rather festive tonight... Christmas music is playing, the trees are lit, tea is brewing (I love Celestial Seasonings Christmas teas :-) ), candles are burning, it's icy and cold outside, and I'm happy to be indoors. Here's the result of this week's trip to Walgreens:



My total came to $20.68. (The receipt proclaimed savings was $39.70, but I always tend to think those numbers are inflated... :-) ) I paid with my Walgreens gift card (result of past months' EasySaver rebates), received a $10 Catalina, and should get $10.45 in EasySaver rebates as a result of my purchases (includes 10% gift card bonus), so my effective total spent is $0.23. I could have done better, but with Christmas coming up, I'm okay with spending a bit more.

Since I bought very few groceries this week, I almost didn't post a picture. But, should anyone be curious, here's what I picked up at Kroger and our local produce market:



The apples were $1.99 for a three pound bag, BOGO, so I picked up two bags. Limes were clearanced to $.79 a bag, and the tomatoes to $2.49. My total at the market was $5.64. At Kroger, the sour cream was on sale (though not an amazing one) and I had coupons, making them $.79 each, and I rolled the yeast deal one more time with a coupon a friend gave me. My favorite find at Kroger was the raspberries--on manager's special at $1.00 per box. I love fresh raspberries, but the price is usually insane, so I skip them. I used three yeast Catalinas when I paid, bringing my total to $2.75. I also received another $.50 Catalina on the yeast, which will double to $1.00 on my next order.

For more savings inspiration, visit the Crystal at Money Saving Mom.

I'm off to enjoy my cup of tea and get some things in order (hello, dirty dishes... :-) ). Hope you have a restful Sunday and stay warm!

$2 off any Alibris Order

Alibris is offering a coupon for $2 off any order. They usually have decent prices anyway, so I was happy to find the coupon. (Great for ordering Christmas gifts, too!) The code is SNOWMAN2 and is good through December 20.

Another Walgreens Deal

Glade Flameless Candles are on sale for $7.99 this week at Walgreens. There is also a $3.00 EasySaver Rebate for the month of December, limit two ($6.00). But for a really sweet deal, use these: A BOGO coupon from Glade and one of the recent $3.00- or $4.00-off manufacturer's coupons. End result? Two free candles and up to two dollars of overage. Sounds good to me!

Money-Maker at Walgreens

Walgreens is offering a $10 Register Reward this week when you purchase three of selected P&G hair products. Among them are the Nice 'n' Easy Root Touch-Up kits, some of which are clearanced to $2.89. There were coupons in the 12/2 paper for $2.00 off the Nice 'n' Easy kits. Buy three kits, paying about $3.00 with tax, and you get a $10 Catalina, good on your next order.

For more money-saving ideas, check out Crystal's blog at Biblical Womanhood.

Patience is a Virtue...

My laptop is on the blink and I've tried to figure out if the damage is due to a rodent or yours truly. Actually, it's not my computer that's on the blink. It's the power cord, which was either chewed or melted partway through. Or maybe a combination of chewed and melted. I worked on some projects yesterday while gingerly holding the wires in exactly the right place, so that it could charge while I was working. My fingers got rather warm (the electricity melted through the medical tape I'd attempted to insulate it with), I eventually stopped holding the wires just right, and it stopped charging.

This morning I stopped by a local computer store, hoping they might have a power cord they didn't need and would give me a good deal on it. I explained the situation, and an employee informed me that he has a cord at home--he used to have a laptop identical to mine. And I may have the cord for five dollars. I was thrilled. I have to wait for him to bring the cord to the store, but that price is well worth the wait.

Moral of the story? Get creative--and be patient. :-)

Edit: I have the cord now... but apparently I misunderstood when he told me the price. It was $25 instead of $5. If I'd heard him right the first time, I think I would have tried to bargain. It's more than I would have like to pay, but still a definite savings over the other ones I found.

Jane Makeup: Better Than Free

Walgreens is offering Jane Be Pure Mineral cosmetics free after EasySaver Rebate for the month of December. This is obviously a pretty good deal by itself, but it gets sweeter: Sign up for Jane's email list and they'll give you a printable coupon for $2 off any Jane Cosmetics purchase. Walgreens will send the rebate for the full purchase price, even though you used a coupon to buy it. For greater savings, request your reabate in the form of a gift card--they'll add 10% to the total amount.

Kroger Money-Maker: Fleischmann's Yeast

Yeast is about the last thing I'd expect to be a money-maker, but at the moment it is. There have been recent coupons (in 10/7, 11/4 and 12/2 inserts) for $.45 off a three-pack of Fleischmann's yeast. The in-store prices vary, from $1.29 up. The $.45 coupon doubles, bringing the cost down $.90. But the best part is the Catalina--a $.50 Catalina prints when the yeast is scanned at the register and it doubles when used on a later order. You can roll the Catalina and do the deal over and over again. Even if you don't have many yeast coupons, it's still an okay deal with just the Catalinas. Here's how it worked for me:

$1.69 (on sale)
- .90 (doubled coupon)
.79
- 1.00 (doubled Catalina)
(.21) overage

I rolled it several times after my coupons were gone, so my end price was higher per packet. I don't know how long this Catalina deal is good--reports have varied from 12/3 to 12/9.

For more money-saving ideas, check out Crystal's blog at Biblical Womanhood.

Welcome...

Thanks so much for stopping by! I'm looking forward to sharing ideas on how to find good deals and make the most of what you have. Some of the topics I hope to cover include...

Locating free and better-than-free items at drug stores
Where to find coupons
Combining store sales with coupons
Almost-free groceries

Hope to see you around in the days ahead! :-)