Living on Less
A Resource Guide
 Money Saving Blogs & Websites: 
 
Below is a list of the money saving blogs I regularly follow.  I’ve included a list of some of the 
things I most enjoy about each blog.  They have each helped me tremendously in my frugal 
journey. 
 
• Southern Savers – www.southernsavers.com 
• Matchups for: 
• Harris Teeter 
• CVS 
• Rite Aid 
• Shopping List feature on her matchups prints what you select with the coupon 
matchups.  It’s fantastic! 
• Redemption Unlimited – www.redemptionunlimited.blogspot.com 
• Matchups for: 
• Giant 
• Shoppers & Bloom Triple Couponing Events 
• Great Guides for getting started at CVS 
• Great list of blogs on the right side, if you’d like to explore more blogs than 
what are on this list. 
• Nicole’s Nickels – www.nicolesnickels.net 
• Money making posts on (please read these posts VERY carefully before you dive 
in): 
• online offers 
• mystery shopping 
• Money Saving Mom – www.moneysavingmom.com 
• Tons of posts for free stuff and samples 
• Like her philosophy of frugality 
• Feeds a family of 5 on $40/week 
• Target/Wal‐mart deals each week 
• One of my favorite sites 
• Moneywise Moms – www.moneywisemoms.com 
• Safeway Matchups 
• Home redecorating on a budget 
• Baby Cheapskate – www.babycheapskate.blogspot.com 
• Baby formula and diaper deals each week 
• Other baby finds 
 • Freepeats 
• Frugal Coupon Living – www.frugalcouponliving.com 
• Lots of online deals and matchups 
• CVS, Wal‐Mart, Target Matchups 
• Financial Blogs I greatly enjoy: 
• www.getrichslowly.org 
• www.thesimpledollar.com (financial advice and tips) 
 
• Other Sites 
• www.stylenotes.com 
• www.frugallyblonde.blogspot.com 
• www.iheartcvs.com 
• www.iheartriteaid.com 
• www.mommyswishlist.com 
• www.debtproofliving.com 
• Everyday Cheapskate – www.everydaycheapskate.com 
• daily email with frugal tips and tricks 
• it’s great! 
 
Cheap Meal Resources: 
• Southern Savers Menu Plans 
• http://www.southernsavers.com/category/menu‐plans/ 
• Weekly Meal Deals 
• http://afewshortcuts.com/tag/weekly‐meal‐deal/ 
• Five Dollar Dinners 
•   http://www.5dollardinners.com/ 
 

Planning

Resources for:
Shopping lists
Menu plans
Target Price Lists
 Menu Planning and Target Price Lists: 
 
Menu Planning Resource:  orgjunkie.com 
  http://orgjunkie.com/wp‐content/uploads/2009/04/menu‐planner‐template.pdf 
 
Grocery List Resource:  orgjunkie.com 
  http://orgjunkie.com/wp‐content/uploads/2009/04/grocery‐list.pdf 
 
Buy Price List – www.southernsavers.com 
  http://southernsavers.com/wp‐content/uploads/2009/02/buy‐price‐list2.pdf 
Blank Buy Price List –  
  http://southernsavers.com/wp‐content/uploads/2009/02/buy‐price‐list‐blank.pdf 
 
Category  Item  Cost  Location 
       
Baby Care  Wipes  .02/wipe  SAMS 
Baby Care  Huggies Diapers, Size 4  .22/diaper  SAMS 
Baby Care  Huggies Diapers, Size 1‐2  .15/diaper  SAMS 
Baby Care  Huggies Diapers, Size 5  .25/diaper  SAMS 
Baby Care  Luvs Diapers, size 1  .15/diaper  Target 
Baby Care  Luvs Diapers, size 2  .14/diaper  Target 
Baby Care  Luvs Diapers, size 3  .17/diaper  Target 
Baby Care  Luvs Diapers, size 4  .20/diaper  Target 
Baby Care  Luvs Diapers, size 5  .23/diaper  Target 
Baby Care  Formula  .38/oz  SAMS 
       
Bakery  Bread  2.14/loaf  SAMS 
       
Canned 
Goods  Chicken Broth  .66/can  SAMS 
Canned 
Goods  Pasta Sauce  2.07/jar  SAMS 
Canned 
Goods  Diced Tomatoes  .74/can  SAMS 
Canned 
Goods  Stewed Tomatoes  .82/can  SAMS 
Canned 
Goods  Tomato Sauce  .57/can  SAMS 
Canned 
Goods  Tomato Paste  .44/can  SAMS 
Canned 
Goods  Sliced Peaches  .05/oz  SAMS 
Canned 
Goods  Applesauce  .04/oz  SAMS 
Canned 
Goods  Sliced Pears  .04/oz  SAMS 
Canned 
Goods  Pineapple Chunks  .06/oz  SAMS 
       
Cleaners   Cascade  19/load  SAMS 
Cleaners   Tide  .16/load  SAMS 
Cleaners   Electrasol  .16/load  SAMS 
       
Condiments  Olive Oil  .22/oz  SAMS 
       
Dairy  YoPlait  .45/cup  SAMs 
Dairy  Butter  .88/lb  SAMs 
Dairy  Eggs  .1/egg  SAMs 
Dairy  Skim Milk  2.12/gallon  SAMs 
Dairy  Whole Milk  2.42/gallon  SAMs 
Dairy  Cheddar Cheese  1.85/lb  SAMs 
Dairy  Mozzarella Cheese  1.64/lb  SAMs 
Dairy  Cheese Sticks  .14/stick  SAMs 
       
Dry Goods  Penne  .90/lb  SAMS 
Dry Goods  Garden Rotini  1.09/lb  SAMS 
Dry Goods  Oats  4.7/oz  SAMS 
Dry Goods  Special K w/ Red Berries  .21/oz  SAMS 
Dry Goods  Cheerios  .12/oz  SAMS 
Dry Goods  Sugar (10 lb)  .44/lb  SAMS 
Dry Goods  Sugar (25 lb)  .50/lb  SAMS 
Dry Goods  Flour (25 lb)  .35/lb  SAMS 
Dry Goods  Bread Flour  .35/lb  SAMS 
Dry Goods  Brown Sugar  .68/lb  SAMS 
Dry Goods  Powdered Sugar  .67/lb  SAMS 
Dry Goods  Baking Soda  .40/lb  SAMS 
Dry Goods  Yeast  .13/oz  SAMS 
       
Frozen  Green Beans  .08/oz  SAMS 
Frozen  Mixed Veggies  .06/oz  SAMS 
       
Meat  Chicken Breasts  1.97/lb  SAMS 
Meat  Roast Beef  6.48/lb  SAMS 
Meat  Salmon  6.48/lb  SAMS 
Meat  Ground Beef  2.68/lb  SAMS 
Meat  Pepperoni  .17/oz  SAMS 
Meat   Ground Turkey  2.48/lb  SAMS 
       
Paper 
Products  Bounty  .88/roll  SAMS 
Paper 
Products  Toilet Paper  .25/roll  SAMS 
Paper 
Products  Puffs Plus  .01/tissue  SAMS 
Paper 
Products  Trash Bags  .06/bag  SAMS 
       
Produce  Bananas  .44/lb  SAM 
Produce  Grapes  1.95/lb  SAM 
Produce  Gala Apples  1.24/lb  SAM 
Produce  Romaine Lettuce  .62/head  SAMS 
 Produce  Strawberries  1.29/lb  SAMS 
Produce  Potatoes  .59/lb  SAMS 
Produce  Onions  .69/lb  SAMS 
Produce  Tri‐Color Peppers  1.13/lb  SAMS 
Produce  Tomatoes  2.44/lb  SAMS 
Produce  Avacados  .97/ea  SAMS 
       
       
Seasonings  Taco Seasoning  .17/oz  SAMS 
Seasonings  vanilla  .35/oz  SAMS 
       
Snacks  Chips  .17/oz  SAMS 
       
Note:  Items in green, I usually cannot beat at other 
  stores 
 
 

Couponing

Resources for:
Organization
Coupon policies
Coupon matchups
Free Items
 
Coupon Organization: 
 
Three methodsfor organizing coupons: 
 
1. Insert Method 
Summary:  Take the whole coupon insert, write the date on the front with a 
permanent marker, and put it into an accordian file by date.  When you need a 
coupon, take out the insert, find the coupon and clip it. 
 
Pros:   
1. Quick & Easy to organize the inserts. 
Cons:   
1. Can’t take advantage of in‐store deals because you don’t usually have the inserts 
with you.   
2. Takes longer to plan weekly shopping trips because you have to clip all the 
coupons before you can go 
   
Tips & Pictures: 
http://iheartcvs.com/2008/09/collecting‐organizing‐coupons.html# 
http://www.frugalcouponliving.com/2009/03/14/accordian‐file‐organization‐2/ 
 
2. Binder Method: 
Summary:  Use a large zip up three ring binder to hold your coupons  Insert baseball 
card sleeves into the binder.  Each pocket (9 pockets per side, 18 per page) holds a 
coupon.  Supplies like scissors, calculator,  and rebate forms can be stored in the 
binder also. 
 
Pros: 
1. Easy to find your coupons, since you can see each coupon 
2. Coupons are safe if you drop your binder 
3. Easy to carry other items like scissors, calculator, rebates, etc. 
4. Good for shopping with kids. 
5. Fits in the seat of the shopping cart. 
Cons: 
1. Can be more expensive to set up because of the pages and binder. 
2. Can take longer to organize & clip coupons weekly. 
 
Tips & Pictures: 
  http://www.utahdealdiva.com/2009/09/my‐coupon‐binder.html 
 
3.  Box method: 
  Summary:  Clip your coupons, organize them into categories.  Place the organized 
coupons into labeled envelopes and put them in a box. 
 
 
Pros: 
1. Cheap to create. 
2. If organized well, easy to find individual coupons. 
3. Fits in the seat of the shopping cart. 
Cons: 
1. Can be time consuming to rifle through all of your coupons in search of what you’re 
looking for 
2. If you drop your box, you could have coupons everywhere 
3. If you have a child, it may be difficult to put this in the seat portion of the cart. 
 
Tips & Pictures: 
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2009/09/coupon‐
organization‐methods‐the‐coupon‐binder.html#comments 
 
Other ideas: 
Accordial File:  http://www.utahdealdiva.com/2009/05/organizing‐my‐coupons.html 
 
Excellent Discussion on what works for various people here (look in the comments 
section): 
http://www.moneysavingmom.com/money_saving_mom/2009/09/coupon‐
organization‐methods‐the‐coupon‐binder.html#comments 
 
 
Coupon Organization: 
Category Ideas for Organizing

Posted by Crystal Paine at Money Saving Mom, moneysavingmom.com

March 27, 2008

Baby - diapers
products
wipes

Bags -
containers
foil, plastic wrap
trash

And so on. Here are the rest of the categories along with some of what are in the categories and
the separate envelopes in parentheses:

Baking (mixes, oil/sugar)

Batteries, film
Beverages
Bread
Candy
Canned (meat, soup, vegetables, fruit)
Cereal (envelopes for each brand)
Cleaner (all purpose, bathroom, dish detergent, disinfectant, laundry, furniture polish, floor,
glass)
Condiments
Crackers
Dairy (beverage, cheese, sour cream/cream cheese/butter, snacks, yogurt)
Frozen (beverage, bread, ice cream, meat, snacks, vegetables/fruit/potatoes)
Health Food
Hygiene (band-aids, deodorant, face, feminine, hair, lotion, medicine/vitamins, shaving, soap)
Jelly, Peanut Butter
Meat
Mexican
Office Supplies
Paper Products (facial tissue, cups/plates, toilet tissue, towels/napkins)
Pasta
Rice
Salad Dressing
Sauce
Seasonings
Snacks
Syrup
Toothpaste
Toothbrushes
Posted by Laura at www.laurawilliamsmusings.blogspot.com
July 26, 2007

My categories are set up in this order:

1. page for refund forms (this page has 3 large pockets all others have 9 card slots per
page)
2. Cards (value page barcode, store discount cards, etc.)
3. Baby Items
4. Baking Items
5. Beverages
6. Canned goods
7. Cereals
8. Cleaning Supplies
9. Condiments
10. Dairy
11. Deodorants
12. Entertainment
13. Facial Care, razors, etc.
14. Feminine Hygiene
15. Frozen Foods
16. Laundry needs
17. Makeup
18. Meats
19. Misc.
20. Oral care
21. Over the Counter Meds
22. Paper & Plastic
23. Pasta & Rice
24. Pets needs
25. produce
26. Restaurants
27. salad dressings
28. snacks
29. soaps and body washes

within the categories there are subcategories, for example: Paper/ Plastic is broken
down and label on the pockets for toilet paper, paper towels, paper plates, napkins, foil,
plastic bags, etc.

Now for other categories that I may not have many different subcategories for, I may
just alphabetize them by the brand name. the Hair Care category is one that I do this in.
Since really you would only need pockets for shampoo, conditioner, styling products..it's
easier to it by alphabetizing them by the brand name. For an example: The pockets (if
using the 9 slot card pages) would be A-C, D-F, G-I, J-L, M-O, P-R, S-U, V-X, Y-Z and
then just file the coupon according to brand name into the appropriate pocket. Example:
Suave would go under "S", etc.

Or do a combination of the two ideas in your binder. (This is what I do.)

Posted by Rachel at Out of the Overflow, http://daveandrachel.blogspot.com

February, 7, 2007

• Laundry
• Cleaning Products
• Toothpaste
• Toiletries
• Paper Products
• Household
• Baby Items
• Medicine
• Freezer
• Baking Needs
• Grains
• Meat
• Canned
• Breakfast
• Dairy Aisle
• Snacks
 Store Coupon Policies & Weekly Match-Up Websites:
General Information
a. Know the coupon policy in advance, if possible
b. When possible, bring the policy with you to the store, so if there is ever a
question, you can refer to it
c. Sometimes there is a difference in what is written and what the store actually
practices, you’ll have to learn this through experience
d. Locations for printing Internet Printables
i. Coupons.com
ii. Coupons.smartsource.com
iii. www.redplum.com
e. Coupon stacking is permitted at all stores included in this handout
i. Coupon stacking is presenting both a manufacturer coupon and a store
coupon to purchase a product. With the exception of the coupons that
come out of the Weekly Rite Aid Ad (they say manufacturer coupon, but
are honored as a store coupon), coupons will always say at the top,
Manufacturer Coupon or Store Coupon (sometimes written as CVS
Coupon or Giant Coupon, etc.).
f. You will find an unofficial coupon policy listed for each local store below. If
there is an official coupon policy, I have included the website where you can read
it.

Safeway
www.safeway.com
Coupon Policy:
Each store does set their own policy, but I have found the following to be true of all the
Safeways in the area:
-Double coupons up to .99 (.50 becomes $1.00, .60 becomes $1.20)
-Accept only 2 Internet Printables (IP) per item, per transaction
i.e. buy two bottles of ketchup, use two IP’s (one for each item)
-Will not accept Internet Printables for Free products (a coupon that says you
will receive the product for free)
-Can load electronic coupons on your Safeway Card at
www.shortcuts.com
www.cellfire.com
Match-Ups:
www.moneywisemoms.com
Official Coupon Policy
http://www.safeway.com/IFL/Grocery/Coupons-Policy
Giant
www.giantfood.com
Coupon Policy:
-Double coupons up to .99 (.50 becomes $1.00, .60 becomes $1.20)
-No limit on Internet Printables
-Accepts money off total purchase (i.e. $5/40 purchase) coupons from competing stores
(Harris Teeter, Super Fresh, Safeway, Shoppers, etc.)
-Occassionally has Dollar Doublers (doubles any $1.00 coupon) or Triplers (triples any
.99 or less coupon) in their ads. Can be a minimum purchase or a limit to the number of
doublers or triplers.
Matchups:
www.redemptionunlimited.blogspot.com

Shoppers Food Warehouse

www.shoppersfoodwarehouse.com
Coupon Policy:
-Double coupons up to .99 (.50 becomes $1.00, .60 becomes $1.20)
-Will not accept Internet Printables for Free products (a coupon that says you
will receive the product for free)
-Will not accept Internet Printables for over $1.00
-Accepts money off total purchase (i.e. $5/40 purchase) coupons from competing stores
(Harris Teeter, Super Fresh, Safeway, Shoppers, etc.)
Official Coupon Policy
http://www.hotcouponworld.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-283572.html

Harris Teeter
www.harristeeter.com
Coupon Policy
-Double coupons up to .99 (.50 becomes $1.00, .60 becomes $1.20)
-Will not accept Internet Printables for Free products (a coupon that says you
will receive the product for free)
-Accepts money off total purchase (i.e. $5/40 purchase) coupons from competing stores
(Giant, Super Fresh, Safeway, Shoppers, etc.)
-Policy states that you can only use a coupon on one item in a Buy One Get One offer
-You can buy only one item of a Buy One Get One offer because the items ring at
half price
-This rule is not consistently enforced
Special Coupon Events – limit of 20 coupons/day
- Super Doubles - double coupons up to $1.50 ($1.50 coupon worth $3.00)
-Triple Coupons - triple coupons up to .99 (.75 coupon worth $2.25)
Official Coupon Policy
http://www.harristeeter.com/default.aspx?pageId=324
Match-Ups:
www.southernsavers.com
Super Fresh
www.superfreshfood.com
Coupon Policy
-Double coupons up to .99 (.50 becomes $1.00, .60 becomes $1.20)
-Will not accept ANY Internet Printables
-Accepts ALL competitor coupons
-Occassionally triples coupons up to .99
Official Coupon Policy:
http://pennypossibilities.blogspot.com/2009/02/super-fresh-coupon-policy.html
Match-Ups:
www.pennypossibilities.blogspot.com

CVS
www.cvs.com
Coupon Policy
-Does NOT double coupons
-Types of coupons accepted:
-Manufacturer Coupons (including Printable Coupons)
-Store Coupons (In-Ad, Cash Register Coupons that print
on the receipt or Purchase Based Coupons ($4/20, $5/25, etc.))
-Competitor Rx Coupons (example: a Target coupon for transferred
prescription gift card)
-ECBs (CVS Extra Bucks)
- Internet Printable coupons
-ECBs are redeemed like a gift card, not a coupon (they may be used in addition
to any other coupons you present.)
-May use two coupons on Buy One, Get One offers
-If your coupon is more than the amount of the item, the cashier will adjust the
coupon down (Coupon for $1.00 is adjusted down to .97 for a .97 item)
Officical Coupon Policy
http://thekrazycouponlady.com/2009/08/cvs-coupon-policy-drugstore-couponing.html
Matchups
www.iheartcvs.com
www.southernsavers.com
www.moneysavingmom.com

Rite Aid
www.riteaid.com
Coupon Policy
-Types of coupons accepted:
-Manufacturer Coupons (including Printable Coupons)
-Store Coupons (In-Ad, Cash Register Coupons that print
on the receipt or Purchase Based Coupons ($4/20, $5/25, etc.))
-Internet Printables are accepted, but limited to $5.00 per coupon, per
item
 -Competitor Rx Coupons (example: a Target coupon for transferred
prescription gift card)
-May use two coupons on Buy One, Get One offers
-Be sure to use the $5/25 coupons that are almost always available
Official Coupon Policy:
http://www.dealseekingmom.com/rite-aid-official-corporate-coupon-policy/

Wal-Mart
www.walmart.com
Coupon Policy
Coupons accepted:
-Manufacturer Coupons (including Printable Coupons)
-Store Coupons
-Pharmacy Coupons
-Internet Coupons
-Soft Drink Container Caps
-Do not double coupons
-May use two coupons on Buy One, Get One Offers
-Will price match competitors ads
Official Coupon Policy
http://walmartstores.com/7655.aspx

Target
www.target.com
Coupon Policy
Coupons accepted:
-Manufacturer Coupons (including Printable Coupons)
-Store Coupons
-Pharmacy Coupons
-Internet Coupons
-Soft Drink Container Caps
-Do not double coupons
-May use two coupons on Buy One, Get One Offers
-Will price match competitors ads
-Target also has store coupon available for print online or at the store kiosks in
the customer service departments. These coupons can be stacked with
Manufacturer’s Coupons.
Offical Coupon Policy
http://www.dealseekingmom.com/target-official-corporate-coupon-policy/
 Additional Coupon Tips & Tricks
Printable Coupons:
If you are having problems printing an internet coupon you can easily solve the problem by
changing two letters in the url.

This is an example of a coupon url:

http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=qicgdow58228566&bt=vg&o=57812&
c=KR&p=WLVK1gsQ

The highlighted letters in the url are the letters you'll need to change depending on your browser
to make the coupon print.

Here are the letters you should use instead:

Internet Explorer: vi or wi

Firefox: vg or wg

Safari: xs

Rain Checks:
If a store is having a sale, but is out of the item, you can ask for a rain check. Later,
when the store has returned the item to full price, you can present your rain check and get
the cheaper price.

Clearance shopping:
Stores often have areas with marked down goods (25-75% off)
Bakery - day old breads, rolls, pies, cookies
Produce – slightly damaged or ripe goods
Grocery - damaged cans, items close to sell by date
Meat – the meat is still good, but the sell by date is near
Found in the meat cooler amidst all the other meat, but specially marked
SAMS – evenings after 6PM or early mornings
Matching a coupon with already marked down merchandise can often result in very
cheap or free goods.
Top 10 items that you should never pay for again!

Posted by Saving Your Cents, www.savingyourcents.net 
Thursday, October 22, 2009 
Once you have been couponing for a while you start realizing that there are
certain things that are free with coupons. I have compiled a list of items that
I have constantly been able to get free each month from the drug stores and
grocery stores. There was once a time when I thought that a $1 toothbrush
and a $.50 tube of toothpaste was a good deal. I can honestly say that I
never realized the potential of free items that you can purchase with a great
sale and a good coupon!

#1 Toothpaste, #2 Toothbrushes, & #3 Dental Floss

Almost everyone has access to a CVS, Rite Aid, and/or a Walgreens. There
are literally 30 or more opportunities throughout the year to receive your
toothpaste for free from one of these drug stores.

CVS has been a huge Colgate toothpaste freebie store for me. Here lately
have I ventured into free Crest from Kroger and free Arm & Hammer from
Publix.

At CVS the toothpaste will usually be worked into an Extra Care Buck Deal,
at Walgreen it's usually a Register Reward offer, and at Rite Aid it's a
Rebate.

Kroger puts Crest Toothpaste & Oral B toothbrushes on sale twice per year
for $1 each. Each time they have been on sale there have been $1/1 or
$.50/1 coupons out making them free.

Publix will throw toothpaste into a BOGO deal but often you still have to pay
$.25 or so for them. I have only seen the Arm & Hammer toothpaste totally
for free once in the last 2 years.
Dental Floss is often found at Kroger & Publix for free. Reach is the brand of
choice here. I have seen crest and others for free but the Reach brand
occurs many times throughout the year. Wait for a sale of $1 each and you
can bet that there are $1/1 or $.50/1 coupons out there that will make them
free!

#4 Razors
Between CVS and Walgreens you will end up with more Gillette Razors than
you know what to do with. Usually you will see the razors on sale for $8.99
or $9.99 with a $5 or higher Extra Care Buck or Register Reward. There are
always $4/1 coupons available at the time of the promotions making them
free after the coupon and the ECB or RR.

Schick razors are also very popular. Many of the trial size (2 ct) packages
are priced at $.99. $1/1 coupons are often released in the Sunday inserts
that make them free!

#5 Air Fresheners
This one is a given if you have been using coupons for a while. Air Wick,
Glade, and sometimes Febreeze is always free somewhere. High value
coupons combined with a great sale always yield freebies! (aerosol, plug-ins,
candles, battery operated...you name it)

#6 Shampoo, #7 Conditioner, & #8 Hair Stylers

Again the drug stores offer tons of deals on these items throughout the year.
Garnier, Pantene, and Suave seem to be the most popular brand names that
you can get for free.

#9 Makeup
Covergirl is the key brand name here. CVS and Publix have the best re-
occurring free deals throughout the year.

Publix: Watch out for the Green Advantage Flyer that is put out once per
month. You will almost always see a $2/1 coupon that you can stack with a
$1/1 manufacturers coupon to get free eye shadow and eye liner.

CVS: Watch out for ECB deals and BOGO sales with high dollar coupons to
matchup for the freebies!

#10 Condiments
If you ever see a coupon that is for $1/1 or $.50/1 for things such as hot
sauce, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, etc. you can bet that it could be free
while at regular price but definitely free when on sale for $1

Most condiments have a 2 year shelf life. (Hint: Make sure that you check
your dates to ensure that you are getting the newest product while stocking
up! The stores rotate their product to prevent items from expiring and the
newest stock is in the back!)

Grilling debuts (summertime and Football season) are when you will get
these items the cheapest. This past summer Publix had A1, Lowery's
marinade, French's mustard, Kraft BBQ sauce, and Kraft salad dressing all
on sale multiple times in their BOGO sale. The sale combined with the
current coupons out for those products made every single one of those items
free! Take advantage of sales like this to stock up for the year. If you don't
you will have to wait until the next year! Other stores have free items but
Publix has the most free condiments free each year.

Honorable Mentions: Coupons to keep an eye on!

I decided to add this section due to the fact that certain coupons come out
once per month or once every other month that make products free.

#11 Kotex Panty Liners

Sold at Walmart for $1 (small boxes). I can't tell you how many boxes of
these things I have ended up with throughout the year! Despite the fact that
everyone always hits Walmart up for this free product they haven't raised
the price like other store chains do when they see an increase in demand (I
have seen this happen at Kroger, Publix, and most recently CVS.).

#12 Johnson & Johnson First Aid Kits

Sold in the trial section of many stores. CVS sells these for $.99 and there
are always $1/1 coupons or $3/2 SmartSource Blinkie coupon that come
out!

#13 Maruchan Yakisoba Noodles (like Ramen noodles but better)

These coupons are released about every 2 months. They usually come out
as $.50/1's. Many of the grocery stores sell this item from $.79-$.99 each
making them free with the coupon.

#14 Muir Glen Tomato Sauce

Muir Glenn releases $1/1 coupons online which makes them free at most
stores. The average price for the tomato sauce is $.89.

#15 Johnson's Buddies

I know this sounds like an odd one but there are many opportunities
(through your Sunday inserts and internet printable coupons) to get these
cute little bars of soap for free from many stores. They are usually sold at
$.97 each.

If you would like to share any common freebies that you run across be sure
to leave a comment below to add them to this list!

I live in the Southeast and these free items may vary depending on your
region and the store that you shop at but you should see at least 90% of
these items are free no matter where you live!
Motivation: What a Year of Rookie Couponing Can Yield
From Redemption Unlimited, www.redemptionunlimited.blogspot.com
Posted July 24, 2009

About a year ago, it was at an outdoor playgroup session that Mel first remarked to me
(A.) that she was getting free toothpaste at CVS. I think I had one of those "Say
whaaaaaa?" looks on my face while the record-scratch sound effect could be heard in the
background.

Just a short time later, Mel - who'd been couponing since the spring - emailed me the
links to some choice resources (http://www.iheartcvs.com/ and Gina's blog to name a
couple). It started to dawn on me while skimming the entries how having access to such
organized information could be a boon to our budget. Before long, I was making regular
trips to CVS - and soon Shopper's Food Warehouse and other grocery stores started
advertising coupon doubling and tripling specials. My husband and I eventually
abandoned our dependence on Sam's Club for almost all of our groceries in favor of
capitalizing on the loss-leaders at Giant and other local grocery stores, with occasional
trips to Sam's.

Neither Mel nor I are regular $X/week budget-busters (at least not yet...). We witness in
awe the finesse of those whose well-honed couponing skills have consistently brought
weekly grocery budgets to dazzling minimums (especially, as in the case of blogger
Crystal Paine, those who manage to eat healthfully while doing so!). Do we occasionally
net big discount runs? Oh yes, and they are incredible highs when we manage to pull
them off. But we are both still learning new strategies every day for saving money in our
everyday purchases. Who knows how our skills will have been refined in the coming
year?

If you're new to the couponing world, or just looking to increase your couponing power,
be encouraged! As in our case, you don't need to spring off your starting block with
record-breaking runs. Think of it this way: what if you could save just 8.3% of your
grocery and household goods budget? Many coupons' face values come to 20% or more
of an item's retail price. Buying meats on sale and produce in season can save you 50%
or more off retail - so by making small changes in your approach, you can easily exceed
8.3% savings in a simple shopping trip. Baby steps to savings.

You're saying, "OK, but why 8.3%?" 8.3% is 1/12th - so if you save 8.3% over a year,
you've just saved yourself an entire month's worth of grocery and basic household
expenses. How could that break down for a family? Let's do a sample family, featuring
husband and wife, and two kids, one in diapers. I'll try to keep estimates conservative.

Food basics:
Milk - 8 gallons - $24
Yoghurt cups - $50 (Yoplait and Dannon coupons appear regularly)
Cheese - $10 (four bags/blocks)
Eggs - $5 (two dozen)
Produce - $60 (Could you save $60 in a year on your produce purchases? So doable.)
Meat - $80 (Way doable, especially if you do a couple one or two meatless meals each
week.)
Prepackaged cereal, lunch or snack foods - $50 (you could do this in cereal and granola
bar coupons alone)
Frozen veggies - $15
Frozen pizza - $5
Desserts - $20
==============
Food basics subtotal: $319

Basic Family Toiletries (where CVS really pays off!):

Her shaving cartridges (8): $18
Her shaving cream: $3 (1 bottle)
Her face cream: $10 (one bottle)
Her cosmetics: $12 (combined)
Her feminine hygiene products: $6
His shaving cartridges (12): $24
His shaving cream: $5 (1-2 bottles)
His aftershave: $4 (half bottle in a month)
Shampoo: $12 (4 bottles)
Conditioner: $12 (4 bottles)
Soap: $10 (4 bars)
Hand Soap: $7 (three bottles)
Diapers: $80
Wipes: $15
=======================
Toiletries Subtotal: $218

Household goods:
Toilet paper: $6 (9 rolls)
Paper towels: $10 (8 rolls)
Laundry detergent: $2 (half bottle)
Fabric softener: $2 (half bottle)
Anti-static dryer sheets: $1 (quarter box)
All-purpose cleaner: $2 (half bottle)
Sponges: $4 (for 4)
Dishwasher detergent: $3 (half bottle)
========================
Household goods subtotal: $30

========================
TOTAL saved: $567
========================

Of course, your actual consumption patterns will vary depending on your family's
unique circumstances, but the point is this: could you come up with a couple of $1
coupons to save on all-purpose cleaner in a year's time? Sure! If so, you've just saved
yourself the cost of a month's worth of all-purpose cleaner. Can you try to save $10.90
each week, either by a few coupons or loss-leader strategizing? Just $10.90 saved each
week adds up to a month of general food and household expenses - essentially for free!
And think what you could do with that $567...
A few ideas:

• A family weekend getaway with some special extras.

• Put it toward your mortgage (or if you're saving for a house, your down payment
savings!).
• Fill some new backpacks for back-to-school charities, or fill some boxes for a
children's Christmas charity event like the D.C.-area Little Lights Christmas
party.
• If you attend church, up your regular giving. Suddenly, where there seemed to be
no wiggle room, you've found a twelfth of your regular budget to spare.
• Fly some friends or relatives into town - maybe some grandparents to keep the
kids busy for a bit?
• Take yourself and someone else out for a cup of fancy coffee every week.
• Buy yourself some time and sanity - by hiring a house cleaner for a once-over, or
regular service!
• Host a party. A big one. Feel zero shame in serving couponed Pillsbury Savorings
and loss-leader fruit salad.

The possibilities are limitless...just for thinking your way to $10.90 in savings each
week. What more inspiration could you want to kick off your next year of couponing and
saving habits?
Frugality

Resources for:
Thoughts on Frugality
Store Brands
Frugal Date Nights
Warehouse Clubs
Frugal Ain’t Cheap 

by Dana on October 12, 2009

I’m afraid this post might be unpopular among some of you. But like a half-clothed prophet in
the wilderness, I feel compelled to preach it. My apologies in advance if it offends.

“So, we’ve gotta know. Do you run your Ziploc bags through the dish washer?” It took me off
guard. “Because we had a bet. You guys do, right?” Apparently my wife’s reputation had
proceeded me once again. “Are you serious?” I stalled. Heads wagged eagerly.

“No, we absolutely do not reuse our Ziploc bags.” I chucked awkwardly. “Is that what you’re
asking?” The two grinning faces nodded in agreement. “We throw them away and buy new ones
like everyone else.” Their eyebrows rose in surprise. Teasing aside, I could see that there was
genuine curiosity in the question. And neither of them got the answer they expected.

As I walked back to the car, I was both intrigued and confused. Why did they assume we’d be so
fastidious with our sandwich bags? It didn’t make sense.

I thought through the numbers: Ziploc sandwich bags cost about $.01 each (after coupons). We
go through about 15 every week, at a cost of $8 per year. Say we did reuse our bags. Assuming it
takes about 20 seconds to wash, dry, and restock each bag, we’d spend 4 hours and 20 minutes a
year doing it. Four hours for less than $10 bucks! That’s a savings of less than $2 per hour, a tiny
(and maybe unsanitary) return on investment. The bottom line: we don’t do it, because it’s not
frugal.

The average person is surprised by that last part. Why isn’t it frugal to reuse Ziploc bags? It does
save money. And every penny counts, right?

Not quite. Like a savvy business person, an experienced Frugal knows that return on investment
is far more important than mere money-saving. A Frugal invests her time (that scarce resource)
in the things that will save her the most money and give her the highest quality of life in the least
amount of time. A Frugal is more than a cost-slasher. A Frugal is an investor. That’s the
difference.

And it’s an important difference. I’ve seen too many overzealous money-saving converts stray
from the path of frugality to the land of the cheap. They start well, cutting coupons, eliminating
credit card debt, thinking through purchases. Then they veer of track. They start reusing Ziploc
bags. They start sweating the small stuff. It’s the hard road toward insanity.

Check up on yourself. Evaluate your frugal techniques. Which ones are really worth it? If you
wouldn’t accept $2 per hour as payment for your labor from another, don’t accept it from
yourself under the guise of frugality. Valuing your time is the subtle and important difference
between being cheap and being frugal.

The frugal experience is about living better on less. If you miss the living better part, you’ve
missed it entirely.
How Can a Frugal Person Buy Expensive Items? A Deeper Look at Frugality
By Trent from The Simple Dollar, www.thesimpledollar.com
October 6, 2007 @ 9:00 am

One of my more faithful readers sent me the following request:

perhaps one day you could post a simple definition of what living frugal is. I wrote my
niece and told her living frugal was a better alternative to living broke but short a
novel length email I couldn’t really explain the concept (which is why I never link to
my blog)

This followed right after a person felt the need to send me an IM and berate me for
not being “frugal enough”:

anyone who would buy a $600 mixer for their kitchen isn’t frugal

I didn’t pay anywhere close to $600 for my KitchenAid Pro 6 stand mixer, by the way.

Before we even get going, I wanted to quote Wikipedia’s definition of frugality with
my own emphasis added:

Frugality (also known as thrift or thriftiness), often confused with cheapness or

miserliness, is a traditional value, life style, or belief system, in which individuals
practice both restraint in the acquiring of and resourceful use of economic goods and
services in order to achieve lasting and more fulfilling goals. In a money-based
economy, frugality emphasizes economical use of money in meeting long term
personal, familial, and communal desires.

When most people hear frugal, they think cheap or miserly. They’re not the same
thing at all, though they do share some techniques.

In a nutshell, a frugal person seeks to find the best deal on an item that meets the
desired level of quality. A frugal person will try several different kinds of canned
tuna, figure out which one is the best deal for the dollar, and stick with that brand by
seeking out coupons and sales to minimize the cost.

On the other hand, a cheap person will always take the route of least financial cost
in the here and now. The cheapskate will look at the prices for stuff on a store shelf
and always buy the cheapest thing.

What do they have in common? Both look for sales. Both are quite willing to use
coupons. Neither one buys anything that doesn’t have a use in their lives.
It’s because of those factors that the two perspectives are often confused, but the
truth is that they’re very different. A frugal person seeks to maximize the use of
every dollar, while a cheap person seeks to conserve every dollar.

Here are some comparisons that illustrate the difference.

A frugal person is willing to spend $1,200 on a new washing machine, provided that
washing machine is low energy and has a long lifetime.

A cheap person can’t even conceive of spending that kind of money on a washing
machine.

A frugal person might spend $5 on salad dressing, but follow it with a 70 cent can of
tuna, because the frugal person has tried various kinds when they’re on sale and has
found out the sweet spot of the best quality for the buck in both salad dressing and
tuna.

A cheap person will buy the 99 cent salad dressing and the 70 cent can of tuna and
laugh at the money wasted by the “frugal” person.

A frugal person is quite fine with spending a few hundred dollars on an entertainment
purchase if the purchase has been researched and carefully considered.

A cheap person would never even dream of buying a Nintendo Wii – the old Super
Nintendo their cousin gave them 12 years ago is still working, after all.

The most interesting part? Being cheap is often more expensive. A cheap person will
usually buy the cheapest possible washing machine, but that washing machine is more
likely to crap out when they really need it and also sucks down a lot more electricity.
The cheapest salad dressing is often less healthy and in the long run might contribute
to health problems – and also leads to less satisfying meals at home.

In a nutshell, a frugal person is willing to pay more for a significantly better

experience, but isn’t afraid to buy generic if it’s the same as a name brand. A frugal
person looks at the total cost of ownership of a major purchase. A frugal person isn’t
afraid to spend money sometimes on enjoyable things, but only if the purchases truly
fill a hole in their life. A frugal person, if they go shopping, would rather upgrade an
item they use frequently than to buy something new. A frugal person likely has a lot
of energy efficient items in their home and often decorates in a spartan fashion
where the items you do find have personal meaning.

In my world, that’s what frugality is, and I’m proud to call myself a frugal person.

 
Slash Your Grocery Bill With Store-Brand Products

Tuesday, 15th September 2009

by J.D. at Get Rich Slowly, www.getrichslowly.org

The October 2009 issue of Consumer Reports contains an article

extolling the virtues of generic store-brand products. While
shoppers used to sacrifice quality when choosing generic, that’s no
longer the case. From the article:

If concern about taste has kept you from trying store-brand

foods, hesitate no more. In blind tests, our trained tasters compared
a big national brand with a store brand in 29 food categories. Store
and national brands tasted about equally good 19 times. Four times,
the store brand won; six times, the national brand won.

In other words, store brands offer roughly the same quality as national brands, but at a
much-reduced cost. How much reduced? Consumer Reports says that the store brands they tested
cost an average of 27 percent less than the name brand equivalents.

How much can you save?

Sometimes theory is one thing and reality another. It’s nice that Consumer Reports can score
great deals on store brands. But could I? Last week, I walked to two local grocery stores to do
my own research. First I looked at Safeway, where Kris and I shop most often. Next, I walked
across the street to Fred Meyer, a store we usually try to avoid. (The store is huge and its layout
makes little sense to me.)

I spent an hour in each store, roaming the aisles, looking for representative prices on a variety of
items. I tried to pick one item at random from every section of the store. When I’d finished, I had
a list of 25 products for which each store carried the same name brand and their own store-brand
equivalent.

The results actually surprised me. You can save a lot of money with store-brand products —
far more than I suspected. Here’s the raw data from my research:
 Click to open larger image in new window

The first column lists the name-brand item I used as a basis for comparison. I’ve given each store
two columns, one for the price of the name-brand item, and one for the generic item. On each
line, red text indicates the highest-priced option and green text indicates the least expensive
option.

Here’s a closer look at some of these comparisons:

• I’m out of my Head and Shoulders shampoo. I just threw away the bottle this morning.
Normally I buy actual Head and Shoulders at Safeway, which costs me $5.99 if it’s not
on sale. If I were to instead buy the Fred Meyer store brand, I’d only pay $2.49 — a
savings of nearly 60%!
• At Safeway, standard Charmin two-ply toilet paper costs $10.99 for 12 rolls. At $9.49,
the store brand isn’t much cheaper. But if I were to go across the street to Fred Meyer, I’d
pay just $4.89 for the store brand. (Actually, Kris and I get our toilet paper at Costco, and
I have no idea what we pay.)
• Hungry? For $2.17, you could buy a can of generic chicken noodle soup, a box of generic
saltine crackers, and a bottle of generic root beer at Fred Meyer. To buy name-brand
equivalents at Safeway would cost you $6.18. (You could eat three of those meals using
generic Fred Meyer food for the price of one meal from Safeway.)
You get the idea. Buying store brands at Safeway would save nearly 22% for the items on this
list. At Fred Meyer, I could save over 36%. And Fred Meyer store brands cost 44% less than
name brands at Safeway — without the need for a “loyalty card”.

A note on methodology: While conducting this survey, I faced a tough choice. Which price
should I list? The non-sale price for each item? Or the sale price? Of the 25 name-brand items
listed, 15 were on sale at Safeway and 14 were on sale at Fred Meyer. (There was a lot of overlap
on the sales, too.) At Safeway, 20 of the generics were on sale; 10 were on sale at Fred Meyer. I
chose to list non-sale prices because it’s impossible to know which items are on sale when.

Running the numbers

I learned a number of things from this project. First off, we’re shopping at the wrong grocery
store. Buying name-brand products at Safeway is the most expensive way to go. Based on this
list, shopping at Fred Meyer instead would save us nearly 12%, even without moving to generics.

Second, generics are not always a bargain. On 10 out of the 25 items, the Safeway generic cost
as much (or more!) than the name-brand equivalent at Fred Meyer. On the other hand, Fred
Meyer store-brand items offer fantastic savings, especially when compared to Safeway’s name-
brand selections. (The items on this list were 44% less expensive!)

Another factor to consider is that some stores have a better selection of store brands than
others. Subjectively speaking, Fred Meyer seemed to have about double the number of generic
items that Safeway had — and often had multiple sizes or varieties. They carried several types of
store brand salsa, for example, while Safeway’s selection was more limited. At both stores, the
generics were generally staple items: rice, toilet paper, tomato sauce, etc.

Conclusions
“We should buy more generics,” I told Kris after collating my data.

“We do buy generics,” she said.

“We do? Like what?”

“…” she said (proving for once that Kris is not always right!).

Though Kris and I do a lot of things to save money, we don’t actually buy a lot of store brands.
We’re not opposed to them — we just stick to brands we trust. This brand loyalty costs us
money. Here’s how Consumer Reports put it in the article that inspired my research: “Switching
to store brands can be a painless way to cut your grocery bill.” They’re right.

After conducting this experiment, I realize there are four key steps to saving big bucks on
groceries. More than anything else, these actions can help struggling families cut costs:

1. Grow whatever produce you are able. The more you grow, the more you save.
2. Buy store brands whenever possible.
 3. For everything else, do your best to purchase items only when they’re on sale. (This may
mean developing a grocery price book.)
4. Learn to clip coupons, especially for processed foods.

This exercise was eye-opening in another way. I discovered that shopping at Safeway costs us
money. If the data here is representative, then switching to Fred Meyer could save us over 10%
on our grocery bill. That’s enough to let us dine out one extra time per month. Or it’s more
money we can save for our trip to France next year.

Kris and I are both wary of switching from Safeway to Fred Meyer — as I mentioned, there’s
more to this decision than price — but I suspect that if we give it a chance, we’ll find ways to
deal with Fred Meyer’s annoyances and save money in the process.
A Do-It-Yourself Guide to a Romantic and
Highly Frugal Date Night
Posted by Trent at www.thesimpledollar.com
October 8, 2008 @ 2:00 pm - Written by Trent

Whenever I talk about being married or the six years in which I was dating my wife, people always
ask for suggestions on how to put together an interesting, romantic date without blowing a lot of
money out on the town.
I’ve been collecting ideas and tips for a while and I’ve come up with some fairly modular options
for coming up with a frugal romantic date. Choose one option from the “Dinner” section and the
“Entertainment” section and then top it off with one item from the “Follow-Up” section.

Meal
Most dates usually involve the participants sharing food in some form or another. Many people
immediately equate that to eating dinner at some expensive restaurant, and it’s an image that’s
constantly perpetuated in pop culture. I invite you to think outside the box a little on this one.
Here are six suggestions for doing things just a bit differently – it’ll make you stand out and save
you quite a bit of money.
Just eat dessert instead of a full meal Instead of going out to dinner, go out for dessert – it’s
cheaper, can be a big change of pace from the usual dinner routine, and can show that you’re not
uptight and trying to create some generic “perfect” date.
Prepare a home-cooked meal There’s a certain intimacy and care that comes from preparing a
meal for your date. Dining in someone’s home, eating the food that they’ve worked on, introduces
a connection that can’t be replicated in a restaurant. Plus, a wise food preparer can make a
delicious meal without a strong financial cost. If you don’t know what you’re doing in the kitchen,
stick with something simple – make a simple pasta dish, like spaghetti with a tomato basil sauce
along with a salad.
Have a night picnic Another option that my wife and I used to do regularly in our dating days is to
simply pack a picnic basket and eat outdoors together. Often, we’d do this at night, preferably
out in the country, where we could lean back on our picnic blanket, look up at the stars, and talk
about life.
Go to a community festival An evening at a community festival can often be a good way to not
only entertain yourself for the evening, but eat on the cheap as well. You can often get a very
inexpensive taste of local cultural fare, see a lot of interesting free events, and also have ample
opportunity to talk and get to know each other better.
Use Restaurant.com or an Entertainment Book to find a strong discount on a dinner out You
can often find heavily discounted gift certificates to restaurants using tools like Restaurant.com,
Entertainment Books, local newspapers, and so on. Before you even consider taking your partner
out on the town, do the research first and save yourself some significant coinage if you do decide
to go out to eat.
Go to an “off the beaten path” place Another tactic for a cheap dinner date is to go to an
unusual place far off the beaten path. My wife and I used to love to frequent small ethnic
restaurants during our college and early professional years, where the two of us could eat an
enormous, delicious ethnic meal for less than $10 – beverages and all.
Entertainment
But what else are you going to do on this date? Dinner’s fun, but going out on the town can be
expensive, as can going out for a movie. Not only do they cost money, they can make for pretty
boring and repetitive dates. Instead, why not save yourself some money and also step outside the
box a little bit for something different? Here are thirteen options to do just that.
Go for a walk in an exciting place … or a romantic place In almost every community, there are
areas that have a certain special flavor. Perhaps you have an area that’s particularly romantic at
night – fountains, nice views, and some seclusion from noise and bustle. Or perhaps there’s an
area with a very lively street culture that turns almost into a festival each night when the lights
go down, with people performing in the street and interesting things going on everywhere. Just go
for a walk in such an interesting place and enjoy the environment together.
Teach something Is there a skill you’ve acquired that the person you’re dating would love to
learn? Spend the date teaching it in a safe and friendly way. Perhaps you’ve got martial arts
experience and your date would like to learn some basic self-defense. Perhaps you’re a skilled
painter and your partner’s always wanted to pick up a brush. Maybe you’re good with mechanics
and your date has always wanted to know how to change the oil in a car. Instead of doing a typical
date, teach your date how to do something. It’s intimate, special, and something your date’s not
likely to forget.
Have a movie night You don’t even have to go out and rent one. Just mine the DVDs or VHS tapes
that either of you own and watch something. Watch your date’s favorite movie – or your own.
Have each of you pick out one and watch them both. Watch one you both know very well with the
director’s commentary turned on. Pop some popcorn and kick back.
Go to a playground Seriously. Go to a playground in the late evening. Go on the swings. Slide
down the slide. Spin on the merry-go-round. It’s a great way to reconnect with your childhood and
spontaneously share that with your date.
Go to a place personally important to you This is a great thing to do if you’re starting to
genuinely become close to your date and build a string relationship. Just take your date to a place
genuinely important to you. Visit your parents, perhaps. Maybe just show your date where you
grew up. Take your date to the spot where you spent countless hours reading during your teen
years. Take your date to that old pasture out in the country where you used to go on picnics when
you were little. Talk about it – open up a little.
Play board games My wife and I do this all the time after the kids go to bed. We just get out a
bottle of wine, pour each of us a glass, and play a board game – Scrabble, Puerto Rico, Princes of
Florence, Carcassonne, Power Grid, Acquire, or something else. We talk about our day while also
hunkering down and really thinking about the game in front of us. It’s a great way to spend an
evening and if you’ve already got the game in the closet, it’s basically free.
Go to the beach A nice long walk on the beach provides a great opportunity to get to know each
other better in a quiet, peaceful setting. A rocky beach can provide a great opportunity to skip
rocks together on the surf, or you can just sit on the sand, sharing stories and truths.
Go for a hike This can be a great activity for a weekend date during the day. Go hiking in a
beautiful park area near you, walking to beautiful and secluded natural areas and enjoying the
endorphins that the exercise brings forth in you.
Go on a “wandering walk” Another interesting thing to do along these lines is to simply go out
your front door and walk in a random direction. If you happen to live in an interesting
neighborhood, this can be very interesting, indeed. You can discover interesting things in your
own neighborhood together with your date.
Volunteer together If your date has a social consciousness, you can often make an interesting
date out of participating in a volunteer activity. One of the first dates I had with my wife was
working as a volunteer at a youth lock-in – it was quite fun and it provided a great opportunity for
the two of us to get to know each other while also providing a good time for youths.
Go to a poetry, book reading, or lecture Many libraries and other public places will have free
public poetry or book readings in the evenings and these can provide intellectually meaty material
to share with a date. College campuses are a great place to look for speakers on all topics as well.
Go on a brewery or winery tour This is another great option, particularly for an afternoon spent
together. Many breweries and wineries will let you tour their facilities for free and will often cap
it with a free sampling of their products. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon – my wife and I do
this whenever we get the chance, actually.
Visit a museum, zoo, or historical site in your community Most communities have many such
resources that are open to the public, often for free and sometimes open in the evenings, too.
Take advantage of it – go take in some of the more interesting cultural aspects of the area in
which you live.

Follow-Up
Many people follow up on a date with a simple phone call, which is fine, but you can really stand
out (in a good way) with just a bit more effort – but not more money.
Follow through on something from the date If you pledged something during your date (like
loaning a book or finding some old pictures), keep it in mind and make an effort to follow through
with it. Then use that item as an opportunity to touch base with your date – and perhaps secure
another one.
Drop off a handwritten note A simple blank notecard that says that you were just thinking of
your date and how much you enjoyed it is a great way to keep the communication going in a
personal way that only costs pennies.
Hand-pick some flowers When I was in college, I picked some fresh flowers in a field the day
after a date, tied them together, and left them at my date’s door with a little note thanking her
for a wonderful evening and a note to call me. That’s a lot more effective and personal than
sending a note on Facebook. This is also a good way to start off a date as well.
Good luck with your romance! Just remember, it doesn’t have to kill your pocketbook.
Should you join Sams Club, BJ's or Costco Warehouse Clubs? Or none of the
above?

Posted by Jodi at www.neverpayretailagain.blogspot.com

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2008

Does it make sense to shell out roughly $50 to join a warehouse club?

It just might-- especially if your club is close to you, has a gas station, accepts coupons AND you
can reign in your desire to go hog wild while shopping there-- even when things are a bargain,
they can add up AND quickly.

Groceries/Toiletries:
In general, I find that I can do better shopping the local grocery stores and CVS for almost
everything-- but, if you're looking for one stop shopping, warehouse clubs aren't a terrible deal.
Especially at BJ's, the only club that accepts coupons-- and, get this (this is HUGE!): you can not
only stack a BJ's store coupon with a manufacturer's coupon-- but you can use MULTIPLE
manufacturer's coupons for multipacks-- meaning, that if you buy a box of Huggies diapers-- you
can only use one store coupon and one manufacturer's coupon-- but if you buy 2 bottles of
shampoo that are shrinkwrapped together you can use one BJ's store coupon and 2(!)
manufacturer's coupon-- sweet, right? The way to remember it is that you can use one
manufacturer's coupons per UPC code-- one box of diapers? one UPC code--and one
manufacturer coupon. 4 pack of tomato sauce shrink wrapped together? 4 UPC codes and 4
manufacturer's coupons.

If you need assistance "proving" the coupon policy at BJ's here's a blurb from their website that I
would suggest that you print out (at www.bjs.com-- click on FAQs, then "about BJ's" and then
"savings opportunities") and include in your coupon binder or whatever system you use:

Can I use more than one coupon?

You may not use more than one coupon on a single item. However, if you buy a multi-pack (a
pack that contains multiple full-sized packages of a single product shrink-wrapped together) you
may use multiple coupons.

For example, if you have 2 coupons for 50� off an 8-oz. bottle of face cleanser and you are
buying a multi-pack that contains 2 or more 8-oz. bottles of face cleanser you may use both
coupons.

Clothing:
I'm going to sound like a broken record throughout this blogpost: the pricing is good, but you can
do better elsewhere if you take the time.

Books:
Here's one area that the clubs really shine: it's difficult to find lower prices on new books that
those you'd find at warehouse clubs.

Gas/Propane/Tires:
Generally, if your local warehouse club has a gas station, it will be 5 cents less expensive than
most local stations-- if it's close and convenient, then certainly use it! Also, propane tends to be
cheaper at warehouse clubs than it is at either grocery stores and/or hardware stores.

Tires can be less expensive at a warehouse club-- but if you negotiate well you can usually do
better at a local tire shop-- or you also buy tires online and have them installed locally.. more on
that in a later post.

Big Ticket Items:

You can do very well on furniture, electronics and even jewelery-- again, you can do better if
you shop around and have the time to really compare and negotiate-- but if you're in hurry and
don't want to invest the time and energy, a club may be the way to go. And, just like other stores,
they do clearance out their seasonal items-- so wait to go shopping for your patio furniture at the
END of summer when it's clearanced out! Befriend your sales and customer service people--
they are valuable sources of information.

Prescription Drugs, OTC Drugs and Optical:

Did you no that you DON'T have to be a member of the warehouse club to use their pharmacy?
It's true! If you don't have health insurance, warehouse clubs often have the best cash prices on
many branded prescription medications. Also, if you are looking to save money on OTC (over
the counter) drugs, it's difficult to beat the prices that clubs offer over your local drug store.

Glasses and contacts can be purchased there as well-- again, the same rule applies-- you can do
better elsewhere, but it's still amongst the least expensive retail pricing that you'll find if you
aren't able or willing to really shop around.

Discounts elsewhere:
Being a member does have its privledges: you can save money on travel, lodging, check
ordering, and a litany of other services. Check your local club for details.

All in all, warehouse clubs can be a great source of savings-- as long as you avoid the
temptation to fill your cart with things you don't need.

Another great article:

http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2009/04/21/is-your-local-warehouse-store-worth-your-while-
heres-how-to-find-out/
SAMS vs. Costco grocery prices as of 05/09   
       
Category  Item  Costco  SAMS 
       
Snacks  Chips  .21/oz  .17/oz. 
Dairy  Feta Cheese  .50/oz   
Meat  Ground Beef  2.69/lb  2.68/lb 
Meat  Ground Turkey  2.29/lb   
Meat  Pork Tenderloin  2.79/lb   
Meat  Salmon  6.49/lb  6.48/lb 
Paper 
Products  Toilet Paper  .26/roll  .25.roll 
Produce  Grapes  1.99/lb  1.95/lb 
Paper 
Products  Paper Towels  .89/roll  .88/roll 
Produce  Tomatoes  2.5/lb  2.44/lb 
Produce  Potatoes  .6/lb  .59/lb 
Produce  Peppers  1.16/ea  1.13/ea 
Dairy  Eggs  .08/eg  .10/egg 
Dairy  String Cheese  2.66/lb  2.28/lb 
Dairy  Mozzerella  1.79/lb  1.64/lb 
Dairy  Cheddar  1.95/lb  1.85/lb 
Meat  Chix Breasts  2.17/lb  2.28/lb 
Produce  Romaine Hearts  .65/heart .62/heart 
Produce  Bananas  .44/lb  .44/lb 
Dairy  Skim Milk  2.25/ea  2.12/ea 
Dairy  Whole Milk  2.59/ea  2.42/ea 
Produce  Onions  .58/lb  .69/lb 
Special K with Red 
Dry Goods  Berries  .21/oz  .21/oz 
Cheerios  Cheerios  .17/oz  .12/oz 
Cleaning  Electrasol  .15/load  .16/load 
Cleaning  Tide  .17/load  .16/load 
Paper 
Products  Trash Bags  .05/bag  .06/bag 
Dry Goods  Flour  .28/lb  .35/lb 
Dry Goods  Sugar  .43/lb  .44/lb 
Drugstores

Resources for:
CVS
Rite Aid
 CVS Extra Care Bucks Program Explained
aka how to score free toiletries, candy, cleaners and other stuff from Drugstores

1. You need a CVS Extra Care Card

a. You can get an application from a cashier or sign up online
b. If you sign up online they will mail you the card, if you sign up in-store, you will
receive the card instantly and be able to begin saving
2. Use your Extra Care Card to purchase items that produce Extra Care Bucks (ECB), and
then use these newly earned ECB’s to pay for other items (usually ones that produce
ECB’s).
a. Extra Care Bucks print at the bottom of your receipt
b. They function just like money (or a gift card) in the store, you can use them to
purchase anything
c. ECB’s are only good at CVS
3. Coupons can be used in combination with ECB’s to help lower your Out of Pocket (oop)
expense, thereby making items super cheap, free or moneymakers.
a. CVS Coupon Policy:
-Does NOT double coupons
-Types of coupons accepted:
-Manufacturer Coupons (including Printable Coupons)
-Store Coupons (In-Ad, Cash Register Coupons that print
on the receipt or Purchase Based Coupons ($4/20, $5/25, etc.))
-Competitor Rx Coupons (example: a Target coupon for transferred
prescription gift card)
-ECBs (CVS Extra Bucks)
- Internet Printable coupons
-ECBs are redeemed like a gift card, not a coupon (they may be used in
addition to any other coupons you present.)
-May use two coupons on Buy One, Get One offers
-If your coupon is more than the amount of the item, the cashier will adjust the
coupon down (Coupon for $1.00 is adjusted down to .97 for a .97 item)
Official Coupon Policy: http://thekrazycouponlady.com/2009/08/cvs-coupon-
policy-drugstorecouponing.html

4.
A few scenarios:
a. CVS advertises:
i. Purchase Dove Shampoo for 6.99, receive 6.99 ECB (limit 2)
b. Scenario #1: Purchase only –
i. Purchase Dove Shampoo, pay 6.99, plus tax, and receive 6.99 ECB
(ECB’s always print at the bottom of the receipt)
c. Scenario #2: Purchase + Manufacturer Coupon
i. Purchase Dove Shampoo for 6.99
-Give cashier manufacturer coupon for $2.00 off Dove Shampoo
-Pay $4.99 + tax
 -Receive $6.99 ECB back ($2.00 moneymaker)
d. Scenario #3: Purchase + Manufacturer Coupon + CVS Coupon
i. Purchase Dove Shampoo for 6.99
ii. Give cashier manufacturer coupon for $2.00
iii. Give cashier CVS Coupon for $2.00
iv. Pay $2.99 out of Pocket (oop)
v. Get $6.99 ECB back ($4.00 moneymaker)
e. Scenario #4: Purchase + Manufacturer Coupon + CVS Coupon + $/$$ coupon
i. Purchase Dove Shampoo for $6.99 x2 (limit 2), Purchase Gold Emblem
(CVS Brand) Candy for $.99 x 2 = $15.96
1. In previous scenarios we would be one at a time to keep our out of
pocket low. You can use the $6.99 ECB you get from the first
purchase to buy the second Dove Shampoo for no out of pocket
(oop).
2. In this example we’ll buy both at once so we can use our $3/15
coupon, to help get our product even cheaper.
ii. Give cahier $3/15.00 coupon first
1. Must hand this over first because the other coupons will drop your
total below $15.00
iii. Give ashier 2 $2.00 off manufacturer coupons
iv. Give cashier 2 $2.00 CVS coupons
v. Give cashier 1 $2.00 CVS coupon for candy
vi. Pay 2.00 + tax out of pocket
vii. Get back $13.98 in ECB ($11.00 moneymaker)
 Rite Aid Single Check Rebates Program Explained
aka how to score free toiletries, candy, cleaners and other stuff from Drugstores

1. Each week Rite Aid advertises items for purchase that offer rebates.
a. Buy Dove Shampoo for 6.00, get 6.00 Single Check Rebate (SCR)
b. Buy Colgate Toothpaste for $3.00, get $1.00 Single Check Rebate (SCR)
2. If you purchase the selected items during the week, you can submit your receipts at
www.riteaid.com and you will then be eligible to receive your rebate at the end of the
month.
3. You can only receive one rebate check a month (hence the name, Single Check Rebates)
for all of the items you have purchased in that rebate period.
4. A few scenarios:
a. Rite Aid advertises:
i. Buy Dove Shampoo for 6.00, get 6.00 Single Check Rebate (SCR)
ii. Buy Colgate Toothpaste for $2.99, get $1.00 Single Check Rebate (SCR)
iii. Buy Zyrtec Cold Medicine for $15.00, get $10.00 Single Check Rebate
(SCR)
b. Scenario #1:
i. Purchase Only
1. Buy Dove Shampoo for $6.00
2. Pay Cashier
3. Submit Receipts
4. Get SCR at end of the month for $6.00
5. FREE shampoo
c. Scenario #2:
i. Purchase + Manufacturer Coupons
1. Buy the following:
a. Dove Shampoo - $6.00
b. Colgate Toothpaste - $3.00
c. Zyrtec - $16.00
d. Total - $25.00
2. Give Cashier the following coupons
a. Dove Shampoo - $2.00
b. Colgate Toothpaste - $1.00
c. Zyrtec - $4.00
d. Pay Cashier - $18.00 + tax
3. Receive SCR for:
a. Dove - $6.00
b. Colgate - 1.00
c. Zyrtec - $10.00
d. Total SCR - $17.00 (paid $1.00 + tax for everything!)
d. Scenario #3:
i. Purchase + Manufacturer Coupons + Rite Aid Coupons
1. Buy the following:
a. Dove Shampoo - $6.00
 b. Colgate Toothpaste - $3.00
c. Zyrtec - $16.00
d. Total - $25.00
2. Give Cashier the following coupons
a. Dove Shampoo - $2.00
b. Colgate Toothpaste - $1.00
c. Zyrtec - $4.00
d. Rite Aid Zyrtec coupon - $2.00
e. Pay Cashier - $16.00 + tax
3. Receive SCR for:
a. Dove - $6.00
b. Colgate - 1.00
c. Zyrtec - $10.00
d. Total SCR - $17.00 ($1.00 profit for everything!)
e. Scenario #4:
i. Purchase + Manufacturer Coupon + Rite Aid Coupons + $/$$ Coupon
1. Buy the following:
a. Dove Shampoo - $6.00
b. Colgate Toothpaste - $3.00
c. Zyrtec - $16.00
d. Total - $25.00
2. Give Cashier the following coupons
a. $5/25 coupon
i. Always present this first, as your coupons will drop
your total below $25.00
ii. You can almost always find a $5/25 coupon
available on the internet
b. Dove Shampoo - $2.00
c. Colgate Toothpaste - $1.00
d. Zyrtec - $4.00
e. Rite Aid Zyrtec coupon - $2.00
f. Pay Cashier - $11.00 + tax
3. Receive SCR for:
a. Dove - $6.00
b. Colgate - 1.00
c. Zyrtec - $10.00
d. Total SCR - $17.00 ($6.00 profit for everything!)