Random Acts of Kindness- Ideas

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Thank you and Good-bye

Thank you all for your support and encouragement. With recent developments, I have decided to end this blog. I am still going to blog but it's going to be about my journal with my son's possible Asperger's syndrome. He is only 2 1/2 right now it's very early but early intervention is key.

I will still be posting random deals, etc.. on facebook as that is quite easy and not so much a commitment as blogging.


Thank you!

Stacey Mclean
'coupon coach-ess'

Monday, April 12, 2010

Happy Monday!

Hi fans and friends!
Sorry it has been so long but this move has stalled me in the creativity department. Probably b/c I've had to use my brain so much for ,'what to put here' or 'what to put there'.

I apologize and even today I am blank as to what to blog about.

I did receive a copy of a great coupon/money-saving book called, "Pick Another Checkout Lane, Honey" by Joanie Demer & Heather Wheeler, aka The Krazy Coupon Ladies. I started reading it and it's great so I'll do a review on it after I'm done.

I did learn so far that I need to be buying more than one copy of the Sunday newspaper so I can REALLY start a substantial stockpile. And they NEVER buy anything using a coupon unless it's on sale already. Makes sense.

Thank you to KCL for the book and stay tuned....

Here we go..
cc

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Back to Basics: Reconnecting with friends & loved ones

I used to be a card sender - loved sending out cards for birthdays, anniversaries, thinking of you and no reason at all. Then I had 2 beautiful children and that all was lost. I miss sending cards. I miss the personal connection. I was recently introduced to SendOutCards.com and it has changed my card life :) And it's so inexpensive which as a coupon coach-ess, is VERY important to me!!

Read on to hear more, from guest blogger for today's post; Kelly Cusick:

Today we live in a Google World where we want everything instantly at the click of a mouse. There are many things that we are now doing on the computer that we didn’t do years ago. Websites like EBAY, Craig’s List, and Amazon have made it more convenient to find all kinds of goods and services at discounted prices. All of this can be done without ever leaving the comforts of your home!
I was introduced to a unique and exciting online service from a company called Send Out Cards. What interested me the most was just how easy it was to create and send greeting cards and postcards. You’re able to choose from over 15,000 cards in their catalog. You can even upload your personal photos and create unique cards that can be sent for all occasions throughout the year.
Are you a casual greeting card sender? The average person sends out 10 greeting cards per year, but they claim to have a need for 70 or more! Why don’t they send out this many cards? There are three main reasons; inconvenience, cost and time consuming. Send Out Cards solves all three!
Setting up an online account with Send Out Cards is easy to do. There is no software to download and you can access your account from anywhere. Once into your account, you choose a card from the catalog or create your own with personal photos or a combination of the two. You then type your personal message and click send. Send Out Cards will print a high quality greeting card, stuff the envelope, place a stamp on it and send it to your recipient. The whole process takes just minutes to do and the most a card costs is $2.00, which includes the postage!!
Staying in touch with family, friends or even business associates has never been easier. Send Out Cards provides you the opportunity to act on your promptings. Whether it’s a “thinking of you”, “Good Luck”, “Job Well Done”, or “Happy Birthday”, it’s all right at your finger tips and can be completed in just minutes.
Send Out Cards offers more than just a way to send greeting cards for less, they’re also one of the fastest growing Home Based Business opportunities today. Send Out Cards is going to do to the greeting card industry what Netflix did to the home video rental industry. If you would like to learn more about how you could use the service to just send out cards or to learn more about how to earn extra income, visit our website and try sending a free card on us.
www.sendoutcards.com/90549

Sunday, March 28, 2010

U.S. Census

This is kinda off the subject but it is so important to do the Census. I got mine about 10 days ago and I did it right THEN. I knew if I didn't, I wouldn't do it. It took about 10 minutes and it's postage paid.

My 2 cents for the day....
Hope everyone had a great weekend!

cc

all you Magazine

This is an awesome magazine. I can only get it Wal-Mart here in Maine but WM also has 10% off mags anyway. April's issue has $81.55 worth of coupons and the magazine costs $2.49 less 10%! If you haven't ever bought this magazine, you need to! It also has great tips!!

Eventually I want to subscribe to it but I'm waiting to earn enough Amazon e-gift cards (through SwagBucks.com) and then I'll buy it for FREE!

www.allyou.com

Here we go...
cc

Friday, March 26, 2010

Basic coach-ess lesson: Stacking

I had a great conversation with one of my daughter's teachers today about couponing. She learned a great lesson... about stacking. Stacking coupons can be so beneficial but you need to do it correctly. Stacking is using a manufacturer coupon AND a store coupon. Many places do store coupons; either on-line or in their fliers-- Target, Shaw's, Rite-Aid, CVS and Walgreen's. This is a regional list... I don't know about other supermarkets such as Publix, Kroger, Ingle's, etc...

So, once you get a bit more comfortable with couponing, you can start to stack them. And if your store doubles coupons (which usually applies to manufacturer coupons only), you can save a bunch!

Here we go...

cc

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Off the subject for the moment....so I can vent :)

Hi all! Well, I am sort of moved into our new house. Can I just say? Moving sucks!!! You have to pack, stay somewhat organized and move out with 2 little kids running around. Then go back and clean the house- and I spent so much time cleaning.

Next time, I hope to God we have a moving company. I am ready to own a house. But we love our new home, it's a cute Cape.

Ironically, my first post-move post is on a Sunday- which means buy your Sunday newspaper! I have no idea how many coupons are in the paper this week. I am so out of the loop of the coupon world. Be patient, and I'll be back 100% soon. I still have so much to do at the new house and I feel so unorganized.

Here we go...
cc

Friday, March 12, 2010

Moving Days plus a couple of random cc tips

Hi friends & fans,

Tomorrow we're moving so I'll be MIA for a few days until we get the internet hooked up. Wish me luck :) Have a great weekend!

A couple of random tips:

1. I read this somewhere and can't remember where but I love it; to keep your sheet sets together, put the matching set all in one pillowcase. I started doing this and LOVE it! No more, "where's the pillowcase?"

2. Freeze citrus peel. If you're eating an orange, or slicing up a lemon for a cocktail, wash the fruit and then grate the peel and freeze it for upcoming recipes! I got this tip from Good Housekeeping or Family Circle, I think. LOVE it!


Anyway, if I have time I may do another posting before the move. Otherwise, stay tuned.... thanks for your support!

Here we go...
cc

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Rebates & Rainchecks

I grew up in a household with a very frugal father but I was still spoiled (good combination!). But I vividly remember Dad always receiving rebates in the mail. Back then I thought it was funny since it was just $1 here or a $1.50 there... but $1 was worth A LOT more then, for sure!

Anyway, I am my father now. Ironic, funny and humbling. I wish I was as good with money as my Dad but I'm getting there at 39 :) My point is, DO REBATES. ANY REBATE. Rite-Aid has a great general rebate program. Also, I keep a look out for rebate offers attached to a lot of household cleaners (the coupon-y type tag around the neck of a household cleaner bottle, for example). I just sent in a receipt and rebate form for SCJohnson and I'll be getting a $5 check. That's a Subway foot long or 2 1/2 boxes of cereal! You get the point. It may be a bit inconvenient but you WILL feel good about doing it, I promise.

Then, there's rainchecks. Great example- I went to CVS a couple of weeks ago to get Multi-Grain Cheerios for $1.99 each. They only had one box so they offered a raincheck (r.c.) and I had a coupon for $1/3. They made the raincheck for 3 boxes and there's NO expiration date. So when I eventually make it back to CVS, I'll get Multigrain Cheerios for $1.99 plus my coupon will be it about $1.60/box!! Try it- it's easy!!

On a personal note:
Thank you my dear friends--- it's been a challenging week. I'm unsure of this blog as I feel (just like Julie in Julie & Julia) that no one is reading my blog. Am I doing this for no reason? I love to help people! So I hope I'm helping you in any way possible.

Have a great week!
Here we go....
cc

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Super Shaw's Deals & Coupon Match-ups

Bumble Bee Tuna White Albacore .88 cents

Prince pasta (sel var) .88 cents


Rice a Roni or Pasta Roni .88 cents

Hunt's Snack Packs (pudding or gel) .88 cents

General Mills Cereal $1.99

Heinz Ketchup .79 cents (20-24 oz)

Betty Crocker fruit snacks $1.49

Softsoap (7.5 oz) $1.00

CoverGirl Cosmetics 20% off

Nature Made Dietary Supplements 40% off

Maybelline Cosmetics 20% off

BOGOS

Breyer's Ice Cream

Lays Potato Chips

Louis Kemp Seafood Delights

Plain Ray's Bagels

Entenmann's Little Bites

Freihofer's Italian Bread


Coupon Match-ups
- thanks Mommie is a Coupon-nista!

Shaw's 3/3-3/9

Shaws Conagra Buy $25, get $10 catalina
Here is the details on 1 of 3 concurrent catalina deals starting at Shaws on Friday 3/5 - 3/11. Remember that the $25 is calculated using pre-sale prices since use of the rewards card is not required.


ADVERTISED:
Pam ($3.69?) $2.99
$1/2 Pam Cooking Spray, exp. 3-14-10 (SS 01/24/10)

Hunt's pasta sauce (??) $0.99
$0.50/2 Hunt's Pasta Sauce printable
$1/3 Hunts Products - Recession Payback

Hunt's bbq Sauce (??) 1.39
$1/3 Hunts Products - Recession Payback

Healthy Choice fresh mixers (3.79) $3.59
$1/2 Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers, exp. 5-30-10 (Conagra home mailer)
$1.50/3 Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers printable

Marie Callender's Homestyle Creation (3.79) $3.59
$1/2 Marie Callender's Home-Style Creations, exp. 4-15 (SS 02/21/10)
??/?? Marie Callender's - Recession Payback - not sure what coupon is there...

Rotel & Hunts canned tomatoes (1.69?) $0.99
$1/3 Hunts Products - Recession Payback
$1/4 Hunt's Tomatoes, exp. 3-14-10 (SS 01/24/10)
$1/4 Hunt's Diced Tomatoes, exp. 5-30-10 (Conagra home mailer)
$0.30/1 Ro*Tel Diced Tomatoes, exp. 3-14-10 (SS 01/24/10) - regional??
$1/3 Ro*Tel Diced Tomatoes & Green Chiles, exp. 5-30-10 (Conagra home mailer)

Wesson Oil (3.99-5.69) 2.99
$1/1 Wesson Canola Oil, exp. 5-30-10 (Conagra home mailer)
COULD BE A ROCKIN DEAL - need to confirm PSP's!!

Hunt manwich 1.69
$1/2 Manwich Sloppy Joe Sauce, exp. 5-30-10 (Conagra home mailer)
$1/3 Manwich - Recession Payback

Guldens mustard 1.09

Hunts ketchup (1.99 - 2.19) $0.79
$1/3 Hunts Products - Recession Payback

DEAL IDEA:
Buy 12 w/ $2.19psp (26.28) $9.48, get $10 catalina = FREE!!

To view entire Shaw's flier, visit:


http://shaws.shoplocal.com/shaws/default.aspx?action=entryflash&adref=shaws


Here we go...
cc

Swagbucks.com & MyPoints.com

GREAT REWARDS with these programs!

Swagbucks- I recently cashed in some bucks for TWO $5 e-gift certificates to amazon.com and I spent NOTHING, NADA. I use it as my search engine and I get bucks. I am a fb fan of SB and get codes to enter to get more bucks! You never get spam either! I know a lot of you are worried but I can attest to it. Use this referral link and I'll get bucks too!

http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/ksmclean1


I also use mypoints.com- this is a great one if you buy online a lot. I have rec'd gas cards, gift cards, etc... as rewards. You receive emails titled, "Bonus Mail from MyPoints".... so you will receive emails but they are from MyPoints only. I recently cashed in my points for a $10 Lowe's Gift Card and will receive it in a few weeks in the mail.
You can receive points for surveys, or click-thrus to websites, like magazines.com, homedepot.com, esteelauder.com, avon.com, etc... legitimate websites that offer promos for mypoints members but also you receive points just for clicking.

If you're interested in mypoints, please comment with your email address and I'll send you an invitation. I'll get 10% of all your eligible points!

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to use the comment field as I'm sure others will have the same questions. Good luck!

Here we go....

Saturday, March 6, 2010

Foil-Baked Asian Chicken

Prep time: 5 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Serves: 4
Cost/serving: $2.38

This is from All You Magazine, March 2010. I'm trying this tonight!

8 tsp. olive oil
4 cups baby spinach
4 4-oz. boneless, skinless, chicken breast halves
8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced
4 tsp. teriyaki sauce
Salt

1. Preheat oven to 450. Tear off 4 10 inch squares of foil. Brush each square with 2 tsp. olive oil. Place 1 cup spinach on each square, slightly off center. Top w/a chicken breast half and some mushrooms. Drizzle 1 tsp. teriyaki sauce over each portion; sprinkle w/salt.

2. Fold each piece of foil over to cover chicken & veggies. Crimp edges together tightly to seal. Place packets on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until chicken is cooked through. 15 to 20 mins.

Per Serving: 230 cal, 11g fat (2g sat), 66 mg Chol, 1 g fiber, 29g Pro, 4g Carb, 508 mg Sod.

Enjoy!

Here we go...

Happy weekend!

Friday, March 5, 2010

30% off GAP denim March 5-14th when you bring in your old denim!!

RECYCLE YOUR BLUES....

Bring us your old denim, doesn't even need to be from GAP to a GAP store and you'll get 30% OFF our new denim (regular priced denim only)!!

Use your GAP brand credit card and you'll get 35% OFF!


In-store only. Excludes GAP Outlet. No coupon needed.

We'll recycle the denim and turn it into eco-friendly housing insulation.

Here we go!!

cc

Thursday, March 4, 2010

FREE TIGI Captivating Curls Starter Kits- 7 full size products! w/free shipping!!

This is a sick FREEBIE (value of $127.50 plus free shipping!!- Thank you to Free Sample Freak!!

http://www.tigistore.com/c-63-free.aspx

"HOLY MOTHER OF FREEBIES….Get a FREE TIGI Captivating Curls Starter Kit.

FREE TIGI Captivating Curls Starter Kit comes with 7 Full Sized Products!!!
This freebie will go FAST! Hurry and grab it as fast as you can! It is very easy to do…you’ll see where it says $0.00, add it to your cart, check out and you’ll even get an order confirmation in your email! HOT!!!
Captivating Curls Starter Kit
SKU: 608815
- (1) 300208 - Curlesque Defining Shampoo 10.14 oz
- (1) 330208 - Curlesque Hydrating Conditioner 8.45 oz
- (1) 140285 - Curlesque Leave-In Conditioner 7.27 oz
- (1) 140288 - Curlesque Lightweight Mousse 7 oz
- (1) 140284 - Curlesque Curls Rock Amplifier 5.07 oz
- (1) 140287 - Curlesque Strong Mousse 6.7 oz
- (1) 140286 - Curlesque Defining Serum 3.04 oz 1 $0.00 (USD)"


I just ordered it and it was completely legit- can't wait to get it!!! And I have naturally curly hair but who cares- get it anyway and donate it, give it away or anything!!! GREAT!!!

Here we GO.........

cc

Happy Thursday to all of my blog friends!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Giftcard Giveaway by Budget Saving Mom

You could win a Home Depot $25 Gift Card, visit the link below to enter.

http://budgetsavingmom.com/2010/02/24/three-25-gift-cards-giveaway/


Here we go..... Good Luck!

cc

Incredible IGA Deals (3.1- 3.7.10)

TIP: Every Tuesday 5% Senior Citizen Discount with your Perks card (see store for details)


Progresso Vegetable Classic .98 cents

Birdseye Veggies- regular, Steamfresh (select varieties) .98 cents


Post Cereal (Honey Bunches of Oats, Grape-Nuts, Shredded Wheat, select var) $1.88

Bone in Thighs, whole Legs, and drumsticks .78 cents/lb

Plumrose Sliced Bacon 2/$5

Shady Brook Farms Turkey Ham- sliced fresh in deli $2.99/lb- this is yummy I bought it for my hubby's lunches! Ask for a sample before you buy if you want!

Athenos Hummus $1.99

Near East Rice Pilaf or Couscous $1.28

Kraft Salad Dressing .98 cents

Jack Daniels BBQ Sauce $1.88

Heniz Ketchup 20 oz. Squeeze Bottle $1.68

Excedrin Pain Reliever 24 ct $3.99

Secret Deoderant 2/$4

Granny Smith, Red or Golden Del. Apples $1.19/lb

2 lb. bag yellow onions .99 cents

Bagel Bites- frozen $1.88

Lenders Original Bagels $1.18 ** use the coupon for $1.00/2 and get them for .68 cents EACH!!!

Garelick Farms OJ- 1 gallon $2.89

Oakhurst Farms 1/2 and 1/2 32 oz. $1.89

Happy Hump Day!

Here we go.....

cc

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

30 % off GAP denim March 5-14th

RECYCLE YOUR BLUES....

Bring us your old denim, doesn't even need to be from GAP to a GAP store and you'll get 30% OFF our new denim (regular priced denim only)!!

Use your GAP brand credit card and you'll get 35% OFF!


In-store only. Excludes GAP Outlet. No coupon needed.

We'll recycle the denim and turn it into eco-friendly housing insulation.

Here we go!!

cc

Monday, March 1, 2010

Hot Hannaford Deals (2.28-3.6.10)

4-6 lb pkg Split Chicken Breast .99 cents/lb

Blueberries (6 oz) $2.99 each

Anjou or Red Pears .99 cents/lb

Sweet Golden Pineapple $2.99 each

1 pint Kumquats $1.99 each

Heluva Good Dips $1.99 each

Smithfield Pork Picnic $1.09/lb

A slow special week at Hannaford ---

Happy Monday!!

To view the whole flier, visit

http://www.hannaford.com/home.shtml

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Super Shaw's Deals (2.26.10-3.4.10)

TIPS:
- Shaw's doubles coupons up to .99 cents (so use your .55 or .75 cents coupons at Shaw's for things on sale- great buys)
- Gas discounts at Irving with purchases of $50 and over (excluding alcohol & tobacco products)
- Use Shaw's coupons online and stack with manufacturer coupons for maximum savings


2 liter Diet Pepsi, Pepsi, Mtn Dew $1

Lean Cuisine Dinners, Paninis or Pizza $1.99 each

Boneless Chicken Breast $1.99/lb

Dole Whole White Mushrooms (8 oz) $1

Farm-stand Baby-Cut Carrots (16 oz) $1

Colgate Toothpaste (4.6 oz) $1

Colgate Toothbrushes (select varieties) $1

Softsoap Premium Hand Soap (8.5 oz) $1

Cooked Perfect Frozen Italian Meatballs BOGO Free

Gorton's Frozen Seafood (select varieties) 50% off

Tribe Hummus $1.99

Red Seedless Grapes $1.99/lb

Empire Apples $1.29/lb

Loreal Lip or Nail Cosmetics 20% off

Sylvania Soft White Lightbulbs (4 ct) .49 cents

BOGOs

Kleenex Facial Tissue (75-200ct) BOGO Free

Edy's Ice Cream (48 oz) BOGO Free

Doritos (11.5- 14.5 oz) BOGO Free

Arnold Grains & More or Country Classics Bread BOGO Free

Thomas' English Muffins (select varieties) BOGO Free


For view the whole flier, visit:

http://www.shaws.com/pages/onlineCircular.php


Here we go...
cc

BOGO FREE- Adult shirts at the GAP -today's the last day

In-store only. Regular OR sale priced merchandise!! GREAT DEALS!

Here we go......

cc

Saturday, February 27, 2010

Sign up for e-mail updates!!

Hi friends,
I recently added a feature to get email updates- on the right hand side of my blog. Sign up and enjoy my blog entries! Tell a friend! Let's make a great cc community!!


Here we go....

cc

Feeling overwhelmed?

Hi readers,
It's that time of year where we just want Spring to be here and it's not coming fast enough. At least up here in New England, it's that way. I know a lot of you have been hit with a bunch of snow and are stuck home with the kids (I mean that in a nice motherly way ;)

Maybe go through one cupboard (ie, the Tupperware cupboard) and organize and throw out and RE-USE those without a lid for some other type of organization in your home- maybe your husband needs some organizational help with all his nuts, bolts, etc...

Tackle something small. That's all. You will feel better.

If you're feeling overwhelmed with shopping, couponing, etc... you have to start small. I want you to enjoy it- to save money and feel good about it! Maybe just start with meats, find each week where it's the cheapest and stock up. Meats & produce tend to be the most expensive so if you start there, you'll save a lot. My IGA has chicken legs for .58 cents/lb! Now, I know most people don't like to eat dark meat anymore b/c it is more 'fattening' but if you take off the skin (before cooking it!!!), it takes so good still! And it doesn't get as tough when you bake it. I have such a hard time cooking white meat; especially if I'm baking it, which is what method I use most. Try drumsticks, chicken legs, thighs... they are always on sale and always cheap!!

Happy Saturday!

Here we go....
cc

Friday, February 26, 2010

The next few weeks...

Hi fans & readers:

A new chapter is coming to my life- we are moving to a new house so the next few weeks will be ridiculously busy for me so I ask for your patience, understanding and loyalty to coupon coach-ess. My blog posts will be fewer and fb updates the same so I'll be back up and running 100% in about 3 weeks. Plus I'm starting a new business opportunity that will be so awesome for my family if it takes off... and when it does, you'll be hearing about it :)


Loyalty & Love,

cc

My Favorite Websites- what are yours?

TGIF everyone!!

There are so many great websites, blogs, etc.. out there and I wanted to list some of mine and please feel free to comment with yours!!! I want to see if anyone is actually reading my blog- ha!


1. couponcoachess.blogspot.com/
2. coupons.com
3. mommysavers.com
4. freebies4mom.com
5. neverpayretailagain.net
6. myfrugaladventures.com
7. thekrazycouponlady.com

Also, I'd like to apologize for a slow week on freebies, offers, etc... on facebook. It's been a crazy week.

Happy weekend, everyone!!

Here we go......
cc

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Incredible IGA Deals (2.22 - 2.28.10)

Sorry for the delay in getting this on here.. it's been quite a week for me!

Perdue Value Pack, Leg Quarters .58 cents/lb

Pork Blade Roast .98 cents/lb

Post cereal (select varieties) $1.78

La Yogurt yogurt 3/$1.00

10 lb. All purpose potatoes $1.49

Folger's Ground Coffee (10.3-11.3 oz) $2.48

Best Yet (IGA Store Brand) Steamable Veggies $1.00

McCain Potatoes (select varieties) 2/$5

Stella Shredded Cheese (5 oz cup) $2.49

Geisha Madarin Oranges (11 oz can) 5/$4

Austin Snack Pack - 8pk (7.4oz) $1.00

XL Pears- Anjou, Bosc, Red .99 cents/lb

Great deals at IGA!!

Here we go....

Happy Hump Day!
cc

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Incredible IGA Deals- to be posted later today

Sorry for the delay in this but IGA doesn't have their fliers on-line since they're independently owned & operated so I need to pick up their flier today. Fortunately, their sale week only began yesterday and runs til Sunday.

Here we go.....save with me!

cc

Monday, February 22, 2010

EXTENDED: cc GIVEAWAY!!

Come on cc reader & fans!!

If you're reading this and haven't become a fb fan of coupon coach-ess yet, well, you need to ;) !!! The first current fb cc fan to send me 2 new fb fans, wins a one-year subscription to Weight Watchers Magazine, Woman's Day, Shape or Taste of Home!!

*** Important: In order for the current cc fan to get credit, please have the new cc fan comment to this post on my coupon coach-ess fan page! Good Luck!


Happy Monday!!

Here we go....

cc

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Hot Hannaford Deals (2.21.10- 2.27.10)

Cook's Shank Portion Smoked Ham $1/lb

12 oz. Fresh Express Garden Salad Blend $1/lb

Pastene 16 oz. Ziti or Spaghetti $1

1 lb. pkg. Strawberries $2

Freihofer's Country Wheat Bread $2

Select Lean Cuisine Classics $2

Gold Sweet Potatoes 79 cents/lb

Green Seedless Grapes $1.49/lb

16 oz. Radishes 99 cents

Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix 50 cents

Arm & Hammer Dryer Sheets (not the moist cloths)- 40 ct $1.99

Breyer's Yogurt 50 cents

Helavu Good Block/Stick Cheese $2.09 each

Shady Brook Farms 85% Lean Ground Turkey (20.8 oz) $2.79 each

For more information, visit: www.hannaford.com
Here we go...........cc

Great Discounts for AAA members!!!

-10% off GAP Outlet in-store including sale items
-10% off Banana Republic Factory Store in-store including sale items
-20% off Reebok & Rockport Outlet Stores, entire purchase
-10% off Payless Shoe Source, regular price merchandise, excluding gift cards
-10% off Barnes & Noble, all books, CDs, DVDs and more
-10% off Target.com, purchases made through AAA.com/target

For a complete list of "Show Your Card & Save" partners, visit

AAA.com/discounts

Enjoy!

Save with me.........
cc

Buy the Sunday paper today--- mine had over $250 in coupons!!

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Super Shaw's Deals (2.19.10-2.25.10)

TIPS:

* If you don't have a Shaw's card, get one! :)
* Spend $50, get 10 cents off per gallon at Irving
* Shaw's doubles coupons up to 99 cents!!!
* Shaw's online coupons can be stacked w/manufacturer coupons (print at home or ask your Shaw's Customer Service desk)
* Look at discounted bread section - freeze bread!! I bought Multigrain 100% Whole Wheat bread for $1.10!
* Use rain checks- if Shaw's doesn't have something from the sale flier, go to CS and ask for a rain check.

This week's specials:

Shaw's Deli- skinless turkey breast or American cheese $4.99/lb

Shaw's German Bologna $2.48/lb

Chilean yellow peaches or nectarines $1.49/lb

Calif. Navel Oranges 99 cents/lb

Progresso Classic Soups 99 cents

Hood ice cream $2.49 each

Haagen Daaz Pints $2.99 each

Redi-serve Chicken Entrees $1.49 each

Van de Kamp Seafood 50% off

Barilla Pasta (select varieties) 99 cents

Pennsylvania Dutch Noodles (12 oz regular or whole grain) 99 cents

40% off Sundown or Osteo Bi-flex or Equaline Dietary Supplements

20% off Nivea Body Lotion

20% off Loreal Cosmetics

Selsun Blue (11 oz) or Pantene Pro-V Hair Care (12.6 oz) $2.99

15% off Lanacane Pain & Intense Itch, Anti-Itch Creams


BOGOs

Shady Brook Farms Fresh Ground Turkey

Philly Gourmet Sandwich Steaks

transOcean Crab or Lobster Classic

Wise Potato Chips (6.5-9 oz) or Pretzels (16 oz)

Hostess Donettes

Gold Peak Tea or Fuze Beverages (select varieties)

That's it!

Enjoy your weekend!
Save with me.....
cc

Friday, February 19, 2010

GAP Sale- through Sunday 2/21

All Gap stores are doing 25% off all full price merchandise (excluding denim), 30% off if you use your Gap brand credit card.

** Also, if an item is on promo (2 for $30, 3 for $15), the 25 or 30% is taken off the promo price! not the original price.

AWESOME DEALS!!!

Here we go.........

cc

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Guest Blogger: Susan Hill talks library cards.....

Behold the Power of a Library Card.

Do you have a library card? They're free, but the benefits are priceless. You can check out books, magazines, movies, CDs, and more. Libraries have event calendars that are filled with fabulous events for all ages...and most events are free! At my local library we offer: chess club, knitting club, community play space, yoga, history talks, art exhibits, movies, crafts, story times...and the list goes on. We also provide free access to laptop computers with wi-fi...all you need to do is show your library card.

I am in a book club, and we select a new book each month. I also reserve a copy of our selection from my library. If my library does not carry the title, I can request the book from another library within our library system via inter-library loan. The book is delivered to my library within a few days...all for free with my library card. Fellow book club members purchase their books each month. The average price of a trade paperback (fiction) is approximately $16.00. I am saving close to $200 each year on book club books just by using my library card.

These are just some examples of what libraries offer to their patrons. Visit your local library today to see what it can offer you. All you need is a free library card!


Susan Hill is the President of the Gardiner, New York Library Board of Trustees.


Use the link below to locate your local library
www.publiclibraries.com/

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

coach-ess Extra: Three-Herb Drumsticks

I always buy my proteins by what's on sale and THEN plan my menu- that is KEY! So, when chicken drumsticks were on sale for .78 cents/lb at my local IGA. I bought some, of course!!

Anyway, I found this recipe in Weight Watchers magazine and plan on making it tonight and thought I would share it with all of you. VERY basic and easy ingredients that most of us have on hand. I am using dried herbs instead of fresh (which means I use less). Enjoy! And if you do make it at some point, leave me a comment here or on my fb page for coupon coach-ess!!

Three-Herb Drumsticks

8 skinless chicken drumsticks (about 2 lbs)
juice of 1 lg. lemon
2 lg. garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp. olive oil
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 (1-pt) container grape or cherry tomatoes

1. Preheat oven to 425. Spray large rimmed baking sheet w/nonstick spray.
2. Place drumsticks on baking sheet. Mix lemon juice, garlic, sage, rosemary, thyme, oil, mustard, s&p in small bowl. pour over drumsticks and toss to coat. Add tomatoes.
3. Roast until drumsticks are cooked through and tomatoes are softened, about 40 mins, turning drumsticks once halway through roasting time.

WW points: 5 (serving of 2 drumsticks and 1/4 cu tomatoes)

231 cal;8g fat;2g sat fat;0g trans fat;123mg chol;310mg sod;5g carbs; 1g fiber;34g prot;52mg calc

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Basic coach-ess Lesson-SHOP STORE FLIERS

If you're new to couponing, my recommendation would be to start gathering your coupons and organizing them. And if the thought of utilizing all those coupons right away is overwhelming (and it IS, at first), don't fret...Try shopping from fliers first--- meaning don't buy everything at Publix, Sam's or Wal-Mart. That will not save you money.

I have heard so many people say they don't have time to shop at more than one store- well, then you're paying for convenience and that's ok; you may find other ways through this journey to save money. But for this blog post, we're going to focus on shopping from fliers (or is it flyers- I don't know! I could google it, right?)

I am a mom of 2 young children and I work part-time and we only have one vehicle BUT you can find the time to do quick shop trips. I love doing this.

Most store fliers are on-line but I find having the actual paper flier helps me. I take an 8/5 x 11 piece of paper and fold in half; twice, so I have four sections. Each section is for a different store and what I will be purchasing from that store. I keep it folded and in my coupon organizer I keep in my purse. I use both sides of the paper so you technically have 8 squares. This may sound elementary but it is a great way to keep many lists separate. And if I happen to have a coupon for an item, I put a c with a circle around it beside the item (My college roomies and me started this back then!!! Remember Jan, Jodi and K?)

This is a great way to start- even before coupons. Also, utilize your drugstores!!! CVS, Rite-Aid, Walgreen's- they are GREAT resources for even food-related items. I get my basic spices at Rite-Aid for 79 cents! I also just got Softsoap 7.5 oz for 79 cents each at R-A too- cheaper than the dollar store!!!

So be flier, flyer friendly!!!!

Here we go............

cc

Monday, February 15, 2010

Incredible IGA Deals (2.15.10- 2.21.10)

TIPS:

-All IGAs are independently owned and operated so prices may vary; my IGA is in Randolph, Maine- Goggin's IGA

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast $1.78/lb

Betty Crocker Hamburger, Chicken & Tuna Helpers .98 cents

Cabot Block Cheese $1.98

Whole Roaster Chicken .78 cents/lb

Boneless London Broil $1.99/lb

Tribe Hummus $1.99 each

Chock Full O'Nuts Coffee $2.99 each (use newspaper coupon $1.00/2= $1.99 ea)

Carolina or River White Rice 2/$4 (if you use .50 off coupon = $1.75 ea)

Nabisco Cheese Nips $1.69

Breakstone's Cottage Cheese Doubles .99 cents

Edy's Ice Cream $2.99 each

Little Debbie's Snacks (select varieties) $1.00 each

Garelick 1/2 & 1/2 (32 oz) $1.99


Here we go..........
cc
-

Sunday, February 14, 2010

GAP: President's Day Sale 40% entire purchase (sale & regular price)

In-store only- ONE DAY - 40% entire store at the GAP!!

No coupon needed.

Enjoy!

Here we go..........

Happy Valentine's Day and enjoy your President's Day holiday!

cc

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Hot Hannaford Deals (2.14.10-2.20.10)

Hannaford Tips:
-Look for close-out items. They are sort-of hard to find but they have an attached bluish tag to the price tag labels on the shelf or the hook they are hanging on. I got an awesome apple corer for $2.00!!
-Hannaford usually has a fixture with 50-75% off items- the stores in my area have a bin fixture thing-y in from the Pharmacy section. I got travel tissue for .17 cents!
-Don't know if all Hannafords do this but the Gardiner, Maine Hannaford meat is marked down on Wednesday mornings (or Tuesday nights).


Haddock Fillets $4.99/lb (frozen at sea)

5 lbs. Yukon Gold potatoes $1.49/ea (Rachel Ray uses these a lot in her recipes)

Smithfield Pork Picnic .99 cents/lb

Perdue Ground Chicken $2.49 each (16 oz)

Hannaford Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs .89 cents/lb

Hannaford Leg Quarters .79/lb

Carrots- 1 lb bag .99 cents

Mangoes .99 cents each

Anjou Pears $1.29/lb

Smart Option Pizzas (6.1-6.5 oz) .69 cents - These are great for an occasional easy dinner for the kids.

Uncle Ben's Country Inn Rice & Sauce .99 cents each

Here we go.........

cc

Friday, February 12, 2010

Super Shaw's Deals (2.12.10-2.18.10)

TIPS:
-Shaw's doubles coupons up to .99 cents
-Print Shaw's on-line coupons (or some stores have print-outs near flier stand and/or at Customer Service)
-My local Shaw's (Augusta, Maine) also takes Hannaford coupons (haven't tried it YET but they told me)


Green or White Asparagus $1.88/lb

Prince brand pasta .88 cents (select varieties)

Perdue drumsticks, thighs or whole fryers .99 cents/llb

Bumblebee Tuna-Solid White Albacore .88 cents

Gorton's Seafood 50% off

Red Seedless Grapes $1.99/lb (2/12-2/14 only)

Calif. Navel Oranges .99 cents/lb (2/12-2/14 only)

Mama Rosie's pasta 40% off

McCain Oven Fries 40% off (2/12-2/14 only)

Cabot Vermont Block Cheese $2.49

Rinaldi Spaghetti Sauce $1.49

Near East Pilaf or Couscous $1.29

$1.00 off Thomas' bagels

20% off Cover Girl Last Blast cosmetics

20% off Revlon Cosmetics

Scotties Facial Tissue .99 cents

25% off Sylvania CFL Bulbs



ONE DOLLAR SALE!!!
:

2-liter Coke, D. Coke, Sprite, 7-Up, A&W Rootbeer and Poland Spring Water

Tony's Crispy Crust Pizza - select varieties

Daisy Sour Cream (8oz)

Shaw's Grated Cheese (3 oz)

Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn- 4 pack

Shaw's English Muffins

Banquet Dinners (5-11 oz)

Duncan Hines Cake Mix

Duncan Hines Brownie Mix

Shaw's Giant Bread

Shaw's Bread Crumbs (15 oz)

Baby Cut Carrots

Shaw's Frozen Veggies- select varieties


Here we go..........

cc (coupon coach-ess!)

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Samples! Samples! Samples!

Samples are a great way to try new products, rediscover old favorites or just get free stuff!! I never used to take advantage of samples thinking, "why?" - they were usually smaller than normal sizes and it was just plain annoying and/or not worth it.

WELL... times they are a-changing.... start getting samples.... it saved me one day when I didn't have any coffee left and remembered some samples of coffee I received in the mail--- SCORE!! Plus sometimes with samples, you get great coupons!

TIP: One of the biggest samples out there are toiletries/health & beauty type stuff- shampoo, conditioner, etc... I save all of these for guests. Then they have a plethora (one of my favorite SAT words!!) of choices if they forgot something; just like a nice hotel!

Anyway, a couple of my favorite websites for this are:

www.freebies4mom.com
www.freesamplefreak.com
www.walmart.com (type free samples in the search box)

I will incorporate freebies, samples, etc.. in my blog and facebook page for coupon coach-ess.

Here we go.....
cc (coupon coach-ess!)

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Reward Cards

It pains me to hear customers in a check-out line say they don't want to sign up for a FREE rewards card. " I don't have time..." Oh my God! PLEASE don't do that. If it is FREE, then do it. Put the little key chain thing-y on your key chain --- PLEASE :)
It takes maybe 30 seconds and you can take most applications home and do it. But if you do that, you have to fill it out.

They do save you money especially at grocery stores! You can get special coupons, promos, etc...

Stores that I have reward cards from: AC Moore, CVS, Kmart, Rite-Aid, Shaw's, Regal Cinemas. When I lived in the South, I had: Ingles Supermarket and Kroger Supermarket reward cards too.

The key is to keep them all in one place and always in your wallet, purse or key chain.

Details on each:

AC Moore- get reward points for every dollar spent

CVS- you need it to get the published prices in fliers. You can also scan your card at the 'coupon kiosk' in-store daily for immediate random coupons that print out. Card is needed for Extra Bucks Rewards- which are bucks that print out on your receipt to be used at next purchase.

K-mart- get reward points for every dollar spent.

Rite-Aid- this is not advertised nor pushed very much for some reason but I just started using this. It's a rewards card and every 1st Tuesday of every month, you can get 20% off all day on any non-sale products and every Tuesday, you get 10% off all non-sale Rite-Aid items. This is a hard one to remember, at least for me but this month was the first time I went on the 1st Tuesday and I was so proud to have remembered!!!

Shaw's- this is needed for all advertised flier purchases and if you spend $50 (excluding alcohol & tobacco products) you get 10 cents off/gallon of Irving Gas and the cents off increase with $75, $100 etc... by 10 cents.

Regal Cinemas- My husband just picked this up last week so I'm not too familiar but I assume you get reward points with each dollar spent.

Please add any comments if you have experienced any other reward card programs and I'll add them.

Happy Hump Day!

Here we go.........And I'm already at 100 views!! Yeah! Thanks for your support!

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

How'd you do Sunday with clipping?

Well, I've only clipped out part of my coupons as I'm going to start a coupon match-up for Hannaford, Shaw's & IGA for my regional readers. So... that means I need to keep track of every coupon- which I'm going to do in a spreadsheet.

But I hope you don't get discouraged- this was a BIG coupon week so it may be a bit overwhelming. Did you find a master stash container and a working stash holder? If you need help, let me know.

Even if you are more AWARE of certain things I'm discussing here that is SO awesome b/c it really does help!

Here we go.........

Happy Tuesday, my readers, and thank you for just being you!!

Monday, February 8, 2010

Savings State-by-State

I wanted to do something fun this beautiful Monday morning in Maine - I know I can't be the only one dragging this morning :) Actually this came to me in the middle of the night last night and thank God I remembered it when I woke up. I need to do the 'notebook by the nightstand' thing!

Anyway- please leave a comment to this post with a great money-saving tip, website, idea, super-cheap recipe- anything that you want to brag about :) and include your state, too!

Happy Monday!

Here we go...............

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Super Shaw's Deals (2.5.10-2.11.10)

Pepperidge Farm Goldfish crackers $1.00!!!!

Split Chicken Breast .99 cents/lb

Friendly's ice cream 2/$5

Mama Lucia Meatballs BUY ONE GET TWO FREE! ($4.99/12 oz pkg)

Green Mtn. Farms Spreadable Cheese $2.99

Breakstone's Sour Cream 16 oz. 99 cents

Spike's Salsa 99 cents (SO good- we had Black Bean & Corn Salsa)

SmartOnes & Boston Market entrees & sides- $1.99 (select varieties)
*** Plus buy 5 SmartOnes and get a checkout coupon for free one

Drake's Devil Dogs $1.99

Nabisco Snack Crackers $1.99

Chock Full of Nuts Ground Coffee $2.99 (excludes decaf)

Langer's Juices $1.99

50% Rubbermaid Food Storage products

BOGOs:

Fresh Express Salad Blends
Tribe Hummus
Steak-umms
Rondele pub cheese- 8oz.
Ready Pac Bistro to Go Salad Bowl
Canine Choice Doglicious Rawhides

Saturday, February 6, 2010

Hot Hannaford Deals (2.7.10-2.13.10)

Boneless Chicken Breast $1.88/lb

Green Seedless Grapes $1.99/lb (good price this time of year)

22 oz. Hannaford Giant Bread $1.49 each

Turkey Pastrami (Deli) $3.49/lb

Hot Rotisserie Chicken $5.99
*Guaranteed available 4-7pm or next one is free

Hannaford Italian Sausage $2.49/lb

Boneless Pork Sirloin Steak (my husband loves this!) $1.99/lb

T-bone Steak $5.99/lb

Biery Domestic Swiss Cheese $4.99/lb


*** Please note: this is for Augusta, Maine area- Please check your local flyer online at Hannaford.com or in-store.

Maine readers: Free Car Inspections & Oil Changes!!!

This is a quick post for those locally--- DNK Select in Farmingdale, Maine is one of my favorites places!!

They have free car inspections- nothing needed- that is their 'policy'!

Plus if you received the local Town Planner Community Calendar in the U.S. Mail, they are monthly coupons for FREE OIL CHANGES (at least in the '09 it was in there)! I didn't pay for one oil change last year! I have a call into the local distributor as I haven't received my '10 Calendar yet.

Here's the website for the Town Planner Calendar which is printed nationally in different small towns- check to see if your town is included!!

http://www.townplanner.com/

Here we go...............

Friday, February 5, 2010

How to do 'coupon match-ups'

Now that you've cut out your coupons and have your flyers. What now?

Coupon match-ups are what you do with your coupons and your flyers. But there are blog and/or websites that people have done it for you- isn't that a beautiful thing????

I mainly follow matchups for Walgreen's, CVS and Rite-Aid but you can find blogs for any other store in most states. The following websites are seasoned shoppers and I have learned so much from them! Please leave them a comment letting them how you found them.

A couple of my favs:

http://myfrugaladventures.com/
http://neverpayretailagain.blogspot.com/


For those regional readers (mostly New England), I will be doing my own coupon match-ups for Hannaford, IGA (yes, we still have one here!) and Shaw's, starting with Hannaford so stay connnected with me.

Here we go.................

Thursday, February 4, 2010

$50 Giveaway at SavingMoneyPlan.com

Basic Coach-ess Lesson- How do I start?

1. Start by buying 3 or 4 Sunday newspapers (or whatever you can afford; even if it's just one) and cut out the coupons. Do not throw out any coupons even if you KNOW you will not use them. Keep all sales flyers, also.

2. You will need at least one type of container to store your coupons. Something somewhat durable as this will be your 'master stash'. Use even an old child's shoebox, an old Tupperware-type container that has lost its lid (we ALL have those!), or even one that has a lid but is stained beyond belief from spaghetti sauce :). I have a plastic container with an attached lid (about 7"Lx7"Wx5.5"D)

3. Make category dividers. Nothing fancy- I used old greeting cards and construction paper. Write the category name at the top of each divider with a black magic marker. I used a different color paper for each category.
My categories are: Paper/Plastic/Foil, Dairy, Frozen, Chips/Snacks/Candy, Beverages-Hot & Cold, Sauces/Condiments/Dressings,Baby-related, Toiletries/Health & Beauty, Pantry, Cereals, Miscellaneous, Coupons to Trade (This category will be discussed in a future blog)

4. Put your cut out coupons in the corresponding category. This is again, your 'master coupon stash'.

5. Working Stash- You will need to keep the coupons you will be using in something, as well. You could start even with a business size envelope or a leftover greeting card envelope. Something that is easy to carry. Several years ago, I purchased one from eBay and it came with dividers (7"L x 3.5"W), it's made of soft vinyl- it's great. You can great $1 ones at Staples (thanks Danielle!), Michael's, AC Moore, etc....

Coupon Workshop 1.27.10

This post is what I talked about during a parent meeting at my daughter's preschool. After this meeting, I began to realize how much MORE I wanted to talk about it. As I try to organize this blog and customize to how I want it, all this workshop information will be in my blog.



Coupon Workshop
January 27, 2010



How do I start?

What do I need?

How do I organize?



Target
• Get 5 cents off for every reusable bag
• Printable coupons available at Target.com
• Flyer comes in Sunday newspaper

Shaw’s
• Shaw’s card
• Doubles coupons up to 99 cents
• Printable coupons available at Shaws.com
• Discounted bread section by the eggs
• At the end of the frozen aisles, discounted items
• Gas discounts for purchases over $50 (excluding alcohol and tobacco products)

CVS
• CVS Rewards
• Buy 99 cents tag for your reusable bag and get money off every 4th purchase
• Earned Cash Back on some purchases

Walgreen’s
• Flyer available online and in-store
• Coupons in flyer

Rite-Aid
• Join Rite-Aid Rewards program
• Flyer comes in weekly free newspaper in the mail
• Rebate program

Hannaford
• Gardiner- section in front of pharmacy with 50%-75% off items

Wal-mart
• Free samples available on Walmart.com
• Flyer available online

K-mart
• Coupon books available in-store
• Flyer available in Thursday’s newspaper, in-store or online


AC Moore/Michael’s
• Flyer and coupons in Sunday’s newspaper
• AC Moore Rewards


Freebie websites
1. Mommysavers.com
2. Freesamplefreak.com
3. Myfrugaladventures.com
4. Freebies4mom.com
5. Neverpayretailagain.blogspot.com
6. Savingmoneyplan.com

Coupon websites
7. Coupons.com
8. Smartsource.com
9. Redplum.com
10. Afullcup.com
11. Retailmenot.com (online discount codes)

Reward-type websites
12. MyPoints.com
13. Inboxdollars.com
14. Shespeaks.com

Helpful tips:

1. Wal-mart/Store brand/BOGO isn’t always cheaper (but with coupons it is!)
2. Buy milk and bananas at gas stations
3. Stacking coupons
4. Go to manufacturer and/or product websites, leave comments
5. Look for coupons in the holders in the aisles
6. Look for peel-off coupons and use another time
7. Use coupons on back of receipts
8. Use coupons printed separately at grocery stores (Catalina)
9. Utilize rain checks

2.4.10

WELCOME to Coupon Coach-ess!! I am at the beginning of a wonderful adventure and I'm so glad you're here to join me and help each other along the way.

I think I'm having blogger block because I'm trying to come up with something catchy, fun and inviting to begin all this with but it's just not comin' :)

This blog is to help, teach, COACH all of us who are trying to have the best life possible and utilize every dollar to the max. No more old-school couponing!

Thank you for joining me on this journey. If you only take one thing from my blog, it will help you!

Here we go............................