Unorganized Sales

I was away last weekend, which is usually when I organize my coupons and store lists.  So I know I missed some sales this week, but I still managed to snag a few deals.

Walgreens:
2 Lindt Excellence Chocolate Bars - on sale $2 each
1 bag Halls 2 in 1 lozenges - on sale $1

Coupons Used:
-$1 off 2 Lindt Bars
-75¢ off Halls
-$3 Register Reward

Total with tax: 39¢
(Plus I got back a $1 Register Reward)

CVS:
1 bag Brach's candy Corn - 99¢
1 Colgate Total toothpaste - on sale $2.99
2 Lindt Excellence Chocolate Bars - on sale $2.09 each

Coupons Used:
-99¢ off Brach's
-$1.50 off Colgate
-$3.99 in Extra Care Bucks

Total with tax: $1.98
(Plus I got back a $2.99 Extra Care Buck)

Giant Eagle:
4 packages Idahoan Potatoes - on sale $1 each
3 packages Purex 3-in-1 laundry soap - on sale $3.99 each
8 packages Birds Eye Steamfresh vegetables - on sale $1 each
6 packages of Trident Layers Gum - $1.49 each

Coupons Used:
-$1 on 3 of the potatoes
-$3 on each of the Purex
-$1.49 on each of the Trident

Total with tax: $13.58
(Plus I got back $4 in Register Rewards)

♫ Flintstones, Meet the Flintstones... ♫

Well not really, but this is a human powered car.  You sort of pump the handle and that gives it power.  It looks like it goes pretty fast and doesn't seem to hard to steer.  I read somewhere that with multiple people it can go up to 60 mph.  They are expected to cost around $15,000.  Pretty cool.

Sharpie Liquid Pencil

Sharpie has come up with a writing implement that writes like a pen, but it erasable like a pencil.  At least for the first 3 days, after that it becomes permanent ink.  I think this would come in handy for writing in my checkbook register, or doing crossword puzzles or sudokus.  I haven't seen them in stores yet, though the article says they were coming on the market in September.

Full article: 

http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/08/sharpie-reinvents-pen-with-liquid-pencil

Candles made from Oranges

You can make a candle from an orange!  You basically hollow out a half an orange, wrap a match in some thread, stick in in the orange, fill with oil and light.

Here are step by step instructions:

http://www.snowhiteblog.com/candles-oranges/

Pretty cool!

Fun with Coupons (this week)

CVS:
2 Robitussin to Go - on sale 99¢ each
2 Campbell's Tomato Soup - on sale 50¢ each

Coupons Used:
-$1 off each of the Robitussins
-$1 in Extra Care Bucks

Total with tax: 16¢

Walgreens:
Nivea Lip Care - on sale $1
EOS Lip Balm - on sale $3
Colgate Total - on sale $1.99
Tena Women's protective underwear - on sale $9.99
Glade soy candle - on clearance for 89¢

Coupons Used:
-$1 off Nivea
-$1.50 off Total
-$1.50 off Tena
-$8.50 in Register Rewards

Total with tax: $5.38
(Plus I got back $3 in Register Rewards and will get back $9.99 in rebates)

Target:
Hamilton Beach Coffee Grinder - on clearance for $13.98 (was originally $19.99)

I had no coupons but they did not have the grinder in stock, so I asked for the display model.  They told me it was an additional 30% off because it was the display and had no box.

Total with tax: $10.37

*Everything except for the candle and coffee grinder are for donations.

Fun with Coupons (last week)

Walgreens:
Emergen-C - on sale $3.49
Hylands Cold & Cough - on sale $4.99
Reese's pumpkin = 69¢

Coupons Used:
-$1.50 off Hylands
-$2.50 in Register Rewards

Total with tax: $5.60
(savings $10.10,
PLUS I got back $8.50 in Register Rewards)

CVS:
1 Reach Access Flosser - on sale $2.99
1 pack Mini boby pins - $2.49
2 Tshirts - $2.50 each
2 Lindt Dark Chocolate Bars -  $2.79 each
1 Bath back scrubber - $3.99

Coupons Used:
-$4 off a $20 purchase (CVS coupon)
-$1 off Reach Flosser
-$3 CVS coupon sent to me in the mail
-$10.79 in Extra Care Bucks

Total with tax: $1.88
(Plus I got back $2.99 in Extra Care Bucks from Reach.)

Giant Eagle:
Almond Breeze Milk - on sale $2.99
18 cans of Campbell's Tomato Soup - on sale 50¢ each
6 cans of Goya Black Beans - on sale 75¢ each
5 packages of Kraft Shredded Cheese - on sale $2.79

Coupons Used:
-$1 off Almond Breeze
-55¢ off Almond Breeze (this coupon was loaded onto my store card)
-$1.50 off 3 Campbell's soups (I used 6 of these)
-75¢ off 3 Goya Beans, doubled to $1.50 (I used 2 of these)
-$5 off of 5 Kraft Cheeses
-$3 Catalina

Total with tax: $14.30

:)

Giant Operation Game Made From Dominos

Someone built a working Operation Game out of Dominos.  I was nervous when I saw the cat go by, I thought he was going to come over and investigate and possibly knock down the whole thing.

Watch the video to see what happens when you fail the operation!

Oversized Furniture

An artist in LA created some very large furniture and other oversized household items.  I think it'd be a lot of fun to play on them.

Click here for original article & more pictures

Space Invaders Love Seat

This designer created a love seat in the shape of one of the little guys on the old Atari game, Space Invaders.  I wonder if it's comfortable?  I think it would be something cool to have if you had a game room.

Click here for full article 

New Home Designs for Maximum Safety

I saw this blog post on Neatorama recently and I think some of these ideas are great!  I especially love the one with the pool moat.  I wonder if we'll see any builders use any of these designs in the future.

You can check them out here: 

http://www.neatorama.com/2010/07/06/the-enemy-at-the-door/

:)

Recent Sales

I've been getting tons of random goodies to donate, and almost all of them were money makers for me!

CVS (1st trip):

Brach's candy corn - on sale 99¢

Nivea Men's body wash/shampoo - on sale $4.99

High Octane Energy Chews - $1.99

Coupons used:

$1 off Nivea Men's body wash

$6.97 in Extra Care Bucks

Total with tax: 39¢

Plus I got back $7.97 in Extra Care Bucks

CVS (2nd trip):

3 Right Guard Total Defense 5 Deodorant - on sale $2.29 each

2 Edge Shave Gel - on sale $2.79 each

Coupons used:

Buy 1 Get 1 Free on Edge Gel (-$2.75)

2 coupons for $1.50 off Right Guard

CVS coupon for $2 off a $6 deodorant purchase

$4.70 in Extra Care Bucks

Total with tax: 63¢

Plus I got back $7.80 in Extra Care Bucks (This was actually a shock.  I expected to get a $2 Extra Care Buck for 1 of the deodorants.  Usually there is a limit of 1 item that earns them.  But in this case I got $2 back for each one!)

Walgreens (1st trip):

St. Ives Body Wash - on sale $2.99
Zegrid OTC - on sale $10
2 packs Trident Gum - on sale $1 each
Vitamin Gum - $1.49

Coupons used:

$1 off St. Ives Body Wash
$4 off Zegrid
$1.49 off Vitamin Gum
$7 in Register Rewards

Total with tax: $3.83 

Plus I got $2 back in Register Rewards, and I will send for the $10 rebate on Zegrid.

Walgreens (2nd trip):

Thermacare heat wrap - on sale $2.49

2 Oral B toothbrushs - on sale $1.99 each

2 boxes Royal Jello - 20¢ each

Coupons used:

Buy 1 Get 1 Free Oral B toothbrushs (-$1.99)

$1 off Thermacare

$3 Register Reward

Total with tax: $2.30 

Plus I got $2.50 back in Register Rewards

Giant Eagle (1st trip):

Degree deodorant - on sale $2.34

6 cans Goya beans - on sale 75¢ each

5 boxes Cascadian Farms Granola - on sale $3 each

Solo Cups - on sale $2

Coupons used:

75¢ off Degree (doubled to $1.50)

2 coupons for 75¢ off 3 Goya beans (doubled to $1.50)

75¢ off each of the granola bars (doubled to $1.50)

75¢ off the cups ( doubled to $1.50)

$5 Catalina

Total with tax: $6.06

Giant Eagle (2nd trip):

4 packs Activia Yogurt (4 in each pack) - on sale $2 each

TGIF Quesadilla - $3.50

2 pouches Starkist tuna - on sale $1 each

Colgate Toothpaste - on sale $1.49

8 packages of Green Giant Frozen Vegetables - on sale $1 each

Half & half - $1.99

Coupons Used:

75¢ off each of the yogurts (doubled to $1.50)

50¢ off each of the tunas (doubled to $1)

$1.50 off the toothpaste

50¢ off each of the vegetables (doubled to $1)

$1 off half & half

Total with tax: $6.67

Plus I got back a $3 Catalina coupon, and I will send for a $3.50 rebate for the Quesadilla.

Office Depot:

2 reams of paper - $5.99 each

100 disc DVD-R pack - on sale $17.99

Coupons used:

$10 off a $25 purchase

Total with tax: $21.17

Plus I will send in for a $10.98 rebate for the paper.

Painting on Water

This guy drips, flicks, and swirls paint on water.  He then places paper on top of the water and the painting transfers to the paper.  When he picked the paper back up I really thought it would smear.  I would think you'd have to lift it straight up, but dragging it seemed to work just fine.  And the paintings are pretty cool.

Etsy Favorites

Things you can tell about me by looking at my Etsy Favorites:

• I like flowers (especially Daisies).
• I like trees & leaves.
• I like green things.
• I like things that are re-used (especially if it's not the original intended purpose).

Back to the Garden

I just finished reading Back to the Garden, The Story of Woodstock by Pete Fornatale.  The book "celebrates the music and spirit of Woodstock through the words of some of the era's biggest musical stars" as well as those who participated behind the scenes.

I appreciated the first chapter being dedicated to introducing the reader to everyone involved.  The musicians are household names, but the behind the scenes people aren't always as well known.

I found it very interesting to see how the people involved have different interpretations of the festival as well as various motives for being there.

The chapters are chronological through the 3 days and sort of make you feel like you are part of it.  Even though things didn't go totally smoothly, the message of peace and love got through and is still felt today.

Click on the book for more info or to purchase.

Some Recent Deals

*these deals are from the past couple of weeks*

Walgreens (trip 1):
3 Bubble Mailers ($1.99 each)
2 Greeting cards (99¢ each)
1 Greeting card ($2)
1 One a Day Men's Vitamins ($6.99)

Coupons:
-$4.80 for Bubble Mailers (making them 39¢ each)
-$1.00 for One a Day Vitamins
-$9 in Register Rewards

Total with tax: $2.66
(savings $17.60)

Walgreens (trip 2):
1 Glade Soy Candle (on sale $2.50)
1 Perfection Tampons ($1.99)
2 Softsoap body wash ($3.50 each)

Coupons:
-$2.00 for Glade Candle (making it 50¢)
-75¢ on each of the body washes

Total with tax: $8.68
(savings $7.17,
PLUS I got back $7 in Register Rewards)

CVS:
Phillips Ear bud headphones ($6.99)
2 bottles Renpure Shampoo (on sale BOGO, $6.99 for 2)
Always Infinity Pads ($4.89)

Coupons:
-$4.89 for the Pads, making them Free
-$9 in Extra Care Bucks

Total with tax: $6.11
(savings of $23.38,
PLUS I got back $6.99 in Extra Care Bucks for the headphones, and I'll get back $6.99 for the shampoo after I send in the rebate)

Giant Eagle:
6 Campbell's Select Soups (on sale $1 each )
Nature's Own Bread ($2.69)
2 Organic Valley 1/2 & 1/2 ($2 each)
3 Morningstar Farms products (on sale $3.50 each)
3 Always Pads (on sale $2.66 each)
2 Barilla whole wheat pasta (on sale $1 each)
1 Almond Breeze Milk (on sale $2.99)

Coupons:
-$1 for each of the Campbell's soups, making them Free
-75¢ for the bread (doubled to $1.50, making the bread $1.19)
-$2 for the 1/2 & 1/2, making them $1 each
-75¢ for each of the Morningstar Farms (doubled to $1.50, making each one $2)
-$1/2 Barilla Pasta, making them 50¢ each
-$1 on Almond Milk, making it $1.99
-$3 off my order (Giant Eagle coupon)

Total: $18.19
(savings $27.99
PLUS I got back a $3 coupon to use on my next order for buying the Always pads.)

Office Depot:
I needed a new chair, and last quarter I bought a lot of their 100% Rebate items through the Office Depot Worklife Rewards program, so I could get a large gift card to use.  I also searched around for a good coupon (found a $30 off $150+ order).

Here's the chair I bought.

Realspace® PRO™ 3000 Series Custom Fit Mid-Back Fabric Chair

Here's how much I paid:

Subtotal:  $179.99
Coupon(s):  ($30.00)
Delivery Fee: FREE
Taxes: $9.00
Reward Card:  ($152.07)
Total:  $6.92!!

Rainbow Colored River

This river looks like it has colors running through it due to the moss and algae that grow on the rocks under the water.  It's located in Columbia, South America.

Scroll through the article to see all the great pictures:
http://www.funzug.com/index.php/nature/most-colorful-river-in-the-world.html

Caristales River

Powerful Wind Turbines

There's a new type of wind turbine that rotates horizontally, which is supposed to be able to generate twice the power as traditional turbines.  They're called Aerogenerator X Vertical Axis Wind Turbines, and are expected to be completed by 2014.

You can click here to watch the video:
http://gizmodo.com/5599241/the-most-powerful-wind-turbine-doesnt-look-like-any-wind-turbine-youve-seen-before

Aerogenerator X Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

Elliptical Bike

I saw this and thought it was pretty cool.  It's called the ElliptiGO 8S and it's the world's first elliptical bike.   Here's a video, so you can see how cool it is.  The best part is that it "provides a low-impact alternative to outdoor running that maintains the core running experience without the damage to the body."  Looks fun!

 Check out www.elliptigo.com for more info.

Granola Bars and Gum

Walgreens:
4 packs of Trident Gum
2 boxes of security envelopes

Used:
Walgreens in-ad coupon for envelopes, making them 59¢ a box
BOGO Walgreens in-ad coupon for the gum and
$1/2 coupons for the gum, making them 15¢ for each pack

Total: $1.88 (savings of $5.98)

Giant Eagle:
6 boxes of Cascadian Farms Granola Bars (reg price $3.49, these were on sale 3 for $10, and on top of that, for every 3 you buy, you get an automatic $3 off your order. That works out to be 3 for $7.)
5 boxes of Morningstar Farms products, $3.50 each

Used:
75¢ off each box of Granola bars, doubled, making them 83¢ a box.
75¢ off each of the Morningstars, doubled, making them $2 a box.

I get a lot of free or nearly free gum. Which is pretty handy, since I chew a lot of gum.  And I like a variety, as you can see here:

I ♥ gum!

Raw Food

Ever since I had the Raw Spinach Pesto Manicotti at The Laughing Seed in Asheville, I've been a bit obsessed with raw food.  I not only loved the way it tasted, but I also liked how it made me feel after eating it.

So tonight I prepared my first raw dish and it turned out great!  It was like pasta & sauce, only not.

I got the recipe out of a book called Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People by Jennifer Cornbleet.

I first prepared the sauce, which was:
Tomato,
Sundried Tomato,
Red Pepper,
Garlic,
Oil,
Basil,
Oregano,
Salt,
Pepper, and
Cayenne

You toss everything in a food processor and puree.  It looks just like tomato sauce and tastes delicious!

Then I took some zucchini and used a vegetable spiral slicer to make corkscrew type "pasta".  I then used a peeler to make fettuccine size strips.

Top the zucchini with the sauce.  I garnished with a few slices of red pepper.  So yummy!

I was a bit intimidated by making food that doesn't get cooked, but this recipe was so super quick and easy.  I'm excited to pick something new to try for next week.

This week's special deals

I haven't been able to get as many great deals lately.  A lot of the sales have been focusing on Back to School supplies.  I've gotten a few things to donate here and there, but nothing like the mass quantity of free pasta I was getting a few months ago.

Walgreens (trip 1):
2 Kotex pads, on sale $3.50 each (regularly $4.39)
1 Dial body wash, $3.99
1 Secret Soothing Effects Deodorant, on clearance for $2.59 (reg. $8.99)
5 pieces of Poster Board, 99¢ each

Used:
$2 off each Kotex Pad (Walgreens coupon), plus $1 off each Kotex Pad (making them 50¢ each)
$1 off Dial Body Wash
79¢ off each poster board (making them 20¢ each)
$4 in Register Rewards

Total: $4.53 (savings of $28.12)
Plus I got back a $3 Register Reward for the deodorant
and a $3 Register Reward for the body wash

Walgreens (trip 2):
2 Kotex pads, on sale $3.50 each (regularly $4.39)

1 Secret Soothing Effects Deodorant, on clearance for $2.59 (reg. $8.99)

Used:

$2 off each Kotex Pad (Walgreens coupon), plus $1 off each Kotex Pad (making them 50¢ each)

Total: $4.17 (savings of $16.38)

Plus I got back a $3 Register Reward for the deodorant

Giant Eagle:
1 container of Green Works laundry detergent, reg price $6.99

Used:
$3 off any Green works

Total: $4.22
Plus I will be sending for a full rebate ($6.99), so I end up with the detergent for Free, plus making a $3 profit.

*I did get a few other ok deals at Giant Eagle, but nothing fantastic.

I may also head over to Office Depot later in the week, to get a ream of paper for $1.00, after rebate.

Social Media Monopoly Board Game

It's just like Monopoly, but instead of Atlantic City landmarks, it has Internet and Social Media references.

I don't know if you can buy this, but I think it'd be pretty cool to play.

Go here to read the full article: 

http://www.bite.ca/bitedaily/2010/07/social-media-monopoly-board-game/

♪ We all live in a Yellow Submarine ♫

This was someone's wedding cake!  I think it's pretty cool.
:)

You can read the full description here.

Panera's Pay What You Can Restaurant

Panera has been running a non profit restaurant in MO that runs on the honor system.  And it's working!

Customers are told to pay what they can afford.  I find it intriguing that people can manage to behave themselves enough to make this happen.

Panera is not the first to do this.  A place called One World Salt Lake City has been running their restaurant on the honor system since 2003.

You can read the full article here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37213165/from/38357994

[photo: sfgate.com]

Free/Cheap stuff at Walgreens

Walgreens (trip 1):
Crayola Washable Markers - on sale $3
Crayola Crayons -  on sale $1
Box of Paper Clips - on sale 79¢

Used a coupon for 50¢ off paperclips (making them 29¢)

Total with tax: $4.58
Plus I got a $1 Register Reward from the crayons
and a $3 rebate for the markers

Walgreens (trip 2):
Crayola Crayons - on sale $1
Schick Hydro Razor - on sale $7.99
Yes to Tomatoes Body Butter - on sale $6.89 (regular price is $13.79!)

I used a 15% off coupon from the Walgreens' Facebook page.
(making the crayons 85¢, the razor $6.79, and the body butter $5.86)

Total with tax: $14.31
I got a $1 Register Reward for the crayons
a $2 Register Reward for the razor (which was an unexpected surprise)
and I have a full rebate ($7.99) for the Razor.

Walgreens (trip 3)
Finesse shampoo - $3.59

Used $1 coupon

Total with tax: $2.80
I will send for a $3 rebate for the shampoo

Eco-Friendly House

Check out this cool looking house.  It's called a Global Model Earthship.  It has solar panels, solar hot water, skylights, walls made of earth and recycled tires.  You can get a small 800 sq foot one all the way up to a three bedroom 1500 sq foot model.

It's a little strange looking but I love the fact that it's made with recycled material and the amount of light is fantastic.

You can read more about it here: http://earthship.com/buildings/global

Best times to buy stuff

Did you know that Tuesday is the best day to get a deal on airfare?  Or that a tweet at Noon (EST) during the week will get the most attention?  Or that it's a good idea to fill your gas tank up before 10am on Thursdays?

This article from Vocalpoint has some great tips and hints about the best time to take action:
http://www.vocalpoint.com/_500001298/Articles/The_Days_of_Your_Life

Weekly Deals

Walgreens:

2 Walgreen's Reusable Shopping Bags - 99¢ each
Always Pads - $4.39
3 packs of Sharpies (2 in each pack) - on sale $1.49 each
4 packages of Scotch Tape - $1.99 each
3 bottles Listerine - on sale for $2.99 each
2 Renpure Organic Shampoo - on sale Buy 1 Get 1 Free ($6.99 for 2)

Coupons Used:
98¢ off 2 reusable bags (making them 50¢ each)
$3.50 off Always Pads (making them 89¢)
$2.40 off 3 packages of Sharpies (making them 69¢ for each pack of 2)
$3.98 off 4 packages of Scotch tape (making them $1 each)
$3 off 3 bottles of Listerine (making them $1.99 a bottle (they're usually over $4!))
$7 in Register Rewards

Total with tax: $17.44 (saved $36.85)
*Plus I'll send in for the $6.99 rebate for the shampoo (apparently there is no limit on how many times you do this rebate, but each one has to be in a separate envelope), which makes both shampoos Free!  And that takes the final total down to $10.45.

CVS:

Kotex U pads $4.99

Used $4 Extra Care Buck

Total with tax: $1.29
*Plus I got back a $4.99 Extra Care Buck (from the pads)
and a $1 Extra Care Buck (from using my Green Bag tag four times)

Kroger:

2 boxes Puffs Tissues - $1.79 each
1 bottle Suave Professionals Shampoo - $1.90
Nasoya Tofu - $2.89

Coupons:
$1 off each Puffs (79¢ each)
Free bottle of Suave (this coupon scanned as $3 off, and the cashier let me have the overage!)

Total with tax: $3.87

Giant Eagle:

Didn't get any really great deals this week, but I did get 2 huge bags of cat food to drop in the Humane Society Bins at the front of the store for around $2 each (they're usually about $4 each).

They just started printing annual savings at the bottom of the receipt, broken down by category.

In the past 12 months, I've saved:
$58.46 in gas
$467.63 in store savings/sales
$934.26 in coupons
for a total of $1460.35!!!

America in Color

The Denver Post posted these images taken by the Farm Security Administration/Office of War Information photographers.  They are some of the only that exist from this time.

These pictures look so cool and so unusual, being in color.  I always picture that time period in black & white.  Click the link at the bottom to see the other 69 pictures.

Captured: America in Color from 1939-1943 – Plog Photo Blog

Dolphin Bubbles

Check out these dolphins.  They learned to blow bubbles using their blow holes, and they play with them!  So smart and so cool!

Some deals this week

Walgreens is having fantastic deals on school/office supplies.

Walgreens Visit 1:

2 Reams of Paper - on sale $1.99 each
Always Maxi Pads - on sale Buy 1 Get 1 50% off ($6.59 for 2)
Pilot Pens, pack of 2 - on sale $1.19
Dentyne Gum - on sale 3 for $1.98
Highlighter - on sale 9¢ (I got 3)
Pack of 5 Highlighters - on sale 49¢
Colgate Total Toothpaste - $3.49

I used these coupons:
Free Always Maxi Pads, up to $3.50 (I had 2, and I got the full $7 off, so I got pads for free plus made 41¢)
$1 off Pilot Pens (making them 19¢)
3 for 99¢ Dentyne Gum coupon (making them 33¢ each)
75¢ off the toothpaste
and a $2 register reward

Total with tax: $7.19 (a savings of $27.96)
Plus I got a register reward coupon for $3.50 off my next order from the toothpaste.

Second trip to Walgreens:

Always Maxi Pads - on sale Buy 1 Get 1 50% off ($6.59 for 2)
Colgate Total Toothpaste - $3.49
Dentyne Gum - on sale 3 for $1.98

Coupons:
2 Free Maxi Pads (this time the cashier gave me full value of the pads - pre sale price ($4.39 x 2 = $8.78, so not only did I get both packages for free, I profited $2.19!)
Dentyne Gum 3 for 99¢ (33¢ each)

Total with tax: $2.94 (savings of $15.16)
Plus I got a register reward coupon for $3.50 off my next order.

CVS:

Schick Quattro Razor - $8.99
2 Renpure Shampoo - on sale Buy 1 Get 1 Free ($6.99 for 2)

Coupons:
$4 off Schick Quattro Razor
$1.98 in Extra Care Bucks

Total with tax: $10.96 (savings of $15.97)
Plus I got a $4 Extra Care Buck
and I will send in a rebate to get $6.99 back for the shampoo.

Kroger:

Dove Soap 6 pack - on sale $5.99
Jicama - 96¢
1/2 pound American Cheese - $3.59
Chevre Goat Cheese - $5.39
Koolaid FunFizz - $1.99
20oz Diet Coke - $1.49

Coupons:
Free Coke
Free Koolaid
Free Goat Cheese
$4 off my order

Total with tax: $6.84 (savings of $14.66)

Giant Eagle:

Almond Breeze Milk - on sale $2.99
Organic Valley Half & Half - $1.99
Pepperidge Farms Frozen Tuscan Bread - $2.79
5 boxes Cascadian Farms Granola Bars - on sale $3

Coupons:
$1 off Almond Breeze
$1 off Organic Valley
75¢ off Cascadian Farms (doubled to $1.50, making each box $1.50)

Total with tax: $14.64 (savings of $17.72)
Plus I have a Try Me Free form for the bread, so I'll get $2.79 back.

A lot of the stuff we'll keep, the rest will go to the food bank.

Entanglement

I found this game today and it's pretty addicting.  All you have to do is create the longest continuous line with the pieces you are given.  I played a handful of times and my highest was 43.  I think I could do pretty well if I played enough.

It's called Entanglement. You can play it here:
http://gopherwoodstudios.com/entanglement/?n=1

 

Chicken Cribs

This seems like a super easy way to keep chickens without needing a lot of room.  They do look kind of small for multiple chickens, but even if you were to make them a tad bigger, they still wouldn't take up much space.

These pens, or cribs, are predator proof, easy to assemble, and ideal for urban settings.  Each one can house 2 to 3 chickens.  The handles on the side make it easy to move around the yard.  Here's the full article:

http://www.coolhunting.com/design/chicken-cribs.php

Interactive Map: Where Americans Are Moving

At this map you can click on your county to see the population moving into or out of your area.  You can zoom in and move the map around.  Pretty interesting.

Click here for the map: 

http://www.forbes.com/2010/06/04/migration-moving-wealthy-interactive-counties-map.html

It shows many more people leaving Morgantown than moving in.  And it looks like lots of people from the northeast and southeast are relocating to Greenville, SC.  I can't wait until I'm one of them.

Hippo That Lives In A House

This family in South Africa has a hippo as a pet.  It's an interesting story, check out the video.

Shopping!

These are the highlights from last week's deals:

Walgreens:

One A Day Women's, 100ct., on sale $6.55

One A Day Men's, 100ct., on sale $6.55

5 boxes Royal Jello, on sale 20¢ each ($1 for all 5)

3 Dentyne Gum, on sale 33¢ each (99¢ for all 3)

Pack of 3 Blistex Fruit Smoothies chapstick, $2.99

Aloe moisturizing Socks, $3

I used $16.50 in Register Rewards

2 coupons for $1 off the vitamins

Total Before coupons:  $22.34
Total After coupons: $3.42

And I got back $6 in Register Rewards from the Blistex and the Socks.

CVS:

1 bottle Organix shampoo, on sale $4.99
1 Dove Milk Chocolate bar, 89¢
1 Green bag tag (when I bring my own bag they scan this tag and every 4th scan gets me a $1 Extra Care Buck), 99¢

I used a $2 Extra Care Buck
a coupon for a Free Dove Bar (up to $2), and it scanned as the full $2 off (that rarely ever happens!)

Total Before coupons:  $7.28

Total After coupons: $3.26

Kroger:

1 Box of Kelloggs Cereal that had a Try Me Free form on it, so that will be Free after I mail it in, $2.09
Kraft 100 calorie cheese packs, $2.79
Uncle Ben's instant rice, $2.59
DiGiorno Pizza, $3.19
Hillshire Farms Deli Ham, has a Try Me Free form on it, so that will be Free, $4.49
Dog Treats, on sale for $2.89

I had Free coupons for the cheese, rice, and pizza
$1.25 off the dog treats

Total Before coupons:  $19.12

Total After coupons: $9.30
Plus I will get back the full price of the cereal and the Ham (making the final total $2.72)

Giant Eagle:

Almond Breeze Milk, on sale $2.99
10 Cans of Muir Glen, low sodium, diced tomatoes, $1.69 each
2 boxes Back to Nature crackers, $2.99 each
1 box of Kellogg's Cinnamon Corn Flakes, $3.19, with a try me free form attached, so this will be Free

I used $1 off the Almond milk
$1 off each of the tomatoes
a Buy 1 Get 1 Free on the crackers

Total Before coupons:  $30.80

Total After coupons: $16.81
Plus I will get $3.19 back from the try me free on the cereal, making the final total $13.62

Creative Uses for Old T-shirts

I saw this bracelet on Etsy.com the other day and thought it was super cute.  I really don't wear jewelry, but this looks like it would feel soft and not irritate my arm.  And what a fantastic way to recycle old shirts!

The store is called simpletruths.  She also has t-shirt necklaces and crocheted earrings.

♪ Meet George Jetson ♪

A flying car!  How cool.  I could get places so much faster with this machine.  It goes 115 mph in the air.  I'd be able to see my friends that live all over the country any time!  Since it's so lightweight and tiny, it's classified as a light sport aircraft, which means in order to get a license, you'd only need 20 hours of flying time with a professional.  I could do that.  It has electric folding wings, so you can just fold them up when you want to drive on standard roads.  

Anyone want to donate $194,000 so I can get one?

Click on the link to read the full article and see more pictures: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/7860966/Terrafugia-Transition-flying-car-gets-go-ahead-from-US-air-authorities.html

Bladeless Fan

I saw this today and I am intrigued.  A bladeless fan?  In addition to being safer (for pets or kids), it's also supposed to be more efficient.  And I like that there are no blades to clean.  I've seen some reviews that say it's not worth the cost, but I still think it looks pretty cool.

*For some reason, no matter what I set the height and width to, this movie wants to expand beyond the borders of my blog.  So if you can't see it all, here's the direct link to the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6A3IM06xgr0

Play Me - I’m Yours

I saw this today in a news article and thought it was really cool.  This artist guy (Luke Jerram) leaves pianos in public places and people can just go play them.  His idea is that it will act as a catalyst for conversation among strangers.  You can check out the photo and video galleries on the website.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Street pianos are appearing in cities across the world. Located in parks, squares, bus shelters and train stations, outside galleries, markets and on bridges and ferries, the pianos are for any member of the public to enjoy and claim ownership of.

Who plays them and how long they remain is up to each community. Each piano acts as sculptural, musical, blank canvas that becomes a reflection of the communities it is embedded into. Many pianos are personalised and decorated.

Questioning the ownership and rules of public space ‘Play Me, I’m Yours’ is a provocation, inviting the public to engage with, activate and take ownership of their urban environment.

http://www.streetpianos.com

[Photograph by Luke Jerram]

Jimmy Kimmel does an entire show on his laptop

Apparently there was a power outage on the set of the Jimmy Kimmel show tonight.  He decided to do the show anyway, entirely on his laptop.

I remember learning Windows 3.1  in high school...I never imagined someday we'd come so far that we could record a TV show with just a laptop and a webcam.

You can read the whole article here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100622/ap_on_en_tv/us_people_jimmy_kimmel

Back to the Groceries

I just went grocery shopping for the first time since I've been back from vacation. There weren't a lot of sales, but I did ok with what was available.

CVS:

3 Glade Soy Candles, on sale $6 each
2 Pantene Shampoo, on sale for $3.49 each

I used 1 coupon for a Free Glade Candle (-$6)
1 coupon for $3 off 2 Glade Candles
and $12 in Extra Care Bucks

Total: $4.98
Plus I got back a $2 Extra Care Buck,
and once I send in the forms, I'll get $5 back from a Glade rebate
and a $6.98 rebate from Pantene (overall this means I got all of the above Free, plus made a $9 profit on it).

Walgreens:

3 Low Dose Aspirin, used raincheck to get these for 99¢ each
1 RePhresh tampons, $5.99
1 Gillette Body Wash, $4.49
1 Herbal Essences Shampoo, $2.99

I used $1/1 coupons for each of the aspirins, making them Free,
$1/1 for the tampons,
and $4 in Register Rewards.

Total: $9.46
I got back $11.50 in Register Rewards

Office Depot:

1 Ream of Paper $7.29
1 Plastic Tote/Box $9.99

Total: $18.32
These items are part of the 100% cash back from the Worlklife Rewards, so I'll get back $17.28 (final total is just $1.04 in tax)

Giant Eagle:

1 Kraft Mac & Cheese homestyle, $3.19
1 box Crackerfuls, $3.49
1 Kool Aid Fizz, $2
1 Oscar Meyer Sliced Turkey $4.49
3 Cans Campbell's Tomato Soup, 50¢ each
6 boxes Cascadian Farms granola bars, on sale $3 each
4 boxes Kashi Entrees, on sale $3 each

Kraft sent me a bunch of coupons for Free items, so I used:
1 coupon for Free Mac & Cheese,
Free Crackerfuls,
Free Kool Aid,
Free Oscar Meyer Turkey,
30¢ off (doubled) 3 Campbell's soups, making each can 30¢
75¢ off (doubled) each box of granola bars, making each box $1.50
$1.50 off each box of Kashi entrees, making them $1.50 each

Total: $17.24 (total before coupons was $46.01!)

I don't have much for charity this time, just the tampons, soup, and some of the Free Kraft items. I'm hoping next week will be better!  :)

Immortal Jellyfish?

So it seems this little guy is capable of cycling from an immature polyp to a mature stage and back again. That's a pretty neat trick.

(Photo: Peter Schuchert)

Go here to read the full article:   http://green.yahoo.com/blog/guest_bloggers/26/the-world-s-only-immortal-animal.html

Code Organ

This website uses some complex formula to take a web page and translate it into music.  They're not masterpieces, but I found it fun to play with for a few minutes.

Click on Play this Page to hear how this blog sounds:

Visit the website, and you can type in any web page
to hear how it sounds: http://www.codeorgan.com/

Sales and sales

Walgreens:

2 boxes of Kashi cereal $2.50 each (on sale)

-$1 coupon on any box of Kashi
-$2.50 Register Reward

Total (incl. tax) = $1.80
Plus I got back a $2 Register Reward

Walgreens trip 2:

2 boxes of Kashi cereal $2.50 each (on sale)
3 packs of gum 99¢ each (on sale)
2 boxes Cracker Jacks 50¢ each (on sale) - bought these for "filler", so I could use all the Register Rewards

-$8.50 in Register Rewards

Total (incl tax) 74¢
Plus I got back a $2 Register Reward

Giant Eagle:

7 bottles Nature's Bounty Fish Oil $4.14 each (on sale), normally $8.28 each
2 bottles of store brand Excedrin $1.99 for both (buy 1 get 1 free sale)
1 bottle Simply Lemonade $2 (on sale)
3 bottles of Organix shampoo $4 each (on sale)

-$3 coupons for Fish Oil (making them $1.14 each!)
-$1 coupon for the store brand excedrin (making it 99¢ for both bottles!)
-75¢ coupon for Simply Lemonade, doubled (making it 50¢)
-There's a rebate to get a free shampoo, so once I send for that I will have gotten 3 bottles of shampoo (that normally costs $7 each) for $8 ($2.67 each)

CVS:

2 bottles Pantene shampoo/conditioner $3.49 each (on sale)
1 Blade 5 Razor $6.99

-$6.99 I had a Rain check for the Razor to get it Free.
-$4 in Extra Care Bucks

Total (incl. tax) $3.76
(there is also a rebate for one of the Pantenes, making my final total 27¢)
I also got a $1 ECB to use on my next order.

The best coffee ever!

I get so many cheap/free groceries that I can occasionally splurge on something that I love without feeling guilty. In this case, it's coffee. But not just any coffee. The BEST coffee, ever!

When I worked at the coffeeshop we had a flavor of coffee called Highlander Grogg. It had the best smell; it smelled great when it was in whole bean form, smelled even better when we ground it, and even better when it was brewing. It's hard to describe the flavor exactly, but the website says it's caramel, butterscotch and hazelnut. It is so delicious.

The best part is when I get it from Berres Brothers, they will grind it in an espresso grind for me. This is important, because we use a Senseo coffee maker with a coffeeduck, and in order for the coffee to brew correctly you have to use an espresso grind. But wait! There's more! Berres Brothers also has DECAF Highlander Grogg! That is so incredibly hard to find, and it's exactly what I want.

Plus, I once had a question about their grinds, so I emailed them. Not only did they get back to me quickly, but they were also super friendly.

So if you are looking for a new coffee to try, I highly recommend Highlander Grogg from Berres Brothers.  You will thank me.  :)

**The above statements are my personal opinions, from my personal experiences.  I do not work for any of these companies, nor do they pay me.  However, if you were to buy a Senseo or Coffeeduck from the links above, I do get a small commission.  Thank you.

Shot in the Face with a Cupcake

I don't know why you would want to be shot in the face with a cupcake, but the video is pretty cool.

Free Stuff! And other grocery deals.

Walgreens (I have done this exact same shopping trip twice this week (minus the toothpaste - I only bought that the first time) and will probably repeat it again tomorrow):

3 Reach Toothbrushes - 99¢ each (on sale)
2 Reach Floss - 99¢ each (on sale)
Ecotrin low dose Aspirin - $2 (on sale)
Luster Toothaste - $5.00 (on sale)
Kotex U Ultra Thin Pads - $3.49 (on sale)

I used $1 off coupons for each of the Reach Products, making them all Free,
a $2 off coupon for the Ecotrin, making it Free,
a $1 off coupon for the Kotex,
a $2 Register Reward.

My total out of pocket cost was $6.42 (including tax)
PLUS I got a $2 Register Reward from Ecotrin,
a $5 Register Reward from the toothpaste,
a $2.50 Register Reward from Kotex, AND
a coupon for a Free package of Always pads (that was an extra bonus, I had no idea that was going to print out)!

CVS:

Ban deodorant - $2.99 (on sale)
Aveeno Lotion - $6.99 (on sale)

I used a 75¢ off on Ban deodorant,
a $8 Extra Care Bucks.

Total with tax $1.83
I got back $2 in Extra Care Bucks from Ban.

Giant Eagle:

14 boxes of Smart Taste Pasta - $1.50 each (on sale)
5 boxes of Cheerios - $1.50 each (on sale)
10 Right Guard Deodorant - $1.00 each (on sale)

I used 75¢ off Smart Taste, which was doubled, making them all Free,
55¢ off each of the Cheerios, doubled, making them 40¢ each,
$1 off each of the deodorants, making them all Free,
a $2 off Catalina Checkout coupon

Total with tax $1.54

Everything pictured below is getting donated, we'll use the other stuff.

Shopping Highlights

A few of these deals are from a previous week that I hadn't posted yet.

Kroger:

I needed dish soap and it wasn't on sale (gasp!), but I still managed to get a good deal.

3 Seventh Generation Dish Soaps, regular price $3.29, used three coupons for $1 off 1, which brought the price down to $2.29 each, BUT there is also a rebate where you get $5 back when you buy any 3 Seventh Generation Products. So once I send for that, it will bring the price down to 62¢ each!

Giant Eagle:

I got a tub of Smart Balance butter, which will be Free after I send in the rebate form.

Organic Valley half and half is regular price at $1.99.  I bought 2 and used a coupon for $2 off 2, making them 99¢ each.

2 Boxes Kashi Heart to Heart Oatmeal.  I had 2 coupons to get them both for Free.

2 Boxes Kashi Crackers.  I had 2 coupons for $1.50 off, which made these $1 per box.

4 Kraft salad dressing, on sale $2 each.  I used 55¢ off coupons that were doubled, which put them at 90¢ each.  BUT then I also got a catalina (coupon) to use on my next purchase for $3, which is like paying 15¢ a bottle.  These will be donated.

Dill Pickles on sale $2, used 55¢ off coupon which was doubled, making the jar 90¢.

4 packages Solo cups on sale $2 each.  I used a 75¢ off coupon for each package, making them 50¢ each, But then I also got a catalina to use on my next purchase for $4, which is like getting the cups for Free, PLUS earning $2 extra.  These will be donated.

Office Depot:
They were offering 100% cash back with an Office Depot Rewards Card.  I was able to get the following items for FREE:

20 pk of bottled water ($4.99).  We don't usually use bottled water, but it's great on a road trip!
Label Maker ($29.99)
4 pack of Scotch Tape ($8.99)
8 pack of AA Energizer Batteries ($7.49)

Walgreens:
Colgate Toothpaste, $2.99, I used a $1 coupon, and then I get a $2 Register Reward, making this item Free. (donated)

Organix Shampoo, on sale Buy 1 Get 1 Free.  There is also a try me free rebate for this item, so both are Free.

Scrubbing Bubbles Extend a Clean, $7.99, I used a $5 coupon, and got a $2 Register Reward, making this 99¢

Goody Ouchless Hairband, $2.99 with a $2.99 Register Reward, making this Free. (donated)

Plus I used $4.50 in previous Register Rewards, making my initial out of pocket cost even less!

CVS:

2 bottles of Old Spice body wash on sale for $4 each.  I used $7.50 in Extra Care Bucks (ECB), making my total for both 50¢ plus tax.  Then I got an ECB for $8 to use on my next purchase.  I'll keep one of these for Scott and donate the other one.

:)

Really Cool video of 3D Projection on buildings

Projection on Buildings from NuFormer Projection on Vimeo.

Squee!

There's a blog I love to check out everyday called Daily Squee!  It's the cutest most adorable pictures and videos of wee tiny critters you will see anywhere.  Like this guy (look at those cheeks!) -

Click on the picture to see more Squee cuteness.

:)

More Free & Cheap Groceries

It's always fun when you can roll Register Rewards or Extra Care Bucks into the next week's freebies. Here are some of the things I got this week:

Walgreens:

Old Spice Body Wash - $4.49

3 rolls Scotch Tape - 69¢ each (on sale)

2 Stride Shift Gum - 50¢ each (on sale)

5 Royal Gelatin - 19¢ each (on sale)

I used a coupon for $1.50 off of 3 rolls of Scotch Tape,

a Register Reward for $5.00 off my order,

a Register Reward for $3.00 off my order.

My total out of pocket cost was 1¢, but with the tax it ended up being 49¢.

PLUS I got another register reward to use next week for $4.49.

CVS:

Herbal Essences Shampoo - $2.99

Tone Mango Splash Soap, 2 pk - $1.88

package of Dark Reese's - 89¢

I used a coupon for 55¢ off Reese's,

an Extra Care Buck for $4.99

My total out of pocket cost was 22¢, with the tax it was 54¢.

PLUS I got $3.00 in Extra Care Bucks for next time.

Giant Eagle:

2 Back to Nature Crackers - $2.50 each (on sale)

2 cans of Mighty Dog - 60¢ each (on sale)

8 bottles of Honest Tea - $1 each (on sale)

1 jar of Bertolli pasta sauce - $2.50 (on sale)

2 bottles of V05 shampoo - 69¢ each (on sale)

2 boxes Betty Crocker boxed potatoes, - $1.00 each (on sale)

I used a Buy 1 Get 1 Free (BOGO) coupon for the Back to Nature crackers,

Free coupons for the Mighty Dog,

50¢ off coupons, that doubled, for the Honest Tea (making them free)

75¢ off coupon, that doubled, for the Bertolli Sauce,

50¢ off coupons, that doubled, for the Betty Crocker Potatoes (making them free)

Total for all of that (without the tax): $4.88

The Gelatin, soap, dog food, V05 shampoo, and potatoes will get donated, the rest is stuff we will use.

Seedbombs

This is a very cool idea to encourage gardening and green spaces in urban areas.

"This nifty urban guerilla gardening project involves the duo retrofitting old quarter candy machines inherited by Karlsrud into homemade seedbomb — little balls of red clay, compost, and seeds — dispensaries. The goal? To help spruce up in-need-of-green communities around L.A. with indigenous plants."

http://www.mnn.com/your-home/around-the-house/blogs/seedbombs-away

Free stuff!

I got a lot of free stuff today.  And even made a profit on some items.

First I went to CVS where I bought: 

1 Right Guard Deodorant for $2.49, I used a $1 off coupon, and CVS gave me back a $2.00 Extra Care Buck (which is just like cash that I can use on anything at CVS).  So I got the product for Free, plus made a 51¢ profit. 

1 Crest ProHealth Toothpaste for $3.50, I used a $1 off coupon, and CVS gave me back a $3.50 Extra Care Buck.  So I got the toothpaste for Free, plus made a $1 profit. 

1 package of Kotex U maxi pads for $4.99, I used a $1 off coupon, and CVS gave me back a $4.99 Extra Care Buck.  So I got the pads for Free, plus made a $1 profit. 

I also got a pack of gum for 96¢. 

I then used a $2 coupon I got from CVS last week for taking a survey. 

So basically CVS gave me all of the above products for Free, PLUS I made $3.55. 

Then I went to Giant Eagle where I bought: 

2 packages of Kotex U maxi pads for $3.50 each, I used $1 coupon on each one, plus Giant Eagle gave me a $2 coupon on my next purchase of anything in their store.  Final Price $3 for 2 ($1.50 each) 

I used a Rain Check to get 6 bottles of Soft Scrub Total bathroom cleaner.  The rain check made them 99¢ each and I had 6 $1 coupons, so I got them all for Free, plus made a 6¢ profit.

Then to Walgreens: 

1 Schick Hydro Razor $7.99, used $5 coupon, and then got back $5 in Register Rewards (which I can spend on anything in the store - it's just like cash).  So I made a $2.01 profit on this item, plus got it FREE. 

1 EOS Shaving Cream, $2.99, and they gave me a $2.99 Register Rewards.  Final price = FREE

I also picked up a box of Thermacare heat wraps.  They were $7.29, and I will send for a rebate to get the full price back.  So all it costs me is the 41¢ for the stamp to mail in the rebate.

Finally from Kroger: 

4 toothbruses, on sale for $1.50 each.  I used $2 coupons for each one.  Normally the register would adjust the coupon so that there is no overage.  But that didn't happen this time.  So I got all 4 toothbrushes for Free, plus made $2.00! 

I also picked up a carton of Silk Almond Milk for FREE by using a Catalina (coupon) that Kroger gave me.

I'll donate some of the things we don't use to charity.  Like the razor; I prefer to use Nair for my parts that are hairless.  And the toothbrushes; we use electric ones.  And some of the cleaners.