new baby? sign up for the beechnut newsletter.

go here to sign up for the beechnut newsletter, which also should have some great coupons in it.

thanks, free sample freak! :)

to my fellow starbucks addicts:

while you're there on feb 5th, pick up your free "kind bar" sample. all stores are supposedly participating, you can check out the ad here.

thanks, free sample freak! :)

new oldnavyweekly coupons.

old navy reset their coupons last night, and you can get a 10% off coupon good through this next week. go here, click on the thing that says "click here to see kelly", then click on her scarf. not the best deal in the world, but they did have 30% off everything friday and saturday, so maybe they'll have some hot new promo next week.

free redken sample.

click here for your free sample of redken product... choose from three.

thanks, deal seeking mom!

networked blogs.

hoping that the feed from the blog will post automatically to the facebook fan page...

freebies at denny's.

check out this post for all the great upcoming deals and promos at denny's.

thanks, coupon geek!

fan "sixtysecondshopper" on facebook.

go here to see our fan page. still in the works.... :)

free emergency preparedness kit.

go here to get your free kit. thanks to this post for the heads up!

thanks, mojosavings!

free aveeno sample.

go here to get a free sample of aveeno in the mail.

thanks, mojosavings!

how to score more coupons.

i know that some of my friends are just starting to get into clipping coupons, and i ran across this post that tells how you can score extra coupon inserts by getting a little creative.

thanks, hip2save!

snapfish valentine's gifts?

get the details here about a 10 dollar credit at snapfish, that you can use to buy notebooks, notepads, or other items that might be good for in a valentine's gift or an easter basket.

thanks, cha-ching on a shoestring!

"hip mom" cards 100 for 1.99.

check out this for how to order your "hip mom" cards for cheap. current offer is 100 for 1.99, plus shipping. could be used for anything, the examples shown are for announcing babies or engagements, giving people seating assignments, or (my personal fave) a mommy business card. i'm debating getting one made with my cute little blog address on it... still looking for an image of an overflowing shopping bag, though. :) another blog i read said that it's really conveinent for passing out to new mommy friends to set up playdates. good idea! :)

thanks, bargain briana and coupon cravings!


update: i ordered some for my blog. i was going to order some additional ones with our contact info, and the second batch of one hundred was put on the bill for 9.99. i took those off then and just got the ones for the blog, and got them all for just over 6 bucks shipped. can't wait to get them! :)

old navy deals!

if you haven't already spent all your money at children's place, there is a great deal happening at old navy friday and saturday only! check out the post here.

thanks, frugalista cafe!

amazing sale at children's place outlet!!

all things holiday are 3.99 and less! sweaters, cords, and fleece are 2.99. hats and gloves are 99 cents. ski-type coats are 10 bucks. adult fleece (!) that was 34.50, is now 3.99. the deals are amazing!!! i got 4 shopping bags full of stuff for the kids for 99 bucks!! take a coupon-- the one that i posted earlier this month is good till the 31st, and it saved me 17 dollars!! hurry in while selection is good!!

awesome free photo cards from seehere.

check out this post from hip2save, detailing how to get 29 free photo cards, made and shipped free! i just made some valentine's cards, and they turned out really cute! :)

thanks, hip2save!!

free train ride.

for those of you in the immediate area, this is a fun way to spend an afternoon. we do the children's place outlet, the carter's outlet, and an auntie anne's break, and then board the train for some mock-railroad fun. and the lodi outlet website says that a gymboree outlet is coming soon! dangerous!! :)

thanks, missy! :)

lecture: author deborah madison.

check out this free lecture at the college of wooster feb 2nd at 7pm. should be fantastic!

target photo deal.

go here for a free 8x10 from target, plus 50% off all other portraits purchased.

thanks, moms by heart!

an interesting little ditty.

i came across this little post quite by accident, and my jaw dropped as i was reading it, realizing that it holds much truth. i'm glad that someone took the time to put it in print.

visit this website here

thanks, designing and motherhood!

e.l.f. cosmetics deal! again!

check out a site that i just found today to score some more e.l.f. cosmetics cheap!

thanks, because more is more!

bogo blizzards at dq.

that title almost looks cryptic. like dairy queen blizzards? go here where hip2save tells you how to score some free ones!

thanks, hip2save!

free bbw soap w/10 dollar purchase.

check out hip2save's info on the deal here.

thanks, hip2save!

best cheap magazine deals.

the weeks best deals on magazines can be found at this place.

thanks, nicole's nickels!

free photobook from shutterfly.

do this quickly, offer ends tomorrow. go here for all the details.

thanks, thrifty mama!

family christian store coupon.

go here for a buy one, get one 50% off coupon to family christian stores.

or here for a coupon that makes sale items even cheaper.

weekend highlights.

i'm going to post the best deals that i saw this weekend, along with the website's address.



be centsable:



100 free photo prints from snapfish, info here



veggie tales dvd's shipped for 2.99, info here





cha-ching on a shoestring:



see here has 25 photo cards shipped for 2.49, info here





couponsavingfamily:



free 8X10 from target, info here





deal seeking mom:



shutterfly: three free photocards, info here





engineer a debt-free life:



starbucks freebie, here





frugalista cafe:



free o.b. tampon sample, info here



cute junior black and decker tool belt, info here





hip2save:



photo planner, info here

pick your oldnavyweekly coupon.

find the hiding spots (every thursday or friday) here
current coupon counts at the top of the oldnavyweekly screen.
coupons good through 1/28/2010
visit here to start the oldnavyweekly couponing craze! :)

if you're on facebook, you can also choose to send a copy of the coupon you get to a friend. after you choose your coupon and either print it or email it, it'll ask if you want to share it. pick your friend and spread the savings! :)

extra 50% off at children's place.

they just emailed me and said that they are taking an additional 50% off clearance prices. that should make for some great deals, seeing as how everything was in the 4-10 dollar range the last time i was there (like 2 weeks ago?). and remember the golden rule of shopping at children's place is to only shop the outlet. you will pay more at the mall stores for the exact same items. i only ever go into the mall stores to see what will soon be coming to the outlet... :)

saving money on books.

here is a great post on how to save money on books. check it out!

thanks, queen of free!

e.l.f. cosmetics, super duper cheap, part 2!

click here for the details on an e.l.f. cosmetics 15 items for 15 dollars deal.


thanks, free sample freak!

veggie tales cheap!

click here for details on getting some veggie tales dvd's and cd's for 25 dollars. birthday present? easter present? just-because present for that special kid in your life?

thanks, engineer a debt-free life!

jcpenney portraits coupons.

this is one i have been needing myself...

go here for some awesome jcpenney portrait coupons. i use jcpenney portrait studio for all the kids pictures... they are great. and 3.99 per sheet is an awesome price.

thanks, coupon gal!

free betty crocker coupons.

go here to sign up for the free betty crocker coupon book, filled with 10 dollars in coupons. offer available to new subscribers.

thanks, coupon cravings!

coupon for family night games.

go here for the link to a coupon for 5 dollars off some hasbro games for family game night.

thanks, bargain jargon!

10 dollar credit at shutterfly.

go here for details on getting a 10 dollar credit at shutterfly.

as always, thanks, hip2save!

limited coupon.

go here for a 15 dollar off 15 dollar purchase at the limited.

thanks, hip2save!

10% off at best buy.

go here for 10% off at best buy, good from 1/20-1/25/10.

thanks, frugalista cafe!

tip jar.

think of this as a pseudo-tip-jar. it's little tips and tricks that i like to use to make things easier. (once i learn how to make tabs, i'll put it under a tab, but for now, all tips can be found here.) please feel free to add your tips! :)


dirty/stinky sponges in your sink? stick them in the dishwasher, and they'll come out looking and smelling a whole lot fresher.

guacamole turning brown? halt the oxidation process by sticking plastic wrap directly on guacamole when you stick it in the fridge to store it.

tired of sorting laundry, or accidentally sticking colors in with whites? get color catcher by shout. it will "catch" all the color/dye floating around in the wash water, and prevent the dye from bleeding on other items. i stick it in with all my color loads, and with anything that is brand new from the store, especially jeans. and the best part, it can go in the dryer with all the clothes and won't disintegrate all over everything.

i've been looking into making homemade detergents and cleaners for the house lately, in an effort to be "greener". here is a post about making dishwasher detergent. i have found a few others online too, and as soon as i come across them again, i'll post those if you're interested.

free potty training kit from pampers.

go here to sign up for a free potty training kit from pampers.

thanks, frugalista cafe!

free e-cookbook.

check out frugalista cafe's post about a free e-cookbook download here to make restaurant meals at home.

thanks, frugalista cafe!

rite-aid deals.

this morning, following a tip that i read online about some make-up being 75% off at rite-aid, i decided to buzz in and check it out. the make-up was completely gone in my rite-aid, but i did find a tiny little section devoted to christmas that had been marked 90% off. i scored a holiday dvd, two bags of bows (29 cents each), a christmas tree stand for 1.50, and something else that escapes me at the moment, and spent a little over 4 dollars. sometimes combing through the leftovers can have it's advantages. :) as with all clearance, there's really no telling what you might find, but you might wanna check out what's left at your rite-aid. :)

i love it.

here's a collection of things from the web that i really like and/or love. check back often... i'll keep adding to the list.


how to eat less meat here

dinnertime conversation jar here... be sure to print both parts.

sears clothing for kids as low as 36 cents!

go here to check out their selection.

if you purchase 50 dollars or more, use the code SEARS5OFF50 to save 5 bucks on your order.

thanks, baby goodbuys!

jo-ann coupon.

50% off at jo-ann with the coupon here.

thanks, hip2save!

i heart old navy!

today was the last day of their extra 50% off clearance, and i'm realllllly glad that i went today. everything was picked over, which made it easier for me to spend less. i can just imagine what kinds of great deals were there over the weekend, because even getting the last of the last, i still managed to find some great things.

i bought a whole gob of girls shirts and pants for 1 dollar each, long sleeve polos for boys were 1.50, and men's corduroy pants were 5 bucks each. i somehow managed to score a pea coat for my son (i think it'll be 2012 before he can wear it, but still!!) for 6 dollars! and THEN as if those great prices weren't fabulous enough, i had a 25% off coupon from old navy weekly. if you'd like to get in on the old navy deals (because really, even without the extra 50% off, their clearance prices are AMAZING), i'll give you a tutorial on old navy weekly and some tricks of the trade. i'll give you a hint: thursdays are really exciting, and you'll soon see why! :)

1 dollar tanks and tees.

i was just at wal-mart on saturday, continuing my love/hate relationship with the place, and found tees and tanks for 1 dollar! i got three long sleeve tops, and the tanks came in sets of two for a dollar. in all, i got 6 tanks and 3 tees for 6 bucks. really, no matter how i feel about the place, that is an amazing price. and with the way that i always wear tanks and tees... they make for good layering pieces.

free sample of men's cologne.

go here for a free sample of men's cologne.

thanks, bargain jargon!

extra 50% off at old navy ends today.

you might wanna make a quick trip to your local old navy, as the extra 50% clearance ends at the close of business today. i've heard that people are getting amazing deals when combining the extra percentage off with coupons from oldnavyweekly. super fun after-holiday sales! yay!

cheap lunch boxes and bath paints.

hip2save has some fun posts today about cheap lunch boxes from the company store (i want the polka dot one!) and some cheap bath paints from avon. check them out. she says that she's giving her kids the bath paints in their easter baskets... i guess it's time to start thinking that direction. and why not get some fun stuff for cheap!?

target sale.

toys are 75% off
hats scarves and mittens are 75% off
kids shoes are in the 3 and 4 dollar range
christmas kids attire is 75% off
fun things at the dollar spot for valentine's day and super bowl parties

just a quick heads up!

rumor: i also heard that old navy's clearance went an additional 50% off, and when paired with a coupon from oldnavyweekly, you could get some great bargains on winter clothes for everyone! you may want to call your old navy to confirm...

chuck e. cheese coupons.

go here to read a post about chuck e. cheese coupons.

thanks, frugalista cafe!

udder covers gift set, 5 dollars plus shipping!

go here, add a gift set to your cart, use the code thanks, and get one of the gift sets for 5 dollars, plus 9.95 shipping. the gift set includes the cover, a breastfeeding braclet, and washable breast pads. awesome offer!

thanks, frugalista cafe!

free sippie cup from juicy juice.

go here to sign up for a free sippie cup from juicy juice.

thanks, frugalista cafe!

free issues of family circle.

go here for free issues of family circle... may, june and july of 2010.

thanks, cha-ching on a shoestring!

free clorox greenworks sample.

free clorox greenworks sample by filling out form here.

thanks, coupon gal!

fisher-price stuff on sale, plus free shipping.

fisher price currently has some marked down toys that are pretty good deals, plus you can get free shipping with the code HAPPY2010. start shopping here.

thanks, hip2save!

new old navy coupons.

it's thursday, and that means that it should be time for new old navy coupons to post later today or maybe even tomorrow. go here to see if the new updated version with men's hoodies as the item of the week has posted. if it has, be sure to hunt around the ad for the best coupon. current coupon counts are found at the top of the ad.

freebies from aerie.

i love to go to the mall to collect freebies... and there just so happens to be an aerie by american eagle store in strongsville. go here to read a post about how to claim your freebie from aerie on any given thursday, just for joining their club. next thursday, i bet you'll be glad you did. :)

thanks, freebies 4 mom!

udder covers (nursing covers) free, just pay shipping!

go here and pick out one of the nursing covers, add it to your cart, use the code 2010 to get the 32 dollar cover for free, and just pay shipping (9.95). wowza! would make a great gift for someone expecting... :)

thanks, frugalista cafe!

e.l.f. cosmetics, super duper cheap!

i was reading about e.l.f. cosmetics having a fabulous deal online when i was scrolling through the hip2save site. since this one is her baby and i'm opting out of more make-up, since i just spent a gob at cvs, you can read her post here. sounds like a pretty fantastic deal! let me know if you get anything great! i'm wishing with all my new make-up that i had my caboodle from seventh grade to store everything in! :)

thanks, hip2save!

free window clings.

need a reminder to take your reusable bags into the store? go here for free static window reminder decals.

thanks, maven of savin!

girl scout cookie time!

it's that time of year again! for me, this means that my go-to snack will become tagalongs or thin mints for a while. wait... maybe not a "while", but for as long as i can keep the box around. i tend to eat boxes of tagalongs in one sitting. i know, but it's only once a year. check out this to find out what cookies are available this year, and there's a link at the top to find cookies in your area. they are selling from jan. 9th through march 31st.

new restaurant.com code.

80% off gift certificates at restaurant.com! makes a 25 dollar gift certificate 2 dollars! the new code is INDULGE. enter it when prompted for any discount codes, after filling your cart. new code good through 1/19/2010.

thanks, sara! :)

free bagel from einstein bros.

get a free bagel here for becoming a facebook fan of einstein bros bagels. click the "free bagel" tab.

thanks, saving money and living life!

word on the street--target.

word on the street has it that target just marked down their children's clothes clearance to 75% off. i'll confirm tomorrow. i have found AMAZING deals on their sale racks.

free pizza knife.

go here to sign up for a free kitchen knife. then close out the pop-up window after you submit.

thanks, free sample freak!

free clean perfume sample.

become a fan on facebook here and get a free sample of their perfume.

thanks, coupongeek!

free online couponing course.

something i want to get better at... using coupons when grocery shopping. check out the free online class here to learn how to do it!

thanks, bargain jargon!

a question and unofficial poll.

what kinds of things do you want to see me post about? i'd love to hear all seven readers' input. :)

more cvs makeup.

when visiting the cvs near my home, i found that they had marked down additional items by revlon. so both l'oreal and revlon had some great buys! think eyeshadow for 1.25!

birthday perks.

birthday perks:

benihana-- join "the chef's table" here

baskin-robbins-- join the birthday club here to get free ice cream on your birthday

cold stone creamery-- join here to get a free creation on your birthday

dairy queen-- join here to get a BOGO coupon for your birthday

dunkin donuts-- join here for more free ice cream treats

friendly-- join here to become a bff

bd's mongolian bbq-- join club mongo here. rumor says you get a free meal and dessert (?)

buffalo wild wings-- join here for free dessert

firstwatch-- free entree here

macaroni grill--free dessert with purchase. join mac pack here

maggiano's-- free dessert here

noodles and co.--free entree here

orange julius-- join the quench club here

red robin--free burger, join eclub here

tgi fridays-- free dessert with meal purchase, join club here

--thanks to freebies 4 mom for the above list.



austin grill-- join eclub here

arby's-- join arby's extras here

auntie anne's pretzels-- free stuff monthly here

bob evans-- free meal, under 12 here

caribou coffee--free drink on bday here

chili's-- free chips and queso here

pf chang's-- free cake or cheesecake (?) here

perkins-- kids get a free entree when adult entree is purchased here

ryan's--coupons, free meals here

spaghetti warehouse--free meal(?) here

--thanks to hey it's free for the above list!



hard times cafe--free chili mac here

--thanks to probargain hunter for the above!

kohl's cares for kids campaign.

there are new books out at kohl's! if you aren't familiar with their program, they usually (quarterly) have about 4 books with coordinating stuffed animals. they pick a high-quality author of children's books and sell hard cover editions of the books and the stuffed animals for 5 dollars each. this quarter, it's dr. seuss. the books are: the lorax, the foot book, if i ran the circus, and oh the thinks you can think! makes a great idea for a birthday gift, if you're searching for something for the little someone special in your life. also, they had the green book available for purchase for that older someone special. it looked nice, had tips and tricks for greenifying life. :)

new old navy coupons.

i just got an email from old navy saying that they took additional markdowns. and new coupons posted here last night. i will be scoping out the deals today, and will let you know if i find anything fab.

to access the locations of the coupons, check out the "engineer a debt-free life" link on the side. she posts coupon locations weekly.

a buck off caribou.

go here to get a caribou coffee coupon. this one goes out to my favorite friend who loves caribou like i love starbucks. :)

thanks, mojosavings!


and with her birthday coming up soon, she might like this!

thanks, coupon pro!

destination bags.

anybody know how to add tabs to a blog? until i figure it out, i guess that i will just have to write it here in this trusty old column. i wanted to do a craft tab, and a meal tab and some other little cutesy things, but for lack of knowledge where technology is concerned, you can consider this post as part of my craft tab... the first little craft tab from the least crafty person!

okay, so if you know me, i'm not super crafty. although i do thoroughly enjoy seeing what others have come up with and trying to follow their lead. i have been wanting to do this little craft for the longest time... i saw it ages and ages ago on a blog. like probably two years ago. anyways, i don't have pictures or anything, but maybe i can describe it well enough to give you the general idea... you can craft it to suit your needs from the image that your mind's eye conjures up. here goes:

you need plain canvas bags. just how many is up to you. they're the kind that you can find in craft stores... just the plain beige canvas that has that same kind of handle that our gym bags had when we sewed them in seventh grade. you know the ones i'm talking about, right? you can get them at craft stores in all sorts of sizes and pretty cheap (like around 4 bucks or less, depending on the size)... for this project, you can decide your size based on your need. well, the idea was to park some of these bags on hooks by the door, so that you could just grab them on the way out, depending on your destination. i'm not sure exactly what they had recommended decorating them with... fabric markers? washable markers? i would think some sort of fabric marker or puffy paint would work... and if you sew, you could even do one with fabric scraps or patches put on. well, here's where the destination idea comes in.

you get a bag for the library... stow your books in that need to be returned.

you get a bag for restaurants... (the one that they had pictured had a place setting drawn on it, so that non-readers would even recognize it's purpose) and stick in stuff for the wait at restaurants like crayons, paper, different ideas for quiet games, that game that is on every table at cracker barrel, an extra sippie cup or a funky straw that makes drinking fun...

you get a bag for small road trips... include car games, headphones and cd's

you get one for at grandma's house... include a blanket from home or some art supplies or a dvd

you get one for essentials for school... we always leave the house and seem to forget something

you get one to keep in the car... extra change of clothes, a snack, a juice box, some mittens or a hat in winter or an emergency bathing suit for summer-sprinkler-jumping at a friend's house

the ideas and destinations are endless.

anyway, i ran into some fun canvas bags today at wal-mart (i know, i hate wal-mart too, but it's like a bad addiction that i can't stop since there are limited options around here) for 5 bucks. they had ones with polka dots, stripes and designs. if i had two picky kids, i'd get a bag for each of them to take stuff to restaurants... whatever. you get the idea, i'm sure, and i don't need to go on. it was such a cutesy idea, and i am excited to kinda see it come to fruition in our house. i just need to find some cool patches to put on it since it's already decorated for me...

new day, new deal.

well, there's not too much fun stuff coming up online today, so i thought that i'd share my two good shopping trips.

last night, when getting my brita pitcher, i stopped and checked out the christmas clearance at lowe's. they had everything 75% off, so i got three spools of ribbon and five boxes of new bulbs (next year, we are doing a silver and red theme on the tree... i've done seven years of our current theme, and have grown tired of it) for 8 bucks. i got a few different sizes of bulbs for some visual interest. my whole tree next year is fully decorated for less than 10 bucks! selection on christmas stuff is getting SPARSE... the sooner you get there, the better.

and today at walmart, i was cruising the clearance aisle and found some thomas trains for a certain birthday boy (next month could he really be four?) for 2 dollars each. they also had christmas clearance, but i decided against the candy canes, as i think that a certain someone has o.d.'ed on candy canes till next year. there were also a bunch of super cheap toys in the clearance aisle... the fridge recorder by leapfrog was 10 dollars and i saw baby doll strollers for 7 bucks. i also got a combination shade/bug net for on top of a infant carrier for 3 dollars... maybe put it to use later this year or next summer? maybe give as a gift? who knows...

so that's it. nothing all too fab... just some miscellaneous items that were at an irresistible price.

hopefully, new steals and deals tomorrow! :)

free shipping from victoria's secret today only.

use the code SHIPFREE when shopping online with victoria's secret, today only. check out the semi-annual sale items.

thanks, more than cents!

bath and body works freebie.

go here to get a coupon for a free travel size item with any purchase. to make out of pocket expense minimal, think about buying the 1 or 2 dollar items, like the pocketbac or something along those lines.

thanks, coupon cravings!

score!

the brita coupon from below worked! i got the slim 5-cup water pitcher and a filter for 3 dollars! i've been wanting to replace our broken, filterless pitcher for a while now, and i love the new streamlined version i got. it takes up less space in the fridge, and i need all the space i can get! :)

fyi... i priced the box with one filter in it... that's one filter only... and it was over 7 dollars! it's worth it just for the filter alone!

children's place and carter's outing.

this morning, since children's place is having their monster sale, i decided to venture out to the local outlet mall and scope out the deals. i had my 15% coupon in hand, and was ready to get some cheapies. well... i was mildly disappointed. it was true, the cords for girls and boys were just 4.99, and that's about all on the sale front. items from christmas were still too high for me, being in the 10 dollar range for the rugby sweaters and fleece, and tees were down to 4.99 (which is still too high). i bought three pairs of the cords, some gloves that i was hoping would fit goosey, and some socks for moosey. socks were down to 1.49, and with the coupon, i got them for 1.27. not awful, but not great, either.

and since i was right there, i went next door to carter's. they are having some awesome deals... that is, for carter's stuff. they had some cute fleece cardigans and matching pant sets for 5.99. matching onesies (2 pack) were the same price. back in the back of the store, i found some great deals on boy's undies (can't have enough of those when potty training!), 3 pack of briefs for 3.99, and 2 pack of boxer/briefs for 3.99. i think that i got 5 packs, some in bigger sizes b/c they are normally 7 or 8 bucks per pack. i also got socks for moosey for 3.99, packs of 3. cute ones with flowers and hearts and stripes. anyways... it was just an "okay" trip, hardly worth bragging about. well, maybe the undies, but who wants to brag about that? :)

stay tuned in a few weeks when c.p. does further markdowns, and watch me go crazy in the bigger boys section of the store for the first time ever. that's right... we are moving out of 4T and heading straight to big boy clothes... i hardly have anything stockpiled, so the opportunities are endless. :)

payless coupon.

15% off at payless with the coupon here.

thanks, moms by heart!

3 dollar water pitcher at lowe's.

according to deal fanatic, lowe's is having a sale on their brita water pitcher, selling it for 8 dollars. if you go here and take the pledge, you can access a 5 dollar off coupon for a brita pitcher, bringing it down to just 3 dollars. i just printed out my coupon, and will let you know if our local lowe's is selling it at the 8 dollar price, after i pick up my son from school. we'll buzz on over there and check it out. stay tuned....

thanks, coupon cravings!

incredible l'oreal deals at cvs.

i was online yesterday and saw on some site that i was reading (forgive me, i forget which one, otherwise i'd site it below) that cvs is having their semi-annual sale on select l'oreal cosmetics. before a meeting i went to last night, i went in and found that cvs in little old ashland, ohio, was indeed running the sale... 75% off a bunch of items! i got eyeliners, eyeshadows, lipsticks, lip glosses, mascara and foundation... a whole bag of stuff for about 45 dollars. that was almost 200 dollars worth of stuff! my 17 dollar foundation was 4 bucks!! hurry to your nearest cvs, and look for the bright green 75% off stickers! if you have unused extracare bucks to pay with, you score the deals of the day! :)

starbucks freebies.

register your starbucks card here to get free stuff from starbucks. read all about the offers on that page.

thanks, joe the coupon guy!

restaurant.com deals.

the latest restaurant.com code, good for 50% off is CHOW, and is good through 1/12/2010. enter this code after you fill your cart. deal scenario goes like this: you buy a $25 gift certificate for 10 dollars, and then enter the code to get it for 5 dollars. stipulations vary by restaurant, but say you'd have to spend 35 dollars. you put the 25 dollar gift certificate down as payment, along with the remaining 10 dollars you owe. you just got 35 dollars worth of food for 15. not a bad deal! you may also receive a 10 dollar gift certificate with your purchase... check your inbox after purchase.

go here for the good stuff!

thanks, joe the coupon guy!

home depot garden club.

join the home depot garden club here and get customized info and coupons for your garden.

thanks, thrifty mama!

get their ad delivered to your email box, too, by clicking here. this also should occasionally have coupons.

thanks, swag grabber!

the limited coupon.

go here to print off a coupon for the limited, good through 1/27/2010. it's 25% off your purchase, or 30% off when you use your store credit card.

thanks, coupon gal!

giant eagle cookie card.

buy a giant eagle cookie card at the customer service desk for 1 dollar, and your child can get a free cookie when the card is presented. details here.

thanks, saving in akron!

free music from itunes and starbucks.

become a fan of itunes on facebook here and go under the "featured" tab to download 20 free songs from itunes and starbucks.

thanks, northern cheapskate!

free prints from snapfish.

go here and find the details of 50 prints for 50 pennies, with the code NEWYEAR50. use by 1/7/2010.

thanks, northern cheapskate!

store reward cards worth having.

another subject i'd like to chat about. i'm digging my godiva card... love that free sample they give!! :) more later...

in the meantime, check out this.

children's place coupon.

monster sale is now in progress, use this coupon to score some fabulous deals through 1/31/2010.

coming soon: birthday treats.

i'm comiling a list of great freebies you can get on or around your birthday. lots of restaurants have great clubs to enter, or newsletters they want to send you (along with coupons!). i'll make that list tomorrow, but i wanted to be sure to write it in here so i wouldn't forget my train of thought later.

catalogs! send me catalogs!!

i'm getting some great catalogs in the mail these days, and thought that i might share some of the names of them with all my pals-who-are-parents. i love getting magazines and catalogs in the mail... and these just feed my addiction.

one step ahead www.onestepahead.com (leaps and bounds is the sister catalog to one step ahead, it's for kids who are a little older)

sensational beginnings www.sb-kids.com

hearthsong www.hearthsong.com

back to basics toys www.backtobasicstoys.com (they sell old school toys like we grew up on!)

toys to grow on www.ttgo.com

learning resources www.learningresources.com

constructive playthings www.constplay.com

pottery barn kids www.potterybarnkids.com (my personal fave)

lilly's kids (affiliated with lillian vernon)


please feel free to add any... i'm a catalog junkie!!

jo-ann creative university.

another awesome thing that i have found recently is that my local jo-ann store (which, sadly, is 45 minutes away) offers craft classes in something they call creative university. i've taken a sewing class so far, and have yet to go to my knitting class. as skills are built, you can advance further along, and attempt harder projects. they go in an order like 101, 201, etc. i was really impressed with my sewing class.

well, the best part of the classes, in my (cheap) opinion, is that during their monthly open houses, they offer all the classes for half off! go here to locate a store in your area that offers the creative university classes (underneath on the right hand side once you choose your state), click on creative university classes, and scroll to the bottom of that document. it will tell you when the open house is (hopefully! because mine says that!), and you can call in to the store that day and register. you don't even have to go in! awesome!

victoria's secret pink nation.

if you're not a member yet, i have to ask: what are you waiting for?!? join pink nation here and you'll get access to fun events at victoria's secret, awesome coupons and what else? free stuff! gotta love that!

semi-annual sale at bath and body works.

bbw is in the midst of their semi-annual sale (aka the only time i buy). from their email, they are sporting these fab deals: 5 dollar classics (shower gel, lotion, body splash), 6 dollar wallflower refills, and 3 dollar anti-bac soaps. i'll let you know if i find a great coupon to use with this. :)

just a suggestion.

i've found that it is a wise decision to open up an email address that you can use for sign ups. when you're posting all your info for free things, who knows sometimes if your email address is being sold or traded or whatever, and whose spam list you may end up on. the solution to this problem is to open a "junk email" address, that can receive the spam, so that your email address for more serious things isn't compromised. just a suggestion.

denny's coupon.

sign up for denny's breakfast club here and score a 20% off coupon and something special on your birthday.

thanks, hip2save!

shop your closet.

this is a business owned by a friend of mine, susan, and i thought that i'd help get the word out. she offers a fabulous service... helping you find things to wear that you already own! i used to work with her, and she is such a professional... and will fast become one of your best girlfriends. check out her website, and be sure to see their "in the news" section. they've been featured on local news shows lately, and will soon be taking the world by storm. :) check her out here.

steals and deals, the how-to.

lately i feel like i've hit the jackpot at the stores i've gone to. if i could put a visual to it for you, you'd be flipping through a magazine... a fashion magazine for kids... and you'd flip to a page of me sitting in the middle of my living room, throwing a huge pile of kids clothes and shoes over my head, with an expression of glee on my face. you know, a standard totally cheesy fashion ad.

how do i do it? well, that's what this note is about. (and i will be working on it for a few days... you know how it goes being interrupted by the kids all the time...) there are several strategies that i work with, and (lucky you) i will share them, so you can get your kids clothes super-duper cheap, too!

before you even leave the house, check to make sure you have a coupon! you don't? try www.retailmenot.com and put in the name of the store you're going to and check to see if any reliable coupons come up. or check to see if coupon sites have heard of any specials... i'll get you a great list of coupon sites.

should i start by store? let's see. my fave place to get kids clothes is children's place, mostly because i can get great clothes post-season (or pre-season, if you're into looking ahead) for rock-bottom prices. when i'm at children's place, i scope out the stuff that is brand new, so i have stuff to look forward to come sale time. also, when brand new stuff is just put out on the floor, they model complete looks... you can see what pieces go with what, or how they put a look together. i also get ideas for colors, and what is being considered matchable. (sometimes the prints and patterns at c.p. can get kind of wild, so it's good to have an idea of what they were putting together.) i don't buy anything at the retail stores in the malls... only outlet malls. and i never buy anything from children's place online... the deals at the store are usually cheaper by several dollars.
after i check out the new stuff briefly, i breeze straight to the back, and check out stuff by price point. i generally start with the lowest price point i can find... sometimes as low as 99 cents. i buy ahead two or three sizes, and disregard the season of something. i figure that if i buy a t-shirt and it's not the right season (say danny hits that size in the dead of winter), i'll put a long sleeve tee under it, or use it as a layer in an outfit. if i buy a sweater and danny is that size in the summer, i can gift it to a friend who may be able to use it. i keep the tags on everything i buy, but take the size stickers off of things, in case they will end up being stowed for a while into the future... that sticky stuff is a pain to get off of clothes if it melts into the fabric.
so i work up the price points, getting to the more pricey items. and having a boy and a girl, i do this for both sides of the store. after combing the racks, i check out the bins in the middle of the store, where shoes and socks and pj's are usually thrown. i've gotten winter hats as low as 19 cents in these bins, and shoes as low as 1.99. and if i'm unsure of any price, c.p. outlets have scanners to check the prices, with the price you pay at cashwrap reflected on the scanner (they do the deductions for you, in other words).
some ways to save at c.p.? sign up for birthday emails... that will get you 15% off purchases, including clearance items. sign up for their credit card and get even more savings at the register. sometimes the outlet mall itself will run coupons for stores, sign up at the service desk and ask for the list. check kids magazines for coupons. and sometimes when you shop, they will give you coupons to come back. c.p. is known for their coupons that you can share with a friend... so i give to neighbors and family and even the people behind me in line! check to see if it's a multi-use coupon, and keep it if possible for another trip (the bday one is one-time use, but you can print it off multiple times).
keep in mind that you don't necessarily have to be in the store to find out the deals. keep the phone number of your local c.p. handy, and call to find out what current price points are. they are generally happy to tell you, but i find it's a faster call if you call during the day when they might not have much traffic, or about 15 minutes after opening (that's 10:15, generally).

also, it doesn't hurt to befriend your local salespeople. they like to make people happy, so if they do anything that makes you happy, let them know. even better, grab the name of their district manager and let that person know how much you loved your shopping experience. i will tell you that i remembered every person who gave me a glowing report either to my managers, or my district manager, and i would go out of my way to help make their shopping experience that much better. i got to know what kinds of things they were looking for, what kinds of styles they loved, and would call them if something i knew they would love came in. the salespeople can be your best friends... your best shopping allies... if you go out of your way to tell them how delightful they are and how much you appreciate their help. then you can ask them for the heads-up for special savings or events in the store, and if they know anything they'll give you the low-down.

menu planner.

i've already given out a few of these as gifts, i thought it was such a fantastic idea. i put it in a binder with the clear pocket on front and back, and then printed out a few pages for the inside. i love that it has big enough spaces to write breakfasts, lunches and dinners in the spaces provided (if one was that ambitious... which i am not. i only manage to get my dinners written in and planned out.) and since i only have dinners planned, i can write the source of the recipe (issue and date of magazine, title of cookbook, etc.). i also have added a little 99 cent pencil pocket from my local discount superstore for coupons or writing utensils. check out the planner here and check here for the adorable matching recipe cards.

thanks, seven thirty three! i love it!

cheap books!!

i have a book addiction. there, i said it. and not only have i been "blessed" with this little book addiction, but one of the caveats of the addiction is that i need to have these books CHEAP. i put a feeler out there to some of my friends on facebook, and my lovely friend molly wrote back with info that i will be forever indebted to her for sharing. she told me about scholastic's warehouse sales. yeah, you know, that same scholastic that sent out the little newspaperesque sale flyer in grade school. the one that sent the books straight to your teacher. well... at these warehouse sales, you have the opportunity to raid the warehouse from which those books are sent! when we lived in rockville, md, i traveled 45 minutes to the warehouse, and a lot of times, made some super sweet scores with the children's books. AND, to make the deal even sweeter (books were already under 3 dollars each!), scholastic will send you a coupon for signing up to attend the sale! the coupon is often 10 dollars off a 50 dollar purchase, or something even better around the time of their holiday sale. wanna check and see if there is one coming up in your area? check out this page here and click on your state. you can sign up to be a parental volunteer and get the coupon (which is also the way that you enter the sale--- you need the barcode that prints on your coupon). the first time i went to the sale, i was afraid of the word "volunteer" on the coupon, but found that it's just the way that they track who comes to the sale... so you can get additional coupons, as well. :) keep checking back to the site if you don't see a sale coming up... they usually run them about three to four times a year, definitely before christmas, and around the end of school.

free beverage at pilot travel center.

become a fan of pilot travel center (lucky us, we have one so close to the outlet mall!) on facebook here, and click the coupon link to get a coupon for a free 16 oz. beverage (coffee, cappuccino, hot chocolate or hot tea). valid through 2/28/2010.

thanks, money saving mom!

world market coupon.

go here for a 10 dollars off a 30 dollar purchase at world market, through 1/10/2010.

thanks, sweet deals for moms!

coupons/coupon codes.

i very rarely buy anything that isn't on sale, or that i don't have a coupon for--food being the exception, and i've vowed to change that up this year-- and i have a great website that you can go to and enter the name of the store you want to shop at or the item you want to buy, and if there is a coupon or coupon code available, it will show up. you can print off the coupon to shop in-store, or you can copy the code and add it to your online orders for pretty significant savings. just by copying the code while doing some online shopping the other day, i saved 7.80. almost 8 dollars for just typing a few letters! can't beat that deal!

visit retailmenot here to start saving! :)

kohl's online deals.

kohl's has been having some great deals... pajamas for kids for around 6 dollars, shirts for men for 6 dollars... if you can find some sweet markdowns, you can take an additional 20% off sale prices with the code EXTRA20. this deal is available until 1/19/2010.

thanks, coupon gal!

gap coupon.

go here to get a gap coupon worth 20% off your purchases through 1/30/2010. you can even combine this with any additional percentages off clearance (when i went on saturday, they were taking an additional 40% off of clearance), so we got corduroy pants for 13 dollars. you can get some amazing deals! :)

free aveda samples.

go here to get a free sample of color conserve shampoo, conditioner and strengthening treatment (expires june 30, 2010). at the bottom of the page, join their birthday club and get a body creme sample free. check for the nearest stores here.

thanks, hip2save!

cheap leapfrog wash and go.

the kmart near me has the leapfrog wash and go toy clearanced to 8 dollars, down from 15.99. it's like the fridge farm, only with vehicles. we're all about distraction during dinner, so this is perfect for my two year old. plus, it's got some catchy songs. :)

also at kmart, christmas items have been clearanced to 75% off, so i got wrapping paper for 2 dollars, tissue for 50 cents, and tablecloths for 3.20. amazing deals on stuff that we can use year-round! :)

welcome to the sixty second shopper!

this is a blog for people who love to shop! but, like me, you want to get in the store, get the deal and get out. i named the blog "sixty second shopper", because with two kids, that's all the time i feel i'm allotted for finding my deals. someone always needs a sippie cup, a bathroom break, or some other minor catastrophe happens that only happens while we're shopping. so, i check out online steals and deals, and then get in, get it and leave. happy shopping!! :)