Lots of Savings... One Little Site

Don't you hate to get a great deal on an on-line order, but have to pay an arm and a leg in shipping?? Freeshipping.org boats free shipping codes for 2,448 stores. Not only do they offer free shipping codes, but they also provide other coupon codes and tell you when the offer expires. They also advertise on-line sales that don't particularly need a code. This way you can plan out your order and make the most of the sales and special offers before making your purchase.

Recycle and Save

If you don't already recycle your used ink cartridges, here's a chance to make both the Earth and your wallet happy.

Office Max pays you $3 in MaxPerks Rewards for each ink or toner cartridges that you return to them. You can return up to 20 in a month. You'll get a statement via e-mail letting you know how much you've earned and you'll need to print it to give to the cashier when checking out. They accept lots of different brand names, and you don't have to purchase the cartridge from Office Max to get the reward.

You do have to be a member of their MaxPerks (or Teacher Rewards) program to have an account set up. It's painless to do. Check out the link below for more info:

https://www.officemaxperks.com/RecyclingProgram.aspx

Manicure in a Bottle

I'd read some reviews on Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure and the consensus was that it worked as well as a professional manicure at a fraction of the cost (and time!). I gave it a try. The polish has a base coat, strengthener, growth treatment, color, and top coat built in, so you do save some time with application. The polish comes out a little thicker because of this. I've had it on for a week now and haven't felt the needed to do any touch-ups. This is also after 2 major hands-on classroom set-ups (and almost obsessive hand washing!). I'd recommend a lighter shade to deter noticeable chipping, but take your pick of one of it's 42 colors.

Teacher Fridays

Michaels is offering a little "extra credit" to teachers on Fridays. Present your ID to get an additional 10% off your entire purchase (including sale items). The offer runs through September 24th.

String Cheese

I can't tell you the last time I ate string cheese. I saw a coupon for $1 off of Frigo String Cheese in the paper on Sunday, so I cut it out to save for a rainy day. Kroger had a pack of 16 on sale- 2 for $7. I got 1 pack and used my coupon.... and said hello to an 80 calorie snack packed with protein for about 16 cent a piece!!

They're pretty tasty if you can get past the tween packaging. There is a 55 cent off coupon from Kroger's printable coupons in case Sunday's paper is long gone. (Go to www.kroger.com, then "In Store"... "Coupons"... and finally "Print-at-Home Coupons".)

Happy Snacking!

The Smell of Victory

I got these for FREE at Kroger. I downloaded a Kroger coupon to my Kroger card for $2 off any 2 Right Guard Total Defense Deodorants. I also printed a "$3 off any 2" coupon from http://www.coupons.com/. Kroger already had them marked down to $2.49... so... I essentially got them for FREE!! What does victory smell like?? Apparently Right Guard.

Cheap School Supplies

When it comes down to it... if you're paying more than a quarter for most school supplies, you're paying too much. Typically the brand names (Crayola, Elmers, etc...) are your best bet, but Office Max has it's brand of crayons and markers on sale this week. The crayons are only 5 cents for a box of 24 and their washable markers (box of 10) are 25 cents!!

The limit is 3 per person, but teachers can double up. Again, they may not be the same caliber as some other brands, but for these prices, you can't help but stock up!

Sneaky Calories

I've read recently that new legislation will require restaurants to begin listing the number of calories in their dishes on the menu. There's still some red tape, but certain chains (like Panera) have already begun to do this in an effort to make consumers aware of the calories they are about to devour.



The following website: www.fatsecret.com allows you to get an idea of how many calories are in typical restaurant dishes for venues that do not have nutritional information on a website.



You don't have to join the site to search for particular foods. If you look under the header "Foods" or do a "Food Search" you will find out more information that you probably ever wanted to know. The site also compares the nutritional content for one food at a number of different brands or restaurants.



If you do join the site, apparently you have the option to post what you have eaten throughout the course of the day. Now... there's TMI and then there's TMI, and I'd say that falls under the latter.

Skip the Wrapping Paper

September is known as "Birthday Palooza" in our household, seeing as a vast number of family and friends all have birthdays during the month. In preparation for the numerous festivities, I've begun a little wrapping. I enjoy the decorated boxes. They're too pretty to cover up with wrapping paper, which saves time and money that will literally be thrown away.

This particular box came in a set of 2. You could stick a bow on the outside (or not) and you're good to go! My family is notorious for re-using boxes, where the occasional "fooler box" always deceives the recipient. Gift bags are great, too!

Dinner is on Arby's!

Arby's is celebrating a Teacher Appreciation Day on Tuesday, September 14th. Show your ID and enjoy a FREE combo!

Tervis Tumbler Sale

Supposedly Belle Cottage in Mechanicsville is having a special sale today on Tervis Tumblers. I haven't been in this store in several years after not being impressed with the management. I'm going to give them another try. I called to confirm and the woman I spoke with said that you can get 15% off your Tervis purchase if you bring in a pad of Post-Its with the message written: "Belle Cottage is the place." I asked if it was just one Post-It, or a whole pad, and the lady said a whole pad. (I'm not planning on writing that message on every piece of paper in the pad.) I don't quite see the significance behind it, but hopefully Belle Cottage is in fact the place.

Flying Squirrels

Here's fun fact: On Tuesdays, if you bring the wrapper from a Kraft Singles package (not the cheese, of course!) you can get one ticket for free.



For $6, two adults can enjoy a good game and have a little extra cash for the necessary stadium snacks. Who can say no to ice cream in a little helmet?!

They only have one more Tuesday home game this season and it's "Bark in the Park Night", so if you're not a big fan of pooches, this probably isn't your night. You can click on the link below to see their schedule and other promotions they are offering.


http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/schedule/index.jsp?sid=t3410


Play ball!!!

Office Max... Feeling Appreciated

We stopped in Office Max today to see what they had to offer for their Teacher Appreciation Day. The store had a table set up with reusable bags (the black bag folds up inside a zippered pouch) and some cookies. Jason helped himself to one and we began searching for steals! The sales in the store are for everyone, but if you are a teacher and get the bag, you get an additional 20% off of what you can fit inside it. [Side note: I tried to get Jason to get a bag too, but he said that was like stealing. Sorry, Bocky!]




Crayola crayons are on sale for 20 cents each (limit of 3)!! The flexible binders were 30 cents each and you could buy up to 6. The rulers were 5 cents each (limit of 6)!!

I got everything for $1.77 and oddly enough never had to show an ID. Thank you, Office Max!!

Teacher Appreciation Days

Here are two upcoming special days for teachers...

1. Office Max is having Teacher Appreciation Day this Sunday, August 15th. They are offering a free reusable tote (plus 20% everything you can fit inside).

2. Staples is hosting it's 2010 Teacher Appreciation Day on Saturday, August 21st from 9-12 for it's stores in the Richmond area. They are offering a free "thank you gift", which usually consists of a tote with some goodies inside.

Enjoy!! Our days are numbered.............

Bow-Tie Cinemas

We enjoy going to Bow-Tie Cinemas on Boulevard. The building itself has a certain charm and it is usually a little less crowded than other area movie theaters. We also enjoy having their Criterion Club card that rewards us with 2 points for every ticket we purchase. It doesn't take long for the two of us to accumulate points. Just 10 points will get you a free small popcorn. The points continue to accumulate. On Tuesdays, you can buy 2 general admission tickets for $6 each.

Did I mention that they have a plethora of snacks at the concession stand? Or the fact that you can butter and salt your own popcorn??

Sno Shack

There's nothing better than a treat from the Sno Shack to finish up a HOT day. You better enjoy it while it lasts, because once they close up shop, it's a sure sign that summer has officially ended. My personal favorite flavor is "The Little Mermaid" (kiwi & blue raspberry). My hubby wasn't initially sold on the Shack until he discovered the joy of a "volcano" (a scoop of vanilla ice cream nestled in the freshly shaved ice). He delighted in his blue raspberry volcano this evening.

Juicy Rewards

I drink orange juice like it's going out of style. Tropicana is my personal favorite and they just happen to offer a rewards program. Under the lid on each carton is a unique code. You can get started by setting up an account and registering your points at www.tropicana.com. Each lid is worth 3 points, so they add up pretty quickly.

Tropicana offers LOADS of rewards from all over the country. You can narrow down your search to your zip code, and then search for specific areas (such as dinning, theme parks, massage/spa, fun for everyone, etc...). Click on whatever interests you. Be sure to read the fine print when you view the details just to be sure there aren't any exclusions. Don't get print happy until you're sure you are going to use your coupon within 2 weeks.

Can you believe....

- 2-for-1 at Cheeburger Cheeburger
- 2-for-1 at Riverbound Cafe
- 2-for-1 at Frostings
- BOGO at the Science Museum
- 2-for-1 Green Fee at the Belmont Golf Course

... and TONS more!!!

Eco & Budget Friendly Water Bottles

I saw these "Bobbles" advertised in Shape that claim to filter regular tap water for up to 12 weeks. Do you know how many bottles of water we (read: I) go through in 3 months?? I checked out their website (http://www.waterbobble.com/) to see where I could purchase them (I didn't want to pay shipping & handling on their site). Much to my surprise Cracker Barrel (!!!!) carries them. We picked up one this evening and so far... so good! Bobbles are made from recycled materials and come in 6 fun colors. You can pick up a replacement filter for around $7. I feel like this way I am helping cut down on the number of bottles we use AND helping to save some cash.

Taps Savings

This is for all those teachers out there... Taps (Teachers & Parents Store) is promoting the tax-free weekend by having no sales tax. They also have started a new Dollar Corner (back far right of the store), which had a better selection than I would have thought. Jason and I stocked up on a few things (stickers, incentive charts, name tags, decorative accents, etc...). It might be worth browsing if you happen to be in the area. We also took advantage of a completed Rewards Card (they're free and you get a stamp for every $10 spent) and got those goodies plus some others for FREE!!

They have a coupon on their website for 20% off any one item. Kudos to you if you can figure out how to print it!

http://www.tapsonline.com/

This info may not be too terribly useful for you if you're not a teacher. Unless you enjoy shaped Popsicle sticks, double-sided tape, or get a kick out of pencils that say: "Return to Teacher".

Back-to-School Crafting

I saw these adorable picture frames for sale that were covered with colored pencils. I was pretty sure I could make something like it for a lot less.

This would probably also work with crayons as well. I picked up a pack of colored pencils. (Target had them on sale for 75 cents each AND you got a free 24 box of crayons... BONUS!!) You'll also need a plain picture frame, scissors, a coarse nail file or sandpaper, and some type of strong adhesive. Glue guns are cumbersome, so I prefer to use Zots adhesives. They are super sticky and easy to use. I used them on tons of things for the wedding from invitations to the flower girl's basket.


I started sticking the colored pencils right on the frame with the Zots. The frame is for a 4 x 6 picture, so I had to be creative to get the whole thing covered. I scored the pencils with scissors where I wanted to cut them and then cut at the pencil until it was ready to break off. The break was relatively even, but I wanted to smooth the rough edge. I didn't have any sandpaper handy, so I used a coarse old nail file. It worked just as well!



The outcome is very cute, and at a fraction of the cost!

Kroger Digital Coupons

I don't know why I didn't know about this earlier, but I am loving digital coupons! If you already have a Kroger Card, register it at the link below:


http://www.softcoin.com/Sites/Kroger_ECoupons/Page/HomePage/Retailer/Kroger


You'll need to sign in (or register first by following several simple instructions). Then browse the digital coupons. You can select up to 150 coupons and click on "Load Coupons to Card". You can download coupons and then if you don't use them, it's no problem. Be sure to pay attention to the expiration dates, just like paper coupons. These coupons do not double.


Jason and I put this to good use today. We got a bottle of Tide (100 oz.), which is normally $14.99 for $6.99!! We combined the digital coupon with a Procter & Gamble promotion, buying 3 other participating P & G products to get $4 off our total.

It's so nice to just swipe our Kroger Card that we use anyway and have savings waiting for us!


Fun Fact= You can print a list of coupons you haven't used that are broken down by categories.

I'm Thinking Arby's...

A little birdie (thanks, Griswolds!) told me that Arby's has dinner for 4 for $9.99. There is a different entree Monday through Wednesday (Roast Beef= Monday, Turkey= Tuesday, & Chicken= Wednesday). You get the entree, 4 sides, and 4 "gourmet" rolls. The turkey was a Butterball, already sliced and covered in just enough gravy. It was well worth the $9.99 and we'll get another meal out of the leftovers. Just remember to go between 5 and 9 PM.

100 Calories? Yes, Please!

We've discovered these 100 Calorie Cheese Bites. It seems like a decent portion for 100 calories. This particular kind (Mozzarella, Garlic & Herb) is a bit strong, but it pairs nicely with some Triscuits. It makes for a yummy snack!

Holy Guacamole!

This is the best recipe I've found so far for some fresh guacamole. You'll need:

- 2 Hass avocados

- 2 tablespoons minced red onion

- 1/2 medium tomato

- juice from 1/2 lime

- 1 small jalapeno


I did the chopping and mincing first and put the onion, tomato, and jalapeno (which I only used a few slices) in a small bowl.

I scooped out the avocados and started mashing them with a spoon in another medium sized bowl. Keep mashing until you get most of the big chunks out. Then mix in the onion, tomato, and jalapeno, as well as the lime juice.





Mmmm... heavenly!