My Frugal Year

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Check out some great deals this week!

See these and more on our COUPONS page! http://www.myfrugalyear.com/coupons.htm

Food & Beverage:

Buy 1 Get 1 FREE Fresh Gourmet Tuna Bites and Salmon Bites
$1.50 OFF 1 NESTLE BUTTERFINGER 9.2oz Fun Size Bag
$1.00 OFF 1 Smart Chicken Product. Redeem at The Fresh Grocer.
$1.00 OFF 1 OSCAR MAYER Selects Hot Dogs
$1.00 OFF 2 Boxes of Peace Cereal
$1.00 OFF 1 Newman’s Own Thin & Crispy Pizza
$1.00 OFF 1 McCann’s Irish Oatmeal product
$0.55 OFF 1 Jimmy D’s Frozen Breakfast Product
$0.75 OFF THREE (3) varieties of Birds Eye Steamfresh
$0.55 OFF 1 Ball Park Product
$0.50 OFF 1 Bob Evans Potato Wedges
$0.50 OFF 1 Newman’s Own Product
$0.50 OFF 1 can of Diamond Crystal Sea Salt
$0.30 OFF one 4 oz. or larger HARIBO product
$1.00 OFF 1 One Half Gallon of 8th Continent Soymilk
$1.00 OFF 1 SO DELICIOUS COCONUT MILK BEVERAGE (64oz. or 32oz. )

Personal Care:

$4.00 OFF 1 Mederma Stretch Marks Therapy
$3.00 OFF 1 Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation Product Redeemable ONLY at CVS/Pharmacy
$2.00 OFF 1 Rimmel Stay Matte Foundation Product. Redeemable ONLY at Walgreens
$2.00 OFF 1 AmLactin Moisturizing Body Lotion (7.9 oz/225 g bottle)
$2.00 OFF 1 PURPOSE Skin Care Product (excluding trial sizes)
$2.00 OFF any 1 Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Blow Dry Perfector Kit
$2.00 OFF 1 Renu fresh or Renu sensitive multi-purpose solution (8 oz or larger)
$2.00 OFF 1 SYSTANE Product
$1.00 OFF 1 OPTI-FREE RepleniSH solution, 10 oz or larger
$1.00 OFF 1 New York Color Lip OR Nail Product ($1.72 or more)
$1.00 OFF 1 GARNIER MOISTURIZER OR CLEANSER $1.00 OFF 1 Kiss PREMIUM EYELASH Product
$1.00 OFF 1 Garnier The Brusher Clenser
$0.75 OFF 1 Clear eyes Product
$0.75 OFF 1 Efferdent Denture Cleanser or Effergrip Denture Adhesive product

Pet Care:

$2.00 OFF 12 cans or one (1) 12 ct Variety Pack of Purina Mighty Dog brand Dog Food, any variety
$1.50 OFF 1 bag of Purina Yesterday’s News brand Cat Litter, any size, any variety
$1.50 OFF 1 Nutramax Pet Cosequin Product for Your Pet’s Joints
$1.50 OFF 1 Nutramax Pet Dermaquin Product for Your Pet’s Skin and Coat
$1.40 OFF one (1) 54 oz. or larger carton of Purina Moist & Meaty brand Dog Food, any variety
$1.25 OFF 10 single cans of Purina Alpo brand Dog Food, any size, any variety
$1.10 OFF 1 package of Purina Tidy Cats brand Cat Litter, any size, any variety
$1.00 OFF Milk-Bone Healthy Favorites Dog Snacks
$0.99 OFF 1 package of Purina Busy brand Chew Treat, any size, any variety

Health Care:

$5.00 OFF 1 Non-Drowsy Claritin Allergy Product (24 count or larger)
$5.00 OFF 1 Florastor probiotic
$4.00 OFF 1 Cosamin ASU Joint Health Supplement
$3.00 OFF 1 Cosamin DS Joint Health Supplement
$3.00 OFF 1 Senokot Tablets or Senokot-S Tablets
$3.00 OFF 1 Colace Capsules or Peri-Colace Tablets
$3.00 OFF 1 Non-Drowsy Claritin-D Allergy Product
$3.00 OFF 1 Prevacid 24hr Product
$2.00 OFF 1 Bronkaid product
$2.00 OFF any 1 NASALCROM allergy product
$1.50 OFF 1 Bottle of Emetrol for Nausea
$1.00 OFF 1 Campho-Phenique Product
$1.00 OFF 1 NEO-SYNEPHRINE PRODUCT
$1.00 OFF 1 OmegaMint Heart Health Supplement
$0.50 OFF 1 RelaxZen Product

Household:

$3.00 OFF 1 package of HUGGIES Diapers (60 ct. or higher)
$2.00 OFF 1 any package of HUGGIES Diapers
$2.00 OFF 1 DEPEND Absorbent Product
$2.00 OFF 1 DEPEND Guards for Men
$1.50 OFF 2 Glade Fabric & Air Odor Eliminator
$1.50 OFF THREE Glade PlugIns Scented Gel products
$1.00 OFF 1 all free clear OXI-Active Laundry Detergent (28 loads or larger) $1.00 OFF 1 BISSELL Full Size Machine Formula
$1.00 OFF 2 Comet Bathroom Spray or Comet Cream products
$1.00 OFF 1 Seventh Generation Product
$0.50 OFF 1 any 1 Windex, Pledge, or Scrubbing Bubbles Cleaning Cloths & Sponges By Libman
$0.50 OFF 1 Glade Carpet & Room Odor Eliminator

Home Entertainment:

$4.00 OFF Mickey Mouse Clubhouse: Minnie’s Masquerade DVD

Toys and Games:

$5.00 OFF Tag Junior book pal

The Couponizer has a new fan!

For a long time I’ve been trying different ways of keeping track of my coupons so that I could actually be organized for shopping trips. I needed a simple, “no brainer” way to to it and a way that was easy enough that my husband could grab coupons quickly when we goes to the store.

I tried my own three-ring binder with the baseball card type slots. I tried an index card filing box. I tried just piling up the coupon inserts and grabbing them to clip right before a shopping trip. All of these methods (that may work perfectly well for others!) just did not work for me and left me frustrated and too often going to the store empty-handed and spending more than I needed.

I was hesitant to pay for any type of solution. Of COURSE I was hesitant to spend money if I didn’t need to – that’s the whole point of being frugal. Why spend money you don’t have to spend so that you have more money for the things you DO need and want? So I gave up and gave in. I’d seen some ads for the Couponizer online and I was intrigued. It said Save MORE than Money with The Couponizer! So, I went to the website and ponied up the dough in a last ditch effort to get my coupon clutter under control.

My Couponizer in its pouch

Let me tell you, this is the easiest, most organized way I have ever come across to handle coupons. I am SO pleased with it. The Couponizer book came with a handy clear pouch, a small pair of scissors and the awesome organizing mat. I LOVE the pouch because it gives me a place to stick my inserts, mailers and random coupons I get until I decide to sit down and get to clipping and organizing.

See how full I can stuff the little pouch? Nice, eh?

SO…now it’s time to clip and organize (with the help of my lovely daughter).

Clipping Coupons with The Couponizer!

The labeled mat makes it SO simple. The way it works best for us is we grab all the inserts and coupons we’ve collected and just sit and clip for a few minutes, ONLY clipping ones we will actually use. Then when we have a nice pile of coupons we will use, we use the sorting mat to put them in logical categories which, of course, correspond to the pockets inside the Couponizer book. I LOVE the pockets because they are big enough for any size coupon unlike the little business card or baseball card plastic inserts for three ring binders. The categories are obviously well-chosen because I never stare at a coupon and wonder “where does this one go?” There’s a logical place for it, always. Amen.

Organizing Coupons

When it’s time to make a store run, I just grab my Couponizer and start making my list and pulling the coupons for that trip. Once I pull the coupons for the trip, they go in the handy pocket in the front reserved for “this trip.” I love it, too, because it makes me create my grocery list in order so that “like” items are in the same place on the list. It makes my time in the store more efficient. The Couponizer is also small enough that it’s easy for me to toss it in my bag and take it to the store with me. That way if I see an item not on the list that I think I want, I can scan quickly to see if I’ve got a coupon for it.

In the back of the book there are also pockets for coupons like restaurant, service and other stores that aren’t grocery items. Nice to have a separate place for those to live.

So…there you have it. As you can tell, I’m smitten with my Couponizer and would highly recommend it to those of you who need a good solution. Give it a shot – you won’t regret it!

I decided to put up a Facebook page and joined Twitter to share the deals and tips. I hope you all join me there!

So, who are your frugal favorites to follow on Facebook and Twitter? Leave a comment and share with everyone!

***Update: The panel is now full, but check back and I’ll post again when they are looking for people!****

PineCone Research is looking for MEN panelists ages 18-24!
Register to join the Pine! Cone Panel for an opportunity to evaluate new product ideas in the comfort of your own home and earn cash rewards for your opinions.

I find it easier to save when I have a specific goal in mind. After last year’s memorable family vacation to
Disney’s Boardwalk Inn, Orlando,FL and experiencing all the magic that Walt Disney World has to offer, we decided as a family that our goal is to get back there as soon as we can to enjoy even more time exploring, doing our favorite things and getting to do all the things we didn’t have time for last summer. I can’t stop thinking about this incredible view:

Our hotel room view of the Beach Club from The Boardwalk Inn in the wee hours of the morning

So – how are we going to get back there? Here are some not-so-painful things I’m doing to get us closer to our next Disney World adventure:

1. Quit a bad habit. We all have them – or at least most of us do – a habit that costs us money that we would be better off without. Let’s not name names or talk about the pros and cons of said habits. I know what mine are, you know what yours are. So pick one and quit, then set that money aside for your goal.

2. Look for savings. And I mean savings on stuff you are going to buy anyway! If you don’t clip coupons, give it a whirl. Find awesome printable coupons right here on my site: http://www.myfrugalyear.com/coupons.htm. Check out your local Groupon savings to find deals on stuff you would buy or do. And remember – it isn’t savings if you spend money on something you wouldn’t normally in order to get “savings”!


3. Stash the cash! Once you have saved some money, what do you do with it? That’s totally up to you. For me, if it’s sitting around in cash or in my checking account, it will dwindle away without me even noticing and next thing I know my savings is gone, so I do a combination of putting it in a savings account and purchasing Disney Gift Cards. The gift cards from Disney don’t expire and don’t lose their value or have any fees attached. Money that I am willing to make unavailable for anything BUT our Disney trip, I get the gift cards. They can be used not only at Disney Stores, but you can use them to pay for your Disney resort hotel, Disney Cruise Line, your park tickets, food and souvenirs at the parks, so they are VERY flexible! If you’re saving for a Disney vacation I recommend this, but again: only put money in gift cards that you can afford not to be available to you in case of emergency!

Those are the main things I’m doing right now. I check sites like Couponing To Disney to find deals and for inspiration. I try to cut out unnecessary expenses to a certain extent, but still want to live a fun life while saving. It’s all about balance. Set your goal then find ways that work for YOU to achieve them.

So – what’s your next vacation plan?? Got any good saving tips to share? Leave a comment!
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Hey folks!

CoverGirl is celebrating 50 years with all kinds of fun promotions that you can take part in! Check it out on their Facebook Page. This month, you can win a NatureLuxe Gloss Balm! Join My CoverGirl and get access to special prizes, product giveaways and more!

Personally, I’ve used CoverGirl products for more than 25 years. I love them because they are affordable, easy to find, almost always have coupons available and are always coming up with something new.

I’m a BzzAgent participating in the CoverGirl campaign to help spread the word about what’s happening with their 50 year celebration. If you don’t know about BzzAgent – check it out! You can participate too and have the opportunity to try some fabulous products just for sharing info and giving your honest opinions!

For some folks it’s a winter thing, but for me it’s year-round. I’m a soup fan. That’s all there is to it. I love a good bowl of soup. Whether it’s to warm up on a cold winter’s day or a quick, easy lunch in the spring, Progresso is one of my very favorite soup brands.

I’m excited about all the new flavors they are coming out with like the reduced sodium Tomato Parmesan and the Chicken Tortilla. Now I’m not restricted to a gluten-free diet, but I know many folks who are, so I was very pleased to see the lineup of gluten-free soups that people can enjoy! To find out which of their products are gluten-free, on the Progesso home page, www.progessosoup.com, click the “Gluten-Free” link in the upper right corner and do a search. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to find a LOT of gluten-free options!

When we received our product package and information from Progresso through MyBlogSpark, I was excited to find one can of Chicken Tortilla Progresso Soup and one can of Light New England Clam Chowder Progresso soup, a spoon rest, soup can rack, and soup mug with matching spoon!

Progresso MyBlogSpark Prize Package

I have to admit, I was suspicious of the “Light” clam chowder. I mean come ON – New England Clam Chowder is supposed to be creamy and delicious – not “light.” Boy was I surprised when I tried it and it was terrific! That one is going on the grocery list for sure, right along with the Chicken Tortilla, which the whole family loves.

You’ve got to try this soup! And guess what? Not only did Progresso and MyBlogSpark provide me with a great prize package, they’re letting me give one away here on the blog, so YOU get a chance to try it too!
Here’s what to do if you want to be the winner (each one of these gets you one entry into the random drawing):

1.) Post about and link to this giveaway on your blog and put the link in a comment on this post.
2.) Tweet this giveaway and put the link in a comment on this post.
3.) Watch these funny ads at Progresso.com and tell me which is your favorite in comment on this post.
4.) Make a comment on this post telling me your favorite Progresso soup.

A random drawing from all comments will be held on April 7 and the winner announced on the blog on April 8.

Now go have some soup!!

**The prize package and information was provided by Progresso through MyBlogSpark.

UPDATE: The winner of this giveaway is Lesley for comment #2:

Congratulations Lesley!