Why Birthdays Rock

My birthday is on Tuesday and I love free stuff. That's why birthdays rock.

So far, I have gotten coupons for free things from: Caribou Coffee, Noodles and Company, Qdoba and Cold Stone Creamery.

Who doesn't love birthdays when you get free stuff just for having one?!

(You can sign up on their websites or in their stores for free stuff on your birthday, too!)

Nutrition is Expensive

I was watching some Primetime kind of show on television the other day. They were comparing the fattest city (in West Virginia) and the thinnest city (somewhere in the northeast). One of the ladies in the fat city opened her cabinet. I recognized many of the brands in the cupboard as Aldi brands. The most interesting sound bite came moments later when she opened her freezer and commented on how they ate a lot of frozen vegetables because the fresh stuff was so expensive. In response to a question by the reporter, the lady responded, "It is a lot cheaper and easier to eat unhealthy food. That is how we got into the position we are in." (Well, she said something like that anyway.)

It struck me at that moment why it is so easy for me to purchase "junk" food. I'm a coupon junkie first and foremost. So, when my favorite treats are on sale and I have a coupon, it is so cheap, my frugal side insists on the purchase. I've NEVER seen a fresh produce company put out a coupon. Occasionally, a non-produce company will offer a free something or cents off of something in the produce seciont if you buy their product.

No wonder America is so fat! Just wait...with this economic crisis, we are going to get fatter!

Do I Smell a Pancakes/Waffles Giveaway?

Mmm...Nothing like waking up on a Saturday morning to the smell of pancakes (or waffles) cooking in the kitchen. *sniff, sniff* Can you smell them now?

The good folk at Batter Blaster ("Make a better breakfast faster, Batter Blaster!") sent me a coupon (well, several actually) to try out their organic pancake/waffle batter. I dutifully went out to my local grocery store to the refrigerator section and found this can of Batter Blaster to give it a try. After all, I'm doing it for YOU, the masses. You rely on Amy and I to do the task of trying out these things so you know whether or not they are worth it.

THESE ARE WORTH IT! It has earned the Bean seal of approval. Mr. Bean, String Bean and I all love this stuff.

I'm lazy. I've admitted it before. I'll likely admit it again. We never get pancakes at our house because I'm so lazy; however, Batter Blaster comes in a pressurized can (think whip creme in a can) so there's no mixing or anything. Clean-up is a cinch! All you do is rinse the can and throw it back in the fridge (well, and clean the pan you cooked 'em up in of course).

It is organic! I personally love the chemicals in my food, so this is not a big deal to me, but I know that for health reasons many people out there only eat organic. You'll love adding a little Batter Blaster to your life.

Wondering if it is available in a store near you? The Batter Blaster website has a store locator on it. I'd never seen it in my store before, in fact I'll admit I asked the grocery-man where it was (he gives it rave reviews by the way). I found it plain as day in the refrigerated section of my local grocery store. Most of the grocery stores in my area carry it!

Want to win a coupon to try this product out free for yourself? If I had my way, I'd keep all these coupons for myself, but I'm going to be selfless here. To win, just sign in below. We'll pick 8 lucky winners to receive a coupon for a free can of Batter Blaster. Yum, yum!

Giveaway ends Saturday, December 13 at noon. I'll do my best to get this coupon in your hands in time for that Christmas company if you win!

As always, we'll use the random number generator at Random.org to help us pick our winners! Good Luck!

Couponing 101

My friend Christy recently wrote a blog post wondering how to save money with coupons. This blog post was an inspired response to her recent post. (You'll also find this article that I wrote at AFullCup.com.)

Couponing 101
If you are like most people, you clip a coupon here and there and feel great about saving your 50 cents. You probably have also seen those die-hard coupon clippers in front of you in line at the grocery store who have a coupon for everything. Have you ever wondered to yourself, “How do they find all those coupons and save so much?” Today is your lucky day. Here are the keys to couponing success!

You obviously need to take the time to match your coupons to items you buy. Maximizing your savings means matching the coupons to items when they are on sale. If you save 50 cents off Ziploc bags, it is a better deal to save that 50 cents off the sale price than full price!

Horde all the coupons you can find! Coupons are found in more places than just your Sunday paper. Look for coupons online, at the grocery store, attached to products you recently bought, attached to bottles of wine (this varies by state), and through coupon clipping services. If you horde all the coupons you find, you’ll be able to trade away coupons you’ll never use for multiple copies of ones you will use. I don’t have any pets, but I love to trade those coupons for diaper coupons to keep my little one dry! A great resource for finding coupons you’re looking for is AFullCup.com. Since the membership is free, it is a great one-stop shop for all your savings needs (and not just at the grocery store)!

Stockpile items that have a long shelf life. Shampoo, razors, canned goods, soda, soap, laundry detergent, diapers, perfume, gifts, lotion, cereal, the list could go on and on. When a good sale pops up, get a fistful of coupons and go stock up! When cereal went on sale $10 for 10 boxes, I got 30 boxes, matched a coupon to each, and watched the cashier’s jaw drop. 3 months later, I’m still enjoying it!

Rebates are the frugal couponer’s dream! The triple threat: sale, coupon, rebate! Partial rebates definitely add to the savings and sometimes combined with the coupon and sale actually end up being full rebates. Find an item on sale, clip the coupon, send in the rebate. I often get items (like my contact solution) for the cost of one postage stamp!

Sometimes spending more means saving more. My local grocery store often hands out dollar off coupons if your total is higher than the stated amount. Recently, the amount was $180. For a family of three, I rarely get $180 worth of groceries at one time. However, if I am getting $20 off of $180, why not take the time to see if there are some areas of my stockpile getting low and add them to my grocery cart to bump my total up so I can save that additional $20 I would not have before? Don’t let this be a trap. Only get what you have a coupon for and what is already on sale!

Don’t be loyal to one store. It is so tempting to save some time and shop only at one store; however, this mentality keeps you from maximizing your savings by having multiple sales available to you at once—after all, not all sales are created equal!

Ask for the coupon policies at your store. Some supermarkets double coupons. If yours doubles up to $1, a .50 cent coupon (which can be doubled) is more worthwhile than a .55 coupon (which will not double) for the same item. My local supermarket takes expired coupons up to 6 months old! Maybe yours takes competitor’s coupons!

The more you coupon, the more you save. It is an investment of time, but just like most things in life the more you put in, the more you get out! The more you coupon the better you get at it.