Open Mic is a post every Thursday that is a mini-version of a discussion board. You can leave a comment with whatever coupon, money-saving or debt reduction tips or questions you have and other readers chime in and answer.
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As always, I look forward to hearing the voice of the Pocket Your Dollars community. Read through the Open Mic archives here.
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About Carrie Rocha
On Monday I “bought” a McDonald’s coupon from Recycle Bank for 50 pts instead of the normal 100 pts. It was the buy a Happy Meal get a salad for free. Great deal since the salad costs more than a Happy Meal.
wow! what’s recycle bank?
Therese-go to recyclebank.com and set up your account. You can earn rewards different ways. My garbage/recycling company gives me points for the weight of my recycling but there are other ways to earn points, too. Carrie and Laura post ways to get free free points.
Is there anyone else who finds the deals at Walgreens involving Register Rewards too much hassle? Since I live 20 minutes from the nearest Walgreens and my shopping trips into town are usually limited to 2 hours, I might be able to find the time to get the deals, but can’t make it back before the RR’s expire!
Plus one can never make a quick trip into Walgreens because they usually put their good deals all over the store and not in the aisles they would normally belong in, example..lip care by frozen foods.
Does this frustrate anyone else?
Mary, I may be the exception, but I love Walgreen’s. The store that I frequent the most is (most) always friendly. I hardly ever use my RR’s at Walgreen’s itself, (sorry Walgreen’s, it can get too complicated to figure out which ones I can and cannot use for which items.) I know that everyone is not a lucky as myself, I live within 3 miles of Target, Rainbow, Cub, Walgreens and CVS. I use my RR’s at Cub the most and then Rainbow or Target. So for me, at least, it is worth the trip(s) that I make to
Walgreen’s.
I didn’t know that Target accepted RR’s. I thought only Cub did. We don’t have a Cub or Rainbow anywhere near us. Has anyone had problems getting Target to accept them since the name Walgreen’s is on them, even though they are manufacturer’s coupons?
People have been posting that Wal-mart takes RRs too, although I don’t go there often and haven’t tried it yet.
Lisa–walmart changed their coupon policy and it sounded like they would accept RR. They changed it again and specified they don’t accept RR.
Mary, It is a hit or miss with Target taking RR’s. Usually, since it does say it is a manufacturers coupon, they will take it especially since they are giving the same type (Catalina’s) now.
Mary–ask your Target. Some are stricter than others (my Target, Chaska, seems strict).
I will try that! I love Target and go there usually at least once a week. I have some RRs now and am planning on going to Target tonight. : )
I am loving Walgreens this week. My daughter and I have both been using baby oil for our makup remover, so the Almay sale this week is awesome! Almay makeup remover is my favorite.
I have many Walgreens in my “first ring” SW metro life, I stopped in today to see if there were any almay items left, and there are still tons of makeup remover and many spring coupon books!
I get frustrated with Walgreens too, especially if only a day away from exp date they won’t take it. I like CVS so much better and they give reinchecks so if out of an item at least can get it at some point. Walgreens doesn’t have many of the items when I do get there.
If Cub stops taking exp RR then I will likely stop shopping at Walgreens.
I agree Dawn. Walgreens is hit or miss and has a short expiration date on the RR (and won’t take expired). My CVS is much better and will take their ECV expired along with competitor coupons. When I get an RR I use it at CVS or Cub.
I too LOVE Walgreens. But it did take me awhile to get their system down and find a Walgreens cashier that’s smart and super nice. I’ve been on a roll now for several weeks where I’m only spending a couple of dollars, for bags of stuff (toothpaste, make-up, feminine products, medicine, deodorant, body wash, etc). So, for me it would be worth the 20 minute trip into town. I’ve never tried to use register rewards anywhere else though, so I can’t help you there.
Mary-
With regard to Walgreens shopping, I, too have been frustrated. I was there Monday and could not use my RR either. I also find trying to locate the sale items all over the store to be a big hassle and they are often out of the item(s) I wanted to purchase.
I live in Chaska and have gone to the Walgreens there, and I work downtown and will go to the one across the street from work but can’t find much there since it’s a very small store, hit hard and packed to the ceiling. I’ve pretty much given up on Walgreens because of this. My experience with CVS has been somewhat better.
My other frustration is Rainbow Foods. I’ve been trying to do more business there when I think it is worth my time; however, everytime I go there, they are out of what I want. It doesn’t matter what time of day or day of week I go. I end up leaving with only half of what I had planned to purchase. It’s gotten to the point that I don’t want to bother with it anymore.
For years I was a Cub Foods shopper and have slowly changed to SuperTarget for convenience purposes. I’ve tried to honor the other local stores and spread my business around but find it’s been very frustrating so I keep going back to SuperTarget. They always seem to have most of what I want, when I want it and at a fair price (but maybe not at the lowest price), but then I figure I’m saving gas by not running to too many other stores.
Sherry-I’m in Chaska, too. I understand your Walgreen’s and Rainbow frustrations.
Yay team Chaska! :) I agree walgreens is almost always out of stuff. I have better luck at the Chanhassen one. I tend to stop there then go down the road to CVS. I’ve had luck at Rainbow going early on satuday mornings—like 7:30-8am.
Walgreen’s is always out of stuff because their are some people who go and get several carts full of register reward stuff on the 1st day of the sale. If stores allow it then we all get frustrated…..I agree with everyone here that it’s too hard to plan your trip then everything is out of stock because 1 person purchased it all!!!!
I rarely go to Walgreen’s anymore. They are frequently out of stuff on the ad, even early Sunday morning. In one case they had decided over a month before to stop carrying the product, but let the item remain in the ad and didn’t offer any substitute. It is a hassle to get a raincheck, and then they sometimes refuse to honor the raincheck. The pharmacy staff gets annoyed if they are asked about price changes (yes, I mean YOU, person who ran the wrong insurance and tried to overcharge me $100). And most of the stores are filthy. I only go to Walgreens now if it is late at night and I need a 24-hour pharmacy.
As far as items being out of stock…I do know they do restock during the week. Ask the manager or a sales person if they have any of the item in stock and if not if a shipment will be coming in and when. They get stuff all week long. Sundays may not be the best day. This week I wanted the Reach toothbrushes and I asked because there was only one left….this was Sunday morning. I was told a shipment would be in on Tuesday. I was in on Wed and there was plenty.
I agree. It is SO frustratin to get there on a Monday and a good deal is GONE because of people loading they’re carts. And I know that’s the reason, there’s no way the selves can clear so quickly!
However, I just get whatever I can find and try not to sweat it if I don’t get a deal on something because they’re out. I just figure that’s a way of putting a limit on couponing for me (one could really go crazy!)
Poor Wags, getting trashed today. Well I too have been frustrated in Walgreens but I have been frustrated at all of the stores I shop at from time to time. I look at it this way; Walgreens (and all stores) tempt us in there for a reason and we take the bait. I know I have to work to get the savings, I don’t expect them to stand at the door handing me the deals. If I want items for free I expect that I will have to be the one looking for them and that they may be out. And even though I have never been one to buy all the products out of a certain item I know that if someone else comes in before me to do it, so be it. I have been couponing all my life and I have always had enough stuff so it all works out in the end. I find more fun in couponing if I challenge myself to do better each trip; by remembering what coupons I have when I see a deal or to just get done faster. And as far as RR I live in an area where I can only use the RR at Walgreens; so I have to plan ahead before I even get them how I will get back to use them. Or go back into the store to use them before I leave town. I personally have never seen a filthy Walgreens. Oh and I know everyone on here says you can’t use expired RR; you should at least try to, because three times now I have had expired RR and every time they took them no questioned asked.
I made a comment earlier on here, but I was just thinking that I’ve read somewhere on PYD about how Carrie separates her orders at Walgreens so that she uses up her register rewards on her second order. That way she doesn’t have to worry about them expiring.
Amen V!!!
Thank you V, That was an excellent viewpoint! I think that is a great attitude to adopt. Thank you for putting the fun back into couponing.
We are starting our spring cleaning and trying to reuse or donate as much as possible. Does anyone have good ideas on what to do with old (as in, we’ve read them and they are less than 6 months old) magazines? I keep thinking some group would love them but can’t figure out where to bring them.
What about creative uses for baby wipes containers? It seems like such a waste to throw out those tubs.
Thanks for any ideas!
The school here likes the magazines. I would also consider the tubs for churches as we used them to store crayons. I would also consider Girl Scout troops as they may be able to use them for service unit projects.
The residents at Care centers (nursing homes) love to get magazines.
Some of our local library branches (Great River Regional Library system) have bins or boxes for used magazines. People drop off their used magazines (with address labels cut off) and other patrons can go through them and take what they want. Most people bring back the magazines after reading and each magazine is probably ready many times before it’s eventually recycled.
St. Johns hospital radiology waiting room is always sadly lacking. Since this is an area where people really may need a distraction, I try to bring my magazines there. Any hospital would appreciate it. Magazines seem to walk away from waiting rooms, not intentionally, but as people get called back, etc.
I use the baby wipe containers to organize smaller items. I have a couple of them in my “food cupboard” that hold Kool-Aid packets and other random packets. I also have one that holds candy (it also makes sure I don’t have too much sitting around). I also use them to sort out legos (I’m a little anal when it comes to legos). There are lots of uses for them, it’s just coming up with creative spots for them! :)
Daycares and schools are usually looking for magazines. It would be a place to start anyway…
Cara:
I used baby wipe containers for holding trash bags for my car. Clean out the container, washed and dried completely. Then stuff with plastic bags from the grocery store, dollar store, etc. I put it in my car and whenever it got kind of junky (which with two boys is ALWAYS), I pulled out a baggie and cleaned it out, threw it in the dumpster and marveled at my less trashy car. It also comes in handy when your bags break from the grocery or someone is car sick. ;)
GREAT IDEA!!!!
I agree! One of those “I can’t believe I never thought of that!” moments! I also save all of my Subway bags and produce bags for when I need to just throw out something small (or smelly!)
Love this idea, Amy! Thanks for sharing!
Laura, I know your having your baby soon. Target had Huggies 228 count boxes on clearance for $30. Plus if you have the Target $2.50 coupon plus a $2 manuf. coupon the diapers end up being around .8cents
Also there was a coupon last week for .50cents off up and up baby item. I was able to get the baby wash for .92cents.
Plus, I found lots of Circo baby clothes on clearance 75%off making the items I got only $1-1.50
Thanks, Marie! I may have my mother-in-law swing by Target to grab some (as I believe you’re in Maple Grove too, right?) since I am on bed rest through the end of my pregnancy. :( I appreciate the heads up! :)
I was actually at the Rogers Target. And I just found better coupons a few minutes ago. There is a $3 off Huggies on coupons.com and Target just sent me a new coupon book(has a baby eating his foot) with a $3 off coupon for Huggies 100+. If I don’t end up using it I will pick you up a box if your willing to reimburse me. I had a pretty rough pregnancy so if I can help you out I’d be glad too. Let me know.
Marie – Thanks! I’ll let you know if I’m in need. I’ve gotten so many diapers through the Amazon deal that I’m pretty well stocked up, but I got the coupon booklet too and may give the coupons to my sister-in-law so she can get some inexpensive diapers, too.
Amy, what an awesome idea, can’t wait to use this one!! :)
I love your idea, that will solve a big problem for my family!
I have tried everything the web site suggests to get Smart Source Coupons to print with no luck. I have tried to contact them but no response. Anyone else have trouble or know of tricks to get them to work?
With HS internet everything else works so disappointed.
Maybe you have already tried this but what about using a different browser? On my computer I sometimes can’t print Smartsource coupons with Firefox but can print them just fine on the same computer using Internet Explorer.
Hey Dawn, I have always had problems printing Smart Source coupons. What I finally figured out was just wait. On my Computer It goes to the screen with the blue bar & seems to take forever. I used to just give up. Now I just go do something else & eventually it will print. It sometimes takes 5-7 minutes.I use internet explorer.
Thanks I use internet explorer, I have one in progress and will let it go for awhile. I will let you know if it prints by end of day? lol
LOL
So far it hasn’t moved so guessing it is not going to print. Has anyone else got ideas…may have to download Chrome if can’t get this to work.
I had an issue using firefox on one of our computers also. You can try using chrome, it should work. I have been able to print using chrome.
Dawn, I had the same problem, but like Sally mine take a LONG time to print. The length of time to print varies depending on which comp0uter I print from. At one point, one of our computers, would only print if we shut off the computer completely and then started it back up. Since we did not do this frequently, one day that computer, printed out 2 weeks worth of things that I had sent to the printer through it. It was crazy, papers kept coming and coming and coming….
Nursing homes also are always grateful for magazines. I always remove my name and address from the magazine label before donating.
I just moved here and am wondering if a membership to the MN Zoo is worth it?
With my family of 6, it’s cheaper to go that route if we plan to visit the zoo more than once per year. Is it a good zoo? Would we want to go more than once? Thank you!
We prefer visiting Como Zoo. It’s free, though they would like a donation if you can afford it. It’s a bit smaller with a variety of animals.
I’m not positive, but I thought the MN Zoo has a deal where you can go, pay the price for regular admission, and then before you leave for the day, if you want to buy a membership, you can apply the cost of the tickets you purchased that day towards the membership. So if you wanted to, you could go and check it out before deciding whether you want to buy the membership. And if it’s cheaper to buy a membership than 6 individual tickets, then why not just buy the membership right away, and if you decide not to go back ever because you don’t like it, then at least you already got your money’s worth out of the membership!
Also, check your local library, see if they have any free passes you could use to go once at no cost and check it out for yourself.
MN Zoo is a nice zoo, but there’s also Como Zoo, and each has its strengths and weaknesses – for example, no giraffes at MN Zoo, unless they have the African exhibit going on in the summer. But Como has giraffes year-round. It’s all a matter of what animals you like, I think, but they’re both nice. MN Zoo is just so pricey, whereas Como is discretionary donations to get in.
Bep–the MN Zoo does allow same day ticket price to be applied to memberships–good idea. They are great, check them out. Also depends which zoo you live closest, too. I like both but live a ways from both.
Have you checked with the library for passes. Sometimes you can get free passes to things through them.
Welcome to the area Katie!
My family of 5 has gotten a membership to the MN zoo for the last few years, and for us it’s definitely worth it! We only have to go to the zoo twice in a year to make it “worth” it money-wise, and we always go more than that. We like Como Zoo, too, but the MN zoo is so much bigger and has a lot more to offer. In my opinion, a membership is worth it!
Steph
Definitely get the membership if you live within a reasonable driving distance from the zoo. My daughter and I go on a whim because we have the membership. We often don’t spend any money at all at the zoo. Also, I don’t feel guilty leaving after only an hour because we didn’t pay anything out of pocket.
I was planning a trip to the MN zoo recently and after evaluating the prices, worked the math and determined after admission and parking, for a family of 4, it would pay to have a membership. A grand total of 2 visits for the entire year would more than pay for the membership!
I really liked The MN zoo when my kids were little. It is nice because in the cold cold long winter you can still visit the exhibits that are indoors.
The library has a pass for 2 free admissions that you can checkout. It goes very quickly at our library so be there when the open. Also thru the end of march if you bring in an old cell phone you get a free admission. You still have to pay $5 to park. Membership prices are going up soon (may i think) from $90 to $110. You may want to decide before that happens.
The zoo is under a major construction phase right now, so it’s pretty bare-bones. There is no dolphin show, and the educational classrooms are closed. You have to walk a really long way to get into the zoo, which made it tough this winter for taking the little ones. I’m thinking I’m going to let my membership lapse for a year and maybe get one once they finish the construction.
I have a 2-person membership (member +1 guest) to the MN Zoo, plus I go to the Como Zoo often. I love both zoos, and there are quite a few different animals in each which is great. Of note, Como has polar bears, penguins, giraffes (baby!), a sloth and sea lions while the MN Zoo has Alaskan grizzlies, dolphins (baby!), manta rays, lots of tropical animals, Asian wild horses, river otters, wild bird shows, etc etc. (MN Zoo will get penguins too this July, a different species from Como though I understand. :)
The MN Zoo is a nicer busy-weekend and wintertime experience IMO, especially for a family, because it has more to do indoors/sheltered (though the conservatory at Como is very lovely – but small kids don’t always appreciate it :) and there is more space for the crowds – plus there is the IMAX theater if you want to make a full day of it (IMAX tickets are a couple of bucks off for zoo members, but it is an additional cost nonetheless to be factored in).
Como is improving the visitor traffic flow, but it is still far more of a pain to get into central St. Paul and find parking etc etc etc. Also Como can have more “hidden fees” I think for a family, especially in summer, since the additional attractions/rides for the kids all cost mucho-moola. Better to not have the temptation for them in my book, unless you’re prepared to pay for it every time you go (or endure the whines). All the kids stuff inside the MN Zoo is included in admission I believe, except for special party/events.
All this being said… I think the MN Zoo membership is worth it (dolphins! tropics! monorail! farm! wide open spaces! ample parking! IMAX!) and in this case you could have your cake and eat it too since Como is “free” (I do always donate the requested $2 a head – still way cheap)… As others suggest, make one outing to visit the MN Zoo, if you like it, get the membership there and just think of the cost as being split between the two zoos – it’s like a BOGO deal! (ok ok, I know, Como could use the money too and they wouldn’t actually see any of it – but in terms of Pocket Your Dollars budget planning, you can look at it that way!)
I know it’s getting late, but I have 3 BP loyalty card codes available if anybody wants them. Give me you email address & how many you’d like so they can get used up. Since it’s “the lion’s share” of another gift card (I’ve already received 2), I’d prefer to distribute to people who need 2 or less, but either way, I would like them used.
Hi Carol, I would love them I have 3 but they were always out at the end. if you could email to acoupon33 at yahoo.com
Carol – I need 2! Please email me at laf1978@comcast.net and we’ll make arrangements if you still have 2 to give away. Thanks!!
I only need one if you still have it one left! email me at jmcclaflin at izoom dot net if you have one available. I had given up on being able to getting that last one!
I am looking to book a one night stay at a local (Mpls) hotel. Does anyone have any tips for finding a reasonable price?
Joanna (nice name)-
Watch groupon, crowd cut… for deals. Right now Southwest Savvy has a Sun-Thur at the Chanhassen Americinn for around $65 (king one room suite with whirlpool tub).
Joanna, just last week we took the family to the Ramada Inn (richfield) about 2 miles from MOA. The rate was 69.00 and included breakfast. The place was decent and had a pool for the kids.
Another website with deals is http://www.trubates.com. They only have a few hotels listed right now, but I have seen more.
Does anyone know if its possible to sign up for a Facebook acct for all of the samples/freebies? I have an account but sometimes dont like to “like” certain websites because everyone can see it, but I dont know if you can sign up for a second account. If anyone has feedback or has done this I would love to know. THANKS!
I just “like” them to get the coupon and then I “unlike” them.
Tracy–
I believe Carrie tried this and was turned down by FB. Carrie does have a post about removing applications after you get the deal.
I’m curious to see what others say about this. I don’t have Facebook and the only reason I ever would is for the freebies and to ‘like’ stuff!
I have a FB acct and only use it only for coupons & freebies. I used the free e-mail account I set up at Juno.com just to get deals as my contact. (I also used a variation of my name.) Then I went into the privacy settings and became a FB hemit. I guess you could call me friendless. LOL.
I don’t know about the rest of you guys but I simply don’t have time to maintain a FB page as a social outlet. The fleshy folks in my life are entertaining enough. Whew!
Tag~ I agree with you 100% I only set up facebook for the coupons…no time for facebook otherwise. Real time is enough for me.
I was able to get a second FB account with a different email address. had them both active at teh same time.
I have a FB account that I only use to like merchants, and I use the same email address I normally use to sign up for free stuff. I have a second account that I use with my “real” email address.
I have 2 facebook accounts, each is from a different email address.
Thanks for all the feedback on FB, it seems like if you have more than one email you can have more than one account. I joined to keep in touch with extended family and view photo albums, I usually ignore friend requests of people I don’t know well (sibling of a friend from grade school, etc) but my sister has over 5000 friends… LOL, So I know people use it for various reasons. Thanks again for all the feedback :)
My dog has a facebook account, and he loves coupons : )
That made me giggle. Thanks for sharing. : ) : )
That is hillarious! I will have to talk to my dog about that, see if I can get her into couponing!
Mary
Yeah me too…funny!
Angie, I just sent you 2. Lisa, would you still want me to send you the 1 in hopes someone else can get you another?
Sure Carol. Thanks! Unless someone pops up today that says they just need 1, I’ll take it. I entered mine within a day or 2 of getting them, so it wasn’t ’til I got the last one that I realized I wouldn’t get enough for the GC. Want to send me an email at the end of the day or tomorrow if your last one isn’t spoken for? Thanks again. : )
thanks so much Carol!! Have a great day!
Can anyone tell me where they find Country Bob’s sauce (I might have the name wrong)? I have looked at both Cub and Rainbow (Coon Rapids) and can’t find it. Am I maybe looking in the wrong aisle (by the bbq sauce/salad dressing)?
Denise – I found it at Walmart.
Speaking of Wal-Mart….I was at mine the other night and got a super deal on AirWick FreshMatic Ultra Winter Luxury Edition automatic spray…it was Harvest Apples and Cinnamon Velvet scent (my favorite). They had them on clearance for $5.00 and I had $4.00 off coupons…so I stocked up. I wondered if they bunch them all up and one store sells them or if most all Wal-Mart’s have them on clearance.
Thanks, Laura! We don’t have a Super Walmart (or whatever they’re called) around here, so I might not be able to find it anywhere. :(
Lisa – I didn’t wait for a “1-coder,” just sent it to you. Like I put in the email – Good Luck!
Thanks for your generousity, Carol. I’ll write you back tonight. : )
I have 2 codes and that is all I accumulated. I will email one of them to you when I get home tonight.
You are AWESOME Karen! I was thinking that I’d have to send you and Carol a SASE, but I forgot that you can just enter the code. You two made my day!! That is one of the reasons I love this site – it feels like such a community. I would love to someday meet all the PYD regulars!
I am just looking over my grocery spending for the last few months and wondering how well I am doing. How much do others typically spend on groceries each week? We are a family of 4. My children are both in high school so they eat like adult – not toddlers. I am spending about $100/week now. I use to spend closer to $150-$175. I do have a lot of stockpile food now, however. How much do others spend?
Susan:
We, too, are a family of four (one middle schooler and one high schooler) and we eat most meals at home and spend about $150 per week (which includes paper and cleaning products and toiletries). Sometimes I feel like we are still spending too much, but then I figure it would have been a lot more had I not purchased items on sale and/or used $60 to $80 worth of coupons per week! I feel like I’ve come a long way in trying to save $ but there’s always room for improvement. It’s a challenge but also kind of a game to see how much I can actually save each shopping trip. If my girls or husband are with me at the store, I always make sure to tell them how much we saved that trip to make them aware of the power of couponing!
We are a family of 5, a ten yr old and 2 teenagers, rarely go out to eat, and food seems to evaporate from our house.
I have been couponing for a year, and tracking expenses on Mint. com. My budget is $600/mth or $125 a week, we are on track to only spend $450 this month for food, toiletries and cleaners. Pre-PYD I spent $1,000 – $1,200 on food, toiletries and cleaners, I still can’t quite believe how much I can save : )
There are three of us and a cat. My budget for over a year has been $100 a month: this includes food, personal care items and pet items. Keep in mind I average 85-90% savings at the store and maintain a stockpile system. Food was our largest expense and between eatting out and what we used to spend at the store, we saved over $10,000 in the last year just by changing our habbits! =)
I am looking to pick a very large amount of raspberry’s this summer for canning. Does anyone know of a cheap or free place to pick?
Sara — last summer I got cases of raspberries at Eisenberg’s downtown St.Paul — usually at about $6 – $8 case. They have a website — Eisenberg’s Fruit. They update it daily. The best deals are usually at the end of the week. I know a lot of people here are from the western suburbs, but if you haven’t been to Eisenbergs, it’s worth a trip when you need a lot of stuff. They also run deals on yogurt, sour cream, etc, that are close to expiration date. Sometimes Yoplait is 8/$1. They have also had good deals lately on blueberries — it’s amazing what you can do with those little blue things!
So I’m thinking of switching to the “Binder System” for my couponing. There have just been too many times I have wished that I had more coupons WITH ME when I was shopping and saw a good price on something that wasn’t on my list for that week. I think I will keep buying multiple inserts but cut up one of the inserts and save the other in-tact. (Since it is hard for me to let go of my old ways, and since I really find Carrie’s way very simple, I will probably still keep one set of inserts in-tact and filed by week like I do now just in case I see a deal on Carrie’s list for something that I would not normally buy but can get for free for the food shelf or something.)
Since this is a bit of an investment at first, can anyone who currently uses the Binder System chime in – what is a good price for the baseball-card pages? Where have you found yours? Which store has the best price/deal? Thanks in advance!!
I don’t remember how much I paid, but I bought mine at Office Depot. Carrie’s system does not work for me since the only grocery stores we have available are Coborns/Cashwise, Walmart and local stores. So it helps me to have all coupons organized by category so I can make my own lists according to the local ads. I have also discovered that having all of my coupons with me in the stores has paid off numerous times with unadvertised specials!
I second that. Cashwise is notorious for having awesome ‘manager’s specials.’
I’ve also found that I really, really don’t want/need to buy certain products and having coupons tempting me when there’s a great sale sucks the joy out of shopping for me. So I clip the ones I can use (with a sale) and pitch the rest.
I have used the binder from day one of my couponing. I have gotten some great deals and freebies because I have all my coupons on me when I see a good sale. I get my card holders from wal mart or target in the baseball card section, pretty cheap. and my binder is a double binder that i picked up at goodwill on $1.49 tuesday. I started couponing about a year ago and I have less then $10 into my binder.
also I found that i needed a few custom pages with bigger pockets for odd shaped coupons so I took the plastic page protectors and just sewed across the middle then sliced under the seem to make it a 2 pocket page… HTH
SarahBeth
I am not sure what the cost difference is between a binder set up and what I do but; I clip all my coupons and take them with me to the store but I don’t use a binder. I purchased and use 5 different colored individual expanding files/check sized ones. Each one has 12 sections and I have a category for each section. At the top of each file I list the categories that are inside. I bought them different colors because I knew after awhile I would know by color what coupons were inside. I am almost to that point now. So when I see an in store special or unadvertised clearance I can reach in to my over sized bag and only pull out one “normal” sized coupon file and look. I do it this way instead of a binder mostly because I was embarrassed in my small community to have people see me looking through a huge binder of coupons. I NEVER see ANYONE ELSE at my stores with coupons like me; so this way works great for me and I feel more comfortable using it.
I really like that, I might try it as well! I don’t often see many couponers and I like the simplicity of your idea, b/c I’m a Pre=Med student and don’t have time to sort coupons like Pokemon cards… although I wish I did! I currently keep the IP in a binder (3-hole punched} and a smaller notecard style accordion file w/newspaper and other coupons. Coupons I plan to use that week are sorted into envelopes by store/transaction. I also review my coupons every so often when I’m waiting for classes to start, sitting in traffic, etc so I have an idea of the top of my head what I have.
check ebay. seach on baseball cards, I found whole binders of baseball cards for a very reasonable price. I just donated the actual baseball cards since I only cared about the binder and the plastice holders : )
SarahBeth,
I’ve used the Binder Method for over a year and loved it. But lately i’ve been so busy, that I don’t have the time to stay so organized so I’ve switched to a Shoe Box Method (pretty much keeping all coupons in a shoe box, but divided coupons by product using index cards.
I still have my “gently used” binder with LOTS of baseball inserts. If you live in the metro, i’d be happy to meet you somewhere and give you my binder!
email me at theresesimmons at comcast dot net
Thanks so muchTherese! You should see an email shortly. I would much rather help someone recycle something and save it from a landfill versus buying new!!
I personally thought the binder was a PITA to switch out the coupons in – all the little pockets drove me nuts. I have a coupon BOX (8×8) with a seal, alpha divders in it and sort my coupons by manufacturer. It fits nicely in the front seat of the carts and is easy to flip thru for coupons if I see a deal that isn’t on my list.
=)
I bought my baseball card holders at Staples and paid about $4 for a package of 12 pages. I think it’s worth it to also buy section dividers: I wrote “meats”, “paper products”, “HBA”, etc on them. Makes shopping a breeze when I run into unadvertised clearance items~! (And I love this system!)
Does anyone know how to get deals on children’s vitamins? For now I get the huge bottle at Sam’s club. Last night I was able to combine a manuf. coupon and Target coupon for Flinstone’s vitamins but I’d like to pay less. Any thoughts?
I purchase them at CVS when the CVS vitamins go buy one get one free.
Cub also offers store brand vitamins BOGO. Last week I got 2 BIG jars for $5 each.
thanks. Which I had known last week! Do you know how often they run their sale for children’s vitamins?
Like Steve said, I get them at CVS when they are B1G1 and then use 2 manuf. coupons. Don’t know how much you want to spend but this brings the price down enough for us.
If you ever go to Traders Joes they have a decent price on their store brand of kids vitamins..they are the “pill” type like Flintstones and not the gumy type.. CVS recently had a bogo on the Marvel gummy vitamins a couple of months ago so I stocked up on four big bottles so keep an eye out for the BOGO sales and hopefully you’ll have coupons to go with them…and often the Marvel bottles have peelies too.
But I do have to agree with you…kids vitamins are spendy even with stacked coupons.
Our gas hot water heater died. Does anyone have recommendations/comments on purchase and installation of a new one? Price quotes I got from CenterPoint Energy and a couple of Twin Cities Plumbers seem astronomical. (We are in Southwest Minneapolis.)
I had Centerpoint Energy come for a service call for our water heater recently and he told me that if you have Centerpoint install your water heater, they have a much better warranty service than if you went with say Home Depot and the subcontractors they use to install.
Check your family tree and circle of friends and church family. You probably know someone who can do the simple job of installing a hot water heater for you.
Installation should be simple (if it was done right before, that is.)
Make sure you’re heater is big enough for your house and EnergyStar rated.
Hot water heaters last 10-15 years.
When we replaced ours last year, we asked ourselves how much hot water would we need in the next 10 years. Kids grow up, become teens and shower at least once a day! We also asked ourselves, if we moved for some reason, would this heater be adequate for this house. (We have 3 showers, but only use 2.)
Do you want a recirculating pump or a mixing valve? Some of the new ones have them built in and can save you in water and cost over the long run.
We ended up purchasing at Home Depot and added a pan under the heater to catch water when this one goes out. The time it took to research & shop (2 days) paid off for us.
Thanks for the comments on water heater. We don’t know anyone that does that kind of work, so were hoping that someone might know someone who does and does not charge plumber’s rates. Thanks again.
Did you try sears? They offered free installation when we got ours.
Has anyone found the Kraft cheese for $2.04. Every target I’ve checked is $2.69-2.79
I think the price listed must be from another region.
It used to be $2.29 at my Target, but I noticed last night that it is up to $3.04. I am just waiting to see if they still put it on sale for $2 like they do every once in a while.
This question is for Carrie & or Laura, Is there a way you put a spot on the right of each post that we could check after we read it? Like the shopping lists. It would have to stay there. It would sure save re-reading the posts.
Sally – Do you mean the comments in Open Mic, or the posts that appear on the home page?
Laura, Open Mike would be great because there are so many comments to go thru.
Yeah if we could check a box to know we have read it that would be neat but I would guess once we would refresh the page that would reset the page totally and it would be gone…not sure though. I don’t want to complain too much becuase I think there is a version of this on facebook or something and I love open mic here so I don’t want to lose it all together.
I agree that there could be a way to organize Open Mic a bit so it’s not so tedious to look through. Organize by topic? Click to see replies people have sent rather than having them all on the screen at the same time?
Does anyone have an amazon diaper code they aren’t going to use this month? If so, I would love to have it! You can email me at kristen _ predovich @ hotmail dot com (remove spaces) TIA!!
Anyone know where I can find those projector slide photos that you put in the circular trays? I can find the trays and the projector, but dont want those…I just want the square sleeve with or without a photo…
Some craft stores have them in plastic and in cardboard type material. I have used them in scrapbook pages and handmade cards. Is it for photos as some of these would be safe for photos.
I am in the Edina area and am looking for a recommendation for a nail salon that is CLEAN and reasonably priced. I have been going to a salon in EP that I used to love and the last few times I have been there I have noticed MANY un-sanitary practices when it comes to cleaning the pedicure tubs and re-use of pumas stones!!! I have natural nails, so don’t need fills, etc.
Sherry,
Thanks for your comments. I think the couponing is kind of fun. I am always pointing out how much I saved and what I got free or almost free. I feel like I am saving a lot but wondered if I am still spending too much. It seems like others spend much less but then their kids may be younger and not eating as much. It is reassuring to hear that I am not overspending just because I got a good deal. Susan
We will be remodeling our kitchen this summer. Does anyone have any referrals or suggestions for nice but budget friendly cabinets, hardwood floors, and granite countertops? I prefer wood over laminate. As we have done in the past, we will be installing the floors and cabinets ourselves unless we find a really great deal on installation. If you have remodeled recently, do you have any cost savings suggestions for us?
Michele – we are in the middle of doing a major kitchen remodel. We shopped around quite a bit before we started. Fortunately, my husband is doing most of the work, so we haven’t had to pay much for labor. We ended up getting most everything (with the exception of applicances) at Menards in Oakdale. We ordered our countertops and cabinets when they were on sale, which they are frequently. We had a budget to follow, so I had to give in some areas to get what I wanted in others. For instance, I really wanted real hardwood floors (not laminate, or engineered hardwood), so I went with laminate countertops over granite or corian. I figure if I get sick of the laminate countertops in 5 or 6 years, I can replace them, whereas I couldn’t do that with granite. Shop around and see what deals you can find and don’t pay full price for anything. I’ve been without a kitchen now for 2 months and my entire house is a pit, but it will be worth it when it’s done. Good luck with yours!
My husband and I just remodeled our kitchen and did it on a fairly tight budget. We got out cabinets from a place out in Eagan, its an builders outlet, not sure of the name. I would check out granite companies for remnant or damaged pieces of stone, you can save so much money.
We put most of our budget into our hardwood floors. Schaefer Hardwood Floors in Mpls did them for us. They are beautiful, we get so many compliments on them. They offered a free estimate and are very professional. I would recommend them to anyone.
Good luck.
If you live near Eagan (south of the river), there’s a place called BMO (Builders Material Outlet, I believe). They have all kinds of stuff: flooring, cabinets, windows, etc. You have to look around their warehouse, but you may find something that’s just what you need for your kitchen remodel. I don’t think I’ve seen appliances…
Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore Cty Rd. D and 35W in (?) Roseville.
ReUse centers–Maplewood for sure, I think they had to close their Mlps store or vice versa
Michelle,
It may sound funny but IKEA has surprisingly nice kitchen cabinets at a great price. “Some assembly” is required:) but it does make a great value. The cabinet bases have nice hinges and drawer slides. Then, you choose the style/color door front you want. We did our kitchen last year for a few thousand dollars. New everything. It helps that my parents are very handy and helped install everything. It may be worth checking into for you.
Jen
hands down Granite & Marble Direct’s price won’t be beat for price or quality of work when it comes to granite counter tops. It’s all in the workmanship when the counter tops are installed. call Alex @ 952-641-7689.
My husband is going to buy a vacuum cleaner this week-end. We don’t want a cheap one that we buy every year. We don’t belong to Costco or Sams. Amy ideas?
Do you have a Kohl’s charge? I think they are still running their scratch-off sale (scratch and save either 15, 20 or 30%). And for every $50 you spend they give you $10 Kohl’s cash.
I would highly recommend checking out ConsumerReports.org before you buy. Lots of times the price of a vacuum cleaner doesn’t mean it’s better. I’m getting ready to purchase a new vacuum too and have decided after research to go with the Sears Intuition.
There was a rebate in one of the last two weekends coupon inserts for bissell I think. Check the details for that if its the brand you end up with
Check out ebay for dysons. I ordered a dyson refurb with a 3yr warranty for $199 SHIPPED.
Sue, I think you’re looking for vacuum recommendations, correct? If so, I bought a dyson 6-7 years ago. It still works, and I’ve been very happy with it. I have bought a couple of replacement parts… I bought mine when Linens and Things was still around and had a 30% off coupon. The vacuum store in my community didn’t have good things to say about Dyson. He suggested a Riccar (which I had never heard of). He said they are made in MN, they don’t advertise, but he swore by them. I don’t think they were ‘cheap’ though…$600 range or more if I remember correctly, and I think they used bags. Honestly,I love the ability to just dump the canister of dirt and dog hair. Since I have 2 dogs that shed a whole dog every few days, I think I’d go thru bags like crazy, and I always hated changing bags with my old vacuums.
Good luck with your decision!
We are going to Orlando and want to go to Disney World. Any ideas on how to go on a budget? It is just my husband and I no kids. The other question has anyone gotten a wheelchair at Disney World? How does that work? On line it said first come bases but i would think they would have a lot? We would just go one day my husband has health issues so we do need a wheel chair and hate to bring one from here since he would only need it a few times. We would rather rent one.
Jean – Disney has a very large supply of wheelchairs!
Disney World and budget don’t really fit in the same sentence! It’s difficult to get any sort of discount on Disney admission. But you can do the rest of the trip on a budget: lodging, food, transportation, etc. I suggest the travel forums at tripadvisor dot com. It’s a very active forum, so you get your questions answered very quickly.
Thanks for the info. I do have a really old admission ticket and They are good for ever so we will use that. We do not plan on all the parks any way with my husbands health. Glad they have lots of wheel chairs the web site had me worried.
Michele – We remodeled our kitchen 4 years ago. We found the Lowe’s had the best prices on lighting fixtures, if you’re in need. Lowes also has a project card and sometimes offer a giftcard to open the project card. I got 100 dollar gift card for doing this, since we ordered our cabinets with them. I paid off the project card right away and had 100 to put toward the lighting and wiring needs. They were the friendliest in my book!
Menards had the best prices on drawer pulls. Home Depot had better prices on faucets – although Menard’s will beat the price if it is the same brand. It depends on the savings vs. all the running around. We did a lot of the work ourselves as well. Good luck.
Sue – I had good luck finding a vacuum at Sears. Although it was brand new when we bought it, it was listed as the previous year version. So, we got a better deal on it. Over 10 years now and still works like a charm – only one minor piece needed to be repaired, but we did that ourselves and great Customer Service in finding what part we needed to order. Quick fix and stll happy with it.
Nature’s Stone and The Granite Guys are great places for low priced granite. We have used both and were quite happy.
Has anyone had problems using Internet Coupons at Cub Foods? I was at the Maplewood Store on Wednesday and attempted to use an internet coupon as I had done the week before. As the cashier was ringing it up, he walked away, and came back with the manager who said that they no longer accept internet coupons. I asked them when this policy started and her reply was, “a while ago”. I politely explained to her that I am in every week and this is the first time that I had been told this. She then seemed to get flustered and said that different managers seem to tell cashiers different things and it gets to be confusing. I thought I had a copy of the policy at home, but I can’t seem to find one. Does anyone have it that they could share? It sure seems like she wasn’t even clear what her own policy was as at the end of our conversation as she asked me to bring in my copy so I could clarify it for her!
I used internet coupons at Cub in Maplewood (White Bear Ave) last week with no problem.
This is just me sounding off. I recently have been bombarded with calls from Vendors on these items. Are you a Diabetic & then proceed to tell me that I can have all my meds. delivered to my home at no charge because I have Medicare.All of them say that. I asked them how much Medicare is charged for the strips & they couldn’t tell me. Told me not to worry as it’s not costing ME anything. Also get calls for incontenence. Same sales pitch about Medicare. I just got one about Arthritis in my knees, ( I’m sure I was surfing & clicked on something) or they know how old I am & think I must have some sort of medical problem they can exploit. I am angry. No wonder the medicare system is broke.
Sorry, I ran out of room. This last guy COULD NOT TELL ME HOW MUCH HIS KNEE THING COSTS I asked if I could return it if It didn’t work & he said no, but it wouldn’t cost ME anything because of MEDICARE. I am angry because there are people out there that are going to need Medicare in the future & there won’t be anything left if this continues. Just watch one of those commercial’s for the scooters that are on all the time. And they say (little or no cost to you) I’m done now. Sorry.
Thats nuts to think because it is Medicare no one should worry. There are people out there who need items or will and the system is running on empty.
Bless you Sally.
I can’t find the original post but for whoever asked me about the Target baby wash. It’s the Up and Up brand. There was a .50cents off any baby item up&up brand. Not sure if it’s still available or not. The baby wash ends up being .92cents or less depending on your Targets price.
Just back from Walgreen’s…..the Almay deal is really great this week. If you haven’t checked it out do so. I purchased Almay items that were less than $5 each and received a $5 register reward for each!!!!
I got a card today indicating that I won’t be getting my Nature Made $5 rebate because I used coupons/specials, my rects didn’t total $30 after them. I did have well over $30 sent in and think that is nuts for a $5 rebate. Anyone else get this rebate?
It didn’t even give me an option to send more in or exactly how much I was short. Frustrating.
Does anyone know if Target’s promotion where you buy any 7 frozen items and get a $5 gift card was just a one-time thing, or if it’s something they do a few times a year? I really stocked up several weeks ago with that deal, and I’m looking forward to doing it again!
Bought $228 worth of groceries last night at Target, used $115 in coupons, and finally spent the $95 in gift cards I’d gotten for the frozen items and several prescriptions–grand cash total at the end: $8.32. What a fabulous feeling!
Bobbie–I am a Target addict and I have only seen the buy 7 get the $5 gc that one time. Hopefully they found it to be a good promo and will try it again :)
I hope so too……I didn’t mega stock up because I don’t use an extra freezer at home….I’ve found it produced too much waste and unused products, but I am looking forward to the deal again. I believe it is the first time they have done it.
Does anyone know how to get coupons for Kokomo’s Island Cafe in the Mall of America? I’ve tried the Entertainment Book, Restaurant.com and an internet search..no luck. I’m going with some girlfriends and have an aversion to paying full price at a restaurant!
Hi Amy,
Check out http://www.bloomingtonmn.org/page/1/coupons.jsp
and then scroll down to Download Mall of America coupons now in the middle of the page..
Thank you!!! I would have never found it.
Joan,
Staying at one of the All Star hotels on grounds is about $85-$90 a night. You get free bus service to the parks, then you don’t have to pay the $12 maybe $14 a day for parking. You can go back to your hotel and rest and then go back to the park. Go to Walmart or Target and buy your water, soda, snacks, fruit, bread, peanut butter and that will save a lot of $. I think water is $3 or $3.50 for a bottle at Disney. You can always ask for a glass of ice and they will give it to you. You can get park tickets when you stay at the hotel, it is so much for each day and each day you go to the park it will cost less. Look at the Disneyworld web site for the prices.
What is the best bet for finding travel deals, ideally all-inclusive? Travel agent or booking online?
The recycle bank info reminded me that I cashed in some points for Inta Juice – a favorite treat for our family!! However when they arrived, they stated they are only good at the Eden Prarie location, and I live closer to the Lakeville store. If any one’s interested in them, post a reply. I think there are 4 coupons for $2off a 24oz drink.
Walgreens Register Rewards. Here’s a possible solution to not getting back to Walgreens before they expire and I’ve done this myself when I don’t want too much out-of-pocket expense. I will do at least 2 transactions. The first one will include everything that earns a register reward. Then for the second transaction, I pay with those register rewards that I just received. There are some rules about what you can spend your rewards on, but it’s the same if you buy anything this week or in coming weeks. It helps me keep track of all my “cash” that I have tied up in Regrister rewards and Extra Care Bucks.
Toys R Us is having a sell on swing sets. Is this a good time to buy? I found one that I think my children would love for $499. Do they get cheaper later on? My children are 2 and 4. Thanks!
Really price out the details on a swing set. Sometimes you have to purchase the hardware or wood, and it can really add up. Our kids are the same age and love the playset we got last year at Sam’s club. It has more climbing than swinging and all hardware, slides, swings, rock climber accessories were included. AND the best part, the holes were pre-drilled. We had it up in a weekend.
Speaking of memberships – we have a membership the MN Science Museum and we love it! If you are a teacher, you can get a family membership for $65, which gets you a free omni theater visit and free admission everytime you come, plus reduced parking prices and discounts at the gift shop. Great deal for us!
Does anyone have any good ideas of what to do tomorrow, in the metro, with boys age 9,8,7? We have done the zoo, science museum, and childrens museum. I am in need of some creative ideas! Help please!! :)
Edinborough Park? Not sure if they would be too old to enjoy it but I’ve heard great things!
take them to sky zone in plymouth! I’ve heard awesome things about this place! It’s an indoor trampoline park
I took my son to Sky Zone a couple of weeks ago for their toddler time and he loved it! I’m sure it would be fun for older kids, too.
How about a community center for swimming or playing on their equipment? You don’t say where you live, but I think Maple Grove and Shoreview have some really nice community center, and I don’t think they’re too expensive. Or how about bowling? Or if you have a local hotel with an indoor swimming pool, they may let you use it for a nominal fee. Of course MOA for Nickelodean Universe…
The Bakken museum is in Mpls by Lake Harriet. It is very hands on about electricity and would keep boys busy. The Hennepin county library might have 2 free passes for the museum too.
You can go to the Guthrie and go in the building for free. they have a huge escalator and there is a deck overlooking the Mississippi that would be cool with how high the water is. I think there is also a viewing room way up on 8 or 9.
I don’t know if the locks at St. Anthony are open, it would be warm enough for boys that age to walk across the stone arch bridge. And you could see the st. Anthony falls.
I never understood those ads. I have Medicare and recently was diagnosed with diabetes. I have to pay a pretty big copay for test strips, and I even have a supplimental policy and Part D.
Sheepy — If you have a small income, say from a part-time job, you might be eligible for Medicare Extra Help. This program is not publicized much but you can learn about and apply through the Medicare website. You have to go through the formula they have for eligibility because just relying on raw figures to see if you are eligible won’t work. Extra Help pays for part or all of your co-pays, deductibles, prescription premiums. It kept me out of the “doughnut hole”. It’s a shame that they make it so incomprehensible. I was in the insurance business for many years and still can’t figure out how most of it works. l think there are a lot of medical supply companies that treat it like the golden goose. They push their products, such as those for diabetes, and doctors sometimes order them just because they know it’s covered by Medicare. When I was diagnosed diabetic, I had to see a foot doctor who then ordered the most horrible orthopoedic shoes for me at a cost of $600+ on the theory that if I should step on rusty nail I would not feel it and the soles on these monstrosities are so thick a nail would not penetrate. I can’t remember the last time I went dancing on a bed of nails!!
The following deal was not at my Holiday Station Store: Grocery Deals at Holiday Station Stores. Currently, Bellatoria pizzas are on sale Buy 1, Get 1 Free (2/$5.99). Buy two and use two $1/1 coupons from the 3/13 Smart Source insert to get them for just $2.00 each.
I don’t know if this was posted here or not already but I have a Photo Works account and they are shutting down their website. If you have an account with them, check your e-mail because they are offering a $30 credit to anyone who transfers their photos to Shutterfly. Plus, Shutterfly has free shipping over $30!
Heads up on a sale. Not this week, but next week (4/3 through 4/9) CVS is having a $10 ECB deal on $30 of PG products. Here is a deal scenario for you if you have a child in diapers.
Buy 6 Aussie or Herbal 2 for $4.49 (make sure to buy 3 shampoos or conditioners & 3 stylers)
Buy 1 box of Pampers for $18.99
Use 3 bogo Aussie or Herbal Coupons
Use 3 $1 off Aussie or Herbal Essences Coupons. (this will be in the Sunday paper on 4.3)
Use 1 $3 off Pampers (this will be in the Sunday Paper 4.3)
Total = 19.73
Receive 10 ECB
So, $9.73 for 1 box of diapers and 3 shampoos or conditioners and 3 stylers.
Wow, that’s a good deal!