Charlene, Author at My Frugal Adventures

Reminder- EBook sale ends tommorrow! $58 savings of 17 money saving books.

03/22/2009 By Charlene Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.

The Savin Some Green promotion from Living on A Dime and Money Saving Mom ends tommorrow. Spend $17 and get 17 ebooks that range in topic from saving at the grocery store to menu planning. This is a great gift for those new to couponing or if you know someone recently married or moving out on their own. Click here for all the details!

Frugal "Office" Makeover

03/22/2009 By Charlene 3 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.

I finished my office makeover- frugal style- for $0. If you missed the before pictures they can be seen here. We don’t need an official office since I just move my lap top around the house so we have taken a small corner of our closet and organized a few supplies. I painted the shelf the printer sits on with leftover paint we used throughout the house. Then I used leftover wallpaper that was purchased for $7 on clearance at Target months ago.. (The wallpaper project was a bust but I managed to use the pieces to line the cabinets in our bathroom and kitchen instead). Then I found a clear tub to house the gifts I have collected this year for various holidays/birthdays etc..

I am a list person and like to have important lists right in front of me- so I have the important ones taped on the wall.

I have an ongoing list of the balance in our emergency fund (click here for my previous financial update post) which keeps me motivated daily to build the balance! Once we hit our goal I will replace this with the Debt Snowball on our last student loan.

I have a list by month of important events such as weddings, birthdays etc.. that I will need to have gifts for. Then I shop all year long and cross off the name and the event as I find a suitable item. This is a great tip for people that have a hard time planning for Christmas expenses.

Our financial goals for 2009: We keep a list of the items we are hoping to accomplish this year. Some examples include setting up a college account for baby #2, saving 6 months of expenses in our emergency fund, and a few household projects we hope to pay cash for.

Monthly grocery expenses. I have a total by month of what we spent on all groceries and household items. My budget was $50/ week in January and I have challenged myself in March to lower that to $30. If you want to see how well you can live on a beans and rice budget check out this blog . Erin spends $800 a year to feed a family of four and let me tell you they live very well! More meals out in a month than our family has in a year!

I have all my rebate booklets, stamps, pens etc.. located in an organizer Target sent me when I signed up for a wedding registry.

So that’s it! A few hours and repurposing things we already had! Does anyone have tips for the ugly cords on the floor? I have a power strip but there are still cords for the laptop, printer etc.. that are in a jumble.

Rite Aid Deals 3/22-3/28

03/21/2009 By Charlene Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.

This is what I see so far- let me know if you find any other deals!

Huggies $9.99, qualifies for a $2 SCR = $7.99

Also use $5/1 or $3/1 if you RA accepts IPs. Make sure to submit rebate online and send your receipt to Caregivers for .75 rebate.

= $4.24 (with 3/1 IP) or $2.24 (with 5/1 IP) or $5.74 (with $1.50/1 3/1 SS)

Check out Deal Seeking Mom for even more deals this week…

Walgreen’s Deals 3/22-3/28

03/21/2009 By Charlene 4 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.

Here is what I can see for next week- let me know if you come up with any great deals!

Glucerna cereal: $4.99 each. Use (2) $5/1 IPs here and get a $2.50 register reward. Then submit receipt to Caregivers for an additional $1 rebate on each box = $4.50 MM. This deal runs through 3/31.

Hunt’s Tomato Sauce, 8 oz .39 each with in ad q. Submit March ESR Buy $10, get $5 rebate= .11 MM

Scenerio: Buy 11 cans x .99 = $10.89

Give cashier in ad coupon (you only need one)- will deduct $6.00 off your total.

Pay $4.89 and get back $5.00 rebate.

Schick Quattro Razor $8.99. Use $4/1 from tommorrow’s insert and get $4 Register Reward =.99 each

Diet Pepsi 3/ $10.92 or $3.64 each.

Use in ad q for a free 12pk wyb 3 = 4/$10.92 and

Use Buy 2 get 1 free IP here .

Should take off $3.64 = (4) 12 packs for $7.28 or $1.82 each.

**If your ad features 8pks rather than 12pk there is going to be another Pepsi deal next week.

Right Guard Professional Strength Deodorant $5.99, submit $5 rebate = .99

Glade Lasting Impressions and Glade Sense and Spray starter kits, $9.99

Scenerio: Use BOGO IP (this offer has now expired but if you printed coupons previously this will net free air freshners and possible overage.) $19.98-$9.99= $9.99

Then use $4/1 from 2/8SS- This coupon expired but I received another $4/1 from a Glade home mailer a few weeks ago. $9.99-$4.00= $5.99

Then use IVC coupon from ESR book- will take off $4.00 for each item purchased = $5.99-8.00= $2.01 Overage.

**If you need to roll register rewards you might look for the SAMY Essencia hair care products which offer a TMF rebate. The bottles will have a tag around the neck. Vitamin Shampoos/Conditioners are BOGO this week and have also been spotted with TMF offers.

EDITED: Also get ready for the April ESR catalog. Starting 3/29 receive a $10 rebate wyb $10 in Physican’s Formula makeup. Walgreens has mascara currently listed for $9.99- price may drop next month. Purchase (1) mascara at $9.99, use $1/1 from 3/22 SS- submit $10 rebate = $1 overage from Walgreens. Then submit for this Physican’s Formula TMF rebate on mascara.

Should receive rebate amount of $9.95 back or profit of $10.95. Looks like the mascara will be marked for this rebate so be on the lookout now! I finally found the mascara- it will have a bright pink Try Me Free peelie on it. The peelie needs to be sent in along with the form and your receipt.

Target Deals March 22-28

03/21/2009 By Charlene Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.

Renu Contact Lens Solution- trial size .99- 1.52, print $1/1 from the coupon bar to right = FREE or .52 depending on your store

Reach Toothbrush $.97, Reach Floss $1.99= $2.96, use $3/2 from 3/15 SS (Regional coupons- mine were for $1.50/2) or $1/1 Reach Toothbrush from 3/15 SS.

Quattro and Intuition Razors are on sale for $6.99 each, get a $5 gift card wyb 2.

Scenerio: 2 Razors $6.99×2= $13.98, Use (2) $4/1 coupons from tommorrow’s insert – $8.00 = $5.98 and get a $5 gift card. (These razors sell out quickly so I would go early if you want this deal).

Pledge Multi Surface Dusters and Refill Boxes $2.50- use $1.25/1 from 2/22 SS and $1/1 Target IP here = $.25 each.

Cheetos Snack Size bags are $1.29- use Target $1/1 IP here = .29 each

Herbal Essences $2.99 each, use $3/2 from 3/15 P&G = $1.49 each. **I would only pay this if you can find the specially marked bottles that offer a free haircut. Click here for details. I did this for the free mani/pedi offer and they really do send you to a nice salon for free.

Market Pantry Soups .54 each- use $.50/2 Target IP here = .29 each.

Mott’s Applesauce 6pk cups $1.77 each- use .55/1 IP here and $1/1 Target IP here = $.22 each.

(Mine were priced at 1.44-1.69)

Target Brand Baby Wipes, 432ct $7.54= .17 per wipe

Crunch N Munch 4.25oz $1.00 (located in dollar spot in some stores), $.50/1 All You 2/09= .50/box

SuperPretzel products- $1.89- use .75/1 3/15RP = $1.14 each

FREEBIES…

03/21/2009 By Charlene Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.

Sign up here for your free sample of Caress Evenly Gorgeous Body Wash. These samples often come with coupons and since this is a new product I just bet we’ll see a sale!

Click here for your free Roots of Nature haircare sample.

And click here for your sample of All Bran drink mix and here for your sample of Crest Whitestrips.

Glucerna Back Again!

03/21/2009 By Charlene Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links, please see my disclosure policy.

Thanks to Money Saving Mom on this great tip to get even more Glucerna cereal for free. This is a great item for your dination box if you don’t know someone that is diabetic.