December 30, 2010

Piggly Wiggly Deals 12/28 - 1/4



Slow week at the Pig. Remember, Piggly Wiggly stores are independently owned and their ads occasionally don't match up, check your store ad for prices.

SPECIAL SAVINGS Store Coupons (w/$5 purchase):
Milk (gallon) $.99
Pepsi, 7-up, or Mt. Dew (2L) $.49 (limit 4 expires 1/1)

FREE WITH PIG POINTS:
Fresh Express Salad $.89 or FREE with 1800 Pig Points -$0.55/1 printable

EGGS & DAIRY
Food Club Chunk or Shredded Cheese, $0.99 limit 4
Food Club Cream Cheese $0.99

FROZEN FOODS
Totino's Frozen Pizza Rolls $0.99 - $.40/2 printable or (8/8/2010 GM)
Lean Cuisine Frozen Entrees, $1.49 when you buy 6 - $1/3 printable
Jack's Original or Half & Half Pizza $2.00
Banquet Frozen Meals $0.99

DRY GOODS
Food Club Black Olives $0.99
McCormick Taco or Fajita Seasoning Mix 2 for $1.00
Food Club Pasta $0.89
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinners 3 for $1.98
Nabisco Ritz Crackers $1.99 - $1/1 (11/14/2010 SS) or $1/2 printable
Total - General Mills Cereal 3 for $6.99 (plus get FREE milk) - $1/1 printable or $0.75/1 printable
Chex Mix, Bugels, Gardetto's $1.66 (buy 3 get a FREE gallon of milk) - $0.50/2 printable or (12/5/2010 GM)

MEAT
Banquet Brown'N Serve Breakfast Links or Patties , $.69 limit 2

Exclusive Internet Store Coupon (w/ $10 purchase) this week:
  • Capri Sun or Kool-Aid Jammers $.99
These are available here for Larry's PW and here for Olsen's PW. Click here for more helpful information about using coupons and shopping at Piggly Wiggly.

December 29, 2010

Home Depot Kids Workshop 1/1




The Home Depot Kids Workshop for January is the 1st. Head over to make a battery organizer. These workshops are free and no registration is required, just show up between 11am and 2pm (note the special time due to the holiday!). All Home Depot stores participate in the workshop. Participants are also given a little Home Depot apron just like the employees wear and a pin to show they completed the project.

December 27, 2010

Target Deals

This is a good week to just browse Target because they have started to put items on sale up to 75% off!! Check out the wrapping paper and Christmas-themed disposable tableware-big deals to be had here!
A few more deals to check out this week:
Laptop Sleeves- on sale for $5 (regularly $13-$17)
Duracell Batteries- on sale for $8.50 for a 20pk of AAs- $1.50/1 Manufacturer coupon, stacked with a $1.50/1 Target Coupon in the Smartsource insert a few weeks ago- final price $5.50!
Giftwrap Organizers, Ornament Organizers, and Wreath Keepers-on sale for $6 each
20 Gallon Tote-on sale for $5
Up & Up 22 count Ultrathin pantiliners are 0.89-print 0.75/1 coupon here

While you're at the Target coupon site make sure to print the $3/2 Market Pantry Frozen Chicken Items coupon since these usually go on sale for $5/2.5lb bag; and the $1.50/3 Kashi cereals, especially if you recently received the $3/1 coupon from Vocalpoint-I'm sure a deal on Kashi is coming up!

December 22, 2010

Piggly Wiggly Deals 12/22 - 12/28



Piggly Wiggly stores are independently owned and their ads occasionally don't match up, check your store ad for prices. There are NO free with Pig Points deals this week.

SPECIAL SAVINGS Store Coupons (w/$5 purchase):
Maxwell House Coffee $3.99

Pepsi and Coke 12 packs $1.99 each (must buy four)

PRODUCE
Clementine Tangerines (5 lb.) $4.89

EGGS & DAIRY
Food Club Half & Half or Whipping Cream $0.79
Food Club Butter $1.99
Food Club Chunk or Shredded Cheese $0.99 (limit 4)
Blue Bonnet Spread $0.69

Philadelphia Cream Cheese, $1.25 (limit 3)
- $1/1 printable (available last week only) or $1/2 printable
=$.25 (or $.74)

Pillsbury Crescent or Cinnamon Rolls 3 for $4.98
-$0.50/2 printable or $0.40/2 (12/12/2010 SS)
=$1.41 each

FROZEN FOODS
Jack's Original or Half & Half Pizza $2.00

Freshlike Frozen Vegetables - selected varieties $0.99
- $0.50/1 printable
=$0.49 each

Cool Whip Frozen Whipped Topping $0.99
- $1/2 printable
=$.49 each

DRY GOODS
Food Club Ripe Olives $0.99
Food Club English Muffins $0.99
Pan O Gold White Brown'N Serve Rolls $0.79
McCormick's Taco Seasoning Mix $.50
Pillsbury Cake Mix $0.99

Swanson Broth $0.59
Buy 5 and use $0.75/5 (11/7/2010 SS)
=$.44 each

McCormick's Gravy Mix $.60
Buy 2 and use $0.25/2 (11/7/2010 RP)
=$.48 each

Betty Crocker Specialty Potatoes $0.99
Buy two and use $1/2 printable or $0.50/2 (12/5/2010 GM)
=$0.49 each

Nabisco Snack Crackers $2.00
-$1/1 (11/14/2010 SS) or $1/2 printable
=as low as $1.00 each

Keebler Toasteds, Townhouse or Wheatables Crackers $1.99
(last week at the DP store there were booklets with lots of $1/2 coupons plus a $10 rebate if you buy 10 Keebler items)

MEAT
Cook's Ham Shank Portions , $0.79 lb. limit 1 ham

BEVERAGES
Grape Welch's Sparkling Juice $2.99
-$2/1 printable (or $2/2 printable here)
=as low as $0.99 each after coupon

Exclusive Internet Store Coupon (w/ $10 purchase) this week:
  • FREE Hoffman House Shrimp Sauce OR 40 ct. Valu Time foam plates
These are available here for Larry's PW and here for Olsen's PW. Click here for more helpful information about using coupons and shopping at Piggly Wiggly.

Target Deals

Please Welcome the newest GB Saver Jen! She will be sharing Target deals!!

Hello Fellow GBSavers!
Can I confess something? I am a Target FANATIC! When I was working full-time my place of employment shared a parking lot with Target. Let me just say that my lunch hours got very expensive! When I quit my job to stay home with my son I thought my days of shopping at Target were over (sniff). But I'm happy to say that they're not! There are many deals to be had at Target and I hope to share them with you in my weekly posts.

Here they are for this week:
Ronzoni Healthy Harvest Pasta is $1.12/box-$1 off 2 boxes was available here, I don't see it any more, hope you got it while it was there
Barilla Plus Pasta is on sale for $1.84/box-if you still have the BOGO coupons from Vocalpoint this i a good deal (they expire at the end of the month so use them up!)
Vaseline Intensive Healing lotion is $2.99- $1 off 1 coupon here, stack with $1.50 off 1 Target coupon here- final cost $0.49!!
Cool Whip is on sale for $0.99-Target coupon for 0.50 off 2 here, stack with $1 off 2 coupon available last week
Ponds Facial Cleansing Cloths- $1.50 off 1 coupon here, stack with $1.50 off 1 Target coupon here

Merry Christmas!

December 20, 2010

Merry Christmas!


I have lots of stockings to fill and presents to wrap so I'm taking a blogging break until next week. (Well, except for the Piggly Wiggly deals which I promised to write up for Money Saving Mom's Store Deals page!)

I hope you ALL have a very...

MERRY
CHRISTMAS!!

Quick Poll


Just in case you haven't noticed it... I thought I'd mention the poll I placed in the right sidebar on the blog. If you are seeing this on Facebook or via RSS/email subscription you will have to click here to visit the blog and vote.

So, which store do you shop at most often? Please take a minute and let me know. Thanks!

Double Bucks for NEW Signups and Collectors Bills



If you haven't already joined Swag Bucks... it's an easy way to "earn" gift cards and prizes by searching the internet! My favorite reward is the $5 Amazon gift card. I have earned about $200 in Amazon money thanks to Swag Bucks this year. Another GB Saver has earned over $300 in Amazon gift cards!!

If you sign up before December 31st you can use the case-senstitive code JoinIn2010 when you sign up to earn an extra 30 Swag Bucks! (This offer is for new sign-ups only.) That is double the 30 bucks you get normally. If you have been thinking about giving Swag Bucks a try... now would be a great time! Feel free to sign up with your regular email account. Swag Bucks doesn't send out any junk mail.

If you already have a Swag Bucks account be sure to review all the ways you can earn bucks here. For all you veterans, Swag Bucks also posted on their blog yesterday that starting sometime this afternoon, they will be offering special holiday collectors bills. There are five limited edition bills you can win through December 31st. If you collect them all, you'll get a 50 Swag Buck bonus.

To learn more read: What is Swag Bucks?

December 17, 2010

More Free Excedrin!

Hope you've been signing up for all these free Excedrin offers! Here is another one... there is no direct link to the form so click here to go to Coupons.com then click on "Health Care" in the left side bar. Look for the TWO "free" Excedrin offers and click on them to bring up the form to fill out. Your coupon will then be mailed to you.

Thanks Common Sense with Money!

Heads Up: Don't Buy a Paper This Sunday!

If you buy papers (or multiple papers) for coupons you might want to skip this week. There will be no coupon inserts December 19th. I have read in two places that there will be no inserts on the 26th and in one that there will be a P&G. So buyers beware on the 26th, if you're buying a paper just for the coupons... check first! It looks like there will be coupons in the January 2nd paper. Remember the Dollar Tree sells the GB Press Gazette for only $1 on Sundays.

If you ever want to preview what coupons will be in the paper you can look at sites like Taylortown Preview or Sunday Coupon Preview or Deal Seeking Mom. Keep in mind the Green Bay Press Gazette normally doesn't get nearly as many coupons as listed on sites like this but at least you'll have a general idea.

December 16, 2010

Tomorrow is FREE Shipping Day!


Guess it pays to be a last minute shopper! Over 800 online retailers are offering free shipping tomorrow as part of Free Shipping Day. Click here to see all the participating stores.

Some well known retailers include:
Toys R Us
JC Penney
Apple Store
Sears
Barnes and Noble
Overstock.com
L.L. Bean
Crate and Barrel
Office Max
Walgreens

If you are going to be ordering anything be sure to check this list first!

Piggly Wiggly Deals 12/15 - 12/21



Piggly Wiggly stores are independently owned and their ads occasionally don't match up, check your store ad for prices. There are NO free with Pig Points deals this week... bummer.

SPECIAL SAVINGS Store Coupons (w/$5 purchase):
Land O Lakes Butter $1.99
- $0.50/1 printable (sorry looks like these might be gone already)
=$1.49 each

Maxwell House Coffee $3.99

Pepsi and Coke 12 packs $1.99 each (must buy four)

PRODUCE
Large Pineapple $1.99 ea.

EGGS & DAIRY
Philadelphia Cream Cheese, $0.99 (limit 3)
- $1/1 printable (available last week only) or $1/2 printable
=FREE! (or $.49)

Pillsbury Crescent or Cinnamon Rolls 3 for $4.98
-$0.50/2 printable or $0.40/2 (12/12/2010 SS)
=$1.41 each

Pillsbury Refrigerated Pie Crusts $2.49
- $0.50/2 printable or $0.50/2 (12/5/2010 GM)
=$2.24

Crystal Farms Chunk or Shredded Cheese $1.66

Food Club English Muffins $0.99

Food Club Half & Half or Whipping Cream $0.79

FROZEN FOODS
On Cor Family Entrees $1.99
$0.40/1 (10/10/2010 RP)
=$1.59

Tony's Pouches, Crispy Crust or Pizza for One $1.00
-$1/2 printable
=$.50 each

Green Giant Simply Steamers or Frozen Boxed Vegetables $0.99
-$0.50/2 printable or (11/14/2010 GM)
=$.49 each

Cool Whip Frozen Whipped Topping $0.99
- $1/2 printable
=$.49 each

Food Club Ice Cream 5-Quart Pail $3.99


CANNED & BOTTLED GOODS
McCormick's Gravy Mix $.60
-$0.25/2 (11/7/2010 RP)
=$.48 each

Heinz Gravy $0.99

Exclusive Internet Store Coupon (w/ $10 purchase) this week:
  • FREE Heinz Gravy or Betty Crocker Potatoes
These are available here for Larry's PW and here for Olsen's PW. Click here for more helpful information about using coupons and shopping at Piggly Wiggly.

December 14, 2010

Priceless: Protecting Your Accounts


I am a big time user of Google products. I use Gmail, Google Reader, Google Docs, YouTube, and (of course!) Blogger. These Google services are all tied together with the same user name and password. So over Thanksgiving weekend when I got an alert on my email account that said someone in China had accessed my account, I hurried to change my password and make sure my account was secure.

Thankfully, nothing came of this and I have not had any further suspicious activity (that I'm aware of anyway). A friend of mine was not so lucky this week. Her Google account was hacked, spam was sent from her email account, and worst of all her blogs (personal and business) were deleted. I have two blogs, this one and my personal blog, that I love dearly and can only imagine the panic she must have felt. While Google is an awesome company, they are not known for their speedy service in matters like this.

So I wanted to take a minute to remind everyone to make sure all your IMPORTANT accounts are secure and have proper passwords. Don't worry too much about your junk email (which you should have if you're signing up for freebies) or passwords for sites like BettyCrocker.com and the like. I'm talking about your REAL email and accounts like Facebook, Google, or online banking.

You know the old saying an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure is REALLY true in this case! There are some things that you just can't put a price on... so take a few minutes and make sure your accounts are as secure as they can be. The links below are for Gmail and Google accounts, but if you use a different program you can search for similar tips and tricks for the email program/provider you use.If someone ever accesses your account, change your password and security question IMMEDIATELY. If that doesn't work or you can't log in, you can begin the process to recover your account here. If you can't answer your security question be prepared to fill out a longer recovery form that might include questions about your account. Some of the recovery form questions you may not know the answer to, I've heard conflicting comments on whether it is better to leave an answer blank if you don't know it or just take your best guess.

If you happen to have a blog, there are a few additional things you can do to protect yourself as well:
  • Make sure your password is extra strong.
  • Regularly back up both your template (under the "Design" tab choose "Edit HTML" and then "Download Full Template") and, more importantly, your blog content (go to the "Settings-Basic" tab and click "Export Blog"). Name the exported blog file and then keep it in a safe place. Use Google's calendar to set up a reminder for yourself to do this as often as you would like. I would suggest at least monthly.
If you have a personal blog you might want to do this as well... email each post to yourself (under the "Settings"tab choose "Email & Mobile"). Then just set your email account to archive the emails immediately and they will never clutter up your inbox, but if you ever need them they will be there (photos and all). This will only cover future posts, past posts won't be emailed to you. You might also want to consider turning your blog into a book with a site like Blurb or Blog2Print.

These are just a few tips to get you started. There really isn't any way to completely protect yourself from computer criminals but at least try not to make their job easy! And just in case you were wondering about my friend, after a few days Google did investigate and re-open her account and blogs.

December 13, 2010

Free Item Coupons: Excedrin and Plus Another

Two companies offered free product coupons today by mail. Just fill out your name and address and you'll get coupons by mail for free bottle of Excedrin and free surprise* sample from a favorite brand too. You might think it's a pain to fill out these forms and wait for the coupons to come in the mail, but most of the grocery stores in our area tend to reject free item internet printed coupons so I prefer to wait a bit and get them in the mail. It gives us more options on places to use them or find a great deal to stack!

I usually just post these free item coupon links on GB Saver's Facebook page because usually by the time people see this on the blog the limit has already been reached, but since there were two to share today I thought I'd toss this post up on the blog and hope for the best! :)

Thanks Common Sense With Money!

Edited on 12/14/10 after I read the terms on the sign up page. :)

December 12, 2010

CVS Deals 12/12 - 12/18

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz... oops... sorry, I fell asleep looking at the CVS ad this week. :) Hope the new year brings some decent CVS deals!

WEEKLY DEALS

Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste $2.99 (limit 2)
-$2 ECBs
-$.75/1 (11/28 P&G)
=$.24 each

Infusium 23 hair products $5.99 (Limit 1)
-$ 2 ECBs
$2/1 coupon (ALL YOU Dec 2010)
=$1.99

Gillette Fusion or Venus $9.99 (Limit 1)
-$5 ECBs
-$4/1 (11/28 P&G)
=$3.49

Campbell’s Soups $.50
-$0.40/2 (12/12/2010 SS)
= $.30 each

Kellogg’s Cereal $1.88
-$1/2 (12/5/2010 RP) or $1/2 printable
=$1.38


(Hidden) MONTHLY DEALS:

EOS Lip Balm $2.99
(limit 1)
-$2.99 ECBs
=FREE

AZO Itch Cream or Wipes $6.99 (Limit 3)
- $5 ECBs
-$2/1 printable
=FREE

Complete Multi-purpose Solution $9.99 (Limit 1)
-$9.99 ECBs
=FREE

If you're new to shopping at CVS, you might want to read thi s CVS shopping guide.

Festival Foods Deals 12/12 - 12/18

Please note if you are outside of the GB area a few prices may be different, check your local Festival ad to verify prices.

GBPG Online only Festival coupon (with $5 purchase):
Ragu Spaghetti Sauce $.88 each (limit 2)
-$1/2 UPromise eCoupons (you will need a special UPromise Festival card)

TODAY ONLY (Coupon expires 12/12):
Buy two, use the store coupon above plus
Use the B2G1 Pasta Free (up to $1.25) coupon (11/14 RP)
plus scan your UPromise Festival card
=possibly 2 jars for $.38 each and a free package of pasta

Shelly's Deal of the Week:
Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese $.98 (with store coupon, limit 2)
- $1/1 printable (available last week only) or $1/2 printable
=FREE! (or $.48)

Weekly Coupon Items (Limit 1 unless otherwise stated)

Nabisco Ritz or Snack Crackers (limit 4) $1.98
- $1/1 (11/14/2010 SS) or $1/2 printable
=$.98 each (or $1.48) depending on which coupon you use

Kraft Cool Whip Topping $.48
- $1/2 printable (not sure of non-coupon price?)
=possibly as low as one free

Pepsi, Mountain Dew or Sierra Mist $1.99 (limit 4)
Frito Lay Doritos, Fritos or Cheetos $1.78 (limit 3)
Old Dutch Pretzels $1.48 (limit 4)
Kemps Cottage Cheese $.98
Morning Glory Chocolate Milk $.48
Steve's Cheese Slices $1.98 (limit 2)
Bernatello's Half Pounder or Good N' Garlic Pizza $1.98 (limit 4)
Green Giant Baby Carrots $.48
Flavorite Frozen Veggies $.48 (limit 3)

Weekly Sale and Green Sheet Items

Carnation Evaporated Milk $.89
- $0.50/2 (11/14/2010 RP) or $0.50/2 printable
=$.64 each

Kraft Miniature Marshmallows $.99
- $1/1 Nestle Hot Cocoa when you buy Kraft Marshmallows (ALL YOU Nov 2010)
= $.99 PLUS a free package of Nestle Hot Cocoa

Healthy Choice Soups $1
-$1/2 (10/17/2010 SS)
=$.50 each

Kellogg's Mini-Wheat Cereals $2.99
Buy 4 and get $4 off any meat coupon on green sheet
(if you going to be buying meat anyway it's like getting the cereal for $1.99)
Use two $1/2 printables
=as low at $1.49 each

Nestle Cookie Dough $2
-$1/1 printable here or (10/3/2010 RP)
=$1

Flavorite Vegetable Oil $1.79
Chef Boyardee Pasta with Meat $.99
Flavorite Cream Soups $.50
Nestle Hot Cocoa Mix $.99
Flavorite Peanut Butter $.99 STOCK UP!
Barrel O Fun Potato Chips $1.49
David's Deli Bagels $.98
Creamette Pasta $.99
Premium Braeburn Apples $.68 per lb.
Yellow Onions (2# bag) $.98

Read the shopping guide and coupon policy for Festival Foods here.

Free $10 Gas Card from BP

Gas prices are going up a bit so here is a deal you might want to take advantage of! BP is offering customers a $10 gas card with 5 fill ups of 8 gallons or more. You just have to collect 5 "Loyalty Cards" with special codes. These cards are available from the cashier (go inside if you pay at the pump).

Once you have collected five cards, enter the codes online and request your gift card. This program runs through the end of March so you have plenty of time to take advantage of the offer. Limit of three offers per person. $10 reward cards expire 9/6/11. The rest of the terms can be found here.

Thanks, Common Sense with Money!

December 11, 2010

UPDATE! Free Photo Cards from SeeHere

UPDATE! Get 60 cards for $4.90 (plus tax) including overnight shipping! Order 60 4x8 (single side, flat) cards. You MUST get 60 to get the overnight shipping. (I got 30 Christmas cards and 30 Thank You note cards.) Use coupon code 50cards and choose 1 day shipping. Your total will be $4.90 plus tax. This deal ends tomorrow so take advantage of it now if you are interested.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've been waiting for this deal! :) Now I can order my Christmas cards! SeeHere is offering 50 free photo cards. Use the case sensitive coupon code: 50cards

You will have to pay $4.99 for shipping, but that's still a great deal! This deal runs through December 12th. I expect the site will be quite busy, so be patient. Freebies for Mom has more details on the deal here.

December 10, 2010

Saving Money on Pets, Part 2

This is Part 2 of a two part guest post written by GB Savers reader Jen who is a Certified Veterinary Technician. If you haven't already, read Part 1 here.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heartworm and Flea preventatives
Heartworm is spread by mosquitoes, so this is a problem in WI. Fleas live all year long on rodents outside and you can even bring them in on your clothing and shoes. A flea infestation is NO FUN so take the proper precautions for your pet. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't buy any flea preventative besides Frontline (topical liquid available at any pet store) or Sentinel (chewable tablet that also contains Heartworm preventative). The other brands, such as Hartz, have been known to cause major reactions and even death. (Believe me, I've seen it, and it's sad). Frontline is available over the counter at any pet store or vet, no prescription needed.

Heartworm preventative, such as Sentinel, Interceptor, or Heartgard, requires a veterinary prescription because if you give heartworm preventative to a dog who already has heartworm it can kill them, so they require a negative heartworm test before prescribing it. The Bay Area Humane Society has heartworm and flea preventatives available at a reduced cost.

***TIP: did you know that Frontline is proven to prevent fleas for TWO months?? It's only proven to prevent ticks for 1 month, which is why they have you apply it monthly, but in the winter, when ticks aren't a concern, save some money and only apply every other month.

Ovariohysterectomy & Castration (getting your pet "fixed")
This can be a pricey procedure but is important to your pet's overall health. Getting a female pet spayed before it's first heat cycle drastically reduces her risk of cancer, and eliminates her risk of a pyometra (a life-threatening condition in which the uterus gets infected and requires emergency surgery). Male dogs who are neutered have a drastically reduced chance of getting cancer or causing unwanted pregnancies. Both sexes benefit from decreased aggression.

Ways to save in this area are: get a pet from a rescue or humane society. These pets will either already be fixed or get their surgery at a reduced cost. The Bay Area Humane Society also offers these surgeries at a reduced rate for those who qualify.

If you have to go to the Vet:
In the unfortunate instance in which your pet requires a trip to the vet, try these money-saving tips:
  • Tell the receptionist that money is an issue when you make the appointment. This gets relayed to the rest of the team and alerts them to help save you money
  • Not all vets are created equal. Call around and find the best price, but make sure you're comparing apples to apples. Some vets include exams or medications in their quotes and some don't, so get the whole scoop.
  • Find a vet who will give a discount if you pay cash
  • FINISH THE MEDICATION! If your pet requires medication, make sure you give it to them until it's gone. Even if the condition appears to clear up after only a few doses, it's still there, and stopping the medication will only allow it to come back stronger and more resistant to drugs, requiring expensive medication in the future.
  • If tests are required, ask the veterinary team if the outcome of the tests would change the treatment. If the outcome isn't going to change how they treat your pet, ask them to just do the treatment and not the tests.
  • If the veterinary team tells you that your pet's teeth need to be cleaned, you should listen. The health of their mouth affects the health of the rest of their body. Plaque on their teeth is made up of trillions of bacteria, swallowing this all day every day begins to affect their heart, kidneys, and liver. Ask to see the teeth so you can judge for yourself how bad they are, or ask your vet for a rating on a scale of 1 to 5. Then, call around to see which veterinary office offers the best price. February is Pet Dental Health Month and most clinics offer a discount.
Don't self-diagnose. Trying to treat your pet yourself can often cause more harm than good. Things like aspirin, pepto-bismol, peroxide, and ibuprofen are extremely dangerous, and sometimes lethal to pets. Always check with a veterinary professional before treating your pet yourself.

I hope that I've given you a few ideas on how to better care for your pet while still keeping an eye on your budget. Merry Christmas!

Image Source

December 9, 2010

Saving Money on Pets, Part 1

The following is part one of a two part guest post. Thanks for taking the time to write this up, Jen!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hello fellow GB Savers! My name is Jen and I am the proud owner of 2 dogs, a Great Dane and a Shih Tzu. Up until a year ago I was working full time as a Certified Veterinary Technician, but I'm taking a brief hiatus to raise my son. Now that we're down to one income and I'm not getting my sweet discount, pet care has taken on a whole new look. I'm a firm believer in providing for our pets and giving them the life that they deserve, the Bible even talks about our responsibility in taking care of the animals God has given to us. So how do we do what's best and not break the bank? I'm hoping to help answer that question.

Food
Did you know that there are no regulations on pet food? Companies can literally put whatever they want into a bag and sell it as pet food. Even if you buy the same brand of food each time for your pet, each bag isn't required to contain the same ingredients as the last. For example, if chicken is cheap this week, Company X will put more chicken in their food. If beef is cheaper next week, they'll put more beef. Kind of scary. Which is why this is one area that I refuse to compromise. My dogs are always fed a high-quality diet from a company I know I can trust. How do you find these companies? Not on the bottom shelf at your grocery store or Fleet Farm! I recommend visiting Family Pet Food Center on Military Avenue. They only carry high-quality brands of food and are very reasonably priced.

By feeding your pets a high-quality diet you will avoid many health problems down the road. If you give your pets a bargain brand of food, it's no different than giving your kids nothing but cupcakes and jelly beans every day. Those low-quality foods don't provide the nutrients they need to have a healthy immune system, or even give them enough energy to make it through the day.

Many high-quality pet foods have a loyalty program, such as "Buy 12, Get 1 Free". Also, always ask the store if they have samples of the food since the samples generally have a coupon on the back. Lately Coupons.com has had several high-value coupons for quality pet foods.

Switching foods can sometimes cause problems with your pet's digestive system. My Great Dane can't handle change (have you ever seen 160 pound dog with diarrhea? It's not pretty!), so he gets the same food every time I buy it. But my shih-tzu can handle change if I take a few days to mix the old food with the new, so I buy whatever I can get the best deal on for her. And don't overfeed! You could be wasting money by going through food too quickly. A general rule of thumb is 1/4 cup for every 10 pounds of body weight. An overweight pet is prone to a lot more health problems too, so keep them nice and trim!

Vaccines
That yearly trip to the vet for preventative vaccinations can really hit your pocket book hard. After you pay for an exam and vaccines, you're looking at close to $200, and that's if they don't find any other problems. You don't want to skip vaccines, they're an important part of keeping your pet healthy, but there are ways to keep it cheap. I recommend going to the Bay Area Humane Society for their monthly low-cost vaccination clinics. You can find their schedule and cost of vaccines here. Make sure you keep a record of what vaccinations your pet was given in case they have a reaction and need to be seen by another vet.

What vaccines are important? Let's go over them:
  • Rabies-no brainer here!
  • Distemper-another very important, required vaccine
  • Bordetella-your dog needs this if they will be with other dogs, like being groomed or boarded
  • Lyme-your dog needs this if they have contact with ticks
  • Lepto- this is an important vaccine that protects against a life-threatening illness spread by rodents- I highly recommend it.
  • FVRCP-this is distemper for cats and required
  • FeLV- this protects cats against Feline Leukemia but is not necessary if your cat never has contact with unknown cats
Watch for Part 2 tomorrow!

Image Source

Very Cheap Walgreens Brand Diapers

Common Sense With Money has a post up here that explains how you can get Walgreens brand diapers for $1.82 per package! Wow! I have used them on several occasions and thought they were just fine quality-wise.

Get $10 Gift Card for Referring Friends


Just in case you missed this great offer that has been going around the blogs I thought I'd mention it. When you sign up for a Shop It To Me account and get a 10 friends to sign up as well you will get a $10 gift card to the store of your choice. (You don't need to be a blogger to take advantage of this deal... you can refer friends through email or Facebook.)

Shop It To Me is a FREE online service that "scours the web to find the items you love and send you personalized e-mail alerts that feature the latest markdowns, secret promotion codes, and VIP sale events". You can sign up for daily (or less frequent) emails. Your offers can be personalized to the deals you would like to know about including: sizes, brands, and price preferences.

I would be so grateful if you signed up through my link! :)

December 8, 2010

Piggly Wiggly Deals 12/8 - 12/14



There are some decent deals at the Pig this week, especially if you need baking supplies. Piggly Wiggly has two websites (Larry's here and the main Piggly Wiggly site here) and their ads are conflicting for a few items this week. Apparently, they wanted to see if I was paying attention... guess I passed the test! I haven't seen that happen before so you'll just have to check your store to see which price you can get, most are decent deals either way.

SPECIAL SAVINGS Store Coupons (w/$5 purchase):
PW Gallon Milk $.99
Fresh Baked Italian Bread $.69
Russet Potatoes (5#) $.69
Oreo Cookies $1.99
Plus a SAVE $5 off $50!!

FREE WITH PIG POINTS DEALS
*NOTE: Items in red are the items that are showing different prices online.
Food Club Butter $1.99 or FREE with 4500 Pig Points
Food Club Large Eggs $0.99 or FREE with 3000 Pig Points
Gold Medal Flour $0.99 (or $0.79) or FREE with 3000 Pig Points STOCK UP!
Nestle Morsels $1.99 (or $1.49) or FREE with 4500 Pig Points - $1.25/3 (11/14 RP)

EGGS & DAIRY
Imperial (quarters) Spread $0.49 (or $.39 with a limit 2)
Food Club Cinnamon Rolls or Crescents $1.29
Sargento Shredded Cheese $1.99 - $0.50/2 (11/14/2010 SS)
Food Club Cream Cheese $0.89
Nestle Cookies $2.99 - $1/1 printable or (10/3 RP)
Oscar Mayer Lunchables $0.99

FROZEN FOODS
Food Club Frozen Vegetables (16 oz) $0.69
Farmland Pork Breakfast Links or Rolls $1.79 - $.75/1 from mailer

DRY GOODS
Food Club Broth (Chicken or Beef) $0.50
McCormick Spices and Extracts 50% off - $0.25/1 (11/7/2010 RP)
Food Club Brown or Powdered Sugar $0.99 STOCK UP!
Rice a Roni or Pasta Roni $0.99
Food Club Cake Mix $0.89
Food Club Classic Fudge Brownie Mix $0.89
Carnation Evaporated Milk $0.99 - 0 $0.50/2 (11/14/2010 RP) or printable
Food Club Marshmallows $0.79
Baker's Baking Chocolate $2.49 - $1/2 printable
Food Club Graham Cracker Crust $0.99
Food Club Coconut Flakes $0.79
Food Club Spaghetti Sauce $0.89
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese Dinners $2.99 (only $.59 per box!)
Domestix Baking Cups $0.59
Quaker Oat Squares Cereal $1.99 (when you buy 3)
Quaker Instant Oatmeal $1.99 (when you buy 3) - $1/1 (9/12/2010 RP)
Cap'N Crunch Cereal , $1.69 (when you buy 3) - $0.50/1 (8/29/2010 RP)
Food Club Old Fashioned or Quick Oats $1.49
Chex Cereal $1.66 (when you buy 3) - $1/2 printable or (12/5/2010 GM)
Healthy Choice Soup $.99 - $1/2 (10/17/2010 SS)
Food Club Gravy Mix $0.40

Exclusive Internet Store Coupon (w/ $10 purchase) this week:
  • FREE Food Club Cake or Brownie Mix
These are available here for Larry's PW and here for Olsen's PW. Click here for more helpful information about using coupons and shopping at Piggly Wiggly.

December 7, 2010

Walgreens Photo Gifts $10 off $20


GB Savers reader Nicole passed along this deal. Get $10 off you photo gift order of $20 or more at Walgreens.com using the coupon code CREATIVE now through December 11th. I think you get free shipping if you spend $25 as well. Don't forget to order through Ebates (to get 6% back) or MyPoints (to earn 2 points per dollar spent).

Free Pictureka Game at Wal-mart


I saw this Pictureka deal on Common Sense with Money earlier today and thought I'd give it a try. It worked without a hitch. The Pictureka card game is $5 at Wal-Mart and there is a printable $5/1 printable Pictureka coupon. (Coupon states it's good off ANY game, does not state size or dollar amount.)

Since you can print the coupon twice you can get two of these for free. A great stocking stuffer item, donation, or future birthday gift!

I had never heard of this game but it is apparently four games in one, including some matching and letters activities. The box says it's for ages 6 and up.

Free Christmas Music




Amazon is giving away one free Christmas song download a day through Christmas. Actually, they started the 1st (you can go back and download those songs now). They've done this for the past couple years and I've added lots of songs to my Christmas playlist! To view the song for each day visit the Free Holiday Music Amazon page.

Amazon offers free songs all the time, not just during the Christmas season. It's a good way to hear new music. Who knows, you may find some new favorites!


Since we don't have a local Christmas station this year (96.3 works in the car but not inside at my house) you might want to try Pandora for some Christmas music. They have several holiday "stations". Pandora is great all year round. It's like a free internet radio station that you program to play only the songs and artists you like!

December 6, 2010

Links for Beginners

If you are new to deal blogs or coupon shopping in general, here are a few GB Savers links you might find helpful! When you are just starting out all the information and details can be overwhelming, but I promise you it is worth it in the money you will save. Start small, but start somewhere!
These links (and lots more!) are always available under the tabs at the top of the page. I hope you find the information helpful and if you have any suggestions for other resources that could be added please let me know. Please feel free to share any deals you come across (leave a comment, write on the FB wall, or send me an email). The more deals we share the more money we can save!

If you haven't already please subscribe to GB Savers by email or RSS reader. You can also find GB Savers on Facebook.

December 5, 2010

Festival Foods Deals 12/5 - 12/11

Festival wants you to have some free food this week, so I hope you take advantage of their generosity! :)

GBPG Online only Festival coupon (with $5 purchase):
$2.99 Palerma's Rustico or Primo Thin Pizza (limit 3)
Buy two and use $1/2 printable here

Mystery Internet Only Coupon (these are not offered every week)
FREE Loaf of Festival White Bread

Weekly Coupon Item
Kitchen Kleen Russet Potatoes - FREE!
Flavorite Sour Cream - FREE!
Brownberry Wide Pan Breads $.99
Coca-Cola Products $3.99
Mountain Dew Pepsi, Mountain Dew, or Sierra Mist $1.99
Hoffman House Shrimp & Seafood or Tartar Sauce $.88
Edy's Grand Ice Cream $1.99
Creamette Pasta $.99
Prego Pasta Sauce $.99

Weekly Sale and Green Sheet Items
7 Up or Squirt $.68
Old Orchard Juice Cocktails & Blends $.99 - $0.50/1 printable or here
Progresso Classic Vegetable Soups $.99 - $1/4 printable or (11/21/2010 SS)
General Mills Chex Cereal (must purchase 3) $1.66 - $1/2 printable or (11/14/2010 GM)
French's Worcestershire Sauce $.99 - $0.50/1 printable or here or here or (10/31/2010 SS)
Chex Mix $1.88 - $0.50/1 printable or $0.50/2 (11/14/2010 GM)
Bugles $1.88 - $0.50/1 printable (flavored)
Sargento Shredded Cheese $1.66 - $1.00/2 (11/14/10 SS)
Blue Bonnet spread $.50
Crystal Farms Chunk Cheese $1.88
First National Bagels $1.25
Steve's Chunk Cheese $3.49
Orv's Tasty Toppings Pizza $1.49
Westpac Classic Vegetables $.69
Red Gold Salsa $.99
Bar S Corn Dogs $3.98
Boneless Pork Tender Roasts $1.98 per lb.
Carl Buddig Lunchmeat $1.98
Chicken Drumsticks or Thighs $.98 per lb.
Homelife Awesome! Paper Towels $3.88
Soft Choice Bath Tissue $3.88 (remember the TP tip?)
California Navel Oranges (4# bag) $1.98

Read the shopping guide and coupon policy for Festival Foods here.

CVS 12/5 - 12/11

Come on CVS... you really can do better than this!

3 Day Sale
Candy Canes (10 Ct.) $.50

M&Ms $2
-$1/2 (RP 11/14/10)
=$1.50 each

WEEKLY DEALS
Planters Flavor Grove (skinless almonds) $2.50
-$2.50/1 CVS store coupone (from Red Box)
=FREE

Zhu Zhu Pets (psa $9.88) on sale BOGO
Buy FOUR, use Buy 2 Get 1 Free printable
=FOUR for $9.88 (or about $2.47 each)

Stocking Candy $.88

Hershey's Holiday Bagged Candy $2.50
Buy 3, use B2G1 coupon (12/5/10 SS)
=$1.66

Gillette Fusion ProGlide Gift Set $9.99
-$4/1 (11/28/10 P&G)
=$5.99 set

Bayer Contour Blood Glucose Meter $14.99
-$20/1 (10/31/10) *not sure if this one was in the GBPG
-$5 ECBs
=make $5

Gain Dish Soap $.99
-$1/1 (P&G Everyday Savings book) or $.50/1 (11/28/10 P&G)
=FREE or $.49

Renuzit Adjustables $.88
-$1/6 (11/7/10 RP)
=$.71 each

P&G Deal (Spend $30 get $10 ECBs)
Depending on how many coupons you have there might be a decent deal or two...

Example:
3 Gillette ProGlide razors $9.99 - three $4/1 (11/28/10 P&G)
1 Gain Dish soap $.99 - $.50/1 (11/28/10 P&G)
-$10 ECBs
=$8.46 for 3 razors and 1 dishsoap

If you end up doing a few P&G deals save your receipt and fill out the $20 P&G mail in rebate.

(Hidden) MONTHLY DEALS:

EOS Lip Balm $2.99
(limit 1)
-$2.99 ECBs
=FREE

AZO Itch Cream or Wipes $6.99 (Limit 3)
- $5 ECBs
-$2/1 printable
=FREE

Complete Multi-purpose Solution $9.99 (Limit 1)
-$9.99 ECBs
=FREE

If you're new to shopping at CVS, you might want to read this CVS shopping guide and you'll need to know:
ECBs= Extra Care Bucks
RP= Red Plum, Sunday newspaper insert
SS= Smart Source, Sunday newspaper insert
P&G=Proctor and Gamble, Sunday newspaper insert

December 4, 2010

Zhu Zhu Deal at CVS

Heads up if you have Zhu Zhu pets on your shopping list this year... you will be able to get them super cheap at CVS this week. By combining a buy one get one sale with a buy 2 Zhu Zhu pets get one free coupon (just enter your email to get the coupon) you can get FOUR the price of one (should work out to be about $2.50 each). For more information, see The Bargain Sleuths post about the deal here.

Speaking of Zhu Zhu pets if anyone wants a Toys R Us $5 off Zhu Zhu Pets featuring the Wild Bunch or Kung Zhu video game (for Wii or DS) let me know. I have 5 of them that I won't be using. :)

Inexpensive Christmas Gift Ideas

Want to save some money this Christmas? Try making a few gifts yourself! Here are a few ideas to get you thinking! [To see any of the photos below a bit larger...just click on it!]

Photo Calendar
My favorite gift for grandparents is a photo calendar. They are available online at sites like Shutterfly or Snapfish. I make mine using iPhoto on my Mac and then take the .pdf file to Office Max to print out. Or you can just bring in 12 photos of your choice (printed or on a CD) and they'll do everything for you.
Family Recipe Book or Box
Put all your recipes in one place! Type them up and put them in a binder (or put them on recipe cards in a box). While you're at it make a couple copies to share with a daughter, sister, or friend. I love tried and true recipes! My sister still uses the recipe book I made for her many years ago.

Bible Verse Name Frame
This could be for a first or last name. Pick several verses that reflect the person or family you would like to give this to and print it off on nice paper in an appropriate font then place the printout in a frame. Dollar Tree has quite a selection for $1. Here is an example of the one I made for our family:
Books!
Make a book for a toddler/young child by getting a blank book and writing a story yourself. If you aren't a writer, make it a book of favorites (colors, food, etc.) or educational (numbers, letters, etc.). Below is a page from the book I made for one of my boys.You can get blank books at Bare Books or at a local teacher supply type store (like The Schoolhouse). If you're not up to making a book... books in general are still a great gift! Join Paper Back Swap! When you first join you list 10 books and get 2 free.

Toys
Last year I made this play kitchen for one of my children. I call it a Fold-Up Fabric Kitchen. I saw the original idea here but modified it a bit and made it my own. The whole thing cost around $5 to make even if you have to buy fabric and assembly took just a few hours.

What's a kitchen without food? I made this little set of felt food to go with the kitchen. There are patterns all over the internet. Just google "felt food".


Fleece Blanket with crochet edge
Can you crochet? If not, it is easy to learn! Really! Google instructions or watch You Tube if you are a visual learner! I made this blanket as a baby gift but it could easily be modified for anyone depending on the fleece and yarn you choose. It is a fun twist on the no sew fleece blanket. And since it requires very minimal crocheting you can make one in just a couple days.
Don't want to make a blanket? Check out the Lion Brand Yarn website for free patterns. There are so many cute things to crochet. I really like the Amigurumi patterns for little animals and play food.
If you need a simple gift for an adult they have a pattern to crochet a towel topper. If you bought a towel with a cute design and cut it half you could make two very inexpensively and quickly.

Dishtowel Angel
This is made from a towel/washcloth/potholder set. I got this one from one of my friends a couple years ago. You can get these matching kitchen sets at many stores. I haven't made one myself but here are instructions.

Potpourri Light Jar
I have made many of these and everyone loves them. A mason jar stuffed with potpourri and a short string of (20 count) lights. Let the cord hang out and cover the top with a piece of fabric cut in a circle tied with a ribbon.

Potpourri and lights are usually available at the dollar store and check thrift stores for mason jars if you don't have any on hand.

Little Wreath
I made several of these a couple years ago using dollar store (again!) wreaths. A simple ornament in the center with some fabric scraps and buttons hot glued around the wreath as well. You can make little cinnamon ornaments or use cinnamon sticks as well on these. Which are cute and make it smell nice too.
Washcloth Lolly
How about something sweet? But not to eat! Again, I made these for a baby gift but you could use a regular size washcloth and give it to an older child or adult. Maybe with a cute shaped bar of soap or free from CVS body wash?Gifts in a Jar
These are always nice. I like that you use them and they are gone. No clutter! There are several recipes available online. This site has recipes for layered baking mixes, brownies, cookies and bath salts. There are also several recipes for mixes on this site with printable tags included.

Gifts in a Mug
This is a twist on the above. There are many recipes for hot chocolate or spice teas online. Put a bag or two of one of these mixes in a mug. Maybe with a plastic spoon dipped in chocolate to stir! Or how about these recipes for cake in a mug...a great gift for a single person or college student!

Christmas Potpourri
This recipe is best fresh BUT if you have a dehydrator to dehydrate orange slices you can package up a dry version in bags to give as gifts. It smells wonderful!

Dish Towel Apron
A dish towel is the perfect size to make an apron for a small child. I have made a few with a towel (from...you guessed it...the dollar store!) and bias tape trim but this pattern makes it easier. A larger towel would make a larger apron for an older child, teen, or adult. If the dish towel is too long for your little one fold up the bottom and make a few pockets.

Ornaments
We have a family tradition of giving each child an ornament every year. My mom did this for me and now I have all the ornaments from my growing up years on my own tree. Instead of buying an ornament this year...make one! The dollar store (wow...again!) usually has little cross-stitch ornament kits that are quite cute. I found a nativity scene kit a few years ago and made several. Here are several free patterns. Most of these would just take an hour or two to stitch.

Can't cross-stitch? How about these?

Get a package of old style clothes pins and make a snowman or angel. These are super easy...even the kids could make them! And they are unbreakable which is the only type of ornament we had on the tree two years ago :) Fill your tree with several and as you have guests throughout the Christmas season give them an ornament off your tree!
If you are feeling a bit more ambitious try these light bulb ornaments. I got the instructions out of craft magazine several years ago. They take a bit more time but are really fun! Here is a similar pattern for a snowman and a penguin.

Well, I hope that gives you a few ideas. If I come across any more in my internet searches I'll try and post links to share! Feel free to share any ideas you might have in the comments!

Note: This was originally posted on my personal blog in fall of 2008. I updated it with a few new ideas but didn't check the old links. If you find any broken links please let me know. Thanks!

December 3, 2010

Save Big on Melissa and Doug Toys

UPDATE: Hope you got in on this deal while it was available! It ended early because they sold out!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hot online deals aren't my normal thing (I leave those to The Bargain Sleuth!) but I just HAD to share this deal! I love Melissa and Doug toys and I had several of these items on my shopping list. This morning I'm really glad I procrastinated ordering because Amazon has several Melissa and Doug toys on sale 50% off today only!

Most items are $10 and several are even less than that! Don't forget to sign up for the Amazon Mom (not just for moms!) program and to get a free three-month Prime membership. Prime membership gets you free 2-day shipping with no minimum! If you don't have a Prime membership most items still ship free when your order is over $25.

Here are a few of my favorite deals:




To see all the Melissa and Doug toys available for 50% off, click here to enter Amazon's Gold Box.

Home Depot Kids Workshop 12/4


The Home Depot Kids Workshop for December is the 6th. Head over to make a picture frame. These workshops are free and no registration is required, just show up between 9am and noon. All Home Depot stores participate in the workshop. Participants are also given a little Home Depot apron just like the employees wear and a pin to show they completed the project.