Free Chocolate Fridays

Don't forget about FREE chocolate Fridays. Click here to go the original post and it will take you to the website!

Old Navy Weekly

I got home after teaching a class last night, which by the way was a blast girls, and Old Navy had already reset their coupons. Did anyone have any luck?

Have no idea what I am talking about? Click here to read other posts about Old Navy's Weekly Hunt!

Also I updated the birthday post here, with a lot of new FREE things that came through my e-mail the last 24 hours!

Free Chili Dog

Go to Weinershnitzle and get a Free Angus Chipotle Chili dog with the purchase of another Angus Chipotle chili dog at regular price!

Click here for the coupon!

Also if you sign up for the Weiner Club (link is under this post, called Birthday Clubs), and you'll recieve a coupon for a FREE chili cheese dog with ANY purchase!

Get Paid on your Birthday for Just Being YOU!

Yes, I know! I LOVE birthdays! I love everything about that special day, but now that I have been using coupons I LOVE it even more. My birthday is this weekend and I cannot believe the things retail places and even restaurants give away for your birthday. Here are just some of the things I have received the last couple days for my upcoming birthday! Isn't it great to get paid for just being YOU!

*Updated info with the things I have received after joining their e-clubs! A piece of advice too, I signed up intentionally for my B-Day which is tomorrow and a lot of these coupons will expire before I will have a chance to use them. Try and avoid signing up near your birthday, otherwise both coupons they send you, one for B-day, one for signing-up, will expire close to one another!

Children's Place gives you 15% off your entire purchase, on yours and your children's birthdays!

Tucanos (MY FAV) gives you a coupon for a FREE meal when you purchase another. We usually go at lunch time. Their menu is half the price if you go at lunch instead of during dinner hours! That means my husband and I can eat for $12.95!

Arby's gives you a free milk shake with the purchase of ANY sandwich

Chili's gives you a free molten cake dessert with the purchase on any entree. This will make a super cheap dinner when I combine my coupon with my one in Sunday's paper for $5 off an entree.

Del Taco gives you a FREE milk shake

Mimi Cafe gives you a $10 off coupon when you spend $20 or more.

Some other places I found, but didn't receive myself..YET!

Ben and Jerry's-Free ice cream

California Pizza Kitchen-Free meal for your kids on their birthday. Parents register first and then their children are registered. Only the kids get a free meal! http://www.cpk.com/cpkids/register.php

Cold Stone-Birthday Freebie's "Your birthday is your special day. We want to help you celebrate your birthday by giving you one FREE Creation! That's right, free ice cream, on us, just because you had a birthday. Must register and receive periodical promos. http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/birthday/birthday_club.aspx

Denny's-Near the special day for your child, he or she will receive a Birthday Card
entitling them to a free kid's entree and sundae*. Print off and mail in this form http://www.dennys.com/LiveImages/enProductImage_577.pdf

Fuddruckers-We want you to make the best of your Birthday, so when you and your friends come into Fuddruckers on that special day to celebrate, buy one meal and the other is on us!
All you have to do is register for the Fuddruckers Birthday Club (must provide Fuddruckers with email address to receive) and we'll e-mail you a special coupon for your Birthday. Please provide the following information http://www.metrodetroitfudds.com/birthday_club.asp

Famous Dave’s Barbeque - Fill out our sign-up form to join the P.I.G. (Pretty Important Guest) Club and I'll send you certificates good for FREE GIFTS, offers, news and more. Look for them in your inbox. It's that simple! All family members will receive their own birthday message. For all other communications, the message will be sent to the primary list member. http://www.famousdaves.com/pig-club

Fazoli’s - Free dessert they also send you a $2 off $5 purchase when you register. * They also e-mailed me a $3 of $5 purchase coupon! http://fazolis.fbmta.com/members/UpdateProfile.aspx?Action=Subscribe&InputSource=W

IHop-Sign up for Birthday Club and you will receive an e-coupon three weeks before your birthday! Children 12 and under will get a coupon for a * FREE kid's meal and drink. Members who are 13 and up will receive a coupon for 20% off their guest check, up to $10. These offers are only valid during the birthday month. http://www.yourfavoritepancakes.com/BirthdayClub/tabid/82/Default.aspx

Krispy Kreme donuts- I heard they give you 1/2 doz. donuts, but I will register and let you know what I find out

Melting Pot - Free Chocolate Fondue for two w/ the purchase of Entree for 2 http://www.themeltingpotclubfondue.com/

Noodles & Co. Sign up for Noodlegrams and you'll get the latest news and deals, fresh from the sauté. Before you know it, we'll email you a special offer, a free dish on your birthday and a surprise on your Noodlegram anniversary. * They also e-mailed me a coupon for a free entree with the purchase of another one at lesser or equal value!http://noodle.fbmta.com/members/UpdateProfile.aspx?Action=Subscribe&InputSource=W

Outback - Free Dessert if you tell them it is your birthday

Red Lobster - Join and get:Alerts about special Red Lobster events. Be the first to know about what’s going on at your favorite Red Lobster.Automatic entry in the prize drawing. A dinner for two, a fresh lobster dinner delivered to your door, or a trip to a seaside escape – every member has a chance to win prizes that celebrate a passion for seafood. A birthday gift. We know what you’re getting for your birthday – a surprise from us to help you celebrate.And more. Members are in on all the extras we’re cooking up, so join in the fun! http://www.redlobster.com/club/

Red Robin’s- Free gift for signing up and a free burger on your birthday. there is also a kids under 13 birthday club. * They also e-mailed me a coupon for $3 off my next purchase. http://redrobin.fbmta.com/forms/redrobin/Join.aspx?DOBM=5&DOBD=23&DOBY=1986

Rubio’s Mexican Grill -Join Rubio's Beach Club today with your e-mail address and treat yourself to exclusive offers, tasty specials and one-of-a kind contests and promotions via email. Remember, these unique programs are reserved for Rubio's Beach Club members only. I read that they give you a free meal up to the value of $7.00 on your birthday if you sign up for their web newsletter. * They also e-mailed me a coupon for a free taco. http://www.rubios.com/beachclub/

Ruby Tuesday’s - Just let us know the date and we'll send you the gift of a special offer to mark the occasion. http://www.rubytuesday.com/soconnected.asp

Sonic Drive In - Thanks again for joining the SONIC® Wacky Pack® Kids' Birthday Club. As a member you will receive a FREE Wacky Pack kids' meal on your birthday AND a $1.99 Wacky Pack with the purchase of a combo meal coupon on your 1/2 birthday. Plus, you will always have access to the fun activities on this website.We look forward to celebrating your birthday. See you soon. From your Wacky Friends at SONIC http://wackypack.kidsbirthdayclub.com/special_offer.cfm

Subway- We appreciate you as a customer. One way for us to show our appreciation is to remember you on your day. Tell us when your birthday is and we will make it worth your while. http://feedbackworks.com/club/1432. You can also sign up to send a friend a coupon for buy 1 6 in sub get 1 free and their anniversary club too! http://feedbackworks.com/club/1432

Wendy’s - Join their club for a birthday treat! As I signed up they also had a note that said I will receive a $1 off coupon within a week in my e-mail inbox. *They e-mailed me a coupon for $1 off a deluxe burger. It was a brick coupon so I was able to print 2. http://www.wendys.com/news/signUp.jsp

Wienerschnitzel will give you a free chili dog on your birthday. Do you crave all things wiener? Do you daydream about Chili Dogs, Corn Dogs and Chili Cheeseburgers? Now there's a place to get your fix – the Wienerschnitzel Wiener Lovers' Club. You'll get exciting news and great offers all year long from your favorite Wienerschnitzel location. Just fill out the form below and look for your FREE Original Chili Dog welcome message in a few days. *They also sent me a coupon for a free chili cheese dog with ANY purchase. http://wienerschnitzel.fbmta.com/members/UpdateProfile.aspx?Action=Subscribe&InputSource=W

I am sure this is not all that is out there, so feel free to comment and let me know if you know of anymore! So far there are 24 offers. There are only 30 days this month! Wow, almost everynight of your b-day month you could eat FREE!

Where can I find the Coupons?

I received an interesting question about coupons the other day!

Q: I don't want to get a newspaper subscription, so where else can I get the coupons in the paper?

A: You have a couple options.

• First you could ask your friends and neighbors for their coupons from their Sunday newspapers. I did this for a while myself. I use to take my in-laws, but they caught on fast to what I was doing and started using them. My neighbors caught on as well. Needless to say ALL of us receive multiple papers on Sundays. I also found that a lot of people cut out one or two "high valued" coupons out of the inserts. The $2.50 off any package of electrosol dish washing tablets is ALWAYS missing LOL! I also hated the hassle of having to drive around and collect the coupons everyone had saved for me.
  
• Second, I had absolutely no idea that you could buy coupons online until a girl in one of my classes told me she bought hers from ebay. I asked how much she paid and she quickly responded "$3.00" an insert plus S&H! I about cracked up laughing because the paper down at the gas station is $2.00!!! After she told me about this I started doing some research about it. I kept thinking I am in the wrong business if I can SELL my coupons. I found that it is uncommon for an entire insert to go on sale and it is in no way a money maker. I only found that people will sell their individual coupons they are NOT using. A great example is someone who doesn't have pets, sells their pet coupons, or someone who doesn't have a baby sells the diaper coupons, but don't plan on buying all the coupons from SS 3/15. That's the other problem I saw with this was. How would I know what insert they came from and what was the date? When grocery smarts list told me to use the tree top juice coupon from RP 4/18, I would have to figure out where all the clipped coupons that e-bay sent me needed to go to match the inserts.
  
• The last place I know you can get them is in trading forums, but again, you are not going to be getting entire coupon inserts. Only those coupons that other people won't be using, but again don't plan on being able to trade for the "valuable" coupons every body will use. That totally eliminates you from being able to get those "free items". Just use trading forums to get more of a coupon.

So bottom line here is that you need to breakdown and just get a paper subscription to get those coupons. My subscription a month way out weighs the cost I save on groceries. My husband always says "it like a drop in the bucket compared to what we are saving and getting for our food storage."

I remember when I first started I wanted to avoid that subscription cost so badly (I know I am so cheap) that I knew where people recycled their Sunday papers in my area and I actually got into the recycling dumpster and was "digging" around trying to find inserts! I know, totally insane. You wouldn't believe the looks I received. I tried going in the night, so people wouldn't see me, but one time a man was walking his dog and he was actually frightened when he saw me at first. I made up some sorry excuse like I had accidentally thrown away a check with my paper LOL! At that point I knew I was pathetic. I would dig and dig and never find an entire insert!!! I would go home upset and discouraged. My husband was always so disgusted with me when I got home, he would say "YOU STINK! JUST BUY THE SUBSCRIPTION". LOL. I still remember that and smile.

After I broke down and got my subscription I learned their are some definite positives to being a subscriber. You can put your paper on hold when you go on vacation or if an insert is missing you call the paper and they bring it to you. I hated going to the gas station, buying a paper and getting home and discovering it had been pulled out by someone! Yes, I know its called stealing! Most of us would say that was common sense, but I have noticed people don't realize that people actually WANT their coupons!That was so frustrating! I also discovered that I would have to wake up early to make sure I would even get a paper from the stand. Most times they are gone before 9am. As a subscriber you just go out to your drive-way and pick up your papers! It's the best. And the absolute best part is that by being a subsriber you save A LOT of money by not going down and buying the papers at the stand. Being a subscriber you get a BETTER rate. If you aren't a subsriber and are looking to become one, just give me a call so I can get you a great rate!

I hope this LONG post answered that question.

The Value of Coupons

Load all you groceries onto the conveyor belt! The checker tells you the total and you want to die! I had one girl tell me her total came to $600.00 and she told the checker that if she didn't get it under $200 she was walking away! I would have done the same! Next give them your preferred savings/fresh values shopping card. A LOT of money will come off your total! Then you hand over your "valuable coupons"! Did you know that coupons are actually considered a payment method! Coupons are just like cash and should be treated like that! If you click here on my monthly report card page you can see that coupons have saved ME over $1070 in the last 3 months! I know incredible! Coupon are like a currency all on their own. I LOVE IT! I don't consider my self obsessed or paranoid about coupons I just consider myself a stay at home mom who should be trying to find ways to help my family use money other places. With the amount of money coupons have saved me, it pays for me to be a stay at home mom! The little bit of extra work clipping those coupons before I go shopping saves me TONS! By the way the girl got her total to a little over $200 and the checker asked her, "Did you want to put some stuff back?" The girl chuckled and said, "No! It's fine".

Free Breakfast at Ikea

Saturday-Monday Ikea is offering FREE breakfast for Seize the day! The ad lists some other hot items for sale this weekend and it all says "While supplies last, Quantities limited per household."

Click Here

Did you Know?

Yesterday I was checking out at the grocery store and there was a "newbie" in front of me.

(We have all been there, nervous, trying to make sure things really ring up and the right price and trying to be as nice to the checker as possible.)

She seemed flustered and out of sorts, so I began helping her. Her total came to an amazing price, then she handed over her coupons. I was shocked at how many rules she asked the checker to break and how many "illegal" moves she tried pulling out! As she left and I started checking out, my checker proceeded to tell how awful the last few day had been at the store because people were asking the checkers to do all kinds of CRAZY things.

I couldn't help, but feel like I wish everyone knew how good this really is without having to "cheat" the system.

I want to make sure that all my readers are well educated of the "coupon" rules, so stores will be relieved not afraid when you say your from Grocery Smarts!

I also want people to know that as long as we do follow the rules, we wont run into issues, where stores will quit taking Internet printables, coupons, limiting transactions, or even be afraid of Grocery Smarts gals!

So ..... Did you Know?

• Photo coping coupons is illegal- Stores are paid face value plus .8 cents per coupon. If you photocopy them, they will not be reimbursed for them. That is considered stealing or coupon fraud.
• You can only print 2 IPs (internet printables) per computer or HOUSEHOLD! Most grocery stores are very aware of the 2 per household rule and will limit you to 2. That is for their own protection. They need to make sure that they are reimbursed for them.
• There are more grocery stores than Albertsons? LOL. I know a lot if people have been e-mailing about the lack of items left on the shelves at Albies. Don't panic, you can take your ad and go to Walmart where they will price match the item. Just make sure you have the ad with you!
• If a store is out of an item they will issue you a rain check for the sale price and you can use your coupons with it, as long as they don't expire, next time you go shopping!
• Everything goes on sale AGAIN! No sale is the BEST sale ever. I promise it will go on sale again
• It isn't nice to harass the checkers and ask them to "bend" rules for you, no matter how nice, or how much you flirt with them!
• We need to follow the coupons rules. Don't try and use it after its expired, or double it when it says not to
• If a coupon says only 3 per family, per shopping trip---follow that rule.. You will end up holding up the lines, getting more items that someone else who follows the rules could be getting or even making stores second guess their decision to let people use coupons!
• It is okay to help a "newbie"
• You are still saving a TON of money, even though you didn't get that ONE free item! LOL
• That if we follow the rules and continue to not "abuse" the system" this will keep working and we will be able to keep saving money on groceries!
• It helps to be organized before you get to the check out. Take an extra minuet and make sure your on budget and have things in the order you want them

Most of all HAVE FUN shopping and keep sending me in all your great pictures with your savings and out of pocket costs! Keep up the savings guys! I am so proud of my "She Shops Smart" readers!

Making Meals from Sale Items

Breakfast
Toast and canned fruit
Pop tarts and oranges
Scrambled eggs with ham and cheese
Cereal and smoothies
Yogurt and Bagefuls
Toaster Strudels

Lunch
Tombstone Pizzas with homemade cinnamon bread sticks
Macaroni and Cheese
Peanut butter and jelly and Graham crackers
Hot dogs and chips
Turkey Wraps
Grilled Cheese Sandwiches and chips

Dinner
BBQ Burgers with Grilled Pineapple and chips
Marinated chicken, grilled with corn on the cob and rice a roni
Chili Cheese Hot Dogs with homemade french fries
BBQ chicken, pepper and onion tin foil dinner with salad
Spaghetti, steamed veggies and Garlic bread sticks
Nachos with ground beef, tomatoes, salsa and sour cream
Bertolli Oven Baked Lasagna and corn on the cob

Desserts/ Snacks
S'mores
Ice Cream Drumsticks
Crackers and cheese

More Menu Ideas

BBQ Chicken Cheddar roll-ups
chicken: on sale
BBQ Sauce: Free last week
tortillas: on sale
cheese: on sale last week
pepper: on sale
onion: on hand

Slow Cooked BBQ Ribs
Ribs: on sale
BBQ: Free last week
Side: rice or corn on the cob

Enchilada Casserole

Most of these menu ideas come from *Kraft. A lot of us have been participating in the Kraft Promos and Albie's and a lot of my items are close to expiring and need to be used up!

$1 Old Navy Flip Flops

Old Navy is offering for one day ONLY, May 23rd, $1 flip flops- limit 5 per customer. I was telling my friend and she said that last year there was a LONG line to get them and that last year there was no limit and it was crazy! Make sure to obey the rules! You do NOT need a coupon!

Free Blue Bunny Ice Cream for Memorial Weekend

Click here for the rebate form and details!

Texas Roadhouse Honors Military

Armed Forces Day and Memorial Day at Texas Roadhouse

Texas Roadhouse wants to honor the brave men and women that serve our country.

Join us on Saturday, May 16 from 11:30am-3:00pm and Monday, May 25 from 3:00pm-6:00pm as we salute our soldiers.

Come in wearing your uniform and you'll receive a free meal from our Early Dine Menu!

If you have a family member currently serving our country, bring in a picture of your loved one in uniform and you can also receive a free meal from our Early Dine Menu.

Thanks again for all your brave service!

Walgreens 2 Day Sale

$5 off $25- 2 days only!

Click here for the coupon!

Oscar Meyer Hot Dogs

Here is a word you can't hear enough of during these tough economic times...FREE!

Congratulations! You've arrived! You're just a few clicks away from getting your coupon. See for yourself why Oscar Mayer Jumbo Beef Franks are the hot dog that beat Ball Park® and Hebrew National® in a national taste test.*

click here

****One per household, address, and e-mail address

Free Digorno

Come on May 18th and get a FREE coupon for your FREE DiGiorno Flatbread Melts.

Offer available May 18, 2009 12:00a.m.--11:59p.m. EST. while supplies last

(available to the first 100,000 people to register)

Limit one coupon per household, address, or email address.

P.O. Box addresses will NOT be accepted.

Open to U.S. residents, 18 or older.

Allow 6-8 weeks for delivery.

Click HERE!

Walmart This Week

Ball Park Franks 1lb
Sale: $2.50
Use: $1/2 RP 4/26
Final WYB2: $4.00

Oscar Meyer Hot Dogs
Sale: $1.50
Use: $1/2 SS 5/10
Final WYB2: $2

Daisy Sour Cream
Sale: $1.50
Use: .50/1 SS4/5
Final $1

Pop tarts
Sale:$1.50
Use: $1/2 RP 4/5
Final WYB2: $2.00

Breyers Ice Cream 48 oz
Sale: $2.57
Use: .75/1 Unilever 4/5
Final: $1.82

Dixie 8 5/8 Paper Plates 30 ct
Sale: $2
Use: .50/1 RP 5/10
Final: $1.50

Banana Boat Sport 8 oz SPF 30
Sale: $5
Use: $1/1 SS 5/3
Final $4

Johnson and Johnson All Purpose First Aid Kit
Sale: $9
Use: $1/1 SS 2/8
Final: $8

Coppertone NutraSheild
Sale: 9.81
Use: $1.50/1 SS 5/10
Final: $8.31

Neo-To Go Spray
Sale: $3.97
Use: $1/1 SS 2/8 or 3/15 or RP 4/26
Final: $2.97

Target Deals this Week

OFF insect Repellent

Sale: $4.49

Use: .75/1 SS 4/22

Final: $3.74

Vaseline cocoa butter lotion 10 oz

Sale: $2.69

use: $1/1 Unilever 4/5

Final: $1.69

Item: 18 oz Suave advance therapy lotion

Sale: $2.69

Use: $1/1 RP 3/29

Final: $1.69

Prilosec 42 ct

Sale: 24.99

Use: $3/1 P&G 5/3

Final: $21.99

Herbal Essence 10.17 oz shampoo

Sale: $2.94

Use: $2/2 RP 4/19

Final WYB2: $3.88

Aussie hair spray 10.2 oz

Sale: $2.94

Item: K-Y Your+Mine lubricant

Sale: $14.99

Use: K-Y Yours and Mine, or intrigue product, excludes trial size $5/1 RP 2/1

Final: $9.99

Item: Playtex Gentle Guide

Sale: $7.14

Use: $1/1 SS 3/22

Plus: Buy 2 Get a $5 Target Gift Card

Final WYB2: $12.28 after coupons -$5 g.c= $7.28

Item: Various Glad Products

Sale: $2.39

Use: $1/2 RP 4/5

Final WYB2: $3.78

Item: Febreze Fabric Freshener

Sale: $4.49

Use .50/1 P&G 5/3

Final: $3.99

Item: Bertolli Frozen Food

Sale: $6

Use: $1.25/1 RP 3/15

Plus: Buy 4 get a $5 Target G.C

Final WYB4: $19 after coupons - $5 G.C= $14 for 4 or $3.50 a piece

Huggies Baby Wipes 64 CT

Sale: $1.99

Use: .50/1 SS 3/1 OR .75/1 SS 4/19

Final: $1.49/$1.24

Huggies Little Swimmers

Sale: 9.99

Use: $1/1 SS 4/19

Final: $8.99

Kraft Mayonnaise 18 oz

Sale: $1.99

Use: $1/1 SS 4/20

Final .99

Chinet Paper Plates

Sale: 3.99

Use: $1/1 SS 5/3
Final: 2.99

Coupons in Sunday's Paper

Here are some note worthy coupons in today's paper!

All newspaper received

2 SS, 1 RP, 1 P&G

The Daily Herald in my area received:

$5 off two entrees at Chili's (can be used when buying on the 10 for under $7 menu!) That is an awesome deal! My husband and I could eat for $9!!!! That cheaper than McDonald's for us!

A $5 off $25 colored copy purchase

A Kmart coupon for 20% off a houseware item

Toys R Us Coupons for diapers

In this USA weekend insert there was a coupon for

Viva Paper Towels

And more double coupons to Albies!

Michael's Craft Coupons

Mimi's Cafe coupons that are B1G1 Free Breakfast entrees and B1G1 free lunch or dinner entrees

The Salt Lake Tribune and Deseret Morning News had:

This Parade insert with

A Mall Cop DVD coupon

A coupon for deli sliced lunch meat

And Einstein Bagel coupons