Freebies at Target!

The hubby and I just went to Target and got some nice purchases. Our purchase as a whole wasn't free but we either used 2 coupons per item (1 store, 1 manufacturer), purchased on clearance, or got items for free!

Here were the freebies:
up & up Make Up Remover (travel size)-$0.99-Print a $1 off coupon at Target.com
UP2U Gum x2-$1.29 each-Print off 2-$0.55 coupons from Target.com ad use 2-$1 off manufacturer coupons (These were in the Sunday paper a week or two ago).
20 photo prints-$0.10 each (good through 2/25)-Printed off 2-$1 off of 10 prints coupons from Target.com

So make up remover cloths, 2 packs of gum, and 20 pictures....all-for-free!

Good Deeds Can Be Easy!

When I talk about couponing a lot of people just say it's not their sort of thing, takes too much time or perhaps there's just not coupons for the sorts of things they want. Here are 2 fool-proof acts of service available to a mid-day fuzzy feeling from couponing.

1) Coupon Sneak Attack
I take my coupon binder with me shopping in case there's an amazing un-advertized special that I can sweeten with coupons I hadn't planned to use. Occasionally while in line, I'll see someone that has something that I have a coupon for and I'm not likely to use it before its expiration. I'll approach them randomly and just offer it to them. I think it's a fun surprise for people. Similarly, when I plan to go to a craft store I always print off a couple extra 40% off coupons and give them to random strangers.

2) Good Deed for a Great Deal
My husband and I don't have any kids or pets right now. But when we got baby formula for .49 each (instead of $6+) and dog food (only had to pay some taxes)....we couldn't resist the small fees and donate them to co-workers and the local food bank. Why not?! Also, I've been saving all of my unused expired manufacturer coupons to send to groups that ship them overseas to military familes. Military families that are living overseas can use coupons up to 6 months after expiration! What better to do that with something that would normally go in the trash...why not help someone that's looking out for our freedoms!?

Any tips on how you give service through couponing? Please share in the comments!

DIY Wedding:Reception Programs

My first project I wanted to present from my DIY Wedding was the programs we made for the reception. We printed off a schedule for the evening and our thank you to each of our guests as we were not able to speak with them all. We used clear scrapbooking corner stickers and added a card about families. The cards are good for a free dvd from our church about families being eternal. We wanted to give them as part of our thank you gifts and for take homes to remember our wedding. These could have been a tad more fancy, but they were cute. We closed them up with little heart stickers.

Fantastic Coupon Deals!

The first deal that I wanted to share this week from couponing is my Walmart smashbars deal. I have found some amazing deals at Walmart when they have clearance on the clearance. You'll see signs around the store that say to take an additional 50% off of red (clearance) tagged items. The only catch is you have to make sure and remind the cashiers because they have to manually enter it in, it will not ring up right. My husband and I eat a lot of granola/snack bars and we couldn't pass up this deal. Smashbars usually range around $3.50 each but they were on the clearance rack for $2.18. Not a bad price...but then take another 50% off! To add to it all, I had 3 manufacturer coupons for .75 off of 2 boxes. This makes each one only .72! That's almost 80% savings!



The next deal I want to tell you about is my 93% savings on baby formula! I know baby formula is pricey. My husband and I don't have any kids yet nor are we expecting, but when I spotted these deals, I couldn't pass them up! Safeway is running a deal on these Enfamil for fussiness/gasiness cans. If you buy 3, they are only $5.49 each. We then printed off 3 coupons from coupons.com and mommysavesbig.com each for $5 off 1 Enfamil brand item (no restrictions on sizes, etc). They were .49 each! I don't think you can go wrong there! I gave one to a co-worker and we'll probably just donate the other 2 to the local foodbank unless we can think of anyone else with youngsters that age.

Coupon-a-thon!

This last Thursday the women at church had an activity and part of it was a couponing class. I learned a lot of new things and I decided I'd like to tackle this world of couponing :) Especially being a newlywed and needing to save some $. (By the way-that is my excuse for never posting anymore!!!! My 1st date with my husband was Cinco de Mayo 2011 and we got married 11/11/11 :) I plan to later write about my wonderful DIY wedding. But back to couponing.....

I would say my first 2 stores-Fred Meyers and Walgreens were the most helpful. The cashiers were really helpful as I'm still trying to figure out how to work the coupons to get the best deal. Safeway was good as well. I was extremely disappointed at the Trading Company. They wouldn't accept my printed (completely legitimate) coupons. Because they refused my good coupons, I didn't buy any of the items I had the coupons for (none of them were necessities-just stock up purchases). I bought additional groceries simply out of need and they were already on sale.

I think the real ticket is to get your coupons together then look at the sales locally. If you can add a coupon to an existing sale, you get the best bang for your buck. I got even more coupons back that I plan to use later. Below is a breakdown of the savings. Not 1 item was purchased without being on sale or purchased with a coupon! (Want to learn more for yourself or get a nice handmade deal from me? Scroll to the bottom!)

Fred Meyer
2 Hot Pocket Snackers-in store reduction (I don’t remember the original price)=2.89 each. + 1 coupon for $1 off of 2. = $2.39/each
2-8oz Packages of Kraft Shredded Cheese-already on sale (don’t remember the original price) =2.50 each. + in store coupon for $1 off of 2 + manufacturer coupon for .50 off of 2. =$1.75/each
Spent with tax: $8.28
Saved: $2.50 (plus value of items already on sale-not included on receipt)
Walgreens
Transaction 1
4 boxes of Cheerios=on sale for4/$10 + 2 manufacturer coupons for $1 off of 2 each. Register rewards printed up for $3 (saved for next shopping trip so not including discount here.)
2-5.8oz boxes of Colgate toothpaste=2/$6. Register rewards printed up for $4. Each box also came with $15 worth of good, long-lasting coupons.
Transaction 2
2-4oz boxes of Wheat thins= 1.79 each + $1 off of 2 coupon.
Neutrogena 6oz face wash=4.86 + $1 off coupon.
*used $4 register rewards from transaction 1
Spent with tax: $17.39
Saved: $11.17 (coupons + register rewards + advertised sales)
Safeway
1 Puffed Rice Cereal = 2.15 - .30 with savings card + $1 off manufacturer coupon = .85
1 4oz Robitussin =6.49 -.80 with savings card + $1.00 off manufacturer coupon =4.69
Spent with tax: $6.04
Saved: $3.10 (coupons +savings card sales)
Trading Company
English Muffins= sale for $1.98
2 loaves of bread = sale for 2/$5
Gallon of Milk = sale for $2.77
Boxed candy = sale for $1.67
Tortillas (24 soft taco shell)= sale for $3.98
Total Spent: 15.40
Total Saved: $7.07 (in-store sale only)
Hobby Lobby
Wood Blocks = 1.29 after tax, with 40% off coupon
Total spent: 1.29
Total saved: .80
TOTAL PURCHASES TODAY: $48.40
TOTAL SAVINGS TODAY: $24.64 +

Here's the link to the lovely ladies that taught our class and their website is really impressive. It's specific for the Spokane Washington area, but has great information and links to any location as well. http://extremelywild4savings.com/

And for those interested, specially for this blog and for a thanks to the extremelywild4savings gals, I made a coupon for my Etsy.com shop. If you enter the coupon code "Couponathon" when checking out at my site: JollyJennifer.etsy.com then you will get an extra 35% off! (Most items are already deeply discounted as I am trying to reduce my inventory!)

M&M sale: I'm Moving and Murphy's Law just kicked in.....

So I'm moving by the end of the month. Don't know where...but my lease is up. To add to the stress, Murphy's Law kicked in and my truck went kapootz tonight :( Hopefully my boyfriends dad can put humpty back together again, but walking 5 miles round trip to work it is for me....so........Here's my sale: coupon code mmsale is good for 30% off. Good for ready to ship items or grab bags. (no custom or made to order items) For grab bags, I'm offering unlisted stock at clearance prices-basically make me an offer. I have tons of jewelry, stationary, sidewalk chalk, etc. Just convo me and ask :)

JollyJennifer.etsy.com

Treat Your Mama Right!

Treat Your Mamma Right!
It’s that time of year when we remember the special women in our lives and all they’ve done for us. Here are a couple project ideas that are not only great and unique handmade gifts for Mom, but also friendly for Mother Nature.

Blooming Hands – A Project for the Wee Little Ones

First take a clean, used

yogurt cup and decorate it with paint, stickers, or even decoupage with recycled paper. This will be your flower pot. For your stem, take a twig, popsicle stick, or wooden dowel and glue it inside the yogurt cup. You may want to glue something else in the base like a rock to keep the flower pot from being top-heavy and falling over when finished. Lastly, with the help of an adult or older child, take a pencil and trace your child’s hand onto either stiff cardstock paper or craft foam. Cut out the little hands and glue them to your stem. Each little finger makes a flower petal. Decorate as you’d like with glitter, markers, or other embellishments. As a final touch, fill up the bottom of the flower pot with rocks, shredded paper, or raffia. Enjoy a beautiful bouquet that never dies, and always brings the beautiful memory of their little hands.

Paper Bead Jewelry-Simple and Stunning
Children from ages 8-98 will enjoy this next green project . Take a piece of paper such as an old magazine or junk mail and cut it into strips or long triangles.



Taking a round tool such as a bamboo skewer or pen tube, wrap the strips of paper around, and put a dab of glue at the beginning and end of the strip to secure it. To preserve the beads, making them stronger and water resistant, there are a variety of paper bead sealants sold at craft stores and online that can be brushed on. This is especially important if you are using paper such as newspaper where the ink will rub off. Once all of the beads are rolled, coated, and dried, the beads can be transformed into earrings, bracelets, or necklaces. Simply arrange them on a strand of yarn or ribbon, or make it a little more elevated with jewelry wire and clasps/jewelry findings easily purchased at most craft stores.






The finishing touches: The Card
More important than any gift we give the special women in our lives, is the expression of our love and gratitude. When selecting a Mother’s Day card this year, use one that has been printed on recycled paper. You could also opt to make your own card from recycled paper and embellish with pictures clipped from magazines, old cards, and old calendars. There are even some companies (and DIY tutorials online) that make recycled cards and tags embedded with flower seeds, so you’re giving a 2-for-1 gift. Once Mom is done reading your words, she can plant the pieces of the paper in soil and enjoy your gift for days to come.