Earth Day Conscious Box Giveaway

It's been a few days since I've had the time to post anything really exciting... but I was contacted by Educents (details in a bit on them) to share a giveaway for a Conscious Box!  WooHoo!  Do we love giveaways or what?!  (Of course we do...)

So Educents is a fun new deal site for educational types of things, ranging from homeschool materials, to curriculums for various subject areas, craft kits (what I have ordered from them), and more.  I love that they're offering really great products, and at pretty great prices.  I know I prefer when my kiddos are doing something educational rather than watching another episode of a favorite cartoon...  (Or unfolding a basket of laundry, or spilling a box of baking soda onto the kitchen floor... or locking my keys in my car....  Maybe I'm just projecting here?!?)


I was super excited to offer this giveaway, since I'm always jazzed to offer up good things to others... but in the email I received from Educents was this little happy here:

PLUS, if you aren’t the grand prize winner, you can still get a 3-month subscription to Conscious Box for less than $12/month by heading over to Educents.com. For one week only, Educents will be offering the Conscious Box for 40% off!  In addition, ALL profits from the sale of this box will be donated to The One Fund, which will provide funds to help those families most affected by the tragic events that unfolded during Monday’s Boston Marathon. So enter to win, and then head on over to buy the Conscious Box for yourself or a friend to celebrate earth day and support our fellow Americans in Boston!

is giveaway is sponsored by Educents.com. Conscious Box only ships within the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. They can also ship overseas to APO addresses, as well as US territories.

I've already done a review of Conscious box, and while I was initially less than thrilled, my kiddos seem to genuinely be enjoying the tiny sample sized things, so I may even try them again...  Not this month, but certainly possibly in the future.  They really do pack a ton of samples into a small box! 

I've never used Rafflecopter, so bear with me if it doesn't look as it should...  Enter--Go like the companies, check them out, share with friends...  If we get to 200 entries, I will draw for a second "runner-up" prize!

UPDATE:  Here is the link to go and enter for the giveaway:  http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/76b8be0/

3 Free Brueggers Bagels 4/25

Score!!

Go like Bruegger's Bagels on Facebook and snap up a coupon good for 3 free bagels on 4/25.  As a part of their 30th anniversary festivities and as a fundraiser for Children's Miracle Network (you're encouraged to give a donation in lieu of paying for your bagels), they're offering up this great deal.  I personally LOVE Brueggers bagels, so this is great for me!  (And it's on my way in to work...  Hooray for bagel lunch/dinner on 4/25!)

Enjoy! 

Review and GIveaway (!) NurturMe Baby Foods

Have you ever been out and about, and had your tot's container of baby food explode into your purse?  Yeah, that hasn't happened to me, either... but it COULD have! 

I've known about NurturMe foods for awhile now.  I thought that the world had more than enough infant/toddler food options out there, and would be lying if I said that I initially thought that the NurturMe products would be anything I would find myself saying I liked.  Freeze dried baby food?  Um...  I remember joking that they'd be perfect for little baby astronauts (what with their "freeze dried-ness".  Astronaut ice cream sandwiches anyone??)...

I was lucky enough to receive some great samples of NurturMe products awhile back, and I must say, I was pleasantly surprised.  The apples actually taste like apples (and not like mush--win!), the bananas taste great (although the texture is a little unique), the peas taste like peas (and the wee-est one liked his quite well).  What I love most about them is that they're SO darn portable.  I keep a few packets in every diaper bag just in case, as well as a few in the car.  My kiddos are old enough to not love purees now, but in a pinch, they work just fine.  Since every place I go will (most likely at least) have water/milk/something with which to mix up the purees, it's a win for me.

But my favorite part?  I can sneak fruits and vegetables into other dishes and make them healthy.  Spaghetti Sauce is a great place to hide veggies, in muffin batter or pancake batter is a GREAT place to hide fruits. 

The price on these isn't the absolute lowest price on baby food out there, but it's great, healthy, portable, and convenient, which is worth something--even to this cheapskate. 

Oh, and did I mention that I'm going to do a GIVEAWAY?!?

That's right!  All you have to do to enter to win a variety pack of NurturMe flavors is to jump on over to the NurturMe website have a little look around, and let me know (by leaving a comment) what flavor you would like most and/or how you would use the prize package if you received it. 

The winner will receive an assortment pack of NurturMe flavors, courtesy of One Cheery Cheapskate to enjoy! 

Review: April 2013 Conscious Box

I love getting stuff in the mail, and I love surprises. 

Thus, I kind of love getting boxes of surprises in the mail.   So when I saw a sweet promo a few weeks ago (possibly even before I started blogging... so don't feel too bad that I didn't share it!) that let me get a month's worth of the Conscious Box for about $2 shipped, I just couldn't pass it up. 

I received my Conscious Box the other day (same day I got my two "Be" Boxes from Vitacost) and decided to spread out the excitement and wait a day to open it.  We had a pretty jam-packed weekend, so I didn't have time to post what came inside until just now. 

Due to some technical issues....  I am only able to post a thumbnail of the box contents for now.  I'll try to post the full size picture later, but here's the general idea: 

While it was mostly single use packets, there sure were a lot of them!

As a rule, I tend to think that single use packets aren't really worth much--even if there are a lot of them.   I'd say that most items aren't ones I would have purchased (and to be honest I'm not sure I'd actually purchase most of these things...) so that's something.  There were some definite "hits" and quite a few "misses" for me with this box.

Hits included the GoGo Squeez Applesauce pouch, that the wee-est one gobbled up as soon as he caught a glimpse of it.  My kids LOVE the fruit puree pouches, and this one was no exception. 

Another highlight is the 4 ounce bottle of Ecos all natural laundry detergent.  While this is good for 2 loads, I think it'll be more convenient to pack along on a trip and wash something in the sink if necessary.  Smells like Lemon Grass (which smells great, but tastes terrible...), so that's a fun new scent in detergent for me. 

Also included was a packet of NurturMe Freeze Dried Peas baby food.  We've had NurturMe Stuff in the past and the kids like it.  Works great to mix in with other foods to sneak veggies in for non-veggie eaters (I blame my husband for that...!)  One packet isn't a super great value, but we'll certainly used them, so that's something.

The only other really nice item included was a Lafes all natural lip balm in a cute little tin.  I'd totally think of purchasing these on my own.  I just noticed that Amazon has a FIFTY PACK of these listed for $7.00 as an add-on for orders over $25.  I suspect that this is a pricing error...  But you *may* be able to score a ridiculously awesome deal if you need a TON of lip balm. 

Misses: 

Pretty much everything else...  I got some Spirulina capsules, two CoQ10 enzyme tablets, a glass bottle of something herbal and green (?), a couple individual packets of lotion, a tea bag, and a fish oil gel thing....  I will try to actually put up specifics of these, but in my mind, free samples that I could get from the company anyway (for free) don't make a great subscription box.  I like to think that I'm getting a great deal, and when I get one use of something, I tend to think "Meh" overall.

Since I only paid about $2 for this box, I think it was worth it for the lip gloss and applesauce alone... But I would not probably pay full price for this box again. 

Free Clothing at Sears Outlet **4/15 Only**

Woo Hoo!  This looks like a great freebie (and one that makes me a little sad that I don't live near a Sears Outlet...)

Today only go to a Sears Outlet with coupon (link here) and snag a free clothing item!  You don't often see freebies like this, so hopefully at least someone can pick this up!

I'm not sure where outlets are... But awesome if there's one near you!  :-)

Enjoy~

Tax Day Fries at Arby's

Head over to Arby's today and get a free "Value" sized fries in honor of Tax Day.  Not sure what the connection is with free fries and paying taxes....  but whatever the case,  I enjoyed a free snack of Curly fries on the way in to the office earlier today.  YUMMM.

Enjoy!

Hey local people... Go to the Drive In! :-) $7 for TWO admissions!

Hey there local folks! 

Got a hot tip from Jessica about a sweet deal to the Grandview Drive In Theater.  

For $7 you can get two admissions to the movie!  This weekend, they're showing "The Croods", which while it looks pretty un-awesome to me... has actually received good reviews from my friends who've gone to see it.  PLUS.... Each movie is a double feature!  What?!?  That's like paying $7 for FOUR movie tickets, since EVERY night is a double feature!  I went ahead and jumped on a couple of these--should make a great summer evening!

SO...  Click through this link HERE to get details on the deal!

Enjoy!

THANK YOU Jessica!!

In Today's Mail: Vitacost "Be Well" Box (Review)

I've mentioned that I like getting goodies in the mail.  Today was a red letter day for that--Two surprise boxes in one package!

I've already reviewed my "Be Pretty" box from Vitacost, which means next up is the "Be Well" box. 

Here goes... 

Mmm...  Apple Clusters...

Peeled snacks in Apple Clusters flavor.  0.63 Ounces.  I've heard that these are tasty.  Based on prices on the web, I'm calling this about a $1.50 value.

Minami MorEPA Minis Teen, Strawberry Softgels.  This is a full sized product... I'm just a little confused at the "Teen" formula.  I know that fish oil is healthy and all, but this one just seemed a little strange.  We'll use it, I guess... But seemed random, since there are not currently now nor will there be teenagers in our home for the forseeable future.  Sells for $25/bottle.

Natrol Melatonin 5mg dissolvable tablets.  I have *no* problems sleeping (save for the occasional shrieking toddler)... but I may pass this along and see if the husband may enjoy (is that even the right word?).  Based on online prices, I'm calling this a $0.40 value.

New Chapter WholeMega Flex Joint Fomula Softgels.  This is another full size product, that apparently sells for $36.  I was not aware how spendy the fish oil gels could be.  I'm actually sort of looking forward to taking these (as long as they don't taste terrible).  I descend from a line of folks who've needed joints replaced, so maybe an ounce (or at least 60 softgels worth) of prevention may be worth something?? 

Welesse Vitamin D 1000 IU drink/shot/something... This is liquid.  And it's in a small bottle.  It claims to be berry flavored, but I am a little hesitant.  I'm sure it's healthy, but I have a thing with liquid medicines.  (Too much cough syrup as a child, I think..)  I'm calling the value on this $1.75 based on the prices online. 

Total value for this box....

Approximately $65

I'm pretty "meh" on this one.  I guess it's stuff that we will use, but not stuff that I would normally buy.  I know, I know....  That's why you buy the surprise box....  To try new things... But I'm just not that thrilled with these things.  It's still a great deal at $13.99/box, don't get me wrong, just not sure it's a box I'd try again.  Maybe once more when  I run out of these fish oil gels--just in case.... A girl can only use so many fish oil capsules...Am I right?? 

Do you want to try out a Vitacost "Be" box?  (I recommend the "Be Pretty" one...)  Go here, join, and get a $10 credit on  your first order.  They have other great stuff (at pretty nice prices) besides the boxes, too. 

In Today's Mail: April 2013 Vitacost Be Pretty Box

I love getting packages in the mail, and surprise packages are extra fun for me.

I've ordered from Vitacost before, and have been pleased, so when I saw that they were offering a new monthly box service.  They were offering a nice promo when I placed my order, so I figured I'd try it out.

I ordered two boxes--the "Be Pretty" box and the "Be Well" box.   Details of the "Be Well" box are forthcoming... I was more excited about the "Be Pretty" box, so I will let you know what I received in that first. 

Pardon the toddler-palooza mess in the background...

And now for the contents:

1 two ounce bottle of Coral Actives Moisturizer for Acne Prone Skin.  I believe this is a full size product from what I can find online and retails from $9 to $25.

2 Bottles (3.4 ounces each) of Kiss My Face Peace Soap liquid castile soap in "Pomegranate Acai" scent.  Pretty excited that this is something I will use for sure.  Vitacost sells a 4 pack of this for $11.96, so I'm going to call this a $6 value.

2 Bars of Out of Africa Unscented Shea Butter bar soap, 1.7 ounces each.  While I'm not a huge fan of bar soap in general, I appreciate that it's not going to be an overly scented product to use.  This sells for $4 for a four ounce bar, making this about a $3.50 value.

Reviva Eye Gelee, 1.25 ounces.  While I've never known that I need eye gelee, and have not known my eyes to be dry so much (at least not my eyelids).  This is the full size that they sell online, making it an $11 value.

Deep Steep Chamomile Lavender Moisture Stick.  I'm not exactly clear on what this is... I initially assumed chapstick, but the website says it's for dry skin, so maybe more like a lotion stick?  I am intrigued, at least, so that's something.  This is full size, and sells for $6.

Juice Organics Healthy Beauty "PomPink" Lip Amplifier.  I'm actually pretty excited about this.  I like lip gloss, and have been wanting a new color for summer.  This is full size and sells for $6.

Two packets of Desert Essence Rejuvenating Face Serum and Two packets of Desert Essence Revitalizing Eye Serum.  I don't really think that little packets of stuff are a great value.. but this stuff is pretty pricy.  Based on amount in the packets and the selling prices, together the packets have an assumed value of approximately (!) $14.00.  Yowzers!  This stuff had better be good! 

All together, the items in this box add up to a retail value of...  <drum roll please>

$71.50

Based on retail value alone, I'd say that it's a great deal.  These boxes sell for $13.99 if you're paying full price (which I did not)!  I haven't had time to actually try out these products yet... but the value definitely seems to be there.  Would I pay that much for some of these items?  No flippin' way.  BUT, I am excited to try things that I wouldn't otherwise try, so it's a win in that regard for sure.  My favorite item from this box?  I'm betting on the lip gloss, although the practical liquid soap is a close second for me. 

Want to try out a "Be Pretty" box for yourself?  Click this link to get a $10 off of $30 promo code good on your first order.  I used a $10 code when I placed my order, and got TWO surprise boxes and some of my favorite countertop spray for only $25 shipped.  Woo Hoo!

Annnnnnd...  since I'm not really a "serum" kind of gal...  Here's a giveaway!  My very first one!

Leave a comment and let me know what kind of reviews/tips you'd most like to see, and be entered to win the Desert Essence Serum Packets (approx. retail value $14).  Go join the One Cheery Cheapskate group on Facebook for a second entry, just let me know that you did that.  I will draw for this prize using Rafflecopter on Monday, April 15th.

App Review: Wrapp

I love shopping and I love saving money.  Two things that usually don't quite go together. 

Enter Wrapp. 

Wrapp is a fun app that lets you send gift cards to your friends.   Usually the gift cards are pretty small, (or significantly larger for sites with heftier price tags).    You join through facebook, it imports your contacts, their birthdays, and you're off to the races. 

There are merchants who are always offering free gift cards of some denomination.  Some of the more recent ones I've seen are Office Depot (Free $5), Shutterfly (Free $10), MLB.com (Free $10), Sephora (Free $5) and more.  Even if it doesn't cost anything, it's nice to send a little something to a friend on a birthday (or just because). 

Since I started using this app a few months ago, I've received two $5 Gap cards (that I used to snag TWO $60 dresses on final clearance and some chapstick for less than $1 out of my pocket), a $10 MLB.com gift card that I used to snag a FREE baseball t-shirt (Oakland A's anybody?  I just liked that it was green), and a $5 gift card to Sephora that I used to order a small bottle of my faaaaavorite shower gel (and three pretty great perfume samples) for only $2 out of my pocket.  The free gift cards aren't huge, nor will they probably land you loads of free goodies... but it's totally worthwhile, and fun in my opinion. 

Let me know what good deals you snap up! 

Happy Surprises 4/11

So remember the sweet deal I posted a few days ago that I found for Stage stores?  No?  Mmmmkay.... well, that would be this deal.

I received my packages in the mail yesterday and the day before, and opened them and found them BOTH to include a $5 off of $5 purchase coupon good for in-store use!  WOOT!!  That was a great deal to begin with, but to add on another FREE $10 was a super great surprise! 

"Wow, Mom!  Great work!  Ooh... and presents for me?  Score!!!"

Then, a couple days ago I placed an order to WalMart for some clearanced bundle items (that I would have posted here except for people said that there were problems shortly after I placed my order...  D'oh).  I had ordered some really large fun cardboard things to color for my kids to do this summer.  Well...  I get the order and it says that only the bonus items (the markers or crayons to color said cardboard goodies) were being shipped.  I received two of the four bonus items yesterday (and was only charged for two of them), and decided to just wait and take the items back to my local store... until I checked my email this morning.  Not only did Wal-Mart say they'd refund my money since it was their mix-up, I get to keep the crayons AND they're sending me a $10 gift card for the headache.  I realize this isn't a huge deal--but that is some great customer service in my book, and I appreciate that!  I will pick up another birthday gift for Thing 2's birthday, and be pretty much set.  Yippee!

I'm also expecting a couple of new subscription boxes I tried for a one month shot this month and got great deals on... Hopefully reviews (and maybe promo codes if I can get them lined up??) will be forthcoming by the weekend. 

Freebie Alerts

I get lots of fun things in the mail and sign up for lots of freebie types of things... thought I'd give a rundown of some of my best mail from the past week (or so). 

Today I got a coupon and two packets of Yogi tea.  You can get a sample here, and send a couple samples to a friend.  I selected the Kombucha and the Ginger tea for myself.  I suppose you could just send them both to yourself... but friends enjoy freebies too, right??  I gave one of mine to a friend in the office, but am looking forward to the ginger tea with my dinner.  Comes with a $1 coupon on the back of the little card. 

I didn't get them this week, but did receive a nice box of Proctor and Gamble freebie samples last week, including some Finish dishwashing tabs, some Tide laundry pods, some Prilosec (that I'm not sure we'll use, but maybe?), and some decently sized samples of Pantene shampoo AND conditioner.  I did, however, just sign up for their current freebies (Dental Floss and baby wipes as I recall?) just today.  If you're not a member of the P&G sample site, I highly recommend it.  It's totally free, and they don't spam you with stuff--unless you tell them it's OK.  ;-)  Go here to sign up and get started.  Let me know what you get.

Back to the subject of tea... (Who doesn't enjoy a cup every now and then?)  You can request a couple free samples from Twinings of London here.  Just pick which two sound yummiest, and wait anxiously by the mailbox for them to arrive.  I ordered the fresh and fruity ones, and hope they'll be yummy.

Go get some free goodies.  :-)

*HOT* $40 off $40 purchase at Express

Promo code 2020 gets you $40 off a $40 purchase at Express.  You have to pay shipping... but still a smokin' deal. 

I just placed my order... and my total was less than $40, and it took the ENTIRE AMOUNT off, just had to pay $8 in shipping.

Here's what I got:

Men's Hoodie, Originally $69.90.  On sale for $29.99.  Minus an addition 30%...  $20.99 total.

Cute clutch.  Originally $34.90.  On sale for $14.99.  Minus an additional 30%...  $10.49 total.

Cute black hoop earrings.  Originally $16.90.  On sale for $7.99.  Minus an additional 30%...  $5.59 total.

That's well over $100 (retail) of goodies for $8 shipped!

Oh happy day!!

Now GO!! 

**Update... Various sources are now saying that either the code is invalid, or expired, or for VIP members... I am uncertain of what is actually true--but I will be following up.  I still haven't received an email confirming my order, although I did receive an order number.  I'll follow up a bit later maybe, although reports from these kinds of things in the past suggest that I may be just out of luck.  Let me know what you find out.

***Update 2.0:  Order Cancelled...  D'oh!  Can't say I'm not surprised, but still.  Bummer! 

Review: Footprints and Glitter Photography

Sometimes the universe just lines up and things happen for a reason.  It just so happened that one of my good friends has a sister... and by the grace of social media, I found out that she was starting her own photography business. 

There's nothing that makes a mama's heart go pitter-patter quite like the prospect of adorable "awww" inducing photos of her little ones.  As luck would have it, both of my littles were due to get their yearly "birthday" pictures taken.  And like I said about that whole universe thing, I saw Footprints and Glitter pop up on my news feed the very same week I was trying to figure out where to take them.  A couple quick message exchanges later, and we were set for our appointment.

Getting my two kiddos up and around in a timely fashion is no small feat...  But we put on our game faces and headed north to the big city (Cedar Rapids).  We found our location pretty quickly and easily, and even wound up being a few minutes early (which literally almost never happens.  EVER.).  Sarah's adorable boys served nicely as her welcoming committee, and were chatting us up in no time--talking about mutual acquaintances, toys, you know--the usual. 

After the introductory chit-chat, we dressed the kids up in their snazzy clothes and were off to the races. 

Everything had a very casual feel, and my kids were in heaven immediately.  Sarah said to expect a playdate kind of environment, and she wasn't kidding.  Lots of toys and the vocal stylings of Laurie Berkner in the background made for an ideal kid enviroment.  But she's a preschool teacher... so she knew that. 

She was engaging, and got real smiles out of the Queen with no problem.  Little Man, however, brought his poker face.  Or his serious face.  Or whatever you want to call it--there were no smiles to be found.  After many bribes with toy cars and airplanes, we were on track for a smirk or two.  It wasn't until after he caught sight of a step ladder in the corner that he dusted off the old smiler.  And Sarah, being a great sport, put the ladder in the pictures so that he'd flash his pretty smile.  Not her first choice for props (nor mine, to be honest), but the little one was happy, and that's what we were going for. 

How very much I love this!!!

And this little one?  Could he be any sweeter?!?!?

We even took a few outdoor family photos--since we like to get at least one new one per year...  And while we almost blew away in the wind, she caught a few great ones outdoors, too.

See?  We *do* love each other! 

All in all, a great day.  I would recommend her without hesitation to anyone in the Iowa City/Cedar Rapids area looking for some great photos.  She's offering $10 in print credit if you're referred... so tell her I sent you, and get $10 off of your prints.  :-) 

PLUS, she's offering some pretty special deals now to build up her portfolio, so you never know what sort of sweet deal you may score!!

Free Photos at Walgreens TODAY!

Today only, use promo code PICTURES25 to get 25 4x6 prints FREE from Walgreens!  Have them printed in-store and you don't have to pay shipping... Just pick them up whenever!  (Note, you have to order and have them printed today, but you don't necessarily have to pick them up today.)

I've done tons of photo freebies from Walgreens, and they're always great.  We have family out of state that we try to keep up with and this is a great way to share pics on the cheap.  OR... If you have family out of the area, have them printed to a store local to them to save on photo shipping that way, too!  (We've done both.)

Enjoy!  :-)

Great deal on Tide!

Hop on over to Amazon and snap up a great deal on Tide detergent. 

Go here and get 2 bottles of High Efficiency Tide (32 loads per bottle) for under $10 SHIPPED!!

There's a $1.50 coupon to clip on that page--Clip that!!

Then check out with Subscribe and Save (and cancel as soon as you receive the order) and save an additional % off, dropping the cost down to $4.45/bottle. 

I LOVE how Tide makes my laundry smell... 

High End Shopping for Less: Gilt.com Review

I love pretty things.... and I love to shop.  Thus--I love shopping on gilt.com .

Gilt is one of those websites with gorgeous offerings of high end fancy things.  It's great for holiday shopping, or for that special gift--or that's what I use it for primarily.   I've purchased baby shower gifts, diaper bags, shoes for both kiddos, toys, candles, decorative items, and other fun goodies at a fraction of retail cost. 

Here are a couple cute/fun things I noticed today while perusing the offerings... 

This cute blanket can be found here and retails for $85... Gilt's price is $24.  Would make a great "special" unique baby gift when you don't want your present to be just like everyone else's. 

Or for a practical gift that's from a great brand...  Try this bouncer out.  My kids loved these, and this one is especially pleasing to grown ups since it isn't printed with garish cartoon characters...  Or maybe I'm the only parent now wowed by that kind of thing...? 

At any rate, they have some fab stuff.  You'll need a referral to join, unless you want to be on the waitlist... so click here for my referral link, and consider yourself invited!  :-)

Enjoy!

Free Samurai Surf and Turf at Panda Express 4/17

I love Asian food... and I love Freebies.  Thus, I love this freebie, and am marking my calendar! 

Go here to pick up a coupon for a free serving of Panda Express's Samurai Surf and Turf!

Enjoy!!

A Few Tips for Birthday Shopping on the CHEAP!

My kids have birthdays within a week of each other, and I don't like to have the expense of buying 2 kids worth of birthday presents PLUS have the expense of a *great* party all at the same time, so I try to spread out my shopping over the year. 

Here are some of the deals I've found so far this year!

For the Queen Bee...

Barbie Squinkie 3 in 1 Playset... Regular price $45, Got on a clearance deal from Wal-Mart for $15 (with Free Site-to-Store Shipping).  Got this back in the first part of February. 

This cute Magna Pearls and Jewels 12" bike.... Found this over on Nobettterdeal.com for $15.99 way WAY back in August 2012, but just kept it for summer.  I just checked and found this same bike selling for $128 over at Sears now.  Seems like a pretty sweet deal to me! 

My girl loves tiny little toys that "do stuff".  These spring open with magnets, and are really small and portable to take on car rides and the like.  We'd received a couple bigger ones in happy meals that she loved, and these were right up her alley.  I picked up FOUR double packages at Walgreens right after Christmas for $2 per DOUBLE pack.  That's $1 per package...  These sell from $6.50 to $10 for ONE pack.  I ended up with a couple doubles, but these will make great gifts for the gift closet, too.

Moral of the story...  Buy big ticket items if and when they're marked down!     Bikes for example will be marked way down at the end of summer, and you're likely to find some great deals after the holidays.  I normally spend around $50 on birthday gifts.  By paying close attention to sales, and being flexible about when I purchase gifts (and then storing them for a few months...) I've been able to get over $200 of stuff for less than $50.  I like spreading the expense around anyway, and then to grab great deals is even better. 

Free Arby's Shakes this week!

Go check out Arby's for this sweet deal...

Buy any sandwich (not value menu sandwiches) and get a free 16 ounce shake.  Print the coupon or show it on your phone.  I picked up my delicious Jamocha shake on my way into work today.... YUM!

DELICOUS!  This deal is good thru 4/9, I think, so go treat yourself!

Save $10 off of $25 at Stage Stores

If you go to Stage Stores' website, you can find some great deals on clearance stuff that's already pretty heavily marked down.  ***Use code 4110***

I did a little bit of shopping for my kiddo's birthday and scored the following

This was $12.99 (60% off of their retail), and is selling for $30 on Amazon.com, so not a bad deal there.  Also got this one:

This was also $12.99 (60% off of their retail, but currently selling for $14 on Amazon--so not as awesome of a deal, but still not too bad.)

I also snapped him up a cute Carter's top for $7 (with a truck on it.... naturrally).  SO...  Total before coupons was $31.  Using the coupon code plus tax and shipping, my grand total was $25.xx.  Not a bad deal for a few birthday giftable items.  PLUS... I figure I save $$ by not having to get out and actually run to the stores on last minute shopping missions.  :-)

They have LOTS of great stuff now, so check it out.