The UPS and FedEx men made my day yesterday and it was like Christmas with all the goodies they delivered.

First I got this great box of goodies from MomSelect and Children’s Claritin.  I’m part of the Mom Crew for Children’s Claritin and I was so happy to get this box as my son just recently started suffering from seasonal allergies.

Then I received this Full Size sample of Triple Action from the Purex Insiders group.  I love how they package things so even if it leaks it won’t make a huge mess.

And i finally got the Science Diet dog food from my latest BzzAgent campaign.  The pup was very excited to try it and I’m happy to report that the first ingredient is Chicken just plain chicken no meal or byproducts!!

The last box and the heaviest brought my Hershey’s Cookie Exchange party goodies.  They sent 3 bags of kisses, 3 Betty Crocker cookies pouches, an apron, a container of cocoa powde, recipes and boxes for my guests to take their goodies home in. 

I’ll be reporting back on each of these fantastic goodies in the next week or two and letting you know how everything went with each of them.  Now why couldn’t every mail day be like this??  Oh I know because I’d be up to my ears in boxes and work LOL

All of the items pictured were received free of charge in exchange for my honest opinions, no monetary compensation was given by any of the groups mentioned.

Make sure you keep an eye on Amazon this week as the deals just keep going!!

We have this machine and really like it!!! And at only $59.99 it's a great deal but act fast it won't last

Make sure you check Amazon because at Noon they will have an Xbox deal live similar to Walmarts!!!!

Amazon

I appreciate you clicking my links for doing your Amazon shopping.

If anyone on your list is receiving or already has the Spyro Skylander Video game Amazon is matching Kmart's Thanksgiving Ad with 2 for $10

Skylander's 2 for $10

These normally run $7.99 and don't seem to be on sale too often. The selection isn't big but if you order now you can get 2 more gifts for under the tree!!

For a limited time this table is only $59.99!  When you place the table into your cart the $40 will come off automatically.  I'm always getting asked about my lego table and this is a pretty good deal for one.

Remember these are very limited so act fast!!!

This little guy would be great for the person that has everything on your shopping list. It's on lightning deal for $12.99

Moxie Doll for only $14.99

Act fast most of these items I'll be posting are for a limited time only!!  Lightning Deal price on this is only $18.99  But act fast!!!!

maybe it's on the list of someone in your life too and $19.97 isn't an all bad price.  I don't believe I've seen this in the ads for this weekend yet.

It’s time for Amazon to knock our socks off with some fantastic deals.  Technically their sales don’t start until Monday but it’s time to get ready.

I have an Amazon link that I would love for you guys to shop through for all your holiday shopping.  Make sure you check back often this week because I’ll be posting some of the best deals.  If you haven’t already sign up for Amazon Mom you can do that now and receive free shipping on most of your orders.

And for the first deal to start off the week

You can pick up Toy Story Mania!Toy Story Mania for Wii for only $9.99 right now.  This game is a lot of fun especially if you’ve enjoyed the ride over at Hollywood Studios.

We’ve had a very busy weekend.  My son’s birthday was on Saturday, we had a party for him on Sunday and on Monday a big special surprise.  But it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg to have a great celebration here’s what we did to save.

• I started buying gifts right after Christmas.  We managed to pick up legos at 50% off and through the year I’ve picked up all the gifts for his birthday and Christmas at 50-75% off.
• We went to a Character Breakfast which we do every year and is a bit of a budget buster.  But to help we made the reservation for 10:30 and since it was a buffet we managed to eat enough to not have to get lunch later in the day.
• For his party I’ve been shopping sales and Sav-A-Lot to make sure we had food and drinks.  Hot dogs, chips and hug jugs make for very happy kids and are really easy on the budget.
• I made cupcakes instead of a cake because they are easier for kids to eat.  They are also really cheap and with printed decorations I found online they looked really good and cost nearly nothing.
• I picked up fabric from the remnants bin at Joann’s and sewed the goody bags and filled them with clearance finds, homemade crayons, copied coloring pages, and a few things from Oriental Trading Company (not a bad place to find lots of great goodies)
• And for his big surprise we went to the brand new Lego Land.  With careful planning and quick action when I got the lego catalog we were able to go for $55.  Lego offered free admission to their VIP members so we signed up so that hubby and I got in free, my mother in law signed up so she could also get in free and then we paid for Shawn’s ticket and received $10 off it.
• We had a fantastic time at the park and did purchase lunch while we were there we could have packed a lunch but I was so exhausted from the rest of the weekend festivities that I didn’t.  We were surprised to find that the food costs in the park were very reasonable.

So there you go.  We spent less then $50 on probably $150 in presents and that cost was spread out over the year, we spent less then $25 on goody bags, decorations and food for his birthday party and had a fantastic time.  With lots of careful planning we were able to have a fantastic weekend without spending a small fortune.  Plus since I’ve been buying presents all year we have plenty of gifts for Christmas and won’t have to be spending much with the exception of a few gifts he may ask for I am done with his presents for the year.  You have no idea how great it feels not to have to rush around in holiday craziness at the stores to pick up presents.

Click here to see all the great deals and coupons available this week to get you ready for Halloween!!!

When you are trying to trim your budget it really is the small stuff that you need to look at.  Those sodas or coffees at the gas station really add up but there is more you can do than just cutting out your morning caffeine fix.  Here are a few things we’ve been doing to save.

• The weather has been cool so I’ve been keeping the A/C off and just running fans.  I read somewhere you could use lots of fans for a lot less than the cost of A/C unfortunately the humidity got the best of me last night and I had to turn on the A/C.
• We’ve been keeping the lights off when possible. 
• I grouped all my shopping trips together and went to Sav-A-Lot, Aldis, Micheals, and Kohls.  I’ve been finding that shopping at Aldi’s and Sav-A-Lot are really helping fill in the holes from the grocery sales.  Now to convince my Walmart to pricematch Sav-A-Lot so I can pick up a few things closer to home.
• We managed to cut out all trips to grab a quick snack or a drink by making sure we planned out trips and packed accordingly.
• I picked up tickets to two free events the apartment complex is hosting.  One for Shawn to paint a pumpkin which will save me the cost of at least one pumpkin this year and the other for an Adult Halloween party.  My mother in law will be here then so Dave and I can go out and have free drinks and snacks.
• I made invitations for Shawn’s birthday party using cardstock I got free at Staples.  They cost me almost nothing and came out much better than the store bought ones.
• For entertainment we’ve been using video games and watching TV since we pay for overpriced cable we might as well use it.
• I’m also working on some homemade Christmas gifts that will save us money over buying gifts.

In addition to saving on the small stuff I’ve been working hard on my crafts to prepare for lots of shows/markets this fall.  I have a call in to someone about getting into another couple of markets.  I’ve sold some of my items from my Etsy store and my website at www.TiffanyMitchellDesigns.com   If you get a moment I would love for you to check out my items and let me know what you think.  I also have some new items posted on Facebook and I believe the prices are very good for handmade work.  If you are looking to try and make some extra money figure out what you are good at and run with it.  From babysitting, to handyman work, painting, crafting, alterations there are lots of options out there. 

of my local readers or anyone visiting Disney before October 21st.  My son’s PE department is doing a fundraiser partnered with the Little Miss Matched Store at Downtown Disney.  They have entered a design and the more votes they get the more money they’ll earn.  The PE department is in dire need of funds they are really trying to get a gym built for when the weather is bad.

All you have to do is head to the Little Miss Match store and tell the cashier you’d like to vote for Four Corners Charter School they will give you a sticker for each member of your group and all you have to do is stick it on Four Corners sheet.  There is absolutely no purchase needed so if you happen to be at Downtown Disney please head in and vote for Four Corners Charter School!!!

Here are a few things we’ve been doing to save money.

• We’ve been blessed with cooler weather so the A/C has been off since Saturday afternoon.  We have a few fans running but this should really help save on the electric bill.
• A very good friend moved this weekend two weeks earlier then scheduled so we inherited a bunch of groceries.  With the addition of her stuff we have a very full freezer and fridge so we are eating from the stockpile to free up some space.
• We had a yard sale this weekend with my friend.  I sold some stockpile type stuff and made a good chunk of money.  I could have made more if I had been in the stockpiling game this summer so I’m going to work at building a big beautiful stock for the next sale.  We used all the money earned to pay down some bills.
• I’ve been driving as little as possible.  Dave has to go to work so we can’t shave much of his bill but I can stop going out as much.  I’ve been making only planned trips and maximizing my mileage by stopping at all the stores along the way.
• Today I did two loads of laundry and used sample size detergents that I got for free.  I’ve noticed my sample boxes (old wipe containers) have been getting full so I’m on a quest to use them up.
• I called and argued with the cable company today.  One of their techs came out on Friday and messed up the wiring that gave us spotty TV and no internet all weekend, they came yesterday and fixed it but I still felt we were owed something.  They are giving me a credit and “rebundling” my package to lower our bill.  Don’t be afraid to call and ask the worst they can say is no.
• I worked on making some crayons today for my own trick or treaters and to get a head start on a few orders I’m hoping to get.  I posted about my Halloween special yesterday and I’m hoping that it makes me some money!!

So how have you been saving?  I plan on heading out to the grocery stores on Thursday so I will be clipping coupons and matching sales tonight and tomorrow to be prepared.  I’d love to hear what you are doing this week!!

at TiffanyMitchellDesigns!!  For a limited time you can order larger quantities of my handpoured crayons at a great discount.  These crayons are great to hand out to your trick or treaters, goodie bag fillers for birthdays, or little Christmas goodies for the kids in your life (or your childs class)

You can purchase 56 Lego Brick, Witch Fingers or Mickey Head crayons or 70 Lego Figure or Star crayons for only $10.  Your crayons will come in packages of 2 with a label identifying them as crayons (so no one accidentally tries to bite one) ready for you to hand out to all the cute ghosts and goblins on Halloween.  Shipping on these is going to be $3

For the Star Wars fans 

You can pick up 24 of these adorable R2-D2 crayons for only $5!!!  They will be packaged the same and come in more colors than the photo shows.

No color requests can be made on this special order.

The winner of the General Mills Star Wars giveaway is…

Congrats Aubrey you have 24 hours to contact me at bellemitchell702 @ gmail dot com with your full name and shipping address so we can get your prize pack in the mail to you!!

As I’m sure you all know by now Star Wars The Complete Saga was released on Blu-Ray a few weeks ago.  This is the first time ever that the full Saga is available in one complete collection, 9 discs featuring all the movies and tons of special features.  If you’ve followed my blog for any length of time you already know that my boys love love love Star Wars.  My husband could hardly wait for the bus to come the morning it was released.  They have been watching it piece by piece and all out of order may I add since.  It is so great to have something we grew up with that we can share with Shawn.

Well Walmart and General Mills have teamed up to provide you with a limited edition good vs evil scene on the back of 3 cereals.  On the back of specially marked boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Lucky Charms you will find pieces to a panoramic poster showcasing your favorite Star Wars characters like Vader, Han, Yoda, R2-D2 and many more.  These are only available at Walmart!!

   How cute is this?  My son is going to want to keep them forever LOL  For more information on the whole grain benefits of these great cereals go here and for more info on Star Wars head here.

So what about the giveaway you ask.  Here’s what you can get, you’ll receive one of each of the boxes in the photo with the limited edition good vs evil poster on the back AND a $25 gift card to Walmart!!

Here’s how to enter (be sure you leave individual comments on this post for each entry):

1. Leave a comment telling me your favorite Star Wars moment and make sure you are a follower!!!
2. Head over to Facebook and “like” Living On A Budget
3. While you are there “like” Tiffany Mitchell Designs (this is my craft store)
4. Share this giveaway on Facebook, your blog or Twitter and leave me a link
5. Follow Living On A Budget on Twitter
6. Like Walmart on Facebook

There you go 6 easy ways to enter to win $25 and 3 boxes of cereal!!!  You have until 9pm on Monday 10/3 to enter.

This prize pack and giveaway were generously provided to me by General Mills through MyBlogSpark.  All opinions are my own and are never swayed by anything.

Have you heard of Endorse?  It’s a Facebook app that allows you to endorse products/stores that you currently shop at.  It’s very new and I have no first hand experience with it but I am very excited about the possibilities!  It appears you can get 10% or more depending on your followers.  The example they use is Lipton Green Tea say you buy it and 5 of your followers also love it and have purchased it everyone gets .82 (based on a price of $8.29) and since you are the first endorser you get an additional $8.29.  Now you know why I’m excited so if this sounds like something for you I ask that you click my links below to my favorite endorsements and share your favorites with me.

You can endorse Walmart, Starbucks, Target, Walgreens, CVS, Cheerios and many many more.  All you do is like your favorite brands, share with your friends and shop as usual.  Then drop your receipts into a prepaid mailer mail it in and start racking up the cash.  The more followers you have the more money you will make in bonuses.

So sign up and let’s all team up to help each other make some money!!!  If you’ve used this service please share your experiences with us.  You can get info about them here.

I purchased this laminator the last time it was on sale and I love it.  You can buy refills for it on Amazon or at Walmart, Joann's and Micheals which makes it so easy!!  If you craft or have kids you can't beat this price!

Let’s make your trips to the mailbox more exciting!!  Sign up for these freebies and start looking forward to getting your mail.

Eucerin Sample (facebook offer)

Fiber Choice Sample

Step Dri Sample

Beech Nut Toddler Kit

Natural Kibbles Doggie Snacks

Dove Leave In Conditioner Sample

Poise Pad Sample

Free Holiday Recipe Booklet from Land O lakes

Plus tomorrow (Saturday) there is a free Build and Grow event at Lowes from 10-11.

And to make for some cheap entertainment this weekend if it looks like rain alllllll weekend free Blockbuster rentals

• FERRELL- Free Will Ferrell movie exp 9/28
• ROCKNROLL – Free Rental exp 10/9
• These are all good thru 9/23
• 87PGAR9
• 62KRVF3
• 65RMAQ7
• 56AGSF4
• 43MMKC5
• 85JMMF7
• 23CHAH3
• 64HLG5P

Enjoy your Freebies!!!

I’d like to Welcome all the new readers and followers that found me due to the Monkey Quest giveaway!  I hope I can keep your interests with my posts about savings in every aspect of life.  I really believe that you can save tons of money by doing the little things and that’s what I talk about.

So stick around and be prepared in the coming weeks I’ll have a freebie round up, a few what I’m doing to keep my pennies posts, grocery shopping trips, and another fantastic giveaway!!!

According to Random.org the winner of the the Monkey Quest giveaway is:

#20

mrsblack said...

Follow you on FB

September 14, 2011 12:59 PM

Congrats MrsBlack you have 24 hours to contact me with your name and address so we can get your prize pack out to you!!

If you are like me you have a young child at home chomping at the bit to use the computer and play games online.  They play educational games at school and want to use the computer at home too.  Shawn is always asking if he can play and we were given an opportunity to try out Monkey Quest.  What is Monkey Quest you ask?
Monkey Quest takes place in the land known as Ook. Long ago, a Monkey King and 5 of his brave companions traveled Ook in search of knowledge and adventures. Things were great until the evil Shadow Demon Ka came about with his army of monsters. Ka was out to destroy all that was good in Ook. The Monkey King and his pals battled Ka for years. In an epic final battle, the Monkey King summoned all of his powers and shattered Ka’s black core into a million shadowy shards. Ka was gone, but so was the Monkey King. Generations have since passed and now Shadows from Ka’s army are starting to seep back into the darkest reaches of the jungle.
I thought it might be too much for Shawn but within minutes he was playing with very little help from me.  You start out with a Free Play game that is a bit limited like most online games and by purchasing a game card you can unlock extra features.  Shawn played for a few weeks before I loaded the game card we received into his account and he had a great time without the extras, but he’s really enjoying the extras now.  If your child is much younger than 6 they will probably need a little help plus there is some reading so be aware of that and to ease your concerns about your child being online Nickelodeon offers parental controls that you can set up for your child.  I can tell you that Shawn’s favorite part was setting up his monkey with a yellow body and a mohawk.
So go on over to Monkey Quest and sign up today and see what you think.  Plus you get to win a prize pack right here!!  Your prize pack includes a Monkey Quest tote bag, t-shirt and hat along with an insider’s guide to best navigate the land of Ook! 
  
Here’s what you have to do (giveaway ends 9/17):

• You must leave a comment on this post to have an entry!!!!!!!

• Follow me on Facebook and leave a comment on the post to let me know
• Follow me on Twitter and let me know on this post
• Subscribe to us through Blogger and let me know
• Share the giveaway on either facebook or twitter and leave me a link to get another entry
• You can also Like Tiffany Mitchell Designs on FB for one last extra entry

As long as we are still getting mail I’d like to see things other than my bills and I’m sure you would too.  Let’s try some of these freebies and see if it makes getting the mail as exciting as it was when you were little and those bills where someone else’s problem LOL.

Twinings Teas- Head here and scroll down and select your 3 teas to sample

Icy Hot Naturals- Click here 

Prilosec OTC Sample

Christie Brinkley Skin Care Samples

Joe Coffee Sample

Infusium Sample (facebook promo)

Ojon Hair Serum Sample  (facebook promo)

Playtex Gentle Glide Sample

Poise Hourglass Sample

Eucerin Sample (facebook promo)

Rachel Ray Just 6 Sample

Ob Sample Pack

Invisible Glass Cleaner Sample

Natural Nibbles Sample

Yesterday Shawn and I headed up to Sav-A-Lot.  I’m new to shopping at this store but they have some unbeatable prices on things I don’t have coupons for.  I spent just about $20 there and since my receipt has magically disappeared I can’t be too exact.  I did get:

• Gallon of Milk  ~$2.29
• Loaf of Sandwich Bread .99
• Bag of store brand Tater tots  (my son loves these)
• 5lbs of ground beef $1.99 per pound
• 2 large sweet onions ~$2
• Tortilla Chips ~$1.20
• over 2 pounds of grapes .99/lb
• Hamburger Helper .99

While I was up that way I stopped at Staples and picked up 2 reams of paper, 2 boxes of pencil top erasers, and a package of pens.  All of these are .01 after rebates and I used my 15% off coupon that I got in the mail free which I believe will make it a little money maker for me!  I also stopped into Michaels and picked up a few things to make earrings for an upcoming craft fair.

Today I headed to Target.  This is what I got for $17.xx, most of these items are for us but I am trying to overstock my stockpile for an upcoming yardsale.  This has always proved to be a good source of extra holiday spending money and is one way I contribute financially to the household.

• 2 7th Generation Cleaning Products $2.99 each -$1 TQ and $1 MQ from 7/31RP
• 4 Trial Size Cascades .97 each -$1 MQ from the 8/28 P&G (these were with the rest of the detergents not with the trial stuff at my store)
• 1Mossimo Tank Top $5.60  -$5 TQ
• 1 Mossimo Swim Trunks for DS  $2.48  -$5 TQ (no overage it adjusted down)
• 1 Nabisco Snack Pack  $1.04 this is for later since we will be running as soon as DS gets home and this is cheaper than buying him a snack at Disney
• Pepperoni $2.39 no coupon
• 2 Market Pantry Pastas $1 each
• 3 Market Pantry Sauces $1 each  I used 2 $1/2 TQ that were good on the sauce and pasta the one other sauce was too small for the coupon but I wanted the Alfredo and it was a decent price
• 4 Pillsbury biscuits/pizza crust  $1.27 each  1 of them rang up free and I used 2 $1/2 MQ found online
• 2 Single Serve Simply Lemonade .73  -$1 IPQ
• 2 Nivea Bodywash  $3.99 each -$1 TQ and $2 mq from 7/31RP
• 2 Bic Disposable Razors $4.49 each  -$2 TQ and $2 mq from 7/31SS
• 2 Purina Cat Treats .99  -$1TQ and $1/2 mq from 6/26SS
• 2 Star Wars Notebooks on clearance for $1.25 each
• 2 Revlon Nailclippers $2.89 each  -$5 TQ from the inserts and $1mq in the 7/31 insert (I think)
• 3 Delimex Roll things $4.89  One of them was free and I used $2 mq that were stuck to the front.  There is also a $2 TQ (good on the taquitos) and $1mq for liking them on facebook.

Also in other exciting news my crafting website is open for business at TiffanyMitchellDesigns.com.  Please don’t mind the dust (lol) I am still working on it and am new to this stuff.  I will soon be adding some holiday items under that heading but it’s currently empty.  Check it often as things will be added regularly!!  I’ll be back later or tomorrow with another post about savings!!

Lately I’ve been thinking about the costs of things in life.  The cost of my groceries, electric, driving, blogging or lately the lack of blogging these all have been running through my head.  See we live awfully close to paycheck to paycheck and everything has gone up lately with the huge exception of the paycheck.  So how do I fix my cost problems?

1. I’ve decided this craptastic economy isn’t one to start living off my stockpile in.  I plan on making sure we have plenty of food and keep everything rotated but I do need to stock up at the best prices and will keep up with it.
2. My electric bill well we are making an effort to keep things off as much as possible.  If Mother Nature would just cooperate and stop giving us the warmest start to fall I could turn off the A/C.
3. We have cut way back on driving lately and will continue to plan our trips out so that we make the best use of gas.
4. This blog.  I love you guys and love sharing my shopping trips, when I’m overwhelmed I neglect the blog and then I neglect the sales which hits me square in the wallet.  So no more, I’m making the commitment to blog once a week at least about what we’ve done to save money.  This will keep me more accountable and hopefully keep money in my wallet.

In addition to dealing with these costs I’ve been working with a dear friend to set up an online store to sell my crafts and handmade goods.  I will be offering discounts to readers every once in awhile and offer custom work all the time.  I would love if you would like my store on facebook Tiffany Mitchell Designs and share it with your friends and family.  I will post the web address once we get the store up and running so you can check it out. 

So how are you handling the costs of everything?  I’d love to hear your ideas and tricks!

Print out the new $2 Expo Marker coupon for some freebies at Walgreens.  You can go this week and pick up 2 2pks of markers this week for free  or you can wait until next week and 2 6pks for free!!

This week the 2pks are on sale for .99 and next week the 6pks will be on sale for $3.99 so you can use this coupon and the $3 coupon for the August coupon booklet and get them for free.

This couldn’t come at a better time because I just realized I hadn’t gotten dry erase markers for Shawn’s supply list. 

I do receive a small monetary referral for every coupon you print through my link to coupons.com.  I appreciate you clicking my links when printing your coupons  :)

I had a great trip to Publix today.  We didn’t really need for much but I wanted to get a jump on snacks and juice since we seem to go through so much lately.  Unfortunately I’m not completely sticking to my .50 rule but I still think I am doing great.  I ventured out to Sav A Lot the other day and was able to buy the bulk of my grocery list for $25 which included 3lb of pork and 3lb of hamburger.  So anyways back to today:

• 2 boxes of Aunt Jemima Pancakes on BOGO for $2.69  used a $1 off coupon from the Facebook promo
• 4 jars Peanut Butter on BOGO for $2.95 used 4 $1 mq from 7/31 SS and 2 .75 TQ from today’s paper
• 2 Bottles of Vitamin D $2.99 each  used a $6/2 PQ and 2 $1 mq from today’s paper for a profit!!
• 2 Children’s Advil $5.99 each  used $5./2 PQ and $5/2 printed coupon from the Advil site
• 4 bottles of Blueberry Ocean Spray on BOGO for $3.99  used 4 .55 mq’s from 5/15 RP
• 1 Pantene Shampoo  FREE with coupon from Facebook awhile ago
• 1 Herbal Essence Shampoo  FREE with coupon from Facebook awhile ago
• 4 boxes of Nabisco snack packs on BOGO for $5.99 used a B3G1 Free TQ
• 1 Sunny D $3.99  with no coupon I forgot I needed it

I used a $10 off $50 Sweetbay coupon and paid $9.16 for everything and according to my receipt I saved $85!!  I also picked up a raincheck for 10pks of Crayola crayons at .33 each they are a bit cheaper at a Walmart about 15 miles up the road (unless they changed the price) but at my store they are currently .40  I use these for my crafts and Shawn uses tons of crayons so I was glad to get a raincheck for at least a few.

My analysis:  If you break it down to item price I only spent .43 per item so I did actually come in below my limit.  The snack packs are great for Shawn’s lunch box once school starts they aren’t needed but are nice to have.  The pancakes will give us some easy meals as we make the transition from summer to getting up at 6:30.  Because we have funtainers for his lunchbox I can buy bottled juice at a much lower unit price then juiceboxes so I am getting a jump start.  The advil is one of the few meds we use and well we go through peanut butter like water (I’m disappointed I didn’t have more coupons).

So how did you do at the grocery this week??  I’d love hear how you did.

or Sampling Event?  There are many different party/sample sites out there and you should be signing up for them.  A few I can think of are HouseParty, MomsMeet, and Psst (MyGettogether).

To receive the party pack or the sampling pack you need to fill out an application and get picked out of tons of other people that also applied.  MomsMeet recently posted an article to help make sure you get selected check it out here.

You have to be willing to provide your opinion of the products and sometimes pictures, blog posts, video, or facebook posts on it.  In return you usually get free products, coupons to share with friends, and usually a few other special goodies just for you.  For example I just was notified that I will be hosting a sampling event for GreenMomsMeet, I will be sharing some Kashi TLC Peanutty Dark Chocolate bars with some mom friends at our next big playdate.  For this event I will receive enough bars for everyone coming and Kashi Cinnamon Harvest Cereal, Kashi TLC Strawberry Cereal Bars, and a Kashi reuseable bag for me in return I will be providing them with the groups feedback, some photos of friends (who are ok with me sharing their photo) trying the bars and a blog post with my opinions (this isn’t required).

So what are you waiting for sign up for a few of these companies and check out the article on how to get the best chances for being accepted.  Another piece of advice don’t apply for every party just because you can I did that at first and ended up with a few events that I wasn’t really excited about and possibly missed out on getting ones that I really wanted.

If you can think of any other sampling/party sites please share!!  I’m sure I am forgetting some since I’m running on just a few hours of sleep today.

It’s that time of month again it’s time to print out those great coupons before they are gone.  Head over to Coupons.com and print out any coupons you may want to use as they will be either resetting or disappearing at the end of the month!  There’s lots of good coupons out there so print now.

I do receive a few cents from every coupon you print and I thank you for printing through my link!  It helps me save for our goals!

It's never to early to think about birthdays and the holidays!! Check out this great deal at Amazon today!!! Buy 1 Get 1 40% off

Today I headed up to Staples and Target for some back to school deals.

Target has construction paper on sale for $1 per package.  This is a fantastic deal and is great to buy a couple extras for gifts.  They also had tape on sale for .50 and I picked up 2 packages of pens for .02 each after the TQ.  Shawn’s school requires glue sticks and this week the 6pks are on sale for .80 each so I picked up 2 of those and 2 sets of watercolor paints for $1 each.  The paints will be added to the gift stock.

Staples has a bunch of great sales right now including free after rebate highlighters and reams of copy paper for $1 after rebate.  Their rebates are super simple to do online and they come pretty quickly so I picked up my limits on those as well as 2 pencil boxes for .50 each, 2 small clipboards for .50 each (for crafting), as well as a few other items on the .50 list.  I also price matched Crayola crayons to Office Depot’s ad and picked up 5 for .25 each.  That will save me driving out of my way to go to Office Depot this week however if I find myself out by office depot I will stop in and pick up more crayons (and maybe a couple extra ads for price matching).  It’s my firm belief that you can never have too many crayons especially since I repurpose crayons for my crafting business.

So make sure you head out and pick up the best deals.  Even if you don’t have young ones in school these are some pretty great deals on things you probably use anyways or that you can put together to give as a gift.

I know with the heat outside not many of us think Christmas and the cold of winter is ever going to come but it is never to early to start your Christmas/Birthday Shopping!!  The cheapest way to give great gifts is to plan plan plan if you aren’t shopping at the last minute you are alot better off.

With all the school supply sales starting up this is the perfect time to start your shopping.  I love giving the gift of art supplies most kids devour these and who doesn’t love crayons.  This is the time of year to start picking up all the really really cheap items and the freebies this week I got Sharpies and pens for free.  Next week I’m headed to Staples to pick up some more great finds.  Then after the school year starts you’ll find backpacks on clearance so you can pick up a couple of those or just pick up a cheap rubbermaid type storage container and fill it with all your great cheap/free finds for a fantastic gift for the kids in your life. 

This year I plan on putting together a giftbag for my son and then hopefully putting together several small art kits for any birthdays that pop up on us.  I love having extra gifts around for friend's birthdays and art kits are gender neutral and never go out of style.

You could even make something like this and spend a whole lot less then the $45 price tag on this site.   Think of the hours of fun a gift like this could bring.

Following my previous post that I wasn’t going to spend anymore money on stuff and start saving that money for the other expenses we headed to Target.  This isn’t exactly the smartest thing to do when you are looking to save money but we needed to start the back to school shopping.  So we headed out and got a few deals.

I managed to pick up 2 pairs of jeans one for $2 that will be crafted into something new and one pair for $4 for Shawn that he will hopefully fit into when it starts to cool down.  I also picked up 2 pks of Colgate Max that had toothbrushes attached they are on sale for $2.99 and I used $1 TQ and a .75 mq.  I don’t generally like paying for toothpaste but for about .60 each hubby and I both prefer this toothpaste and these toothbrushes so it worked out ok and under my limit.  I also picked up a Suave Shampoo and a Conditioner in a scent that I absolutely love after the TQ they were .09 each so when I go back tomorrow I’ll be picking up 2 more I can justify this cost.  We also picked up 2 large bottles of hydrogen peroxide for free using the Target First Aid coupon! 

Now we move on to the school supplies.  There have been a few deals on backpacks/lunchboxes going on but I am really picky about what we buy.  Last year I broke the bank and spent $24 on Funtainers we got a bowl sized one and a thermos sized one well that was about the best money I spent and we are using the same ones again for next year however you have to consider their size when buying a lunchbox which means no buying them online.  Toys R Us currently has a promo where you can get a free lunchbox with the purchase of a backpack which is a great deal but we didn’t take advantage of it because the closest store is just too far away.  DS picked out a Cars2 backpack for $9 and after plenty of inspection we settled on a lunchbox that also cost $9!  I can’t believe I paid as much for it as I did the backpack but it will fit the containers and leave a bit of room for any other food and I feel that it will stand up to the test of time.

We also picked up 2 pks of Sharpies that were on sale for $1 and there for free with the TQ, 2 pks of tape that were also free with TQ/MQ and 2 packs of pens that were $1 and free after TQ.  While I was there I ordered 40 photos (on sale 10/$1) and will be going back tomorrow to pick them up and use 2 TQ to make them free as well.  While I’m there I’ll be using a few more coupons to take home some more freebies.

I’ve had a few of you ask what I make or what something looks like that I mention so I thought I’d post some pictures for you.  I’d love to hear your opinions on any of my pictures, all of my items are handmade and for sale.  I attend a few craft shows and a farmer’s market plus I’m starting to list items on Etsy.  Hopefully once Shawn starts school I’ll be able to attend a few more farmer’s markets.

It’s that time of year again when I have to start restocking the school supplies for Shawn and it’s time to buy him new uniforms for school. BLAH!!  I absolutely love Shawn’s school and I truly believe that this school is the best fit for him what I don’t love is their uniform policy.  I have nothing against uniforms but his school requires you buy very specific clothes that are only sold by one company, no competition means we pay through the nose for the uniforms.  The tops and bottoms are both embroidered just to make sure you don’t go buy the better quality cheaper uniform bottoms some where else.  LOL

Thankfully this year we don’t have to buy everything like we did last year.  We will have to buy a couple pairs of pants but are waiting for it to get colder to make sure they fit in length.  He should be fine with shorts but we do need to get him some new shirts his are faded and well crappy looking.  Of course he also needs a new lunch box and backpack and the never ending supply list (which is surprisingly shorter this year) so I need to “find” the money to pay for it all.

The good news is I found that money it’s in my freezer and pantry.  Precious over at FrugalMakesCents got me thinking about it, she’s going to be living off her stockpile to free up freezer space for the holidays.  That sounded like a great idea, my freezer needs to be defrosted badly so I figured why not try.  I won’t be able to spend as little as she is doing because I don’t have a large enough supply of meat in the freezer.  So for my version we will be purchasing fruits, veggies, milk, peanut butter and bread as normal since this are my regular needs.  We have some meats in the freezer and will be using those and only buying meat when I can get it for less then $2 a pound.  To help keep my pantry from becoming bare (which would give me a heart attack) I will continue to purchase the best deals each week as long as the item prices are less then .50-$1.

I won’t be trying to grow my health and beauty stockpile right now so unless it’s free and I’m going to that store anyways I won’t be picking it up.  I will however probably be making several trips to Target and Staples for their great back to school sales.  Going to those stores will take me past several Walgreen’s and a CVS so if it’s free I’ll be happy to pick it up but I’m looking to spend nearly nothing.  I’m also going to start posting all my purchases maybe even some pics so you all can help me stay accountable.

So are you robbing Peter to pay Paul this summer?  Feel free to share your tips!

Sign up here to receive a free weekly email full of delicious easy recipes that your whole family will love!!  This is great for the weeks were you are really feeling in a slump!

Sign up for Chili’s Email Club and receive a coupon for FREE Chips and Queso.  Plus be the first to find out about new specials and receive any future coupons!!

Today at most Lego stores you can take your kids and they can build this

The event starts at 5pm and goes as long as they have supplies.  I would recommend getting there at least 30 minutes early, our local store is always very busy and the line usually wraps around the building.  We go early and wait otherwise you are going to be waiting in line anyways.  Go here to get all the details.

Coupons.com has released some great new coupons!!  Here’s a list of a few of them.

Food & Beverage:
$5.00 OFF 1 Enfagrow Powder
$1.50 OFF ONE (1) multipack of BOOST Kid Essentials Nutritionally Complete Drink
$1.00 OFF TWO (2) 3.5 oz or Larger Bags of T.G.I. Friday's Snacks
$1.00 OFF 1 Skittles, Starburst, Life Savers Gummies
$1.00 OFF 1 lb. or more of Sara Lee meat at the service deli or 1 package of any pre-sliced meat
$1.00 OFF any 12oz bag of Seattle's Best Coffee
$0.75 OFF 1 package of Keebler Granola Fudge Bars (6 ct. ONLY, Any Flavor)
$0.75 OFF Any 1 Sargento Natural Blends Slice or Snack Cheese
$0.75 OFF 1 Newman's Own Salad Dressing
$0.75 OFF 1 package of Truvia natural sweetener
$0.55 OFF on any Bagel-fuls (4ct)
Personal Care:
$5.00 off Any ROGAINE product
$2.00 OFF 1 renu fresh or renu sensitive multi-purpose solution (8 oz or larger)
$2.00 off any Sally Hansen Nail Treatment Product
$1.00 OFF any Sally Hansen Nail Color Product
$1.00 OFF 1 JOHNSON'S Baby Powder 15 oz. or larger (excludes sizes 1 oz. - 9 oz.)
$1.00 OFF 1 Triple Paste product
$1.00 OFF ONE (1) 12 pack or larger of SCOTT Naturals Tube Free Bath Tissue
$1.00 OFF any 1 AXE product
$1.00 OFF 1 N.Y.C. Eye Color
$1.00 OFF 1 NIVEA Express Hydration Lotion or Gel 

Household:
$3.00 OFF Lysol Clean-Flip Starter Kit
$1.50 OFF ONE (1) 12 pack or larger of SCOTT Naturals Tube Free Bath Tissue
$0.55 OFF any Chore Boy Product
Home Entertainment:
$2.00 OFF Nurse Jackie DVD or Blu-ray
$2.00 OFF Prada To Nada on DVD or Blu-ray
Toys and Games:
$5.00 OFF Tag Junior book pal

Please head over to coupons.com and print your coupons out today while they are still available. 

It’s that time of month again it’s time to print out those great coupons before they are gone.  Head over to Coupons.com and print out any coupons you may want to use as they will be either resetting or disappearing at the end of the month!  There’s lots of good coupons out there so print now.

I do receive a few cents from every coupon you print and I thank you for printing through my link!  It helps me save for our goals!

If you are planning a trip to Disney this DVD is great to help you and your family plan what you are going to do.  This is also a fantastic way to have a piece of Disney in your home (for free!!).  We have ordered a few of these in the past including one the year my son was born and made sure we put the date on them as a memory of the way things were.  Go ahead and sign up for yours today!  It’s free and you’ll enjoy watching all that Disney World has to offer.

Today features a can't-miss deal for any camper - a FREE Tote Bag! It's the perfect accessory for carrying everything your camper needs, like swimming gear, clothing and other personal belongings to and from activities. 

If you’ve never purchased anything from VistaPrint let me tell you they are a fantastic company and produce great quality items and offer so many great freebies.  When I first started this blog I printed business cards at home and after about 2 months I found VistaPrint and worked out the math that it was cheaper to get my cards through them then it was for me to even buy the business card paper never mind the ink!  Since then I’ve ordered 100’s of cards, postcards, business banners, stamps, and labels.  And I’ve always been soo happy with the results, so if you need anything printed including this adorable bag click the link and check them out you won’t be disappointed.

We are planning on attending the Nationwide race in Daytona this Friday night and it is my goal to spend as little money as possible.  I suspect we will probably buy a toy car or two for Shawn and we will have to put gas in the car but it is my hope that we spend no more money than that.  So far this is what we plain to do.

1. I will be packing lunch and lots of snacks so that we don’t have to purchase food while we are there.  Since we are planning on going early we’ll need lunch and dinner so I’ll pack sandwiches, fruits and snacks
2. Drinks is another big deal.  It will be July and hot so we will need lots of drinks so I will be packing water, beers for later when it cools off, soda, juice etc.

I have a couple of thermal totes that should carry everything pretty well.  I will also be bringing sunscreen and a tote bag to carry all of our goodies.  I already checked and know what size bags/totes we are allowed to bring in with us so we should be good to go.

So are you making plans for this weekend?  Make sure you plan accordingly and have lots of drinks along with you!!

I know most of you don’t live in the land of hurricanes but given the severity of recent storms all over this country are you prepared for the next big storm?  Hurricane season started here last month but we are still making sure we are prepared.  There are a few things on my list to finish preparing I’d love for you to add in what you do to be sure you are ready for bad storms.

• Get a full tank for the grill.  I saw yesterday that Walgreen’s had refills on sale for $17.99 and have a $3 mail in rebate so I’ll be taking our tank in this week and switching it out.  We also were lucky enough to have a neighbor move and throw away their grill and they gave us their tank so I need to get that tank swapped out for a full one as well.  If we have a hurricane and lose power we will need the use of the grill to cook the food in the freezer.
• Make a freezer inventory.  This will be good for eliminating waste as well.  If we should lose power I want to know what is in my freezer before I open it up.
• Pick up a few more shelf stable meals and some shelf stable milk.

We also need to make sure we have water on hand but other than those things we are prepared.

So are you prepared?  I think we need to be prepared year round but for us this is an especially important time of year to have everything on hand.  What time of year do you prepare for and what do you do to make sure you are safe in case of an emergency.

I made a quick trip to Publix today and will probably make another one tomorrow since I have to return a Blockbuster free rental.  My store accepts Target and Winn-Dixie as competitors so I used those today along with manufacturer’s coupons.  Here’s what I got:

• 4 Kellogg’s Cereals BOGO $4.49  -$1/2 mq’s  and $1/3 TQ =$1.50 each
  • these were the big boxes and we are running low on kid cereals especially with the boy going through a growth spurt so there weren’t a bad price
• 4 NutriGrain Bars BOGO $3.49 -$1/2 TQ  =$1.25 each
  • these are great for Dave to take to work and for me to throw in my purse when we go out cheap snacks help save us money at gas stations
• 2 Dannon Activia $2 each -$1/2 MQ  =$1.50 each
  • Dave has been eating these and likes this one flavor so I bought a couple more
• Cars Bandaids $2.59 –.50 MQ and .75 PQ =$1.34 (kids)
  • not a great price and I have cheaper plain ones but the boy realllllly wanted them LOL
• 4 Crystal Light on the go BOGO $2.99  -$1 mq and $1/4 TQ =.25 each
  • This is a great price and are great to take to Disney (get a cup of free ice water and add one of these)
• 2 Smuckers Shell Syrup $1.89 -$1 PQ and .55 MQ =.34 each
  • at this price they’ll be nice to have around
• 2 Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream BOGO $4.49  -$1/2 MQ = $1.75
  • for this it’s a good price and since we don’t eat much ice cream it’ll be nice to have these every once in a while in our favorite flavors
• 2 Oscar Meyer Deli Creations BOGO $2.50  -$1 MQ  =.25 each
• For this price I’m going to try and get a few more.  Dave has been working really odd hours and this will give him some more meal options

I spent $16.69 on everything above since I used a $5/$30 Winn Dixie coupon and I will be entering my codes off all the kellogg’s products and sending in for 2 $5 gas gift cards.  I’m going to try and plan another trip for tomorrow since I have one more WD coupon and wouldn’t mind stocking up on more cereal/snack bars.

I’ve had a few emails from concerned readers so I wanted to let you all know that I am still here. 

With Shawn being out of school we’ve had an adjustment period to get a schedule going.  We still haven’t perfected it but I will be back to posting asap.  I need to get our savings on track, up my income both from this blog (I love you guys for clicking on my links especially coupons.com) and from my Etsy store and a few other things.

So watch this week for money savings days, an organizing post and possibly a few other things.  Also make sure you follow along on the facebook page as this is where I post alot of my quick things including any free codes for Redbox and Blockbuster Express.  I also post Swagbucks code links if I see any available there.

If you haven’t signed up for VocalPoint you should head over and do that today.

Today they have a Mott’s for Tots sample giveaway.  Mott's for Tots^® has 40% less sugar than 100% apple juice and a great taste kids love—it's an easy and healthy way to spoil 'em.  I love giving this to my son since it has less sugar than regular juice!  Click here to see if you are eligible for this sample

I really love VistaPrint and have used them to print many things in the past.  This is a great deal and I might be ordering one to advertise my crafting business.

It’s June 1st which means we all get a clean slate and get to reset our goals and go go go!!!!

This year has been a hard one for my little family and a very spendy one.  I haven’t been doing the deals like I used to, we’ve been overwhelmed by too much going on and of course those semi unexpected costs have been hitting us like a one two punch.  Let me tell you the first half of this year has managed to knock me and our spending out of whack but it’s a fresh start and I’m getting back on track for this half!

In order to recoup some of our costs and rebuild our savings I’m getting tighter than tight.  No eating out, no single drink purchases, no spending on much.  Too often in the past few months I’ve been too tired or overwhelmed and have just said lets get something out not this month, Shawn is getting out of school so some of my life will be slowing down and I’ll be doing more to have a few quick meals in the house.  We spend too much money at the gas station and we aren’t spending it all on gas we get drinks/sodas in an effort to stop this spending I’ll be purchasing soda when on sale.  I hate buying soda but it’s certainly cheaper to buy a 2 liter at Walmart/Publix than it is to buy a 20oz at the gas station. 

We have 2 more weekends of Star Wars weekends and I will be making sandwiches and refilling some water bottles so that we won’t have to buy any food/drinks while we are there.  I’m going to be striving to live off of $50 a week (not including gas) so let’s see how I do.  I’m not even sure if it will be possible but we’ll see, the one exception to this will be if I receive any orders for my crafts but even with those I’m going to strive to use what I have instead of buying more.

Is anyone else looking at their savings account and wishing it would grow??  Join me on a quest for a frugal summer where we can grow our bottom line.

According to random.org the winners of the Purex with Zout giveaway are

and

Ladies please leave a comment on this post with your mailing address, don’t worry since comments are moderated they won’t be seen as I won’t “approve” them.  Your coupons will go out tomorrow morning as long as I have your address.

I received 2 free coupons and a full size free sample for this giveaway and my review from the Purex Insiders!  All opinions are my own though.

A while ago the fantastic people at Purex sent me a bottle of Purex Complete with Zout to try out and some free coupons to give to my readers. 

So what is Purex Complete with Zout and what makes it different from other stuff.  Well here’s a few of the facts for you

• Purex Complete with Zout combines the proven performance of Purex with the triple enzyme stain fighting power of Zout
• It contains 3 powerful stain fighting enzymes.  Each enzyme targets a different type of stain.
• It is formulated to work in both traditional and HE washers
• It can be used as both a pre-treater and a detergent making it great for everyday use.

I have used this on my son’s school clothes and let me tell you this boy is rough on his school clothes.  They have black mulch and entirely too much sand in his play areas at school, he comes home everyday covered in dirt with a pound of sand in each shoe.  Well Shawn’s clothes actually come clean with this detergent and a bit of pretreating, it also seems to work really well on the rest of our clothes.  All in all I am very happy with this detergent and given the price is the same as other detergents I’m happy to buy it.

If you’d like to give Purex with Zout a test drive go here and sign up for a free sample to be sent to your home.  Now if you’d like to have more than just a free sample say a free bottle of detergent then please enter the giveaway.  You can enter simply by leaving a comment on this post, if you’d like an extra entry leave an additional comment and let me know that you’ve liked LivingonaBudget over on Facebook and or on Twitter.  So you can get up to 3 entries to win a coupon for a free bottle of Purex Complete with Zout.

I received a free full size bottle from the Purex Insiders and 2 coupons for free Purex in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own and not swayed at all.

I love checking my mail and finding free samples, it’s much better than the normal bills and junk.  Let’s see if we can’t start filling your mailbox with some great freebies.

Free Shout Color Catcher Sample –has anyone tried these?  I have one (sample) and still haven’t tried it

Purex with Zout Sample –this one has been around for a few weeks so if you’ve already requested it I’m sure you won’t work again, but I did get my sample and it came with a coupon too!!

Prilosec OTC Sample

Carefree Liner Sample and Coupon

Emeril’s Original Seasoning Sample Packet

Miracle Whip Samples

Zone Perfect Bar –You must like them on Facebook while you are there be sure to like LivingOnABudget

Miralax Sample

Breathe Right Nasal Strips Sample

Eucerin Sample –this is another facebook offer

Nescafe Taster's Choice Instant Coffee Sample

So Sweet Sample

NeilMed Sinus Rinse (Neti-Pot) –another facebook offer but I can tell you this one is great!!!

John Freida Shampoo Sample

Dove Conditioner Sample

Well there’s a good start to getting some fun stuff in your mailbox soon!!  Free samples do more than just make you smile at the mailbox they also help you save a little money so make sure you sign up for all of them (plus they usually come with coupons to save you more money)

My son loves Zhu Zhu pets and I can almost guarantee he'll love these too.

Racing DaGeDar™ balls requires skill, practice, agility and finesse. Players must control the speed and velocity of DaGeDar™ balls in order to propel them through thrilling loops and turns without forcing the balls off the tracks. Exciting tricks and stunts can be refined by whirling DaGeDar™ balls in Spinners or loading several balls into Battle Launchers to unleash them with supercharged battle play.

I haven’t been posting too many grocery shopping trips because most of the time I don’t get to the store until Monday or Tuesday and the sale is over Wednesday.  Who wants to hear about good shopping trips that they can’t replicate?  LOL  But today I went shopping and scored some great deals so I thought I’d share.

Since I had a $10 off $40 Sweetbay coupon I went shopping early this week.  I’ll be going back on Sunday to use another one of the coupons and get to use any of the new coupons.  If I’d been counting a bit better I could have saved even more and saved a few more coupons for my next trip, oh well I still did great so here’s the break down

• 2 Bags of Fresh Express Salad Mix BOGO $3.69  I had no coupons for this but I’m on a quest to eat healthier especially when it’s just me to feed so these will help
• 2 Pepperridge Farms Rolls  BOGO $3  -2 $1 coupons from the 4/10 SS making them .50 each not a bad price for dinner rolls
• 6 bags Birds Eye Veggies  they were 50% off this week making them .89 each  -3 $1/2PQ from the Spring Savings book and 2 $1/3 mq from 3/20 SS making them 6 cents a bag
• 2 John Frieda Root Awakening Shampoo $5.49 each  -2 $3 mq from 5/1 SS and 2 $2PQ from the green flyer to get them for .49 each
• 2 pks of Oscar Meyer Hot Dogs BOGO $3.29  - 2 $1mq from 4/10 SS  making them .65 each
• 6 Crystal Light packs BOGO $2.99  -2 B2G1 coupons from 4/3 SS making them .50 each
• 2 Boxes of Snack Packs BOGO $5.99  No coupons for this either but I was feeling generous to Shawn since I had the sweetbay coupon
• The Coffee-Mate, Wholly Gauc and the Soft Scrub I had free coupons for from various trials

So are you wondering how much I spent????  My total was  drumroll please  $9.65!!!  Now without the snacks and salad I could have spent almost nothing but I live in the real world where sometimes things are just needed I plan on doing a similar trip on Sunday but with meat and more veggies.