I heart junk mail!

This week has been a great week for freebies.  First I got two Gillette Phenom Fushion Razors for free, plus overage. It is the first time in my life that I have ever actually made money by using a coupon (The first Shoppers I went to did not allow overage but the second Shoppers I went to honoured the coupon in full and I got the razor for free, plus I made $3.) We got two free coupons for Coke products, two coupons for free organic coffee at Second Cup, one coupon for a free box of Kashi cereal, and two free $10 gift cards at Marks Work Warehouse (minimum purchase is $10 so it’s free stuff!  I am going to get a much-needed water bottle and travel mug at $10 each.) Apart from the Coke coupons, which was a freebie from icoke.ca, the gift certificates for free coffee and free stuff at Marks Work Warehouse just showed up in my mailbox as part of the junk mail.  This is a reminder to clean out your mailbox - you never know what might show up in there!  As Christmas time approaches, stores get increasingly competitive.  So watch for sales and coupons to take advantage of the best deals and freebies!

Toasted almonds & other healthy snacks

Last weekend I made toasted almonds as a delicious addition to weekday snacking. I bought the almonds, un-toasted, on sale at Price Chopper - but you could visit the Bulk Barn, too. I used the same recipe I used for the pumpkin seeds (from Martha Stewart) only I doubled it to completely cover the almonds (I had quite a few).  Also, instead of toasting the almonds in an oven, I used a frying pan (see instructions here). 

I cannot believe how tasty they are!  And they are reasonably healthy, too.  You can also toast them and then add them to dried cranberries and/or raisons, pretzels, peanuts, or other snacks to make a homemade trail mix.  It’s a great addition to your lunch, and easy to leave at your desk at work for mid-day snacking.  Also great for road-trips!  Or if you are looking to supplement Christmas presents or stocking stuffers, you can put the almonds in a tightly sealed jar, and include it as part of the gift.

More coupons & free stuff!

Today is a good day for coupons and freebies!  Here are two more to add to your list!

Eukanuba is giving away free puppy training DVDs and coupons for $5 off any Eukanuba puppy food!

Oral B is giving away coupons for electric toothbrushes!

Enjoy!

Cheap medicine!

I just discovered a great way to get over the counter medicine for cheap - shop at the clearance section of your pharmacy.  It sounds sketchy, but it’s not.  I just picked up some Benadryl for $3.99 - regularly $9.99.  I checked the expiry date and it does not expire until October, 2010.  We will definitely have enough need to completely finish that pack before its expiry.  After all, that gives us two full seasons of hay-fever and allergies!  

I also picked up a thermometer there for $9.99 that the store was selling for $21.99 in newer packaging - the exact same model!

By planning ahead with your family’s needs, you can get great deals.  If someone gets sick, you don’t care what the cost is to make it better and end up paying top dollar.  Plus, by planning ahead, you have all the medicine you need at your finger tips, and don’t need to dash off to the store in a hurry.

Fun coupons from Red Flag Deals!

Red Flag Deals has some great deals this week.  Here are my faves:

25% at Roots - this sale is extended until Nov.16!

Buy one Angus burger at Harveys and get one free when you use your SPC card and present this coupon.

Spend $10 at Rexall on Cough & Cold remedies and get a full bottle of hand santitizer for free when you use this coupon.

And my personal favourite…

Spend $50 on sleect P&G products at Wal-Mart and get a $20 gift card.  Don’t forget to use your coupons!  Just send in the rebate form - and don’t forget to keep your receipts!  And remember, you don’t have to spend it all at once.

Check out the deals section of Red Flag Deals for more info!

The art of the bargain

Don’t you love the feeling when you get a great deal?

All this for $83!

A couple of weeks ago at the grocery store I used close to $10 in coupons, saved another $40 by using the PC card, and sought out GREAT sale items.  In fact, I got everything on that lengthy receipt you see on the left, for $83. I was disappointed to learn, after my trip, that there were two coupons not accounted for. I’m not sure if the cashier forgot to put them in, or I forgot to give them to her.  The total loss was $1.75.

Nevertheless, a brief stroll around Shoppers Drug Mart made me feel happy about the great deals I got at Loblaws last Saturday.                                                                                                                                         Here are a few examples.         

(Keep in mind, many of my bargain prices were found by combining sale items with coupons or are based on buying 2 items.)

                                                                                I paid:       Shoppers Drug Mart:   

Pantene Pro-V  Shampoo/Cond. (w/ coupon)              $2.25                   $7.99 

Tampax tampons, 20 pack, cardboard (w/coupon)     $1.52                   $4.49

Always pads, 18 pack (with coupon)                          $1.77                   $5.99

St.Ives Apricot Scrub, 250 ml                                    $2.75                   $4.99

What a difference!  I think I’ve learned the secret to couponing: wait to use the coupon until a great sale comes up and then cash in!

The dress-up trunk

I recently had a comment from one of my visitors in response to “More Shopping Tips.”  Many of my readers agree that shopping at thrift stores is a great idea.  Here is what Cara had to say:

“I go to the sally ann in two different towns! I am always looking for clothes in the next size up for my daughter! And now I have thought of a great idea to start a dress-up trunk! Today the Sally Ann had a bunch of costume stuff and I got some tu-tus for her to dress up! They are adorable and a great chance for her to be creative!”

I love this idea - a dress-up trunk!  Hours and hours of fun for not a lot of money.  I recall having a dress-up trunk that consisted of my Mom’s old clothes, and my sister and I love it and used it for years. It was a great opportunity for us to use our imaginations. Now is a perfect time to go - just after Halloween - to find cast-off costumes.  The tu-tus are perfect!  

You could always save some for Christmas or birthday presents, too!

Happy hunting… and please come back to share any great finds!

Savings from Second Harvest

I didn’t get any coupons in the mail last week but I did get one tasty treat: two Starbucks gift cards for $5 each (one for me and one for my partner,) just for filling out a survey for Second Harvest.

Unfortunately the survey is now finished.  However, Second Harvest has a few other opportunities on the horizon.  The first 100 schools or companies that register for Lunch Money Day on February 26, 2009 (a fundraiser encouraging people to give the amount of money they would normally have spent on lunch) will receive a $25 Starbucks gift card.

Plus, save $3 on the Gourmet Food & Wine Expo!  Experience the world of gourmet food and wine at the MTCC, November 20 to 23. Click here to purchase your tickets and quote promotion code TASTE to get $3 off admission.  As the Expo’s charitable partner, Second Harvest will receive $1 for each tasting glass returned at the show’s exit, plus all proceeds from wine bottle redemptions.

Second Harvest is a great organization - for example, did you know that $5 provides up to 10 meals for people who would otherwise go hungry in Toronto?  Or that they provide enough fresh food for about 15,000 nutritious meals each day?  I think they are an excellent organization.  They have low admin/fundraising costs, and best of all, they are champions of two causes at once: they help the environment by reducing waste, and they feed hungry people.  If you are considering your Christmas donation list, I would encourage you to consider their cause.  (And no, I do not work for them, I just think they’re doing very important work!) To learn more, head to SecondHarvest.ca.

10 suggestions for breakfast on the go

Recently my sister asked for some good suggestions for breakfast on the go.  

It is hard making time for breakfast in the morning.  Especially if you are like me, and want to sleep until the last possible second until I just can’t possibly hit the snooze button one more time.  Here are my suggestions:

1. Get into the routine of putting the coffee pot on first thing in the morning.  It actually takes less time to brew your own than it does to stop and wait in line for a coffee.  If you throw on the pot before you get ready, it will be waiting for you by the time you leave the house.  Just pour it into a travel mug and go.

2. If you are using whole bean coffee (like me) there are two ways to trim down those valuable seconds spent grinding your coffee in the morning.  One, grind it the night before and leave it in the grinder.  Not as fresh, but not dramatically so. Two, switch to ground coffee.  Again, not as tasty but chances are the coffee you are buying at Tim Hortons is not going to taste any better.  Save your whole beans for the weekend.

3. Every weekend, do a big batch of baking - muffins, banana, lemon or pumpkin bread, or other breakfast foods like homemade power bars.  Wrap them individually in saran. Then you can just grab one and go in the morning.

4. Buy small yogurts and fruit to take with you, and eat them on the subway.

5. The night before, wrap up a bagel with cream cheese, cheddar cheese or peanut butter so that you can just unwrap it and eat it on your way - or make up a pb&J sandwich to take with you.

6. Take a thermos of milk with you - or leave a carton in your work fridge - and keep some oatmeal or cereal at your desk.  

7. Or, purchase Bob Green’s cereal tupperware ensemble - it comes with a separate chilled compartment to keep your milk cold, and another compartment to keep your cereal fresh.  Eat it at your desk or, if you take the go-train, during your commute.  (I forget the actual name of this product but they sell it at Binz, which is just across from my house - if anyone is interested, I can find out for you.)

8. If all else fails, keep your desk stocked with snacks, so that if you are just too late in the morning, you know that you still have some snacks at work.  This could include fruit, crackers, granola bars, etc.

9. Remember that even if you have to rely on some pre-packaged food from a grocery store, like granola bars or yogurt cups, it will still be cheaper than buying breakfast at a cafe.  

10. If you cave, McDonalds is your best choice - the muffin is only 20¢ when you buy a coffee.

Congratulations to my Coupon Giveaway Winners!

Congrats to my Coupon Giveaway Winners - Brenda and Cara!  You both will receive a mixed coupon pack in the mail shortly.

Thanks to everyone who participated.  I will do another giveaway in the new year, so stay tuned!

Here are some tips in using coupons:

1. Only use coupons for products you actually need and use.

2. Only use coupons when the price works out to be the cheapest unit cost, after factoring in the coupon discount.

3. Combine sales with coupons to get the best price possible.

4. Keep your coupons organized and use up those with the shortest expiry date first.

5. Carry your coupons with you every where you go - carry them in a coupon box or ziplock baggy.

I can’t express how much I appreciate all my loyal visitors.  I love hearing your tips and comments.  Keep up the great work, everybody!