$5 of $25 Rite-Aid Coupon

Click here to access this coupon! It is valid through 2/28. Might be a good one to have on hand for the Weekly Round-Up!

I'm baaaaccck

After 2 days of house arrest with a cold, I am back amoungst humans. Looking forward to getting my first Weekly Deal Round-Up post up tomorrow! Check ya later :)

It's time for...

I'm so excited to be starting a series of posts! Mostly because, now I will always have something to post about... at least on Tuesday. :)

As mentioned in this post, I will kick off my "Here's a Tip" series with a little coupon knowledge. This will make my other new series "Weekly Deal Round-Up", more easily understood.

TODAY'S TIP 2/16/10:
First, let me start by saying that to take full advantage of the Weekly Deal Round-Up, you need to buy the Sunday paper for the biggest city around you. I live in a smaller town 40 minutes outside of Raleigh, but I get the Raleigh News and Observer, NOT my small town Sunday paper. They issue coupons regionally, and the values differ even from city to city around the same state.

Here we go: :) :)

This will be the format in which the Deal Round-Up will be posted. I will do my best to explain each abbreviation, and decode the deal for you.

This is how the deals will look:
Crest Pro-Health Enamel Shield Toothpaste or Rinse $3.50 = $3.50Ecb (Limit 2)
Use the $2/1 coupon from the 2/7 PG (good for any Crest rinse)
Final Cost FREE + a $2 moneymaker!

This is what they mean:
Crest Pro-Health Enamel Shield Toothpaste 4.2oz or Rinse 14.8oz $3.50 = $3.50ECB (Limit 2)
The first line will list the item that is for sale, the size and sale price. It will also let you know if there are any rewards for the purchase, such as ECB’s. It will also tell you if there is a limit to the number of times you can earn those rewards. Here, there is a limit of 2.
Use the $2/1 coupon from the 2/7 PG (good for any Crest rinse)
The second line will list what coupons to use. In the example here, there is a coupon for $2 off the purchase of 1 Crest Rinse, which will look like this $2/1. If there is any stipulation to the coupon, such as size restrictions, it will be listed here as well. It will also tell you where to find a coupon. Here, it's in the Proctor and Gamble Insert from the Sunday paper that came on 2/7/10.
Final Cost: FREE + a $2 moneymaker!
The Third line is the Final Price after the sale price and coupon are combined.

FYI:**YOU MUST HAVE A CVS CARD IN ORDER TO EARN THERE ECB REWARDS. It's free and simple to sign up if you do not have one**

Here is another example:

Listerine Mouthwash 1 L, Whitening Rinse 16oz, Smart Rinse 595 mL: $4.50 each- $5 Gift Card wyb (3)
$1/1 Listerine printable or printable
$1/1 Listerine SmartRinse printable
$1/1 Listerine Smart Rinse, Agent Cool Blue Any RP 1/3, 12/6
$1/1 Listerine Antiseptic, Any 500 mL. + RP 1/3, 12/6
$1/1 Listerine Whitening Rinse, Any 16 Fl. Oz. RP 1/3
Final Cost: $5.50 for 3


Listerine Mouthwash 1 L, Whitening Rinse 16oz, Smart Rinse 595 mL- $4.50 each- $5 Gift Card wyb 3
Again, first line is the item for sale, the size, and sale price. Also, there is a reward for this purchase. You will earn a $5 Target Gift Card when you buy (wyb) 3 participating items!
$1/1 Listerine printable or printable
$1/1 Listerine SmartRinse printable
$1/1 Listerine Smart Rinse, Agent Cool Blue from the 1/3 RP,
$1/1 Listerine Antiseptic, Any 500 mL. from the 1/3 RP
$1/1 Listerine Whitening Rinse, Any 16 fl oz. from the 1/3 RP
Here is an example of having multiple coupons available for a particular item. You may only use 1 manufactures coupon and 1 store coupon (issued by Target, CVS, Rite-Aid, etc, NOT the manufacturer) on an item. All of the coupons available to use are listed, that way, in case you already used a particular coupon from the paper, they are other options for printables. Or if you already reached your print limit for a coupon, there are newspaper insert options for you as well!These newspaper coupons are from the January 3rd Red Plum (RP) insert. Also, the printable coupons will be hyperlinked to direct you exactly where to print them.
Final Cost: $5.50 for 3
Final Price after the sale price and coupon are combined. This example factors in the Gift Card you will receive buy purchasing the items.

**The 3 newspaper insert abbreviations you will see are PG (Proctor and Gamble), RP (Red Plum), and SS (SmartSource). One of these 3 names will be printed on the front of the newspaper insert. Usually, Red Plum and SmartSource come weekly, while Proctor and Gamble is a monthly issue.**

**The Crest deal is actually in affect from 2/14-2/20 at CVS. This is a GREAT one to start with, as you will only pay $1.50 out of pocket, and they will give you $3.50 in Extra Care Bucks(ECB). An ECB is a dollar value good on your next purchase that will print out on your receipt. So after you buy this mouth rinse or toothpaste, you will have, essentially, a $3.50 gift card to use towards your next purchase***
**The Listerine deal is in affect from 2/14-2/20 at Target. This is one you can take advantage of if you have no accumulated any newspaper inserts**

I know this is alot to read and might be confusing, so please, if you have any questions at all, leave a comment or send me an email! Good luck and happy couponing :)

And down they come...

The BF and I have been wanting to take down the ugly, dated sliding glass doors that lead from our dining room into the sunroom, and the kitchen to the sunroom. After cancelled plans for the weekend due to snow, we (he) decided to tackle that very project.
First let me start by saying that the oyster shell shaped chair you see in these photos is not ours. We inheritied it and it will be heading to Goodwill after failing to sell on Craigslist. But for now, that's where it lives.

Here is the BEFORE shot from the sunroom of both doors.

Inside the dining room looking out to the sunroom

Inside the kitchen looking out to the sunroom

Jason hard at work (my job was to photograph and sweep, and occascionally the "hold this so it doesn't fall, be careful it will cut you" person.


Then, on to taking the framing out

Here she goes!

Uh-Oh, take note of his pointer finger, if you can't make it out its pointing down. Why you ask?

Because we can now see into the foundation of our house

REWIND- let's put that bottom part back until we can fix it :)

Here is the dining room entrance doorless. I will be painting the wood where the frame was, the color of the trim.


The kitchen entry: You want somma this?

Knockin it out

Ta-Dah


BEFORE AND AFTER



Eventually we might put french doors up, but for now we are liking the openness of the missing doors. Next up for the sunroom, installing a wood buring stove. Ooooooohh, ahhhhh. Should be exciting! :)

New Series Announcement!

I have had a lot of questions and comments about couponing here recently. I have decided to test out a little something to see if it can help anyone. Every Saturday, I will highlight the best deals around for the upcoming week in a series called "Weekly Deal Round-Up". I will include deals from Walgreens, Rite-Aid, CVS, and Target, since these are the national chains.

I will also start posting a series called "Here's A Tip Tuesday". This will vary from topic to topic, but I will be sure to touch on some beginners tips for couponing to make the Weekly Round-Up series more easily understood.

I would love to hear your opinions about these new upcoming series. I'm pretty excited, you all know how much I L-O-V-E my coupons :)

Hope everyone has a wonderful and Happy Valentine's day!! <3 <3

Target Trip

Ok all you couponers out there, if you haven't been to Target this week, grab your shoes.

Here is the breakdown of my trip this week.



TRANSACTION 1:
Quaker Oatmeal Products, Earn a $5 Target GC when you buy five

4 Quaker Easy Express Oatmeal cups- $1.19
1 Quaker Chewy Bars (only because they only had 4 cups left)- $1.99
I only used 4 $1/1 coupons

Use $1/1 Quaker Oatmeal printable (IE) or printable (FF)
Use $1/1 Quaker Oats or Instant Oatmeal printable (after you create your day)

PAID- $2.75, EARNED $5 GC (this deal has the potential to be sweeter)


TRANSACTION 2:
Fusion razor $6.99, earn a $5 Target gift card when you buy two

Use 2 $4/1 Fusion razor coupon from 2/7 P&G insert
Use $5 GC from Transaction 1

PAID- .98 FOR 2 RAZORS, EARNED $5 GC

TRANSACTION 3:
Venus razor $6.99, earn a $5 Target gift card when you buy two
2 Olay Body Wash ($5.49 each)
2 4-Pack GE Reveal Light Bulbs- On sale $1.99

Use 2 $2/1 Venus razor coupon from 2/7 P&G insert
Use 2 Buy a Venus Razor get an Olay Body Wash Free coupon from 2/7 P&G insert
Use 2 $1/1 GE Reveal lightbulbs from 1/3 SS
Use 2 Target Store Coupons for $1.50/1 GE Reveal lightbulbs from here
Use $5 GC from TRANSACTION 2

PAID- $4.48, EARNED $5 GC

TOTAL OUT OF POCKET-
$7.61
**PLUS- I STILL HAVE A $5 GIFT CARD!

Be aware that prices will vary by region. Some stores reported the Oatmeal cups for $1.02. I guess here in Raleigh we can afford to pay $1.19 for the same product!

UPDATE***
Just saw another deal to check on while you head that way-
Dove Men + Care Bonus Packs (includes 4 pk soap & small Body wash) on clearance for $3.19 (at the back of the store by the bonus pack section)

Use the $1.75/1 coupon from the 1/31RP or from here
Use the $1/1 Target coupons from here
Final cost ONLY $0.44! Again, regional clearance prices may vary!! :)

Obsessed with the Etch

I'm not sure why I am soooo in love with Armour Etch. It might be the classy sophistication a little lather of this stuff adds to any glass object in your home. Or maybe because of it's timeless subtlety, or unlike frosted glass spray paint, it can be washed with no problem. No matter the reason, it's something I will have in my arsenal at all times. Sadly, I have to get a new bottle today, and at Michael's, without a coupon, (who would be crazy enough to buy ANYTHING there without one?) the larger bottle is 30 bucks. Ouch.

We have a silent auction at work at the end of March benefiting the APS of Durham and the SPCA of Wake County. To me, this is just another wonderful excuse to roll up my sleeves and get crafty! I didn't want to donate something someone just "had", I wanted something someone could "use". (I have a point I promise, just stay with me!)

Enter my latest etching victim.


I decided to turn this little cutie into an indoor herb vase.
Here is what I used to get started:

-Cricut and cutting mat
-Vinyl (of course you don't NEED a Cricut to do this, painters tape and letter stickers would work just as well)
-Glass Vases
-Armour Etch
-Paint brush

First, I just used my Cricut to cut out a curved edge box, and letters to spell out the words Sage and Basil.

Then I applyed them to the glass vases. Getting the box even and the letters straight is the hardest part of this)

**I used painters tape on one because there wasn't much excess vinyl on the outside of the box. In case the etching cream ran, I wanted to make sure it wouldn't etch outside of the box.

Next, I just covered the box and letters with Armour Etch and let it sit for 20-25 mintues.

Finally, wiped the access etching cream off and gave it a good rub under a running facuet, took the vinyl off and... wah-la.




I am hoping to get more items in for the auction here in the next month! I'm also hoping someone actually bids on them :)

Joining the party over at ASPTL for DIY Day!
Linked up over at Todays Creative Blog for Get Your Craft On!
Partying over at The Shabby Chic Cottage for Transformation Thursday!
Show and Tell over at DIY Showoff! Come check out the talent :)
Joining up for the first time over at Remodelaholic!
Hanging out over at BNOTP for Met Monday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy 27th Birthday to my one and only! Enjoy your day, love ya :)

Iron On Transfers

Got a quick question, hoping someone can help. For those of you who do iron on transfers, what printer do you own? I have an old Dell right now that I wouldnt trust putting that paper into, and am in the market for a new one. I want it to do quality transfers so help a sister out :)

Thanks!!!

Ingredient Chaos

I am a novice cook/baker. And I mean N-O-V-I-C-E. I don't know one recipe by heart and can't convert any form of measurement. If the recipe said 30 tablespoons I would whip out my tablespoon and get to counting. Nonetheless, I have really come to enjoy my time in the kitchen.

Here is the dilemma. We have a HUGE pantry but it is only 4 shelves, and each shelf is close to 2 ft deep if not more. So while there is alot of space, things are easily hidden, and when I try to keep things up front where I can see them, chaos ensues. Let's just say, the "layered" look, doesn't work as nice in the pantry.

The bottom shelf is dedicated to all things baking/cooking. And when it comes to baking, no ingredient really takes precedent, so you have to have easy access to all of them. Enter my attempt to make things easier to find, less messy, and just overall prettier. This is a slow process and will get more containers as money allows.

Before- I know, its AWFUL


What is the start of the After-




Will continue to update as I progress!
Linking up to DIY Day at ASPTL
Check out the goodies over at The Shabby Chic Cottage-Transformation Thursday!
Joining up for the first time over at Remodelaholic!
Hanging out over at BNOTP today for Met Monday!