Money Savers « The Backwater Way

4 packs of Huggies Diapers and Deoderant for $15! :)

February 28, 2009 at 4:06 pm (Do-It-Yourself-Moms, Money Savers)
Tags: huggies, huggies coupons, walgreens deals 3/8

Coming soon to a Walgreens near you!

It is being reported that Huggies Diapers are going on sale next week (beginning 3/8) at Walgreens! Their jumbo packs are $10 each, and when you buy $25 worth of Huggies Diapers or wipes, you’ll get $10 in Register Rewards (RR) back. You can use these like you would aWalgreen’s giftcard – on anything else you might need!

But, to make the deal even sweeter. . . Here are 2 coupons for Huggies Diapers – a $5/1 Huggies Gentle Care and $3/1 Huggies Natural Fit. And you can print them twice per computer (hit your browser’s back button then refresh.) Of course, you can use these coupons sooner, but I’m saving them for next week. (BTW, if anyone feels sorry for my having 2 kids in diapers and wants to print some coupons for me. . . AHEM. . . MOM. . . feel free.

Here’s how I plan to make my deal work. . .

1st Transaction:

3 packs of Huggies diapers = $30

I’ll use 2 $5/1 coupons, and 1 $3/1 coupon = New Total: $17

I’ll get $10 in Register Rewards Back.

2nd Transaction:

1 Pack of Huggies Diapers = $10

1 Right Guard Deoderant = $2.99

I’ll use a $3/1 Huggies coupon = New Total – $9.99

I’ll use my $10 in Register Rewards from Transaction #1 = New Total – $0.00

And I’ll get $2 in Register Rewards from the Deoderant. I’ll just save these for another round, I think.

** Special thanks to Money Saving Mom and Hot Coupon World for the head’s up!

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UPDATED!! Have a date night with this AWESOME coupon for local Greenville high end restaurants!

January 24, 2009 at 1:11 am (Money Savers)
Tags: coupon, Greenville restaurants, soby's, The Lazy Goat

UPDATE: After using this coupon on Thursday night, my husband and I received ANOTHER $25 off coupon in the mail (no stipulations, except one per family, or limitations, exclusions just like the last one!) for Soby’s – but this one’s good for the month of February – ummmm. . .can anyone say “Valentine’s Day?”. Thanks, guys, for the $50 in free food at two of the most amazing restaurants in Greenville!

Here’s a great coupon my husband and I just used at the Lazy Goat last night! It’s for $25 off your meal – with no minimums, limitations, exclusions – unheard of, right?

You can use it until January 31st at any of the following local Greenville restaurants – The Lazy Goat, Soby’s, or Devereaux’s. All of these are amazing restaurants here in Greenville, and with this coupon, their prices can be almost as amazing as their food!

You can check out the menus for the three restaurants here, to help plan your best frugal strategy – or you can do what my husband and I did – we just ordered what we wanted (for once – without looking at the prices!), and still came out cheaper than going to Olive Garden and ordering soup and salad for the two of us!

Have fun on your date nights – and don’t forget to go before the end of the month!

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Where have we been?

November 11, 2008 at 5:09 pm (Do-It-Yourself-Moms, Family Snapshots, Money Savers)
Tags: coupons

Well, to Virginia and back for one thing, and really busy with other things for another! However, I have been able to get all my coupons clipped (I was several inserts behind, and tired of missing out on all the deals!!), and Chloe wanted to help.

She just loves playing with the extra paper after I’ve clipped all the coupons out – don’t you wish they would just come prepackaged in a little box already cut out for you? That would be nice, but then, what would Chloe play with?

Then I scored an amazing deal on some bread – like 32 loaves of white and wheat bread (Nature’s Own!) for $3.00! There were also lots of dinner rolls in the mix, and while I was finding places in my freezer for all of that bread, here’s what Chloe got into. . .

Just a little shout out for my friend’s new blog!

October 28, 2008 at 9:18 pm (Do-It-Yourself-Moms, Money Makers, Money Savers)
Tags: greenville, saving

Especially if you live in the Greenville area, you should check out my friend’s new blog – www.savingingreenville.com. There’s lots of really neat deals that are mostly specific to our neck of the woods, but some of the deals may be available elsewhere (like the world wide web ones!).

Of course, you’ll never see pictures of our adorable little bug over there, so you’ll have to still check here often for that!

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SUPER CHEAP (or free!) food at Publix this week!

October 3, 2008 at 2:17 pm (Do-It-Yourself-Moms, Money Savers)
Tags: coupons, Publix Deals

Publix large eggs are $1.29, use with this $1/1 Food Lion coupon, and get them for $.29 each!

BTW, I bought 4 dozen eggs today, and don’t worry – the ones I got don’t expire until November 8th!

Muir Glen organic diced tomatoes ($1.39-1.59 per can) can be used with this or this coupon for $1/1 (you can print each coupon twice for a total of four), and you can use them with two of the $1/2 coupons in the Greenwise Publication (in the front of Publix stores) for a total of $.36 for all four, or $.09 each!

For a cheap dinner, purchase a rotisserie chicken (already cooked – the whole thing!) for $7.09 from the Publix deli. Use this $2/$5 deli purchase Food Lion coupon to get it for $5.09. How many meals can you get out of one chicken?

Need a side item for that chicken dinner? Try some of the Knorr sides plus veggies that are on sale buy one, get one free which means they’re $1.53 for two! Go here and print off this $.60/1 coupon (just search through the pages until you find them – mine was on page 6 – and you can go back and print at least one more) to make them $0.33 for two, or less than $0.17 each!!

Want a way to use some of that chicken? Make a pizza! You can get Pillsbury Pizza Crust (in the refrigerated section) for $1.67. Use this coupon for $1/1 (you can print two by going back on your browser and printing again) and get two for $1.34, or just one for $0.67

Then, if you printed the eggs coupon from above (this one!) you might as well $5 worth of fruit and veggies, ’cause you’ll have a $2/$5 purchase coupon!

Oh, and don’t forget that you can print these coupons from Food Lion to get $1 off any Gerber Baby Food and $1.50 off any Food Lion Wipes or Diapers. Use them on the Gerber Baby Food at Publix ($0.55) and the travel pack of 12 wipes ($0.99) and you’ll make almost $1 in overage on each transaction to use towards something you don’t have coupons for. Have fun!

These are just some of the deals that I’m doing later this afternoon at Publix – many thanks to Sarah – check out her blog for even more Publix deals with coupon matchups! Happy Savings!

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Frugal Christmas Gift Ideas

October 3, 2008 at 11:12 am (Do-It-Yourself-Moms, Money Savers)
Tags: frugal Christmas Gifts

So, over on my favorite blog ever, Money Saving Mom, a poor distressed lady wrote in asking about how to get through Christmas without crying over her gifts “not being good enough”, or stressing over the perfect gift for each person. I know it’s just October 3rd, but this isn’t the first I’ve heard comments like this already this fall! For some people, Christmas is so stressful – not because of what they do, but because of what they feel they “have” to do for others in order to make them happy.

I’m pleased to say that there were several comments listed in reply to Ms. Distressed’s questions with some AMAZING ideas of how to give extremely thoughtful gifts without spending a lot of money. Some people even gave up giving and getting gifts altogether! Go here to see all the comments listed, but for a short selection of some of my favorites (not including the ones I’m going to do, so I’m not saying them here!). . . And if you have any ideas, please feel free to share them as well!

It’s impossible to please everyone. Simple homemade gifts show you put time and love into your presents. Try giving a family gift (instead of individual ones) of homemade cookies, bread, or canned goods, add a homemade oranment and you’ve given a wonderful gift that you can feel good about. – Beth

My mom has a stepsister who has everything and things on her list are either too expensive for us to give or she turns her nose up at them. She doesn’t even says thank you. Many years ago my mom started to donate her time to a charity. The charity made up a certificate saying 40 hours of service were dedicated in Stepsister’s name by my mom’s name. Now they are in a different place and my mom makes a donation but the certificate recieved never says the amount. She picks a charity for a cause that impacts her stepsister. This year is American Cancer Society because her father was recently diagnosed. – Angela

My teenage niece is getting a “Death by Chocolate” gift basket – with homemade Chocolate Chocolate Chip cookie dough and a cookie scoop so she can make cookies whenever she wants, along with a jar of homemade hot cocoa mix.
My sister-in-law and her fiance are getting a Home Cooking basket – with the ingredients and a recipe card for my favorite Chicken Tortilla Soup, along with 2 soup mugs & spoons from the dollar store.
Another family member is getting a gift basket with the recipe & ingredients for homemade caramel popcorn.
(Once I thought of a theme to fit their personalities, I ran with it!) – Leisa

The biggest key is to think of each person personally – when you shop off the clearance rack for people, albeit you can find great deals, sometimes you have to try to make the person fit the gift – I think this is what causes all the stress of wondering if they’ll like it or not while you’re watching them open it. Believe me, ahem, I know this from experience! That’s why this year, everyone is getting a home-made gift. And, thankfully, I know everyone in my family will like them – because they’ll each be a perfect gift for each of them, that they’ll know I put a lot of thought and time into.

** oh yeah, and for an added special touch, wrap your presents up really pretty – it doesn’t have to be expensive, but a little ribbon with a favorite candy bar or homemade ornament makes everyone smile. BTW, you can buy ribbon really inexpensively at craft stores – skip the Christmas stuff which can run you $5 a roll, and go for the pretty solid colors that will complement your paper, and there you have it!

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Thanks to everyone who posted – and the winner is…

August 21, 2008 at 9:09 am (Do-It-Yourself-Moms, Money Savers)
Tags: Beach Picnics, outdoor meal plans, picnic ideas

Leslie!

Congratulations! Her Mystery $$ Target Gift Card will be in the mail today!

In case you are ever going on a beach vacation, or even need some frugal picnic ideas take a look at some of those comments down below – I feel like I could write an e-book on the subject, complete with special tips and recipes and meal plans for over a week after all the suggestions I got! Hmmm. . . maybe I will. . .

We’re looking forward to our vacation, and will have lots and lots of pictures posted soon – here were some of my favorite “beach Picnic” ideas – you know, the ones that my pregnant, non-creative mind has been drawing blanks on:

1. Wraps – we’re having some roasted chicken ceasar wraps. Yummy!

2. Crockpot dinner in the hotel room. I was planning to bring our toaster oven for some chicken wings, but this might be a little easier – and will probably end up taking up a lot less room.

3. “Skewered” snacks – put everything on little toothpicks or skewers! You don’t need plates or napkins or forks, and if one falls in the sand – oh well! Grab another one. I can see kids really going for this too! You could even let them all make their own skewers at home - what fun! (Mine would be all pickles, I think!)

Thanks again everyone – I hope you all have a fabulous last few weeks of summer!

5 Painless Ways to Save $100 (or more!) this year.

August 13, 2008 at 1:44 pm (Money Makers, Money Savers)
Tags: Money Makers, Money Savers, saving money

My friend, Crystal over at her blog, was inspired by an article from the Tightwad Gazette – “Ten Painless Ways to Save $100 in a year”. You can read what she had to say here at her blog. She did encourage us to come up with our own lists, though – so, here it is, folks – the way we’re saving quite a bit more than $100 this year – painlessly!

1. Get free movie rentals and game rentals from Redbox or with My Coke Rewards points. Redbox has several free movie codes here, and by using the bottle tops from Coke products, you can earn points to exchange for free movie rentals from Blockbuster here. (FYI: Redbox is a new brand of movie rentals that actually utilizes a vending machine! You can find them in most Bi-Lo’s here in Greenville, and in several other stores across the country, including some McDonald’s even. The benefit is that the movies are only $1 a day – so if you have the discipline to return it after you watch it, you can see movies for MUCH cheaper than Blockbuster prices. For a list of available locations in your area, click here.

2. Always have sweet tea in the fridge. Before my husband dropped his Coke addiction of 5 years about 2 months ago (which is how we got all those free movies and game rentals!), we were spending lots of money on his caffeine requirements for the day. One things that’s significantly helped is to always have sweet tea in the fridge – that keeps him from looking for something else, or feeling like he needs to go make a CVS run for more Coke.

3. Do surveys on e-rewards.com. Through this you can earn “cash” to buy things like $25 gamestop gift cards (my husband’s favorite!), restaurant gift certificates and shopping gift certificates. They make for great gifts. The surveys are super easy and are legit, not like some surveys on cashcrate.com, which can sometimes lead you down a path of neverending offers. The best thing is that they tell you from the get-go how long each one will take, and how much $$ you can earn – so you can accept of decline them as you have time.

4. Shop all year for Christmas – I have LOTS of Christmas gifts already put aside in my closet (Becca and Beth – don’t go looking!!) from great sales I found this summer or even at the end of the last winter season. Of course, the buy.com and google checkout promotion helped a lot too!

5. Use a hotel rewards credit card. Of course – this is can be a scary thing for some people and is even looked down on in some circles, but it’s worked well for us (and really kinda helps keep us in check with our spending)! We have a credit card with Choice Privleges that actually gives points towards free hotel nights. There’s no annual fee, and the interest rate is low – although, we usually don’t take advantage of that because we pay our bill off every month. We like to cash in every year for our vacations, and will be taking a 6 day/5 night stay in Savannah, GA the first week of September for free – at a really nice hotel with an awesome breakfast!

So that’s us – anybody else have some great ideas out there? I’d love to hear!

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Great deal on Pampers at Target this week only!

July 11, 2008 at 2:39 am (Money Savers)
Tags: pampers deals, target deals

Pampers Jumbo Pack diapers (30 ct. if you need size 4!) are on sale at Target for $8.49. 238 ct. wipes are priced at $5.79. With this coupon (scroll down to the “expires on 7/31″ coupons) for $5 off both diapers and wipes, and this coupon for a $5 target gift card, you can really score some great deals! Remember you can always stack these with manufacturers coupons from the newspaper to make the deal even better. I did 6 different transactions and just kept rolling my $5 gift card – so it was like getting $10 off + whatever coupons I had = really sweet deals!! I just bought 6 packs of diapers, a pack of swimmer diapers (coupon for $1.50 off here for those too!), a $5 gift card and a bunch of 1,428 wipes for less than $25!!! (I just had to put the exact number of wipes in – I don’t think we’ll use those all up before Chloe starts potty training – even if she waits like 2 more years. . .maybe we’ll have to have more kids. . . ) So, happy shopping – and I’m sorry, girls, but there might not be any size 4 diapers at the Woodruff Rd. Target.

PS – the coupons are all good until 7/31st, but the good price on the diapers only lasts until Saturday night. Starting next week, they might go back to their regular price of $9.99.