Ream of paper only .75 at Staples

This is good through Jan 30th.  This deal is dead but be on the lookout for other rebate offers from Staples.

I needed a ream of paper so I was glad to find this deal.
I  got 2 reams of paper for $10. And then I will get $8 back in the mail. You do have to submit for a rebate but you can do this online. I just did it for the first time and it was super easy. The ream was $5 and they rebate you back $4. Plus when I went to the staples website I found out that you can print off a 15% coupon which will make the reams of paper only .75. Not a bad deal if you ask me. : )

If you do this you can go here to submit for your rebate online.
Also remember to print your 15% off coupon.

There are some other good deals if you want to check out their ad it its here.

Loan Modifications are a joke

This blog is based on saving money.  I know there are tons of people out there who are trying to get their home loan modified.  If they were to get their loan modified they would probably be saving a lot of money. However according to Night Line (among many other sources) "the average person trying to get their loan modified will not be able to."

Check out this you tube video.  It is a news story about how a congresswoman was trying to help some homeowners get through to their bank to help them try to get a modification.  She got nowhere just like most of us who have tried.

75% off Warriors tickets on Select days

Woohoo for a money off code for basketball games.

Promo code works for the following Warriors games …
1/20/2010 – Warriors vs. Denver  Nuggets

• Club 200 – Second Level seats for only $12 (reg $40)

1/27/2010 – Warriors vs. New Orleans Hornets

• Lower Level Seats for only $40 (reg $85)
• Club 200 – Second Level seats for only $15 (reg $40)

1/29/2010 – Warriors vs. Charlotte Bobcats

• Lower Level Seats for only $40 (reg $85)
• Club 200 – Second Level seats for only $15 (reg $40)

Just go here for more information.

Aquarium of the Bay New Free Days

I hope I can take advantage of this.  If you live in the bay area you can get to the SF aquarium free on these select days.


To gain free admission, just show proof of residency with a valid driver’s license, ID card, utility bill, or bank statement that includes your name and home address (not a P.O. Box). For more info go here
Don’t live in the Bay Area? You can currently get Half Price Admission $7.98 (regular price $15.95).

• Alameda County: Monday, Feb 22 – Thursday, Feb 25, 2010 

• Marin County: Monday, Jan 25 – Thursday, Jan 28, 2010
• Contra Costa County: Monday, Feb 1 – Thursday, Feb 4, 2010
• San Mateo County: Monday, Feb 8 – Thursday, Feb 11, 2010
• Napa County: Tuesday, Feb 16 – Thursday, Feb 18, 2010
• Sonoma County: Tuesday, Feb 16 – Thursday, Feb 18, 2010
• Solano County: Tuesday, Feb 16 – Thursday, Feb 18, 2010 
• Santa Clara County: Tuesday, Jan 19 – Thursday, Jan 21, 2010

Let me know if you go!

Super Franks

If you live near Pleasanton and you have little kids you've probably heard of Super Franks.  We went once for a party and it was a nice alternative to Chuck E Cheese.

I learned from a friend that if you go to their website and get on their email list they'll send you a coupon once a week or so.  

Plus right now they're offering up this cool T-shirt deal.
Here's what they say:

"... our shirts sport a Super Franks logo on the front and say "SUPER FRANKS PAYS ME TO WEAR THIS SHIRT" on the back....for...$9.99 we'll give your child a free pizza meal and one of our cool tee-shirts (sized youth XS to youth medium). These same shirts are available for purchase without a kids meal for only $5.99....Every time your child wears their tee-shirt into Super Franks, we'll pay them...FOUR tokens for use in the Arcade."

How do you like Super Franks?

3 Free issues Family circle no credit card, no bills

I've signed up for various free magazines and I've never gotten a bill.  It really is free.  These are fun.  Plus they often have coupons in them.  Yea!

You won't be asked for a credit card either.  Just go here.

How I get free things and sometimes make money at Rite Aid

Rite Aid offers a rebate program.  The best part is that you can fill out everything online.  So after a trip there I come straight home and enter the receipt on their website. I get a check from them monthly this way and have received checks for $45 and more from them.

You can also participate in the Rite Aid Video Value program by watching videos to earn various Rite Aid coupons including a $5 off $20 Rite Aid coupon! 

Rite aid also offers a $5 off $25 purchase regularly.  These are often on coupons.com.  I rarely go to rite aid without one of those. (either the $5 off $20 or $5 off $25 purchase coupon)


Here's what I did yesterday:
1 Huggies pullups 8.99
1 GE life bulbs 2.00
1 container cinnamon  .99
1 Theraflu cold medicine 4.99
Drink mix 2.49 

1 trident gum 1.29 (in order to make it to the $20 mark)
Total: 20.75



Then  I made sure to hand the cashier my $5 off $20 purchase coupon first from the video values site. 

Then I gave her the rest of my coupons.




$2/1 Pull-Ups coupon found here  Plus I'll get $1 rebate from Rite Aid
Rite aid Q for $1 off pullups located on the video values site.
$2/1 Theraflu coupon found here plus I'll get a $3 rebate
$1.50 coupon for the light bulbs. (I got it online but can't remember where I printed it from)

Total after coupons $7.25 plus .88 in tax= $8.13
But then I'll get $10.99 back in rebates


So my total cost will be $2.13.

Register Rewards

RR's or Register Rewards are manufacturer coupons that print out from a Catalina machine at the register after you have completed your transaction at Walgreens. These do have an expiration date so you have to keep it in mind.  I keep them in a clear zip lock bag in my purse and check frequently to make sure that I don't have any that are about to expire.

These RR's print out when you buy a product that may be advertised in their weekly ad. In Walgreens ad it will tell you which products will earn a RR.  For example let's say Theraflu is on sale for $4.99 and if you buy it a register reward of $4.99 will print out. (I think they're banking on the people who will forget to use the RR.)  Now here is where you can actually make a little bit of money.  For example, I have a coupon for $2 off on theraflu.  I pay $2.99 but then get $4.99 back.  I made $2.

There are also Register Reward deals that are not advertised in the weekly ads and you may notice signs for these in the store. If you don't see a sign or it is not in the ad then it most likely will not generate a RR.

Where do all my coupons come from?

To begin with, the Sunday paper.

My grandma, my dad, my neighbor and sometimes a friend of mine kindly save them for me.  So I usually have 3 sets of the Sunday coupons.  If they didn't do that for me I would definitely buy at least 2 papers per week because the savings way more than covers the cost of the papers.

I have 2 binders.  I admit I'm a coupon nerd.  The one you see above has my unclipped coupons. 

Below are all my organized coupons.  They're in my old baseball card holders.  I wish I could say that I invented this system but...

The second place I get my coupons is online.  There are tons of internet coupons now.  The downside is that you have to download a coupon printer.  I've been doing it for over a year and I haven't had any problem with it.  But I know some people don't like to download things.

Here's my favorite source for online coupons: coupons.com 
You can usually print at least 2 of each. These reset quite frequently. I usually print out the ones I think I'll use and then wait for a sale to decide if I want to print and others. I also put my printer on the setting that uses less ink.  Also I only have black ink in the printer right now since color is so much more expensive.

Another good source is: smartsource

The brands themselves often have coupons if you go to their website.

$1.17 for over $29 worth of groceries at Walgreens

Maybe you are wondering how in the world did I do that?
My dad calls it my part time job and well...that's what it is.  It doesn't come without work, time or pre-planning.  But I just loooove it!  It is like a game to me.

So I'll start from this trip and try to answer any questions along the way.  Stay tuned.
Here is what I bought with the original prices:

1 8x10 photo collage         3.99
2 gallons white milk            2.70 each
1 half gallon choc milk       3.49
4 cream of soups               1.59 each
2 quaker containers oatmeal 3.49 each
3 dozen eggs                       .99 each

Total $29.19

I had a free photo collage for being a walgreens fan.
2/.50 coupons for the white milk
free half gallon choc milk when you buy 2 gallons white milk
I used the in-ad Q (coupon) for the oats which took a total of $3.98 off plus I combined that with 2 $1 manufacturer coupons making each 18 oz container only .50.
I used another in-ad Q for the soups which took a total of $2.80 off for them and combined that with a .25 manufacturer Q.

My total here now was $12.68
I would have been pretty happy with that amount but...
Here is where it gets a little trickier.

Last week they were running this promotion where if you bought a Bayer Contour Blood Glucose Meter $14.99 you get $5 RR (register rewards). Normally these cost $79 but they were on sale for $14.99. So the coupons were adjusted down to $14.99. I had 2 $30 off coupons for these.  So I bought 2 in 2 separate transactions and I got a total of $10 in free money. So what am I going to do with them? Donate them to someone who needs them.

So I used my $10 in register rewards and then my total was down to 2.68.  I also had another $1 RR so my total was $1.68.  And now for some reason my math isn't adding up correctly.  But according to my receipt I only paid $1.17.  Anywho I hope this is making some sense.