Cheapskate 101: Getting Something for (Almost) Nothing

Please welcome Barbie from Wannabe Cheapskate. I've asked her to guest post once a week about tips on coupon shopping and great ways to save moola for your family! If you're looking into teaching yourself how to super coupon shop or just find better bargains in general online or in stores, read on! Don't forget to check back here for more tips and visit Wannabe Cheapskate for more in depth posts on Barbie's deals. Here's her first post for you beautiful readers! Enjoy:

Cheapskate 101: Getting Something for (Almost) Nothing

Something for nothing -- sound too good to be true?  Not with Swagbucks!  Swagbucks is a search engine site.  You do all your searching through Swagbucks instead of google or bing, and you occasionally win Swagbucks.  Once you have enough Swagbucks, you redeem them for really great rewards, like Amazon.com gift cards or PayPal payouts.  I've earned $15 through Swagbucks.  No, I'll never get rich, but that's $15 that I wouldn't have gotten otherwise, and I got that money by doing something we all do all the time anyway.

Want in?  Follow these steps:
1. Go to www.swagbucks.com.
2. Click the "Register" tab in the upper right hand corner.
3. Fill in your info.
4. You'll get 30 Swagbucks just for registering, plus another 50 on your birthday!
5. Download the tool bar to increase your earnings.
6. Whenever you need to look something up, go through swagbucks.  You can even make swagbucks.com your home page to make it easier.
7.  You won't win every time you search, but you'll win in multiples of swagbucks -- up to 50 per search, or even more!
8.  Once you hit 450 swagbucks, you have enough for a $5 Amazon e-gift card.  Or 700 will get you that $5 PayPal payment.

There are rewards that are not gift card related, but I prefer those to the others. I am on my way to another PayPal payment -- just under 200 Swagucks to earn, and I'll be there!  I usually win something every day; today I won 10 for searching "addicted to saving".

BUT WAIT!  THERE'S MORE!Every Friday is Mega-Swagbucks Day, when the Swagbuck winnings are more frequent and larger!

Get your swagbucks account started, and get searching!


Hey, it's Kilika here. Thinking of joining swagbucks because of this post? Click here to join up and Barbie will receive a few bonus points for the referral! You can also get your own referral code or banner once you sign up. Post it on your website or in emails so you can tell people about swagbucks and get credit if they join through your link! Just another way to rack up points you can trade in for free prizes. 
Have a beautiful, money saving day :)

Time to Brag

Woohoo!! Some friends and I went on a shopping trip. Fabulous people who feed my bargain shopping addiction ;) We always have fun, though! And sometimes, the bargain fairy is waiting, wand at the ready.
Speaking of which....

Guess who went to Lane Bryant and bought this:

Rosette shirt dress

I love how the front is embellished with ruffles and rosettes

And this: 

Sateen skirt. Not the exact print I have, but similar.

And paid this much:

Not the circled bit, that's how much I saved. Look higher and you'll see each item was $2.49 and with tax I paid $5.37! 

Ooh, I just love bargains! Each item was actually $9.99 which brought my total to $19.98 before tax. 

BUT I had a coupon for $15 off any purchase of $15 or more! Yay!

Everybody's penny pinching nowadays and I find it fascinating. 

How have you saved money lately?

Wannabe a Cheapskate?

Check out my SIL Barbie's wonderful money saving blog Wannabe Cheapskate, where she shares her forays into super coupon shopping and saving money for her family. Barbie is the reason I was brave enough to try coupon shopping for myself and I'm so glad I did! You can be sure that as soon as I get transportation again, I will be planning a couponing trip to get rid of these withdrawals once and for all. Yes, it's addictive. In a great way.

Barbie will be featuring weekly homemade spa recipes (by moi!), cheapskate style! Although I will continue my Thursday spa night posts (I can't survive without them!), the cheapskate recipes will not be repeated here on Beauty and Inspiration. Which is great for you because now you'll be getting TWO spa recipes every week! So please make sure to check out Wannabe Cheapskate regularly for more beautifully frugal spa posts via yours truly. Today you can read my post for Cucumber Conditioning Treatment over at Wannabe Cheapskate.  I know you'll enjoy reading about Barbie's awesome deals and maybe pick up some tips for your next shopping trip! She's living proof that you can be a busy wife and mom, have a blossoming career in teaching and save serious money at the same time. Truly inspirational.

So add that cucumber spa recipe to your homemade repertoire, read up on the Cheapskate posts you've missed and get ready for a fabulous week, you beautiful people!

Disney Online Store Deals!!

Just web surfing while Baby Boy watches Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. It made me think of checking out Disney products and I'm so glad I did! Thought I'd share:

The Disney Store has a few great deals right now!  You can get children's pajamas for $8.50 or 2 pairs of children's flip flops for $6 and figurine play sets starting at $5.99. 

Make it an even sweeter deal: Buy any Disney Parks Item and use promo code PARKSFREE for FREE shipping! Some of the Parks Items are on sale for $2.99, like this cute windup car below. Visit The Disney Store to take advantage of these deals or click on any of the links above to be taken to a specific product. 

Bath & Body Works Coupon Codes

I'm signed up for B&BW newsletters and just got these codes!

Use code VANILLAS to shop online and get $10 off a purchase of $30 or more.
To get the same deal in stores use code 2311  (US stores only).

Also valid only in the US:   Use code FREESHIP60 at online checkout on any purchase of $60 or more.

Click here to print the coupon before you go to the store. 
Sign up on Bathandbodyworks.com to receive free coupons and a newsletter with their latest deals!

Tax Day Freebies April 15, 2010

ere are some of the freebies and discounts on offer for tax season 2010.





-- FREE COFFEE AND TREATS
CINNABON: Get two free bite-sized cupcakes from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday at participating mall locations as part of "Tax Day Bites!" Flavors include Chocolate Passion, 24-Carrot Cake, Vanilla Bliss and Cinnacake Classic.

MAGGIEMOO'S: Get one free slice of ice cream pizza -- ice cream with red frosting to look like sauce and white chocolate to look like cheese -- at participating locations from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday.

STARBUCKS: Get free brewed coffee all day Thursday if you bring your own mug, a promotion the cafe chain says is friendly to the environment as well as taxpayers.

-- DISCOUNTED MEALS
BOSTON MARKET: For a "last-minute tax break" -- one free meal for each one you buy Thursday through Sunday -- print out and show this coupon for this freebie!

IHOP: Expanding on the tax deduction parents get for kids, the restaurant chain is offering free dinner for one child age 12 or younger with each adult meal purchased 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. all month long.

MCCORMICK & SCHMICK'S: The seafood restaurant is offering $10.40 dinner and drink specials in the bar on Thursday -- a nod to the 1040 tax form. Bar guests who come in April 15 also receive a $10.40 gift certificate for a later visit. And professional tax preparers, who may have to work right until the midnight deadline Thursday, get their freebie Friday: dessert on the house plus a $10.40 certificate if they show a business card.

P.F. CHANG'S: Get 15 percent off food purchases for dine-in or take-out, excluding alcohol and happy hour food and beverages.

-- STRESS RELIEF
HYDROMASSAGE: Get a free massage Thursday through Sunday at participating locations. The mall-based massage chain suggests calling ahead to book an appointment. Find a location at http://www.hydromassage.com/taxday.

The original article with this info can be read by clicking here.

I've highlighted the deals I'm most likely to take advantage of. WOOHOO, Starbucks!!

FREE RedBox Movie Rental

ooking to rent a movie?
Use one of these codes to get a FREE 1 night rental at RedBox locations:

42HY4V8E

DZSQ5G6

DVDATWAG (Walgreen’s Locations)

DVDKROG (Kroger Locations, & Fred Meyer)

Thanks to Shopping With Cents for the heads up!

One Stop Plus Coupon Code!

ou still have 1 day to take advantage of an amazing coupon code on OneStopPlus.com. Use code RDFAN to take $20 off a purchase of  $20 or more. ** SORRY, THIS CODE IS NO LONGER VALID ** I just made a purchase with the code and got an awesome deal! Here's the breakdown of my order:

1 peachskin blouse  Reg: $9.84 . TTL after coupon = $0.70
1 pintuck tee                   $8.69.  TTL after coupon = $0.61
1 pair panties                  $2.99.  TTL after coupon = $0.21
 
Add $5.99 standard ground shipping.
Order TOTAL: $7.51!

So, curvy guys and gals, take a look at their clearance and snag yourself a really great deal!

There are some restrictions, so read them over before you checkout:

May be used one time only per customer. Applies to merchandise only, not including shipping and handling or taxes. Not useable for cash. Not valid for prior purchases or charges. May not be used for home & kitchen items, handbags, Skechers Shape Ups, costumes & costume accessories. Ulla Popken items or gift cards & e-gift cards purchased on OneStopPlus.com.Cannot be combined with any other offer.** Offer ends Midnight Thursday, 4/15 EDT

Thanks for the tip, Heather at My Sweet Savings!

Tuesday Retail Therapy

WALGREENS
1st Transaction

Huggies Jumbo Pack Diapers $8.99-$1 Coupon-$3RR= $4.99

Joy dish soap 99cents w/Store Coupon-30cent Coupon= 69 cents

3 Truffle Crisp candy bars 3/$2- $1RR= 33 cents each

Orig TTL: $13.86

Used $10RR

PAID: $1.56!! For diapers! Are you kidding me! LOVE this!

SAVED: $12.30
Earned $4RR


2nd Transaction
Triaminic&Theraflu

2/$10- $3Coupons-$5RR=$1each

Candy bars 3/$2- $1RR= 33 cents each

TTL: $11.52

Used $3RR.

PAID: $5.52!

SAVED: $6.00
Earned $6RR

IMPORTANT: I found out something that will totally change the way I strategize my Walgreens purchases. You are only allowed 1 coupon per item purchased. Example: If you buy 2 items you can use 2 coupons and Register Rewards (RR) are counted as coupons. I had only planned to get the two medicines in this transaction and use a $6RR coupon and a $3RR coupon to pay for them, leaving me only more than a dollar out of pocket. But since I already used 2 manufacturer coupons, I couldn't pay with my two RR coupons because that would be a total of 4 coupons used for 2 items, which is not allowed. So I threw in 3 candy bars, leaving me room for more coupon usage. For some reason, the computer wouldn't allow me to use my $6RR so I used the $3RR. Paid more than I wanted to, but oh well. I'll know better next time.


3rd Transaction

Fusion Razor $8.99-$4 Coupon-$4RR= 99 cents

Candy bars 3/$2- $1RR= 33 cents each

TTL: $11.79

Used $10RR

PAID: $1.79!

SAVED: $10

Earned $5RR

4th TransactionVenus Razor $8.99- $2 Coupon- $4RR= $2.99

Olay BodyWash $5.29-FREE Coupon= FREE!

2 Candy bars 69 cents each (added to make a total of 5 items so I could pay with two RR coupons)

TTL: $16.86

Used $16RR, some of it earned in the previous 3 transactions
PAID: $1.57!!
SAVED: $15.29

Earned $4RR

This deal was FUN! I had a coupon for $2 off a Venus razor and another coupon for a FREE Olay body wash with the purchase of a Venus Razor. And we earned $4RR! Awesome!


I'm very happy with this trip to Walgreens. It took a ton of planning, but we did great! Planning is tedious, since I'm more of a spontaneous kind of gal, but definitely worth it for savings of this magnitude. We ended up bringing home $54.03 worth of items for only $10.44! A total of $43.59 in savings! Plus, we walked in with $17RR and walked away with $10RR to use next time. Very cool!


There's more, but I'm out of time. We also snagged some deals at Target and WalMart, but I'll post about that later. Tomorrow I am taking a self imposed break from couponing (it's so addicting!) and focusing on Valentine's Day and Baby Boy's birthday arrangements.

Walgreens Revisited 2/6/10

I had to return the Zicam I bought yesterday because I forgot to use the coupon on the box. Walgreens didn't mind and didn't make a fuss about the $7 RR I received (and used) yesterday on my other purchases. I got $10.90 back and it was the exact amount needed to buy another Joint Juice and earn $10 RR towards another purchase! Yay!

FIRST TRANSACTION:

So Hubby got another pack of glucosamine supplements and I got $10RR to spend on coffee! Yum.
SECOND TRANSACTION:
Coffee $9.99 + $10 RR = FREE!
2 Cherry Sodas @ $1.48 on SALE for 99 cents each
Drink packet singles $1.00
Shaving Cream $2.79
TTL before RR and discounts: $18.54
Used $10 RR and PAID: $6.66!
Um...no, you're not seeing things. There are no sodas in the photo. They're way too good to last the trip home!


THIRD TRANSACTION:
Gillette Fusion Pwr Razor $8.99 earned $4RR so it was like getting it for $4.99!
Axe deodorant can't remember the reg price but was on sale for $4.49
Axe deodorant same as above. On sale for $3.21
TTL before discounts: $22.77
PAID: $18.19
Baby Boy just had to try getting in the shot :)


FOURTH TRANSACTION:
Got2B Spray Buy One Get One FREE SALE. Two for $5.99 (Usually $5.99 each)
Got2B Glue BOGO. Two for $5.99 (Usually $5.99 each)
TTL before sale adjustments: $26.12
Used $4RR from Transaction 3 and PAID: $9.06!!


FIFTH TRANSACTION:
3 bags Lays potato chips on sale $2 each
5 cases Pepsi products. Sale 5 for $15. Earned $10RR so it's like they cost $5
PAID: $22.05 and walked away with $10RR for another purchase!

I'm hoping to get better and better at this type of shopping. I came home with almost $90 ($89.19, really) worth of products and PAID $56.76. It would have been $46.76 out of pocket but I forgot to use $10RR that I had. I got mixed up! Oh well. Living and learning!

Awesome Walgreens Trip 2/5/10

I decided to go to Walgreens and check out their Register Rewards (RR) which is electronic money you earn by buying certain products. You can use RR bucks towards your next purchase and if you do it right, you can save money! So here's my first attempt:
FIRST TRANSACTION:
Zicam $10 + $3 Coupon= $7 ~Received $7 RR so it was FREE!~
Blink eye drops $7.99 ~Received $8 RR so it was FREE!~
Joint Juice Glucosamine $10 ~Received $10 RR so it was FREE!~
TTL: $30.51
Received $25 RR so I basically paid $5.51 for these three items


SECOND TRANSACTION:
2 gallons 2% milk $2.89 each
1 gallon Vit D milk $2.99
2 LOreal mascara @ $7.99 each + sale BOGO 50% off+ $2 Store Coupon+ $1 Manufacturer Coupon= $8.99 FOR BOTH!
28ct fruit snacks $5
TTL before adjustments: $31.52
I used $17 of the $25 RR earned from the first transaction.
TTL after coupons and using RR: $5.52!!


THIRD TRANSACTION:
3 two liter sodas @ $1.99 each
2 instant noodle cups 2 for $1
2 candy bars @ 69 cents each
TTL: $8.77
TTL after using $8 RR earned from first transaction: 77 CENTS!

So, in the end I got $70.80 worth of groceries for $11.80. Awesome! Even if you look at it the other way and say that we paid $36.80, we still ended up with almost double what we paid out of pocket. That would make it $34 in free groceries. I'm SO excited! And Hubby's so proud of me! How cute of him :) I couldn't have done this without first being inspired by Adventures of a Wannabe Cheapskate, so thank you Barbie, for opening my eyes. More deals to come!

My favorite part of this trip was getting 3 gallons of milk for free! And then mascara is insanely expensive and I just ran out, so this deal was perfect. It's hard to find good mascara for $4.50 a tube, so I'm over the moon about that.

First Bargain-Focused Shopping Trip Ever 2/4/10

I hit Kroger with coupons in hand ready to find some deals! Unfortunately, I couldn't find several of the items I had coupons for, and the few items I did find sorely lacked variety. I was disappointed with my total, and although I did well for my first time ever, I'm hoping to spend much less in the future. Ah well, I'm learning. Here's what I picked up today:

4 cans Hunt's Tomato Sauce @ $1.00 each. I got them on a KrogerDeal (KD) for 50 cents each

4 cans Hunt's Diced Tomatoes @$1.00 each + KD = 50 cents each

2 Sobe LifeWater @ 99cents each +KD = 49 cents each

2 Degree Deoderant @ $2.49 each+ $1.00 Coupon = $3.98 for both

1 Coffeemate Powdered Creamer @ $1.79+$1.00 Coupon = 79 cents!!! YES!

1 Coffeemate Liquid Creamer @ $2.75+$1.00 Coupon= $1.75

My Total w/tax would have been: $16.38
Actual TTL: $12.38 for 15 items

Not so great, but I'm excited about starting this and am looking forward to better deals. If you still haven't checked out Adventures of a Wannabe Cheapskate or The Coupon Queen, you may want to head on over. They know what they're doing and may be able to encourage you to start your own couponing journey. Don't be discouraged by my mediocre results! I'm not! I know it's just the beginning :) Next stop, Walgreens.


Also found 2 pairs of pants for Baby Boy at JCPenney. They were on sale for $4.97 each and I'm so glad! My little monster's been needing warm pants.

Saving Money

I've been inspired by one of my relatives to try super coupon shopping. I remember reading about it a few years ago and being interested but very intimidated. Seeing that a real person whom I knew existed was experimenting with this form of shopping and being successful at it made me deeply intrigued and itching to get started on my own. You can read about her forays into the super coupon phenomenom on her blog Adventures of a Wannabe Cheapskate, which I'm following with a passion. I've recently found another helpful site The Coupon Queen which is clearing up so many of my questions. I'm systematically going through these two blogs' archives to read every single tip they've ever typed on there. I sound obsessed. I like to think of it as committed. What with the crafts and couponing, it looks like I'll have more to write about. That's always a good thing. Therapeutically speaking. For me, I mean. It might be slow torture for anyone reading. But isn't that what's so great about this form of expression? I can put thoughts on here and have the satisfaction of having expressed myself, without worrying too much. There are no deadlines. No editors. Basically, no stress. I'm so glad I started this. This project has given me goals and a sense of focus I've been needing.