Free Kindle Books

Check out this list on free Kindle books.  (this also works for your smartphone Kindle app)

Video Game deals

Check out these deals on video games from Walmart.

Cashback from your online shopping

2 sites to visit before shopping on line - Ebates & Shop at Home.  Now is a great time to sign up for 1 or both before the holiday deals start.  Cyber Monday has some amazing deals through these 2 sites.

Both sites offer cashback on your on-line shopping at a huge variety of stores.  They also have coupon codes to use for on-line shopping.

Ebates - You can set up an account by clicking on one of the links on my blog. You can use choose $5 in cash or $10 gift card for free.  You'll earn this extra if you purchased $25 worth of merchandise (not earn $25 in rewards) in 90 days I think so it doesn't usually take long if you make a lot of purchases on-line.  Once you set up your account, you search for whatever store you are going to shop at & then click Shop Now.  You just buy like you normally would.  

I keep a separate folder in my e-mail for receipts for what I buy through Ebates so I make sure I get my credit.  There have been times I have had to follow up them but I think I've always gotten my rewards.

I always try to remember to shop through Ebates so I earn cash back. Once a quarter, you can set up to get a check or deposit. I've been using them for exactly 1 year & have gotten over $150 cashback.

Shop at Home - every similar to Ebates but Shop at Home will often have Wild Deals - that will allow you to get something free after cashback.  In the past few months I have gotten free toilet bowl cleaner, hand sanitizer, dry erase markers, a mug from Coldwater Creek, & nail polish from Avon.

A few other sites to check - Retail Me Not & Brad's Deals for on-line & printable coupons.

Buy & Sell sites

I just learned of 2 new places to buy & sell things in Wayne County.

Facebook has 2 groups.

• Wooster Buy & Sell  - I have bought & sold a few things this week.
• Bargain Hunters United - a similar site

You can also sell & buy things on Craigslist Akron.  

Finally Ebay.  For bigger things you can also do local pick-up.  This is the only that you have to pay a commission on what you sell.

Free Credit Report

Make sure you are monitoring your credit reports on at least a yearly basis.  Visit annualcreditreport.com at least once a year to get a free credit report.  There are 3 reporting agencies.  I try to check 1 of the 3 every 3-6 months.  When I check I also check my husband's report with a different one than mine.

Easy ways to save money shopping on-line

2 sites to visit before shopping on line - Ebates & Shop at Home.  Now is a great time to sign up for 1 or both before the holiday deals start.  Cyber Monday has some amazing deals through these 2 sites.

Both sites offer cashback on your on-line shopping at a huge variety of stores.  They also have coupon codes to use for on-line shopping.

Ebates - You can set up an account by clicking on one of the links on my blog. You can use choose $5 in cash or $10 gift card for free.  You'll earn this extra if you purchased $25 worth of merchandise (not earn $25 in rewards) in 90 days I think so it doesn't usually take long if you make a lot of purchases on-line.  Once you set up your account, you search for whatever store you are going to shop at & then click Shop Now.  You just buy like you normally would.  

I keep a separate folder in my e-mail for receipts for what I buy through Ebates so I make sure I get my credit.  There have been times I have had to follow up them but I think I've always gotten my rewards.

I always try to remember to shop through Ebates so I earn cash back. Once a quarter, you can set up to get a check or deposit. I've been using them for exactly 1 year & have gotten over $150 cashback.

Shop at Home - every similar to Ebates but Shop at Home will often have Wild Deals - that will allow you to get something free after cashback.  In the past few months I have gotten free toilet bowl cleaner, hand sanitizer, dry erase markers, a mug from Coldwater Creek, & nail polish from Avon.

A few other sites to check - Retail Me Not & Brad's Deals for on-line & printable coupons.

P&G Samples & Coupons

Receive free samples & coupons by mail from P&G every quarter by signing up for P&G Everyday.

I Shop Stark/Wayne Gift Certificate deals.

The Ice Cream Shop in Orrville has $10 gift certificate for $4 on ishopstark.com There are half price certificates for Audrey's, Putt N Stuff, Gionino's, Senor Panchos, among TONS more places. Spend $40 & save 15% with code VIP2.

Pampers Points

Check out this website for a list of Pampers Gift to Grow points.  You can earn non-baby rewards with these points as well as toys.

What to do with expired coupons?

Check out this post on sending expired coupons to the military.

Pinterest Help

This isn't actually a frugal tip but I have recently entered the world of Pinterest.  I learned a few things this week that I thought I'd pass on.

What is Pinterest?  Pinterest is a virtual pinboard. Pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. You can browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.

People use pinboards to plan their weddings, decorate their homes, and share their favorite recipes.

What is a Pin?  A pin is an image added to Pinterest. A pin can be a dded from a website using the Pin It button, or you can upload images from your computer. Each pin added using the Pin It button links back to the site it came from.

What is a Board? A board is a set of pins. A board can be created on any topic, such as Cool Posters, Recipes For Dinner, or Wishlist. You can add as many pins to a board as you want.

How do you sign up?  Pinterest is currently invite-only. You can request an invite from us or you can be invited by someone who is already a part of Pinterest.

When you receive an invite, you can register via Facebook Connect or connect through Twitter.

Pinterest itself has a lot of useful tips including installing a "Pin It" button to your favorites bar so you can pin anything you see on the web.

If you have an iphone, you can take pictures of anything & pin them to your "boards".
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Menards 101

Menards is 21 south of 30  It’s like a Lowe’s or Home Depot, but they also have food at great prices

Every week in their sale flier, there are items available for great prices after sending in a rebate. Many are free after rebate (FAR), but they have a clause that you must spend $10 in non-rebate items to qualify for the free rebates. This clause does not affect items that are not FAR. Your rebate is only available in the form of a Menards "rebate check", meaning you use it just as you would a gift card.

So, you go choose your items, and the first time you shop, you will pay full price Out of Pocket (OOP). Your receipt will have rebate receipts attached, and each will have a rebate number on it. Near the exit door, a counter has all the rebate forms in numerical order. Choose the ones you need.

At home, fill out your forms (I use address labels so it takes one second each), address your envelopes, make copies or scanned versions, put in the forms and rebate receipt and you are done. I don't even have to cut out UPC's. In about three weeks, your rebate "checks" should start coming in the mail.

The next time you shop, use the checks instead of cash, and depending on how much you spend, you can greatly reduce the chance of ever having to spend money OOP there again. If you do have to spend $10 to qualify for a free rebate item, this can also come from your checks.

Drugstore 101

Rite Aid

Before you pay  - sign up for UP Rewards

·         Using your Wellness card, you can earn dollars off a single item.  You also earn 1 point for every dollar you spend.  UP rewards print at the bottom of your receipt.  These expire in 2 weeks so watch your dates.  If you include your phone number, they can look up your number without the card.

Rite Aid offers many deals each month in the form of single check rebates (SCR). A list of the rebates for the current month can be found in the rebate directory at the front of the store.
Rite Aid store coupons, single check rebates, and manufacturer coupons can all be combined for great savings.

Coupons

• Load2Card
• weekly ads  
• coupon booklets found in the store (released periodically)
• Video Values coupons (watch an advertisement video and print a Rite Aid coupon)
• tearpads frequently found in the cosmetics display area

Here’s how you do a SCR deal at Rite Aid:
1. Buy the rebate item at Rite Aid. Keep your receipt.
2. Create a SCR account at riteaid.com
3. Once logged into your SCR account, enter the receipt information. Within a day or two, the rebate will show whether it was accepted or not (as long as you buy the correct stuff, it will be accepted).  I don’t use the item until I make sure the rebate shows up in case I need to return it.
4. Submit that month’s rebates at the end of the month. You can only “submit” your rebates one time each month. For example, if you hit the “submit” button on January 15, you cannot do any rebates that may come up for the rest of January. You will want to wait until the end of the month to submit.
5. Rite Aid will mail you one check that can be cashed at your bank or at Rite Aid for cash.

CVS
Before You Pay - sign up for a CVS Extra Care card.

·         This can be done in-store or online. Once you have your card, create an account at CVS.com and register your card. This way you will be able to view your rewards online and earn rewards when making online purchases. It is important to check “Yes” when asked if you would like to receive emails from CVS.   If you include your phone number, they can look up your number without the card.

Coupons    

• weekly ads  
• coupon booklets found in the store (released periodically)
• coupons that print at the kiosk inside the door
• coupons e-mailed to you

What Are Extra Care Bucks– You earn Extra Care Bucks (otherwise known as ECBs) by purchasing qualifying items. Each time you purchase one of these items and use your Extra Care card, a slip will be printed at the bottom of your receipt showing the amount you have earned.

Always scan your Extra Care Bucks card at the kiosk when you enter the store for more coupons.
The slips can be used like cash, though they do have some restrictions: prescriptions, gift cards, money orders, postage stamps, pre-paid cards and  are excluded (restrictions may vary by area) and no cash back can be given if the ECBs you are paying with total more than your actual total.

Remember to save your slips and keep them in a safe place. Each slip has a barcode which the cashier will have to scan when you check out. The barcode links them to your Extra Care account so they can only be used by you with your card. They also have expiration dates, usually a month, and even though some cashiers can “push through” expired ECBs, you don’t want to risk losing them.

ECB deals can be found in the weekly flyer and list how many of an item can be purchased and still earn ECBs. This limit usually ranges from 1 to 5 of each item.

You will also earn 2% of your in-store and online purchases in the form of ECBs and $1 in ECBs for every two prescriptions purchased in-store or online. These ECBs will print out on the bottom of your receipt once every three months. Remember to have your Extra Care card scanned with each purchase or your account with not be given credit.

One of the biggest days for deals at CVS is Thanksgiving.  I will often do multiple transactions on this day or if I have a lot of deals so I don’t end up with lots of ECBs to use.  If there is a line, be courteous & go to the back of the line after each transaction.

Free Halloween Printables

Download these free Halloween Printables & Coloring Sheets.

Free Fall Coloring Pages

Coloring Book Fun has some cute FREE printable fall coloring pages.  Thanks Freebie Blogger

Coupon Check

This week-end would be a good time to go through your coupons and clean them out.  A lot of them will probably expire on Tues, so don't miss out on your saving opportunities!

Vocal Point

Join Vocal Point for free & receive coupons for full size products.  This week I picked up my free Breve Creme creamer.  I can't remember if I have mentioned it before, but it's definitely worth it.  I see next week they are going to have a chance for $10 giftcards so now would be a good time to check it out.

Join Right@Home (it’s FREE!) to Get Great Offers and Freebies!

…just a reminder about another way to score some great full size product samples… become a member of Right@Home (it’s FREE) and get great offers, time-saving tips and recipes.

Deal searching advice

Here are some notes from my workshop last night.

Why I look for deals

·         Donations – Harvest Ministry, Relief efforts

·         By saving money on what I buy, it gives me more money to bless others.

*     It’s fun & rewarding

Things to keep in mind while seeking deals

·         How far do you have to drive, especially with today’s gas prices.  If it costs you $8 to drive to Wooster to save $5, is it worth it?

·         Take into account your time.  If you work full-time, have young kids you have to take along, it might not be worth your time & energy.  It takes time to study the deals, organize your coupons, & make sure you are buying the correct product.  If you’ll be distracted by the kids & either not get the right product or buy extras because you are distracted, it might not be worth it

·         Are you spending money to save money?  It doesn’t make sense to buy something, even if it’s a good deal, if you don’t need it.

GENERAL COUPON RULES

·         You can only use one manufacturer’s coupon on each item.

·         You may use a manufacturer’s coupon only once.

·         You cannot photocopy a manufacturer’s coupon, INCLUDING internet printable coupons. 

·         You must abide by the wording on the coupon, not necessarily the picture. “Save $1 on ANY package/variety/size.”

·         You can usually use a manufacturer’s coupon on a sale or clearance item

·         You can use multiple manufacturer’s coupons in one transaction

·         STACKING COUPONS: Using a store coupon with a manufacturer’s coupon on one item.  This is where the real deals begin, making brand name items cheaper than store brand items.

Where to get coupons:

In the Sunday paper — manufacturer’s coupon inserts:

• SmartSource (SS)
• Red Plum (RP)
• Proctor & Gamble (P&G)
• General Mills (GM)

Local papers.  Typically have the same coupons, Akron Beacon Journal will have more sale flyers.  If you figure $2 a week for the paper, they quickly pay for themselves with the coupons.

• The Daily Record –  week-end rate 12 weeks $20.50 carrier, $21.40 motor route, less if you subscribe longer
• Akron Beacon Journal – week-end rate 13 weeks $26.00 autopay, 27.30 billed

On the internet — internet printable coupons: take into account ink & paper before you start printing lots of coupons that you don’t end up using.

• Buehlers.com
• Coupons.com
• RedPlum.com
• SmartSource.com
• Target.com

All You magazine – available at Walmart or through subscription.  Pays for itself most months with the coupons inside.


Rebates

·         Print the rebate form the first time you encounter it.

·         Keep rebate forms in the same place in your house.

·         Create a “rebate” envelope or slot in your coupon organizing system

·         Complete the rebate form and mail it the moment you get home

·         Make copies of everything you mail in. I scan them & save them in a rebates folder on my computer

·         To be extra safe, don’t use the product until the envelope is in the mail

Hoarding vs Stockpiling – If you have more than you can use or you hear of a need & won’t bless others, then you are probably hoarding

On-line Safety Tips

Protecting Yourself and Your Computer

·         Credit Card Information – This is not usually required for your basic freebie but may be for free trials. Never give this information if you do not feel it is necessary for the offer or if you do not trust the website. Always do your research first.

·         Personal Information – Never give your social security number or password information. 

·         Your Computer-. It is always a good idea to have updated virus protection software for your computer.  There are often free after rebate deals.  I’ve read good things about the free antivirus software at avast.com &  avg.com

Cutting Down on the Junk

·         Email Address – Anytime I give out my email address, I understand that there may be some unwanted email (spam) headed my way. There are also plenty of freebies that require you to sign up to an email list, and they can really build up in a hurry. To keep your regular home email clean, sign up for a free email account that you use just when you sign up for freebies. Hotmail, Gmail and Yahoo all offer free accounts that you can sign up for in just a few minutes. You can always unsubscribe to newsletter once you complete the deal.

o        If you do start receiving large amounts of spam, most virus scan programs, like McAfee and Norton, have built in spam filters that work with your email program.

·         Phone Number – Some offers will also ask you to fill in your phone number. Unlike your address, they don’t need your phone number to send you a freebie, so if it is not required on the form, don’t fill it in. Some forms will allow you to fill in “UL” or “unlisted.” Remember to register your home & cell phone numbers to the National Do Not Call Registry 1-888-382-1222