Stepping It Up A Notch

 I have spent the better part of the week watching what's  left of my stockpile dwindle down to nothing. It's not like I don't have a years supply of gourmet sugar cookie mix, cake mix, Juicy Juice, and toothpaste not to mention enough sausage for 6 months. We are just seriously  lacking in many other categories like food! After my first 6 months of coupon shopping is closing in I have decided I need to step it up a few notches. Instead of buying the usual 2 papers a week, my grandma throwing hers in and the sweetest neighbor of mine dropping several in my mailbox I have decided to buy 10 papers a week. You heard me correctly 10. Most people report that sales cycle every 3 months but that is proving not to be true in my area. Some deals I have  made haven't come around again so I am going to buy more so I can cash in when things are on sale.

  I recommend finding your number. It takes some serious trial and error but you live and you learn. Tomorrow I plan on spending the greater part of the day cleaning and organizing and cashing in on the remainder of the deals to be had this week and praying for fabulous new coupons in the Sunday paper. There is a wonderful website called Sunday coupon preview (just google it) that always tells me what to expect. August is going to be great!          

Make sure you all have a wonderful Friday night.

  Many Summer Blessings,

  The Cute Coupner

Squeaky Clean

Today I had to make a quick run to Walgreens to pick up a prescription for my mom. I hadn't planned on visiting Walgreens until tomorrow evening when I finished my deal scenarios but what's a girl to do. While I was there  I made great use of my time and picked up 4 bottles of free shampoo. I love this Organix line. It smells yummy it's affordable and my hair loves it. My hair so doesn't tolerate cheap shampoo!!! You don't wanna see it when I use the cheap stuff on it. I rolled the Organix shampoo by doing two transactions. The shampoo is on sale buy one get one free this week so for every two I bought I got a receipt and took the hangtag off (which there are plenty of) and am mailing it in for the rebate. Voila....FREE shampoo. Don't you love free. Especially organic stuff. While I was on my way out the door I cut through the clearance section and bought 4 sets of 2 bamboo cooking utensils on sale for .50. Since oven mitts don't seem to last long around here the 2 packs of clearance for .84 also caught my eye. I bought 5 sets and got to the register and they rang up at .75 cents a piece. I hope they look adorable hanging in my kitchen!!!

  Once I got home with all my  new goodies I remembered one important thing on my list of exciting things to do today and that was to return a ton of produce to Wally World ( for those of you who aren't familiar with that term it means Wal-Mart it's like a theme park in there.) Since I have been shelling out mega bucks this Summer on fresh produce I certainly expect it to last longer than 2 days. Really Wal-Mart we weren't born yesterday we want quality produce not this make shift stuff that is expired by the time you open the fridge the next morning!!! I figure if I pay for and it doesn't last then I will keep taking it back. At first I thought it was a little extreme until I got in line and saw what other people were returning. EWWW WEEE!  That's a story for another day.

  Well I would love to sit and chat but I have many outstanding decorating and cleaning projects ahead. I think I forgot to mention I made a fortune in college decorating peoples houses. I never chose it for a career because I wanted it to stay fun not stressful. Many friends and neighbors have given me the privilege of helping them turn their cookie cutter houses into designer looking homes. I will definitely make an effort to write more about it. I was thinking it would be neat to show you how I purchase alot of decorative items by rolling my RR's and ECB's. We'll talk more about that later. In the meantime, doesn't a banana smoothie sound yummy for lunch? How about a super juicy pork roast for dinner? I have lots to do.

Toodaloo,


The Cute Couponer


P.S. I figured out where my battery charger for my camera is. It' s at my Grandma's! Silly me.  I am going over this weekend to get it. Good pictures will return soon. Thanks for your patience.

School and Office Shopping Round 1

 I cruised into Office Depot today at lunch to cash in on some fun deals. I did four different transactions
because my cashier messed up but no biggie..

Transaction #1

  

2 Reams of Office Depot Copy Paper $6.49 a piece
2 6 Packs Spiral Notebooks .50 a Piece
3 Rulers .05 a piece
2 multi-pack of pencil erasers .99 a piece

Total $ 15.53
Submitted Easy Rebate of  $11.08

Grand Total $ 4.03

Transaction #2

2 Reams of Office Depot Copy Paper $6.49 a piece

Total  $14.07
Submitted Easy Rebate of $ 11.08
Grand Total $ 1.90

Transaction #3

3 Rulers $0.05 a piece
2 6 Packs Spiral Notebooks .50 a piece

Grand Total  $1.25 w/ tax

Transaction #4

2 6 Packs Spiral Notebooks $0.50 a piece

Grand Total $1.08

Not bad for my first day. The deals only get better. Wait till you see what I have planned for the rest of the week. I am working on the whole adding pictures from my cell to my computer thing. Don't worry I will figure it out. Everything is better with pictures.

Happy Back to School  Shopping,

The Cute Couponer

Grandma's Ambrosia

 I want to share  with  you the most simple fabulous recipe. My grandmother has made it my entire lifetime and I would bet she has made it her entire lifetime too. In September she turns 88 years old. She still lives in her home and I still see her almost everyday. While you are all anxiously awaiting my shopping trips which will be completed over the next several days I wanted to share with  you the most fun recipe.

Take 2 small boxes of peach jell-o
1 C. of green seedless grapes
1 handful full of cherries
1 small can of mandarin oranges drained
1 large can of pineapple drained
1 peach sliced (leave the skin on )
3/4 pkg. of cottage cheese (your favorite kind)
1 pkg. cool whip

First take the cottage cheese and cool whip and mix it up well by hand. Add the two packages of jell-o and then add the fruit. Gently fold it all in together and cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve cool
Feel free to substitute your favorite  fruit or whatever is in season. We are a family of a pinch of this and a dash of that. Wish I could give you more detailed instructions, but what's the fun in that.

Happy Cooking,


The Cute Couponer

Making Money at Staples

Couponing is so going to rock the next few weeks!  I don't know what it is about stores around back to school time but the competition is fierce for them so it's a great benefit to us. All of the future sales can make up for the fact that I dropped my digital camera and cell phone this week and can't find the battery charger. Work was the week from you know where and when I opened the Sunday paper this morning it's like it all went away. So you may have to wait to see my pictures for a few days, unless I figure out the whole cell phone camera thing but let me show you what I picked up.

First up is Staples

2 Photo Plus Papers on sale for 9.99 each
2 Pkg.'s Copy Paper  on sale for 4.99 each
2 1 Subject Notebooks for .25 each

total = $33.01 with tax

I subtracted the $10.00 off  $25.00 Office Depot Competitor Coupon

and voila new total is = $23.01
                        
I submitted 2 rebates for the copy paper at 3.98 each
and two 9.75 rebates for the photo paper and voila
almost $5.00 profit

( It paid for the gas on the way to work)

 Not much was rockin my world at Walgreens but I did stop in for the
 Dr.Scholls for her Rough Skin Eraser (apparently everyone is trying this)
                 
 So I bought 4 tubes and here's the math

 2 Rough Skin Erasers at 6.98 each                                                                                                                minus 1 $5.00 off
Walgreens Coupon in July booklet
the register magically removes $10.00
I paid $5.17 for every two including tax
and got back a Register Reward for $5.00

My feet should feel great by this evening! I am going to sneak into the shower and try
this stuff out after everyone is in bed.

In the meantime check back often this week. There are a ton of sales going on.Yay!!!

Happy Couponing,


The Cute Couponer

Designer Labels for $1

What do Eddie Bauer, Liz Claiborne, Apt.9,  Donna Karan and Eddie Bauer have in common? They are all frequent visitors in my closet. Their clothes always have a parking spot in my closet. Tuesday is a fabulous day in my book because it always means I can bring home plenty of designer clothes for pennies on the dollar.

  
Check out the new sweater I bought for my mom. $1.00 Cha-Ching !!!

                                          
 Let's hope she likes her new Eddie Bauer sweater too. Just $1.00

I also found this

                                           
Isn't it adorable? I know these would look so much better modeled by a human but
I couldn't persuade her to pose for the camera. You know I couldn't take pictures of myself.

                                        

                                         

                                          
In all I spent $72.00 + tax for 72 designer items. You heard me right. Most of these still had the tags and extra buttons on. I quit being a clothing snob and checked out one major thrift store in town and found out they have some of the most fabulous items ever. The store wasn't in an upscale area, in fact it is in a rather poor area. Sometimes you have to go to the other side of town and it's so worth it. The people were fabulous. I plan on spending lots of time there in the future. 

I encourage you all to take a trip to your local thrift shops and goodwill. Now I know some of them are living in a dream world with their prices but I focus on one store and one sale and I always cash in. The very best thing is that all the money goes to charity. I love it!

Happy Thrift Shopping,
                                      
The Cute Couponer

Chillin At The Mall

 What's a girl to do on a triple digit Saturday afternoon? Shopping of course. My friend Amy and I decided to try and check out some Summer clearance deals and this is what we found.

First up was JCPenney's.

   
   We found mineral make-up on clearance for $5.00. I have always wanted to try this stuff but I wasn't willing to pay $100 bucks a pop.  I also found these adorable flavored chapsticks for under $2.00.
Total for make-up and chapstick = $12.00 + tax  Savings =90%

             The best part of it all was this...

                                         
Super Duper yummy treats.... 8 bags to be exact... absolutely free !!!! Turns out Meals On Wheels didn't  pick up the day old treats and they were happy to get rid of them. They gave us over $100.00 worth of baked goods absolutely free. This was enough to keep a smile on my face all weekend.

Make sure you check back tom. for the unbelievable designer clothing deals I  found. It will blow your mind!!!

       Happy Clearance Shopping,
   
           The Cute Couponer

Chic Chick Carnival

I'm very excited about the Chic Chick Carnival hosted by Chic Chick Media. My blog is all about the loves in my life like couponing, singing, shopping, doggies, dating, decorating and all things girly. Coupons are a blessing it's like free money. Who doesn't like free money?

 Today I'm featuring my peep of the week and my new friend Kate. I met Kate through Blog Frog. Her website is titled Practical Faith for Everyday Life. Knowing she is a christian lady and very practical I was so excited to check out her blog http://www.faith4moms.blogspot.com. For some wonderful ways to enjoy God and have faith in your everyday life check it out.  She is also a coupon lover I couldn't resist! While browsing check out visit our peeps.

Happy Reading,

The Cute Couponer

IF THE SHOE FITS

Nothing in this world makes you feel good instantly quite like a great pair of shoes. Whether they cost $5.00 or $500.00 doesn't matter, only that wow I look good no matter how much I weigh feeling does. Shoes do something to women to make them feel so good about themselves. Ace the job interview, attract the cutest guy, upstage your competition no matter what it is, you totally rock when you have the right pair of shoes!!!!!



Cha -Ching Baby!!!

      Look what $7.00 Summer clearance looks like.

      You heard me right!

                                        
  These are the last denim pair in Oklahoma City and I persuaded the sales rep to let me have them for $19.99. He was saving them for his girlfriend but he told her they were already sold. Don't worry it was his oops not mine. The odds were in my favor.  Go visit Payless today!
                        

  Now for my comfy finale.
                            

                                        
Nothing fancy I know but for $2.00 bucks sold!!!!!

                              

            Happy Clearance Shoe Shopping,

                 The Cute Couponer

I'm Loving My One Special Night

 I've been meaning to tell you about downtown Oklahoma City for quite some time now. Bricktown is now a happening place. At first I was not excited about putting in a riverwalk, I thought it made us too much like San Antonio but I must say it certainly has grown on me. It's full of clubs, restaurants, the baseball park, movie theater, bowling alley, and even the people that do the building jumping. That's right building jumpers! People actually do that for sport. Can't say I would try.
  We ate at Crabtown a fabulous little seafood joint. I got a great cheesey crab dish complete with red beans and rice.

 Now they also have the most wonderful potatoes I think I have ever eaten.  How many of you have eaten alligator? You heard me right alligator it comes grilled to the left and fried to the right. It's kind of like steak but not as good. I say leave the alligators alone! The grilled is better.

                                       
They had some great entertainment! If you look at the picture below in the top right you an see the lady singing and playing her guitar. All I have to say about Toby Keith's is it has some great entertainers. The staff is rude, the service stinks, and the food is bad and overpriced . There is no loving this bar but the entertainment is worth it. Sorry Toby! I still love you just not your bar.....

                                         
 I am a happy lady who enjoyed a surprise carriage ride, walk down the canal, and a midnight finale at Toby Keith's.

                                           

This was bound to be the best date I have ever been on .Too bad it didn't work out!!!!!

I will always remember it as one special night.

Happy Summer Days,

The Cute Couponer
                                                                         

Hot, Hot, Hot

                                           Boy Bear is a happy little fella isn't he?                                   

 I can't believe it is already after 3:00p.m. on a Sunday. This morning I got up at 6 to let the little munchkins out and I haven't stopped. It doesn't seem like I have gotten anything done either. Today is definitely not a day I can claim that I have made progress at anything. I haven't even looked at the coupons or the ads. Oh well, I will get to all that later in the meantime, let's talk about heat. Ask me what we have been doing this Summer and I will tell you, either we have been drowning in rain or dying in heat.

                                             Baby K is smokin !!!!!

                                               This is Jazzy

                                          Little Miss is trying to cool off .

                               Even Baby Cami is having trouble staying cool.

             Well we were going to take a trip to the dog park but it's too hot. So if you will excuse me I am going to plant my hiney on the couch and watch a movie. I figure in a few hours I might tackle my massive to-do list.

Stay Cool,

The Cute Couponer

Oh How I Love to Garden

                                                     Aren't my elephant ears huge!!!!!

Since there is absolutely zip going on in coupon land this week I thought I would share with you another passion of mine, gardening. Now a girl's gotta have something to do when there aren't any sales. So I like to make the world a prettier place, especially my world.

                 I love to garden so much I take care of my mom's house too. Isn't her Monkey Grass crazy here!


Last Fall I had the nerve to plant 100 of my favorite flower bulbs, tulips. I was sad to see how they turned out.

        Only a few made it. Sad little things. I almost cried but then check out the next door neighbors.

                                          At first I was in shock.
                                           

                                                            Maybe a wee bit jealous...

                                          Alrighty, how did this happen exactly 30 ft.from mine?

                                 I eventually realized I could sit on the front porch swing and admire hers.

                                                    After all I have pretty Hostas....

                                        
                                 This is how my Caladiums looked when they were first coming in

These are the sweetest little pink perennial flowers. I have no idea what they are called since the plastic label you stick in the ground washed away with all the rain we have been having.

                                       
                Remember the Blueberry bushes we bought a few months ago? They are coming in nicely. 

                                        

                                          Our Tiger Lillies sure have taken off...

                           
                                          Now the lime green looking stuff is my new Money Wart groundcover.

                                  
          If all goes as planned it should eventually look like this. Our neighbor Penny has quite the green thumb.

                                

I hope you enjoyed the quick tour of my new garden. Be sure to know I will keep you posted as to how things grow.

Now off to Walgreen's to spend those RR's that expire today. I will show you what I have planned for them later this weekend.


Happy Gardening,

The Cute Couponer

Happy 4th of July