Home!

We decided to stay an entire week up on the coast. We are finally home to all the heat. Yuck!! My hubbies parents have a small vacation house so we are lucky to get to stay for free and we really unplugged and relaxed. There is no wi-fi even in town nor cell service up there so you really get to get away from it all whether you want to or not. Aaagh though I realized I am down to six diapers. That has not happened since I began couponing. Will need to look for the good diaper deals this week and get shopping.
We are also back to school this week so I feel a little out of sorts trying to get us all out the door today. This is the first time back to school was in Aug. for us and I don't like it.

Don't toss it bake it! Monkey Bars

I hate wasting food so I try to use up everything I can. I'll toss things in the freezer with hopes of cooking it up into some kind of dish or soup later on. Bananas are big time item in our house that goes bad. I just throw them into the freezer and use them later to bake up goodies. Today I made monkey bars with them. YUUUMMM! Chocolate, coconut and banana heaven.

Monkey Bars
Heat oven to 350 and line a 15x10 pan with foil and spray with Pam.
1 2/3 c. mashed bananas
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. oil
1/4 c. milk
2 lg. eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 c. coconut flakes (I add more)
1/2 c. mini chips or chopped up chips
  Mix first nine ingredients then add the flour. Mix well. Stir in chips and coconut. Spread in the pan and bake about 20  minutes or until knife comes out clean. Once cooled, lift foil and slice. Enjoy.

Swagcode for 10

In the blog until 1:30 PDT.

21 Years!

Yesterday my hubby and I celebrated 21 years of marriage. We are going to the beach for five days starting tomorrow so we decided we'd celebrate with a nice dinner out without the kiddos but he came home and surprised me with these flowers. Thanks honey I love ya!!!

Free Sample of Laruh Custom Soap

Click the link : Free Samples / Freebies / Free

Swagcode #3 for the day. Worth 9!

Check the blog. Bummer I missed #2. Had to run some errands.

Swagcode until 9:30 pdt

Check the blog. It's towards the end of the recent post.  There are supposed to be five codes today. Whoo-hoo!

Another Sample Box from the USPS

If this is like the last sample box the post office sent I will be very excited to recv it. It was a great box full of really nice samples. You have to sort of go thru a round about way to sign up for it but that is the link they gave. I just use my e-mail that I set up for all this junk mail/freebie sort of stuff. I did sign up successfully and make sure you agree to the privacy policy at the end. Free Samples / Freebies / Free

Mail Call

I love to see what others recv in the mail so I thought I'd share a particularly good day here. These are days that the mail brings some good tidings. I recvd my certificate for a free coffee from Dunkin Donuts, a free lip balm and three checks: one from Pinecone Research for $3 for a survey, the Schick Hydro rebate for 8.97 and an Ace Hardware rebate for paint for $5.

Air Wick Car Air Freshener

Receive a free Air Wick Car Air Freshener. Here's the text for the freebie:

Air Wick Car Air Freshener makes you car feel like home. Just open the package and hang the freshener to reveal an enjoyable, crisp, and refreshing fragrance. Hang your Airwick Auto Paper Air Freshener in your car and feel confident in knowing your car is always welcoming to your family and friends.
http://tampagpcarwash.com/free_airwick_car_freshener.html Well who could resist that.

Great Week at CVS

Saw http://jerikayssearchfortheperfectdeal.blogspot.com/ this week and wanted to get to CVS. I have a crazy day here but I want to post how awesome I think CVS is this week. I finally got there today and scanned my card and out popped four coupons one of which was a $4/$20 coupon. So I knew I would use this one. Another coupon was $1/2 Cheerios. They have the large boxes are 2.22 right now and all had a $1/1 peelie. Used this coupon too. Did the Dulcolax MM and the Schick Hydro razor deal. Bought a few bottles of handsoap and some school supplies. Prior to coupons total was over $37. After coupons and a swipe of my FSA card for the Dulcolax I paid 3.38 oop as all of my ECBs were of higher values. I still got back 14.99 in ECBs and will submit the razor for the 8.97 rebate. WOW. CVS paid me to shop big time this week and I love them. All this on top of the 5ECBs I got a couple of days ago from a short survey.

Swagcode for 7 until 1:00 pm pdt

Check the blog.

Can you pick the right cashier?

     I had read on more than one blog when I first started couponing, to try and find a certain type of cashier when you are shopping with a lot of coupons. I think it was Hip2save that said she likes to pick young males as they seem friendliest to us couponers. She may be on to something. Who knows. Well, yesterday I went to Target and Ralphs and used lots of coupons at both stores. At Target I was in a line with a young female cashier who was leaving so I ended up with a young guy. He was great. Pushed thru every coupon and even gave me the full value of a bogo coupon even though the item was on sale. I think he was hurrying and just didn't want bother with checking anything and I don't advocate getting anything I am not entitled to, but after I got home I discovered his mistake.
     The next store was for groceries and I chose the only line open and the cashier was an older male who didn't say much so I was a little nervous when I had to hand him my stack of Qs. So he put thru all the coupons and at the end I had a coupon for a free item but the item was more than you could get with the coupon so I told him that so he wouldn't have to keep looking for the item. He still didn't say much and finally he said free is free with a smile on his face and  he gave me the entire amount off. I thanked him and happily walked out of the store. Now I have had lots of female cashiers that were just fine and friendly to me but this was my experience today and I have to say I have never had a problem with a male cashier in the past. There is one at CVS that I particularly like as he puts everything thru and is fast and gets me out the door right as rain. So who knows?

Reminder to sign up for CVS advisor program

CVS uses this program to survey customers about new ideas and products coming to stores. I signed up only three months ago and already I have earned 20 ECBs by doing the surveys. They will send you and e-mail and even if you don't qualify for the survey, but you answer the initial questions, you earn 2 ECBs. One survey I did was long and I earned 15 and the next one was shorter, maybe five minutes and I earned 5. Here is the link:
https://www.cvsadvisor.com/Home_gray.aspx

Couple of Target Clearance items

Ran into Target today. Found large size of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce (the best) clearanced to .84. The varieties are limited. Also, large boxes of Total Raisin Bran Clearance to 1.92 with a $1 peelie cpn on the box.

Free Earrings from Seventeen Magazine

Hurry the first 20,000 will get a free pair of earrings by filling out the form.
http://newblog.makemechic.com/seventeen

More Coupons for Free Smoothie or Frappe at McDonalds

Ordered a couple sweet teas at McD's today and look what was on them.

That's a great deal considering the sweet teas are only $1 a piece and the Frappes and Smoothies are more than double that. The coupons says it is good thru the 15th of August.

Sample of Cheetos Mighty Zingers

Click  and wait for the Zingers box
http://www.besnackready.com/SnackReadyAlert.aspx

FREE Post-it Super Sticky Notes

Sample of the Super sticky notes:
http://www3.3m.com/qfrm/ShowSurvey?surveyid=JOJNPRG4

Free Sample of Tiger Balm Rub

Go to the facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/TigerBalmUS?v=app_11007063052

A Rant

Went to Albie's today to use the double coupons from the Sunday paper. Well I am all organized and have the doubles matched to my coupons and the gal tells me oh the second and third one won't work. We recvd three in the paper. I say why not and she says well they have to be handed in the order they were printed in the paper and I have loads as I am doing a couple of transactions. Says no where on the coupon that is how they have to be handed over. So now I am handing her the other coupons hoping to find the right ones for that sequence. Ended up I had to not use one of them and the manager had to come over twice for overrides. I stayed calm as I like the checker but I told her I thought that was kind of tricky. Really what is the point of that anyway?
 I rarely shop there any longer as they don't double and my Vons does up to a $1. I will be going online as they ask you to do on the bottom of the receipt to lodge a complaint. Ridiculous. Lose a customer over your pinchy doubler coupons. I have spent thousands and thousands there over the years. Sorry just needed to vent. It was a pretty good trip but crummy check out experience. 51 items for $34. Not my best but still far better than pre-couponing days.

WOW Swagcode for 21-EXPIRED

Copy and paste code from the swidget.

Pinecone Recruiting Females

I personally love this survey sight the most of the four I belong to. The surveys seem fast paced and you get a check mailed to you in about a week after you finish one. I usually get two sent a month to me. They notify you via e-mail when they have a survey open. Click on the free sample link which will take you to the Pinecone offer. You can check out the other freebies while you are there.Free Samples / Freebies / Free

Nabisco Cookies & Milk Coupon is Up Again

Today is the one day of the month the print the coupon.
http://www.facebook.com/#!/nabiscocookies?ref=ts

Albertsons double cpns in Sunday paper

Watch you Sunday inserts for the Albertson's Double coupons. There are three in today's paper. Also, inside the stores at the check out stand they have a coupon book that has two of the double coupons on the back cover. These doubler coupons let you double a coupon up to a $1. That could net you some free or very cheap stuff this week.

Get a Free Carton of Better Oats Oatmeal! Available again!

Hurry this is available again. Looks like you get a whole package with the coupon.

http://www.betteroats.com/coupon/?result=success

Garden Bounty-what to do with all those cucumbers

I have cucumbers coming out of my ears. We have been picking 2-3 a day which is more than you can put in your average salad so here are the ways we eat them up.
Number one!! Cucumber sandwiches. My mother raised me on these and they are a real treat. You just need soft bread, usually white is best. Cover the bread with mayo and sliced cucumbers, salt and pepper and if you really want to be in heaven then add sliced avocado. My kids all like these and it saves the lunch meat.

YUMMM!

Salads. Cucumber can be sliced with any kind of yummy veggie add some vinaigrette and you have a wonderful side dish. Usually we have it with tomatoes but this year we have hardly picked any tomatoes with our weather being so cool. It has been the oddest, cool summer I have ever had in my 43 years in So. Calif. I love it. I'm thinking of trying a recipe I saw on The Coupon Goddess sight for bread and butter pickles. Anyone have any other ideas please let me know.

Love my messy kitchen? Just wanted to show even my youngest likes her cucumber sammie.