Hallmark has all kinds of great things to celebrate Easter with, everything from candy to cards. They also has other gifts that allow you to get creative with your gift giving too.
I am in love with Hallmark Recordable Storybooks. They sent me one before Christmas that I gave to my grandmother to record. It is recorded herself reading the Christmas story and I treasure it. My grandmother was the one Christian influence in my life for many years, so to have her reading and teaching my kids is awesome! I know that while she is still alive now, one day she will not be, so this means so much to me. It lives on a shelf in my room, so my kiddos can read/listen whenever they want but it is safe.
Hallmark also has Hallmark Recordable Storybooks for Easter. They are $29.95 and worth every penny. They are perfect for relatives who live far away, military overseas, or any parent who wants to record a story for their child. On Easter morning, you can tell the child you love how much you love them with “Guess How Much I Love You” and “Counting Kisses” or surprise them with their favorite bedtime story — “Goodnight Moon” — featuring your voice.
You have to open the book record functions with a screwdriver, then shut it back. This keeps the recording safe so you don’t have to worry about your child recording over the voice. These are so precious and such a great gift.
A few other things Hallmark offers for Easter or any occasion:
- Greeting or Easter Postage-Paid Greetings ($2.69 – $3.99). These greeting cards are perfect because they include everything you need! The postage is already included.
- “Don’t Pull My Ears” plush Donald Duck ($29.95). It waddles and flaps his arm in sync to a lighthearted song until he’s picked up by his bunny ears or head. Then his wings and feet move faster while he squawks, “Hey, Put me down!”
- Totally Ticklish Duck ($29.95) is another fun Easter gift. Totally Ticklish Duck keeps singing a song until tickled under her wings – then her song changes to giggles and her wings flap faster. The longer you tickle, the more she laughs. When the tickling ends, she starts singing again. This duck is adorable and will have your child laughing with it for hours.
(The two plush toys can be picked up for $14.95 at any Hallmark when you buy (3) greeting cards)
Win it ALL!
One Southern Savers winner will win a huge package with everything listed above.
To Enter
Leave comment with a favorite Easter tradition your family has.
Don’t miss all the other giveaways currently running.
So what started as a one time deal is now an Extreme Couponing series… I voiced my concerns and thoughts after the last episode and they haven’t changed. So this time I just want to touch on what the reality of extreme couponing is, based on what we saw tonight. (I did actually watch tonight’s episode since we were away from home and had cable).
First pretty much everything you saw tonight can’t be done in most grocery stores.
- They will not let you check out for 5 hours and do 18 transactions back to back, and nor should they.
- The lady shopping in the Kroger store in Houston lives in an area that will actually no longer double coupons starting next Wednesday.
- Most stores have a limit on the number of like item coupons they will accept or a limit on the number of like coupons they will double. (We will see Bi-Lo break their own policy for this in a few weeks on another episode).
- Many coupons are starting to have limits written on them “per transaction” and “per customer”.
- Very few stores double items past their value (i.e. you buy a 60¢ product but they double to $1). The one big store in the south that has done this, Publix, is even updating their systems to no longer allow it. Remember stores pay for the doubling on coupons so there is no reason for them to do this.
Realize that stores view this as press, and they are willingly and knowingly breaking their own policies so that you will see how much you can save if you shop with them. To me this is a BAD idea. Now they (and all of us) will spend the next sixth months re-educating folks on what the real policies are.
Now that we got the reality check… can you still save a ton? Yes.
It is very easy to save money on your groceries! To get started read the Learn to Coupon page and watch some of the videos on Southern Savers.
A few big things to realize:
1. We only need enough for 6-10 weeks depending on your area.
2. You will see a sale again, I promise! So go easy and leave some for the rest of us.
3. Save what you can, but remember why you are saving!
Once you have read all the getting started details, just pick the store closest to you and find the list using the store names at the top of the site. Remember that everything on the weekly lists on Southern Savers is a good price that week. So if you need it, buy it!
Further Reading:
Getting Started Easily with Coupons
Extreme Couponing 101: Burnout
How To Reduce Your Time Spent Couponing
Extreme Couponing 101: Coupon Redemption
Back when I first discovered Groupon last year, there was a deal for a coffee company I had never heard of called Zoka Coffee Roaster & Tea Company. Even though it’s hard to beat my husband’s home-roasted beans, I decided to give it a go. I was pleasantly surprised, both with the website itself and with the taste of the coffee!
Zoka is only about 15 years old and originates from that great coffee city of Seattle. Starting out small, the company grew over the years to be regarded as one of the nation’s leading companies. The reason for the renown stretches beyond good coffee – the company is grounded on principles of small batch roasting and, even more importantly, building strong relationships with coffee bean farmers. This is a way in which we have seen many coffee companies take action, and I am excited that Zoka strives to do the same.
You can get their fresh roasted coffee straight in your own coffee maker by ordering online. Order between a vast selection of coffees and loose teas, as well as tools and essentials like grinders, brewers, presses, filters, etc. When choosing your coffee, you also get the option of whole bean vs ground, and which grade of grind you want. I’m all about some choices :). You can also join one of their coffee clubs to receive different coffees on a routine basis.
But enough chatter, on to the Giveaway!
There are nine bags of Zoka’s Tangletown Blend coffee waiting to go out to nine winners! This light blend has notes of apple, caramel and chocolate, and is a tasty treat!
To enter:
Comment below by telling me what your favorite kind of coffee (or tea) is and why! Winners will be picked Monday 4/4.
I am having so much fun sharing frugal Weight Watchers menu ideas with y’all and it has really inspired me to get more creative in the kitchen.
If you ever want a quick glance at the cheapest meat and produce prices, be sure to use the Need It Now list I post every Thursday. I actually use this list to help put together my menu plans based on the sales each week.
Be sure to check out all the previous Weight Watchers Menu Plans for more healthy meal ideas!
*These prices are based off of averages and are subject to change weekly
Pasta Primavera – Recipe
Grape Tomatoes, $1.99 (at Publix)
Yellow Squash or Zucchini $1 lb (at Kroger) or 99¢ (at Harveys)
Ronzoni Pasta, (at Publix)
Frozen Peas (from stockpile)
(8 Points Plus)
Shrimp Skewers w/ Grilled Pepper Sauce – Recipe
Lemons 33¢ (at Sweetbay)
Medium White Shrimp, 41-50 ct. per pound, $4.99 lb (at Publix)
Red Bell Pepper, 4 pk., $2.50 (at Bi-Lo)
(2 Points Plus!)
Grilled Asian Burgers with Onion & Pineapple – Recipe
93% Lean Ground Beef $2.99 lb (at Food Lion)
Whole or Cored Pineapple $1.99 (at Kroger)
Sweet Onions 99¢ lb (at Publix) or 3 lb $2.50 (at Bi-Lo) or 3 lb $1.50 (at Sweetbay)
(5 Points Plus)
Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Pear Chutney – Recipe
Hormel/Smithfield Whole Pork Tenderloin $2.99 lb (at Harris Teeter)
Bartlett Pears 99¢ lb (at Publix)
(8 Points Plus)
Indian Chicken w/ Spinach, Potatoes & Chickpeas – Recipe
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast $1.98 lb (at Ingles or HEB) or $2.29 lb (at Winn Dixie)
Red Potatoes, 5 lb, $2.50 (at Bi-Lo), $3.29 (at Harveys)
Yoplait Greek Yogurt, 8 oz, or Dannon Greek Yogurt, 5.5 oz, 40¢ (at Kroger)
(10 Points Plus)
The new Publix Pet Program is turning out to be totally worth signing up for if you have a furry critter in the house. Here are the store coupons they’ve emailed out so far.
This Month’s Coupons (good til 4/27)
-$1 off Cat’s Pride Premium Litter, 22 oz, printable
-$1 off Hartz Crunch ‘n Clean Dog Biscuits, 26 oz, printable
-$2 off Hartz Ultra Guard Items, 0.12-0.57 oz, printable
-$1 off Whiskas Temptations Treats, 2.1 or 3 oz, printable
-FREE Pedigree Canned Dog Food wyb Pedigree Dry Dog Food, 15 lb+, printable
-$2 off Our Pets Joint Supplement For Dogs, 60 ct., printable
Last Month’s Coupons (good til 4/30)
-$1 off Whiskas Variety Pack Cat Food, 30 or 36 oz, printable
-$1 off Purina Dog or Cat Treat, 2.1-32 oz, printable
-$2 off Pedigree Dry Dog Food, 15-32 lb bag, printable
-$2 off Publix Cat Litter, Multi-Cat, Scoopable, 27 lb pail, printable
If you haven’t signed up for the Publix Pet Program, you can do so here and they’ll email you the coupons!
(thanks Amy!)
This weekend only you can entertain the entire family and learn how to coupon! I’m a presenting speaker at the Palmetto Sportsman’s Classic in Columbia SC at the State Fair Grounds.
Right after you watch Okefenokee Joe teach you everything you need to know about snakes and nature the husband and kids can go off and learn about hunting, fishing, and adventures while we all stay and learn the in’s and out’s of saving money.
There is a ton to do, so I would urge you to bring the entire family (kids under 10 get in FREE). The Classic is put on by the SC Department of Natural Resources and all proceeds from admission are used by the Harry Hampton Memorial Wildlife Fund, a non-profit that promotes natural resources conservation in the Palmetto State.
It costs $8 per person to get in but then most everything you do inside is free (including the coupon workshop). Parking is also free.
Seriously I really want you to come… I’m slightly concerned between Twiggy the watering skiing squirrel and awesome exhibits that I’m gonna be talking to an empty room.
I’m presenting Saturday at 12 pm and Sunday at 1 pm in the Moore Building, check out the full schedule of events.
I love stone ground corn meal and you can usually find it on sale at Bi-Lo which is why I am including two different recipes for polenta. Even if you don’t have Bi-Lo in your area, corn meal is one of those really versatile and inexpensive staple ingredients. Its also filling and satisfying, so you get a lot of bang for your buck! Did I mention that its also great leftover?
*These prices are based off of averages and are subject to change weekly
Dinner Plans
Deep Dish Polenta Pie – Recipe
Alabama King or Dixie Lily Stone Ground Corn Meal, 24 oz, 69¢ (at Bi-Lo)
White Mushrooms, Whole or Sliced, 8 oz, $1.50 (at Publix)
Broccoli Crowns $1 lb (at HEB and Harveys)
Smart Balance Milk Free (at Harris Teeter)
(5 Points Plus)
Mexican Beef over Polenta – Recipe
93% Lean Ground Beef, $3.77 lb (at Harris Teeter)
Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes, 14 oz, 58¢ (at Harris Teeter)
Sweet Onions 99¢ lb (at Sweetbay, Lowes, Harvey’s, Winn Dixie)
Jarred Jalepenos (from stockpile)
Chicken Broth (from stockpile)
Kraft 2% Monterrey Jack, 8 oz, 84¢ (at Harris Teeter) or $1.25 (at Publix)
(7 Points Plus)
Citrus-Garlic Pork Loin – Recipe
Pork Loin $1.59 lb (at Harveys), $1.99 lb (at Publix)
Grapefruits 50¢ (at Sweetbay),75¢ (at Harris Teeter) or 5 lb for $2.99 (at Food Lion) or $3 (at Harvey’s)
Green Snap Beans $1.29 lb (at Bi-Lo)
Kikkoman Soy Sauce, 15oz, 59¢ (at Harris Teeter)
(6 Points Plus)
Sage Chicken and Red Potatoes – Recipe
Tyson Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.99 lb (at Kroger)
Red Potatoes, 3 lb bag, $2.99 (at Bi-Lo)
Sweet Onions 99¢ lb (at Sweetbay, Lowes, Harvey’s, Winn Dixie)
(6 Points Plus)
Cold Snack Ideas
Weight Watchers Ice Cream Bars, Sandwiches, Sundae Cones, or Frozen Yogurt Bars, 12-24 oz, $1.49 (at Publix)
Yoplait Fiber One Yogurt, 4 pk. 4 oz, 25¢ (at Publix)
Frosty Green Grape Sorbet – Recipe
Green Grapes, $1 lb (at HEB, Food Lion)
(7 Points Plus)
This deal is a little different from a typical post, but one that might be right up the alley of some readers.
The AARP/Walgreens Wellness Tour is a national mobile tour meant to provide over $14 million worth of free health tests. Sponsored by AARP and Walgreens, the mobile tour is offering free health tests valued at $100 that include cholesterol levels, blood pressure, bone density, glucose levels, waist circumference and body mass index. This is a great way to get a free check-up!
Also, if you are over the age of 50, you will get a year of AARP Membership for free! If you can think of someone who might need that, make sure to share it with them.
Take a look at their schedule here (it looks like they are coming to SC next week!)
Just a note! Some readers say if you show your AARP card at checkout you will receive a $5/$20 coupon for your next purchase.
(Thanks Karen and Sue!)
Depending on who your Publix believes is a competitor, you can use some really great coupons at Publix this week.
$3/4 Nabisco Snack Crackers (manufacturer coupon) (exp 3/29)
$5 off $50 purchase
$4/4 participating General Mills products (exp 3/29).
Including: Honey Nut, Banana Nut, Fruity, Cinnamon Burst, and Multigrain Cheerios, as well as Reeses Puffs, Kix, Fiber One Chewy Bars, Nature Valley Nut Clusters, and Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks
$5 off any $30 purchase
Don’t miss the Harveys and Food Lion printable coupons posted earlier.
With all of these options, I’m sure that you can do a great job at Publix this week!
