Here is an easy way to get 55-70 Recyclebank points!
Here’s how to get the points:
1. Register or Log into your Recyclebank account
2. Click back to the homepage and click on the banner pictured above.
3. Click on Travel in the top left corner.
4. Click on all the items that are floating around- suitcases, trains, cars, boats, clouds etc..
Each item will have a point value. Make sure your pop up blocker is off and you should be able to rack up points in just a few minutes.
If you are unfamiliar with RECYCLEBANK, this is a fun way to learn about recycling through quizes and pledges. You earn points for participating and then can use those points to get awesome printable coupons.
Don’t forget about an additional 50 points from a few days ago!
This week we’ve had a lot of posts on getting started couponing the “real” way. Now a post for all of you that have been at this for a while… how to not get burnt out (or how to work through it). This is actually a post from almost two years ago, but sometimes it’s good to dust things off.
With couponing it is very easy to grow tired. You may feel like you are stuck in a rut or confined to only buying items that have coupons. With all activities, we can get too involved. It’s something that can save a lot of money, we consider it a good addiction but really we can be setting ourselves up for exhaustion.
First, do any of these sound like you??
1. The last time you bought something not on sale was over 2 weeks ago.
2. You are craving a favorite food, but won’t get it because there is no good deal on it.
3. You are spending every free minute scouring the web for deals.
4. You make frequent trips to the store just to grab the latest free find.
If one of those struck home, you are not alone. Most of us get very wrapped up in saving money. There are limits though and we can’t be super savers on every trip. To help you recover from burnout or to help stay focused on the point here a few tips.
1. It’s okay to spend money on the things you need. Really. If you have to repeat that to yourself every time you head into a store, then make it your mantra. Buy things if you need them. Try to work in your family’s requests. If you don’t, its possible that this will ultimately lead to frustration.
2. Work room for a splurge into your budget. If you are going into the store and saving 60% on your groceries then you probably can handle that $3 splurge item. Yes, it has no coupon and is not on sale, but that little splurge is really helping you stay grounded. If you never splurge then you will grow resentful of the coupons and the sales.
3. Remember most of your savings come from the sale price, not the coupon. Yes, you read that right. When I go in and get a $5 box of cereal for $1, over 60% off the savings was because I bought the item at it’s lowest price, NOT because I used a coupon.
If you are ready to give up on coupons, then do it. Take a break from cutting, sorting, and gathering. This week instead of gathering coupons you could just make a shopping list from the items on sale. Skip the coupons and you will still save over 50%.
4. Limit your internet time. Spending 4 hours surfing for the best deals seems fun in the beginning but eventually it is not worth your time. In the end you will either be exhausted and overwhelmed by the things that aren’t getting done around you, or you will go crazy feeling like you need to get every possible deal at the store.
My tip: I set a timer for 30-45 minutes, when the timer goes off I’m done. Whether I have cut all the coupons or not it doesn’t matter. It is more important to me that I focus on my kids and not getting frustrated.
5. It’s okay to miss a deal. If someone finds a crazy deal on detergent for 25 cents but you have 5 bottles, do you really need to run out for it?? Remember that all sales run on cycles. If pickles are 9 cents at the store this week, it’s not the last time pickles are ever going to go on sale. Making a daily trip to the store to get the latest reported deal isn’t really saving you time or money. Grab the deals you know about when you are out and only go back for the latest find if you were headed there anyway.
6. It’s okay to only shop at one grocery store. Everything comes on sale at every store. Stock up, then there is no need to feel like you have to hit 4 different stores in the same week. If you wait a few more weeks, those items will come on sale at the store that you frequent the most.
7. Set a goal. In the end, stay focused on why you are couponing. Is it out of a basic need to feed your family or to save for something? Does it relieve stress to have money left over at the end of the month? Whatever your answer, realize that no one saves money just to say they did it. Don’t focus on the number at the bottom of the receipt but focus on whether you are accomplishing your purpose for saving. As long as you are meeting your goal it doesn’t matter whether you are saving 60% or 45%.
Our story: We got started out of a need to pay off a large bill. Now that we have covered that expense we coupon to put money in savings each month. Our weekly grocery budget is small, but it still has a lot of wiggle room for things we like. If I have extra money in the food budget at the end of the month, to help not get fatigued with coupons, it is not put into savings, instead that extra food money is put back into groceries getting things that we love but that aren’t on sale.
In case you missed any of the other posts this week:
Getting Started Couponing
Gathering Coupons
Putting it All Together
Using Mail in Rebates
All week we have been celebrating Mom’s who find ways to make money from home. I know for most of us that is our dream, goal or current work. I want to thank each consultant that joined with me this week to make this bash possible. They are each being very generous to help us make this a success for you guys with prizes and for our two charities that each party’s sales are benefiting.
If you haven’t already entered or browsed through their sites, take a minute now and do so. Many of the consultants are offering discounts, extra deals and one is even giving free shipping!
The Charities This Supports:
Heartworks Ministries – Helping inner city kids, giving them a place of hope and love. The ministry focuses on teaching them about the love of Christ and showing them that love, improving their academic performance and social skills, and even reaching out to the families and giving them hope as well.
Hannah House – They provide transitional housing for homeless women and single moms with children. Most residents stay for 3-6 months will finding permenant housing and learning life skills to succeed in society.
The Giveaways:
Click the links below to enter each giveaway. Each is giving away $100 in products!!
Thirty-One – Bags, Totes and Storage Gear
Tastefully Simple – Spices, Seasonings, Mixes, Breads and more
Mary Kay – Make Up, Facial Care, and Sun Care
Scentsy – Home frangrances and burners
Usborne Books – High Quality Children’s books for early and advanced readers
The Pampered Chef – Kitchen Gadgets, Cookbooks, Cutlery, Dishes and more
All giveaways will end 6/24 at 5 pm.
Shopping sales and using coupons are one huge way to save, but adding in mail in rebates can make the game even more fun!
First, everyone wants to know how they work with coupons. Most mail in rebates work beautifully with coupons! You buy the item in the store, use any coupons and discounts you would like to use and then submit your rebate. Must manufacturer’s will reimburse the full value of the rebate no matter the final price paid. Obviously there are exceptions, but look in the fine print of a rebate and as long as it doesn’t mention “minus the value of any coupons used” you’re probably going to have a money maker!
To get better at mail in rebates there are a few things you need to do:
Keep all of your receipts for 4-6 weeks. We are no longer shopping week in and week out for the items we need. You are now buying something and not buying it again for 6 more weeks. What happens if you find a rebate 2 weeks from now for something you bought today. If the rebate window went back a few weeks you would be ready to submit it without even going shopping, you just need the receipt. You don’t need some big organizational system, just shove them all in a big ziploc bag or a drawer. The point is to at least have them!
Ask for duplicate receipts. What happens if you buy 25 things today, submit your rebate for one item and then find another rebate for another item?? If you know that you are purchasing an item today that is for a mail in rebate then always get a back up receipt for the other items. Another reason… most DVD’s and Blu-rays have two UPC symbols and you can actually submit two mail in rebates for them. Often Disney movies will have multiple offers available from various brands. Now you can buy a movie, a box of pasta, and a roll of duct tape and submit two separate mail in rebates.
To get a second receipt just ask the cashier at checkout for a “duplicate receipt”. Most every register has a button they can push and out comes the receipt. It’s doesn’t mean they will know where that button is, but there is always something new to learn!
When it comes time to submit them, I would recommend that you create a way to keep track of them. Either grab a pad of paper or use this spread sheet and keep it where you pay your bills and handle mail. The big things to track:
Rebate Value
Purchase Requirements
Date Mailed
Length of Processing Time (ex. 4-6 weeks)
Phone Number to Contact with Questions
Remember too, with all mail in rebates you should make a copy before you mail it in. I don’t tend to actually print a copy (that uses ink and costs money) I just scan them and keep the files in a rebate folder on my computer.
One big tip:
If you live in a state that doesn’t require alcohol purchases for mail in rebates then you are about to be a mail in rebate queen! Check out the beer & wine section in most grocery stores and you will find mail in rebates for $5 back when you buy beef and some beer. In select states, you don’t have to buy the alcohol, just the beer. So you are going to buy $5 in beef and then get it all back by rebate!!! There are tons of offers available throughout the year, so keep your eyes open for them.
The Pampered Chef is committed to developing multipurpose kitchen tools, providing expert cooking tips and creating simple recipes that enhance mealtime and suit busy lifestyles. With a product line that includes more than 300 offerings – from entertaining to cookware, cutlery to cookbooks, and stoneware to pantry products, they have the simple and affordable solution to get your meal on the table. When you’re a busy mom, you need all the help you can get to put those meals on the table.
Personally I have a few of their products I can’t imagine cooking without. My two big favorites being their garlic press (it puts any other press to shame) and their stoneware. We’ve had a pizza stone for years that is now well seasoned and loved.
Shop for Charity
Kimberlee is throwing a party on her website for Southern Savers readers and donating all proceeds from the party to a local ministry called Heartworks Ministry! She’s also donating an additional $5 to this ministry with each catalog party that is booked and held in the months of June, July or August!
Pampered Chef also has a program called “Round-Up from the Heart.” During checkout, you are given the opportunity to round up your total on your order. The extra money serves as a donation to one of our local food banks. This means you can give to 2 charities in one stop!
How to order:
- Head over to Kimberlee’s Pampered Chef Facebook page
- Click on the link in her info to go to her website and shop the Southern Savers party
- Donate to Heartworks Ministry just by shopping at the party
If you spend $60 or more (before tax and shipping) on cool products for the kitchen, you can get a FREE savory sauce of your choice. (This offer is only good for the month of June).
The Giveaway – over now
Kimberlee is giving away (2) cookie presses ($29.50 each) and (4) small batter bowls ($11.50 each).
You have 2 chances to win (feel free to do as many as you like) Read More→
If you have a Smartphone you know it’s capable of a lot of fun things, but if you’re like me, you rarely have time to experiment with new apps.
One of my goals right now is to use the phone to save money and help it pay for itself.
I recently realized there are so many helpful money saving apps that I was missing out on. Check out this list of frugal Apps for iPhone or Android and help offset the cost of your phone by saving extra money!
Gas Buddy
View prices at gas stations nearby to get the best price.
Pros: Save 10-40¢/gallon just by doing your homework
Cons: Gas is still expensive
CardStar
Keep store cards organized on your phone
Pros: Keeps key cards at the ready without filling your purse
Cons: Cashiers may look at you funny, but you’re used to that with coupons
Red Laser
Use your phone camera to scan any barcode and comparison shop instantly.
Pros: See if you are getting a good price without leaving the store
Cons: You might spend the rest of the day scanning things
Coupon Sherpa
Find retail coupons when you’re on the go
Pros: Makes tons of printable coupons available on your phone
Cons: Retailers may require the printed version for redemption
Groupon App
Save paper & redeem Groupons straight from your phone
Pros: Groupons are always with you
Cons: Might tempt you to buy more Groupons!
Living Social App
Never print a Living Social certificate again
Pros: Buy, share and redeem straight from your phone
Cons: If you find one, let me know!
Cellfire Mobile App
Add coupons to your store cards while you’re out
Pros: Easily add coupons when you can’t get to a computer
Cons: Sometimes the coupons take a little while to activate
Do you have another money saving app you use regularly?
Okay, so far we have the basics understood and you’ve got your coupons, now lets put it together.
I need to use these coupons and sales to get everything my family needs, not just have some crazy amount of toothpaste and starve because we still can’t afford food.
To truly start to feel like it is coming together is going to take time, about 6 weeks to be exact. Each week you need to pull up the list on Southern Savers for the store you shop at and purchase anything on the list that you will use. Get enough of those items to last you 6 weeks, because they will not be back on your Southern Savers list for a few weeks.
For the first few weeks you will still have items you need. Remember that anything you need that is not on sale is full price and is going to hurt not only your budget but also your savings totals. For these items buy one weeks worth only. Hopefully soon you will see them on sale and can stock up then.
Each week you keep buying six weeks of the sale items that week and one week of your “have to get” items. Week by week your needed items list will get smaller and smaller as you slowly stock up. Also week by week the amount that you save will start to go up. By week six you should be seeing that 50% saved or more!
If your stores are not listed on Southern Savers, open up your weekly ad. Circle everything in the ad that is buy one get one or all the items that are 40% off or more. Now open up the coupon database and look for coupons just for the items you have circled. You’ve just made your own store list!
Remember: To truly save money you have to still focus on what you are buying. If you begin buying everything that is a great deal even though you don’t really need it in your house you really aren’t going to save any money. Just because something costs 50¢ doesn’t mean you have to get it, if you continue not buying it (as you always did before coupons) that is 50¢ saved!
A few tips to save even more:
Buy any item that makes you money. It’s just that simple. If you see that vitamins are going to be on sale for $2.50 and you have $3 in coupons, that means in most stores that you will get 50¢ off your total purchase. That becomes 50¢ off your milk, meat, produce… In the end donate the items you don’t want. We keep a box in our pantry and when I get home if items were purchased that we won’t use they go straight in the box. When the box is full give it to the homeless shelter, food bank or even take it back to the grocery store most have donation bins right there!
Utilize rain checks. Most every store offers rain checks on deals in their weekly ad. For grocery deals the store doesn’t need to be out of every item, just one variety. This actually makes getting a rain check pretty easy. Head in to grab Pop Tarts and there are 23 (or some other crazy number) different flavors. Odds are one of the types you wanted will be out. You are still able to get a rain check, and don’t have to make your kids suffer through some horrible type. Tell customer service in most grocery stores what you were wanting and they will write the rain check. Most stores will write the rain check for the entire brand, not just the flavor you wanted. So now I could come in and get any kind of Pop Tart I wanted.
Special days to shop and extra incentives. Many stores have senior shopping days, special sale days or even incentives to use your own shopping bag. Take a few minutes to get to know the folks at your store and just ask! They will give you the scoop on anything they offer.
With summer coming up, we can’t let our kids get out of the habit of reading. This Usborne Books & More giveaway brought to you by Joyce has come at a great time! Usborne books & More believes that children should have every opportunity available to them, especially a good education. That’s why the books they offer are unsurpassed in quality, content, illustrations and photography.
Usborne offers a huge variety of books for children of all ages. These include the very popular reference books with Internet links, enchanting baby board books, puzzle books to stretch the imagination and everything in between. Usborne books entice even the most reluctant readers to dive into the information and surface again eager to learn more.
Usborne has so many awesome books, so let me share our favorites The Farmyard Tales Collection. It’s one of the most popular books in the Usborne collection and it comes complete with all 20 Farmyard Tales (328 pages!!) and a read-along CD. Something cool about this series is that it is a dual level reader. This means there are two levels of text: a simple line at the top of the page that can be read to younger children ready to turn the page, and text at the bottom that can be added when the child is ready for a more complete story.
Shop for Charity
Joyce is throwing a show for Southern Savers readers now through July 12th! Head over and stock up on some books. Make sure you check out all of their sales and specials (they normally have a number of books up to 60% off)!
All proceeds from the show will be donated to a local ministry called Heartworks Ministry which strives to turn the hearts of inner city children and their families towards Christ and academic excellence.
The Giveaway – over now
Joyce is giving away 4 copies of The Farmyard Tales Combined Volume with CD (each is a $25 value).
You have 2 chances to win (feel free to do as many as you like)
1. Tell me what one book your kids (or you) would love from Usborne.
2. Follow Southern Savers on Facebook, Feed Reader, or Daily Email and leave a comment below that you are.
You can also enter to win $50 in FREE books when you sign up for Joyce’s email newsletter.
With 3 little girls running and dancing around, it’s not a good idea to keep candles burning in my house. I still want my house to smell good without worrying about the open flames. That’s where Scentsy comes in. Scentsy is a direct selling company that sells safe, wickless alternatives to scented candles.
Unique Scentsy warmers use a low-watt bulb to melt the specially formulated wax slowly, maximizing the fragrance time of the Scentsy Bar or Scentsy Brick. With no flame, soot or wick, the Scentsy system is a safe way to enjoy more than 80 Scentsy fragrances.
One more thing you should check out, they have three great options to be able to take scents with you on the road! You can get scent circles, scent paks, or fragrance spray and foams. I live with a suitcase packed basically so I love the idea of a scent pak packed in my bag to make things smell wonderful everywhere we go!
Shop for Charity
For June only, Scentsy is offering 10% off the June warmer and scents of the month.
We’re teaming up with Brandi from Scentsy on this one, and she is also giving a free Scentsy bar with every order $50 or more!
Brandi has set up a party for Southern Savers readers to shop, she is also donating all proceeds from this party to a local ministry called Heartworks, helping Inner City Kids. So, hop over to her website and “join the party” with Southern Savers!
The Giveaway – over now
Brandi is giving away three different prizes to three winners:
- Warmer valued at $30
- Scentsy Buddy valued at $25
- (2) Scentsy 6 pack scents valued at $25 ea.
You have 2 chances to win (feel free to do as many as you like)
1. Tell me what scent you would enjoy the most from Scentsy.
2. Follow Southern Savers on Facebook, Feed Reader, or Daily Email and leave a comment below that you are.
Stay on top of Scentsy sales and specials by getting Brandi’s newsletter!
