Double your $2.00 coupons

If you have a Farm Fresh near you, don't miss this Christmas gift! The offer runs from December 19th through December 24th. Click the link for specific details.  They will double up to 20 coupons per day, allowing only 2 like coupons. Google "Farm Fresh Coupon Matchups" and find a site who has done the work for you. Sites like this will tell you what Farm Fresh has on sale this week and where you can find a corresponding coupon for that product. It's basically where you learn how to maneuver the stores for the best deals! Looks like there is some free Colgate toothpaste there this week when you bring a $.50 coupon. If you are a senior citizen, you get an additional 5% off if you shop on Thursday. Let me know how you do!

This week at the store

I mentioned that I hadn't been to the store in a while because of a hip surgery. I can walk now without crutches and so today, after Physical Therapy, stopped in to Kroger to pick up a few things. A few things is really all I can manage at this point. Thankfully, wonderful friends bring us meals.

I learned a new thing today at the grocery store.  Sit tight...it's coming.

First things first: I had a $25 gift credit that we got for transferring a prescription from CVS to Kroger. That was a good place to start.

We needed milk, cheese, and shaving cream. Thankfully, the shaving cream was on sale and I had two coupons that doubled, so each can was only $1.00.

Not on the list, but too good to pass up: a toothbrush for $.09, one of those POM juice drinks that was free with a coupon, and a buy one get one free pack of gum.

What was not on the list was Stacy's Pita Chips. I picked those up after hemming and hawing for a while. They are $3.69 and I didn't have a coupon. Just a craving.

So, I take all of this to the check-out and she rings it up and it is way more than I expected. (This is the part you were sitting tight for.)  Before I left the store I reviewed my coupon and the price I was charged for the pita chips was $5.99 and the price I was charged for the cheese was about $1.50 more than the sign read. I walked right over to customer service to return those items. I told the cashier the reason and she said, "If the price marked is different from the register price, then you get the item for free."   Dumbfounded, I said "Great, thanks". She promptly returned $11.25 to my gift card and I left with my free cheese and pita chips. 

So for $9.01, I got a gallon of milk, cheese, pita chips, 2 loofahs, two cans of shaving cream, 2 packs of gum, a toothbrush and a POM juice drink. With no savings, it should have cost $29.21.

Check. Your. Receipts.

Winner of Sydnee-$149.00 recharge station

Last week, I introducted you to Sydnee!  Sydnee is a product from Kanex  and can charge up to four of your Apple Products-the iPod, iPhone, and iPad. It's sleek design makes it a beautiful organizational tool for for your home. The readers responded positively and a winner was chosen.
The winner is Anna-one of our Minnesota friends! Congratulations Anna!

a must do before the holidays

Why does this...

make me think of this?

Goodwill Donation

Two reasons:

1. I live with a CPA and so he reminds me that tax time is upon us.

2. Fortunately or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, the holidays often result in more things in your home.

In 11 days your house may have more stuff, so go ahead and and start making some room for that now. If you donate to your church or favorite charity, you can secure one of your last tax deductions for 2012 and share some lovely things with others. 

I know-it's December, you are just surviving. Do what you can.  Maybe you can purge every room in your house. Maybe all you can do is one closet. Maybe all you can do is charge every member of your family to leave the dinner table tonight and return with 5 things from their rooms that they don't need/use/enjoy anymore. Hopefully, you have a goodwill box that you have tossed things in all year--here's a picture of ours. 

If you do, it's time to drop that by your favorite charity!  Whether you take 10 items or 110 items, try to make a dent in your house. My guess is that you will breathe a little easier.

Cloth Napkin Give away winner

Hen House Linens recently sent me some cloth cocktail napkins and a votive candle to review for you. Read about that here.   The winner of the cloth napkins was drawn out of my husband's lovely pewter cup. (I wonder if that was a groomsmen present....)

 

And the winner is.......Amanda! No last names will be mentioned but she is quite the gardener and pumpkin seed lover.


Thank you all for commenting and getting excited about cloth napkins!! There is another give-away and the winner will be drawn on Monday, so if you have yet to comment...hurry up!

 Here is another look at those napkins Amanda won from Hen House Linens!

$149.00 value giveaway-Ipad/Iphone Recharge station

  Just in time for Christmas, Kanex sent this to one of you!

This is awesome. I opened the box,  checked it out and got really excited for one of you. Then, carefully put it back in the box ready to send out to a lucky reader.  I spared you and didn't take bad pictures of the product because the video is all you need to watch. Sit back and watch it-it is only a minute of your time. Trust me, you will want this.

 http://www.kanexlive.com/sydnee


I was sent a WHITE Sydnee and it does hold up to 4 iPads or IOS devices.  (iPads, iPhones, iPads) Sydnee's  sleek design will look beautiful on your desk. I love organizational gear and this  one is AWESOME. It even comes with a 3 pack of USB charging cables. If you are always looking for your devices, you'll have no problem again with Sydnee in your home.

Comment on the blog or the Facebook link and I will pick a winner at random on December 17th.

Good luck!!!

Get it together quickly-fuel reward points expire this weekend



photo credit

Christmas will be here in 18 days, which meals you have 17 days to figure it all out. It's go time.


1. Finish up making the list of gifts you will be buying this Christmas.

2. Specifically name the stores where you plan to purchase these items.

3. Get to Kroger before 4x the fuel points on gift cards expire and purchase the gift cards for those stores. (Click here if you are not sure what I am talking about)

4. You'll find that you have accumulated a bunch of fuel points. If you spend $100 in gift cards, you'll save $.40 a gallon at the tank. You can maximize your savings by taking more than one car to the tank and not turning off the tank between fill ups. Kroger allows up to 35 gallons during a single purchase. Bring your gas tanks as well. If you were to buy $100 in gift cards, you'll save $.40 at the tank and that would be a $14.00 savings at the tank if you were to benefit from the 35 gallon fill up.


Here is the link to the gift cards which Kroger states they sell in their stores.

And you'll feel better your list is done. Consider this the deadline-you'll save money and enjoy Christmas a little more knowing the shopping is done a bit early.

A Giveaway for Living Consciously Readers

Recently, Hen House Linens contacted me to let me know about their line of products. They were kind enough to send me a set of 4 cocktail napkins as well as one of their Frasier Fir candles. As a promoter of cloth napkins, I was excited to see their product. The fabric is beautiful and would seem to stand up to some use. The presentation is also beautiful. I lit the candle and can endorse that it certainly smells like a Frasier fir. We'll enjoy that this Christmas! I am giving away the cocktail napkins. Just contact below by commenting on the post and/or the facebook link and I'll pick a winner by next Friday. When you comment, tell me something fun.

Here is more on the product lines offered from Hen House Linens.  Beautiful.

Setting the Table:

Hen House Linens Dinner Napkins ($9); henhouselinens.com: Wipe up that gravy spill or dab your cider-stained lips with these generously-sized, no-fuss napkins that hold up to countless washes.

Hen House Linens Placemats ($9); henhouselinens.com: Add a festive touch to a holiday brunch, lunch or dinner with these timelessly elegant essentials.

Hen House Linens 14 x 70 Runner ($22); henhouselinens.com: For a truly one-of-a-kind look, mix and match the traditional and the modern prints, to create your own look.

Thymes Frasier Fir Reed Diffuser($60); thymes.com

A beautiful tradition for giving to others, and to yourself, these slender rattan reeds absorb the scented oil, releasing a crisp, just-cut forest scent throughout your surroundings.

Thymes Frasier Fir Candle ($28); thymes.com

Mountain fresh and glowing, this festive scented candle sets the mood and evokes seasonalcelebrations to create special moments that make up our life stories.