Operation $40K

According to the previews...they are considering it the "holiday weekend" and that means no coupon inserts in the paper. (sigh) Don't worry -- you can still get your fix by printing from HERE or, ordering previously offered ones through one of the clipping services:      

Whether you are a diabetic or not, a diabetic diet is healthier for you! It's lower in carbs and processed sugars - which really works for everything from weight loss to a heart smart lifestyle. Check out this FREE recipe collection and remember - it's he SMALL changes that make for the biggest life impacts: switching to veggie or whole grain pastas, trying soy milk on that cold cereal (vanilla is AWESOME), making sandwich wraps instead of using buns or white bread. It's a great way to set your kids on a solid foundation for a healthy lifestyle. :)

You can find them here -- at Totally Target. Make sure you thank Kerry for her great work! :)

I zipped over to http://www.iheartwags.com/ and scoped out the upcoming ad - OK -- here is the list. Short. (sigh) Bayer Aspirin 20 or 24ct Advanced, 32 or 36ct Low Dose 25% off (Most prices are $2.25-2.99) Buy 2, get $3 RR -use the $2/1 Any Bayer from the 9/11 RP or the 12/11 SS Final price: $1+ money maker! Brut Deodorant $2.50 Buy 2, Get $2 RR -use the $1/1 Any Brut from the 11/20 SS Final price: $.50 each WYB2 **This is a Great item for donating if you don't need it Nabisco Cookies and Crackers $1.99 - BOGO -use the $1 off 2 or $.75 off 2 Nabisco coupon -use the $1 off 2 Wags December coupon booklet coupon Final price: As low as FREE for two boxes That's it. Short. (sigh)

Thanks to Pam N. for the tip: Family Dollar #4915 at 110 Collins Rd in Jefferson, WI is closing and in the process of it's liquidation sale. The good thing about Family Dollar? They take manufacturer's coupons! There is about a week left -- so, if you are in the neighborhood, hurry and check it out.

U.S. Bank Eve is Madison's (And Green Bay's) time-honored community celebration. This family-oriented New Year's Eve celebration has activities and entertainment for everyone. Ring in the New Year with your family and friends on Saturday, December 31, 2011. Why Am I telling you about this NOW? Easy. Some events need tickets! They are "while supplies last" Admission: U.S. Bank Eve tickets go on sale December 1, 2011. They can be purchased in advance from any of the 10 U.S. Bank Madison locations and they are good at all U.S. Bank Eve Madison locations. Doors open, depending on the venue, at either 4, 5 or 6 p.m. and close at either 8 or 10 p.m., so please check individual site listings. Adults: In Advance: $5.00 At The Door: $7.00 Children under five years old are FREE at all times! Children ages 5-15: In Advance: $3.00 At The Door: $5.00 NOTE: Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Family Pass In Advance: $12.00 At The Door:

I switched things up a bit as my store prices seemed a bit off -- POM wasn't $2.50 -- the shelf price showed $4.99 (but it rang up at $2.99). I didn't want $50 of juice for $30...so I only got 5. Then came the "shuffle". I saw a deal on Oscar Mayer sandwich meats and had $1/1 coupons -- so I went for the meat instead of the crackers. I DID skip the Old Orchard...and extra Bisquick too. I am OK with that. :) Transaction #1 2 International Delight $1.25 - was $2.28 ( for Scones ) 3 Kemps Egg Nog $2.00 - was $2.59 (for Egg Nog Cookies - recipe this week, and drinking) 1 Ritz @$1.99 - was $3.15 (for snacks) 2 Jell-O $.75 - was $.79 3 Cuties 6.99 (smaller size?) - more than my price point, but OK after the coupons. 2 bricks cheese @$.98 (was $2.25) 1 Yoplait Yogurt@ $.60 - was $.66 - coupons used: two $.75/1 International Delight (doubled), three $.50 Kemps (doubled), three $1/1 Cuties (doubled), $.55/2 Jell-O (doubled), $1/1 Ritz (doubled), FREE Yoplait, $.20

Every year we make a "Sarah Calendar" for the grand parents as part of their holiday gift. It has up to 4 pictures each month of the previous year and acts like a "brag book" for them. Usually, we order them at Walgreen's and they are mailed to us, this year - they were done in the store and we picked them up there.   I was pulling them out of the bag to wrap in Miss Sarah's designer paper and we scored a $20 Jingle Cash voucher when the hubby paid for them! That is $20 off $30+ stuff at Walgreen's next week. That will be our bread, milk, etc run! I now have to look closer at that ad - and see what, with coupons, could score me that additional $10 off to make that $30 entirely FREE. :) What a pleasant surprise! Looking at Iheartwags.com - here is what catches my eye quickly: -Butterball chicken broth 14.5 oz $.50 w/ in-ad coupon -W pantiliners or thin liners 20/22 pk $.50 w/ in-ad coupon (donate)   Then get $5 RR wyb $25 deals : Bounce 120 sh

$3.00 off any K-Y Brand Product $1.00 off Herpecin L $1.00 off ANY 1 Balmex Diaper Rash Product $0.50 off on any TWO (2) Pace products $1.00 off (1) 4-oz. Colgate Sensitive Pro-Relief $4.00 off Mederma Stretch Marks Therapy $1.00 off on any 1 (ONE) Advil Congestion Relief $1.00 off any one PediaCare product $3.00 off one BON APPÉTIT™ Steam-Baked meal $5.00 off any Centrum Specialist™ Vision $3.00 off AmLactin Moisturizing Body Lotion Buy Pledge or Armstrong cleaner get fantastic

Here is a summary of this year -- month by month. We budget $100 a month for food and personal care items for the three of us, and our cat Delilah. Some months I have been under budget, some over -- Here is the list: January OVER $3.97 February UNDER $1.92 March OVER $.73 April UNDER $8.19 May UNDER $4.53 June OVER $4.22 July OVER $.79 August UNDER $34.37 September UNDER $9.77 October OVER $7.83 November OVER $12.69 So I am still UNDER budget by $28.55, as of the end of November. That is a good thing, as I KNOW I will go over my December budget this weekend with the Copp's Double Double Days sale tomorrow! I have $17.76 left for December and, when you add in that $28.55, that takes me to the almost $46.00 that I had figured for my first four transactions. I should JUST squeak it out this year. Pretty darned decent, if you ask me. =) I haven't increased my budget in 2 years and food prices have jumped! The $2.89 box of cereal I used to buy is

I think I still have a little tweaking to do -- I come out spending more than I really want to. It will put me over budget for the month, yet still under $1,200 for the year ($100 a month x 12 months). Transaction #1 2 International Delight $1.25 - $.75 (make $.25) 3 Kemp's Egg Nog $2.00 - $.50 (costs $1) 2 Jell-O $.75 - $.55/2 (costs $.20) 3 Cuties 5.99 (smaller size?) - $1/1 (costs $3.99) 1 FREE Yoplait Yogurt (free coupon) $29.00ish for $12.67 Transaction #2 1 Bisquick $1.79 - $.50 (costs $.79) 4 Hormel Compleats @$2.29 - $1/2 (costs $1.29) 3 Blistex @$.99 - use $.55/1 coupon = $.11 money maker 4 Uncle Ben Rice @$1ish - $1/2 (cost FREE) get a $1 Catalina 6 birds eye $1.00 - $1/3 (costs $.33) 2 cheese @$.99 $ 28.45 for $10.06 and get $1-2 Catalina back Transaction #3 5 Bisquick $1.79 - $.50 (costs $.79) 6 Nabisco Crackers 1.99 - $1/2 (costs $.99) - saltines and Ritz 2 Old Orchard Cranberry Juice - $2.00 FREE after coupons 2 cheese @$.99 -$1 Catalina $26.9

In their efforts to help people MAKE money -- they have an AMAZING start up offer for the next two weeks: Pick which kit you want and pay $5.00 (plus tax) NOW and the balance in 30 days... with FREE Shipping! This lets you get your kit, fill your datebook with parties for early January (HUGE sales specials and Host offers) and have money in your pocket to pay the balance of your kit! They are basically lending you the money to start your own business! Kits run $79.99 to $119.99 -- with at least 4x as much stuff in retail value. If you ever wanted to join for just the discount...(we get up to 80% off!) If you ever want to make a little extra money for your family...($2-400 a month) If you need an income...(You can make $40,000+ a year) If you need access to medical insurance...(ALL the sales force has access to it!) THIS could work for you!! Seriously, I have been with them for 20 years now ... and there is a TON of FREE training! Webinars Conference calls Recorded calls

It's a short list this week -- as we get closer to Christmas, most places are keeping things simple. It's a GREAT weekend for Christmas pageants! I am running around like an idiot on Saturday: 6AM shopping at Copp's (double double coupon day) Sarah to ballet at 9:30 Take Sarah and her friend to the holiday craft brunch at our church Then it is a quick pageant rehearsal 1 PM Off to Kids at the Rotunda (almost across the street) 4 PM I take the girls to a birthday party on Madison's west side We will head home and have dinner (if there was no party food) and the girls have a sleep over here. Yes, I am nuts - but already have the waffle batter in the fridge for the Circus Waffles on Sunday morning, and have the bag packed with everything we will need on Saturday, including snacks! Here is what I have rounded up for this weekend: Saturday Super Saturday Storytime - at Barn's N Noble Bookstore (10:30 AM - 11:15 AM) Super Saturday Imagination Storytime is

I have heard from a few of you that get the daily summary of my posts in your email that you are NOT getting the emails! I haven't changed any settings so it may be a glitch. The only way I have figured to fix it is to "delete" your email and have you sign back up. If you are one of those people - just shoot me a note at op40k@aol.com and we will fix you up. :)

If you are in the Madison area, you should have gotten a Shopper's Edge Winter 2011/2012 Coupon Magazine. On page 7 is a full page HyVee ad that includes their store coupons for $5 off any $50+ Grocery Purchase and a $10 off any $100+ Grocery Purchase! These are store coupons that expire Thursday, March 25th -- so you can stack them and have plenty of time to use them! The ad also mentions their freshly made gluten free items, bulk foods department, and Dietitian services.

First of all, thank you to Amber T. for sharing!! Y'all make my job easier when you scout out and share for us all :) I called to confirm and this might be just a temporary thing -- but it IS in their ads for the next 3 weeks! Wednesdays, they will double coupons up to $1 in value - NO minimum purchase and NO LIMIT! Here are the specifics: A limit of 3 like coupons per item No copies (duh...) No cash back/overage Not valid on liquor or tobacco items. They DO take Internet Printed coupons up to a $1 value - but NOT ones for FREE items. Coupons will be doubled up to the item sale price -- not shelf price. If the coupon is for more than the item's sale price -- it will be manually adjusted down by the cashier, still resulting in a FREE item. I think that covers it -- GREAT news for you East Madison people that just lost Cub Foods!

We regularly register Ms Sarah for some activities through this program of the parks and recreation department in our town. Every season they send out a publication packed with tons of recreational programs for all ages. From youth craft classes to adult fitness to their ever popular swim lessons! There really is something for everyone. They even list the FREE things that will happen like concerts in the park or Fire Station open houses. How does this save money? It lets you test drive activities at a HUGE savings before you choose to invest in real ones. Example: Ballet . They have a ballet class that runs for a few weeks and is a LOT less expensive than a year at a local dance studio. You can let your kiddo try it out and, if after a few weeks, they don't like it - you haven't got a year long contract that is hundreds of dollars staring you in the face. Sarah LOVED dance last year and is at a real studio now. (Grammie is paying for it!) Perusing the winter/spring guide, I

I LOVE this movie! First of all - Jack Black has so much charisma that you just want to pinch his cheeks! Then there is the fact that this movie is really an adoption story...and we adopted Miss Sarah. So yes, I am a sucker for it - LOL! I will use this coupon and probably some of the $5 gift cards I got from Target yesterday on the Glade Candle Deal to pick this up... $5.00 off KUNG FU PANDA 2 DVD or Blu-ray™

Make sure you check out their current FREEBIES too! I LOVE FREE and now, with super cheap shipping! Yippee!!!

I talk about this in my coupon classes -- how YOU can pay YOURSELF to print off your coupons at home! All you need is a FREE account from here and then log in to print your coupons. Each one you print = 10 points for your account. 5900 points = a FREE Amazon gift card and it breaks down to about 11 coupons printed a week, over the course of the year. Of course there are other ways to earn points -- like I got 1,000 for trying Netflix for FREE and promptly watched the first two seasons of Vampire Diaries on my laptop, LOL!

50¢ off when you buy ONE LouAna® Product 40¢ off when you buy any ONE package of Stevia In the Raw 100% Natural, Zero-Calorie Sweetener Products 50¢ off when you buy any TWO Pillsbury® Crescent Dinner Rolls 30¢ off when you buy TWO CANS any size/variety Pillsbury® Refrigerated Grands!® or Grands! Jr.® Biscuits 40¢ off when you buy any TWO Pillsbury® Refrigerated Pizza Crust, Breadsticks, Loaves or Dinner Rolls 40¢ off when you buy any TWO Pillsbury® Sweet Rolls OR Grands!® Sweet Rolls With this Bisquick Coupon -- you can score a box at Copp's or Pick N Save tomorrow for just $.79! 50¢ off when you buy ONE 28 OZ. OR LARGER Bisquick® Baking Mix or Complete Pancake & Waffle Mix $1.00 off when you buy two any flavor/variety Betty Crocker® Box Muffin Mix or Fiber One® Box Muffin Mix This coupon will let you get the cookie mixes for $1 each at Copp's and Pick N Save tomorrow! $1.00 off when you buy TWO POUCHES any flavor

It can get confusing when your email in-box is full of different deals from everyone like Groupon to MyPoints. THAT is why I like Koopik -- everything comes in ONE spot. It's a lot less for me to wade through. Granted, I am not a huge online shopper...I prefer to pay cash and avoid impulse buys so this also saves me time! Our time is super precious too. :) Check it out -- it's a FREE service and you know how we like FREE! :)

We have a box full of old films from when Andy was a little boy (we are talking OLLLLLLD video, LOL). I have just started looking around to get it archived onto DVDs and check this place out too. Compared to the local places that do the same thing - they have MUCH better prices! I might surprise him with this project in the future... :) Have you taken this kind of project on? What did you do?

I LOVE SavingStar! The best way to think of it is it's like a Mail In Rebate Program where you clip nothing, fill out nothing and mail nothing in, LOL! Easy tracking and it can help you get "paid" to bring groceries home! Here are some NEW offers that they added -- get them quickly! Buy any three (3) Campbell's® Condensed "Great for Cooking" soups, Save 40¢. Expires 1/11/2012. One time use only. Buy 1 Pepperidge Farm® Goldfish® crackers or Goldfish® Grahams, Save 50¢. Expires 1/11/2012. One time use only. Save $2.00 when you buy two (2) PEPSI® Product 12 oz. can 18-packs, 20-packs or 24-packs. Expires 1/11/2012. One time use only. Save $1.00 on any two (2) CHEETOS® snacks or FRITOS® corn chips (8.5oz or larger). Expires 1/11/2012. One time use only. Buy 1 Chiquita® Pineapple, Save 75¢. Expires 12/25/2011. One time use only. (Only at Kroger Atlanta) Buy 1 Chiquita® Pineapple, Save 75¢. Expires 12/25/2011. One time use only. (Only