Here are today’s newly posted ONLINE Groupons. (Online Groupons can be purchased no matter where you live – they are redeemed online!)
Find previously posted Groupons that may still be available here.
If you’re new to Groupon, sign up here.
Then head to the deal of your choice:
Many newbies to couponing begin their savings journeys after seeing veteran couponers purchase hundreds of dollars worth of items for next to nothing. What most beginners don’t know is that it is not typical to have such incredible shopping trips, even for veteran couponers.
Now, I am not saying you can’t start getting great deals and make significant cuts in your grocery budget right away. I am simply saying even the couponers on tv don’t get $600 worth of groceries for $5 every week. There are a few different factors that are going to determine if you are saving 50%, 80% or even more off your grocery bill.
Location, Location, Location
Take into consideration where you live and shop. States have different tax rates, laws, and different stores have different policies. I live in southern Wisconsin, and there are different stores here than in Texas, California, Colorado.. well, you get my point. There aren’t any Kroger, Albertson’s, or Price Chopper stores in this area. Roundy’s stores are some of the best to shop with coupons around here because they double coupons on certain days. There aren’t any stores here that triple coupons.
Have Some Patience
Time will also increase your savings. I know, this one can be hard to accept. You want to maximize your savings NOW! Don’t get me wrong, you can still get free items from just one coupon insert, as well as other great deals. But there really is no substitution for having a coupon collection that has built up over 3 months, 6 months, or even one year. You can use a clipping service, but their coupons are typically depleted within a few weeks of becoming available on the service’s site. You may not find any coupons which had been distributed in newspapers months ago.
Shopping Style
The main thing that keeps me from saving 80% to 100% at the checkout is my shopping style. In my household, we don’t eat a much processed meat, boxed snacks, or canned fruits and veggies. I will purchase a few of these products when they are free. We do keep a very small stash at home for emergencies, otherwise we donate them to our local food pantry.
Because of the kinds of items I buy, my savings are right down the middle. I buy cereal, pasta, sauces, once in awhile I will pick up some snack bars. Sometimes I sneak chocolate into the house when it is free or close to it, but not often because none of us have any self-control! On an average week, I save about 60% at the grocery store. A good portion of my purchases include fresh meat and produce.
Many people bash the use of coupons, saying they are only good on processed foods. Let’s be real here: there aren’t many families in America today that do not consume ANY processed foods EVER. We are a fast-paced society obsessed with convenience and speed. So even if you usually buy organic foods and fresh produce, chances are you occasionally grab a granola bar for a quick snack. Maybe you heat up a frozen entree once every few months in a time crunch. For those who truly do no eat any processed food, there are coupons out there for fresh produce, fresh meat and organic brands. They are not as easy to find these coupons, but they are available.
When it comes down to it, there is no right or wrong way to coupon. I have had hardcore couponers snub me because I wasn’t saving enough. I have been glared at and treated like a child for using “too many” coupons at the checkout. All that matters to me is that I am doing what I feel is right for my family, and we are making ends meet in tough times. So embrace your coupon style, whatever it may be. Just remember to be considerate of other customers, your cashiers and help out by giving back to your community through donations!
Ashley lives in Wisconsin with her fiance and their daughter. She, like many others throughout the United States, was laid off for the first time as a result of the economic decline. She began using coupons to stretch her family’s single-income budget. She is now a stay-at-home mom, sharing her coupon tips and deals at www.CouponsForWisconsin.com.
You can also find her on Facebook!
Thanks to Chasing Tiny Feet for sharing these recipes and pictures!
Finger Paint
In addition to a great sensory experience, finger painting helps your child develop fine motor skills.
Materials Needed:
:: 3 teaspoons sugar
:: 1/2 cup cornstarch
:: 2 cups cold water
:: food coloring
Directions:
1. Add the water to the first two ingredients and cook over low heat
2. Stir constantly until the mixture is blended together
3. Remove from heat and add food coloring as desired.
Thick Paint
Try this paint for a variation with texture!
Materials Needed:
:: 1 cup powered tempura paint
:: 2 tablespoons wallpaper paste
:: 1/2 cup liquid laundry starch
Directions:
1. Mix the paint and paste together. Add in the starch gradually until you reach the desired consistency.
Watercolor Paints
Save some money and make your own watercolor paints. You can use empty egg cartons for paint tins.
Materials Needed:
:: 1 tablespoon white vinegar
:: 2 tablespoons baking powder
:: 1 tablespoon corn flour
:: 1/2 teaspoon glycerin
:: 2 drops food coloring
:: 1 teaspoon water
Directions:
1. Mix the vinegar and baking soda together. Stir until it stops fizzing
2. Add the remaining ingredients. Pour into molds and let harden.
You may have noticed a huge surge in nutritional awareness recently—organic this, high fructose corn syrup that, GMO this, and locavore that. You may have even heard the acronym CSA floating around. It’s enough to make your head spin HFCS-GMO-CSA-what?
CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. You find a local farm that offers a CSA, sign a contract, and pay a certain fee before the growing season begins. Once spring has sprung and the fruits and veggies are ready to be picked, the CSA season begins. Every week, we go to a local farm and pick up our bounty of fresh, organic fruits and vegetables. Since I am also a teacher, I thought I would share my love of CSA’s with a corny yet informative acrostic!
Help support your local small farms which in turn helps your community’s economy.
Each week we are given produce that was picked that morning! Talk about fresh.
Ava girl will grow up knowing how food is grown.
Learn about a new veggie every single week!
They say children are more likely to try foods if they grow/pick them themselves.
Helpful farmers enhance your experience by providing recipes and tips.
You will expand the palate of your family, and yourself!
Little need to hit up the store- our CSA offers local eggs, local chicken, and locally milled grains!
Informed- any questions about how your food is grown? Ask at pick up or email your farmer.
Vital nutrients are not lost because your produce is not imported from a foreign country.
It is essential to foster a relationship with the farm that grows your food.
Nothing like a fresh tomato off the vine or herbs snipped from the ground.
Gorgeous, organic, vegetables that have not been sprayed, waxed or zapped.
CSA season is underway in most parts of the country but if you are interested in finding one near you, check out Local Harvest. Generally, you can sign up for a half or full share depending on your budget and size of your family. We have a full share, though it’s only two and a half of us at home- I like being forced to get in the kitchen, get creative and get cooking! No wasting – that is our mantra!
In addition to being one of Philadelphia’s top baby photographers, Caitlin also blogs her foodie adventures and misadventures at Baby in the Kitchen.
The school year is coming to a close and this year I dragged the kids into helping create a gift for their teachers. It’s inexpensive, pretty, and tasty! And I’m going to show you step by step how to make your own. Use them for teachers, the bus driver, Mother’s Day, Birthdays, or any other special occasion when you want to give a gift from the heart that makes the tummy smile. The best part is that I put these gifts together for less than $5.00 each!
First you’ll need to assemble your supplies:
1. Flower Pot
2. Scrapbook Paper or Construction Paper
3. Narrow Ribbon
4. Wax Paper
5. Lollipops (DumDums or small Charms)
6. Supplies for making Cupcakes (see recipe below)
7. Icing
8. Fill for your Flower Pot. (Easter Basket Grass, Shredded Craft Paper, Tissue Paper, etc.)
9. Large Cellophane Candy/Cookie Bags from the Candy Aisle at the Craft Store and either ribbon to tie shut or a twist tie.
We made three gifts so I picked up these three flower pots at my local craft store. Each pot cost less than $3.00. You want to stick with smaller pots that a standard size cupcake can fit inside.
Print out this pattern page. (Click to open it in a new window for printing). Then use the patterns to trace your flowers onto construction paper, scrapbooking paper, or poster paper. Cut your flowers out, curl the flower petals around your finger as seen below, and punch holes in the centers.
Once your petals are curled and your holes punched, you are ready to start assembling. Take your lollipop, unwrap, and slide the center, small petals, medium petals, and large petals onto the stick.
Then you can take your narrow ribbon and tie a small bow to secure your flower petals. They might slide a bit but that’s okay because when you put the flower down into the cupcake, it won’t go anywhere.
You’ll also need to bake some cupcakes. And despite what many people think, it’s okay to use a box mix. As long as you know how to tweak it, you’ll get great results every time. Ignore the directions on the box and add the following ingredients instead.
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
1 standard package of pudding (flavor to match cake mix)
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
Bake as directed on box. You will end up with deliciously moist cupcakes. If you don’t have time to bake or you are a disaster in the kitchen, pick up a 6 pack of cupcakes from your favorite bakery. (We won’t tell!)
Prepare your icing by putting it into either a piping bag with a tip or a zipper bag and cut the corner out. Swirl some icing onto the top of the cupcake. This doesn’t have to be perfect because you’re going to hide the icing when you place the flower. If you don’t like icing bags, just use a spatula.
Now you’ll need to cut a small disc of wax paper to put at the base of your flower. This will just protect your flower from the icing and protect the icing from the dyes in the paper.
Slide your flower down into your cupcake.
Now that your Lollipop Cupcake Flower is finished, you need to package it up to give it away. I like using the larger cellophane candy/cookie bags that you can purchase in the Cake Decorating/Candy Making Aisle of your local Craft Store. Just set your flower pot down into the bag and either tie a ribbon at the top to seal it or use a twist tie.
For more recipes and tutorials, find us at http://www.trulycustomcakery.com
Find us on Facebook at http://www.Facebook.com/trulycustom
Visit our blog at http://www.StaceysSweetShop.com
If I were to ask you what the one item is that helps you the most in your day to day life to be frugal, what would you say? Your planning notebook? A “to do” list? Maybe even your phone?
For me, there little question what my answer would be. It’s a slim white device: my beloved Kindle.
It might seem a little contradictory to say something that costs a chunk of change can actually help you be frugal. It does, after all, appear to be a “luxury,” right?
Being frugal is all about simplicity. Sometimes a simple piece of technology can help you achieve the minimalism that you crave. For me, my Kindle meets so many of my needs that I’d be lost without it.
It Offers Simplicity
Before children, the concept of simplicity never really entered my mind. Now that I have them, well, let’s just say I crave it!
My Kindle offers me something that feels like nourishment to my soul. It holds all my books and some games in one compact spot. I can organize them in a way that’s meaningful to me.
I opted for the Kindle with the 3G technology so I can also access the Internet , too.
Each time I open my Kindle, it’s like joining an old friend for tea. It has that simple quality that my fast paced “Mom I need…” life often lacks.
It Makes Me a Better Couponer and Bargain Hunter
Full disclosure time: I don’t have one of those fancy phones. That’s one area my family chose to cut costs. Once again, my Kindle comes to the rescue! With the 3G version, I just throw it in my purse.
Since I’ve already admitted I like simplicity, you probably won’t be surprised my coupons are organized using the “whole insert” method. I don’t cut them out and organize them before shopping if I don’t know I will need them.
No problem. If I find an unexpected sale, I can look it up with my Kindle on my website’s coupon database. No fancy phone or laptop needed.
Plus, it’s simple.
Lists to My Preference
I admit it, I’m a list maker. They truly do make me happy. So the Kindle’s ability to let me organize my books by different lists was truly thrilling. I can group my books by genre, topic, or however I choose.
I’m a big non-fiction reader so I have all my fiction in one list and then I break my non-fiction up by subject, such as history, marketing, business, etc. I also have a list for what I’m currently reading. This is sort of like having several books “dog-eared” all in the same place.
It’s Just Plain Fun
Sure, the Kindle is practical. Sure, it serves an economical purpose for me while I’m shopping. But I just really, really like it, too! So do my kids.
One downfall I worried with my children (ages 4 & 6) is that it only displays black and white. Funny enough, they don’t even seem to notice! The novelty of seeing their favorite characters on an e-reader keeps them entertained for extended periods of time.
The Kindle can be a vital component of a frugal household. There are several roles it can play to organize your life and maximize your time. Doing a simple “pros” and “cons” list can help you determine if this will be a welcome addition to your frugal lifestyle.
For a real live look at just what the Kindle can do, check out the video below to see some of Robyn’s pointers and tips:
Robyn Adams loves to show others how simple couponing and frugal living can be, no matter what stage of life you’re in at “The Couponing Journey.”
She’s a “wanna be” Type A personality who spends her days keeping up with two little energetic boys when she’s not chasing down bargains. She also authored the successful ebook “30 Ways to Slash Your Budget in 30 Days” available for free download on her website.
MC Note: I also love how many FREEBIES you can find for the Kindle! For example, Amazon is always offering free Kindle games and books in their online Kindle store – this provides a really nice way to “load” your eReader on the cheap!!
This is a sponsored post:
The current trend of making a hobby out of collecting, assembling and playing with RCs has gained popularity among people from different walks of life, ranging from little kids to professionals to retired folks. True enough, having RCs around can be a blast – and nice getaway from sitting on the couch all day. Just imagine spending time near a lake and making your time more worthwhile as you maneuver your RC boat over the clean blue waters of your local lake.
Other thrilling activities that RCs can provide include flying gyro RC helicopters in open fields, upgrading RC race cars or playing mock battles with RC tanks. These innovations in the RC industry are a huge step compared to the simple remote control toy cars that kids enjoyed in the past.
If you want to do your shopping for RCs online, you can always trust Xenon Project because this toy and hobby company is dedicated in providing the best RC helicopters and other RC products to beginners and experts alike.
