My coupon file.....

Expandable Organizer - Clear - This is very similar to the file I use to carry my coupons around. One each tab, I wrote a store name and i file the coupons in it according to which store I want to use them at. This is easy to keep in my car or just grab when I am running out the door. I try to keep it stocked with what I will need so I can make quick trips while I am already on the road and save some gas. I love this system!!
I have a 2 more holders that stays at home where I can organize into categories. One is as big as a shoe box. At one time I was the coupon exchange coordinator for a small refund newsletter so I had tons of coupons on hand. I no longer use this one but I save it in case I ever get that involved again. The other one was where I organized my personal coupons into categories so I could find what I needed easily. This one has been pretty sad the last year... almost empty!
When my DD was born, I got very involved in coupons and refunds as a way to keep myself busy while on maternity leave. One day during this time, I was shopping at Rite aid with my big personal coupon organizer that, in addition to cents off coupons, also held over $100 worth of free items coupons. Later that night I realized I lost my coupon organizer and Rite aid was already closed. That coupon file was worth a lot of money and could really hurt my already tight budget at the time. I was sick to my stomach and barely slept that night. The next morning, I was up early and at the store when it opened. Imagine how surprised I was to find my coupon file setting on a shelf where I had left it while looking at something. I grabbed it and ran home. I was so happy to see it again and even happier to see no one had even touched it. That was a close call!! From them on I made sure there was a piece of paper in it with my name address and phone number in case it was lost and then found by a kind person!

While I was looking for my coupon file on Amazon I found this one on wheels. I was thinking how funny it would be to wheel this into a CVS on a Sunday morning ready to earn some ECB!! The coupon cop manager at my CVS would probably have a heart attack at the site!! LOL

Frugal Friday.....

I got an call last night from a friens that works at Target. Target has marked toys down to 75% off!! Think ahead for birthday and Christmas 2008. Heck, buy some and sell them at yeard sales and on Ebay!! RUN RUN RUN to Target now!!!!
If you are not satisfied with the taste of Smart Balance Buttery Spread, purchase any product between 1/03/08 - 1/31/08. Send CRT and a 3x5 card. Print your NAZ, phone # (no PO Boxes)Dept 276Box 981123El Paso, TX 79998-1123 Receive your purchase price back up to $2.35
ThermaCare HeatWraps—Your "Ultimate 12 Hour" Sweepstakes - enter to win
Coupons from Betty Crocker - printable coupons
Untitled Page - free FitSmart bar
$10 Off Houseplants - good one!!
Coming this Sunday: A coupon for FREE Purina Carvers Dog Snack up to $3.59.

Thursday......

A few printable coupons to Food Lion..... Web Coupons - foodlion.com and Web Coupons - foodlion.com one is Oreo's and the other is money off your produce.
WE tv - WE Vote 08 Giveaway - get a free gift when you pledge to vote. I do not care who you want to vote for but please vote this year. We need to get this country back in shape.
VCF Vaginal Contraceptive Film Order FREE Sample - for adults.
DURACELL® EasyTab® - free hearing aid batteries.
Free Mailing Labels - free address lables
Freshwater Fish/Store Blend Sample - It's Free! : Aquadine, The Best Fish Food in the World - free fish food
COFFEE-MATE - Special Offers - Stir Up Something New - free coffee mate

My Pantry..................

I missed a few items off to the left in this picture but I think you can see what my pantry basically looks like. It is a corner in my basement laundry room. It is lacking some things at this point but in the last few months I have really neglected coupons and my pantry. I am working now on getting it fully stocked again. I really need some pancake mix, spaghetti sauce, mac and cheese and a few more cleaning supplies.

Some people like to have a list of what they want in their pantry and keep it stocked that way. I am not like that. I stock it with what ever deals I find. If I know my family will eat it, I buy as many as I can at the deal price and stick it in the pantry. This is just what works for us.

I have a section on the top shelf (that I missed in the picture) with snacks. At Easter and Halloween, my MIL buys huge bags of snacks for my kids instead of candy. This sometimes carries me through the year. I also have a huge tin can with an extra sugar and Kool Aid mixes. Sometimes I keep a pitcher of Kool Aid in the fridge for the kids instead of buying juice boxes. I use less sugar than it calls for and it becomes a very cheap drink since I got all the Kool Aid on sale or clearance.

You can see all the cans of canned spaghetti. Every time I ask my husband to stop at the store for me, he comes home with some canned spaghetti. UGH! DS and I hate the stuff. I have at least a year supply at the rate it gets eaten around here but I am sure he will buy more the next time he stops! LOL

I also wanted to note that this is just the extra stuff I have. I have kitchen cabinets filled with food and an extra freezer full of food. We are big gardeners and although we prefer to eat the veggies fresh from the garden, I do freeze some things.

Here are a few things I wish I had......................
Safer: Pantry Pest Trap (2 per box) - I never had this problem but it is always in the back of my mind.
Emergency Food Storage & Survival Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Keep Your Family Safe in a Crisis - not a bad book to read.
4 Person Deluxe Survival Kit - I do have a backpack in the pantry with a few survival things that I made up after September 11th when it was the thing to do. I no longer have food in it though. This would be a nice already made kit to have that I hope I would never have to use!

Do you think I need anymore wine? LOL

My CVS and Giant Deals.....

I headed out to the gym this morning after the kids got on the bus. I am really trying to combine trips with gas prices so high. My first stop was at my FIL's house to pick up his Sunday coupons that he saves for me. He had the above sample waiting for me also. :O)

CVS is right down the street from my gym so I headed there with lots of coupons to get the above deals. Here is the breakdown....

2 Palmolive dish soaps - $1.49 each minus $1.00 Sunday coupon and earned $2.00 ECB

1 Fructis shampoo - $2.99, earned $2.00 ECB (I could not find a coupon for this but I thought it was a pretty good deal so I got it)

1 Colgate toothpaste - $2.99 minus $1.00 coupon earn $2.00 ECB

1 box of Tampons - $7.99 minus $2.50 printable couon I got here Playtex Sport, and a $1.00 CVS Playtex coupon I found here *NEW CVS Printable Coupon thread* 10/16/2007 *DISCUSS COUPONS AND RELATED ISSUES ONLY* - SlickDeals.net Forums

2 Soy Joy - $1.00 each minus a B1G1F coupon (i was trying to get 3 since I had another free coupon but the manager was the cashier today and he is a coupon cop and said I could not do it. I decided not to argue since I did not want him to argue about all my internet coupons)

Total = $18.95

Minus Manufacturer's coupon -$5.50

minus $2.00 off $10.00 CVS coupon -$2.00

minus $1.00 Playtex/CVS coupon - $1.00

New Total = $10.45

Minus $10.00 ECB from previous trip = .45 cents out of pocket

Earned $8.00 ECB on this trip

I went to a 2nd CVS then since the first one was out of a few things and it was right down the street. This store was very unorganized and had no sale signs hung so it was a little more challenging but I did ok. Here is the breakdown....

2 Aquapods - 2 for $5.00 minus this $1.00 coupon Coupons - Fun & Coupons- Aquapod Moms earned $2.00 ECB

1 Soy Joy - $1.00 minus $1.29 free coupon (it is how it scanned - who am I to argue?) earned $4.00 ECB since it was the 4th bar I purchased

1 Excederin - $1.99 minus $2.00 Sunday coupon earned $1.00 ECB

2 CVS toothbrushes - $2.99 each earned $5.98 ECB

Total = $13.97

Minus manufacturer's coupons - $4.29

New Total = $9.68

Paid with $8.00 ECB from 1st store

Total out of pocket = $1.68

Earned $12.98 in ECB

I could have done better if I had thought to bring another $2.00 off $10 CVS printable coupon. Oh well... I will not forget next time!!

I went to Giant after CVS #1 to use some coupons on sale items since they double and I could get a few things free or for a few pennies each. It is in the same complex at CVS so it was not out of my way at all. Here is the breakdown....

2 Swiss Miss hot chocolate - $1.00 each minus 2 - 50 cent coupons doubled

3 Hamburger Helper - $1.00 each minus a 50 cent coupon doubled and a $1.00 off 2

2 Better Crocker Delights - $1.97 each minus 2 - 50 cent coupons doubled (not the cheapest but they are yummy and the kids will love them as dessert tonight!)

2 Betty Crocker Scalloped potato mixes - $1.00 each minus $1.00 off 2 coupon

1 Delmonte Fruit Salad - $1.35 minus 40 cent coupon doubled

1 Colgate Toothpaste - $2.00 minus $1.50 on line printable coupon

1 Campbell's boxed soup - $2.39 minus $1.00 Sunday coupon (not the cheapest but DH loves this and I have to give into his wants from time to time!)

1 Barilla Pasta - .99 cents minus free coupon

1 Barilla Pasta Sauce - $2.74 minus free coupon

Total = $19.76

Minus $12.38 in manufacturer's coupons

Paid out of pocket = $7.38

Today's total was $52.68 worth of items (after sale prices) for $9.51 out of pocket. Not a bad morning if I do say so myself!! This will really help my pantry fill up! If I would take the time to clean it, I would take a picture for you.. maybe next week!

Tuesday......

Come back later today to see my early morning shopping spree deals. I will have picrures and details posted after 1:30. Enjoy these freebies and deals in the mean time!
Clorox - coupon for a free full size bottle
Quaker Simple Harvest™ - free sample
http://lanebryant.charmingshoppes.com/pagebuilder/010708_giftcheque - $15 off $15 at Lane Bryant! Even if you are not a plus size (they start at size 14 here) you can check out the socks and jewelry.
ALWAYS STICKS - free sample
Walmart.com - Poise Ultra Thins With Wings - free sample
beanbin free sample page - free coffee sample
CVS Online Pharmacy Store - $5 off $30 at CVS
A Call to Higher Places: .11 cents shipped for 31 photos! - go here to get an awesome deal on pictures. I will be doing this today!!

Monday.....

I got these samples with my Sunday paper yesterday. They must know I love samples!! DH already ate the Oatmeal Squares!

Costco - Free Sample KOTEX® LIGHTDAYS® Pantiliner - free sample
http://www.extracarerewards.com/welcome/welcome_010408.gif - $4 off $20 at CVS
Print Free Grocery Coupons! - page through the coupons to find the Pamprin one. click on print this coupons and a screen will pop up for your address. Say they will send you a 10ct sample in the mail!!

go here to win a bottle of fabric softener!!!
SOYJOY - Special Offers - here is a coupon to use with your CVS deals. I am going to CVS again tomorrow but not usre if I will get any more of these bars. DH and kids tried them tonight and thought they tasted terrible. Does anyone actually like these?