FREE Reach Floss at Target and Walmart

I haven't had to purchase dental floss in ages. Thanks to this $1/1 Reach Floss coupon, you can get regular Reach floss for FREE, as it is only $0.97 at Walmart and Target!
(Note: the coupon says "available at Walmart, but since it's a manufacturer's coupon, it should be accepted anywhere.)

If you do happen to go to Target, don't forget to print another $10 gift card when you spend $50 coupon, expires 12/15.

Making the Most of Your Money: Operation Christmas Child Boxes

One of my family's favorite holiday traditions is packing shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. It allows us to teach our children the importance of giving during a season that is too often focused on receiving. These filled shoeboxes are sent all over the world to needy children who may not receive any other gifts the entire year. Here are some of my tried and true tips for creating a great box for not a ton of money...

1. Start Early
This is by far the easiest and most surefire way to pack a wonderful, yet affordable box. I keep an eye out for sales and coupons on shoebox items throughout the year, and add the items to a plastic bin. You can often get free toothbrushes, free bandages, free pens, and even free Hot Wheels cars to add to your boxes using coupons and sales.

2. Check Seasonal Clearance
One recommended item for the shoeboxes include hard candies and lollipops. Purchasing these items a few days after Halloween will get you a large bag of candy for 70-90% off. In the same way, you can purchase clearance flip-flops (under $1) after summer, clearance mittens ($0.25 a pair) after winter, and deeply discounted school supplies in late August. Target and Michaels typically clearance their holiday items up to 90% in the days after the holiday.

3. Take Advantage of Samples and Freebies
Those free samples you receive in your mailbox such as deodorant and bar soaps (no liquids are allowed in the shoeboxes) are great items. In addition, free toothbrushes from your dentist's office, and even fast food toys (such as the Little Critter or Berenstain Bears books Chick-Fil-A recently gave out) are put to good use.

4. Check the Dollar Spot (But Don't Go Overboard)
Both Target and Michael's have a dollar section to purchase little filler goodies such as notebooks, art supplies, puzzles, and even socks. But, a lot of dollar items can add up quickly. I have found great items for $0.25 if I check the Dollar Spot post-seasonally when they are on clearance. (Summer items in the fall, Christmas items in January, etc.)

5. Be Frugal, Not Cheap
Don't purchase items solely because they are cheap...you would rather fill a shoebox with fewer quality items than lots of tiny trinkets that will quickly break. But, you can find almost anything for inexpensively by watching sales and coupons, starting early, and shopping seasonally. 

What are your Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Packing Tips?

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Birthday Freebies and Offers

Last week I celebrated another birthday, and have been enjoying all sorts of free food and drinks!

Sign up for these great offers to get freebies for your birthday! Some offers are good your entire birthday month, some the week of your birthday, and some valid only on your birthday itself.

Rubios: Free Meal up to $7

Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes: Buy 1, Get 1 Free Meal with Purchase of 2 Drinks

Baskin Robbins: Free 2.5 oz Scoop

Cold Stone: Buy 1, Get 1 Free Creation

Daphnes: $5 Credit on Pita Points Account

Einstein’s Bagels: Free Breakfast Sandwich with any Drink Purchase

Red Robin: Free Burger and Fries

Fuddruckers: Buy 1, Get 1 Free Burger

Smoothie King: Buy 1, Get 1 Free 20 oz. Smoothie

BJ’s Restaurant: Free Pizookie Dessert

CPK: Free Dessert with Any Purchase

Jersey Mike's Subs: Free Regular Sub and Drink (valid only on day of birthday)

Melting Pot: Free Box of Chocolate Covered Strawberries with Meal Purchase

Swagbucks: 50 Swagbucks (450 gets you a $5 Amazon Gift Card!)

Disney Movie Rewards: 100 points

NFL and MLB Team Shops: 15% off coupon

Old Navy: $10 off $50 purchase (Go through Ebates and get cash back for an even better deal!) Scroll down to "Sign Up and Save" and enter email address.

Lofthouse Cookies: $2.00 off Cookie Box (Lofthouse Cookies are $3.49 at my Target, so only $1.49 after coupon.)

Toys'R'Us: Kids up to age 10 receive a Toys'R'Us Coupon

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Target Easter Basket Deals and Coupon Matchups

Target is having a sale on all their Easter stuff this week, including the Dora Easter Adventure DVD for $6.99. There's also a $3 Manufacturer's Coupon on Coupons.com, making this DVD only $3.99. I know my 3 year old would enjoy getting this in her Easter Basket!

M&M large bags are on sale for $2.88 a bag this week. The paper had a $1.50/2 manufacturer's coupon several weeks ago (3/18), and Target has a $1.50/2 store coupon. This will make each bag only $1.38.

Starburst and Lifesavers Jelly Beans are on sale 2 for $4. Using the Target coupon ($1/2), and the manufacturer's coupon $1/2, in paper 3/18), you could get two bags for $2, just $1 each.

The Playskool Heroes Star Wars Vehicles are on sale this week for $9.99. Using the $3/1 Manufacturer's Coupon, and if you still have a $3/1 Playskool Heroes Target coupon (no longer available), you could get it as low as $3.99.

Cabbage Patch Cuties are on sale for $7.99, and there is a Target coupon (categorized under "Easter") for $2/1, making them only $5.99.

Finally, if you printed out, but didn't use the $3/1 Target coupon, and $3/1 manufacturer's coupon for the Memory, Candy Land, Cootie or Chutes and Ladders games last week (unfortunately, neither coupon is still available), they are on sale for only $5 this week. That would make it FREE!

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Target Trip...Spent $33 For Over $121 Worth of Products!

I had an excellent Target trip this morning. I was only disappointed I didn't print out two of the Fisher Price coupons when they were available last week. (I only printed one, not knowing if I'd have the opportunity to use them.) The regular price of all these items was more than $120, but using coupons, I snagged everything for only $33. Here's how:

Simply Orange Juice $3.34
Used $1/1 Manufacturer's Coupon (printed out from register last trip)
Used $1/1 Target Coupon
Final Price: $1.34

Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Puppy $22.99
On Sale for $17
Used 50% off Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Toy from Target In-Ad Coupon
Used $5/1 manufacturer's coupon (no longer available)
Final Price: $3.50

Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Musical Table $44.99
On Sale for $43.69
Used 50% off Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Toy from Target In-Ad Coupon
Used $10/1 manufacturer's coupon (no longer available)
Final Price: $11.84

Fur Real Friends Dizzy Dancer Toys $8 each (Bought 2)
On Sale for $6.99 each
Used Target B1G1 Free Coupon
Used Two $2/1 Manufacturer's Coupon
Final Price: $1.50 each

Play Doh Swirling Shake Shoppe $15.79
On Sale for $9.99
Used $3/1 Manufacturer's Coupon
Final Price: $6.99
NOTE: There is now a $3/1 Target coupon that will lower the price to $3.99! 

Play Doh 24 Pack Color $15.79
On Sale for $9.99
Used $3/1 Manufacturer's Coupon
Final Price: $6.99
NOTE: There is now a $3/1 Target coupon that will lower the price to $3.99!  


Revlon Nail Clippers $1.42 each (bought 2)
Used $5/2 Revlon Beauty Tools Target Coupon (printed out from register last trip)
Final Price: Free (coupon adjusted to $2.84)


All Total, I spent 33.65 for $121.74 worth of products.
And, I started on my Christmas shopping! Baby #2 will be receiving the Laugh and Learn Puppy as his first Christmas gift! I plan to divide up the Play Doh 24 pack to give as party favors and for our Operation Christmas Child boxes. My daughter will be so excited to receive the Swirling Shake Shoppe and one of the Fur Real pets in her Easter Basket, and I don't have to buy candy :)

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High Value Printable Coupons! Free Razors?

Coupons.com has put up a lot of new, high value coupons this morning. I would print these out now, because they will go quickly!

$5/1 Schick Hydro Men's Razor
WOW! About once a month, Target does a gift card deal, where if you purchase two Schick Hydro Razors at $6.49, you receive a $5 gift card. That means if you print two of these coupons, you will spend $1.49 each out of pocket with coupon, and receive a $5 gift card! I'm not sure the next time Target will do this deal, but it would be a good coupon to have on hand!

$6/2 Schick Disposable Razors
You should get these for free with overage at Walmart with this coupon.

Shopping for FREE at Target and Coupons!

Everything ended up costing $0.64 plus tax. 

•  Revlon Tweezers (2) $4.28. Used $5/2 Revlon Beauty Tools Target coupon in Sunday paper 8/21. Price adjusted to $4.28. Final price FREE.
• Aquafresh Baby Toothbrush $1.99. Used $1 off Target coupon (printed out from register during a previous trip.) Used $1.50 off manufacturer's coupon. For some reason, the manufacturer's coupon did not adjust down, so I ended up getting a $0.60 overage.
• Papermate Pens (2) $2. Used two $1/1 Target Coupons. Final Price FREE.
• Pampers Sensitive Wipes $2.24. Used $1/1 Manufacturer's coupon. Final Price $1.24.

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FREE Ken's Salad Dressing at Albertsons

If you clipped the $1/1 Ken's Salad Dressing coupon from last Sunday's paper (8/14), take it to Albertson's starting tomorrow, to get it FREE. The dressing is on sale for $1. We like their Northern Italian dressing, and it's yummy to marinate chicken in as well.

While you're there, the Crest toothpaste is also 10/$10. The latest P&G insert at the beginning of the month had a $0.75/1 toothpaste coupon, so it would be $0.25/tube. I usually only buy toothpaste when it's free, but if you're out this is pretty close!

Prices effective 8/24-8/30.

FREE Orange Juice!

Specially marked packages of Toaster Strudel at Walmart and Target (priced $4.09), are coming with coupons inside the box for FREE orange juice, any brand. The coupon is for any orange juice up to $4, but when I redeemed the coupon, it took off the entire $4 instead of adjusting to the item price (which was $3.50). My friend had the same experience.

Print out THIS coupon for $0.50/2 Toaster Strudel. You will be paying $7.68 for two boxes, but you will get two coupons for FREE orange juice (up to $4 each).

Just make sure the boxes say "Free Orange Juice" on the front, otherwise they are not part of the promotion.

FREE Pens at Target!

Papermate Eagle pens (10 ct) are on sale this week for $0.50. You can print out a coupon for $1/1 Papermate Writing Utensil again, since the coupon has reset. Even though Target's coupon policy has adjusted to not allow coupon overage, free pens are still great! These are also a great Operation Christmas Child shoebox item!

Shopping for FREE at Walmart---and Homemade Root Beer!

I went into Walmart yesterday to try and use a few coupons. They were out of some of the things I was hoping to get, but I did still get some great deals.

Reach Dental Floss $0.88 each. I used (4) of the $1/1 Reach coupons. Final price: FREE + $0.48 overage.

Pantene Shampoo $3.89. I used the "Free" coupon from the Pantene Facebook promotion a couple months ago. Final Price: FREE. (Follow Save Money, Live Joyfully on Facebook to keep up with all the hottest promotions!)

Root Beer Concentrate $3.84. I had never seen this before. I thought it would be a really fun experiment to make my own root beer. All it take is this concentrate, sugar, and soda water. I'll let you know how it goes!

Soda Water $1.25. I picked this up to make our root beer.

*HOT* Coupon! FREE Reach Floss at Target and Walmart!

I LOVE this coupon. Go stock up on dental floss with this coupon for $1/1 Reach Floss. The Reach Floss is $0.97 at Target, making it FREE! This will hit it's print limit quick, so hurry!

FREE Products from Sprouts/Henrys/Sun Harvest!

Henry's, Sun Harvest, and Sprouts are all merging under the Sprouts name. Sign up for the Sprouts email list, where they will send you email exclusive coupons, as well as postcards to your home with coupons for FREE products!

To sign up, go to the Sprouts website. On the bottom right-hand side, there will be an illustration of a white mailbox. Enter your email address to proceed to the next page, where you can input your mailing address and choose to receive postcard coupon mailings.

FREE Address Labels! (Only $3 Shipped)

I love getting this deal on VistaPrint for 140 Free Return Address labels. I use them to label Tupperware at potlucks, labeling my little one's books, and of course as address labels.

*HOT* Pier 1 Imports, $10 off $10 Purchase

Go "Like" Pier 1 Imports on Facebook to gain access to their "Daily Dealy". Today's Daily Dealy is $10 off a $10 purchase! Hurry and print yours! It expires Wednesday, July 27.