Money Saving Apps: Coupon Sherpa

Coupon Sherpa is my go-to app when it comes to coupons for clothing, restaurants, and other retailers. It utilizes the location feature on mobile devices to always provide the nearest deals. The 2 options of locating deals are by map or a list of retailers. 

The other option is to see a list of chain restaurants and stores with coupons listed in alphabetical order. 

Once a retailer is selected, the coupon details are available. Once you have viewed a specific coupon, the app will ask you if it was accepted or rejected by the retailer, or if you didn't attempt to use it. 

This app has saved me on many occasions when I deleted an email with a deal or coupon. It also comes in handy if I find myself at a store or restaurant from which I do not receive email deals. 

Free download at Google Play or App Store. More money saving!

Disclaimer: some retailers will not accept these coupons for a variety of reasons. Some retailers require a paper copy of coupons, for example. 

Roses Are Red...

Violets are blue

Carmen Does Hair

She should do yours, too!

A friend of mine came to spend Thanksgiving with us who is living nearby on a temporary basis. It was the perfect occasion to get together and celebrate the holiday. 

She's an amazing person with many gifts in a wide variety of areas. My favorite gift of hers is style! She's a licensed cosmetologist with a flair for hair. Her cuts and colors are always on point. See her portfolio here. 

On many occasions, she has done my hair and make up for special events. I always turn out to be the belle of the ball after she's done crafting me. 

This time, she was inspired to upgrade me to Ruby Red. After a few layers of cuts, color, and correction, I was transformed into another work of her art. Amazing!!!

I love having beautiful hair and being able to be the living business card of a talented artist!

Colder Weather

As the weather is getting colder, temperature control is going to the opposite extreme. Living in Florida after having spent my entire life near the Great Lakes means that I perceive winter differently than those from Florida or those who have lived in other warm climates for some time. 

My first 2 years in Florida caused me to be disoriented as a new season brought with it seasonal scents, flavors, and traditions. 

Let's turn the clock back a few years to late spring. That's when I moved to Florida. It was warm up north and it was a little warmer in FL. Having the same weather was familiar and did not cause much of a shock to my system. 

As the summer faded into fall, there was talk of pumpkin flavors, cider, and other autumn related things. I was confused to say the least. I couldn't figure out why we were talking about pumpkin when it felt like July. It dawned on me that it was September. But it still felt like July. There wasn't a change in the weather nor was the foliage changing. I couldn't get with it. 

A few months later, gingerbread, Santa, reindeer, and lights were everywhere. I could not tell one season from the other because it still felt like July. 

Two full years cycled for me before I began to sense the seasonal changes, albeit subtle in Florida. 

This fall, something was different. I began to sense the decrease of humidity and a slight crisp in the fall air. I was ready to embrace all things pumpkin!

In the last couple weeks, we've had some cool weather in Florida. The cold snap (which is relative) brought the temperatures down to 40° some nights. Being from the snow belt, this doesn't phase me a whole lot. My husband being African, this is a bit much for him. When one is accustomed to 80°, anything under 60° is quite a difference. It did seem chilly to me for the first time since I moved to FL. 

One such morning, the thermostat read 59° inside our home. That was a chilly morning—even for me! I put on a hoodie and flip flops and headed out the door. I'm not giving up flip flops because I'm in Florida. It's the principle of the thing!

Space Saving: Laundry Sorter

I am always looking for intuitive solutions to handle items and issues that I take care of on regular intervals. For items I need on a yearly basis, I am less inclined to look for solutions.

Laundry is one of those regular tasks that warrants such a solution. Our bedroom is on the 2nd floor and the washer is on the first floor and there is not a laundry shoot between the two. I opted for this laundry sorter with removable bags so I can carry the laundry downstairs.

There are 4 canvas bags so I divide my laundry into 4 categories: lights, darks, delicates, and linens. 

This laundry sorter has been great! It was recommended by Better Homes & Gardens, tagged a reasonable price at Walmart, and easy to assemble. Not an eyesore either.

It conceals the laundry enough to be a piece of furniture rather than "airing dirty laundry." The amount of space in each bag lends itself to managing the load size as to not overwhelm the washer. 

Red Lobster Special

We tend to go out to dinner once a week whether it's something simple like a sub sandwich or budget-friendly dinner.

Because my husband is foreign, we have been through a lengthy visa process for him to come to the US legally. Since he arrived, we have had even more procedures to get him slowly settled in to his new life.

After nearly 8 months of receiving the adequate amount of documents and approvals, he finally was able to get his driver’s license.

I was so proud of him and happy for us that he can now have the freedom of driving on his own without being escorted everywhere.

In my world, this calls for a celebration!

His favorite food is seafood so I considered different local options along with chain restaurants for a celebratory feast. I had seen various ads for Red Lobster on tv and thought it might be a good choice. They always have some type of special and I haven’t been there in years.

I'm always looking for a bargain whether it involves coupons or not. In other words, more bang for the buck.

When we were at the restaurant and reviewing the menu, I saw a special that involves 4 courses. So much for budget-friendly. But wait, it's only $16.99!

I ordered the clam chowder, Caesar salad, soy-ginger salmon with mashed potatoes and Brussels sprouts, and finished with the warm lava chocolate chip cookie. My husband ordered the clam chowder, Caesar salad, shrimp skewers with wild rice pilaf and mashed potatoes, and the triple chocolate brownie à la mode (he's more excited about the à la mode part, as I've mentioned before). Dinner is not complete unless you have the famous cheddar biscuits!

It was so much food, that I took home half the salmon and mashed potatoes and we shared my dessert. He took home his dessert. 

You know I had a coupon LOL. The coupon was $4 off 2 entrées.

2 entrées @ $16.99 = $33.98
- $4 coupon
= $29.98 (+ tax and tip).

That’s quite a feast for that price!

It had all the prerequisites for dinner:

•  Plentiful
• Reasonable price
• Delicious

Power Craving

I listen to the radio when I drive. It is amazing that an invention nearly 100 years ago is still so widely used and relevant today. It seems so many inventions are nothing more than fads and trends. Anyone still using Morse code, a rotary phone,  Atari, a beta player? Kudos to you if you're still hanging in there!

Most of us have moved onto the next technological craze which will one day end up in a historical museum. Some how, the radio has outlasted most technological phases. Not to say that the radio hasn't morphed through the decades. We have more ways to tune in, more channels to listen to, and even more types of program types. 

What is it about humanity being fascinated with gadgets? When the newest gadget or newest model hits the market with the promises of being faster, smaller, bigger, or whatever appeals to consumers, droves show up outside the store waiting for the open sign to light up signalling the transactions can commence. (That's my nod to today being Black Friday).

I, too, have a fair amount of gadgets and enjoy technology (when it works). 

We are drawn to power and speed. Maybe that's why we're not always drawn to God. Oh, God is powerful. God is not always speedy. He is always working although it is not apparent to our human eyes. When we think of God, we often expect power, speed, strength, force, might, puissance, and oomph. We don't always see these hyper charged attributes in God at first glance, though.

We see in Zechariah that God will accomplish his work by his Spirit. We were expecting might and power but we will be disappointed is we only look for might and power. By his Spirit.

Is it possible that we underestimate the Spirit's power?

Could his Spirit be MORE powerful than power and might?

We see all throughout the Bible miraculous and mind boggling things happen when the Spirit steps in to the scene. 

For reference:

'So he said to me, "This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: 'Not by might nor by power; but by my Spirit,' says the Lord Almighty.' Zechariah 4:6 NIV

Competitor Coupons

Competitor coupons are not something I had considered when I started couponing. However, it has become one of the most useful tricks of the trade. 

In order to know what a store considers to be a competitor, a quick stop to the customer service desk will help.  

My local Publix considers Target to be a competitor. Target regularly has coupons in its weekly ad. They usually involve health, beauty, baby, or food.

Last week’s Target ad had a food coupon for $10 off a purchase of $50. 

Preparing for Thanksgiving and general stocking of my household, I shopped twice using this Target coupon. Both times, I put this coupon on top of the stack of coupons to ensure the total was $50 to benefit from this promotion. The Publix cashier took $10 off the total and then scanned the rest of my coupons.

The first trip, I spent $26 and used a Publix gift card (worth $5.23) I had from a previous transaction  to bring my out of pocket down to $21.16.  saved $63 and  Then I claimed $1.15 in rebates using ibotta, SavingStar, and mobisave. This shopping trip included Spice Islands spices, Chinet cups, and a 21 pound turkey!

The second trip, I spent $34, saved $83, and got back $2.55 in rebates using ibotta and SavingStar. This trip was mainly dairy: yogurt, Rondelé cheese, and Barilla Pronto pasta on sale for 50¢ each!

My total out of pocket was $56.62 for over $200 worth of groceries! Both successful shopping trips for my stockpile and for Thanksgiving dinner.

In...Not Of

There is a feature on Facebook that I appreciate called "On This Day." This feature allows you to look back at your posts on that same date from any year since your membership began. 

It's fun to look back and find fond memories. I also like this feature to review and delete posts that reflect dark moments of my life. Wipe the slate clean in hopes of remaining positive. 

I strive attempt to consult this section of Facebook every day as a catch all. Recently, I found a post that was spot on from nearly 5 years ago. I read the quote and was hit by how profound the statement is. Looking for the author of this wise quote, I found that it was me! How quickly we forget. 

Here is the nugget of wisdom written by me in November 2011:

Heaven celebrates the lost being found.

Earth celebrates the found being lost.

We are in this world but not of it.

The only mention of a celebration in heaven for a human being is when someone accepts Jesus as his Lord (Luke 15:7). While there are other celebrations i.e. Revelation 19, the reason for most celestial celebrations is because of the works of God. 

In a prayer offered by Jesus in John 17, we get to be a fly on Jesus’ prayer wall. This prayer appears to be in the presence of his disciples so they got to listen in also. 

He prays for his disciples and those who followed him during his time on earth. He prays repeatedly that his Heavenly Father protect believers because he will no longer be with them. He knows he is leaving earth and returning to the Father. He specifically prays that his believers be guarded instead of taken from earth. He likens believers to himself by saying that neither are of this world.

For reference: 

I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. John 17:14 NIV

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels sprouts are not usually the go-to vegetable for most people. We usually think of green beans, peas, corn, or something like that to serve with dinner. 

As a kid, I hated Brussels sprouts. I actually don't think I ever ate them but hated them anyway. Kid logic is anything but logical. 

As an adult, I've had Brussels sprouts on rare occasions and haven't minded them. 

We went out to dinner recently and the featured vegetable was Brussels sprouts. I decided that I’d adult that evening and order this unsung vegetable. To be honest, I wasn’t expecting a delicious taste explosion nor was I disappointed. They were tasty, though.

As I get further along this journey of adulting, I try more and more new things. We were grocery shopping a week or so later at Aldi and there was a small bag of raw sprouts for less than $1. I decided that we will give it a go at home.

With the oven preheated to 400°, I tossed the sprouts with olive oil, sea salt, pepper, and Trader Joe’s Everyday Seasoning. I sprayed a glass pan and placed the coated sprouts in the pan. I baked them for 35 minutes, shaking them around the pan every 5-10 minutes for even roasting.

They were flaky on the outside and soft on the inside. Well-seasoned, especially with the sea salt giving it a crunch. That was the taste explosion I was anticipating.

BOOM!

We’re going to have these more frequently! Perhaps next time with a balsamic glaze.

My Banana Has a First Name...

...it's R-A-C-H-E-L.

We buy a lot of bananas. The last thing I expected was to find a banana with my name on it. It's kind of fun in a way!

I searched all over to see what this Chiquita sticker is referring to especially since it says "Rachel" and "Hasbro." The character seems to resemble Carmen Sandiego.

I was hoping to unravel the mystery of why my banana has a first name. No dice. Only bananas.

Money Earning Apps: SavingStar

For the next addition of "Money Earning Apps," I'd like to feature, SavingStar.

This rebate app is similar to ibotta because you must redeem purchases from specific stores i.e. Walmart, Publix, Target. These rebates are for name brands only.

Rebates can range from 1 item to several items purchased over a period of time.

Once your account reaches $20, you can cash out for gift cards or a transfer to PayPal or your bank account.

Periodically, there will be a 100% off product that will reimburse you for the purchase.

In approximately 1 year, I have earned $53!

Update, here is how I used my cash back.

Rice: Real or Fake?

As I mentioned, we do a lot of African cooking at home, some of which involves rice. There is conflicting information about rice, particularly white rice. We hear that anything that you consume that is white is dangerous and can lead to diabetes, heart issues, and obesity. At the same time, we hear that African and Asian diets are healthy, both of which include a lot of rice. 

More disconcerting than the challenged nutrition of rice, there are reports of mass production of rice made of plastic to keep up with the world wide demand. Disclaimer: I'm not sure if any of these reports have been substantiated. 

One of my (many) sister-in-laws in Africa sent me an article that lists ways to verify if rice is pure or made of plastic. I deduced that perhaps this has become a concern in Africa as well. 

Since we do consume a lot of rice, it behooves us to verify the content of the rice. It couldn't hurt. Perhaps it will help. 

There are a few methods in the message from my sister in law. 

Method 1: Water

Put rice in a container and add water. If the rice is on the bottom, it's real. If it floats, it's plastic.

Method 2: Fire

Take a small handful of rice and burn it. If it smells like burnt plastic, guess what...it's plastic.

Method 3: Mortar & Pestle

Smash a small handful of rice with the help of a mortar and pestle. If the powder is white, it's real. If the powder is yellow, it's plastic. 

Method 4: Mold

This is said to be the ultimate test to avoid any risk. Put a small quantity of cooked rice in an air tight container. Place it in a cool place for a few days. If the rice is real, mold will begin to appear after a few days. If there is no mold, the rice is artificial. 

I decided to employ the first method. The rice we currently have is in a 20 pound bag with Chinese writing on it. After dropping a small handful of rice into a glass, I added water. The rice stayed at the bottom the entire time. No floating is good news!

Crisis averted! Now we can eat our rice without worrying about risk or harm. 

The Downside of Coffee

Wait...there's a downside to coffee? In fact, this global wake up juice can have a downside when it comes to travel mugs. 

Having only one travel mug at the office, I discovered quickly that coffee takes over and makes it difficult to get past in order to enjoy the tea. My travel mug soon became incapable of being used interchangeably for coffee and tea. 

At home, I have 2 travel mugs: one stainless, one ceramic. It isn't the material of the container that has the odor issue. Both lids are equipped with a rubber seal. That's where the issue is. The rubber seal traps the coffee odor. I like to drink tea sometimes and coffee other times. 

Always looking for hacks, I knew there had to be a solution. I set out on the internet sleuthing. Lo and behold, I found a quick, easy, and budget-friendly solution. The answer? Vinegar. 

Take the top of the travel mug and put it in vinegar. Make sure the rubber seal is immersed in the vinegar. Soak for 30 minutes. Rinse and wash.

Herb & Vegetable Soup

As the weather gets cooler, my cooking tends to change, too. It's that time of year that we crave comfort food as I posted recently. 

I started with this Tuscan Vegetable Soup recipe and made some modifications. I didn't use beans, zucchini (because I just didn't have any on hand), sage, broth, spinach, or Parmesan. I added cabbage, potato, beets, water, and various seasonings.

Here are the directions:

Ingredients:

• Olive oil
• 1 medium size onion 
• 2 carrots 
• 2 celery stalks
• 1/4 large cabbage
• 1 medium size potato
• 1 can beets (drained)
• 3 garlic cloves
• 8 cups water
• 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes (drained)

Seasoning:

• Trader Joe’s Everyday seasoning
• 2 dashes dried thyme
• 2 dashes turmeric
• 3 large basil leaves, chopped 
• 2 chicken bouillon cubes 
• Sea salt to taste 
• Black pepper to taste

Pour enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the stock pot. Chop, mince, and / or dice vegetables according to the preferred size. Add onion, carrots, celery, cabbage, potato, and garlic to the stock pot and mix until all ingredients are covered in oil. On medium heat, stir vegetables until somewhat soft. 

Add beets, tomatoes, water, and seasoning. Once the mixture is bubbling (not a rolling boil), lower the heat to a simmer for 15-20 minutes.

That's really all there is to it. 

Because my husband does not eat meat, I made this meatless. However, for myself I browned up some ground turkey sausage and added it to my bowl. It was a lovely addition and made me think of Olive Garden's Zuppe Toscana sans cream. 

Money Earning Apps: Ibotta

Ibotta is another rebate app that has a lot more to offer than other rebate apps. It has a wide variety of products, including grocery, apparel, and electronics in addition to a variety of stores.

Some products are generic i.e. gallon of milk, box of cereal while others are specific brands.

There is a grace period with unlocking and redeeming products. For example, I can make a purchase and discover a rebate afterwards. There is a limit, as in all things but usually within a day or two you can take advantage of rebates to get more deals.

It's easy to use. Scan the product that matches the unlocked rebate and then snap a photo of the receipt.

The turn around is less than 24 hours and sometimes within an hour, in my experience.

This is the most used app in my money earning app arsenal. In one year, I've earned $85.50!

African Cooking: Peanut Sauce

One of our favorite dishes is a peanut sauce. In Western Africa, it may be referred to as sauce arachide, mafe, or in my husband's country: azindessi.

Peanuts are a common ingredient worldwide but the peanut sauces are so different depending on the locale. When comparing Asian and African variations, there are completely different and delicious in their own way.

This was the first African dish I learned to make a few years ago, before I even met my husband. It is an African tradition to take food to someone who is sick, lost a loved one, or had a baby. My friend from Congo was having a baby, so I decided to try out my mad African cooking skills and take it as an offering to her.

I took it to her home along with rice. Because of the occasion, many people were congregating there to celebrate her new baby. My recipe was going under more scrutiny than I had initially thought.

Watching nervously, I observed the African family members mix the sauce with rice, taste, and let the flavor linger for a moment before swallowing. They nodded with approval and began to ask me questions.

Who made this sauce for you? Where did you get this sauce?  

Confessing that I made it myself caused a flood of intrigue and consequently, more questions.

How did you hear about this kind of sauce? Who taught you how to make it?

I explained my interest in all things African which led to a desire to learn African cooking. They dubbed me an honorary African that day. 

It was a triumph! I was so proud of myself and then I was told that this dish is so easy that even the African men know how to do it. It was still an accomplishment for me.

From that point, whenever I attended my friend's family events, she would introduce me as one of their own to the amazement of my newly presented acquaintance. As time went on and I attended more gatherings, I became a permanent fixture that the regulars expected to be in attendance and was truly accepted as part of the African community. 

After meeting my husband, I soon discovered that this was my husband's favorite sauce, preferably served with fufu. 

Whilst I'm still making efforts to master other African dishes, I had already nailed my husband's favorite!

Here is the vegetarian recipe:

• Pour vegetable, canola or olive oil in a stock pot, enough to cover the bottom. Add a few spoonfuls of tomato paste and mix with the oil. 
• On medium heat, add chopped onions, tomatoes, carrots (any vegetables desired) and mix well with the tomato mixture. 
• Add a few cups of water and a chicken bouillon cube. Cook at medium high heat for 30 minutes or so. 
• Reduce heat to medium low and let simmer. 
• When the mixture coats the spoon, it's thick enough to serve. 
• Serve over rice or fufu. 

For a beef or chicken variation, add the meat with the oil and cook until mostly cooked on the outside. Set the meat aside and do the rest of the recipe. Put the meat back in the pot at the same time as adding water. 

Target Gift Card Deals

There are so many ways to save at Target besides manufacturer coupons. Target has their own coupons that can be stacked with the manufacturer coupons. The Target Cartwheel app is also a great way to save as it has discounts on it also. Show the app's bar code at the checkout and it'll deduct the discount you added to your account.

The Windex & Clear Eyes drops deal at Target costs $42.53. However, with coupons and Cartwheel, I saved $19. I also got back 4 Target gift cards each worth $5.

4 Windex wipes ($3.14 each) $12.56

-$4 coupons (2 coupons for $2 off 2 Windex products

= $8.56 OOP

Plus a $5 gift card with the purchase of 4 Windex products

3 Clear Eyes Drops ($9.99 each) $29.97

-20% off Target Cartwheel $5.99

= $23.98

-$9 (3 coupons @$3 each)

= $14.98

Plus a $5 gift card with the purchase of 1 Clear Eyes Drops = $15 in gift cards!

Another Target gift card deal was on Schick disposable razors.

Anybody else go through a lot of razors? I can’t keep enough in the house for my husband. I do like a clean shaven man though! But seriously, good thing I coupon LOL.

Schick Hydro is usually $9.99 but on sale for $8.99. We’re saving already! Plus there was a bonus razor inside making it a 4 count! Woohoo! (Sometimes, it doesn't take much for me to be happy).

Schick Hydro Silk was $8.99 (3 count).

I had a manufactured coupon for $7 off 2 packs of Schick disposables (3 count and above).

$8.99

+$8.99

= $17.98

$7 coupon

= $10.98 out of pocket

Plus a $5 Target gift card for 2 Schick packages

Poutine

Taking a break from healthy eating, I'd like to talk about a crowd pleaser! Poutine is a delicious "comfort food" type dish from Québec.

The basic ingredients are fries, cheese curd and gravy. I was told by a native Quebecoise that the cheese curd needs to be squeaky to be authentic. I was later told by a Quebecois that the best gravy is from St-Hubert, a restaurant chain in Québec.

If you're up for adventure, you can add bacon, lobster, ham, chicken, and so many other toppings. Take a look at this link that shows a wide variety of poutine.

I prefer a basic poutine or one topped with bacon.

Here is a poutine I made at home:

Bath & Body Works Deal

Periodically, Bath & Body Works has a Buy 3 Get 3 sale (B3G3).

I love their products although it's not always budget friendly. I take advantage of sales and then use the products sparingly while filling in the rest of the time with products found in the grocery store or Target. Most of the lotions, shower gels, and body sprays are priced anywhere between $12 and $16 per bottle. It’s a good quality product but not necessarily budget friendly.

In addition to the B3G3 sale, there was a 20% off coupon! But, WAIT, there's more! A friend gave me a Bath & Body gift card for my birthday (which is in July) that I hadn't used yet.

I paid $8 out of pocket which is cheaper than 1 item! To add a different angle, each item is $1.33!!! That’s cheaper than buying any brand or even off brands at the grocery store or box store.

I'm so glad I waited to use this gift card!

They Say Time Heals All

I had the opportunity to be a care giver for a 100 year old woman. Although, I was responsible for cooking, cleaning, and assisting her in many ways, we talked a lot. I spent every Saturday and Sunday with her in her home for almost a year.

During our conversations, she shared a lot about her life. It became evident that she had been through a lot. She was orphaned by the age of 3, losing both parents to the influenza outbreak in the early 20^th century. She and her siblings were separated and raised by various family members. She went to live with a relative who was controlling and difficult.

Later she was married to an abusive man who threatened on many occasions to hurt their children. She had 4 children. Only 1 remained in her old age. One died of cancer and 2 others died as infants.

Hers was a life of tumult and trial.

You wouldn’t know it with her cheery disposition and the way she welcome so many visitors.

When there were no visitors around and it was just the two of us, a lot of vulnerable words were spoken. She had a lot of hurt that manifested in different ways. She needed to be reassured that she was good, accepted, and loved. When she regaled me with tales of people that she loved and admired, she would then turn to me and ask if she was anything like them. Aside from being put on the spot, I started to ponder her questions. Here she is 100 years old and still in need of healing from hurts a century old.

They say time heals all. I don’t know who “they” are but “they” are in denial. Time heals nothing. One thing that time does do is distance us from the direct hit that caused the hurt. The gushing wound slowly gets covered over and is not as evident on the surface. The event of the hurt fades but the remnant of the wound remains…forever.

Take Joseph, for example. He had been betrayed by his brothers and abandoned not knowing if he would ever see his family again. A million moments and miles away, Joseph is face to face with these same scoundrel brothers. In the scenes from Genesis 42-45, Joseph explodes with emotion as the presence of his brothers alone ripped open the wound.

What did time heal for Joseph? 

What did time heal for the 100 year old woman? 

Not a damn thing.

Jesus is the only healer I know.

“Then Joseph hurried from the room because he was overcome with emotion for his brother. He went into his private room, where he broke down and wept. After washing his face, he came back out, keeping himself under control. Then he ordered, “Bring out the food!” Genesis 43: 30-31 

Money Earning Apps: MobiSave

MobiSave is a money earning app that functions a lot like Checkout 51. You make purchases and then get money back.

This app offers rebates on household good as well as food. There are name brands and generic items. You take a photo of your receipt and submit. This app does NOT require scanning bar codes. This app also does NOT limit the stores where you can shop.

Here is a view of items on the app, both name brands and generic. To save the offers, tap the little flag on the far right of the offer.

NOTE: the offer must be selected prior to checking out at the store. Offers saved AFTER will not be accepted.

Click on the "saved" tab at the bottom to view the offers you've selected. To redeem a rebate, click on "Redeem" in the middle along the bottom to snap a photo of your receipt. Payment is sent to your PayPal account which can be transferred to your bank account if you are not in the habit of paying online with PayPal. 

A history of your transactions can be viewed under the "Submitted" tab on the bottom. 

The "More" tab along the bottom provides additional support. 

It's a free download at the App Store or Google Play store. 

Free download + money back = happy camper!

Election Day Freebies

Election Day was an occasion many restaurants and retailers chose to have promotions and incentives. Who doesn't have incentives in this capitalist society?

Recently, I signed up for the Tijuana Flats email club to get freebies, specials, and birthday perks. I received an email from them giving me a free Tijuana Trio which consists of guacamole, salsa, and queso and tortilla chips. They were also giving a free dip if you showed the sticker proving that you voted. BONUS!

7 Eleven had a free coffee in honor of Election Day. What I love about their coffee is the number of choices! Lots of coffee types, flavored creamers, powders, sizes, and more.

Use their app to purchase coffee (or fountain drinks) and the 7th one is free!

Election Day

It's an election year in the United States and today is Election Day. 

The last time there was a presidential election, I arrived at my assigned precinct at 6am. I thought I was doing well because I had to be at work at 8:30am. The line was already out the door and I was late to work. Fortunately, we were given time to vote and were not penalized (which is the right thing to do).

For the last couple months, I have been receiving information pertaining to this year's ballot. A recent mailing provided details on early voting including dates, times, and locations. I have never voted early, by mail in or by absentee ballot before. It seemed a little odd to vote early but then I thought about the experience 4 years earlier. Then, I reflected on many Election Day experiences in years past that entailed long lines and wait times. 

Was early voting messing with my traditional mindset of how Election Day goes? On second thought, voting early might not be a bad idea. My vote will still count. I won't have to stand in line. This is a win-win!

I voted exactly 2 weeks before Election Day. It was a nice change to walk into the precinct with no wait.

National Couponers Convention

Just when I thought I had reached a certain level of couponing geeky-ness, I found the National Couponers Convention not far from us.

I contemplated attending this convention but ultimately decided against it. But then, Couponers United had a ticket give-away for the convention and I happened to win 2 tickets to my (but not so much my husband's) delight.

It was an informative event, particularly for those who are looking to learn more about couponing.

It was not exactly on my bucket list, but it was worth attending.

Sunsets & Memories

Do you ever just stand in awe of nature? Sunsets always do it for me.

Sunrises do, too. Although, not being a morning person, I don't see as many sunrises as I do sunsets.

I had the pleasure of visiting a neighbor from my childhood home located in Rochester, NY. Her youngest child is a daughter that is my age. We grew up together and made so many memories in our neighborhood.

Wife of her late husband, mother of 3, grandmother of 6, she retired in a quiet community on the Gulf side of Florida. Her home is a quiet hideaway a few miles from the beach.

Being newly married, I was anxious for her to meet my husband. I appreciate her perspective so much more as an adult than I did as a kid. She not only watched me grow up but poured into me throughout my life.

During our visit, we went one evening in pursuit of a sunset. While driving, we could see the red sun plunging into the horizon. Once we got out of the car and landed on the beach, the sun was gone. The colors were still breathtaking.

Our visit was a wonderful time sharing memories of the neighborhood. She is a lovely woman that I am so fortunate to have known for so long. One whom I will cherish forever.

Work Social Events

Sometimes I have social anxiety when it comes to socializing with coworkers. If I go to dinner with one coworker, that's one thing. Being at a group event, is where the potential disaster comes in to play. After all, I have to see these people again on a daily basis. If I get caught doing or saying something awkward, seeing them daily will make things difficult. 

Recently, a group of female coworkers organized an outing to a male revue.

I’m not sure who came up with the idea for this social (meaning: not work related) outing. I was not invited although I heard about this social event.

One coworker is a friend of mine who was interested in going to this event. Turns out, it’s a fundraiser for some cause (philanthropy at its finest). She knows me well enough that there was zero doubt in her mind that this would be any interest to me. We talked about it taking place, in general, and in non-specific terms. I kept my opinion to myself because I knew that she already knew how I felt about it.

Later, another coworker mentioned that she had heard about this outing, had not been invited, and had no interest in going. I echoed her feeling on the matter. Although we were chatting about this outing, I started to drift away mentally, pondering this situation.

My internal dialogue looked like this: I wonder why weren’t we invited. I'm not interested but wasn’t invited. I am not feeling hurt or left out but now I’m curious as to why we were not invited. What made the difference?

Once my mind returned to a conscious level of active participation in this conversation, I blurted out: “part of living above reproach is being beyond approach.”

We both stopped and tried to swallow this statement. It took us both by surprise. The only thing I was sure of was that it didn’t come from me.

I'm still chewing on this statement. 

“Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach….” 1 Timothy 3:2 NIV (emphasis mine).

Birthday Deals

I never was one to make a big deal of my birthday until the last few years. After having so many struggles and challenges, I take the time to celebrate being fearfully and wonderfully made.

I tend to think of my birthday in terms of a month long celebration, especially when there are so many freebies!

It's as simple as creating an account with various retailers and restaurants and allowing them to send you emails. You'll start receiving birthday freebies at the beginning of your birthday month (some earlier than that!).

Some of these freebies are truly "no purchase necessary" while others require a purchase.

I have other friends that do the same and fortunately we all have different birthday months. We all act as the "plus 1" for the required purchase for a birthday freebie. For example, the terms of the freebie may be get a free meal when another meal is purchased. We choose the restaurants that we'd like to accompany our friend for her birthday, divide, and conquer. It's one of the few occasions where "using" someone is delightful because it's a celebration everyone enjoys. I, lovingly, call ourselves "coupon floozies."

Here are the birthday freebies I like:

FOOD:

Arby’s—free milkshake

Coldstone Creamery—BOGO ice cream*

Denny’s—free breakfast*

Dunkin Donuts—free drink*

Einstein bagels—free egg sandwich*

Friendly’s—free  sundae

IHOP—free pancakes*

Olive Garden—free appetizer or dessert

Panera—free pastry*

Red Robin—free burger*

Ruby Tuesday—free burger*

Starbucks—free drink*

Texas Roadhouse—free appetizer or dessert

TGIFridays—free meal*

NON-FOOD:

Charming Charlie—$5 coupon (see previous post)*

DSW—$5 coupon*

Payless shoes—30% off

Sephora—free makeup item

This is NOT an exhaustive list of all the birthday freebies out there. These are just some of my favorites.

*Offers that I took advantage of this year. 

Couponing: Gas Card Deal

I've talked a lot about Publix in this blog when employing the true couponing method. They have great products and even better sales.

One of my favorite promotions is the gas card deal. If you spend $50 worth of groceries, you can get a $50 gas card for only $40. Saving $10 on fuel? Yes, please! I'm going to buy fuel anyway and if I can save on the ever fluctuating prices, it's a bonus!

The key to this deal is getting to the $50 grocery bill--not hard to do! Publix has a policy that this $50 amount is BEFORE coupons. Music to my ears!!!

The shopping trip pictured below was over $100 of groceries (before coupons) which entitled me to 2 gas cards each worth $50.

Here is the end result:

I spent a total of $147 after coupons. I got $100 in gas cards. I saved $84 (including the $10 off each gas card). That means I spent $67 on groceries and $80 on gas cards.

Furthermore, I bought $131 worth in groceries but paid $67. In addition to $80 in gas cards worth $100.

The total value is $231 and I paid $147. That's a lot of savings (and a lot of fuel)!

Cheetos with a Fork?

Yep I do this. I don't know how this habit got started. I remember doing this as a teenager though.

Why? Simple! I don't like my fingers getting orange. That's the only answer I have to this eating craze of mine. First world problems. 

Anytime I have eaten this way, people act very concerned, unnerved even. I can see the wheels turning as they assess my mental stability. It's almost amusing. 

There's a science method to it actually. Metal forks break Cheetos and the. You're left with crumbs. Plastic forks are flexible enough that the Cheeto fits between the tines. It takes practice but I'm not sure I'd go as far as calling it skill. 

Couponing: Ice Cream

My husband's favorite food is ice cream. I am not one that keeps ice cream around much. He has sweet (literally) talked me into changing this decision and we now have ice cream frequently in the house.

I don't typically shop at Winn Dixie but they do have some good sales that I take advantage of now and again.

They had a good sale on...you guessed it...ice cream novelties. My husband does not discriminate when it comes to ice cream.

Here is the sale:

$2.99 for Mayfield ice cream novelties BOGO
-2 coupons for $1 off a Mayfield box of novelties
= $0.99 for 2 boxes!!!

Hubby is happy + budget friendly = WINN - WINN (see what I did there?)