Watch for Coupon Inserts Tomorrow

Watch tomorrows paper (if you live in Lindsay the Friday edition of The Post) for both the newest P&G Brandsaver and the Redplum insert. Here's a sneak peak at what's expected to be in them.

Redplum
  • Pure Protein Bar FPC
  • $2 off WUB 2 Dove Men Products
  • $1 off Scrunge or Scrub & Go
  • $3 off WUB 2 Scrunge or Scrub & Go Products
  • Buy 96 Load Sunlight Get Free Sunlight Pacs
  • BOGO Free Glade Expressions Fragrance Mist
  • $2 off Gourmet Vegetable Europe’s Best
P&G Brandsaver
  • $1 off Duracell Coppertop or Ultra Power Batteries
  •  $1 off Pantene Shampoo, Conditioner or 2 in 1
  •  $3 off Venus Razor or Venus Disposable Razor
  •  $1 off Any Tide Product
  •  $3 off WUB any 2 Gain Products
.....plus many more

Well.ca Deal for New Customers



As a welcome to new customers - Buy a Pampers Largest Box and get $20 off Your Next Purchase! Don't forget that shipping is FREE as well. A deal
Use Coupon Code: DIAPER20BACK

Click here to shop this deal!

Canadian Freebie Alert: Free 4x6 Father's Day Portrait at Blacks



My absolute favourite promo is back! This time for Father's Day! Receive a FREE 4×6 Father’s Day Portrait from Black’s right now.
Valid until June 17, 2012. No purchase necessary.

Find a Black’s Canada location near you.

In R Dream: *New* Special K Cracker Chips [Giveaway]

 Perfect for snacks, picnics, road trips and more! Don't miss out on your chance to win!
In R Dream: *New* Special K Cracker Chips [Giveaway]

Canadian Coupon Alert: $2 off Maybelline Plush Mascara

As my go-to makeup product for summer I love seeing coupons for mascara! Here's a new one for Save $2 off Maybelline Plush Mascara.

FREE posting of Business Sales, Promotions, Coupon Codes



Whether you have a local business, online business, are a small business or large worldwide company....list your sales and specials for FREE on Kawartha Bargains.If you are also a handmade business or Etsy shop owner I am also happy to post your sale, promo or coupon code on my crafty blog Kawartha Beads! All you have to do is send details of your sale or promotion (don't forget to include start and end dates) and a picture if you have one to kawarthabeads(at)gmail.com


Canadian Coupon Alert: $2 off Johnson's Baby Products



I know tons of mamas out there just about to welcome new little ones into the world. Here's a great coupon from Save.ca to take advantage of Save $2 off Johnson's Baby Products

Canadian Coupon Alert: Progressive D'Italiano Facebook Coupon


 Perfect for BBQ season! D’Italiano Canada (Weston Bak­eries Lim­ited) is offer­ing a poten­tial buy one, get one free coupon for their new D’Italiano Briz­zo­lio Soft Rolls.  Sim­ply “Like” and “Share” them on Face­book and order your coupon now!  When they reach 10 000 “Shares”, a buy one, get one free coupon will be sent out.

My Shoppers Drugmart 20X Points Shopping List

If you are heading to the Shoppers Drugmart 20X the points event this Saturday May 26th but aren't sure how to go about your list here's mine to help get you started (and yes you CAN use coupons during this event):
  • 2xHuggies Baby Wipes- $5.99-2x$1 insert coupon
  • Pampers Boxed Diapers- $22.99- $2 brandsaver coupon
  • 2xCoffee Cream- 99cents each
  • 4xPasta Sidekicks- 99cents each
  • Milk- $4ish
  • Thinsations- $1.99-75cent coupon from save.ca
  • 5xCampbells Soup- 59cents 
  • Oasis Refrigerated Juice $2.99 – $1.25 (Allen’s Can) = $1.74
  • Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks- $1.99-75cent coupon from save.ca 
  • Betty Crocker Fruit Snacks- $1.99 (no coupon but still a good deal)
Total Before Coupons: $56.82
Total With Coupons:$50.07

My Top Ten Deals Around Town (May 25-31)


Hope everyone has a great weekend! Happy shopping!
  • SATURDAY ONLY: Shoppers Drugmart 20x Points Event WUS $50 or more
  • Shoppers Drugmart- coffee cream- SALE 99cents
  • Shoppers Drugmart- Baby Wipes- SALE $5.99-various coupons
  • Loblaws- Cottonelle Toilet Paper- SALE $3.99-$1 coupon from May 19th Smart Source Insert
  • Loblaws- Resolve Spray and Wash- SALE $1.99- $2 insert coupon= FREE
  • Loblaws- Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner- SALE $1.99- B1G1 FREE May 19th Smart Source Insert 
  • Loblaws- Oasis Juice Boxes- SALE $2-$1 coupon from Allens Apple Juice Can
  • Loblaws- Kashi Crackers- SALE $2.99-$2 coupon from mailout
  • Food Basics- Lactancia Milk- SALE $3.88-$1 coupon from milk bag/tearpad
  • Food Basics- Yoplait Yogurt- SALE $1.99-$1 coupon from here

Shoppers Drugmart 20X Points Event: May 26th


My hubby is taking our oldest for a special outing on Saturday so I'm super excited to head to Shoppers this Saturday with only one "helper" in tow for their earn 20x the Shoppers Optimum Points when you spend $50 or more in-store! I'll try and get my list together to share tomorrow in case you are wanting some ideas for you own shopping endeavour.

Offer valid May 26, 2012 only.

Canadian Coupon Alert: New Websaver Coupons

There are a couple of new Websaver coupons available right now including:

Wee Piggies & Paws Business Opportunity


Know of a Mom from the
Lindsay area
 who wants to work from home
 creating unique
 Baby impressions?
 Wee Piggies & Paws is looking for a Franchisee to purchase and maintain the Lindsay location.
Wee Piggies & Paws™ is a nationally recognized brand of personalized,
one-of-a-kind custom-framed Shadowboxes of children's hands or feet castings or impressions.
It is the market leader in baby memorabilia in Canada and
one of the fastest-growing home-based Franchises in Canada.
  
For inquiries of becoming your own boss,
contact Sherri-Lyn for more details.

e-mail:
lindsay@weepiggies.com
Tel:  705-786-7968

Swagbucks Carnival Continues with Collector Bills

 
 "The Swagbucks Carnival is still going strong, and Swagbucks is releasing a new set of Collector's Bills - five special, carnival themed Swag Buck denominations that you can only win through search! Collect all five before 11:59pm PT on May 31st and you'll get a 10 Swag Bucks bonus! Also, you can share the special bills you win by going to the My Swag Bucks area of your account - if you share on Pinterest and include your SB Username in your pin, you could be randomly chosen to win 100 Swag Bucks. Step right up and join the fun!"
 
Other Swagbucks posts that you might enjoy:

An Ode to the Money Saving Mama!

I was still feeling inspired in the wake of my recent quest to "Save $1000 This Year" blog series so I thought I would create an Etsy treasury featuring some of the amazing tools for the coupon clipping, menu planning, deal hunting, money saving mama! Enjoy!

Get Ready for a Swag Code Extravaganza!

If you have been waiting to join Swagbucks or have joined but haven't really started to learn the ropes then there's no time like the present!

"The Swagbucks Carnival has started, and it gives you an opportunity to earn bonus Swag Bucks each day just for earning the way you normally would. Check the meter on your homepage and you'll see you daily goal and how close you are to hitting it. Every day you hit the goal, you add to your bonus! As if that wasn't enough, you'll get additional bonuses based on how many days of the Carnival you're able to hit your goal! To top it all, Swagbucks is having a Swag Code extravaganza on Monday - that means lots of codes, lots of Swag Bucks and lots of fun! Don't miss it!"

 Still not convinced? Read more about how Swagbucks has helped me in my quest to save $1000 this year!

Canadian Freebie Alert: Free Sample of Finish Quantum



 Head on over to the Finish Quantum Facebook page, LIKE them and fill out a form to receive a FREE sample of Finish Quantum.
If you have already received this sample, you are not eligible to receive another one.

Save $1000 This Year: DAY TEN: Additional Money Saving Tips

I hope that your wallet is feeling a little fuller as we near the end of my "Save $1000 This Year" series. If you missed any of my previous post your can catch up here.  As always I will continue to post great deals, coupons, money saving tips and ways to earn extra pocket change both here and on my Facebook page so I hope you will continue to follow along. Today is a fun recap of some additional ways to save a little bit of extra cash, all of which add up to savings over the course of the year. Have any tips of your own? I'd love to hear them!
  • Get your gas at Canadian Tire (if you have a gas bar in your town) using the bonus Canadian Tire money coupon on the back of your weekly flyer
  • Do you know your hydro peek periods? Do you try to refrain from doing laundry, running the dishwasher, etc during these times?
  • Do a clothing/book and/or toy swap with friends (both for you and the kids)
  • Enter codes at Pampers Gifts To Grow
  • Call your credit card company and ask them to lower your interest rate 
  • Switch to a no-fee bank account
  • Hang your clothes to dry
  • Use newspaper instead of paper towels to clean mirrors and windows (I've tried this it really works!)
  • Get a raincheck (Places like Shoppers Drugmart and often Canadian Tire will issue rainchecks on items that on sale and out of stock. Rainchecks are usually good for 30 days after they are issued.)
  • Price Match (Many stores including Walmart and Zellers will match the price of a sale item in a competitors flyer so bring your flyers along just in case!)
Estimated Savings by doing the above (minimum)= easily $200/yr
 Total Savings Day 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9+10=  $2270/year

My Top 10 Deals Around Town (May 18-24)

 Have a great long weekend everyone!

  • Canadian Tire- Scratch and Win Event- May 18th-20th (look for your scratch card inside your Canadian Tire Flyer) 
  • Food Basics- Strawberries/Raspberries/Blackberries 3/$5
  • Food Basics- Dempsters Smooth Multigrain Breads SALE $1.99-$1 coupon from here
  • Food Basics- Nutrigrain Bars- SALE $1.99-$1.00 coupon from websaver or 50cent coupon from tearpads
  • Food Basics- Black Diamond Cheese Slices- SALE $1.88-75cent coupon from various source
  • Food Basics- Schneiders Red Hots- SALE $1.88- B1G1 Free or $1 off WUB2 coupon from here
  • Food Basics- Ragu Pasta Sauce- SALE 99cents
  • Food Basics- Brocolli- SALE 88cents
  • Shoppers Drugmart-SAT/SUN ONLY- Tide SALE $4.99-$2.00 coupon from here
  • Shoppers Drugmart- Resolve Trigger- SALE $2.99- $2 insert coupon

GREAT GIVEAWAYS: In R Dream: Purex Crystals ~ PTPA Winner ~ Review & Giveaway

 I promised that I would be posting links to more giveaways so here is one to get you started. This giveaway is super easy to enter AND there are four chances to win! Good luck! 
In R Dream: Purex Crystals ~ PTPA Winner ~ Review & Giveaway

Save $1000 This Year: DAY NINE: Sell Some Stuff

I hope you have enjoyed your quest so far to save $1000 this year! If you missed any of my previous posts you can catch up here.

Today's topic is more of a budget booster as opposed to a money saver but certainly worth mentioning! We all have those items that get tucked away at the back of drawers and closets...clothes that don't fit anymore, toys that the kids have outgrown, household knick knacks and furniture that no longer fit with your decor. Perfectly good, wonderful items that would be a shame to throw away...they could be someone else's treasure so why not sell them?


Hold a Garage Sale
Depending on where you live a garage sale might be a great option for you. Pick a beautiful Saturday morning and be sure to set up early...shoppers like to hunt for their treasures as soon as the sun comes up! I like to have all of my items priced (you can get stickers at the dollar store) to give people a starting point but be prepared for those who want to bargain. It's okay to say no if there is something that you just aren't willing to budge on (perhaps put a sign that says FIRM on it). Have lots of small change on hand. Consider putting up posters or taking out an ad in the local classified section. Likewise if you are having a yard/garage sale feel free to send me an email and I'm happy to post it on Kawartha Bargains! Depending on how much you have for sale you can certainly pull in a pretty penny on a Saturday morning.


Sell it Online
There are also lots of places to destash online (since the weather in our neck of the woods isn't ideal for garage sales all year round!) Sites like Kijiji act as a collection of area classifieds where you can post items you have for sale (for Free, with options for upgrading your ad at a price). There are also lots of local Facebook buy and sell groups if you are more comfortable going that route. This is the route that I prefer (simply because of the age of my kids). I can take pictures and post items when they are in bed and I pick a neutral location for meeting those interested in purchasing. I don't look to make a ton of cash but these are items I'm looking to get rid of anyways. I find, like anything, that sales seem to go in waves and if I have a lot of items listed I can make several sales a week. On average I aim for $10 a month worth of destashed clothing and toys.
$10x12= $120
Total Savings Day 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8+9=  $2070/year

 ***Today's Assignment: Take a couple of minutes to dig to the back of that closet or the bottom of those drawers. Are there any items that you could consider selling? Set them aside for when you have a bit of time and decide what route is best for you to destash!


My Free Sample from SampleSource

My samples arrived from SampleSource.com yesterday and I was super thrilled! Have you received yours yet?

 
*Sensodyne Sensitivity Toothpaste
*Scrubbing Bubbles® Bathroom Cleaner with Colour Power Technology (coupon for Free Product)
 *Sensodyne Comfort Toothbrush
*Quaker® Harvest Crunch® Ancient Grains Granola Bars
*John Frieda® Full Repair™ Full Body Shampoo and Conditioner Sample
 *Jergens® Natural Glow™ Firming Daily Moisturizer (also came with coupons

Save $1000 This Year: DAY EIGHT: Rewards Programs

There are many different rewards programs to choose from these days and they can be a great way to give your budget an extra boost. Rather than holding each and every rewards program card that there is out there I suggest choosing a few and learning how to earn points quickly and wisely.

I used to think the Shoppers Drugmart was just for old ladies but they have plenty of great deals on everything from bath and beauty to pain relievers to grocery staples. When I have a couple of extra dollars I go in and buy a gift card (say $10 one week $10 the next, etc.) so that when a special event comes up (such as earn 20x the points when you spend $50 or more) I don't feel strapped to meet the minimum dollar amount. PLUS you get points on Shoppers Drugmart gift cards when you buy them AND when you redeem! BONUS! If you don't already have one get your Optimum card,  best part is...it's FREE to signup!

Here's how Shoppers Optimum works: For every $1 you spend you receive 10 Shoppers Optimum points.  When you reach a certain reward level you can redeem your points for money off of your purchase. Here are the basic redemption levels:
  • 8,000 = $10 off your purchase
  • 22,000 = $30 off your purchase
  • 38,000 = $60 off your purchase
  • 50,000 = $85 off your purchase
  • 95,000 = $170 off your purchase
 A couple of times throughout the year there are  Bonus Redemption days where you get even more bang for your buck. Typically the redemption levels are like this:
  • 50,000 points = $100 off your purchase (an extra $15!)
  • 95,000 points = $200 off your purchase (an extra $30!)
In December I took part in the MEGA REDEMPTION. This has happend in December for the past two years but since I just started using Optimum this past fall I only had enough to redeem for the lowest level (30,000 points earned me $60 of goodies). You can read more about that shop here. Now that I have a better handle on the program and shop there more frequently I can't wait to redeem a few times throughout the year!

How to earn Optimum points faster:
  • Buy a Shoppers Drugmart giftcard to pay for your purchases
  • Shop on bonus points days (such as a 20x event. Usually it is something like earn 20x the Shoppers Optimum points when you spend $50 or more) or like next week when you get 8,000 Optimum points when you spend $50 or more. 
  • Look for bonus point coupons/products. Certain coupons and/or products can give you bonus points on them. While many are listed on the website there are often in store specials that you only find by keeping a keen eye out while you shop!
This year alone I have redeemed for $40 worth of merchandise. If you figure I do this a couple of more time along with a bonus or mega redemption my savings could easily equal at least $180 (this is the amount I'm using in the total savings below). In conjunction with some of my other favourite reward programs (Airmiles, PC points, HBC points, etc) I am hoping to save $250+. What are your favourite rewards programs?


Total Savings Day 1+2+3+4+5+6+7+8=  $1952/year

***Today's assignment: Take some time today to learn about your favourite rewards program and think about how you can maximize your rewards points. Perhaps its as easy as switching to that store for some of your grocery staples (when they are on sale of course!)

Canadian Coupon Alert: New Save.ca Coupons

There are some new coupons available from Save.ca today including:

Save $1000 This Year: DAY SEVEN: Shop Clearance

I hope that you are well on your way in your quest to save $1000 (or more) this year! If you are looking to catch up on any of my previous post's just click here.

Hopefully at this point you are realizing that being an aware and organized shopper can lead to big savings.  Today I wanted to talk about shopping seasonal and clearance to help you optimize your savings.

I keep a container in my closet for keeping items that I pick up at their absolute rock bottom prices. For example, my oldest will be going to school in the fall so when I saw children's Valentine's on clearance for 25cents a box I was sure to grab some. Same with winter hats, also 25cents, gloves, other holiday cards and decorations, and oodles of curling ribbon (which I use a ton of for my business) at just 14cents a roll! I try to purchase clothing at the end of season/on clearance as well. This year I stocked up on the most adorable cords for my boys at just $2 a pair! Other items like home decor, jewellery, and even FOOD have their own seasons where you can get the best deals and keep a small budget for these items so you have the money when you find them. Here are some of the things to keep an eye out for at this time of the year:
  • Winter clothing
  • Jewellery (now that Mother's Day is over)
  • Cleaning supplies
  • Bottled Water
  • Salad Dressing and other condiments
  • LAST SEASONS patio furniture and outdoor decor
By shopping both in season for certain items (like produce) and end of season and clearance for others I estimate that I save, on average $10 or more a month.

$10/month=$120/year
Total Savings Day 1+2+3+4+5+6+7=  $1772/year
 

Canadian Coupon Alert: 50cent Popsicles at Macs Ontario May 14-20

Here's a yummy treat for Ontario from May 14th-20th. Bring in this coupon to your local Macs Store for 50cent popsicles! Hopefully that week is nice and warm!!!

Canadian Coupon Alert: Maple Leaf Prime Chicken



Save $2 off any Maple Leaf Prime naturally fresh chicken with this new coupon from Websaver.
There is a short video to watch (my kids would love the recipe!) and then you must answer a question to get this coupon.

Save $1000 This Year: DAY SIX: Batch Cooking

I hope that everyone had an amazing weekend, the weather sure was beautiful! Welcome to Day Six in the quest to save $1000 this year! If you were following along last week you may notice that you potentially could already be on your way to saving $1000, but since not every point will work for every family/budget and the results will vary I have another whole week of posts for you! If you save more than $1000....even better!

Day Six's topic is Batch/Freezer Cooking, a relatively new concept to me, however it has certainly had a big impact on both my pocketbook and my health! I don't know if I was just lazy, uneducated in the concept, or lacking confidence in the kitchen (probably a combo of all three) but I never realized the impact that a little effort with my leftovers could have such a big impact.

In January I attended a Parent's Night on the subject of Batch Cooking and it gave me the extra boost I needed. I started small...previously when I made a pot of chili or pasta we would stick the leftovers in the fridge, maybe get a lunch out of them and the rest would inevitably go bad and get thrown in the garbage. I made a point to start freezing the leftovers (yes I know I should have been all along) and that gave us a quick and easy lunch or dinner- making us less likely to grab takeout when we didn't feel like cooking- a plus for both our budget and our waistlines! I have since began to double my batches so I have some to freeze (with help from Amy...THANK YOU!) as well as create meal plans that offer rollover options. Rollover options are things like having a roast chicken on night 1, using the leftovers for sandwiches for lunch on day 2, and then if you are super ambitious making chicken stock from the remainder for soup,etc. This month we even used up our yogurt that was not yet at expiry but we just weren't "feeling it" for breakfast anymore to make a batch of smoothies that we froze for a yummy treat! The kids LOVED IT! As I'm still trying to grow my knowledge on this subject you may also find this article helpful: Freezable Foods- yup, you can freeze that.

Even in my early stages of implementing this point the impact has been significant. I estimate that it saves me
 AT LEAST $20/month=$240/year
and I see this as one of the points that can continue to grow with some more education and practice to save me significantly more, and provide my family with less processed, healthier options that we can enjoy!

Total Savings Day 1+2+3+4+5+6=  $1652/year
 
 ***Today's assignment: Are there leftovers in your fridge that you can freeze? Don't forget about them! **

Save $1000 This Year: DAY FIVE: Take A Lunch

Welcome to the last post for this week (don't worry there's more to come next week!) in the quest to "Save $1000 This Year!) If you missed any of the previous posts you can catch up here.

Today's post is probably the simplest, most straightforward point in the series. Most of us know the impact that taking a lunch can have on ours budgets. So why don't we do it? Perhaps going for lunch is a group activity and you don't want to feel left out? Perhaps you don't feel like you have the time to prepare a lunch? Or maybe, if you are like me, you work from home so it is your significant other who has the big "latte factor". Bringing your partner on board with "the plan" can be met with some resistance. Take it gradually and make small changes, then build on those. Pre "the plan" my hubby's "latte factor" looked something like this:
  • Breakfast- $5x5= $25/wk
  • Lunch= 4x$5 and Fridays was group outing for lunch- approx. $20= $40/wk
  • Coffee/afternoon snack= $2x3/wk= $6/wk
 Total weekly "latte factor"= $71 (conservatively)

We started slowly by cutting out a couple of breakfasts and I began packing him a lunch once a week (he now comes home since we live closer to his office). I also send along boxes of granola bars, jars of peanuts and other snacks for his desk drawer. I don't wait until he says he wants a snack for the afternoon, I just send them along at the beginning of the week that way if the impulse strikes he's less likely to head for the drivethru! If you hubby spends a lot of time on the road try doing the same for him, its an easy (and healthier) alternative that can have a big impact. If you work in an office try having a group "bring your lunch" day and go to a nearby park to enjoy lunch together. Now my hubby's weekly "latte factor" looks more like this:
  • Breakfast- 1x$5=$5
  • Lunch (on Fridays)= $20
Total weekly "latte factor"= $25 (a savings of $46/wk or $2392/yr!)

Of course we could cut this back to zero but the goal is to develop a plan that you are able to live with. Complete denial just results in falling off the wagon (kind of like a diet) so it is worth finding ways to feel that you are still indulging, making it easier to stick to the rest of the plan. If you were to take just 1 breakfast and  1 lunch to work a week instead of purchasing them (or send them with your significant other) you can easily save $10/wk or $520/yr!

Total Savings Day 1+2+3+4+5=  $1412/year
( Looks like we've already reached our goal and there's still more to come next week!)
 ***Today's assignment: Plan ONE breakfast and ONE lunch for next week. Add the items that you will need for those to your grocery list. Have a great shop and a great weekend! See you next week for more money saving tips!***

Top 10 Deals Around Town (May 11-17)

Once again a couple more than 10 but who's counting! Have a great weekend everyone!
  • Loblaws- eggs- SALE $1.79
  • Loblaws- Clorox Toilet Bowl Cleaner- SALE $1.99-$1 insert coupon
  • Loblaws- 3 DAY SALE- Minute Maid OJ- SALE 3/$5 or $1.67 each
  • Food Basics- Lactancia Butter- SALE $2.88-75cent booklet coupon
  • Food Basics- Dempsters Bagels- SLAE $1.99- 50cent peelie
  • Food Basics- Yoplait Source Yogurt- SALE $1.99-50cent coupon from here.
  • Food Basics- Green Peppers- SALE 97cents/lb
  • Shoppers Drugmart- Palmolive Ultra- SALE $1.99-$1 insert coupon
  • Shoppers Drugmart- Royale Toilet Tissue- SALE $4.99-$1 coupon from here.
  • Shoppers Drugmart- Eggs- SALE $1.99
  • Shoppers Drugmart- Chocolate Milk- SALE 99cents
  • Shoppers Drugmart- Oasis Juice- SALE 2/$5- 2x$1.25 coupons from Allens Apple Juice Tins
  • Shoppers Drugmart- Greenworks Cleaners- SALE $1.99- Save $3 WUB3 from here
  • Shoppers Drugmart- Resolve Trigger- SALE $2.99- $2 insert coupon

Shoppers Drugmart Bonus Redemption Weekend


Still need to get your Mother's Day gift? Need a special treat for yourself?

This weekend is a bonus redemption at Shoppers Drug Mart.

95,000 points is worth $200 (regular $170)
50,000 points is worth $100 (regular $85)

Valid May 12-13, 2012 only.

Want to Save $1000 This Year? DAY FOUR: Stockpiling

Welcome to Day Four in your quest to save $1000 this year! If you have missed any of the previous posts you can catch up here. Today we are going to discuss Stockpiling.

Stockpiling does not have to mean overflowing cupboards, secret basement stashes and 1000 solid air fresheners that your family doesn't even use. Stockpiling to me means having extras of items that I know my family will use on hand in case we run out and there isn't a sale. Nothing makes me crazier than running out of toilet paper on a non-sale week or having to pay $1.99 or more for bbq sauce!!!! Toilet paper is something we are going to use (along with apple juice, bbq sauce, ketchup, pasta, tomato sauce, cereal, toothpaste and shampoo) so I don't mind buying extra when there is a good sale and/or coupon.


I allot an extra $5/week to buy a stock up item (more if my budget allows it). If there are no items that I feel are stockpile worthy that week then I carry the $5 over to the next week. In case you are wondering my stockpile items for this week (May 4-10) was apple juice on sale for 89cents a can at Canadian Tire. Next week if apple juice is a reasonable price somewhere I will still buy a can (as it is part of my usual weekly list) but when the weeks arrive when NO WHERE has a sale I won't have to pick it up, I will pull from my stockpile instead. If toilet paper was on sale and I would normally buy it then if that is my stockpile items for the week then I would buy an additional package (or two). Yes I spend $5 a week but I figure that the savings are at least that per week vs. not stockpiling those items. With a little practice and paying attention you will soon come to learn how many of an item your family typically uses per month (another great reason to save those receipts) and start to factor that into your weekly grocery/stockpile budget.

$5/week x 52= $260 in savings a year

Don't forget to rotate your stockpiled items (cans included) putting most recent purchases at the back and pulling older ones forward to be used first. There's no sense in having extras on hand if they are just going to go past expiry and have to be thrown out. Stay tuned later today for my weekly Top 10 Deals Around Town and I'll let you know what my stockpile item(s) is this week.

Total Savings Day 1+2+3+4=  $892/year

 ***Todays Assignment: Finish off your grocery list adding a stockpile item if your budget allows***

Want to Save $1000 This Year? DAY THREE: Menu Planning

Welcome to Day Three in your quest to save $1000 this year! If you missed any of the previous days you can catch up here. Today we are going to introduce you to menu planning.

We've all been there....wandering around the grocery store thinking "What the heck am I going to make for dinner?" Not just dinner for that night, but the next and the next. Menu planning is still something that is a challenge for me, however the benefits to my pocket book keep me motivated. Often I'm not sure what we might feel like eating, or worse yet, I've created a menu plan and then my hubby says "I don't feel like that!"

The first thing I recommend is to keep track of meals that your family eats frequently (such as tacos on Wednesdays or pizza on Fridays) and to keep the supplies for those fav's on hand (and to buy extra of those items when they are on sale) in case whatever is on the list for that evening gets vetoed. If you currently don't do ANY menu planning start by pre-planning what meals/recipes you are going to have for a couple of days a week and build from there eventually creating a menu for every night of the week, lunches, breakfasts and even snacks. You may also want to sit with the flyers to find out what is on sale for the upcoming week and use this as a guide to get your menu started. This will give you a base list to work with when going to the grocery store and SHOPPING WITH A LIST WILL SAVE YOU A BUNDLE! It helps you from mindlessly putting things in the cart that you don't actually need, impulse purchasing, and having to make return trips to the store because you forgot certain items.


I estimate that menu planning saves me AT LEAST $10/week compared to not menu planning (probably FAR MORE).
$10/week x 52= $520 in saving a year

Here's an EXAMPLE menu plan for you:

Monday: Roasted chicken (on sale), potatoes and green beans
Tuesday: BBQ chicken pasta (made from the leftover roasted chicken
Wednesday: Tacos
Thursday: BBQ Pork chops (on sale), baked potatos, grilled peppers (because we never use a whole pepper when we make tacos)
Friday: Pizza
Saturday: Homemade Burgers and Pasta Salad
Sunday: Beef Kabobs and Rice

Total Savings Day 1+2+3=  $632/year
 
***Today's assignment: Start to think about what meals your family eats a lot and what you need to have on hand to make them, take a glance in your pantry and see what you already have on hand. Start a LIST for your next shopping trip (we will continue to complete the list over the remainder of the week) Feel free to comment below with some of your own favourite meals, perhaps it will give others some ideas!

Canadian Coupon Alert: $1 off Yoplait Cremeux-Kids

We LOVE to stock up on the yogurt tubes when they are on sale and freeze them for a yummy treat. So excited for this $1 off Yoplait Cremeux- Kids from Gocoupons!

Would you like to save $1000 this year? DAY TWO: Swagbucks

Welcome to Day Two in the quest to save $1000 this year! If you missed Day One you can catch up here. Today I wanted to talk about various ways to earn money/gift cards online. You may be asking how will this help you attain your goal of saving $1000 a year? Despite even the tightest of budgets and most frugal of mindsets there are certain times of the year where you may want to buy someone a gift (birthdays, weddings, Christmas) OR there may be some household items that you are in need of such as bakeware, utensils, etc.

Search & Win

My all time favourite site for earning gift cards is Swagbucks, where you earn points (or Swagbucks) for simply searching the web with their toolbar, doing surveys, watching Swagbucks TV and more! The best bang for you buck is to redeem for a $5 Amazon.ca gift card when you have 450 Swagbucks. You can accumulate gift cards in your Amazon.ca account and whenever you need a gift then you have an available balance to shop with. I find it also keeps me from overspending because I know exactly how much I have to spend for that gift/occasion.
Earning just ONE $5 gift card a month= a savings of $60/year

If you would like to learn how to optimize your Swagbucks earnings I have written a previous post here.  If all you did was the Daily Poll, NOSO and one got one search win a day you can easily have a gift card a month (I usually earn 5 or more).  You can also learn about other ways I earn money/gift cards online via my Extra Pocket Change Page.


Total Savings Day 1+Day 2=  $112/year

Today's assignment- Feel free to start earning your gift cards today by signing up with Swagbucks (or another site that you feel suits you). Starting today I will also resume posting on my Facebook Page how I earn my Swagbucks daily. Feel free to comment on that post with how you are earning your own Swagbucks...or better yet what you are saving up your gift cards for!

Canadian Coupon Alert: $1.00 off La Creme Cow spreadable snack cheese


I would love to try this so hopefully I can pair this coupon with a good sale sometime soon. Websaver.ca has a new coupon for $1.00 off La Creme Cow spreadable snack cheese!

Would you like to save $1000 a year? DAY ONE: Coupons

Ready to get on your way to saving $1000 a year with just a few easy steps? In case you missed the intro post you can catch up here.

DAY ONE: Coupons
Coupons are everywhere these days (online coupon sites, facebook, in stores, on product packaging and more) and are a great way to help you trim dollars from your weekly grocery/personal care budget. You don't have to use stacks of coupons on every trip for them to help make a difference. Start slow and only use what you are comfortable with. Like anything they take a bit of practice but the better you get the more you save!

Using just ONE $1 coupon per week= a savings of $52/year


Combining coupons with store sales is a great way to help these savings go even further. I try to post my Top 10 Deals Around Town every week and show you the coupons I use in conjunction with these sales so try and stop by on Fridays to see a snapshot of some of the great deals to be had that week.

Where to find coupons?
Online: There are plenty of online offers and coupons up for grabs. Check out Kawartha Bargains daily as I try and post newly released coupons and deals. Here are some of my favourite sites for ordering coupons that will be mailed directly to your home. They are widely accepted at most stores and are an easy way to get started:
Tearpads: Keep your eyes peeled when you are shopping and you will start to notice tearpads in your local stores. These little pads hang in front of shelves and offer coupons for products. Proper coupon etiquette is to take a few coupons and leave some for other shoppers!
Inserts: These are little booklets that arrive with your newspaper. In our area you can find them in select Friday editions of the Lindsay Daily Post. I have friends and family save their inserts for me so be sure to ask yours to do the same if they aren't using them. 

DAY ONE SAVINGS: $52/year by using just 1x$1 coupon a week

****Useful Tip**** If you don't already start saving your receipts. They will help you to see how often you are shopping, what you are spending and what you are spending it on. This can assist you in getting organized (which coupons should you be on the lookout for, items you should be stockpiling, etc)

Today's assignment- If you aren't already signed up for the above online coupon accounts, get your accounts setup and order your coupons so they are on their way. Already a member? See if there are any new or once again available coupons for you. 

Would you like to save $1000 this year?

What if I told you that in less than two weeks you could be well on your way to having saved $1000 this year? We could all use a bit of extra cash and with just a few simple steps you can easily attain this goal (even more!)

If you are a new follower then you may be surprised to learn that I have not always been a coupon using, deal finding, money saving mindset kind of gal. When I went on sudden leave while pregnant with my second child I went into research mode...if I suddenly wasn't making any money what could I do to save more? You can read more about how my journey has progressed here. 

Last but not least I wanted to share what I had learned and set to work with a couple of "guinea pigs" to see if I could also set them on the road to saving $1000 just like I did in my first year! Now join me over the course of the next 2 weeks to learn how YOU can SAVE $1000 a year with some super easy steps, many of which you may already be doing. If you are already taking all of the steps that I am going to cover in the next couple of weeks then great! Know that you are on the right track and join along and share your own tips with us. Keep in mind that I am not a financial guru, results may vary depending on your current spending habits AND how dedicated you are in following each step. I hope that these will be useful tools in helping you to become a conscious shopper and to think about where your hard earned dollars are going.

Let the savings begin.......

Canadian Coupon Alert: Save $1 off Activia Yogurt


 To say that we enjoy yogurt in our house is an understatement! Always happy to see coupons for yogurt and here is a new one for $1 off Activia Yogurt via Save.ca

My Top 10 Deals Around Town (May 4-10)

No no, I can still count. Yes I know there are more than 10 deals this week but I didn't want you to miss anything wonderful! If I did miss something please be sure to leave a comment below and share with us any great deals on your radar! You'll also notice I changed the post format a bit, putting the store name first. Let me know if you like this setup better.
  1. Zellers- Resolve- SALE 2/$4-$2 coupon from insert= FREE 
  2. Zellers- Lysol Products- SALE 2/$4 - various coupons from insert
  3. Zellers- Spend $15 or more on select P&G and receive 20,000 bonus HBC points
  4. Canadian Tire (LINDSAY) Allens Apple Juice 89cents!
  5. Canadian Tire (LINDSAY) Mon, Tues, Wed, Armstrong Cheese SALE $1.99 (limit of 6)
  6. Foodland- Catelli Pasta- SALE $1-$1 from here= FREE
  7. Loblaws- Black Diamond Cheese Slices- SALE $2.50- 75cent coupon
  8. Loblaws- Nestle Follow Up Formula SALE $15.99-$5 coupon from Nestle Baby Club
  9. Loblaws- Pediasure Complete- SALE $8.99-$3 coupon from here
  10.  Food Basics- Yoplait Minigo/Tubes- SALE $1.99-50cent coupon from here
  11. Food Basics- Old El Paso Taco Kits- SALE $2.99-75cent coupon from here (keep an eye out for any kits that still have coca cola or other bonus coupons on them)
  12. Food Basics- Allens Apple Juice- SALE 99cents (this is where you get the Oasis coupons)
  13. Food Basics- Primo Pasta, Beans and Tomatos- SALE 88cents
  14. Food Basics- Black Diamond Cheese 500g- SALE $4.44- $1coupons from milk bag
  15. Food Basics- Onions- SALE 97cents
  16. Food Basics-Kraft BBQ sauce- SALE 99cents
  17. Food Basics- Heinz Ketchup- SALE 2.99
  18. Shoppers Drugmart- (SUN/MON) Lever Body Wash SALE $1.99-$1 tearpad coupon
  19. Shoppers Drugmart- Irish Spring Deoderant- SALE 2/$5- $2 insert coupon (you can use one per product)
HAPPY SHOPPING!!!

Canadian Freebie Alert: P&G Brandsampler is LIVE!


BRANDSAMPLER IS NOW LIVE! Head on over to order your free samples today! Hurry these go fast!

I was able to select 4 samples from the following:
  • Pantene
  • Proglide Razor 
  • Scope
  • Febreeze Car Freshner
  • Hair Treatment

New Shoppers Drugmart Contest!

There's a fun new contest available from Shoppers Drugmart. Head on over to the Shoppers website and fill a basket with products that are only available at Shoppers for your chance to win everything in that basket! You will also receive a bonus coupon to use in store (printable). Today I got a coupon for a FREE BAG of Simply Food Kettlecooked Popcorn WUS $5. YUM!

Canadian Freebie Alert: Free Philidelphia Cooking Cream with Recipe Submission



 

Here's a great one for all of you foodies out there!
Become a member of Real Women of Philadelphia, submit a recipe that includes a cream cheese product, and receive a FREE tub of Philadelphia Cooking Creme. I have tried the tomato basil one, it was pretty good and super easy to use. I'd love to try the herb and garlic one next...I think it would be super yummy in a creamy chicken pasta dish!
You will be contacted to receive your coupon.
Valid until May 13, 2012.

FREE EVENT: Parents Night: Discipline & Other Parenting Dilemmas

If you have yet to attend a FREE PARENT'S NIGHT, hosted by Lisa of Kindermusik with Lisa,  then you sure won't want to miss the next event being held Tuesday May 8th beginning at 7:30. You do not have to have a child enrolled in a Kindermusik class, the evening is open to all parent's to come learn and share!

Here's what up for the next parent's night: Rebecca Kellett an Early Childhood Resource Consultant with Community Living Kawartha Lakes will be talking with us about Discipline, and other parenting strategies to help us face the challenges that raising children can bring!! Beckie has extensive experience working with children; She has over 10 years experience working in Early Childhood Education. Beckie is well versed in child development, and is an extremely creative problem solver!! This workshop will be filled with creative, stressfree "tactics" we parents can use to assist in improving how we handle some of the more challenging aspects of raising our children, while enriching our lives & mainly improving our relationships with our children!! The conversation will be geared mainly towards children aged 0-6, but if there are parents with older children who could use some advice, if we are aware ahead of time, Beckie will certainly make sure that we cover those topics too!

Come on out for an evening of information, and meeting other parents! As always it is Free, and there will be coffee and light snacks! If you need any more information please feel free to send an email to lmccann3@cogeco.ca or visit Lisa's Kindermusik Facebook Page.
Hope to see you here!!

Coupon Insert Alert: Watch for the latest Redplum This Weekend

Watch for the latest Redplum coupon insert in your local paper on or around May 5th. Locally you can find it in the Friday Edition of the Lindsay Daily Post or Peterborough Examiner. Here's a sneak peek at the coupon list (Yay for the frozen fruit ones!)
  • $5 off Vileda ProMist Mop and Refill
  • $1 off any Tide Liquid or Powder Detergent
  • $0.50 off Tide Stain Release Boost
  • $0.50 off Tide To Go or Tide Washing Machine Cleaner
  • $2 off Downy Unstopables Fresh or Lush
  • $1 off Lever 2000 Bar (4-pack) or Body Wash
  • $1 off any Nature’s Bounty Product
  • $3 off Osteo Bi-Flex
  • $2 off Europe’s Best Fruit Essentials Product

Canadian Freebie Alert: Free Samples of Enfamil Enfapro A+



A great freebie for new and expecting moms! Sign up to receive four free samples of Enfamil Enfapro A+ formula.

FREE EVENT: FREE fitness and yoga with 11:11



Make the choice to have a great day, get fit and feel fantastic about yourself!!
Come one come all for our FREE week of outdoor fitness and yoga
with 11:11 Life Styling.
May 6th - May 12th all new-comers are FREE!
So tell your friends, your sisters, your mothers... and gather together for some fun and fitness.
  • Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday -outdoor fitness 5:30-6:30 pm
  • Monday 7-8:30 pm yoga
  • Wednesday 5:30-6:45 yoga
Call for details, directions 705-340-5530 or just show up!!!
Location: 112 Orchard Park Road Lindsay ON
Keep up to date with all the fantastic happenings of 11:11 Life Styling on their Facebook Page!

April Round Up

Wow what a busy month April was!

I had a fantastic time at the Mom to Mom sale and both sold and donated a ton of items. I have two boxes of clothes left that I have started to photograph and list online to sell. Also a big THANK YOU to all those who participated in my very first blog giveaway on Kawartha Bargains and a special thanks to Lovable Labels for their amazing prize! Watch for more giveaways in the near future as well as links to some other great giveaways. I don't always have a chance to share them on Kawartha Bargains blog so be sure to follow along on my Facebook Page where I try to post links to as many as I can.

On the scratch baking front...not so good...while I did bake from a box twice the only thing I managed to make from scratch were peanut butter cookies. I think in order to better pursue this point I need to sit down and figure out what the key ingredients for baking are that I should have on hand. Any suggestions?

Last but not least a special thanks to my "guinea pigs"! Starting next week don't miss out on my blog series "Want to save $1000 this year?"

Looking ahead to May: 
  •  On my Looking Ahead to 2012 list May is WALK! Yes I know this makes sense and we do walk a fair amount but at least once a week I want to make it a point to walk somewhere that we would have normally driven. On my Mother's Day wishlist is a new wagon (with at least one seatbelt for my little escape artist). I actually walked downtown with the kids this past Sunday instead of driving (which I normally would have) so does that count as my one for this week?
  • Join me for my blog series "Want to save $1000 this year?"
What are you looking forward to in the month ahead? 

FREE EVENT: Kindermusik Demo Class May 5th

Did you miss last week's awesome free demo? Want to know what to expect from a Kindermusik class? Why not attend a FREE Demo class! Bring all siblings, parents/grandparents are welcome too! NEXT DEMO CLASS: Saturday May 5th at 10am


Kindermusik is a child-centred music & movement program specially designed to enhance the development of every area of a child's brain! Best of all children get to learn from their most important and effective teacher, their parents!! Why not check us out! 

Please let Lisa know in advance if you plan on attending, who will be attending with you, and the age of the child. If you prefer to let her know privately rather than in a public forum in order to preserve your child(ren)'s online privacy & safety, Parents are welcome to email lmccann3@cogeco.ca or call 705-928-1876
Please feel free to pass this invite along to any Mom's who may be interested!! Keep up to date with future Demo classes, FREE Parent's Nights and class info on Lisa's Kindermusik Facebook Page.