Free-for-me

Here's the list of things that I got free this past week:
-Chocolate Croissant from Panera(for joining their My Panera program)
-P&G winter samples with travel size Pantene shampoo and conditioner(great for carry-on luggage), stayfree, and head and shoulders sample and coupon
-Ester-C gummies
-Bare minerals sample kit from Sephora(for being a Sephora Beauty insider)

Not bad for a week. What cool stuff did you get?

Free-For-all: Cover Girl Natureluxe foundation

Go here for a free sample of Cover Girl's Natureluxe foundation.

$20 for $8 on over 400 magazines on Deal Pulp

 Are you looking for the perfect gift? Just don't know what to get someone? Well, how about a subscription to Dressage Today or E-Duck? What about InsidePOOL or Neurosurgery Coding Alert?
If they are particular about their magazines, you may try Vogue, Forbes or Bon Appetite.
Go here to Deal Pulp for some great magazine deals and if you have that $5 credit even better.

Wholly Gua..I mean Queso

Here's a $1/1 Wholly Queso Product.

Borders Calendars

I wanted to let everyone know that Borders' calendars are at $4.99 each. They also have lots of clearance items that are 75% off and lots of children's books on clearance!

Victoria Secret Sale

Victoria Secret has their semi-annual sale going on and they've just had more markdowns.
Clearance sleepwear is an additional 50% off, bras are $15.99 each and panties $2.99. Great prices for this stuff!

A clothes challenge-ignore the deal you don't need

I wanted to take this post to talk about a love of mine...shopping. Specifically, clothes shopping. Not only do I love to do it, but this happens to be the time of year for it. Lots of stores are putting winter clothing on clearance with deep discounts. I was in J.C.Penny yesterday and they had racks labeled at $2.97, $4.97 and $8.97, not to mention lots of other clearance deals.

And I didn't buy anything.
                                                                                               
For me, that is huge. I love a deal, and these were some great bargains, but I had to remind myself that much of it I just flat out didn't need and certainly couldn't afford. That $2.97 price may be great, but if I buy 12 of them and never wear any, it's not a deal.

There were some very cute shoes for only $12.97, but when I looked again, they were hardly pratical. I live in Wisconsin...and they were suede. This is the land of snow and ice and suede shoes are not going to cut it. On top of this, most were in colors like jewel purple and silver with rhinestones. I am currently working and trying to get more work in the professional sector and these were clearly not going to work.

 What I did look for, and didn't find, were professional clothes, black pants and skirts, button downs and blazers, black shoes that were practical. I was really hoping to find something, but I think this trip reinforced some things that I already knew and that you probably do to.  
I have to look for things I need, that are of good quality at prices I can afford, and not buy things that are "almost" right.  I have enough professional clothes to tide me over for now, but I still feel like I need more, and while that may be true for some things(like black pants), I need to not buy just to buy. I don't need to buy something that doesn't quite fit or doesn't quite look right because it is cheap and "close" to what I want.

So I am challenging myself to stop buying clothes that I do not need. I know that sounds simple, but I am always taken in by a great deal. I have made a mental list of things to look for that I need and will try not to buy beyond that, no matter how good the price and I challenge you to join me. Make a list of what you want, pair it down to what you need and wait for the right price. I'll post mine in the future and hope you do the same. That way we can find the good deals together!

Hello, I'm pleased to meet you

If you are new to couponing, Welcome! If you’ve been doing it for years, Welcome! If you are just looking to save a little money then Welcome to you to!

I’m starting this blog because I recently graduated college and am on a quest to pay off my student loans as quickly as possible. The job market is tough and I hold multiple jobs to try to make ends meet while I search for my “dream job.” I haven’t been couponing long, but the story of how I started is like so many others.

I started couponing right after I graduated because I needed some lotion. That’s right, lotion.

I saw a coupon in the Sunday paper for some Vaseline lotion that I knew was on sale at Target. I was excited, I needed lotion and I had very little money to spend, and then, the worst happened….I lost the coupon. I couldn’t believe it. It had been for a dollar off which to a lot of people may not seem like a lot, but for people who have been couponing is immense(and for those of you just starting, it’s only a matter of time before you feel this way too).

So, I went online, hoping to find an internet coupon. I typed in Vaseline coupon and…life would never be the same. Ok, that’s a bit dramatic, but what I found was a wealth of blogs that told me not only was there a manufacturer’s Vaseline coupon, but there was also a Target coupon out there. I learned that if I combined the two, I could get the lotion for free, and that there were many other free things that I could get from Target that week.

I was skeptical. I had been taught to be frugal as a child, but I had been also taught that northing in life was free, but, needing lotion, I set out for Target.

I gathered my items and went to the checkout. I dreaded the total as I did not have enough money for everything if the coupons didn’t work, and then…magic happened. My coupons rang through and my total came to…9 cents. Cents! I got 4 full-sized bath products for less than the cost of a gumball!

I was hooked.

Now I coupon and save the difference toward my loan. It’s a great feeling of empowerment and security to know that I can survive off of less than I thought was possible.

I hope to use this blog to spread that to others and hope to help everyone get organized and get at the best deals around Madison, Wisconsin and beyond.

I know the site is new and is in the process of being built, but please stick with me and you won’t be disappointed. I will have the weekly shopping lists as well as shopping tricks, bookstore updates, thrift store and rummage shopping finds, and, hopefully, great stories and shopping triumphs from you.

So…what’s your story? How did you get started at this? I want to know who you are and why you are here.

Beth