rubyslippers
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Post by rubyslippers on May 2, 2014 7:40:27 GMT -5
Yes, we're getting a very good deal with the bagged mulch as each bag is 2 cubic feet, which works out to be $23.00 a cubic yard. We've always used the bagged mulch and have developed a system for unloading the bags by the areas in our yard where we will be putting it down. My sister gets her mulch delivered by the scoop and does it the way you describe. I don't know what she pays for hers but she likes doing it that way.
Kroger has a digital coupon that will give quadruple fuel points this week on gift card purchases. I'm planning on picking up a few including another Lowes card. They also have a digital coupon for double fuel points on groceries bought on the weekend which is good through July.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 2, 2014 8:02:27 GMT -5
Yes, we're getting a very good deal with the bagged mulch as each bag is 2 cubic feet, which works out to be $23.00 a cubic yard. We've always used the bagged mulch and have developed a system for unloading the bags by the areas in our yard where we will be putting it down. My sister gets her mulch delivered by the scoop and does it the way you describe. I don't know what she pays for hers but she likes doing it that way. That's an awesome deal!! Personally, I'd rather have the bags too because you could store whatever is not used and spread it at your leisure. With the bulk, you pretty much have to lay it all.
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emhalf
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Post by emhalf on May 2, 2014 11:41:49 GMT -5
Okay, long shot I know, but does anyone have any .75/1 dole smoothie shakers from last weekend's SS (4/27)? The .75/1 value is important for doubling purposes, and I'd like to get about 5. The timing is not that important, I could use them until 5/28. TIA
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rubyslippers
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Post by rubyslippers on May 2, 2014 13:11:47 GMT -5
Emhalf, sorry but I only got coupons for Dole Squishums or Dole Fruit Bowls. If you need those ones, please let me know.
Dancin, I like having an extra few bags of mulch to use to fill in. Last year I had a spot that had thinned out due to a storm and I could've used another bag or two.
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FreeSalsa
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Post by FreeSalsa on May 2, 2014 21:46:34 GMT -5
Yes, we remember you! I'd get rid of them. Maybe keep one or two subscriptions if they are that cheap but Q's are not worth what they used to be and you can print a lot of them instead. And if you already have tons that you are not using then you are wasting money as you said, as well as adding clutter and stress, which is a big problem for me. But please recycle or compost the ones in the basement, instead of throwing them in the trash. It's a lot of trees. The Earth and I would thank you tremendously. Welcome back!Thanks FreeSalsa. Yes, it is adding clutter, so its time to go. Some years back, you mentioned using a food dehydrator to stockpile fruits. What brand do you have? I am interested in getting one for other reasons. Oooh! Yes, I love my dehydrator! I got the Excalibur, 5-tray, with timer. It was something like $285 but if you need to dry a lot of food and plan to use it for a long time, my research said Excalibur is the only way to go. I bought it on their web site. But if you do that, check your credit card use. I ordered mine at 9 at night and by 5 a.m. someone had stolen my number and was charging it to buy computers and send them to me. Someone I talked to (the bank, the card company, or the police, I forget) said it was unrelated but I don't know. I also like the Excalibur trays because you can stack them with herbs between them and put them in the sun for a day or just on the counter for a week and it keeps any interested flies or spiders out. I'd rather not use electricity to dry herbs if I don't need to. But if you just use it now and then or won't need it for very long, you can get a cheap one at Target for like $30. I had two different ones that just stopped working after a year. I'm not sure if "for other reasons" means using it for meat or using it for crafts or something like that. For crafts you could use a cheap one, I'm sure. I have almost 4 boxes (8.5 x 11 x 12") of dried fruit stored. We eat some as we go along but if the fruit-gravy train ever dries up or there's an earthquake emergency then we'll have plenty. Let me know if you have any other questions. And thanks for the inside scoop on coupons!
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FreeSalsa
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Post by FreeSalsa on May 2, 2014 21:59:43 GMT -5
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picghaw
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Post by picghaw on May 3, 2014 12:08:49 GMT -5
I DID it! I cancelled 4 of my subscriptions! I started having doubts because I currently have $7 worth of coupons that I will use this weekend (staples-crayola, cvs-xtreme, wags-colgate), so I starting having second thoughts thinking that the real reason I was not using the coupons and finding deals is because I haven't had time to look for deals. Then as I was going thru the insert i saw a couple of coupons for items that resulted in MM deals years ago (i-cool, azo, estroven) and my mind started spinning...but I DID it. Whew! It feels good to let go. Thanks dancimama and FreeSalsa for the advise and encouragement.
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picghaw
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Post by picghaw on May 3, 2014 12:12:03 GMT -5
Thanks FreeSalsa! (I'm that one that asked about the dehydrator) I want to use mine for food(fruits, veggie chips, possibly meats) as well, and this is the one that comes up as the absolute best. Do you think the timer is really worth the extra $85?
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murphath
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Post by murphath on May 3, 2014 19:04:31 GMT -5
emhalf: Didn't get the .75 Dole coupon in my SS. Not sure why, but our paper doesn't get the same q's as the "city" paper. So silly.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 3, 2014 21:57:00 GMT -5
I DID it! I cancelled 4 of my subscriptions! I started having doubts because I currently have $7 worth of coupons that I will use this weekend (staples-crayola, cvs-xtreme, wags-colgate), so I starting having second thoughts thinking that the real reason I was not using the coupons and finding deals is because I haven't had time to look for deals. Then as I was going thru the insert i saw a couple of coupons for items that resulted in MM deals years ago (i-cool, azo, estroven) and my mind started spinning...but I DID it. Whew! It feels good to let go. Thanks dancimama and FreeSalsa for the advise and encouragement. Congrats!! Did you ever think I'd be saying that regarding getting rid of a source for coupons? It might be different if you were using enough coupons on average to pay for the subscription, but if you had 10 weeks piled up, that definitely wasn't the case. In the old days, finding deals to match with coupons took practically no time whatsoever; they just fell in our laps. There were soooo many deals in those days that it was not uncommon for people to say, "Don't try to chase every deal". Remember? Boy have times changed!!
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marvholly
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Post by marvholly on May 4, 2014 5:36:28 GMT -5
I bought a paper this week for the first time in a month. I wanted the Ken's coupon. Since Dollar Tree has NOT raised the paper price use of that coupon covers the paper cost and I did cut out a few more.
I think I will keep watch on the list of coupons the bloggers post and buy if it is a decent week.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 4, 2014 8:10:23 GMT -5
I bought a paper this week for the first time in a month. I wanted the Ken's coupon. Since Dollar Tree has NOT raised the paper price use of that coupon covers the paper cost and I did cut out a few more. I think I will keep watch on the list of coupons the bloggers post and buy if it is a decent week. Buying the paper when you know that at the very least you're going to break even is a good idea. Hopefully you'll use some of the extra few that you cut out and it will be a MM!!
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hopetoberich
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Post by hopetoberich on May 4, 2014 12:11:33 GMT -5
Quick question. Is your stockpile lasting about as long as you thought it would?
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FreeSalsa
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Post by FreeSalsa on May 4, 2014 14:37:57 GMT -5
Thanks FreeSalsa! (I'm that one that asked about the dehydrator) I want to use mine for food(fruits, veggie chips, possibly meats) as well, and this is the one that comes up as the absolute best. Do you think the timer is really worth the extra $85? Oh, sorry picghaw! You and Beach both reappeared about the same time. For me the timer was worth it. I live in a dry area and I don't like to leave appliances on and running when I'm not home because of fire possibility. Also, I like to run it overnight so as not to heat up the kitchen and I don't want to have to get up in the middle of the night to turn it off. But if you have a more flexible schedule, a cooler place to run it, or you don't have to worry about fire danger, then you might not need it. It certainly is convenient and I like the option. But you could always hook up an appliance timer to it if you wanted. I was also using wedding gift money to buy it so I was able to spend more freely than if had been my own money.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 4, 2014 15:04:34 GMT -5
Quick question. Is your stockpile lasting about as long as you thought it would? Before I cashed out all of my drug chain rewards, I made sure that most of the stockpiles that I had built would last us for several years (for the non-perishable products that we use on a regular basis, anyway). We're not even remotely close to running out of any non-perishable product that I stockpiled and I cashed out 16 or 17 months ago, but remember..... I never took a break from couponing and then waited until I was running low on stuff to come back (other than when we on vacation). I was at it pretty consistently for a little more than (6) years straight and was even more strategic about what I stockpiled in the last two years I did it after Extreme Couponing aired in Dec 2010. It will be interesting to see how long some of my stockpiles hold out. I don't think I'm in any danger of needing to buy ANYTHING that I stockpiled for at least another two or three years.....maybe even longer. The first time I run out of something, you guys will be the first to know.
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murphath
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Post by murphath on May 5, 2014 10:19:47 GMT -5
Quick question. Is your stockpile lasting about as long as you thought it would?
I still have a pretty good stockpile of nonperishables in MurphMart: toilet paper, paper towels, razors etc. But, I do replenish when I see a good deal--like the Angel Soft 4 pk of tp last week at Safeway: .99 minus the .45 q from last Sunday's paper. I managed to get 4 of the q's. I'm down to my last 5 toothpaste but I'm sure a deal will come along--it usually does. I just ran out of face moisturizer but have plenty of regular lotion. Just one sunblock left. Plenty of shampoo, dish detergent, clothes detergent, deodorant to last another year or so. Same with dryer sheets.
It will run out eventually. I began in 2009 so if it lasts though 2015, that's a pretty good run.
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rubyslippers
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Post by rubyslippers on May 6, 2014 7:05:01 GMT -5
Stockpile: I have enough Tide, floss, and batteries to last at least 2 years. Toilet paper, Dove soap, razors, moisturizers, deodorant, toothpaste, dryer sheets, lotion and shampoo to last through this year. I am lower on garbage bags than I usually am but I will find a good deal when I get low enough. I'm done with Rite Aid for awhile, but I have coupons for prescription transfers that will earn $25.00 in UPs that I can use to stock up again and a raincheck for 2 free razors.
Almost free groceries at Meijer yesterday: I had $19.00 in mperk rewards, $6.00 in coupons and with those I got 2 lb. bag of carrots, 1 box cereal, 2 blocks of Cheddar cheese, 1 Wesson oil, 2 Lysol toilet cleaners, 1 salsa, 2 Ortega taco sauce, 20 Koolaid, a 5 lb. bag of sugar and a bag of coffee. I paid $2.22 OOP and saved $25.00.
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skubikky
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Post by skubikky on May 6, 2014 8:07:52 GMT -5
These are things that I have reasonably good stockpile of and should last for quite awhile: Razors , moisturizers(remember the $4 Lumene Q's!), deodorant, toothpaste, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, pantyliners, laundry detergent, paper towels, dishwasher tabs, dish soap, freezer/storage bags, vacuum cleaner bags, aluminum foil, eye shadow, concealer, sunscreen and 81mg aspirin.
Been doing a few MIRs lately for cat litter and the Ban moist cloths.....rebates are always fun.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 6, 2014 12:05:10 GMT -5
These are things that I have reasonably good stockpile of and should last for quite awhile: Razors , moisturizers( remember the $4 Lumene Q's!), deodorant, toothpaste, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, pantyliners, laundry detergent, paper towels, dishwasher tabs, dish soap, freezer/storage bags, vacuum cleaner bags, aluminum foil, eye shadow, concealer, sunscreen and 81mg aspirin. Been doing a few MIRs lately for cat litter and the Ban moist cloths.....rebates are always fun. Were those PDFs?
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skubikky
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Post by skubikky on May 6, 2014 12:14:10 GMT -5
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emhalf
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Post by emhalf on May 7, 2014 12:20:42 GMT -5
Good deal at CVS: Buy 3 neutrogena products, get $10 EBs and a free "beauty tote". Individual cleansing bars and acne bars are PSA 3.29, so already free after EBs. Plus the free beauty tote is counting as one of the items toward your next $10 EB, so if you repeated the deal 3 times it would become a $10 MM, and the items should count for beauty club. The deal continues for at least 3 weeks, and the limit is actually 6. Of course, the real trick is being able to find any of the products. I checked 4 stores today and didn't find a single one
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FreeSalsa
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Post by FreeSalsa on May 7, 2014 23:47:00 GMT -5
I only have dried fruit stockpiled and it would last probably two years or less. I have some TP from the last Angel Soft sale but suddenly found I can't use it. It goes quickly because DH uses it as kleenex. I have a few bottles of dish soap and a few Finish dishwasher gel packs. Other than that, "I got nuthin'!" I have so little storage space and am dreading having to move any stockpiles so I purposely didn't stock up much. Not great from a financial point of view but it was better for my sanity not to have stuff falling out of the closets on me and stacked up in corners. Some day when I can settle in a place with lots of storage, then I'll try again.
Not much to report at Sprouts today. Except they charged me again for the regular price on some veggies instead of the organic price, which is more. It was even in the green organic produce bag and had tags and stickers on it that said organic so I don't know what they were doing. I bought all organic produce, I think that's a first. I'd like to do it all the time but have never done it before: beets with greens for sautéing, carrots with greens for soup, cucumbers, green onions to freeze, and cilantro. The sale prices were already good, then they rung me up for less.
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marvholly
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Post by marvholly on May 8, 2014 6:35:17 GMT -5
FreeSalsa Your being charge for regular produce when you bought organic is usually due to a new, clueless or male cashier. What usually happens to me is that I get charged for organic when I am buying regular and then we end up w/an arguement. Either I win or I have it taken off since organic is usually 3x/more the price here.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 8, 2014 9:53:35 GMT -5
My stockpiles also include some odd things because we use them and the opportunity arose to get them free: high quality kitchen dishtowels, Safeway scrubber sponges (my fav brand), Clorox toilet tabs, fire starter, Q-tips, Playtex gloves, etc. When I saw things start to deteriorate, I really tried to think of everything that is non-perishable that we use on a daily/regular basis. One of the last things I thought of was toothpicks because DH uses a lot of them, so towards the end I started using them as a filler at CVS. I know they're not very expensive to begin with, but might as well get them for free!!
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 8, 2014 10:04:30 GMT -5
I only have dried fruit stockpiled and it would last probably two years or less. I have some TP from the last Angel Soft sale but suddenly found I can't use it. It goes quickly because DH uses it as kleenex. I have a few bottles of dish soap and a few Finish dishwasher gel packs. Other than that, "I got nuthin'!" I have so little storage space and am dreading having to move any stockpiles so I purposely didn't stock up much. Not great from a financial point of view but it was better for my sanity not to have stuff falling out of the closets on me and stacked up in corners. Some day when I can settle in a place with lots of storage, then I'll try again. There's not much you can do if you have little space for stockpiles. I know we've had some discussions in the past on the Grocery Challenge about using living spaces with little storage to their maximum capacity and I'm sure that you did that. Even though you may not have been able to build large stockpiles, you certainly took advantage of years and years worth of freebies and great deals. There is no way I could have done what I did without ample storage space - which only you have seen, BTW. I feel very fortunate to have had the luxury of storage. I decided in advance that if we ever needed to move, I would pack a few boxes to include some of the smaller, more expensive stockpile items (like razors) as well as a smattering of other non-perishables that we use on a regular basis (giving more room to the ones we go through more quickly than others) and donate the rest. My "plan" however is to be running low on product just about the time we decide to move into something smaller and more manageable for an elderly couple. We'll see how that goes. LOL
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 8, 2014 10:11:59 GMT -5
Good deal at CVS: Buy 3 neutrogena products, get $10 EBs and a free "beauty tote". Individual cleansing bars and acne bars are PSA 3.29, so already free after EBs. Plus the free beauty tote is counting as one of the items toward your next $10 EB, so if you repeated the deal 3 times it would become a $10 MM, and the items should count for beauty club. The deal continues for at least 3 weeks, and the limit is actually 6. Of course, the real trick is being able to find any of the products. I checked 4 stores today and didn't find a single one I still have a boatload of the cleansing bars stockpiled from a huge MM RR deal at WAGs from years ago. A deal like this that doesn't include the use of MCs is golden these days.....which I guess is why you can't find any of the product. How about rain checks? Or are the free totes not regularly in stock?
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constanz22
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Post by constanz22 on May 8, 2014 19:13:20 GMT -5
I briefly took a lookat at the Neautrogena tote deal at cvs today, but the display clearly excluded the bar soap. I had seen people on a local FB couponing group doing it, but, I didn't even look for the bars when I saw that. This coupon group is still working the deals. Shocking really. I guess there are still deals to be had, but I sure am not doing them any more. I almost never even use A coupon anymore.
i still have an extremely healthy stockpile of HBA too.
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dancinmama
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Post by dancinmama on May 8, 2014 20:41:21 GMT -5
I briefly took a lookat at the Neautrogena tote deal at cvs today, but the display clearly excluded the bar soap. I had seen people on a local FB couponing group doing it, but, I didn't even look for the bars when I saw that. This coupon group is still working the deals. Shocking really. I guess there are still deals to be had, but I sure am not doing them any more. I almost never even use A coupon anymore. i still have an extremely healthy stockpile of HBA too. Okay, so someone didn't see the display, tried the soaps, found that they worked, and now everyone is doing the deal using the soaps (but by now they have to know that they are explicitly excluded). That would be a little too "sketchy" for my liking. The last 6 months of 2012, it seemed like soooo many of the CVS deals I saw had something sketchy or some element of YMMV associated with them - whether it was that a smaller and less expensive size of a product was working for a deal or whether it had to do with stacking coupons (i.e. cents off with BOGOs that gave overage), etc.; it seemed as though it was always something. If you got the YMMV element, the deal was great; if not, it sucked. I got to the point where if a deal involved any kind of YMMV, I shied away.
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rubyslippers
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Post by rubyslippers on May 8, 2014 21:35:38 GMT -5
I haven't done much grocery shopping the past few days due to the nice weather we're having so we're spending more time outside getting things done in the yard. I have been price matching mulch, plants, flowers etc... when I can. I did get bananas for $.29 lb., and green beans for $.99 lb. today.
I stopped at Rite Aid to get 2 dozen eggs for $1.59 dozen with my discount and used a $.55/2 IPQ. The cashier asked where I've been lately as I haven't shopped there in the last few weeks. Unless there's a really good deal, I'm taking a break for awhile.
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marvholly
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Post by marvholly on May 9, 2014 6:07:01 GMT -5
Got a GREAT deal on Perdue ground turkey Fri - 1.99/1 lb pkg. It is end of code & not ready to cook it today + busy weekend ahead. Freezing it. Do need to decide: meatloaf, sweet and sour meatballs, browned for tacos......?
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