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Friday, November 30, 2012

CVS: No free milk... :-(

I stopped by CVS today, hoping to get two gallons of milk for no money out of my pocket!

I had lots of Extra Care Bucks from Black Friday, so this was my plan:

ALDI is becoming my main store

I've always seen myself as primarily a Publix shopper, and only going to ALDI to pick up the dairy items and other groceries I needed immediately. But in the last couple of weeks, I feel like ALDI is becoming my main store!

Here's what I got on my two ALDI trips this week:

Great deals on gift cards!

Friday is Mega Swagbucks Day, where you can get lots of Swagbucks just for doing searches! (Do searches the easy way with the Swagbucks toolbar, or use your Android phone.) You can also earn Swagbucks for finding Swagcodes, answering polls and surveys, filling out profiles, watching videos and Swagbucks TV (on the site or on your Android phone), trading in media items, doing tasks, and considering special offers and no-obligation special offers.

If you love to earn Swagbucks to get free gift cards, here's some great news for you!

For the rest of the year the Swagbucks Swag Store will be bringing you lower prices and limitless rewards. All $5 gift cards will now be 500 Swag Bucks, $10 gift cards will be 1000 Swag Bucks, $25 Gift Cards will be 2500 Swag Bucks and so on. This excludes the $5 Amazon.com, which remains the bargain price of 450 SB.

What an amazing deal!

If you don't do Swagbucks yet, join Swagbucks today to start earning points toward prizes like $5 Amazon.com gift card codes!

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

Great deals for the week of December 2nd

Would you like to know what's on sale the week of December 2nd at the national chain stores?

Stop by A Full Cup to find out what's on sale starting Sunday at:

Looking for a different store? Click here for the full list.

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

Free yeast and more!

Here are some freebies recently found by That Freebie Site!

Free “Elf Yourself” Calendar
Free Peppa Pig Plush Backpack Clip
Free Sample of Pantene Pro-V Expert Shampoo & Conditioner
Free Sample of Red Star Platinum Superior Baking Yeast
Free Photo Luggage Tag

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

POM Wonderful coupon and more!

Here are some new coupons recently found by Free Coupon Alerts!

PetsSmart: $5 off $25 Printable Coupon
Michael’s Arts & Crafts Store $5 off $25+
Save $1 off Baker’s Joy
Save $1 off POM Wonderful Juice
Benadryl Coupons

Check out the latest coupons at Free Coupon Alerts.

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

Free Restaurant.com $10 gift card and more!

Here's are some of the great product samples listed right now at MySavings - go check them out!

Create & Send 5 Free Personalized Touchnote Holiday Photo Cards
Send Friends & Family a $10 Restaurant.com Gift Card for Free
Enjoy a Free Innovative Skincare Smoothing Gel Sample
Sign Up for a Free Sample of Centrum Flavor Burst Chews
2 Free Schiff Digestive Advantage Probiotic Gummies Sample

Click here to see all the deals at MySavings.

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

Newspaper coupons for 12-2-12

How many inserts will there be in your newspaper this Sunday, December 2nd?

According to the Sunday Coupon Preview, it looks it will be a typical week with one SmartSource and one RedPlum insert.

I'm looking forward to the $1/2 Chex coupon. My family loves Chex cereals!

Which coupons are you most excited about? Check Sunday Coupon Preview and leave a comment!

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

A second $100 Amazon gift code giveaway

Frugal Follies is already running a $100 Amazon code giveaway, so why not another one? (And don't forget about the Kindle Fire & $40 Amazon code giveaway, too!)

Enter below, then leave me a comment!

Frugal Follies has joined in with some terrific bloggers to give you this great giveaway. A $100.00 Amazon Gift Card, just in time for the holidays!

We love our readers and we want to help make this holiday a little nicer for you.. If you love shopping, then you need to enter this giveaway! And don't forget to share this with your friends too.

This giveaway is sponsored by CountryLife4me.

Giveaway Dates - November 30 - Dec 15
Winner will be chosen by random.org

Frugal Follies is not responsible for prize fulfilment. Countrylife4me is solely responsible for this prize and the fulfilment of it. Please contact them with any questions. Thanks!

To enter is easy. Just use the Rafflecopter form below.
Good Luck!

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Publix: Put the candle back!

(Bonus points for anyone who knows that movie quote I am referring to in the title!)

This week at Publix, the deals were just meh again. I stocked up on dairy - yogurt with this $0.40 off 6 Yoplait Yogurts coupon, cookie dough with this $1.00/2 Immaculate® Baking Products coupon, sour cream, and cheese. And I bought the BOGO pita even though there wasn't a coupon for it.

I also wanted to get Chanukah candles and chocolate coins for the upcoming holiday. I found chocolate coins (though not at the 3/$1 price point listed in the ad), but there were no candles to be seen. I asked a manager, who didn't seem to know what Chanukah candles were. (Really?) She checked in back, and then told me they hadn't received the candles. Even though they were listed in the weekly ad.

Sheesh. Good job, Publix.

To her credit, the manager offered to take my phone number and call me when the candles came in. I turned that down, though. I'm sure I'll find them at a more prepared store.

Here's what I got:

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Pumpkin Whole Wheat Bread Machine Rolls (Frugal Food Thursday)

Welcome to Frugal Food Thursday! If you have a great frugal recipe, please link up below!

Google is the very best thing that has happened to cooking since the invention of the oven, I think.

On Thanksgiving morning, I decided I wanted to make some rolls to go with dinner. And I wanted them to be made with whole wheat flour. And I wanted to add some canned pumpkin to them. And I wanted to use my breadmaker to make the dough.

So, I put those terms in Google, and out popped girlichef's Whole Wheat Pumpkin Rolls.

The recipe fit all my requirements perfectly. And the photo looked scrumptious.

So, I gave the recipe a try. I did make a few changes, though. Instead of milk, I used water, as I don't mix meat and milk at the same meal. Also, the recipe called for bread flour, which I did not have on hand. Instead, I used all-purpose flour and added 4 teaspoons of vital wheat gluten, which I happened to have on hand from some previous bread-making experiments.

The results: Though mine didn't look quite as beautiful as girlichef's, they were absolutely delicious!

Here's the recipe:

Xbox Holiday Bundle Giveaway

Another amazing giveaway! This would be a great gift for the gamer in your life... or maybe for yourself!

Enter below, then leave a comment letting me know you've entered. Thanks!

Xbox Holiday Bundle Giveaway Event

Hosted by Mom to Bed by 8 and A Medic's World

Please take a moment and visit our sponsor, Penny Auctions Canada

Penny Auctions Canada is an online auction website that lets you buy awesome products for pennies!

Xbox 360 250GB Kinect Holiday Console Bundle Includes:

Xbox 360 250GB Console
3 Month LIVE card
Kinect Sensor
Kinect Adventures
Kinect Carnival

One lucky reader will receive a Xbox 360 250GB Kinect Holiday Console Bundle!

Giveaway ends December 19th at 11:59pm, open worldwide {residents outside of the US will receive cash equivalent of $339}, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

Special thank you to our lovely co-hosts: The Lucky Ladybug, CentsLessDeals, Stay a Stay at Home Mom, Glasses & Glitter, Giveaway Bandit and Coupon Queen of Texas.

Holiday Food Treats Giveaway

I love holiday food! If you do, too, then enter this giveaway filled with yummy holiday treats! It ends on December 4th, so be sure to enter now before it's over!

Free is for Me, Spending with Pennies, and Military Wive's Saving is happy to bring you the Ultimate Holiday Flash Food Giveaway! One winner will win the following tasty treats to make your holiday a little bit yummier:

Oogies Gourmet Popcorn: 8 Pack of their finest gourmet popcorn!!! Valued at: $25.00
Asher Chocolates: A box of their Caramel pecan Patties- Oh So good! Valued at: $20.00
Boca Java Coffee: 3 Packs of the winners choice! Valued at $24.00
Almondina: Variety pack of their seasonal cookies! Valued at $25.00
Bart's Cookies: A dozen of the world's best Chocolate Chip Cookies: $18.00
Newman's Own Organics: 4 items from their line of organic products: Depends on chosen products.

Don't forget to join the HOLIDAY GIFT EXTRAVAGANZA

Ultimate Holiday Flash Food Giveaway is an addition to the HUGE HOLIDAY GIFT EXTRAVAGANZA which you win over a THOUSAND DOLLARS worth of prizes!! Three ways to enter and three ways to Win! You can win theULTIMATE TOY GIVEAWAY.. Including items from Pillow Pets, Zoobies Blanket Pals, KidzGear, & many many many more! You can enter to win the ULTIMATE PAMPER ME GIVEAWAY which includes beauty products from acure, Organica Pure, Tree Hut, & Many many more!! ~or~ you can enter to win the ULTIMATE HOME BUNDLE which includes items from Ozeri, Stuck on You, Candle Warmers etc, and Many many more!

Rules to the Giveaways: You must be a minimum of 18 years or order to win and must live within the continental U.S. (sorry international fans). We cannot deliver to P.O. Boxes. The giveaways will run from 11/28/2012 at 12:01 am through 12/03/12 11:59 pm. One winner will be chosen at random. You can join all giveaways in the Holiday Gift Extravaganza including all the flash giveaways. You may win multiple times should your name be chosen at random. If you are a blog owner there are certain prizes that you cannot win~ contact Free is for Me~ for that short list of prizes. Free is for Me nor any other Co-host or blogger is responsible for the shipment of these prizes. The prizes will be shipped directly from the Sponsors. We nor our sponsors can guarantee that you will have these prizes prior to the holiday season.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

I needed an easy week (Wednesday Weekly Shopping)

I invite you to link up to your best grocery deals below, to inspire others to save more!

This week was a pretty easy shopping week for me. I only bought a few things at Publix, one item at Walgreens, and skipped CVS altogether. And I only spent half the budget this week, which makes up for overspending last week.

Here's what I got this week:

Paid blogger opportunity: $500 cash giveaway

I do mostly free blogger giveaways, but here's a paid one that I'll be participating in at the beginning of the year. Readers, make sure you enter this one.

Bloggers, please join me and say that Frugal Follies referred you!

$500 Cash Giveaway Sign-Up hosted by Emperola.com

Join us for the $500 CASH GIVEAWAY which will for sure increase your site stats and social media exposure!

This Giveaway is scheduled to run from Jan 3 till Jan 23.
Sign-up is open until December 18th.

Prize: $500 in PayPal cash

About the Giveaway

$5 for each link (Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Email sign-up, RSS subscription, etc.)
$10 for host page
Do you want to be a sponsor? Check availability with us - info@emperola.com

The participating blogger who refers the most other bloggers to join this event will get $50 paypal cash.
5 referrers who have at least 3 referrals will receive host page status

Open to US, Canada & UK
Order for listing will be based on the order of sign-up, so hurry and sign-up, you’ll be closer to the top!
Posting the giveaway on your own blog is highly recomended.
You will receive the html code by December 28th.
Amount of prize may increase, all money received for sign up will go to the prize so if we earn more money we will put it toward the prize.
This event is blogger sponsored, thats mean that your payment is a contribution towards the total prize amount. The total prize is determined by blogger participation, minus PayPal and minimal administrative fees.

If you have any questions, please contact us at info@emperola.com

This Giveaway will be massively promoted by Emperola.com so join this big event

Sign-Up now

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

Pear Tree Greetings $40 Gift Certificate Giveaway

Have you bought, signed, addressed, labeled, stamped, and sent your holiday cards yet?

Me neither.

If you're a procrastinator like me, don't worry! You can still get beautiful, personalized holiday cards from Pear Tree Greetings!

Pear Tree Greetings celebrates life’s sharable moments with its unique collection of personalized, high-quality photo cards and stationery made with 100-pound-matte-finish card stock. Pear Tree Greetings offers stylish and affordable Christmas cards, address labels, save-the-date cards, save-the-date magnets, birth announcements, wedding invitations, moving announcements, party invitations, gift tags, thank you cards and much more. With hundreds of designs for every occasion available for purchase online and for any budget, Pear Tree Greetings inspires people to stay connected with friends and loved ones.

They have a huge collection of holiday cards and other items that can be personalized just for you. Check out their selections:

I had the chance to make my own cards with Pear Tree Greetings, and I found it easy - and fun - to use!

First, choose you card style. Then upload some pictures - I linked to my Facebook account, since I have lots of pictures of my family there already, which made it really easy.

You then choose the photo you want to use and simply drag and drop it into the spot on the card. You can then use the built-in photo editing to make it perfect - change it to a black and white or sepia photo, sharpen it, or soften the edges. You can change the rotation of the photo, or zoom in for more detail.

Once you've chosen the photos, you can add your personal text. Choose your font and font size (the font choices may be limited by the style you've picked), then type in your child's names, the date and place, or whatever information you want to convey. You can preview what you've done so far, or save it for later.

When you've finalized your design, choose the number of cards you want, what types of envelopes you want, and whether you want the return address to be printed on the envelopes. Then make your purchase!

And best of all, economy shipping (8 days) is free with an order of $75 or more, and only $5 for orders less than $75. You can also get quicker shipping - as quick as a 3 day turnaround - for an added fee.

Overall, I really enjoyed making my Pear Tree greeting cards, and I definitely recommend them!

Would you like to make a personalized Pear Tree greeting card for the holidays, or for any other occasion? Head over to Pear Tree Greetings to get started!

And Pear Tree has some great sales going on right now! You can get $10 off a $50 order, $15 off a $75 order, $20 off a $100 order, or $50 off a $200 order, just by using the code JINGLE12 at checkout.

Or would you like to get greeting cards for free?

Frugal Follies is sponsoring a giveaway for a $40 gift code to Pear Tree Greetings! The gift code is only good for holiday items.

To enter, use the Rafflecopter below! This giveaway is open to US residents 18 and older. This giveaway ends on Thursday, December 6, 2012, at 11:59 pm. One winner will be chosen randomly soon after the end of the giveaway. The winners will be contacted by email, and the winners must respond within 72 hours. If a winner does not respond, that person will be ruled ineligible and another winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook.

Free blogger opportunity: $50 Amazon gift code

I know all of you love winning Amazon codes, so I keep my eyes open for giveaways for them. Here's one that will start next week!

Bloggers, please join me and please say that Frugal Follies referred you!

Last Minute Money FREE Blogger Event!

Last Minute Money is sponsored by TheGiveawayGals.com, TheNightOwlMama.com,
InTheKitchenWithKP.com and StuckAtHomeMom.com

Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal Cash.

Date: Friday Dec 7th 6pm - Friday Dec 21st at 11:59

For More Details - Bloggers Wanted: Last Minute Money

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

Monday, November 26, 2012

$40 Amazon code and Kindle Fire Giveaway

I love Amazon gift code giveaways. And I love electronics giveaways. So why not have both?

Enter below to win a Kindle Fire AND a $40 Amazon code, then leave me a comment letting me know you've entered!

Delightfully has teamed up with Happy Mothering and Green Moms Media to bring you a giveaway of a Kindle Fire and $40 Amazon Gift Card to spread the word about their new virtual gift-wrap service!

Think about how many gifts are given online now, between music, gift cards, subscriptions, e-books… I’m sure you’ve sent at least one online gift – and likely will again before Christmas. Delightfully is a new service that allows you to hand-wrap your online gift!

With Delightfully, you can create the perfect ‘unwrapping’ moment for any gift occasion. Say goodbye to wasteful paper and tape and say hello to this eco-friendly gift-wrap alternative!

Delightfully is ideal for sending a personalized message to friends and family who you can’t spend the holidays with in person. You can check out an example of the Delightfully gift-wrap here. At only $3, it’s a very nice way to personalize the otherwise impersonal online gift!

To thank you for taking the time to consider their virtual gift-wrapping service, Delightfully is offering our readers a chance to win a Kindle Fire & $40 Amazon.com gift card!

The Kindle Fire is thin, light and durable. It features:

1.2GHz processor and 1GB of RAM
8GB on-device storage with free unlimited cloud storage for all your Amazon content
Apps such as Facebook, Netflix, Twitter, Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo!, HBO GO and Pandora
Ultra-fast web browsing over built-in Wi-Fi
The ability to stream instant videos and access the lending library for Amazon Prime Members
Kindle FreeTime - a free, personalized tablet experience just for kids that allows you to set daily screen limits and give access to appropriate content for each child
Up to 9 hours of reading, surfing the web on Wi-Fi, watching video, or listening to music.

And, with a $40 Amazon gift card, you can load up your new Kindle Fire with some new books and movies, or use the Delightfully service to send a gift to a loved one!

For your chance to win, please use the Rafflecopter form below. This contest runs through December 17, 2012 at 11:59 p.m. EST and is open to US & Canadian residents ages 18 and older.

List and Enter Giveaways 11-27-12 (Fortune Follies Tuesday)

Welcome to Fortune Follies Tuesday for November 27th, where bloggers can list their giveaways, and readers can enter them!

READERS: Here are the giveaways going on right now at Frugal Follies!

Keurig coffee maker (11/30)
Cookie swap prize pack (11/30)
Vera Bradley handbag and wallet (12/2)
Little Tikes toy kitchen (12/3)
$500 in holiday cash (12/5)
$200 however you want it (12/5)
iPad Mini or cash equivalent (12/5)
WingFlyer scooter (12/6)
Fagor Chef Pressure Cooker (12/6)
Ronco Food Dehydrator (12/7)
$250 cash for the holidays (12/9)
$100 cash (12/9)
Artisan beaded necklace (12/10)
Sodastream soda maker (12/10)
Health / Beauty / Fashion prize pack (12/11)
$100 Amazon.com gift code (12/15)
2 Hidden Treasures candles (12/20)
Nostalgia Frozen Beverage Station (12/23)

BLOGGERS: Here are some free blogger opportunities to sign up for. Please say that Frugal Follies referred you!

Chili's holiday daily deals

Here's a delicious new deal for the holiday season - Chili's Holidaily Deals!

Celebrate the holiday season at Chili's with a special offer every day from now until December 24. Just print your coupon, head to Chili's, and enjoy.

Note: Offers expire daily. Purchase of one or more adult entrées required. Coupon required to redeem offer and must be used on the date of the offer.

Check out the great Chili's coupons!

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

LearnVest Baby Bootcamp

If you're having a baby, or know someone who is, and you're worried about what will happen to your finances once the baby shows up, here's some help!

The LearnVest Baby on Board Bootcamp will teach you:

Free up money for your baby, and find where to get deals
How to handle maternity leave, health insurance and your career
Get a grasp on life insurance, tax breaks and college savings

Click here to learn more about the Baby on Board Bootcamp.

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

Travel deals

My husband and I will be celebrating our 20th anniversary next year. We're planning on taking a little trip, just the two of us, no kids. Woohoo!

Here's a site I'll be checking to find a great deal on our trip!

DealChicken Travel delivers deep discounts on travel, from quaint bed & breakfasts to tropical escapes. Sign up for the weekly email and discover great deals that set you free to explore!

Click here to check out DealChicken.

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

Huggies coupon

I don't have a baby anymore, but I know that lots of you do. Here's a great coupon for you!

Save up to $2 on HUGGIES Little Movers Slip-On Diapers available at Target®. You'll need to share this deal with three friends, or post on Facebook or Twitter, to be able to print the coupon.

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

Rue La La - great fashion deals

Looking for fashion deals? Here's a new source:

Rue La La is the destination for the most desired brands at Members–only prices. Each day, they curate Boutiques filled with the best of the best in women's and men's fashion, home, travel, kids, and more. New Boutiques open at 11AM ET and stay open for just 48 hours.

Right now, Rue La La is offering free shipping, as well as incredible deals for their new members.

Join Rue La La now and get free shipping and special deals!

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

GH Cretors Popcorn Review

My kids love to snack. Lunch? Meh. Dinner? Eh. But snacks? Yum!

Of course, I want healthy things for them to eat - snacks with all-natural ingredients that aren't genetically modified. And of course, they have to be delicious!

So I was excited to give GH Cretors popcorn a try!

With a history in popcorn dating back to 1885, GH Cretors makes its caramel corn the old fashioned way: by hand, in copper kettles. Cane sugar, brown rice syrup (a non-GMO alternative to corn syrup with a lower glycemic impact) and real butter is heated over a flame and then stirred slowly by hand to develop its rich complex flavor and crunch. Using 100% natural ingredients, no artificial flavors or colors, locally grown non-GMO popcorn, and special, “mushroom” variety popping corn resulting in wonderfully large, fluffy kernels, GH Cretors offers a healthy twist on a delectable classic snack.

I received a pack containing four different kinds of popcorn: Just the Caramel Corn, Just the Cheese Popcorn, Caramel Nut Crunch, and Chicago Mix. They also offer a Kettle Corn variety which was not in my sample pack.

We tried the Just the Caramel Corn first. The pieces of popcorn were uniformly round-shaped; no broken bits at all. The caramel flavoring was delicious, yet not overpowering - you could still taste the popcorn underneath. That's probably because the caramel is not made from corn syrup, as most commercial caramel corn is. Everyone really loved this kind.

Second, we tried the cheese popcorn. It was nice and orange just like other types of cheese popcorn, but tasted so much better. They use real cheddar cheese, not fake chemicals, to create the taste. It was a little salty, but not too much. My husband and I loved this, but the kids preferred the caramel corn.

The Caramel Nut Crunch had the yummy caramel popcorn mixed with caramel-covered almonds and cashews. This was my favorite! I would have liked to have seen a few more nuts in the mix, though.

And lastly, the Chicago Mix was the caramel corn mixed with the cheddar cheese popcorn. It sounded odd from the description... but I really liked it as well! The sweet and salty tastes combined really well. Each bite was a little bit different!

Are you interested in trying GH Cretors popcorn products? They are available at Amazon.com, as well as at many other stores - check their store locator to find a store near you. I found their products at my local Publix supermarket! Or purchase from the GH Cretors website, where you can order 12-packs of the flavor you like the best, as well as a 5-pack of each of the different available flavors.

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for more information.)

High-value Special K cereal coupon

It's so disappointing to find low-value cereal coupons like $1 off 3 boxes. So I almost jumped out of my seat when I saw this one!

You can print a coupon for $2.00 off any TWO Kellogg's Special K Cereals! That means $1 off each box!

Print it now as it's bound to go fast. Click on the link above or picture below for a second printing!