Free $2 Extra Buck from CVS!

Do you like FREE stuff? Who doesn't? Head over here to get a $2 Extra Buck just for pledging that you won't through your Extra Bucks away. I don't know about you, but I definitely never throw mine away anyway! Check it out as soon as possible, this deal is limited to a certain amount of people and may not last long. Oh and just as a warning, that video is very stupid. :)

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All You Smart Shopping - Not worth it!

Recently there was a lot of buzz about a coupon for $1.00 off All You magazine. Initially I think that everyone thought it was for the monthly magazine but it was actually for a special "Smart Shopping" edition. Unlike the regular issues, this special edition was priced at $4.97. I bought it (with a coupon of course) and I have to say that I think it was a waste of money. If you haven't bought it yet, I say don't waste your money. There are only two coupons in it (in the back, for other magazines) and all of the information in it can easily be found online for FREE at various money-saving blogs. If you have already been researching ways to save money it probably won't do you any good. Toss the coupon and save the $4 for something better. :) Did anyone else buy this? What did you think about it?

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"Money Makers" at Drugstores and other places

 If you have visited any coupon blogs you have probably seen the term "money maker" or "MM." This means (supposedly) that you got back more money than you spent. The reason that I don't like this is because many times it gives people a false impression because they are subtracting any earned register rewards, gift cards, or extra bucks from their total. Confused? Here is a scenario:

Let's say that Tampons are $7 at CVS and you get a $7 Extra buck with purchase, let's also say that there was a $1 off printable coupon online (there was a similar deal to this last week.) Okay, so you pay $6 plus tax and receive a $7 extra buck. Some people call that a $1 money maker.

Now, if you used extra bucks from a previous week to pay for it, it would be a "money maker" because you spent nothing or very little out of pocket. If you actually spent $6, then you SPENT SIX DOLLARS. It's great to have the reward for next week, but those rewards can be lost or forgotten about (especially for newbies.) I also see people counting rewards TWICE. The day they get them and the day they spend them, this doesn't make sense at all. For me, I count whatever CASH I spend out of pocket as my total spent. If I have rewards left over from last week (and I usually do) this total is little or nothing. Last week I spent $.04 at CVS at Walgreens ($.03 at CVS, $.01 at Walgreens) because of leftover rewards.

Why is this a big deal? Well it isn't, but I think some people who are new to couponing get confused or discouraged because their actually expenses seem higher than what they see online. To me, counting the CASH that I spent makes the most sense. Now there are true "money makers" out there. For example Wal-Mart will give you money back if your coupons go over your total amount. I've never done this personally because I use overage toward other items. Also if you use your Extra Bucks from last week at CVS, spend little or no cash and come out with more Extra Bucks than you went in with, that is also a "money maker" (even if it is paper money.) 

I think that anyone who is keeping track of their total expenses and savings should keep this in mind. Saving money is great, but we shouldn't trick ourselves into thinking we are saving more than we are!

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Money Savings Websites

I hope that you have our site bookmarked for money saving tips. One day I would like to have lots of content on things like cloth diapering or couponing but our lives have been hectic lately and neither of us has been able to update as much as we'd like. There are lots of sites out there that have been around for a long time or update several times a day. These are some of my favorite sites to visit for tips or various things, I hope you enjoy them!

All You Coupons & Freebies

This part of All You's website has coupons (some exclusive!) and a daily freebie. Sometimes the freebies are really good. Some freebies will arrive with coupons too.

Little People Wealth 

This is one of my favorite sites for money saving tips. I love her realistic guides to couponing (for those of us who aren't so "extreme") and simple money saving solutions. She also posts CVS and Walgreens match-ups almost weekly.

The Krazy Coupon Lady

This is one of the best sites for all things coupons. They have multiple posts per day and sometimes post about things other than couponing (like saving on vacations.) Also check out the "Brag Lounge" to see what kind of deals others have been getting and maybe check if your stores have the same deals!

Coupon Mom

I hate how this site is set up (too many ads) but I love the drugstore deals section which is updated weekly. This section has match-ups for sales and coupons at many stores. You may have a couple for a freebie or cheap item and not even know it! Use this site to check.

We Use Coupons

Another helpful coupon site with links to the best printables and guides for various stores.

Sunday Coupon Preview

Want to know what coupons will be in this Sunday's paper? This site will tell you ahead of time.

I Heart the Mart

If you live in a rural area (like I do) Wal-Mart may be the only store that is nearby. If I didn't drive for work I would rarely be able to go to Walgreens, CVS or Target without going out of my way. Unfortunately Wal-Mart is not the best place to coupon (in most cases.) This site is run by a man, which I think is cool, and it's all about couponing at Wal-Mart!

So those are some of my favorite places to visit for coupon and money saving tips, what are your favorite money-saving websites?

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10 Pampers Gifts to Grow Points

Pampers Gifts to Grow has a new code for 10 points! The code is FAC911PTXD36Y6J. Go ahead and add it into your account, or join now if you don’t have one yet. Hurry and enter the code, because it expires on 9/11/11.

If your child is in Pampers diapers or Easy-Ups, you definitely need a Gifts to Grow account. You can redeem the points for gift cards, or prizes for yourself or your baby!

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