Walgreens, Round 3 - ding, ding!

I admit it - I made my third trip to Walgreens this week. I finished organizing my coupons this week (more on my system later) and I was finally able to see all my coupons and work from there.

Today I did 2 transactions and caused a little commotion at the register when the 2 ladies behind me realized I paid less than $1 out of pocket per transaction and the register rewards were overflowing the machine! I may have made believers out of them!

Transaction #1
1. 2 boxes of Glucerna Cereal (on sale for $4.99 each, used $10.00 printable coupon off 2 boxes and got $2.50 in register rewards for buying 2 Glucerna products). For details on exactly how to get the $10.00 Glucerna coupon, check out this post by Hip2Save.
2. Crest Pro-Health Night Toothpaste (on clearance for $1.09, used $.50 off coupon, received $1 register reward back)
3. Irish Spring Body Wash (used register reward for $4.49 that I got this week from buying the same product - note this register reward did not "roll" for me as others had been reporting, I guess Wags wised up!)

Paid $.94 with tax out of pocket for the 4 items, then got back $3.50 in register rewards!

Transaction #2
1. 2 boxes of Glucerna Cereal (on sale for $4.99 each, used $10.00 printable coupon off 2 boxes and got $2.50 in register rewards for buying 2 Glucerna products). For details on exactly how to get the $10.00 Glucerna coupon, check out this post by Hip2Save.
2. Crest Pro-Health Toothpaste (on clearance for $1.09, used $.50 off coupon, received $1 register reward back)
3. Dentyne Gum (on clearance for $.65 used $.35 off catalina)

Paid $.86 with tax out of pocket, then got back $3.50 in register rewards!

I didn't even spend enough to use any of the register rewards I already have!

Top 10 Giveaways of the week!

My 10 top giveaways of the week will be a weekly feature. Please see my earlier post to learn more about what a giveaway is. Remember to read each blogger's giveaway posts, each person's rules are different. Follow the rules and enter the giveaways, it only takes a minute and your odds are pretty good, especially as entry into the giveaway is FREE!

Here are the top 10 giveaways this week:

1. a copy of Mrs. Myers Clean Home book - Northern Cheapskate (ends March 15)
2. 200 coupons (great if you are new to couponing and building your stock!) - Free Sample Freak (ends March 20)
3. 4 times the treasure bracelet - STL Mommy (ends April 9)
4. Facebook for Dummies - Money Saving Methods (ends March 30)
5. Twilight Prize Package - Deal Seeking Mom (ends March 17)
6. Born2Impress $25 - Freebies4Mom (ends March 15)
7. $10 CVS gift card - Frugal RI Mama (ends March 17)
8. Scrap it Up Giveaway - Sweeps4Bloggers (ends March 17)
9. $10 CVS gift card and $5 Chevron giftcard - The Buzz (ends March 16)
10. $50 WalMart giftcard - Frugal, Freebies, and Deals (ends March 30)

Good luck and please let me know if you win!

Walgreens, Round 2

My co-worker Amy is learning how to coupon so we took a field trip to Walgreens at lunch today. Here is what I got:

1. Irish Spring Body Wash (on sale for $4.49 - got Register Reward for FREE Irish Spring Body Wash) FREE after register reward
2. Crest Pro-Health Night Toothpaste (on clearance for $.95, used $.75 off coupon and got back $1 Register Reward) OVERAGE of $.80 after coupon and register reward
3. Acne Free Terminator 10 (on clearance for $3.19 each, I bought 2 and used 2 coupons or $1 off, then got $5 Register Rewards) OVERAGE of $.62 after coupons and register rewards
4. Mentos Gum (needed a filler to get to the $10 since I had a $10 Register Reward, used $.55 off coupon on the gum). paid $1.14

Used $10 Register Reward that I had from previous week and paid $.68 for all items PLUS got back $10.49 in Register Rewards!!

Rewards Network

Rewards Network is a special company I wanted to let you know about. Rewards Network rewards you by giving you cash back when you dine at select restaurants. Before you join, you can check to see which restaurants in your area participate in the program. Lucky me - my favorite Thai delivery place does and boy have I taken advantage of this program! It's a very easy concept - you register your credit cards with Rewards Network on their secure server. You eat at a participating restaurant. Then you do nothing. Nothing but wait for the email from Rewards Network letting you know you have just earned cash back from your dining experience! This cash back is immediately credited back onto your credit card. This is such a simple and FREE way to save some money!

I know there are those of you who are likely wary of registering your credit card numbers. Please think about how many people each week touch your credit card - i.e. cashiers, waiters/waitresses, Internet sites where you have your credit card information saved, etc. The site is a secure one and I have been a member for 6 months with no issues. If you wanted, you could register one of your credit cards and only use that one at participating restaurants, though part of the beauty of this program is not to have to remember which restaurants participate. I have been surprised several times when I received a cash back email - I didn't even know the restaurant participated in this cool program! They also have a FREE new iphone app restaurant finder for you to try.

It is FREE to sign up for this program with no obligation on your part as far as utilizing the program. Please check out the site here and sign up today!

Survey Savvy

The next survey company on my list is Survey Savvy. Survey Savvy is similar to the other companies I have brought you. I don't receive an abudance of surveys from them but the ones I do receive are thoughtful and fairly compensated. I cash out almost every month from Survey Savvy, approximately $5-$10 each month. This depends on your demographic, whether you try every survey they send, and if you qualify for the survey or not. Survey Savvy pays by check and in the 8 months I have been a member I have never had an issue with payment from them. As with all the survey companies I bring you, this is FREE to join, there is no obligation on your part, and hopefully you'll start seeing checks from Survey Savvy in your mailbox soon! Click here to join now!

In case you're new to Nicole's Nickels, the other survey companies I recommend are Valued Opinions, American Consumer Opinion, Opinion Outpost , Zoompanel, Ipsos I-Say, '>HCD Surveys, and university-sponsored sites. Have you signed up for all of them?

Some random FREEBIES

Here are some random FREEBIES to sign up for:

Free Billy Boy Candy Pocket Tin Sample

Ideal Bite - Live Greener - FREE eco-living tips


Vital Juice - for daily health and wellness tips

Humana FREE Medicare made simple booklet

Oravive Revitalizing Toothpaste Sample

Biolage Haircare Sample - make sure the sample box is checked on the sign-up

PharmDaily IGuard - great tool to keep track of your medications

FREE discount drug card

FREE box of Just for Men Touch of Gray

Elder Care Referral Service

FREE trial pair of new Acuvue Oasys Contacts

YouData and You!

YouData is a great company where you can expect to be paid weekly for just viewing banners and/or clicking onto websites. The widget in the right sidebar of my blog is the YouData "me file". You can sign up there, enter in basic information (like for a survey site) and then click to "reveal ads" and just view the banners within the widget or click through to the websites shown. The websites are sites that are likely familiar to you and you don't have to do or sign up for anything, just click to the site.

You receive money each time you do one of these actions (view or click) and are paid weekly via paypal. Signing up for a paypal account is free and is a very safe way to send and/or receive money. You will be notified via email each Friday when the money is paid into your paypal account.

You won't get rich from this site but for a few short minutes of your time, the money will add up! The first time you log on you will get many offers and I earned over $5 in a few minutes. Once you sign up (through the widget on the right sidebar under the header "You Data"), try to log on at least once a week to see new offers.

EXPIRED - Special SWAGCODE for my readers!

Welcome 97.9 WRMF Jennifer & Danny show listeners!

UPDATE March 13 - the special Swagcode was for yesterday only and is now expired. You can still sign up for Swagbucks though and be on your way to making money soon!

I explained a little this morning about Swagbucks and how it works. I love SWAGBUCKS! I know I posted about it in the past but I just can't say enough good things about it. Swagbucks is an Internet search engine (powered by google.com and ask.com) that you use just like you would use any search engine. The difference is that with Swagbucks you get MONEY. As you search, you randomly win "swagbucks" in various denominations. 45 Swagbucks gets you a $5 Amazon e-certificate. With normal searching you can do this in a week or so. You can sign up for FREE by clicking here or the banner below.



TODAY ONLY (UPDATE: THIS SPECIAL SWAGCODE HAS NOW EXPIRED) - the nice folks at Swagbucks have given Nicole's Nickels readers a special SWAGCODE to use. This code is for new sign-ups only. If you're new to Swagbucks, sign up and add the code NICOLESSWAG and you'll get 2 SWAGBUCKS with the code plus 3 for signing up and you'll already have 5 SWAGBUCKS in your account. In a few quick days of normal Internet searching you'll earn a $5 Amazon e-certificate.

TIP: Set Swagbucks to be your default home page so you'll always remember to use it. To learn about earning more SWAGBUCKS by donating old cell phones and video games and consoles click here.

Shopper's Critique

Shopper's Critique was the first mystery shopping company I signed up with and they are still my favorite. They have a wide offering of shops (from pet supply stores to fine dining to shoe shops) and you can find almost anything here. They post their shops throughout the month and send a weekly email update, but for the best shops you'll have to check back often. Their reports are very straightforward and not difficult to complete, though as with all mystery shopping, you need to be very detail-oriented and follow the shop directions carefully! It is, of course, FREE to sign up with Shopper's Critique so do it today and see what kind of shops are in your area. Happy shopping!

Old Navy Weekly - secret site for hidden coupons!

The Internet has been abuzz with news of www.OldNavyWeekly.com which is a secret website for consumers to find hidden Old Navy coupons for use in the store only. Each Thursday the site updates. In the past 2 weeks it has updated at different times, once at 6 pm Eastern, the other at 8:30 pm Eastern time. It has a limited number of coupons, with a higher number of the lower value coupons. The highest value coupon is $75 off of $100 which is an amazing deal. There are some $50 off $100 and various ones for percentages off your total. The site does not look like a coupon site and you have to just click around the site to see what kind of deals there are. In the past 2 weeks the highest value coupons have been found when you click to watch the movie in the left corner and click throughout the movie. If you're ambitious tomorrow you can always check the forums at http://forums.slickdeals.net/ to see when people post that the site has new coupons or you can just check back on the site frequently. Right now the top of the site says "Too late - check back next week for $75 off $100" and rotates to show you what is left (20% off purchase) and what is not left (the higher value coupons). I'll try and post when the site is reset tomorrow if there's anything left by that time!

Redbox Wednesday Code

The FREE Redbox code for today is JBG123. For details on Redbox check on my earlier post here or Deal Seeking Mom's detailed information here. Why don't you pick up a FREE movie on your lunch break today, have movie night tonight, and return the movie on your lunch break tomorrow?

Mr. Rebates and Restaurant.com $2 certificates

Restaurant.com is again offering its $25 off certificates for just $2.00 (use code MENU). Save even more when you access the restaurant.com site through Mr. Rebates where you get back 20% making the certificates just $1.80!



In my area there are many restaurants available - this makes eating out very affordable in these tough times. If you are new to Mr. Rebates you'll get $5 just for signing up - making these certificates FREE!

Random FREEBIES and coupons

Here are some great FREEBIES and coupons I found today:

FREE sample of Caress Evenly Gorgeous Exfoliating Body Wash (make sure the sample box is checked)

FREE coupon for $10 on any Patricia Wexler item at Bath & Body Works, store only (many items priced at $10 so FREE item, no other purchase required)

FREE sample and services such as tea and massage in Aveda stores when you sign up for FREE for the Self Magazine 2009 Challenge

FREE sample of Kotex Overnight pads

FREE trade magazines (Food Arts, Baking & Snack Magazine, Nutritional Outlook, Professional Remodeler, The Deal, Accounting Today, Financial Advisor, Student Group Tour, Electronic Products, and Smart Meetings.

30% off at Old Navy, The Gap, and Banana Republic on March 12-15. (Thanks, Kara!)

Glamour magazine - year subscription for 70th birthday price of $1.50. I have heard that this offer automatically renews next year at the regular price so make sure to calendar the date to cancel if you don't want to pay the regular price. (Thanks, Caroline!)

Don't forget to sign up for Freeflys, Shop4Freebies and Startsampling for many more FREE samples!

Get rid of books for MONEY!

My friend Brandie over at Free Sample Freak told me about this great company,Sell Back Books , where you can send your old college textbooks back and earn money for doing so! They even pay the shipping costs.



According to Brandie, the site is easy and within minutes you could be earning money for those old textbooks you no longer need! Take a look in the basement or attic today and see what old texts you can find...

UPromise

UPromise.com is a great way to save (and make) money. You don't have to change anything you already do - you'll just get credited into your UPromise account when you buy certain things. UPromise is a program that is FREE to sign up for that starts a college savings plan for anyone you designate. For those of you without kids, this could be a niece or nephew or even a friend's child. Why not contribute to someone's college education for FREE? For those of you in college now, you can open an account for your own benefit.



Each month UPromise.com has new "ecoupons". All you have to do is log on to UPromise and after linking your store's loyalty/rewards card with your UPromise account, activate all the coupons for the month. Even if you think you're not going to buy a particular item, you should activate it anyway since activation is FREE and you never know what kind of great deals you'll find that month! These coupons are not taken off your bill when you make the purchase, but rather are directly credited to your UPromise account so you can feel free to use coupons in the store on these items - extra savings! There are other savings that you will get for everyday purchases where a pecentage of your purchase will also get credited to your Upromise account.

UPromise is FREE and earns you (or your child or other designee) FREE money. This money is in a 529 account that grows over time and can really grow into a large sum. Sign up and earn money for buying groceries, filling your car up with gas, and eating out in restaurants!

FREE Redbox movies on Mondays and Wednesdays in March!

I had never heard of Redbox Movies until I started blogging and reading other blogs. I just think this is the coolest concept and the FREE movies on Mondays and Wednesdays are such great deals!

Redbox is just what it says - a very large red box inside of a store (near me it's Walgreens and WalMart). Today's FREE movie code is F3T9L6. You just select "rent with promo" from the first screen and enter the code. Then swipe your credit or debit card. Redbox will put a $1 hold on the card but it will be removed once you return the movie to ANY Redbox location by 9 pm the next evening. I searched the redbox locations near me (you can search their inventories online) and was able to find many new releases!

In March FREE redbox codes will be posted each Monday and Wednesday. For more coupons and promo codes, check out the Redbox Blog or follow Redbox on Twitter.

HCD Surveys!

HCD Surveys is the next survey company I bring you in my series of companies. HCD is a straightforward company who doesn't send me a lot of invitations to complete surveys. That being said, I generally qualify for the surveys they send me and I find them to be shorter (and better compensated) than other survey companies. HCD often hosts surveys during large events (i.e. Superbowl or Presidential speeches) to gauge public reaction before, during, and right after an event. HCD surveys are fun and interesting - it's FREE to sign up so sign up today!

The other survey companies I have highlighted so far are: Valued Opinions, American Consumer Opinion, Opinion Outpost , Zoompanel, Ipsos I-Say, and university-sponsored sites. Sign-up is always FREE. I earn approximately $100 per month doing surveys from the comfort of my home and whatever time I feel like doing them. Could you use a $100 supplement to your monthly income?

Walgreens this week

Just as with my earlier CVS post, I want to direct my readers to Frugal Rhode Island Mama's Walgreens match-ups for the week. Her site is so cute and she is a trustworthy and experienced blogger and couponer! So check out the match-ups and make your own shopping list.

Since I am still somewhat new to couponing this way, I am still trying to figure out the best way to organize all my coupons. I started out just keeping the inserts but got very tired of sorting through them each time I wanted a coupon. Plus, my coupons seem to be very different from many other bloggers and I know coupons can be regional. So, I wanted to try to keep a binder of coupons and found a zip-around binder with pockets that was really nice at Walgreens for $15.49 - but I didn't want to spend $15.49 on it!

Here is what I got at Walgreens this week and how I got the binder for FREE:

1. Mead 5 star binder - on sale for $15.49

2. Glade Lasting Impressions - on sale for $7.99 each. I bought 2, used a buy one get one free Internet coupon (found here), used the $4 Easy Saver coupon (took $4 off of each of them), then used $4 manufacturer's coupon for a $4.01 OVERAGE!

3. Glade Sense and Spray - on sale for $7.99 each. I bought 2, used a buy one get one free Internet coupon (found here), used the $4 Easy Saver coupon (took $4 off of each of them), then used $4 manufacturer's coupon for a $4.01 OVERAGE!

4. Glade Sense and Spray - bought 2 more with the same deal as above

5. Physician's Formula Mineral Wear Face-Brightener - on sale for $13.99, I used $1 off coupon from last week's Sunday paper. Product had a "try me free" peelie on it - submitted as rebate for purchase price of $13.99.

Total was $21.49 with the sales tax, used the $10 in register rewards from the dove deal last week and paid $11.49 out of pocket - but I'll get $13.99 back from the make-up rebate. So everything (including the expensive binder) was FREE!

CVS this week

I was considering posting the coupon and sale matches each week for CVS and Walgreens but have decided not to. Instead, each week I will direct you to Frugal Rhode Island Mama to see her match-ups. I trust Frugal Rhode Island Mama and think her site is too cute (plus our green and pink color schemes kinda match, huh?). So, please head on over to Frugal Rhode Island Mama to find out how to pay just $.99 for Secret Flawless Deodorant and $.49 for Aveeno cream!

I wasn't too impressed with this week's CVS deals but I had heard about some great mark-downs on Essence of Beauty Items. Here's what I got:

1. Crest Pro-Health nighttime mouth rinse - on sale for $2.99, used as coupon for $.75 off from the 3/1 Sunday inserts, got back $2 in ECB's for the purchase so paid $.24 for the mouthwash.
2. Essence of Beauty Lip Frosting (I got vanilla cupcake and dutch chocolate flavors) - marked $2.99 on tube, scanned and surprised the manager when these rang up $.29! I bought 2.

So in total I spent $3.06 (with tax) and got back $2.00 in ECB's - a light week but good deals nonetheless. The receipt says I saved $7.15 - that's a BIG savings!

FYI - there were a lot of Essence of Beauty products that were scanning at much lower prices than advertised. They had these totes with a travel pillow and cosmetic case inside that were advertised at $14.99. The manager saw me scanning them and was shocked when they rang up at $11.99. I still didn't want one at that price but just wanted to let you know to scan the Essence of Beauty items as they are ringing up at a big discount. There was vanilla bubble bath that scanned at $.59 as well.

FREEBIES and samples

Here are some great FREEBIES and samples I found this weekend:

FREE sample of Cream of Wheat

FREE espresso from Caribou Coffee (Thanks, Northern Cheapskate!)

Buy 1 sundae, get 1 sundae FREE coupon from Baskin Robbins

FREE Dove Haircare samples

FREE sample of SunCrystals with Stevia all-natural sweetener

FREE spa prize worth $3 (Dylan's chocolate cupcake lip saver and soda pop shower gel is the grand prize, I think)

FREE no-obligation 7 day pass to Bally's Fitness

As always, for great FREEBIES and samples, make sure you have signed up for Freeflys, Shop4Freebies, MySavings, and CoolSavings!