TODAY ONLY! Pinkberry is giving away free mini servings (smaller than pictured) of mango frozen yogurt today, March 12, from 5-9 p.m. only.
Print this Borders coupon for 30% off, good through Monday, March 15, 2010 and you’ll be sittin’ pretty.
Blockbuster express just released a free one-night movie rental code.
Celebrate National Pi Day (3.14.10) with free and steeply discounted pie at Morton’s, Marie Calleder’s, and many other restaurants.
CVS created an exclusive coupon for Walletpop (and BargainBabe.com) readers. It’s for 40% off their new line of lip products.
Jamba Juice smoothies are $1 off with this Jamba coupon.
Newman’s Own and Newman’s Own Organics now release printable coupons directly to shoppers.
Check out all the coupons and deals on my Walletpop blog.
My frugal friends at Savings.com shared these coupons.
Get $20 off $100 or more at HP. Expires April 30, 2010.
Get 20% off entire order at The Limited. Expires July 21, 2010.
Get 20% off $50 or more at Harry & David. Expires April 5, 2010.
Get 10% off at Modcloth. Unknown expiration date.
Get $5 off at TOMS Shoes. Unknown expiration date.
Art Comments/Flickr
I’m waking up at 3:45 a.m. tomorrow, March 12, to share coupon secrets on the Martha Stewart Living radio show starting at 4 a.m. PST/7 a.m. EST. (I’m going back to bed as soon as it’s done.) You can hear the show on Sirius satellite radio channel 112.
The show is live and there is no podcast. If you miss it the segment will re-air Friday night at 11 p.m. PST/2 a.m. EST. Another option (for all you die-hard fans and stalkers) is to sign up for a free Sirius radio seven-day trial.
If you sleep in, you can catch me most Fridays at about 8:30 a.m. PST on the David Magee show. I talk to David for a few minutes about the hottest deals on BargainBabe.com.
TODAY ONLY! Get a free serving of honey walnut shrimp at Panda Express.
Get a free turkey product from Jennie-O with this $5 mail-in rebate.
Restaurant discounts are happening at Restaurant.com right now with a coupon code that expires Thursday, March 11, 2010.
If you live on the East Coast, check out this Filene’s Basement coupon for an extra 10% off their designer sale.
Here’s a Coldwater Creek coupon for 20-25% off when you spend $100 or more, now through Saturday, March 13, 2010.
Snag a Kenneth Cole coupon for 20% off when you donate gently-used shoes for Haiti. Ends March 31, 2010!
Buying books, DVDs or Blu-Rays? Check out these two Borders coupons for 25-40% off.
Plus, did you hear that Disneyland gave away all its free passes for 2010? The volunteer-for-a-day-and-get-a-free-pass proved more popular than Mickey Mouse.
Is it possible to feed one person on $27 a week? That’s what reader Christiane asked me after I wrote about trimming my grocery bill on this blog and for my Friday column in the N.J. Star-Ledger. Christiane was flabbergasted.
I read your column at Star-Ledger every week with the greatest of interest. It is fantastic to see that there are people in this country conscious about their spending. But, I am amazed: $27 per week for groceries???!!!?? What do you eat and how many people do you feed for $27 per week?
And my next question would be – do you honestly like the food you buy for such little money? And does the $27 include warm dishes every day? I really cannot believe it.
I would consider myself very conscious about spending, but when it comes to groceries, unfortunately I only like the expensive stuff and I am not willing to substitute anything I like with something I don’t like. I also would never substitute fresh and healthy food with canned or otherwise prepared stuff and may face the bill later in health care costs because of unhealthy nutrition. And when you drive around to get the weekly offer in each grocery store in your area, did you consider your time and the fuel you spend on this?
I am really, really interested in what your secret is! Thank you so much for revealing it (I bet a lot of people are asking the same question)!
Best regards,
Christiane
I’m happy to share more details about my grocery habits if it helps other save!
1. I aim to feed one person (myself) on $27 a week. Some weeks I go over.
2. I eat mostly fresh food and a lot of home-cooked meals. I almost never get take out but I do occasionally graze for dinner if I don’t feel like cooking.
3. I love the food I eat! In fact, I spend an inordinate amount of time thinking about what I am going to have for my next meal. I really like food.
4. Yes, my meal plan includes warm dishes everyday, though sometimes that means re-heating leftovers.
5. I eat canned food, but usually only for tomatoes, beans, and occasionally corn. I also save and clip coupons for groceries.
6. In terms of cheap v. expensive food, I seek out value. In other words, I don’t equate expensive food with quality food. There are a lot of great values at off-the-beaten path grocers, Trader Joe’s, and mainstream chains.
Tip 1: The main thing I do to keep my grocery tab down is to shop by price and quality, not by a pre-set list. For instance, instead of putting down “brocolli and asparagus,” I’ll put “vegetables-2″ on my list. Buying in season produce is usually the best bet. When I get to the store I’ll see what looks like the best values. I do the same thing for fruit and meat. Then I put together meals and snacks based on what I purchase.
Tip 2: I shop at different stores. I stock up on nuts, wine, and butter at Trader Joe’s one week, then buy fresh produce at my favorite local grocer. I try to only buy groceries one day a week, but if I run out of produce I’ll make a food run with a pre-determined spending limit of $5 or $10.
Tip 3: I try to only buy 1 or 2 bread products each week so that I eat everything before it goes bad. Instead of buying pre-made snacks I buy healthy food that makes great snacks, like nuts, fruit, or veggies and hummus.
Tip 4: I don’t buy junk food because if it’s in the house, I’ll eat it. That means no soda or pre-packaged cookies. When I break down it is to buy candy or ice cream.
Tip 5: I follow my mother’s rule on sweets: if you want cookies, make them.
Tip 6: I eat from the garden. Instead of buying orange juice I eat fresh oranges off my tree. Same with lemons, limes, herbs, and lettuces.
Tip 7: I have pantry where I can stash bargain-priced canned goods, onions, potatoes, and yams.
Tip 8: I eat starches that cost almost nothing, including potatoes, yams, and rice.
Tip 9: I get a lot of my protein from non-meat sources like beans (hummus), eggs (boiled ones make a great snack), and nuts.
That’s all I can think of for now. I hope this helps you trim your grocery list. If you have another way you cut your food bill, please leave a comment.
UPDATE: Pam shared her secret for low-cost breakfasts:
I have a cheap, healthy breakfast every day at work. I purchased big containers of oatmeal, frozen blueberries, and raisins from Costco, and a 2 lb. bag of brown sugar and wheat germ from a grocery story. Then I make my own oatmeal (it is healthier, tastier, and has less sugar) in the microwave at work. One day it is a raisin oatmeal, one day blueberries, and sometimes I’ll put in mixed oats from Trader Joe’s or a bit of cinnamon for a twist. I’ve been doing this for years, and it saves a lot of money and calories!
TheConsumerist.com
Jetblue is selling a bunch of flights from JFK for $10 each. The site was getting hammered last time I checked so give the pages time to load.
New customers can get a free photobook from Picaboo or, if you already have an account with them, there is a BOGO free coupon that is good through March 31, 2010.
Use this Gap coupon code to get jeans at 30 percent off. Just trade-in an old pair by Sunday, March 14, 2010.
Snag a bag of free dog treats from Science Diet when you share your name, email and address.
Coldwater Creek coupons! Get 20-25 percent off when you buy $100 or more. Good in stores and online.
Do you live near a Dunkin Donuts? Then get free coffee every Monday in March.
Get a free one-week gym membership and a customized fitness plan to help you lose weight through Curves. Note, you’ll have to share your name and phone number to take advantage of this deal.
Emergen-C has new flavors of its vitamin-packed powder mixes, including some that suggest cocktails! Get a free sample here.
Coming later today to my WalletPop blog: a free sample of dog treats, and a tip on how to get 30 percent off Gap jeans.
TODAY ONLY FROM 4-7 p.m. get a free peach tea drink at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf (not as pictured). No coupon needed, no purchase necessary. The freebie is 12-ounces. Valid only on Thursday, March 4, 2010.
Free address labels! This deal is for 140 labels through Vista Print, which charges you $3-5 for shipping. Not too bad!
Nab a free sample of the vitamin-packed powder packets known as Emergen-C, which has recently added four flavors.
If you don’t clip coupons, how are you going to get free tomato paste and Tylenol PM this week?
It doesn’t get much better than free candy, so check out this buy-one-get-one free candy coupon for Skittles and Starbursts.
Here’s another free sample, this this for PowerBar Gel Blasts, which give you an energy boost on long workouts.
Check out all the deals on my WalletPop blog.
This coupon tip comes from a reader named Isabella, who reads my column in the Friday Star-Ledger.
I have been clipping coupons for year’s and save an average of $35 a trip. I once saved $100 (free turkey included of course) and the cashier couldn’t believe how well I shopped. I only buy what I need, look through the weekly circulars, and compare the items that are on sale to the coupons I currently have. I LOVE saving money!
One of my favorite coupon organizing tools that you or your audience may like:
The Couponizer saves me a lot of time and people always compliment me when I’m in the supermarket on how easy my coupons seem organized.
I’m thinking about starting my own organizing company, as I love to do this. I’ve pretty much taken care of my mom most of my life, which I love. I think I want to specialize in helping elderly folks choose the right medicare & secondary plan for their needs. I have learned a lot by helping my folks and saved a lot of money for them. Thankfully. I also really love organizing kitchens, closets, etc.
Sorry to talk your ear off, I just really enjoyed your site and wanted to share!
What system do you use to organize coupons?
I bought a simple booklet with six folders from Rite Aid years ago but have taken to filing my coupons my week and then only clipping them when I’m heading to the store. If you have used the Couponizer, please let everyone know if it is worth the $15.
Related:
Ben & Jerry’s is selling scoops of Blond Maple for $1 today in honor of Olympic Hannah Teter. (A different flavor is pictured at right.)
Through March 8, 2010 get 30 percent off at Borders with this coupon.
Snag a free $10 gift card to Bahama Breeze, a restaurant located in 12 states.
The magazine subscription sale at Amazon has a bunch of year-long subscriptions for $7, including Good Housekeeping, Nylon, Popular Mechanics, Smart Money, and Town & Country. There are also some great magazines for $10, like Seventeen and Entertainment Weekly.
Spring fashions are 20 percent off at Old Navy online through March 4, 2010. Get the coupon code.
Get a free Uni-Ball pen when you share a little info about yourself.
Check out all the deals on my WalletPop blog.
My frugal friends at Savings.com shared these hot coupons with me this week, including four exclusive coupons.
Get free shipping on purchases of $30 or more at Avon. Expires March 11, 2010.
Exclusive! Get 15 percent off with free shipping at Bare Necessities. Expires March 10, 2010.
Exclusive! Get 15 percent off your order at Michael Stars. Expires March 15, 2010.
Exclusive! Get 20 percent off chocolate at Ghirardelli. Expires March 13, 2010.
Exclusive! Get $10 off orders of $75 or more at EpsonStore. Expires March 31, 2010.
Free cookies! Check out this deal for free Chips Ahoy!, which involves friending them on Facebook and buying a gallon of milk.
Use this J.Crew coupon code to get an extra 30 percent off final sale items when you spend $100 or more. Ohhhhh, it may be time to finally use my J.Crew gift card.
Get a free Redbox movie rental code good today March 1, 2010, only.
Spend $25 at Bath and Body Works and get $1 shipping today only.
Check out all the deals on my WalletPop blog.
This week’s round up post of free products includes free deodorant, dessert, body wash, and gift cards. Get all the freebie deals here.
Borders just released four coupons, from 25-50% off. Some are quite exclusive, others are more open ended.
At 2 p.m. PST today I will publish a coupon code for 80% off restaurant gift certificates on my WalletPop blog. Check back later!
My frugal friends at Savings.com shared some great coupons with me this week.
Get 20 percent off accessories of $30 or more at Verizon Wireless. Unknown expiration date.
Get free shipping on orders of $30 or more at Avon. Expires March 11, 2010.
Get $15 off $75 or more at Smashbox. Expires March 1, 2010.
Get 20 percent off orders of $50 or more with free shipping at Kate Spade. Unknown expiration date.
Get $10 off most orders of $64.99 or more with free shipping at GameStop. Expires March 5, 2010.
If you have not joined Swagbucks, now is a great time because the site has doubled the bonus you get for signing up, from 30 to 60 Swagbucks using a special code below. The bonus is to celebrate their second anniversary.
Swagbucks is a site that rewards you for searching for stuff on the Internet. Basically, you sign up, install the Swagbucks toolbar and every few searches you do you’ll earn a few Swagbucks. Then you trade in Swagbucks for gift cards and prizes. I’ve earned more than $300 in about six months of using the site. Where do you think I get all those Amazon gift cards for BargainBabeLA.com, eh? Hehehe.
If you join by March 4 and plug swagcode BARGAINBABE1 into the box that says “Enter your swagcode,” you’ll earn 60 swagbucks instead of the normal 30. The code is case sensitive and only works for new members.
Note, as part of the second anniversary, Swagbucks decided to inflate their currence, so everything is not multipled by 10. So if you had 45 bucks in your account you will now have 450. If a prize cost 45 swagbucks, it not costs 450. The ratio is the same the prizes still cost the same amount, relatively.
