The 4th Tuesday of every month is Great Alaska Pizza Company's Customer Appreciation Month. You can get a medium cheese or pepperoni pizza for $4.99. In Eagle River, there is usually a big line that forms, so get there early!
When I think of New Years, all I can think of is Harry Connick Jrs rendition of "What are you doing New Years, New Years Eve." Soooo dreamy!
I am a mom of a 1 and 4 year old, so gone are my days of partying in the New Year. This New Years Eve, we'll celebrate by playing games at my church til about 10pm & then retreating home for cheese and crackers and a ball drop. I bet that I will be the only one who makes it til midnight. We shall see.
There are lost of parties I have heard of that I wish I could afford and I wish I had a babysitter for. But Alas, you don't have to spend $50 a head to party in the new year.
It is that time of the year again when there is much reflecting and goal setting.
As I look back over 2014, I realized that my mat ain focus switched from coupons to sweeping. No, not sweeping the floor, but kind of obsessively entering sweepstakes. On average, I enter over 150 a day. In 2014, I've one almost $3,100 in cash and prizes. Pretty cool hobby.
The flipside is, my couponing and stockpiling have suffered. *gasp* I actually let my pantry run out of Ragu. That has never happened before in my couponing life.
And there are cobwebs hanging on my blog. Not very cool at all.
So, a resolution I have is to post more. Blog will turn into a couponing, sweeping, Journey to Health, and general Alaskan life.
One of the ways I get to try out products for free is through BuzzAgent. I love the programs and great products I've gotten to review. Love that they ship to Alaska and Fred Meyer is one of the retailers in the program. Coppertone CLEARLYSheer sunscreen is one of the best products I've gotten to try through the program.
But I digress....
I was lucky enough to sample Coppertone CLEARLYSheer sunscreen. I did my first test drive when I planted all my seedlings in the garden. It was such a sunny and beautiful day!
I used the spray on for my 4 year old daughter. She thought it was cool that I was spraying it on. I liked that I didn't have to to squirt on my hand, mash it around in my hand, and then apply. It worked very well on her very fair, 1/2 Norwegian skin!
I opted for the tradition lotion kind. It smelled so good. It didn't have a chemical scent like some other sunscreens. It was such a pleasant smell, but not overhelming. It felt great on my limbs and neck.
Now, usually, I skip putting sunscreen on my face. All sunscreens I have ever tried have made my face burn and sting. I'd rather wear a hat and deal with a little burn on my face. Since this lotion felt so light on my arms and I wanted to truly test this product, I went ahead and used it on my face. I am happy to say that it didn't sting my face at all, even when I was in the sun and sweating. That to me is a small miracle. I mean, I've tried almost everything for my face for sun protection, including baby sunscreen in various forms.
The only thing I do not like about this sunscreen is that I doubt its waterproof protection. When I was sweating, it ran down into my eyes and it stung A LOT. I was not happy with this. I wish it had not run so much. I don't I would recommend this lotion for children' faces for this reason.
I've used this sunscreen on myself for every outside event I have gone too. Usually I get freckles on my face in the summer when I have been in the sun. So far, I have no new freckles!
I recommend you always stay protected from the sun. It is not worth the risk of skin cancer cause you want to get bronzed or you just forgot your sunscreen. If you want a nice, pleasant, light weight, and effective sunscreen, try Coppertone CLEARLYSheer Sunscreen.
Coppertone Makes the following claims about this product and I find all of them to be true!
Absorbs in seconds for a clean and light feel
Moisturizing formulas help leave your skin soft and smooth
Won’t clog pores or cause breakouts (clinically tested on acne-prone skin)
Matte finish is perfect for use under makeup
If they could make this product to include mosquito repellent that smelled good and was still light weight, it would be perfect for Alaskans!
I am hoping Carrs will have these during $5 Friday again soon. I want to make sure I am stocked up for the rest of the summer.
I was fortunate enough to be able to sample Viva Vantage Paper towels for free through Crowdtap. YAY!
I was sent 4 rolls - 1 to keep and 3 to share. I hated parting with the other 3 rolls, but I gave them to two coworkers and my mom stole one before I could stop her!
The paper towels worked really well. I had a huge mess on my kitchen table ranging from soil to marker to dried juice. It just took two paper towels to clean the mess. I was happy with that.
Viva is a strong and stretchy towel. I was impressed by its usage.
I was not, however, impressed by the texture. It has a coarse texture and it just felt horrible on my skin. It weirded me out. That, combined with the price, means I most likely won't be getting these paper towels, unless I get a killer deal.
I was happy to have tried them. You should check them out if you want to try a nice, strong paper towel.
The first of the month is busy for me as a couponer. First, I have to go through the binder and clear out all the expired. (and have a moment of silence for all the coupons I end up throwing into the recycling bin.)
I always makes me rounds to all the coupon sites and see what new goodies there are.
I haven't fallen off the face of the earth. I just haven't been inspired by any sales this past week. Last $5 Friday, I only bought the Drumsticks. Here are the good deals I see for this week: Spend $75 or more, get a 30 cent Gas Reward. (Even in my tiny Chevy Aveo, thats like saving an extra $3!)
$5 Fridays:
Filippo Berio or Star Olive Oil 25.3 oz or 25 oz - $5.00
So, you are ready to book your family vacation.You hop online, find the cheapest fare for your travel dates, and book.Think you’ve gotten the best deal even though you’ve searched every rate online?Maybe not!Here are some helpful hints to consider.
Committing to the ticket
There are many places to findticket prices online.You can book directly with the airline site or use comparison websites like www.kayak.com or http://www.orbitz.com/. Each site has its won unique features and options.I will not review all of those here.Just be aware there are many places to search for rates and then factor in all my other hints.
My
personal preferred method after working in the hospitality industry is
using the comparison sites to find a great price and then booking
directly with the airline.Sometimes booking with broker sites such as Expedia makes it harder when you have to make a change to the reservations.They may charge change fees or give you a hard time if you have to cancel a flight.I just find it personally easier to deal with the companies directly.
Found the cheapest rate?Don’t book it yet!!!You need to consider these factors:
Your dates:
Try to be a day or 2 flexible with your flying dates if you can.Rates for each day of the week can be different.Typically, midweek (Tuesday – Thursday) will be cheaper.More business class folks fly on the other days.
Here is an example for a search I did for Tickets from Baltimore to Anchorage:
Sunday: $724
Monday: $688
Thursday $650
So, if you are flexible with your date dates, you can save a few bucks.
Also, some websites may offer a price guarantee.If the ticket goes on sale for a lower price, they will refund that money.Make sure you take advantage of that offer if your method of booking offers it.
Your airport:
Depending on the area you are flying in and out of, you may have airport options.I live near Philadelphia and Baltimore, so I always get prices for departures from each airport.There can be a hundred dollar difference between the two cities.Make sure you consider this for both departure and arrival cities!
For my example again on a Thursday:
Baltimore: $650
Philadelphia: $604
So, if we can fly from Philly on a Thursday instead of Baltimore on a Sunday, that is $120 dollars saved on ticket price
Luggage
Luggage is the huge hidden price that can get you.This is one of the main factors that you need to consider before you simply pick the cheapest ticket price.Since airline policies change so readily (just heard one today for United Airlines), I will not list the current policies here.Just know you should check them out before you book.
I am flying in May.My mother in law booked us the cheapest flight from Philadelphia to Montana.She did not factor in the rate to check baggage on this airline.There are 3 of us flying – My husband, 16 month old daughter and I.I am thinking we will need to check 2 -3 bags.That will cost us $60 each way.$120 in hidden fees!Perhaps an airline that does not charge for baggage would have been a cheaper option for us.
If you are flying with small kiddos, it is good to know each airline’s policies on children, especially under 2 years.Many children under age 2 may ride for free if it is on the parent’s lap.Some companies may even let you check car seats and/or bassinets for free. Diaper bags may also be checked for free.It is important to factor these things in when flying with children.It can save you money on renting this gear at your destination.
Other factors:
Always sign up for the frequent flyer programs.You may not regularly fly, but airline miles can rack up.Many Frequent Flyer Programs have additional ways you can earn miles.For example, Safeway in Alaska offers miles for Alaska Airlines.You can earn airway miles and get more bang for your grocery buck.
You may want to know what amenities your flights offer.Will dinner be served or will you have to buy something at the airport and bring it on board?Wil you have to pay for movies or other in flight entertainment?These are small factors, but may add to the price of your trip.
This is just the first in a series of articles I plan to compose about traveling cheaply.If you have any ideas that I can add or any topic suggestions, please let me know.
$1/3 Market Pantry cheeses (exclude single-serve or stacking cheese)
$.50/2 Market Pantry canned vegetables or fruits
Mobile coupons can be redeemed once for each item. (The rest of the coupons on the link are valid after you use others!) These coupons can be combined with both Manufacturer and Cartwheel savings.
Other active codes include: OFFERS - Reoccurring standard offers. BABY - Reoccurring standard baby offers. CLEAN - EXP 9/7/14 SPRING - EXP 4/23/14 THANKS - EXP 4/23/14 DECORATE - EXP 3/22/14 STORETRIP - EXP 4/5/14 APPAREL - EXP 3/22 PETS1 - EXP 3/22
Thanks to WUC for a heads up on the new code! ***When I first tried getting Target Mobile Qs, I wasn't receiving them. I
had to call GCI and get them to allow the texts. Companies like this are
sometimes marked as spam. It was a quick call to GCI customer service to
allow them.
(This total is pre-manufactuer coupons!) IBotta Deposit: $1/1 Dial Bar Soap 6 ct pack or larger Ibotta Deposit: $1/1 Dial Body Wash 11.75 oz or larger Ibotta Deposit: $0.50 When you redeem the two above Dial offers Deal Idea: Buy 4 Dial, Tone or Right Guard Body Wash - any combo, but must buy 1 Dial Body & 1 Dial 6 pack Soap = $14 Buy 1 dial Hand Soap (price varies - Try Hello Kitty Kids soap with in store coupon) = Around $1.25 (I'll update firm price when I do the deal tomorrow!) Total: 15.25 Use two $2/2 In store MQ for Dial Pay: 11.25ish Submit For:
$2.50 total in Ibotta Deposits $5 will be added to your Savingstar Account Final: $3.75ish or about 75 cents each! Buying milk this week? If you do the above deal & submit that receipt to Ibotta as well as a Milk receipt, you'll earn $0.50 for the milk and another $0.50 rebate for redeeming milk & two other offers. Score!
New to Savingstar? Savingstar is a simple rebate type program. In Alaska, it is only valid at Fred Meyer. Basically, you register your Fred Meyer card & load offers. After you buy the specified items, Savingstar will add those funds to your account. You can cash that money out for Paypal, Amazon, Starbucks, and other great offers. I've been able to save lots of additional money with Savingstar.
Ibotta works similairly, but its a little more work. You download the App on your phone. Do simple tasks to activate offers. Buy the items. Upload the reciepts. The money is deposited into an account that you can cash out for Paypal or Amazon. Love it!
A little late, but here are some Okay deals for this week at Target: Downy Unstopables - $9.99 - Buy 3 get a $10 Gift Card Idea: Buy 3 Downy Unstopables -29.97 Use (3) $1/1 Unstopables Target Q - $3.00 Use (3) $1/1 Unstopables MQ IP (zip 77477) - $3.00
I saw this deal on lower 48 deal sites and almost overlooked it. Last time I tried to order Dominos, the only Dominos in Alaska that had online ordering were the ones on base. Now the one on 5th Avenue has online ordering. YAY! I live in Eagle River, but that is easy for my husband to pick up on the way home.
I digress.
Go here and click on the banner to get 50% off any regularly priced pizza. Love a good deal on pizza!
I was surprised to see Happy Cash in our Ad for this coming week. Happy Cash seems to be like a Spring time version of "Jingle Cash." For a all the details on Happy Cash, go HERE. But Basically, spend $30, get a Coupon for $5 off your next purchase of $30. Spend $50, get a Coupon for $10 off your next purchase of $30. Happy Cash can be redeemed 3/23 - 3/29. These totals are before MQs!
Here are the good deals I see:
Shotz All Natural Energy Drink 5oz 2k - $5.00
RR: $5 wyb 1 Pay $5, get back $5 RR Total: FREE
Brut or Sure Deodorant 2-2.7oz - $1.89
Use $1/1 Sure deodorant from 3/16 SS Or $1/1 Brut deodorant from 3/6 SS Total: $.89
Colgate Max White or Fresh Toothbrush, Colgate Total Toothpaste 4.2oz, Max Fresh or Clean 6oz @ 2/$6
RR: $2 wyb 2 Use $1/1 Colgate Total, Optic Wite, Max Fresh or Sensitive toothpaste from 3/9 SS (exp 3/22/14) $2/2 Colgate productsprintable Pay $4, Get $2 RR Back Final: $1 each WYB 2
Vitamin Water, SMart Water, Fruit Water - 3/$4 1000 BRP WYB 3 Final: $1 Each WYB 3 *** Better deal is Fred Meyer through 3/15 - .89 for Vitamin Water
When I got into couponing, I made a special e-mail for all the promotions. I try to get on all the e-mail lists of the companies and products I use.
A great list to be on is Holiday. They send weekly (or maybe every two weeks) emails that have special savings inside. The above coupon is an example. It came in my email this evening. Go to www.Holidaystationstores.com to sign up for the newsletter.
If you go to holiday, be sure to sign up for the key tag and use it for all your purchases. You can earn higher gas coupons and free pop.