Baby Bargains

Here are this week's best baby deals and printable coupons. This isn't a great week for buying diapers and wipes in store - higher prices and few rewards deals - but Amazon does have a number of decent bargains, as well as free two day shipping, should you find yourself in need.

If you haven't already discovered it, Amazon Mom is a free program, which will earn you complimentary two day shipping on baby and kid related products. It also gives you a discount on diapers and wipes. Choose the subscribe and save option when ordering these products to receive an additional discount. You can cancel the subscription immediately after placing your order.

Diapers

Printable Coupons

$2.00/1 Huggies Little Movers Slip-On (printable)
$2.00/1 Huggies Little Movers Slip-On (Target printable)

Online Deals


Amazon - Luvs Ultra Leakguard Big Pack (258 ct.) - pay $30.39 with Amazon Mom and Subscribe and Save discounts - $0.12 per diaper

Huggies Little Snugglers (168 ct.) - pay $26.80 with Amazon Mom and Subscribe and Save discounts - $0.16 per diaper

Wipes

Amazon - Pampers Soft Care (720 ct.) - pay $20.00 with Amazon Mom and Subscribe and Save discounts, $0.03 per wipe

Kroger - Huggies Natural - 72 ct. - $1.99

- $0.50/1 Huggies Wipes 64 ct. + (11/20 Smart Source insert)

Pay $1.49, $0.02 per wipe

Baby Food (not deal match ups, just printable coupons)

$1.00/1 Beech Nut Multigrain Cereal - - makes it $0.42 at Walmart, $0.25 at Kroger

$0.60/1 Beech Nut Cereal (any)

$1.10/4 Beech Nut Stage 2 1/2 Jars

FREE Beech Nut Starter Kit (one box of cereal and two jars) - must register

$1/7 Earth's Best Jars

$1.00/1 Similac Formula (under baby)

Toys/Apparel/Misc.

Old Navy - Buy one item, get one 75% off

$2.50/2 Gerber onesies

$2.00/2 Gerber Sleepers or Pajamas

Reader Response: Have you come across a baby deal you'd like to share? Post a comment or e-mail me at allisondurhamdeals@gmail.com. I will update the list with any deals I receive.

Cyber Monday

Opening my e-mail this morning, I was flooded with Cyber Monday sale e-mails. It seems that every online retailer is offering discounts during this online shopping answer to Black Friday.

Where can you find some of the best deals? Here are some highlights from the e-mails I've received. As usual, shop through Ebates to receive cash back on your purchases, as well as a $10 gift card following your first $25 purchase.

Barnes and Noble - 50% off New York Times Best Sellers, up to 70% off DVDs and Blue Rays, take an additional 30% off your entire order using unique coupon code N7C7K8T

Amazon - All day lightning deals (limited time/amount) in all product categories, up to 67% off DVDs

Best Buy - Savings in all departments, Free $10 gift card with purchase of $100+, select in store pick up

Ebates - Do your online shopping through this site and earn Double Cash Back from over 500 stores

Ecomom - $20 off $50, $40 off $100, use Plum District voucher to receive $70 for $10 or $100 for $20

Gap/Old Navy/Banana Republic - 30% off entire order using code "HUGECYBER," free shipping on orders over $50

LOFT - 50% entire online store, free shipping using the code "SHOP50"

Plum District - 40% off any deal using code "MOBILE40," additional $5 off for new members, deals on baby/kid gear, clothing, jewelry, home goods, photography, and more

Reader Response: Have you found an awesome Cyber Monday sale? Please share in the comments section!

Meal Plan Monday

After a turkey filled weekend, we're nearly out of leftovers (thank goodness). That does mean, though, that I need to think a little harder about this week's meals.

As I plan out my weekly menu, I ask myself a few money saving questions:

What's already in the house that I can use? 

What's on sale? 

What do I have coupons for?

Which items are on sale AND have coupons?

After looking through the fridge and freezer and scanning the store ads, this is my meal plan for the coming week (five meals, not assigned to specific days - I'm too fickle for that). I've included links to any meals with online recipes.

• Turkey Noodle Soup, French Bread - I plan to use the last of the leftover turkey and broth, as well as noodles (e-mailing No Yolks will likely get you a free bag), veggies, and bread already in the house. 
• Balsamic Salmon, Brown Rice, and Veggies (whichever ones are left) - All ingredients are in the house. Let's hope the salmon doesn't let me down. I'm having bad flash backs of the pink goo from a few weeks ago.
• Fried Ravioli with Pesto Cream Sauce (my own made up recipe, but something like this), Salads - The ravioli, bread crumbs, and pesto are in the house. I'll buy a bag of Dole salad, which is on sale for $2.00. I have a $0.75 coupon, making it $1.25.
• Asian Chicken Breasts (from For the Love of Cooking - LOVE that blog!), green beans, rice - Everything should be in the house for this one.
• Left over soup - or - Spaghetti (use homemade sauce from the freezer - I stock up on ingredients, like canned tomatoes, when prices are low) - I like to have at least one easy meal in the plan. They help me fight the urge to eat out when I really don't feel like cooking. 

Obviously, these meals only take care of dinners (and lunches for Alex - he LOVES leftovers). We're stocked up on breakfast foods, like cereal and oatmeal, but I'll need to pick up a few lunch items for Nolan and myself, as well as weekly non-perishables, like milk and produce. This is where I'll head back to my ads and coupons to do some price comparing and calculating (Kroger is looking pretty good for milk and fruit - $1 blackberries!). To save more money, you can pick up specific items at different stores offering the best price, instead of doing one big trip to a single grocery store (I know, not convenient for everyone).

Reader Response: Do you create a weekly meal plan for your family? Share it in the comments section! Feel free to link any online recipes.

The Best Things in Life

So much to be thankful for this holiday season.

                                          

Daily Deal - Plum District - Extra 40% Off

Plum District is continuing their fantastic Thanksgiving weekend sales. Be sure to check out the national deals, as well as those specific to your area. Change the area by using the pink drop menu on the top left side of the screen. In the Durham area, there are deals for photography sessions, salon services and more! There are deals that would make great gifts for moms, dads, and kids.

Most deals are already 50% off, or more. Add to that a $5 new member credit and the promo code "saturday40," which gives you an additional 40% off, and you'll score some amazing deals.

Here are some examples:

$50 to ecomom.com for $10 after new member discount and 40% off code

$10 for a Kelly Martin Photography session  (Durham area) after new member discount and 40% off code

$50 toward salon services at Studio 714 West (Raleigh) for $10 after new member discount and 40% off code

$40 for the Holiday Package from Omaha Steaks ($132 value) after new member discount and 40% off code

$50 to Jack Franklin Ties for $10 after new member discount and 40% off code

Daily Deal - Plum District - $50 to Ecomom for $10 AND MORE

Plum District is offering some great Black Friday deals, many with free shipping. Some highlights include:

$50 to Ecomom.com for $25

$50 to Sole Society (shoes) for $25

$50 to Canvas Lifestyle (wrapped photo canvases) for $25

$50 to Dandelion Baby (clothes and toys) for $25

Half off is a great deal, but it gets better! New Plum District members will receive a $5 credit, AND, by using the code enjoy10, you can deduct an additional $10 from your order.

This brings the cost of each deal mentioned above to just $10, an 80% savings!

Check it out (click on Explore Your District to see more deals)!

CVS Thanksgiving Freebies - How To

  

I know that some of you might not have Extra Bucks built up to begin your freebie Thanksgiving shopping at CVS. This is a little tutorial on how to roll extra bucks rewards to score some free products (see ad pics above, click to enlarge) and spend very little out of pocket. For this post, we'll begin with no Extra Bucks in hand, and as a challenge for myself, find a way to get as many products as possible for just $5.00 out of pocket (pre-tax), without using any coupons (which means anyone could do it).

Here we go.

For starters, you will need to be ready to do multiple transactions. The cashiers at CVS are used to this and won't give you a hard time.

Transaction 1: I'm starting by buying items that will add up to exactly $5.00, my target out of pocket expense.
Buy 2 Mars candy bars ($0.75 each), 1 Soft Lips ($2.00), and 1 Kleexex Cool Touch 50 ct. ($1.50)
Pay $5.00 OOP
Earn $5.00 Extra Bucks (will print on bottom of your receipt)


Transaction 2: I'm looking for items that will add up to as close to $5.00 as possible. That way I can pay with my $5.00 Extra Bucks and not pay more out of pocket. Being under $5.00 will be fine. I will just lose a few cents from my reward, as the register will adjust it down.

Buy 1 Cepocol Throat Lozenges ($4.99)

Total = $4.99

Pay with $5.00 Extra Bucks from Transaction 1 (hand your receipt to the clerk), just pay sales tax

Earn $4.99 Extra Bucks

Transaction 3: Since I have $4.99 in Extra Bucks, I will look for items that total close to $4.99. 

Buy 2 Hershey's King Size ($0.99 each), 1 Carmex ($1.00), and 1 CVS Dental Flossers ($1.99)

Total = $4.97

Pay with $4.99 Extra Bucks from Transaction 2 , just pay sales tax

Earn $4.97 Extra Bucks

Transaction 4: I am looking for items that will cost close to $4.97.
Buy 1 Finish Quantum or 1 Pepto-Bismol or 1 Listerine Pocketpaks ($2.99) and 1 Theraflu 8 ct. ($1.87)
Total = $4.86
Pay with $4.97 Extra Bucks from transaction 3, just pay sales tax
Earn $4.86 Extra Bucks

I've decided that there are no more items that I want. I stop my transactions and take home $4.86 in Extra Buck, paying just $5.00 + tax for all of my items.

I could have continued on with transactions, but at this point, I think you get the picture. The idea is to purchase items with a total close to the amount of extra bucks you have in hand. That way, the extra bucks serve as your payment, and you pay very little out of pocket.

When you walk into CVS, I suggest having a written or typed list, breaking down your transactions. After every item is in your cart, separate the items by transaction. As you place the items for a transaction on the check out counter, double check your list to make sure they match.

After a little practice, it's really quite easy to roll extra bucks. I'm happy to help and answer questions, so feel free to leave them in the comments area. I check them often! :)