Things to buy at the dollar store

I came across a great post on things to buy and things to pass on at the dollar store. It's a great post and I have to agree with just about everything. Although, I've never tried dollar store pregnancy tests or potted meat (YUCK!). I have tried the cotton swaps and they aren't good, pass. Kids bubbles are the best, since my kids usually blow a few bubbles before they knock the thing over and half the bubbles end up on the sidewalk. Check out the entire list over at Holy Craft

50% off Toys at Wal-Mart

I went to Wal-Mart yesterday and I'm glad I did! Wal-Mart is not a store I shop at often, maybe once every year. Nothing against Wally World, I just have two Targets that are closer than my closest Wal-Mart. Anyway, I noticed quite a few toys 50% off. I got my daughter Lite Sprites for only $7.40 each! The Lite Sprite Wand (that I paid $30 for) was marked down to $14.50! There were also puzzles, Littlest Pet Shops, and a few other things. I didn't have too much time to look, but I may have to plan a return trip soon!

New Year, New You!

Now through Jan 21, Amazon's New Year New You sale has everything you need to accomplish all those New Year goals! Whether you would like to get in shape, get organized, or just learn something new, chances are it will be on sale. Go check it out!

How I'm doing with back to school shopping

A few posts ago I put up my son's 1st grade supply list, which had quit a few things on it. My huddy and I are also going back to school and will need things like computer paper, pencils, folders, ect. I've been trying to get every item needed for $1 or less and so far this is how I've done:

~24+ Pencils = .90
~Scissors = had
~6 glue sticks = .60
~10 pink erasers = $1.36
~24pk of crayons = had
~2pk highlighters = .50
~Pencil box = .50
~4 dry erase markers = FREE w/ coupons
~Scotch tape = FREE w/ coupon
~11 prong folders = .33
~Bottle of glue = .20
~Sm. pencil sharpener = .39
~Art smock = had
~Pencil cap erasers = FREE
~4 notebooks = had
~Pens = had

Grand total for the 35+ items above = $5
I think I'm doing good so far. I try to hold off on buying clothes until the end of September when it starts to get chilly. I know that if I bought new clothes for my kids now, they would have a growth spurt in a month! Plus I still have to go threw all the winter clothes I bought on clearance, for almost nothing, at the end of winter to see what I really need to buy.

Free Expo markers @ Target

Like Expo Markers on their  Facebook page and print a $2/2 coupon. Then head over to the Target website and print a $1/1 coupon. The 2pk is $1.50 at Target. Buy 2 packs for $3, use one $2/2 FB Q and the $1/1 TQ and they'll both be free!

Walgreens has the same 2pk on sale for $0.99, but a lot of people are reporting that their local Walgreens won't take the $2/2 Q because it exceeds the price of the product. Even though Walgreens coupon policy states they will adjust the coupon, reports say they still aren't.

Target Toy Clearance

You may have heard that the semi annual toy clearance at Target has started. Most stores have already hit 75% off, the remaining few should go to 75% tomorrow. This is a great time to stock up on holiday and b-day gifts. Or if you'd like to donate to charity!
This is what I got today:

~2 Dragon Drenchers
originally $9.99 ea
I paid $2.48 ea

~60 piece puzzle
originally $3.34
I paid $0.83

~Tinker Bell make up set
originally $14.99
I paid $3.74

~Bakugan thing
originally $10.99
I paid $2.74

~2 Light up Zoobles
originally $10.99 ea
I paid $2.74

~Dragon Universe Mega Bloks set
originally $29.99
I paid $7.48

Total OOP: $26.81 (including tax)
Total savings of: $76.04

And this is what I got.....

I have had an incredibly busy week! But I did manage to it the 75% toy sale at Target. Boy did the toys go fast! I went to Target the day before the sale and there were 3 isles of toys. I went back 5 days after the toys went to 75% off and only half an isle was left. I'm happy I made hubby go when he did! Anyway, this is what we ended up getting:

My Little Pony hatbox $7.48
Littlest Pet Shop hatbox $7.12
Littlest Pet Shop stuffed toy $1.75
Littlest Pet Shop playset $4.98
Tinkerbell doll $4.98
Transformer playset $4.98
Fancy Nancy purse/sunglasses set $2.48
Bakugan display case $3.57
Mini Robo Raptor $1.98
Bakungan figures x2 $3.96 

Total OOP=  $45.99 (including tax)

Saved= $129.88

FREE Tag Books @ Target!

Target's 4 day sale starts this Sunday! Check out the entire ad HERE. Tag books will be on sale for B1G1 free, also on TPC for $9.99. If you head over HERE and watch a 45 second video and enter a sweepstakes, you'll be able to print out a $5/1 coupon good for any Tag book over $9. It's a bricks coupon, so hit your back button to print out a second coupon. You should be able to use both coupons and get both books for free. Even if that doesn't work $5 for two Tag books is still an awesome deal!

Good deal on FurReal Pup

The FurReal GoGo My Walkin' Pup is $49.00 on Target.com (not sure what the in store price is, but it must be around this) Right now you can go HERE and print a $5/1 manufacturers coupon. Match that with the $10/1 Target coupon found in the Target Great Holiday Toy Book, and get this pup for around $34!

Black Friday is coming!

Black Friday info is my favorite website for getting sneak peaks at all the stores that will be having great Black Friday sale! Not all store will be on the site. If you look under "Home Depot" you can read the cease and desist letter stating Home Depot will not allow their ad to be viewed before Nov. 25th. Kind of jerkish of Home Depot, but I guess I understand. You can, however, see ad scans from Walgreens, Sears, Bass Pro Shops, and more! This is a great way to plan for one of the busiest shopping days of the year!

Amazon & Target Video Games Buy 2, Get 1 FREE

Now thru Nov. 6, both Amazon and Target are having a sale on video games. Target has most Wii, PS3, and Xbox games priced $14.99-$59.99 buy 2, get the 3rd free. Amazon is having the same  buy 2, get the 3rd free sale as Target, but Amazon also has PS2, Nintendo DS, PSP, and PC & MAC games to choose from. This is a great way to use some of those Swagbucks codes you've been saving! Plus I've also noticed that certain games are cheaper on Amazon, then at Target. Like New Super Mario Bros. Wii is only $46.99 on Amazon, but $49.99 at Target! Toy Story 3 The Video Game for PS3 is $39.99 on Amazon, $49.99 at Target!

Target Toy Clearance!!!

I stopped by two Targets today and both had toys for 75% off! Other than a few stocking stuffers, I can now say birthday & Christmas shopping for my kids is done. YAY!!!

What I got:
~3 Transformers Cars (all different)
originally $11.19 each
I paid $2.78 each

~My Little Pony Baby Scootaloo w/ highchair
originally $10.89
I paid $2.78

~Soccer Ball
originally $6.99
I paid $1.74

~Matchbox Rescue Squad
originally $9.99
I paid $2.48

~Fancy Nancy Crown w/ Earrings
originally $7.99
I paid $1.98

~Princess & the Frog music set
originally $22.89
I paid $5.72

~Strawberry Shortcake doll
originally $10.99
I paid $2.74

~Strawberry Shortcake's Friend w/ yellow hair
originally $9.99
I paid $2.48

~Rainbow Brite Doll
originally $14.99
I paid $3.74

~Spike Jaws
originally $19.99
I paid $4.98

~2 My Little Pony Pinkie Pie Family Convertable
originally $21.99 each
I paid $5.48 each

Total OOP= $47.88
Savings of= $144.38

75% off Target Toys!

There have been many reports that toys hit 75% off today (7/28)

Now I have two Targets close to my home that I go to frequently. Yesterday (7/27) I went to Target A and the toys were almost all at 30% off with a few 50% here and there, but it looked mostly picked threw. I went to Target B tonight (7/28) and it seemed most the toys were 50% off and there were a ton of stuff left!

I'm hoping, hoping, hoping, that tomorrow is the day for me. I already have a lunch box backed with snacks to try and keep my two kids happy while I shop for toys for their "cousins" ;)

I'd love to hear about your Target deals!

School supply deals

Moms by Heart has another weekly round up of all the stores having killer back to school sales. Check out the list HERE

Getting ready

I'll admit, I'm clueless about this time of year. My kids are just starting school and its been awhile since I was in school. I'm trying to pool every resource I can find. Lets face it, I'm going to need all the help I can get!

Mom's By Heart has a list with the best school supply sales this week for stores like Office Max, CVS, Target, and more. It's a great list, check it out.

The Target Toy Clearance is coming!

I do most of my kids b-day and Christmas shopping during the Target toy clearances. The way it works is twice a year-January & July-Target resets the toy department, which means all the old toys will eventually hit 75% off to make room for the new toys!

In my opinion, the January toy clearance is better because people are usually overwhelmed with all the new holiday toys to even think about buying any more toys, and it seems by July people are going threw shopping withdrawal and need to buy things. Just last week I was checking out what toys were at 30% and I heard people saying things like "Oh wow! Its on sale, lets buy it now".

Target marks things down every two weeks. Toys usually get marked down on Wednesday or Thursday. At my store I noticed the toys hit 30% about two weeks ago, so this week they should go to 50%, and around July 29th toys should hit 75%. My calender is marked!

I LOVE Yard Sales

How can you go wrong? I got this Dora toddler bedding (comforter, flat sheet, and fitted sheet, that looks like it has never been used) and a learn to read Leap Frog Tag reading book set. $5 for both! What a deal!

I LOVE library book sales!

I always do great at local library book sales. I tend to do better with kids books than I do adult books. Which is fine by me. My children tend to go threw books rather quickly. Whether it be a spill on the book, a torn page, or "I don't know where I left it" excuse. These are the books I got yesterday for my kids:
For 12 books, I only paid $4.50! That's only about .38 cents a book! How can you go wrong?

The site I use the most to find local book sales is book sale finder. Just click on your state to get a list of all the upcoming book sale listed by date.

How I get free magazines

I currently get 4 monthly magazine subscriptions for free. I recently had 3 other magazines subscriptions for free that have expired. How did I do this? Many different ways.

One of the 3 magazines that I've recently stopped getting was Kraft Food & Family. I got this magazine for years! Back in 2003 (I think) when this magazine was brand new, you could go to the Kraft website and sign up for a free subscription. But recently I got a notice that if I wanted to keep receiving this mag, I'd have to pay. Bummer!

The second mag was Kiwi. About a year ago you were able to get a free year subscription to Kiwi with the purchase of any Annie's product.

The third was Parents. My daughter received a CD for Christmas 2008, inside was a form to fill out for a free years subscription to Parents Magazine as a thank you for buying the CD.


Two of the magazines that I currently get (Shape & Weight Watchers) I found out about getting free from other blogs. Blogs are such a great resource for finding awesome deals. Like a free years subscription to two magazines!

Number 3 is to Family Fun (this has to be my fave) Back in Nov. I redeemed my Mypoints for a gift card to Target. When it came in the mail a complimentary $10 gift card to magazines.com was with my Target gift card. A year subscription for Family Fun was only $9.95!

The fourth is Body & Soul. Stonyfield rewards has a year subscription to this mag for only 60 points. I saved up and get this one for free too!

Target printable coupons

Stop by HERE to get over $150 worth of Target printable coupons. There are even coupons off of toys like Lego & Thomas and Friend.