Free Redbox Codes

Remember how I said I loved Redbox because they give out codes all the time? Well here are some other ways to get codes right now.

Head on over to their Facebook page and "like" them, and you'll get a free code valid for June 21st.

Also, if you rent two movies on the same transaction between June 1st to June 30th,  you will receive a code for a free rental.

And on top of that, if you purchase Chicken McNuggets from McDonald's during their Shrek promotion, you will receive a code on your box to enter on the McDonald's website and one of the rewards you can claim it for is a free redbox code!

Fun Finds

I figure I'll get this one out there early on, and relive it many more times in the future.

Swagbucks. I love Swagbucks. Why? Because you earn rewards for doing something easy, searching the internet. Right now they are doing a promotion called summer of swag, where they are giving out swagbucks more often. I've been doing it for over a year now, and it's great.
So click the banner below to register.




What can you redeem your swagbucks for? Tons of things! My favorite are Amazon gift cards because you can buy just about anything from Amazon.

Want to improve your chances, download the toolbar and type in every website in the search box.

So do it, you won't be sorry you did!

PS Enter the code SUMMEROFSWAG when you register for some starter swag!

Publix Trip

I did well with my Publix trip today. I'll update with a picture later, when I upload it to the computer. They did not have the Benefiber, which was sad, and my Cheerios were more expensive than I expected too, but I needed them for my toddler!

But I spent $11.74 for $59.12 worth of groceries, saving 47.38 or 80%. I purchased everything on my list, but added bananas. I wanted the Pantene, but unfortunately they were all gone! The Beggin Strips 25oz bag is actually $10 at my store, so even with the coupon not so great. Hate when that happens.

I may make another trip on Monday depending on the coupons that come in my paper Sunday.

Edit: Here's the pic

 I forgot I bought some Deans Dip and Damp Rid.
Here are the match-ups for those.
(2) Deans Dip $1.59 each
(2) $1/1 Publix Yellow Advantage Buy
(1) $1/2 for registering with their website
Damp Rid
  $3/1 Publix Green Advantage Buy (exp. 6/11)
  $1/1 SS 5/23/10 (alternately there is a $3/1 in the same ad, I already used this one)  

Not the greatest week ever at Publix, but still some good deals out there.

Frugality

Last week I shared my favorite deal matching sites. This week I will share sites where you can print coupons.

They are:
Coupons.com
Smartsource
Redplum
Target

For Kraft coupons (and some are even Publix coupons):
Cooking with Kraft

For SC Johnson coupons:
Right at Home

For a good database (say you need to buy something and it's not on sale, but would like to see if there is a coupon):
Coupon Mom

Other online sources of coupons:
The products website
The products facebook page
An e-newsletter for a product or company

A word of advice about online coupons, if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is. The reason I say this is there are a lot of illegal coupons out there. The sites I listed above are considered legitimate sites, and their coupons have security features. If you receive an email with coupons for free products or find a coupon you can print unlimited times, be very suspicious. Try a google search with the coupon and the word "scam." When we use coupons that aren't legit, we risk having the store not take internet printable coupons, so please take a few minutes to check out a coupon if you didn't print it from one of the above mentioned sites.

 Next week we will talk about different ways to organize all these coupons you will acquire, so they don't take over your house or your time.

Shopping list

After the great sales the past few weeks, the ad for Publix this week is pretty slim, so I only need a few things.

 Blue=Manufacturer's Coupon

Green= Publix Coupon
Purple= Competitor Coupon 
Here's what I'm buying:
(2) Mott's Medley's BOGO $2.99
    - (2) $1 Mott's Medley's from Publix Summer Savings Booklet
(2)Original Cheerios BOGO $3.99
    - $1/2 from Shrektacular savings book
(2)Multigrain Cheerios BOGO $3.99
    - $1/2 from Shrektacular savings book
(2)Fig Newtons BOGO $3.89
    - Free Nabisco cookies wyb 1 nabisco cookie product, 1 gallon of milk, and 1 other size milk internet print from facebook. (promotion over)
(2) Atheno's Hummus $2.99
   -BOGO from Facebook page (promotion ended)
   -$1/1 peelie
(1) Gallon Whole Milk $3.10
(1)Gallon 1% Milk $3.10
(1)Benefiber sticks $2.69
    -$2/1 found here 
    -$2/1 Benefiber product found in Green Advantage Buy Flyer (exp. 6/11)
(1)Tropicana OJ $3?
    -Free product from juicy rewards program (promotion over) 
Other coupons:

$5 off $25 purchase Save-a-lot coupon

I'm also looking to price check a few things, while there and if they are a good deal I will purchase them.
They are:
Beggin Strips (25 oz)
  -$3/1 Publix summer savings booklet
  -$2.50/1 Publix Savings for All Seasons booklet (from last summer)
 I'm thinking these will make for cheap treats possibly. 
 
Pantene Pro-v (There were some in clearance last week, and I got an awesome coupon in the mail this week)
  -$2/2 Pantene Products
If I remember correctly from last week they were priced around $1.50 for each product, so this may make for some cheap shampoo. 

I'm not sure if this is the final list yet, as I'm still deciding on a few things, but to see the full ad with match-ups head over to iheartpublix to see it or southernsavers.

Making it do or doing without

 72-hour kits

What is a 72-hour kit?
A 72-hour kit is everything you and your family would need to survive in an emergency.
I live in Florida so for me it is also known as my hurricane kit. In other parts of the country they could be an earthquake kit, a tornado kit, a winter storm kit, or any other kind of disaster you can think of. However, it is a wise idea to have a 72 hour kit year round for any unexpected emergency or disaster.

What should it include?
Well that depends a lot on your family and their needs. But here is what I would recommend at the very minimum.

• 3 days worth of food and snacks for each family member
• 3 days worth of water for each family member (the recommendation is generally 1 gallon per person per day, more if there are special needs such as pregnant or nursing mothers and more if you plan to use it for hygeine purposes)
• First aid supplies(first aid kit, flares, whistles, gloves, etc.)
• Clothing and bedding. One change of clothing, for both warm and cold temperatures. Blankets, rain coats, etc.
• Fuel and light. (Flashlights, batteries, lighter, matches, a camp stove if you have one)
• 3 days of medication (anything you take daily or regularly you will want to have in there)
• Toiletries (toilet paper, feminine hygiene, soap, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo)
• Cash (in small bills)
• Important paper work in a waterproof container (insurance policies, birth certificates, passports, marriage license, wills, deeds, titles, contracts, etc.)
• Tools (can opener, weather radio, pocket knife, duct tape, pen and paper, axe, shovel, rope)
• Entertainment (books, crossword puzzles, puzzles, scriptures, etc.)
• Paper products or mess kits (if you choose mess kits remember dish soap to clean your dishes)
• Maps (in case you need to evacuate)

So what kind of food should I pack?
  I would only pack things you will know you will eat, but make sure you pack enough to have a balanced diet (and keep in mind that salty foods will make you thirsty). I think the best way to decide what to bring is to plan a menu for your family. Here's a list of good meal ideas to get you thinking.

• Breakfast- Instant breakfast (shelf stable milk and instant breakfast), oatmeal, granola bars, cereal (dry or with shelf stable milk)
• Lunch- crackers with peanut butter and jelly, crackers and canned tuna or chicken (find some mayo packets or relish packets and you could have tuna or chicken salad), beef jerky, spam
• Dinner- Canned soup, Spaghetti-o's, vienna sausage, beenie weenie, baked beans, canned beans, spaghetti and sauce
• Vegetables and Fruit- Canned veggies and fruit throughout the day with meals. Dried fruit is also an idea.
• Snacks- protein bars, granola bars, fruit leather, raisins, trail mix, nuts
• Drinks- water, juice boxes, cider, hot cocoa, tang, shelf stable milk (I would recommend the single serve boxes unless you have enough family members to drink the larger boxes), sports drinks, anything that you won't need to refrigerate

What if I have a baby or pets?
This is where it varies greatly depending on your needs, but again I'll give you some basics to get you going. I'll start with younger babies.

• Diapers, wipes, creams (make sure you have more than enough)
• If breastfeeding, anything you need to breastfeed. Pillows, supplements,etc.
• If formula feeding, 1-2 cans of formula, water, bottles, and supplies to clean bottles.
• Clothes and blankets (sleepers, receiving blankets, onesies, socks, jackets, etc.)
• If baby has started solids, baby cereal, jarred foods (based on their typical eating habits)
• Toys and/or comfort objects
• Baby Carrier
• Baby toiletries

For older babies and/or toddlers add the following:

•  Finger foods, snacks, and meals
•  Sippy cups
• Shelf stable milk (if they have started milk), juices
• Toddler utensils
• Bibs

If you have pets consider the following:

• Food for three days
• Litter for cats
• Collars, leashes, ids, cages, etc.
• Vet Records 
• Any medications (heartworm, flea and tick, special needs)
• Treats
• Toys

I hope that helps you get started. One final note is to make sure to check your kit on a regular basis for expired goods or update when the family changes (for example, when kids get older, or when you add a family member or pet). I'll give you a reminder on here every so often to remind you. Next week we will talk start a series on building up food storage.

New Uses and Clever Tricks

Bread and Bags

I figured for the very first one I'd stick to something almost everyone has at home, bread ends and plastic grocery bags.

My favorite thing to make with bread ends (and any bread that's getting a little stale) is to make croutons with them, and it is oh so simple.

1. Tear or cut bread into cubes and place on baking sheet.
2. In a small bowl make a mixture of olive oil (I use extra virgin, but it would work with others) and whatever blend of spices you wish. My favorite blend is seasoned salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. The amount you will need depends on how much bread you have.
3. Pour mixture evenly on top of bread crumbs. (I like to toss them around a little with my fingertips just to make sure all the flavor has been spread around)
4. Bake them at 275 for about 15 minutes or until brown and crispy. Taste them to be certain they are crispy through out. 
5. Voila fresh croutons and they are oh so yummy. (And usually healthier than the store brand, especially if you have whole grain bread ends!)

I find that they last a pretty long time if you store them in an air-tight container. You can also stick the croutons into a food processor to make yummy bread crumbs.

Now for the plastic bags. Let's first talk about ways to store them.
I personally use old baby wipe containers. You just shove a bunch in there and then you can just pull one out at a time, and you can store them under the sink, in the laundry room, wherever. If you don't have a baby wipe container, you could alternately use an empty tissue box.
If space is tight  (like in your car) you can use an old paper towel tube and shove a bunch in there. Stick it in your glove box, under your seat, or in a door or seat pocket. Ta-da, now you have bags if you need them in the car.

Now for uses for these wonderful bags. I'm sure everyone has some, so please feel free to comment and share them too!

• Cat box cleaning
• Dog walking waste (can you tell I have pets?)
• In the same token, donate them to a dog park or animal shelter
• Wet/ soiled clothing (diaper blow-outs anyone?)
• Car trash bag
• Small trash can liner
• Packing material for shipping, or wrapping fragile objects.
• Dirty shoes (or clothes) while traveling.
• Lining paint trays
• Lunch Box
• Under the potato (or other fruits and veggies) while peeling
• Around your toiletry bag in your luggage
• Covering up a cast or stitches on an arm or leg
• Shoe protectors when you need to walk someplace muddy (like the garden or when the dog needs to go when it is pouring rain)
• Crumple them up to put in purses or shoes to keep them in shape

Phew. That's a lot already. I guess I should make sure everyone knows this, but if the bag was used to carry meat in or was really wet on the inside you should just throw them away. These bags can harbor germs, disease, and mold if stored. If you find yourself with a plethora of bags, don't just throw them away many stores now have recycling for plastic bags (for example, Publix), so take them with you and just drop them off on the way in. Or you can go to this website to see where you can recycle them.

Publix Ad

Michelle over at iheartpublix has next weeks ad up, so go check it out and start getting your coupons together.

Monday Money Sense

The First Step to Getting Out of Debt

Step One-Live within your means. I can tell you tons of tips for how to pay down debt, but it would not do you any good if you spend more than you make. Unfortunately, most people don't realize they are spending more than they make! This happens because many people can afford their minimum payments on their credit cards and live paycheck to paycheck, but without much thought add a little to their overall debt each month by charging away. So in order to really see how much is coming in and how much is going out we are going to do an exercise to find out. This will take a little bit of time and effort (and a calculator would probably be useful as well), but it will help you to be really honest with yourself on how much is really coming in and going out. Don't guess or round, be exact as possible and you will get the best picture of your money.

1. Gather 12 months worth of statements for all bank accounts and all credit cards. 
2. Head over to this online calculator and start entering in the info it asks for. For each category go through every statement for the amount.
3. You'll notice some things you do not pay for monthly. To figure these items out, find out how much you pay for them a year and then divide by 12. For example, perhaps you only pay your home insurance once a year. To find out the monthly amount take the yearly premium and divide by 12. Another example would be car insurance that you may pay twice a year. Add the two payments together and divide by twelve.
4. You'll also notice somethings are not the same every month (in fact a lot aren't!). To figure these out you will add together all instances of the item and divide by 12. These items will be things such as groceries, gas, eating out, entertainment, etc. Be real honest with yourself even if that means adding up every single time you ate out the last 12 months.
5. Press the "Get Honest!" button, the calculator will now tell you if you are spending more than you bring in or vice versa.

Now that you know you can do something about it! I recommend if you have any credit card debt, lock up those cards right now (or freeze them in a block of ice or any place where it will take effort to get them out to use), so you won't get into any more debt! Now that you know you can start thinking of ways to cut back.

We'll discuss many ways to cut back and get rid of the debt you already have in the future, so come back every Monday for some more Money Sense.

Free Identity Theft Protection Service

Suze Orman, a financial adviser, and host of CNBC's "The Suze Orman Show," is giving away free Identity Theft Protection Service for her birthday, they only stipulation is you must sign-up by 11:59pm tonight! It's for 12 months of coverage!

So either head on over to Suze Orman's Website and click on the sign-up button or alternately you can click here and go directly to her sign-up.