Bringing Basics Back!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Survival Products Direct) — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 17:04:00 +0000

I apologize for letting my blog go "stale", but I have been very busy lately starting my own company, Survival Products Direct!
I have always been interested in being prepared for whatever the future may bring - may that be my husband loosing his job (the sole breadwinner of our family), a natural, biological or man-made disaster (terrorist attack, pandemic, etc.) or other sort of "disaster" such as inflation, crash of the stock market, collapse of the dollar, etc. I had researched for years on the subject, and had compiled an emergency survival kit a long time ago (that I still add to today!) and have been accumulating long term food storage that consists mainly of long shelf life dehydrated food. I have also been focusing on getting our garden organized and this summer was the season of trial-and-error!

Since I have such a passion and interest in the subject, I decided that maybe it was my calling to share it and to try to make it as easy as possible for others to be prepared like us. So, I started my own company called Survival Products Direct selling pre-assembled emergency and survival kits (and also many additions to your kit such as survival tools, first aid, etc.), whole-garden supply of seeds (All the seeds are Non-Hybrid, Non-GMO, open pollinated and not chemically treated), and long-term food storage.

I also have started a new blog,The Survival Products Blog, that would compliment my new business and I hope you will find it helpful too. I've been very busy this Summer!

Melissa and Doug Sales

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Survival Products Direct) — Fri, 10 Dec 2010 01:56:00 +0000

I love Melissa and Doug's toys for being pretty simple and made to spark the imagination and learning... plus, most are made of wood for some good old fashioned fun! Looking for some great prices on Melissa and Doug toys for Christmas, but don't want to run around in that traffic? Here are some online places where you can score an awesome deal right now:

Barnes & Noble - Select Melissa and Doug items are Buy One, Get One 50% off (when you click on the product, look for the Buy One Get One icon - I know the super-cute cookies set above qualifies) - BUT, go through Ebates FIRST to get an additional 8% rebate back on your purchase! If you are new to ebates, they give you cash rebates for using their site to click through to online stores like Barnes & Noble! Plus, there is a 15% off your total purchase code for Barnes & Noble online: J9L3H4B7HXV (exp. 12/13/2010). Click HERE to go to ebates to get to B&N's site! (requires sign-up)

Gilt - Gilt is an awesome exclusive-sale site. Click on the Children tab, and look for the Melissa and Doug Sale - I think it ends Friday or Saturday, so hurry! They have this cute horse stable WITH the horses is on sale for $37, reg. price is $64, and usually if it goes on sale, it's $49, so $37 is a good deal! Click HERE to go to their site and sign up for access to their site - there are other items for men, women and kids and many sell out quickly! They are guaranteeing delivery of the Melissa and Doug before Christmas!

Zulily has some Melissa and Doug toys on sale among their other HOT kids and babies sales! They currently have some cool bundle sets available at a discount, like the 3-pc. set pictured on the right for $28.49 - sold separately, they would be $64 at full-price (sometimes I see them go on sale for $12 - $14/item = $36 - $42 if you found them on sale, so it's a good deal for under $30 the bundle!). Click HERE to go to their site and sign up to get in on the exclusive sales!

Baby Age - has the Melissa and Doug Wooden Railway set for only $69.99 + FREE SHIPPING! This is the lowest price I've seen on this 130-pc complete train set. Usually it is around $99 - $119 and on sale for $79 - $84. BUT, go through Ebates FIRST to get an additional 3% rebate back on your purchase at Baby Age - if you are new to ebates, they give you cash rebates for using their site to click through to online stores! Plus, there is a $5 off your first purchase code for BabyAge: 5off (exp. 12/11/2010). Click HERE to go to ebates to get to BabyAge's site! (requires sign-up)

Hape Toys on HauteLook - only $3.50 for "Anamalz" toys!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Bringing Basics Back!) — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 06:44:00 +0000

HauteLook has Hape brand toys on clearance sale right now and have a good variety of their wood toys from which to choose like dollhouses, dollhouse furniture, baby and toddler pull-toys, learning games, and their little "Anamalz" figures, which I adore. I have been collecting all of these Hape Anamalz animals for my kids - they are so cute and made from Organic Maple wood... and their little legs and heads are poseable, and they are just so irresistible! AND, only $3.50 each at HauteLook right now - they are normally $6.99 - $8.99 each (if you luck out, they are on sale for $5.99) in the stores that actually carry them... I've found that they are pretty hard to track down, except for online.
If you don't already have a HauteLook account, click here and sign up before this deal ends on Friday!

Free $5 credit to Jasmere for taking a really, really SHORT survey!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Survival Products Direct) — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 00:26:00 +0000

Jasmere is a super-cool group-buying site similar to Groupon where they feature a different company almost every day and you can purchase discount vouchers (like gift certificates) for the featured company.

Right now, if you take an extremely short, one-page online survey, you get a coupon code that will take $5 off your next purchase at Jasmere (expires Oct. 31, 2010)!

If you don't already have a Jasmere account, click here and sign up, and you will get a FREE $10 credit added to your account just for signing up - cool! It wont show up until you are checking out. So, you would get a total of $15 in free credits between being a new sign-up, and the survey!

This is all you need to do to get your FREE $5 credit to Jasmere:
1. Click here to go to Jasmere's site and log in or sign up if you don't already have an account
2. Click here and take the EXTREMELY short servey
3. After you submit the survey, a page will come up next with a discount code - write it down and use it on your next Jasmere purchase (before Oct. 31, 2010)!

The neat thing about Jasmere is that the more people who buy, the lower the price! At the end of the sale, you pay whatever the lowest price ends up being, not the price that you bought at! Cool!

$3 off Renpure Organics coupon @ Rite Aid

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Survival Products Direct) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 01:52:00 +0000

I just noticed as I was watching some of the Rite Aid Video Value coupons to get my Huggies coupon for tomorrow's sale, that they have a $3 off Renpure Organics coupon! yay! Click here to go to their site.

p.s. Don't forget to watch the video for your $5/$25 Rite Aid purchase, and if you watch 20, you can also earn a $4/$20 purchase coupon!

Cheap Tom's of Maine + $2.99 Huggies Pure & Natural at Rite Aid... Free Eos Lip Balm at Walgreens 10/3/10 - 10/9/10!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Survival Products Direct) — Sun, 03 Oct 2010 00:27:00 +0000

Sunday, 10/3/10 - 10/9/10:

Rite Aid will have Toms of Maine products (toothpaste, mouthwash, soap, deodorant) for $3.49 + there is a $1 Single Check Rebate + there will be a $1 coupon in most Sunday papers 10/3/10 = $1.49 after savings and rebate! Or, you can see it as paying $2.49 out of pocket in the store, and get $1 back later.

Rite Aid will have Huggies Jumbo packs on sale for $7.99 (their Huggies sales normally include the Pure and Natural) + there is a printable $3.00 Huggies Pure and Natural on coupons.com + there is a $2.00 off Huggies coupon found on Rite Aid's Video Values website here (you watch a commercial to earn a coupon - there are also $5 off any $25 purchase coupons available there too!) = only $2.99 for the pack of diapers!

Walgreens will have Organic EOS lip balm on sale for $3, and then you will receive one $3 Register Reward when you check out, that is good towards any future Walgreens purchase! You can look at it as the lip balm being "free", or you can see it as getting a $3 good-as-cash coupon after you purchased your $3 lip balm. Usually, you will only get one Register Reward no matter how many you purchase in one transaction, so don't buy more than one unless you want to... or, if your cashier is really nice and you don't have a line behind you, you can do multiple separate transactions - just don't clear out the shelves and leave some for me!

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Bringing Basics Back tip: Take advantage of Rite Aid's Single Check Rebates. Many people I talk to find rebates to be annoying and not worth the stamp - BUT, these are not typical rebates! They have a really easy online rebate system where all you have to do is enter in the date, register number and store number from the receipt and it does the rest for you - no mailing in a form! You would enter in each receipt throughout the month that contains a qualifying purchase and then, at the end of the month, you claim your Single Check Rebate and all of your qualifying purchases get compiled into one big fat check you receive in the mail. So, you might get a $15 (example amount) check if you made many different purchases during the month, or just the $1 if the Tom's is all you bought. Rite Aid's rebates are great because you can deposit the check in your bank acct. or spend it at Rite Aid like cash. Go to Rite Aid's website here for more info.

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Huggies Pure & Natural $3.00 coupon has reset!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Survival Products Direct) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 21:32:00 +0000

If you have already printed your limit (2 per computer) of the $3.00/1 Huggies Pure and Natural diapers, go back to coupons.com and see if it has reset for you? It did for me - now I get to print out 2 more of these high-dollar coupons! Also look for the wipes coupons - I noticed a few on there.

I like these diapers the best out of the disposables I've tried (Seventh Generation is 2nd runner up for me because I found the huggies to be a wee bit more absorbent and softer to the touch) because they use organic cotton and less chemicals than the traditional disposable diaper. : ) I only wish they would make Pure & Natural Pull-ups because my son is approaching the potty training stage. Plus, you can collect rewards points - Huggies Enjoy the Ride is what the program is called - and redeem them for cool things! I was able to get a Rockabye Baby CD ((Lullaby renditions of Guns 'n' Roses was the choice - just makes me smile whenever I listen to it, reminiscing about the days of my youth!)) for free with my points and no shipping cost!

$31 (or less!!) for $70 worth of Tegu magnetic+wood building sets!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Bringing Basics Back!) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 18:00:00 +0000

** This deal is over now, but Click here to go to Tegu's site anyways, because I think their blocks are so cool!**

UPDATE: It is down to only $28 now (5pm on 10/2), and we still have a full day and a half to go before the deal closes - score! I'm hoping for it to end at $25 or less!

These are sooooo cool ...and, *sigh*, soooo expensive! But, the Tegu magnetic wood blocks are on Jasmere today (10/1/2010) through Sunday (10/3/2010), so you can pay "only" $31 but get a $70 voucher for your Tegu purchase! I love toys that get kids to be creative the old fashioned way (these have magnets in them, so it's a modern spin on the classic wood block!).
The neat thing about Jasmere is that the more people who buy, the lower the price! So, later today, the price may only be $30 or $28, or whatever! At the end of the sale, you pay whatever the lowest price ends up being, not the price that you bought at! Cool! Click here to go to Jasmere and sign up to get in on this awesome deal and get that price lowered for me! : )

Pay $16 (or $11) for $35 worth of Anthology Organic skin/bath care at Eversave!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Bringing Basics Back!) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 17:02:00 +0000

Today, at Eversave today and tomorrow (10/1 - 10/2/2010) you can buy a $35 voucher for Anthology Organics for only $16, and you can use your voucher to make a purchase on their website - their products would make a great gift! If you don't already have an account with EverSave, sign up here, and you get a free $5 welcome credit to be used towards your first purchase that will come off at checkout - score! So, if you are a new customer, you can buy the voucher for only $11 but get to buy $35 worth of goodies! Click here to go to their site.

If the deal doesn't show up for your local city, I used Portland and it was there. : )

Extra 10% off code at Totsy - ends 10/3/2010!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Survival Products Direct) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 16:55:00 +0000

Starting today (ends 10/3/2010), you can score 10% OFF your order at Totsy when you enter promotion code: TOTSYONE at checkout! Yay! Totsy is an invite-only sale site who features high-quality and unique items for babies, kids and moms - click here and this link includes the invite, otherwise you will be put on a waiting list to join. : )

Right now, they have some Organic cotton clothes by Sama Baby for babies and also for toddlers/preschoolers/kindergartners like the shirt above (they have sizes 2yrs - 6yrs available).

Totsy also has some really cool craft and science activity kits for only $6.50 like the one pictured! Great for homeschooling or a rainy day activity!! They have a recommended age of 6+. Click here to go to their site!

Snapware Glass storage at Costco + booklet coupon savings!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Survival Products Direct) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 16:35:00 +0000

I just bought the 18-pc Snapware Glasslock set from Costco, and it was only $23.99 with the $6 coupon that is in this month's Costco coupon booklet! Reg. price without the coupon is $29.99; still a cheaper price than around $34 - $50 this 18-pc set normally sells for... so, this is a great deal! It has square and round shapes of multiple sizes and the lid has snap-closures on the sides, so you don't have to press down on and burp the top - who wants their storage burping at them anyways?!

I just used them for leftovers, and I like them! I only wish they were oven safe, so that I could bake in them and then just snap on the lid without transferring the leftovers like the pyrex ones I have with lids. They are dishwasher and freezer safe, so those are definite pluses that *maybe* will make me forget that they are not oven safe (they are also microwave safe, but we got rid of our micro about a year and a half ago and don't miss it!!). The lid is BPA-Free plastic and snaps on pretty easily, and the vessel portion is glass... I noticed after I bought them that they are made in Korea though : ( .

Hurry - I'm not sure when the coupon booklet expires because I can't find mine and I think I remember now that they (unintentionally) confiscated it from me at checkout stand with this coupon, but I'm sure it ends soon!

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Bringing Basics Back tip: Use glass instead of plastic for storage. I have recycled or donated almost all of my tupperware storage and am replacing the collection with the glass "good twin". I am just weary of plastic now since studies have shown that they can leach toxic cancer-causing chemicals, such as BPA, into your food. I did recently "buy" some ziplock brand freezer jam storage tubs because they ended up being free after coupons, but I only did so because I noticed a big label on the packaging, "BPA FREE!" - yay! Even the plastics that say BPA Free, I try to avoid because plastic is such an unnatural substance, it just creeps me out.

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New coupon site!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Survival Products Direct) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 00:49:00 +0000

The Catalina company (they're the ones who pop out those skinny receipt-like coupons you get at the register after you buy something) just came out with their own coupon website called the Coupon Network and it has many coupons that I have not seen on the more common sites like coupons.com, like Ian's natural foods and Pacific Natural foods! Yay - yet another source for COUPONS! I am coupon-crazy I tell you!

I found 6 different $1-off-1 coupons for various Ian's brand products (all-natural foods that don't use creepy ingredients) and also one for $1-off-2 Pacific Foods items (use all-natural ingredients and have organic options). When you sign up, try other zip codes around your area if it says there are no stores with that zip - I tried the zip code next to us and it worked, and all of my local stores were listed even though for some reason my zip didn't work (the error code said that there are no stores in that zip code - probably because I'm in a residential/rural area - even though the next zip code is only a mile down the road!). Click here to go to their site!

p.s. Don't forget about Mambo Sprouts website, who always have natural and organic coupons available for print! Click here to go to their site!

PVC-Free Raincoats only $19.99! (baby/preschooler sizes only)

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Survival Products Direct) — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 15:34:00 +0000

Fall rain is on it's way! Today, at Eco Baby Buys are PVC-free raincoats (sizes 18mo to 4T) for only $19.99 + shipping - I did the calculation for me, and it would be $5.55 to ship, so $25.54 total, which is still a pretty good deal for this type of item from a company who does not use harsh chemicals, and they are $34.99 at Toys R Us/Babies R Us... doesn't sound as cheap compared to the clearance deals you can find on a traditional raincoat, but these you know are PVC-free. Click here to go to their site - the deal is for today only (9/28/2010)!

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Bringing Basics Back tip: Avoid PVC. PVC is a type of plastic that modern science has molded for use in many applications - one of them is to soften it using phthalates to make things like raincoats, shower curtains and even bibs and baby toys - yikes! The benefit is that it is weatherproof and wearable, the major con is that it contains harsh chemicals that have been linked to developmental disorders and delays and also cancer. It is hard to tell whether or not the item contains PVC, so be sure to look for "PVC Free" on the tag, if it says "100% PVC", then run away!

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Green Toys brand (made in USA!) almost 1/2 off!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Survival Products Direct) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 18:51:00 +0000

Ending tomorrow (9/28/2010), on HauteLook, is a sale on a variety of organic clothes and toys, including the brand Green Toys (they are the ones who use BPA-free recycled plastic and made in the USA) at almost 1/2 off! If you have any kids on your Christmas list, these are GREAT toys - the milk jugs used to make them are recycled here in the USA, and they toys are also made in the USA! The play cookware and dining set is only $13.99 pictured below (it is a whopping $26.99 at Amazon!), the plate set above is only $4.89 (kids can eat off of them, and are dishwasher safe! They also have bowls and silverware too!) and the tool set I really want for my son pictured below is on sale too! Click here to go to their site and sign up to get in on these deals!

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Bringing Basics Back tip: Buy Made in USA. When I buy things, I like to flip it over to see where it was made - Made in USA is the top choice, and made in Canada or a European country is second choice. When you buy USA, you are supporting our "local" economy, which is one of the most important reasons. You are also buying something that most likely did not have to be shipped as far, and most likely conserves resources (not always the case, but a factor to consider at least). Another VERY important reason is that USA, Canada and Europe have more stringent guidelines on using toxic materials in production, and also have better standards for workers. So overall, you can feel better about your purchase for a variety of reasons!

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Pay $15 (or $10!) for $30 credit to Pouch Pals reusable sandwich/snack bags!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Survival Products Direct) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 17:57:00 +0000

Today only (9/26/2010), on Plum District, if you change the "district" to Boston, you can snag an awesome deal on reusable fabric sandwich bags - pay only $15 for a $30 voucher to their online store! BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE - if you are a new sign-up at PlumDistrict, you get a free $5 credit towards your first purchase (must use your free $5 within the first 7 days of signing up), so you'd pay only $10 for $30!!! Don't worry about "Boston", you use the voucher code Plum District will provide to you to use online at Pouch Pals' website like a coupon code. For future deals, you can change the city back to your most local city to see if there is a local deal. These bags are super cool - washable fabric for the kids or husband's lunch sandwich! Click here to get in on the deal today (9/26/2010 only)!

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Bringing Basics Back tip: Reduce use of plastic baggies. I have been slowly reducing my use of plastic bags and seran wrap. For snacks on-the-go, or to pack my husband's lunch for work, I use a fabric bag similar to the ones above, or unbleached wax paper baggies, or BPA-Free snack trap cups found at baby stores & Toys R Us. For freezing, I line the plastic freezer storage bag with unbleached wax paper, and then put the food in it, to reduce the contact my food makes to the plastic. I do still use seran wrap when I am going to a potluck and need the food to stay put or not spill in the car, since I know I will be removing it within an hour or so. : )

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FREE Glass 4-cup Measure + cheap glass bakeware!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Survival Products Direct) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 17:22:00 +0000

Starting today at One Kings Lane, you can get glass bakeware for free if you are a new sign-up! New customers get a free $15 credit just for signing up! The dish pictured above is $19, and the 4-cup measuring vessel is only $14, which leaves $1 to use towards your shipping charge when you spend your free credit! Click here to go to their site!

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Bringing Basics Back tip: Use glass for baking and eating from. I have been slowly replacing all of my ceramic and non-stick pans, pots, bakeware, etc. whenever my budget allows, and opting for glass. Even some ceramic bakeware can contain some icky stuff in the glazes used (not all are like this, but I just prefer glass now) and with non-stick pans, once they are scratched, they start leaching toxic cancer-causing chemicals into your food.

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Where I go to SAVE to support being a modern SAHM (Stay at Home Mom)!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Bringing Basics Back!) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 15:56:00 +0000

Since I have neglected my blog all summer long, and life just gets busier (sorry blog!) I thought I'd whip together and share some of the resources I use to SAVE our family money and buy ORGANIC whenever possible (although I do admit that I will "buy" something non-organic/non-all-natural, like Crest toothpaste if it turns out to be free after coupons, which is especially easy at RiteAid) so we can afford for me to stay home with the kiddos, but still be able to buy things when we want to!

After compiling all of my receipts, I average only $0.57 cents per item I purchase! That includes regular groceries such as fresh produce, organic food, non-organic food, toiletries & diapers... all this with using coupons and maximizing my savings at places like Rite Aid where, on many occasion, purchases actually "make" me money in the end! This is all name-brand stuff here, people! No random dollar-store, straight-from-China crap here!

When it is a really good deal on something that has a long shelf life, I like to STOCK UP, so that I have it when I need it instead of worrying about making a run to the store for things like pasta, TP, band aids and toothpaste (you should see my Leaning Tower of Toothpaste!). I went crazy a couple months ago when Seventh Generation products were all 50% off at Fred Meyer + my coupons = natural cleaning products for only $0.50 - $1 each (reg. $2.99 - $3.99)! Plus, when I have a stockpile, I am always prepared in case of an emergency. My worst fear is actually going to the store because I ran out of something - sad, I know. (Don't worry, all of what I buy fits into closets and pantry... I'm not a candidate for a TV special about Hoarders!)

I also like to PLAN AHEAD, like if there is a good deal on diapers (The average I pay for a Huggies Pure and Natural Jumbo pack is only $2.58/pack - the reg. price is $9.99 - $11.99), I'll buy in my baby's current size, and then one or two in the next size up too if I have enough coupons. Same with clothes - if it's an unbelievable deal on something organic, I'll buy next year's size too! I keep a coupon binder chock full of my coupons, all organized by product category or aisle/section in the store where the item can be found, stored in baseball card holders so I can see every one of them with a flip of the page. Sometimes I bring the whole binder with me, other times I just pull out the coupons I know I want to use.

Soooooo, here goes:

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Online Shopping (saves a mom time and stress, although I would rather support local companies, sometimes convenience wins out with such little kids who can be unpredictable at the store) --- many of these places will feature organic goods for 50% off and sometimes even up to 90% off! It's so hard to find a good deal on organic clothes! The sales rotate daily or weekly or are while they last. They require signing up, and if the site asks, please leave my email address as the referral, bringingbasicsback@gmail.com (some sites require an "invite" to join and others give you a referral bonus - cool!) --

One Kings Lane - Home Decor, Home Goods and Furniture. New signups will get a free $15 credit! When I first signed up, I got a baking dish for free with my $15 credit! ((They had bamboo bowls & cutting boards, and organic sheet sets a while back!)) . Click here to go to their site!

EverSave - New signups will get a $5 credit! It's kinda like Groupon, but with more deals you can redeem online through hip and cool small online retailers than local services (they do have some local stuff too sometimes). I just bought a $26 gift voucher for only $13 to Greeno Bambino through Eversave the other day - that's half off! Now, I'm waiting for a big sale at Greeno Bambino to spend my voucher - I want to get some more stainless steel travel cups for the kids! Click here to go to their site!

Jasmere - sorta like Groupon, but they offer deals you can redeem online through hip and cool online retailers. They just had an Organic store deal a few days back, but I missed it - boooooo! Click here to go to their site!

Zulily - Kids, Baby, Mom, Maternity clothes and accessories, gear, gifts, etc. They frequently have organic kids/baby clothes and maternity, as well as accessories and other fun stuff ((Today is the last day of their Kate Quinn Organics sale!)) Click here to go to their site!

Totsy - Almost everything they feature is green or organic.... they'll even plant a tree whenever you make a purchase! They feature Kids, Baby, Mom clothes and accessories, Nursery Furniture, Gear, Gifts, Maternity clothes etc. They frequently have organic and designer stuff! Click here to go to their site!

Green Baby Bargains - Awesome deals on various items for babies and baby care products that are green or organic! Click here to go to their site

The Mini Social - A TON of organic clothes sales, stylish and different and super cool kid toys, etc. They had BPA-free lunch kits a few days back! Click here to go to their site

B eyond the Rack - Designer clothes and accessories for men and women! ((It's like Ross or TJ Maxx online, only better bc they are all designer brands! Sometimes they'll have something organic, but not as often as the others)) Click here to go to their site!

Haute Look - Clothes and accessories (men, women, kids, babies and sometimes organic options) and many of them are "designer", as well as sometimes furniture, toys (I bought some wood Hape and Plan Toys from them!), organic/natural cosmetics and lotions, bedding, towels, home decor and even food - a few days back they had organic gourmet popcorn! ((It's like Ross or TJ Maxx online, only better because you don't have to look through all the aisles to find one organic/natural item!)) Click here to go to their site!

ebates is a website that gives you cash back to shop online when you click through their site to get to another site like target.com, etc. How it works is that Target (for example) pays ebates a commission for sending you to their site, and in turn, ebates gives you a cut of the commission they got, like 6% back. So, if you bought $100 at target, you'd get $6 back from ebates... only if you went through ebates first! Doesn't sound like much, but it can add up!! Why not get free money??!! Today, Gap is 15% cash back at ebates! E-bay is even on their extensive list of stores! Plus, you'll get a $5 bonus just for signing up! Click here to go to their site!

Drugstore.com frequently has sales on random items like toys and vacuums and furniture, etc. but they specialize in toiletries, beauty and vitamins/drugs, etc. and they have a HUGE selection of organic and natural products! You can get $5 off your first $25 purchase when you sign up here! I just got some natural hand sanitizer to gear up for the winter sickie season, and also some natural sanitizing kids hand wipes for only $1.49 (reg $5.99 ea)! Click here to go to their site.

I have a phobia about paying retail now!

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In-store Shopping:

Rite Aid - I get free toothpaste, toothbrushes, diapers and other toiletries here all the time. They have so many ways to save on your shopping trip by letting you use a manufacturer coupon on top of their RiteAid coupons (both in-ad coupons as well as their "Video Value" coupons you can earn for watching commercials on their website), and you may also use their $5/$25 purchase coupon also in the same shopping trip... then, on top of that, they offer cash rebates (Single Check Rebates) and earn gift cards on certain items, and also something they just started are these great good-as-cash coupons (Up+ Rewards) that print at the register when you buy certain items... so, at the end of the shopping trip, you have the potential to end up getting a ton of items for free when you factor in all the savings! You can see some examples of older deals I've scored in my "Right On, Rite Aid" label on the left. This is my favorite place to buy Huggies Pure and Natural Diapers, and in fact, next week will be a GREAT example of CHEAP or FREE huggies at Rite Aid! Click H ERE for info on the deal. I used to be the go-to for these deals, but please visit the blogs I list below for more details on how to spend pennies on the dollar at Rite Aid!

Safeway - you can load digital coupons to your Safeway Club Card and also use a clipped manufacturer paper coupon, plus a Safeway in-ad coupon on the same item, doubling or tripling your savings power! Plus, they have doubler coupons in their ads where you can double 4 of your manufacturer coupons up to $0.50 each. Plus, when there is a Catalina promo going on, you can sometimes snag "free" food when you factor in all the savings! A Catalina is the long/skinny paper coupon that prints out at the register with your receipt. Some companies offer catalina specials like if you buy 3 Nature Valley granola bars, you can get a $2 catalina coupon at the end, which is good towards ANY future purchase, just like cash! (that was a random example, there is not a $2 catalina right now). I recently got 6 FREE boxes of Fruit Roll-Ups Simply version (made with more real fruit than the traditional) and 8 FREE boxes of Fiber One bars, and 3 FREE bags of Nature Valley Nut Clusters, all from working the sales, e-coupons, clipped coupons and catalinas at Safeway! Yes, a bunch of "snacks", and not "real food"... but they were FREE, and a lot more healthy than Dorritos or some other snack like that! See the blogs I list below for more details on how to rock Safeway!

Albertsons - on some Sundays, they have their Doubler coupons, which will double 3 of your manufacturer coupons up to a dollar each! So, that's $3 free for you! It is easy to get free items this way too when you have a $1 coupon to spend on something that's on sale for $2 ($1 manufacturer coupon + Albertsons doubler = $2 off!). Plus, when there is a Catalina promo going on, you can snag "free" food when you factor in all the savings! A Catalina is the long/skinny paper coupon that prints out at the register with your receipt. Some companies offer catalina specials like if you buy 3 Nature Valley granola bars, you can get a $2 catalina coupon at the end, which is good towards ANY future purchase, just like cash! (that was a random example, there is not a $2 catalina right now). I recently got 10 FREE bags of shredded all-natural cheese working the sales, coupons and catalinas at Albertsons! You can freeze shredded cheese just fine, so I stocked up! See the blogs I list below for more details on how to work it at Albertsons!

Walmart - what? yes! I did type Walmart! They actually have a selection of ORGANIC clothes for under $10 for adults and kids! Look for the Faded Glory brand, as many of those are now 100% Organic cotton, or 96% Organic cotton/4% spandex blends. Walmart also carries Seventh Generation, Meyer's, Burt's Bees, and a ton of organic foods, all at the traditionally low Walmart price! The dress I pictured here is only $8 - holy schnikies!

Local to the Oregonians out there:
Standard TV & Appliance - if you are local to Oregon, they will meet or beat any price from the big box stores like Sears or Best Buy, but offer a more local experience with service! Shop local when you can! ((A side-not about Sears - did you know that the Kenmore brand is actually made by other national brands like Maytag and Whirlpool?!! S0, that Kenmore model is actually pretty much the same appliance with a different label.)). Standard TV & Appliance has every type of energy-efficient appliance imaginable and TVs and mattresses too, including the all-natural latex memory foam! You can also make purchases online http://www.standardtvandappliance.com PLUS, they have a HUGE outlet center in their Portland store where you can get pro-style appliances for just about half off!
and then, if you need your new TV or surround sound system installed, no matter who you bought it from, check out:
Oregon Install Co. - they are cheaper than GeekSquad to mount a flat screen on the wall with the hidden wires! http://www.orinstall.com and they offer 5% off all online install orders! Shop local!

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Coupon sites:
www.coupons.com
www.smartsource.com
www.redplum.com
www.cellfire.com
www.shortcuts.com
www.pgesaver.com

Also, check out your favorite brand's website or Facebook page - many brands now have printable coupons from their website, or have offers on their Facebook page!

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Blogs I follow to help me weed out the deals + coupon matchups
I used to do it all on my own, but that took time, precious TIME! Now, I just go to these blogs that compile the deals for me, and also share coupon matchups and where to find each coupon ((they basically get their lists from places like SlickDeals and other savings forums and coupon match-up services and then just copy and paste onto their blogs)). It is very helpful to read the comments people leave about a deal you are interested in because they may have some additional insights and ideas or problems with the deal that the blogger didn't know about (mostly because they are copying and pasting info they found from elsewhere and they may not have tried the deal for themselves, or because there is some store computer/register glitch that needs to be worked out) BEFORE you go to the store to avoid problems or wasted time when you get there...

Local Portland-area deals: http://www.frugallivingnw.com

Safeway and Albertsons deals + other store deals: http://www.thekrazycouponlady.com , http://www.frugallivingnw.com , http://athriftymom.com

RiteAid deals: http://www.mavenofsavin.com , http://www.forthemommas.com , http://www.hip2save.com , http://iheartriteaid.com

Walgreens deals: http://wildforwags.com , http://iheartwags.com

Target deals: http://www.totallytarget.com , http://www.hip2save.com

Organic and natural deals: http://organicdeals.blogspot.com

Pretty much everything: http://www.hip2save.com , http://www.thedealyo.com, http://www.forthemommas.com

This site compiles some great printable store coupons for places like JoAnn Fabrics & Michaels and stores you'd find at the mall like Banana Republic, etc.: http://printable-coupons.blogspot.com

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Favorite resource websites for being self-sufficient/self-made:
http://backwoodshome.com - everything about being self-sufficient!

http://www.remodelaholic.com - creative do-it-yourself home decor ideas usually on the cheap

http://www.backyardchickens.com - everything you need to know about having chickens!

http://www.naturalnews.com - living healthy and with less chemicals like BPA

http://thepioneerwoman.com - she is the cutest story teller! Her adventures in being a city girl who married a cowboy and now lives the country life (beware, her recipes are REALLY hearty - the kind of food you'd expect to eat on the ranch = yum... in moderation!)

http://blackirondude.blogspot.com - this one is geared more for the man in your life... but he has all sorts of info about cooking on Cast Iron (we bought a few antique cast iron pans recently and stainless steel pans to get rid of our Teflon-coated pans... husband kept his favorite pan, even though I refer to it as The Cancer Pan.)

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The End!

p.s. I do also grow a garden, have chickens for eggs and make a lot of things by hand like reusable shopping bags, non-toxic cleaners using vinegar, clothes and fun for the kids, reuse/repurpose a ton of objects and more to save money and resources... this long post was meant to share savings that can be had when you are buying outside the home (or on the internet), which can actually cost less time in most cases, and less money in some cases than making your own - I chose not to touch on anything home-created or recycled/upcycled here because that is another adventure that is too long to whip up in one post! But, I can point you towards a great blog: http://www.mindfulmomma.typepad.com and she has a ton of great info there!

...

Right On, Rite Aid! Had to make time for this mega FREEBIE post!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Survival Products Direct) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:32:00 +0000

I went to Rite aid, and this is what I scored, all for FREE after using my clipped coupons and Rite Aid's total value off coupons ...after I get back my Single Check Rebate and $10 P&G gift card, which is like cash to me, since I go to RA so much! I spent $30.46 worth of qualifying items (they count the value before coupons) to earn my $10 gift card where you must spend $30 of qualifying P&G brand items (including Gillette cartridges and shave gel, Oral-B and Metamucil). Here is how I worked it:

Gillette Fusion Power Razor - $10.99
Gillette Fusion 4-ct refill Cartridges for razor - $14.99
Gillette Fusion shave gel - $4.99
2 Oral-B Advantage toothbrushes - $5.48
Metamucil 114 dose - $9.99

I broke it up into 2 transactions because I didn't go to "my" rite aid where they let me stack the RA "total value" coupons:
Transaction 1:
2 Oral-B advantage toothbrushes and Metamucil
- $0.75 off coupon on Oral-B Advantage Toothbrush
- BOGO coupon on Oral-B Advantage Toothbrush (- $2.74)
- $3 Metamucil coupon
- $3/$15 total purchase coupon from HERE
= $5.98 out of pocket

Transaction 2:
Gillette items
- Buy Cartridges, get razor free coupon (- $10.49)
- Rite Aid's promo: buy cartridges, get shave gel free (- $4.99)
- $1 off shave gel coupon
- $5/$25 total purchase coupon from HERE or HERE
= $8.99 out of pocket

BUT THEN, I'll get:
$5 SCR on the Metamucil
$1 SCR on Oral B toothbrush
$10 gift card
= ALL FREE (for $46.44 worth of product!), and in fact I "made" $1.03!

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TODAY, I'm going to do this and see if it works:
Cover girl is on sale BOGO + use my BOGO coupon
+
John Frieda shampoos & conditioners on sale for 3/$15
- 3 of my $3/1 coupons from this last Sunday's paper (my paper + my mom's paper + my aunt's paper - they all give me their coupons!)
- $5 SCR when you buy 3 John Frieda shampoos/conditioners
+
John Frieda styling product: $5.99 - $8.99 (not sure which item I'll get)
- my $2/1 coupon from last Sunday's paper
- Up to $6.99 SCR on a shampoo or contidioner when you buy the styler (will be $5 SCR in my case since they are on sale for 3/$15 = $5 each)

- $3/$15 total purchase coupon from here and/or $5/$20 video values total purchase coupon (for watching 20 videos on RiteAid's website)
= ALL FREE and would be a $8 moneymaker if they allow me to use both total purchase coupons!

FREE Earth Friendly products for your home!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Bringing Basics Back!) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 16:56:00 +0000

The first 100 people to sign up each month until December, 2010 will receive FREE "Earth Friendly Products" for your home! They are the makers of Ecos detergent, which I have tried in the past and like! I received my products in the mail earlier this month from submitting for my freebie in January (it took about 3 weeks), and it is a large box with various mini bottles of their product lines (they all smell soooo good!) and a coupon! So, March 1st, hop onto your computer, click HERE and sign up!

Sorry for my absence! + 6 FREE Ronzoni pastas!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Bringing Basics Back!) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 07:34:00 +0000

For the last few weeks to a month now, Blogger has not worked on my Mac and I'm not sure why, nor do I really have the time to figure it out. I have this dinky PC laptop that I've been using but it is annoyingly slow and I have to use that little finger-pad mouse thingy and it makes everything painfully slow, and my finger hates me right now! So, I kind of gave up on the blog for a couple weeks for a combination of reasons: the kids are getting more and more to the ages where they need me a LOT more often and every time I sit down to the computer, their little radars go off ++ the remodel on our house continues and there is much to do ++ we are gearing up for Spring in the garden and outside (that's how we spent Valentines Day today, after going out for breakfast)! So, not only does Blogger not work on my computer, I've been super busy! Blog looses.

BUT, I did want to let you know about this deal at Albertsons I scored:
6 FREE Ronzoni pastas!
The Healthy Harvest and Smart Taste versions are on sale through Tuesday for 10/$10... then, use the 3 "Twice the Value of the manufacturer coupon" coupons that were in last Tuesday's Albertson's ad, or from Sunday's paper + use 3 of the $1/2 coupons you can get from HERE and HERE! I have also seen a $0.75/1 coupon HERE in the past, and I had one from a previous newspaper insert. I was able to get 6 of the Healthy Harvest boxes of pasta for FREE... I only paid for my bananas at checkout!

Melissa & Doug toys blowout!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Survival Products Direct) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 11:51:00 +0000

Starting at 8am today, 2/4/10 at HauteLook, Melissa and Doug toys will be on sale! I really like their toys - they have a huge selection of non-toxic wood toys, cool designs, "classic", musical and educational toys!
If you don't already have an account - click HERE to sign up to get in on this sale before the toys sell out! Plus, after you sign up, you can send email invites to your friends to join, and earn a shopping credit - cool!

Speak out about Genetically Engineered Alfalfa!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Bringing Basics Back!) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 06:21:00 +0000

Please take a moment to go HERE, to Organic Valley's website and read about the USDA's plan to possibly allow Monsanto's Roundup-Ready Alfalfa into Organic food sources! I am outraged about this - God made alfalfa the way it is - it's not supposed to be genetically altered so that when they spray Round-Up and other gross chemicals on it, it wont die. A side note: if you do research on Monsanto the company, you will find that they are a very dangerous company, and I do not trust them. So, click HERE to go to Organic Valley's website and read about this upcoming USDA change that can have a major effect on Organic food.
Things like this make me even more glad we made the move to more property so we can have our own garden and be more self-sufficient.

BPA? No Way! Glass baby bottles w/safety silicone sleeve

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Bringing Basics Back!) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 19:25:00 +0000

If you are concerned about BPA in the plastic baby bottles, but are worried about breaking the glass bottles, these glass baby bottles with the silicone sleeve outer is an AWESOME solution! I wish I would have discovered these (not sure if they even had them?!) a few years ago, when my babies were babies! I used the BPA-free, plastic Born Free bottles with both of them (these are cool too because they have a handle and sippy cup attachment option to "grow" with your baby!), but totally would have used these had I known back then! Plus, you can clean them in the dishwasher, and heat them up in the pan with hot water (rather than using the microwave to heat them up - we no longer own a microwave, and it has forced us to eat healthier!)

Land of Nod has the large bottles in their sale section right now for $9.95 - but hurry, they only have the pink left, and it appears the smaller bottles are all sold out now too!

BabyEarth has some options (not on sale right now, but have a great selection!) from a few different brands, and ALSO sell the cool silicone sleeve by itself for $5.95 - $7.95 if you already own the glass baby bottles, or want to buy the Dr. Browns glass bottles and want the silicone safety sleeve!

Organic kids clothes sale + donation to Haiti!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Bringing Basics Back!) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:41:00 +0000

Positively Organic has designed this special shirt and onsie to symbolize our giving hearts in times of need. 50% of the sales from these special designs will go to aid Haiti!

While you are at their site, also check out their Clearance and Summer Sale sections for some great prices on organic kids and baby clothes! Click HERE to go to their site.

FREE scrapbooking ideas, downloadable e-book!

noreply@blogger.com (Andrea at Bringing Basics Back!) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 18:07:00 +0000

I just came across this cool downloadable e-book, HERE, with a TON of free scrapbooking layouts, ideas and tips! I love e-books because they store neatly away on my computer = less clutter on my shelves, and I can skip to the page I want in a jiffy! Not to mention it's no paper or ink that went into printing it!

GREEN TIP:
Instead of buying special scrapbooking paper (which costs you monetary green too!), try saving birthday cards, Christmas cards, gift tags, gift bags, gift wrap, even cool packaging from food and toy boxes to use as your backgrounds and embellishments! My daughter received a Princess and the Frog doll for her birthday, and the packaging had a "dreamy" background that I saved, and also had some pictures of the Frog that I cut out and saved, that would be really cute in a scrapbook! So, think about some other creative options other than buying all new paper when you peruse your scrapbooking e-book!