I love Vera Bradley handbags primarily because of the great patterns that are available.

There is always something to match every outfit.

And each design is somewhat seasonal.

A fabric will be released and remain available for some time until it is retired.

This is a fantastic policy! What it does is ensures that not everyone is walking around with the same purse. It also creates a demand for styles that will no longer be available.

Here are some of my favorites:

The thing about Vera Bradley patterns is that they look best when you wear a solid colored wardrobe. Because the pattern on the bag is busy it is hard to keep it from clashing with a outfit that incorporates a lot of color.

Which is your favorite pattern?

Coupons 101: What does Per Purchase Mean? – What does Per Transaction Mean?

When you start couponing – there will come a day when a store employee does not understand the terminology on a coupon.

Per purchase and per transaction are two terms that tend to cause confusion.

Today I was using two of the same coupons in one order. They were high dollar value – $8 each, to be exact.

For some reason the register was not accepting the coupons and the cashier called for a manager override.

Now – the coupon clearly stated “limit 1 coupon per purchase” – it also stated “limit of 4 like coupons in same shopping trip”.

What “per purchase” means – is that you can use one coupon per each stated item purchased. So, if the coupon says “1 dollar off 2 widgets” and you have 2 of these coupons, then you need to buy 4 widgets to be able to use both of them.

You should be able to buy all 4 of those widgets in one shopping order – which is called a transaction. Unless, of course, the coupon states that you can only use one coupon per transaction.

So – back to my shopping trip this morning. I could have used up to 4 of the same coupon in that shopping order.

But the manager that came over told the cashier that I could not – because the coupon said 1 coupon per purchase.

Talk about frustration – mine and the three people waiting in line behind me!

Instead of trying to convince him that he was wrong, I just told the cashier to subtract the items from my order and ring them up separately.

Nothing like wasting time.

Anyhow – would you have done the same thing or would you have handled the situation differently?

Ok – I think I’m falling in love – with Steve Madden handbags.

Actually the right term is Big Buddha handbags. Have you seen this new line?

I think you can tote around everything but the kitchen sink – in style!

The, ahem, older wiser I get, the more stuff I seem to need with me all the time.

I mean, an iPad or a Kindle needs a nice cushy home when not in use, and I am NOT carrying around a big ole laptop bag to harbor my sleek device.

Are you?

Steve Madden has it all figured out. I know because he’s offering up some of the most awesome handbags around.

Even better is this fantastic little coupon code that I have for you – good for free shipping on orders over $75:

Free Shipping on BigBuddha.com orders over $75 – use code BBFREESHIP

And, surprisingly Macy’s also has a pretty good selection of Big Buddha handbags, if you don’t find what you are looking for at Steve Madden. Some of them are on sale too!

If you are serious about couponing – or thinking about getting serious – then this is the weekend for you to run out and buy a few Sunday papers to get started.

It is the first weekend of the month and my paper was brimming with coupon leaflets.

In addition, the P and G Brandsaver came out today.

So, the few dollars you pay for the paper should prove to be a good investment.

The downside, of course, is all that clipping!

I have a clipping shortcut for you – but it is so hard to explain in words. And I am kicking myself for not having snapped a picture this morning as I labored my way through the process.

Next week I hope to show you my trick.

So you want to learn how to begin extreme couponing?

We’ve all seen the extreme couponing shows – where people armed with binders full of coupons hit the stores and shop for free.

It’s a bit over the top and gives coupons a bad rap.

But, hey, if you can save some money every week buying things that you need anyway – then why not take a stab at it?

Getting started is easy, especially if you take it slowly and don’t set your expectations too high.

Set Some Goals

The first thing that you will want to do is set some goals.

Think through some of these questions:

• How much money do I want to spend each week?
• How much time do I have to put into this extreme couponing thing?
• How much space do I have to store things that I buy with coupons?
• How many stores do I want to visit each week?

How you answer these questions is a very important when learning how to begin extreme couponing.

Saving Money

Expecting a grocery bill of zero is unrealistic. Some people do it – but it takes a lot of time and effort to make it work.

When I started to take coupons seriously – my personal goal was to spend about the same each week on groceries and drugstore items – but I wanted to get more product for those same dollars.

This goal has actually worked very well for me.

I have learned to combine store sales, store coupons, and manufacturer coupons to get a rock bottom price on things I need.

No – what I buy is not usually free, but it costs a lot less than what I would have normally paid – and to me that is success.

Time Commitment

Couponing may seem like a great way to save money – but you need to commit a certain amount of time to the process.

At the very least, you will be clipping coupons out of the Sunday paper.

If you step it up a notch, you might be using a few papers. Or you might be visiting several websites and printing coupons online to match the items on your grocery list.

You will also be spending more time shopping. With coupons, the size and brand matter. You need to make sure you are buying the exact product that is listed on the coupon.

Visiting several stores to take advantage of different sales also requires extra effort on your part.

Think about how much time you want to set aside for this. The key is to start small. Start with one store, start with just a few products – and grow from there as you become more confident.

Space Considerations

If you’ve watched the TV show – you have seen the rooms full of stuff that people amass with extreme couponing.

Even if you are not quite as fanatical about it – you will end up with some extra stuff that you need to store at the end of the day.

You will need to set aside some storage space in a closet or in the basement to put the extra stuff you get that you won’t be using right away.

And if you have a small refrigerator or freezer – stocking up on perishable items may not be a good use of your time, energy, and money.

Ponder these thoughts and tomorrow we will discuss how to organize coupons.

Return from How to Begin Extreme Couponing to the I Love A Good Sale homepage.

Wondering – “when is the next P and G BrandSaver coming out?”

Good news!

The next installment is due to hit newspapers near you on October 2, 2011.

Mark your calendars so you don’t miss it.

If you are not familiar – the P and G Brandsaver (short for Proctor and Gamble Brandsaver) is a coupon insert booklet that is usually included in most Sunday papers. It is chock full of savings on Proctor and Gamble products.

Combining these coupons with grocery store sales or drugstore sales can save you a bundle.

I love using them with CVS extra bucks offers the most.

So when October rolls around – pay attention. This is one issue that you won’t want to miss.

Looking for a Crest Whitestrips coupon?

You are in the right place. Grab the instant savings of 7 dollars at drugstore.com

It is unbelievable how much we have to spend to look good! And this product is no exception.

The name Crest means quality and value – but you really need to search hard for the value piece when it comes to Whitestrips.

Every little bit helps, right?

This instant coupon is offered at drugstore.com – if you haven’t shopped there before, give it a try.

Shipping is free on orders over $25 – so your purchase will qualify even after the Crest Whitestrips coupon is applied.

And think of the time and gas you will save by shopping online.

Coffee drinkers and red wine lovers rejoice – you can now have that whiter smile for less!

(Expires October 1, 2011)

Get a Free Revlon Makeup Sample and a 2 Dollar Coupon

Here is a freebie that I want to pass on to you.

Right now Revlon is offering a free sample of their Age Defying with DNA Advantage Cream Makeup SPF 20 plus a 2 dollar coupon for free.

Signing up is simple and there does not seem to be any strings attached.

I just put in for my own freebie – and when I get it I will let you know – but by that time it will be too late for you to sign up.

If this is a foundation that you have been meaning to try, now is a good time!

UPDATE: Holy cow! I think this one was gone even before I hit publish! The link should have taken you directly to the Coupons.com page with the offer showing up in the first spot. When I tested the link – the offer wasn’t there. I scrolled through all the pages, but no luck. It’s worth a try – maybe your search will be successful.

Finding high value coupons on things that you use every day is the key to making couponing successful.

A Pledge coupon always comes in handy in my house – because we go through a can of this stuff every month.

I came across a save $1.50 off of 2 Pledge furniture care products at Coupons.com

Now, Pledge just happens to be on sale at Stop and Shop this week for 2 for $7.00.

Combine the sale price with the coupon for $1.50 and you’ve got yourself 2 cans of Pledge for $5.50.

This works out to $2.75 per can.

Getting this product for under $3.00 is a pretty good deal in my book!

Find more printable coupons from Coupons.com here.

Today we are happy to announce the addition of Coupons.com Printable Coupons to I Love A Good Sale.

Although I love shopping with online coupons, I spend a lot of money offline too.

Growing four kids means almost daily visits to the grocery store. I only wish I could eat as much as they do!

I have always used couponing as a way to save money on the weekly grocery bill – but lately I have had to step it up a notch.

One thing I discovered was printing coupons from my computer at home.

It’s Easy

I can’t believe that I waited so long to start using printable coupons. I guess I thought it would be complicated.

But sites like Coupons.com make it really easy.

You don’t even have to sign up for anything.

All you have to do is click the coupons that you want to print – and then print them.

Your computer may ask you to install a little printing applet – which is necessary. The coupons that you print will be very official looking so that they cannot be copied and used in a fraudulent manner.

(If you use a Mac and have recently upgraded to Lion – these coupon printing instructions may be helpful to you).

Most Stores Accept Printable Coupons

I was also afraid that some stores would not accept coupons that I printed at home. In actuality, I have found that most stores DO accept these.

Just to be safe, I did call my local Stop and Shop to confirm.

Give It A Try

What have you got to lose? You really have a lot of money to gain by using these online savings!

And be sure to write in with any big savings and good deals that you come across.

Shopping has actually become a lot more fun now.

The other day, I went to the store with my eight year old daughter. Our total bill was around $50.

“Fifty Dollars!” she exclaimed – as if this was far too much to pay. I think I’ve got a budding couponer in the works.