Tips & Treasures

SC Johnson $5 rebate for Shout, Pledge, Nature's Source, and more!

2010-02-08T11:48:00.002-05:00

SC Johnson is offering a $5 mail in rebate for purchasing their products! Some of their products include: Scrubbing Bubbles, Pledge, Ziplock, Glade, Shout, Windex, Fantastik, Drano, Raid, Off, Saran and Nature's Source.

Simply purchase any 3 of their products and complete the rebate form and your refund will be on it's way.

Find the $5 rebate form here.

Note that this is for purchases between 10/1/09 and 6/30/10. Be sure to send in your rebate form and receipts by 7/15/10.

Show me the money... (Weekly Recap)

2010-02-08T07:45:00.000-05:00

How much extra money did you earn this week? How much did you save? Here's my weekly re-cap of money/gift cards earned, cash saved by using coupons, and freebies received in the mail.

It's fun to see your savings/earnings amounts all added up. It clearly shows that it's time well spent when you cut coupons, hunt for sales, and make little bits of money here and there. Here's my recap for the past week, 1/31/10 - 2/6/10.

Cash/Checks/Gift Cards Received

$5.00....... Discover gift card won in a box of Golden Grahams cereal
$15.00..... Amazon.com gift cards from Swagbucks (Use their free search engine & earn gift cards!)
$5.00....... Walmart gift card (Came free in the mail!)

Total: $25.00

Coupon Savings

$9.00.... CVS (Also got $5 in Extra Bucks, but I'll count them when redeemed.)

Total: $9.00

Freebies

Being Girl sample pack (Still available!)

Total 2010 Cash/Checks/Gift Cards Received: $124.33
Total 2010 Coupon Savings: $192.58

Find my previous weekly re-caps here.

Freebie Alert: Mariani Dried Plums

2010-02-03T06:34:00.001-05:00

Looking for a healthy snack? Here's a great freebie to try out.

Sign up here for a free sample pack of Mariani Dried Plums. Use the code: SUPERFRUIT.

Enjoy!

Natural Nibbles Dog Food Freebie!

2010-02-02T09:22:00.001-05:00

We love dog food freebies around here. It's a great way for our two dogs to sample all kinds of dog foods and see which ones they prefer.

It's also a great way for them to get a variety of foods so that they don't get bored of eating the same thing all the time.

Anway, you can snag a free sample bag of Natural Nibbles dog food. Sign up for that here.

Don't have a dog? You could always give it to a friend with a dog or donate it to a shelter! That's what I do with any cat food freebies I come across, since we don't have a cat.

Family Fun Magazine: Just $3.31 For a Year!!!

2010-01-31T15:11:00.001-05:00

I was so excited to find this hot deal! But get ready to jump on this one quick because it's good for today only.

You can get a full 1-year subscription to Family Fun magazine for just $3.31!!! I LOVE that magazine because it's full of fun crafts and recipies, all specially created for families.

To take advantage of this deal, click here to add Family Fun to your cart. It's the Deal of the Day and it's priced at just $3.89.

Use coupon code: PXSS131 to take an additional 15% off and bring your total down to $3.31.

By the way, that coupon is good for most other magazines on their site as well. It expires today, 1/31/10.

Show me the money... (Weekly Recap)

2010-01-31T11:10:00.001-05:00

How much extra money did you earn this week? How much did you save? Here's my weekly re-cap of money/gift cards earned, cash saved by using coupons, and freebies received in the mail.

It's fun to see your savings/earnings amounts all added up. It clearly shows that it's time well spent when you cut coupons, hunt for sales, and make little bits of money here and there. Here's my recap for the past week, 1/24/10 - 1/30/10.

Cash/Checks/Gift Cards Received

$0.23...... YouData (Get paid to view ads... paid every Friday, no minimums!)
$5.00...... Toys "R" Us gift cards (Signed up for the $5 Facebook fan promo!)
$20.00.... Visa gift card from Valued Opinions surveys
$10.00.... Target gift cards from the diaper deal they offered last week

Total: $35.23

Coupon Savings

$0.89...... Best Deal Magazines (Use code: PXSS27 for 15% off most magazines through 2/7/10!)
$18.40.... Acme
$17.49.... Target (Includes $0.30 credit from using our own bags!)
$45.63.... Old Navy (25% off & free shipping codes!)

Total: $82.41

Freebies

Sample size bag of Stacy's Pita Chips
Coupon for a free full-sized bag of any Stacy's products
Shape magazine

Total 2010 Cash/Checks/Gift Cards Received: $99.33
Total 2010 Coupon Savings: $183.58

Find my previous weekly re-caps here.

Another survey site to check out!

2010-01-30T15:31:00.000-05:00

I've posted many times about how much I LOVE taking surveys in my spare time. I love being able to influence companies with my opinions about issues and products.

Last year I made $523.75 from the various survey companies that I work with online! And that's not even counting all the free products that I received to test out for them.

Anyway, I was just looking over the list of my favorite survey sites (which is always right up there on my menubar under "Paid Surveys") and I realized that I forgot to list one of my favorite survey sites.

So, I've added it to the list incase you're interested. It's called Valued Opinions. I've been a member there since April of 2008, so almost two years.

I've been paid $60 from them so far and I've earned another $10 that I haven't cashed out for yet. My first two payouts, I opted for $20 Amazon.com gift cards and the last one I chose the $20 Visa gift card, which I just got in the mail today!

So this is definately a reliable survey company that you can trust and I highly recommend.

By the way, I do not recieve any compensation for referring you to Valued Opinions. With some of the other survey sites on my list, I may get a small referral bonus if you sign up through my link. But, you can be sure I'll only list good sites that I've personally tested out so I know they are really legit. No one can buy my opinions or my integrity :)

Old Navy: 25% off, free shipping & 10% cash back!!!

2010-01-29T15:17:00.001-05:00

Oh, what a deal! I just got done making a big purchase from Old Navy. I stocked up on a bunch of summer clothes for my kids. I got such a great deal, I wanted to share it with all of you!

Like I always say, it has to be a crime not to share the bargains!

Anyway, today through Sunday (1/31/10), you can score a whopping 25% off at Old Navy if you use your Old Navy, Gap or Banana Republic credit card! Simply use coupon code: CARD25 at checkout.

That's a great deal in itself. But it gets better!

You can also get free shipping on your order of $100 or more when you pay with your card! For that deal, use coupon code: MYCARD. Note that these two coupon codes can both be used!

Also be sure to make your purchase through your Ebates account for 10% cash back on your Old Navy purchase!!! How great is that? If you're new to Ebates, sign up for your free account here and you'll also get a $5 sign-up bonus!

Free 3-pack of Pampers NEW Dry Max Diapers!

2010-01-29T08:06:00.000-05:00

Starting today, 1/29/10, you can request a free sample 3-pack of Pampers diapers! Yippee to free diapers!

And these are not just any diapers, these are their newest, redesigned diapers with Dry Max technology. The new Pampers Cruisers with Dry Max helps lock wetness away up to 12 hours, making this their driest diaper ever. The new Pampers Cruisers with Dry Max officially hits shelves in March!

To celebrate the launch of the brand’s first-ever high performance diaper, Pampers has partnered with the Olympics and outfitted Team USA athletes and their families, with branded Team USA Pampers Cruisers with Dry Max as they head to Vancouver for the Olympic Winter Games.

Although these Team USA diapers are not for sale, starting today you can request a free sample three-pack of Pampers Cruisers with Dry Max on Pampers.com.

Also, if the sample sent includes a diaper stamped Team USA, (randomly inserted in select sample packs), their baby will win a year’s supply of Pampers diapers! And you thought a free 3-pack of diapers was good enough?!

FREE $5 Gift Card to Toys R Us or Babies R Us!!!

2010-01-28T17:28:00.001-05:00

Wow, what a great freebie! Become a fan of Babies "R" Us on Facebook and you'll get a free $5 gift card!

Go here to sign up for your free gift card!

The gift card will be sent to your email but you can use it online or in store. Also, it can be used for Toys "R" Us or Babies "R" Us.

This offer is vaid today (1/28/10) only!

Your gift card will arrive via email in a few days and will be good through 2/20/10.

Thanks so much to Money Saving Methods for the heads up on this great freebie!

Thrifty Thursday: Saving money on kids' pajamas

2010-01-28T10:48:00.001-05:00

I have a confession to make... I never buy pajamas that actually fit my kids. Horrible mom, right?

Not exactly. But I AM a Thrifty Mom. See, this is how I save big bucks on my kids' pajamas. (By the way, my kids are 2 and almost 4.)

Pajamas are just something worn around the house and I'm not willing to blow a whole lot of money on them. But I don't want to buy the el cheapo pajamas either. Because those always shrink up right away, or stains don't come out of their cheap fabrics, or they lose their shape too quickly, or they simply fall apart. Really, don't waste your money on cheap clothes. It's SO not worth it.

Anyway, my secret to saving money on pajamas is to buy them in the next size up from what they currently wear. That way my kids can wear those pajamas when they are alittle too big, when they fit just right and then when they are just a little too small.

This works perfectly for us since they are just worn around the house so it's no big deal to have the wasteband folded over, the bottoms cuffed or if the pants are just a tad short. Oh, and we hardly ever buy any footed pj's because the kids just grow out of their length wayyyy to quickly.

You may be wondering what we do when the seasons change. Well, with having the AC on in the summer, it's almost the same temperature indoors as it is in the winter, so it doesn't make much of a difference. But another thing we do is to swap out the tops and bottoms with others.

So we might take winter long sleeve and pants pjs and swap out the shirt for a short sleeved one we have laying around for the summer. And of course, it works the other way and we can swap out summer shorts for long pants in the winter.

Also, even without swaping out the pajama pieces, the kids still get to wear each set of pajamas for two winters or two summers since they are bought a size up.

This has saved us a huge amount of money. But not only does it save us money, but it saves us from buying so many pairs of pajamas and therefore saves the planet's resources. Love it!

One of the key factors in making this work is buying a quality pair of pajamas and not junk. Just about all of my kids' pajamas comes from Kohl's. They are mostly the Carter's brand and they really hold up well. But I always buy them on clearance at the end of the season, and I always have a coupon to make them cheaper, so I'm not spending alot.

Oh, and another perk to buying quality-made pajamas (and other clothes, for that matter) is that you can easily resell them since they hold up so much better and then you can make some of your money back!

Find more thrifty ideas at the Coupon Teacher who is hosting Thrifty Thursday!

Try a Kashi Freebie

2010-01-28T08:24:00.001-05:00

Did you make a resolution to eat healthier in the new year? Forgot about that one already, right?

Anyway, Kashi wants to help you keep your healthy eating resolution. So they're offering up free samples of several of their products.

Go here to sign up for your freebie.

You can choose from the GOLEAN Crisp! Toasted Berry Crumble ceareal, the TLC Dark Chocolate Coconut Fruit & Grain bar, or the GOLEAN Crunch! Honey Almond Flax cereal.

Redbook Magazine: 1 Year Subscription for $4.50

2010-01-27T10:18:00.001-05:00

It seems that many of my magazine subscriptions are ending between now and June, so I've been busy scoping out all the prices, trying to find the best deal, of course.

And where else could be a better place to look than Best Deal Magazines? I've gotten several subscriptions through them in the past and they almost always have the best prices.... and coupon codes to make them better!

So anyway, TODAY ONLY they have a 1 year subscription to Redbook magazine for just $4.50! That's a great price, and it only lasts for today (1/27/10) only, so be sure to jump in on that one!

To take advantage of this great deal, click here to find this Redbook deal and you'll notice that the price comes up as $5.29. Add it to your cart and use coupon code: PXSS131 to take an additional 15% off. That brings your price down to $4.50!

By the way, that coupon code can be used on most of their magazines through 1/31/10.

15 and counting...

2010-01-27T07:28:00.002-05:00

Ok, so I finally jumped on board and signed up with Twitter a little while ago.

I'm trying to keep that updated with some of my blog posts as well as some exclusive links that don't get posted on my blog. (Right now you can find a link to a great pen freebie on my Twitter page!)

I do this because sometimes I don't have the time to type up a whole blog post, but it's quick and convenient to post something on Twitter. That way I can always keep you guys up to date on freebies, coupons and great deals.

On my sidebar, you'll notice my Twitter updater that always shows my latest tweet. You can click through to check out my Twitter page as well.

So, like I said, I haven't been on Twitter long and I'm actually only following a few people, but I'm gradually adding more!

So if you use Twitter, consider following me so you don't miss out on any good stuff. You know, it's kinda depressing to see that I only have 15 followers... let's get those numbers up! Please?

Where can you earn cash & gift cards online?

2010-01-26T10:16:00.003-05:00

I wanted to put together this list for all of you that are just starting out with earing cash online and for those that are looking for new places to try out.

I want to stress that any of these places on my lists are legitimate sites that I trust. I have used each of these for quite some time now and have also been paid by each of these.

Swagbucks - Search engine powered by Google and Ask.com - They randomly award you Swagbucks and you can redeem them for gift cards and all kinds of prizes. My favorite is the Amazon gift card for only 45 Swagbucks. You can also earn Swagbucks when they give out free codes for them or from referring your friends. Get 3 free Swagbucks just for signing up today!

My Points - They send you emails with advertisements in them. Open the emails, click the link to view the site and you are awarded points. Also earn points from shopping at your fav stores through their links, referring friends, printing coupons and taking surveys. Redeem your points for all kinds of gift cards!

You Data - View advertisements, click on the link to view the site and easily earn cash. They pay every Friday directly into your PayPal account. No cashout minimums. And no need to even request payments! By the way, PayPal is free and easy to use, incase you're wondering.

QuickRewards - They send you emails, you click on the advertisements and view the site. They reward you in points which translate into cash. This also pays to your PayPal account. No minimum cashouts!

Send Earnings - They send you emails, you click the link and view the advertisement or site. They reward you in cash. You can also earn cash for taking their surveys and referring friends, among other things on their site. Earn $5.00 just for signing up!

Inbox Dollars - Exactly the same as Snap Dollars. Feel free to sign up for both!

Snap Dollars - They send you emails and you click the link to view the site. They award you in cash. Also earn additional cash by referring friends ($5 for each one!) and other activites on their site. Sign up and you'll get a $5 sign-up bonus.

Cash Crate - Click links on their site to view advertisements. This one requires you to fill out forms for various sites with your REAL information. This does generate some spam to your email so I would suggest using an alternate email address if this bothers you. It hasn't bothered me much. I just mark them as spam and send them on their way. And then I sit back and enjoy the cash I'm earning :)

These sites are all FREE for you to use. No cost is necessary to use these sites. They will pay YOU in either cash or gift cards, depending on the site.

Note that on several of these sites there may be free trials or whatnot that you can sign up for, but beware that some of them do require a credit card and may cost you money. These are completely optional portions of the sites. I normally avoid these and I don't sign up for anything requiring a credit card, unless it's something I really want, which is pretty rare.

My suggestion is to keep with the free portions of these sites. You will still earn cash and gift cards, so no worries about that.

I hope this list helps you to get started making money online or helps you find a new site to try out. This list will not make you rich, but it sure is nice to have these extra bits of income.

Check back occasionally, as I will add sites to this list... but only after I try them out for awhile and I receive a payment from them. You can always find this list by clicking on the "Earn Cash Online" tab on my menu bar.

Any questions, please feel free to contact me and I will try my best to help you out!

Enjoy!

Aveeno Shampoo & Conditioner Freebies!

2010-01-26T08:33:00.000-05:00

Try a free sample of Aveeno NOURISH+ Shampoo and Conditioner.

Click here to sign up for your freebie.

They will ask you a few quick questions to see which type of shampoo & conditioner that they recommend for your hair type.

Show me the money... (Weekly Recap)

2010-01-25T16:20:00.000-05:00

How much extra money did you earn this week? How much did you save? Here's my weekly re-cap of money/gift cards earned, cash saved by using coupons, and freebies received in the mail.

It's fun to see your savings/earnings amounts all added up. It clearly shows that it's time well spent when you cut coupons, hunt for sales, and make little bits of money here and there. Here's my recap for the past week, 1/17/10 - 1/23/10.

Cash/Checks/Gift Cards Received

$0.05....... YouData (Get paid to view ads... paid every Friday, no minimums!)
$20.64..... Sold on Ebay
$15.00..... Amazon.com gift cards from Swagbucks! (Sign up, it's free!)

Total: $35.69

Coupon Savings

$6.04...... Kohl's
$10.00.... Crazy8
$10.00.... Magazines.com
$0.05...... Target (Reusable bag credit)

Total: $26.09

Freebies

Home Made Simple coupon booklet
Martha Stewart Living magazine

Total 2010 Cash/Checks/Gift Cards Received: $64.10
Total 2010 Coupon Savings: $101.17

Find my previous weekly re-caps here.

Freebie Alert: Purex Complete 3-in-1 Laundry Sheets

2010-01-25T08:09:00.000-05:00

Have you tried these yet?

Purex has 3-in-1 laundry sheets that cotain detergent, softener, and anit-static agents in them. You just pop em right into the washer and then into the dryer right along with your laundry.

I haven't tried these yet, but I just found this great freebie offer for them so I'll be testing them out soon enough!

Sign up for your Purex Complete 3-in-1 free sample here.

Enjoy!

Everything but the kitchen sink...

2010-01-22T10:08:00.002-05:00

This year I am determined to rid our house of all the unnecessary crap that's hanging around. A highchair, pack & play, kids clothes, kids shoes, toys, adult clothes, boots, curtains... whatever, it's ALL gotta go.

We normally do two yard sales a year at my parents' house and that certainly helps to rid us of some of our old stuffs. And I have occasionally sold a few things on eBay.

But it really isn't enough now that we have two quickly growing little ones. They just accumulate SO much and then grow out of the clothes and shoes and get too old for many of the toys. It's really a never-ending process.

Anyway... I'm really determined to clear it all out. I've already jump-started the new year by seling a few things on eBay. And just yesterday I listed a few more things... and even sold one within a few hours of it being listed! Go me! lol

After alot of previous trial and error on eBay, I finally realized that it's best to list most of my items as a fixed price rather than an auction. Too many times I didn't get many (or any) bids and ended up selling something for a dollar or so and I know that I could have gotten much more.

But if I list at a fixed price for the amount I want, then eventually someone will come along and buy it at that price. Sometimes it only takes a few hours and sometimes it takes a few months, but eventually the right buyer always comes along.

So, I'm going to keep listing and selling and hopefully I will acquire a nice chunk of change in my PayPal account. I love saving money up through there and then using that when I need to purchase things for us or for gifts. That way those purchases don't have an impact on our budget! (I do the same thing with saving up Amazon gift cards that I earn through Swagbucks).

I also have several nice toddler girls dresses that have only been worn once. Every Christmas, birthday and Easter, I've always bought a fancy dress for my daughter to wear and I need to sell all the old ones.

I'm thinking I'll take these to a consignment store. I know of one that will pay you up front for your items instead of waiting for them to sell. So we'll see how much they are willing to give me.

And I don't even need to get that much for the dresses to make me happy because I bought them all super-cheap on clearance anyway. I always shop for her dresses a year in advance when they are on clearance. Kohl's recently had all of their left over Christmas dresses on clearance and so we bought one for her for next Christmas.

Now I just have to remember to actually take the dresses to the consignment store. I really am an expert at procrastination.

Oh and that reminds me of one other way I'm reducing the clutter around here. I have a huge box of brand new infant shoes. I bought them super-cheap from a company with the plans to resell them and make a profit.

Well, I did sell a bunch... but then they kinda got forgotten about and have been sitting in a box ever since. Time to act on that. I've been selling some on Blujay, but I really need to list some more on there. And I should probably list a few on eBay as well.

Ok, so that's my plan. Now hopefully since I have it all written out, it might actually motivate me to get it done.

Something new that I'd like to add to my Weekly Recaps, is how much I make from selling on eBay, etc. I think it'd be helpful to see those totals at the end of the year just like my coupon savings and other earnings.

So look for that in my future Weekly Recaps.

Do you have stuff to clear out of your house as well? Do you have a plan to declutter? Why not get motivated with me and earn some spare cash in the meantime?

FREE "Bring Your Own Bag" Window Cling

2010-01-21T17:58:00.001-05:00

Here's a great way to remember to bring your own reusable bags with you when you shop. And it's also a good way to inspire others to do the same!

Get a free static window cling that says "Make a Difference - Bring Your Own Bag" from Conserving Now. It's for use on your car window... and it's not a sticker, it just clings to your window and is easy to remove.

Sign up for your freebie here.

You should receive your free static window cling in about 4-6 weeks. Enjoy!

Freebie Alert: Get a FREE Organic Notepad!

2010-01-21T08:48:00.002-05:00

Here's a great unique freebie for you. SolarEnergyPittsburgh.com is giving away free organic notepads!

Sign up for your freebie here. It's a quick and easy form with just your name and address.

Your free notepad will arrive in 2-4 weeks.

$10 off Party City Coupon

2010-01-20T08:57:00.000-05:00

If you need any party supplies, now's the time to go! I found this great Party City coupon for $10 off your purchase of $30 or more. The coupon is good through 2/1/10.

Grab that printable coupon here.

If you're shopping online, you can use coupon code: PCVAL30.

Of course, I got this coupon exactly four days after I was there buying birthday party supplies for my son's 2nd birthday. Oh well... maybe I'll get there and stock up... I do have my daughter's 4th(!!!) birthday in two months.

Show me the money... (Weekly Recap)

2010-01-19T16:33:00.000-05:00

How much extra money did you earn this week? How much did you save? Here's my weekly re-cap of money/gift cards earned, cash saved by using coupons, and freebies received in the mail.

It's fun to see your savings/earnings amounts all added up. It clearly shows that it's time well spent when you cut coupons, hunt for sales, and make little bits of money here and there. Here's my recap for the past week, 1/10/10 - 1/16/10.

Cash/Checks/Gift Cards Received

$0.25...... YouData (Get paid to view ads... paid every Friday, no minimums!)
$5.00...... Home Depot gift card from Wendy's
$2.00...... Diapers.com referral (Use code: NOWSAVE5 for $10 off your 1st purchase of $49!)
$10.00.... Amazon.com gift card from Clear Voice Surveys

Total: $17.25

Coupon Savings

$2.00...... RiteAid
$15.49.... Friendly's
$5.00...... Chuck E. Cheese
$12.00.... Lane Bryant
$1.59...... Dunkin Donuts

Total: $36.08

Freebies

Return address labels and stickers

Total 2010 Cash/Checks/Gift Cards Received: $28.41
Total 2010 Coupon Savings: $75.08

Find my previous weekly re-caps here.

Free shipping on ANY order!

2010-01-15T08:47:00.000-05:00

The Fisher-Price Store is offering free shipping on ANY order! No minimum purchase is needed!

To take advantage of this offer, use coupon code: HAPPY2010 at checkout.

Offer good through 1/25/10.

Bath & Body Works: $10 printable coupon

2010-01-14T09:52:00.000-05:00

It looks like Bath & Body Works has some great sale and clearance pricing going on right now. I'm seeing prices up to 50% off online and up to a whopping 75% off in stores!

But of course, you'd like to make those prices even better. Use this printable coupon for $10 off your purchase of $40 or more. If you're shopping online, use coupon code: SALEFORTY. This coupon is valid through 1/17/10.

Also, if you're shopping online, be sure to get your cash back! Right now Mr. Rebates is offering 4% cash back, Ebates has 3% cash back and Shop At Home has 4% cash back.

New to cash back shopping? Sign up for one (or all 3!) of the sites listed above! It's free and you'll get cash back for your online purchases at most stores! Oh, and you'll get a $5.00 sign-up bonus for each site as well.