Utah Deal Diva

Free Sample Ritz Munchables!

2010-03-15T11:40:00.000-06:00

Become a Fan of Ritz on Facebook and you'll be able to sign up for a sample of the new Ritz Munchables Pretzel Crisps! After you become a fan, scroll down and you will see a green box advertising this sample!

Thanks Hip2Save!

Save $1.50 on Oscar Mayer Bacon!

2010-03-15T11:30:00.000-06:00

Go here to get a coupon for $1.50 off Oscar Mayer Bacon! It was available over the weekend but the print limit was exceeded so fast it didn't last long. It's printing again though, so print it now if you're interested!

Note: Turn your pop-up blocker off first!

Thanks CouponKatarina!

Cheap Cereal at Target this week!

2010-03-15T11:25:00.000-06:00

There is a great deal at Target this week on Kellogg's cereals. They're priced at $2.50 each, but when you buy 4, you'll get a $5 Target gift card! The real benefit of course comes if you have a $5 gift card from a previous promotion to "roll" into this deal.

Select Kellogg's cereals, $2.50

Subtotal: $10
Use $1.50/2 Kelloggs Frosted Mini Wheats cereals here
Use $1.50/2 Kellogg’s Frosted Mini Wheats, All-Bran and or Raisin Bran 11.4 oz or larger coupon
Or use $1/2 Kellogg’s All-Bran, Frosted Mini-Wheats and/or Raisin Bran cereals from 3/7 RP
Or use $1/2 Kellogg’s Pops, Fruit Loops, Apple Jacks cereals from 3/7 RP
Total OOP: $7- $8
Buy 4, receive a $5 Target gift card
Final price: $2-$3, or .50-.75 per box!!

There are several different types of participating cereals, however some are priced well above $2.50, so keep that in mind when making your selections! Here's a list of participating varieties that are around the $2.50 mark:

Frosted Mini Wheats, Bite sized, 18 oz, $2.50
Frosted Mini Wheats Strawberry Delight 10.3 oz, $2.54
Raisin Bran Xtra 14 oz, $2.50
Raisin Bran Crunch 18.2 oz, $2.50
Fruit Loops 12.2 oz, $2.54
Corn Pops 12.5 oz, $2.54
Rice Krispies 12 oz, $2.50

Thanks Totallytarget!

Chick-fil-A Freebies!

2010-03-15T10:17:00.000-06:00

There are two fun promotions going on at Utah Chick-fil-A locations this month!

In honor of St. Patrick's day, make any food purchase on Wednesday, March 17th and keep your green receipt! Return anytime between March 18th- 31st, show them your receipt, and you'll get the entire meal again... for FREE!

Become a fan of the South Jordan location on Facebook and you can get a FREE Chick-fil-A original sandwich! They'll offer the freebie if they can get 1,000 fans by the end of the month. Even though this page is specifically for the South Jordan location, it says it's valid for all Utah stores! Become a fan here.

Thanks OneCheapchick!

Save on Smart Taste Pasta & more new coupons

2010-03-15T08:41:00.000-06:00

Go here to print a coupon for .75 off a box of Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta! This is easily our favorite type of pasta to eat, so I'm very excited to see this coupon again!

Here are a few more great coupons that surfaced over the weekend:

$1.50/1 Right Guard Total Defense deodorant {save for Kmart's doubles!}
$1/1 Listerine {coupon reset}
$1/1 any Rhodes Warm 'n Serve rolls

Thanks PrintableCouponsandDeals!

Giveaway: Shop Early Passes & $10 to the Just Between Friends Sale!

2010-03-13T19:23:00.002-07:00

Have you heard of Just Between Friends? It's the mother of all consignment sales and it's coming to Utah this month! There is a Utah County Just Between Friends Sale being held at the Spanish Fork Fairgrounds from March 25- 27th. Those of us up north can attend the Davis County Just Between Friends Sale from April 21st- 24th at the Davis County Fairgrounds.

Just Between Friends is the best place in Utah to bargain-shop for quality gently-used baby, maternity, and children's items. Come shop during the limited engagement event for the best deals on the things your family needs. Only the highest quality items are sold and savings is substantial --usually 50 to 90% off retail prices! At a typical Just Between Friends event, you can find clothing, toys, baby equipment, strollers, high chairs, cribs, joggers, nursery gear, maternity wear, baby carriers, play yards, play sets, coats and shoes.

If you have clothes your kids have outgrown, toys they no longer play with, or baby gear you no longer need, you should consider signing up as a consignor! Not only will you be able to make some extra cash, but as a consignor, you'll receive a two FREE passes to the consignors-only presale! Select the location here for more info.

Two lucky Utah Deal Diva readers
will each win a Shop Early pass
and a $10 gift certificate to the
Just Between Friends Sale of their choice!

To enter, just leave a comment on this post, telling me which event location you'd prefer to shop at, Utah or Davis County! When entering the contest, be sure to leave the first part of your email address, ex: utahdealdiva@, so that I'm able to identify you as the winner!

Ways to get additional entries:

Become a follower! Current followers, just tell me you follow and that will be fine too!
Spread the word about this contest! Tweet about it, post about it on your blog, Facebook, or any other social media site you belong to! You can also email a few friends telling them to enter themselves!

Each of you can enter up to 3 times by completing the above items. Remember to leave a separate comment for each entry you complete! Good luck to everyone!

Giveaway will be open until Wednesday, March 17th, 2010 at midnight MST. Two winners will be chosen by random.org. Winners will be announced on my site, www.utahdealdiva.com. Winner has 48 hours to claim their prize or a new winner will be chosen. Disclosure: Just Between Friends is providing me with a Shop Early pass as well, so that I can get some great deals!

Locals Only: Link Up!

2010-03-13T08:00:00.002-07:00

Utah business owners, listen up!
Every Saturday I'm going to post a Locals Only Link Up that will enable you to get the word out about a hot sale or great promotion your business is currently running. No business is too small- I welcome Etsy shops, online stores, boutiques, etc. Share the details of a local Giveaway, current coupon promotion or just let everyone know about your fantastic business!

Be sure to put a description of the sale or promo you're running!
Ex: My Great Business: 50% off Sale!

Food Storage Friday: Dry Milk Pricing

2010-03-12T20:02:00.003-07:00

This week's Food Storage Friday will go over a few pricing options for purchasing Non-Fat Dry Milk here in Utah. There are a variety of purchase options, however I found it most cost effective and logical to focus on #10 cans and 4-lb boxes of dry milk. Different brands contained different amounts, so I just used price per pound to compare them all.

{Click on the pricing table to make it larger!}

Keep in mind that #10 cans will keep in optimal conditions for up to 20 years. The 4-lb boxes have only a 1-year expiration date, so essentially, you're paying for preservation. Also, you can rent machines to can your own items at home! LDS Home Storage centers will also sell you all the required items to can products yourself. The ladies over at Everyday Food Storage put together a helpful video showing us all how it's done! Take a few minutes and watch it here.

Also, I purposefully didn't indicate which store I felt was the best option. Even though Winco is very inexpensive, we only have two here in Utah so far, so it's most likely not the most practical option for many of you. Likewise, even though the LDS Cannery is by far the least expensive option, you do have to take the time to can the items yourself. If traveling anywhere isn't possible, or if you live outside of Utah, then Emergency Essentials is a fantastic choice, especially if you can afford the Super Pail.

With this pricing information in mind, I hope you're able to make a planned purchase of dry milk for your food storage soon. Next week we'll cover everyday uses for powdered milk!

Coupon Preview 3/7

2010-03-12T18:33:00.000-07:00

This Sunday we'll be getting 1-2 inserts in the paper. The Daily Herald will get 1 Red Plum and 1 Smart Source. All other papers will just get the 1 Smart Source. There looks to be some good coupons this weekend! Go here to see the full insert preview.

My Grocery Trip: 53% Savings- includes Costco!

2010-03-12T17:47:00.000-07:00

I took advantage of my husband being off work today and did a bit of running around. I went to Costco, Target, then Dick's. I hadn't planned on running around quite that much, but half way through the day, my friend called and reminded me that the $15 Olay body wash/ soap rebate had a deadline of today!

Before coupons, all this would have cost me $98.25. However, I redeemed over $35 worth of coupons and spent $61.29. I'll get $15 back via MIR, bringing my total down to $46.29, which represents a 53% savings!!

Not bad for 8 lbs of produce, over 12 lbs of meat and 10 bottles of body wash!

Here are a few highlights of my trip:

Olay 6-pack bar soap and body washes, $5.84 at Target

Use $1/1 from 3/7 P&G
Submit $15 MIR- must be purchased today, 3/12!!!
Total OOP: $14.52
Total after rebate: FREE!

Gillette body wash, 8.4 oz bottles, on price cut to $1.79

Use $4/2 from 2/21 PG
Final price: FREE {Target doesn't allow for overages}
Again, this is where multiple newspapers comes in handy! I got 8 bottles all for FREE!

Ground beef, $1.78/lb for 80/20 at AFS

Use $3/1 coupon from Budget buster booklet
Final price: $5.00 for the 4.5 lb packs available, which makes it about $1.12/ lb!

Oreida frozen potatoes, $3.50

Use B2G1F coupon found on this week's ad
Stack with $1/2 coupon from February All You mag
Final price: $2 each!

I also bought 2 lbs of strawberries and 6 lbs of bananas at Costco. We bought 60-ct string cheese because I did the math and realized it's cheaper than using the $1/1 coupon on Winco's $2.98 sale price! The chicken in the small packages all had $1/1 peelies on them, making them about .60 each, or about .35/lb at Dick's!

My Points: Another Way to Earn Gift Cards!

2010-03-12T14:44:00.002-07:00

I've had a couple readers email me about MyPoints, but have just now gotten around to researching it. It's a cool program that rewards you for reading e-mails, shopping, taking surveys, doing web searches and participating in online offers. Once you accrue enough points, you can redeem them for a gift card to your choice of over 70 merchants. You get 100 points upon sign up and it looks like gift cards start at 1,400 points.

Remember to use a junk email address when signing up! I read one of the easiest ways to earn points is by electing to receive the Bonus Emails and simply clicking on the links in emails. At 5 points per click and a few emails each week, the points will add up fast. Also, stick to the surveys sent via email, as opposed to the ones on the site. You'll typically receive 10 points if you don't qualify for the survey and 50 points if do.

Click the box above to read more about the MyPoints program.

St. Patrick's Day Parade at the Gateway

2010-03-12T11:14:00.000-07:00

The annual St. Patrick's Day Parade will be held at The Gateway on Saturday, March 13th at 10am. The parade consists of nearly 150 Irish themed floats and starts and ends along Rio Grande Street.

The traditional Irish Celebration, Siamsa (shame-sa) has been relocated to The Grand Hall at The Gateway as well. The venue will feature Irish food, drink, entertainment, arts & crafts and more. 10am-4pm.

Be there with your green on! More info here.

MeGa SwAg BuCkS DaY!

2010-03-12T06:00:00.001-07:00

Just a reminder that today is Mega Swag Bucks day! If you haven't already downloaded the Swag Bucks toolbar, they've begun awarding Swag bucks just for having it! If you have the toolbar, make sure you're logged in to it to start earning. {If the black box says "Logout" then you're already logged in!}

Sign up here and get started with 30 Swag Bucks! Still not sure what Swag Bucks are or why I like them so much? Go here to read more...

Frugal Recipe: Pork Carnitas

2010-03-11T19:38:00.002-07:00

After seeing Winco's low prices on pork roasts, I thought it's time to share a wonderful Pork Carnitas recipe with you all!

I've tried several slow cooker, pulled pork type of recipes and all have been good. However, this one is fantastic! I had a hard time keeping a fork out of the leftovers, it was that good. If you get a great deal on the roast, this meal adds up to only about $5, max and serves about 8. With my family, we always freeze a portion for a future meal, so it works out to about $2.50 each meal, or .50 a serving.

I got the recipe from the February issue of All You magazine and I have every intention of following it. However, as it was cooking, it just looked dry, so I added a can of Coca Cola and...wow! If you've never used Coke as a meat tenderizer, you have to try it. It works well and adds a wonderful, sweet flavor to the pork. I noted my additions to the recipe below.

Pork Carnitas

1 three-lb pork roast {aim for paying around $1 per pound}
2 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin {I added 1 tsp, I love cumin!}
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 large onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic
1 can of Coke {my addition}
1/4 cup brown sugar {my addition}

Trim roast of excess fat and cut into 2" chunks. Spray slow cooker to make clean up easier. Add pork and sprinkle with seasonings. Add remaining ingredients and stir. Cook on low for about 6-8 hours, until pork is tender and falling apart. Shred with a fork and remove onion pieces.

Serve in a tortilla with sour cream, cilantro and sliced avacados. Enjoy!

Free Discovery Gateway Admission on 3/17!

2010-03-11T16:03:00.002-07:00

If you've been wanting to try out the Discovery Gateway, you'll get your chance next week! On Wednesday, March 17th, go celebrate St. Patrick's day with FREE admission to the Discovery Gateway! The museum is located in the Gateway mall and is open from 10am- 6pm.

If you've never been before, I think the Discovery Gateway is a wonderful place for kids to play! There are some activities and exhibits for older children, but I'd say most of the museum is focused on children 10 and under. There are no eating facilities as well and if you bring a lunch, the only place to eat at the museum is outside, so plan accordingly! {You can always go eat somewhere in the Gateway, but most of the restaurants are on the other side of the mall as well.}

Go here for more info.

Possible Coupons for Kmart Doubles

2010-03-11T15:58:00.000-07:00

Again, I'm still not getting too excited, but I have decided to start pointing out some coupons that might be beneficial to use in the Kmart Super Double promotion. The promo starts 4/4 and runs through 4/10, so any coupons we print now will not expire until after the event.

Kmart's prices are higher than most other stores I shop at, so the coupons I'll be pointing out will be higher value coupons, ones that have a chance at making a significant dent in the price. Kmart will double coupons up to $2 in value, meaning a $2 off coupon will then become a $4 off coupon, etc.

Don't go crazy, but here are a few that might come in handy...

Scott's Fertilizer Coupon- is it Spring yet?!

2010-03-11T14:57:00.001-07:00

Spring is in the air! I know, it's 30 degrees outside, but my daffodils are about to bloom, so it must be soon, right?! With that in mind, it looks like we're starting to see more gardening coupons, which just makes me happy...

Get a coupon here for $2.50 off any 5,000 sq. ft. bag of Scotts Turf Builder Fertilizer. You'll also be able to print another for $5 off any 10,000 or 15,000 sq. ft. bag of Scotts Turf Builder Fertilizer. {Both will print on one page.}

Thanks MoneySavingMadness!

Also, if you haven't signed up for the Home Depot Garden Club, you might want to! I just received another email today with coupons for $3- $4 off a Propane tank exchange, as well as $2 off Clorox Outdoor Bleach!

Save on Mission Tortillas

2010-03-11T14:48:00.000-07:00

There's a new .75/1 Mission tortillas coupon available here. Tortilla coupons are hard to come by, so I'm always excited when I see one! {Note: we did get this same coupon in our SS insert from 3/7!}

Thanks PrintableCouponsandDeals!

Q&A: Coupon Abbreviations

2010-03-11T13:34:00.000-07:00

I'm often asked what different abbreviations in my posts mean. Here are several common abbreviations I use, along with their meaning.

Common Coupon Abbreviations

SS: Smart Source coupon insert. Comes in the Sunday paper.
PG: Proctor & Gamble coupon insert. Also comes in the Sunday paper.
RP: Red Plum coupon insert. Most areas of Utah get this is the mail on Tuesday. Go here to see where your area has access to the Red Plum.
BOGO: Buy One, Get One Free sale
OYNO: On Your Next Order. Used to describe catalina offers that enable you to save money on your next shopping trip.
OOP: Out of Pocket. Referring to the amount of money you'll pay before rebates or other offers.
WYB: When You Buy. Used to explain the final price of an item or promotion that requires additional purchases. For instance, If General Mills cereal is on sale and there's a coupon for $1 off 2, I'll say, "Final price: $1.38, wyb two."
DND: Do Not Double. Verbiage written on a coupon that prohibits you from being able to double the value of the coupon at stores that double coupons.
DNT: Do Not Triple. Verbiage written on a coupon that prohibits you from being able to triple the value of the coupon at stores that double coupons.
YMMV: Your Mileage May Vary. Used to indicate that different people may have different experiences at different stores.
MIR: Mail in Rebate
SCR: Single Check Rebate, available at Rite Aid.
RR: Register Rewards. Walgreen's form of catalina offers.

Know of an abbreviation that has left you stumped? Let me know and I'll add it to the list!

Winco Deals, 3/11

2010-03-11T11:02:00.001-07:00

Here are several current deals going on at Winco right now. If you don't have a Winco nearby, you can always price match at Walmart!

Produce
Red Delicious apples, .78/lb {Smith's has them for only .69/lb!}
D'Anjou pears, .78/lb
Bananas, .49/lb {.45/lb at Macey's!}
Asparagus, $1.48/lb
Russet potatoes, 5 lb bag, .98
Russet potatoes, 10 lb bag, $1.48

Dairy
Milk, $1.66
dozen eggs, $1.47
Kraft singles, 12 oz, $1.98

YoPlus 4-pack yogurt, $1.38

Use $1/1 coupon here, or use the $1/1 from 2/7 General Mills insert
Final price: .38!

Dannon Frusion yogurt smoothies, .58

Use $1/4 from 3/7 SS
Final price: .33 each

Danimals 6-ct kids smoothies, $1.98

Use $1/1 from 2/28 SS
Final price: .98

Frigo CheeseHeads, 12-ct string cheese, $2.98

Use $1/1 coupon here {it's reset!}
Final price: $1.98

Meat
Pork Picnic roast, .98/lb
Pork chuck roast, .99/lb
Pork sirloin roast, $1.38/lb

Hormel 3.5 oz pepperoni, $1.54

Use .35/1 from 1/24 SS
Final price: $1.19

Foster Farms 7oz lunch meat, $1.92

Look for $1/1 peelies on package
Final price: .92

Canned/ Packaged Items
Dole peach or pear halves, .88 each
Bumble Bee tuna cans, .48
Green Giant canned vegetables, .48 each {cheaper than most case lot sales!!}

Tuna Helper, .98

Use $1 off any canned tuna peelie on the box

Final price: .46 for both Tuna Helper and Bumble Bee canned tuna!

Oreo & Cakester Cookies, $2.46

Several tablets of tearpad coupons in front of display with FREE Cakester, with the purchase of Oreos coupons, exp 5/31/2010
Final price: $1.23 each
Note: the Nabisco coupon for FREE cookies when you buy 1 gallon of milk and 1 package of cookies will be available EVERY month throughout 2010! Save this tearpad coupon and pair it with that coupon and you'll get 2 packages of cookies for FREE!

Cereal
Lucky Charms, 13.9 oz, $1.98
Trix, 10.7 oz, $1.98
Pops, 12.5 oz, $1.98

Use $1/2 coupon here
Final price: $1.48 each, wyb two {mediocre price, unless you absolutely NEED cereal!}
Keep an eye out for peelie coupons for 1 free Totinos pizza, wyb 2 General Mills cereals. They were all over the GM cereal when I went- some boxes even had 2 peelies on them!!

Honey Kix, $1.98

Use $1/1 coupon here
Final price: .98

Post cereals, 14 oz, $1.98 {wide variety- Shredded wheat, Honey Bunches of Oats}

Use $1/2 from 2/28 SS
Final price: $1.48 each, wyb two {mediocre price, unless you absolutely NEED cereal}

Post Cocoa Pebbles, $1.68

Use $1/2 Post kids cereals from 2/28 SS
Final price: $1.18 each, wyb two {mediocre price, unless you absolutely NEED cereal}

Thanks for the link up KrazyCouponLady!

Lots of High Value Deodorant Coupons!

2010-03-11T08:52:00.000-07:00

There are several fantastic deodorant coupons available here. They're all Unilever products and could potentially make for some great deals when Kmart doubles coupons! {Remember, Kmart will not double coupons over $2 in value, so don't go crazy printing the $3 off coupons!} Here's what's available:

$1.25/1 Degree Men Deodorant
$3/2 Degree Men Deodorants
$1.25/1 Degree Girl Deodorant or Body Mist
$3/2 Degree Girl Deodorant or Body Mist
$1.25/1 Suave 24 hr Deodorant
$3/2 Suave 24 hr Deodorants
$1.25/1 Dove Ultimate Deodorant
$3/2 Dove Ultimate Deodorants

Thanks Hip2Save!

February Budget Review: I didn't do so well...

2010-03-10T19:35:00.002-07:00

Well, I just finished tallying up my budget review for February and it wasn't pretty. I went $41.26 over my $200 max monthly budget. Yet, looking over December, then of course the pantry challenge in January, it's understandable how that could happen. ~~We needed food!~~ I missed coupon shopping and went a little overboard.

I knew I'd gone over after my last shopping trip of the month, but I didn't think it was that much over. Sigh. It looks like I need to go back to the cash system for a couple months, to get back in line with my $200 budget.

I have several excuses running through my head. I'm so used to spending $40- $50 each week that spending nearly $70 my first trip of February really through me off. No, wait, I'm blaming it on Costco. Or maybe the fact that I've had this awful head cold for the past 3 weeks {I'm finally feeling better!} and grocery shopping, much less strategically using coupons just about fell to the bottom of my priority list. Regardless, I went over budget. I'm not going to dwell on it, I'm simply moving on and will do better in March.

I do have a couple goals for March I'd like to share with you all. I'm hoping to stock up on a few things at the case lot sales in April, so I'm trying to spend less this month, in order to accommodate those extra grocery items next month. So far, we're 10 days into March and I've only spent $30.38, so I'm right on track. I did purchase some food storage items last week {that I'll share with you all on Friday} so my powdered milk and eggs will help me to stretch my grocery trips out a bit farther this month.

How did you all do this past month? Any other Pantry Challenge participants go over budget, or was it just me? Feel free to share!

More News on Kmart Doubles...

2010-03-10T13:05:00.000-07:00

I posted not too long ago about the possibility of our Utah Kmart stores participating in the upcoming doubles event starting April 4th. Well my stance has now gone from "reluctant" to "cautiously optimistic."

Kmart has decided to post a list online and 15 of the 16 Utah Kmart stores are on the list! You can check it out here. The only store NOT on the list is the West Valley location. Kearns is on the list though, so at least those of you who live nearby will have a store to shop at.

We'll see what happens as the date draws nearer...

Thanks Amber & Common Sense with Money!

Get a $5 Credit at CityDeals!

2010-03-10T10:07:00.003-07:00

I recently mentioned CityDeals, a Utah-based company that provides discounted gift certificates for restaurants, entertainment and retail shops. Gift certificates are offered for about 40%- 50% off retail value. Not only can they save your family money, but they make great gifts as well!

CityDeals recently contacted me and wants to give Utah Deal Diva readers a bonus for trying out their site...

The first 60 Utah Deal Diva readers

who register with CityDeals

will automatically get a

$5 credit in their account!

Hurry! Go here to register. You can see the "Register" tab above the search function towards the top of the right hand side of the page. By registering, you will receive weekly emails from CityDeals that include hot offers for your area.

$5 at CityDeals goes pretty far too! You can use the $5 to get...

...a Clark Planetarium show ticket for FREE!

...a Cinemark movie ticket for only $1.95

...a $24 combo pass to Cherry Hill for only $7

...a $25 Pier 49 Pizza gift certificate for only $10

...a $25 gift certificate to Cold Stone for only $16.25

These are just a few ideas from the thousands of places available on CityDeals! Remember- only the FIRST 60 to register get this $5 credit! Go here to register!

{Note:$5 credit will appear in your account within 2-3 days, if you're one of the first 60 to register!}

Free Philly Cream Cheese from Kraft First Taste!

2010-03-10T09:59:00.000-07:00

Kraft First Taste members- go here to sign in to your account and request a coupon for FREE Philadelphia new cream cheese Minis!
Receive a coupon for ONE (1) FREE package of new PHILADELPHIA Minis (up to a $2.29 value). The same delicious flavors and creamy smoothness you love in the big tubs, now come in packs of 4 individual 1.25 oz. snap-apart Minis. So handy you can spread a little PHILLY anywhere! All coupons are offered while supplies last. Offer expires 6/30/2010. Up to a $2.29 value.
These offers never last long, so sign in and see if you're able to get one!

Not a member of Kraft First Taste and want to be included in hot offers like this? Simply sign up here! It's free and fun to try new things!

Thanks Hip2Save!