Thursday, November 15, 2012

Awesome deal on CoverGirl Cosmetics at Kroger!

There's an amazing event happening at Kroger this week - save $4 instantly at the register when you buy any four participating P&G products.  You can claim up to five rewards in one transaction, plus you can layer them with coupons!

There are many high-value CoverGirl coupons out there right now - here are just a few:
$3/2 CoverGirl Lash Blast 24-Hour Mascara (Digital Coupon)
$1 off CoverGirl Lash Blast Volume Mascara (Digital Coupon)
$1 off any CoverGirl product (P&G 10/28)
Buy One, Get One Free CoverGirl Lip Perfection (P&G 10/28)
$3/2 CoverGirl products (P&G 10/28)


At my Kroger, the CoverGirl single Eye Enhancers were on sale for $2.55 each.  I ended up scoring all of this for just $2.05! That's six eyeshadows, a mascara and TWO eyeliner pencils!  Since I bought eight P&G items, I received $8 off instantly, plus I used over $18 in coupons.  Yay!

Get a free $2 credit at Kroger when you load coupons and email your friends!


Get $2 off your next shopping trip at Kroger when you load four P&G digital coupons to your Kroger store card, and then share the offer via email with four friends.

Find your Kroger store here and sign in, then email four friends (the screen will appear once you've loaded four P&G coupons).  A $2 credit will automatically be loaded to your loyalty card for your next visit!

Thank you, MoneySavingMom!

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

GymPact - Earn Money by Working Out!

I stumbled across an iPhone app recently that seemed too good to be true - GymPact.

One of the expenses I haven't been willing to cut yet is my gym membership.  It's $27 per month, which seems relatively inexpensive as far as gym fees go, but I haven't made very good use of it in the last several months.  There's no real excuse for my lack of commitment, but as I read about GymPact, I made a promise to myself to either use my membership three times per week or cancel it.  I know that there are many ways to exercise without a gym, but personally I have never succeeded in working out on my own at home.

The basic premise of the program: it's free to join, and you set a weekly commitment of a number of times that you'd like to work out per week (as low as just once!).  You then set a "wager" of what you'll have to pay per missed visit if you don't meet your weekly goal (a minimum of $5).  If you don't meet your weekly goal, your credit card will be charged.

If you do meet your goal, you'll actually earn money!  Not a lot, but something.  Usually $1-3 per week, depending on how many times you commit to working out.  And it's motivation to stick with your workouts, if money is on the line.



How does the app know you're at the gym?
By GPS!  All major gyms and workout facilities count, and you simply check in while you're there for at least thirty minutes.

How is it that you can be paid?
Your monetary reward comes from all the collected fees from members who were charged for missing their weekly workouts - less the percentage that goes to the corporation, of course.

The cool part is that you can cancel or suspend your membership at any time, if you're going on vacation, for instance.

I'm in no way an official endorser of this app, but I've been using it this week and can't wait to see what my weekly earnings will be.  Even just $5 toward my monthly gym membership is better than nothing for something that I should be doing anyway!

Have you had success with GymPact?

Ways to Save - Groceries and Personal Care

Happy Wednesday!  A collection of some of my favorite tips and ideas on saving money on groceries and personal care.

Groceries and Dining

1. Buy produce and meat according to weekly store sales.

2. Plan a weekly menu and start your menu plan by "shopping" your refrigerator and pantry to find ingredients you already have.

3.  Learn to enjoy drinking water - it's free, and better for you!  If it's too boring, add lemon or lime.

4. Avoid buying individually wrapped portions, buy larger packages and divide the contents up yourself.

5. Commit to eating a few vegetarian meals a week utilizing beans and other great sources of protein. Or, reduce the amount of meat you eat at each meal.  The average American eats too large a portion of meet per sitting anyway.

6. Head to the grocery store with a fully belly and a list of what you need - you'll be much less tempted to buy things just because they look tasty.

7. Avoid convenience foods when you can - microwave meals and fast food are expensive options because they're easy.

8. Pack your lunch for work the night before - many a time I've resorted to eating out because I was running late in the morning.

9. Cook in bulk and freeze leftover portions for that busy night when take-out sounds good.

10. Look for other breakfast options besides cold cereal.  It's expensive and often loaded with sugar. Oatmeal, smoothies and eggs can be great alternatives.

11. Use The Grocery Game to match coupons to weekly sales ads.

12. Recycle leftovers.  A chicken breast can become filling for shredded chicken tacos.  Spice things up and utilize leftovers in such a way that it doesn't feel as though you're having the same meal.

13. Keep leftover veggies and make your own vegetable soup with chicken stock.

14. Don't buy bottled water. If you're like me and have a very sensitive pallet for water that tastes funny, make an investment in a small Brita filter so that you're not tempted to buy water.

15. Try store brands on basic items.  You might not even notice a difference, or find out that you actually prefer the cheaper store brand.

16. Keep a price log, or keep in the back of your mind the prices of items you buy often.  That way, you'll know when the store is offering a great deal and you can stock up.

17. Buy frozen vegetables when you can - they're often just as nutritious as fresh vegetables and much cheaper.

18. Eat simple meals. Simple receipes can be healthy and cheaper, since you aren't purchasing that cream of tartar power that you'll likely forget about after one use.  If you love to cook, allow yourself to try a new and fancy receipe once a week.

19. Take your lunch to work.  If co-workers are constantly tempting you to dine out, set a weekly or monthly lunch date and stick to it as a reward for bringing food from home.

20. Coffee addict?  Make it yourself each morning and invest in resuable and portable cups. Save the $4 Starbucks for special occassions, or let it be your Friday morning treat.

21. Keep easy staples in your pantry - pasta, soup, etc. - for quick meals. When you're tempted to go out to eat because you "don't have anything to make" you can whip something up in minutes.

22. Purchase in-season produce.

23. Give yourself an estimated budget for each shopping trip and stick to it.  Round prices up so the mental math is easier as you're putting things in the cart. Or bring only cash to the store so you're forced to stick with it!

24. Split a Costco or Sam's Club membership with friends and divide up bulk packages or items you'd normally purchase.

25. Split portions when dining out, or divide half your place and save it for leftovers.  Have a snack before leaving the house, or drink a hefty amount of water before hitting the restaurant, to feel more full and eat less.

Beauty and Personal Care

26. Shampoo your hair every other day.  Your scalp will eventually adjust.

27. Color your own hair.  Really!  All over hair color is easy.  If it really makes you nervous, ask your hair colorist for your formula and head on over to Sally Beauty and match the numbers in a permanent shade.

28. Add a few drops of makeup remover to a tube of mascara to get some exta life out of it.

29. Use Vaseline for chapped lips instead of pricey balms.

30. Give yourself manicures instead of hitting the salon - investing in a few good tools is worth it!

31. Choose a low-maintenance hairstyle. Shorter, piecer styles require more frequent trims to maintain. Stay away from extreme hair colors or highlights.

32. Find a Goodwill in the ritziest area of town and shop on 50% off days.  I've found pieces from Banana Republic, The Limited, even a designer Dior skirt!

33. Buy clothes in simple cuts and styles and colors that you can mix and match.  Dress outfits up with fun accessories.

34. Shoe repair stores still exist.  When you run the rubber heel of your favorite pair of pumps, have it repaired instead of buying a new pair.

35. Take vitamins and wash your hands frequently.  Being sick is expensive.

36. Use cheap conditioner (like VO5) to shave your legs rather than shave gel, it works just as well.

37. Ask your doctor to switch you to a generic brand of birth control.

Cincinnati Kroger Deals - Week of November 12, 2012



There are some great free and cheap products available at Kroger this week!  Here are some of the best Kroger sale and coupon matchups.  Deals may vary by region.

Carefree Liners 20 ct
Use .50 coupon from Smart Source 10/28
FREE!

Secret Deodorant 2.5 oz
Use 1.00 Digital Coupon or 1.00 P&G Insert 10/28
Buy any 4 P&G products
$.27 each!

Healthy Life Soft Style 100% Whole Grain Wheat Bread
Use .35 coupon from Red Plum 9/30
$.30 each!

Airwick Candle 3 oz
Use 4.00/2 Digital Coupon
Buy two, $.49 each!

Betty Crocker Boxed Potatoes 6.1 oz
Use .50/2 coupon from General Mills Insert 10/7
Buy two, $.50 each!

Oral B Cavity Defense Toothbrush 1 ct
Use .50/2 coupon from P&G Insert 10/28
Buy two, $.50 each!

Have others to add?  Leave a comment!

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Free Airborne 4-pack Sample

Beat winter cold season with a free sample of Airborne Immune Support (4-pack) through Wal-Mart!


Free AVEENO Nourish+ Sample


Get a free AVEENO shampoo and conditioner sample by filling out the brief survey here!