Where I Save: Target

I thought that I would start sharing with you different sites and places where I like to either save or make money.

I thought I'd start out with Target.  I love Target! I was so excited when they opened near me. :)  It's such a fun place to shop, and now, to save!

Target has web coupons that you can print out, and use in conjunction with a manufacturer's coupon.  Pair it with a sale, or a promotion to get Target giftcards when you buy certain products, and you'll find a great deal.

I recently had a $1 off Target coupon for Nivea Men's Body Wash, and a $2 off manufacturer's coupon.  It was priced at $3.04, so I got my husband some body wash for 4 cents.  Awesome.

Target is also keeping up with the digital age, and even has Mobile Coupons.  Coupons are sent via text, and then you show the barcode to the cashier to scan at checkout.  Fancy, huh?

Did you know that Target price matches?  I just recently discovered this!  I knew that Walmart did, and frequently did it there, but this is new to me!  Only thing though, the Target coupons are taken off first, so you can't ad match it to a lower price and then lower it even further with a store coupon.  If you're going to ad match it to price that would be lower than what it would be using the store coupon, save it for another time, and just do the match!  Manufacturer's coupons are taken off after all the price adjusting, so you'll save the money on the lowest price.

I’m not much on having a store credit card – even if you do save a bit of money by using it.  It’s just debt waiting to happen, and I just don’t want to go there.  I did however, learn recently, that Target now offers a Target Debit Card. You save an additional 5% on purchases paid with the card.  It is linked to your bank account, so the money comes straight from it, no extra bill to pay.  I don’t know how I feel about Target having my bank account details, though…what are your thoughts??

Update: I just discovered today, that Target sends samples to you.  On their website, they will update with different samples available that you can request.  (One sample per household)  For example, I requested free JIF To Go peanut butter.  It said I could expect my sample in the mail within 4-6 weeks.  We looove peanut butter at our house!

They recently updated their coupon policy, so be sure you check it out or even take it with you to make sure you're calculating your deals correctly!  Not a bad idea to look over their price matching policy as well, especially if you're used to Walmart's; it differs a bit.

Check out a great site, Totally Target, to get info on deals happening now at Target, ad match-ups with coupons, and everything Target.

It's Not Reality

Earlier this week I wrote about the new craze of "extreme" couponing, and how I was impressed with how they could save 90% or more on their grocery bill. Too good to be true?  Perhaps in some of the episodes it is.

Last night, I watched an episode I had recorded of Extreme Couponing featuring J'aime Kirlew.  I gathered from reading some couponing blogs, that this woman was under fire for coupon fraud.  My curiosity was piqued as to what she did that would be constituted as fraud, so I Googled her name, and I found interesting blog posts by a well respected couponer, Jill Cataldo.

In the first post I read, Jill wrote about the controversy surrounding the new show.  I could not believe what I was reading (well, I could, but you know what I mean)!  This J'aime lady had apparently posted You Tube videos on how she couponed at Target.  The problem was, she was using coupons issued for one product on a different product made by the same manufacturer. AKA - coupon fraud.

I go on to read another post that speculates the same fraud happened on the TLC show.  The evidence gathered by other couponers seems to weigh heavily on the guilty side.  I realize that "reality" TV isn't reality at all, but it really aggravates me that The Learning Channel would feature someone committing a crime, rather than finding legitimate, ethical couponers...and I know they are out there, because I have learned so much from them in just a short amount of time.

Also, the fact that some of the stores being featured on the show are waiving their usual coupon policies just because they're on TV really irks me, too.  It gives unrealistic expectations to those wanting to have the same results. Again, why can't TLC feature the correct way to coupon?

Oh, and J'aime believes she did nothing wrong.  Really?  I just grabbed a coupon I have next to me and read the small print directed to the consumer:  "One coupon valid for item indicated.  Any other use constitutes fraud."

I enjoyed watching the show, but from now on if I'm watching, it will be with skepticism and a close eye.

New Fad or Here to Stay?

Have you seen that new show on TLC, "Extreme Couponing"?  I find it quite amazing that these people are able to save 90% or more on the shopping trips documented on the show.  I've read interviews of some of the people on the show that say that these aren't typical shopping trips for them, but is what the show is looking for, so they plan for weeks just for one giant shopping trip.  Nonetheless, it is still impressive.

Obviously this has been around for a while.  There are tons of websites and blogs dedicated just to couponing and frugal living.  But, it seems, the show has jumped-started the rest of America, even in my small town.  I wonder, will they stick to it, and continue to do all the preparation that it takes to successfully coupon?  Is it just a new fad, a new thrill of a deal?

I know from my personal experience, I get on a "kick" for a while, and then it slowly wanes.  I dieted for a good solid 6 months and lost about 30 pounds, but I slowly got out of my diet/exercise routine, and slipped back into most of my old ways.  I got on a cleaning kick for a while, where my kitchen was always spotless, and my living room floor wasn't constantly littered with toys and cereal, but then that became quite exhausting, so I gave up trying so hard.  It stays pretty clean now, but I make the others in the house help out more, instead of me trying to do it all on my own to make sure it gets done.  I got on a baking kick for a while, too.  Although this does still continue because I make a little money off of it, it certainly is not at the level it was this time last year.  I was constantly in the kitchen baking or decorating something for someone.  It was so fun, I couldn't wait to do it again.  I was new and learning, so I couldn't wait to try another idea.

Two weeks ago, I seriously started couponing the way it is laid out on sites like The Krazy Coupon Lady and Money Saving Mom.  Just in two weeks, I have gotten a mini "stockpile" of toiletries going.  (My husband should be set for a while!)  I've learned from these sites that you buy ahead when prices are at their lowest, and then you free up your grocery budget for fresh produce, meat, etc. instead of taking a chunk out of it when you have to buy toiletries.  I also learned that products go on sales in cycles.  Did you know that?  I may have known it in the back of my mind, Oh yeah, BBQ sauce goes on sale during grilling seasons, but it was never in the forefront of my mind, I should get these now while the price is so low!  

I think that perhaps this will wane for some because either it won't become a lifestyle they want to pursue, or because they aren't in a situation that forces them to save/watch their pennies.  I am definitely in a situation where we need to watch our pennies. I was already collecting coupons and ad matching here and there before I learned how to do the "extreme couponing" method.   It was important to me to save money on my groceries before this "fad," so I believe that now I know how to do it more effectively, it'll be here to stay at my house.

Black Olives: An Unexpected Snack

My family and I love going to the local Pizza Inn.  Freshly made pizza really makes the difference.  A favorite of mine there is the Chicken Fajita Pizza which is topped with black olives, but I don't hold that against it.  I just pick them off and continue on.

Several months back, Peamite Bravo was sitting next to me while I picked the olives off.  As soon as I got them off, she was scooping them up.  Once she realized how much she liked them, I couldn't pick them off fast enough!  It was like I was giving her candy!

When we visit Pizza Inn now, we go straight to the salad bar and put a pile of black olives on Peamite Bravo's plate.  Then she exclaims, "Oliiiiives!" (ol - leaves)

I don't know why it took me so long to realize, I should just buy some black olives for her snack.  Whole pitted olives quickly found their way onto her cute little fingers.

Dressed in the Night

The azaleas in front of my house have made an appearance. Finally.  They are always the last to bloom out of all the other azaleas that I have scattered about our property.  They're also such a pretty soft pink.  I trimmed the hedges, and a couple of days later, boom! azaleas everywhere.  Just look at how they fill up the bushes in the below picture.

While out admiring God's handiwork, and also the hard work that went into trimming the bushes, the kids came around with the dog.  Peamite Alpha loves his Wolverine costume.  He asks if he can wear it all the time.

 Comet smiling with the kids

Comet giving Peamite Alpha kisses

Last night, Peamite Alpha asked if he could sleep in his costume, so David put him to bed in it.  When David went into his room this morning to get him up for school, he was in the bed with a t-shirt and jeans on.  At some point during the night, he got up, dressed in school clothes, and then went back to sleep.  

Yes, what a strange child I have, but that's ok, it makes life interesting, and therefore, I have something to tell you about here. :)

Comet said OK

Comet likes to bark.  It's what dogs do; their way of communication.  Our dog likes to talk, so I guess he fits in just fine with our family.

This morning, he was justa barking.  I looked out the window to see if I could see what it might be, and it was a truck way down the road that had parked on the side of the road.  I'm guessing they're doing some sort of work, since people have been working up and down our road lately.  He's so far away, there's really no reason for Comet to be making such a fuss.

I stood at the living room window and called out to him.  I figured he would hear me just fine since dogs have super hearing, and he did.  I told him to stop barking at the people down the road.  When he realized I was having a conversation with him, he walked over to the window and looked up at me.

"Comet, don't bark at those people way down there, they aren't bothering anyone.  If they come to our house, then you can bark, but while they're down there, please be quiet!"

And I kid you not, he looked right at me, and gave a short bark as if saying, "Ok."  and went on his merry way.  I haven't heard a peep from him since.

 

Katie petting Comet

Gardening Little Homemaker

So, I just wanted to say, I'm so proud of myself.  Since we can't afford to hire someone to keep up our landscaping, it's my duty.  David said if it was up to him, he'd dig it all up so he wouldn't have to fool with it.  But, Crazy Me would rather have a nicely landscaped home, so like I said, it's my responsibility.

I invested in a cordless hedge trimmer...much like the one in the picture below.

And let me tell you, it makes all the difference in the world.  Going from hand shears to that, made the job so much easier and quicker. We have bushes and trees all around our house, and I have trimmed and cut and pulled for 3 hours at them.  I felt empowered using a power tool.  I am woman, hear me roar...or meow. 

I was surprised at how many little oak trees were trying to sprout up right next to the house among the bushes.  Since I don't exactly want a towering oak right next to my house one day, I cut them down while they were easy to get at with a lopper.  Which is also one of my favorite gardening investments shown in the picture below.

I think I spent most of my time cutting down little oak trees than anything else.  They were literally popping up all over the place.

Today was a great day to get all this yard work done.  It's not very warm today, and a nice breeze from time to time.  Since it was such a beautiful day, the kids were out with me the whole time running around, swinging, riding bikes, and occasionally helping me pick up limbs to put on the burn pile.

I had to stop before I was completely finished because I knew I needed to go in to get Peamite Bravo down for a nap.  She had worn herself slap out playing that much!

The landscaping will be a work in progress for quite a while until I can get to the maintenance stage.  The house we bought hadn't been lived in for a while before we moved in, so the landscaping had been neglected a lot.  There are briers and weeds everywhere.  I'm holding off on pulling up the briers this Spring until I can harvest the dew berries.  They'll be done soon...I noticed they're already turning green.

In addition to the dew berries, we bought a hanging strawberry plant, and my parents gave me a cutting from their blueberry bush.

The kids are great about taking care of them.  We make sure they have plenty of water almost every day.  Mom said her blueberry bush has lots of blueberries on it that'll be ready soon, but unfortunately, my new plant is too young to have fruit this year.  We have that to look forward to next year!

So this little homemaker is going to rest up before Bible study and revel in all the hard work accomplished today.