Swag Bucks

Have you ever heard of SWAGBUCKS? It's basically a site that combines popular search engines and periodically gives you points when you search! Sometimes they also release codes which can give you extra points. Each search can give you 1-5 points and after 45 points you can get a $5 Amazon giftcard! You can also get points from entering secret codes that Swagbucks sometimes releases (look at the swidget!). Join here

Free Breakfast at IKEA (12/26- 1/3)

Free breakfast at Ikea this weekend. At my local Ikea there usually is a line, but not too ridiculously long. Plus, it goes by pretty fast because they just hand out the plates. Limit 1 per person.

* Note: Kids eat free during this period as well!

Free Sample of Arm & Hammer Toothpaste

Copy and paste http://www.ahcleanfeeling.com onto your browser and it should take you to a form. Make sure you use a legitimate email (one of those extra accounts that you do know the password for) since they send a confirmation email.

(Thanks thefreebieblogger)

Safeway -- MONEYMAKER or FREE wheat thins

Right now at Safeway (and till January 3rd I think...) wheat thins are $1 when you buy 5. That's already a great price for wheat thins, perfect for snacking or packing some on the go. The deal gets even better if you have the $1/2 Nabisco Cracker or Wheat Thin coupons which can be found here (if your store accepts printable coupons), on the Nabisco Jingles booklet found at some grocery stores (I found mine at Raleys), in past coupon inserts and in the nabisco savings calendar some people got in the mail! After the coupon it'll only be $5 for 10 boxes.

Either way, make sure you send in the rebate here for $10 wyb 10 boxes!

CVS trip 12/13

I'll upload a picture of what I got later.
Some great deals today since I got lucky and received two $5 off wyb $15 CRTs from the coupon machine. Sadly though my store didn't have any of the gift tags that were free after ecb. They would've really been useful!

Transaction #1
2 Merrybrite Tissue Paper $1.99
2 Merrybrite Bows 12ct. $2.99
1 Hallmark Card $0.99
2 Halmark Cards $1.99
-$5 coupon from Hallmark cards found in December issues of magazines (Oprah, Family Circle...)
1 M&M Peanut Butter $0.89

-$5 wyb $15 CRT
-$2 wyb $10 CVS brand items
-$2.99 in previous ECB

Subtotal = 0.83 + tax (0.90)
Total OOP = $1.73
Received $5.98 ECB for bows, $3.98 ECB for tissue paper

Transaction #2
1 Bic Soleil Razor 4ct $4.99
1 Complete Contact Solution $9.99
-$1 Coupon from insert
1 CVS Lip Balm $1.29

-$5 wyb $15
-$10 ecb

Subtotal=$0.27 + tax(0.12)
Total=0.39
Received $4 ECB for Razor, $9.99ecb for Complete Contact Solution

**Make sure to give the $ off when you spend $ coupons first when your total is the highest before you give other coupons.

SO for totals
Previous ECB used = roughly $13
Total OOP including tax = $2
ECB earned = roughly $24
So today was a money maker of about $9

And in reality it's just about $19 because the $10 ecb I used in the 2nd transaction was the one I printed from a CVS-advisor survey.

And the chapstick I actually bought for my housemate so he paid me back $1.25 which brings me to another good point. If you have friends who also need stuff from CVS or other stores that require you to bring your total to a certain amount for a deal (like $$ off wyb $$ or sale price wyb $20 ) then offer to include their stuff in your transaction. It doesn't hurt them and saves you from spending extra to bring your total up.

Other interesting things I picked up were some free Essence of Beauty samples with $1 off coupons attached to them.

CVS trip 12/6

Had a bit rushed but still great trip to CVS today. Here's what I got

Transaction 1
Essence of Beauty Bodywash $4.99
MB Mini Ornaments $1.99
MB Santa Hat $3.99
Tums Smoothie 12ct $1.99
- $2 any Tums product coupon (Flu Shot Booklet)

- $2 wyb $10 CVS products (CRT)
- $8.59 in past ECB
= 0.37 + tax

got $4ecb (Essence of Beauty), $1.99 ecb (Ornaments), $3.99 ecb (Santa Hat)

Transaction #2
Goldfish Crackers $1.50
- $1 any Pepperidge Farm product (Emailed company compliment and received coupon)
Essence of Beauty Lotion $4.99
Bayer Contour Meter $14.99
-$14.99 Coupon from insert
Snows Clams $1 x 6 = $6 (raincheck)
-$1/2 x 3 coupon from insert = $3
MB Mini Ornaments $1.99
MB Santa Hat $3.99
Tums Smoothie 12ct $1.99
- $2 any Tums product coupon (Flu Shot Booklet)

-$5 wyb $30 Coupon (medicare quiz)
-$5.99 ecb from past transaction ( $1.99 and $4)
-$2 wyb $10 in CVS products CRT
=$1.47 + tax

got $4ecb (Essence of Beauty), $1.99 ecb (Ornaments), $3.99 ecb (Santa Hat), $5 ecb (Bayer Contour Meter), $1 (green bag tag)

In my last transaction I bought some scotch tape to put up christmas decorations at my house. It was a product I needed and would've bought anyway but the fact that I did transactions before and earned ecb meant I spent almost the same amount of money I would have for the tape, but earned FREE STUFF!

I ended up with $16 in ecb and paid $1.84 + tax OOP & $8 ecb. In reality, though, I didn't make much profit because of the tax on almost everything (bayer meter, etc.).