Freebie day!

It's usually Freebie Friday, but today is Freebie Thursday!!

Check out our Twitter feed to find tons of great freebies!

https://twitter.com/cacoupondiva

Remember that freebie quantities are limited, so if you see something that grabs you, sign up for it ASAP!!

Finding unclaimed money

There are a lot of websites out there that claim they'll help you find unclaimed money.  What they don't tell you, is that they want part of what they find.

 

If you live in California, or have lived in California, check out the State Controller's office.  If you live in another state, check out your state controller's website.

 

The most common types of Unclaimed Property are:

• Bank accounts and safe deposit box contents


• Stocks, mutual funds, bonds, and dividends


• Uncashed cashier's checks or money orders


• Certificates of deposit


• Matured or terminated insurance policies


• Estates


• Mineral interests and royalty payments, trust funds, and escrow accounts.

New Fiber One 80 Calories Cereal Review

Pssst sent me a box of their  New Fiber One 80 Calories cereal.  YUMMY!

New Fiber One 80 Calories cereal hits store shelves early this summer!

Great-tasting Fiber One 80 Calories cereal provides a new breakfast option with 40% Daily Value of fiber to help you feel satisfied without sacrificing flavor! Each crunchy wheat and corn puff square has a light honey flavor – a delicious way to start your day.

Fiber helps satisfy your hunger and helps you feel full, making it a great tool to stick to your weight loss plan. With 40 percent of the Daily Value of fiber in one 80 calorie serving, Fiber One 80 Calories cereal can help curb your hunger and help you manage your weight. Visit http://www.fiberone.com/ for great information on healthy living and be sure to check out the Fiber One Facebook page and get involved in the conversation. We’d love to hear how you feel satisfied with new Fiber One 80 Calories cereal!

 

Here are some great tips on getting more fiber in your diet!

 

10 Tips to Get your Daily Fiber

Most Americans are not getting the recommended 25 grams of fiber each day. With Fiber One cereal, it's easier than ever to increase your daily fiber intake. Try using these 10 simple tips to help reach your fiber goals.

1) Scan for Bran
Look for “bran,” “whole grain” and “whole wheat” on product packages and ingredient labels. These ingredients can help boost fiber intake.

¾ cup Fiber One® 80 Calories = 10g fiber

2) Grab the Whole Food
Munch on a whole piece of fruit in place of drinking a glass of juice. You’ll get the nutrients and the fiber too.

1 medium apple = 3g fiber

3) Savor the Skins
Eat fruit and vegetables with the skin on. Eating the skin helps to bump up the fiber, plus it provides texture and a bonus of other nutrients.

1 medium baked potato with skin on = 4g fiber

4) Screen for Beans
Replace your typical side dishes with high-fiber dried peas and beans, such as kidney, pinto, lentils or black-eyed peas. These fiber-packed legumes make it easier to meet daily fiber goals.

½ cup canned red kidney beans = 8g fiber

5) Go Nuts
Jazz up salads, vegetables, snacks and desserts with almonds, sunflower seeds or soy nuts. Nuts and seeds add fiber and fun-to-chew crunch to foods.

1 ounce roasted almonds = 3g fiber

6) Be Berry Wild
Choose raspberries, blackberries and boysenberries to add variety to your cereals. These berries have twice the fiber of many other fruit selections.

½ cup fresh raspberries = 4g fiber

7) Bring on the Brown
Use brown rice instead of white. Switch to whole wheat pasta, whole wheat flour, whole wheat breads and whole grain crackers instead of regular white versions.

1 cup brown rice = 3g fiber

8) Skip the Chips
Select snacks that are a good source of fiber. Instead of potato chips, go for low-fat popcorn, whole-grain pretzels or oven-crisped whole-wheat pita triangles.

3 cups popcorn = 4g fiber

9) Drink Up
Water is a healthy beverage choice—especially as you up the fiber. Your body needs more water to help process the added fiber you eat.

Aim for eight 8-oz glasses of water each day.

10) Sneak in Some Fiber One cereal
Incorporate Fiber One cereal into your favorite side dishes or use to top yogurt, salads or oatmeal.

¼ cup Fiber One Original cereal for sprinkling = 7g fiber

I have 5 coupons for $1.00 off the new Fiber One Cereal.  If you would like one, please email me with your address and I will get one out in the mail to you ASAP!

Free Lasagna!!

Thursday, July 28th is Free Lasagna day at Buca di Beppo!  You will receive a free lunch portion wyb any entree.  The Lasagna can be packed to go.

Visit the link above to print a coupon. Find your location here.

It's time for a giveaway!!

WOOO!! I've reached 353 Twitter followers, so as promised, when I reached 350, I'd hold another giveaway!

I'll be giving away 1 coupon wallet filled with over $200+ in coupons- The majority of the coupons will be non-inserts with a long expiration date!

To Enter:  Leave a comment telling me what kinds of posts you'd like to see more of.

I'll chose a winner on 7/31/11.

 

 

Back from Comic Con

Well we're back from Comic Con and here are a few things that we learned on how to save $$ at Con (any convention, really!!):

Bring your own bottle of water.  A bottle of water at a convention refreshment stand can cost upwards of $5.00. Bring your own and refill it at the water fountain.

Bring snacks.  Most likely, you are bringing a backpack or bag of some sort.  Granola bars, Cliff bars, hard candy.  I packed DH a small package of hummus and veggies, and a few tangerines each day as well. Crackers, pretzels and single serve peanut butter packs are great too.  Food at the concessions stands is crazy expensive and full of fat and sodium.

If you really want something, wait until the last day to buy it.  Most vendors don't want to take stock home with them, so frequently, they will lower the price on the last day to move it.

This last tip may seem like a "DUH", but: Be considerate to others around you, especially those with walkers, wheelchairs or strollers.

Craigslist- America's Virtual Garage Sale

A lot of us live in apartments or condos that don't allow us to have garage/yard/tag sales.  For those of us in that situation, there is Craigslist.

Craigslist is a great, free option to sell items locally for cash! Anything that is legal to sell, you can sell on Craigslist.

Our spring cleaning is stretched into summer cleaning, and we have been posting items for sale on Craigslist all week.  It helps us clean out the house and make a few extra bucks to go into our emergency fund.

We also buy a lot on Craigslist too.  Right now I am looking for a Baby carrier, as our kiddo has outgrown his current carrier. I will sell the old one and use those funds to buy a new one.

 

Freecycle- A frugal girls best friend!

Stuff breaks, kids (and grown ups) outgrow clothes, sometimes you have stuff in the house you just don't want anymore.

Instead of throwing unwanted items away, join your local Freecycle group.  You can post unwanted items.  People looking for your items can arrange with you pick up.  You can also posted WANTED ads, if you are looking for items.

Recently, we needed two over the door shoe hangers, since our shoes were all over the house.  I posted a wanted ad and within 2 hours, I had a very nice lady  emailing me that she had a set she no longer needed.

Freecycle has helped me clean out the closets and purge unwanted stuff from the house, while keeping it out of landfills.

To find the online Freecycle group near you, visit the Freecycle homepage.

Awesome Freebies & Promos

If you live in a state with See's Candy, get down to the closest location and pick up a free lollipop today! Find the closest location here.

Speaking of yummy freebies- today is Miss Maggie Moo's Birthday! Head over to Maggie Moo's Ice Cream shop and get a free Coke Float from 3-6 PM.  To find a location near you that is participating, click here.

Thehabit.com is still offering $25.00 credit on your first order- and free shipping!

Barista Prima is giving away coffee on Facebook.  Like them and keep your eyes open for times each day when they are giving it away.

 

Not a freebie, but a great daily deal: Saveology is selling a $10.00 Subway Gift care for $6.50.

They are also selling a great Omaha Steak Package too! $80 For A Delicious Assortment of Steaks & Burgers From Omaha Steaks Worth $157!  The package includes: four 5-oz. Top Sirloin Steaks, four 4-oz. Gourmet Burgers, and four 5-oz. Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignons. The meat arrives in a reusable cooler with dry ice. If you've wanted to try Omaha Steak, this is a great opportunity!

 

 

My favorite freebie!

THEY'RE BACK!!!

 

The Newcastle pub glasses!! It's the awesomest freebie ever! And check it out.. Here is the best part: NO BEER PURCHASE REQUIRED in AL, AR, CA, CT, GA, HI, IN, KY, ME, MN, MO, NC, NJ, NY, OH, OR, SD, TN, TX*, UT, VA or WV.
Valid from 05/02/2011 through 09/07/2011 or until supplies are exhausted, whichever comes first. Supplies are limited so act now.

*Texas residents: Due to regulatory restrictions, you must purchase the glass by sending a check or money order for $2 made payable to “CMS, Attn: Your Beer. Your Glass.” and sending it along with your personal information as required above and six (6) virtual bottle caps to the address listed above.

 

So go, print your form, fill it out and mail it in!

 

You know you want one!

Saving money by maintaining your vehicle

Doing preventative measures on your vehicle will save you a lot of money in the long run.  Keeping up the maintenance on your car will extend it's life.

To get the most out of a tank of gas:

• Make sure that your tires are inflated to space.  That information is located on the drivers side door jamb where the VIN is.


• Speaking of tires, make sure that you have the correct sized tires for your car.  They should be in good shape, free of cracks, and worn evenly.  Get your tires rotated every 2-3 oil changes to get the an even wear.


• Your car should be in good alignment.  If you let go of the wheel and your car veers to one side- it's time for an alignment. Poor alignment can mess with gas mileage and the wear of your tires.


• To get more MPG from a tank of gas, try a fuel injector cleaner or gas enhancer. They are available at your local auto parts store.


• Make sure your car is in good working order.  If you aren't too terribly vehicle savvy, find a good, trusted mechanic.  If you live in the San Diego, CA area, I recommend East County Tire and Brake in El Cajon.  Scott and the guys do an awesome job! If you can't remember the last time the spark plugs were changed, it's time for a tune up (it's less than $100.00 and worth every dime.


• Remove all of the extra junk in your car.  Carrying extra stuff in your car can jack up your gas mileage. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your MPG by up to 2 percent. (Per the Department of Energy)


• Most importantly- DRIVE THE SPEED LIMIT! It's not only safer, but it per the Department of Energy, "gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. You can assume that each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.29 per gallon for gas."

Take care of your car and it will take care of you!

Great deals and freebies!

This week has been very busy! We're apartment hunting and the little one had his 4 month check up.  Below are some great freebies and deals for this coming week (7/17-7/23):

Free Sample of Huggies Dry max Diaper in size 3,4, or 5 (your choice) from Target.

Check out AllYou's website each day for their freebie of the day.  Today it's a free sample of Lactaid.

AllYou has a great Grocery Store Circular Roundup- It gives you the circulars of the stores in your area and you can plan your shopping based on the deals of the week. There are also printable coupons to match some of the deals!

This is a great deal for bloggers or WAHM's.  250 free business cards!

Target has awesome deals on Kashi this week.  Pair up with Target's Kashi Printable and manu. Kashi printables and you are in business.  Check out the details at Frugal Coupon Living!

Garnier Fructis Anti-Dandruff Shampoo sample from Walmart.

 

 

 

VocalPoint- Free Fresh Express Salad!

Everyone loves a cool, crisp summer salad!

If you are a VocalPoint member, Check out this link* and see if you are eligible for an exclusive offer: A coupon for a free bag of Fresh Express with Rinse Fresh bagged salad.You will also receive coupons to share with a friend!

Fresh Express^® has developed a breakthrough, eco-friendly produce wash called Fresh Rinse^™ that is 7x more effective in cleaning salads than traditional chlorine wash,¹ but is still gentle on lettuce.

• Environmentally friendly


• Acceptable for use on organic produce

¹Based on average reduction of bacteria (Total Aerobic Plate Counts,
and indicator for the level of microorganisms on a product)

*Must be a Vocalpoint member; limited quantities available. Only one package will be mailed per member. Please allow 5-7 weeks for delivery. Offer only available in certain areas.

We eat at least 3 bags of salad per week in our house and we can't wait to try Fresh Express with Fresh Rinse!!

DIY Tutorials

I love to make stuff.

Food, clothes, home crafts (like curtains, quilts and pillow cases). Heck I spent 2 hours the other night making pages for my kiddos scrapbook, then I used the leftover bits and pieces to make some cute greeting cards! I still need to make the envelopes, but I'll get there!

Below are some great, easy tutorials on how to make some cute crafts!

Neck tie Onsie- The Cub has one of these, I'll be making a lot more!

Pillowcase Dress- Just increase the size of the pattern using a grown up shirt (non fitted) instead of a kiddo onsie and you can make a cute top or dress for yourself.

Pillowcase apron- I do have a thing for pillowcase crafts- it gives me a reason to buy the cute hand embroidered ones at estate sales!

And perhaps my favorite... pillowcase shorts!  I was going to post a tutorial on how to do this, but someone has already beaten me to it.  I will say that I cut the top (the end that is sewn shut) off and make the shorts the complete length of the pillow case, and I use 1 case per leg (I'm a plus sized lady).   I also use my favorite shorts as a pattern and just trace around it, adding 1 inch to the top for the casing and 1 inch to the rise for the seam allowance- nothing worse then bending over and splitting your britches!!

We re-use and re-purpose a lot of stuff in this house.  And when something reaches the end of it's life here, I give it away on Freecycle or sell it on CraigsList!

Using Daily deal sites to get free stuff!

By now, everyone is familiar with daily deal sites, such as Groupon, Buywithme, TheDaily Save.  Did you know thatby sharing a link to a daily deal that you like or are excited by, you can potentially earn free credits to make purchases?

Here are a few examples:

Groupon- (nationwide) When you share your link and someone buys their first deal through your referral link, you get $10!  There is no limit on how many credits you can receive.

BuyWithMe- (nationwide) Same as Groupon with the $10 referral credit.  They also offer a great perk- when 3 friends buy a deal, you get the deal for free!

TheDailySave- (This is for San Diego Area businesses only) You receive a $5 credit for each friend you refer when they make their first purchase. Today's deal is awesome, I have bought it in the past 3 oil changes for $30!

Savemore.com -(nationwide) Same as Groupon with the $10 referral credit.

Some deal sites like ShopItToMe offer a bonus when you have friends sign up (they don't have to buy anything, just SIGN UP!!).  For every 10 friends that sign up, you receive a gift card to one of ten merchants (including Jamba juice, Starbucks, and Macy's).

And when daily deal sites first open, they tend to have a great promo code that yields a big discount- The latest is MyHabit.com (owned by Amazon). Until August 1st, enter code SUMMER25 during checkout and receive a $25.00 credit.  They always offer free shipping!

 

Post Deleted

I have deleted the blog post about upcoming couponing classes in my area. I am not offering classes, only private tutoring. If you want to know why, check out this post.

 

If you are interested in private tutoring, please email me at cacoupondiva@gmail.com.  Do not comment on this post.

Know your credit score!

It's important to know what's on your credit report.

If you access your free credit report each year from each of the three credit reporting bureaus, you can check for any outstanding debts you weren't aware of, and pay them off. Paying off outstanding balances and keeping yourself out of debt as much as possible can raise your credit score.

You can see just how many credit cards or loans are in your name (This is a good way to check for identity theft!).

What does this have to do with frugal living?  Maintaining a good credit score gives you access to better APR's on car notes, home loans, HELOC's.  That saves you money.  That's frugal living.

To check out your credit report for FREE visit: Free Annual Credit Report.  You don't have to subscribe or pay anything to view your credit report.  To see your credit score, you do have to pay.  You can do it for free once every 12 months.

Taking the weekend off!

I'm taking the weekend off from the blog to spend time with the family.

I'll be back on Tuesday with some tutorials on what to do with extra pillow cases, as well as some great recipes!

And the winner is....

The Sweet Libertine Mineral Makeup Giveawaywinner is: Michelle Anne Tiemann.

 

Michelle, you have 24 hours to email me at cacoupondiva@gmail.com with your mailing address.  I will get your package out on Tuesday.  I will also include a coupon pot luck, so you can keep on saving money!

 

Thank you to everyone who entered- we had 32 entries! Our next giveaway will be in a few weeks.  We'll be giving away two coupon wallets stuffed with over $500 in coupon savings!

Makeup winner!

We went to the drive-in last night and didn't get home until 2am. so I am working on picking a winner this afternoon and I'll post the winner ASAP.