Freebie Friday!

It's Friday and that means Freebies!!

 



 

Our peeps over at Drugstore Divas has done some of the work for us with their Freebie Friday post.  Thanks ladies!

Here are some other rocking freebies:

• New Kodak.com customers can get 50 FREE prints - just pay shipping, which varies between $2.95-$5. Follow this link for the offer: KODAK


• Free Cards from Cardstore.com with coupon code  CCE2246. Maximum value of $6. Limit one free card per household.  Valid from March 8 through March 14, 2012 for the first 25k customers.


• If you have a kitty, this is for you! There's a BOGO Friskies coupon on their page - like them to print yours.


• Vitacost.com- New members who sign up through this link receive $10 shopping credit. There are many items that qualify for free shipping.  And you can select two free samples per order too!


• OneKingsLane- $15.00 shopping credit for new members.  Great, affordable home goods.
  Sneakpeeq is currently offering a $10.00 credit for new sign ups here.


• Free samples from Walmart!

This page contains affiliate links.  Please see my Affiliate Disclosure here.

Which is more important?

Saving money or using coupons? The two are not always the same.

The answer is simple, doncha think? Think again.

I talked with some couponers today and I was chastised for shopping at 99 Cents Only because they don't accept coupons.  I posed the question above and most of them said, "Using Coupons".  I set up the following scenario:

At Ralph's a bag of Dole salad is $3.49.

At 99 Cents Only the EXACT same bag of salad is .99.

Sometimes (maybe 2-3 times per year) I can get a .50 off coupon for a bag of Dole Salad.  Most of the time, it's now .50 off 2 or 3 bags (thanks to "that show").  Ralph's will double the first coupon, making it $1.00 off. So, the salad at Ralph's is now $2.49 if I can find a coupon that is only off 1 bag.

My family eats 4-6 bags of salad a week.  We like our greens.

Scenario:

So, let's say, I can get 20 .50/1 coupons for salad all year. Honestly, that's a STRETCH!  I do not use clipping services.  I only trade coupons.

• I buy 5 bags of salad per week.


• That's only 6 weeks worth of salad I can use coupons on.


• Ralph's will double the first to $1.00.


• The first coupon is doubled to $1.00, and since I can only use 3 like coupons at Ralphs, so the remaining 2 .50 coupons are redeemed at face value. A total savings of $2.00.


• 5 bags of salad at Ralphs will come to $15.45.

Meanwhile at 99 Cents Only, I can buy 5 bags of salad for $4.98.  No coupons, no muss, no fuss. It's the same price every day.  All of our local 99 Cents Only carry Dole bagged salads.

I can use the $10.47 I saved to buy more groceries or I can stash it away in our savings account for a rainy day!

Not everyone has a 99 Cents Only near them, but there are other low price grocery outlets, such as Dollar General, Family Dollar, Save-a-lot, and lots of other regional  bargain chains.

So which is more important to you? Saving money or using coupons?

Doing Vegas on the cheap!

What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but there is no reason to spend a lot of money while you are there.

Here are some tips for having a great time in Sin City without dropping a fortune!

Unless you plan on spending a lot of time in your room, there is no reason to stay in swanky hotel on the strip (unless you have comps!!).  It's true, everyone likes the fancy little soaps and a mint on their pillow, but those things come at a cost. If you are looking for honest (and funny) reviews of all of the hotels in Vegas, check out Cheapo Vegas.  It gives reviews of the rooms, casinos, buffets, and what kind of amenities are in each room (including those little soaps!).  They even have a comparison chart.

Everyone has to eat- There are a lot of places to eat in Vegas, but what Vegas is best known for is BUFFETS!!  The days of all you can eat $5.00 buffet may be over, but the Harrah's chain of Casino/hotels offers a great deal called Buffet of Buffets.  It's a 24 hour pass to eat at seven of Harrah's buffets.  Take your pick!  We had brunch at Caesar's Palace, a snack at the Oriental Palace, dinner at Planet Hollywood, and Sunday breakfast at Paris.  All for $34.99. The price may vary at the time of your visit, so check at the buffets or at the Player's club desk.

Players Clubs- If you plan on gambling, join the players club for each casino you gamble in.  You earn points for playing, and points can be turned in for free food, tickets to shows, or other great perks.

When you check into your hotel, in the packet from the front desk, there are usually coupon books, and information on points of interest.  Make sure to check these out- there may be valuable coupons for food, shows (dollar off or BOGO), places of interest that are on your list of "stuff to do".

If you room has a fridge, don't hesitate to bring your own snacks or liquor- It will save you money.  Booze can be expensive at the hotel bars.  If you are looking for a place to pick up inexpensive snacks (including fresh fruit and veggies, chips, pretzels and bottled water and soft drinks)- There are several 99 Cents Only Stores in the Las Vegas area (the closest one to the strip is the location on East Flamingo).

If you live within driving distance, you may want to calculate your gas mileage and see if it's cheaper to drive or fly. Southwest Airlines has tickets from San Diego to Vegas for $39.00 each way (plus airport fees and taxes).  That makes your round trip about $89.00.  Southwest also has pretty lax baggage restrictions too. Most hotels have shuttles to and from the airport, and if not, it's usually about a $10.00 taxi ride from the airport to the strip.

Speaking of taxis- It is important to note that there is a state law that only 5 riders are allowed per cab- even if it's a van or mini van.  So if you're a big party, you may have to take 2 or 3 cabs. Cabs are pretty cheap too, so if it's too hot or you are too drunk to walk, take a cab.

Remember to stick to your budget (that means you need to make one!), wear sunscreen if you'll be outside, and have FUN!!

If you have any tips to share, please post them in the comments!