I MIGHT be hosting a GIVEAWAY.... STARTING NOW!

Want the truth? I'm lazy. I'm selfish. I haven't had the time to even think about posting coupon deals because I swear since April we have been in and out of town every waking moment and I'm lucky if I get to shower once a week every other day.

Between holidays, birthdays and my brothers recent wedding July 11, we have either been out of town or had family in town that drives me crazy that we enjoy very much, but it's been super insane around here and this has been the last thing on my mind.

I'm sorry.

But the good news is things should be slowing down....HAHAHAHAHA!

Who am I kidding?!? Things are never slow or boring or go-with-the-flow around here. At least we should be in town for the next 7 days. Well, that is unless when my husband gets up in a few hours he doesn't decide he wants to hop in the car "Mummy Hummy" and head somewhere. To a beach. With beatiful sand. Plenty of sunshine. and LOTS and LOTS of margaritas quality time together.

But that's highly unlikely, so I will say with 99% certainty that we will be here for the next 7 days AT LEAST.

On the other hand, I don't know if THIS blog will be.

Let me clarify.

When I started this I was all over the place. All the ideas I had going thru my head had my wheels turning with so many things I wanted this blog to be. I didn't know exactly where to begin so I started with the weight loss journey turned couponing, and although I still love both of those parts of my life, I want this to be so much more. There is a part of me that needs more. I feel that all these trials and triumphs I've experienced in my life were meant for a real purpose and for as long as I can remember I haven't been able to figure out what that purpose is....
UNTIL NOW.

It's this. It's me. It's me sharing my life. My story. My words. My writing. With whoever will listen and read it. I'm no professional author. Heck, my five year old can write better than me most of my friends can write better than me, but God didn't put them here for that, but I truly feel He put me here for it.

So I know this has been a complete mess work in progress and has taken many twists and turns along the way, but I hope you guys will hang on and enjoy the ride because I can only pray it will eventually be all that I picture in my head. I have been working on ideas, changes, new aspects for a while now and it feels like they are starting to come together. I am not leaving the writing/blogging world by any means, I'm just taking it to the next step......

Stay tuned for what I've been busy messing up working on and I hope you guys will continue to follow me on this new path I really feel God is leading me down. For the first time in a long time, if not ever, I feel right. I feel like I'm at the RIGHT place at the RIGHT time and I'm doing the RIGHT thing. It feels great and I'm so excited.

And don't fret, I WILL still be journaling my weight loss (as well as others -- any of you customers reading who are willing to share your story with pictures, please contact me so I can share your success with everyone) selling the miracle pill diet pills, and sharing my couponing tips and other ways to save money, but I'm gonna do it MY way. More importantly, there will be SOOO much more than just those things. There will be something for everyone. I hope you guys will pretend to be be as happy with all the things I hope to offer as I am.

But before I go, I need your help. I'm really struggling with a tagline. You would think if I'm a writing pro wanna-be writer I would be able to come up with my own stuff, but I can't..... so that's where you come in. I need you guys to help me think of something clever. Catchy. Even refer me to sites you enjoy and like that you remember so I can bounce off their brains. I want something memorable and something that makes you laugh or touches your heart. Something for anyone that would read it that they can relate to. Something about LIFE and all the pieces of it. How every part of your life affects the other side and there is no denying it.

Does any of this make sense?!?

Depending on the responses I get for ideas, if there are enough of you guys who respond and refer NEW people to follow me I *MIGHT* just do a give-away! I'm not sure of the prize yet, but it could be something like:

*The Couponizer*
To help all you newbies get organized!

*Coupon Inserts*
To help you guys get started!

*Or your choice of a $20 gift card to the store of your choice*
These are just a few samples of great places to start your couponing!

BUT in order to MAYBE win the MAYBE giveaway, I MIGHT do, you MIGHT want to follow THESE rules to be entered in the giveaway:

1. Click FOLLOW ME on the right hand side of the page AND leave a comment with a suggestion about my tagline, or just to make me feel good about myself you can leave a comment telling me how beautiful and awesome I am! =) --this will earn you ONE entry *if you already follow me, just mention that in your comment, or if you do not have an account to FOLLOW me, just let me know you are reading this blog*

2. Blog about it on your own blog and link back to refer new people to my site, then come back and let me know you did this --this will earn you a SECOND entry

3. If you get 3 people to comment and say YOU sent them when they tell me how much they love me -- this will earn you a THIRD entry.

But remember, this is only a MAYBE contest that I MIGHT do, so who knows when I MIGHT decide to END it. It MIGHT just be NEXT friday, JULY 31st, but that's only a MAYBE.

*HINT HINT*

Keep in mind, the more people you send me and the more people that take place in this, I MIGHT decide to do more than just ONE grand prize winner!

Who knows!

Target Deals coming TODAY!

Well I've been off blogging for a LONG time now, but it was for good reasons and a much needed break.... but I'll be back at it today! Check back later today for this weeks Target deals!!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful FATHERS DAY with their dads, grandfathers and/or husbands!!

*Pardon the dust*

Sorry for the mess! This page is currently UNDER CONSTRUCTION!! Hopefully things will be fixed in the next few days!!! Keep checking back for more deals and info and to see all the new things goin on here at Lil Bits Of Life!

*HURRY* COUPONS RESET

Wow! I can't believe it! The coupons HERE and HERE have been RESET -- AGAIN!

So HURRY and GO here and here and print your AWESOME Kraft coupons (and some new ones!) again before the print limit is reached!!!! Remember.... you can print them TWICE!!!!

Target Deals 5/24 - 5/30

Looks like Target has some pretty good deals this week and that makes me very happy! Of course, remember prices vary by area.... even stores in the same city have different prices, so check your stores prices before purchasing! The clearance items at one store might not be the same at another, so if you see an item on clearance that you need or use, it's best to get while you can cuz it won't be there for long!! Always keep your eyes open and look at the end caps of isles for great clearance deals that aren't posted and please come back and share anything you scored that is not listed! =)

GIFT CARD DEALS

Cheez-It Snack Crackers, Fudge Shoppe Cookies, Pop-Tarts 12 Ct --$2.33
*Get $5 gift card wyb 5*
-$1.00/2 Keebler Cookies (RP 4/5)
-$1.00/2 Kellogg's Pop-Tarts (RP 4/5)
AND
-$0.50/2 Kellogg's Pop-Tarts Target HERE
making it $.43-$1.99 each wyb 5 after Q & gift card

Great Deal Idea:
Buy 5 boxes of Pop-Tarts = $11.65
-Use (5) $1 Manufacturer Q peelies (spotted at Walmart)
-Use (5) .50 cent Target Q HERE
making it $4.15 OOP -- get $5 GC
making $.85 profit after GC

No Peelies option:
Buy 5 Boxes = $11.65
-Use (2) $1/2 from (RP 4/5)
-Use (5) .50 cent Target coupons
making it $7.15 OOP -- get $5 GC
costing $2.15 or .43 cents each after GF

Banana Boat Sunscreen (trial size) -- $.99
-$1 (SS 5/3)
making it FREE after Q

Axe Shower Gel (trial size) -- $.97
-$1 Q (Unilever Insert 4/5)
making it FREE after Q

Zyrtec Kids (4 oz) -- $9.99
- $4/1 Target Home Mailer (not everyone gets this!)
AND/OR
- $4/1 (RP 4/26)
making it $1.99 after Q

Coffeemate -- $1.50
-$1 off HERE
making it $.50 after Q

Johnson's buddies soap -- $.99
-$3/3 coupon HERE
making it 3 for FREE after Q

A1 Steak Sauce (5oz) -- $2.09
-$2.00 (SS 5/10)
making it $0.09 after Q

Coppertone Sport sunscreen (trial size) -- $.97
-$1.00 IP here (print 2)
making it FREE after Q

GET FREE FIRST AID BAG wyb 3
Benadryl (.26oz spray) --$4.29,
Neosporin (.26oz spray) --$3.89
BandAid (20 ct) --$2.89
-$1/1 Benadryl (RP 4/26 or RP 5/17)
-$1/1 Neosporin (RP 4/26 or 5/17)
-$1/1 BandAid (RP 4/26 or 5/17)
Final Price Varies

Deal Idea:
Buy 3 BandAid
-Use 3 $1/1 Q
making it $5.67 OOP
Get FREE First Aid Bag

Smartfood Popcorn -- $3.00
-$1/1 (SS 5/3)
-$1/1 HERE
making it $1.00 after Q

Wet Ones Canister --$1.87
$1.00/1 HERE
making it $.87 after Q

Kellogg's Cereals (select varieties) -- $1.99
-$1/1 here (if you printed them before -- they are no longer available now)
-$1.50/2 Mini-Wheats here
making it $0.99 each after Q

Quaker Granola Bites (by registers) -- $1
-$1/1 (RP 03/29)
-$1/1 Target Q HERE
making it FREE after Q

Sutton Dodge Steak or Roast -- prices vary by pound
-$1/1 Target HERE
making it CHEAP after Q (pick lowest price item for lowest OOP price)

Strawberries -- $1.99-$2.99
-$1.00/1 HERE
making it $0.99-$1.99 after Q

Gold 'n Plump Chicken -- prices vary
-$1/1 and $1.50/1 HERE
-$1/1 Target Q HERE
OOP price varies -- possibly as low as $.50 after Q

Kraft Mayo (18 oz) -- $1.99
-$1/1 Target Coupon
-$1/1 printable Kraft coupon or $1/1 here
making it FREE after Q

Kraft Barbecue Sauce -- $1.00
-$1/1 printable Kraft coupon or $1/1 here
making it FREE after Q

Kraft Easy Mac -- $.77
-$1/1 printable Kraft coupon or $1 here
making it $.27 each after Q

Kraft Velveeta Shells & Cheese --$1.50
-$1/1 printable Kraft coupon or $1/1 here
making it $.50 after Q

Kraft Salad Dressing -- $1.99
-$1/1 printable Kraft coupon or $1/1 here
making it $.99 after Q

Nabisco 100 Calorie Snack Packs -- $2.39 (some stores $2.04)
-$1/1 printable Kraft coupon or $1/1 here
making it $1.39 after Q

Wheat Thins Crackers (10 oz) -- $2.04
-$1/1 printable Kraft coupon or $1/1 here
making it $1.04 after Q

Triscuit Crackers (10 oz) -- $2.04
-$1/1 printable Kraft coupon or $1/1 here
making it $1.04 after Q

Ritz Crackers -- $2.54
-$1/1 printable Kraft coupon or $1/1 here
making it $1.54 after Q

A1 Steaksauce -- $2.09
-$2/1 (SS 5/10)
-$1/1 here
making it $.09 after Q

*Possible Clearance items*

Kraft Honey BBQ sauce -- $.71
- $1/1 here
making it FREE after Q

Kraft Zesty Italian dressing --$1.19
-$1/1 here
making it $.19 after Q

Nivea men's body wash -- $2.78
-$1 (RP 5/3)
-$1 here
making it $1.78 after Q

Angel Soft 4 pack tissue --$1.08
-$.50 (RP 4/19)
making it $.58 after Q

See anything I missed? Please comment and let me know!

S.O.B

Let me explain. I had full intentions of posting this weeks deals and getting back on track. I even have many "half" finished drafts that are still half-finished! ugh.... then some SOB invaded our house!

SOME.OLE.BUG

stomach bug to be exact

and it ain't pretty!

So it goes without saying what has kept me from posting this week, and for that I'm truly sorry. My poor babies have been so sick all and as of right now, they aren't much better. =(

Anyway, I'm sorry there were no deals for you to check out this week. I'll try to get Wal-Mart up tonight or tomorrow for you if nothing else. They aren't a "weekly" store, so their deals are normally good for quite some time. =) Hopefully you all will have a wonderful holiday weekend and check back sunday/monday for NEXT weeks deals FOR SURE!!

(P.S. This weekends paper will not have any coupon inserts because it's Memorial Day)

SO SORRY!!

I'm sooooo sorry everyone for no deals this week! It's been "one of those weeks" and before I knew it, it was fridaytoday! I don't even know how it happened, but you didn't miss much (in my opinion)!

I promise to be back and running for next weeks deals!! I'll try to get them up tomorrow and sunday so you will be prepared come monday!! Thanks for sticking around and understanding....

Arby's vs KFC ------ and the winner issssss....

ARBY'S!!!!

I mean really?? Who doesn't love some free food? Don't lie, you know you do!

So in trying to make this day better after KFC flaked out, I'm happy to report that I just read over at Centsible Savings, Arby's will be giving away free (with some kind of purchase) food every wednesday this summer -- which starts NEXT WEDNESDAY! Ha - TAKE THAT KFC! Best part... NO COUPON NECESSARY!

Anyway, here is the list of items that will be available:
(Thanks, Centsible Savings for putting this list together!)

May 13th - Free Roastburger with and soft drink purchase
May 20th - Free Chocolate Malt Swirl shake with and sandwich purchase
May 27th - Free Regular Roast Beef sandwich with any soft drink purchase

June 3rd - Free FruiTea with any sandwich purchase
June 10th - Free Roast Chicken club with any soft drink purchase
June 17th - Free Regular Sidekicker with any sandwich purchase
June 24th -Free Regular Roast Beef with any soft drink purchase

July 1st - Free Regular Beef 'n Cheddar with any soft drink purchase
July 8th - Free Orange Cream Swirl shake with any sandwich purchase
July 15th - Free Regular Roast Beef with any soft drink purchase
July 22nd - Free Roastburger with any soft drink purchase
July 29th - Free FruiTea with any sandwich purchase

August 5th - Free Regular Roast Beef with any soft drink purchase
August 12th - Free Roast Chicken Club with any soft drink purchase
August 19th - Free FruiTea with any sandwich purchase
August 26th - Free Regular Beef 'n Cheddar with any soft drink purchase

Be sure to check and make sure your local Arby's is participating!! I know I will be ;)

Who needs KFC when you have SONIC?

As it's said, when one door closes, another always opens... and that seems to be true here! After reading that KFC was "indian-giving" on their coupons, I was a little upset. Not because KFC is something I just LOVE, but because it seems these days stores and businesses want to be more greedy and difficult than they used to. Maybe that's just me, but I feel they look for any loophole around honoring what they are advertising. It's part of one big scam and I, personally, do not like it -- not ONE LITTLE BIT!

So, since I am a little irritated with KFC *I won't name names* I am happy to advertise this deal because this IS something/somewhere I DO love to eat -- SONIC!

When you go here and enter your email address, you will be a sent a coupon for a FREE CROISSONIC breakfast sandwich with the purchase of a large drink. The best part is, Sonic serves breakfast all day, so there is NO reason for all your lazy folks to not take part in this as well. ;) So hurry up and go get one here!

Raincheck on KFC?!?

I'm sorry to tell you all this, but The Consumerist has some bad news about the KFC coupons that were printed. KFC is no longer accepting the coupons, but they will issue a raincheck if you go in and fill out the form and mail it in with your coupon by May 19. Head on over to The Consumerist for more details!

On the other hand... El Pollo Loco has some great news to share! ON MOTHER'S DAY they WILL honor your KFC coupon for a free meal!! How awesome are they? Be sure to see if you have one near you!

And while you're at it, watch this funny video from El Pollo Loco!

*Coupon Alert*

**UPDATE** This coupon is said to be fraud. It was not meant to be shared. My site is here to help you, my readers, save money in any way possible, as long as it's legal and honest. I am sorry for the confusion.

Hey guys... hurry and print this $1 Coke coupon before it's gone!!! It's rare to see one of these around, so get it while you can!

Best part -- it seems there is no printing limit so keep printing to your hearts content! ;)

Enjoy!

Free UNfried Chicken from KFC

Go grab yourself FOUR coupons for some UNfried chicken from KFC, but you better do it fast because printing ends tonight! (you have until May 19 to actually USE the coupons)

So hurry.... go HERE and print your coupons for 2 pieces of grilled chicken, two sides and a biscuit! Bet I know what you're having for lunch tomorrow ;)

Winning the jackjuicepot at TARGET!

I have a TARGET secret! Wanna know what it is?

How many of you have kiddos? How many of you have kiddos that drink or like juice boxes? Oh, they like to squeeze them EVERYWHERE for you to clean up?!? Aw, I'm sorry -- mine would NEVER do something like that ;)

Anyway --out of those of you who have children that actually like to DRINK them, how many of you actually buy them? If you can answer yes to the last question, you just took away my chances of winning "mom of the year award" because before now, there was NO way I was paying $4+ for juice in a box when I can pour the SAME juice into a cup for less than $1!

Since I'm the overly-nice-person that I am, I'll give you the best kept secret on juice boxes -- seriously, this makes me love stupid people, and I don't say that to be mean. Really, I love people that make stupid mistakes -- especially when I can benefit from their "whoops" moment!

But before I tell you, you must agree to my terms:

1) Don't be greedy! ok--well, be greedy! If you find them, take them! Take them ALL and laugh the whole way out of the store.
2)When you find them, you must take a picture and email me with your stash of strolen golden juice boxes!
3)Everytime you give one to your kids and they say thank you (because mine NEVER forget to tell me thank you! ) you must say "no, don't thank me, thank Lil' Bit!) ;)

Okay.... OKAY I'm getting to it.... No need to rush me people -- Introducing --

MINUTE MAID JUICE BOXES!


Ok, there I told you! You're welcome....

Just kidding! ;) Alright, so take a closer look.... you see in the left hand corner how it says "2 more boxes" meaning there are 10 in the pack? If you are like me, who doesn't buy juice boxes (until now!) you wouldn't know that this was not right/normal. Actually, you would probably walk right by them thinking they look just like all the other packs -- but you'd be missing a huge steal!



These brand (only!) are sold in 15 packs! Not 10 (well, except for the minute maid orange juice flavor which ARE sold in 10 packs)!!! Yes folks, if you can find Minute Maid 10 packs of Apple Juice, Fruit Punch, Grape or Lemonade, you have hit the jackjuicepot!


Let me explain. These are normally around $4-$5 a pack (15 pack) at TARGET. Seems normal (when you price out other brands as well), but Target occassionally has employees (THANK GOODNESS) that doesn't pay attention to what they are doing and stocks the FOOD COURT juice box packs on the shelf!! WOO HOO!! When this happens you get 10 juice boxes for -- $.69!

Yes, that's right.... $.69 will buy you not ONE (like the SINGLE boxes at the FOOD COURT at TARGET) but TEN juice boxes!

These 10 packs are supposed to be sold individually for $.69, but as we all used to say when we were kids "FINDERS KEEPERS, LOSERS WEEPERS!"


To make things better, Target ALSO carries these (sorry I forgot to rotate the pic and I don't feel like fixing it at the moment):



Which is their brand of juice boxes. These come in 8 packs (always!), but the catch is -- once again-- these are supposed to be sold for $.59 EACH.... instead you will get all 8 for the price of one!


So how can you tell which is which with the Target brand? It's a little harder, but once you find a pack, you understand what all this means.


Each 8 pack is wrapped in plastic. Inside the plastic is a cardboard wrapper as well (that looks just like the front of the juice boxes pretty much) Similiar to the wrapper around the Minute Maid boxes pictured above. The package of Target Juice in the picture does NOT have a paper wrapper. THAT, my friends, is KEY!


Sometimes it's easier to look at the back, that looks like this:



or the side at the bar codes. You'll recognize the difference when you see them.... trust me!

From everything I know, if you find them, Target must sell them to you for the price they ring up! It's their mistake and as far as THEY know, you are just an innocent customer who got lucky! ;)


So there ya have it.... I couldn't keep it a secret anymore! I felt it was time for me to share another little tid bit about why I love me some Target shopping!! Now, have fun in the hunt for juice boxes! And even for those of you without kiddos or kiddos that don't drink juice boxes.... I dare you to come back here and tell me you haven't even looked to see if you can find them. It's one of those "things" that you just can't resist.... even if you don't want/need them!


Face it -- we are all suckers for a good stealdeal!

Humorous Mothers Day gift

So I'm a sucker for t-shirts that have sayings on them. I know, I know. Some people think they are tacky -- me, I personally like when I can wear what I'm feeling so people will know to get out of my way ;) Lol!

With that said, I think this is a great Mothers Day gift -- well for those of you, like myself, who like shirts with humerous sayings on them!

And if you do, then you might want to check out these as well because I think I'm liking this one a lot! Actually after the past 2 weeks of this "swine flu" business and having my kiddos home NON-STOP I'm thinking this one might actually be my favorite!

How about you? See any YOU like? Or am I alone in liking shirts that tell people what mood you are in? ;)

Facebook users -- Mother's Day Gift Idea!! *updated link*

*I updated the link, so see if it works now*

Facebook users check this out for a great MOTHERS DAY GIFT!

You can use your facebook photo albums to make your own photobook by downloading this application. You must have a facebook account to do this!!! This week you will recieve credits to make 20 books and the best part is, SHIPPING IS FREE TOO!! How great is that?

For all you Facebook users, please let me know how this works and if you do it, how it turns out! I, on the other hand, am not a Facebook user, so I can not try it -- bummer!

Possible cheap Starbucks drinks at Walgreens!

Walgreens has Starbucks drinks on sale with in-ad coupon for $2 -- but there are some varieties on sale 3/$5 with no in-ad coupon needed! Use this $1 coupon and get these for only $.67 each! Now that's a deal worth checking out!

Keep me posted if you find any of these at your Walgreens around you!

Target Deals 5/3 - 5/9

Oh how I love me some Target deals!! Here are some of the *best* I see going on this week. Keep in mind prices may vary from store to store, so be sure to check out your Target Weekly Ad here and double check your stores prices.

SOBE Life Water -- $1.00
-B1G1 free printable
making it $.50 each after Q

V-8 Fusion Juice -- $2.99
-$2/1 here
making it $0.99 each after Q

Smartfood Popcorn -- $3.00
-$1/1 Target coupon here
AND
-$1/1 (SS 5/3)
making it $1.00 each after Q

Eggo Frozen Waffles -- $1.50
-$0.75/1 (RP 4/5)
making it $0.75 each after Q

Kraft Velveeta Shells & Cheese -- $1.50
-$1.50/2 here
making it $0.75 each wyb 2 after Q

Schick Quattro for Women, Intuition Plus & Quattro Titanium Razors -- $6.99
-$4/1 (SS 3/22 & 4/26)
-$4/1 (RP 4/19)
AND
-$2/1 Target coupon here
making it $.99 each after Q's
*the target coupon says it's for the trimstyle razor, but from what I'm reading others have used it and it's worked just fine! otherwise, without the target coupon, the razor is still a great deal at $2.99 after $4 Q!*

Lysol Toilet Bowl Cleaner -- $1.69
-$1.00/2 (SS 4/26)
-$0.50/1 or $0.75/1 (SS 3/15 & 4/26)
making it $0.94-$1.19 each after Q
(check rebate info below)

Lysol Wipes- 28/35 ct, All Purpose Cleaner- 40 oz or Bathroom Cleaner -32 oz - $2.25
-$1/1 Wipes (SS 3/15 & 4/26)
-$0.50/1 or $0.75/1 All Purpose Cleaner (SS 3/15 & 4/26)
-$0.75/1 Bathroom Cleaner (SS 3/15 & 4/26)
making it $1.25-$1.75 each after Q
(check rebate info below)

Submit this $3 rebate form when you buy 3 *DIFFERENT* Lysol products
(keep in mind this rebate ends 5/15/09)

*deal idea*
Buy 1 Toilet Bowl Cleaner- use $0.75/1 Q
Buy 1 Wipes; use $1/1 Q
Buy 1 Bathroom or All Purpose Cleaner; use $0.75/1 Q
Pay $3.69 OOP for all 3 -- get $3 back
making it $0.23 each for all 3!

*Be sure to check your store prices on these items! This might actually be a "money maker" if your store has them all priced at $1.69! Also, some areas got the $.50 Q and some got the $.75 Q, so check your inserts and calculate your prices*

Thank you Attention Target Shoppers for this deal!

*Get a $5 Gift Card when you buy 2:

Glade Fragrance Collection Soy Candles (4.9-oz.) -- $5.79
-$4/1 (SS 5/3)
making it $1.79 each after Q
get a $5 gift card -- giving you a $1.42 profit after GC!

*Get a $5 Gift Card when you buy 4 Fiber One items:

Fiber One Cereal (16 oz), Bars (5 ct), Muffin Mix (15 oz) -- $2.39
-$1.35/1 here
-$0.75/1 Fiber One Cereal here
-$1/2 here
making it $1.04-$1.89 after Q
get a $5 gift card--it's like getting these FREE to $0.64 each after gift card!
*even with no coupons it would be like getting 4 of these for $1.14 each after gift card*

*Get a $5 Gift Card when you buy 2 dove facial lotions or pond's towellettes:

Dove Facial Lotion (4 oz) -- $4.79

Pond's Towelettes (30 ct) -- $4.79
-$1.50/1 (RP 3/29)
$3.29 each after Q
get a $5 gift card -- it's like getting 2 of these for $0.79 each after gift card!

Apples (select varieties) -- $0.99/lb
-$1/1 Target coupon here
making it FREE after Q wyb 1 lb
*since target coupons are unlimited, there is no reason why you can't just buy numerous 1lb bulks of apples and use numerous coupons ;)*

Kraft Salad Dressing -- $1.59 each
-$1/2 Target coupon here
AND
-$1.50/1 (SS 3/29) -use (2)
making it FREE wyb 2 after Q

Kraft Easy Mac Cups -- $0.77/ea
-$1/2 Target coupon here (this Q expires 5/9!)
AND
-B1G1 Free coupon here
making it FREE wyb 2 after Q

Kraft Mayo -- $1.99 each (price cut at some store)
-$1/2 Target coupon here
AND
-$1/1 in (SS 4/26) -use (2)
making it $0.49 each wyb 2 after Q

Nabisco Snacks -- prices vary
-$1/1 Target coupon here
AND
-$1/2 manufacturer's coupon here
meaning you save $1.50 per box of Nabisco Snacks
*the BAGS of nabisco snacks (oreos, cookies, etc.) are priced around $1.52 -- which means if you buy 2 bags, use 2 target coupons and one man. coupon, they would be $.02 each!*

Kashi Frozen Waffles -- $1.99 each
-$1.50/1 here
making it $0.49 each after Q

Suave Professionals Shampoo or Conditioner -- not sure of price
-$0.75/2 Target coupon here
AND
-$0.50/2 (SS 3/29)
-$1/2 (RP 3/1)
meaning you save $0.87-$1.35/ea on two bottles of Suave

Target Baby Body Wash -- $1.25 each
-$0.75/1 Target coupon here
making it $0.50 each after Q

Target Brand Sponges (2 pack) -- $.99
-$.75/1 Target coupon here
Final cost .24!

Pup-peroni dog treats -- $2.54
-$1/2 Target coupon here
AND
- $1.50 here (you will need to register) - use (2)
making it $.54 each after Q

See any deals I missed? Feel free to comment and let me know!!

Walgreens Deals 5/3 - 5/9

Here are the *best* deals I see this week!

*Wednesday, May 6 Only*
FREE 8×10 Enlargement
-Use in store coupon from weely flier
or
-Use code 'MOTHER' for online orders
(ship to the store for FREE shipping)

>>REGISTER REWARD DEALS<<

Gillette Mac3 or Venus Disposable Razors
$5.99 -- get $1.50 RR
-$2/1 (PG 5/3)
making it $2.50 after Q and RR

Bic Soleil or Bic Comfort Razors
$5.99 -- get $2 RR
-$2/1 Bic Comfort 3 (SS 4/19)
-$2/1 Bic Soleil (SS 4/19)
making it $1.99 afterQ and RR

Right Guard Deodorant
$2.99 -- get $2 RR
-$1/2 (SS 3/8)
-$1/1 (SS 4/19)
-$1 printable
making it FREE after $1 Q and RR
or
making it $1.49 each after $1/2 Q and RR

Pert Plus
Buy 2 for $5 -- get $2 RR wyb 2
-$1.50 (SS 5/3)
-$1 printable
making it FREE after (2) $1.50 Q and RR
or
making it $.50 each after (2) $1 Q and RR

Colgate Sensitive Toothpaste
$4.99 -- get $4.99 RR
-$.75/1 (SS 4/26)
-$1 printable
making it better than FREE after $.75 or $1 Q and RR

Listerine Mouthwash or Rinse
buy 2 for $9 -- get $4.50 RR wyb 2
-$.50/1 (RP 4/26)
-$2/1 (SS 3/15)
-$2/1 (RP 4/16)
making it $.25 each after (2) $2 Q and RR

Oral B Power Toothbrush
$5.99 -- get $1 RR
-$3/1 (PG 5/3)
making it $1.99 after Q and RR

Spend $25 on P&G products -- get $6 RR
Spend $10 on P&G products -- get $2 RR
buy 2/$5 Mr. Clean (liquid 28 oz or 2 pack magic eraser)
-B1G1 Magic Eraser (PG 5/3)
buy 2/$5 Febreeze Air Effects 9.7 oz
$5 Febreeze Fabic Refresher
-$.50 (PG 5/3)
$6 Febreeze Candle 5.5 oz or Noticables Plug-in Kit .87 oz
-$1/1 candle (PG 5/3)
-$4/1 Noticable Kit (PG 5/3)
$4 Cascade 15 pack action pacs or gel or powder 60 oz
$.25 (PG 5/3)
$18 Swiffer Wet Jet Starter Kit
$4 Wet Jet Refills or Solution
- Use this Rebate to get a $5 or $10 Debit Card with purchase of Swiffer Refills
$10 Swiffer Sweeper Starter Kit
$4 16 pack dry sweepers or 5 pack duster refills
- Many Swiffer Printables HERE

*deal idea(s)*
Buy 10 Mr. Clean Erasers $2.50 each
$25 --get $6 RR
-(5) B1G1 Mr Clean (PG 5/3)
Pay $12.50 OOP
making it $6.50 or $.65 each after Q and RR
(this would be a great thing to use RR from previous purchases/items above)

>>NON-RR DEALS<<

V8 Juice
Buy 2 for $6
-$1 printable (or my coupon bar at the top of the page)
-$1 SS 4/29
-$2 printable (only on Fusion if available)
making it $1 or $2 each after Q

B1G1 Nature Made
-$1 printable
-$1 SS 2/1
-$2 SS 2/1
-$1 SAM-e printable
price varies depending on what you get

Aveeno Products 20% off
Buy 3 Aveeno products -- get FREE travel essentials kit
-$2/1 printable
price varies depending on what you get

*deal idea*
Buy 3 Aveeno Active Naturals Daily Moisturizing Lotion (2.5oz) $2.62 each
- (3) $2 Q
making it $.63 each + FREE travel kit

Please leave a comment and let me know what great deals you got this week!!

*Feel free to let me know if you see something I missed!*

Walgreens Deals 4/26 - 5/2

Walgreens is getting rid of the EasySaver Rebate program, which means no more store rebates or store coupons to stack with from the EasySaver Catalog, but from what I understand, there will be many more register reward deals in the future!! Personally, I prefer the RR's anyway because I'd rather get my "payoff" for a great deal right then instead of waiting for it in the mail! ha.... so anyway.... here are the *BEST* deals I think this week.

>>Register Rewards Deals<<

Bayer Breeze or Contour Blood Glucose Meter
$14.99 -- get $5 RR
$30/1 (SS 3/22)
$30/1 (V/RP 2/1)
making it better than FREE after Q and RR
*what i hear is this is a month long deal lasting until 5/22, so check the tags at your store for the dates. if your store is out of this item, you can get a raincheck for it to get it at the sale price when they get it back in stock which means you can still get the $5 RR until 5/22!*

Nivea Body Wash for Women
$4.99 -- get $4.99 RR
$1/1 Nivea Body Product (V/RP 2/8)
$1/1 Nivea Body Wash for Women (V/RP 4/19)
Pay $3.99(with Q) or $4.99 (without Q) OOP
making it FREE or better than FREE after Q and RR

Rembrandt Toothpaste or Mouthwash
$5.99 -- get $5.99 RR
maing it FREE after RR

Bayer Quick Release Crystals
$2.49 -- get $2.49 RR
FREE after RR
*this is also a monthly deal, so maybe there will be a Q between now and 5/22 to make this deal even better*

Got2B Hair Products
Buy 2 for $10 -- get $5 RR wyb 2
$2/1 Got2B printable
pay $6 OOP
making it $.50 each after (2)Q and RR

Band-Aids $3 or Neosporin $4
get $4 RR wyb $10 worth
$1/1 neosporin printable
$1/1 band aid (SS 3/15 or SS 4/26)
$1/1 neosporin (SS 3/15 or SS 4/26)
varies OOP depending on what items you buy

*idea*
buy (2) bandaid = $6 -- use (2) $1 Q = $4 oop
buy (1) neosporin= $4 -- use (1) $1 Q = $3 oop
pay $7 OOP
making it $1 each after Q and RR

TreSemme Hair Products
buy 2 for $7 -- get $2 RR wyb 2
$1/1 TreSemme printable
makig it $1.50 each after Q and RR

Schick Quattro for Women Razors
$8.99 -- get $3 in RR
$4/1 Schick Quattro for Women Razor (SS 3/22)
making it $1.99 after Q and RR

Dr. Scholl’s Shoe Insoles
buy 2 for $20 -- get $10 RR wyb 2
$2/1 Dr. Scholl’s printable
pay $16 OOP -- using (2) Q
making it $3 each after Q and RR

Scrubbing Bubbles Automatic Shower Cleaner Starter Kit
$13.99 -- get $3 RR
$7/1 Scrubbing Bubbles printable
pay $7 OOP
making it $3.99 after Q and RR


>>OTHER DEALS<<

Campbell’s Soup
$0.59 (w/ in-ad coupon)
$1/2 Campbell’s Cooking Soups printable
making it $0.09 each after Q

Visine
$3.99
$3/1 (RP/V 3/15)
making it $0.99 after Q

Flipz
buy 2 for $3
$0.50/1 (SS 4/5)
making it $1 each after Q

Starbucks Ice Cream
buy 2 for $6
$1/1 Starbucks Ice Cream printable
making it $2 each after Q

*Be sure to check you stores clearance prices. I've read that Schick Intuition Plus Cucumber melon is on clearance for $2.59 each and you get a $3 RR in return!! To make this deal EVEN better is there is a $4/1 Q (SS 4/26) to make this item BETTER than FREE!*

See any deals I missed? If so, please leave a comment and fill me in! Also, be sure to check out

Target Deals 4/26 - 5/2

Here are the *BEST* Target Deals I see this week. For those of you without a Super Target nearby, you can still use the printable Target coupons at your regular Target. Just know that some of these deals might not apply to you (such as groceries) if your store does not have them. Also, keep in mind, stores vary in prices, so prices listed might be a little off at your location. Be sure to check your local Target ad to make sure the same deals are being offered in your area. Starting this week, I am listing all the items with matched coupons, even if they are from weeks past. So when reading the list, please pay attention and keep in mind you may not have the manufacture coupon I have listed.

Be sure to check out Targets new printable coupons here

>>Gift Card Deal<<

Buy 5 selected Special K products -- get a $5 gift card!

Special K (11-14 oz cereal, 6-ct bars, other selected bars, cookies and crackers) - $2.39 each
$1/1 and $.70/1 (RP 4/5)
$1/1 Special K Crackers printable
making it $1.39-$1.69 each after Q
like getting it for $.39-$.69 each after GC and Q

>>Other Deals<<

VitaminWater10 (20-oz.) - $1
$1/1 (SS 4/5/09)
making it FREE after Q

California Pizza Kitchen Frozen Pizza - $5.50
$1.20/2 printable or use my coupon bar at top of the page
making it $3.50 each after Q

Ocean Spray Juice (64 oz) - $2.99
$1/1 (SS 3/29)
making it $1.99 each after Q

Johnson's Baby Toiletries (6-15 oz select) - $2.99
$1/1 (RP 4/26)
$1/1 coupons here
making it $1.99 each after Q

Band-Aid Bandages (30 ct) - $2.59
$1/1 (SS 3/15) and (RP 4/26)
making it $1.59 each after Q

Purell Hand Sanitizer (8 oz pump) - $2.69
$2/2 here
making it $1.69 each wyb 2 after Q

3M Command Hooks (2 pk) - $2.75
$1/1 here
making it $1.75 after Q

Lysol Spray - $1.69
$2/1 (SS 3/15)
making it FREE after Q

Lysol Wipes - $2.25
$1/1 in (SS 3/15)
making it $1.25 each after Q

Apples (select varieties) - $0.99/lb
$1/1 Target coupon here
making it FREE after Q wyb 1 lb

Kraft Salad Dressing - $1.59
$1/2 Target coupon here
AND
$1.50/1 (SS 3/29) - use 2
making it FREE after all Q's wyb 2

Kraft Mayo - $1.99
$1/2 Target coupon here
AND
1/1 in (SS 4/26) - use 2
making it $0.49 each after all Q's wyb 2

Quaker Granola Bites - $1.00 each *hanging by register*
$1/1 (RP 3/29)
making it FREE after Q

Nabisco Snacks - unsure of price
$1/1 Target coupon here
AND
$1/2 manufacturer's coupon here
Saving you $1.50 on each box of Nabisco Snacks

Kashi Frozen Waffles - $1.99
$1.50/1 printable or my coupon bar at top of page
making it $0.49 each after Q

V-8 Fusion - $2.99
$2/1 here
making it $0.99 each after Q

Dry Idea Deodorant - $2.00
$2/1 printable or my coupon bar at top of page
making it FREE after Q

Suave Professionals Shampoo or Conditioner - unsure of price
$0.75/2 Target coupon here
AND
$0.50/2 (SS 3/29)or $1/2 (RP 3/1)
Saving you $0.87-$1.35 each on two bottles

Target Baby Body Wash - $1.25
$0.75/1 Target coupon here
making it $0.50 each after Q

*Be sure to check out Attention Target Shoppers for more deals and great information about Target's clearance schedule*

Have you found any other deals worth listing? If so, please leave a comment so I can add it to my list!

*NEW* Coupon Bar!!

Hey guys! Well as you all may have noticed I added a coupon bar at the top of my page! This should help all you "newbies" out a lot when I list printable coupons from here on out. Now I can tell you to just print from my page, making it even easier on you guys. I hope this helps and I'll be adding even more helpful things in the next few weeks.

I promise.... Target Deals coming tomorrow morning!!! Check back SOON!!!!!

The Basic Bits of Target

Ok, well Target is pretty simple. They allow you to "stack" coupons, which like mentioned before, is a great way to get items for free! I will say this tho, when shopping at Target and checking out, you want to try to pick the "right" checker. Don't go to someone that hates their job. Try to get someone who is friendly and helpful because many times the Target printable coupons do not scan and you want them to know how to and are willing to manually enter the coupon. So be sure to at least try to get someone that will help you out.

With that said, you can go here to print Target's coupons. Ocassionally you might receive a target mailer thru snailmail, possibly called "Flip. Clip. Save." Yet no one has or can figure out who or why people get these. It's pretty random and just because you get it once, don't mean you will get it again. If you do get it, be sure to save it because not everyone gets those coupons and many times they are for products you can't always find coupons for.

Alrighty then, now that Target has been explained (I'm sure I'll add or update as I think of more) let's move on to the deals you can score.... you'll be surprised at all the things you can get at Target!!!

The Basic Bits of Coupons

Couponing doesn't have to be difficult. Although at times it seems overwhelming and too much to handle, once you do it you catch on pretty quick.

There are a few different kinds of coupons you can get.

Printable coupons are coupons you can print from the internet. When printing coupons, if you hit the back button 2 or 3 times after the coupon has printed it will print a second coupon. Normally this is the max limit. *a little helpful hint: if you have access to more than one computer (such as desktop and laptop, or work and home, etc) you can print 2 from each computer -- this tends to be a GREAT help when needing to print many of the same coupon*

Sunday Paper Inserts have MANY coupons and are the most helpful in saving LOTS of money! There are three inserts you will come across most often: Red Plum, Smart Source and Procter and Gamble. Ocassionally there will be others, but it's rare and mostly around major holidays. Every sunday new inserts come out (except on holidays). Sometimes there will be all 3, othertimes only one of the names mentioned above. If you would like to know which inserts will be in which weeks paper you can go here and check out BeCentsAble's detailed list.

Store coupons are for a certain store only. Target offers printable coupons on their website here. If you do not have a super target nearby, your regular target should still accept super target coupons. Occassionally if you sign up for store email lists they will email you coupons that not everyone else has access to, which can be great when you get a $5 off $20 purchase. Combined with other coupons, you can get quite a bit of free goods!! The best part about store coupons is you can STACK these with manufacture coupons for an even better deal (where FREE items come from most of the time). So when you have a store coupon, be sure to check and see if you have a manufacture coupon for the same product. *side note: when you stack coupons many times if the total for the coupons is MORE than the actual product, the store will price adjust the coupon down to the make the item free, rather than giving you "overage." For example: Say Target has colgate toothpaste on sale for $1.75 and you have a $1 man. coupon and a $1 target coupon... Instead of target paying you $.25 for buying the toothpaste, they will price adjust their coupon to $.75. Many times tho, you can give your coupons in a certain order and you will get the overage!! That is what makes stacking coupons so awesome.

Catalina Coupons are coupons, such as Register Rewards from Walgreens, that print out from a machine at the store after you complete your transaction. They are a manufacture coupon, so be sure to not try to stack them with another manufacture coupon.


Other places to find coupons and what they are:

~Inside boxes/bags of purchased items. Never throw away your packages until you double check inside. Many time inside female products, frozen foods, cleaning products and medicines you will find a coupon.

~Peelies on packages in stores.

~Hangtags on products in stores. Many times these are "try me free" tags -- which combined with a manufature coupon and a sale on the item, you can MAKE money with these kind of rebates!

~Blinkies are machines in stores on the shelf that you can take coupons from and it will spit out another one. Take a few of these when you see them. Many times this product will go on sale within a few weeks of seeing the blinkie machine, but the coupon will be gone by then!

~Mail in Rebates are always a great way to profit from buying a product. There are lots of rewards with mail in rebates as well. Mostly you will get cash back. Sometimes you will get numberous coupons in return. Sometimes they can be applied towards the purchase of another item. These can be found on products (like peelies and hangtags) and online.

~Magazines are a great place to find coupons. There are certain magazines that offer many coupons, such as All You, which can only be found at Walmart.

It's always a good idea to sign up for free samples from stores sites and register to get their store mailer sent by snail mail and email. Same goes for manufactures. Sign up to receive coupon books, recipes, free magazines, etc. Even Red Plum and Smart Source offer printable coupons.

Be sure to check back as I add more resources for online coupons and other great offers.

Walgreens 4/19-4/24

Since this is the first Walgreens post and it's late in the week, I'm going to sum it up as fast as I can. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment or email me anytime. I am more than happy to help in any way possible and if I don't know the answer, I'll find it for you!


So since the week it almost over and I'm late getting started (again, I'm SO sorry for this) I'm going to give you the best deals anyone can go get today, with or without having any coupons from the newspaper. With that said, my suggestion is starting this sunday buy 3-4 copies of the paper (EVERY SUNDAY) because when there is a good deal on something it's always best to have multiple copies of the coupon to get many of those items, especially when the item is FREE!


*BITS TO KNOW*
RR = Register Rewards
WYB = When You Buy
B1G1 or BOGO = Buy 1 Get 1
Q = Coupon
OOP = Out Of Pocket

*just so you know, when you buy an item that gives a RR, be prepared that sometimes it takes a minute to print out of the catalina machine, so don't leave right away. Give it a second and it will come. If it doesn't print, do not hesitate to ask the cashier or ask to speak to a manager. All of the RR items listed below are listed in the weekly flier, so grab one before you start to shop to make sure you are buying the RIGHT item/size/etc.*

Okay -- here we go:


>>Register Rewards Deals<<


Pledge Multisurface Cleaner
Buy 2 for $7 -- get $1 RR wyb 2
$2/1 Pledge printable
Pay $3 +tax OOP
Making it $1 each after Q and RR


Ex: $7 for 2 pledge cleaners
- (2) $2 Q= $4
------------------
$3 OOP (meaning you will pay $3 + tax for these)
Get $1 RR back
Making it $1 each or $2 total AFTER you count the RR


Pledge Fabric Sweeper
Buy 2 for $7.00 -- get $1 in RR wyb 2
$2/1 Pledge printable
Pay $3 +tax OOP
Making it $1 each after Q and RR


Dr. Pepper, 7-Up, A&W, Canada Dry, Hawaiian Punch or Sunkist 12-pk, 12 oz cans Buy 3 for $11 -- get $5.00 in RR wyb 3
$1/1 7-up printable
Pay $8 +tax OOP
Making it $1 each after Q and RR
*if you don't want to use the Q b/c you want to buy other than 7-up, it's still a decent deal *
Pay $11 +tax OOP
Making it $2 each after RR


Aveeno Nourish Hair Care
Buy 2 for $13 -- get $3 RR wyb 2
2/1 Aveeno printable
Making it $3 each after Q and RR


Skintimate Shave Cream, 6 oz -OR-
Edge Infused or Energy Shave Gel, 7 oz
*click here for a picture of the exact items that give RR*
$2.99 each -- get $3 RR
Making it FREE after RR
*LIMIT 1* (you can buy more than one, just don't do it in the same transaction)





>>NON - RR DEALS<<


Post Trail Mix Crunch Cereal
Buy 2 for $5
$2/1 Post Trail Mix Crunch printable
Makes them $0.50 each after coupons



Sunsilk Shampoo/Conditioner
On clearance for $1.09 each
*this is a great way to use your RR from other items mentioned above and get FREE shampoo and conditioner*





Alright, this might seem overwhelming at first, so take it easy and make it simple the first time. Pick one or two items you are interested in, go and buy those and you will get the hang of it. From here on out, this list will be longer and more detailed to include actual "paper/manufacture coupons". Since I'm assuming majority of you are starting from scratch (meaning no coupons from the Sunday paper) I'm trying to make it easy for you to get started with printable coupons ONLY. If you would like to see what deals you can get if you DO have coupons from the paper, check out these other blogs -- BeCentsAble, Common Sense with Money and Deal Seeking Mom. These are all great blogs to check out for even more info!

NEXT UP -- LIL BITS about TARGET!!!! Be sure to check back this afternoon for some good Target deals even you newbies can get!!

Thanks for helping me help you "make every lil bit count!"

The Basic Bits of Walgreens

Ok before I start, there are a few things you need to know about Walgreens. Basically there are a few ways to save when shopping at Walgreens: The Weekly Flier, The EasySaver Catalog, Stacking Coupons and Register Rewards.

1- The Weekly Flier is obviously an advertisement for what their sales are that week, but also there are numerous coupons to be used. For example, the flier will have a coupon for Dawn Dish Soap for $.99, but in order to get it for that price the coupon must be used. Sometimes the salesperson will have one at the register and will scan it for you, but many times they won't. You wouldn't want to purchase the item at regular cost if it's on sale, so it's better to be prepared with your own coupon, but you don't have to cut it out to use it, just show it to the cashier and they will scan it. Also, that coupon might have a limit on it. For instance, the dawn dish soap coupon might say "limit 4" which means if you purchase 4 dawn soaps in one transaction, you can use only one coupon and it will ring all 4 soaps for $.99 automatically.

2- The EasySaver Catalog is a rebate booklet that can be found next to the store fliers inside the store, which are normally by the shopping carts. Be sure to grab one before you start to shop. This booklet has Walgreens coupons inside called Instant Value Coupons aka IVC. These compuons are considered "store coupons" so they can be stacked with manufature coupons for even bigger savings, which is how you get the item FREE some of the time. Again, you do not have to clip these coupons if you do not want to.

3- Stacking Coupons is allowed at Walgreens, but there is a catch. You must have the same number of items as you do coupons. For instance, you might have a Buy one candy, get one free coupon. So you pick up the 2 kinds of candy and you also have a store coupon for $1.00 off 2 candies PLUS a manufature coupon for $.25 off 1 candy. Well since you have 3 coupons, all for the same candy, but only 2 candies, you will need to grab what is referred to many times as a "filler" item to take place of the 3rd item to match with 3 coupons. It sounds more confusing that it is. It doesn't matter if you use 3 coupons for one item, you just have to have 3 items total in the transaction. Don't worry, I'll explain this more when we get to the deals.

4-Register Rewards, also referred to as RR's, is a coupon that will print out after you complete a transaction that is like getting cash to spend at Walgreens. You earn Register Rewards by buying the qualifying item that is listed in the weekly flier. There are usually only a few of these items per week, but some of them are great and FREE after RR, which is a total steal! There are two rules with Register Rewards: 1)You can not use a RR to buy the same product and get another RR! For example: If you buy chapstick for $1.99 and get $2 RR back, you can not turn around and use the $2 RR to buy another chapstick. The RR will not print. It must be used to purchase ANOTHER brand item. 2)In order to use the RR your total BEFORE tax must be equal or more than the RR. So, using the chapstick example... If I had a $3 RR from another product and the chapstick is $1.99 I can not use the RR on the chapstick because the total is less than the RR. So I would need to add a filler item to bring my total to $3 to use my $3 RR.

Now, you got that? Hope so, because it's time to GO!!!! So grab your coupons, sissors and let's get ready to SHOP!

*FREE* and SUPER CHEAP

So who of you think Walmart or Target is the best/cheapest place to buy things? You would never go to Walgreens or CVS (unless you need 1 thing and don't want to go thru the WHOLE store somewhere else just to get it) because they are so much more expensive? If any of you are like me, then this is a lesson worth learning....

We were wrong!!! WAYYYYYY wrong!

Walgreens and CVS might have higher prices on many things, but did you know they basically GIVE things away? They pretty much give you FREE items or FREE money to spend at their store -- ALL THE TIME! Bet ya didn't know that did you? Well it's true, and yes, I'm a moron for just now figuring it out. So if any of you DID know, pack yourself on the back and smile cuz you are one step ahead of me.

Let me put it simply.... have you been PAYING for toothpaste? What about cleaning products? Razors and razor blades? Shaving cream? Soap? Body wash? Medicine even? Tampons? I'm assuming the answer is YES to all of the above and if that is the case, now you REALLY need to pay attention.

I'm sure many of you are thinking "well yeah, but what's $2 for toothpaste, I only buy it once a month?" but truth is, toothpaste is more than $2 (if you pay attention to prices, which sadly, I didn't before now) and $24 a year might not seem like a LOT, but if you calculate ALL the items you purchase where you tell yourself "oh it's only $1 or $3" it adds up to a LOT. Plus, why would you want to pay for it when you can get it free just the same? I'd much rather apply that $24 a year towards a new shirt or something I'd RATHER spend my money on... wouldn't you?

If any of this sound intriguing or makes you a little more curious about how to get FREE stuff you've got to keep reading and checking back for all the tips I'm going to be sharing with you from here on out. I can't tell you the amount of FREE or REALLY cheap stuff I've been getting, with NO EXTRA hassle to get it. Did I mention I have 9, yes NINE, STEAKS in our freezer that cost me NOTHING?!? And I'll go ahead and share that I have 12 TWELVE 12 bottles of laundry detergent sitting in my laundry room that I paid less than $16 for TOTAL, IF EVEN that much. Yes people, I'm serious. Wouldn't you like to come home and show your husband how much stuff you got and how much money you saved instead of hiding the receipt and hoping he doesn't ask how much you spent this time? lol.... Don't try to deny that you're husband at some point hasn't had some comment about the money spent somewhere on something... even if it's not groceries and household goods. Lucky for my, my husband now says "so what'd ya steal today?" haha.... even tho it's not STEALING, it's just SMART SHOPPING -- and well, who doesn't LOVE a good bargain?

So in the next few days I'll be telling you about all the good stuff you can score for FREE or SUPER cheap at WALGREENS, CVS, TARGET, WALMART and eventually many other stores. Please email or comment and let me know what stores YOU normally shop at and I'll add that to my list to help you find the BEST deals at those places as well. Here in San Antonio we aren't as lucky as most of you to have so many grocery stores to choose from, so I need your help in figuring out which stores would be best for me to post about. Thanks in advance for your input!!

Okay, well it's time for your first WALGREENS lesson. So sit back and enjoy me doing the work and your reaping the beneifts..... LET'S GO!

Let the changes BEGIN!

You thought I fell off the face of the earth didn't you? Yeah, you thought I abandoned you guys and just left you hangin' -- Well I'm back and I'm about to change your life =) ha, well I hope "lil bits" of it anyway!!

I first want to apologize for being gone a while. I've been working on my blog for quite some time now, trying to figure out where to start. First I thought I needed to get the background done and figure all that stuff out, but that's proving to be a little more difficult that I thought (lol) so I've decided to go forward and figure things out as I go along. So don't be surprised to seem many changes in the next few days/weeks.

Okay then.... Moving right along...

Part of the changes will be me sharing with you guys how I have been getting all those great deals I've posted before (and many, many you guys don't even know about yet)!! Obviously what I will have to say/share/show you isn't some huge secret or even stuff you guys aren't already doing. I just know 2 months ago, I was clueless to how much money I was "wasting" when it came to buying groceries and other household goods we needed. No joke, we were averaging anywhere from $600-$800 a month on that stuff ALONE. That may come as a shock to some of you thinking how in the world could we be doing that, but it's the truth. With diapers, at least 4-6 gallons of a milk a week (yes, my boys loveeeeee milk!!), the cost of laundry detergent combined with the millions of loads I do a week, it all adds up. Plus, I've never been a "budget" kind of person. My husband, on the other hand, calculates things to the penny. (SOOOO NOT EXAGERATING HERE FOLKS -- he can tell me exactly how many miles I can go on a tank of gas at this price and how long that tank should last with driving here and there and etc. To top it off, he can do it in his head in .083 seconds! Blows my mind and goes WAY over my head lol)

With that said, I have completely found a new appreication for the dollar! Not saying before I just "threw it away like it grew on trees" (although I bet my mom and dad would beg to differ lol), but if we needed something, we bought it -- and then some! Who reading can relate? Have any of you walked out of the grocery store with $200 in groceries and get home to realize you really don't have much to speak of? Do any of you have to go back to the grocery store mid-week to grab those "few things" you forgot when you went the first time? How about throwing away food because it went bad before you ate it? I'm sooooooo guilty of all of the above!! At least I was...

Now, I come home from the grocery store and look at what I got in amazement! I can't believe I can get $52 worth of stuff for $.01 out of pocket!!! OH YES -- YOU READ THAT RIGHT!! And I have the receipt to prove it! lol.

Without dragging this on and on, I just wanted to try to explain, in whatever way I can, what I hope I can do for you guys. I'm still learning, but I just can't stand not sharing all these awesome "secrets" I have for SOOOO many different things in my (and hopefully YOURS too soon!) life!! This blog will not be dedicated to only one thing. I will be opening new doors and sharing so many new things that I can only hope will continue to enrich your lives and help you get to where you want to go. It doesn't matter if you are here to learn how to coupon and save money, or get more info about losing weight, or finding the best deals at stores around you, I want to help you in any way I can. So please, check back often and tell your friends about this place you've found online. This place you can sit back, relax and be yourself. No judgements. No critisism. Just understanding and openess about my life. My struggles. My failures and my successes.

Come in. Check it out. Save some money. Lose some weight. Gain some knowledge. Make a friend. Find some comfort. Get some secrets. Share some too. Be yourself.

Welcome to Lil' Bits of Life -- "Where Every Lil' Bit Counts"

***CHANGES COMING SOON***

Hey guys!! Well I'm so excited to share with you all my new plans for Lil' Bits of Life!!

For a while now I've been wanting to make this blog so much more than just showing pictures of my weight loss. At first, my only reason for starting this was to "chart" my progress and give others the proof they needed to see that what I was taking/selling works, but since losing the weight, I've gained so much more.

I've gained confidence I've never had before. I've gained faith in myself and Our Lord that I didn't know exsisted. I've gained respect for myself in ways I didn't think I deserved. I've gained a whole new outlook on this life I live and I'm lovin' every minute of it!!!

I've realized it's all about the "little things" and that those things are what make the "big things" matter. So here I am -- sharing my lessons on all the "Lil' Bits of Life!"

I hope I can do this blog justice and really help any and all of you see what you might be missing in your own life. I hope I can use this to speak to whomever wants/needs to read this and in any way possible, help you learn to love whatever "little thing" in your life you might be ignoring.

My plan is to keep selling the diet pills to help those of you who are looking for your "last resort" to losing those extra pounds that you just can't get off. I know what that's like. I've been there and I want to help you get here.

I plan to share my *steals and deals* every week for shopping, saving money, making money and getting TONS of FREE stuff. Put it this way, you might think you're doing pretty good by living on a budget, putting so much money aside each month, etc, but if you are paying for toothpaste -- you've still got a lot to learn! =)

I plan to advertise new products or companies and show you guys when and how to get the best of the best, at a price you can afford. Buying a car or buying a CD.... I want to show you where to go, how to do it and give you the peace of mind you need to know you got the best deal out there.

Since I know most of the people that read this are girls/women, of course this will be directed more towards women, but men are always welcome. I will share secrets for men to learn how to understand theirs wives and how to make sure their wife is always happy and never naggy..... HA! Who am I kidding? That's not possible.... even me, a female, can admit that....lol. But seriously, I plan to help the guys out there in any way I can so please feel free to comment or email with any question you might have.

Well guys, there is so much that needs to be said, but before I can do all that, I need to get busy on getting the changes underway. I really hope you all will help me out by clicking FOLLOW ME and letting your friends and family know about my new PLAN. I truly appreciate all the love and support from you all....

Thank you for giving me the extra push I've needed to move forward and finally follow my heart. This really is something I've been thinking about doing for a very long time and I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to take two things I love the most (writing and helping people) and do something meaningful with them.

Every Lil' Bit counts.... now let me show you how every Lil' Bit matters!

Are you ready?

I'm so sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been trying to get things moving to start doing the things I've been dreaming about, so my time is even more limited than it was before -- which means my 30 free minutes a day I had is now about 2.4 minutes! ha.... kidding.... but really, I'm sorry I've been gone for so long.

I would like to say that I'm still loving being skinny again!!! I have stuck to my goal weight and not gained an ounce back AT ALL and even started eating "not so great" there for a while. By no means am I telling any of you to start eating bad again or go back to your "old" ways because we all know if that happens, the weight will come back and it will be one more failure to add to the weight loss attempts. I'm just saying I'm still holding strong at my current weight and have since started eating healthier and really paying close attention to my body and the way I feel. I try to be more consious with how much water I'm drinking or not, if I'm bored or really hungry. I don't buy the snacks or unhealthy things I know I will choose over something I should eat because if it's not in the house, I can't eat it!

Since dropping the weight, I'm so much happier with me as a person. I'm a better mom and wife and I'm just overall better to myself. I don't beat myself up for having a brownie these days, instead I enjoy it and move on. I look at myself in the mirror and smile because finally I've done something FOR MYSELF and it shows. I am slowly buy surely learning to take care of ME first and my family second. It's not a selfish act, it's actually being unselfish. I'm making myself healthy, happier and stronger, which in turn is giving my husband and children a much more pleasant mother and wife to be around! I know they are noticing the difference and at the end of the day, that's what matters. When I can go to bed at night and feel good about myself, in every possible way, I know I've given my all and that is something to be proud of.

So, for any of you that are following this that are losing weight by taking the diet pills, or maybe just following to witness my journey in turning my life around, I hope in some way I can help you change whatever it is you feel you want to improve on. That's why I started this blog. Not only to track my weight loss and share my story, but to help anyone I can by showing people that anyone can lose weight, change their attitude, be someone different or find their place in this world. I'm here to give anyone the "proof" they need to see that they too can do anything.

For me, losing weight was my first step and since then, there have been so many doors that have opened for me. My life is taking turns in directions I never imagined and I can only pray for more blessings to come and that whatever struggles I might come to, I will be able to get over them and learn from it and move on.

I took my first step towards change.... are you ready to take yours?

Here goes nothing!

When I first started this blog to track my weight loss I told myself I would ONLY post swimsuit before/after pictures if/when I met my ultimate weight loss goal...

Now that the goal has been met, I'm hesitant to actually do it. ha. Mostly because it's completely embarrassing to think I ever thought it was ok to put on a swimsuit at that point. Seriously?!?!? What was I thinking? And to those of you who allowed me to go in public like that and tell me I looked fine, or worse, GOOD, you are the biggest liars known to man and you're payback is coming....lol!

So here goes nothing... I took the pictures in the same swimsuit bottoms, even tho now they are WAY too big (which is why I'm holding them on behind my back ha) so I could show the true difference.

NO LAUGHING ALLOWED!!!

(ok well, I know it can't be helped -- so go ahead laugh WITH me, not AT me!)

BEFORE: SUMMER '08

AFTER: DECEMBER '08 (this is me at 15-18lbs weight loss)

AFTER: FEBRUARY 23, 2009 (this is me at 28lbs weight loss)

Can you believe this??

I posted these pictures a while back to use as a before and after pictures. While cleaning out my closet yesterday, I found this shirt and tried it on.... you won't even believe the difference. If anyone is still questioning if this pill works, in my opinion, this is the TRUE BEFORE AND AFTER picture you all should see..... It cracks me up just thinking about the difference.... Check these out and you'll understand what I'm talking about...

Left picture-BEFORE: April 2008

Right pictures-AFTER:February 12, 2009

And even better than those pictures, this is all you need to see!

Left picture-June 2008
Right picture-Jan 2009

Questions Answered

Alrighty then... now that I've said most of what I needed to say to "recap" the last few months, I'm sure many people still have questions. I will try to answer anything I can think people would or already have asked. If there is anything I have not answered, please post a comment or email and feel free to ask away.... =)

How much did you weigh when you decided to start taking these pills?
-I was 132... which is the heaviest I've been, post baby.

How tall are you and what do you think you should weigh?
- I am 5'1 tall... actually not quite 5'1 but pretty close. Honestly, I'm not sure what I think I SHOULD weigh, but I know I feel most comfortable in the 103-107 range.

How much weight did you lose the first month?
- I lost 12-15lbs the first month I was on the pills. After that the weight loss slowed down. Not sure if that's because I didn't have that much to lose to begin with or because it was around holidays when I was first taking the pills. With the chaoticness of traveling, bad eating and lack of sleep I'm sure that slowed down the process somewhat.

How much weight have you lost total so far?
- I have lost 26-27 pounds. I am currently 105-106... which has been my ultimate goal all along.

Are you still taking the diet pills? If not, when did you stop?
- I do not take the pills on a daily basis at all. I didn't want to just stop drastically, so I have gradually started to take them less and less often. I started that the beginning of Jan.

Did the weight come back when you stopped?
-Actually, because I haven't completely stopped, I can't really answer. No I haven't gained anything back as of yet, but I don't think that has to do with taking or not taking the pills.

Do you still eat the same things or whatever you want, or did you change your eating habits?
- I have always eaten whatever I want, but I did notice my cravings changed. I still want the occasional chocolate or cookie, but now instead of wanting ALL of them I eat enough to fill that craving. I also noticed I no longer enjoyed eating so unhealthy and so much of anything, yet I do not deprive myself of anything.

What do you feel has changed the most about you?
- When it comes to weight wise, I feel I have changed in ways I tried to do before. For the first time I actually have a healthy relationship with food. I glance at the calories and fat content, but I don't dwell on it. I no longer feel guilty if I eat a little more than I know I should, instead I tell myself I'll do better next time. I feel that the biggest mistake people make with "dieting" regardless of how it is done, is setting themself up to fail. When they take away their favorite foods they end up stuffing their face with them at some point in time. So, I finally realized that it's okay to enjoy what you like, but in moderation. It's also best to allow yourself time to enjoy those foods, so when eating them, really sit down and savor them and then you won't want to eat ALL of them.

More to come!!!

Who, What, When, Where, Why and How

I'd thought I'd share a little info about myself for those of you that don't know me and are curious to know who I am, what I am trying to accomplish, when I started this journey, where I want to go, why I want to change and how I plan to do it.

WHO:
25 year old female. Stay at Home Mother of two. Married to the love of my life 5.5 years now.


WHAT:
I want to be somebody different, yet the same. I want to be the me others love so much, but a better version of myself. I want to not only be a better mother and wife, sister and daughter, friend and woman, but mostly, a better woman of God. I want to serve Him and honor Him in ways I never knew how to before. I want to learn new things everyday and raise my children up to be honorable, intelligent, beautiful young men. I plan to use this blog to share my experiences, my downfalls, my struggles, my accomplishments and my lessons in hopes of inspiring and encouraging anyone else that comes accross this that it is never to late to make a change. You can always be who you want to be and there is no limit to how far you can go.

WHEN:
This mostly began last summer (2008) and really took off by Oct-Nov 08. I officially started my weight loss journey Nov 8, 2008 and somewhere between then and now is when it all started to happen. I have always wanted to be out there and reach people. People I can help or influence. People I can touch and pray for. I just never knew how before now...

WHERE:
I have no idea where I'm headed anymore. WhenI first started, this is not at all where I planned to be. I had no intentions of starting a blog or trying to change much of anything in my life other than my weight.... so to tell you where I'm headed who be nothing more than a guess or a dream and to be honest, I'm not sure I want to know where I'm going.... I just hope I get there because I know it will be worth the ride.

WHY:
I wanted to lose weight because I'm young and everyone has always said "but you have two kids... you look great" which comes out to me "you look great for having two kids, BUT..." so in the beginning it was merely out of spite and frustration. I wanted to lose weight to look good, but thru out the process I have realized most importantly, I want to be and remain healthy. I want to be a good example for my children and how can I tell them to eat good, take care of themselves and stay in shape if I'm not healthy myself? "Do as I say, not as I do" doesn't really apply here.... ha =) So mainly I want to do this for my children, but mostly, for myself. I want to know that when my time comes, I lived the life God planned out for me and I was who He wanted me to be. Change is good and I will embrace all that comes with it.

HOW:
I first planned to start with taking 2 day diet pills to lose the weight and with my success from the product, it sprialed into a business and now a blog. I had no intentions of selling anything or much less writing my experience for any stranger to see, but I welcome the new challenge and look forward to all that's yet to come. I hope to keep this blog going to show anyone who reads how they too can reach whatever goal they have set, no matter how big or small. I am living proof that some of us need to SEE to believe. You too can change or improve if you just have enough faith in yourself and allow whatever is waiting for you to guide you along the way.