Jill Cataldo

Brrrr! Does it feel cold outside to you? Must be all of those Super-Couponers simultaneously firing up their new freezers over the past 24 hours! :)

If you did get a freezer (or want one) there may still be time. Jewel's once-a-year freezer deal continues through today, Monday. Pay $150 for a 5.2 cubic foot chest freezer plus $150 worth of free frozen food coupons! Now, the way to maximize this deal? Hold those coupons for Buy One, Get One Free sales... and get TWO. Two of the items is already on sale this week! Read on to find out what they are...

This week's newspaper contained FOUR inserts: an unusually thick SmartSource, a RedPlum, a General Mills and a P&G. Those of you that like rebates will also want to check out the SmartSource for a mail-in rebate for a FREE Schick Quattro razor.

Ready for Chicagoland's best Deals of the Week?

If you like to save money on groceries, imagine getting deals on almost everything that you buy! Want to learn how? Attend a Super-Couponing® workshop and change the way you shop... forever!

• February 10 - Trevor, WI
• February 11 - St. Charles (Super-Couponing 2)
• February 11 - Elk Grove Village (Super-Couponing 2)
• February 17 - Aurora
• February 18 - Addison
• February 20 - Romeoville
• February 24 - Grayslake
• February 28 - Marengo (Super-Couponing 2)
• March 3 - Warrenville (Super-Couponing 2)

and many others...

The annual Jewel freezer deal is this weekend, 2/7 and 2/8! For those of you who've been looking to add a second freezer to your home (the best way to stockpile and save on meats and frozen foods) you won't want to miss this!

For $149.99, you get a 5.2 cubic foot Igloo chest freezer AND $150 worth of free frozen food coupons! It's like buying the food and getting the freezer free, or vice versa. This really is the best, most inexpensive way to get a chest freezer! Now, if you've taken my Super-Couponing class, you know the best way to use these coupons... Do NOT be in a hurry to redeem them right away.

Keep your eyes open for these new $39 Value Your Heart coupon books at Jewel! They're free and can be found in a large, stand-up cardboard display in the store (I found it near the produce/cereal area.)

The book contains the following manufacturer coupons, all expiring 2/28/10-3/31/10:

$1 off 2 Dasani 12 packs
$1 off 2 Diet Coke 12 packs
$1 off 2 Nestea .5liter 12 packs
$1 off 12 cups Yoplait Light or Thick & Creamy Light
$1 off 2 Welch's 64 oz 100% Grape or grape juice blends
$1 off 2 Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers

I just got back from a shopping trip to the Algonquin Meijer, where two aisles of toys are marked up to 75% off! An employee was in the process of retagging everything while I was there, so they've just dropped. (I don't know if all Meijers are dropping today, but it may be worth a call.)

Here's how corporate determines which toys to drop. The employee I spoke with said that any toys that were brought in for Christmas and did not sell are currently at 50% off IF there are 5 or more of the same toy in inventory. If there are less than 5, the prices are dropping to 75% off.

Our first deal day for February is here! Before we jump into Chicagoland's best grocery deals though, I have to take a minute to acknowledge how much fun it was to meet so many of you at the Algonquin/Lake in the Hills Business Expo this past weekend! Lots of blog readers stopped by the Super-Couponing booth to say hello, ask questions or show off receipts... and I presented Super-Couponing to the expo crowd too! I'll do it again at the Cary-Grove Business Expo on March 6th.

Now, let's get shopping and saving! We have a great week of grocery deals, including cheap pizzas and pop (just in time for Super Bowl!) free organics, bargain juices, cheap ketchup, free lip balm, free body wash and more... all thanks to coupons!

This week's newspaper contained two inserts: one SmartSource and one RedPlum. Also, the Tribune's Parade magazine has a $1 coupon for Keebler Club crackers on page 11. Keep that too as it figures into a nice deal at Walgreens this week...

Ready for your Deals of the Week?

If you're not a regular reader of this blog's Forum, and you're a current or former Dominick's shopper who has had issues of coupon non-acceptance there, I have some required reading for you.

After hearing yet another story from one of my blog readers that a Dominick's cashier had denied coupons that she picked up in the store, I wrote an open letter to Dominick's. Dominick's Public Affairs department responded, and they are interested in what we have to say.

I invite you to read the letter, then post your comments in the response thread. Dominick's is listening.

The Super-Couponing Swap is your local coupon club – a place to drop in, trade coupons, spend time with other coupon lovers, and share stories of great deals!

The following Illinois locations are currently participating:

Indian Trails Public Library - Wheeling, IL
2nd and 4th Tuesday of every month, 7:00pm-8:00pm
Next swap: February 9

Gail Borden Public Library - Elgin, IL

Welcome to JillCataldo.com ... like you've never seen it before :) When I launched my blog 18 months ago, I never imagined it would turn into such a vibrant coupon community utilized by so many. The site's old server and blog setup were not capable of handling such a large number number of simultaneous users each week, so while you were sleeping last night, everything got upgraded! All of the content you enjoy is still here, along with some new features that many have asked for.

The DVDs of my Super-Couponing® class are AVAILABLE NOW! Click here for ordering info! The DVDs contain my entire Super-Couponing class, shot in front of a live audience, with some bonus footage filmed just for the DVD too! I'm very excited that the DVD is available for everyone who's wanted to learn to do this and couldn't make a class, and especially for people out of our immediate area too. Now, everyone can Super-Coupon! :)