2022-2023: A year without couponing.
Who could have seen the pandemic, the supply chain interruptions, brands shifting away from paper coupons, and staggering inflation combining to completely change the couponing landscape as we knew it?
Featured Posts
My appearance on ABC’s “The Con”
ABC’s popular true crime show The Con delves into the topic of coupon counterfeiting and fraud in this week’s episode, “The Coupon Con.” I’m very pleased to be one of the featured…
Shopping and Savingnext >< prev
Current National Catalina Offers: September 2022
Here is a list of Catalina offers for the current month, including Keurig, Lean Cuisine, Stouffer's, Yoplait...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: September 2022
Here's a list of all of the coupon inserts that have expired within the last two months. If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them...
Current National Catalina Offers: August 2022
Here is a list of Catalina offers for the current month, including Breyers, Caress, Lean Cuisine, Nature's Bounty...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: August 2022
Here’s a list of all of the coupon inserts that have expired within the last two months. If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them, as all of the coupons inside each insert have expired. Inserts marked with an asterisk are new since last [...]
Welcome, Inside Edition viewers!
Paper coupons are on the decline as brands transition to digital. Inside Edition went shopping with me yesterday at Jewel-Osco to see if we could still save at the supermarket!
Welcome, New York Times readers and coupon enthusiasts…
The New York Times recently wrote a lengthy article on the decline of coupon usage, and I was happy to share my thoughts with them on where the industry is currently at and how the economy...
Current National Catalina Offers: July 2022
Here is a list of Catalina offers for the current month, including Alkaline88, Kellogg's...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: July 2022
If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them, as all of the coupons inside each insert have expired. Inserts marked with an asterisk are new...
Current National Catalina Offers: June 2022
Here is a list of Catalina offers for the current month, including General Mills snacks...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: June 2022
If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them, as all of the coupons inside each insert have expired. Inserts marked with an asterisk are new...
Current National Catalina Offers: May 2022
Here is a list of Catalina offers for the current month, including Breyers, CeraVe, Cheez-It, Energizer, and more...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: May 2022
Here's a list of all of the coupon inserts that have expired within the last two months. If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them...
New Super-Couponing Tips column: Questions on electronic coupons
"Your store’s e-coupons might be accessible with a store loyalty card, or the store might utilize your phone number to create an account. Either way, once you have an account..."
New Super-Couponing Tips column: Stocking up ahead of commodity increases
"If you’ve paid attention to the news headlines lately, you’ve noticed in addition to the prices of groceries rapidly increasing, specific commodities have jumped in price..."
Current National Catalina Offers: April 2022
Here is a list of Catalina offers for the current month, including Band Aid, Breyers, Caress, Carnation, Cheez-it, Keurig, and more...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: April 2022
Here’s a list of all of the coupon inserts that have expired within the last two months. If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them, as all of the coupons inside each insert have expired. Inserts marked with an asterisk are new since last [...]
Current National Catalina Offers: March 2022
The following national Catalina offers are active for March 2022...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: March 2022
If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them, as all of the coupons inside each insert have expired. Inserts marked with an asterisk...
Current National Catalina Offers: February 2022
The following national Catalina offers are active for February 2022...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: February 2022
Here's a list of all of the coupon inserts that have expired within the last two months. If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them...
2022 Coupon Insert Schedule
Which weeks can we expect coupons from NewsAmerica (SmartSource = SS) Valassis (RetailMeNot = RM) Procter & Gamble Brandsaver (PG) and Unilever (U)?
Current National Catalina Offers: January 2022
Here is a list of Catalina offers for the current month. Most of these are believed to be national offers, though in each product's case, I am noting the store that the alert printed at.
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: January 2022
Here's a list of all of the coupon inserts that have expired within the last two months. If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: December 2021
Here's a list of all of the coupon inserts that have expired within the last two months. If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them...
Home and Stylenext >< prev
Why don’t they make bed sheets like this any more?
I found this delightful vintage package of two cotton fitted twin-size bed sheets for $1.99 that were made sometime in the 1950s! These sheets have no elastic -- they're truly a "fitted sheet" with a mitered corner...
Updating our rooftop antenna: 70 HDTV channels in Chicagoland
Three years ago, I reviewed one of Antennas Direct's outdoor HDTV antennas. I felt it had a lot of potential, but it just didn't pull in the same number of channels as our old...
My quest to find a great deck stain
As anyone with a deck knows, they are not maintenance-free. This time around, I wanted a deck stain that would last for many years without the disappointing results of the last stain I used...
My deck stain report: One year later
I detailed my deck refinishing project in 2015 and had high hopes for the deck stain I chose. Since that time, I've had curious readers writing to ask how my deck currently looks. How did it weather over the past year?
College apartment bargains and finds
In addition to buying a few new things to decorate her soon-to-be space, she's also been scouring local stores, resale shops and rummage sales to pick up the rest. She was so proud of some of her recent finds...
My black leather trenchcoat
I've owned this black leather trenchcoat for more than 17 years, but the coat is older than I am. This coat has a story, and this seems as good a time as any to tell it...
Snow sleds in the living room
I spotted "Cafeteria Tray" snow sleds on clearance at Target. The entire idea of this cracked me up, as many years ago my friends and I used actual cafeteria trays as snow sleds. We thought we were so creative...
Finally… time for a new washing machine!
My longtime blog readers know how deeply I despise my current front-loading washing machine. Its low-water wash cycles fail to get our clothing adequately clean, and I learned to keep a bucket in the laundry tub...
This weed torch is my favorite garden tool
Every year, our family plants a vegetable garden, and every year, despite my best intentions, there comes a point in time when the garden becomes more than a little overrun with weeds...
My deck stain report: Two years later
It's 2017, and I've had numerous requests from readers asking for another update, as it's deck-staining time again! Several people have requested "many photos" this time around, so here we go...
We couldn’t throw our old couch away
Something strange happened when we tried to get rid of our old couch. Our family room couch has seen better days. I bought this sectional when I was in college -- one of my first "grown-up" purchases...
10 items to pack in your bag for summertime
Summer weather is right around the corner! If you're headed out for a warm-weather adventure with your little one, it's important to bring everything you'll need for a fun day in the sun...
Foodnext >< prev
Create the ultimate gift basket with Signature RESERVE
If you've browsed the aisles of your local Jewel-Osco store recently, you may have noticed a new brand on the shelves: Signature RESERVE™. Signature RESERVE is Jewel-Osco's exclusive, ultra-premium brand...
My must-have products for low-carb eating
There's definitely an initial learning curve in figuring out what you're going to eat. Anything with high amounts of sugar is out, and for this former high carb eater, that meant saying goodbye to cereal, fruit juices...
Try Primo Taglio for a perfect deli platter
It's officially summertime, and Chicagoland has the humidity and temperatures to prove it! I love this time of year, as summer means spending lots of time in the sun, eating outdoors...
Seasons’ Eatings! Table ideas and a Maple Walnut Apple Salad
The holiday season is almost here! I love the changing colors and the way the warm days turn to crisp evenings with vibrant sunsets. I love that Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year celebrations bring us closer...
My low-carb life: 25 pounds down (and counting…)
We quickly set a start date, agreeing to start our weight loss journey on August 1st and compare results in three months on November 1st. Further sealing the deal, I got the smaller-sized jeans for myself as an incentive to do this...
Making a jar of cake-mix “upsizer”
It's getting difficult to find a cake mix that hasn't been reduced from 18.25 ounces to 15.25 ounces. This week, two things came up that made me want to work on a solution of sorts to this issue...
My favorite low-carb recipes for things you’d think are “off limits”
While my first few weeks of low-carbing consisted of a lot of meat, meat, and more meat, I quickly started exploring Keto and Atkins versions of things we regularly enjoyed eating...
Have you tried air chilled chicken? It’s delicious!
What exactly is air chilled chicken? Air chilling is a process that's been popular in Europe for over forty years. It is individually processed by suspending it in air and chilling it for several hours...
Bargain-priced low-carb/keto flours at Farm & Fleet
If you're following a low-carb or keto diet (as half our household is,) here's a discovery I made recently that you'll be interested in. Farm and Fleet sells both coconut flour and almond flour, and the prices are much lower...
Keto-Friendly Carando Abruzzese Italian Meatball Bake
As my husband and I follow a ketogenic diet, we also make a lot of meat-centric meals at home. Here's one of my favorite go-to recipes for busy nights that is rich with all of the flavors of...
Sweet Island Ham & Pineapple Snackers
I partnered with Buddig as a Deli Mom and create snacks with deli meats that aren't sandwiches! This time, I took a reader's suggestion to incorporate the sweet flavor of Hawaiian rolls with another Buddig lunchmeat treat...
Bacon-Wrapped Ranch Chicken Strips
Litehouse invited me to try their salad dressings at home and share with you what I made: Bacon-wrapped ranch chicken strips. They were definitely family-pleasers here in the Cataldo house...
Travelnext >< prev
Disney Parks VIP Tour and our 24-hour Disney honeymoon
Recently, I confessed that my husband and I had never taken a vacation without our children -- ever. We travel pretty frequently, but we never planned a just-us trip...
Intergalactic fun at Walt Disney World’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Our family recently headed to Walt Disney World to visit Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disney's Hollywood Studios! Rise of the Resistance topped our list of things-to-do, simply because...
The All American RV Blogger Tour: Indiana to Utah
I and 15 other bloggers took part in the All American RV Blogger Tour! This was a first-of-its-kind event designed to send bloggers on a cross-country journey from Indiana to Utah...
Walt Disney World: Social Media Moms, Animal Kingdom at Night, Star Wars Awakens
After our 2015 Walt Disney World experience, I told my children, "I hope you keep these memories for a lifetime, because we'll probably never do Disney quite like that again." How wrong I was. Two years in a row?
The Field Museum and Chicago Auto Show
Our kids were off school yesterday for an extended Presidents' Day weekend holiday, so our family headed into the city for some almost-free fun at the Field Museum and the Chicago Auto Show...
What sets a Disney Cruise apart from other cruises
Think of Disney resorts, and you'll likely conjure up thoughts of family-friendly relaxation. However, Disney Cruise Lines brings a level of grandeur that's unparalleled at the hotels. There's so much on board to see...
Our Walt Disney World Vacation – Part 1: MagicBands, Memory Maker, park days and downtown days
My family and I were privileged to head back to Walt Disney World for the Flower and Garden Festival. So much has changed since our previous stay at Walt Disney World five years ago...
A bargain-priced idea for luggage organization
A few months ago, when I went on the All American RV Blogger Tour, one of the gifts I received was a set of Eagle Creek Pack-Its, which are small zipper bags that you can use inside a suitcase to organize socks, underwear and other items: The lightweight bags are made of nylon. After using [...]
Jill’s Bucket List: 24 hours in the Riot House
During a trip to Los Angeles, I stayed at the Riot House, the most famous rock and roll hotel in the world...
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort
Universal Orlando has added a second land to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley. Guests enter Diagon Alley is via a very nondescript-looking alley in the London area of Universal Studios Orlando theme park...
Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea – A Disney adventure like no other!
Earlier this year, our family spent ten days in Japan. That, alone, was a dream come true, but also spent a couple of days at Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. As a Disney lover, this was the perfect...
Go west, Disney dreamers! Disneyland on a budget
We were due for a Disney trip again, but several elements came together to lead us to consider Disneyland in Anaheim, California over heading in the Orlando direction...
Make Thisnext >< prev
Fixing a suitcase wheel with… duct tape?
It irked me that everything else about the suitcase was fine and functional aside from the bad wheel. I looked at replacing the wheel, but I could not find a suitable wheel that was the right size...
Improving a great beach bag (with a not-so-great logo)
I attended a blog conference and brought home an oversized canvas beach bag featuring the logo of one of the conference sponsors. However, last year, that company became embroiled in a bit of a scandal...
Building a kitchen countertop extension
Our daughter's new apartment really only has one issue -- limited counter space and no place to put a microwave or other small appliances. I got the idea to build a countertop extension for her kitchen...
Our ultimate one-minute theme park tailgating setup
Our family has had a fun summer of enjoying days at the zoo, water parks, and theme parks. My kids actually look forward to our lunchtime tailgating, as we can completely set it up in under one minute...
Pooh to Pikachu
This year, when I asked my son what kind of cake he wanted, he said "Pikachu." The popular Pokemon character is certainly cute, but how to best capture him in cake form? Many of my cakes take shape...
Easy kids’ craft: Make a can candle
I believe I was around 7 or 8 years old when we made tin can candles, and so I did a quick web search to see if my juvenile memories of it were correct. Incredibly, I couldn't find anything online about how to make these...
Mending my family’s clothes: How to fix worn jeans “invisibly”
While I could put patches over these ripped knees, I also don't want my kids to be self-conscious of an obvious repair job. I want to share how I've been able to extend the life of my sons' jeans by patching them invisibly...
How to make a large utility tote for less than $20
If you've been wanting a large utility tote without spending too much, and you have minimal sewing skills (like me!) read on and learn how you can make your own large utility tote from one yard of fabric for less than $20...
The eighteen-year-old quilt
I came up with the idea to make a quilt for her eighteenth birthday. And for the past thirteen years, I've been saving our daughter's favorite shirts as she outgrew them. Everything from T-shirts and sports jerseys to pajamas...
Here’s an idea for leftover wax from your wax melter
The wax melt packaging recommends that you pour the melted wax back into the clamshell packaging to dispose of it. Being frugal, I couldn't simply throw the wax away. So, we're reusing it in a creative way...
Making a jar of cake-mix “upsizer”
It's getting difficult to find a cake mix that hasn't been reduced from 18.25 ounces to 15.25 ounces. This week, two things came up that made me want to work on a solution of sorts to this issue...
Make your own “Slushy Magic” at home!
To recreate the Slushy Magic effect, it's important to understand how it works. Each cup comes with three plastic ice cubes filled with salt water. Salt water freezes at a lower temperature than plain water does...
