New Super-Couponing Tips column: Coupon text getting smaller
“Some of the coupons are so small that they don’t even have room for a photo of the product on them anymore. I saw this with a name-brand of laundry detergent. Another coupon…”
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Shopping and Savingnext >< prev
Current National Catalina Offers: September 2021
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: September 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...
Current National Catalina Offers: August 2021
New Catalina offers for August include Breyers, Carnation, Gerber, Huggies, Nestle, and more...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: August 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...
“Tropical, nautical, or striped.”
My son asked "Can you find me a pair of swim trunks that are just a solid color?" I said "Have you really looked at the styles of men's swimwear? The majority falls into one of three categories..."
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: July 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...
Current National Catalina Offers: July 2021
New Catalina offers for this month include Bob Evans, Boost, Buitoni, Cascadian Farms, Clif, DiGiorno, Gerber, Godiva, Hot Pockets, Keurig, and more...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: June 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...
Current National Catalina Offers: June 2021
Catalina offers for June include Core Bars, Gerber, Yoplait...
Current National Catalina Offers: May 2021
Catalina offers for May include Breyers, Cerave, General Mills, Keurig, Nabisco, Yoplait, and more...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: May 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...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: April 2021
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: April 2021
Catalina offers for April include Band-Aid and Neosporin, Duracell, Gerber, Huggies, Incogmeato, Nestle, Oscar Mayer, and more...
Current National Catalina Offers: March 2021
Catalina offers for March include Buitoni pasta, Morningstar Farms, Oscar Mayer Lunchables, Panera (at home) and Sun-Maid.
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: March 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...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: February 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...
Current National Catalina Offers: February 2021
Catalina offers for February include Oscar Mayer Lunchables and P3 Protein.
Want to help shape coupon industry minds? Join my Feb. 23rd panel!
Last year, I invited my readers to apply to be part of a coupon industry panel in conjunction with The Association For Coupon Professionals' annual conference. And then...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: January 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...
Current National Catalina Offers: January 2021
National Catalina offers for January 2021 include Annie's, Carnation, DiGiorno, Equal, Nature Valley, Huggies, Oscar Mayer and more...
2021 Coupon Insert Schedule
Which weeks can we expect coupons from NewsAmerica (SmartSource = SS) Valassis (RetailMeNot = RM) Procter & Gamble Brandsaver (PG) and Unilever (U)? This year, coupon insert...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: December 2020
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: December 2020
National Catalina offers for December 2020 include Bob Evans, Caulipower, Godiva, Hellmann's, Keebler, Tazo, and more...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: November 2020
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
We put a glass top on our wooden kitchen table
Whenever you have something new that you've invested some money in, aren't you inclined to try to keep it as nice and new-looking for as long as possible? We discussed getting a piece of glass cut for the tabletop...
Our daughter’s college journey: Weighing costs and education
"Have you shared any tips from shopping for colleges with your oldest daughter?" I've been receiving a few emails and messages asking about the path we chose for our daughter's education. and I'd be happy to share...
How does my garden grow? With stinky deer repellent spray
Are you growing a garden this year? A new pest recently entered our yard: a beautiful doe who loves to eat our green bean and soybean plants. Don't get me wrong -- she's a very pretty deer, but...
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 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...
Free Wi-Fi in the woods
We have a three-trunked weeping willow tree on our property, and over the years, one of the trunks has split from its siblings and progressively leaned over to rest on the ground. It was time to cut this tree trunk away...
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...
Goodbye to the wedding dresses
One of my friends reached out and said she didn't want to keep her wedding dress anymore. She wasn't sure if it was worth trying to sell it. "You're good with money -- do you think it's worth anything?"
Is your weather center discontinuing itself?
Each day, we look at our Bushnell weather center to see the time, temperature, and weather forecast. Today, on New Year's Day, our Bushnell weather center presented us with this ominous message...
A super-cheap outdoor television setup
I've been spending a lot of my work days this summer outside on our deck, which led me to think about setting up a television outside. If you've ever researched outdoor TVs, you'll find articles claiming...
Our experience with Ikea’s home delivery service
This was our first experience with Ikea's appliance home delivery, and unfortunately, it did not go well. Ikea contracts with a logistics company to handle the actual deliveries. They, in turn, assign delivery to contractors...
Summer camp wardrobe by… Menards?
The camp our kids attend has a good way to group and keep track of the kids. Each cabin is assigned its own color, and the colors are also the campers' team colors for the week for all of their sports and "color war" play....
Foodnext >< prev
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...
Ham, Apple, & Cheese Roll-Ups
Can you believe August is right around the corner? I hope you've been enjoying your summer as much as we have. We've spent many so many days outdoors -- we've been packing lots of coolers for lunches on the go...
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...
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...
Recipe: O Organics Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies
It's that time when many people resolve to live healthier: Eating better, exercising more, and cooking healthier meals and snacks for our families. While we don't eat 100% organic all of the time in our household...
Recipe: Honey Citrus O Organics Chicken Shish Kebabs
Summer grilling season is in full swing at our house! These long summer nights are perfect for cooking and eating outdoors together as a family. I love grilling out whenever possible...
Soothing a cold with Creamy Garlic Chicken Soup
I recently came down with a cold that seems to be taking longer than normal to shake. My days and nights have been filled with decongestants, cough drops and syrups. As we head into cold season...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Travelnext >< prev
My must-have when traveling with carry-on luggage
One of my favorite travel tips when I’m traveling with carry-on luggage? Always take a second, lightweight tote bag with you that’s slightly larger than the “personal item” you carry on. You just may need it to comply with the airlines’ “One carry-on, one personal item” rule. I typically travel with a rolling carry-on suitcase [...]
Universal Orlando VIP Experience and more resort fun!
During our Universal Orlando Resort vacation, we enjoyed taking part in Universal's VIP Experience. The VIP Experience is a guided tour through Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure...
Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse
I cannot fully express in words how beautiful Mount Rushmore is in person. It's breathtaking. I remember seeing it as a child and being in awe of how beautiful it is. My boys, ages 6 and 9, were also completely enamored...
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...
Driving across South Dakota
Our RV tour's scheduled stops for the day included a visit to the Mitchell Corn Palace, an on-your-own lunch, and an ice cream social at the legendary Wall Drug, which my boys were very excited about...
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...
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...
Taking the RV from Indiana to Minnesota
We woke up to a sunny day in Middlebury, Indiana. The KOA campground we stayed at has a lot of amenities to enjoy, including mini golf, bicycle and paddleboat rentals. They had a large swimming pool...
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?
Ultimate day pack for theme park trips
Whether our family's headed to Disney, Universal, Six Flags or another destination, I always bring what my family affectionately calls my "black backpack" on all of our theme park trips. I don't like carrying a purse when we're in theme-park commando mode. A few years ago I discovered the perfect small, yet durable sling-style backpack...
What you’ll love about Universal Orlando’s Volcano Bay water theme park
We spent a day at Universal's new water theme park, Volcano Bay. When you hear "water park," you likely envision tube rides, a wave pool -- and Volcano Bay has all of those things. However, they've upped the traditional...
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...
