Good Deals, Birthday freebies

Here's a smile for you...thought this was a very cute comic!

May winner is Leah O'Vell from Weedville, PA....congratulations Leah!!

Don't forget that June's giveaway is a free cooking set, but only if we get to 200 subscribers/followers.

Phew...end of the 2 weeks of full time work. I really do enjoy my job, and we had some great patients this week, but I will be glad to get my house back in order. We also had our employee picnic today, which was very nice. Even got a baseball cap. Hats off to you moms who do that 9-5 thing every week!! I honestly don't know how you do it. Even when I worked full time, it was three 12-hour night shifts, so I've always had more days at home than not. You guys who work days rock!!

Here's a sweet deal for you...a free mouse pad from Rite-Aid: http://my.adperk.com/splash/d30b50da/index.html

Rite-Aid has a program in which you watch short videos and then print a store coupon. Great deals. Click on the link above and then find the mousepad coupon.

Many places give freebies on your birthday...click here for a list of offers:

http://www.freebie4mom.com/ and click on the "birthdays" tab.

Order a free 8x10 photo collage ($3.99 value) using the coupon code GOODTHOUGHTS thru Saturday at Walgreens Photo and you can pick it up in-store for a total of $0.00. You can only order one free 8x10 photo collage per account. Use between 1 and 20 photos for your collage. For the payment method select "Pay In Store" - your total should be $0.00 (don't checkout unless it is). You will get a freebie worth $3.99! To get to the 8x10 Photo Collage Print go to "Gifts" at the top menu, then "Collages", then "Collage Prints" to create an 8x10. You can pick up your free 8x10 on any day, but you have to order it before the end of the day Saturday! If you don't have a Walgreens near you, or you just want to surprise someone - shipping is 99 cents.

Don't forget that Saturday 5/8 is the "Stamp out Hunger" day with the postal service....put out your canned goods.

Saturday is also the day of the funeral for Jacob Nance, the 2nd student who died in the car wreck at our school. Mr. Hardee, who is the headmaster, will have the funeral. Several of you have asked for more details on this. Basically 4 Sr. boys were headed out for lunch last Friday. Speed was involved and the driver lost control, the 2 boys that died were thrown from the vehicle. The other 2 boys are doing fine. We still lift up these wonderful families. Jacob's 18th birthday was yesterday, Mother's Day Sunday and graduation May 21. It is an emotional time for the whole school. Thank you for praying.

Track Conference Champs

Got home from our track conference meet at 9:30 PM...HPCA (our) boys are conference champs!!! I'm so happy for them! I spent more on a dinner out at Red Robin for the entire family than I usually spend on a week of groceries...that's what you justify when you work full time...ha! I just packed school lunches (cause the kids are exhausted) and set the table for breakfast. Then we soaked and wrapped Will's toe (he had minor surgery on an ingrown toenail Monday (thanks Lynn!!) and came in 3rd in the 2 mile in spite of that!! I got the meat out of the fridge and will try to remember to put it in crock pot before I leave for work in the morning. It's 10:22 and I have to blog, shower and get to bed....but I just want all you blogger friends to know that you are great and I had to write something! Next week looks slower at work, so I'll try to catch you up on some good deals. Still haven't heard from my May winner (Leah) so I'll wait a few more days...

Any knucklehead can do that...May winner!!

I am in the process of contacting the May winner of the $25.00 Walgreens gift certificate. I will let you know as soon as they email me back. Sorry I was a little late on that. I have been staying right at 100 subscribers/followers for a couple of months now. Let's see if we can't get the numbers up. For the June drawing, I will give away a cooking set valued at at least $200.00....BUT only if we get to 200 subscribers/followers. So...you need to help me out. Ask 2 or 3 friends to join and we should get there easily!!

I made it to triples at HT last night. I spent 9 something and saved $25...not too shabby!!

And we had our first garden salad last night...from the lettuce planted from seed. SOOOOOO yummy! Garden is looking great.

Tonight the light/fan in one of the bedrooms just quit working and Mike decided it was a faulty switch. "I'll take care of it," he said heading to the basement. He flipped the fuse and came up with a new switch and some screwdrivers. I held a flashlight while he changed it out, touching the wires gingerly at first to make sure they weren't "hot." He was done in 5 minutes. I figure he saved me at least a $50.00 visit. "I'm so glad you can do this kind of stuff," I said. He looked at me like I was crazy:  "Any knucklehead can do THAT," he exclaimed. Of course I reminded that I couldn't do that....so...how many of you can do that or have a spouse who can?? How many knuckheads like me are there out there??

Abnormal

So, I just read that the average woman spends 400 hours--that's 17 days---a year, shopping. That averages 3 years of her life!! Good Heavens! No wonder they drive men nuts. I'm closer to 100 hours a year, if you don't count yard-saling...ha! Still, that's an awful lot of waking hours. I don't like to shop; I do like to get a good deal.

I'm going to try to swing by HT on the last night of triples on my way to pick up the boys from scouts. I'm using all the printable coupons because by now any for products that came in the Sunday Supplement are long used up. I'll let you know how it goes.

If I recall correctly, Saturday is the post offcie food drive. I always try to leave a bag out for this.

Here's a coupon you don't see often...$2.00 off at Murphy's gas (that's Wal-Mart) click here:
http://www.southernsavers.com/2010/05/murphys-usa-gas-coupon/

Here's a chance to get a basket of free goodies from SC Johnson,  only for the first 6000. You don't know if you get it or not, it just shows up. I have received these before, very good deals. Click here:
http://www.rightathome.com/Offers/Pages/2010-05-glade.aspx

And finally get 3 free pampers cruisers form vocal point if you are a member. Click here:
http://www.vocalpoint.com/pampers/login.html

Happy Shopping!

new freebies, my deal diva friend from Maine, fake coupons

Several good deals out there this week:

Now through September, Krispy Kreme is offering B1G1 Sundaes on Sunday. Sweet Southern deal!!


Here's a sweet deal on facebook for some freebies from Kraft foods: http://www.facebook.com/KraftFoods?v=app_10442206389
The link is slow to upload, so be patient.

And here's a deal to get free lipstick form Walgreens: http://www.southernsavers.com/2010/05/walgreens-free-lipstick-first-12000/ You have to share a goal, but it can be anything!

Just FYI, esp for those of you new to couponing :

Once again an email is circulating with a too-good-to-be-true attachment for free Doritos. The email invites you to print all you want and enjoy.  When will this end?
There is a simple rule when you receive one of these emails. The coupons are ALWAYS, 100% OF THE TIME, FAKE. Someone somewhere used photoshop software to make or modify a high value free item coupon, then sent it out to others. The coupons look real. Unsuspecting people, who are not coupon savvy, fall for it. We know better. No manufacturer is going to distribute free $5 coupons via an email. No manufacturer is going to issue a $5 free-item coupon with their blessing to print it as many times as you like. If you receive one of these emails, you can do two things. First, notify the sender that they can be in legal hot water for passing on this counterfeit, and tell them to send out another email explaining the fraud. Then forward the email with the attachment to www.cents-off.com We have to fight these fake coupons, because they spoil things for everyone. Stores get burned, then they don't want to take legitimate coupons. This is the official word from Frito-Lay:


"We have also been alerted to a fraudulent $5 coupon offer for Doritos chips that is circulating on the internet. This $5 coupon offer is not authorized by Frito-Lay. The invalid $5 coupon may not be accepted at retail outlets. We regret any inconvenience. We're working to find ways to prevent these types of counterfeit offers from misleading our consumers."


The free item coupons I've received lately in the mail are full of holograms, expensive printing techniques, unique code numbers, printed in vibrant color on high gloss paper with my name on the coupon. In other words, manufacturers are going to great lengths to make high value coupons counterfeit-proof. The weak link in that chain are the millions of shoppers who have no idea that an email with a free coupon attached is fake, and the many cashiers who unwittingly accept such coupons. There is much educating to do before this type of fraud ends.


And for those of you who wonder if I'm the only one out there who's nuts enough to do this, this is a copy of an email from a friend in Maine about her deals last week. As she mentions, she only has Rite-Aid. If she had Walgreens and CVS, I would hire her to shop for me!! You go girlfriend; you inspire me! Here's her info:


Here are this week's totals from rite aid.
coupons used $207.32 (not counting the savings from being on sale)
total spent $51.90
money coming back $63.29
if i'd shopped in a tax free state i'd have saved another $8.86.
anyone use benadyrl or biore? it's up for grabs.
i'm anxiously awaiting to send you the info when another $5 off $25 coupon comes available.
i send you these to inspire you to try coupons to save money. the money saved here frees up money for other things. i realize (and hope) that none of you will be as crazy as me doing this, but this shows that $ can be saved. i have only one store to shop from (which is probably a good thing). those of you with cvs and walgreens can go hog wild.

Finally, Mike and I attended the funeral of the first boy who died in the wreck. There were at least 900 people there. Hold on to those you love and make memories every day!!

Sunday Thoughts

Here is a prayer I found on the interenet that I thought was very appropriate for today:


Shepherd:
I am the Good Shepherd. Fear not for I am with you. Do not be dismayed for I am you Lord. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. I will hold you up with my right hand.

All:
Yes, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. Your rod for protection and your staff for guidance, they comfort me.

Shepherd:
I am your Shepherd. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, you shall not drowned. When you walk through fire, you shall not be burned.

All:
Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you will revive me. Lord You stretch out Your hand against the wickedness of my enemies, and your right hand saves me.

Shepherd:
You are the sheep of my pasture, I have created you, formed you. Do not fear for I have redeemed you. I have called you by your name. You are mine.

All:
Though many should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. You, Lord, are the Shepherd of my soul. You are my light and my salvation., You are the strength of my life. How great is Your goodness toward those who trust in You!.

Shepherd:
I am the Good Shepherd and I say to you “Fear not little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. He has determined to give you the Kingdom.”

All:
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Life from Death

Tonight the second student involved in the car wreck---the one in critical condition-- passed away. Mike and I arrived at the hospital just moments after the family received the news. Such sorrow and grief;  no one should have to bury their child. This family made the choice to donate their son's organs. On the way home, I looked at Mike and said, "Just think, somewhere right now a family that was giving up hope of finding an organ donor is receiving a call and there is hope again, and joy in the midst of sorrow." Life from death. A gift.

It has been an extremely trying week in so many ways. I am once again reminded that God is in control. There is such comfort in that. I am again working 5 days next week...and now attending two funerals, so bear with me my blogger friends. Today I went to Aldi as there was very little left in the house to eat! Don't have many treasures/deals to report this time around, and next week will be slow also.

So today, remember to take time to hug the ones you love and never, ever take them for granted. 11:18 the dismissal bell rings...4 boys jump in an SUV and head out to lunch...11:22, two blocks from the school, a car wreck changes everything. Two boys are in heaven, and an entire student body and so many family members are left to find meaning in it all.  Carpe Diem...Seize the day and live every minute like the gift that it is. We love you Simmons and Nance families.