My Year-To-Date Savings

I'm getting back into the swing of things with blogging and I wanted to update you all on where I am with my savings and budget for this year. I wouldn't want you to think I fell off the wagon while I was away. :)

Retail: $6668
Savings: $4866 or 74%
Cost: $1801

My weekly average is at $54.58.

This is a teensy bit above my goal of $50 per week but I'm gonna keep working at it. I'm still happy with my savings percentage and I'm on track to meet my goal of saving $6000+ this year.

Do you have a goal that you are working towards? Tell us about it.

FREE Energizer Rechargable Batteries (DEAD DEAL)

That was fast! This freebie is no longer available. However, you can now print a $1.00 coupon from the Engergizer Facebook page.

Original Post:

Energizer is giving away coupons good for a 4-pack of rechargeable batteries ($13 value) to 30,000 fans. Head over to their Facebook page and fill out the validation form. HURRY! This one will go quick.

Your coupon will arrive in the mail in 4-6 weeks and doesn't expire until 12/31/10.

While you are visiting Facebook, you can also hop on over and "Like" Coupon Queen Diaries.

(Thanks, Faithful Provisions)

I'm back! {AKA: Mission Statement}

I've had a lot of time to think this summer. A moment to think is rare for me. It usually only happens late at night when I'm trying to sleep (but can't) or in the shower. Don't judge. I've come up with a lot of good ideas in the shower. :)

I've thought a lot about blogging, and my family, and being frugal, and couponing, and keeping up with the Joneses, and priorities, and my readers, and deal finding. Whew! I enjoyed my little break and I had a great summer with my family and I was also available to serve in times of need (updates at the bottom). In the end, I missed blogging and I missed interacting with you folks. I missed helping people get their start and find their way in couponing. I missed encouraging folks to keep at it. I missed hearing your success stories. And that's when it clicked.

I started blogging to show people how to do what I do, how to find deals, and how to save money. I want to focus on that part. The deals may change from week to week, but the way you work the deals is the same. Before, I was exhausting myself with trying to blog about every single deal. I want to stick to the basics and show you my tried and true methods. That's exactly what I plan to do from here on out.

Yes, I still plan to highlight really great deals, but I'm going to focus on giving you some Frugal 101 in between. You need to know how to find and work the deals on your own. You need to know how to stick with it and maintain your savings in the long term. There will be tips and tricks that will work whether you are right here in Nashville, TN or over on the West coast. However, I think it's really neat to trade info with the locals (like where Publix is hiding that new booklet, ect.).

I may not blog every day. I may post 4 times a day. Who knows? If my family needs me, I plan to be available for them. If a situation comes up that needs my help, I plan to serve. My readers have always been great about chiming in to help out a newbie and I love that sense of community. We are all in this money-saving adventure together.

Of course, even with blogging, there are bills to be paid so you may see advertisements, affiliate offers and reviews (see new disclosure policy), but I would never share something with you that I'm not already doing myself or see frugal value in. There will also be giveaways here and there too, starting with one this week!

While all of the above isn't a "formal" Mission Statement it gives you the jist of what you can expect from me at Coupon Queen Diaries.

I'm thrilled that you are here. Let's crack the ole coupon queen diary. I'm gonna start spilling the secrets and juicy details that will save you money.

Don't miss out on a single entry. Make sure you are subscribed to my RSS Feed or receiving the daily email updates.

PRINT! It's the end of the month.

Tomorrow is the last day of the month. That means that printable coupon sites will update their list of available coupons. One of three things can happen.

1. A coupon will reset. In this case, if you reached your print limit (2) in the previous month, you are now eligible to print that coupon again.
2. A coupon will disappear. This is a bummer if it was a coupon you really liked.
3. A new coupon will show up. Hopefully this will make up for #2.

Be sure to print any coupons you like now before the 1st (Wednesday). Remember, most coupons can be printed 2 times!

Some of my favorites printable sites are:

• Coupons.com
  
• SmartSource
• Red Plum
• Betty Crocker
• Pillsbury
• Campbells
• Snackpicks
  

P&G Coupon Book with $110 in Savings

It's back! Proctor & Gamble is offering another Everyday Savings coupon book. This edition will have over $110 in savings.

You have plenty of time to qualify. All you need to do is purchase $50 in P&G products between now and December 31st. In the past, the the $50 purchase requirement is BEFORE coupons! This time should be no different. This means that you can put $50 of P&G products in your cart and then use coupons to pay down that total, which means less out of pocket for you. This can also be done over several different transactions and at different stores.

The rebate form was in the P&G 8/29 insert or you can also find it online. Before you go shopping, check out the list of P&G brands.

You can also view a list of coupons and their values, which will be included in your book. These are high-value coupons that typically cannot be found in the newspaper or online. So, if you use a lot of P&G brands, you definitely want to get this book!

Walgreens: September Coupon Booklet

{Image from Wild For Wags}

The new coupon booklet is out at Walgreens. This is a book filled with store coupons, which can be combined with a manufacturer coupon for more savings. The September edition contains $325 in coupons which all expire on September 25, 2010.

Here are some of my favorites:

• crest glide floss 32.8-55 yds $2 off
• crest pro-health toothpaste clinical gum protection 4 oz $2 off
• glad trash bags 25-80 pk 13 gal $1 off
• huggies baby wipes 184 or 216 pk $2 off
• sambucol cold & flu 30 ct $2 off
• w a thru z original or select multivitamins 400 ct $3 off
• w zinc tablets or quick melts 25 ct $2 off

For a complete list of coupons in this month's book, please visit i heart wags. Coupon images are available from Wild for Wags.

Don't forget - The entire Walgreens coupon policy is now available online.

Walgreens Coupon Policy Is Now Online

Walgreens has finally joined the ranks of stores who post their coupon policy online. This makes it much easier for shoppers across the nation. When a retail chain puts their policy online, it means all of their stores have to get consistent in a hurry. I love me some consistency.

Personally, I think the Walgreens coupon policy is one of the most difficult to understand. It's not terribly restrictive just complicated by their Register Reward coupons. I'm thrilled that they are willing to write it out for their customers.

I would encourage you to print out a copy of this policy to keep in your coupon binder or carry it with you whenever you shop at Walgreens.

You can view the new policy at Walgreens.com.

(Thanks, Wild for Wags)

A New Look for Coupon Queen Diaries

Have you seen the new blog design yet?

If you are reading this in an email or RSS feed you will need to click through to view the actual webpage. It may take a few extra seconds to load (because it is ALL new). Check it out.

Isn't it awesome, and adorable?!

I started working behind the scenes a little over a month ago and found Angie at Strosgirl Designs. She was awesome to work with and managed to fit in all the little details that I asked for.

My favorite items:

• Custom social media buttons embedded into the header that change color when you scroll over.
• New logo and tag line.
• Drop-down menu bar. It changes colors too!
• The post break. I just love all my little colors all lined up in a row.
• Custom fonts.

Squeee!!! I'm so excited.

Seriously, you need to look at it again. I can't stop looking at it. I'm one proud blog mamma today!! Okay, I need to lay off the exclamation points now.

Step 1: New Look (check).

Step 2: New Mission Statement (stay tuned).

Step 3: New Giveaway (next week).

So, what do you think? Feel free to use as many exclamation points as you want. :D

*If you are using Internet Explorer 7, certain elements may not display properly. Upgrading to IE8 should resolve this issue. You can also use Chrome (my default browser), Safari or FireFox.

It's starting!

The new blog design is going in tonight! *Me doing the Happy Dance* If you happen to be visiting the site, it might look a little crazy for a while due to me moving things around and getting everything into place.

I should have everything ready to go by tomorrow (Friday) afternoon. I'll send out a message as soon as it's done.

I cannot wait for you to see it!! Above is a teensy weensy sneak peek. This is one of my favorite parts of the whole design and it shows all of the colors that I'm using.

Anyone else getting excited?

Disclaimers, Disclosures and Policies... Oh My!

While I was working behind the scenes this summer, I added some legal mumbo jumbo for added protection. You see, blogging as a business requires this sort of thing.

The jist of the legal stuff is:

A) Personal information that you give to Coupon Queen Diaries is not sold to outside individuals or companies.
B) I try my best to post legitimate offers and deals but these may change and you should proceed at your own risk.
C) I am an affiliate for certain companies, which means that I may receive compensation in exchange for promoting their services or products.

For all the nitty gritty details, you can view my...

Privacy Policy
Disclaimer
Disclosure Policy

Now that we have that out of the way, let the countdown to relaunch begin in 3, 2, ....

Movie Tickets for only $4 - HURRY!

This is a great offer! Get a movie ticket from Fandango for only $4 with this Groupon deal.

1. New members will need to go HERE to sign up!

2. Then go to THIS LINK and click Buy!

*You have until February 28, 2011 to use it.

(Originally spotted on I Heart Publix & Wild for Wags)

ALERT: Relaunch in progress!

Hello friends,

I just wanted to thank you guys for hanging with me during my summer-long hiatus. We have had an amazing time this summer. We've been lazy and we've played, HARD! We went to the lake EVERY Friday. We've traveled and visited family. We've stayed home and snuggled. We've been on dates. We've had drama and we've relaxed. We totally had popcorn and ice cream for dinner. It's been fantastic!

My little one started at her new big girl school this last week, which is so exciting but a signal that summer has come to an end. I've enjoyed my family this summer (mission accomplished) but I've missed you guys and I've missed blogging.

Things are in the works to relaunch the ole bloggerooski in the next week or so. It will have a completely different look and I'm so excited for you to see it. The relaunch of Coupon Queen Diaries will be complete with a fancy new design and a new mission statement. You won't want to miss it.

Here are a couple of hints. If you are new to couponing you will want to stick around. If you are a professional couponer and are dying to get your friends on board, you need to send them this way. If you are stuck somewhere in the middle and need a refresher course or want to brush up on the basics, you are in the right spot. There is a lot to be learned and I'm gonna be "sharing my saving secrets with you." {ahem, can I get a shout out for my new tagline?}

Don't miss a thing. Go ahead and subscribe to my email alerts, "Like" my Facebook page, and/or Follow me on Twitter. Why not do all 3 and send a few friends while you are at it?

New and improved is coming your way and I think you're gonna like what you see.

Get $50 at GAP for only $25

Have you tried Groupon yet? This is a site where you can get amazing deals in your area on food, clothing, activities, entertainment and more at deep discounts. The deals are usually specific to your area but today's deal is nationwide.

Get a $50 GAP certificate for only $25. This deal is HOT!!! Hop on over and snag yours right now. Remember, Groupon deals are limited so go here to sign up and get started.

Kroger Summer Clearance - 75% off

I've been stalking the summer aisle at Kroger for weeks now just waiting for it to go 75%. Today, it was! The big sign still says 50% off (in Donelson) but the prices are indeed 75% off. Whoo Hoo! Check out what I got for a mere $13. {Read: Hours of fun on the cheap!}

Topsy Turvy (Tomato & Strawberry): $2.00 each.

Bucket & Shovel: $0.25

Grill Liner (2 pk): $1.00

Water Balloons (250): $0.50

Beach Ball: $0.50

Bubble Refill: $0.75

Aqua Set (Mask, Snorkel, Googles): $3.00

Big Bubble Maker: $2.00

Every year I set a little bit of extra money aside and stock up on summer fun toys at the end of the season. Retail for these few things would have been $55. No thank you! The trick is getting them stored away before my little one sees them. The best part is seeing her face light up when we crack them open at the beginning of summer. Ok, I'm off to find a good hiding spot. :)

What summer clearance deals did you find?

Kraft Shredded Cheese - Stock Up At Kroger!

At first glace, the Kraft deal at Kroger didn't look too good this week. On second glance, it turns out to be a stock-up deal! Why? The size included in the Mega Event promo is the 1-lb bag (4 cups). It gets even better when you combine it with the Kraft Buy 5, Get $5 promo. My Kroger even had $1.00 off 2 blinkies right next to it. Score!

Here's how to work this deal for maximum savings.

Buy (5) Kraft Shredded Cheese 16 oz packages ($2.79 each) = $13.95

Use (2) $1.00 WYB 2 Blinkies = -$2.00

Load (1) Kroger Ecoupon for $1.00 WYB 2 = -$1.00

Total OOP: $10.95 + get back $5 Catalina at checkout.

Final Cost: $5.95 or $1.19 each!! (This is the equivalent of $0.60 for an 8 oz. bag)

I want to clarify that this is a part of the Mega Event, meaning that you have to buy 8 participating items to get the $2.79 price. My suggestion is to pair the 5 cheeses with 3 Sobe drinks ($0.49) and use this BOGO coupon (instant win game). My Kroger took off the full retail value of $1.59, which is enough to get all 3 drinks for FREE.

The Buy 5, Get $5 promo ends 8/15 so you'd better hurry.

Get Bonus "Back To School" SwagBucks

Swagbucks is going all out for Back To School fun! For those of you who are already on the Swagbucks bandwagon, you will want to be on the look out for these specially marked "Back To School" Swagbucks pictured above.

There are 5 different denominations of 6, 9, 14, 19 and 23 Swagbucks. If you collect them all, you will be rewarded with an additional 50 Swagbucks!!

For new users, Swagbucks is offering a special sign-up bonus. You can get an additional 40 Swagbucks with the code BackToSchool.

Swagbucks is a search engine that randomly rewards you for searching. You can redeem your Swagbucks for awesome prizes and gift cards. My favorite prize is still the Amazon gift cards.

You can go learn more about Swagbucks or go ahead and sign up now.

Have fun searching and winning!

FREE Flip Flops from JCPenney

If you know me, you know that I LIVE in flip flops. I just scored an awesome deal from JCPenney.

They are offering FREE shipping on all shoes and when you buy 2 pair, you get a $10 reward on your next shoe purchase. However, you can get $10 off right away with code TEN2YOU. Don't forget to shop through Ebates to get 3% back.

My transaction looked like this.

Flip Flops x 2 @ $8.99 = $17.98

Code TEN2YOU = -$10.00

FREE Shipping = $0.00

Total OOP = $7.98

Will receive $10 credit from JCPenney and 3% Cash Back from Ebates.

Final Cost: Better than FREE!!!

Incidentally, here are the shoes I bought. Aren't they adorable?

UPDATE: I received my shoes but didn't get my $10 reward. Upon emailing them, it appears that this "reward" was intended for JCP Rewards customers only. I have tried to address that this info was not stated on their advertisement and will let you know should I make any progress. I apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. I'm still thrilled with my 2 pair of shoes for only $8. The "reward" would have just been icing on the cake.