Earn Mega Swag Bucks on Fridays!

Hey Swaggers! Don't forget that Fridays are Mega Swag Bucks days were your chances are increased to win bigger bucks!

If you are new to Swagbucks, see how you can use them to easily earn some Christmas Cash.

Happy Swaggin!

$500 Gift Card Giveaway Ending Soon

Did you know that Cellfire is giving away $500 gift cards to the grocery store of your choice? Actually they are giving away FIVE cards. The contest ends in just a few days (October 18th).

It's easy to enter. For EACH Cellfire coupon you "clip" you get an entry into their giveaway.

Go here to clip your coupons.

Lots of FREEBIES!

Fall break starts today and I thought a few FREEBIES might make this great day even better.

• Extra Gum - Facebook fans can choose 1 of 3 flavors.
• Oxy Skin Care - Get a sample pack with face wash, moisturizer and treatment gel.
• 20 Photo Cards - Use code BABYMAIL to get 4x8 flat cards from Snapfish. Shipping is extra ($5.99).
• Kleenex Package - This one you actually share with a friend.
• Kashi Snacks - Choose from crackers or a cereal bar.
• Shout Color Catcher - Comes with sample & coupons.
• Redbox Code - Text TREAT to 727272. Valid TODAY ONLY! Here's a list of more Rexbox codes to try anytime.
• 3 months of FREE shipping at Amazon
• Bottle of Advil
• Pampers Points - 10PTSFREECODE4U (10), JOINNOW4REWARDS (50), GIFTSTOGROW4MOM (50), 2BEGINEARNING50 (50)

Remember, some FREEBIES go fast! Better hurry.

Thanks Mommies with Cents, Faithful Provisions, Freebies Galore, & Hannah!

Help me decide!

My good friends over at CSN stores contacted me and asked me to review one of their products. Seems simple enough until they told me I could choose anything I wanted. With over 200 stores carrying anything from an ottoman coffee table to a pair of shoes, this task was a little daunting.

I have managed to narrow it down to 3 items and I'm gonna leave it up to you guys to help me choose. Scroll down to vote.

Should I pick these beautiful baking dishes? Surprisingly, we do not have a 9x9 pan in this house and almost every brownie mix I purchase wants me to use this size.

Should I pick this adorable laptop bag? I crossed over to the dark side earlier this year and my beautiful MacBook Pro needs a stylish carrying case, don't you think?

Should I pick this awesome Veterinarian attire from Melissa & Doug? This would certainly help me get a head start on Christmas shopping since my daughter is obsessed with puppies right now.

They are all good options and I would be delighted to review any one of them. So, it's up to you.... vote below.

*If you are reading this via email or reader, you may need to click through to the webpage to vote.*

Never Miss A Deal or Update

Very often deals are time sensitive. Sales ads change frequently and clearance items go fast. Many times I hear folks say that they didn't know about a certain deal until it was too late. Others tell me that they just went to (insert store name here) and wish they would have known to look for (insert hot deal here). There are a couple of ways you can stay up to date with Coupon Queen Diaries and never miss a deal or an update.

• Email Subscription - You will get a message which recaps all of the posts I have put up that day. If I haven't posted anything new, you won't get an email. Simple as that. Right now, this email gets sent around 3 pm every day.
• Facebook - Here, I link up to any deals that I have posted and I also put out quick little reminders, notes and updates. It's so much fun to interact with my readers and followers over there. You should hop on over and "Like" it right away.
• Twitter - See above. Actually, it's more than that since I often put bits and pieces of my life out there for ya too.
• RSS Feed - My favorite. This is similar to an email subscription but more instantaneous.

Stay tuned and tomorrow I will give a more detailed description of what RSS is, my favorite RSS platform, and how you can make it work for you. I love RSS feed!

Frugal 101: Using a Coupon Database

A Coupon Database is a very handy tool for determining if a coupon even exists for the product you want or need to buy. The database is a pretty inclusive list of any and every coupon that is out there and available.

Using a coupon database is simple. Basically, you just type in part of the brand or product name, then click "search." The database will let you know where a coupon for that particular item can be found. It will also show you the value of the coupon and it's expiration date. If it is a printable coupon, then you will be able to click the link and go straight to it. Granted, coupon values may vary from area to area and the availability of blinkies, peelies and tearpads will vary from store to store, but it will point you in the right direction of where to locate a certain coupon.

Let's say you are out of cereal and you need to buy it this week (on sale or not) or the world will come to an end in your household. Simply click over to the coupon database and type in your favorite brand. Voila! You will know immediately where to look for any coupons that match up to your favorite cereal.

You can access the Coupon Database via this bookmark or you can look under the Coupon tab on my main menu.

Coming up, I'm gonna answer the age-old question: How much time does couponing really take?

If you are just joining us, go here to catch up on previous Frugal 101 topics. Don't miss future installments: Subscribe via RSS or get Email updates.

Get 3 months of FREE shipping at Amazon

Amazon has a new program called Amazon Mom. When you sign up, you automatically get 3 months of Amazon Prime. That means you get FREE 2-day shipping with no minimum order requirements.

I've been waiting to post about this until we got into the "Christmas window." We are now less than 3 months away folks. Yipee!! If you remember from last year, Amazon had tons of holiday deals.

If you are like me, you also have lots of Amazon credit built up from using Swagbucks.

Amazon Mom is open to any caregiver and is free to join. In addition to the trial of Amazon Prime you also get other special discounts in the baby store.

Sign up for Amazon Mom today and enjoy free 2-day shipping through Christmas!

Expired Coupon INSERTS

If you like to organize your coupons by the "Insert Only Method" then you know they can start to take up space after a while.

I came across a post from A Proverbs Wife, which gives a list all the inserts can be tossed. It's a-ok to purge your inserts from 03/21/10 and older since all of those coupons have expired.

When I started, my stack looked like this.

Now, it looks like this.

Ah, that's better!

As you can see, I don't have a special filing system for my inserts other than to label them with the date and stack them in a neat (well kind of) pile. The most recent always goes on top and I just keep them in a corner of my office.

I'll be sure to alert you guys the next time that it is safe to toss some more inserts.

Frugal 101: Expired Coupons

No matter what coupon organization method you use, you will eventually have to clear out the expired coupons. The end of the month is a great time to do this as most coupons typically expire around the last day of each month.

Did you know that military families overseas can use expired coupons up to 6 months past the expiration date? The commissaries have an agreement that allows them an extended grace period to redeem them. I have been sending my coupons to a military base in Germany and you can too. Simply ship your expired coupons to:

SPANGDAHLEM FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER
52 MSS/DPF
Unit 3655 Box 65
APO AE 09126-5565

Here are some tips for preparing your coupons for shipment.

• Manufacturer's coupons only.
• No store coupons allowed (i.e. Publix, Walgreens, ect.)
• No printables are accepted.
• No local brands (i.e. Purity, Lays Chips, ect.)
• Coupons need to be sorted into Food & Non-Food categories (I use a Ziploc bag for each)
• Do not use paper clips or rubber bands.
• Coupons need to have an expiration date of no more than 2 months.

Because this is a U.S. Military Base, packages can be shipped at U.S. rates. I have found the best (and easiest) way is to ship them in a flat-rate priority envelope and the cost is around $5. You can get these envelopes from your local post office or order them online for FREE.

If you are interested in doing this, I want to encourage you to buddy up with some friends. This could be a project for your Sunday school class or even church wide. You could start this with your mom's group or just a few friends and take turns mailing off the envelope each time. Either way, just know that your expired coupons will help another family.

I hate to see a good coupon go to waste and this program buys it extra time. :)

On Monday, I'm gonna give you some pointers for purging expired coupon inserts.

If you are just joining us, go here to catch up on previous Frugal 101 topics. Don't miss future installments: Subscribe via RSS or get Email updates.

Problem Solved

Yesterday, I mentioned that I had a few problems with my binder.

• It was big
• It was bulky
• It was ugly
• I forgot to grab it

All of those problems dissapeared after I purchased myself a Coupon Clutch!

Technically, it IS still big but it isn't bulky anymore because I can wear it over my shoulder. As you can see, my binder became quite the fashion statement so I'm not self-conscious about how it looks. I don't forget it anymore because the straps make it easy to grab and go. I LOVE my Coupon Clutch!

You can get a coupon clutch of your very own. There are several styles to choose from. You can purchase just the cover or the whole shebang with with binder, dividers, pockets... everything! If you are crafty, they also sell the pattern to sew your own. Use code TAKE5 to get $5 off a $25 purchase.

Aren't they cute? Order now! Then, come back and let me know which style you picked.

FREEBIE: Box Barilla Pasta

The freebies just keep on coming today. This one is from Vocalpoint. Get a full-sized box of Barilla Plus Pasta.

Go here to request your box.

Vocalpoint is one of my favorite sites. They always have great freebies and samples!

Thanks I Heart Publix!

FREEBIE: Bounce Dryer Bar

Viewpoints members can get a free Bounce Dryer Bar. I tried these for the 1st time last year and I love them!

Get yours here.

Viewpoints is FREE and they often have great freebies and samples.

Thanks Spend Less and Save More!

My Coupon Organizer

As promised, here is a look at how I organize my coupons. I use a combination of methods. Kinda. Each week I flip through the Sunday inserts and clip out coupons for brands that I know we love and coupons that I think will make a good deal and file them away in my binder. I don't clip every single coupon. I still save the inserts and label them by date. That way if I missed a coupon that makes a good deal, I can come back and get it.

I like the binder because it gives me a place to store my coupons, printables and booklets. It also has plenty of room so that I can see each and every coupon clearly. For a long time, I used an accordion file but it was bursting at the seams and coupons were getting over looked so I made the switch.

Here's how I made my binder

Supplies: 1.5" binder, baseball card holders, alphabet tabs, pocket folders. These supplies cost me about $30. I was in a hurry but I would suggesting waiting for these items to go on sale or using a store coupon (i.e. $5 off $25 purchase at Office Max).

Assembly: Because the binder gave me more room, I decided to organize my coupons in ABC order by brand (i.e. Oreos) rather than by general category (i.e. cookies). Each letter received 2 sheets of baseball card holders. In the back, I put in the pocket folders and labeled them for each store. This is where I store booklets, and store-specific coupons. In the very front of my binder I put a velcro-closing folder and this is where I store my list, a pen and scissors.

Using the binder: The ABC method worked out great and made so much more sense to me. Coupons were now easy to find and clearly displayed. However, I did take issue with the fact that I had to FOLD my coupons to make them fit in the little pockets. On the flip side, I love being able to have a large amount of coupons with me because I can match them up to unadvertised deals. The binder does attract some attention from other shoppers but, in light of how much I'm saving, I could care less who stares. Sometimes, they ask questions and I'm able to share my money-saving passion with them.

A few problems: I was able to get over the folding issue but I was having trouble getting my binder to the store. It was big and bulky and, well, just plain ugly. I wasn't used bringing something extra with me since my previous accordion file was small enough to fit in my purse. There were a couple of occasions where I actually forgot my coupons at home (gasp!).

Come back tomorrow and I'll tell you how I solved all of those complications with 1 simple product.

What coupon organization method do you use?

Win a $500 gift card from Cellfire

Cellfire is at it again and this time they are giving away 5 (Yes, FIVE) $500 gift cards to the grocery store of your choice. For EACH Cellfire coupon you "clip" you get an entry into their giveaway.

New E-Coupons were released today.

I had 26 new coupons waiting for me. Now, I don't know about you, but I'm clipping ALL of them.

The contest ends on October 18th and winners will be announced by Cellfire on October 20th.

Go here to clip your coupons.

FREEBIE: Tide & Glad Samples

Target is offering 2 great samples via their Sample Spot. You can try

• Tide with Acti-Lift Detergent
• Glad OdorShield Trash Bags with Febreeze

Go here to register for your samples. It took me less than 60 seconds to do both.

Thanks Frugal Fun and Fortune!

Frugal 101: Coupon Organization

With all the talk about coupons, you might wonder how in the world you are going to keep up with them. Today, in our Frugal 101 series, I'm going to share some methods for organization.

Envelopes - If you have just a few coupons, a common mailing envelope might just work for you and its very inexpensive. However, I suspect that this method won't hold up very long. Envelopes are flimsy and can start to fall apart in a hurry. Also, as you collect more coupons you are going to need a way to separate them into categories.

Accordian File - This is a step up from the envelopes but you are limited in the amount of storage. However, this does give you a chance to start sorting coupons into sections (i.e. baking, canned goods, meats, ect). These can usually be found at office supply stores. You may also find a cardboard variety at dollar stores.

Binder - This method consists of keeping all of your coupons in some type of binder. You can use baseball card holders or photo holders to separate your coupons. You can sort using either the A-Z method or by categories. This method will hold quite a bit of coupons but it is bulky.

Inserts Only - With this method you simply save your coupon inserts from the newspaper each week. You can sort them with a large file by date or just keep them in a big stack. Once you are ready to shop, you can use a coupon database to show you where to find coupons for the items on your list. This method saves you time since you only clip the coupons that you need.

Coming up, we are going to dig a little deeper into this topic. I am going to show you

• My method for coupon organization

AND

• What to do with expired coupons

If you are just joining us, go here to catch up on previous Frugal 101 topics. Don't miss future installments: Subscribe via RSS or get Email updates.

What I printed today

I caught a sneak peek of the new Publix ad that starts on Wednesday and started printing my coupons for this week's shopping trip. I'm also getting ready for the Mix & Match Event at Kroger. These coupons will make for some nice deals.

$0.50 off Fleischmann's Pizza Yeast 3 pk.

$2.00 off Hidden Valley Farm House Originals (FREE at Publix)

$0.50 off Progresso (Bread Crumbs) (FREE at Publix)

$0.75 off any Muir Glen Product (I use it on the small cans of tomato sauce or paste)

$0.50 off Chex Mix

BOGO Athenos Feta Cheese

$1.00 Nestle Cookie Dough

$0.75 off Sister Schubert Rolls

What did you print today?

FREEBIE: Bottle of Advil

Hurry! The first 500,000 to register will get a FREE coupon for a bottle of Advil. You can use it towards 24 count Tablets or 20 count Liqui-Gels. Go here to request your coupon.

Thanks Spend Less and Save More

Shopping Updates for CVS

$10 in coupons from the coupon center

The weekly flyer advertises that you can get $10 in instant coupons from the extracare coupon center. All you need to do is scan your card at the big red box, which is generally near the front of the store. I was skeptical but I indeed received lots of coupons today. Including the one below.

FREE Halloween Decorations/Accessories

At the coupon center, I received one for $5.00 off any Halloween costumes, decorations or accessories. There is no minimum purchase amount so I grabbed several packs of glow sticks and a few other things to reach $5. It worked perfectly! The coupon says it is valid for one-day only and expires tomorrow so you might want to hurry on this one.

Summer Spending Extra Care Bucks

Also at the coupon center today, I received my Extra Care Bucks from summer spending. Love getting free ECBs.

Schick Razor, FREE

Both the Schick Hydro 3 and Schick Hydro 5 are free after ECBs this week. All you need is the coupon from yesterday's paper. It was in the SmartSource insert. Limit 1.

Hand Sanitizer, $0.12

On the clearance aisle (endcap) I found small bottles of CVS hand sanitizer for $0.12 each. Always check your store's clearance area. You never know what you will find.

Halloween Candy Deal, $1.50 per bag

There is an Extra Care Buck Deal going on this week where you get 3 ECBs when you buy $10 in Candy. The M&M fun size bags are 2/$5. Buy four bags and use the $1.00 Q from 9/26 RP. Your final cost will be $6.00 or $1.50 per bag. This gets you a head start on Halloween at a good price.

What good deals did you find this week?

If you are going to be shopping at CVS, don't forget your bag tag. I would hate for you to miss out on FREE money!

Frugal 101: Name Brand vs. Store Brand

A common misconception about couponing is that it is cheaper to buy the store brand of an item.

While this might be easier, it isn't always cheaper. Name brand companies spend big bucks to promote their products. Part of this advertising comes in the form of coupons. They also want their products advertised in the grocery store flyers. For that to happen, an item needs to be on sale. When you combine these two marketing ploys you should indeed be able to get that name brand item for less (much less) than the store brand. Often times you will be able to get name brand items for free. Yes, FREE!

The key is to not get tied up on a certain brand.

For example there are three big brands of peanut butter: Skippy, Peter Pan and Jif. From experience, I can tell you that Skippy and Peter Pan go on sale and have more coupons issued than Jif. If you are hung up on Jif, then you are going to miss out on some really cheap peanut butter.

You can still have brand loyalties and save money.

I am without a doubt a HUGE Purity fan. I have a glass of their chocolate milk every morning. I won't drink anything else. Period. I am making a choice to buy a more expensive brand of milk but I have searched around and found the store that has the best price and I have found coupons for my beloved breakfast drink.

A few brand loyalties are fine but you might be missing out on great deals and products if you are too inflexible.

One of my favorite things about couponing is being able to try a variety of different brands and products. When a manufacturer introduces a new product, they use marketing (coupons and sales) to promote it. By pairing those two together, I can usually get it for pretty cheap. I may love it or I may hate it. However, I didn't spend enough on it to care if it is a total bust. I'm willing to try almost anything and this certainly helps me to be a successful couponer.

You may decide you like a different brand better.

This has actually happened to me several times. I used to be 100% sold on Cottonelle toilet paper. It was my absolute fave. I'm not really even sure why. Through couponing, I have also tried Quilted Northern, Charmin, Scott and Angel Soft. Now, if I get a choice, I will choose Charmin (Ultra Soft) hands down. This also happened with toothpaste. Before couponing, I always bought Crest and I did so out of habit. After trying several others, I now like Colgate better. Crest seems to have a little after taste that I never noticed before because I had never tried anything different.

What are some of your favorite brands? What items are you flexible with?