PYP Blog

Click here to print a coupon valid for 20% off your entire purchase at Big Lots.  Valid today, Sunday, July 18th only.

NOTE: Coupon states for BuzzClub members only, which is free to join. Link

Please note: This is the second article (2 of 4) in a series about post Holiday clearance shopping.

Grab the keys and let's hit the mall. Not! Unless you want to spend more money, take more time and simply be more frustrated. It is time to prepare for your shop before you leave home.

Clearance Shopping Guidelines

1. Familiarize yourself with the Bargain Huntress Holiday Clearance Rules.

2. Check out Pinching Your Pennies forums. Thismust stop on the internet will help you save time and money. There are over 60,000 registered members across the country, and it is nice to have all the extra sets of eyes doing research at stores and sales for you.
*Check out the Screaming Deals around Town to see what % off savings you can expect today (and decide if you want to wait for a higher saving %).
*Check out Your State forum to see if there is a Must -Have hidden gem in your neck of the woods.
*Check out your Favorite store’s thread (Target is mine, for example) to see what deals you might have missed, but now know to keep your eyes peeled for when you hit the store.
*Check out Printing Pennies for HOT Printable Coupons that might match with a hot clearance sale item. A great example would be $1 off Emerald or Diamond Nuts. Many nut gift baskets are at low clearance prices and a coordinated $1 off coupon would make for a great double play!
*Have a particular item you are searching for? Use the Find a Penny forum to get assistance in finding that $20 Christmas tree you are searching for, but cannot find at your local Big Lots. Others in nearby cities can check out their stores for you!
*Check out Screaming Deals Online forum. Many online retailers are having clearance sales, too. The staff at PYP are the best deal finders on the net, and you don’t want to miss out on some great gifts with savings of 75% or more.

3.Go shopping by yourself, if possible. And try not to bring your children. If you bring the kids, you have added items that you do NOT want into your cart and it is very easy to get frustrated, faster.

Here's an idea that might work for you... A good friend & I trade off clearance shopping days- one baby-sits while the other shops, then the next day we trade. Our kids have fun play dates and we get a day of Clearance Shopping by ourselves!

4. Remember that there is more to Christmas clearance shopping than leftover bows, tinsel and wrapping paper. Bath sets, Desk sets, and other unique gift items that you do not see at your store throughout the rest of the store are most likely Holiday clearance.

5. Be creative when shopping Holiday sales. Have a girl friend who loves to scrapbook? Look for Christmas scrap booking items that probably are on clearance. Continue to purchase Holiday themed clearanced supplies for your friend (I would wait til 90% off) and when it is time for her birthday, you have a unique and fun present that didn’t cost you much.

6. Have a person in mind when buying non-Holiday clearance items. This will prevent you from overbuying bath sets AND maintains control over your budget.

7. Limit how many stores you will shop. This may seem obvious, but try to stick to a few stores, even one mall, to maximize your shopping time and minimize wear & tear on you. If you focus on one or two stores, say Target, you can patiently wait for items to be marked down to a lower price in a few days (as it will be. See tomorrow’s blog entry for some golden Target clearance information)

8. Check out the store’s website for any information about sales, printable coupons and rebates to add to your savings.

9. Sign up for your favorite store’s newsletter and store loyalty rewards cards. Many times, you will be the first to hear about sales and rebates and new coupons. Bath & Bodyworks do this all the time. For example.

10. Get a Store Charge Card. (Disclaimer: I am NOT advocating using credit or going into debt simply to shop Holiday Clearance sales.) Please let me start by saying that I do not have store charge cards that I use, nor carry a balance. However, store card holders can receive special coupons and discount cards/codes that the general public cannot use. Kohl’s is the best example of this.

11. Get to know Target & its Clearance system. This is a whole entry unto itself and you will see it Monday morning. (This is one of my most requested shopping secrets)

12. Get creative with cheap clearance items. This is another blog entry, too. Stay tuned for some fun & unique ideas about Christmas clearance on Tuesday morning.


If you use the above ideas while Holiday Clearance shopping, you will maximize your monetary and time investment while minimizing stress & frustration. Happy Shopping!

Thanks to Supermod Wengmama for spotting this gem! FREE Hot Cocoa & Cookie for the kids at Barnes & Nobles Starbucks this Saturday, October 24th only! Check out the other printable money saving coupons B&N offers as well. PYP discussion.

Soybutter, I have to be honest, this one I am VERY interested in as I have a son who is allergic to peanuts so to be able to try a subsitute without having to purchase a whole jar...NICE!
Garnier Hair Care via Walmart.com
Zyrtec Allergy Medicine via Walmart.com
Eukanaba $10 coupon for Puppy Food for your new bundle of energy.

This past year my family experienced a job loss and changeover, and we found ourselves without prescription drug insurance coverage. This was a shock for my family and our wallet as on average we were spending hundreds/month on co-pays from our previous insurance plans (we have medical conditions amongst family members that need to be managed). So now what?

Here is my story of how I trimmed my family’s medicine budget AND found resources available for those (including me!) who do not have prescription drug insurance.

1.Take inventory. You must know all of your prescriptions are before you can see what options you have. Write them down, including dosage, frequency and results from current medications. Once you know your medicine profile, you can start to seek alternatives and facilitate changes.
*Please note, do NOT do the following without consulting your prescribing physicians, first.

2.Seek alternatives. Contact your prescribing physicians and see if there is a cheaper alternative or a generic version of prescribed medication.

3.Double your Dosage & Split. Ask your doctor if he/she will double your monthly dosage, then you slice your tablets into half- thus doubling your supply, while reducing your cost. This option does require homework and footwork: check pricing with pharmacy to make sure it is a cost-effective option and if your physician will do this.

4.Seek Over The Counter or Herbal Options. Again, check with your doctor to see if this option for you. For my family, over-the-counter Prilosec proved to be a cost-friendly option for treating Acid Reflux. (see IF there are coupons available, too!)

5.Check out money saving programs from pharmaceutical manufacturers. Most major drug makers offer some sort of discount savings card (please note, these are NOT insurance cards). A great starting point is Glaxo Smith Kline’s site. One that I joined is Together RX Access and save 25% off my Imitrex.

6.Compare shop your local pharmacies. This option does require a bit of research, but the savings can be HUGE! For example, I take Topamax for migraine prevention. At a retail chain pharmacy, this cost me $60/month on my insurance plan and a few hundred without (yes, sticker shock!). I called area pharmacies looking for options when I came across a neighborhood pharmacy that had a pharmacy discount card that I was eligible for and my Topamax cost me only $30. HUGE savings!

7.Ask for Physician samples. Swallow your pride and ask your doctor if she/he happens to have any samples of either the medicine you need or an alternative that would work for you. That is what they are for! And your doctor would rather give them to you then see them go to waste.

8.Visit your prescribed medicine’s website. Many times there are discounts, coupons or instant rebates offered to users. Check out internetdrugcoupons for links to many medicines. Here's my success story... my husband needs the ulcer medicine, Nexium. We have tried the cheaper option of Prilosec, but it was like putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound. So I visited purplepill.com and found that we could get a month’s medicine for $50 with Nexium’s saving card. Add a request to the doctor to double the prescription’s dosage for two months, and we are spending $25/month vs. $168 cash only.

9.Use pharmacy coupons to offset the costs. Many retailers offer store gift cards if and when you bring a new or transfer a prescription to their store’s pharmacy. These coupons usually appear in the Sunday ads. Check out the PYP boards for announcements.

It does take a lot of work and hoop-jumping to save money in any area, and prescription drugs are no exception. Above are proven suggestions that I know work! I have done it and managed to maintain the medicines that are necessary to keep us healthy without going into debt.

Do you have any other ideas that might benefit others?

Pizza Hut
Use this online link and get any pizza (up to 3 topping OR specialty pizza) for just $10.99. Must use link and order online to receive discount price. Expires 8/23/09

Bath & Body Works
FREE Signature Collection Item with $10 purchase and this printable coupon. Exp. 8/27

Famous Footwear
Save 20% off with printable coupon. Exp 8/31

JoAnn's Fabric
Save 40% on a single item with printable coupon.

The Limited
Printable Coupon for $30 off $100 purchase OR $20 off $60 purchase

Yankee Candles stores
Save $10 off $25 purchase printable coupon (so wish we had these in Utah!)

While grabbing some Back-to-School supplies at Target, print a couple of coupons from coupons.com (group A)(thanks supermod Dewey for keeping track of these!)and get some FREE Cookies, too! Print the $1 off Pepperidge Farm cookies coupon (you can print two), grab the snack size packages (available by the front registers or the Dollar spot) and ENJOY!

Present this printable coupon or show coupon on your hand-held device to your local Starbucks barista on 7.21 ONLY and receive a FREE pastry with any beverage purchase. (Remember it is always a good idea to check if your area Starbucks is participating). Enjoy!

The Drugstore deals keep getting better and better. Save at Rite Aid with a printable $5 off $25 purchase coupon. Good through 7/31. Be sure to check out PYP's weekly Rite Aid shopping list created by supermod Rebecca, updated each Monday morning. (HOT deals happening through Saturday. Don't miss it!)

Use this PDF printable Nexcare bandage coupon at Target or any other retailer who cares travel sizes and these are FREE, or cost a few pennies. Perfect for purse, car, backpack or stashed anywhere to be prepared. Also, great for your scouts packs at camp this summer.

Other 3M Printable Products found here. Big shout out of thanks to Supermod Deweyville for keeping ALL our printables organized!

RedPlum.com reset its printable coupons and a HOT! Target store printable coupon has surfaced-- Save $2 on Degree Women Fine Fragrance Collection scents. IF you add this with the Man. coupon:

Degree Women Fine Fragrance Collection product, any $1.25/1 (8-9-09) RP-5/17 = HOT DEAL!

Let's do numbers...

Last time I was at Target, I recall the scents being around $3.79 (prices may vary) so - $2 Target store printable cpn + $1.25 man. cpn = $ .54/ea Good deal! (and this item is perfect for women's shelters or such charities, too!)

Here's the link to the Red Plum Target store $2 off printable.

Credit goes to Supermod Deweyville for this awesome (and FUN) freebie!

Barnes & Nobles Kids Summer Reading Club for grades 1-6

Details:

Here’s how it works:

1. Kids read any eight (8) books of their own choosing.

2. Kids use the Summer Reading Journal to tell us their favorite part of each book. A parent/guardian signs the journal when it's complete. You can also get a Spanish-language Reading Journal.

3. Children bring their completed Reading Journal to a Barnes & Noble store between May 26th & September 7th, 2009.

4. We'll give them a coupon for a FREE book! They choose from a list of exceptional paperback titles.*

See PYP forum thread for all details and club link.

Myth #1~ It takes too much time to clip and organize coupons. Yes, there are some coupon users who prefer to clip ALL their coupons and have them with them while shopping; however, Pinching Your Pennies has simplified the process. With detailed shopping lists for local stores, including a dated listing of each corresponding coupon to each sale item. Also, there is a sortable coupon list that tells you when each coupon was published. Together, this system takes about 95% of the drudgery out of couponing! And the best part is that Pinching Your Pennies is FREE and will always remain FREE!

All one needs to do is save your newspaper coupons each week, then when a HOT sale happens, you clip the noted coupons from a PYP list and save. With this system, I can prepare for a grocery shop in about 30 minutes, spend about 30-45 minutes in the store and save at least 50-60% each week. Most weeks more!

Myth #2~ I joined a paid website subscription or follow a little green self-proclaimed guru; therefore, the service must be superior. FALSE! No other website has much condensed information about couponing, is simple to follow, has the best supportive and ethical community on the net. Stick around and you will be a coupon pro in no time.

Myth #3~My family does NOT use the products that have grocery coupons. We don’t eat processed foods. It is not true that coupons are only available for processed junk food! In many instances, there are coupons available for dairy, eggs, milk, cheese, meats and even produce at times. (Just tonight, I saved $4 on fresh produce with grocery coupons!) See Horizon Organic Milk for coupons, for example.

Also, coupons are following food trends, so we are seeing more organic coupons. See Organic Valley for coupons on organic items that change monthly. Plus, there are TONS of coupons available for health, medicines, beauty, laundry soap, toilet paper and cleaning products. Household cleaning products ranked as the largest single coupon category distributed. (see link #1 below)

Myth #4~ It isn’t worth my time to use coupons to only save $ .25. Most of us would pick up a quarter IF found on the ground, and the truth is the average coupon is worth $1.18 in 2006 (see link #1 below). In 2006, food coupons had an average value of $ .82, while non-food had an average value of $1.42. Definitely money in my pocket to me!

Myth #5~ Why use grocery coupons? It is cheaper to buy store brands. Yes, there are times that a store brand item can be the better deal. This is especially true if you need the item and the comparable name brand is not on sale. However, I have never gotten store brand items for FREE! This happens all the time using grocery manufacturer’s coupons and combining store sales on name brands.

Myth #6~ To truly save money, I have to hit every store and every sale. Not so! Grocery sales at most stores cycle every 12 weeks and each store will see similar price points on many items. Simply pick your favorite store and shop there. If you do this and use the Pinching Your Pennies shopping methods (see Coupons 101 to get started), you will to see an increase in the quality AND quantity of food you are bringing into your house for the same or less than you previously were for MORE money by week 12.

Myth #7~ I don’t have time to coupon. Oh how false this is! Back when I started couponing 12 years ago, there weren’t great FREE sites like Pinching Your Pennies that does all the research for you. Never has couponing been so easy and a time saver. On average, I can get $200 worth of groceries for $75 or less. A CASH savings of $125 is worth my time of about 2 hours/week or around $65/hr. Most part-time jobs don’t pay that well and it is still a gameto see how much I can save, too.

Myth #8~ Only poor people use coupons. Just the opposite! Shoppers with household incomes of $150,000 per year or more tended to use coupons most frequently. (see link 2) And over 80% of grocery shoppers with household incomes between $50,000 to $75,000 use coupons. Obviously using coupons is a smart way to pinch pennies, for all of us!

Myth #9~ I can save just as much at Wal-Mart or a warehouse club (Costco or Sam’s Club) as I can using coupons. FALSE! I truly believe that many consumers shop at Wal-mart simply because it is easier and a habit. Wal-mart does NOT always offer the best prices, nor best quality food, espcially produce. Instead by shopping around town and supporting our local markets, we are creating competition amongst stores that keeps grocery prices lower, overall.

Myth #10~ To save anything substantial, I must get a newspaper subscription. While most coupons still come in the Sunday inserts (Smart Source, Red Plum & Proctor & Gamble), technology has enabled consumers to use Internet Printable (IP) coupons, check out coupons and store promotions to see real savings. For time tested ideas about this, check out Heidi's blog entry. But a newspaper is still a good idea. See here for multiple subscription rates/deals in Utah.

So if you are ready? Check out PYP’s forums for shopping lists, tips, strategies and ideas on how to stretch your food dollar. If you are new, be sure to check out Coupons 101. It is packed full of good information that will get you on your way.






Data cited from the following sites:
http://www.adscope.com/news/07192006.htm
http://www.dailyherald.com/story/print/?id=230074

Want to try Quizno's new Toasty Torpedos? Save 50% on 2nd one with printable cpn from coupons.com I'll be trying this next week, but please share your thoughts on this new sandwich!

BTW, super thank you to supermod Dewey for keeping all of our coupons.com and other printables updated! See here for more AWESOME printables good all month of June!