FREE Five Days of Zyrtec

Click the little button on the right at THIS LINK to get a coupon for a free five day sample of Zyrtec, which could be as much as $7 value.

Sesame Street FREEBIE

Parents and caregivers, get this Sesame Street free multi-media teaching kit.  You'll need to call to order it, but here's the info:

The free bilingual, multimedia kit includes a Parent and Caregiver Guide, a Children's Activity Book, 3 Jar Labels, and an original Sesame Street DVD that features Elmo, Cookie Monster, and their Sesame Street friends as Elmo learns the basics of spending, saving, and sharing.
Kits are available for free at any PNC branch, or can be ordered over the phone at 1-877-PNC-GROW.

You can also follow that link to download some of the items for free.

May Day Sample Sunday

I know this is another one I might post a little too often, but we LOVE Sample Sunday in my household.  They have been having these events for quite a while, and it really is a great experience.  There are now only three farms involved in Sample Sunday.  We're sad to see Prairie Valley Chevre has been sold, but hopefully the new owners will rejoin the group someday?

So...the three farms included in the Sample Sunday are (click the links for details):

• Flowers by Donna Jean
• Prairieland Herbs (tons of other vendors here, so it will be great!)
• Picket Fence Creamery (this is where we usually go for lunch)

You can't have more fun than this!  Free pony rides, great food from local farmers, and tons of items you can buy from local artisans.  Prairieland Herbs even has a free bar of laundry soap for the first 50 people.  Take some time to go and check it out for yourself.

Amazon Friday Sale, 4/29

I don't have a lot of time to spend on the Friday sale this morning, but there are some great items.  Don't forget to check the April Amazon grocery coupons, because most of them expire tomorrow.  I know we're loading up on noodles while the coupon's still working.

There are a lot of Keurig K-cups included in the Friday sale today, and also some great Lipton tea deals.  They'll be even better when you use the Lipton coupon code LPTONTEA and subscribe and save for an additional 30% off.



Jamba Juice, too.




Look around for yourself, though!  I didn't get it all.

Frito Lay Giveaway

Be right there at 2 pm central time to get a free bag of Fritos.  I'll probably be at work somewhere, so I'll miss out.  Be sure to like the page now so it doesn't slow you down when it's time for the freebie.  I've found that ones launched on a timer go FAST. 

FREE Arby's Roast Beef

Just sign up for their Arby's Extras program, and get a free roast beef sandwich.  There's an option to sign up for mobile deals, too.

FREE Puppy Pads

Here's another great freebie. I don't have a puppy, but if you'd like to try out these pads, you can get 2 free.

5 Cents off per Gallon at Kum & Go

But only for Ames, Boone, and Nevada. Go to their Facebook page and print this out a few times.  They have a limit of 20 gallons, but every little bit helps.

It says one per person per visit, and it's valid through 5/4.  Get all your vehicles lined up.  Also, if you are visiting them on May 1, get 10 cent fountain drinks all day long.

Farm Cruise

Ooh, how we love the farm tours here.  I just discovered that some Story and Polk County farms have started what they call a Farm Cruise.  Of course, I have put the information into the free fun calendar on the right, but I thought it was also postworthy.

You can click here for more information, including the map and list of farms that are involved and what they produce.  This is a new event, so I can't share a lot of information about it, but we've visited most of these farms and I can vouch for their products.  Give it a try!

Amazon Mom, Mom's Day Treats

This looks great! There are new special deals DAILY for Mother's Day through Amazon Mom.  The best part is that all of these qualify for free one day shipping as well. Here are some of the best deals I see today, but check back every day:

• Use code ADOBEMOM to get $10 off Adobe Photoshop.  This one looks like a great opportunity!  It's originally $149.99, on sale for $99.99, $30 rebate form through Amazon, then $10 more off with the code.  That brings it down to $59.99 for Adobe Photoshop Elements 9 and Premier Elements 9.  This deal ends 5/1.
• Use code NTGNAMOM to get 20% off some Nutragena Naturals products.  They also have subscribe and save, so it's 35% off the regular price.  This drops this pack of two pore scrubs from $12.74 to $8.28, only $4.14 each.
• Use code GLAMROCK to get an extra 20% off these watches made by Glam Rock watches.  20% off a $2000 watch is a pretty big savings.  If that's a little steep for you, I did find some that are marked down to $100.  Good through 5/8.
• Use code MOMSLIMS for 20% off select shapewear, including some shapewear from Bali, Flexees, and Maidenform.  Many of these are already marked down, so get the extra discount now through 5/8.
• This magazine deal might be the best part (at least for me!)  Get $5 off select magazine subscriptions with code MOMMAGS5.  Subscription purchases can be sent as gifts or used to extend your current subscription.

 If you're not already a member of Amazon Mom, you can read more about it in the links across the top, or click HERE.  It's free to join, with all sorts of benefits.

FREE Folgers Sample

Like Folgers and get a free sample.  Click HERE.

FREE Chocolate

Well, it's only one piece, but you'll also get entered into a contest. Just takes a like on Facebook for Kudzu.com.  Click here for their page, but hurry.  The contest ends April 30.

Lion King Coming Out, and Coupon!

The Lion King is coming out of the Disney vault!  Amazon has released it for pre-order, complete with some $8 coupons, so check it out.  I always have to buy it in the store to use the Disney Rewards coupons, but it looks like this time Amazon has caught wise and wants to be more competitive.

So check out this link for the pre-order information and the $8 coupon.  There is also an $8 coupon for Beauty and the Beast and the Lion King trilogy.

Don't forget, just a few more days and three movies are going back into the vault.  Read about it HERE.

Love it!  Here's what I love:

• It will be on my doorstep the day it is released.  
• No shopping around for the best in-store deal.
• Amazon pre-order guarantee!  You will pay the lowest price, because if it drops after you order it, Amazon will credit you that amount.  

• 
  

Wednesday Wanderings -- Reiman Gardens

With summer approaching, I am going to start covering some of the best places to go in and around Central Iowa.  If you want more information about a particular place, you can contact me through the comments here and place a request.  If you have more information to share about a particular place, let me know and I will get it added.  Look for a new post every Wednesday, unless I get too busy or forget. 

Reiman Gardens is one of my favorite local attractions.  Located in Ames, Iowa, right near the football stadium, this is worth more than a one-time visit.  Some ask what the draw is to a garden, especially for people who have children to entertain, but we love it because it is constantly changing.

What changes?

• Different flowers are in bloom every time we go, so the color and landscape are constantly in flux.

• There are always different butterflies in the front window and also in the butterfly wing.  

• Every year the gardens get a little larger, with more areas to explore.  It's a pretty large place (14 acres) so you can spend several hours exploring the entire garden.  OR, you can go when you have a spare hour and just visit a small area.
• Each year, there is a new theme to the garden, and it carries through the entire place.  They kick it off with a couple of displays, and it grows throughout the summer.
• Just in the past few years: 2009 The Landscape Before Time had dinosaurs all over the garden.

• 2010,Celebration of Garden Ornamentation, with the Giant Gnome!

• 2011 is all about insects!  We've already been to see the conservatory all decked out with a giant picnic and a display of leafcutter ants, but May 7 is the kickoff for the giant insect statues.

• This year, the cost to be a member has gone up to $55 (but that's for your whole family) though it now includes reciprocity for many other gardens.  Read about becoming a Co-Hort HERE.

What stays the same?

• The best part about the butterflies is that no matter what the weather is like OUTSIDE, inside it's always tropical.  It's a bit of heaven to visit in the winter.

• The rose gardens are wonderful, with so many varieties.
• The staff is friendly and helpful.
• Your admission is always free if you're a Co-hort. 
• Lots and lots of great activities, including story time.  They're twice a month between April-September, and FREE for co-horts.

Check out Reiman Gardens today!  Or, check them out on May 6, with a free ticket.  (Check my calendar or the previous Reiman Gardens post.  Or May 7, when they start the new display.

Amazon Toy Coupons

I'll have to add the toy coupons link to my Making the Most of Amazon post.  Right now, there are a few good coupons I'd like to share.  First, you must know.  Just like the grocery coupons from Amazon, there are more than the eight coupons that will show up at the bottom of the page on the first link.  In order to see more, you will need to refresh the page a couple of times.  I think there are at least twice that many coupons by the time you cycle through them all.

Here are some of the best ones I see.  Most of these are good for a few different items. 

• $3 off various Bop-it or Cuponk games.
• $5 off Weebles school bus, tree house, or merry-go-round.
• $5 off My Little Pony items, making Princess Celestia under $15.
• $5 off Ball poppers, Sit n Spin, and Walk n Ride.
• $3 off Guess Who? or Connect 4.

FREE Heart Pin (Teens)

You'll need to make sure you're a teen or ordering for a teen to get this one, but Teen Freeway is giving away heart pins to everyone who likes them on Facebook.  They're also a good source for freebies.

Today is National Pretzel Day

And I didn't get it anything. Don't worry, though. You can get a free pretzel at PretzelMaker today only. You have to sing for it or say, "national pretzel day" at your local store.

See details HERE.

FREE Bible

I should have posted this one yesterday, but I was a tad busy.  Sign up HERE, and get a free Bible.   It's the NIV version, and it looks like you'll just get the New Testament.

FREE DVD on How to Make Rockets!

How about this? Looks like a great item for your science-minded little one, and if you don't have experience, you might need to watch it, too. This could help with science fair projects, or just fill some time on a summer day.  Click HERE for the free DVD.

I'll have to tag this one with the "Summer Sanity Savers" as well. If you're newer to the blog, check out some of those older posts for good ideas for your summer vacation.

FREE Bag and Coupon

Get a free reusable bag with the purchase of two Greener Clean products with this mail in rebate, see above it for a $1 coupon for the Scotch Bright Greener Clean product.  You should be able to do a couple of prints on the coupon, possibly more because it's a PDF file.

Deals from my Inbox, 4/23

Some great deals for the weekend

• The Childrens Place codes!  X6D2011 will get you 25% off $60,Y6D2011 will get you 20% off $50, and Z6D2011 will get you 15% off $40 or more.  This is only good through the end of today.  Free shipping is automatic if you spend over $75, or $5 flat rate shipping on any amount.
• SALE20 will get you 20% off all sale items at Dockers.com through 4/25.
• Today only, and only in store, get 20% off your order at Borders.  Print this coupon and take it in (must be Borders rewards member, but membership is free.)
• At 6pm.com, all Keen shoes are on sale.  These are always called daily deals, but I've noticed they are often good for a couple of days.  I see some great shoes for $30ish and some under $20, awesome for Keens.
• Ginos (a local place in Des Moines) has a deal for $59 for steak dinner for two and drinks.
• Ann Taylor LOFT, use TAKE40 to get 40% off everything today only.
• Stonyfield Farm yogurt coupons!

Amazon Grocery Deals 4/23

A list of the best of what I see today, but some of the most recent deals are still valid.  You can check back through other Amazon Grocery posts by clicking the GROCERY tag at the bottom of this post or the word grocery in my tag cloud on the right.  Here is my monthly post with all of the Amazon grocery coupon codes in one place.

Lots of great organic or gluten free items on Amazon.  Some of these are truly great prices, especially when you see that this price is for 4 packages of the item. 



Many of these Wine.com gift baskets.  I did another post earlier with some in them, but these are new.  The second one is HUGE for the price.



These grocery items are really good prices.  Be sure to use NOODLE45 (I have it memorized, because I can't keep up with my husband's Yakisoba love.  Every time the noodles drop to the $6 range (making them about 50 cents per package) I buy them.  Also the Lipton has a coupon code for extra savings.  Use code LPTONTEA for a total of 30% off when you use subscribe and save.



Not to leave out your furry family...



If you see any great deals, be sure to let me know.  I'll get them added.

Garnier Skin Care FREEBIE

Another Facebook like, another freebie. It looks like they are currently offering a $1 coupon, but they will most likely offer more freebies later.  HERE'S their Facebook page.

Tresemme Facebook Freebie

Here you go! Yet another great freebie for liking someone on Facebook.  Click the link to get to TRESemme's Facebook page, like them, then get free trial sized samples of shampoo and conditioner.

FREE Tree from Lowe's

Lowe's is celebrating Earth Day by giving away free trees on April 23.  Get there early for yours!

FREE Starbucks for Earth Day

Bring in a reusable coffee mug and get a free coffee (or tea) from Starbucks on April 22, all day long.

Reiman Gardens Earth Day FREEBIE

I will probably focus on Reiman Gardens for next week's Wednesday Wandering, but I have to post this freebie today.  On Earth Day, Reiman Gardens is having an Earth Day tree planting at 10 am.  They will also be giving out free tree seedlings.

AND...one more Reiman Gardens freebie, but this will work for many locations around the country.  Print this voucher for 2 free admissions out now, or I'll also stick in in my freebie calendar for May 6.   Here is a list of all of the public gardens that are participating in the free admission day.

Wednesday Wanderings -- Pella Tulip Time

With summer approaching, I am going to start covering some of the best places to go in and around Central Iowa.  If you want more information about a particular place, you can contact me through the comments here and place a request.  If you have more information to share about a particular place, let me know and I will get it added.  Look for a new post every Wednesday, unless I get too busy or forget. 

It's coming up fast, my favorite time of the year!  Our family loves to go to all the small town festivals throughout the summer, and I think Tulip Time in Pella is one of the earliest.  It's early so you can see all the gorgeous tulips, but sometimes the weather fails to cooperate.  If you attend, take a coat, an umbrella, and your camera.

Small town festivals can be done very cheaply with very little advance planning.  You can pack your lunch, and almost all the entertainment is free.  In Pella, you can:

Watch a cheese race

Go to an antique car show

Watch the parade (a few times a day)

Buy some wooden shoes

Watch them wash the streets

Watch the Klokkenspel

Watch an antique tractor rodeo

Get some good photo ops

Enjoy a trip back in time down beautiful old streets

You should also have a look at some tulips

So, there you have it!  Cheapout in Pella.  There is a lot of free entertainment, but you'll definitely want to take along some money to try the bologna, Dutch letters, and any number of other yummy Dutch treats.  There are shows in the Grandstand area that also cost money to attend, and they have a children's area where the little ones can jump in a bounce house and do crafts.

The Tulip Festival is May 5-7 (note, no Sunday) this year.  For the full schedule of events and any other information you may need, check out the Tulip Time webpage.

I'm also tagging my Wednesday Wanderings with SSSS, which regular readers of my blog may recognize as "Summer Sanity Savers Series."  If you click that link in the tag cloud on the right, you'll get a good look at a lot of other great ideas to keep you family busy over the summer.

FREE This Week, 4/17-4/23

Menards

Project Days II ad, 4/10-4/24

• Blacktop crack filler, $3.50 with a $3.50 rebate, limit 4.
• Safety glasses, $2 with a $2 rebate, limit 4.
• 12 inch hacksaw $4 with a $4 rebate, limit 4.  (this is with the mudpan below, so 4 total of the two items.)
• 14 inch plastic mud pan, $4 with a $4 rebate, limit 4.
• 7 1/4 inch saw blade, $3 with a $3 rebate, limite 4.
• 3 pack lint roller, $5 with a $5 rebate, limit 3 (for a total of 9 rollers.)

Spring Catalog ad, through 5/1

• 3 inch trim brush or 2 inch angle brush, $4 with $4 mail-in rebate, limit 2 total.
• White, antique white, or celing white interior flat paint, $11 with $11 rebate, limit 5.
• Lifetime ultra caulk, $3.50 with $3.50 rebate, limit 24.
• 
  

A Few More Tax Day Freebies

A lot of businesses are offering freebies in "honor" of tax day.  I posted earlier about the Cinnabon, but I'm seeing a lot of them show up on Facebook today.  Here are a few of the best:

• Free 30 minute personal training session from Bally
• Free sundae from Maggie Moos
• Free appetizer at Chilis.
• Office Depot freebies, they'll shred some documents and free copies of your tax documents.

These aren't free, but nice discounts:

• PF Chang's is offering a 15% discount today.
• Bruegger's Big Bagel combo for $10.40 with this printable.

FREE Cinnabon Mini Bites

Get two free Cinnabon mini bites (today) April 18, from 6-8 pm.  See the details HERE.

FREE Zeppoles

Admit it, you didn't know what they were, either.  If you have a Maggianos in your area, print this coupon before May 4 and take it in to get some free ones.  (They're donuts, btw.  You're welcome.)

Latest Photo Deals April

With Mother's Day rapidly approaching, the photo gift deals are starting to ramp up. I'm going to try to keep this updated as I see new deals, so check back throughout the rest of the month for new and improved deals.

Tiny Prints

• This is through 4/19 (Tuesday) Tiny Prints is offering 99 cent Mother's Day cards with code AFFMDAY.  
• Even better, if you haven't yet signed up with them, you can sign up for a trial membership with Tiny Prints and get 3 cards free. 
• Here's another code for $1 off photo cards at Tiny Prints!  Use give2mod through 4/19.

Walgreens

• Walgreens is doing regular deals.  If you sign up with their FB page, you'll get daily notifications on their new deals.
• Another good place to check is their Special Offers page.  
• Right now, they have Buy 25 prints, get 25 prints free through 4/23 with code EASTER25.
• Also $10 off $30 on photo gifts through 4/23 with code GIFT10.

MyPublisher

• Another FB deal, you can get a free minibook and free shipping by liking their page.
• You can also check out their special offers page HERE.
• Buying a lot?  They had a code for 25% off orders over $100 with code SAVENOW.

Snapfish

• Here is their special offers page.
• This one is only through 4/18, but it's great!  Buy 1 photobook, get 2 free with code MOMMYBOOKS.
• Get 20% off graduation gifts with code 20GRADSTORE through 5/31.
• Save 30% off Kidlandia posters with code MYKINGDOM through 4/30.
• Get 30% off AND free shipping on woven blankets with code WOVEN30 by 4/30.

 Do you know of any great deals going on this month?  Share them in the comments, and I'll get them added to my post. 

FREE Target Bag

Be one of the first one million people to shop at Target tomorrow (April 17) and get a cool free reusable tote bag.  The first time I ever heard my older child use sarcasm correctly was when she was 5 and I was telling someone about how to get a free bag.  She rolled her eyes and said, "like you need another bag..."  Nevertheless, this one looks great, so I'll be trying to get it.

Amazon $5 MP3 Albums

I did the free MP3 downloads for the month, but neglected to mention some really great $5 whole albums.  There are 50 great children's music albums available, including my favorite They Might Be Giants.



They also have some other great albums (if you're old like me)



Look around and see what you can find in the bargain bin. It's usually worth the dig.

Earth Day Event at Disney Store

I don't have one, but this looks fun. This info is from their FB page:

Disney Store is celebrating Earth Day with an activity families can do together to teach kids to recycle and keep unnecessary trash out of our waterways. Fight for a clean, healthy and sustainable environment and be part of the solution! Bring in SIX empty plastic bottles or soda cans to the Disney Store on Thursday, 4/22. Each Guest that successfully tosses the bottles into the globe bin will receive a FREE Friends for Change and Disney Store youth sized baseball cap, while supplies last! Baseball caps are made out of 100% recycled materials. Limit one baseball cap per Guest when they bring in 6 bottles/cans, while supplies last.

Amazon Grocery Deals 4/16

Here are some of the best grocery deals I see today.  Don't forget to look at the April Grocery deals page for all the coupon codes we have available to use this month.


This is 32 little bags of organic peanut butter sandwich crackers for $16.97.  Not the best price for snack items, but it's really good for organic ones.


Use code NOODLE45 and Subscribe and Save to get 8 of these 2 serving noodle bowls for a little over $4.  They have the ringing endorsement of my husband, who ate all but one (I got to try them) in about 3 days the last time they got this low.


Great Yogi Tea deal.  Use coupon code YOGTEA97 and subscribe and save to get this Yogi tea for under $2 per box.


These 6 boxes of Baby Mum Mums biter biscuits end up around $2 per box of 24 biscuits.  This is a HOT price, and won't last long.


What else do you see?  Be sure to let us know through comments if there's another hot deal.

Bath and Body Works FREEBIE

I wish I could get out to the mall today! If you're a fan of Bath and Body Works, you can get a free item, but it is today only.  While you're at it, you can take a few more coupons and do even better on your purchase.  Since I can't go, I'll tell you all what I would buy.

Start with these coupons:

• Free sample of Into the Wild 2 oz. body lotion.  No purchase necessary to get this one.
• Any travel sized item FREE with purchase.
• I got a coupon in the mail for 20% off any order.  It expires today, so go looking through yours.  I can find this as a coupon code, but not as a printable coupon.  Sorry!  
• If you're shopping online, you can use code SPRING20 or S113992 through 4/17, or coupon code 113648 4/18-5/08 all for 20% off and free travel sized item.  
• APRILSHIP will get you free shipping when you spend $50, APRILSHIP25 will get you $1 shipping when you spend $25.  You can only use one coupon code, so find the one that works best for you.
• Signature collection items are buy 3 get 3 free, and anti-bacterials are 4 for $15 (not the best price ever)

Enjoy!

FREE Travel Size Aveda Hand Lotion

Just print this coupon and take it in to your local Aveda counter. It looks like it is good through the end of June, so you have time.

There's some fine print at the bottom that leads me to believe you could get more freebies if you spend $30 at aveda.com.  It might be worth a look.

FREE Coke Zero from Hardees

They've been doing a lot of freebies lately.  If you're heading to Hardee's, print this coupon out first.  Then try one of their turkey burgers and get a free Coke Zero.

Psst.  That's just a picture.  You'll need to click the link for the real one.

Amazon Kindle Pre-Order Deal

I think this could be a great opportunity to get one of the new Amazon Kindles for a good low price.  Here's the deal:  You pre-order the Kindle with Special Offers, and it will be only $114 instead of $139.

The catch?  You'll occasionally get special offers on your screen.  Here are the details, straight from the horse's mouth.

New, Lower Price

Get the same bestselling Kindle for $25 less—only $114.

Special Offers & Sponsored Screensavers
Receive special offers directly on your Kindle. Examples include:

• $10 for $20 Amazon.com Gift Card
• $6 for 6 Audible Books (normally $68)
• $1 for an album in the Amazon MP3 Store (choose from over 1 million albums)
• $10 for $30 of products in the Amazon Denim Shop or Amazon Swim Shop

Special offers and sponsored screensavers display on the Kindle screensaver and on the bottom of the home screen—they don't interrupt reading.

Then, you can read your FREE Kindle books on the real thing for once.

FREE Sample of Aveeno

It takes a little filling out, but you should get a really great sample of Aveeno Hair Care products HERE.

Lane Bryant GREAT Sale + Coupon

Here's a great deal from Lane Bryant! They have all their shoes and tops buy one get one 50% off right now, and they have a lot of pants for $14.99.   Use code SAVE20LB to get $20 off $40, and they have $7 flat rate shipping or free shipping to the store.  I just put three pairs of dress pants into my cart and came up with a total of $31.97 shipped to my home.

Both the sale and the coupon code are good through 4/17.  See more details HERE.

Old Navy Coupon Code

Here's one I just got from Old Navy's Facebook page:

Starting today, 4/14, enter the coupon code ONSPRING and get 25% off all online purchases. Savings slide to 20% off on 4/15 and 4/16, and 15% off on 4/17. Scoop up these savings swiftly!  See all the details HERE.

FREE Days at National Parks

I've already added this to the free fun calendar on the right, but it seems worthy of a post as well.  The U.S. National Parks have set up several free days throughout the year, and there's a whole week free next week!  Here in Iowa, the only National Park included is Effigy Mounds, but it may be worth the trip to check it out.

The list of other free park days in 2011 is here:

• April 16-24
  (National Park Week)
  
• June 21
  (First day of summer)
  
• September 24
  (Public Lands Day)
  
• November 11-13
  (Veterans Day weekend)

See all the details HERE.

Disney, Did You Know?

I just received an email from Disney to let me know that three Disney movies are going back to the vault on April 30.  If you haven't gotten a chance to pick them up yet, you may be in luck.

Going into the vault are: Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Pinocchio, and Fantasia 2000.  Through April 23, Amazon has a deal that will allow you to save $20 when you buy any three Disney Blu-Ray combo packs from this list.  Read the details and order at the link.  It should just take $20 off, no waiting around for a rebate, no coupon code required.



There are other combo sets included in the deal as well, so check it out!

FREE Sample of Purex

Freebies like this often come with a good coupon as well. Get a free sample of Purex Complete with Zout by clicking HERE. 

Bag #16-17

If you're coming into this in the middle of my project, here is the link to what I am talking about.

Oh, yes.  I'm still trying to keep up with this project, but I've added a new part time job since my quest began.  Here, then, are two more bags that I've done. 

• First, I packed up a whole plastic grocery bag filled with...other plastic grocery bags.  I reuse many of these bags in the bathroom garbage cans, but they can really add up fast.  When I sold on eBay regularly, they also made really great packing material.  This bag I took to our grocery store.  Sometimes people walk right by it, but most places I shop have a recycling bin for these sacks.
• Next, I located and washed all of my reusable bags.  It's pretty important to wash these frequently, check out why.  I folded them all into one bag, and put them in the car so they are always ready for me to use.  I will probably still forget them in the trunk, but at least they are closer.

How about you?  Has anyone been coming along with me during their 40 days?

Facebook FREEBIES

You loved the duct tape free sample yesterday.  If you didn't get signed up in time, they're offering it every Monday through May 2.

Here are a few more freebies you can score simply by liking their products on Facebook.

• Designer Whey, which appears to be a protein drink.
• Zapzyt.  Get right to the point, no fancy name.  Love it.
• Free glasses?  Looks like everyone will get them on April 13.  Click to like them for your code.
• Secret, but only on certain Freebie Fridays.  Go ahead and like them so you will know the next one.
• I love this one!  Get a free plastic sleeve to make grilled cheese in your toaster by liking Jarlsberg USA and telling them how you make a grilled cheese sandwich.
• Free Seattle's Best coffee sample tomorrow, all day on their Facebook page.
• Free sample of Garnier Fructis.

Do you love the freebies?  Let me know your interests and I'll start posting a few more.

FREE This Week, 4/10-4/16

Here we go again, with the free things.

Menards

Project Days ad, 4/3-4/17.  I noticed some really great (not free, but almost free, deals) and I'll include a few of those.

• 4 for $5 solar pathway lights.
• Work gloves 3 for 99 cents.
• 99 cents for 12 feet of garden edging (after $6 rebate), limit 4.
• House wash, 32 oz, $6 with $6 rebate, limit 4.
• Vortex Paint Mixer, $3.50 with $3.50 rebate, limit 2.
• Vinyl Mini-Blinds, $2 with $2 rebate, limit 2.

Project Days II ad, 4/10-4/24

• Blacktop crack filler, $3.50 with a $3.50 rebate, limit 4.
• Safety glasses, $2 with a $2 rebate, limit 4.
• 12 inch hacksaw $4 with a $4 rebate, limit 4.  (this is with the mudpan below, so 4 total of the two items.)
• 14 inch plastic mud pan, $4 with a $4 rebate, limit 4.
• 7 1/4 inch saw blade, $3 with a $3 rebate, limite 4.
• 3 pack lint roller, $5 with a $5 rebate, limit 3 (for a total of 9 rollers.)

Target

• This isn't free, but it'll be close.  There's a coupon for BOGO Dasani Water or Coke product on Target's site, and also a coupon on coupons.com for $1 off two Dasani products.

Cheapout on Gardening -- Lasagna Beds

I've posted before about the concept of using lasagna beds for gardening.  I really like the simplicity of it, and the way that it uses up items we have around the house.  I photographed while I prepared our raised beds, so thought I would again share it step-by-step.

Well...I guess I neglected to take the before picture again.  Picture two raised beds that still had all the stalks and waste from last year.  I did nothing, just left the dead plants in the beds.  To start, I took out the really large stalks and set them aside for the compost bin.  I left smaller vegetation right where it was, then started layering on cardboard boxes.

I remove any tape from the boxes, but pretty well lay them on the way they are.  Then give them a good long soak with the hose.  As always, I get help with this part.

Once it is soaking wet, I start with the next layers.  You can find exact directions, but after much research, it really seems like the order just isn't that important.  After this, you can put in anything you would put into your compost pile:

• Grass clippings, leaves, and other yard waste
• Shredded bills or old newspapers
• Food scraps--fruit and veggie peels, coffee grounds, tea bags, egg shells

Because I was such an awesome composter last year, I had a ton of good compost to work with for this year's garden.  The view inside my compost box after a good stirring. 

I hauled several buckets of compost over and spread it into the raised beds.  Another good soak, and my garden is mostly ready for planting.  Next week, I will add more Miracle Grow to the top in order to get the smooth, fluffy soil I like for planting.

Again, I will point out that I am very much an amateur gardener.  I also don't use a lot of chemicals, and I don't have hours on end to dedicate to perfecting my craft.  I think that this makes my tips a lot more realistic for people who work or have small children or are like me--lazy, especially once it gets hot outside.

I'd be happy to answer any questions anyone has, and you can also share any tips you might have to help me.  Be sure to click back through the gardening tab in my tag cloud to read other posts I've shared on this topic.

FREE Duct Tape Monday

What better gift for Monday than free duct tape?  All you have to do is like them on Facebook, then come back every Monday through May 2 for a new freebie. 

Amazon Toy Deals

I've been focusing away from toys lately because we're on toy overload from Christmas, but I have gotten a couple of requests for toy deals for Easter.  Here are some of the best I've found:

• First off, Amazon has some toy coupons HERE.
• Spend $20, get $5 off on some girls' toys.  I notice there are Littlest Pet Shop sets that are $10, so you could get 2 for $15.
• Spend $25 on these Hasbro toys, get a free Mr. Potatohead toy.
• Get $5 off $20 on these VTech toys with coupon code VTECHOO5.
• Buy one, get one 50% off on these Hasbro games.
• And we always like the best low prices, so here is the $5 and under list.  I don't think the deals are as good as before Christmas, but there are still a few good prices to be found.

Cheapout on Gardening -- Egg Carton Planters

I say every year that I am not starting from seeds. I never can get the timing down and my seeds don't always succeed. This year, I decided I would just use whatever seeds we already had left over from last year. If they don't work, it's obviously because I used old seeds, not my lack of skill.

I can't get past the fact that the kids love digging in the dirt and watching things grow, so we got to work on our seeds this past weekend.

So, here's how you cheapout on planting and reuse some resources at the same time.  We use egg cartons. 

The best part of these cardboard egg cartons is that you can plant them right in the ground.  The cardboard will break down in the ground and helps retain moisture for the growing plants. 

We used Miracle Grow potting soil, because that is the only thing that allows us modest success.

I let the kids do it.  It's not going to hurt anything if they spill a little on the ground.  Then plant a few seeds per hole, water it lightly, and keep them in a warm place.

They don't need sun until they start to grow, so leave them closed up to keep the moisture and warmth in.

When you are ready to plant, you can cut or tear the sections apart and put them right into the ground. 

If they don't grow, you've still had a lot of fun with the kids.  For us, there was absolutely no expense here.  We used seeds we already had, soil we already had, and egg cartons we already had.

Amazon Friday Sale, 4/8

I've just increased my work load outside of the house again, so the blogging is falling a little farther behind. I did want to share the Friday sale, because there are some great deals to be had today.

If you're a chocolate lover, you're in luck!  I always wonder what triggers the grocery deals.  We're before Easter, so I'd think this sale is a few weeks early.  At any rate, here's a LOT of good chocolate.



And if you're looking for candy bars, they're all on sale as well!  Take 5 is my favorite, which is yours?





One last group of deals (though there were many more items in the Friday sale, if you want to check it out yourself) is the Donut House coffee for Keurig.



If you see great deals, you can always share them in the comments section, and I'll add them into the post.  Happy Friday!

FREE This Week, 4/3-4/9

Here we go again, with the free things.

Menards

Project Days ad, 4/3-4/17.  I noticed some really great (not free, but almost free, deals) and I'll include a few of those.

• 4 for $5 solar pathway lights.
• Work gloves 3 for 99 cents.
• 99 cents for 12 feet of garden edging (after $6 rebate), limit 4.
• House wash, 32 oz, $6 with $6 rebate, limit 4.
• Vortex Paint Mixer, $3.50 with $3.50 rebate, limit 2.
• Vinyl Mini-Blinds, $2 with $2 rebate, limit 2.

Door Sale ad, 4/3-4/17.

•  (having trouble with the ads, will add)

Walgreens

• Colgate MaxFresh, MaxClean or MaxWhite Toothpaste, $2.99 with $2.99 in Register Rewards.   Smart Source had a 75 cent coupon, so you will get the overage.
• Dawn Dish liquid 99 cents, there are $1 coupons out.

Six Week Bran Muffins

I promised I would post how I use up those boxes of Raisin Bran that are selling so cheaply on Amazon, so I took pictures when I made this recipe this morning.  This was a recipe my mom made frequently when I was a child, and I always loved it.

Six Week Refrigerator Raisin Bran Muffins

First, you're going to need two really large bowls.  You're making about 6 dozen muffins with this mix, so get out the two biggest bowls in your kitchen.

You'll mix all the dry ingredients first:

• 1 15 oz box of Raisin Bran
• 3 cups of sugar (I use about 1.5 cups of brown sugar and 1 cup of white sugar, so slightly less than 3 cups)
• 5 cups flour (you can replace half of this with whole wheat flour)
• 5 teaspoons of baking soda
• 2 teaspoons of salt

Then you will mix the wet ingredients in another big bowl:

• 1 quart buttermilk (you can also use 4 tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice and enough milk to make a quart, then allow to sit for a bit)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup oil (you can replace all or part of this with applesauce)

Then combine the contents of both bowls and mix well.

This mixture will keep in your refrigerator for six weeks, if you don't eat it all before then.  I keep it in a pitcher and just pour it into muffin cups and make a little whenever we want fresh bran muffins.   Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes, or eat it raw with a spoon like I do.  :)

And enjoy!