It's a new year!!

HAPPY 2010 EVERYONE!! It's been quite some time since I've posted content on my blog, as I've been very busy! Sales in my ebay store have been fantastic and I've just opened up an Etsy store to showcase my timeless vintage items!! Please check them out for wonderful items at unbeatable prices!!

Etsy store: http://www.etsy.com/shop/tidbitstreasures

eBay store: http://stores.ebay.com/little-tidbits-general-store

If you want free amazon gift cards or other cool stuff, CHECK THIS OUT!

This is a COMPLETELY FREE search and win site! Gain swag bucks when your friends win them too! So easy to trade them in for gift cards and other cool merchandise! I'm saving up for amazon gift cards to buy Christmas gifts!

Earn and Save $$ with BigCrumbs, even on eBay purchases!

FREE Arby's Roastburger!

Sign up for Arby's Extras and get coupons and offers for Arby's products delivered to your inbox. As a special Thank-You this month, they are giving away coupons for a free Arby's Roastburger, no purchase required! Go to https://arbysextras.fishbowl.com/forms/arbys/join.asp to sign up and get that free yummy Roastburger!!

Free Kashi!

go to www.kashi.com and request your coupon for a free kashi frozen entree! Available only until March 15, 2009. One request per household. Allow 2-3 weeks for delivery!

Couponing 101-Lesson #5-CVS shopping

Now we're ready to learn the ins and outs of shopping at CVS pharmacy. This will take you a couple of shopping trips to get the hang of it, but don't give up!! First, log on to www.couponmom.com and click "cvs" under "drugstore deals". Filter the results by pressing the upside down triangle next to % saved. This will bring all of the free items to the top. Make your list and gather your coupons. Always double check your local CVS sale paper to ensure accuracy. You will notice a few items state "free after x amount of extra care bucks". In a nutshell, this is how I work the system. If the paper states that a bottle of x brand shampoo is on sale for $3.99 but it's like getting the bottle for free after $3.99 ECB, a tube of x brand toothpaste is on sale for $2.99 but you get $1.00 ECB, and so on, here's what I do. I make a list of the items I will purchase with each transaction. On transaction #1, I will buy the shampoo and pay $3.99 out of pocket (if I don't have any ECB left over from previous shopping trips). While I'm still in line, I then buy the toothpaste but use the ECB from the previous transaction, and so on. Yes, I hold up the line with an average of 5-6 separate transactions per trip, but I never come more than $5.00 out of pocket for each trip. You can also use coupons that match up with the ECB deals, saving even more money, and you still get the full amount of ECB. Please note, if you have for example a $5.00 ecb voucher, you have to use the entire voucher, not just part of it, for the transaction. I always use cash at CVS so that I don't have to swipe my debit card in case I have to come out of pocket 2 or 3 times. Have fun shopping! More lessons coming soon!

Couponing 101-Lesson #4: Shopping at Walgreens

So, now that you have a good understanding about using coupons at the grocery store, it's time to move on to the next series of lessons-drug stores. In this lesson, we will focus on Walgreens. Walgreens national coupon policy states that they will take manufacturers coupons at face value. You may also "stack" coupons. To "stack" coupons means that you can use a manufacturers coupon in conjunction with the Walgreens in ad coupons out of the newspaper and easy saver catalog. Before you begin a Walgreens expedition, go to your nearest Walgreens and pick up a free easy saver catalog. Most of the time you can find these as soon as you walk in the door, in a little "basket" where they keep their weekly ad. Now, flip to the middle of the catalog and there is a tally sheet that states which items are free after single check rebate. Look through your coupons and see if you have any coupons that match the free after rebate items for the month or any of the other rebate items. You will have to pay out of pocket for the free after rebate items. After you purchase your free items and any other rebate items, go online to the Walgreens website and register for a free account. Once you have your account, go to the Easy Saver link and click on "claim rebate". It will prompt you to check off on the online tally sheet which eligible items you purchased on your reciept. Then, it will prompt you to enter your reciept's RFA number, that can be found on the top of you reciept. Now, if you KNOW that you are not purchasing anything else from Walgreens for that month, go ahead and click submit. If you are not sure, click save and return later (so that you can enter another reciept and check off more items). Once you submit your rebates, it will ask if you want to recieve a check by mail or gift card. ALWAYS choose the gift card. Here's why: they give you a 10% bonus on the gift card, which more than pays you back for the tax that you paid on the free items. The gift card is reloadable up to $250. So, the next month when you go to get the free or almost free with rebate items, use your gift card to pay. Repeat the online process, they will reload your gift card with the rebates plus 10% extra. Keep rolling over the balance on your gift cards. Happy Shopping!