Welcome to Couponing for the Extremely Normal! 

I have a very simple request this week … Please use coupons responsibly.  If everyone decided to follow the rules and not look for ways to bend them, couponing would be so much easier.  Just this week, I read an article about an extreme couponer who paid “just $36 for $800 worth of P&G products.”  The way she did it was by bending the rules.  Read the article and let us know if you agree.

Let us know how your extremely normal coupon journey is coming along.  We love to hear from our readers!

Want to see more tips?  Click here!

Welcome to Couponing for the Extremely Normal! 

Even though you carefully plan your deals, they may not always work out.  Never fear … here a few tips for ensuring you receive the savings you planned for.

1.  Know what you should be saving before you get to the register.

2.  Watch the register as the cashier rings up items and coupons.  The store computer is not always right.  There are times when sale items don’t ring up properly.  Have the sale flyer with you so you can show the cashier what the price should be.  If need be, ask the manager to take a look at the issue.

3.  Check your receipt before you leave the store.  If anything is wrong, go to the customer service desk and politely try to straighten the issue out.

4.  If the store manager cannot resolve the issue, go home and call the customer service number for the store.  The phone number is usually printed on your receipt.

This week I went to Food Lion with a plan to buy items which were part of a Box Tops for Education (BTFE) promotion.  The deal worked … sort of.  It ran like this:  buy five participating products, receive $2 off your order instantly, and receive a catalina coupon for 20 Box Tops for Education which can be donated to your local school.

I bought ten participating items, received $2 off my order and the catalina coupon printer jammed.  The cashier could do nothing to issue me a catalina for the 20 Box Tops for Education.  However, the store manager at the customer service desk was able to issue a catalina for 20 BTFE.  However, I expected to receive $4 off my order since I bought 10 participating items.  The store manager said I should have done two transactions with five participating items in each transaction.  However, he was willing to refund the $2 for the second set of items.

When I got home, I called Food Lion Customer Service and they kindly offered to send me a catalina for the 20 Box Tops for Education I didn’t receive at the store.   Lesson learned … fix what you can at the store and then call customer service when you get home.  The most important thing to remember is “be nice.”

What has been your experience with customer service when a deal goes awry?

Let us know how your extremely normal coupon journey is coming along.  We love to hear from our readers!

Want to see more tips?  Click here!

Welcome to Couponing for the Extremely Normal! 

It’s that time of year when the weather is cold and our family wants nothing more than a hot bowl of something for dinner.  Our crockpot gets a workout from November through March.  Using the crockpot requires me to think about those staples which generally end up in the crockpot.  Among these are canned tomatoes, beans (a wide variety including black and kidney), onions, carrots, celery, taco seasoning mix, dry onion soup mix, broth (cans and cartons), inexpensive cuts of beef, and chicken leg quarters or thighs.  It is so easy to grab a few ingredients, pop them in the crockpot in the morning, and have a delicious meal for dinner.

A friend gave me my favorite crockpot cookbook, Fix-it And Forget-it 5-ingredient Favorites:  Comforting Slow Cooker Recipes, a few years ago.  Since then, I have adapted many of these recipes to suit our family’s tastes and the contents of my stockpile.  One of our favorites is crockpot chili.

Crockpot Chili

3/4 lb ground beef (browned)
1 large onion (diced)
3 – 14 oz cans diced tomatoes (preferably a variety with green chilis, onions and/or garlic)
2 – 14 oz cans beans (light or dark kidney)
1 packet taco seasoning or chili seasoning mix

I dump all the ingredients in the crockpot, cook it on high for four hours or low for six hours, and serve the chili over white rice.  We put out small bowls of chopped onions, shredded cheddar cheese and chopped chili peppers along with our favorite bottled hot sauce so everyone can “doctor” their chili to their own taste.  A few years ago, we invited a dozen friends over to enjoy this chili.  We asked everyone to bring an easy appetizer or dessert and a favorite beverage.  It was an easy way to entertain on a cold winter afternoon without spending any time in the kitchen.

Tell us about your favorite crockpot meals.  We always love to try new recipes and might even feature a few of them in an upcoming post!  You can email us at madamedeals@gmail.com, subject CROCKPOT IDEAS.

Let us know how your extremely normal coupon journey is coming along.  We love to hear from our readers!

Want to see more tips?  Click here!

We have a new date for a Coupon Workshop!  THIS is only open to State Farm Employees.

However, if you would like us to come to your place of employment, worship, school, or home, email us at:  madamedeals@gmail.com.  We would love to help you Make Dollar$ Out Of Change.

Date/Time:  Saturday, March 5th – 9am-11am
Location:  State Farm Insurance, State Farm Boulevard, Charlottesville, VA
Price: $40- includes two hour class and MD Coupon Solution

Learn how to cut your grocery bill by at least 50%.  This coupon workshop is  a two hour class which includes your very own MD Coupon solution (a $34.99 value).  This is our coupon organization system designed to meet all your couponing needs!

We truly feel that without a system, you will not be successful.  Being organized is one key to spending less!

Space is limited and registration closes Thursday, March 3rd.  Sign up for the class HERE.

It is hard to believe that it is time for year end reviews. Taking time to look over your plans in information will allow you to evaluate what worked and what needs improvement. My husband and I met with our agent last week and we did make some changes to several policies, including retirement. Now taxes, that is something I am way behind in as far as organization goes!

What a year it’s been! It’s not over yet but with all of this talk about the holidays, it sure seems like the end of the year is hurtling towards us at a crazy pace. Before we know it, we’ll be talking about New Year’s resolutions. Yikes!

Before the end of the year really is here, there are a few things you should consider doing. These things will leave you ready to face the new year and to enjoy what’s left of this one.

Check Your Taxes
Verify that you’ve paid enough into the IRS for income taxes. Now, I’m not a proponent of paying a lot of extra money into the IRS; that’s like loaning them your money without getting any interest. But, unless your expecting your tax return this year to be drastically different than last year’s return, you should have paid in at least as much as you owed last year. You can quickly check this by looking at the YTD amounts on your W-2 and comparing them to the total tax amount on your tax return. You still have time to make changes to your withholding if you need to.

Review Your Retirement Fund
Make plans to contribute to your retirement fund. If you’ve been doing it all along through your employer-sponsored 401(k) plan, that’s great. If you don’t have access to that kind of luxury, though, you’ll want to put some thought into opening a traditional IRA or Roth IRA for yourself. Although you don’t have to make these contributions before the end of the year to take advantage of the tax benefits (you have until April 15th), it’s not a bad idea to start thinking about it now.

Look Over Your Cafeteria Plan Funds
Make sure you’ve used all of your cafeteria plan funds. Again, you may have some extra time to use these funds after the year is over (check with your employer for those details), but you should at least be making a plan to use all of the money in your cafeteria plan. Hunt down receipts for items you haven’t sent in yet such as over-the-counter medication, contact lens supplies, and child care invoices. If you don’t use this money before the end of the year (or your grace period) you will forfeit your claim to it. Leaving your money for someone else to use is always a bad idea.

Ponder and Reflect
Take a moment to reflect on the past year. Now is the time to decide what things worked for you and what things didn’t. Did you take a stab at the envelope method, but then realize that using nothing but cash didn’t work for you? What went wrong? Maybe you can try a modified version of it next year. How did you do with your savings goals? Did you save enough to replace your refrigerator like you planned? What things should you planning to save for next year? Congratulate yourself on the things that went well and look for ways to salvage the attempts that didn’t go as smoothly. Either way, you probably learned a lesson or two about your finances.

Thinking Wrap Up: Your Finances as Year End Approaches was reprinted with permission from NotMadeofMoney.com.

It is the time of year that many of us do a lot of baking and cooking. Before you start the process, make sure your spices and herbs are in order. I know that I have some bottles that have been in the back of my cabinet forever! The truth is spices and herbs don’t really spoil, they just loose potency. For the most flavor, you will want to use spices and herbs that still have strength.

One of the easiest ways to tell if you herbs and spices are still worth using is the smell. If you open the bottle and there is aroma, you are good to go. If the color is lost on herbs and there is hardly any smell, toss it.

To save money on replacing your herbs and spices, head to a store that has bulk food bins. For one thing, you will be able to buy the quantity you need. Some spices I only use for a couple of recipes a year. Buying a jar would be wasteful. Also, the bulk bin prices are usually cheaper than the bottles.

Another way I save on herbs is by planting an herb garden in the spring. My plants are now gone since we have had frost. But I did dry some of the herbs for use this winter.

What are your tips for saving money on spices and herbs?

Shopping on Black Friday has become synonymous with two things: great deals and craziness. Not only can you find some of the better deals on home electronics and toys on Black Friday, but injury and even the occasional fatality has been known to happen as well. So what’s the best way to get those good deals while staying safe at the same time?

Be Prepared

As they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Do your homework and study up on which stores have the sales and coupons that you’re willing to wait a few hours in line for. Dress according to the weather; bring along some snacks and a hot drink in a thermos to keep warm while you’re holding your spot in line. Wear comfortable clothing and footwear, layers are the key. If possible, visit the store before Black Friday and take note of the exits and the store’s consumers’ guide and the traffic flow so you know which way to turn if things happen to get out of hand.

Get a Shopping Buddy

When it comes to grabbing all the best deals, two heads are definitely better than one. Keep in mind that there is also safety in numbers – bring a buddy and commit to looking out for each other. Black Friday shopping is more fun when you have someone to shop with and it makes waiting in line less tedious (and bathroom visits possible!). Make sure to designate a place to meet in case you become separated.

Be Alert

Keep an eye out for any unusual activity and trust your gut if you don’t feel safe. Be especially aware of agitators that pester other shoppers or staff, they may initiate a conflict that can rapidly escalate into something serious. Put some distance between these people and you’ll stand a better chance of avoiding any altercations or having to miss out on shopping because you were pulled into the fray.

Be Polite and Friendly

A little kindness goes a long way, especially towards someone that doesn’t deserve it. Chances are people are going to be cranky from getting up early, waiting in line and still possibly missing out on all the deals they wanted. Don’t let the miserable people pull you down to their level; keep things in perspective and don’t take anything too personally.
While some bad situations have occurred in the past, Black Friday shopping is getting safer all the time. Most department stores step up the amount of their security personnel just prior to Black Friday and have instituted ticket systems to reduce the chaos when the doors open. Just keep these Black Friday shopping tips in mind and you’ll have an even safer shopping experience. Now all you need to do is figure out how to avoid overspending this holiday season.

Deliah Abraham is Black Friday connoisseur. She and her husband, Corey, have an amazing system involving cell phone deal checking at multiple stores and set buying guidelines that has enabled them to save up all year round and get phenomenal deals on high end appliances and furniture for their home.

The countdown to Christmas begins! As I have already mentioned, I shop year round to get the best deals on gifts. Plus, I make several homemade gifts which you can read about in our Holiday From the Heart Posts from last year. Below you find a few more tips to avoid overspending this holiday season.

How To Avoid A Holiday Spending Hangover

By Mrs. Not Made of Money

Although the holiday season is a magical time of year, the frivolity that goes along with it can wreak havoc on your financial plan. No one wants to deny themselves or their families the fun and celebration that goes along with the season, right? Before you know it, you find yourself spending more money than you intended to spend, charging purchases you can’t afford on credit cards, and spending the months after the holidays staring at the pile of debt you’ve added to your life.

This year, though, you could stop the holiday spending hangover by pledging to get through the holidays without incurring any new debt. I know it will be tough, but I think you can do it if you follow these steps.

Write up a holiday list.
Begin by determining how much money you can spend on your holiday festivities this year. Next you’ll need to list everything that you plan to buy this year. Don’t forget to account for special family dinners or travel plans. Finally, you should assign a dollar amount to each item on your list. Take care, though, that your list doesn’t add up to be more than the budget you set in the beginning of this step.

Pay with cash for everything.
Paying with cash serves two purposes. For one thing, paying with cash keeps you from charging something with your credit card (with the promise to pay your statement in full) and, then, getting sidetracked when the bill comes. Secondly, paying with cash encourages you to get the most for your holiday dollars. There’s just something about handing over your hard-earned cash that makes you think twice about each purchase.

Share entertaining costs with friends and family.
Don’t feel like you have to prepare and pay for a huge meal for your holiday celebration all by yourself. Instead, why not go potluck? Sharing the expenses of your get-togethers will keep the cost of entertaining from being to burdensome for anyone and allow you to skip some of the stress of preparing for the party.

Don’t fall victim to panic purchases.
The most carefully-planned holiday budget can get totally trashed by panic purchases. You know what I mean, right? Maybe your neighbor surprises you with a Christmas gift, so you feel like you have to get him one. The problem is that you didn’t plan to get him a gift, and there’s no room in your budget. Instead of rushing out with your credit card to get him “something,” offer him a sincere thank you and let the matter go. If you really feel like you have to reciprocate in some way, you could always take him a plate of goodies from your holiday baking later.

How To AVoid A Holiday Spending Hangover was reprinted with permission of NotMadeofMoney.com

We are a meat eating family. Both my husband and I grew up on a meat and potatoes diet. I try not to cook with red meat more than once or twice a week; although we do really enjoy it! To save the most money on meat I buy when the prices are low and freeze it in dinner size portions. In fact I have not bought chicken, steak or pork for over a month now. We have been relying on our nice freezer stockpile.

Since I do not have a Vacuum Sealer (the FoodSaver is on my want list!), I use Glad Press n’ Seal and freezer bags to store my meat. Press n’ Seal is one of my splurge items. It rarely goes on sale but it works wonders!

What I do is wrap a piece of meat individually with the Press n’ seal. Wrapping the meat tightly will help prevent freezer burn. I then place the individually wrapped pieces into a larger ziploc freezer bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible. By wrapping the pieces individually it makes it easy to pull out just one cut of meat or however many you need.

For boneless skinless chicken breasts I like to add marinade to the freezer bags. That way the chicken marinates while it defrosts!

How do you freeze your meat? Do you buy in bulk?

Now it’s your turn!

If you are a blogger, write a post about your idea for making dollars out of change. It can be on any topic as long as it has to do with saving money. Please link directly to your post and not your homepage.
If you do not have a blog, we still welcome and encourage your participation! Please leave your thoughts in the in a comment below!

This post is linked at My Coupon Teacher.

Fall is finally here, yeah! With the change of season you may have noticed that the grocery sales ad has changed a bit too. The loss leaders, the items that are deeply discounted to draw you in, have changed with the season along with the produce and meat sales. The easiest way to save some money at the grocery store is to change your menu to coincide with the seasonal changes. For Fall and Winter this means more hardy and warm meals such as soups, roasts and chili.

There are certain items that you will want to stock-up on during the fall and winter months. It will be the cheapest time of the year for the following:

Canned Soup
Broth/ Stock
Gravy
Frozen Vegetables
Canned Vegetables
Flour (baking season in Nov/Dec)
Sugar (baking season in Nov/Dec)
Butter (can be frozen)
Winter Squash
Roasts

I worked it out perfectly last year. I just used the last jar of gravy and I have a few cans of soup left.  For the next couple of months start stocking your pantry when you find the above items at a rock bottom price. Remember that you can use my Good Buy Price List as a guide to help you with pricing!