HUGE Product Recall - Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein

There's a food recall right now with products containing HVP - Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein.  The list is HUGE with 153 entries as of March 11, 2010.  You can check out the FDA Recall information here.  This link contains information regarding the recall as well as a complete up to date listing of products. 

Hopefully you don't have any of these products in your pantry, but if you do I highly recommend contacting the parent company regarding your products.  It's highly likely that they will reimburse you for the product and/or send you coupons for replacement of the product. 

FREE Johnson & Johnson First Aid Kit

In the 3/14 RP insert there's a $1.00 coupon on any one J&J Red Cross product (excluding trial size).  Wal-mart and Target stores have a really nice little first aid kit for .97 in the travel section that this coupon works great with.  This is not a "trial size" product, it's called First Aid to Go.  It's a small first aid kit in a nice plastic container.  It includes 2 cleansing wipes, 2 first aid gauze pads, 2 knuckle bandages and 6 flexible fabric bandages in various sizes. 

These are great to keep in your car, purse, diaper bag...wherever!  I have used these as little extras with baby gifts and have given some of these to my son's teacher to have in the classroom.   I keep one in my gym bag and even give them away to friends and family.  We see this coupon quite often and rather than let it go to waste I always grab these before the coupon expires.  I have added a (FREE) pair of nail clippers to the kit that I keep in my gym bag and a nail file also - there's room in the container to add a few extras, maybe even some pain medicine or a small tube of Neosporin.  These really are great for the price so don't forget to add these to your shopping list!

Changes to this site

I am trying to make this the best source for all your money saving needs so I have recently been working on some changes to this site.  If you are a regular reader, you probably have noticed some minor changes recently.  If there's something you would like to see changed or added please send me a note.  I want this to be the place you come to first, to find all your links and deals. 

Recently, I have set up all the external links on this blog to open in a new window rather than in the same window as the one you are currently reading from.  I think this makes it a little easier when you are checking all the money saving blogs and coupon links. 

I have also added the Target coupon printables link under the list of printable coupons.  You will want to check these often, because they print out as manufacturer coupons with the Target logo on them.  If you shop at a store that takes coupons with competitor logos on them you should be able to use these there.  You don't have to use these solely at Target.  I love when I find a new source for manufacturer coupons!

Lastly, I am in the process of adding pages for all the basic couponing and money saving information.  This should be helpful if you need a refresher on a certain topic or for those that are new to learning to coupon. 

Again, please bear with me as I make these changes - I am still learning how to make the changes that I want to make and some don't happen as quick as I would like.  Remember, I am trying to make this YOUR site for saving money so please send me your suggestions!  I would love to hear them!

Colgate MM @ Wags 3/14 thru 3/20

Here's an easy MM at Walgreen's this week.  The 5.8 oz Colgate Total Advanced or Total Enamel Strength and the 6 oz. Sensetive are on sale for $3.99 with a $4 RR when you purchase one.  Here's a link to sign up for coupons for these products.  There are $1.00 off coupons for the Sensetive toothpaste and .75 off coupons for the Total Advanced or Total Enamel Strength.  There's also a $1.00 off the Total Advanced or Total Enamel Strength in the 3/7 SS insert.  So, depending on which toothpaste you go with this is FREE toothpaste with either a .75 or $1.00 MM scenario!  I plan on buying the Sensetive because this is my toothpaste of choice and it also turns out to be the best MM.

Coupon Inserts for 3/14/10

Go here to get a sneek peek at the coupons and inserts that should be included in this Sunday's newspaper.  I always like looking ahead at what I can anticipate on Sunday morning.  This way I am not anxiously thumbing through the paper first thing in the AM to see if I need to make an extra stop to get more papers. 

Remember inserts and coupons vary by region so you might not get this exact list of coupons depending on where you are located. 

Hasbro Coupons = Cheap Easter Basket Fillers

Hasbro has some coupons out right now that will make for some fun Easter basket fillers.  Go here to find many coupons for Hasbro toys.  There's one coupon for $4.00 off  Hungry Hungry Hippos.  This coupon can be used at Target and Wal-mart on the travel sized game to make it .99 after coupon.  Those stores often also carry the travel size version of the Connect 4 game which would also be .99 after the coupon.  There's also a coupon for $5.00 off Monopoly - I have used this coupon on the Monopoly Deal card game  at Wal-mart to make it .99 also.

Stockpiling and Expiration Dates

In our house we sometimes push the envelope on product expiration dates.  When you are a serious couponer, sometimes you over estimate how much your family will need and use before the item gets to it's rock bottom price again; sometimes those items in your pantry don't stay organized and product with an early expiration date gets pushed to the back of the stack.  I will admit, occassionally I make my husband the guinea pig before I will try something beyond it's expiration date myself.  Then again, some things just aren't worth a trip to the E.R. and we let it go.  If you have ever wondered about expiration dates and if you should chance it, this is a great article to read. 

Of course, keeping organized and being realistic about your estimates are ways to assure you don't have a lot of expired food laying around but this article really makes me feel better about some of the chances I have taken in eating items beyond their "sell by" date. 

Purex 3-in-1 Sample and a Coupon

Go here to sign up to receive a free sample of Purex Complete 3-in-1 laundry sheets.   These contain the detergent and fabric softner all in one handy little sheet.  No more spills or gooey messes on your hands from pouring out liquid detergent or softner.   It goes into the wash and then gets transferred to the dryer with your clothes. 

I received my sample earlier this week and it came with two sheets to wash two loads of laundry and a $1.00 off coupon. 

List of K-mart stores participating in Super Doubles 4/4 thru 4/10

If you find your self unsure that the K-mart store that you shop at is going to participate in the Super Doubles double coupon sale you can check this master list directly from K-mart headquarters for a complete run-down of all the K-mart stores across the country that will be participating.  I found two of my local K-mart stores on the list so I am jumping for joy! 

The Super Doubles sale starts on 4/4 and runs thru 4/10.  If you have never had the opportunity to shop a K-mart double coupon sale you will really enjoy this.  It's a great way to build your stockpile very quickly.  All coupons up to $2 face value will double, up to the price of the item of course.  There's no overage when shopping the double coupon sale but when a $2 coupon doubles to $4 off there's loads of products to be had for FREE!

.99 John Freida products @ Walgreens

There's a really great deal running right now at Wags on John Freida products.  Some John Freida salon products (shampoo & conditioners) are on sale for $5.99 each.  There was a $3.00 off coupon in the 3/7 SS that you can stack with the $2.00 Wags coupon in the March coupon booklet.  The two coupons stacked makes the price come down to .99 a bottle.  That's a great price for salon quality products.  I use this line of products and I really like them.  The Root Awakening products smell really great and the Luxurious Volume products really help add lift and volume to fine hair.  For that price, why not give it a try? 

If you go to get these, keep an eye out for the bottles that have a bundled free sample bottle attached.  These don't cost any more than the $5.99 sale price and work with the coupons.  Today I scored a shampoo with a free sample bottle of conditioner attached.