Making My Dollars Streeeeeeetch

I've always been the type of person who likes to get a good deal. When I was a teenager, my father showed me where to find the "unit price" on the store shelf tags so that I could find the best deal for HIS money - LOL! Well, that information came in handy! He set me on the path to getting the most for my money. I'm pretty sure that even if I had money "to spare," I would still look for bargains!

Now, I know that I'm not alone because there are TONS of blogs about store deals, website deals, and even search engines that provide points to redeem for various items! And I don't think it's the slow economy that has led to all this. I personally think it's the fact that people feel good when they get a bargain - whether it's for soap or a new car!

Since "Black Friday" a few weeks ago, it seems that stores are just cranking out all sorts of deals in order to drum up business. Well, since my husband was laid off just before Thanksgiving, I have been doing everything in my power to take advantage of these great deals. I wanted to share a few with you.

*Walgreens had two specials for FREE 8x10 collages when you ordered online. I used mine and my husband's emails and ordered 4 (3 for Christmas gifts).

*Restaurant.com had some deals on gift certificates. I ordered some $25 certificates for $2 and you could give a $10 certificate for FREE with their "pay it forward" promotion!

*JCPenney had a coupon code for $10 off an order for $10 or more. I used mine and my husband's emails again and placed two orders and received 4 blouses (I had to pay a balance of $2.08).

*Groupon has had some good deals as well. Every year I try to make a photo book of family photos. Their deal cost me $6 for a hard cover, 16 page photo book with FREE SHIPPING!

*I also ordered a FREE photo calendar from Vista Print which only cost me about $4 for shipping. It's a gift for my dad :)

*Our family photo collage from Sears was FREE and I often go to Picture People to get their FREE 8X10 or 10x13 (just because I like to see pics of my boys)!

*Now Kohls is my favorite store for clothing, so I LOVE those $5 off coupons I get in the mail (most times I buy something on clearance and end up paying next to nothing!). Just after Thanksgiving I also found a great offer on a new coffee pot. The retail value was $40, but it was on sale for $17.99 on Black Friday. I ordered online and got free shipping and just sent in a $10 rebate form. My total will be $8 for a new, programmable coffee maker!

*CVS has an "Extra Bucks" program that earns you "cash" for your next purchase. I've found a few good deals there.

*Walgreens is my all time favorite store for weekly deals. If something earns "Jingle Cash" that is equal to it's cost, I BUY IT. I have cough syrup and no cough, joint pain reliever and no joint pain, and PLENTY of bath products! This last week I also stocked up on stocking stuffers! And you would be surprised at how many grocery deals you can get there if you use coupons (I paid $.24 for 2 containers of liquid Coffee Mate creamer!) For all the products pictured in the bottom two photos, I think I paid about $3 out-of-pocket!

Now, I'm no "deal diva," but I do try my best. Each morning I glance at other money saving blogs and use their links to get coupons or other deals. Oh, and one more thing, if you do ANY ordering online, use EBATES! It will earn you a percentage of cash back for online orders for a variety of companies. Hope this helps give you some ideas on making YOUR dollars streeeeeeeeetch! :)