The Year Holiday Spending Almost Hit the Trillions.

Everyone who isn't a Scrooge has begun to think about who they need to shop for this holiday season. I am the kind of gal who gets everyone something for Christmas. I have already officially created my "Christmas Gift Ideas" board on Pinterest. I can not WAIIITTTT to use some of my couponing expertise to multiply the gift giving even more. 

This year, holiday "sales are expected to reach $920 to $925 billion" according to Time: Business and Money. Already, stockings are hung by the store shelves with care, in hopes that a shopper soon will be there. October's nation-wide sales, have already shown us a peak of what retailers have in store.

Retailers with physical store front can expect to see a 3-4% increase in sales this year, but "non store" retailers are expected to see a much greater increase. Non store retailers, like catalogue sales, online sales, and TV sales will account for nearly $54 billion dollars of this season's profit. 

But, there's one Grinch who is trying to steal Christmas. Hurricane Sandy, who decided to go ten kinds of cray on the upper East coast, has put many suppliers on their toes. This New York Times article gives us a glimpse of what some companies are doing,"FedEx, for example, has rented fuel tankers to supply its delivery trucks as commercial gas stations run dry." Ryder, on the other hand, as informed all of their customers to expect a 72 hour delay on all shipments. For those of you who have never worked in retail, this is the beginning of massive holiday shipments. This disruption could cause companies to lose money because they don't have the product they need to supply to customers. 

It will definitely be interesting to see what will come this year. I love sitting back in the mall or Wal-Mart and watch people scramble from store to store in a Santa-induced rage. Bring on the crazies!

Thanksgiving Printable Coupons

Who else stuffs their face on Thanksgiving? I know I probably eat 4-7 plates on Thanksgiving Day, and that does not include my Grandma's Chocolate Lava Pie. (Is it Thanksgiving yet? I'm hungry...) 

This year, I am planning on having a big dinner on a little dollar. On top of newspaper coupons, many stores (including Publix and Wal-Mart) will let you use printed coupons also. A savings anyone could be thankful for! I've done a little digging to bring you some of the best printable coupons on the web. Feel free to save me baked goods as a thank you.

Coupon Mom Database

What you'll find:

• Campbell's Soup $.40 off of 3
• Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls $.40 off of 3
• Betty Crocker Cookie Mix $.50 off of 1
• Kraft Stove Top Stuffing Mix $1 off of 2
• Kraft Cheese Chunks $1 off of 2
• Betty Crocker Potatoes $.50 off of 2
• Bob Evans Refrigerated Side Dish $.55 off of 1
• Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookie Dough $1 off of 2
• Bakers Chocolate $.50 off of 1

Whoa, whoa, whoa- hold up crazy lady, you've never really mentioned printable coupons before, wtf?!

One, calm down. 

Two, there are many printable coupon databases. They do not provide as many different types of coupons as in newspaper. You do get to avoid the rude looks from the gas station lady, but you are limited to 2 prints of each coupon per computer. Also, there is a print limit nation wide. The company allows X number of prints per coupon and once that print limit is reached, you are no longer able to print that coupon. 

Typically, printable coupons are worth more than newspaper ones, as companies do account for money spent on paper and ink. Be cautious of what sites you use though, coupon fraud is actually a real thing, no matter how lame it may sound. Stick with sites like Couponmom.com or sites sponsored by Red Plum, Smart Source, or P&G so you know you are printing a real coupon and not something that was created on Photoshop.

Be sure that the barcode of the coupon is not altered, punctured, or otherwise damaged as it may affect its ability to be scanned at the register. And please, don't be rude- never ever make copies of your coupons. It is actually illegal and you will actually get arrested and it will actually suck. 

I'll keep you updated on any other goodies I find for Thanksgiving, and of course, I'll do my best to update you on any Black Friday steals. =]]

Even our Troops Coupon!

So, I need to tell you a little secret. Sometimes, I don't use coupons before they expire. GASP.  Don't tell anyone, pinky promise? And every month, I toss money in the recycling bin. It breaks my heart, but who will let you use coupons after they have expired?

Now, there's a way to help other people with the coupons of month's past. Our troops are fighting their a**es off for us, and most people don't take the time to give back. I suck at volunteering, I'm poor so I can't donate, so sending coupons overseas makes me feel like I am contributing to the men and women I owe everything too. 

In military bases, grocery stores will accept manufacturer's coupons up to 6 months after they expire! Which is great news for families, many of which are surviving on one income. One charity that handles this, Troopons, that have provided an address for us to send these coupons too. Troopons, The Krazy Coupon Lady, The Happy House Wife, all have various programs to help out the troops. The links above will provide you with the addresses you need!

Overall, their requirements are:

• Manufacturer Coupons
• Printed Coupons
• No Store-Specific Coupons (Target, Publix, Walgreens, etc.)
• Separate Food from Non-Food
• No Coupons 6 Months Expired or More

It's November 4, meaning October's P&G flyer is totally expired. Why not start by sending that in? 

Target Now Price Matches!

Big news for anyone shopping with a tight budget this holiday season! Target and Best Buy have both adopted new price matching policies that will have shoppers saving big big bucks this year. But, what does this mean?

Let's find out.

  I promise I don't work for Target. I actually never shop at Target, because I am team Wal-Mart, but that's another story all together.

They have adopted a new holiday price match policy that went into affect on October 22. They have vaguely stated on their Corporate Social Responsibility Website, that there policy will be "including matching prices from select online retailers in stores for the first time." But, come on, what does that really mean.

Here's the Whole Policy

Here's a Brief Review:

The policy covers exact like items only. If you are trying to price match a Barbie Jeep, it must be the same Barbie Jeep that Target carries in their store.

The policy asks for proof of the price. For example, if you saw the better price in a Wal-Mart ad, you must take said Wal-Mart ad into Target with you. Or, if you say that same item on Walmart.com, you must pull up that price on your phone (or tablet) to show that proof.

Ad must be valid for that day. If the ad ends on November 16, and you try to price  match with it on November 26, you will be out of luck.

You CAN use coupons and price matching together to get the best savings.

Sorry, but Target will not allow you to price match items that are priced for "Black Friday".

The only online retailers included in price matching are Walmart.com, Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, ToysRUs.com, or BabiesRUs.com; prices from 3rd party sellers on these websites will not be honored.

As per usual, there are tons of if's and's or but's so definitely check out the website before you go shopping!

Happy Saving!

Is it Too Late to Apologize?

I have a burden I feel I need to share. I don't know how appropriate this forum is to share this with you, but you know what, it's my blog- and I can rant if I want to. This week has brought about some serious soul searching for me. Laying in bed, jacked up on cough medicine and playing wedding shows on Netflix can make a girl emotional. 

Just so you where I am coming from a bit, I moved to Tampa all by myself a year ago in January. My life back home was the same mundane ritual over and over. School, family, sleep, boyfriend, day after day, and I was not getting anything accomplished for me. When I was accepted to the University of South Florida, I was elated. I knew that this is my opportunity to start my life over again. Coming to Tampa, I only had my very favorite cousin, let's call her Savannah. Her and her boyfriend were the only things I had to hold on too when I moved here- and I held on tight. 

We had a falling out, and since then I have made an effort to improve my life on my own. I vowed to make my own friends and create my own life. Although every day I miss them and wish we could repair what we had, I have made my dreams come true. People who used to be shadows in the background of my first new life here are now in the center of my second new life here.

I feel like I am in a constant state of rebirth, I think I have reinvented myself more than Madonna, and I have stepped on a ton of good people along the way. This, is what I feel like I need to apologize for. 

To my friends and family back home- I am sorry that I left with out taking the time to celebrate the relationships we created, and not really letting anyone new into my life after I got into USF. I'm sorry that I could not find peace with myself down there , or stick through the bad times. Home has a special place in my heart, and it will always be my home.

To my cousin here in Tampa- I love you. I don't want to continue to live my life with out, and I honestly want to do whatever I can to bring back what we had. You are my everything, please call me or text me or send a smoke signal, something.

To my new friends here in Tampa- I am sorry that I have been such an emotional wreck lately. Thank you for being my friends and being here for me whenever I need you. I hope that the friendship that we have created can last us forever, because we are totes cute. 

LOVE YOU!!!

How Target Can Predict a Woman's Pregnancy.

"Target sent baby-related promotions to a teenage girl before her father even knew she was pregnant," and for some, this is a major invasion of privacy. Author of The Power of Habit: Why We do What We Do in Life and Business Charles Duhigg, showcases Target's model of customer tracking. Many consumers are aware that their online purchases are tracked and monitored, but few realize the extent to which a company will go to learn more about you. 

I came across an article from USA Today called "How retailers study and test us to maximize profit".  In it, Jayne O'Donnell and Sarah Meehan discuss the host of ways stores monitor our shopping behavior. Think about this, we live in a world where competitive pricing and effective marketing are the only tools companies have to get your attention. The days of Mr. Johnson running the only grocery store in town where every one knows every one's name are gone. Companies like Target, Wal-Mart, Staples, and Dick's Sporting Goods are hiring on other firms to get to know the consumer better, and it may be the only way they can stay on top. 

Remember those free cards I told you all that I sign up for? The ones that always get me some really awesome free stuff? The most magical part about those loyalty cards and e-mail lists is that you have allowed that company to get to know you better. They know your birthday, your age, your gender, your approximate location, etc. For the most part, Coldstone's Creamery e-mail database knows you better than a casual friend knows you. Many times, after you signed up for these perks, you are issued a customer ID, generally in the form of a barcode for easy computer access. Then, when you check out at Staples with a customer reward card, a multitude of really awesome things happen. 

For one, the store now knows what to replenish the shelves with. If a company is smart, they will keep track throughout the day of what items have been purchased from the shelves, and replenishing with what is in stock. This will promote customer satisfaction because there will be more product available that the customer needs. Secondly, it keeps track of how much you are spending. People, like my mother, who spend upwards of $100 a week in office supplies alone will get rewarded and preferential treatment for promotions over someone like me, who goes in with her and just buy a soda from time to time. They will keep providing my Mom with deals on the ink, paper, and other supplies she needs. They will inform her about exclusive shopping nights, and preferred customer deals. And although Staples will try to contact me and send me timely updates, I am not responding to their contacts and so they haven't found a way to understand my needs. Third, it tells the company who buys from that store, what they buy from that store, and when they buy from that store. They can sit back and look at Store #1438 and say, okay, this store gets shopped by mostly young adults in the 18-25 range, what can we do to get products they want into this particular location. Ever notice how many corporations and large chains have USF Bulls themed stuff in their stores? They know where we are, what's around us, and what they can use to improve their sales. And I love it. 

For some, it's a little scary. There are plenty of consumers that are not okay with this, and feel as though their privacy is being breached. My feelings are simple: the company is not going to use this information to one day take over the world. I'm not an idiot, I won't give out my social security number, or a bank account number. What harm can it really do to give Panera Bread my birthday? They gave me a free bakery item and $2 off of a You-Pick-2, by the way.  Besides, wouldn't you want to shop some where that is going to take the time to personalize your shopping experience to you?

The psychology behind shopping has always fascinated me, and it's definitely what I want to be doing with my life. How did Target know that the young girl was pregnant before her own father knew? By watching what she browsed through online and what she was searching for through their website. Creepy, huh?

Halloween Inspired Deals.

Halloween lurks just around the corner, and with it, some scary good deals. (Sorry, there really aren't any fresh new Halloween puns left.) I went website to website trying to find some deals for October only. 

 Chipotle is my absolute favorite place to be in the entire world. Disney World can suck it. I went to Chipotle earlier today, and the bottom of the receipt made me grin from ear to ear. On Halloween, between 4pm and close, go to your local Chipotle in costume and you will get a burrito for $2. TWO DOLLARS ARE YOU KIDDINGGGG!! Thank you Halloween!

Wal-Mart is giving free standard shipping on all Halloween purchases. Both of costumes and decor. This can save you a ton, and is a lot more convenient than doing their site-to-store shipping. They want to get you into the store to pick up your goodies because Lord knows you go in for one thing and come out with a shopping cart full. So if you're looking for a last minute costume or some cool howling wolf thing, here you go. 



  Until the end of October, Subway is hosting a buy one, get one sale. There are some stipulations. First, you have to get there before 9 am. Which means I will not be participating in this deal. Then, when you buy one 6 inch sub and drink combo, you will get one 6 inch sub for free. Go crazy, get that super awesome breakfast sub you've been dying to try. 


There are never enough costume sales. No, honestly, because Halloween only generates 1%-4% of the  revenue that Christmas does, retailers in stores and online are pushing deals on costumes and throwing in free shipping to get your sale. Buycostumes.com is hosting a really great deal on their website. They are offering an extra 35% off of their clearance costumes with the code: RIP. Or, if you like to spend a little money on your costume, they will give you 25% off of your full priced costume, and free shipping on a purchase of over $75 with the code: Demon.

And, I know I said I would post some grocery shopping deals today, but I am going to hold off so that I can post the information at the beginning of the store's sale cycle. That way, everyone has a full week to take advantage of the savings. =]

Happy Shopping!