MSN Money has an interesting article picking out the Deals & Duds of the Dollar (and 99 cent) stores. It proves to be an interesting read on a couple of levels.

1. Point of reference. Always nice to have a 2nd opinion of what you think might be a good deal.
2. Dollar Store Test. My husband and I have concluded that IF an item can be replaced by a Dollar store purchase, there is no need to store it for next season, nor hoarde it. This test has saved us some serious space, honestly.

Deals
*Cleaners
*Spices
*Gift Wrap
*Shampoo/Conditioner
*Kitchen Gadgets

Duds

*Medication/Vitamins
*Toothpaste
*Batteries
*Electrical Products
*Jewelry & Vinyl Lunchboxes (Recalled items)

I have to concur with the article that I like to buy gift wrap, spices and cleaners at the Dollar Store when I am low and do NOT have a coupon. Although, I usually avoid the Dollar Store, in general, as I will end up spending money I hadn’t intended on impulse items.

What is your experiences & thoughts?

Thanks to PYP member Stephp23 for bringing this gem of info to our attention.

Library-goers soon able to ‘check out’ state parks
April 9th, 2009 @ 1:23pm
SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Nearly 50 Utah libraries or bookmobiles will soon offer a state park pass that can be checked out by library card holders.

The passes will be available through the Check It Out! program by May 1 or sooner.

The pass gives day-use entry for up to eight people in one vehicle at 42 state parks. Normal day use fees can be up to $10.

Parks that are part of the program include Snow Canyon near St. George and Bear Lake on the Utah-Idaho border. This Is the Place Heritage Park isn’t covered and visitors to Antelope Island State Park will still have to pay a $2 causeway fee to Davis County.

Nichole Mallory, coordinator of the state’s Rockin’ Utah initiative, says the partnership with libraries is meant to reach Utahns who might not otherwise visit a state park.

Libraries participating in the new Check It Out! offered by Utah State Parks include:

Delta City Library
Dugway Post Library
Eagle Mountain Public Library
Fillmore City Library
Garland Public Library
Grand County Public Library
Helper Library
Highland City Library
Iron County Bookmobile
Kanab City Library
Logan Library
Minersville Library
Newton Town Library
North Logan City Library
Orem Public Library
Park City Library
Parowan Library
Payson City Library
Pleasant Grove City Library
Richfield Public Library
Salt Lake County Library System — All 18 branches
San Juan Library
Sanpete County Bookmobile
Smithfield Library
Spanish Fork Public Library
Springville Public Library
Tooele City Library
Tooele County Bookmobile
Tremonton City Library
Wasatch County Library
Washington County Library
Weber County Library

source Salt Lake Tribune

discussion.

PetSmart will have a Pet Birthday Party from 6-8:00 p.m. on Tuesday with games and free stuff.

Fun stuff for you & your pet include:

*FREE Digital Photo with Frame
*FREE Goodie Bag(s)
*Games, incl. Musical Sit

For details. For participating locations. Discussion.

That’s right! $ .75 tickets for the Utah Bees home game on Thursday, April 9th.

Go to ticketmasterto see information. Put in “KFAN” as promo code and got $.75 tickets for home opener of the BEES!

There is a $2.50 processing fee per order and your tickets are emailed to you.

Thank you so much to PYP member becksdeals for bringing this HOT family/friends night out! Discuss.

Take 60% Off with every order of $25 Gift Certificates. Use code SEASON and pay $4 thru 4/13/09.

See link details.

It might seem early to some to start thinking of cheap summer entertainment for the kids, but this movie program is one of my family’s favorite and is a yearly tradition.

Details at the Cinemark website, but here are the basics:

The Cinemark Movie Theater chains offer this great deal. All movies are all G or PG flicks, most are animated.

•10 Weeks Of Fun Films For Kids•
•A Different Movie Every Week•
•Weekday Mornings This Summer•
*$5 pass for all 10 movies or $1 per individual movies*
($5 Series punch cards are limited and are available while supplies last.
Admission with a series punch card is limited to one person per card per movie.)

Check out website for a theater near you and movie schedule.

The amazing Shelley has done it again! Next week’s PYP Utah Albertons shopping list is done early. Week of Wednesday, April 8th through Tuesday, April, 15th is available for viewing, planning and strategizing.

View the shopping list here.
Check out the forum thread discussion, including catalina (checkout cpns) promotions, extra printables available and extra unadvertised deals around Utah.
See the complete Albertons grocery circular online early, too.

Another reason PYP ROCkS!

A recent CNET news article highlighted that printable coupon sites are gaining in popularity as a source for individuals to save money. The ease and convenience is something that many of us die-hard couponers have known for years. But what are the better to print from sites AND did you know that more of your favorite stores are getting into the printable coupon game, too? (we’ll discuss this in part 2 of this discussion later this week)

Pinching Your Pennies Has an Entire Forum Dedicated to Printable Coupons that is Updated Daily with the Best and Most Recent Printables Available on the Net. A must daily stop!

You can visit some of the hot coupon sites (like coupons.com, smartsource.com) mentioned in the CNET article, but if you want to know the best deals suited for your favorite grocery store that will maximize your savings, be sure to visit your state’s best list. Volunteer listmakers have matched up the sale items with insert coupons AND printables, too. Your savings will be maximized IF you follow this one simple step

The CNET news article mentioned a few sites that can garner you savings in varying amounts if you choose to shop online. There’s no need to mention the sites as PYP has already taken the lead in this, too. Sincy PYP’s founding 5 years ago, the administration has given its site users coupon codes, discounts and hot deals to online retailers. The amount of money saved collectively can not be comprehended by me at this time, but I know it well over hundreds of thousands and perhaps millions of dollars. And since online shopping revenue is what pays for Pinching Your Pennies, it is even more important to shop online through any PYP affiliate link when you can. Besides the deals the staff find are truly amazing. Check out the online forum.

This is but a taste of how internet printable/online coupon codes help make our shopping easier. Next I’ll be talking about how retailers are jumping on the internet coupon bandwagon and helping us save even more money.

1. Don’t go shopping on an empty stomach. Shop after you’ve eaten and you are less likely to pick those extra munchies or impulse items that sound good at the moment.
2. Don’t go shopping with company. While not always possible (especially if you have small children), try to shop solo. You will be more likely to stick to your grocery list and not find extra goodies in your cart at checkout.
3. Don’t always use a coupon. As an avid couponer, many find this advice surprising. However, unless I can combine a coupon with a sale or the coupon is for an item I need; I really am not saving money, but spending more of it.
4. Make a shopping list. This simple task can save you time in the store as well as money.
5. Plan your menus around what you already have in the pantry AND what is on sale this week. These two simple steps can save you more money in the long run. Need recipe ideas? Check out PYP’s recipe forum!
6. Stock up on sale items until they are on sale again. This is one of the best ways to build up your food storage/stockpile. Then use the items til they are on sale again.
7. Use a pricebook to make decisions about what is a stock-up price. Pinching Your Pennies has a great pricebook from many volunteer couponers across the country, so this info is very reliable and golden.
8. Monitor what you actually use, NOT what you think you will use. This rule is especially true for perishables that cannot freeze. Deli meat, for example. If you regularly ask for one lb, but only eat half of it, only get 1/2 lb the following week.
9. Think nutritional value. Just because a box of granola bars is on sale for $1, remember that you can buy 6 bananas for that same $1. You get more nutritional value dollar for dollar in a side-by-side comparison.
10. Don’t pay for convenience. Unless I have a coupon and a really great sale for a pre-packaged lunchbox item, I will buy the bulk size of snacks and place them in ziploc baggies for lunches.
11. Buy the cheaper cuts of meat. They cost less and are easy to cook, too. They can be a snap in the slow cooker.
12. Do it yourself. Skip buying the pre-cut veggies, the pre-bagged salads and pasta sauce with all the preservatives. Instead chop your own veggies, wash your own lettuce and make your own pasta sauce with 2 cans of Hunts diced tomatoes and fresh basil. You’ll never go back to Ragu, again.
13. Buy the cheaper bulk of Ground Beef. Usually Ground Beef is cheaper in a larger butcher block, usually 5 lbs or more. Brown it all in one sitting or make meatballs or meatloafs and freeze in dinner size portions (I prefer 1/2 lb for my family of 5). You’ll have one dinner step closer to being done and be saving money in the process.
14. Join your store’s loyalty reward program (if they have one). Not only do you need a store loyalty card to receive the store’s sale prices, but check out the store’s website for additional coupons that can be loaded onto your loyalty reward card. Currently these e-coupons can be combined with paper manufacturer’s coupons for double rewards.
15. Shop at stores that have double coupons IF available in your area. This tip is obvious, but not always a viable option. Instead, if you life in the LOND (land of no doubles), you need to work even harder to find the sale+coupon deals. Luckily for us, Pinching Your Pennies had done most of the work for us. Check out the deals in your state.

You’ve tried. You’ve talked til you are blue in the face. No matter how hard you’ve been trying to convert family/friends to your mindset of PYP shopping methods, they still refuse to believe. They refuse to believe that even without coupons they can build a food storage (stockpile) while saving 40%. YOU can still help them. Please share the following information with them.
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Food storage for $5/week for 2 people!

Each week take $5.00 and then buy the specified items for that week. Some weeks you will not use all of the $5.00, some weeks you may use more than $5.00. Plan to set aside $5.00 each week regardless. There are also a few weeks you will have nothing to buy, but set aside the money for those weeks as well.

By the end of the 52 weeks you will have 700 lbs. of wheat, 240 lbs. of sugar, 40 lbs. of powdered milk, 13 lbs. of salt, 10 lbs. of honey, 5 lbs. of peanut butter, 45 cans of tomato soup, 32 cans of mushroom soup, 15 cans of tuna fish, 10 boxes of macaroni and cheese, 500 aspirin, 730 multiple vitamins, 6 lbs. of dried yeast, and 6 lbs. of shortening.

This should sustain 2 people for 1 year.

Weekly Shopping List
1 ~ 2 cans tuna, 2 containers. salt, 1 lb. yeast
2 ~ 5 macaroni and cheese, 4 tomato soup
3 ~ 3 mushroom soup, 2� lbs. peanut butter
4 ~ 1 bottle multiple vitamins
5 ~ 4 tomato soup, 10 lbs. powdered milk
6 ~ 1 bottle aspirin (500 tablets)
7 ~ 100 lbs. wheat
8 ~ 5 lbs. powdered milk
9 ~ 5 lbs. honey, 1 lb yeast
10 ~ 4 cans tuna, 4 macaroni and cheese
11 ~ 10 lbs. sugar, 1 box salt
12 ~ 4 mushroom soup, 2 lbs. shortening
13 ~ 1 bottle multiple vitamins
14 ~ 100 lbs. wheat
15 ~ 1 box macaroni and cheese, 1 lb. yeast
16 ~ 5 lbs. honey
17 ~ 2 cans tuna, 4 cans tomato soup
18 ~ 10 lbs. sugar
19 ~ 100 lbs. wheat
20 ~ 20 lbs. sugar
21 ~ 10 lbs. powdered milk
22 ~ 1 can mushroom soup, 10 lbs. sugar
23 ~ 1 tuna, 4 tomato soup, 10 lbs. sugar
24 ~ 10 lbs sugar, 1 lb. yeast
25 ~ 2 tuna fish & 2 mushroom soup, 2 shortning
26 ~ 100 lbs. wheat
27 ~ 30 lbs. sugar, 1 lb. yeast
28 ~ 10 lbs. sugar
29 ~ 10 lbs. powdered milk
30 ~ 20 lbs. sugar
31 ~ 1 can tuna, 3 cans mushroom soup
32 ~ 1 tuna, 4 tomato soup, 2 lbs. Crisco
33 ~ 100 lbs. wheat
34 ~ 2 cans tuna, 1 box salt
35 ~ 10 lbs. powdered milk
36 ~ 20 lbs. sugar
37 ~ 4 cans tomato soup, 2 boxes salt
38 ~ nothing ~ replenish petty cash $5
39 ~ 100 lbs. wheat
40 ~ 10 lbs. powdered milk
41 ~ 30 lbs. sugar
42 ~ 2 tomato soup, 4 mushroom soup
43 ~ 2 cans tomato soup, 10 lbs. sugar
44 ~ nothing ~ replenish petty cash $5
45 ~ 10 lbs. powdered milk
46 ~ 4 tomato soup, 10 lbs powdered milk
47 ~ 10 lbs powdered milk
48 ~ 4 mushroom soup, 4 tomato soup
49 ~ 7 cans tomato soup
50 ~ 7 cans mushroom soup, 1 lb. yeast
51 ~ 20 lbs. sugar, 1 box salt
52 ~ nothing ~ replenish petty cash $5

Hopefully this will inspire others to start or replenish their food storage. Good luck!

Here are a few of the best newspaper subscription deals for getting multiple coupons. Keep coming back as I’ll be adding more deals as I get the scoop on them. Also, if you know of a deal that isn’t listed here, let me know and I’ll add it in!

Arizona
Phoenix
Newspaper: Arizona Republic
Cost:
Monday – Sunday: $17.77 per month
Monday – Sunday + 1 Extra Sunday: $22.10 per month
Monday – Sunday + 2 Extra Sundays: $26.44 per month
Monday – Sunday + 3 Extra Sundays: $30.77 per month
Monday – Sunday + 4 Extra Sundays: $ 35.10 per month
Monday – Sunday + 5 Extra Sundays: $39.44 per month BEST DEAL – Maximize your savings!
Call: (602) 444-1000 or (800) 332-6733 or subscribe online.

Idaho
Idaho Falls
Newspaper: Post Register
Subscription: One daily paper and five Sunday papers
Cost: 20.00
Call: 208-542-6777 or 1-800-574-6397

Pocatello
Newspaper: Idaho State Journal
Subscription: One daily paper and five Sunday papers
Cost: 18.00
Call: (208) 232-6150

Utah
Ogden
Newspaper: Standard Examiner
Subscription: One daily paper and either three or five Sunday papers
Cost: 15.49 for three 18.99 a month for five
Call: (801) 625-4400 or (800) 651-2105 or Mike Eames at 801-625-4415

Salt Lake
Newspaper: Salt Lake Tribune
Subscription: One Friday through Sunday paper
Cost: 26 weeks for 26.oo or 52 weeks for 39.00
Contact: 801-204-6100 and use either code 26/26 or 52/39.
Caveats: Offer only available to subscribers who have not subscribed to the Salt Lake Tribune in the last 60 days.

Most of us already know what a great way using coupons to save money, especially on groceries. However, there are other strategies that PYP member momtonathanandtwins is willing to share to help you stretch your food buying power.

Join a Local Non-Profit Food Co-Op

For a very reasonable price (usually less than $30), one buys a share, then your share gives you 5-6 lb of meat 5 lb of fruit, 5 lb of veggies, fresh baked bread, pasta or rice. Definitely worth more than $30 retail of food!
Below is an example of from momtonathanandtwins blog describing her 2- shares for $67.

Items Include:

Here is what I (momtonathanandtwins) picked up today and I’ll post my cost at the bottom:
2 lbs Top Sirloin Fajita Strips
4 lbs Chicken Drumsticks
4 lbs Sirloin Pork Roast
2 lbs Lean Ground Beef
2 lbs rice
2 loaves Artisan Wheat Bread
11 Fuji Apples
11 Pears10 Oranges
2 Romain Lettuce
7 Red Bell Peppers
10 Tomatoes
5 Avocados
2 2lb. Bag of Carrots
1 head of cauliflower
2 Chapparro’s brand 5 beef tamales
Tagge’s brand mild salsa 16 oz
Aptera’s brand extra virgin olive oil 34 fl oz all for $67.50

How does the co-op afford this? Simply individuals volunteer time and use local resources to maintain high quality products to feed the largest number possible. For Utah residents, see https://www.crossroads-u-c.org/cfc/the_basics/how_to_join.html for details. For outside of Utah, see https://www.coopdirectory.org/ or https://www.angelfoodministries.com/

Join Community Supported Agriculture

This is an AWESOME idea! An individual “subscribes” to a farm by giving a set $ amount to the farmer in the spring when the farmer needs resources the most. Then, when harvest begins, usually first of July, the subscriber receives a weekly bounty of fresh fruits and veggies, usually for 13 to 15 weeks. Costs and variety of harvest vary by farm. See https://www.localharvest.org/csa/ for participating farm locations, pricing and details.

Grow One’s Own Garden

This might seem simple, but it can take time and space. Live in an apartment? Try container gardening or for more ideas and helpful hints, be sure to check out PYP’s gardening forum .

Visit your local bread or bakery outlet store.

I make a monthly trip to the Sara Lee bread bakery outlet store which sells the only wheat bread that is made with whole wheat flour and no high fructose corn syrup at a discount that ALL my family will eat. (Yes, I should be making it, but I am still mastering my breadmaking skills). My sliced bread of choice retails in stores for $3.29, but I purchase it at the bread outlet store for $1 to $1.25 per loaf. So I buy 8 loafs at a time and freeze them. The savings are evident.

By planning ahead, using coupons and adding an alternative idea or two from the list above, one can extend their grocery buying power while adding healthy nutritious food to your family’s diets. (Thanks to momtonathanandtwins for all the great ideas!)

An inferior Salt Lake City based coupon website that is really more of mockery couponing in a green apron suggests a weekly menu. However the menu is not only lacking in nutritional value and taste, it simply is lacking period. For example, a suggested lunch of grilled cheese sandwiches will be lacking bread. HUH? Yeah, no bread!

So let me offer you a more comprehensive, nutritionally sound, tasty and frugal menu created around the Utah Albertson’s shopping list from Pinching Your Pennies for only $60!

***Please note that prices shown reflect final sale prices from PYP’s printable Albertson’s shopping list the week of 2/18 to 2/24.

Day 1~
Breakfast: General Mills Cereal (GM sale item), milk
Lunch: Progresso Soup (2 cans, GM sale item) side salad (1/2 bag) dressing from food storage
Dinner: Hamburgers (save 1 ½ lb for Day 2 lunch), Albies Chips, grapes

Day 2~
Breakfast: Muffins (GM sale item), Sliced Apples
Lunch: Grand Biscuit (GM sale item) Sliders, Albie chips
Dinner: Pork Shoulder Roast (save some for Day 4 dinner), Baked Potatoes, Del Monte Veggies- Corn & Green Beans

Day 3~
Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs & Grand Biscuits (GM sale item), Bananas
Lunch: Shopper Value Mac n Cheese (2 boxes), ½ lb grapes
Dinner: Baked Chicken Thighs, Sauted Tomatoes & Zucchini, Side Salad w/Dressing (from food storage)

Day 4~
Breakfast: General Mills Cereal (GM sale item), Milk, Welchs Grape Juice
Lunch: Progresso Soup (GM sale item), Grilled Cheese & Tomato Sandwiches, Sliced Oranges
Dinner: Carnita Tacos, Spanish Rice, Refried Beans

Day 5~
Breakfast: Toaster Strudels (GM sale item), sliced oranges & bananas
Lunch: Tuna Sandwiches, sliced apples
Dinner: Mini pizzas, fruit salad

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Shopping List (click on it for more details)

Recipes for menu items above available upon request.

If you’ve never before used Walgreens’ rebate system because you just never remember to turn in those pesky receipts, now is a great time to try the wonderful world of Free After Rebate. All you do is log in, enter your receipt, and request your gift card.

If the screen shots below are too small, simply click an image to view a larger version in a separate screen.

1. First, go to Walgreens’ website and under the EasySaver catalog section click, “See Current Rebates.”
2. Next, click on “Claim Rebates.”
3. The website will ask you to log in. If you’ve already created an account, just log in. If you haven’t created an account yet, you’ll need to choose the create one option on this screen.
4. Choose “start/add receipt”
5. Choose the rebates that you qualify for based on the receipt(s) you’re going to enter.

6. Scroll down and click “continue.”

7. Next, it will ask you to enter the number at the top of your Walgreens receipt. Enter the number and choose “Save Receipt.”

8. Once the receipt has been saved, it will offer you the options to add another receipt (do this if you have more receipts to enter), to save and return later after you’ve purchased more items that qualify for rebates (do this if you’re not finished with the month’s shopping yet), or to continue (do this ONLY if you’re done with all your rebate shopping for the month and you’re ready to request your rebate).

9. Next it will ask you what form you want to receive your rebate in. If you choose cash, they’ll send you a check. If you choose to have them either reload an existing gift card or send you a new gift card, they’ll add a 10% bonus to your rebate.

10. Finally, finalize your request.

11. You’ll get a confirmation screen. You should get your refund within a couple of days.

PYP’s chat room is a great place for newbies (and oldies) to spend some time. There are often experienced couponers there, and they’re always available for tips, hints, explanations, and quick Q&A sessions. Accessing the chat room is easy!

1. While logged in to PYP, click on the “VBChat” button on the top navigation bar.

2. This will automatically take you into the chat room, where you can simply begin chatting by typing your message in the white window that says “Post Message.” Press enter, and your message will appear in the chat window. Other people can then see it and respond; their answers will also appear in the chat window.

3. To send a private chat message to someone, find them in the “Who’s in chat” window on the right-hand sidebar and click on “Send Private Chat Message.” This will automatically place “private chat” prompt in the chat bar, and you can type your message there and press enter.

4. Your message will appear in the chat window, but it will be visible only to you and the person you’re private chatting with. When they reply to you privately, their chat will likewise appear only to the two of you.

There you have it! You can chat with the whole group, or with just an individual. Chatting is a fun, fast, and easy way to have your questions answered or to get to know other PYPers quickly. We hope to see you there!

Other posts in the PYP Communication Features series:

How to Instant Message People Away from PYP
How to Send and Receive Private Messages