Yankee Candle~ $10 off a $20 purchase

Here’s a great coupon offering from Yankee Candle: Save $10 off your purchase of $20 or more.  You can also use this coupon online, just use the code XF912A2. This coupon expires 12/13.

Photo mug for $6.49 shipped

I ordered a few of these mugs for our families for Christmas.  Not a bad price for a personalized mug and I thought they turned out very nice.

Seehere has photo mug for just $6.49 shipped! The 11 oz plain mug ($6.49) or tiled mug ($6.99) is 50% off with code nicolesnickels and that comes with FREE shipping! The code is valid through December 13, 2009.

You can also get 100 free prints if you’re a new customer at SeeHere. Just use the code prints!

Hallmark Gold Crown Stores~ $5 off purchase [reset & print again!]

You should be able to print this one again!  I used this yesterday & got some Christmas cards so almost free.  I'll be going back tomorrow to get a few more cards.

This very popular $5/$5 Hallmark coupon has been reset and you should be able to go here and print it two more times per computer!  Use this to buy items which are close to $5 and you'll get them almost free!

FREE iTunes Christmas music

You've got to love something FREE this time of year!  The songs are actually from great artists too & a couple who I've never heard of.  I'm looking forward to listening to this.

iTunes is offering a free Holiday Music Sampler download. 20 songs total:

O Come All Ye Faithful – Amy Grant
The First Noel – David Archuleta
Silent Night – Sarah McLachlan
Carol of the Bells/Jingle Bells – Barry Manilow
It Snowed – Meaghan Smith
Above the Northern Lights – Manheim Steamroller
Baby It’s Cold Outside – Lady Antebellum
We Three Kings – Toby Keith
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen – Rascal Flatts
Silent Night – Wynonna
12 Days of Christmas – Mexicani Marimba Band
We Wish You a Merry Christmas – Weezer
A Snowflake Fell (and It Felt Like a Kiss) – Glasvegas
Another Christmas Song – Stephen Colbert
Greensleeves – Vince Guaraldi
Dream a Dream – Charlotte Church
The Nutcracker, Op. 71, Act 2: Character Dances – Kirov Orchestra & Valery Gergiev
Angels We Have Heard on High – Aretha Franklin
O Holy Night – Musiq Soulchild
Auld Lang Syne – The Lonesome Travelers

Go here to get it, and click on Free Download. You will need to have iTunes installed on your computer.

Jamba Juice~ $1 oatmeal!

Stop by your local Jamba Juice and pick up a nice warming cup of steel-cut oatmeal for only one dollar. Just bring this printable coupon with you. This offer runs from 12/7-12/11.

Gymboree~ 25% off everything plus FREE shipping

Limited time only! Check it out here.

Robeez deal

Here’s a great deal! Robeez.com has some select styles on sale right now. Prices start at $12.99 plus they are offering Free Shipping on any order through 12/9. The Original Robeez are normally around $30 so this is a great price.

ESPN Magazine deal!!

ESPN Magazine is just $14.97 for 1 Year (Down from $129.74/1 year). This would make a great gift for a guy that’s hard to buy for, or already has everything!  What a savings!!!

Freebies...

Go here to download a copy of the 50 Favorite Christmas Cookies ebook with over 99 pages of delicious Christmas cookie inspiration!

Get a free copy of A Christmas Adventure--a 63-page ebook full of kid-friendly Christmas crafts, recipes, and stories from Scripture Adventures--when you go here and put A Christmas Adventure in your cart and then use moneysavingmom as the coupon code at checkout.

Family Fun magazine deal

Do you need an inexpensive gift for one of your mom friends or family members????  Check this awesome deal out... Go here and use the promo code RedTag at checkout to get 10 issues of Family Fun magazine for $3.56.  What a super present that comes the entire year. 

HOT~ Hallmark $5 off coupon

This is a great coupon because it doesn't require a minimum purchase.  Get holiday cards, wrapping paper, etc.  Happy (free) shopping!!!
You can print two coupons [per computer] to save $5 on your total purchase at Hallmark that you can use anytime until December 24. It's only valid at Hallmark Gold Crown stores.

FREE Disney UP Soundtrack today only

Get a free download of the UP movie soundtrack by Disney. Enter the code latimesdisney to download it today only (Thursday, Dec. 3). The download is a Zip file that is 90.1 MB.

Swagbucks pays off!!

So you've 'heard' me rave about Swagbucks a couple of times.  It's a search engine just like Google, Yahoo, etc. but you earn Swagbucks.  When you earn a certain amount you can buy gift cards, prizes, you name it.  The best bang for your buck are the Amazon gift cards.  Amazon had or may still have certain magazine subscriptions for $5 for a year!!!  So two of my lucky (hard to buy for) friends ;) will be getting them for Christmas.   I used two of my $5 Amazon gift cards earned thru Swagbucks to make the purchases.  Pretty cool to get two Christmas presents for FREE!!  Don't tell them though ;)

If you want to sign up, I'd LOVE for you to use my referral link :)
http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/mommy2austin

Here is a summary of my order of the magazines:

Order Summary
Items: $10.00
Shipping & Handling: $0.00
Total Before Tax: $10.00
Estimated Tax:* $0.00
Total: $10.00
Gift Certificate/Card: -$10.00
Order Total: $0.00

A few Cyber Monday posts

I'm not feeling very well today so I'm just going to post a few links to some great deals on the web.  Happy shopping & grabbing some good deals! :)   I'm sure I'm missing a million deals but here are a few to keep you busy.

Gap & Old Navy~ 20% off today plus FREE shipping

Real Simple, House Beautiful & Southern Living magazines for $5 thru Dec. 1st!!!

At Staples, Durcell batteries for FREE!!! 

****At SeeHere, there are FREE photo cards.  I received our order over the weekend & we were very impressed with the quality.  I loved that you could adjust the pictures around on the card & so much more. Highly recommend them!  You'll have to do this freebie by TODAY!!!!!!****

Restaurant.com gift cards are 80% off today.  $25 gift cards for $2!!  Use code SAVE and Pay $2 thru 11/30/09



Victoria Secrets~ 3 sweaters & 1 scarf for $31

Snapfish... As Seen on Rachael Ray. Save 50% on photo books and help Rachael feed the hungry til 12/2

***Feed it Forward thru Restaurant.com   I've sent several of these free $10 of these gift cards.  
From now through 12/25 you can give a $10 Restaurant.com gift certificate to up to 30 people every day for completely FREE. In this initiative called “Feed It Forward” by Restaurant.com, the website has 3 million $10 Gift certificates available for you and me to gift to friends, family, coworkers, neighbors, whoever we wish. There are 5,000 restaurants participating and with the chance to give daily to up to 30 people a day!!

HOT DEAL!!! ING Direct~ open an account and receive free $$$!!!

**THIS DEAL IS ONLY GOOD FOR TODAY!**

ING Direct is running a really great promotion today 11/27 only when you open an Electric Orange Account directly through ING Direct. You can have $121 deposited after 50 days of opening the account into your account if you follow these steps:

Visit ING Direct and open an Electric Orange Checking Account using reference code EOSAVE.

Use your debit card and make three signature transactions within the first 45 days (a signature transaction means you will have to sign at checkout)

On Day 50 you should see the $121 deposited into your account.

What an awesome return on your money for such little effort. This is only available today so don’t wait!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I hope you have a wonderful day with your family and/or friends.  We have so much to be thankful for!!!!

Enjoy the day!!!

Target Black Friday ad

The Target Black Friday ad is now viewable online. According to the ad, Target stores open at 5 AM on Friday.
Here are a few of great deals:
* Get a FREE Marcel Wanders for Target reusable bag to the first 500 customers (per store)
* Get a $10 gift card with any $100 purchase in store (valid 5AM-noon)
* TOM TOM XL 340 S GPS with Case - $97/ea

* RCA 7" Dual Screen Portable DVD Player - $88/ea

* Get a $20 Target Gift Card when you buy Sony Blu-Ray Player at $149.99/ea

* Get a $15 Target Gift Card when you buy an 8GB IPod Nano

* Get a $20 Target Gift Card when you buy a Nintendo Dsi Bundle (blue & white - see details here) for $169.99/ea

* Get a $10 Target Gift Card when you buy Wii Sports Resort, Mario and Sonic at $49.99 plus other games priced $59.99 and less

* Mega Blocks 100 piece value bag - $9.99/ea


* LeapFrog Fridge Phonics - $9.99/ea

* LeapFrog ClickStart My First Computer - $19.99/ea

* LeapFrog ClickStart Software - $7.49/ea

* Leapster Software - $15/ea

* Embark 6 piece luggage set - $34

* Men or Women's C9 by Champion Fleece Jackets - $15, Kids - $10, Infant & Toddler - $8

View the complete ad here.

CVS Black Friday deals

Here are a few of the great deals at CVS on Friday.  These would be super to donate, send to the troops or keep for yourself.

St. Ives Body Wash - $3.99/ea

Get $3 in Extra Care Bucks when you buy 1 (limit 1)
Use $1/1 in 11/15 Smart Source insert
Final Price = $2.99/ea; It's like getting this for FREE with ECBs

Vaseline Sheer Infusion Lotion - $7.99/ea
Get $7.99 in Extra Care Bucks when you buy 1 (limit 1)
Use $1.50/1 here (IE) or here (FF) or
Use $1/1 in 10/18 Red Plum insert
Final Price = $6.49-6.99/ea; It's like getting this for FREE + overage with ECBs

Degree Ultra Clear Deodorant (Women) - $4/ea
Get $4 in Extra Bucks when you buy 1 (limit 1)
Use $1/1 here or in 9/13 Red Plum insert
Final Price = $3/ea; It's like getting this for FREE + overage with ECBs

Schick Quattro Razor or Refills - $9.99/ea
Get $8 in ECBs when you buy 1 (limit 1)
Use $2/1 in 11/22 Smart Source insert
Final Price = $7.99/ea; It's like getting this for FREE with ECBs

Bic Soleil Razor $6.99/ea

Get $5 in ECBs when you buy 1 (limit 2)
Use $2/1 here (IE) or here (FF) or in 11/15 Smart Source insert
Final Price = $4.99/ea; It's like getting this for FREE with ECBs

Great Kraft cheese coupons

Check out these great New Kraft Cheese Coupons:   If you grocery store double coupons, most of these are super deals combined with store sales. :)


$0.55/1 Knudsen Sour Cream

$0.55/2 Philadelphia Cream Cheese

$0.55/1 Velveeta Cheese

$1.00/2 Kraft Natural or Cracker Barrel Cheese

75% Vista Print now thru Monday

Here’s a great deal on Holiday Cards. Get 75% off Holiday Cards at Vista Print through Monday! That gives you plentyof time to get the family together tomorrow and get a picture, and still get your cards ordered. Prices start at just $3.74 after the 75% Discount!

Click Here to Order your Holiday Cards!
You can also get 100 Free Postcards and enclose them in envelopes. I think you will pay around $6 in shipping for all 100 which is also a great deal.
Click Here to Order Post Cards!
Hurry! The 75% off Holiday Cards expires on Monday!

50% off Gap Sweaters and 20% of coupon code

The Gap Savings are beginning. Today through Sunday 11/29 you can get 50% off All Sweaters when you shop Gap Online!

Plus, Use Code: GAP20 at Checkout for an additional 20% off your Purchase! Click Here to Take a Look.

FREE Betty Crocker Calendar

For a limited time... Sign up here for a free Betty Crocker 2010 calendar.

Annie's products

Go here to print a coupon for $1/1 Annie's cereal or $0.50/1 Annie's product. If your store doubles $0.50/1 coupons, you might be able to score some very inexpensive Annie's macaroni and cheese with the $0.50/1 coupon

Pinkberry~ Buy 1 Get 1 Free

Print a coupon here for a free small yogurt when you buy another. This coupon is valid November 27-December 11, 2009.

Johnny Rockets meal deal

Print coupons here for a free shake with any entree purchase or a free hamburger with any entree and drink purchase at Johnny Rockets. These coupons expire December 31, 2009.

Feeding a family for $75 a week!

I have read amazing things about this book~ Family Feasts for $75 a week.  The mom who wrote this book has TEN kids (yikes!) and feeds her family for only $75 a week!  I don't have this book yet but it's going on my Amazon wish list.  It's very inexpensive (less than $13!) and would be a super gift for someone you know. :)

Home Sweet Home!!

After about 36 long hours at the hospital, I am home and more importantly painfree from all the nerve pain!!!!  YAHOOOOO!  Now I need to recover & rest from the incision in my back.  Since I'll be rest a lot in the next couple of weeks, I hope to be posting a lot of great deals!! :)

tons & tons & tons of Black Friday Ads

This should keep you busy for a while.  Happy shopping & saving

Going to be MIA for a little while

As some of you know, I'm going in for back surgery tomorrow morning.  I'm so excited to have it & be painfree.  Hopefully I'll be home in a couple of days & feeling good and happy again.  I'll be back posting soon.

Happy Thanksgiving!!  I have a lot to be thankful for this year!!!

Bath & Body Works deal

Bring this printable coupon to Bath & Body Works by 12/24 to get a free item of your choice (up to a $13 value) with any $10 purchase. This offer excludes 3-wick candles, Scentbug and gift sets.

Bath & Body Works also has some great deals right now too, like $3 anti-bacterial hand soaps and $5 lotions, both of which make fantastic stocking stuffers.
Plus, stop by on Black Friday in-store and online to get a VIP Bag with 10 products for $15 with any $40 purchase. Inside the VIP Bag you’ll find lotions, shower gels, lip care items and more.

Amazon~ 3 FREE mp3 songs

Go here to get 3 free MP3s from Amazon.com. And don't forget to sign up for your free month of Amazon Prime, too!

SeeHere Photo Deals!!

I order 100 Christmas cards last night thru this site for about $6!!!  I was extremely happy with the options & editting details.

Today and Tomorrow SeeHere.com is having a 50% sale on all items excluding prints, plus free shipping on all photo books and gift and orders of 60 or more prints. To get the discount enter the code 2DAY at check out.

Here are a few of the half-price deals you’ll be able to grab at SeeHere:
-Mini Photo Book (24 pages): $2.50
-Onesie: $7.50
-Puzzle (7” x 10”): $6.50
-Soft Bound Photo Book (20 pages): $3
-Wall Calendar (12 month): $10


I might be doing the last of my Christmas shopping tomorrow with these great deals!!!

FREE 3 year subscription to Town & Country magazine

Get a FREE 3-Year subscription to Town & Country Magazine from Rewards Gold HERE! Complete the short survey and your magazine will be on it's way with absolutely NO STRINGS attached ~ FREE!

$10 Shutterfly Gift Card Offer

Register for Parenting.com's Baby & Child Model Search and receive a FREE $10 credit to Shutterfly! There is no need to upload a photo, you'll receive the credit just for registering. After registering, you'll receive a code that you can add to your Shutterfly account. The code is good through November 15, 2010!

I just did it & it worked!!! :)  I usually buy our family calendars thru Shutterfly so a little discount is nice treat.

Butternut squash

I bought a butternut squash yesterday at Trader Joes. Now I'm trying to decide what I should make for dinner tonight.

I've made this risotto from Giada from Food Network before.  This risotto tastes more like a dessert because it uses a vanilla bean.  You could you vanilla extract too.  Risottos are a lot of work but this is soooo worth it!

Or I might might this Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter Sage Sauce. 

decisions decisions

Mini pumpkin muffins

I love pumpkin!! My son loves muffins too!!  I'm going to make these in the next couple of days. 

Spicey tomato tuna pasta

I have made this several times.  It's so quick & easy.  I get in a rut and we always eat chicken & beef.  I'm not a big fish eat but enjoy tuna.  This is also a very reasonable meal to cook.

This is from my favorite gal, Rachael Ray.  

p.s.  I do not use the anchovy paste but if you like it go for it.

Lots & lots & lots of crockpot recipes

I was looking thru all my "favorites" websites on computer & stumbled across this website full of tons of crockpot recipes.   Enjoy!!

Mini meatball & veggie soup

I was craving meatballs & decided to mix it into a soup.  My son loved the meatballs & we loved the soup.  The potatoes were a different change than the usual pasta in soups. 

My usual disclaimer... I didn't measure anything in this recipe.

Mini Meatball & Veggie Soup
•1/2 lb. ground beef  [I used 1 lb.]
•1/2 c. breadcrumbs
•1 egg
•1 T. Parmesan cheese  [I used more :)]
•1/2 t. garlic powder
•Salt and pepper, to taste
•1 t. olive oil
•1 small onion, sliced
•4 cloves garlic, minced
•1 c. carrots, thinly sliced or shredded
•1 lb. potatoes, cubed
•5 c. chicken stock  [I used about 3 cups of beef broth & 2 cups of water]
•1 T. Italian seasoning  [any mix of oregano, sage, thyme, etc. will work]
•1 lb. chopped spinach  [I used frozen & thawed spinach]

**I added the following items too... diced mushrooms, diced zucchini & celery.

1. Combine the ground beef, bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder and salt & pepper to taste. Mix with hands and roll into small meatballs, about 2 dozen total. Set aside.

2. In a large sauce pan or stockpot, heat olive oil. Add onion and garlic. [If you add more veggies like I did you should cook them now too.]  Cook for 2 minutes. Add mini meatballs and cook until evenly browned. Stir in carrots and potatoes.

3. Add chicken stock and Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Just before serving, stir in spinach and cook an additional 2-3 minutes, until heated through.

$10 off a Honey Baked Ham

Click here to get a coupon for $10 off a Honeybaked Ham (8lb+).  These are sooo delicious!!

Free subscription to Town & Country magazine

Get a free no-strings 3 year subscription to Town & Country magazine here.

TRU~ Star Wars deal

Starting today 11/20 from 3pm-midnight and going through tomorrow 11/21 7am-1pm Toys R Us is having a doorbuster sale:

Star Wars figures 2/$11.99 x 4 = $23.98
-$5/$20 printable coupon here
Final Price: 4/$18.98 or $4.75 each

Berry printable coupon!!

Go here to print a coupon for $1 off Driscoll's berries! We usually do not see coupons for fruit. I would not wait too long to print this one!

FREE Sample of Millstone coffee

Click here to request a free sample of Millstone Coffee

Del Taco~ Buy 1 Big Fat Chicken Taco Get 1 FREE

This would make for a cheap lunch.  Bring this printable coupon in to Del Taco to get a free Big Fat Chicken Taco when you buy a Big Fat Chicken Taco. This offer expires 1/5

Starbucks~ Spend $15 and get a CD free

Spend $15 at Starbucks and get a free “All You Need is Love” CD, featuring exclusive tracks from U2, Dave Matthews Band, John Legend and more.

El Pollo Loco deal

Get a FREE 2-Piece Flame-Grilled Chicken Meal when you purchase any 2-, 3- or 4-Piece Meal. This offer expires 11/30

Toys R Us~ Mr. Potato Head deal is good!!

I went to Babies R Us this afternoon & was able to snag two Mr. Potato Heads.  $4 and some change for two Mr. Potato Heads!

Mr. Potato Head is part of a Doorbuster Deal at Toys R Us, so he’ll be priced at $3.99 starting at 3 p.m. today (11/20) through 1 p.m. tomorrow (11/21). So with the $2/1 printable coupon you’ll get him for extra cheap!

CVS trip~ 10/20

I had a random but very good trip to CVS today.  I didn't use my $5 ECB which would have made my out of pocket much lower.  Oh well.  I can use them next week.

here is what I got...
--Kleenex = $1 minus a 75 cent coupon= 25 cents!!
--One bag of 18 mini boxes of raisins= 29 cents!!!!!
--1 deodorant= $2.99 minus $2 coupon plus $1 ECB= free
-- 1 Covergirl foundation= $13   1 Covergirl blush=$10.  I had a coupon for buy 1 foundation get 1 blush free.  So they took $10 off PLUS I got $10 in ECB for buying them both.  crazy huh!  I payed $13 for both [but got $10 in ECB]
--1 bag of misc hair products, barretts, pony tail holders, etc.= $19.99 marked down to $2.99.   Unbeknownst to me it was on clearance for .29!!!!!!!!!!!! 

I had a $4 off a $20 purchase coupon too

I paid about $16 for all of this BUT I got $15 in ECBs!! Not bad for $1

Vons trip~ 11/20

I had this Vons trip well planned out.  I'm going to be having back surgery this coming Tuesday so I wanted to make sure we were well stocked.  I took advantage of their in ad coupons plus stacking manufacturer coupons.  Plus they have a deal right now if you spend $25 is participating products, you get $5 back.  I did this a week or so ago too.  I rolled that $5 into this trip.  Also if you spend over $25, turkeys are very cheap.  I got a 12 lb. turkey for $5!  I did the diaper deal deal.  I bought 4 packs for $7.99 with coupon in ad plus I had $2 off coupons.  It came to $5.99 for a jumbo pack of diapers plus I also saved $5.50 in e-coupons which makes one pack almost free.

E-coupons.... Another HUGE savings were e-coupons.  [If I already explained this in another post.  I'm sorry!  Back pain & 'good' drugs are making me loopy!!]   I haven't really talked about them much but all you need to do is sign up & add your club card number for the grocery store.  Just click "save to card" and you're done.   I usually add them all because I never know what kind of deal will be out there.  The ecoupons vary by zip code.  You can use the ecoupons PLUS paper/normal coupons for items!!!!! :)   The ecoupons are automatically loaded onto your grocery card so when you swipe or enter your card at the grocery store, if you buy any items they automatically come off your receipt!!! 

I find that Vons has the most ecoupons.  Ralphs is OK & I don't think Albertsons has any.  Here are the three I use Cellfire.com, Shortcuts.com and a new one Softcoin.com.     I don't recall what product I bought today but it had an ecoupon from EACH of the three sites plus I had a paper/normal coupon which doubled!!!! Yahoooo!   I hope this all makes sense.



With the ecoupons alone, I saved $10.05!!!

I received $11.50 in Catalina for a future visit.  Essentially free money.   Companies run deals when you buy "X" amount of a product you get $X back for a future visit.  The 'I can't believe it's butter' sticks were $1.99.  I bought 4.  I had $1 off coupons for each plus I got a $4 Catalina so 4 boxes of butter were FREE!!

Yes, I went a tad crazy with the Hawaiian rolls.  I LOVE those!!  We'll be bring them for Thanksgiving & Christmas.  I also love making sliders with them.  They were $1.49 each!  A super deal & yummmmy!

The granola bars were 50 cents a box!!  Ghirardelli chocolate chips were $1.89 a super price plus I had a $1 off coupon.   3 bottles of soda for $1!  Ok, no more boring details.  Sorry if I put you to sleep.

I just realized that they didn't take my coupon for my bacon which would have saved me over $4! grrrrrr!

Note:  the cookie mix & frostings aren't us.  It's for a MOMS Club service project.  I just realized that I did get quite a few junk items though... comfort foods. :)

I spent $74.22 for ALL of this plus I got $11.50 in Catalina coupons.

I saved over $145!!!!!!! :)

Philosophy~ gingerbread sample

I'm a BIG time Philosophy girl!!  Love it all!!   Become a fan on Facebook, then click “Go To Application” button on the left side and fill out the form to get your free sample!! :)  I can't wait to get mine.

Old Navy~ Gobble Palooza sale

Old Navy is shaking things up this year with Gobblepalooza, a 3 day sale event starting on Thanksgiving day! You can check out all the details at Gobblepalooza.com You can also Customize your very own $10 off a $50 purchase coupon good on Thanksgiving Day only by using the super cool Band Name Generator to make up a band name and logo.


Thursday 11/26 – 50% off All Outerwear

Friday 11/27 – $15 Adult Jeans, Kids Frost Free Jackets, and Adult Sweaters

Saturday 11/28 – $5 Fleece Blankets and $5 Thermals plus $2 Stockings

Starting Today you can print a $10/$50 Coupon good for Thanksgiving Day when you visit Gobblepalooza.com!
You can also get a Complete Set of Coupons Good During December when you share this Old Navy Promotion with 5 or more people!

Fri. & Sat. Door Buster Sale at Toys R Us~ Mr. Potato Head

Toys R Us is having even more great sales starting tomorrow! You can see the Ad here.

Mr. Potato Head will be just $3.99

Use the $2.00/1 Coupon available on Coupons.com

= $1.99 after Coupon and Doorbuster!!

What a great deal for a Stocking, a Birthday Gift, or to Donate to Toys for Tots!

Huggies deal at Vons

I'm hoping to take advantage of this great steal tomorrow. The details are here.  I'll be stocking up on some overnights which are usually pretty spendy.

Retail stores shopping time

Here are some great coupons for in-store or online to help you save for your holiday shopping.


Coach Outlet 20%. It expires November 22.

Ann Taylor Loft or Factory Stores 15% off coupon. Both are valid through November 22.

Gap.com 25% PLUS FREE Shipping! Use code GIFT123. Valid through November 22.

Gap 20% in-store or online (use code GAP20). Expires January 30!
Express $10 off $30 purchase in-store or online. Valid through November 22.
Skinstore.com 20% entire purchase. Use code HOL20
OldNavy.com get 15% off a $75 purchase or 25% off a $100 purchase. Use code ONSAVE15. Valid through November 24.

Beef & Bean Crescent Pie

I had some (reduced fat) crescent rolls from a recent sale in the frig & decided to make a Mexican type pizza for dinner tonight.  I found this recipe but tweaked it quite a bit.  It was very good & very adjustable depending on what you like.  Note:  I didn't measure anything.

1 1/4 pounds ground beef  [I used only about 1 lb.]
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning  [I just used cumin, garlic powder, chili powder & pepper]
1/3 cup salsa  [I used one can of canned roasted tomatoes]
1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls  [I used reduced fat to save a little calories] :)
4 ounces cream cheese, softened  [I used light sour cream instead]
1/2 cup refried beans  [I used an entire can]
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese or Cheddar cheese

I also added:  one chopped onion, one chopped zucchini & a cup of roasted corn.  I sauted these with the meat after it was cooked.  You could use regular corn too.  I topped with avocado.

other things you could add:  green chilis, bell peppers, cilantro, green onions, etc.

1.In a large skillet, cook the beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add taco seasoning and salsa; simmer, uncovered, until thickened. Meanwhile, unroll crescent roll dough. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish; seal perforations. [I cooked the cresent rolls for about 4 minutes before adding the topping so it wouldn't get soggy from adding the toppings] Spread cream cheese over the dough.

2.Stir the refried beans into beef mixture. Spoon over cream cheese layer. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Sprinkle with cheese; bake 5 minutes longer or until the cheese is melted.

Military mail for Heroes

What a wonderful and easy way to send some good thoughts to our amazing troops fighting overseas.

The Red Cross has a great program to help lift the spirits of servicemen and women who are overseas during the upcoming holidays. By participating in Holiday Mail for Heroes, you and your children can do a lot of good with just a little time and effort.  They request that people do not send care packages, monetary gifts, glitter or include any inserts with the cards.
Next month, the mail will be distributed to members of the military and veterans in the U.S. and overseas. Cards will only be accepted now through December 7th. Any mail received after that date will be returned to sender.
All you have to do is buy a holiday card, address it (on the inside) to Any Serviceman or Woman, write some words of encouragement and well wishes, and mail it to:
Holiday Mail for Heroes
P.O. Box 5456
Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456

Bath & Body Works deal

Bath & Body Works has a new coupon for a free trial size signature collection item. Make any purchase and get this great freebie worth up to $5. The coupon is good through 12/2/09.  This would be great for stocking stuffers and gift baskets!

Update: Deal DEAD!! FREE custom photo ornament with free shipping too!!

11/15/09 at 9:30pm... I just read that the website crashed & the deal is dead.  Ughhhh!!!! :(

How great would this be to give to a grandparent or someone special!!  I can't wait to make ours.  I don't know how long the code is good for so don't wait too long.


Here's how to get a free custom photo Christmas ornament:
::Go here and login in or sign up. Then click on "Photo Gifts" and then on "Ornaments".

::Choose between the two ornaments which are $12.99 and create your custom photo ornament. Only the $12.99 ornaments work for this promo code so be sure that is the price of what you add to your cart otherwise it won't work.
::Go to checkout and use promo code mallornament and it should take your total down to $0.00.  [I read that this code works better if you retype it instead of cutting & pasting it into the spot]
::Checkout paying nothing for your free ornament!
 
p.s.  If you happen to have more than one login you might be able to get more than one free ornament ;)

Chick-fil-a gift card & calendar deal

This is a pretty sweet deal. You can get a free 2010 Chick-Fil-A Calendar that includes a lot of great coupons when you purchase a $20 Chick-Fil-A gift card. You can use the gift card along with the coupons to stretch your savings when you go out to eat.  I know someone that is going to love this great deal!!!!
Coupons Include:
January – Free Chick-Fil-A Chicken Biscuit or Small Bowl of Hearty Breast of chicken soup
February – Free Large Sprite
March – Free Chick-n-strips (3ct)
April – Free Medium Lemonade
May – Free Small Hand-spun Milkshake
June – Free Dasani Bottled Water and Free Small Fruit Cup
July – Free Chick-Fil-A Chicken Salad Sandwich
August – Free Large Coca-Cola Zero
September – Free Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich

October – Free Large Coke
November – Free Large Diet Coke
December – Free Chick-n-minis (3ct) or Free Large Waffle Fries

Krispy Kreme calendar with coupons

The next time you stop in to Krispy Kreme, keep an eye out for new 2010 calendars that are priced at $5. They should have $75 in coupons inside! Get all the details here and a list of locations.

Taste of Home cookbook deal

This would make great Christmas presents for the cook in your family.  There are a number of Taste at Home cookbooks on sale here for just $5! These are typically about $25 and the recipes are very good. They usually have lots of pictures too.  To make the deal even better you can use the following promo codes:

Code 1062 for $1 shipping
Code L9F17 for 20% off and free shipping for orders of $40 or more.
Code LST02 for free shipping on orders of $20 or more.

If you use Shop at Home here you'll get 10% back on this purchase! If you haven’t registered you also get a $5 bonus! So just register and type in taste of Home and you will go directly to the site to shop.
Be careful if you order these as gifts because some of them are a few years old. I bought these cookbooks before and they said Merry Christmas 2008 on the inside cover.

Can you help our local food banks?

I read this article in this morning's OC Register and it broke my heart.  I'm so thankful for all that we have and especially food during this tough economic time.  Are you in a group, school, etc. that would like to do a food drive to provide food for our pantries that have so little food that they have to turn away needy people? 
I'm hoping our local MOMS Club can step up and help out those that are in need.

Cheap 'up & up' Target wipes

You can get Up & Up brand Flushable Wipes Refill (48 ct) /Soft Packs of Wipes for approximately 98¢ or Up & Up Baby Wipes (72 ct tub) – $1.84.  Prices vary by store.  You can get $1 off coupons here & here.  Making these free or very cheap!!  Great to stock up for yourself or for a baby shower gift.

There are lots of other coupons on those two links too!! :)

Super deal at Target~ Santa Spud Mr. Potato Head

This deal really works.  I bought two last night. :)  I'm hoping to get a few more.

How cute is this!?!? Target currently has the Santa Spud Mr. Potato Head for $5.99. Use the $5.00 off coupon here to score these for just $.99 each!!!  Now that's a super deal!!  (Be sure to print the $5 off Spud Buds coupon, not the $2 off one.) They are in the Christmas department, not the toy department. These would be adorable stocking stuffers or Toys for Tots/Angel Tree donations!  You can print two coupons per computer.

Rave~ Vocalpoint

Have you heard of Vocalpoint?  Have you signed up for it yet?

It is my favorite word-of-mouth free sampling programs.  I highly recommend you join Vocalpoint. They love to mail free samples to their members, have high-value printable coupons available for members, and even offer special free samples for members to request.  I have received several great samples for FREE!!  Gotta love that.

What's the catch? That's the greatest part - there is no catch! They hope that you'll tell your friends about the products you're sampling with them, and that you'll share the extra coupons they mail you. But there is no reporting requirement in order to get freebies from Vocalpoint.

NO GOOD!!! :( Target~ Leapfrog Alphabet Pal-- price match with TRU

Update:  11/13/09 @ 5pm

I just got home from my Target.  They will NOT honor the TRU 'Door Buster' sale items in their price match.  Very sad!  I'll be taking it back tomorrow.  Oh well!!  This one was too good to be true. :(

Target will price match any ad from a competitor.  You'll need to bring the TRU ad into Target.  The TRU ad is in the Friday newspapers today. You can get a LeapFrog Alphabet Pal for .49!!!!!

You buy the toy with the coupon in this link at the register as normal.  Then take the receipt with the TRU ad to Guest Services and they'll refund the difference. 

I'm going to try this this afternoon.  I thought this would be perfect for the adopt a family we've adopted for our MOMS Club.

Pineapple Mango Loaf

I made this this morning.  It was pretty good.  I tweaked it to make it healthier.

Mango Bread

• 2 cups all-purpose flour  [I used 1 cup of whole wheat flour & 1 cup of all purpose flour]
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 sour cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar [I used 1 cup of splenda]
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups peeled, seeded and chopped mango
• 1/2 cup pineapple, raisins or banana  [I used pineapple]
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts  [I used macadamia nuts]
 
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease two 9x5 inch loaf pans.

2. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a large bowl, beat together the sour cream, milk and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Blend this mixture into the flour mixture; just to combine. Fold in the mango, raisins/pineapple/banana, walnuts; mixing just enough to evenly combine.

3. Let stand for 20 minutes then bake in preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean.

Martha Stewart Thanksgiving Recipes

I'm not a big Martha fan but she has some good recipes.  Here are lots of holiday recipes.

Paula Deen Holiday Hosting Guide

I love Paula (Mrs. Butter) Deen. ;)  Although not very healthy, her food is delish.  Isn't everything with lots of butter. :)   Here is a free Holiday Guide.  It's full of tips, ideas & recipes.

Disney pjs on sale today

These little pj’s are normally $16.50 but they are the Deal of the Day (today only!) for $5 each! To get the special price just click here & click on category and then Deal of the Day. Shipping is about $3.

Slow cooker applesauce

I made this yesterday & it turned out really well.   I used a mix of different apples.  I'll be making this again soon.

what you need:
8-10 cored, peeled and chopped apples (I chopped some pieces in about 1" pieces, some others a little bigger & others smaller.  It created a chunky applesauce)

1/2 to 1 tsp cinnamon (I used only 1/2 tsp.  Don't over do the cinnamon because it'll be very strong)
1/4 c sugar [or no sugar if you want to keep it natural]

Directions:
Pour chopped apples into the slow cooker.  Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over apples. Stir to distribute sugar and cinnamon.  Turn slow cooker onto Low and cook for 3-4 hours. (Mine was ready in about 2 hours)

Toys R Us: HOT Hasbro game deal

You'll want to stop by Toys R Us this week for an awesome deal on Hasbro games. Hasbro has teamed up with Toys R Us to offer $69 in mail-in rebates on games.
After rebate you’ll be able to get preschool games like Candy Land, Chutes & Ladders, Memory, Hi Ho Cherry-O, Don’t Break the Ice and Ants in the Pants for just $1.99 each. You’ll pay $3.99 at Toys R Us, but each is eligible for a $2 rebate.
Even better, when you spend $25 on Hasbro games, you’ll get a $10 Toys R Us gift card.

Here’s what you could do:
Buy 7 games for $27.93
Apply for $14 in rebates ($2 for each game)
Receive $10 gift card
Spend $3.93 on 7 games!

You must purchase only one of each $3.99 game since you may only apply for each rebate once. Also, the themed or character versions of the games are not eligible for this rebate offer (e.g., Disney Princess edition of Chutes & Ladders).

These games can make great birthday gifts too, so it’s a great time to stock up!
 
There’s also a coupon on the front of this week’s Toys R Us ad to get you a $10 gift card when you spend $75 or more.

Do you use Swagbucks???

Swagbucks is a search engine just like Google but you earn "Swagbucks" which can be redeemed for prizes!!!  I've been using Swagbucks for about 6 or so months.  A $5 Amazon gift card is worth 45 Swagbucks.  I recently earned four $5 Amazon gift cards just for doing searches that I'd normal do on Google.   Lately, there's been a lot of great magazine deals thru Amazon so those could mean free gifts. There are lots of other great prizes too but I think Amazon gift cards gives you the best bang for your buck. :)

If you want to sign up to use Swagbucks, I'd love for you to use my referral link.  I'll get Swagbucks when you earn them too. :)

http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/mommy2austin

Thank you!!!!

Pumpkin cornbread

Last week, I made chili and I usually make cornbread too.  This time I decided to change it up a bit & make this Pumpkin Cornbread.  It was very good!  I loved the hint of pumpkin flavor but it wasn't too overwhelming.  Worth a try next time you make a chili or soup.

Zucchini bread

I was kidfree for a couple of days so I thought I'd do some cooking & baking.  :)  I made this new recipe of zucchini bread.  I made two & froze one for later in the month.  I loved that it called for apples.  I also substituted apple sauce for the canola oil to make it healthier.  It was very good & yummy!!

Vons trip~ 11/8

Vons has some great deals this week plus there are some freebies which ends today. 

Here is the breakdown.  I know there is a lot of sweet stuff but I'll be baking a lot in the next couple of months...  4 boxes of Kleenex, 4 tubes of toothpaste, foil, raisin bread, 1 box of potatoes, 2 Thomas English muffins, 1 bag of bagels, 1 box of Bisquit, 1 bag of flour, 1 bag of whole wheat flour, 1 bag of sugar, 2 bags of brown sugar, butter, cream cheese, 3 cans of frosting, 2 boxes of cake mix, 1 bag of egg noodles, 4 Deli Creations, syrup, 1 16 lb. turkey, 1 dozen eggs, bacon, chocolate chips, 2 Pillsbury cookie doughs, 2 Pillsbury cinnamon rolls, 2 boxes of chicken broth, 2 CPK pizzas, 4 boxes of Rice Krispie Treats, 2 jars of peanut butter & 1 can of black beans)  I think that is it.

Some of the food including the turkey will be donated to a family we've adopted thru our MOMS Club for Thanksgiving.

For free with Vons deals... 2 cartons of OJ, bacon, raisin bread & a dozen of eggs.

Free with coupons... 4 tubes of toothpaste & brownie mix

I got all this plus [not pictured] a 16 lb. turkey, 2 CPK pizzas & 4 boxes of Rice Krispie Treats for $69.11 

Plus I got $5 off a future purchase.
I saved $114.31!!!!

Target~ Wii game deal

Check out this great deal on Wii games at Target until Saturday.  6 games for $30-$40!!!!!

Print the coupons in this link

Ranch Crispy Chicken

Easy & delicious!

2 (1 oz.) packages dry Ranch style dressing mix
1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
8 skinless, boneless chicken breasts or other chicken meat you like

Preheat over to 375 degrees.  Combine dressing mix and breadcrumbs in a zip lock plastic bag.  Add chicken and shake to coat.  Place chicken pieces on an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.

Serve with potatoes or rice and veggie.

Apple Nut Muffins

These were delish especially right out from the oven & nice and warm.

3/4 cup butter
1 3/4 cups white sugar, divided
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 (21 oz.) can apple pie filling [You could use other pie fillings too... cherry, etc.]
1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans)
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.  Lightly grease muffin pans or line with paper liners.

In a large bowl, cream butter and 1 1/2 cups of sugar.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda & salt.  Sire into the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream.  Fold in the apple pie filling and nuts.  Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.  Combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over the muffins.

Bake in the preheated oven for 16 to 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.  Makes about 18 muffins.

Enjoy!!! :)

French Toast Waffles

I'm one of those weird people that likes to read a cookbook like a 'normal' person reads a novel.  The other day, I was going thru one of my favorite cookbooks & found lots of great recipes to cook.

I made these French Toast Waffles & actually froze them so we could enjoy them on a busy morning.  They were very easy to make.

1 cup of pancake/waffles mix (I used whole wheat pancake mix from Trader Joes)
2 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice would be good too)
1/2 cup cold milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Spray waffle iron with cooking spray.  Preheat waffle iron.  In large bowl, combine waffle mix, sugar & cinnamon.  Stir in milk, eggs & vanilla.  Pour about 1/2 cup of batter into hot waffle iron.  Cook until golden brown.  Repeat with remaining batter.  Sprinkle powdered sugar & hot syrup. Enjoy :)