Thursday, June 23, 2011

Fru-Gal Column plus extras June 23

I know everyone is busy now a days but here is a crash course in couponing. If you can’t spend time surfing the web or browsing through circulars lets cut right to the chase and check out these online savings. When looking for online coupons these are the best sites to choose from coupons.com, redplum.com and smartsource.com. At these website you will find coupons for items sold at grocery stores and drugstores. Check out ecoupons that are linked right to your rewards card or membership card. Sam’s Club lets you access your eValues account to see which deals the warehouse chain has linked to your membership. The coupons are based on past purchases, and the deductions come off automatically at the register. Don’t forget Kroger has digital coupons that you can load right to your Kroger Plus Card but remember you are not allowed to use a paper coupon with a digital coupon anymore. If you are shopping online make sure you check if there is a promotional code that can be redeemed at checkout to give you a specific discount or to save you on shipping. Go to couponcabin.com, offers.com or retailmenot.com to look for codes. Using your smartphones you can download coupons directly to your phone to be scanned at the store. You are going to be seeing this option more in the future. Target offers mobile coupons along with Meijers but check out these sites cellfire.com, couponsherpa.com or mobiqpons.com. Using your smartphone to save is becoming easier using the many saving apps available.

ShopSavvy: Snap a photo of a barcode with your phone’s camera, this app searches for the best deal for 20 million products at over 20 thousand local and online retailers.

Yowza: Find local deals you can cash in instantly. Choose one of the offers and visit the store. When you walk up to the cashier, just show the Yowza! Deal on your device and let them scan the barcode.

Shopkick: This can locate good buys based on the stores where you shop. They also reward you with what they call “kicks” you earn for shopping. For example, you can earn kicks and get gift certificates at places like Best Buy.

ShopNearby: This app makes it easy to find exactly what you’re looking for at the best price, anywhere in the world.

CardStar: Carry around all your shopping cards without the physical card in y our wallet or on your keychain. Use your phone’s camera to scan the bar code of the card to enter the number. When y ou go shopping, show the cashier your phone. They can scan the bar code from your phone instead of the actual card. There is also a tab of deals for selected store, so be sure to check the app when you first go into the store.

GasBuddy: Find the cheapest price for gas in your area. It can search based on your current GPS location or for prices in an area. That way you can search for a cheap gas price in the town you plan to stop in an hour down the road. You can even open a map for directions.

If you shop at a specific store- like Amazon, or eat at a certain restaurant or use one business a lot search for an app for that company. If is possible that they have an app that will include special deals that only user of the app can get.

Now that we are using our phone more often to save money here are some money-saving tips for phone service.

Unless you have unlimited calling, extra minutes cost money. Check out your usuage for FREE. For AT&T dial *646# and press “send”. For T-Mobile dial #646# and press “send”. For Verizon, dial #646 and press “send”. For Sprint, dial *4 and follow prompts.

Say no to insurance. If you lose your phone or send it through the washing machine, it’s gonna hurt to buy a new one. Do you really need to pay $5 to $7 per month to insure a $200 or $400 item?

Waive activation fees. They’re typically $35. If you ask nicely sometimes a saleperson will cancel the fee.

Smartphones continue to download data every few minutes. Unless you have an unlimited-date plan, switch off your data feature if you won’t be using the phone for awhile.

Make use of Freephone2phone.com. Look up a local access number on the service’s website, dial that number, listen to a 10-second to 12-second ad, then call to any of 54 countries (mostly landline numbers) for free for 10 minutes max.

Already have service, call your provider and ask if your plan is right. Customer service should be able to tell you after about two minutes if your plan fits your needs or if your spending too much, and most iwill be happy not only to change you to a better plan but to backdate changes so you can get the most benefits from the new updates.

Read your bill. If something is not right call you provider or go into the store. I can’t tell you the charges that I had taken off because of something I didn’t know I had loaded on my phone.

Family plans are almost always cheaper. Up to probably the 3000 minute plan on any carrier will be the cheapest option if you and your loved one/little ones/friends want to share or split the price of that phone bill.

Prepaid phones users read the fine print. Just because you don’t have a contract with the provider that does not mean you don’t have to follow the rules, or that your provider doesn’t. If service goes down in the area, let the provider know, 95% have a clause in their service agreement say they will give a prorated credit for when their equipment fails.

$2 off $10 lunch at O’Charleys coupon

http://view.bwmta.com/?j=fe9515777567037f73&m=fe9815707162007c72&ls=fe2e1d7076660478731371&l=ff041073756705&s=fe2115797163017f761c77&jb=ffcf14&ju=fe5c15757162047a7d10&r=0

$5 off $25 purchase at Buffallo Wild Wings

http://mail.aol.com/33867-111/aol-1/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=Inbox&uid=1.30726865&seq=2&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0&sort=received

Red Baron pizza also has a coupon on their box for an extra six wings at Buffalo Wild Wings when you purchase twelve.

Get a free Hero Photo Book from Paper Coterie when you enter promotional code MYHERO at checkout. https://www.papercoterie.com/promo/heroes/

Thanks Lori for telling us about the deal at Logan's Roadhouse when you like them on their facebook page you get a coupon for buy one get one free entree http://www.facebook.com/Logans.Roadhouse

Thanks Carolina for telling me that the Hawaiian Tropic Lip Balm is not included in the CVS $10 extracare bucks when you buy two Hawaiian Tropic products. You still can get some good deals and you always need sunblock.

Buy any Classic photo book from Picaboo get one copy free when you use promotional code BGJUNCB at checkout. www.picaboo.com

Free 6 x 6 Classic Hardcover White Linen Photo Book free today only. You just have to pay $3.99 for shipping. http://www.ritzpix.com/net/default.aspx

Don't forget to dress like a cow on July 8 to get a free meal at Chick-fil-A Restaurants
http://www.cowappreciationday.com/

Get a free brag book from Walgreens just use BRAG at checkout thru Saturday June 25
http://photo.walgreens.com/walgreens/storepage/storePageId=AFF1?stop_mobi=yes&ec=hncx5420_freebragbook&ep_rid=AABFpj&ep_mid=_BOAuuVB8cBFsLi

Blockbuster Express free movie code I haven't tested it yet
enter promotional code 33EHJR6
enter promotional code 23MDEB9

Free sample of Pet-Tabs vitamins for your pet
http://www.pet-tabs.us/index

Buy one get one free Lipton Tea coupon
http://coupons2.smartsource.com/smartsource/index.jsp?Link=FUYHCLXNPOKHA

Send a free card to the troops this Fourth of July from Tiny Prints just like them on their facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/tinyprints?sk=app_10467688569