$0.75 Off Cuties Coupon

I LOVE Cuties!  They are perfect for packing in lunches, and we go thru about a box a week.  SO YUMMY!  Click HERE to print a coupon to Save $0.75 on one Cuties bag or box (2 lb or larger).  The coupon doesn't expire until 5/31/12.  This is totally a separate issue, but you know how frustrating it is to spend $5 on a box of Cuties only to get them home and find that a bunch of 'em at the bottom are super squishy and inedible?!  That happened to me one too many times last month, so I emailed Cuties Company (their email is on their website).  They were SO nice about it, and sent me a coupon for a FREE Box of Cuties.  Don't you just LOVE when companies back up their product?  Awesome!

Free Chips & Queso At Chili's

REMINDER:  Today is the last day to take advantage of this Chili's deal!
Looks like Chili's is getting in on the Leap Year promos too!  Visit any Chili's February 27-29th and get FREE Chips & Queso with any entree purchase.  Go HERE to print the necessary coupon.

$6 In Saveology Dollars For $3

Saveology has an interesting deal going on today (I bought it).  $3 For $6 Saveology Dollars & An Entry to Win a 60" Flat Screen TV.  I don't much care about the March Madness Sweepstakes ('cuz surely that's a longshot), but I AM interested in paying half price for $6 in Saveology Dollars.  This is an especially good deal if you've never purchased from Saveology before.  You can use these $6 to purchase one of THESE great deals!

Free Sample - Allergease

Suffering from allergies?  You may want to try Allergease Herbal Lozenges.  You can snag a FREE sample by filling out a short form HERE.

Possessing or Possessed?

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I am (again) on a mission. My goal is that in the next two months I will go thru every single item in my home and decide whether to keep it, donate it or toss it.  I started this weekend, going thru half my kitchen cabinets and all of Zach's clothing.  I ended up with 4 bags of trash, and 3 bags of clothing/4 boxes of kitchen items donated to Goodwill.  Thanks to my hubby, it's all GONE (either on the curb or at Goodwill).  What prompted my mission?  I won THIS Dave Ramsey Starter Set, and have begun reading The Money Saving Mom's Budget.  Now I'm inspired.  I haven't started with the Dave Ramsey set yet, but am completely enthralled with The Money Saving Mom's book!  I got thru Chapter 2, and stopped, as she advises not to go any further in trying to streamline your budget until you've streamlined your home and removed all the clutter.  Her theory is that it's all tied in together, and it makes sense to me!

Here's what I realized in just the small amount of de-cluttering I did this weekend:

• It's incredibly liberating to toss things.  Over the years I am appalled by how much STUFF we have accumulated.  I'm overwhelmed by the sheer volume of STUFF I have in this 2,400 square feet.
• What child needs 35 t-shirts?  (YES - I counted!  Zach had 35 simple t-shirts in his dresser/closet.  And that's just the short sleeved ones!  Don't judge me too harshly, before you go thru and count the number of shirts in your kid's closet.  Go ahead and do it right now.  I'll wait.)
• When you have so many things you literally cannot see the forest for the trees.  Zach wears the same 4-5 shirts every single week.  They are his favorites.  Everything else sits in the closet/dresser causing clutter.  I would hazard a guess that he had not worn HALF the stuff in his closet.  It was filled with old hand-me-downs, and stuff I'd bought DIRT CHEAP and couldn't pass up on the deal.  Let me ask you (OK, I'm really just talking to myself here) - is it a deal if it's never worn?  Isn't that just money wasted?  After my cleanup, he looked thru what was left, and it was like he had a whole new wardrobe of clothes.  He didn't even realize he had half this stuff (it was so cram-packed in his closet he couldn't see it).
• Every day I cursed my "Tupperware" cabinet (I use that term very loosely, as none of it was actually Tupperware).  It was so jam packed that I could never find what I needed when I needed it.  Stuff would fall on me, I could never find the right lid to fit the container I had in my hand.  I had old, stained, nasty, cheap plastic stuff in there I have no idea why I was saving it.  Old butter tubs?  Yep.  TONS of those Hillshire Farms lunch meat containers?  Uh huh.  So I meticulously went thru it all and kept only the best stuff.  Everything else went in the trash.  Lids are ON the containers.  It's all stacked up neatly and organized.  I kept about 1/3rd of what I had, because seriously....how many plastic containers does a person need?
• I got rid of all the old sippy cups. I finally came to the realization that my youngest is SEVEN, and my TEN YEAR OLD should NOT have a sippy cup. This is me doing a happy dance that I will no longer have to mess with trying to find the right little plastic thingy for each cup!  I replaced them all with nice, new eco-friendly cups I just got from the Shopko sale.  LOVING the new cups!
• I also got rid of all sorts of junk that I bought but rarely (we're talking every few years) used.  Now some nice new family can enjoy my George Foreman grill, air popper, Dora/Scooby Doo/Spongebob muffin tins (YEP - I had all three.  I am an overachiever!).

I am REALLY wishing that I had taken BEFORE photos, so you could see the dramatic difference.  But I was like a woman possessed.  I had a small window of opportunity while Tim was flying kites with the boys, and I JUMPED ON IT.  HERE is what my cabinets look like now:

This is just a START.  While I should be feeling a big sense of accomplishment, I'm really just thinking about all the OTHER cabinets and closets I need to go thru.  What keeps coming to my mind over and over is how every time I do this I feel so much free-er (I know, that probably isn't even a word!).  Which begs the question....is all this STUFF possessions or is it possessing you.  The Park house is beginning to feel a lot better WITHOUT all this business.  Over the last 6 months, Tim & I have been trying to make a conscious effort to downsize.  Not for economic reasons (although that is a nice byproduct!), but for our own sanity.  The more possessions you have, the more you have to worry about.  The more things you have, the more things that need repairing, replacing, more stuff to put away, etc.  And I'm rapidly discovering that the less stuff you have, the more you appreciate and take care of (and actually USE) the things that are important to you.  I'm really trying to fill our house with items that are important to us, and getting rid of all the other stuff that just takes up space.  Unfortunately it seems to be a never-ending process.  But you gotta start somewhere, right?  I've begun my baby steps this weekend.  I'll keep you posted on my journey!

4 HOT New Saveology Deals

Saveology just released 4 HOT new deals for NEW subscribers.  If you have never purchased a Saveology deal before, you are eligible for these offers.  Click on the banners below for details and to purchase.

Save even MORE with the Einstein Bagel purchase, by going HERE and joining their Loyalty Club.  They will email you a coupon for a FREE bagel & schmear with beverage purchase to start you off!  They'll also send you a special offer on your birthday.

Save even MORE with the Baja Fresh purchase, by going HERE and joining their Club Baja.  They will email you a coupon for a FREE taco to start you off!  They'll also send you a FREE buritto offer on your birthday.

My son goes thru these like nobody's business!  This half-price deal is terrific!

Over $5 In Hormel Coupons

Hormel has just released a whole mess of coupons.  You can find them HERE.  

• Save $1.00 on any one Hormel Refrigerated Entree
• Save $1.00 on any one Hormel Country Crock Side Dish
• Save $0.55 on any two Hormel Chili
• Save $1.00 on any one Hormel Always Tender flavored meats
• Save $1.00 on any one Lloyd's Product
• Save $0.55 on any two Hormel Pepperoni Products
• Save $0.55 on any two Hormel Premium Chicken Breasts

1/2 Off Great Big Texas Home Show Tickets

Next weekend is the Great Big Texas Home Show at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington.  This looks like a LOT of fun, and a great way to get ideas!  Grab two adult tickets to the show thru Living Social for just $15.  That's HALF-PRICE.  Valid March 9, 10 & 11th.  Go HERE for full details.

$10 For $20 At The Purple Cow

I have personally never been to The Purple Cow, but I have friends who RAVE about it (especially their milk shakes).  AP Daily Deals has $20 vouchers to The Purple Cow for just $10.  This is valid at all three locations - Dallas, Plano & Fairview.  Even better - when you purchase this $10 deal, you will receive $5 credit towards your next AP Daily Deal!  Go HERE for full details and to purchase.

$10 For 1 Year Subscription To Newsweek

Moolala has a deal on Newsweek!  Pay $10 for a 1 Year Subscription, or $20 for a 2 Year Subscription (up to a $78 value).  As the name implies, this is a WEEKLY subscription, so $10 for a full year (54 issues) seems like a GREAT DEAL.  Head HERE for full details.

I'm In!

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HOT FREE Card!

Oh, how I love a FREE card!  Click on the banner above, and enter code CCC2029 at checkout for ANOTHER free card from Cardstore.com.  Happy Leap Day everyone!  :)

EVERYBODY'S Getting In On Leap Day!

$25 Restaurant Gift Certificates For $2

Arby's Coupon

Arby's is introducing new Reuben sandwiches.  While this is definitely NOT something I'm interested in (sauerkraut = YUK!), you may want to print a coupon for a FREE small drink and FREE small curly fry (with purchase of a Reuben or Super Reuben).

Don't Forget Your FREE Chick-fil-a Minis Today!

MMMMMMM.....So Good!  Just grabbed my FREE Chick-fil-a Minis!  You've got until 10:30 to get yours!
Chick-fil-a has declared Leap Day "Official Chicken Eatin' Day", so on Wednesday, February 29th, participating Chick-fil-as are giving away a FREE 4-count pack of Chick-fil-a Minis.  You must get there between the breakfast hours of 6:30-10:30 am.  One Mini per person.  I LOVE me some Chick-fil-a, so I will DEFINITELY be there!

Colby's Kettle Corn DEAL - TODAY ONLY

I first told you about Colby's Kettle Corn a month or so ago.  I placed an order for that deal and we LOVE this popcorn!  It is really yummy stuff - we bought a case of the variety pack.  Colby's is having another great deal TODAY ONLY - this time on their 4-packs, which are being discontinued. 
Here's how to score this SWEET (get it) deal:
Head HERE and choose which 4-pack(s) you want to order (they are marked down to $8 from $16)
Enter the promo code FREEBIES to score another 60% off (bringing the price for a 4-pack down to $3.20)
Shipping is a flat $5, so if I were you, I'd order several 4-packs.  You'll be glad you did!  NOTE:  These are the big bags, not little individual serving bags.  This is a GREAT price, on really good popcorn.  We like all the flavors, but the White Cheddar is my fav!

Campbell's Coupons

Head to the Campbell's Kitchen facebook page to get a coupon to Save $1.00 on any 3 Healthy Request soups.  You can also click HERE for more coupons for Campbell's products (Pace, Swanson, V8, Chunky and more).
It's not cold out today, but it certainly is dreary - perfect soup day!

Papa Murphy's Pizza

The last time I swung thru Papa Murphy's Pizza, my teenager was with me and saw a poster with THIS pizza on it.  It's their new Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza.  Yes, those are pickles on it.  Yep, that's mustard drizzled all over it.  To me, it looks disgusting.  To a teenage boy, apparently this is heaven.  He BEGGED me to order one for him, so he could fold it in half and eat the entire thing!  :)

Click HERE to print a coupon for a Large Bacon Cheeseburger Pizza for $9.

For Your Inspiration

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I would like for you to meet Robyn.  Almost exactly two years ago, Robyn turned 38 and had the super amazing, inspired idea to complete 38 random acts of kindness on her birthday - one for each year of her life. What a thought!  What a day!  And what a way to teach an invaluable lesson to her children!  

Her RAOK's included things as simple as feeding parking meters, and handing out candy and balloons to children, to paying people's tolls and writing handwritten thank you notes.  You may have already heard her story, as her blog post about this day was the "post heard 'round the world."  The response she has gotten to this story is unbelievable.  She has inspired MANY (including me) to do similar acts.  You can read all about her day HERE.  

I started out reading it just for curiosity, which then turned to inspiration, which eventually became full-on bawling.  Yep, you will want to have the Kleenex ready - it's rather touching.  Way to go, Robyn!  It's amazing how Robyn's one day of RAOK have had such a ripplin' effect.  What will YOU do to inspire others today?  I challenge you to do just ONE random act of kindness TODAY.

Hamster Haters

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Free 3 Month Trial Of Amazon Mom!

This is a GREAT deal!  I tried Amazon Mom when they first launched the program, and was able to get FREE Amazon shipping for a year!  It saved me TONS of money.  They have now opened this Trial Program up again, so you will want to JUMP on this.  If you are a caregiver to small children, you are eligible for this program.  You will get a FREE 3 month trial subscription to Amazon Mom, and if you make a purchase during that time period, they MAY extend your free trial for a full year (that's what happened to me!)  Besides FREE shipping on ANYTHING on Amazon, Amazon Mom will also get you extra discounts on items sold in the Amazon Mom Store.
Thanks, The Thrifty Couple!

FREE Bigelow Tea Sample

I am not a big tea drinker, but Ginger Snappish sure does sound good!  Head to the Bigelow Tea facebook page and "like" them to request a FREE sample.

Thanks, Freebies For U!

10% Off At Boston Market -Feb 29th

This isn't a HUGE deal, but I suppose if you were planning to eat there anyway, or if you buy a family meal it would certainly be worthwhile.  Click HERE to print a coupon to Save 10% Off Your Entire Purchase at Boston Market on February 29th.  For some reason the small print on the coupon says that it excludes Kids Meals (that's weird).

Save $1 On YoKids Yogurt

Just in time for my trip to the grocery store!  Click HERE to print a coupon to Save $1.00 Off one YoKids Yogurt.  Your coupon will expire 10 days from when you print it.

Don't Forget Your Free Pancakes Today!

HUGE Graveyard Mall $5 Sale + FREE Shipping

Graveyard Mall is having a HUGE $5.00 Daily Deal Sale today....PLUS every $5 item gets FREE shipping!  I just scrolled thru, and there are TONS of items.  There are DEFINITELY some deals to be had.  Here are just a few of the items that caught my eye:

ALL these items are $5 each, and ship for FREE.  Head HERE to browse the sale!

Emergen-C Vitamin Drink Mix Sample & Recipes

Who knew that you could do more with Emergen-C than just throw it in a glass and add water?  Emergen-C has   published an entire Recipe Book.  Not familiar with Emergen-C?  Head HERE to request a FREE sample.  (They typically send several different flavored packets for samples!)  And in case you still haven't had enough of Emergen-C....head HERE to learn how to make Orange Dreamsicles with their product!  TASTY stuff (oh yeah, and it's good for you.  shhhhh....don't tell your kids)!

Dannon Activia - As Low As FREE at Target!

This HOT deal is back again!  We go thru a TON of yogurt in our house, most of us eat it everyday for breakfast, so when I can find yogurt coupons that makes me a happy girl!  

Here's how you can score Activia 4-packs at Target for just $0.19 each this week:

Print the Save $1/1 Activia coupon HERE (print two) - use zip code 84120 if you can't find it

Print the Save $2/2 Activia TARGET coupons HERE
They are priced at $2.19 per 4-pack.  Buy (2) 4-packs and pay just $0.19 each!  
(Now pat yourself on the back - you just snagged a BARGAIN!)

Adventures In Nail Biting

It occurred to me about 6 months ago that I had not trimmed Zachary's nails in ages.  I couldn't remember the last time I took the nail trimmers to his little hands.  So I called him over to me, expecting the need to get the hedge trimmers out of the garage, and was stunned to see that Little Stink had taken to doing this task all by himself.  Without the nail trimmers.  He'd plainly been biting his nails, as they were bitten WAY down, past the quick, and he'd taken to chewing on the skin AROUND the nail too.  My first thought was YUCK, then OUCH, then "What kind of Mother am I?"  So off to the doctors we went.  She proceeded to give him a lecture about how much dirt was under his nails, and how he could permanently impede fingernail growth, how important his nails were, etc.  All Zach heard was "Blah Blah Blah".  It had no effect whatsoever.  
I started keeping an eagle eye on him, hoping to catch him in the act.  I caught him doing all sorts of things, just not biting his nails!  Apparently, this is happening at school.  It seems he gets "bored" at school, and can't find anything else to do other than feast on fingernails.  So I started sending activity pad and books in his backpack.  Same result.  Nails down to the quick.
Last week I discovered a product called Thum at Walgreens.  It's a nasty tasting brew you paint onto your child's fingernails.  Then when they go to bite the nail, they're greeted with a disgusting taste.  We're doing this with some degree of progress.  I even went so far as to buy a bottle of "Radioactive, Glow In The Dark Piggie Paint."  I have promised to paint all his nails with this amazing bottle of fun just as soon as I see some white on all fingers (and toes - have I mentioned those are a problem too??)  So I call out to you, my fellow parents.  Have you any wise words of advice for me?  Have you got a nail biter?  Are you a reformed biter?  I'm looking for anything.  Anything that will help the little guy out.  I can't imagine he's stressed out.  Seriously...what could he stress out about?  He's seven.  Help!!!!

Peel An Entire Head Of Garlic In Seconds

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Garlic has to be my favorite spice.  I have a killer Chicken recipe that I love, but don't cook as often 'cuz it's a pain to peel the garlic.  Here's a rather amazing tip (the video will trip you out) from The Kitchn on how to peel an entire head of garlic in less than 10 seconds.  Really.  You have to see it.  Then you will have to try it for yourself.  You know you will.

Is That Asking Too Much?

Free Shipping on ClarkColor.com ($10+ Purchase)

Get Free Shipping from Clarkcolor.com on orders of $10 or more thru 3/5/12.  Simply enter promo code 10SHIP at checkout.

Hillshire Farm Coupon (facebook)

Hillshire Farm has just released a new coupon to Save $0.55 on any one Hillshire Farm Lower Sodium Lunchmeat.  Go HERE to grab yours.  

Big Savings On ZYRTEC

We are all suffering from allergies in our house, and with the crazy weather changes I don't see this letting up anytime soon.  ZYRTEC has posted some high value coupons on their website.  You WILL need to create a (FREE) ZYRTEC account before you can print the coupons, but it's really easy & won't take but a minute - well worth the savings!  Click HERE to access the coupons.  If you are a serial allergy sufferer, you might want to consider signing up for the ZNA REWARDS Program, which will grant you access to a $7 off coupon.  Click HERE to sign up for that!

$10 For $20 At Shoebuy.com (+Free Shipping)

ShoeBuy.com Today's Save:$10 for $20 worth of shoes, bags and more from Shoebuy.com + free shipping!