ESM Matchup Announcement

Receive these deals & more delivered directly to your e-mail inbox (sign up in the left sidebar) or join EasternShoreMom on Facebook for an inside scoop on all the deals! New to couponing? Read the Couponing Beginners Guide to see everything you need to know to get started saving your family tons of money!

I am so excited to announce what came to me in a dream last night. Yep, that is right, I even DREAM about the blog! In fact I have to keep a piece of paper on my nightstand so when I wake up in the middle of the night I can write it down. I guess I just have so many things running through my head that sometimes they come out in the middle of the night!

Anyways, back to my idea. As you all know, on EasternShoreMom, and many other deal blogs, “matchups” (where we take the store ad and match it with the coupons) is a big help for those of you reading & couponing. I am not sure if I have ever said out loud what I am about to say but I am just going to throw it out there….. I LOATHE putting together matchups. HA! For good reason though, they are a lot of work. Kuddos to the frugal sites out there that crank them out like nobody’s business but for some reason they take me a lot of time. While they are very tedious, they are a very good tool. Not just for you but for me as well. I find that if I miss putting together the matchups for the week I have no clue what is on sale or what I am buying when I go shopping. Most of the time I skip shopping that week because I haven’t put together matchups. I told y’all there were some things rearranging in my life and those things rely on me using my life skill, couponing, to save my family money. Before it was something that I enjoyed doing and it helped out a lot with my savings but now I have shrunk my grocery budget tremendously so there cannot be a week that I slip.

OK, let’s recap: I dislike putting together the “matchups”, matchups are a great tool, couponing is a life skill that has become a must in my life right now, therefore  matchups are a must. Got it- ok here we go!

I have come up with (what I think) is a GREAT idea for a unique and funky twist on matchups. I think that this will make it a lot more fun for me and hopefully an easier and creative experience for you guys. Presenting….

Aubrey’s Everyday Savings Manual

Inside the manual you will find:

• Weekly I am going to put out the matchups, however instead of  listing all of the great deals and “ok” deals I am going to list EXACTLY what I am buying that week. Down to the Coke I typically buy because I have a small addiction (ok, so I am coke-dependent) to CocaCola products, you will know everything on my receipt.  The stores included will be CVS, Publix, Rite Aid, Walgreens, & Winn Dixie.
• The really really exciting new feature is the Everyday Savings Manual that I am putting together using all of the items I purchase (and a little help from some of my frugal buddies). I am going to make a dowloadable spreadsheet with tons of items (in ABC order) and the average price per item or an estimate of what is a good price based on sale ads.

The Everday Savings Manual is something that has been on a long list of “I really want” items for myself. I search and I have never found one so the only thing to do is create one myself! I am always need to know if $.65 for Country Crock butter is really the best price or if the average price I pay is lower. I think this will help all around, when purchasing things with coupons and when purchasing things without. I am excited to know if y’all are going to use this and/or think this is a good idea!

Ok, so here I go. I am off to put together my shopping list for Publix and Winn Dixie this week so stay tuned because I will be posting them in a little while. In the mean time, tell me what you think!

Happy Monday Morning!

Good morning y’all! Here are some great things going on today and some things you can do to help your Monday along and start your week off right!

• Monday Money Maker: Swagbucks! If you have not signed up for Swagbucks you are missing out. Just by searching you can earn 50, 100, 500 Swagbucks that you can purchase gifts & gift cards with. I am on a mission, as well as other bloggers, to pay for my Christmas presents with Swagbucks along. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP WITH EASTERNSHOREMOM!
• Moneyless Monday: Moneyless Monday is a series that I am starting where I am making a challenge to myself and you all to not spend any money one day a week. Click HERE to find out more.
• Facebook Giveaway: If you are not a fan of EasternShoreMom on Facebook you are missing out… on a GIVEAWAY. Through Midnight tonight I am holding a giveaway for the Healthy Kids Publix booklet. If you are not a member of Facebook it only takes a minute to sign up and it is worth it because a lot of business and brands we love are starting to do Facebook giveaways and coupons.
• Publix Sneak Peek: Michelle at IHeartPublix should have the sneak peek to this coming week’s Publix ad up this morning at some point.
• Coupons.com put out some new coupons yesterday including a bunch of grocery and dvd coupons. CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT COUPONS.COM.

Introducing “Moneyless Monday”

What if for just one day a week you made a concious effort to stop swiping that card or hold on to that cash? A release from the stress of paying bills and how much money is being spent that day, how great of a day would that be?

Introducing a new series on EasternShoreMom called Moneyless Monday. I am challenging y’all along with myself to have one day a week where I don’t spend any money at.all!

I am so excited about this new series. It is going to be a challenge for me as well as I am sure for some of you all. As a working mother, student, etc. it is so easy to stop by the drive through or forget to get gas or run by the 711 for a Coke and all of those charges add up to be one LARGE bill for just a Monday! Monday’s are the worst days for me, still in weekend mode and there is always so much to do on a Monday that there never seems to be enough time in that day. By the time Monday has come and gone I am already behind and it sets the tone for the rest of the day. So alng with my “Moneyless Monday” challenge I am making a personal effort to organize my Mondays a little better so they will go smoothly. We will see how it goes.

Some questions I have received about “Moneyless Monday” pertain to the loss of jobs because I am not spending money on Mondays. Well, one might argue that because I am slimming down my budget I am putting people out of work or because I am buying things on sale instead of full price I am putting people out of work. There comes a point where I have to focus on how much I am spending versus stimulating the economy. Also, I will still be purchasing and paying my bills, just not on Mondays!

Here are a couple tips I have come up with to help you survive “Moneyless Monday”

• Over the weekend be sure to schedule payments for bills and get gas in your car so you won’t find yourself on ‘E’ and cheat on MM
• Use FREE meal coupons that you may have for fast food restaurants if you have to get lunch out
• Pack leftovers from weekend meals for lunch and be sure to pack a water bottle or drinks from your fridge
• Be sure to have snacks/drinks for the kids to avoid “I am hungry!” situations (A coworker of mine calls them “snack packs” and she builds a snack baggy out of ziplocs and her child’s favorite snacks. She keeps them at arms reach and some at work for when she picks him up in the afternoon.)
• Instead of spending your lunch break walking around Target (I am speaking to myself) try taking a walk in the streets around your office or bring a book to read

I am so exciting about this- I can’t wait to see how it goes. I am starting a forum topic on the EasternShoreMom Chit Chat Community for Moneyless Monday tips and tricks. Be sure to join me over there and talk about the strides and struggles of Moneyless Monday!

Coach Outlet 20% OFF

I LOVE Coach and even better, I LOVE Coach coupons! I was able to get a great deal on a bag from Coach on Valentine’s day- it was an over $300 bag and I got it 70% OFF with 50% off in store and the 20% off coupon. Yes, I splurged a little with all of that extra savings from  my grocery bills!  That is right, you can combine these coupons with their in store discounts to get extra savings.

CLICK HERE TO GET 20% OFF AT COACH OUTLET THROUGH MARCH 7TH

SWAGBUCKS 2ND BIRTHDAY: Special ESM Exclusive Code

Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday Dear Swagbucks, Happy Birthday to You!

Today is Swagbucks’ 2nd Birthday! Along with a HUGE birthday bash celebration including tons of giveaways, swagcodes beign released on their blog, Facebook, Twitter, & Toolbar also comes some changes for Swagbucks. Before I get into all of that, I have an EXCLUSIVE EasternShoreMom Swagcode for new registrants today to Swagbucks!

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR SWAGBUCKS

Once you sign up, enter the exclusive code below on the Swagbucks.com home page to earn 60 SWAGBUCKS!

AUBREYSCODE

That’s right, all you Swagbucks veterans- the code is worth 60 SWAGBUCKS! Wait a minute though and go and check your account, you will see that you Swagbucks total is now multiplied by 10. No, they have not given you all those free Swagbucks so don’t panic and run over the the Swagbucks store to load up on FREE gift cards and such. This is part of the new Swagbucks 3.0. Now instead of the swagbucks being in single digits (1,3,5,etc.) they will be double digits. If you look to the store and see the prices of the gift cards and free swag has also been multiplied by ten.

Get excited though because 3.0 allows us to earn lots more Swagbucks by using MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE FEATURE the Swagbucks Search Toolbar. If you have not downloaded the toolbar, click HERE. I am so excited about the new opportunities to earn that I am finding out from them by working with them on their birthday promotions. If you are hoping to earn some mega extra bucks today you have a really good chance.

New to Swagbucks? Here is a little information:

I have been telling you guys about Swagbucks and how easy it is to earn points. I want to help you earn gift cards and prizes through Swagbucks like I am! I know what you are thinking because I did not do Swagbucks at first because of the same thing- there is no way I am going to have the time to remember to do Swagbucks- but they make it super easy by downloading the toolbar for your browser here and then the search is at the top of the page like Google!

What can you buy with Swagbucks? Gift cards to Target, Paypal, Disney Store, Restaurant.com, Amazon, and many more! My goal is to pay for 2010 Christmas presents with Swagbucks alone!

If you don’t have a Swagbucks account, it only takes a few seconds to sign up & you can connect it to your Facebook to show all your friends how many Swagbucks you are earning! Looking for Swagcodes? Swag Bucks has a Facebook page you can join and they put out Swagbucks that will earn you extra points! While you are there, become a fan of ESM on Facebook!

Big Lots: 20% February 21st

Big Lots is having their Friends and Family sale tomorrow, Sunday February 21st.

CLICK HERE TO PRINT YOUR 20% OFF COUPON

Brunos Matchups 2/17

Shasta over at Faithfully Frugal and Free has shared with us her Brunos Matchups for this week. Thanks, Shasta!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE BRUNOS AD DEALS THIS WEEK

Hoping to work more with Shasta in the future so stay tuned!

Registration Open: Coupon Class March 4th

WHERE: New York Life Mobile, AL
WHEN: Thursday, March 4th 6PM
Seating is limited so reserve your spot TODAY!

 CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP TO ATTEND 

What is a Couponing 101 Class?

I get questions every day about how to attend or host a coupon class. I have updated the Coupon Class page to include some other information and small changes. If you would like to attend or host a coupon class see the information below. You can also click on the ESM Events Calendar to tell you which classes are available for registration and upcoming classes that have not yet opened, I try to update the calendar often but I am behind right now. We are now scheduling classes for late February and March of 2010.

SITE OF THE ORIGINAL HOME COUPON PARTIES & COUPONING 101 CLASSES!
(created by The Bargain Buggy & Eastern Shore Mom)

Aubrey Nix (ESM) and Shannon Gunderson (BB) invite you to join them in learning how to coupon. Between the two, they have been featured on local channels CBS 5,FOX 10, & NBC 15 and taught over 800 people since beginning the classes in October of 2009. This isn’t your typical coupon class, once you leave you will know how to coupon strategically. Meaning you will save your family the MAXIMUM amount of money by using coupons combined with the best prices and knowing when to use which coupon. When the class ends the instructing isn’t over, they invite you to join them on their deal blogs where daily deals and weekly sale/coupon breakdowns are featured PLUS they offer after class on-call support. ESM & BB truly want you to succeed at couponing. Check out the comments from past-class attendees HERE.

Coupon 101 Classes- These classes are made for larger groups 30-60 people and are usually hosted by Eastern Shore Mom & The Bargain Buggy. If you would like to attend a coupon class, see the EVENTS SCHEDULEfor possible open dates or e-mail easternshoremoms (at) gmail (dot) com. If you have a venue and would like to host a large event, contact easternshoremoms (at) gmail (dot) com.

There is a $15 supply fee per person (The host takes the workshop for FREE). Workshops can be held with a minimum of 20 attendees (for home parties) or up to as many as your venue can hold. Attendees are required to RSVP so that the appropriate number of materials can be available. You can set up your venue however you like-  food, drinks, etc.  the only thing we ask is that the attendees bring a pen for note taking or the host provide enough for each person.

$15 you say? Well, we will provide you with a coupon strategy so immediately when you leave you can start earning it back! The $15 covers the take home materials and supplies we provide at the class. After all, what good is the class without a manual to take home with you! No one expects you to leave the class and remember everything so we have compiled all of the information in a take home pamphlet.

Classes can be offered in your home, church, work or any place with enough room to seat your group. The class is a casual environment. Classes generally run 2 to 2 1/2 hours.

The workshop includes:

• Coupon Terminology
• Where to get coupons
• How to organize coupons
• How to utilize the Internet to get the best prices on groceries and toiletries
• Couponing policies & tips for local stores
• Publix 101- a detailed description of how to coupon and save more than you spent!
• CVS & Walgreens Overview & Strategy
• Target Couponing
• Taking Advantage of Clearance Items & Coupons
• Stockpiling Basics
• Tons of fun, laughs, & one-on-one questions with ESM & TBB
• Much, MUCH more that would be too long to list!
• Plus, all participants will receive a folder of take home materials which includes: a detailed outline to reference, gameplan and coupons to get you started!

File Your Taxes Right & FREE!

I don’t want to flood you guys with advertisements but I feel like I owe it to TaxAct. I personally use TaxAct to do our taxes and I just LOVE them! This coming from someone who was completely dumb with taxes, I began using them last year and learned so much from them walking me step by step through credits and deductions. When 2009 tax season came around, I pulled up my last years return and logged in with TaxAct once again for a second year. This time, they transferred over every.single.bit of my information from last year and let me go through and edit it just in case something had changed. I was done with my tax return in less than an hour! So if you have been dreading doing your taxes, give TaxAct a try- I bet you will have just as much… I am going to say it….. FUN as I had while filing with TaxAct.

Blogging Friends: Berries & Cream Blog Design Special Deals

This goes out to all of my friends out there who have a blog and would like to add a little spice to it. If you are looking for a design company that will do an AMAZING job nut won’t break the bank, I recommend Berries and Cream blog design. Revka has a great business and does such a wonderful job. She is so helpful and you really feel like a part of their family once you are a client.

Right now they are having a special to celebrate their 1 year birthday bash. I am jumping in a little late in the game but here are the rest of the deals you can snag:

February 17, 2010 – Spruce up your blog with the Company’s Coming Worksheet and Audio Bundle; only $7, a savings of $15.47
February 18, 2010 – Get a custom header for $39.95, a 20% discount
February 19, 2010 -  Free signatures for the first 10 people to order a signature and enter the coupon code freesig (must use our checkout process, NOT Google Checkout option)

You can also sign up for their newsletter and receive 10% off!

Click on their logo above ot visit their site- they can do everything and anything! Be sure to tell her EasternShoreMom sent you ;)

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