Décor on a Dime: Knock-off Ballard Designs ball topiary!

Remember the urns that I showed you earlier?  And remember I got the small one for 40¢?

This is what I had planned for them (well, the small one anyways!)

It was perfect to make a rustic little topiary! 

In fact I like it even better than this Ballard Designs version (which has a price tag of $49.00!!) I have it on my end table along with my $2.00 yard sale  white dish and DIY brass to whitewashed frame (still need to post about those!)

 

The topiary part was super cheap too!  Hobby Lobby sells these premade topiary balls in the garden section.  This is the medium sized one and it is $4.99 but of course was 50% off, so $2.49!

Then you can unsnap the two halves apart if you want.  So now I have 2 topiary halves for $2.50!  I have the other half on a white pot.  :)

So here it is again stacked on top of some of my grandfather’s old books! (and you can’t even see the little chip!)

Total cost:

40¢ for the urn

$1.25 for 1/2 of the topiary ball

$1.65!!  (much better than Ballard’s $49.00 version!)

 

By the way, this is what I am thinking for the larger urn!  I’ll show you when I finish it!

Enjoy reading this post?  Get inspired by more of my Décor on a Dime projects and room makeovers!

New pet printable coupons

Coupons.com also has some new Purina coupons for all your furry friends! :)

• $1.50 off Purina Yesterday's News Cat Litter
• $1.10 off Purina Tidy Cats brand Cat Litter
• $1.25 off Purina Alpo brand Dog Food
• $1.40 off Purina Moist & Meaty brand Dog Food
• $0.99 off Purina Busy brand Chew Treat
• $2.00 off Purina Mighty Dog brand Dog Food

New printable coupons

Coupons.com loaded new coupons!  Also this is the last of the month so some coupons might disappear next week so print all you want!

Print yours here!

• Buy 1 Get 1 FREE Fresh Gourmet Tuna Bites and Salmon Bites
• $1.50 OFF 1 NESTLE BUTTERFINGER 9.2oz Fun Size Bag
• $1.00 OFF 1 Smart Chicken Product. Redeem at The Fresh Grocer.
• $1.00 OFF 1 OSCAR MAYER Selects Hot Dogs
• $1.00 OFF 2 Boxes of Peace Cereal
• $1.00 OFF 1 Newman's Own Thin & Crispy Pizza
• $1.00 OFF 1 McCann's Irish Oatmeal product
• $0.55 OFF 1 Jimmy D's Frozen Breakfast Product
• $0.75 OFF THREE (3) varieties of Birds Eye Steamfresh
• $0.55 OFF 1 Ball Park Product
• $0.50 OFF 1 Bob Evans Potato Wedges
• $0.50 OFF 1 Newman's Own Product
• $0.50 OFF 1 can of Diamond Crystal Sea Salt
• $0.30 OFF one 4 oz. or larger HARIBO product
• $1.00 OFF 1 One Half Gallon of 8th Continent Soymilk
• $1.00 OFF 1 SO DELICIOUS COCONUT MILK BEVERAGE (64oz. or 32oz. )

CVS: 15 FREE bags of single-serve bags of chips for FREE!

Many people are reporting an unadvertised *HOT* deal at CVS right now.

Buy 3 Frito Lay single serve bags of chips (on sale 3 for $1), Get $1 ECB (Limit 5!!)

Which means you could get up to 15 single serve bags of chips for free after ECB’s!  What a great deal for vacations and picnic lunches for the summer!

Also, some people are reporting that you need to check out separately for each transaction, so buy 3 bags, pay $1.00 + tax, get back $1.00 ECB for the ECB’s to print.  Then do it all over again to get 3 more bags and you can pay with the $1 ECB you got on the previous order.  But some people are also saying that you can do it all together.

If I get a chance to go today, I will update this post with my experience.

(Also people are reporting the salty or hot peanuts work, but are priced 2/$1.00 and you still have to buy 3 to get $1.00 ECB.  And the sunflower seeds might work as well.)

5/1 Coupon insert preview

 
It is going to be another great week for coupons this Sunday.  Over $600 in coupons.  There will 1 Redplum (RP), 2 Smartsouce (SS), and 1 Proctor & Gamble (P&G) insert for a total of 4 inserts!

Go here to preview the coupons that will be in the 5/1 Sunday paper. 

Also make sure to check your paper thoroughly because some areas might get a few other coupon booklets.  Look out for a Pepsico Moments to Save insert and a Target PG insert.

Thrifty Thursday: 2 ceramic urns for $2.42!

I have been so busy with cakes, yard work, and spring cleaning that my Goodwill trips have been less frequent.  Although I have been trying to hit yard sales on Saturday when I am out.

I did pop into Value Village last week and found these great urns!  They are heavy ceramic urns that have a really neat aged look!

The larger one was priced $2.02.

The smaller one was priced $1.51.  BUT it had a chip out of it (which I knew I could just make be in the back of wherever I displayed it).  So I found an employee and asked could they adjust the price because of the crack.  (I have never tried this at Goodwill, they would probably say “NO”!  But I figured I would give it a try here.)

She came back out and said, “Do you want it for 40¢?” 

“Ummm.. yes, I will take it! :)”

So I paid $2.42 for both! 

So, it just pays to ask if the price can be adjusted (at least at Value Village!)  Have you ever gotten anything price adjusted at a thrift store because it was defective?

I already knew what I planned to do with them so stay tuned for I did!

Printable coupon roundup

 

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• $1.50 /1 Carnation Breakfast Essentials Powder or Ready-to-Drink products

• $1.00/1 Oscar Mayer selects hotdogs

• $1.00/1 New York Color Lip or Nail products (priced $1.72 or more at CVS)

Rite Aid: FREE Tylenol Precise starting 5/8

Rite Aid will have Tylenol Precise on sale for $5.00 in 2 weeks.  Print this $5.00/1 coupon to get it for FREE after coupon.

3 packs of Huggies for $12.97 ($4.32 each)

Target has a great deal on Huggies this week!

Purchase 3 packs of Huggies Diaper Receive a $5 Target Gift Card

Purchase 3 packages of Huggies Diapers - $8.99 each

Use (3) $3.00/1 coupons from HERE or HERE or HERE (when you share the coupon with 3 friends) or the $2/1 coupon HERE

Pay $17.97 and receive a $5 Target gift card

Final Price: $12.97 or $4.32 per package after coupons and gift card!

$3.00 Huggies coupons available again!

$3.00/1 Huggies coupons are available again.  Print yours here.

There is also a $2.00/1 Huggies coupon here.

4/24 Menu Plan Monday

Some of you have wondered if based on my shopping trip last week we were going to be having chocolate covered crackers or chocolate topped sweet potatoes! :)  I promise you we are not (although chocolate topped sweet potatoes sounds pretty good!)

I plan and base my menus out of food I have on hand, not necessarily what I bought the previous week or even that week at the store.  And I usually only buy the things that are super cheap, along with just a few things that I actually need or have to have.

Here’s my plan for dinners this week: Easter – dinner with family {I brought baked macaroni & cheese (made with FREE pasta and $0.50 cheese), strawberry and lemon cake with lemon cream cheese buttercream} Leftovers Grilled chicken tenders, sweet potatoes, rolls, corn on the corm Garden salad with grilled chicken tenders Chicken enchiladas (made with $0.50 Cooking creme) Chicken salad sandwiches Dinner out – on vacation!

New laundry detergent printable coupons

Coupons.con has loaded some great laundry coupons!

Print yours here.

• $1.00/1 All laundry detergent printable

• $2.00/1 Wisk laundry detergent printable

31¢ Scoop night at Baskin-Robbins

Baskin-Robbins is having their 31¢ Scoop Night tomorrow night (Wednesday, April 27, 2011) from 5-10 p.m. You can get a 2.5 oz. scoop of ice cream for just $0.31. 

Check to make sure your store is participating.  Limit of three scoops per person.

Kroger: FREE deodorant, toothbrushes, floss, toothpaste

Kroger has a lot of freebies this week!  

So, get your coupons ready!  (And remember if they are out of stock, get a raincheck so you can pick it up later at the sale price.)

Reach Toothbrushes 10 for $10 (through 5/7)

Use any of the below coupons to get it for free -

$1.00/1 from 4/17 SS, 10/10 RP

$1.00/1 printable

$3.00/3 toothbrush or floss from 1/9 SS

$0.50/1 from 1/9 SS

FREE after coupon

Crest Toothpaste, 4.6 oz, 10 for $10
Use $1.00/1 coupon from 3/27/2011 P&G Insert (exp 4/30/2011)
Or use $0.50/1 from 3/13 RP
FREE after coupon

Listerine Pocket Packs 10 for $10 (through 5/7)

Use $0.50/1 coupon from 4/17 SS, 1/9 SS, or 10/10 RP

FREE after coupon

Brut Deodorant- 10 for $10 (through 5/7)

Use $1.00/1 coupon from 4/10 SS or printable

FREE after coupon

---------------------

Almost FREE

Carefree Liners (20 ct. pkg.) - $1.09

Use $0.50/1 coupon from 3/27 RP or printable

$0.09 after coupon

CVS deals 4/24-4/30

New to shopping at CVS? 
Check out my CVS tutorial here.
Don’t understand the coupon lingo? 
Check out my couponing glossary here.

ECB deals

Blink Tears or Gel Tears  - $7.99

Buy 1, get $7.99 ECBs (Limit 1)
Use $1.00/1 coupon from 4/3 SS
Free plus overage after coupon and ECBs

CoverGirl Lip Perfection Lip Color, Nature Luxe Foundation or Lip Gloss Balm

Buy 1 (prices start at $4.49), get $2 ECBs (Limit 2)
Use $2.00/1 coupon from 4/10 RP
$.49 each after coupon and ECBs

Clean & Clear Products

Buy $15 worth, get $5 ECB (prices starting at $4.99) LIMIT 1

**Deal Idea**
Buy:
(2) Clean & Clear Morning Burst Body Washes $5.99
(1) Clean & Clear Pore Cleanser $4.99
Use:
(1) BOGO FREE coupon from 3/27 SS
(2) $2.00 PRINTABLE , PRINTABLE
Total Due: $6.98, get Back: $5 ECB

Makes it 66¢ ea

Coupon deals

Dove Men +Care Antiperspirant or Deodorant – $0.99 (Limit 5)
Use $1.00/1 coupon from 3/27 RP, printable or printable
FREE after coupon

4/23 Coupon savings this week

Here’s my shopping trips for the week:

Publix

Total: $98.81

- $69.21 in coupons

I paid $29.60

Food Lion

Total: $12.96

- $7.10 in coupons

I paid $5.86

Aldi

Paid $4.89

I was excited that they had 3 lb. bags of sweet potatoes for $0.69!  I stocked up!  Any good sweet potato recipes you want to share? :)

Total paid for the week - $40.35!!  Right on budget! :)

No coupons this Sunday 4/24

There will be no coupon inserts in the paper this weekend.  Most holiday weekends don’t have coupon inserts.

Enjoy weeks like this because next Sunday we jump right back into coupons with a P&G and more! :)

Target: 1¢ Carefree pads!

Did you get the above Target coupon in your Smartsouce this past Sunday (4/17)? 

This has to be the best but most unusual coupon ever!  Buy a 20-22 ct. Carefree Acti-fresh feminine care item for 1¢ with coupon!  Not get $1.00 off, but regardless of the price, the item will only cost 1¢! 

And it is a Target coupon which specifically states that you can use one manufacturer coupon and one Target coupon per item.  There is also a $0.50/1 manufacturer coupon from 3/27 RP.  So maybe overage if Target will allow it??

Has anyone tried to use this coupon?  Were you able to get overage?

GIVEAWAY!! + Shaklee review

Happy Earth Day! 

I have a great product to share with you and a chance for you to win some of it for your own! 

I am trying to take baby steps toward making our family healthier and our home greener.  We try to eat somewhat healthy – whole grains, limiting take out food, upping our fruits and veggies, etc.  And I am planning to purchase some grass-fed beef in the next few months. :)  I am also trying to make conscious changes in our home too.  We recycle all paper (and when you coupon heavily that is a ton of paper!), don’t use paper products except napkins, have changed out most light bulbs to energy efficient bulbs, etc.

And I am now using a non-toxic, natural cleaner called Basic H Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate from Shaklee.

The 16 oz. bottle is super concentrated!  Here is my bottle of concentrate and my spray bottle containing the cleaner.  This is the 3rd bottle of cleaner I have made and you can see I haven’t even used 1/5th of the bottle!

You dilute it to different strengths for different cleaning projects. 

• For windows, 1-2 drops to a 16 oz. bottle of water
• For all –purpose cleaning, 1/4 tsp to 16 oz. bottle of water

You can get up to 48 gallons of cleaner out of this one 16 oz bottle!!  And it only costs $12.15 (or $10.35 member price).

I also love a product they have called Scour Off Heavy Duty Paste. 

I just started using this stuff and it is amazing!  It cleans my smooth-top stove better than the cleaner they sell specifically to clean my stovetop! :)  It is nontoxic, has natural abrasives, and smells tropical! :)  Costs $8.50 (or $7.25 member price)

So, let me show you what I cleaned today!

I cleaned my stovetop with the Scour Off Paste…

Before:

Baked-on ickiness!

After!

Before – smudges and fingerprints on my windows…

 

After cleaning with Basic H!  A mirror-like finish!

  

Mirror after cleaning with Windex – streaks everywhere!

After cleaning with Basic H – streak-free!

Sink - before 

After wiping down with Basic H!

More than the way it cleans, I love the fact that it is safe, natural, and non-toxic!  It is completely safe for your children to use to help you clean!

Right now, they have a GREAT deal going on.  Place a $30 order and get a FREE lifetime membership ($19.95 value)!  Which would get you the member price on all their products!

Here are a few things you could get for around $30 to get your FREE membership.

GET CLEAN® HOUSEHOLD MINI KIT ($40 member price)

(contains 16 oz. Basic H²® Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate, Basic H²® Wipes (35 count), Germ Off Wipes (35 count), Scour Off paste, Measuring Spoon,  Dropper Pipette, 3-pack Spray Bottles)

GET CLEAN® KITCHEN MINI KIT ($39.30 member price)

(contains Hand Dish Wash Liquid Concentrate (16 fl. oz), Dish Washer Automatic Concentrate (32 oz), Dish Washer Automatic Dispenser (empty), Hand Wash Concentrate (32 fl. oz), Hand Wash Dispenser)

Now, on to the GIVEAWAY!

Sarai from Shaklee has agreed to give FIVE of my readers a sample bottle of Basic H Super Concentrated Cleaner – enough to make TWO 16 oz. bottles of cleaner!

Here’s how to enter:

1.  Head over to the Shaklee website, explore through their products, then come back and tell me in a comment what you would want to order!

2.  Leave another comment telling me the first thing you would clean if you won the Basic H cleaner. 

Giveaway ends Tuesday, April 26 at 8:00 p.m. (Make sure to leave your email address in your comment!)

{I was not compensated in any way for this post.  All statements are 100% my opinion after using this product.}

Publix: FREE Ritz Crackerfuls!

I did my Publix shopping tonight (pictures and details to come!)  I had cut one $1.50/1 coupon for Ritz Crackerfuls and was going to check the price.  To my surprise they were $2.99 BUT on sale BOGO for $1.49 so FREE after coupon!  I happened to have more coupons in the car, so ran and cut more and loaded up on Ritz Crackerfuls.  My husband is excited about this deal. :)

Hurry as sale ends Saturday!!

Ritz Crackerfuls - $1.49 on sale

- $1.50/1 coupon from 4/17 SS

FREE after coupon

$2.00/2 Nivea lip care!!

Coupons.com is busy loading some great coupons today!  Print this coupon for $2.00/2 Nivea Lip care.  Nivea lip care goes on sale for $1.00 frequently too so would be FREE after this coupon!

$2.00/2 Reach toothbrushes = FREE at CVS

Coupons.com just loaded a new coupon - $2.00/2 Reach Toothbrushes!  This is a great coupon as Reach toothbrushes go on sale for $1.00 often at stores.  In fact, they are on sale for $1.00 at CVS this week!