Teaching Creatively *giveaway* -3 winners!

If you are like me, we are coming up on the end of our school year (already!) but could always use some extra ideas from other homeschooling families to inspire us to keep plugging away these last 2 months. Starting Monday, the Schoolhouse Review Crew will be doing a 5 day blog hop on Teaching Creatively. I will also be participating in a few of the following topics:

Monday- Delight-Directed Learning

Tuesday- Schooling in the Kitchen

Wednesday- Toys, Games and Puzzles

Thursday- Homeschooling in a Crisis

Friday- Hands-On Projects

The Blog Hop won't begin until Monday, but we are starting the fun early by giving you the opportunity to win incredible bundles of books and homeschool resources! I'm joining in with Marcy @Ben and Me and Sam @Sam's Noggin to bring you this awesome giveaway during the 5 Days of Teaching Creatively Blog Hop, hosted by the Schoolhouse Review Crew! 

There will be a total of 3 winners chosen -- one GRAND prize, a 1st RUNNER-UP and a 2nd RUNNER-UP! The contest will begin at 12am on March 9 and end at 12am on March 17.  Please use the Rafflecopter below to enter, but read the contest rules, found at the bottom of the widget, first. 

*To my Facebook blog fans, after you complete the 2 required entries, scroll to the bottom of rafflecoptor & you will see you can get an extra entry if you are a follower (and if you aren't one on FB yet, feel free to become one!)

The GRAND PRIZE WINNER will receive ALL of the following -- a $525 value!

Geography Matters -- Profiles from History Package ($50 value) Looking for a way to help your students connect with history? The Profiles from Historyseries is dedicated to telling the stories of people, whose lives are worth remembering. Whether they made a discovery, led heroically in a war, created a masterpiece through music, or art, used a pen to change the world, or impacted humanity with their bravery—they made a difference. We can learn so much by looking at those who came before us. Be ready to change your mind about history, with Profiles from History, Volumes 1, 2, and 3.

The Old Schoolhouse Magazine --  1-year membership to SchoolhouseTeachers.com, a new Print Issue of The Old Schoolhouse^® Magazine, and a Homeschooling with Heart Tote Bag ($90 value)

SchoolhouseTeachers.com is an online classroom and has more than 2 dozen expert teachers who cover 25 different subjects presented via teaching videos, ongoing lesson plans, worksheets, lapbooks & unit studies, writing prompts and other assignments to choose from, students can additionally interact personally with the teachers by asking them questions and gaining feedback.

Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett -- Passport Geography set, consisting of the Combos (K - 12) for United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Germany ($50 value) 
Taking an in-depth look at world geography with the new Passport Geography™(PPG) series by Amanda Bennett. These one-week studies use a cross-curricular approach (covering geography, history, science, etc.) to take students on virtual journeys around the globe. Each study is interactive, including daily lessons for both elementary grades and Jr/Sr High grades, with no prep required.

Shining Dawn Books -- Early Spring Bundle ($21 value)

Early spring is known for its wonderfully rainy weather, leading to lots of beautiful fungi. It’s also the season when animals busily go about their regular activities after the relative quietness of winter. This bundle will help you to explore each of these exciting aspects of the spring season in-depth.

A+ Tutorsoft -- 1-yr subscription to the online A+ TutorSoft math program -- winner's choice from    grade levels 1st-4th ($150 value)
A+ TutorSoft, Inc. provides Multi-Sensory Interactive MATH Full Curriculum products to help students improve their grades at all levels. Our Multi-Sensory Interactive MATH helps homeschooling families as well as public and private school teachers and students. A+ TutorSoft offers everyone a FREE 30 day trial on all products. Visit the top right corner of our website: http://www.aplustutorsoft.com/. And through 3/31/13 they are offering 50% off all products with code spoffer50!

Five in a Row -- Complete Digital Holiday book ($34 value)

A complement to any lifestyle of learning, this book is different from the Five in a Row manuals. It doesn’t give a specific book to study for each holiday, rather it is a treasury of traditions, memories and ideas for making your own! Each unit also includes calendar pages, blank pages for recording your own memories, and combinations of traditions and recipes, book and movie suggestions, quotes, decorating ideas, and more! 

Knowledge Quest -- Wonders of Old Timeline Book ($25 value)

Wonders of Old is divided into four historical time periods: ancient, medieval, new world and modern. Significant dates are listed at the conclusion of each section as a helpful reference. This hardcover book measures 9x12 and is printed on extra thick 70# paper for durability.

In the Hands of a Child -- 1-Year Super Membership ($75 value)

Super Memberships Save You Time and Money! Each month Super Members receive two free downloadable Lapbooks. These Lapbooks are always brand new and have not been released for sale to the general public. Super Members also receive:

• 15% discount off all purchases of existing eBook Lapbooks.
• A free Birthday
•  Lapbook10.00 off the price of any custom ordered unit

Southern Hodgepodge -- A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels ebook ($20 value)
Looking for an easy way to add art to your days? With A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels ebook – just add chalk pastels and paper! Short lessons for a whole year, 100 pages of tutorials, art for all ages.

Tricia Goyer -- Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska ($13 value)
Singer Ginny Marshall is one signature away from the recording contract of her dreams—a deal that would guarantee success for the former foster child, who still struggles to bury the memories of her painful childhood. But When singer Ginny Marshall travels to the isolated town of Glacier Bay, Alaska, she is charmed by the town's colorful characters and stunning scenery. She discovers a box of old letters and is swept up in the love story between an early missionary to Alaska Territory and his accidental mail-order bride. Written by homeschool moms, Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss.

Frontier 2000 -- No Regrets: How Homeschooling Earned Me a Master's Degree by Age Sixteen by Alexandra Swann and Looking Backward: My Twenty-Five Years As a Homeschooling Mother by Joyce Swann ($20 value)
No Regrets: The engaging story of Swann's experiences growing up as a Southern Baptist homeschooled child from New Mexico earning her education at a highly accelerated pace. At the age of fifteen she became the youngest student ever to graduate from Brigham Young University in its 111 year history.

Looking Backward: From 1975-2000, Joyce Swann homeschooled each of her ten children from the first grade through master's degrees by the age of sixteen. In this book, she discusses the methods she used to teach as well as the obstacles that threatened her success.

____________________________________________

The 1st RUNNER UP will receive ALL of the following -- a $225 value!

Geography Matters -- Cultural Geography Package ($50 value) Have you ever thought that geography was a boring subject? Then you've never used these books! Eat Your Way Through the U.S.A. and Eat Your Way Around the World are a taste buds-on approach to geography. Each state or country has its unique geographical features and agricultural products. These influence both the ingredients that go into a recipe and the way food is prepared. Why stop with only your taste-buds? Let's involve all the senses by adding Geography Through Art! This hand-son approach will supplement any study of geography, history, or social studies. Geography Through Art is sure to make a lasting addition to your home or school library. You'll find yourself reaching for this indispensable guide again and again to delight and engage students in learning about geography through the culture and art of peoples around the world.

Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett -- Discover the Senses Download N Go ($9 value) In this study, your child will investigate a new sense each day, learning what it is and how it works, as well as what it does for him. He will learn what impacts that particular sense. And he will meet some of history’s heroes, such as Louis Braille, who helped along the way. Each day, your student will explore and investigate, creating and adding more learning components to his Discover the Senses lapbook—building a wonderful reminder of all that he is learning to be enjoyed for years to come.

Shining Dawn Books -- Remarkable Rain ($9 value)

Quiet and peaceful, or wild and raging – rain comes in many forms. This NaturExplorers unit sets out to examine rain in all its beauty, observe its effects and make you look forward to the next rainy day!

A+ Tutorsoft -- 3-month subscription to the online A+ TutorSoft math program -- winner's choice from    grade levels 1st-4th ($50 value)
A+ TutorSoft, Inc. provides Multi-Sensory Interactive MATH Full Curriculum products to help students improve their grades at all levels. Our Multi-Sensory Interactive MATH helps homeschooling families as well as public and private school teachers and students. A+ TutorSoft offers everyone a FREE 30 day trial on all products. Visit the top right corner of our website: http://www.aplustutorsoft.com/. And through 3/31/13 they are offering 50% off all products with code spoffer50!

Five in a Row -- Set of Five Audio Files from Steve Lambert ($20 value)

We all need some inspiration from time to time! Steve and Jane Lambert have been encouraging homeschoolers on their journey since 1994. These Five in a Row audio files have been recorded at major state homeschooling conventions around the United States and Canada and have been chosen because we believe you’ll enjoy it for its wisdom, humor and encouragement shared by Steve. Including: Where do I Begin?, I Can't Teach All the Grades at Once, Making Your Children into World Changers, On Becoming Great Teachers, and High School and Beyond.

In the Hands of a Child -- 6-Month Super Membership ($55 value)

Super Memberships Save You Time and Money! Each month Super Members receive two free downloadable Lapbooks. These Lapbooks are always brand new and have not been released for sale to the general public. Super Members also receive:

• 15% discount off all purchases of existing eBook Lapbooks.
• A free Birthday
•  Lapbook10.00 off the price of any custom ordered unit

Southern Hodgepodge -- A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels ebook ($20 value)
Looking for an easy way to add art to your days? With A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels ebook – just add chalk pastels and paper! Short lessons for a whole year, 100 pages of tutorials, art for all ages.

Tricia Goyer -- Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska ($13 value)
Singer Ginny Marshall is one signature away from the recording contract of her dreams—a deal that would guarantee success for the former foster child, who still struggles to bury the memories of her painful childhood. But When singer Ginny Marshall travels to the isolated town of Glacier Bay, Alaska, she is charmed by the town's colorful characters and stunning scenery. She discovers a box of old letters and is swept up in the love story between an early missionary to Alaska Territory and his accidental mail-order bride. Written by homeschool moms, Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss.

____________________________________________

The 2nd RUNNER UP will receive ALL of the following -- a $190 value!

Geography Matters -- Adventures of Munford Package ($35 value) Although he's just two parts hydrogen and one part oxygen, Munford is all adventure. He can be rain, snow, sleet, or steam. He has traveled the world in search of excitement. Throughout history, he has been present at some of the most important and world-changing events. Fun and educational, Munford will inspire your children to learn more about many of history's greatest moments. These readers make a great addition to your learning experience in areas such as history, geography, and science. This book series is written on an elementary reading level, but provides plenty of read-aloud entertainment for the entire family!

Unit Studies by Amanda Bennett -- Discover the Senses Download N Go ($9 value) In this study, your child will investigate a new sense each day, learning what it is and how it works, as well as what it does for him. He will learn what impacts that particular sense. And he will meet some of history’s heroes, such as Louis Braille, who helped along the way. Each day, your student will explore and investigate, creating and adding more learning components to his Discover the Senses lapbook—building a wonderful reminder of all that he is learning to be enjoyed for years to come.

Shining Dawn Books -- Remarkable Rain ($9 value) Quiet and peaceful, or wild and raging – rain comes in many forms. This NaturExplorers unit sets out to examine rain in all its beauty, observe its effects and make you look forward to the next rainy day!

A+ Tutorsoft -- 3-month subscription to the online A+ TutorSoft math program -- winner's choice from    grade levels 1st-4th ($50 value)
A+ TutorSoft, Inc. provides Multi-Sensory Interactive MATH Full Curriculum products to help students improve their grades at all levels. Our Multi-Sensory Interactive MATH helps homeschooling families as well as public and private school teachers and students. A+ TutorSoft offers everyone a FREE 30 day trial on all products. Visit the top right corner of our website: http://www.aplustutorsoft.com/. And through 3/31/13 they are offering 50% off all products with code spoffer50!

Five in a Row -- Volume 4 Digital Unit of Winner's Choice ($9 value)

Five in a Row was created by Jane Claire Lambert, a successful homeschool teacher with more than 17 years of experience. To use Five in a Row, just pick one of the 70 books used in Five in a Row, locate the corresponding lesson plan in your teacher’s guide, read the story aloud each day during the week and use Jane’s suggestions and lesson plans to lead your children on a wonderful learning adventure. It’s that simple! Each unit covers Social Studies, Geography, Language Arts, Applied Math, Science and Art in a way that causes children to fall in love with learning.

In the Hands of a Child -- 2-Month Super Membership ($45 value)
Super Memberships Save You Time and Money! Each month Super Members receive two free downloadable Lapbooks. These Lapbooks are always brand new and have not been released for sale to the general public. Super Members also receive:

• 15% discount off all purchases of existing eBook Lapbooks.
• A free Birthday
• Lapbook10.00 off the price of any custom ordered unit

Southern Hodgepodge -- A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels ebook ($20 value)
Looking for an easy way to add art to your days? With A Simple Start in Chalk Pastels ebook – just add chalk pastels and paper! Short lessons for a whole year, 100 pages of tutorials, art for all ages.

Tricia Goyer -- Love Finds You in Glacier Bay, Alaska ($13 value)
Singer Ginny Marshall is one signature away from the recording contract of her dreams—a deal that would guarantee success for the former foster child, who still struggles to bury the memories of her painful childhood. But When singer Ginny Marshall travels to the isolated town of Glacier Bay, Alaska, she is charmed by the town's colorful characters and stunning scenery. She discovers a box of old letters and is swept up in the love story between an early missionary to Alaska Territory and his accidental mail-order bride. Written by homeschool moms, Tricia Goyer and Ocieanna Fleiss. 

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Homeschool Giveaways

Baby #7 update

In case you might have missed the post I shared a few months ago with the special picture, we will soon be welcoming baby #7 in May. I realize I don't talk a whole lot about my pregnancy, partly because the innocence is lost for me since Noah died. I realize that anything could happen and just because I am pregnant, doesn't mean I am coming home with a baby. I do my best each day to cherish the movements, the hiccups and the kids always wanting to lay hands on my belly to feel this little one move. To be blessed with this precious life is certainly a gift I don't take for granted!!

I'm in the 3rd trimester so I guess the end is in sight which is hard to believe. My pregnancy has been pretty much like all my others. Sick at the beginning then feeling great the rest of the time.

Granted, this is an older pic but you get the idea.

I can't say I've had any major cravings but I'm often seen with the following:

I go through at least a bunch or 2 of celery each week. I also have been loving flavored seltzer water (any flavor, any brand) though I limit myself to one each day as I hate buying what is basically "bubbly" water.  I was fortunate to get some for $.32 a bottle recently so I stocked up! I also eat radishes like candy, even when not pregnant. In just a few weeks, I will be finally planting my own in my garden again so I can eat more than the occasional few here and there that I buy. Oh and I discovered many weeks ago that celery is a diuretic. I was wanting something crunchy before bed so I'd often eat a plate of plain celery before bed, then wonder why I was up peeing several times over the next hour or so. I looked it up and discovered the wonderful water-reducing ability of this crunchy veggie and stopped eating celery past about 7pm. (so if you are feeling bloating, eat some celery, just not before bed! lol)

This pregnancy hasn't entirely been without worries. One of which was a cyst was discovered on baby's brain at 18 weeks. They felt since they didn't see other markers, that things should be ok and the cyst would shrink, though I admit it's still nerve-wracking to think about. They said sometimes these show up with no other issues & eventually disappear. I went back a few weeks later and they said it looked like it had shrank a bit. I go back to the specialist this month for another 3D ultrasound to look again so please keep baby in prayer that it is completely gone & they don't find anything else wrong.

The upside to the extra ultrasounds is that I get to see baby more often and get some cute pics. Here are 2 from the last appointment which was 7 weeks ago:

This is a good one of the baby's nose & lips (baby was moving a bit so the right side of the mouth is a little distorted).

I LOVE this picture as baby had its eyes open (which is why they look like black spots) and s/he was placing its thumb into their open mouth (the other finger is up by its eye), how AMAZING to see baby doing this so early on!!

For the last 2 weeks, I've been dealing with this:

Yes, that's a glucometer. I failed my 1 hour glucose screening and they wanted me to do the 3 hour test which I told them I wouldn't do. I did it with Olivia and it was awful. The 2 day high carb diet they make you follow prior to the test was miserable, then combined that with the extremely sugary drink they make you consume for the 3 hour test, really messed my body up last time. I was almost positive I didn't have gestational diabetes as I don't have any of the typical symptoms or markers for it. I rarely consume sugar and not many processed carbs so I have no doubt when I drink the stuff for the 1 hour test, my body really minds it and gives a high reading. Anyway, they said I could check my blood sugar 4 times a day for 2 weeks instead of doing the 3 hour test so I agreed to do that. I know, you may be thinking how is the 3 hour test worse than sticking myself 56 times (which it ended up being more than that as some days my cold fingers wouldn't give up the blood and I stuck myself more than once). But trust me it is!! This was a cake walk. Good news is, just like I thought, I don't have GB. But it was interesting to see how what I ate affected my blood sugar levels.

So I continue to take each day of pregnancy one day at a time while praying for good health & outcome for this precious 7th blessing, knowing that s/he is ultimately in His hands!

Linking up with:
 

"The Bible" on History Channel *giveaway*

 Some of you might have heard  about the highly anticipated show, "The Bible" that is airing Sunday Night 8pm EST on the History Channel. And if you hadn't heard about it, I encourage you to tune in & check it out. It's a 10 hour mini-series that was produced by Roma Downey (from Touched By an Angel) and Mark Burnett (Survivor, The Voice).

Many you of you might recall seeing "The Ten Commandments" and while it is a great portrayal of the Bible, it's a bit outdated since it was filmed in 1956. This mini series will cover the time from Noah's Ark to Exodus and the life of Jesus. From the previews and what others are saying, this is supposed to be a wonderful mini series. My kids can't wait to watch it!

Focus on the Family also just did a story on this series as well!

The History Channel also has an exclusive countdown to "The Bible" blog app. There is a neat scene quiz game where you can try to guess the character from a scene from the Bible that the picture is showing. There is also a clip countdown showing a short clip of the film each day until the show airs.

Because of this new show, the History Channel is allowing me to give away one of the official Bible Companion Books that goes along with this show. (prize will be chosen randomly from titles below by the History Channel).

A Story of God and All of Us (HARDCOVER)
A Story of God and All of Us (REFLECTIONS)

A Story of God and All of Us (YOUNG READERS)

So go check out the app, play the Bible Scene quiz or watch some clips then come back and tell me what your score was or what you are most looking forward to with this show using rafflecoptor. Don't forget to tune in Sundays, started 3/3, at 8pm EST on the History Channel!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I holding this giveaway on behalf of the History Channel. Prize is being supplied and mailed by them. All opinions are my own. This is being disclosed as required by the FTC.

Money Saving Monday

After last weeks post about my tips on how to get free or nearly free things at CVS, I thought I'd follow up with how I organize my coupons and some places I read up on to get some deal ideas.

There are many ways to organize coupons but I prefer to use a 3 ring binder with clear, plastic pocket inserts (think baseball card holders). This makes it easy to see & access your coupons quickly. And yes, this thing goes with me when I go shopping anywhere that will accept coupons! You never know when you'll trip across an unpublished deal or marked down item.

It's all a personal preference in how you organize your coupons once you have the holder you prefer. Since I get a lot of my deals at CVS, I have personal care items in the front of my binder. The page above has some of my razor & shaving cream coupons (I have 2 pages worth of these). They are grouped by their brand names. I have all shampoos on the same page, toothpaste together, etc. Then I have other grocery items categorized together back further. Snack items, dry goods, dairy items, frozen, and so on. I obviously have a ton of different categories but those are just some to give you ideas. Some people have tabs or page dividers to mark off their different sections but I haven't bothered with that at this point.

On the left hand side of the picture, you can see I have a clip attached where I put any shopping lists that aren't in listed in my smart phone. I also clip the coupons to this spot I know I plan to use before heading out so they are easy to grab.

Some of my favorite sites I read to get heads up on deals are:
For The Mommas
We Use Coupons (thanks for sharing this Jackie!)
The Krazy Coupon Lady

If you are on facebook, all the above places can be found there as well. They list who has what on sale and what coupons you can pair with the sales to get the best deal. Often they will list some of the stores sales up to a week ahead of time, giving you time to plan out what you want or to hunt down coupons you might not have. Those sites also give a lot of other great information as well (where to get free samples mailed out to you, bargains online, etc).

A free place to get coupons to print out on your printer is Coupons.com (though keep in mind some stores won't take internet printed coupons but most chain stores do).

(and no, I'm not being paid to share the above. Just want to pass along some ways to help you save money).

I know all this may seem overwhelming but you don't have to tackle this all at once. Start small with saving a bit on a few deals and go from there. Once you start seeing the awesome savings, you'll want to keep going as it can be such an adrenaline rush!

Have you found any good deals recently? Comment below & share as it's always fun to hear what others are finding!

Previous Money-Saving Monday posts:
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3

Crescent Chicken Rolls

I love using my crockpot to cook a whole chicken. Perfect for our long co-op days to come home & have supper ready. Usually though a chicken gives us at least 2 meals so I enjoy trying to find creative ways to use leftover chicken.

Awhile back, when coming up with ideas for my cooking class I teach at co-op, I decided to make these crescent chicken rolls with my class. I had a stash of crescent rolls in my freezer from when I got a 12 pack of them for $1.00 (yes, you can freeze those canned biscuits!) So this was a perfect recipe to whip up.

Instead of using a can of cream of chicken soup the recipe called for, I paired it with my homemade cream of chicken soup (I never buy "cream of" soups anymore, much cheaper & healthier to make your own).

This recipe also freezes well. Just reheat in the oven.

Crescent Chicken rolls

1 package refrigerator crescent rolls (I doubled this recipe in the above picture)

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 can cream of chicken soup (my homemade recipe listed below)

1 can of milk (using soup can)

Preheat oven to 350

Prepare soup using milk and set aside. Separate crescent rolls and flatten a bit. Spoon chicken and cheese onto each crescent on the thick end; roll and seal to enclose filling (it won't roll perfectly, just work to pinch shut all sides). Place in a 9×13 baking dish. Pour soup over rolls. Bake at 350 uncovered for 30 mins. Just a note, I like seasonings and sometimes add whatever else I feel in the mood for at the time.

Cream of "whatever" Soup

3 Tbsp of butter

3 Tbsp flour

1/4 tsp salt

dash of pepper

1 1/4 c of liquid, milk or stock

Melt butter in saucepan. Stir in flour and seasonings. Cook over medium heat until bubbly. Add liquid slowly, stirring with wire whisk to prevent lumps. (this is key for a smooth soup). Cook until thick. This equal 1 can of condensed soup.

For cream of chicken soup, use chicken broth for half the liquid. Add a little poultry seasoning or sage if you like.

For cream of tomato soup, use tomato juice for the liquid. Add dashes of garlic & onion powder, basil & oregano.

For cream of mushroom or celery soup,  saute 1/4 cup of mushrooms or celery & 1 Tbsp of onion in butter before adding flour.

For more of my recipes, check out my Recipe Tab. I'm often adding new things I've made!

Linking up with:
Our 4 kiddos

Money Saving Monday-Shopping at CVS for Next to Nothing!

I realize I haven't done a money-saving post lately but this one will make up for it! Do you shop at CVS? If you don't, I hope after this post you will. (and no, I'm not getting paid to do this post, I wish I was, ha!) Many people don't realize just how good the deals are at CVS when you combine coupons, red machine coupons & extra care bucks (ECB). I've been getting a lot of things free most weeks due to planning out my deals. Here are some photos of some recent deals and I'll explain more on the flip side:

(click on photos to enlarge if you want to see more detail)

This was the loot I scored on black Friday (and no, I wasn't there early, just later morning). EVERYTHING you see here I got for free PLUS I earned $21 ECB to spend on another order.

I paid $1.89 for this order (as seen in receipt below though the cashier messed up what I paid so it shows $1.98) I earned $19 in ECB.

I paid $6.11 for this order & got $4 in ECB PLUS I also got a $6 rebate on the advil which means I made money on this order!

I paid a whopping......$.41 out of pocket for this order (used a $10 cash card from a previous order & $9 in ECB to pay for this) and got $19 in ECB as seen in the receipt below plus using an app on my phone, I earned another $1.25  which means I made money on this order!!!

, 

I paid $4.06 for this order (as seen in receipt below) and earned $19 in ECB.

Check out the savings on this receipt from this one order, I saved $99!!!!

I paid $9.22 for this order, as seen in receipt below, & earned $10 ECB.  (and no, we will not be drinking all the sodas from the last 2 pics, they will be sold at our annual development yard sale in May, thus making money off this order!) Look at that savings of $95!!

Ok, do I have you convinced yet to start shopping at CVS?

 If you don't shop there, first things first, get yourself their loyalty card called an "extra savings card". Also, if you get the Sunday paper, start clipping coupons. If you don't get the paper, ask around to friends for their coupons. When you go to CVS, locate the "red machine", this is where you scan your card and it prints out special coupons & savings just for you. Don't just scan it once and take those coupons, scan it again as it usually prints off more than one round. Keep scanning until is says "no more coupons for today".

Those coupons have an expiration date on them so even if you don't think you will use them right away, hang onto them for a possible future order. Many times I've found coupons that printed one week, I end up using the following week on good sales.

Also, go online to CVS and register your extra care card (because they will email you special coupons) and also sign up for the beauty club savings where you can earn even more ECB. CVS now has an app for smartphones. Download this to see what coupons they send you weekly.

Just to clarify, ECB are earned on certain products that are marked each week. After you purchase the items qualifying for them, they print out on the bottom of your receipt. Make sure you DON'T LOSE THEM! They are just like money and you can use them on another order!

You can use a manufactures coupon and a red machine coupon on the same item. Like that toothpaste above, it was on sale for $3, I got a red machine coupon for $2.50 off each plus I had a manufactures coupon for $1 off 2, so all combined, I got the toothpaste for free!!

The stayfree were on sale the other week for buy one, get one free. I located some buy one get one free coupons so that allowed me to get them totally free!

I mentioned above that I used an app on my iPhone to earn money on the mouthwash I bought (which was on sale for $4.99, I had $1 off coupon, I got $2.50 in ECB plus with the app, I earned another $1.25 which made it only $.24) There are several money saving apps that are free & easy to use.

- ibotta (if you are a new user, the first time you redeem a rebate you'll get an extra $10)

-Savingstar

-Checkout 51

I could go on & on about this but I realize I probably just put some of you on info overload so next week, I will share a part 2 to this and share how I organize my coupons and other resources I use to help me figure out my best deals.

If you have any questions on what I shared here, feel free to leave it in a comment or email me & I will answer on next weeks post!

Until then, happy savings!!!

Previous Money-Saving Monday posts:

Week 1

Week 2

This post may contain affiliate links. Anything I earn helps support our homeschooling family.