2022-2023: A year without couponing.
Who could have seen the pandemic, the supply chain interruptions, brands shifting away from paper coupons, and staggering inflation combining to completely change the couponing landscape as we knew it?
Featured Posts
My appearance on ABC’s “The Con”
ABC’s popular true crime show The Con delves into the topic of coupon counterfeiting and fraud in this week’s episode, “The Coupon Con.” I’m very pleased to be one of the featured…
Shopping and Savingnext >< prev
Current National Catalina Offers: September 2022
Here is a list of Catalina offers for the current month, including Keurig, Lean Cuisine, Stouffer's, Yoplait...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: September 2022
Here's a list of all of the coupon inserts that have expired within the last two months. If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them...
Current National Catalina Offers: August 2022
Here is a list of Catalina offers for the current month, including Breyers, Caress, Lean Cuisine, Nature's Bounty...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: August 2022
Here’s a list of all of the coupon inserts that have expired within the last two months. If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them, as all of the coupons inside each insert have expired. Inserts marked with an asterisk are new since last [...]
Welcome, Inside Edition viewers!
Paper coupons are on the decline as brands transition to digital. Inside Edition went shopping with me yesterday at Jewel-Osco to see if we could still save at the supermarket!
Welcome, New York Times readers and coupon enthusiasts…
The New York Times recently wrote a lengthy article on the decline of coupon usage, and I was happy to share my thoughts with them on where the industry is currently at and how the economy...
Current National Catalina Offers: July 2022
Here is a list of Catalina offers for the current month, including Alkaline88, Kellogg's...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: July 2022
If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them, as all of the coupons inside each insert have expired. Inserts marked with an asterisk are new...
Current National Catalina Offers: June 2022
Here is a list of Catalina offers for the current month, including General Mills snacks...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: June 2022
If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them, as all of the coupons inside each insert have expired. Inserts marked with an asterisk are new...
Current National Catalina Offers: May 2022
Here is a list of Catalina offers for the current month, including Breyers, CeraVe, Cheez-It, Energizer, and more...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: May 2022
Here's a list of all of the coupon inserts that have expired within the last two months. If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them...
New Super-Couponing Tips column: Questions on electronic coupons
"Your store’s e-coupons might be accessible with a store loyalty card, or the store might utilize your phone number to create an account. Either way, once you have an account..."
New Super-Couponing Tips column: Stocking up ahead of commodity increases
"If you’ve paid attention to the news headlines lately, you’ve noticed in addition to the prices of groceries rapidly increasing, specific commodities have jumped in price..."
Current National Catalina Offers: April 2022
Here is a list of Catalina offers for the current month, including Band Aid, Breyers, Caress, Carnation, Cheez-it, Keurig, and more...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: April 2022
Here’s a list of all of the coupon inserts that have expired within the last two months. If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them, as all of the coupons inside each insert have expired. Inserts marked with an asterisk are new since last [...]
Current National Catalina Offers: March 2022
The following national Catalina offers are active for March 2022...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: March 2022
If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them, as all of the coupons inside each insert have expired. Inserts marked with an asterisk...
Current National Catalina Offers: February 2022
The following national Catalina offers are active for February 2022...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: February 2022
Here's a list of all of the coupon inserts that have expired within the last two months. If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them...
2022 Coupon Insert Schedule
Which weeks can we expect coupons from NewsAmerica (SmartSource = SS) Valassis (RetailMeNot = RM) Procter & Gamble Brandsaver (PG) and Unilever (U)?
Current National Catalina Offers: January 2022
Here is a list of Catalina offers for the current month. Most of these are believed to be national offers, though in each product's case, I am noting the store that the alert printed at.
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: January 2022
Here's a list of all of the coupon inserts that have expired within the last two months. If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them...
Expired coupon inserts to remove from your files: December 2021
Here's a list of all of the coupon inserts that have expired within the last two months. If you have any of the following inserts in your files, you can pull them out and recycle them...
Home and Stylenext >< prev
A wasp-free climber and swingset makeover
For whatever reason, wasps have decided to make our children's backyard swingset their home. The number of wasps living in every concealed crack and crevice in this thing was astounding...
My deck stain report: Two years later
It's 2017, and I've had numerous requests from readers asking for another update, as it's deck-staining time again! Several people have requested "many photos" this time around, so here we go...
Kitchen and bathroom cleaning with Mean Green
One of my readers asked me to tackle a "dirty microwave" and see what Mean Green could do. In preparation, I stopped wiping down the inside of our microwave for (yuck!) two months. All in the name of research, I assure you...
Are you prepared for a disaster? Look what hit my town!
We never know when an event may happen, and our community was certainly reminded of that this week when a sudden 70-mile-per-hour windstorm struck the town I live in. About 15 minutes before the storm...
Summer camp wardrobe by… Menards?
The camp our kids attend has a good way to group and keep track of the kids. Each cabin is assigned its own color, and the colors are also the campers' team colors for the week for all of their sports and "color war" play....
College apartment-hunting with our daughter
When we started looking at apartments, we were pleasantly surprised to see how reasonably priced off-campus living is at Eastern. We began apartment hunting in March by looking at several properties online...
Our daughter’s college journey: Weighing costs and education
"Have you shared any tips from shopping for colleges with your oldest daughter?" I've been receiving a few emails and messages asking about the path we chose for our daughter's education. and I'd be happy to share...
Unexpectedly shopping for a new 30″ refrigerator
Over the weekend, our Kenmore refrigerator died a sad death. Its compressor failed after 14 years of faithful service, and we woke up to room-temperature juices and soft ice cream in the freezer. The fridge's death, sadly...
This weed torch is my favorite garden tool
Every year, our family plants a vegetable garden, and every year, despite my best intentions, there comes a point in time when the garden becomes more than a little overrun with weeds...
The Queen has arrived, and our laundry is clean again!
My new Speed Queen arrived about a week and a half ago, and I waited to post about it until I'd had some time to play with it, and decide if this machine is everything that I hoped it would be...
We couldn’t throw our old couch away
Something strange happened when we tried to get rid of our old couch. Our family room couch has seen better days. I bought this sectional when I was in college -- one of my first "grown-up" purchases...
My black leather trenchcoat
I've owned this black leather trenchcoat for more than 17 years, but the coat is older than I am. This coat has a story, and this seems as good a time as any to tell it...
Foodnext >< prev
Recipe: O Organics Crunchy Peanut Butter Cookies
It's that time when many people resolve to live healthier: Eating better, exercising more, and cooking healthier meals and snacks for our families. While we don't eat 100% organic all of the time in our household...
Sweet Island Ham & Pineapple Snackers
I partnered with Buddig as a Deli Mom and create snacks with deli meats that aren't sandwiches! This time, I took a reader's suggestion to incorporate the sweet flavor of Hawaiian rolls with another Buddig lunchmeat treat...
Bacon-Wrapped Ranch Chicken Strips
Litehouse invited me to try their salad dressings at home and share with you what I made: Bacon-wrapped ranch chicken strips. They were definitely family-pleasers here in the Cataldo house...
Recipe: Honey Citrus O Organics Chicken Shish Kebabs
Summer grilling season is in full swing at our house! These long summer nights are perfect for cooking and eating outdoors together as a family. I love grilling out whenever possible...
My must-have products for low-carb eating
There's definitely an initial learning curve in figuring out what you're going to eat. Anything with high amounts of sugar is out, and for this former high carb eater, that meant saying goodbye to cereal, fruit juices...
Be Snacksational: Pineapple-Coconut Glazed Sugar Cookies
Here's an easy-to-make after-school snack that will get you in a "Snacksational" mood! My children love frosted cookies, so I created a tasty, frosted fiber-filled treat that gets some of its sweetness from yogurt...
Have you tried air chilled chicken? It’s delicious!
What exactly is air chilled chicken? Air chilling is a process that's been popular in Europe for over forty years. It is individually processed by suspending it in air and chilling it for several hours...
Recipe: Sweet & Savory Signature Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp
These shrimp are the perfect blend of sweet and savory flavors, and they get a little extra kick from Signature Kitchens' Stone Ground Horseradish Mustard...
Making a jar of cake-mix “upsizer”
It's getting difficult to find a cake mix that hasn't been reduced from 18.25 ounces to 15.25 ounces. This week, two things came up that made me want to work on a solution of sorts to this issue...
My low-carb life: 25 pounds down (and counting…)
We quickly set a start date, agreeing to start our weight loss journey on August 1st and compare results in three months on November 1st. Further sealing the deal, I got the smaller-sized jeans for myself as an incentive to do this...
Keto-Friendly Carando Abruzzese Italian Meatball Bake
As my husband and I follow a ketogenic diet, we also make a lot of meat-centric meals at home. Here's one of my favorite go-to recipes for busy nights that is rich with all of the flavors of...
Try Primo Taglio for a perfect deli platter
It's officially summertime, and Chicagoland has the humidity and temperatures to prove it! I love this time of year, as summer means spending lots of time in the sun, eating outdoors...
Travelnext >< prev
Intergalactic fun at Walt Disney World’s Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge
Our family recently headed to Walt Disney World to visit Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disney's Hollywood Studios! Rise of the Resistance topped our list of things-to-do, simply because...
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Orlando Resort
Universal Orlando has added a second land to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Diagon Alley. Guests enter Diagon Alley is via a very nondescript-looking alley in the London area of Universal Studios Orlando theme park...
The Field Museum and Chicago Auto Show
Our kids were off school yesterday for an extended Presidents' Day weekend holiday, so our family headed into the city for some almost-free fun at the Field Museum and the Chicago Auto Show...
Top ways to save on your Walt Disney World vacation
I'm always happy to answer questions on where to stay, resort amenities and dining. Learn about Disney resort rooms for under $100 per night and a special "Buy 4, Get the 5th day FREE" offer on park passes - just $64.59 per day!
Must-have travel and packing tips for a family cruise
Our family enjoys cruising, and over the years I've collected some of my favorite tips, ideas, and must-have items to pack when taking a cruise. If you're planning a cruise with kids, here are some things to consider...
What’s in your trunk? Three things to carry at all times…
I believe everyone should be prepared, even minimally, for a situation in which you may not reach your destination due to weather or other complications. What's in your vehicle's trunk right now? At a bare minimum, I recommend you carry...
Driving across South Dakota
Our RV tour's scheduled stops for the day included a visit to the Mitchell Corn Palace, an on-your-own lunch, and an ice cream social at the legendary Wall Drug, which my boys were very excited about...
Visiting the Mall of America
The Mall of America is home to the largest indoor theme park in the United States, Nickelodeon Universe. There are 30 rides inside the mall, as well as a high ropes course and a mini golf course...
The staycation that turned to a… vacation?
How far from home do you have to drive before your staycation qualifies as a vacation? Our friends invited us down for a visit to the Indianapolis Zoo. My boys were up for a little road trip...
Jill’s Bucket List: 24 hours in the Riot House
During a trip to Los Angeles, I stayed at the Riot House, the most famous rock and roll hotel in the world...
Disney Parks VIP Tour and our 24-hour Disney honeymoon
Recently, I confessed that my husband and I had never taken a vacation without our children -- ever. We travel pretty frequently, but we never planned a just-us trip...
My search for the perfect family camping tent
I love to camp. My parents were (and still are!) avid campers. My earliest childhood memory is camping in my mom and dad's big blue canvas cabin tent. Incredibly, that big canvas tent is still around...
Make Thisnext >< prev
Fixing a suitcase wheel with… duct tape?
It irked me that everything else about the suitcase was fine and functional aside from the bad wheel. I looked at replacing the wheel, but I could not find a suitable wheel that was the right size...
Improving a great beach bag (with a not-so-great logo)
I attended a blog conference and brought home an oversized canvas beach bag featuring the logo of one of the conference sponsors. However, last year, that company became embroiled in a bit of a scandal...
Building a kitchen countertop extension
Our daughter's new apartment really only has one issue -- limited counter space and no place to put a microwave or other small appliances. I got the idea to build a countertop extension for her kitchen...
Our ultimate one-minute theme park tailgating setup
Our family has had a fun summer of enjoying days at the zoo, water parks, and theme parks. My kids actually look forward to our lunchtime tailgating, as we can completely set it up in under one minute...
Pooh to Pikachu
This year, when I asked my son what kind of cake he wanted, he said "Pikachu." The popular Pokemon character is certainly cute, but how to best capture him in cake form? Many of my cakes take shape...
Easy kids’ craft: Make a can candle
I believe I was around 7 or 8 years old when we made tin can candles, and so I did a quick web search to see if my juvenile memories of it were correct. Incredibly, I couldn't find anything online about how to make these...
Mending my family’s clothes: How to fix worn jeans “invisibly”
While I could put patches over these ripped knees, I also don't want my kids to be self-conscious of an obvious repair job. I want to share how I've been able to extend the life of my sons' jeans by patching them invisibly...
How to make a large utility tote for less than $20
If you've been wanting a large utility tote without spending too much, and you have minimal sewing skills (like me!) read on and learn how you can make your own large utility tote from one yard of fabric for less than $20...
The eighteen-year-old quilt
I came up with the idea to make a quilt for her eighteenth birthday. And for the past thirteen years, I've been saving our daughter's favorite shirts as she outgrew them. Everything from T-shirts and sports jerseys to pajamas...
Here’s an idea for leftover wax from your wax melter
The wax melt packaging recommends that you pour the melted wax back into the clamshell packaging to dispose of it. Being frugal, I couldn't simply throw the wax away. So, we're reusing it in a creative way...
Making a jar of cake-mix “upsizer”
It's getting difficult to find a cake mix that hasn't been reduced from 18.25 ounces to 15.25 ounces. This week, two things came up that made me want to work on a solution of sorts to this issue...
Make your own “Slushy Magic” at home!
To recreate the Slushy Magic effect, it's important to understand how it works. Each cup comes with three plastic ice cubes filled with salt water. Salt water freezes at a lower temperature than plain water does...
