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
My laundry room cocktail bar
The top of my washer is truly a laundry cocktail bar. I rotate brands and varieties of detergent based on what I'm washing. Whenever I suggest this to people, it's like a proverbial light goes off -- "What a great idea! I never thought of that!"
A cutting-edge, “cutting board” over-the-air television antenna
Earlier this month, DirectTV and AT&T dropped CBS and NBC from their subscription-tv lineups. Several readers emailed to ask how they could continue watching over-the-air...
My deck stain report: One year later
I detailed my deck refinishing project in 2015 and had high hopes for the deck stain I chose. Since that time, I've had curious readers writing to ask how my deck currently looks. How did it weather over the past year?
Updating our rooftop antenna: 70 HDTV channels in Chicagoland
Three years ago, I reviewed one of Antennas Direct's outdoor HDTV antennas. I felt it had a lot of potential, but it just didn't pull in the same number of channels as our old...
Snow sleds in the living room
I spotted "Cafeteria Tray" snow sleds on clearance at Target. The entire idea of this cracked me up, as many years ago my friends and I used actual cafeteria trays as snow sleds. We thought we were so creative...
How does my garden grow? With stinky deer repellent spray
Are you growing a garden this year? A new pest recently entered our yard: a beautiful doe who loves to eat our green bean and soybean plants. Don't get me wrong -- she's a very pretty deer, but...
We put a glass top on our wooden kitchen table
Whenever you have something new that you've invested some money in, aren't you inclined to try to keep it as nice and new-looking for as long as possible? We discussed getting a piece of glass cut for the tabletop...
A living room refresh for less: Warm and bright colors
I love the leaves changing, the cooler weather, and the fall holidays. Fall colors are some of my favorites! So, when At Home® stores invited me to give our living room a fall refresh on a budget, I was in...
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...
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....
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...
Foodnext >< prev
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...
Bargain-priced low-carb/keto flours at Farm & Fleet
If you're following a low-carb or keto diet (as half our household is,) here's a discovery I made recently that you'll be interested in. Farm and Fleet sells both coconut flour and almond flour, and the prices are much lower...
Ham, Apple, & Cheese Roll-Ups
Can you believe August is right around the corner? I hope you've been enjoying your summer as much as we have. We've spent many so many days outdoors -- we've been packing lots of coolers for lunches on the go...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
My favorite low-carb recipes for things you’d think are “off limits”
While my first few weeks of low-carbing consisted of a lot of meat, meat, and more meat, I quickly started exploring Keto and Atkins versions of things we regularly enjoyed eating...
Create the ultimate gift basket with Signature RESERVE
If you've browsed the aisles of your local Jewel-Osco store recently, you may have noticed a new brand on the shelves: Signature RESERVE™. Signature RESERVE is Jewel-Osco's exclusive, ultra-premium brand...
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...
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
Disneyland in one day… with preschoolers.
For a fresh perspective on Disneyland, I sent my sister and her family on assignment for my blog. Lynn is a public school teacher and mother of two preschoolers. This was her first trip to a Disney park with her children...
Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse
I cannot fully express in words how beautiful Mount Rushmore is in person. It's breathtaking. I remember seeing it as a child and being in awe of how beautiful it is. My boys, ages 6 and 9, were also completely enamored...
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...
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...
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!
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...
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...
Three days in the Dells: A weekend away that’s close to home!
Ever since I was a child, I've enjoyed going to Wisconsin Dells for vacations, long weekends or short getaways. Our family recently spent a long weekend in the Dells, and there are truly so many things to do in this area...
A Walt Disney World shopping perk you may not know about
Did you know that you can get a special shopping pass at the Disney parks solely for the purpose of going in and shopping? It's true! To get a shopping pass, you'll need to head to the Guest Relations office...
My must-have when traveling with carry-on luggage
One of my favorite travel tips when I’m traveling with carry-on luggage? Always take a second, lightweight tote bag with you that’s slightly larger than the “personal item” you carry on. You just may need it to comply with the airlines’ “One carry-on, one personal item” rule. I typically travel with a rolling carry-on suitcase [...]
Our Walt Disney World trip – Part 2: Staying on-site, staying off-site, and tips for buying Disney souvenirs up to 70% off
We split our stay between Disney’s Yacht Club Resort and the Downtown Disney Hilton Lake Buena Vista. You also won't want to miss these tips for buying Disney parks merchandise and souvenirs up to 70% off...
Our Walt Disney World trip: More Disney days, more fun!
We had such a wonderful time on this trip, and I still can't believe we went to Disney again, nearly one year to the day from our previous trip. Would it surprise you to learn that I am already thinking about our next trip?
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...
