FREE (or almost free) Healthy Choice meals!

Go here TODAY (these coupons go fast) to print out a coupon for $2.00 off one Healthy Choice meal!!  (Remember to hit your "back" button to print two coupons!)

YAY!!  I love this coupon!  It surfaced briefly about a month ago, and I was able to get two free Healthy Choice frozen dinners.  (I am a fan of this particular brand because every meal includes dessert.  That's a must in my book.)  Incidentally, Healthy Choice meals are on sale at Kroger this week for $2.20 each, so if you want to use the coupon right away, you can get a meal for $0.20!  Awesome.

FREE Deodorant!

First, I'm sorry I haven't posted anything in FOREVER.  School just started, so it's been a busy week or two of auditions, rehearsals, classes, organizing, etc.  But I just came across this fabulous deal and I simply have to post it here.

Vocalpoint members (sign in here) can get a FREE full-sized Secret Clinical Strength deodorant simply for agreeing to review it after trying it.  AWESOME!!!  If you're not yet a Vocalpoint member, go here for more information and to register.  I've gotten tons of free samples through them (and they're not at all spammy), so I think it's worth joining up, even if it's just to get this awesome freebie!

MORE Fabulous Victoria's Secret Freebies!!!

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTT???  The freebies from Vic's Secret just keep getting better!  Here are two of the latest:

• Get 2 FREE pairs of undies with any purchase when you become a fan of Victoria's Secret on Facebook.  Head to this post at mommysnacks.net for more specific instructions.  (NOTE: This coupon will only work TOMORROW, September 1.)
• Get a FREE body scrub with any purchase.  (No expiration date!?)
• Get a FREE BeautyRush lip gloss with any purchase.  (No expiration date?!)

Enjoy!

Where to Find Coupons: Restaurant Websites!

So here's the fourth installment in my "Where to Find Coupons" series, and it deals with one of my favorite things: FOOOOOD.
Did you know that by signing up online for your favorite restaurants' loyalty/membership/VIP programs, you can get free meals right and left??  Well??  Did you? 
...You didn't?
Okay, here's what to do:

1. Go to a restaurant's website.
2. Look around to see if they have some sort of membership club or loyalty program or something.
3. If they do, sign up for it. (NOTE: This would be a good time to use that nifty extra email address you created when you began your journey to become a coupon goddess (or god.  Sorry guys.)  Don't know what I'm talking about?  Check out this post.)
4. Check your email.
5. Print out your coupon(s).
6. Go eat free food.

Seriously.  It's just that easy.

I've only signed up with a few restaurants so far, but I've already gotten some AWESOME deals (free Coldstone on your birthday, anyone?).  If you want to try this yourself (and really, why wouldn't you?) start with the places below--I've linked directly to the sign-up page for each club/newsletter/whatever--and then Google YOUR restaurant's website to see if they have a similar program! 

Coldstone Creamery
Cheeseburger In Paradise
Old Country Buffet
Olive Garden
Red Lobster
Red Robin
Starbuck's (see this post)
T.G.I.Friday's

And here are a few fast food joints (because, you know, I'm a college student):
Arby's
Burgerville (Enjoy, Northwesterners... *sob*)
Wendy's

Bath & Body Works Lip Gloss Freebie!

I looooove this coupon:

Free lip item with any purchase at Bath & Body Works (exp. 8/30/09)

It expires this Sunday, though, so hurry!!
(Remember to look for nail files/tiny lotions/etc. to use as your required purchase with offers like this!)

Sweet Deal: Target!

Just got back from Target, and I got--among a few other things--some free "Crazy Cores" Skittles!! (Find 'em in the checkout lanes)

Original Price: $0.52

Used Target's $1/1 "Crazy Cores" Skittles coupon (exp. 9/5/09)

Final Price: FREE

I'm going to print more coupons and go back this weekend to get a few more bags. FREE CANDY YAYYYY! Admittedly, they look a little...flourescent...but it will be fun to break them out for the occasional movie night over the next few months.

Victoria's Secret Freebies! (UPDATE)

Victoria's Secret has had some great freebie offers lately!

Here are three of the most recent:
Free lace-trim thong with any Victoria's Secret Pink purchase (exp. 9/2/09).
Free Pink Body Lotion (1oz); no purchase required (exp. 9/7/09).
UPDATE: Free Pink Beauty Travel Kit (worth $25) with any Victoria's Secret Pink purchase (exp. 9/24/09). Log in/register to print your coupon. 2nd UPDATE: I used this coupon today, and the kit is so cute! It comes with travel-size bottles of body spray, body lotion and body wash and an adorable little lip butter thingy, all in a cute pink mesh zippered bag. Hard to believe someone would actually pay $25 for it, though. Yikes. Anyway, it would make a great gift.

At my store there are usually some GREAT clearance deals, so make sure to check those out before buying a full-priced item to go with your free undies. You could also use a couple travel-size Pink lotions or something as your purchases (and then receive another one with the other coupon!).

Arby's Freebie on Wednesday!

Tomorrow (Wednesday, August 26), head into any Arby's and receive a free Roast Beef & Cheddar sandwich with the purchase of any soft drink. Sweet! ...especially if you ask them to leave off the "cheddar". *shudder*

Starbucks Freebie!

Here's a fun freebie:

If you have a Starbucks gift card or Rewards Card, go here to create an account/sign in/register your card, and you'll receive a free drink of your choice on your birthday! Fun! Easy! Delicious!

(If you don't have a Starbucks gift card, you can get one from Swagbucks for 135sb. Unfamiliar with Swagbucks? Read all about it in an upcoming post, OR check out the widget in my sidebar.)

Thanks, MoneySavingMom!

Where to Find Coupons: Contact the Manufacturer!

This next strategy was the third step I took on my journey to couponing, and it's probably the one that freaked me out the most (in a good way).

I decided (innocently enough) to contact the manufacturer of one of my favorite products to let them know how much I enjoyed the product. So I went to the product's website--for this example, we'll say the product is Skintimate shaving cream--and found the contact form. I filled out my contact info and then wrote a quick little message about why I specifically liked their product. It took like two seconds. Lo and behold: five days later, I received a very nice letter in the mail, thanking me for my comments, and included in that letter was a coupon for a FREE Skintimate product. Any Skintimate product. Any size. !!! So I started writing to a few more of my favorite products' manufacturers.

Now, keep in mind that I've only been writing to manufacturers for about two weeks, and during that time, I've spent probably 10 minutes total contacting these people. Here are the coupons I've received so far:

FREE Skintimate product

FREE Hostess/Wonder/HomePride product

FREE Bagel Bites (don't judge me)

FREE Clorox Disinfecting Wipes (the big tub)

Two FREE Chiquita Fruit Bites

Two $0.50 coupons for Edy's (that's "Dreyer's" to you Northwestern folks) Fruit Bars

Two $1.00 coupons for any Campbell's/Pace/V8/Prego/Pepperidge Farm product

Two $0.50 coupons for Bagel Bites

Not bad for two weeks, right? (Why haven't I ever done this before??) Keep in mind that some manufacturers actually do want to hear your praise, suggestions for improvement, displeasure, etc., so this is valuable feedback for them. I don't gush when I write to them; I just honestly state what I like or would improve about each product, and thank them for their work. It seriously takes almost no time at all, and it nets me some free and/or very cheap items! Sweet! Try contacting your favorite product's manufacturer today, and see what happens!

Random Freebies

Free samples are awesome. It's fun to get a little treat in the mail, and it's fun to try weird foods/items you'd never actually buy, and often the samples will be accompanied by high-value (high dollar amount) coupons! So whenever I have a few minutes, I sign up for a couple of these.

NOTE: Before you start applying for free samples, it would be a good idea to create a "junk" email account via yahoo or hotmail. Use that email when signing up for samples/offers/whatever. That way, in case some of these offers create lots of email spam, your primary inbox will remain pristine and lovely.

Here are just a few of the free sample offers I've seen floating around lately:

• Free almond snack tin (available to the first 50,000 people who sign up). Take a short little survey. I just tried it and got through, so the offer appears be open.
• Free Denta-burst sample. At first I thought this was some scary-sounding denture glue, but it's actually one of those nifty little toothbrusher things you put on your finger. Hee!
• Free Honey Nut Cheerios sample PLUS $1 coupon.
• Free Emergen-C sample (two different flavors). Click "Pluck a Free Sample"

Sweet Deals at Target

There are some sweet deals going on right now at Target!

BH Tip: Target allows "stacking" of manufacturer's coupons and store coupons. This means that if you have a manufacturer's coupon for, say, Dove deodorant, you can use it WITH a Target coupon for Dove deodorant. Use this strategy to maximize your savings, as I did here:

Target has Dove Ultimate Visibly Smooth Deodorant for $3.29 this week.
Use $2 off 1 Dove Deodorant printable coupon
Use $1 off 1 Dove Deodorant Target printable coupon (scroll down to the "Expiring 9/12/09" section, enter "1" in the box next to "Dove Deodorant", scroll down to the bottom, and click "Get Coupons". Then print it!)
Final price: $0.29

BH Tip: Always check to see if a coupon specifies the size of the product in question; for example, the Target Dove printable clearly states that the coupon is not to be used for travel-size deodorants. But the coupon below clearly does NOT include a size requirement, which is why we're able to get such a sweet deal:

Target has General Mills Single-Serve Cereal Cups for $1.00 this week.
Use $1 off 1 General Mills Cereal Target printable coupon (scroll down to the "Expiring 9/12/09" section, enter your requested number of coupons next to "General Mills Cereal", scroll down to the bottom, and click "Get Coupons". I printed five.)
Final price: FREE

See? Isn't this crazy-fun?

Bath & Body Works Freebies

Here are two fun coupons for Bath & Body Works freebies! They're especially great if you're thinking ahead to Christmas presents.

Get a FREE Signature Collection Body Care or Home Fragrance item with any $10 purchase. Expires 8/27/09.

Get a FREE Signature Collection travel size item with any purchase. Expires 9/9/09. ...I used this coupon, and the "travel size items" are actually pretty big! Lots to choose from, too. I lucked out because I found a HUGE bottle of shea lotion on clearance for $3, so that was my purchase. I walked out with $20+ worth of merchandise for $3. Wheeeee!