Right now you can get a free anti-bacterial hand soap with ANY purchase. Click here to get the coupon! It is only good through September 27th, so use it fast! :)

Coldstone's World's Largest Ice Cream Social...

Thanks to my good friend MaryBeth for sharing this. On Thursday September 24th from 5-8pm you can get a free 3oz Make-A-Wish Creation (Sweet Cream, brownies, caramel and sprinkles), with any donation to the Make-A-Wish foundation. Check out this website for more information. Even though this is a frugal website, I encourage everyone to donate generously for this wonderful cause.

If you want some good reading, head on over to my friend MaryBeth's blog and get to know her. You won't regret it! Read about her own experience with Make-A-Wish, and check out her list of favorite posts. She is one of the strongest, most beautiful people I know. You will fall in love with her and her family and you will laugh and cry as you read about her unbelievable life. :)

Kohls...

Continuing our discussion on clothes and shoes and where to find the best deals, today I am going to talk about another favorite store of mine:

You don't have to be turned off by the high sticker prices at Kohls, you just have to know when to shop! Kohls is known for weekend sales, early bird specials and night owl specials. I have picked up shoes here on multiple occasions when they have said specials. For example, you might get 50-60% off on the weekly sale, but then they add an additional percent off if you shop during the special hours. (Kohls usually does this almost every weekend for a couple of months before Christmas!)

Kohls also quite frequently lets you earn Kohls Cash. (Example: If you spend $50, you earn $10 off a future purchase.) Additionally, they have times when they give you extra percents off just for using your Kohls card. (Just make sure you pay it off immediately so you don't spend more in interest than you save in percent!)

The best way to find out about Kohls sales is to sign up for their email alerts. Another perk to doing that is that they will send you a $5 coupon in your email for your next purchase. (Hopefully you signed up for them back in May when I first posted about it, otherwise just click here to sign up now.) Your coupon will arrive in a few days. :)

At Your Service...

Recently I wrote the post "Curious Minds Want To Know" where I asked you to let me know what kind of information you were looking for when it came to saving money. One reader asked:

"...Do you have any suggestions on where to get stuff for good prices when it comes to clothes & shoes (besides Park City outlets!) I'm afraid our clothes budget is going to be sky rocketing in the near future and any $ I can save would be helpful! :)"


I myself have kids that can be finicky about what clothes and shoes they are wearing. My (almost) 13 year old son thinks he can't wear any t-shirts that aren't Quicksilver, DC Shoes, Hurley, Fox, or one of the other "skater brands". Problem with that is that I am not willing to pay $25 for a t-shirt from the retail stores. So what is my solution? Well one of them is:

I can't tell you how much I love this store. It has all the brands of t-shirts my son loves, but I only pay $7.99-$9.99 for them there. I also am usually able to find a brand of tennis shoes he is happy with (Vans or DC Shoes) for $20-$25 instead of the $50-$75 ones in the retail stores, not to mention very reasonably priced jeans, sweatshirts and shorts!

I also get great clothes for my 15 year old there... dresses, shirts, cute sweaters, pajamas, shoes... you name it. Designer ties, pants and shirts for my hubby, great kitchen ware, picture frames and house decor... all for a fraction of what I would pay at say, Kohls! They also have a kids clothes dept where I have been known to pick up baby shower gifts at good prices. (Just stay away from the small toys dept... it is crappy and usually a GIANT MESS!)

The thing with Ross is that they have name brand stuff for the kids for a fraction of the price. However, it goes without saying that there are a few drawbacks to shopping here. First, they have what they have. You basically go to your size and pick from what they have in. One week they may have Nike's, the next week Reebok's, the next Sketchers. If you see something you like, get it because it probably won't be there the next week. Also, if they don't have something in your size, just move on. They probably won't get it in.

Second, you may find yourself having to sift/rummage through racks to find what you need/want. They also have some really crappy stuff, just as every store does. Also, some Ross' are more organized than others... you need to try different stores to find which ones you like.

Third, with bargain shopping can come bargain customer service. Depending on when you go, you may find yourself rolling your eyes at unhelpful employees and the lines can be a bit long to check out. However if you are willing to sacrifice these things to save some money, take a trip over and have a look.

There are MANY Ross' in Utah. Some are better than others. Our family has been known to drive all the way to Provo to shop before school starts at the end of summer because they always have a really good, big selection of things. I also like the American Fork store. If I have to stay in my area, the District isn't bad and neither is Draper... however, I am not particularly partial to the one in Taylorsville.

Finally, many people think Ross and TJ Maxx are the same thing. I beg to differ. I much prefer Ross and find a lot more there than I usually do at TJ Maxx... although with letting this little secret out of the bag, I may find less in the future! :)

Hope this helps.

Dineoround...

If you live in the Salt Lake City area you can visit one of 31 of the areas finest restaurants between September 11-27 and ask for their "dineoround special". Depending on the restaurant, you may get a three course meal for either $15 or $30 per person. (Some even offer a 2 course lunch for $10).

Visit http://www.dineoround.com/ to see which restaurants are participating in which price range and then give them a call ahead to see what their special includes. I called the Garden ($15 for dinner) and they don't give you a choice... their entree is the 3 cheese ravioli with lobster sauce. You also get a tomato and cheese salad and an ice cream dessert. Still, for $15 a head, it's a nice way to try out a restaurant that you might not try otherwise. Having eaten at The Garden before, I can tell you their food is very good quality and the atmosphere is just wonderful.

Check our dineoround.com to set up a dining adventure for you and that special someone this month!

Bath & Body Works Coupon...

Right now you can get a free Signature Collection Body Care Item (up to $12 in value) with a $10 purchase while supplies last. Click here to get the coupon! It is good through September 27th. :)

This week at Smiths...

Have you looked at your Smiths Circular this week? Smiths is introducing "Fresh Values Rewards" where you get money back for every dollar you spend!

Take a look at your Smiths Card. If it doesn't say "Fresh Values Rewards Card", you need to upgrade so talk to a Smiths associate next time you are there. Every dollar spent earns you a point. Bonus points can also be earned by filling prescriptions, bringing your own bags and signing up for email bonus offers. 500 points gets you a $5.00 reward certificate with $1 extra for every other 100 points you earn. Rewards certificates are sent out every three months and the certificates spend just like cash at Smith's. Click here for additional information about the program.

This week at Smiths you can take advantage of their case lot sale while supplies last! The idea here is that you get a better price because you are buying a case instead of just one or two. (A good way to build up your food storage.) Here are some examples of this weeks potential savings:

• Betty Crocker Cake Mixes end up $0.90/each when you buy a case of 12. You CAN mix and match flavors.
• Kroger Boxed Macaroni & Cheese end up 3/$1.00 when you buy a case of 48
• Maruchan Ramen Noodles end up 8/$1.00 when you buy a case of 24
• Kroger Value Granulated Sugar 4lb bags end up $1.89 each when you buy a case of 10
• Hunts Pasta Sauce ends up just $0.69 each when you buy a case of 12
• Duncan Hines Regular Brownie Mix ends up $0.90 each when you guys a case of 12
• Kroger Chicken Noodle Soup 10.5oz cans end up 2/$1.00 when you buy a case of 24
• Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix ends up $0.33 each when you buy a case of 24

Get the point? Take a look at your local smiths Ad here to see what else they are offering in their case lot sale and take this opportunity to build your food storage by at least one or two cases of something. But don't forget to make sure you have a fresh value REWARDS card first so that your purchases go towards your rewards certificate. :)

(*Disclaimer: I am not responsible for any misprints by the grocery store chains OR by me. Check your mailers to confirm prices, or go online here for Smiths to look at the AD's for yourself.)

Curious Minds Want To Know...

As I sit and write week after week, I often wonder... What areas are my readers PERSONALLY looking for the most help in when it comes to being frugal or saving money? Leave a comment asking your best questions or letting me know what your favorite things to read about are! I'll spend some time doing my best to answer you or focus on your area of need. After all, it's all about YOU. :)