Free Money From Coinstar

It’s time to rummage through the sofa cushions and cash in the coin jar! From now thru Dec 7, take your coins to a Coinstar location (in many supermarkets) and select the Prepaid Card or eCertificate option from the menu when you cash in $40 or more. At the bottom of your receipt, there will be a redemption form for you to mail in so you can get a $10 gift certificate to Amazon, Lowes, Starbucks, iTunes, JcPenney or Old Navy. They also have a Circuit City card, but I’d be wary of getting it until you’re sure that your local store isn’t closing down before the end of the year. The certificate will take 4-6 weeks to arrive.

Sample Sunday

Here’s this week’s list of free samples. To check out other samples that may be available from previous weeks, visit my Sample Sunday page.

Lipstock Chapstock (natural, free of artificial fragrance and preservatives)
Life Gear Glow Stick (great for an emergency kit)
Glad Force Flex Bags
Pantene Shampoo and Conditioner
Sabatino Tartufi Black Truffle Gourmet Olive Oil (100 ml)
Flexitol Heel Balm
Head and Shoulders Shampoo/Conditioner (7 types to choose from)

Three great places for free samples are Walmart, Vocalpoint and Proctor and Gamble. When samples become available, I post them each week.

Walmart
If you visit the free samples section, you’ll see samples that are currently available that I’ve blogged about previously. There’s no sign up at Wal-Mart – you simply give them your name and address and they ship you the product.

Vocalpoint
If you haven’t had an opportunity to sign up at Vocalpoint, I highly recommend that you do so. This week, you can get a free Crest spa hair band from Vocalpoint. There are a lot of sites out there claiming to give away free samples when you sign up, but many of the sites simply bombard you with ads or even worse, want you to go through a lengthy “qualifying process” where they make you purchase products. I know I certainly don’t want to sign up to Netflix, Blockbuster and apply for a credit card to get a free Chapstick! Vocalpoint is a legitimate site that often sends its members freebies. I signed up a while ago and don’t go to the Vocalpoint site very often, but I’ve received several samples and very valuable coupons in the mail (they often send coupons in sets of 5), including free Kashi with coupons, coupons for tuna, a free razor and more.


Proctor & Gamble
Another great free sample site is run by Proctor and Gamble. Free samples direct from the manufacturer! This week, you can get more Pantene and a sample of Tide.

Remember, when signing up for free samples, you will be required to send in an e-mail address. I recommend you set up a special e-mail address especially for this purpose to avoid filling your everyday inbox with mail from product suppliers. Happy sampling!

Free Coffee and More at McDonalds

Free Coffee at McDonalds Dec 1-31 – Atlanta, GA
Participating McDonalds in the greater Atlanta area will give away one small coffee to customers between 5 - 8 a.m. at all participating stores in Metro Atlanta between Dec 1-31, 2008.

McDonalds Buy One Get One Free Coupons – Charleston, SC.
If you’re in the Charleston area, check out the coupons available at the McDonalds Charleston website. You can get a buy one get one free on a Big Mac, Free Sausage Egg Biscuit Sandwich and a Hot Fudge Sunday through Dec 31, 2008.

Free McDonalds with Post It Rebate

Out of post it notes? If you purchase any 2 Post It products, you’ll get $5 worth of McDonalds gift certificates as a rebate. Go here for the rebate form. Yep, I'm loving it!

If you’re an office manager buying on a larger scale, check out 3M’s other rebate offerings: Buy $50 worth of qualifying products, get $10 worth of McDonalds gift certificates or a $10 Macys Gift Certificate, get a free $5 Subway card with Scotch Tape Value Packs or free Haagen Dazs with Scotch Packaging Tape Packs.

Free 2009 Calendars

I’ve never really been in to free promotional calendars until I was doing some extensive work the other day involving dates and couldn’t put my hand on a 2009 calendar. I looked over at my stack of free samples and wished that there was a calendar in there. If you think you could do with an extra calendar or two, here are some free ones…

Oriental Trading Company
Betty Crocker
Xerox
Wildlife Gifts

Affluent Pauper mentioned at Fox Business, Marketwatch and Sharebuilder

I’d like to thank Marty Orgel for mentioning Affluent Pauper in his article entitled “Wealth of Free Items Online Helps You Free Up Cash for the Holidays.” Check out Marty’s article at Fox Business, Marketwatch and Sharebuilder. You’ll find ways to save on a slew of items from free entertainment, books, guides, clothing, video games, art and more.

Some of the free items that Marty mentions in his article that I particularly enjoyed:

Free TV
If you’re wondering if you can part with your cable or satellite service, check out Blinkx currently in beta) and Hulu. You might find that your favorite mainstream TV shows are available online. Also, check out your favorite networks’ websites as they might have downloadable versions of the shows you frequently follow.

Free Music
SpiralFrog offers more than one million songs and 4,000 music videos for free.

Free 411
Call Google's 1-800-GOOG-411. How cool is that?

Free Courses
You can download free course materials, lecture notes, exams and videos from MIT through its OpenCourseWare program. There are hundreds of courses you can download.

Free Books
You can download miscellaneous books at free-eBooks.net.

Trade & Swap
Marty mentions Craigslist and FreeCycle. Read my July 20, 2008 article “Why Buy New When you can Trade?” for more info. on the benefits of trading and swapping.

If you’re new to Affluent Pauper, welcome! Check out the navigation bar at the top of my home page to find frequently updated information on freebies, samples, coupons, hot deals, frugal tips, online printable coupons and more. If you want to stay up to date on all the hottest deals and freebies, click on the orange button on the top left hand side of the screen, enter your e-mail address and you’ll receive blog updates so you’ll always be up to date! In these hard economic times, it’s wise to live large on less. Every bit helps!

Free Starbucks - New York

According to Food and Wine Magazine, on Friday, November 28, at 10 a.m. at Military Island, the intersection of Broadway and 7th Avenue between 43rd and 44th Streets in Manhattan, Mario Batali and Starbucks will take over Times Square, making and passing out (RED) coffee for everyone who shows up. If you decide to make a holiday drink purchase, for each beverage sold, Starbucks will make a five cent donation to (RED) in the fight against aids.

Black Friday Shopping Deals

I get my newspaper subscription delivered to my home on Sundays. Today, they dropped off a couple of complimentary Thanksgiving editions chock full of store coupons. So if you’re planning on taking advantage of Black Friday shopping deals, the paper is a must! Also, remember that online deals will typically start on Black Monday – Monday Dec 1.

Here are my faves:

Ashley Furniture – 20% off any single item or room group purchase11/28 7-10am.

Bed Bath and Beyond - 20% off entire purchase 11/28 6-10am

Belk – 15% off regular and sale priced purchase, 10% off home and shoes 11/28 5am-1pm. $10 off purchase of $50 or more 11/28 1-10pm. Free gift card for first 250 customers at each store (valued between $5 and $5,000). Store opens 5am.Estee Lauder, Lancome beauty boxes at $49.50 (items worth over $300) with any fragrance purchase

CVS – Free after ECB (you pay up front, but get full value coupons cash back after you pay and the coupons can be used like cash in store for the next 30 days – many of these are money makers if you have coupons for the products. Free after ECBS for 11/27-11/29 include: Colgate Total 4 oz toothpaste, Magnavox Universal Remote or Phillips Headphones, Aussie Shampoo, Aussie Conditioner, Aussie Styler, Johnson’s Soft lotion, Gatorade, Hershey’s chocolates, Bic Soleil Razor, Garnier Nutritioniste Towlettes, Maybelline Mineral Powder Liquid Foundation, 5-hour Energy Extra Strength 2pk, L’Oreal Colour Juice Sheer Lip Gloss, Sally Hansen Nail Color, Covergirl Smoothers Liquid Makeup, Covergirl Smoothers Pressed Powder.

Home Depot – Free Ryobi One + Tool (up to $70 value) with purchase of any combo kit through 12/31 (combo kits start at $59.97)

JcPenney – 10% off sale prices 11/28 4am-1pm. Free Disney snow globe (no purchase necessary!) while quantities last, includes $10 coupon redeemable 11/29. Receive a $10 savings coupon with any store purchase 11/28 redeemable on a $50 purchase on 11/29. $10 off any single purchase of $50 ore more or $15 off any purchase of $75 or more 11/28 3pm-11pm. $38.88 5-pc luggage set $38.88 (reg. $150) and other 11/28 4am-1pm door busters on children’s entertainment items, clothing, jewelry.

JoAnn – 50% off any one regular priced item and 20% off your entire purchase (includes regular and sale priced items) 11/28 6am-noon.

Kohl’s - $10 Kohl’s coupon for every $50 spent in store now thru 11/29 (coupon redeemable in store 11/30-12/6). 300 early bird specials 11/28 4am-1pm including 50% off all toys and 50-60% off a lot of clothing. Free 6 in 1 game cube with any $35 beauty purchase.

Lowes – Rival 3.5qt slow cooker $9.99, buy one get one free 12 gallon storage totes, $59.97 24 volt 4-pc cordless combo kit (was $159), $34.99 4” ladder (was $69) 11/28 6am while supplies last.

Macys - 15% off storewide sale and clearance merchandise, 20% off fine jewelry, 10% off home, certain clothing items 11/28-11/30 all day. They have 200 morning specials from 5am-1pm 11/28. Huge discounts on kitchen items

Macys - $10 off $25 regular, sale or clearance-priced merchandise 11/28 and 11/29 until 1pm

Michaels – 20% off entire purchase 11/27 6pm-9pm. 25% off entire purchase 11/29 6am-noon, 50% off any one regular priced item 11/28 noon-10pm.

Office Depot – Shop 11/28 or 11/29 and get a coupon for $15 off your next purchase of $50 or more valid 11/30-12/6

Old Navy - Free Samsung Pebble MP3 player on 11/28 with any purchase of $20 or more to first 50-200 people in line outside store depending on location (they'll hand out coupons outside store). 50% sale on many items 11/28.

Room Rack Shoes - $10 off purchase of $60 or more 11/28

Rooms to Go - buy one get one free $100 gift cards 11/28 8am-noon

Sams Club - Complimentary breakfast 11/28 (opens at 5am).

Sears - $10 off any apparel, accessories, footwear and home fashions purchase of $50 or more. 450 door busters 11/28 5am-noon.

Toys R Us – 100 door busters on kids toys 11/28 5am-1pm – many 50% off deals. $50 Toys R Us gift card when you buy black 16GB iPod nano for $199.

Ulta - $3.50 off any $10 purchase 11/28-11/30. Free luxury robe deal still available.

Walmart – Amazing deals on kids clothing - $4 toddler jeans, tracksuits, graphic hoodies, $8 winter jackets for the entire family.

Check out a great guest post at Freebies4Mom on shopping safety from Ginger at Attention Target Shoppers.

Sample Sunday

Here's this week's list of free stuff...

Herbal Clear Outdoor Whole Body Deodorant (you need to complete a quick registration on their site and go back to the link to get the sample)
Kotex Thin Liners (wait for the flash ad to finish and you can then request the free sample)
Gas X Thin Strips Sample and Coupon
Metamucil Berry Burst
Being Girl Sample Kit (feminine items)
Coupon for Nutro Products 4Ib bag of cat food or 5Ib bag of dog food (go4nc is the code)

For other samples that may still be available, visit my Sample Sunday page.

How to Make Starbucks Treats at Home

I love the pumpkin loaf, gingerbread loaf and lemon pound cake at Starbucks. It used to be virtually impossible for me to step in to Starbucks for a tall drink and not walk away with a delicious slice of something. And I figured…. Hey, I deserve it. But at around $1.95 a slice, my bank account also deserves a break. I had to find an alternate way to satisfy my sweet tooth. Then one day I wondered in passing if I could make all this yummy deliciousness myself. With a couple of keystrokes, I discovered that Recipe Zaar has an entire section of Starbucks recipes that are extraordinarily close to the real thing. Now on cold winter days, my kitchen can smell like Starbucks!

Here are my faves if you want to try them at home. These make great gifts too. You can buy loaf baggies with ribbon at your local JoAnn store this time of year (be sure to use your 40% off coupon from the newspaper insert!)

Starbucks Gingerbread
Starbucks Pumpkin Scones
Starbucks Lemon Loaf
Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins (I actually skip the cream cheese part and divide this in to two loaf pans to make pumpkin bread and then add a cream cheese frosting. You can also substitute half of the vegetable oil for applesauce.)

Free E-Book by Melanie Lynne Hauser

You can go here to get a free copy of Melanie Lynne Hauser’s book – Jumble Pie. According the author, it’s the story of the elusive nature of friendship, sometimes clinging, other times liberating; a story for any woman who has ever lied to her best friend just to make her feel better - and who has been brave enough to tell the truth, even when it hurts. And of course, it's a story about the remarkable healing power of pie.

Free Dr Pepper – Nov 23 Only

Go to the Dr Pepper website to get a coupon for a free 20oz bottle of Dr Pepper. Only valid today, November 23.

Last Day for Restaurant.com 80% Off Sale

Just received word - this is extended thru 11/24. I'm loving Restaurant.com right now. I went out to lunch at Doc Greens the other day with friends - three adults, two kids. The adults got soup/sandwich combos with large drinks and the kids got kids meals. We used a $25 gift certificate that I had purchased at Restaurant.com for only $2. Our bill came to approx. $32. Since the terms state that we need to spend $35 to use our $25 certificate, we ordered some cookies. Our bill came to a little over $35. We didn't need to pay a tip as there was no table service. After the certificate was subtracted, I ended up paying $10.23 at the register for all of our food! Now that's eating like an Affluent Pauper! It made me feel bad for all the families behind me who paid full price!

Usual prices at Restaurant.com are $10 for a $25 gift certificate. Use code SURPRISE through end of day today, Nov 20 and get 80% off that price. So you'll get your $25 certificate for only $2.

If you purchase any certificates as a result of clicking on the Restaurant.com links on my blog, you'll not only save big on dining out, but you'll also be supporting my blog.

My fave is the dinner of the month club:
3 month club - Three $25 gift certificates ($75 value) for $6
6 month club – Seven $25 gift certificates ($175 value) for $12
12 month club – Twelve $25 gift certificates and a $50 gift certificate ($350) for $24.

Ann Taylor Friends and Family Day Coupon

Get 30% off all Ann Taylor purchases Nov 20-23. Thanks to Jessica Shops for mentioning this. You can get your 30% off coupon here. Ann Taylor is currently running a 60% off sale.

JC Penney Coupons

Click here for coupon that entitles you to $15 off a $75 purchase or $10 off a $50 purchase from now until Nov 22nd. They’re having a huge sale from 7-1 on Sat Nov 22nd so Saturday is probably the best day to use the coupons. The coupons can be used online or in stores. If you shop online, use code SAVEHUGE to get free shipping on any purchases of $49 or more through Nov 24. Online is currently running a 40-60% off sale.

Regional Freebies

Free Cumberland Farms Coffee – Fridays - Northeast
Cumberland Farms customers can pour a cup of Farmhouse Blend for free every Friday through Dec 5. Additionally, all hot beverages, of any size, will be just 99 cents, every day of the week. Cumberland Farms has almost 500 convenience store and gas station locations in the Northeast.
Thanks to Money Saving Mom for mentioning this!

Free Coldstone Ice Cream Nov 20 - Michigan
Today, you can get free samples of Coldstone’s holiday ice creams, ice cream cakes and pies at all Michigan locations from 4-8pm.

Everything’s Free at Progress Coffee Nov 20 – Austin, TX
Progress Coffee isn't charging for anything on their menu today. You are however encouraged to make donations and 100% of donations will benefit the Bread for the World and/or Capital Area Food Bank. This is what Progress has to say about this: “Any amount (or no amount) is fine, whatever you’re comfortable with a penny, a buck, a hundred bucks- cash, credit, check or change Progress will take it and donate it all. And if you can’t or just don’t want to contribute, no worries—it’s certainly not a requirement (and nobody will look at you funny). At the end of the day, we’ll donate all the proceeds—100%—to these two charities so your loose change can unleash change.” I’m sure there will be lines around the block for this! Thanks to This is Life in Austin for mentioning this.

Free Items with Purchase at Ulta

Ulta Beauty is offering a free luxury robe worth $60 with any mens or womens fragrance purchase of $30 or more. You can choose from 3 styles. One per customer while supplies last.

They’re also offering a free Redken Shades EQ hair color or gloss service ($50 value) with the purchase of any salon service of $30 or more and to top it off, you’ll get a bag with $15 worth of Redken samples in it!

Sample Sunday

Here's this week's list of free samples...

Reach Access Flosser
Rocky Water Crystals
Del Monte No Salt Added Diced Tomatoes (first 50,000 – the site will tell you if you’re one of the first 50,000 – if you’re not, they’ll give you a 50c coupon)
Aquafresh Extreme Clean (it’s a coupon for $1.29 off a trial size or $1 off a regular size)
Benefiber

Free Underwear at JcPenney

Bring the December 2008/January 2009 cover of Seventeen magazine or a printout of the Seventeen homepage to any JCPenney store to receive one free Flirtitude panty. For each one given away, JCPenney will also donate $1 to the JCPenney Afterschool Fund (up to $25,000). This starts Tuesday, November 18, 2008, and goes through January 6, 2009. One per person. No purchase necessary. While supplies last.

Free Starbucks Gift Card

This is an interesting one. You fill out a short survey at Clayton Kendall’s website (they sell promotional materials that you can imprint with your company’s logo) in exchange for a $5 Starbucks gift card. It almost seems too good to be true, but since the survey is so short, I figured I’d do it and see what happens. It does require your phone number though, so I’m going to assume that a sales rep is going to call.

Free Kids Stuff

There’s nothing like having a box of free stuff on hand to keep small children entertained. Here’s some free kids stuff that’s easy to order…

Scholastic Book
Geotrax DVD
Planet Hereos Ace in Space DVD
Lysol Activity Book (for older kids – they might learn something about hygiene, for younger kids, hey – it’s a coloring book that might keep them entertained for a few minutes! You can order up to 30 copies if you’re a teacher).

Publix Sampling Event Nov 18th 4-7pm

If you love snacking while shopping, here's another sampling event - Publix is hosting a sampling event on Tuesday, November 18 from 4:00-7:00pm. They'll have free party food samples, prizes and more.

Sam’s Club Gift Cards & Sampling Event

Sam’s club is a great place to go to stock up on eggs, cheese and cold cuts. Annual membership is $35 for businesses (you can provide proof by means of either a business license, business card or flyer) or $40 for regular customers. Through Nov 26, if you sign up to become a member, they will give you a $10 Sam’s Club gift card which can be used in any store after Thanksgiving. If you to shop at Sam’s without a membership, you simply pay a 10% surplus.

We all know that Sams Club gives out some pretty awesome samples. They’re upping the ante for a 3-day “Holiday Taste of Sam’s Club” event on Nov 21-23 from 10:30am – 6:00pm.

So hang your apron up and strap on your feed bag! Here’s what’s on the menu…

Nov 21
Planters Deluxe Mixed Nuts, Hersheys All Natural Extra Dark Chocolate
Pecan Pie, Madagascan Vanilla Ice Cream, Lawlers Cheesecake Minatures (New York, Turtle, White Chocolate Raspberry), Jonathan T. Spanakopita, Tyson Honey BBQ Wings.

Nov 22
Old Fashioned Egg Nog, Hidden Valley Ranch, True North Almonds, Apple Lattice Pie, The Cheesecake Factory Pumpkin Cheesecake, Two-Layer Decadent Chocolate Cake, Sauces N Love Tuscan Vodka Pasta Sauce, Lobster Ravioli, Cranberry Apricot Pork Loin, Bacon Encrusted Pork Loin, Bacon Wrapped Beef Fillets, Mini Beef Wellington, Casa di Bertacchi Italian Style Meatballs, Deli Spirals, Gourmet Appetizers (crabcakes, mushroom turnovers, spinach and cheese stars, cheese soufflés), Bacon-wrapped Scallops, Tyson Buffalo Hot Wings, Trio of Belgian Chocolate Profiteroles.

Nov 23
Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Land O Lakes Whipped Cream, New York Style Bagel Chips, True North Pecan Almond Peanut Clusters, Planters Fancy Cashews, Marques de Paiva Organic Medium Roast Coffee, Pumpkin Pie, Cheesecake Factory Trio Selection Cheesecake (Dulce De Leche, Godiva and White Chocolate Raspberry, Jon Donaire Five-Layer Cheesecake, Lobster Bisque, Spinach and Asiago Chicken Sausages, Tyson Tequila Lime Flavored Wings, Smoked Salmon, Chicken Quesadilla Trumpets, Colossal Cooked Shrimp, Nancy’s Petite Quiche, Minh Mini Chicken Egg Rolls.

Great Coupons at Publix

A great place to get coupons this month is at Publix. Many coupons in the Publix flyers (found near the front door of the store) are manufacturer’s coupons that are accepted at any store. Others are Publix coupons, but keep in mind that many competitors accept Publix coupons.

My faves?

November Publix Greenwise has (among other coupons) $1 off Silk Soymilk, $1 off Eat Smart All-Natural Veggie Crisps, $1 off Blue Diamon Almond milk, $1 off Horizon Organic Milk.

Publix Winter Family Savings (among other coupons) $1 and $1.50 coupons for Green and Blacks Organic Chocolalte (Green and Blacks uses cocoa beans grown next to fruit orchards and you can actually taste the fruit in their chocolate, it’s soooo good!), $1 off any Seventh Generation Product, $1 off Scotch Brite Sponges, $1 off Orajel Toddler Toothpaste. Many expire 12/31.

If you want to get these and other Publix publications at home, go to the Publix website. Although I recommend also stopping by so you can pick up multiple copies if there's a coupon for a product you use alot of.

$5 off $20 at Walgreens on Nov 14 and 15

This Thursday and Friday, get $5 off $20 at Walgreens a coupon. Just click on the blue coupon bar to the right of this post to view all the coupons on my blog. The Walgreens $5 off $20 coupon is all the way at the bottom of the list.

Free Appetizer or Dessert at TGI Fridays

I just got a coupon for a free appetizer or dessert at TGI Fridays. Want one? Go to the TGI Fridays site and sign up to Give Me More Stripes. They’ll e-mail you a coupon for a free appetizer (no other purchase is necessary, and it expires one month after it’s issued). TGI Fridays will also mail you a card that gives you a one-time chance to cut the line. On a weekend, this could sure come in handy! The card also entitles you to $8 of free food for every $100 that you spend.

Circuit City Files Bankruptcy

Circuit City Stores Inc. has announced that it plans to close 155 of its more than 700 U.S. stores by Dec. 31. If you live close to any of the stores on the Circuit City store closings list, keep an eye out for potentially huge markdowns in the next month!
11/28 update - many stores are having markdowns up to 40%

Sample Sunday - This Week's Guide to Free Samples

Here’s this week’s list of free samples…

Sundance Organic Tea
Teasta Tea (Don’t click on the Free Sample button as it doesn’t work. Simply look the tea selection and pick out two of the same sizes and enter the code indicated on the home page to get your free tea. They have some cool flavors, I can’t wait to try the chocolate mint roibos one!)
Shelburne Falls Coffee
Ethiopian Coffee
Orville Redenbachers Lime and Salt Natural Groumet Popcorn
Just Like Sugar Substitute
Glad Storage Bag
Huggies Diaper – Remember, even if they don’t have the size you need, order the next size up as there may be a coupon with it
Kirkland Signature Diaper (you don't need to be a member)
Salon Secret – This is mystery hair care product by Walmart that is releasing on November 24. You can get the product before everyone else!
Spirutein Supplements Shaker Cup, Coupon and Sample (you need to answer some questions)
Eucerin Calming Crème
Right at Home Samples (first 20, 000 people get a Ziploc produce bag, storage bag, snack bag, steam cooking bag and a snap and seal container (you can’t participate this if you’ve participated in this offer in the past 6 months)

For free stuff from previous weeks that may still be available – go to my Sample Sunday list.

How to Use a Breadmaker

A few months ago I was having a conversation with a friend and she told me that she made bread. I mentioned that I've always wanted to buy a breadmaker, but have hesitated because I didn't this to be just another gadget that ends up gathering dust in the basement after the infatuation has died off. I mean, how many garage sales have you been to where they're selling their once-loved ab roller for a dollar? My friend offered to give me her breadmaker. I was very excited about the prospect of making bread but then there was a glitch... the breadmaker didnt have a manual and because the breadmaker was a discontinued, it was hard to track down the manual. But after some research, I came to find that breadmakers have fairly standard features, so once you figure out the basics, you're on your way to a lifetime of healthy, inexpensive bread! I make bread several times a week (oat bread, hallah, cinnamon, italian, etc.) and it never ceases to amaze me how easy it is. You just dump all the ingredients in to a machine, walk away and you come back a while later to a tasty loaf of bread!

Inspired by other blogging moms such as The Centisible Sawyer, I've gone ahead and made a video about how to use a breadmaker! If you're ever been curious about whether or not it really is that easy... check out my YouTube video. After you've watched the video, click on the image so that you can rate it. Please, please rate it!

Free Haircut with Herbal Essences Rebate

Keep an eye out for specially marked Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner bottles. If you buy 2 of the qualifying products, go to the Herbal Essences site to get a redemption form and they'll send you a coupon for a free haircut at participating salons. Offer valid through 6/30/09. Herbal Essences is on sale at Kroger and other retailers this week and there was a $2/2 off coupon in the November P&G insert (you can get an additional $2/2 coupon with the Kroger eSaver which is stackable, so the price comes out to 49c each).

Gifts on a Budget – Amazon 70% off Sale

Has Amazon always had a 70% off section? I just discovered it! If you’re looking for high-quality gifts at a discount, this is the place to be. As I’m typing this, there are 24 pages of items at 70% off. You can search by item and price (bottom left hand corner of the screen). In the $0-$24 range there are 1160 items and in the $25-$49 range, there are 342 items. Examples? A 5pc serving set for $17.38 (reg. $100), a Black and Decker Saw for $23.54 (reg. $114.41), a triple scoop ice cream maker for $29.99 (reg. $99.99), a bathrobe for $28.46 (reg. $100), 510 thread count sheets for $23.06 (reg. $110), Tommy Hilfiger sheet set for $18.90 (reg. $90), George Foreman Outdoor Grill Stand $16 (reg. $65), Satin Sheets for $17.27 (reg. $59.99), a $400 electric skillet for $51.27 , a Waring Professional Blender for $50.17 (reg. $225), Nordic Ware Cookware $55.80 (reg. $280). As you can see above, any items over $25 come with free shipping. If you do a google search for Coupon Codes you’ll find various Amazon discount codes, but I didn’t find any that pertain to the items in this portion of the site. If you know of any, let me know!

P&G to Donate Meals for Each Coupon Redeemed

For every coupon you redeem from the November 2, 2008 P&GbrandSAVER coupon booklet (it was in the Nov 2 newspaper insert), you actively help P&G donate a meal through Feeding America (a domestic hunger relief charity supported by individuals and corporations) to someone in need during the holidays. That's up to 16 million meals to after-school programs, emergency shelters, food pantries and soup kitchens. So if you were to only use 4 coupons this month, this means that you’ve put dinner on the table for a family in need (and I know Affluent Paupers are using waaay more coupons than that!) Also, if you go to the Cascade website, with one click of your mouse, you can help Cascade donate another 4 million meals.

If you can use a coupon and feed someone hungry, it’s a great cause, but I just wish that companies would utilize cause marketing year-round, rather than putting a heightened focus on the holiday season. The stomach of a hungry person doesn’t just groan for help in the last two months of the year.

Below is a summary of my shopping trip today at Kroger where I was able to stock up on some pantry and convenience items. Kroger has a great deal this week – if you buy 10 items in a particular category, you get $5 deducted from your bill, limit 3 per transaction – if you go to the navigation bar on my blog you can view the flyer. It's a win/win all around. I paid $38.62 for the below items. I saved $73.15 (66%). After I paid, the register spit out three coupons: one $1.50 coupon off any 7 Stouffers, one $1.50 coupon off any 4 General Mills Cereals and one $2.50 off any 3 Johnsons products. You’ll also notice that each of the Cheerios packs has a coupon on it for $1.50 off a pack of Pampers. So I’m happy! P&G is happy that I bought 17 of their products and 17 people will be happy to get a free meal!

Newspaper Coupons – The Reason to get the Paper this Month

Retailers are gearing up for the season and the high value store coupons and incentives are coming in like crazy, giving consumers tremendous opportunities to purchase gifts, home items, tools, office supplies and more at a discount. This week’s paper included Belk coupons for $10 off any $25 purchase. Ulta from now until Nov 8 will let you save 20% off any one item in the store with a coupon (code 97152 online) and they’ll throw in a free pair of lamps ($50 value!) with any purchase of $20 or more. I’m waiting for another $10 off any purchase of $30 or more coupon from Bed, Bath & Beyond. And let’s not forget about the regular faves – 40% off any item at JoAnn and Michaels craft stores so that we never pay full price on art projects!

If you ever forget to pick up your Sunday paper, call your local paper and find out if you can swing by and get a copy or if they’ll mail you one. I went on vacation a few months ago (before I had home delivery of my newspapers) and came back to realize that I had missed some great grocery store coupons. I was able to stop by the Atlanta Journal Constitution and pick up additional copies.

Walgreens Jumbo Diapers Only $2.50 with Coupon

Walgreens jumbo diapers are buy one get one free this week (Nov 2-8). Regular retail is $8.99, so they're retailing for $4.50 this week. But you can get them for less with a coupon. Go to your pharmacy and pick up the red "Prescription Savings" booklet and use the $2 coupon that's in there to get them for merely $2.50 per pack (which is 15c per diaper - most diapers are 25 or 26c). I just ordered a special shipment from my local Walgreen's manager to be sure that I can take full advantage of this offer. There is a limit of 4 packs for the BOGO deal, but most stores allow you to process additional packs in separate transactions. For the $2 Prescription Savings coupon, the register will usually take $2 off each pack, but it depends on your store's register (I've been to the same store and one day it will take $2 off each pack and the next day it will only take it off one pack). Remember that since the $2 coupon is a Walgreens coupon rather than a manufacturer's coupon, you can keep it and re-use it. In my opinion, the Walgreens Remember - if they don't have the size you want, get a raincheck so you can go back at any time during the next year for your BOGO!

Free Starbucks, Krispy Kreme and Ben & Jerrys on Nov 4

On Tuesday Nov 4, tell your participating Starbucks barista that you voted to receive a free tall brewed coffee. This free offer is so new that many Starbucks stores aren’t even aware of this promo yet. I had to track down a couple of managers to confirm the story.

Krispy Kreme stores will be offering a free star-shaped doughnut to each customer wearing an "I Voted" sticker. Select stores may offer the standard circle shape. Call your local Krispy Kreme to find out if they’re participating.

Ben and Jerry’s will be offering free ice cream from 8-5pm. I posted about this here.

Sample Sunday

Free treats for you and your pets this week…

For you…

Chocolate covered pomegranate seeds (these will go quickly!)
Turtle Chex Mix Bar
Dentek Natural Floss Sample and Coupon (first 10,000)
EmergenC (new link)
Fresh Mineral Cosmetics
Degree Women Ultra Clear Deodorant (Spanish)

For your pets…

Bag of Iams
Pet N Shape Dog Treats
Breathalicious Bone
Cesar Pate Dog Food (you’ll have to answer several questions specific to your pet)
Flushable dog poop bag
Greenies Dental Treats for Cats and Dogs
Life’s Abundance Holistic Pet Food
Doggie Delightz Treats (scroll all the way to the bottom of their page)
Pet Greens Dog and Cat Treats
Might Dog Food Coupon (99c coupon - this retails for 99c and there is also a coupon in this Sunday's paper for a free can)
Advantage Multi for Dogs (a coupon that you present to your veterinarian for a free tube)

Old Navy $10 and Under Sale

Need to stock up on fall and winter essentials? Head to Old Navy! From now until Nov 6, they have lot of deals for $10 and under both online and in stores. There are lots of this season’s baby items in the $4-$6 range.

Free Conversion to Digital TV

On February 18, 2009, most TV stations will begin broadcasting digital-only signals.

If you think you need to get rid of that TV your grandma gave you to charge up a sparkly new TV, think twice. If you have satellite or cable service or if your TV has a digital tuner, you don’t need to do anything. But if don’t have a digital tuner and you don’t plan on ordering cable or satellite TV, you can buy a digital-to-analog converter from local stores for as low as $40. But, because you're an Affluent Pauper, I know you'll head over to the NTIA site where you can order up to two $40 coupons per family. Plan in advance, they take 2-4 weeks to arrive.

Rebates on Huggies Diapers

I just got a rebate from Caregivers Marketplace for some Huggies diapers that I purchased. If you buy Huggies diapers, pull-ups or Cottonelle wipes, you can get a small rebate on each pack year-round. So save your receipt because every bit counts! Read more about this in my June 22 post.

I also want to give kudos to Baby Cheapskate. After realizing that my son only had two diapers left, I clicked on over to Baby Cheapskate to figure out the best place to buy diapers yesterday. Baby Cheapskate lists the hottest diaper and formula deals so you never have to pay full price.

Affluent Pauper Easier to Search

I’m in the process of updating the navigational bar on my home page so you can find what you’re looking for a bit easier. You can now view frugal tips, articles by various topics and find all freebies and samples postings faster. I’ve also added weekly store ads for CVS, Kroger, Publix, Rite Aid and Walgreens in addition to a freebie calendar so you can view all free events at a glance and plan accordingly. It’s all a work in progress, so any feedback is appreciated.