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Ross Dress for Less Comes to St. Louis/$25 Giftcard Giveaway – CLOSED

lipsticktocrayons — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 10:00:27 +0000

If you love getting awesome, name-brand stuff at ridiculously low prices, then you need to visit a Ross Dress for Less store. And that visit got a whole lot easier for St. Louis-area residents last week (3/3/12) when the nation’s largest off-price apparel and home fashion chain made its debut in the area with two new locations in Chesterfield, Mo. and Fairview Heights, Ill.

I was among a lucky group of women who got invited to a special opening of the store and I left the place with a LOAD of great bargains. Here’s a list of my delightful finds, all for $134.19:

a name-brand (can’t say the brand) dress for me to wear to my Godson’s first communion
a boutique-quality sundress for my teen
two pairs of shoes (also name brand) for my 4-year-old
a name-brand summer top for me
a “sliders” burger basket for my grill
a “Live Laugh Love” wall decal for my family room
an 18×24 wooden framed mirror for my kitchen

As promised, I found the same brand names carried in department and specialty stores priced at 20 percent to 60 percent less at Ross. In fact, the above-mentioned dress would have cost me nearly “$130 at my favorite department store, and I got everything on that list for $134.

Ross Dress for Less stores — more than 1,000 nationwide — have been in business for 30 years and carry apparel, shoes and accessories for the whole family, as well as home fashions. It’s literally a treasure hunt shopping experience.

The Ross “strategy” is “no frills, big thrills.” And that holds true in the store — no fancy displays or staging of the merchandise but thrilling merchandise just the same. Despite the “no frills,” the store was super organized and easy to navigate, and the racks aren’t overstuffed like you find in some discount stores. Plus, the associates were helpful, efficient and informed, even on the first day the store was opened for business. I think that bodes well for the customer service going forward.

But don’t take it from me — try it out for yourself. I was told (and I believe) that the best way to find those treasures at Ross is to visit often and snatch them up when you find them. Enter the contest below for a $25 Ross Dress for Less giftcard to get you started.

Giveaway Guidelines:

To enter the contest, you MUST subscribe to Lipstick to Crayons (subscribe button in upper right corner) and then comment below that you did so (or leave a comment telling me you’re already a subscriber). After completing this mandatory first entry method, you can gain additional entries by doing any or all of the following (but be sure to leave a separate comment for each thing you do):

Blog about this contest.
Tweet this giveaway on Twitter (You can tweet daily, but leave a comment for each time you do so).
Add Lipstick to Crayons to your blogroll or my button to your sidebar
Become a fan of Lipstick to Crayons on Facebook.
Post a link to this contest on your Facebook page.

This giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. Central time March 20, 2012. Be sure to include a valid email address with each of your entries. The winner will be randomly chosen via random.org and will be notified via email and announced on this post.

If the winner does not claim the prize by March 23, 2012, she will forfeit the prize to an alternate winner who will be drawn at random.

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED. CONGRATULATIONS TO CAROLSUE, COMMENT #39.

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Six Ways to Reduce Fuel Costs

guest — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 02:52:48 +0000

by Andrea Woroch

Crude oil prices are surging again as commodities traders respond to the continued tension between Iran, Israel and the United States. According to NBC Nightly News, the fear of any kind of military action in the Middle East drives up the price of fuel despite no real shortage of supply. Just recently, the price of gasoline rose three-and-a-half percent and is up 42 cents from one year ago.

As winter subsides into spring, consumers should gear up for another pricey summer with gas prices expected to peak just in time for weekend getaways. But before you cancel your vacation plans, consider these tips for saving on fuel.

1. Use your smartphone.
Look up gas prices in your area and pinpoint the least expensive options on your route by using GasBuddy.com. The site also offers a mobile app that uses GPS to provide current gasoline prices per gallon based on your location. Another option is the CheapGas app which guides you to the least expensive gas station in your proximity, an invaluable resource when driving in unfamiliar areas.

2. Travel with cash.
Many gas stations advertise the price per gallon to cash-paying customers and those who use credit cards are charged an additional 10-cents per gallon. Pay with cash when you can to save.

3. Stock up on discount gift cards.
You can purchase gift cards at less than face value from sites like GiftCardGranny.com including gas gift cards for popular brands like Chevron, Shell and Exxon. For example, the site is currently selling a Hess gift card for 8-percent off. These cards go fast, so set up an alert to receive an e-mail when new gas cards become available.

4. Fuel up at the warehouse.
Membership-based stores like Costco, Sam’s Club and BJ’s Wholesale Club have discounted gas. In some cases, you can use affiliated credit cards to get a double-dip discount: Pay less at the pump and get a cash back bonus. For instance, the Costco-branded TrueEarnings American Express card lets customers earn three percent cash back on up to $3,000 in gas per year.

5. Find a gas reward credit card.
If you are going to swipe your credit card at the pump, look for one that offers a high reward like Chase Freedom Visa, which offers 5 percent back on gasoline purchases. For other options, check out PTMoney’s “The Best Gas Rewards Credit Cards of 2012.”

6. Go for grocery and gas discount programs.
Many supermarket chains have partnered with name-brand gas stations to offer reward programs. Ralph customers can get 10-cent per gallon savings at Shell stations in Southern California after redeeming 100 grocery points at the pump. Other grocery chains like PriceChopper, Kroger and ShopandStop offer similar programs. Speak with a store manager to find out which local gas stations will honor the reward program, as some franchise-operated stations may not participate in the programs.

Andrea Woroch is a consumer and money-saving expert for Kinoli Inc. Andrea has been featured among top news outlets such as Good Morning America, NBC’s Today, MSNBC, New York Times, Kiplinger Personal Finance, CNNMoney and many more. To view recent interviews or for more savings tips visit AndreaWoroch.com.

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$50 Giftcard Giveaway to new Online Retail Site With Unique Toys, Etc. – CLOSED

lipsticktocrayons — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 13:26:15 +0000

On Black Friday, a new online retail site called SirBingley.com launched, bringing to the Web some amazing 24 and 48 hour sales that mean up to 70 percent off retail prices.

The site’s 24 to 48 hour sales offer consumers up to 70% off retail price and it will be featuring products for the home, kids, baby, as well as recreational products.

The first sale on SirBingley.com starts today and features eight unique toys by Dexton, including a 6-foot Hideaway 5-panel camo Tee Pee (what young boy wouldn’t LOVE this for Christmas), a Deluxe Pink Roadster Pedal Car (soooo very cute), and a Princess Playhouse and Floor Quilt!

In addition to selling these unique items at a discount off of retail prices, SirBingley.com also has pioneered a new online social concept called “Social Group Shopping”. That means if you and a few of your friends friends all purchase the featured product together, then you all get that product at a lower price. For example, if you purchase the above-mentioned tee pee for $80, you can then share a unique link to the product with your friends. If four of them buy it, too, you all get the tee pee for $68.

As I mentioned, SirBingley.com launched on Black Friday and their first sale starta today. Now here’s the fun part — you can enter the contest below to win a $50 gift card to use on the site for a gift for a loved-one this holiday season.

Giveaway Guidelines:

To enter the contest, you MUST do at least one of following (and you will get a separate entry for each one you do, but be sure to leave a comment for each action you complete):

Sign-up on the SirBingley.com homepage.
Like SirBingley.com on Facebook.
Spread the word by clicking on the Facebook icon on the SirBingley.com homepage.
Follow Sirbingley.com on Twitter.
Spread the word by clicking on the Twitter icon on the SirBingley.com homepage.

This giveaway closes at 11:59 p.m. Central time December 8, 2010. Be sure to include a valid email address with each of your entries. Winner will be randomly chosen via random.org and will be notified via email and announced on this post.

If the winner does not claim the prize by December 10, 2010, she will forfeit the prize to an alternate winner who will be drawn at random.

THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED. CONGRATS TO CORI, COMMENT #21.

Disclaimer:

This product review was made possible by the Double Duty Divas. I was not compensated for this review other than a product sample provided by Sir Bingley. All opinions are 100% mine.

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Earn Some Cash from Home

lipsticktocrayons — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 10:20:36 +0000

Want to earn some pocket money from the comfort of your own home? I’ve heard some great things about this survey company.

Synovate is a leading global provider of market research information and analysis with over 60 years of experience. Synovate provides its panelists with a voice to be heard by some of the largest companies in the world.

Earn points for cash. Yes, it really is that simple.

Every survey invitation you receive will indicate how many points you are eligible to earn for completing that survey. After you earn your points, redeem them for cash at the click of a button! Remember, the more surveys you complete, the more points you can earn!

What’s Involved?

Being a panel member is simple and provides rewards for your opinions. Once you join, you will be contacted by e-mail when a survey is available. This e-mail will contain instructions on how to access the survey and details about the rewards you will be eligible to earn. Participation for all surveys is voluntary, with no penalty if you choose not to participate.

Most surveys take 5-10 minutes to complete. You can even stop in the middle of a survey and return at a later time, picking up right where you left off.

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Research Shows Increasing Popularity of Couponing – $2 Billion SAVED!

Free Samples of Coffee, Olay, Laundry Detergent and Feminine Products

lipsticktocrayons — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 19:08:30 +0000

Check out these free samples:

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Clinique Makeup Offers

lipsticktocrayons — Mon, 20 Sep 2010 02:30:15 +0000

Do you like Clinique makeup? I love their foundation, mascara and blush. Below are some great Clinique offers, include a free mini mascara and free shipping with a $35 order and free standard shipping with any $40 order. Click on any of the buttons below to take advantage of these offers or to check out some of my favorite Clinique products.

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Another Coupon Resource

lipsticktocrayons — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:10:36 +0000

Do you use SC Johnson products (okay, who doesn’t?) Can you say Pledge, Windex, Shout, Ziploc, Off, etc? If you want to get some SC Johnson product coupons, go here and sign up. You’ll get an email newsletter, but also some snail-mail coupon books.

And Coupons.com has a whole host of new coupons for September, including, but not limited to:
Aleve 80ct+, Save $2.00/1
Bayer AM Products, Save $1.50/1
Betty Crocker Fruit Flavored Snacks, Save $0.50/2
Caribou Coffee Whole Bean or Ground, Save $1.00/1 12oz Bag
Cheerios Original Cereal, Save $0.55/1
Chex Mix (select flavors), Save $0.50/1
Claritin Children’s (4oz or 20ct), Save $3.00/1
Claritin Non-Drowsy Claritin (20ct+) Save $3.00/1
Claritin-D (15ct+), Save $3.00/1
Cold Stone Creamery, 2/$5.00
DiGiorno Deep Dish Pizza Product, Save $1.00/1
Disney Children’s Vitamin Products, Save $1.00/1
Egg Beaters, Save $0.50/1
Fiber One Frozen Muffins, Save $0.50/1
Flintstones Multivitamin Product, Save $1.00/1
Garnier Nutritioniste Moisture Rescue or Cleanser, Save $1.00/1
Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift Pro Gravity Defying Cream, Save $2.00/1
General Mills Cereals (select brands), Save $1.00/2
Genesis Today Dark Chocolate Superfruit 4-pk Pudding, Save $0.50/1
Glade Sense & Spray Refills, Save $1.00/2
Glade Sense & Spray Starter kit, Save $3.00/1
Good Earth Restaurant Dinner Kit, Save $1.00/1
Hamburger Helper, Save $0.75/3
Hartz Training Pads, Save $1.00/1
Hormel Completes Microwave Meal, Save $0.55/2
Huggies Pure & Natural Diapers, Save $2.50/1
Huggies Snug & Dry Diapers 60ct+, Save $3.00
ICAPS Products, Save $2.00/1
Kellogg’s Cereals (select flavors), Save $1.50/2
Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats Cereals, Save $1.00/2
Land O Lakes Deli Cheese, Save $1.00/2
Larabar JOCALAT or JamFrakas, Save $0.75/3
Lawry’s Season Salt or Garlic Salt or Powder, Save $0.50/1
Marie’s Dressing, Save $1.00
Nature Valley Granola Bars, Save $0.50/1
Nivea Body Cellulite Product, Save $2.00/1
Oscar Mayer Hot Dogs, Save $1.00/2
Osteo Bi-Flex Liquid Joint Aid, Save $1.00/1
Pearl Vision, Buy One Get One Free
People Country Special Magazine, Save $1.00/1
Pillsbury Crescent Dinner Rolls, Save $0.50/2
Pillsbury Grand’s Refrigerated Biscuits, Save $0.30/2
Pillsbury Refrigerated Cookies, Save$1.00/2
Pillsbury Sweet Rolls or Grands Sweet Rolls, Save $0.40/2
Pillsbury Toaster Strudel Pastries, Save $0.50/2
Prevacid 24HR, Save $4.00/1
Progresso Panko Crispy Bread Crumbs, Save $1.00/1
Progresso Soups, Save $0.50/2
Reese’s Puffs Cereal, Save $0.55/1
Romano’s Macaroni Grill Restaurant Dinner Kits, Save $0.75/1
Schick Xtreme3 and Banana Boat Product, Save $5.00/2
Southern Living Magazine, Save $1.00/
Starbucks Ice Cream, Save $1.00/2
Starbucks Via Ready Brew, Save $1.00/1
Totino’s Crisp Crust Party Pizza Products, Save $1.00/5
Totino’s Pizza Rolls Snacks, Save $0.40/2
Welch’s Healthy Start 100% Refrigerated Juice, Save $1.50/1
Wisk Laundry Detergent, Save $1.00/1
Worlds of Fun or Oceans of Fun Admission See Coupon for details, Save $10.00/1
Yogi Granola Snack Crisps, Save $1.50/1
Yoplait Delights Yogurt Multipack, Save $0.50/1
Yoplait Fiber One Yogurt Multipacks, Save $0.50/1
Yoplait Frozen Smoothie, Save $1.00/1
Yoplait Greek Yogurt Cups, Save $0.30/1
Yoplait Kids Cup Yogurt, Save $0.50/1
Yoplait Products listed on coupon, Save $0.75/2
Ziploc, save $1.50/2

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Welcome Great Day Visitors (Eat from the Pantry Challenge)

lipsticktocrayons — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 00:49:47 +0000

I made another appearance today on Great Day St. Louis (September 1, 2010). If you’re visiting because you saw that segment and want information on the Eat from the Pantry Challenge, here are the links:

Eat from the Pantry Challenge, Part 1

Eat from the Pantry Challenge, Part 2

Eat from the Pantry Challenge, Part 3

As I hopefully mentioned in the segment (you never know what I’ll forget because of my nerves) — you can and should try some new recipes during your challenge. After you take your inventory, do a Google search for recipes with some of the ingredients you found. I found one of my all-time favorite recipes during my challenge — this amazingly easy pizza crust recipe (which I adapted some) that takes less than 15 minutes to make and saves me a bundle on pizza (delivery and frozen, because my kids like my homemade pizzas BEST):

EASY PEASY PIZZA CRUST RECIPE:

1 TBS active dry yeast (this was the only ingredient I didn’t already have in my pantry, so it cost me $2 to buy a few yeast packets)
1 C warm water (make it pretty darn warm)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 TBS vegetable oil
2 1/2 C flour

Dissolve the yeast in the water and then add the rest of the ingredients. Dump the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 3-5 minutes. (This recipe is meant for one pizza, but I think it’s too thick and too hard to get cooked thoroughly, so I divide it in half, and it makes two 14-inch diameter pizzas).

Roll dough out onto a greased pizza pan or stone and then season with your favorite seasonings (I use a Salt for All Seasons from Market Day, but I’ve also used salt, basil, oregano and parmesean cheese).

Bake at $450 for 5 minutes, then remove from the oven, flip over and season the other side. Then bake for another 3-5 minutes.

Remove from oven and add sauce, toppings and cheese. Bake again for 8-10 minutes.

HINTS:

When I make this crust, I make three or four batches, and then divide them and freeze in balls in individual Ziploc bags. That way, the next time we want a homemade pizza, we just thaw the dough for a few hours, roll it out and voila!
I save leftover spaghetti sauce in Ziploc bags, too, so I usually don’t even have to open a can of sauce to make my pizzas. But if I do, you can bet I bought it for less than $1/can or jar by shopping sales and stacking coupons.
If I brown beef for another recipe, I’ll save some in a bag for my pizzas, and I’ll do the same with leftover hamburger patties or chicken breasts. I also boil whole chickens and then pull the meat and freeze it in smaller portion bags to use on pizza.
By doing these things, you can make your pizza for a little bit of nothing and it will be one of your kids’ favorite meals!

My first appearance on Great Day St. Louis was on ways to trim your grocery bill using coupons and other techniques, so let me direct you to some of the resources on this site that offer more details than a television segment can provide.

I’d also invite you to peruse the other posts in my Coupons and Frugal Living categories, where you’ll find posts about what coupon inserts to expect in the weekend paper, great deals or coupons I’ve discovered, and tips I’m learning for more frugal living. Plus, you can find weekly deals at Walgreens here and at CVS here; you can try my weekly Walgreens $10 Challenge here and find coupons in my coupon database here.

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$25 Restaurant Certificates for $2!! Hurry!

lipsticktocrayons — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 23:36:19 +0000

Click on the button below, use the promotional code PLATE to receive a $25 gift restaurant certificates for just 2
bucks!

I print restaurant certificates here all the time and save a ton of money eating out with my family. This is their best promotion yet and is only valid from 7/23 through 7/31, so hurry.

Try a random post.

Welcome Great Day Visitors (Coupon Stacking)

lipsticktocrayons — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 02:20:10 +0000

I made another appearance today on Great Day St. Louis (July 19, 2010). If you’re visiting because you saw that segment and want information on coupon stacking and the reward programs at Walgreens and CVS, then here you go:

As I mentioned in the segment, the best way to really make couponing work for you is to use “coupon stacking.” Coupon stacking is using a manufacturer’s coupon in addition to a store coupon for an even lower price.

Then, if you “stack” the manufacturer’s coupon with a store coupon AND a store sale on an item, you can sometimes get it super cheap or in some cases, FREE!

For example, local retailers publish ads with the items they have on sale, and those ads often include coupons for those same items. So you might have a coupon for 50 cents off Kellogg’s cereal. That doesn’t sound like much. But if the store has published a coupon for $1 off a box of Kellogg’s cereal, AND the cereal is on sale 2/$5, then you can use TWO 50 cent manufacturer’s coupons, plus the $1 store coupon, and get two boxes of cereal for $3.

These savings become even more significant when you’re taking advantage of store reward programs such as Walgreens Register Rewards and CVS Extra Care Bucks (ECBs).

Each week, Walgreens and CVS reward their customers for purchasing certain products by giving you register receipts that work just like cash on your next purchase. You’ll see these items in the weekly ad.

Here’s an example:

In recent Walgreen’s ad, Colgate Toothpaste was advertised for $2.99, with a $2 Register Reward (RR) good on your next purchase, so it’s like paying $.99.

Now, here’s the FUN part — the part where you can get stuff “free” or “more than free” by using the Register Rewards program and coupons. If you have a $1 coupon for Colgate Toothpaste, then you’re only paying $1.99 for that tube, and then you get a $2 RR to use on your next purchase. You make a penny on the deal!

Here’s another example: Last week, CVS adverised several buy one get one (BOGO) free deals. One of those items was a 27.8 oz container of Folgers coffee for $11.99. That price isn’t so great, considering that you can buy the same item at Target for $7.99. But when I got the second container free with the purchase of the first one, and then I stacked the deal with 2 $1 coupons for Folgers coffee (which CVS lets you do, even if you’re only purchasing one), I got both containers of coffee for only $9.99. That’s a good price.

Usually, there are limits on these deals, and most of the time, you can’t “roll” Register Rewards or CVS ECB’s, meaning you can’t use the $2 you just made on the toothpaste deal to buy another tube of Colgate toothpaste. You can get all the details on how these programs work on my Web site under the “getting started” series.

Please remember, however, that just like anything else, it’s important to play by the rules and be polite when using coupons. Get to know the coupon policies of your favorite stores (most of them are posted on the Web sites or you can ask for a copy from the store manager). If you cheat with your coupons, it’s the same as stealing, in my opinion. Be courteous to sales clerks who are learning the ropes. And be courteous to other shoppers and let them go ahead of you if they only have a few items or simpler transactions, and try not to do extravagant coupon shopping during a store’s busiest times.