The most commonly asked question asked at my Strategic Couponing class is this: How do you practically plan and execute shopping trips? It's very difficult for beginners to visualize how to do multiple transactions and how to make this work during their week. I thought it might be helpful to give you a quick glimpse at my "deal" trips this week. First, it's important to note that I make a distinction between "deals" and "regular" shopping trips. My "regular" trips are usually to WinCo and I am buying only what I will need in the next four weeks at the most. I buy generic and typically don't use many manufacturer's coupons as WinCo's generic prices Keep Reading

photo credit This is the third in a three-post series on Recycling from Selena Moffitt of 1 Mom’s Mission. Catch up on the first and second posts if you missed them! *********************** Do you feel like you have a handle on what you can recycle curbside? Remember, the heavier your recycling bin, the lighter your garbage can!  If you have a smaller garbage can, you pay a smaller fee! Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could drop down to twice-a-month service! There is money to be saved! How can we do this?  Let’s trash-talk for a moment.  Yup, I mean talk about what is IN your trash. You may be surprised to know what things you can Keep Reading

RAINCHECK: A piece of paper given to a customer from a store that serves as a commitment to sell an out-of-stock item when it is restocked at the advertised price. Rainchecks are given by all grocery and drug stores in the Pacific Northwest. This is what a raincheck from Albertsons looks like: Some things to keep in mind regarding rainchecks: Note the expiration date, which varies by store. Stores will not give you a raincheck on a sale item marked "while supplies last." They may also refuse to give you a raincheck on an item that is not advertised in their weekly ad, even if it's tagged as on sale on the shelf. Keep rainchecks in your Keep Reading

This is the second in a three-post series on Recycling from Selena Moffitt of 1 Mom's Mission. You can read the first post here! *********************** Let's dive into addressing the reasons why we don't recycle: 1. “I don’t know what I can recycle.” 2. “I don’t know where to recycle.” The first place to look would be on the top of your curbside recycling bin.  There is typically a list or picture of what you can recycle curbside. Here is a list for reference (compiled from Metro Recycling): Don't fret when you see the "un-recycleable" list!  In the  Recycling 201 coming next week, I will tell you how some of these items can escape the Keep Reading

Guest post by Selena Moffitt from 1 Mom's Mission. I don’t know about you, but I am a big fan of this planet. The ONLY planet God gave us. Keeping Earth a healthy place to live for my kids is my priority, and recycling is one way we can help to keep the planet healthy. Of course, there are other reasons why recycling is beneficial: 1. Keeps the Earth a viable place to live by respecting its resources. 2. Decreases your waste = landfills last longer. Unless you want one popping up in your backyard… 3. Saves energy. It takes less energy to make a product out of recycled materials than virgin materials. 4. Decreases pollution. Keep Reading