Long Beach Sea Festival First Annual Kickoff Extravaganza!!

A screening of Finding Nemo on the beach?  The Grilled Cheese Truck?  I think it might be worth the drive to Long Beach!!

June 1 kicks off the Long Beach Sea Festival, with events all summer long.  Events are free.  How fun!

Long Beach Sea Festival | Long Beach Sea Festival - First Annual Kickoff Extravaganza:

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Luvs Diapers $5 Friday Sale

Vons and Pavillions always have some great deals on five dollar Fridays. This week, Luvs jumbo pack diapers are included - that is about 50% off the retail price!  If you can't make it to the store today be sure to go online at vons.com and load the sale price to your club card.  You will then have until Sunday to get out there are and score some cheap diapers!

Free Trial Class - Creation Station Studio City

Creation Station offers a big range of dance classes starting with Parent and Me for toddlers. I found the teachers used a good mix of technical teaching and fun props to keep the kids engaged.  And the schedule is full, so it is easy to find a class that fits your busy life:)

First class is free, so get out those dance shoes and give it a go!

http://creationstationstudiocity.com/

Petersen Automotive Museum Family Discovery Hour

Did you buy that Groupon a few weeks back for half off at the Petersen Museum??  If you did, have a look at this neat program, included with admission.

Every Tuesday at 10am, the museum staff lead kids 6 and under through races, scavenger hunts, storytimes and other interactive play, for one hour.  Perfect excuse to get out there over the summer break and use that Groupon!

Education | Petersen Automotive Museum:

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Free Santa Monica Festival at Clover Park Sat June 1

Saturday is supposed to be hot, but if you are up for the heat check out the Santa Monica Festival at Clover Park.  It is free with free parking, and sounds super fun!  11am-6pm.

http://www.smgov.net/Portals/Culture/content.aspx?id=15035


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Beverly Glen Fair - Sunday June 2

There are really a lot of school fairs going on this weekend and next.  They are usually fund raisers for the school or community, but still not an expensive day out with the kids.  And the activities are usually well geared to the kids.

The Beverly Glen Fair raises money for the Glen residents, and has vendors, games, crafts, and food.  You can purchase a $20 wristband for your child so they can participate in unlimited activities.  If you are looking for something to do on Sunday it is definitely worth checking out!

Beverly Glen Place and Beverly Glen Blvd, south of Mulholland.  Look for the fire truck!  Noon- 5pm.

Huggies Wipes Deal at CVS

Need some wipes to go with your cheap slip on diapers?? CVS has a deal this week offering a $3 reward when you buy both huggies diapers and wipes. However, the reward is also printing if you buy 2 wipes. They are on sale for $2.99, and you can use a $.50 coupon.  So you spend $4.98, and get back $3. Good deal, but keep in mind the deal has a limit of 1.

The CVS Clearance Continues!!

Are you sick of reading about my awesome cosmetics clearance finds at CVS?  Too bad!! I have more free stuff to tell you about!! Scan your CVS card at the coupon center and see if you can get these deals too!

I got 2 coupons I knew I could put to good use - $5/2 Almay cosmetics, and $2/$10 cosmetic purchase.

I bought:

2 Almay blush, $2.69 each, minus the $5 coupon cost $.19 each.

3 Rimmel eye shadow, $1.62 each, used $1 coupons so $.62 each.

1 Revlon mascara, $2.45, used a $1 coupon so $1.45.

My total was $3.69, and then I also had the $2/$10 coupon, so it was $1.69 for all 6 items!!!  That's only.$.28 each.

I also saw some formula, diaper bags, and glue sticks on clearance. See pictures.  Happy shopping!!

Super Hot Huggies Catalina Deal at Ralph's

Here is another awesome deal courtesy of Wendy, the Beverly Hills Couponista! I visited 2 Ralph's last week trying to do this deal, and luckily it is still working this week because I finally found them in store 3!
This deal only works with Huggies Slip On diapers. They are on sale for $9.99, and you can use a $2.50 coupon. I actually had $3 coupons from the Ralph's catalina machine, which made the deal even better. When you buy 2 packs, you will get a $5 catalina and a $4 catalina, both good on your next shopping trip. So I spent $14 and got back $9!
If you have a lot of coupons you can buy 2, get the catalinas and then use those to buy 2 more, etc. So with the $2.50 coupons you would spend $15, get $9, then buy 2 more and spend only $6 and get $9, etc. Wow!  I wish this store had more in stock!! I just used my $9 to pay for lunch for me and my daughter:)

Yellow Balloon 10% coupon

Personally, I am not too particular about my kids hair, and I hate paying $25 every trip! I would do it myself if they weren't so squirmy! But if you do go to The Yellow Balloon for cuts you can print out a 10% off coupon every time you go. They are on the website. It's not much, but at least it is a little help on a necessary expense!

Amazon Kids & Family Movies Spotlight Sale!

I just checked my email from Amazon Mom, and there was a link to around 400 kids & family movies on sale, some more reduced than others.  I browsed through the first couple of pages, and here are some highlights below.  Check out the link to get the full list.  This could be a great time to buy a few dvd's for stocking stuffers or party favors!

The Best of Dr. Suess - $5.59
Marley & Me - $4.99
Veggie Tales - $5
Shiloh - $4.49
Home Alone - $4.99
Cliford Movie - $5.99

And I only got through about 10% of the titles.  Pretty good deals!  Here is the link:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_st?bbn=672576011&qid=1369719626&rh=n%3A2625373011%2Cn%3A!2901003011%2Cn%3A!2901007011%2Cn%3A2921749011%2Cn%3A672576011%2Cp_n_theme_browse-bin%3A2650365011&sort=csrank

It's Back!!! 101 FREE Prints from Shutterfly!

All right, people, you've got 2 days to get those photos uploaded to Shutterfly and place your orders!  101 free prints is back.  You just pay shipping, and remember if you only order 99 instead of 101 you will save a few dollars on the shipping too (I think it was only around $5).

If you are a Vons shopper, also make sure you are checking your Catalina coupons that print out along with your receipt.  I just got one for a free 8x8 photo book.  If I order now and combine the shipping on both deals I will probably save even more!  Yay!  Here is the email with the code, 101prints.

	Offer ends Tuesday   Promo code: 101PRINTS

Support the Troops With anysoldier.com

I started sending care packages to deployed American troops when I first started couponing, and found that I could sometimes get things for free that my own family doesn't necessarily use.  There is an amazing web site called anysoldier.com, where unit leaders can post about the size of their group and things they could use while deployed.  It is so fun to put together packages for the troops and know that they might brighten up someone's day!  

It is so interesting to read about what various people need and want, and to understand a bit about their lives while they are overseas.  I have found that if you include a self addressed envelope and some paper with your package, the soldiers very often will send you a note, which is so cool to read with your kids!  Some leaders even guarantee a picture and note will be sent out to you.

I am posting about this in honor of Memorial Day, but these men and women are out there all the time working hard, so any time you are looking for a project to do with your kids put together a little something, or get a group together and all contribute to a package or two.  It doesn't have to be expensive, just a little something to let them know you are thinking about what they are doing, regardless of the politics:)

www.anysoldier.com

Annenberg Pool Pre-Season Splash Memorial Day Weekend

Looking for a fun activity on your day off today?  The Annenberg Beach House has the pool and splashpads open for business, only $4-$10 for pool entry.  They open at 11, so get there early to avoid the rush and secure a parking spot:)

Annenberg Pool Pre-Season Splash:

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Heal the Bay Aquarium at Santa Monica Peir

This cute, very small aquarium is tucked away under the Santa Monica Pier. It is small enough that you don't worry about losing track of anyone, but it still has a lot of interesting things to see and do!
Admission is by donation, but kids under 12 are free.  The suggested donation for adults is $5, but the minimum donation is $3. The hours are pretty limited, so make sure to check the website before heading out.
They also have a micro biologist class for kids age 3-5, on Mondays during the summer, for only $25 for 2 hours.  It is a drop off class, so you can lay on the beach for 2 hours!!

http://www.healthebay.org/santa-monica-pier-aquarium/plan-your-visit

http://www.healthebay.org/santa-monica-pier-aquarium/education/micro-bio-classes-preschool

Amazing Pull-Ups Deal at CVS this week!

I was planning to stock up on diapers this week because CVS is having a deal.  But my friend Wendy told me about an extra coupon that made the deal even better!  I waited until yesterday to see if I would get a CVS email coupon (they always come on Thursday for me) for $4/$20 or something like that, but I only got a 25% off coupon, which doesn't work on sale items.  I still put it to good use though:)
So back to the pull ups.  they are on sale for $10, and when you spend $30 you get $10 back.  The $30 only has to be reached before coupons.  This Sunday the paper had coupons for pull ups, $2.50/1.  The CVS website also has a CVS coupon, which you can use with the manufacturer coupon (stack), for $2/1.  you can only print 2 of these on each computer, but if you have a friend to print for you or can print from your tablet or phone you can get an extra one to maximize the deal!  Each pack is $10, and you get $4.50 off, so they are only $5.50 each.  When you buy 3 you are spending $16.50, and you get back $10.
I bought 2 pull ups and one pack of regular diapers.  Always get rewards back for diapers!  You have to buy them anyway, right?

Franklin Canyon Free Nature Events - June

Franklin Canyon runs a lot of free guided nature programs each month, and they are all free! Mark your calendars with a few great options for the kids this month!

Sunday June 2, 10am - Kids Hands in Nature - 2 hr guided tour plus nature inspired art projects for the kids

Wednesday June 19 and 26, 7pm - Evining Campfire - 1.5 hours of songs, roasting marshmallows.

Kids are not restricted from other tours, but they are not geared to kids either.  Link to the descriptions:

http://www.lamountains.com/pdf/FranklinJune2013web.pdf

DIY Workbook - Color by Number

I always see color by number exercises in pre k workbooks.  I decided to make my own with a leftover print out from my daughter's birthday craft. I found the imagine online and just printed it at home. Then I added the numbers and a legend. Easy!

Aquarium Craft

Next time you are at Party City pick up a small pack of blue plates for this aquarium craft. You will also need sea theme stickers. Jo Ann has some great options for foam stickers. The pack I bought has octopus, starfish, dolphins and more. Plus, all Kids Summer Camp crafts are 50% right now, regular price $1.99 and up. My pack was only $1.49.
Just have the kids stick stickers on the plates to make their aquariums. This is a great craft for when you have a big group or party, because it costs around $5 for about 20 finished crafts! Under the sea theme? I think so!!

CVS Brand Rewards Deal & More

I had a couple of coupons from the in store coupon machine at CVS, so I picked up some freebies and the one thing I never seem to have enough of, baby wipes!
In the flyer I saw that if you spend $10 on CVS brand products you get $4 reward, and if you spend $20 you get $10 reward. I had a coupon for $5 off any CVS facial care product, and I was betting I could get something free with that! I found make up removal wipes that were priced 2 for $5, so they were both free and I earned toward the reward.
I also had a $1 off CVS brand baby wipes, so I bought the big pack.  There were no tags saying that baby stuff counted toward the reward, but sure enough I saw it track on my receipt. I got $4 back, and only had to spend $8 more to get a $6 reward. Luckily I had printed 2 coupons for $1/2 CVS toddler wipes, so I bought 4 of those and one more pack of wipes. So all told, with my 25% coupon as well, I spent $9.42 and made back $10.
My 25% off also helped out on this great toothpaste deal. The travel size 4 pack of Colgate is only $3.57, and generating a $3 reward. With the 25% off I got them for $2.68 and made $3.
Last I got a few more cosmetic clearance items. The coupon machine gave me 2 copies of a $2 Revlon coupon, so I bought an eye shadow and a lipstick for $2.25 each (originally $8.99) and paid only $.25 after coupons. I then found 3 $1 coupons for any Revlon in my folder, so I got 3 nailpolish on sale for $1.57, and used the $1 coupon. The best part is all of these purchases count toward beauty club, so I just got another $5 reward and am earning toward my next one. You get $5 for every $50 you spend on beauty before coupons. Awesome.
You can tell by my numerous CVS posts that my mom is in town and I have a little more time to coupon!!

iBooks for only $4.99 thru May 26

iBooks is offering a big selection of books for only $4.99.  Check out this email I got:

For a limited time, get select New York Times bestsellers for $4.99 each. Our collection includes thrillers by James Patterson, John Sandford, and Brad Meltzer; Orson Scott Card's award-winningEnder's Game; and hilarious memoirs from Tina Fey and Chelsea Handler. These popular books and more great reads are specially priced through May 26.  Check It Out

Open up your iTunes and click Books and you'll see the titles offered.  Summer reading can begin!!

Rite Aid Kid's Crafts & More on Clearance!

I made it out to Rite Aid today and was looking to get some Post-Its that I had seen on KCL for 75% off.  As soon as I turned down the school/office aisle I was ambushed by 75% tags everywhere!  It was beautiful:)  Here are the goodies I picked for a rainy day, or a summer break day when we are hanging out during little sister's nap time:

Poster paint - $.59
Jumbo purple glue stick - $.69
Fuzzy poster coloring travel book - $2.02
Flash cards with wipe off surface for counting and letters - $1.24
Scissor mouse - $2.49
Glue dots - $.99
Glue runner - $.99
Foam animal craft kit - $.74
Poster wave border - $.72

All of this stuff will for sure make some amazing crafts...I don't know exactly what, but the way I see it is this is an opportunity to get creative.  And the shelves at my store were really picked over.  There were tags on crayons, and lots of other craft items (glue etc) that were already sold out.  Check your local store and see what they have on clearance!

The 2 Best Parks You’ve Never Been To - Red Tricycle

I have been meaning to check out the koi ponds at Greystone Mansion but it seemed everytime I wanted to go there was an event in the way!  Have a look at this article though - it does look like a nice place to spend a few hours, and I know my kids go crazy for Koi!  Just make sure to also check the schedule on the Beverly Hills website before you go:)

The 2 Best Parks You’ve Never Been To:

www.beverlyhills.org

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DIY Workbooks for Preschoolers

I have been wanting to start this up forever, and today was the day I finally took that first step!  I love kids' workbooks, but I always wish that they had a bit more variety to keep my son interested.  He likes to trace letters, but maybe just for one page, and then move on to a maze, or a match up game.  But, I don't want to spend money on a workbook that is going to sit on the shelf!  So, I decided to create my own.  I gave my son a binder and a three hole punch, which are, in and of themselves, very cool:)
My first "game" for the book was a word find.  I photocopied a page from Green Eggs and Ham, and asked my son to circle the word "not" every time he could find it.  This book is good for repetition.  If you have an older child, you could make a list of words to find and have them cross them out.
I think this is easier and more useful than a traditional word find for pre-readers.  All those jumbled letters and changing directions can be too much.  And, if they have no interest in the task, at least you haven't wasted money on a book, right??
I'm going to keep posting more ideas to add to the DIY workbook, so stay tuned to see how the book fills up!

Huge Cosmetic Clearance at CVS

I popped in to CVS today to use a $5 off $25 beauty purchase coupon that I got in my email last week. It expired today, and I had noted a few good cosmetic deals that I could combine with this coupon. You can imagine how happy I was to see a sign for cosmetic clearance and those delightful little stickers all down the aisle!

My original plan was to buy a Physicians Formula mascara for $10.79 and use a $1 coupon. You get $7 back this week with a $10 purchase. Great start to reach the $25 subtotal.

Next I was picking up 2 Sally Hansen nail Polish $5.99 each. I used two $4 coupons, and got back $5 for spending $10. Almost up to $25!

Next I dove into the many stickered items to find some deals! Almay eye shadow was on sale 75% off, so the $9.79 retail price became $2.45. I then had five copies of the $2 coupon from this weeks paper. Only $.45 each!!!
Next was Maybelline nailpolish. It was retail $4.29, 50% off made it $2.15. I had 2 CVS coupons for $1 off Maybelline, plus I used two $1 manufacturer coupons, so it took $2 off each one making them only $.15 each. Oh my!!
I tried to buy some Rimmel mascara and eye shadow at 75% off, but for some reason my coupons for $1 off any Rimmel product beeped and the cashier did not offer to put them through manually. Oh well.

Last I picked up some Wet n Wild cosmetics because there was another $1 coupon in the paper this week. All Wet n Wild are on sale buy one get one half price, and I bought 6 items so that the coupons wouldn't have to be adjusted down. I used five $1 coupons and got 4 eye pencils and 2 lip gloss for only $.94.

So I spent:

PF mascara - $9.79
Sally Hansen x 2 = $3.98
Almay x 5 = $2.25
Maybeline nail polish x 2 = $.30
Wet n Wild x 6 = $.94

Total spent: $17.26 - $5 coupon = $12.26.
Used $10 in extra bucks rewards = $2.26 before tax for over $87 in cosmetics!!

I also earned back $12 - $7 for the mascara and $5 for the 2 nail polish.  Sweet!!!

Giggles N’ Hugs is giving out 100 Free Memberships tomorrow!

Looking for something to do tomorrow, May 23?  Giggles & Hugs Century City is having a grand reopening celebration with free cupcakes, entertainment and lots of fun.  They are also giving away free 1 month memberships to the first 50 people at 10:30 and the first 50 people at 4:30.  Check out the link to their web site and calendar for details.

Events | Giggles N’ Hugs – Kids parties, restaurant, events & play:

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Century City Mall Free Craft 5/22

The 4th Wednesday of every month Century City Mall has a free "play date" in the kids center court area.  This month it falls on Wed the 22nd, and is scheduled from 2-4pm.  The craft this week is paint your own boat.  Have a look at the link to see the upcoming events for the next few months.  This could be something to keep on the calendar for summer break!

News and Events at Westfield Century City Mall:

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Mott’s for Tots Coupon: Juice, Only $0.99 at Target! | | The Krazy Coupon Lady

$.99 for apple juice???  That is a deal worth writing about!  Print off the coupon from www.coupons.com linked below through KCL, and head into Target this week to get Motts for Tots for only $.99!  You'll be there anyway to get your free flip flops, right??  If you missed that post scroll down for the link to the Target coupon:)

Mott’s for Tots Coupon: Juice, Only $0.99 at Target! | | The Krazy Coupon Lady:

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Summer Break Science Experiment: Elephant Toothpaste

Here is another fun and easy project to keep tucked away for summer break.  I have not tried this out, but judging from how much my kids love to watch the baking soda volcano erupt I just know they will like this:)

Again, you might already have the ingredients at home, but you may need a trip out for the correct hydrogen peroxide and for yeast.  Luckily, not expensive items, and probably very worthwhile as you may find your self repeating this experiment over and over!!

Preschool Powol Packets: Science Experiment: Elephant Toothpaste:

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How to make slime

Intrigued?  Slime is just fun.  Every time we visit Art Zone my kids love to play with the Gak table.  They do all the things listed in this article - poke holes in it, cut it, wrap small animal toys in it, and even serve it for tea.  I am not surprised my son loves it (almost 4), but I am surprised how much my daughter loves it (20 months).  With summer break looming on the horizon, I know I am going to need to be prepared for some super fun, inexpensive projects to keep the kids busy.  So, why not make some slime?  The link to the blog where I found directions is below.  I haven't tried it out yet, but it sounds pretty easy.  Most of what you need you probably already have, but there is a specific type of laundry soap you need, and this blogger says you can get at Target.  I will definitely be picking this up and printing off the recipe for a quiet summer day:)

How to make slime:

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New uses for old things - peanut butter jars

Plastic peanut butter jars have a myriad of uses in my house, but my favorite use is as craft organizers. They have secure lids, you can see what is inside, and they won't break if you drop them. Perfect!
I use mine for small items like beads and sequins. Pack them all into a shoe box with some glue, pipe cleaners, and scissors and you've got a tidy, portable craft station:)

Art Zone Free Open House May 27!

Art Zone on Pico near Westwood is an awesome indoor art and play space, but has a super expensive entry fee of $18. To celebrate their first anniversary, you can attend their open house and get in free! Don't miss a chance to check out this very cool space!
My favorite part of the space is the water play room. My kids can spend a good hour in there!

Women’s Flip Flops Free at Target Starting 5/19! | | The Krazy Coupon Lady

Print out the coupon for flip flops using the link below, and head over to Target next week to score some free summer sandals!  I think you can print 2 copies of this coupon, but technically you can only use one per customer.  I have never had a problem using 2 if I just have the items rung up in separate transactions.  I printed these for a sale a few weeks ago and didn't make it out to the store, so I am glad this sale came around now!

Women’s Flip Flops Free at Target Starting 5/19! | | The Krazy Coupon Lady:

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Free Trial Class - Kidnasium Santa Monica

Kidnasium is a children's gym in Santa Monica, and they offer classes for ages 6 months to 6 years.  Also, if you are a member and enrolled in a class you can also go in (I think once per week) for free open play.

Have a look at the web site for more info.  They do not post a schedule online, so you will have to call or email to get more info on the class times and to book your free trial.

http://www.kidnasium.com/classes.html

Free Copy Paper at Staples Ends Tomorrow!

Head out to Staples by tomorrow (5/18) and pick up a ream of printer paper free after rebate!  Print the coupon in the link below from KCL, and a rebate form will print on your receipt when you buy one ream and submit the coupon.  You will get the full purchase price (minus tax) back by check when you submit the rebate by mail or online.  Paper is one of those things you can never have to much of, for shopping lists, crafts, or relocating bugs and spiders from your house back into the wild:)

Free Copy Paper at Staples! | | The Krazy Coupon Lady:

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Summer wardrobe finds at Target

My summer wardrobe is in need of some serious sprucing up, but the last thing I want to spend a bunch of money on is clothes! If you have little kids you know how those painty, sticky little hands can make short work of your favorite outfits. I always battle between looking good and risking ruining my clothes.

I was a Target the other day to buy some stuff for our open house, and I spent a bit of time in the clothing dept and found some great clearance items. Some were on the clearance racks, but most were just on normal display racks but with clearance stickers.

They also had tank tops on sale 3/$20. I got a bunch of great outfits, and if they get wrecked I am only out a few bucks:)

I also had an awesome return experience at Target. I had bought a sundress for Mother's Day, cost $29.99. I took the tags off and washed it, and when it came out of the wash it had stains on it, I think from another color shirt that leaked. I was so bummed out because it was a bit pricey, so before I threw it out I thought I would try and exchange it. I brought it in with no tags and no receipt, and they looked up my purchase using my credit card and gave me a refund! How great is that? I was so happy, and went and bought another one. It never hurts to ask - most big stores value happy customers over small ticket items.

$8 to make $20 plus $50 in goodies!

I am glad I made it to Rite Aid yesterday before our house went on the market and life got crazy! I hope I will get to CVS before the week is done.

I only spent $8.39 out of pocket for all the items pictured, which retail for over $50. I also made back $20 in rewards for next week. Hooray!

My first 2 items required manufacturer coupon and Rite Aid video coupon.

Revlon Buttercream Hair Color was on sale for $4.99, and I used a $2 mq and $3 RAq. Free!

Visine was on sale for $5. I used a $1 mq and $2 RA q, so cost was $2 and I earned back a $2 reward.

The Sure and Brut deodorant were buy one get one free. Sure was $3.29 for two, and Brut was $3.49 for two. I used $1 coupons for all 4 items, so spent $2.78 for all 4 and earned back $2 in rewards ($1 wyb 2).

Next I picked up some kids Colgate power toothbrushes on sale for $6.99 but rang up at $6.39, and I used a $2 mq.  I spent $4.39 and got back $3 each. Going to save these for stockings - got Transformers and Dora.

Last I bought 2 Physician's Formula lip glosses, full price plus my 20% gold discount. When you spend $15 you get $10 back. The products I bought were $7.96 and $7.80, plus I used 2 $1 mqs, and got back $10.

I cashed in my previous rewards, $23, to help pay for the out of pocket. My cashier was so excited to watch my total drop down to only $4.31 before tax. Pretty good!

Check out a new park - Virginia Ave Splash Pad!!

Looking for a free spot to help you beat the heat this week? Check out Virginia Park at Pico and Cloverfield in Santa Monica. They have 2 parks and an awesome splash pad. Just try and dry the kids off before you hit the sand:)

Better-than-Free Visine at Rite Aid! | | The Krazy Coupon Lady

Check out this great deal on Visine.  Good timing with allergy season and all this hot dry weather:)

You can use printable coupons from Facebook and Rite Aid for this deal, so you don't need to have a coupon stash.  The links are all in the KCL post below.

Better-than-Free Visine at Rite Aid! | | The Krazy Coupon Lady:

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Plum District Deal for the Museum of Flying

The Museum of Flying is a super cute place for an outing with the kids, and kids under 5 are free!  The museum is located in the Santa Monica airport area.  The Plum District deal is $15 for 2 adults (normally $10 each), and a free trip in the flight simulator.  Fun!  If you buy today you will also get 20% off your next Plum purchase through Father's Day.

If you do make it out here, make sure to stop in at the actual Santa Monica airport.  You can head up the stairs on the north side and around the back and sit and watch the small planes take off and land.  It is noisy but pretty cool to have a front row seat to the action!

There is also a great kids park just up the road from the museum, and it is fully gated, which is great if you've got a runner:)

2 Tickets to the Museum of Flying + Flight Simulator-A Perfect Father's Day Outing | Plum District Los Angeles: West LA Deals:

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Free Story Time Saturday Mornings at Children's Book World

If you haven't been to Children's Book World on Pico it is definitely worth a trip.  It is not a big chain bookstore, and you can really feel the difference.  They have a lego table for the kids to play with, and my favorite thing is the wall with employee picks.  My son gravitated here because we entered in the back (free parking off the alley!) and they had some great selections back there.

This store also has free story time every Saturday at 10:30.  They often have authors do readings, so have a look at the schedule.  If you are around my age you might be lured in by Weird Al Yankovic - who knew he wrote kids' books?  I love this place, and I hope you do too!  Small businesses rock:)

Children's Book World >Saturday Morning Stories and More:

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My Favorite Deals at Ralph's This Week

As promised, here are a few of my favorite deals from Ralph's this week.

Country Time Lemonade drink mix - $1 each, use $1/2 coupon, so $.50 each.

Minute Maid Juice, refrigerated, 59oz, $1 each

DiGiorno Frozen Pizza, $3.99 each.  If your store has the new Pizzeria style for this price you can use the $2 coupon from Facebook or the $1.50 coupon from the paper.  You will also get a $2 catalina when you buy 3.  Great price for pizza!

Triscuit crackers on sale 3/$5.  I also used a $1/2 coupon for the brown rice type, so they were only $1.16 per box.  They have a lot of great flavors.

Organic Kale, $.99 per bunch.

$20 off your order of select baby items at Bebe Bella Designs!

Looking for a great baby shower gift?  Check out this deal I found on Krazy Coupon Lady.  Select items from the Bebe Bella website are participating in a $20 off promotion.  Buy a blanket that retails for $24, pay only $4. Buy a hat for $18 and pay nothing!  You do pay for shipping which is about $5.

Follow the link below to see all of the participating items.  The blankets look amazing!

Bebe Bella Designs:

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Free 8×10 Photo Collage at Walgreens! | | The Krazy Coupon Lady

I love this deal because you can make your collage online, and pick it up in store - no cost for the collage and no cost for shipping!  I made one the last time this deal came up, and it was really easy.  I am planning to laminate it to make a placemat for my kids.  I did pictures of their first birthdays, to compare how they each looked at 1 year old.

The link will give you all the details.  The collage is an 8x10, and you can choose the number of photos, text etc. Have fun!

Free 8×10 Photo Collage at Walgreens! | | The Krazy Coupon Lady:

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Free 8x8 Shutterfly Book

The weekend paper coupon inserts last weekend had an ad about a great promotion from Shutterfly.  Get a free 8x8 custom photo book for free when you buy any 2 Johnson's Baby or Desitin products by May 26.  These books cost around $20, so if you are buying baby stuff anyway, or if they go on sale in the next few weeks, make sure to pick some up!  You should receive a coupon code at checkout.  I am not sure if this means you need to be at a store with a catalina machine, but you might want to stick to the grocery stores for this one because they always print the catalinas:)

There is no fine print about this offer being for new customers only, as some I have gotten in the past have said.  I can always use more baby shampoo, so if I find a deal I will post about it to fill you in on the details!

These books make super great and easy gifts.  They have an autofill feature that will put all the pictures you choose into the book for you, and you can really quickly and easily rearrange the layout.  You know you keep saying you should do it - your vacation, your kids' first year, your wedding pictures - now is the perfect time!

Free Hot Sauce - Finally!!!

I have watched a ton of episodes of Extreme Couponing, and I have noticed a theme - extreme couponers don't pay for hot sauce!!  I, however have never gotten hot sauce for free.  Cheap yes, but never free.  But tonight I not only got 4 bottles free, I actually made $1 off of other purchases because they allowed the coupon overage.  Finally, some free hot sauce!!

Ralph's has the small bottles of Frank's Red Hot on sale 2/$1 or $.50 each, and I had $.75/1 coupons in my folder.  Money maker!  I made  a quarter for each bottle.  There were some other great deals at Ralph's this week too, some that I was able to get and some that I got rain checks for.  Thanks to Southern Cali Saver and Wendy for all the grocery tips:)

I will post my favorites from Ralph's tomorrow - it's late and my kids do not know about sleeping in yet.  Maybe one day!

Zimmer Children's Museum for only $3 each!

Call your friends! During the month of May, if you bring a group of at least 10 people everyone pays only $3. That is a great price for a super fun indoor play date!

Mother's Day Handprint Craft

My son brought this home from school last Mother's Day, and I thought it was the sweetest thing! It would be nice to make for a Grandmother or other moms in your child's life.
In case you can't make out the text it says "thank you for helping me grow". Sweetness!!

Yard photo project

This is a great project to fill a few hours. If you have a photo printer you can do it all in one day, otherwise it can be done in 2 parts over 2 weekends.

Ask your child to pick out interesting things in their own back yard, or on your street if you don't have a yard. You can either take pictures of the interesting things they find or they can, depending on age. Try and find at least 15 things in case some don't turn out well.

After the pictures are printed let your child choose which pictures they want to display on a poster board, and have them organize and glue the pictures. If your child is working on spelling or writing you can label the pictures. Or, you can just decorate the board. We made ours when my son was around 2 or 2.5, and he was so proud to have it on his wall and show everyone that came over.

It is particularly nice in Spring to go out and look for bugs, flowers, and other signs of new life!!

My favorite deals at Vons this week (thru 5/7)

I ma ahead of the game on my pharmacy shopping this week, but just getting to Vons today.  The sale cycle ends tomorrow, 5/7

A bunch of items are participating in a promotion where if you buy 4 or more you get $1 off each one.  I'll start with the stuff I got in that group.  Prices are after the $1 is taken off.

Mott's Fruit Snacks $.99, plus $.50 J4U digital coupon = $.49

Coffee Mate shelf stable creamer - $1.49 each.  I bought 4 and used 2 catalina coupons for $1.50/2, so I paid about $3 for all 4, or $.75 each.

Hansens Apple Juice $1.49 each.

Other deals:

Kraft Cream Cheese is buy 2 get 1 free.  I used 3 $1 coupons, and paid $2.24 for all 3, or $.75 each.

Land O Lakes spreadable butter was only $.99 each - $1.99 after digital coupons, plus $1 mq.

Wholly Guacamole is buy one get one free, and I used a $1/2 q, so was $4.79 for both (normally $5.79 each).

Soft Scrub cleanser is $1.99, and I used $1 q's.  I really love this cleaner for sinks!

Jose Ole taquitos were only $2.99, which is half price.  No coupons, but for the price I think worth a shot, see if they pass the kid test.

Dos Equis 12 pack - $10.97 J4U price plus $1 digital coupon.  Only $.83 per beer!

Those are just my personal faves from the week.  It is tricky shopping with the kids, but we still managed to save 47% today after a full shop with produce and milk etc.  Pretty good!

Amazing Cosmetics Haul at CVS & Rite Aid!!

I had no idea (until today) that you could go online at cvs.com and see the coupons that you will get from the coupon machine.  You can even choose to print them at home.  It is such a good thing, because I got some awesome coupons, and the machine was not printing at my store, so I would have missed out on a lot of these amazing free cosmetics!

I'll start with CVS, because it was EXCITING!!

I had a 25% off coupon loaded to my card, so that applies to all full price items.

I started with Physician's Formula mascara, $10.79 minus 25%.  They are all on sale $6 off, plus I used a $3 CVS q and a $1 mq.  I noticed that my 25% came off the full price items before coupons were used, maybe because of when the cashier applied it?  Not sure why but happy.  I paid $8.09 after the discount, got $6 off so $2.09, and had $4 in coupons, so I made almost $2 off my other purchases (super expensive diaper genie refills, boo).

Next I got an Almay eyeliner.  It was $7.49, after discount $5.62.  I had a $3 CVS q and a $4 mq, so it was a money maker too.  Amazing.

Revlon was next.  This one got me some rewards back!  The deal is buy 2 cosmetics and get $5 rewards.  I bought 2 eye shadow for $5.99, after the discount $4.49 each.  I had a $3 CVS coupon, and two $1 mqs.  Total was $8.99, took off $5 in q's so $3.99, and got back $5.

Sally Hansen nail polish was up next.  Deal is buy 2 and get $5 reward back.  I bought 2 nail polish for $5.79 each, after discount $4.34 each.  I had a $4 coupon from this week's paper for each one, so they were $.68 for both and I got back $5. I wish the limit was more than one on that deal!!

I also scored a great deal on Eucerin hand cream.  The deal is spend $20 and get $10 rewards.  I bought 4 at $4.99 each (CVS will round up for rewards) and used a $2/$12 hand and body lotion q from CVS and two $3/2 Eucerin coupons.  They cost $3.74 each, so $14.97 for all 4, minus $8 in coupons is $6.97, and I got back $10.

So for spending just around $6 for all the stuff above I made back $20.  I used rewards to pay, of course, so it was really all free plus making back the rewards.

Rite Aid is having a sale on all Revlon, including beauty tools - everything is 40% off.  I had $1 q's so I bought the cheap files and clippers.  The files retail for $1.25 so they came to $.75, and the clippers are $1.45 and came to $.87.  I used a $1 q on each one, so I made money off other purchases to buy these.  Isn't that crazy??  My friend also told me there is a Rite Aid video coupon available for Revlon tools, so if you want to save even more money head to the website to watch the ad and print a coupon.

I am so happy that it is only Monday and I got all that done, plus a bunch of great new coupons printed on my receipt at CVS.  I might go back for more later in the week!!

Coupon Organization 101

It can be a big job trying to keep all those coupons organized!q You've got coupons from the paper, coupons you get at checkout, printed coupons, and other coupons from retail stores and restaurants. How do you keep it organized so you can find what you need when you need it?
I have tried so many coupon organization methods! Every method worked well, but all of them (except one) were just too time consuming keep up. The way I do it now has been working great, but you should definitely find what works best for you and what you find manageable.
A lot of people like to only clip what they need, and keep their inserts organized by date. That way when you check out coupon sites like Krazy Coupon Lady you can see the issue date of the coupon you need and clip it. My problem with that was that I don't always have time to plan my trip before I am at the store, and it also means I sometimes missed out on clearance deals because I couldn't find the coupons I needed.
I am using receipt organizers to sort my coupons - one for pharmacy stuff, one for cleaning products and retail, and 2 for grocery.  I label the tabs by categories like hair products, diapers etc., and file them in. Once a month I do a clean out. I keep all my rewards in my wallet since they are used like cash.
Another popular method is the coupon binder. You use baseball card protector sheets and dividers, and put your coupons in the plastic slots. This is a great way to be able to quickly see what you have, but I found it took too long. You can always tell a super couponer by the binder!

Try Me Free Rebate for Neosporin Essentials Trial Pack!

Get back your purchase price, up to $13.99, by mail when you try the Neosporin Essentials trial pack.  It comes with 3 items all tailored for skin with eczema.  I tried one last year, and the lotions were great for my kid's skin, even though they don't have eczema.

The photo of the item is on the right.  Remember to save your receipt, then use the link below to print out a form to mail in to get your refund check.  Yay for freebies!!

Printable Healthy Essentials™ Coupons for Baby, Beauty & Grocery:

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