Don’t forget to keep track of your receipts and coupons this week for the P&G Brandsaver rebate!  And use the coupons on your P&G brand purchases while you’re are it!  You can also log on to P&G’s website to sign up for free samples, coupon booklets an product specific offers. You can find good RedPlum printable coupons here this week and loadable coupons from Kroger on their website when you log into your account (many of them pair well with the Roanoke Times meal planner for this week too!).  Kroger has added several more since the last time I logged on, so check in regularly to make certain  you don’t miss out.  I also snagged a few products this week that were store specials (neon orange dots) with great prices when you use your Kroger card.

If you haven’t sign up for the Daily Deal yet, go, do it, save!

Readers will be seeing two inserts in this Sunday’s paper.  SmartSource of course, and the somewhat rare P&G Brandsaver.  The P&G Brandsaver has over $117 in coupon savings inside and a mail-in form to receive a coupon booklet with over $110 in P&G coupon savings.  That deserves a “woot!”

In addition, Swoco, The Botetourt View and So Salem will still have the back to school special offers we’ve seen for the past few weeks.

I’m almost always on the go.  If I sit down to catch up on my Netflix on the weekend I feel pulled by the laundry or dishes or meal prep or any number of other things I feel like I should be doing.  When I get out of bed it’s a mad dash of getting ready for the day activities followed by a short, but rushed commute to work, a day of work, a rush to pick up my son, a quick trip home, a quick dinner and then I start immediately feeling the pull to start our bedtime routine even though I have at least an hour and a half before my son’s actually bedtime!  It’s a problem; I’m aware, and mostly unwilling to do anything about it besides a weekend nap or two. 

When I leave the grocery store, Target, mall, etc. I am so ready to get home, unload, put everything up and move on.  When the hubs leaves the grocery store he’s ready to sit in the car and look over all the details of the receipt and make certain everything looks right and adds up.  I’m totally admitting his way of doing things is right. Mistakes happen, discounts get missed and added, items can scan incorrectly, products can get left out of bags and never make it to the car. It’s the responsible, not to mention common sense thing to do to take a minute or two and make sure you get what you pay for.  We do it on the big stuff (cars, furniture, major electronics), I for one have been making the time to do it on the small stuff too!

Here is a link to a Smokey Bones coupon for $10 off a $25 dollar purchase (40%!).  AND. . .kids eat free every Monday from 5 pm-7 pm with the purchase of an adult meal!

Even though there’s only one insert in today’s paper there are some good value coupons inside, some that are even store specific to Kroger and Food Lion. 

SmartSource has:

$2.00/1 Arm & Hammer Spinbrush

$1.00/1 Huggies Pull-Ups

$3/1 John Frieda Root Awakening

$2.00/1 Schick disposable razor pack

$1.50/1  Tide liquid laundry detergent

$0.75/1 Arm & Hammer toothpaster

$4.00/1 Brita faucet mount

$1.0/1 Brita replacement filter multi-pack

In addition, P&G is offering and Everyday Savings rebate when you buy $50 or more in P&G products.  To learn all the details and print the form, go here.

If you usually get So Salem,  The Botetourt View or Swoco, don’t miss the back to school deals on hair, nails, home services, free registration for classes and preschools and  more.  This is great news since there will only be one insert in Sunday’s paper, which is SmartSource. Check back Sunday for a rundown of some of the great deals you’ll find!

If you haven’t check it out yet, don’t miss the new Daily Deal for great buys from our local businesses!

Travel is obviously a large part of the summer season, especially when your children are school-aged or you’re a beach lover. Fortunately for me, I’m neither. I like the beach, but I’m fine seeing the water from my window.

I also like having new experiences with my son, but he’s young enough that we can do things semi-locally and he’s happy, plus we can plan trips during the off season and save in the process!

Following are a few of my tricks for saving a little travel money:

When it comes to accommodations, it has been said throughout my life that if it doesn’t have room service, I think I’m roughing it. That statement is completely true! I’ll stay somewhere else, but I have my preferences just like everyone else. Many hospitality parent companies have loyalty programs that let you earn points for free stays. Use them!   Loyally even.

It’s also a good idea to check any discounts (some hotels have senior discounts that start at age 50) your favorite places offer. Checking websites is great, but call, talk to a shift supervisor or manager and ask what’s negotiable in their listed price.
Another topic to ask about while you’re speaking to a hotel employee are the policies on valet parking, attraction tickets and dining options. Valet parking is around $25 dollars per day in most cities and self-parking can add up savings every day. Many hotels have agreements with amusement parks and other area attractions and can sell tickets at a discounted rate as a part of your stay.

 In-hotel dining options can be a part of your stay, too, but if you’re like me, you may want a little more local flavor than a chain hotel would offer.

The power of group buying is all the rage these days, the more people that buy, the lower the price, what’s not to love!  Jasmere and Groupon are the most common and most popular, but they aren’t really local.  Jasmere is online and you have to be in the market for the deal of the day. Groupon doesn’t serve Roanoke yet so unless you buy for when you travel, it’s not really applicable to us here.  Doesn’t sound too encouraging for a shopping blogger, huh?
 
The Roanoke Times and roanoke.com are coming to the rescue of the group buying groupies with the Daily Deal!  The important details are that all the retailers, salons, restaurants, etc. are local (!!!), you need to go to http://dailydeal.roanoke.com to sign up for emails and a certain number of people have to purchase for the deal to be activated.  The full release is below with all the other information behind this great (and amazing and wonderful and exciting!) opportunity for Roanoke Valley shoppers and businesses alike!

If you’ve used group buying sites before, please let me know about your experiences in the comments section.  I would love to hear your feedback on the Daily Deal as we get going!!!

Local Group Buying Site Launched For Roanoke and New River Valleys

Daily Deal offers significant savings at restaurants and retailers

ROANOKE, Va. (August 17, 2010) —  The Roanoke Times and roanoke.com today launched roanoke.com Daily Deal, the area’s first online group buying website where consumers can access savings of 50 to 90 percent each day from local businesses including restaurants, salons and other retailers in the Roanoke and New River valleys.

Those interested in the deals can sign up at http://dailydeal.roanoke.com to receive the email every weekday. They are then encouraged to share the deal with their friends by email and through social networking sites. A certain number of people must purchase it for the deal to be activated.

 The deals will also publish in The Roanoke Times, but interested buyers must then go to http://dailydeal.roanoke.com to sign up and purchase the deals. As an additional incentive for sharing, consumers can earn credit toward future Daily Deal purchases when friends purchase the item that they have shared. Other features of the site include profiles and user reviews of the participating businesses. 

 “This is a win for both businesses and shoppers. Retailers gain new customers, and consumers get incredible deals simply by sharing and following their friends’ recommendations,” said Heather Hernandez, Advertising Director of The Roanoke Times and roanoke.com. “For more than a century, we have been connecting local advertisers with consumers they want. Daily Deal is a new twist using different tools but the same methodology – generating sales for area businesses.”

Group buying sites are a trend nationwide, offering businesses an effective way to expand their reach and raise awareness through referral marketing.

“Group buying platforms are popping up in many cities, and we are excited to provide it here in our market,” said Dan Wheeler, Director of Digital Media “Everyone is looking for a bargain, and with the explosion of online shopping and social media use in our area, this is an ideal way for businesses and customers to connect.”

 To find out more or to sign up, go to http://dailydeal.roanoke.com.

The Roanoke Times | roanoke.com is the leading news and information provider in Southwest Virginia, reaching Roanoke, Salem, Radford, Blacksburg, Christiansburg, Dublin, Pulaski, and other areas. The Roanoke Times is distributed across 19 counties with an average of 200,000 readers on weekdays, and more than 250,000 readers on Sundays. Consistently voted as the area’s most popular website, roanoke.com averages more than 600,000 unique visitors and 6.7 million page views every month. Founded in 1886, The Roanoke Times has provided award-winning news coverage and community information for nearly 125 years. Additional information can be found at http://www.roanoke.com.

If you’ve managed to roll out of bed on this drizzly Sunday morning, you’ve found some great coupons in your weekly inserts.  Below are a few of my favorites!

SmartSource

$1.00/2 Ken’s 16 oz. dressings or Lite Accents (and $1.00/1 Ken’s Marinade and $1.00/2 Ken’s 8 oz. dressings)

Target has $1.00/1 Tide laundry detergent and $1.50/1 Tide Stain Release plus. . .

$1.00/1 Downy fabric softener

$1.00/1 Bounce dryer bar

Red Plum

$0.75/1 Uncle Ben’s Whole Grain White Rice product

$1.00/1 Emerald Nuts

$0.50/1 Soft Scrub Product

$1.00/2 Kellogg’s cereal

Check the Roanoke Times meal planner this week for some yummy recipes that match pretty well with this week’s grocery specials.  Kroger has Sanderson Farms split chicken breasts on special for $0.99/lb, broccoli is $3.00/2 and organic head lettuce is $1.29.

In addition,  Kroger half gallon milks are $6.00/4, Kroger brand breads and buns are $10/1, sweet corn in-husk is $0.29 and there are good deals on grapes, raspberries and watermelon!

You’ll also find a Dollar General sales paper that has some great specials and don’t forget, DG accepts coupons on products that are already dirt cheap!

Check back in Tuesday morning for some exciting news!!!

SWoco, So Salem and the Botetourt View are getting you ready for back to school!  There are coupons and offers for childcare, hair and beauty services, clothing, gifts and more!  Don’t miss out on the specials going on in your area this month including some new businesses opening their doors.

In addition, there are Office Max and Wal-Mart inserts with back to school savings, Belk is having a back to school red dot sale, Rack Room Shoes is offering back to school specials and A.C. Moore has an insert this week with savings up to 40% off on back to school supplies including art supplies!  Whew!

And finally, Red Plum and SmartSource will be coming to you this weekend as well!  Lots of savings going on this weekend, happy shopping!

There are a few things that have come up this week that aren’t really related so, here’s a little randomness for the middle of the week!  Deep breath, we’re jumping in!

1. If you’re looking for a few days away before getting back to the grind of school and the end of summer vacation, Red Roof Inn is having a 15% off discount for August when you stay 3 consecutive nights.  There are several Red Roof Inns nearby for a quick one tank trip.  And, if your kids are anything like mine, a change of scenery and a pool every day can do a lot of good! You can learn the details here.
2. My crock pot is quickly becoming my go-to this year when thinking of what to make for dinner.  I even made a breakfast casserole in my crock pot one morning, although the getting up at 5:00 AM to get it started for a 9:00 AM breakfast wasn’t my best pre-planning accomplishment.  Anyway, if you love to crock as much as I do, check out Lindsey’s chicken (which is on special at Kroger this week!) recipe here.
3. Next up. . .My wonderful and thoughtful niece informed me this weekend that she stopped by Kira Kira and scored Bare Escentuals foundation in certain shades for half off! Side question: Can someone explain the difference between Bare Escentuals and Bare Minerals? They’re the same company, but different lines?  I really don’t know.  Kira Kira is also offering a referral program, refer 5 customers, get a manicure I think, check it out if you’re the kinda gal that likes manicures (and who isn’t?).
4. More cosmetic deals!  Susan from Merle Norman at Westlake e-mailed me a list with some of her specials.  She always offers FREE lip/brow waxing with any skincare purchase and this offer is only at the Westlake location (she’s a Licensed Master Esthetician).  Also, going on now is an offer of FREE facials/skin analysis to new customers.  Currently, customers can get ”Free Gift with Purchase” of any 2 LUXIVA skincare items. And finally, it’s not a special offer, but it’s a good deal. . .a 0.5 ounce Purely Mineral Makeup for only $24. I haven’t tried their mineral make-up but if you have, let me know how great it is!
5. If you haven’t done it yet, sign up for Bubblecake’s Birthday Club and get ya a free cupcake during your birthday month!
6. And finally, Tanglewood Mall is having a Back(Pack) to School event August 21 & 22. The first 250 kids who come to Customer Service and give a valid school and grade receive a FREE (that word keeps coming up today) backpack.  Limit one per student.

You’ll see a SmartSource and Red Plum insert in your paper today.  Here are a few of my favorites from SmartSource.

$4/1 Airwick Freshmatic Ultra i-Motion Starter Kit
$1/1 Colgate Total Advanced Whitening, Total Enamel Strength, Total Advanced Clean or Total Advanced Fresh
$2/1 Schick Hydro refill
$1/1 Sure Antiperspirant & Deodorant

And my personal choice (with a great expiration date too!)

$1.50/1 Butterball Oven Roasted, Deep Fried, Honey Smoked, or Cherry Wood Smoked Fully Cooked Turkey Breast

And in Red Plum, here are a few of my favorites.

$1/1 Benadryl Anti-itch Cream, Gel or spray
$2/1 Garnier Nutritioniste Cleanser or Moisturizer and $1.00/1 Garnier Fructis any style product
$0.75/1 Cinnabon cereal
$1/1 Kudos Granola Bars
$1/1 Maybelline New York Eyeshadow or Eye Liner
$2/1 Visine

Another great source I’ve recently discovered this week is Mambo Sprouts, a website that has printable and e-coupons for organic products as well as recipes, product reviews and help with finding more coupons!

So this week if you’re not waiting on the weekend, you probably should be!  First up is Sam’s Club.  

Starting Friday and going through Sunday, Sam’s Club is hosting an open house for non-members to come in, shop and hopefully save!  Sam’s Club is waiving the customary 10% non-member fee all weekend, so anyone who would like can come and shop as if they were a member. You can read the press release here.  They’ve only done this a handful of times EVER, so it might be a while before they do it again.

AND. . .Don’t forget that Virginia’s state tax holiday is this weekend!  The tax holiday includes school supplies priced at $20 or less and clothing and footwear priced at $100 or less per item. You can read more from Jenny Boone here.  Happy shopping!

And the winner is Brandy!  Send me an e-mail with your information please and I’ll get your Crayola goodies out to you!

By now you’ve gotten your Red Plum and SmartSource inserts and are clipping away, but be sure to check out their websites too for new printable coupons that just came out this weekend.  In addition there are reset printables from coupons.com since it’s the first of the month!

Be sure to check out the weekly meal planner this week too, you can still take advantage of the weekly specials at the grocery stores with all the fresh fruits and vegetables that are SO GOOD this time of year.  Kroger is even advertising locally grown produce in their stores!

Something else to check out today are the bonus RR and ExtraCare Bucks at Walgreens and CVS.  I earned 12 ECBs yesterday afternoon from just purchasing two rather unglamorous items (diapers and deodorant).