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As a baker, I love stocking up on goodies and baking essentials in bulk. My number one bulk baking supply store? Bulk Barn of course!
So, you can understand why I was super excited to come across this $3 off your total purchase of $10 or more printable coupon! Offer good until August 4th.
I know I’m stocking up…what about you?
(Click coupon below for printer-friendly version)
If you’re a regular driver like me, I know you’ll love this coupon.
Fill up between your oil changes and save with this $8 off Mobil 1 Synthetic Oil printable coupon from Canadian Tire! The offer is good until September 31st or until quantities last. This is a one-time use coupon.
Happy driving!
(Click the image below for a printer-friendly version)
There’s no reason to keep using those environmentally hazardous plastic water bottles.
Especially when you can easily save $5 on any one Brita Water Pitcher until December 31st, 2011 with this printable coupon!
Limit to one coupon per purchase.
(Click image below for printer-friendly version)
The physical copy versus the digital alternative. A tale as old as time… sort of. It’s no secret that the internet has changed our world in some fairly dramatic and surprising ways, one of which being the method in which we own and consume media.
While DVDs and Blu-rays are a prominent retail fixture, are streaming content services like the uber-popular Netflix giving them a run for their money? Read on…
THIS:
DVDsThose who thought that DVDs would have a shelf life similar to VHS tapes must be feeling pretty dumb right now. Despite the advent of digital downloads and bullying from its higher definition cousin, the Blu-ray, DVDs are still a mainstay in your average den and living room.
You can pretty much find whatever you’re craving in any store’s DVD aisle, and there’s something to be said for being able to hold a tangible copy of your favourite movie.
All that said, are DVDs becoming obsolete? With the death of Blockbuster and the rise of streaming services, lots of people are swaying towards the digital side of the format war. Who needs a clunky plastic case when you can have a clean 700 MB avi file?
…or THAT:
Netflix Netflix‘s instant streaming service has become so ubiquitous, it’s now a verb. When was the last time you heard someone say “I think I’m gonna rent Operation: Dumbo Drop”? Never. When was the last time you heard someone say “Going to Netflix the first season of Hoarders, brb”? Probably this morning.
With the advent of apps you can watch Netflix on your iPhone, iPad, computer, PS3, Wii and just about every other device, ever. You really can’t beat the monthly fee ($7.99) or the saved shelf space, but Canada’s Netflix selection isn’t nearly as robust as the United States’. Still, if you’re curious, there’s a healthy mix of blockbusters, hidden treasures and guilty pleasures to be found.
What do you think about the future of home movie releases? Leave us a comment!
Canadians have been obsessed with coupons over the last few months, after the launch of the US-based TV show, Extreme Couponing – and the obsession is still going strong.
Coupons are a fantastic way to lower your grocery bill and with practice, you can easily master the art of using coupons to get free (or very cheap) groceries for your family.
It’s not as hard as it sounds. Honest!
The biggest mistake I see many new couponers making is trying to compete with the “big dogs”. This will only result in failure and disappointment. Trust me on that.
‘Extreme Couponing’ led people to believe that the kind of savings the participants achieved on the show was attainable here in Canada. Although it is definitely possible to see significant savings on your grocery bill by using coupons in Canada, don’t expect to be saving 80%-100% off your bill like those “extreme couponers” do (well, not all the time, anyway!).
Realize that learning the art of couponing takes time and LOTS of practice. This is not something that you can learn to do overnight. Personally, it took me well over a year to learn the ins and outs of couponing and I am still learning new things every day. You never stop learning.
Keep your shopping trips small when you start out. Don’t try to use hundreds of dollars worth of coupons on your first trip to the store. This will only overwhelm you. Pick a few great deals, use a few coupons and enjoy your savings. The next time you shop, add a few more items and coupons.. and so on and so forth.
If you plan to price match items (many stores allow this) as well as use coupons, don’t try that right away. Stick to coupons only (or price matching only) for a few weeks, and then you can try combining the two.
Starting small when you begin using coupons is important so you don’t end up losing your sanity. It can become extremely confusing and overwhelming if you try to do too much when you’re just starting out. Be patient. Take your time.
Of course, if you want to start using coupons, the most important thing is to actually find coupons for you to use, right?
Those are the top 4 places for finding coupons. Once you start using them, you will start to find them everywhere. They can even be found in a few select magazines, on Facebook and I’ve even received toothpaste coupons from my dentist!
When you start collecting coupons, you will need to have an organizational system in place to avoid becoming overrun with them. Believe me when I say that coupons add up very fast and the longer you let them pile up, the harder of a task it will be to get them organized.
Here are a few organization systems that I suggest:
Envelope Method (Beginner) – If you’re just starting out with coupons, this is definitely the organizational route I would suggest. Keep a few envelopes (separated by category) in your purse or bag with your coupons.
Accordion File Method (Medium Experience) – Many dollar stores offer decent size accordion file folders. These are great for organizing your coupons and keeping them all together in one place.
Binder Method (Advanced) – This is my favourite coupon organizing method because I find it to be the most neat and tidy. Purchase a good quality binder and stuff it with sports card holders (for things like trading or baseball cards). Separate your coupons by using page dividers for different categories (such as Food, Health, Beauty, Pets, etc.). Add your coupons to the holders and that’s about it!
I do suggest having a zippered binder to prevent your coupons from falling out and onto the floor while you’re shopping. That’s an embarrassment you don’t want to face (trust me on that one, *ahem*).
As tempted as you may be, don’t run out and start using all of your coupons right away.
Why?
Canada has a yearly sales cycle and items go on sale all the time. I strongly suggest holding on to your coupons until a sale comes along that you can pair your coupon with.
Waiting for these sales will definitely provide you with some exceptional savings. Sometimes you will even be able to get coupons for free with your coupons, just by waiting for the perfect sale!
When you do find those items on sale, stock up. I encourage you to have a “stock-up budget” that is only available for use toward stocking up on sale items.
Let’s say your family eats a lot of peanut butter. It’s regularly $2.99 per container and you have a $0.50 coupon. That makes the peanut butter only $2.49 per container. Is this a good deal? Perhaps to you it is. Is it a “WOW, let’s stock up!” price? Probably not.
If you hold on to that coupon for a little while, you may find that the peanut butter actually goes on sale for just $1.49 at your local grocery store. After your $0.50 coupon, that’s only $0.99 per container. Now, THAT is a stock-up price.
Most sales come around again in about 3 months. Figure out how much peanut butter your family goes through in 3 months and that’s the number of containers I would suggest picking up to add to your stockpile.
If you are looking for a way to significantly lower your grocery bill, coupons may be the answer for you!
Although it does take some time and quite a bit of dedication, the rewards are outstanding and well worth it.
Cassie Howard is a frugal living writer whose blog, Mrs January, shares tips for living a frugal lifestyle. She posts Canadian deals, coupons, freebies and more! You can also follow her on Twitter.
We’ve put together a list of things to do in Vegas – 50 activities, all under $200.
See this Things to Do in Las Vegas post on our FS.com blog to find out how to have fun for less. Yes, the 7% off discount works for Canadians as well!
“What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?” We’ll let you decide that for yourself, but please at least share this list with all your friends heading down south.
If you’re travelling elsewhere, check out our exclusive Viator coupon for 7% off all activities. Just use the coupon code FSAV7 to get the discount.
Have you ever been to Vegas? What activities do you recommend?
It’s no secret that Google+ has been setting the Internet ablaze for the past two weeks. The web drama of who got an invite, who added who to their Circles and who didn’t could fuel entire seasons of Gossip Girl.
But when you look past the hype, does Google’s new social network have what it takes to topple Mark Zuckerberg’s crowning achievement, Facebook? Keep reading.
THIS:
FacebookChances are you’ve already got a Facebook account, but the ultimate modern bragging right seems to be not having a Facebook account. It’s the new “Oh, I don’t have a television.” A lot of people are jumping ship over issues with Facebook’s ever-changing privacy issues. Still, it’s the Internet’s largest and most ubiquitous social network, and with the right amount of tinkering you can properly secure your profile.
Besides, there’s nothing quite like the thrill of writing passive-aggressive updates for all your friends to see!
(And don’t forget, we’ve got our own Facebook page, because we’re cool like that.)
…or THAT:
Google+If you were on any social networking platforms in the past week or so, you know that friends, family and online socialites alike have been clamouring for Google+ invites.
Now that most of us have gotten a peek, what’s the consensus? The ‘Circles’ feature, which allows you to post updates, pictures and news with specific groups of people, is a big hit.
It’s a brand new network, so the UI still takes some getting used to, and there aren’t any extra features like games, polls or quizzes. But it’s still a promising alternative for those tired of Twitter, Facebook and (shudder) MySpace.
Which social network has what it takes to keep your attention? Drop us a comment!
We have a very special treat for all you coupon clippers out there!
In this week’s Saving Money Monday post, Steve Zussino from groceryalerts.ca agreed to answer our questions about couponing in Canada!
Thanks to programs like TLC’s Extreme Couponing, Canadians are becoming more interested in saving at the cash register. So we went straight to the source and grilled Steve on how to get the most coupon bang for your buck. Check out what he had to say:
My wife and I live in an expensive city, Victoria, BC. The cost of housing is very high for the average household income. Using coupons helps reduce the strain on our after-tax income and lets us save more money so we can upgrade to a larger home in the near future. I have not always been a frugal shopper.
During my bachelor days, I spent a lot of money on clothes and living the bachelor lifestyle (going to restaurants and traveling). That all changed when I met my wife and now I enjoy spoiling her with the odd trip and experiences. It is much more rewarding spending money on someone that you love. We had the most unbelievable honeymoon in Europe capped off with a Mediterranean cruise.
In Western Canada, there is a drug store chain called London Drugs that allows couponers to stack coupons. Meaning that as long as each coupon has a different UPC code you could get a product for nearly free. They also accept printable coupons. In the US, retailers often double coupons and have larger promotions. In Canada, we have a smaller population and less incentive for retailers to promote like that.
Our family tries to extreme coupon as much as possible. We combine sale prices and use coupons to bring the price down lower. We also have a list of all retailers in Canada that match prices and that helps.
Walmart and London Drugs offer the best experience. Walmart because of the coupon overages given and their generous price matching. London Drugs encourages couponing and also price matches.
I recommend that people organize their coupons in a small binder or envelopes divided by categories (Baking, Dairy, Pet, Meat, Laundry, etc). We try to match up the coupons we post on GroceryAlerts.ca with the sales so match up the flyers before you go shopping. When you use them at the till I always have them allocated so that I am not fumbling around looking for a coupon when an item is scanned. This is important.
In our experience more Canadians are using coupons. We have seen an increase in the number of coupons available by manufacturers. With the popularity of programs like Extreme Couponing on TLC, it will increase more in the future as consumers demand more coupons.
Retailers in the United States are already starting to change their policies due to the popularity of Extreme Couponing. Increase in coupon fraud and customers trying to take advantage of retailers is happening. Retailers need to make sure that they will receive their money when they submit redeemed coupons.
Consumers are starting to be more value conscious and less store loyal so retailers need to find ways to attract consumers. In the past 6 months, I have seen more free product coupons released by manufacturers trying to attract consumers. Retailers like Metro are starting to offer more coupons in-store and on their Facebook page for discounts on their private label products.
The most surprising policy is that Walmart allows coupon overages. This is money in your pocket that you can use against products that likely do not have coupons like milk, produce, and eggs.
So there you have it! I hope you enjoyed finding out all the ins and outs of couponing in Canada as much as we did. Thanks so much for the interview, Steve!
Gamers, more than anyone else, know the burden of an expensive habit. If you want to try out new knitting needles, you don’t have to part with that much cash. But if you want to try a new videogame console? That’s a whole other story (and pay cheque).
For this edition of the brand new This or That, we’re comparing Sony and Microsoft’s forays into the world of motion gaming. Which one is more worthy of your hard-earned cash?
THIS:
$99.99, GameStop
Marketed by Sony as a more accurate and immersive alternative to the Nintendo Wii, the Move is an add-on to the Playstation 3. Like the Wii, it uses a ‘baton’-style wireless controller that you can gesture with to recreate lifelike motions with your videogame avatar. Move-compatible videogames have received mixed reviews, but it offers more refined movement and variety than the Kinect. Plus, the controller’s orb glows pretty colours.
…or THAT:
$149.99, GameStop
Remember how in Minority Report, they’d control floating screens with just a swipe of their hands? Microsoft’s Kinect (an add-on to the Xbox 360) is a little like that, just not quite as futuristic. There’s no controller! You manipulate everything on screen with your arms and legs, which might make you look a little dopey, but it’s a super-fun way to get some cardio. It’s more expensive than the Move and its games skew young, but if you’re willing to drop the dough, you’re in for a fun time.
Are you more willing to get down with Move or will you connect better with Kinect? Let us know!
GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED
Thank you to all that entered.
pokemontez, theredcloak, itsameeracle, kiernanproud…
What do all these fabulous names have in common?
They’ve all won iPad2′s from us! But, who will win this time? It could be you!
Announcing our brand new iPad2 contest!!!
Visit FabulousSavings.ca to find the secret page. Please have javascript enabled. You’ll know you’ve found it when a special pop-up appears! (If you’re having issues, go to our homepage and take a look under Most Popular Stores ;)…) Then just tweet the provided message using the Twitter button.
To keep you on your toes, we’ll change the secret page each day (or maybe we won’t), so make sure to visit FabulousSavings.ca every day. Anddd feel free to browse around our site for other fabulous coupons.
Contest begins 5pm EST Tuesday, July 6th, 2011 and ends 11:59pm EST Sunday, July 31st, 2011.
When tweeting your daily entries, please keep in mind that we run by Eastern Standard Time (EST).
Good luck!
FabulousSavings.ca reserves the right to cancel this contest at its discretion.
FabulousSavings.ca reserves the right to change the rules at anytime.
FabulousSavings.ca shall not be responsible for any possible technical difficulties or delays which might otherwise affect eligibility.
