Delicious Deals

Yesterday when I went and did my marathon shopping (five stores in 2.5 hours with a husband that just worked from 3:30am to noon) I worked out a pretty sweet deal at Rite Aid that I would like to share.

Back in May (I think) I participated in the Rite Aid Skin Care Rebate. (The promotion is still going on.) Not only did I get a ton of free suntan and skin lotion, but I also qualified for a $25 giftcard that could be used just like cash at Rite Aid.

A few weeks ago, my giftcard came in the mail, and needless to say, it has been burning a hole in my pocket since then!

After looking at the deals for this week and checking out my favorite webiste hip2save I worked out a pretty good deal that helped me score free stuff, single-check rebates (which is cold hard cash that you receive in the mail) and + Up Rewards.

Here is my scenerio:

Baush & Lomb Renu Senstive Solution 12 oz. $7.24
-Buy 1
-Use $2/1 Coupon
-Use $2/1 Video Values Coupon (go to Rite Aid's website to learn about the Video Values program)
Final Cost (FC) = $3.29
Submit for $7.29 Single Check Rebate (SCR)


Crest Toothpaste 5.8 oz, 6 oz. or 6.2 oz, Pro-Health 4.2 oz, Outlast 3.0 or 4.0 oz. - $2.49
-Buy 1
-Use $.75/1 Coupon
FC= $1.74
Get $2 +Up Rewards


Crest Mouthrise 1 liter $4.99
-Buy 1
-Use $2/1 Coupon
FC= $2.99
SCR= $3


Old Spice Body Wash/ Old Spice Deoderant 2/$8
-Buy 1 Old Spice Body Wash
-Buy 1 Old Spice Deordorant
-Use 1 Buy a body wash get a deodorant free coupon
-Use $1/1 Coupon
FC= $3 for both
SCR= $2


Kendall Antimicrobial Gauze Pads or Bandages 2/$7
-Buy 2
-Use $2 Video Value Coupon
FC= $5
SCR=$ 3
+UP Rewards= $1


Fancy Feast Canned Cat Food 3oz. 10/$5 (To donate to animal shelter)
-Buy 10
FC=$5
+Up Reward= $1


Dawn Dish Liquid 9.5 to 10.3 oz $.99
-Buy 1
-Use $.25/1 Coupon
FC= $.74


My total without the coupons would have been $35.76 + tax. But, with the coupons and a $5 off a purchase of $25 or more, I paid $16.17 and recieved $15.29 in SCR and $4 in +Up Rewards.

The best part: I didn't have to even pay the $16.17 because I used the free $25 gift card from the suntan and skin lotion promotion, and I still have $8.83 left on the gift card.

So if you are interested in getting in on this great deal, I suggest you go to Hip2Save and see what products your family uses and start planning to rake in the dough!

PS: What made this deal even better, is I recieved some amazing news from a friend while shopping!!! ;)

I'm Making a List, and Checking it Twice

I think that it starts to become the norm, rather than an exception, that we never take time to smell the roses.

Life gets in the way of simple pleasures like going for a walk through the neighborhood in the evening, visiting a favorite restaurant or even sitting down to send a long over due email to a friend.

This summer I am going to try and change that. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you my "Summertime Bucket List." This is going to be my list of things I hope, no; make that I WILL accomplish over the course of the summer.

1. Finish a great classic book

2. Go on a picnic

3. Eat at "Riversedge Cafe"

4. Try to make cake pops

5. Go to the drive-in again

6. Give myself a nice at home mani/pedi

7. Visit the local winery

8. Try strawberry wine

9. Find a hammock for our front yard

10. Send long emails to friends, and respond quicker to their emails.

Wish me luck on my quest this summer!

Twin Lakes, Not to be Confused with the TV Show

Since I am still recovering from the busy holiday weekend and I am gearing up for a big shopping trip today, I thought I would share some of my photos from our trip to Twin Lakes Arts Festival. Hope you enjoy!

One of my favorite things at the festival were the really cute banners they had hanging from all of the lampposts.

I never knew that she had a gas station in Pennsylvania. Isn't it a little far away from the Jersey Shore?

A beautiful dragonfly created by the chainsaw carver.

I really admire the chainsaw carvers. I couldn't even chop down a tree with a chainsaw let alone make art with it.

I am all about expressing yourself. However, I just found these to be a little too creepy. They are even more terrifying than the dolls that you put in a corner and they hid their faces.

One of the beautiful lakes that gives Twin Lakes its name. We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day!

Can't have a festival without the food! We love food at our little corner of Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Just one of the many vendors that displayed their wares at the festival.

The arts festival is a huge hit every year. You can tell how crowded it was.

Here's Looking at You, Firecracker!

Hope you and your family have a safe and fun Fourth of July!

Holy Flip-Flops, Batman!

Here is a great deal that is for today only. Head over here and print out the entire Facebook page to receive Old Navy flip-flops for just a dollar a piece (limit 5) when you visit any Old Navy store today! What a great deal and what a great way to kick off the holiday weekend!

Get on Target

Want to see what will be on sale this week at Target? Check out Totally Target for the latest deal!

Waking Up in Williamsburg Part 1

I decided to talk about our recent trip to Williamsburg by giving reviews of the various places that we went to. I hope that you will be able to find something useful from the reviews to help you if you ever venture to Williamsburg, Va.

When my family and I arrived in Williamsburg after six long hours of driving, we were more than just hungry.

Anyone who has ever been to Williamsburg is aware that there are plenty of restaurants to choose from. From expensive seafood shacks to Italian restaurants that would make an Italian grandmother proud.

After flipping through the different coupon and visitor magazines we decided to go to a restaurant called South of the Border.

I remembered eating at a South of the Border before in South Carolina and I recalled having a wonderful experience. It reminded me of a Chi-Chi's.

So we plugged in our coordinates on our GPS system, and off we went.

When we finally arrived at our destination, we pulled in and then pulled right out of the parking lot. Even though the lot was full of cars, we just did not like the looks of the place. It looked like the owners had converted an old fast food restaurant building. This was not the South of the Border I thought it was.

After being disappointed and even hungrier, we decided to try another restaurant called Plaza Azteca. It sounded like it had just opened within the year, and it looks like it was built in a brand new complex with a bunch of other businesses.

So off we went in search of Mexican food at Plaza Azteca.

When we arrived we saw the huge building and how crowded it was and decided it was the place for us. After looking at a menu and seeing there were numerous menu items for all of our taste buds, we decided to put our name on the list.

I had thought we would be there for at least 45 minutes why they surprisingly called our name after only 20.

We were taken to our seat towards the back of the restaurant and had an opportunity to check out the place.

The decor was beautiful. Heavy rustic looking tables with the tops of nails exposed and matching wooden booths gave a nice touch that looked like old world Mexico. The stucco walls were a nice natural light brown and even though all the tables were filled up in the room, it was not overly noisy and we could hear each other without shouting across the table.

I am not a food snob. I love my Taco Bell as much as the next person, but when I saw the photos of some of the beautifully crafted Mexican dishes, I knew we made the right decision to eat at Plaza Azteca.

I ordered the Lobster Enchiladas with the sauce on the side. I was not sure if my request would be granted, but I was pleasantly surprised when it was.

My husband ordered the fajitas enchilada, my mom had the Chicken Azteca and my dad ordered the chicken fajitas.

Everything was delicious and came with huge portions. I was a little leery when I ordered my meal because I was not sure how much lobster I would be getting for only $9.99. But, when my three enchiladas came out stuffed with lobster and with a good helping of rice on the side, I was happy.

I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who loves Mexican and even some who do not. The spices they use are not overpowering and there are some dishes that are not overly Mexican.

Another thing to consider would be to get the guacamole. They wheel out a cart and make it fresh right in front of you.

We personally did not order it, but we watched as it was made for another table. It was truly a neat experience to watch.