Staples: $40 Voucher for $25 + 25% off Coupon!

Check out this great combination of deals from Staples!

Right now Groupon is offering a $40 e-gift card to Staples for only $25 - that's a $15 savings! If you are ever in need of paper or ink how could you pass up this deal?! The e-gift card must be redeemed on-line and printed for use in-store. It is not valid on-line.

To take advantage of this offer:
- Go to this link for the Staples deal and click on the large green "Buy" button.
- Sign in or register where indicated.
- Enter payment info.
- Click on "My Vouchers" under your name in the top right corner of the screen. Find the Staples deal you just bought and click "View Voucher". In the voucher are redemption instructions. You MUST redeem the voucher on-line in order to print your e-gift card to spend in-store.*

On top of the Groupon, through Saturday you can redeem this coupon for a free EcoBag and 20% off anything that can fit inside (some exclusions apply, read the fine print!).

The coupon expires Saturday, so you'd need to hurry if you want to use that, but the Groupon voucher never expires so if you're not ready to rush to Staples, just hold onto it until you need it!

*Fine Print:

• Limit 1 per person. Limit 1 per visit. Must redeem Groupon voucher herefor a Staples eGift Card, which can be used in any participating Staples store. Groupon voucher not accepted in-store. eGift Card never expires. eGift Card valid in-store only; eGift Card not valid at Staples.com. To find a store near you, click here. See Staples Terms & Conditions applicable to Staples eGift Cards here.
• See the rules that apply to all deals.

Groupon: $29 for One Year of E-Meals

If planning meals is a stressful activity for you, you may want to take advantage of today's Groupon of $29 for a one-year membership to E-Meals (a $58 value), a highly acclaimed on-line meal-planning program that will plan meals for your family (according to your dietary needs/tastes) and even prepare an organized grocery list for you based on the week's meals.  This specific program is highly touted by financial guru Dave Ramsey and I have heard personal testimony from friends about how wonderful this program is.  So if it's something that will help your family get organized and rid some stress from your meal planning, this deal may be a great one for you.


To take advantage:
1. Sign-in or Register at Groupon. 
2. Click on "All Deals" along the top of the screen and scroll down until you find "E-Meals" - if you cannot find it under your city, try St. Louis, MO (though, as an on-line deal, you will be able to use E-Meals wherever you are, even if it is not a deal specifically for the city in which you live).
3. Click the large "Buy!"  button.
4. Your voucher should be listed in "My Groupons" in your account within the next 24 hours.  

Fine print:

• Expires September 29, 2012
• Limit 1 per person, may buy 4 additional as a gift. 
• Program will expire 12 months after activation.

Groupon: $10 for $20 Old Navy Voucher

STILL AVAILABLE!  PLUS - this weekend Old Navy is offering $5 Thermals and 60% off outerwear!  This could make for some great deals!

If you're a fan of Old Navy, hurry over to Groupon to grab a $20 voucher to Old Navy for only $10!


To take advantage:
1. Sign-in or Register at Groupon.
2. Click on "All Deals" along the top of the screen and scroll down to "Grouponicus Deals" where you will click on this Old Navy deal.
3. Click the large "Buy!"  button.
4. Your voucher should be listed in "My Groupons" in your account within the next 24 hours.  To use: print your voucher and present it at check-out, as you would any gift card or coupon - it will deduct $20 from your total purchase!

Fine print:

• Expires January 28, 2012
• Limit 1 per person, may buy 1 additional as a gift. Limit 1 per visit.

Groupon: $2 for 5 Blockbuster Express Rentals

Groupon is once again offering a deal of five Blockbuster Express rentals for only $2.  To get this deal, visit Groupon and, if it's not showing up in your city of choice, check out Montgomery, AL (the deal can be used at ANY Blockbuster Express kiosk nationwide, so it doesn't matter if you don't buy it in your city).  The Blockbuster deal is located in the right sidebar under "More Great Deals Nearby."  This voucher can be used for any Blockbuster Express rental kiosk and is valid through May 1, 2013 - so you have plenty of time!

If you've never used Groupon before, here's what to do:

1. Sign-in or Register at Groupon.
2. After selecting your city (choose Montgomery, AL for this deal, but be sure to sign up to receive e-mails from your own city!), look to the right side of the screen.  On that ride sidebar, you should be able to find a link labeled "On-line Deal" with this deal listed.  Click that link!
3. Click the large "Buy!"  button and complete your purchase details.
4. Your voucher should be listed in "My Groupons" in your account starting tomorrow.  Click to "print" the deal (you won't actually have to print it) to be able to read the redemption instructions, which will include five codes for you to use as you wish.


If you're interested in trying out some FREE Blockbuster codes, check out this post over at Hip2Save for a list of codes for FREE one-night rentals!

STILL AVAILABLE! Groupon: $75 worth of Picaboo products, only $25!

Note: This deal is STILL AVAILABLE!

Well, goodness, you'd think I was psychic!  After posting my love of Picaboo this morning, it's like I just knew I'd have another great deal to pass along to you!  What I didn't mention this morning was the reason I first began using Picaboo so frequently was because of a purchase of a Groupon about a year ago, very similar to the one below, which gave me an even better deal on their high quality books.  So, if you haven't seen it, yet, check out my blog about Picaboo here, then check out this great Groupon deal below!

Just released on Groupon: $75 worth of products from Picaboo for only $25 (or you could choose to pay $35 for $100 worth of products)!  This deal is valid for multiple cities (and can be redeemed from anywhere)!

Here's what to do:

1. Sign-in or Register at Groupon.
2. After selecting your city, look to the right side of the screen.  On that ride sidebar, you should be able to find a link labeled "On-line Deal" with this deal listed.  Click that link!
3. Click the large "Buy!"  button and complete your purchase details.
4. Your voucher should be listed in "My Groupons" in your account starting tomorrow.

5. Head to Picaboo to download their FREE software and begin creating products!  When you're ready to check-out, enter the code (listed in your voucher on Groupon) in the box labeled specifically for Groupon codes - so easy!


The Fine Print:

• Expires Nov 18, 2011
• Limit 1 per person, may buy 2 additional as gifts. 
• Limit 1 per order. 
• Valid toward tax and shipping. 
• Valid only for photo books, calendars, and collage posters. 
• Not valid with other offers or Groupons. 
• May redeem across multiple orders.

St. Louis: Great Daily Deals!

If you live in the St. Louis/St. Charles area, I have some great deals for you!  Remember, these are daily deals, so if you're interested, jump on it today - they may not be available come tomorrow!

First up is through Groupon.  You can pay $9 for a movie ticket, plus small popcorn and small drink, through STL cinemas (which includes the Galleria, Chase Park Cinemas, Moolah Theatre and Granite City Cinemas) - this ticket is valid any time and also works for 3D movies, making it a GREAT deal!


To take advantage:
1. Sign-in or Register at Groupon.
2. Choose St. Louis as your city (if you have another city as your default, click on the little black triangle next to the name of your city and find St. Louis there.)
3. Click the large "Buy!"  button.
4. Your voucher should be listed in "My Groupons" in your account starting tomorrow.

Fine print:

• Expires Oct 16, 2011 (so hurry to use it!)
• Limit 1 per person, may buy 1 additional as a gift. 
• Not valid for on-line ticket purchases.

The second deal I have for you is $5 for $10 of food and ice cream at Dairy Queen!  Be aware this deal is ONLY valid at the O'Fallon location on Highway K!

Here's what to do:
1. Visit Living Social and sign-in or register.
2. Choose St. Charles County as your city.
3. Click the blue button that says, "Buy Now"
4. You will be able to find your voucher in "my account" starting tomorrow.
5. When your voucher is available, you can print it and use it as a coupon the next time you visit Dairy Queen!

The Fine Print: 

• Limit one per person, up to one additional as gifts 
• Limit one per person per visit  
• Entire value must be used in a single visit. 
• Promotional value expires on February 17, 2012.

SOLD OUT! Groupon: $10 for $20 at Old Navy! (AGAIN) + $10 Groupon Bucks

Sorry!  This deal has sold out!

The Old Navy deal is BACK at Groupon!  $10 for $20 to spend at Old Navy - even on sale items!  Plus, I received an e-mail earlier this week advertising their mobile apps.  If you purchase a Groupon on one of their mobile apps (for iPhone, iPad or others), you'll receive $10 in Groupon Bucks to use on a future purchase!  So, grab your phone and get your Old Navy Groupon!


NOTE: I cannot find a way to make it work through the mobile app (because there is no city with this deal listed).  Here is an alternative way to get a little back for your purchase: Visit Swagbucks and check out their Daily Deals section (under the "Earn" tab).  You can earn 160sb for making a purchase from Groupon.  To make it work, select any Groupon and click through the link, then when you arrive to the Groupon site, change the end of the url to "/deals/old-navy-national-2" (after the "groupon.com").  Let me know if it works for you!

STILL AVAILABLE: Groupon: $10 for $20 at Old Navy!

UPDATE:
Just in case you didn't see this last night, this great deal is STILL available!

Oh my goodness!  I am an Old Navy fanatic.  So, even though I tried to be really good thinking of our budget and the fact that I had not planned for this Groupon, so I probably shouldn't, my loving husband agreed that it wouldn't be a bad idea and, in fact, encouraged me to do so!  Yay!

Right now, head on over to Groupon to find this wonderful deal of only $10 for $20 worth of merchandise at Old Navy (you must click this specific link to get the deal).  This Groupon cannot be combined with other coupons, but CAN be used on in-store sale items.  Head here to grab your Groupon now!  Remember, if you're a Swagbucks user, go through Swagbucks - I always kick myself when I forget (like I did - again - today!).

Just in case you're new - after you've purchased your Groupon, your voucher will be ready for printing within 24 hours.  Simply print your Groupon from your account and present it as you would any coupon or gift card at checkout.  Be sure to use it before July 30, 2011!

Groupon: Check your e-mail! $4 Movie Tickets!

If you've signed up for Groupon in the past, check your e-mail!  They are offering a special deal by invitation only for $4 movie tickets from Fandango - up to $12 in value - so these would work for 3D or IMAX - if the ticket exceeds $12, you simply pay the balance.  What a deal!  But, again, this is by e-mail invitation only, so if you don't typically read your Groupon e-mails, be sure to check them today!

Groupon: $30 for each referral!

If you're a member of Groupon, start referring your friends!  Through June 13 you can earn $30 in referral credit for each friend who signs up for Groupon through your personal referral link.  You don't earn the credit until they make their first purchase, which will also need to be done before June 13, but go ahead and refer them now - maybe they'll find something they like in the next couple of weeks!  If not, you'll still earn $10 when they finally make their first purchase.  So, what are you waiting for?!  And if you haven't signed up yet, this is a great chance to do so and start referring, as well.  And, besides, why wouldn't you want to stay on top of the great deals Groupon has to offer?  (Check out the Groupon link on my left sidebar to see some great deals of the past - and if you have more questions about how Groupon works, check out my post here.)

Groupon: $20 for $45 worth of Blurb books

This a deal I'm having to hold myself back from.  Trying to be more strict on myself, I just didn't budget for this, no matter how much I know I'd use it.  So, I'm passing it on to you!  Today's Groupon for Springfield, MO is $20 for $45 worth of books from Blurb.  Blurb is a book publishing website where you can make your own photobooks but, for me, the best part is that they also publish book-store quality novel formats for very reasonable prices.  I recently finished a 400-page book featuring old blog posts between my husband and I - the cost for an amazing quality hardcover book (with jacket) was only $32.  Paperback (which is also high-quality) is only $14!  So, if you want to take advantage of this amazing deal, here's what to do:

1. Register or sign-in at Groupon.
2. Click on the triangle next to your preferred city at the top of the page in order to switch cities.  You'll need to visit the page for Springfield, MO to find this deal (it may show up for other cities, as well, but I know you'll find it here).  If you don't see it on the main page, click on "All Deals" at the top of the page.
3.  Click the large, green "Buy!" button and complete purchasing details.
4. Your Groupon should be ready for printing by tomorrow.  You will find it by clicking on your name in the upper right corner of the screen and visiting "My Groupons".  Then, you will click on the Groupon you want to use and click "Print" - don't worry - it will not print immediately, but it will take you to a screen where you can view the printable form of your Groupon, which will also include redemption instructions.  For this deal, there will be a coupon code on the voucher which you can enter during the checkout process at blurb.com.

Fine Print:

• Expires Aug 3, 2011
• Limit 2 per person. Limit 1 per visit. Must use in 1 order, no credit back. Tax and shipping not included. [Side Note: Shipping is a flat $6.99 for up to three books]. Not valid with other offers.

Note: If you're a Swagbucks user, visit the "Daily Deals" section of their site to access this Groupon and earn 160sb for your purchase!

Groupon: $20 for up to $45 at The Body Shop

Another Groupon deal for today!  If you have a Body Shop close by, you may be interested in this deal: $20 for $40 at the Body Shop, plus, if you redeem it before May 20 (Great Mother's Day gift idea!) the value goes up to $45!  

The Fine Print:

• Expires Aug 27, 2011
• Limit 3 per person. Limit 1 per visit. In-store only. Not valid toward gift card purchases. Valid toward sale items. Valid with "Love Your Body Club." Valid at all U.S. locations. Non-transferable.

To get this deal:
1. Register or sign-in at Groupon.
2. Click on the triangle next to your preferred city at the top of the page in order to switch cities.  You'll need to visit the page for Springfield, MO to find this deal (it may show up for other cities, as well, but I know you'll find it here).  If you don't see it on the main page, click on "All Deals" at the top of the page.
3.  Click the large, green "Buy!" button and complete purchasing details.
4. Your Groupon should be ready for printing by tomorrow.  You will find it by clicking on your name in the upper right corner of the screen and visiting "My Groupons".  Then, you will click on the Groupon you want to use and click "Print" - don't worry - it will not print immediately, but it will take you to a screen where you can view the printable form of your Groupon, which will also include redemption instructions.  For this deal, you will want to print it and take it into the store with you and present it at checkout just as you would a gift card or coupon.  The Groupon will deduct $40 ($45 if redeemed before May 20) from the total of your purchase!

Note: If you're a Swagbucks user, visit the "Daily Deals" section of their site to access this Groupon and earn 160sb for your purchase!

Groupon: St. Louis: $25 for Two Ballet Tickets

If you're in the St. Louis area, today's Groupon may interest you.  I know I would definitely be buying this if I lived in the area because I have been wanting to go to the ballet for quite a few years now, but ticket prices are a bit much for me to justify.  So, if you're like me, you'll be so happy to see that today's Groupon is $25 for Two Tickets to "A Midsummer Night's Dream" from Missouri Ballet Theater.

Valid only for one of the following three dates/times:

• Friday, May 13 at 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, May 14 at 2:30 p.m.
• Saturday, May 14 at 7:30 p.m.

To take advantage of this Groupon:
1. Register or sign-in at Groupon.
2. Select St. Louis as your city.
3. Be sure you're viewing the deal you're interested in (if you don't see it when you're looking at the page for St. Louis, you can click on "All Deals" at the top of the page).  Click on the big green "Buy!" button and complete purchasing details.
4. Your Groupon should be ready for printing by tomorrow.  You will find it by clicking on your name in the upper right corner of the screen and visiting "My Groupons".  Then, you will click on the Groupon you want to use and click "Print" - don't worry - it will not print immediately, but it will take you to a screen where you can view the printable form of your Groupon, which will also include redemption instructions.  For this deal, they will most likely require you to call the Theater to reserve your seats.  You will most likely still need to have the printed copy of your Groupon on-hand when you visit the ballet, so be sure to print it before you go!

Groupon: $100 of Picaboo products for $35

Groupon is having another Picaboo deal.  This time they're offering $100 in Picaboo products for $35.  These are very quality books.  In fact, a Picaboo offer was the first Groupon I ever purchased because I love making photobooks to preserve my own memories and make gifts for Grandmas - they love seeing pictures of their Grandkids!

If you want to take advantage of the current Picaboo deal, visit Groupon and register if you haven't already done so.  Today's Picaboo deal is their on-line deal, so you should be able to find it in the right side-bar for any city you're in, but if not, check out Springfield, MO.

Therefore, after you've registered/signed in:
1. If you don't see the Picaboo deal in the right sidebar of your city, click on the arrow next to the name of the city and find Springfield, MO.
2. Find the Picaboo deal along the right side and click on that.
2. Click "Buy!" and complete your information.
3. Do a little Happy Dance because you just got a great deal!

Your Groupon will become active on April 26 and you can start making books as soon as you want after that.  You have until October 20, 2011 to use all of your credit (but it does not all have to be used in one order!).  Also, this deal can be applied toward tax and shipping, so that's great!  If you wait, too, you can typically find really good deals on Picaboo books (such as Buy One Get One Free or 50% off) - if you want me to let you know when coupon codes for Picaboo books show up, let me know!

*If you're a Swagbucks user, be sure to buy your Groupon through them.  When you get to the homepage, click on the Earn tab at the top and then Daily Deals.  You will see a list of Groupon offers in your area.  Click on any of those (it doesn't have to be this specific deal) and then find this deal under Springfield.  You should still earn 160sb for purchasing any Groupon!

Groupon: $2 for 5 Blockbuster Express Rentals

Today's side deal at Groupon for Jacksonville, Florida, includes five Blockbuster Express rentals for $2 once again!  If you're interested:

1. Head on over to Groupon, sign-in or register (it's FREE)
2. Click the small arrow next to the name of your city to find Jacksonville, Florida.
3. Look at the right sidebar to find the Blockbuster deal.  Click the big green "Buy!" button.
4. Fill out your information to finalize your purchase.
5. Within the next 24 hours, your Groupon will appear in your account for you to print.  In the pdf file, you will find your five rental codes to be used at any Blockbuster Express rental kiosk.  These are valid through May 1, 2013.  So you have plenty of time!

PS If you're a member of Swagbucks (or want to be), you should be able to earn Swagbucks for this deal!  Simply visit the Daily Deals section under the Earn tab on the Swagbucks homepage.  Though you won't see this precise deal unless you're in Jacksonville, you should be able to click through any Groupon link and follow the above steps.  I believe you will still earn the Swagbucks simply for making any purchase on the Groupon site!

Vacations on a Budget

My husband and I recently returned from a mini-vacation to Branson.  Though our trip wasn't free, it was considerably less expensive than it could have been.  I thought I would share a couple of tips for taking a vacation on a budget.  Keep in mind I am no expert, so if you have any tips of your own, feel free to share!

Daily Deals - Because I knew we would be visiting Branson a few times this year (thanks to a season pass to Silver Dollar City we received for Christmas), I subscribed to the Springfield (near Branson) version of Groupon, just in case any deals came up for hotels, shows or restaurants nearby.  And it worked!  Only four days before our trip, a Groupon came up for The Legend of Kung Fu, a show in Branson I had wanted to take my husband to from the moment I first heard about it last year.  Because of the Groupon (and a $10 credit I had), we paid only $26 for two tickets for the show - which typically sell at $38 each! 
I also currently subscribe to the Groupon and Living Social sites for Los Angeles (where we plan to visit this summer) and St. Louis (where my parents live, so we visit frequently).

Booking Travel - Similarly, I subscribe to Southwest Airlines e-newsletter, so I can keep my eyes open for sales.  As mentioned, I know we'll be visiting L.A., but we have yet to book a flight, so I'm keeping my eyes peeled for a good sale.  There are also sites, like Travelocity, Expedia and HotWire which help you find the best deals on flights anywhere.

Accommodations - I typically refer first to hotels.com when booking accommodations.  For our Branson trip, I found a one bedroom suite with a full kitchen, fireplace, and balcony overlooking the lake for less than $90/night through hotels.com.  Any of the aforementioned travel sites also offer hotel bookings.  And the daily deals sites occasionally offer deals on hotels.  Another option, if you're looking for high class lodging at middle-class pricing, are some weekly "flash deal" sites.  Some I subscribe to are Living Social Escapes (after you sign up, you can see the "Escapes" tab on the left side of the page) and Snique Away.  The catch on these is that the deals are only offered for a week, you have to book your stay (for specific dates) at the time of purchase and these are typically non-refundable, so you need to know for sure when you intend to travel. 
Before I book anything, though, I always check TripAdvisor to read reviews on the lodging of choice, because you never can tell.  Reading honest reviews from other travelers is my best insight to what I'm looking at and seeing what the hotel won't tell me.  Is it in a bad location?  Not in the best condition?  Are the staff friendly and accommodating? 

Always go through E-Bates! - When I booked for our Branson trip, I visited E-Bates and used their link to visit hotels.com in order to earn 3.5% cash back on our hotel stay.  I also went to E-Bates before purchasing the Groupon for our Branson show, earning me 2% cash back on that purchase.

These are my favorite ways to vacation on a budget.  What are some of yours?

Groupon: $10 for 20-Page PhotoBook from Shutterfly

Today, Groupon is offering, as a side deal for most cities, a 20-page 8x8 Photobook from Shutterfly for only $10.  These typically start at $29.95 (although I don't know anyone who would actually pay that price).  Your Groupon will be valid until May 18 and does NOT include shipping (typically around $6.99).  I have a couple of photo books from Shutterfly.  They are very nice quality - though a total of $17-ish for a photobook is, in my opinion, not the best deal.  I just thought I'd pass it along in case anyone was interested.

To find this deal:
1. Head to Groupon and register or sign-in.
2. Locate your city (or use Oklahoma City or Los Angeles) and look at the right sidebar where it says "More Great Deals Nearby".  Depending on the look of the screen for your city, you may need to click on "See all".
3. Click on the Shutterfly deal and click buy.

Your Groupon should appear in your account for use within the next couple of days!

Groupon: $1 for three Redbox Rentals

If you're a frequent Redbox user, you'll love this deal.  Currently on Groupon you can find a deal for $1 for three one-night movie rentals from Redbox.  If you can't find the deal under your city, visit the page for Abilene, TX.  Tip: If you go through swagbucks, you'll earn 80sb for purchasing this Groupon!

Groupon: $2 for 5 Blockbuster Express Rentals

Groupon currently has a deal running for five Blockbuster Express Rentals (a $5 value) for only $2 - as I subscribe to Netflix and only rent from a Blockbuster Express kiosk when there is a free code available, I won't be partaking in this deal, but just in case it's interesting to you, I thought I'd pass the information along.

If you don't see this deal under your city, visit the Groupon page for Atlanta and peruse the right sidebar.  You should find this deal listed for "Mulitple Locations" - this means you can use it anywhere!

Also, if you go through Swagbucks (visit their "Daily Deals" page under the "Earn" tab to find this deal), you'll earn 85 swagbucks by purchasing this Groupon!

(Side Note: you can also earn Swagbucks for signing up for Netflix!  Visit the "TrialPay" tab of their "Special Offers" page under the "Earn" tab at the top of the homepage.  You'll earn 675sb for signing up for Netflix - that's an amazon gift card and a half!)

Groupon: $20 for $40 worth of Flowers from FTD

For you women out there, this might be one to pass on to your man ;)  Or you could take advantage of this deal and save it to send flowers to your mom on Mother's Day - it doesn't expire until June 15!

Today's Groupon deal, nationwide, is $20 for $40 of flowers or gifts from FTD floral.  Plus, if you go through E-Bates, you get 3% cash back - but as that's only $0.60, it would be a better deal to go through Swagbucks - which offers 315 swagbucks (and it only takes 450 for a $5 Amazon gift card) if you purchase the deal of the day!

Here's what to do:
1. Sign in/Register for Swagbucks.
2. On their homepage, click on the "Earn" tap along the top and find "Daily Deals".  On the list of deals, you should see your Groupon offer for FTD.  Click through that link.
3. "Buy" your Groupon as normal. 

Your Groupon appear in your account immediately but won't be ready to use until tomorrow.  You have until June 15 to use your Groupon.  You may buy 2!  But, you can only use one per purchase.

Here is further fine print.